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this blog is now archived!!!!

// you can find me at @daryldix0n! come say hello on my shiny new page! please let me know if we’ve plotted something and you want to continue threads! otherwise? it’s all from scratch and i can’t wait to get it rollin’! 

ps. there’s a chunk of memes over there. needed to get some content..ya?? :D

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he says wash your hands get out the stains but you best believe, boy, there’s hell to pay yeah you best believe, boy, there’s hell to pay

PLEASE REBLOG PROMO FROM NEW BLOG! THANK YOU SO MUCH! this blog is archived! follow link here! promo credit:  takenpeace

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blog revamp?? you betcha! please read!

// to say i’ve been struggling coming back to this blog is an understatement. i’ve desperately wanted to but i feel overwhelmed with where i’d start. my inbox is a mess of abandoned accounts, archived ones, maybe still active people? my drafts are about the same. soooo! i’m going to do daryl and myself a solid and since i got time on my hands?? his blog will be revamped from scratch.

things that will update: plotted threads (with established relationships and partners) are welcome to be carried over! reach out to me or i’ll poke you and we’ll go from there!! rules are going to change especially towards shipping, etc. mains and exclusives are going to go through a huge update. verses will update including crossover apocalypse and one mundane!

soooo! this is me letting you know! and making a list for myself. daryl is a character i’ve written for over seven years now. off and on. but i always come back to him and it’s been a treasure to have people willing to write with me. this’ll be my first huge update since i returned. and i’m really excited!

// update: okay i got quite a ways and if this is posting, that means i’m in bed! stay tuned! i wanna do some writing when i get up but i’ll toy around with this one in between brain breaks. much love to you peeps! xoxo

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aarontwds‌.

Aaron feels something flip in his gut at the sight of that grin, just a flash, and it makes him want to see it again (and again). Daryl Dixon deserves to always look that happy. There’s a softer smile though and Aaron likes that just as much. He smiles back, nose tucking against the side of his nose as he huffs a laugh. “A hundred percent sure,” he assured him, meeting his gaze in the mirror again.

“I know who you are, Daryl,” Aaron says, his arm giving his middle another squeeze. “There’s nothing you can throw at me I can’t take, I promise,” he said. And it was true. He’d known Daryl for a while now, but even so, he’d known what kind of man he was when he’d first laid eyes on him back on the road to that barn.

There was nothing in the world that would make him doubt wanting to be with Daryl.

Feeling Aaron’s breath on his cheek makes Daryl’s light up five times more in color. He’s gotta clear his throat and try to remind himself he ain’t no damn teenager with some stupid crush or somethin’. Cause there’s a wriggling in his belly at the sight he peeks at when he sees the mirror that makes him feel antsy inside. Not in a bad way like something awful’s about to happen. It feels good. Like he could have this all the time and still want more. It’s a dangerous idea, isn’t it? All he sees is the heartache so many of his family go through once love’s on the table and loss is mixed in.

There’s already parts of him that are so split open and raw from loss that he doesn’t know how he’d cope if he were in their shoes. Hearing Aaron say he knows him. That he can take everything he throws? Daryl’s eyes meet Aaron’s and he turns his head to nudge their noses together more firm. There’s so few people he really lets get beyond what qualities he’s shown that earn him titles he’s not sure he deserves. Digging further than that? He knows he makes it hard. Most of the time it’s on purpose.

Then here’s Aaron. Doing exactly that. But cutting through it like a warm knife through a block of butter. “Can’t lose you then.. M’not sure I could take that.” He’s had a small taste of what it was like to damn near lose him before. And that left him with nightmares he never told no one about. He watches Aaron close, gauging his reaction while nudging in again.

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aarontwds‌.

Aaron smiled back, giving him a nod. He did. He really did. He’d told Daryl all those years ago that he didn’t belong out in the woods and he didn’t, he just hadn’t anticipated then that where Aaron could really picture him was in his bathroom. His smile softened, gaze soft and fond as he looked at him. He liked that Daryl liked being here.

He could see the way Daryl’s cheeks flushed and bit back another smile, humming a little as Daryl caught him by the curls, he eyed him through the mirror, corner of his mouth tilted upward. “Nope,” he said, matter of factly. “I think you look just right,” he said, meeting his gaze squarely, and while there was a hint of a grin to the corner of his mouth, his eyes were serious.

