Daryl Fanfiction - Tumblr Posts

imagine… 

finding daryl a really cool zippo lighter and seeing him mindlessly flick it open and close throughout the day.

sitting with your feet in his lap while you both relax on the porch swing (alexandria era).

pinky linking instead of full on hand holding. 

finally getting to the playful butt swat stage of your relationship + him winding up his t-shirt and chasing you around the house. 

him praising you whenever you kill an animal: “nice shot, girl.” “look at you.“ “atta girl.” 

reading a book with your legs crossed on his work bench as he tinkers with his bike.

getting a cold and when daryl dips down to kiss your lips, you turn your head away from him. “daryl, don’t! i don’t wanna get you sick!” and then he grabs your chin and presses a firm kiss on your lips anyway.

daryl finds a cowboy hat and drops it on your head. you let out a giggle. “what’s that saying? save a horse, ride a cowboy?” you smirk. his cheeks darken and he turns away from you. “think ya’ got tha’ backwards..” he drawls. “no? pretty sure i’m right…”

eating a lollipop and daryl walks right up and pulls it out of your mouth and puts it in his (or vise versa).

having a journal that you can both communicate in. we all know daryl isn’t the best at communicating his feelings verbally and maybe you aren’t either, so you just write back and forth to each other.

i love the journal idea because you would use it for everything. daryl has to be up early to help rick with something? he’ll scribble a quick “helping rick. come find me.” and as soon as you wake up and feel the void in bed beside you, you go right to the journal.

him getting hard as fuck when you give shane attitude (farm era).

you get into an accident on a run and ending up losing a lot of blood and you wake up later in the infirmary. “ya’ lost a lotta blood,” he says. “then i bet you did too…” you smiled groggily knowing that he gave you some of his (he’s a universal donor).

rubbing aloe vera on his sunburnt skin and he just lets out these sexy ass heavy breaths.

him watching you get visibly frustrated when someone else is helping you with something, but not doing it the way you want it done, so daryl steps in and tells them to get lost.

daryl giving you cold medicine while you’re sick and he makes you take it in front of him and open your mouth to show him that you swallowed it.

a/n: these are my favorite scenarios to imagine when I'm in class :) if you wanna use any of these ideas for a fic, tag me! i'd love to see them!

gif by @daryl-dixon-daydreams

Y/N, breathless after a kiss: You wanna go upstairs?

Daryl, nodding: Mhm.

Y/N, taking his hand: You have protection?

Daryl, placing his free hand on his knife: Why? Wha’s up there?

I would love to see a fic of Daryl with pregnant reader (bonus points if there’s a breeding kink [if you’re comfortable, I didn’t see it in the list] that results in her being that way). She’s concerned about the changes in her body and that he doesn’t find her attractive in her condition. So, Daryl gets to share his love for pregophillia. :)

masterlist || MDNI

depths of your despair.

daryl dixon x pregnant!reader

summary: after a series of misunderstandings, insecurities regarding your pregnancy start affecting your relationship with daryl. but as soon as he becomes aware of that, he makes it up to you, worshipping your pregnant body like he should've done since the beginning.

warnings: 18+ smut, pregophilia, dirty talk, pet names, praising, cunnilingus, degradation, daddy kink, creampie, impregnation, arguments, rough sex, pregnancy sex, outdoors sex, slight choking, dacryphilia, self-consciousness, manhandling (if you squint), squirting.

word count: 8.1k

a/n: tysm for your request, i really enjoyed writing this one <3 it turned out a tiny bit more angsty than i intended it to but i promised it has a happy ending!

<flashback>

“Tha's righ', doll” Daryl cooed against your ear, harshly gripping your hips to keep you in place while he pounded your tight cunt at a fast pace. His chest pressing on your back, making your body shake with intense pleasure at his every thrust, each one deeper than the previous. You could feel his sweat wetting your body, barely able to keep your eyes open.

“Takin' daddy's cock so well like a good lil’ slut” The contrast between praising and degrading turns your brain into putty. That man knew all your weakest spots, he always knew exactly what to say to make you weak in the knees, struggling to keep yourself on your feet. You couldn't think of anything else or anyone else in that moment but him and the feeling of his big cock almost ripping your little cunny apart.

Daryl's always been the sweetest to you, always making sure you were safe, giving you all the shoulders when you cried, but when it came to sex, he was always just so eager and desperate for you that he couldn't help but be rough. He made every fucking feel like the last one, as if it was his last chance to ever lay his hands on you. He made it count, making you wonder how you were capable to have lived so many years without that man before you met him.

You tried to keep quiet, careful not to catch the attention of any of those walking dead fuckers' roaming around the woods while Daryl harshly abused you against a tree, whispering the dirtiest words into your ears. But he wasn't making it easy on you, and despite your effort, your moans and cries were getting louder and louder as you got closer to your high. He reveled in the way you bit your lips and threw your head back to rest it on his shoulder. He took the opportunity to let go of your hips and wrap his big arm around your throat, his other palm now pressing against your lips in an attempt to muffle your sounds.

“Shhh...” He shushed you. “Be nice 'n quiet fer daddy, yea?” His teasing words and a small nibble on your earlobe from him were all it took to make your legs finally fail as you sank to your knees. Instead of holding you up, he nearly finished throwing you on the dirt, laying your body flat on it. The tickling of the leaves and the rough texture of the ground could almost bother you if you weren't so lost in pleasure. He got even rougher, if that was possible, banging his hips against your ass so hard that made your moans shaky and your eyes start tearing up.

He loved whenever he gave you so much pleasure that you cried on his cock, the sight of thick tears running down your cheeks only fueling his twisted desires for you.

“Aww, wha's the matter, sunshine?” He mocked you, his voice coming out a bit louder than he expected. His piercing blue eyes looked around for a moment, searching for any threats but never stopping railing you. When he found none, he fully returned his attention to you, noticing the way your moans had practically dissipated and your had your eyes shut tight, a clear sign that you were dangerously close to cumming.

“Gunna cum fer daddy?” The volume of his groans and grunts getting harder and harder to hold back. You weren't able to speak with his hand pressed against your mouth and almost couldn't breathe with his big bicep wrapped around your throat, but you managed to nod slightly.

“Fuck, 'm gunna cum!” His needy voice filled your empty mind and you felt his hips stuttering when the rhythm of his thrusts started faltering. “Gunna fill ya up, make ya heavy w' ma babies.” You widened your eyes out, it was the first time he ever said something like that. But you were willing to give that man all he wanted, make his every wish come true like your life depended on it. You wouldn't say no to him and honestly, the thought of caring his children strangely turned you on even further. A faint smirk managed to creep on your face.

“Ya wan' tha', beautiful? Ya wan' Daddy ta make ya pregnant, hm?” How could you ever say no to him when the neediness in his voice was so obvious?

“P-please, fuck a baby into me.” The strangled sound of your voice while you begged him to fill you up was the fuse for him to finally start shooting ropes of cum into your velvety walls. Your tight pussy clenched around his cock as you weren't able to stop your own orgasm from dominating all your senses. It was like the world stopped spinning and the whole Universe contributed to make that moment perfect.

As both of you came down from your highs, Daryl gently brushed a strand of hair off your cheek, tugging it behind your ear to place a soft kiss to your temper. In that moment, the sounds of your labored breathing as you struggled to catch your breath was all that could've been heard until he let out a light chuckle.

“Can't believe we did this.” You could hear a smile in his voice while he pressed his cheek against the back of your head for a last time before adjusting his position, sitting down on the dirt and gently grabbing your arms, helping you do the same. Even though you were in the middle of the woods, you couldn't care less about it. All you wanted was to be in Daryl's strong embrace. “But I'm glad we did” You whispered, snuggling his chest.

<end of flashback>

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀~4 months later~

It still felt vivid.

It's like you could still feel his love from 4 months ago, the way he groped your body and made love to you like it was the last time. How ironic, if somebody told you that was actually the last time, you would have laughed right in their face. Now, as you unwrapped the towel off your naked body and tossed it aside to stare at yourself into the mirror, you wondered if you'd made the right choice, if you really should've let the heat of the moment get the best of you.

Your belly was round and your bellybutton was puffing out, an unusual look to you but it's been your reality for the past 4 months. You didn't really know how to feel about it. You were happy to be the one having the privilege to carry Daryl's baby, but at the same time it still felt so new and strange to you. And the way he felt so distant since the day when he knocked you up was not helping you feel any better about it.

He wasn't exactly neglectful of your needs as a pregnant woman. He was always around you, making sure you were safe, helping you through the symptoms of pregnancy, holding your hair up whenever you threw up. He was there, but at the same time, he wasn't.

4 months ago Daryl used to be so eager for you, always so thirsty for you. And now, he just left you aching for his touch. Whenever you tried to initiate some intimacy, he turned you down, leaving you confused at his strange behavior. He definitely wasn't the type of guy to refuse sex, at least not after knowing you, so you started wondering if you were the problem.

The stretch marks on your belly were getting more and more obvious as the time passed, your breasts all swelled up with milk. You gained some weight, and as you leaned in closer to check on your face on the mirror, you could see how round your face was getting.

Disgust.

That's what you felt when you looked at yourself. You were so sure your looks were the reason why Daryl wanted nothing to do with your body ever since you got pregnant. As that feeling filled up your whole body, you quickly started putting some clothes on, not able to look at yourself like that not even for one more second. Maybe he didn't like you in dresses, you wondered, trying to find a reasonable motive for his absence when it came to the moments of intimacy between you two that used to be so frequent and special in your relationship. Anyways, loose dresses were all that fit your body as your belly grew bigger and bigger each day.

It just broke your heart. The feeling of helplessness took over you as thick tears ran down your face, smearing the makeup you started to put on to see if it would make him even just a little bit interested in you. But just as all your other attempts, it was useless. You brought your soft palm to your mouth to muffle your sobs, but that only reminded you of how Daryl used to do the same exact thing to muffle your moans when he loved your body. More and more tears streamed down your cheeks as you reminisced your last time together like that.

You made a decision. You didn't want to suffer like that anymore, so you decided that you were gonna try to get his attention for the last time before shutting down completely. You didn't wanna give his love up, but you were so tired of practically begging for him only for him to brush you off every time. You sighed and looked at yourself on the mirror for the last time, wiping your tears away and taking a deep breath before going about your day.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀~Later that same day~

It was dark and Daryl still hadn't come home from his run. He was out scavenging, or hunting, you weren't even sure since you didn't bother to ask much. You had promised yourself that you were going to try to be intimate with him one last time, but that day he just vanished, leaving you waiting for him all day until you gave up waiting. You weren't only disappointed, you were almost angry at him, trying to give him a taste of his own medicine. But who were you trying to fool? That didn't make you feel better at all and you weren't sure if he noticed it.

It was happening again, that one familiar knot started forming in your throat as your lips pouted and you pulled the blanket over your head, feeling embarrassed at your own vulnerability. You brought a hand to your own belly, gently stroking it. Oh, how you loved that little bundle of happiness that was growing inside you. But at the same time, you felt so strange about it. You loved your baby, that's for sure, but you felt like it was the reason why Daryl didn't want you anymore. At the same time it made you hopeful of a new beginning in life, it was reminder of the day when Daryl stopped finding you attractive, even remotely.

Once again you weren't able to hold your sobs back, but this time, you were forced to abruptly swallow them down when you heard the creak sound of the door being gently pulled open. You knew who it was, and you almost wish you didn't.

“Pumpkin'?” Daryl's quiet voice filled the room as he called you that stupid nickname he only used when he knew you were feeling down. You didn't answer.

Light footsteps could be heard getting closer and closer to the bed before you felt the weight of his body on the edge of the mattress. “Y/N, hun'?” He called for you again, but when he got no answer for the second time, he reached for you, gently touching your arm from over the blanket.

“What do you want?" Your tone sounded a bit harsher than you intended to, but you didn't care. He sighed.

“I think we need ta talk, pumpkin'” He voice, making you even more frustrated.

“Quit calling me that, alright?” The muffled sound of your voice reached his ear, and he flinched a little at your sudden aggressiveness, removing his hand from you.

He was silent for a moment, digesting your strange reaction after speaking again with an even softer tone. “Aigh'.” He sighed. “Listen, Y/N...” It's like he was struggling to form a sentence. He was never really the type of person to have the right words or to know what to say to comfort somebody, but he tried nonetheless.

“I need ta know wha's happenin' if ya wan' me ta help.” He muttered. You almost felt guilty at the way you were treating him, but you had enough.

“Ugh, Daryl.” The way you said his name had a hint of scorn, a clear reflexion of the troubled feelings in your heart. You finally pulled the blanket off your face, lifting your body up to sit down on the mattress in a quick and almost aggressive motion. “Who the fuck said I need your help? Just leave me alone, ignore me like you always do.” You spitted out, looking deep into Daryl's widened out eyes. “I don't want you here.” You continued. You knew damn well you were saying all that because you thought that's how he felt, like some sort of revenge, but your heart was broken because of him. It was his fault and you were tired of pretending everything was okay. “Why don't you go fuck some other slut out there? Maybe they're better, thinner, prettier than me!” Your tone was filled with hurt as you voiced your insecurities. “Maybe you should be with them once and for all.” You practically whispered that last line, muttering under your breath.

The truth was you started considering the possibility of Daryl having an affair behind your back ever since you got pregnant. And you just couldn't take it, you couldn't help the way your heart shattered at the thought of Daryl putting his hand on another woman, making her feel good just how he used to do when he still loved you. You were so sure he hadn't left you yet just because he wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing that he left a pregnant woman behind. You knew that was the only reason was he still bothered to even talk to you.

Daryl was so dumbfounded by your attitude, since you were usually such a sweet and caring person, that he freezed. He didn't know what to say or do, so he just sit there, looking obviously negativity affected by your harsh words, wondering what the hell did he do to deserve that kind of treatment.

“Y/N-” He started talking, but you were having none of it. You spent so long begging him attention that now you just didn't want it anymore. When he threatened to scoop closer in a final attempt to ease things out, you surprised him by pushing him away from you with your hand pressed on his chest. “Get out!" You practically yelled. That was the most shocked you've ever seen Daryl's face before. After a moment, he averted his gaze to the floor, looking lost in thought before standing up and nodding slowly, knowing better than to push you harder. He walked to the door and closed it behind him, finally leaving you alone as you wanted him to. Or at least that's what you thought.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀ *One week later*

You haven't seen Daryl since your last one-sided argument. If you missed him before, now the feeling got even worse. Ever since he closed that door a week ago, you haven't even heard of him. Maybe he'd left you for good. But could you blame him? You literally kicked him out of your life like it didn't matter. But after all, he was the one that made it feel like it didn't matter. That's what you had to keep feeling yourself, trying to comfort your poor soul or make yourself feel any less guilty. It didn't really work, though.

You tried. When he was gone for the first day, you wasted no time before trying to make it up to all the time you lost longing for him. You flirted with random men and women, trying to catch a glimpse of that feeling you used to get when Daryl gave you attention, but it wasn't the same, it didn't feel remotely similar. Maybe pushing him away like that was a mistake, maybe you had really lost him.

But fuck it. You were pregnant with his baby and he still had the gut to leave you behind. You had every single right to be mad and to try to restart your life, this time away from him. Even though it had been only one week, it felt like an eternity, every second he wasn't there made you feel every cell on your body begging for him, but you couldn't give in.

Sigh.

Spencer. You noticed the way he looked at you before and after you got pregnant. His gaze didn't change, he still licked his lips and looked you up and down with that stupid smirk on his face everytime you walked by. He was often the reason for arguments between you and Daryl when you were still together, but now, there was nothing stopping you. Not that you were attracted to him exactly, to be honest, he kind of annoyed you, but you just wanted to try. You just wanted to give yourself a chance to be loved, actually loved, not only for your looks. Deep inside, you knew you were just needy to feel something, anything, but you couldn't be blamed for wanting to feel okay after such a long time of feeling neglected.

You turned your head to search for him just to notice he was already staring from afar. You turned your head to face forward again, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the way he looked at you. Now that Daryl was gone, that type of behavior wasn't unusual coming from Spencer. He got even more spunky than before, flirting with you every single time he had the opportunity to. You swallowed your pride, trying to convince yourself that you were actually into him, taking a moment to decide whether or not to approach him and try something. You knew he wouldn't reject you, you just needed to dominate your heart that was still very much in love with Daryl and move on with your life, and maybe trying something with someone new was the first step to finally get over him.

