𝙿𝙴𝙽𝙰𝙽𝙲𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝙱𝙾𝚇 ;

[dadyl]

𝚃𝙴𝚇𝚃. / 𝚅𝙾𝙸𝙲𝙴. / 𝚅𝙸𝙳𝙴𝙾. / 𝙰𝙲𝚃𝙸𝙾𝙽.

Comments

[minuteofangle]

[ He draws the needle through Daryl's skin. Pulls the thread, listens to it move. The dry sound it makes. Scraping. This too shall pass. ]

Elevation?

[ If they have to go underground, they'll need more gear than they've got. Scanning equipment, night vision. If they have to go high, they'll need long guns. More arrows for Daryl's crossbow.

He knots off the thread. ]

It's done. Ready for the next one?

[dadyl]

[ He shrugs with the opposite shoulder, but it's a tense and unconscious gesture. ]

Tree's ain't tall. Volcano's got ledges but who knows if that shit's stable.

[ Probably not in a place like this. Probably not if they're counting on it to be.

He resists the urge to flex his arm when Gabe finishes the last stitch and closes his eyes for a moment as he imagines the same procedure being done on his cheek. ]

Alright. Get it over with.

[minuteofangle]

Need to touch you face for this part, okay?

[ It's said softly. He'll need to feel part of it out with his fingers. And Daryl knows, isn't an idiot, but it bears repeating. Anyone would want to avoid getting a needle so close their eyes, especially after Gabe took one of Daryl's out when they first met.

It needs to be done. So it will. But they can be decent to each other about it. ]

Sounds like it's underground, then. How big is the island?

[dadyl]

Mhmm.

[ It's a low hum of agreement because thanks to the warning, Daryl is remembering the last time Gabe had touched his face. It had been Daryl who'd brought his hand there the first time and the memory hasn't faded.

He waits until Gabe has the needle threaded, watching placidly as he works, before reaching for his wrist. Daryl takes it gently and guides it again, turns Gabe's fingers so the tips brush against the wound the arrow had left. ]

Big enough that we didn't have time to explore even half of it.

[ For whatever reason, once Gabe is touching his face, Daryl speaks more softly. He wants to tell Gabe not to come. That he'll have one more person to be worried for.

But he knows that he wouldn't appreciate being told the same, so he doesn't. ]

Don't know why the hell I thought goin' along was a good idea in the first place. [ He's aware he's sulking a little. ] I shoulda never let her come.

[minuteofangle]

[ Slow and steady, that's the way. Gabe hums to himself as he works, tapping the edge of the wound to double-check the size before he applies the needle. It's important to get this right. Sometimes, things scar in Hell. That means one day they might not heal properly and that could slow a body down at a moment when everyone needs to be moving full fucking speed. And that will not stand.

He presses the needle in. Draws the thread through. ]

We do better in a team. People. People like us.

[ It's said simply. ]

Is what it is. We adapt to what we have.

[dadyl]

[ This time, when the needle goes in, Daryl flinches a little. His cheek twitches against Gabe's hand while the stitch pulls through and Daryl flexes his hands into fists trying to keep his face still. ]

I know.

[ He does. He knows it. It still helps to hear it and a little acceptance seeps into Daryl's voice. If he'd gone missing instead of one of his own people, he'd think the same. But it's Carol. If it had been Rick it would have broken him, too. Daryl just doesn't consider himself as valuable as the people he loves. ]

You think that pistol'll be enough, then, huh.

[ He does his best not to sound doubtful and more or less manages it. ]

[minuteofangle]

Easy. You're doing fine.

[ It's said absently. Gabe's focused entirely upon his task. Once he commits to something, he sticks with it. That's always been his strength. ]

I'll make it work. I always do.