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.)
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!!
×
One Last Mission
The only thing you can think about is the baby.
While Rick conducts the meeting, all you can do is look down at your still flat stomach and think about the life growing inside you.
It changes everything. You’ve been trying to ignore it, but it does. Rick wants to attack, Aaron says that’s stupid, and now you know why. You know why he said Rick is making it more difficult than it has to be.
You’re the princess. You’re his daughter and you hold the key to the end of this. As you held the key to keep Alexandria safe.
In part, you know Negan created that empire for you. Because he thought you’d like it, that you’d enjoy having the world at your feet. You don’t, but you can’t ignore it kept you safe all this time. So, if you were partly the reason for its creation, you’ll be the reason for it to end.
“Aaron is right.” You speak out for the first time since you got here. Nobody understands, so they look at you, and you notice you cut Rick short in the middle of his speech. “We’re taking the hard path when there’s a much easier one.”
“Which path?” Michonne asks.
“Through me.” Shrugging your shoulders, you stand up from the couch. Daryl gives you a questioning look, so you offer him a small smile. “The truth is that my father doesn’t know me. He thinks I’m ok with everything he does when in fact it breaks my heart. Ever since the Sanctuary started, when I saw what he was doing to people, I knew I wanted a different life. I wanted to re-establish community and society, but not like that.” Pacing around, you cross your arms. You feel more comfortable around them now, but you don’t like sharing some feelings. But now, it’s necessary. “I dreamed of a place just like this. Like Hilltop. The Kingdom and Oceanside. Places where people work together, help each other. Where laws can be created and life can once again thrive. And I always wanted this. I couldn’t make it alone while I was in there, but here… It’s real. And it’s closer than we think. Before I wanted that for myself. For the people, I care about and for the next generations… Now I… I have a bigger reason.” Involuntary, your hand falls to your stomach, and so do their eyes.
“Oh, shit!” Carl exclaims, and he runs to embrace you in a tight hug. “That’s awesome, (Y/N).”
“Welcome to the club, brother,” Rick says, giving Daryl a quick hug before coming to hug you as well.
It takes you by surprise that everyone comes to speak to you. And if this will be your child’s family, they’ll have the best family anyone could get.
“I don’t want my baby to meet Negan.” You continue after a while. “Not this tyrant, at least. I want them to meet the Negan I once knew. The man, not this monster.”
“And what do ya have in mind?” Daryl asks, and you take a deep breath.
You had way too much time to make plans, but you never thought you’d actually have the opportunity to fulfil them. Taking Negan down is an old fantasy because you always knew this is the only way to save people from him. Once and for all. “Jim and I have a what we call BoomHouse.”
“Boom house?” Carol asks eyebrows pinched together.
“He chose the name, not me. But anyway. I’ve been sneaking guns there for years. When Jim came along he just started helping me and came up with the name.”
“Slow down,” Rick says, raising both hands at you. “You’ve been sneaking guns out of the Sanctuary to some random place where anyone can find them?”
“No. I’ve been sneaking guns, grenades, incendiary stuff, knives, bows and arrows, and explosives to a heavily secured place which is locked and is infested by walkers.” Shrugging your shoulders, you turn around, looking at everyone. “If anyone opens the door the wrong way, loud music starts playing and they won’t have to worry only with the walkers inside the building but also with those attracted by the music because that place has a herd surrounding it. They’ve been walking in a circle around that area for years because of some underground construction that makes this constant noise.”
“That’s awesome,” Carl says. “If we get all that, plus the guns (Y/N) brought us, we’d have a hell of an advantage.”
“I agree. But we get the guns and what next?”
“Everything there is more than enough for all the four communities. More than enough to fight back. And win.”
“And how did you manage to steal all that?” Rosita asks.
“I used to go out and shoot walkers, shoot trees, shoot to the freaking sky. Then I lost the gun, or destroyed it, or left it somewhere. I took some grenades to blow things up. Stuff like that.” Sitting on the couch, you sigh. “I’m the princess. People don’t ask and Negan doesn’t care about what I do as long as it makes me happy.”
“So what? We get the guns and attack?” Michonne sounds unconvinced, pacing around the living room. “Doesn’t sound any different from all the other plans you’ve been calling out.”
“The guns are just to show Negan we have the firepower to take him down. But I don’t think there will be a fight.”
“Explain it further,” Rick says, moving his hand in a circle position. “I don’t think I’m the only one here still wondering where you’re going with this.”
“I’ll tell Negan I’m coming. But he won’t know I’ll be taking four communities with me, everyone armed to their teeth. Then I’ll tell him the truth. All of it. How everything he does makes me feel, and if it doesn’t break him…” Touching your stomach with both hands, you look down. “This will.”
“You’re betting our lives on the love Negan bears you?” Sasha inquires, arms crossed and a serious face on. “What if it fails? What if he decides he loves his empire more than his daughter? Or his grandchild?”
“He doesn’t,” Daryl speaks up, and you raise your eyes to look at him. “Negan is an asshole, but the only good thing I can give him is that he loves (Y/N). Ya can see it in his eyes. He’d kill for her, and die for her. She’s the only thing he loves besides himself.”
“I’m the only family he has. The only thing from before to remind him of what life was. To remind him of mother…” You mutter, hands cupped together on your lap. “He said to me many times that he’d give up everything if it meant I’d be safe. If it means I’ll be happy. So, yes, I’m betting our lives on his love for me. And if I’m wrong… I’ll be the first to die and will have what I deserve for all the evil my father made.”
“Don’t say that,” Daryl complains.
“It’s true.” You quickly add. “I don’t think I can forgive myself for all the people I couldn’t save. I know you can’t save everyone but I wanted to. I wanted to save Abraham. And Glenn. And all the others… That was because of me too. Negan created that to himself, for the power it gave him but also to keep me safe. To make sure I’d never get hurt, raped, or starve. That was because of me too.”
“We can’t blame ourselves for what other people do, only for our own decisions,” Carol says from someplace behind you. “You made the right ones. You did save Daryl. And us. And for that, I believe we’re all thankful.”
“We certainly are.” Rick agrees, and you can’t help but smile to see the others nodding.
“So let’s do this. The sooner the better.” You stand up again, strength suddenly renewed. “Step one is to get the guns. And we better take a truck or else there won’t have enough space.”
“We?” Daryl steps in, eyeing you with crossed arms.
“We. How are you supposed to find it without me? And that’s just one thing, you’ll still have to get in and avoid setting off the alarm system.”
“Ya can draw a map.”
“Look, can we have this conversation in private?” Smiling at him, you wave at the others and walk out of Rick’s place.
“Ain’t no conversation. Yer not goin’.” Daryl says when you’re outside, it doesn’t take much for him to reach you.
“Daryl, I’m pregnant, not sick.” You snap back, shrugging your shoulders. “I’m used to going out there and you know I’m damn good.” Stopping, you turn to look at him. “I can do this, you know I can.”
“I’m not sayin’ ya can’t. I know how strong ya are, I’m askin’ ya to stay for me.” He steps closer, putting a loose strand of hair behind your ear. “For my sake, sit this one out. Make me a map, and we’ll stay in touch all the time through the radio so ya can guide me but please. Jus’ this time, stay. It’s bad enough that this whole operation depends on ya. And the very thought of this goin’ wrong, I–”
“It won’t.” Cupping his face, you tiptoe to kiss him. “We’ll be a strong, united army. We won’t lose. And alright, Daryl. I’ll stay. For you.”
“Thanks, Sunshine.”
“I love when you call me that.” Giggling, you kiss him again, slow and sweet, wrapping your arms around his neck.
You want to go, be there to look after him. But if it’ll help him have some peace of mind, you’ll stay and patiently wait for your love to come back.
“They’re following Aaron and Sasha,” Rick announces, putting the radio back on his belt. “Jesus just opened the doors and the walkers from the inside are following him and Michonne. So now it’s our turn. Daryl and I will go ahead with the car and you make sure to make less noise possible with the trucks. If you see any stray walker stop, go and kill it on foot. Keeping a steady rhythm we will reach the building in half an hour. Let’s go.”
They set in motion, and Daryl takes his place sitting shotgun on Rick’s car. With a hand hanging out the window, he has his eyes full alert to anything that might mean trouble.
“So…” Rick mutters after starting the car. “Now that we’re alone let’s talk. From a father to a future father.”
Daryl rolls his eyes at Rick’s smug smirk. “Ya took long enough ta’ come to bother me with it.”
“C'mon, Daryl. You never spoke it but I know you want kids. Ever since you took Judith in your arms for the first time, I knew you would like to have a child of your own. No need to keep it from me.”
“That ain’t the problem, it’s just…” Shrugging his shoulders, Daryl shakes his head. “Guess I’m scared, that’s all. Don’t wanna be like my dad, ya know?”
“That’s impossible. I’ve seen not only how you treat (Y/N), but I’ve seen the person you have become ever since we met in that camp back in Atlanta.” Rick takes a turn left, avoiding a rock in the woods. “I even think you can be a better father than me since you’ve seen all my mistakes.” He chuckles, giving Daryl a look. “I know you’re happy. You can’t hide that from me, I know you too well.”
Of course, he’s happy. Daryl just doesn’t believe it’s true sometimes. He has a family of his own, a wife who he loves and who loves him back, and now a baby. A little part of him, mixed up with (Y/N)’s. And for the first time, he won’t have to just see it from afar. He’ll be part of it, and he wants to enjoy everything. Everything month, every week of her pregnancy. He wants to be there for her through her discomforts, and help as much as he can.
Daryl would takedown a whole mountain with his own fists for her.
“I’m gonna be a dad.” He says, for the first time putting all those words together. And they sound amazing.
“Have you spoken about names yet?”
“Nah. But I’m thinkin’ about putting Lucy on the table. For her mother.”
“So you want it to be a girl?”
“Maybe.” He shrugs his shoulders again. “Ya’ll gonna lay bets on it, won’t ya?”
“Carl will have to make dinner for me and Michonne for a month if it’s a girl.” He laughs, and Daryl follows. “Who knows, maybe you’ll have one of each.”
“At the same time?”
“Maybe.” With that childish smile, Rick stares at the road behind them. “It could be–”
“Sunshine to Archer. Do you copy?” (Y/N)’s voice comes through the radio, and Daryl immediately picks it up.
“They have cute names,” Rick mumbles, covering the laugh with a hand.
“Yes. We’re headin’ ta’ the…” He eyes Rick, who has the decency to pretend not to be paying attention. “Ta’ the BoomHouse.”
“Good. Did they drag the walkers away?”
“Yeah. The place is somewhat secure. We’ll all be alright and I’ll be back in no time.”
“Oh, great.” She makes a pause, sighing. “My tits really hurt today, Dixon, you have no idea.”
Daryl’s face heats up, and he chokes on his own breath. “I’m in the car. With Rick. So…”
“Oh…” She mutters, clearly embarrassed and he can imagine her blushing on the other side. “Say hi to Papa Bear.”
“Papa Bear?”
“Hey, blame it on Carl, not me! I only picked our codenames.”
“Alright, Sunshine, alright.” He breathes out, staring through the window. “We’ll be back by nightfall and I’ll help, alright?” He keeps his voice low, trying not to let Rick hear him.
“How?”
“Ya really want me ta’ tell ya that with Rick sittin’ right next to me?”
“No, no! I’ll wait until you come back.” She sighs, and the soft sound is enough to make him smile. “Be careful and let me know when you get there, okay?”
“Ok. Take care over there.”
“I will. Love you, Daryl.”
“I love you too, Sunshine.” He says back, and the statics tell him she’s gone for now.
“Once this is done, you won’t have to worry about nothing else than the little Dixon coming into this world,” Rick reassures him, lightly pushing his arm. “And it’ll be over sooner than we think, you’ll see.”
“I really hope so.” He mutters his mind too far away.
Daryl never thought of himself to be the type to settle down, have a family. But this is everything he wants now. To be home with his wife, watch closely as his child grows. Go on runs to bring home anything they need. Daryl wants to look after his family. His, and his alone.
His own personal paradise.
But to get there, he’ll have to walk through hell. But he will face it, and he’ll win. They will win. For (Y/N), and for all the others, because they’re his family too. And then they’ll be able to now only survive, but live.
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!!
×
Another Ray of Sunshine
As if this whole problem with Hilltop wasn’t enough, Daryl can’t ignore how (Y/N) has been feeling unwell. Mostly in the mornings. She says it’s just nervousness, as they try to set a plan. But everything Rick comes up with, she points out the flaws. How Negan could thrive. So after three weeks, we’re still clueless. And she’s been taking it as her personal failure, something Daryl can’t seem to convince her otherwise.
“D?” She calls, soft footsteps on the stairs. “Please, don’t make scrambled eggs.”
Chuckling, he puts the eggs down, and then back in the fridge. “What’s yer the problem with eggs? Ya like eggs.” When he turns around, he finds her sitting on the table, seemingly tired.
“I don’t know. Every time I eat eggs I throw up.” She complains, and when she’s done saying it, (Y/N) clears her throat, shaking her head. “I mean–”
“You’ve been throwin’ up?” Daryl inquires, crossing his arms. That he didn’t know, and he’s quite mad she didn’t tell him. How is he supposed to look after her when she keeps things from him.
“Just once… Twice.” She quickly adds. “Look, I’m probably getting allergic to it.”
“Ya weren’t allergic before. How can ya be allergic now?” Making his way over her, Daryl touches her cheek, caressing her. Her bright eyes look into his, and a smile lights up her features.
“I don’t know.” She says, getting up and hugging his midsection. “I’m just anxious, that’s all. Time is running short and we still have no idea what to do.”
“We’ll figure it out. But ya have ta’ tell me when ya feel sick. So I can take care of ya.”
“D, I’m perfectly fine, I promise. It’s just some headaches and my stomach feels funny whenever I think too much about Hilltop. But I’m fine, I promise.” Batting her eyelashes, (Y/N) kisses him, just the way that makes him forget everything. “I promise I’ll tell you when I feel sick next time, alright?” She mutters when she pulls away.
Nodding, he looks down at there. “Alright.”
“Alright.” She repeats, smiling. “Now sit down and let me make you something for breakfast.” Pecking his lips, (Y/N) moves to the countertop.
There’s something in Daryl’s head, but he doesn’t want to think much about it. It brings up feelings he doesn’t know, way too many, and Daryl can’t understand what they mean. So he doesn’t think about it, and he won’t until he finds out if that possibility can even be considered. But he’ll ask the doctor about it because he needs to be sure.
Aaron’s small talk it’s what distracts you a little. He even gets a few giggles out of you, but you know why he’s doing it. And you’re thankful.
“What about you? What was the stupidest thing you’ve done in school?”
School. You barely think about it now. It feels like a different lifetime. “I had a huge fight with a teacher because she called one of my classmates dumb. He wasn’t dumb, he was just a bit slower than the rest but he was smart.” The memory makes you smile. “I ended up at the principal’s office, of course, and got suspended for three days. Father was quite surprised and laughed it out but mother was angry.”
“You barely speak about your mother.”
“I know. Negan’s heart breaks every time so I learned not to talk about her, only miss her.”
“Well, if you ever need to actually talk about her, I’m all ears.” He touches your arm, with that usual smile on his face. “I like hearing stories as much as I love telling them.”
“(Y/N). Aaron.” Someone calls and you both turn around, finding the doctor by the infirmary’s door. “How are you doing?”
“Great.” Aaron answers and you repeat.
“Good. But can I talk to you for a second, (Y/N)?”
“Sure.” Exchanging a stare with Aaron, you gesture for him to go inside with you. The doctor paces around before closing the door behind you. “Do you need anything? We can look for it or I can ask Negan if it’s urgent.”
“No, no. I just need to ask something.” Doctor Díaz crosses his arms, eyebrows furrowed. “It’s just that Daryl has been coming here. Two-three times a day for two days now. But he never asks anything, he just gets nervous and leaves. Is everything alright with him?”
“Yeah.” Shrugging your shoulders, you try to think about anything unusual about Daryl. If he was sick or wounded to the point of needing a doctor, you’d know. “I have no idea what it could be but–”
“I think he’s coming here again,” Aaron says suddenly, and you follow his gaze, seeing Daryl through the window, walking fast this way.
“Alright.” Grabbing Díaz’s arms, you look at him. “I’ll hide in the back. Try to make him say it, whatever it is.”
“I’ll try.”
“Ok. Come.” Grabbing Aaron’s arm, you pull him with you, hiding behind some shelves near the back door.
It doesn’t take much until you hear the door opening. “Hey, doc,” Daryl says, and Díaz mutters a response. “How’s everythin’?”
“Daryl, you’ve been coming here for two days, making the same question and then leaving. If there’s something wrong with you or (Y/N), just tell me so I can help.” Well, doc can’t be subtle, that’s clear.
“Ain’t nothin’ wrong. We’re fine. We’re both fine.” He says, but you know there’s something else. Something he’s not saying. “Jus’… I jus’ need ta’ know what are the… The symptoms of early pregnancy.”
There’s a buzz in your ears, as you look at the white wall across from you.
“The first thing women usually notice is the missed period. Then nausea, mostly in the morning, with or without vomiting.” You feel Aaron’s eyes on you, but you ignore it, crossing your arms. “Tender breasts. Some women start complaining about how their bra is compressing them. Fatigue, aversion to the food she once liked… The list goes on but those are the most common.”
