Drowned Words

22

The heaters worked great. To protect us from the generators noise we put it in a separate tent.
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"What's good that gonna do?" Carl asked while standing over my shoulder.
I couldn't stop the annoyed sigh, this kid has been questioning my every step for a while now and it was starting to get aggravating. Silently I pulled a bell from my bag, hooking it onto the top of the tent. Looking back at him and then shaking the side, "See..." a small hum left me as the bell started ringing. He nodded, "So if a walker manages to come in... we can hear him."
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Beth sat by the camp fire, braiding her hair, "Any jokes to pass the time?" Her voice was soft and carried over the fire. Most of us sat around it in boredom, worst thing about the apocalypse was that there wasn't anything to really do. I stretched, no one answering. All our old tales and jokes were already told. Glenn sat next to Maggie, "(Y/n) takes pictures... maybe we can look at em?" My palms began to sweat as the others started agreeing, the only ones to really see my pictures were Dale and Andrea.
"You wouldn't mind, would you?" My eyes focused on Beth once again as she asked. Swallowing my nerves I nodded, "Yea let me go get them." The groups mood rose as I turned away from them, heading to the tent. I usually found myself looking through the album often as it reminded me of the good times we have shared but the nerves still lingered. It almost felt like someone was asking to read my diary. I unzipped the tent and quickly grabbed my bag, the album tucked between a few shirts. The brief warmth from inside the tent was gone in seconds as I stepped back into the snow. "Just make sure not to take them out of order," I said, handing Glenn the binder. He nodded, "We'll pass it." I watched as he sat up and carefully handled the binder. "Glenn its not gonna fall apart," I sighed and went to stand behind him. Maggie leaned into his side, "I can pass it when we're done." 

This seemed to get the others talking, it all seemed to be about me though. Couldn't help but grow more nervous as I heard T-Dog hype up the pictures, "Yea she is always watching us and taking pictures. Bet she got my good side," this caused the others to laugh. Rick smiled for the first time in what felt like ages, "Yea but not if it was anytime the last month." We all laughed at that as his face dropped, "Oh god I hope not." "Don't worry T," I smiled, "Your acne looks great on camera." He started breaking out within these last few weeks and it was getting pretty bad. T-Dog huffed, "Sure, sure." Daryl began to chuckle, "Come on. As long as you aren't a walker, nobody cares." The nerves from earlier began to melt away, Maggie smiling and pointing to a picture of Patricia and Beth making dinner. I nodded along as they thumbed through, asking a few questions here and there. 

"This looks really good," Maggie smiled and pointed to a picture. Looking down I nearly gasped, "Hey- yea-" my voice got caught in my throat as I saw the image he pointed to. Daryl looking to the ground, the water reflecting light patterns over his face. God it was one of my proudest images, he looked absolutely stunning. Although I have been hiding it all this time, too scared of how he would react. That picture and memory always gave me a warm feeling from the sun that day but hell for him it probably would only bring him pain. As it was the day we were painfully smacked with the truth about Sofia. "Could-could you uh-" I reached over Glenn and grabbed the picture, "Yea thanks." Awkwardly I stepped back as he turned to me, the look he gave was one of confusion but I wasn't really open to explain it. 

Maggie looked over her shoulder to me, whispering, "Don't worry... your little crush is safe with us." Luckily for it being dark out, they couldn't see just how red my face turned, my ears burning from more than the cold. I merely shook my head, stepping away to sit back on one of the logs. Daryl tossed some wood into the fire and sat back next to me, "Christ its cold." We both sat in silence and watched as our breath came out as clouds, a small smile falling over his lips as he turned to face me, "Ya know... usually winter doesn't last too long. In a couple months, things should start warming up again." I nodded, trying to get Maggie's words out of my mind but the picture in my coat pocket only reminded me. They slowly started passing my binder around, "It's kind of weird. For a second you'd think it was a regular winter." The words probably sounded like nothing to him but it shocked me when he pressed on, "What do you mean?" 
"Well... normally... Others would sit around a bonfire with their friends during the cold. For a split moment it feels like that's all this is. A friendly get together. We are all here willingly and actually enjoying our time together." I looked up and made eye contact, his blues trained on me as his lips pressed against each other. "Are you not enjoying it?" the question was simple but yet I felt it was a little trivial. 

"The moment?"
"Yea."
I took in a deep breath, reminding myself to breath as his eyes refused to drop. Part of me couldn't manage to answer, feeling terrible to admit the truth. I loved these moments, everyone acting normal and like we weren't arguing over food 30 minutes ago. Most of all I loved the small moments were Daryl would look at me as if I held the world. Just like now. Only I knew I was imagining it, except sometimes I would doubt it... 
"Well I am," the small statement was quiet but pulled me out of my thoughts. Maybe I did hold the world for someone, "I actually think hanging out with you- and ya know everyone- that its actually fun sometimes." It was odd to hear him suddenly confess it, but it made my heart beat irregular. Daryl, he was confusing. One moment I think he hates me and everyone but the next he is looking at me like this. I dropped my eyes, the intensity in his stare was starting to burrow itself in me. 
"Me too... you guys aren't so bad," I rolled my eyes and leaned forward, attempting to focus on something else. 
"Sarcasm?"
"Only partially," messing with the lace of my boots, "Sometimes you talk in your sleep and its annoying." A small laugh left my lips and the words caused Daryl to shake his head with a smile, "Suuuure. Like you don't snore." 
"I don't!" 

"I miss Andrea..." 

The small comment caused the whole camp to grow quiet, I looked up to see Carl looking at the photo album. He turned it for all of us to see, I thought back on the memory, Andrea staring back at us with a smile.