Author's Note: Thank you for the lovely, lovely comments regarding Man of Honour, Woman of Worth. I'll probably revisit that universe at some point because Carol kicking a little bit of arse rocks. Welcome back to Swift Retreats! This follows some mentions of things that happened during Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. Massive love if you get the title, clue is in the story! :)
TWDTWDTWD
Carol had been thinking about Daryl's birthday for sometime. It was January, but she remembered his comment to her about how he didn't get any special treatment for his birthday when she made a cake for Beth. She didn't even know the date, only that it was sometime between when she met him and November, when Beth's birthday was. He hadn't mentioned it since. He probably figured she wouldn't have even remembered the comment, on account of her being reasonably drunk when he made it.
She remembered though. Trouble was, what could she do for it? She knew he'd be furious if she made a fuss in front of the others. He hated attention at the best of times. He hardly spoke to anyone without them pushing for conversation. Just her, and Rick. He was slowly becoming the second in command for the former sheriff, a role he reluctantly took, although he was good at it. He didn't speak all that often, but when he did, everyone listened.
And what did you give a man who wanted nothing? She'd made him that scarf at Christmas and he wore it outside every day, but it was a practical item and there was nothing else he didn't have.
She was disturbed from her thoughts when he entered their bedroom though, snow freckling his shoulders and hair. It was late, but Hershel had spotted a stray Walker on his watch on the top floor and Daryl and Rick had been dispatched to take care of it. They were lucky up in this area. Walkers were few and far between, the area was remote and the cold weather meant they were far less of a danger than they had been in the summer.
"You ok?" She turned away from the window, where she'd been keeping an eye out for them, she pulled the cardigan tighter around her, she was only wearing a long flannel shirt and some socks underneath.
"S'easy. Missin' a leg and both arms." He unwound the scarf from his neck, hanging it behind the door, next to Carol's outerwear, quickly followed by his coat. She shuddered at the thought of the misshapen Walker, how it had probably spent weeks making it's way to the lodge. He brushed past her on his way into the bathroom with clean clothes, kicking his boots off as he went.
Carol sighed, picking them up and lining them up under the window sill with hers. No matter how many times she asked him, told him or chastised him, he could never seem to line his boots up tidy and as a result she was constantly tripping over them. She shrugged her cardigan off, before climbing into bed, resuming her reading until he joined her.
She was definitely going to make a cake, she mused. He'd like that, especially if it was all for him. The gift though, that would be a little harder. She jumped a little when she heard a slam from outside the room, footsteps thundering down the hall. Rick and Lori, arguing again. They'd been having little spats for weeks now, hormones raging on Lori's part and short-tempered tiredness on Rick's. Carol didn't even try to keep up with them anymore.
"Every fuckin' sound travels in the place." Daryl grumbled as he stepped out of the bathroom. "It's like livin' on Jerry Springer with that harpy." He jerked his head towards the door.
"She's having a hard time." Carol sighed. "It'll get better." Daryl only grunted at her, not believing a word she said. Lori Grimes never seemed to get better. He was only glad he didn't have to share a room with her.
"Come spring, we're goin' in one of them lodges." He told her, drawing back his side of the covers. She smiled at that. She liked that he thought of them as a single entity. If it weren't for her, he'd already be in one of them, but those lodges were freezing. They had fireplaces, but they needed constant work to keep going and they didn't have proper kitchens. Plus, Carol liked being with other people. When the weather was warmer, she'd gladly go into one, it wouldn't be such a chore to go back and forth to the main house. They could all do with a bit of privacy.
Privacy was definitely an issue for all of them. Often the cause of most arguments in the lodge. It was the reason why she and Daryl hadn't had sex. He definitely wanted to, she knew that. She felt that. She could even consider herself guilty of provoking such a reaction when she knew it couldn't go anywhere, just to see him get all worked up. It felt good knowing she could do that to him, although he often cursed at her when she did. There had only ever been Ed. She wouldn't pretend that the thought of sleeping with someone new didn't make her nervous, because it terrified her, but she wanted to. Oh, how she wanted to.