“What if someone is feeling all those things?” Daryl asks, his voice filled with… Worry? Surprise? Fear? You can’t quite place.
“Well, there will be a new baby running around Alexandria in about nine months. Maybe even less.”
“Alright… Jus’ needed ta’ know.” You listen as he walks, heavy footsteps on the floor. “Don’t tell anyone anythin’.”
“I won’t, Daryl.” He assures, and when the door closes, you release a breath you didn’t even know you were holding.
“Whoa.”
“Shut up.” You burst out at Aaron, moving out of your hiding spot. “It could be anyone. Michonne, Carol, Rosita. Anyone.”
“I doubt he’d know about Michonne’s late period or Carol’s morning sickness or Rosita’s tender breasts.” The doc says, and when you turn to look at him, he’s handing you a pregnancy test. “I know it may be scary, but ignoring it won’t help.”
“I’m not pregnant, ok?”
“Then do it. Won’t do any harm.” Díaz says and takes the box from his hands, shoving it in your pocket and rushing out through the back door, taking a different path from Daryl.
“Wait up!” Aaron calls, but you don’t listen, keeping the fast pace.
“I’m not pregnant!” You repeat, running a hand through your hair. “It’s just not possible.”
“Are you two being careful?” He asks, making you blush. “There are ways you know? And we even have some con–”
“No, we weren’t being careful because…” Stopping, you look at Aaron, trying to control the tears that want to roll down. “When I was a kid, I had an accident on the playground. This metal thing impaled me, right above my womb and the doctor said it would be difficult for me to have kids. Not impossible, not risky, just very difficult.”
“Difficult is completely different from impossible.” Crossing his arms, he jerks his head left. “Why don’t you come to my place? Make the test and then you can work with what you get.”
After a while of silence, you nod, leading the way yourself.
•••
You never had trouble peeing. But peeing on that stick was a challenge. But once it was done, you stood before the mirror, waiting for the results. And now, looking at a plus sign, the tears come out, almost involuntary.
The next thing you do is throw the test out, leave the bathroom, and slam the door close.
“I don’t think I need to ask,” Aaron says, and before you can say anything, he embraces you. “Congratulations, (Y/N).”
You don’t even know what to say. There are questions in your head, thoughts rushing through it. You never considered this. You never thought this would happen.
And you don’t even know how Daryl will feel about it.
“This can’t be happening.” Pushing him away, you pace around. “This morning I wasn’t pregnant and now I am?”
“…That’s not how it works…”
“I know how it works, I just…” Taking a deep breath, you sit down on the edge of his bed. “How am I going to do this? We still need to find a way to keep Negan from taking more than Hilltop can give. We still have to find a way to stop him. And that means… That probably means killing him and… How am I going to raise a child in this world? I don’t even know if Daryl wants a baby. And the man already knows!” Lying back down, you cover your eyes with both hands. “Why does he has to be so attentive?”
“Let’s take it piece by piece.” Aaron lies down next to you, and you both start staring at the ceiling. “I think Rick is making this way harder than it has to be, that’s one thing. And you’re not going to raise the kid alone. You’ll have Daryl, who loves you. And haven’t you seen how he takes care of Judith? Don’t you think he might want a Little Ass Kicker of himself?”
“I don’t know…” Running a hand through your hair, you sigh. “What am I supposed to say to him? We weren’t trying. And he knows about the accident, so I’m sure he wasn’t expecting that.”
“(Y/N), you go home to your husband and tell him you’re carrying the very image of your love.”
Furrowing your eyebrows, you look at Aaron. “Damn it, that was poetic.”
He giggles, playfully punching your arm. “It’s true though.”
“Yeah…” Sitting up, you kick his leg. “Thanks, A. For everything. You’ve been an amazing friend.”
“I hope that grants me the title of Uncle.”
Rolling your eyes, you giggle. “Of course, A. I’ll go face my archer now.”
“Great.” Standing up from the bed, Aaron walks you to the door.
As you walk home, a lot of things go through your head. A lot of ways to say this. But nothing is good enough, and when you walk inside, you have no idea what to say.
When you hear a noise coming from your bedroom, you make your way upstairs. Daryl is seated on the bed when you get there, back resting against the headboard. Taking a deep breath, you lean against the door frame, and it takes no time until those blue eyes find you.
“Ya have headaches.” He starts, and you know exactly where he’s going. “Mornin’ sickness, yer period is very late and yer been complainin’ about–”
“About how my breasts are tender.” You finish off for him, looking down. “I was in the infirmary, Daryl. Hiding behind the shelves with Aaron and I heard everything. Doc gave me a test and I ran to Aaron’s place to do it before coming to speak with you.”
“…And?” He asks, hair hiding one of his eyes. It reminds you of the day you met him, naked and imprisoned. You never thought you’d fall in love with him, even though something lit up inside you at the sight of those eyes.
And you certainly never thought you’d carry his baby. “It’s positive.” You whisper, clearing your throat before repeating it louder. “It’s positive.”
Then, silence. Dead, cold silence until Daryl moves. Fast and abruptly, coming to the door. Your heartbreaks, but you find it in your to just move out of the way. But when you do, he changes direction too, and instead of leaving, as you were expecting, he embraces you tightly against his chest. You finally breathe, allowing the tears to roll down.
“I’m sorry. I never thought–”
“I promised I’d take care of ya. And I will.” Daryl says, pulling away just enough to look down at you. “And I’ll extend that promise to… Our baby.” His voice breaks a little, and you caress his cheek.
You know what he’s thinking. “Wanna know why I’m sure you’re not going to be like your asshole father?”
“Why?”
“Because you’re nothing like your asshole father, Daryl Dixon.” Smiling, you push his hair away, just to have a better look at his eyes. “I know it’ll be hard. It’s new for both of us but I’m one hundred per cent sure you’ll be an amazing dad. Because you’re an amazing man and an awesome husband.” Taking his hand, you place it on your stomach. “This baby is the very image of our love. A piece of both of us. It’ll be a crazy child, we gotta be ready for it.” Giggling, you sigh. “But it’ll be strong like you. And caring, and loyal, and–”
“And gentle, like you. Fierce and brave. Another ray of sunshine.” He bends over, placing a soft kiss on your lips. “We’ll make it work. You and I.”
“You and I.” You repeat, smiling. “…And all the uncles and aunts this kid will have.”
Pairing:Daryl Dixon X Reader | Negan X daughter! Reader
Word count: 2.3 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!!
×
Hilltop
She didn’t know they were friends with Hilltop. Daryl did mention another community at some top, but (Y/N) never made the link. And, knowing his wife well, he knows she’s nervous.
Maggie is there, the person who lost the most.
Daryl tried to ease her heart. Maggie is fierce, but she’s fair. She’ll come around once she sees who (Y/N) really is. The whole group is warming up to her, day after day, and soon enough they’ll be her family, completely. They’ll love her, as he does.
“Yer alright?” He asks for the third time, as she comes to stand next to him. (Y/N) left Alexandria on Daryl’s bike, but she was so nervous that she had to stop and go to one of the cars.
“I will be.” She mumbles, holding Daryl’s hand.
The gates are pulled open and the small group walks inside. It’s just the two of them, Rick, Carol, and Rosita. The others stayed to look after Alexandria. “I’ll get ya something ta’ eat.” She didn’t have breakfast, and despite knowing people can skip a meal without dropping dead, Daryl worries.
“I’m fine, Daryl, I promise. I just deal better with this situation with an empty stomach.”
“I’ll take ya ta’ Maggie soon. Ta’ end the tension once and for all.” He wishes he could make her skip this whole thing, but it’s impossible. Whenever (Y/N) suffers, he suffers too. But if he can’t free her from the confrontation, he’ll be there with her, doing whatever he can to make it easier. “Ya will see that–”
“Jesus!” She suddenly says, giving Daryl a happy look before running forward, and much to his surprise, she jumps in Jesus’s arms, who happily hugs her back. “It’s been so long!”
“Hello again, little (Y/N).” He says, putting her down. “I could barely believe when Rick told me you’d be coming here.”
“I know, right? Daryl here kept talking about some community at some top but I didn’t make the connection.” Daryl walks over them, nodding at Jesus.
“Hey, man.”
“Hello, Daryl. How have you been?”
“Fine.” He mutters, eyeing (Y/N) down. It’s not that he’s jealous, he just can’t help the thoughts that run through his head. (Y/N) chose him, but even so, he knows she could do better. Jim would certainly be a better match, all easygoing and stuff. And so would Jesus, he knows now. But when he feels her hand on his again, these thoughts start to vanish.
“Wanted to make you a surprise, D. Jesus and I are somehow friends.” She explains, those bright eyes set on him. “We met one day when I found him sneaking into the Sanctuary a few years ago.”
“This chick got me scared as hell.” He laughs. “But ever since she has been helping us.”
“Is that so?” (Y/N) still impresses him, every day. When he thinks he knows everything about her, something new comes. He never thought she helped Hilltop as well, and that makes him proud. Indeed, she is a ray of sun in the darkness that has fallen on the world.
“Yup. Mostly medication when they need it. Just small stuff.”
“The small stuff saved people’s lives in here.” He nods, looking at something behind them. “Rick, my friend. It’s good to see you.”
“Jesus. How is Hilltop doing?”
“Surviving, as always.” Jesus raises his eyebrows, gesturing at both Daryl and (Y/N). “I was going to ask, but I see that what Rick told me is true. You two got together to keep Negan off Alexandria.”
“We did. The city is off-limits to him and all of his minions.” She says, and they all start following Jesus to Gregory’s mansion.
“Wait.” He says, holding (Y/N) back. “Rick, why don’t ya update Jesus and hear what the problem is. I’ll show (Y/N) around.” Daryl says, and when Rick nods, he starts pulling the girl with him.
“Daryl, wait.” She says when they’re far enough, making him stop. “I’m not ready. I-I don’t want to face her. Can’t I just avoid her?” Her voice is weak, and Daryl sees as she caresses her thighs before crossing her arms. It’s as if she’s tying herself up not to go back there. Not to hurt herself again.
“Ya can’t run away from this. I know it’s hard I jus’ want ya ta’ get over with this ‘cause I know that if ya don’t, it’ll keep haunting ya.” He knows her. He knows she needs to get things done. To clear her name with people. “Trust me. Maggie will come around with time.”
(Y/N) pulls Daryl close, resting her head on his chest. “My father killed her husband. Orphaned her baby. How can I–”
“So this is her.” A voice says, and he can feel as (Y/N) gets tense. Placing a kiss on top of her head, he wraps an arm around her waist, to make her feel secure. Turning to look at Maggie, he offers her a small, quick smile.
“Yeah. Maggie, this is (Y/N), Negan’s daughter. (Y/N), this is Maggie.”
Your stomach feels weird as you stare at the woman. You can’t read her face, so you have no idea what she’s thinking. “Hi.” You whisper, barely hearing your own voice.
“Is it true?” She says, walking closer. When the wind blows, you notice that her belly is already a little swollen. “That you and Daryl got together to keep Alexandria off Negan’s hand?”
“Yes.” You nod, and if it wasn’t for Daryl’s arm, you feel like you’d fall. “It started as a fake relationship. Then I asked Negan to make me the head of Alexandria, so nobody could take anything from there, and, Mmm… Nobody raids Alexandria anymore.”
“That’s good.”
“Yeah.” Biting your lip, you can’t help but remember all the things you heard about Glenn’s death. How the Saviours, your father included, laughed at how his eyeball popped out. At how his pregnant wife cried.
Your legs suddenly fail, and Daryl’s arm is what holds you up. “Hey. Yer ok?”
“Yeah…” You mumble, a hand on your stomach. “I’m just a little dizzy.”
“Ya gotta eat somethin’.”
“I’m sorry, Maggie.” You say because you can’t help it. You can’t help feeling guilty, you can’t help the tears that started filling your eyes. “If I was there, i-if I knew… I could’ve stopped it. I know I could’ve because I’d never let my father do something like that. I’m sorry he’s such a monster. I’m so, so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” She says, crossing her arms. “I’m a reasonable woman, and I won’t blame you for your father’s mistakes.”
That takes you by surprise, and you gasp, catching your breath. “Thanks…” Holding on to Daryl, you wipe a tear that escaped.
“But you must know that we’ll take him down. And I’ll kill Negan myself if I have the chance. And I won’t change my mind, no matter what.”
She’s the second person to say this, but you understand. You know Negan must be dealt with, sooner or later. And there’s no other way to end his tyranny. “I know.” You love your father, but you must agree. He can’t be stopped if not by death. “I know.”
“Come. I have half a pie you can eat.” Maggie invites, and you look at Daryl before nodding.
As you eat apple pie in Maggie’s house, or better saying, Maggie’s trailer, you can’t help but feel relieved. These people are reasonable, and despite being very careful as this world demands, they’re not like the Saviors. You’re happy Maggie doesn’t seem to hate you, despite keeping a certain distance. Time, says Daryl. With time they’ll see you’re not like your father. And since you’re not going anywhere, you have plenty of time.
When you’re done with the pie, Maggie goes with you to the mansion. By the tone of her voice talking about Gregory, it’s clear she doesn’t like him. And you know why. He’s disgusting, weak, and will step on everyone in this community to stay safe. You despise him.
“Let’s see what the hell is goin’ on,“ Daryl says, but instead of following him and Maggie inside Gregory’s office, where the group is, you stop.
It’s quite obvious what’s happening. You noticed how people out there are working hard, walking fast, looking anxious. It’s obvious. “I know what’s going on.” You say, looking at Daryl. “The Saviors want more, don’t they?”
“Yes.” Maggie answers. “And we’ll starve if we give then the percentage they’re asking for.”
“You two go. I have to think.” Tiptoeing to kiss Daryl’s lips, you give him a reassuring look.
As they get to the office, you decide to explore the house, going upstairs. This is huge, a lot of people could live here, but of course, Gregory has it all to himself.
On the second floor, you find a library, with a couch set before a door that leads to a balcony. Going for the door, you open it, breathing in the fresh air.
“Running from the meeting too?” Jesus asks, and you turn around, letting go of the doors after pulling them further open.
“No need to hear what I know.” Shrugging your shoulders, you sigh. “What I need is to think about a strategy because I can’t put on another fake relationship. First, because Negan wouldn’t believe it, and second because Daryl and I are together. Like, for real.”
“That I noticed.” Jesus drops to the couch, putting his feet up on the coffee table. “They want seventy-five per cent of everything. If we give it to them, we’ll starve. We’ll die.”
“And let me guess, Gregory accepted it without thinking twice.”
“Exactly.”
“You should run Hilltop.” Walking to the couch, you sit next to him. “I already told you that.”
“Won’t make any difference if the Saviors keep taking what we have. If they keep threatening us.”
“I know…” Rubbing your temples, you sigh. “God, coming here got me sick or something.”
“Because of Maggie?”
“Mhmm.”
“I can make you some tea. To help with the headache and make you relax a bit.” He says, already standing up.
“Thanks.” You’d decline the offer, but since it could be of some help, you let him go.
When you’re alone, you go to the balcony, watching the people down there. They do look anxious, and you have to find a way to help them. And that means you have to find a way to keep Negan off this community too. But how? Asking him to give you this place too? They need the stuff they steal from this place, so there’s no way they’ll just stop. For that, the Sanctuary would need to start planting on their own. And you don’t think they’d do that.
“Here it is.” Jesus comes back after a while, handing you over a mug with hot tea. And you still have no idea what to do.
“Thank you.” You mutter, but when you bring the mug close to your mouth, the sweet smell reaches your nose and it makes you feel even sicker. “What’s that?”
“Lavender. Why?”
“Ugh.” Giving him back, you cover your mouth with a hand. “Sorry. My stomach has been weird ever since this morning.”
“All this because you were scared to face Maggie?”
“My father orphaned her child. Of course, I was nervous.” Jesus puts the mug on the coffee table before joining you on the balcony.
“You have to–”
“(Y/N).” You immediately recognize Daryl’s voice, turning around and finding him coming to the balcony. “We’ll need your help.”
“I know. I just don’t know what to do.” He comes closer, and you hug him, resting your head on his chest.
“We’re heading back home to come up with a strategy. Negan gave them a month, so that’s how long we have.” He caresses your hair, and you see through the corner of your eyes as Jesus leaves you alone with Daryl. “But we’ll need ya. Ya know him, his way of thinkin’. Yer the only one who can make somethin’ big work.”
“With something big, you mean taking him down, don’t you?” Raising your head, to look into his blue eyes.
“I do, Sunshine.” He doesn’t seem like he’s happy about it. But he should. Taking Negan down means he won’t be able to hurt anyone else or turn people’s life miserable. “M’ sorry. I know ya love him.”
“I do… But I know this can’t continue. Negan always wants to expand. So that means he’ll keep looking for communities, taking over, and making his empire of terror grow. We can’t allow that.”
Bending over, he kisses you, slow and sweet before pulling away. “We can’t.”
Pairing:Daryl Dixon X Reader | Negan X daughter! Reader
Word count: 2.5 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!!
×
True Love
“Lower your weapons and open the gate.” You shout a little cold from the damp hair on your back and the cold morning air. Of course, they all look at you. Some wondered what the hell are you doing. But you eye Rick as you walk over him. “Trust me.” You tell him, taking the gun from his hands. He nods, and the gates are open.
