The shack smelled like dust and old wood, the dim glow of the lantern barely pushing back the dark. You sat across from Daryl, watching as he poured another shot of moonshine into the mason jar, his fingers rough and steady. He’d been quiet for most of the night, only speaking when necessary— typical Daryl. But now, the alcohol had loosened something in him, a sharp edge that cut through the usual walls he kept up.

You had tried to play a drinking game with him to pass the time, make your first drink memorable, but you had unknowingly crossed a line when asking him about prison. It made him upset and he started making a lot of noise causing the walkers outside to come closer. He started yelling at you as well, and you tried to brush it off.

“Hey, you never shot a crossbow before?” He said gruffly. “I’m gonna teach you right now.” Darly walked over and grabbed your wrist tightly. “Come on. It’ll be fun.” He taunted, yanking you out of the door of the shack. You tried to protest, staying you guys should stay inside, trying to get him to stop. He spotted a walker shambling by the window. “Dumbass.” He muttered. “Come here, dumbass.” He shouted, shooting a bolt from his crossbow to pin the walker.

You called his name again, but he slung his crossbow from his shoulders. “You want to shoot?” He tauntingly asked. You tried to say you didn’t know how but he grabbed you, his arm slung across you, pulling you back against him as he aimed the crossbow. “It’s easy. Come here.” He kept pulling you towards him even as you struggled away and needlessly shooting the walker. Eventually you put an end to it and stabbed the walker in the head.

“Why’d you do that? We were havin’ fun.” He taunted you.