#fluffmaster

You’d spent the morning on your dental rotation. Not many people wanted to see you, and the ones that did were less than thrilled to have you do work on them. Not that you didn’t know what you were doing, it was just that somethings never change. You weren’t an actual dentist, but you’d been assisting chairside through so many procedures, you knew what to do and could do it reasonably well. Cleanings were getting to be what you did most. The problems had been taken care of, most people were happy to just have their offending tooth pulled.

Your afternoon had been spent in the gardens tending the weeds around the flowers and crops. It seemed like no matter where you were, you were stuck weeding. Nah, you weren’t stuck, you actually kind of liked it… when you were alone. There were a bunch of residents in the rows working the crops. They were all talking to each other and insisted on making small-talk with you. They all wanted to know what it was like outside the walls. They wanted to know what happened to your family. They asked very personal questions that they thought you were obligated to answer. You skirted the truth as much as possible. These were people you’d just met and as far as you were concerned, the people you walked in with through the gate were your family.

As a person who was completely content to be alone for hours and days on end, being subjected to forced small-talk was incredibly exhausting. What kept you going was the promise that you would go home to a clean and silent house and it wouldn’t matter one bit if Daryl was there or not because he was just like you. Daryl didn’t make you talk, and if you did speak, he listened, really listened, and you did the same for him.

Tired and mentally exhausted, you trudged back to your house. Usually, you were like the Energizer bunny and could go all out, all day. Not that day. That day, you just wanted to go home, take a nice hot shower, or get in your spa tub, and have a beer with Daryl and just watch a movie or something, anything where you didn’t have to deal with another person’s bullshit. Daryl was your person with whom you didn’t have to put on a face, you could just be and he didn’t ask questions, didn’t make you be sociable when you didn’t want to.

As you got closer, you were relieved when you saw him sitting on the porch, his familiar angel wings vest showing through the slats on the porch railing. Finally, you could relax…or so you thought. He was busy doing something on the porch. Climbing the stairs, you were horrified by what you saw. There were piles of, god only knew what, on the porch and you almost heaved what little lunch you’d managed to squeeze in that day.

“Goddamnit,” you said.

“Hey,” was all he had to say and kept right on cleaning whatever animal it used to be.

You couldn’t look at it. It was one thing to kill walkers and see their mess, it was quite another to see one whose blood had been fresh only moments or hours before… and it was running down your porch floor boards.

“What the fuck are you doing?” you asked.

He looked up at your tone. “Cleaning dinner, what’s it look like?”

“Jesus Christ, Daryl, this is our home, not some fucking shack out in the woods!” he didn’t get what the problem was. “We have manicured lawns, kids playing in the streets… You know, most of the time, I don’t give a shit about your redneck ways, they’re just who you are, but goddamnit…”

“The hell is the matter with you?” he stood up.

His pants were bloody where he’d wiped his hands.

“It looks like a goddamned crime scene!” you were done, the tears were rising.

“Why do you gotta be such a tightass? It’s just some stupid rabbits,” he countered.

Of course, he didn’t see anything wrong with it. He wasn’t in your prep area and he was outside. It was so silent out there, you could hear the soft plops from the bunny blood dripping under the porch.

“This is supposed to be the place where I can go and everything is normal and clean, like how I left it! I’m supposed to be able to come home and relax and finally just be me with no one needing this or that from me!”

You immediately wished you could take it back.

“I don’t mean you. You’re the only one that doesn’t need me for anything. Could you just please, for the love of god, not clean Thumper and all of the little woodland creatures you kill…” you waved your arm around the porch, “…here? It’s bad enough handling the meat once it’s cleaned. I don’t need to see all of that,” you pointed at the piles of rabbit innards, “too... You’re cleaning it up, not me.” You couldn’t get inside fast enough. Your spa tub was calling for you.

He looked at his bloody hands and clothes and the remains of five rabbits laid out on the porch floor boards. He’d seen (Y|N) get elbow deep in walker guts, her hands were regularly in people’s mouths, and she did it all easily, but a few skinned and cleaned rabbits set her off? Maybe she was going soft? Whatever it was that had done it, he didn’t want to see her like that again. Collecting the rabbits, he took 4 to the smoke house and put the other one on the grill. He needed to clean up the porch before it was his hide that got skinned.