On the other side are three trucks and around twenty men, heavily armed. And you do know them. They’re just another group under your father’s hand, who are allowed to keep doing their stuff if they keep giving Negan half of everything they get.
But that doesn’t matter. What matters now is that you know them. And they know you. “Hello there, Mark. You ruined a perfectly good morning.”
“P-princess?” Mark, the leader, stutters. He, like all the others, already put their guns away. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Do you really think I have to answer to that?” Stepping forward, you walk over them, outside the walls. You see the group moving with you, not only Daryl.
“No, of course not.” He mumbles.
“On your knees.” You tell him, and your order is immediately obeyed. You hate this, but you need to make them believe you’re who they think you are. For the city’s safety. “Listen up.” Raising your voice, you pace around, as the others get down as well. Stopping behind Mark, you touch both his shoulders. You know how to scare people, how to intimidate them. You’ve seen Negan doing that way too many times. “Alexandria is mine now. And that means you’ll leave it alone and spread the news to any other jerks you meet out there.”
“Negan himself told us we can raid.” Another man speaks, and you see him standing up. You don’t know that one, and by the tone, he’s using, he just joined the group. “As long as we give him half of what we get.”
“Things changed and now the Princess lives here.” Slowly, you walk around, getting closer to the man. “You can either lower your head and accept it or… Well, there’s no other way, is there? You have to do what Negan says or you die. Painfully.”
He laughs, looking at Mark. “Look, I didn’t join this shit so some slut can tell me what to do. You told me we could do it. Take what we want, pay off Negan, and enjoy what we have. I ain’t going for a shit.”
“What did ya jus’ call her?” Daryl yells, and Rick immediately goes to hold him back. “What did ya jus’ say, ya piece of shit.”
“Daryl, it’s alright.” Walking over him, you take his hand, giving him a look. He doesn’t have to do this, and this stupid guy will serve as an example.
“I’m sorry, (Y/N). Alex is new here.” Mark says and you can hear the fear in his voice.
“Don’t worry.” Turning at him, you give the other a stare. “I don’t have to recite the rules on which our world stands. You know them. And you have been serving both me and my father well. And now you’re aware that Alexandria is off-limits. So go, and tell anyone else you find who doesn’t know about it. But first…” Gesturing at Alex, Mark’s men are quick to move, grabbing both his arms as he starts fighting back. “Stop by the Sanctuary to drop him off. Negan will be waiting and I’ll let him decide what to do.”
“As you wish, princess.”
“You may go now.” With that, the caravan starts moving. Mark gives you one last look and a nod.
You stand by the gate until they’re far gone before turning around and walking into the city again. That’s when you notice that the group was standing right behind you, guns ready. “Thanks.” You tell Rick as you walk past him, handing over his gun.
“No, actually–” He follows you, and the unusual gesture makes you stop. “Thank you. They were very eager to get inside and I really thought there would be a fight.”
“There would. Those men don’t just steal, they like hurting people too. But you don’t have to thank me. I’m just playing my part here.”
“Even so, thank you.” He touches your shoulder and you give him a small smile. “Both my children live here. This place has to be safe.”
“It is, from now on, I promise.” Patting his back, you walk over Daryl, making your way back home.
There, you finish breakfast before getting your stuff to start off the day. When you’re ready, you wait for Daryl, since you’ll be heading in the same direction, but for some reason, he’s taking way too long. After twenty minutes, you call, and he mumbles something you don’t understand in response.
“Were you fixing your hair?” You joke when you see him coming downstairs. “What took you so long?”
“I…” He clears his throat, looking down at his hand. Following his gaze, you find a delicate silver chain in between his fingers. “I was supposed to give ya this yesterday but ya were in a hurry. Then this mornin’ shit happened so…” Reaching out his hand and opening it, you see a necklace with a pale pink rose flower as a pendant. “It was a pin but I turned it into a necklace for ya. Ain’t a red tulip but… Thought ya’d like it.”
Biting your lips, you take the pendant, caressing the metal petals. “Daryl, this is… This is beautiful but… A-a red tulip is–”
“A confession of true love, yeah.” He finishes off for you. “That’s my red tulip for ya. Symbolic but–”
You don’t let him finish, jumping on his arms and kissing him passionately until you’re forced to pull away to breathe. “I love you, Daryl Dixon.” Turning around, you give him the necklace and hold your hair up. “Help me put it on.” And so he does, fingers softly caressing your skin. “I don’t have anything to you but…” Turning around, you wrap your arms around his neck. “If I had a red tulip, I’d give it to you… But you already have my heart so…” Blushing, you kiss him, feeling at peace for the first time since the world broke. At home, in his arms.
•••
The days start passing, one after the other, and slowly, very slowly, some of the group start acting more comfortable around you. Aaron and Gabriel are your friends already, Carol started even hanging out with you every once in a while. Carl talks to you a lot about some new strategies he has in mind, since you’re the one to have a creative mind like him, or so he says. Rick too, with time he seems like he doesn’t absolutely hate you anymore. Michonne is different. She talks to you, but never feels too eager to do so. Eugene is more than happy when you cross paths with him. He’s quite funny you think, and very smart, and you know the world will need smart people like him. Sasha still hasn’t even looked at you yet, and the same goes for Rosita and Tara.
For the rest of the people of Alexandria, it varies. Some still hate you, others politely wave. Daryl says it’ll get better with time, when they see you’ll keep them safe. It did get a little better when you made Negan send the other doctor they found. Jack is in his fifties, but he’s strong and was acting as a doctor before, meaning he has a lot to offer. It wasn’t that hard, since they already have a doctor there, and the princess is living here. Negan would never leave his daughter unattended.
A month goes by easily. Then another one, and one more. Your father visits you around two times a month, and it’s always a little tense. But a little bit of tension is better than the terror they were in before.
Today, there isn’t much to do. The sun is shining, but there’s a cold wind blowing. Daryl is in a meeting with Rick or something, and you’re going back home after helping Aaron in the storage. Walking slowly, you hear the kids yelling. Moving to the sidewalk, you watch as they pass by, running and laughing.
“Hi, (Y/N).” A soft voice calls your name, a little mispronounced. Looking down, you find Judith. You’re around her a lot since Daryl is her chosen uncle. And by marriage, you became the aunt.
“Hi, little ass-kicker.” Kneeling down, you look at the bouquet she’s carrying, too big for her little hands. “These flowers are beautiful.”
“Thanks!” She smiles, handing you the flowers. “For you.”
“Thank you, Judy.” Taking the bouquet, you place a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll put them in a vase so you can come to check on them later, ok?”
“Mhmm. Gotta go now.”
“Sure, sweetie. Go play with your friends.” And with another smile, she goes, running to reach the other kids.
“Hey.” Someone shouts as you stand up, and looking behind, you see Anne, one of the women who look after the kids. “Those are for the kids.” She gestures at the flowers.
“Oh, sorry. Judith gave me.” You’re reaching out your hand to give Anne the bouquet when she violently pulls it from your grip. At the same moment, you feel a sting, and you yank your hand away. It starts to burn immediately, and when you look, you see a cut through your palm, already bleeding. “Wait!” You exclaim, closing your hand into a fist and feeling the blood flowing out. “There’s a thorn in it.”
Without saying anything, and with her back at you, she searches on it, finding a branch in the middle and throwing it on the floor before quickening her pace to follow the kids.
Sighing, you look at your fist, and a drop of blood escapes.
“You need to have that cleaned.” A soft voice says, and you look at the house next to you, finding Rosita on the porch. “It could be poisonous, so it’s better to check.”
“Poisonous plants aren’t Jack’s speciality. So I don’t think he’d know.”
“He doesn’t, but I do.” She states. “Come.”
Furrowing your eyebrows, you watch as she goes inside, waiting a few seconds before climbing the few steps to her balcony, walking to the side, and sitting down on one of the wooden chairs. When she comes back outside, she places a first aid kit on the table. “Let me see.” Giving her the wounded hand, you open it, hissing a little at the pain. Rosita puts some pressure on it, and you see more blood flowing out. “I only see blood, so probably not poisonous.”
“Would you even tell me if it was?”
“I’m not like your father or his minions, so yes, I would.” Opening the first aid kit, she starts cleaning the cut, then wrapping a white gauze around your hand. It takes a couple of minutes, which you spend in silence.
You don’t know why she did this, you’re thankful. It was certainly a good surprise to have her even look your way. “Gracias.” You mutter as she closes the kit.
“Hablas español?” She asks, sounding a little surprised.
“Sí.” Bringing both hands to your lap, you wonder if you should just go. “A couple of years ago I was quite bored and I found a book in Spanish. Decided to learn the language. I just never had the chance to actually try it before.”
“Si quieres puedes entrenar conmigo. No tengo a nadie con quien hablar en mi lengua materna.”
The offer takes you by surprise. Rosita never spoke a single word to you, and now she wants to talk to you in Spanish? “Eso me gustaría.” You simply say. “But first I have to ask. Why all this now? I was sure you’d never want to have anything to do with me.”
“Because I’m not a jerk.” Crossing her arms, she looks at you. “And I can’t ignore that I was wrong and you were telling the truth. You are keeping Negan away from us, and instead of taking things, he’s actually giving us things.” Shrugging her shoulders, she chuckles. “All because the princess is here.”
“No me gusta cuando la gente me llama así.” You complain, looking down at your hands. The nickname makes you feel weird as if you are superior to everyone else just because your father happened to have the upper hand. It makes you feel more like a monster than someone from royalty. “I did what I did because I don’t agree with my father’s methods. I just… Don’t know how to end it once and for all. So I just keep helping people as much as I can.”
“We’re gonna take him down. You should know that.”
“Yeah…” Nodding, you take a deep breath. “A veces, viviendo aquí, olvido lo que se pasa afuera.” Alexandria is a dream in this world, and sometimes the fairytale takes over. That is why people here, before Rick, were so weak. A good place like this can easily make you forget what’s going on outside these walls.
“Yo no.” Rosita stands up, taking the kit with her. “I have a run tomorrow so I have to pack some things.”
“Alright.” Getting up, you offer her a small smile and a nod before walking down the porch.
“One more thing.” She calls, and you turn around. “De verdad no eres como tu papá.”
Your lips break into a smile. “Gracias, Rosita.” Waving, you set in motion again. Daryl has been telling you that ever since the beginning, that you’re not Negan, but hearing it from someone else, mostly from someone who you thought would always hate you, means a lot.
When you get home, you take a quick shower and start dinner. You’re waiting for Daryl, seated in the living room with a book when the door opens. Putting the book down, you look up, finding both Daryl and Rick, looking very worried.
“…Is everything alright?”
“We’re going to need your help,” Rick says, hands on his hips.
“What happened?” Quickly you stand up, and the sudden motion makes you feel dizzy for a second.
“Hilltop.” Daryl answers. “We got a problem at Hilltop.”
Pairing:Daryl Dixon X Reader | Negan X daughter! Reader
Word count: 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!!
×
Not The End
“(Y/N), you can’t be serious,” Jim says, arms crossed. You asked him to come, alone, but only now you told him why. Daryl wants only one witness for each because, unlike the fake relationship where the whole world needed to be aware of, this is real. People will know when it’s time. “This was supposed to be a–”
“I know what this was supposed to be, Jim. This was your idea and it worked. It still works but… I fell for him.” Blushing, you look down. The white dress you have on, the only one you own, is hidden by an overcoat. You thought it was too much, but Daryl had walked past the bedroom and saw you in it, and when he smiled and said you were beautiful, you knew you had to use it.
“…When did it happen?” His voice is lower now, and when you look up, you see a hint of something you don’t understand. “It’s not like I’d ever try to stop you but marriage? Isn’t it a little too fast?”
“It is.” Nodding, you smile. “You know I believe in love. Even after the world broke apart and I promise you what I feel towards Daryl is love in its purest form and… I believe he feels the same.”
Jim sighs, suddenly pulling you into a hug. “If he ever breaks your heart, I’ll break his bones.”
“Thanks, Jim.” Giggling, you pull away. “You’re the only true friend from the Sanctuary, so I wanted you to be my witness.
“And who will be his?”
“Please tell me this isn’t what I think it is.” The voice makes you turn around, finding Rick standing next to Daryl.
“Let’s get inside,” Daryl says, and you give him a shy smile before entering the church.
Your heart is beating so fast that it feels like it’ll jump off your chest. In the last week, you had doubts. Seconds thoughts even. This is huge, and you spent almost every evening talking to Daryl about it. You don’t want him to feel pressured, and he reassured you he’s not. Well, Daryl doesn’t bend, and you know he’d never do anything he didn’t want to.
“I see you’re all settled,” Gabriel says from his place by the altar, where the small group walks to.
“Daryl, brother,” Rick says, and you see through the corner of your eye when they both stop. But you keep walking until you reach Gabriel, trying not to overhear anything. But it doesn’t seem like Rick is making any effort not to make himself heard. “You don’t have to do this. We’re safe, this… You don’t have to do this for us.”
“Ain’t doin’ this for ya. ‘M doin’ this for me.” Daryl says, and you keep your eyes on the floor, arms crossed. “I love her and she loves me. And I never thought neither of those things would ever happen and…” He sighs, and you can imagine how he’s struggling to say these things. “She’s the one.”
Biting your lip, you feel heat spreading through your face. “Alright.” Rick mumbles. “But if this is real, you have to call the group. We’re a family. Everyone has to be here.”
At that, your heart skips a beat. It’s not that you want to keep Daryl away from them, but you don’t feel welcome. And you certainly don’t want to feel their hate on this occasion.
“ ‘M not sure (Y/N) will–”
“Rick’s right.” You’re quick to say. “They’re your family, Daryl. They have to be here.” Swallowing your thoughts and pains, you look at him with a small smile.
“Then Negan should be here too.”
“No.” Walking over Daryl, you shake your head. “If this is about us, and not about some plot to keep Alexandria, there’s no reason for him to be here.”
“He’ll be sad.” Jim cuts in, getting your attention. “He might be insane, but he loves you.”
Sighing, you recognize the truth in his words. “Them someday we can make some sort of ceremony there. But now… It should be just us.” Taking Daryl’s hand, you look at him.
“Well, it’ll be your family too now,” Rick says, clearly not very happy about it. “I’ll call them.”
“Okay.” You whisper, nodding as he walks away.
“Yer alright?”
“Mhmm.” Smiling, you tiptoe to kiss him. “He’s right, your people have to be here.”
“Well, well,” Gabriel says, and you both look at him. “I noticed something white under this coat. Why don’t you take that off?”
“Oh.” Giggling, you take the overcoat off, laying it on the pew next to you. “I know it’s silly but I’m being forced to wear that.”
“It’s yer wedding. Ya have ta’ wear white.” Daryl complains.
“It’s the end of the world, haven’t you heard? It doesn’t matter which color I use for my wedding.”
“The world might be endin’, but we’re both here.” He says in a low voice, only for you to hear. “Ain’t the end for us.”
Blushing, you smile, nodding. “You’re right, Daryl Dixon.” Pecking his lips, you wonder if you had anything to do with his change of heart. In the beginning, Daryl wasn’t so… Hopeful. But you like this look on him.
It doesn’t take much time until the group starts getting here. Of course, some of them surround Daryl, asking what the hell is this about. And you, standing away to give the man and his family some privacy, watch next to Jim as Daryl struggles again. He’s not good with feelings, but he’s making an effort to explain it. To explain to you.
“For the last time, are you sure about this?” Jim asks again, looking down at you.
“I am.” You’re still speaking when Gabriel steps forward, raising both his hands.
“Alright, people. Alright.” He begins. “I know how you must feel, it was a surprise for me as well. A joyful surprise. But now, shall we begin? Is anyone who should be here missing?”
“Aaron said he was coming. I have no idea why he isn’t here yet.” Rick says, and Gabriel nod.
“Well, if anyone has anything to say, please speak now.”
“I think it’s quite obvious that this is insane,” Michonne says, loud enough for everyone to hear. “I get that she’s helping us. And yes, I’m thankful. But I don’t think it’s necessary to–”
“This isn’t fake anymore,” Daryl answers, arms crossed. “Ya know why I just called Rick to be here? ‘Cause I knew you’ll think this is just some shit ta’ make Negan believe what we had was real. It isn’t like that anymore.” He looks at you, a small, quick smile taking over his lips. “So it doesn’t matter if ya believe it or not. What matters is that we do.”
“Thank you.” You whisper.
“I can’t say I didn’t see this coming,” Carol says, arms crossed as everyone moves to give her some space. “It was quite obvious to me.”
“How so?” Rosita asks a hand on her hip.
“After half a year stuck at the Sanctuary I thought we’d get a very grumpy Daryl back. Instead, he came home with a girl on the back of his bike, holding on to him as if they were together already.” She talks fast, and scanning the place, you notice as some people seem thoughtful. “Then he moved in with her and I just could notice it in his eyes whenever he spoke about her.”
“Can’t disagree with that.” Rick’s son says, shrugging his shoulders. “He makes heart eyes whenever he looks at her.”
“Alright. If ya don’t have anythin’ else ta’ say–” Daryl is interrupted but the church’s door opening up.
Everyone turns around, and a joyful Aaron comes inside. With a bouquet in his hand. “Sorry, I’m late.” He chuckles, walking fast towards you. “But since it’s a wedding I figured you’d need this.”
