#desus fic

Summary:

He grasped me so tightly. Like I was life itself. I felt him gasp against my back as the wind hit his hair. The motorcycle screamed down dilapidated concrete. His fingers dug into my side slipping between the ribs. I gasped too as thoughts only subconscious began to surface. I could feel the adrenaline coursing him through him into me. For this moment, it was simple. Escape, freedom and forward... I get to save Daryl. Feel him hold onto me. It’s a privilege. .... The aftermath of Daryl at the Sanctuary through Paul's eyes. There is something simmering underneath, something terrifying and new. After charged exchanges at Hilltop they find themselves stuck in a cabin in the woods with some tension to resolve. I don't know how cannon compliant this is, just kind of spitballing off of memory during my Walking Dead rewatch. Rating subject to change.

Word Count: 32k

Chapters: 9/?

Daryl just smirked and handed Paul his tie, just like he did every time they had a formal event. Paul had taught Daryl how to do it himself, but he still liked when Paul did it for him. Paul finished knotting it and straightening out Daryl’s shirt, then gave him a thumbs up.

They had started living together about six months into dating. They would have done it sooner, due to the whole unspoken “I would die for you if ever presented the need, and one time I almost did” thing they had going on, but Paul really wanted to take it a bit slow. He hadn’t been in an actual relationship in a while, and he wanted to do this right.

“Let me grab my vest and we’ll head out.” Paul said. “Grab the gift by the door?”

“Got it,” Daryl nodded. He went out to the car and Paul put his suit vest on. He headed out to the car and they drove to the church, where they sat next to Denise and Tara.

The ceremony was beautiful, and Maggie looked absolutely stunning. Glenn was misty eyed at the sight of her, and Paul nudged Daryl just slightly and grinned. Daryl held Paul’s hand until the ceremony ended.

Everyone headed to the hall downtown for the reception. They had thought of using the Greene farm at first, but decided that a wedding in June in the middle of Georgia was going to be far too hot.

The hall was a good size, and the food was delicious. Paul and Daryl got to hang out with Beth, who had decided to come home from college the whole summer instead of staying to do extra classes. At one point, Beth took Paul on to the dance floor to dance with her.

At a softer song, Beth leaned into him as they slow danced. “So? Are you gonna do it?”

“Do what?” he asked.

She rolled her eyes. “You know--are you gonna ask him? You said you were gonna talk to him about it.”

Paul sighed, knowing exactly what she was talking about. The two of them had become friends pretty quickly, and when she came home for the summer she came to visit the house with Maggie and Glenn. The couple and Daryl had left the room at one point to grill out back, and Beth had turned to Paul.

“Do you wanna marry him?”

Already two whiskeys in, he had foolishly admitted yes, even though he should have known she wouldn’t let it go. It had launched a whole conversation, and it did make him feel a little excited to think about. He brought himself back to the present and she waited for his answer.

“So?”

Paul sighed. “I haven’t yet, but I’m going to.”

She raised a suspicious eyebrow at him.

“I swear, I will,” he reassured. “Soon.”

“You’re killin’ me, Paul,” she feigned exhaustion and laughed as he dipped her.

“I’ll do it tonight,” he said, “Happy?”

She laughed and nodded, and started walking him over to Daryl. “You two dance, I’ve kept him long enough.”

Daryl gave in almost immediately, knowing that Paul was going to drag him onto the dancefloor at some point in the night anyway. They joined hands and danced with all their friends. Daryl genuinely looked like he was having fun, which just made Paul giddy, but also more nervous than before to talk to him. He loved this person enough to spend their lives together, and he had known that for a long time, but it was still fucking terrifying to think about.

When they got a cab home later that night, after several drinks and more dancing, they collapsed together on the couch, Paul’s head on Daryl’s lap. Daryl was stroking Paul’s hair, playing with it mindlessly.

“That was a lotta fun,” Daryl said.

“Yeah,” Paul replied. “I love weddings.”

“Yeah?”

Paul opened his eyes and smiled up at him. “Yeah.”

Daryl smiled back, then looked away shyly. Paul hadn’t seen him with that look since the first months of their relationship. The look he got when he was scared to ask or tell Paul something.

