#glenn is straight up like he probably went and killed someone at the end of the episode

[dennisboobs]

gang broke dee is already insane to me but the commentary track for it has several moments that are additionally like. why would you say that glenn. how could you say that and just expect me to be normal.

[twdeadfanfic]

Feral Pt.6

Daryl Dixon x OC

Summary:  Daryl is on a run with Rick when, in a warehouse, they find a woman who attacks them, and who reminds Daryl to a lioness…or a feral cat, and who doesn’t seem to trust anyone, including them, but Daryl finds himself going back to the warehouse, trying to get that feral to go with him to the prison, and to earn her trust.

Chapter 6/10 Words: 4095

You can find my other fics in my masterlist.

Last chapter…Daryl helped Dana to wash and cut her hair, and she made progress trying to make friends, and she started going on runs...

“Told you I’m fine…” Michonne grumbled, sat down on a bed, half lying against some pillows. while Rick, Daryl, and Dana looked at her.

She had come back riding that day, with some bruises and a sprained ankle. Apparently, for what she’d said, she had been on her way to check a residential area, when she’d been surprised by a group of walkers that scared the horse, and she’d fallen down, spraining her ankle. Somehow, the horse had not run away, loyal to Michonne, and she’d managed to limp and get back on the horse before walkers could reach her, putting down some with her katana from the horse before riding away, and she’d managed to get back to the prison.

“You could have died,” Rick said, stern. “What were you thinking?”

“If I hadn’t fallen on my ankle I’d have put down every walker there without a problem.” Michonne scoffed. “No, don’t look at me like that, like you don’t do stuff like that all the time, you both.” She waved at Rick and Daryl. “Also, you.” She nodded at Dana, though she hadn’t said anything.

“You gotta be more careful, though,” Daryl said, he was scared thinking how close Michonne had been to dying. “This goin’ out alone, being out for days on your own, ain’t safe.”

Michonne rolled her eyes. “Yes, because before you found Dana, you never went out alone and never put down groups of walkers on your own.” She had a point, but it didn’t mean that Daryl wasn’t worried about her.

“Daryl’s right,” Rick said. “We have a home, a safe place, and we need people here helping around, we need you here, and on runs, working together. Your home is here with us, you don’t need to be outside on your own anymore.”

“You know I have to…” Michonne said quietly, looking down.

Daryl chewed on his thumbnail before speaking again. “Michonne…we talked about it. He’s gone. Trail is cold. We ain’t gonna find him. I know you wanna, but you ain’t goin’ to, you’re just gonna get yourself hurt. Rick’s right, people need you here.” He, for one, would be less worried if Michonne were around, and she was someone that now Daryl could call a friend, family. Michonne looked at him and then down, but didn’t say anything.

“I couldn’t even see if there was something useful in that group of houses,” she finally said, scoffing.

“Place’s far enough that it’d be a waste to send the team if there’s nothing useful there, or nothin’ that we need to carry in cars,” Daryl said. “I can go with the bike, I’d be faster than the car, if there’s somethin’ worth goin’ I’ll tell Glenn.”

“I don’t know…” Rick frowned.

“Come on, Rick, you know I can get there faster than a car, and ride fast if there are walkers.” Daryl had ridden his way out of a big group of walkers more than once, while cars would get trapped more easily. “I’ll see if it’s worth sendin’ a group.”

Rick seemed to think it but finally he let out a sigh and nodded. “Alright…but not alone, you’re not doing a Michonne.” Michonne herself scoffed at that wording.

“Can take only one on the bike.” Daryl shrugged.

“Me,” Dana said quickly.

“Okay.” Rick nodded. “I’ll get a map so Michonne can point you where it is.”

“I could go…”

“Michonne.” Rick looked at her sternly. “You have a sprained ankle.”

Michonne let out a sigh, and Daryl knew that she didn’t like the inactivity, he understood that. “Okay…give me that map…”

*

Daryl was in his cell, making sure that he had everything ready to leave the next morning, when he noticed Dana looking at him from the door. “Hey, cat,” he greeted her. “You okay.” She nodded and walked into the cell, sitting on the bunk. “You sure about comin´ tomorrow?”

Dana nodded but then frowned. “Don’t want me?”

“No, I do,” Daryl assured her, sometimes she tended to think that maybe he didn’t want her around and Daryl hated it, but he just wanted her to be safe. “But not if you don’t want to, I can ask someone else, it’ll be fine.”

“I want to…” Dana murmured.

“Alright, cat,” Daryl chewed on his thumbnail, shy. “I uh…I’m glad you got my back.” Dana gave him a smile at that, and Daryl couldn’t help his own.

“Daryl…” Dana said, serious now. “Who’s Michonne looking for?”

Daryl let out a sigh, sitting down next to her on the bed. “This asshole…he called himself the Governor, he led in a town near here, Woodbury, most of the people in here were from that place, but he was a prick, crazy, attacked us, tried to kill us, then did the same to his own people so we took them in. He uh…killed some of our own…” Daryl tried to summarize, and he tried not to think on Merle, swallowing hard. Dana seemed to notice that something was wrong, because she nudged his arm with her head affectionately, like sometimes she did.

“So…we won, but he escaped…I spent a long while out there with Michonne lookin´ for him, tracking him, but he’s gone, never found anythin´. It’s like she can’t give up, though.” Sometimes Daryl wondered if he should still be out there too, looking with Michonne, but he was sure that the governor was away from there of dead. But if he were out there with Michonne, she’d be safer, maybe she wouldn’t have gotten hurt now…but Rick said that he was needed there, and he did like to be there, help around the prison, go on runs, find people in need and bring them to safety, he liked to be near his family, near Dana…he still felt guilty about not being out there with Michonne, though, about having given up on the search for the governor, and he missed her and worried about her when she was gone.

“Okay?” Dana asked, frowning.

“Yeah, yeah, just…dunno, can’t help but think maybe I should keep the search too, but it’s been like a year…but maybe I should be out there with Michonne.” Daryl shrugged, self-conscious.

Dana shook her head before she spoke. “You hunt for people, feed them, help them here, help in runs…you have to stay here.” Daryl blinked at Dana. They talked every day, but he didn’t think he’d heard Dana say so many words together. “Michonne…should stay too. But if she leaves and if you leave with her, I go too.”

Daryl was just more taken aback at that. “You’re safe here, safer than outside.”

“So are you, so is Michonne.” Dana shrugged. “You are…I…” She frowned, looking down, as if she didn’t know what to say. “You leave I leave with you.”

“Why?” Daryl frowned.

“I want to.” Dana shrugged again. “I want to be with you...I like to…” Daryl didn’t know what to say, but he was feeling emotional and his stomach was doing funny things, and so he looked away, swallowing hard, before nodding. “But…don’t leave?” Dana asked quietly.

“I ain’t gonna,” Daryl assured her, and Dana smiled softly, making him feel shyer. “We should uh…we should rest…gotta leave very early tomorrow.”

Dana nodded and she brushed his arm with her head again gently before getting up and leaving his cell towards hers.

*

Daryl and Dana left the prison early in the morning, when the sky was still dark and the sun was just starting to rise on the east, riding on his bike. It was a long journey, and Daryl didn’t stop until they were almost there and they could see some of the houses away, but still far enough.

Daryl turned to look at Dana over his shoulder. “Alright, there…” he waved towards the entry of the area. “Is where Michonne was ambushed by those walkers. I don’t want the same to happen to us, alright, so we don’t go for them, we stop far enough, make noise, and let them come to us so we can shoot at them as they come, alright? Not direct fight.”

“Waste of bullets.” Dana shrugged and at any other moment, Daryl would probably have agreed with her, but maybe Rick’s and Glenn’s ideas were rubbing on him, or maybe it had been the scares of Dana fighting a group of walkers alone and getting all bloodied, and of Michonne hurting her ankle in the middle of a group of walkers, but this time, Daryl wasn’t going to risk it, much less with Dana there.

“Bullets will be wasted anyway if walkers kill you,” Daryl just said. “Alright so, walkers go on groups and herds, for whatever reason.” Daryl had no idea why, neither was he going to investigate it. “So I’m hopin’ that every walker here is in the group and when we make noise, they all will come, so we won’t have to worry about others around the place later. If we see they’re too many, we’re still next to the bike so we ride the hell out of here, alright?”

Dana just shrugged but nodded. Daryl didn’t know how he felt about making plans, if it was a good one or not, usually Rick or Glenn and Maggie were the ones planning stuff while he just got things done. He hoped it was good enough and not a mess, but Dana wasn’t giving him any input.

“It’s a shit plan?” He straight up asked.

“No…I don’t know…don't plan much.” Dana shrugged and Daryl didn’t know what had he been expecting. “Just waste of bullets.”

“Won’t think the same if we find fifty walkers.” Daryl scoffed, nudging her softly with his shoulder before kicking the bike into motion again, driving slightly closer to the place. “Alright…” He dismounted and grabbed the crossbow, getting ready, while Dana did the same with her rifle. “Ready?” He asked, and when Dana nodded, he slammed the honk of the bike several times.

In a few seconds, Daryl could make the growl of walkers. Some stray walkers came from around, while a bigger group came from the small residential area, though luckily it was not a herd, but looking at it, Daryl was not surprised that Michonne had been ambushed and the horse spooked, and he could only be glad that she’d ended up just with a sprained ankle. If you didn’t know that there was a group of walkers around, you could easily end up in quite a mess. They had been right stopping the bike far from it to shoot at them.

“Alright, let’s clear the stray ones first, you the ones to the left.” It’d be harder to keep an eye on those than in the group. “Then we’ll shoot at the big one together.” Or else, they could just ride away if they got to close, but at least they’d have cleared the others.

They began shooting, clearing the stray walkers all around. “Shit…” Daryl heard Dana cursing and when he glanced at her, he realized she’d missed a shot, but she’d put down several walkers nonetheless. “You’re doing great,” Daryl encouraged her.

Soon enough, the stray walkers were down, so they focused on the bigger group before it could get too close. Daryl knew he wouldn’t have enough arrows to put down every walker in that group after putting down the stray walkers too, so he was glad that Rick had reminded him to take another rifle just in case.

“Keep going,” Daryl said when he ran out of arrows, dropping the crossbow and getting the rifle to join the shooting again.

“Knife?”  Dana said when there were just a few walkers left and already close.

“Alright…” Daryl nodded, if those weren’t the only walkers around, he didn’t want to risk getting low on ammo, not knowing what they could find inside the houses. If Rick had known the amount of walkers there, for sure he’d have sent a group instead of letting Daryl go on the bike, but Daryl thought he and Dana weren’t doing a bad job at putting them down, for now at least.

They left the rifles and grabbed their knives, rushing to the walkers, fighting back to back, grabbing the monsters and sinking the knives into their brains, and Daryl had to admit it, this was easier than doing it alone. He knew he wouldn’t have been able to clear them all before they got too close to him without Dana there.

“Alright…those are all for now…” Daryl said, looking around and Dana nodded, scanning their surroundings, but neither she seemed to notice any other walkers. Daryl looked at her and smirked. “Look, and you didn’t even end up all blood-splattered, that’s a real improvement.”

Dana scoffed, and before Daryl knew what was going on, she brushed her finger across the side of her blood-smeared knife blade and then ran that, now bloodied, finger across Daryl’s cheek, smearing it with walker’s blood. “Stop it,” Daryl turned his face away but couldn’t stop his smirk. “You know somethin’, coverin’ yourself in blood and guts of walkers works to walk across groups of them without them noticin’ you, or that’s what Rick and Glenn say, they did it once in Atlanta.”

“Really?” Dana frowned.

“Yeah, you gotta be quiet and walk slow, like they recognize us by smell and sound.” Daryl shrugged, he didn’t know much, he’d never tried it himself, but it was something useful to know. Dana seemed to think the same, nodding thoughtfully. “Alright…I’m gonna get the arrows back and then we’ll check the houses, yeah?”

Once they were ready, they got to the bike again. The residential area seemed small, just a single street lined with houses, it seemed that they had wanted to build more but had run out of time. Still, Daryl wanted to have the bike close, in case they might need to ride away for any reason, whether it was walkers or people. When he honked again, near a couple of the houses, he heard a sound and followed it, finding a walker trapped in a fence trying to get to them, and so he put it down by knife.

“Open doors on those houses,” Dana said, pointing at them. “No walkers, or trapped.” Yes, Daryl knew it made sense, otherwise, they’d have gone following the sound of his honk. “Closed doors.” She pointed at a couple of houses. There could be walkers on those.

“We check those first?” Daryl asked and Dana nodded.

They found a couple of walkers inside one, three on the other, almost dried already, nothing they couldn’t put down easily with their knives. There wasn’t much inside, as if people hadn’t been living there before walkers started roaming the world, though there was some stuff left from people that seemed to have taken refuge in there and seemed to have found a bad end.

“Looks like most of the walkers here were on those groups we killed,” Daryl said and  Dana nodded. Still, he knew they shouldn’t get too confident about it.

The houses with broken doors didn’t have walkers inside, just one in a closed room, and a few corpses lying around. Neither they found much stuff to carry with them, nothing that they couldn’t get in the bags of the bike, and so Daryl was glad that they hadn’t sent a full group. Still, it hadn’t been a total waste of time, there were some tools and knives around, and those were always welcome, also stuff that they could turn into something else, like pieces of fabric, and even a couple of cans of food here and there.

They found a walker lying in one of the houses, almost dried up but alive. Its legs seemed to have been torn, Daryl didn’t know how, so all it could do was crawl, reaching out towards them. It made Daryl feel more uneasy than he would admit, and he shot to its head, putting it down and retrieving the arrow before he kept on inspecting the house.

Before he could move, though, he felt Dana tugging at his shirt. “Daryl…you think…the people, can know what happens but can’t stop it?”She pointed at the dead walker.  “Like trapped inside?”

“I don’t know…don’t think so.” Daryl frowned. “Almost at the beginnin´ of all, I went with Rick and some others to the CDC, there was a crazy scientific there. He showed us some videos and scientific stuff, I didn’t understand shit. But he showed us that the brain died and then part like…kept workin’ again? I don’t know. But the people died before it so…I guess they’re really dead, don’t know nothin’, they’re not them, just…” Daryl shrugged, not sure of how to word it, not sure if he believed in a soul or something like that, that could leave the body or if that was bullshit, but he knew that those things were dead and not whoever they had been, they didn’t think or feel. “Just…just flesh I guess? Don’t think they know or feel nothin’.”

Dana hummed, thoughtful. “Good.” She nodded. “Weird…but good.”

“Yeah, I don’t understand it either…Now come on.” Daryl reached out to squeeze Dana’s shoulder shyly. “Let’s finish checkin’ everythin’ before it’s dark.”

Entering into the last house that they had to check, they were greeted by the sight of the corpse of a man who had shot himself in the head, and Daryl tried not to think what might have driven him to do so. Dana and him split to check different rooms, and at first it seemed like there wasn’t anything useful, but finally Daryl found a box with some cans of food.

“Found somethin’, cat?” He asked but there was no answer, and Daryl frowned, walking towards where Dana had gone. “Dana?” She seemed to have closed the door of a room behind her and the absence of an answer was worrying Daryl, even if he hadn’t heard any struggle. He rushed to the door and was about to open it when the door opened and Dana walked outside, seeming startled to find him there.

“Hey…” She sheathed her knife and pulled the door closed behind her.

“You okay?” Daryl frowned at her, feeling like something was wrong.

“Yes…found something?”

“Yeah, a box of…uh…” Daryl kept frowning, looking at the closed door behind Dana. “There’s somethin’ wrong?”

“No. Nothing useful.” Dana shook her head. “Come on.”

Daryl kept looking at her and the door, still feeling like something was off, and then he gently pushed Dana away from the door, opening it and looking inside before Dana could do anything.  Lying on the ground there was a little girl and a toddler, stab wounds in their heads, and judging by how they looked, they seemed to have died at the same time than the man who killed himself in the living room, but those two had turned into walkers before they were put down.

Daryl had seen a lot of shit in his life, both before and after the world changed and walkers were a thing, and still, the sight was like a kick to the gut and he swallowed hard, feeling his throat tight. Suddenly, he felt Dana’s arms wrapping around his waist, hugging him from behind and resting her cheek on his back.

“You didn’t need to see it,” she said quietly, and Daryl realized that she had closed the door for that reason, somehow she’d known how it’d affect him and she had tried to shield him from it, to protect him, and the realization made him even more emotional, and he found himself resting his hand on top Dana’s on his waist.

Daryl knew, in a way, that Dana worried for him, that she cared for him, the same way that he did for her, but seeing it like that, seeing her trying to shield him from something horrible, dealing with it herself in silence… A warm wave of gratitude went through him. It meant more than what he could say, he didn’t even know how to say it, he’d never known how to say to Dana what she meant to him.

He’d protect her and shield her from every horror of the world too, if he could, and he hoped she knew. He was glad that he had someone like her always with him, a quiet shadow that looked over him, had his back, tried to ease his way through the harsh word. Daryl swallowed hard, trying to control emotions that were getting out of hand.

“Let’s go…” Dana whispered, and Daryl let her tug him away from the door, closing it.

“Uh…thanks…” Daryl murmured, looking down. It wasn’t what he wanted to tell her, not only that, but he found himself unable to say anything else.  Dana just smiled softly, brushing his arm with the side of her head gently and affectionately, before she held his hand, tugging at him away from the closed door, and Daryl let her lead him out of the house, even if he felt more than shy with his hand on hers, and he tried to stop his mind and do something useful again. “Sun’s goin’ down, we should stay in one of those houses that still have doors.”

Dana nodded and they went to the one with fewer bodies, taking them outside. Daryl even dragged his bike into the house, helped by Dana. If for some reason people might happen to stumble into the place, which Dary hoped won’t happen, he didn’t want them to see the bike. Once everything was ready, they sat down in the living room to eat from a couple of the cans that they had found.

“Here, last piece of tuna for you, kitten,” Daryl joked, handing it to Dana, who scoffed but smiled

“No kitten,” Dana said, munching on the tuna.

Soon, they had finished dinner and the sun had gone down, leaving the room illuminated by a couple of candles that they had found in a house.

“I’ll take first watch,” Daryl offered and Dana frowned.

“There’s a door.”

“Yeah, it’d stop walkers, but not people, can’t be locked and I don’t wanna risk it,” Daryl explained, he hadn’t seen anything around that he could drag and block the door, the house seemed almost bare. Dana nodded, understanding. “Come on, sleep, I’ll take first watch and wake you later.”

“You better,” Dana murmured, curling down on the floor next to him, using her bag as a pillow. She closed her eyes, letting out a sigh, and then she reached out her hand so it was resting near Daryl’s thigh, fingertips barely brushing it. He wondered if she wanted to reassure herself that he was there…if maybe even she felt safer like that…he felt all warm inside at the idea and his stomach did something weird.

Daryl looked at her sleeping, feeling not for the first time how fond of her he’d grown, how much he cared for her, how much he liked to have her around, and when today she’d tried to shield him from something horrible, those feelings just seemed to have multiplied…or maybe they always were that strong, that many, but he’d gotten just more aware of them. They were overwhelming, but they felt kind of good too.

Smiling softly as he looked at her, Daryl couldn’t stop himself from reaching out to brush his knuckles over her cheek ever so softly. Dana’s eyes opened at it and Daryl froze, realizing that either she wasn’t asleep yet or he’d woken her up. He took his hand away, flustered and feeling his cheeks blushing. Dana, though, seemed content enough, as she gave him a lazy, soft smile.

Then, she was shifting to rest her head on his lap instead of the pillow, and Daryl's stomach did again those weird, nervous twirls, while his heart seemed to beat so fast that it could jump out of his chest. Dana gave him another small smile before she closed her eyes, snuggling more, and she reached out to take his hand and place it on her head. Daryl’s heart went even more out of control, but he swallowed hard and began to stroke her hair, gently and shyly, careful not to tug at it.

“You said you ain’t no kitten…lookin’ like one now…” He said bashfully, his nerves reflecting on his voice.

Dana’s lips curled up into a small smile, but she didn’t open her eyes. “Kitten just with you,” she murmured, making those funny twirls in Daryl’s stomach get just worse.

*

I just love them, I can’t help it.

Thanks to the people supporting this. If you enjoyed this please let me know your thoughts, and reblogs are always appreciated.

As always, excuse my English, is not my first language.

I’m going to reblog the taglist in another post to see if that way this shows up in the Daryl tags.

[twdmusicboxmystery]

11x02: Acheron, Part 2 - Analysis

Okay, let’s talk 11x02. And 11x01. Because it’s a two-part episode, it’s important to consider them together. I have a LOT to say about what’s going on in these two episodes, so I’ll have plenty to post all week. Let’s dive in!

***As always, spoilers abound below for TWD 11x02. Don’t read until you’ve watched! You’ve been warned!***

Maggie

The first thing we see is a point of view from under the train car. The instant I saw that, I knew how things would go. I never thought Maggie would die (if nothing else, there are scenes with her in the trailer we haven’t seen yet) but I was curious as to how she would survive. When I saw this POV, I knew she’d end up crawling under the train. Just as Glenn crawled under the dumpster. Massive parallels to Glenn. Which by extension, massive parallels to Beth. Major resurrection theme.

It's also important that when she reappears, she comes from underneath the car. Obviously, that’s logical given that she crawled underneath the car, but they make a point of asking if the pounding is coming from the roof. Gabriel says no and then they open the bottom hatch for her. Her coming up from the ground like that is a visual representation of a resurrection.

So we see Gabriel, Negan and the others enter the train car. The spatial details here are important, and I had to watch the episode twice to get them all straight. It’s a little confusing the first time. So, the group jumps down into the train car through a hatch in the roof because they couldn’t get the door open in the last episode. The thing is, if you watch closely, you come to realize they’re not in the train car on the end. They must have walked along the roof for two or three cars before finding a hatch that let them in.

So, when Gauge shows up, he comes behind them, and that confused me because I was thinking they came from that direction. And they did, but they entered through the roof, not the door. Anyway, they can’t get the door open. So honestly, even if they’d tried harder, I’m not sure they could have saved him.

This scene accomplished a lot of things, character-wise, that we need to touch on. It’s important to note that Gauge’s death happened due to his own choices. Does that mean he “deserved” to die or that they shouldn’t have tried to save him if they could have? Of course not. No on both counts. But that doesn’t change the fact that his choices sealed his fate.

It's especially interesting that he called Maggie a Liar. Not only is that a throwback to the Governor, but it’s a particular type of mentality they’re showing here. Even the fact that he didn’t shut the door behind him is really interesting. My first thought was to be annoyed with him. Why WOULDN’T you shut the door. You live in this world. You know better. But it’s all ego. He can’t imagine something bad will happen. He just assumes if it does, someone will save him.

But the most telling thing was how angry he got before saying Liar. It just shows very much how he approaches life. When he messes up, he doesn’t feel bad, and accept that it was his fault, and try to learn from it. No, instead he gets pissed and blames everyone but himself and his own actions.

If this had been Daryl or Gabriel or Alden or any of our other heroes, they would have recognized that opening the door would have gotten their friends and family killed and would have sacrificed themselves. Especially if they realized they’d screwed up. But Gauge became angry and defiant, even killing himself.

Anyway, I’m rambling. This really has nothing to do with Beth or TD other than perhaps being a future template for something. But I thought it was a really fascinating character sketch.

The thing is, this isn’t really a matter of Gauge being wrong and everyone else being right.

Maggie is…not doing so well either. As I told my fellow theorists, Paola Lazaro said in TTD last week that Maggie was kind of off the rails. I think she said that a little prematurely, because we really didn’t understand Maggie’s state of mind just by watching 10x17 and 11x01.

It's not until she tells that messed up story about the house she found and the people in it that we understand that her state of mind really isn’t at its healthiest. Even saying she wanted to kill Negan before is…understandable given their past. But it makes more sense now why Negan is so nervous. He’s sensing her state of mind that her moral conscience isn’t as strong as it once was, so of course he’s fearful for his life.

I don’t know where they’re going with this Maggie story line, but I have a feeling this attitude of hers will cause conflict down the road. Several of my fellow theorists believe it will cause a rift between her and Daryl. And we can see that somewhat through Alden. At first, he was very much defending Maggie, especially against Negan. He has a lot of loyalty to her. But he didn’t like her abandoning Gauge, and you can see his loyalties starting to waver.

At the very least, what she said about not feeling anything about it is the opposite of what Beth always stood for. Daryl was trying hard not to feel things during Still, in the wake of the prison going down. She made him feel things because that’s the only way a person is truly living, rather than just surviving. Now Maggie is in that state of mind.

And I’m gonna argue that makes it a prime time for Beth to return to help her. But of course I’m completely objective over here. ;D

Maggie’s Story:

Maggie’s story was definitely dark and horrible, but interesting to analyze. I’m assuming there was cannibalism going on there. That’s why the missing limbs. The men in the house were eating the female prisoners. No only a callback to Terminus, but remember that Bob’s leg was taken for food, so I’m sure that’s what we’re supposed to infer here.

She talked about no eyes, no tongue, no limbs, vocal cords ripped out. So definitely the see no evil, speak no evil themes. With the limbs, it’s also a matter of not being able to escape or save themselves.

In terms of the plot, I do have one question about this that I think may be significant. Maggie first talks about three deformed people (she says, “I wouldn’t call them men”) coming toward her. She kills them, and only after that hears the noise from the attic.

My question is, why were they deformed? If they’re “men,” then they must be at least Maggie’s age, if not older, which means they’ve been around since before the apocalypse began. Even eating human flesh doesn’t cause one to become deformed, so why the deformities? I have no idea, but I wondered if there is a radiation theme going on here. Something they’re hinting at, but not saying. Just thought that was intriguing.

After that, things go sideways and everyone almost dies until Daryl arrives to save the day. So, let’s skip to his story.

Daryl:

We first see him bust through a wall with Dog. So, dog took off in the last episode, but the first time we see Daryl, he’s already found Dog again. At least, the first time. This is where he sees the murals on the wall, the walker with the handcuff and the suitcase of money, etc. I already talked about most of that in great detail HERE, so I won’t rehash it, though it’s very important.

One thing I will say about the mural is that thematically, it’s a match to Still. So, in the golf club, we had lots of rich people who clearly hid there when the world first went bad. And I don’t remember this particularly, but several of my fellow theorists have told me they remember the TTD after Still and that the writers talked about how the golf club was a statement about the class system. You have these very rich people, but their wealth couldn’t save them. Death, walkers, the apocalypse…none of these things discriminate based on wealth or position.

On the wall, we see people with crowns standing at the top, but below, they are homeless, and one of them is being attacked and torn apart. Meanwhile, Daryl sees a line of text that says, “it comes for us all,” probably meaning death.

Well, guess what? Angela Kang, in talking about the murals, said that this, too, was a statement about the class system. So thematically, this is meant to be a parallel to Still.

It’s just interesting to contemplate because if you think about it, most of our heros—Rick, Daryl, the Greene family, etc—weren’t at all wealthy. Rick was humble and well-grounded. Hershel worked hard his whole life and never had any glory or fanfare. And then there’s Daryl, who was “nothing. No one.” They all survived.

So of course it’s a socioeconomic statement, but it’s also one about mindset. It takes not only grit to survive this world, but a certain amount of humility. Ego always gets you killed eventually, as it did with Gauge.

I’ll also mention that I thought the guy with the crown who was being torn apart was being set upon by walkers, but AK says they’re specifically not walkers. They’re people.

So, it’s not a coincidence that we see this juxtaposed with the Gauge situation. His ego gets him killed and we literally see him being torn apart because of it.

Moving on.

Daryl finds a bag with a $100 bill with a letter written on it. This is a massive TD clue from start to finish. 100 is an important number. The hundred dollar bill features Benjamin Franklin on the front and Independence Hall on the back. Look either of those up and you’ll find lots of fun parallels we could point to. I won’t go into all that today except to say it’s definitely part of the Revolution theme.

This is what’s written on the bill Daryl finds:

“Dear Dad, you always said if you don’t come back in a week to move on. Mom didn’t listen and went looking. It’s been three weeks, so we’re going next. I’ll watch Jesse and turn on the radio every day at 10. See you both soon. Love Tom and Jesse.”

He also finds a picture of two kids. So, the “three weeks” jumps out because of Rick’s line in 5x10, “it’s been three weeks since Atlanta.” It’s also about missing family members, going searching for them, etc. Possibly important that the mom is also missing. I can’t help but think of the song from Still. “Our mother has been absent, every since we founded Rome…”

There is a 10 in there, which is an important number. The turning the radio on every day is both the radio/airwaves theme (also a line from the song) but a callback to Rick and Morgan and their walkie talkies. So, really interesting symbols here.

The two kids immediately reminded me of Noah’s twin brothers. I don’t think these two are supposed to be twins. I’m assuming the brother is older. But still obviously siblings. And it hearkens back to the last episode Beth was technically in. Which also had a lot of the CRM/Revolution theme in it. (X, X).

