to make my masterlists easier to navigate on my page, especially with daughter of the deadlands being added, i decided to make one big masterlist with links to all my other ones for you guys !
below the cut, you will find my masterlists for my regular writing, and my au’s ! which include writing for the walking dead (daryl & rick), trailerpark!daryl dixon, and eddie munson
please read my rules before requesting !
my ask box is currently open
merciless — a daryl dixon fanfic based on the walking dead: daryl dixon
regular masterlist — consisting of works about rick grimes, daryl dixon, and eddie munson
tp!daryl — consisting of works about young trailer park daryl dixon; pre apocalypse
hi nonnie! i posted about this not long ago but i’ll be trying to lock in soon and get some stuff done for you guys. i’m just really busy with work, my social life, and class because i have clinicals & assignments at the moment 😭
preachersdaughter!reader who’s had her entire life laid out in front of her. a girl who comes from a family that is wealthy, and extremely well known and respected. generations of her family have preached at the same church her own father does. she isn’t who she seems. to the rest of the small town residents see her as this quiet, well behaved, polite girl— however behind closed doors she’s full of melancholy, anger, rebellion, and always wondering why?
preachersdaughter!reader who's the type of girl who knows how to smile without showing her teeth. polite, restrained, the image of grace her mother raised her to be. she's practiced every mannerism until it feels like second nature, even if her skin crawls under it.
preachersdaughter!reader who's bedroom like it's straight from a magazine— white lace curtains, shelves of devotionals, a wooden cross above her bed —but hidden in her nightstand drawer is a small box of things she's not supposed to own. cigarettes and a lighter, a ripped page of a poetry book she wasn't allowed to read, and a photograph she can't quite explain.
i really want to finish it off for you guys, so i’m gonna try and lock in on that when i’m not so busy! between work, class, and my social life it’s a bit rah but i promise to let you know asap!
Au: young! Daryl and Rick's daughter or sister in the Quarry camp being the only late teens/youngest adults. Awkward, grumpy, virgin Daryl x flirty, she-fell-firstish reader!!!
hi nonnie,
im sorry this took FOREVER but if ur still around... here u go x
when you first got to hershel’s farm, it almost felt wrong to breathe easy.
after weeks of running— the highway, the woods, the endless sound of gunfire —the quiet was almost deafening. the air smelled like earth and hay instead of smoke and rot. there were real beds, proper meals, and sunlight that didn’t mean danger.
for the first time in months, it didn’t feel like you were holding the world together with your bare hands. instead, you sat there on the porch steps, eyes trailed on the fields ahead of you, green grass illuminated by the sun.
the quiet, however, left too much room for your thoughts. and for him.
daryl dixon had a way of being everywhere and nowhere all at once. one minute, he’d be fiddling with his crossbow by his tent, his brother sat next to him sharpening a knife, and the next he’d be stalking through the woods with that same crossbow held steady on his shoulder. you had gotten used to watching him move— the careful precision, the way he seemed built from instinct and silence.
it hadn’t started as anything, not really. back at the quarry, he’d been this closed off, sharp edged man who barely tolerated company. you’d annoyed him on purpose, just to see if you could get a rise out of him— a muttered curse, a look, anything. somewhere along the way, it stopped being just curiosity.
now, every time he glanced your way, or his eyes lingered a beat too long, your chest went tight.
you were young, sure. the youngest adult in the group. but you weren’t a kid. you’d seen enough death to grow up three times over, and daryl… daryl treated you like that scared him. like he didn’t quite know what to do with the fact that you weren’t afraid of him.
sometimes, when rick wasn’t looking, you’d sit by daryl and ask him to teach you how to skin a rabbit, or offer to help clean his gear. he’d grunt something that almost sounded like a thanks, and you’d grin at him until he got flustered enough to storm off.
it was a game, mostly. but lately, you weren’t sure who was winning.
that evening, you found him by the fenceline, crouched beside his crossbow, muttering under his breath. the sun had dipped low, turning everything gold.
“you’re gonna wear that thing out,” you hummed, leaning against a fencepost.
he didn’t look up. “ya gonna start helpin’ or just stand there runnin’ yer mouth?”
you smiled— slow, teasing. “you like when i talk.”
that got his attention. his head snapped up, a muscle in his jaw jumping. “ain’t what i said.”
