TWD ~ Daryl + Reader ~

Trusting

You look towards Jesus expecting him to retaliate against your decision or for him to offer to go with you, but he stays silent.

Jesus being silent has always made you uneasy and you know it does the same to Andy. You glimpse over at Andy and find him worriedly eyeing Jesus. Though when Andy feels you looking at him he turns his gaze towards you.

"Go pack some clothes." Andy instructs you and you walk up to your room to do so.

Over the past year, you had gotten Negan to tell you a little about his home. However, all you really got from him was that the people there respected him and they knew that if they stepped out of line they would be punished because he tried to make all things fair. Or at least that's what he told himself. Negan had let it slip when he came to Hilltop the first time that he had wives plural and that stuck with you. There were many times when he would make you feel something unexpected or display an intimate gesture and a part of you believed that you never gave in to him because he had wives.

Though you'll never forget when you heard him say that if he could just have you, he would have no reason for his wives. Of course, he said that in the days that he stayed with you after what happened with Michael and he didn't know that you were awake when he said it and you hope to keep it that way since when you first heard it it made your heart skip a beat.

. . .

As you went up the stairs Andy moved closer to Jesus.

"After your whole dispute, you have nothing to say about her decision?"

"It's her choice." What Jesus says is true but what he really thinks is something he doesn't want to tell Andy. When Andy realized that Jesus didn't trust him while at Negan's home, Andy's eyes filled with regret and sadness which Jesus doesn't want to see again. "I can't stop her."

"I believe your words would have an impact on her decision." Jesus' olive-green eyes look up at Andy's. "Since I left, and maybe even before that, you have been her best friend, she would listen to you if you told her to stay."

Andy smirks at Jesus and moves closer to him. "That may be true, but if she has a chance to get Negan to let you go and protect the people here she will." Jesus drops his eyes from Andy, hating what you might do to accomplish those things. "Though it's only been a year, she's not the girl she was when you left," Jesus' head start to hang, "she's resilient and she doesn't let anything stand in the way of what she wants, even me."

"Maybe she's not, but I know you two have grown closer since I've been gone, as well." Andy smirks with a chuckle under his breath, "But if what you say is true maybe your words can't stop her from going with me, so you'll just have to trust me."

"(Y/N) trusts you, that's why she's going." Jesus glimpses up to Andy with guilt constricted eyes.

Andy's smirk immediately leaves his face and he takes a step back from Jesus. "But you don't."

"I can't-"

"Can't or won't?" Andy asks with anger rising in his voice.

"I want to, Andy, I do." Jesus takes a cautious step towards him, only to find Andy taking a step back.

"Then why don't you?" Andy's voice cracks at the end.

Jesus can't help but look at him. All he has ever wanted to do is make Andy smile and be happy, and yet he's the one that is making his eyes glossy with tears. "You know why."

"I'm not one of them." It's the same sentence Andy yelled to his pops when Andy was caught with his first boyfriend. His pops already had enough reason to beat him, but what enraged him, even more, was the fact that Andy was gay. With every strike, Andy felt he was breaking more and after ten strikes he started yelling 'I'm not one of them.' over and over again. Andy had never been ashamed of who he was, but he would hide it from everyone, even you. Or at least that's how he was until he found Jesus.

"You beat one of the men here and hit me when I tried to stop you, you had to fight whether or not to tell them who you found here, and you held a gun in my face while fighting with yourself on whether or not to shoot me." Andy can't help but look away from Jesus as tears stream down his face. However, it also gives Jesus the opportunity to move closer to Andy and take his hand holding it tight. "I know your eyes, I know your smile, and I know your hands. But I don't know this person that the Saviors have turned you into."

Andy grips onto Jesus' hand, still not able to look at him. "It's me. I might have changed but I'm still me."

"You might believe that, but before Negan took you, you would've never have beat anyone because of what your pops did to you and (Y/N)." Jesus starts to wipe Andy's tears. "And you would never have thought of doing anything that might've hurt (Y/N) or me, ever."

In a moment of reconciliation, Andy lets go of Jesus' hand and pulls him into a hug, burying his face in the crook of Jesus' neck. "I know, I'm sorry." 

"I'm sorry, too." Jesus' head leans against Andy's as he wraps his arms around Andy and pulls him closer to him. 

. . .

In truth, you aren't sure of what's going on downstairs, but there are points that you hear Andy and Jesus yelling. You had already packed a light bag and were heading back downstairs when Jesus started listing all of the things Andy has done. You stand at the top of the last staircase letting them get through all of it. You know they need as much time together as they can get. 

After a minute of them being quiet, you start walking down the stairs. When you get about halfway done the stairs you find them hugging. But as you get closer and they separate from each other you see that Andy's face is red with tears. 

Both of them avoid your eyes, not wanting to talk about anything that was just said. 

"Are one of you going to tell me what happened down here?" They share glances towards each other, but neither say anything. "Neither of you, great, thanks."

Knock. Knock.

Alden knocks on the door and opens it just slightly to find Andy, "Negan radioed, we gotta go back."

"Alright, we'll be out in a minute." Alden just nods and closes the door. 

You pick up your bag and go towards the door. "Don't do anything you'll regret." Jesus almost yells to you as you reach for the doorknob. 

"I won't." You give him a reassuring look as you open the door and walk outside, Andy following close behind you.

You climb into the truck, only one-row seat, so you sit in the middle between Andy and Alden. You look up to see Jesus standing on the porch of Barrington House with his arms crossed and eyes slightly narrowed. You know he doesn't want you to go and a part of you doesn't want to go either, but to keep everyone safe you have to. You slightly wave to Jesus and he waves back as Andy turns on the truck and starts to pull away.

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~A/N~

Probably one of my more confusing chapters. Any questions feel free to ask within a comment.

Thank you for reading. Don't forget to hit that star. All the love.