He gave his middle a squeeze, and rested his chin on his shoulder. He turned his head to give him another kiss on the cheek, letting out a little sigh of contentment. “Wanna see you here every night,” he murmured. “Every morning.” He didn’t care if he was putting a little too much out there - they had only just slept together. Daryl could decide he didn’t want any of this - Aaron had a kid, that was a lot to take on.

Still.

Daryl’s face got hotter. Blue eyes went a bit more round when Aaron told him it’s something he wanted to see. Him just standing here in the bathroom with a toothbrush trying not to look like he was foaming at the mouth like some rabid squirrel with cheeks all puffed up from toothpaste. Cause, for some reason, he cared about how he looked when Aaron walked in the room when he never gave a damn how he looked about (he’d like to say it is 95% of the time but..) any other time in the world.

“This something you wanna see, huh?” He doesn’t even pause when he’s held across his middle. Or kissed on the cheek. He’s too busy letting the other stuff sink in to notice that he leans back and scrunches up one eye at the peck but there’s a hell of a grin that follows the squint. Blink and it’d be gone. However. The smile that replaces the little, curious twitch is real. Small. Uneven. But real.

“You sure about that?” He swallows around the words trying to digest them. He’s got a lot of baggage and he knows it. A lot of guilt that comes up at the worst times. A lot of issues that only solitude and stepping away can mend for a while. Would he be too much? He’s gotta wonder. “Just want you to make sure you know what you’d be gettin’ into..”

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aarontwds‌.

HIs fingers find absent patterns over the fabric of Daryl’s shirt, not really taking any path - just content to touch while his mouth is otherwise occupied. He pants, a little, as the kiss breaks, eyes finally opening and it’s almost too much, seeing Daryl there in front of him like that.

Dark gaze slips down as Daryl’s head tilts and he swallows, the fire in his gut at a fever pitch now - the flames smoldering as he stares at Daryl, a low, soft noise leaving him as fingers curl through his hair and that’s the only encouragement he needs to lean over, drag his mouth over the expanse of offered skin with a pleased noise, his body warm and solid against Daryl’s

He slid his hand over Daryl’s belly, over his side, gives himself more room to press completely against him, until there’s no daylight (well, nightlight) to break on through. It feels real, solid in a way that it shouldn’t at this time of night, and he wants more, wants everything - as much or as little as Daryl will give him, as long as he can continue to mouth biting kisses against his neck.

“Aaron,” his cheeks are pink and he’d never admit it for a million years. Longer than that. The color bleeds up into his forehead, down the bridge of his nose. Hell, even his throat is flush and he squirms against the solidness of Aaron’s body against his. It feels beyond anything. The firm weight practically on top of him now that he’s ask for it and Aaron’s given in. As he bites along the other side of his throat? Daryl presses his mouth towards the pillow and the muffled noise that sinks into it is beyond anything he’d let go on purpose.

This is real. The weight on him, the tongue and teeth on his throat. Aaron’s body, Aaron’s scent. He’d never let himself picture it for long. The times he did. Nor did he rarely let himself admit it to himself that he’s caught Aaron looking at him in ways that’d make that image come to mind. Why? Cause he ain’t wired like that. Full of want and need and affection. Or. Maybe he is..

Maybe Aaron brings it out in him. Either way? His inner thigh drags up the side of Aaron’s hip and stops there, slotting them together and he gasps against soft cotton at the sensation. Not sure if he can take anymore of this, he wants to try. God damn, he wants to try. “Fuck,” another curse through gritted teeth as blunt fingernails drag down Aaron’s back, clutch onto his shirt and pill it halfway up to his shoulders. Rough fingertips trace a line over his skin that’s still warm from the clothing. It’s so much softer than Daryl expected it to be. 

[jaaryl]

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aarontwds‌.

The sound of the bed against the wall almost startles him - it’s not loud but he wasn’t expecting it - but all he can think about is other reasons for the bed to be making that noise - potentially far more noise and it’s all he can do not to groan against Daryl’s neck. This isn’t where he’d seen this night going - hadn’t seen it going anywhere at all, but he’s not exactly regretting it.

His heart drops as Daryl nudges his mouth away from his neck - thinking he’s overstepped his bounds, that this was too much and Daryl was finally realizing it, but then Daryl’s mouth is on his and he’s groaning, surprised and wanting into Daryl’s mouth. It’s not the soft, sweet hesitant kiss Aaron would have pegged for their first kiss (not that he was picturing their first kiss or anything, well, maybe once or twice), it’s deep and passionate and has him rocking against Daryl, just slightly, before he can help himself.

His mouth opens against his, taking everything Daryl has to give.

