#don't even get me STARTED on twd finale

[rollercoasterwords]

thoughts on andrea and michonne?? the most fucking queer coded relationship everrr they WERE dating idc

ok it has been literal years since i've watched the earlier seasons of the walking dead but NO UR SO RIGHT michonne was literally in love with andrea like. ok no u know what u have actually unlocked a rant lmao this is ur own fault for coming into my inbox to talk about twd

(spoiler warning)

ok so i actually HATE what they did to michonne's character over the course of the walking dead, and i think like. looking at what's going on with her character is essentially a case study in what i dislike about the show.

and like, when i say dislike--here's the thing. twd is like. undeniably one of THE most influential pieces of zombie media to ever exist. like it's the quintessential zombie tv show, it helped pioneer the genre, etc etc. and the show has really, really good moments, and there are things i really enjoy about it. so when i say i dislike it, i'm not trying to say that it's like...a bad show, if that makes sense? BUT the thing i hate about the walking dead and i think genuinely one of the biggest flaws underlying so much of it is that like. the setup of the show is the setup of pretty much any zombie apocalypse, right, where you get Normal Society completely turned on its head and destroyed. and for a queer viewer (me, for example) this is so much fun because it's such a site of potential. like--BAM! old world order is meaningless. it's been destroyed. what new shit are you gonna create? what matters to you now?

but the walking dead does the thing that so much zombie media does (unsurprisingly, because most media in generally does this in some way shape or form), which is invest itself in reproductive futurism; essentially, focus on recreating the past in the future (specifically through the figure of the Child--hi Carl! and then bye Carl, and hi Judith, and...well, yeah.) so, we see these groups of survivors coming together and struggling against the way things are so that they can go back to the way things were, with very little change to any of the social structures that caused problems in that old world order in the first place.

and this is super interesting for the way it plays out with queerness, because so much of gender is inherently queered in the apocalypse. like, suddenly the rules have changed, and people cannot perform gender in the ways they used to. but rather than explore that, by and large the walking dead just finds ways to reinforce Old Gender Roles and emphasizes this return to the past as evidence that we haven't Lost Society or Our Humanity (i have written an entire paper about this topic i truly. could go on and on. this is the Sparknotes i promise lol)

OKAY SO. michonne. there's this article i like, Queering and Cripping the End of the World: Disability, Sexuality, and Race in The Walking Dead, by Cathy Hannabach, (you can find it in this book) which talks about the inherent queerness of michonne's character. she writes:

From her introduction to the series all the way through her every scene, Michonne remains the most resistant and “othered” body on the show. Simultaneously marked as African American, queer, butch, and disabled, Michonne represents all that the show seems to be working against. Yet because of this she provides one of the clearest examples of the tenuousness of compulsory heterosexuality, compulsory able-bodiness, and compulsory whiteness in post-apocalyptic Atlanta.

and she later goes on to say about michonne + andrea's relationship:

By employing camera angles, framing, costumes, blocking, and eye line matches that we have been trained to read as signifying sexual coupledom, indeed the same ones used in the show to represent heterosexual couples such as Lori/Rick and Maggie/Glenn, The Walking Dead can plausibly render Andrea and Michonne a lesbian couple and make their relationship central to the narrative without ever having to explicitly declare it....In this way, Michonne can be queered through her removal from normative constructions of gender (femininity) and race (whiteness), thus offering a momentary critique of those ideologies, even while the show as a whole can maintain its overarching ideological investment...

so, in summary: michonne is a queer character. and, in fact, throughout the show she's often used as a sort of counterpoint to the normative/dominant structures at play--for example, hannabach goes on in this article to discuss michonne's distrust of the Governor and how it separates her from the other survivors. (edit - i've received two messages about my labeling of michonne as a queer character here, so i want to be clear. while hannabach labels michonne as butch, that is not an argument that i am invested in, and the perceived masculinity of michonne's character is not what i'm talking about here. to me, michonne's introduction to the show is queer because of her relationship with andrea and the way the two characters act, as well as her structural position outside dominant power structures. as in, her wariness and suspicion regarding the other characters' project of trying to re-create society as it once was.)

BUT. this article was written sometime in...2014? or at least, that's when the book it appears in was published. AFTER this article was written, in season 6 of the show (which didn't air until 2015), michonne and rick become a couple, and remain a couple all the way through season 11. in fact, they're now getting their very own spinoff show! (edit - again, since someone sent me a message abt this: i don't want to downplay the importance of michonne's relationship with rick in that it provides representation of a black woman as a prominent love interest, a role that black woman have historically been excluded from in american media. however, i don't think reading her as a queer character is at odds with this representation, as she could just as easily have been a prominent love interest for andrea. and while michonne's relationship with rick is progressive in terms of representation, it ultimately contributes to a character who was once suspicious of this project to re-create society becoming deeply invested in it. that is what i am saying disappoints me here.)

so what we end up with is this very queer character who is ultimately folded back into the project of heteronormativity + reproductive futurity, who herself becomes a Mother and the protector of the Figural Child (RJ, and also Judith), and ultimately, despite her very queer introduction into the show, ends up being one more proponent for the Return To How Things Were. boooooooo!

[dixons-sunshine]

Hazelnut | Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader

Summary: Daryl didn't know exactly what he expected when his group settled into Alexandria—maybe some snobby, incompetent inhabitants who couldn't stand their ground if something were to happen or people who would turn on him and his group at any given moment, but definitely not a little girl who basically attached herself to his hip. And he definitely didn't expect to find himself drawn to the mother of that little girl.

Genre: Fluff, angst but not a lot.

Era: Alexandria, pre Saviour war. (Timeline is kinda wonky. Saviours kinda don't exist in this? I don't really know.)

Warnings: Swearing, mentions of death, child abandonment, mental abuse, mentions of drugs and alcohol, single parenthood, sexual content but not smut.

Word count: 8k

A/n: This was such a cute idea that @louifaith had! I tried my best, but it honestly sucks. I'm not really happy with how this turned out, but I hope you like it! Also, definitely go check out @celtic-crossbow 's version! Pure perfection, honestly.

As always, my requests are open for any TWD requests, and now for Scud Frohmeyer as well!

—

“You have to lighten up, Daryl. How do you expect to make any friends with that 'leave me alone' attitude of yours?”

Daryl grumbled to himself as he continued tinkering with his crossbow. The hot late afternoon sun was relentlessly beating down on the community as its inhabitants continued about their tasks. Daryl had been observing silently everyone from the porch steps he was sitting on, enjoying the moment of solitude he had, but Carol had other ideas.

“Daryl,” Carol started, crossing her arms as she descended down the steps. She turned around to face Daryl, her voice stern. “It would do you good to socialise a bit.”

“I talked to Tobin when we finished up with the construction of the new walls yesterday,” Daryl replied nonchalantly, keeping his eyes focused on his crossbow instead of the stern woman in front of him.

“That doesn't count. That's work talk. I'm talking about actual socialising. Like, striking up a conversation with someone that isn't in our group or someone you have to talk to for work.”

“I dun' need to. Y'all are the only company I need. Ain't gon' waste my time tryin' to make buddies with people who dun' even like me,” Daryl responded with a sense of finality, gripping his crossbow and getting up. “Now get off my back, woman.”

“Where are you going?” Carol called after him, watching the archer walk away from the house.

“Somewhere,” he replied shortly, ending the conversation effectively.

Slightly irritated, Daryl walked with no particular destination in mind. He passed by some people who sent him friendly greetings and small waves, which he returned half-heartedly. After a while of mindlessly walking about, Daryl stopped in front of a makeshift park of sorts. It was a small area surrounded by grass and had a big tree towards the edge. He moved to sit on the grass underneath the shade of the tree. The few kids in the community loved to play in this area, but it was deserted for now; the perfect place for the archer to relax for a while.

Daryl went about sharpening his knife for a while. The mediocre task kept his mind busy, busy enough to ignore the parents and kids who arrived, busy enough to ignore the wary stares the parents threw his way. Daryl simply shook his head—even after two months, there were still people who were wary of him and the rest of his group. Even after everything they did and sacrificed to ensure the community's safety.

“Mistah lonely?”

Startled, Daryl's head shot up and his eyes locked with those of a little girl who looked no older than three years old. The girl looked at him with curiosity written all over her young face, eyeing the knife in the archer's hands with wonder. She tentatively reached forward to touch the knife, her fingertips close to making contact with the cold metal of the knife.

Daryl jerked the knife away and out of reach of the young girl. “Dun' touch tha',” he barked coldly, standing up to keep the knife out of the young girl's reach.

“Sharp mife?” the girl questioned, moving closer towards the archer. She reached up to grab his arm, trying to reach the knife.

Daryl frowned at the girl. He gently pried his arm away from the girl's grasp and took a step back, unnerved by the soft touch of the child's hands. That didn't seem to deter the girl, however.

“Mistah use sharp mife?”

“Scram, kid. Go back to yer mama.”

“Mama?” the girl asked, her eyes lighting up at the mere mention of her mother. “Mama! Get Mama!”

“Wha'? No, tha' ain't—” Daryl started, but was abruptly cut off when the girl took off and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. Daryl raised his eyebrows as he watched the girl's retreating figure, confused by the interaction he just had.

Well, he thought, at least that's the end of that. However, as Daryl gathered his crossbow and sheathed his knife, he inwardly groaned at the sound of the little girl's voice calling out to him.

“Mistah! Mama here!”

Daryl turned and looked at two approaching figures. The young girl was holding a woman's hand, leading the woman over to him. The woman was laughing lightly, allowing herself to be pulled by the little girl.

“Come, Mama!” the little girl giggled, excitedly tugging your hand harder.

“Okay, okay! No need to rip my hand off,” you laughed, soon coming to a stop in front of Daryl.

Daryl looked at you with a frown, scowling slightly. His eyes darted between the excited little girl and you, slightly taken aback by the friendliness you radiated. Despite everything he's done for the community up until that point, only a few select Alexandrians—mainly Aaron and Eric—didn't show him any contempt or wariness. Yet there you were, smiling up at him and looking as pretty as a picture.

“Mama,” the little girl excitedly told him, pointing up to you. She smiled at you, dimples forming on her chubby cheeks.

“I'm Y/n. You must be Daryl?” You introduced yourself, extending your hand for a handshake.

Daryl looked at your hand, not moving to take it. However, just as you were about to lower your hand awkwardly at his dismissal, the little girl stepped forward.

“Like this, mistah,” she instructed, taking the archer's hand and putting it in yours.

Daryl flinched at the contact and quickly withdrew his hand, looking at the little girl with a small frown. He looked back at you, chewing on his bottom lip nervously.

This was the worst random social situation he's ever been in.

“Sorry,” you apologized, giving him a sheepish smile before turning back to your daughter. “Hazel, we don't touch people unless they say we can, alright?”

“Sorry, Mama,” Hazel apologized half-heartedly, not fully understanding what you were saying. She turned back to look at Daryl. “Sorry, Dar.”

“Daryl,” the archer corrected her, talking for the first time since you had approached him.

Hazel looked up at him in confusion. “Dar,” she repeated herself, a look of concentration on her face.

“No, 's—nevermind. Forget it,” Daryl grumbled, shifting his weight from his one leg to the other. He looked back to you again and noticed how awkward you looked, your lips pursed as you avoided his eyes.

“Sorry. She has trouble with the pronounciation of some words and names. I'm working on helping her with that,” you explained.

Daryl noticed the defensive tone in your voice and raised his eyebrows questioningly, yet he refrained from questioning why. “S'alrigh',” he mumbled, awkwardly fiddling with his crossbow that was slung over his shoulder.

“Okay,” you said, gathering Hazel up into your arms. “Well, it was nice meeting you, but I have to get going. I have to get this gremlin ready for dinner. Sorry for bothering you.”

With that, you turned around and retreated back towards the houses, Hazel happily babbling in your arms. Daryl watched your retreating figure with a sense of uneasiness. In that short interaction, he found himself unexplainably drawn to you. He didn't know you, but some part of him wanted to get to know you.

However, as quickly as that thought entered his mind, he just as quickly disregarded it. He didn't need to get attached to any more people, especially people who couldn't protect themselves in this harsh world they lived in. In the end, everyone he cared about died or left, so it was better to spare himself the inevitable pain and keep you and your daughter at an arm's length.

Something told him that it would be easier said than done, however.

—

The next morning, Daryl found himself working alongside Aaron. The two of them were busy carrying large pieces of metal to the wall they were busy fortifying, Aaron making casual small talk while Daryl simply hummed in acknowledgement. Once the last piece of metal was added to the already existing pile, the two men wiped the sweat from their foreheads and took a drink of water, before walking over to Aaron's house. Aaron took a seat on the porch steps while Daryl remained standing on the grass.

“So yeah, that's how I met Eric,” Aaron told him, concluding his story.

“Story straight out a damn romance novel,” Daryl replied sarcastically, eliciting a laugh from Aaron.

“Yeah, yeah. Make fun of it all you want. Everyone always does.”

“Nah, 's a good story. Pretty cliche with the whole spillin' yer coffee on his shirt bit, but 's still a good story,” Daryl assured him. “Now c'mon, didn't ya say somethin' 'bout havin' a part fer my bike?”

“Dar!”

As if materializing out of thin air, Hazel excitedly bounded down the porch steps and threw herself against Daryl, clinging to his leg in a hug. Caught off guard, Daryl stumbled a bit but regained his footing, his eyes darting down to look at Hazel. His eyebrows raised in surprise before he gently pried the girl from his legs, not used to any kid other than Judith clinging to him like that.

“Kid, what are ya doin'?” he questioned, taking a step back from her, but it was to no avail. Hazel simply smiled up at him before throwing herself at him again, clinging to his leg like a monkey.

Aaron chuckled. “I see you've met Hazel. She's quite the character, huh?”

“Wha's she even doin' here?”

“Eric asked to babysit her. He loves having her over, and her mom said yes.”

Hazel giggled against Daryl's leg, turning her head to look at Aaron. “Hi, Rin!”

“Hey, Hazel,” Aaron chuckled fondly, sending the girl a small wave.

“Rin?” Daryl questioned, placing one of his big hands on the little girl's head, accepting his fate of being clung to for now.

“She can't say my name properly,” Aaron explained. “She has trouble with pronouncing some things.”

“Yeah, her mama said somethin' 'bout tha',” Daryl said without really thinking about it.

“So you've met her?” Aaron asked, leaning forward with slight interest. He had a small smirk on his face, one that Daryl couldn't understand.

“Briefly. Hazel practically dragged her over to meet me yesterday,” Daryl replied, looking down at Hazel when he felt her grip loosen on his leg.

Hazel looked up at him and raised her arms, looking at him expectantly. “Upsies,” she said, jumping slightly on her toes. “Dar, upsies!”

To his utter surprise, Daryl found himself leaning down to pick her up. The act hadn't even registered in his brain until the small girl was already in his arms, her small, chubby hands gripping at his shirt as she giggled. The small sound of her laughter made the archer's heart fill with an unexpected fondness, taking him by surprise. It was the same type of fondness that filled his heart whenever he coaxed a laugh from Judith, and yet it was completely different at the same time. He couldn't explain it.

“She seems to like you, Daryl,” Aaron laughed, standing up from his position on the porch steps. “Not a lot of people can say that about her.”

“Wha' do ya mean?” Daryl found himself asking, confused entirely by the man's revelation. From the limited interactions that the archer has had with the young girl up until that point, he naturally assumed that Hazel was this way with everyone. What would make him special enough to the little girl, who just met him, to make her treat him differently than she would others?

Aaron motioned for Daryl to follow him into the house, and he obliged, silently entering the pristine house while still carrying Hazel in his arms. The girl took a great interest in his hair, playing with it to entertain herself.

“From what Y/n told us, she was with a group before she got here who treated her and Hazel badly, and Hazel hasn't fully regained her trust in adults yet,” Aaron explained.

Daryl frowned. “Badly, how?”

“She wouldn't say, but it took forever for Eric and I to gain Hazel's trust. We even tried to bribe her with candy but she wouldn't budge. But she seems to trust you and you say you only met her yesterday?”

“Yeah. She approached me at tha' makeshift park the kids play at,” Daryl nodded, rubbing a hand over Hazel's small back unconsciously, shifting her in his arms slightly.

“Then you're definitely special, buddy. This kid doesn't trust easily,” Aaron declared, sitting down on a chair in the dining room.

Daryl followed his lead, sitting across from him on a chair while still holding the small girl firmly in his arms. Hazel's attention shifted from his hair to the loose threads on his sleeveless shirt, playing with them to keep herself busy.

“They were with a group 'fore this? How long have they been here?” Daryl questioned, interested in knowing more about you.

“Yeah. Hazel and her mom haven't been here all that long. I actually found them a couple of days, maybe a week, before I found you all. From what I know, Y/n and Hazel had been on their own for a while before I found them. Y/n almost killed me the first time we met. She thought I was gonna hurt them. It took me and Eric a while to convince her to come back with us, but even then she refused to let her guard down. She was kind of like Rick when we first met, except she didn't tie me up or force me to eat apple sauce.”

Daryl hummed, hissing slightly when he felt Hazel tug at his hair rather harshly. He brought one of his hands up to pry her hand away from his hair, subconsciously rubbing his thumb over her small fist.

“Tha' hurts,” he said softly, surprising himself by the gentleness of his voice.

“Sorry, Dar,” Hazel apologized half-heartedly. She yawned before laying her head on his shoulder. She wrapped her small arms around his neck, nuzzling her head into his neck.

Daryl felt his heart swell with fondness for the second time that day. He gently rubbed her back. From his experience with Judith, that small action could lull a small child into slumber, and he hoped that proved to be right with Hazel.

“You're good at that,” Aaron commented, a smile on his face as he watched that small interaction between the big, 'scary' man and a small, innocent child.

Daryl looked at him, confused by the look the man was sending him. “Good at wha'?” he asked.

