Noir AU Chapter 3:

I smile across the table.  “How’s the sweater?”

“Shut up,” he grunts, scratching the wool.  “Asshole.”

I chuckle, turn to Maggie.  “I picked your sister’s place because I knew it’d be empty, but I didn’t have any part of whatever’s happened to her.”

“How do I know that?”

“You don’t, but I think you know I’m notta bad guy.”

“Guy who calls himself Jesus,” Daryl snorts, his nails digging into the fabric.

“You know, if you’re allergic, I can get you something else.”

“Just shut up.”

Glenn leans in, eyes plead.  “Can we please just...focus on Beth?”

I nod.  “I saw someone come out of her place yesterday.  They threw luggage in a car and took off...figured she was going on vacation and it was the perfect time to hit the apartment.”

Maggie scrutinizes, looks for lies.  “Someone?  But not Beth?”

“No, not Beth, but I don’t know that until I was in the house.”

Glenn shifts.  “What’d she look like?”

“Older than Beth, dark hair, stern face.”

The couple exchange a mind-meld of a look.  “Lucille?”  Maggie finally offers.  Glenn shrugs as Daryl mutters a curse, hand switching to the back of his neck.

“It wasn’t Lucille.”

Daryl breaks from his scratching.  “How ya know?”

“I’ve seen her, this wasn’t her.”

“Wait...” Glenn cuts in.  “Do you...work for Negan?”

“No more than anyone else.”  All three look at me, un-amused.  “I use his fence, Dwight.  I know what Lucille looks like because I do my research, which is why I also know that Negan wouldn’t allow anything to happen to any woman he’s with.”

“Coulda done somethin’ without ‘im knowin’,” Daryl counters.  “Had someone grab ‘er or somethin’.”

I can’t find an argument for that; Negan is dangerous, Lucille exponentially so.  I look at Maggie and Glenn’s faces, the worry building, before taking a breath.  “I don’t think it’s wise to jump to any conclusions just yet.  For all we know this woman was picking things up for Beth.”

“Beth would call me,” Maggie insists.

“If she’s in hiding, and smart, then she won’t.”

“If she’s hidin’ I still need to find her.”

“Preferably before shit hits the fan,” Daryl grumbles out, then sighs.  "Think we oughta go to her job?  See if anyone there knows anythin’?”

“You’re the private eye, shouldn’t you know?” Glenn question comes out somewhere between suspicious and annoyed.

That’s when it clicks: Daryl Dixon doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing.  Whoever he’s claimed to be isn’t who he is.  I glance to the couple, see the desperation in their eyes, and realize I can’t do it. I can’t call Daryl out on whatever bullshit he’s running.  All I can do is help him fake it until he makes it...or, at least, until we find the girl.

“Bet it’ll be easier if we go together, split up inside, cover everyone as best and quickly as we can,” I smile to Maggie.  “You know where she works, right?”

“Course.”  She goes to exit the booth; the rest of us follow.

“Someone’s gotta get the check.”  Daryl goes back to scratching.

I toss money on the table for the check.

“Thanks.”  Then Daryl’s eyes narrow, he snatches the wallet.  “That’s my wallet!”

I laugh it off.

Not a ton of action, I know, but there is relevant information in there as to what may have happened to Beth!  (Also you know where Dwight fits in the Noir, ha.)  This was all in Jesus’s POV.  The next chapter will likely have some new characters in it - whether they join this little crime-solving group or not, I don’t know - and given Beth works at Negan’s club it’s not impossible he’ll show too, but in what capacity I’m not sure.  ...Not sure, but does this story need a proper name?  Any thoughts/suggestions are welcome!

Chapter 1 Here! 

Chapter 2 Here!

Tagged (because they asked/seemed interested): @strangersangel9 @flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash @kinkozan @vizhi0n @dusty-cookie @dwaynii @despoinak27 …Anyone else interested, just lemme know!

Noir AU Chapter 2:

Felt strange being in Beth’s without the invite; felt like when I was a kid, sneaking in her room to make sure it was clean.  Never was and it’s the same now.  Without the invite I get a true sense of Beth: bright, cheerful, full of love with pictures hanging all over, but scattered.  ...Negan’s imprint comes in all the things we could never afford filling up the rooms.

Glenn wraps arms around me, rests his head on my shoulder, to examine a family portrait.  “We’ll find her, babe, don’t worry.”

I think to argue, to tell him we don’t, can’t, know that, when there’s rustling from the bedroom.  We look at each other, at Mr Dixon rifling through papers sprawled over the counter, before all three of us go to investigate.

He’s not overly tall, but lean and muscular with facial hair and lengthy locks...Jesus, if Jesus was a thief.

“What're ya doin’ in my sister’s place?” My voice shakes in worry and rage.

“...Just leaving.”  He goes to dash for the window; Mr Dixon gives chase.

Asshole’s faster, slipperier, than I suspected.  He zigs, I zag, and he’s out the window faster than I could’ve opened it.  We race balconies, then jump them, as he tosses plastic furniture in my way.

