Daryl stepped back at the obvious way Simon was cowing to him and changing his tone. Good. Teach him to accuse him of doing something to someone that he said he wouldn't. He made a noise somewhere between a grunt and a scoff, "I talked to her. Sat her down and explained that your life needed to be kept a secret from people who ain't never encountered it before. Same as the lives of the rest of us. That you're a..."

He looked down at his feet and crossed his arms, coughing slightly, "you're a good kid."

Another cough and he sucked in a deep breath, looking to the side, "Woulda done the same for anyone in that situation. Didn't make her your soulmate or any fairy tale bullshit like she was making it out to mean."

He'd also spent most of a whole day with her, just talking through the shit she'd been through. How she'd been dumped by her fiancee prior to getting as drunk as she had and stumbling out on those tracks. How she'd been looking for anything to make life feel like it was still worth living. Gave her his number and address instead. Just to talk. Daryl made it clear he wasn't interested in her, but if she wanted someone to talk to, she had better options than a kid that wanted nothing to do with her because he she scared him shitless.

"She got the message," he finished simply, avoiding further details as he met Simon's eyes again.