Taking the wildflowers from his hand, you blush again, smiling. “Thank you.” It warms your heart that Aaron didn’t even think twice. He’s probably the only one from the group who’s truly happy about it.
“Can we now proceed with the ceremony?” Gabriel asks and Daryl takes your hand, both turning to face the priest. “Good. Let’s begin.”
• • •
Not everyone came to congratulate you, but you were amazed that Carol, Rick, Carl, and Tara came to talk to you. It does feel like they may be starting to get used to you. But still, you don’t feel welcome.
But soon after the ceremony, it doesn’t matter anymore. Being with Daryl, fully for the first time, is amazing. You do feel like you’re together now, as one. And this is real. Completely, ultimately real. You had him on a whole different level, and it felt amazing. Almost too good to be true. But it is, and right now, as the morning sun comes through the window, lighting the bedroom, you feel a kind of joy you never felt before.
Daryl was right. Thanks to him, Alexandria is home.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” He says and you toss around, finding him coming from the bathroom and sitting on the bed, shirtless and hair still damp. “Gotta wake up.”
“Mhmm.” There’s something you notice again. How Daryl seems not to turn his back away from you. Yesterday night you let it go, but now it’s quite clear. “You have scars on your back, don’t you?” It’s obvious to you since you have some on your thighs that won’t heal. And you would never let anyone see.
He looks down, mumbling something you don’t understand before nodding. “Nothin’ go past ya.”
“Wanna tell me? Because you don’t have to. I won’t try to look if you’re not ready to show me, Daryl.” Sitting up, you blush when the sheets fall, exposing your body. Shyly, your cover-up. It’ll take some time to get used to it.
He sighs and, without saying anything, he moves, so his back is turned at you. You quickly take in the scars, his skin lit up by the morning sun. “It was my father.” He says in a low voice.
“I’m so sorry, Daryl.” It breaks your heart to know he went through that. Your father might be Negan, but he never did anything like that. And would never let anyone else do it. You know little about his life before, but you never thought it was that bad. Slowly, you start kissing his back, right on the scars. You can never change the past, but you’ll make sure to give him all the love he didn’t have. All the love he deserves. Moving the kisses through the scars, you go to his neck and jaw, until you’re face to face with him again, kissing his lips.
He softly caresses your thighs, and you know why. You both feel the same, that your scars are something else uniting you. “We gotta go.” He mutters when you pull away to breathe. “I know exactly where this will lead if I let ya.”
“But weren’t we supposed to have a honeymoon?”
“Maybe someday, but today we both got chores. Don’t ya have ta’ train the teenagers today?”
“Yup.” Pushing yourself up, you walk to the bathroom with the sheets wrapped around you. “I was thinking we could use one of the Saviors methods. Well, a version of it.” Stopping by the door frame, you turn to look at Daryl again. “Instead of throwing them in a death match with the walkers, we could break them into smaller groups, put them together with the most experienced on runs, and go outside. So they could know what’s like to be out there and work on their strategy.”
“Sounds like a good idea. Let’s talk ta’ Rick about it and get it done.”
“Alright.” Smiling, you nod and get inside the bathroom.
You’re dressing up when you smell breakfast, and that’s when you notice how hungry you are. So you rush downstairs, still drying your hair with the towel.
When you find Daryl making scrambled eggs, you can’t help but smile. It’s not the first time he makes you something to eat, but it’s always amazing. And you never take for granted. “Have anyone ever told you how hot you look cooking?” You say, walking over the kitchen island.
“Here we go.”
“I’m just being honest.” Laughing at the funny face he has on when he gives you your plate, you start eating. “Good as always.”
“Thanks. I–” Loud, obnoxious knocks make him shut up. Getting serious all of a sudden, you both move at the same time, opening the door to a nervous Carl.
“Hi. Sorry. There’s this group outside with guns pointed at us and demanding the gates to be open. Father is trying to deal with it but I think you could be of more help.” He gestures at you, and you simply nod.
Rick may be able to stop them from getting in. But you will make sure of it.
Pairing:Daryl Dixon X Reader | Negan X daughter! Reader
Word count: 2.5 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!!
×
The Moment I Saw You
Seated on a chair in the middle of the living room with Daryl’s group all around makes your stomach burn. You don’t want to be here.
These people hate you.
Well, not everyone. It wouldn’t be fair to put Daryl, Gabriel, and Aaron on the same page as the others. Daryl stands next to you, like a tower, and it does make you feel better. Aaron stands on the far right, and he has a small smile on. Gabriel is at the back but has a kind expression towards you. But that’s it. The rest seems excited for this to end so they can stay as away from you as possible.
“How many walkers have you killed?” Rick asks after Michonne, the only one who was missing, gets here.
It feels like an interrogation. Because it is. “Too many to count.” You simply say, crossing your legs and trying not to look so nervous.
“How many people have you killed?” He continues, and you feel as people’s interest grows at the question.
As if they’d believe you. “Zero.”
“Don’t lie to us,” Michonne says, stepping forward. “Being with Negan, you might have blood on your hands.”
“I do have blood on my hands. From all the people I couldn’t help. From all the people I couldn’t save from my father’s insanity.” You raise your voice, hands grabbing the edges of the chair, near your thighs. “Abrahan’s blood. Glenn’s blood. Elliot. Sarah. Amanda. Matthew. The list goes on. But I’ve never taken a life with my hands.”
“That answers the next question.” A woman in the back, Tara you think, mumbles.
“Why are you helping us?” Rick inquires. “I want a direct answer. Not some long, heartwarming story to try and get our trust.”
“I’m not–” Rolling your eyes, you look down, sighing. It’s useless. They’ll never believe or trust you. This is… This is just some kind of formality. “I saw the way Daryl was being treated and I immediately knew I’d help him. Then I learned he was from that group, the one Negan hates the most. Then I knew I had to help all of them. All of you.” Taking a deep breath, you bite your lip. “That’s why I did it. Because I knew the plans Negan had for you, and I knew he had already made a widow. And a child will grow without a father because of him. So I knew I had to do something about it.”
“And what were his plans?” Carol asks, and you raise your eyes.
“Come here, take everything he wants and just throw it away because he doesn’t even need it.” Shrugging your shoulders, you shake your head. “Surround you, set up traps. Give you the ways to break off the rules just so they could have a reason to come and kill some of you. Or… Or just cut pieces off.”
“I still don’t trust her,” Michonne tells Rick, pacing away, soon followed by him.
“I vote for giving her a chance,” Gabriel says in a soft voice. “She has been here for over a week, almost two. And Negan has been off our business. She did fulfil her word.”
“A couple of days doesn’t mean anything. She could still be setting some kind of trap.” Michonne gestures at you, eyes on Gabriel.
“Ain’t no trap, I assure ya,” Daryl speaks up, and you immediately look up at him. “If ya can’t trust her, trust me.”
“Then tell us why should we even consider believing her?” A woman with dark long hair asks. She looks like she’s Latin, and has a bit of an accent too.
“I’ve been tellin’ ya that ever since she got here. What else do ya want me ta’ say?” Daryl raises his voice, and you stand up, holding his arm.
“Daryl, don’t.” You whisper to him, once again addressing the group. “Guys, I don’t blame you for feeling this way. I’d feel the same if I was in your position. Thanks to Negan and the… Empire he built I’ve never been on the road. Never experienced the hard life and dangers you have. So I get it, you can’t take chances. You don’t have to like or trust me. You just have to bear with me, because as long as I have this fake relationship with Daryl, as long as I’m living here, Negan won’t hurt you anymore. He won’t burst through your gates and take your stuff. Actually, he’ll bring the stuff I ask just because the…” Rolling your eyes, you don’t find any other way to express yourself without using that stupid word. “…Just because the princess is living here. So that’s it. I live here, and you’re safe. You don’t even have to look my way.” That said, you walk away, straight to the front door, and slam it closed behind your back.
You never thought they’d accept you. Or like you. So why are tears in your eyes?
Walking fast, you don’t even know where you’re going until you’re at the gates. “Open up!” You shout, and your order is shortly followed. Probably because they hope you’ll get eaten by some walker.
With stubborn tears now rolling down and unarmed, you go deeper into the forest. You weren’t planning on this, it was supposed to be just a meeting, so you didn’t see the need to bring any guns or knives. Big mistake.
There’s a cold wind blowing as you walk. Wiping some tears away, you feel your skin burning. It’s probably shame. Or sadness. Or whatever. You never thought you’d miss the Sanctuary. But at least you didn’t feel so… Rejected? Hated?
A rock under your feet slips you you crash down, falling on your ass. Your arms hurt to have broken your fall, as do your legs and butt. Cursing yourself, you get up, dusting your jeans, and starting to walk again.
Some minutes after, you’re not sure how much, you hear some walkers coming. Walkers… You’re already calling them by the name Daryl’s group uses. So you turn left, finding a rock, and sitting next to it, resting your back. The night will fall in a couple of hours, but you’re fine here. Better than in Alexandria.
“(Y/N)!” The voice wakes you up, and that’s when you notice you fell asleep. The shadows around you are larger now, and you know the sun is getting closer to the horizon. “(Y/N)?”
You know it’s Daryl, but you don’t want to talk to him. Pushing yourself up, you start walking away. But when you’re circling the rock, you see him. Stopping on your tracks, you feel tears pooling in your eyes all over again. “Go back home, Daryl. I’m fine here.” Muttering, you turn around, walking away.
But of course, he follows you, not minding to cover up his footsteps. “It’s yer home too now.”
“No, it isn’t.”
“(Y/N)–”
“It isn’t!” Stopping, you move to look at him. “I will keep them safe, but that place isn’t home. The Sanctuary is. With my people. Because let’s face it, I’m as much as a monster as they are!” You’re yelling, even though you shouldn’t. Not here in the woods with the night falling. “It doesn’t matter. I won’t break my promise. I’ll keep this up, I’ll keep them safe.”
“Ya gotta give them more time. They will get to know ya as I did.”
Shaking your head, you sigh. “It was different, Daryl.”
“How so?”
“I don’t know.” Shrugging your shoulders, you run both hands through your hair. “I don’t know, Daryl. I just want to stay here for tonight.”
“Here? In the middle of the woods?”
“Yeah. Leave me a gun and I’ll be fine.”
“Nah. Come.” He jerks his head somewhere, giving a step back.
Furrowing your eyebrows, you shrug your shoulders again. “I’m not going back to the city, Daryl.”
“I didn’t say anythin’ about the city. Come.” Daryl reaches out his hand, palm facing up. Looking down at it, you sigh.
Daryl has something over you. Like a power of some kind. You haven’t noticed it until now. When you move to take his hand, much bigger than yours, it’s pretty clear to you. It’s like your body moves by itself, pulled to him like a magnet. Holding his hand, you let him guide you.
The walk happens in silence, but as usual, it’s comfortable, warm, and calming. After some minutes, you’re about to ask where he’s taking you but then, you see it. A wooden cabin. It doesn’t seem like anyone lives in here, since it’s all a mess. Daryl knocks the door down and checks inside before gesturing for you to get inside. It’s pretty much the same as outside, but Daryl guides you to what seems to be the kitchen and as you sit down on the floor, you hear as he drags something against the front door.
“Both entrances are blocked.” He mutters after a while pacing around the house, joining you in the kitchen. “We’ll be fine.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“Doin’ what?”
“This. I…” Looking down at your hands, you sigh. “Did you bring a flashlight?”
“No.” He settles down next to you, soo close his arm touches yours.
“It’ll be a long night then. Staring at nothing in the dark.”
“Or we can talk.”
“You’re not a talker, Daryl.”
“But I’ll talk with ya.”
Daryl can’t stand seeing her sad. If he could even call it sad. (Y/N) is devastated, broken. It breaks his heart as well.
“It’s not like I expected to have a good functional family coming here, I just… Didn’t think I’d feel this way.” (Y/N) looks away, but he sees it, glistening in the low light. Tears rolling down, that she’s quick to wipe off. “I know I have Negan and I love him but… I just… I don’t know. Whatever it is I was subconsciously expecting is stupid and I’m getting exactly what I deserve.”
“Are ya done?”
“No, I’m not done.” She takes a deep breath, both hands on her head. “You know what? I should live here. In this cabin, away from the city. It’d be better for me and for them. Negan is not here so it doesn’t matter.”
“I won’t let ya live here, (Y/N),” Daryl speaks up, holding her arm when she moves to stand up. “Alexandria is yer home now. It’s yer place.”
“Home is with people who love you.” The girl says, the dying light illuminating her angel face. The tears are there, still rolling, but he can see anger in her expression. It’s still hard for her to let go, to know she doesn’t need to pretend to be so strong. Not around Daryl. “Alexandria is your home, Daryl… Not mine.” Her voice breaks, and she sits down again. At the low whimper, Daryl pulls her into his chest. She sobs a little, as he softly rubs her back.
He thought bringing her here, to the city, would fix all her problems, but he was wrong. She still needs him, and he will help her.
He’d move a mountain for her.
“It is yer home too.” He whispers, breathing in the candy smell of her shampoo. The next words, that float around in his head, are just about to flow out his tongue. Daryl didn’t even know he had them in store, waiting to be spoken to her and to her alone. “I love ya, Sunshine.”
It echoes, it bounces on the walls. (Y/N) freezes for a while before raising her head, teary eyes finding his in the darkness. “You can’t love me.” Is everything she says, almost a plead. “Please, Daryl… I can love you because you’re… You’re amazing but I’m… I’m my father’s daughter. You’re not supposed to–You’re not even supposed to like me.”
“But here we are.” He says, feeling as if his skin is burning. “I promised I’d take care of ya, but I never thought…” His voice fades as his heart and mind get filled with way too many feelings. Feelings he never thought he’d experience.
Love was nothing but a word, a fancy sentiment he only watched from afar. Rick and Lori had it, but it was broken, fake. Then he saw Glenn and Maggie grow closer, something he thought would last just a couple of weeks if the guy was lucky, but that became a strong bond, and the proof is growing inside Maggie right now. A piece of Glenn that still lives. Some time after Michonne came along, he watched as Rick fell for her. Even though Rick didn’t want to admit it in the beginning, but Daryl knew it was happening.
Sasha and Bob, Rosita and Abraham, Beth, and that guy back at the prison. Daryl witnessed several different types of love.
Yet, he never thought he’d feelit.
But then, she opened that cell door, letting the light come in. (Y/N) herself was the light. She didn’t only open the cell door, but also his heart. Forcefully in the beginning, when he wanted more than anything to rip her off his mind, but the girl insisted on making roots inside him. And now, all those things came out, and suddenly he understands.
It doesn’t matter where she came from, he sees her. He sees (Y/N) for who she is, and not for what people made her be.
Daryl loves her.
“Daryl, what–”
“It’s ya who shouldn’t love me, (Y/N). Ya know it.” He’s thankful for the dark, creeping over every passing moment. “I’m older than ya, I’m nothin’ like easygoin’ Jim. I’m just tellin’ ya this because if home is–”
“I think I fell for you the moment I saw you in that cell.” Her voice, barely a whisper, lights up something inside him. Daryl is too old for feeling this way, too long gone for these kinds of teenager love confessions. But nobody can control the heart. It is indeed a wild creature. “Then we started talking about a relationship… And then the kisses… I tried not to because I knew you’d never feel the same way but–”
“I’m not good at this. I’ve never been with someone and I never thought I’d want ta’ be with someone. But I want ya. Like I’ve never wanted anythin’ before.” He feels kinda stupid, but there’s no other way he can express it. Daryl feels like his heart is wide open, completely exposed to her.
“Do you… Do you want to make this real, Daryl?” (Y/N)’s voice sounds like a ghost as if she’s too scared of the proposition.
“I wanna marry ya.” The words come out by themselves, a living thing. “The world already ended and we could die tomorrow. So I want ya. Completely, for as long as we live. Or as long as ya want me. I–”
“You don’t have to say anything else. I know how you struggle with words and feelings so just… I want you too.”
“Alright then.” Daryl mumbles, certain that his cheeks are burning red.
“Alright then?” She giggles, a hand softly caressing his cheek. He should call this off because she deserves more than him. So much more. She deserves Jim. Happy, smiley Jim. But yet, Daryl can’t let her go. He’d die, he thinks. And if (Y/N) wants him too, he’s willing to try. To be with her. “What next?”
Her questions drive him out of his thoughts, claiming his attention. Now, there’s only one thing to do. The final decision, something he never dreamed of but now, he knows he needs it. Daryl is not that young anymore, he doesn’t have time for dating. He loves her, and he’s sure about it.
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.)
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!!
×
The Mess We Made
You can’t help but feel lonely. Back at the Sanctuary, even though you despised some people, you knew some of them were just bound to the circumstances. So you used to hang around with them. And if everything was bad, you always had Jim. But now, even him is gone. You’ve been talking to him every day because the updates he gives are more serious than Negan’s. But it’s completely different than having him here. And Daryl has spent the last three days, ever since you got here, talking to the group, telling them the details, and trying to set their mind at ease.
So that’s why you decided to finally go out. You did take some walks around the place, but never alone. But since you’re bored, you think you can take some angry stares and gossip.
The sky is clear, but the wind is a bit cold. You’re impressed to see kids running around, playing and yelling. They don’t need to be quiet here, and that’s a good thing. This place is the absolute opposite of the Sanctuary. It’s open and cozy, and if you stop for a moment, you can pretend you’re back in the world before the dead came back to life.
