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೨ㅤ࣪ㅤ 𝓭𝐚𝐫𝐲𝓵 𝓭𝐢𝐱𝐨𝐧 𖬺 𝒇! reader
ֻ♡ㅤㅤㅤִㅤㅤ sex headcanons ੭
ㅤׂ࣮⟢ 𝆬 ㅤ︐𝐜.𝐰 ∗ 𓂃 𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐰 :: talks of sex :: oral :: marking :: some rough sex :: est. rel .
𝓭𝐚𝐫𝐲𝓵 ’s not big on words during sex, he’s more likely to let out some grunts and low moans from time to time paired with heavy pants and breathing, rather than saying dirty things to you. occasionally, he’ll say “fuck… c’mere” or “that’s it, baby”. but filth growled in your ear would be rare. he shows everything through touch instead.
touch starved boy but hesitant about it. 𝓭𝐚𝐫𝐲𝓵 spent most of his life thinking he was unworthy of any kind of affection, so early on he’d be careful with you, scared that maybe you’ll change your mind. though once he trusts you completely, he becomes greedy. big, sturdy fingers caressing everywhere—gripping your hips hard enough to bruise, sliding up your thighs, dipping under the waistband of your pants.
loves, loves, loves skin-on-skin contact and pinning you down. therefore, missionary and prone bone are his favourites cause he can cover you completely, cage you in with his body and watch your face/ass depending on which one you’re doing. 𝓭𝐚𝐫𝐲𝓵 ’s strong as hell from years of survival and he makes good use of it. pressing you into the mattress (or the ground, or the hood of a car) while he fucks you and leaves marks and bites all the way down your spine.
pussy eater through and through. he’s obsessed with eating you out and would stay down there all day if you didn't push his head away the moment your legs start shaking and your core’s raw from overstimulation. 𝓭𝐚𝐫𝐲𝓵 enjoys giving head more than receiving, but definitely won’t deny the opportunity to have your warm mouth wrapped around his dick if you offer.
aftercare with him is surprisingly sweet. he may not be into pillow talk, but he’ll pull you against his chest, snuggling you up to his side until you’re comfy enough to his eyes and murmur stuff like “ya good?” , “didn’t hurt ya, did i?” he’ll share his cigarettes with you after and let you trace his scars without getting tense about it anymore.
i don’t really think 𝓭𝐚𝐫𝐲𝓵 ’s too much of a perv. he’s more vanilla to me, so most of your encounters have lots of lazy kisses and eye contact. his movements would be slow and deep, and his forehead would often be pressed to yours or your neck.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ‧‧ㅤㅤ𝑏𝑦ㅤㅤ𝐯𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞ㅤㅤ©ㅤㅤ𝐞𝐬𝐭ㅤㅤ‘𝟐𝟔ㅤㅤৎ
ㅤ𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠ㅤㅤㅤ ... ㅤㅤㅤ𝓯𝐨𝐫ㅤㅤㅤ nav ㅤㅤ mlist ㅤㅤ!
Bites and Scratches
Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader
Summary: Sneaking around with your secret relationship with Daryl proves harder and harder with each passing day. It wasn't that you were ashamed or embarrassed of each other - you just didn't want the others knowing that part of your lives when so much was already in the open. However, after a particularly rough night and awkward post-morning, the cat's out of the bag. But not in the way you'd hoped.
Main Masterlist
warnings: Sex injury, suggestive dialogue, smut flashbacks, graphic smut (blowjob, m!receiving), injury, swearing, probably. Kenny is an antagonist character I made up, who is basically a prop lol.
You woke to warmth. Not just the kind that came from the scratchy blanket tangled halfway down the bed, but the kind that breathed against your bare skin, slow and steady. Daryl’s arm was slung low across your waist, rough fingertips ghosting over your stomach in lazy, unconscious strokes, his breath brushing the curve of your shoulder. His leg was half-draped over yours, anchoring you to the mattress like he didn’t trust you not to up and leave.
The guard tower wasn’t exactly luxury living, but it had two things you both craved more than a decent mattress—privacy and a lock. After three days of him being gone on a hunting run, privacy had become very necessary.
Your thighs ached. So did your hips. And your voice, judging by the way it cracked the second you tried to clear your throat. Jesus.
You barely managed to blink your eyes open before Daryl stirred behind you, his mouth pressing sleepily to your shoulder blade, then lower—across your spine, trailing kisses like breadcrumbs. You shivered.
“Mornin’,” he rasped, voice all gravel, the low drawl rumbling through your spine as his hand slid up under the blanket to cup your breast—slow, possessive, and so damn familiar it sent a shiver down your aching thighs.
His thumb dragged over your nipple, coaxing it to a hard peak with infuriating gentleness. You sucked in a breath, your body twitching under his as his knee slid between your legs like muscle memory, his hips already starting that lazy grind against your ass.
“Daryl—” your voice broke off in a strained gasp as his teeth found your shoulder, biting down just enough to make your hips jerk. “Oh, fuck—baby…”
He groaned into your skin, rolling his hips again, slower this time, deeper. “One more time, cmon…”
You didn’t have the heart to stop him at first. The heat in your stomach lit fast—your body wanted him, wanted to forget how sore you were and let him take you again just because it felt so good to be under him, with him.
But your thighs trembled, already overworked, and there was a dull, nagging throb in your hip from how hard you’d gripped him last night—maybe from when he’d half-dragged you back up the wall after you’d collapsed around his fingers, begging for more.
“Daryl,” you rasped again, twisting to catch his face with your hand. His eyes were hazy, already half-lost in the feel of you, pupils blown wide as he kissed a slow line down your neck. “I can’t baby—I’m too sore.”
He froze mid-motion, forehead resting against your shoulder, panting quietly. You felt the exact moment guilt settled over him like a wet blanket.
“Shit,” he muttered again, softer this time. “Sorry. Didn’t mean—I thought…”
“You thought right,” you said with a breathless, teasing smile. “I want to. I just physically can’t.”
His face flushed as he leaned up, cupping your jaw to kiss you—slow, apologetic, worshipful. “M’sorry. Just—got home and you were already waitin’ in bed, lookin’ at me like that…”
“I was naked,” you reminded him, laughing weakly.
“Exactly.” He kissed your cheek. “What was I supposed to do? Be a gentleman?”
You laughed again, softer, eyes fluttering shut as he kissed down your chest, nosing at the curve of your breast like he wasn’t ready to let go of the idea just yet.
You turned your head just enough to catch his guilty expression. “Don’t apologize,” you rasped, still half-smiling. “Just… maybe gimme a day to re-learn how to walk.”
You gazed at him then; his hair was a mess—flattened on one side, sticking up on the other, the kind of disaster only deep sleep (and other activities) could make. Yours… probably matched. Longer, wilder, and currently hiding most of your face when you peeked up at him.
“I really thought we were gonna break that bed frame.”
“We did.” He grinned into your skin. “You didn’t hear it snap when I—?”
“Oh my god.”
“Yeah.” He pressed another kiss between your breasts, slow and warm. “Totally worth it.”
His voice softened then, the humor fading just slightly. His lips brushed over the faint bruises he’d left on your ribs, fingertips moving with featherlight reverence like he could soothe the ache from the outside. “You really hurtin’?”
“I feel like I got hit by a truck,” you murmured, combing your fingers through his tangled hair. “A very sexy, grunting truck that doesn’t believe in pacing himself.”
He snorted, the sound muffled against your belly. “Told ya I missed ya.”
“I missed you too,” you said, threading both hands into his hair and tugging gently to guide him back up. “But I swear, if you even look at me with that face right now, I’ll kick you in the balls to even the score.”
He grinned, and gave you one last, lingering kiss—soft and slow, all lips and breath and whispered apology—before finally pulling back and reaching for your shirt. “Alright, alright. You win. But tonight?”
“Tonight I sleep.” You narrowed your eyes at him. “Don’t even think about waking me up with your dick.”
His expression was utterly unrepentant. “I’ll be gentle.”
“You never are.”
“Takes one ta know one,” he muttered against your skin. “I ain’t never seen you like that. Was like you were tryna kill me last night.”
“I think we both tried to kill each other,” you murmured back. “Four times.”
“Five times,” he corrected. “You don’t remember the time where you bit me?”
You blinked, confused. “Bit you?”
He leaned up, pulling his hair back with one hand to reveal a faint purpling crescent just under his jaw. You stared at it.
“I don’t remember that.”
“Oh, I do,” he said with a crooked grin.
You groaned, burying your face into the pillow. “Oh my god I’m so sorry.”
“S’fine,” he said grinning.
Faint now—barely a shadow of purple—but when his fingers brushed that mark, fresh out of bed and still hazed in the best possible way, the memory hit like a fuckin’ freight train.
He could still feel it. The pressure of your teeth sinking into that tender spot where his neck met his shoulder. Not sharp. Not cruel. Just desperate.
You didn’t mean to. You were barely there.
One minute he’d had you on your stomach, cheek pressed into the pillow, hands curled into the sheets like they were the only things keeping you tethered. He was over you, in you, grinding so deep and slow it was less a thrust and more a claiming—rhythmic, relentless. Sweat dripping off his skin onto yours. His thighs snug to the backs of yours, his hand gripping your hip so tight his knuckles ached the next morning.
Your body was boneless, trembling, oversensitive from everything he’d already done to you. He’d taken his time—fingers, mouth, words. Wrecked you soft first. Had you sobbing into his chest with nothing but a hand between your legs and his voice in your ear telling you how good you were, how sweet you tasted, how long he was gonna take his time tonight.
And then he’d flipped you.
And then he sank into you.
He hadn’t even meant to go that deep. But your hips arched into it, seeking more without words. Your mouth had fallen open in a soundless moan. Your hands fluttered—reaching for him, for the pillow, for anything—but settling on nothing. It was like your body couldn’t decide what to hold onto because it was too busy falling apart.
You didn’t say his name. You whimpered it.
And he’d lost it.
“Yeah, baby,” he’d growled into your hair, the tip of his nose dragging along your scalp. “That’s it. Doin’ so good. Attagirl.”
Your only answer was a sob. Not from pain. From need.
And then it happened.
Your head tilted. Just barely.
And your mouth latched onto the side of his neck.
Not hard. Not deep. Just enough to bite. To mark him. To hold onto something solid while your brain turned to static.
It startled him. For half a second, he paused—not his hips, not the thrust—but in his mind. That flicker of shock. Of fuck.
But then he groaned. Deep in his throat. Low.
Because it was you. Biting him like that. Because you were so far gone, so soaked and soft and open for him, that you needed your teeth to ground yourself.
And he couldn’t stop.
Wouldn’t stop.
Your cunt clenched around him like a goddamn vice and he drove into it like he was trying to become part of you. His hand slid up to the base of your neck, not to push you away, but to hold you there. Keep you close. Keep you biting.
You moaned against his skin, mouth still open, teeth still sunk into him like you didn’t even realize what you were doing—like it was just instinct. Just need.
His rhythm picked up. Harsher. Filthier. The slap of skin, the creak of the mattress, your muffled cries against his neck.
“You want it that bad?” he’d rasped, eyes shut, trying to keep himself from blowing then and there. “That gone already, huh baby?”
You couldn’t speak. Couldn’t do anything but bite down again, just a little tighter, and whimper something that didn’t even sound like language.
He felt you break around him right there.
Felt the way your whole body tensed. The way you gasped against his neck. The way your walls fluttered around his cock like your body was trying to keep him, pull him deeper, own him.
It undid him.
He buried himself to the hilt, groaning your name into your shoulder, chest caving in with the force of it. It was one of those orgasms that left him shaking—like his body didn’t know how to hold itself up anymore. It felt like it went on forever, the way he kept filling you—
“Daryl?” you mumbled, voice raw and sleep-rough, laced with that hoarse rasp that hadn’t quite left since last night. “You good?”
He flinched, blinking hard—ripped clean out of the memory, the phantom feel of your teeth still tingling beneath his skin. His hand dropped immediately, and he turned slightly, eyes darting anywhere but your bare, tangled figure behind him.
“Yeah. M’fine,” he muttered, clearing his throat a little too fast, a little too loud, like that’d somehow cover up the very obvious problem still tenting the blanket.
You stirred against the sheets, shifting slow and ginger like every muscle ached. “Where’re my clothes?” you croaked, trying to sit up before groaning and falling flat again. “Oh my god. I can’t feel my spine.”
Daryl still couldn’t look at you directly. Not yet. Not while his dick was throbbing against the fabric like it had plans.
Your eyes fluttered open, searching blearily for him. “Daryl?”
He glanced toward the window to avoid the sight of your completely naked body spread out like a goddamn painting—and that’s when he saw it.
Your bra.
Swaying gently from where it had somehow ended up hooked on the balcony railing, one strap dangling out into the open air like it was waving good morning to the world.
He stared at it.
Then blinked.
Then let out the quietest “shit” under his breath.
“What?” you asked, brow furrowed.
He didn’t answer right away. Just scratched the back of his neck and nodded toward the open window. “Uh. Found it.”
You followed his line of sight.
Saw it.
And groaned like someone had punched you in the soul. “Oh no. Tell me that wasn’t out there all night.”
“Dunno,” he muttered, already moving toward the door. “Wind must’a caught it or somethin’…”
“Or you threw it,” you countered, burying your face into the pillow with a muffled scream. “Oh my god.”
He got up, throwing off the blanket and stepping out completely naked without a care in the world, grimacing slightly as the morning sun hit his bare chest. He grabbed the bra and yanked it off the railing like it had personally offended him, muttering, “Least it didn’t land in the fuckin’ tomato patch.”
You saw the moment his mind wandered. He paused there, bare back rising and falling with each deep breath, cock hard and heavy between his legs, bobbing faintly as he stood in the sun.
You watched him cross the tower, completely bare and unbothered, like the sunlight wasn’t striping every muscle of his back in gold. His steps were loose, fluid, still heavy from sleep and the kind of night that left you both bruised and breathless.
Your body ached—hips sore, thighs humming with the kind of exhaustion that edged into satisfaction—but your mouth; that still worked just fine.
And you moved.
Blanket slinking off your skin, your knees dragging slowly over the cold cement floor, crawling towards him like some animal, naked and hungry. You knelt behind him, letting the early light warm your back, and reached around him with both hands—one to steady yourself, the other to wrap around the base of him, hot and pulsing in your grip.
He twitched.
You leaned forward and kissed the tip. Soft, reverent. He didn’t say a word—just braced his palms on the railing and let you have him.
Your lips parted and you took him in slowly, dragging your tongue along the underside, feeling him swell in your mouth as his breath hitched, chest tightening. You worked him deeper, steady strokes of your hand matching the hollow of your cheeks, spit glistening as it slipped down your chin, but you didn’t care. You loved him like this—quiet and coiled, trembling under your touch, too focused on keeping still to remember how to breathe.
And then—
“Daryl?”
The voice struck like a match.
Rick. Of course.
You froze. Only for a second.
He didn’t.
His hands flexed hard on the railing. You felt every muscle in his thighs tense, the sharp pull of his stomach, the way his cock jumped against your tongue.
But he didn’t push you away.
“Yeah?” His voice cracked and he coughed, tried again. “Y-Yeah?”
You didn’t stop. You licked a stripe from base to tip, then sealed your mouth around him again and sucked slow, just to see if he’d twitch. He did.
“What’re you doin’ up there?” Rick called. “Ain’t your shift.”
Daryl’s jaw clenched. You could see it even from below. One hand stayed planted on the railing. The other dropped down to your head, fingers threading into your hair, not to guide you—just to ground himself. You weren’t sure if he was about to come or pass out.
“Laundry,” he said gruffly. “Flew up here.”
You grinned around him. He could feel it.
There was a long beat of silence.
You slid down further, taking him deeper. Your nose bumped his skin, your tongue pressed firm and flat, your hand twisting in rhythm just below your mouth.
“You alright?” Rick’s voice again. “You sound winded.”
“I’m fine,” Daryl bit out, throat straining. “Hot up here. Sun’s right on the damn glass.”
You moaned, low and thick, letting the vibration hit the base of his cock like a shockwave.
His breath stuttered. His hips jolted forward.
And you felt it—the shift.
That sharp tremble that raced up his legs, through his stomach, into his hands. He was close. Fighting it. Losing.
Rick’s voice droned on in the background, something about the southern fence line, something about wood supplies, but Daryl wasn’t listening. Couldn’t.
His grip in your hair tightened—not rough, just desperate. His body hovered on the edge, every muscle locked down, trying to stay still while his cock twitched in your throat.
And then—
Rick turned. Walked away. His boots echoed down the pavement. The sound faded.
Gone. Finally.
And Daryl broke.
He came with a groan that shook loose from his chest like it had been trapped there, hips jerking forward as his release spilled hot and fast down your throat. You took all of it—held him deep, swallowed hard, one hand still moving, coaxing every last twitch from him until he was sagging against the balcony like it was the only thing holding him up.
His breath heaved in ragged gasps, body gleaming with sweat, legs shaking.
You pulled off him with a slick pop, wiped your mouth with the back of your hand, and kissed the sharp jut of his hip.
He looked down at you like he couldn’t decide whether to collapse or kiss you stupid.
You were already smiling.
Still on your knees. Still wrecked from the night before. But pleased. So fucking pleased.
You arched a brow. “Still hot up here?”
He swallowed thickly. “You’re an evil woman.”
You got up, snatched the bra from him, feeling his eyes on you as you walked away. “That’s why ya love me.”
He mumbled in response, something in between a a hum of agreement and ‘shut up’.
He gave you an exasperated look before shaking his head. You just sucked him off and you're acting like it's just another Tuesday?
"It is Tuesday," you said, still smirking.
Had he said that out loud!?
“We didn’t sleep,” he said with a shrug, tugging his pants on. “Ain’t my fault.”
“You’re the one who kept saying ‘just one more time.’”
“Yeah, well…” He looked down at you and gave the softest smile, all warm and wrecked and adoring. “I missed ya.”
You stared up at him for a long second, eyes soft, before reaching out and curling your fingers around his wrist. “I missed you too, Dixon. Just… maybe tonight we try sleep instead of cardio?”
“No promises,” he muttered, bending to kiss you once more—slow, sweet, and maddeningly deep.
He bent to grab his shirt from the chair, the morning light catching the planes of his back — and your breath caught mid-inhale.
“Oh… my god.”
He half-turned, brows drawing together, but you were already moving.
“Turn around,” you murmured, low but firm, your hands already finding his hips and guiding him to face away from you.
The sight made your stomach tighten — angry red lines raked across the breadth of his back, some shallow, some deeper, all raw against his skin, with the faintest shadow of a bite mark blooming at the base of his neck. You stepped in close, the heat radiating off him soaking into your bare skin, your palms smoothing over his sides before trailing up his back, fingertips skimming the raised welts like maybe your touch could erase them.
“Baby… oh my god, does that not hurt?” The words came out soft, almost guilty, your hands still roaming over his skin like you were cataloging every mark.
“Ain’t nothin’,” he said with a shrug, but that casual dismissal only made your chest tighten more.
“I’m so sorry,” you whispered, stepping around to face him fully. Your hands slid up his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat under your palms, before you hid your face behind them. “I didn’t even realize I—god, that’s embarrassing.”
Before you could retreat, his larger hands closed gently around your wrists, pulling them down until your face was bare to him again. One hand lingered, cradling your jaw, his thumb stroking along your cheek. “Ain’t nothin’,” he repeated, quieter now, like he wanted you to believe it.
You huffed, half-guilty, half-bewildered. “Why didn’t you stop me?”
His other hand slid from your wrist to your hip, holding you close enough that the warmth of his bare chest pressed against yours. “Didn’t wanna,” he muttered, eyes darting away.
Your brows lifted.
“Not ‘cause it hurt—” he rushed to add, gaze skimming over your shoulder, “just… means you were feelin’ good.”
A slow smirk tugged at your mouth, and your hands smoothed up into his hair for just a second before you pulled away toward the shelf.
“Where you goin’?” he asked, following you with his eyes.
“Still getting the aloe,” you tossed over your shoulder.
He scoffed under his breath, but didn’t move — and you caught the faintest hint of a smile, like he wouldn’t mind if you came back and fussed over him some more.
⸻
The midday sun beat down hard against the metal fence as sweat slipped past your temples, soaking into the collar of your shirt. The walkers had been pressing harder against the perimeter lately, enough that the mesh was starting to bend inward, groaning under the weight of too many rotting bodies with just enough instinct left to keep pushing. Reinforcements were long overdue, so the plan now was brute force—wedging thick wooden beams against the metal at key points to keep the wall from collapsing entirely.
“Kenny,” Daryl grunted, his shoulder wedged up beneath the weight of the log, “if you drop this damn thing, I swear—”
“I’m not gonna drop it,” Kenny shot back, clearly straining. “This thing weighs more than a truck.”
“Then maybe you should’ve stayed with the tomato plants,” you muttered as you crouched low, ducking beneath the beam. “Hold it steady—I gotta mark where we need to dig.”
“Yeah, yeah, just make it quick,” Kenny puffed, the whites of his knuckles visible as he shifted his grip.
You dropped to lie down on your back in the dirt, fingers dragging through the dry soil as you carved out a rough guide with the blade of your knife. Daryl’s boot was inches from your head, the edge of his shirt hiked up just enough to expose the shallow curve of his lower back—and the faint red streaks etched into the skin there. Your scratches. Last night’s scratches.
And then there was also the very noticeable bite mark which he had tied a bandana around, which had now shifted to reveal it.
Kenny’s eyes landed on them.
The bite. The scratches.
And then everything went to hell.
“Holy shit—is that a bite?” he barked, his voice slicing through the air like a gunshot.
You didn’t even have time to react. The beam jerked violently in his grip, and before Daryl could rebalance it, the weight tipped sideways—crashing down hard onto your ribcage.
The sound that tore out of you wasn’t quite a scream—it was a crack, and then a wheezing grunt as the air got knocked clean out of your lungs. You folded instantly, body trapped awkwardly beneath the log, head lolling back into the dirt as pain shot like lightning in your torso.
“Shit!” Daryl bellowed, his voice already ragged with fury. “Get it off her!”
A blur of boots surrounded you—Rick, Maggie, Tyreese—all rushing to help. Hands grabbed the beam and heaved, straining against the weight until it finally lifted just enough. Daryl dropped to his knees and yanked you free, cradling your body to his chest like it weighed nothing, like you were made of feathers instead of broken bones.
Kenny staggered backwards, pale and jittery, eyes locked on Daryl. “I—I saw scratches, man! Guys, he's got scratches and a bite!”
“You dropped it on her—’cause of that?” Daryl’s voice was pure fire now, a sharp growl ripping from his throat as he lunged.
Kenny stumbled, tripping over his own feet. “I didn’t mean to—!”
“Daryl!” Rick barked, intercepting just in time, shoving a firm arm across Daryl’s chest before he could close the distance. “That’s enough! Where’d the scratches and the bite come from?”
Everyone froze. All eyes were on him.
Daryl’s jaw was clenched so tight the tendons in his neck stood out, his hands flexing at his sides like he didn’t know what to do with them now that he wasn’t throttling someone.
You sucked in a shallow breath from the dirt, ribs screaming, and rasped out, “It was me, alright?”
Confusion rippled through the group.
You forced yourself upright with a grimace, brushing Daryl’s hand off as you tried to sit but failing miserably. You collapsed halfway again, coughing, and Daryl was immediately back beside you, kneeling so close his thigh pressed against your hip.
His voice dropped to that soft gravel only you ever seemed to get. “Hey. You good? Look at me.”
You turned your face toward the sound, your expression pinched but dry-eyed. “Might’ve cracked a rib,” you muttered, only half-joking. “Feels like something’s doing jazz hands in my lung.”
His hand cradled the back of your head gently, fingers weaving into your hair as his thumb brushed along your cheekbone, eyes scanning your face like he needed to memorise every twitch and wince.
“Lemme see,” he murmured, already tugging your shirt up slowly, carefully, as if touching too fast might break you further.
The collective silence behind you stretched long. You were aware of every set of eyes watching as Daryl pushed your shirt up to reveal the angry red welt blooming across your side, his palm skimming up the bare skin of your waist to brace you steady while he looked.
And that was the moment it all clicked—for everyone.
Daryl’s hand was on your bare skin, thumb moving slowly, reverently over the rising bruise like he could soothe it just by touch. The way he held you—tender, intimate, like someone he loved—left no room for confusion.
You caught Rick’s glance toward Maggie, the slight raise of her eyebrows, and Tyreese's shuffling.
Daryl didn’t care.
“You should’ve stayed back,” he muttered, still crouched beside you, still holding your shirt like he hadn’t noticed half your stomach was on display. “Told ya I’d do the damn marking.”
“Yeah, well.” You winced, leaning into his touch. “Didn’t wanna make Kenny feel useless.”
“Think he managed that all on his own.”
“Still gonna punch him?” you asked, breathless but smirking through it.
Daryl’s jaw flexed, his voice low and flat. “Later. Let’s get ya to Hershel.”
Before you could protest, his arm slid around your waist, hauling you up from the dirt like you were weightless. His palm stayed warm and steady at your side, guiding you away without so much as a glance over his shoulder.
The three still by the fence just stared at Kenny.
“What?” Kenny said, holding his hands up. “Hey, how was I supposed to know those were not walker scratches?!”
“Because he got them while he was in the watch tower, dumbass,” Rick muttered.
"But the bite-"
"He would have gotten a fever by now," said Maggie.
Kenny blinked, then his eyebrows shot up like the penny had just dropped. “Ohhh,” he said slowly, a grin spreading. “Ohhh. So that’s what that was. Damn, Dixon—”
From up ahead, without turning around, Daryl growled, “Shut up, Kenny.”