“That,” Aaron repeated himself, motioning to Hazel. “Were you a dad before all of this?”

Daryl stiffened at the question. “Nah,” he shook his head, adjusting Hazel in his arms again. “Not the type of guy who could've started a family back then.”

“And now?” Aaron asked, unaware of Daryl's inner turmoil.

Daryl inhaled sharply. “To start a family ya need a partner,” Daryl started, slightly rocking the small girl in his arms. “I ain't got a partner, and there ain't exactly women linin' up to be with me. So kids ain't somethin' I see in my future.”

“It could still happen, you know? You might meet someone. Hell, you know what? I know you'll meet someone.”

“A lot of confidence fer somethin' tha' might never happen,” Daryl grumbled.

“Never say never, Daryl,” Aaron replied, giving the man a small smirk. “Never say never.”

—

“Mama! Mama!” Hazel called through the house, excitement clear in her voice.

You smiled at the sound of your daughter's voice, glad to be able to see her again after a whole day of being alone at your small house. The sun was setting, the stars starting to twinkle in the sky and you were almost done with dinner. Eric had told you that he would bring Hazel back before sunset and you were starting to get worried, but thankfully she was okay.

You walked into the living room and hunched down to pick up the small girl that ran into your arms, hugging her tightly to you as you placed kisses all over her face. She giggled at the sensation and pulled back, grabbing your hand and excitedly pointing towards the door.

“Mama, Dar here,” she said, smiling widely before turning towards the door.

You followed her line of sight and locked eyes with the archer. You stood up and gave him an awkward smile, painfully aware of the awkward encounter you had with the man the day before. Daryl seemed to mirror your unease—he nervously shifted his weight from one leg to the other, ducking his head to avoid your gaze.

“I see that, sweetheart,” you replied, keeping your eyes locked on the man before you.

“I played with Rin and Eric. Dar played too!” Hazel happily exclaimed, clapping her hands in excitement as she looked up at Daryl in awe.

“Did he, now?” you asked rhetorically, marvelling at the sudden and unexpected change of character for the quiet man. Just the day before he'd shrugged Hazel off and seemed to want nothing to do with her, yet now your daughter was claiming that the huntsman had spent time with her that day. It didn't make sense.

“Yeah! So fun!” Hazel laughed happily, waddling over to Daryl to seemingly hug his leg again.

Daryl, who had been hugged multiple times that day by the toddler, instinctively crouched down to have her hug his side instead of his leg. Hazel wrapped her small arms around him and nuzzled her head into his neck, and Daryl couldn't help the small smile that spread across his face. One day had been more than enough for him to grow fond of the small girl, and he cursed himself for letting his guard down enough for that to happen, but the damage was already done; that little girl had already wormed her way into his heart.

“I'm glad you enjoyed yourself,” you smiled at her, watching the interaction between the archer and your baby girl. “Baby, why don't you go get changed into your blue PJ's, huh? You're a big girl now, right? Think you can get changed without mama's help?”

“Yeah!” she exclaimed happily, pulling away from the hug and giving Daryl a smile, dimples on display. “Bye, Dar!”

“Bye, Hazel,” Daryl greeted her quietly, watching the girl waddle to the stairs and begin to climb them carefully. He then hesitantly shifted his attention to you, but instead of seeing that wariness he'd grown accustomed to other parents giving him, one that he expected you to give him after his encounter with you the day before, there was a look of curiosity and wonder in your eyes.

“Thanks for bringing her home,” you thanked him, offering the archer a small smile.

Daryl ducked his head. “Ain't nothin',” he replied, shaking his head.

“So, you spent the day with her?” you started, looking at him questioningly. “By the way you looked uncomfortable around her yesterday, I would've thought you'd avoid her at all costs.”

“I was spendin' the day helpin' Aaron. He invited me to his place 'cause he had a part I needed fer my bike and Hazel was there. She wouldn't let go of me after she saw me,” Daryl explained, fiddling with his hands.

“So she basically forced you into spending time with her?” you asked with a small laugh, your eyes crinkling in amusement.

“Pretty much,” Daryl joked, his lips involuntarily twitching into a small smile.

You laughed lightly and Daryl chuckled softly, admiring the way your eyes seemingly sparkled. The dim light of the living room gave you a golden glow, and Daryl found himself admiring your beauty. The unnerving thought struck him at full force and he tried to shake that thought from his mind—he couldn't let his mind go there. He wouldn't let his mind go there. He had to keep you at an arm's length. It was bad enough that Hazel broke through his barrier in a day, so he couldn't allow her mom to do the same, too. More attachments wasn't something the archer needed.

“Well, Hazel seems happy. I think you just became her best friend, whether you like it or not,” you told him playfully.

“I have a feeling tha' I ain't got much say in the matter.

“Nope,” you laughed. “But thank you. She hasn't looked that happy in a long time.”

“Glad I could help,” Daryl replied, a small smile on his face. “Sorry fer bein' a dick yesterday.”

“It's fine. We shouldn't have bothered you.”

“Ya weren't botherin' me. I jus'... Wasn't in a good mood, 's all. 'M sorry.”

“Apology accepted.” You gave him a sweet smile before turning around. “Wait here. I'll be right back.”

Daryl frowned in confusion but didn't say anything. A few minutes passed until you reentered the living room, a lunchbox in your hand. You promptly handed it to him, and Daryl could feel the heat radiating off the bottom.

“Wha's this?” he asked, giving you a questioning look.

“Stew. I made more than Hazel and I can finish, so I figured I'd give you some. And before you say anything, just take it. Consider it a thank you gift.”

Daryl pursed his lips but nodded, resisting the urge to deny your 'gift'. “Thanks.”

“No problem at all,” you reassured him, looking up at him with a smile that made his heart flutter uncontrollably.

Daryl ducked his head, willing the blush on his face to go away. “I should get goin',” he mumbled, avoiding your eyes.

“I'll walk you out,” you replied, walking with him over to the door.

Daryl stepped out of your home and turned to you. He gave you a nod and turned to walk away, but stopped when he heard you speak up.

“I hope you realise that she isn't gonna let you off the hook. You're going to be stuck with her now. And my daughter and I are a package deal, so you're going to be stuck with me, too.”

For some unknown reason, Daryl didn't mind that thought at all.

—

“Easy, Hazelnut. Ya dun' wanna hurt yerself, do ya?”

The toddler giggled, her small hands toying with the arrow in her hands. “Sorry, Dar.”

Daryl smiled at the small girl, bringing one of his hands up to ruffle her hair, successfully coaxing another laugh from her. “I know ya are. Jus' try to be more careful, alrigh'? I dun' want ya gettin' hurt.”

“No boo-boos. Boo-boos hurt,” Hazel replied, gingerly handing the arrow back to the archer.

“They do,” Daryl agreed, taking the arrow from the girl. “Tha's why ya gotta be careful, alrigh'? Dun' want anythin' to happen to someone as sweet as ya, Hazelnut.”

Hazel giggled and nodded. “No boo-boos.”

“No boo-boos,” Daryl repeated, smiling fondly at the young girl.

Two months had passed since Daryl initially met you and Hazel. In those two months, Daryl had found himself becoming intertwined with your lives, a constant presence for you and your daughter.

The archer hadn't asked you what had happened to Hazel's father yet, and he wondered when he could be permitted to ask that. However, Daryl knew that there could only be two plausible explanations; either he was dead, or he willingly left. The huntsman really hoped it wasn't the latter. No person should be left to raise a kid on their own.

However, as Daryl's love for the young girl grew, so did his feelings for you. It got to the point where he had started wishing that he was Hazel's dad, that he could've been there during your pregnancy and watched your belly grow. He would've worshipped your body and been there for you every step of the way. However, as much as he wanted that, that was a dream that couldn't be a reality, so he settled on being Hazel's best friend.

“The two of you look like you're having fun. Mind if I join?”

Daryl's head snapped up at the sound of your voice. His eyes met yours and his heart skipped a beat, that sweet smile of yours making butterflies swarm around in his stomach.

“Mama!” Hazel exclaimed happily, hurrying down the porch steps to fling herself into your arms.

You laughed, picking her up and placing a kiss on her forehead. You looked at Daryl and sent him a smile. “Hey, Daryl.”

“Hey,” he greeted you quietly, fiddling with the arrow in his hands.

“Mama, play with us!” Hazel giggled, wiggling in your arms to be put down.

You lowered her to the ground, watching her climb up the porch steps and clamber into Daryl's lap. Daryl lowered the arrow and wrapped his arms around her, placing a small kiss to the side of her head. You smiled at the interaction, your heart speeding up against your will.

“I can't, baby. It's time to go home. It's dinner time,” you told her.

Hazel frowned and nuzzled her head into Daryl's neck, a whimper building up in her throat. Instinctively, Daryl started rocking her back and forth, rubbing her small back and shushing her quietly.

“S'alrigh', dun' cry. Ya will see me again tomorrow, alrigh'?” he whispered into her ear, his heart breaking at the sound of her sniffles. When he felt her nod, he placed one final kiss to the side of her head before placing her back down. “Why dun' ya go say bye to Jude?”

Hazel looked at you expectantly, and you nodded. “Go ahead, baby. I'll wait for you.”

Hazel ran into the house, leaving you and Daryl alone on the porch. The archer stood up and walked down to meet you on the grass, pushing his hands into his pockets as he looked at you through his hair.

As you looked at him, it took all of your willpower to resist the urge to brush his hair out of his face and cup his cheek. Not trusting your own hands, you crossed your arms and looked up at the huntsman, giving him a small smile.

“This is the first time ya have come to pick her up. I usually bring her home. 'S somethin' wrong?” Daryl asked, searching your eyes for an answer.

You shook your head. “No, nothing's wrong. I just figured that I could come pick her up for a change. Spare you the walk back to my place.”

“It ain't that far,” Daryl pointed out, motioning down the street. “Jus' a couple of houses down.”

“Yeah, I know, but...” you trailed off, unsure if you should lay your problems onto him.

“But wha'?” he questioned, suddenly on edge. Had you changed your mind about him? About him being around you and your daughter? He really hoped not.

You hesitated for a moment. “It's nothing. Just some mom's around the community who like to be judgy.”

“Wha' are they sayin'?”

“That I'm a bad mom for not taking the time out of my day to pick up my own daughter. That I'm smearing my responsibilities onto other people. Just thought I'd start proving them wrong.”

“Hey, yer not a bad mom. I like bringin' Hazel home at the end of the day. Tha' way I know she's safe.” He also liked it because it meant he got to see you being all domestic, hugging your daughter tightly and sending him beautiful smiles, inviting him to stay for dinner each time. He always declined, not wanting to be a burden, but your offer never waned.

You smiled at him, but it didn't quite reach your eyes. Daryl instantly noticed it and placed one of his hands on your shoulder, taking you by surprise. His touch was surprisingly gentle, and your skin flushed where he touched you.

“Dun' let them convince ya yer a bad mom. I ain't ever seen a better mom than ya. How many mom's here can say tha' they kept their kid alive out there in the real world? Tha' despite everythin', their kid came first and tha' they would kill fer them?”

“How did you know I wasn't here from the start?”

“Aaron told me he found ya and Hazel on yer own not too long before he found us. The fact tha' ya kept her alive on yer own for tha' long proves to me tha' yer the best fuckin' mom under the sun.”

You smiled at him and placed your hand over his that was still resting on your shoulder. “Thank you,” you whispered.

“No problem,” he replied, holding eye contact with you. His hand lingered on your shoulder for longer than necessary, and he gazed deep into your eyes.

Your heart sped up and stopped beating at the same time, noticing a shift in the archer's emotions. However, before either of you could do anything else, Daryl snapped out of it and withdrew his hand, taking a step back.

You cleared your throat and ducked your head, your face heating up. Luckily, Hazel ran out at that moment and bounded down the stairs, throwing herself into Daryl's side and clinging to his leg.

“Bye, Dar!”

Daryl pressed Hazel tightly to him. “Bye, Hazelnut.”

Hazel unwound her arms from around him and moved over to you, extending her arms to be picked up. You did just that, holding her tightly to you. You turned to Daryl and offered him a small smile.

“You know, my offer still stands. You could join us for dinner.”

Daryl was about to decline your offer again, but Hazel cut him off.

“Yes! Please, Dar!”

In that moment, Daryl found that he wouldn't be able to say no. He gave you both a small smile and nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

You smiled broadly. “Great! Come on, then.”

“Dun' I need to change?”

“No, you're fine, don't worry. You can come as is.”

“Alrigh',” Daryl nodded. “Let's go.”

—

“Could you maybe get Hazel settled into her highchair? I'll be right out with the food.”

Daryl nodded and watched you retreat from the dining room into the kitchen before turning around. “Hazelnut!” he called, hearing the toddler's footsteps come into the dining room.

Hazel stared up at the archer with a huge smile, her arms extended to be picked up. Daryl smiled softly at the girl and leaned down to pick her up, placing her in her highchair. Once he was sure she was settled and wouldn't fall off, he got settled in the chair next to her, listening to Hazel's happy babbling.

Soon enough, you reentered the dining room with a pot of spaghetti and meatballs. The aroma of the meal made Daryl's mouth practically water. The last time he'd eaten spaghetti was when Aaron had invited him, and that was a good couple of months ago.

“It smells fuckin' good,” Daryl said without thinking, and instantly regretted his choice of words.

“Fuck,” Hazel repeated happily, completely oblivious to the horrified look that spread over Daryl's face, and the amused one that spread over yours.

“Nah, Hazelnut, dun' say tha'. Dun' ever say tha',” he told her hurriedly, his heart beating faster at his mistake.

“Fuck,” Hazel giggled.

“No, I jus' said—” Daryl started, shooting you a worried look. However, he calmed down when he saw your amused smile. “Wha's so funny?”

“You,” you told him, laughing lightly while serving everyone some food. “Don't look so worried. I'm not gonna bite your head off because of one slip up. If I had a penny for every time I accidentally slipped up since she was born, I would've been able to buy a yacht in the old world. You're good, don't worry.

“Okay, but we can't have her goin' around sayin' tha', though,” Daryl said, taking a deep breath to calm himself.

“You're right about that,” you started, turning to look at Hazel. “Baby, you can't say fuck, okay? That word belongs to Daryl. Until he's ready to share that word, you can't say that, alright?”

“Okay, Mama,” Hazel replied, starting to eat her food rather messily.

Daryl chuckled softly at the girl before turning to his own food. He started eating as well, the flavours of the delicious meal melting on his tongue. He wanted to gulp it all down but he resisted the urge, instead eating with a decency he never knew he had.

The meal was mostly spent in silence, save for Hazel's happy babbling and the occasional input from you or Daryl. Daryl did, however, sneak glances at you when you weren't looking, admiring your beauty and the soft, loving way you acknowledged your daughter and the tenderness you used when you wiped her face clean of the sauce.

Unbeknownst to the archer, you had also been sneaking glances at him. Admiring his gentleness with your daughter, the way his eyes softened and the quiet chuckles he would let out whenever Hazel did something amusing, or the small smiles he gave you. It was amazing how important Daryl had become to you and Hazel in a span of a few months. The big, gruff, quiet man with a heart of gold, who had invaded your thoughts and your heart.

The meal was soon done and Hazel's eyes were beginning to droop. You noticed it and got up to take her out of her highchair. She instantly layed her head down onto your shoulder and closed her eyes, and you placed a tender kiss on her forehead.

“You tired, baby?” you cooed, rubbing her back gently. When she simply responded by nuzzling her face deeper into your shoulder, you laughed fondly and turned to Daryl, sending him an apologetic look. “Sorry, I should probably get this little rascal to bed. You can stay here, I'll be right back.”

However, as soon as you said that, Hazel interjected. “Dar tuck me in with Mama?” she asked innocently, lifting her head up to look at Daryl.

Daryl looked surprised. He locked eyes with you, his heart fluttering at the smile you sent him.

“If Daryl's okay with it,” you whispered.

“Yeah, 'course,” Daryl replied, nodding his head.

You motioned for him to follow you upstairs and he obliged. Together the two of you descended up the stairs and into Hazel's bedroom. Daryl stopped in the doorway, not wanting to overstep any boundaries, but you had other ideas. You gently took his hand and led him into the room, only letting go of it to tuck your daughter into bed. Daryl subconsciously placed his hand on your shoulder instead, watching place your little girl into bed.

Hazel was already half asleep when you put her into her bed. She instantly curled up into her pillow and let out a big sigh, her eyes opening only slightly. In her view, she saw you, her mom, the woman who always protected her when the two of you were living on the road outside the walls, and always loved her despite her shenanigans. And Daryl, the man who at first had been kind of mean, now always there for both her and her mom. The man who started to feel like a daddy to her.

“Night, Mama. Night, Daddy,” Hazel mumbled, her eyes closing and she drifted into slumber. In seconds, she was out cold.

Time froze for a moment. Daryl's eyes widened and his heart practically pounded out of his chest. There was no way that he had heard it right. There was no way that Hazel had just called him dad. There was no way that Hazel trusted and loved him enough in those few months to see him as her father. She couldn't, could she?

He turned to look at you and noticed the unreadable expression on your face. You didn't address what she had just said, however, and Daryl was too nervous to bring it up himself.

“We should probably let her sleep,” you whispered.

“Yeah,” Daryl agreed and followed you out the door.

Together, the two of you descended down the stairs and back into the dining room. You turned to look at Daryl and motioned towards the living room.

“You can wait in the living room. I just wanna put the dishes in the sink and then I'll join you.”

“Nah, let me help,” Daryl protested, moving over to grab all the dishes.

Before you could protest, Daryl walked into the kitchen. You quickly followed behind him and watched him put the dishes in the sink, but before he could start washing them, you quickly stopped him.

“No, it's okay. I'll wash them tomorrow,” you assured him. “Do you want some wine?”

