Tyreese: A very short while after Season 3, Welcome to the Tombs.
I did take a few liberties with the way the prison is set up, hope everyone is okay with them.
Peace was nonexistent, a false truth spun by a society so gripped with chaos and unknowns that it fabricated such idealistic perfections and sold them to their children as a hopeful future but Tyreese knew better. His dad had never allowed him to buy into such fairy tales. Everyday, they would listen to the radio, listen to the horrors and atrocities that plagued the countries, the people, and each broadcast served as a reminder that the world was in no way perfect. He had taught them of the nightmares, taught them the truth, but he had also taught them of hope. The head of the Williams family had instilled within his children that despite the horrible things that happened each and every day it was their duty to pay attention and to help their fellow men. It was their duty to make the world a little better each day.
Tyreese's father had promised them hope and joy but he had not promised them peace. However, it was moments like now, in the quiet stillness of night, Tyreese could almost believe such a thing could exist. Inside the prison, safe behind thick stone, everyone was asleep. Each was snuggly tucked away in their individual cells, doors left open and curtains swaying gently in the air. The clank of iron bars was absent and the echoing footsteps of his boots upon metal grating went unheard.
Hard work, focused upon survival, sent every member of the newly formed community to greet their pillow with eagerness every night. Most nights Tyreese was just as anxious to join them except for this night. He had no reason that he could pinpoint as to his sudden aversion to slumber. Perhaps it was the foreign feeling of being safe after spending so long out there on the road, or just the crisp night air that stirred his veins. He did not know.
He did, however, know that laying in bed, staring at the bunk above him would do no good, so Tyreese soon found himself roaming the stone hallways of the prison. Booted feet moved seemingly at their own accord, Tyreese simply allowing himself to wander. Each door within the sanctuary was clearly marked, and bolted if the room was un-secure due to unwanted and unsavory guests. He had nothing to fear within the walls.
He eventually found himself standing before an exterior door, which led to the sky walk between the two main buildings. Iron hinges creaked as he opened the door, breathing in the crisp night air. Stepping out unto the second story walkway shattered the illusion of peace Tyreese had been treasuring in a single instant. The comforting chorus of crickets and nocturnal animals was overpowered by the dead. What was once a serenade of the wonders of nature was interrupted by the moans of the unnatural.
A small herd had been gathering just outside the fence line, slowly gaining in numbers over the last few days. The survivors, both those from Rick's group and the newly arrived people of Woodbury, had begun picking them off one by one- but more were always stumbling out from the woods. During the day, the walkers would cluster to the barrier, attracted by the activity, but at night they would become more scattered. Drawn by the noises of the woods, they would attempt to follow the chirp of the crickets- lurching back and forth as they chase the rather untraceable sound. The sight would have almost proven comical, if Tyreese had not seen what such creatures could do. What horrors that could create.
Not wishing to waste another moment upon the monstrous threat, Tyreese took a deep breath, closing his eyes and releasing the puff of steam as he looked towards the sky. With the electrical grid no longer functioning, the blackened expanse above him had erupted into vibrant life. Light pollution had hidden so much of the sky before and Tyreese now could not seem to get enough of the beauty the total black-out had revealed. Millions of stars dotted the black like diamonds, planets shone gently. Galaxies swirled in the ebony field, clouds of dust and debris breaking up the dark. It was the most brilliant sight Tyreese had ever seen, and yet it had appeared at the very end of the world, when all around him had seemed to die. The sky had erupted with life.
Despite the beauty, Tyreese could not seem to forget that even this extremely distant, vast, intricate universe held no peace. It was formed by continuing explosions and storms, meteorites crashing into each other and supernovas. There was no true peace, even in space. As silent as it was, there was no stillness.
A sudden increase in the moans of the walkers drew Tyreese's attention from his musings. A collection of the dead had turned their focus from the insects and onto a lone figure that was silhouetted underneath the waning moon. It took only a short moment for Tyreese to identify the man, the crossbow upon his shoulders was a dead-give-away. Daryl Dixon, the loner redneck of Rick's group.
Tyreese had not had many encounters with the man himself. Most of his contact had been with Rick, or Glenn, or the elder man, Hershel, Tyreese thought his name was. The most Tyreese knew was that which anyone could glean from simply observing the man. In the couple weeks that had passed since Woodbury had joined the prison, the man had spent most of it on the road with Michonne in search of the governor.
