Between Arrows and Hearts - Daryl Dixon

Do what's right

Cass could feel the sweat sticking to her skin, the way strands of hair clung to the back of her neck. Every muscle in her body burned, screaming for a break.

"I can't anymore." She groaned, breathless.

"'Ya need to hit the gym." Daryl muttered, the smirk in his voice clear as day.

Cass narrowed her eyes at him, amused by how proud he looked of his own comment. She planted a hand on her hip, using the other to shield her eyes from the sun as she tilted her head at him.

"You wanna train me?" She teased. 

Daryl didn't answer right away. He just bent down, grabbed another walker by the arms, and started dragging it effortlessly across the yard. "Don't think 'ya could keep up." He said, shooting her a cocky look. 

Cass had to bite back a laugh. Cockiness looks good on him.

They'd been at this all morning —her, Daryl, Rick, T-Dog, and Carol— hauling rotting bodies, clearing the yard so they could burn them and finally start working the land. Cass had suggested bringing in the truck to load up the bodies, which would've made things a lot easier. But the idea had been shot down instantly. Waste of gas, they'd said.

Fuck gas. Please let me rest.

"If you wanted to show off." She said, stepping right into his path and placing her foot on the walker he was dragging, forcing him to stop. "You could've just said so. I wouldn't mind watching."

"Ain't showin' off."

"You sure?" Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she began to help him carry the walker. "Because I thought we finally found something you're actually good at."

"I'm good at plenty." Daryl said. His voice was lower now, slower. Like he knew exactly what he was doing to her. Like he enjoyed it.

Cass felt a familiar heat creeping up her neck.

The memory hit her before she could stop it. 

That morning Daryl had woken up before her —like always— but when he tried to get up, he stirred her awake. Cass, still groggy and annoyed, curled up to get comfortable, not realizing she was pressing herself against him, her back flush against his chest. The second she moved, he let out a rough, almost involuntary groan, his hands gripping her hips tightly to stop her from moving again.

That sound had jolted her awake more than any adrenaline rush ever could. And ever since, a small, insistent part of her had been dying to know what other sounds she could get from him.

And this conversation was beginning to stir those same desires.

"Really?" She mused, pretending her pulse wasn't thudding in her ears. "Then why haven't you shown me any of those great talents?"

They reached the growing pile of corpses and tossed the walker on top.

Daryl leaned in, just enough to make the space between them feel on fire, and his voice dropped to something rough and intentional.

"Keep runnin' that mouth of yours," He muttered. "And I just might."

Cass felt her face heat instantly. Her heart pounded against her ribs, the weight of his stare pinning her in place.

And even if she had an answer —which she didn't— she wouldn't have been able to say it, because just then, Carol and T-Dog walked up, dragging another walker between them.

Now that was a damn good reason to keep talking.

"Okay, let's get the other car in," Rick said as he stepped out of the truck he'd just moved inside the prison. "We'll park 'em at the west entrance of the yard."