𝙿𝙴𝙽𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝙱𝙾𝚇 ;

[dadyl]

𝚃𝙴𝚇𝚃. / 𝚅𝙾𝙸𝙲𝙴. / 𝚅𝙸𝙳𝙴𝙾. / 𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽.

Comments

[meekandthebold]

[ Shit. ]

I don't know.
Whatever makes him understand that he doesn't want to mess with us again. I guess what that is depends on him.

We have to do this, Daryl.

[dadyl]

I know.

[ Something is already happening and Daryl knows he doesn't have much of an ability to slow it down. Not when Gabe and Carol have the ability to be some of the most single-minded people he's ever met.

It's out of his hands. ]

He has to.
And he will whether we help him or not.
So I know.

But it needs to be worth it.
Cause there ain't no way a guy like that doesn't come back hard.

[meekandthebold]

It will be.

You know he won't rest until it's done.

[ And neither will she, for that matter. She and Gabe had had a slow, rocky path, but he's family now, as far as she's concerned. One of her people. And she doesn't stand by and do nothing when her people get hurt. ]

We'll be okay, Daryl. The three of us can take him.

[dadyl]

[ Yeah, he knows. That doesn't make him any less worried about the outcome. ]

Thank you, Carol. For carin.

[ It's easier to send the message than it would be to say it, for some reason. But it matters to him that they're all together on this one, no matter what the decision is. It matters that she's as protective of Gabe as she would be of someone back home. ]

An for makin it all your problem. Right from the first.

[meekandthebold]

[ It's not often that either of them get that honest, especially Daryl, and Carol just blinks down at the words for a moment, touched and a little astounded.

But there's nothing to thank her for. Not really. ]

It always was.

[ All they have here is each other, right? ]

You need anything? I can take over if you need a nap, or just a break.

[dadyl]

No. I'm alright.

It's the least I can do for him.

[ Because of course Daryl has to push himself when he sees someone he loves hurting. Part of him needs to hurt, too. It's only right. ]

[meekandthebold]

[ It's easy to read between the lines. Especially when she knows just how much Daryl has been doing for Gabe lately, just how little he's actually allowed her to help instead of insisting on doing everything himself. ]

You can't do anything for him if you're exhuasted.

When was the last time you slept?

[dadyl]

I caught a nap this afternoon.

[ What he means is 'I closed my eyes for a while this afternoon'. ]

[meekandthebold]

[ She knows exactly what he means. ]

I'm bringing food over. And then you're sleeping.

[ He can nap right next to Gabe if that's what he wants to do. But he needs a chance to do it without even subconsciously feeling like he needs to be on alert and ready to jump into action any moment. ]

[dadyl]

[ Sleep, maybe. He might even try if she's there. But the food? Always a blessing. ]

You're the best.

[meekandthebold]

I know.

[ Prepare to be mommed, Daryl. ]