Daryl has been having nightmares since his drug accident in the storage facility. However, he refuses to let anyone know. For the first few nights he just camped a little farther than usual and waited till he knew everyone was asleep or almost knocked out. Then he decided that he needed to leave at night now. Carol had walked past his tent to go to the bathroom when she called out to him. apparently, he was almost screaming and crying. He had told her to tell no one and she hadn't, well for the most part.
"Rick, I think you need to speak with Daryl." Carol had waited a few more nights and listened intently to Daryl's tent. it hadn't gotten any better. He turns from the map he was pouring over while everyone gets the camp ready. They had found a house with a bomb shelter. It was basically a huge empty room. they decided to stay for two nights while they looked around the small neighborhood for supplies.
"Whats wrong?" he asks folding the map.
"He is having night terrors." Rick puts away the map and rubs his forehead.
"He doesn't want people to know." She nods even though it was not a question. Rick sighs and looks to Daryl, getting ready to hunt, even though he just got back and they had plenty of rations. Rick gets up and walks to him, tiredness in his movements. Daryl looks up when he finished packing to find Rick standing, hands on hips.
"What ya want Officer Friendly?" His usual nick name when he is distancing himself. Rick points to his tent, one he has separately from Lori.
"Go get ready to sleep. we need you here for a night watch." Daryl stands fast, indignant.
"Who the fuck you think ya orderin around?" He glares at Rick. Rick doesn't change but flicks his chin in the same direction.
"We don't need you to hunt tonight, unless you have a different reason for leaving?" Daryl glares at a passing Carol. she doesn't look at him nor looks to care about the angry display. Daryl drops his stuff in a huff and stomps to the tent. Rick shakes his head but feels a tug at his lips.
Daryl didn't come out to even eat. Carol went to give him food and was run out by a string of threats and curses but did leave the food. She later went to pick it up to find the empty plate waiting by the flap. Rick turns in early. He no longer takes part in the light conversation at meal times. Lori watches him go, rubbing her stomach longingly. When Rick enters the tent he sees a shirtless Daryl laying on his back, poking holes in his tent, a book tossed to the side.
"You should sleep."
"Fuck you." Rick takes off his boots and shirt as well. He shifts lazily to get into his sleeping bag and gets ready to fall asleep. He was happy that the blissful black came faster then usual. However, he felt only a dip into the sleeping sea when he was awakened by whimpering. The light banter was gone from outside so guesses he"s been out for about an hour or two at the least. he looks over to Daryl to see him flinching and whimpering in his sleep.
"Knew I heard something at night." Rick was never going to approach him about it unless he sought him out but with Carol now hearing his secret, he decided it was time to step in for Daryl's sake. Rick gets out of the sleeping bag and crosses the small distance to him. Daryl got more frantic in that short amount of time and Rick holds his now flailing hands. "Wake up Daryl, it's all a dream." Daryl continues to fight in his sleep and Rick is almost unable to stop him. Rick takes a chance and quickly smacks Daryl across the face, and gets punched in the chin himself. Daryl darts up in a cold sweat looking around. Rick rubs his jaw, watching Daryl. They lock eyes and Daryl starts to scramble his way out of the tent. Rick has a different plan though and grabs his wrist. With a gentle pull on the already unstable man, he falls back onto the sleeping bag and Rick leans over him, sitting beside him, each arm on either side of his body. "Relax, i heard you a while back, I had just hoped you would have come to me first." Daryl looks away.
"Don't know what your talking bout Grimes." Rick sighs and lays down beside the man. Daryl moves quickly away but Rick snakes his arms around the frightened hunter before he gets too far.
"You let me hold you in the storage facility, let me hold you now." Daryl freezes. He did indeed let him hold him but not like this, not this close. But he felt warm, he felt his body melt from the stress and fear before his mind even registers how comfortable it was.
"Ain't no fag." he growls turning over to face him with his most deadly glare. Rick feels himself smile, if only a small one.
"No your not, now let me sleep." with that, he closes his eyes, resting his chin on top of a confused redneck. it took him a few more minutes to close his eyes. When he did, Daryl felt the comforting darkness of a dreamless sleep start to take him. Before he slips under, he registers lips touch his forehead, and he does in fact dream. he dreams of bright blue eyes glowing in the warm summer sun and a gentle smile that makes him not be afraid anymore.