You had your shift back in Alexandria, which would keep you busy all day. So you went home the next morning to greet Maggie before you went to the posts to see Daryl and the rest of myoury family. You found him on the porch when he was about to smoke a cigarette. His elbows rested on the balustrade. You noticed that he did not have his crossbow with him and that made you smile a little bit. “Good morning, Daryl.”, you said, passing him as you approached the front door. “Y/N…”, he answered, waved briefly and turned to you. At first you thought he had somehow regretted what had happened a few hours ago, even if you hadn’t done anything wrong. You searched for his eyes, which seemed to you like two mirrors of clear and blue silence. Then you knocked on the door. Carol opened the door for you and held a steaming mug in her hand, filled with freshly coffee. “Good morning Y/N!”, she said with a smile. “You arrived just in time for breakfast.” Before you could answer, you noticed immediately that she had changed the clothes with which she had arrived here. You were not used to seeing her that way, wrapped in a colored pullover and wearing a pretty, feminine shirt. “Wow, Carol, what a change! So beautiful!”

“Thank you, it’s to keep the normality.”, she said, winking at you. “Ya’ look ridiculous.”, Daryl interjected. Carol leaned in just enough to stare at him and say: “You should not say anything until you finally take a shower!” You burst out laughing. “Then let’s hope it happens soon.”, you replied, leaning back, following her into the house, letting Daryl rant behind the closed door. You found most of your group around the kitchen island and had breakfast with them and for a second you felt like forgetting what was still happening outside the walls. It seemed like a normal morning in a normal world… Instinctively smiling, Rick hugged you and wished you a good morning. “Hey, Y/N, are you done with your job already?”, Glenn asked suddenly. “No, my shift starts soon, but I wanted to come by first.”, you said, giving him an apologetic smile. “I just wanted to ask because most of us want to meet with Deanna today.”

“Me and Rick excluded.”, Michonne intervened. “Let’s think about it again.”, Rick interjected. You smiled at both and looked first at her and then at Rick, who gave Judith the bottle. “If Deanna assigns you a job, it’s the right job, believe me.” Rick and Michonne smiled at you without answering. “I’ll go then.”, you said, kissing Maggie on the cheek. Daryl had still turned his back on you as you left the house. So you put your elbows on the parapet to imitate his position. “Hey, are you alright?”, you asked, turning to face him. “You look serious, well, more serious than usual.”, you finally corrected. He looked at you out of the corner of his eye before saying an: “Okay.”, mumbled as confirmation. Laconic as always. “If you’re worried about the bathtub, I can reassure you, I’m on my shift right now, and I’ll probably have to stay there all day, because Spencer does not have time.”, you said with a smile. He raised his eyes to the sky and sighed in relief. He then mimed a: “Thank you.” with his lips. “Hey!”, you called and nudged him in the ribs. In response, he turned to you, grinned weakly and looked you in the eye. Suddenly he became serious again and glanced over his back to make sure no one was watching you or listening. “Need to talk to ya’.”, he said quietly before your paranoia took over, your heart speeding up in no time. “Then go with me to the gates.”, you replied worriedly. You both walked side by side through the streets of Alexandria, and although you had moved away from the others in your house, the archer decided not to open his mouth. “You can talk now.”, you reminded him visibly worried. He put his hands in his pockets and looked at his shoes as he walked on. “This mornin’ I was with Rick ‘nd Carol outside the walls.”

“Why?”, you asked perplexed. He hesitated a few moments, but then spoke seriously. “We’re… They left to retrieve the weapons we had hidden 'fore we arrived here.” You turned to him in shock. “What? Which weapons?” He did not answer, nor nodded, but it was not necessary. “I don’t understand…”, you mumbled disappointed. “They will not hurt you, don’t I have enough proof?” He shook his head. “Ain’t the point, Y/N.”

“What is it then?”

“Rick 'nd Carol believe that these people, who’ve always lived here, don’ know what to do to stay safe, 'gainst the livin’ 'nd the dead, to survive…”, he said calmly for the first time. “They think they’ll get ’s in trouble…”

“Do you agree with them?”, you asked grimly. He waited a few seconds before giving you a clear: “Yes.”. He added immediately after each protest attempt: “But I don’ agree to keep the weapons a secret.” You looked at him in astonishment, trying to ignore the intense heat rising from the center of your chest. “You… Don’t you have the crossbow?”

