#daryl x yn
No Lone Wolves Here (Daryl Dixon x Platonic!Reader)
An Alexandrian party is too much for you after your time surviving. Thankfully, your friend Daryl understands exactly how you’re feeling.
The party was bustling with life. It felt odd, to be surrounded by so many people in such small quarters, actual clean clothes adorned on your body and the heavy sound of chatter attacking your senses. After surviving with the dead for so long, it was strange to be living with the living. That’s why you separated yourself, clinging to the quietest corner of the room. You merely watched all these people interact with one thought in your mind - how can they act so normal?
Your every instinct was telling you to run, to find a quiet place to spend the rest of your night. You wanted to ditch the bottle of beer that was cradled in your hand, the liquid still brimming the top. You couldn’t drink. No, you had to stay focused.
“Hey, Y/N.” Rick sidled up beside you, eyes raking your tense stance. It didn’t take a body language expert to sense that you were on edge. “Enjoying the party?”
“Depends on your definition of ‘enjoyment’.”
“C'mon, try to loosen up a bit.” Rick sighed, rubbing his beard. He placed a friendly hand on your shoulder, squeezing it reassuringly. “I know it’s hard, but can you at least try? These people welcomed us into their home.”
Rick’s begging eyes broke your resolve. As much as you loved your corner of solitude, there was only so long that you could put off interacting with other people. Nodding your head, a bright smile lit up his face. The action nearly knocked you off your feet. It had been so long since you had seen him smile.
You had to do this, for your friends, your family.
“You got this.” Rick gave your shoulder a final squeeze, before disappearing back into the crowd. You wished he stayed by your side and helped you navigate the treacherous waters of normal conversation. God, you couldn’t remember the last time you made small talk.
Fighting your trembling hands and racing heart, you threw yourself into the fray. You felt eyes draw towards you as you suddenly realised you could not remember how the hell to approach a stranger for a conversation. Don’t even get you started on small talk.
Nervously, you sipped your drink. The foul tasting liquid did nothing to soothe your nerves. Maybe it would be better if you got another drink.
Weaving through the people, you managed to find the kitchen. You released a breath you didn’t realise you’d been holding at the sight of the empty room. You were becoming aware that your palms were sweaty.
Drink cradled to your chest, you searched the table for anything other than beer. After a few minutes you came up short, disappointment shooting through you like a bullet.
“Looking for a drink?” A voice behind you questioned.
Your heart jumped out of your chest as you spun around, already thinking ten steps ahead as to how you could incapacitate the threat. You froze when you saw a man standing there, no older than early twenties, looking at you with a raised brow.
“Someone’s jumpy.” His remark dug under your skin. He had no idea what you had been through to get to this paradise. Ignorant prick. Still, you promised Rick you would try to be friendly. You huffed a laugh, hoping it would hide your annoyance.
“You’re with the new group, right?” You nodded your head, really wishing he would stop looking at you. There was nothing sinister in his gaze, just a glint of curiosity that you weren’t sure how to respond to. “I’m Jake, nice to meet you.”
His open hand hung between the two of you. You stared at it, not entirely sure what to do. If you shook his hand, that would give him the advantage to exploit your weaknesses. You settled for nodding at him, forcing a small quirk to your lips. “I’m Y/N.”
“Can I ask you a question?”
Suddenly you didn’t get a good vibe. You wanted to tell this man to mind his own business but all you could think of was how brightly Rick smiled. He wanted to make this place a home; you had to try to make this work. Reluctantly, you shook your head up and down.
Jake moved closer, skirting around you to grab another drink. He took the lid off with the edge of the table, looking at you from the corner of his eye. “It’s so boring here. It’s wild to think the world is… gone when everything here is so normal. I bet you have some stories.”
Your mouth ran off without consulting your brain. “None of which I’m sharing with you.”
Jake immediately backed away, raising his hands in surrender. You wanted to do nothing more than yank the drink from his hand and smash it over his head. He was still smiling. “I wasn’t trying to pry, just making friendly conversation.”
“Feels more like an interrogation to me.”
“Is it? Because to me it seems like you have a difficulty opening up.”
“To me it sounds like you’ve never heard that curiosity kills the cat.”
He smiled playfully. “But satisfaction brought it back.”
“Not to be rude, but I’m not going to tell someone I’ve just met my life story.” All thoughts of grabbing another drink forgotten, you moved past him to leave the kitchen. His hand shot out and grabbed your arm. Before you could process what was happening, you had his arm pinned to his back, him whimpering.
“Don’t touch me.” You warned, releasing his arm and leaving the kitchen. Rick’s wish be damned, you tried, maybe you could try another day. All you knew was this house was suffocating and it felt as if your lungs were going to explode.
You saw glimpses of your group as you tried to find a way out. They were laughing, smiling, drinking, and acting like the perfect citizens. The thought of doing the same made you feel sick. At this point you had evolved into a survivor and the white picket fence lifestyle didn’t suit you.
Aaron appeared in your vision, stepping out in front of you. You stopped in your tracks, legs itching to start moving again. “Y/N? Are you okay?”
The concern in his eyes made you want to run further. Desperately, you managed to squeak out a request. “Can I leave?”
“Sure, sure.” Aaron smiled at you sympathetically. “I’ll show you the way.”
With Aaron as your guide you escape your prison, breathing in a large lungful of clean air. As soon as you stepped outside you felt your shoulders loosen and your heart calm.
Aaron closed the door behind you. “Want me to walk you home?”
Home? Did you really have a home here? You declined his offer, shoving the bottle of beer towards Aaron and practically running down the stairs and out into the street. The steady rhythm of your feet hitting the ground brought a strange sense of calm over yourself, until finally you could rid yourself of the anxieties the Alexandrian welcome party had brought you. Jogging to a stop outside the group’s shared house, you weren’t all that surprised to see Daryl sat on the steps, taking a deep drag of his cigarette.
Slightly out of breath, you nodded to the seat next to him. Daryl shuffled over wordlessly, and with a deep sigh you sagged into the space. The acidic stench of smoke hit your nostrils.
“Thought ya were at the party.” Daryl puffed out a plume of smoke. You watched it curl into the air and fade away.
“I’m not really the party type.”
“Me neither.”
“Now that does surprise me.” Daryl eyed you up from the corner of his eye. You smirked, knocking your shoulder against his. “Look at us, a pair of socialites.”
Daryl chuckled. “I’d rather not play pretend when I know the shit that’s goin’ on out there.”
You looked at the walls, at what they were keeping out, but what they were also keeping in. “These people know nothing of suffering.”
“You were like tha’ once.” Daryl stubbed his cigarette on the floor, grinding the ashes into the wood, leaving a burn mark.
“Yeah but I wasn’t a blind idiot.”
“Yeah, 'cause you still are.”
You mocked a gasp, pushing him playfully with your hand. “Remind me why we’re friends.”
“Bold of ya to assume we’re friends.”
“Right, because we’re family.”
“Damn straight.” Daryl leaned backwards, his hands supporting him. “Why’d ya leave?”
You sighed, looking down at your hands. When you lived outside the walls they were always caked in some kind of dirt or blood. Now they were so clean you could make out the creases in your skin. “They wanted entertainment and I ain’t no performing monkey.”
