requested by drcloyd on tumblr! my prompts were "tactile" and "under the influence" :) you can find me on tumblr as thatsmygvn, link in my profile!
No one drank often. It wasn't a luxury they could typically afford. Drinking meant an inherent lowering of inhibitions and attentiveness. It meant slower reflexes and reaction time, and when death was only a second away on a good day, that wasn't a combination you wanted.
But sometimes - sometimes - it was worth it.
When Rick asked Michonne to be his wife, it was worth it.
There wasn't an official wedding, not like there would have been before, but Maggie read to them the same passages her father read for herself and Glenn. Carl stood to the side with Judith on his hip and Enid on his other side, their hands locked together between them.
Jesus teased that he should be the one to wed them, but he knew he would never want to come between the group that had known each other since the beginning.
He sipped his drink carefully, not wanting to make a fool of himself on their special day, but after the ceremony he stopped worrying.
Daryl caught his eyes, smiling a ways away from the happy couple. It was a strange sight, but welcome nonetheless. He looked younger when he smiled, less haunted by his past.
He made his way towards him with no clear plan in mind, only drawn by the other man's pleasant mood. The alcohol in his system made him feel warm inside, and it was this he blamed his nerves on.
"What are you doing all alone on this beautiful day?" he asked Daryl, a smiling teasing his lips.
Daryl shook his head. "I ain't drunk enough to deal with you," he mused.
His smiling widening, Jesus nudged Daryl with his shoulder. "But later you will be?"
He said nothing, but the warm look in his eyes was answer enough.