Daryl Dixon x Reader

Getting to know Daryl

Daryl came to your cell later that night.

"How y' settlin' in?" His gruff voice startled you and your neck snapped round too look at him. You cleared your throat and smiled at him.

"I'm fine, settling in quite nicely I reckon."

Daryl grumbled a reply and stepped into your cell. Perched on the end of your bed, his eyes following you around the room as you place your clothes in the cabinet  by the bed and the photo of your family on top. Daryl picked it up, his rough, worn fingers gently gripping the side of the picture as he examined it.

"This photo 'as takin' a batterin' and a half" He said with a small smile. "Gonna introduce me?"

"This," You take a seat beside him and hover your finger over the woman. " here is my moma, Nancy, the nicest lady you ever could meet." You laugh lightly " Made a wicked apple pie, she did." You move your finger to the man with his arm around your mothers waist " This here is ma daddy, Timothy. He would go to the ends of the earth for us but he was very protective when it came to boys." You say with a smile. "This is my gran, Dorothy and my grandaddy, Jed; from my mothers side. They died before all this happened." Then your hand goes to the little boy sitting on the grass next to a German shepherd. "And here is Doug, most annoying twerp around," You give a sad laugh" was always in some kind of trouble, he'd just bat his eyes and play the innocent card and get away with whatever he'd done. He could of got away with murder if he tried." Daryl nods with a sad, knowing smile.

"And what 'bout him?" He points to the dog and you smirk.

"Well she is called Lulu, didn't think you'd care about the dog."

"Course I do. Wanna know as much as I can." He says still looking at the photo. "Never had a dog ma'self. Didn't deserve on 'parently. Then again I never deserved nothin' as a kid "

"What was your family like?" You said with a smile. Daryl tensed at your question almost feeling each and everyone of his scars sting.

"Don't matter 'bout me. I wanna know more 'bout you" He said dodging your question.

"Well what else is there too know?" You asked him.

"I dunno, things like what you used to do b'fore all this when down, sending Earth's population up shit creak without a paddle. Just y'know the small stuff."

"Well. . ." You though for a while " I used to earn a little money from photography, then I started helping out at the local hospital, y'know stitching patients up and sorting pain killers out, nothing major." Daryl nodded with a smile.

"Good with a katana and medical shit. Y'  'ave anymore tricks up y sleeve? " You smile slightly and shake your head.

"Nope." You tug on your sleeves just to clarify, gaining a chuckle from Daryl " Now come on I've told you about me; your turn."

He shook his head "Y' wouldn't wanna know me if y' knew. hell, I don't wanna know me."

"I would 'wanna know you' come on your the first living person I've met if almost a year. I also owe you my life, back there in that tree yesterday, I was ready to jump into the walkers. You saved me, the least I can do is learn about you. I know we just met but I really do want to know more." Daryl looks at you for a minute then sighs in defeat.

"Jus' so y'know I don't normally tell people this stuff." He warned you "I had a brudder Merle, but a told y' that already.Dumb asshole got im'self handcuffed t' a roof in Atlanta, cut 'is own hand off, never saw him since. My mom she died when I was young, burned the house down in her sleep. My dad, he was an asshole, used t' beat me n' Merle when he was drunk or high, well all the time really. My brudder he left for the army leavin' me alone with 'im so I got double." Daryl fighting back tears, and so were you. "Never had a nice house, never had no friends and never had no girl, No one loves a Dixon." Without thinking you pull him towards you into a hug. He grows rigid in your arms for a while before slowly leaning his forehead on your shoulder and wrapping his arms around your back. You hold him close for a while inhaling his scent before you start to feel your shoulder become damp. Daryl was now crying on your shoulder. 'Great' you thought to yourself ' I broke Daryl Dixon' You stroked his back with one hand and ran the other through his hair.

"I had an abusive boyfriend once," you told him "When all this started, he was with us. We were running and he tripped over twisting his ancle in the process. He was shouting for me to help him and I didn't; I left him. Ran to safety with my family and left him for dead. Never even looked back when I heard his scream. I've regretted it ever since."

Daryl lifted his head up and locked his red puffy eyes on yours

"I'd 'ave done the same" He said quietly.

"You wanna know what I think?" You asked him in an almost silent whisper. He nodded and continued to look at you. "I think this whole thing is good." He looked at you with a confused face, but you carried on " I've lost people, you've lost people, everyone has but with things coming and trying to bite you left right and center you don't have time to stop and think. It forces you to keep running forward. Leaving you hoping and praying at night that the past never catches up. Because I'll tell you what Daryl Dixon, the day the past comes to haunt me, I'm going to crumble." You both looked at each other in silence.

"I won't let y' crumble, (f/n) " He finally spoke up "I ain't gonna let nothin' hurt y' ,  y' safe along as y' with me."

"Same goes for you." You tell him with a forced smile "When I'm around with my katana, the past better kiss its sorry ass goodbye" Daryl smirk and gives a small laugh.

"I think its best I be leavin' now," Daryl said after a few minutes of silents "don't need no one getting suspicious."

"Suspicious? Suspicious of what?"

"I dunno," He smiled "me becoming a sissy or somthin' like that. . . " He stood up and walked towards the cell door before turning around too face you. "Thanks, for listenin' t' me. Not everyone round 'ere cares for rednecks"

"I don't see why not, rednecks they're, they're just people. And don't mention it. You listened to me, so I listened to you. If you ever need to get something off your chest, you know where I am." You walked to him and gave him another hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks" he repeated hovering his fingers to where your lips had just been on his cheek before he walked out leaving you standing there with a giddy, love struck smile on your face.