“Only have the crossbow.” You tried to stop your legs, which threw you to Daryl. You tried to keep your arms at your sides, but instead they widened and wrapped around his neck and you hugged him. You really tried, but you could not. You failed miserably, because the more time passed, the more you realized what a wonderful person Daryl Dixon was. You did not know how to express your gratitude. You could picture his forbidden expression as he wondered which sentence he owed this impulse of affection. The truth is that you did not even know why, but you were proud of him because you did not accept the weapons that were hidden there. At least if they were kept secret. Daryl started to trust you more and more, he really started to believe that there were still good people. And you believed it now too. “Thanks.”, you said, hugging him and balancing on your toes. “For what?”, he asked perplexed. “For your trust.”, you answered, your lips twisting into a smile. Daryl snorted then and looked away from you in obvious discomfort. “Stop that sentimental shit.”, he snapped, but his voice remained calm. “And you stop playing that grumpy asshole that does not care about the people around you.” “Don’t really care.”, he said and you looked up at the sky. “Sure, Daryl, that’s why you came to tell me, didn’t you, because you don’t give a shit.”, you answered and he shrugged. You were silent for a few seconds and noticed that you had arrived at the gates. “Do you think I should talk to Rick and Carol?”, you asked him and he thought about it for a few moments. “No.”, he finally said and turned around. “Not yet.” You were relieved: You thought it exaggerated to keep weapons secret, but what could you say? It was sometimes due to the willingness of two strong and determined people like Carol and Rick that you could survive until then. Thanks to their methods, which are not always orthodox and their mistrust. They knew how to fight the world outside. But if it came to the fact that some people from Alexandria would try to harm another member, although you could believe it very hard, you would certainly have tolerated it just as little.

“I think so too, maybe they just need to calm down… I was just the same in the beginning.”

Daryl did not answer, but you understood from his gaze that he did not substantiate this hypothesis. You tried to ignore it and avoided further problems.

“Anyway, thank you for telling me.”, you added silence after a few seconds and smiled at him. The archer shrugged, mumbled something incomprehensible, and looked away. You would have stayed with him all morning if you could, but unfortunately your duty called you.

“I’ll go then.”, you informed him, raising your arm and pointing your thumb at the gate behind you.

“Fine.”, he answered mockingly.

“Do you really have to go to Deanna again? For work, you know.”

You approached the gate and he followed you snorting. “No.”, he informed you, emphasizing the word in a contemptuous tone. You burst out laughing at the way his voice sounded and how the word came out of his mouth. You were waiting for protests or cursing of all kinds, but that did not happen: Daryl reluctantly raised his lips, looked you in the eye and smiled with spontaneity. You looked up at him, returned the smile, and let the heat spreading from your chest warm you. It was a barely recognizable smile, discreet but sincere. And of which you could not grasp the meaning. Without you being able to stop him, your eyes left his and they slid to his lips, still smiling. For a second, your mind had the instinct to touch his smile with yours. You looked away as soon as you realized how you looked at him, red with embarrassment and your heart racing.

“Stay with yer eyes at work, ya’ parasite.” Daryl’s tone sounded amused, but in his voice, almost hoarse, you noticed a slight reproach: Had he really noticed? Did he catch your eyes, not at all discreetly? You felt the discomfort spread to your stomach.

“I’m leaving.”, you murmured, watching the gate in a sudden gesture. You took a deep breath and looked back at him, trying to smile at him to hide your awe. “See you then, Daryl.”

He nodded and smiled rather enigmatically. “Y/N.”, he replied, as if he were greeting you: You closed the gate behind you, your lips still smiling and your heart beating faster and faster.

There was a different atmosphere as your family appeared at the gates of Alexandria and you were convinced that it was not just your impression. Of course it was more than normal for you, you were emotionally involved in the arrival of your loved ones, but it seemed to you that this novelty has affected the daily lives of those who lived here before you. This impression was reinforced when Deanna decided that they would have a party to celebrate Rick’s entry and the others in the community. Deanna had told you all when you were all together at dinner, a few days after your family arrived. It seemed like a wonderful idea to you, but the guests of honor at the party seemed to generally see the faces around you sitting in the limelight, so perhaps it seemed out of place to organize a party which was used so that you had survival as the only purpose in life. The only 'positive’ reactions came from Michonne, who was named police officer of Alexandria along with Rick. Obviously, Carol also pretended to be enthusiastic about the idea, so as not to send her mantle of a mild and conciliatory housewife into the void.

