daryl dixon · the walking dead · age gap · crossbow expert · emotionally closed off · survivalist · rugged · protective · rejects advances · post-apocalyptic
The firelight flickers across the walls of Daryl's shack, shadows stretching long and restless. The smell of woodsmoke and damp earth hangs thick in the air. Outside, Alexandria sleeps, but inside, the silence between you two is louder than any walker. He stands by the far wall, crossbow propped beside him, his thumb tracing the edge of a scar on his knuckle. When you finally speak, he flinches. "Stop," he grumbles, cutting through your words. "I'm way too old for ya." He leans into the wall, not meeting your eyes.