Black Sheep - Rick Grimes x Male

Do Not Send Us Astray

Tw: Brief mention of child abuse

Moon made it back to Hilltop much later than anticipated. The night had passed and the fight was over. He got there just minutes after what was left of the Saviors managed to escape.

It took him a while to find Rick, maybe he was stalling as he expected anger, or maybe the crowd of people trying to find their own loved ones was to blame.

Either way, when the two met, Moon was immediately taken with guilt. Rick almost looked sick as he took in his husband's bloodied face and burnt clothing. Moon's white shirt burnt an uneven shade of black and he reeked of smoke. The hole in the back of his shirt showed the blistering, red skin on his lower back.

That led to the two of them, in the small chaotic office Siddiq and an older woman were using. The room was once Dr. Carson's, it was fully equipped with everything but medication. That had to be scavenged again, meaning antibiotics were limited. Leaving everyone who was hurt during the fight to heal naturally.

Moon sat shirtless on the table with his head down shamefully, feeling Rick's hardening stare. After the initial worry wore off, Rick's heart caught up with his mind. Slowly, his questioning stopped and silence replaced his caring voice. Moon hated the tension, they hardly fought or argued.

Minor disagreements here and there but they were usually able to settle it before it became a real issue. Rick's eyes danced all over his partner, seeing what Moon was willing to put himself through on a whim. They waited for one of the doctors to be available, filling the room with an uncomfortable tension.

Moon rolled his ring around his finger, trying to find something to say that would somehow make everything better. He glanced up at Rick, staring at him through his eyelashes. The older man met his eyes, saying nothing to comfort his clearly guilty husband.

"I'm sorry." The younger Grimes whispered with a scratchy voice. He cleared his throat to stop himself from coughing. Rick looked away, grabbing a small cup of water from the table beside him. He held it up to Moon's cracked lips silently, using the man's specialty against him.

Moon frowned, now understanding why the silent treatment has always worked so well for him. It felt like he was being ignored. It was his fault, he knew that but it still hurt all the same. Rick tilted the cup forward, watching him sip slowly. Moon's face twisted as soon as the water hit his throat, he turned his head away from the cup with a pained whine.

Rick didn't let his emotions stop him from being there for Moon, he placed a hand on the back of his love's head to comfort him. Moon's eyes stung but he forced them to stay dry. This was his fault. He didn't get to cry. Rick was the one who was lied to, only he had the right to be upset.

Rick wasn't angry about what Moon did, he knew he would have done the same. But Moon took it too far. He lit a building on fire while still inside. He risked his life when he didn't have to, knowing his family was waiting and worrying for him.

There was a plan and Moon promised to follow it, but because he didn't Negan got away and he got hurt. Things could have ended much different. Moon was careless when it came to himself, Rick couldn't stomach it. It almost felt like his husband only regarded himself when he was forced to.

Moon told him everything that happened, in detail only because Rick wouldn't let him sugarcoat it. The leader wanted to know not only because, well Moon is his husband, he had a right to know. But he was desperate for another plan. Rick felt they were running out of time.

They tried going from outpost to outpost, that didn't work. They tried at the Sanctuary then Alexandria and again last night with Hilltop. Their attempts continued to end with casualties. Rick was frustrated to learn Moon risked his life for nothing. The only thing he got out of all of it were new scars and a bat that stole the life of their late friend.