Blood Bourbon

Tilted

Daryl

Daryl was grinning like a damned fool for most of the morning, which was a good thing, because his shoulder was giving him more trouble than he would like. Being in a good mood kept him working and moving, which meant that the shoulder didn't seize up. Daryl found that if he kept it moving, it limbered up enough that the pain was an afterthought.

So Daryl stayed busy until nearly show time, when he had to change out of his sweat stained shirt, taking time to ice his shoulder and eat a meal as he listened to the crowds filtering into the stands above. He was demolishing his second plate when Sue found him, stalking over to him with a half glare.

Daryl swallowed his bite of food before murmuring. "Ma'am."

"When the hell did you get injured." Sue wasn't concerned about him, he knew it was about the money. People didn't pay to watch a cowboy hobble around, management kept track of these things.

Daryl made a face and shook his head. "I'm fine ma'am. How can I help yah?"

Sue let out a slow breath, pulling out a business card and putting it on the table beside him. "Our guests last night weren't sure if you received their contact information. They wanted me to ensure you had this. They've just made a very sizable sponsorship deal with the company."

"Good for them." Daryl glared at her, but when she met his gaze in kind, he finally elaborated. "Look, ma'am. I will do promo stuff, but the things they wanted are entirely personal in nature and I'm not comfortable maintaining any contact with them."

"These people are connected to some very powerful players in our country, Daryl." Sue let out a breath through her nose, flaring her nostrils. "You don't have to call them, but if they come to more events, you won't insult them."

Daryl inclined his head, before nodding to his shoulder. "It was one of their goons who did this to me, Sue. Just cause he could."

She frowned then, taking in the injury, then looking back to him with a shocked look on his features. "We don't ask you to put yourself at risk."

"Really?" Daryl laughed softly with a smirk on his features. " I fight bulls for the company. I agree not to sue you if I die... I think... risk is inherent in this job."

"Yes." The woman struggled to respond for a long moment before shaking her head and bending over to pick up the card, shoving it into her pocket. "Next time something like that happens, let me know immediately."

Before he could respond, she walked away from him and left him to mull over it for the rest of the night.

The show went about as well as expected with Daryl almost getting pulverized a couple times due to his bum arm before the final gate slammed shut and the lights came on. Oscar was watching him curiously as they walked out of the ring. His partner in the ring was probably his best friend and had always been able to tell when Daryl was off his game.

Oscar frowned at him for a long moment. "You didn't smack your head again when I wasn't looking, did you?"

"Naw." Daryl was about to explain when they stepped into the hallway and a familiar voice cut off the rest of his response.

"DARYL!" Steven ran over to him, trailing his father, two older kids and one of the nurses Daryl had met the first time they had met. The boy hugged him tightly, grinning widely. "They're letting me go see the horses! You gonna come too?"

"Careful, Steve." Rick grinned to his son, before nodding towards where one of the circuit guides was waiting. "Give me a minute with Mr. Martin."