It's interesting how the mind works; how your five senses go hand in hand and create links to familiar emotions.
For instance; how his scent of deep cigarette smoke and of long days sweat can have such a calming effect on your body. How the sound of his low southern accent fills you with a sense of warmth. The way his words; no matter how little he says makes you feel like you're cuddled in a warm blanket drinking steaming tea. Something warming and comforting.
The way his rough and calloused hands caress your body in a way that makes you feel safer than you'd ever felt before. Tender touches and mighty movements coming from a man like him, causing you to not be able to help feeling special. Chosen.
The way your eyes follow him whenever you see him; even for a split second as he crosses the room. Your eyes are instantly drawn to his; like a magnet.
How his lips taste deeply of nicotine, but of also something sweeter. Honey almost, something mellow and simple.
All of those things combined in you becoming completely and undeniably addicted to Daryl Dixon.
It only stared about a month ago; the secret yet passionate nights you'd spend together once a week. In the guard tower, or in your cell room towards the end of the hall.
It was one of those events that just happened, every thing lined up and put in place for it to happen. And to continue to happen.
You never spoke of it during the day though. Never a smirk or a suggestive glimmer in your eye. It was a secret you both kept, and for some reason you took comfort in knowing that your complicated relationship with Daryl Dixon was only known to you.
You never made plans with him to do it, never suggesting where to go next to enduldge in a night of passion and release. Somehow, on those nights, you just found each other.
And soon clothes were shed, kisses were given, and the passionate act of two people was performed.
It wasn't strictly no strings attatched; you knew the day would come when you would have to discuss with him what this all meant. The weekly meet ups and several rounds spent getting closer to each other.
But something in you wanted to keep it-- for now-- simple. Easy. Keeping it the way it was; knowing what this was... The surface of all of this anyway.
Night soon fell over the prison, and you hadn't seen Daryl all day. To be fair, you hadn't seen anyone all day.
You locked yourself away in your cell, sobbing over the recent loss of your only family member who was left. Now you were alone; and that feeling was more painful than any stab or gunshot. This one ate you from the inside out.
Huddled in the corner of your bed, leaning your side against the cold wall as you sit on the mattress, a dark wool blanket clings to your body. A sheet was hung up covering the doorway, something most of you did for that little bit of privacy.
Only Maggie and Carol stopped by today, dropping by food that you didn't eat and trying to see if you were okay... Which you weren't.
So when the faded pattern sheet was slowly pulled back late at night, this caused you to lift your head.
And standing there in the very low light of the moon from the window across the hall, was Daryl Dixon.
His shoulders slouched lightly, but he still stood tall. Dressed in the same vest that graced him with wings of an angel, he stood silent in the doorway. Before walking slowly over to your bed, causing the mattress to dip from his weight as he sits on the edge.
Your soft sniffles filled the silent room before he spoke up. "Ye holdin up?"
His voice was deep and rough like gravel, but the southern in his voice had a way of softening it.
You shrug, something barely able to be seen in the dark and under the blanket covering you.
"Ye ain't got ta be," He tells you, looking at his feet instead of you. "people tellin ya ye gotta move on, git over it. But takes time, when it's someone ye know your whole life."
It was probably the most Daryl ever spoke to you, and it surprised you. The sense of raw emotion that laced his words.
"You want to.." You pause letting the blanket slide down slowly. A wave of cold air hitting your arms as the t-shirt you wear isn't very warm.
Daryl looks up at you then, his eyebrows bending slightly in confusion.
"Ain't here for that." He tells you clear yet kindly.
"Then why are you here?" You ask, pulling the blanket back up warming you up again.
Daryl snorts under his breath, shaking his head. "Jus makin sure ye okay, I guess."
You look at him for a moment, before breaking in front of him. Something you hadn't planned.
"I'm alone now," You voice cracks as tears flood your eyes. "and I don't know how to get used to that feeling."
Licking your dry lips, you wipe the tears off your cheeks. Feeling them sting your skin as they fall.
"She's gone and I--"
Suddenly, Daryl's hand reaches out and rests softly on your knee. His touch; even under the layer of clothes and blanket... Makes your heart skip a beat. Something setting a small fire in your chest.
"I know how it feels." Slowly he speaks, each word something hard for him to say outloud.
"Ta lose that last person," Looking up, locking his deep blue eyes with yours he continues. "feelin like you ain't got no one."
Letting a small sob slip past your lips, you watch him look at you with care and compassion, and with something resembling love.
"You think you're alone in this world," Daryl says, moving closer to you. Inches away now, so close you can feel the heat radiating off him. "but you ain't."
Heavy sobs push their way out of you; and with each crashing wave the ability to breathe becomes harder.
"Can you..." You know he can barely understand you, as you try to talk through the loud cries. "can you just hold me?"
Not a second later, his arms are wrapped tightly around you. Pulling your shaking body in to his lap, letting you cry into his chest.
And that scent of him; once again engulfs you in comfort.
"I'm here." He whispers the words so lightly you wonder if you imagine them, but something that tugs at your heart tells you they're real.
"Always gonna be here."
A/N: I love this one! Daryl😍 I swear I fall more and more in love with the man the more I write!