You bit the inside of your cheek to keep from laughing, leaning a little heavier into Daryl’s side. “Guess the secret’s out,” you murmured.
“Uh-huh,” he muttered, but his hand on your hip didn’t loosen one bit.
Nesting Season | Daryl Dixon x Reader
synopsis: In the safety of Alexandria, survival is no longer your priority—living is. You’ve started cooking real meals, folding laundry with clean soap, and yelling at Daryl for tracking mud into your house. But with every soft, domestic habit you reclaim, Daryl finds himself falling harder—and imagining a future where you’re barefoot, pregnant, and his.
w/c: 5.6k
warnings: unprotected sex, p in v, fingering, creampie, impregnation, talk about pregnancy, daryl develops a breeding kink
a/n: i need to see daryl as a dad. biologically or through adoption, idfc
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You didn’t realize how much you missed the sound of a wooden spoon clacking against a pot until Alexandria made it possible to cook again—not just boil, but cook. Real food. Garlic sautéed in oil. Dough rising in bowls. Crackling butter, eggs cracked into hot pans. You had spices now. Not many, but enough. Enough to make you feel human again.
You stirred the soup gently, humming to yourself, bare feet cold against the tiled kitchen floor. The windows were open, and somewhere down the street, Judith was laughing. That kind of laughter—the kind that didn’t sound like it came from someone holding their breath—was new. A rare luxury. You soaked in the sound.
Your little house wasn’t much. It had peeling baseboards and that one light in the hallway that flickered if you stepped too hard. But it was clean. Yours. You’d hung mismatched rugs, lit candles with no scent left in them, fluffed pillows that didn’t quite match, and named the little houseplant on the windowsill “Martha” just to remind yourself to water her.
And for some reason, lately, Daryl Dixon kept showing up.
“Got ya wrench,” he said gruffly from your doorway, holding up a rusted tool with one gloved hand.
You looked over your shoulder. “Did I… ask for a wrench?”
“Nah. Figured y’might need one eventually,” he muttered.
You quirked a brow. “You sure that wasn’t just an excuse to show up during dinner?”
He shrugged like it was possible. “Smelled somethin’ good from down the street.”
You pointed your wooden spoon at him. “Boots off.”
Daryl glanced down, pretending not to notice the trail of mud he’d already left behind. “Shit. Sorry.”
The next time he came by—two days later—he left his boots on the porch without a word.
It became a routine neither of you acknowledged. You cooked. He showed up with something—an old book, a fixed knife, once even a box of instant pudding mix he’d found “for later.” You stopped asking why. You just made enough food for two.
“Soup again?” he asked one night, eyeing the steaming bowls on your table.
You handed him a spoon. “Be grateful. It’s chicken this time.”
He gave you a crooked smile. “Damn near gourmet.”
“You ever cook, Dixon?”
He leaned back in his chair, looking far too comfortable for someone who never officially moved in. “Cooked squirrel once over a campfire. Burnt the ears off.”
You choked on your drink. “They have ears?”
“Yeah. Cute little ones. Not anymore.”
You laughed so hard you snorted, and Daryl grinned at the sound—barely, but enough.
Sometimes you’d catch him watching you. Not in a weird way. In a way that felt… reverent. Like he wasn’t quite sure how you were real. You’d be folding laundry on the couch, sleeves inside out, warm fabric tucked under your chin. You didn’t look your best—your hair was tied up in a half-falling bun, you had a smudge of flour on your cheek, and your socks didn’t match.
Still, his eyes lingered. Especially on your hands.
He didn’t know why he kept imagining them folding something smaller. Softer. Baby-sized.
Didn’t know why the thought made his heart twist like that.
One afternoon, you were putting away canned goods when you realized your shelf was suspiciously full. You stared at the neat row of tomatoes, peas, beans.
You turned toward the man fixing your porch light without being asked.
“You been sneaking in food again?”
He didn’t look back. “Ain’t sneakin’. Just settin’ it down.”
“Daryl.”
“Y’run low on stuff. I notice.”
You crossed your arms, trying to hide your smile. “You know, if you wanted an excuse to move in, there are more subtle ways.”
That made him finally glance at you. His ears went pink. “Ain’t movin’ in.”
“Sure,” you teased. “You’ve only eaten here five nights this week.”
“Six,” he corrected under his breath.
The next day, you caught him sniffing your laundry.
Not, like, creepily. He didn’t even notice he was doing it.
He’d picked up a folded shirt to move it and paused, his brow furrowing.
“Daryl?”
“Huh?” He looked up, startled, the shirt still in his hands.
You smirked. “That mine or yours?”
He glanced at it like he couldn’t tell. “Yours, I think.”
You raised an eyebrow.
He cleared his throat. “What soap d’you use?”
You tilted your head. “Why?”
“Smells… real nice.”
Your lips curved up slowly. “You mean I smell real nice.”
He went bright red. “Didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
He dropped the shirt and muttered, “Ain’t askin’ no more favors.”
“Yes you are,” you said, grinning. “You’ll be back tomorrow.”
He tried to hide the way the corner of his mouth lifted. “Tch.”
One evening, while you were both on the porch—he was fixing your railing, you were drinking lukewarm tea—you caught him saying it.
“So,” you started casually, “you just go around fixing everybody’s house?”
“Just yours,” he said. Too quick. Too natural.
You blinked. He didn’t seem to notice.
He finished hammering in a nail and leaned back on his heels. “Was thinkin’… ya might wanna repaint this part of—” He paused, then frowned. “—your house.”
You gave him a look.
“What?” he asked, suddenly cautious.
“You were about to say home.”
“No I wasn’t.”
You grinned. “You were! ‘Your home.’ Admit it.”
He stood up, scowling. “Ain’t gotta admit shit.”
“Uh-huh.”
He muttered something under his breath about “smartass women” and stalked back inside—barefoot.
You followed him in, cheeks warm.
That night, when he left, he lingered in the doorway longer than usual.
You leaned on the frame beside him. “Y’know, you never knock.”
“Door’s always open.”
“Only for you.”
He looked at you then. Really looked. Eyes soft beneath the rough edges.
“I ain’t used to this,” he murmured.
“To what?”
“This,” he said, nodding at the warm kitchen, the folded laundry, the candles melted low on the table. “Quiet. Bein’… wanted.”
You rested your hand on his arm. “Get used to it, Dixon.”
He hesitated. Then nodded.
When you shut the door behind him, you could still smell the flannel he’d left on your couch.
You picked it up, held it close, and whispered into the empty room, “You already live here, dumbass.”
From the street, Daryl glanced back once before walking home.
Or, maybe—just maybe—not home.
Not yet.
But close.
So damn close.
It started with sandwiches.
At first, just plain ones—peanut butter, or if you were feeling generous, ham with a thin slice of tomato. Then they got fancier. Little notes tucked in foil. An extra fruit wrapped in cloth. One time, you even snuck in a brownie and drew a tiny, lopsided squirrel on the napkin.
You didn’t expect him to bring anything back. But he did.
A bottle of honey. A tiny carved bear he claimed “just showed up.” A beat-up paperback with half the pages intact.
“Found this in a glovebox,” he said one afternoon, tossing the book onto your kitchen counter.
You turned it over, lips twitching. “A Beginner’s Guide to Making Soap. Is this a hint?”
“Nah,” he said, though you caught the way his eyes darted toward you. “Jus’ thought ya liked that kinda shit. Feels… homey.”
You pressed your mouth to hide a smile. “Thanks, Dixon. I’ll be sure to whip up some lavender body wash next time you stomp in here smelling like smoke and bear traps.”
He chuckled—low and gravelly. “Ain’t my fault. Nature likes me.”
You rolled your eyes. “Nature wants you to shower.”
The rhythm between you and Daryl wasn’t something you planned. It just… settled. Like dust on windowsills, or the way the kettle always whistled five minutes before he knocked.
He never asked for food. Never requested anything. He just showed up, sat down, and quietly accepted whatever you handed him.
And in return, he gave.
Little repairs around the house. Odd tools left on your porch. And one particularly cloudy morning, a shelf.
He was on his knees, screwing the last bit of wood in place beneath your window when you padded in with a mug of coffee.
“You building me furniture now?” you asked, sipping slowly.
He didn’t look up. “Ya said ya ain’t got no place for them cookbooks. Figured this’d work.”
You stared at the sturdy thing. Real wood. Sanded edges. No frills, just strong and clean.
“You made this?”
“Didn’t steal it, if that’s what yer askin’.”
You bumped your hip against his shoulder, grinning. “We’re practically married at this point.”
That made him freeze.
Just for a second.
Then he cleared his throat and rose to his feet, brushing sawdust off his jeans. “Yeah, well… ya bake good.”
The wound was stupid.
Barely a scratch, really—just a scrape along his upper arm from a rusted fence post. But it bled, and he grunted about tetanus, and you rolled your eyes so hard it gave you a headache.
“Sit still,” you said, holding the wet cloth to his skin.
He flinched.
“Drama queen.”
“Ain’t dramatic,” he muttered. “Y’just heavy-handed.”
“Don’t be a baby.”
You sat on the edge of the kitchen table, close enough to smell the pine on his clothes, the sweat on his collar. His shirt was half-pulled down around his arm, bunched up awkwardly against his chest. Every time he moved, the fabric lifted just enough to show a line of taut stomach, scarred and sun-kissed.
Your fingers slowed.
His eyes flicked up—watching you, not the cloth.
“Y’almost done?” he asked, voice softer now.
You nodded, but your hand didn’t move. “Yeah. Just…”
The room felt quieter than it had a moment ago. Like something was leaning in. Like the walls knew.
You looked up, and he was already looking down—at your mouth.
And there it was.
That pause. That almost.
Your breath caught.
But then he blinked, and the spell broke, and you shoved him lightly in the shoulder. “Stop fidgeting, Dixon, you’ll get blood on my floor.”
He huffed out a laugh. “Ain’t the first time, probably won’t be the last.”
Later that week, while folding your laundry, you found his flannel again.
Still draped across the arm of your couch. Still worn and warm.
You held it up, burying your nose into the fabric. It smelled like firewood and wind. Him.
You didn’t ask if he left it on purpose.
You just folded it and left it on your bed.
“Here,” he said one evening, holding something small and metal between his fingers.
You looked up from your stew. “What’s that?”
“Knife. Cleaned it. Sharpened, too.” He pressed it into your palm. “Just in case.”
Your throat caught. “Daryl…”
“Don’t mean nothin’,” he mumbled quickly, backing off. “Y’know. Jus’ in case I ain’t around sometime.”
You closed your hand around it, blade snug in the leather sheath. It was small, light, but deadly. Like him.
“I feel safer already,” you said quietly.
He shrugged, but his ears turned red.
That night, you stood together in your tiny kitchen, washing dishes side by side.
You handed him a plate. He dried it.
You reached for a cup. He bumped your hand with his elbow.
“Careful,” you teased. “I’ll sue.”
He snorted. “For what? My crossbow?”
“Damn right. I’ll mount it above my new bookshelf. Like a trophy.”
He smirked. “Still think we’re married?”
You paused, fingers submerged in soapy water. “What, you think we’re not?”
He didn’t answer.
You turned, dish towel in hand, ready to tease him again—but he was already looking at you.
That same stare. Soft, wide-eyed, awestruck.
The towel slipped from your fingers.
Your shoulders brushed. His hand was on the counter, fingers just inches from yours.
You were close enough to kiss.
You were close enough to want.
Your lips parted slightly—but then he blinked, looked away, and rubbed his jaw with a muttered, “S’gettin’ late.”
You swallowed. “Yeah.”
He left a few minutes later without taking his flannel.
And this time, you didn’t move it.
You curled up with it on the couch, heart fluttering against your ribs like it wanted out.
He didn’t say much the next morning. Just nodded when you handed him a sandwich, tucked it into his bag, and slung his crossbow over his shoulder.
“You comin’ by for dinner?” you asked, trying to sound casual.
He hesitated at the door.
Then, real soft: “Yeah. Reckon I am.”
He stepped out, but didn’t quite shut the door behind him. You could still hear his boots on the porch.
And just before they faded, you caught it—quiet and rough, like a secret spilled from his chest:
“Ain’t that somethin’…”
You stood frozen, dish towel still in your hand, heat rushing to your cheeks.
You didn’t know if he meant the sandwich. The shelf. The almost-kiss.
Or you.
Maybe all three.
But yeah.
It was somethin’.
It started with a vision he couldn’t shake.
You, barefoot in the kitchen. The morning light soft and golden, filtering through linen curtains you hung just to make the place “feel less apocalypse-y.” A coffee mug in your hand. One of his old button-downs barely buttoned over your chest, hanging loose over your thighs.
Your belly round, swollen, alive.
The image hit him like a punch to the gut. Not because it was hot—though it was—but because it felt like something sacred. Something he had no right touching.
He blinked hard and looked away, jaw tight.
You were just standing there. Coffee in hand. Bedhead. Sleepy eyes.
Messy and real.
And his, if he ever dared to claim it.
But he wouldn’t. He couldn’t.
Didn’t mean he didn’t think about it.
Didn’t mean he didn’t ache for it.
“You okay?” you asked, voice raspy from sleep.
He cleared his throat. “Yeah. Jus’… starin’ off.”
You moved toward the stove, yawning into your shoulder. “You want eggs or oatmeal?”
He didn’t answer. He was too busy watching the way your shirt dipped at the collar. The way your hip swayed as you reached for a pan.
God help him, he wanted to walk over, wrap his arms around you from behind, and press his hands to the curve of your belly—his baby under your skin, your soft sigh in his ear.
He hated himself for it.
But he wanted it anyway.
The rain started around noon.
By four, the power cut out.
You lit candles like it was second nature, placing them carefully in jars, tea lights on the counter. Daryl stood in the doorway watching you, arms crossed like he didn’t quite know what to do with himself.
“Cozy, right?” you said, holding a match to a stubby wick.
He grunted. “S’quiet.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Ain’t bad. Just… loud.”
You tilted your head. “That sentence made no sense.”
“Did to me,” he mumbled.
You handed him a candle in a chipped ceramic mug. “There. You get ambiance.”
He took it, blinking at the tiny flame. “Ain’t this a fire hazard?”
You smirked. “So is your attitude.”
The storm outside turned from steady rain to thunderous sheets, rattling the windows and howling through the gaps in the frame. The wind shoved hard against the house. You pulled a blanket around your shoulders, sitting on the couch cross-legged. Daryl paced once, then settled across from you in the armchair.
Neither of you spoke for a while.
Just candlelight and stormlight and the quiet.
Until you said it.
“Why do you keep coming back?”
His head snapped up.
You didn’t say it with malice. Just curiosity. Just soft and warm and real.
“You’re here almost every day,” you continued. “You fix things. You eat here. You sleep on my couch when you think I don’t notice. But you never say why.”
Daryl stared into the candle like it owed him answers.
“Dunno,” he muttered.
You leaned forward, resting your chin on your hand. “Bullshit.”
He shrugged. “Ain’t got nowhere better to be.”
“Liar.”
“I ain’t.”
You raised your brows. “So you just happen to bring me coffee filters and screws and dried lavender you found in someone’s abandoned sock drawer for no reason?”
His lip twitched. “Weren’t a sock drawer. Was a glove box.”
You smiled, but it faded quick. “Daryl. Just say it.”
“I don’t know,” he said again, voice harder now. “I jus’… it’s quiet here. Y’don’t talk too much. Smells good. You make real food. And I—shit—I like it, alright?”
You sat back, blinking at him.
He scrubbed a hand down his face and muttered, “Ain’t mean t’get loud.”
You didn’t flinch. You just said, “You’re already a part of this place. Of me.”
He looked up.
You gave him a little shrug. “Whether you realize it or not.”
The candle flickered between you.
You reached forward to adjust the glass jar around it, and your fingers brushed his.
He didn’t pull back.
You didn’t either.
His hand turned under yours, rough palm meeting your skin.
Warm. Solid. Familiar.
You didn’t move.
Neither did he.
You let your gaze drift up to his—those stormy, uncertain eyes, like he was at war with something inside himself.
“Daryl,” you said softly, “you’re allowed to want something good.”
He inhaled through his nose, shaky.
“Ain’t used to it,” he said. “Wantin’ somethin’.”
“Why not?”
“‘Cause if I want it, that means I can lose it.”
The silence that followed wasn’t empty.
It was full—so full it felt like the room was pulsing with it.
You didn’t let go of his hand. “Maybe it’s time to stop thinking you don’t deserve it.”
He didn’t answer.
But his fingers curled around yours.
And that was something.
You stood a little while later, candle in hand, heading to the kitchen to check on the rainwater leak above the sink. You were halfway there when you felt him behind you.
He didn’t say a word.
Just lifted a hand, brushing your hair from your cheek.
Calloused fingertips against soft skin. Barely a touch. But it made you shiver.
You turned to look at him, and the candlelight caught his face just right—softened him. His brow furrowed in thought, lips parted like he wanted to say something but couldn’t.
You said it for him.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
He exhaled. Shaky. Relieved.
“You promise?” he asked, voice almost broken.
You nodded, stepping in just enough that your foreheads almost touched. “You already have me, Daryl. You just haven’t figured it out yet.”
Outside, the thunder rolled.
Inside, you stayed quiet.
But your hands stayed locked together until the candle burned low.
Your lips hovered over his, waiting for him to make the next move—wanting for him to make the next move. He stared up into your eyes, hesitating.
You closed the gap for him, pressing your lips into his. Dry and unmoving, you tried getting him to open up. Parting your lips, you lap at his lower lip once, twice—until he's parting his lips and taking your tongue in his.
Your tongues dance for dominance, Daryl's hands crawling lower and lower until they're rested on your hips. You suck on his lips, arching uour back to press your breasts against his hard chest. This action has the bowman grunting into the kiss, hands squeezing at your hips.
Your hands find themselves cupping his cheek and jaw as your greedily take and take and he just lays there and lets you.
As the pleasure builds inside you, so does the desperation. You're breathing harshly, your sex growing wet and hot, demanding for any kind of friction. So you give yourself exactly that.
You move your hips slowly, grinding down on Daryl's growing member. Heavy breathing fill the room as you grind harder onto him, the hard material of his jeans accentuating the feeling of bliss.
Your head starts growing light as you throw your head back, hips quickly moving back and forth as you chase after your high.
Daryl grunts and pants underneath you, eyes trained on your moving hips. His eyes shift up at yours as he looks at you through his lashes.
You smirk down at his desperate expression, planting your hand on his chest as your hips move faster. "Could you—" Daryl grits out, holding your hips down. Unable to move, you tilt your head to the right, waiting for his next move.
With his chest rising and falling rapidly, his hands stay glued to your hips. The tension is thick and buzzing in the air—waiting for something, someone to move.
Then Daryl's hands move to hook your panties to the side, exposing your needy cunt. He presses his thumb onto your sensitive clit, making you roll your eyes back. He starts drawing circles, making you roll your hips.
"God, yes." You breathe out, pushing Daryl to add two more fingers, pressing onto your sex. He looks up at your for permission, only to be met with desperate eyes.
Daryl smirks, pushing his digits easily through your slick walls. A low moan leaves your chest as your hips slowly move back and forth, gringing onto his open palm.
Your fingers move nimbly to undo the last buttons of your shirt, exposing your bare breasts underneath. You can feel the way Daryl's hand hardens as soon as his gaze lay on your breasts.
Hand on his nape, you pull at him. "Open your mouth." You mutter, pulling him closer. He immediately follows your order, taking your nipple into his mouth. You let out a satisfied breath as his warm tongue circles your hardened bud.
He takes your other breast in his free hand, playing and tugging at your nipple. The stimulation from both the bottom and the top has your euphoria quickly rushing over at you.
Your moans quickly become louder as you grab and claw at the back of his head, fingers threading through his hair. Your digits curl and tug as your orgasm washes over you, making your back arch and your pussy walls flutter around Daryl's digits.
You lift and lower yourself as you ride out your ecstasy. It quickly washes off, bringing you back to the present.
Looking back down at Daryl, you can't help but giggle at how desperate he looks. "Mmmm, your fingers are amazing." You move your hips into a slow circle, lifting them up.
Daryl's digits easily slip out of your cunt as you move into him, closing the gap between the both of you. You taste him once more, notes of cigarettes and musk filling your tongue.
Daryl's hips move on their own, pressing against your dripping cunt. His lips slowly move toward your neck, biting and nipping and leaving small marks until he reaches where your shoulder and neck meet.
His hands move quickly, undoing his belt and pants. His breathing is ragged and quick, but you don't point out his neediness.
"Condom?" You whisper, making him freeze.
He slowly looks up at you, eyes searching your face. You can practically see the wheels in his head turning as he thinks of another way through this.
"No..." He whispers back, still thinking of a different solution. You smile, pressing your lips into his. "Good." You watch as his eyes grow wide with your unexpected response. "Had to make sure."
"What do you—" You cut him off by taking his cock in your hand, pumping it a few times before lowering yourself on it until his head is pushing up against your ready folds.
You cradle his head, looking into his eyes before you continue lowering yourself. His size isn't something new to you, but you could never get used to his overall size. He was thick, filling you up completely, so much that it's hard to breathe.
When he's completely inside you, he stalls for a moment, holding you in his arms. He loves staying still inside you, just feeling the way your cunt pilses and grips around him.
He pulls back, only to roughly thrust in again. That first act pulls a surprised moan out of you until he's ramming his length in and out of you, his cock has the right curve to hit that bundle of nerves you love.
His hips snap at you roughly, forcing your tits to bounce and your moans to become more high-pitched, more whiny. And God knows Daryl loves hearing you come apart because of him.
With a new-found motivation, Daryl flips the both of you, pinning you to the couch. He grabs at your thighs, parting them even more to give himself more space to work with.
"God, yeah." He breathes out, eyes rolling to the back of his head as his jaw grows slack. His eyes arebshut as his hips move mechanically, as if he isn't thinking about anything else, anything at all, really.
With his head thrown back, his hips move selfishly for his own pleasure. You love how he uses your body greedily, but you don't dare tell him so he doesn't overthink his actions.
His thrusts become faster, more shallow; like he's moving less to feel you and more because he's—
"Close," He grunts, "I'm so fucking close." He's almost slurring his words as he thrusts into you, obviously nearing his release.
You gather your breasts together, looking up at him with wide eyes and scrunched brows. "Daryl?" You call out, his head snapping in attention to you. "Put a baby in me?"
The second he drinks in your lewd look, you immediately feel his release coating your walls. "Is—Is that what you want?" He hiccups, hips going still as he finishes releasing inside you.
"Want me to put a baby in ya?" He breathes into your neck, hand wrapping around your neck. Squeezing lightly, a grin stretches across your lips.
You love bringing this side out of him.
He straightens himself out, his hips resuming to deeper and slower thrusts as he regains his composure. "Hmm? That what the lil' lady want?" He mocks, tilting his head to the side.
His gaze digs into yours, moans spilling from your chest as he slowly reels upur own high in. His movements are slow but languid, building up the tension until you're ready to snap.
"Please, please!" You whine, digging your nails onto his shoulders as he squeezes your left breast. He stares at your nude body, legs eagerly open for him.
"You look ready to be a mommy." He chuckles, grunting as he feels his own release quickly approaching. "Tell ya what—" He breathes out, "Come with me," He looks into your eyes, "And I'll make sure you won't have to worry 'bout no period cramps for nine months."
The thought of him so willing to impregnate you is what pushes you over the edge. Unprepared and incredibly sensitive, your walls clamp down at his dick. Daryl groans as he releases inside you for a second time, your walls milking him dry as you pull him closer.
You can't get him close enough.
He keeps you plugged full until you've completely ridden out your orgasm, slowly pulling himself out. You feel his release slowly dripping out of you.
"Need ya pregnant by tomorrow." He mumbles into your neck, making you giggle.
"That's not how it works, Dare!" You squeal, his fingers tickling you as he slowly wraps his arms around your waist. He flips the both of you once more, settling you on top of him.
You yawn, the sense of home and peace overcoming you. It's like a big, warm hug. It's Daryl.
You look up at him one last time, studying his features, memorizing your favorite ones before letting your lids fall shut.
He woke up before you did. He usually did.
Even in Alexandria, with safety stitched into the walls and comfort stacked in jars on the shelves, Daryl’s instincts still buzzed before dawn. But for once, he didn’t move. Didn’t reach for a weapon. Didn’t sit up and scan the corners.
He just lay there.
Watching you.
You were curled up under the quilt you insisted on keeping even when the nights were warm, one leg poking out, hair a wild mess against his arm. Your breath was steady. Soft. There was a crease by your mouth from the pillow, and you had this stubborn little frown, like even in sleep you were fighting something.
He reached up and gently ran a finger across your cheek.
Didn’t know why, but the sight of you—real, messy, completely unguarded—made his chest feel too tight and too full at the same time.
He’d never had this before. Never thought he could.
Peace.
Warmth.
You.
He could’ve laid there forever.
But then you stirred, mumbling something unintelligible and blinking up at him.
“Mornin’,” he said, voice low and scratchy.
“God,” you rasped, stretching with a dramatic groan, “do you always look this good at sunrise, or is that just my dumb luck?”
He snorted, tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “Pretty sure it’s the other way ‘round, sunshine.”
You leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Come on. Let’s make something that doesn’t come out of a can.”
You cooked like it was therapy. Barefoot, hair up, music humming from the old record player someone scavenged last month. Daryl didn’t know the song—it had twang and heartbreak and something about wildflowers—but it made you sway around the kitchen like you were dancing just for yourself.
Or for him.
He stood behind you, cutting up potatoes. Clumsy but focused.
“So,” he said slowly, like the words might spook you, “what would ya name a kid if ya had one?”
