Between Arrows and Hearts - Daryl Dixon

Watch me work

It had been half a day since the group settled into the house. It wasn't big, but it had a few beds and a small second floor where someone could keep watch. Good enough for a couple nights, maybe longer if they were lucky.

Daryl leaned against the hood of the car, the map spread out between him and Rick. The paper was worn, smudged with dirt, edges frayed from too many hands flipping it over,  folding and unfolding it again.

Rick tapped a finger on a spot near the corner, his brow furrowed. "If we keep heading this way, we might hit a little town. Could be supplies there, maybe a place to stay. But we'll need to be careful. Could be walkers... people."

Daryl grunted in response, his eyes scanning the map but his mind only half on it. They'd had this same conversation too many times, and every time the options seemed thinner, the risks greater.

Rick didn't look much better. Exhaustion clung to him, the weight of Lori's pregnancy pressing harder with each passing day. Seven months in, and time was running short. They needed a real place to settle down, somewhere safe.

"It ain't much of a plan," Rick muttered, straightening up. "But it's all we got."

Daryl nodded. "We'll make do. Gonna use what's left of daylight, see if I can catch somethin'."

Rick gave a quick nod. "Good. T-Dog, Glenn, and Cass are heading to that thrifting store Glenn saw on the way in. Maybe they can grab some jackets or something else we'll need. Cold's gonna ease up soon, but we're not there yet."

As if on cue, T-Dog and Glenn walked out the house grinning at something over their shoulders. Cass followed right behind, her hands moving fast as she talked, bouncing a little on her toes. Whatever she was saying had them laughing, their chuckles carrying in the crisp air.

Cass tucked a wild curl behind her ear, but it slipped loose almost immediately. She didn't notice, or maybe she didn't care. Her smile stayed bright, pulling everyone along with her. She always did that, somehow. Full of energy, with too many questions, too much curiosity, and a stubborn kind of hope. She had this way of making people believe it'd all work out, even when everything screamed otherwise. She never seemed to doubt it, or at least she never let anyone see if she did.

They didn't notice him or Rick standing by the car, too busy talking amongst themselves. Cass laughed happily, nodding at something T-Dog said, then replied with a quick comment that made him laugh again.

Daryl's eyes lingered on her longer than he intended. She adjusted the pink backpack slung over her shoulder —the one with the stupid glowing red heart she refused to ditch— and for a moment, everything else just... slipped away. The map, the plan, even Rick's voice faded into nothing.

How the hell could she look so perfect just standing there? Like she was the only light left in this whole goddamn world.

Rick cleared his throat beside him, snapping Daryl out of it. He stiffened, glancing away from Cass and back to the map, as if it might hold the answer to whatever the hell was wrong with him.

"You okay?" Rick asked, his tone light but with a hint of something else, curiosity, maybe.

Daryl scoffed, grabbing the corner of the map and folding it rough. "Yeah."

He didn't look back, but the sound of the truck rumbling to life told him the trio had taken off. For a moment, the two men stood in silence. Rick took the map in his hands, fiddling with the edges like he was mulling something over. After a few beats, he spoke.

"Cass is really nice." Daryl's gaze snapped up to Rick's. "You two—"

"Ain't like that." Daryl cut him off sharply, his voice defensive. He didn't want to hear whatever the sheriff was about to say.