Daryl was an absolute stranger to Tyreese, which was the main reason why he did not turn and walk away the moment he saw the archer. It was also strange to see anyone out so late and in the yard, but Daryl did have a few quirks.
He walked over to the water barrels, where he was hidden by barriers from the walkers. Tyreese nearly jumped when he lit a match, the small flickering light growing once he lit one of the old-style lanterns that sat nearby. He adjusted the flame until it was the barest light, given off just enough to allow him to seen and no more. A pail of water was sat next to the lantern on the table and Tyreese's expression morphed into true surprise as the man removed his vest and shirt. The yellowed shirt was tossed into the bucket while the vest was laid to the side. Another few articles of clothing then appeared and were submerged into the container as well. He left his pants on, understandably unwilling to fully undress in the world as it was today. The man was doing his laundry at this ungodly hour of night and Tyreese watched, unable to look away with his brow furrowed in utter confusion.
While the temperature could not be categorized as truly cold, Tyreese knew he would not be eager to plunge his hands into the soapy water but that was exactly what Daryl did. He moved his hands around vigorously, agitating the water and swirling the clothes around. He worked quickly, pulling his meager amount of clothing and wringing each one to rid the fabric of the excess water before hanging them over the rafters overhead.
He took care as he washed his leather vest, pulling the red rag from his back pocket and gently dabbing at the intricate stitching of the angel wings. With the bucket now void of anything other than soap and dirty water, Tyreese expected the man to dump it, but in true survivor fashion, Daryl instead began to wipe himself down. Scrubbing the grime from his skin and the blood from his knotted hair. Finishing with his chestnut hair, Daryl threw the rag into the pail, or attempted to. Instead it hit the side of the container with a small thud before falling to the ground behind the table.
Bending over, Daryl knelt on one knee and leaned forward to retrieve the wayward rag. This new position no longer created a silhouette of the redneck but instead illuminated his bare shoulders and back.
Tyreese physically tensed at the sight, his large brown eyes locked upon the flesh, his brain running in overdrive as he attempted to process what he was seeing. His thoughts were screaming only one word, which was overpowering all other thoughts. Abuse.
It often struck some people as odd that such a large and burly linebacker would wear his heart on his sleeve the way that Tyreese did. Football players were supposed to be testosterone-filled meatheads with just enough extra rage to make them ruthless on the sports field. Physically, Tyreese fit the role but once you took the time to speak with him it became clear that the man would never wish harm upon anyone. He had been a gentle soul before the change and, despite everything, he still was now.
And so, when the dim light revealed such a blatant map of childhood cruelty, Tyreese felt his gut churn and his chest tighten. The sight was only the merest of seconds, only lasting until Daryl straightened once more and his back was cast back into shadow.
The sight, however, was burned forever within Tyreese's mind.
He withdrew quickly, conscious that he had just witnessed something very personal that was meant to be hidden. What other reason would there be to do your laundry and bathe at such a late hour other than to hide the scars?
As could be expected, Tyreese encountered no one on his route back to his cell, the finger tips of his right hand ghosting along the cement walls, barely even registering the uneven surface of the mortar. The solitude was for the best, for Tyreese was so lost in thought that he would have most likely have ran over anyone who may have approached him instead.
Daryl Dixon, the unannounced right-hand-man of Rick had been abused, severely, as a child. Such knowledge was not something Tyreese had ever wanted to know, and yet, at the same time he had. It made the loner redneck more – human. The gruff and indifferent exterior was not all that there was to the man. This was a man who still felt shame, shy, awkward. None of which were great feelings but if Daryl was willing to go to such lengths as to avoid being exposed and feeling such things, that meant that there were other emotions down there as well.
It meant he was human.
Thanks for reading and a BIG thank you to everyone who has reviewed! I want to reply to all of you but for some reason my account/FF won't allow it? Your kind words make me continue writing!
I no time to proof read this, so I am sorry for any typos but I wanted to get something up for you all because..
I will be leaving my country for two weeks to visit family (tons of fun) but I won't be able to post for the next 2-3 wks at least. I will try and continue writing but will not have access to upload anything for awhile. So please don't forget about me! I will be back!