You dropped the spatula with a clatter.
“Jesus, Daryl.”
“What?” he shrugged, defensive but not really. “Just askin’. Ain’t like I’m handin’ ya a ring or nothin’.”
You gave him a look. “Uh-huh. That a proposal in disguise?”
He flushed, ears turning pink. “Ain’t what I meant.”
You grinned. “You’re blushing.”
“Ain’t.”
“You so are.”
He turned back to the potatoes, grumbling, “Well, you didn’t answer.”
You bit your lip, stirred the eggs. “I dunno. Something sweet. Maybe something old-fashioned. Nora, if it’s a girl. Eli for a boy.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “Nora Dixon. Got a nice ring to it.”
You turned, arching a brow. “You just assigned your last name without even blinking.”
“Yeah, well,” he said, smirking, “ain’t givin’ ‘em anyone else’s.”
Your heart gave a traitorous little flutter.
Later that day, you were on a supply run near the edge of town—clearing a half-looted baby store you’d always skipped, assuming there wasn’t much worth salvaging. Most shelves were dust and crumbled boxes, long since picked over.
But Daryl stopped dead in the middle of an aisle.
You turned to find him staring at something.
A crib.
Wooden, pale. A little dusty but intact. A tiny mobile still hung from one corner, faded stars and clouds gently turning.
He didn’t say anything. Just walked up to it, gave it a little push, and watched it creak back and forth.
Then—without a word—he bent down, lifted it, and carried it to the cart.
You blinked. “What… are you doing?”
He didn’t look at you. Just said, “Ain’t gonna be here next time. Someone else’ll take it.”
Your voice came out quieter than you meant. “You think we’ll need it?”
He paused. Just long enough to say everything without saying a word.
Then: “Hope so.”
That night, the crib sat in the corner of your bedroom, not built yet—just leaning against the wall like a promise waiting to be made.
You lay beside him in the low light, one hand on his chest, the other tracing lazy patterns across the thin scar just above his collarbone.
He was quiet. Tense in that way that meant his brain was working overtime.
“You okay?” you asked.
He nodded once. Then again. Then finally spoke.
“Ain’t never had a real home,” he said, voice soft. “Not one where I felt like I belonged. Always someone else’s rules. Someone else’s roof. Got used to leavin’. Got good at packin’ light.”
You didn’t interrupt. You just let your hand rest over his heart.
“But you,” he continued, “you make me wanna build one. Y’know? With walls I picked. With shit on the shelves. With meals that ain’t cold. With you in it.”
You propped yourself up on your elbow, heart full to the point of aching.
“Daryl,” you whispered.
He looked up at you, expression unreadable.
You cupped his face in your hands, thumbs brushing his stubble.
“We already are.”
Then you kissed him—slow, deep, like sealing a vow you hadn’t even needed to speak aloud.
The next morning, you found his crossbow mounted on the wall.
You hadn’t heard him do it.
But there it was—above the fireplace, neat and proud and deliberate. Not tucked by the door like he was waiting to leave.
You touched the edge of it, smiling.
A silent signature.
This is where I stay.
The sun was setting when you brought two mugs of tea out to the porch. The air was warm and sticky, the sky painted in shades of honey and fire.
Daryl was already sitting there, legs stretched out, eyes on the horizon.
You handed him his mug and sat beside him, your thigh pressed to his, head resting on his shoulder.
For a while, you just breathed together.
No words.
No pressure.
Just that quiet kind of peace that only shows up when you’ve got nothing left to prove.
“So what now?” you asked softly.
He didn’t look at you when he answered, but his fingers laced with yours.
“Now?” he said, voice low and sure.
“Now we live.”
if you happen to see it
summary; daryl notices things—your routines, your lists, the little details no one else does. rick notices something else entirely.
warnings; mutual pining, rick being a menace, emotional repression (it is daryl dixon after all), slow burn, canon-typical violence (mentions of supply runs / apocalypse setting).
word count; 1,801
author’s note: i haven’t written anything in years, let alone for twd, so please be kind. i’m thinking of starting this as a series of random pieces about daryl dixon and his sunshine.
The engine idled low beneath them, a steady, rumbling presence that Daryl barely registered anymore—just another sound layered into the world like the crunch of gravel under boots or the distant groan of walkers carried on the wind. He sat slouched in the passenger seat, one arm hooked out the open window, fingers tapping absently against the door, crossbow laid careful across his lap like it belonged there more than anything else ever had.
Rick was saying something—going over the route again, probably—but Daryl wasn’t really listening, his attention snagging instead on the quick patter of footsteps coming up the road behind them.
He didn’t have to look to know it was you.
Still, he did.
You came jogging up, a little breathless, one hand clutching a folded piece of paper, the other pushing loose strands of hair back from your face. There was something about the way you moved—quick but not panicked, purposeful but still soft around the edges—that made something in his chest tighten before he even understood why.
“Hold up—wait!” you called, already bending slightly as you reached the truck.
Rick leaned back in his seat, glancing over with a small, curious tilt of his head, but it was Daryl you came to—of course it was—your steps carrying you straight to his side of the truck.
You dipped down to the open window, bracing one hand against the door as you passed him the note, your fingers brushing his knuckles for just a second longer than necessary—or maybe that was just in his head.
“Sorry,” you said, a little out of breath, offering him an apologetic smile that hit harder than it should’ve. “I meant to give you this earlier, but—well—clinic got busy.”
Daryl grunted softly, taking the paper, eyes flicking over the list without really meaning to focus—bandages, antiseptic, sutures… all the usual things. His thumb traced the edge of the page as you stayed there, leaning in just a little, close enough that he could see the faint flush still clinging to your cheeks from the run.
“Got most of this last time,” he muttered.
“Yeah, but we’re running low again,” you said, nodding quickly. “Couple bad cases came in yesterday. And, uh—” you hesitated, pointing vaguely at the page. “If you see anything extra, just grab it. Within reason.”
He huffed under his breath. “Ain’t exactly a store run.”
“I know,” you said, smiling a little wider, softer this time. “Just—if you happen to come across it.”
Daryl’s eyes drifted back down the list, slower now, more deliberate—and that’s when he saw it.
At the very bottom, separated by a clean, deliberate line, almost like you’d tried to pretend it didn’t belong there at all:
coffee.
His brow furrowed.
“…What’s this?”
You leaned in a little further to see what he was pointing at, your shoulder brushing the door, your face suddenly much closer than before—close enough that he could catch the faint scent of soap and something warmer beneath it.
“Mm?” you murmured, then froze when you realized.
“Oh—uh—” your voice faltered, dropping just slightly. “That’s not important. Just—if you see it. If not, it’s fine.”
Daryl didn’t move. Didn’t lean back. Didn’t seem to notice how close you were—how your arms were nearly touching, how your breath ghosted warm against his skin.
Rick noticed.
Rick definitely noticed.
Daryl’s eyes stayed on you, narrowing just a fraction. “Thought you had enough.”
That made Rick’s head snap just slightly in their direction, brows lifting in quiet interest.
Your expression shifted—surprise first, then something softer, more uncertain. “You—uh—” you blinked at him. “You knew that?”
Daryl shrugged, like it wasn’t anything. Like he hadn’t noticed the careful way you rationed it, or how your steps slowed just a little less on mornings after you’d had some, or how the mug always seemed to appear in your hands after the long night shifts.
“Seen it,” he muttered.
You stared at him for a second longer than necessary, clearly caught off guard, and then your composure slipped just a little.
“Oh. Right. Yeah—um—” you fumbled, words tripping over themselves as your gaze dropped briefly to the paper. “I just—night shifts and all, and the stuff I have is, uh—decaf, mostly, so I figured—if you see the real thing, then—y’know—might help me not—” you gave a small, awkward laugh, cheeks reddening deeper. “—stick someone wrong ‘cause I’m half asleep.”
For just a second, Daryl’s mouth twitched.
Not a full smile—never that—but something close, something softer than usual, barely there and gone just as quick.
He gave a small nod, voice low, almost quieter than before.
“Mh-hm. You got it.”
Rick’s eyes flicked between the two of you, the corner of his mouth pulling up into something knowing, something he made no effort to hide as he turned his gaze back to the road ahead.
You didn’t seem to notice. Or maybe you did, and chose to ignore it.
“Thanks,” you said, a little too quickly, then added, softer this time, “Both of you—be safe.”
There was a pause—just long enough to stretch thin—and then, almost like you caught yourself:
“—I mean, uh—both of you,” you repeated, a little rushed, cheeks still flushed.
Rick’s brows shot up.
Daryl just nodded once.
You stepped back after that, offering one last small, slightly embarrassed smile before turning and heading back toward the gates.
Daryl watched you go.
He didn’t mean to. Didn’t think about it. Just… did.
Rick waited until you were well out of earshot before shifting the truck into gear, the engine rumbling louder as they pulled away.
Silence settled for a moment.
Then—
“…Coffee, huh?”
Daryl didn’t look at him. “Drop it.”
Rick huffed a quiet laugh under his breath. “Just sayin’. Didn’t peg you for the observant type.”
Daryl’s jaw tightened slightly, fingers tapping once against the door again. “Ain’t observin’. Just—notice things.”
Rick let out a low, amused breath, glancing sideways at him. “Yeah? Sure. ‘Cause it only took you, what—two weeks to notice somethin’ goin’ on between me and Michonne?”
Daryl shot him a look, sharper this time. “Wasn’t my business.”
Rick grinned. “Mm-hm.”
Daryl huffed, turning his gaze back out the window—but his fingers had stilled now, resting against the door, his mind not quite as empty as he would’ve liked.
He didn’t think about you.
Not really.
Didn’t think about how you always hovered just a little closer when you talked to him than you did with others. Or how your voice softened when you said his name. Or how he’d started taking the longer route past the infirmary without ever deciding to.
Didn’t think about the way he’d started setting things aside—small things, useful things—because you might need them.
Didn’t think about it.
The pharmacy was half-collapsed on one side, shelves knocked crooked and dust settling thick over everything like the place had just… given up. Daryl moved through it quiet and efficient, crossbow raised just enough, eyes scanning corners out of habit more than concern.
Rick, on the other hand, was far too relaxed.
“Bandages,” Rick muttered, scanning a shelf before tossing a half-full box into the bag slung over his shoulder. “Antiseptic… looks like someone already hit this place.”
Daryl grunted, crouching to check a lower cabinet, pulling out a small stash of sealed supplies that had been missed.
“Always somethin’ left,” he said.
“Mm,” Rick replied—and then, just a beat later, far too casually, “Find any coffee yet?”
Daryl stilled for half a second before continuing like he hadn’t.
“Ain’t lookin’.”
Rick hummed. “Didn’t say you were. Just figured you might… notice it.”
Daryl shot him a flat look over his shoulder. “You gonna help or just run your mouth?”
Rick smiled, unbothered, stepping closer to another shelf. “Oh, I’m helpin’. Just multitaskin’.”
Daryl shook his head under his breath, standing and moving past him—but not before his eyes flicked, quick and automatic, to a nearby aisle.
Coffee aisle.
He didn’t stop.
Didn’t.
Rick saw it anyway.
“Third aisle down,” Rick said lightly, like he was talking about the weather.
Daryl kept walking. “Don’t care.”
“Uh-huh.”
They worked in relative silence for a few minutes after that—or as close to silence as it ever got with Rick clearly holding back commentary.
Daryl found more than enough of what you’d asked for. More than enough.
Still—
His steps slowed, just slightly, as he passed that aisle again.
Didn’t think.
Just turned.
Shelves were half-empty, jars knocked over, but there—tucked toward the back—were a few sealed containers, untouched.
He reached for them before he could talk himself out of it.
“Mm,” Rick’s voice came from behind him, quiet but unmistakably amused. “Ain’t lookin’, huh?”
Daryl grabbed two, then a third after a brief pause, shoving them into the bag with a bit more force than necessary.
“Shut up.”
Rick chuckled softly. “I didn’t say nothin’.”
“Yeah, you did.”
Rick stepped closer, lowering his voice just slightly. “You always grab extras for her?”
Daryl didn’t answer right away, adjusting the strap of the bag over his shoulder.
“Useful,” he muttered finally. “That’s all.”
Rick nodded slowly, like he was considering that.
“Right,” he said. “Useful.”
By the time they made it back to the car, the sun had shifted lower, casting long shadows across the cracked pavement.
Daryl loaded the supplies into the back without a word, movements automatic, efficient—but there was a tightness to him now, something restless just beneath the surface.
Rick leaned against the driver’s side door for a moment, watching him.
Waiting.
Daryl slammed the back shut a little harder than necessary and moved toward the passenger side.
Rick spoke just before he could open the door.
“You know,” he said, voice easy, almost offhand, “it’s alright.”
Daryl paused, hand hovering near the handle. “What is?”
Rick tilted his head slightly, that same knowing look settling in again.
“…She likes you back.”
Daryl froze.
Not gradual. Not subtle.
Just—stopped.
Like the world had caught on something sharp and refused to move past it.
His hand stayed where it was, fingers curled slightly, his mind going quiet in a way that felt louder than anything Rick had said all day.
“…Ain’t—” he started, rough, uncertain, then stopped altogether.
Rick didn’t push.
Didn’t need to.
He just opened his door, slipping into the driver’s seat with that faint, satisfied smirk still lingering.
Daryl stood there a second longer before finally climbing in, shutting the door with a dull thud.
He didn’t say another word after that.
But the silence wasn’t empty anymore.
Not even close.
─────𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 ⋮ 𝔇𝔞𝔯𝔶𝔩 𝔇𝔦𝔵𝔬𝔫
𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: Daryl Dixon doesn't say much—but when you almost die, he finally tells you everything. Turns out, the man who you thought hated you the most was the one who loved you the hardest.
𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Submissive Daryl Dixon ⋮ Angst ⋮ Hurt/Comfort ⋮ Smut ⋮ Violence ⋮ Fluff ⋮ Dry Humping ⋮ Trauma ⋮ Cock Teasing ⋮ Handjob ⋮ Orgasm Control ⋮ Body Worship ⋮ Size Kink ⋮ Condom Use/Play ⋮ Praise Kink ⋮ Cock Riding ⋮ Dissociation ⋮ Aftercare ⋮ Daryl Dixon's Biceps
𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 26.062 ⋮ 𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: S02E04 ⋮ 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Fem!Reader
𝐍𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 ⋮ 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐨 ⋮ 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐲𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐱𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 ⋮ 𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭
The Georgia sun was already feeling way too hot by mid-morning, shining down on the farm like it had a personal problem against you as soon as you and the rest of the group had arrived on the Greene's property. After the funeral of a man named Otis, you stood near a truck with your arms crossed, listening to the voices around it. Maggie had put a map onto the hood for Rick and the rest of you to continue the search after Sophia.
"How long has this girl been lost?" Hershel asked, looking at Rick's pale face. You didn't blame him—Carl was still inside the house, recovering and quiet in bed, and everyone else was still somewhat in shock since Otis didn't come back, especially Shane. Or so it seemed.
"This'll be day three," Rick answered, and the sound of exhaustion in his voice was very noticeable.
Finally moving closer after some time, you stood right next to Hershel Greene. Not because you wanted to, but because it was the only space left around the hood of the truck.
"County survey map. Shows terrain and elevations," Maggie had said, making Rick nod, looking at everyone around him.
"This is perfect. We can finally get this thing organized. We'll grid the whole area... start searching in teams."
But Hershel immediately cut him off. "Not you. Not today. You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out," he said, then looking over at Shane. "And your ankle... Push it now, and you'll be laid up a month, no good to anybody."
This nearly made you open your mouth, about to offer something—you hadn't given any blood, your ankle was fine, and you wanted to help, just like everyone else—but Daryl beat you to it, jerking his chin toward the map and pointing at a spot with one finger.
"Guess 's just me," he threw in. "'M gonna head back to the creek, work my way from there."
Of course.
"I can still be useful," Shane added quickly, adjusting the police cap on his now-shaven head. "I'll drive up to the interstate. See if Sophia wandered back."
Rick looked down but then nodded. "All right, tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right."
"That means we can't have our people out there with just knives. They need the gun training we've been promising them." Shane leaned forward, looking past you and toward Rick.
But Hershel didn't back down from what he apparently had told both Rick and Shane already. "I'd prefer you not carrying guns on my property. We've managed so far without turning this into an armed camp."
"All due respect," Shane fired back in an instant, shaking his head, "you get a crowd of those things wandering in here—"
"Look, we're guests here," Rick started and silenced him, then looked at Hershel again. "This is your property, and we will respect that." Before he even continued, he pulled his Colt Python revolver from the holster and placed it on the hood of the truck.
Shane hesitated, then did the same with his pistol.
"First things first," Rick then said. "Set camp. Find Sophia."
Finally, you cleared your throat. "We'll find her," you said. "We're not giving up."
Shane shot you a quick look but nodded. "Right... But I hate to be the one to ask," he said further, "but somebody's got to. What happens if we find her and she's bitten? I think we should all be clear on how we handle that."
"You do what has to be done." Rick's answer came with no hesitation.
Maggie looked up, her gaze switching from him to Shane. "And her mother? What do you tell her?"
"The truth," Andrea suddenly answered flatly, but that was about it.
Shane took a step back from the truck. "I'll gather and secure all the weapons. Make sure no one's carrying till we're at a practice range off-site. I do request one rifleman on the lookout. Dale's got experience."
"Our people would feel safer, less inclined to carry a gun," Rick told Hershel again, who finally gave him a thoughtful nod in return.
"That stuff you brought… Got more antibiotics, bandages, anything like that?"
But as the conversation turned toward medical supplies, Daryl grunted and moved away from the group. Just like that. You didn't hesitate—your feet were already moving after him as he walked in the direction of his tent like he'd never been part of the conversation at all.
"Hey!" You called out, running a little. "Wait up."
He didn't turn, but he didn't speed up either. That was about as much of an invitation as you were ever going to get from Daryl Dixon.
You caught up to him just as he was about to kneel down, grabbing some more bolts for his crossbow and a knife. "The hell ya followin' me for?" He asked, not even looking up.
"I want to go with you," you answered. "I can help."
But Daryl snorted. Actually snorted. Like you'd just offered to fix his engine with a wrench and no knowledge at all when it comes to motorcycles.
"Go back to playin' nurse for the kid," he answered. "Ain't draggin' yer ass out there just so ya can trip over yer own damn self and die."
You blinked. "Okay, Daryl. How about you try to not act like a dick?"
"Ain't got no time for that."
You moved closer, squinting against the sun as you stared him down. "Listen, I'm not stupid. I can handle myself. If something happens, then you're there to help. And I would help you in return."
That finally made him look back at you with narrowed eyes… all blue and pissed. "Ya got a death wish, that it? Go wanderin' out there like a dumbass; gonna end up just like that lil' girl."
"That little girl is the whole reason we're out here in the first place!" You snapped at him, gesturing around. "You think you're the only one who cares? The only one who can search for Sophia?"
Daryl stood back up. But in the same way as when he was trying not to punch something. "Ain't 'bout what ya can do. 'S what ya shouldn't be doin'."
You were breathing hard, just as he turned away. "Don't follow me," he added, before turning and stomping off across the field and toward the tree line.
Without thinking, you walked after him again.
"Daryl, wait!" You called, grabbing for his shoulder as he reached the edge of the field.
He turned around like he'd been attacked, shrugging you off. His elbow hit you hard enough to surprise you and enough to hurt, making you stumble back a step.
"Don't ya touch me!"
You stared at him with wide eyes. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Daryl looked you up and down like you were a problem he didn't have the time to fix. "Nothin' wrong with me. I ain't the one out here goin' after people who told 'em no."
"That's just because you're being such a stubborn asshole, Daryl!"
He laughed, mean and without amusement. "Oh, ain't that rich, comin' from a bitch wearin' her goddamn perfume and pink nail polish—hair all shiny, clothes all clean! Ya ain't shit."
That answer felt like a slap in the face for you. "You don't know anything about me, Daryl. Don't talk about me like that." Blinking hard with a slightly trembling lip, you realized too late that he noticed it.
"I only want to help!" You quickly continued to shout. "You think I'm useless? I'm trying! I care. Isn't that what matters? God, you're such a bastard! Do you really think I'm some helpless little—"
"Yeah, I do," he growled at you, his voice dropping lower and sounding meaner. "Ya don't belong out there. Hell, ya don't even belong out here! Yer like some damn doll that—"
"Why do you even care then?" You shouted back into his face. "If I'm so pathetic, why not let me get eaten?"
Daryl stopped talking in an instant until his voice sounded normal again… unbothered. "Don't care. Just don't wanna have to be the one cleanin' up what's left when the walkers're done with ya."
The silence that followed? All you could listen to was your pulse, which was pounding in your ears.
Daryl turned his back to you again—like he couldn't even stand to look at you—and finally walked off without another word, his crossbow hanging over one shoulder, going far from everyone, like he wanted it. Like he wanted to be.
You stayed where you were, jaw clenched, breathing fast. You weren't crying. Not really. But you wanted to. Just then someone stopped beside you, and you looked up to find Glenn.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I… just talked with Daryl," you answered, brushing your palms off on your clothes, trying to get the little shaking to stop.
Glenn let out a sigh and gave you a look. One of those typical looks—worried, a little amused, and very much not buying your bullshit.
"He always that much of an asshole to you?"
You let out a bitter laugh. "Pretty much. Guess I bring out the worst in him."
"I've noticed it already, believe me," Glenn responded. "As if... you walk near him and the guy forgets how to be a human being."
"He literally shoved me," you grumbled, more to yourself than to him. "Like, right now. And hard. Then told me I was useless and that I don't belong out here."
"Jesus…" Glenn blinked, shaking his head.
"Right? I ask to help, and he treats me like I'm the goddamn problem."
"Yeah, that tracks," Glenn answered dryly with a smirk. "That's what he does. Gets annoyed and acts like a dick to scare everyone away. Very much emotionally mature."
You snorted as if to laugh about it. But in reality? It hurt a little bit.
"He doesn't scare me," you answered. "He simply pisses me off."
"I think that's the same thing for him. Look, just give him some space. That man's got more walls than Fort Knox. But if you ever want to talk about it, I've got some time."
"Well, thanks for that. I mean it," you smiled weakly as Glenn started walking beside you, back toward the farmhouse. You glanced over your shoulder toward the trees where Daryl had disappeared. No sign of him. Was he already gone and looking for Sophia? You didn't know. And right now, you couldn't care less about Daryl Dixon.
But once you focused on what was in front of you, you saw her just before you reached your tent—Carol, standing off to the side, arms wrapped around herself like if she let go, she would cry. Her eyes were on the tree line, searching a forest for explanations that never answered any questions. She was waiting.
Waiting for a daughter who might already be dead.
You froze and felt it all at once—shame, guilt, helplessness. You'd been arguing around instead of helping, just because Daryl thought you were useless. But what were you actually doing to help?
What were any of you doing, really?
By the time you reached your tent, your mind was already made up. You waited until everyone had calmed down, until everyone was busy with any task they were able to keep themselves occupied with, and until Rick disappeared inside the farmhouse to look after Carl.
No one was watching. Not now, at last.
Grabbing the knife that Shane had sharpened for you a few days ago, you slipped it into your belt. It wasn't much. But it'd have to do. Not leaving a note behind, you just disappeared into the woods before you could talk yourself out of it.
Keeping to the trail you found at first, the knife gripped tight in your hand, your eyes were looking toward every rustle of leaves and creak of branches.
It wasn't brave. It was stupid. You knew that. But you didn't care. You had to do something to help. Anything.
Time passed as you walked, maybe an hour, maybe more. You weren't sure. The muscles in your legs ached, and sweat slid down your back, sticky and wet beneath your shirt. But you kept going. Eventually, you saw it. A clearing. An old house made out of wood and forgotten, with windows that looked long broken. It was something. Maybe it was a place a scared little girl might hide in.
You approached carefully, your heart immediately starting to beat faster. Each step seemed louder than it should've been. The door creaked when you pushed it open, and you winced, raising your knife. Nothing moved.
Good.
Inside, the place smelled like mold and animal piss. You gagged but forced yourself to step in, eyes scanning everything. There was a broken-down couch, a couple of empty cans on the floor—sardines, maybe?—and a hallway leading deeper into the house.
You moved slowly, your breathing as quiet as it could be. The floor creaked beneath you, and every move sounded way too loud in the silence. A few steps further into the nearest room, you saw it—something that looked like a tiny, makeshift bed in a closet.
Could've been Sophia.
Could've been… But after searching through the whole place, you came to the realization that it was indeed empty.
Stepping outside again, you blinked against the sun, squinting at the ground. That's when you saw them—white flowers, growing wild near the tree line. Cherokee roses.
You remembered these roses. The history lessons in school about the Trail of Tears, how the Cherokee people were forced out of their native land, and how the mothers of the Cherokee were grieving and crying so much that they were unable to help their children survive the journey. You couldn't help but crouch down to take a closer look.
But that was your mistake.
Something snapped beneath your foot. Not loud. But you fell forward fast, your ankle twisting itself hard to the side as your foot caught a rock buried in the grass. Your knee slammed down on another, and pain tore through your leg, making you forget that your head hit the ground as well. Crying out, you tried to catch yourself, but your arm hit something jagged. Wood? Rusted metal? You didn't know and didn't have time to find out.
Either way, it cut deep. A long, deep cut inside your forearm, bleeding quickly and not stopping.
You swore, grabbing it, gasping as the pain started to be felt. Your ankle wasn't broken, but it throbbed as you tried to stand back up, only to fail. The second your weight shifted, your knees buckled and you hit the ground again.
"Shit," you hissed out as quietly as possible. "Shit, shit, shit!"
