Skeletons - 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝐷𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 62 - 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒏 𝑰𝒏

The days and weeks started to blend together. It was about two weeks since they arrived in Alexandria and things were the same. A few minor disputes here and there that were quickly put to rest by Deanna, Michonne and Rick. Otherwise, suburban utopia.

Iris was losing her damn mind. It was day after day in the garage, she'd practically built a car from scratch at this point, and fixed a good number of others. At this point they had more cars then they had gas to put in them, which made her work trivial and tedious.

Preston was beginning to get on her nerves. Usually, in situations where she was working and one of the guys wouldn't leave her alone, she'd injure him... in some way. But Preston meant well, he was just... excruciatingly dull to be around. She'd occasionally try to drown him out with music, but then he just got closer and spoke louder, to the point where he'd be breathing down her neck as she dug around through an engine. In fact, this was one of those moments.

"So, Iris, what are you into?" Preston asked out of nowhere, making Iris jump and clutch at her chest to calm her racing heart. She turned around, finding him directly behind her.

"What am I into?" She asked, making a face.

"Yeah. Besides, well, cars." Preston clarified. "Hobbies, interests..."

"Peace and quiet." Iris grumbled under her breath, hearing him follow after her as she moved to grab a different wrench.

"Ooh, I think someone around here used to be a yoga teacher. I remember a conversation about breathing exercises, meditation—"

"Preston, why did Deanna assign you this job?" Iris asked, interrupting. He paused, pursing his lips.

"I don't know. I guess I'm good at filing, and she didn't really have anything else that I could contribute by doing—"

"Uh-huh." Iris interrupted again. Made sense. He didn't have an off button. At least before, he was alone, and no one had to put up with his shit.

"Look, Iris, can I... talk to you?" Preston asked, running around to stand in front of her, placing his hands at her elbows. Iris shook her head clear of any preconceptions, trying to judge him fairly without bias. Him and whatever he had to say.

"Yeah. Sure." She said, clearing her throat and nodding. "What's up?" He took a step closer, and they were almost chest to chest. Iris leaned away slightly, eyebrows knitting together at the solemn, soap-opera expression on his face.

"I..." He trailed off, looking deep into her eyes before his fluttered closed and he leaned in, pursing his lips to kiss her. Iris leaned backward unnaturally far, pulling out of his grip. It was cartoonish, the way his eyes opened and his face reddened. Iris' own expression was pulled back in shock and disgust, her jaw hanging open a little bit. "Oh God, I'm sorry, it's just—"

"What the fuck..." Iris breathed, stepping back and putting her hands out between them.

"I get so lonely out here and you're the first one who really listens to me—"

"I don't want to hear it." Iris replied, shaking her head and frowning. "I just... fucking... what?" She muttered to herself, backing away.

She said nothing more to Preston as she walked right out of the garage and down the street toward their group's pair of houses. She was in shock, the moment replaying in her head like a bad rom-com movie, the terrifying sight of this random man leaning in to kiss her as if they had known and loved each other their whole lives and finally admitted it. Less rom-com, more horror flick. Holy shit.

Iris stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, jarred out of her thoughts by a commotion from inside one of the houses. Yelling, breaking glass, and soft banging filtered out through the open door. She frowned, walking up a few of the steps and peering in just as Rick and Alexandria's resident doctor, Pete, came flying through the front window right past her. Jessie, with bloodshot eyes and tear tracks down her face had her hands over her mouth, running out the door to face Iris and the two men now brawling on the front lawn.