zoo hq: daryl x reader

chapter three

"can i have your number?"

the question caught you completely off guard. "oh, uh, of course."

the two of you arrived at the pizza parlour and ordered milkshakes piled high with whipped cream. you both smeared whipped cream on your upper lip and laughed at each other.

"i can't remember the last time i laughed so hard," you said.

daryl smiled and picked up the receipt. he took a silver ballpoint pen that doubled as a stylus out of his denim vest pocket and wrote his number neatly on the receipt.

you took the paper shyly. "i'll just, uh, type mine in on your phone... if that's okay," you said.

"oh! of course!" daryl fished his samsung galaxy out of his pocket. "i guess i'm a bit old fashioned," he mumbled awkwardly.

he fumbled with his phone, and after a few tries he got his password right. he handed you the stylus and you typed your name and number into his contacts.

you tried to hand back his phone and stylus, but he refused. "keep it," he insisted.

your confusion must have shown on your face.

"oh—not the phone, the stylus. sorry about that." he said, looking embarrassed.

"got it," you said handing back his phone and laughing nervously.

"well, i better head back to zoo hq, y/n. it was nice seeing you, and i'll text you soon!" daryl said, standing up.

"you too!" you replied.

the two of you walked out, and daryl held the door for you like the gentleman he was. thanking him, you went your separate ways.

you met up with your dad, and the two of you walked back to the car. "so... how was zoo hq?" he asked excitedly.

"it was good, dad," you said bluntly.

"did you... make some friends?"

"uh... actually, yeah."

your dad gasped. "honey! i'm so happy for you! i know you've been lonely lately!" he beamed at you.

you didn't need to be reminded that you didn't have any friends. your dad constantly urged you to go be social, but you felt you were too awkward.

but... things were different with daryl.

•••

the next day at school, you were a bit distracted.

while your teachers blathered on about trigonometry, the cold war, and chemical reactions, you doodled in your notebook with daryl's ballpoint pen.

you stared at the clock during lunch, reminded of the golden pocket watch daryl keeps in the pocket of his flared denim jeans.

on the bus ride home, you put your earbuds in and listened to sappy romance songs. you thought of daryl the entire time.

you tried to do homework once you got home, but eventually gave up and rested your head on your desk to daydream. you jumped a little as your phone buzzed and brought you back to reality.

a text?

it's not like you had any friends to text you, so that must mean...

daryl.

you shakily get up from your desk and sit on your bed to check your phone.

false alarm.

it was a flash flood warning.