Daryl nodded and hummed, silently observing as you grabbed two glasses from the cabinet, as well as a bottle of wine. You placed the glasses on the counter before popping the the bottle open, pouring the two of you each a glass of wine. You handed him the glass and propped yourself onto the counter, letting your legs swing below you.

Daryl leaned against the counter and took a sip of his wine, humming in approval at the taste. “S'good. Thanks.”

“It's nothing, really. I've been wanting a reason to open the bottle for a while now.”

“Ya can't jus' drink it whenever ya want?” Daryl questioned, taking another sip from the glass in his hand.

“I could, but I prefer not to. I don't want to be like—” you started, but abruptly stopped. You hurriedly took a sip of your wine, welcoming the taste in your mouth.

“Like who?” Daryl asked, frowning at the uncomfortable look on your face.

You hesitated for a long moment, not sure if you should tell Daryl about your past problems. You were afraid that Daryl would look at you differently if you revealed anything. However, as you looked into his eyes, you only saw care and concern, so you found yourself confiding in him.

“Hazel's father,” you said, pursing your lips at the thought of the man you hated more than anything.

“Wha' was he like?” Daryl asked, placing his glass down on the counter. He turned his full attention to you, his eyes trailing over your face for any shift in emotion.

“He was a fucking asshole,” you spat angrily, clenching your jaw in anger. “He was a raging alcoholic and a frequent drug user. He didn't even stop when Hazel was born. If anything, it got worse. I tried so hard to get him sober, but nothing worked. He always yelled at me and threatened to hurt Hazel whenever I brought it up. And then one day, when I woke up, he was just... Gone. No note, no phone call, nothing. Hazel was barely one year old.”

Daryl frowned deeply, anger bubbling inside him at the thought of someone hurting you and Hazel so badly. He clenched his fist and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

“Not too long after that, the world went to shit. His sister came to pick us up and took us to her camp, and that's where I saw that asshole again. He treated Hazel so badly and got the other people in the camp to be mean to her. Hazel didn't even do anything wrong, but they all ganged up on her. Thankfully it never got physical, but that really scarred her. It went on until the camp got overrun, and all of those fuckers got what they deserved. The only reason Hazel and I got out was because his sister helped us. She sacrificed herself for us. After that, Hazel and I were on our own for more than a year. I'm surprised that I managed to keep us alive for that long on my own, but I managed. And then Aaron and Eric found us and the rest is history.”

Daryl was speechless. It angered him that someone would hurt you like that, would hurt little Hazel like that. And the fact that you had to survive on your own for that long... It amazed him. He wished that he could've found you earlier and have protected you and Hazel from all those horrors, but there was nothing he could do to change the past. He could only ensure that nothing ever touched you in the future.

“Yer a strong woman. The fact tha' ya went through all tha' and managed to keep Hazel alive and love her unconditionally proves tha'. Yer amazing and I hope ya know tha'.”

You were taken aback by the sudden confession, but soon a smile spread across your face. You hopped off the counter and stood in front of him, almost chest to chest. You looked up at him, your faces close enough to close the remaining distance between your lips.

“You're amazing too. I don't think you realise how much you mean to Hazel, how much you mean to me.”

With that, you closed the remaining distance between your lips. You pressed your lips against his softly, wrapping your arms around his neck. After a moment of shock, Daryl kissed you back feverishly, pulling you closer by your hips. You gasped against his lips, allowing Daryl to slip his tongue into your mouth. You moaned into his lips and pressed yourself harder against him, eliciting a groan from the man.

As soon as you pulled away for air, you tugged Daryl by the lapel of his vest. “Wanna take this to my room?” you whispered, breathless from the ravenous kiss.

“Wha' 'bout Hazelnut? Won't she wake up?” Daryl asked, pressing his forehead against yours.

“No. She's out cold. The chances of her waking up are basically nonexistent.”

Daryl let out a deep breath and nodded, allowing you to pull him up the stairs. The two of you soon stumbled into your room, hurriedly closing the door and pawing at each other's clothes. However, when you reached for Daryl's shirt, he stopped you, a pained look on his face.

“What's wrong?” you asked, a worried look on your face. “Did I do something wrong?”

Daryl shook his head. “Nah, ya didn't do anythin'.”

“Then what's wrong?” you asked him gently, cupping his cheek in your hand. “Talk to me. I won't judge.”

Daryl inhaled sharply. “I didn't have a good childhood,” was all he said before slowly removing his shirt.

Your eyes hungrily trailed over his body, your hands reaching forward to press against his chest. You didn't understand what Daryl was talking about until you got a glimpse of his back in the mirror in your room. The scars on his back were jagged, and you instantly knew what they meant; someone had hurt this perfect man before you, and you felt so angry.

You walked behind him. “May I?” you whispered, your hands hovering over his back.

Daryl hesitantly nodded. You softly ran your fingers over his scars, your touch feathery light. The archer shivered involuntarily, closing his eyes at the feeling. Before meeting you, the only feeling that he would ever associate with his back was pain from his father's cruelty, yet there you were, tracing over his scars as if they were priceless paintings in a museum.

Soon your fingers were replaced with your lips, and Daryl's eyes flew open. Your lips softly kissed over his scars, trailing down to the last scars on his lower back. When you were done, you turned him around to face you. You gently cupped his cheek, a small smile on your face.

“You're perfect to me, Daryl. You're so sweet, kind and caring. Hell, my daughter called you dad. That says plenty.”

“'M perfect?”

“You're perfect.”

That was all you had to say for Daryl to pull you into another fiery kiss. The two of you soon toppled onto your bed, spending a night filled with passion together.

That next morning when Hazel woke up and walked into your room, she was pleasantly surprised to find Daryl sleeping there, holding you, her mama. She was, however, confused that when she woke the two of you up, you clutched the sheets to your bodies and refused to let her climb under them with you like you normally would do.

—

Two years later...

“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Hazel. Happy birthday to you!”

You and Daryl cheered as Hazel blew out the candles on her homemade cake. Hazel laughed as she struggled to blow out the last one of the five candles on the cake, eliciting soft chuckles from you and Daryl. When she finally managed to blow it out, you and Daryl handed her each a gift. She clapped her hands excitedly. She got up from her seat and ran to hug you and Daryl, which you both returned.

“Thank you, Mama. Thank you, Daddy,” she said with a big smile, eyeing the wrapped gifts on the table.

“Dun' thank us yet, Hazelnut,” Daryl responded with a smile. “Go ahead and open 'em.”

Hazel hurriedly opened each of the gifts and gasped with delight, holding up a colouring book, new crayons and a new doll. She giggled in excitement at the gifts.

“Can I go show these to Judith? We can colour and play dolls together now!”

You laughed and nodded. “Sure, baby. Just be good for Michonne and Rick, okay?”

“Okay!” she agreed and took off in a run, throwing the front door open and disappearing out of it.

“I can't believe she's growin' up so fast,” Daryl mumbled, wrapping his arms around you from behind. He rested his chin on the top of your head.

“I know, right? She'll be moving away from home soon enough,” you joked.

“Hmm,” Daryl hummed, chuckling at your joke.

“Oh!” you exclaimed, turning around in the archer's arms. “I got something for you, too.”

“Fer me?” he asked in confusion, frowning slightly. “Why? It ain't my birthday for another couple of months.”

“I know, but this can't wait that long. Here,” you said, handing him a small box.

Daryl gingerly took the box from your hands and opened it. His eyes widened at the item inside, picking it up and looking at it. After examining it for a couple of moments, he confirmed that his mind wasn't playing a trick on him—it was a positive pregnancy test.

“Yer—Yer pregnant?” he asked, a smile spreading over his face.

“Yeah,” you confirmed, nodding your head. A laugh escaped you when Daryl picked you up and spun you around, before he placed you back on the ground and pulled you into a kiss.

When he pulled back, he leaned his forehead against yours. “Hazelnut's gon' have a baby sibling. We're gon' have another kid.”

“We are,” you agreed, closing your eyes. “I love you, Daryl.”

Daryl placed a gentle kiss against your forehead. “I love ya too. And I already love tha' little peanut in yer belly.”

“Hazelnut and Peanut, huh?”

“Yeah. Our two babies. Our own little family,” Daryl said, placing his hand on your stomach, over the life that was growing there.

“We have Hazel to thank for this. If she didn't instantly like you back then, this might never have happened,” you told him, placing your hand over his.

“Remind me to thank her when she gets back later. But fer now, let's enjoy our alone time,” Daryl replied suggestively, tugging you with him as he walked backwards towards the stairs.

“I like that idea.”

[itsgrimeytime]

show me || Rick Grimes (TWD)

rick grimes taglist: @golden-hoax @mgparker

AVAILABLE ON AO3

dialogue prompts: “Why are you mad?” “I’m not mad, I just think you can choose better people to kiss.” (2) + “Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t feel the same as I do, then I’ll leave you alone.”  (36) + “I’m tired of being on the sidelines.”  (43)

Summary: You and Rick had something, you weren't quite sure what it was. After a few drunken mistakes during one of the dinner parties at Alexandria, Rick wants to make things crystal clear.

TWS: TENSION, blood, gore, gun violence (violence in general), alcohol, drunkness, drunken kisses, kind of dark!Rick, jealousy, possessiveness, protectiveness, all things consistent with TWD.

[[A/N: The vibes are in with this one, girlies. Kind of listened to Boyfriend by Dove Cameron for this one. SO... Be ready for that. Thanks for reading!!! ]]

Your head hurt after the night before, you couldn't quite remember why. Well, other than the drinks.

It had been the first dinner party after Alexandria, you were nervous and just kept sipping. Somebody kept giving you more, even though, you remember distinctly Rick (big hands and blue, blue eyes) warding them off. They continued when he wasn't by your side -beer after beer and maybe something... else? You couldn't really remember.

You gathered pretty quickly that Rick was mad at you that day, something about the way he composed himself -the steaming rage enveloping him, and it only continued for days.

Day after day, and nothing. Usually, you could read him like a book, but now, all you got was well, that he was mad at you. Not even to get you started on the way everyone else was distinctively ignoring your questions like Rick had told them to.

So, you stepped out of your comfort zone -you went straight to the most honest Alexandrian you knew. Or the one who would speak to you over Rick's head -Deanna.

There was something deep in your chest that told you somehow this was betrayal, but you had been driven far past that point. (One blue-eyed glare and complete head turn to ignore you past that point.)

"Hey," you spoke, a little uneasy.

"Hello, Y/N!" she smiled, big and bright, "-I'm glad to see that dinner has been going so well-"

"That's actually what I was here to talk to you about," you echoed, direct in your tone, "-last dinner party, I... I don't remember what happened."

"Nothing bad, I can assure you," she hummed, continuing to walk down the street, "-I'm well aware of anyone overstepping."

"Right, well, I'm glad, but-" you spoke, a little impatiently -eyes darting around, "-I don't remember."

"Nothing wrong with getting a little drunk," she spoke, something in her shifting, "-we understand the change is-"

"Deanna," you interrupted with finality, "-please, just tell me what happened."

She paused in her steps, turning around to fully face you -head on, and something in you shrunk at her inquisitive gaze. She looked at you a bit like a puzzle for a moment, before her eyes seemed to light up in understanding like she knew exactly what the issue was.

"Let's..." she began, slowly, "-Let's talk inside, shall we?"

You merely followed her up the steps and into her house, like a sheep to its shepherd -you were desperate. If she could help, you would just about do anything.

"I was wondering just what was with him," Deanna muttered to herself, "-makes so much sense now."

She led you to her living room, where the room was much the same in her own home, but she had photos -framed and set pristinely of faces you didn't quite know. Ones you doubted you ever would.

"Sit," she motioned, "-we have much to discuss."

"Much?" you questioned.

"Well, no, it's-" she started, but faltered for a moment, "-rather complicated."

"Complicated?" you questioned further, raising your voice.

"Look, I'm going to just tell you to avoid any further confusion. You kissed someone, can't remember who now-"

You paused, faltering for a minute, "That's it?"

"Rick saw," she finished as if it was some big reveal.

You and Rick had a thing, a very slight thing that neither of you had really even commented on or talked about. Hell, you hadn't even kissed the guy, but there was something there, a deep buzz under your skin. And something in the apocalypse was something, sure, but not if he didn't talk to you about it. Not if he-

You stopped your train of thought, "So?"

"Aren't you-" she seemed to pause, being taken off guard, "-Aren't the two of you together?"

"I'm sorry?" you asked, "-No, we're not... not really. He doesn't- It doesn't matter, drunkenly kissing a guy is no reason to get this pissy."

"It is if you're together."

"Deanna," you started, "-don't push your luck. Look, I have to go sort this out, do you-"

"Oh, no, please," she answered, quickly, "-I can't get a word in with the man right now. Fix it, go."

That's how you wound up here, ready at his door -he couldn't ignore you at his own home. You'd get him to listen.

"Rick," you addressed, direct as soon as the door opened and you saw the blue of his eyes, "-hey."

He seemed to still at your voice -frozen for a moment, before wordlessly moving around the kitchen. He was gathering up dishes, at a sure pace before, but now he'd begun much faster. As if he was trying to get away from you.

"Alright, enough-" you said, waltzing up to him, and turning his face to yours, "-why are you mad?"

Rick looked at you for a moment, and something in you almost grew shy at the attentiveness. Blue eyes dashing along your face like you were fresh water and he had been stranded in the desert.

And then, he stopped. Lifting his soapy hands to take yours off his face -a slow, gentle movement. The opposite of someone mad, you noted.

"Do we need to talk 'bout this?" He echoed, a little helplessly if you were honest.

"I don't know," you answered, "-you tell me. Can you not be mad if we don't talk about this?"

"I'm not," he sighed, turning back to the dishes -this time doing them leisurely, "-I'm not mad. I just..."

"You just what?" You asked, pointedly.

"I just think you can choose better people to kiss," he grumbled out so low you weren't even sure you'd heard him correctly.

But something in you fired off like a rocket.

"Seriously?!" You yelled out, a sort of toned frustrated yell, but still a yell, "-you are pissed because you don't approve?"

"That's not-"

"Well, I got good news for ya, Sheriff, I don't even remember who I kissed last night-"

"That's because he made ya so drunk-"

"-And on top of that, I can kiss who I want, when I want. It's not like you have any control over that-"

"I want to," he grumbled out, even lower.

You stilled, "I'm sorry...?"

He didn't speak for a moment, washing the soap off his hands -you watched the water trail down to his elbow. Scrubbing away at the dish towel, he dried them and turned to face you.

Rick's steps were slow and sure, you could hear the clink of the tile under his boot. And your heart started pounding with anticipation, maybe he was mad. Why was he getting so close-

He was just in front of you now, finger trailed under your chin, "Tell me to stop, if you don't want this."

You turned your head down to look at the tile, something in your breath catching that you could barely breathe. You just needed a second-

He flicked your eyes back to him, and you could feel his breaths on your lips, "Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't feel the same as I do, then I'll leave you alone."

"Rick-"

He raised an eyebrow, "I asked a question, Y/N."

"How do you feel?"

He roamed closer, eyes dashing between the two of yours and your lips, "I think you know, sweetheart."

You opened your mouth.

"But," he interrupted, "-if ya insist."

Rick pulled back slightly, hand leaving its trail to, instead, hold your wrists -gently, as his thumbs rubbed into your wrists. With another breath, he kissed your palms -pressing his lips there ever so slightly.

"I'm tired of being on the sidelines," he spoke, low and soft, "-I... I want it to be us. Together."

"Together?" You echoed.

"Like you stay in my house, you sleep in my bed, we go to dinners together instead of so... so far apart-"

"And you can tell me who to kiss?" You added, playfully.

"And I'm the only one you can kiss," he corrected with the smallest of grins, but there was something hard in his eyes. Something serious.

"So," you spoke, expectantly, "-kiss me then. So, I can see what I'm stuck with."

"Stuck?" He laughed, slowly leaning in, "-Oh darlin' you're gonna be far from stuck."

[nikkisheep]

Fuck Away The Pain

Rick Grimes x female!reader

Warnings: smut, oral (f), dirty talk, cursing, season 5 rick, mentions of twd elements, use of slut/whore, praising kink, degrading (slightly), confession, ass slapping

Summary: Once the group settled into the houses Aaron gave them in Alexandria, Rick can't seem to adjust to being normal again with all of the pain that the world has caused.

Home. Your group finally found a home they could actually live in. Alexandria has everything that the group needed, but some people, mostly Rick, was having issues adapting to being in a community after being out in the world for so long. Sometimes, there is no adapting to anything normal, because there is nothing left to be normal.

Rick had gotten a house for him, Carl, and Judith along with you. He needed a woman in the house who could basically become a mother to his kids, which you were the perfect person. You have been taking care of the kids since Lori had passed away and Rick could never be more grateful that he had you as a friend.

But you both did not want to be friends. No, no, no. See you both had a thing for each other but since Rick was a married man, it made things weird between you two. But now that his wife is no longer here, the sexual tension between the two of you has skyrocketed.

"Hey," You tell Rick when he walked into the house.

"I got dinner in the oven and I was thinking that we should go to Deanna's party tonight right afterward. You know, let the kids mingle with the other kids."

"I don't really wanna go," He groaned.

"Rick, we are going and that is final."

----

Getting dressed in your bedroom, you noticed that Rick was struggling to button all of his shirt and then place a tie around his neck. You shake your head and then walk to his room.

"Need a hand?"

He nodded with a sigh before turning to you. Walking up to him, you could smell the body wash that he used in the shower not even an hour ago, along with his natural smell. He looked down at your form, your hands moving to button his shirt before smoothing it down. He almost smiles when he sees that your breath hitches when you get to the top of his chest, leaving two buttons open just for your eyes. He gestured the tie and made eye contact. Your faces were so close together, just a slight movement on either end would lead your lips to clashing together.

He looks at you the entire time that you stand in front of him, tying his tie. You remain focused on his face, tying his tie without even looking, as if you had done it so many times. He noticed that his hands had moved to your waist and you didn't move them.

