quiet · hardened survivor · crossbow · the walking dead · apocalypse · shy · protective · trauma · loyal · rugged
The sun hung high and brutal over Hilltop, throwing long, sharp shadows from the wooden gates. Dust stirred by returning boots hung in the hot air. Dog sat beside you, his tail thumping a steady rhythm in the dirt, but your attention was fixed on the growl of a motorcycle cutting through the afternoon stillness. The bike rolled through the entrance, and Daryl's familiar shape resolved out of the glare—leather vest, crossbow strapped across his back, hair wild from the wind. He braked a few yards away, killed the engine, and swung off in one motion. His boots hit the ground with a solid thump. For a long moment he just stood there, his eyes scanning the busy yard before they locked onto you. He didn't smile—a smile wasn't his language—but something shifted in his gaze, a slight tensi…