Daryl's POV:

When I saw that Y/N was breathing more regularly and calmly, I realized that she had fallen asleep. In the faint light, I watched the relaxed features of her face and the strands of hair falling over her forehead and cheeks. It was the first time since that night, serene and relaxed, I had entered her house voluntarily. But I was not relaxed at all. I felt the uncontrollable desire to escape, but I could not move. And not only because her forehead was against me... She seemed to sleep so deeply that even if I moved, I would not have woken her. I wanted to leave to get some distance between her and me again. Every time I gave up and approached, I was less and less able to undo it later.
In the weeks I'd taught her how to use weapons better, I could not help but notice her looking at me; How her voice trembled as I stood behind her to correct the posture of her arms, how her body stiffened near me; the bright smile she addressed to me in the morning as soon as she found me at the door of her house; from all the attention she has just reserved for me. I understood it when I realized that I had landed in a big mess. Y/N felt something for me... And I was still afraid to realize that there was a reason when my voice slowed down, when I corrected my posture and my lips were close to her ear; If her smile in the morning moved something in my chest; When her attention became a necessity.

On the one hand, the missions with Aaron gave me a little room to escape from these twisted and contradictory thoughts. Out there, I just had to focus on survival. But when the night came and the light snoring of Aaron was the background, I had to think all the time. I could not help but wonder if Y/N was okay. I could have forgotten her in every way, but in any case, she would have re-entered my life and my head with arrogance. That's how she was and I probably could not fully realize it. I could not understand her ability, the power she had on me... Y/N was too good to deliberately manipulate anyone. In fact, her eyes were so pure, as well as her damn openness and her friendly but sometimes freezing style.

Shit...

Even her self-pity could now make me stay. I raised the palm she had been holding for all these hours and watched her. Y/N was no longer the weak girl I met in prison, but despite her remarkable change, she was still unable to bear the burden of grief. I was annoyed to admit it, but with her strong guilt I had seen a part of me. I personally took responsibility for what had happened in the Prison. In this old hut she was the one who took my blame. Maybe we were more alike than I thought, even though admittedly it did not help getting away from her.

And now I'm here with her, helping her because of that damn Aiden... No one deserves to die except this asshole named Nicholas. Sooner or later I would have let him pay in one way or another.

As if my own inner torment touched her as well, Y/N jerked right next to me. I've never had her so close to me... Her body was warm, her chest raised and lowered regularly. My arm surrounded her, as if to save her from what she had been these days... Well, everything that happened to her, everything she hurt, everything she felt, was reflected in me again.

Shit...




Y/N's POV:

He stayed. He stayed here with you.

You could not think of anything but the joy of waking up next to him. And it was a step forward. You felt a frenzy rush into your veins and you forced yourself to stay still. Slowly you tried not to move too much and made no sound. You looked up and searched for his face. You owed him so much... Not only had he protected you, he wasn't limited to saving your life, but treating you as a normal person. You would have done anything to be able to, without fear of waking up or being rejected.

Whatever you had to handle that day, the day after, and all the days that followed, you would not have been afraid. Every painful thought had suddenly left you. But some sense of guilt had blocked you and made you doubt yourself. But it would have been enough to remind you of Daryl's face and his discreet but calming presence next to you to reassure you.

Nothing could really scare you, with Daryl Dixon at your side.

You noticed that he woke up as he let out a heavy sigh and his eyelids flickered. He moved slightly as you continued to watch him. You could not look away from him, you could not escape his presence. He blinked a few times with difficulty before opening his eyes. After letting his lost and sleepy eyes wander for a few seconds, he turned his attention to you. Your eyes met: You did not move and you looked at each other. His cobalt blue eyes were like a sea of ​​silence, though not completely readable...
You wanted to say something, but you were scared. Speech would have meant ending everything, returning to normal life and risking Daryl's disappearance. You would have liked to know what went through his head, but it was impossible to find out what he was thinking.

"Do I've somethin' on my face?", Daryl murmured annoyed and broke the silence. That he seized the initiative hit you completely unprepared. "No...", you stammered, shaking your head.

"Then stop starin' at me.", he ordered flatly and looked up at the ceiling. Why did he treat you like that, but did not show the slightest intention to move away from you? You crouched against him and looked away without saying anything. His hand and his arm still rested gently on your back, the way he behaved was strange, it was new, he had never done it before, was it enough what had happened the night before to change everything? Immediately you forced yourself to keep your feet on the ground, but it was difficult to control the swirling of emotions and fantasies that made your heart tremble.
You were afraid to think about it, but maybe you both really had taken a step forward...

"Daryl?", you called, and for the first time in such a situation, you did not need to take a deep breath before you spoke, but you did not look him in the face, you stayed where you were.

"What?"

"I know that I repeat myself, but... Thank you, I wouldn't have had the strength to come out of this bed again if you were not around, I owe you so much...", you said thankful and gentle.

"Ya' ain't gotten up yet.", he said.

You did not understand whether you were indignant at the fact that he had ignored your thanks or amused himself about his irreducible sarcasm...