As you gathered up the nerve to walk over to Spencer, slowly turning your body, you gasped in surprise noticing that he was already standing behind you. You were so lost in thought that you didn't even hear him approaching you.

“Easy there, doll.” He uttered. It felt weird to have anyone else that wasn't Daryl calling you pet names, but you quickly shook those thoughts away, trying to focus on the present. “Hey.” You answered, sounding significantly more uninterested than you meant to.

“What's eating you?” He pondered with a hint of playfulness in his voice and that stupid grin once again when he noticed your stiffness.

“Nothing.” You faked a smile. “What you been up to?” You tried to remain polite but flirty at the same time, trying your best to cover up how much you found him annoying. It was for the best, you thought. You just needed to adapt.

“Well...” He came closer. You had to fight all the urges to step away. “You know, the usual. I was just...” His fingers brushed your cheek before tugging a strand of hair behind your ear. Too close. But you continued playing along as he resumed his speech. “... Admiring your beauty.” God, could he get any cornier than that? It's like everyone that wasn't Daryl just looked so stupid trying to get your attention. There was you again, thinking about the archer. You sighed, failing to mask your lack of interest towards Spencer, but you managed to speak either way.

“Uh... Thanks...” You scratched the back of your head, feeling uncomfortable at his advances, but you tried to remind yourself that that whole thing meant a new start.

He looked so full of himself when he puffed his chest and had the audacity to say: “Can I follow you home?” You tilted your head in confusion. “Huh?” For the first time since you acknowledged his presence, he actually had your attention.

“Cause my parents always told me to follow my dreams.” He said that as if it was the most genius thing one could say. You had to make physical effort not to throw up or burst out laughing right there and then. The hell was that supposed to mean? Were you really the type of woman to fall for corny pick-up lines? But... You didn't really had other options. You had to give him a chance, maybe he was the one.

Either way, you couldn't bring yourself to say anything, so you just stood there with a stupid fake smile on your face. Spencer must've interpreted that as an invitation, because he leaned in, his face inches away from yours. You two weren't even 3 minutes into that conversation and he was already all over you. You wondered if that whole situation was awkward just for you, because he behaved as if he had you wrapped tight around his finger.

You really, really wanted to start running right away from him, but you were paralyzed, trying to decide if you should stay or go. But before you could make up your mind, he pulled you in by the back of your head, connecting your lips together.

Ugh.

It was probably the most awkward kiss of your life, as if you just forgot how to kiss in that moment. You widened your eyes out at the uncalled situation, and as he licked, bit and kissed your lips, yours remained stiff, like he was kissing you but you weren't kissing him. You felt deeply disgusted. What were you doing? Just like your lips, your arms were rigid on your sides, but his hands were roaming all over your body. You felt assaulted, even though you were allowing him to do that.

You wondered how the hell you ended up there: pregnant, with a missing boyfriend and making out with some douchebag out of emotional deprivation. In that moment, it finally clicked, you were just trying to fill the hole Daryl's absence left in your heart, and putting up with Spencer's audacious manners was no way of dealing with grief.

You finally pushed him away, accidentally sounding too annoyed. “See you around.” You spitted out before turning around and leaving him standing there in confusion, or maybe confidence, you didn't know since you didn't bother to study his reaction before quickly entering the house you were settled in in Alexandria.

You closed the door behind you, pressing your hands on your face, fighting the urge to scream and let all that frustration out. You slowly slid your back against the wooden door until your bottom reached the floor. If one word could describe you right now, it was helpless. For the hundredth time in the past few months, you started crying. It was like it was all you knew how to do since you lost control of your life. Oh, how you regretted that one moment 4 months ago where you slipped, causing your life to be destroyed right before your eyes while not being able to do a thing about it. Now not only you felt ugly, but you felt ugly and lonely. Your sobs got louder and louder as you wrapped your arms around your legs, lowering your head to press your forehead to your knees.

Knock-knock

Suddenly, you heard a knock at the door. You abruptly interrupted your crying, feeling embarrassed at the possibility that someone's heard you like that. After a few seconds, you heard another knock. You sighed.

“Leave me alone...” You muttered loud enough to be heard from the other side of the door. You knew it was probably Carol coming to visit, maybe bringing you some cookies or something like that to make you feel better. It was so sweet of her, but you hated how everyone was treating you ever since Daryl disappeared. You just couldn't take the look in their eyes, the so obvious pity they felt. After all, you were a recently abandoned mother, and Carol along with your other group mates, just wanted to be there for you. Little did they know they were just making it worse.

When you were starting to think the person finally left, you heard a third knock on the door. Whoever was there, didn't seem to be giving up soon. You almost felt grateful for having someone give a shit about you, but deep down you just wanted to be left alone. You breathed out for a last time before standing up with difficulty due to your heavy pregnant belly and reaching for the doorknob, contemplating whether you should let them in or not. Then, you turned it and slowly pulled the door open.

Your eyes remained glued to the floor, not having the courage to look into anyone's eyes right now. Then, to your surprise, a familiar hoarse voice made its way to your ears.

“The hell was tha'?” You swiftly lifted you chin up, locking eyes with him, the man who left you when you needed him the most. He definitely had seen your pathetic attempt of feeling appreciated with Spencer. For a millisecond, you were actually relieved to see Daryl, but quickly enough anger flooded your senses once again. It's like it was all coming back to you, the same exact feeling from one week ago when you saw him for the last time making your blood boil once again. How did he dare to disappear into the world and then come back as if nothing happened?

You didn't wanna waste no more time with him and that situation anymore, it was just too nerve-wracking and you just needed a break from all that. So you aggressively pushed the door aiming to slam it on his face, but he was more cunning and placed a hand on the way, stopping it from closing all the way.

“Please, Y/N!” He almost shouted, visibly impatient. You turned your back and started walking further into the house, ignoring his calls for you.

“Can ya please just talk ta me?!” He continued, following you around. You remained trying to disconsider his presence.

“Why r ya doin' this fer, woman?!” Now, he finally yelled. It was the first time he ever raised his voice at you. In that moment, you felt like any hint of the caring man you once loved had faded away forever. The feeling hit you like a truck and you stopped your angry steps, turning around so your back was facing him. You couldn't stop your tears from falling not even if you wanted to, and suddenly, all your anger was replaced with a deep sadness. You weren't even trying to muffle your loud noises, sniffing and sobbing hard. When he saw you like that, he decided to just drop it and pretend like he hadn't seen you kissing that bastard. It felt a sacrifice to him, but he didn't want to make you feel worse than you already did.

For a few moments, Daryl gave you some space, not trying to startle you or make things worse. Then, after a while of silence and almost feeling as if you were alone in the room, you felt a warm breath hitting your ear. Shivers ran down your spine, something you hadn't felt in such a long time.

He studied your reaction, and when he felt it was okay to touch you, he wrapped his arms around you, pulling your back closer to his chest. That made you cry even harder, the sting in your heart getting worse. But at the same time, it felt so good to finally be in his embrace once again. You had missed his strong arms and his warmth so bad, it was a mix of confusion and relief. You wanted to push him away, yell at him, tell him to go, but the second his scent of cigarettes and wet grass filled your nose, you knew you wouldn't be able to. That's how much you missed him, though you weren't ready to asmit it just yet.

“Jus'... lemme talk to ya..." He whispered, placing a soft kiss to the skin behind your ear. And just like that, you melted in his hands. You had no idea what to say, but you were willing to listen to whatever came out of his mouth.

“I jus' wanna know wha' happened. I understand, 'm s'pposed ta know and 'm a dick fer not knowing, but... If ya don' talk ta me, I... I jus' won' know how ta make things righ'.” He was so gentle with his words, so caring. He sounded actually worried, making the situation so puzzling to you. You opened to mouth to speak, but nothing came out of it.

“Ya said sumthin' 'bout me goin' out with other women...” He spoke after a few seconds. “Wha'... Wha' was that all about? I would never...” Daryl didn't really have a way with his words, but you could see he was putting effort into talking to you and trying to fix things. The way he kept you tightly into his hug and his fingers brushed gently against your arm were actually being helpful, and your sobs slowly faded away as your tears stopped falling.

“You don't want me anymore." That's all you managed to speak before you felt tears threatening to fall once again, but you inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, trying to keep calm. You couldn't see his face, but Daryl furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

“Wha'd'ya mean, hun'?” Those pet names never failed to make you weak in the knees. “I couldn't ever, ever stop wantin' ya. Ever.” He whispered the last word. As he did so, he traveled one hand down your plump belly, caressing it ever so gently. It almost made you want to cry again.

“Then where did you go? Why'd you leave me? Why'd ya even come back?” Even though you stopped crying, your voice was still unstable.

“...'Cuz ya asked me ta and I... I wanted ta respect yer choice. 'M here now 'cuz... I can't live withoutcha. I... need a second chance.” Now, he was the one with a shaky voice. Seeing him like that broke your heart.

“I told you to leave because I didn't wanna force you to be with me. I didn't...” You gulped. “I didn't wanna baby trap you or something like that, I don't know...” You sniffed. Throughout that whole conversation, you kept your arms stiff. But then, you lifted one of them to wipe your nose with back of your hand.

“...I don' get it.” He mouthed. You sighed, finally turning to look at him. After such a long time, looking into his eyes was a remedy to your infirm heart.

“Look, Daryl, I know I'm not in my best shape, alright? I know this whole 'baby' thing changed me, I know that my body ain't the same anymore. All these stretch marks, my face, my belly, I know it all deforms me and...” He just stood there with an unreadable expression. “...And you have every reason not to find me attractive anymore, and I'm just so sorry that I kept pushing you into having sex with me, I should've just given you some space, I...” Those stubborn tears you've been trying to hold back finally get the best of you. “I'm sorry that I snapped at you, I'm sorry that I've been such a bitch, you... You shouldn't see me like this, and... And I-”

Daryl interrupted your babbling nonsense, grabbing your face with both of his hands and pulling you in for what felt like your first kiss. It was probably the most gentle you've ever been kissed in your whole life. You didn't know you craved the warmth of his calloused hands against your wet cheeks that badly until you had it. Everytime a thick tear dared to run down your beautiful face, he quickly wiped it away with his thumbs. After what felt like an eternity, he slowly broke the kiss, but remained with his forehead pressed against yours.

“Yer the most beautiful woman 've ever seen.” His sweet whispers made you finally feel safe after feeling lost for so long. “N there's nuthin', nuthin' in this world tha' could ever change tha'.” You were left speechless as he contradicted you. “If only ya knew how badly I wanted ta touch ya... It's not easy seein' you walk 'round all heavy with ma babies, knowin' I was the one tha' made ya like this n not bein' able to eat you up alive... God, ya look so...” He let out a guttural grunt. “...So fuckin' hot.”

Your mind was rushing. So this whole time he didn't think you looked terrible? He actually... Liked it? In your head, it made no sense.

“If you wanted me so badly, then why did you reject me over and over again?” There was a very obvious hint of hurt in your voice, like you were trying hard to believe his words but your own insecurities were stopping you. He averted his gaze from your eyes for the first ever since you broke the kiss. For a moment, he looked in a contemplative state.

“I got scared.” He admitted. Your eyes narrowed.

“...Of what?” You asked. What could ever make Daryl, the most brave man you know, scared?

“Hurtin' ya.” You tilted your head, still not convinced of his reasons. Your silence served as a cue for him to resume speaking. “Seein' you like this... I jus' wanted ta protect you. I... I never thought I'd ever have a child of my own 'n... I don' know how ta say this, but...” His thumb brushed against your cheek once again. “...I thought ya were doin' this fer me. I thought maybe, I dunno... Maybe you felt like ya had to be there fer me, y'know, sexually...” He was stuttering and struggling to speak his mind. “I felt like if I said yes... I'd be forcin' ya.” He placed a peck on your soft lips. “But I do wan' ya. 'Ve been wantin' ta have ma way with ya fer so long...” He closed his eyes.

“Then what's stopping you?” You challenged him. You almost felt stupid for thinking he didn't want you that whole time and he was actually just trying to protect you. As those words left your mouth, his eyes snapped open, and suddenly, they had a different aura to them. They were darker.

I'm a swift motion, Daryl pulled you in for another kiss, but this time, a more needy one. Though his touch showed he was aching for you, it was still gentle. He didn't wanna hurt you, after all you were still pregnant.

He gently bit down on your bottom lip, pulling it between his teeth before letting it snap back. His piercing gaze found yours and the way he smirked at you made your body tremble in anticipation.

His hands found the strap of your dress, slightly fidgeting with the tied bow strap over your shoulder just to tease you. And when he finally undid it, your dress slid down your body and onto the floor, revealing your semi-bareness to him.

That's when it kicked again, your self-consciousness taking a hold of you and in a flash, you felt the urge to cover yourself up. Daryl hadn't seen you naked ever since the last time you were intimate together, you two even stopped showering at the same time due to all of the previous misunderstandings. It almost felt like one of those dreams where you're completely naked in school, vulnerably standing in front of the judging eyes of everyone else, even though you were still in your underwear. As you felt your face warming up in embarrasement, you shifted your hands to your swollen breasts and your legs instinctively closed.

Your shy manners didn't go unnoticed by Daryl's attentive eyes. “Hun'...” He brought his hands to your own, softly stroking them until you eased your grasp on your breasts. “Ya can trust me.” He murmured. You took a deep breath and you finally let your hands fall to the side, fully revealing your bra to his sight. A smirk tugged on the corner of his mouth and he looked lost in your beauty.

“God, look at those tits...” He said mainly to himself. The way your breasts were all swollen, all heavy with milk awakened desires within him he didn't even know he had. He reached behind your back to unclasp your bra, removing it and tossing it aside.

He wondered how he was able to deny his attention to those beauties for so long. If he had properly talked to you about his intentions from the beginning, probably none of that misinterpretation would've happened, he thought. But that time wasn't one to mourn, but to cherish. Without warnings, he grasped one of your nipples with his mouth like a starving man while gently but firmly squeezing your other one. You let out a small squeak of pleasure, blushing at his sudden eagerness. Some of your milk leaked, and he was quick to lap at the liquid, wasting none of it. The sweet and mild taste of your essence coated his tongue, sending shock waves of ecstasy all the way down to his cock and in no time, his pants started feeling way too tight. But in that moment, he just wanted to make you feel good and appreciated, so he payed little to no mind to his forming erection.

“Ya taste so fuckin' good.” He groaned against your skin. You were too embarrassed to say anything, but you loved when he talked dirty like that to you, it made your pussy even wetter if that was even possible. He kept his attention to your breasts for a while, teasing, flicking and sucking on them until your nipples felt sore. Then, he made a trail of kisses from your under boob until his lips reached your belly button, slowly sinking down on his knees. He placed soft kisses all over your round belly.

“Look at ya, carryin' ma babies like a good girl.” He looked up at you for a moment, biting his lips at you. You gave him a shy smile, clearly affected by his sweet praising, and he found you so adorable like that. He'd been wanting to put his hands on you for so, so long and he finally had the opportunity to. You looked prettier than ever and he was determined to convince you.

“Let's get ya settled, yea?” And with that, he carefully picked you up bridal style, paying attention not to hurt you. He carried you to the couch, laying you down on it on your back, too eager to go upstairs and to your room, he wanted it there and then. Now, feeling a little more confident thanks to all his praising, your legs instinctively spread themselves out for him, revealing a wet stain on your white panties, clear sign of your arousal.

That sight made a smirk creep on his face, his hands roaming up and down your legs as he pulled them even further apart. “Is this all fer me?” He asked, even though he already knew the answer. You were so visibly surrendered to him, he could see how much you missed him because he shared the same exact longing.

His hands slowly made their way down to your core, his thumb gently rubbing your clit in circling motions over the fabric of your panties. You were so desperate to feel anything that you felt like his most subtle touch could make you cum in the same second. Still, you wanted more. You needed more.