“Amen.” He shuffled across, so the space between you was smaller. His body heat warmed your chilled bones.
Minutes of comfortable silence passed between the two of you. It had always been this way, you could happily chat for hours or say nothing at all. It was the company that mattered. Having once been renowned for being a lone wolf, Daryl had broken free from his shell and embraced the relationships he formed with others. It was hard to believe that when you first met him, he was the loner everyone was intimidated by.
“This place feels like a fairytale.” Daryl mused, looking out at the picture perfect scene. Even the moan of walkers could barely be heard.
“All stories end.”
Daryl grunted in agreement. “I just hope it’s a long fucking story.”
“Are we normal, Daryl? For not fitting in here?”
“Were we ever normal?”
You hummed.
“I don’t think bein’ different is a bad thing.”
“No, I guess you’re right.”
Daryl smiled at you cheekily. “Aren’t I always?”
You laughed, grateful that while everything else was changing, you would still have your friend by your side.
He called me cutie
Bromance
I will forever love the Dixon Brothers
They are so cute!!!!
Two teasers?
Hey Y'all!
Sorry its been awhile since i have posted! I have two different one shots in the works at the moment that i’m wondering if i should finish or give up on and try something else.
I’m thinking about posting what i have written so far on here and get some feedback from you guys?
Let me know in the comments if that’s something you guys would be willing to do!
Much love!
Love Jen x
When I Found You (Pt. 06 of 19)
Pairing:Daryl Dixon X Reader | Negan X daughter! Reader
Word count: 2.7 K
Summary:You saw Negan build his empire, saw your father become a monster, a murderer, and never had the courage to stand your ground. So everything you do it help as much people as you can, carrying the guilt of being part of it. But one day, your world is shaken when you find him, the man with blue eyes locked up inside a cage. You decide to help him, to keep his community safe. And for that, you’ll have to pretend you and Daryl are in love… But how long until the lie becomes the truth?
Warnings:Some sensitive topics such as mentions and light descriptions of self-harm. (I kept it light, so don’t worry about graphic descriptions.)
Next part (07) ->
A/N:I wanna thank (and give a lot of credit) to to absolutely awesome friend @multific, who helped me with a lot of ideas, and also with the final editing of the text. Love you, girl!!
×
Bloody Secrets
Daryl was impressed that what (Y/N) promised was happening. Negan ceased to bug Alexandria, but he knew it was only a pause. He knew this act had to go on, for the sake of the people he cares about. His family.
He missed them, every single one of them. Rick, Carol, Maggie. God, he needs to know how she and the baby are. Little Ass Kicker, Carl, and Michonne. Sasha, Rosita, Denise. As he lies down on the couch, he thinks about them. He never felt welcome before, not even by his blood relatives as he feels by this random bunch of people he stumbled upon when the world went to shit.
But the truth is that he thought doing this would be harder. Daryl started despising the angel-like girl the moment he saw her. She was one of them, a Savior. And when she proposed all this, he knew he had to suck it and get on with this stupidity. But now things are different.
Daryl is seeing (Y/N), the girl behind the Savior mask. The vulnerable human being. He had a special sight of it when she was hurt, two weeks ago. He never felt so protective of someone before, and certainly not someone like her. A girl, still a stranger in many ways. And now there are feelings inside him that he just can’t understand, it doesn’t matter how hard he tries.
What does it mean when you close your eyes and someone’s face pop right up? And what does it mean when your heart starts beating faster when this someone walks into the room?
Too many questions Daryl can’t answer. And he hates not having the answer.
Good thing he doesn’t have to. Not now.
When he looks at the clock, he sets it in motion, leaving the apartment and going to the place she told him to.
Today, Rob will be made an example of.
He finds a crowd on the Northside of the compound, near the fences where a lot of walkers are tied up to. Making his way through the people, getting some angry looks and rude words, Daryl finds her, standing right on the front line, next to her bodyguard. (Y/N)’s eyes find him quickly, and there’s a look he can’t understand.
“Daryl.” She mumbles as he walks over to her. She wants to say something, but she can’t. Not here, where people could hear it. It’s insane how easily Daryl learned to read her.
He’s about to say something when voices make him look to his left. It doesn’t take much for him to spot Negan, and half a dozen people coming out, opening the gate, and walking around the walkers to stand right in front of the crowd. They drag a badly hurt Rob with a bag over his head.
“Well, well, well.” Negan chants, and immediately, people start kneeling. He hates it. But it’s not the first time he’s forced to degrade himself in such a way.
Daryl stands his ground for a while, but when he sees near him kneeling down, he knows he has to. Everything to keep up the act. To keep his family safe.
He’s just about to bend the knee when he feels (Y/N)’s hand grabbing his. For a moment he freezes, unsure of what to do. Looking up at her, he finds a silent sentence, written all over her face.
We do not kneel. It burns through his brain as her fingers intertwine with his. A sensation he never felt before.
Looking ahead again, he sees a very annoyed Negan staring right at him, eyes falling on their connected hands.
“Rise up.” He commands, and so it happens. “We’re here today for a special occasion.” In a fast move, a man pulls the bag off Rob’s head. “This fella over here stepped way beyond the line.” He hisses, swinging his bat in the air. “He hurt my baby girl.”
“I-I’m so sorry.” Rob bags, blood coming off his mouth.
“Just kill him already.” (Y/N) mutters in a low voice, so low he’s not sure if he was supposed to hear it.
“Shut up!” Negan shouts. “And we all know that nobody. Touches. My. Baby. Girl.” He hits Rob, but not on the head as Daryl was expecting, on both his legs. And everyone here heard bones breaking. “This is an example of what happens to those who disobey my orders or hurt my daughter!” He shouts again, yelling at the crowd. “It will not be tolerated! Simon! Mark!” He calls, and both men step ahead, already grabbing Rob and pulling him up. “Show people what we do to those who can’t follow simple rules.”
And so it begins. Rob is pushed forward to a spot where a walker can reach. And it does. Simon makes sure Rob’s legs are reached first, and as he screams in agony and tries to crawl away, they push back, over and over, until the walker finally gets his hands and teeth on Rob’s guts. Then, it’s dead silence. All that can be heard is the screaming, and after a while, incomprehensible moaning and the sound of flesh being torn apart.
Daryl doesn’t know how he feels about it. Rob’s death is probably for the better, but dying like this… Nobody deserves it.
“(Y/N)?” Jim suddenly calls, and at the same moment, he feels her grip on his hand getting loose as she collapses on the floor. “(Y/N)!”
Jim is quick to move, ready to pick her up. But it happens almost at the same time, without Daryl even noticing. (Y/N) reaches for him instead, and he’s fast to lift her up.
“What the hell is going on?” Negan asks, but Daryl doesn’t give a shit. The girl in his arms feels like she’s passing out anytime soon, and he has to take her away from this gruesome scene.
The crowd moves out of his way, as (Y/N) hides her face in the crook of his neck.
You’re glad when Negan and the doctor finally leave. You didn’t want all this attention, so you’re relieved when it’s just Jim and Daryl. From your place seated on the bed, you sigh, looking down at your hands.
