Daryl's POV
"You're going to have to be more careful dear." Hershel looked over her malnourished body, examining the purple bruises that lined her back.
"She's always clumsy. Got one place set in her mind and forgets about everything else." I spit out, irritated that she lets these things happen so easily.
"That's not true." She defends. She pulls her shirt back down and turns to give me a small glare.
"Sure it's not." I snort. She softly shakes her head with an eye roll.
"You'll be fine. Those bruises will heal within a week or two." Hershel pats his daughters shoulder, giving her a kiss on the top of her head before heading back down the old wooden stairs.
"Ye really should be more careful." I cross my arms, leaning against the banister. Merle snickered from the other side of the room where he was sharpening his knife.
"You tell me this all the time Daryl." She stands and saunters over to her pack in the floor, taking out a thick blanket and laying it flat at her feet.
"And it still doesn't seem to be happening." I take one of my arrows from its quiver and begin sharpening the tip.
"I don't really have time to argue with you. I have to get Charlie to bed." She slides past me and bounces down the stairs, going to retrieve her daughter.
"Got a feisty one there brother." Merle quips as he leans back on his bag as a pillow.
"She ain't mine." I retort. As much as I wanted her to be, she never would.
"Yer a pussy." He places his one hand behind his head and shuts his eyes, smirking happily.
"Shut up Merle." Much like Mel, I didn't have time to argue. There's going to be a big day tomorrow with making sure we get all the essentials for winter.
"But momma, please." Charlie's soft voice bounces up the stairs as she follows her mother, hand in hand.
"No buts, Charlotte. It's time for bed." It still amazed me how she could go from this weapon welding killer to a soft but stern mother.
She sits down on the blanket and pulls Charlie closer to her, starting to braid her long blonde hair.
"Could I at least sleep with aunt Maggie tonight?" She tries instead. She turns with doe eyes as she pleads.
I would have given in instantly with the look she gave her.
Mel sighs before rummaging through her bag once more.
"Take your pajamas down with you. Be good. If you need anything, you know where I am." She hands the little girl an article of pink before bringing her in for a hug. Charlie pulls back and gives her a kiss on the cheek.
"Goodnight momma. I love you." She little arms wrap around her neck in a tight squeeze. Mel rubs her back before she pulls away.
"I love you too sweetie." The little girl smiles a toothy grin before turning around and running straight into my leg. I catch her arm and pull her up by it before her face plants into the floor.
"Easy there squirt. Just like yer momma." I pull her up to my hip as she giggles. "Let's take ye down to Maggie." She swings her legs back and forth as she nods quickly.
I trot down the stairs quickly. She lays her head on my shoulder, and loops her arms around my neck. I turn the corner of the stairs and see Maggie in the corner of the room, fixing up a place to lay for the night. She turns and sees Charlie, a grin appears on her face.
"She say yes?" Maggie skips closer. I feel Charlie's head nod as it lay in the crook of my neck. Maggie claps her hands together and laughs.
"See, I told you she wouldn't say no to that face." She holds her arms open for Charlie to fall into.
"Goodnight Daryl." She kisses my cheek quickly, then falls into Maggie's grasp. The two then begin to have a full discussion about how they are going to stay up late and play card games and tell stories. I shake my head at the two and go back upstairs.
Once I get to the top, I see the Grimes family had joined in, laying out their pillows and blankets. I make sure to avoid a conversation as I slip past them, and to my pack.
At this point Carl, Lori, and Merle were softly snoring. Rick had a flashlight shining down on a map as it was getting more and more dark out. He mumbles to himself before flicking it off and pushing it to the side. He too began snoring shortly after.
The floorboards creaked to the right of me, telling me Mel was still awake. She tossed around again, fixing her covers. A loud sigh escapes her lips and then it's silent. I begin getting comfortable myself when I hear her speak up.
"Daryl?" I hear her softly whisper.
"What?" I grumble behind me. I turn to the side so my back is facing her.
"I can't sleep." She complains shortly.
"And?" My voice holds confusion. She's silent for mere seconds before she takes a breath.
"Never mind."
"What do ye want?" I push. The atmosphere is silent and awkward before she replies.
"Could I sleep next to you? It doesn't feel normal." She shyly explains. It was now my turn to be silent. I was too shocked with the blunt question.
"Yeah." I finally agreed.
Strangely enough she was right. It didn't feel normal. For the past month or two it was all we knew. We only had each other that we knew of, so we stayed close. I guess it became ritual.
She crawls over next to me. I can feel her hot breath on my neck as she faces me. She grabs ahold of the corner of my blanket and throws it over her small fame. She squirms unbelievably closer before relaxing, resulting in the house falling into a comfortable silence.
Melinda's POV
"Ye love him. Don't ye?" I hear Merle's rough voice a few feet away from me. My eyes open, and stare at the man.
"Excuse me?" I scoff. Meanwhile my heart thumps faster than a drum.
"My brother. Ye love him. I can see it." He clarifies. I roll my eyes at his bluntness, pulling the covers closer to my body.
"And what do you know about love? Other than the love of alcohol and drugs that is." I turn over on my spot in the floor, seeing the spot where Daryl was, now empty and cold.
"I know that ye act different around him. And yer sleeping next to him now." He snickers. I could hear the smirk in his voice.
"It's just weird not to. We've been with each other for months now. I can't sleep right if I'm not next to him." I meekly spit. It probably wasn't defending my case.
"I won't tell him." He mumbles. He shifts lightly on his feet above me.
"Just tell me if I'm right. Do ye love him?" He ask again. I lick my chapped lips before softly nodding.
"I do." I whisper. A weight seemed to be lifted off of my shoulders once I had finally admitted it out loud, once I had told someone.I hear the floor boards creak as he turns on his feet and walks away. I turn to watch his back as he disappears down the stairs. I let out a small puff of air as the light hits my face.
I sit up from the floor and rummage through my bag, searching for a new outfit to challenge the day in.
A/N
Alright I know this isn't much but a lot is about to go down in the next few chapters. I have them planned out. This was like a stepping stone, I had to write it so we could get to what happens next. *smirks*
Thoughts and comments are appreciated. Thanks
-Melinda
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Farmer's Daughter (Daryl Dixon Love Story)
Fanfic"Why are you doing this?" I grab his arm before he storms out the house, but he just shakes me off and keeps walking. "Daryl!" I scream before he can step off the tiny porch. He turns abruptly and storms back over to me. "What?! What do ye want from...