Every time they came close, something came up. Maybe foot steps thundering down the hall, someone shouting a Walker sighting or a call for Carol to come tend to some kitchen disaster. Carl didn't sleep in the room anymore, having taken Daryl's bed in T-Dog's room, but he frequently burst in unannounced, loudly hammering on the door if it was locked. Beth was another that never seemed to feel the need to announce her arrival. She was still prone to fits of depression, bouts of crying that could last hours and she often came to Carol's lap, seeming so much younger than her eighteen years.
Eventually, they just gave up. Daryl whined and moaned about it every single day. He was not used to this sort of familiarity with so many people. He wanted people to fear him, give him a wide berth, but no-one would, not even the younger ones. Maybe it was because they'd gotten familiar with him, or perhaps because he often was by Carol's side, the woman who was his polar opposite. Carol loved the hustle and bustle of the little lodge. This was their family and being needed was a feeling she enjoyed. Of course, it didn't mean she wouldn't like just a little privacy on occassion.
She slid her feet against his calves as he settled down, jamming her hands under his shirt to keep them warm. He was like her personal hot water bottle and she loved that they complimented each other in that way, even though he'd pretend it was irritating. His hands found his way around her, folding her under him, as was his way.
She murmured goodnight to him and he responded with a kiss, first to her ear, then her neck and finally her shoulder, like he did every night.
Just as she started to drift off, she figured out what her gift to him could be.
TWDTWDTWD
She was glad she hadn't set herself a deadline. Daryl wanted privacy, so for one night only, Carol would give him privacy. The small cabins that were scattered around the main lodge were mostly unused, two of the nearest housed supplies, but the others simply gathered dust. She picked one at the back of the lodge, where her tracks in the snow were less likely to be spotted.
Carol quickly realised though, that she wouldn't be able to keep her plans secret for long. Rule number one in the lodge would be broken immediately if she tried. Always let people know where you were. No-one could risk wandering off in case Walkers came sniffing around. She picked her allies carefully. Somebody who would stand to benefit from a little sneaking around. The only other couple who felt the need to hide a little were Maggie and Glenn, out of respect for her father. Glenn cracked easily under pressure, but Maggie on the other hand, was excellent at being sneaky.
"I need a favour from you." Carol approached her one morning, when she was alone on guard duty in the penthouse, where the walls were mostly glass. They didn't bother with night watches anymore, usually just in the morning, if Daryl went out, keeping an eye on the edge of the forest.
She'd come bearing a cup of tea, hoping to sweeten her offer a little.
"Sure." Maggie shrugged, coming away from the window. "What's up?"
"It's a secret. I don't want to make a fuss, you know how Daryl hates it..." She began, twisting her fingers around.
"Oh my god, are you pregnant?" Maggie blurted out, sloshing a little of her tea onto the floor.
"What? No! Why would you even think that?" She was astonished that something like that would even cross the younger girl's mind. Even though they probably assumed that she and Daryl were at it like rabbits, like she herself and Glenn were. She shook her head without waiting for a response. "I want to celebrate his birthday. Quietly."
"Oh. Right. Sure. When is it?" Maggie took a sip of her tea, regaining her composure.
"It's been. The date isn't really relevant. I just wanted to do something. I was gonna clean out one of the cabins." She walked over to the window, pointing to the one she intended. "Just one night, it's too cold to live down there, really. He hates that we all live so close together. He's not used to it." She explained.
"Sounds lovely. What d'you need me to do?"
"I can only get things ready when he's out hunting or busy with Rick, you know. It's the only time I get alone. It'll take me weeks if I just use that time. And I thought, if you could help, maybe we could keep the fire burning for you and Glenn to have some time?"
Maggie's face lit up at Carol's suggestion. "Really? That would be amazin'. Glenn is always worried about my dad walkin' in on us." The younger girl gave a definitive nod of her head. "Count me in."
TWDTWDTWD
It took a week, all in all. Between them, Carol and Maggie managed to dust down the entire cabin, change the bedding and prepare the wood for fire, ready to be lit as soon as Carol was ready to go. She'd snuck down a bottle of his favourite bourbon and a bottle of wine for herself and even managed to bake an instant cake for him, slathering it in the frosting that she knew he loved. Carol counted herself lucky that the men avoided any sort of cooking and Lori was still feeling nauseous around certain smells, so that the cake could be made in peace, stored right at the back of the pantry until she could squirrel it away in the cabin.