You looked around—trees, grass, endless nothing. No one was coming. No one even knew you were gone.
The blood wasn't gushing, but it didn't stop either, making your heart race faster than it should've, and the heat of the sun made everything spin.
This was bad.
It felt bad. Not walker-bite bad, not definitely dead bad, but you'd hit your head a little too hard when you fell, and the pain behind your eyes was pulsing now, pounding even. A concussion? Maybe.
But worst of all—you were alone. Out here. No backup. No plan.
You hadn't found Sophia.
You hadn't found anything.
All you had found were the Cherokee roses that blurred by now in front of your eyes like your brain couldn't quite hold the shape. You blinked, but the flower didn't sharpen. Everything was spinning. The trees swayed too hard. Your arm throbbed in time with your heartbeat, and your ankle had gone numb, like your body gave up trying to feel it anymore.
The grass was warm under your back. That should've comforted you, right?
And then the memories started coming back out of nowhere. They came slowly, like a fever dream.
The firelight. The sound of crickets. The quarry just outside Atlanta, back when everything still felt new, when walkers were the worst of your problems, and Daryl Dixon was just some loudmouth redneck with a brother twice as bad.
You'd never forget the first real day around them. It had been a good day. At least at first. You'd just bathed down there, using some lotion afterward you'd scavenged from a motel, along with a broken brush that barely held together as you came back with damp hair and a pink towel around your body.
The shampoo you'd used? It was strawberry-scented, the cheap kind, but it made your hair all soft and shiny. You'd taken an extra five minutes to wash it out in the water, humming to yourself, just trying to feel clean for five seconds. You even wanted to wear one of the sundresses you'd taken with you, thinking, stupidly, maybe you'd feel safe again and that this whole pandemic would be over soon.
What a joke.
Then you remembered walking up to the fire, smiling, towel around your shoulders. The way Jim gave you a nod. How Dale smiled like he was just happy someone still knew what lotion was.
You remembered Merle's laugh next. Harsh. Mean. "Well lookit that," he'd snorted, loud enough for the whole camp to hear. "Miss Georgia's right here in the end times. Whatcha doin', girl? Waitin' on Prince fuckin' Charming, or you plannin' to start a fuckin' show out here for me, sugartits? Do you think some walker's gonna fuck your pretty lil' ass? Shit, don't even need them damn dresses you always wearin', I can give ya a damn good time without 'em."
You'd tried to ignore him. Dried your hair by the fire, doing your best not to just run away when he got closer.
And Daryl? He hadn't stopped Merle. He'd just joined in like he hated what he was looking at. "Ya really bringin' that kinda shit out here? She really tryin' to get a walker to fuck her ‘fore it eats her."
You'd looked up. Said nothing.
And then Daryl had spat. Not near you. On you. A glob of spit that hit your leg.
"Dumb bitch. Still ain't got nothin' worth keepin' alive."
He hadn't even looked at you when he said it. Like you weren't even worth the eye contact. After that, you didn't eat with the others for days. But you tried to stay useful. Stayed quiet.
Even now, lying here in the grass, while some of the blood dried on your arm, your head pounding, the memory hurt.
Not just because it had been painful. Not because it was mean. Because part of you had believed them.
You knew that you weren't a fighter. You were just… you. Still using cosmetics and having a heartbeat too slow to keep up with a world that was dying around you so fast.
And Daryl? He'd known it. He'd seen it. He still saw it.
And that look in his eyes when he shoved you away—like just being near you made him weak? That wasn't anything new.
You didn't cry. Not back then. You just got up and left to go into your tent, telling yourself over and over that you wouldn't let it show.
And now you were bleeding out next to a flower instead of finding Sophia for Carol—Carol, who was grieving and strong in all the right ways—and you were still that girl with the strawberry shampoo, trying to prove you mattered before the end of the world would kill you anyway.
Maybe Merle and Daryl were right all along. Maybe you weren't worth saving.
Even now. No. Especially now. Half-conscious, with blood running down your arm and your stomach wanting you to throw up from the pain, the realization hit you hard.
You weren't one of them. You were just decoration. A joke. Useless. Always useless.
The last thing you saw before your eyelids felt too heavy was that stupid white flower, moving just slightly in the warm wind of the Georgia sun, like it was just here, waiting and watching you die in silence.
Back at the farm, Daryl yanked his crossbow into place, holding the strap over his shoulder a bit tighter when he prepared to go into the woods to continue his search for Sophia. He had been gone, yes, but he hadn't continued his search for the little girl and was only now about to leave.
Just before Rick's voice stopped him.
"Daryl. You okay on your own?" He asked.
"'M better on my own."
Rick nodded like he already knew the answer. "We got a base now. We can get this search properly organized."
Daryl narrowed his eyes. "Ya got a point, or we just chattin'?"
"My point is it lets you off the hook. You don't owe us anything."
"My other plans fell through." And then Daryl turned without waiting for a reply.
Soon enough, the farm disappeared out of view behind him. Out there, it was quieter. No bullshit. No looks. No whispers. Just nature, animals, and the walkers.
Daryl followed a trail he had seen earlier, retracing old steps, ducking under branches, and stepping over logs. He kept his eyes low, scanning. Looking for tracks. A footprint. Any kind of hint he could find.
It was nearly an hour later when the house came into view.
That old abandoned building, half-eaten by time. He approached it slowly before he entered a place that felt like it still remembered the people who'd lived here once. Crossbow raised, he stepped in and moved from room to room. The first one? Empty. Except for an old can of sardines on the counter, peeled open. Recent.
Someone had been here.
He kept going. Into the hallway, past a bathroom, and into another room with a closet door half-ajar. Inside was a makeshift bed. Small. Like someone had curled up and hoped to disappear.
"Sophia!" Daryl called out, not loud, but clear. No answer. No hope, either… Giving up after he made sure the house was completely empty, he stepped outside again, squinting his eyes in the sunlight. That's when he saw it. The flowers.
Cherokee roses.
Moving slowly toward them to take a closer look, his gaze dropped just before he wanted to kneel down—and that's when his eyes widened.
You were lying there.
Blood all over one of your arms and your side. One foot was at an angle that wasn't looking quite right. Eyes closed. Lips pale.
Daryl didn't move at first and only stared. Like maybe it wasn't real. Maybe if he blinked, you would disappear and he could go back to pretending you didn't matter. But you didn't go away.
"God fuckin' dammit…"
His knees hit the ground as he dropped beside you before he grabbed your wrist first—rushed and too tight—but he needed to feel a pulse. It was there. Weak, but there. You were breathing, but shallowly.
"Shit," he hissed as soon as he saw the deep and long cut along your arm next, yanking a half-clean rug from his pocket and pressing it to your skin where the blood was coming out. "Stupid. Stupid goddamn—what the hell were ya thinkin'!"
Unable to answer, your head lolled to the side. Daryl pressed harder, trying to stop the bleeding.
"This what ya wanted?" He continued to yell at you, even though you couldn't hear him. He looked down at your face—smudged with dirt and sweat—and for half a second, he felt something like guilt. But it was gone before he could name it.
"Stupid girl," he grumbled again, but it sounded different now. Quieter.
Grabbing your other arm and pulling it across his shoulders, he lifted your body with a grunt. You were dead weight—not conscious, not responsive—but he got you up, holding you awkwardly against his side like you weighed nothing.
"I swear t'God, if ya don't die, 'm gonna kill ya, bring ya back, n' kill ya m'self again! Fuck!"
And then Daryl started walking. Back through the woods, back toward the farm, his jaw clenched, his face looking pissed, cursing the whole way like that would keep the anger away from him. Every step moved your body a bit, and every little noise you made had him tightening his grip.
You didn't remember much of the trip back. Just the Georgia heat and some motion above your head, all the while every breath was a fight. But Daryl remembered every step of the way.
His arms were on fire, his muscles burning by the time the farm came into view. Some of your blood had soaked through his clothes, clinging to his shirt and skin. The rug tied around your arm was doing a piss-poor job at stopping the bleeding, and you weren't doing much at all—not even mumbling like he had hoped you would do after some time.
Rick was now on the porch of the farmhouse, talking to Hershel about something—medicine, rations, or safety probably—when he caught sight of Daryl coming out of the tree line with you in his arms.
His eyes went wide. "What the hell… Daryl!"
"She's hurt," Daryl snapped, stomping past him. "Went out on her own. Found her like this, bleedin' near some old-ass house."
"What happened?" Andrea gasped, running up to him, while Lori covered her mouth with both hands as she got out of the house to see what was going on.
"Get outta my damn way!" Daryl barked, heading up the porch.
"There's no room," Hershel immediately answered, stopping Daryl from walking into his home. "Carl's still inside."
"Then where the hell do I put her?"
"The RV," T-Dog cut in, looking at Dale for his approval.
Dale didn't argue and rushed to open the RV door while Daryl climbed the steps. He moved quickly, lowering you gently onto the couch, and Hershel was following with some of his medical equipment the second Daryl took a step back.
"Let me see. She's lost quite some blood. Probably a mild concussion. I need some time."
Daryl backed off only because he had to, watching with his arms crossed and lips tight while Hershel cut the rag from your arm and cleaned the cut. It wasn't fatal. Deep, long, painful, yes, but you were lucky. Soon, Hershel said something about shock and rest and stitches. But Daryl still just stared at your face. Pale. Eyelids still closed. Lips dry. And all he could do was stand there and watch.
That night, the camp outside the farmhouse was rather quiet. Everyone from the group went to their tents as the time passed by. Glenn sat on the steps of the RV for a while like he was guarding you, but eventually even he wandered off. Daryl had waited. He was now behind the RV, chain-smoking cigarettes like it would give him a better excuse for the nervousness he was feeling.
He hated this. He hated you. No, that wasn't right. He hated how you made him feel like this. Like he gave a shit. Like he'd never forgive himself if you died. It was past midnight when he stepped back in. The RV door creaked a little as it opened, and for once, he flinched at the sound. You were still there on the couch, with a bandaged arm, and still as death.
Kneeling beside you and staring at the bandage, he imagined how many stitches on your arm there might be before he started talking.
"Y'know, I was gonna leave ya out there," he smirked. "Saw yer dumb fuckin' ass lyin' in the grass and thought, ‘Good. Serves that bitch right.'"
He suddenly sniffed and wiped his nose on his arm. "But I ain't done that."
Looking up at you—your sleeping face—his eyes went to look down to your lips. Just a breath away. Daryl leaned in slowly, like even gravity didn't want to push him too fast. But when his nose nearly touched yours, he stopped and pulled back with shaking hands and a dry mouth.
"Bet ya'd punch me if ya knew." His own words made him smile.
"'N I bet ya still got some fight left. Ya always been fightin' my damn brother away. Ya remember back at the quarry?" He continued. "Me 'n Merle… we used to—fuck, we were assholes. Used to think ya were the dumbest damn slut—girl—I ever met."
Daryl laughed again, shaking his head. "Painted nails. Lil' pink bag full o' crap. Lip stuff. Glitter lotion or some shit. Whatever the fuck that was. Dunno. Shit… who the hell wears glitter durin' the damn end of the world?"
His voice cracked, but he ignored it. "Ya were always tryin' to make things pretty. That damn girly shit. Ya got a whole damn bag of soaps and creams and fuckin'... ribbons. And what did I do? I spit more 'n once on ya and yer shit, remember that? Said it was useless. Said ya were useless."
He looked away, huffing, only to look down. "Fuck… Ya always kept all o' yer things clean. Yer tent. Yer hair. Yer hands. Made the rest o' us look like fuckin' trash. Not good 'nough for ya."
Daryl paused, inhaling deeply and breathing out slowly, making sure no one was coming to look at how you were doing. "That deer I brought in? When Rick joined? Got it for ya. Was fuckin' mad at ya that day, ‘cause ya smiled at Shane or Glenn or—fuck, I dunno why it bothered me, it just… did."
He then pulled something from his pocket—a dirty little bottle of rose-scented hand cream. "Ya had one of these once, 'fore the CDC blew up," he grumbled, setting it down on the little table beside you. "Said it reminded ya of home. Heard ya talkin' 'bout it with Lori. I told ya it was useless bullshit. Made fun of ya for it while I was wasted."
He swallowed hard but then continued to talk to you while you were sleeping. "I went back to that damn pharmacy for it 'fore I went lookin' for Sophia. Saw it on the damn map 'fore ya asked me to come along. Wanted to slip it in yer stuff when ya ain't lookin'. Did that more than once. Soap, too. That fancy coconut or vanilla shit."
He dragged a hand over his face. "'S my fault that ya almost… Yeah, mine. Shouldn't have gone to that damn pharmacy. Could've kept yer damn ass safe."
His throat felt tight. Everything ached. All his muscles were tense by now, burning with shame and guilt. "Dunno what this bullshit is. I ain't never had nothin' good. But if ya died out there…" He stopped, swallowing hard, as hard as it was even possible. "I think I'd lose my goddamn mind..."
The second the words left Daryl's mouth, he flinched again. Saying such things out loud hurt worse than any injury ever could. "Ya always tried to make me feel like I ain't just shit. Like I ain't just Merle's dumbass brother and a fuckin' problem. Like maybe I'm... I dunno. Somethin'."
His forehead dropped to the edge of the couch, hiding his face. Half a sob, half a curse, Daryl shuddered like a storm was rushing through him, one that refused to stop letting him drown.
And then you moved. A groan. Maybe a whisper. But he heard it, and his head shot up. You weren't awake. Not fully. Still out cold, or so it seemed. But your mouth had moved, you had talked; Daryl was sure of it.
Another groan from you—uncertain, half-conscious.
"Fuck this," he suddenly snapped, taking the bottle and grabbing for the door handle of the RV. "Fuckin' idiot! 'M such a fuckin' idiot…"
But he didn't go far, especially since he made sure no one was nearby who might notice him. No, Daryl just sat in the dirt by one of the RV wheels, with his head leaning back against it, his teeth biting into the palm of his hand to keep himself from crying.
Soon enough, the days passed, not many—but enough for the bleeding to stop and for the bruises on your skin to start turning all sorts of ugly. Your arm was stitched up, the muscle still pulling every time you moved. It stung like a bitch. And you weren't allowed to use it much, which meant you spent most of your days lying and sitting around in Dale's RV.
Rick had stopped by more than once to see how you were doing. Lori brought soup that tasted like water and, well, just water, really. And Maggie came around sometimes with Glenn, but that was about it. It got a little easier to move your arm, eventually. Easier to breathe, too, without feeling your head spin. The farm was quiet most of the time—birds, sounds from the horses here and there, and the distant sound of shots, since Rick and Shane had started to teach how to shoot.
You started making short walks around the farm. Then to the field. Then the house.
Still, you hadn't seen him again. Daryl was nowhere to be found anymore. But T-Dog found you instead when you were leaning on the fence one afternoon, holding your arm like it might fall off if you didn't. You weren't crying, but damn if it didn't feel like you could if someone even breathed too loud.
"Doing okay?" He asked, jogging over, but you just shrugged in return.
"I guess."
"Don't push it too fast. That kinda cut, it's no joke," he nodded toward your arm and held out his own. "Guess we're some kinda twins now, huh? Same side as yours."
You managed to give him a small smile in return. "You're not still hurting?"
"Oh, I'm hurting, alright. Just not bleeding on people anymore and leaving a trail of blood for the walkers to follow."
You glanced at him, almost laughing. "Yeah. I remember your accident, too. On the highway. I've never seen so many walkers at once."
"Shit, yeah. I sliced my arm open trying to get outta the way of one of them. Thought I was done for."
Your eyes narrowed as you thought back. Back to the walkers. Back to the ways every single one of you had tried to hide from the danger. "You know… I never asked, but how'd you even get out?"
T-Dog looked at you, a little sideways, like maybe he wasn't sure if you were serious. "You don't know?"
You shook your head slowly. "No. How should I know? I was up in the RV with Andrea. It was bad enough with that one damn walker in there and next to her in such a small place. But thanks to Dale, we're still alive... So? How did you make it?"
He laughed, but it sounded more like a huff. "Daryl. He's the one who saved my ass. White boy came up to me outta nowhere and covered me and him under walkers. We lay there under those dead bodies. Didn't even move."
"Wait, wait—Daryl Dixon?"
"Yeah." He scratched the back of his neck. "Wasn't what I expected either. I mean, remember Merle? That guy was a full-blown asshole. And I figured Daryl was just like him, you know? All that racist, hillbilly shit? But he didn't even hesitate. Saved my life."
"But… I also thought he was like Merle. In fact, I'm pretty much sure he is just like Merle."
"So did I," T-Dog admitted again. "Still not sure sometimes. But I guess he's loyal. Just doesn't know how to act loyal without being a real dick about it at the same time."
"Yeah… Sounds about right."
Watching how you turned a bit away from him, T-Dog took a step back, not wanting to make you uncomfortable. "You don't think he gives a damn about you, do you?"
"Why would he?" You asked dryly, shrugging your shoulders. "He's hated me since they'd arrived at the quarry. Said I was useless. Spit at me. Mocked me for every… well, every 'girly' thing I still owned. Stuff I still own."
"But he carried you back," T-Dog answered quietly. "Didn't stop to ask, didn't wait for help. He found you and moved. That's Daryl."
You looked down at your hand, flexing your fingers slowly. The wound on your arm still ached. But this time, it didn't feel like what hurt the most. You didn't say anything else in response at first. Just looked back out toward the tree line, where the wind had started blowing just slightly.
"But I'm so sure that he hates me. You just don't treat someone you don't hate the way he treats me."
T-Dog looked at you for another moment, then shrugged as well. "Could be. Or maybe he just doesn't know how to act loyal. Loyalty doesn't always come with manners."
You huffed at that. "He didn't even stop by. Not once. And I've been stuck in that RV for days. That man does not give a damn, believe me, T."
"'Cause he doesn't do ‘checking in.' Dude's probably sitting alone somewhere, thinking too hard and pretending not to give a shit."
"Think I should go and thank him?" You asked, biting the inside of your cheek and laughing quietly.
T-Dog snorted in response. "If you can find him. It doesn't hurt to say thank you, especially if you don't care about how a man like Dixon might react."
His words made you think. Daryl had saved T-Dog. Daryl had saved you. And yeah, maybe he was a dick about it. Maybe he said mean things and looked at you like you were pathetic. But you also remembered this tiny, stupid stuff you found in your bag that you thought was from Jacqui or Amy before they'd died—cute little comforts that you couldn't even imagine may have been from someone like him.
Soap. Lip balm. A tiny comb. A little pink lighter that still worked…
Thinking back to these many things that had magically appeared in your belongings, the sun was starting to go down when you finally worked up the nerve to find Daryl. You'd been pacing near the RV restlessly for half an hour, or longer, chewing your lip, thinking of a hundred different ways to start a conversation, and hating every single one of your ideas.
Why'd you carry me back?
You chose the most neutral thing you could come up with: Ask him why. Casually. Like it means nothing.
You spotted Daryl's tent now much further from the rest of the group, like he couldn't stand the sound of humans for longer than ten minutes. He was sitting outside, sharpening the blade of a knife with that same pissed-off expression he always had when someone approached him.
You stood there for a second, watching Daryl from a few feet away, just long enough for him to notice you. But he didn't look up.
"Lost?" He then asked, still dragging the knife along whatever he used for sharpening it.
"No," you answered, stepping closer. "I was looking for you."
"Well, ya found me. Congratulations."
"I just wanted to ask you something," you swallowed hard. This was a mistake, for sure. But it was too late now.
Daryl didn't answer you, waiting for you to speak, and just kept sharpening. So you pressed further and finally asked the question. "Why'd you bring me back?"
He stopped moving, but then he scoffed. "Was out lookin' for the lil' girl. Found a body bleedin' in the grass. Figured I'd put it over my shoulder and be done with it."
"You're saying you didn't even know it was me at first?"
He looked up now, finally, and his eyes were cold. "'M sayin' it wouldn't have mattered shit. Just don't need 'nother walker out there. Woulda put a bolt in yer head if—"
You flinched, and he saw it. Of course, he did. "Hell, shoulda just left ya there. Woulda saved me a helluva walk, too."
You blinked hard. From anger, not from tears. Not this time. "Why are you like this, Daryl?"
"Like what?" He smirked at first, scoffing quietly.
"This… cruel."
Daryl's smirk was gone fast, and, putting his knife aside, he finally stood up. "I ain't cruel, woman. 'M honest. World's gone to shit, and ya still walk 'round like yer a fuckin' princess. Maybe if ya stopped worryin' 'bout bubble baths and started learnin' how to not get yerself sliced open, ya wouldn't need any damn carryin'."
Staring at him for another moment, not saying anything, not giving him the satisfaction, you just turned and walked off. You didn't run. You didn't cry. You didn't say another word. Just walked. Wanting to leave him to rot with whatever broken part of a soul made him push kindness away if it disgusted him this much.
Again, the hours passed quietly, like the world was trying to pretend it was peaceful. In the meantime, you had cleaned up as best you could. Maggie had brought you food. Glenn had made a dumb joke that almost made you smile. Almost. You went to your tent later, rubbing near the itchy spots on your arm where the stitches were pulling a little too tight. Dropping to your knees, you unzipped the flap, reached for your bag… and froze.
There, on top of your stuff, was lip gloss. Not the lip balm you always used, but the exact kind of lip gloss you'd run out of weeks ago. Next to it? A tiny bottle of rose-scented hand cream, a little dirty, but still sealed. And a small bar of soap, wrapped in light purple wax paper with floral patterns on it. Lavender. And so much more... And next to it all?
A white Cherokee rose. No note. No explanation. Just there.
No one else would've thought to bring you that kind of stuff. You were sure of it by now as you sat back. Hell, most of the group didn't even know when some of your things were empty to begin with. Nor did any of them know that you were bleeding out right next to a Cherokee rose bush. Except one. The same man who'd told you to your face that he should've left you to die.
Touching the edge of the rose gently, you laughed. A bitter, breathless, and choked laugh. "Asshole..."
You sat there on your knees in silence, with your heart beating harder than it had during the walker horde on the highway. But what you felt at that moment? It was fury. And it was the kind of fury you hadn't let yourself feel in a while. Maybe ever.
You gathered the things carefully but not tenderly. All of them, even the flower, with hands that wouldn't stop shaking. Then you stood up, walking back out of your tent. Daryl was still where you left him. He was leaning over a small fire now, poking it. His crossbow leaned next to a log, untouched, and he didn't look up when you approached. Typical.
But he didn't have to. He felt you coming.
"You think I'm fucking stupid?"
Daryl flinched at your words, but his eyes stayed fixed on the flames.
"You think I wouldn't notice? The things you put into my shit? The gloss, the balm, the shampoo, the soaps, the stupid-ass lighter with the pink rhinestones? Oh! There's so much more!"
Now he looked up with narrowed eyes. "I told ya, I—"
"No! No," you cut him off, stepping forward. "Don't do that! You got me these things. You went out of your way. Hell, you got me the exact same hand cream I told Lori about, didn't you? Smells like roses!"
You kept going like your voice just had to be heard for once. "I'm not stupid. I'm not blind. But you want to treat me like I'm some idiotic little girl who can't survive without her glitter and her goddamn bubblegum lip gloss, right? Like I'm just some waste of fucking space!"
Daryl scowled. "Ain't never said—"
"You didn't have to," you snapped back. "You made sure I knew!Every single day! You spit on my things, Daryl. On me! You called me useless! You mocked everything I had left before the world ended. Everything that reminded me I was still a fucking human being!"
"I ain't done that—"
"You did! And now you brought me back? But you won't look me in the eye? You won't talk to me? You don't even admit it, you damn coward!"
"Ain't got no time to explain, woman."
"Bull-fucking-shit, Daryl Dixon," you hissed. "You owe me an explanation! Not for carrying me. For this."
You stared down at all the things in your hands. Then, slowly, you raised one of them. "You wanna know what this is?" You asked quietly, while Daryl didn't answer. So you threw it at his chest.
"It smells like lavender… and feels like shame on my skin."
You threw the next one—the lip gloss. "This one's pity, right?"
Another bottle, this time aimed at his shoulder. He flinched when the hand balm hit him. "This one's your hate… and my guilt. Smells good, doesn't it?"
You threw the last—a tiny little mirror—and it cracked when it hit the ground near his feet. "And this one, Daryl? This one's not even from you, but it's my reminder that when I look in the mirror now, I hate what I see. Because every time I see my face, I hear your voice calling me useless."
He flinched again, breathing faster now. "I never meant—"
"You never meant to?" You cut him off, shouting at him. "Stop! You meant every word you ever said to me; you just didn't expect me to remember them all!"
His hands curled into fists, and he stopped poking the fire. "Ain't done it for ya."
"Really?" You asked back. "Then who was it for? Your fucking idiot brother, Merle? Amy? Andrea? Jacqui? Lori? Carol? Yeah, right! Fuck that!"
He got up and stepped forward suddenly, with an angry expression on his face. "Don't talk 'bout shit ya don't understand."
"Oh, I understand plenty," you shot back, not moving an inch. "I understand that you only know how to hurt people who give a damn. I understand that you are scared as fuck of someone giving a shit about your sorry ass!"
Daryl pointed at you, stepping closer. "Ya don't know anythin' 'bout me."
"Oh, I know enough! I know that you'd rather make a girl cry than admit you were scared when you saw her bleeding out."
"Shut up," he growled, his voice cracking.
But you didn't. You leaned in, close, your nose almost touching his. "You don't hate me... You hate that I make such a pathetic being like you feel like a person. Human."
Daryl pushed you roughly away from him. Not enough to knock you down. But enough to get your attention. "Ya don't know shit! I carried ya back ‘cause I didn't want 'nother fuckin' dead body walkin' 'round here! 'S it!"
