𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐒, Daryl Dixon

¹³, A BASIC UNDERSTANDING

  Zeppelin only shook her head, attempting to catch her breath through her sobs.

  "Okay, well, uh. . ."

  "But--" She hiccuped, attempting to clean her face though the tears kept falling, "But I wanna go-- go hunting with you."

  Daryl sighed but nodded, taking a seat on the steps.

  "Go clean up. I'll wait for ya."

  Zeppelin hurried inside, attempting to rush to the bathroom, but was halted by her mother's voice.

  "That's a guilty walk if I ever saw one," Vex called, approaching her daughter, "What's up, Zep?"

  The girl turned slowly, her mother quickly kneeling when she saw her daughter's red face.

  "Hey," She said softly, brushing the girl's hair out of her tears, "What's going on, babydoll?"

  "I-- I snuck into-- into the barn with Carl," Zeppelin admitted, "And-- and Randall, he-- he tried to get us to free him."

  Vex attempted to hide her anger.

  "But-- but then Shane," Zeppelin said, the tears starting all over again, "He-- he had a gun in Randall's face-- and-- and he scared me, Mom-- he's-- it was like-- he was like--"

  "Okay, honey, I know," Vex said quietly, cradling her daughter's head to her chest. "Just come here."

  Zeppelin cried into her mother's shirt, holding on tightly to the person who meant the most.

  "Let's go get some cold water on your face, it'll feel nice," Vex suggested gently once the cries slowed, "Then we can eat some Twinkies I snuck back for you."

  Zeppelin looked up through puffy eyes, sniffling.

  "But I told Daryl I'd go hunting with him."

  "You did what now?"

  "It's okay, Mom, I went once with him already, the day you went home."

  Vex blinked rapidly, attempting to grasp the situation rationally.

  Why couldn't Zeppelin spend her free time with anyone else? Maggie, Dean, Glenn, Beth, Hershel, Carol, Lori, Dale-- so many options that Vex would've been fine with.

  But the man who got knocked off a horse and stabbed with his own arrow wasn't at the top of the list of people Vex wanted watching over her daughter.

  "Listen, Zep. . ."

  "He's nice," Zeppelin defended, "Just a little scared."

  Vex couldn't help but laugh, slapping a hand over her mouth quickly.

  "Mom." Zeppelin frowned, "He is. For real. I think. . . I think he feels guilty. That Sophia wasn't. . ."

  "Yeah," Vex blew out a breath, "I know."

  Zeppelin wiped the rest of her tears, looking to her mother.

  "How about you go splash some water on your face, I'm just gonna have a word with Daryl before y'all leave."

  The girl nodded, rushing to the bathroom.

  Vex sighed, walking to the front door.

  She could see him through the screen, sitting on the steps like a kid waiting for their friend to come play. 

  Vex pushed the door open, earning his attention. She walked silently, taking a seat at his side.

  "You really okay with taking a kid out hunting?"

  Daryl grunted.

  "I don't speak caveman," She said pointedly.

  "She's a good kid," He responded, "Quiet. Listens. Don't mind taking a kid like that hunting."

  Vex nodded, clasping her hands together.

  "We got off on the wrong foot," Vex said, "But if my kid is gonna be this fond of you, we need to have at least a basic understanding."

  "Of what?"

  "That if anything happens to her, anything at all, while she is with you," Vex said, "I'll skin you alive."

  Daryl got the sense she was not joking.

  But before he could respond, the screen door swung open, Zeppelin Williams grinning wildly through puffy eyes.

  "Are you ready?" She questioned.

  Vex stood, pressing a kiss to the top of Zeppelin's head.

  "We on the same page, Dixon?" Vex questioned, leaning against one of the pillars.

  Zeppelin was already down the steps, tugging a baseball cap on her head.

  Daryl turned to Vex, nodding to the woman without any argument.

  Daryl wasn't sure when he became a babysitter, and yet here he was.

  And he only had himself to blame.

WORD COUNT : 1598