“didn’t deny it either.”
he muttered something under his breath, and you were positive you caught your name in the jumble of words. but he just went back to his work, rough hands moving with the same restless energy that made your stomach twist.
you crossed your arms, watching him. “you know, for someone who doesn’t like people, you sure don’t mind me hanging around.”
that earned you another look. the kind that made your skin prickle— half glare, half something else entirely.
“don’t flatter yerself, girl.”
“too late,” you said, grinning.
he shook his head, muttering, “christ,” before standing up straight and slinging his crossbow over his shoulder. but you saw it— the faint pink shadow creeping up his neck.
you bit back a laugh. you’d caught him again.
he didn’t say anything else, instead he started to make his way to the treeline ahead of you.
“where you going?” you asked, following behind him like some obedient little puppy.
“huntin’.”
you feel into step besides him anyway, all bright eyed and unbothered. “cool. i’ll come with.”
that earned you a full stop. he turned to you, frown deep enough to cast a shadow. “no, you ain’t.”
“why not?”
“‘cause i said so,” he snapped. “ain’t a damn picnic out there.”
you tilted your head, folding your arms over your chest. “you think i can’t handle myself?”
“i know you can’t handle me havin’ to save your ass if somethin’ goes wrong.”
there it was— that sharp edge of his voice, all bark, no real bite. you smiled anyway. “then you better make sure nothin’ goes wrong, huh?”
he groaned under his breath, muttering something that sounded like stubborn damn kid, but when you didn’t budge, he started walking again. not telling you to leave this time.
so you took that as permission.
the woods were quiet— the kind of hush that pressed against your ears. you followed a few paces behind him, trying not to smile every time he glanced back to check if you were keeping up.
“you always this chatty?” he grumbled.
“only when i’m nervous,” you said easily. “or when i like someone.”
he stumbled just slightly— just enough to make you bite back a laugh.
“jesus,” he muttered. “you don’t stop, do ya?”
“nope.”
a branch cracked somewhere to the left, and you watched how daryl froze instantly, hand up— and just like that, his whole demeanour shifted. all focus. every nerve tuned to the world around him. you watched the line of his jaw, the way his breathing slowed, how careful he moved.
a rabbit darted out from behind a fallen log. daryl’s crossbow went up, and the clean hit was almost instant.
you blinked, stunned. “that was— wow.”
he glanced over his shoulder, unbothered. “ain’t that hard.”
you crouched beside the rabbit as he knelt to retrieve it. “still. impressive.”
he didn’t answer. just picked it up, tying the back legs together and tying that to his belt.
“gotta be good at something. ain’t good at much else.”
“don’t say that.”
he froze, looking up at you with an unreadable expression, but you could see a faint hint of hurt.
“just the truth, girl.”
you hesitated, a hand coming to rest lightly on his arm. “you keep us fed. you keep us safe. that’s a hell of a lot more than most.”
his breath hitched, and he looked down at your hand like it was a live wire.
you realised then— maybe no one had touched him like that in a long time. not gently. not just to mean you’re good.
he swallowed, voice low. “you shouldn’t… do that.”
“do what?”
“look at me like that.”
your heart kicked up, hard. “how am i looking at you?”
“like i’m somethin’ worth lookin’ at.”
you smiled, softer this time. “maybe you are.”
he huffed out a breath and pulled back, muttering something about damn trouble, slinging his crossbow over his shoulder like it had offended him.
but when you started walking again, you caught it again— the faintest curve of his mouth. a smile, barely there.
and when the wind shifted and you moved just close enough for your shoulders to brush, he didn’t move away.
this is LITERALLY a request that had been sitting in my inbox since JUNE but here i am, it's posted, and i lowkey love it.
apologies to the nonnie that waited almost 5 months for this im so sorry and if you are reading this i hope you enjoy !
and if you guys did enjoy this, please don't forget to like, comment, and/or reblog ! it always means a lot to me x
(also go read my new upcoming fic - merciless teehee. shameless plug)
it had been a few of weeks since daryl left the commonwealth in search of rick and michonne, and the silence from him was deafening. you understood it wasn’t easy— it wasn’t like he could just pick up a phone and call. finding a radio, fixing it, waiting for the right signal at the right time— it all took time, skill, patience. still, the waiting weighed heavy on your chest.
you tried to keep yourself busy, occupying your mind in every way possible, but the absence in your heart made itself known, gnawing at you until even the smallest tasks felt like climbing a mountain. parenting two kids in the meantime only added another layer of exhaustion, especially with judith growing bolder by the day. it reminded you too much of carl in some ways— wanting to help, to fix, to grow up faster than she should have to, while you quietly wished you could freeze her in these moments a little longer.
