Hilltop had been quiet for the last few days and while everyone was enjoying the peace, Daryl and Jesus had taken the time to keep their skills sharp; fearing it was a calm before a storm.
Jesus had spent time teaching Daryl how to use a staff and improve his already good knife skills. He had explained repeatedly that a crossbow was all well and good until he ran out of bolts.
"That's why I go back and collect 'em.." Daryl had smirked when Jesus had swiped his feet out from under him and pinned him to the floor. The pair had laughed and Jesus had conceded that his partner did in fact make a good point.
Since everything had settled the armoury had added the addition of a munitions workshop which had successfully stocked the once bare shelves with every kind of projectile available to be made or scavenged; including various tipped bolts for all Daryl's needs.
Today after a couple of days doing various chores around Hilltop, meetings and planning out their next recon areas, Daryl had promised to teach Jesus how to use his crossbow. It had been an ongoing conversation that had ended many times with Jesus pouting in Daryl's arms because he'd been told no. It wasn't that Daryl was being mean, it was just that his crossbow was a little temperamental and if it wasn't reloaded the correct way it could go off on a hair trigger. Daryl seemed to have the magic touch.
Daryl had sighed and agreed to teach him after he had modified it a little and the hair trigger problem seemed to be fewer and further between issues. He had set up a special target area for the crossbow and many bows they had accumulated, once they had been settled at Hilltop. Everyone wanted it placed somewhere where a stray arrow or bolt wasn't going to be an issue.
Once Daryl had let it known he was teaching Jesus his crossbow use, the group had joked they'd keep the target area clear for those days, just in case he missed.
Jesus walked towards the target line and ran his fingers through his hair as he tied in back out of his face. Daryl watched with a smirk on his face as he lined up the bolts they'd be using for the practice.
"What's that look for?" Jesus stood with a hand on his hip.
"Nothin'.." Daryl lied and winked. "Just enjoyin' the view."
Jesus smiled and stepped closer to look at the bolts. He'd done a collection run for Daryl plenty of times but had never taken any notice of their appearance before. They were custom and made to Daryl's own specifications; running a little longer than the pre-apocalypse bolts he had used until he started experimenting with making his own to keep up his supply.
Daryl held out the crossbow to Jesus and nodded "get a feel for the ol' girl."
"Why is it a girl?" He tilted his head.
"Treat her wrong and she'll go off..." he answers simply. Jesus nodded in agreement before turning the crossbow over in his hands and looking at its workings. Daryl stood close and carefully explained how everything went together before realising his boyfriend only needed to know how to load it, aim it and fire it.
Jesus smiled softly and kissed Daryl's cheek "thank you, so how do I load it... safely?"
Picking up a bolt from the table behind them, Daryl took the cross bow and demonstrated. "It's honestly not hard, it's just that she's a bit picky. I think I have that sorted, but just in case make sure you aim at the ground when you load her." Next he showed Jesus how to correctly support it against his shoulder and brace himself.
"There's not really any recoil like a gun but she packs a punch because of the modifications I've made so she can certainly throw you off balance." Daryl fires the bolt and grins when he hits the bullseye without even trying.
"Show off." Jesus jokes and takes the offered crossbow, picking up a bolt and talking himself through the short process of loading it. Keeping his finger off the trigger he let Daryl stand behind him and help position the butt of the crossbow; easily wrapping his arms around Jesus he supported the weight to help.
"Okay, much like firing a gun you gotta keep your breathing steady, use the sight at the top to aim..and squeeze the trigger." Daryl speaks against Jesus' ear, keeping his voice quiet.
Deep in concentration, trying to keep his breathing steady while his boyfriend was literally breathing down his neck, Jesus took aim and squeezed the trigger. He huffed when he only got an outer ring.
"You'll get there, practice is all you need. The weight distribution is different from a gun is all."
Jesus nods and picks up another bolt from the table, Daryl steps back and watches him load up the crossbow and take aim again. He continues to watch intently as the man before him takes his time and squeezes the trigger. An inner ring this time.
"See, you're getting closer already!" Daryl exclaims proudly.
The next two hours sees Jesus follow instructions until they're second nature and he's firing bolts one after another.
"Okay one bolt left!" He grins "I'm gonna get a bullseye, I can feel it!"
Daryl pulls out the bolts from the target and spins when he hears a yell from Jesus.
"Fuck!" He screams and clasps his hands around his foot, falling to his knee.
"What?! What happened?" Daryl rushes over and drops down, finding a bolt through his boyfriend's foot.
"I was loading it and it just... went off.."
"We need to get you to the medical unit." Daryl looks up from his position on the floor "but we gotta get the bolt out of the ground."
Jesus groans in pain at the thought "dare I ask how?"
Daryl leans in close against his ear "I'll help you."
"Uh huh... again... how?" Jesus repeated.
