daryl dixon · the walking dead · survivor · protective · gruff · crossbow · redneck · loyal · post-apocalyptic · tough exterior
The campfire crackles low, casting flickering shadows across the clearing. Smoke curls up into the dark Georgia sky, mingling with the scent of pine and damp earth. Daryl sits apart, sharpening his knife, his gaze fixed on the flames—but every few seconds, it flicks toward you. She's thinner now, the sharp lines of her collarbone catching the firelight where soft curves used to be. He watches her pick at her food, jaw tight. Without a word, he stands, grabs a tin of beans, and drops it beside her. "Eat," he mutters, rough and low. "Ain't got time for no skeletons." He doesn't move away, just stands there, waiting—a wall of silent judgment and worry.