You’re walking through a square when you notice the building next to you seems familiar. Moving to the front, you see it’s a church. Alexandria even has a church. This place barely seems real.
Slowly, you peek inside, just to make sure it’s empty. You wouldn’t want to disturb anyone with your monstrous presence. But when you don’t find anyone, you walk inside, going to the front and looking at the pulpit. It does feel like the world is completely normal on the outside, almost as if you crossed some kind of portal, to where everything is back the way it was before.
“A true miracle.” You mumble, sitting on the first pew.
“A miracle indeed.” Someone says, and, startled, you look at your left. A black, bald man comes walking your way. By his clothes, you know he’s the priest.
“I can go if you like.” You’re quick to say, standing up to your feet.
“No, please.” Raising a hand at you, he smiles. “This place is for all. No need to go.”
“…Okay.” Sitting back down, you run a hand through your hair.
“Were you religious before?” He asks, folding his hands together.
“No, not before, but…” Chuckling, you wonder if you should ever say it. People in the Sanctuary would laugh, but you guess that him, being a priest, wouldn’t. “But after, I… I started seeing God on things, you know?”
“That’s intriguing.” Moving slowly, as if not to scare you away, he sits next to you, three feet away. “I’ve seen people abandoning God after the world fell.”
“Guess it was the opposite to me then.” Again, you chuckle out of nervousness.
“What do you think about this… Apocalypse? Where do you think God is in all this?”
He’s lecturing you. Advising you. But you don’t mind. You could use some therapy or something like that. And you could certainly use the friendly conversation. Plus, you never had anyone to talk to about this. “I don’t think God did this. I mean… Not as a punishment, you know. I think it just happened. Like the bubonic plague or Spanish flu. It came, it killed, and one day it’ll be gone.”
He squints his eyes, smiling a little. “That’s an unusual thought these days.”
“I know.”
“So you do believe in God. And you do believe he hears and answers us.“
“I believe he still helps good people. And delivers judgment to the evil…” Looking down at your hands, you shrug your shoulders. “Like Negan.”
“Your father can still find redemption. As long as we’re alive, there’s hope for changing.”
Shaking your head, you stare at the priest. “I don’t think Negan can change. What he… What he does… He likes it. I… I love him. He’s my father, the only family I have left but sometimes I can’t find good in him. I feel like the father, the man I once knew is completely gone and it breaks my heart.” The words come out fast and low, and you never thought you’d admit it. That this hidden feeling would come out. “I remember when I was little that he used to pick me up from school. Mother took me, and he picked me up. And there was this ice cream parlor on the way home, and on this day I got an F because I studied for the wrong subject.” The memory is blurry but still vivid, and tears start pooling in your eyes. “I didn’t want to say anything because I thought he’d be mad but when I finally said it, he smiled. He said that one day I’d see that life is more than just a test I failed. He stopped by the parlor and got me chocolate ice cream.” Giggling, you wipe off the single tear that rolled down. “That man is gone.”
“Of one thing I’m sure.” He says, friendly touching your shoulder. “Your father loves you. And that didn’t change.”
“I know. I just–” He suddenly looks at something behind you, and you jump up, turning around to find Daryl. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He mutters, nodding at the priest. “Been lookin’ for ya. Got us somethin’ for lunch.”
“Alright.” Looking at the priest, you wave. “Thanks for everything, priest. It was good talking to you.”
“The name’s Gabriel. And you’re welcome whenever you need to talk.” The man says with a smile.
“Thanks.” You mutter again, already following Daryl.
“I heard what ya said. About Negan.” He speaks up when you’re outside. “And Gabriel is right. He loves ya. That’s why he agreed on leaving us alone as long as yer here.”
“I don’t doubt his love, I just…” Sighing, you put a strand of hair behind your ear, glancing at Daryl. “Miss who he was. It’s complicated, I guess.”
“Hey.” A sudden call makes you look forward, and you see a man coming your way with a smile. “Hello, (Y/N). I’m Aaron.” To your surprise, he not only introduces himself but reaches out his hand, which you shake.
“Hi.”
“Daryl told me you’d like to help on the runs, so I could show you what we have here, what we need, our priorities…”
Nodding, you look at Daryl. “I’ll go see it. Can you wait a bit for lunch?”
“Sure, go.”
“Alright.” Smiling again, you tiptoe and place a soft kiss on his lips. It’s only when you step back that you notice what you did. “Mmm… Okay, let’s go.” Stuttering, you turn around, starting to follow Aaron. There’s no reason to kiss him now since everyone here knows you and him are just a lie.
“So…” Aaron mumbles after a while of silence. “You and Daryl, huh?”
“Well, we… We’re good friends. W-we became good friends.”
“Friends, who kiss each other?”
Nervously giggling, you blush, crossing your arms. “That was an accident. I mean, we had to kiss at the Sanctuary to make things believable, so I guess I just got used to it.”
“Is Daryl a good kisser?”
“What?” A laugh escapes your mouth, and you’re sure you look like a tomato now. “H-he– Mmm… We…”
“I’ll take your stuttering as a yes.” Aaron smiles. “This is our storage, come.” He guides you to an open garage, which is wide and has two doors on the back. “We converted this whole house in your storage.”
“No wonder why Negan hates you so much. Looks at all this stuff.” Walking around, you give everything a quick look. “You have chocolate!”
Aaron giggles, coming to stand next to you. “We do. It’s quite rational but guess you can just take it if you want.”
“No, absolutely not. I’ll play by the rules.”
“Alright, but–”
“Aaron?” Someone calls and you both turn around, finding a chubby, dark-haired woman coming from inside the house. “What is she doing here?” Her voice breaks a little, and you can see the fear in her eyes.
“(Y/N), this is Olivia, she takes care of our storage. Olivia, this is (Y/N). But you probably know that already.”
As soon as he’s done speaking, you reach out your hand. “Nice to meet you, Olivia.”
She exchanges a glance with Aaron, who nods, and only then she shakes your hand. “Hello.” She stutters. “If you want the chocolate, you can have it.”
“No, no. Actually, I intend to go on runs too so if you have any kind of list of things I must keep an eye for…” Again, another look at Aaron.
“I-I actually have one.” Olivia walks away, to a square table on the corner. “Our stock of aspirin is low so there’s that. Rita asked if we can find something for her to give her son on his birthday. He’s one year old so anything colorful would do.”
“I got it covered.”
“Well, thank you.” She gives you a half-smile, crossing something in the open notebook.
“I think I should probably go now…” You mutter, already moving. “Thanks for everything and let me know when the next run will be.”
“I must go too.” Aaron touches Olivia’s shoulder. “See you around, Olivia. Don’t forget my share of that spaghetti, alright?”
They mutter something else, but you can’t hear it anymore, already making your way back home.
“Wait!” Aaron shouts, and you turn around to find him jogging until he reaches you. Furrowing your eyebrows, you start walking again. “I’m going that way too.”
“Why are you talking to me?” You suddenly ask, running a hand through your hair. “Correction. Why are you being friendly with me?”
“Because you’re not Negan.” He simply says, smiling when you give him a look. “Daryl has been talking to us about you and so far, I believe you.”
“You do?”
“Yes.” Aaron touches your shoulder, and you stop, turning your body towards him. “Look, I know this is complicated. People here, mostly from Rick’s group, have been through hell out there, so, naturally, they suspect of you. But from what I’ve seen, what you have done to come here and make sure this place is safe is wonderful. And, on behalf of all the people of Alexandria, I thank you, (Y/N).”
You don’t know what to say. You weren’t expecting anyone to thank you for this. “There’s no need. I just couldn’t let my father ruin anyone else’s life. And couldn’t let him ruin this.” Gesturing at everything around you, you sigh. “This is a sanctuary. Safe, and with enough strong and smart people to prosper. And I’ll make sure it will.”
“(Y/N)!” Daryl’s voice reaches your ears, and you turn around spotting him some meters away. “C'mon, let’s eat. I’m starvin’.”
“Coming!” You yell back, turning at Aaron again. “I gotta go. Thanks for everything.”
“I hope we can become friends, (Y/N). And about that spaghetti, I’ll make it tomorrow night. You and Daryl are invited.”
“We’ll be there.” Smiling, you wave, turning on your heels and walking fast back home.
The lunch is a lasagna Carol made, and as you eat, you can’t help but wonder if she’d like you eating something she made for Daryl. You even considered it being poisoned, but since Daryl is eating without any problems, you decided to chill. These people are not like the Saviors, they won’t play that dirty. If they want to kill you, they’ll do it in your face.
“(Y/N).” Daryl gets your attention as you get up, taking yours and his empty plates to the sink. “Tomorrow ya will speak to the group. Rick decided that if yer supposed to stay, ya have ta’ go through the same process as all the strangers.”
Freezing for a moment, you take a deep breath and sit back down, looking at Daryl sitting across from you. “Daryl, I don’t want to do that. They hate me and they know they can’t just kick me out.” Running a hand through your hair, you get up, pacing around. “I’m stuck here in a way. I’m not trying to be ungrateful because Alexandria is amazing, but… The people here look at me like I’m a monster because well… I am.”
“Hey.” You hear as he gets up as well, walking fast towards you and then a strong hand on your shoulder, making you turn around to look at him. “Gabriel didn’t seem like he hates ya. And Aaron? Yer like best friends now or somethin’.” His voice gets funny in the end, making you chuckle. “And me.”
“…You what?”
Daryl doesn’t say anything, those blue eyes looking down at you. It feels like he’s battling himself, wondering, thinking… Furrowing your eyebrows, you start wondering yourself. Maybe you shouldn’t have said anything, just suck it up and do whatever they want you to. Say whatever they want to know.
“You don’t have to say anything, Daryl. You brought me here, believed me so that’s a lot more than I deserve. I–”
“Shut up for a bit.” Daryl bursts out, pinching his eyebrows together.
“Hey!” Punching his shoulder, you fake an angry face.
“Sorry, I jus’…” His voice fades, and slowly, very slowly, you feel Daryl’s hands on your arms, caressing your skin.
Then it happens, suddenly. Daryl’s lips connect to yours, and despite being taken aback by the action, you’re quick to kiss him back, parting your lips to let him deepen the kiss. Countless questions run through your head, but it doesn’t take much until everything fades away. Kissing Daryl is always amazing, breathtaking, indescribable. Wrapping your arms around his neck, you move even closer to him when you feel his arms around your waist, holding your body close to his.
After a while, the heated kiss takes the best of your lungs, and you’re forced to break apart to breathe. But you hold him, both hands grabbing the collar of his vest.
“Daryl…” You breathe out, whispering, your foreheads touching. “Why? There isn’t anyone looking.”
“Does it always have ta’ be an audience?” He asks in a low, husky voice.
“No, but… The lines are blurring Daryl…” Taking a deep breath, you peck his lips a couple of times. “I know this is just an act but I want to kiss you… Even when we don’t have to prove anything to anyone.”
“I know.” He nods, and you feel his hot breath on your face.
It’s clear to you that there’s something he’s not telling you. Daryl isn’t good with words, and you don’t want to force him into anything. “If you want to kiss me, you can because… I want to kiss you. Like… All the damn time and… And even when nobody is around.” Nervously, you chuckle, biting your lip before speaking again. “I think we might have made a mess here, Daryl Dixon.”
“A hell of a mess indeed.” And he kisses you again, warm hands around your waist pressing you against his body.
In your mind, all the rest fades away. There’s nothing but you and Daryl, his lips, his hands, his taste.
And for the first time, this feels real. This kiss is real.
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!!
×
Home
From what you got, this was Deanna’s house, the woman who used to rule Alexandria. Daryl told you about her. Well, he told you a lot about Alexandria.
But standing here now is completely different. Daryl united his group so you can make things clear. You can’t wait to break off with the truth, but under their stares, you feel… Small. Well, smaller than you already are. But you also feel hated, and despite knowing they have all the reasons to, it still makes you feel bad.
“What the hell is this about?” A woman with dreads asks, in a rapid tone.
“We have ta’–”
“Wait.” Cutting Daryl off, you gesture at Jim. “Keep an eye on the front of the house. And I’ll need three more people for the left, right and back. If any of the Saviors come, whistle.”
Nobody moves, and you cross your arms, getting a worried glance from Jim. Tilting your head, you sigh when he moves.
“What the hell…”
“Trust her, Rick,” Daryl says, nodding to the man.
“Alright.” He eyes three people, and they immediately move.
You wait, just enough for them to get settled. If any news of this gets out it’s over. That reminds you of the radio you’re carrying to get in touch with Negan. Taking it off your belt, you open it and take the batteries off, laying them on a near wooden table. Better safe than sorry.
“Well? Can someone explain why Negan’s daughter just took over our home?” The woman speaks again, you take a deep breath.
There was a speech in your head, but it vanished. Looking these people in the eye hurts. Hurts because you know what they lost. Who they lost. Because of your father, your people. There’s pressure in your chest, and you cross your arms to prevent yourself from grabbing your thighs. “I can imagine how you feel. But I promise you, you’re safe now. Alexandria is safe now.”
“Do you really expect us to believe that? Coming from Negan’s daughter?” A woman in the back asks, rudely gesturing at you.
“Daryl, explain it to us,” Rick says, furrowing his eyebrows. “What is she doing here? And what does it all mean?”
Daryl sighs, looking at you. “You should be the one ta’ speak.”
“No.” Shaking your head, you step back, gesturing at him. “You tell them. They won’t believe me.” Whispering to him, you give a small quick smile when he nods.
“I was in a cell for three days, naked and in complete darkness when she found me.” He starts, looking down before raising his eyes to the group again. “It was confusing at first and when she left I thought that was it but some minutes later some men came. Threw me some clothes and took me to an apartment. I thought it was some kind of plan but on the next day, it wasn’t Negan who came. It was her.” He points out at you, blue eyes meeting yours. Some butterflies start flying around in your stomach for some reason, and you wonder if you’re blushing. “She had a plan of hers. A crazy-ass plan that I was certain it was some kind of trap.”
“You’re still not making any sense.” The woman standing next to Rick says. You notice a sword on her back.
“(Y/N) said that she had an idea to keep my group safe. Ta’ keep Negan off our asses.” Daryl gestures at everyone, and you watch as they exchange glances with each other. “So I said yes, of course. I was still doubting it, but with time she proved to me I was wrong about her. That she isn’t anythin’ like her father.”
“So are we supposed to just believe that we’re all safe now? That Negan won’t burst through our gates, take what we have, and kill those we love.”
“I know how it sounds, Michonne, but trust me. I didn’t believe it either, but it’s true.” He answers, looking at you again and reaching out his hand. You furrow your eyebrows, wondering what this is about. But since you don’t move, Daryl does it, taking your hand. “Talk to them. It’ll be alright.”
Nodding to him, you take a deep breath, raising your eyes at Rick, their leader. “What I said out there was a facade. I don’t agree with my father’s methods, I never have and when I saw Daryl, I just… I just knew I had to help him. And then I found that he was from Alexandria and I was sure about it.” Involuntary, you squeeze Daryl’s hand. Their stare is hard, and you feel like Negan is right here with you. “My father hates you. All of you. Because you know you can, and will prosper. He knows you have the courage and the strength to rebuild society, something he wants to do himself, in his own cruel ways. So I knew I had to do this. So now I tell you, you’re safe. What Daryl and I have guarantees that Negan won’t bother you again. My nomination as head of Alexandria means nobody gets to mess with this place. I promise you that… You won’t lose anyone else.”
“What is it you have?” A woman with grey hair asks. “What could assure us that Negan wouldn’t take our stuff?”
“Mmm, I…” You whisper, glancing at Daryl. He nods, clearing his throat. “We faked a relationship.”
“You what?” A boy asks, eyebrows raised.
“A fake relationship is the only thing keeping Negan away from us?” Rick inquires, hands on his hips.
“Trust me, we fake it really well.” You chuckle, biting your lip before continuing. “I told Negan we’re in love. And, since I’m his only family and he does everything I want, he won’t hurt the family and the community from which my love is from.” Blushing, you look down, running a hand through your hair. “I know you have no reason to trust me, and all the reasons of the world to hate me. My father killed your family. Abraham and Glenn…” At the mention of the names, you feel like the atmosphere change. The anger and hate are tangible. “But I’m not like that.” When an idea pops up, you let go of Daryl’s hand and pick up the radio before turning it on. “I can prove.”
“Gonna call him?”
“Yeah.” Adjusting the frequency, you look at the group. “Don’t say anything. Just listen.” A little bit of static comes through and you take a deep breath for the hundredth time today. “Dad? Do you copy?”
After some seconds of silence and more static, a voice comes through. “Hello, there, little lady. Are you all settled up on your new homie?” Negan sings songs, obviously not happy with your decision of moving.
“Yup. Just got here, had a little chat with their leader and all is well. Alexandria is mine and they’re updated on the change of command.” Holding the radio near your mouth, you keep your eyes on the floor.
“I will never forgive you for taking Rick and his dumbass group off my hands.”
“We can’t choose who we love.”
“Yeah, but did you have to choose Daryl? From Rick’s circus?” He sighs, and you can imagine the eye roll. “Well, doesn’t really matter now, does it? Alexandria and its army of assholes are yours now. And it’s my job as a father to make sure you’re well attended so I guess I won’t raid this town.”