“D-Dar...” You muttered under your breath, throwing your head back as his finger starting working your clit a bit faster and adding a little more pressure. “Wha' is it, doll, hm? Tell me what ya need.” His teasing words only made you more hungry for him. “Mmm...” You protested, struggling to put your desires into words. “C'mon, jus' say the word and I'll give it ta ya.” He encouraged you with the sweetest tone, slowing down his motions against your extremely sensitive clit just to tease you.

“Eat my fucking cunt like you mean it.” You spitted out, your voice all shaky with need, and even you were surprised at your own bold words.

“Don' need ta tell me twice.” He said before pulling your panties to the side in one swift motion and diving into your wetness, quickly starting his assault on your clit and lapping at your folds. He practically buried his face into you, eating you out like it was the last time. Your back arched in that same second and you already felt embarrassingly close to orgasming. He noticed the way you squirmed and moaned for him, grasping his hair with both hands and humping his face, smearing your slickness all over his handsome features.

And he let you use him for your pleasure however you pleased. That night was about you and about making up to all that wasted time. “D-Daryl...!” Your tone was one of warning. You were barely two minutes in but you could already feel the first orgasmic contractions forming in your lower belly. The way you said his name, he knew damn well you were about to make a mess on his face, and he was all in for it.

You threw your head back and let out a loud high-pitched moan as you coated his tongue with your wetness, and all he could do was hum against your sensitive skin, sending vibrations all over your cunt and intensifying the sensation. Despite your first signs of overstimulation, he continued enthusiastically lapping at your juices until you were a quivering mess under his tongue. You had to manually give his head a very gentle push so you could have a break from that intense pleasure. You chuckled at his excitement to please you. If you had ever felt insecure about any of that before, you couldn't remember it.

He lifted his head up, placing tender kisses on your pregnant belly once again, stroking it lovingly. “Ya want me ta fuck ya, darlin'?” He said as he crawled up your body, getting face to face with you. You wrap your arms around his neck, forcing his lips against yours in a sensual dance. “'M takin' that as a yes” He voiced with a hint of playfulness. The thought of being inside you made his cock throb even harder inside his pants, and he knew he just couldn't wait any longer. He reached for his belt, quickly unbuckling it and taking it off. Then, he unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, pushing it down his thighs alongside with his black briefs just enough to free his cock.

Oh, you missed it so fucking badly. You two used to fuck like rabbits before, and after going 4 whole months without getting dicked down by your man, you were more than desperate to feel him. Now, you finally understood your pregnancy wasn't any type of obstacle for sharing pleasure with him.

You stared down at his now visible erection. He was girthy, and you could feel your cunt stretching out just by looking at him. A small droplet of pre-cum threatened to run down his length, from the tip all the way down to his full balls. When you averted your gaze to his face, you could see he was admiring you while you took in the sight of his cock. Your eyes got all sparkly in anticipation, sharing a knowing look with him. You didn't have to say anything and he was always brushing his tip on your slit.

He gently tapped your clit with his tip, watching closely for your reaction, his smirk not fading away not even for one second. Your pussy was so slippery with your wetness that when he pressed his cock against your slit, it went in with ease.

“Fuck.” You moaned in unison. The feeling of his cock going in for the first time was always one of your favorite parts of fucking Daryl. He tried to hold back a little, still careful not to hurt you since you were pregnant after all, but when you wrapped your legs around his waist, he couldn't help but bury his whole cock inside you in one harsh thrust, yearning loud moans from both of you.

You didn't care at all if it hurt or not, you just needed to feel him inside you. He shut his eyes tight and it was obvious that he was fighting the urge to burst right in that same second. He gritted his teeth and leaned in to press his forehead against yours, slowly starting to move his hips. He wasn't exactly thrusting, it was more like humping his cock inside you, which made you grow more and more impatient. You needed him to pound you.

“P-please, Daryl, just... just fuck me already.” The clear frustration on your voice did it for him, and in no time, he started harshly banging his hips against yours, giving you no time to adjust to the pace. Squelching sounds, your moans and the sound of your skins slapping against each other filled the room in a dirty orchestra. The intense smell of sex made you dizzy.

You were so cock-hungry you could fuck that man for days straight without breaks, and as he gently groped your pregnant belly, you knew he wanted you just as much. You couldn't hold back a smile at the sensation of his palms and fingers gently caressing you, contrasting with his hard thrusts inside your pussy.

It was your favorite whenever he treated you like that, with a mix of tenderness and an urge to absolutely rail you. “Fuck, feels so fuckin' good inside this wet cunt.” The archer almost sounded vulnerable. “'M gunna give ya even more babies, princess.” He whispered, his voice a little more high-pitched than usual. The thought of feeling his warm load inside you again made your mind rush and once again, you felt yourself getting closer and closer to your high.

As the pleasure grew more intense, your tight walls clenched around Daryl's thick cock, making his legs tremble as he struggled to keep his composure. “Shit baby, if ya keep squeezin' me tight like tha' 'm not gunna last long.” He admitted through gritted teeth. “Don't hold back, give it to me.” Your encouragement words only fueled Daryl's desires even further.

You felt so full, his thrusts getting deeper and deeper, filling you up to the brim. He was still holding onto your round belly, gently not to hurt you, and when you clenched your cunt around him one last time, he moaned louder than ever before.

“Fuckin' take it!” His whole body was shaking as his orgasm coursed through his body. The sight of him like that was so sexy, so dirty and raw that you couldn't help but squirt all over his cock. You didn't even know you could do that, and Daryl looked just as surprised as you as you drenched his cock and lower belly with your arousal. He buried his length deep inside you one last time as the final spurts of his warm cum coated your insides, keeping that position.

“I love ya, Y/N. Dontcha ever forget that again, woman.” He said, placing sweet little pecks all over your face, making you giggle like a little child. “Yer stuck with me. Both of ya.” His hand never left your pregnant belly that whole time, and now, he gently brushed his thumb on it.

“I love you more.” You confessed, bringing a hand to his cheek to cup it, feeling the rough texture of his salt-and-pepper facial hair against your soft hand. As he slightly shifted his position with his cock still deep inside you, you felt how he was still rock hard and ready for you. After such a long waiting, he wasn't ready to stop just yet.

“Round two?” You asked, already predicting his answer.

“Fuck yeah.”

a/n: hi there!! just passing by to thank you for reading this. i know it's not even close to perfect but it took me 10+ hours to write, so i really appreciate you if you read it this far! as i've said before, i'm a beginner writer, so i'm still on the process of adapting and i'm really thankful for all the support you've been showing me. see ya!

GIF by @daryl-dixon-daydreams

Carol: So, you and Y/N?

Daryl, fiddling with his crossbow: Mhm.

Carol: Have any couple’s spats yet?

Daryl: Mhm.

Carol: What’s that like?

Daryl: Asked her fer a glass’a water while she was still pissed off. She brought me a cup’a ice n’ said “wait.”

Carol: Creative.

Daryl, trying not to smile: Yeah, she’s alrigh’.

Title: "Shadows of Sanctuary"

Triggers: typical twd violence, gore, blood, weapons, descriptions of fighting etc. I think thats it, comment if i missed any. First fanfic please be nice, i will write about probably anything unless i explicitly say i dont, thank you enjoy.

---

The sun hung low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the forest floor. The air was heavy with the scent of pine and the distant sound of birds settling for the night. You adjusted your grip on the crossbow, mirroring Daryl Dixon’s stance beside you.

"Stay close," he murmured, his voice a gravelly whisper that seemed to blend with the rustling leaves.

You nodded, eyes scanning the surroundings. The world had changed, and you had to change with it. Surviving in this post-apocalyptic landscape required vigilance, strength, and an unyielding spirit – all of which Daryl possessed in abundance.

The two of you moved silently through the underbrush, your steps carefully placed to avoid snapping twigs. It had been weeks since you joined the group at the Sanctuary, a community struggling to rebuild amidst the chaos. Daryl had taken you under his wing, teaching you how to hunt, track, and fight. You had grown to trust him implicitly.

Tonight, you were on a mission to gather supplies from an abandoned cabin a few miles out. The walk had been long and the weight of the world heavy on your shoulders. Daryl’s presence was a constant source of reassurance.

As the cabin came into view, a chill ran down your spine. The structure stood silent and eerie, partially obscured by creeping vines and the encroaching darkness. Daryl motioned for you to stay back as he approached the door, crossbow at the ready. He gave a curt nod, signaling you to follow once he deemed it safe.

Inside, the cabin was a testament to a time long past. Dust-covered furniture and broken windows painted a picture of a life abruptly halted. You began to search the shelves and drawers, hoping to find anything useful. Canned food, medicine, tools – anything that could help.

Daryl rummaged through the cabinets in the kitchen, his brow furrowed in concentration. The silence between you was comfortable, a shared understanding of the gravity of your task. Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from outside, sending your heart racing.

Daryl was at your side in an instant, crossbow aimed at the door. You drew your knife, the cold steel a comforting weight in your hand. The two of you moved as one, a seamless unit honed by countless encounters with danger.

Outside, a small group of walkers had been drawn by the noise. Their grotesque forms staggered towards the cabin, eyes vacant and hungry. Daryl fired, his bolt finding its mark with deadly precision. You followed his lead, slashing at the nearest walker with a swift, practiced motion.

The fight was over quickly, but the adrenaline lingered. You stood back-to-back with Daryl, breathing heavily. His hand found yours, a silent reassurance in the gathering dusk.

“Good job,” he muttered, his eyes scanning the treeline for any remaining threats.

“Thanks,” you replied, squeezing his hand briefly before letting go. “Let’s finish up and get out of here.”

As you resumed your search, the connection between you and Daryl felt stronger than ever. It was more than just survival – it was a bond forged in the fires of adversity, unspoken but deeply felt.

With your bags filled with whatever supplies you could find, you started the trek back to the Sanctuary. The journey was quiet, each of you lost in your thoughts. The forest seemed less menacing with Daryl by your side, his presence a constant source of strength.

When the gates of the Sanctuary finally came into view, relief washed over you. The sense of safety, however fleeting, was a precious commodity. As you entered the community, the weight of the day began to lift.

Daryl turned to you, his expression softer than usual. “You did good out there. Proud of you.”

A smile tugged at your lips. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”

He nodded, a rare smile ghosting across his features. “We’re in this together.”

In the shadowy twilight of the Sanctuary, you realized that your bond with Daryl was more than just a partnership. It was a lifeline, a beacon of hope in a world gone mad. And as long as you had each other, you knew you could face whatever came next.

I have 7 posts in my queue, all set for fridays at 12PM (Noon) requests are welcome anytime and will come out at anytime, usually pretty soon after the ask is sent.

Title: Mercy in the Apocalypse

(Daryl x Reader)

---

The world as you knew it had crumbled into a grotesque version of itself. The air was thick with the stench of decay and desperation. The relentless sun beat down on the abandoned streets, highlighting the eerie silence that replaced the once bustling city. In this post-apocalyptic world, mercy was a scarce commodity, and survival was a brutal game.

You stumbled through the deserted alleys, your feet dragging against the cracked asphalt. Your thoughts were a tangled mess of fear, exhaustion, and a fierce will to live. It had been weeks since you had seen another living soul, and your heart ached with the loneliness that gnawed at your spirit. The world had gone dark, and with it, the light in your soul seemed to flicker.

As you turned a corner, you heard the faint sound of footsteps behind you. Panic surged through you, and you quickly ducked into the shadows, pressing yourself against the cold, rough wall of an old building. Your breathing was shallow, your heart pounding in your chest like a drum. You strained to listen, hoping the footsteps would pass and leave you in peace.

But instead of fading away, they grew louder, more deliberate. A figure emerged from the shadows, moving with a purposeful grace that spoke of skill and confidence. Your eyes widened as the figure stepped into the dim light, revealing a tall, lean man with dark hair and piercing eyes. His clothes were worn and dirty, but he moved with an air of authority that made your stomach twist in knots.

"Hey," he said softly, his voice carrying a mix of weariness and resolve. "I'm not here to hurt you."

You stayed silent, your hand inching toward the knife strapped to your belt. Trust was a luxury you couldn't afford.

The man raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "My name's Daryl. Daryl Dixon. I saw you from a distance and figured you could use some help."

You studied him, your eyes narrowing. "Why should I trust you?"

Daryl sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "You don't have to. But being out here alone is a death sentence. I've got a group. We're good people. We look out for each other."

The mention of a group piqued your interest, but the memories of past betrayals made you wary. "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

Daryl took a step closer, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made your breath catch. "Because I know what it's like to be alone. To lose everyone you care about. I'm just trying to survive, same as you."

You hesitated, the weight of his words sinking in. The loneliness you felt, the constant fear—it was mirrored in his eyes. Slowly, you lowered your hand from your knife and nodded. "Okay. But if you try anything..."

"I won't," Daryl assured, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Come on, let's get you to safety."

You followed him through the labyrinth of abandoned buildings and overgrown streets, your senses on high alert. As you walked, Daryl spoke softly, telling you about his group—a tight-knit family of survivors who had carved out a small sanctuary in the chaos. His voice was steady, a comforting presence amidst the madness.

When you finally reached their camp, nestled in the ruins of an old school, you were greeted by wary but kind faces. They offered you food, water, and a place to rest. The relief was overwhelming, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, you allowed yourself to hope.

Days turned into weeks, and you found yourself becoming part of their makeshift family. You worked together, scavenging for supplies, fortifying your defenses, and sharing stories around the campfire. Each day was a battle, but you faced it together, drawing strength from one another.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow over the camp, you found yourself sitting beside Daryl. The two of you had formed a quiet bond, built on mutual respect and shared experiences. You looked at him, your heart heavy with unspoken words.

"Daryl," you began, your voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you. For finding me. For giving me a chance."

Daryl turned to you, his eyes reflecting the fading light. "You don't have to thank me. We're in this together."

You nodded, a lump forming in your throat. "I know. But still, I... I don't know what I would have done without you."

Daryl reached out, his rough hand gently covering yours. "You would've survived. You're stronger than you think."

His touch was warm, a stark contrast to the cold, harsh world outside. You felt a tear slip down your cheek, and you quickly wiped it away, embarrassed. But Daryl's hand tightened around yours, grounding you in the moment.

"You deserve mercy," he said softly. "We all do."

In that moment, surrounded by the remnants of a broken world, you felt a flicker of hope ignite within you. Daryl was right. You deserved mercy, and so did everyone fighting to survive. It was a fragile, precious thing, but it was enough to keep you going.

As the stars began to dot the night sky, you leaned into Daryl, finding comfort in his presence. The world was still a brutal, unforgiving place, but together, you could face whatever came next. Mercy might be hard to come by, but as long as you had each other, you had a chance.

And sometimes, a chance was all you needed.

Title:A Fight For Survival

--

In the desolate wasteland, the abandoned warehouse stood as a grim reminder of the world’s collapse. Its skeletal remains were dimly lit by the weak light seeping through broken windows. The oppressive silence was occasionally broken by distant groans and the shuffle of the undead, signaling the encroaching danger.

Daryl Dixon was slumped against a rusted metal pillar, his face a mask of pain. A severe wound along his side had him barely able to move, his bow resting uselessly on the floor beside him. His breath came in labored gasps as he tried to stay alert despite his injuries. The warehouse had become a trap, overrun by walkers, their guttural growls growing louder with each passing moment.

You, a skilled survivor and his steadfast companion, had been through countless perils together. This time, however, the stakes were higher. Daryl’s injury left him vulnerable, and the threat was imminent. You were determined to protect him. With a deep breath, you readied yourself, gripping a makeshift weapon—a metal shard attached to a sturdy stick.

The first walkers appeared, their groans filling the space with a chilling certainty. Without hesitation, you sprang into action. The clash was immediate and fierce. Each movement was a blend of desperation and precision, your weapon cutting through the encroaching threat. The walkers’ unnatural, jerky motions made them unpredictable, and every successful strike was met with the unsettling sounds of crumbling flesh and bone.

Daryl’s eyes, usually so steely, now held a mix of fear and frustration. He tried to rise, but pain kept him grounded. “Leave,” he rasped, his voice barely audible over the chaos. “Save yourself.” But you weren’t about to abandon him. You pushed through the throng of walkers, defending him with every ounce of strength you had.