"Liar!" You spat, throwing the last thing he got you without even looking at what it was, almost hitting his head. "You carried me back because if I died out there, you would've had to admit you cared!"
"Ya don't get to say that! Ya don't get to decide why I do shit, 'n ya don't know what I—"
"You liked watching me bleed out, didn't you?" You then continued, your face turning red in anger. "Made you feel strong, didn't it? Because a girl like me needing a man like you meant you weren't nothing for once in your pathetic life!"
Dead quiet, Daryl stepped back. And the expression on his face? It was pain, rage, and shame, all at once. "Don't fuckin' say that," he whispered.
But it was too late.
"What, does it hurt?" You scoffed, your eyes still cold. "Good! Do you know what else hurts? Lying in the woods bleeding to death, thinking the man you thought was cute at first, but who actually hates your ass to death, is the last person you'll ever listen to! Wishing you'd actually died instead of having to face him ever again! You know what? I fucking liked you, Daryl. God help me, I fucking liked you, for real. And you made me feel like shit for it."
Daryl didn't look up… He couldn't.
"Stupid fucking redneck. Giving me this shit like it means anything."
"'CAUSE I AIN'T NOTHIN'!" He suddenly shouted, with his fists gripping at his hair like he could rip his thoughts out. "'S ME WHO AIN'T SHIT!"
Daryl sank down on his knees, both hands still on his head, gasping wildly, rocking back and forth, back and forth. "SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!"
His voice broke off, and he started hitting his head with the side of his fists. Once. Twice. More and more. He did not stop until he felt dizzy. You blinked in shock, your heart pounding in your ears. That wasn't the Daryl you knew. This wasn't even the Daryl you hated. And it made time seem as if it stopped.
"W-why do you hate me?" You whispered carefully. "What did I ever do to you?"
"I didn't know how else to do it!" He shouted, his voice cracking hard. "Ya want words? I ain't got the damn words! I don't—" He broke off, breathing fast, dragging his hands down his face.
You didn't respond.
"I got ya that bullshit 'cause ya fuckin' liked it! 'Cause it made yer stupid ass smile! And I—I dunno—I thought maybe if ya smiled at me for one goddamn time 'stead of—!"
He sniffed loudly. Like he wanted to cry or just say something nasty, but nothing came out. Only a tiny, broken inhale. All you could do was stare, but this time? It was still shock and confusion. "God, I'm such a dumb bitch… Shit…"
You started to turn, just a little bit, ready to go somewhere and scream at yourself for what you've done—but movement stopped you. Daryl reached out. Clumsy, almost afraid to touch all of it, he picked up the lip balm first. Cracked now, dirt stuck to the side. Then the mirror. The bar of soap. The hand cream. One by one, he gathered all of it together.
You paused, arms crossed, trying not to care. Trying. Then you saw it. A single, tiny tear landed on the hand cream as he held it in his palm, the tremble in his hands impossible not to notice. He stared at it for a long moment, sobbing as quietly to himself as possible. Then he looked up. Not at you. Toward you. And he stretched out both arms, holding the little pile of things in his big, strong hands. No words. Just his eyes that were all wet and looking hopeless, like he was offering up what little was left of himself.
"Take it back…" Daryl sobbed. "I… I didn't mean to… I dunno why—"
His voice cracked again. He looked like he wanted to die. And with a deep breath, you stepped back in his direction, shaking your head. He kept staring at the stuff in his hands, his voice dropping even lower, like he hated every word coming out of his mouth.
"I don't hate ya! Just… didn't wanna care," he sobbed, and you swallowed hard. "But… ya just kept bein' all… you."
You blinked several times in a row.
"I thought… if ya hated me, then it wouldn't matter if ya left one day—if ya died... And ya weren't s'posed to be pretty and smell like fuckin' strawberries or whatever and look at me like I was anythin' other than white trash! Ya weren't s'posed to matter!"
By now, you were crouched down right in front of him. "But you were mean," you then whispered. "You hurt me, Daryl…"
He nodded slowly. "I know."
"And I almost died thinking you hated me…"
Daryl finally looked up. His eyes were red as he looked into yours. "I didn't—I didn't mean for that to happen."
"I-I know," you cut in, your voice now trembling slightly too. And then, finally, your hands reached out. You touched Daryl's cheek first, your thumb sliding along his jaw before you cupped his face, making him shudder.
"I ain't good," he whispered. "Don't talk right. Say shit I don't mean. I fuck everythin' up. And I—" His breath hitched. "I jus' wanted ya to… not die."
You saw it again. The pain. The way his mouth opened like he had something—everything—to say and didn't know how. And that was when you put a soft kiss on his forehead as you pulled him close.
Daryl made a tiny broken sound before his brain caught up, and he immediately panicked. "Don't," he gasped. "Don't do that. Don't… don't pretend!"
He looked scared when you didn't answer. But you just wrapped your arms around him and held him tight. Like you were trying to hold the broken parts of him back together with just your touch. Daryl's face pressed to your neck, his hands suddenly gripping your back like you might be gone if he opened his eyes again. You felt it—the trembling, hearing the sobs, feeling the way he pressed into you.
"M'sorry," he whispered into your shoulder. "M'sorry. I didn't mean it. I-I swear, I just…"
You didn't need an explanation. You just held him tighter. Let him feel you. Let him know you weren't going anywhere, even if his whole body desperately tried its best to relax against you. His breath hitched differently now. The sobs turned a little quieter. Less panic. More need. Not pulling away, you saw it now. All of it.
The little boy who never got love. The man who thought hatred would keep him safe.
How much time passed by wasn't on your mind as you knelt there with Daryl for a while, letting him fall apart into your arms, until the shaking slowed and the wet sobs against your skin turned completely quiet. When Daryl finally let go of you, there was this dazed look in his eyes. Like he'd forgotten where he was or who he even was.
"Come on," you then said gently, just loud enough for him to hear. But Daryl didn't move. So you pulled gently at his hand and helped him up, patiently, and as fast as he wanted to move again. He followed you without a word, stumbling a little, his head low as you helped him back into his tent before he sat down without any words on his sleeping bag.
In the meantime, you reached for the stuff he'd gotten you—picking it all back up off the ground, since he'd let it fall into the grass once you'd put your arms around him, and brought it with you. Daryl didn't even look up when you left all of a sudden; he still sat there.
Once back in your own tent, you moved as fast as possible. Wipes. Lotion. Some clean water in a bottle. A small towel. The flannel shirt you always wore on warmer nights that was way too big for you. You carried it all back in your arms.
Stepping inside Daryl's tent and kneeling down in front of him, he glanced up, confused and wide-eyed.
"I ain't…" He started, his voice shaking. "I don't want—"
"Quiet," you answered gently, pressing a finger to his lips. "You don't have to want anything right now. But you need. Listen, just sit there, alright? Let me."
You took the wipes first, pulling one from the pack and warming it a little bit between your hands. Then, slowly and carefully, you wiped the dirt and tears from Daryl's face. His mouth trembled when you touched him, his lips twitching like he might say something—but he didn't. He just let you clean him. Quiet and shaking ever so slightly.
"I ain't clean," he then said, almost ashamed. "M'dirty…"
"No," you whispered with a small smile. "You're not."
Soon enough, you worked your way down his arms, wiping off dirt and sweat and the faint bits of blood that were still left on his skin. Then his hands—his big, rough hands, all calloused, but still trembling. You took your time there. Between each finger. The back of his palms. His wrists.
Daryl watched you in silence, but when you started pulling at the hem of his shirt, he finally flinched, and his eyes were going wide again. "What're ya doin'?"
"Just going to clean you up proper," you answered softly. "It's just a shirt. Relax."
He looked like he wanted to say no. Like he wanted to grab it and yank it back down. But something in him broke a little more, and he let you pull it over his head, only to turn away from you as if in shame. And that's when you saw them. The scars. Not all of them, since he wasn't fully turned away from you, but what you saw was enough to notice how deep and all over the place they were. Scars that shouldn't have been there across his back.
Daryl panicked the second he realized what you were seeing and tried to back away. "Don't—don't fuckin' look at that, a'ight? Ain't nothin'! Nothin' ya gotta—fuck, just—just leave!"
But you didn't pull away as you reached for the small towel and the water bottle you brought with you, opening it to clean him a little more. "Who did this to you, Daryl?"
"Don't matter," he grumbled, arms now crossed tight across his chest. "Ain't yer damn problem."
You leaned forward, arms wrapping around him from the side, your chest pressed to his biceps. "It is my problem," you whispered. "You are."
Placing the towel over his shoulders after you were done drying him off, you grabbed the lotion next. You rubbed it slowly over his arms, his shoulders, and his hands, all the while he sat frozen and looking confused, like it was the first time someone had touched him without hurting him.
"You smell like me now," you smiled, but he just sat there, swallowing hard, breathing shakily.
You reached out and touched his shoulder gently. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna ask."
"Yeah, 'cause ya don't even—"
"I'm not gonna ask," you said again. "You don't have to tell me anything, Daryl. But I'm not going to pretend I didn't see it. And I'm also not going to pretend it changes anything."
He turned fast. Wild-eyed. "Ya don't needa pretend nothin'. Yer—yer tryin' to be nice or some shit. Ya don't—"
Not finishing what he wanted to say, Daryl stared at you once more, his chest rising and falling fast. His mouth was open like he wanted to scream or cry but didn't know which one would save him.
Using the moment, you reached for the flannel now. "Arms up..."
He blinked in confusion, maybe wondering why you were still here, which made you smirk. "Come on now, Daryl. I'm not leaving you sitting around shirtless."
He let out a weak, stunned huff but lifted his arms, watching as you slipped the flannel over his head and let it fall around his body, the sleeves way too short for him.
Then, slowly, you reached for his face. "Look at me."
He did as you held his chin, caressing it. "You don't have to be an asshole around me, Daryl. You don't have to yell. Or lie."
All he responded with was a nod in return.
"You want me to stay?"
Another nod.
And you didn't try to pull back. You just stayed there, kneeling in front of him, one hand still on his face, the other soon resting over his chest where his heart felt like it was trying to beat out through his ribs. He looked at you like he didn't get it. Like he was still waiting for the trap.
"You wanna lie down?" You asked eventually, voice soft, but he hesitated until he gave the tiniest nod again.
So you laid down first, letting your side press down on the sleeping bag before you patted the spot in front of you. "Come here."
Daryl snorted, but it came out cracked, sounding more ashamed than mean. "Shit. Ain't never—"
"Now's a good time to start."
He grumbled under his breath but crawled toward you anyway, arms stiff, not really knowing how to be held. Like it was something that needed instructions.
You wrapped your arms around him from behind, pulled him in close, and let your body press to his. His back pushed against your chest, all tensed up and full of confusion, still waiting for some kind of rejection that wasn't even coming. His hands stayed awkwardly near his chest, and his shoulders trembled now and then like he still hadn't run out of tears but just didn't have the strength to let them fall anymore.
"You're shaking," you whispered, holding him a little tighter.
"M'fine..."
"Nope. You're not."
Daryl didn't continue arguing. You pulled the sides of the sleeping bag up over both of you and put your face into the crook of his neck, letting your breath warm his skin there.
He was quiet for a while, and you didn't rush him, since after some time, he finally spoke up again. "Why ya always been like that?"
"Like what?"
He hesitated again. "Weird, I guess? N'... y'know. Just girly. With all them lil' bottles n' fuckin'... soaps n' shit. Creams or whatever all that stuff is ya usin'."
You snorted against the back of his shoulder and kissed the skin there, which made him squirm. "Is that such a big problem for you?"
"Nah, I just... I don't get it. Ain't never made sense. Ya know... world's gone to fuckin' hell, n' ya still put on lotion as if it matters."
"Well, it matters to me," you laughed in response.
"Why?"
You held him a little tighter. "Because it's who I am. I've always been that way. Even before the world ended, I guess. It's what makes me feel human. Like I'm still me. Not just some scared girl trying to survive."
Daryl was quiet again until he whispered. "'N why the hell would a girl like—" He started but cut himself off. "Don't need someone smilin' at me."
"Daryl."
He didn't answer, so you let your hand glide over his side. "You're the first person that ever made me feel safe back at the quarry. Shane always seemed so… impulsive. The others? Well, no one really fought like you did. I'm not saying the rest of the group can't keep us safe, but when that walker got that deer you were hunting down? Made me realize you knew more about survival than everyone else. You were the first one to point out that we need to destroy their brains. You were the first one, the only one, really, who knew how to hunt. It seemed so… natural. Not because you're big or strong or scary—though, let's be real, you kinda are—but because you see people. You look after them. Even when you act like an asshole."
He huffed out a grunt, his shoulders relaxing a little more.
"You gave me those things," you continued softly. "Little things. Stupid things. A flower. A bar of soap. So many things… So you cared. Even if I didn't know at first."
He didn't answer you, but his hand found yours, holding it tight against his chest.
"And yeah, you're… you. Sometimes a bit rude. But now I think that—" You didn't talk about it further, just pressed another kiss to the back of his neck, softer this time. "You don't have to understand it. Not all at once. But I really do likeyou. I liked you right from the start. I just didn't smile at you because… well, you know how you were acting around me."
His grip on your hand loosened, and you felt him slowly, finally, letting out a deep breath. Like he'd been holding that breath since Atlanta. And you stayed like that. Daryl didn't say anything else, but his breathing slowed after a while, sounding calmer, until he fell asleep like that, in your arms.
Like a broken, little boy who'd never been held in someone's arms for the sake of it.
And when you were sure Daryl was out, you slowly, so slowly, moved yourself away from him, pressing one last kiss to the side of his face and putting the sleeping bag tighter around him. He grumbled something in his sleep. A quiet sound where you couldn't make out what he was saying. But it didn't matter what exactly he said when you gathered your stuff back together and stepped out of his tent again. At least you knew he was feeling safe for now.
The next day when you were back on your feet, you weren't thinking too hard about the night before. Making yourself as useful as possible, you tried to help the rest of the group as best as you could in the morning.
Lori handed you a knife while Carl ran around the farm, finally able to move after he'd been out for days after the incident, and already having more energy than he should've had after being shot. But hey, Hershel worked miracles. The kid was back to running around as if nothing ever happened.
"Don't let him wear you out," Lori said with a wide smile, wiping her hands on a towel. "He'll run circles around you until you get dizzy."
You snorted. "That's what I'm afraid of. And I think he's already making my head spin. But, you know, he's feeling like a kid again for once; that matters the most, especially with everything going on…"
Carl then ran up beside you, holding out a deflated ball to play with. "Wanna play catch real quick?"
"Only if you go easy on me," you answered, pointing to your arm. "Doctor's orders."
"Deal!" He grinned and ran back a few feet, while Lori chopped onions beside the fire. For a moment, it all felt so… normal. Almost like something from the before-times—morning air still chilling and not too hot, smells of wood and watery coffee in the air, people waking up, stretching, and starting their day.
And soon enough, you noticed him from the corner of your eye before you heard him—always the quiet one.
Daryl.
He was walking in from the tree line, his crossbow as always with him. Same sweat-drenched skin while walking around in the sun, the same scowl that was more habit than emotion. But he didn't look your way, and you didn't call out, since Carl had already started playing with you. Still, you couldn't help but watch him walk toward the RV before returning your attention to the kid.
Meanwhile, Daryl pushed open the RV door. He'd been avoiding Carol for a while now—not because he didn't give a shit, but because he didn't know how to. What was he supposed to say? "Sorry yer kid's missin'? 'M still searchin'?" That didn't help anyone.
But he had remembered the roses that bloomed in the woods. Right there, where you had been bleeding near the house, like they were waiting for him again. He'd stared at them for a full minute before pulling one out of the dirt and shoving it into an old beer bottle he found.
He felt stupid carrying it back. Felt even more stupid walking up the steps of the RV, holding it. But he did it anyway.
Inside the RV, Carol was cleaning everything, trying to distract herself from the emptiness that was eating her up from the inside out. "I cleaned up," she said without looking at him. "Wanted it to be nice for her."
Daryl glanced around. "For a second I thought I was in the wrong place." He set the beer bottle with the rose down on the little table.
She finally turned. Her eyes looked at it, then back at him. "A flower?"
"'S a Cherokee rose." He sighed. "The story is that when American soldiers were movin' Indians off their land on the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee mothers were grievin' and cryin' so much 'cause they were losin' their little ones along the way from exposure, disease, and starvation. A lot of 'em just disappeared."
Carol froze but continued to listen to Daryl. "So the elders, they said a prayer, asked for a sign to uplift the mothers' spirits, and give 'em strength and hope. The next day this rose started to grow right where the mothers' tears fell. I ain't fool 'nough to think there's any flowers bloomin' for my brother. But I believe this one bloomed for yer little girl."
Her eyes filled up with tears, but she shrugged it off with a laugh.
"She's gonna really like it in here," he added, nodding once. Then he turned away and stepped back outside.
But Daryl didn't head straight back to his tent. Not right away. Instead, he stopped near one of the fences, where he could see you, even though he'd made up his mind to head out again soon.
You were laughing, tossing a ball, even if your movements were stiff, and Carl almost fell when he caught it. Lori said something, probably about food or ordering Carl to be more careful. But you, you looked...alive.
Still pretty. Still you. Still 'girly n' shit,' with your beautiful hair and your clean clothes and that voice that didn't sound like anyone else's.
Daryl could still feel your hands on his skin; that damn flannel shirt still smelled like you, which he carefully left in his tent.
Raising a hand without thinking, he waved a little. Awkwardly. But you looked up and smiled at him. Really smiled. And that's when Daryl's face turned red and he damn near panicked. He dropped his hand, spun around, and stormed off toward his tent like he hadn't just spent a few hours walking through the woods while secretly hoping to see you at the end of it.
Meanwhile, Lori leaned over, grinning a little confused. "What was that about?"
"Long story," you answered, shaking your head.
Lori raised her eyebrows but didn't push any further when you turned your attention back to Carl.
"Alright," you challenged him. "Last round. The loser has to eat a whole onion raw!"
But every now and then, your eyes looked toward the tree line again, right where Daryl had disappeared again. You'd be checking on him later. And as time passed, it was safe to say that you barely saw him all day. He was nowhere to be found. Not that you were watching or anything—okay, maybe you did want to look after him. Still, you weren't about to start jogging all over the Greene's property, but damn if your eyes didn't automatically look to every movement of the trees, every corner of the farm, every second someone from the group came walking out of the woods or was near you.
Still, Daryl was just... gone.
And it wasn't like you to worry—not in the clingy, 'where's my man?' kind of way, but after last night, after everything he let you see, the way he sobbed in your arms like a hurt little boy, the way he clung to you like he'd drown otherwise? It didn't sit right with you that he could disappear so easily, like none of it ever happened.
By the time it was afternoon, you finally gave in and went looking.
Finding Glenn near the stable while Maggie stood at one of the stalls and stroked one of the horses, you heard them talking, laughing about something.
"Hey," you called as you approached. "Have either of you seen Daryl? I saw that he left again, but he's still not back."
Glenn tilted his head. "Yeah, earlier, when we came back. He asked me about the town where the pharmacy is. The one Maggie and I hit."
You nodded slowly, a little confused. "But doesn't he already know where it is? Did he say why?"
Glenn shrugged. "Said he was going scavenging again. But probably still looking for Sophia too. Guess that takes some time."
You tried not to let the disappointment show on your face. Of course, he went alone. Again.
Meanwhile, Glenn narrowed his eyes a little. "Why, are you still trying to go thank him for saving your life or for ruining it a bit more?"
"Wow. What a joke, Glenn. Maybe I just miss his charming personality," you snorted, rolling your eyes.
Maggie laughed, and Glenn wanted to answer, but your mind was already somewhere else, and your feet followed those thoughts soon after—back down the way to Dale's RV.
You stepped up into the RV with the intention of grabbing a weapon. Not a big one. Just something small enough to carry, big enough to keep you from getting attacked by a walker if you crossed paths with one. A pistol. A knife. Both.
But the second you turned and went back outside…
"Where do you think you're goin'?"
You froze. Shane was leaning up against the RV, arms crossed over his chest, eyes narrowed just enough to let you know he'd been waiting and watching.
"Just walking around, looking, watching," you lied flatly.
He stared at you with a smirk, shaking his head. "Don't look like walkin'. Looks like you were grabbin' a gun."
"Maybe I wanted to do both," you grumbled. "Feels safer."
"What's goin' on?" Rick's voice stopped you from behind Shane, who still didn't move.
"My bet? She was about to head out on her own."
Rick frowned, stepping closer, looking at you like he already knew he wasn't going to like the answer. "Is that true?"
"I just wanted to check out that town Glenn and Maggie went to. That's all."
Rick sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're still not fully healed. You know how dangerous it is out there. Especially alone."
Shane was shaking his head. "What he said. Not happenin'. Not alone."
"It wasn't up for debate," you argued back. "And it still isn't up for debate. I can handle myself just fine."
"Well, now it is," Shane answered. "You're not goin'. Period."
And just like that, they were walking off, leaving you alone. But Lori showed up not even a minute later, carrying a basket and looking somewhat amused.
"Okay," she started. "What's going on this time?"
You let out a deep breath, staring at the spot where Rick and Shane just stood. "I wanted to go look for Daryl, but no, of course, the only two cops that are still alive around Atlanta stopped me from doing so."
She stopped mid-step, but without answering you, so you glanced at her. "What?"
But Lori just smiled. Not in a mean way—just a knowing one. "I'm sure he's fine," she said gently. "Come help me with the eggs, okay?"
"The chicken coop? Eggs? Really?"
"Yeah. Besides, you've got to keep your hands busy before you go out and annoy both Rick and Shane at once. Believe me, you don't want that."
You followed her, grumbling, "Not a bad idea, actually..."
"Oh, by the way," Lori added casually as you reached the coop. "Daryl actually called me Olive Oyl."
You turned your head in confusion as you crouched down. "Wait, what?"
She smirked, crouching down by one of the nests as well. "I called him selfish. He called me Olive Oyl. You figure out what that means…"
You stared at her, half confused, half in thought, and she just tossed you a couple of eggs like she wasn't just out here admitting something to you, but you weren't really sure what she meant.
Hours passed again.
Chickens were settled, dinner was halfway done, and, as always, everyone kept themselves as busy as possible.
You were wiping your hands on a towel near the porch of Hershel's farmhouse when Lori nudged you with her elbow. "Look," she said softly, nodding her head toward the tree line.
You turned. And there he was. Daryl. Finally.
He came walking out of the woods, a bag slung over one shoulder. No blood. No obvious injuries. No anger in his walk. Just calm and relaxed, like he hadn't just ghosted you the entire day. And without even looking over to the farmhouse or at the group, he walked straight to his tent and disappeared as if nothing ever happened.
But you knew that it would soon be late enough where no one would pay attention. No one would notice if you moved away during the night. And if Rick or Shane would notice? You somehow counted on Lori to have your back.
You caught sight of Daryl before you made it to him—sitting outside his tent with his back turned, searching through that bag he probably found in that small town nearby like he was checking it for something. And you could see how stiff his shoulders were, even from a distance.
Hesitating for a second, you then decided to walk over to him as quietly as you could manage in hopes of not scaring him off, your hands curled into fists like the pressure might help with the sudden nervousness you felt out of nowhere.
Being close enough after a while, you could see the fumbling of his fingers and the new bits of dirt beneath his nails. You reached out, one hand raised and your fingers stretched, just about to tap his shoulder—and the second your hand made contact?
Daryl moved fast. Too fast.
Before you could even yelp, he had you pushed on your back in the grass, one foot pressing down by your hip, the other leg straddling your thighs. His forearm came down hard near your neck, not on it, but close enough that you knew—if he'd wanted to hurt you, really hurt you, or even worse—he could've.
His other fist was in the air, ready to punch. And then he saw you. Stunned. Taken aback. Breathing hard and trying to cough beneath him.
Daryl's mouth fell open the second he realized it was you. Shock and horror were written all over his face, his eyes quickly looking around, as if unsure what part of your face they should focus on, and his fist dropped instantly.
"Shit! Shit! Fuck," he stammered, pulling back but not quite getting off you. "I ain't—fuck—I didn't know! I thought—hell, I ain't mean—shit! Shit!"
You reached up before he would freak out completely, both hands finding his face. Your thumbs slid along his cheekbones, and he flinched like you'd hit him. But you didn't say a word. You simply lifted yourself as best as possible and kissed his forehead like you'd done before—slow, soft, waiting for him to calm down. You felt the panic slip out of him in shaky breaths, his body relaxing against yours, until you pulled back and wrapped your arms around him.
Daryl didn't say anything. For quite a while, he simply let you hug him, his forehead dropping against your shoulder like he wasn't sure he deserved it.
Eventually, he crawled off you completely and helped you up, grumbling a bunch of apologies—and curses—as he did. You could barely make them out. He was red in the face, not just from embarrassment but from shame.
Brushing your palms off, you followed his eyes to the open bag beside his tent. Whatever was in there had fallen out in the heat of the moment—some canned food, a bottle of water, some medicine he'd found, a few hygiene things that looked suspiciously like they'd been taken from a women's section—and then, carefully folded underneath it all, was a dress.
Pink. With ribbons. Not over-the-top, but definitely... you. Your size. Your style.
"Well," you said with a smirk, stepping closer and crouching beside the bag. "What's this?"
Daryl went stiff. "I—ain't—look, I didn't mean nothin' by it," he answered fast, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand like he wanted to disappear into the ground. "Was just... y'know, ya still like all that stuff, an' I saw it hangin' there all clean-like, figured it'd maybe... I dunno... ya still like that kinda shit, right? Thought maybe ya'd... wear it. Or somethin'. Ain't mean nothin' by it, just saw it, figured it was dumb, but it made me think'a ya, and—fuck…"
"It's not stupid," you said, cutting him off gently, but he looked at you like he couldn't quite believe you meant it.