“what’s got you so blue, my dear?”
ezekiel’s warm voice startled you from your thoughts, and you looked up from the patch of grass you’d been staring at for nearly thirty minutes.
“i just—” you sighed, shaking your head and brushing your hands down over your torso as you stood. “i know he’s fine. he can hold himself better than anyone else i know, but it’s eating me alive.”
he gave a small nod, his hand brushing gently against your lower back as he fell into step beside you.
“you just said it yourself,” he said, that calm certainty in his tone that always seemed to anchor you. “he’s only been gone a couple of weeks. he’s done supply runs for the communities longer than this.”
“and yet,” you murmured, the words barely escaping, “it never makes me feel any better.” you let out a soft huff, shaking your head. “he’s been fighting for this for years. trying to find rick and bring him home. i wasn’t going to be the one to deny him that, but i can’t help worrying every single time.”
ezekiel chuckled, low and easy, the kind that made you feel like maybe the weight in your chest could lift just a little. “i used to feel the same way when carol would disappear. i’d sit there, frozen, unable to move from the bed. heavy, like… something sitting on my chest, making it hard to breathe.” he glanced around the streets of the commonwealth, where life now moved with a slower rhythm, people bustling between homes, markets, and farms. “i promise, it’ll be okay. he’ll be okay. you just need to believe. are you believing?”
“you do realize once you leave me to dwell on your little pep talk, i’m just going to spiral about it privately, right?” you teased, though your voice carried a touch of genuine worry.
“oh, i know,” he said, a small smirk playing at the edges of his mouth. “but this makes me feel better. i can say i tried— it’s now up to you to try.”
you rolled your eyes, smiling a little despite yourself. “fine. thanks, dad.”
“i’m serious, (y/n). don’t think about it too much,” he called after you as you started off toward the house, a faint smile tugging at your lips. you waved distractedly, your mind already racing ahead— wondering where he might be, what he might be seeing, who he might have run into along the way. ezekiel could tell something was different in your step, but he wasn’t sure what exactly it was.
later that evening, you sat at the small dining table with judith and rj. the three of you ate in a quiet rhythm, the hum of the commonwealth settling outside the windows like a protective blanket. the fork in your hand traced circles around your plate, the other propping up your head as you glanced toward the empty seat beside you.
“jeez, usually you’re the one telling me to eat my food,” judith said, and you shot her a look.
“and that’s exactly what i’m going to say now— eat your dinner, jude.” you straightened, nodding toward rj, who was shovelling food into his mouth while holding a crayon in the other hand.
“is it about uncle daryl?” judith asked softly.
you studied her, really looked at her, and realized she felt it too— the waiting, the wanting, the worry. you offered a small smile, letting some of the tension in your shoulders ease.
“just missing him, that’s all.”
“he’ll come back. he always does,” she said, with a wisdom that belied her years. raised in the middle of survival, she already understood more about life than most kids her age ever would.
“i know. it’s just… got me feeling—”
“home sick?” she interjected, head tilted, eyes narrowing in that same way she did when she knew exactly how the world worked.
“yeah. home sick.” you let your fork fall to the plate, realizing you hadn’t really eaten much tonight, if at all. you hated letting your emotions spill onto these two kids— they had enough to deal with already.
daryl sat on the edge of a low brick wall within the abbey courtyard, the cool stone biting through the fabric of his pants. the world around him felt still in a way that made his skin itch— like the air itself was waiting for something. he ran a calloused hand over his face, trying to make sense of how the hell he’d ended up here. one bad call turned into another, and another, until every wrong turn carried him across the damn ocean. france. the thought still didn’t sit right in his head.
a soft scuff of footsteps pulled him from his thoughts. a young boy eased down besides him, small and quiet at first, but curious in the way kids always were. daryl had learned his name— laurent.
for a while, neither of them said anything. daryl kept his gaze on the broken stone path ahead, eyes tracing cracks that spidered through the ground. it was easier than looking at the kid. easier than thinking. but silence never lasted long around the young.