“Oh, you won’t. Actually, I might need you to get me some stuff.”
“Holy hell, (Y/N). What is it that your papa can get you?”
Giggling, you shake your head. “I’ll check and give you the list. I gotta go now. The Saviors are going back first thing tomorrow.”
“Alright, bun. Have fun, but not too much. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t.”
“Thank you for the advice. Over and out.” Turning off the radio, you raise your eyes at the group. They seem… Perplexed. Shocked. But not Rick. Rick seems sceptical.
“It could be a trap.” Gesturing at Daryl, he moves forward. “Negan and her could be fooling us. They could be fooling you too, don’t you see that?”
“Ya jus’ have to–” A whistle cuts him off, and you immediately turn to the front door.
“Jim.” You recognize by the familiar tune. Moving to the front door, you find Jim climbing the steps to the porch, gesturing with his thumb at the two guys coming to the house.
“The box with the green circle is here.” He says.
“General supplies. Good.” Raising your voice, you move aside, allowing the men to get inside and lay the huge square box on the floor. “You may go back to your posts now.”
“This shit is heavy. What do you have in it?” Giovan asks, and you give him a hard look.
“If you were supposed to know, I’d tell you. Now, back to your post.”
“Sorry, princess.” He mutters, raising both his hands. Once they’re both gone, you sign to Jim to resume his patrolling as you close the front door behind your back. “I brought this for you.” Taking your necklace off, you reveal the key to open the box, giving it to Rick. But the man doesn’t even move, eyes locked on you. “Fine.” Sighing, you get on one knee, easily opening the lock and pushing the top off.
You hear them moving closer to peek inside, and you smile to yourself to see the many guns and ammunition. You got them with Daryl’s help. “All the guns the Saviors took from you are here. And some more as a bonus for the… Trouble.” Getting up to your feet, you walk back to where you were, throwing the key at Rick, who catches it midair.
“I don’t know what to say.” Rick mumbles, eyes on the guns. “This just can’t be real. It’s too good to be real.”
“I felt the same in the beginnin’.” Daryl cuts in, glancing at you. “But she ain’t Negan. Never was, never gonna be.”
You can’t help but smile, heat creeping over your cheeks. “Thanks.” You whisper to his ears only.
“Now come. Lemme show ya our house so those pricks can take yer stuff there.” Walking over to the door, you give the group a shy wave before following Daryl.
You don’t feel welcome here, and you know the feelings these people have towards you are the worst kind. But it makes you happy to see them excited about the guns. Relieved even, to have the firepower to defend themselves again. And as you leave the house, you feel like you did a good thing.
Daryl takes you through the neighborhood, and your eyes wander around. “This place is amazing.”
“It is.” He agrees. “This is it.” Stopping suddenly, he gestures at a small house two streets away from where you were, more to the middle of the city. “Two bedrooms on the second floor and a balcony on the other side. It ain’t big but–”
“Let’s go inside!” You exclaim, rushing through the steps and to the front door, swinging it open.
The house is somewhat on the same side of your apartment, but absolutely adorable. The pale walls make it lighter, and the windows let even more light come inside. You pull Daryl everywhere, until your reach the upstairs balcony. It’s tiny, with enough space for two chairs only, and a small round table. But it’s very pretty.
“This is beautiful.” You say, hands on the wooden railing as you take in the view. The walls at a distance, the people walking around. This feels like home, like a place you’d love to come back to after facing what’s out there.
“I’m glad ya like it,” Daryl answers, and you turn around to look at him. “People here will see who yer really are with time. Ya jus’ need ta’ give them some time.”
“Well, I don’t think I’m going anywhere, so…”
“Yer not. Yer home now.”
“Okay.” Nodding, you can’t fight back the smile that comes to your lips. “I’m home.”
Pairing:Daryl Dixon X Reader | Negan X daughter! Reader
Word count: 2.3 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!!
×
Taking Over
Standing outside the meeting room, you pace around. Almost everyone is here, but as usual, Negan will make them wait.
“I’m nervous.” You whisper to Daryl for the tenth time. Today, you’ll ask Negan for Alexandria. You can’t wait anymore, and neither can Daryl. He misses his family, and you want to set him free from the awful place. And you want to make it one hundred percent sure that his people are safe. But the waiting it’s killing you.
“It’ll work,” Daryl assures you, stepping closer. “Ya have ta’ be calm for this.”
“I will be. I will.” The habit makes you touch your thighs as you take a deep breath.
“Hey.” He takes both your hands, pulling them away from your body. “Don’t.”
“Sorry.” As an impulse, you wrap your arms around his neck. “Tomorrow you’ll head back home.” Smiling, you tiptoe, placing a peck on his lips.
“You too.” He mutters, only loud enough for you to hear. You grew used to this, the two of you whispering in the halls, his low, deep voice on your ear. “Both of us.”
“Are you sure about it? We can work on something through distance. Some visits here and there…”
“Yes, I’m sure about it.” He says, caressing your cheek. “We’ll make it work over there.”
“We’ll make it work over there.” You repeat, kissing him again.
“Holy shit!” The dramatic tone and the sing-song words make you roll your eyes, stepping down, and looking at your father. “Can’t you two keep your hands off each other for five minutes?” With a disgusting face, he walks past you two, stopping by the door. “Everyone keeps pissing the hell out of me about how the two little doves are going way too far with the PDA.”
“Don’t you kiss your wives in front of people?”
“Completely different.”
“I disagree.” Shrugging your shoulders, you grab Daryl’s collar and pull him down, kissing him hard and needy, not minding your father’s eyes.
“Get inside right now!” He shouts, and you break the kiss, laughing. “And enough with all this saliva exchanging before I throw up my lunch.”
And so you do.
The council gets tense to see Daryl, but you ignore it. Negan sits on one end of the table and you sit on the other, making Simon move out so Daryl can sit on your right.
“Well, well, well…” Negan starts, sighing. “People say children change your life forever and when Lucille told me she was pregnant I was so down for it.” He holds his bat, looking at it, and for a second, you notice when his stare changes. When he remembers her, your mother. “But I never thought you’d ask me to give up on my worse enemy because of a crush.”
“Daryl is not just a crush anymore. We’re in love.” Trying not to blush, you hate to say that in front of all these murderers. This was supposed to be something that belongs to you alone, but the situation forces your hand. “We’re into a serious relationship, and I won’t have any of these assholes hurting anyone he cares about.” Giving everyone a look, you smile to see them nod.
“I had a perfect plan,” Simon speaks up, chuckling, a hand covering his mouth, glancing at Negan. “It’d take Alexandria and Rick down for good. And we could easily implement it on the other communities as well if necessary.”
“Well…” Mimicking Negan’s tone, you get up, walk around the table, and stop behind Simon. “I could stay here all evening and tell you every single flaw that plan has. Flaws Rick Grimes would find out and take you down.” Touching both his shoulders, you squeeze them. Your father always does that, and you feel when Simon gets tense. He knows you can have him killed if you want. “For good.”
“Did you tell him my plan?” He asks, jerking his head towards Daryl.
“Yup.” Giggling, you walk over Negan, casually resting an arm around his shoulders. “This is only a formality so you’ll know how things will be. Dad and I have been through this already. I met Daryl by accident when he was being kept a prisoner and we got into each other. Now, we’re together and I here announce formally to you I’ll be taking over Alexandria.”
To say people are perplexed is a misunderstanding. They all look at Negan, who sighs and nods. “Yeah.” He bangs Lucille on the table twice, like a judge making a decision. “This is how things will have to be now since my beloved daughter wants to have… That.” He gestures at Daryl, and his tone makes you boil with anger. “But.” He pauses, and you can imagine the smile he has on. “When this whole thing is over we’ll be right back to business.”
“When?” Dwight asks, both his hands folded in front of him. “So we’ll sit here and wait for them to break up?”
“Absolutely, yes!” Negan exclaims, standing up to his feet. You haven’t thought about this. You did promise Daryl nothing would ever happen to his people, and the Saviours are just waiting for their chance.
So this play will have to go on forever.
It seems like Daryl has the same thought because there’s a question in his eyes. Should I prepare myself for an eventual fight?
The answer is no, so you shake your head. You don’t mind keeping this up forever if it means a bunch of good people will be spared. And you know that when you reach Alexandria and the Saviours that will accompany you leave, you won’t have to fake that much…
And that’s something else you haven’t thought about. Daryl won’t have to kiss you anymore.
“So. That’s it. (Y/N) is the head of Alexandrian now so no playing with them anymore or you’ll have to answer to my baby girl and me. ”
At the same time, you walk over to Daryl, biting your lips to hide the smile. “We did it.” You whisper, tiptoeing to kiss him.
“Ya did it.”
“Nope. We did it. You and I.” After another kiss, you follow the people out of the meeting room.
But that’s when the anxiety hits.
You and Daryl spend the rest of the day making the preparations to go to Alexandria. You gave up going half a dozen times, but Daryl keeps assuring you it’ll be alright. Jim and a dozen other Saviours will go with you but leave on the next morning. Then… You’ll be there, far from all those people that make you sick.
But you’ll also be surrounded by people who your father hurt. A hell lot. So it’s a bittersweet sensation.
“Where will I live…? I mean after the Saviours are gone?” You ask as you shyly climb on Daryl’s bed, sitting on your legs.
“Yer making a lot of questions tonight.” He says, reaching out his hand, which you take. “There’s a small house near a square. We could stay there ‘cause-”
“Because you were sharing a house with Carol and oh–She hates me.” Cutting him off, you sigh. “They’ll all hate me. As they should.”
“Yer not Negan,” Daryl states, as he always does. With a small smile on your lips, you move closer to him, lying down with your head on his chest, as usual. “They’ll come around with time. They’ll get ta’ know ya and they’ll see yer nothin’ like these assholes here.”
“I wish I had your hope.”
“Stop thinkin’ about it and get some rest. Long road tomorrow.”
“Are you happy to go home?” Stupid question, of course, he is. “Well, I know you are. I’d be too, obviously.”
“I’m not good at sayin’ stuff but… Thank you.” When you listen to those words, you raise your head, using your elbow to support your weight. “If it wasn’t for you more people could have died.”
Smiling, you lean down to kiss him, softly. “I’m just trying to do what’s right.”
“Yer succeedin’.”
“Daryl, we… What will happen to us? When the Saviors leave?” You ask in a low voice, going back to your previous position on his chest. “This fake thing won’t be necessary once we’re alone there…”
“Do you think I’ll stop takin’ care of ya?” He grunts as if you said something very stupid. “Ya ain’t gettin’ rid of me that easily.”
Giggling, you nod, closing your eyes. “Good night, Daryl.” You whisper, smiling to hear his soft reply.
Daryl was genuinely happy to be home. When he sees Alexandria’s gates, a smile crosses his lips. But he never thought he’d be taking the Saviors with him. At least this means something good. With (Y/N) as the head of Alexandria, his family will be safe. And nobody else will get hurt. Ever again.
He feels when she gets tense on the bike behind him, arms strongly encircling his midsection. Having her cross the gates on his bike will send a good signal to the group. He needs them to see in (Y/N) the same thing he sees.
In the beginning, she was a paradox to him. So beautiful and kind, with a proposition to save his group out of nowhere. For a long time, Daryl thought she was lying, that it was some kind of trap. But it wasn’t. And the angel-like girl, whose eyes caught his attention at the very first sight, stole his heart.
It was a weird sensation for Daryl, to have his heart settled on someone. But this feeling is why he’s bringing her here, for good. Here, she won’t have to hurt herself anymore, because Daryl’s heart breaks every time he thinks about what she used to do. He makes sure she’ll keep her nails short now, just in case. He knows it may come out as too controlling, but he just wants her to be fine. Happy.
Everything is new to Daryl. This is a situation he never thought he’d be into. He not only has strong, confusing feelings towards her, but she seems to feel the same. She never pushed him away, instead, she holds on to him, mostly at night. He never thought a woman like her, young, beautiful, and kind, would ever want to be near him.
But he wants to be near her. So that’s what he’ll do. Daryl decided not to overthink the chaotic feelings trapped inside him, and just do what felt right. And (Y/N) feels right. That’s why she’s here with him, entering her new home. Daryl will make sure he’s fine, healthy, and happy. If it’s up to him, she won’t ever have to see death in its worse form, imposed on good, innocent people.
When the gates open, you can’t help but hold onto Daryl a little bit tighter. But when the bike stops, you jump off, eyes on the group coming your way. There are some people ahead, and others keep a distance. You can’t ignore how amazing the place is. It looks like a town, and if it wasn’t for the circumstances, you could pretend this was the world from before. A normal neighbourhood with children playing around.
But the group ahead of you is fully alert, and those behind you need to be fooled, so they can take the right information to your father back at the Sanctuary. So you take a deep breath, clenching your hands into fists.
But before you can say anything, Daryl walks forward, hugging who could only be Rick, judging by the description Daryl gave you. “Brother.” He mumbles, patting Daryl’s back. And despite the groups’ eyes being on you and the Saviors, everyone greets Daryl, some with teary eyes.
Then, once the greetings are over, all the attention is back on you. And the Saviors.
“As much as I’m happy to see you alive and well, brother, I have to ask…” Rick jerks his chins forward, at you and the heavily armed people you brought to their home. “What’s this about?”
Daryl gives you a look and a nod. So you take a deep breath, preparing yourself for another act.
“People of Alexandria.” You start, raising your voice so everyone can hear it. “You all know this place and your asses belong to my father. But there was a change of protocol.” Shrugging your shoulders, you pace around, glancing at the Saviors. “I am now Head of Alexandria, which means your asses now belong to me, so you’ll do as I say, just like you do as Negan says.” There’s a commotion, but you ignore it, turning to face the Saviors. “And you won’t ever touch anyone from this Community unless I say so. Understood?”
“Yes, princess.” They chant, almost at the same time and you fake a smile before turning around at the group.
Summary:You were running from death for too long, and when you stumbled upon a wooden cabin in the woods, you found more than just a safe place to hide.
I happened fast. The fights, the yelling, the tears.
Negan left, and you stayed behind, among people you don’t know. Hurt, heartbroken, feeling like a fool.
Carol is the one to take you in. And, despite everything, it doesn’t seem like she’s happy about all this.
You’re half dead yourself, as the day goes by, then another, then one more. Part of you wants to go, back into his arms, so he can keep you warm at night. You even dream of it, of leaving this city and facing the woods, even in the dark, back to the cabin that makes you feel safe.
Back home, with him.
“Are you alright?” Carol asks, and when you raise your eyes at her, you find a mug in her hand, which she passes on to you. “You’ve been outer space again.”
“Just thinking.”
“About Negan?”
“Yes.”
“Do you love him?” The question makes you look at her again, eyes previously on the hot tea. “Do you?”
Biting your lip, you shrug your shoulders. “Maybe.”
“When you have this face on and say it in this tone, maybe means yes.” She sits next to you, sighing. “I need you to know I didn’t tell you those things to keep you away from him. I just needed you to know everything so you can make your choice based on all the facts.”
“It’s just that… Imagining Negan as some tyrant…” Your voice fades, and you take a sip from your tea. “Why didn’t he tell me?”
“I don’t know. In the best scenario, he’s ashamed. Or afraid you’d leave him. Like you did. Negan–” A knock on the door gets her attention. “I’ll be back.”
And she leaves you alone, with your hot mug and confusing thoughts going through your head. You miss him so much, that’s the only thing you can think about. Him.
“…can I speak with her already or are you still playing mom?” A voice reaches you and looking at the corner, you sip your tea and sigh. Seconds after, a woman comes in. She has short, light brown hair and blue eyes. Or green. You can’t tell. “So you’re Negan’s girlfriend.”
No, you’re not. Are you? “I think we broke up.”
“I just want to make sure you know the man you’ve been living with.” She says but doesn’t sound angry. And you were expecting her to be angry. This is Maggie, you can tell by how Carol described her a while ago. The window.
“He killed your husband. Left your child fatherless.” Voice weak, you nod to yourself. “I’m well aware of the man he was.”
“Good. I don’t care about your feelings for him. I don’t care if you forgive him or not, what I do care about is the truth.” Maggie says, walking closer. Carol appears behind her, eyes on you. “I want you to have the whole picture, so you can judge it. Because I believe you’re an intelligent woman who’s able to know the difference between someone who’s lying and someone being honest.”
With your eyes locked on her, you nod. For some reason, there are tears in your eyes. The truth is, whenever you mentioned his past, there was sadness, even desolation on his face. His posture changed, Negan was… In pain. It makes your heart beat faster because you’ve seen it in his eyes. How embarrassed he was, as he remembered the things he did.
Now, your heart craves for him even more. It drums in your ears, and maybe you’re getting crazy, but you swear it’s beating his name.
“Well, can you?” Maggie asks, and you can see her again.
“Yeah.” You mutter, nodding again. “I can.”
“Good.” She mutters, coming over to you, a hand on your shoulder as you look up at her. “I can never forgive Negan. I don’t have it in me, not yet. I’m not my father. But I won’t despise you if you choose to stay with him. I’m a reasonable woman, and you’ll always find a home here, and a place to come if you need help or anything.”
“Thanks.” You whisper, giving her a small smile.
“I shall go now. There’s a lot to do.”