"Handsome as ever," You say, leaning up to his ear, "and all for me to see."

He shudders as he watches your black dressed form leave the room. He sighs when he notices the very uncomfortable bulge that he has in his pants.

The party was not very fun, given that there was alcohol it made it better but it was still pretty difficult for Rick to handle. He hadn't been to a party like this since Shane had dragged him to one. He starts to get uncomfortable and he went to leave but he saw that a man was flirting with you. He grabbed you away from him and took you back to the house.

"What the hell, Rick?"

"I need you," He says, rubbing his bulge. You look down at his moving hand and you gulp.

He stalked his way over to you, looking you up and down when he places his hands on your neck. He tilts his head and gets so close to your lips but does not kiss you. It is you who kisses him and that man fucking groaned.

Your lips fought against each other, the two of you making your way to the bedroom. His hands never leave your body, pulling actually ripping the fabric of your dress, only to find that you had nothing on underneath. He takes a breast in his waiting mouth and he sucks. Your hand shoots to grab his hair and he moans at the feeling. He moved down your body, setting every inch of your skin on fucking fire. He licked at your skin, desperate to taste every bit of your bod. Spreading your legs, he moved in between your thighs, placing them on top of his shoulders to spread you even more.

Rick breathes in your smell before kissing your clit. Your moans filtered through the house, he licked at your heated core and he put his arm over your hips so that you would not buck up into his face. He needed to be in control, not you. He needed to take his frustrations of the world out on your pussy. That was what mattered. He was tired of the tension between the two of you. He wanted you to know that you belonged to him.

He took your clit in his mouth and he pushed a finger inside you. He needed to make you cum because his dick was getting difficult to not rut against the mattress.

"Rick, I need you to fuck me please." You moan out when Rick moves away from your cunt.

He kisses up your body before moved away so he can remove his clothes. He throws his clothes to the floor and climbs back over you. He kisses you before teasing his tip inside. He pushes in when he has you begging, whining for his cock. He begins thrusting, not even waiting for you to adjust to his size. You moan his name as he moves against you, pressing your bodies closer than they should be able to. He pulls you with him when he moves back onto his knees and he fucks up into you.

"Fuck, you feel so good."

Every once and a while he would say, "That's it, your my little whore aren't you?" "My princess is doing so fucking good for me, taking me so well." He ruts into your body as you cling to his body, wrapping your legs around his waist. He kisses you messily and whispers sweet nothings into your ear.

He would call you his little slut as he slaps your ass before you cum on his dick. He groans at the sudden amount of wetness coming between the two of you. He smirks when he pulls another orgasm from you by playing with your clit and sucking on your tits.

He starts to feel his own climax barreling toward him so he starts to thrust faster and harder into you before emptying his spend inside your walls. You let out a loud moan of his name when you feel his warmth spread inside you. You clench around him, seeking every drop of his hot cum. He pulls out and kisses you while laying you back onto the bed.

"I love you," You say.

"I love you too."

"So does this mean I'm yours?"

"You're mine."

[jonesywrites]

Love the "their fantasy of who Rick Grimes is and what the walking dead is supposed to be about" because that's exactly what it boils down to, they realized in ep2 that it was actually a Rick and Michonne story and not a s5 Rick one and they freaked out. They wanted her to die so bad too lol, can't stand these dumbasses who are now even saying that Richonne had no real motives to bomb the Frontliners.

Hey Anon --

UGH, man don't even get me started on how transparent all those "Oh, guys I'm worried Michonne might die," and "Well one of them has to die and it won't be Rick," mf-ers were when all the speculation about what would happen was at its peak.

These were the same ones who were analyzing every spec of Rick, Beale, and the CRM but couldn't be bothered to understand what Rick's dreams about Michonne were supposed to mean. The same ones making fun of RJ and calling him useless. The same ones convinced that Beale was too big to take down "so easily". The same ones "disappointed" in the Echelon Briefing. The same ones who couldn't grasp that the Red Stripes were a small "elite" faction of dum-dum B's who trained Rick and watched him ascend to the throat of their leader. The same ones who wanted Michonne to sob "AND DARYL NEVER GAVE UP ON YOU RICK, HE LOVES YOU SO MUCH HE WANTED ME TO PERSONALLY TELL YOU THAT, OMG LET'S GO FIND HIM RIGHT NOW!"

The same ones who conveniently forget that Negan had a whole harum full of bitches he kept AGAINST THEIR WILL and kept trophies of his kills and led a group of SLAVERS who went around rounding up the leaders of communities, bashed in their skulls, and then forced those communities to supply them with food and weapons and whatever else they wanted and was GLEEFUL about that shit but "oh he saved Judith so he's a totally redeemed not that bad guy and Rick should reunite (?!) with him and they should be best murder buds".

Yeah. THOSE fuckers.

They wanted Michonne to die. They wanted Rick to go John Wick and the CRM to be some untouchable shadow ninja clan and for Rick to call in Daryl and Negan and all their favorite testicle-having badasses and for it all to be a bloody gore fest with more explosions, more walkers, and less romantic stuff.

Well, the showrunners Danai, Andrew, and Scott (cosigned by Kirkman) decided that they know Rick and the world of TWD better, you know, having written and performed these characters and thought about their story for the better part of a decade (and this one in particular for over two years). LIKE LET'S BE SERIOUS FOR A MINUTE. LET'S GET REAL HERE.

Oooh chile you triggered me, hahaha.

Anyway -- let us all be thankful that AMC and TPTB finally realized that they didn't need to cater to the DudeBro Nation this time around to be successful.

Thank you for the ask!

--Kendra

[fantasylandloser]

Cupid

Pairing: Daryl Dixon x woc!reader

Summary: idfk Daryl + apocalypse + love

Warnings: canon typical violence, injury to reader, lots of hurt comfort, angst, nno specific plot

A/N: I just started watching twd and everybodys so attractive and traumatized, I don't know what to do with myself. Anyway enjoy, or don't.

******

When you first met Daryl, you very quickly learned to be cautious of him and his brother. The color of your skin caused unnecessary distress to the eldest brother, and he made sure everyone else was aware of this problem if he was in the mood.

You were tactful about avoiding him for the most part. Until Merle was missing. You weren’t particularly sad about it. You surely wouldn’t miss him, then you began to notice Daryl without worrying his brother was behind him. 

He was quiet, withdrawn, helpful, kind in his own way. He was many things, maybe even a good man. The first time you found yourself around him on purpose, you’d been spooked. You ran to the first person you saw, which was Daryl and he pushed you behind him. You hardly realized the way you gripped onto him when he held up his bow an arrow to shoot the walker. Your heart was beating so loudly that when he told you ‘it’s dead now’ you barely heard him. And you didn’t get to thank him before Carol pulled you away. 

The next day Daryl found ten perfectly carved wooden arrows outside his tent. He knew it was you. He never told you thank you though, he didn’t know how. 

The next time he goes through a bunch of arrows again he finds more outside his tent, probably twenty, they’re perfect, each of them. He hates them. He doesn’t understand them. Which is why you find them thrown back at your feet, when he finds you at the creek washing clothes. 

“I can carve my own arrows.” You look taken back slightly, but nod nonetheless. 

“I’m aware.” You say trying your best to appear unruffled, but you were also well aware others were watching the two of you. 

“You don’t need to be wastin’ your time makin’ these.” He nods to them. Then looks away from you when he sees your look of disappointment. 

“I understand. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” Your reply is so soft he barely hears you, and he knows he’s a dick by how gutted you sound , but he can’t bring himself to pick the arrows back up so he just walks away. 

You stay away from him again after that. Only near him when the group is all together, never making eye contact or standing too close. 

*****

The next memorable interaction between Daryl and you is when Andrea shoots him. It was the most reckless thing you’d ever seen in your opinion, and you didn’t have a problem telling her so, much to the shock of the rest of the camp. You couldn’t help being so mad though, you’d finally found safety on the farm and you were a little upset to have it compromised. No other reason. 

Someone must have told him when he woke up because when you pass by his tent for the tenth time in an hour, he calls you in. It’s awkward considering how little the two of you have spoken. He doesn’t ask you for anything, even though you offer plenty. He just reaches into his back pocket, hands you a sharp knife with an impeccable blade, tells you that he found it while he was in the woods and figured you’d have use for it. 

He asks you to show him the technique you used when you carved his arrows. His way of apologizing you think. You tell him there wasn't a technique, but you let him watch you carve one and he realizes you’re so into it you don't recognize the method to your own madness, you’re just using it to cope, to create. 

After that  day he lets you carve his arrows, sometimes sitting with you while you do it. The two of you didn’t do much talking but you both appreciated the company. 

******

“Raise your arm more.” Daryl tells you. You huff slightly not annoyed, just frustrated. 

“It’s heavy.” You complain.

“You made it.” He counters, squatting beside you. 

“Not for me.” You murmur. He sighs and takes the crossbow from you. Something you made mostly of wood and spare parts you found around the camp. It was really badass in Daryl’s opinions but for whatever girly reason you were embarrassed. 

He had found it when he was looking for you, put away the best you could in your tent, but still it caught his eye. He wasn’t snooping, as you said he was. 

Daryl can’t help but admire it, but that’s all he does. He won’t accept it as a gift, not something you put so much work into, so he offered to teach you how to use it instead. You regretted saying yes to that as your shoulder ached.

“Just somethin’ you gotta learn how to do now.” Is all he can offer, you only sigh while stretching your arms once more before taking the crossbow back from him. 

“Hold up” You still, but you keep your arm lifted. You let him move the strands of curly hair out your face, some of them falling back to exactly where they were. 

‘Alright now you can actually see the target.” You scoff, seeing how pleased he is with himself, but can’t help the amused smile that lights up your face. 

“I hate you.” You say, with no bite behind it, but you can actually see the target now. You don’t hit it on the first ten tries, but when you finally do, you smile in triumph, pleased with yourself. You allow yourself that joy for a few seconds, you’ve forgotten Daryl at this point. Because you reload without so much as looking back at him and continue on until the sun is no longer in the sky. For a reason unknown to Daryl, this blooms a feeling of pride in his chest. 

******

Sometimes you found yourself watching Daryl's arms. It wasn’t something you did purposefully, he’d be showing something to you and your eyes would just wander. It was a stupid habit that only caused you more trouble than you needed. 

“Are you listenin’ to me?” No you were not. 

“No.” Your cheeks heat up at your admission, your eyes finally making their way back up to his. “I’m sorry.” You catch the amused glint in his eyes and you know you were caught.

“It’s alright, we'll pick back up-” Daryl’s name is called before he can finish speaking. Shane and Rick nod him over and he gives you a quick look before walking over. They leave to make a run an hour later. 

Everytime Daryl leaves you watch for him, waiting for him to get back. You wish you didn’t, but you couldn’t do anything else with him gone, too scared, too nervous. That’s how you end up in such a stupid accident. Falling off the roof of the RV had to be the most embarrassing thing you’d ever done, and stupid. You probably would have been able to just get up and dust yourself off with a few scratches and possibly some sore muscles if you hadn’t landed right on an arrow you’d carved while you waited. 

You don’t cry out surprisingly, it’s probably shock. You’re barely aware of your surroundings as Dale and Andrea come from inside and rush you towards the house. You let them push you into the room and lay you on the bed, you let Hershel look at it, but the second he mentions pulling it out you panic, defensively covering it with your hands.

Carol is on the porch waiting for them to get back and they see the panic in her face before she has the chance to say anything. And Daryl sees that you aren’t on top of the RV like you usually are when he’s gone and he starts sprinting towards the house, the others are a close second behind him. 

“No please.” You’re not crying still, but you’re panicked, blocking Hershel from getting to you.

“I just want to help you, but you gotta calm down.” Hershel tells you. You let out a series of no’s while you get out of bed. When Daryl finally makes it to the room and sees the situation, he feels a bit of relief. He’s sure you’re in pain and he hates that, but it’s better you be in pain than dead.

“How the hell did this happen?” Daryl asks, when you hear his voice, your head snaps towards him and you call for him. 

There's a series of voices answering his question, but he ignores them all when Hershel says “She’s delirious, I need you to hold her down.” 

“You gotta lay back down, sweetheart.” Daryl tells you, he walks to you slowly trying not to spook you, He’s never seen you so terrified and he knows the pain must be too much when you're malnourished and sleep deprived and he knows you give most of your rations to Lori. 

“I don’t want them to take it out.” He knows you barely know what you’re saying. But he thinks you’re calming down some as your eyes grow wet. You clutch your side as the pain finally catches up with your senses. 

“Just lay down and let me look at it.” If you weren’t so out of your mind in pain you’d realize that he was lying, but you were. You agree lying back down. Once you do he attempts to lift your shirt, but it’s stuck to the arrow that hasn’t been pulled out. 

He sighs, his arm going around the top of your chest signaling Rick to grab your legs. “Baby, you’re gonna have to let him pull it out.” He sees your panic swell again but grabs your hand before you can do anything. 

“Just breathe, okay.” When Hershel starts to go to work on your wound, you face Daryl’s chest as you quietly cry. “I know, I know.” He soothes. Daryl realizes that he doesn’t think he’s seen you cry often since all of this has started and it makes his chest ache a little. 

When everything calms down after you pass out from the pain, and Hershel stitches up your wound Daryl finds himself sitting there still with his hand in yours. He doesn’t leave your side until your eyes open.

*****

Daryl gently touches your hair while you tell him about your life before infection. Your head is in his lap and he doesn’t even remember climbing into the bed with you. He allows himself the intimacy, says to himself that it’s to comfort you and not at all for him.

He doesn’t know when he started to feel so comfortable with you, but he thinks you have a way about you that would make any man break down his walls. It scares him. He hates it. He thinks you’re cupid, shooting him with arrows, making him love you.

“Were you with anyone before all this started?”  You ask. He only shakes his head. You hum softly, your hands fidgeting with the hand of his that isn’t in your hair. After a while of silence Daryl realizes you fell back asleep, but he can’t bring himself to leave you just yet. 

You’d lost so much blood in the day prior, more blood than he thought was survivable, but Hershel said you were fine. He couldn’t shake this feeling though, he just wanted you to be fine, he didn’t want to be scared. 

When the herd came for the house Daryl felt panic constrict his throat in a new way. Chaos ensued as he looked for you. When he finally found you, you were holding your own with a group of walkers, he would have found the time to be proud if it weren’t for the way his heart was beating. 

By the time you make it to his motorcycle, you killed nearly a dozen with his help. “Hurry the hell up.” He rushes, even though you’re hurrying to the best of your ability. 

****

“Where is she?” Daryl asks as he walks through the prison, he doesn’t get an answer but he doesn’t need one as your head pops out at the sound of his voice. 

He sees the betrayal in your eyes as you look at him, still he gets closer, just wanting to be near you. He starts to say your name, maybe to apologize, you’re not sure, and you don’t care. You shove him away from you. He comes back. 

“You left.” Your voice betrays you, as it quivers. “We needed you here.” 

“He’s my brother.” He tries to explain,

“And what are we?” Your voice rises, and it’s the first time you’ve ever yelled at him. It startles him slightly. “Are we not family?” You ask. “What am I?” Daryl clearly doesn’t have an answer for you. 

“Baby-” He calls when you turn away, ignoring Merle’s presence as you did before. “Give her space.” Carol tells him. “She’ll come around.”

“What the hell did I miss, little brother?” Merle asks, only to be ignored.

When you finally come back from wherever you run off to, you don’t make a sound if Daryl or Merle speak to you. It’s like how it was before Merle left the first cam, except worse in so many ways. 

Daryl just wants you to understand, he doesn’t know how you don’t. He wants to tell you it wasn’t personal, but the words don’t seem right. He works to find the right ones but it’s no matter, they’re aren’t any. 

You’re holding baby ass kicker when he finally gets a moment with you. Everything that happens is usually so public to the group now that you have to stick together, so he knows that everyone knows what you mean to him. It’s unnerving.

“M’sorry.” You pause your actions momentarily before going back to tending to the baby. When you don’t so much as acknowledge him, he goes where you and ass kicker are before getting on his knees willing you to look at him. 

“You gotta talk to me, alright? Even if you just want to yell or scream or hit me, give me somethin’” He pleads, he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. You exhale a shaky breath. “I’m sorry I pushed you earlier. Wasn’t right.” Daryl almost scoffs because of course you’re apologizing.

“Deserved it.” He whispers to you, still on his knees in front of you, waiting for your eyes to land on him. You shake your head in disagreement. 

“If you leave again, or something happens…” You pause and Daryl wants to tell you nothing will happen and he won’t leave you but he can’t promise that to be true. “I want you to know that I love you,” You whisper. “It’s all I could think about since you left. How I should have told you- how I might never see you again.” When you finally look at him you see his tears, you know he’s hurting. 

“I’m not trying to make this harder for you, I just wanted you to know.” He nods, holding his face in your lap, trying to gather his emotions. With the hand that’s not holding the baby you stroke his hair gently, allowing him to cry.

[angelthefirst1]

Umm...

So...♾️♾️♾️

I just realised that the last episode of The Ones Who Live will air on RESURRECTION Sunday 🧐😵✝️

That is not a coincidence!

They could have picked any day to release the last episode, but chose that day!

The end (episode 6) of Rick's story beginning again (TOWL season 1 ) is on the same day that Christ's resurrection is being remembered...

The beginning is the end ♾️

When Rick is revealed at the beginning of the season, he is called Christ...

Christ, is that him? Michonne nods yes...

Is it a play on words? Yes.

But it's also an eclipsed/hidden but very deliberate way to mark Rick as Christ.

The last episode will air on Resurrection Sunday. Fulfilling the beginning and end.

Beth and Rick's stories are intertwined often reversed, so this is intriguing to me!

I'm truly starting to think that this is the year we get Beth. Too many things are lining up including the fact that Beth (in real time) has been gone 10 years, while Rick (in show time) has been missing 10 years.

