Worlds of Thought

chapter 10

The three girls stood awkwardly in front of the two men. Michonne opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Daryl standing and brushing past them abruptly.

"Daryl wait! we're sorry!" Tara started to follow him.

"let him go its okay." Paul stood," he'll be okay, he wasn't quite ready for everyone to see, well, this. He thinks you guys will see him differently."

"see him differently? no one sees me differently, or Eric and Aaron." Tara said. "We didn't even think anything would happen, we only asked enid what was up with you two because during the meeting Daryl couldn't keep his eyes of you. If anything we thought Daryl hated you." She sighed.

"Guess i owe Daryl an apology then..." Enid looked at her feet.

"i think ill go talk to him in a bit, by myself. I uh, i know what its like feeling outed." Tara looked at Enid and everyone nodded.

"well hopefully you can get him to come to dinner, it'll be starting soon" Paul looked at Tara.

"man, we havent all had a dinner together in ages." Michonne smiled.

"alright well, im gonna go find him before he escapes out the gates." Tara turned and jogged away.

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Daryls legs danged off the Attic balcony of the Barrington house. He wasnt mad at Enid, or the other girls, he knew the only reason they would spy was because they genuinely wanted to know what was goin on. He'd wish people would stop pushing their nose in places it doesnt belong though. Everything was moving so fast. When Maggie and... Glenn.. started dating they had to be secretive because of Hershel finding out, but were soon so open with it. Daryl didn't know if he'd ever be comfortable being so, relationshippy with Paul out in the open like that, not hidden behind walls. He heard footsteps behind him but didint bother to look who it was, he didnt care.

Tara sat down next to him, letting her feet dangle too.

"took me forever to find you....none of us think of you differently." She paused, "who knows?"

"maggie, sasha, Enid, Michonne and you. Too damn many and y'all all happen to be gossipin girls." He grumbled.

"im sorry. Being.. outed sucks. I've been there." Daryl looked up at Tara and cocked a brow, "when i had my first girlfriend in highschool, my sister found out and told my family at the dinner table one night. Luckily they all came around but. Being pushed into a world you arent ready for is hard." There was a long pause before Daryl spoke up,

"I aint got a clue what im doin, aint got a clue how to tell rick." He shook his head.

"you'll figure it out, when the time is right." She smiled at him.

"m afraid we dont got a lot of time."
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Tara and Daryl reached the bottom of the stairs in the foyer of the Barrington house, heading into the office where everyone was set up, scattered around eating from paper plates.

"hey you two come eat!" Maggie looked up from her spot on the couch next to Paul, motioning to the assortment of foods on the office desk. They got their food and settled, Daryl up against the wall next to Pauls side of the couch. Although the family was incomplete, it reminded him of their first days in Alexandria and sitting around in the living room of the house. It made him happy seeing the people he loved laugh and smile.

And just like every gathering, he left early to go back to his trailer, but stopping to actually say small good nights to people.

When he got to the trailer he went straight to shower. Looking in the mirror he was he was still wearing the crown Paul made him, a few flowers all shriveled up already. He'd noticed Paul had still been wearing his too. He couldnt help but to laugh a little.