“do you have children, monsieur? a wife? parents?”
daryl’s jaw tightened. he didn’t mean to glare, but the question hit somewhere deep— somewhere he’d tried to bury since the moment he’d washed up here. he wasn’t angry at the kid for asking. just tired. tired of thinking about everything he’d left behind.
his chest ached as faces flickered through his mind— judith’s grin, rj’s laughter, carol’s knowing eyes. and you. the thought of you burned the deepest, settling like lead in his ribs. he wondered if you were still waiting for him, or if you finally decided to stop.
“nah,” he muttered, voice rough and low, the rasp in it carrying the weight of dehydration and sleepless nights. “no. nothin’ like that.”
laurent studied him for a moment, head tilted just slightly, the way children did when they saw something they couldn’t quite understand.
“but you’re homesick,” he said softly, like it was just a fact, not a question.
the words hit harder than any blade ever could. daryl felt something twist in his chest, but he swallowed it down before it could reach his face. showing weakness was a dangerous thing. even here, even now, miles and miles from home— pain could still be turned against you.
“i see it in your eyes,” laurent added.
daryl didn’t answer. he just looked away, jaw clenched, eyes fixated on the horizon where the sun bled pale light through the clouds. he told himself it was just exhaustion, just the long road catching up to him. but he knew better. he’d carried homesickness before— years of it —and this was worse.
because this time, it wasn’t just home he missed.
it was you.
you pushed a sigh past your lips and let your gaze drift to the window, where the last of the sunlight had faded behind the trees. shadows stretched across the floor, filling the kitchen with the hush of evening.
you wondered where daryl was right now, and if he was thinking of you, or the kids, or just the road ahead. the thought was both comforting and painful. you weren’t sure how long you could sit with that feeling before it began to claw at your mind again, urging you to move, to do something, anything.
but for now, you stayed seated, letting the quiet wash over you. you didn’t know how long it would last. you didn’t know if the silence would break with news— or with something worse. and yet, in the back of your mind, a stubborn flame burned: no matter what, you would wait. you would endure. you would hold onto him, and when the time came, you’d be ready to face whatever came next.
you rose eventually, clearing plates that no one had truly eaten from, and as you rinsed them beneath the cold tap, the faintest breeze slipped through the cracked window. you could’ve sworn it carried the smell of smoke and pine— something wild, something distant —and it made your throat tighten. maybe it was nothing. maybe it was everything.
you glanced towards the horizon beyond the walls, where stars had just begun to pierce the night sky. somewhere out there, daryl was looking at the same sky, and though the distance between you was immeasurable, the thought stitched a fragile kind of hope into the hollow of your chest.
you whispered into the quiet, more to yourself than anyone else.
“come home, dixon.”
and if the world was kind enough to carry it far enough— maybe he’d hear it.
because waiting wasn’t weakness— it was love.
and for daryl dixon, love had always meant something merciless.
welcome to the first official chapter of merciless !!! it's not the most exciting chapter, and i do apologise if the next few are just a teeny bit boring, but i promise it'll get interesting the more we get into it !
i really hope you do enjoy this little fanfic, because i've got some interesting things planned. and if you did enjoy, please give this a like, comment, and or give me a reblog ! i love when you guys share my work <3
the world felt too quiet— like the land itself was holding its breath. walls still stood, patched and scarred, but they’d seen too much. so had you. so had he.
daryl was making his way towards his bike with carol when the two kids came barreling up to him, arms thrown around his waist before he could even brace for it. it was something you’d talked about before he made his decision. it wasn’t that he wanted to leave you behind, but you could see how much finding rick and michonne meant to him— how much it would mean to judith and rj if he could bring their parents home. and while you’d always worry about him, you knew he could handle himself. he always could.
you followed not far behind the kids, walking besides ezekiel with a small, soft smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes. that bittersweet ache in your chest only seemed to grow heavier. you zoned out for a moment, lost in the hum of their goodbyes, until judith’s small voice pulled you back in— her and daryl’s banter drawing a quiet laugh from both you and ezekiel.
“i’ll keep an eye on dog.”
“keep an eye on her, will ya?” his head nodded toward you, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “carol too.”
you watched as he wrapped his arms around judith again, murmuring that if he found them out there, he’d bring them home again.