“Can I help?” You suddenly want something to do, both to be useful and to make your blood flow. Maybe it’ll help you think.
•••
It doesn’t help. Not really.
The sun is moving towards the horizon when you’re back at Carol’s place. After showering to wash the dirt and sweat off, you sit on the bed of the guest room.
Brushing your hair, you remember Maggie’s words. And Carol’s words. And Negan’s.
Closing your eyes, a smile comes to your lips at the memory of his kiss. Lying down, you take a deep breath. During your labor, you have played back all the times you asked about his life before the cabin, from the very first time. His expression dropped, he moved, as if shrinking, even tried to move away from you, even is subconsciously. Sometimes, he’d go out, with the excuse of searching for nearby walkers. And once back at the cabin, he acted weird, as if dirty. Guilty. Trying to do stuff for you as a way of apologizing for something he didn’t do. Well, for something he did that you didn’t know.
“What do I do?” You ask yourself, in a low voice, moving to lay on your side. “What do I do?”
Pulling the pillow close, you hug it, burying your face in it. After a while, you’re almost falling asleep despite still being late afternoon. But your nap is interrupted by a weird sound, music, you realize as you sit up. Then, a knock on the door.
“(Y/N),” Carol says, and you rub your eyes.
“Come in.” You tell her. “Who’s partying?”
“Negan.” She says, in an urgent voice. That’s when you recognize ‘Sweet Child o Mine’.
“Holy shit!” And you’re off, rushing to the window and pulling it open.
Negan is on the sidewalk, leaning against his bike with the super old radio you have on the ground, from where the music is coming. A smile creeps over your lips, and it feels like your heart will jump off your chest.
It doesn’t take much until his eyes find yours, and a sad smile lights up his features.
“I think you should go talk to him,” Carol says, raising her voice above the music. And you’re crying, even though you tried hard not to.
“I love him. Who he is now. He… He changed, I know he did.” You tell her, giving him a little, shy wave.
Carol giggles, and when you turn at her, there’s a kind smile on her face. “I know. I got that the first time I saw you. It was in your eyes.”
I’m in a rush of adrenaline, you run to her, throwing your arms around her. “Thank you. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Now go! I don’t think he cares much about attracting walkers as long as he can get you back.”
“Oh, I’ll make him turn it off. Sorry.” Placing a kiss on her cheek, you’re off, almost stumbling through the stairs.
When you’re outside, you’re running to him. Right into his arms. But his arms aren’t enough, so you jump on him, legs around his waist. “Holy shit.” He mutters at the sudden move, but there’s a laugh in his voice. Negan is quick to hold you up, embracing you tightly against him. “God, I missed you so much. I’m so sorry, I should have told you everything but I was so scared, (Y/N).”
“Yeah, you were a dick.” You mumble, many tears rolling down. “Are you’re a jerk for not telling me but you’re so damn lucky I love you.”
“Wait… You love me?” He asks, and you pull apart just enough to look into each other’s eyes. It’s funny to see him from this perspective since he’s holding you in a way you’re taller. “Do you really love me? An old man like me?”
“An old man like you.” You say, raising an eyebrow. “Now, please, turn it down before we have to stop the reconciliation to put some walkers down.”
“You’re right.” He makes a show of putting you down, before kicking the radio’s off button. “Now, baby, get your iPod, and let’s go home.”
“Only if you promise never to lie again. Never.”
“Never.” He smiles, that smug smirk you love so much. “As long as I live, I’ll never, ever speak a lie again. Not to you at least.”
“Alright.” Nodding, you give some steps backward before turning around and getting back inside to get the iPod. When you’re back, you hop on the bike behind him. “We can pick the radio next time.” You say, holding tight to him.
“As the lady wants.” He gives you a look before starting the bike and moving forward. “Now that you have forgiven me because I’ll assume you already did… We can start talking about the next steps.”
“Next steps?” Raising your voice so he will hear you, there are a lot of eyes on you. People are surprised, you think, to see you with Negan.
“Yup. Marriage… Maybe a kid?”
“Maybe two?” You say with a giggle, as you cross the gates.
“Two kids it is.”
Pushing yourself up quickly, you place a kiss on his cheek before letting yourself fall back on the seat. “Let’s ride to the sunset then, my love.”
Summary: You were running from death for too long, and when you stumbled upon a wooden cabin in the woods, you found more than just a safe place to hide.
“She’s got a smile that it seems to me, reminds me of childhood memories. Where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky.” Both you and Negan sing along to the music, in a tone of voice that will make him check the surrounding areas. But it feels good. And you’re happy you feel safe enough to do this after so long stuck in silence. “Now and then when I see her face, she takes me away to that special place, and if I stare too long, I’d probably break down and cry.” With a bright smile on your face, you brace yourself for the chorus. It’s always powerful, and it brings a nostalgic feeling. From the life before, when you used to dance to this very song in your bedroom.
“Whoa, oh, oh, sweet child o’ mine.” Negan, as usual, sings the first part. You have your legs on his lap, as you both sit on the living room couch, sharing a blanket.
“OH!, oh, oh, oh, sweet love of mine.” You finish up, throwing your head back with a smile.
It took two weeks for you and Negan to break through each other. Seventeen days to be exact. At first, it was weird, mostly at night when you were sharing the bed. But now, it’s actually nice. And fun. You love his sense of humor.
“Good music never gets old.” He comments when the song is over.
“You’re one hundred percent right.” With a giggle, you run a hand through your hair. “It just sucks that you have to go charge it at the community.”
“Yeah, it was pretty hard to explain the first time.”
“Why don’t you live with them? Was it your decision or theirs?”
Negan goes silent for a while, a sigh leaving his lips. “I wasn’t much of a nice guy before. Did some ugly shit, they rather have me away.”
“Well, we all did some ugly shit at some point. I had to kill people and… I’m not proud of it.”
“You? Tiny, little you? I don’t believe it.” Under the blanket, Negan tickles your sides, making you break into laughter, slapping his hands.
“Stop it! Stop it!” You’re still giggling when he does. “Well, I’m not as helpless as I look, Mister. I can defend myself when I need to.”
“Well…, you won’t need to anymore.”
“Oh, yeah? And why’s that?” There’s this unspoken thing between you. It gets clear these times when the conversation goes some unexpected way. It feels like something floating in the air, close enough to grab, but you don’t know why neither of you take it.
“Because from now on you have me.”
“And why the hell do you think my stay is permanent?” Squinting your eyes, you stare at him.
“Because if you go, sweetheart, you won’t be taking my iPod.”
“I can always steal it.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Is that a challenge?”
Negan raises an eyebrow, and when you think he will say something, he suddenly grabs your legs, and pulls, making you slide on the cough, closer to him. “If you’re leaving I have to–” And he’s tickling you again, on the ribs, making you laugh out loud, trying to push him away. “–make sure you don’t forget me, little one.”
“NO!” You scream, trying to get him off you. “I’m not going anywhere! Stop it.”
“Oh, good. Very good.” He raises his voice to make himself heard above your laughs. And when he finally stops, he’s close.
A little too close.
“You really want me to stay?” You ask now that you managed to catch your breath. He nods. “Why? And no funny answer, I really wanna know.”
“It’s just good to have someone who doesn’t hate me.”
“Why would I hate you?” As usual, Negan starts to move away. And not only physically, but also emotionally. It happens every time you get closer to asking about whatever happened before. But this time, you hold him by the collar of his shirt, forcing him into this half lying, half sitting position you got yourselves into. “Negan, please. Whatever you tell me… It’s ok. We all did bad things in the past.”
“That’s it. I did bad things. No need to get into details.”
“Ne–”
You’re suddenly cut off by his lips, crashing on yours. It’s so unexpected that for a moment you’re frozen, unsure why he did that. And your lack of response makes him pull away, an awkward expression on his face. “I screwed up. I thought it would be romantic, you know? But I get it, being kissed by an old man like it must be–”
“Shut up and kiss me again so I can kiss you back, you idiot.”
And so he does. A couple of times, actually.
And then, way too many times, never enough.
Love is different these days. Before, it would take more time. And maybe your world wouldn’t even get in touch with his.
But now, it happens fast. And it doesn’t make it weak. Maybe, it makes it stronger.
You and Negan bounded quickly. And it also escalated quickly. From the first awkwardness of living under the same roof with someone after so long alone, you grew to enjoy his company. To want his company. To love his company.
•••
“It’s so cold today.” You complain, coming from the bathroom and sliding under the blankets, curling up next to him. “Winter will be tough.”
“It will.” He takes you in with open arms, rubbing your back as you put your head on his chest. “I’ll get us more blankets.”
“In Alexandria?”
“Mhmm.”
“Can I come with you?” You ask, lifting your head to look at him. “I’m curious about it.”
“Thought you were suspicious of them.”
“I am.” Raising your head, you look at him with a smile. “So I wanna go to keep you safe.”
“Oh, thank you. I always get so scared out there, I’ll feel so much better with you.”
The sarcastic tone makes you roll your eyes. “Keep talking like that and I’ll bite you.”
“Mmm… I might not complain.”
“Oh, shut up.” Lying on his chest again, you pull the blankets closer. “Also… I wanna go out. I have been inside this cabin since I got here. I’m ready to face the outside world again.”
“I’ll be right there with you.” Listening to this soft, sweet promise, you fall asleep in his arms, warm and comfortable.
•••
The morning comes fast, and it’s around nine when you and Negan leave the cabin. Being outside again feels weird, but good. Now that you don’t need to run for your life, you can see the beauty of it. The trees, tall and strong, the sunlight coming through, painting the atmosphere with a golden shine.
“You’re alright?” He asks after a while, taking your hand in his. “Anxiety kicking in?”
You simply shake your head, giving him a look and a smile. “It’s silent here. I like it.”
“Yeah, it is.”
“Thank you for walking there. I needed to… Face it. The fear of being out here.”
“Not a problem. It’s not a hard walk.” Negan has your hand secure in his, all the way.
The gates of the city come into your sight suddenly. It’s open, with a couple of people by it, working. You feel Negan tensing up, so you caress the back of his hand with your thumb. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He quickly says.
Furrowing your eyebrows, you look ahead. As you get closer, the staring begins. Nobody stops you, but nobody talks to you either. Not until a woman with white hair comes, with a very weird smile on her lips. “Hello. Do you need anything?”
“Blankets. The nights are getting colder.” Negan says, and the woman looks at you.
“Hi…” You mutter, unsure what to say. “Could I charge my iPod while Negan gets the blankets?” Deciding to ask, you offer the woman a smile.
Which she retributes. “Sure. Come.” The woman tilts her head to the side, and you look at Negan, only following her when he nods.
The woman guides you into a house, showing you a power plug. “You can use this one.”
“Thank you.” You mutter, plugging it and sitting on the armchair next to it.
The woman stays there, and you raise your eyes to look at her. “So it’s true.” She says after a while, curiously. “There is a girl with Negan after all. Unless you’re being forced to be here, putting on an act.”
“An act?” Squinting, you shrug your shoulders. “Why would I do that? Why would Negan force me–”
“Well, in his defense, he was always against any kind of abuse to women. Never allowing his men to force women into any kind of sexual interactions, going as far as killing those who did or tried.”
Her words get to you slowly, as you try to process all this. His men? Was he some kind of leader before? Before, as in before the world broke? No, probably after. Before probably mean before you. “Mmm… I was alone for a long time. I got hurt and stumbled upon the cabin. Didn’t know he was in there. He took me in and we’ve been… Together ever since.”
“Together as in together? Or just together?”
Why does she care? Why is she asking so many questions? “We’re together.” You’re careful not to put any kind of intonation on it. She’s free to understand it however she likes.
“Then he told you who he was. What he did.” She steps closer, a hard expression on her face as she looks down at you. “Why nobody wants him here.”
Standing back up, you face her. Even though she’s taller. “I don’t know what you’re trying to do here. If you’re into Negan or if–”
“Negan had an army.” She cuts you off, raising her voice. It feels like she’s your mother, that warning tone that makes you want to sit down and listen to the lecture with your mouth shut. “He terrorized us, other communities as well. He killed many of our people. He took our things, the things we worked hard to get, just to burn them on the side of the road. He almost made one of ours cut off his own son’s arm.”
“What..?” It comes out a shallow breath, as you step back, falling on the armchair. There are tears in your eyes, and the man you love turns into a monster, made up by this woman’s words. You know he did bad things… but not this. This is too much. “H-he couldn’t.”
“Yeah… Guess he didn’t tell you that part of his story.”
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.)
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!!
×
Whatever Happens
The commotion is all over the city, with everyone getting ready to leave. You’ll be reaching the Sanctuary tomorrow morning, and that’s when you’ll let Negan know you’re coming. The other communities are ready as well, already in motion.
The plan is good, and despite some people thinking it’ll end up in a war anyway, you believe otherwise. You’ll talk, Negan will listen. And this will be over.
“Hey,” Daryl calls, and you stand up from the wooden chair on your porch. “Ya ready?”
“Yes.” Getting closer to him, you smile when he touches your belly, warmth spreading through your skin. “Let’s do this.”
“Let’s do this.” He repeats, nodding and taking your hand. “C'mon, it’s time. It’ll be over and–”
“(Y/N)!” A shout startles you, and you look at the street. Rosita comes running, a scared expression on her face.
“Is something wrong?” You ask, climbing down the few steps.
“It’s Negan!” She says under her breath, gesturing for you to come with her. “He’s almost here.”
“What?” Exchanging a glance with Daryl, you set in motion.
The commotion soon became chaos, and Rick looks like he was about to explode. When you find him near the gates, he’s talking to someone, telling them to stand down and wait for instructions. This is a mess. But you won’t let it change anything. This ends today, it doesn’t matter where.
“Rick.” You call, and he quickly breaks the call and looks at you.
“He got the right day to pay you a surprise visit, that son of a bitch.” He exclaims, running a hand through his hair. “Now we have to–”
“Tell them to wait. Negan is coming here and I’ll do what I have to do here.” You say, watching as people run to hide the guns and the cars that were ready to go. “Listen up!” You yell, and people stop and turn at you. “Everyone who has a gun gets out of the city through the Westside emergency exit. Surround the Saviors but don’t let them see you. Stay there and wait for the sign.”
As usual, they wait for Rick’s nod before settling in motion. “(Y/N), what’s your plan?”
“Gather the group. I’ll take Negan to my place as always. He’ll ask his men to stay outside the city, so you tell the group to attack them and… Well… Handle them.”
“Are you sure? They’ll probably radio Negan.”
“I’m sure.” You can’t think too much, you don’t have the time. “After we have Negan neutralized, I’ll take over the Sanctuary and his men will listen to me. If they don’t, we attack.”
“(Y/N), I know this is hard for you.” Rick sighs, touching your shoulder. “He’s still your father.”
“He’s here!” Gabriel announces from his post above the walls.
“Open up.” You tell Rick, and he moves to the gates.
Everything happens as usual. Negan steps out of his car, tells his men to wait for him and walks inside with the same old smile. And that’s good because it means he’s not aware of what’s going on.
“Hey, you.” He says, giving you a tight hug and lifting you up. “It’s been a week since we spoke. Are you forgetting your father already?”
“Of course not.” You manage to give him a small smile.
“Daryl,” Negan mutters, putting an arm around your shoulders and already walking you home. “So start talking to me, child. How’s everything going? How’s life in this cute, little city?”
“Good. It’s good.” You don’t know what to say, and you just want to get home already and get this done with.
“(Y/N)?” Your father calls, making you snap out of your thoughts. He makes you stop, looking down at you. “Is something wrong?”
Taking a deep breath, you give another smile. “No. We just… We need to talk.” Giving Daryl a look, you know he’s hurting for you. You can see it in his eyes that he doesn’t want you to do this. But nobody else can do this. You made a promise to keep these people safe, and you will. In fact, you’ll save a lot of people once Negan is down.
“About what?”
“About me, dad. Please.” Gesturing at the house, you start walking ahead, not looking back.
When you reach the house, you hear people calling Negan through the radio. Turning around, you see Daryl taking his radio away.
“Whoa! What the hell?” Negan chants, trying to take the radio again, but Daryl yanks it out of his reach.
“Yer daughter needs ta’ talk ta’ ya. So go there and talk.” Daryl says, and the staring contest makes you sick.
No, wait. You’re actually sick. “Damn it!” Leaving this tense situation behind for a moment, you run to the first-floor bathroom, locking yourself in it and kneeling near the toilet.
“(Y/N)!” Negan calls, and you hear both men talking about something you can’t understand.
“I’m fine!” You shout back, closing your eyes and trying to keep from losing the breakfast.
When you’re stomach calms down, you stand up, washing your face and neck. The water makes you cold, but it’s refreshing. Looking up at the mirror, you stare into your own eyes. Then, it starts flashing. All the faces, all the names Negan killed. Those he made miserable. The many, countless workers he has, under that stupid points system, breaking their backs every day to sustain his empire.
Looking down, you stare at your thighs. All the blood you spilt for all the blood Neganspilt.
It doesn’t matter if you love him, this has to be over.
Caressing your belly, which just started to swell, still impossible to notice to other people, you walk to the door, pulling it open.
“What the hell is going on with you?” Negan asks, but it’s to Daryl’s arm you go, under his worried eyes.
“Ya ok?”
