A/N: These are a series of small scenes which I write when an idea hits me. They're all in the same AU universe (whichever the fuck that might be, don't ask xDD). The cover art is done by my wonderful friend in crime who sails this ship with me, lamblia 333
...it's a deep night, but Daryl can't seem to sleep. So he sits in the main room downstairs, watching late-night TV and frowning at the screen, drinking his black coffee and waiting for Rumple to come home from wherever the fuck he is. The man's tendency to go off whenever he damn pleases brought on more than a couple of fights, and Dixon is getting pretty fed up with this whole thing. There's nothing wrong wanting to know where your boyfriend is at, is there? It's not like Daryl's overprotective or something. Ok, so maybe he is. A little. A tiny bit. An itsy-bitsy tiny bit?
Daryl snorts and puts a hand down on his knee to keep it from bouncing. Fuck it, he's nervous. He's sure that Gold can take care of himself, but he just..
The quiet screech of the door upstairs has him bolting up in seconds, leaving the coffee mug on the table without as much as a dull bang. His stomach starts twisting in knots as he swiftly makes his way towards the hall to grab his crossbow. He knew, he just fucking knew he should bring the thing with him wherever he goes, not leave it hanging on the wall like a fucking deco piece.
Daryl's heart thumps a tattoo against his ribcage as he creeps up the stairs, his bow pointed in front of him.
The barely audible shuffles and a gust of wind comes from their bedroom.
Making a quick inhale and not ready to waste even a second if it saves his (and possibly Rumple's) life, the redneck kicks the door open, a hearty growl rising like bile up his throat, only to freeze and turn into a dismorphed semi-questioning sound. There, in front of the open window, stands Rumple, with..
— What the hell's that? And where the fuck you've been?!
Rumple flinches at the loud bang of the door opening and whips in that direction, eyes aglow in the dark.
— Ah, dearie! Quiet down, please. You don't want to wake it.
— ..wake what? — Daryl's pissed and it shows. He squints his blue eyes and finally makes out the shape of the bundle in his man's arms.
— The fuck's tha? — He repeats his question, nodding in the direction of something
— Why don't you come look and see for yourself? — Rumple's voice is full of glee and it makes Daryl cautious. The only other times he's heard that tone of voice was during their..sessions.
Regardless, he steps forward, his gait slow and cautious, the bow held at waist-height and ready to be raised any second. What Dixon doesn't expect to find, however, is..
— A baby? You brought home a fucking baby?! What the hell is wrong with you?!
— Ssh, you'll wake it, — Gold's got to be kidding, but he looks dead serious.
— Are ye sick?
— Now, why would you ask such a question, dearie?
— ..cause you've clearly lost it, old man.
— Nah, why's that?
Daryl peers at the bundle, his face ridden over with confusion and somewhat of relief. Is this why Rumple's been sneaking out? Why did he feel the need to?
— ..'tis not about you finding some picket-life with a girl, is it? — His gruff voice carries over in the dark room.
— No, of course not, now don't be ridiculous, dearie.
Daryl huffs and gently pokes the baby's cheek with a finger. It appears to be sleeping.
— Where'd you get the thing? You know you can't jus' go round stealing babies, do you?
— Well.. - Rumple's little side eye-roll and that cocky, all-knowing smile do it for him.
— Rumple, THE FUCK DID YOU DO? You've got to bring the thing back! No, no no no, fer fuck's sake, that's not how it is.. Oh fuck, Rumple, what've you done again?! Shit man. - Dixon groans and lets his head fall back, staring at the grey ceiling.
He swears, sometimes he's not sure who's more dysfunctional in this relationship: the hunter who can't talk about actual feelings and has a strange thing for bringing squirrels for dinner, or the man who apparently creeps out at night to steal babies, cause he's too scared to talk about it with him.