Belly sinking as it knots together delightfully underneath Aaron’s hand for the first time since the shudder danced up his spine, Daryl licks against Aaron’s tongue like he can’t get enough of the flavor of the two of them combined. His tongue slips free, teeth drag over Aaron’s bottom lip and the kiss is broken apart when his lungs remind him that he needs to breathe.

Half-lidded, darkened eyes crack open and he silently offers the other side of his neck. The one that’d make Aaron lean up over him. Normally, he’d shy away from that. Panic, even. At the thought of being covered and held in place anywhere. Yet? He’s the one asking for it. Silently. But the request is there nonetheless. His heart’s beating so hard you can see it through his neck and yet he waits. Damn it, he’s even holding his breath for the sensation to come back.

Aaron’s found a weak spot Daryl was only vaguely aware he had in the first place. Never for many good reasons was he grabbed or touched there. This, though? This is a whole new sensation he wants to feel the ripple of all over again. Fingers uncurl in Aaron’s hair and slip down to hold the back of his neck, luring him there on nothing more than a needful whim.

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aarontwds‌.

The fire in his gut leaps at the noise Darly makes and he scrapes his teeth lightly over skin, that fluttering feeling deep inside only getting worse. He should stop this, slow it down, but he can’t, can’t do anything but what he’s already doing, the sound of Daryl’s hand against the headboard sending another wave of heat through him.

The grip in his hair spurs him on, a low noise, nearly but not quite a growl deep in his chest as he sucks a mark on Daryl’s neck. It’s - god, it’s something, seeing Daryl like this (or feeling him, Aaron’s eyes are still closed) and he lets his hand trail over him, down the broad expanse of his chest as best he can as tangled up as they are. He’s glad he doesn’t wear the prosthetic to bed, it’d just be getting in the way.

To think he can get Daryl like this, just with his mouth and teeth against his throat. It’d always been a thought, even more so now recently, seeing Daryl - perhaps not exactly like this, but in similar situations, but he’d never let himself focus on it. Now he can’t do anything but.

Brows knit together and he has to gulp down some breaths before he ends up turning blue at this point. He squeezes the metal framework of the headboard causing it to lightly tap against the wall. A noise that brings a shudder down his entire body all the way to his wiggling, bare toes. Calves strain and he presses them tighter together, rolling into Aaron’s mouth as he chews into the bottom of his lip.

Blue eyes crack open and stare blindly past them. His whimper shifts into a throated groan, low and heavy in his chest. His fingers squeeze down and he nudges Aaron’s mouth off his neck. Though knowing there’s a mark and feeling it sucked in is the cause of the action, it’s not in the way you might think. He doesn’t want it to stop.

Daryl only wants what he can’t help himself from taking. Their mouths meet and his are starving as they instantly devour Aaron’s mouth. A craving that he would ignore in any way he could snaps and leaves him bare and raw and needing. The kiss is deep. Instantly. Without nervous hesitation because Aaron’s drug out something in him that doesn’t have the hitches or the hiccups or the fear he might have. His neck is thrumming with teeth and lips and how Aaron felt latched onto it and all he wants and can think about is tasting his skin on Aaron’s tongue. So? He does.

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aarontwds‌.

The way Daryl squirms, Aaron can feel it, tangled up together as they are. It makes something thud in his gut, body reacting without him giving it any permission.

Aaron’s heart lurches in his chest, the heat in the pit of his stomach banked and smoldering at the sound of Daryl’s voice. He should stop - Daryl had been - he’d just been offering him comfort after a nightmare, but he doesn’t want to stop. And Daryl isn’t shoving him off - he knows the hunter wouldn’t let him do something he didn’t want.

There’s plenty of space with Daryl’s head tilted back and Aaron takes advantage, mouth moving slowly over the expanse of skin, occasionally trailing upward toward his jawline, teeth scraping against the scruffiness - and he’s tempted, so, so fucking tempted to aim higher but he can’t, not yet.

“Daryl,” he mutters, half against his skin, not sure what exactly he’s saying his name for, only that he is, and his eyes are closed, letting himself feel this instead of anything else.

The more skin that is underneath Aaron’s mouth, the higher the feeling of floating along whatever this is climbs. Before he knows it, he’s clinging to Aaron’s shoulder and his neck can’t possibly arch any more than it is but he wishes he could offer all of it to him and then some.  