10.10 get well soon.

Do I think we will see Beth or a clue to Beth in episode 6 of TOWL?

Maybe...it's actually very possible due to resurrection Sunday.

Maybe we get a hidden coda, like Morgan, but this time the mask stays on.

Who knows... I'm excited to see, but what I'm more interested in is this beginning end pattern because what comes next (after TOWL ends) in TWD universe will be another resurrection.

Enter The Book of Carol.

I pine for Summer ☀️

The last episode (episode 6) of TOWL, airing on RESURRECTION SUNDAY, is called The Last Time...

Emily released a song called Last Chance not long after she finished on (ended) TWD.

Many who heard the song Last Chance thought it sounded like Emily was writing it about Daryl and Beth, and she was.

Emily's very first album (first = beginning) was released just after she left (ended) The Walking Dead, and Last Chance (which really indicates both Beginning and end) was a single on it. So, could the episode "The Last Time" be the signal for Beth's return or beginning?

It's all starting to line up.

The album, the song "Last Chance," is off, is called This Is War.

In the comics, Andrea wakes from a gun shot to the head during the war with the Governor.

The bullet just gazes her but knocks her unconscious. I am convinced Emily was referencing this war in the title of her album.

No doubt, the end of season 1 of Rick and Michonne's story will also lead to a declaration of This Is War with the CRM. I guess we will wait and see for that one, but we know war is building.

Now Rick wasn't the only one marked as Christ, in fact he was the second or "last" one marked as Christ in TOWL Gone.

The first one to be marked as Christ is...

The sister that was left behind aka a representation of Beth.

Beth was marked as Christ here first (at the beginning of Gone) in the timeline, while Rick was marked as Christ last (near the end of Gone).

We see Rick on-screen before he gets marked as Christ, but Beth gets marked as Christ before we see her.

The time to finally see her again has to be close. Very close.

I also want to add one other extremely unusual thing I discovered, and it's in relation to the X eclipse that is coming up a week and one day after resurrection Sunday on April 8th.

For those who don't know, there will be a solar eclipse on April 8th in the US, and it's been nicknamed the X eclipse, because the path that the eclipse will take, makes an X in conjunction with the path of the last solar eclipse of 2017.

How is this related to Beth and Daryl?

Well, remember the episode "Find Me" with Leah?

And the solar eclipse they look at together, while Leah all but repeats Beth's line of "Don't you think that's beautiful?"

The eclipse in "Find Me" is the twin eclipse related to the upcoming eclipse the week after resurrection Sunday.

Leah was a shadow of Beth, I would now even be bold enough to say she was a blocked or eclipsed version of Beth.

Eclipse means an obscuring of the light from one celestial body by the passage of another between it and the observer or between it and its source of illumination.

In other words, the light or reality is hidden from view.

Well... I spent some time figuring out the timeline of this moment where we see the solar eclipse with Leah and Daryl.

And I'm not kidding you. They are looking at a solar eclipse in 2017.

Most commentators on TWD timeline place Rick's disappearance and being taken by the CRM at the 2013 mark.

The episode "Find Me" actually gives us a good calendar to work by in finding out how much time passes from when Rick goes missing up until this eclipse that Daryl and Leah look at.

First, we see Carol say to Daryl...

It's been 2 years of Daryl looking for Rick.

OK, so Rick went missing at the 2013 mark, and now it's 2015 (two years later)

We then see additional time jumps marked, adding up to 2.5 years...

Placing us in 2017!

Leah and Daryl's story was a shadow of finding Beth.

I've talked a bit about how 10's and X's are symbols of Beth's return, so this is an interesting, albeit odd addition to the X symbolism.

10.10 get well soon flipped ♾️ is 01.01 which represents the beginning and end.

Jesus said

‭‭Revelation 22.13

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

He also said

Revelation 22.12

Look, I am coming SOON!

X is 10 in Roman numerals, obviously, and we are also coming up to the ten year mark from when Beth "dies."

The current walking dead timeline for Daryl Dixon season 1 places us somewhere in 2023, so a question I have is...will we, at some stage in the future, see Daryl and Beth looking at the X eclipse of 2024 in a fulfillment of the 2017 eclipse...

Emily also wore this hat and posted a caption with it, "Don't F with me today Zombies".

She posted this back when filming was taking place for season 5, but we never saw the footage reported on from that time.

The crown on the hat is made up of X's that make diamonds, and it combined makes the upside-down pyramids, all of which are related to Beth and Sirius returning.

Make of that what you will.

I'm working on a future post to lay out how both Consumed and Find me are road maps to her return.

Both those episodes focused heavily on Daryl and Carol off together.

She is coming soon... Beth means house of, and she's marked as Christ.

House of Christ.

[thosewildcharms]

Well i was talking about towl fav ep and fav richonne moment but i want your thought on twd too now :)

thank you so much clarifying anon, and for the question! i think the easiest way to do this is to break it up by show.

towl

favorite episodes: I think it goes without saying that just like everyone else episode 4 is my favorite. it's a stand out not just for towl but for twd as a whole and is magnificent from start to finish. as for the rest? i have a lot of trouble ranking them actually because i love all of them for different reasons, but I guess my other favorites in no particular order are:

6 because it was just SO satisfying. that reunion seriously healed something in me. I love the flashbacks and how their pillow talk was incorporated throughout.

3 because it had me literally screaming at my tv and i love angst <3

1 because i didn't realize how much i missed rick grimes until i got him back, and i'm still so impressed by how much they accomplished in that one episode. also i think andrew lincoln was phenomenal and the ending was perfect. it gave me that WE'RE SO FUCKING BACK!! feeling that set the tone for the whole series.

favorite richonne moments:

the family reunion in episode 6 goes without saying right? it's all i wanted from the series and they gave it to me and it was everything

like, all of episode 4 lol but the standouts for me are "you don't have to thank me ever" (like, that whole sequence of him saving her) "the only time I feel safe is when I'm with you" (because i'm STILL reeling from that) the without you I die monologue obviously and i also really love the specific way rick's voice cracks when he says "you think I didn't want to be with you? I tried everything" and the way michonne's lip trembles in response. i talked about how rick is suppressing his emotions throughout that entire episode and that's one of the few moments he loses his composure - it's SO effective

the full reunion in episode 2!

rick putting the ring on michonne's finger MID THRUST. hello?

the proposal! his nervousness! her obvious joy and delight! i actually really love how light and funny they were all throughout episode 5. i re-watch all of those scenes a LOT

rick pulling his gun on thorne when she put her hand on her knife while interrogating michonne/rick stepping in front of thorne's gun when she had it pointed at michonne.

MICHONNE THROWING THEM OUT OF THE HELICOPTER

an underrated moment from the finale i really love is when rick grab's michonne's fingers when thorne orders them to walk with their hands up. i love that he needed that contact!

in the finale when rick says he just wants to go home. he wouldn't have, and they both know it, but i love that he was allowed to express that. AND i love michonne's reaction to it.

michonne dropping her sword (again!) when she thinks rick is dead

i really really REALLY love the dream sequences from episode one. it definitely felt like a huge fuck you to everyone who said they never would have ended up together if the apocalypse hadn't happened. like! sorry but no! michonne is rick's soulmate! die mad about it!

twd

favorite episodes: 6x10 the next world, 7x12 say yes, and 3x12 clear for obvious reasons. I also really love 6x09 no way out for having one of my favorite richonne scenes ever, 4x09 after, 4x11 claimed, 5x11 the distance for the amazing richonne build-up, 9x01 a new beginning (richonne just feel VERY married), 9x05 what comes after because i was tense and distraught the whole time even though i was spoiled for the ending, and 9x06 who are you now: michonne's grief is so palpable even years later, danai was incredible and that scene with judith at the end wrecks me. plus the RJ reveal!

favorite richonne moments:

"i've never seen your face like that before." listen. LISTEN. years ago i saw a gifset of this exact scene right here on tumblr dot com and it was so cute that i decided i would watch the zombie show if those two get together. and now HERE I AM. it's the scene that started it all for me, and it's still one of my favorites because it's so cute.

FIRST KISS ON THE COUCH. arguably the best first kiss of all time

all of say yes but SPECIFICALLY when michonne drops her sword, and how she jumps into his arms when it turns out he's alive, the panicked way she says "no no no" when rick tells her she could lose him. but also, how goofy and silly they were the rest of the time. they have fun together! they don't just love each other, they like each other!

THE END OF 6x09 WHEN RICK WALKS OUT INTO THE HERD. michonne loses her shit completely in a way we didn't see again until the bridge. nothing is more terrifying to her than rick (or her kids) dying, and that will always get to me. the way she was the FIRST one out the door once denise gave the go ahead? the fact that the ONLY thing that kept her from running after him sooner was the fact that carl still needed her? GIRL???

rick smiling at michonne and carl on the train tracks AND the "i'm okay/I know/how?/because I'm okay too" exchange also on the train tracks. i'm a 'rick fell in love with her on the train tracks' truther forever and ever amen.

that hug at the end of 7x10 and the little kiss on her forehead :)

"I'm still with you." everything about that scene is just the two of them saying "i love you" without actually saying it.

"we should go to washington" oh my god the look on her FACE

in 4x09 that whole sequence where michonne sees herself in the walkers, kills them all, makes the deliberate choice to follow the tracks and they lead her directly to rick and carl???? the way she LOOKS TO THE HEAVENS AND CRIES??? rick's incredulous laughter and "it's for you"? what kind of invisible string tying you to me-soulmate bullshit?

the 9x05 "do you know why i fell in love with you?" dream sequence

9x01 "how'd I get so lucky finding you?" the domesticity of that entire scene.

first meeting at the prison. it's SO charged and it's so amazing to re-watch that scene and be like rick!!! that's your wife!!! and again. towl just confirms it really WAS soulmates meeting for the first time. incredible!

[miserable-sarah]

Pairings: Daryl x Reader Warnings: Mentions of 'death', arguing, mentions of cheating, bad language. I think that's it. Summary: Daryl and Y/n had a very special connection everyone knows it. You and Daryl are pretty much dating but after Rick, he just hasn't been the same.

A/n: Um.... I started watching TWD like a month ago and I'm obsessed. So now I have to write about more older men, who unfortunately don't know I'm alive. :)

~

Daryl has been gone for weeks, months. You're scared it's going to go into years. He won't leave those woods. You're afraid you're never going to see him again. Every time you find him and try to bring him back with you. he just tells you to go back home, give him more time, he'll be back soon. All things you know aren't true, he's not coming back anytime soon.

You sighed deeply thinking about how Daryl hasn't been in your bed in so long, he hasn't even been in this house. He barely comes past the walls. He just doesn't want to be here, and unfortunately you're not enough to keep him here.

You put on your boots, and threw on a jacket over your normal clothes. It's been colder out, fall is definitely coming. You walk out of the house putting on your happy face, you smiled and waved to the people you saw. You were going to try to bring food and water to Daryl today. He's probably starving. You go into the pantry and pick out a few little things no one is going to miss, you grab a bottle of water and put it in your bag.

"Where you heading?" You stop in your tracks and turn around.

"I don't know, just thought Daryl would be hungry, thirsty?" You say in a low voice. Carol knows all about you Daryl, she knows how depressed and upset you are everyday, she feels it too.

"Want me to come?" She asks, she already knows the answer but she asks anyway.

"No, I really just want to be by myself." She nods at you and pats your shoulder.

"Okay" You say quietly to yourself trying to lose the anxiety you have.

The guards opened the gate for you and gave you a nod. You walked down the road not even making it past the walls, you heard Daryls bike. You stood off the side and watched him pass you. You debated going back, go see him. Say hi. You decided not to, you figured you'd just go to his little cabin and drop the food and water off, any extra would be good for him anyway. Part of you hoped he saw you, part of you hoped he'd come out of the gates and chase you down. It didn't happen though.

-

You made it to his cabin, you freaked out a little when you saw a dog outside. You for sure thought it was a hungry dog going to eat you but he was well taken care of. Daryl must have found him. He only barked at you a few times before coming up to you, he let you pet him. Oh, how you missed dogs.

"Dog!" You heard a woman call out to him, he went to her immediately. You quickly hid behind his cabin. You don't want any trouble with anyone. When she was finally gone you snuck into his cabin. You went into the little kitchen area and placed food and water on the table.

You walked around his cabin, just looking. It was cozy but you wouldn't want to spend months out here, you really just can't wrap your head around why he does. You hear the door knob jingle, your first instinct is to reach for your knife and hide. You almost got up when you realized it's probably Daryl. You stayed behind a wall when you heard a woman, she came right into his cabin. You could feel confusion throughout your entire body.

"There you are." she walked right past you picking up a knife on the table. She stands by the table looking at the food and water. "Daryl? You here?" She shouts out. Your mouth drops, you feel heartache sinking in as you realize this isn't her first time here. She waits for an answer, when she doesn't get one she walks out. You hide behind the wall for a few minutes, honestly you think it's because you can't move.

Now listen, you and Daryl were never exclusive, never even confirmed you were dating. But it sure as hell felt like it. The talks you two had, the laughter, the crying, the always looking out for each other, always having each other's backs, the sex. He even told you about his childhood, he just wasn't a label kind of guy and you were okay with that. You just never thought he'd run into the woods, find a woman and stay out here with her.

You don't even know if that's the situation but right now. Right now at this very moment, you see red. You start going through his cabin you don't know why but maybe you can find something, you're starting to even wonder if he's still looking for Rick or if he gave up and started shacking up with the first women he saw who wasn't dead.

After a while you gave up, you sat on your knees with your head in your hands. 'What am I doing? I'm acting crazy.' You think to yourself. You hear the door open behind you, you stiffen up. You wanted to leave before Daryl got back so you didn't have to deal with this.

"Y/n?" He questions. You sigh defeated. You get off your knees and grab your bag.

"Sorry about the mess." You say emotionless, you go to open the door but he holds his arm out holding you back.

"Find what ya were lookin' for?" He asks looking around the place.

"No."

"What is it?" He easily pushes you back so you're facing him.

"Nothing." You try to keep all your emotions in. You just need to go home because if not you'll explode.

"This ain't nothin'." You can tell he's aggravated. You sigh and back up more so you have distance between the two of you.

"Who's the girl?" You say placing your hands on your hips. He gives you a weird look, he doesn't know how you know. He opens his mouth to speak but you cut him off. "Don't lie. I saw her here." He rubs the back of his neck.

"Jus' some girl. Lives in the woods too."

"Are you hooking up with her? She the reason you aren't coming home?" You just keep speaking you can't help the questions coming out of your mouth, you've been mad at him for months. He doesn't answer. You chuckle and shake your head at him. "Okay." You say taking his no answer as yes. "Move." You say in a deep voice, it even scares you a little bit. His eyes meet yours, you have no emotion except anger.

He knows he's been fucking a lot lately but he would never do that to you. He doesn't understand why you don't know that. He doesn't move he just keeps looking at you.

"Daryl, move. I'm leaving."

"Nah, you ain't goin'." He stands against the door. As anger pluses throughout your body, you've had enough. You try to make him move, which doesn't work he's too strong. "Stop." He mumbles, he grabs your arms and pulls you against him. You stay against him, you let some tears finally come down. You push against his chest to get out of his grip.

"Daryl let me go, I'm so angry. I don't want to fight."

"Nah, say what ya gotta say." He steps up to you with a little attitude.

"You aren't even looking for Rick anymore. You're out here fucking the first woman you saw that wasn't walker because what? You're so hurt, you're so lost? Or whatever excuse you come up with."

"It ain't none of your business what I do." He cuts you off "We ain't a couple, we ain't together." His words sting. You can see him getting more angry.

"Sure felt ike it." You cross your arms. "Until it didn't."

"Ya know why I'm out here Y/n!" He yells

"Fucking some girl isn't looking for Rick, Daryl!" You yell back.

Daryl steps up to you getting so close to you, you can feel his breath on your face. You can feel the anger radiating off him. "I ain't fucking her! Ya should know that!" He backs away from you a little "ya should know me." He says softer. You look at him, you can tell he's telling the truth. You can tell you hurt him.

"Daryl..." You say walking towards him slowly. "I'm sorry." You hold his face. "It's just been so rough, so hard lately. I've been so alone, I'm always worried about you. I just want you around and you're never there. I'm sorry I freaked out, but Daryl I don't know you anymore. You're just... gone." You say honestly. Darly looks down with sad eyes. He really knows he's fucked up by not staying with you. You're right you don't know him anymore.

"I jus' lost so much." He says, he's always short with words and expressing himself.

"I know. We both did." You say wrapping your arms around him.

"I'm sorry." He wraps his arms around you pulling you closer to him. "It'll change."

"Daryl, if you need to stay out here. It's okay, I understand."

"Nah, no. I don't needa stay." He pulls you in for a kiss. "I wanna go home, with my girlfriend." He kisses you again, you can't help but giggle into the kiss. You feel him smile against you.

"Girlfriend." You smile "I like the sound of that." You tease him. He nods agreeing, he gives you his signature smirk before planting another sweet kiss on your lips.

~

Hope you enjoyed reading!

