The bible didn't mention us-
Rick walked with Daryl into school the next Monday, holding his hand tightly. People looked at them, but Rick didn't really notice. He'd been worried before they'd arrived, but as soon as they'd parked the jeep, and Rick had taken a deep breath, Daryl had taken his hand, squeezed it, and said quietly, "I'm here, Rick."
And he was. He was always there. Even when he had pushed Rick away, they'd always been connected, from that first day. Rick was a romantic at heart, and there wasn't anything you could say to dissuade him that he and Daryl were meant to be.
Daryl walked him to his locker and only let his hand go so he could gather his books. Rick went with him to get his things, then they arrived in English, hands still joined.
Rick figured he could get used to this.
To his immense relief, Rick didn't see sneers on people's faces, only genuine confusion. He thought that might have more to do with Daryl's reputation then him, though.
As he walked the halls later, after he and Daryl separated after lunch to go to their respective classes, Rick didn't hear whispers following him. No one jumped him or tried to beat him up.
He didn't know if the town was open-minded or if everyone was too scared to fuck with Daryl's boyfriend.
Boyfriend, Rick thought to himself. He smiled.
The only problem they encountered all day, in fact, occurred in Bio, unsurprisingly. Because, although Mr. Walsh had become more polite to Daryl, he never really liked him. That became evident when his jaw tightened as Rick and Daryl entered the room, grasping hands, and sat together as usual.
"Mr. Grimes?" he called. Rick looked up from where he and Daryl had their heads together, speaking quietly about their plans later.
"Yes, sir?" he responded.
"Could you join me up front for a moment? I need to see you about your last quiz," Mr. Walsh said, his entire body tense. Daryl narrowed his eyes at him, but didn't say anything, just squeezed Rick's hand beneath the table before Rick gave him a smile and stood up.
Rick walked to the front, innocent curiosity on his face. "Is there somethin' wrong, Mr. Walsh?"
His teacher seemed to bite his tongue for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before he opened his mouth. "What's goin' on with you and Dixon?" he asked, his voice low.
Rick's eyebrows raised in surprise. "I'm sorry?"
"I'm sure you think you know what yer doin', Rick, but you haven't been around long enough to know the things I do about Dixon," he began, keeping his voice down and gesturing with his hands. "I know you said you wanted me to butt out, and I will, I just can't stand by and watch ya get hurt. Listen to me, Rick. Dixon'll hurt ya. He'll string you along as long as he needs ya, and then he'll leave. Don't let—"
Rick turned his back and walked away from the man without saying a word.
"Rick!" Walsh said, startled.
Rick's face was filled with such fury that the students he passed did a double take. He reached his table and gestured to his boyfriend. "Come on, Daryl. We're goin' to the office."
To his credit, Daryl didn't hesitate or ask any questions. He simply gathered his and Rick's things and followed him out the door.
That day, Rick got both of them transferred to another class. He asked to see Mr. Greene, and told him that Mr. Walsh was both spreading rumors about a student and trying to interfere in his personal life. Without too many questions, the principal simply told them that they could spend the rest of the class period in the library, and could join rearrange their schedules after school.
Rick thanked him and led the way to the library. As soon as they arrived, Daryl placed their things on a vacant table, and grabbed Rick's wrist. He dragged him into an empty corner of the room and gently backed Rick up to a bookshelf. He grasped Rick's chin and made him meet his eyes. His face was serious.
"You alrigh'?" he asked quietly. Rick nodded, but Daryl just kept staring at him, thinking.
"I'm fine, Daryl. I promise," Rick said, reaching up to pull Daryl's hand off his chin and linking their finger together.
"I don' like that he gotcha so upset," Daryl muttered.
Rick squeezed Daryl's hand and smiled. "I was just tired of listenin' to his shit. You got nothin' to worry about. It's forgotten."
"Bullshit," Daryl said roughly, and Rick flinched at the harshness in his tone.
Daryl sighed, and ran his free hand though his hair. "Sorry. I'm sorry, I just… hate seein' you so angry when I can't do nothin' about it. What'd he say to you?"