As the corner of his mouth presses into the pillow opposite of where Aaron’s teeth and mouth are sending him into whatever bliss he’s falling towards, another noise comes. This one? A faint cry that echoes his name breathed through Aaron’s lips. Daryl’s free hand moves up looking for something to hold onto. All it finds is the headboard and he clenches onto the metal there with a white knuckled grip, elbow bent and muscles tight.

Hell, this is...eating him up.

Shifting his other grip into the curls at the top of Aaron’s head, he fingers through them delicately before letting a light fist rumple them into his grip. A whimper, a real whimper, and he’s not able to think about hitting any sorta breaks anymore. Not with the fireworks exploding behind his eyes. God, he’s gonna choke on this..

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aarontwds‌.

Something swirls in Aaron’s gut, a little fluttering that he ignores because it’s the middle of the night and whatever he does right now, it doesn’t count - it can’t change things, can’t potentially damage one of the most important friendships in his life. Right now it’s the middle of the night and if his mouth finds Daryl’s neck, then it’s just between the two of them.

The fluttering in his gut gets stronger when Daryl grunts, and he exhales softly, a measured movement to try and calm himself down. Everything feels electric, buzzing, a breathless sort of feeling sitting in his chest.

He hums lightly at Daryl’s words. “Always,” he murmurs, mouth moving across his neck now, more kisses, the slightest flick of his tongue and a hint of teeth - and he’s not - it doesn’t have to mean anything (if Daryl doesn’t want it to). It’s just something….nice.

Gravity goes sideways and his lungs fill with heat. He can’t help it when there’s so much swirling through him. Makes his brain feel like one of those old metal tops he had as a kid before it was left out in the rain too many times. The thing’d spin across the floor so fast you couldn’t tell where the colors blurred together until it spun out to a drunken topple. His spine tingles and he lets out a pitched sort of noise. It’s not a whimper...he doesn’t whimper. God, fuck, maybe it was.

His hand jerks against Aaron’s shoulder, neck craned back far as it’ll go and the small of his back lifts up as hips roll back against the mattress. He’s squirming. Slight but it’s there and the teeth on his skin make his own teeth cinch as air hisses in through them.

It’s too much for what they just got done doing. But not enough at the same time. Makes him crave more than he knows he should expect or ask for. Instead, he licks his lips and turns his head with his eyes closed and his pulse racing in his chest. His voice broken as he mumbles, “Fuck.. Aaron.”

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aarontwds‌.

There’s something about the middle of the night that makes things feel dreamy. Like he could do anything and not have to suffer any fall out. He knows it’s not true - plenty of things have happened in the middle of the night, but still. It’s a hard feeling to shake, especially when he’s wrapped up in Daryl’s arms - something he never would have thought would happen. So he can be forgiven, can’t he? For leaning into it, for taking everything Daryl is giving him right now. Or, what he thinks he’s giving him.

Maybe Daryl is just being nice.

“Okay,” he relents, not arguing that it’s not being nice, it’s just the truth. His mouth finds it’s way toward Daryl’s throat again, a little less timid now, and he can almost feel Daryl’s pulse beneath his lips. He likes it. He presses another kiss there, and then another, not letting himself think about what he’s doing. “One of the best things in this world,” Aaron can’t help but say.

Suddenly, his pulse is beating through him like a pair of rabbit’s feet trying to outrun a fox on it’s tail. It makes him dizzy. Not in a terrible way that too much liquor and not enough food will get ya. It feels electric. A whirlwind that moves from head to toe and he can’t help himself when a quiet grunt escapes out his throat before he can shove it back down. Don’t matter anyway. S’not like he could. He can barely swallow some damn air at this point.

Is this okay? To feel that sinking swirl that he wants to let pull him down?

Aaron relents and he nods. Best he can anyway. Cause there’s a mouth on his throat, Aaron’s mouth, and it’s drawing his head back against the pillow and dragging his lips open while sinking his eyelids all at once. The hand on Aaron’s shoulder cups it and supports him there. When another comes, he feels his eyes roll shut. Pulse thrumming against Aaron’s lips, his brows burrow. One of the best things? The idea makes his head spin as much as the touch does. His voice is scratchy. “Almost wasn’t anymore..not til you saw it in me..”

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aarontwds‌.

This is far more contact than Aaron is used to having with Daryl, but he can’t say he doesn’t like it. He practically melts into him, nestled against him like he belongs, not sure where his legs end and Daryl’s begin - and that’s alright. Certain parts of him may be slightly more interested than appropriate but he’s doing his best not to think about that because now is not the time. He’s ragged and emotionally raw and all he wants to do is lay here and be held by Daryl.