Or the Love Shack, as Maggie had taken to calling it. Carol giggled the first time she heard the name. She supposed it was true. She was intending to make full use of time they had there. Daryl wasn't the only one who had needs. She just wasn't sure she had them until she had started to set the wheels in motion for her masterplan.
"You're actin' weird." Daryl told her from the bed as she hopped up to get changed that morning. She'd decided, tonight was the night.
"What do you mean?" She asked, feigning innocence. She knew her behaviour was a little off. She couldn't lie to save her damned life. She distracted him by stripping off her pajama top in front of him to put her bra on. If that didn't work then nothing would.
He groaned as he pulled himself out the bed and dragged himself to her, running his fingertips over her sides, sliding the very tips just under the waistband of her pajama bottoms. "Ya are bein' weird." He told her, pressing his lips to her bare shoulder.
She heard the noises of others getting up in the lodge, she could definitely could hear Carl hollering at his father about making toast for breakfast. She sighed and pressed a kiss to his forehead before pulling away to pull her arms through her shirt. "You're imagining things." She told him, hoping that was the end of that. She heard the sound of her name being called from downstairs.
Daryl harrumphed and slumped onto the edge of the bed, dragging her with him by her shirt tails. "Can't wait for Spring." He mumbled as he began to do up her buttons for her and she laughed lightly.
"I know, I know."
TWDTWDTWD
The day seemed to drag. Carol had managed to slip away to put the finishing touches on the cabin. The cake was sitting on the table in the bathroom, she even managed to find a candle. She planned on changing her outfit in there when they got down there, presenting herself and the cake at the same time.
She initially intended on wearing her blue and peach satin pajamas. Nothing particularly seductive or sexy, but the best she had and she knew Daryl liked them. But then Maggie pulled her trump card, a wine coloured chemise with the tags still on it. Where the girl found it, she didn't know, but she took it gratefully. Maggie had claimed it to be a little "prim" but Carol begged to differ. It hit her mid-thigh, with a little spaghetti straps and tiny little rosebuds trimming the sweetheart neckline. If Daryl liked the pajamas, then she wondered if he would faint at the sight of the skimpy sleepwear.
She prepared dinner as usual, Maggie had helpfully gone and started the fire ready so that when they went down there it would be warm. It was lasagne with homemade bread, one of her favourite dishes to make. She dished up quickly, everyone was scattered about the place, not seeming to want to gather at the table, for which she was grateful.
She served up her own and Daryl's, grabbing his wrist as he made his way to the table to dish his portion up like everyone else. She thrust his plate at him and nodded her head towards the reception of the lodge and she was grateful when he didn't question it. She stuffed her feet in her snowboots quickly, throwing on one of the winter coats they kept by the door and he followed suit, picking up a knife from the reception desk when he saw where she was headed.
"Are you crazy, woman? It's freezin'." He told her as she silently moved through the snow. She turned and raised an eyebrow at him, before carrying on. When the cabin came into view, he lurched to a stop.
"What's goin' on?" He asked her. She opened the door and held it open for him and he followed her in.
"I'll be back in a minute." She dropped her plate onto the table before heading straight into the bathroom. Her hands were shaking as she stripped off her clothes and slipped on the chemise. She didn't know why she was so nervous. She had slept in the same bed as this man for months. She trusted him over anyone else in the world. Carol splashed her face with water before fiddling with the matches to light the candle on the cake.
With one final deep breath, she straightened the straps of the chemise and opened the door, cake balanced in one hand. Daryl was sitting at the table, picking at his food, his fork mid way to his mouth when he clocked her. His jaw dropped and Carol couldn't stop a small smile of victory.
"Happy birthday." She told him, moving towards him. He dropped his fork to his plate with a clang. He seemed mesmerised by the sight of her.
"Not that I ain't happy 'bout this in any way, but my birthday was September." His eyes travelled the length of her as he spoke.
She let out a soft laugh and sat beside him, pushing his plate aside to set down the cake. "I know. But I told you I'd give you a belated present. Make a wish."
He looked at her in a way which she couldn't decipher, odd because she could usually read him like a book, before he blew out the candle. He dipped his finger in the frosting, sucking it from his finger like a child.
She leant over to kiss him and he stood up meet her, crushing his mouth on hers. A kiss so fervent that he almost knocked her off her feet, he snaked an arm round her waist to hold her up. His hands roamed up and down the satin of the chemise, resting on the curve of her ass, pressing her tight to him.