Rick shook his head. "Nothin', it's not impor—"
"Rick," Daryl said, cutting him off. He held Rick's gaze, not speaking, just waiting.
Rick sighed, defeated. "Just said that you'd leave me, and I'd end up hurt."
Daryl flinched, but then his face went carefully blank.
Rick smiled at him. He let go of Daryl's hand, but before the boy could retreat he grasped both of Daryl's biceps and reversed their positions. He pushed Daryl against the bookshelf, then ran his hands up Daryl's arms to his shoulder, then up to thread through his hair. He cradled Daryl's face carefully, forcing him to meet his eyes, much like Daryl had done earlier.
"You listen to me, Daryl. He can say whatever the hell he wants about you. He's a piece of shit that tries to ruin people's chances at happiness simply because he's a miserable prick." Daryl cracked a small smile at that. "You wanna know why I said what I did the other day?"
Daryl didn't pretend not to understand. He held Rick's gaze, and then shrugged. Rick knew he wanted to hear what he had to say. Any person who felt worthless and unloved his whole life wants to know what makes him special.
And damn, did Rick love him.
"I love you, Daryl. I love you because of everythin' you've been through. I love you because even after livin' with your father for all your life, you still came out of it with a kind, good heart. You're not quick to trust, but when you do, you're so fucking loyal it blows my mind. You've tried to push me away, but you let me pull you back, and I know you only ever do it because you've been told so many times that people are better off without you."
Rick smiled and dropped one of his hands to run along Daryl's cheek, down to his jaw. Daryl was simply watching him, face blank. But Rick knew he was listening.
"I love you," he continued quietly, "because you have the smartest mouth of anyone I know. You keep me on my toes, and you don't let me get away with anythin'. You make me think about what's really important, and you help me to appreciate the things I took for granted. Like my family."
Daryl's gaze dropped, but Rick tilted his face back up. "And you're so good to my family. They love havin' you with us, Daryl, don't doubt it for a second. Please, listen to what I'm sayin', and forget about assholes like your Dad and Walsh. You're loved, because you deserve it. Do you believe me?"
Daryl watched him silently for a moment, before nodding slowly. He raised his hands to brush Rick's bangs away from his forehead, and Rick leaned into his touch before turning his head and kissing Daryl's palm.
Daryl pulled Rick into a kiss, and Rick had to remind himself that they were in the school library to keep himself from plastering himself to his boyfriend. Daryl kissed him sweetly, moving his lips softly. Rick's hands were still in Daryl's hair, and he used them to angle Daryl's head so he could deepen the kiss.
He felt Daryl smile into the kiss, and he smiled, too. The kiss broke gently, because it was practically impossible to kiss like that. Rick lowered his forehead to rest on Daryl's chest for just a second before rising again, and pulling Daryl back to the table.
The rest of the day was better.
During the last class of the day, Rick found himself sequestered in a corner with Carol, who was beaming so brightly that se looked like the sun.
"I saw the two of you this morning. God, Rick! You both just… look so happy," she said, her eyes brimming with tears. She didn't shed them, though.
Rick reached over and squeezed her hand gently.
She smiled at him, laughing at her own emotional state. "I just never thought I'd see him like that. Thank God for you, Rick."
Rick blushed, and looked quickly at the ground, but he couldn't help the grin spreading on his face. "Owe it to you, a little, you know. You were the first person to speak good of him. From everyone else in this town all I heard was 'stay away from him' and all that garbage."
Carol scoffed, but smiled. "Well, I'll be happy t take credit, but I know you wouldn't have listened to any of those idiots, Rick. That's what makes you so good together. You both don't give a damn what people think of you. You have your own morals, and thoughts, and you aren't run by the pack mentality. That's why you're perfect for him."
Rick felt his blush spread from his ears all the way up to his forehead, but he held her gaze and smiled.
"Thanks, Carol."
She nodded, but paused when a thought occurred to her. "I'll be invited to the wedding, right?"
Rick was quickly scolded when his laughter rang loudly across the classroom.
