Sneaky

Chapter 77

3rd Person POV

"Why me?" It's about time he got an answer to this question. "I ain't exactly sunshine and rainbows."

Eve looked at him, blinking in surprise. "True but if you were listening, you'd remember I said, I like the dark."

Daryl blinked, and an amused smile parted the woman's lips before contentment took its place. "I don't really know why. It was just kinda... there, one day."

Daryl could understand that. The same had happened to him.

He remembers just looking at 'er one day and realizing he trusted 'er(more like their dynamic was pointed out by a 3rd party, and he put the pieces together later).

"As hotheaded as you can be—" Daryl's eye twitched but he couldn't deny it, because he knew it was true. "—you're honest."

That took him by surprise. He'd never thought of himself as honest before.

"You don't try to hide stuff. I mean as far as I can tell." Eve eyed him with playful suspicion, and earned herself an eye roll and shoulder knock.

"Maybe that's why." A thoughtful look crossed her face, pursing her lips. "I never have liked being out of the loop, or things being kept from me. Secrets."

"Yeah you ain't too good at keepin 'em. As soon as ya open your mouth it's out." Daryl snorted at the whack on the arm. But he had a point.

Eve doesn't open her mouth often but when she does, ohhhh lordie-poo. And here she thought she was a vault.

Turns out it's really easy to keep a secret when you don't talk to anyone but as soon as someone's listening, there goes the floodgate.

She's gotta work on that.

Fire light glinted off amber eyes; never having looked more aflame than now, when she stares into a fire with a smile. But it was a warm flame. The kind that doesn't burn, yet keeps you from freezing.

Eve yawned, stretching stiff shoulders as she stood; trying to restore blood flow to pretty much her entire lower body.

"Should get some sleep." Daryl stood, wiping the dust from his hands on his jeans.

Eve nodded in wholehearted agreement, trying to stifle another yawn. She was beat. It's amazing how exhausting emotions are. Feeling stuff really takes its toll.

"Night, Eve" Daryl went to his tent as Eve started her trek back to camp

"Night, Daryl" Eve gave a halfhearted wave, stepping over uneven ground, as they parted ways for the night.

To some it may have seemed abrupt or felt off but for them, the interaction felt natural; on it's way to becoming something of a routine in recent days.

-

Eve's POV

I woke up the next morning and as usual, had trouble pulling myself out of bed. But eventually I managed to wrangle my half-asleep mind into auto-pilot.

Getting up, putting on my shoes, tying back my rats nest of a mane, and went out into the morning sunlight, rubbing my tired eyes with a yawn.

Thank goodness Carol & Lori haven't started cooking breakfast yet, because if I smelled those eggs —or anything else those goddesses throw in a pan— before my run, I would not be able to make myself do it before eating.

And running on a full stomach is not the greatest idea. I learned that lesson the hard way a long, long time ago.

I stretched, warming up, and did 3 or 4 laps around the farm before others started peeling themselves from their cozy tents and getting up for the day, but my endurance is much lower than it used to be.