Wow. I just became the cliche to end all cliches.

"What?"

I looked at Daryl and hummed, "Hm?"

"Why ya makin' that face?"

What face?

Did my internal cringe just leak into the external?

I shook my head and maneuvered up to my feet.

"Where d'ya think yer goin?" Daryl questioned and I glanced at him pointing to the bookshelf.

I stepped around T & Carol and glanced again, hearing Daryl stand up and follow me.

I stopped to grab a candle from a table before going over to the bookshelves.

"What're ya lookin' for?" Daryl sorta growled. He's getting impatient with me. I can hear it in his voice.

"Anything useful." I started pulling books off the shelf and stacking them on the table behind me.

"Useful?" Daryl took one of them from me as I was setting it down and turned it over to the cover.

"Like what? Native Georgia plants?" Daryl scrunched his face at the book. "What d'ya need these for?"

I set another couple on the table in front of him and sat down. "Survival."

I flipped open one of the smaller books cause there's no way I'm starting with like a 12 lbs tome that is the nature book I just set down.

My eyes skittered over the black ink and pictures for lord knows how long until Daryl finally put his hand on my shoulder. "Alright, that's enough. Let's get some sleep."

My cheeks puffed out as I blew air through my lips and flipped the book shut, nodding in agreement.

I don't know how long I've been sitting here, but it feels longer than waiting for your turn in the bathroom after 4 bottles of Gatorade in under an hour.

Now let me tell you. That's not fun.

My eyes feel like dried fruit.

I inhaled deeply through my nose, smashing my knuckles into my eyeballs.

Daryl's been sitting here with me, reading this whole time. Teaching me a little bit more about hunting and outdoor survival. It was mostly just me asking the occasional short question and him bestowing some a dat life-long hunting experience on me.

Rick caught on to my line of thinking eventually and he, Glenn, and us two talked a little bit about new… let's call them 'safety measures' that we're gonna try out. We didn't talk much though, agreeing to save it for tomorrow when we're all rested.

Randall was over here some time ago as well. When Daryl & I hit the section of this plants book that is mind-bogglingly complicated. Like seriously, I never would have thought botany could get so complicated.

Or maybe I'm just reeeeeeaaaaaly bad at it. There go my dreams of becoming an alchemist. I'll have to settle for spellcaster. I'm good with my hands and tools though, maybe I could be an enchanter. When you can't do the thing you wanted to, the next best thing is close enough, right?

Speaking of magic. Carl was here for a minute or two at one point. He was showing me this fantasy book that looked really interesting, wanting to read it before his mom said bedtime.

I don't really remember if he actually got to read some before bed; which is probably a bad sign cause that means anything I've read since I started getting too tired is probably gonna be gone by morning.

Tch, well there goes those hours. On the bright side, I've officially crashed. No more itchy feet.

My jaw and a whole lot of other things — including my entire spine — cracked as I yawned, leaning back. My sides burned a little as I laced my fingers together in front of me, stretching my arms up & over my head. But I'm tired enough that I can ignore it while I glanced around the dark room through the sliver-slits of my nearly closed eyes.

Everyone's laying down and asleep in their own claimed little spots except for me, Daryl, and T who just took over watch Randall not 5 minutes ago.

Now that I think about it, that's probably why Daryl chose now to drag my nose out of this ink jumble of a book.

"Come on." Daryl shoved the books away from me almost dragging me out of my chair as I stood up.

A sharp pain shot through both of my knees the moment they were unbent and I put weight on them.

I tried not to hiss over the stiff muscles but I ended up grabbing Daryl's forearm back (he's still got mine from making me get up) to steady myself as I straighten them out and ohhhhhh they are not liking it.

This is why you shouldn't sit still for this long.

I should've at least wiggled around while I drowned my little sponge in the soup of written knowledge & sometimes questionable "wisdom".

But nope. I just sat there.

And I can't even tell for how long because the only timepiece I have, is in my backpack.

I don't how I got back over here in my spot by the wall, but Daryl laid next to me, tucking his backpack under his head and putting his far left arm under his head, moving a bit to get comfortable.

I just laid here and watched. My eyes halfway shut and every time I blink, they try to stay that way.

I feel weird.

Like really tired, but strangely at peace. And — this is gonna sound mad, even to myself — but I actually feel safe. Tucked away at the back wall, T-Dog keeping watch with one little candle still flickering and casting a small radiance of warm light over his dark physique on the opposite side of the sleeping group.

Everyone resting around me, as worry-free as can be in their own little spots.

It's like being in the center of a giant nest, or a big pack of wolves but it's your pack. It's kind of an amazing feeling.

And… I admit, the only reason I'm comfortable being this enclosed by other people, is in large part because of the person right next to me. Separating me from the world so I can sleep. Like a personal safety bubble.

I don't know how Daryl's ok with being this central in the group though. He isn't usually comfortable being this close to other people, but he's right next to me.

Granted there's a mountain of trash and we're the only two on this side of it (that's all there's room for), but I didn't think he'd be ok with this.

And I think… I think it's probably safe for me to say that if anyone else were laying where I am right now, he wouldn't be where he is either.

That makes me feel oddly like I have a higher 'clearance' than anyone. But I feel like I've damn well earned it after everything we've been through, at each other's backs.

I haven't felt this at ease sleeping this close to someone since — no, wait. I have felt like this before, recently. It was… oh man when was it?

It was raining. I was lying on my stomach. Daryl was there too. It had to have been at the farm. I know it was. Cause it was when he moved away from the camp and I treaded out there to see him.

I barely noticed when my eyes shut and didn't open again, even though I felt eyes on me. I know they're Daryl's.

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