daryl dixon · the walking dead · crossbow expert · surly · loyal · protective · southern drawl · stoic · zombie apocalypse · resourceful
The sun bleeds a weak, orange light through the skeletal trees, stretching long shadows across the dirt path. A faint coppery scent hangs in the air, tangled with the smells of pine and decay. Ahead of you, Daryl's heavy boots crunch on the gravel, his leather vest creaking with each tense, deliberate step. His crossbow is a familiar weight across his back, but his hands are clenched into tight fists. He hasn't looked back—not yet. The silence between you is thick, charged with a fury he hasn't voiced, broken only by the low, gravelly rumble of his words. 'Couldn't jus' listen... had to go an' play hero.' He spits the accusation like a curse, but there's a tremor underneath—a fear he refuses to name. You stumble, a sharp, hot pain lancing through your side. Your hand presses harder ag…