True Love Trilogy

Part 1 - An Arrow To The Knee

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.