“Jim, can you spread up that I didn’t have breakfast? That I wasn’t feeling well for a couple of days?”
“Sure.” He nods.
“Can you go and do it, please? They know we’re close, they’ll believe you.” Reaching out your hand, you smile when Jim grabs it.
“You don’t have to say please, (Y/N).” With a playful shake, Jim stands up and walks out.
Daryl only moves when the door closes, taking Jim’s place at the armchair near the bed. Taking a deep breath, you pull your legs, hugging your knees. “Thank you for–"
“Why did ya faint that way?”
“I didn’t faint.”
“Ya almost did.”
“Daryl, I–”
“Don’t lie to me.” He cuts you off, and you close your eyes for a while, just to gather your thoughts.
“Nobody deserves to die like that.” You speak up, raising your voice at the frustration. “Nobody! I wanted him dead, yes, but not like that. Not like that.” Your hands go to your thighs, squeezing it a little and shooting pain through your skin. You take a deep breath, taking it in. The long, bloody scratch marks are here, and you can’t wait until you’re alone to draw some more. It makes you smile a bit, knowing you have this to relieve you. A little bit of pain for all the unbearable pain you cause.
“What the hell are ya doin’?”
“Nothing.” You mutter, running your hands through your hair. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you, so it’s good you’re here.”
“Was it true?” He suddenly asks.
“What?”
“That ya didn’t have breakfast.”
“Oh… Yeah.” Confused, you furrow your eyebrows. You didn’t know Daryl got that part. “I didn’t sleep well so I woke up late for the thing and just… Just didn’t eat.” Without saying anything, Daryl nods and gets up, leaving the bedroom. “Hey, where are you going?” Stumbling off the bed, you follow the man… Who’s not going out, just to the kitchen. “What are you doing?”
“Makin’ ya somethin’ ta’ eat.”
Furrowing your eyebrows again, you lean against the door frame. “Just make enough for both of us.” Daryl is a mystery, one you’ve been trying to discover. Biting your lip, you walk to the kitchen, sitting on the table and watching Daryl move around. He gives you a few glances whenever he takes something as if waiting for you to tell him not to.
“So… Do you usually cook for people you hate or am I just lucky?” Breaking the ice, you take in the amazing scent of bacon.
“I don’t hate ya.”
“Mmm… My father killed Abraham. And Glenn, whose wife is pregnant…” Drawing figures on the wooden table, you sigh. “He psychologically abused your group. How can you not hate his daughter?”
“‘Cause yer not Negan.” As he speaks, Daryl puts a plate in front of you. Scrambled eggs with basil and bacon, and it was only now you noticed how your stomach hurts.
“…Can I tell you something?” Whispering, you have your eyes on Daryl as he serves himself and sits across from you.
“Yeah. But eat.” Jerking his chin at you, he only starts eating when you do.
You eat in silence for a while until your stomach stops complaining. “I… I wanted to run away a while ago.” You finally say, keeping a low voice. “Couldn’t take it anymore so I just… Just wanted to go. Find a place, be by myself but… I’m not a survivor, you know? I can fight, I can hunt and everything but… The truth is that there are a lot of evil people out there. And eventually, I would have ended up with them. And I don’t want to get hurt or… raped… I’m safe from those things here.”
“I don’t blame ya for that. I’ve been around for quite a long time and I’ve seen a lot of evil men.” Daryl’s eyes burn on you, and there’s something in them, anger, sudden and unexpected. “And a pretty girl like you would drive them mad.”
Blushing and looking down, you giggle. “Save that up for when we’re around people. It’s of no use here.”
“I ain’t lyin’.”
“Yeah, I–” You’re cut off when you hear the door being open, and when you hear Negan’s laugh, you roll your eyes.
“(Y/N), come–” He stops the moment he gets in the kitchen, and despite having your back at him, you know he’s staring at Daryl. “Can we have lunch? Like a normal family?” He says in an annoyed voice.
“Only if Daryl can come.”
“Nope. Just you and me. Family only, c'mon.” He stands next to you, and you look up at him. “We need some father and daughter moments… And we need to talk about this whole thing going on here.” He gestures at you and then at Daryl.
“Fine, Dad…” Sighing, you give Daryl an apologetic look. “I’ll just finish here then I’ll go. Can we cook some of mom’s recipe?”
“Great!” He exclaims. “Now get over with whatever this shit is.” And he leaves, but not before giving Daryl an angry stare.
Taking a deep breath, you continue eating.
“If ya need me, ya know where ta’ find me,” Daryl says and you nod, raising your head to look at him.
Some time after you’re both done eating, he helps you with the dishes. You’d like to lie down for a while, but since Negan wants an update on your love life, you go straight to him.
You make one of your favorite recipes, and you chat as it cooks. You reassure Negan over and over again that you and Daryl are becoming a thing. That the interest is mutual.
Once you both eat, you decide to stay a little longer. You were feeling dizzy, so you crashed on the couch for some hours, and that’s when the childhood memories started being brought up. You miss those times. You miss your mother, Lucille, and you miss the man your father was. The man who didn’t enjoy killing or hurting people.
You were lost in that sweet time when some of the Saviors got here. Being Negan’s favorites, they were invited to stay and have drinks. You immediately felt uncomfortable, but for the sake of appearances, you stayed, chatted, and laughed.
Until they started talking about the people they killed.
Until they started talking about Daryl’s family.
With an excuse, you left, but on the way to your apartment, their voices echo through your head.
“That one was tough.” Simon said, in between laughs. “Skull cracked open and still standing.”
“There was some of his brain on my boots.” Mark mocked.
“And the Chinese guy?” Simon basically yelled, laughing too hard.
“God, that one was fun. Eye popped out and still talking.” Your father added, and all the others joined the laughter.
“And his super hot pregnant widow? I’d totally bang her.” It was the last thing you heard before going out.
You’re a crying mess when you get to your apartment, closing the door behind your back and safely locking it.
All the pain Negan caused is too great. A child will grow without their father. A wife was left alone. Friends lost a dear one.
Before you can even notice, you’re already in the bathroom, pants taken off, and fingernails scratching the outside of both your thighs. The pain makes you cry even more, but that’s nothing compared to all the pain the Saviors cause.
That you cause, because you’re one of them.
Sobbing, you only stop when your fingertips are covered in blood, and it drips down your legs.
You move straight into the shower because you need to make sure the wounds are clean. After a while, you hear a knock on the door, which makes you close the water. Rolling your eyes, you quickly dry yourself and put on your panties, and the light pink robe before heading to the door to dismiss whoever came. Walking makes you feel dizzy, and your head is full of images of death.
This is what you are. Death.
“What the hell do you want?” You say as you open the door, half hiding behind it. But when you see Daryl, you freeze, your heartbeat increasing. Or maybe stopping.
“Came ta’ check on…” His voice fades when his eyes fall on your hand, resting on the door near your head. Confused, you follow his gaze, and it takes no time for you to notice what he just saw.
You didn’t have time to clean the blood under your nails.
“What’s that?” He asks, and you immediately push the door close. But Daryl is faster, pushing it open and stepping inside, grabbing your hand and taking a better look at what you can’t hide anymore. “What is this?”
