The snow piled in mounds outside along the streets of Alexandria. The cold frosting over the windows and you were thankful for the heat of the burning fire.
You were upstairs in the small attic the house had, rumaging through old boxes. Daryl was somewhere downstairs, doing his own thing.
You had found a strand of christmas lights the other day packed away, the colors still bright once you cleaned off the dust and plugged them in. You wanted to see what other decorations were hidden away.
Christmas was always your favorite holiday; it was the warmth the feeling of the holidays gave in the dead of winter. It was time of joy, love, and family. And even in the world today, you wanted to deck your new home you shared with Daryl in the feeling of Christmas. The remembrance that there still could be joy in dark times, love in all the loss, and that family was what got you through it all.
"Daryl!" You shout loudly so he can hear you, a smile spreading across your lips.
Soon you hear pounding of steps and soon Daryl is standing feet away from you with his crossbow ready.
"What?" He asks concerned, and you realize you had scared him into thinking you were hurt or in trouble.
"You can put your weapon down," You hold back a laugh at your protective redneck. "I need your help."
"With?" Daryl asks, letting out a slightly annoyed sigh at his over reaction.
"This." Pulling off the large sheet you present the Christmas tree you found, beside the boxes filled with twinkling ornaments and lights.
"A tree?" His eyebrows raise in confusion, resting his crossbow over his shoulder as he stares at you dumbfounded.
"A Christmas tree." You correct him smiling with happiness.
"Okay," Daryl draws out the word still confused. "What about a tree do ye need help with?"
"I need you to help me carry the Christmas tree and all the decorations downstairs."
"Why?"
You couldn't believe this man still wasn't following. "I want to decorate for Christmas Daryl."
Grabbing hold of one of the carboard boxes you retreat down the stairs, hearing him following behind.
"Why? Don't matter anymore." Daryl shrugs and you set the box down in the living room.
"It does matter Daryl," Brushing the dust off your hands on your jeans, you walk past him on your way to grab more boxes. "Just because the way the world is how it is now, doesn't mean we can't celebrate."
"Ain't nothing much to celebrate." Daryl comments, chewing on his thumbnail.
Turning around you let out a sigh. It always felt with Daryl like you were the opptimist and he was the pessimist. Sometimes you liked how you balanced each other out, othertimes it drove you mad.
"You know how having fresh flowers in a vase on the kitchen counter in the spring is important to me? Even when you think it's silly knowing they'll die in a few days?"
"Or how I like to scrub the floors clean even knowing they'll get dirty again with your muddy boots?"
Daryl nods, they were things he never understood why you still did or cared about.
"Christmas is like that, it may not mean much anymore in the world we live in today. But it's the feeling it gives. That not everything has changed and that not everything has to be different and less beautiful."
"It means something to me Daryl." Sighing, you shook your head. Glancing outside you realize it's night and you had plans that evening.
"I gotta go," You tell Daryl and walk towards the front door to grab your coat. "I promised I would have dinner with Maggie and Glenn."
"I ain't tryin to make ye feel like ye can't like that stuff."
You smile sadly at him. "I know Daryl, there's just something things you can't understand and that's okay."
You place a soft kiss in his cheek before walking out into the bitter cold.
The dinner was nice, catching up with your friends. You had hoped it would take your mind off your disagreement at home with Daryl, but seeing the couple laughing and on the same page with each other only made you think of him more.
Walking home in the dark and star lit night, you feel bad for blowing things out of proportion with Daryl. He didn't have these things growing, he didn't celebrate Christmas or decorate a tree. So of course he thought it was silly.
Walking up the sidewalk and turning to climb the three porch steps you pause, you stared down at your boots the whole walk home. But as you approached your house, a red glow made you look up.
There, bordering the small white house, was a rainbow of light. Strands of red and green wrapping around the house, glowing brightly in the late evening darkness.
"What?" You whisper to yourself, completely shocked as you climb the steps and open the front door.
You though the lights wrapped around the house was surprising and magical, the inside took it to a whole different level.
The hallway, the entire bottom floor of the house glowed in warmth. All colors flickering together, shinning onto the hardwood and white walls.
The living room as you took your boots and coat off, smelled of pine and cinnamon. A heavenly scent. And the scene in front of you was like a dream.
The tree stood tall in the corner, lights and ornaments adorning it. Strands of lights were hung on the walls and the room looked like a winter wonderland. Something from a fairy tale or a scene in a Christmas movie.
But what made it even more magical and made you wonder if this was all real, was spotting Daryl putting a shimmering gold star on top of the tree.
"Didn't hear ye come in." Daryl's says, slightly startled as he turns to you. And you hadn't even realized there was Christmas music playing from the record player on the shelf.
"You did this?" You whisper astonished and can feel tears burning in your eyes from the sight in front of you.
Daryl nods, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. And slightly embarrassed.
"Ain't all perfect." He points out. And he was right, the tree leaned a little to the right and the lights on the wall hung crookedly. But he was also wrong.
"It is perfect." You tell him and see the ghost of a shy smile on his lips. He looked in a small way, proud of himself.
"I can't believe you did all of this for me." You walk over to Daryl, looking closer at the tree and up into Daryl's blue eyes. The lights in the room reflecting in his eyes.
"Ye said it was important to ye," Daryl tells you softly. "Ye important to me. So I wanted to give ye Christmas."
The tears flowed then, as you wrapped your arms tightly around him. Thanking him over and over not only for the beauty of Christmas but for him.
"Merry Christmas Daryl Dixon." You whisper in his ear, and smile as he kisses your cheek.
You saw it in him that day as he hugged you back and told you that he loved you enough to set up for a holiday that didn't matter much anymore, that his heart grew three sizes that night.
A/N: 😍Little Daryl fluff for you all today, Merry Christmas! 🎄❤Its been a year since I started this one shot book and have loved every minute of it! Merry Christmas!