You picked up the dress carefully with your hands, held it against your chest, and spun a little around as if you were modeling for him. "You got the size right. And it's got some ribbons as well... You really have been paying attention, huh? To everything."
His head was so red by now you thought it might explode on the spot.
"I like it," you continued, more quietly this time, not wanting to push him too much. "A lot."
Daryl swallowed so hard it was almost audible, his eyes looking at the dress, then to your face, then immediately away again. "Y'do?"
You nodded.
"Yer so fuckin' weird," he responded, but it sounded like a joke. No anger behind it.
"Guess I am," you answered with a smirk. "And I guess you like weird girls who wear pink dresses and make you sleep like a baby when they hold you."
Daryl opened his mouth to argue for a second, then shut it again. Stepping toward him and sliding a hand into his hair, brushing through it gently, you watched how his eyes shut close at the contact. He was so touch-starved it somehow hurt to see.
"Ya, uh... ya gonna go back to yer tent now?"
You tilted your head in confusion at his sudden question. "Why? Do you want me to leave?"
Daryl shrugged a little, rubbing the back of his neck once more. "Just... Y'know. 'S gettin' cold and all."
"Daryl? It's warm. I won't freeze to death." Shaking your head, you held back a smile. "Are you asking me to stay?"
He huffed a breath and gave a helpless little nod of his head, not looking at you. "Yeah, yeah, right… But… Ain't askin'. Just… Would be okay if ya did, s'all."
Quickly taking a step back, you leaned down to put all the things that had fallen out of his bag back into it, picking it up and holding it out to him until he took it. Finding his other hand, you then put it into yours.
"I'll stay."
Daryl followed behind in silence as you slipped inside his tent without any hesitation, with him throwing the bag into one corner of the tent as fast as he could. Inside, it was dark, but not pitch black—the moon gave you just enough light to see everything—the sleeping bag, his gear, and the flannel shirt you'd given him that smelled like you, lying right next to where some improvised pillow was lying on the ground.
You turned toward him, still holding his big, calloused hand in yours. His fingers twitched like he wasn't sure if he was supposed to let go or tighten his grip.
"So," you said softly, smiling at him. "We sleeping or what?"
Daryl shrugged, his eyes switching from you to the sleeping bag like the situation was somehow too complicated for his brain to process. "Yeah," he grumbled, "guess so."
He sat down awkwardly first, then lay back, giving the sleeping bag a few rough pats like that was going to magically make it more comfortable. You crawled right beside Daryl and turned your back to him instinctively, expecting him to just sort of… get it.
But Daryl didn't move an inch.
Peeking over your shoulder, he just grunted at you, clearly ashamed and confused, but finally slid closer next to you. He lay on his side behind you, arms straight at his sides like he was getting ready for a casket instead of cuddles.
You waited. And waited…
Finally, you sighed and reached behind you, grabbing his wrist and putting his hand over your waist.
Daryl went rigid. Completely tensed up and unsure. So you laughed to yourself and wiggled back into him until his chest was pressed against your back and his big, strong arm rested across your stomach.
"Do you still not know how spooning works, Dixon?"
Still awkward. Still stiff.
"What, this?" He scoffed. "Ain't nothin' to it."
But his voice cracked just a little, and you could feel the hesitation in the way he touched you. Careful. Nervous, even. But you didn't push him. You just covered his hand with yours and rubbed your thumb over his knuckles.
Daryl's breathing slowed eventually. You felt his nose against the back of your head, his fingers twitching now and then against your side, and soon, your body relaxed too, feeling his chest rising and falling behind your back.
You felt safe, stupidly so, when you dozed off like that. And it might've been an hour later when you felt it.
A little movement. Barely there, at first. Just the press of his hips rougher against you, and then again.
And again.
You blinked awake slowly, still a little bit sleepy. And then it hit you.
He was hard. Really hard. And he was—shit, he was humping you in his sleep.
Not fully. Not aggressively. But enough that you could feel the drag of his cock against your ass, big and hard, right through his pants, softly grinding, lazy and slow, as if he didn't even know he was doing it.
You smirked to yourself, eyes still half closed, not daring to move just yet.
Holy shit, that man was packing.
With your thighs clenching a little without even wanting them to do so, you didn't even need to see it to know. You could feel it. How thick he was. How the head of his cock pressed against you when he moved like he was grinding in a daze, with no idea you were wide awake by now.
You bit your lip at the realization of it all—Daryl Dixon, quietly, accidentally dry-humping you in his sleep as if he was desperate and didn't know how to ask for what he wanted.
Holding your breath, you tried not to giggle—because laughing would wake him up, and waking him up might ruin the moment. Or worse, embarrass the hell out of him. But shit, the way his hips rolled was so slow and lazy… His body was dreaming of something he'd never admit to wanting.
Another sigh left his lips. This one was more like a whimper. And that's when your thighs clenched for real. You pressed your lips together, closing your eyes. You couldn't help it. Couldn't stop your hand from drifting down to rest on his again. The one he still had on your waist.
Daryl's fingers twitched. He reacted. Shit, was he waking up?
"Mhm..." He mumbled. Not a word. Just a sound. And he moved again, a little more this time, his cock pressing harder against your ass, making your breath hitch.
The longer it went on, the hotter it got—him so unknowingly needy, and you, getting wet from the feel of it, every roll of his hips pressing that thick, aching cock against you like it just needed somewhere to go.
Daryl let out another soft sound behind you. Not a groan. Just a broken sigh that made you swallow hard and your pussy throb.
You could wake him up. You could turn around. You could grab his jaw, kiss him just like that, and show him what to do next. Or you could wait a few more seconds and see just how far that sleepy little grind of his was going to go.
And Daryl kept it going, his hips rocking ever so gently, pressing himself against your ass like he was in a different world entirely—a fantasy, a dream—where he got to have this. You. Where it was okay to want.
And oh, how he wanted you. You could also hear it by now, the way his breath hitched just a little more each time he moved. Louder. Another soft whimper barely made it past his lips. You wondered if he even knew he was making those little sounds and if he'd hate himself for them in the morning.
Shifting slowly, you let your thighs part just a little. Not enough to be obvious—just enough to feel him better. You let his hand go, moving back with your own until your fingertips brushed over the side of his thigh. He jerked, only a twitch, like his body felt the touch even if he wasn't awake yet.
Then, quietly, carefully, you rolled over to face him, feeling how his strong arm slipped off your waist. His brow was furrowed just a little, his lips parted, almost looking innocent. And maybe he really was.
Reaching up, you couldn't help but let your thumb touch his bottom lip softly, parting his mouth a little more.
And then, you kissed him. Only one deep kiss.
Poor Daryl had no idea. Or maybe he did and just couldn't help himself. But then you slid your tongue along his lips. That was the moment he stopped moving entirely, and you didn't have to look to know he was wide awake now.
Still, you froze for a second. So did Daryl.
Then he pulled back in an instant, realizing what kind of situation he was in. "Shit! I… fuck! What—?"
"I noticed," you whispered and gave him a loving smile in response. "And I simply kissed you in return."
He opened his mouth, like maybe he had something to say, maybe an apology, maybe an excuse, but you beat him to it. Crawling toward him, you quickly pushed him back down to keep him from escaping you, straddling him.
Daryl's face turned a shade of red you didn't think possible for a man who spent all day out in the sun. "I—I didn't know I was—fuck, I didn't mean nothin' by it! I wasn't…"
You caught one of his hands and wrapped your fingers around his. "It's okay," you said, your thumb stroking his knuckles gently. "Was kinda cute, actually."
He made a strangled noise like he couldn't decide whether to groan or storm out of his tent as fast as possible. "Cute?" He asked, clearly offended by the word.
"Yeah… You heard me," you answered, sliding your hand down between your bodies until your palm pressed against the hard outline of his cock.
Daryl didn't know what to say anymore, but he didn't stop you either.
So you kissed him again, with just enough pressure to make him gasp. You felt the way his mouth opened for you, the way he stopped breathing, so you let your hand continue to move against his cock ever so slowly, and when it moved over the thick tip of it, he choked out a sound that damn near made you moan in return.
"Jesus," he groaned, letting his head fall back with his eyes squeezed shut.
Taking the opportunity, you leaned forward and kissed his jaw and his neck, nipping gently at his skin.
He was already so fucking hard…
"Shit," he hissed through clenched teeth like the word had been ripped out of him.
"What?" You smiled against him. "You literally hump me in your sleep and then act like you don't want it when you're awake?"
He made another strangled sound, somewhere between a grunt and a moan this time, his face turning deep red. "I wasn't—I didn't!"
Daryl's eyes looked into yours, wild and wide, and then lower, down your body.
"Yeah, you did," you smirked, pulling back a little, not wanting to overwhelm him. "You just didn't know I'd let you. Now..."
Making yourself comfortable to straddle him tighter, you pulled your shirt up and over your head, slow enough to make your point clear. His eyes never left your skin—staring at every inch like it was something new, something forbidden. Your bra came off next.
And Daryl looked like he forgot how to breathe. His jaw dropped, his tongue wetting his lips so fast he didn't even realize he was doing it, his eyes fixed on your tits like he was terrified to blink, and his hands twitched at his sides.
You tilted your head and grinned. "Are you going to touch or do you want to stare all night?"
Swallowing hard and not wanting to refuse, one hand came up trembling, like he was expecting you to slap it away, but then he stopped halfway.
"Daryl... I'm letting you. Just try and touch me."
That certainly helped. His fingers moved up your waist first, cautiously, like he needed to warm up to the idea. Then, slowly—so goddamn slowly—he brought his hand up to your chest.
And fuck, the look on his face… As if he'd never seen a naked woman in his life and wasn't sure if he was hallucinating or about to die from it.
Daryl's palm cupped one of your tits with doubt, but also hunger, like he wanted to devour them but was too scared he'd hurt you if he squeezed too hard.
He didn't even squeeze. He held.
But when you gasped—when your back arched a little more and your mouth dropped open in a silent moan—then he started to touch, kneading gently, his thumb brushing over your nipple, where he didn't even realize what he was doing until you shivered from it.
His eyes looked up to yours, panic on his face, thinking maybe that noise meant he did it wrong.
Reassuring him, you shook your head, smiling gently. "That was good, baby. Don't stop."
Daryl didn't. He kept touching. You could see the way his jaw clenched, see the tense muscles in his neck, and feel the way his cock twitched hard beneath you in an attempt to hold himself back from thrusting up against you.
Leaning down, you let your tits rub across his chest up to his face, just enough to tease, and kissed the corner of his mouth.
Daryl whimpered. He whimpered, the poor thing…
You could feel the tremble in his thighs now, his hand still clinging to your tit with a look that said he was afraid you'd change your mind. But his fingers tightened further, wanting to make himself believe that your sounds weren't even pity, but want. Real want.
"Do you want to come for me, Daryl?"
His hips bucked up without permission, and his breath hitched again at your words, all the while you kept your hand on him—pressing and sliding your palm over the bulge in his pants, feeling how hard he was, but still trying to hold himself together, which was getting harder with every second that passed.
"I, uh," he stuttered, almost too quiet to hear. His eyes went shut when your fingers squeezed just the tip of his cock through his pants out of nowhere. "F-fuck—don't… don't... PLEASE."
You bit back a grin. There it was.
His hips bucked up once again, just a little, trying to get you to touch him some more. It was obvious that his body didn't care that he had no real idea what he was doing—it wanted more of you.
Leaning in close, you let your tongue lick over his parted lips. "You sound like you're begging for it, you know..."
Daryl's eyes snapped open at your words.
Wide. Confused. Embarrassed.
You watched the realization hit him—watched him remember what sounds came out of his throat. His mouth was still open, attempting to take it back, maybe deny it—but nothing came out. Only another moan. By now, he was all whimpers and stutters and fuck-me eyes.
You laughed softly, rolling your hips against his thigh. "Didn't even realize, huh? You're just so damn worked up you don't know what you're saying anymore."
Tilting your head, you pressed another soft kiss to the corner of his mouth before dragging your lips along his jaw. "You never had someone make you feel like this before, Daryl?"
"N-no…"
"Mhm," you smiled against his skin. "I didn't think so."
Daryl whimpered again, and you felt his cock twitch under your palm.
You leaned closer, letting your breath tickle his ear, whispering. "Does your dick get hard like this for just anybody, sweetheart?"
His head turned to the side with the expression of someone who was more than just ashamed.
"I'm gonna touch you for real, Daryl," you whispered, not moving your hand further for now. "And you're going to be good and let me. You're going to say ‘thank you,' too… like a sweet little boy who listens."
"I…"
"You what?"
"I… thanks," he stammered, hardly able to say it out loud.
"Good boy. All the while you're begging for it without even meaning to."
His hips jerked up again—uselessly on instinct—and he made the softest sound you'd ever listened to in your life. Was it a sob? You weren't sure with his fingers still on your tits and him looking too stunned to do anything.
"Oh, baby…" You smirked, pretending to be all sweet and kind while grinding down against his thigh. "You want it that bad?"
Daryl nodded. Just a tiny, helpless nod—but he meant it.
You sat back some more, sliding your hand from his cock up to the button of his pants, but didn't open it. Not now. Reaching up, you started to open the buttons of his own flannel shirt instead, one by one, only to kiss your way to the middle of his chest. One kiss. Then another. Then lower, sliding your lips and tongue down to his stomach.
He was panting now, his chest rising and falling wildly, his other hand twitching like he didn't know where to put it. "Please," he whispered. It slipped out quietly. But you heard it. Hell, you felt it.
"Please?" You asked, not stopping your trail of kisses down to the skin just above the waistband of his pants. "Please, what? Tell me."
"Dunno," he whimpered, almost desperate. "Just, just—don't leave."
You couldn't help but giggle at his words, kissing his skin just above his belly button. "Don't worry, Daryl. I won't leave, and believe me, I'll tell you what to do."
He blinked down at you, looking like he'd agree to anything if you just kept touching him like this.
As soon as you got off, kneeling down beside him, you grabbed his jaw. "Lay back onto the sleeping bag."
He obeyed immediately, lying down flat on his back and breathing like he'd run for miles, his eyes looking from your face to your tits and back again.
You straddled him again, slowly, getting comfortable like you had all the time in the world. "Wanna suck on my tits now?"
His mouth dropped open at your question. No sound came out. Just an overwhelmed, shaky cough. Suddenly cupping your own tit in your hand, you gave it a light squeeze, then brushed your thumb over your nipple, watching how Daryl's eyes followed the movement of your finger.
"How many times do I have to tell you? I'm letting you, Daryl," you whispered. "Come on. You can do that. Be a good boy for me and do as I say."
Daryl nodded slowly, pushing himself up on his elbows and thinking he might still be dreaming of a fantasy. A fantasy he's had since the first time he saw you at the quarry outside of Atlanta. But he already knew it back then… how you'd become his undoing.
You guided him gently, making yourself comfortable next to him now, and arched a little closer so he didn't have to reach far. He stared for one more second—just one—and then leaned in. Awkwardly so. His mouth was unsure at first, with quivering lips brushing over your nipple that didn't quite know what was allowed and what was not.
So you sighed and put your fingers into his hair, caressing the back of his head. "Open that pretty mouth, sweetheart."
Daryl obeyed. You brought your nipple to his mouth and watched him. Watched him take it in, his lips wrapping around it as if he was scared. "That's it," you whispered. "Suck."
He did. Carefully at first—then with more confidence when your hand returned to his hair, guiding him. His tongue flicked over your nipple, his lips sucking gently, then harder when he heard you moan. You felt the way his cock throbbed beneath your thigh, how he was still so hard it probably hurt—but he didn't ask for anything. Didn't even grind up to feel more. He just sucked. Sweet. Quietly. Needy.
"You're doing so good right now," you whispered, letting him take the other nipple into his mouth next, his tongue moving with more urgency now. "Look how well you listen."
Daryl whined again but never stopped. By the time you looked down at him again, his lips were shiny, and his cock was leaking so much precum that his pants were dark and soaked through a little.
But you let him continue to explore your tits as long as he wanted to—slow little licks, then sucking gently, then sucking harder when he was sure you liked it as much as he did. One of his hands came back up too, holding your tit, trying to memorize the feel of it while he kept going, switching sides when your hand in his hair pulled it a little.
And all the while, he kept making those noises. Not words. Just quiet, breathy sounds. Whimpers. Moans. Every now and then, a broken little 'fuck' or 'shit,' wanting to try and hide that he couldn't really handle it. Pulling back after a while, only enough to see his face, you smiled down at him.
Daryl only blinked at you, so you kissed his temple. "Do you realize how sweet you are? I bet I could make you come like this. Just from sucking on my tits."
That made his hips buck again. And the noise that came out of him? Practically a whine. You knew it now—knew Daryl. How desperate he was. How careful. And you could tell that he was already close. Only from this. The thought alone turned you on.
You couldn't help but press your knee between his legs to tease him a little and to feel it—that cock throbbing against you, for you, and still aching. Poor boy was losing it, and you hadn't even taken his pants off yet.
Reaching down slowly, you let your fingers tease the skin near the waistband, making him shiver. Daryl froze for a moment like he was trying not to run away. But he didn't stop you, even though he was still fighting with himself. You worked his button open, then, patiently, pulled the zipper down just enough to slip your hand into it. His breath hitched when you brushed over the front of his boxers. So warm. So hard. Fuck, he felt like steel, and he throbbed so wildly under your hand when you barely even touched him.
"You're so cute," you whispered, letting your lips kiss his jaw as your hand started moving over his cock. "So sweet…"
Daryl moaned—not even loud enough, really, making it sound like a broken whimper. He looked down between you with disbelief in his eyes. It was clear no one had ever touched him that way before. And he wasn't even able to concentrate on touching you as well when you teased him for a while through his boxers.
Long strokes. Nothing fast. And enough to keep him on edge.
Watching him being this close so easily felt almost unfair.
"Don't," he whined all of a sudden. "I—I can't!"
"You can, believe me," you hushed him softly, watching him hide his face out of embarrassment, but you could still hear every broken little noise that left him. Then you slid your hand down, right inside his boxers.
Trembling and barely able to hold himself together, he gave you a shocked gasp when your fingers wrapped around his cock. His body betrayed him, wanting more before his mind could even catch up.
"You poor thing." You said, kissing his neck. "I hope that didn't hurt?"
Daryl didn't answer. He couldn't. His hand had grabbed part of the sleeping bag, eyes shut tight when you started to move your hand—once. Just a pump. Twice. Again. Watching the way he reacted to every single one. He couldn't stop shaking. Couldn't stop gasping.
"Already this wet and leaking," you smirked, feeling the precum dripping down along his shaft. "It's quite impressive how much you're trying to be good."
"Please…" He then sobbed, and you looked up at him. That red face. Those quivering lips. His pleading eyes.
Oh, shit.
Your brain just kind of stopped working when your fingers wrapped harder around his cock at that sight. He felt so warm. So thick. And Daryl groaned—deep, broken, as if in actual pain—and his hips bucked up just barely. Lord... He really was desperate.
Slowly pumping his shaft with your hand moving up and down, you kept the pressure torturously gentle, making his abs clench every time you reached the base of his cock, his breath shuddering.
He was losing it, and his hand found your wrist suddenly, gripping—not to stop you, but to beg you without words.
You leaned down, lips brushing over his jaw. "What is it, baby? You wanna come for me?"
A strangled groan left him. He was too scared to say yes.
"You think I'll stop if you come too fast?"
Daryl didn't know if he should nod or shake his head at your words, and it turned into a mix of both. It looked almost pathetically wholesome how this strong man let himself go in a way you could've never even imagined. Especially not a few days ago.
"Good thing I want to see you come." And then, without warning, you changed your rhythm, pumping his cock harder now, faster.
"F-FUCK—m'sorry—I can't!" He moaned, louder this time. His back arched up off the sleeping bag, unable to control his body anymore, even though he wanted to.
Your other hand went to his hair again, stroking it gently. "Look at you. So cute. And I haven't even started riding you."
"I—I'll do anythin'! Just wanna come for ya… fuck! I'll be good!"
"Oh, I know you'll be good," you giggled. "But good boys wait. Good boys hold it back."
"Please," Daryl whimpered in response. "Please, please, please…"
You hushed him, cupping his cheek as he shook, letting it overwhelm him. Every twitch. Every breath. Every bit of feelings he didn't know how to handle.
"That's it, baby," you encouraged him. "Good boys come when they're told... Do it."
His whole body jerked and tensed up. A quiet, choked groan, a full-body tremble, and then a broken moan that ripped itself from his throat as he came—hard—right in your hand.
You felt Daryl's cum shoot into his boxers, his cock pulsing against your palm while he gasped for breath, hoping that maybe you wouldn't see how ashamed he was.
"N-no," he whimpered to himself. "I—I didn't wanna! Fuck!"
"You didn't want to?" You teased softly, licking your lips. "Seemed like your dick had other plans."
Daryl groaned again as he let himself fall back down onto the sleeping bag, his hands covering his face, totally embarrassed. He didn't even realize your hand was still inside his pants, but you felt him shiver beneath you, his cock still throbbing in your grip.
He was quiet. Not because he didn't have anything to say—but because he didn't know how to handle this situation. Even when his sticky cum in his pants had to be starting to feel awkward, he just lay there, soon with his hands over his face.
But eventually, you moved just a little and smiled, "Let me clean you up."
Daryl stiffened immediately. "Ya don't gotta—"
"No arguing. Be quiet. Give me something to clean you with. I want to. Now."
He flinched at that as if it hurt more than helped, but he obeyed, reaching for a cloth near him. You sat up gently and took it from him, just when he tried to push you back down—his hand on your body feeling so unsure, like he didn't even know how to ask you not to leave. But you just kissed his forehead.
"Just a few seconds, sweet boy. Then you can go back to hugging me."
It made Daryl grumble, but he let go. You pulled his pants and boxers down slowly, cleaning him up with care. Like taking care of him was just what you did. And Daryl watched in silence. Red in the face, lips parted, still breathing a little too fast.
He didn't say thank you. But his hand found your thigh, poking it to make you notice him. It was a nervous apology for coming too soon, for shaking too hard, and for needing too much.
Once you were done, you smiled and kissed his forehead again. Then you crawled back into his arms, and this time, you were facing each other. Daryl's hand trembled where it rested on your back. Not from exhaustion—though you knew he was exhausted—but from a little bit of fear. So you hugged him. Let him breathe. Let him come down for a while. And when he finally spoke, it was so quiet you almost missed it.
"Yer not… just doin' this 'cause—I dunno," He started. "Told ya… ya don't gotta pretend."
You tilted his face up, kissing the tip of his nose. "Daryl. Stop. Stop it right there."
Without saying anything, he put his head beneath your chin, one arm trying to pull you closer. You were still shirtless, and you felt the way his breath stuttered against your skin when his cheek pressed to your tits once more, but he didn't try to pull away this time. Didn't want you to cover up, either.
He just grumbled something into your skin, probably some curses, and you couldn't help but giggle. Another grumble. And his arm only held you tighter.
"You know… I know that you know that Maggie and Glenn went to the town not far from here, right? The pharmacy's still got a stash… I bet," you smirked, kissing his hair.
That made him lift his head just a little more. "What kinda stash?" He asked, confused.
"Oh, I dunno. Things a girl might need. Like... lip balm. Some body lotion. Maybe even condoms."
You ran your fingers through his hair again, and Daryl stared at you. Clearly shocked. His mouth opened, but he couldn't say anything, just like before.
"And if there are still some left," you added in a thoughtful voice, "maybe I'd put on that pink dress… Let you lay back. Let me climb on and ride you until I come."
Daryl whined. Honest-to-God whined and dropped his face back against your tits so fast it made you laugh. "Oh, you like that idea," you teased, stroking the back of his neck.
Without answering that question, he nuzzled deeper against your tits, praying that if he hid there long enough, the shame would go away. You stayed like this a little longer, just feeling the way his body stayed tense against yours, but Daryl feared that maybe if he moved again, he'd come a second time just from breathing the air you were breathing as well.
"Hey," you soon whispered into his hair.
A muffled grunt answered you.
"I've been thinking…"
Another grunt. Thinking was clearly dangerous right now.
"About that pink dress you got me," you smiled against his head, sliding your fingers up the back of his neck gently. He didn't say anything. But you could feel the answer.
Leaning back just enough to search for his gaze, you looked down at him. His eyes, still a little glassy, still wide and panicked, blinked up at you.
"Daryl," you continued, "do you want me to wear it for you?"
His mouth dropped open. Then shut it again. "I—I dunno…"
"You don't know?" You asked sweetly. "Or do you not want to say it out loud?"
He looked away fast, so you just giggled and cupped his cheek. "It's okay. You don't have to say it. But maybe…" You let your thumb slide slowly across his skin, making him shiver. "Maybe I should try it on right now."
His whole body tensed up immediately when you pulled away, trying to reach for the bag where the dress was still inside, along with the other things he'd scavenged.
"What? No... No, don't!" Daryl reached for your wrist, panicking, but his pants were still half-down his thighs, and he couldn't move worth shit. "Just wait! I didn't... I just—fuck!"
But you were already crawling to the other side of his tent as you reached for the bag to get your hands on that dress again.
"Don't," he still begged, sitting up halfway but unable to stop you. "Ain't—just… Just wear it t'morrow!"
You turned to look at him, though you were a little confused by his weird reaction. "I could wear it tomorrow, or I could just wear it right now. Where is the difference? Why are you freaking out about a dress?"