Amid the battle, you carved out a temporary safe zone. The weight of your task was immense, each decision a matter of life or death. The relentless walkers seemed to multiply, their numbers overwhelming. Your focus was laser-sharp, every swing of your weapon purposeful and driven by the need to keep Daryl safe.

Slowly, the tide of battle began to shift. The walkers' numbers dwindled, their advance slowing as their bodies accumulated on the floor. You could feel your strength waning, but the sight of fewer walkers gave you renewed energy. With the immediate threat reduced, you hurried back to Daryl’s side.

You knelt beside him, breathless and worn. “We need to get you patched up,” you said, your voice shaky but determined. Daryl looked at you with a mix of gratitude and relief. The battle had forged an unspoken bond between you, a testament to the trust and reliance that had deepened over time.

Carefully, you assisted Daryl to his feet, guiding him through the wreckage of the warehouse. Exhaustion was evident in every step, but the silent understanding between you made the journey bearable. As you reached a safer corner, the immediate danger had passed, leaving a heavy but welcome silence.

In that moment of quiet, the severity of your situation and the strength of your connection became clear. The world outside remained perilous, but together, you had faced another deadly challenge and emerged stronger for it.

Request if you want something different 😊

︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶ A Mess ︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

About: Your husband wasted no time getting his dick wet after the world ended. When you catch your adulterous husband in the act, you find an unlikely companion in Daryl Dixon.

Pairing: Reader!Walsh x Daryl Dixon

Era: Quarry -> Pre-Alexandria/Post-Terminus

Genre/Vibe: TWD typical things, Drama, Romance, Eventual Smut, Survival, Apocalyptic/Dystopian

Warnings: TWD typical violence, spoilers, character deaths, profanity, eventual smut, attempted SA, loss, grief

18+ MDNI

Parts: One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | Nine | Ten

'•.¸♡ Teasers ♡¸.•'

╰┈➤        "I'm confused." Andrea spoke up. 

        "Oh, allow me to clarify." You smiled, sickeningly sweet. Lori shook her head at you, but you ignored her. "Shane, my husband, and Lori, have been keeping a secret from us. Care to share with the class?"

        "(Y/N), man, come on. Why you gotta start problems?" Shane let out an exasperated sigh.

        "No? Okay, allow me to speak on your behalf, then. My husband has been fucking Lori, who, if you guys weren't aware, is married to Shane's best friend, who he claims is dead." You said.

»»-------------------►

╰┈➤        "I don't ever wanna catch you near her. Ya hear me? You so much as breathe too heavy in her direction and I'll fuckin' kill you. Ya got that?" Daryl got closer and closer to Shane's face with every word. When Shane didn't answer him; "I said do ya fuckin' understand the words that are comin' outta my mouth?"

»»-------------------►

╰┈➤       "You don't have to watch over me. I can take care of my own shit." You assured him.

        "I know." He said. You felt something warm wrap around your hand. You looked down and it was his own hand, laid over yours, fingers cupping under your palm lazily. 

        "What are you doing?" You asked, looking over your shoulder to him.

        "Dunno. Keep singin'." 

»»-------------------►

╰┈➤        "Here, let me show you." You whispered. You reached up for his face, his hands sliding softly off of your arms. When your palms found his checks,you tippy-toed up a couple of inches, and slowly leaned in, placing your lips softly on his. It wasn't a long, rhythmic kind of kiss. It was just simple and soft, and it lasted just a few seconds longer than a quick peck-and-go.

»»-------------------►

╰┈➤ He massaged you on the inside without ever losing his pace with his tongue. By this point you weren't even moaning anymore, you were blatantly whining. It was almost torture -- it felt so good. The pressure was just enough to keep you on edge, to build up that feeling in your stomach that spread all over, but not quite enough to get you there, not yet. He slipped another finger inside. Your lower half started buzzing, legs trembling as your hips jerked and twitched. You were getting so close.

Masterlist main masterlist request

Daryl and his girlfriend on a run

Masterlist main masterlist request

Daryl and his wife are having a relaxing day

You were covered head to toe in walker blood after your run into the abandoned town a few miles from Alexandria. Your feet felt like they were about to fall off after repeatedly hitting the ground over and over again, until you stood outside the gates of your new found home. A big tired sigh escaped your throat after you lazily walked through.

As you entered the gates you saw people in every direction working hard to rebuild the walls of Alexandria after the whisperers’ vicious attack. You scanned the area until your gaze landed on the brunette archer who soon started walking over to you with a goofy smile on his face.

“Ya back.” He drawled sounding relieved. He embraced you into a warm hug caressing your back for a few moments before releasing you. You chuckled at his droopy smile and he grinned at you even more before grabbing your hand and walking you to the wagon he had been filling up with supplies for the next run.

“So soon?” You asked a bit disappointed.

He pressed his lips together firmly giving you a knowing look. You scrunched your nose not wanting to go back into the cold forest and having to trudge through the thick snow.

“it’s only for ‘few days, we’ll be back sooner than ya think.” He grumbled.

You nodded and gave him a faint smile. Holding his hands you realised how cold he was and only just noticed how much he was shivering. His nose was stained red along with his rosy cheeks and his skin was pale. You started rubbing your hands over his to try and warm him up. It was no use he was as cold as an icicle.

He sat down on a wooden fence huffing and kicking his feet at the ground before splaying out his legs like a petulant child. You stepped between his legs and started pulling out flakes of snow in his hair and flicking them on the ground. You looked at him as he lifted his head to look up at you with those bright blue eyes admiring you and yours right back at him.

The tips of his ears had turned red, you covered them with your hands cupping his head whilst stroking his hair with your thumbs. His hands traveled to the back of thighs and he stroked them lovingly. Another huff escaped his throat and he dropped his head against your stomach humming to himself at the warmth coming from your body.

You started rubbing the tips of his ears between your fingers and massaging them warming them back up to circulate his blood flow. He nuzzled his head further into you rubbing himself against you like a cat he began purring. You let your fingers wonder to the top of his head giving him head scratches. He practically melted at your touch and that sent butterflies swarming in your stomach.

“I love ya.” He mumbled.

———————————————————————

Hiii I’m sorry I haven’t been writing anymore requests I’ve just felt unmotivated to write them at the moment (I was barely able to write this) and I don’t know if I will write them to be completely honest I’ve just been lurking on here reading other fics and stuff but still feel free to send requests

Also I thought this was a cute idea I don’t feel I executed it very well I feel someone else could’ve done way better 😭

Words: 7,737 Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader, also features Negan Smith Reader pronouns: she/her Era: post-Negan Alexandria Warnings: language, mild descriptions of injury and blood Summary: Imprisoned in Alexandria still, it seems Negan has a soft spot for Y/N, one of Alexandria’s doctors. With Daryl gone moving the The Kingdom to Hilltop, everyone back home tries to weather the storm, and help comes from an unexpected place. A/N: I love Negan’s redemption arc, so I was stoked to write this fic with some of him, Post-Saviors. I hope it gives you all the right kind of feels.

Your name: submit What is this?

Negan glanced up as heard the outside door open and footsteps approach down the stairs. He was seated on his bunk with his back against the wall when you appeared.

His face slowly grew into a wide smile and he straightened up. He snapped the book in his hands shut. “Well, hey there, dollface. You get my message?”

“First, don’t call me that… You know I hate it. Second, your message? Is that what we’re calling it? I’m here because Gabriel said you’re refusing to eat anything until you talk to me.” You paced over to the bars and peered through them at him.

Negan shrugged. “Isn’t exactly like I can pick up a phone and dial you, now is it?”

You sighed and gripped onto one of the iron bars. “A hunger strike? Really?”

Keep reading

You looked up from the cot you were changing the bedding on to see Daryl stepping into the clinic. Your brow furrowed. “Please don’t tell me you’re feeling sick too,” you said.

He shook his head and you breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. That’s good,” you sighed. You continued frantically cleaning up the area around you and stuffed the dirty bedding into a nearby basket. You were about to go and retrieve clean sheets but Daryl was suddenly there holding them out to you. “Thanks,” you murmured, grabbing them and getting back to work hurriedly.

He watched you flitting from task to task like a hummingbird. “How many is it so far?” he asked.

“Fifteen,” you said, your face tightening. You pulled off your gloves and tossed them into the bin. “But it’s only a matter of time before another walks in.

Daryl nodded grimly. He watched you pause for only a moment and you seemed to waver on your feet, passing a hand over your eyes. "Hey—why dun ya sit down. Ya look dead on your feet,” he drawled.

You shook your head and glanced at the clock hanging high on the wall. “I don’t have time. I need to check on Mr. and Mrs. Johnson again and sanitize more of the IV lines and containers and—”

Daryl gently grabbed your elbow and led you over to a chair. “Sit down. Ya ain’t gonna be any good to anybody if ya run yerself into the ground. Have ya eaten anythin’ today?”

You sank back into the chair and shook your head. As soon as you were off your feet, you noticed them aching. “No… the first wave came in at 4:30 this morning and—I don’t think I’ve stopped since then.”

Daryl chewed on his bottom lip. “Right… Sit here and dun move,” he said firmly. “Drink some water. I'mma go fix ya somethin’ to eat.”

You made to stand up. “You don’t have to do that. I can go to the pantry and—”

“Wasn’t a question,” he said gently but resolutely. “Ya gotta rest while ya can. I’ll go grab some more people to help ya in here. Ya shouldn'ta been doin’ this by yerself all day.”

“I wasn’t, but I sent Siddiq to get some rest,” you said.

Daryl smiled and let out a dry laugh. “Course ya did. Anybody can sterilize and clean. I’ll round some more people up and then I’ll come back and help ya myself. And yer gonna eat.”

You could see that there was no arguing and so you sank back down, letting the exhaustion settle over you heavily. “Okay. Thank you, Daryl. I mean it.”

He nodded. “S'nothin’.”

But it wasn’t. You knew this was Daryl’s way of telling you just how much he cared.

Prompt: “Have you eaten anything today?”

Just a short little blurb about how you finally let your hair down after keeping it up for most of the years, and Daryl notices.

You never really left your hair down, literally speaking.

Ever since the dead started wreaking havoc on this planet, your hair has been a messy bun or ponytail, which was knotted to no extent from being up, being rinsed with lake or river water.

That was until Alexandria.

Alexandria allowed you to finally be able to let your hair down. You had a brush, shampoo and conditioner, and even a hair dryer.

You never thought you’d see the day to where your hair was clean, knot free and down. It actually shocked you the first time you saw it, how long it had gotten.

You got dressed and went back to blow dry it.

As soon as you walked outside, the people in your group, the ones you were with from the start, were shocked as well.

“Wow, look at that head of hair.” Carol teases, “It’s pretty. You should wear it down more often.”

You smile and shrug, “Yeah, I hope I’m able to.”

You walk away and someone else would say something, then finally, you saw Daryl. He had to do a double take, because to him, you looked like a whole other person.

“Whoa, look at you.” He smirks as you walk up to him, his eyes scanning you, “Y’look like you actually belong here.” Of course he couldn’t just give you a compliment, “Y’look ridiculous.”

You laugh, tilting your head as you flick your hair off of your shoulder, “Yeah, I feel ridiculous.”

“No, no, I didn’t-“

You cut him off, “I’m screwing with you, Dixon.”

He laughs and nods, “uh huh.” He reaches up, twirling the ends of your hair with his fingers, “s’really pretty. Y’got a lot of it, though.”

“I know. I have to learn how to braid it so it doesn’t get knotted.” You look up at him, “It was bad.”

“M’sure, I don’t think I ever seen ya let it down.” He drops his hand, “I like it like this.”

A week later, he shows up and offers to braid it for you, all thanks to Carol for teaching him how to do so.

Here’s a kiss for likin’ and rebloggin’💋

I audibly screeched when I got this notification. I can’t wait to read this!

Desert Rose

Chapter 62 ~ Deafening Cries

✧ Pairing : Daryl Dixon x Rose

✧ Era : Season 5

✧ Word Count : 7.2k

In this chapter ~ Rick and the others head into the city when they heard the news about what happened to Beth and Rose. Though they hit a few bumps in the road to get their people back, it seems for a moment that everything worked out in the end. That is until a horrible and sudden death occurs right when they least expect it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ THIRD PERSON POV *~*~*~*~*~*~*

It all happened too fast. One minute Daryl was helping the kid back up to his feet to follow right behind where Rose had run off to, and the next she was on the ground, unmoving, laying there practically lifeless. It took him all of one second to process the fact that she was hit by a car, but the moment it registered in his mind, he was surging forward in an instant in attempt to get to her. But the kid quickly grabbed onto Daryl and held him back so they would stay out of sight. He felt terrible for doing so, but this was the only way she would get help.

"No! Let go of me!" Daryl yelled as he thrashed around in his arms.

"No, no, wait, they can help her! They're the only ones who can. They have medicine, machines, a doctor. You go out there, you'll have to kill them, okay? And then she won't get taken care of, is that what you want?"

They both watched helplessly as two men emerged to put Rose on a stretcher to move her into the car. Daryl was panting as he continued to struggle in the young man's hold, but in the back of his mind, he knew he was right. If they went out there, she wouldn't get the help that she needed. But he just got her back. After losing her for days, thinking she was dead, he got her back now only to lose her again. He felt like a failure.

"We can get her back. We can get Beth back." the kid reassured.

The car then sped back off down the street, with her just in the backseat as Daryl finally shrugged the kid's arms from off of him, "What's it gonna take?" he huffed.

The man just looked at him sadly, "A lot. They got guns...people..."

"Yeah...so do we." Daryl grumbled.

And without another word, the two quickly took off back into the city to try and find a running car so they could make it back to the church where the others stayed. It was a struggle as they felt like they were searching endlessly, before finally finding a truck that Daryl hotwired, the vehicle having just enough gas to get them back.

The whole ride back was just filled with silence. Neither one of them knew what to say, the only thing being exchanging names amongst the quiet. Though after a while of driving, the kid, Noah, slowly began to tell Daryl some of the things that had gone down at the hospital. Things he felt the man should know before they walked in there, guns blazing.

However, this only made Daryl's panic rise. Beth being trapped there was one thing, but now the two of them being stuck blindly with no way out, it was a whole other story. He couldn't bear the thought of them dealing with the assholes this kid has had described, they sounded deranged. The newfound information only made him pick up speed to get to the group faster, his foot stepping harshly on the gas as he swerved. They would get Beth back. They would get Rose back. That's what he kept having to tell himself over and over to stay calm as he gripped the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Once they made it back to the church, Daryl didn't hesitate to tell the group everything he could recall...or to his surprise, what was left of the group. It initially confused him to see the new people were suddenly gone, along with Glenn and Maggie who weren't anywhere in sight. Rick then had to break the news, telling him the whole mess of a story about how they had to leave for Washington, but the rest didn't want to leave him and Rose behind.

But to Daryl, that was far from important right now.

He laid everything out on the table for Rick, explaining piece by piece of what had happened when they traveled back to Atlanta, in attempts to get Beth, but only ended up biting off more than they could chew. Though after hearing everything, Rick didn't hesitate to round up everyone to move out, wanting to get their girls back as fast as possible. His heart about fell out of his chest when Daryl informed them that they managed to take Rose too. He wasn't about to let that fly, not at all.

It was clear that all of them were set with a certain determination, to save their people after losing so much already.

Back at the hospital, Beth was prepared to fight back. She had never been more ready to get out of here and back to her family, though she didn't even know where to start looking. They could still be separated for all she knew, practically stuck on different planets from how far away they seemed. But that wasn't about to stop her, knowing she would rather be on her own then spend another second locked away here.

She walked through the corridor with a scalpel in hand, the intention to put an end to all of this after seeing Noah escape from just beyond her reach. But she stopped suddenly when she saw the doors on the other end of the hall being shoved open, a few people carrying in someone new on a stretcher who looked to be unconscious. She moved out of the way to the opposite side of the space so they could get through to an unoccupied room, but when she caught a glimpse of the stranger, she could've sworn she stopped breathing for a moment.

There she was. Right in front of her very eyes. Rose.

Worry immediately filled within her as she saw the state she was in, the deep cuts on her face, the bruises forming on different parts of her body. Beth's mind ran wildly though she attempted to stay calm, knowing there was no way she could leave now. Not without her. But then again, this coincidence led her to believe that someone else from the group might now where she is. And they were no doubt coming for her, giving them the perfect opportunity to escape.