“They are very interested in welcoming you.”, Deanna said.

“Ain’t goin’ to the party.”, Daryl shrugged and threw himself back on the food on his plate he had. You looked up at the sky in despair and kicked it against his leg but it did not work. He ignored you shamelessly and continued to torment himself with his usual grace.

“You are not obliged.”, Deanna explained and smiled at him. “But it would be good to switch off, in the company of friends and the beer we could find.”

“I’ll be there.”, Abraham said, and you stifled a laugh emulated by Carl. With a little effort, Rick managed a slight smile and gave Deanna permission to organize a party. After talking with Daryl, you were not sure Rick had no plan, but you were glad he tried. Deanna left you smiling and apologized for interrupting. From that moment on, a few days passed more or less in the same routine, in a rhythmic and calming period of time. Deanna had assigned tasks to your entire family, jobs that seemed quite appropriate, to be honest. Maggie had joined Deanna to help her manage and organize the safe area; Glenn, Abraham, and most of the group had been assigned to the other groups who were leaving the walls to gather supplies and all that was useful to protect the community; Carol would stay inside the walls to cook and help those who are not self-sufficient like the elderly. The only person for whom nothing seemed appropriate was Daryl.

“I’m sorry that Deanna hasn’t found anything for you yet…”, you said sincerely as he smoked a cigarette on the porch. You had just had dinner with everyone else since it had become a habit since they arrived. He shrugged indifferently, and you were trying to figure out if it was just a façade or if he didn’t really care about it. “Guess the infallible Deanna has lot of shit this time 'round.”, he laughed, but you saw how annoyed he was. “Sooner or later, something will also assign to you.”

“Ain’t true that I don’t do anythin’: Cleared the area of ​​several Walkers.”

“I could have helped you, you know that… Tomorrow night is the party, just so incidentally noted.”

“Then I hope a bunch of Walkers will attack me.”

“Stop!”, you called and looked up at the sky, not at all amused. You knew he was making a joke, so the next morning when he left, you went to the gates with some peace… He responded to your recommendations with a nod, turned his heels, and crossed the walls of Alexandria. You looked at him until the gate was closed by Spencer and Daryl disappeared. When you returned, you came across Aaron. “Hello Y/N!”, he greeted you out of breath. He seemed to be in a hurry. “Hey, Aaron, do you want to recruit someone?”, you asked doubtfully. “It’s my day off.”, he answered with a smile. “I have to talk to Daryl.” “He left a while ago, if you hurry, you should be able to reach him.”, you replied, quite surprised by his answer. “Thanks!”, he called and resumed his running. You always saw him go away and was at a loss: Maybe you had not been careful enough, but it seemed to you that the two of them had not even talked at the time. You tried to curb your curiosity and went home. With all the things you had to do, it would have been easy not to think about it and wait for the two to return with an explanation.

Commitment to the party ended up committing you all afternoon: You took care of the dishes served during the evening, with the help of Maggie and Carol and other volunteers from Alexandria. When all was done, you left Deanna’s house to return to yours and get ready. You tried to make a little detour to go to Eric and make sure Aaron and Daryl were back, but you said inwardly that there was actually no need: They were fine, they were back. You relaxed under the stream of hot water and let the tiredness of the day slip away in the bathtub, then calmly prepared. You thought long and hard about what you could wear: Although you tried to avoid this kind of thought so as not to be ridiculous. You wanted it to be desirable and you couldn’t help it. You wanted people to see you as a beautiful and confident woman, at least for the evening, and not like the girl who initially abused the people of Alexandria with unkind remarks. You shook your head, snorted, and let go of the thought. When you opened the closet, it occurred to you again that in the end, you did not have such a large selection of elegant clothes. You concentrated on a simple black dress, combined with boots. Later, you left the house with a smile, the same that Aaron gave you when he opened the door after he heard you knocking. He forced you to sit in the kitchen, where Eric had just finished the dinner; You offered to not miss the courtesies to ask them what they were talking about, he and Daryl, while they were in the woods. “Don’t even think about it, Y/N.”, Aaron scolded. “You’re our guest, relax until dinner is ready, and preparing for the party must have been tedious.”

“Not really.”, you replied, shrugging and leaning against the kitchen island. “On the contrary, it was nice to get involved in something that does not concern survival.”

“How’s your friends? It’s still new to them…”, Eric commented with understanding in his voice. You smiled at him. “Well, all in all? I just think it takes time, some more than others.”, you replied, changing the subject. “So, how did it go out there, did you find Daryl?”

