by OneAndNone
One bleeds, and cries, and dies, until the heavy echo of the container opens and sunlight floods in. Their heart is a chilling staccato in their chest, buzzing and swelling in their throat - until rough, hardened hands and squinty eyes arrive to hold their pieces together.
They can't sleep - never could, even Before - but sometimes they close their eyes and heat blooms at their side, and they know he's come to rest, too.
or
Someone broken and grieving and so, so alone learns what it means to be whole again. Their sorrow scorches their tear ducts and splinters the streets below, but that's okay. It is - because sweet, honeyed hands are a balm on their rosy cheeks, their bubbled scars. Their torment is wiped away until all they feel are soft, sunny fingers and pillowed palms. They think this must be love. It swells in their chest and clogs in their throat, and they cry again - because they think this feels like home.
A fic about healing and found family, featuring a very sweet and genuine slow burn -all through the eyes of my incredibly fleshed out OC. Slow and steady heals the heart and soothes the soul, as they say.
EDIT 1/7/24: Fixing up chapters 2-5, so they may not flow the best atm.
Words: 528808, Chapters: 59/?, Language: English
- Fandoms: The Walking Dead (TV)
- Rating: Explicit
- Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
- Categories: Other
- Characters: Daryl Dixon, Rick Grimes, Carl Grimes, Glenn Rhee, Abraham Ford, Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Team Family (Walking Dead), Owen | Alpha Wolf (Walking Dead)
- Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Character(s), Rick Grimes & Original Character(s), Carl Grimes & Original Character(s), Original Male Character(s)/Original Character(s), Daryl Dixon/Nonbinary Character(s), Glenn Rhee & Original Character(s)
- Additional Tags: Nonbinary Character, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Torture, Scars, Flashbacks, Character Development, Character Death, Grieving Daryl Dixon, Developing Friendships, Hurt/Comfort, Daryl Dixon Needs a Hug, Caring Rick Grimes, Carl Grimes Friendship, Trauma, Terminus (Walking Dead), Awkward Daryl Dixon, Quietly Caring Daryl Dixon, Asexual Daryl Dixon, Asexual Character, Very Slow Development of Relationships, Because Trauma is Heavy, But They're Very Genuine Developments, Daryl Dixon Smokes, He Teaches One to Smoke, long chapters, Daryl Dixon is Trying His Best, Suicidal Thoughts, real conversations, Bonding, Explicit Language, Insecure Daryl Dixon, Daryl and One Play Tic Tac Toe, I Miss Marco, Angst, Rick Grimes Is a Good Dad, One is Barely Holding it Together, Slow Burn, for everything, Found Family, Fluff, owen is insane, Healing, Pining Daryl Dixon, Protective Rick Grimes, Mania, Sad and Sweet, Nonbinary Main Character, LGBTQ Themes, Building Forts Has Become A Love Language, Obsessive Behavior, Attempt at Humor, BAMF Rick Grimes, Slight Canon Divergence, Rick Grimes is Not Mentally Stable, No Really - Rick Grimes is Not Stable At All, Owen is The Plague