×
@riverscyberwife@spenciepoo338@beatitlikeabongodrum@amberritonicole@totheonethatloveshernext@the-artistic-animal@shatteredlovesick
When I Found You (Pt. 05 of 19)
Pairing:Daryl Dixon X Reader | Negan X daughter! Reader
Word count: 2.6 K
Summary:You saw Negan build his empire, saw your father become a monster, a murderer, and never had the courage to stand your ground. So everything you do it help as much people as you can, carrying the guilt of being part of it. But one day, your world is shaken when you find him, the man with blue eyes locked up inside a cage. You decide to help him, to keep his community safe. And for that, you’ll have to pretend you and Daryl are in love… But how long until the lie becomes the truth?
Warnings:Some sensitive topics such as mentions and light descriptions of self-harm. (I kept it light, so don’t worry about graphic descriptions.)
A/N: I wanna thank (and give a lot of credit) to to absolutely awesome friend @multific, who helped me with a lot of ideas, and also with the final editing of the text. Love you, girl!!
×
Priorities
Daryl couldn’t do much but follow the commotion. Jim carries a passed out (Y/N) in his arms, but when he was about to follow him into her apartment, a sea of men, led by Negan himself pushed him away. Among the yells, someone told him to leave, and so he did.
On the way to his apartment, there was this thing that wouldn’t stop bugging him.
Daryl tried hard to understand what it was, and when it finally clicked, he fought hard to ignore it.
He couldn’t be actually worried about her. (Y/N) is just a tool, a method for him to keep those he cares about safe. But for some reason, which he doesn’t understand, there’s this feeling inside him. Pacing around the living room, he tries to think and not to think at the same time.
That asshole threw her off the railing, and she hit the ground hard, on her back. It wasn’t too high, but she passed out immediately. The image of her tiny body collapsing keeps playing over and over in his head. It doesn’t take long until he realizes he wants that man dead. Part of him wants to go out there and do it himself. But there’s a process here, that he’s sure about, and that asshole will pay a high price for his audacity.
Nobody touches the princess.
But Daryl is failing to see her as the stupid title people forced on her. All he sees is a girl, strong, but somehow fragile. There’s strength in her, bright and solid, but also something he still can’t understand. (Y/N) breaks sometimes. She fakes it, she turns away, but it’s there. The reason is still a mystery to him, but with time, he’ll learn it.
The afternoon passes slowly, and by the clock in the living room, he can see as the night approaches. And yet, not a word from anyone.
Daryl knows what his priority is. If (Y/N) dies, nothing will stop Negan from doing whatever he pleases with his group. And he sure is worried about that. But there’s a tiny part, deep inside, that is truly worried about her. There was blood, he saw it, but he couldn’t place where it was coming from.
“Damn it.” He grunts, pushing himself up from the couch. He’s sick and tired of thinking about her. If she lives, that’s good. But if she dies, he’ll find a way out of here. And that’s it.
Daryl is about to make himself something to eat when a knock on the door gets him on full alert. Taking a knife, he slowly makes his way to the door. Whoever it is, they could be bringing the news Daryl doesn’t even want to think about. Can someone die falling from that height? He really hopes not.
“Open up, Dixon. I don’t have all night.” It’s Jim, and the knocking gets louder. Sighing, Daryl rushes this time, pulling the door open with the knife ready. Jim quickly finds the weapon, but he just rolls his eyes. “Finally.” Way too abruptly for his taste, the man enters the apartment, pushing the door close. “Listen, (Y/N) is awake and for some reason, she wants you there. I don’t know if this is part of the pretending or not but…” His voice fades, and he steps back. To Daryl is crystal clear that Jim has feelings for (Y/N). He just doesn’t know why he hasn’t told her yet. “Look, she’s bad. I mean, she’ll survive, of course, but she has a concussion and some piece of metal cut her back. The thing is she’s calling for you. Negan yelled, she yelled back but the Princess wants what she wants and right now, she wants you.”
“Alright.” It’s the only thing he says to Jim’s long speech. But the last part, the last three words, echoes through his head.
Daryl Dixon never thought he’d ever heard anything like that. That a woman would want him. He had some back in the day, but it never meant anything. And in a situation like this, hurt and with a concussion, why in the hell would (Y/N) want to keep up with the act. That shouldn’t be her priority. Pushing these thoughts away, Daryl follows Jim, trying hard o ignore his heartbeats, increasing with every step that takes him closer to her.
You’re laying on your stomach, still feeling your left arm and back numb from the anaesthesia. Seven stitches and a hell of a headache. All thanks to the asshole.
“I’m getting creative over here,” Negan says from his place in the armchair, near your dresser. He’s been going on with what he’ll do to Rob, but honestly, you don’t care. He will be dead, it doesn’t matter how. “What do you think about–” He’s interrupted by voices, and you soon recognize Jim. And that means Daryl is here. “Sweetheart does he really–”
“Daryl!” You call, not bothering with your father’s complaint. “Dad, if you plan on being a jerk, please leave.”
“As if I’d leave you when you’re like that.”
“It’s just a cut and a little concussion.” You’re still speaking when Jim comes in. Daryl stays in the door frame, eyes flying from you and to Negan. “And I’ll need to eat so get your ass off here and cook me dinner.”
“I hate when you’re right.” He gets up, all angry eyes at Daryl. “Are you going to stay here alone with… Him?”
“Yes.” You’re quick to answer, rolling your eyes. “Jim, leave too please.”
Resting your head on your forearm, you listen as the men move around. “And dad, make sure to cook enough for Daryl too. We’ll eat together.”
“Holy shit.” He mumbles on his way out. “Get someone to make me dinner because I rather die than cook for that piece of shit.”
You patiently wait until the front door closes before turning your head to the side. Daryl is still standing by the door. “Sorry, you had to listen to that bullshit.”
“Doesn’t matter.” He grunts, shrugging his shoulders. “Why did ya call me here? There’s no point if Negan isn’t around.”
“I know, I just…” You weren’t thinking about the act. You weren’t thinking about anything else other than a crazy, unexplainable need to see him. It came suddenly, and in your pain and desperation, you called for him. “Nevermind. This isn’t for the fake relationship thing so you can go if you want.” Turning your head to the other side, you stare at the wall.
There’s silence until you hear him moving. But instead of away, he moves further inside the bedroom, until you hear him sitting down. “They’ll kill him, right?”
Sighing, you nod before turning to look at him again. “No doubt.”
“Ya don’t seem happy about it.”
“I’m not. He did hurt me but I don’t find joy in killing him. Guess I just don’t have it in me.” A humorless laugh escapes your lips, and you run a hand through your hair. “As if you’d believe it. As if you’d believe me, the daughter of a monster.” There’s beauty in saying these things. In saying the truth. It doesn’t matter how ugly it is.
“Yer not him.”
“Save that up for when we’re around people. You can say what you really mean when we’re alone.” Trying to move a little, you turn on your side, careful not to let the blankets move too far away since you had to take your top off. “If you want to curse me, do it. You’re the only one here who’s one hundred percent real.”
“What about Jim?”
Daryl got you there. “Jim is different, but still… I don’t know. I’m kinda messed up from the concussion I think.” That’s a stupid excuse, but what else could you say? You don’t even know why you want Daryl here instead of Jim, your long-term friend. “You can go if you want.”
