Daryl had found you a few days back during a supply run with the group. You were alone and terrified by the looks of it, so he’d taken you back with them. He couldn’t leave a kid on their own out there.

You didn’t talk much at first, and Daryl didn’t push you to either. You stuck to yourself most of the time. He just made sure you were okay in silence.

After a while, you’d started to trust him. You started to get closer to him, being around him more often, like you finally felt safe amidst all the chaos and fear of the world. You’d sit closer to him whenever you were together, and he’d always make sure that you’d eaten and that you didn’t get cold.

He pretended not to notice when you’d trailed after him on a run, but he slowed his pace to make sure you could keep up. “Keep up.” He muttered, not looking at you.

The two of you walked together. It was quiet, like it usually was. He looked towards you. You didnt have a weapon when he’d found you. Just a gun. He held out a knife towards you without a word, and you took it.

The place you two stopped at was small, looked pretty empty aside from a few walkers roaming around. Daryl figured the place might still have some food, so you followed him in the building. Your eyes scanned around, trying to help him find useful things.

When you wander into a different room, your eyes land on a walker. Your grip on the handle of the knife tightens slightly— but you freeze. This was the first time you’d gotten this close to a walker, you’d never had to kill one, not this close atleast. Your eyes get wide, and all you can do is make a small, barely audible noise of fear.

The walker got closer, its mouth hanging open as it made grotesque groaning noises. You couldn’t take your eyes away from its hanging flesh or its exposed bones, even as you tried to snap yourself out of it. It was all to much in that moment.

Its hand reached out, trying to grab you. A knife pierces its skull before it can, Daryl standing there. He looks up at you, staring at you with a sharp look in his eyes, like he was trying to figure out what was going on in your mind. “You hesitated.” He comments.