“I risked an arrow in my head, but yes, I found him in the end.”, he replied laughing and leaned with his arms crossed on the countertop. “He can’t stand it, Daryl is like a dog, he follows people from afar, not the other way around.”

“You know him well, right?”, Eric commented. You noticed a slight mischievous note behind the seemingly neutral tone and ignored it. “So, Aaron, what did you talk about?”, you asked, surrendering to your own curiosity. “I just wanted to understand why it’s so difficult for Deanna to find the job that could be assigned to him and to understand what kind of person he is.”, he said softly. You smiled and tried to picture a friendly Aaron and a gruff and unfriendly Daryl, who was going his own way, but was forced to endure the recruiters unwanted company. “And did you do it?” He smiled triumphantly at you. “Yes, I did it.”

“Did you find a suitable job for him? ” The happy expression of Aaron was suddenly gone: The present expression, which had replaced it, was not worried, rather undecided. He glanced at Eric, who immediately turned to continue mixing the sauce he was making. “I… Yeah, I’ll talk to him tonight.”, he answered hesitantly.

“That’s great!”, you commented genuinely. Maybe Daryl would really start to feel comfortable in this place. “What is it?”, you asked curiously and Aaron waited a moment before deciding to speak. “I thought I would ask him if he would like to take Eric’s place and recruit with me.” You opened your eyes, not exactly sure what to say: His answer had amazed you, and you did not know how Aaron interpreted your reaction. He looked at you worriedly. “Y/N, listen, I know it’s selfish of me to ask him such a thing and you’ll probably hate me for that…”, he started from heart and spoke quickly, as if to justify himself. “Wait.”, you interrupted him perplexed. “Why should I hate you?”

“To know the most important person for sure, I endanger the most important person for you.” You pressed your lips together, looking down and trying not to let the wave of embarrassment overwhelm you. Aaron had compared Eric, a couple in love, with you and Daryl. You had to say something, anything… “No… Aaron, you’re wrong, Daryl and I are not…”, you stammered, continuing to confirm the idea he had of your feelings for the archer.

“No.”, you finished your speech. You took a deep breath and ignored the understanding that your friends were exchanging. “I don’t consider you selfish, nor will I hate you if you ask Daryl to become a recruiter.”, you smiled, still red with embarrassment. He studied you carefully, wondering if he believed it or not. “This man, Y/N…”, he started, raising one arm and pointing with an undefined dot around him, “…is incredibly good at understanding the difference between good and bad people.”, he continued, steeped in admiration. “That’s why I want him to become the new recruiter of Alexandria, and I can’t imagine a better substitute for Eric.” You stared at him without saying a word. “So he thinks there are still good people, why did he change his mind?” Daryl had assumed that there were no good people left and that he was selected as a recruiter just because he could recognize them in this broken world made you proud of him and absolutely happy. Daryl had so much to give to this community and he would have done it by acting outside the walls.

“That’s great Aaron!”, you whispered honestly. “He’ll think, not say no, you’ve found the perfect way to stay here without feeling stifled within the walls.” He and Eric gave you a big smile. “Are you sure?”, Aaron asked, approaching you and placing his hands on your shoulders. You looked him in the eye excited. “In any case, I’m sure you’re a genius!”, you said, hugging him. You were well aware of what awaited you when Daryl became a recruiter: Days of constant anxiety and angst, wondering where he was, if he was all right, and safe; whole days, without seeing him, without talking to him, without being close to him. It would have been hard, but Daryl would be happy: It was a perfect job for him out there in the woods, in danger, rather than in a reality where he didn’t feel well.

“Speaking of the devil…”, Eric said amused, peering out the window. You followed his gaze and noticed that Daryl was passing in front of their house just then. Without realizing it, you stayed calm and stared at his figure, barely visible in the darkness. “Ask him if he wants to eat with us.”, Aaron suggested, still wrapped in your embrace and smiling softly. You nodded, smiling sheepishly, ignoring Eric’s giggles as you hurried to the front door. “Hey, Daryl!”, you called him as he left. He turned to you, stopped and looked at me in surprise. “What ya’ doin’ here?”, he asked puzzled. “Eric and Aaron invited me to dinner, then I’m going to the party.”, you explained, pointing to the open door behind you. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“Ya’ know I ain’t goin’ to that bullshit.”, he reminded you brusquely as you came down the steps and ran towards him. “Eric cooked spaghetti, why don’t you eat with us?”, you asked with a smile, ignoring his hostile tone. Daryl looked at you first, then suspiciously at the door which was still open. “Only 'cause of the food.”