There’s no answer for a while, but he doesn’t move. “Was it bad?” He asks, jerking his chin forward at you.
“Well, the doc was stitching me up when I woke up. My head was spinning around and there were like over ten people here and my father freaking out…” You start, taking a deep breath. “They said I blacked out, and there was some metal thing on the ground. I don’t remember anything. The last thing I remember is you and I talking.”
“That’s the concussion. That guy, Rob, threw you off.”
“Yeah, Jim told me.”
“Don’t feel too bad about him dying. I know men like Rob. They’re murderers, rapists. They’re better off dead.” He mutters, and you look at your hands, nodding.
“Do you think I’m a hypocrite?” You suddenly ask, furrowing your eyebrows. “It does look like I’m playing on both sides but–”
“Yer confused. It’s the–”
“No, I’m not.” Holding the blankets, you sit up, grunting a little. “It’s just that… I get the feeling that you hate me. A-and that’s alright if you do because I’m Negan’s daughter but…” Daryl is right, you are confused. It feels a little foggy in your head. “I don’t want you to hate me I guess.” Sighing, you lie on your back, letting yourself fall on the bed. You immediately regret it. “Oh.”
“Ya gotta be careful.” Daryl is suddenly by your side, hesitating a little before touching your arm. “I’ll help ya turn around.”
“Alright.” You move slowly, biting your lip when the pain starts creeping over. The anaesthesia effect must be wearing off.
“There ya go.” He says when you’re on your stomach again.
“Thank you.”
“The bruise on your shoulder.” He bursts out, standing by the bed. “It wasn’t Rob, was it?”
“No.” Giving your shoulder a quick look, you raise your eyes at Daryl. You still have it vivid in your mind how his fingers dig in your skin, but the purple marks look a lot better now. “It was you, but don’t worry. I’ve done the same if I were you.” Some hair falls on your face, and you push it away. “I was careful to keep it covered, but now that people saw it, they think it was Rob so…”
“Sorry.” He mumbles, looking down. “Didn’t mean ta’ hurt ya this much.”
“It’s alright.” There’s an expression on Daryl’s face you just can’t understand. “A penny for your thoughts?” Daryl just sighs, looking down at his hands. Huge hands, you suddenly realize. Shaking these thoughts away, you giggle to yourself. “Sorry. You’re oddly quiet and I’m… I’m a bit dizzy and I’m a talker, I think. They gave me something or it’s just the concussion, I’m not sure.”
“Talk if ya want.”
“Not if you don’t want to hear it.”
“I’ll hear if ya talk.”
Taking a deep breath, you smile. Maybe it’s your cracked head doing the trick, but you’re really happy Daryl is here. That he doesn’t have those high, thick walls keeping you away. You want to get closer to Daryl because it’d be a lot better when you’re forced to get more… Intimate with him.
But also, because you’re mesmerized by him. And this feeling has only been growing.
“Did you know that tulips used to be worth more than gold back in the 17th century? They were considered a symbol of wealth in Europe.” You start, once again lying on your side, just so you have a better sight of Daryl.
“Really?”
“Yeah.” The whole room spins around again, and you close your eyes tight. Grabbing the pillow, you take deep breaths. “Is this normal?”
“Yeah.” Daryl grunts and you suddenly feel the mattress moving and you open your eyes. Your heart skips a beat when you see Daryl seated on the edge, eyes, half-hidden by his hair, looking down at you. There’s something in his expression you can’t quite understand. Your first thought is to put some distance between the two of you, but for some reason, you don’t move. If Daryl feels ok being this close to the daughter of a monster, you’re not the one who’ll push him away.
Not when you feel sick, dizzy, and with your head hurting like being hit by a hammer.
You always felt fragile when sick or hurt, but ever since the world broke, you’ve always kept the act, it doesn’t matter how bad you feel. But now, alone in your bedroom with a stranger, you feel yourself sinking. Letting go. And it feels good.
“C-can I hold your hand?” It comes out suddenly, and you curse yourself for asking something so stupid of him. “I-it just would feel nice to have something solid to hold on to. But nevermind, I–” You lose your train of thought when you feel his hand on yours. His touch is hesitant and soft at first, and you were right. His hand is much bigger than yours. But you think you like it.
“What were ya sayin’? About the tulips?” He asks in a low voice.
It takes you by surprise that he’s actually interested. Even if it’s just to make you feel better. It’s very kind of him. “They come in every color, except blue. They look almost blue, but not really. There’s this one that people call ‘Queen of the Night’ because it’s so purple it’s almost black.” Slowly you relax more and more, eyes threatening to close. “Since they’re colorful, people naturally gave them some meanings, so to confess true love, people used to give their significant other a red tulip.”
“Have you ever given anyone a red tulip?”
Chuckling, you shake your head no. “I never loved someone enough, Daryl Dixon. And I don’t have any red tulips so… It’d have to be a metaphor.”
“Huh.”
“Thank you, Daryl.” You decide to say, opening your eyes to look at him again.
“Jus’ holdin’ yer hand. Not a big deal.”
“It is to me. I’m the daughter of the man who killed two people in your family. The same who psychologically tortured them, the same who wants to kill all of them.” Your voice is weak, barely a whisper. The very thought of it makes you feel even sicker. “I’m so sorry, Daryl. I swear I’m trying to do something good. You don’t believe me, but I am.” It turned into a plead because you suddenly need him to believe in you. As if it’s a matter of life and death. Squeezing his hand, you try to hold back the tears, but some roll down anyway. “Please, I–”
“I believe ya.” He bursts out, nodding. “I believe ya, now get some rest and don’t think about yer father’s shit.”
“Alright.” Nodding, you take a deep breath, holding tight on Daryl’s hand.
Slowly, you feel sleep overcoming you. And for the first time in so long, you feel safe. And less lonely.
×
@riverscyberwife@spenciepoo338@beatitlikeabongodrum@amberritonicole@totheonethatloveshernext@the-artistic-animal
When I Found You (Pt. 03 of 19)
Pairing: Daryl Dixon X Reader | Negan X daughter! Reader
Word count: 2.2 K
Summary:You saw Negan build his empire, saw your father become a monster, a murderer, and never had the courage to stand your ground. So everything you do it help as much people as you can, carrying the guilt of being part of it. But one day, your world is shaken when you find him, the man with blue eyes locked up inside a cage. You decide to help him, to keep his community safe. And for that, you’ll have to pretend you and Daryl are in love… But how long until the lie becomes the truth?
Warnings:Some sensitive topics such as mentions and light descriptions of self-harm. (I kept it light, so don’t worry about graphic descriptions.)
A/N:I wanna thank (and give a lot of credit) to to absolutely awesome friend @multific, who helped me with a lot of ideas, and also with the final editing of the text. Love you, girl!!
×
A Good Plan
“I need to speak with you.” Bursting into Negan’s apartment, you raise your voice, following the humming noise and finding him in the kitchen, eating a fresh potato salad.
“Good morning to you too.” He sing-songs, a smile on his lips. “Sit down and eat, for goodness sake.”