An hour ticked by excruciatingly slow since they first brought her in, getting her situated with some medication and stitched up the gashes along her skin. Beth hadn't stopped lingering by that area since, not wanting to draw attention, but not wanting to leave her alone either.

As she made her thirtieth loop around the long hall, she couldn't bring herself to stay away anymore, gaining the courage to peek her head in to see her laying there peacefully with an IV in her arm. The bruising she had was terrible, her left side almost completely covered in black and blue marks as her stitches looked red and painful.

"Excuse me." came a sudden voice from right beside her.

Beth jumped a little at the man's presence, quickly moving aside so the doctor could walk in and check on her. She tried to act nonchalant for both of their safety, pretending she hardly knew the woman at all, but it was getting harder for her to hide her concern. Beth wondered if Daryl ever found Rose, or if he even found anyone from the group at all. She could only hope that someone was on their way to them, and they could get out of this place together.

"Is she going to be okay?" Beth asked before she could stop herself.

The doctor gave her a weird look, "Yes...she should be just fine."

She breathed a silent sigh of relief and made a mental note to come back and check on her herself when no one else was around. She prayed that Rose would wake up soon so she could talk to her, set up some kind of plan for when the time came. But now, all she could do was wait.

The group of five made it back to the city after a long and painful drive, now held up in a building near the hospital, discussing a strategy. They all listened intently while Rick talked about what the best approach would be, but all they could do was worry. Sasha alone wasn't in the right state of mind after losing Bob just the other night, the images of the people from Terminus coming back for revenge lingered in the back of their minds.

Daryl remained a complete mess. Not only did his wife get captured by a bunch of strangers, but she was also hurt far worse than she was before. Two car accidents in one day, that had to be a new record. He just needed to get her back, he needed to know that she was okay considering the condition he last saw her in.

"At sundown we fire a shot into the air, get two of them out on patrol. Then once it's dark enough that the rooftop spotter won't see us, we go. We cut the locks in one of the stairways, take it to the fifth floor. I open the door, Daryl takes the guard out." Rick spoke.

"How?" Tyreese asked.

Rick looked up to him, "He slits his fucking throat." he said simply.

Everyone around could see how fast Rick was changing, though no one could blame him in the slightest. After everything they've been through, it wasn't a surprise, and now the absence of Rose was enough to tip him over the edge. They all knew he wasn't going to be kind or patient about this considering the number of times he had lost her already.

"This is all about doing this quietly, keeping the upper hand. They're not expecting us. From there we fan out, knives and silenced weapons. We need to be fast." he continued.

He then pointed down to a sloppy map he drew out of the hospital, with a little help from Noah. He instructed where each person would be, when they would attack, and what was the best route to get to them. It seemed pretty simple if everything would go according to plan, but Tyreese began to grow uneasy.

"This is the best case scenario, what's the worst case? All it takes is one of those cops going down the hallway at the wrong time. Then it's not quiet. All hands on deck. We're talking about a lot of bullets flying around." the man pointed out.

"If that's what it takes." Sasha said.

Ty shook his head, "It's not. If we get a couple of her cops alive out here, we can do a trade. Theirs for ours. Everybody goes home."

Rick stood up, "Yeah, I get it. And it might work. But this will work. We're getting those girls back. I don't care what it takes."

The rest stayed silent as the two went back and forth, but eventually after a lot of convincing, Tyreese finally got everyone on his side for the plan he assured would work better. It took a little while for Rick to come to terms with that, but he was running out of options and most importantly, time. Which is why he reluctantly agreed, the group moving out to get this taken care of.

They spread out in different directions, Rick firing a single shot into the air as they then waited for the cops to come check out the noise. Drawing them out like moths to a flame. It didn't take long for a car to slowly drive through the area where the gunshot was heard, cautiously getting out of their vehicle as they scanned the area around them for anything unusual.

Rick silently nodded over to Noah, the kid nodding back in response as he slowly slid out from where he hid, wanting the cops to notice his presence. As he stepped out into the open, the two spotted him immediately, drawing their weapons out to aim at his head the second they saw a gun in his hold.

"Drop it!" the male officer commanded, "Drop it now!"

"Okay." Noah complied in mock defeat, setting his weapon on the ground in front of him, watching as the two rushed over to get him down on his knees.

"I thought you were smart Noah; you didn't think we would hear you?" the female officer asked, zip tying his wrists together.

The other one looked around confused as his gun was still trained on the kid, "Where are those rotters you were shooting at?" he asked.

Then a single whistle was heard from just behind their heads, spinning around to see the rest of the group coming out with guns of their own. The two officers became suddenly panicked at the numbers they were seeing, their widened eyes only growing as they slowly realized this was a trap.

"Hands." Rick demanded.

"What do you want?" the female officer asked.

The male officer began shaking his head in shock, "Whatever this is, we can help." he spoke up, his voice slightly wavering.

Rick only raised his gun higher, "You do what we say, and we don't hurt you."

The two looked at each other, almost as if having a silent discussion with their eyes before doing as he said. They placed their weapons on the ground in unison, raising their hands up high for Rick to see.

"Good, now turn around." Rick demanded, "Get on your knees."

They did as they were told, Noah standing up from his position and walking towards Ty so he could cut the ties off his wrists. Daryl and Sasha moved over to the officers, binding their hands together the moment they were steadied on their knees, forming some kind of circle around them to which they couldn't escape.

Rick picked up their guns off the ground, placing them behind his back as he moved his way to stand in front of their faces. "We need to talk." he said lowly.

Just a few miles away from the group's chaos, Beth noticed that Rose's room was finally unoccupied, taking the chance to hesitantly step inside to see her, but not before glancing behind her a number of times just to make sure there was truly no one around. From the looks of it she still seemed to be out like a light, but she was alive, and that's all that mattered to her. The girl shut the door quietly and made her way over to sit at the foot of her bed, slowly taking Rose's hand in her own.

"Ro?" she called out softly.

She was met with silence, the only noise being the heart monitor beeping in the background, Beth closing her eyes while squeezing her hand softly, "I just wanted you to know I'm here." she whispered.

Nothing.

"I still can't believe you're here. I mean...I knew you were alive; I had always had feeling. I just wish I could've seen you again under better circumstances. They wouldn't tell me what happened to you...but I just know that you're in here because of something they did. They aren't...they aren't good people. But I'm gonna get you out if it's the last thing I do...I promise."

Still nothing.

Beth sighed sadly at the lack of reaction, bowing her head as she did something she hadn't done in a long time...she prayed. After her dad died a horrible death, she didn't really feel like praying anymore, questioning if God even existed after having to witness something so horrid. But right here, right now, she found herself pleading. Knowing that if there were some higher power out there, that's what could help her in a moment of need.

It seemed almost impossible, a miracle she would guess, but the moment her silent prayer ended, she felt Rose's hand move slightly in her own. Her head snapped up to see her face, watching as the woman groaned softly, before slowly opening her eyes. An instant smile was brought to Beth's face, quietly thanking God for his fast works as she waited patiently for Rose to fully wake.

Her vision was blurry when she first opened her eyes, taking them a few seconds to adjust to the sudden bright light shining down on her, for a moment she thought she was dead with how blinding it seemed. Though the more she blinked, the more she gained consciousness, the more she felt the sharp pain in her side as she let out a deep sigh at the pressure that lingered there.

When her eyes finally focused, glancing briefly around the room, she could've sworn she was dreaming. There right in front of her eyes was Beth sitting at the edge of her bed, her hand grasped tightly in her own.

Rose's eyes widened as she sat up a little, hearing Beth let out an airy laugh with tears forming in her eyes, "Beth?" she whispered.

The blonde nodded her head, confirming that everything was in fact real, and Rose didn't hesitate to sit up immediately to pull her into a tight hug. She couldn't bring herself to care about the aching pain in her side, or where the hell she even was. All she seemed to care about was the fact that she had found her, although it almost didn't feel like reality.

She felt Beth shake a little as she cried onto her shoulder, still holding onto her for dear life, scared to death that she wasn't going to see her again. They stayed in each other's arms for what felt like forever before Rose finally pulled away to take Beth's face in her hands.

"Oh honey, are you okay?" she asked, noticing the cuts and marks all over her face.

Beth laughed again, feeling Rose wiping the tears that fell from her eyes, "You're asking if I'm okay? Rose, you're beaten and bruised and-"

She shook her head, "I don't care, are you okay?" she asked again.

"I'm okay." Beth whispered.

Rose couldn't help but bring the young girl in for another hug as she tried to hold back her own emotions. It was like everything was finally falling into place. Now that she found her and knew she was alright, she couldn't wait to get out of here. But judging by how Beth wasn't able to escape with the kid whom she met moments before the disaster, it probably wouldn't be easy.

"What happened?" Beth suddenly asked, pulling away to look her in the eye.

Rose sighed, "It's a really long story. But we all managed to find each other again...and Daryl and I somehow spotted a car similar to the one who took you. We followed it, ended up running into the kid that you helped escape, and then...I got hit by a car." she said bluntly.

Beth blinked a few times, "You got hit by a car?" she asked, with wide eyes.

"I think so, it's still kind of fuzzy." she muttered as she rubbed a tender spot on her head, "But Daryl knows where we are...we're getting out of here." Rose assured.

Beth nodded her head, "Good. We need to just wait for the right moment."

"Has there been any signs that they're coming? It could be anything."

Beth tried to think for a moment or two, before suddenly remembering when she was talking with Dawn only minutes ago, hearing the commotion on the radio attached to her belt. A few officers went on and on about a random series of gunfire close by, wanting to check it out. It was a long shot that it could be the others, but there was a chance.

"There was a gunshot that rang out near here. I overheard a few of them talking about it." Beth informed.

Rose nodded confidently, "It's them. How long ago?"

"Just a few minutes, I think. They just went to check it out."

"Okay, good. Do you know where they're keeping my stuff?" Rose asked.

The girl nodded, "They might've stored it in a room not too far from here, I can go get everything. But they can't know you're awake. If someone else comes in here, just pretend you're still asleep, okay?"

Rose nodded a bit uneasily, "Okay..."

Beth went to stand, wanting to get out before they were caught, but then stopped as she squeezed Rose's hand again one final time, "I missed you so much." she whispered.

Her face softened as she squeezed her hand in return, "I missed you too. I'm so glad you're okay, honey." she replied.

Beth smiled as she nodded, "I'll go get your stuff, it might take a bit for me to come back. Just wait here."

Rose nodded in response, laying back down in the same position to pretend she was still unconscious, hearing Beth open and close the door lightly the moment she shut her eyes.

She let her mind run, knowing she would be alone for a long while before Beth returned. She hoped that wherever the others were right now, that they were being safe instead of reckless. The last thing she needed right now was to lose someone else.

Daryl was pacing back and forth in the abandoned building that they were holed up in, waiting for Rick to return. Of course, the plan didn't go as smoothly as they would've wished, and there were a few bumps in the road.

They ended up finding a third officer that was also willing to help them after he had the whole story, but the moment he was left alone with Sasha, he knocked her out as he made his great escape. Knowing all the information now, they all assumed his plan would be to run back to Dawn to fill her in on everything. Like a damn rat.

Rick was the one to take off after him the moment he found out, the rest of them silently knowing that the man wasn't going to make it back to the hospital. Sure, all of that was bad, but that wasn't the thing that worried Daryl the most.

Rose continued to cloud his thoughts heavily. Not knowing for sure if she was okay, if she was even alive, just brought back the same feeling he had not too long ago when he first lost her. He promised her that he wouldn't let her go again and he would always protect her, but he couldn't even do that. He couldn't follow through on one simple promise he made to her, and now God only knew what was happening to her now.

Noah kept trying to reassure him that she was fine, that they would take care of her, but he couldn't make himself believe that. He didn't know if he could ever believe that. All he wanted was to see it with his own eyes, wanting her with him where she was safe from all harm.

The female officer noticed Daryl's repetitive steps, back and forth for minutes on end, and got up the courage to ask, "One of the people in there...it's someone you care about, isn't it?"

He stopped in his tracks to look at the woman with narrowed eyes, silently daring her to continue to question him. She noticed immediately that she struck a nerve and put her head down to not make eye contact with the man.

"His wife." Ty suddenly spoke up, answering for Daryl.

Daryl's eyes snapped up to meet Tyreese's as he glared daggers at him. He didn't understand why they owed these people any information whatsoever when it wouldn't matter in the end. He didn't trust them one bit to have any kind of knowledge, they could easily use it against them for all they knew. After the one officer escaped, they couldn't take any more chances with the two that remained.

Just then, Rick walked in through the entrance loudly as his boots clicked with a constant echo, immediately nodding for Daryl to follow him away from the other officers so they could talk privately. The man instantly moved toward the other end of the room and once they were far enough away, Rick spoke quietly.

"He wouldn't stop." he said simply, implying that he had taken care of him.

Daryl nodded, "This change things?" he asked.

"It has to," Rick confirmed, "The one guy who said this whole trade would work is dead. Maybe we gotta rethink this."

"They also said the cop in charge didn't have any respect for 'em. Maybe he did her a favor." Daryl stated.

Rick shook his head, "I don't know if they'll play ball."

"Let's find out."

They nodded to each other in agreement before making their way back toward the others. The officer that escaped had went on and on about how their plan could work. The head officer, the woman who ran the place, allegedly would take the deal, you just had to know how to talk to her. Now Rick was thinking that it was a bunch of bullshit just so he could escape, but they still didn't know for sure. Both men just wanted to get a move on, get in and out of there fast.

But before Rick could breathe a word to the two officers they had left, the woman spoke up, "He was a good man. He was attacked by rotters...we saw it go down."

Rick tilted his head at her, "You're a damn good liar." he stated.

"We're hanging on by a threat here," she informed, "He was attacked by rotters, that's the story."

Daryl spoke up, "Ya said the trade was a bad idea. What changed?"

"Lamson was our shot," she said, referring to the now deceased man, "So it's this, or you go in shooting up the place, right? You don't want that."

Daryl moved closer to her, "If this is some bullshit yer spitin and things go south-"

"I know." she interrupted, "I know the good ones from the bad. Let us help you."

Rick looked at her for a moment, contemplating what she said very carefully and weighing out his options, before turning towards the man, "What about you?" he asked, "You wanna live? How much?"

He stared at Rick for a moment, "Dawn's afraid she'll look weak in front of us. Thinks it'll tip things against her, hell, it will. She'll see this trade as a rip off if she thinks you took out one of our guys. So...it's a good thing Lamson got aced by rotters."

The group looked at him with a mixture of shock and understanding. They were in.

Beth barged into Rose's room with her clothes and her weapons, "It's me, you have to get up."

Her eyes flew open, sitting up quickly to see Beth with an anxious yet hopeful look on her face as she laid out everything at the foot of the bed, "One of the officers talked to Dawn over the radio. They said that a man with a group wanted to make a trade, two officers they had for the two of us." she continued.

Rose's eyes widened and a small smile appeared on her face, "Okay, good."

She then slowly stood up, wincing as she did so to move and change into her real clothes, the process slow and tedious as Beth offered to help. The ugly nightgown was tossed aside carelessly as she replaced her weapons around her, adjusting everything as fast as she could, practically itching to get out of this place.

Though her excitement got the best of her as she quietly gasped at the sudden pain in her side, Beth catching on instantly as she held her hand out for support.

"Do you need a wheelchair or anything?" she asked.

Rose shook her head, standing back up straight with a discomforted face, "No, I'm fine." she breathed.

"Ro, you were just hit by a car." Beth said.

She looked up at the young girl, "I'll live."

Beth hesitantly nodded her head and gently pulled her along so they could exit the room together. Though when they were almost to the door, Rose managed to catch sight of herself in the reflection of a mirror just a few feet away. It was like she didn't even recognize herself, the wrecked state she was in almost made her a different person.

Beth gently tugged on her arm to keep walking, exiting through the door slowly as they bumped right into the doctor in the hallway. He looked shocked to see Rose awake and walking around, "I- I didn't know you were up-"

"Yeah, I've been up." Rose interrupted him harshly as she seemed to not waste any time, "Where are my people?"

