The Agreement.
Marvel-my-ass asked: could you possibly do an imagine (Daryl x Reader) using #15 “There’s only one bed” they get caught in a run and have to stay overnight or something? If so no pre-established relationship please.
A/N: sorry in advance if this sucks and for any grammatical errors this may contain. #HallfAsleepProofReading. also thanks to @marvel-my-ass for requesting this.
Title: The Agreement Pairing: Daryl x Reader warnings: None Word Count: 3,278 (Y/F/C) = your favorite candy.
The plan was for you two to make a quick run into a small town. In and out with whatever goods you could scrape up. However the universe and the walkers seemed to have a different plan. The two of you scavenged a small apartment complex that was fairly untouched. You’d gotten a few canned goods, some common house hold medicines, medical supplies and even a perfectly intact snickers that you stashed in your own bag for later. You were on your way back to the car when you came to a four way intersection.
Before, the roads were clear of any signs of walkers. Now they flooded your way from every side. “Where the hell did these assholes come from?” you called to Daryl over the roar of the walkers that were closing in around you.
“We need to get out of here!” Daryl yelled with a look at you over his shoulder.
You glanced around noticing a small red brick house. “This way!” you yelled back.
The two of you started making your way to the house, taking out the walkers along the way. You were taking out a walker on your right when one came at you from the left. Its teeth were inches away from your shoulder blade when an arrow pierced its skull dropping it to the ground.
Things seemed to move in slow motion as your wide eyes turned to Daryl who gave you a nod then slammed his blade into a walkers head. Time sped back up as you turned from him, took out the last walker in the way of the house, then ran to the door.
Thankfully the door was unlocked. So you held it open for Daryl then slammed it shut as soon as he was inside. You kept your back pressed to the door that walkers were beating on while Daryl checked the rest of the house. While glancing around the place you noticed a large bookcase to the right of the door. So when Daryl came down the stairs you jerked your head to the shelf and he helped you move it in front of the door.
Once you knew the house was safe you started looking around for usable items. After finding nothing of use you plopped down onto the sofa and propped your feet up on the coffee table. Daryl sat down in the arm chair and pulled a cigarette out and lit it. He held the carton out to you, but you waved him off.
You hung out in silence for a while before you noticed the sun had almost set and you would need a source of light soon. You remembered seeing some almost completely used candles in the kitchen so you went to get them. As you arranged them on the coffee table Daryl held a can of butter beans out to you. “I’m fine. We need to save that stuff for the group.” You told him with a dismissive wave.
“The group won’t get these if we don’t keep our strength up.” Daryl argued before he stabbed a clean pocket knife into the lid of the can and started cutting it open. “We’ll share it.”
You had been with Rick and his group long enough to know that it would be pointless to try to argue with Daryl. So you went to the kitchen and grabbed two bowls and two spoons. You wiped the dust from the bowls as you walked into the living room then set the things on the table. Daryl scraped half of the beans into a bowl as you took a seat on the floor then pushed it over to you. He simply ate his straight from the can.
“You think they’ll pass by morning?” you asked after finishing a bite of beans.
“Most of ‘em should. We just gotta keep quiet.” Daryl grumbled through a mouthful of food.
“Did you find anything useful up stairs earlier?” you asked and Daryl shook his head no. The conversation fell from there and you finished your food in silence. You gathered your dirty bowls out of habit and placed them in the kitchen sink. “So, shall we get some sleep?” you asked awkwardly.
Daryl nodded and stood from the armchair. “There’s only one bed.” he jerked his head to the stairs. “I’ll take the couch.”
As his words sank in you realized that the two of you would be separated. “It that smart,” you started, “us being on different levels with walkers banging on the front door?” you asked and he looked like he was thinking. “If walkers or someone breaks in we’ll get separated.”
Daryl just nodded and started taking the cushions off of the couch.
“What are you doin’?” you asked.
“Gonna make a pallet.” He said as if it was the obvious answer.
“Why don’t you just take the other side of the bed?” you asked and he just stared at you as if your suggestion was insane. “Or you could just sleep on the floor on an uncomfortable palette.” You said with a shoulder shrug as you turned to the stairs. “Up to you.”
You had just slid under the covers and turned your back to the door when you heard Daryl’s light footsteps enter the room. The other side of the bed dipped as he slid under the covers next to you. You just smiled to yourself as you close your eyes and hoped for sleep to come. It took a long time, but eventually Daryl’s quiet snores to lulled you into a deep sleep.
For once, you woke up slowly. Each sense came alive one at a time. The first was your sense of smell. The warm scent of sweat, leather and a hint of motor oil invaded your nose and for some strange reason you found the combination of smells soothing. Next was touch. The more you woke up the more you realized that your entire back was warm and something heavy hung over your waist. When you opened your eyes you realized that during the night you and Daryl had migrated to the center of the bed. Your back was pressed into his chest while your legs were tangled together like an unkempt like of string. The weight you felt on your waist was his arm wrapped tightly around you, holding you to him. Your head rested on his other arm, hence why his scent to so strong to you.