“Urgent matter, Dad.” Rolling your eyes, you take a plate and serve yourself some of the salad. It’s better if you look as casual as you can, despite the anxiety that didn’t leave you alone all night. Make it believable, you tell yourself.
“I have something to ask too.” Cleaning his mouth with a napkin, Negan stares at you as you sit down across from him. “My men told me you took Daryl Dixon out of his cell.”
Of course, he knows. Negan knows everything. “Yes, I did.”
“And why in the hell would you do that?”
“Because I find Daryl very attractive.” It’s not even a lie, but you have to start somewhere. You can’t pull off a relationship out of the blue. Things need to escalate there.
Negan looks at you dead in the eye for a few seconds before bursting into a laugh. You patiently wait until he’s done, arms crossed and food forgotten. Then, he stares at you, waiting for you to call it off. “Holy shit! You gotta be kidding me.”
“Well, I’m not.”
“(Y/N), I have bad blood with him and his whole group.” He says, leaning forward, elbows on the table. “I’m going to kill every single one of them.”
“I like Daryl, alright? So you won’t do anything until I see how this will turn out.” Trying not to let him notice how nervous you are, you start eating. “I like him, I really do.”
“You can have anyone you want, and you want the only man who will mess with my plans?” Negan stands up, taking his empty plate and leaving it in the sink. “Why don’t you have Jim instead?” He raises his voice as if he just had the greatest idea ever. “He’s handsome. He seems to like you a lot. Go on, get it on with Jimmy!” Throwing his fist in the air, he leans against the countertop.
“Father, I don’t want Jim.” Running a hand through your hair, you sigh. “I met Daryl by accident and… I don’t know when I looked into his eyes something happened…” Your voice fades for a different reason this time. It clicks suddenly that you’re not even trying to lie. You weren’t plotting, you just said how you felt.
“Daryl is too old for you.”
“You have wives my age.” You’re quick to answer, drumming your fingers on the table. “Actually, you have wives who are younger than me so you don’t get a say in the age thing.”
“They’re all of age, I’m not a monster.” No, of course not. He just kills and tortures people. “And everything is consensual, so–”
“Dad, I don’t ask much, do I?” Pushing the plate away, you stand up, arms crossed. “You told me the world is ours. That I can have anything I want.”
“And I meant it.”
“Then let me have it.” Put your heart in the matter. “You know I’m the romantic type, so what if this is meant to be? What if this… First sight… The feeling is right? What if this is what I’ve been looking for? You can’t take that away from me just because you hate some people.” You feel vulnerable saying these things because as the words leave your mouth, you realize they’re all true. Even though you never gave much thought to such things, it doesn’t change the facts.
“But Jim–”
“Dad, I want Daryl!” Raising your voice a little, you pace around.
“Do you really think there’s any chance Daryl will want to have anything to do with you?”
“Well, he said I was pretty.” Finally, you get to follow the plan you and Jim made. What to say, how to answer the questions you knew Negan would ask. It’s easier to follow the instructions than to explore the dark places of your heart.
“He did?”
“He did.”
“Holy hell.” Giggling, Negan turns around and starts doing the dishes himself. “Daryl is more animal than man, (Y/N). I wouldn’t fall for him if I were you.”
The insult almost makes you snap at him, but you bite your tongue. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. Just give me some time to see what happens with me and Daryl.”
Negan sighs, and you can tell he’s a little angry. “Fine. But the moment it ends you tell me.”
Controlling yourself not to give a little jump, you move to hug his back. “Thanks, dad.”
“I can’t believe you’re just hugging me because of Daryl.” He complains, giving your arm a little pat. “Oh, I’ll be going to the Hilltop in an hour. Keep an eye here for me.”
“I will.” Moving to his side, you tiptoe to kiss his cheek before leaving the apartment.
Jim is outside, and the first thing you do when you see him, you jump into his arms. “It worked!”
He’s quick to hug you back lifting you up a little. “I told you it would.”
“Now…” Jim puts you back down, and you straighten your clothes. “I’ll give Daryl the good news.” Smiling, you gesture at the hall. “Come with me?”
“Sorry, I have to get Negan’s truck ready. But as soon as he leaves I’ll meet you up there.”
“God help Hilltop. I hope nobody gets hurt.” Sighing, the happiness you felt just some seconds ago fades, as you imagine the terror that will overcome that community.
“Hey.” Jim touches your shoulder, giving it a little squeeze. “You can’t save everyone, (Y/N).” Silently, you nod. “Now, go. Because you’re on the right path to take this group off Negan’s hands.”
Daryl didn’t do much since he woke up at four in the morning. He showered again, making sure to spend as much hot water as he could, checked his wounds, and ate a bowl of cereal.
Despite this being a normal apartment and not the dark cell, he can’t help but feel caged. And alone. Daryl felt alone for the most part of his life, but it changed with time. He found a family in Rick’s group.
Now, here he is, separated from them, held captive. The only good thing, at least he hopes it’s good, is this insane plan Negan’s daughter came up with. He still thinks it’s some kind of trap, a sick game they’re playing, but given his position, the only thing he could do is try.
And if it backfires, he’ll just kill her.
Seated on the couch, Daryl thinks about this possibility.
(Y/N) is little. He can overcome her easily, take her gun and run. Shoot his way out. Or even better, he can drag her with him with the gun pointed at her head, until he’s out of this place.
This was a good plan. This will work. Daryl would only have to count on himself to make it work, and it would.
It took only a couple of minutes until he makes up his mind. The safety of Alexandria can’t be in the hands of someone who has Negan’s blood. There’s too much at stake to trust it on some stranger.
Mind already settled on the plan, he waits, muscles tensing up when he hears footsteps coming closer and closer until they stop at his door.
Daryl is ready, and he stands up to his feet, fists clenched as a wave of anger takes over him.
But the moment he sees her, the same feeling comes flooding back. The angel-like girl walks into the living room. Clean face delicately framed by her hair, dark clothes that he swears smell like flowers. Like rose maybe, he can smell it even with the distance.
Her eyes are quick to find him, but despite his tall figure, so much bigger than her in this predator-like instinct, ready to take her down, she doesn’t seem like she’ll run away. I’m fact, (Y/N) looks happy.
“It worked.” She says, her voice a little too low. “It worked.” Repeating soon after, louder this time, she walks over the armchair, letting herself fall on it, elbows on her knees. “I told Negan I find you attractive and that you said you find me pretty. So he gave us the chance to see what happens.”
“So, what now?” He grunts, a bit too rudely, walking back to the couch and taking a seat.
And just like that, at the sight of her, Daryl changed his mind.
“Now it’s up to us. You and I, because I’ll need you to be convincing, Daryl.”
“I will.” He nods, eyes on her. “Won’t let ya dad hurt anyone else.”
(Y/N) tales a deep breath, running a hand through her hair. “I’m so sorry for–”
“Sorry doesn’t cut it,” Daryl speaks up, pointing a finger at her face in a quick, harsh gesture. “It doesn’t bring them back.”
“I know, I… I heard of it. The two men my father killed–”
“Abraham and Gleen.” He raises his voice again, back to his feet, pacing around that stupid living room. “The names are Abraham and Gleen. Gleen’s wife is pregnant.”
