𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 // 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘺𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘹𝘰𝘯

Ｋｎｏｔｓ

The only thing my dad taught me that I actually value was how to tie a knot. At the young age of 9, I had no clue why the man that spent very little time with me, was taking time out of my Barbies just to teach me how to knot some rope together.

He said it was a very important lesson to learn and I'd use it one day. And I had told him that Barbie was just about to go on a date with Ken so I needed him to hurry. Either way, he taught me and I sort of listened. It felt nice to be doing something with him, something besides yelling or crying.

The harsh material of the rope scratches against my burnt skin. I watch as my fingers work quickly, not even thinking as I do just as he taught me.

I remember how confused my mom was when she walked into the living room and I screamed, jumping up and down, thrashing rope in her face.

"Ya almost done?"

I jump at his voice, turning around slightly to look at him over my shoulder. I catch a glimpse of the blisters lining the exposed skin and shudder.

His eyebrows raise as he walks towards me, his big boots thumping against the dead grass. "Yur blisterin pretty bad." He mumbles, stretching a shaky finger towards me like I'm a sketchy dog.

I fake a growl, lurching myself towards him while he retreats away, shaking his head with a smirk on his dirty face. I swear I've never seen Daryl clean.

"It's not too bad, I've had worse."

Now Daryl's eyebrows really raise, "worse than that?" I nod, looking back at the blisters than him. He looks at my shoulder in disgust and I giggle, sitting up slightly.

"I'll be fine" I swat his hand away as I get up, looking at my master piece. Rick put me on perimeter duty and I'm pretty proud of myself.

Rope is knotted tightly around trees, tripping anything non human. As well little bells Carl found for Judith, though she doesn't like them.

"Ya did pretty good" Daryl slowly wraps his arm around my shoulder. I can feel the blush already creeping on my face, I don't think he'll ever be able to stop making me nervous.

But I play it off, gasping in shock, I look up at him with wide eyes. "Is Daryl Dixon complimenting me?" Putting a hand to my chest, Daryl chuckles, shaking his head.

"Ya can't joke like that anymore" he says, looking down at me with hazy eyes.

"Why's that?" I take a step closer, his hand dropping from my shoulder to find my waist.

"I compliment ya too much now"

I roll my eyes, getting closer. We're chest to chest now, smiles on both of our faces. We're sick. "Ugh I know, if only you could hate me again" I giggle, planting my lips on his.

He stands still at first until I pull away in which he pulls me back in quickly, placing a kiss first on my lips then on my cheek, then forehead.

"Never hated ya" he mumbles, a blush also on his sun kissed face.

I push him by his shoulder, stepping past him.

I can still feel his eyes on me as I walk towards the group, Carol smirks, walking towards me.

"What's that for?" I point towards her face and she pushes my finger away, shrugging her shoulders with a laugh.

Stepping away from everyone as they work on different tasks, Carol leans her back against a tree, the grey t-shirt she's wearing becoming a slight red colour. I can't even comment on her odour, I know I'm no better.

"It's nice seeing you too all happy." Carol smiles, staring at Daryl in the distance before making eye contact with me again. "We haven't really had a chance to talk lately, things have been happening so quickly" she sighs. Running a hand over her jean covered thighs, I notice the slight shake. Something isn't right.