“Then come.”, you admonished him and took his hand in yours, to drag him with you into the house of your friends. To your great surprise, he did not resist. He must have been really hungry, you thought amused. You wanted him to stay at dinner, not just for the pleasure of having him near and safe, but because you could not wait for Aaron to make his suggestion. “Good evening, Daryl.”, Aaron greeted him as soon as you both entered the kitchen. He answered with a nod and an illegible look.

“We look forward to having you with us for dinner.”, Eric added as he turned off the stove with a huge pot of spaghetti and tomato sauce. Aaron approached him thoughtfully and forced him to sit down. Daryl and you sat side by side; Aaron put the pot down on the table and helped Eric distribute the spaghetti. You all began to eat in silence, a silence in which you felt slightly uncomfortable. The situation was relieved, however, as soon as it was clear with what enthusiasm Daryl had fallen on his portion with his usual elegance. You were used to Dixon’s unrefined way of sitting at the table. Aaron and Eric looked at each other out of the corner of your eye, after observing him and then looked at you also: Eric bit desperate in his cheeks, trying not to laugh while Aaron could no longer hold back his smile. To see how they risked making you laugh while Daryl ate blissful the spaghetti.“Thanks.”, he mumbled after a while, devouring the last fork of spaghetti.

“Nice that you liked them.”, Eric replied and smiled in amusement. Daryl sat up in his chair, leaning back against his back to settle in a more relaxed position, let go of a contented sigh and wiped his lips with his sleeve. Aaron and Eric watched you both with mischievous looks that you feared Daryl would notice. Their eyes spoke to you without uttering a sentence: “Like a couple.” And you looked at the two men eloquently.

“Okay, before you start walking out of here…” Aaron said, catching his attention. “Daryl, come with me to the garage for a moment.”

Daryl stared at him for a few seconds and said nothing. “Why?”, he asked suspiciously.

“Go with him.”, you urged him, annoyed by his suspicious behavior. Daryl rose from the chair, snorting, and followed Aaron reluctantly. Together, they disappeared behind the door that led to the garage. You waited for them to come back and helped Eric clear the table. You heard their voices muffled by the door separating you, but you could not understand what they were saying. Eric chuckled and noticed your intrusive curiosity. A short time later, they came back while Eric and you talked, sitting comfortably on the couch. The first thing you were looking for was Daryl’s gaze: You knew that the eyes you were looking at were full of hope.

“And?”, you let yourself impatiently slide away. Daryl looked at you questioningly. “What?”

“Did you accept?”, you asked, making Aaron laugh.

“Ya’ knew 'bout that?”, he snapped annoyed. Aaron’s voice masked Daryl’s grunts. “We’re leaving on Tuesday.”, he said with a smile. You stayed quiet for a few seconds and gave them an open smile. “I knew you would have said yes!”, you cheered, jumping up and approaching them. Daryl muttered something incomprehensible, smiled with a shrug, and looked away; You continued to stare at him, smiling excitedly. “I suggest a toast to the new recruiter from Alexandria!”, Eric said. The next moment he was already taking the beer out of the fridge, but Daryl’s grim froze froze him in place. “Don’t dare, it ain’t nothin’ to celebrate.”, Daryl snorted, and Eric threw up his arms in surrender. “Okay, okay, then no toast.”, he replied, moving as slowly as he would if Daryl had pointed the crossbow at him. Nevertheless, they invited you to drink a few beers without a toast, but you refused and said that soon Deanna would appear. Despite initial resistance, you managed to get out of the house with Daryl, who was annoyed to accompany you to the party. Your family welcomed you both warmly and immersed you in this relaxed and almost surreal atmosphere. All dressed well, all smiling more or less, with the vague vocals and music playing in the background of this warm and luminous reality. Despite everything that happened outside the walls. You carefully studied the faces of your loved ones and did not escape the mistrust that, despite everything, was still present in their field of vision. They were not really relaxed despite the smile and happy voices. But that was alright: You were there and you were together. As you watched them, you thought that things might finally work again at that time. One day, they would be able to trust the people who had taken you in. That your family and your community could become one and work together in perfect balance. The ability to survive and calm down in everyday life combines in an advantageous way. But your ingenuity soon collided with the harsh reality. It was a moment, so sudden, that you couldn’t grasp it completely: A disgusted look, a provocative person against Daryl, near you… And he became very angry. Shit… Spencer insulted him and repeated several insults. You squeezed in and blocked off more malice that came from the mouth of a resident of Alexandria and wanted to defend Daryl openly.

