The Odd One Out ~A Daryl Dixon X Reader~

Chapter 57

I opened my eyes slowly, yawning. It was still dark outside, with a couple stars twinkling up in the before-dawn grey. "Mornin' Daryl." I murmured sleepily, pressing closer to him as the chill from the air outside started to reach inside the blankets we were bundled under.

My side hurt, but I figured I just had pulled a muscle or something. Frost crunched on the blankets and underneath me as I scooted closer to my teddy bear. Yup, winter had finally arrived.

"Mornin', Sunshine." He grunted, his voice still husky from sleep. He pulled me close to him and I snuggled up against him like a kitten. He gently rubbed my back and the chill started to fade away.

"I'll never get used to the cold." I grumbled.

"Probably not." He kissed me.

I flushed and my eyes widened as he pulled away, smiling. "Okay, I-I c-could probably g-get used t-to waking up to th-that though." I stammered, my tongue suddenly all tangled and numb. He smiled softly, but his blue eyes were somewhat sad.

"What time do you think it is?" I yawned.

"Probably the tail end o' six." Daryl leaned down to peck my cheek, but I gently pushed him back by his chest. He pretended to look offended and huffed.

"Alright, alright. You're being way too lovey. What happened, Daryl Crossbow Dixon?" I demanded, puckering my lips. "Not that I mind, of course."

"Don't you remember?"

"Clearly not. Quit beating around the bush."

"(Y/n), you almost died." My heart stopped for a second and I froze. "You got shot in the side."

If I had remembered sooner, I would've thought it had been some nightmare, but I did have fragments of something in my memory. Reds and blacks and pain, and an abstract kaleidoscope of something I didn't understand in the struggle between being awake and unconsciousness.

"Oh," was all that came out.

Daryl took a deep breath and let it out through his nose. "Wanna go watch the sunrise?" He asked suddenly.

"When are you the 'watch the sunrise'y type?"

"Never, let's go." He stood up. He swooped me up in his arms and I let out a tiny squeal and threw my arms around his neck. He smiled wryly at me and maneuvered around lumpy silhouettes on the ground.

We crested a hill as the grey began to get less and less dark, and the stars began to wink out. The frost crunching underneath Daryl's feet was quiet compared to the chorus of birds bellowing in the trees all around us. I grinned in awe as a mockingbird swooped past, flashing the white spot under its wings at us as it made a strange noise that sounded like a cell phone. 

We got to the top of the hill and the horizon opened up before us, dipping down into a patchwork of white and green folds. Daryl plopped me down and sat cross legged next to me. I scooted closer to him and rested my head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

We watched at the first rays of soft, white sunlight began to stream into the grey, and before we knew it a fiery globe of orange was crawling up the sky, casting the sky into a magnificent display of dark purple, pink, red, and yellow-orange. I stared breathtakingly at sight, just amazed by the absolute perfection of it.

"That was amazing." I entwined my fingers with his.

"Yup." He squeezed my hand.

And there, with the birds singing all around us and the sun sitting like a king on his golden throne, we sat in the middle of the crazy world, our fingers entwined, and found one single, solitary moment of peace. I knew something was going to go wrong, someone would get hurt, memories would get back, but for that moment- that serene, perfect, still moment- everything was alright.

And we were the odd ones out, in the world of chaos.

Wow! I'm proud of this chapter. But it seems so much like the ending of the story! *makes a couple strangled, unsure noise* I love you guys.