“uncle daryl?” judith looked up at the older man— the one you’d watched harden, soften, and grow through every loss the world threw at him. the same man you’d fallen in love with.
“yeah?” he hummed, eyes squinting slightly in the sunlight.
“you deserve a happy ending too.”
“i know. that’s why i’ll be back. i’m coming home.”
when he turned to ezekiel, the two men shared a brief embrace. you caught ezekiel’s quiet, “be good,” before he rounded the kids up, carol heading off with them— leaving you and daryl alone.
you stayed quiet as he pulled on his makeshift poncho. you reached out, adjusting the shoulders so it sat just right. when his gaze finally found yours, he smiled— small, real, the kind that never failed to undo you.
“i love you.”
even after all these years, those three words still made your heart flutter like some lovesick teenager.
“i love you too.” you smiled softly, nodding once before his arms wrapped around you. his hand settled at the back of your head, holding you close, firm and unshaking.
“i promise, i’m coming home,” he murmured against your hair. you closed your eyes, breathing him in, forcing yourself to believe it— because you had to.
“good,” you whispered with a small smile as he pulled back. “because if you don’t, i’m coming after you.”
and little did you both know, you meant it.
i was impatient and couldn’t keep the prologue from u guys hehehe.
i have the next couple of chapters already written up, and i am studying the spin off VIGOROUSLY to make this the best i can !
if you guys enjoyed, please leave a like, comment, and/or give this a reblog ! i always appreciate the support x
the world didn’t end all at once. it was slower than that— a long decay that stretched across years until people stopped counting them. walls went up, the dead thinned out, and somehow, life became something quieter. people started talking about rebuilding, about peace, hope, the future. they spoke about it like the world hadn’t already burned itself down a dozen times before.
the commonwealth was supposed to feel safe now. you could almost believe it on the good days— when the gardens bloomed again, and the kids laughed loud enough to drown out the ghosts. it wasn’t perfect, but it was enough. enough to make people forget how to keep their knives close. enough to make daryl start looking at the horizon again.
for you, the days fell into a rhythm. early mornings helping with repairs, afternoons teaching the younger ones how to shoot straight, and long, quiet evenings spent waiting for the sounds of his boots in the hallway. you told yourself you were fine with that— with the quiet, with the waiting, but it’s hard to rest when part of you still listens for trouble in every silence.
now daryl had never been good at sitting still. even when peace found him, he kept searching for something else. maybe it was rick, maybe it was redemption, maybe it was just the road. whatever it was, you saw it in the way he looked at the treeline— that faraway stare that told you his body might’ve stayed, but his heart was already out there.
you didn’t blame him. you never could. he’d spent his whole life surviving for other people— for carol, for judith, for the memory of a brother who never learned how to love him right. he deserved to find something of his own out there, even if it meant leaving you behind.
you tried not to think about what that meant for you. you tried to be the kind of person who understood. but everytime his hand brushed yours, everytime his voice softened just for you, the thought crept in: what happens if he doesn’t come back this time?
there was no dramatic goodbye, no last confession. just a promise.
i’m coming home.
you smiled and nodded like you believed him, like you hadn’t already learned what this world does to promises.
but you did know one thing for certain: if he didn’t come home, you’d go find him yourself.
and the world would learn what it really meant to call you merciless.
hi hi hi hi !! i'm back on my daryl dixon grind and i've started rewatching his spin off because i lurv him so much !
this will be mainly following from season 2, however the first couple of chapters are going to be a bit boring (in my opinion) but i promise once we get into the nitty gritty of it all, it's going to be amazing! (at least i hope so!)
here is a little sneak peek for you guys, and i'm going to be working on the first couple of chapters over the weekend ! a prolouge will also probably be out in the next couple of days (or even soon - depends how impatient i am) so keep your eyes peeled !
if you'd like me to create a tag list, let me know ! just comment below
i really hope you guys end up enjoying this, because i'm having a lot of fun with what i have written so far ! don't forget to like, comment, and/or reblog ! your support means the world to me <3
PAIRING. daryl dixon x reader
i highly recommend listening to nfwmb by hozier while reading this.
the world had already ended by the time you met him.