“Mhmm. I’m alright. Just felt a little sick but I’m fine now.” Smiling and caressing his cheek, you turn to look at your father.
“Are you–” He’s cut short by the front door being open, and when you look, you see it’s Rick and some others, guns in hand. “Oh, (Y/N)… What’s going on here?”
It would be easier if you had any pleasure in it, but you don’t. Taking the tyrant down is one thing. Betraying your father’s trust is another. “As I said, we need to talk dad. Sit down, please.” Gesturing at the couch, you walk to the living room as the group raises their guns at Negan. He chuckles, looking down and shaking his head before doing as you said. When he sits, you do the same on the coffee table, right in front of him. “What happened to my men?”
“They were dealt with,” Rick answers, but your father’s eyes are on you.
“Are they dead?”
“What do you think, Negan? After everything you’ve done, what do you think we had to do?”
You don’t wanna say anything, yet, you’re the only one who should be speaking. So you glance at Rick and he nods.
“Did they brainwash you or some shit like that?” Negan whispers, leaning forward, elbows on his knees. “Because if they did, I–”
“I never agreed with your methods.” You begin, tears already threatening to roll down. “Since the very beginning, seeing you create the Sanctuary broke my heart. Seeing my father turn into a monster, a murderer who not only kills without reason but finds joy in it broke my, damn heart.”
“(Y/N)–”
“No, you will listen.“ Cutting him off, you raise your voice a little. “For the first time I’ll speak my heart and you’ll listen, dad.”
“Alright, sweetheart.” He sighs, and you recognize sadness in his eyes. And that’s good because it means he knows you’re hurt.
“All those years I helped people. As much as I could, I helped them. I gave them medication, food, I lied to you to keep them alive.” There they are, the bitter tears you were trying to control. “I took Jim under my wing because you’d kill him. I said Alice was my childhood friend so you wouldn’t kill her. I created a fake relationship with Daryl so you wouldn’t kill his family.”
“Fake?” He asks, giving Daryl a look. “All that disgusting kissing was fake?”
“It was.” You simply say, and as Negan gets it, his eyes go wide.
“What the hell, (Y/N)? Did you keep all that from me? Did you lie through the years instead of coming and talking to me? Your father?”
“And why would I? You made yourself an army. Those people will follow you to the end of the world and… Actually, they already did.” A humourless laugh escapes your lips as you stand up, wiping some tears away. “What I want to say is that living with you and somehow being part of everything you did destroy me. I…” You never thought you’d tell him about the self-harm… Or anyone else than Daryl. But you have to, and this is the right time. “I used to scratch my legs… Both my thighs and I scratched them so hard it drew blood. I still have the scars and I don’t think they’ll ever go away. Those marks and what they meant will be with me forever.”
“I don’t even…” His voice fades as he looks down, both hands on his head. “Why did you do that, (Y/N)?”
“Because I felt guilty.” It doesn’t matter how many times you try to wipe the tears off, more come. And it just hits you now that half the group is here, and for the first time, you feel… Welcome. Comforted by their presence. “Blood for blood, that’s what I told myself.” Clearing your throat, you take a deep breath. “Dad, Daryl was the first and only one to know about this until now. He… He made me stop, he took care of me, dad, like nobody ever did so I fell in love with him. For real.”
Negan gives Daryl a look, who nods. “Then it’s real now, you two? Not some scheme to fool me in sparing these idiots’ lives?”
“No, dad. Daryl and I got married some months ago.”
“What?!” He stands up, and the guns are raised and pointed at him again. “My only daughter gets married and I don’t know anything about it?”
“If I told you, it would feel like just some part of the plan, and it wasn’t.” You know what to say next, the other thing he needs to know. But you also need to tell him how things will be now, so you take a deep breath, walking until you’re standing before him. “But it doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you have two choices.”
“Only two?”
Rolling your eyes, you sigh. “If you don’t call out your men, once and for all, we will kill you. And we will attack the Sanctuary, kill the Saviors and allow the workers to create their own community. And we’re going to win because we have four communities armed to their teeth just waiting for the orders.”
Negan closes his eyes for a while, taking a deep breath. “Option two?”
“If you give the order, if you call them out, we will allow you to live.” There’s a commotion, some gossip because that wasn’t the plan. But you need to at least give him a chance, for the father, the man he once was. “You’d be kept in prison, of course, for the rest of your life to make sure the Saviors will never rise again. We’ll spare them, and send them away so they can do whatever they want with their lives.”
“…Just to make sure the Saviors won’t rise again?” He asks, and you look down, crossing your arms.
“Are you asking if I’m doing this for me? Because I am… But I’m doing this for someone else too…” Then, you place your hands on your stomach. “I want my baby to meet his grandfather, but not Negan, the cruel ruler… Negan, my dad.”
“You’re… You’re pregnant?” Negan mutters and suddenly hugs you, a laugh escaping his lips. “Holy shit! I can’t believe I’m gonna be a grandpa.” He lets go, cupping your cheeks. “I can’t believe I’m gonna be a grandpa.”
“Only if you chose the right thing,” Daryl says, coming to stand next to you.
“The only bad part is that this scum bag is the father.”
“Look, first of all, you’ll stop calling my husband names, alright? I’m sick of this shit. And now you better make your choice.” Turning around, you walk to the front door.
“Where are you going?”
“Rick will hear your answer. And you don’t pick the right one, I don’t want to see you die.” Closing the door behind your back, you breathe out, using the wooden railing on the porch to balance yourself when you feel dizzy. Taking a deep breath, you slowly get to the steps, reaching the sidewalk and starting to walk away.
If it happens, you don’t wanna hear the shot.
“(Y/N)!” Daryl calls and you stop, immediately running to his arms, tears now freely rolling down. “Shh, it’s alright, Sunshine. M’ sorry.”
“I don’t want him to die.” You tell him, crying against his chest. “I already lost my mother and I don’t want to lose my father too.”
“I know.” Daryl caresses your hair, holding you close. “M’ sorry, Sunshine.”
You stand there for a while, crying, ignoring those who walk by. After a while, Aaron comes, and Daryl carries you to his place, where you sit on the couch, your head on Daryl’s chest. Neither of you says anything, but with time you stop crying. Nobody comes to say anything, and you don’t want to go out there to ask. Whatever happens now, it’ll certainly be for the better. For you, for Alexandria and the other communities, and for your baby.
“I want to start thinking about names.” You say after an hour or so of silence, voice barely a whisper. But you want to distract yourself, and talking about your baby is the only thing more important than all this. “Maybe everyone could give an idea and we could work from there.”
“I like that,” Daryl answers, a hand coming to your belly. “I was thinkin’ about Lucy.”
That makes you smile, as the memory of your mother fills your head. “I love it.” Raising your head, you look at him. “Whatever happens now, it’ll be good right?”
“Whatever happens, we’ll be together. You and I, and all the others.” He caresses your cheek, placing a kiss on your lips. “It’s not the end of the world. For both of us, and for our baby, it’s just the beginning.”
This makes you smile, even more, moving to straddle his lap. “You and me, Dixon.” You say, wrapping your arms around his neck. “You, me, our little Dixon, and our family.”
“Exactly.” He agrees, pulling you closer and capturing your lips in a sweet, passionate kiss.
But a sudden noise makes him pull away, and when you look at the door, you see Rick coming in with Michonne. Taking a deep breath, you stand up, trying to read his expression, but you can’t, not when you’re so damn nervous.
Summary:You were running from death for too long, and when you stumbled upon a wooden cabin in the woods, you found more than just a safe place to hide.
You were chased by the dead before. By a herd of them. But you were never this scared of only three.
The wound on your right leg makes you terribly slow, basically dragging yourself through the forest, using anything in your path to help you move. But they are close. In fact, they grab your legs every now and then. You want to fight, to kill them all over again, but the weakness of almost a week with nothing to eat has taken your strength away.
You’re lying down, listening to their growling when it comes into your sight. A wooden cabin, as if it took form only now, being born from the forest ground. It’s an amazing view, you think. It’s safety, it’s a chance to live a little longer.
With a last boost of adrenaline, you start half limping, half jumping, the empty bag slapping on your back. But when you finally make all the way to the simple wood door keeping you away from the security of that cabin… It’s blocked.
“Shit.” You mutter, pushing it, trying to pull on the handle. Then, you start punching it, trying to make it move. They’re close now, the dead. You’ll become one of them… After a hell lot of pain.
The thought makes you cry, sob, pushing the door with everything you have left, tasting the salty tears in your mouth.
“Who the hell is–” The voice reaches you suddenly, at the same moment the door is pulled open and you almost fall inside.
It happens too fast for your scared, terrified mind to process. But you’re pulled inside, falling on the floor with a groan as the man steps outside. The noises that follow, or rather saying, the cessation of the insistent snarling, tells you that whoever that was, he put the dead into death again. Permanently.
All those thoughts you’re supposed to have now when meeting another living person, don’t come to you. Lying back, eyes on the wooden ceiling, you just breathe. In and out, the paint on your leg gets worse as your blood gets colder, as the adrenaline leves lower.
“Hey.” The man says, and you close your eyes. Please, God. Let him be a good man. Please, God, let him not be evil. Or crazy. Please, please, please. You chant in your head, praying, hoping. “Are you alright, young lady?”
You chuckle. Young lady? “Yeah. Gonna be.” You burst out. “Gonna be.”
“This on your leg. Were you bit?”
“God, no.” Eyes open again, you turn your head at the source of the voice. The man you find is handsome, with dark hair slid back, a gray beard, and eyes that don’t scare you. The white T-shirt he’s using is stained by blood now. “I had a car. Lost control and it crashed badly.” You touch your forehead, the cut above your eyebrow. “Barely came out alive. Been walking around ever since.”
“Mmm.” He mutters, and vanishes from your side, deeper into the house. You stay there, catching your breath. “Is there anyone looking for you?”
Red flag. “No.” Damn it, you should have lied. “Why?”
“There’s a community not too far away. I’m sure they’d take you in.” He comes back, with a clean T-shirt on, dark blue this time, and sits near your wounded leg. Before you can ask what he’s doing, the man is cutting your jeans to have access to the wound. “It’s safe.”
“If it’s safe, why aren’t you there?”
“I’m better off on my own.” He simply says, and you hiss when he pours something on the wound. “I’m Negan. You?”
“(Y/N). Ouch!”
“It’s bad. The cut got you deep. Sliced your muscle in two.”
“Great.” You mutter, grinding your teeth when he does whatever he’s doing. “Goddamn it.”
“Where are you from?”
“New York.”
“Why did you come here?”
“Had no idea where to go. Damn it!” You yell, sitting back up, looking at him. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Stitching you up. Now lie back down and let me finish.” He says, pushing your shoulder until you’re back against the floor. “Talking helps. Tell me about you.”
“I’m (Y/N)… But you already know that. Currently on the second decade of my life, which wasn’t supposed to be spent fighting for my life.” Another groan and you cover your face with both hands. “I wanted to be a vet. I-I love the color the sky gets just before the sunrise. Has seen it many times ever since the dead came back to life, in endless sleepless nights.” The words keep coming, as you try to focus on anything else than the pain. You’re used to the agony by now, but it doesn’t mean you like it. For a day, a week, or a month, you’d like to live without it.
Without pain, without fear, without loneliness.
And then, you’re crying. From the wound, from the reality of your life now.
“Hey, hey,” Negan says, and you bite back a sob. “Tell me about your favorite song. Favorite song ever.”
He’s trying. He’s… Being nice. And you hope he won’t ask for anything in exchange. “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” You say, taking deep breaths.
“Oh, really?” You nod. “If you hold on, I’ll give you my old iPod. I have this song in it. And plenty of others. Still has some charge left.”
At that, you smile through the tears. “Thank you.” You whisper, even though that’s a sign of vulnerability. But so are the tears. If this man wanted to hurt you, he wouldn’t go through all the trouble of helping you.
He says something, but for some reason, you feel the world around you fade to black.
After a while, maybe a minute, or a couple of hours, you come back into the world of the living. Eyes opening, you’re startled at first - and relieved - not to see the top of the trees. But a ceiling instead. In the next seconds, everything comes back. The man, Negan, the stitches, the door opening to welcome you in.
You have no idea why Negan is the first thing that comes back, instead of the feeling of safety for being away from the dead.
Grunting lowly, you sit up, looking around the simple room. By the looks of it, it’s his room. On the nightstand, you find a sheet of paper with handwritten words on it. It’s been so long since you saw handmade calligraphy that it takes a while for you to understand.
‘Went to get a few supplies. Will be back soon. The shower works, no warm water though.’ It’s everything it says. And screw the cold water, you just need to get the dirt, blood, and sweat off your body.
So into the bathroom you go, a high window letting in some light. On the sink, there’s a pile of clothes, man’s clothes, Negan’s clothes. But given the note he left, you conclude those are for you. Your clothes are ruined and he surely noticed that.
The water makes you shiver, and it’s kinda complicated with the wounded leg, but you’re thankful for it. You close it while you rub soap on your body, all over, until you are covered by a white layer of it. And when you find a shampoo, you can’t help but use it too.
Once you’re done, into the sweatpants you had to fold the bars and the dark blue, tattered hoodie, you walk out, feeling better than you had in a long time. Your skin smells so good, and so does your hair, that you even ignore the pain in your leg. Going back to the bed, you lie down, taking a deep breath.
That’s when the bedroom door opens, and fear creeps over. Your first thought is to run but for some reason, you’re slower. Like under the stupor of having to find a place - even if not your place -, that you’re finally not in imminent danger.
“Whoa, sorry.” He raises a hand, a bag on the other. “Believe it or not I went to get some stuff for you and kinda forgot you were here.”
“Stuff? What kind of stuff? Where?” It comes out too fast, almost all scrambled. “You’re sending me away?”
“First of all, breathe.” He puts the bag down, walking closer to the bed. Out of instinct, you move back, until your back hits the headrest. “Second, I’m not going to hurt you, and third, I’m not sending you away.” Negan puts the bag on the bed, opens it, and pulls some clothes from it. Woman’s clothes. “I have zero girl’s stuff in here, so I went to Alexandria to get you some.”
Slowly, you crawl over the bag, checking what’s inside. “Y-you even got me tampons?” You ask in disbelief.
“Yeah. You girld use it, don’t you?”
“Yeah…” Voice fading, you keep looking. There’s even a half of a body lotion in it. “Thank you. I… I didn’t mean to invade your place. But I saw a cabin and I knew I had to get inside or else I’d die.”
“I know. And a pretty girl like you has more to fear out there than just the walkers.” Negan walks across the room, sitting on the armchair near the window, which is blocked by planks of light-colored wood.
Walkers… Funny way to call it. “Pretty girl?”
“I don’t mean it creepily.” Negan defensively raises his hands again.“You’re a beautiful young woman, it’s hard not to notice that.”
Looking down at your baggy clothes, and minding how tired your face must look, you wonder if he’s joking. “Well, thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Yeah.”
He nods in response, and you stare at each other for a while. Like a minute maybe two. On your part, you think the reason why you can’t take your eyes off him is that you can’t believe he’s real. You’re having a hard time processing you found a small house, to keep the ‘walkers’ away, and a person who is being kind. Kind enough to go who knows where to get you the things you’ll need.
On his part… You have no idea. But the good thing is that you don’t find evil things in his eyes. Not lust, or anger, or far worse things. Negan is just… Gazing. Admiring…? Maybe he also can’t believe it, having found someone else who’s not crazy. But he did say there’s a community somewhere around here.
“So. How long can I stay?” You decide to ask, breaking eye contact to crawl back under the blankets.
Through the corner of your eyes, you see him shrugging his shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere. So you can stay for as long as you want.”
Nodding, you lie on your side, looking at him again. “I’ll stop bothering you as soon as I find a place to go. A direction to keep moving too.”
“Don’t you have a goal? Someone you’re trying to find, someplace you’re trying to get to.”
“There ain’t much left out there…” You mutter, sighing. “And I have no one left so I just keep moving.”
“I don’t have anyone either.” He says, looking down at his hands. “Lost everyone I loved, everything I built. Now it’s just me in here.”
There’s a question, a proposition in the air. But you think he doesn’t want to say it, all the words, and you don’t think you can either. But in your head, it sounds like: If we’re alone, let’s be alone together.
“Do you mind if I nap a little here? Then I can sleep on the couch, the floor, or even on this armchair.”
“Sleep. I’ll check the surroundings.” And he stands up. “And I’m a practical man. It’s a double bed so we could share until I find another bed for you. But you can put some pillows between us.”
You don’t want to sleep on the same bed a man you just met.
But all things considered - the end of the world as you know it, the fact that you’re inside a house after so long, finding a man good enough to care about you -, this isn’t as crazy as it was before. It’s survival. If there’s a bed that fits two and you’re in two, both will take the bed.
Did you guys ever noticed Jeffrey has a scar on his right side of his face?
In Jeff’s words: “About 15 years ago I was riding my motorcycle in LA and spotted a guy beating up his girlfriend outside a 7-Eleven. I pulled over to break it up and she coldcocked me from behind with a bottle. She wasn’t grateful at all.”
When I was next in line Jeffrey looked over at me and flashes me a big smile before he turns back to the lady in front of me. When it was my turn he walks up to me and pulls me into his chest and wraps his arms around me. The next thing I knew he was kissing the side of my head. I thought I was going to die in the arms of JDM y’all
