𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔽𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 | Daryl Dixon

41 | OUR OWN WORLD

The past month had been different from all the others that she'd lived through since that first broadcast on the TV, where the news of 'cannibalism' as the reports called it, were first playing on the screen in her front room. She remembered hearing about the unfathomable phenomenon, almost laughing at the television, scoffing at the mere suggestion that what they were saying was possible.

It was only days later – less than one hundred hours after that very first news report, that it all went to shit. After that, it was driving through fire, running through the streets that hummed only with crowds of the dead. It was never going anywhere without a knife clipped to her belt, never letting her guard down, never sleeping too deeply in case something snuck up on her in the dark.

For the best part of a year, that was her life. Running and fighting her way through the life she was burdened with living. But ever since that faithful day four weeks ago, when the war with Woodbury's leader came to its end, she could finally stop and catch her breath. Learning to walk rather than run. Learning to rest without fear when she was behind those fences.

Or even now, miles away from the home she'd grown to care for deeply, she didn't feel the need to panic, or run, or fight her way through anything. Everything she was feeling, right in this moment, was how being happy was supposed to feel. And she let herself feel it to the max, with him right there with her.

The crossbow was a heavy weight is her arms, but his hands holding up her elbows while he stood behind her made it feel lighter. His chest was lightly pressed against her back, and his temple was almost touching her own as he crouched, trying to get in the same eyeline as her, helping her to aim.

"You got it?" he asked softly.

Tori bit her bottom lip with a small smile. "Think so."

"Alright, I'm gonna let go, then you shoot when you're ready," Daryl replied. Tori hummed with a nod.

He gave her cheek a little kiss before he took a step back, his eyes glued to her, raking over her posture. He couldn't help the way his gaze travelled down just a bit too far to be deemed appropriate, eyes lingering on the way her jeans hugged her hips, her round behind, before he snapped out of it, clearing his throat to actually pay attention to what she was doing.

The moment he wasn't touching her, the crossbow made her arms sag a little before she pushed them back up, taking aim on her own. Her eyes were on the target he'd carved into the tree fifteen feet away from where she stood, feet planted to the ground. She closed one eye, focussing through the small scope as she took a deep breath in, pulling the trigger as she exhaled.

The bolt flew through the air with a thwang, and landed in the bark target, only a little off centre.

"No shit, I actually hit it!" Tori laughed, turning around to look at Daryl. "You see that?"

His eyes went from the target on the tree to the adorable smile his girl was dawning. His girl. He still couldn't believe his luck, getting to look at the brunette angel every day, and call her his. he didn't know what he had done to deserve her, but he wasn't going to question it. She was with him, and he was completely devoted to her in return, taking every day as it came. 

His bottom lip caught between his teeth as he nodded slowly. "Yeah, I saw it," he said quietly, his tone low.

"Oh," Tori smirked. She placed the crossbow down with her rucksack on the ground, standing before Daryl, placing her hands on his chest. "Is someone grumpy because I got the hit first time?"

"Grumpy ain't the word I'd use," Daryl mumbled, his hands reaching for her hips, tugging her closer.

"No?" She couldn't contain her grin leaning up on her tiptoes, pressing a small kiss to his jawline. "What word would you use, Daryl?"