How it was

Sweaters snd Campires

Today was a slow day around the farm and I'm not going to lie... it was nice. Everyone was just doing their everyday chores; laundry, hunting, etc.

Maggie found a bunch of yarn in one of the rooms in their house and asked me if I knew how to crochet. They had hooks and everything. I smiled inwardly at the thought of Daryl possibly catching me participating in such a grandmotherly act.

Crocheting was actually something I had fiddled with as a teenager with one of my high school friends. It was calming to me and helped me relieve myself of all negative energy.

There was this really soft pastel multicolored yarn that I was working on crocheting into a sweater for whenever the colder weather snuck up on us.

Maggie sat beside me, watching me with interest. "I never took you for someone who could do this," she kindly joked.

I chuckled, looking up from the workings of the sweater, "If you didn't peg me as a young grandmother, why did you ask me if I knew how?"

She shrugged, smiling. "It was worth a shot to see." A few seconds of silence had passed before she spoke again.

"Have you talked to Daryl at all?"
My hands froze for a moment as I thought carefully about all of the events from the previous days.

"Is it bad that I might be kind of avoiding him? Well, not so much avoiding per se just... trying to give him and myself some space? I need time to think if this is something I even want to pursue..." I trailed off. Maggie looked at me with a sad expression.

"I understand that but you also deserve to be happy. I mean, look at me and Glenn. Yeah things are a little complicated, but relationships before the apocalypse we're too."

"Yeah but, Maggie, this is a whole new level of complicated..."

She nodded. She knew where I was coming from but she just wanted me to live a more 'in the moment' type of life, that I should build everything in my life from relationships, material things, etc. That I should appreciate being able to gain things and not focus on the what if's.

She was right about that but it was all so much easier said than done.

"He obviously has feelings..."

"You think?"

She looked dubiously at me before saying, "Of course.. Have you seen the way he looks at you when you're not looking? And he cares more for you than anyone else. He even tries to check up on you and ask how you're doing mentally and emotionally. I'd say he darn well loves you at this point, honey."

I felt my face getting hot, as I blushed at the thought of Daryl possibly feeling that way about me. Loving me... that was a stretch... Wasn't it?

I finally decided to call a quits working on sweater for the time being and made my way to the RV. I sat outside of it in the tall grass of the field, with a short stick in hand that I had found and began sharpening it with a knife. I always wanted to make one of these when I was younger but I never got around to it I guess you could say.

Day was slowly transitioning into night and everyone had started gathering around the fire, telling their usual pre-apocalyptic stories. I glanced over to Glenn and Maggie. Could me and Daryl have something like they did?

Speaking of the devil, Daryl positioned himself next to me, sitting Indian-style.

"You okay? You been quiet these past few days..." I shifted awkwardly trying to make up a reason why. Should I just be honest with him?

"I've just had a lot on my mind, lately." He nodded, then placed a hand comfortingly on mine. Butterflies flew everywhere inside my stomach and my hand seemed to feel scorching hot from his touch. He jerked slightly and for a second, I wonder if he felt it, too.

"You know, uh.. if ya ever need to talk to me about anything ya can, right?" His eyes found mine and we stared at each other. It was so easy to get lost in his eyes. They were almost enough to make me forget about this mess we live in now.

I couldn't stop myself from leaning against him, my head against his arm.

"I know, D," I replied, almost in a whisper. His arm was wrapped around me, enveloping me as I leaned on him for support.

"Same goes for you, too." A few moments of silence passed, but it wasn't awkward. It was nice. Everyone else was so focused on their stories, no one paid me and Daryl any attention.

He leaned down and softly kissed the top of my head before whispering something that sounded a lot like I love you..