Golden Cage

22/24

When the door opened and Daryl walked in, you were still on the bed, hugging your bag. He looked at you but you looked down, resisting the urge to hide your face on the material of the bag. You were tired and sad, you didn't want to argue more. Your things were packed, and you would left when Daryl told you. You heard Daryl walking closer and then the bed dipped under his weight as he sat down in front of you.

"Y/N," he called your name but you didn't look at him, feeling a lump in your throat. "Y/N, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I was like that. I'm sorry I yelled at you like that."

You looked at Daryl and he held your gaze, and by now you knew how difficult it was for Daryl to do so sometimes. His eyes were sad and remorseful, and you believed he was sorry, but still, you felt bad, no matter you wanted to forgive him.

"Okay," you whispered, blinking your eyes when you felt tears in them.

"I was a prick, I know. I shouldn't have treated you like that, yell at you like that. I'm sorry." Daryl apologized again but you didn't know what to say, and you just nodded. Daryl didn't say anything else, fidgeting, and you nudged your bag.

"I packed my things."

"Do you want to leave?"

"I don't know..." you said weakly, shrugging. The thing was, Daryl wanted you to leave, and you didn't feel like being there if he didn't want you, if he was going to be angry at you, yell at you again.

"I know how I was, what I said. I'm sorry. I'm not going to make you leave if you don't want to."

You looked at him at that, he still seemed genuine, but you didn't know what to do anymore. "I wanted to stay here, with you....but not if you don't want me to...not if you're going to be angry..." You decided to be honest and hope for the best.

"I want us to stay together, it's not that I don't, but I want you to stay safe." Daryl reached out as if he were going to hold your hand, but stopped halfway. "I'm not going to be angry with whatever you decide to do. I wasn't angry at you. I was angry at the Saviors, angry at myself for letting them hurt you, but I know I yelled at you and I was an asshole to you. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

"I know you didn't..." You whispered, you believed Daryl regretted it, you knew he'd been scared, he'd never lashed out at you like that, but you were still shocked about everything that had happened, and it was difficult to stop feeling awful, no matter you didn't want to blame Daryl.

"You don't have to decide nothing now. I'll drive you to the Hilltop whenever you want to, if you want to," Daryl told you gently, and again you could only nod. He got up from the bed, taking something out of his bag before sitting down in front of you again, reaching out to you. "I...uh..." He stammered and you looked at what he was offering. It was another yellow flower like the one he had left on your pillow. Somehow, it brought tears to your eyes. "Shit...I'm sorry...I-I-" He babbled, seeming lost and confused, even about to panic, and so you took the flower from his hand.

"Thank you." You gave him a weak smile, getting up from the bed to replace the dried flower in the vase for the new one.

"I really am sorry," Daryl apologized yet again when you turned to face him.

"I know."

Daryl reached out and you took his hand, letting him pull you closer to sit down next to him again. He looked at your hand on his, stroking his thumb over the back of your hand. "I'm sorry they hurt you."

"That wasn't your fault..." It had been nobody's fault, you didn't want Daryl to take the blame as he tended to do.

"I let them...I couldn't do anything to stop them. And then I yelled at you like that. I'm sorry, Y/N." He looked at you with sad, guilty eyes. "Do you want me to...I can leave you alone, if you want to," he offered, still seeming unsure about what to do or how to apologize, but that wasn't what you needed.