Rick and Daryl got home after school and went straight to the kitchen for food. Rick's mom was sitting at the dining table, papers laid out before her. She studied them while nursing a mug of coffee, and looked up as they entered.
"Hey, boys!" she said happily, her blonde hair gleaming in the sun coming in through the bay window. "How was school?"
Rick smiled at her, and Daryl shrugged. "Fine, mom. Had to switch a class because the teacher was a…. jerk. But it's all worked out."
Daryl's eyes widened in disbelief that Rick was actually telling his mother this, but Rick just reached over to squeeze his hand and pressed on. "How was work?"
Beth's eyebrows furrowed. "It was fine, honey. Now, what's this about a teacher being a jerk? What happened?"
Rick shook his head and walked towards her, dragging Daryl behind him. "Our Bio teacher was trying to get me and Daryl to split up. Even before I really knew Daryl, he tried to keep me from befriending him. I finally had enough, and I told the principal."
Daryl watched Rick's mom warily, and his eyes widened as she smiled at them proudly. "Good for you, sweetheart. And I'm sorry, Daryl, that you have such awful teachers that they can't help but make up gossip. You don't deserve that, honey." She reached forward and rubbed his arm in a comforting manner, briefly, before walking toward the living room.
"I'll leave you two to make your own snacks, I'm gonna watch my stories," she called.
Daryl met Rick's gaze, surprise written on his face. "What the hell?" he muttered quietly.
Rick chuckled. "You gotta learn to trust my parents, Daryl. As long as you don't fuck up too bad, they don't yell much, and they usually listen," he teased.
Daryl shook his head, as if he couldn't believe what just happened. Rick couldn't help but kiss the bemused expression right off of his face.
Daryl didn't mind.
The boys were in the living room later that night, watching a movie, when Carl came barging down the stairs. Their parent were having 'date night,' so they were in charge of Rick's baby brother.
Carl ran at full speed and jumped on the couch that they shared, barely missing Daryl's face with his foot. He didn't, however, avoid landing on Rick's stomach with the full weight of his body.
"Carl!" Rick yelled, annoyed. He pushed the giggling boy off of them, and Carl fell to the floor with a thud.
Daryl just chuckled, amused.
Rick glared at him. "You used to do this to Merle, didn't you?"
Daryl nodded, a mischievous smile on his face. Carl got up quickly and sat between them, which was quite a feat as they were practically glued to each other's sides.
"I ever tell you 'bout the time I poured vinegar in all the tequila bottles, so when Merle went to make his date a drink…"
"Daryl!" Rick shouted. "Stop givin' him ideas!"
Carl giggled and looked to Daryl eagerly. "No, Daryl! Tell me! I wanna try some o' this stuff out!"
Daryl grinned and opened his mouth to tell him more, but was cut off by Rick. "You do realize he's gonna be tryin' this stuff out on you, right?"
Daryl's mouth snapped shut. "Shit."
"Yep," Rick said.
Daryl glared at Carl. "Sorry kid, no can do."
Carl pouted. "But Daryl," he whined.
"Nope. Go back to bed," Daryl said firmly. Carl shot a venomous look at Rick, who was reclined back on the couch with a smug smile on his face, for ruining his fun.
"I can learn pranks from somewhere else, you know," Carl warned as he got up from the couch.
"You try it, all bets are off," Daryl warned. "Trust me, kid. You don't wanna go head to head with a Dixon."
Carl gulped nervously before nodding and bolting up the stairs. The boys waited until his door slammed before bursting into laughter.
Rick snuck into his boyfriend's room that night, and climbed into his bed.
"Rick?" Daryl muttered, immediately alert. Rick smiled in the darkness, and smoothed his hand over Daryl's bare back.
"Everythin's fine, Daryl. Just needed to see you," he answered softly.
Daryl turned under his hand to face him, so Rick's grip was on his shoulder. Their blue eyes met in the dark room, Daryl's expression still worried.
"What's up?" he asked quietly. "Your parents are gonna kill me if they find you in here."