cities had collapsed into silence, smoke and ash clinging to the bones of skyscrapers, and the roads were nothing more than cracked scars leading nowhere. the living were rarer than the dead now— and trust was rarer still. but daryl dixon didn’t need words to say what he meant. you could read it in the way he stepped in front of you when walkers stumbled from the tree line, or how his eyes— sharp, searching —swept a room before you ever crossed the threshold.
there was something almost feral about him. a man carved by a life spent surviving long before the dead started walking. he didn’t talk much, never had. but when he did, it was that low, rough drawl that always seemed to come from somewhere deep in his chest. and sometimes when the fire was low and the night stretched long, you’d catch him watching you, like he couldn’t quite believe you were real.
he’d told you once, without ever meaning to, just how far he’d go.
it was after a fight. one of those sudden, vicious bursts of chaos that left blood on the dirt. someone had tried to ambush the two of you, tried to take you. not just to threaten, to scare you— they had physically grabbed you, hard enough to leave a bruise, dragging you toward the door of an abandoned gas station while daryl was still across the street. he’d made it there before they even realised they were dead. crossbow bolts through skulls. a knife buried to the hilt. and when the last man had tried to crawl away, daryl had followed, silent and steady like a predator stalking its prey, and finished it without a word.
you’d never really seen his hands shake before. but they did, after.
“don’ look a’ me like that,” he’d muttered, backing away as though the sight of his own rage disgusted him. “ain’t nobody lay a hand on you. nobody.”
later, when the adrenaline faded and the world felt heavy again, he’d sat by the dying fire, eyes distant.
“you know i ain’t… good with this kinda thing,” he said, voice softer than you’d ever heard it. “but i’d burn every damn inch of this world down ‘fore i let it take you. don’ matter if it’s walkers, men, or the whole goddamn sky falling— they’d have to go through me first.”
it wasn’t a promise spoken like a lover’s vow. it wasn’t poetic. it was raw, ugly, and real— the kind of oath that came from a man who didn’t know how to love gently, only fiercely. and in a world that had long since forgotten gentleness, it was enough.
when he touched you that night— a hand on your knee, calloused thumb brushing inside of your wrist —it was as if he was memorising you, grounding himself in the fact that you were still here. still his to protect. and though he never said the words again, you saw them in everything he did after.
in the way he walked half a step behind you on narrow trails. in the way his crossbow was always loaded before you even asked. in the way his eyes softened, just a little, when you laughed.
because daryl dixon was not a man of mercy. not anymore.
and god help the fool who ever thought they could take you from him.
SURPRISE !!! HI GUYS !! i'm sorry it's been so long since i've posted anything. a lot has been going on in my little corner of the world, but i am still alive. i was listening to nfwmb by hozier today and i was like oh,,, this reminds me so much of daryl — so i wrote this ! i really hope you did enjoy it, and once again i'm so sorry it's been forever !
you know i appreciate every single one of you, and your support means the world to me. please give this a like, reblog, and/or comment if you enjoyed it !
i'm happy to take requests as well ! if there's anything you want to see, send it here !
your curtains were yanked open, and sunlight poured into your small bedroom, a sharp assault that had you squinting before you could fully process it. the tall, lanky silhouette of your best friend standing in front of the window made it clear who was to blame for your rude awakening.
“daryl,” you groaned, though it came out more like a whine, pulling your pillow over your head in a futile attempt to block out the light. “what the hell? it’s like six am. go away.
“it’s actually ten,” daryl drawled, his voice dripping with amusement. you didn’t have to look to know he was leaning casually against the wall, arms crossed like he hadn’t just barged into your room uninvited. “you’re wastin’ the whole day.”
“it’s not ten,” you muttered, clutching the pillow tighter.
“it’s definitely ten,” he countered, the smirk practically audible in his voice. “c’mon, get up.”
“no,” you said stubbornly, burrowing further into your blankets. “it’s my first day off in weeks. let me sleep.”
the silence that followed should’ve been your first warning. daryl wasn’t the type to give up easily, and quiet usually meant he was up to no good. you had barely a second to realise this before the pillow was ripped from your grasp and tossed across the room.
“daryl dixon!” you screeched, sitting up so fast that your vision blurred for a second. if looks could kill, he’d be a pile of ashes and bone. “you’re such a jerk! why can’t you just let me sleep in?”
he shrugged his shoulders, completely unfazed, the fainted hint of a grin tugging at his lips. “you done complainin’, or do i gotta drag you outta bed?”
you glanced at the clock on your nightstand, the red numbers glaring back at you: 10:17. damn it. he was right— and that only made it worse.
