Disclaimer: I don't own AMC's The Walking Dead or any of its characters, wishful thinking aside.

Authors Note #1: A companion piece to "I am destruction (decay and desire)" – which is Carol's pov of view on the same event, as described below.

Warnings: Like my first soul bond story, this drabble will touch on elements of the 'soul mate,' 'fated,' 'one love bond' idea, only this one is a bit different - centering around the idea of 'identifying marks.' The premise is that your soul mate's first words to you are tattooed somewhere on your body. *Contains: pre-series-canon season one, adult language, young!daryl, mild adult content, references to Daryl's past (child abuse, violence, neglect and Merle), very vague reference to possible non-consent. Pointed references into ingrained homophobia and stubborn idiots that won't love each other even though they should.