I See You

                                    

                                          
This imagine is very very long. So strap in, pour yourself some tea and grab a snack. And get ready to read this very long imagine.

                          


                          
The first time he sees her is only a few moments after walking through the gates at Alexandria. A pretty face that for some reason catches his eye in the clusters of people staring the group down as they walk along the main street. Big eyes. More curious than wary.
                          
He doesn't think on it long. Too much else to worry about.
                          
The second time is just after he lays out the little fucker who went for Glenn. Those big eyes again. While everyone else is panicking, staring at him like he's some wild animal about to go rabid, her gaze is just interested. Like she's just watching, waiting for something else to happen. The idiot limps to her, holding his bloody nose, clearly expecting something.
                          
'You're the dummy swung at someone better'n you,' she says to him. 'Clean up your own damn mess.'
                          
For one irrational moment Daryl feels like he wants to guffaw with laughter. Something about the deadpan delivery and the look on Aiden's face, combined with the mildly scandalised glances of the townsfolk, hits the spot. Her voice isn't what he expected, either; dusky Tennessee with a hint of mountain twang. He realises he wants to hear more of it, takes the thought and locks it down, tight.
                          
No time for that. Never time for that.
                          
With all the shit hitting every which fan after that he doesn't think of her. Why would he? Just another soon-to-be-dead woman in this town of pansy-ass suburbanite fuckers. Except after the quarry, and the fire, and the work to get the walls back up, as he's checking the car over for a supply run with Rick he realises he's being watched.
                          
Damn. She's beautiful. He tries not to notice that, but it's hard. She's dressed practically, much more so than the other women in the town, but it does nothing to disguise the perfect contours of her. Makes his hands itch. Then she smiles at him and it's all he can do not to glance behind himself like a moron because surely someone else is behind him. Nobody smiles at him like that.
                          
'It's Daryl, right?'
                          
His first instinct is to bolt. His second is to rebuff. Snap, sneer, dismiss. But that smile, focused all on him like the rest of the world just stepped out for a smoke, it has him pinned. Mute. He barely manages a quick nod of his head in assent at his own name, keeping his gaze fixed on her.
                          
'Denise said you were doing a run today. I just wondered if maybe you took requests?'
                          
He says nothing, expecting her to press on. It takes a moment to realise that she's actually asking, not assuming, and is waiting for him to acknowledge her question. He manages a vaguely affirmative grunt, baffled. What would a woman like that be asking for? He hopes to god it isn't something awkward. Bad enough when Michonne went rummaging for tampons and wouldn't let him stay outside...
                          
'We're low on gauze,' she explains, which makes him blink. Gauze isn't a request. It's fucking medical stuff. 'I don't know what you'll be able to find but if you could please keep an eye out-'
                          
'Yeah.' He finds his tongue, makes the tone firm. 'Sure. No problem.'
                          
'Thank you.'
                          
She's gone then, a whisper of sunlight vanished on the breeze, and damned if on the run he doesn't end up suggesting to Rick they try some of the local strip malls. Fills a duffel with all the sealed gauze he can lay his hands on. Gets a raise of the other man's eyebrows.
                          
'Food's the priority.'
                          
'Infirmary's running low.'
                          
'Oh.'