It was hard to deny that you had the best night’s sleep last night than you’d had in a long time and the reason why was Daryl. You knew that if he was awake he would have moved by now, so assuming he was still asleep you moved your hand to rest lightly over his. Daryl’s hand flipped under yours and threaded his fingers together making you wonder if he was awake or if he’d simply moved in his sleep.
So you rubbed his hand with your thumb a few times. After a few seconds he copied your action. He had to be awake now. Still testing your theory, just in case the first time was a fluke, you wiggled your butt a little as if you were simply trying to get comfortable. A second later he grunted and wiggled his hips a little away from you. You smiled to yourself. He was clearly awake and it surprised the hell out of you that he hadn’t moved away from you as soon as he realized what had happened during the night. “Good morning, Daryl.” You chimed. Your smile was clear in your voice.
“Mornin’.” he answered back and your smile brightened. But you hid it away as you turned around to look at him. His arm stayed on your side.
“How’d you sleep?” you asked curiously.
“Good.” Daryl answered quietly and you noticed for the first time how light and higher pitched Daryl’s voice was when he was relaxed. “You?”
“That was the best sleep I’ve had in a long time.” You answered and you saw a sparkle in his eyes that looked a little like pride. “Thank you.”
“What ‘re you thankin’ me for?” he asked even though you were sure he knew the answer.
“I think I slept better because subconsciously I knew you were here ‘n’ you had my back.” You said before you smiled. “Literally.” Daryl cracked a small smile at you. “Who would’ve thought that Daryl Dixon could be snuggly?” you tease.
His eyes turned glaring. “You complainin’?” he asked almost challengingly.
Nope.” you smiled as you scooted closer to him and pressed your face into his chest. He stiffened a little before he softened up and pressed his palm to the small of your back. “We should do this every night.” you suggested and he rolled his eyes at you. “I’m serious.” You told him and he just stared at you. “I slept like a baby even with those walkers beating on the door all night.” You looked down at your hand on his chest before you said the next part. “I know you have nightmares. You grunt and groan, sometimes it sounds like you’re crying… you wake me up sometimes, but last night you were quiet. So I know you had a good night’s rest too.” You glanced back up at him through your lashes. He had the cell next to yours in the prison.
“I did.” he whispered as if he was a little ashamed to admit it.
“We don’t even have to do this every night. How about when you’re really tired, can’t sleep, or just had a long day and want the feel of another person next to you, you come to me?” you asked feeling your heart beat fast in your chest at the possibility of having Daryl by your side again.
“Alright.” Daryl agreed quietly as his arm tightened around your waist and pulled you into him. “Same goes for you.” his breath brushed your hair as he rested his chin on your head. “We should be getting back.” He grumbled even though he didn’t let go of you.
He played with your loose hair as you both just relaxed in the moment. After a while of lying there, thinking about what was happening with you and Daryl you rolled over and sat up on your forearms. You simply smiled at him and he asked you with his eyes what you were smiling about. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to get trapped by walkers before.” He just smirked and shook his head at you. “Oh, speaking of happy.” You leaned away from him and over the edge of the bed to pull the snickers you found the day before out of your bag. “I found this yesterday.” you held the chocolate bar up to show him. “I was going to hoard it away for myself, but I like you so…” you smiled at him and moved to sit up on the bed beside him. “Wanna share it for breakfast?” you asked and he waved you off.
“Na, never been a fan of chocolate, too sweet.”
“Okay, well I’m not going to eat in front of you, so I’ll save it for later.” You said as you slid off of the bed and tucked it back into your bag. Daryl stayed where he was, watching you throw the bag over your shoulder then set his crossbow on the foot of the bed.
Daryl finally got out of bed and started grabbing his things. “Is snickers your favorite?” he asked as the two of you headed down the stairs and over to the front door where two walkers were still banging away.
“No, I like (Y/F/C).” you told him as you worked together to push the shelf out of the way of the door.
“I’ll keep a look out for you.” he told you as he placed his hand on the doorknob.
“That’s sweet of you.” You told him with a smile. “Thanks.”
“You ready to get back out there?” he asked, ignoring your compliment. You gave him a nod and he jerked the door open causing the walkers to fall inside. You each took a walker out before you hightailed it to the car. There were still a lot of walkers out and about, but most of them had thinned out. So when you got to the car you popped the trunk then threw the supplies inside. Daryl ran to start the car while you closed the trunk then ran to the passenger side and hopped in.