“‘s true,” he says, softly. And it is. Daryl Dixon is one of the best people he’s ever known - and he’d figured that out the moment he’d seen him all those years ago, leading his family to safety in that old barn. He nestles against him a little more, settling against him completely, focusing on the slight feeling of Daryl’s hand against his shoulder, the soothing, easy rhythm.

His mouth brushes against Daryl’s neck again, because he can’t stop himself, and he can almost convince himself it’s an accident, he’s just adjusting to get more comfortable.

Just like Aaron? This is far more contact than Daryl’s let himself have in, well, about forever. There’s been moments where they’ve been close. Hugs and touches and a few times where they’ve been a little closer than Daryl’s ever let someone be. But he’s never had someone he’s let in like this. Stupid as it might sound. Considering how damn old he is. He’s just not been wired like that. Maybe he could have been but in his life? Something like this? Couldn’t wounded him more than he was comfortable chancing or even thinking about.

Thing is with Aaron? He doesn’t think about it. That’s what makes it so easy, he guesses. Being like this with him when he needs someone is just what he has to do. And it’s the easiest damn thing he’s ever done. Yes, there’s a heat in him that shouldn’t be there. Part of him feels guilty over it. The other part is in awe it’s there in the first place.

More of his neck’s bared with the slightest tilt of his head. Happens naturally. Easy as breathing and then he feels the heat in his face turn into the surface of the sun when it registers what he did. The muscles in his neck strain again and he curls his fingers in against Aaron’s shoulder, holdin’ on. “..S’. S’still nice of you to say though.”

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aarontwds‌.

As the tears dry on his face, Aaron sinks a little more against Daryl’s body, giving himself fully into his hold. He feels wrung out, emotions still pricking against him like little needles, but they’re gentler now and the torn feeling in his chest is not so gaping. It’s easier, in the daylight, to pretend he’s alright, that he’s whole, but it always seems to fall apart in the night.

He can’t help but think, somewhere at the back of his mind that maybe if he had Daryl here, in the night, he wouldn’t have to hold himself together. Daryl could do it for him. He doesn’t let that thought settle, because it’s the middle of the night and he’s exhausted and his emotions are in a tatter, but it’ll be back later.

He shivers again as Daryl’s mouth brushes against his eyes, a soft noise escaping deep from his chest as Daryl swears to him. He knows Daryl Dixon always keeps his promises (or would die trying, although that’s not really something he wants to think about right now).

He huffs a laugh that’s a little more convincing, ducks his face a little, so he’s curled against Daryl’s neck. He’s not sure he has to wait for good to walk around the corner. Good might not be around the corner. Good might be right here.

“Not sure I have to wait,” he said, voice almost too soft, mouth brushing just ever so faintly against the hinge of Daryl’s jaw, soft enough that it could be an accident.

There’s the faintest crack of a smile when he hears Aaron laugh. A tiny one but it’s a laugh and that’s all that matters. The improvement is in leaps and bounds considering where this started and he’ll take what he can get. His thumb begins a slow circle against the side of Aaron’s shoulder. A soothing, comforting gesture that he hopes will keep them on the track they’re on. Aaron’s warm breath against his neck causes the Adam’s apple in his throat to bob a bit drastically but no worries. There’s a prickling of goosebumps that chase right after.

His face feels hot so he buries it closer against Aaron’s head but then there’s lips on his jaw and the muscles twitch. A warm spark dances through his belly and he has to swallow thick all over again when it spreads down his legs and makes his toes curl a little.

Aaron saying what he thinks he’s saying makes that smile grow. How could it not? To be considered that ‘something good’ by Aaron is an accomplishment. Something he feels it took years for him to build. When he knows, deep down, Aaron’s always seen him like that. Even when he couldn’t see himself as anything more than a string of failures that ended in losing so many people he didn’t think he could lose anymore or he’d end up breaking apart all together.

Aaron saw past all that and now it’s his turn. And, oh, he does. 

Daryl’s gotta clear his throat a little as the warmth seeps into his veins. Arms move and he pulls Aaron close, one leg slides between Aaron’s and he wraps the other on top of the one highest. A leg lock of serious proportions. “Means a lot to me you’d think that. Thought I’d let you know.”

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Rick season 1: we don't kill the living

Rick season 5: lmfAO FUCK IT AMIRIGHT *stabs everyone* aw yiss

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aarontwds‌.

