"Hey, Ash, won't you come here, baby," Rick said quietly walking up to her, the bruising on her face making his jaw clench angrily.
"M'kay, what's up?" She asked, pulling off the gloves covered in blood, mindful of her sprained wrist.
"Daryl and I wanted to talk to you," Rick explained, leading her over to Daryl's tent, furthest away from everyone else.
When they walked in Daryl was already standing in the middle of the tent waiting for them. Rick walked around Ash to stand on the side of the two so they could all easily see each other.
"So...what's up?" Ash asked, wringing her hands together looking between the two men, neither missing the nervous habit.
"Daryl and I talked last night after you went to bed. 'Bout you and me and you and him," Rick started, both men surprised when they watched her face fall from nervousness to dread.
"I understand if neither of you want to—oh god, I've just been going back and forth between both of you and it's not fair. I'm so sorry—"
"Darlin', hey, take a breath," Daryl stepped forward, shushing her gently, reaching out to rub his hand up and down her arm.
"You haven't been going back and forth but you don't have to worry about that, baby," Rick stepped closer as well and couldn't help the small smile he had on his face. Her big innocent blue eyes looking up at him with curiosity.
"Okay...?" She drawled the question slowly.
"We talked about you loving him, him loving you. You loving me, me loving you. Know you love us both and you don't know how to choose but you don't have to, Ash. We're okay with you wanting both of us," Rick explained watching all of the emotions running through her eyes.
"I can't—no that's not fair to either of you—"
"Ain't about fair, Ash. We do it this way an' nobody loses anyone. We know it ain't a normal relationship but what about the world is normal anymore? Rick and I'll figure out our relationship along the way but for now we both love ya, both want ya and neither wanna lose ya. It's your decision," The two men exchanged a look when her eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip quivered.
"Darlin'?" Daryl asked worriedly, bringing his hand up to caress the side of her face.
"I want this, I'm just worried—what if one of you decides this isn't what you want anymore, I don't wanna lose either of you—"
"That's why we're doin' this, darlin'. Neither of us wanna lose ya, we know what we're gettin' into and we're okay with it. Ya don't have to worry 'bout either of us leavin'," Daryl promised, Rick had stuck by her through all of these years and Daryl was head over heels for her, neither planned to lose her
"If it ever gets to be to much please just tell me, I'll understand—"
"Nah, c'mere," Daryl cut her off, pulling her against his chest, reaching out to Rick and pulling him in as well. The two men cocooning her smaller body between theirs.
Rick couldn't help it as he leaned over Ash's shoulder and nuzzled his cheek against Daryl's. Rick pulled back meeting the other man's eyes, happy that he hadn't pulled away.
"Rick?" Shane's voice called out, followed by the sound of his footsteps.
"Yeah, Shane?" Rick answered as the three of them pulled away, as he stepped outside of the tent.
"We're almost finished, man. Just a couple more bodies then gettin' our dead buried. Everything good over here?" Shane asked and Rick had to suppress a scoff at the question.
"We're good, c'mon," Rick replied, clapping the man on the back before the two walked away.
"So, I guess we should work out new sleeping arrangements, huh?" Ash asked, her arm sliding around Daryl's neck.
"Naw, tents are two small for four people and ya gotta stay with Carl," Daryl shook his head, as much as he would love to sleep with her every night he knew she would never leave her son—would never ask her to.
"Mm. So you and Rick can bunk together," She smirked playfully, laughing when he rolled his eyes.
"How about this," He said, reaching up to tuck some hair behind her ear, pulling her closer with the arm around her waist, "After we get to the CDC, assumin' it's there and assumin' there places for us to sleep separately ya sneak over and stay with me for a night." A chill creeped up Ash's spine at the way his voice dropped down and he pulled her flush against his body.
"That would be nice," She breathed, eyes falling closed when his hand caressed her cheek, his warm breath washing over her face. Flashes of their first kiss in the house sped through her mind and she moaned quietly against Daryl's lips.
The quiet gasping noise she made when his lips trailed down her chin to her jaw made Daryl groan. He trailed light kisses over the bruising on her skin. He smiled to himself when he spotted Rick coming back, though he was a lot quieter than Shane and knew Ash hadn't noticed him approaching—too lost in Daryl's touch. He kept kissing along the column of her neck. Rick's eye's met his as soon as he stepped into the tent, taking a deep breath at the sight of them together.
Rick watched as Daryl's hand slid up Ash's back tangling in her hair. Her quiet gasp made his jaw fall open and Daryl smirked at him over her shoulder, licking a broad strip up her pulse point. Rick's mouth suddenly went dry and he felt hot, much hotter than the way the beaming Georgia sun made him feel.
Daryl met his eye again, pulling one hand away from Ash, beckoning him over. He didn't waste a second taking the few steps in long strides, pressing against Ash's back, listening as she suppressed a moan against Daryl's shoulder when they both started kissing her neck. The three of them stayed like that for a moment. It felt good, it felt right for the three of them to be tangled together.
So only for a moment they allowed themselves to melt into one another before the events of the day came flooding back. Burying their dead, burning walkers, Andrea having to put down her sister, finding out Jim had been bitten and trying to figure out a plan on where to go next.
*
Ash was sitting on the steps of the RV now, re-wrapping her wrist and getting ready to finish helping clear camp. Rick was inside talking to Jim and Ash's eyes kept drifting to Daryl. She sighed as she tucked the wrap, running a hand over her face, surprised when she opened her eyes and Shane was crouching in front of her.
"I need you to talk some sense into Rick," He started and she fought the urge to roll her eyes as she stood up. "Look, this CDC thing, Ash, it's a mistake."
"So you're backing him?" He added when she sighed and just looked at him.
"Of course I am." She shrugged, she agreed with Rick's plan even though it was risky because she trusted him.
"You can't tell me that fixing your relationship is worth putting people's lives at risk," Shane spat and she just looked at him again, neither realizing Rick was right at the front of the RV now.
"Everyone here can make up their own minds without bringing my relationship into it, just like none of them cared when you were beating on me everyday. And just remember we are not together so why don't break that habit yourself," Rick's jaw clenched at the mention of Shane hurting Ash, the night she had told him bad things happened between them he had his suspicions but now it took everything in him not to break Shane's jaw.
"I guess I'll add that to the list of habits I'm breaking whether I like it or not," Shane trailed off when Rick's boots clacked against the floor of the RV steps.
"What habits?" Rick asked looking between the two and he could see the hesitance in Ash's eyes.
"Just talking about my need for a plan, man. So what is it? Are we leaving or not? Maybe y'all just wanna stay here, hang some more tin cans," Shane spoke again and Rick knew the man didn't realize how close he was to getting punched in the face.
"We can't stay here. We both know that-"
"I was just telling Shane I think we should trust your gut. You already know I'm behind you," Ash cut Rick off gently, Shane shaking his head when Rick broke their eye contact to look at her.
Rick gave her a small nod, he knew Daryl and Ash had his back and their opinion meant the most to him. He knew some were iffy but they didn't have to come. He felt this was the right decision and he was gonna move on it. Shane eventually agreed and he helped talk to the group before they finished packing.
Then they were headed off to the CDC.