AK says this family probably didn’t make it, so I’m not expecting these kids to show up in the narrative. But it’s also important to note that the little girl is carrying the toy rabbit Maggie found earlier. So the rabbit also ties into all this symbolism. (P.S. I didn’t get to my rabbit post last week. I planned on it, but time got away from me. I should get it posted later this week.)

So, this is massive in terms of TD symbolism. I’ll talk about it fits into the bigger narrative in a minute.

Then Daryl kills the sleeping bag walker. I wasn’t sure the significance of this at first, but I think it ties to the tents and sleeping bags we saw in Atlanta in 5x06, Consumed. Daryl and Carol passed them while looking for Beth. So, this just shows us that this is tied to her storyline and Daryl searching for her.

You could also argue that the walker was “hidden” at first, and it’s significant that Dog found it/realized it was there before Daryl did. 

The other thing is that as he’s looking at the sleeping bag walker, there’s a random shoe on the ground next to it. Missing Shoe/Foot theory, which is also indicative of Beth. 

They hear another roaring sound and Dog takes off, running into the dark tunnel.

Here’s the thing. I think most people will assume the roar he heard was just more air being forced through the tunnels by the storm, as Alden explained it in ep 1. But I always watch with the subtitles on and I noticed at this part, the subtitles said, “Man Roaring.” So they actually did hear someone screaming. And that’s probably why Dog ran toward it.

After watching it again, I realized it’s probably supposed to be Roy. He’s the white-haired guy, played by C. Thomas Howell, who Daryl finds wounded after he emerges from the Tunnel. I think whatever happened to him when he went topside but then got attacked by walkers is what Dog heard and went running toward.

Maybe not terribly significant in the plot, but it’s important symbolically. Because once again we have something Daryl hears from a distance but doesn’t see. Dog (a proxy for Beth) runs toward it, and Daryl follows. When he does, he find someone who had previously separated from the group. They’re hurt, but alive. See the parallels?

I will say the Roy situation confuses me just a little. He’s clearly hurt, and when Daryl tries to bandage him, he refuses, saying, “just tell my kids I didn’t die a coward.” But then later he’s with the group, all bandaged up, and seems to be okay. (He dies when they reach the Reapers by taking an arrow to the head, so he still dies overall.) But it’s just weird that it seemed he would die, then seemed he was fine again.

It may well be something that foreshadows a future situation, and that’s why it’s not making tons of sense right now. Only time will tell.

Anyway, I kind of glossed over Daryl crawling through the dark tunnel. I don’t have much else to say about it except that it’s a SUPER potent symbol for Beth’s arc and very important that he emerges on the other side and finds this person. Annnd then goes to save TF. (Dark Tunnel Symbolism).

So, he hears the gunshots and finds the train they’re on. He comes up behind the walkers attacking them from the front, kills them, moves the bench blocking the door, and lets everyone through. Then he uses a grenade to blow up all the walkers. (Ew.)

After that they all get out of the tunnels and go topside. The next scene is also super important. We see the stars above. That’s partly to show that the storm has passed now, but also constellations = Sirius.

Maggie asks what he has and he tells her about it. There is one weird moment in this scene. When she tells them about the supply depot she wants to stop at, she says Georgie (from S8) set it up for emergencies, for people on the outside to use. When it says this, the camera focuses on Daryl for a LONG moment, and he looks almost sad. I’m not sure what they’re trying to tell us there.

Anyway, they all head out. Unfortunately, when they reach the right neighborhood, the Reapers are there to meet/kill them. And Roy is the first to go.

So, a couple of things here. I’ll probably do a details post because I’m leaving out MOST of the background details throughout the episode, and there are a lot of them. Lots of details to be gleaned in this scene.

But the second time I watched it, I was struck by the people hanging upside down. Obviously a grim sight, but it occurred to me that these people hanging this way look a LOT like the deer diagrams from Scars. Let me show you some pictures:

Top pick is 11x02. Middle and bottom one are from Scars.

See what I mean? So, chances are something about Scars foreshadowed the Reapers, which is interesting. They clearly see human beings in a certain way (as animals to be strung up and…perhaps eaten?) And that makes me think that what Maggie found in that house may tie into the Reapers as well. Just kind of interesting foreshadows of coming plots.

Eugene:

Let’s talk Eugene and then I’ll shut up for today. Eugene’s stuff was very intriguing. First thing you need to know. And understand, I didn’t know this. @wdway​ pointed it out. Some months ago, the actress cast as “Stephanie” was announced. This is her:

And that’s clearly not the woman who steps into the train car at the end. Which means this isn’t really Stephanie. She’s a decoy. In fact, the actress from this episode is billed on IMDb as “woman 2,” not as “Stephanie.”

Knowing that, if you go back and re-watch the parts with Eugene’s group, they mean something very different.

On the surface, it seems that Zeke, Yumiko and Princess are taken away in a sinister fashion. Then Eugene melts down and tells his story. (Note: while he focuses on his feelings for Stephanie and I think most of that is true, he still says he lied both to her and to his friends about being from a large settlement. So, he’s still keeping large chunks of the truth from them.)

Again, on the surface it seems that they accept his explanation and just decide to allow them all in. All the stuff with the other three is just a misunderstanding.

But if “Stephanie” is a decoy, that can’t possibly be the case. I think Zeke and the others told Eugene the truth as they know it, but they’re all still being manipulated.

After Princess left to pee, the guy told Eugene no one was in the room and acted like he had no idea who Princess was. They were definitely using psychological torture on him, trying to break him.

I think they know very well that Eugene's group is still lying about their settlement, and they're using a decoy "Stephanie" to find out the truth.

My point is that it goes back to the hallucination, making-someone-think-they're-crazy theme. It will be really interesting to see how this unfolds, because there's all kinds of psychological shenanigans going on here.

@galadrieljones​ made a really interesting connection some time ago. She noticed that back in 10x18, at Leah’s cabin, there is a metal, heart-shaped chair. The same chairs show up in the Commonwealth’s sales video from the trailer. So there’s some kind of link between Leah, Daryl’s memory of her, and the Commonwealth. We don’t know what it is yet, but all of this gives credence to the idea that she is either an outright hallucination, or Daryl is just remembering things wrong.

It also might mean that the Reapers are connected to the Commonwealth in some way. We don’t really know yet, but I’m having tons of fun trying to figure it out.

I want to touch briefly on the train car theme. Once again, there’s a parallel in both story lines (Terminus, and this one at the Commonwealth). Daryl’s group is in train cars this episode. And while Eugene’s group has been at a different compound, they started in the train yard and end in it here. But what I noticed is that Eugene enters the train car at the end, which is furnished inside, and finds his friends there. They all have a happy reunion.

It made me think of the fact that when Rick, Daryl, Michonne, and Carl enter the train cars at Terminus, there is also a family reunion. What happened beyond that was not good or easy. Clearly, Terminus was not a good place. Many of them almost died at the trough and they had to fight their way out through a walker blood bath.

I’m just saying that, while it obviously won’t play out exactly the same way, something similar is probably waiting for Eugene’s group outside that train car. Not good.

Acheron Overall:

Okay, let’s get to the big cheese, here. The overall narrative. The template.

These two episodes are called Acheron part 1 and part 2. So here’s the skinny:

Acheron = Underworld. Daryl’s group going into the subway tunnels (dark, underground) is what constitutes Acheron and why the episodes are called that. That’s why, at the end of this episode, they emerge from the tunnels onto the surface (i.e. the living world).

Given all the death, cemetery, and dark tunnel symbolism around Beth, given that she ventured into the land of the dead by being shot, maybe clinically dying for a time, and being thought dead for so long, what this tells me is that everything that happens in these tunnels is a foreshadow and template for what will happen this season.

I maintain that Dog = Beth and we will soon see something where Daryl hears something (not necessarily her; it was a man screaming so I still think it will be Rick he hears word of) and goes chasing after it. While searching for it, he stumbles across Beth. Then the two of them (both Dog and Daryl returned to the train car) go back in time to save TF from something.

This is most likely why the Roy thing is weird. In a super understated way, he represents Rick in the template. Daryl will find him, but only after he finds Beth. Even consider what Roy says. He says, “tell my kids I didn’t die a coward.” And that’s all well and good, but did we even know Roy had kids? No. Have we met them? No. But who has kids that Daryl IS concerned with? That would be Rick.

So I’m thinking that maybe when Daryl finds Rick, Rick will think he’s dying for some reason, and that’s why the dialogue here. But he won’t, which is why we see Roy with the group later.

And no, I’m not thinking that Roy dying via the Reapers will extend to Rick. It’s more like what they’ve done with countless characters that have been Beth proxies. Eventually, they kill them off. He’s a minor character they were using as a proxy, and when they are done with him in the narrative, he becomes walker chow. Or, in this case, Reaper fodder.

Anyway, I think everything will end up being a foreshadow for something. Maggie and Negan. The Gauge situation. All of it. I’ll try to keep coming back to this as the story progresses to show what everything foreshadows. I’ll stop there for today.

[soyforramen]

Prompt: betty, jughead, the same hooded/masked figure keeps showing up at their door on Halloween. Creepy or funny? Your choice!

(This is so much better than trying to figure out elasticity of demand, and I absolutely cracked myself up with this, so thank you)

xxx

“Howdy neighbor!” 

Jughead gritted his teeth and nodded at Brett.  Betty elbowed him in the side, smoothly turning it into a wave. While neither of them really liked their neighbors across the street (at least it wasn’t Donna outside setting up the Halloween display), they had to pretend to be polite for a little while.

“Good morning Brett!  Already hard at work I take it.”

“Someone’s got to take back the Pumpkin King title from Southside Lane,” Brett said as he leaned on his pitchfork.  His truck was loaded up with enough hay bales and pumpkins to start a petting zoo.  “Let’s bring some pride back to this neighborhood.”

“It’s fucking September,” Jughead muttered. 

In Brett’s yard was the most benign, suburban version of Halloween.  Pumpkins carved with emojis, hay bales impaled with cartoonish, oversized bats, and gravestones with terrible puns (though Betty had to admit the, I was hoping for a pyramid was pretty amusing).  It was everything that Jughead hated about Halloween, and Betty couldn’t help but be tickled at the thought of him having to see it every morning.  

Jughead grumbled, the rain clouds over his head darkening with every second spent looking at the set up.  

“Good luck with it.  Looking good,” Betty called out.  She herded Jughead and the rest of the groceries into the car, already stifling a laugh at the rant she knew would be coming. 

Nancy Thompson let out a scream just as a knock came from the door.  Jughead and Betty glanced at each other - neither were expecting company, nor had they ordered anything.  Betty set aside her laptop and padded towards the door.  She peeked through the peephole and gasped.  

“Jughead,” she hissed.  

He glanced up and she waved him over.

“What the hell?” he whispered when he looked through the peephole.  “Is that -“

“Somebody dressed up in a Regan mask?” 

“I knew this place was upper middle class, but …”

“But why?” 

Jughead stepped away from the door and shrugged.  “Probably a bunch of high school kids playing a prank.”  

“Still…”

Betty stood on tip-toe to peer through the door.  “And, they’re gone.  I’m going to post this on Nextdoor, certainly we can’t be the only ones who’ve had Regan show up at their door.”

“Honestly zombie Regan would be the best thing that could happen this year,” Jughead said as he walked back to the couch.  

“I’d rather have zombie Nixon.  At least he was impeached,” Betty said, following him to watch Glenn fall into a deep sleep.

Xxx

One week later, and they were watching Keanu Reeves go on a face journey through Transylvania.  The door rang, and Jughead groaned.  Betty snuggled in closer to his side and they both ignored the doorbell.  Insistently, it rang again and again, only to stop suddenly.  He untangled himself from her and went to the door.

“I swear, if it’s Archie needing a ladder again … It’s Obama,” he whispered.

“What?” 

Jughead shushed her.  “I think it’s that weirdo again.  Only they’re in an Obama mask this time.”

Betty rushed towards the door and pushed him aside.  “What the hell?”

As she watched, the figure turned and walked off into the darkness of night.  She waited until the figure left, and cracked open the door.  

“Gone again.”  Jughead stepped onto front porch, Betty close behind, but they couldn’t see any sign of life.  “What did your Nextdoor people have to say.”

“You mean our neighbors?” Betty shook her head and pulled out her phone.  “No one else has seen anything, but Mr. Tate’s cat escaped again, so you might want to slow down when you turn the corner.”

“Hey guys!”  

They turned to find Archie, their next door neighbor, waving at them from his garage.  

“Do you think I could borrow your ladder?”

Xxxx

Two weeks until Halloween, and the neighborhood had exploded in festive decorations.  The Blossoms’ two story manse had exploded in gothic horror decor imported from the south of France - “Allegedly,” Jughead had snarked - while the Lodge-Andrews had gone with simple, yet tasteful hints of the season.   Along with the change in temperature had come an orange, passive-aggressive reminder about the HOA’s suggestion that every house participate in celebrating the holidays as a way to join the neighborhood in camaraderie. 

“Let’s just put out a pumpkin -“

“No, not happening,” Jughead snapped.  “I didn’t buy a house just to have some yuppie board - who aren’t even elected -“

“Just because you protested voting doesn’t mean they weren’t elected,” Betty reminded him. 

“-Trying to control how I spend my time and money, it’s, it’s…”

“Un-American?” 

“Immoral!  To take a commercial holiday like Halloween, meant to sell more candy and increase dental decay, and turn it into some requirement -“

A knock at the door and a cheery voice cut through their argument.  They both cursed when they realized who it was.  Jughead stalked off to the basement and Betty made a mental note that this was the third time he’d left her to deal with the Westen Wallis’ alone.  

“For better or worse my ass,” she muttered as she went to the door.  

“Guten Morgen, neighbors!  Donna made of her famous delectable pumpkin Tartts’ Tarts -“

“Tarts from the tart,” Betty muttered before she opened the door with a wide smile.  “Why thank you, this is ever so thoughtful.  And me without anything else to send back with you.”

Brett’s smile grew, and Betty feared for her soul.  “Actually, I don’t know if you saw the flyer -“

“Yes, about the Halloween decorations?  I just don’t know if we’ll get to it this year.  Jughead’s been so busy with school, and I’ve -“

“It’s just that it’s a traditions, you know.  And we do it for the kids,” Brett said.  Betty slowly shut the door, but he continued moving to keep eye contact.  “It’s the talk of the town, and it would -“

His words muffled and Betty walked straight to the kitchen and dumped the tarts into the trash.  

“You owe me Jones,” she yelled out on her way upstairs.

xxx

“Why doesn’t she just go outside again?” Betty asked. 

Black Christmas, while not technically a horror movie, was still on Jughead’s required October Horror-Thon, as well as on his anti-commerical-Christmas playlist.  Despite seeing it twice a year for the last fifteen years, Betty still hadn’t gotten a good answer out of him for the seemingly huge plot idiocy.

“Horror movie rules,” Jughead said through a mouthful of popcorn.  “If she goes outside, they don’t have a way to establish how big of a threat the killer is.”

“Then why doesn’t he just wait outside to kill her?”

“That’s not -“

A knock came from the door, and Betty gave him a look.  

“I dealt with your neighbor this morning.”

“You’re right, it was terrible and treacherous of me, I’m a terrible husband,” Jughead said.  He kissed Betty on the tip of her nose and she pulled him down to meet his lips.  The knock came again and they both rolled their eyes.  

“Don’t forget to put out your pumpkin,” Betty called in a sing-song voice. “Who is it this time?”

“Taft or Cleveland.  Which one had a mustache?” he asked as he turned towards her. 

“Both of them I think.”

“Do you think if I tell them we’re socio-anarchists they’ll go away?”

Betty snorted.  

He opened the door and leaned over.  “At least they left a ransom note this time.”  

Jughead closed the door and double checked the locks while he waved an orange paper at Betty.  

“Let me guess, decorations?” Betty took the paper from him and squinted at the paper.  “Does that say pumpkin or party favor?”

“Either way I refuse to participate.  Did you fast forward this?”

xxx

The day before Halloween, and Jughead braced himself for the onslaught of gaudy, irredeemable tons of plastic and paper decorations that would end up in the trash two days later.  A waste of good materials, and all for what?  A waste of a perfectly good holiday, that’s what.  

He squinted against the morning sun, throwing his school bag into the back of the car.  Seven AM came far too early when all the parents wanted to argue about last night was whether or not Halloween costumes should be allowed rather than thinking about shifting some of the football budget towards something more useful, like new textbooks.  

“Ohayogozimasu!”  Brett chirped from across the street. He looked both ways - twice - and jogged his way over to where Jughead stood.  

Jughead dropped his head and counted to ten.  He wasn’t caffeinated enough for this. 

“Hello, Brett.”

“I see you haven’t put anything out for Halloween yet.  I have some extra decorations if you want.”

Murder is not an option, Jughead thought in a voice that sounded suspiciously like Betty.  Especially when my commute is only ten minutes, the voice reminded him.

“No, thank you Brett.”

“Are you sure?  Because I know you and Betty have only been here for a few months, but we’re all really big -“

“No, thank you, Brett,” Jughead said through gritted teeth.  

Brett held up his hands and smiled that inane politician smile of his.  “Okay, but if you change your mind…”

“Goodbye, Brett,” Jughead said as he opened his door.  Safe in his now locked car, Jughead dropped his head to the steering wheel and reminded himself that they’d moved here because of Betty, for Betty’s career, and it didn’t matter how idiotic the rest of the world was, not when -

A tapping on the glass and Jughead rethought over the consequences of manslaughter.  Ten to fifteen wouldn’t be that bad.

“Yes, Brett,” he said after he’d cracked the glass.

“Just wanted to remind you that me and the missus are having a little get together tonight about Halloween candy -“

Jughead slipped the car in reverse and let it roll towards the street.  Brett jogged to catch up.

“-After all, we don’t want the children -“

It wasn’t until Bon Nuit street that Brett finally peeled off to finish his early morning jog on Stonewall street, that Jughead could breath a sigh a relief.

Xxx

“That was ad libbed,” Jughead said through a mouthful of noodles.

“What?  The dominatrix suit?” Betty asked.  She stole his wonton and he put up a fight even though they both knew he’d have given her his entire order if she asked.

“‘Jesus wept.’  Originally it was supposed to be ‘Fuck off.’”

“Good change.”

The knock at the door came again, and both residents slammed their bowls down.  Together they walked to the door and jerked it open.  George Washington, sans dentures, stared at them.  

“Well?  What do you want?” Betty asked, arms crossed.

The figure held out a sheet, and Jughead shook his head.   “No more games.”

With a growl, the figure yanked off the mask to reveal …

“Donna?” 

“Put out a damn pumpkin,” Donna snapped.  “I have been listening to Brett bitch for the last month, and if I have to listen to one more -“ she pitched up her voice and in a simpering tone said, “-Betty and Jughead I will murder everyone on this block.” 

Donna threw the paper at Jughead and stalked off into the night.  

“And put up a damn snowman in December,” she yelled.

Betty and Jughead exchanged glances.  

“No decorations?”  she asked.

He smirked.  “No decorations.”

[justjessame]

The Deal Chapter 35

Negan didn’t take Carl and me somewhere and ditch our bodies after beating our brains out with his best girl, Lucille. Sadly. Instead, he took us on a road trip. Back to Alexandria. He regaled us, the entire way there with all the ways that he COULD have killed Carl. How he could have forced me to have to watch him put down my baby brother for daring to attack as he had.

I let his bullshit roll over me. I’m learning, slowly, that Negan loves the sound of his own voice. And he truly adores putting fear into the hearts of those who allow it. Instead, I watch out the windshield as we drive along the road. Abandoned cars. A smattering of walkers. And the feeling of being fully aware of everything for the first time in a long time.

When we arrive at the gates, no one dares to stop us from coming inside. With both Carl and me at his side, Negan makes his way to Dad’s house. And, instead of walking in like he owns the place, which I’d expected, he knocks. Olivia, the woman who’d kept the inventory for the armory and pantry answered, and I wondered if she was my replacement in my former house.

I can’t remember having much interaction with her before, when I was still an Alexandrian. It doesn’t strike me as very strange how intimidated she seems by Negan. He’s a hard pill to swallow when he’s trying to play therapist, but when he’s just being himself, well then you see an asshole in full bloom. She tries to get rid of us, because whether she understands or not, Negan and I are a matched set right now. She tells Negan that Dad is out scavenging, that he probably won’t be back by the end of today. I wonder if Michonne went with him, and that’s why she’s here, to watch my baby sister.

She talks about how they’re low on supplies, how they’re practically starving, and then Negan shows just how fucking charming he is. A raised eyebrow. He looks her up and down and insults her by insinuating that since she’s curvy, that he doubts her sincerity. And, yes, I’m editing his bullshit, because it was disgustingly mean. He catches my eye, and sees my glare, so he tries his hand at apologizing.

Of course, this is Negan we’re talking about so once he tries to say sorry in his own classy way, he follows up with an offer that has me rolling my damn eyes. “I think it would be enjoyable to screw your brains out. I mean if, you know, you’re agreeable to it.” Dear fucking Christ, does he have a filter at all?

And Olivia, who I can’t recall much about, does something that has me fucking grinning from ear to ear. She slaps him straight across his smug, arrogant face. The crack makes my heart sing.

Negan ruins the fucking experience by telling her, after she rocks his fucking head on his shoulders with that slap, “I’m about fifty percent more into you now. Just saying.” Ugh. Seriously? He catches whatever look I have on my face, smirks at me, and winks. Could he be more crude and annoying?

He dismisses her, letting her leave his royal presence to fix lemonade that he knows he left behind. Powered lemonade is his newest whim, and I wonder if Olivia had it in her to fucking poison him.

Of course, we couldn’t just drop my little brother off at home, get back in the damn box-truck, and head the fuck back from whence we came. Now, where would Negan’s fun be in that?

Olivia, acting as though I’m an enemy too, stays in the house as Negan takes a grand tour. Taking off his boots, testing the carpet in Carl’s room with his bare feet, I have to wonder if he’s truly enjoying the feel of it because of the novelty, or if he’s checking to see if wiping his bare ass across it would cause him discomfort. Watching the steady stream of water as though he’s never had it before. He looked around what had been my room with interest. Uncomfortable interest, as though he’d find something more about me. Good luck.

And then, as we passed the room where Judith sleeps, he goes to open the door and I shake my head and tell him it’s just another empty room. He squints at me, and puts his hand on the doorknob.

“Really?” I ask him, raising my eyebrow. “Why are you interested in empty rooms?”

He calls my bluff and opens the door, and there she is. My little sister, the ONLY thing I regret leaving behind. And the ONE person in the world that I wanted to protect, from him, from the world at large and he’s found her.

“Oh my!” He doesn’t raise his voice, as he draws nearer to her, and handing Carl his precious Lucille, he almost seems in awe of her. “Look at this little angel.” And then she’s in his arms, and he’s being incredibly gentle with her, as he looks over her sweet blonde curls at me. His tenderness is a surprise, even if he’d never shown me the mean streak I knew ran in him.

Judith is holding a stuffed elephant as he bounces her gently in his arms. He takes a minute to study her, and then looks once again at me. And I wonder at the clear question in his eyes. What could Negan possibly want with this? With Dad’s life? With mine?

Negan makes himself at home in Dad’s house. He shaves with Dad’s straight razor, giving Carl advice like “against the grain, always go against the grain”. He’d handed Judith to me before he went into the bathroom, and I started to turn away, to take her somewhere alone, but he stopped me. “No, sweetheart, you both stay.” Shooting a look at my brother he corrects himself. “All three of you stay.” Which is why I’m having my unscheduled visit with my baby sister in full view of the man I’d assumed would kill me.

While he’s shaving, giving out advice to Carl, he keeps watching me with her. As I quietly talk to her, running my hand down her soft curls, and checking her for signs that she missed me. Even a tiny bit. I can’t stop myself from kissing her head. From entertaining her with her stuffed animal. And I work hard to block out Negan’s interest. Pretending that he’s not filing my reactions away for another round of my therapy when we head back to his domain.

He fixes dinner. Spaghetti sauce from scratch. Noodles, obviously. And he enlists Carl to make rolls. Me? For once, since I offered myself in Glenn’s place, he allowed me to sit at the dining room table and have peace away from him. Still in view, of course, but at a distance. With Judith. And get lost in her, if only for a little bit.

Olivia returned with the lemonade, and I could feel her glaring at me. Her urge to grab Judith from my arms, to keep her safe from ME was clear as a bell on her face. I could also tell that Negan had noticed. “Be a lamb, Olivia, be a lamb.” He was reiterating what he’d said when he requested the lemonade earlier, only now the term that I’d taken as a taunt to the other woman, took on a new meaning. A warning, I could hear it in his voice. A threat, a reminder of who he was, and that I was with him was so evident that she rushed into the kitchen to make the drink.

Once dinner was prepared, we settled around the table, looking for all the world like a family dinner with a tinge of hostage situation. There’s an extra place setting, but I’m so wrapped up in my baby sister that I don’t pay attention to the why. I’d kept Judith on my lap, but we didn’t start to eat. Negan, clearly waiting for something, or someone. And I knew, he was holding dinner for Dad. A picture he’d created, a scene that would fuck with Dad’s head a little bit more. His children, a member of his community, and the very man who’d bested him, around his very own dining room table with a meal fit for a Sunday dinner from before the world turned to shit.

Negan has the patience of a toddler. Eventually he realized that Dad wasn’t going to return just because he’d set the stage. He finally gave in and asked Carl to pass the rolls. I hated to admit it, and I damn sure wouldn’t let him know, but he made a sauce that rivaled the Italian place that I’d loved while at college. I fed Judith from her own plate. I drank a bit of the lemonade that Olivia had made. And I tried, very hard, to ignore the feeling that Negan was watching me closely.

After eating, Negan decided it was perfect weather to sit on the porch and take in the scenery. He held out his arms, once he’d taken off his jacket, and I reluctantly handed Judith back to him. He took one chair and Carl took another. Negan looked like he was enchanted by my little sister. That in her he saw something that he hadn’t seen in far too long. Did I trust it? That he wasn’t dangerous to her? No. I didn’t. Not because he’d shown violence to me or her, but because the need to keep her safe. The need to make sure that she remained innocent of the world and its dangers was one of the few things that I’d never felt numb to was amplified by my mask developing the cracks that Negan’s meddling had created.

I leaned against the banister in front of them. Close to Negan, since she was in his arms, and I hadn’t noticed that Carl’s eyes were taking in my behavior, and Negan’s.

“So my sister doesn’t get to sit?” He bit out, glaring with his one unruined eye. “She has to stay quiet, she has to just blindly follow you around?”

I closed my eyes to his challenge. He didn’t get it. And I had a feeling no one, not even the rest of my family understood. Why I’d done it, why I had to stay beside him. Carl didn��t see me. No better than anyone else had. Dad had only had a glimpse, and even he didn’t get it.

“Have you seen me order her to stand?” Negan asked. “Have you seen me tell her not to look at you or speak to you?” He was challenging my brother’s assumptions. “Jesus, were you this fucking blind before you lost your eye?” I opened my eyes to see him cradling Judith to his chest. His voice stayed low, quite even, careful not to scare her. “I’ve been thinking about what you’d said earlier, Carl. Maybe it is stupid keeping you and your dad alive.” He pulled Judith forward, bouncing her on his knee and seemingly speaking to her. “I mean why am I trying so hard? Maybe I should just bury you both down there in those flower beds.” A gesture to the manicured lawn in front of us. He was staring into Judith’s tiny face, smiling and chuckling. “And then I can just settle in the suburbs.”

My heart clenched. Fear blossoming in my chest at the thought that my deal with him was all for nothing. That my brother’s actions, that his clear challenge of Negan’s power and his seeming inability to wipe all of us out was a sign that he was weak.

We’d gone back inside Dad’s house. Negan grew tired of taunting my brother and the neighbors. Judith was fussy, too much excitement I’d guessed. He’d given her back to me, watching as I rocked her in my arms and hummed to her. He followed me upstairs to put her down for her nap. Ignoring the dagger glare of Olivia, ignoring Carl’s unasked questions, the hurt that had flickered across his face when he decided that my silence was my own choice.

I was staring down at Judith as she drifted off to sleep clutching her elephant. Leaving her, today, would be more painful than my realization that I'd given her up for the ‘greater good’ had been. Holding her, feeling the rush of feelings that I’d gone numb to, the unconditional love I had for her, made it all the rawer. He watched me, leaning in the doorway, keeping his distance, letting me have this at least.

“I wouldn’t have taken you for the maternal type, Jessi.” He kept his voice down, so Judith could rest. “I didn’t know that you fucking had her here, that she depended on you.” I could feel the intensity of his attention. “That you sacrificed your need for HER when you offered your life to me.”

I hadn’t noticed the tear falling. Didn’t even feel the usual burn warning that I would cry. His thumb brushed it from my cheek, startling me since I hadn’t heard him come closer. I kept my head down, drinking in Judith’s tiny person. Savoring it, memorizing it, so I could take this little piece of her with me. “Do you want to stay?” It was barely a breath. “Jessi, do you want to stay?”