He hated to get rid of the pelts, but he didn’t know how to preserve them. Maybe when (Y|N) was not in a mood to kill him, he could ask her to find him a book about it. The woman was nothing if not resourceful. The smoke house was her creation and so was the shed that was nearby. Inside the shed was an old shoe rack and he laid the pelts over them to dry. He needed to remember to tell (Y|N) they were in there…

After a while, he had the porch spotless and stinking of ammonia and bleach. Taking the bucket of rabbit insides to the crops compost bin was a bit of a walk but the trip didn’t take up too much time. He’d been gone three days on this last hunting trip and he’d gotten four of the five rabbits that morning and the fifth was a lucky shot on the way home. He’d planned on staying out longer, but it was the damnedest thing, he’d missed (Y|N)’s nagging ass.

Like usual, after hunting he was done for a while, he took a shower. (Y|N) told him if he wanted to sit on the furniture without a plastic bag attached to him, or eat any of the meals she made, he would do what she said. Being a man that knew what was good for him, he’d agreed.

“We both know what it’s like out there. In here, we can have a little bit of normal, enjoy a nice dinner, and a nice dinner means that the people attending don’t have five days of the god-knows-what caked on them…”

He finished quickly and got dressed. Coming out of the bathroom, he noticed (Y|N)’s door was still closed. She was either still mad or taking a nap, either way, he doubted she wanted to do the usual get together with Rick and Michonne. He knocked softly on her door and said, “Be right back.”

You felt bad for losing your cool with Daryl. He wasn’t the cause of your stress, but seeing the bunny bits was the last straw on a long day. You’d apologize when you regained a little bit of your dignity. When you came out of your room, Daryl was on the back patio grilling and you groaned at the thought of having dinner with Rick and Michonne.

You’d put on a t-shirt and shorts and didn’t feel like changing your clothes again. Daryl still got embarrassed at the sight of you in shorts. It was cute, he couldn’t look at you and his face and ears would turn pink. He saw you coming out of the house onto the patio. He looked and turned back to the grill slowly, you noticed the tips of his very pink ears peeking out of his clean hair. You smiled, he was going to stay a while. Shyly, you approached him at the grill.

“Daryl?”

He didn’t look, he just poked at the rabbit on the grill, “Hmm?”

“I’m sorry I freaked out,” you felt so ashamed of how you acted.

“Wanna tell me what set you off?” he asked, peeking at you through the hair that fell across his eyes. He turned down the heat and closed the lid on the grill.

Sitting on the patio chairs, you told him about your day and how all you’d wanted was to go home and hang out with him where you could just relax or read a book if he wasn’t back yet. He nodded and quietly listened to your pathetic rambling. When you were done, he stood up and moved in front of you, his hands open for yours. You just stared.

“C’mon,” he flicked his hands in an ‘up’ motion.

You took his hands and he pulled you up, wrapping your arms around him. He held you tightly to him, your face turned into his neck. His crushing embrace was just what you needed. The tension you’d been feeling was starting to ease a little.

“I’m sorry, darlin’,” his voice was low, “I won’t do it again. Shoulda known better from the last ass-chewin’ ya gave me.”

You let out a little chuckle at the memory, he’d steered clear of you for a week after that incident. It was funny how things changed. Back then, the thought of Daryl Dixon holding you in you in such an intimate manner would have been completely ludicrous. He was warm, confident and very comforting, things you were only just beginning to realize he was capable of.

He let go of you so he could check on your dinner and when he opened the lid of the grill, you noticed there was only one rabbit on the grill and not the usual two that would get cooked for company.

“Aren’t Michonne and Rick coming over?” you asked him.

A drop of grease fell on the coals, sending up flames. He didn’t flinch, he just moved the rabbit around to make sure the opposite side cooked, too.

“Nah, went over and told ‘em not to come,” he sounded causal.

That man was always surprising you.

“Why would you do that?” you asked.

He shrugged, closing the lid of the grill again.

“You had a bad day, thought you could use the quiet,” he surmised. When you didn’t correct him, he continued. “You only get pissed at me like that when you’ve had a rough day and you don’t wanna be around people. May be a redneck, but it don’t mean I don’t notice.”

“Oh god, it happens that much you notice?” you felt the shame returning. He just smirked at you. “Shit, I’m a jerk. I’m sorry.” You thought on what he’d said. “Redneck or not, you’re the only one I can tolerate being around after a day like today.”