He opened and closed his mouth a few times as he tried to formulate a response, before just simply nodding for the two to follow him, and they didn't hesitate to keep up with his strides. Neither one of the girls knew what this would lead to, how everything would play out, but they had hope. That after everything and long time apart from one another, they could finally just breathe the minute this was all over.

The doctor lead them down the hall, slowly stopping short once they saw a line of officers planted right in the middle of the walkway. They were all facing the other direction as if they were still waiting, watching for the group to enter on the other end of the passage.

Seconds of silence passed like that, anticipation building in everyone's chests before the door suddenly swung open, the others trailing inside with the two officers held in custody as promised. They all paused at the other end of the corridor, leaving a decent amount of space in between, though Rose wasn't planning on waiting around for another second.

Beth had come to a full stop next to the officers, but Rose kept going, continuing to make her way over to her group in a fit of impatience. But her movements were stopped in an instant when someone grasped her arm harshly, yanking her back a step so she couldn't make it to the other side. Glancing over her shoulder, she could only assume this was the woman in charge, glaring at her for moving without permission.

"We do this my way." she said through gritted teeth, "You're not leaving unless I say so."

Rose scoffed, "I'll leave whenever the hell I want to."

She ripped her arm from her tight grasp, turning slightly to take another step, but stopped once she saw Dawn's hand hover over the gun in her holster. Rose laughed lightly, "Is that supposed to intimidate me?"

"You're not the one I'd shoot." the woman threatened, her eyes slowly panning over towards Beth.

Rose's blood began to boil at the implication as she glared at the woman, leaving Dawn smirking at the reaction she received. "Get back." she demanded.

Rose closed her eyes as her frustration grew, before slowly moving back to stand beside Beth once more, watching their people share concerned glances with each other at the little interaction they witnessed. It was quiet, she knew they didn't know for sure what was said, but the action was enough for them to grow uneasy.

Rick was the first to speak amongst the silence, "They haven't been harmed."

"Where's Lamson?" Dawn asked.

"Rotters got him." the female officer said, "Saw it go down right in front of us."

Dawn faltered for a second at the unexpected news, "Oh..." she muttered quietly, "I'm sorry to hear that, he was one of the good guys. ...One of yours for one of mine."

"Alright." Rick agreed, motioning for Daryl to hand over the male officer that he had in his hold.

Dawn looked over at Rose and nodded for her to go first and she scoffed at her, "Oh, now I can go." she muttered under her breath as she walked away with another officer right on her tail.

She met Daryl in the middle as he let go of the man carelessly and was quick to wrap her in a tight hug. He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pulled back to scan her face, "Ya okay?" he asked quietly.

She nodded, "I'm fine."

He nodded and wrapped an arm around her to bring her back to the group, all of them smiling in relief to see her seemingly unharmed. Rick didn't hesitate to bring her in for a quick squeeze, his touch delicate to make sure he didn't hurt her further, before they both faced the other side to make sure Beth would make it over as well.

They watched as Dawn grasped her arm aggressively, bringing her in towards the middle just as Rick stepped forward with the other officer. Once Dawn let go of Beth, she picked up her pace to make it over to Rick and he cupped her cheek, muttering something to her quietly as she nodded. She then walked all the way back to the group and hugged Rose again as they both sighed in some kind of relief, knowing that they both made it safely with no complications.

"Glad we could work things out." Dawn said loudly.

Rick looked back at her once more, a scowl on his face, "Yeah." he muttered bitterly.

Seeing as everything was done, the group turned to make their way back out the doors they once came through, but Dawn's voice stopped them in their tracks, "Now I just need Noah. And then you can leave."

Their heads all whipped back over to her and stared at her with wide eyes. Rick took a few steps back toward her, "That wasn't part of the deal."

"Noah was my ward. Beth took his place and now I'm losing her, so I need him back." Dawn said, "My officers put their lives on the line to find him, one of them died."

Anger filled Rose completely at the nerve of this woman, stepping away from Daryl much to his dismay to defend him, "It's not his fault your officers don't know how to take care of themselves, he's not staying." she snapped.

"He's one of mine, you have no claim on him." Dawn said.

"The boy wants to go home, so you have no claim on him." Rick clapped back.

She stared at him, the mask she wore slipping from her face for a split second, "Then I guess we don't have a deal." she said calmly.

"The deal is done." Rose raised her voice.

Noah came up closer from behind them, "It's okay." he assured.

Rick didn't take his eyes off Dawn as he protested, "No, no it's not-"

Noah shook his head as he handed his gun back to Rick, "I gotta do it." he said quietly.

Dawn smirked a little to herself as she watched Noah hand over his weapon, the act somewhat surrendering, "Then it's settled." she said.

Rose wanted to pop a cap in this woman for her narcissistic tendencies, but she knew if she did, all hell would break loose. That wasn't something she was willing to risk. Though she didn't know Noah very well, hardly at all really, she knew he shouldn't have to stay here just by what she's seen and heard about this place.

"Wait!" Beth suddenly called out just as Noah turned to leave, beginning to rush toward him.

Rose's attention snapped to her, catching her arm before she could get too close, "Beth..." she warned with a shake of her head, wanting her to be safe.

But the girl just smiled at her, gently pulling herself out of her hold, "It's okay." she whispered.

Rose could hear the sadness in her voice, the tears that were suddenly brought to her eyes despite her smile. Though she tried to be reassuring, silently telling her it was okay to be upset as she regrettably let her go. Beth immediately walked over to give Noah a tight hug, one last embrace before she was forced to say goodbye.

Rose stayed completely still as she watched the interaction, standing firmly in her place even when she felt someone behind her begin to tug her arm back a little. She had a bad feeling that something was about to happen, everything seemed oddly calm, and she didn't like it at all.

After Beth finally let Noah go, her eyes narrowed towards Dawn as she suddenly approached her next. Rose tensed up at the sight, instinctively reaching back for her gun as her eyes scanned the scene playing before them. She wanted to call out to her, tell her that whatever she was going to say wouldn't be worth it.

"Beth." she spoke, shaking her head silently as she gestured for her to come back. But she didn't, clearly set on her decision as she simply smiled reassuringly, before turning her full attention back to Dawn.

None of them could hear what the young girl said, it was far too quiet for them to make out. But the space grew oddly tense afterwards. And then...all hell broke loose.

In one quick move, Beth took something sharp out of her pocket to stab Dawn near her shoulder. The woman let out a gasp of pain, her hand initiatively pulling the trigger on her gun that was aimed right near Beth's face, her head jerking back as the bullet flew through her skull.

Everyone froze in a state of shock, Rose's eyes widening at the sight of the girl's limp body falling to the ground. Blood began trickling out of her head, everything happening in slow motion it seemed like. Dawn's eyes widened, beginning to stumble over her words after realizing what she had done, repeating over and over again how she hadn't meant for it to go this far. But she was quickly silenced.

Rose stepped forward in an instant as she pulled out her gun, shooting the woman dead without a trace of remorse in her eyes at all. Though that only started a chain reaction, the officers at the other end of the hall beginning to draw their weapons out to aim at her for her actions. But she couldn't bring herself to care, hearing her people follow suit with the clicks of their guns as this had turned into some kind of face off.

"Wait, hold your fire!" one officer called out, "It's over! It was just about her...stand down." she said sternly to her group.

A moment of complete and unsettling silence passed before they all slowly lowered their guns at the harsh command, the group following suit a few seconds later upon watching them comply. Rose however didn't falter. She held her gun high with the intent on killing every last one of them, not caring what kind of excuse they spat just to spare themselves. None of them deserved to live in her eyes.

She stepped closer as if trying to intimidate them, but she soon felt the tears spill over her eyes as she attempted to control her breathing, unable to hold her emotions back anymore. A hand then landed on her shoulder, not even needing to turn around to know who it was and what he was silently asking. She shook her head in silent defeat, before her arm slowly dropped to place the weapon back in her belt, a sob escaping her lips in the process.

Her eyes glanced down at her sister's lifeless body, slowly falling down to her knees on the ground next to her with tears streaming down her face like a rapid river. It didn't even register in her mind that the sobs and screams that filled the air where her own, the ringing in her ears being far too loud for her to hear. She took Beth's face in her hands and brushed away the hairs that stuck to her forehead. Her heart felt like it completely shattered in half, slowly and painfully, as she didn't see any life behind her eyes anymore. Her cries didn't die down as she mourned the loss of the special girl, feeling everyone's eyes staring at her with nothing but pity.

No one dared to move or even breathe too close to her, in fear they might upset her further. But Daryl knew better than to do that, and he knew they had to go, they couldn't stay here forever despite the heartbreaking and shocking turn of events. He cautiously crouched down beside her, his hands going to her upper arms in attempt to help her up. But she only shoved him away with a sob as she didn't want to leave her side, leave her here with all of these strangers she hardly knew. Maggie didn't even know, and she had a right to see her.

"Rosie...come on baby, we gotta go." Daryl whispered, his voice breaking slightly.

His chest felt tight with emotion at the loss of yet another person who managed to worm their way into his heart. It hurt him a lot more than he was willing to admit, losing Beth who had a heart of gold and always a positive outlook. But what managed to hurt him even more was seeing Rose wailing for the girl, continuing to try and push him away.

"I-I can't-" she stuttered out as she cried, "I can't leave- her here-"

Daryl shook his head, "We ain't...m' gonna carry her out, alright? We'll bury her, somewhere far from this place."

She let out another sob and turned her body to hug him tightly. Rose had never cried so hard for someone before. She had never felt such pain before. She had never been so furious before. The whirlwind of emotions was messing with her mind, a throbbing pain shooting through her skull. It was all so surreal.

Daryl quietly called Tyreese over, slowly guiding Rose into his arms so she didn't have to walk out alone, not even knowing if she could fully support herself. The man pulled her up and wrapped and arm around her shoulders, trying his best to comfort her as he slowly guided her away. She didn't have it in her to argue, trying to walk as best as she could though she felt so weak, so hurt, so broken.

But she couldn't help but glance back, wanting to make sure Daryl had picked her up, but Ty was quick to tighten his hold on her to make her look forward.

"Don't look, Ro." he said softly, "He's got her." he assured.

Walking out of the hospital was like a nightmare. The group didn't expect to see the rest of their people just outside of the doors, but they had somehow found them, lingering outside waiting. Maggie was outside waiting. Rose looked up at the people before her with tear stained cheeks, and they all grew shocked to see the state she was in. She could hardly bring herself to look at Maggie, silently grateful Ty was supporting her otherwise she believed that she would've collapsed right then and there.

Maggie looked to all of them with a mix of hurt and confusion sketched on her face. She couldn't understand why they were so emotional...until she saw caught a glimpse of Daryl. In an instant the woman dropped to the ground, starting to sob at the sudden tragedy that hit her like a ton of bricks. Rose kept her eyes down the whole time, not wanting to see the pain on her face as the ache in her chest was already too much to bear. Tyreese just held Rose tight as the two girls sobbed for Beth, the rest bowing their heads with a heaviness in their hearts at the distressing scene before them.

~ Thanks for reading! (A moment of silence for the loss of Beth:( This was a hard chapter to get through because I just love her so much. But for both Rose and Maggie's character development later on, it unfortunately needed to happen)

Taglist ~ @justareader95 @hayley1998 @ryoujoking @sipsthecoffee @winterassassin1804 @marsmallow433 @catlalice @writingstreetspirit @silentlysuffering98 @mystictf @remuslittlesister

Daryl's Three favorite memories.

1-

Daryl Dixon might be a very closed off person with a receptive but unfriendly personality, but even with his bad attitude or rude way of relating to his surroundings, he somehow managed to hit the jackpot amidst the walking dead and the pain.

Katherine Sánchez, the girl he met on the farm, was different from the prejudices that he had already placed on her shoulders. To think that just because of her last name or her millionaire family in New York that she would be a privileged and stupid girl was far from who she was, and one of the first nights we were all together, she could see it.

—I never said being a drug addict is a good thing, don't put words in my mouth. I'm just criticizing how you think people become addicts. It's a Disney fantasy to say 'bad people are addicts' or 'people with no future' because it's false and totally uninformed, especially for a cop. Did you know that overprescribing opioids for every damn physical problem created an entire generation of addicts, right?—Kat asked Shane as she took a long sip from the bottle of red wine.

We were all sitting around a campfire in front of Hershel's house; he was inside sleeping while his daughters, except for Beth who was inside, were outside with us. Kat was next to Maggie, who was glued to Glenn, and that made me laugh because his red face from alcohol and skin-to-skin contact with that girl made him look like a tomato. But I stopped making fun of him to listen to the conversation.

—That's what liberals say, it's the only future, more or less with money or without money, for low-income people and a very normal reality for them, girl. ¿Have you ever seen what those neighborhoods are like?—He asked her, looking at her seriously.

—No, but if you put two neurons together, people addicted to opioids, after they stop using them because they couldn't get them anymore and the authorities shut them down instead of helping them because, I repeat, THEY CAUSED THE PROBLEM they'll seek that feeling elsewhere and end up in those neighborhoods. People with incredible futures or normal people who, I don't know, break a leg, for example, end up dead from using crack or steroids.

—¿And what about the people who sell them? Drug traffickers and distributors, what happens to them? Are they good people for giving them what they need? Because I'm pretty sure those types of people aren't normal or people who got into that million-dollar business that takes lives just because they broke their damn legs or something. —Shane responded.

She sighed heavily as she shook her head. I straightened up and stopped leaning against the tree to look at her; the whole group was silent as we watched them.

—And the economic problems of this shit society and monetary organization, plus the crises we go through, don't ring a bell to you? It's much easier to sell drugs without experience than to get another job. Plus, it pays the bills and supports families, but in the same way, it discards people as if they were nothing, since putting drug dealers in prison doesn't achieve anything because it's a whole organization.

—Maybe you have a point in that, but anyway, it's better to lock up a person than to let them go when they do something against the law.

—¿And what about helping them? You were supposed to be a cop and "help people." ¿Do you think these people were there by their own choice? ¿Do you think they woke up one day and said, 'I want to sell drugs'? This isn't like Breaking Bad.

—Girl, I'm a cop, not the president. I just lock up the bad people and save the good ones. End of story.

—That's very black and white, and life isn't like that. We're gray; you can't lock people up just because they resorted to the last thing they had to feed their families. And believe me, I know you're a cop, and not much can be done, but that's where morality comes in, or thinking with your head instead of brutality. ¿Why not help people for something better and dismantle organizations? Or something simpler, ¿instead of locking up drug-addicted people on the street, take them to a hospital or clinics? Something that actually helps them.

—Why does it bother you so much, girl? I just made a joke, and everyone laughed. ¿Can't you just laugh and forget?

—No, because that's not right, since from your privileged and problem-free point of view, you think only bad people among the poor are addicts and will end up living under a damn bridge. But it's not like that. I know I was very, very privileged in life before all this shit happened, even with that, with not lacking anything and never having to worry about money, I ended up in the same boat as the addicts.

I raised an eyebrow at that; it was odd for a privileged person to defend my previous usual situation with my brother or my neighborhood, but now everything closed when she said that.

—¿To what?" I asked her seriously, leaning my elbows against my knees.

—Adderall and antipsychotics. Now I'm fine because it was like a year ago, but anyway, he can't be such a bastard to say that, and it surprises me that he's a cop, although I don't know why I do it since cops are fucking shit—she said, getting up and taking the half-empty bottle with her.

We all stopped looking at her when she disappeared into the darkness to look at Maggie, her friend since they were kids.

—Her parents pressured her to be perfect in everything she did, so she pretended to have ADHD and schizophrenia in front of a psychiatrist to get those prescribed medications after coming to the conclusion that being at the top of success cost a price. She stopped her pills when I found out, and we noticed that it was killing her, but it's still a recent wound, and besides, Kat has always been an advocate for the poor—Maggie explained as she took a long sip of water, looking at the fire.

I got up from the ground and walked the same steps where Kat's body had gone, leaving me standing in the middle of the backyard near the barn, watching her from afar sitting against the poorly painted and old wooden planks at the back with her legs to her chest and continuously taking sips while looking at the moon.

—For a mommy and daddy's girl, you turned out pretty real—I said as I approached her.