I shook my head. A deal was a deal. And I wasn’t a shirker. Plus, I’d seen the look on Olivia’s face. The judgement. The insinuation that I was a traitor. A turncoat. In bed, I imagined her look inferred, with the enemy.

“No, I don’t want to stay.” I answered, keeping my voice as quiet as he did. “There’s nothing left here for me, nothing aside from her.” I couldn’t stop myself from running my hand down her back. Touching the softness that I’d taken care of for so damn long. “And she has other people for that now, to keep her safe.” It hurt to acknowledge that I was so easily replaced. That Dad had handed her care, her safety over without effort.

He left me there, letting me have my quiet and solace in the company of a sleeping little girl that had become my only reason to keep the motions going. The only reason that I kept up my mask. The only reason that I’d survived, even if I wasn’t living.

[takeiteasypeasybaby]

Save Me: Chapter 2 - Who?

~Hey Guys! This is the second chapter in ‘Save Me’. This is Molly’s first encounter with the Saviours and the elusive ‘Negan’. Hope you enjoy and make sure to follow my page for new chapter releases every Sunday! ~

A crisp Autumn morning. Molly is getting ready for another supply run with Sasha and Abraham. She packs lightly, thinking that she will only be gone a couple hours.

That morning was so beautiful, cool yet crisp. It felt as though change was coming and I hoped it would be for the better.

Sasha had asked me the night before if I would come on a supply run with her and Abraham and of course I agreed.

It was always refreshing to get out and kill some walkers and come back with the bacon.

While Abraham was loading up the car, I asked Maggie if she needed anything, maybe some more prenatal pills.

She thanked me, we hugged and I told her I would see her soon.

I remember being so happy about Maggie's pregnancy but with Glenn still not having returned after going on a supply run with Nicholas, Maggie was already stressed enough and she told me she needed me to stay here.

But I promised her I would only be gone a couple hours and then I would be right back.

So we three set off on the road in the search of meds and food and basically anything we could scavenge.

It took hours before we came across anything that looked remotely untouched when we stumbled along an office.

Apart from stationary and water there wasn't much else.

When we tried to leave we saw too many walkers blocking the exits so we decided to wait until they went away.

I saw that Abraham and Sasha had some talking to do so I made myself scarce to look for meds on the first floor of the building.

Not only did I feel like a major third wheel, but for the first time in a long time I felt a longing.

I longed for a relationship like theirs or something close.

Eugene had tried to flirt with me, he'd already done the same with Tara and while I love Eugene like a brother I could never date the man as I don't understand him most of the time.

Spencer had also flirted with me and seemed to want to follow me around like a lost puppy most of the time but I could never be with someone that spineless who never accepted responsibility for his actions.

So, for now I would be alone.

After all this pondering of my thoughts, checking drawers in the office cubicles I found some aspirin and prenatal pills.

There was a part of me that felt sadness for a moment for the person to whom these pills once belonged and the life that probably didn't make it into the world.

When I made my way back down the stairs, I noticed that the walkers were gone and Abraham and Sasha had finished talking.

We tried to get in touch with Daryl via the walkie talkie but no answer.

Daryl was out hunting and told us he would join us soon.

Little did I know at the time that Daryl had just met Dwight and Sherry.

Abraham was now wearing a blue army blazer with an array of medals attached which he found in one of the offices.

As Abraham used to be a member of the US military, he said it made him feel closer to his past which was lovely.

When it was time to leave, as the walkers had dispersed enough for us to shoot them as we went through, a bunch of guys shot at us as we hopped in a truck and drove off, following us in their cars.

Once we managed to lose them we continued back to Alexandria.

It started to dawn on us that those guys shooting at us had backed off, possibly deliberately and there was an uneasy silence in the truck as we kept on.

All of a sudden we stopped dead in the middle of the road as there was a group of guys on bikes pointing guns at us.

He asked us to step out and talk, we hesitated but complied nonetheless.

'Why don't you come on out, join us in the road' the leader of them said.

He was a short man and surprisingly looked the least threatening out of all of them.

So, we stepped out slowly.

'Ah that's great, going well right out of the gate!' he said.

'Now step two, hand over your weapons' he ushered us closer.

I asked sternly 'why should we?' to test them.

'Well they're not yours' he stated in a questioning manner.

Sasha looked across at me and then asked 'who's are they?'.

He walked closer to us and in a quieter but assured voice said 'your property now belongs to Negan'.

We looked at each other for a moment in a questioning manner until he said 'now if you can get your hands on a tanker, your people, our person wants to know'.

He walked closer again and asked 'so let's get those sidearms shall we?'.

He walked over to me first and beckoned with his hand when I refused, 'right now' he said.

I looked at him for a second and took out my gun which I had carved my initials into.

He took it and said 'thank you' with a egotistical smile as though he had already won.

Sasha took out her gun ready, he thanked her with a smile again.

Abraham hesitated for a minute until the man sighed and said 'if you have to eat shit, best not to nibble. Bite, chew, swallow, repeat. Goes quicker'.

Abraham slowly took out his gun and handed it over, the man smiled and mouthed 'thank you'.

Sasha sighed and asked 'who are you people?'.

'I get the curiosity, but we have questions ourselves and we'll be the ones asking them while we drive you back to wherever it is you call home...take a gander at where you hang your hats' the man said as he smiled excitedly.

That was it.

That was it for all of us, no matter what we had to do we had to protect Alexandria.

He spoke again, 'first though your shit, what have you got for us'.

My nose curled up as I stated 'yeah you just took it'.

'Come on, I mean can we not, okay theres more, there is always more' when he spoke, every syllable landed on that last part.

'T, take this gal to the back of the truck, start inside the back bumper work your way to the front' I hoped he meant the truck but knowing these thugs I feared the worst.

I could tell when I looked at Sasha and Abraham that they did too.

The man called 'T' pushed me as I fought back.

As soon as the man brought me round to the back of the truck, I appeared to be obliging showing him where everything was.

Once he bent down, he predicted my movements and tried to cut me but only nicked my arm when I slit his throat.

I tried to make as little noise as possible as I set the body down.

We had no guns in the back apart from an rpg that Abraham found when looking for cigars so I set it up and waited for my moment.

The leader carried on speaking to Sasha and Abraham and reminded them 'bite, chew, swallow, repeat'.

'Who's Negan?' Abraham bellowed.

He pointed a gun at Abraham while singing 'ding dong hells bells’.

‘You see usually, we introduce ourselves by just popping one of you right off the bat, but you seem reasonable people. You're sporting dressed blues for christ sake!...like I said we're gonna drive you back where you were. I mean do you know how awkward it is car-pooling with someone who's friend or friends you just killed? oof’ the man spoke slowly.

‘But, I told you not to ask any questions and then what does this ginger do? So thats that...I mean, I don't want you to get the wrong impression of me' he said readying his gun.

Sasha pleaded, 'wait!', 'wait' she said this time more controlled.

'You don't have to do this' she continued. At this the leader grabbed out another gun now pointing them both at Abraham.

Abraham mouthed 'shut up' to Sasha, 'I am talking to the man' she replied through gritted teeth.

'No you're not' said the leader, 'But, I'm not going to kill you'.

He then smiled and rolled his eyes, 'wait, wait, you know what yes I am!'.

Hearing this I fired the rpg from the back of the truck straight at them.

The blast caused Abraham and Sasha to fall backwards onto the road.

'Those sons of bitches are tougher than they look' I said walking towards them.

Sasha looked at my arm and asked concerningly 'did he cut you?'.

'A little...what a bunch of assholes' I replied.

Sasha and Abraham chuckled and we got back into the truck and drove for home.

'Let's get you fixed up at home' Sasha said, 'mhm' I replied in relief as I put pressure on my arm.

Molly thinks about Maggie on the way home and how she told her she would only be gone a few hours and already it was almost a day later. She had already tried to get in touch with Rick but to no avail, not knowing what was going on back home...

As we pulled up at the gates they were wide open with dozens of walkers roaming inside and seemingly all ganging up on one person.

'What the shit?!' I said to Sasha and Abraham as we hopped out the truck.

We rushed to get inside when Abraham suggested we climb up top and help from there.

We climbed up and we saw that it was Glenn they were after.

It was a strange feeling seeing him, relief that he was back and alive but nervous because he could get bit at any moment.

Maggie was on the watchtower which looked very unstable and Enid was up there with her.

We later found out that Enid and Glenn had come back after Nicholas had killed himself and Glenn had almost died there as well.

We rushed to line up our assault rifles and Maggie's screams bled through my ears as she thought he might die.

All three of us mowed down those walkers around Glenn as he was crouching on the ground.

We smiled and Abraham shouted 'nice to have you back pal!'.

Glenn smiled and we got down from the gate and shut them behind us, all of us now tackling the rest of the walkers which got in.

None of us slept that night, each one of us being so close to death. I had asked around after Daryl but everyone said he was still out there.

I wasn't too worried, he liked to go off on his own for days on end, then he would just show up at the gates one morning completely fine.

I tossed and turned, worrying about that group we met on the road.

Knowing that in the morning I had to talk to Rick about what we heard and someone called Negan.

[storytime-hoe]

Tough Love Ch.14

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x O/C

Summary: Story picks up during season three as the group goes into Woodbury to rescue Glenn and Maggie from the Governor. However, they pick up another prisoner of Woodbury, Emma (O/C). She is a thief who fears friendships after her hard losses. She stays on the move, studying communities from afar and then robbing them blind. She has stayed alive this way for a while until the Governor catches her in the act. Now she finds herself with the group from the prison in a mission to kill the Governor for what he has done to her. She plans on stealing supplies from the prison group after the Governor is killed, but she might be growing a little too close to the groups members, especially one man in particular: Daryl Dixon.

Warnings: Slow burn, language, usual twd violence, mentions of abuse/rape

Authors Note: So I just decided to add that first part last minute and this is super long now but oh well at least it’s something. I also did not even spell check the first part so sorry but I don’t have time and I do not want to keep people waiting since I promised I would be on track from now on. 

Previously: Ch.1      Ch.2       Ch.3       Ch.4     Ch.5      Ch.6     Ch.7       Ch.8       Ch.9       Ch.10          Ch.11        Ch.12        Ch.13

Returning from the run in a car with Sasha and Glenn made me anxious. I looked ahead for Daryl’s motorcycle every ten seconds, just to make sure that he was still with us. 

I was shaken to the core after the scare he had given me. I knew he could tell something was off with me the entire time he was struggling to save me. Thankfully, however, after I got off of his damn bike, he was much more gentler with me. There was no more giving me shit about how I did things like he had done the rest of the trip. I think maybe his anger about me running off on my own the day before had finally worn away. Or for the most part at least. 

He didn’t say much else to me as we jumped back on our vehicles and made way fro the prison before it got dark. We had planned on bringing home much more than we had, but we still all had our backpacks stuffed with food items and supplies. And we were all alive still, so that was a plus. 

As I stumbled into my cell room, pulling the thin drape that was the door closed behind me, I couldn’t help the shaking in my hands which was growing worse with every breath I took. 

Daryl was all I could think of. He filled every inch of my mind. It was like I needed to make sure he was okay all the fucking time now. Like when I did try to lay down and get some sleep, I stirred with images of him being ripped apart by the dead the same way that my little brother had been. It was haunting me. 

I had just about had enough as I jumped from my bed in a fury, the sweat that coated me made my clothes stick to my skin. I had to do something or else I was going to drive my head into a fucking wall. 

I needed to see him. 

I needed to make sure he was still breathing just one more time tonight, then I could go to sleep. Yeah, that was it. If I could stroll by his cell and peer in and see him all fine in his bed, then everything would be good. I would rest well knowing he was safe. Right?

I calmed my racing heart slightly and threw open the drape in the doorway with a violent swish. But I froze in place at who faced me. 

Daryl was staring at me wide-eyed with a shocked look on his face. What the hell was he doing here? I was supposed to be the one coming after him. Actually, I liked this much better. 

Daryl regained composure before I did, rubbing a hand down his face and preparing himself to explain why he was lurking in front of my room. 

“Sorry,” he grumbled, not meeting my eyes. “I- I was just checking on ya. Ya seemed pretty out of it after- ya know...”

He trailed off, the tips of his ears turning an adorable shade of pink. 

I blinked a few times, struggling to find my voice at first. My mind was still trying to comprehend that he was checking up on me. Me, the girl who he talks shit about all the fucking time. 

“I- yeah- I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be fine? Done this shit a million times.” 

And it was all true. I had run into herds and had more close calls and run ins with death than I could count. But then again, I didn’t almost lose someone I though so strongly about back then. This was different than anything I’d ever gone through. And of course Daryl knew that. He seemed to always know fucking everything about me. What a prick. 

He chewed on the skin by his thumb at my response. “Sorry ta bother ya then.” He started to take hesitant steps away from my door and back towards his own room. “Jus worried ‘bout ya I guess.”

I swallowed thickly and eyed him. He looked so fucking cute standing there all bashful. He was trying to show a nice gesture, something I could have been jumping at after the way he had been treating me, but I couldn’t get my big fat fucking ego to calm the fuck down. 

“Well,” I said, hating the dullness in my voice. “Don’t.”

Usually, Daryl keeps a neutral look on his face, so I can never read what the fuck he is thinking, but this time I saw a flicker of something. A flicker of hurt. Hurt that I was causing again. 

He nodded once and went away, leaving me standing in my room alone. Alone was never a good thing for me at a time like this. 

What the actual fuck was wrong with me? I had just admitted to myself that I had feelings for the son of a bitch and here I was pushing him as far away from me as possible, and when he was trying to be there for me too. I was shutting down. I almost lost him and the fear of being hurt at losing someone like him was making me do things I would regret. I wish to God I could just drop the tough guy act and fucking behave like a normal human being in these types of situations. No, normal wasn’t a thing anymore. 

The tremor in my hands was back as I closed the drape once more. I couldn’t do this. I had to fucking stop acting like I was strong enough to take on the world. Because I sure as hell am not. I am not and never will be. So what was I supposed to do if I couldn’t be strong for myself?

I’ll tell you what, right all I fucking needed was Daryl God damn Dixon.

I ran out of my room again down a few rooms until I was staring at the closed duration of Daryl’s room. I knew he was in there; Rick wouldn’t let him keep watch after coming back from a run like that, even if he wasn’t happy about being forced to sleep, he would obey Rick. 

My heart was in my throat as I looked straight ahead to the curtain. Just do it. Open the door and talk to him. Talk about what? What was I supposed to say to him? I would probably start crying when I saw his face, especially if it had that hurt look on it still. Oh fuck, this was a bad idea. But all my ideas are bad ideas.

I held my breath as I yanked back the curtain and stumbled into his room. 

He was already laying down on the bunk, staring blankly into the air above him with his hands under his head. 

When I barged in he sat up not an elbow, scanning me up and down with wild eyes. He probably thought there was an emergency, that someone was hurt and that Rick and the others needed him. But when his eyes finally fucking rested on mine, his expression softness and it made me melt. He understood. I didn’t have to fucking say anything for him to see that i was crumbling to pieces after that run. But Daryl would never judge me for that, I don’t know how I could have though he would before. He was someone I could let my walls down with and vice versa. He was always fucking there for me, no matter how I treated him or how we fought. We would come back to each other in the end. Always. 

We just stared for a minute, my chest tight and heaving with the pressure of emotion weighing me down. 

“C’mere,” was all he said with a small nod of his head. He knew I couldn’t be alone tonight. I needed to be right next to him to make sure he was real and alive and that nothing would happen to him. 

His simple mumble was all it fucking took for me to unglue myself from the floor and crawl up next to him in the bed. I laid down on the very fucking edge of the bed, not letting myself touch him. We were both tense beyond belief for a solid minute or two, but when he let his arm fall over my stomach, I felt us both relax more with each breath, and I eventually pressed up against his chest, my hand over his beating heart. 

I wanted to say something to him, to tell him how it made me shit myself to think about him being out of my life forever, and that if he did die on that run that I would’ve lost my fucking mind. I opened my mouth to speak a few times, but I always chickened out. I didn’t know how to tell him how much he actually meant to me, and of course there was that fear that he would take it wrong and reject me. 

So, I kept my mouth fucking closed for once in my life and let him hold me that night. I let myself feel peaceful in his arms. But that was not exactly where I woke up. 

When I did open my eyes again I had forgotten that I was sharing a bed with Daryl. That was until I became aware of the added weight on top of me. Daryl’s head was on my chest and shoulder, his face turned away from me into my hair. His arm was strewn across my body with his leg tangle around mine. 

I smiled to myself, thinking back to the night we had stayed outside together after my panic attack. I had woken up all onto of him, but now our positions were switched. I decided to tangle my hand in his hair, enjoying how it felt woven around my fingers. Hey, if he was allowed to lay on me like this, then he couldn’t give me shit for wanting to feel his hair. 

After a few more quiet snores from Daryl I pushed myself out from under him. He stirred and woke up, but I was out of his room before he could say anything to me. 

I got dressed in a hurry  and went out of the gate to start my morning search.  Yes, alone. Rick had said I could do whatever the fuck I wanted, and even if I was starting out the journey by myself, I had a strong feeling that someone would be following me out. And another strong feeling that that someone would be Daryl. Because everyone knew we couldn't leave each other alone anymore.

But, I started the day not thinking about anything but the Governor. I needed to find him and make sure he was dead. He ruined me, made me feel things I could ever recover from. I wasn't about to let him do that to anyone else.

Even if a trip like this in the early mornings was useless, it made me feel better. It was a chance to get back out in the world. It was a chance for me to kill as many Walkers as I wanted and be as dirty and careless and wild as I pleased with no judgment.

It wasn't until I was about an hour out that I got the feeling that I wasn't alone; Daryl sure took his time following me out. I didn't have time to act on that hunch, however, before I was grabbed from behind. A Walker had ahold of my hair, trying his best to sink his teeth into me. I sliced through him with a machete just before turning to cut down his friend.

Before I knew it, there were dozens of them coming at me from all directions. I really thought that if it was Daryl that was following me, that he would have come to my aid by now. I never thought he would let me get so close to danger with all the Walkers swarming me. Then again, we hadn't really talked about the last argument we had had. He said he was worried about me last night, but maybe he was giving me space and letting me handle myself. He would step in if I really needed him. Right?

I cut down the last of the group of Walkers with much effort and an exhausted grunt. I felt the Walker blood dripping down my neck and soaking into my clothes. I turned to look into the trees behind me in the direction that I knew Daryl was hidden, watching me.

Knowing he was found out, Daryl stepped towards me out from behind his place in a shrub.

"Enjoying the show," I breathed out with the pile of bodies laying lifeless around me. He took a few more steps towards me before stopping to look a the Walkers with his crossbow in hand. "What are you doing here?" I asked him at his silence, trying to keep my voice light and welcoming, not wanting to sound like I was complaining about the company.

He finally met my eyes and the answer that I wanted to here was silently confirmed. He was watching over me. Despite everything, we were back to our old ways of being friends. My heart skipped a beat at the thought that I hadn’t pushed him too far away. I was like a nervous teenager on the inside, but being the stubborn ass that I am I scowled down at him slightly, not letting him see how excited I was that he was here.

"I can take care of myself," I let him know for the hundredth time.

He shrugged, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. "I know."

Pleased with his answer I had to surprise my own lips from turning up at the corners. I faced away from him to hide my failed attempts and walked deeper out into the woods.

"So why ya out 'ere?" He questioned as I started back on my path, this time he followed close behind me, not bothering to stay out of my sight anymore.

"You know why," I said darkly, only for him to nod.

He knew I couldn't rest with the Governor still out there. A part of me knew that he couldn't either.

"Michonne's out ‘ere too," he grumbled to me, letting me know that I wasn't alone in wanting the Governor gone for good.

"Why don't you go bother her then?"

He never answered. I had a feeling that he enjoyed my company better than he did Michonne's. We needed this time too. Not to talk anything out or get into another fight, but we needed that silence with each other. Where we could walk around for hours and just soak in the company of the other without a word. The silence mending what I thought I had broken. The silence also helped us forget how awkward we might have felt after having shared a bed. But that was besides the point. 

Getting up with the sun to look for the Governor everyday became routine for me, as did making my way to his bed every night. I sort of just followed him in when it was time, and he was always expecting me to also. And it wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable after that first night, we got used to needing to hold onto someone and to helping each other through the restless nights. 

I never asked Daryl to come with me when I got up to look for the Governor every morning, and I never told him when I was going out after I had disappeared into my room to get ready, but he was always there waiting for me.

Every day I woke up, not getting the amount of sleep I should've been getting, and got dressed and usually grabbed some sort of breakfast bar, if anything at all, before I bounced outside to see him already leaning against the fence with his crossbow propped on the ground next to him.

I do have to say, turning the corner every morning to see him leaned against a wall with a lit smoke between his lips, and the sun rising behind him giving off a magical gold color to the air, was what fucking kept me going. He took my breath away sometimes and the saddest part was that he didn't even fucking realize he was doing it.

Days and weeks went by like this. We would follow the Governor's trail right where we had left off the previous day, coming back in the evenings only to go up and keep watch together then retiring to bed in his room.

We spent every second together almost, and sometimes it got to us. We snapped at each other a lot for pointless shit. We both possessed strong personalities and they clashed more often than not. Pushing the others buttons was something we had become masters at. It was a fun little game to piss Daryl off. He would shit talk back at me and we would go on and on. It usually either ended with him screaming at me before storming off, or with him giving me the silent treatment.

But just like always, the silence fixed everything. It let us cool down and forgive without having to say anything. Before we knew it we were back to chatting like friendly people again as if nothing had ever happened. When we weren't fighting we could find peace in the silence of each others company. I reveled in simply him being around with me. Neither of us needed to talk and that was another thing that made him close to perfect, he didn’t expect anything from me.

***

Taglist:

@daryldixonandfrogs @jodiereedus22 @xchrisxevansx @bvbwestfall

[itsclydebitches]

RWBY Recaps: Vol. 5 Known By Its Song

This is a re-posting from Nov. 18th, 2017 in an effort to get all my recaps fully on tumblr. Thanks!

Five years on air and RWBY still has the ability to make me stupidly emotional. This episode was no exception.

Our title, "Known By Its Song" comes from the old saying that "A bird is known by its song, a man by his words," presumably referring to times when a man's "word" was equated with his honor. We begin the episode with Qrow--someone who is notably both man and corvus, a dichotomy that the episode will later comment on--who is out keeping his own word to Ozpin, searching for other huntsmen and huntresses to help them in their battle against Salem.

...and he's a complete drama queen about it.

Yes, in retrospect this is a Very Serious Situation, but getting a montage of Qrow literally bending over backwards in frustration before finally collapsing to his knees? Pretty hilarious. The first bar he visits, looking for someone named Shiro, doesn't go well at all, but for two minutes at least we can chock everything up to Qrow's semblance: the bartender doesn't know where Shiro is, he's not allowed back until he pays what he owes, and that debt is apparently high enough to warrant Qrow getting a knife thrown at him through the wall. Yeesh.

As his mission continues though, it becomes clear that there's far more at play than a bit of bad luck. Qrow is conducting his search in the poverty stricken areas of Haven, which is both a wonderful bit of world building and a perfect bit of characterization. After all, Qrow had a life of raids and disreputable behavior before he hooked up with the Ozilluminati. Any friends that he goes "way back" with are bound to be, if not criminals, then other huntsmen and huntresses with equally dubious pasts. The area where Qrow expects to find his friends is drab and gray, a sharp contrast to the beautiful seating area he'll rest in later, complete with holographic technology and a water garden with lily pads. The houses are boarded up and falling apart. The people wear filthy clothes, spend their time betting on street fights, and have some rather horrific injuries--hello, one-eyed weapons seller. What really completes the picture is a sign outside the bar proclaiming that there are NO FAUNUS allowed. Here in the U.S. racism has long been used as a means of pacifying those at or below the poverty line. Struggling to survive? Facing a government that cares little about whether you eat or your kids go to school? Well at the very least you're still white! It's a horrific truth about this country, but a truth nonetheless, and for once I'm glad that Rooster Teeth is forcing their race analogy back into the narrative. As flimsy as it still is, it does make sense that the most poverty-ridden parts of Haven would also be one of the most overtly discriminatory. This is just a more blunt version of what we saw back in Atlas during Jacques' little charity ball. He makes speeches about faunus who complain about dangerous working conditions. Bartenders in Haven slap up signs on their wall. It's the same thing with a different face.

Not that Qrow has time to worry about that right now. He runs through name after name learning that each person is missing--or worse. His search comes to an end when, frustrated, he reams out a guy right before a little girl toddles up, asking if this strange man knows where her Mommy is. I find it rather poignant that it's in this moment, one of his worst, that Qrow actually resists his flask. Perhaps he wants to keep feeling whatever emotions rose up from that little encounter. I think he hates himself just enough to go that route.

I also find it reassuring that for all his talk about how he can't get close to others because of his semblance, Qrow does know a lot of people. He's popular in his own way, making allies, acquaintances, and friends on both sides of the fence, so to speak. It's a punch to the gut when we see him back among Haven's upper class, staring at a mission board like the one we saw in Beacon. Every name up there--all these people he's come to care about--are missing, gone on search and destroy missions and never returned. Just as the viewer is beginning to realize why Shiro hasn't payed his debt, that it probably has nothing to do with a sleazy nature, Qrow is back at the bar. He pays off the money Shiro owes and tells the bartender firmly that "His name is clear" now.

I'd be more moved by this scene if I wasn't distracted by how the hell lien works in this world. Seriously. It seems straightforward enough at first glance. Different colors represent different amounts, right? But then here's Qrow throwing down a single card that pays off the16,000 debt. That seems like a random number. Who makes a 'bill' worth that exact amount? Unless Qrow payed him more than the minimum, or that was acting more like a credit card.

I don't know. This is the fantasy show that has yet to introduce languages other than English. You can't look too closely at RWBY's world building.

On to things I can actually conceptualize: Yang and Weiss are finally having their talk with Raven. Who was surprised by the setting that includes a decorative tea set and low table? Not me. I've seen a bunch of comics these last two weeks depicting that conversation exactly as it occurred, at least aesthetically. How did we know? Something something Yang's Asian influence. Again, don't look too closely. The point is that Raven is starting a very ironic conversation regarding "truth."

I actively dislike this woman.

Her attempts to manipulate Yang two episodes back were pretty blatant, but kudos for better subtly here: by insisting that Yang needs to question everything--including Raven--Raven actually positions herself as both wise (the one to gift Yang with this advice) and trustworthy; as the only one to admit her own, potential duplicity, she paradoxically comes across as the most honest. Too bad Yang's too smart to fall for her mind games. Or too straight forward. Weiss is the one talking herself in circles about whether magic might actually exist or not. Yang has a laser focus that nothing can penetrate: find Ruby.

I said last time that Raven was going to either drop some crazy plot twist about Ozpin, or just catch the girls up on what we already know. Looks like Rooster Teeth went with option two. Raven (taking her sweet time and being real vague about it) sums up what we've learned this season, if not earlier: Salem is a person that exists and is a Big Threat, she wants to kill off all of humanity (which presumably includes the faunus?), magic is a thing, and Raven just happens to know someone who can "come back from the dead." Wow. Wonder who that could be!

She does actually drop a few tidbits of interesting information. She reveals that she and Qrow entered Beacon to learn how to kill huntsmen and obviously only one of the twins was dissuaded from that goal. Her comment that the entrance exams were "child's play" is particularly fascinating because I'd always assumed there had to be something beyond just sending in transcripts and not screwing up initiation. Which begs the question, how did Jaune get past an exam of that caliber? Did Ruby just skip it with Ozpin's permission? Presumably.

In the end though, no matter how much Raven might want Yang to believe her "truth," her overwhelming bias shines through. The fact that she claims to have info on Ozpin and makes the beginning of the conversation all about Qrow hints at those feelings of betrayal. She ends the conversation on Tai--an insult that finally has Yang losing her patience. And throughout the middle Raven emphasizes that Salem is an entity that can't be stopped. Her beef with Ozpin (according to this conversation at least) isn't that he's inherently evil, but that he's convincing people to fight with him in an impossible war.

The problem here is that Raven is the only one who sees this war as "impossible." I've touched on this before, but Volume 5 is pulling strongly from that mission in Mountain Glenn, back when Oobleck got Team RWBY to think about why they wanted to be huntresses in the first place. Yes, on the surface that episode seems to confirm Raven's belief that most enter the life for money, fame, or power: Blake wants tools to fight for equality, Weiss wants to break away from her father, Yang wants an exciting life--they all have ulterior motives. But Raven didn't watch the full episode, all the way to when the girls acknowledge this around the campfire and make conscious (if silent) decisions not to be overly influenced by these motivations. They're fighting first and foremost because it's the right thing to do. Raven sees them as the "poster children" of Beacon academy, naive kids who are too blinded by their ideals to realize how cruel the world is, easily manipulated and then sacrificed by Ozpin. But she's the one who's blind here. The girls know more than they let on, they've acknowledge their failings and the world's... and they've decided to fight anyway.

