Silence

5/8

You were at the outside of the cabin, sitting down alone at the porch despite the cold, hugging your knees to your chest, watching the sun go down. You didn't feel like being around anyone, not after what had happened with Daryl earlier, you needed some time. The thing was...he didn't seem angry, he didn't seem to have stopped being your friend, but he hadn't said anything either, hadn't talked to you since you told him that you liked him, had occupied himself doing stuff away from you. You didn't know what to think, you hoped you hadn't ruined everything...

You felt someone or something close to you, and you jumped into alert mode before realizing it was Daryl. It was the first time he approached you since patrolling, since you confessed...You looked at him, nervous, you didn't know what to expect. You hoped he'd act like nothing, that he wouldn't bring it up, that you both could just keep going with your friendship as if nothing...but he seemed shy and awkward, and that couldn't be a good sign.

Your shoulders sagged down and you looked away from him, you didn't want him to see that you were sad. Daryl sat down next to you and you felt him reaching to take your notebook and pen out of your pocket. You swallowed hard and got ready for him to write his rejection or something worse.

He didn't write anything, though, just opened the notebook and then looked at you, pocking you so you'd look at him when you didn't. Once you were looking at him, you could notice his flushed cheeks even in the dark, and he signed "I like you," or tried to, but you caught it. He hadn't known that sign before, so he must have looked for it at the book. You didn't know what to think. Then he showed you the notebook, the page were you had written: "But not only as a friend."

Daryl seemed shy, more than shy, but also expectant, but you still didn't know what to do. Was this real... You signed at Daryl "Sure?" And he blinked at you, nodding as he frowned at you, seeming taken aback at your reaction, and so you took the notebook. "When I told you before you left", you wrote.

Daryl nodded, chewed on his lip, signing a sorry and taking the notebook. "Needed to think." You let out a sigh. He needed to think it? Then his feelings couldn't be that strong, or he'd know, wouldn't him? You still weren't sure this was real, and so you took the notebook to write, "You don't need to feel forced to anything, we're good as friends."

Daryl frowned again, shaking his head and chewing on his lip as he looked at you before he signed "I like you," again, seeming a bit frustrated.

"Really?" You couldn't help but sign back.

"Really." Daryl signed, his frown deepening.

"Okay," You nodded, butterflies waking in your belly even if you still were a bit dumbfounded, and you took the notebook to write down. "You want us to be together? Not only as friends?"

Butterflies just danced faster when Daryl nodded firmly, a smile tugging at the corner of your lip that grew wider when Daryl's lip curled up softly as he looked at you. Maybe he really was sure, maybe this was real? "So what now?" You wrote down and Daryl just shrugged, seeming a bit lost. You shrugged too, a bit lost yourself, but you couldn't help your smile as you looked at him, his expression softening as he began to relax.

You chewed on your lip and decided to go for it. "Kiss?" You signed, pointing from you to him, you didn't want to make him uncomfortable by kissing him without warning, even if you were kind of together now? You thought it was kind of an obvious sign, but Daryl cocked his head at you and you chuckled, taking the notebook.

"Kiss," you wrote down, and then you signed it again. You swore you saw Daryl blushing bright red despite the darkness, and you didn't know if it was a good sign or not, but then he was leaning closer to kiss your cheek. It was...well, not what you were going for, but there was something really sweet on it, and you couldn't help your silly smile.