"I ain't freakin' out!" He snapped back, his voice rising, and yanked his boxers and pants completely down to get them off and to finally move. "Just don't—ain't no need for ya to wear it now!"
"Daryl, stop… I'm sorry, but," you laughed, grabbing the bag anyway, "now I have to wear it. Whether you like it or not. And I think you will like it. Calm down."
Daryl groaned and dropped back flat onto the sleeping bag, his hands covering his face. "Jesus...shit…"
You pulled the first couple of items out that you've seen before: the canned food, the bottle of water, the medicine, and other hygiene things that he probably got for you. But once you reached for the dress, your hand touched something else at the bottom of the bag.
Pulling it out slowly and turning it over in your hands, you had to blink several times in disbelief.
"...Daryl." He didn't answer, and you stared at the condoms in your hand. "Are these… what I think they are?"
He groaned once more and turned his head away from you, feeling how the shame was about to kill him. "I ain't—I wasn't—I just found ‘em!"
"Found them?" You responded, grinning by now. "And you just happened to put them safely into the bottom of your bag? For what, for emergencies?"
He grumbled something you couldn't make out, so you turned back and got closer to him, waving the condoms in front of his face on purpose. "Daryl Dixon," you whispered playfully, "you got these because of me."
"Nah. I didn't."
"You little liar," you smirked. "You didn't think I'd find out? Or were you just hopingyou'd need them in the future?"
"I didn't even think ya'd—" He sat up finally, his face red all over, and ran a hand through his hair. "I ain't even know if they're good; I just…"
Leaning in close, you reached down between you both, putting your hand on his thigh and feeling him shiver. "You've been dreaming about fucking me, haven't you, Daryl?"
His breath hitched.
"Don't worry, baby. I won't do anything… yet. But…" You leaned in to whisper right into his ear. "I love knowing that you thought about it."
Moving slowly, you gently pushed him back down by the chest until he lay flat again, with his eyes shut tight and parted lips.
"I should reward you," you continued, crawling onto him. "For being brave enough to even think about it."
Daryl's hands twitched at his sides as you straddled him, not right against his cock, but close enough.
"Undo my pants," you smiled, and he froze. "You heard me."
"I—I don't…" His voice cracked. "I never—"
"Doesn't matter," you promised, nuzzling his neck now. "All you gotta do is use your hands."
With shaky fingers, he actually reached for your waistband, but still, he looked at you once, pleading in confusion, and you gave him a nod. "Go on, baby. You can do that."
The button popped open under his fingers.
"Good boy," you praised softly. "Now the zipper."
His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. But he did it. Slowly. Carefully.
You moved your hips to help him, watching as he opened your pants, and when your panties peeked out beneath them, Daryl let out another shaky breath.
"Want me to take them off for you?" You asked, all gentle and sweet.
He nodded fast. Desperate. Unsure if he should've said no and shaken his head instead, especially since he didn't know what you'd say next.
"No… You do it."
"W-what?" He asked in shock, staring at you.
"You're the one who wants to see," you teased. "So go on, sweetheart. Take them off as well. Not just my pants."
He was breathing harder again now, his chest rising and falling fast, his hands shaking like he didn't dare to touch.
"Don't be scared. You won't hurt me. I promise."
Slowly, shakily, his hands slid to your waistband. With a quiet grunt and a whole lot of effort, he tugged them down your hips.
"I—" His voice cut off into another broken groan. He was getting hard again. You could feel it. Your position over his thighs was perfect, and that little bit of pressure was definitely waking up his cock.
"Shit… Please…" He begged, though he probably didn't even know what he was asking for.
But it didn't matter. You were going to give it to him anyway. Let him take off your panties. Let him see everything.
Out of nowhere, you stood up and got off of him slowly. He was still laid out on the sleeping bag, not wanting to move unless told to. Picking the pink dress back up from where you left it, you watched the way Daryl's eyes stayed on you while you played around with it.
"You want me to put this on for you, baby?" You asked, your voice sounding as sweet as sugar. "Me wearing this while I ride your dick like I promised?"
Daryl let out another groan and tried to hide his face behind his forearm.
"Oh no. Don't be shy now," you grinned, getting him to peek at you from under his arm in return, trying not to smile in embarrassment.
You held the dress up and slowly put it on, not pulling it all the way down just yet—only down to your hips, holding it there. You knew what you were doing, and so did he.
"You're thinking about it right now, aren't you? Me in this little thing… climbing on top of you, telling you how to fuck me? Or maybe I'd ride you with it bunched up around my waist, my tits out of the top for you to suck on like before…"
Daryl whimpered again with a visibly harder cock that wanted more, even if he wasn't sure he should.
Stepping further away from him, you pointed down at the end of his sleeping bag in front of you. "Crawl to me."
Daryl wasn't sure he'd heard you right and tilted his head.
"You heard me. Crawl. To. Me."
He opened his mouth to protest, but you looking at him like that stopped him before a word came out. Shame-faced and trembling, he started to move. And it wasn't exactly graceful. Daryl was awkward as hell trying to crawl with his cock hardening against his thigh, but he did it—hands on the ground, knees following as he moved closer, his face burning red the entire way.
Reaching down, you grabbed his jaw to make him look at you. "Good boy," you praised him with a smile. "Do you really want me to wear this dress when I ride you? Tell me."
"Y-yeah," he nodded shakily.
You smirked, letting out a relaxed sigh. "You really wanna be inside me while I'm wearing it, huh?" Another whimper. A twitch from his cock below. "But you know what you have to do first, don't you?"
Daryl swallowed, looking away from you. "N-no?"
You grinned a little and slid your other hand into the waistband of your panties but didn't pull them down. "You still need to take these off for me. But not with your hands."
He stared at you again, lips parted, a confused expression on his face. "Huh?"
"With your mouth, Daryl," you answered dryly, biting your tongue after those words left you.
His eyes widened. "With… with my—my…"
"Use your teeth," you continued sweetly, letting go of his jaw. "I'm not using my hands. And neither are you. Go on."
Daryl stared at what was in front of him, right at your panties, swallowing hard. And you? You just stepped a little closer. Close enough that your thighs were almost touching his face. "Do it, Dixon."
He stopped, but then you felt his breath on your skin as he leaned in, trembling. With his mouth open, he slowly caught the edge of the waistband between his lips, his nose pressing against your lower stomach. You gasped softly as the warmth of his breath hit your skin, his teeth barely biting into the fabric as he pulled at it. It took everything in you not to moan at how careful he was.
Working your panties down awkwardly slow, Daryl was clearly unsure if he was doing it right. But you just sighed calmly and stroked his hair, praising him further. "That's it. You're doing so good. Keep going, sweetheart."
He grunted, pulling them further down inch by inch, kissing your skin accidentally between his pulls, his stubble brushing your inner thigh—and by the time they slipped past your hips, his nose was buried close enough to your pussy that you felt his shaky breath there.
"That's good, baby. Now pull them all the way down."
Daryl obeyed. His teeth pulled them lower until your panties dropped to your ankles, and you stepped out of them, one foot at a time. You bent to pick them up, but not before giving him a full view of your pussy. Though you didn't have to ask—his eyes were already staring, wide and stunned.
"Gonna let me ride your dick with nothing but this pretty little dress on?" You asked once more to get his attention back, running your fingers over your thigh.
No answer.
You looked down at his cock; by now it was already leaking.
"Now, look at that," you smirked. "I think you liked that more than you want to admit."
Daryl simply nodded, his hands twitching like he wanted to touch you, to taste, but was too scared to do so.
"Can you wait for me?" You asked, wanting to calm him down softly. "Can you stay good a little longer?"
He nodded when you leaned down, giving him another kiss on the mouth, slow and soft, before you took a few steps toward the bag, grabbing one of the condoms. Daryl was still kneeling, his eyes looking from your fingers to your face, trying to commit the whole moment to memory in case it was just a fever dream in the end, even after everything that has happened so far.
"Lie back down."
Crouching down after you said those words and helping Daryl with pushing him onto his back again, you suddenly moved to press a kiss to the tip of his cock—just a quick one—and he almost sobbed. You then crawled up into his lap, straddling him, your pussy just above it, not touching it yet.
"Arms over your head," you said next, watching as he obeyed without any words.
Stretching them and holding one wrist with one of his hands made his biceps flex instantly, while he himself was looking all helpless beneath you.
That was the moment you were the one almost losing your mind—just because of him.
You hadn't expected how immensely strong he looked laid out like that. The second his arms flexed, you stopped breathing. No, you hadn't expected it at all. You'd known he was strong, sure—years of hunting, tracking, and surviving life—but seeing it? Your mouth went dry.
"Goddamn…" You stammered before you could stop yourself, blushing slightly.
Meanwhile, Daryl looked at you kind of confused, not understanding what was wrong. "What?"
"N-nothing," you answered quickly, hoping he wasn't able to notice the effect he had on you. "Just… stay still. Eyes on me."
He obeyed again. Good boy. Too good. So good that you had to let out a deep, long breath. And he saw it. But you caught yourself quickly, pressing your thighs a little together to hold back the trembling building between them, your knees pushing against either side of his hips.
"Don't move," you whispered. "Not a muscle."
Leaning back ever so slightly and spreading your legs wide enough to show off everything, you then slid your hand down the dress. "You will stay quiet and watch me," you explained to him. "That's all you're allowed to do for now."
You slid your fingers down over your belly, past the edge of the dress, and let your touch slip between your thighs, making your breath hitch, and his too. Daryl's hips twitched slightly, but he still didn't move his arms. He just bit his lower lip, which was trembling a bit now. But you kept your movements slow. One finger was sliding between your pussy folds, parting them. Then two fingers, spreading them wider and teasing yourself, rubbing them softly over your clit while you moaned—just for him.
Daryl groaned in return, and you pushed your fingers deeper, pressing inside enough to feel how wet you were before pulling them out and bringing them back to your mouth. You sucked one finger clean—still watching him—and his body shivered, his fists clenching where they lay above his head.
"Poor baby," you teased him on purpose. "You're trying so hard, aren't you?"
Daryl nodded desperately. No words, just him nodding, wanting you to save him from himself. Then, he did something again that made you stop.
Only one thing.
One tiny, unplanned, accidental thing.
Something he'd done since you'd woken him from grinding and humping against your ass in his sleep. It was him looking at you. But not at your tits, not at your pussy, but at your face. Daryl looked up at you with those goddamn blue eyes, as if he was already in love with you and wanting you to notice that this wasn't only about lust—it was all about you, you, you.
"God… f-fuck… Daryl," you whispered with a shaky voice.
Immediately grabbing for the condom next to you, you quickly bit at the edge of it, fast, tearing the package open with your teeth. Daryl's eyes went wide in confusion as you held the torn wrapper between your teeth, letting him see it there while you stared him down, lips parted around the piece you bit off, before spitting it away to the side.
Taking out the condom and throwing the rest of the package away, you moved lower over his body until your face was right above his cock. You watched Daryl flinch, his legs tensing as you reached out, gently wrapping your fingers around his shaft. He hissed through his teeth, whimpering at the feeling of your touch.
"Hush now," you whispered and began pumping him slowly, with just your fingertips at first. He throbbed in your hand, his head dropping back against the sleeping bag as you worked him up.
Still keeping your eyes looking at his, you leaned down toward his cock and pressed your lips to the tip, making it leak even harder, but you did manage to hold him still.
Smirking at him next, you brought the condom to your face instead, putting the ring of it carefully between your lips, and used only your mouth to roll it down over his shaft, inch by inch, holding his shaft steady with one hand. It took effort. But you managed it. When the condom finally slid all the way down, you pulled back, leaning over him again and letting your tits press against his chest.
Daryl moaned quietly, so you just kissed him again—really kissed him.
Not like before. This time, you kissed him roughly, letting your tongue slide into his mouth. He gasped and shivered under you, his tongue all clumsy but wanting more, his body shaking all over.
"Look at you," you whispered against his jaw when you pulled back. "Lying there and just waiting for me to fuck you."
Daryl swallowed hard at your words. Then you moved, sitting upright on his thighs and moving forward until your pussy pressed to the length of his cock, still not letting him inside, just grinding yourself down along the shaft.
The warmth of his cock, the shape… Shit, it felt good.
"F-fuck," Daryl breathed out when you rocked forward again, sliding up slowly, notching the tip ever so slightly against your clit before grinding back down.
"Shit—please—fuck."
You laughed as a response, short and sweet, and reached up to grab one of the straps of the dress, letting it slip slowly off your shoulder. It slid down, giving him another chance to look at your tits again.
"Wanna suck?" You asked him, and he nodded helplessly, staring up at you with an overwhelmed expression.
Leaning back down, you offered it to him. His mouth found your tit instantly, his lips sucking on your nipple while you kept grinding down along his cock. You could feel how close he was again, his cock throbbing with every little movement.
"God," you moaned. "You make me feel so good, Daryl..."
He whimpered against your skin, sucking harder at your nipple, until you straightened up, letting it slip from his mouth, only to reach down and grip his cock, guiding the tip right where you wanted it to be next.
That first moment—simply letting the tip of his cock push against your soaked pussy—was almost too much. Even through the condom, you felt everything. The thickness. The throbbing of it. The sheer size of him.
Jesus Christ. He really was big.
Then, slowly, so goddamn slowly, you sank down onto him. The tip of his cock pushed into you with such a deep, thick stretch, it made you both moan—louder and longer, but not too loud. And you took your time. Letting inch after inch of his cock fill you up until he was completely inside, your ass pressing down onto his lap.
"Holy… holy shit," you breathed out, half-laughing, half-groaning, your hands now on his chest to steady yourself as you rocked your hips forward, letting yourself feel him pulsing inside. "Daryl, you're—fuck…"
Looking down at him, Daryl choked on another moan, but still, he didn't look. That wouldn't do.
"Look at me, baby."
He shook his head, his eyes still squeezed shut. "Can't."
"Why not?"
"Don't wanna fuck it up," he sobbed in return. Your heart damn near broke at that, but you didn't let it show. Instead, you reached out to caress his cheek.
"You're not doing anything wrong. You're doing good. Now open those eyes and look at me."
His eyes opened slowly, almost afraid, but when he looked up at you, they seemed to relax.
And shit, there was that same look on his face again, giving away that he'd never seen anything so unreal in his life. You, in that pink dress, breathing hard, your tits bouncing just slightly as you ground your pussy on his cock, your eyes looking into his like you owned him. Like this moment, this man—was yours.
"There we go," you whispered. "Keep your eyes on me."
And then you lifted yourself just a bit, leaving only the tip of his cock inside of you before you sank back down.
Your mouth dropped open as he slid in again, inch by aching inch, and all you could do was to start riding him faster—and you meant it—your hips rolling, your ass slapping against his thighs. And the more you moved, the harder it was to stay calm. Especially when you looked at his reactions.
"Keep looking," you reminded him with a breathless voice.
Daryl tried; he really did. But his eyes looked down, then back to your face with another loud groan. His hips pushed up once, involuntarily, and you whimpered at the sudden, deep, rough thrust.
"Oh, fuck! Y-you like watching it go in, don't you?"
Daryl bit his lip and nodded, but then looked back at your face as if it was the most important part of you.
Smiling, you began to move faster again, your rhythm picking up, riding him harder now, which had both of you gasping, cursing, and trembling. Your soaked pussy was taking him again and again, his cock filling you so perfectly, stretching you with every movement, so deep you could barely concentrate.
And you loved it. Loved how shy he looked while his cock was buried inside you, loved how he watched you so insecurely, not wanting to hurt you.
Your hands moved to your tits, pulling out the other one, squeezing them right in front of him, and pinching your nipples as you bounced on his cock. That got you a grunt—and a broken, whispered, "Goddamn..."
Now he was really watching.
"Yeah… just like that," you breathed. "That's it, baby. Watch me."
He moaned again, his mouth open now, totally lost.
And you were getting close. You could feel it—the way your clit ground down against him just right, the muscles of your thighs aching from the effort of riding him. But you didn't stop. You could feel him fighting it, staying still beneath you, letting you use him just like you'd promised. But then he bucked again. Out of nowhere, his hips thrust up once more.
"Oh God—fuck!" You nearly screamed, your whole body tensing up as the thick tip of his cock slammed as deep into you as it possibly could.
Your hands searched for his shoulders as you struggled to hold on, and Daryl instantly panicked. "Shit—I—I didn't mean to!"
Not wanting to answer him, one of your hands grabbed for his wrists, holding them down roughly.
"Don't move," you hissed, but your voice cracked, sounding more like begging than an actual command he'd have to follow.
Daryl's biceps flexed, though he didn't resist as you leaned down, kissing him at first, only to bite him next, right on the muscles of one arm. Your lips left a bruise, your teeth a mark, and still you didn't stop moving, your pussy continuing to clench around his cock.
You couldn't even talk anymore. All the words were gone. All you had left were the noises you made. Breathy, broken moans. Shaky, little whimpers every time his cock filled you up completely. Soft, short gasps that escaped between kisses to his arms, his neck, his shoulder—anywhere you could reach his body with your mouth, but without ever letting go of his wrists.
"Fuck, fuck…" Daryl was groaning beneath you, ragged and fast, his muscles twitching under your grip.
He was trying his hardest to hold back, knowing it would be beyond any kind of hope if he let his body continue to respond to your every little touch.
You felt drunk on it. Wild. Overstimulated and insatiable all at once. Then it hit you, that deep feeling inside that told you that your orgasm was coming fast, and you barely managed to choke out the warning.
"S-shit! I'm about to—"
You had to slow down. With shaking hands, you let go of his wrists, putting your palms on his thighs instead, and leaned back—arching your body and trying to keep calm. It was right there… right there.
"Hold me," you then gasped. "Now. Please."
Daryl obeyed. His hands quickly moved to your hips, trembling and sweaty, but still as strong as always. And as soon as he gripped you, it slowed down everything. You didn't exactly know if time had stopped, but it sure felt like it. Just long enough to see him.
"Look at me," you whispered. He already was, and you knew that, but you felt the need to convince yourself that he wouldn't look away.
"I don't want to come without you… I want to come with you. With."
You weren't sure if you were begging or controlling anymore—maybe it was both. Maybe that's what desperation looked like on you: shaking, wet, aching, and stretched full with him, your voice almost nothing but that one plea.
With.
Daryl's fingers tightened just a little on your hips, but he didn't answer. His mouth opened in hopes to answer, to say anything, and to give you everything in return, but nothing came out except a long, needy moan that turned into a needy, broken sound as you rolled your hips slower, with Daryl feeling himself twitch inside you.
"Please," you said again, but this time it was quieter. You were so close it almost hurt—it was just too much—but you waited. You held it back with every bit of strength you had left. Simply to make sure.
Daryl looked done, even scared to let it happen. "'M tryin'…"
His voice broke off, and you nearly screamed. Everything inside you tensed up. "Come with me, Daryl, come on… Touch me."
His hands finally grabbed your ass hard, pushing you down onto his cock, and his hips bucked up into you, uncontrolled now, losing himself. Then it hit you both at once.
You cried out but didn't care. Couldn't hold back the sob as you came hard on his cock, taking your breath away, your everything. Daryl came the same second. You felt it. The way he shook. The way he groaned with his lips trembling and eyes squeezed shut as his cock pulsed hard inside you.
As soon as it was over, you leaned forward, your forehead touching his, kissing him softly several times in a row. And for a while, neither of you moved. Nothing but the sound of panting. Of hearts trying to calm down. And Daryl… poor Daryl looked like he wasn't sure he'd survived it.
"Still with me, sweetheart?"
He didn't answer at first but nodded. His voice, when it came, was sounding kind of hoarse and unsure.
"Y-yeah… I… goddamn..." He trailed off, burying his face in your neck, without being able to stop himself from remembering something. Something he'd already been trying to push away, probably the moment it happened.
"Ya bit me," he then whispered, his voice quiet like he was trying not to draw attention to it. "‘S'pose that was on purpose?"
Looking back at him, you raised an eyebrow, smiling knowingly. Not teasing in a way that might confuse him. Just amused. And maybe still a little… hungry.
"What, you didn't like it?"
Daryl looked away instantly. "N-no, I, uh, I didn't say that. I just—" He swallowed loudly. "Was kinda… surprised, I guess."
"Surprised?" You repeated, moving your hand across his chest and further until it stopped above the spot on his biceps that you'd bitten. Biting your bottom lip, you then grinned at Daryl as if you were about to devour him all over again. "I simply told you to keep still."
"But I did…"
Your smile turned into a tiny smirk. "Then maybe I was simply proud of you."
Daryl didn't know what to do with that answer. You could see it in the way he looked at you. He looked like a man who'd never been praised for anything except maybe not dying. "Flex your arms for me..."
"What?"
You pulled back just far enough to look right into his eyes again, your hand not leaving one of his strong arms. "I told you to flex for me. Be a good boy and flex your arms again. Come on, show me."
Daryl closed his eyes and still hesitated. Really hesitated. His brows were furrowed in thought, checking if you were messing with him. Knowing that his first instinct was to run away from being seen again, you continued to wait patiently until he breathed out slowly through his nose and obeyed. The muscles under your touch tensed, feeling ever so strong and still trembling a little from everything you'd done to him before.
Hell, he had no idea what that did to you.
You immediately leaned down and dragged your mouth along his bicep, soft at first, just a teasing little kiss. Then your tongue came out, licking along it until he shuddered, before your lips were pressed to the mark you'd left earlier, sucking a little harder this time.
"Shit," Daryl whispered. "What're ya doin'…"
But he didn't stop you.
"I'm making sure you know," you said quietly, pulling back again, "that you didn't imagine this."
He didn't answer, but his eyes looked at his arm to where your lips had just been, then back up to your face, unable to believe it. As if all of this—your mouth, your voice, your gentleness—was too much to understand. And that was when you could feel how something changed. It wasn't even noticeable at first. The way his hands twitched and then went still. The way he stopped looking at you, even though your face was still so close to his.
"Hey, hey," you whispered softly. "Daryl, are you okay?"
His jaw clenched and his shoulders stiffened further beneath you, making him uncomfortable. "…Yeah."
"Did I hurt you?" You sat up a little, carefully, and that's when he hissed again.
"N-no," he answered with a strained voice, not really convincing you.
"Okay, okay, wait," you whispered, slowly lifting yourself off him, trying to be gentle, but he winced again, his eyes squeezing shut as his cock slipped out. He turned his face to the side, biting down on his tongue, wishing it would help, since he didn't want you to hear him make another pitiful sound.
Once you slipped off him, you instinctively reached down to take care of the condom. Kneeling between his legs, your fingers cautiously slipped it off, tying it together and tossing it aside without saying anything, trying to keep things quiet.
But Daryl was trembling again by now. He was lying there with his face turned away, seemingly chewing on the inside of his cheek with his teeth. His hands were curled into fists on either side of him, his arms all stiff, not knowing what to do with them anymore.
Daryl only then realized that you'd pulled off him. Not because you weren't on him anymore, riding him. No, you weren't with him anymore. That was when his thoughts started screaming. That this was over. That you got what you wanted, and now you'd realize what an asshole he was underneath it all. He hated how much he wanted to pull you back down. Onto his lap. Onto his cock. Onto him. Just to feel safe again. Just to feel needed. But he didn't say a word. Didn't even breathe right.
Reaching out to caress his chest, you were caught off guard the second your fingertips touched him, his arm shooting out, grabbing your wrist.
You gasped, and Daryl realized what he was doing too late. His eyes snapped open, and he instantly let go. You pulled back a little from the shock of it, holding your wrist, and the expression on his face?
He looked like someone had just hit him. "Fuck, 'm sorry! This ain't—"
"Hey, it's okay," you cut him off fast, holding up your hands, even though your heart was still racing a little bit. "It's okay, Daryl. You didn't hurt me. I'm fine. I'm okay."
But you weren't sure he heard you when he sat up. His face was turning pale now, his hands shaking as he slid them through his hair, back and forth, over and over again. He was grumbling something—probably to himself—but you couldn't make it out.
"Stupid… stupid fuckin'—goddamn—shouldn't've…"
"Daryl," you said softly, still kneeling in front of him, but he didn't look at you. His eyes were somewhere else, far away.
"I fuckin' touched ya like that," he finally whispered. "Grabbed ya."
"Yeah, and then you let go," you said gently, but your voice was shaking now too, but not because of any pain he thought he'd caused. "Daryl, you didn't hurt me."
Then you realized he wasn't breathing right. Short, shallow gasps, like he was trying not to cry or scream or vomit. Or maybe all three.
"I ain't like that," he whispered. "I ain't—I ain't him!"
You didn't know who 'him' was, but your heart sank at the sound of it. Some memory, or so it seemed. Some long-buried monster, maybe.
Daryl looked at you once again. But there was no man in front of you. He looked like before—just a boy. A boy who never got held after someone hurt him. A boy who was taught that love was dangerous and wanting love made you weak. A boy who'd never been looked at like he was wanted, let alone loved, and now that he'd let you see all of him—let you use him, take him, and especially care for him—it was too much. And now the shame was devouring him from the inside out.
"I fuckin' spat on ya," he then remembered. "Treated ya like shit. Told ya that ya were nothin' but some fuckin'… useless dumbass…"
"Daryl—"
"Ya should hate me," he simply continued, louder this time. "Ya should. Ya should hate me, ya should leave, shit, ya should go!"
He moved to get up, but his knees wouldn't let him the second he stood. His legs gave out, and you caught him in time, your arms wrapping around him as he leaned against you, trembling harder.
"Daryl, hey… hey," you quickly said, holding him up, or trying to as best as you could. "I'm here. Listen to me… I won't leave. I won't."
Pressing his face into your shoulder, he didn't answer you and went silent. Breathing hard. Twitching a little in your arms like he was cold. Or scared. Or both. You sat down slowly, pulling him with you, holding him in your arms, sensing that he didn't know how to hold himself up anymore. You didn't do anything else for a while. You only held him.
