The birds sang their songs high above you in the branches of the trees. Hidden from view by the lush green leaves that grew, but their songs echoed around you as you walked through the woods. Your boots crunched across the fallen leaves and the branches that had dropped to the forest floor. The dirt flew up at your legs with each step, and the sun shone through the branches down onto your tanned shoulders. But although you were warm under the blistering sun, and your skin felt sticky and grimey from sweat and the dirt, you found yourself happy. Content even. Submerged in the nature with the company of Daryl Dixon by your side.
"Sun's goin down," Daryl speaks up, and although the sun is still high and hot, the sky begins to show signs of the sunset on the horizon. "Should head on back."
You nod your head, following after the younger Dixon brother. Walking in the footsteps he leaves behind him as you both head back to the campsite.
You had been going out hunting with Daryl the last couple times he did. Although he did more of the hunting whereas you just enjoyed the peaceful nature the woods and Daryl provided. There was something about Daryl's quiet demenor-- the one differing from his brother's-- that put you at ease.
As dusk settled over the campsite, you and Daryl part ways until supper time and you head towards the RV. Opening up the small door, you step inside. Spotting your father near the tiny table looking out the window, you step closer and sit in the bench across from him.
"I was wondering when you were going to come back."
"I told you we'd be back by sundown, and look outside, it's just now setting."
Your father looks at you as he leans back against his seat, the fishing hat he always wears slightly crooked on top of his head.
"I'm not sure I like how much time you been spending out there." He tells you.
"Do you not like how much time I've been spending out in the woods, or how much time I've been spending out in the wood with Daryl Dixon?"
Resting your arms against the table, you look at your father with a raised eyebrow.
"It's dangerous out there, you know that. And then to go out there for hours at a time for no reason--"
"It's not like I'm going alone, Daryl's with me. And he's good out there. Knows how to track and I trust him."
Your father stays quiet as he stares at you. And reading him like a book, you know exactly what he's thinking. You always could with your father, back then and now.
"You don't though?"
Dale sighs, "Look, I ain't saying he ain't good out there. I know for a fact that he is. But I see you out there and around here with him, spending more time with him than anyone else. And I'm no fool darling, I know what's going on."
"Daddy," You say softly. "Nothing is happening. I just, I don't know. I like his company. I like going out in the woods with him where we can just be for a while. I like hanging with him around here when I have to do chores or something. I'd tell you Dad if something was going on."
"I just want you to be careful honey, if something is happening or not. I want you to be careful with that Dixon boy. He isn't his brother by any means, but he's still got a short temper that one. I just want you to be safe, that's all."
"You ain't gotta worry about me daddy, not anymore."
Dale stands up and moves to stand near your side of the table. "We're living in world of chaos and a world where the dead are coming back to life. I'm never going to stop worrying about you. And even in a world like this one, I'm never going to stop looking out for my daughter when it comes to a boy looking to take her away."
Dale leans forward and presses a tender kiss to your head, before exiting the RV.
Night falls as fast as the sun did, and it's not till long after supper that you leave the RV after your talk with your father. A fire burns low off a ways, near the Dixon side of the camp and that's where you find your feet heading towards.
"Sorry I missed dinner." You say as you approach Daryl who sits on a log of wood near the warm flickering fire.
His head turns up and looks at you from his seat. He shrugs quietly but moves over to let you sit beside him. A move that makes your heart flutter softly.
Sitting beside him, you look at the flames dancing before you. The shades of orange crackling against the wood it burns.
"My father talked to me about spending so much time with you." Your voice seems loud as the night is quiet. And as you keep staring at the burning fire, you question your desicion to bring it up with Daryl. But the words have already left you.
"Yeah?" Daryl hums softly.
"Yeah. He thinks you may be dangerous to me, unstable even. You know, he sees this big tough Dixon brother with his little girl. He views it all from that angle."
Daryl snorts softly under his breath and you look over at him. "And what you think of that?"
"I think," You pause as you take a deep breath of the cool night air. "I think that I'm old enough to decide whether or not I want to be around you."
"How old are ye anyhow?" Daryl asks, tilting his head to the side to look at you in the eye.
"Old enough to know that you ain't dangerous like people think you might be. Old enough to know that I like being out there with you or sitting here with you like we are now."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Your dad might be right bout me, why wanna hang 'round me huh?"
"Because I like your company. I like not having to fill the void with words like I do with other people. You and I can just be quiet and it's enough. I like watching you out in the woods when I go with you. You're in your element out there, and it makes me feel safe to see that."
"But I think most of all I like the fact that when I'm around you I feel normal again. Like the world is normal and that nothing has really changed. Just for an hour out in the woods with you, there's a feeling of normalcy I can't get with anyone else."
Daryl listens but doesn't say anything once you finish. Maybe he doesn't know what to say but maybe he just doesn't have anything to say to that at the moment. And just like you were explaining, you don't need a reply. This right here with him is enough.
Leaning your head to the side, your head finds his shoulder. And you both sit there content in the silence and the flickering fire.
A/N: I really liked the idea for this one, but I'm not too sure about how the writing turned out.