“How would you feel about that?” Daryl asked, his voice a little more put together. “For us?”

Paul’s heart nearly stopped with relief of not having to bring it up first. He laughed a little, then took Daryl’s face in his hands.

Paul kissed Daryl hard on the lips. “I was going to ask you the exact same thing tonight.”

Daryl kissed him again and put his hand on Paul’s cheek. “So I’m guessin’ you’d be okay with it?”

“Depends,” Paul shrugged. “I was hoping I’d have a chance to properly propose to you, but I guess I was gonna blow that anyway.”

“You can do that if you want,” Daryl grinned. “Could still do it properly.”

“Perfect.” Paul closed his eyes again and laid back.

Paul went to the jewelry store the next day. He took Beth and Maggie with him, since they knew Daryl so well. They looked through the glass cases, ring after golden ring, but none of them seemed to say “Daryl”.

“Oh, what about this one?” Beth pointed at one of the cases. “The black one?”

It was a beautiful ring; a black band with a stripe of silver around it. It was perfect.

“That’s the one,” Paul said happily. He walked to the counter to tell the clerk which one he was going to buy, and they headed out.

“When are you gonna do it?” Beth asked.

“Tonight,” Paul confirmed. “I don’t want to waste any more time.”

If there was anything he’d learned from Fiona and Mariah, it was that all you had was right now, and right now, he wanted to ask Daryl to marry him.

When Paul got home, Daryl was making an intricate looking salad and had onions and mushrooms cooking on the stove.

“Wow,” Paul nodded approvingly. “Smells delicious.”

“Gonna throw some steaks out on the grill too.” Daryl replied, kissing him.

“Going all out, huh?” Paul smiled. “Any reason?”

Daryl shook his head and shrugged. “Just wanted to make you somethin’ nice.”

When he went back outside to tend to the grill, Paul went upstairs to put on shorts that had bigger pockets so that he could hide the ring until after dinner. He found Rosie on the bed and scratched her head. She purred and rolled on her back, and Paul gave her a belly rub.

“Tonight’s the night, lady.” he said. “Wish me luck.”

The dinner was fantastic. Daryl grilled a mean steak, and there was even a checkered tablecloth on the kitchen table.

When they were done eating, Paul started to get butterflies. He knew they had just talked about it, he knew that Daryl was going to say yes unless he had changed his mind in the past day, but he was still so nervous. Daryl seemed nervous too now that he thought about it.

“Babe, that was amazing,” Paul said, finishing his beer.

“I’m glad you liked it,” Daryl replied, getting up and putting their dishes to the sink.

Now or never, Rovia.

While Daryl was still turned around, he got down on his knee right in the middle of the kitchen and held the ring. Daryl turned around and his eyes went wide.

“Daryl Dixon, I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” His voice only shook a little at first, but he composed himself. “You’re everything to me, and the only person I would ever want to be by my side when my house was haunted.”

Daryl chuckled under his breath at that, and he bit his lip to keep the smile from breaking out on his face.

“Will you marry me?” Paul asked finally.

“‘Course,” Daryl replied. “Obviously.”

Paul stood up and slipped the ring on Daryl’s finger and kissed him hard. Daryl’s hands snaked around Paul’s back, pulling him right up against him.

“I love you so goddamn much,” Daryl said in between kisses. “I got something for you, too. Guess you beat me to it.” he pulled out a ring as well, a plain silver one with something engraved in it.

“This is gorgeous,” Paul marveled at it. The engraving was a date; it was from May two years ago. “This date, is this when--?”

“The day we reunited Fiona and Mariah,” Daryl replied. “I felt like it was fitting.”

Paul smiled. “It is.”

Paul had never felt so happy in maybe his entire life. “Should we celebrate? Maybe beers down at the bar?” he shrugged. “Just the two of us, I can wait until tomorrow to tell people.”

“Can’t think of a better way I’d wanna celebrate.” Daryl smiled, took his hand, and led him toward the stairs. “Think we should go tell them at least?” Daryl nodded toward the portrait of Fiona and Mariah at the church fundraiser.