It might be stranger, more conflicting, if Daryl was remotely used to being mothered. He was young enough when his died that what pleasant, caring memories he has are dulled by time. Mostly it was just his father and Merle, neither very present, which sometimes was for the best. He's not that used to any kind of nurturing, which makes it hard to pinpoint what his reactions to it mean. Which is a large part of why this is so goddamn confusing if he lets himself try to sort it out, try to find some way to make sense of it by the standards of society.

But society's gone and they're not. When he lets himself remember that things are infinitely simpler.

He gives her a long look as she asks and clarifies, hesitates just a little. He can't help the occasional deer-in-the-headlights moment. But after that moment, he nods, hums a vague affirmative and shifts so he's sat more solidly on the end of the bed. Truth is, he understands exactly what she means.

"Maybe none of us should be."