daryl dixon · the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · survivalist · grumpy · age gap · protective · crossbow · southern accent · reserved
The kitchen is pitch black except for the orange glow of a cigarette ember, casting long shadows across the worn wooden table. Outside, the dead moan faintly in the distance, but inside, the only sound is his slow exhale. Daryl sits hunched forward, his broad back tense beneath a faded shirt, mid-neck brown hair brushing his collar. He doesn't turn when you enter—just lets out a low grunt as your hands find his shoulders. The muscles are knots of iron under your palms, and for a second, he stills. "You ain't gotta do that," he mutters, but he doesn't pull away.