Eventually, you felt one little, wet drop hit your naked chest. Then another.
And you said nothing, but Daryl had gone quiet now, with his forehead pressed against your collarbone. Eventually, he tried to put one of his arms around your waist, and the twitching of his muscles definitely wasn't the good kind. They twitched way too fast for someone who wasn't really moving.
As soon as you moved slightly away from him, he sobbed in shock, thinking you would really just leave.
"Easy, baby. Just grabbing something for you."
Daryl's eyes followed you, wide and glassy, unsure if he should stop you or not, so you gave him a tiny smile—just enough to convince him you weren't going anywhere for real. Then you crouched by the corner of his tent, searching through the clothing you left on the ground. His pants, your panties, his boxers, your bra, and your shirt were all tangled together, looking through it until you found what you were searching for.
The flannel shirt you gave him. You picked it up and brought it back over to where he was still half-sitting, dazed and shivering.
"Arms up," you whispered, remembering how you'd told him those same two words before.
But Daryl only sobbed.
"Come on now," you said gently, watching how he moved awkwardly and unsure. "Only the shirt."
You slipped the sleeves on, one at a time, then buttoned the middle lazily. Not all the way. Just enough so it wouldn't slip off his shoulders if he moved again.
Then you leaned in and kissed his forehead. "Lie down."
He did. Not all the way at first, but once he did, you lay down next to him, pulling the edges of the sleeping bag slightly over both of you, hugging him close until his leg rested over your hip, your hand on his chest, and his forehead against your temple.
You thought maybe Daryl would fall asleep like that. But his breath stuttered.
And the next sob came out of him so suddenly, so harsh, it didn't even sound like crying. It sounded like a choke. Like his body was wanting to push away the pain and couldn't keep it in.
Daryl then grabbed onto you like he was scared, and you could barely keep him still. Even with both arms around his shoulders, his sobs cracked, and he stuttered every time he tried to apologize, repeating it over and over as if it were the only words left in his throat.
"…'M sorry. 'M sorry. 'M sorry…"
"I know," you whispered and kissed his cheek. "I know. I know."
It went on for a while. You lost track of how long. Could've been ten minutes. Could've been thirty. But you didn't care. Eventually, Daryl's crying stopped. He was still trembling, but not violently. His hands relaxed around you, though they didn't let go.
"Daryl?" A hum was the only answer you got. "Can I ask you something?"
This time, he didn't answer with a hum. Just a slight nod, the tiniest one, like it was all he could manage.
"I wanted to know," you started softly. "When you came out of the woods and went up to the RV…" You waited, wanting to see if he remembered what you meant or if he would simply brush it off.
"Just gave Carol a damn flower..."
You nodded and smiled. Not a big smile. Not the kind that told him he did something wrong or something right. It was a quiet, understanding little smile, as if saying, I understand.
But once Daryl realized you weren't answering him, he looked up at you like he couldn't figure out why you weren't mad. Or confused. Or disgusted. Or whatever he thought he deserved. His hand then came up fast, moving in a way that wasn't really familiar for him, with his fingertips brushing against your lower lip once while looking at your mouth. And for a second, it really did feel like the world had gone normal again. As if all that crying and shame and panic never existed.
For you, it seemed Daryl just needed to remind himself that you were real. That your mouth hadn't cursed him out in secret, hadn't spat in his face like he used to do to you. That you were still kind. Still looking at him like he wasn't just white trash.
You then kissed the tip of his finger gently. That was all it took to undo him again. His eyes got wet instantly, and the little shaky breath he took like he was trying not to cry again—it hurt you. Moving closer, your nose bumped against his, one of your hands moving to caress his cheek with the back of it. His skin was still a little sweaty, and he swiped under his eye, even though the tears hadn't fallen again yet.
"You don't have to look at me like that," you whispered.
His voice cracked. "Like what?"
"Like you expect me to leave for good."
Daryl looked at your arm then, the one with the healing injury where you'd sliced it open, the one he thought he was guilty of, in shame and silence. He looked so tired. So tired from thinking that he was the one that almost killed you.
"I don't know what you told Carol," you then continued gently, brushing your nose along his cheek. "But you got her that rose for a reason, right?"
He swallowed once but didn't answer.
"She's not me," you whispered with a smile. "And I'm not her. But I understand."
That got him. He wasn't sure if he should move, if he should do what his twitching hands wanted to do right now. To hold you in his arms as well.
So you reached down and took one of his hands in yours and brought it to your chest. Laid it flat right over your heart. "I know the story," you continued. "The history of the Cherokee roses."
Daryl's lips were parting slightly, but he was nodding in silence.
"That flower only grew when their women cried. Their tears watered it. And when it bloomed, it protected them. It gave them strength. So they were able to keep going. So they could protect again as well."
"Yeah..."
You smiled when Daryl finally spoke, but still, you wanted to remain careful. "It's kinda like... it's a promise."
He tilted his head, still looking unsure.
"Like… no matter how hard it gets, no matter how much shit is in the way," you said, sliding your finger lightly over his chest through the flannel shirt, "there's this rose that grows. It's the courage to keep going, the strength to protect what matters. It sounds familiar, don't you think? Thinking it's invisible... but still holding on. Still here."
"But I hurt ya…" He answered and immediately buried his face in your neck, reaching for your waist so hard that it almost bruised, but not from aggression. Just panic and instinct.
"You didn't mean to. You were scared. You still are."
You looked Daryl straight in the eye so he wouldn't flinch too far away. His lip trembled. Then he did it anyway, apologizing again.
Sighing softly, you pulled his arm a bit tighter around you, letting him feel how warm you still were, how unbothered, how there.
"You're not a bad man, Daryl," you smiled. "But you're a man who got too used to losing."
He didn't answer but held you again, this time much more gently. One arm wrapped around your waist, the other sliding up your back, then stopping like he was still afraid he'd fuck it up. But you just cuddled close and let him.
For once in his whole life, someone was feeling warm, safe, and simply there, and it was him getting to keep it. And for the first time since the world ended, Daryl Dixon let himself fall asleep with someone in his arms—with no fear, no distance, no shame, and no guilt.
Just with you.
And he slept like he knew you'd still be there come morning.
𝑻𝒂𝒈-𝑳𝒊𝒔𝒕: @cokeangell
NOT HER, NOT EVER. -> D. DIXON
table of contents; established relationship, strong language, implications of assault, protective!daryl, hurt/comfort, soft!daryl (only with you), some fluff at the end
when your group settled into alexandria, which was once rick had finally deemed it safe and its people trustworthy, you resumed the domestic role you played before the world ended.
as did carol.
in all honesty, the pair of you never really abandoned your places as the mothers of the bunch, neither did lori when she was alive—though they were actually mothers, so it came naturally to them. but before maggie, you were the only other married woman in the group; so the duties of chef, laundrette, healer, moral compass, voice of reason—and the like—weren’t anything you hadn’t become accustomed to throughout your marriage to the. . . let’s say, untameable of the group.
and you loved it.
the normalcy of it. the familiarity.
the way that whilst you were vacuuming your new home and scrubbing last night’s dishes, the world was still falling apart beyond those red gates; yet if you were to wake up here after all these years, you’d be none the wiser.
it was almost perfect.
but not every resident welcomed you warmly.
rick had already had a run-in with pete anderson, alexandria’s doctor. quite simply, rick took a shining to pete’s wife who didn’t make an effort to rebuff his advances.
but since rick’s wife is dead and he’s yet to replace her, not that he isn’t trying (and with another man’s wife, no less) — pete’s sights settled on the next best thing.
and who better than the wife of rick’s best friend and second-in-command?
the clock ticks, the ceiling fan whirs, the house creaks against its earthy shrine, and here you sit.
the faucet drips, you sit.
the breeze curls against the windows. still, you sit.
your book remains open in your lap; you stopped reading it at least an hour ago. you kept rereading the same line anyway.
you swallow, it’s painful. your fingers brush your throat where a gnarly bruise blackens the skin, you wince.
but when the front door opens, you jump.
it’s only daryl, of course it is. it’s always daryl.
“hey,” he greets in his usual tired, a little rough, very raspy voice. he’s always tired after a day of hunting or scouting with aaron. “y’alright, babe?”
you hum a meek ‘mhmm’, head faced away from him.
you know he heard you. he hears everything.
with his boots still on, muddy and wet, he slings a rabbit—already skinned—onto the kitchen island.
two things that would usually earn him a word of warning, or at the very least a stern glare. but you don’t so much as bat an eye.
red flag number one.
“got dinner.” he tells you, gesturing to the little animal—dead on the counter.
he expects you to jump up and wax poetic about the importance of food hygiene and a sterile cooking environment.
you do nothing. “thank you, baby.”
daryl grunts. “uh-huh,” his thumbnail finds its way between his teeth, nibbled and gnawed, then he flicks his hair from his eyes. “whatcha do t’day?”
“not a lot.” you stretch your hoodie sleeves over your hands, then prop your cheek against your hand, conveniently shielding your face with your palm. “same old, really. did you and aaron find any survivors?”
“nah,” he frowns, fingers picking at the calluses on his hands. “just this lil’ guy.” he juts his chin at the rabbit, not that you’re looking at him to take notice.
you’re always so eager to welcome him home, hear about his time beyond the walls whilst you prepare supper, then tell him all about your day once he’s done.
but not tonight. that there is red flag number two.
“gonna tell me what’s up?” he asks, voice low. thin, even. like he’s afraid to hear your answer.
“i’m just tired.” you lie, pretending to scrub your eyes—just another excuse to conceal your injuries, something that doesn’t go amiss.
he sees everything, especially when it comes to you.
“i think i’ll head up to bed after i’ve made your dinner, i barely got a wink of sleep last night.”
you were fast asleep when he got up this morning. out cold, dead to the world as you snored softly with a faint smile on your face.
because even in sleep’s embrace, you’re happy. always happy.
the light of the group, the heart and soul that glues them together.
if you’d had a restless night, it would’ve woken him. daryl’s a light sleeper, but not you.
you’re lying.
and there goes red flag number three.
“ain’t gonna eat with me?” he asks, circling the kitchen until he’s in front of you.
you look away.
“i ate lunch pretty late, my own stupid fault.” you look down at your book, pretending to read.
he takes note that you’re on the first page, the one where the author pays tribute or dedicates the novel to a loved one. you never read those, you always skip to the first chapter like everyone else. no one reads the prologues—he never understood why authors bother to write them.
daryl clears his throat, chest tight. you shrink into yourself when he sits atop the coffee table, hands clasped. “hey,” he tilts his head, trying to catch a glimpse of your face. “look at me.”
you refuse, finally turning the page of your book. you skim over the words, not absorbing a single one of them.
“baby.” his hand, tanned and weathered, flattens over your page. “need ya to look at me.”
you blink, then ghost a finger over his knuckles—scarred, dry. you trace down to his wrist, then his forearm. he catches you with his other hand, holding yours within it. he gives it one squeeze, then circles his thumb over the back of it.
he taps it once, twice, thrice.
“i’ll sit here ‘til ya do.” he takes your book and places it on the table beside him. “then we’ll both go hungry ‘n sleepless.” he grips your other hand, comforting.
then he twists them to face palm-up and lifts your wrists to the light, the unmistakable markings of fingers that weren’t his revealing themselves in all their morbid glory. “fuck’s all this?”
his voice is low and gritty. lethal.
it’s not what he says, it’s the way he says it.
“daryl. . .”
“who?” he asks, lower. you almost don’t hear him.
you open your mouth, then close it again. each word that manages to surpass a thought dies on your tongue.
he goes stiller than stone.
“i was testing some lipstick shades but they were all a bit too bright—didn’t suit my complexion. they obviously left a stain.” you try to free your wrists but he holds them tighter. “. . .they’ll wash off.”
you don’t wear make-up.
“c’mon, then.” he stands, pulling you up with him.
“daryl—”
you struggle against him as he drags you toward the kitchen sink.
“wash ‘em off.” he finally lets go of you to turn the tap on.
you freeze, staring at the flow of water like it’s your first day on earth.
a finger hooks under your chin, gentle in its guidance. you allow him to finally look at you, tears immediately gathering in the wells of your eyes.
his stare hardens, blue eyes flitting like he’s picturing every possible scenario or reconstructing a crime scene.
“do nothing.” you whisper, placing your hand over his heart. it hammers against your palm like its trying to punch itself free. “we need this.” you motion around you. “we earned this.”
he scuffs a knuckle over the swell of your cheek, then the purplish blotch that cups your eye.
you grimace, he scowls.
“got lipstick on yer cheek, did ya?”
“please,” you take his face in your hands. “i’m okay.”
“take it off.” he grumbles, eyes now pinned to your hoodie.
“what—?”
“fuckin’ take if off.” he repeats, dark. firm.
you shudder, a fat bile rising into your throat. you’re not afraid of him, but of what he’ll do when he sees.
“ain’t gonna hurt ya,” he softens his voice. “just need to see.”
you know he’d never hurt you.
you take the hoodie off.
he looks. like, really looks. gently, as though you might snap, he lifts your arms. your ribs are bruised, as is your neck.
“name.” he gruffs.
“no.” you refuse.
his eyes find yours, permeating. “name.”
you huff out, hugging your arms to your middle. “pete.”
his jaw ticks, shoulders rigid like a board.
“but don’t do anything, please, stay here with me.”
you expect him to smash a plate or send his fist through the wall, but he does neither of those things. he cups your elbow, his other hand finding rest stop at your shoulder. “go upstairs.” he nods toward the staircase, expression dead like he feels nothing at all. you know it’s a front; that thing he does when he doesn’t want to frighten you. “i’ll meet ya up there.”
“daryl—”
“i’ll meet ya up there.” he persists, pressing you ahead of him by the small of your back.
“what’re you going to do?” you ask, turning at the step.
he gazes down at you, unreadable. masked.
you’ve seen that look before—you don’t need to hear him say it.
you head upstairs.
only once he’s heard the door to your shared bedroom close does he charge for the front door, snatching his crossbow from the porch on his way.
the moon is high in the sky when you hear the front door open and close upon someone’s arrival.
or more-so, their return.
it’s even higher by the time you feel the mattress dip, a welcome warmth embracing you.
“where’ve you been?” you ask sleepily.
“where’d ya think?” he murmurs, huddling against you.
you reach over to flip the bedside lamp on and you both groan—you when you sit up, and he when light floods the room.
his knuckles are skinned, dried blood crusted around his nails. you peer over at the corner where he likes to discard his clothes, even though the laundry basket is right there.
his shirt is soiled where brownish blood sprays it, and you spot some rips and tears that weren’t there before, like there was a bit of a scuffle.
“is he alive?”
your questions hangs in the air for a moment.
“barely.” he finally answers, arm slung lazily over your lap.
“how bad did you—”
“don’t matter.” he husks, eyes closed. “he ain’t gonna bother ya again, so don’t worry ‘bout it.”
“can he even walk? or talk? does he even remember who he is?” you don’t deny he deserved it, but if the monroes catch wind of this, you’ll be out on your asses.
“he can walk.” he tells you, thumb massaging your tummy. “go to sleep.”
you lay yourself back with a sigh, your face and torso still on fire. “did he say anything about it?”
“made him admit it first.” daryl shrugs a little, hand flat like a paper weight on your lower belly. “wanted to see if he was a man at all.”
“and?”
“beat it out’a him eventually, but if he was a man he wouldn’t’ve touched ya in the fuckin’ first place.” he goes tense against you, like he’d been trying to force that part from his memory.
“well, thank you for letting him live.” you place your hands over his, a lighthearted inflection to your tone.
“didn’t wanna, but he’s got a woman n’ kids at home—even if they’d be better off. ‘sides, it would’a been a mercy. he’s gotta live with what he did n’ what came for him after he did it.”
you hum, rolling your head to the side so you’re facing him. as if feeling your gaze, he opens one eye, droopy and tired. “what else does he have to live with?”
a small smirk teases the corner of his mouth—one of satisfaction. “few broken bones n’ a busted lip.”
“he’ll tell deanna and reg.” you warn softly, tucking a stray of shaggy hair from his face.
“nah, told him if he did i wouldn’t be so forgivin’ next time.” his breathing slows as you comb your fingers through his hair, nails scraping soothingly against his scalp. “he’s a doctor, ain’t he? he’ll be fine.”
“i guess.”
“want ya to go see maggie or carol first thing, get yerself checked up.” his hand slides to give your hip a gentle squeeze, then returns to splay over your front.
you boop his nose in return and that same eye peels open to glare at you. “i’m fine, my ribs aren’t broken. just sore.”
“don’t care.” he grouches, hand lifting to point a finger at your face. “and these.”
“just cuts,” you catch his finger, then try to pinch it between your teeth. he snatches it away with a dry chuckle. “they’ll heal.”
“woman, just fuckin’ do it.” he insists, his tone jestful but still deadly serious.
you snort. “oh, i’m convinced!”
“damn right ya are.”
a knock at the front door disrupts you.
“ignore ‘em.” daryl grumbles, leaning over you to switch the light off.
“i know y’all are awake!” you hear a voice call up.
you frown. “is that rick?”
“yep.” daryl reaches up to close the window, then flops back down.
you wince. “daryl, careful.”
“sorry.”
“saw your light go out!” rick knocks again.
“go let him in.” you give daryl a nudge. “it might be about pete.”
“exactly.” he gripes.
“i’ll just keep knockin’!”
“you know he will.” you nudge him harder this time. “tell him the truth, he’ll be on our side.”
then the jarring sound of a nasally snore fills the room. he never snores.
“i know you’re faking.” you shake him. “daryl.”
the ‘snoring’ gets louder.
you purse your lips, then throw the covers off and kick your legs over the side. “making your wounded wife answer the door in the middle of the night.” you tut, tying your robe as loosely as you can. “unbelievable.”
his face meets the wrath of your pillow when you toss it at him, then you pad across the room. “coming!”
she’s my woman | daryl dixon
summary. after escaping terminus, you hold up shelter in the church, and daryl realises that abraham has interest in you. he says nothing, knowing that you can more than take care of yourself (1.7k)
warnings. mentions of death and sex, reader smoking, abraham trying to flirt with reader, amused daryl, like one swear word, established relationship
divider credits. @cafekitsune
It was a particularly warm day, leaving each person sweltering, including the priest Gabriel whom had held no choice in offering shelter in the church he had served before the outbreak and continued to maintain. The lot of you were exhausted, Terminus having exhausted much will and motivation from each of your persons, including the new survivors that had joined along the way; Rosita, Abraham and Eugene. Daryl found you seated outside, sat there lulling in the anguish that braced tension in each muscle of your body.
“That woman’s something.” Abraham told him as if he didn’t already know that fact, and Daryl grunted in reply, aware of how the redhead’s tired gaze trailed across your frame with interest - he had thought that Rosita was the last woman on earth, and he had certainly been proven incorrect on that matter. The archer did not like the way that the newcomer was ogling at you as you nursed a cigarette between your lips, one that you had found in the home of religion along with a lighter, stashed away beneath a pew, as though the sin was hidden from god himself. Someone must have really needed a breather after church.
The smoke wafted around you in relieving waves, contorting around your silhouette as a grey outline, the distinct scent imbedding itself within both your hair and the articles that you were clothed in, the strong tang despite being disliked by many others brought you a sense of comfort that seemed impossible to inhale. Yet you had found something to soothe your energised nerves, to momentarily distract you from the turmoil that contagiously followed any life that remained. You were oblivious to the men watching you by the steps, a machete resting upon the placement of your lap in the case that any walkers appeared.
It was almost peaceful, if you thought not of the forlorn past and those that hadn’t made it… those that still were missing. You held onto the cigarette tighter, pursing your lips as you exhaled a cloudy spill of smoke, watching intently as it danced in the air. Abraham heavily shifted his weight between each foot, as though he were preparing for something, and Daryl could only imagine what that would be. He squinted at the red haired man, as he sturdied a hand on his hip, the other brushing through his facial hair. “I’m gonna talk to her.” There hadn’t been much time for forming a bond with each of the new people, other than enduring the torturous confines of Terminus together, and it appeared that the large man was taking a shot.
Daryl quirked a thin brow at the motives that no doubt rested beyond Abraham’s intentions, though he chose not to get in his way, instead having faith and having witnessed it multiple times first hand that you had the ability to take care of yourself. And so Abraham moved onwards, towards you, with a confidence that you would no doubt deflate. It was what you did, you pushed those away that held no respect for your boundaries, hell, even Daryl knew when to give you time to yourself. Sometimes a moment alone was all that was needed to refresh yourself, to assert a newfound thought that drove you to keep pushing you in the direction of survival.
It took great strength for Daryl not to grab the man and make him reassess his prerogative; you were enjoying the hard to find silence that surrounded you, and the archer was not going to be the one to make a scene and disrupt the bubble of solace that you lulled in. That alone was a death wish for anyone,no matter who they were, and so he idly surveyed in your direction as you allowed your knee to jog up and down as you rested on the ground, breathing in the fumes of the cigarette without any regard.
“Hey pretty lady.” The sound of a voice made your head snap upwards, hand instantly finding the handle of your weapon that had taken many a life. It had not only been walkers that had received the sharp impact of the machete, humans had too when they had infiltrated the prison, breaking through the walls and destroying any aspect of security that had once been. With a glare in your eyes, you found the face of Abraham smiling down at you, and you had the impulse to scoff. “Those things will kill you.” He nodded towards the rolled up tobacco that was in its most popular form, the end singing as each second it grew shorter, wilting away from the flame that had touched its end.
“Better this than something or someone else.” To emphasise your point, you inhaled from it once more, squashing the lacklustre stub beneath the sole of your boot. “Did you want something?” The tone of your voice was tired, and tired it was for good reason. All of your energy had been exerted into getting this far and surviving this long. It seemed to deflate the arrogant confidence that Abraham had previously had when he stalked in your direction, and that was exactly what you wanted - for him and everyone else to leave you alone for a moment. Perhaps it was too much an ask for some people, you thought to yourself, releasing an audible sigh.
Your attitude had not been expected by Abraham, you spoke rashly and with a hardening edge, but he found himself to be fond of it. Not many people made their desires clear in the old world, but he expected that you had. “Wanted to talk to you, get to know you.” He appeared friendly, though you noticed his self serving motives as his round eyes sketched your frame with interest. The most you knew about each other was the basics, that the prison had fallen prompting him to meet Glenn, and of course your name. That was the bare minimum, and he wished to be filled with all the information that you would only share with another that you poised an intimate relation with.
“Ain’t much to it.” You nonchalantly shrugged, not understanding why you out of all others had peaked his interest, especially considering that Rosita and he seemed to be a thing, though you had not scraped for the details, caring not for the bond that others had with themselves. “So if you think that you can get in my pants, think again. I ain’t interested.” Stupidity was not a personality trait that was known to your mind, and your blunt words caught the man off guard, even though it had been blatantly obvious of his idea in disturbing you. You did not get up, you remained seated on the short grass, hugging your knees as you thought internally of where else you may find some more cigarettes, or something that could bring you a distraction that did not leave you to ponder on those that were now deceased or the whereabouts of Beth Greene.
“Why aren’t you interested?” Abraham did not mean the question to pressure you, he was genuinely curious. From his experience, sleeping with another proved to be something that lost focus to the present reality, the climate of looming death peering around every corner. “Don’t you not want to think for a while?” That was what you had been trying to do prior to his presence, but you bit back your temper, not wishing for it to explode. Even if you had not been in a relationship that Abraham clearly had no clue of, you wouldn’t sway entertainment in his direction. Things were tough enough already without pissing someone off, and whilst you did not know Rosita, doing that to another woman that had feelings for the man that she laid beside was practically traitorous.
“I don’t think your dick would satisfy me.” You jabbed as a reply, smirking as a scoff retorted from the red haired man, and he reluctantly walked back to the entrance of the church. He frowned when he saw the cocky expression on Daryl’s face, not understanding why it had appeared. It was acknowledged that the two of you had been companions for a time alongside a handful of others, yet he could not exasperatedly reason for the amused glint that shone from Daryl’s eyes. His interaction hadn’t gone as planned, and Abraham thought of the answers as to why. Maybe you were celibate, saving yourself for someone that had such morals that reflected the same, or you were not into his gender. He was going to pry at the archer until he was given an explanation.
“She wasn’t interested.” He stated to Daryl, and the archer quirked an all knowing brow,a short laugh expelling from his lips. “You know why?” Oh he did, and he could not wait for the expression that would fall upon Abraham’s face, it would no doubt be priceless. He hadn’t intervened, aware that you would send him running, possibly telling him to piss off or something else insulting. Within the prison other men had attempted to seek your company, whether that be for a one night stand or a steady relationship, and you had treated them all the same. It had taken him some time to realise that he was exactly what you wanted, even during your relationship, and he wasn’t going to argue about the matter in disbelief, knowing how lucky he was to have a partner that had his back at all times, and was strong willed and able to look after themself. You were all of those things and more.
“She’s my woman.” It may have seemed almost objectifying to others if they did not know Daryl well enough, however there was affection that underlined his words, affection that could be heard to anyone listening. “An’ I didn’t warn ya b’cause I knew she would send ya packin’. Tha’s what she does to men that wanna get in her pants.” He noticed both the surprise and the slight embarrassment that had overtaken Abraham’s face, smirking at it. It was indeed a priceless sight. As the other man that had tried to seduced you walked around the church to find Eugene, trying to act as though his pride had not been wounded, Daryl remained where he stood, watching you, allowing you the momentary silence that you wished for, knowing that the quiet peace was rare to come by and you deserved to enjoy it whilst you could.







