Hell's coming with me | Daryl Dixon x male oc

0.2 Hope is not a plan

Sleepless night seemed to stretch in time for Kai. After two hours of blank staring into the top of the tent, the man has decided to make use of his insomnia and do something useful. He went out, getting on top of the RV to help Dale with guarding their camp.

"Can't sleep?" Older man asked, earning a nod as an answer. "Want some more tea?" Dale looked at Kai with a soft grin on his face.

"Nah, I'm good." Kai said, but this time his voice wasn't so washed out of emotions. A gentle grin appeared on his face.

"Do you want to talk about something?"

"Not really..." Kai said with surprisingly soft tone. Dale appreciated that sudden change, although he didn't ask for the reasons behind it.

"Are you okay with listening then?" Another nod got sent towards grey – headed man.

"You know, I bought this RV for me and my wife." He began to speak, still carefully watching their surroundings. "We didn't have any children, although we really wanted to, so we chose to travel. When I was about to finish the work on the truck, she got sick. A third degree cancer, spreading trough the organs extremely fast. She died not so long after the diagnose. We couldn't really try out how it is to travel with our RV." Man's voice was still calm, even though he was talking about such a heavy topic."But now... Now I kind of feel it's better that she's not here anymore. This new world would be too harsh for her."

"Just like it is for most people here." Kai added quietly, being followed by Dale's heavy sigh. "You know it's true. Most of them will be gone soon. I'll be gone soon."

"Don't you think a bit of hope could work well for you?" Old man tried to change Kai's view. Even if he agreed with him, he would never admit to it out loud.

"Hope is a mother of fools. I am no fool and I'll die sooner or later. Same goes with you." He spat out.

"What an optimistic spirit, I love it." Dale joked, somehow earning a fade smile from Kai. He really didn't want the man to think that way. Even now, life was too precious to think of it as something what is already gone. He will make sure Kai will understand and believe it someday.

***

A loud scream cut through the forest. Everyone who heard it immediately got on their feet, running towards the noise.

"Carl! Sophia!" Lori shouted for the kids as soon as they stepped into the horrifying scene. A lonely walker was kneeling in front of a dead deer. The animal was wounded by few arrows, giving Kai a hint of the person who just stepped out of the woods.

"Son of a bitch, that was my deer!" Daryl swore as soon as he realized what happened to his prey. Other men took care of the walker, as younger Dixon examined the wounded animal. "Maybe we can cut it around?" He asked with hope. Kai could feel the lump forming in his throat.

Daryl didn't know about Merle yet and he had no heart to be the one to tell him. Although he needed to do so, no matter what others said.

His relationship with younger Dixon was slightly different from any other he happened to experience. They actually cared for each other much more than people would assume. Always had each other's back no matter what shit they would get into.

Kai was well aware of how he felt towards Daryl. He knew it wasn't just a friendship, and even several beatings from his already suspicious stepfather couldn't change his mind. Young Dixon was something different, but he will never know about it. At least that's what Kai has promised himself as soon as he found out about his feelings towards the older.

"Daryl..." Kai called for his friend immediately earning his attention.

"Something's wrong? You don't need to eat it if you don't want to. I got you some squirrels." Heavy breath left younger man's mouth as he realized how unaware the hunter was.