Work Text:
Snows of Alexandria
Daryl had always been particularly good at listening to what nature has to tell him. The shadows on the ground acting as his clock, the rustle of leaves indicating something behind him. Also, the smaller details that the untrained eye would miss, how one plant seems to be facing a little too much to the left, or how the direction that the birds fly when they fear danger.
Therefore, Daryl believed he was fairly good at keeping track of the days. Even prior to the zombie infestations in Atlanta, he never had a calendar and yet always seemed to know the date and rough time simply based on what the nature around him was choosing to tell him.
The nights in Alexandria had been pulling in for quite some time, subtly at first, now it seemed that daylight was scarce on the best of days. It was only then that the first snows of the year were beginning to fall. The cold was not for everyone, many Alexandria residents curled themselves inside their houses with thick warm blankets to protect them. Daryl, however, would not let the weather stop him from going outside, much to the astonishment of his fellow Alexandrians, who insisted on wrapping him up in the warmest coats they could find. Carol, was also included in this, wrapping the ugliest multi-coloured scarf around Daryl’s neck, telling him ‘to keep warm pookie’.
Daryl knew hunting in this time was essential, there was little game in the winter and all he could bring back was vitally needed. There was also a small part of him that loved to see Carol’s face light up when he managed to return with some game. It was mainly squirrels and other small animals, but the last time he had caught a deer, Carol’s beam of a smile was enough to power him through the cold, dark winter days.
He was sure these dark days would soon be reaching their peak, and therefore, he was fairly sure that give or take a day or two, today was Christmas day.
What does Christmas even mean in the apocalypse? It would mean being around the family to him. However, Daryl already had his family with him, all the members of Alexandria, new and old. Even though it was an apocalyptic world, Daryl treasured the people here and the life they had made for themselves, more than he had at any other point in his life. It would have meant the world to him to see Judith and RJ running around the Christmas tree in the old world. But how do you celebrate Christmas in a world where the children would have no idea what it is, or what it was. Though, he supposed, if you can believe that the dead are rising up and walking, is it much of a stretch to believe the existence of a man decked out in red being pulled in a sleigh of reindeer.
Despite this, Daryl had spent most of his morning running around in the snow with Judith and RJ, putting a smile on their faces, as it was essential that these children experienced building a snowman. The happy gleeful faces of the children had made no longer feeling his fingers worth it.
When Daryl was growing up his family had never really done the traditional, sitting around the Christmas tree with presents and laughter. He’d never really given anyone a present, not a traditional one anyway, wrapped in neat paper with a bow on top. Sure, he had brought his brother Merle the occasional beer, muttering merry Christmas as he left. Occasionally, they would actually sit together to drink one, and in those moments of old Daryl had felt closer to his brother than ever.
However, this was the new world, and what could you possibly get someone as a gift in a world where whatever you wanted you could just take from abandoned buildings and homes. Furthermore, fancy knick-knacks and jewels had no place in the apocalypse, they were impractical, and their price simply had no worth or meaning anymore.
With that thought, Daryl’s cheeks turned red as he thought about the twine bracelet that was currently sitting in his pocket. He had been sitting outside on the step to his house, secretively making a bracelet out of fisherman’s twine, it had started out with him just mindless fidgeting with it as he was lost in thought, but then it began to take shape. Before he knew it he was crafting with Carol in mind. Carol was not one for fancy trinkets, she liked sentimental things, the Cherokee rose was his first example. He retrieved the bracelet from his pocket to look at it again, suddenly noticing all the imperfections on it.
He was unsure whether he would give it to her. The thought of actually doing it made his heart race, and if she didn’t like it he would very embarrassed. However, it didn’t appear Carol was going to give him much choice in the matter as she sat herself down beside him. He was so lost in worried thought that he didn’t hear her approach, which was very unusual for him.
She once again threw the ugly, multi-coloured scarf around his neck with a teasing smile. “It’s too cold to be out here in just a thin jacket.”
He nodded in reply, knowing it was useless to try and argue against Carol. He would never win.
“What’s that?” She asked, looking down at the twine bracelet he was fidgeting within his fingers. “A bracelet?”
He put it in her hands, leaving a moments silence as he couldn’t trust his brain to say the right thing, then after a moment he settled for; “it’s for you.”
She was clearly, slightly taken aback, her eyes crinkled showing shock, but then morphed into a look of complete happiness and wonder.
“A bracelet for me… did you make it?”
He nodded; blush more prominent on his cheeks than ever before.
“… A friendship bracelet?” She continued.
“Nah, just a bracelet…” he trailed off.
“I see,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes as though Daryl had just confirmed what she desperately wanted to hear. “Oh pookie!”
“Shut up,” he replied to her term of endearment, but she only snorted a laugh in return.
“Then again,” she jokes. “I think we’re a bit beyond friendship, I would have thought crashing a van over a bridge together would make us best friends or even more, that’s quite a bonding moment. As far as bonding moments go.”
He wanted to reply and tell her that she would always be his best friend, but she would always mean so much more to him than that. She was the most important person in his life. However, words were not always Daryl’s friend, and he hoped that the gift could put that across.
“Here,” she said reaching into her front pocket and pulling out a double capped acorn. “I found it in the woods yesterday, thought it might bring you luck and improve your aim.”
He chucked a quiet laugh at that but held the acorn within his palm for a few moments before putting it in his pocket.
“I’ll see you later pookie,” she said, placing her hand on his shoulder, and pushing herself up off of the step. Her hand lingered for a moment to give his shoulder a tight squeeze.
“See you,” he grunted back.
It was only after Carol had left that he dug his fingers back into his pocket, pulling out the double capped acorn and he stared at it. Involuntarily, a smile made its way onto his face as he traced the acorn cap with his finger.
Merry Christmas Carol, he thought.