“why are you even here?” you huffed, arms crossing over your chest. “what could possibly be so important that you had to wake me up like this?”
daryl stepped back towards the window, peering out like he hadn’t already made his mind up. “figured we’d take the truck out to the creek,” he said simply, shrugging. then, as casually as if it were his own, he plucked your pack of cigarettes off the dresser and slid one between his lips.
you rolled your eyes, but despite yourself, you felt the corners of your mouth twitch. that was daryl— gruff and infuriatingly persuasive. “and you couldn’t wait until a reasonable hour to suggest that?”
“it is a reasonable hour,” he shot back, raising an eyebrow at you. “you’re just mad i interrupted your beauty sleep.”
“ugh,” you groaned, but swung your legs over the side of the bed anyway. “fine. but next time, maybe consider knocking instead of staging a home invasion.”
“no promises,” he replied with a smirk as he lit the cigarette and tossing the pack back onto your dresser.
as you rummaged through your drawer for something to wear, daryl had now moved to the door frame, leaning against it as he watched you lazily. “where’s your old man, anyway?” he asked, his tone casual but curious.
“visiting my granddad,” you replied, tugging a t-shirt over your head. “he drove out to kentucky yesterday. said he’d probably be gone for a few weeks.”
daryl nodded, his expression unreadable. you knew he didn’t care much for your dad— probably for a good reason —but he rarely said anything outright.
“that why you’re off today?”
“yep. first real day off in forever.” you turned to him, hands on your hips. “and i was gonna sleep in, but then you showed up.”
“like i said,” he drawled, pushing off the doorframe, “you’re wastin’ the day.”
the creek wasn’t far from the trailer park, just a short drive down the winding dirt roads that snaked through your small town. daryl kept one hand on the wheel and the other resting out the open window, the breeze ruddling his hair. you sat beside him, letting the warm air whip through your own as the fields blurred past in shades of beige and gold.
once daryl had pulled the truck up under a tree, you were glad the creek was as serene as you’d hoped, the water reflecting the endless blue sky above. you kicked off your shoes and waded in up to your ankles, savouring the cool relief as the ripples lapped gently against your skin.
daryl lingered on the bank, lighting another cigarette before settling under the shade of a tree.
“you always pick the best spots to nap,” you called out to him teasingly, splashing a little water in his direction.
“someone’s gotta keep an eye on you,” he shot back, smirking as smoke curled lazily from his lips.
you rolled your eyes, but his words carried a familiar weight. daryl had always been there— steady and dependable, even when everything else in your life felt like it was constantly shifting.
by the time the sun climbed higher in the sky, you were lying side by side on the grass, staring up at the blue sky being filtered through the leaves of the trees. the hum of summer surrounded you, broken only by the rustle of leaves and the occasional chirp of birds.
“think this summer’s gonna be different?” you asked, the words slipping out before you could stop them.
daryl turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting yours. “different how?”
“i don’t know,” you murmured, shrugging. “just… different.”
he didn’t answer right away, his expression thoughtful. finally, he said, “maybe.”
for a moment, the world felt quiet and still, like it was holding its breath. daryl’s gaze lingered, and there was something unspoken in his eyes that made your chest ache in a way that wasn’t entirely unpleasant.
“c’mon,” he said eventually, standing up and offering you a hand. “let’s get back before merle gets all twisted up about us takin’ the truck.”
you took his hand, his palm rough and warm against yours. as you followed him back to the truck, you couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe this summer really would be different— different in was you weren’t sure you were ready for.
hi guys !! i do apologise that this chapter is so short but i promise that they will get longer as we go along ! my uploading schedule may be a bit sporadic sometimes as i am having some issues in my personal life but i hope it'll get better soon
thank you for your support! if you enjoyed, give this a like/reblog and if you'd like to be added to my tag list, comment below!
yall have gotten my first chapter of american teenagers to 1000 notes and i could not be anymore grateful!! 😭 im so happy that you’re all enjoying the series — it means so so so so much to me !! i cannot wait to give you more !!
thank you to each and every one of you that has supported my work 🫶🏻 i love you all so much !!!!