“Git back ‘ere ya sonofabitch!!”  I holler as his skinny ass slides down a banister to the parking lot before he skids towards the rec area.  Wherever the fuck he thinks he’s going, he ain’t, as I charge after him.

I lunge, he ducks, and I go flying into the murky chill of an unkempt pool.

Goddamn son of a bitch...

We come out the other side as Mr Dixon hits the water.  Thieving Jesus starts his turn to keep running, but he’s not getting away this time.  Not until he answers for himself, tells me everything he knows.

“Don’t move!” I command, pulling the pistol that was once my dad’s.  “I don’t wanna shoot you, but I will.”

The man stops, sighs, turns, smiles.  “You even know how?”

I fire a single shot through the second O in POOL on the life ring behind him, then redirect at him.  “Why’re ya in sister’s bedroom?”

“Is he coming back up?” Glenn breaks in as he examines Dixon still in the pool.

“My sister’s! Why?!” I order, unwilling to forgo my attention on Thieving Jesus.

Glenn shrugs off his jacket, steps out of his shoes.  “Yeah...I don’t think he’s coming up...”  He dives in.

My eyes flick down for the briefest moment before I sense Thieving Jesus moving.  “Don’t.  Don’t move.“

His hands raise with his lips smiles.  “Your friend’s a big guy, might need two to get him outta the water.  Keep the gun on me if ya want, we can talk after.”

Glenn’s taking too long, I know he is, and I can’t even think of risking another loved one.  “Do anythin’ that makes me question you, I’ll kill ya.”

“Fair enough!”  Jesus declares, ridding himself of coat and shoes before diving in.

Think I’ll call the chapter completed here - keep it manageable, haha!  Obviously, the POV switched from Maggie to Daryl to Maggie again and, honestly, that’s likely what will happen a lot...hopefully the POV will be clear in the writing, but if not I’ll clarify at the end like with this one.  And, apparently, Daryl will never not chase after Jesus during their first meeting, hahaha!!

Chapter 1 Here!

Tagged (because they asked/seemed interested): @strangersangel9 @flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash @kinkozan @vizhi0n @dusty-cookie @dwaynii @despoinak27 …Anyone else interested, just lemme know!

I skitter around corners, charge down allies, and scurry over fences knowing he’s close behind.  Close enough we collide at a dead end.  “Hey there,” I smile.

“Asshole,” he grumbles, straightens himself out, before taking a swing.

I duck, shove, and turn to scramble from concrete to dumpster to fire-escape.  I know he’ll follow; he’s got nowhere else to go.

Funny us meeting like this, two thieves with the same target.  Maybe we’ll crack jokes about it later, but right now I’m just hoping to keep us from prison or the morgue.  I need us both alive, both free, because that’s the only way this can go down successfully.

I hit the third landing and smile.  “Maybe we can talk about this?”

“Gonna kick your fuckin’ ass!”

“Maybe not.”  I continue up to the rooftop; sirens fade, but the pfft-pfft-pfft of a copter hits my ears.  Fuck.  "Come on!”

“Fuck you!”

I run rooftops and vault ledges.  At the end of the block I look down, smile, and turn back to my pursuer.  “Name’s Paul.”

“Daryl,” he blurts on instinct.

My smile grows.  “Trust me, Daryl?”

“No.”

“Shame.”  I reach out, grab him, and throw us both over the edge.

Even with a dump-truck of padding the land knocks the wind out.  It takes a full mile for me to gather myself enough hit the cab and get the driver to stop.  I hear the doors open, two climb their way to look inside the bed.

“Jesus,” Glenn’s smile is unsure.  “You okay?”

“I’m good,” I groan.

“Get what we needed?”

“Think so...” I pat my vest.

Maggie smirks.  “Looks like you picked up a friend.”

“That’s Daryl.”  The man groaned, grimaced, beside me.  “Might need him to get checked out.”  Unlike me, Daryl never prepared for the hit.

Maggie hauled herself into the bed with us.  “Let’s head to Denise, I’ll see what I can do in the meantime.”

I confess, ever since I thought of the Noir AU, I was looking forward to writing Jesus and Daryl in it.  Still not sure what, exactly, the bigger story is, but fuck it, it’s still a blast to write, haha!

Tagged (because they asked/seemed interested): @strangersangel9 @flames-bring-a-ton-of-ash @kinkozan @vizhi0n @dusty-cookie @dwaynii @despoinak27 ...Anyone else interested, just lemme know!

Darus Headcanon #4

Daryl knew he was in love when he felt calm at Jesus touching the scars on his back…Jesus knew when Daryl told him how they happened.

Darus Headcanon #3

When Daryl first made Jesus dinner, Jesus asked why. Daryl replied: "Been three months" before using his classic term of endearment for Jesus - "Asshole" - with a smirk.

Darus Headcanon #2

While first learning to ride a motorcycle (from Daryl) Jesus would intentionally lean/fall towards Daryl whenever he felt unbalanced...Partly for fun and partly because he knew Daryl would catch him every time. ...Daryl was only oblivious in the beginning...

Darus Headcanon

The first time Daryl kissed Jesus he pretended to be drunk...Jesus let it slide because he knew Daryl was completely sober and just nervous about being rejected.