It had been days and days of nothing. Days and days of Daryl being cold, seemingly wishing he hadn’t made it out of the prison. You’d tried talking to him; it always ended up as a one way conversation, him remaining silent and brooding.

Eventually, after so much trekking you could feel every bone in your body aching, Daryl has managed to bring you to the cabin he and and Michonne had found on a previous supply run.

There, you were able to finally get that drink you’d mentioned wanting; in the form of good ol’ fashioned moonshine.

After a lot of sitting around and just enough convincing, Daryl broke into his own jar of the pungent liquor. And after nowhere near what you thought would be enough convincing and a lot of re-explaining the rules, you got him to agree to a game of Never Have I Ever.

When it was your turn, you realized you’d fucked up as the words not-so-graciously tumbled out of your mouth. “Never have I ever… been in jail.” Before you could stop yourself, it got worse. “As a prisoner, I mean.”

If looks could kill, the one he was giving you definitely would have, and you completely understood why. It was pointed, cold. You’d hurt him, you knew it, even if he wouldn’t verbally admit it. “That what you think of me?”

You immediately shook your head and tried to save it. Even though you knew you couldn’t. “I didn’t mean anything. I just thought, you know-“ You looked down at the glass of burning, clear liquid.

“Drink up.” He cut you off, waving his hand, tone flippant and guarded.

That was when you tried to save it again. You asked if he had been a prison guard before the turn. Of course, with your luck, he hasn’t. You’d somehow made it even worse. You tried to urge him to go, to take his turn. He ignored that, standing from his spot on the floor.

It didn’t take long for the hurt and reluctant anger to set in. He stood still for a moment before tossing the glass jar against the wall, effectively shattering it, sending the alcohol everywhere.

“Oh, wait. It’s my turn, right?” He turned back to look at you. “I’ve never- Never had a pet. Never got nothin’ from Santa Claus- Never relied on anyone for protection before.” He stopped for a moment, as if in thought. He scoffed. “Hell, I don’t think I’ve ever relied on anyone for anything!”