Past & Future ( Daryl Dixon x Reader )

Chapter 6

It was easy enough for you to avoid Daryl over the next few days. You were up during the middle of most nights with Mia, who for some reason just wouldn't stop crying lately. You had a sneaking suspicion that she could sense your sudden change in emotion, but there was nothing you could do about that.

You had seen Daryl around the prison, but you made sure to have some kind of excuse to leave the room or cellblock when he'd walk in so you didn't have to talk and doing that killed you. Just seeing Daryl across the courtyard or up in one of the watch towers made your heart break. You missed him. You missed him so damn much that it took everything in you to not give in and run back to him.

It's been three days since you found out that Daryl was at the prison, three days since you had walked away from him and you hadn't so much as said a single word to him since. How could you? He couldn't just expect things to go back to normal, he left. He just left and that's on him, not you. 

You tried to focus on the walkers staring at you through the prison fence. You tried to focus on slamming the end of the metal rod into their brains. You tried to focus on anything other Daryl, who you knew was out in the courtyard cleaning Merle's old motorcycle.

You weren't sure what happened to the older Dixon, but you knew Daryl wouldn't go anywhere without his brother which meant only one thing; Merle was dead. You wondered how it happened, whether it was to a walker or something else, but either way you hoped it was quick and painless. You hoped Daryl didn't have to witness it either, nobody should ever have to witness something like that.

You were so focused on the walkers in front of you, that you didn't even hear Maggie walking up to you until she grabbed your shoulder. You quickly spun around, holding the metal rod up ready to take out the threat causing Maggie to jump back with her hands up.

"Shit, sorry." You apologised lowering the pipe as Maggie chuckled with a friendly smile.

"I'm here to swap with you, Enid said you've been out here since daybreak, go inside and get something to eat and rest." Maggie said, holding her hand out for the metal rod. Your first instinct was to argue with her and say that you were fine, but now that she mentioned it you were actually pretty exhausted and hungry since you skipped breakfast.

"Alright, thanks Maggie." You replied handing her the rod as you glanced at the few walkers still on the other side of the fence before you began walking back towards the courtyard. There were a few people walking around outside enjoying the nice day, others were working in the garden beds and crops in the field.

"Y/N, I know I don't deserve your time, but can we talk?" Daryl's voice called out from behind you somewhere and you sighed just about the reach the prison door as you stopped and turned to face him. He was jogging over to you, tucking his red rag into his back pocket that he was using to clean the bike with.

"No." You simply replied, not trusting yourself to say more than a few words to him as you stared at his pleading eyes and you sighed. You never could say no to him, even before all of this.

"Everything good out here?" Rick suddenly asked, walking out the prison door, his eyes glancing between the two of you with uncertainty before you both nodded. Rick continued walking, occasionally glancing back towards you guys like he was almost worried that you were going to start fighting or something.

"What do you want?" You asked, turning away from Rick to find Daryl now standing a few metres in front of you as he shoved his hands into his pockets nervously.

"I know I screwed up 'n there's no do overs. But I've had a lot of time to think 'bout things 'n I feel like shit for what I did to ya..." Daryl began to say, his eyes casted down at your feet not wanting to look you in the eyes which was probably for the best because you knew once you looked into those crystal blue eyes then you were done for. "Ya deserved better-"