Aaron clings to him like it’s the only thing keeping him afloat and maybe it is. Maybe if he lets go he’ll just fall to pieces, pieces so small and fine he’ll never be able to put himself back together again. Daryl’s hold is just on the side of too tight, but he needs it, wants him to hold him harder, until the pain of that overshadows the sharp pain in his chest, the one that practically burns.

He’s so tired of grieving.

He’s so tired of losing people.

There’s pressure on the top of his head, a little more, Daryl’s voice a low whisper that settles right into his bones. He believes him. He knows Daryl can’t make that promise. No one can make that promise, but he lets it soothe him, believes it because he can’t stand not to.

His fingers clench against Daryl a little harder and he shivers, a full body motion, as Daryl’s mouth brushes across his temple, lighting him up inside in a way that has nothing to do with the fading burn of grief and terror.

“I better be,” he managed, voice fractured and rough and tinged with something that had wanted to be a laugh but couldn’t quite make it.

Daryl’s brain’s in overdrive. Trying to figure out what exactly he can say that’ll make the pain stop. He’s got him in his arms, hell, even wrapped up in his legs but he wants to do more. Do everything that’ll make the ache inside Aaron’s chest subside until it’s washed away with something he deserves. Something as warm and soft as he is. Something that he knows he aches to have again and probably fears like hell to ever let himself fear. 

Aaron can’t lose that spark that’s in him. It’d kill Daryl to watch whatever love and gentleness that’s inside of him fade and shift into something as unkind and unforgiving as the world’s treated him. Aaron can’t change because Aaron is Aaron and he’s important enough to stay as he is. Because he’s proof to Daryl that the world’s got hope. Good people worth saving and fighting for just to keep that light in their eyes from burning out.

Please don’t let that go..

So? He doesn’t let Aaron go and hopes he’s holding him tight enough that he’s keeping those sparks inside his veins and the light in him from seeping out through tears and pain. He doesn’t think about it, doesn’t think about what it means. Which is so beyond who he is with anyone else. In his life. Not just now..

..but that kiss moves to Aaron’s eyes and he tastes salt and water. “You are. I swear.” It’s not an empty promise. If this world takes him out? It’s got the fight of it’s fucking life coming for it. The promise is whispered against the corner of a tearful eye.

“Member when we first met..? Thought you were a damn idiot with all yer promises.. This world’s good. Even if it feels like it ain’t..just..gotta wait for the good to come walkin’ round the corner like you did.”

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aarontwds‌.

Sometimes it was worse, not remembering what the dream was and only having the after impressions. Just the feelings of terror and grief and no way to give them context, only let them rip apart his chest. But Daryl was here - Daryl was here and his arms were around him and it was - it was enough.

It didn’t stop him from falling apart, but it was enough to know that he could fall apart in safety. Nothing could happen to him with Daryl here. The feelings bubbled up until there was nowhere else to go, until the sob was followed by another, a wracking, deep sound he tried to smother - but he needed it, in a way, some place for all that fear and anger and sadness to go. They tapered off, eventually, to the sound of Daryl’s voice, though another bubbled over as Daryl informed him that he wasn’t alone anymore.

He wasn’t.

Not now.

But how long would that last?

His hand clutched at Daryl a little tighter, the sobs quieting and silent tears taking over, some catching in his beard, but most falling on Daryl’s shirt as he clung to him, nestled in his grip.

Sad eyes stare over the top of Aaron’s head towards the wall on the opposite side of the room. He feels a rock well up in his throat at the sobs that wrack the man in his arm’s so hard that he can feel the mattress give a little. Only makes him tangle their legs together tighter and pull him close enough that someone might swear Daryl was trying to smother out his pain (and him) with all the strength his arms could muster up.

He wants to say he’s sorry. But knows Aaron would hate feeling like he made anyone feel guilty enough to apologize. He wants to tell him that he’ll get revenge on the entire world for making someone as good as Aaron suffer as much as it fuckin’ did. He knows that Aaron wouldn’t want him filled with rage in that capacity. Can’t help it, though. Anyone he loves hurts? His first instinct is to snuff out whatever the source of that pain is. It’s in his DNA. Can’t shake it and wouldn’t if he could.

Instead, he holds him. Then thinks one better and lifts his head.

Lips brush against the curls on top of Aaron’s crown. The tip of his nose drags through them right after. His voice is low. Barely above a whisper. “Know what yer thinkin’. I ain’t going anywhere. No how, no way. No matter what.” 

A ghost of a kiss is dusted across his temple. “Stuck with me is what you are..”