For Team RWBY/JNPR  fighting Salem isn't impossible. It's just incredibly hard. Ruby, their leader, is the embodiment of this belief, reminding Oscar last episode that they have to keep moving forward. And it’s a sign of growth: Team RWBY is what Ozpin once hoped Team STRQ could be. Raven hates Ozpin because she sees a man sacrificing pawns to an unbeatable foe. Ozpin's allies love him because they see a man doing everything he can to defeat an incredibly powerful foe. But not an invincible one.

Of course, we don't have all the information yet. Raven says that she hates Ozpin for one more reason, for "what he did to my brother and me." The pacing of this scene is important, because Raven's second in command tells Yang and Weiss to go "see for themselves" what this horrible sin is and it's then that we get Raven soaring through the air in her bird form. It's been a big question for a while now: how can Qrow and Raven transform if they have other semblances? The reigning theory was that it had something to do with their tribe connection, but now it seems that this was, somehow, Oz's doing.

Oz is the Wizard theory, anyone?

Why Raven views being able to turn into a kickass bird as a bad thing, I don't know. Some aversion to magic perhaps? Is there a downside here? I’m rather confused as to how this is something bad... And I'd actually always assumed that Ruby and Yang knew about their uncle's ability, but we learn otherwise here. Why keep it from the girls then? Is it just because it's personal, like a semblance? Or does Qrow also view his transformations as something tainted... unnatural even? I hope this aversion is addressed. Perhaps it will tie back to this volume's focus on semblances. In that, if Team RWBY is truly Team STRQ 2.0, then Ozpin might well gift the girls with new abilities too, just as he did for Qrow and Raven. He's already admitted that there are heights to reach beyond merely unlocking and practicing your semblance--heights that he can perhaps unlock.

Which raises another interesting possibility: Could Summer do something extra? ... can Tai?

(And then here's prodigy Ruby with semblance, silver eyes, and potential magic powers on the way. Don't overload the small child lol. There needs to be some struggle.)

In the end, if Raven had hoped that her little talk would get Yang on her side she was very mistaken. She opens the portal and Yang drives them through without hesitation, right when Qrow is agonizing over what's happened to all his contacts. His panicked "Raven?" transforming into a simple, happy "...oh" was a blessing in two words.

Then. Then we're given the scene that watered my crops, cleared my skin, and has done all my other writing for me. Ren, Nora, and Ruby happily cooking up a huge dinner together, expecting a whole slew of fighters to show up with Qrow and intending to feed every one of them. Ruby burning the food despite Ren's warnings. Hearing Qrow calling her and knowing what was about to happen. It’s all great. 

I really love that Ruby was so nervous when she caught sight of Yang. Despite her letter last volume where she admits that running off to Haven was reckless, we haven't seen much about her thoughts on that decision. It all comes tumbling out here though. That a part of her regrets it, how sorry she is that she didn't wait for Yang, she should have tried to do more...everything. Not that Yang blames Ruby for any of that. She takes one look at her crying sister and runs to hug her, saying only, "I love you."

And Weiss... oh Weiss. How dare you question your place here. She looks discouraged for only a moment before Ruby (always perceptive) calls her over.

The episode ends with this.

And we're officially halfway through the volume. We've got Team RWY back together, much sooner than I expected, honestly. 

Now it's time to find Blake!

Other Details of Note

Of course Weiss can tell the difference between a crow and a raven. I mean yes, that was necessary for the plot, but still.

Weiss' "I know that you're really obnoxious" in response to Raven's attempts at hospitality. Pfff drag her.

Weiss' eye roll when Raven said she wouldn't be as "nice" next time they meet. Please.

Weiss' overt concern for Yang and saying straight out that it's okay if she's not okay and my god she was on fire this episode for someone mostly sticking to the background.

Yang telling Raven not to talk about "my family" that way. Raven is no longer a part of that picture and I want to cheer at how Yang is handling all this so far.

I also appreciate the contrast, visually, between Qrow's transformation and Raven's. Their 'reveals' are done in opposite directions and for opposite purposes: Qrow transforms while flying left to right across the screen and attempting to save his family; Raven transforms right to left while trying to keep Yang from hers. Nicely done there.

I forgot to mention this last time but... can we lay off the Nora + food jokes? It was funny before we learned she starved for most of her childhood. So yeah, comments about how she's going to eat everything in sight aren't so much a joke as a sign of trauma. Let the poor girl eat what she likes.

Yang cradles Weiss in "Lighting the Fire" the exact same way she cradles Ruby here. Yang is confirmed big sister to the entire RWBY/JNPR group.

Oscar's confused look that melts into understanding, courtesy of Ozpin. It's a subtle moment, but just another indication of how they're synching up. Lovely detail there.

[twdeadfanfic]

A secret well kept

Daryl Dixon x Reader

*Summary:  The reader has two scecrets. A small one, her crush on Daryl. A big one, the abuse he endured at the hands of her parents. On his side, and after just having arrived at Alexandria, Daryl’s not doing good, making him snap easily. Dyring a fight between him and the reader, some secrets are going to slip.

5119 words.

Request by @pokeballworld

Link to masterlist with more  stories in the info of this blog.

................................................................................................................................

You leaned over the railing of the stairs at the porch of your new house looking around. You still couldn’t believe it, this suburban area in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by lands and lands razed by walkers, the beautiful, stunning houses, the gardens and green areas, everything surrounded by tall, sturdy walls.

Alexandria was strange but incredible, and you loved it. It was safe, it had supplies, and it was everything you could have hoped for after losing the prison, everything you all deserved after all you had gone through, this paradise right when you had been thinking you all were going to die out there without shelter or supplies.

The people were a bit strange too and you knew it would take a little bit for you to get used to them and maybe make new friends, but that was probably due to being with the same people for so long and developing such a deep level of trust and care as you had with them, more than to the Alexandrians not being good people. If only, they were a bit naïve, as it seemed most of them didn’t really realize how the world was outside the walls, and most of them probably wouldn’t survive. But most of you had been like that at some point too, and so you didn’t judge. Rick would make sure they’d learn.

All your friends had gone out of the house already, some to explore the place, others to get to know some of the people, and others to talk to Deanna, the leader of the place. There was someone, though, who was still there, and who didn’t seem to have any interest in getting to know nor the place neither the people.

Daryl was sat down on the floor at the other end of the porch, fumbling with his crossbow. Since arriving in Alexandria he was all surly and taciturn, it seemed he didn’t like the place, didn’t trust it either its people. He seemed so miserable that it made your heart hurt.

Daryl Dixon and you had become good friends during the months and months you had known each other, even though when you’d met him you’d been sure he wouldn’t want anything to do with you, surprised that he didn’t straight hate you, same with the rest of his group. You’d come from Woodbury, rescued by Rick after the Governor went nuts, and you had been taken in into the prison that was the home of that new group.

You had expected to be hated, mistrusted, anything along those lines, but they all had welcomed you in, had treated you right, and even though it had taken a while, most of you have become friends, good friends, and the people who had come from Woodbury got totally integrated in that prison, that slowly welcomed more and more people that were found in need.

Still, you had felt like you needed to repay them, and so you had joined every possible run. At first you weren’t very good at it, though, after having been sheltered first in a military camp, soon after in Woodbury, and so when you weren’t in a run, you trained your ass off with guns, knives, and everything you could think of. Somehow, you managed to avoid being killed during runs, probably more thanks to all of you taking care of each other than to your own ability, but slowly, you got good at it.

Daryl always went to all the runs too, and that’s how you got to know him more, surprised to find that despite being quiet, kind of a loner, sometimes harsh, he was actually one of the best people you’d ever met. He cared deeply for everyone in that prison, and he always made sure everyone and everything was alright. He didn’t mind facing five walkers alone if that meant protecting someone else, and he didn’t think it twice about taking the most dangerous tasks himself. He’d helped you during runs since you’d joined them, and you learned a lot by just looking at him.

Soon you’d decided you wanted to be not only his friend but a good one. It was a slow process, not an easy one, but slowly you earned Daryl’s trust and friendship, getting to know him quite good, your friendship reaching a level deeper than what you could have hoped for, and you were immensely grateful for it. You ended up caring deeply for Daryl, and if the way in which he always made sure you were alright was a clue, he cared for you too, he showed it in his own way.

The dark days you had passed with him and Beth after the prison fell had only made you two closer, with you and Beth trying to keep hopes high no matter Daryl’s mood, but with him reassuring you how it was not your fault, when you had been feeling beyond guilty for what the Governor had done. You wished you could have done the same for Daryl, but to this day, you were still sure he kept beating himself about it. Then, when you both lost Beth, you had another thing in common to blame yourselves, both of you trying to take the blame out of each other without really succeeding. And then he’d protected you from that horrible group of men who found you both, who tried to claim you as if you were just a thing, making them go for him, but fighting back to back you both had gotten yourselves out of the mess, found the others, escaped Terminus, mourned Beth with guilt eating you both again, and so on and so on…

Those had been dark, dark days, but somehow your relationship grew stronger and deeper thanks to it.

You were proud you had managed to get such a deep friendship with Daryl, but that didn’t mean you hadn’t wished for more, and you had been crushing on him. He was brave, resourceful, kind-hearted…and you weren’t blind, he was really attractive. You couldn’t stop yourself from falling for him.

You never said anything to him, though. You weren’t sure he’d have feelings like that for you, he was kind to you, shared things with you that didn’t with someone else besides maybe Carol and Rick, and he was affectionate in his own way, but that didn’t mean he wanted to take your relationship to another level.

Daryl didn’t seem one for romantic relationships, he’d never talked about any previous one to you, or had seemed interested in someone like that. Even if he were, you weren’t sure at all Daryl might look at you like that, and since you didn’t want to make things awkward or lose his friendship, you never said anything.

Still, you couldn’t help the way in which your heart fluttered sometimes when you were with him, getting crazy when he smiled, the way in which it beat fast and scared when he was in danger, or the way in which it hurt when he wasn’t feeling good. Like right now.

You closed the steps that separated you from Daryl and flopped down on the ground next to him. He didn’t say anything or looked at you, still fumbling with his crossbow. Without a word, you leaned closer and kissed his cheek. Daryl scoffed, rolling his eyes, but you didn’t miss the way in which the corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly into a tiny, half-smile.

The first times you had dared to do that, Daryl had turned all awkward and confused, had even flinched away, but then he’d gotten used to it, and you were pretty sure he appreciated it. By now, every time you thought he was feeling down, or guilty, or worried, you would kiss his cheek as you sat down next to him in silence, letting him know that he got you, that you were there for him for everything he might need. Just like now.

“Don’t you wanna get to know the place?” You ventured after Daryl still didn’t say anything.

“Nah.” He scoffed again, eyes still in his crossbow, before looking at you. “Go, I’m good alone, no need for a babysitter or nothing.”

“I know.” You rolled your eyes and nudged him with your shoulder. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“You don’t like this place. Why? It’s safe…”

“I know it is,” Daryl grumbled.

“So?”

“So nothing.”

You knew better than to press it, not with Daryl in a mood, but still, you wished he’d share his mind with you, tell you what was wrong with him, why was he feeling as down as he seemed since arriving in Alexandria. You wanted to help him, but he didn’t seem to let you.

“Hey, you know I’m here for you…” You said softly.

“Told you nothing’s wrong, Y/N.”

“Okay…”

“You gonna go with everyone else or what?”

“No, I think I’ll have more fun here watching you hurt your fingers doing whatever you are doing to that crossbow.”

Daryl scoffed again, but once again you noticed that tiny, barely-there half a smile.

*

Something was wrong. You could hear people yelling, and as you ran to the commotion you saw Glenn getting into a fight with Deanna’s son. They had gone to a dry run, see how each other did things, get ready for a real one, and something must have gone wrong.

Rick and Daryl jumped in too, Daryl throwing another guy to the ground when he tried to go for Glenn too, punching him and punching him before Rick dragged him away. Deanna was approaching too and you ran to them to reach them before her. Daryl was trying to throw himself at the guy again and you didn’t want him to get into trouble with Deanna and so you jumped in, grabbing his arm.

“Daryl, no, stop!” He tried to shake you off but you didn’t relent, trying to drag him back. “Stop, Deanna is here. You gotta stop.”

Daryl finally pushed you off him, but he didn’t go for the guy. He looked around, scoffed, and rushed away. You ran behind him, calling his name, but he ignored you, walking faster until you finally caught up with him.

“Daryl, wait, please.”

“Leave me the hell alone!” He snapped, turning to glare at you.

“No, no I won’t.” You tried not to back down despite his anger. “Talk to me.”

“You wanna talk to me?” He scoffed. “Go back with your new friends and talk to them all you want.”

“What you saying?”

“I saw you all looking at me, like it was my fault, like I was a feral animal or something,” Daryl said as he paced around. “I should have let him beat Glenn? That’s what you want?”

“Daryl, I’m not saying that, I wasn’t looking at you like-”

“I ain’t making a good impression on this people you wanna be with?” Daryl didn’t let you finish. “You want me to be like them? Well, I ain’t!” He barked. “But bet you are really happy to be here with your new friends.”

“I really don’t know what you’re talking about.” You tried to stay calm and not to get worked up yourself, knowing it’d only make things worse.

You had never seen Daryl this angry and you didn’t know what to do. You could see he was hurting, and you could only guess he felt you had betrayed him or turned you back on him, but you hadn’t, you had just been trying to protect him. You didn’t know how he could think that. You didn’t know how to calm him down.

“You are like these people, you belong here. You come from a place like this after all. Nice place with walls, supplies, shelter, with a Governor and a bunch of people who know nothing about the world.”

You were taken aback. Daryl had never held over you your Woodbury past, never had he said nothing like that. It hurt.

“Yes, Daryl, I did come from Woodbury, I thought we were over that.” You said through gritted teeth.

“You’re back home.” Daryl scoffed. “All sheltered and protected again with people you belong with. Bet that’s how it has been all your life. Now here, then Woodbury, and before all this you’d be in your nice neighborhood, in your nice house, with you nice family, knowing nothing about the shit of life, living in your dream, dumb world, just like you’re back to now!”

You didn’t know why Daryl was yelling all that to you, where was he getting it from, but you couldn’t take it anymore, couldn’t hold back how upset you were, how it hurt, and the way in which it struck a nerve.

“I ain’t gonna listen to this bullshit anymore! What’s gotten into you?! What did I do to you?! I was just trying to help, you prick!” You snapped, feeling your eyes water. “And for the record, you aren’t the only one in the world with shitty parents!”

With that, you turned back, rushing away as fast as you could and leaving Daryl looking at you go.

*

You were sat down on the swing of the porch, watching the sun go down.

You were still upset, but you were starting to regret having yelled at Daryl about your parents. You had never talked about them to anyone. You also didn’t like you had reminded Daryl of his father. You knew about the man and the way in which he had abused Daryl, he had told you one night, and you knew not many people knew about it, so you were grateful Daryl had trusted you with it. You weren’t proud of having yelled at him about shitty parents.

But you hadn’t been able to help it, with Daryl getting so angry, yelling at you all that nonsense until he made you snap. He had started it, not you, and you were hurt and upset.

You noticed Daryl walking back to the house and you looked away, you didn’t want to see him. You hadn’t talked again after your fight. He approached you, though, sitting down at the other end of the swing, but without saying anything, and neither did you, looking away from him.

Suddenly, you felt his lips pressing the softest kiss to your cheek.

You were more than taken aback. In all the times you had kissed his cheek when you thought he wasn’t feeling good, hoping to comfort him somehow and letting him know you were there for him, he had never done it to you. You turned your head to look at him, surprised, but he was looking away.

“I’m sorry about what I said,” he finally muttered.

“I didn’t know you thought like that…” You shrugged, you were still hurt even if you also were melting at the kiss.

“I don’t,” Daryl assured you, turning to look at you.

You nodded, giving him a weak smile. You weren’t totally sure Daryl didn’t think about you the things he had said, but he was apologizing and that was enough for you, you weren’t going to doubt about forgiving him.

Daryl seemed to notice how you felt, though. “I didn’t mean those things, I don’t. I’m sorry.”

“Alright.” You nodded again, feeling a tiny bit better. “Thanks for apologizing.”

Daryl just nodded, still looking at you as if he weren’t sure you weren’t still upset with him anymore but as if he didn’t know what to do.

“What you said…about not being the only one with shitty parents…” Daryl trailed off and you let out a sigh.

“I don’t really want to talk about that…”

You knew Daryl wouldn’t push you to speak. He only nodded and both of you stayed silent, until Rick called Daryl inside to talk with him.

*

That night, as everyone slept, you noticed Daryl getting up from the windowsill where he’d perched himself again and going out. You left your spot curled with some pillows and followed him outside. He was smoking, sitting down on the stairs of the porch, and you sat down next to him. You pressed a soft kiss to his cheek, a way of showing him things were good between you two, or at least you hoped so. Daryl’s lips turned into a small, half-smile, but he didn’t say anything.

“Why you won’t tell me what’s wrong?” You asked when he finished his smoke.

“There’s nothing wrong…” Daryl shrugged.

“I know there is, you can tell me…”

Daryl let out a sigh, but finally he spoke. “Is this place…I don’t belong here. I don’t fit in.” He shrugged shyly, looking away from you.

“I know the place is strange, and I know there’s a lot of new people. But you are with your family, you belong with them, you know you do.” You tried to assure him. “I know it might take a while to get used to this place and the new people, but everything is going to be okay.”

Daryl didn’t say anything to your words, but he looked at you. “You belong with us too, you know it right? Have done it for a long while now. I didn’t mean what I said before. You’re family too.”

You blinked, feeling like you might tear up at the emotion that his words gave you. You nodded, smiling at him.

“I don’t think I can be like this people…” Daryl said quietly. “And I know I don’t want to be Deanna’s dog or nothing.

“The only person you have to be like is yourself, people will see your worth.” You replied, though Daryl scoffed. “And Deanna won’t make you do anything you don’t want. Rick will make sure.” You’d make sure too, if you had too. “You’ve always been hunting for us and making sure we’re fed. You just have to keep doing that, if you want.”

Daryl nodded, giving you his small, half-smile, and for a little while none of you said anything else.

“Hey…I’m sorry I yelled at you about shitty parents, I shouldn’t have brought that up like that…” You apologized and Daryl just shrugged.

“I didn’t know you had shitty parents…” Daryl ventured a look at you as if he thought his words might upset you or made you snap. “Wouldn’t have guessed.”

“Nobody knows.” You let out a long sigh. None had ever known, not now nor in your previous life, and none had guessed it either.

“You don’t have to tell me.”

“You told me about yours.”

“That doesn’t mean you have to.”

You let out another sigh, thinking about what to do. You wondered what it would feel like to share that with someone else. Would it make you feel better? Or would you feel worse? You weren’t sure…but if there was someone to whom you might ever talk about it, that was Daryl. You trusted him, and you felt like you wanted him to know everything about you. You also knew he would understand it, in a way.

“You were right about it, I lived in a nice neighborhood, in a nice house. With parents with money and good jobs, and all that. And they were nice to everyone, but not to me.” You began telling. “They had a lot of expectations about me, about what they wanted me to be, how they wanted me to act, and what not…and whenever I didn’t live up to their expectations, they…well they didn’t like it and they were sure to discipline me.”

You gave Daryl a weak, sad smile. He wasn’t saying anything, looking at you intently, waiting for you to keep going if you wanted to, but not pushing you to keep talking. You decided to just tell him everything.

“They’d yell at me every day everything that I’ve done wrong, or how I wasn’t good enough, or the ways in which I had disappointed them that day. When I was little, they used to threaten me to send me away to a boarding school for bad girls when I misbehaved or my grades weren’t as good as they wanted them to be, and also they always threatened me saying they’d have to get rid of our dog and it’d be my fault.”

That had been cruel, and you still felt a lump in your throat. It seemed as if Daryl wanted to say something, but he didn’t, waiting until you were finished.

“They also wouldn’t feed me that day and they would lock me in a small, dark closet, even when I wasn’t that little anymore.” To this day, you still got anxiety if you had to get into small, tight places, which was inconvenient in a world where en you sometimes needed to do so in order to survive. “And then, the beatings started too…”

You didn’t say anything else, you didn’t think you needed to. You wanted to forget how your parents had terrified you and controlled your life even as an adult. The apocalypse had freed you from them, and sometimes you even thought that your life was better now that the world had ended. You never told anyone that thought, afraid they might think you crazy…maybe Daryl would understand it, but for today, you felt you had shared enough.

“I’m sorry.” You heard him whisper and you turned your head to look at him. Daryl was looking at you and seeming a bit helpless, as if he didn’t know what to do or say. “You didn’t deserve that.”

“Neither did you,” you told him with a weak smile. “But both of us are free of our shitty parents now. And we got each other so…it’s okay…” You shrugged, looking down shyly.

Daryl was still looking at you, seeming hesitant, and then he pressed a barely-there kiss to your cheek before looking away from you. Twice in a day…you couldn’t believe it…it got you smiling, no matter what.

“I’m sorry I yelled that things to you…” He murmured.

“That’s forgotten now.” You assured him.

Daryl looked at you again, giving you a small smile. You shifted closer to lean your head on his arm, smiling when Daryl shifted so you could rest your head on his shoulder and you curled up against his arm, both of you silent as you looked at the stars.

*

You woke up when the sun began to rise. You blinked your eyes open and realized you had fallen asleep curled up against Daryl’s arm, head on the crook of his shoulder. Sleeping sat down on some stairs wasn’t the better position, as your aching body reminded you, but the warmth and comfort coming from Daryl’s body made it worthy. Still, as you pulled away you couldn’t help but feel shy and selfconscious.

“Morning.” Daryl rasped.

“Morning…” You ventured a look at him, he seemed amused at you. “I’m sorry…You could have woken me up so we wouldn’t end up sleeping here…” You were sure you had fallen asleep before him, though you didn’t remember when you had done it.

“I wasn’t tired.”

“Haven’t you slept at all?” You let out a sigh when Daryl shook his head. He never got enough sleep, and now in Alexandria he slept even less. “You have to. You don’t need to be keeping watch or anything, we’re safe here, I promise you.” Daryl didn’t say anything, but he gave you a weak, half-smile. “Come on, go inside and rest.”

“I want to go hunting…” Daryl grumbled.

“You can go later, you need sleep.” You insisted. “Just a nap. You worry me, you can’t keep going like this. Please?”

Daryl let out a sigh, but finally he nodded. “Okay.”

Smiling, you got up, reaching out to take Daryl’s hand and help him up, walking with him into the house to make sure he’d rest.

*

Later that day, you were getting ready in a rush. Deanna was hosting a party and you had planned on going, but you had come back home later than you had planned after having spent most of the afternoon talking with a nice girl you had met, called Denise. She was studying to be a doctor, and you’d been training with Hershel too, so you had been talking to Denise about joining her. Now you needed to tell Deanna, see if it was okay with her, and if the doctor of the community would allow you.

Everyone else had already left the house to the party, and as you rushed out, you found Daryl sitting down on the stairs of the porch. You noticed he was wearing different clothes, cleaner and without any rip, and his hair was cleaner too, looking soft. You wondered if he was going to Deanna’s party too, you thought he wasn’t.

“Hey,” you greeted. “Are you going to the party?”

“Maybe.” He shrugged.

“I was going there, we can go together.” You offered and Daryl nodded, but he didn’t move, and so you sat down next to him. You were going to be even later, but there was no way you could walk away from Daryl and just leave him like that. “Do you want to go?” You asked him softly and he shook his head. “Then don’t.”

“Aaron told me to try, and Rick wants us to integrate and all that. But I don’t know if I can, I don’t belong in here, told you…” He shrugged shyly again. “Don’t know what’s the point.  Don’t know if I want to try or if I should just leave. It wouldn’t matter anymore anyway.”

Your heart fell hearing him speak. You knew he wasn’t doing good in Alexandria, that he didn’t feel like he could fit in, but saying him say those things were killing, you didn’t know it was that bad.

“Don’t say that, please.” You begged him, reaching out to take his hand in yours. “You belong with your family, I told you, nothing has changed. We’re a new place, and it’s strange but it’s safe, it’s good,” you tried to assure him. “There are new people, and I know they’re strange too, but that doesn’t mean they’re bad, we’ll get to know them, just like we did with Rosita, and Abraham, and Tara, maybe we’ll make friends…” Or like Daryl had done with you. “And if you left your family would be brokenhearted, you don’t know how much you mean for all of us? You’re Carol’s best friend, and you’re Rick’s brother, Judith adores you…” You listed. “I’d be brokenhearted too. So don’t even think it.”

Daryl’s thumb was stroking softly over the back of your hand, absentmindedly. “I won’t…just can’t help but feel like running away sometimes.”

“When you feel like that you come to me and we talk, okay? I’m here for you. Whenever.”

Daryl looked at you, giving you a weak, half-smile, and he nodded.

“We don’t have to go, we can stay here.” You offered him.

“You wanted to go, and I wanted to try.” He let out a sigh. “But I don’t know if anyone of these people would want me to go, I know what they think of me.”

“No you don’t, I know you’re good at reading people but you don’t actually read minds, that must be one of the few skills you don’t have.” You teased him softly, and Daryl scoffed, rolling his eyes, but he gave you that weak, small smile again. “Even if some of them might think stupid stuff, they stop once they get to know you. But give it time.”

“It’s not that I care what they think or nothing…” Daryl muttered defensively. “Just that I don’t fit in…”

“Remember the prison? Everyone admired you.” You reminded him. It’d seemed Daryl hadn’t really known what to do with that affection most of the time, making him awkward, but he had cared deeply about everyone in that prison. “People here will like you too once they know you. Maybe some of them would even crush on you, I wouldn’t be surprised.” You joked, though the idea made your heart ache a bit.

“Yeah, sure.” Daryl scoffed, shaking his head as if it was ridiculous.

“What? Once someone gets to know you, it’s hard not to get a crush on you.” You admitted, shrugging shyly.

Daryl looked at you at that, frowning and looking like a thousand thoughts were running through his brain, though he didn’t say anything, not at first. “You do?” He rasped, barely audible.

You nodded, feeling your cheeks burn. Daryl didn’t say anything, looking away from you and still frowning, thoughtful. “Look, Daryl, let’s not make things awkward or weird, okay?” You pleaded. “What I meant is that you don’t have anything to worry about, everyone will see your worth, forget about silly crushes and whatnot, it doesn’t matter.”

It didn’t seem Daryl was letting it go, though. “I…I don’t know if I could make a relationship work. But I think maybe I’d like to try with you…dunno…”

You smiled sadly at that. “You’re sweet, but you don’t have to say or do nothing like that just because I told you that. It’s okay.”

“Ain’t that.” Daryl shook his head, looking at you. “I mean it. I can’t promise you I’d be good at it or it’d work. But I like you, and it’s not because you’re my friend, so I’d try, if you want to.”

“I want to.” You nodded, your heart beating crazy even though you still felt unsure about the whole thing, and about Daryl’s feelings, as it was a bit hard to believe. “But I need to know that you really want it.”

“I do,” Daryl assured, though he looked away. “It kind of feels as if you weren’t only my friend anyway, it has for a while…just…I wasn’t sure…” He trailed off, shrugging shyly.

You knew what he meant, you felt it too. You couldn’t help your smile, even though you were still a bit nervous. “Let’s try it, then, if you’re sure. We don’t have to rush anything, just…let’s see how things go.” You were still uncertain, but you knew that if you didn’t at least try, you’d regret it.

Daryl nodded, giving you half-smile. You didn’t know what to do. You wondered if maybe you should kiss him, or say something else…finally you decided to just let things flow.

“What do you think, you want us to go to that party together?” You asked, smiling.

Daryl nodded and you got up, reaching out your hand for him. He took it and you helped him onto his feet, and hand in hand, you walked together towards Deanna’s house.

..................................................................................................................

I hope you liked this one-shot, I’ll be posting more one-shots and requested drabbles during all August. Drop me a comment if you have time!

As always, english is not my mother language, so sorry if there are mistakes.

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[jodiereedus22]

Punishment

A/N: When you get Daryl back from Negan but make a big mistake, you have to suffer the consequences.

Daryl x Reader

Words: 2650

Trigger Warning: Angst, Torture.

The reign of Negan was the worst time that we have ever seen, more so than the Governor, Terminus, The Wolves. All those threats we handled, but Negan, Negan was something else.

We were, in a sense, defeated. We had lost so many people to this one man. Abraham, Glenn, Denise, Olivia, Spencer, Sasha and more. The only consolation that I had was Daryl, but he had taken him away from me too. Without Daryl by my side, I felt like I had nothing. Like I was a ghost, floating around with no meaning or purpose.

Ever since the threat of hurting Daryl if we didn’t do our jobs, I had done everything I could to keep him safe from my end. Going on runs, finding whatever they needed, being as accommodating as I could.