Daryl is expecting her to lash out at him, tell him to shut the hell up, end the deal. Punch him, try to hurt him, anything that gives him a reason to carry out his plan. Because he sees her as nothing else than Negan’s daughter. So, she must be as cruel as he is, maybe even worse.
But instead of anger, hate, or anything of that nature, Daryl sees sadness. Her lower lip shakes a little, so she bites it, a hand moving to wipe something off her eye as she looks away, letting her hair fall and hide her face.
“If I was there, I could’ve tried. I don’t always succeed, but I try.”
“Ya gotta try harder.” He’s still speaking when he notices. (Y/N) has both her hands on the outside of her thighs, fingers brushing on the fabric of her pants, from her knees up, as if she’s shy. But the movement is slow.
“I will.” She bursts out, jumping to her feet. “I gotta go now. See you tomorrow so we can talk about our next move.”
As fast as a lightning bolt, she leaves, banging the door shut before locking it.
Daryl can’t help but wonder if he caused the outburst. He only spoke the truth, a truth she knows very well, even better than him. And being who she is, here, the girl must be a lot stronger than that.
Shaking his head to push these thoughts away, Daryl lies down on the couch, eyes on the ceiling. He’s been thinking about her way too much. It’s time to stop. So from now on, Daryl decides, he will only think of her when she’s around. Once she leaves, she’s gone.
Once you’re safe inside your apartment, the tears roll down. They’re a living thing, bitter and hot, soaking your cheeks.
You can’t deal with this. You can’t deal with what your father does. He was kind, gentle. A normal person before. Now, he’s a murderer. A tyrant. A monster.
And so are you.
You’re his daughter, after all, his only child. And he built this world for you as well. So you won’t ever be hurt or starve. ‘The world is yours now’, he once said. But you don’t want it.
Things won’t ever be like they were before, but there’s gotta be a way to live without killing. Without being a barbarian.
Moving from your place leaning on the door, you rush to the bedroom, taking off your pants. The wounds are still quite fresh. They don’t really have time to heal.
You’re not the one to deal with pain very well. But this… You deserve this. For everyone who died at the hands of your people. And for those left behind, in agony, forever separated from a loved one.
You don’t need blades. You can use your nails, always kept just long enough to allow you this relief, and not to get in the way of anything you do around here.
Closing your eyes shut, you place both your hands on your thighs, near the knees, on the outside. Taking a deep breath, you sink the nails into the soft flesh, and you begin.
×
When I Found You (Pt. 02 of 19)
Pairing:Daryl Dixon X Reader | Negan X daughter! Reader
Word count: 2.4 K
Summary:You saw Negan build his empire, saw your father become a monster, a murderer, and never had the courage to stand your ground. So everything you do it help as much people as you can, carrying the guilt of being part of it. But one day, your world is shaken when you find him, the man with blue eyes locked up inside a cage. You decide to help him, to keep his community safe. And for that, you’ll have to pretend you and Daryl are in love… But how long until the lie becomes the truth?
Warnings:Some sensitive topics such as mentions and light descriptions of self-harm. (I kept it light, so don’t worry about graphic descriptions.)
A/N: I wanna thank (and give a lot of credit) to to absolutely awesome friend @multific, who helped me with a lot of ideas, and also with the final editing of the text. Love you, girl!!
×
“Are you sure this will work?” You ask Jim for the hundredth time.
His idea is good. You can make it work, you can make it believable. But it doesn’t depend on you alone. Daryl has to accept it and put some effort into it as well.
“It will.”
“How long do we have?” Walking fast through the halls, you try not to overthink. This can’t backfire, because you have no idea what to do if it fails.
“Eight weeks until Negan goes to Alexandria. But you know him, he could go anytime he wants, but since he’s eager to torture them psychologically, he may give it some time. Make them think they can come up with some kind of plan.”
Daryl’s group is smart. And strong. You and Jim are getting all the pieces of information about them, and about Negan’s plans. For you, it’s easy, you just have to ask Negan. But Jim’s job is to go around the men and get their ideas because sometimes some of them have an interesting addition to the plan that Negan is eager to follow.
So what you have is this: The leader, Rick, is a survivor. It means he had to get his hands dirty before, and will again. And your father knows how to break a man like Rick. He hates men like Rick. It doesn’t help that the Alexandrians killed several Saviours, and tricked Negan a couple of times before.
Your father wants to unleash hell upon them. And Jim was right, you’ve never seen Negan so furious about a group before.
He won’t just take their things and leave, no Negan will break them, slowly, painfully. He will strip them off of everything they care about, everyone they love, one by one, until he gets to Rick.
But you won’t let that happen.
“Ok.” Taking a deep breath, you stop by the apartment door. “If he doesn’t play along…”
“If he doesn’t play along, his group dies. Just tell him that.”
As if it was so simple.
Nodding, you unlock the door and walk in. Jim quickly pushes it close, gun already in hand. This could be dangerous. You wouldn’t blame Daryl for trying to attack you.
“Hello?” You mutter, moving to the living room and peaking into the kitchen. “We’re just here to talk.” Keeping your voice as soft as you can, you move towards the hall, as Jim does the same, walking ahead of you and pushing the first door open.
When he comes out, he simply shakes his head no before moving to the other room. “Where the hell is he?”
“Take it easy, Jim. I–” You’re cut short suddenly, a strong arm pulling you backwards, knocking all air out of your lungs. There’s something sharp and cold against your neck, as a giant hand grabs your shoulder, keeping you tight against the body behind you, painfully tight.
“Damn it!” Jim exclaims, gun pointing at whoever is holding you. But it doesn’t take much until your mind solves the mystery. “Let go of her. Now!”
“Drop the gun.” The voice, raspy and angry, comes right to your ear. “Or I’ll kill her.”
“Jim put it down.” You tell him, both hands coming to hold on the man’s arm as you struggle to breathe.
“I have a clean shot from here, asshole. She’s tiny, I can shoot you right in the head.” Jim cocks the gun, and the knife is pressed against your skin.
“Shoot me and she dies. I’ll draw this damn knife right through her throat.”
“Stop it, both of you!” Shouting, you suck in a sharp breath when Daryl moves, pulling you further away from Jim. “James, you do as I freaking say. Put the gun down now.” Using the strongest voice you can, you give him a stare. You hate ordering him around, but it’s necessary now. Your eyes are saying ‘trust me, I know what I’m doing’, and that’s what makes him reluctantly move, slowly lowering the gun until it’s on the ground, kicking it to the wall behind him. Way out of Daryl’s reach.
“Daryl, listen to me.” You start, keeping your voice soft. “We’re here to help you.”
“How? Gonna throw me in another goddamn cell!” He squeezes your shoulder, making you wince.
Jim steps forward, ready to fight, but you raise a hand at him, making him stop. “I know about your group. About Alexandria, everything. And I know Negan’s plans. I swear, I just want to help.”
“She was the one to bring you here, man, trust me,” Jim speaks up, both hands raised. “We spent all night trying to find a way of helping you and your group. You kill her, you’re doomed. You and everyone you care about.”
You feel Daryl’s grip get a bit loose, just a little bit, but enough for you to get what he’s thinking. Taking in the information. “What the hell does he plan to do with us?”