“Don’t know why I put up with you, though,” he teased.

You smiled and shrugged. The sarcastic side of you couldn’t resist the perfect open.

“I’m a decent cook, I keep to myself, and I think you secretly love me taking care of you,” you teased.

Daryl was a decent griller, too, way better than when he roasted something over an open fire. You’d grabbed some bread Carol had given you and warmed a can of corn. Eating on the patio was nice. There was a little breeze and you could just start to hear the crickets. The nights were still a little too cool to stay on the patio and once you were both done, you cleaned up the dishes and Daryl put the grill away. When he’d finished, he went inside and dried the dishes while you washed.

Alexandria was tough to get used to. It was so untouched. He, (Y|N) and the rest of their group had been roaming around so long, they’d almost forgotten what it was like to have things like running water and electricity on demand. Daryl would go on runs to get away from the overwhelming feeling of being around that many people again.

What he hadn’t expected when he went hunting was how much he’d missed (Y|N). She hated him “killing Bambi,” but she understood the need and never asked him not to. She was good backup, too. She’d saved his ass a couple of times. Hellofa shot and she wasn’t scared to get dirty.

Before he went hunting, he’d told her he was going to go out for five days. Like usual, she’d understood though he thought he noticed a look of disappointment on her face. He didn’t know if he told her she was needed more in Alexandria for her sake or for his. The morning he left, she stopped him and pulled him in for a hug, telling him to be careful before abruptly walking away. He’d watched her go until he couldn’t see her anymore, the whole time, wondering what had gotten into her.

He’d thought about her a lot that last run. He’d set up a ton of snares and checked them twice a day. During the day he’d hunt for larger game, but he couldn’t focus, his mind kept drifting to (Y|N).

Before, when he would be gone, he’d think about her, but not like how he was on that last hunt. At night was when he missed her most. Sunset was their time to meet up after their day and unwind together. She’d talk, he’d listen. Maybe next time, he’d ask her to go with him.

As he would drift off to sleep, his mind would go back to the time after the prison and before Alexandria. She was the only person he would let get so close. Hell, she was the only one he wanted that close. Secretly, he loved the mornings when he would wake up with her curled up into him.

Seeing her wear shorts, her legs bare, brought all kinds of thoughts to his head, all of which he would never tell her. He sat on the couch as she turned off all of the lights and he lit the candles that were nearby. She insisted on not wasting electricity.

“We might need something that runs on electricity to save your ass one day and I don’t want to be the reason it didn’t work,” she’d said.

“Why’s it my ass gettin’ saved?” he asked.

“When you stop giving yourself a black eye with your own damned crossbow, we’ll talk about someone else’s ass needing to be saved,” she’d said.

He watched her walk around getting everything ready for a movie, her one indulgence. He’d figured she had nice legs under all that gear she wore and it surprised him the first time she wore shorts. Not only was he right, she had tattoos on her feet and leg. It was hard not to stare, and she always caught him…

“What do you want to watch?” she asked over her shoulder as she leaned down to look at the movie titles.

“You pick, just not “Red October” again,” he told her.

“Aw, that’s my favorite though… hmm, okay, fine…” she browsed a little more, finally settling on a movie. A few moments passed as she put the DVD in and got settled next to him. He was on one end, and there was plenty of room on the other end, but she sat next to him. He put his arm on the back of the couch and leaned into the corner, knowing, eventually she would probably fall asleep on him.

She was always doing stuff like that. He’d gotten used to her ways and he never wanted her to stop. It wasn’t more than a hand on his or his arm, at first. Then, on the road, they’d developed a familiarity, an intense closeness, where the awkwardness just went away. He’d gotten to where he liked it. She was almost leaning on him already…

You settled in next to Daryl and waited for the movie to start. Your body hurt all over and you were dead tired, but you were also too wound up to go to sleep yet. When Daryl was away, you worked your ass off just so you could go to sleep without him nearby. Since he’d finished his hunting trip early, you hadn’t expected him to be home so early when you had finished your day in the field. Not only had you done hard work, you’d had to deal with bitching people in the morning, and gossip-mongers in the afternoon, both of which you had a difficult time dealing. You didn’t want to talk, you just wanted to be with Daryl.

Of course, the King of Silence was feeling chatty.

“You’re wrong, though,” he said.