[dixongrimesgirl]

TWD Kinktober Day 7

Daryl Dixon x fem!reader 18+ voyeurism

It was a hot day at the prison. Everyone was covered in sweat yet somehow that made Daryl Dixon look even sexier. You found yourself staring at him even more than usual. You've had a crush on the man since you arrived at the prison but you were sure he didn't feel the same. After dinner you finally had some time alone so you speed walked to your cell. You closed the curtain and removes your pants and underwear. You waste no time before shoving two fingers into your heat. You start gasping and moaning Daryl's name. He doesn't mean to walk in on you in this position but when he hears you moaning his name he races to your cell to save you from whatever threat is there. He pulls back the curtain a little and immediately notice your situation. You don't notice him and continue pleasuring yourself. He gets hard as he hears your breathy moans. He has dreamt of being with you and hearing his name fall from your perfect lips in a way that isn't just friendly. He palms himself as you speed up your movement. You bring your other hand down to rub circles on your clit. At this point, your moans could probably be heard for miles but you were in your own euphoric bliss. Soon you're coming and so is Daryl when he sees your body shake and contort in pure bliss. You open your eyes and see him standing there and he is about to run away and pray you never bring this up when you ask "Would you like to come in?" "I.. uh..." he stammers. "It's okay. I don't bite. Unless you want me to" you try and joke but he just looks away. You notice his bright pink cheeks and you get out of your bed and close the curtain. You get up on your tiptoes and kiss him. "If you want me, come and get me" you say and lay down on your bed. He hesitates for a moment before walking over to you and soon he's on top of you with your lips connected. He experimentally squeezes your left breast and you moan into the kiss. You wrap your legs around his waist and he thrusts his crotch against yours. You moan as he does it again but this time with more force. He pulls back and you help him remove your shirt and then his. He tries to hide when you notice his scars but you tilt his chin so he meets your gaze. "You look incredible," you tell him. You feel and see him relax and soon he's just as naked as you and he's asking for your consent for the millionth time. "Yes, and if you don't do it soon" you're cut off by him thrusting inside you. "Daryl" you moan. "You feel so good, princess" he groans. He brings a hand down and rubs your clit and you're a goner. You cum all over his cock causing him to pull out and release on your stomach. "Daryl" you breathe out. "Yeah?" he asks. "I love you" you sigh. "Love ya too, Princess" he replies and nuzzles your neck.

[frenziedslashers]

Maybe Rick Grimes who has eyes for a rancher? I work on a ranch for my uncle and I’m craving some Rick content where he has the hots for a rancher and is almost always checking them out. Dropping comments about how strong they are or how good they are with their hands 🥴

Maybe they help Rick at the prison with the garden and Ricks secretly loving every second because not only does he get to learn from them, but he also has an excuse to stare at their sweaty muscles. Maybe even get a couple peaks of their ass when their bent over ykyk. Bonus points if Rick goes to take their cowboy hat as a joke and they tell Rick about the cowboy hat rule after he’s done so (take the hat, ride a cowboy) and Ricks FLUSTERED but not complaining either 😮‍💨

It’d be awesome if you could do it as a Male!reader fic too! Maybe some smut if you’re okay with it 🫣 thank youu!

Hey There, Cowboy

A/N: OUGH, ANON I- FERAL- I have been thinking about this since I read it when you sent it to me last night JESUS- I love this idea so much (Also, HELLO FELLOW RANCHER. I am not a full time one, but I occasionally help my neighbors. Goodluck during calving season this year if you help with that/are around the area. Idk if Calving season is the same for others outside of NE.)

I am frothing at the mouth with this request though. Thank you for doing Gods work 🙏 hopefully this satisfies:))

Warnings: MLM, AMAB! Reader, Top!reader, Bottom!Rick, anal, anal fingering. Ricky Dicky is Dick Riding in this story, not metaphorically either.

REQUESTING INFO || TWD MASTERLIST

It was hot, so goddamn hot outside. Your clothes felt like they were melting into your skin as your sweat bled through them. Your blue jeans were itchy, and your boots were feeling uncomfortable as you turned up the soil by hand. You never thought you would miss the equipment back on the ranch. You never thought you'd be praying to the heavens for a Rototiller, but here you were. Pleading to the heavens for an easier way to do this.

Rick was making his way to where you were in the garden with a couple of waters for you both. He was supposed to be over to help you about thirty minutes ago, but Maggie and Carol needed help with something inside the Prison. He was starting to wonder if they held him back on purpose because when he saw you he swore he felt his brain turn to mush.

The sweat was glistening off your skin perfectly. Your button-up shirt was clinging to your back, and the sleeves were rolled up past your elbows. You had reached up to lift your hat off your head running a hand over the top of your head with a soft sigh. He couldn't hear you, but he could see the way your shoulders rose and fell just like they did anytime you sighed or yawned.

He finally swallowed the saliva that was pooling in his mouth, approaching you further while trying to shake all those thoughts about you that plagued his mind - constantly.

"Hey, Rick," you chimed, that charming smile gracing your lips as you looked over at him. Crossing your arms partially over the handle of the hoe in your hands while you land forward on it. "Finally make some time for me?" He pursed his lips, dropping his head a bit with a chuckle, which made your heart ache for him a little more. You loved how bashful the Deputy could be. Especially around you.

"I brought you some water, you look like you could use some," the hum you let out made him shudder. His jaw clenched as his hands slightly flexed around the bottle in his hand. You noticed, taking the bottle with a small and prideful smirk. "So, what about farming do you really need help with? It isn't that hard, y'know." "Well, you know.." Rick pondered, tearing his eyes from you as you drank from your water. His face was a little red as he stared down at the dirt. "The uh... Planting part? I don't know, really. I've just never done it. Always wanted a garden of my own, though." He spoke, and you chuckled, nodding. "It's truly not that hard, city boy," he peaked up at the nickname, smiling himself. "Well, then lead the way, cowboy."

The both of you got to work. You taught him how to use the hoe efficiently. "It's like sweepin', sorta?" Rick commented, and you tilted your head, shrugging. "Uh, sorta?" you chuckled, patting his back which had his head turning to peak at you. You were quick to let your hand drop, fingers brushing his lower back before wandering over to the bag of seeds.

Rick's eyes were on you the entire time. Still, half-working until you bent over. Ass facing him while you brushed your hand through the packet of seeds. You noticed his movements stop when you did this. Biting back the smirk that threaten to burst free until you grabbed the package of cucumbers from the bag on the ground. Turning back to head over to your friend. Holding yourself high which only seemed to make Rick stare at you more. "Take a break from that, I got the section over yonder 'tilled. We can plant these over there." Your voice was low and sweet. Fingers tucking the packet of seeds into the pocket on Rick's chest. Hands patting it afterward with a grin. "'Nless you'd rather keep tilin' while I plant, city boy?" The way you said city boy had his brain shorting. Raking his brain for words that would make sense. You always put him at a loss for words, it seemed. "I uh... I can plant." You chuckled, leading him over to the section you marked off for the cucumbers.

It wasn't but a couple hours longer until you were both done. The soil of the area roughed up and the seeds that you guys decided on were planted. Wiping some sweat from your forehead as you looked over your work, Rick standing right beside you. His eyes fell to the ground, following your hat which fell by his feet. He stared at it for a moment, hearing the soft sigh you let out when you noticed it fall. Rick was quick to lean down and pick it up before you could, though.

Your eyes watched with a curious gaze as he swept the dirt off of it with his hands. Inspecting it before reaching up for his own hat. Trading the hats with a satisfied hum. "Hmm, maybe Hershel's right, maybe I do need a new hat." He commented with a smug grin, looking up at you with a brow raised. "How do I look? Less city?" He asked with a small snicker, though his smile faded a little at the look on your face. Wondering if maybe he did something wrong.

You took a moment to respond, watching with a smirk as you stared over at the other man. A throaty chuckle left you which made Rick look even more confused than before. "What?" He had no idea what you found so funny, "Oh nothin', I thought you were proposin' somethin' at first, but I forget you city boys aren't familiar with the hat rule." You cooed, taking his own hat from his hands. Placing it on top of your head. He furrowed his brows, tilting his head while looking you over for an answer. "The hat rule?" He asked, reaching up to rub at his jaw with a soft chuckle. Looking to the side, at the fence where the sun set over. Then back over to you, attempting to read the look in your eyes, but he was at a lost. "Well, what's this hat rule?" You hummed, rocking back on your heels while your thumbs slipped into your belt loops.

"Guess you'll have to figure that out yourself, Deputy," your teasing tone made his fingers twitch. His eyes watching you closely, flinching a little when you reached up to flick his hat up - your hat. "I gotta get back and relieve Miss Maggie of watch, I'll catch ya around." You spoke, beginning to walk off, before stopping a few steps in front of Rick. "And Rick?" He hummed in question, looking at you as you turned your head to look over your shoulder. "You do look rather nice in that hat." You smiled, tipping the hat on your head with a wink before wandering back towards the prison.

Everyone was quick to notice you coming inside wearing Rick's hat. Whispers amongst them all about what the deal was. The whispers only got more frequent when they saw Rick was wearing your hat. Daryl looked at Rick with a knowing smirk. Or at least he thought he knew. Rick was the most oblivious guy in the world though. The moment you were in that guard tower, and Maggie was back to see Rick with your hat on, she was quick to ask the question everyone was thinking.

"Did he give ya that hat, or did ya take it from him?" She smirked, and Rick shrugged, his fingers, playing with his gun holster. "Well, he dropped it... So I put it on." Daryl rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "What? Hershel said I needed a farming hat," he protested, and Maggie giggled. "Did he say anything about it? Ain't often that a rancher lets just anyone wear their hat." Rick shrugged again. Leaning against the wall near the two. "Well, he mentioned this hat rule? I assume it means I have to let him wear my hat, I think." Daryl laughed at this. An actual laugh left the hunter's throat, and Rick felt his face go red with embarrassment. What, did he say something wrong? Was that not what it meant?

Maggie shook her head with a grin, and Rick swallowed thickly. Shifting from foot to foot a bit anxiously. "Well, what the hell does it mean?" He asked Maggie, and Maggie raised her hands, a smirk on her face. "How about you go ask him?" Rick pouted, furrowing his brows in frustration. "You guys know he ain't gonna tell me! The bastard told me I was supposed to figure it out myself!" Rick was growing agitated, reaching up to pinch his brow with a deep inhale, which followed a deep exhale.

"That ain't no way to talk about a guy who wants to screw yer brains out." Daryl commented, and Rick felt his face grew even hotter. No, his whole body was hot. Looking up at the hunter with a terrified look. "What?" Daryl shook his head with a sigh, Maggie pursing her lips. "Wear the hat, ride the cowboy," Maggies voice caught Rick's attention. His head turning to look at one, then the other. "Wait, what?" "That's what the hat rule is, dumbass," Daryl spat, and Rick felt his insides turning. "That's why we were shocked he let you wear it," "Plus, he's wearing your hat, shoulda given it to someone else with how oblivious ya are." Daryl commented, and Maggie scowled at him. "Look, you still got time, he's up in the guard tower, probably waiting. You can go tell him that ain't what ya want." Maggie told Rick with a sympathetic smile. She was certain that the look on his face was because he didn't want to ride a cowboy.

But truth be told. Shit, he wanted nothing more than to ride said cowboy.

He nodded though. Rubbing his sweaty palms on his thighs before taking a step back. "Yeah, I'll be back, gonna go... Gonna go talk to 'im..." His voice was soft, obviously lost in thought as he turned and made his way out of the prison. Daryl just snorted, watching Rick stumble away. "How much ya wanna bet he does more than jus' talk." Maggie shrugged, folding her arms. "I ain't bettin' on somethin' I know I'd lose. Ya ever had to work with those two? I ain't ever seen Rick try and undress someone with his eyes more." She added and the both chuckled at her comment. She wasn't wrong, they both knew it, too.

The knock on the door that led up into the guard tower made you jump. You were lost in thought when it had come and scurried over to where it was. Opening it with a raised brow, squinting and shielding your eyes from the light that shone in. "Shit, sorry, can I uh, come in?" Rick asked, turning off his flash light, and you felt your stomach doing flips. Moving so the other could come inside. "Sure thing, got somethin' on your mind?" You asked, moving back to sit where you were on the floor prior to Rick's appearance. Watching as he moved to sit beside you. "Yeah, I do, actually." You kept quiet, hoping that he would continue what he had to say.

Rick didn't even know how to word what he wanted to say to you, though. His hands playing with your hat that was now in his lap. His legs were outstretched as his back leaned against the wall. "I uh..." You frowned, worrying that maybe you did something wrong. Maybe he asked around and figure out what the hat rule was, he wasn't stupid. He was far from it. "Look, if this is about that stupid hat. Yours is over there," you pointed off to the side, Rick following your finger. Spotting his hat which lay neatly on top of the book you had been reading. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," you spoke, and Rick smiled. He chuckled, and you didn't know how to take it.

He turned a little. He looked over at you with a grin, thankful the dim lights hid the blush that crept up his neck. "They told me what it meant," you felt your stomach sink, frown growing a little. You were conflicted with the look he was giving you and his tone of voice, and he could tell. Shaking his head while reaching out to place his hand on the side of your face. The action caused you to take in a sharp breath. "Is it true?" He asked, and you raised a brow. Trying to get him to carry on further. "If I wear the hat I gotta ride the cowboy?" He smirked, and you felt your own smirk grow. "Only if ya want to, Deputy."

Rick didn't give you or himself any time to think before he was pulling you in for a kiss. You were quick to deepen it, too. Your body shifted and your hands moved Rick so he was laying down on your makeshift bed. A soft sigh left his lips that bled into your mouth. He'd never expected that he'd wind up in this situation with another man. Not until you came into his life, and then it was all he could hope would happen.

Your hands were quick to roam his body, his own doing the same. Both of you seemed to have the same idea, too. Rick reached down to tug your shirt off, and you were doing the same to him. You leaned back, tugging your shirt over your head, and Rick couldn't help but stare. Even in the dimly lit tower, you were beautiful. "Hey," he pulled his eyes from your bare skin to look up at your eyes, propped up on his elbows. "Your turn, sugar," his hair seemed to stand on end at the pet name. Quick to work on his own shirt. Sitting up in order to pull it over his head.

The two of you shared a look for a moment or two. Your eyes leaving Ricks in order to trail down Rick's chest, your hands following your gaze. "Mr Grimes, I've seen ya God knows how many times shirtless," you muttered, pressing him back down. Leaning over so your lips could come down to meet his chest. "And I don't think I'll ever get used to the sight," your words made him smile, a soft snicker leaving his throat. "Yeah? How d'ya think I feel? Today out in the garden," his hips bucked, a groan leaving his throat when your hand came down to palm him through his jeans and you bit down on his left peck. "Shit," he muttered, "Wanted to fuck ya against the wall," he growled, and you snickered. "Now now, Rick, the rules are you ride the cowboy, and," you kissed over his stomach, "from your position. I don't think it'll be too hard gettin' ya in that position." He rolled his eyes with a huff. He didn't argue though, he just needed some sort of release.

The lower your lips got the antsier Rick seemed to get. Soft huffs left his throat each time you bit and sucked on his skin. Your fingers finally come to his belt loop. Undoing his gun holster at a pace that had him wanting to scream and pull his hair out. He didn't think you could move any slower. It was near agonizing.

Ricks hands had other ideas, though. Reaching down to your own belt loop. The frustrated groan that he let out when you grabbed at his wrists only made your smirk grow. "Now, now, City Boy, we gotta learn manners now, do we?" You hummed, pinning his wrists above his head while leaning back up so your face was above his. Your hips rolling down to press firmly against his own. Biting back a moan that threatened to spill from your lips. Rick, on the other hand, let his own moan spill from his mouth. Even throwing his head back in the process. A chuckle leaving your throat as you leant down to kiss on the side of his throat.

You licked beside his Adams Apple, Rick humming softly at the warm feeling. "What does Mr. Grimes want, huh?" You asked, and Rick let out another sigh. His hips tried to roll up to get any more friction that he could from you, but you were quick to pull your hips back. Rick let out a whine this time. A whine. This was new, and not at all what you expected. "Oh, Ricky boy, I might have to give ya a little something just for that," your voice was dripping with pride. You were bringing the leader of your group into a writhing whining mess. He was practically putty in your hands, definitely not what you expected from the man below you.

"Fuck, just do it," he strained when your hands came down to his belt. "Do what, Rick, I gotta hear ya say it." You cooed, undoing his belt while you waited for him to muster up his words. "Goddammit, just fuck me already!" He nearly shouted, and your eyes shot up to his with shock. A smile slowly creeping up on your face. You weren't gonna lie, it turned you on hearing him so needy for you. "Well, any other guy I'd say no for not sayin' please," you sighed, letting go of his wrists in order to sit up and undo your own belt this time. Motioning for Rick to take his pants off as well. "I like you, though. So I'll give you a freebie." He shuddered once more when you winked down at him.

Something about you towering over him with that look on your face while you got yourself out of your pants had him drooling. Once he got his clothes and boots off, and was completely bare before you. He had no idea what to do. "Well, ya still wanna ride?" You asked, and you saw the hesitant look in Rick's eyes. Smirk falling as you shifted back forward and kneeled between his legs. Your hands reaching out in order to hold his shoulders. "Hey," he looked back up at you when you spoke. "You've never done this... With a guy, have ya?" He shook his head, a soft and shaky 'no' falling from his lips. "I'll guide ya through it. If you wanna stop, just say," you looked around the tower in search of something to say, pursing your lips. "Hat, alright? Just say hat and I'll stop. That'll be our safe word, how 'bout that?" He nodded, smiling softly. "All right, that sounds good," he chuckled, and so did you as well.

He sat there for a moment longer, and so did you. It wasn't until he realized how painfully hard he was again that he finally broke the silence. "Well," He muttered, glancing down at your dick. Sucking his bottom lip between his teeth. "What do I?" "I can help ya, Rick, just lay back. I'll take care of you." You hummed, leaning in to press a soft kiss to his lips before leaning forward to grab a bottle of lube from beside your book as well. You had found it a few weeks ago on a supply run and grabbed it just in case. You nearly left it behind, god, you were glad you hadn't.

Rick did just as he was told. Shifting a little uncomfortable. He was nervous, to say the least. What if the only reason he thought he wanted this was that he was still partially grieving the loss of his wife - ex-wife. That couldn't be, though. He'd started liking you well before Lori had died. Probably when he first saw you interact with Carl. Back after you all fled the camp by the quarry. Something about it just made his heart melt. Seeing how well you treated his boy. The feelings only grew stronger from there. The lingering touches, the looks, the flirtatious words, it was all so much.