Negan had always like that about me, I get shit done. But I was only doing it for Daryl.

One morning Negan and his men arrived in Alexandria to collect their stuff and as always, he brought Daryl to taunt all of us. Knowing he was there but not being about to look at him nor speak to him. Depending on his mood Negan would either address Rick or me. And this day he wanted to do business with me.

“Well hello darlin’,” Negan said in his loud booming voice. “I hope you’ve got a lot of shit for me”

And with that, he pointed Lucille towards the direction he knew the stock room was, and I led to it. Looking in my peripheral vision I could see Daryl without Negan knowing.

As we walked into the stock room Negan’s voice pulled me out of my trance.

“Holy shit,” he said looking back at me, “this is a lot of stuff. You know, I knew you’d come through for me [Y/N].” he said as he leaned in a put a hand on my shoulder.

“Come [Y/N], we’ve got some more business to attend.”

He gestured for me to go first as I lead the way into the main square. Confused as to what was going on, there wasn’t any more business, other than Negan collecting his stuff, that I was aware of.

“Now you’re all probably wondering, what other business could I possibly have?”

Although he has his loud speech voice on, he was directing this speech at me, he just wanted everyone else to hear.

“Well you see, thanks to [Y/N] here, I am very happy with how our partnership is going. You’re getting good shit for me and no one has had to die. And for that I want to reward you, well really reward [Y/N]. I know she’s been the one to keep everyone on track and that kind of loyalty always gets rewarded. So, with that said, here…”

He stepped out of the way as I followed his line of sight and it was on Daryl. Both Daryl and I looked confused not really knowing what Negan meant.

“Your reward [Y/N], is Daryl. I am allowing him to stay, might I add at a big personal loss to me, but, you have earned it.”

With that he leaned into my face, so close I feel his breath on my ear as he whispered to me.

“Don’t make me regret this [Y/N] because I can take him back anytime I choose”

His words sending shivers down my spine. I jumped when he put his loud speaking voice back on.

“Well then boys, load up my shit.”

As Negan and his men spread out around Alexandria to collect their things and demanding that the people of Alexandria help, I was left standing 100 yards from Daryl, staring at each other, not knowing what to do.

It suddenly went deathly quiet, the only sound I could hear was my heartbeat and the sound of my breathing. We didn’t know if this was a trick, something to catch us out. Maybe Negan was watching, seeing what we would do. We didn’t want to put each other at risk. But with everything that has already happened we needed each other.

I started to walk towards Daryl, as soon as he saw me move, he started to walk too. As we got closer to each other, we froze. We hadn’t been this close to each other in what felt like a lifetime. Both thinking the same thing we wrapped our arms around each other, remembering how the other felt, the warmth, the comfort, the love. We stayed like that for what felt like an eternity and I didn’t want it to end.

We pulled away from each other to look into each other’s eyes. There was so much hurt I Daryl’s eyes, so much guilt and it killed me to see him like that. Still desiring to be close to him we rested our foreheads on each other’s and closed our eyes. Never needing to say a word to each other.

The world seemed to come back into the view then, the sounds of hustle and bustle around started to get louder, and I was back into reality. Negan’s men were loading up the trucks. When one decided to pay me and Daryl a visit.

“You’re lucky,” he said to no one in particular.

“If it was me I would have left you in that in that cell to rot” now knowing he was referring to Daryl.

I couldn’t help what I did, I had just got Daryl back, I didn’t know the extent in which they tortured him. All I know was that he was here now, and I was going to defend him. Without thought, before Daryl could do anything, I lunged myself forward and punched the man straight in the face, surely breaking his nose. The loud shouts of him echoed through Alexandria. A crowd had formed, and out of the crowd, Negan appeared with a terrifying look on his face.

Negan looked at me with a look that could freeze the blood in my veins. As he started to walk towards both me and Daryl he gave a slight nod to some of his men who then apprehended Daryl. I hadn’t thought about the consequences of what I had done, now I was terrified that Daryl would pay the price.

Standing in front of me he said something to me, which made me think that this was the end.

“Kneel,” he said in a calm but authoritative tone.

I did as he said, not wanting to make the situation any worse than it already was. I lowered myself onto the floor in front of him ready to take my punishment. I could hear the people around me whisper to each other, I could hear Daryl struggling against the men that were one him. The only thing I could think about was how I messed this up so much. I had just got Daryl back, now not only am I going to lose him, he’s going to lose me.

“This is so disappointing,” he said in a monotone voice.

As he raised Lucille, and people started to gasp and cry. Negan stopped mid-swing. He let out a massive yell and started pacing.

“Now you have seen what you’ve done?” Negan shouted at me, although I had no idea what he was talking about.

“If I kill you, I am gonna lose a lot more than your life. You’re too good to die. So, I’m not going to kill you… but, you will be punished and severely.

This was new territory for everyone, the first time someone steps out of line and he doesn’t kill them, although it was a good thing I wasn’t going to die, I knew the punishment will he horrific.

“Set up two posts” he ordered his men.

They grabbed two long posts and started putting them in the ground. On each one, they tied some rope with some hanging down.

Negan grabbed me by the back of my shirt and dragged me over to the two posts where two men proceeded to tie my hands with the rope on either wrist.

As they are doing this Negan is giving another one of his speeches.

“Now, don’t for a second think, that because I am not killing [Y/N] that you are all safe, I will kill anyone of you. But when you become as indispensable as [Y/N] death isn’t an option. You still work for me. The first two I killed was a lesson to all of you, a demonstration of what I could do. If I killed [Y/N], who would take her place huh? Looking around at all you sorry pricks, none of you have the balls to go all out. This situation is a one-time thing, no one else will have mercy. [Y/N] should feel lucky.”

With that, he looked at me although I couldn’t see him, as my back was to him and all of my people. But I could hear him.

Negan then walked towards me and stood in front of me, so no one else could see him other than me.

“This is such a shame [Y/N]. I thought you would be better than this, now I have to punish you and believe me I don’t want to. But you knew the rules and you broke them.”

I just stared at him, I knew Negan, I didn’t believe this bullshit of not wanting to punish me, its how he gets off, using his power to subdue people.

“Dwighty boy, bring it to me!” Negan yelled to his lackey.

Dwight walked over with something in his hand that nobody could see, and when he placed in Negan’s hand I saw what it was, as it sent shivers down my spine. It was a whip.

As he walked around so he was behind me, that’s when I knew everyone knew what was about to happen by all of their gasping.

“Don’t!” Daryl yelled, “punish me, I can take it, just not her!”

“Sorry Daryl, she committed the crime it has to be her punishment and hers alone, but don’t worry you can watch”

Those words, Negan’s always managed to make a punishment for one person into someone else’s punishment too.

“Dwighty boy?” he called Dwight over and handed him a knife. Without saying a word Negan nodded to me and Dwight knew what he had to do.

I suddenly felt a cool breeze on my back as Dwight had cut my shirt, so my bare back was exposed.

“I think five lashes will do it” Negan announced so everyone could hear.

I braced myself for what I knew would be the most painful experience of my life. But I would not scream, I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of that.

It proved harder than I imagined, not screaming. The pain, it was like you had a band-aid made of your own flesh and someone ripped it off, exposing the sensitive flesh and nerves underneath.

“1” Negan counted.

I thought maybe the pain would be lessened with each strike, but I was very wrong. Each time he strikes, it hit a wound he had already inflicted, make the wound even deeper.

“2”

“3”

“4”

Every lash, I could hear people gasping and crying. I could hear shuffling, I could only assume it was Daryl trying to break free.

The last strike, I broke the promise to myself, the pain was unbearable that my body betrayed me and let out a spine-tingling scream of pain. My vision started to go blurry. My legs were weak. I could barely stand, the only thing keeping me up was the rope my wrists were tied to.

“5” Negan said in an almost relieved tone.

As Dwight went to walk over to me to cut me down Negan interjected very quickly.

“Nope! Leave her there for an hour. No-one goes near her!” he said purposely at Daryl.

My punishment wasn’t over yet. Not that I mattered now anyway, I was barely conscious, the only thing I could feel was the pain.

During the hour I drifted in and out of consciousness. I didn’t really know what was going on around me, all I could see was the ground under my feet and the blood that was now dripping onto the floor. I could feel the top of my trousers were soaked with my blood. If an infection didn’t get me, the blood loss will.

The hour was clearly up, two men walked up and simultaneously cut the ropes holding me up, causing me to fall straight to the floor, letting out a groan of pain. As my body moved I could feel each slash on my back.

Daryl tried to make a run for me, but Negan stood in his path, stopping him.

“Right, I’ll be back in a weeks’ time! And I want the same amount of shit as I had today. With [Y/N] out of action,” he said looking my way, at my hunched-up bleeding body.

“I expect you all to stand up and, make an effort. Because if I don’t have the same amount of shit, someone is going to die!”

Before he walked out of Daryl's way Negan stared him down, almost daring him to do something. But Daryl was smarter than that.

Negan drove off with his men and his stuff, and it seemed like the whole community froze. Except for Daryl who ran to my side. He sat on the floor by my head and lent down, not knowing what to do with me. I knew that moving was going to be as painful as the lashes themselves, but it had to be done.

I nodded to Daryl knowing he was scared to move me.

“You sure?” he asked, not wanting to hurt me.

But I was slipping into darkness and I couldn’t find words and as my eyes started to close I could feel the pain of Daryl lifting me up and carrying me to the infirmary.

On the way there, I managed to open my eyes to look at Daryl as he laid me on my front on the bed.

“I have to clean her back,” the doctor said as he reached for some saline solution.

“This is going to sting.”

He poured a little of the solution on my back and all I could do was scream, tears falling down my cheeks, writhing trying to get away, I didn’t want to feel that pain again.

“Daryl, hold her shoulders, Rick, hold her legs, we need to keep her steady.”

As everyone got into their positions, Daryl knelt down, so he was eye level with me. Looking deep into my eyes.

“Just look at me [Y/N], you’re going to be okay!”

Just as he said this more of the liquid was poured on my back.

“Make it stop, please, make him stop” I begged Daryl.

I could see the pain in his eyes, at the same time I knew the doctor couldn’t stop what he was doing. the more liquid that got poured on the heavier my eyes felt. With another dose, I fell into blackness.

I didn’t know how long I was out for, but when I eventually woke up, the pain had slightly subsided, my back was bandaged up, and Daryl was by my side.

“I’m sorry,” Daryl said feeling guilt for what had happened.

“It's not on you, Daryl, I would do it again for you!”

I knew he would never want me to go through that again for him, but I would, because he was my home, my safe place and I would do anything for him.

I placed my hand on his cheek and caressed it as he put his hand on top of mine. He kept my hand in his, as I drifted off into a peaceful sleep, as I knew he would be there when I woke up.

If anyone wants to me tagged let me know, and if anyone wants to request anything i’ll try and give it a go. xxxx

Tags; @dragongirl420 @addiction-survivor25 @bluesfortheredj @viraloutbreakcontrol @shutupimtryin2write @crossbowking @nothingevertrulyends

[coffee-obsessed-writer]

Secrets

A/N: Request: Anonymous said: #15 “was that supposed to hurt?” Ending in fluffy smut Daryl x reader?? Summary: Set in Alexandria after Rick’s group arrives. Daryl is having a secret fling with the reader because she wants to keep it quiet. Daryl thinks it’s because she’s ashamed of him, but really, she has a whole other reason entirely… After a disagreement puts an end to their tryst, another misunderstanding seems to tear them apart for good. That is. until her reason for staying quiet turns out to be what brings them back together.

Daryl Dixon x Reader

Warnings: Canon Divergence, Language, Smut, Fluff, Anxiety, Secret Romance

Word Count: 6063

A little sliver of light that crept in from beneath the closet door had been just enough to see the material of your shirt on the floor. The space was tight, and you tried to bend down to retrieve it without bumping your head.

No such luck. The pain of the door handle crashing into the side of your head caused you to curse, but still chuckle as you stood up straight with your shirt gripped in the hand that was now pressed to your hair.

“Ouch,” you pouted and rubbed it gently.

“Here, lemme see,” Daryl said yanking you closer. His chest was still bare and beaded in sweat, a sight that caused your pain to basically be forgotten.

Daryl lightly kissed the small bump, “S’lright, it ain’t bleedin’.”

Putting on your shirt and buckling your jeans, you regretfully watched Daryl finish getting dressed. Once his belt was buckled, he placed a hand on each of your shoulders and ran them up the side of your neck.

“You good?” he asked. Even in the dark of the closet, you could see how his azure eyes looked over you, drinking in each line and curve of your face.

“Mmhmm,” you responded, standing up on your tiptoes to leave a soft kiss on his lips.

“You sure you still wanna keep it like this?”

“I do.”

“Alright,” Daryl sighed and ran his fingers through your hair, “If that’s what you want.” He pushed the back of your head towards his lips, but there was nothing soft about that kiss. Even though the tryst in the closet had gone two rounds, you wanted him again instantly.

A door closing from somewhere nearby was enough to pull you away from him and taking a deep breath.

“We should probably get back, huh?” You said quietly and smiled, but suddenly felt awkward. This part was always the worst, having to walk away like nothing ever happened, even though you’d just been properly taken care of by a man that you weren’t supposed to be feeling things for.

Daryl nodded, but you could see his expression was not agreeable. You started to apologize, again, but the voices got closer and closer and eventually entered the room where the closet was located that also served as your current rendezvous, you just mouthed the words, I’m sorry. He shrugged it off and smiled at you, igniting the guilt that lived in your gut.

The people moved through the townhouse and out through the back. You peaked out of the closet, saw it was clear and stepped out into the empty room.

“They’re gone,” you said and waved him out.

Daryl followed you into the room, but his head was hung, and he refused to meet your eyes. “We gotta stop doin’ this,” he said softly, causing you to feel as though you were punched in the gut.

“Daryl, no, I don’t…”

“I don’t either, but, this is ridiculous,” he shrugged and shook his head. “We shouldn’t have to be sneakin’ around Y/N…”

“You just asked me, right in there, if I wanted to keep it this way. When I said yes you said, alright!” your voice was louder than you intended. The sudden idea of your time with Daryl being over already was not one that sat well. “What the hell changed in the matter of, literally, seconds?!”

Daryl just shrugged again and offered you a sorrowful look. “I dunno, just sorta hit me. I like bein’ with ya, a lot. I know what ya said, but honestly, I don’t get why it’s gotta be this way. I’m done with the closets and secret bullshit...”

“So, when you said you understood that I had my reasons you just… what? Lied so you could fuck me?”

You saw the anger flicker in Daryl’s eyes and you instantly regretted your comment. Before you could apologize he just turned and stormed away. A moment later the front door slammed shut and he was gone.

Standing alone in the empty room, your mouth was agape, and you couldn’t believe the turn the afternoon had taken. Just minutes ago, you were wrapped in Daryl’s arms, panting and whispering his name as he brought you to unimaginable places with just a touch of his hands. Now, you were back to being alone and you were more affected by how badly hurt you felt at the idea of never being with him again, than by him walking out on you.

  It had all started innocently enough, and after a couple nights together sharing a watchpoint, there was an obvious attraction between you and Daryl, but you held back for reasons you weren’t ready to share.

Daryl flirted in his way with shy looks and extra supplies delivered to you when he’d come back from a run. It was the gesture of a single daisy left on your post one morning, that finally made you realize that no matter what your purpose for pushing him away, you couldn’t do it anymore.

After a late-night shift, yours and Daryl’s relief team came, and you still had some time to kill before you had to be home. He talked you into taking a quick patrol around the community. Unable to fully admit how much you wanted him, Daryl made his intentions known as you turned the corner and he kissed you.

Taking you by surprise, it was soft and sweet. You locked eyes with him, and it was as if a switch got flipped. When he knew for sure you wanted him as much as he wanted you, there was no turning back. Daryl took your hand and pulled you into one of the empty houses that served as the holding cell.

Within minutes all your clothes were off, and Daryl was tasting every inch of you. It had been a  long time since someone had wanted you or touched you the way he did. The first time was just pure, unadulterated sex. After that though… things changed.

You were thinking about him constantly. He’d catch your eye while out around the community, and Daryl would pass you a look of longing or shyly approach you while shopping in the pantry. You tried to stave him off, but one look from his baby blues, and you were pulling him into some secluded space.

There was never much talking time for you and Daryl. The stolen moments you had together were purely physical. It wasn’t until after the fourth time together that he asked you to be his. You nearly cried at the thought of belonging to someone again; especially someone like Daryl.

He didn’t pressure you when you explained that you only wanted to be with him, but it wasn’t something you could flaunt or show off around the community. Daryl said he understood that there was no one else but him, but that you couldn’t only be with him right now if it was only the two of you shared.

In the brief time you’d known him, you knew right away that he was loyal and strong. He was a capable survivor, someone you could count on and even more than that, he was still a good person. Daryl Dixon was the one you’d been looking for your entire life.

And now, he just walked out the door.

  Walking home, you felt the swell of tears that you didn’t even realize had been brewing. Swiping at them quickly, you turned to walk up to your porch, when a voice called from behind.

“Hey, Y/N, wait up!” Aiden called as you stopped and turned.

You sighed and forced a smile, “Hi Aiden, what’s up?”

“Been looking for you. My parents are having another get together tomorrow night, why don’t you and Ben come? I’d love to have you there. I know we aren’t, you know…”

“Aiden,” you sighed again and when he saw your frustration, he waved you off.

“No, no, I mean, we’d all love to see you and Ben there, okay? I get it, you’re done with me.” He laughed it off, but beneath the laugh, there was still resentment.

“I don’t know, Ben isn’t feeling well. I think we’ll just stay home. But tell your mom thank you for the invite.

Aiden nodded in resignation and turned to leave. Once he was out on the street again, he called back to you one last time, “seven o’clock at my mom’s house, ok? Try and get Ben to come, would ya? It’s been a while since he’s been out.”

“I’ll do my best Aiden,” you said more to get him gone, than you did because you meant it.

With Aiden finally headed home, you went to your home and called for Ben. “Hey, where are you kid?”

“In here mom!” Ben called from the back room. You found him curled up on a couch with a blanket and a book.

“Which one today, buddy?” you asked sitting next to him.

“Huck Finn,” he replied without looking up. “You’re home early. Everything ok?”

“Mmhmm, just a change in plans,” you patted him on the leg covered by the blanket and looked at him woefully.

Ben caught your gaze and sighed. “Mom, what?”

“Deanna’s having another party… I thought we could go. I thought it would be good to think about trying to get out of the house? Maybe go to the party, talk to some of the other kids?”

Ben slowly slid the bookmark from the rear cover and placed it in his space before closing the novel and placing it to the side. It was a gesture you’d seen him do many times and always made him look significantly older than his mere eleven years.

“Mom, no. Please… don’t make me,” his big hazel eyes pleading with you.

“Benny, you have to try at some point. It’s not okay to lock yourself away here. I know it’s hard. But, we can’t have people here, you don’t leave the house. I can’t be away from you for more than a little while. Honey, something’s gotta give.”

Benny’s eyes began to glaze with tears and you wrapped an arm around him. Resting his head in the crook of your arm, he hugged you tightly. “I’m sorry mom, I promise to try again. But please don’t make it be the party. You go, I’ll be ok. I swear. I’ll just read, and I have that Discman that the new guy brought back last week.”

“His name is Glenn,” you smiled at him, “and I think you’d like him a lot. In fact, there are a bunch of new people…”

“Mom, please,” you could feel his body starting to tense. You hugged him together and decided to drop the subject.

Ben’s anxiety and growing list of triggers was something that had been developing well before the outbreak. Once the world seemed to try and end, they just became even further amplified through the mass hysteria and horrific events that unfolded.

Upon finding Alexandria and settling into one of the small homes, Ben was able to set boundaries for his anxiety and successfully avoid any major episodes. Only having a handful in the couple years they’d been there, you didn’t want your desire for him to go to a party be the reason another one occurred.

“Ok, ok Benny, I’ll go alone, as long as you promise me you’ll do something fun.”

“Reading is fun mom. Right now, I am sailing down the Mississippi with some old friends. Wanna know the best part? There are no corpses walking around.”

“That’s good Ben, that’s real good,” you kissed his head and swallowed hard to push back the emotion that wanted to spill all over him.

  The party was in full swing when you arrived the next evening. Aiden greeted you at the door and offered an elbow to escort you into the main room. Politely declining, Aiden brushed it off with a scowl and allowed you to walk through the large, arching door frame first.

“No Ben?” he asked looking behind you.

Shaking your head, you reached across the table for a bottle of Reg’s homemade brew. “No, he wasn’t feeling up to it.”

“Shame, he’s a good kid, at least I think he is. He never really did talk to me,” he chuckled, trying to hide the resenting growing in his tone. “C’mon, everyone’s in here.”

Aiden placed his hand on the small of your back, causing a shiver of discomfort to run through you. Two months of your life was spent trying to “date” Aiden in the early days of Alexandria. Ben was still having a hard time and any kind of relationship with the eldest Monroe son seemed impossible. When you ended it, he wasn’t kind or compassionate, instead, he was cold and mean.

It had only been in the last month or two that he had seemed as though he’d moved on. But it still wasn’t long enough for you to forget what an asshole he was. Shifting your body away from his touch, you opened your beer and moved towards Deanna and Reg to say hello.

After the pleasantries were passed along, you mingled with the party guests and quietly slipped out to their back balcony. Sighing at the relief of being away from the party, you drank from the bottle until it was halfway gone.

“Somethin’ wrong that ya gotta slam it back like that?” Daryl’s raspy voice grunted from the shadows off to your right where he was leaning against the side of the house, and smoking a cigarette, a bottle of his own nearly finished. He placed it on the ground where there were several others, and that’s when you noticed he was drunk.

“Daryl,” before you could finish, Aiden opened the balcony door and smiled when he saw you standing there.

The door obscured Daryl from his view and he assumed he was alone with you. “There you are! Y/N, I’m glad you came. Look, I know things were weird back then, but I’d really like it if we hung out sometime. Maybe get together soon and have dinner or something. Like in the old days.”

“Aiden, now’s not the time…”

“Why not?” he asked, taking another step towards you.

Your eyes flicked to the corner of the porch where Daryl stood quiet and motionless. You wanted to avoid a confrontation, so you did the only thing you could think of… lie and stall.

“Aiden, could you get me another beer? And maybe a little plate of food? Then if you wanna chat about dinner…”

“Yeah, no problem. Stay put,” he said enthusiastically and went back in, closing the doors behind him.

Daryl moved from the shadows in a heartbeat and was at your side.

“So, that’s it, huh? That’s why you don’t want people to know? You afraid these asshole’s ain’t gonna approve? Hmm? Or maybe you just didn’t want your boyfriend there ta get jealous.”

You could see the effects of the alcohol on him and refused to engage.

“Naw, its fine,” he growled, taking a step backwards. “I get it…”

“What do you get Daryl?” you asked quietly.

“You’re ashamed’a me. I’m fine for a fuck, but not for nothin’ else, right? Yer pretty boy there, he’s the one you can go ‘round with.”

Daryl leaned in closer to you, the alcohol thick on his breath but what you saw in his eyes was worse. The same pair of beautiful blue eyes that were just gazing at you lovingly the day before now had nothing but disgust burning in them.

“Daryl, why are you doing this?” you could feel your heart breaking just from the hurt you saw written across his face.

“I can’t believe I fell for your reasons,” he hissed, “when really, fact is you’re just a whore. Makin’ rounds, right? First Aiden, then me… who else?”

As hurt as you were, your anger at him came out above all else. In a flash, your hand balled into a fist and was striking against his jaw. It had enough force to throw him off his feet and stumble backward. The heat of your fury was stopped only by Aiden opening the doors and walking out with another beer and a plate of food.

“Was that supposed to hurt?” Daryl growled at you, his eyes narrowed furiously at your face.  A hurtful smirk appeared on his lips before he turned towards Aiden, “She’s all yours, man.”

You turned and pushed past Aiden, causing him to drop the plate of food. You could hear him say something like, what the hell, but before it could register, you were halfway to the front door and determined to get out of the Monroe’s house.

When you reached home, you peaked in on Ben who was in his bed fast asleep with Huck Finn opened on his chest and his flashlight on laying at his side. Tucking him in and kissing his head, you made your way to your room. Sitting down on your bed, you rubbed your fist that was throbbing in pain, and laid back, staring at the ceiling.

Flashing back to the look on the archer’s face was all it took for your emotional fortitude to crack. Daryl was someone you cared about a great deal, and you had wanted to tell him about Ben and his issues, but you also just wanted something in your life that wasn’t complicated. Something that was just yours. You wanted Daryl to be that something, but his behavior at the party wasn’t a side of him you like, or ever wanted to see again.

Bringing your knees to your chest, you curled up in a ball and allowed the wave of tears to carry you to sleep.

  The next morning dawned and you woke still in your dress laying on top of your quilt. You got yourself cleaned up with a shower and fresh change of clothes before heading down to get Ben breakfast.

There were no sounds on the second floor. You went room to room looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Normally his routine, one that was cemented in stone, would have him at the counter waiting for his breakfast. After that, he would read before taking time out to put together one of his model trains.

The intensity to which his OCD and anxiety operated removed the possibility of a change of that routine, yet, there was no Ben to be found in the house. You opened the front door and looked out on the porch, but not expecting to find him.

On the far end of the entryway, Ben stood leaning on the railing and looking out over Alexandria. He didn’t see you, so you stepped back and just watched him as he gazed across the landscape of the community. Something off in the distance caught his attention. He stood up straighter as a wide grin unfolded across his face.

Ben was off running down the road before his name could pass your lips. You followed him, half curious, half terrified at what it was that had piqued his interest. Rounding the corner, you saw Ben approaching Daryl’s motorcycle. There were tools and some parts scattered on the ground around it.

Just as Ben was about to touch the handle, Daryl was coming down the walkway and saw him.

“Hey,” Daryl shouted, “don’t touch that.”

You jogged the rest of the way and had a hand on Ben’s shoulder. Daryl stopped in his tracks when he saw you. He hung his head and sighed deeply before meeting your eyes again. You felt the pain of the night before all over again as your fingers dug into Ben’s shoulders.

“Mom, that hurts,” he whined moving out from under your grip.

“Mom?” Daryl repeated in surprise. “He’s your kid?”

“C’mon Ben, let’s go home,” you said, ignoring Daryl’s question.

“No, I wanna see the bike. Can I see it?” he looked to Daryl excitedly, “I promise to be easy. I just read a book about motorcycles last week and I want to see if I can pick out all the different parts.”

Daryl smirked and looked back at you. “I, uh… yeah, go for it kid.”

Ben’s grin widened, and he dropped to his knees near the bike’s engine and engulfed himself in it.

Daryl slowly walked towards you, but his eyes never left Ben.

“I had no idea you had a kid,” he said remorsefully.

Both of you had the night before fresh in your mind, including all the things that were said and done. The introduction of Ben, however, seemed to be enough to push that aside for the time being.

“He’s not mine, he’s my nephew,” you sighed, “my sister and brother-in-law died in an accident, years ago. I was his only living family, so I took him in and he’s been with me since. He started calling me mom about a year after. Said it was just easier to call me mom.”

You looked at Daryl and felt your heart tug at the way he was looking at you. His gaze was soft, a small, barely-there smile on the corners of his mouth.

“How come you never told me?”

“I had reasons… I still do,” you paused and looked back to Ben. He was still happily examining the bike’s engine. “But honestly, right now I can’t remember what they were.”

Daryl walked over to Ben and knelt down behind him. You watched as Daryl pointed out different pieces to the motor, and as they worked their way around the bike Ben’s smile and interest only grew larger.

“Mom, can I have a bike one day? Please?” Ben asked jumping up from the ground once they completed their tour.

“We’ll see, ok Benny? Let’s just enjoy and celebrate this moment, alright?”

He nodded and turned to Daryl. “I don’t like being outside much. I don’t like a lot of things, they kinda make me nervous.”

Daryl flickered a glance up at you, and then back to Ben. “But the bike don’t?”

“No, I think it would be really cool to go fast on a bike. I’d like to do that one day, but maybe once the corpses are all gone. I really don’t like them.”

You put your hand on Ben’s shoulder and squeezed. “You wanna go back buddy?”

“Only if Daryl can come. I wanna know more about motorcycles. Can you?” he asked Daryl, then turned to you, “Can he?”

You felt a split down the middle of your mind and heart. There was still a bit of resentment for what had happened. But there were also the feelings you still had for him. What had been suddenly started between you and Daryl had come to just as fast an end; an end that you never asked for. You had both said hurtful things to each other out of fear. But you never wanted him to walk away.

Ben looked back and forth between you and Daryl anxiously. Knowing you needed to answer him, you nodded quickly. “If he wants to Ben, he’s a busy guy, so…”

“It’s cool, I’d like to,” Daryl answered, sounding just as excited as Ben did.

