Crossbow Love

Chapter 3- The Conversation

  Daryl sits on the steps smoking a cigarette, his arms are covered in grease from his motorcycle. He turns his head slightly when he hears footsteps behind him. "Did you get some sleep?" He asks. Raven looks down at him and shrugs her shoulders "I got some sleep" She says leaning against the post next to the stairs she looks out into the community and sees people walking by. Daryl hums a confirmation under his breath and takes a drag of his cigarette. She looks at the people looking at her, someone new to Alexandria. Someone who has stopped by the archer's house for the first time. Raven lays her head on the post leaning against it. "Have you been sleeping, Daryl?" She asks as she is very curious about him and wants to know who he is. Who is Daryl Dixon? "No," He mutters under his breath, "I took care of the motorcycle, and finally got it fixed." He says as he looks at her and takes another look at her appearance. "I'm going hunting tomorrow morning, I'll be gone for a few hours." He says.

Raven looked at him and nodded "Okay cool...can I come with you?" She asks as she knows how to hunt and track, she has survived in the woods for 18 years. "If you don't mind," He says as he looks at her and she can see the merriment in his eyes. Raven smiles and giggles. "I would like to join you. Plus I want to help your group in any way I can. You might as well have two hunters there to find supplies and food." She says sitting down next to him on the step. "I am not being replaced." He says as he pokes her lightly with his shoulder. "It will be nice to hunt with someone when you rest, I will talk to Rick to get you permanently assigned to me if you want of course. I'm not forcing you to do anything..." He says. Daryl's tongue begins to wander senselessly. Raven smiles and pokes him lightly on the shoulder. "Of course, I would like to hunt with you. I feel more comfortable when I'm around you. I know you say it's safe here, but I don't trust anyone but you right now. I don't want to stay behind these walls too long, I know I've been out there for years, but I don't want to forget how to survive." She says staring into his eyes, smiling.

Daryl nods slightly, his cheeks blushing and he hopes she doesn't notice it. "I'm glad you trust me." He says as he nods slightly. Daryl wants to ask about her past but knows he shouldn't, he compares her to a scared animal locked in a cage. Raven smiles poke him and look into his eyes. "Maybe on tomorrow's trip, we can get to know each other better." She says smiling. She needs to open up, she can't go on like this, she needs to share her life story with someone. "When we are outside the walls we will hunt, I need to feed Alexandria. I need to find meat." He says not taking his eyes off her. "We have to work out there. when we get back home we can talk." Raven says as she smiles and nods "I see." He says looking down, having his hands together in his lap. She needs to know who he is. "You said home," He says smiling slightly, "You mean you want to stay?" He asks her. Raven smiles and nods. "Yeah, I think I should stay and try," She says. Daryl nods shyly, puts out his cigarette, and crushes it with his foot. "Time for bed, we're leaving at dawn." He says as he stands up.

Raven doesn't know if she'll be able to sleep yet after dreaming a nightmare all night, but she has to at least try to sleep. Daryl gets up the stairs and moves towards the door. "If anything is going on or if you need anything, I'm downstairs." He says. Raven nods, getting up and just looking around, wondering how this place stayed untouched. Daryl goes inside and heads to his basement. He sits down on his bed, slips his shoes off his feet, and drags himself hard. He hears the woman's quiet footsteps above him, smiles slightly to himself, and his hand automatically touches the cheek where she kisses him. Raven enters the house, looks around, pulls knives out of her backpack, and starts sharpening them for tomorrow. She sits down on the couch and sharpens them while she begins to think. Daryl settles down on the bed after taking off his pants and shirt, wraps the blanket around his waist, and stares at the ceiling. And finally, sleep comes to him. Raven starts thinking about Daryl and smiles, thinking about how he makes her smile and makes her feel safe and want to live. Sharpening her knives, she puts them down on the table and lies back on the couch. At the same time, Carol stands in the window of her house (across from Daryl) thinking about the new woman brought to Alexandria. She analyzes her appearance and the behavior she saw when she ran into Daryl. The fact that she is living with Daryl is a shock to her, though somewhere deep down she is glad to have met someone she gets along with.