—It doesn't matter who provides you with sperm or who gives birth to you; What matters is who raises you and with what mentality those people show you the world— her gaze never left the moon

—¿Butlers and nannies?

—Workers like cooks or cleaners, my mother's assistant and just a nanny. All immigrants because 'people from difficult countries create workers who don't complain', according to my parents—she said with disgust in his voice. —I don't agree at all with what my parents did or with what they thought they had in their heads, besides it seems shitty to me that those people raised me and never had good pay for their extra work.

—The black sheep of the family, it seems—I said with a laugh in my voice.

—My parents' favorite, in case you didn't notice—the sarcasm in her voice made me laugh.

We stayed silent for a long time, both of us looking at the clear sky, enjoying the cold air.

—My brother was an addict, but he was a bad person.

—¿Didn't he make it out?

—¿Get here? No, he was even in the group before he came here and remained an addict. The pills Glenn brought were his.

—¿Did he become one of those bastards or did he go out as a lone wolf?

I chuckled at the latter.

—Rick handcuffed him to the roof of a building, and when I went to look for him, he had cut off his hand to escape — I said as I grabbed the bottle and took a long swig.

—Police brutality doesn't even wane in an apocalypse, it's not surprising, to be honest — her lips pursed.

—I don't know if he's alive, but at least I know that only one Dixon kills another Dixon.

—My father told me that once, only a Sanchez can bring down another Sanchez. He was talking about our empire as the second-largest bank in the United States and our generational wealth, but I think it applies.

We both fell silent, staring at the stars and the moon with the empty bottle between us.

Daryl thought a lot about that memory when he was trapped by Negan, thinking about Kat and how they had thought the best thing that ever happened to him helped him not to think about the images of Glenn or the loud music that deafened him, he just kept reliving moments, but that was one of his favorites.

Hello, this is my first job, and I'm not a native English speaker, so if there's any mistake, please let me know respectfully, and I hope you like it <3

(I want to clarify that I am not an expert on the topic of drugs or anything related. Everything the character says is based on the research I conducted about reality. If there is anything wrong with the topics discussed, please let me know with all due respect so that I can avoid problems and prevent causing negative feelings for others who may feel attacked by the subject matter)

Daryl's three favorite memories,

2-

Daryl was leaning against the corner of that small room as loud music played. The tears streaming down his face were inevitable, and he was trying everything he could to stop them and at least close his eyes. Lost in hopelessness and the desire to die, he couldn't shake the guilt of the situation, along with not knowing what was happening outside or how Kat was doing. He stared at a fixed point between the dim light coming in and the floor, reminiscing about an old memory from when they were at the prison.

—Judith, I promise if you stop crying for Aunt Kat, I'll let you play with my pens, okay? —I heard the whisper of my "girlfriend's" soft voice as she returned from guard duty; dawn was breaking through the cell windows.

—What are you doing?—I leaned against the bars of the open door, looking at her. She looked tired, her hair tied back haphazardly, and dark circles prominent under her eyes.

—I accidentally hit the metal plate with the candle and woke her up, so I'm trying to calm her down so the others can sleep a little longer.—Kat rocked the baby in her arms as she whispered to him, but the little troublemaker wouldn't stop crying.

I approached her and took the baby from her arms, resting the baby's head on my shoulder and moving around the small space just as I had seen Carol and Beth do many times before. Kat tied her hair back better, focusing on organizing the scattered papers on the desk quickly.

—Did you get any sleep? —I asked, running my hand over Judith's head.

—Sleeping these days is a waste of time. I have to make the most of it to organize the group my way while Rick is grieving and having schizophrenic episodes anyway—she replied brusquely. I raised an eyebrow at her tone, which made her relax, calm her shoulders, and lean against the table.

Her arms crossed over her chest as she sighed, looking at her worn-out sneakers and the dirty floor. I could see her biting her lip hard as she avoided my gaze.

—You should sleep— I said, looking at her.

—At the moment, that's a luxury I can't afford.

—I know we're all going through a tough time. Lori's death was unexpected, but believe me, even when we have to regroup without Rick, we all take some rest, even if it's just a little.

—I know, and all I care about is that everyone rests so we can work tomorrow. But I took Rick's place for a reason; I can handle these situations. I can multitask, but time waits for no one, and I can't waste minutes or hours closing my eyes only to realize tomorrow that no one is guarding the fence or that essential supplies are missing. — his hands moved to his hips as he spoke.

—I know, really, I do, dear, but you can't carry the entire group on your shoulders, okay? We're supposed to be a team, or isn't that what you always say? —I asked in a softer tone as the baby began to fall asleep.

—That's what I say, but every team has a leader. Rick was the leader, but now he's seeing things in the air or ignoring his son, and I can't let everything fall apart. We all contribute in some way, but there will always be someone who has to bear the brunt of it, and that's okay because I want to be that person. I have ideas and an organization that's self-sufficient and fair to everyone, better than what we had before—she grabbed her papers and showed them to me, proving her point.

I sighed heavily and approached her, picking up the scribbled sheets with indecipherable handwriting and putting them back where they were before embracing her tightly against my chest. I could feel her muscles relax under my touch as she wrapped her arms around my body.

—I'm pretty sure your plan for managing everything and ensuring equitable tasks will be a success, I know it. But I need you to rest because when you go to manage everything and control or do your tasks, it'll be very hard for you. You'll get tired, and somehow you'll end up ruining your perfectly planned work— I spoke against her hair, kissing her forehead gently.

We remained silent, enjoying the rays of sun beginning to enter through the small window, the light gradually warming our skin.

—¿You are going to sleep?

—No, I have to explain my plan and convince everyone that it's the best idea. Forget all of Rick's work to do what I want while he's grieving. Besides, I promised Lori to take care of her son, so I have to give everything I can to make his grieving process as bearable as possible and not force his sister onto him as an obligation— she pulled away from me as she spoke, running her hands over her face to wake herself up.

—Carl is a smart kid, ¿okay? He will realize when you are with him out of obligation and fatigue, and that will not help.

—But at least I'm doing something, okay? I'm not trying to shield him from pain or ignore him like Rick does. I promised Lori I'd take care of her son and daughter, and if I have to collapse from exhaustion to do it, I will, not just for him, but for everyone.

—You should be able to rest and enjoy the possible stability it gives you. Not carrying all the work or the burden of the group, trying to live a normal life that we will never have again. That's your problem too, Kat. You are trying to paint reality rosy so that we can feel good about the little normality we have in this new world.

¿The problem? When everything goes to hell, it is a much harder blow for everyone to face reality.

—I can't do it. Someone has to suffer for everyone else to be happy, and I offer myself as a tribute to the harsh reality, so everyone can have a plate of food, shelter, family, comics, and baby food—she was about to slam her hand on the table, but my tense look at Judith stopped her in time, letting her hand drop slowly onto the wood.

I sighed, she was as stubborn as a mule, but I wouldn't stop until she could close her eyes for at least five minutes.

—Let's make a deal, ¿okay? I need to sleep now. I'll give you three hours to do everything, and if you're not in my bed with me by 9, I'll come looking for you— I pointed at her sternly.

She gave me a dirty look, but she nodded anyway, just in time to hear the whole group starting to get up because the sun was already high in the sky.

I left Judith in Carol's arms before walking to my cell and collapsing onto the lousy bed to grab a couple of branches that weren't yet arrows to distract myself, waiting for her to come to my arms. Calculating the time with a tap of my foot against the wall and in my mind, counting the seconds and minutes like a clock.

I knew the three hours had passed because no one was in the dining area, and everyone was scattered with papers in their hands. It seemed like everyone had agreed to try Kat's idea, even if they didn't understand her handwriting or the concept, judging by the confusion on their faces, like Glenn's.

I was about to get up heavily and my eyes barely open, but I saw her walking tiredly to my cell.

—40 minutes, just that, Glenn's going to come wake me up because I know he won't have any compassion if I get mad at him for letting me sleep longer—she nestled into my chest as if it were her pillow and wrapped her arms around my neck.

—You and Maggie have the poor guy trapped between a rock and a hard place—I said with laughter in my voice, closing my eyes and enjoying her weight on my body.

I chuckled before feeling her lips on mine and then resting her head against my neck, my hands on her waist resting as if it were my home between the worn seams of her jeans and the little skin left exposed by the short shirt she was wearing.

Hello, I hope you like it and that you can give it a like or reblog to reach more people. English is not my native language, so if there is any mistake, please let me know respectfully <3

Daryl's three favorite memories

3-

—You should take advantage of the fact that there's a long barrier and a roof over our heads to rest at least a bit— Kat's voice pulled me out of my thoughts as I stared out the window.

—Normally it's me telling you that you should sleep, like now that you should be with your eyes closed taking care of Carl— I said crossing my arms over my chest.

—I can't if you're not beside me to hold me.

—You're a spoiled brat, Kat— I shook my head as I looked down at my chest.

—Maybe— she rested her head on my shoulder.

We both stood in silence, gazing at the starry sky, listening to our breathing and occasionally the breathing of others.

—The sky will look better outside, come with me— she took my hand and pulled it with a slight smile.

We left the house being careful not to wake anyone. She was very poorly dressed, only wearing her red plaid shirt buttoned up to her chest and bare feet, so I gave her my vest as if that would help.

She leaned her forearms against the railing of the white porch while the moon and I stood behind her with my arms beside hers, gazing at her while we both sighed.

—It reminds me of my previous home, before everything started.

—Go wake everyone up, we're leaving now— I said as I stepped away, and she grabbed my hand.

We stared into each other's eyes again as I approached the railing, now her elbows resting against the cold wood and her eyes on mine, my hands on her waist without breaking eye contact.

—Not the aspect of a racist neighborhood full of multimillionaires but in the sense of a private place full of houses, artificial air, and the superficiality with which reality is painted outside of this place— she said as she touched my chin, analyzing the small hairs I had.— These people don't know what's really out there, and it shows from the plasticity of the environment.

—I never thought I would say it, but now I miss being outside.

She let out a small laugh, wrapping her arms behind my neck and pulling me towards her.

—It's only been hours, give this dollhouse a chance— she said with laughter in her voice, and I just gave her a dirty look.— Or until I take over the place, whichever comes first.

I laughed with her then, knowing her, she would be the new leader in a sort of coup d'état if she found more flaws than what she already had on a list in that stupid notebook she always carried around.

—My girlfriend is always going to be the next dictator of every place we go to, ¿right?— I asked, burying my face in her neck and smelling the cleaning products she forced me to use.

—Not a dictator, I like to think of myself as a kind of savior superior to the previous leaders.

—And then the narcissist is me, obviously.

She laughed, grabbing my face and pulling me away from her neck to be inches apart.

—I know you feel uncomfortable, really, I know, it's just like you looked around with disgust but believe me, for once in our lives, ignoring the harsh reality is going to come to us to relax at least our shoulders a bit— her voice was sweet, her gaze hopeful.

She always comforted Carl, saying that everything would be fine because somewhere near or far there was a place where we could all be together as a family and give him and Judith a "normal" life. Since Terminus, that hope began to bother me, but now she seemed so happy within what she was accustomed to before that I couldn't help but smile.

—I don't want anything to happen, I want to protect everyone— I said, playing with the fabric of her waist.

—I know, Daryl, really, I know, but in this world, I think we should already know that something is always going to happen, and we should also learn that there will be few places or moments where we could breathe safely, at least for a while, this is one of those times, I know everything seems so Barbie-like but for once, you should be able to lie down and live the heterosexual and vanilla fantasy of the American dream.

—We said we wouldn't have children— I looked at her confused.

—Not with ours, but with Carl and Judith or whoever happens to be the cool guys with dogs and cats, Deanna said we could have a house as a "young" couple to have new population, I think she wanted us to have children. and no pets, but never specified— She swayed his hips from side to side with a teasing smile on his face.

—I highly doubt she meant having children after asking in front of the whole group if he was your father— I looked at her with a sour face seeing her amused smile.

—It was funny, actually.

—For you, not for me, it's the first time they've told us that, and I'm not even that old— I said with indignation but with some fun in my face; this conversation could be taken too seriously.

—There are a couple of years difference between you and me, we know that, I think we were so used to everyone in our world being people who knew we were from the beginning that it caught you by surprise but not me.

—Yes, because you're the sweet and young girlfriend of this old and grumpy man who could be your father, of course, you won't mind being called my daughter.

—A little, I didn't really mind, but it was still weird, I didn't feel very comfortable with how natural it was for him to say it.

We both fell silent for a while, looking at each other in the eyes, but in my head, I could only think about how lucky I was to find a woman like Kat, things like these situations that I knew were going to happen since 16 years of difference is too much.

I could see the rest of the people in that plastic place and I realized how things were.

I noticed the looks that were directed at Kat; I never forgot how beautiful my girlfriend was. It never crossed my mind to not give her at least one compliment a day, as in my eyes, she was the most beautiful woman on earth. But I also noticed that now more unfamiliar and shallow people around us looked at her with eyes beyond doubt or fear. It struck me to the core to have been so accustomed to being the only one who could see her in that way, as everyone else was family, which now left me banging my head against the wall.

Our age difference had always been marked, but after so much time together, it was hardly noticeable, neither to us nor to the group, so it became something normal. Now, with many more people her age and the same youth, I had some doubt that she might see that she was with an old, bitter, tired, and fed-up man, and might leave for someone with her same energy and positivity.

—¿What are you thinking about?— she asked, running her fingers through my long hair.

—That I don't deserve you, but you're still with me— I said as I looked at her.

She straightened up, leaving her relaxed posture behind and looked at me with concern, grabbing my hands and leaving them in the middle of both of us.

—¿Is this because of what Deanna said or because I laughed? Because I swear my intention wasn't to make you doubt our relationship; it was just something funny— she said, worried, and I wanted to kick myself.

—It's not because of that, darling, but it's related a bit. There are so many people your age that I'm afraid you'll realize you're with an old man like me, knowing that there are many more possibilities with someone like them.

She relaxed as she looked at me teasingly.

—Daryl, I don't want anyone my age; I don't want anyone else but you, the one who has been with me all the way. Even though we didn't get along at first, we managed to iron out our differences, and look where we are. I want the man who held my hand and supported me all the time, and believe me, the age of both of us isn't a very important factor for me because you could be my age, or I could be yours, and the situation would be the same, ¿right?— her hands framing my face with a smile that melted my heart.

I just nodded.

—I love you, ¿okay?— she said as she looked at me with a small smile.

We had agreed a long time ago that "I love you" between us would only be in very serious moments because it was a true show of love for us. I could still remember our first "I love you" when the prison was attacked.

—I love you— I said as I kissed her lips forcefully, pressing her hips against the railing.

Daryl could see the house where they had spent their first night in Alexandria, while everyone was gathered with him except Kat, who was in the house they shared with their little cat Luna. He wanted to run to her after escaping from the Saviors and reunite with the group, but according to Maggie, she had fallen into a deep depression, so things had to be taken very calmly.

Hello everyone, I wanted to clarify that I'm not a native English speaker, so if there are any errors, please let me know with utmost respect. Don't forget to give a like if you enjoyed it or reblog to reach more people. Sending greetings and kisses to all <3

The Revolving Door

❧ Pairing: Daryl Dixon x Reader ❧ Era: Season 5 ❧ Pronouns: she/her ❧ Warnings: scary situation, slightly graphic depictions of death ❧ Word Count: 3.7k

❧ Requested by anonymous

❧ Summary: A close call during a run leads you to have a bit of an existential crisis. One of the new guys comes to cheer you up a little bit.

❧ A/N: Finally back to oneshot requests! This was interesting to write. I really like dealing with more abstract concepts and how they relate to the show's plot, so I wanted to include that in this little story. Also Daryl is very soft in this oneshot, which we love to see. I just feel like if he's in love with someone (whether he knows it or not), he's going to be really soft and sweet with them, so that's that on that.

Even before the world ended, life moved with the shadow of death lingering not far behind. That was the way it was, how it always would be.

At age seven, your grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. That was your first taste—the realization that death could touch you, in some way. You developed an irrational fear that you would get cancer too, and you’d die before your life even began, before you even knew what death really was.

When you were fourteen, your cat died, the one who’d been in your family since before you were born. That was the first death, the first time the esoteric concept of the cessation of life spilled into your little world, and, as it always did, took.