  Ben and Daryl spent the afternoon together looking through the books he’d collected on motorcycles and cars. Giving them their space, you listened in from the kitchen as the two of them talked endlessly about anything having to do with bikes, engines, and tools. Daryl listened and waited patiently as Ben showed him every train he’d built and the one he was currently building.

For hours, Ben chatted Daryl’s ear off about all the things he loved, including Huck Finn. As the sun started to finally set, Ben grew anxious about having gotten off schedule. Daryl watched intently as the boy’s anxiety rose without warning. You soothed Ben using the usual tricks and exercises, assuring him that everything was fine.  

“He ‘lright?” Daryl asked once Ben retreated to the back room to rest his overstimulated mind.

“Mmhmm, he’s just overloaded,” you answered as you went about fixing his dinner.

“What do ya mean?”

“Ben’s got anxiety, social anxiety, and mild OCD. He has a lot of fears, phobias… all of it. Today was a big day for him, as he doesn’t ever leave the house, nor do well with people in the house.”

“That’s the why, right?” Daryl’s voice was soft and not accusing, but rather sympathetic and understanding.

“Yeah, it’s part of it.”

“What’s the other part?”

“My life has been solely about Ben for the last five or six years Daryl. He was a traumatized kid that required a lot of attention. Then, shit happened, and the world fell apart. From that point ‘til now, it’s been all about keeping him safe and stable. I just wanted something that I didn’t have to share, something that was just to feel good, to feel like my life mattered too. I never meant to make you feel like I was ashamed of you…”

The timer for Ben’s dinner rang, which was enough to rustle him from the back room. Handing him the plate he walked right back down the hallway and closed the door behind him. Turning back to Daryl, he was watching you carefully, as if taking into consideration all the events of the past few days.

“I’m sorry I was a dick last night,” he said as you took a step closer to him. “No excuse. I was drunk ‘n mad. I saw ya talk to Aiden ‘n got jealous.”

“Aiden is an ass. He was a stupid mistake from the early days. You’re the first person I ever really talked to since then Daryl. You’re the only person I want to talk to at all. I’m sorry I hit you,” you smiled sheepishly, and tilted his face with your fingers to see the slight bruise on his jaw.

“You do pack a punch, I’ll give ya that,” he placed his hand on yours for a moment before gingerly entwining his fingers with yours and pulling your hand into his chest. “But, uh, what happens now?”

“Now? I don’t know… now that you know, do you still want to be with me? Even though I was a bitch and punched you?”

“I did call ya a whore,” Daryl choked on the word and winced at the sound of it. “Shit, I was such an ass, I’m so sorry.”

You reached up to kiss him. “Shut up,” you whispered and kissed him again. He responded in kind and kissed you back. Daryl’s hands slid down to your hips, pulling you into him.

“Daryl, wait…” you leaned back from him and looked around him down the hallway. The door was still closed, but you didn’t want Ben to walk in and be upset. “I want this… you. Badly,” you briefly leaned your head against his broad chest and drew in a breath of him, “but I have to think of Ben first. If he came in…”

“I get it,” he said, lightly biting his lower lip, “I can wait, long’s I know that I’ll get to see ya soon.”

The sound of shuffling feet came from down the hallway. Moving away from Daryl, you turned to see Ben standing in the kitchen, his plate in hand but nothing was eaten.

“Are you leaving?” Ben asked, looking tired and sounding sad.

Daryl looked at Ben, and then back to you, unsure of what to say.

“What would you think if Daryl stayed?” you asked.

Ben’s face lit up as he nodded enthusiastically. “That would be awesome! Maybe you could help me with this part to my train. I can’t seem to set it right.”

“Sure, I can take a look,” Daryl said, unable to hide the smile that was growing on his face. “That alright?” he asked you.

Nodding, Daryl placed a soft kiss on your cheek and followed Ben back down to his room.

  Daryl and Ben finally came up for air a couple hours after disappearing into the back room. The clock struck eight and Ben immediately bolted from the back room and sprinted down the hallway.

“Night mom,” he said throwing his arms around your waist and then turned to Daryl “Night Daryl!”  

“G’night Ben,” he said with a nod, “see ya soon I hope.”

Ben grinned, and it lit up his entire face. The affect Daryl had on him was like nothing you’d seen before, even before he came to live with you. He gave the archer a little wave before sprinting the rest of the way upstairs.

“That’s some kid you got there,” Daryl remarked as he watched Ben leave.

“He’s pretty special,” you said, beaming with pride.

“So are you,” Daryl whispered roughly as he came up behind you and gently placed his hands on your waist.

The feeling of his lips against the back of your neck ignited the heat between your thighs. You curled an arm up into his hair and pushed his mouth down harder onto your neck. Your need to feel him was sudden and borderline desperate. Daryl licked and sucked down your neck to your collarbone, as his fingertips teased the tops of your jeans, slowly letting the snap loose allowing his hand enough room to slip down inside.

As Daryl’s fingers dipped into the wet warmth of your sex, you swallowed hard and suppressed the whimper that wanted to escape. Closing your eyes, you relished the sensation of his lips and fingers teasing your most sensitive spots.

“Daryl,” his name was all that would come out.

He toyed with your clit as his mouth found his way to your ear, “You want me to go?”

“No…fuck” you managed to say, as he ran his fingers down your ridges, then thrusting them up inside you.

His erection throbbed into you from behind, and you could hear him release a guttural sigh. “Can we go upstairs?”

You simply nodded and turned to face him, as his hand slowly slid out from your pants. Within seconds, you were up in your room, quietly closing and locking the door. Leaning back against it, you paused for a second and stared at Daryl.

He didn’t waste another moment. Pulling you from the door, Daryl had your shirt off over your head and on the floor. He unhooked your bra with one hand and let it land near the shirt. Without taking his eyes from yours, he picked you up and threw you down on the bed, ripping off your jeans and panties in one sweeping motion.

He took a step back, drinking in your nude curves. Slowly, Daryl unbuckled his pants, and let them fall to the floor, then pulled his shirt off, adding it to the growing collection. His cock was hard and showing through the fabric of his boxers.

Leaning forward, Daryl kissed your stomach as his hands ran down the length of your sides to your hips. Using his body to gently nudge your legs apart, he slid between them as if he was made to be there. His head disappearing into the shadows of your thighs, as your fingers wrapped in his hair, grinding his face further into you.

“Holy… fuck,” you whispered as he swirled his tongue and teeth around the sensitive nerves of your pussy.

Arching your back and bringing your hips up further, Daryl’s tongue tasted the deepest parts of you, and when his teeth lightly grazed against your clit, you couldn’t control yourself and felt your climax nearing. Your grip on his hair tightened, and when you pulled it a little too hard, Daryl involuntarily moaned into your pussy.

“Oh my… FUCK!” you screamed, unable to control the response you had to him lapping up your mess as it came in his mouth. You desperately tried to lift his head from you, but he refused until he was finished.

Finally picking up his head again, Daryl was grinning and staring at you with dark hooded eyes. “Get the fuck over here,” he demanded as he slipped the boxers off.

You sat up and immediately reached for his cock, bringing it greedily to your lips and taking on the full length of him.

Daryl sighed lustfully and grabbed a handful of your hair. “Fuck woman,” he growled as his fingers twisted painfully through your locks. He gently fucked your mouth for a moment or two, before the animalistic part of him took over and his thrusts became rough and erratic. You wanted to please him, but his desperate need for you was too much for your mouth to handle.

Withdrawing from your mouth, he leaned down over you, planting a deep, lustful kiss to your lips. When he released you, he flipped you over without warning and positioned your hips so he could easily slide into you.

You could feel the tip of his cock gliding between the swells of your ass, making you moan with pleasure as he teased you there. He guided his dick down toward your pussy, and when he felt your sleek entrance waiting for him, he thrust hard, filling you up immediately.

“Oh my god, fuck Daryl… fuck, baby, please…” you whined, aching for him to pound into you.

“Please what?” he teased breathlessly as he found his rhythm, “I know how you like it, but I wanna hear you say it.”

“Fuck me harder, make it hurt…” you begged him, and he obliged.

His fingers dug into your hip, while his other hand wrapped into your hair and used it as leverage to reach as deeply into you as he could.

Your cries of pleasure mixed with pain enticed him further causing Daryl to grunt and breath erratically, trying to hold his own orgasm off for as long as possible.

“Shit, Y/N… You feel so fuckin’ good, fuck… I can’t la–,” he wasn’t even able to finish his words before you could feel him start to throb inside of you. He pulled out quickly and tried to catch his mess in his hand, but it generously covered your skin. “Fuck, I’m sorry,” he said shyly, moving from behind you and sitting on the edge of the bed.

Carefully climbing from the bed, you grabbed one of the pieces of clothes off the ground and handed it to him. He smiled sheepishly and covered himself with it.

“I’ll be right back,” you purred and kissed his cheek before slipping into the bathroom to clean up.

When you returned to the room, Daryl had his boxers and jeans back on, and your heart fell to the floor.

“You’re leaving?”

He looked up, confused, “I didn’t know… I mean, with Ben…”

“Stay. Daryl, please… stay. I want you too,” you were standing in front of him again, still completely exposed both physically and emotionally. “He likes you, a lot. And frankly, so do I. I want to crawl into my bed and feel your arms around me. I want to wake you up at three in the morning for round two,” you smiled and used the top of his jeans to pull him closer, “and most of all, I want to wake up to your face tomorrow morning.”

Without saying another word, Daryl pulled off his jeans and boxers and threw them to the floor again. He swept you up into his arms and gently laid you down on the bed before crawling in beside you.

Turning over on your side away from him, Daryl pulled up the covers and wrapped his arms around you, nuzzling his face into your hair.

“This sure as hell beats the closet,” he teased.

“Yeah, but the closet was still pretty fucking good,” you mused.

“Maybe,” Daryl said, pausing to take in a deep breath of you, “but I’ll take you like this any day.”

Daryl left a soft kiss behind your ear as he started to doze off to sleep. His arms tightened around you as you felt your own eyes grow heavy with exhaustion.

Before he was completely lost to slumber, Daryl kissed your neck one more time and asked, “This means you’re my girl now, right?”

“Mmhmm,” you purred as sleep finally won out, “always.”

Tags: @soythedemonqueen @redm81 @aquivercactus @kazosa  @jodiereedus22 @lefthologramdeer @hyphymanatee @tiquismiquis @his-paradox @rhyatt-deauxtreve  @reedusteinrambles @addiction-survivor25 @bikerdaryldixon @sorenmarie87  @buckyscrystalqueen @jss-devlin @see-you-then-winchester

[weekendwarriorblog]

The Weekend Warrior 12/18/20 – GREENLAND, FATALE, MONSTER HUNTER, EDUCATION, BREACH, SKYLIN3S and More

We’re getting so close to the end of what has been a fairly grueling year for movie lovers, especially those of us who enjoy watching movies in theaters. I personally was watching upwards of ten movies a week in theaters, but since March, I’ve only seen two, and that’s because movie theaters were shut down and then kept shut down since mid-March. Meanwhile, I can literally get on a train and see a movie in Jersey City without any problems, and there have been no cases traced to someone watching a movie in a theater either. Meanwhile, Cuomo and DiBlasio keep shutting everything down in New York City despite claiming that they were going to stick with the zones or hot spots… nope, the entire city may be closed down after Christmas.

But enough moaning…  There’s some good stuff debuting this week and some of them even are in theaters. I’m gonna start with three movies from three of my favorite filmmakers, all of whom know how to make fun, mainstream studio films.

Oh, and before you get to that, also check out my advance review of next week’s Soul from Pixar Animation!

Director Paul W.S. Anderson and partner Mila Jovovich reunite for a brand-new video game adaptation, MONSTER HUNTER (Screen Gems), based on the Capcom game in which the characters… you guessed it… hunt monsters. In this one, Jovovich plays Captain Artemis a soldier who while investigating the disappearance of a battalion ends up in another dimension known as the New World where she encounters (dum dum dum!) monsters and fights them with a new ally, played by Tony Jaa.

Listen, I’ll be the first to confess that I find Anderson’s movies to be a bit of a guilty pleasure. While he has made some fun movies like Alien vs. Predator and Event Horizon, he’s sometimes faltered like his attempt at a Three Musketeers movie and of course, Pompeii. Undaunted by the number of video game movies he’s already made, he takes on yet another one, and he definitely seems to be having quite a bit of fun while making this one.

Monster Hunter begins with a preamble set in the “New World” where we see a ship and characters straight out of the game being attacked by a giant monster. We’re then back in our “Old” World where Jovovich’s character is leading a small platoon in search of a missing group of soldiers. They’re hit by a huge sandstorm, and next thing they know, they’ve been transported through a portal to another dimension where they’re attacked by a giant horned creature (a bit like a mutated Triceratops) that burrows under the ground and starts killing them off one-by-one.

Listen, I make no bones about the fact that I’m a full-on giant monster stan whether it’s Godzilla, Pacific Rim, whatever, so I was probably already fully onboard before I saw the great job Anderson and his team did to make these monsters feel like they have real weight and scale. There are definitely elements to the movie that reminded me of Paul Verhoeven’s Starship Troopers – a movie I genuinely love -- but it did a better job of it than another movie out this week (see below).

Another reason Monster Hunter works at all is that not only is Anderson familiar with the mechanics of the video game but also understands that a movie like this requires some degree of humor to be taken seriously, ironically. Much of that comes from the attempts to communicate between Jovovich and Jaa, and that does get a little tiring after a while, but it offers some laughs once the action settles down, which isn’t often. Jovovich is still a kick-ass action heroine as always, and it’s almost shocking that her and Anderson have been doing this stuff for 18 years since teaming up for the very first Resident Evil.

The great thing about Monster Hunter is that it’s almost non-stop action for a good portion of the movie, rarely slowing down, and it just gets better when Ron Perlman enters the mix, although he feels somewhat underused in the crazy last act where they face creatures that look a lot like the Game of Thrones dragon. There is also some notable silliness that in fact is something from the game.

Monster Hunter is definitely not the kind of movie I recommend to everyone – fans of the OTHER Paul Anderson would turn their noses up at the suggestion --  but if you’re a fan of giant monsters and some of Anderson’s earlier work, you’ll probably already know whether or not this will be for you. Either way, it’s the kind of entertainment we just haven’t seen much of in 2020. Monster Hunter will open in theaters including IMAX on Friday.

Director Deon Taylor reunites with his The Intruder leading man, Michael Ealy, for the psychological thriller FATALE (Lionsgate), in which Ealy plays Derek, a very successful sports agent who has an unfortunate one-night stand while in Vegas with a woman, played by Oscar-winner Hilary Swank. When Derek returns to L.A., a break-in at his home brings out the police, including Swank’s Val, who happens to be a well-regarded police detective, and she will not be ignored, Derek!

I went into this presuming it was Taylor’s version of updating the erotic thriller Fatal Attraction, and I was partially right, except that Swank’s Val is much more dangerous in this case because as a police detective, she has a lot more power over Derek once she realizes he’s married. There are elements to this movie that definitely give it a twist like the fact that Derek and his wife Tracy (Damaris Lewis) are already having marital problems before his affair, or the fact that Val has been trying to get custody of her daughter from her politician husband (Carter Haywood). There’s also Derek’s best friend and business partner Rafe (Mike Colter) and ex-con cousin Tyrin (Tyrin Turner) that add to the mix once people around Derek start dying.

I’ve always said that Taylor is a better director than a writer, but I was surprised that this thriller was written by David Loughery, who also wrote last year’s fairly decent The Intruder. Ealy is just fine as always here, but Swank’s attempt to play a bad guy just doesn’t work as well as she did in The Hunt. Having so many different subplots and characters just confuses matters and takes away from the actual thriller.  There may be a couple unexpected twists but none that really shake you up like some of the ones in Fatal Attraction. Sure, maybe it’s unfair to call it that, even though we’ve seen quite a few genre-switched remakes/twists like What Men Want and Little, and this isn’t that at all.

On the other hand, there is an interesting sublayer to the Val-Derek dynamic that makes you think of the way black men far less rich and successful than Derek are treated by white police, so the movie may be inadvertently (?) be building on the “Black Lives Matter” movement without intentionally trying. Still, I liked Taylor’s last movie Black and Blue much more.

Other than that, Fatale never really goes anywhere and never quite delivers on the promising concept in the same way some might be hoping based on Taylor’s previous work.

Director Ric Roman Waugh and actor Gerard Butler reunite after making last year’s Angel Has Fallen, this time for the disaster film GREENLAND (STXFilms). Sadly, this one is going straight to PVOD in the USA rather than being given a chance in theaters, which is a shame, since it’s a big screen disaster film about a string of comets heading towards earth and one man named John Garrity (Butler) who is trying to protect and save his family.

I’ll freely admit that I’ve been a big fan of Waugh’s since his earlier film Felon – and for the sake of transparency, I do consider him a friend, so I’m glad to see him doing bigger studio films, especially since he continually proves the quality of his work and focus on characters can be retained even for this kind of movie.  Some going into Greenland might be expecting something like San Andreas or The Day After Tomorrow, but thankfully, and I definitely credit Waugh for this, it’s actually is a disaster flick that never loses sight of the humans at its core.

Butler is actually a decent actor when given half a chance, but obviously, his shift to starring in action movies means that he has to work a bit harder to show that he’s more than just a bulky buff action hero.  In this case, he creates quite a fallible and grounded hero whose marriage has been trouble, because he cheated on his wife. Morena Baccarin is also quite good as his wife Allison, really adding to the tension when she gets separated, first from Jack and then their son.  Young Roger Dale Floyd, who I was dubious of as their kid at least as the film began, really steps up and also delivers on making the audience feel that there is real danger and stakes. Just as you think the movie is about to head fully into Roland Emmerich land – lots of comet destruction -- Waugh pulls out another terrific veteran in Scott Glenn who adds even more weight and gravitas to the film.

Greenland is definitely a bit of a leap for Waugh in terms of visual FX from previous films. On top of the destruction caused by the comets, there is also a good amount of time where the skies are burning in bright orange. But it’s all background to following Jack and his family going through the ordeal of trying to escape and survive the inevitable “extinction event” when the largest chunk of the comet hits earth.

As far as disaster flix go, Greenland is one of the better ones, since it goes out of its way to make everything feel real, as if it was a well-made documentary or based on a true story, one that hopefully will never come true.

Note: I’ll also have an interview with Ric Roman Waugh over at Below the Line very soon.

Next up is Steve McQueen’s EDUCATION (Amazon Prime Video), the last installment of his “Small Axe Anthology” of films. This one stars Kenyah Sandy as 12-year-old Kingsley Smith, a boy who can’t read so he’s sent to a special school in Barnet where the teachers aren’t really teaching the kids and they’re running amok. Kingsley’s parents don’t realize what’s going on until a group of caring West Indian women pull together to speak up against the lack of education their kids are getting.

It’s the shortest of the series at just over an hour, and while it’s not my favorite, it’s still very good, and it also feels like it could be a very personal film to McQueen, maybe more than the other four movies. First of all, he found this great young actor to play the lead role -- as most of McQueen’s work, the entire cast is great, including Nicole Ackles -- but he also is exploring something that while some parents may be able to relate to, the segregation and racism that permeated the British school system in those days might not be something that many Americans or younger Brits were aware of. I also wasn’t aware of the cultural bias in IQ tests that sent trouble kids like Kingsley into this other school system where they would never learn anything despite the selling point that it has less students so the teachers can focus on helping them more. That clearly doesn’t turn out to be the case with Kingsley and the school to which he commutes.

Education definitely feels more informational than something meant to entertain like Lovers Rock, but it’s a fine addition to the “Small Axe Anthology” that shows how well McQueen and his team have been able to make each chapter feel different in terms of look and tone from others.

Streaming this week on Netflix is George C. Wolfe’s adaptation of August Wilson’s MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, which I already reviewed. It stars Viola Davis as the title character, a famous blues singer in the ‘20s who has come to Chicago to record an album and she has to deal with an ambitious trumpet player, played by the late Chadwick Boseman, who has his own career aspirations that puts him at odds with Davis’ character. As with Denzel’s adaptation of August Wilson’s Fences, it’s a strong period drama.  Also, as mentioned last week, you can also now watch the related doc Giving Voice, which follows the journey of six student actors on their way to the August Wilson Monologue Competition.

If you’re looking for something to keep the kiddies quiet, check out Taylor Meacham’s TO GERARD, an animated short now on Peacock from DreamWorks Animation. It’s a wonderful animated short about a guy working in a mailroom who witnessed a magic show when he was a child that influenced his entire life and how he passes that love of magic onto a young girl he encounters.

Directed by Jennifer Trainer, the Director of Development of MASS MoCa in North Adams, Massachusetts, the doc MUSEUM TOWN (Kino Lorber/Kino Marquee) is an amazing documentation of the development of a former factory in the Berkshires area of Mass. being turned into one of the largest contemporary art museums in the world.  

North Adams was a factory town where most of the city worked at the Sprague Electronics that was left quite dilapidated and destitute after the factory closed. Years later, the warehouse that was eventually turned into MASS MoCA.

Much of the film covers artist Nick Cave – no, not THAT Nick Cave – as he’s working on his installation, but it also goes back to when David Byrne brought his installation “Desire” there in 1996. Not that it all goes without problems. While opening MoCA would help the community by giving jobs, there’s some political wrangling from the state’s then-conservative Governor, and of course, the people living in North Adams aren’t quite prepared for it to be turned into an arts community.

Still, there are some amazing enormous installations that are impressive and the director even got Meryl Streep – yes, THAT one – to narrate. I’m not really a contemporary art kinda guy but Trainer has done a good job making it easier for people like me to understand why a trip to MASS MoCA in North Adams might be a worthy sojourn.

Speaking of art, I’m hoping to get to Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei’s new doc COCKROACH, which will be playing at Alamo on Demand starting Friday with a watch party with Ai Weiwei happening on Saturday at 3:30PM. In this one Ai Weiwei films the Hong Kong protests of February 2019, covering street demonstrations, police suppression and violence and things like the siege on Hong Kong Polytechnic University including interviews with the participants. Will try to catch this and add something later this week if possible.

Let’s get to some sci-fi, shall we? It’s a little odd to see a few movies that very well could fall into Paul WS Anderson’s genre purview, especially going up against an actual Anderson movie, but there ya go.

The best of the three is the John Suits*-directed BREACH (Saban Films), starring Bruce Willis, Cody Kearsley from Riverdale, Rachel Nichols and Thomas Jane. It’s set in the year 2242 when the earth is dying and the last shuttle, the USS Hercules, is putting its 300,000 passengers into cryogenic sleep for the long trip to New Earth…. Yes, a bit like Passengers. Willis and Kearsley are essentially janitors who along with a few dozen others have been kept awake to service the craft, but they soon learn that something else has “breached” the spaceship and is killing them off one-by-one. (*Okay, funny little factoid: Suits also directed the “Diehard is Back” commercial for Diehard batteries.)

I’m sure you’re immediately saying, “Hey Ed, that sounds a lot like Alien or John Carpenter’s The Thing. You realize that, right?” Sure, I do, and while I don’t think Breach is likely to stand the test of time in terms of sci-fi horror, as those have, it offers more than enough entertainment that you might not regret it if someone forces you to watch it… even in a movie theater! (Dum dum dum!)

I wasn’t familiar with Kearsley before this movie, but he does a good job holding the fort as , and I have to say that Willis definitely seems to be present and not phoning it in, as he has been in some other recent VOD release. In fact, I’ll say that Willis is kind of pulling from the “Classic Bruce” we all loved in the ‘80s and ‘90s, plus he has a bigger role in the movie then others, so that should be a great selling point right there for any doubters.

Eventually, we learn that all the mayhem has been caused by a virus, and soon, the surviving crew are facing infected zombie-like people (kinda like Resident Evil) who have been thawed out from cryo. We also learn that this virus is trying to kill as many humans as possible as the shuttle is sent on a crash course into New Earth (a bit like Greenland—see how it all ties together?)

Sure, there’s an element to Breach that does feel semi-derivative of other space movies, but Suits does a decent job keeping the fun quotient on par with other Bruce Willis movies, and that’s partially why Breach is actually quite enjoyable.

Filmmaker Liam O’Donnell returns to the helm for the threequel SKYLIN3S (Vertical), the third chapter in the low-budget alien invasion movie Skyline from 2010. A lot has happened since that movie, mostly in the sequel Beyond Skyline, which of course, I haven’t seen. Thankfully, there’s a recap as the third movie now follows Rose Corley (Lindsey Morgan), a young woman with powers believed to be the hero that can save earth while fighting back against the alien Harvesters. She also has a brother Trent (Jeremy Fitzgerald), who seems to be an alien “pilot” himself, and with a crew of soldiers, she’s sent on a mission to Cobalt 1 to take the fight to the aliens. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? (Honestly, I was so confused by some of this, I do not recommend watching without having seen the previous movie.)

I wasn’t that big a fan of the original movie (written and produced by O’Donnell), but he has turned this ersatz sci-fi franchise into a full-on space opera that takes its cues (translation: spuriously rips offs) from so many other science fiction movies from Starship Troopers to District 9 to the Aliens and Predator movies. Surprise, surprise, O’Donnell worked with Skyline directors Colin and Greg Strause on Aliens Vs. Predator: Requiem, also not a great sequel. Even with Morgan being a decent female lead, it’s still very much your typical macho action movie of humans fighting aliens movie with a bit of awkward martial arts thrown into the mix. The movie is also ultra-serious almost to a level that makes it hard to snicker, and some might scratch their heads about the choice of a blooper reel during the end credits.

One thing where O’Donnell does sort of succeed is in the mix of practical and on-set visual FX to the point where you may not be sure what you’re watching, plus the environments created are generally effective quality sci-fi. It’s really in the last half hour or so when the visual FX budget starts being more obvious, but it also leads to a number of very silly and cheesy visuals, particularly involving the aliens. You can’t help but feel that you’re watching a particularly low-budget episode of any season of Doctor Who.

Ultimately, Skylines isn’t great, coming across like the Riddick sequels compared to the original movie. In this case, the first movie of this franchise wasn’t even close to as good as Pitch Black was, so why bother?

Lastly (as far as sci-fi goes), we have Martin Owen’s MAX CLOUD (Well GO USA) (aka The Intergalactic Adventures of Max Cloud), which might sound familiar to anyone who has seen any of the Jumanji movies or cheesy ‘90s films like Masters of the Universe and for whatever reason, wished they’d make movies that bad. Set in 1990, this is about a young gamer named Sarah Noble (Isabelle Allen) who finds herself transported into her favorite side scroller gang to join the adventures of its hero, Captain Max Cloud (Scott Adkins … uh oh) and his crew to take on the evil Revengor (John Hannah). In order to stay alive in the game, Sarah’s friend Cowboy (Franz Drameh) must keep the console game on and get Sarah’s character Jake, the ship’s cook played by Elliot James Langridge, through the game’s mission alive.

It did not take me very long while watching this to realize I was about to sit through a very terrible movie, but to be fair, I’ve long ago learned to go into any movie starring Adkins with some trepidation. My instincts weren’t wrong, because between the lousy writing, awful acting and cheesy score that quickly gets on your nerves, Max Cloud never once gets you thinking, “This could have been a good movie.”

There are a few other characters including Tommy Flanagan’s Brock Donnelly, your typical bounty hunter type, and there’s another baddie named Shee, played by…um.. what? Yes, kids, apparently Lashana Lynch, who is set to be the next 007 in next year’s No Time To Die got herself cast in a very bad D-grade movie before her big break. Whoops. At least the movie gives Adkins another chance to show off his martial arts moves, but they feel just as out of place here  as they do in Skylines.

I can’t even say that the filmmakers or this cast were even trying their best or giving it their all, because it doesn’t really seem like that at all. Other than some decent visual FX to create a side-scrolling fight sequence late in the movie, it's actually pretty awful, a bad faux video game movie that should have had its plug pulled.

Shawn Linden’s HUNTER HUNTER (IFC Midnight) is about a family of fur trappers led by Devon Sawa’s Joseph Mersault, along with wife Anne (Camille Sullivan) and daughter Renée (Summer H. Howell), a family trying to make ends meet until their traps start being poached by a giant rogue wolf. Joseph leaves his family behind to track the wolf but while he’s gone, Anne and their daughter find a badly injured man named Lou (Nick Stahl) who may know something more about this wolf.

I wasn’t sure what to expect of this film, mainly since there already was a werewolf movie earlier in the year this year called The Wolf of Snow Hollow, and while this is very different, it’s also somewhat stiff in comparison. About 15 minutes into the movie, Joseph and the two women are separated, and it cuts between them. It’s about 45 minutes into the movie before Nick Stahl’s character shows up, but by then, you probably have a good idea what’s going to happen.

Linden and his cast do a great job creating tension with the help of the music and sound design, but things go along for some time without much happening. Otherwise, Camille Sullivan gives a stronger performance than anyone else, a performance almost too good for this movie, but Sawa is also quite good. Admittedly it’s a little strange seeing him all grown-up having seen Final Destination WAY too many times.  On the other hand, I’ve never really been a fan of Stahl, and he really isn’t great when he finally shows up as the mysterious stranger.