“Shit, damn it, keep your fucking opinion for yourself!”, you exclaimed angrily. All this happened, of course, in front of the eyes of those present. Deanna and Rick were about to intervene when Daryl turned away and slammed the door open. You looked around the room grimly, seeking help in shock, but then ran out of the house to follow Daryl. “Daryl, wait!”, you pleaded, followng him and slammed the door behind you to keep the others from listening. He was already moving away, showing no intention of listening to you. You hurried down the porch steps and joined him, putting a hand on his shoulder and tightening the grip to stop him. “Daryl, stop! We can clear everything!” But he grabbed your wrist and took your hand off his shoulder in a harsh gesture, then spun around with an angry expression on his face. “Forget it, I knew it was a damn shitty idea, I knew it, fuck it!”

“Most inhabitants here have no idea about the life out there!”, you replied. “You don’t have to listen to these people!”

“Don’t give a fuck 'bout what those assholes say!”, he snapped back, interrupting you. You looked at him perplexed. “So… Why did you leave then?”

He looked at you scornfully from bottom to top. “'Cause I can stand these people, but I can’t stand bein’ defended by others, 'specially a stubborn and stupid bitch like ya’!”

You felt your lips tremble, but no sound came out. His words had the power to hurt you and make you feel stupid for what you had done. Then you thought about it: Did he humiliate you just because you defended him?

“But what’s your problem? I wanted to help you!”, you brought out angrily, clenching your fists and leaning in his direction.

“Didn’t ask ya’!”, he retorted, stepping forward and towering above you, his face twisted with rage, red, and the muscles of his neck tense, not intimidating, on the contrary, when you saw how unnecessarily angry he was, he made you even more angry.

“And I did it anyway, because I want you to finally feel part of something normal!”

He gave a laugh of contempt. “Now Y/N wants to force people to submit! Ya’ just want to realize the fantasy of the happy lil’ family livin’ in a fucking lil’ house, as if the world outside the walls ain’t a fucking hell!”, he replied and sharpened his eyes. You opened your eyes wide. “Do you think I forgot, do you think it’s wrong to just want a bit of normality after all we’ve gone through?”, you yelled at him.

“It’s damn amazin’ to see how lil’ time it took ya’ to become one of those fucking assholes!”, he said harshly and loud again. You felt your eyes becoming glassier, disbelieving from what you heard. “Fuck, Daryl, are you serious?”

He pushed your hand aside with a harsh gesture. “Ya’ talk jus’ like these people here! Open your eyes, bitch 'nd finally see things the way they ’re!”, he attacked you. He had repeated all the situations you had told him and used them against you to make you feel worthless and useless again. At that time he had hurt you in a way he probably would never have understood. It had not been like the fight against the herd of Walkers in front of the hut when he was angry and he insulted you for fundamentally correct reasons; Daryl wrongly accused you and implied that you had changed for the worse. He saw you as an average resident of Alexandria: Unfit to survive out there, plagued with stupid and frivolous problems when confronted with the cruelty of the new world that you, Daryl and the others had measured until recently. As if you had forgotten all the people you lost. And as if he had forgotten everything that he had shared with you in the short time you were alone. As if you had not found the courage to run away with your strength, without waiting for everyone to escape and to survive… You gave him a look of disappointment: You did not even want to scream or explain your reasons, because he would not understand. So you nodded and showed him half a smile full of bitterness. “I see that despite everything that happened to both of us, your opinion about me still hasn’t changed.”

For just a second, you saw a new light in his eyes, as if the remorse had flashed in the cobalt-blue irises, but it was something so fleeting that you probably just imagined it. And Daryl remained silent: He gave you no reason. He just stood there and looked at you with his usual, undecipherable mask of anger. You felt the tears fill your eyes, so you bit your cheek, took a deep breath and clenched your fists.

“I’ll go back in…”, you said, turning and walking to the door. The tears ran down your face even before you could grasp the handle properly. Until that moment, you hoped he would stop you, call you, do anything. But no. He did nothing, absolutely nothing, and as you closed the door behind him, he went his own way…