Ryker's Guide (Spicy)

Painful Realities

Ryker

Ryker had been standing and looking at Daryl's 'luggage' for a couple hours. The duffle bag that Daryl used when he traveled, which was beaten up and still smelled vaguely like a farm, was half packed. Daryl would wake up in a little while, pull his clothing out of the dryer, and throw it haphazardly into the bag before leaving for the airport.

Before leaving him.

Ryker had felt like they'd made some headway at the strip club, despite the oddness of seeing Daryl making out with Carbry, but there was still a chasm between them. The last couple days, they had tried to spend time together but had found an awkwardness to it. Carbry had been telling Ryke to talk to Daryl, to try to bridge the gap between them, but Ryker felt a distinct inability to do what his boss had suggested.

Any time he opened his mouth to say something, Daryl watched him dispassionately, looking like he was bracing for an argument.

They loved one another. That much was clear. Daryl only had eyes for him, but he didn't see happiness in his mate's expression, not as easily as it used to be there. Daryl was holding him at the same distance that he held the rest of the world at. Ryker wasn't the rest of the world though. He was more. Should be more, but he couldn't figure out how to get that...feeling back.

Ryker almost turned away and was in the process of turning toward the bathroom where he would shower and get dressed then seek out work rather than answers. Work made sense. This chasm thing between himself and his mate didn't. He even went so far as to pull out his phone and type a quick message to his boss.

You down for training?

Carbry is busy today, asshole.

Ryker sighed softly as he stared at the message which had clearly been written by Meriwa but had come from Alesky's number, shaking his head and nearly tossing the phone onto the counter when another message from her came in.

Spend it with Daryl.

He's leaving.

Ryker felt something close to desperation rise as he hit 'send.' He was used to being forgotten. Carbry had pretty much completely forgotten he existed now that Meriwa was back. Ryker understood. He got it, and he didn't begrudge it, he just...he had gotten used to spending so much time with the man. And Daryl hadn't been waiting for him, hadn't jumped into the void for him. So Ryke had been forgotten by...everyone.

Another message came in as he was fretting.

Stop him.

"How?" Ryker glared at the phone as he angrily whispered the question and fought the odd pain in his chest. She didn't fucking get it. How could she? Carbry worshipped the ground she walked on. He would forgive her for anything. Daryl...Daryl was different. How could Ryke ever make things up to his mate? As if sensing his question, the zombie goddess replied.

Tell him you don't want him to go.

Yeah. It's not that simple for us mere mortals, Princess.

Don't be a stubborn asshole, asshole.

He's got his presentation. This stuff is important to him. Ryker rolled his eyes in frustration, though for some reason he found himself waiting for her answer. Meri was Daryl's best friend, especially now with Oz and him still not really talking. Surely Meri knew a little about Daryl's thoughts.

Then go with him.

Ryker frowned for a moment, the idea taking root even as he told himself that they had missions to plan, reports to file. He couldn't just up and go across the Atlantic with his cowboy. When he looked down, he realized Meriwa was typing another message, and he found himself reading an uncharacteristically long reply from the Princess.