There are some unexpectedly silly moments like when we actually see the wolf for the first time – it looks pretty cool, actually – and Anne just screams at it. There are a couple other characters who aren’t particularly interesting – wolf fodder, if you will – but it just takes its sweet time getting to the inevitable twist that you may have seen coming an hour earlier. The last act is pretty grueling to get through as Lou shows his true colors. Part of me wishes the movie didn’t go where it seemed to be going, because it because it feels sudden and much out of character with the rest of the movie.

Hunter Hunter isn’t a terrible movie, and it could have been far, far worse in the wrong hands or with the wrong cast. I’m definitely kinda mixed on it, since it’s still a genre film that erroneously plays down its genre potential until the very last 10 minutes, and that alone might annoy anyone watching it.

Some of the movies I just didn’t have time to get to this week:

Paint (Gravitas Ventures) Tiger Within (Gravitas Ventures) Sister of the Groom (Saban/Paramount) The Last Sermon (Gravitas Ventures) Climate of the Hunter (Dark Star Pictures) The Rescue (CMC Pictures) Shalom Taiwan (Outsider Pictures) Goodbye Dragon Inn (Metrograph Pictures)

By the way, if you read this week’s column and have bothered to read this far down, feel free to drop me some thoughts at Edward dot Douglas at Gmail dot Com or drop me a note or tweet on Twitter. I love hearing from readers … honest!

[justjessame]

Never Have I Ever (Chapter 1): The Game

I was sitting across from the devil himself. At least that’s what they’d all told me. All of my friends. All of my family. They all considered him Satan incarnate. I had my doubts.

“Rick the Prick has a sister.” He was studying me as I studied him. Here in his domain. Here where I’d been brought along with Daryl when he’d murdered Abraham and Glenn. Daryl, taken because of his temper, me for God knew what reason. Possibly just another dig at my older brother. I didn’t answer Negan. It wasn’t a question, and I felt that Rick’s confirmation of who I was to him pretty much covered it. “Bet you’re wondering why you’re here.”

“Mildly curious.” I answered, taking in the man sitting before me. He was more at ease here, in his apartment. The leather jacket gone, the red scarf tossed too. Just him, me, and that fucking bat still coated in Abe and Glenn’s brain matter and blood. “More curious about where Daryl is right now.”

Negan’s eyes narrowed as he considered what I was saying. “You and the redneck?” I smiled. Oh, he wanted to know if Daryl and I were a thing.

“Does it matter?” I asked, thinking that the best way to learn what this entire deal was would be to question him, subtly.

“Makes it funnier,” he shrugged and my eyebrow arched in annoyance. “He’s fine.” He waved off the topic of Daryl. “You’re not curious why you’re here?”

I tilted my head. Waiting. And we sat together in silence. I didn’t want to break it first. Not give him that power, the power to force me to jump to his commands. I wanted him to get that me and my people weren’t to be dismissed or trifled with. That we weren’t his playthings. That he wasn’t my boss, my god, or my master.

He sat back, the leather couch making a slight crunching noise that denim on leather makes. “Curious about good ole Daryl, but not about your own fate. That’s ballsy, princess.” I shrugged. “What if,” his hands tented into a V shape under his chin, watching me and contemplating his next words. “What if I brought you here for-” I catch his eyes flick toward the bed. And I snorted. Hard.

“Sex?” I laughed, long and hard. “What if you brought me here to fuck? Oh that IS hilarious. Are you hard up, Negan? Have to take women hostage so they can come play in your bed?”

He watched me laugh and it was a real true laughing fit. This terrible, evil man was trying to insinuate that he brought me, Eveyln Grimes, here to screw. Jesus, I hadn’t found something so funny in so long I felt almost hysterical. I got my shit under control as he waited, surprisingly patient, hands still tented.

“You done?” I nodded, feeling a hiccup build. “Trust me when I say I am NOT hard up.” I raised an eyebrow and grinned. “I’m not, sweetheart, in fact I’ll take you to meet my wives later.”

“Wives?” I snorted again, another laughing fit threatening to hit. “Dear God, I don’t know which scenario is more pathetic, a man with NO game, or a man who thinks he has TOO MUCH game.” I rolled my eyes and sat back in my chair. “Now I am curious. Why am I here, oh great and wondrous one?” I was holding back another eruption of giggles, but just barely.

His eyes narrowed. Clearly he was finding me more than a little irritating. Good. I wanted to piss him off. I wanted to make him see that I wasn’t just some girl he could crook his finger to and I’d come running. The fucking nerve of him. Even if there wasn’t a tiny voice reminding me that he’d just murdered two of our people, I wouldn’t show him fear.

“Tell me about yourself.” A command, loud and clear.

“No.” Just as loud, just as clear. My arms crossed over my chest and I got comfortable. He could put me wherever Daryl was, he could fucking kill me at this point, but he wasn’t going to get me to jump just because he said to.

A raised eyebrow and his hands moved to lay on top of his thighs. The movement forced my eyes down, to see that fucking bat sitting on the table between us. “You’re not being very fucking cooperative, princess.”

“I’m also not a fucking princess, but that fact doesn’t seem to bother you.” I tossed back. I hated being called ‘princess’ by anyone. My own father didn’t do it.

He was chewing on his words again. And I really wanted to see him lose it. The confidence, the coolness. I wanted him to be fucking irritated to the point I’d be shunted out of his presence and hopefully imprisoned near Daryl. Harder to get an escape planned if I didn’t know where he was.

“Let’s play a game.” I rolled my eyes, what were we twelve? “I’ll even let you pick.” He stood up and walked to a small bar I hadn’t noticed behind his sofa. He was fussing with the bottles, and I had a flash of an idea. Fuck, if I could get his ass so damn drunk that he didn’t know which end was up, then I could possibly get the hell of this room.

“Never Have I Ever.” I said, and he looked at me like I’d lost my mind.

“Never have you ever what?” Oh, he truly didn’t fucking know the game. “Played a game?”

I shook my head. “No, it IS a game. Grab a couple of shot glasses and whatever stupid nasty rotgut you’ve got piled over there and we’ll play it.” He smirked. “A drinking game?” Clearly he was taking in the fact that I’m barely five foot tall barefooted and just over a buck twenty pounds. Yes, underestimate me, Negan. Please.

I nodded and he grabbed a few bottles and juggled two glasses. Sitting them on the table between us, I waited until he’d re-seated himself. I explained the rules, and he nodded his understanding.

“You can even ask the first ‘never have I ever,’” I offered, thinking it would tell me more about where his mind was anyway. “But first we have to pour the drinks.” And so we did.

“Never have I ever been married.” He drank, clearly understanding, yet misinterpreting the rules. Look, if it got his ass drunk first, then I’d roll with the rule breaking. I didn’t take a drink. An eyebrow from him, and I rolled my eyes.

“Never have I ever been into science fiction.” Fuck it, let’s start easy. He drank and I snorted. Negan as a nerdy geek wasn’t something I was prepared for. “Trek or Wars?” I asked, knowing just enough lingo to get by.

He smirked. “Never have I ever gone to a renaissance fair.” He didn’t drink, but I did. “Hark who’s shaming.” I grinned. Ok, so we’re both nerds.

We kept up the easy lobs, I found out that he liked Trek better than Wars. That he was into classic rock, but wasn’t completely against newer music (before the world went to hell and creativity died). I found out that Negan was strangely normal. He’d taught PE in a high school. He learned that I hadn’t been in touch with my family for a few months prior to the outbreak. That I hadn’t known that Rick and Carl had survived until they showed up in Alexandria. He knew that I preferred mint green to pink, that my car had been a restored ‘67 Mustang and I missed the car more than I missed most people. It was time to go down to the scary ones. And we were both far too sober.

“Never have I ever raped someone.” I offered and he didn’t drink. That was a surprise, I guess.

“Why fuck someone who doesn’t want to? Why violate someone when there’s always a willing partner just down the way?” He offered, but there was a sharpness in his eyes. “I’d kill anyone here who tried it.” Well, that calmed some of my tension. “Never have I ever killed someone before this shit started.” I know what he meant, before the world went to shit. I knocked back another drink and this time his eyes went wide.

“What?” I asked, going for a nonchalant air, but it fell flat even to my own ears.

“Why?” He asked, and I was going to fight answering. It wasn’t his turn. But fuck it, why not?

I sighed. “My job, Negan, that’s why.” And he was still staring. “Allow me to introduce myself properly.” I stood up and at attention, ramrod straight. “Captain Evelyn Grimes.” I didn’t salute, he wasn’t my commanding officer. “I’d just taken a position in Washington when shit went to shit.”

He was staring at me as I sat back down. Looking at me like he’d never seen someone like me before, which he probably hadn’t. “Which branch?”

“Army.” I answered. “I liked that one quote from the poster, ‘Join the Army; travel to exotic, distant lands; meet exciting, unusual people and kill them’.” I shrugged. Could we be done now? He nodded to himself and I took it as a go. “Never have I ever been handcuffed.” I didn’t drink and neither did he. Weird, figured at least some woman would have done it to him at some point to get him at her mercy, if he hadn’t gotten on the wrong side of the law.

“Never have I ever-” Negan stared at me and I knew he was trying to decide the best route. “Given a lap dance.” Shit, I drank. His eyebrow raised. “Why, Miss Grimes, that’s a fucking surprise.”

Rolling my eyes, and swallowing past the burn of the dark liquor I’d shot down, I smirked at him. “If that surprised you, then you might not fucking survive the game.” Then taking stock of him, my grin grew. “Never have I ever had a lap dance.”

His dimples came out in full bloom as he took his own drink. “Doubt that surprises you much.” He offered, as he savored his drink. “Never have I ever flirted with a teacher.” I waited to see if he took a drink from his own glass, because I highly doubted he’d be able to stop himself. When he didn’t I rolled my eyes and took my own. “Damn, dirty little thing aren’t you?”

“I think you should have drank too,” I squinted at him. “Never tried to get a little Mrs. Robinson action in school?” He laughed, and it was the strangest thing I’d ever heard. A laugh from his mouth, his mocking hateful mouth, and it was almost musical.

“Nah, I preferred the sure bets.” I chuckled. Yeah, his ego wouldn’t have taken the hit of an older woman turning down his ass flat. “Did you only flirt?”

“It’s not your turn, Negan.” His eyes widened. Too bad, not his turn. “Never have I ever kissed someone that was my own gender.” Neither of us drank, damn it. I’d hoped, I wasn’t sure, but I didn’t get it.

“Never have I ever slept with a teacher.” Damn it. I took a drink. “Seriously, dirty little girl.” Were his eyes twinkling? Asshole. “It’s not my turn, but fuck if I don’t want to know more.”

“What’s to know? I like older men.” I shrugged. “Never have I ever had a threesome.” I hadn’t, I don’t like to share or be shared. Since he had WIVES I assumed he’d drink. When he didn’t, I was annoyed. “Seriously? You have a harem and you’ve never decided to double dip at one go?”

He shook his head. “I like to keep my focus on what I’m doing.” Getting yourself off, I supplied. “More than one target and my attention isn’t where it should be.” On yourself. “Never have I ever been caught fucking.” We both drank, and I had to laugh.

“You’re gonna get yourself hammered, Negan, asking those questions.” I raised an eyebrow, and considered my next. “Never have I ever watched someone fucking outside of porn.” He drank, I didn’t. Voyeurism wasn’t something I aspired to. I was smirking, certain that while he didn’t partake in threesomes, that he might expect entertainment from the wives.

“Not them.” He offered, clearly reading the smirk for the thought that it came from. “Just got lucky a few times.” He winked and I rolled my eyes. “Never have I ever been fucked for an audience.” Different from being caught, he wanted to know if I’d done it for fun. I drank and his eyebrow nearly left his face. “Damn, Captain Grimes, I may have underestimated you.”

I swallowed the sip and glared into my glass. “This shit is disgusting.” It was, but not because it was homemade or because it was bad quality. I just hated brown liquors. “Never have I ever-” I tilted my head to study him. “Fucked the enemy.” Neither of us drank. “Glad to know that I won’t be the first to shoot your ass down.” I muttered, and he laughed.

“Ah, sweetheart, I’m not the enemy.” I raised an eyebrow. “You just don’t KNOW me yet.” I snorted, loudly. “Never have I ever had sex with a stranger.” He didn’t drink, but I did. Shit. This was a horrible idea for a game. “Fuck, Evelyn, I think you’re a fucking package full of surprises aren’t you?”

I licked an errant drop of the burning alcohol from my bottom lip and saw his eyes focus on it. “Never have I ever kissed a stranger.” We both drank, and I was starting to feel the slight ease that comes with alcohol. The lightning of the tension that had built up from the moment I’d been forced to my knees in the dirt.

And it went, on and on, until I think we both felt far more friendly and happy. Not drunk, just pleasantly buzzed. “Never have I ever,” I studied him, thinking about the facts I’d learned so far, and smiled. “Fucked a student.” I didn’t drink, but he did. “Why Negan, aren’t you just a kinky little bastard.” I sat back in my seat and my grin grew. “So did she play naughty school girl and you were the randy professor?” He was watching my glee grow. “Oohh, did she wear the uniform? Or-” I closed my eyes and a laugh bubbled up, “you taught PE, was it a cheerleader uniform?” I opened my eyes to see him staring at me. I put on a pout and tilted my head as I twirled a lock of my hair around my finger. “Coach, I just don’t think I’m gonna be able to get the split just right, can I have a little extra help?” I’d made my voice a little breathless and I batted my eyelashes.

He snorted, and rolled his eyes. “She was an adult, asshole.” I laughed. “I’m not that fucking ridiculous.” I stared at him. “Never have I ever-” he bit his lip. “Been spanked, as an adult.” Thank goodness he added that in, because prior to his adulthood he’d no doubt worn a red ass as a constant. I drank, trying to take a smaller sip. Fuck, was one bottle empty already? And the other was surprisingly low. “Uh huh, drink it.” Shit. Fucker.

I swallowed the fully shot. Damn him. And his stupid fucking game. Wait, I picked this game, didn’t I? I was trying to think it through when he cleared this throat. “What?” I snapped, still picking through my memories of sitting down and this miserable game’s origin. I raised my eyes to his and he was smirking. “What?” I snapped again.

“Think you’re shitfaced, princess.” I glared. “Had a bit too much of your own medicine?”

“I’m not drunk.” I said, and I almost believed myself. “I’m NOT.” I admonished. And then I realized that he wasn't showing ANY of the signs of all the shots he’d taken. And he’d taken a fair few, but NOT nearly as many as me. “Never have I ever LIED during a game of ‘never have I ever’.” I glared at him as he started to laugh and took his own shot. Fucker. “You cheated.” I accused, feeling completely indignant that he’d dare to sully the sanctity of our game. I crossed my arms over my chest and sat there feeling so wronged.

“You are so fucking drunk, honey,” dimples and eyes fully loaded on this asshole across from me. “Think you should probably sleep that off.” I shot a look at his bed and felt my face flush. “Alone.” Ah, that’s unexpected.

“Fine.” I answered, standing up, and happy that I was more steady than my sluggish brain would have implied. “I’ll take the couch.” I hiccuped and sighed. Damn it. My wonderful plan, undone by this asshole.

Negan stood up, and took my arm. “Not fucking happening.” He walked me to the bed and pulled back the covers. “I may be a lot of fucking things, but I won’t let a lady take the couch.”

I rolled my eyes, and looked at the size of the bed. Thankful again that I wasn’t so drunk that I was seeing doubles. “Looks big enough to share, without touching.” I added, just to be clear.

He chuckled beside me. “Why, Miss Grimes, are you asking me to sleep with you?” I glared up at him, and he shocked me by brushing my hair out of my face. “Sleep. Sure.” And then he motioned to a door I hadn’t noticed. “Bathroom’s through there, if you need it.”

I did. I needed that bathroom more than I ever thought I’d need anything in my life. I rushed over and sighed at the sight of a toilet. I hadn’t realized just how badly I needed to go until he mentioned it. So closing the door behind me and rushing over, I took care of business. After I flushed, washed my hands, and took stock of myself in the mirror, I left the bathroom.

Negan was already in bed. His bed. And he was shirtless. And the sheets riding low enough to see that he had a happy trail low down on his stomach and my mouth went dry.  Shit. Who knew he looked like THAT under his clothes? Damn it. I shot a look at the couch.

“Evelyn.” Fuck, why hadn’t I noticed how deep his voice was? “Come to bed.” Shit. Why did that sound so fucking appealing?

I squared my shoulders and gave myself an internal pep talk. Reminding myself that I was Captain Evelyn Grimes, for fuck’s sake. I did NOT give in to my basic, primal urges anymore. Not on a whim. Not without thought and serious pro/con lists weighing the options. I kept the internal dialogue up until I reached the empty side of the bed, and kicked off my shoes to climb in.

“You’re not wearing all that shit to bed are you?” His damn voice drug me from my debate. “I’m not gonna make a fucking move, princess, I want you to be FULLY aware when we finally fuck.”

I raised an eyebrow, but shrugged at the fact that sleeping fully clothed when I had options was a stupid move. Comfort, especially after drinking around two fucking bottles of booze that I hated the taste of, would be key to waking up and not wanting to die in the morning light. Unbuttoning my jeans, I was unzipping the zipper when I heard him shift slightly on the bed. Looking up, I saw his eyes locked on my hand. Oh, so he wanted a show? I took my time lowering the zipper, biting my lip to keep from laughing when I saw his Adam’s apple bob from his swallow. I opened the sides, tugging first one side, then the other down my hips. Keeping my eyes on him, I shimmied out of them and was very happy that I’d worn the one pair of pretty panties that had been clean in my small pile of clothes. I was bent over, my loose v-neck t-shirt hanging open so he could have a nice view down into the v of my cleavage. I heard him swallow this time. Victory.

When I stood up, he’d pulled the blankets back further, keeping himself covered, but giving me ample room to climb into the bed. I cleared my throat and his eyes met mine. “Thank you.” I laid back on the pillow on the side of the bed he’d left for me. “Night, Negan.”

“Night, Evelyn.” His voice sounded as raw as my nerves felt. Fuck, thank God I’d drank my weight in shitty booze, I thought as the drink pulled me under to sleep. Otherwise, sleep would be the furthest from my mind.

[thewalkingdeadimaginings]

This Is Forever

HI umm I was wondering if you could do a one shot where the reader has been a part of Alexandria for a while and she and Daryl have started to fall for eachother without the other one knowing and she goes to The sanctuary and offers herself in return for daryls safe return to Alexandria? And then negan calls Daryl into his room and makes a scene causd he's jealous about how the reader is in love with Daryl and Daryl finds out that way and somehow Daryl and the reader end up "getting cozy ;)" HI I just sent a request for a Daryl X reader one shot where the reader gives herself to negan in exchange for daryls safe return to Alexandria, sorry it's me again lol! I forgot to ask if you could also make it like negan brings the reader to Alexandria in horrible condition all tied up and Daryl sees it and it drives him crazy before they some how end up "getting cozy ;)" lol I'm so sorry this is so much to ask! I love your writing by the way!!<33

Somehow, I’m kinda sorta catching up but also not really because I have a million more requests left to write I am such trash omg how did I earn 1,000 followers? Hahaha I didn’t have a chance to write at all last weekend. I was at a charity event my dad runs every year. All the proceeds go to an amazing local charity for autism. From merchandise and raffle tickets alone, we made 5,000 dollars. That’s not counting things like ticket sales and getting in the door. That hasn’t been counted yet. If you wanna hear more about it, let me know because this charity is close to my heart because my brother is autistic. If you wanna know more about it, I’m gonna post it on another blog on wordpress so let me know!! Also, just a reminder that I do have a Wattpad account. My username is PerfectInsanity17 but I haven’t posted in a while for one because I’ve been working on this and secondly, not a lot of people were reading my work so I paused for a bit. But I’ve got three stories to read on there. If you’d like me to keep going on those stories, let me know!

How did you end up here?

A few days ago, things were wonderful. Things couldn’t get any better. Maggie and Glenn would be having a baby, Alexandria was thriving, you were rebuilding the wall. The only complaint you had was that your friendship with Daryl had become more and more complicated. The more time you spent with him, the stronger your feelings got. But he constantly kept you at arm’s length and there was no possible way to get more than friendship from him. But if that was your only complaint, then you really had nothing to worry about.

How could so much go wrong in just a few days?

In just a few days, Alexandria’s only doctor was killed, Daryl ran off to get vengeance on her killer, Glenn, Michonne, and Rosita went after him, something went wrong with Maggie’s baby, and mere hours later, Glenn and Abraham would be dead, murdered mercilessly right in front of you and the entire group. And you would watch Daryl, bloody, pale, and weak being dragged away as a prisoner. All because of one man. All because of Negan.

You’d caught Negan’s attention briefly but it was nothing more than a smile and a nod from him. You wanted to cry out in protest when he had Daryl thrown into a van and driven away but Rick told you not to. The crushed skulls of your friends didn’t hurt in convincing you to stay quiet either.

How did you get here?

It was only a few days later when Carl got the crazy idea in his head to sneak into a savior’s truck and head for the sanctuary. You weren’t sure which was crazier, Carl’s plan to kill Negan, or your plan to switch places with Daryl. How much good would switching with Daryl do? Probably wouldn’t help all that much. But Daryl would be home where he belonged. You had no idea what they were doing to him and that made your heart ache even more. He was already an abused man with a bruised soul. He might not recover from even more damage. If you could get him away from all this, then you would. You’d walk through fire for that man.

The things one does for love.

Seeing Carl with such bloodthirst was unsettling. He managed to take out two of Negan’s men before someone stopped him. And through it all, Negan was nothing but amused by the situation.

“And you,” Negan said when you emerged. He pointed at you with his bat, its barbed wire fresh and clean, as if it didn’t have flesh hanging off it and blood dripping from it like a leaky faucet just a few days ago. The memory of Abraham and Glenn’s flesh dangling from the barbed wire made you nauseous.

“What’re you doin’ here?” Negan asked.

“I wanna make a deal with you,” you stated. Laughter erupted from the men surrounding the truck but Negan was quiet. Once the laughter died down, he let out a chuckle and rested the bat on his shoulder.

“Shit, could’ve just driven here yourself,” he said, “Don’t gotta be a stowaway. Come on in, let’s talk about this deal.”

You’d caught a glimpse of Daryl before Negan took you and Carl outside. He was rounding up walkers for some reason you couldn’t quite understand. He was filthy, his thin hair soaked in sweat, his face marked with cuts and bruises that made your blood boil with rage. At least he’d recovered from being shot. He was alive, that was the most important thing. That’s how you had to rationalize it to keep from losing your mind. Otherwise, you weren’t sure what you would’ve done.

“So, what’s your name?” Negan asked once the two of you were alone, “Didn’t have a chance to ask when we met.”

“Between murdering two people and kidnapping another, how could you have found the time?” you shot back, “Name’s Y/N.”

“Shit!” Negan exclaimed, slamming his hands down on his legs, “You’re just full of piss and vinegar, aren’t ya?”

“Look, I came here to make a deal with you, Negan,” you said, “You gonna hear me out or not?”

“By all means,” Negan said, “Don’t be shy, Y/N. I’m shakin’ in my boots.”

“I was hoping you’d let Daryl go.”

“Not a chance.”

“Let me finish,” you snapped, “Let him go and take me in his place.”

“You gotta forgive me, Y/N,” Negan chuckled, “I’m kinda confused. Why would you give a damn if you were here instead of him?”

“Because he doesn’t deserve whatever you’ve put him through.”

“Funny you should say that,” Negan said, “Because Daryl seems to think differently.”

“That doesn’t surprise me,” you said, “But that doesn’t change the fact that he doesn’t deserve this.”

“And again I say, why do you care?” Negan inquired.

“Because I love him,” you blurted out, “And I need him to be safe.”

Negan’s smile fell and he leaned back in his chair. He was no longer amused by the situation. You couldn’t imagine Negan being jealous considering this was the only time you’d ever spoken. Then again, he was quick to murder two people he’d never met before. So, maybe he was quick to…lust.

“You stay right there,” Negan said, hopping up onto his feet. The sly grin was back on his face as he headed for the door, “I will be right back. Just give me two minutes.”

You leaned back in your chair, allowing yourself to get just a little comfortable as Negan left the room. It probably wasn’t the greatest idea to get the slightest bit comfortable. If Dwight or any of Negan’s other meathead henchman came in, you’d be screwed. Negan could easily trap you in this comfort you’d sunk into.

After a few minutes, Negan returned with Dwight following close behind, dragging Daryl by the collar of his sweatshirt. You gasped but Negan held out his hand before you could get up.

“Don’t move,” Negan said, turning his attention to Daryl, “Well, Y/N made an interesting offer. Would ya like to hear it?”

“What did you do to her?” Daryl snapped.

“Nothin’ at all,” Negan retorted, “Now pay attention. Y/N seems to think you don’t deserve any of this. And she wants to make a trade. I let you go and take her instead.”

“Why would you tell him this?” you snapped.

“And do you wanna know why?” Negan continued.

“Negan!” you exclaimed, “Don’t!”

He threw his head back, erupting in laughter, “Because she loves you! Now ain’t that just fantastic, Daryl? The things people do for love am I right?”

Daryl stood there staring at you, stunned by the revelation. He fought to keep a straight face. He didn’t want Negan to read him and figure everything out. If he was alone with you, he would’ve…well, he wasn’t entirely sure what he would’ve done. From the time you’d met, he was certain that you’d never seen him as anything more than a friend. And wasn’t this the worst time to find out he was wrong? When he couldn’t say a word in response to you.

“I gotta say, Y/N, you’ve made an interesting offer,” Negan continued, “You can stay if you want to but there ain’t a chance in hell of me letting him go free.”

“No!” Daryl blurted out, earning a rough yank from Dwight, “Just let her go.”

Negan sat back down across from you, nodding to the door, “Dwight, I think Daryl needs a time out. Put him in his cage.”

“Y/N, don’t do this,” Daryl continued as Dwight dragged him out of the room, “Get out of here!”

Dwight slammed the door behind them and it was just you and Negan alone, trapped in the uncomfortable silence. You folded your hands together on your lap, shaking your head, “I’m not staying unless you let Daryl go. Otherwise, I’m leaving with Carl.”

“We’ll talk about this later,” Negan said, “You just hang out here for a while. I’ve got some things to tend to.”

You didn’t move from your spot for hours. Negan had left to take Carl him and you considered sneaking away after a while but you wouldn’t leave without Daryl. And you had no idea where he was and you couldn’t exactly search for him without being caught. You really had no way of escaping so you just continued to wait.

After several hours, Negan burst into the room, fuming and swinging his bat around. He was enraged, pointing his bat at you, “What the fuck did you do?”

“Excuse me?”

“Don’t fucking pretend you don’t know what the fuck I’m talking about.”

“I haven’t moved from this spot!” you shouted, “I’m clueless!”

“Well, looks like you got your deal after all,” Negan said, “Daryl’s gone, and you’re mine now.”

Another few days passed and Daryl had gone from hilltop to the kingdom but ultimately ended up back in Alexandria with the others, prepared to fight Negan with everything they had. Dwight offered his assistance but knew nothing about you or your condition. He hadn’t seen you since the day you arrived, which sent chills down Daryl’s spine. It must’ve meant that Negan had dealt with you personally. Had he killed you? Or…worse? Things he didn’t want to think about.

“We’re gonna win,” Rick declared.

“What about Y/N?” Daryl asked.

“Once we finish this, we’ll be able to go over there and get her,” Rick explained, “I’m sure Y/N is fine, Daryl. Negan won’t kill her. She could be a potential bargaining tool for him. Don’t you think?”

Daryl grunted, “Sure. Better make the fucker pay for the shit he’s done.”

“Believe me, we will,” Rick said, “No doubt about that. Let’s just get ready. Try not to worry, Daryl. Y/N can take care of herself. She was bold enough to leave and try to get you out of there, she’ll be just fine.”

Just as Daryl had been afraid of, Negan had been the one to handle you personally. Negan was convinced you had something to do with Daryl’s escape and it was incredibly bad timing but you had no idea Daryl had even gotten out. Negan of course didn’t believe you for a second and his solution to this problem was to simply have you beaten until you admitted to it. But you knew that if you did, he’d most likely have you killed. On the other hand, you were so delirious that you weren’t sure which would be worse, death or being beaten.

You were just barely conscious when Negan threw you into a coffin. After a few minutes, you heard some familiar voices that made you perk up and felt the coffin being lifted but there wasn’t much you could do as you could barely move and were too weak to push open the coffin.

“I’ve got somethin’ you might be interested in,” Negan said. The coffin creaked and groaned as he pulled it open. You turned away from the blinding afternoon sunlight but were quickly dragged out by your upper arm, feeling Negan’s leather jacket against your skin.

