million dollar man | twd

ᴘʟᴇᴜʀɪsʏ ᴀsᴘɪʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ

[ pleurisy aspiration ]

꧁꧂

After changing out of her clothes that were a reminder of her horrible day, Vanessa walked into Daryl's cell, not bothering to knock as she sat next to him on his bed, both of them lying back against the pillows.

"I brought you something," Vanessa said, a hint of mischief in her voice. Daryl glanced at her warily, curiosity piqued.

She pulled out a crinkled bag of jelly beans from her pocket, a nostalgic grin on her face. "I'm pretty sure these are way past their prime, but they're probably still better than nothing. Plus, they're loaded with enough chemicals to be preserved forever."

Daryl scoffed but held out his hand for one anyway. They ate the expired candy in silence as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"I got something for you too," Daryl said, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

Vanessa's eyes lit up with excitement. "I get presents!"

"Don't make me not wanna give it to you" he said, reaching over her as he pulled out a bag from underneath his bed, handing it to her.

Vanessa eagerly opened the bag, her eyes widening in surprise as she pulled out art supplies—sketchbooks, pencils, and various drawing tools. Her breath caught in her throat. "Oh my God, Daryl, these are perfect."

"I noticed you hadn't been drawing much lately," Daryl said softly, watching her reaction. "I figured you might need some new supplies. I grabbed these before Bob got trapped."

Vanessa's eyes filled with gratitude. She set the supplies aside and hugged him tightly. "Thank you."

He hugged her back, a rare softness in his expression. As she pulled away, she smiled at him. "Will you have breakfast with me tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Daryl said with a nod, his tone gentle. "I'll be there."

Vanessa gave him one last appreciative glance before heading to her own bed.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Before she met up with Daryl for breakfast, Vanessa gathered her things and headed to the showers. The showers were in the other cellblock, a small trek from where she was staying, but the luxury of a shower would be worth it. She grabbed a fresh change of clothes and a towel, making her way through the dimly lit corridors.

Turning a corner, she heard a faint shuffling sound. Vanessa tensed, her senses on high alert. Just as she was about to enter, something lunged at her from the shadows. Vanessa, screamed as she stumbled backward, dropping her towel and clothes as she tried to regain her balance. Her eyes widened in horror as she recognized Patrick, now a walker, his once friendly face twisted into a grotesque snarl.