Great. “What am I wrong about, Oscar?” you couldn’t wait to hear this one.

“What you said earlier, you think I don’t need you,” he said quietly. “You’re wrong.”

Speechless. He’d finally rendered you speechless. You didn’t know what to do. He’d rarely said anything even remotely intimate. You were desperately trying to focus your mind on……anything else.

“H-how? How do YOU need ME? You’re the strongest guy I know,” you were baffled. You rubbed your hands, both for something to do and to help ease the ache from working in the crops.

He scoffed at your statement and took a few moments.

He shrugged, “Strength’s got nuthin’ to do with it. I dunno, guess I need someone tellin’ me not to clean rabbits on the porch,” he said. “Someone tellin’ me I can’t sit on the couch with dirty clothes. I need someone lookin’ after me.” 

“A nag,” you concluded.

He turned a little so he could take your hands and rub them while you talked. His thumb pressed into each joint as he massaged your sore hands.

“Nah,” he paused, “I get it. I just never had anyone care enough to want me to do the right thing.”

You sat down on the dock next to Daryl and handed him the beer you’d gotten for him. It was a precious commodity these days, but he could use a little treat. He almost never did anything for himself and you’d taken it upon yourself a long time ago to make sure he got something nice every now and then.

The weather was starting to change with fall coming. You were used to the cold, but Daryl still hadn’t gotten over how bitter cold it could be. Though it was barely fall, he was wearing a long-sleeved flannel shirt and his leather vest and you were sure he was freezing. You put the blanket on the dock next to you and smirked knowing he would never ask for it. You’d just put it around you both when you started to feel the chill.

“Thanks,” his low voice rasped.

“How come you’re not up at the party?” you asked him.

“How come you ain’t?” he retorted.

“I was hot,” you said simply. It was the truth. There were too many people in Rick and Michonne’s house and being in crowded places had never suited you very well. It was probably why you and Daryl got along so well. It had been a long time since either of you had been around so many people at once and on purpose. You'd also noticed he'd left the party and hadn't come back. You'd gone out on the back deck and noticed it was him smoking down on the dock. “Spill, why’d you leave?”

“Wanted to be alone,” he said.

You elbowed him, “Asshole. Last time I bring you a beer.”

Grabbing the blanket, you started to get up.

“Hey,” he said, making you stop just as you got your feet under you. “Don’t mean you have to go.”

You sat down again, this time, shoulder to shoulder with the quiet man. You’d known him since the prison, having gone there after the incident with the Governor. It had been tense at first, but you’d worked hard and earned your keep. Rick had paired you off with Daryl after you’d all been in Alexandria a while. It had taken time for you both to warm up to each other, but you’d grown to like the guy quite a bit.

You sighed. Whatever it was that was bothering him would remain stuck inside that thick skull of his, but that was okay. If he wanted to say, he would when he was ready. He didn’t like to talk, preferring to listen more than anything.

“I always wanted to live near water,” you told him looking out at the still water. “A little pond isn’t what I had in mind, but this is nice, too. The town I grew up in had a river that ran through it. It was cool…until it flooded…”

“You can just sit, you know,” he said, cutting you off.

You took a drink from your glass, “You make me nervous and I babble when I’m nervous.”

He turned to look at you, but you couldn’t make yourself return the look.

“I don’t know,” you said, “you just… do.”

“Don’t be, I’m nobody,” he said.

“You’re somebody to me,” you said and put your drink down to grab the blanket.

Unfolding it, you put one end around your shoulders and flung the other end around his. You were painfully aware of how close your face was to his and you briefly thought about how easy it would be to kiss him, but you pushed away the ridiculous thought. There was no way Daryl Dixon thought like that about you.

You could feel him staring at you and you were sure he thought you were out of your mind. It was okay, though, he was your friend and you didn’t want to mess anything up by kissing him. Sitting there with a blanket around you both was about as taboo Daryl could get. He let you put the blanket around him and didn’t make a fuss, even when you leaned against his shoulder.

It had been hard enough to get him to let you in his life, but you were so glad he did. Everyone had been through so much, him especially. For you, there was no point in holding back. If you hated someone, they knew it. If you liked someone, you said so, and you knew you were in with Daryl when he brought you back sea turtle earrings from one of his runs with Rick. You wore them, always.

You picked up your glass and held it up.

“To unlikely friends,” you said.