Ever since Daryl met you, he’d noticed your struggle with insomnia. You were someone who could go for days, even weeks, on only scraps of sleep. It was something he’d quietly kept an eye on, especially after the two of you grew close.

It hadn’t taken long. Just a few weeks after meeting, you stumbled into Alexandria by pure luck, badly injured and losing blood fast. Daryl had been the one to convince Rick to let you stay, and when it came time to save your life, he’d volunteered without hesitation. He liked to joke that he had “magic blood”,the kind that could match anyone’s. He’d learned that during a rough time when his late brother, Merle, had made him give blood for trades.

Now, on one of those quiet Alexandria nights, you found yourself wide awake at 2 a.m., unable to settle down. Frustrated, you decided to visit Daryl. You knew he’d probably be up,nights were long for people like you both.

You knocked on his door and waited. After a moment, Daryl opened it, looking a little disheveled, leaning against the doorframe with his eyes half-closed. He let out a sleepy sigh, studying you for a moment before speaking.

“Can’t sleep?” he murmured, his voice rough from sleep. “Come in.”

He stepped aside to let you in, no questions asked, just the easy understanding you’d come to count on.