"Where do you keep hidin' these fuckin' things?" He growled at her, before sucking her bottom lip between his teeth. He tightened his grip on her ass, pulling her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist so he could support her weight. He managed to get to the bed, throwing himself down so she was astride him. He began running his hands over her, kissing as much of her bare skin that he could reach.
"You don't want to let your dinner get cold." She breathed at him, laughing at his sudden enthusiasm.
"Don't wanna let you get cold." He mumbled into her skin. "You may as well be naked in this fuckin' scrap."
"Ok." And with that she tugged at the bottom of the chemise, pulling it over her head and throwing it to the floor.
He let out a guttural moan as she pressed her lips to his, pushing him back on the bed. Their tongues fought for dominance and she used her arms to prop herself up on the bed. Without even realising she was doing it, she ground against him, feeling him grow even harder beneath her.
He gripped her arms so tightly she was convinced he would leave bruises and flipped them so she was beneath him. As she hit the blankets, she burst into giggles when a cloud of heart shaped sequins flew up, landing all over her. Damn Maggie, she thought to herself, she was going to kill her. It took all of two seconds though, for her to forget who Maggie even was when his tongue left her mouth to roam south, sucking at her neck like a lovestruck teenager. She clutched his shirt front tightly, pushing it up over his head and he broke contact long enough only to tug the offending garment off.
As his lips returned to her skin and trailed down to the swell of her breast, she let out a soft moan and wondered why the hell she had waited so long for this unimaginable bliss.
TWDTWDTWD
It took several hours, but they finally made it to the cake. He brought the plate over to the bed, as well as the wine and liquor, which they drunk straight from the bottles. Carol was mildly repulsed with her uncouth behaviour, especially when Daryl tore the cake apart with his fingers, stuffing it in her mouth. But then she realised, she was sitting naked, eating her evening meal at one am, looking like she'd been attacked, with the amount of marks on her skin. Marks that he made with his fingers, teeth and tongue. All pretensions of ladylike behaviour were out the window.
As he piled up more wood on the dying fire, she finally pulled the covers back, it was freezing in the cabin. She was covered in the tiny red sequins that scattered the bed covers and the floor, they clung to her skin like ticks and when she removed a few, she noticed they left tiny little tattoo-like imprints on her skin.
He joined her under the covers, kissing her softly now, his eyelids were heavy and she could see he was as exhausted as she. She picked sequins out of his hair but gave up quickly when she realised it would be a futile effort.
She let him wrap his arms around her, tangling his limbs with hers. She wanted more. A round four, or was it five? She couldn't recall, but for now, they had to rest.
"Happy birthday." She murmured into his forearm, he'd wound himself round her neck.
"Best fuckin' birthday ever." He whispered to her. "Dunno how the fuck I'm gonna top this for yours."
They finally got out of the bed officially, at what she thought might be lunchtime. She did her best to clean up the place somewhat, a tricky task when Daryl followed her around throwing his arms around her, trying to drag her back into the warmth of the duvets.
"They're going to think we got eaten by bears if we don't show our faces soon." She told him, as she plumped the pillows. She left the sequins where they'd fallen, she hoped they would be as much a nusiance to Maggie and Glenn as they were to she and Daryl.
"I don't give a crap." He mumbled into her shoulder, trying to pull plates from her hands.
"I promised Maggie that they could take our place." She told him, finally getting the cabin door open. The cold air hit her face like a stinging slap.
"Like they could ever have it as good as us." He told her, in her ear as they hurried up to the main lodge.
"I think we need to put an extra lock on our door." She replied as they entered the house, the noise hit them straight away, she could hear lunch being made. The thought made her stomach rumble. Beth came rushing down the stairs and lurched to a stop when she saw them.
"Where have you two been?" She asked them accusingly.
"Just getting some peace and quiet." Carol replied, swatting away Daryl's hand, which had crept to her butt, unbeknown to Beth.
"Then why are you covered in glitter hearts?" She flicked one from Daryl's shoulder before heading towards the kitchen, clearly not bothered with the answer.
"Think we can call it your birthday every week?" Carol asked Daryl as he put the knife back on the reception desk and tugged off his coat.
"Damn straight." He replied, pulling her towards the stairs.