𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒍𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 ➪ «𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑦𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑥𝑜𝑛»

ch. XXIX pt. II

oOo

She absentmindedly watched the two men divide the fire weapons equally among them, and Rick showing which ammo went in which gun.

Diana nodded to herself, satisfied, no bloodshed, no lives lost. Today was a good day, despite Merle's disappearance, and well, the lecture Diana knew she would receive when she got back to camp. She swallowed hard and felt her stomach turn; she was not looking forward to that.

She was startled back into focus by Daryl, his hand on her shoulder as he gestured with his head that they were leaving.

Diana had to go say goodbye to the dogs before leaving, the temptation to just snatch one out with her was too great, and she had to almost be physically forced to walk away.

At the door on the way out, Guillermo stopped them and thanked them once more, in his own prideful way, and he turned to Diana with a final offer, "We don't have much but we have each other. And I'd have you, if you'd have me. No he sentido el tacto de una mujer desde hace una eternidad and I've never seen anyone like you."

Diana blushed to the tips of her ears and looked away from Guillermo's sensuous and intense dark brown gaze. Goddamn him for being Diana's type.

"Uhm, I- uh, I'm just-, I think you're just saying that 'cause you haven't seen another woman in a while 'cause, really, I'm just like everyone else."

She felt flattered at his words, but disliked being put on a pedestal; she was not something special apart from the rest of humanity, everyone was like everyone else in the sense that they all differed from one another. As corny as it sounded, it could almost be said that every person was their own different snowflake, and she was just another one.

Gah, that sounded so clichéd, Diana could almost cringe.

"But the other thing," she murmured, "I think... I think I can do something about it."

She climbed up the steps to Guillermo, heart beating fast in anticipated embarrassment, and stopped on the one below him. She rested her palm against his stubbled cheek and brought his face down while rising on the tips of her toes. She planted her lips against his other cheek in a gentle and innocent peck, the hairs on his face scratching the soft skin of her lips.

Leaning away, Diana whispered, "I wish you a long life." What else could she say that was relevant? "Without many struggles but tons of love. You don't really need me, but I have people who do, and they're waiting for me right now. You have people who need you, too. Cherish that. That's a gift."

Guillermo's brow was furrowed as he appraised her, his eyes searching her face. Then he held her by the back of her head and Diana was struck with the sudden fear that he would kiss her, but his lips connected with her forehead instead.

He moved away, but his hand stayed. He stared hard at her and then said, "Go," with a heavy voice that felt like less of an order and more of a plea.

Diana nodded, flustered and relieved, and trotted down the stairs back to her awaiting group. When she looked back up, the door was closed.

"What was all that about?" Daryl asked harshly, breaking the silence as they walked away.

"That looked straight out of a Spanish soap opera," Glenn commented in amusement.

"I don't know. I was just being nice." Diana shrugged, downplaying how affected she'd been by Guillermo's words and Guillermo himself.

She had always been insecure about herself, personality as well as looks, always thinking her brain must've been wired wrong and that God had played a cruel prank when putting together her parts, all of that backed up by years of self-esteem issues originating from the discrimination of adults and the harshness of teenage boys and girls. And Guillermo's apparent attraction to her astounded her.