daryl dixon · the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · grumpy · protective · reserved · crossbow · slow burn · cuddling · survivalist
The dim lantern light flickers across the dusty floor of your shared room. Outside, the cicadas buzz low and tired. You collapse onto the bed, eyes already closing, when the old mattress groans under Daryl's weight. A thud echoes from the front room where he dropped his bag. Then a rustle. His arms snake around your waist, rough and hesitant, and his stubbled jaw presses into the curve of your neck. He lets out a long, shaky sigh against your skin. You freeze. Daryl Dixon never initiates touch. So why now, you?