Light | TWD | Daryl Dixon Fanfiction

019

"Tell me about yourself, Juliana," Joe inquired, half of a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. The smoke swirled around his head and up into the air as she, Daryl and Joe walked in the line through a tall grass field. When the wind picked up, the grass whipped at her legs and she could feel the sting of the blades through her jeans.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as the wind picked up she shrugged, not looking over to Joe as she answered him, "Not much to say." She mumbled, only loud enough for him to hear.

Joe scoffed, plucking the cigarette out from between his lips and flicked the ashes onto the ground as they continued on, "Bullshit," he spat, "You've made it this long, so obviously, you know how to survive. Hell, you probably coulda survived on your looks. I'm surprised no one-"

Daryl's head snapped in Joe's direction, his eyes narrowed. Flicking his cigarette off onto the ground, Joe held his hands up in defeat and an awkward silence surrounded the three of them. One of the men ahead of them caught Joe's attention, and he broke off from Daryl and Juliana to meet up with the main group. Juliana leaned slightly into Daryl as they walked, their arms brushing up against one another.

"I think we should leave," Juliana suggested. Daryl turned his gaze down to Juliana, followed by a heavy sigh.

"An' go where?"

"Anywhere."

"Jules.."

Juliana stopped, grabbing Daryl by the forearm to force him to stop next to her. Turning slightly so she was better able to face him, she placed her hands on each of his arms, looking up at the man, "You ain't stupid Daryl, I know you don't trust them. We're followin' people who could kill us in our sleep. And this whole 'claimed' bullshit? Jesus." Daryl tried avoiding eye contact with her, looking out past her shoulder instead of her face, "Daryl," she moved her hands from his arms up to his face, one hand on either side, "Look at me, please." His gaze flickered back down to her, "We'll be okay on our own. We've been okay by ourselves." She paused, "We have to believe that Beth was right, that maybe the group is still alive somewhere." Her voice lowered to almost a whisper; her throat hot and tight, "I have faith."

Daryl stared at Juliana. It was the first time the two of them had made eye contact for such a long time. For as much as a badass Daryl had made himself out to be, he was shy and awkward, and she never wanted to push him into an uncomfortable position. But now her stomach was tying itself up in knots, and she wasn't sure if it was hunger or some other emotion she hadn't felt in quite some time.

"Okay," he grumbled, wrapping his fingers around her wrists to move her hands down and away from his face, "Tonight. We'll hold back. We'll leave we they ain't lookin'." Nodding in agreement, Daryl finally released his grip from her wrist, letting her hands drop back down to her sides.

"You two comin' or what?" Joe called from further down the field. Exchanging looks, Daryl and Juliana carried on, trudging after Joe and the rest of the group.

***

When night came, Daryl and Juliana had held back from the group like they had planned. Joe had vaguely mentioned that they had seen the man who had killed one of their men some ways back before they had met Daryl and Juliana, and they were on the warpath to get their revenge. The two of them had not been concerned with whoever they were chasing, and as the group made their way in closer to attack whoever it was, a familiar voice caught Juliana's ear, causing her to stop short and listen.

"Wha-" Juliana cut Daryl off, placing a single finger up to him to keep him from talking while she strained to listen through the snapping of branches and various night-time insects that buzzed in the forest. The more she focused, the more she was able to catch certain words the man said, and the more her heart rate increased.