“Y/N!” Daryl exclaimed from behind the gate. Rick stood at the very top of the gate, staring at you in shock. He knew that Negan wouldn’t have killed you but he still wasn’t expecting you to be so bruised and bloody.

“She made the deal,” Negan continued, “She stayed, he left. But I’m gonna take Daryl back now. If you all cooperate, Y/N will live. But, it’s a limited time offer so I’d make this decision quick.”

After that statement, everything became a blur. Bullets were flying, everyone was running around in a panic, ducking down and hiding. You could’ve sworn you heard Daryl shouting so you followed the sound of his voice despite how disoriented you felt. Negan was too distracted to notice your absence or try to prevent you from running off. You were avoiding all the gunfire better than you expected since you weren’t even trying. All you knew was you had to find Daryl. It felt like years since you’d seen him. And the last time you had seen him wasn’t exactly pleasant for either of you.

After being unable to find any familiar face, you realized it was pointless to be in the middle of all this gunfire when you could barely focus. You sat under a tree off in the corner where the gunshots were faint and you were free to take a deep breath. Your bones ached, your head throbbed, the blood and sweat that had accumulated on your body over the last few days left a layer of grime you couldn’t stand. Your eyes were so swollen, it was easier to just lay your head back and close your eyes.

The chaos ceased for a moment but you weren’t allowing yourself to feel relieved yet. Sure, Rick and the rest of the group could’ve won but they also could’ve lost and it would become a slaughter soon. Soon, people were shouting and firing their guns again and this time, roaring followed. Roaring? Why would you be hearing roaring? Who would have an animal like that?

You kept your eyes shut the entire time. If you didn’t see it, it couldn’t be happening, right? You thought of the simpler times when you and Daryl went on runs together, when you’d be spending days at a time alone together. He was always so quiet but his blue eyes spoke louder than his mouth ever could. He always hugged his legs to his chest, like he was shielding himself, very rarely ever made eye contact. And when he did, he seemed so unsure and would only peek at you from behind his wispy hairs hanging over his face. You’d wake up early in the morning while he was still sleeping and you’d push those hairs away from his face just to sneak a peek at his peaceful expression, his chest moving steadily up and down. You never wanted those runs to end. You had been convinced every time that you would tell him how you truly felt about him but in the end, you could never go through with it. And now, it could easily be too late. Daryl could be dead or dying. With all that gunfire, the possibility of him being alive was slim.

The second round of insanity ended much faster and then silence followed for several hours. You refused to move from your spot though, still so tired and so sore. This was the first time you’d been able to relax in days without fear of getting hurt again.

Footsteps approached you but you still didn’t move or open your eyes. The person’s clothes rustled and you heard them set something down in the grass beside them. It was when the person spoke that you finally opened your eyes and a pair of blue ones were staring back at you.

“Y/N,” Daryl said, “I’ve been lookin’ everywhere for you. Thought you were dead.”

“I thought you were,” you whimpered. Despite how injured you were, you threw your arms around him, nearly tackling him, “I’m so glad you made it out okay. Who got you out?”

“Not sure,” he replied, “What did that asshole do to you?”

“He was convinced that I was the one to get you out,” you explained, “The timing was pretty coincidental I’ll admit but he wouldn’t listen to me. I don’t wanna talk about that now. I’m just glad it’s over. Is Negan dead?”

Daryl shook his head, “Everyone from hilltop and the kingdom came at the last second and chased Negan and his guys outta here. But they’ll be back. Come on, let’s get you looked at. Can ya stand?”

“I think so,” you grunted as you got up on your feet. Being in one position for the last few hours made your muscles scream out in agony when you finally straightened out. Daryl grabbed your hand as the two of you walked to the infirmary. With all the commotion, you didn’t feel it was the right time to bring up what Negan had said a few days ago. Daryl would just get uncomfortable and shut down like he always did when someone brought up heavy conversation. Expressing emotion was not on Daryl’s list of skills. Especially now with his mind on other things, talking about that just wasn’t as important.

You gave it about a week. Your injuries had mostly healed by then. But other than that, you and Daryl were back with your group and things felt almost normal again. But you still felt uneasy around him. And he seemed more quick tempered than usual, getting frustrated with you easier than before.

Daryl had taken you back to the infirmary after you’d reopened a wound while you were trying to regain your strength and practicing your shooting. He sighed a few times as he was cleaning up the wound on your arm.

“What’re you thinking, Y/N?” he grumbled.

“Can’t just sit around forever,” you replied, “I have to get back to how I was.”

“If you hadn’t gone there in the first place,” Daryl muttered, “You should’ve stayed here where it was safe.”

“I had to go,” you argued, “You weren’t safe.”

“I don’t care about me,” Daryl shot back, “You shouldn’t worry about me so much, Y/N.”

“Didn’t you hear what Negan said?” you snapped, “What he told you? I care so much about you, I love you so much. I couldn’t stand the thought of you being hurt or ending up dead.”

“Well, how do you think I felt?!” Daryl shouted, tossing the bloody rag into the trashcan, “I hated every minute of you being there. I knew what Negan was doing and there was nothing I could do.”

You were startled by his outburst. He so rarely offered much in response but he was off now, “I don’t wanna lose you, Y/N. Not again. Can’t go without you again.”

“I didn’t know you felt that way,” you said.

“Yeah, well, didn’t wanna give Negan any more leverage than he already had,” Daryl said, “I didn’t actually believe him when he said it. It’s true though, what he said. Isn’t it?”

You kicked your feet, grinning as you grabbed his hands and pulled him closer to you so he stood between your legs, “It’s very true, Daryl. I love you so much. There was just…never a good time to say it.”

Daryl nodded, his own way of saying he loved you too. You were content with his not actually saying it because you knew he felt it. You felt it in his touch when he ran his fingertips up your arms. You felt it in the kiss he placed on your lips, careful and hesitant in all of these gestures but they spoke to you.

You wrapped your arms around Daryl’s torso, your hands slipping underneath his shirt and roaming his back. He tensed a little at your touch but soon he was rolling with it, kissing along your jaw and down your neck, his teeth grazing your shoulder. You inhaled deeply, taking in his scent as his trembling fingers tugged on your shirt. Pulling away briefly, you threw your shirt over your head and tossed it to the floor, quickly bringing Daryl back in. He groaned against your skin, running his nails down your back. You unbuttoned his shirt, pushing it off his shoulders.

“You really wanna do this?” you mumbled, wrapping your legs around his hips.

Daryl nodded and ran for the door to lock it as quickly as he could to make it back to you. You laid back in bed as he climbed over you, burying his face in your neck. You wrapped your legs around his hips once more and he responded with an experimental thrust of his hips, grinding against you. A squeak escaped your lips as you gripped him tighter in your arms.

“Shit, Y/N,” he grunted, “Never wanted anything so bad.”

A fire was burning deep within you and he’d barely touched you. Neither of you could bear it anymore, you couldn’t hold back any longer. You lifted your hips so Daryl could pull your pants down with ease. You sat up a bit and smashed your lips against his while you tugged his pants down past his hips. You felt his fingers slip underneath the waistband of your underwear, his thick fingers cold against your warm flesh. As his fingers reached your core, you bit his lip in surprise. You retaliated by allowing your hands to explore, sliding into his boxers and gripping him firmly in your hand.

“Daryl,” you whispered, slowly stroking him. Daryl groaned, whipping your body around and pulling your underwear down your legs. You gripped the headboard, your heart racing as you panted and whined. You wiggled your hips impatiently, looking back at him over your shoulder, “What’re you waiting for?”

“Stay still,” Daryl said, slapping his hands down on your hips. You jumped but smiled at the fiery feeling growing in the pit of your stomach. Biting your lip, you lowered your head. Without warning, he plunged into you and you both groaned in unison as he stayed there for a moment, allowing the two of you to adjust to the senstation.

“Goddamn, Daryl,” you said. Daryl slowly started moving his hips back and forth, his hands moving up and down your back. He held back any noises, only allowing a few grunts. You couldn’t hold back your pleasure as you moaned and whimpered, curling your toes and bunching the sheets up in your fists. The ache grew stronger with every thrust and you knew this wouldn’t last long for either of you. But this closeness would be worth it no matter how long it was.

Suddenly, Daryl lifted you up so the two of you were on your knees, your back against his chest as he thrust harder against you, beads of sweat running down the side of his head and dripping off his jaw, landing on your shoulder. With one hand on your hip, he moved his free hand down your stomach until he reached your sweet spot, his fingers moving in quick, deep circles. You writhed and rolled your hips against his fingers, flashes of white in your vision as you finally came. Your legs were weak and once Daryl let go of you, you fell forward, his continued thrusting sending you into aftershocks and your walls squeezed him so tightly, he couldn’t hold back anymore. He leaned his head back as he released inside of you.

“I can’t…we just…fuck,” Daryl said, more out of breath than you’d ever seen before, “You alright?”

“More than alright,” you replied, rolling onto your back. He flopped down beside you, “That was amazing. I can’t believe we did that though. Ever think we’d end up here?”

“Nah, but then again, you’ve always been unpredictable,” Daryl replied, kissing your sweaty temple. He never thought he’d ever have the courage to tell you how he felt about you. This had been the last thing he ever expected to happen but he wouldn’t change it for anything. He never wanted to let you go. This was forever.

OKAY THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE I KNOW I’M ABSOLUTE TRASH I APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING SO GODDAMN LONG. Writing smut is just harder to get done for some reason.

[storytime-hoe]

Tough Love Ch.13

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x O/C

Summary: Story picks up during season three as the group goes into Woodbury to rescue Glenn and Maggie from the Governor. However, they pick up another prisoner of Woodbury, Emma (O/C). She is a thief who fears friendships after her hard losses. She stays on the move, studying communities from afar and then robbing them blind. She has stayed alive this way for a while until the Governor catches her in the act. Now she finds herself with the group from the prison in a mission to kill the Governor for what he has done to her. She plans on stealing supplies from the prison group after the Governor is killed, but she might be growing a little too close to the groups members, especially one man in particular: Daryl Dixon.

Warnings: Slow burn, language, usual twd violence, mentions of abuse/rape

Authors Note: Woah. I did not expect to be away for this long but if you do care about my excuse this time it was that I was going through some shit. I moved to college extremely far from home and it was a lot for me to take in. It’s a new environment and I don’t have any friends as of right now so I was in a dark state of mind. I still am struggling, but I am trying to force myself to get into routine again and to be a normal human being who knows how to smile and act like an adult. It’s rough.

Anyway, I am so sorry to leave that last chapter off on a cliffhanger like that. I am going to have the next few chapters up within the week (probably three days apart from one another) so do not worry about me disappearing again. But I live in a different time zone so it’ll be a little different from when I usually post, just a heads up.

That all being said, this chapter is a hot mess per usual, and I am sorry if some of it is contradictory or a confusing. I wrote it very rushed and I am not proud of that but please stay with me it’ll all get good soon. 

Previously: Ch.1       Ch.2       Ch.3       Ch.4     Ch.5      Ch.6     Ch.7       Ch.8       Ch.9       Ch.10          Ch.11        Ch.12

Tears had started to rim the edges of my eyes. The dead were clawing at the balcony's supports, but I couldn't do anything about it, despite Sasha and Glenn screaming at me to get inside the building and off of the collapsing platform. Their words were muffled out by the screams of the dead. 

I stared out in front of me like a statue, my world crashing down around me much like the first half of the balcony went crashing down.

My feet flew out from under me from the collision, but I was able to grasp the windowsill and clutch onto the building before the rest of the balcony went down on top on the Walkers. My chest heaved with the grief that was swirling around inside of me. With my mind a jumbled mess and motivation to live now out the door, my arms were quick to start aching as I held on to the window. They wouldn't be able to hold my dangling body forever and it didn't look like there was any other option except down into the filthy hands that would tear me limb from limb.

I wanted to open up the window, but it only opened from inside so I would have to shatter it, which is a lot harder than they make it look in the movies. A window is one tough bitch. No amount of pounding on it with the butt of my gun was breaking it; it didn't even leave a scratch.

With every swing I took at the window I felt my hopes dwindling away. I gasped out a desperate cry and the tears came flowing. This was the end. I not only made it my end, but Daryl's too, and possibly Sasha's and Glenn's if they couldn't get out of this mess.

A dark sadness washed over me. My arms were giving out. I felt my fingers sliding down the windowsill, the hungry cries of the Walkers getting louder, lulling me to them like sirens of the sea. It wouldn't be the peaceful death that I dreamed for at night. I didn't earn a peaceful death. I deserved to be ripped apart, just like Daryl had been, just like my brother had been.

I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath, readying myself to let go of the window and have the fate that everyone I loved always ended with. This was it. My time had come. After all the shit I went through; after surviving months at Woodbury. This was how I went down. I really was pathetic.

Before my fingers could slip from the ledge, a hand shot out from the window and grabbed my wrist so tightly that I yelped at the pain. When the collar of my shirt started to be pulled on, my first instinct was to fight whoever this was. My eyes shot open, and I writhed in the grasp of whoever had me. I figured it couldn't be anyone good, considering I thought my group mates were either dead or no where near me to be of any help, but I froze when I was yanked up high enough to lock eyes with a pair of squinted blue ones.

"C'mon! Le's go!" Daryl gravelly yelled at me, trying to shake me from my shocked state, his glare on me was the same one that he’d given me ever since our last argument. "Stop fuckin' aroun'," he growled at me while clutching at my form still half dangling out the window.

In any other circumstance I would have rolled my eyes. Stop fucking around? Really? Like I wanted to be in this situation for the shits and giggles? However, I refrained from saying anything, I was honestly too relieved to see him alive to form sentences. My brain was turning to putty at the sight of him and all human functions were shutting down in me.

Daryl yanked me the rest of the way inside the building with much effort, considering I wasn't being much help. I looked like an idiot gawking at him from the floor as he wrapped his arms around me to lift me to my feet. I held onto his arms like a lifeline, trying desperately to swallow down all the emotions that were itching to burst out of me.

I couldn't fucking believe he was back. He was here, in front of me, breathing and alive. I was so undoubtedly joyful to see him here again that I wanted to hug onto him and never let go, despite how mean and pushy he had been towards me the past few days. 

I ran my hands up his arms to his shoulders and eventually down his chest, trying to convince myself that he was actually here and not some sick dream or hallucination.

"Emma," he started, trying to get my attention, but my eyes darted wildly to every part of him. "Em," he said more urgently, grabbing my hands in his with a rough shake and forcing me to look into his eyes again. He was still a little cold towards me, but his eyes held a much softer look now as he spoke. "I'm 'ere, it's me. Okay? We gotta get outta 'ere."

I stared at him with watery eyes. He was right. I needed to get my shit together before I did get us killed, but my mind was just so cloudy that I couldn't think straight if I tried.

Daryl obviously didn't have time for me to snap back to reality as he gripped my wrist in his coarse hand  and pulled me down a flight of stairs and out the back door.

I wasn't the type of person to freeze up in situations, but right now I was acting like a fucking child. My mind was in a haze; panic about Sasha and Glenn and Daryl and me hit me like a brick wall and it was all too much. I couldn't think to help Daryl figure out how the hell we were going to get out of this. I couldn't force myself to be the strong leader that I always tried being. It was like I was turning into a complete fucking different person all because I was spooked by Daryl's short disappearance.

Damn, did I have it bad for him or what?

"Get on." Daryl tugged on my arm roughly and pushed me to get on his motorcycle that he had hidden under some brush. Once I was seated on the bike he took my hands and placed them on the handlebars. "Listen," he commanded, making my eyes shoot to his at the urgency in his voice. If I couldn’t form my own thoughts right now then I would gladly do whatever he wanted me to do. "Ya gotta lead half of 'em that a'way. I gotta get Sasha and Glenn out, can't take em all at once."

My eyes widened as his words registered in my head. He expected me to ride this thing by myself? And with a hoard of Walkers on my tail at that?

 "I don't know how to fucking ride this thing," I shouted at him, feeling a part of my usual stubborn self returning.

He rolled his eyes and started it up for me. "Of course you fucking don't," he grumbled to himself. "This is the break. This makes it go."

I furrowed my brow at his condescending tone.

"Em, you'll be fine. It's like riding a bicycle with less work. I'll meet ya at the main road where we left the car. Loose 'em 'fore then."

Before I could even argue that there was no way in hell this was going to be as easy as riding a bicycle, he was running off in the opposite direction, leaving me alone with a herd charging at me.

How did he have so much confidence that I could succeed in this? He saw how I was right now, I could barely make my own two feet work let alone drive a fucking vehicle. Maybe he just didn’t care if I got overwhelmed by the Walkers, because either way it would be the distraction he needed.  

My grip tightened on the handles and I gulped as the Walkers were nearing me. I was going to do this because everyone was depending on me. And I was going to live out of spite, because Daryl fucking Dixon was not getting rid of me that easily.

Sure, Daryl might be trying to hate my guts after our last screaming match at the prison, but we both knew he can’t stay that way forever. Most of the time, Daryl and I can't fucking stand each other, even before the night that he declared he was going to stop giving a shit about me, but we are attracted like magnets and there was nothing we could do to fix that. I would always come back to him, no matter how shitty he might make me feel after an argument. And I had a feeling it was the same for him.

Ever since I met him we were arguing and fighting against the intimate tension we have around each other. I think that might be why we are always disagreeing, because we just don't want to be on the same page. It scared me, that was for sure, knowing that there was someone that I was so compatible with. I have been pushing all the feelings that I had away and was in such denial that there was any kind of spark between us. But after thinking that I had lost Daryl forever? There could be no denying it anymore. I was falling hard for the stupid redneck. And I was done denying that, whether he was or not. 

I had been driving the motorcycle shakily for a while as I thought out everything. My hands were so sweaty on the bars that I would have to wipe them on my jeans every now and again. My heart rate was sky high the entire time I was on the damn bike, my legs shaking. I couldn't wait to get off of the fucking thing, so I lead my half of the herd away rather quickly and ditched them in no time.

Coming down the road in a zigzag because I could barely driving the fucking motorcycle, I caught sight of Daryl sitting on the side of the road with Glenn and Sash by his side. I praised whatever God would hear me. This nightmare was coming to an end and we could go back to the prison all in one piece.

Daryl stood up as I shakily drove the motorcycle up to him and hopped off of it. I more like fell off the bike, but Daryl's hands were there supporting me in a second. Seeing him alive made me so happy that I could have kissed him right then and there. But me being me I did the opposite.

I pulled my arm out of his steadying hold and reeled it back. I swung my fist at him, coming in solid contact with his arm. Hard.

He was startled and confused, taking a step back from me while he rubbed at his arm. I saw him getting ready to open his mouth and rip me a new one for hitting him, but I didn't give him the chance to speak. 

"Don't you ever tell me to drive that fucking deathtrap again," I yelled.

He blinked at me before realizing that I was talking about his motorcycle, then the biggest fucking grin slowly spread across his face. 

I wanted to stay mad, but if I’m honest I was just glad to see him with an expression that wasn’t full of hate for me. And maybe finally he had moved passed being angry at me and even if he didn’t like me the way that I liked him, we could at least go back to being normal fucking friend again. 

Yeah, that wouldn’t be so bad. 

***

Taglist:

@daryldixonandfrogs @jodiereedus22 @xchrisxevansx

[multiplefandomfics]

Grimes sisters chapter 8

Pairings: Shane x Fabienne; Daryl x Alex

Warnings: drama, Shane & Rick butting heads, survival, walkers, being kidnapped, Merle being an ass

Words: 2359

Fabienne POV

My night had been very restless. My conversation with Rick was omnipresent in my thoughts. What he had said about Shane. I knew that Rick was supposed to know Shane best but I couldn’t go against my hearts wishes, could I? But I also didn’t wanna risk more problems with my brother so I finally decided to talk to Shane and end whatever it was between us for now.

No one was in their cells except Carol who was looking after Carl and Judith, it was a beautiful name and suited her well. “Good morning.” I greeted them friendly even if I wasn’t that happy in that moment. Everything seemed to go haywire. All the little problems nobody would have cared about when we were still on the run were suddenly so important. The everyday life seemed to slowly creep back to us and I wasn’t entirely sure if I wanted that or not.

As I slowly walked outside to search for Shane and pictured in my mind what I would say to him. I was really afraid of his reaction. The sun was blinding me me as I looked around but I found him with Glenn at the fence killing some of the undead with crowbars and wooden pikes. I stepped closer to them “Good morning you two.” I said and smiled at them. “Could I talk with Shane alone for a moment?” I asked Glenn who nodded and moved away. Shane looked at me concerned “What’s up darling?” he gave me that signature smile of his. Damn he was so handsome I almost forgot what I wanted to say. “Well look...” I started a little insecure. “Let me guess… Rick talked with you and convinced you to back away from me...” he guessed correctly a dangerous edge to his voice. I was annoyed by all this as much as he was but I didn’t know which side to turn to. On the one hand there was my brother, my family on the other hand a guy I really liked and was maybe even able to imagine a future with. If we were gonna have one at all. I mean we could always be dead tomorrow… “Listen to me Shane! Maybe he’s right. Not about you being an asshole because you’re not but it is hart to build something up right now maybe we should wait until everything has settled a bit. I mean there is nothing between us anyways right? Just a bit of fun.” it pained me to say something like that but I knew that for now we had to keep a distance for the sake of the peace behind our walls. But my statement seemed to make him completely explode: “This is a bad joke right? It has to be. I’m being put up as the ass here… but right now you’re the bigger asshole here. You talk about the last days as if it was nothing?! How can you say that with a straight face?” he was really angry I could tell. I knew he was right. I was behaving like an asshole right now. It wasn’t easy for me either but I couldn’t tell that to him. I had to stay strong and go through with my plan. “You’re not an asshole. You know that.” I tried as last instance. His furious behavior scared me in that moment a lot. “we should give everything some time to cool down.” I said and looked in his eyes sincerely. But that response was definitely not what he wanted to hear from me. “You wanna wait? This has to be a joke. Where is the hidden camera? What do you wanna wait for? Rick is never gonna like this he just has to live with it. I’m not gonna let your brother dictate my love life! You’re doing everything your brother says don’t ya? I don’t need someone like you.” he startled me a lot as he hit against the fence next to my head with brute force. He just stormed off and I could almost see the steam rising from his ears. I couldn’t be mad about it. I understood him. I still didn’t think he’d react like this. A few minutes later I heard two people arguing and realized it to  be Shane and Rick so I stormed toward them to prevent them from doing something they’d regret.

Rick POV

I had just finished my shift at the guard tower when a really angry Shane came running toward me. He gripped my collar and shoved me into the next wall. A little bit startled I look at him. “What was going on with him? I thought and freed myself from his grasp. “You’re such an idiot!” he exclaimed. After I was confused for a second more I remembered my conversation with Fabienne yesterday evening. She must have really talked to him and now he had figured out who he had to thank for that and came found me. “What did you tell her?” he asked furiously. “The same things I have already told you before.” I snapped back. I wouldn’t let him talk to me like that. “She is able to make her own decisions, like you said before.” I couldn’t hold back the small spark of triumph in my voice which seemed to get him angrier than he already was. “If it wasn’t for you telling her some stupid lies she wouldn’t have pushed me away and let me look like an idiot today.! He screamed at me. “Stop it!” Fabienne suddenly threw herself between us. Shane pushed her harshly to the side. “Don’t you dare push her like that again. I swear you’ll regret it!” I growled at Shane an stepped in front of my sister. I could see the gears shifting in his mind if he should say something more but he seemed to have decided against it. It was probably for the best. I turned to my sister “You okay?” I asked her worriedly and took her in my arms. I didn’t wanna ask her what exactly she had told him. I thought she had made the right decision and was proud of her.

It was already noon and the sun high in the sky but Alex and Daryl were still not home. The others and I had decided yesterday that if they would not be back at noon today we would try and find them. Originally Shane, Glenn and Maggie were supposed to accompany me but I was sure I couldn’t count on Shane right now. “The city they went to is east of here.” Glenn said looking at the map while we packed up. The whole time I thought about if I should take Fabienne with me or if I could leave her with Shane. Glenn noticed my discomfort “She’s gonna be fine.” he looked at me encouragingly. We grabbed our gear and drove off…

Alex POV

The first thing I noticed when I woke up was that my head was hurting like a son of a bitch. I forced myself to sit up. Where in hell was I? The next thing I noticed as I wanted to hold my head in my hands was that they and my feet were bound together. And where in hell was Daryl. “Hello?” I yelled in frustration about my situation. My heart was hammering in my chest. Adrenalin pumping through my veins. The last thing I remembered was that we met Merle and his explorer group in the  town. Did they hit us over the head and kidnap us? I didn’t have time to filter anything more out of my memories as the door suddenly jumped open and in came Merle and Daryl. My eyes widened a bit “Cut her loose.” Daryl demanded of his brother. As Merle stepped closer to me he had this shit eating grin on his face that I hated so much. After he had cut me loose I finally got the blood circulation in my hands flowing again. I rubbed my wrists because they stung like hell. Then Merle left the room and Daryl and I stayed back. “Where are we?” I asked him. “Woodbury. The community where Merle lives. It’s reigned by a shady guy calls himself the governor. They want us to stay and I think it’s not gonna be easy to get outta here. I got watched like a criminal.” he explained quietly. “We have to keep quiet for now. Can’t take a risk. Got it?” I nodded. Why did Merle do something like this to us… me alright… but to his own brother? Asshole!! It seemed like we were free to go outside so we did but we always had a shadow who made sure we didn’t leave. I felt like I was in a prison. In a real one this time. As I looked around I saw a lot of people, even children. “So nice of you to join us outside. The governor would like to meet you.” Merle came toward us. He grabbed my arm rather harsh and Daryl stepped in “Let her go brother!” he demanded again. Merle seemed unfazed but let go of my arm. We followed him inside a big building like a town hall or something. Everything looked so luxurious and we walked up a big marble staircase which led us through double doors into an office. Behind a desk was a brunette man sitting. The governor I presumed. “I welcome you to my modest home. Please sit.” he offered. We sat down skeptically. “What do you want from us?” Daryl asked a little annoyed. “We want to offer you safety, a home. You should be more thankful.” the brunette snapped. “You only have to follow some rules and then we can live together in peace.” we stared at him questioningly. “Well everyone has their own tasks. We will also find something for you. No one’s gonna leave the perimeter, understood.” he smiled sweetly. It was disgusting. As if I would have taken shit from this guy. He made me really angry. And for all this we had to thank Merle. God he was the biggest douche bag of them all. Rick and the others had to be worried sick by now. I just hoped they wouldn’t try to come get us and run directly into this trap. “You should rest now. we're going to talk about this when you have found your place here.” Suddenly I heard a familiar voice “Dinner is ready.” A blonde woman stepped into the room. I didn’t wanna trust my eyes and Daryl was perplexed too it was Andrea. We had thought her dead. I got up and wanted to go over to her. But a guard stopped me. But I was not gonna let that hold me back I turned around and kicked him right in the groin. Daryl had also already gotten up but he was also being held by a tall bulky guy. Merle immediately ran to my side and grabbed me he pulled me down to the basement rooms. The last thing I heard was Daryl’s voice “Get your hands off her you bastard. I’ll kill you!” he screamed and fought against the man behind him. I found out fairly quick that fighting didn’t work so I saved my powers and looked ahead. Merle violently pushed me into a room and locked it behind me. Wonderful I thought. And all that because I can’t keep my temper in check. But this ass had Andrea who we had thought dead for so long. When we had fled Hershel’s farm she went missing. I wished I had listened to Daryl once and kept my feet still. Well sometimes my body did things my brain hadn’t approved of yet. I glid down on the wall and slung my arms around my knees. Waiting was all I could do in that moment.

Daryl POV

Merle really kidnapped us and after I woke up he explained to me where he had brought us and that he wanted us to stay. But I definitely didn’t want to stay. At first I thought we could leave whenever we wanted but I was proven wrong quickly. It was not gonna be easy to sneak out of this community.

After Alex woke up I pointed out in what kind of a sticky situation we found ourselves in and that we had to keep quiet for now and put our heads down. We wanted to come up with a plan when the time was right. I was also worried that the others would try to get us outta here and would get themselves caught or killed.

When I saw Merle I was surprised, than happy and relieved. But I quickly noticed that he had changed and not to the better. He had always been a choleric but he would have never done anything like this to me before we got separated. After they had taken Alex away I was angry with her. Why didn’t she listen to me for once. I told her to fit in and keep calm. “Where did you bring her?” I asked angrily but nobody answered me. So I also saved myself the trouble to ask why they had Andrea. Who had also been brought away.

They got me to a room I was supposed to stay in but the only thing on my mind was Alex. Was she okay? I had to find her. I got myself and overview of the situation outside. People running through the square seemingly doing some kind of work for the community. Alex couldn’t be far. I was gonna search for her tomorrow and maybe I was gonna find a weak spot somewhere to escape. I had to be clever about it to not raise too much attention. I prayed to something that Merle didn’t hurt her or I swore I would have kill him.