Death took everything in the end, if not biological death, then decay, rot, corrosion… At least it was certain. The caveat was that it came at such inopportune times, without warning and lacking in the grace to allow time to grieve. When the world became what it is now, it only got worse, and death became not only certain, but constant, unyielding, waiting.

It was only a matter of time before it hit you, before a life was snuffed out right in front of you. No meaning, no comfort, no justice, just cold, unadulterated death.

That’s what Noah’s death was.

It wasn’t like you knew him, not really at all. He’d arrived with some group just days before the run. Aaron, Alexandria’s recruiter, had organized their arrival, and though they seemed much more hardened by the outside world, they seemed close-knit, and that signaled to you that they cared about each other. If they could care about each other, why couldn’t they care about Alexandria?

They proved they cared by volunteering to help with the power grid. It had been going down periodically since before the newcomers arrived, and finally it was deemed necessary to plan a supply run for spare parts.

Deanna assigned you to be a runner with Aiden, Spencer, and Nicholas long ago, not a week after you found the community with your own group. You were never particularly fond of any of them, especially Nicholas, who proved himself a coward time and again, often opting to save himself before any of his co-runners.

Still, it was an important job, and one you took seriously. You hadn’t lost anyone on any of your runs, and for that you were grateful. Things changed, though. They always did, eventually.

At some point, maybe when it was the moment you were trapped in that revolving door with Nicholas, surrounded by walkers on the other side of the glass, or maybe when the idiot shoved his body against the door to free himself, letting the walkers pull Noah to a gruesome, bloody death, you blacked out.

Shivering in terror at the sight before you, the one your mind could erase for a moment, but your eyes could never unsee, someone had pulled you out from the revolving door. You were sure it was Glenn, but the world became hazy after the screams faded and Noah’s body was dragged further into the sea of flesh-eating creatures, at once alive and dead, horrifically uncanny in their endless limbo.

Stuck in that revolving door, you were in that limbo, too. Just for a brief moment, you were stuck between life and death, unable to control just which direction that revolving door would take you in.

The bloodied hand that hit the glass in front of you woke you from your stupor for just a moment. Darting your eyes to the face of a young man being ripped apart, his mouth split open and the skin tearing until his jaw was separated, you screamed until there was no air left in your lungs and your throat felt like it was made of sandpaper.

Somewhere along those several moments of Hell, you went limp, lifeless except for your pried open eyes, stiff and petrified, yet glistening with fresh tears.

The infirmary was empty now as you sat with those thoughts, wondering how it all went wrong so fast.

Of course, it was Nicholas, and before that it was Aiden, who’d managed to get himself killed, but in your mind, there could’ve been something you could’ve done, at least to save Noah…

“Hey,” a gruff voice sounded from behind you.

You were still too out of it to hear, until he rested a gentle hand on your shoulder. Odd, considering how rough he seemed.

“You okay?”

You blinked your eyes and took in a deep breath when you realized he was talking to you. Who else could he be speaking to?

You sniffled and looked at him quickly before returning your gaze to your feet, dangling off the side of the infirmary bed.

“Fine,” you replied shortly.

Daryl, one of the newcomers, who knew Noah, studied the cut on your leg. Well, it was more of a gash. Had you been more lucid when they carried you to the infirmary, you’d have insisted upon saving the space for a more seriously injured patient, but alas, you were in shock, unable to move or speak until just this moment.

You could hardly remember even getting it. It must’ve been some piece of shrapnel that hit you during the minor explosion, the one that got Aiden killed, but besides a sharp pain in your thigh at the point of contact, you couldn’t feel it.

“Denise said you got cut,” he said. “Stitched you up but you didn’t even flinch. Either you’re real tough or somethin’ happened out there.”

“Didn’t Glenn tell you?” you asked. “Or Eugene?”

He shrugged, and tentatively sat himself down beside you. You stiffened a little at the sudden gesture, surprised that such a usually standoffish man would do such a thing. Now that you thought about it, why was he in here in the first place? You hardly knew him at all, and you’d only talked to him in passing, once when you tried to introduce yourself, and he all but ignored you, only looking you dead in the face and freezing upon the realization that you were talking to him, as if no one had ever asked him his name before.

“Heard somethin’,” he said, looking down at his hands in his lap. You ventured to study them, worn and grimy, with dirty fingernails and small cuts you could only assume might’ve had something to do with that crossbow he was always lugging around. He didn’t have it now, though. He was disarmed, and almost non-threatening for once. “Didn’t hear it from you, though.”

“Why would it matter if it comes from me or not?” you replied.

He gave you a serious look now, and somewhere in that face, you wondered if the phrase “of course it matters” was really embedded in there, or if you were just projecting it there like a blank canvas. Nevertheless, he seemed more understanding than anyone who’d spoken to you since that afternoon.

“I know what happened,” he said finally, after several moments of just looking at you. “I wanna know what happened out there… to you.”

A brief moment in time, but suddenly lightyears passed before you, in that man’s eyes. How could that happen? How could worlds beyond your wildest dreams be nestled deep in those clear cerulean-colored irises? How could every answer to life and death and everything in between even be clearer than it was now?

You didn’t know what came over you, maybe it was just how strangely profound it was to be looking in his eyes, to feel his body so close to yours, radiating whatever power it had over you, but you felt overcome with emotion then, and upon recalling the event, you broke—sobbing before the man you barely knew, and holding your head in your hands as you wept.

“I—I saw him… get ripped apart… bitten…”

The sobs distorted your speech, and you let out various gasps and whimpers between each word as tears soaked your cheeks and even dripped from your chin onto your lap, where Daryl’s hand held yours.

Perhaps you didn’t notice it at first, in your crying state, but it was a featherlight touch, as he had hardly a grip on your shaky hand. Just a slight feeling of warmth hovering there, not suffocating you, just there.

“You didn’t need to see that,” he said quietly, a gentle tone to his voice, which usually seemed so gruff and coarse. “No one does.”

“I was in that revolving door, with them, with Nicholas… I could’ve—could’ve tried to stop him. I—I mean I did but… but he just kept pushing… and pushing… trying to get himself out, letting the other side open up to the…”

You shook your head, raising your other hand to wipe your tears. “God, I tried. I did… Your friend died because of my people.”

Though you hardly even considered Nicholas your “people” at this point, he was an Alexandrian, and a coward who got Noah killed.

“Hey,” he said, leaning forward to try to see some part of your face as you looked down, “it wasn’t your fault. You did what you could. You tried. That’s all that matters. It just… happened.”

You sniffled, looking up and getting lost again in Daryl’s face, looking at it as if to find some relief to your pain.

“We always think there was somethin’ we could’ve done,” he said, training his eyes on yours. “Truth is, death comes for us all, don’ give a warning or nothing, just… just shows up, and in a second, they’re gone. Nothin’ you can do about it, ‘cept try to stop it, and you did. Nicholas… Noah’s death is on him, not you.”

He bit his lip as he watched the tears continue to trickle down your face, and soon berated himself internally for not getting you a tissue.

“Here,” he said, jumping up from the bed and crossing the room to grab a box of tissues. He pulled out several, and a wad of small white sheets entered your field of vision as he held them out to you. “No one should cry without a tissue.”

You mustered a small, half smile, just the corner of your mouth curving gently. “Thanks… Daryl.”

He nodded, and set the box of tissues on the bedside table before sitting back down beside you. You couldn’t believe he was still there, but unbeknownst to you, he wasn’t going anywhere, not when the woman who had this mysterious hold over him since he first saw her was sitting in the infirmary, hurting in more ways than one.

“S’nothin’,” he said, shifting awkwardly as he cleared his throat.

When the tears began to subside, you saw him more clearly, and you couldn’t help but smile a little wider at him, and the fact that he was sitting by you again, holding your hand.

Even he hadn’t noticed he’d done it this time, even holding your hand a little tighter now, but it felt so good he didn’t really mind. Odd, since touch often disturbed him, even confused him. Here, touching you in just the simplest way, it was a comforting touch, one that made sense.

“Have you ever seen it before?” he asked. “Someone die?”

You licked your lips in thought. “No, not like that. I’ve seen people come back from the outside, with bites… They would die from the fever, and we’d have to put them down.” Shaking your head at the memory, you saw Noah’s face again, seconds before the rotting hands grasped at his flesh and clawed at the skin of his face until he was reduced to shreds. “I’ve never seen someone get eaten alive by walkers. I guess that makes me kind of lucky, huh? To have gone this long without seeing it.”

“Nah,” he said. “No one’s lucky or unlucky, not anymore. Like I said, shit just happens.”

You took a deep breath and dabbed at the incoming tears, then reached over Daryl’s lap to grab another tissue from the box. “It could’ve been me,” you said. “I could’ve been the one to die instead of Noah in that revolving door. Had things turned out differently, just a millisecond of something else happening, he’d be sitting here, and I’d be…”

“That’s just life, ain’t it?” he said after you trailed off. “Can’t go back… Least you’re here now. I don’t know… philosophy, or anything like that, but I know they’re dead and we ain’t. It ain’t always right, but someone’s gonna live, and someone’s gonna die.”

“You think in black and white, don’t you?” you asked, slightly amused by his outlook. You wished it could be that simple. “I think it’s more like we’re not alive or dead, kind of like walkers… We teeter on the edge of death, and yet we live, right?”

“Guess so.”

You shrugged and wiped your nose with another tissue. “I don’t know, it doesn't even matter. Just another way to cope with something we don’t understand.”

He licked his lips as he watched you slightly peel back your bandage on your thigh. The cut seemed rather deep, close to causing nerve damage, as Denise had told him. Upon seeing Nicholas struggling to keep you steady as you walked with him through the gates, his world centered around you. Perhaps he’d underestimated his affections for you before that, but if he denied it at all now, he’d be fooling himself.

“I’m just glad you’re all right,” he said, stumbling over his words a little as they poured out of his mouth.

You smiled bashfully at him, brushing back your hair subconsciously. “Well, thanks. I guess I’m glad, too. I’d just feel a whole lot better if everyone came back home. That’s how it always should be.”

It terrified you to think that one day would be your last in Alexandria, that you’d go out on another run and never come back, like Noah had. That fear would never go away, but something in this moment made it feel all right, like it was just another part of life, and as long as you had moments like this, death could never touch you.

“I’ve lost a lot of people,” he said. “Lot of good people. It don’t ever get easier. It just don’t… but if nothin’ else, it kinda reminds ya that… I don’t know, life is…” He struggled to think of the word, raising his head and staring at the ceiling in slight embarrassment of his lack of grace with words at times.

You smiled. “Precious?” you asked.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at you with a crooked smile. “Yeah, precious, I guess.” He cleared his throat, realizing “precious” wasn’t the most “manly” word he could say in front of you. “Life is precious.”

Several minutes of silence passed, as somewhere along the line you felt so comfortable in Daryl’s presence, despite how much it bewildered you, that even just sitting there with him felt like getting to know him. He had this aura about him, this glow that heated you up from the inside out. It was unlike anything else you’d really felt before, and it was exactly what you needed to begin to heal from this tragedy.

If you could’ve spent all night there, just next to him, you would’ve.

“You should go home now,” he said, noticing your yawns getting closer and closer in interval. “Come on, I’ll walk ya.”

“Oh, it’s just across the street.”

“I know,” he said, rising to his feet and outstretching his hand to help you up. “It’s dark out.” You tilted your head, amused by how ostensibly protective he was, even in a community of people who all knew each other and looked out for one another. He cleared his throat, noticing your soft smile. It was almost dizzying how beautiful you were to him. “And, uh… that leg ain’t gonna get ya very far. Come on, I’ll help ya.”

You rolled your shoulders in flattery at his chivalry. It was very cute, you had to admit. He was quite cute, too… Handsome, if a little scruffy. He could use a hot bath, a bit of shampoo in that messy hair, a fresh change of clothes...

“What a gentleman,” you said, taking his hand and rising to feel his arm wrap around your waist, to which you blushed at the rather sudden gesture. You weren’t that injured, but you weren’t going to say anything, because you liked his strong arm around you.

He blushed a little at your words, too, and cleared his throat as he walked out with you. “Just… couldn’t let ya walk on your own like this.”

Of course, he knew you were capable of walking, and that Alexandria was safe enough for you to walk home on your own, but even the idea of something bad happening to you, combined with the strange desire to spend as much time with you as possible, and maybe just a hint of wanting to hold you for a few minutes, drove him to be a little more chivalrous than he needed to be.

“Mhm,” you hummed, stepping down with him off the porch, his eyes trailed on your feet and making sure you didn’t miss a step the whole time. “Well, I appreciate it. Actually, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me today.”

He looked at you curiously, still guiding you across the empty street to your house. “What else did I do?”

“You visited me,” you said, as if it were obvious. “You made me feel better. In another life, you could’ve been a psychiatrist.”

He laughed heartily, the first time you’d ever heard such a sound from the usually serious man. The warm lilt to his chuckle was the stuff dreams were made of, airy and light, with a touch of depth to it, as there was always more than meets the eye with him, you concluded after that night.

“Never thought someone would ever say I’d make a good shrink,” he said, helping you up the steps to your house, with a drop in his stomach at the idea that he’d have to leave you now. “Almost sounded like a compliment.”

You laughed as you turned the knob of your front door, and he let go of you, rather reluctantly.

“It was,” you said. “It means you’re nice to talk to.”

Never in his life had anyone said that to him. At least, not someone like you, sweet and pure. Every bone in his body turned to mush when you looked at him, and the thought of you in so much danger that day made him more hopeless and frightened than he’d ever been before.

Even seeing you cry, knowing that such a horrible sight plagued your mind, made him want to be by your side, to be whatever you needed to keep the sights and sounds of a cruel, hostile world of death at bay.

“Well, uh… Maybe we should talk more,” he said, hedging his bets that you really did like to talk to him, though it seemed like a bit of a long shot. “If ya want to, of course. And, if ya ever need anythin’, I’m just over there.” He turned to point towards the house he had been assigned, the one he shared with Rick and a few of the others in his group.

You were transfixed, though, on his face, admiring his side profile and feeling that warmth again inside of you. He really did care.

“Thanks, Daryl,” you said, folding your arms over your chest against the chill of the night air. “I’d love to talk to you again… And, um… I’m here for you, too. My door’s always open. Well, metaphorically.”

He nodded with that same small half-smile. “All right, well I’ll see ya later… And keep your head up.”

“I will.”

You watched him begin to walk away, until he stopped in his tracks and lifted his head. “Oh,” he said, and turned around swiftly, digging into his jean pocket. “Uh, here.” He pulled a wad of bright white tissues from his pocket. You saw him stuff them in there from the box just as you were leaving the infirmary, and you raised an eyebrow at the gesture as he held them out for you. “In case ya have to cry again… I mean, if you want ‘em.”

You smiled, feeling tears begin to form again, and a few already dripping down your cheek. “Thank you, Daryl.” You took the tissues, and immediately dabbed your cheek. “You’re very sweet.”

His breath hitched and his back straightened, and you were sure you might’ve seen another blush bloom upon his cheeks. “Ahem, well, uh… goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

As it happened, you did need the tissues again, because you couldn’t stop thinking of that day, those horrible moments you were trapped in that revolving door, that twilight zone between life and death, where any sudden shift could result in the door giving way to either side.

You happened to make it, and Noah didn’t. It wasn’t your fault, you had to realize, but it happened, and you were still here.

Death was still there, too, waiting in the wings, like it always had been, even before. When your cat died, when your grandma got sick… It was always there, like an old friend, one you could catch up with after a long time of not seeing each other, and yet it wouldn’t feel like a day had passed, and you could just pick up where you left off.

It didn’t mean that it wasn’t a tragedy, that it didn’t hurt, or torment you, but it could make you appreciate the revolving door of life, the… precious nature of it all, with life as fragile and easily taken away as it was, and would always be.

Daryl, that quiet, serious man from outside the walls, reminded you of that, of how important it was to have those little moments that made life as precious as it was.

You kept one of those unused tissues in your bedside table drawer, sentimental as you were. You told yourself you were keeping it for a rainy day, when the tears came pouring down like they had that evening, but really, you knew why you kept it. It was Daryl.

He was right—no one should cry without a tissue.

~

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