So you got up suddenly and turned to him to give him an annoyed look. "Fuck off!", you blurted out, trying not to laugh.
He rolled his eyes, snorted and sat up. It was as if you had not even touched him. He ignored you again and you looked at his vest with the angel wings, more and more convinced that it had been made especially for him. Because that was Daryl for you... You tried to dispel those thoughts as you climbed out of the warm bed.

"How long 've ya' not eaten anythin'?", he suddenly asked sternly. You turned and looked at him sheepishly. "Since yesterday."

He looked up. "C'mon 'nd 've breakfast with the others.", he ordered and opened the door of your room. He even nodded, just to be more eloquent.

Although Maggie had assured you that your whole family was there for you, you felt very embarrassed by the thought of getting back together. You knew it was an unfounded paranoia.

"What's wrong?", Daryl asked, his hand still holding the door open and you looked down. "I don't know if I'm ready for it."

He grunted. "Ya' jus' sound like yer a Dixon, 'nd I don' need a fuckin' copy of me!"

Despite the imperious tone of Daryl, who was authoritarian and did not allow answers, you laughed. You had never seen him making fun of himself before. Thinking that he might have done it to lift your spirits warmed you to an indeterminate place in your chest. You were so lucky to have him next to you...
So you stretched and stood up again with difficulty. "I doubt I'll ever be that successful!", you said.

Daryl smiled arrogantly. "In fact, it's a valuable merit."

"Of course Daryl, of course."

He nodded again, still heading for the door. "C'mon, they're waitin' for us."

You spread your arms in an angry gesture. "I still have to dress!"

"Then get dressed, 'nd hurry!"

You got up, watched him silently, folded your arms across your chest, and began to stare hard at him, without saying a word.

"What's that 'bout?", Daryl asked confused and rather annoyed.

"I have to get dressed.", you repeated.

"Ya' already said that!", he snapped impatiently.

"Daryl, dammit, I have to change, or do you want to fucking watch!", you interrupted, raising your voice in a tone of desperation.

His expression changed at an unprecedented rate. He almost blanched and his features melted into an embarrassed expression, his eyes wide open and they did not know where to look. He stammered something unintelligibly in a low voice, pulling the door with him and closing it aloud. You tried not to laugh too loud and think about his expression. Daryl was a strong man: So hard to kill, but so easy to shame... There were two sides of him that in their coexistence made you feel tenderness to him.
When you came out of your room, he leaned against the wall in front of you, his arms crossed. Every single shadow of embarrassment had left his face, though you were sure they were hidden behind the unreadable mask. You acted as if nothing had happened...

"I'm ready.", you announced without much conviction.

Daryl nodded and walked down the stairs. You followed him as you felt your heart quicken its rhythm: Fear began to penetrate you. Every step that took place brought you back to a daily life that you had avoided for the time being. The fact that this short time was over had startled you. With Maggie, Rick or Michonne it was not like with Daryl: If you had been silent, with the lost look in the company of Daryl, you would not have cared. With the others, you would have to calm down and maybe smile from time to time.

"Everyone's waitin' for ya'.", Daryl said at a certain point, without turning around.

You stopped halfway up the stairs as his words filled the space between you. Again he had tried to calm you down in a hidden and rather intricate way. And when you imagined seeing the others again, talking to them again and rejoining the community, with Daryl at your side, that was a scenario you could bear more readily. Your lips parted, smiling, though he could not see it, for he still had his back turned to you.

When you put on your jacket, Daryl opened the door. Your house, which had been your refuge in those days, was lit by the morning light that fell through the windows. Getting out in the sunlight, feeling the cool breeze on your face and breathing in the fresh air made you feel better immediately. The pain of this terrible grief had not left you, but now you could stand it a little better. It was much better than in bed, in the dark. You walked along the route that separated you from the two large houses side by side, as you had done so many times before. It had become a normal thing now, something between you.

"You should still take a shower or a bath.", you said suddenly, as if the idea had surprised you too.

"There we're again...", Daryl grunted, his annoyed expression making you smile. He assimilated the information but did not answer, your heart beating faster again and a sense of heaviness penetrating your chest, you were nervous and he walked past you and climbed onto the porch, realizing that all your paranoia about how the others would behave was contradictory. Your family was happy to see you again, they treated you normally, Carol gave you one of her Cookies and you all laughed when Carl made a joke. You felt that despite everything, you returned to normality. Even Maggie and Michonne had stopped looking at you with concern as if you could have collapsed before them at any moment.
As you sat at this table trying to get used to living outside of your grief, you noticed that Daryl had not participated. You did not realize it until that moment, because before that you had been overwhelmed by the attention of others. You looked around and noticed that he was sitting at the window seat as usual, looking outside. Maybe he tried to keep distance between you. Perhaps he was afraid that the others who saw you coming together were asking questions. Your guess was interrupted when Daryl turned and his gaze met yours. At that moment, you did not think about anything else. Your head was filled with a single thought that Daryl could read in your eyes as well.

Gratitude.