It had been a week since the night in the brick house and you thought that Daryl would’ve come to you by now. You wanted to go to him, make up some excuse as to why you needed to be with him, but you thought that would make you seem needy. So you waited for him to make a move. You could understand why he didn’t come to you the first three nights, but for the past two nights he had been whimpering and crying in his sleep.
You lay there in bed listening to his heavy breathing knowing he would look like crap in the morning from lack of good sleep. Would he hate you if you came to him when he needed you? after listening to his restless sleep for over ten minutes you pulled yourself out of bed, slipped on a pair of slippers you kept in case you needed to visit the bathroom in the middle of the night and walked out onto the cat walk then made a right turn into Daryl’s cell. You stood there in the darkness for a minute, debating on getting into bed with him. You were about to turn around and walk out when he cried out and sat straight up. You could see in the dim moonlight that filtered through the sheet of a door that he had tears on his frightened, pain twisted face. A second later his eyes landed on you and he quickly wiped his face with his arm and turned his expression neutral. “y/n?” he asked confused.
“I’m sorry. I just…” you started to defend yourself but he shook his head no and motioned you over with a jerk of his head and a wave of his hand. You slowly walked over to his bed, kicked off your slippers and slid under the patchwork cover that he lifted up for you. His warmth sank into you as you tucked yourself into him and pressed your face into his chest. After a while you pulled back and brushed his hair out of his face then pressed your forehead against his. “I don’t want to push, I’m just letting you know…” you whispered, “If you ever want to, or need to, you can talk to me about anything.”
His only response was pressing his lips into your hair then pulling you in tighter.
As the weeks passed Daryl came to you and vice versa more and more until eventually you didn’t even bother going to your own cells. You had practically moved in with him and contrary to what you first believed the other would think about you and Daryl getting closer, no one seemed to think anything of it. You never had sex, never kissed. It was simply an arrangement of convinced. Daryl never told you about his dreams and you never told him that you were slowly falling for him.
You thought things were going good until one night even with you by his side, Daryl whimpered and panted, having another bad dream. The twisted torture in his sleeping face made you want to cry. In an attempt to smooth the wrinkles in his forehead and sooth him, you ran your pointer finger down the center of his forehead and down his nose. This only caused him to shook straight up in bed, panting. You just stared at him until he looked over his shoulder at you. You sat up and ran your hand up his back to his shoulder where you massaged. “Stop.” Daryl told you so you took your hand off of him and stared at his back in confusion, trying to not get your feeling hurt.
“You had a nightmare.” You stated the obvious, feeling like an idiot. “That’s the first time you’ve had one since we started this.”
He just nodded. “I lost you.” he told you in a quiet, gruff voice that still held a hint of pain. “We were back in that house, sleeping together…” you moved around to be able to see his face, but he turned his head. “Three men broke in, took you while one held me at gunpoint.” His voice broke and you crawled around him and sat in his lap. He still didn’t look at you, so you grabbed his face between your hands and made him. His hair fell aside revealing the tears that slipped down his cheeks.
If there was one thing that his nightmare was telling you it was that he feared he might lose you. “Look at me.” you asked gently as you pushed the rest of his long hair out of his face. “I’m right here.” His blue eyes finally met yours and you used your thumbs to wipe his tears aside. “I’m right here…” you told him again as you slid your hands down his face to rest on his bare chest “and I’m not going anywhere, ever.” He cupped your face in his hand and rested his forehead on yours. “Twenty men couldn’t tear me away from you.”
He placed his other hand on the side of your neck and tingles shot through your skin at his warm touch. But a whole other sensation shot through you when he tilted his head slightly back and to the side pressing his lips to yours. You kissed him back without hesitation and when the long slow kiss ended he pressed his forehead back to yours. “I love you, y/n.” even though you felt his whispered words brush against your face you thought you had imagined them. “y/n?” he asked sounding very vulnerable, making you realize that he really did just tell you he loved you.
You smiled before you pressed your lips back to his in a rushed happy kiss. “I love you too.”
He pressed his lips back to yours as he laid back down pulling you with him as he did. After a few minutes of making out he flipped over, and kissed down your neck pulling a moan out of you. He licked back up your neck to your mouth. When you wrapped your legs around him he moaned making you smile into the kiss.
When you woke up the next morning Daryl was gone and a note was left on the pillow next to your head. You rolled over and grabbed it with your left hand only to see a simple, princess cut solitaire ring on your ring finger. You froze taking it in, thinking about what Daryl possibly meant when he place it on your finger. When the shock passed you picked up the note on his pillow and read it. “Don’t freak out. I’m not asking you to marry me. Just want everyone else to know you’re taken.” You laughed as you pressed his pillow to your face then took it off to look at the ring again. You thought you had dreamt the night before, but the ring on your finger proved you wrong. You had never been happier than you were that morning.
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