“The same, as a start.” You explain the pain on your shoulder bringing a few tears to your eyes. “He’ll take whatever he wants, and go back every once in a while. But he hates Rick, your leader, so he’ll put traps in the way, looking for a reason to torture them.”
“Huh.” He grunts.
“I was in the meeting. He wants to kill the Alexandrians one by one, make them chop off pieces.” Going graphic was never the idea, and it makes you feel sick. “H-he said he will make Rick go all the way next time. Cut his own son’s hand off.” Tears start rolling down as the emotions overwhelm you.
The image is in your head now, a father being forced to do such a thing. The axe, the blood, the severed hand… You need your cell. You need to let things out. You never wanted to be part of this. You never wanted to be here. But you can’t lose it, not now.
Blinking to push the stubborn tears away, you put yourself back together the best you can. This isn’t the place to be weak.
“How do ya know all that?”
“Negan is my father.” This makes the grip gets tighter than before, as the knife is now placed on your throat. “It doesn’t mean I agree with his methods!” You’re quick to add. “I have a plan to keep him away from your people. From Alexandria.”
“C'mon, man, you’re hurting her,” Jim begs.
“Keep yer damn mouth shut!”
“These are your options, Daryl Dixon!” You yell again, trying to make your voice heard despite everything. Despite his grip, the knife, and the situation. “You can kill me, kill Jim, take the gun and run. But you won’t get too far. They’ll take you, and as soon as they find out you killed Negan’s daughter, the man himself will make you watch as he feeds your people to the dead.” This wasn’t supposed to be this way, you didn’t want to threaten him. But you’ll say anything for him to let go of you. “Or you can at least hear me out. Because with or without your help, I’ll find a way to keep Negan away from this group because I’m not my damn father!” Voice cracking in the end, you close your eyes, letting the darkness surround you. This isn’t enough, but it has to suffice.
You’re becoming so weak. After so many years, being in this nightmare since the very beginning, you’re breaking. And you can’t break. You won’t know what to do if you break.
“Just listen to her, man,” Jim mutters, and when Daryl finally let go, you run straight into Jim’s arms, releasing a breath. “Damn it, (Y/N).” He whispers in your ear, softly rubbing your back. This hug isn’t about you being hurt by Daryl, it’s about you being hurt by everything else. Jim has developed a way of knowing when you’re about to collapse, exactly when you need some time to recover. “Can you do it? Because if not we can–”
“I’m alright.” Pulling away, you wipe the tears away before turning to face Daryl.
He’s wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, and now you get why his hand felt so big. The man is huge, and it’s clear now he didn’t hurt you as much as he could if he wanted to. His dark hair partly covers his eyes, but you can see the bright blue colour, set on you. He’s clean, and now you can see the purple bruise on his left cheek. Daryl still holds the knife, ready to act if you or Jim try anything.
“Can we sit?” Gesturing at the couch, you just make your way there, taking a sit. Jim does the same, taking the armchair. But Daryl just stands, those predator-looking eyes, following your every move. “You don’t have to look at me like I’m some kind of threat. Look at me. I couldn’t take you.”
“But yer boyfriend here could try.” Eyes locked on you, Daryl jerks his chin towards Jim.
“Jim is not my boyfriend. He’s… My personal bodyguard.” You sigh, running a hand through your hair. “Jim’s wife was dying. He was working for points so he couldn’t have the medicine. He stole it and got caught. His wife passed and he was going to die too for what he did, but I stepped in.” Exchanging a glance with him, you take in the small smile he has on, and also the sadness in his eyes. Jim is still in love with Mariam. “I told Negan I wanted someone by my side, at all times. And Jim was strong and well-built even before, so I had my will done. And here he is now, not only to protect me but as a faithful friend. As I am his.”
“It’s true. (Y/N) saved me.”
“So ya want me ta’ believe Negan does everythin’ ya want?” Daryl is sceptical, but anyone in his position would be. You’re still one of his captors, and you could be setting some kind of trap.
“(Y/N) is everything Negan has left. Say whatever you want from him, it’ll probably be the truth, but he loves his daughter.” With both elbows on his knees, Jim looks up at Daryl. “She’s the princess around here. And the king will do whatever she says. If she wanted to tear you to pieces just for her pleasure, he would clap.” Jim’s voice gets darker because he stands where you stand. He does what he has to do to survive, but he doesn’t enjoy it. “But instead, she puts on a show out there, just so she can act behind his back helping people. She could be a tyrant, the very image of her father but she isn’t. So if (Y/N) can help you and your people to make out of this mess alive, take the freaking chance or get the hell out of her way.”
Furrowing your eyebrows, you try to understand where it came from. Jim never said anything like this.
“We came up with a plan to make Negan give up on your community.” You say, taking a deep breath. “Of course we’d have to say Alexandria would be mine to rule and shit like that, but I promise you if we manage to make this work, he’ll leave your people alone.”
“And what is this miraculous plan?”
This is the hard part. Biting your lip, you exchange a long stare with Jim, who raises both his eyebrows at you.
“We’ll have to pretend to be dating.” Saying it as slow as you can, you feel a heat spreading through your cheeks.
“What the hell?”
“I know how it sounds.” Standing up to your feet, you raise both hands at him. “But all the other options weren’t good enough. Negan hates your group like he never hated anyone before, and Jim and I came to the conclusion that the only way he’ll step back is if I put my heart on the matter.” Shrugging your shoulders, you sigh. “If we convince them we’re falling for each other, he will let me have Alexandria. And if he places the city under my care, nobody will come to take anything. Nobody will be killed.”
Daryl weakly nods, his hair all over his face. “Fine. But if ya lie ta’ me, I kill ya.”
“You–”
“We have a deal.” You speak before Jim does, reaching out your hand. Daryl looks at it before looking up at you again, not taking your hand, so you let it fall. “Well, you’ll stay here now. There’s food and… Pretty much everything you may need. I’ll talk to Negan and let you know the next step.” That said, you nod, mostly to yourself, gesturing for Jim to follow as you leave.
Right before you push the door close, you take one last look at Daryl. Then, the wood separates the two of you, and you lock the door, sliding the key into your pocket.
“It’ll work,” Jim says, a hand on your shoulder.
“It has too.”
When Daryl is left alone, the silence, now very familiar, surrounds him again. In a jolt of adrenaline, he has an impulse of checking if what she said was true. Everything he had done ever since the Saviors dragged him into this apartment was to shower, clean the blood from his wounds, put on some clothes, and sleep.
So, he’s quickly moving through the kitchen, opening the cabinets and fridge, finding more food than he has seen since the world broke.
To say he’s confused is a misunderstanding. When he first saw her, from the darkness of his cell, he wondered if he was seeing an angel. Her smooth skin, clean and shining, as if she didn’t belong to this world anymore. Her hair, rolling down her shoulders, reaching all the way to her waist. And he swears he could smell her hair conditioner, candy-like. It took a while for him to believe she was real.
But she’s Negan’s daughter.
And Daryl has to be careful, smart. He will do anything if it means his group will be safe. But still, he has to be alert. In case this is a trap. In case she’s not as good as she shows.
There are no angels, not in this world. Not living among these people.
And she certainly isn’t one of them.
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