The new morning sun peaked in through the thin linen drapes covering the window in soft rays. Spilling across the hardwood floors in pools of pale light. As your eyes adjust slowly to the newfound light, you watch as the sun dances across the far wall. The shadows fluttering in gentle movements against the plain painted wall.
The sun warms you as its rays touch the sheets that wrap around your body. The heat soaking straight into the cotton until the light touches your skin.
The bedroom is quiet; the only sound coming from the breeze blowing through the tree branches outside the window. And the soft sound of breathing that comes from the man laying beside you in the warm bed.
Turning gently on your side, resting your hands beneath your head, you face his figure. The sunlight bathes him in a soft orange hue, making his tan skin seem to glow. His long dark hair spreads across the pillow case in ripples of deep brown. And his bold blue eyes are shut tightly, but you watch as his dark lashes flutter softly with his dreams running wild.
Burns from the sun's harsh rays coat his ears and parts of his cheeks in red, but most the long days light left behind was sun kissed skin. Wrinkles threaten his golden tanned skin, but to you they speak of the years you've had with him. Not age or growing older, but all of the time you've been able to lay here beside him.
As he sleeps, his age fades. The stress and pain that plagues this strong man disappearing as sleep overcomes his body. And in doing so, it's as if the clock was turned a few years back.
You knew the moment you met him years ago, that the age difference stood tall. He was older than you in every way possible. But it left you completely unfazed. Age didn't amount to anything it seemed in the world you lived in now. You loved him... That was all that mattered.
His left arm grips the pillow his head rests on slightly, and his back is on full view as he lays on his stomach. It took time for him to finally find comfort in sleeping beside you and allow himself to surrender completely when sleep found him. He would worry about turning over in his sleep and exposing his scars. It took the longest time to get him to sleep in less clothing because of his worry. But you were patient with him, and one day his fears seemed to hold no depth to him anymore. And it was that night you knew he trusted you.
He didn't have to tell you about the scars that marred his back, the slashes across his flesh that with time still plagued his body. And he didn't have to. Although questions swirled in your mind, you never pressured him to tell you anything he didn't want to. It wasn't your past to relive. But with time, he slowly let little by little seep out.
He hated his scars; as anyone reasonably would. But you didn't.
There was a beauty to them.
The way he got them was filled with darkness and a cruelness you tried not to imagine. They spoke of a time you know still sticks with him, a memory burned into his flesh. But when you see past the initial emotional burden those scars hold... You see bravery. You see a survivor. You see a fighter... The fighter you love today. The fighter that is Daryl Dixon.
Reaching your right hand out slowly, the very tips of your fingers gently touch his warm skin. His shoulder smooth and hot beneath your careful touch. And slowly, your fingertips trail further down his skin. Down his back hesitantly in an effort not to wake him.
Your fingers trace the gashes that have scarred over his back, the marks that he carries with him on the daily. They are stiff beneath your tender caress and there's something about them that makes goosebumps arise on your skin.
"What are ye doin?"
His low rumble of a voice startles you. Your hand instantly retreats and you watch as his eyes open very slowly. Adjusting to the sunlight flooding in just as you had.
"Nothing." You whisper softly and watch the edges of his lips twitch as he wakes up slowly.
"Liar." Daryl counters with a soft teasing tone trailing in his voice. And the word makes a smile float across your own lips.
"Nothing bad," You say, adding to your first answer. "I promise."
Slowly, his eyes open all the way and you are blinded with a deep shade of blue. One that rushes over you, trapping you beneath it's tide. But something about him still gives you air to breathe as his eyes threaten to drown you.
Your eyes are pulled away from his as you spot his hands rustling to pull the sheets up in order to cover up his bare back. But with a swift movement of your own, you stop him.
Resting your hand on top of his that clutches the white cotten sheets, you stall him. "Don't."
Daryl's eyebrows furrow softly and he faintly shakes his head at you. "Don't need ye seein 'em."
You know he's talking about his scars, but its too late. You've seen them. You've traced them. You've embraced them because they are a part of him... And you want every part of him.
"Why?"
"Don't need that image in your mind." Daryl responds softly and your hand moves off of his to cup his cheek gently.
"I don't care Daryl."
And with a single movement, you sit up in the bed. And swinging your right leg over his body, you soon straddle his waist.
"I don't care about having the sight of your scars in my mind Daryl. I don't care about holding that burden around with you. I want to see them. I don't want you to hide away from me."
Bending down slowly, you tenderly kiss one of the many long scars that run across his spine. Feeling the warmth of his skin instantly against your lips. You feel as he tenses beneath your unexpected touch, but as your lips move to kiss another scar, his back loosens. His entire body relaxes into the feel of your hold on him.
"I know you think they make you ugly," You whisper softly against his flesh. "But you're not."
"I think you're beautiful." You tell him before kissing another scar across his ribs.
His skin wasn't flawless... It held imperfections. But you loved them. Every single flaw that graced this man. You loved him whether he was perfect or not. You loved the man beneath everything that covered him.
To you... He was a beautiful angel.
A/N: I really like this one! The moment I listened to the song Beautiful by Bazzi I thought of this one shot. I hope you liked it!💛
