-Daryl Dixon is a protector. Call it resource guarding. Call it territorial. Whatever it was, he protected his people. If he saw you as his family, you were taken care of.

-At first, he'd just share his food. A peace offering he'd hand-picked, killed, and cooked just for you. He'd be damned if he let you go hungry when you needed your strength to survive. That was the extent, though. A squirrel or a few fish. Enough to ease the ache of hunger but not enough to show you he cared.

-He would hover. Always in the corner of your eye, lingering with his crossbow. The only time he'd feel safe enough to leave you alone was when his other family was around. Rick or Glenn. Those two were the only ones he trusted to keep you safe when he wasn't around.

-The more confident he became in your friendship, the more he was able to express how much he cared. Little trinkets and knick-knacks brought back from supply runs, standing up for you when the others dismissed your ideas, sitting with you when what you needed was silence or a shoulder to lean on.

-When it came to physically caring for you, Daryl was a beast: walkers were taken down before they could come within twenty feet of you, punches were thrown when someone would step out of line, and he'd actually growl when anyone would disrespect you in front of him. Lord help the man who disrespected you when he was away.

-After being separated, Daryl's form of protection changed. No longer did he fight for you. He taught you instead. So when he wasn't around anymore, or if you got lost, you could make it back to him. It was long and tough teaching you, but eventually you could gain the upper hand on even him.

-He was proud of you and how far you've come. When you would stand up for yourself and throw your own punches, Daryl would smile brightly on the sidelines and let you pummel anyone who got in your way. Unfortunately for any newcomer, he found great pleasure in watching you put someone in their place.

my love for cats + love for adult men = addiction