Story Summary:
Nobody thought Daryl would propose, let alone get punched for his efforts.
Chapter Summary:
Daryl gets punched by 3 people in under 10 minutes.
Daryl's head hurt. Fuck that – it killed. He had been in his share of bar brawls before, but had never been hit by three people in under ten minutes where Merle wasn't involved. He puked in the bushes and shook his head trying to clear it. Fuckin' ouch. Clearly any shaking of the head was not the way to go here. He comforted himself in the knowledge that that Jerry dude had over a hundred pounds on his skinny ass. He sighed trying to think about where he went wrong today.
He thought back to just over an hour ago. Life had been easier then – before he had let his mouth follow his head into stupidity. Simpler. He had known what he had to do. Marriage in an apocolypse was a bit different then before. The apocolypse had brought with it a new definition of family, and to Daryl's way of thinking, a different way of doing things. Marriage was not something he had ever thought about before the turn. He just knew that the baby needed him. That's what he had overheard Maggie and Carol talking about a couple days ago.
All he knew was that he figured that by the time the day rolled around for him to bring a diamond ring back through those gates of Hilltop with the intention of proposing – well, he just thought that would be a better day alltogether. From outside he could still hear the crying coming from inside Barrington House. It had been at least an hour since he took refuge outside. He wondered how much longer it would take before he could enter the house and still live?
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Maggie hadn't meant to eavesdrop on Daryl. OK, she did, but when she heard him mumbling to himself about the meaning of marriage in this world that had been turned to shit, she hadn't been able to stop smiling. The next day she heard it again, and thought the boy had finally grown some balls to man up to Carol. Glenn had called it back at the farm, again at the prison, and talked endlessly of it when they were on the road after Terminus. Even when they were at Alexandria and Carol had partnered up with Tobin, he still talked about Daryl and Carol's unrequited true love. It was on the third day that Daryl went on a run by himself without talking to her or Rick about it. She had only heard about it when she checked in with the morning guardsmen that she learned Daryl was on his way to a strip mall for something he needed. Good boy she thought. She, being a woman who loved to shop prior to the turn and scavenge post turn, knew that where there was a strip mall, there was at least two jewelry stores. Hope he knows to get her somethin' good.
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Rick was at the gates when Daryl returned. Knowing better than to read him the riot act for going out alone, he just let things be and changed directions. He knew if he tried to talk to him now, his mouth would give Daryl a piece of his mind for being so reckless. Yes, Negan and the Saviors were gone a month or more now, but there were still unsavory characters out there. When Daryl started talking to Jerry, Rick stopped and observed the body language taking place. Interest piqued at Daryl's red face and Jerry's overzealous man hug of the redneck, he stepped behind the nearby shed and listened.
"Dude! Proposing?! Seriously? Can I be in the wedding?"
"Don't know if she'll want a real wedding or not. Why would you want to be in it anyways?" With that Daryl scoffed off, not realizing he had just simultaneously hurt Jerry's feelings and confused Rick.
Rick knew that Daryl and Carol were meant to be together, but also knew that they weren't. Not like Daryl would confide in him, but Carol had. She hadn't said much, but had asked his opinion on if she should push things with Daryl. He of course had said it was up to her, but was hoping she would. That was just this morning though so knew that she hadn't done anything as of yet. So why would Daryl be proposing? Time to strap his deputy dawg on and figure shit out. Sure it chafed a bit at the crotch now, but being an investigator was something he missed.
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"So the way I figure it, we family need to stick together."
"That part I understand Daryl."
"Family's all we got."
"Still understanding you Daryl."
"So, what'll it be?"
"This is your idea of a proposal of what exactly?"
"Ain't suggestin' we drop down and do the horizontal mambo or nothin right this second or anything, but -"
"This second? What about an hour from now, a day from now, in the future."
"I uh . . . . "
"You what Dixon!?"
"Just figured it's what needs to be done."
"Now that's a marriage proposal to write home about."
Just then, a horrified gasp sounded from the cracked open doorway. Daryl and Maggie whirled around from their discussions on Daryl's proposal to see a fleeing Carol.
"Carol, WAIT!" yelled Daryl.
"You asshole!" Maggie yelled and punched him.
End notes:
This will be a short fic of 3-5 chapters. It is mostly written, so updates will be fast.