Chapter Text
“I can’t stand this anymore Maggie, I really can’t. Do not make me work with them again, I won’t be held responsible for my actions if you do.”
“Tara, do you know how many people have told me that recently?”
“I don’t care, I just know I’m not even remotely strong enough to cope with that shit anymore.”
Maggie just patted her shoulder, smiling in commiseration. What she’d told Tara was true; pretty much the whole of Hilltop and most of Alexandria had reached the point of utter despair with the oblivious, pining, unintentionally sappy duo that was Daryl and Jesus.
It wasn’t so bad at first, amusing even. Maggie actually found it sweet for a while too; so overcome with relief to see someone help Daryl begin to get over the laundry list of traumas he’d suffered, just as much as she was to see Jesus realise he actually could get close to someone, that it might be worth it after all.
But as months and months rolled on, it started to grate on her. Surely one of them would say something, make some kind of move? It was startlingly obvious that each of them were head over heels for the other but it was also startlingly obvious that neither realised the other one felt the same. Soon it moved from infuriating to downright unbearable.
“I shit you not, I actually caught Daryl in the kitchens the other night making Jesus dinner because he’d missed it and there was nothing but, and I quote, “fuckin’ protein bars tha’ ain’ no use to no one. Needs somethin’ warm after bein’ out all day.” He risked the wrath of Martha to make him rabbit stew Maggie.”
Both Maggie and Aaron groaned at her words. God this was getting out of hand now.
Enid poked her head up from where she was sat playing with Hershel and Gracie on the floor of Maggie’s room. “That’s nothing. I saw Jesus walk into a door the other day. Jesus. He’s got more grace than a cat but apparently the sight of Daryl lifting heavy boxes onto high shelves in pantries makes him forget how his feet work. It was pathetic.”
Tara just rubbed her forehead, obviously tired with the post-apocalyptic rom com they were all trapped in.
“You know I actually asked Alex for advice the other day? That’s how desperate I am now.”
The ladies all winced at Aaron’s words and the underlying tone of someone infinitely disturbed by whatever that conversation contained.
“Turns out Jesus is usually never this pathetic when he’s after someone. I found out some things I really did not need to know about how good his game is. Let’s just say there are places in Hilltop I never want to enter again and I can still barely look Jesus in the eyes.”
Definitely not wanting to dwell on that any longer, Maggie just shook her head. “This has to stop. They’re obviously not going to sort it out for themselves and at this point I’m half expecting a petition to relocate Hilltop whilst the two of them are on their run tomorrow. We need to do something.”
“Yeah but what,” moaned Tara. “We’ve all tried subtly talking to them but it just rolls off their shields of wilful ignorance and low self worth.”
They all went quiet for a moment, thinking of possible solutions in a more direct manner. Maggie just let out a quiet chuckle. “Ya know, I’m sure Glenn would have just locked them in a room together till they sorted it out.”
They all smiled, the sorrow of his loss still strong and his bright presence missed every day. It still hurt every time Maggie spoke of him but it was almost a good hurt now, like pressing a healing bruise. She’d found that she needed to talk about him, he’d be gone for good if she didn’t.
Conversation coming to a close for now, Maggie, Tara, Aaron and Enid spent the rest of the evening playing with the two little darlings they were lucky enough to have in their lives, even if they came about in tragedy.
Hilltop was cloaked in the dark and cold, deep in the throws of winter, but inside Maggie’s room in Barrington house, there was only the warmth of friends and the memory of two people who had been loved more than words could say.
Maggie could only hope that the two men in the trailer outside would get to share that same love. It didn’t come along every day after all.