"I hold the bolt, and we pull at the same time." He offers. "Move your foot and the bolt together. Your foot is too close to the ground to fit anything under to cut the bolt."
He thinks and then nods, carefully getting back up "I'm gonna need to lean on you."
Daryl stands and wraps his arm around Jesus "okay we go on three."
"On or after?"
"On.. dead on three."
"Oh god I hope not... it's just my foot!" He smiles trying to lighten the moment.
Daryl rolls his eyes and leans down, gripping the bolt. "You ready, oh comedic one?" He waits for Jesus to answer and then counts, both of the men pulling on three.
Jesus gritted his teeth and held back a scream of pain, panting once his foot was free from the ground; he found himself swiftly lifted and being carried across to the medical unit.
—
Daryl had sat waiting outside the room Jesus was being treated in; he'd wanted to be there and help him through the pain that was coming his way. No local anaesthetic made removals of arrows and bolts painful but Enid had learned how to make a gentle general anaesthetic which at the very least eased symptoms for just long enough. Dr Carson had worked quickly and Daryl heard him dictating clearly that the bolt had missed bone and anything detrimental; it was quite literally a flesh wound. Daryl had sighed with relief and waited as patiently as possible to be called in.
Dr Carson opens the door and offers a smile "wanna come in?"
Daryl moved at lightning speed and followed him in then over to where Jesus was recovering from the anaesthesia. He was woozy and slurring but he was conscious at least.
"He may be a little nauseous because of the sedative mix but otherwise he'll be okay. I just want him to be awake enough to sit himself up and then I'm happy to release him into your care."
Daryl nods "thanks doc, I appreciate it."
He nods and pulls a partition across before walking to his desk while Daryl takes a seat beside Jesus and threads their fingers together.
"How you feeling?" Daryl keeps his voice quiet.
"Dizzy?" He turns his head. "Headachey... like I've been hit with a sledgehammer."
Daryl nods and rubs his thumb across Jesus' knuckle "I guess I didn't fix the crossbow as good as I thought... I'm so sorry Paul.." he sighs and rubs his face "I'll take a better look at it later." Jesus smiles at the use of his proper name, few people called him by it but Daryl always made sure to do so.
"It's not your fault, honestly. It was an accident. I shouldn't have had my foot in the way. I'll remember next time." He half laughs and then giggles "I shot myself in the foot..."
Daryl smiles and then laughs with him "fuck you're adorable."
"I don't know why it's so funny but... it is!"
Daryl continues to laugh with him and rests his forehead down against their hands while Jesus laughs out comments about how it was meant to be an arrow to the knee.
"I think it's the drugs making everything a bit woozy and funny, you'll be okay..." Daryl looks around and notes the privacy screen, "is there anything I can do to make this up to you?"
"Oh? What were you thinking? You wanna take advantage of me?"
"I was thinking that you could take advantage of your position right now... you're always such a giver... maybe I can give you something..." Daryl snakes his hand under the blanket covering Jesus. "But you're gonna have to learn to be quiet.."
Jesus' eyes dart around and he smirks, under any other circumstances both the men knew well this would never happen but after the adrenaline of the accident and the sedative still wearing off it was only a small risk.
Daryl wraps his hand around Jesus' hardening cock "just thinking about it getting you excited?"
He nods and licks his lips, squeezing Daryl's hand and silently urging him on. The man obliges and frees him from the confines of his pants fully, playfully stroking his fingers from base to tip to tease. Jesus closes his eyes and concentrates on keeping his breathing steady; "please.." he mouths and smiles when Daryl wraps his hand around him fully, jerking him slowly.
Jesus had found out that Daryl's rough and work calloused hands could be surprisingly soft and gentle when the time called for it. He worked along the full length of his cock, twisting his hand and rubbing his thumb over the underside.
"I can't hold on.." Jesus whispered and reached to pull Daryl closer until their lips were touching in a passionate kiss.
"Then don't.." Daryl whispers back and speeds up his hand, spreading the sticky precum leaking from Jesus' cock. He holds back a grunt and kisses Daryl, his release covering the hand around his length.
The door to the room opens and Rick can be heard asking questions; news of the minor incident had already spread. Daryl quickly cleans Jesus and himself up with a nearby towel and holds back a shy giggle.
"....yes he's fine. It was a deep flesh wound caused by a crossbow bolt.... which he shot himself with. Nobody else was involved."
By the time the privacy screen was pulled back Daryl and Jesus were sitting talking about the safety changes needing to be made to the crossbow.
"As you can see, he's fine. I'll need to see you again in seven days for stitches and I'll need you to keep an eye out for signs of infection. No heavy work or long walks for a while yet."
Jesus nods "no worries, there's plenty to do around here."
"I'll make sure he behaves." Daryl smiles.
Rick laughs and jokes "You? You're a bad enough influence anyway, he makes you behave..."
"Maybe," Jesus smirks. "Sometimes."