He let out a gasp when you yanked him further up your thighs by his legs. A smirk on your lips. "Ya still with me?" Rick nodded, "Yeah, sorry, just thinkin'" You tilted your head, squirting some of the lube on your fingers. Rubbing it together and Rick watched with needy eyes. "About what?" You asked, genuinely curious, "about how much I've wanted this," you looked up at him with a soft smile. Leaning down to press a kiss to his lips again. "Well, I'll try not to disappoint."

Before Rick could say anything back, your finger was circling his entrance. His eyebrows furrowed at the sensation. It was certainly a new feeling. "Am I good to go?" You asked, and he nodded, kissing your shoulder with a soft sigh. "Ready as ever, cowboy." You smiled at that, your index finger pressing inside of him. The intrusion made his body flinch a little. His hands clinging onto you at the new and foreign feeling. You shushed him by kissing on his neck and shoulders. Muttering soft and sweet nothings in his ear as you continued your work. Curling your finger, and smirking when a soft moan left his lips when your finger brushed his prostate.

You continued to add another finger. Stretching him out until you could add a third. It wasn't long before Rick was trying to rock himself down onto you. Soft pants and huffs left the man's lips. "Please," he muttered against your lips, "Please, let me try," he muttered. You knew what he meant, and didn't try to get him to properly ask. "Ya sure?" he nodded, "Gotta repay you for lettin' me wear yer hat," he slurred, voice dripping with lust and want. You only chuckled, giving a soft all right before pulling your fingers out from him. Rick winced at the feeling of emptiness. God, it was uncomfortable, but it had to be worth it.

You rolled onto your back, Rick throwing a leg over you in order to straddle your lap. He felt nervous again but chased the feelings away. It was so hard not to be anxious when he'd never done this, though. Plus, the stupid smirk on your face that always had his body acting in ways he couldn't control.

When you reached for the tub he was quick to take it from you. Your eyes watching with a lustful gaze. "Let me," you nodded, letting your hands rest on his hips. Stroking up an down.

His hand caught the lube. Tossing the bottle to the side, rubbing the gel in his hand before reaching down for your cock. A hiss left your lips when he gripped you. His hand gave you a few slow strokes, thumb brushing against your tip. It had you letting out the softest of moans. Rick eating up every sound that you let out. He wanted so badly to hear more of that, too.

It wasn't long before he was positioning himself over top of you, and sinking down on you. He winced, trying his best not to scream out at the intrusion. This was a lot different than fingers. His body folded forward, face buried in the side of your neck. You were rubbing at his back, trying to ease the tension in his body. Muttering soft words against his shoulder in order to help him relax. "Shit," Rick muttered, his lips brushing the side of your neck. Panting against your skin.

Once he felt his body relax, Jesus, nothing could prepare you for the feelings you felt. He started off slow, rocking back and forth. Getting a feel of what you had to offer. Soft noises left the both of your lips. Then he actually started moving up and down. Hips bouncing against you. "Holy hell, Rick," you breathed out, and that only spurred him to move faster. His hands holding at your chest in order to lean forward and get just the right angle. A moan ripping from his chest when your hips began thrusting up in order to meet his pace.

When you started stroking him, he was done for. Grunt and moans fell from his lips while he repeated your name like a prayer. Dull nails dug into your chest while you jerked him off as he rode you. "I'm gonna," he muttered, and you nodded, reaching up to cup the side of his face. Bringing his head down to pull him in for a kiss. "Cum for me, Rick," you muttered against his lips, and he nodded. A groan ripped from his chest as his thighs began to burn with each roll and bounce they gave. One final tug and he was coming undone against you. His seed spilled out onto your stomach and chest.

You were quick to flip him over, hips slamming in and out of him in order to reach or own release. You were already close, and Rick's orgasm only brought you closer. The way he moaned your name into your mouth and clung to your body. Even in your best and favorite fantasies, you never imagined something as amazing as that. Hips finally stuttered as you pulled out to finish on the other's stomach. A moan of his name and a follow of curses leaving your own mouth.

Once you fell onto your back next to him. After cleaning the both of you off with a rag you were using to keep cool on the back of your neck with water. You furrowed your brow. Rick was laughing softly to himself. It was a tired and faint laugh, but with the small tower, and the close proximity. You could hear it just fine. "What?" You questioned, reaching over to brush some of the man's hair from his forehead. Propping yourself on your elbow in order to look at him better. Noticing a few hickeys you had left on the mans chest and shoulders. "I told Maggie and Daryl I was jus' coming' up here to talk to you about the hat thing." He chuckled, reaching up to cup the side of your face. Smiling when you turned your face to kiss his palm. "Yeah?" He nodded, "Yeah, I don't think they thought I was gonna go through with it." He snickered, and you smiled faintly.

"Well, do you regret it?" He furrowed his brow. "Hell no, might have to make you steal my hat so we can try it the other way 'round next time." He snickered, and you snickered back. "We'll see about that, Sheriff." You sighed, laying back down. Pulling a blanket over your torsos while pulling him close. "How 'bout you rest. We got some crops to water in the morn'..." You hummed, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "Hmm, if we even wanna get up." You snickered, "Well, if you don't I will. I ain't lettin' the people starve because you decide to sleep in." He sighed, he couldn't argue with that. Smiling softly to himself before turning to wrap his arms tight around you. Pulling you in for a final kiss before bidding his goodnight.

[locke-esque-monster]

I came into TOWL fully like, "I'm mildly curious.". I left with a sticky note of excited thoughts I couldn't contain during the episode.

First - general thoughts:

I don't know how to describe to you how much joy it brings my PA-loving heart to find out the secret city where this plot has been set is Philly. (I can't read maps or recognize skylines for shit - but words like "PA National Guard" and "Lincoln Financial Field" had me perking up in my seat with interest until they confirmed it.)

Oh Rick Grimes - being covered in blood in multiple separate scenes during the intervening years like you're making up for lost time. Good to know you haven't changed. (It's your MO - like Jon Bernthal in every role ever.)

I'm both a Lost and Lucifer watcher and I'm excited to see both John Locke and Maze in a new role. It's too early to tell, but they both seem to fit the given roles.

But if you think for one second when Terry O'Quinn opened his mouth and said the word "sacrifice" I didn't immediately think the phrase "that the island demanded", you'd be mistaken.

As I posted earlier - It's been awhile since I've spend time in the universe. I can admit I was rusty when it came to having any clue of Okafor's death after what in retrospect was a very "pre-death" TWD speech. Rick's arm I figured out about when I should of as the viewer. I figured out about Okafor's wife shortly before he said it. But as soon as Rick went down, I was really thinking Michonne would be part of whatever group struck him down. I was even more sure when I saw someone checking bodies, and positive when I saw they had a sword.

Second - the call backs:

The episode 2x8 - Nebraska - where 2 guys from the Philly area hear there's something in Nebraska area. The context that they seem wrong at the time, it's a pipe dream. But really, Omaha did survive, and they were close enough to Philly to hear that, but not close enough or Philly was struggling enough (at least compared to pre-walkers) they came looking for Nebraska anyway. But by the end of TOWL 1x1, Omaha is the pipe dream it seemed in 2x8, because it's destroyed now. (Who thinks Omaha being destroyed is 1000% suspicious with all the power issues? I sure do.)

Rick starting off the show having to cut off his own hand, ala Merle season 1.

Rick working himself up to cut off his own hand like he almost did to Carl per Negan's orders. Except instead of keeping his family alive, it's to get back to them.

The grenade used to escape ala season 1.

Meeting one of the guys who actually bombed Atlanta shown in season 1

The shot of Rick sitting one hand over his leg, dead look in his eyes, covered in blood, is giving me serious 4x16 vibes (leaning on the car, chatting with Daryl after ripping out a man's throat with his teeth).

Reintroducing Michonne at the end of the episode as a disguised and dangerous figure in the woods much like her season 2 finale introduction.

[dixons-sunshine]

hi! i love your writing! parent daryl is a huge comfort for me, could you do daryl has a teenage kid and is comforting them during a panic attack/nightmare/something else along those lines?

Night Terrors | Daryl Dixon x Fem!Reader

*GIF isn't mine.*

Summary: The day your daughter was born, Daryl swore that he'd always be there for her, no matter what. That included soothing her from her night terrors whenever they kept her from sleeping.

Genre: Fluff.

Era: Commonwealth (Daryl doesn't leave.)

Warnings: Fear of abandonment, nightmares.

Word count: 1k

A/n: Back at it again with another Dad!Daryl fic, and this idea was so cute. I didn't use Hazel as a name this time because I didn't want it to become repetitive for y'all. Let me know if I should switch up the names or keep going with Hazel. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

As always, my requests are open for any TWD requests, as well as Scud Frohmeyer requests.

—

“Dad? Daddy?”

At the sound of the small, timid voice calling out to him, Daryl slowly opened his eyes and blinked the sleep away. He sat up slightly and looked to his side, where he saw his daughter staring at him, tears glistening in her eyes.

“Peanut? Wha's wrong? Wha' happened?” Daryl questioned, sitting up in the bed and giving his daughter his full attention.

Bailey looked at him tearfully, hugging herself with her arms. She ducked her head and looked at the ground, embarrassment flooding her body. “Nothing. I just...”

Daryl frowned and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, careful not to shake it too much and wake you up. “It ain't nothin'. Talk to me, Peanut. Wha's wrong?”

“I had a nightmare,” Bailey whispered, sniffling slightly as fresh tears started to trickle down her face.

Daryl's face softened instantly. He quietly got up from the bed and gently ushered Bailey out of the room with him, closing the door behind him before walking into her room with her.

“C'mon, lay down,” Daryl softly urged her. When Bailey obliged, Daryl grabbed the covers and tucked her in, sitting down next to her. He brought his hand up to gently brush her hair out of her face. “Talk to me. Wha' was the nightmare 'bout?”

Bailey hesitated for a moment, wiping the tears from her eyes. “It's stupid,” she mumbled, casting her gaze away from her father.

Daryl frowned and shook his head. “Ain't stupid if it makes ya upset.”

Bailey's teary eyes met his again, and she inhaled sharply before letting out a sigh. “Please don't ever leave. You or Mom. Please.”

Daryl's frown deepened. “Of course we won't leave. Where's this comin' from?”

“My dream,” Bailey started with a whisper. “You and Mom... You didn't love me anymore. Said you never wanted me in the first place. The two of you left me.”

Daryl instantly leaned forward to embrace Bailey. She wrapped her arms around him and cried into his shoulder, soaking his shirt with her tears, but he didn't mind.

“Yer mama and I ain't goin' nowhere,” Daryl reassured his daughter, placing a soft kiss against her temple. “We love ya so much. Ain't nothin' ever gon' change tha'. The day yer mama found out she was pregnant with ya was the best day of both our lives. Yer mama was so happy, and I was too. We're still very happy. Ya are the best thing tha's happened to us. Dun' ever believe otherwise, alrigh'?”

Bailey nodded against his shoulder, sniffling quietly as she pulled back. She settled back into her bed, turning over on her side, still facing Daryl. “I'm sorry I woke you.”

“Dun' need to apologise,” Daryl assured her, gently caressing her head. “Now try and get some sleep, alrigh'? Yer mama and I will be here in the mornin'.”

Bailey nodded and closed her eyes, visibly relaxing under her father's touch. It didn't take long for her to start drifting off again, her father's reassurance and comforting touch lulling her back into slumber. “I love you, Daddy,” Bailey mumbled before drifting off, her breathing evening out.

Daryl smiled and placed one final kiss against her temple. “I love ya more, Peanut.”

Quietly, Daryl slipped from Bailey's room and made his way back into his shared room with yours. Once inside with the door closed behind him, Daryl was surprised to note that you were sitting up, clearly wide awake and not just arising from your slumber.

“Wha' are ya doin' up?” Daryl asked curiously, going back over to his side of the bed and climbing back under the covers.

“I could ask you the same thing,” you countered, moving to lay down on his chest when he beckoned you closer.

“Bailey had a nightmare,” Daryl explained, running his fingers up and down along your spine. “I tucked her back into bed.”

“Oh,” you whispered, frowning slightly at the revelation that your daughter had a nightmare. “Is she okay?”

Daryl nodded. “She'll be alrigh'. Jus' scared we'll leave her. Tha' was her nightmare. I dun' know where tha' fear came from.”

“It's been a recurring nightmare for a while now,” you started. “It got better when we originally came here, but I guess it must be kicking up again.”

“She's been havin' this nightmare fer a while?” Daryl inquired with a frown. “Why dun' I know 'bout this?”

“Because she hid it from me for a while. I only know about it because it got too bad for her to handle on her own and she woke me up one night, too.”

“But why would she think we'd ever leave her?” Daryl asked.

“Because people leave all the time. She's scared that we'll see her as a nuisance, as a burden, someone who isn't worth sticking around for. She's just like you were back when we first got together,” you explained, placing a kiss on his clothed chest. “But we'll just have to show her how much we love her. That we aren't leaving her, ever. Just like I had to do with you.”

Daryl hummed. “S'true. We'll love her so much, she'll get sick of us.”

“I love you so much. Does that mean you're sick of me?” you asked playfully.

Daryl chuckled, placing a kiss against your forehead. “Sick of ya?” he began. “Never.”

[wuzeio]

i keep brainworming over your recent zombie au piece [kicks feet in air] tell me more 🫶 (if you wanna)

OUGGH GHDJFG IM SO GLAD 🫶🫶🫶T___T i think the AU fits AFTG especially really well!! My fav zombie apocalypse media is the Telltale Walking dead games so ... lots of inspiration drawn from that (and ofc Last of us for that good ol "oh they have immunity against the virus" trope") (also train of busan/TWD show for outbreak origin inspo)

How the virus outbreak starts in this AU: honestly have not thought about the specific details but the gist of it is that a deadly mutagen accidentally gets developed in a biotech lab while conducting experiments on animals >someone gets bit > starts to show signs and turns into zombie > more people get bit > everybody has the virus now, turns into a global pandemic

some char background/

Andrew and Aaron would have already been living together before the outbreak, and Nicky only lives likes 10ish minutes away from them. When all hell breaks loose, Nicky's parents get killed by a zombie hoard and he immediately goes to Andrew and Aaron to join up for safety. Andrew realizes that remaining where they are is only going to get them killed, so they drive his car out of the state in hopes to find a safer place (smart!).

I don't think Drew's group encounter Kevin and Neil until a few years later, when the apocalyptic world has become the norm and its all about survival now (maybe around 3-4 years?). The monsters have joined forces with different groups and even joined a few settlements in the past, but they find that they work best alone, just the three of them. Fortunately they have enough connections to make supply trades if its ever needed; Nicky's the interlocutor and peacemaker.

Kevi ... he would've still grown up in the Nest and played Exy in this AU. When the outbreak occurs there, the Ravens are trapped with the infected and it's basically a brutal death for all of them. Kevin and Riko manage to escape (with Riko ruthlessly killing a few teammates-turned-zombies on his way out, no hesitation!) Kevin and Riko have a very close relationship during the first few years of the apocalypse, but its more of Riko putting a leash on his brother and demanding him to do certain tasks. Kevin is strong and has lots of stamina, so he's incredibly reliable in an abundance of duties. Riko is also not above betraying groups they "befriend", and does not hesitate to kill or sell someone out when he thinks its better for their survival. Near the 3rd year mark, tensions between the two brothers begin to rise as Kevin starts to express his discomfort towards Riko's actions. They start to fight more often, and Kevin starts to rebel a little more. In turn, Riko gets increasingly paranoid about their dwindling supply stock/the fact that Kevin might betray him, so he ends up making a trade with a group of nearby raiders: Kevin for 6 months of supplies. Kevin, obviously, is horrified when he realizes this betrayal and deception. On the second night with the raiders, he manages to fight 4 of them off and runs off into the night. He meets Drew's group 3 months later. (btw kevin running off means that riko is now after him, because those raiders were not happy about what happened)

Neil!! He's in his last year of HS (still plays Exy for their team) when Mary convinces him to run away with her from their abusive father. In this AU she also steals a shit load of money from him and they take a plane to Georgia. The zombie outbreak occurs whilst on their run, and they manage to survive together for the first year. They make their way to South Carolina, but Mary gets killed during a crossfire started by bandits and...Neil is left alone now.

(note: I changed somethings regarding Neil/Kevin's relationship. Scratch them having past family connections!) He desperately tries to join up with a few groups, but all of them result with him either being assaulted or robbed from. The one group he finally finds and begins to feel a kinship with, he ends up being betrayed. Guess who the group is!! It's Kevin and Riko! After a near death experience with that, he's jaded, wary, and untrusting towards anyone. He's learned that staying alone gives him the highest rate of survival— that it's not the zombies that are the most dangerous. Those are easy to kill. A few smashes to the head and they're dead. But people, they're capable of doing the most evil, heinous things. (cue : " “It’s not the world that’s cruel. It’s the people in it.") oh also. he finds out hes immune after getting bit in the hand. He freaks out, introspects for a few days, and comes to the conclusion that he's going to kill himself before he turns. But it never happens.

3 years later, he's a seasoned veteran when it comes to surviving on his own. However, from a stroke of bad luck, he ends up getting hit by crossbow arrow in the forest while scavenging. This is how Drew finds him.

uhhh there's a lot more ideas in my head but I'm gonna wrap it up here because this got wayyy too long hehe thank you if you read it all... honestly this ask was very helpful because it helped me work out this AU in detail a lot more >:D

[hiro--aoki]

I wanna get into writing again

So pick one prompt and a TWD character and I can try and any extra details you might want. (It'll have a 99.99% of becoming ooc and I've only seen up to season 8 and snippets of 9+, and I can write for fem!reader and gn!reader, and no weird shit guys, please.)

Angst

1- "I can't do anything right."

2- "Please don't cry."

3- "Why are you awake right now?"

