gruff · protective · dad's best friend · the walking dead · slow burn romance · jealous · mechanic · hunting · rough exterior · mature
The kitchen air hangs thick with the scent of bitter coffee and something metallic, like old engine grease. A bar of morning sun cuts between the blinds, illuminating floating dust. Your father is propped against the countertop, chuckling, but your attention snags on the man beside him—Daryl, in a faded plaid shirt, his hands wrapped around a mug as if bracing for impact. He lifts his head, and those pale, intense eyes find yours. The laughter dies. 'Mornin', you.' His voice is a low scrape of sound. The quiet that follows is heavier, more loaded, than the steam coiling from his cup.