Worlds of Thought

Chapter 7

The next morning Daryl woke up with nervousness weighing in his stomach. How would their feelings for each other effect their daily routine and most importantly, friendship?
He got out of bed much later than usual and decided to actually shower.

He looked at himself in the mirror, eyes deep and tired. His body littered with scrapes and scars. Daryl sighed, this was only what his front looked like, he didn't want to think about all the added marks in his back. He shook his head, what if Paul wanted to get intimate? how would he be able to do that without revealing his traumatic past? He hadn't even told Paul about what happened at the Saviors compound. His head was filled with more questions than answers.

After getting dressed Daryl rummaged around the kitchen, finding something to eat. Settling for an apple he sprawled out on the sofa, thinking about what he would do today. The door to Paul's room revealing a very groggy and messy haired Paul.

"good morning Daryl, surprised you're still here." He yawed and stretched his arms.

"mornin, just wanted to wait until you woke up. Thinkin bout goin hunting before training, you wanna come?" He had finished his apple and was fidgeting with the core.

"yeah. Of course!"He walked over and shoved Daryls legs off the sofa so he could sit down. He settled cross legged next to him and ate a piece of left over corn bread. He sat close enough that their legs touched, Daryl liked the closeness.

"im surprised you would ask me to come, usually that's you're little escape." Paul looked over at him, and Daryl just stared back through his bangs, he was so cute in the morning.

"what?" Paul said through a full mouth.

Daryl grunted," nothin." and blushed.

"oh you and your mumbling and blushing." paul teased.

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"you better be damn quiet if yer coming with me." The gate closed behind them.

"yeah yeah i'm good at being sneaky." Paul boasted. "im a ninja remeber?"

"a loud mouthed one." Daryl smirked.

"you love me though." paul nudged Daryl wth this shoulder. He returned the nudge with a playful shove, to which paul pushed back and laughed. Daryl shoved paul again, a little too hard making him land on his ass in the dirt. daryl burst laughing. A genuine laugh.

"oh ha ha daryl." Paul scolded him with a smirk and held his hand out so daryl could help him up. Daryl pulled up back to his feet, but didn't let go of paul's hand. they stood there, hand in hand until the snarl of a walker could be heard in the distance.

"we should move." Daryl started walking only he didn't let go of paul's hand, and they scurried through the trees. It was a while until Daryl found any kind of animal track, and he has let go of paul's hand to grab his crossbow.

All tracks led to be unsuccessful and they decided to start back to the community.

"so i never asked what you did before a this." Paul looked at daryl.

"i didn't do shit, i was jus some dirtbag following my brother merle around, he's uh, he's gone now though." He tried avoiding any other details of his childhood.

"what was merle like?"
Daryl snorted.

"He was a douche. Racist sexist and homophobic, the whole package. Never would have had the balls to tell him i wasn't straight. But he was only one i really had m whole life, y know? he was my brother." daryl sighed and looked up at Paul. "what about you? what did you do?"