Like Dancing

What if Jesus had a choice between taking the truck from Rick and Daryl and saving them from a herd of Walkers?

Fandom: The Walking Dead

Rating: T

Square Filled: Outnumbered in a fight

Tags: badthingshappenbingo, outnumbered in a fight, AU, different first meeting, Badass Jesus, smitten Rick and Daryl, what if, canon-level violence

Created for badthingshappenbingo

Still haven't seen TWD but I know lots thanks to the internet and I just wanted total badass Tom Payne/Jesus while Daryl and Rick are like fuck that was way too attractive.

Jesus tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear as he tore his beanie off of his head. Jesus was debating as he watched the two lone men he had seen at the gas station with the truck of supplies, shoot and hack their way through the small herd of Walkers.

He could help these strangers out, gain their trust and see what he could learn. Or he could take the truck while they were fighting and head back to Hilltop. Jesus' stomach rolled at that thought and he knew he had made his choice. He didn't know or trust these rough-looking strangers but no one deserved to be taken out by Walkers.

Jesus sighed and fastened his beige bandana around the lower half of his face and slipped his dual knives out from their holsters. Readying himself for a fight before he took off from his hiding place across the deserted road and into the fray.

"This isn't going well!" Rick grunted as he shot another Walker in the head before ducking out of the way of another one. The two of them had been focused on packing up the truck that the herd was almost on top of them.

They were severely outnumbered, even with the way Daryl moved in sync with Rick thanks to years of fighting together was doing nothing to this herd. If they had another fighter or two, then maybe they could get someplace. It felt as if every time one Walker was taken down another one was roaring and screaming in their faces.

"Shit! How the fuck are we gonna kill all of these?" Daryl let off another shot into a Walker's head, cursing himself that he left his crossbow behind.

"Just keeping fighting!" Rick called out as he kicked one of the Walkers back before shooting it.

"Ah damn!" Daryl cursed as a Walker managed to get it's decayed hands around his left forearm, mouth craning open to bite him.

Daryl blinked in surprise and shock as the Walker let out a screech, collapsing away from him thanks to a knife that had been stabbed violently into its head. Daryl's eyes met piercing sea foams eyes of a man with long brown hair and a bandana covering the lower half of his face. The man cocked his head to the side silently even as his right arm moved, shoving his knife through another walker.

"Daryl!" Rick shouted and the call made the stranger whirl into action. Daryl let off a few more shots; killing any Walker that got too close but his focus was on the newcomer. The man's black trench coat swirled and billowed around him as he all but danced around the Walkers, slashing and killing as he went. His eyes were shining brightly as his hair spun around his face as he performed each kick before usually following up that with a slash that killed the attacking Walker.

Daryl found himself standing next to Rick, the former cop was watching the stranger with the same intensity that Daryl was. Only a few Walker's were left, which was a relief as Daryl knew both of them were currently out of bullets.

The stranger was still moving, fluidly and with grace as he spun around the two close Walker's. He lashed out with both arms, driving his knives into their heads without hesitation before yanking them out in time to duck under a slow, sloppy grab from the last walker which met its end with the long-haired man's knife buried under its chin.

Rick let out a low whistle and Daryl had to agree, he had seen fighting before but that was something else entirely. The low whistle had caught the stranger's attention and he looked at Daryl straight on.

"Duck," The man spoke and Daryl did so without hesitation, which shocked him briefly, he heard the whistling sound of a knife flying above his head and the gurgling noise of a Walker dying. Daryl spun around to see a Walker collapsing to the ground with a knife stuck out of its forehead.

"Well that was fun," The man commented as he sauntered over to the two, yanking his knife out of the Walker's skull and sheathed both his blades back into the brown and beige layers of clothes that were hiding under his trench coat.

"Thanks for your help," Rick said as he shoved his gun back into its holster.

"We're all on the same side right?" The man inclined his head a bit.

"Right… You got a place to crash?" Rick asked and Daryl gave Rick a side-glance, he knew what the leader was thinking. This man was fierce and strong; he would be a good addition to Alexandria.

"I'm guessing you two do? Otherwise, that would be a lot of supplies just for two people…" The man trailed off, tipping his head towards the packed truck.

"Something like that," Daryl grunted, noticing how the man danced around the question as he danced around the Walkers.

"Something like that, huh?" The man chuckled giving Daryl an amused look.

"I'm Rick, that's Daryl. What's your name?" Rick tried again.

"Paul Rovia, but my friends used to call me Jesus. Take your pick." The newly named Paul/Jesus said as he pulled the bandana away from his face to reveal a neatly trimmed beard before he spread his arms out to the side as he took a few steps back. The combination of long hair, beard and the way he had appeared out of nowhere to save the duo did make his nickname make sense.

"This has been fun and all guys but when one herd is around usually stranglers are nearby and I rather not risk my luck twice in one day," Jesus said as he took another step back before he let out a surprised yell as a decayed hand lashed out from the side of the gas station he was edging towards to and was yanked out of view.

"Shit!" Rick cursed as he and Daryl lunged forward, the archer stopping long enough to grab a pipe off of the ground, needing a weapon.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." Jesus was swearing up a storm from where was pinned to the wall of the gas station, using his gloved hands to ward off the gaping wide mouth of the Walker. Daryl flew into action, slamming the pipe into the Walker's head forcing it off of Jesus who slumped down the wall as Rick quickly scanned the area for any more Walkers while standing in front of Jesus protectively.

Daryl took a lot of joy of bashing that Walker's skull in, knowing he would need a hot shower when they got back to Alexandria when this was finished. He made sure the Walker was gone before he straightens up, tossing the pipe away as he walked back to Rick and Jesus.

Rick was kneeling next to Jesus, fingers cupping the back of the man's head. Rick glanced up at Daryl who dropped down next to him, a new flare of worry building up in his chest when he noticed Jesus was unconscious and Rick's hand was stained with red.

"Must have whacked his head pretty hard, help me get him in the truck. We can patch him up better at Alexandria." Rick ordered and Daryl was moving before he even realized that they were going to take Jesus back home with them.

"You sure about this Rick?" Daryl grunted as the two of them levelled the unconscious man into the back of the truck. Rick grabbed the bandana from around Jesus' neck and tied it around the back of Jesus' head to help slow the bleeding.

"Yeah, he saved our necks back there, besides look at how neatly his beard is trimmed. He has a home base, we need to know more." Rick explained his reasoning as he and Daryl settled into the cab of the truck.

"Yeah, and it has nothing to do that he's pretty as hell and killed that herd-like it was nothin'?" Daryl sassed with a smirk on his face.

"Well, that helped," Rick smirked back as he pulled onto the road that would head back to Alexandria. Daryl let out a laugh before he turned the music up. Things were going to getting interesting.