Rick grinned, and used his hand on Daryl's shoulder to pull himself forward, and pressed his body against Daryl's. They were both shirtless, and Rick was wearing pajama bottoms while Daryl was clad in only boxers. Rick gasped as their chests touched, and Daryl bit his lip, and whispered, "You're gonna get me in trouble."
Rick shook his head, then leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on Daryl's neck. Daryl groaned, and Rick chuckled at his reaction. "Both of them were drunk by the time they went to bed. They sleep like the dead when they're drunk."
That was all Daryl needed to hear, apparently, because in one swift movement, he grabbed Rick's hips and pulled him on top of him. Rick spread his legs so he could straddle his boyfriend, and both boys let out moans of pleasure as their newly interested cocks touched through their clothes.
Rick leaned forward to capture Daryl's mouth in his, and Daryl took to opportunity to slide both of his hands down Rick's back, and over his ass. Rick gasped into his mouth as Daryl pulled him forward, making Rick rut against him.
The kiss broke as Rick had to lean his head on Daryl's shoulder, breathing heavily.
"Rick?" Daryl asked softly, and his hands moved up to rest on Rick's back. "We don't have to do nothin' if you don't want."
Rick pulled his head up, his gaze meeting Daryl's fiercely. Then, holding eye contact and watching Daryl's face carefully, he moved over Daryl's hips again.
Daryl grunted, and bit his lip again to keep in his reaction. Rick shook his head, and pulled Daryl's lip out of his mouth with one hand, while with the other, he pushed one of Daryl's hands back to his ass. He grinned.
Daryl returned the grin, and gripped Rick tightly before sitting up against the headboard, moving both of them up the bed. He kept a firm grip on Rick's ass the whole time, unwilling to let go.
Rick settled back over his hips, and smiled nervously at him. Daryl leaned forward and kissed him sweetly, before pulling Rick down onto his hard cock, and Rick's nerves disappeared as the pleasure came back.
Daryl set a quick pace, lifting his hips a bit to meet Rick's thrusts. Their kiss deepened, and Daryl's tongue was in Rick's mouth, tasting him and breathing him in. Rick couldn't believe how good this was, the pleasure of the friction was spreading from his cock, and down his legs and up into his stomach and chest. He felt warm all over, but also burning up, and he'd never felt so good in his life.
Rick's back arched and his head fell back in pleasure as his orgasm hit him, breaking the kiss. Daryl followed, his head hitting the headboard as he grunted his release. The boys breathed heavily as they came down, and Rick relaxed his body against Daryl's, resting his head on his shoulder, and plastering their torsos together, despite their wet crotches.
Rick chuckled into Daryl's neck, and Daryl shifted him up so he could see his face. "What?" he asked.
Rick laughed a bit more, almost delirious in the aftermath of the best fucking orgasm of his rather short life. "We just came in our pants."
Daryl smirked at him, and ran a hand down Rick's cheek lovingly. "Yeah, I noticed. Can't say it's happened recently. But it was fucking great."
Rick smiled at him brightly, and Daryl returned it with the grin before leaning over the bed briefly to grab a shirt off the floor—he wasn't the cleanest person—and using it to clean both Rick and himself off. Rick groaned from the feeling of Daryl's shirt-covered hand stroking his oversensitive cock. Daryl smiled gently at him and pecked him on the lips as he threw the shirt back on the floor.
Daryl pulled Rick back down onto his chest, sliding himself down the bed so they could lie together.
"I gotta leave before mornin'," Rick murmured on a yawn.
"I'll wake you when it's time," Daryl said, and kissed Rick's forehead. Rick sleepily nuzzled into Daryl's chest, and wrapped an arm around his boyfriend. "Night, Daryl."
Daryl rubbed a soothing hand up and down Rick's back, and hugged the boy to him tightly. "Night."
He waited until he heard Rick dozing against him before speaking again.
"Love you."
Then he smiled, and went to sleep.
Thank you for reading! There might be more to come, I have some ideas for some, which I got from a reviewer (thanks Monica8471!) so I might write some more of them.