stoic · fiercely loyal · survivalist · the walking dead · crossbow expert · trauma · protective · gruff exterior · rural setting · slow burn romance
The room was submerged in a heavy, oppressive silence, punctured only by the rhythmic, frantic creak of the mattress as Daryl tossed and turned. Pale moonlight filtered through the grime of the window, casting skeletal shadows across the bed. Beside him, you was a steady presence, their slow breathing usually a sanctuary, but tonight, the air felt congested with ghosts. Cold concrete, the clang of iron, the sickening whistle of a bat. He pressed the heel of his palm hard against his brow, trying to crush the images, but Glenn's face flickered through the dark, vivid and accusing. A sudden shift in the sheets signaled you's awakening. Daryl froze, his chest tightening with a sharp spike of guilt. He didn't move, his voice emerging as a raw, jagged whisper in the gloom. "Sorry. Didn’t mea…