First and Last

7/27

Daryl worked on the bike for a good couple of hours, but he didn't feel tired, his mind focused on the task instead of being worrying or overthinking, enjoying the work, enjoying even Jane's questions and the background sound of Y/N, Aaron and Eric speaking, even joining them from time to time.

It wasn't until Y/N said that she and Jane had to go home since it was getting very late, that Daryl realized how late it actually was. Deanna's house was dark, everybody seemed to have gone home already, and he couldn't hear anyone around. They hadn't complained, but he thought he might be making Aaron and Eric stay up late, working on their garage.

Daryl offered to walk Y/N and Jane home. He knew it was silly, Alexandria was safe, they were behind walls, nothing would happen to them walking back at home late, and yet he couldn't help himself from wanting to make sure. Y/N didn't seem to mind, though, smiling to him, while Jane seemed to be quite happy about it. Why the little girl wanted so much to talk to him, Daryl didn't know, but he didn't find it annoying or overwhelming, much to his surprise.

As they walked, he noticed Jane yawning and walking slowly, clutching at Y/N's hand, seeming tired, and so Daryl stopped and crouched down in front of her. "Hop up," he told her, and the little girl grinned when she realized he was offering her a piggyback ride.

"You don't need to," Y/N began, but Jane was already climbing to his back and holding onto his shoulders, and Daryl got up and began walking again, noticing how Y/N bit her lip as it curled into a smile in that way that made him feel all weird. "Thanks."

"Are you a mechanic?" Jane asked as they walked back to the house, her chin resting on his shoulder, and Daryl turned his head to frown at her. "That's how you know how to build a bike?"

"Ain't no mechanic..." He grumbled.

"Yet he can put a bike together as if nothing," Y/N said, smiling.

"Cool...I could learn, maybe, watching you..." Jane said, sounding thoughtful and taking Daryl aback, though it reminded him to Y/N watching him in silence as he made campfires and cooked, trying to learn, like that morning when he got the rabbit ready.

"That'd be more useful than working in a pantry for sure," Y/N murmured with a sigh, and Daryl looked at her...he couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking low of herself. The idea made him frown. She'd gone to the city, got a life there, got a kid...whereas he'd been nothing. The fact that he could hunt or fix a bike didn't change that, but sure, it was useful in that new world. Certainly more useful than being good at singing. Beth could tell...the memory of Maggie's little sister came to Daryl's mind and he rushed to push it down, it hurt.

"Ain't that hard..." He muttered, unsure of what to say.

"You already look like you've been working on it, though." Y/N chuckled as she looked at Jane, and just then Daryl noticed the grease stains on the kid's hands from when he had let her tinker with a piece, and some more stains on her face from when she had touched it with her dirty hands. Sure he looked like that too. He couldn't help his smile.

They soon reached Y/N's place and he lowered Jane down. The little girl grinned at him, looking sleepy but also strangely full of energy. Daryl wondered if she ever got really tired.

"Thank you!"

"Yeah, thanks, Daryl," Y/N opened the door and smiled at him. "For walking us here and everything."

"Ain't nothing..." He murmured, feeling a bit self-conscious.

"Okay, sweetheart, change your clothes and get ready for bed. But wash that grease off your face and hands first."

"Alright." Jane grinned at Daryl again. "Good night, Daryl."

"Night, sunshine." There it was again, that word, without Daryl being able to stop it. He felt utterly embarrassed but when he looked at Y/N, it didn't seem like she was going to say anything about it or laugh at it. Jane grinned even bigger and she disappeared into the house.