Asperity - Daryl Dixon

XIII

***Author's note : this chapter happens during the ellipse before they find the prison. They didn't exactly say what happened during this period so I feel like I can write freely here ! Enjoy <3***

~~~

Months after the harrowing events at the farm, the group stumbled upon an abandoned warehouse that seemed inconspicuous to wandering walkers. The air was thick with worry, especially as Lori's pregnancy posed a growing concern, exacerbated by the scarcity of food.

Daryl and Vanessa, taking on the roles of providers, hunted diligently to sustain the group. The struggle for survival had taken its toll, with everyone occasionally going days without a proper meal. One day, as the weight of the situation pressed on them, Daryl turned to Vanessa, "Ya comin' hunting with me ? I think I saw the traces of a rabbit hole."

Vanessa, weakened by the sacrifices she made for Lori, giving her portions to the pregnant woman, nodded in agreement, "Yeah." Together, they ventured towards the woods, their steps weighed down by the uncertainty of their circumstances. Daryl, attempting to gauge Vanessa's well-being, asked, "Ya doin' alright?" Vanessa met his gaze with tired eyes, "Have to."

Daryl sighed, understanding the weight of their predicament, "Yeah... we'll be fine. Just have to wait 'till we find somewhere where we can actually stay." As they walked, Daryl's keen eyes spotted signs on the ground, and he paused, "Look, it's close." Following Vanessa's lead, who ended up learning to track through training alongside the redneck, followed the tracks until she found the burrow. "Dare..." Vanessa's smile, a rare occurrence in their challenging journey, warmed Daryl's heart. "Yeah, we'll eat tonight," he affirmed, a flicker of hope breaking through the shadows of their harsh reality.

~~~

Returning to the group with the rabbits, a collective sigh of relief echoed as the promise of a meal lifted spirits. While the meat cooked, Vanessa joined Glenn, a close friend she had formed a unique bond with over time, the person she could most call her "best friend" second only to her connection with Daryl.

"How's it going between you and Maggie?" Vanessa teased him, a playful smile on her face. Glenn, slightly blushing, responded, "It's going better than I could have ever imagined." Vanessa chuckled and continued teasing, "Ooh, it's crazy love! I often see you two far away alone in the woods, is that—"

Glenn, blushing even more, interrupted her, "Stop! Stop your sentence there!" Vanessa laughed, reveling in her friend's embarrassment. Suddenly, she noticed Glenn's expression shift, "Besides, I think you laugh a lot for someone in your situation..."

"In my... situation ?" Vanessa questioned, her laughter trailing off. Glenn, seizing the opportunity to turn the tables, teased her, "Yes, you know... with Daryl..." Vanessa choked up slightly, capturing the attention of the group, especially the said hunter.

"There's nothing going on between Daryl and me; we're friends, nothing more," Vanessa asserted, trying to regain her composure. Glenn, enjoying the banter, remarked, "Yet the look he's giving you right now seeing you so close to me tells me something else..." Vanessa blushed, glancing at Daryl, who was shooting them a glare that could be interpreted as jealousy. "He's looking at us because he understood that we were talking about him. You're not the most subtle person here, in case you hadn't noticed."

Vanessa readied herself to get up, deciding to join Daryl, seeking refuge from Glenn's teasing. Glenn, unrelenting, continued, "Okay... let's admit that this look is not jealousy. Explain to me your constant proximity, his protective behavior towards you, or the fact that you sleep in the same sleeping bag every night?" Glenn smiled, proud of his observations. Vanessa, slightly flustered, retorted, whispering "We just really get along! And it's cold outside, so... I shouldn't even answer. We're friends, Glenn; it's Daryl we're talking about."

She got up, giving Glenn a playful middle finger and laughing. Glenn, pretending to be hurt, mimicked a bullet hole in his heart. Vanessa, amused by their banter, joined Daryl, sitting beside him in the room, where unspoken bonds continued to weave themselves between them.

~~~

"What was that all about?" Daryl asked casually, attempting to sound nonchalant about the exchange with Glenn. "Just Glenn being Glenn," Vanessa sighed, her mind lingering on her best friend's teasing.

"You two are pretty close, huh?" Daryl inquired quietly, poking at his rabbit. "Yeah, he's really nice, kind of annoying sometimes, but he never has bad intentions." An unsettling feeling prodded Daryl as he wondered why Vanessa held Glenn in such high regard. "Ya sure like him a lot. Isn't he like completely in love with Maggie? He sure looks like a lovesick puppy with her," he remarked, a hint of banter in his voice. Vanessa, sensing something more beneath the surface, teased, "Are you jealous, Mr. Dixon?" Daryl remained silent, offering her a handful of berries instead. "I found these on the way back. Not much, but thought you might like them. You haven't eaten in a couple of days, giving everything to mini Shane over there."

Shifting the subject, Vanessa chuckled, grabbing some berries, "Hey, that's not nice! Imagine if he has Shane's temper; you'll take the blame." Laughter echoed between them, a rare moment of lightness in the grim reality they faced. "Thank you for the berries anyway. That's very nice of you." Daryl, avoiding her gaze, mumbled, "Yeah, well, I didn't want to be woken up in the middle of night by your grumbling belly again." A chuckle escaped him, and Vanessa smiled in return. "You'll have to learn to accept a compliment someday," she said.

Daryl finally met her gaze, almost shy, "Yeah, maybe one day." Rising, he headed to their corner, but after a moment, he turned back and asked, "You comin'?" Vanessa nodded and followed him to their corner, slipping into their sleeping bag, next to him. Daryl, as has become their routine, wrapped his arms around her—one on her hip and the other under her head.

This ritual began on a night when Vanessa had a nightmare about her brother. Daryl had comforted her, and they ended up falling asleep together. It turned out to be the best rest they'd both had in a long time, a gesture that helped shield each other from the weather as much as the cold reality they faced.

As they drifted into sleep, tightly entangled, the day had given them a glimmer of hope for the future—a precious rarity in their harsh reality.