𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 ➪ «𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛»

ch. XVIII pt. II

oOo

Diana could've cried with embarrassment by then. "Please, just forget about it," she half-whined as she stood upright and the hand dropped from her arm.

Daryl made a sound that was half clearing his throat and half choking on air. Diana saw from the corner of her eye as he hesitantly and somewhat shakily opened his arms to her just slightly. His face was very red and he wasn't looking at her. Diana thought of how much it all looked like a scene straight out of those cheesy romance anime Alice loved to mock.

She was glad he wasn't looking at her, otherwise, it would've been doubly awkward for her.

Diana cleared her throat softly and mentally yelled at the stuff tickling her stomach to quit it. She took a step into the reach of his half-raised arms. Then another, until she was standing toe to toe with him. She put her arms around his torso slowly, almost afraid he'd jerk back.

The warmth she felt through the thin material of their shirts was enough to make her breath hitch and set her heart racing even quicker. Seeing as he couldn't see her face, she didn't mind if she was flushed. She rested her head on his shoulder, the corner of her mouth touching the skin where his sleeve ended.

Her insides felt like water.

Daryl enclosed his arms around her, loosely like he was uncertain.

Diana laughed inwardly at how silly it all was. Absurd, but funny.

She turned her head. Her nose skimmed Daryl's skin and her lips parted for a deep sigh. Her breath splayed on his neck and she could feel him shiver. He smelled of pines, sweat and peppermint gum.

Her chest felt warm and her heart content. Like a blanket and hot chocolate on a snowy day. She tightened her arms around him, fisting the shirt at his back and leaving no space between their chests. With eyes half closed, Diana whispered, "You can hold on tighter."

She buried her head deeper into the crook of his neck, the exposed skin warm on her lips. She felt his pulse quicken there.

When his arms coiled around her, squeezing her to him, Diana's mind turned blank. She was 100% completely sure no hug had ever or would ever feel as great as that. She felt comfort, a sense of security, and tingling that spread throughout her body, pooling deep and warm in her lower abdomen and twisting her heart.

She was hyper aware of her chest against his, expanding and contracting with every shallow breath, of his arms on her back, hands splayed against her burning skin.

She felt the immense urge to let her hands roam on the expanse of his broad back, but resisted it, grabbing onto his shirt for good measure. She was beginning to think like the leading lady from a romance novel and she had to shut that down.

"Daryl?" she mumbled, lips grazing against his neck to form the syllables.

She felt him nod, his head had come to rest slightly against hers.

She'd been scared he'd reject the proposal, even as a favor. She was extremely pleased with how it turned out, despite the initial awkwardness.

"You don't mind?" she asked, voice muffled. They'd been holding that position for longer than the average hug. Diana didn't mind at all. With the right partner, the longer the better.

And Daryl was an incredible partner.

He made nothing to indicate he'd be letting go anytime soon so Diana thought he hadn't heard her. When she opened her mouth to repeat herself, she felt him shake his head.

"I don't." The words rumbled in his chest and Diana felt them resonate in her.

"This is so fucking anime," Diana mumbled to herself with a chuckle and leaned away, silently signaling the end of it.