4- "Why are you lying to me?"

5- "Wake up! Please wake up."

6- "Forget it, you're a fucking asshole."

7- "Don't you ever do that again."

8- "Is that blood?" "...No?"

9- "Do you even still love me?"

10- "Nobody's seen you in days."

11- "I'm worried about you."

12- "Please don't lie to me again, I can't take it."

13- "Can you shut up for once in your life?"

14- "Holding everything in doesn't help, you know."

15- "Are you hurt?" "No." "Then why are there bruises all over your face."

16- "If you don't hug me right now I think I might fal apart."

17- "Leave! Me! Alone!"

Fluff

1- "Go with me?" "As long as you hold my hand."

2- "Is there any reason you're blushing like that?"

3- "Have you seen my hoodie?" "Nooo." "You're wearing it, aren't you?"

4- "Have you always been this beautiful?"

5- "OH you're jealous."

6- "Can we stay like this forever?"

7- "Please just kiss me already."

8- "I think you might be my soulmate."

9- "Sleep over? Please?"

10- "Are we on a date right now?"

11- "I think I'm in love with you."

12- "He/she's so pretty I think I'm gonna faint."

13- "Are you flirting with me?" "You finally noticed?"

14- "I missed you so much."

15- "Do you think the moon is jealous of how pretty you are?"

16- "I'm here for you."

Miscellaneous/You pick fluff/angst

1- "All I do is drink coffee and say bad words."

2- "Quit touching me, your feet are cold!"

3- "I think I just ripped my pants."

4- "Sharing is caring, now give me the hoodie."

5- "Did you seriously just get your foot stuck in a toilet?" "Maybe."

6- "If I die, I'm haunting you first."

7- "But I've never told you that before."

8- "Stop being grumpy, it's lame."

9- "Can we please stop running? I think I'm dying."

10- "Aren't we supposed to be working?"

11- "Give me attention!"

12- "YOU SAID TO BE HONEST STOP HITTING ME!"

13- "Okay, so maybe I didn't see that coming."

14- "I'm too sober for this." "You don't even drink." "Maybe I should start."

(I can't promise anything good, it'll prolly end up goofy.)

[sinsandsweetness]

Torment (sex and zombies- chapter 10)

pairing- {Rick x fem!reader}

summary- Rick never wants you out of his reach. Like ever.

warnings- 18+ content, MDNI! smut, bathtub sex, use of shower head?, overstimulation... **also reader sustains a gunshot injury (just typical twd violence) so skip the first three paragraphs if you don't want to read descriptions of pain.

Thank God for Michonne. Otherwise, you'd have bled out under a tree in no time.

She picked you up and helped you both run off into the woods, fighting off walkers with her sword as you held on to her like a crutch. Your leg burned and your jeans were completely coated, slick with your blood. Finally, when you were as far out as she deemed safe, you stopped to rest. To fix you up. Michonne did her very best by cauterizing the wound. With your knife and a small fire she set in the tiny, abandoned, gas station convenience store.

It hurt like a bitch.

You'd never been shot before. Of course Rick had, and so had Carl. But they never described the pain in an accurate way. It wasn’t even that bad initially. At first it felt like a hard punch to the thigh, probably due to the adrenaline coursing through you and the urgent need to move. To run. But as soon as things had calmed down, you started to seriously contemplate amputation. You’d lost a lot of blood, and it was hard to stay awake. Your entire upper leg was on fire, burning and aching as blood seeped through your fingertips.

"You have to let me do this." Michonne was holding your knee down, and had already cut your pant leg off. "As long as we can stop the bleeding I think you'll be okay. It went clean through." She gently pried your hands off your leg. The sight of your wound, and the sheer amount of blood coating your hands and body made your stomach churn. You squeezed your eyes shut and groaned at the thought of the hot metal approaching your skin. 

"I think I'm gonna pass out."

When you woke up your head hurt, your leg was bandaged and you were in an old pair of cargos that Michonne had found for you in a car right outside of the store. 

"Shit," You rubbed your eyes awake, and then the back of your head. A goose egg had formed from your little fall. "How long was I out?" You asked as she handed you a bottle of water. Taking a few small sips, trying not to down the whole thing.

"About a day." She looked like she wanted to cry.

Seeing her expression jogged your memory. Quickly making you realize where you were. And more importantly why you were there.

"Did you see- did anyone else-" 

"I don't know."

Oh my god. Rick. Daryl. Judith. Everyone's faces flashed in your mind and suddenly you wanted to cry too. 

"They had to. I- the bus left, they- ohmygod. Maggie, she was nearby and- Rick. Did you see Rick?" You hated that it was the only question you really needed answered. Obviously you cared about everyone, but seeing what you saw happen to Rick after his speech about how you could all live together, made your eyes sting. You wiped your face and moved to get up, wincing when you put some weight on your leg. immediately weak and dizzy when you tried to walk.

Michonne called your name and grabbed your arm, pulling you back down, onto the floor. "He was alive. Hurt, but alive. He went to find Carl and then- I don't know I saw you and..." 

"We have to go find them. Any of them. There has to be more than just us. Right? I saw the bus leave I-" You were frantic. Michonne shushed you and pulled you in close. Holding you tight as your shaky breaths turned into real tears. "We have to..."

"I know sweetie, I know," She ran her hand through your hair and let you lean into her. Let you process the pent up emotions you'd been scared of since the start. "We'll find them, but first you gotta rest."

--------------------------

The next few days were hell. If you didn't have Michonne, you couldn't even begin to wonder where you’d be. Probably groaning and rotting alongside one of the many walkers that had attacked you both in the woods. The sound of all the gunshots and explosions had practically attracted a hoard. Thanks to Michonne, you weren’t forced to become a part of it.

During your search, the two of you kept switching attitudes. Like a rollercoaster of emotions, one day she’d be full to the brim with hope and by the next day, empty. And you the opposite. As if only one of you could have faith at a time. 

"We would have found someone by now." She told you from over her shoulder, stepping over a tree branch and warning you it was there. Eyes fixed in a permanent scowl.

"We don't know that." You tried being positive. But it was hard. It was humid and hot, and the walkers were abundant. Your kill count had honestly doubled since you left the prison yard. Machete blade slick with guts and your clothes smelling like dirt and copper.

It wasn't long until you needed more rest.

You had found some water. Enough for the two of you. You rested in a minivan for two whole nights, and the sleep did wonders for your leg. It still hurt when you touched it, but you could easily put more and more pressure as the days went on. The two of you continued to move, circling to the highway, into the woods and back out. Trying to find a sign of anyone you knew. 

Eventually you came across a town, which seemed like a decent place for anyone to hole up. And with the days you'd been traveling on foot, a suburban family home was a dream come true. 

While taking care of a walker, you heard your name called from the porch of a house. Looking over at Michonne sporting a genuine smile. Tears welled in her eyes. You approached slowly, and she started laughing when the door opened

You were frozen. Unsure if what you were seeing was real, or just a figment of your imagination. Maybe you had died of blood loss and this was your afterlife. Seeing Rick open up that front door. Bruised and bloody and beautiful as ever. 

When you stepped inside, he pulled your face into his shoulder, hugging you so tight you could barely breath. Not that you minded. If you died in his arms you'd be a happy woman.

But you weren't dead. And neither was he. Hurt, yes. But not much worse than you. 

You felt his chest move beneath your fingers. A silent sigh of relief, before he gently pressed a kiss onto the side of your head. 

"You look like shit." You whispered into his shirt. All he did was huff a quiet laugh and pull you even closer. 

The relief was written on all of your faces during dinner that night. Smiles and giggles over dry cereal. A game of cards and a whole lot of comfort.

Rick made a game plan for you all. He figured if the four of you had gotten out, there was a really good chance that the others had too. Now it was only a matter of actually finding them. You'd all rest in the house for a couple more days, scavenge for some food, and then head out. Try and meet up with anyone. Maybe try tracking the bus. It wasn't a clear or solid plan by any means, but it was something.

There had to be others, and if there were, you needed to find them. To find the rest of your family.

--------------------------

"Did she go to sleep already?" You could hear Rick ask someone from the hallway. Michonne answered that you were drawing a bath, and told him to let you get some rest.

"She's had a rough few days." A muffled goodnight and a door shut behind her. 

The water was warm. Not hot. But it was better than nothing. You poured some bubble bath into the water stream, its sweet bubblegum scent immediately filling the little room. Whatever upper middle class couple lived in the house before had left tons of goodies. Hygiene products, toothpaste, and shockingly well fitting clothes. You'd already helped yourself to their closet, picking out some sleep shorts and a tank top. Plus some new jeans and a long sleeve, making sure to pack some extras into your bag along with some other essentials. As you unbuttoned your pants and started to slide them down your thighs, you heard three soft taps on the bathroom door. Looking up, Rick pushed it open slightly.

"Hey," he glanced up at you and then to the floor. Giving you a little privacy.

"I was just gonna wash up before bed." You told him, wincing slightly as your waistband reached your bandage, just above your knee.

He looked back up and his eyes widened at the site of your injury. You immediately wished he hadn't seen. Now he'd be worrying about it all night.

"Ohmygod," He came over and tried to help with your pants, moving you to sit on the small vanity stool near the tub. He knelt down and unwrapped the gauze around your thigh, enough to see the gunshot. Looking up at you with lips parted in disbelief.

"I just got caught in the crossfire. It's really not as bad as it looks." You tried to reassure him but he shook his head. But it was true. You felt a lot better than it looked.

"I tried, I really tried- Fuck, I just..." He ran a hand over his face. Stressed at the thought of you hurting. Slowly, he sat up on the edge of the tub and dipped his hand in, drawing a circle in the warm water. Then shut the tap off. 

"Here," He started at your t-shirt, lifting the bottom. You raised your arms and let the man undress you. He looked worse than you. There was no reason he should be helping you get undressed. He was just as hurt. More even. When you first noticed the cut on his nose and the bruises under his eyes, it hurt your heart. And his sad, glossy eyes didn't help either. Despite your curiosity, you didn't even try to bring up Judith. To ask what happened. Not when he seemed so damn broken already. 

"Rick you don't have to-" 

"I do. Okay just let me- let me take care of you, just for right now." 

You nodded reluctantly and let him help you. Allow him to distract himself from the guilt of you getting hurt. Something that wasn’t even in his control. He unclipped your bra, peeled your panties off and took down your hair. You stepped into the warm water, immediately feeling a wave of relief. Clean warm water. You had dried blood covering your legs since the convenience store. You didn’t even know how many days had passed, you weren’t keeping track. You laid back, wetting your hair and running your hands over your face, washing the sweat and blood away. 

Rick watched you from the edge of the tub, tongue darting out to lick his cracked lip. The thought of him seeing you bathe made you blush and dip your head under again. Not that he hadn't seen you naked already, it was just never like this. So… intimate. He smiled sweetly at your bashfulness and handed you shampoo, then conditioner, and a comb. Once you felt clean, you drained the bloody water and started running some more. Warm and fresh. Dipped yourself back in again, hiding your body beneath the water, soap suds surrounding your knees, exposed to the air. Rick dipped his hand in the water again, swirling it around some. His touch made its way to your leg. You looked up at his pretty blue eyes, pupils dilated and giving you that familiar look. So sweet and so very suggestive. 

It was hard not to notice the stiff tent in his jeans. 

Your breath hitched as his hand moved to your inner thigh, carefully avoiding your other injured leg. He stayed like that for a moment, hand massaging at your sore muscles. His touch making your body ache for more. You were already naked, he just had to catch up. “I still can’t believe we found you,” you told him, bringing your hand up to meet his other arm, holding on to the side of the tub. You started playing with the ring on his finger, then moved to his watch, tracing the face of it with your nail. He loved it when you touched him so mindlessly. The way you would play with the buttons on his shirt, or tap and trace the buckle of his belt. Light, feathery touches of attention that never failed to send sweet tingles down his spine. 

“Me neither,” he watched your hand trace at his watch. “Makes me never wanna let you out of my sight again,” the hand on your thigh moved even lower down, fingers brushing your clit. You let out a sigh and Rick licked his lips. 

He rubbed your clit slowly with his thumb, fingers teasing at your entrance under the water. Warm hands on your clean, wet skin. 

"From now on I want you within my reach. At all times." His voice was low but it was an order. Even in his sweet and teasing nature, he was dead serious.

“I’d be okay with that.” You rested your head back against the wall of the tub and closed your eyes. Escaping into the feeling of Ricks touch. He pushed his fingers inside of you with ease, your pussy practically pulling him in. His long digits curled to hit your sweet spot. Over and over and over. You moaned quietly and unintentionally as his thumb continued to message messy circles on your clit. The combination made your breathing become laboured. Your hand went to his forearm, nails digging in.

Fuck, you were already close. 

When your breath slowed down and the grip on his arm become even tighter, he could tell you were right on the edge. And then he stopped.

Your eyes shot open and you looked up at him in shock. “Why’d you stop I was-” so close. So fucking close. And he just stopped, completely ruining your orgasm.

“Always so needy huh,” He teased with a smug grin.

"Rick seriously-" you whined.

"You’ll come. I promise. Now just lay back." He pushed on your shoulder gently and then grabbed the detachable shower faucet from the tub and turned it on. He fidgeted with the thing for a moment and turned the nozzle to a jet setting. His hand disappeared under the water again to press the powerful stream up against your clit. A little surprised by the feeling, you let out a sound and he shushed you.

”Wouldn't wanna wake any one up now, do you?” 

You shook your head and closed your eyes. The feeling of the water pressure against your clit seemingly taking over every pleasure receptor in your body. It was such an intense feeling. Just a fragment away from being too much. 

"Hold that right there for me," He grabbed your hand and forced it around the handle. You obeyed with enthusiasm. Little whimpers escaping you from the pleasure. 

He moved his own hand down, and back inside of you. Even wetter than before, he picked up where he left off, curling and pumping at a perfect pace. 

You tried to suppress the moans and whimpers but you failed miserably. Rick kept his eyes locked on yours, making you a little nervous but still turning you on even more. You bit your lip, trying to quiet yourself.

"You okay there sweetheart?" Rick smirked. You glanced down at the veins in his arms. Extra noticeable as his forearms flexed, working you into a writhing mess. 

The whole thing brought you to climax quickly and without warning. A tiny cry escaped your lips. Rick leaned over, taking the back of your hair in his hand and pulling you in for a kiss. Sparks washed over your core and through your body, hot and euphoric. You could actually feel the walls of your pussy convulse around his fingers, and the water against your clit was suddenly way too much. You pulled away from the pressure and his hand, sinking further into Ricks kiss. But his hand caught your own, and pulled the shower head back to your cunt.

"It's too much- I can't-" you tried telling him against his lips. Which was useless. Probably because making you a sobbing mess is one of his favourite things to do. So he continued to hold it against you, despite the evident tears starting to form. Shaky breaths escaping your lips.

"You can handle it." he said leaning back, unconvinced of your objections. 

A sob erupted from your core as the second, slightly painful, orgasm washed over you. Hot and intense and too much to handle. You gripped the sides of the tub with both hands so hard that your knuckles turned white.

“That’s it, you’re doing so good for me baby,”

"I'm- uh-" You tried to speak but no words would form, just a drawn out whine. You even tried forcing your legs shut but Rick was quick to shut that down. Clicking his tongue, his hand coming up and spread you back out, holding the shower head against you until you came for a third and final time, crying and shaking and overstimulated as all hell. The muscles in your legs burned and your abdomen started to spasm. 

When he finally let up and removed the device, you slammed your legs shut, hand going straight to your cunt, attempting to alleviate the borderline painful numbness.

"Fuck," You whispered. Rick let out a quiet laugh and shut the water off, hand moving to your legs once more and gently squeezing your thigh.

"Too much?"

You gave him a death glare but all it did was make his smile grow. 

"C'mhere." He got up and grabbed a towel, holding it out in front of him. You slowly stood up, legs shaky from the torture you were forced to endure. You lifted your arms up for him and stepped out of the tub. He wrapped the towel around you, tucking a corner in so it would stay up. He leaned in and kissed you softly, while his thumb rubbed circles on your jaw. 

"I would do that all night if I knew it wouldn't break you." He whispered.

"How do you know that didn't break me?" 

"Well you’re standing, for starters."

"Barely." you shot back.

"You could have handled one more." A smug look crossed his face.

You huffed, "I'm a crying mess, begging you to stop, and you think I could take one more?"

"I think I could pin you down right now and make you come again. Have you screaming my name, and begging me to fuck you."

"I don't scream."

"Oh you scream. I know you scream because I've made it happen-”

"Shut up," you smacked at his arm and stepped back. He laughed quietly as you went for the pile of clean pyjamas you had folded on the vanity.

"I'm only teasing,” He sounded apologetic. Sincere. “I just missed you is all." He lifted your chin and stepped back into your space. He kissed you slowly and the butterflies in your stomach helped you admit that he was probably right. You really fucking loved it when he would pin you down and have his way with you. Never letting up until you were a crying mess. And every single time, you'd just end up wanting more.

Grabbing your shorts from the pile, he helped you dress. Pulled the tank over your head and brushed the hair out of your face. 

"Wrap that up, put some polysporin on it. There's some in the medicine cabinet." He ordered, pointing at your thigh. You did as he told, while he sat watching you from the edge of the bed, taking off his boots and jeans. Peering in from the suite attached to the bathroom. When you finished, you brushed your hair, and your teeth, and walked over to him. Planting a sweet kiss on his cheek and a quiet 'goodnight’ before you walked towards the door. 

He pulled on your arm, stopping you. "Nu-huh. Where do you think you’re going?" he asked. You raised an eyebrow. 

"Always within my reach, remember?" He reminded you, pulling you towards him and onto the bed. 

There was already a pool of wetness forming in your shorts, and you knew that once he locked that bedroom door, it wouldn't be long before his cock was shoved deep inside of you, with a hand clamped over your mouth.