Author's Note: So I don't listen to the much country music but sometimes when I hear a song it makes me think of Caryl, maybe because TWD takes place in Georgia? Probably. But here is a one shot I just sort of got stuck in my head and wanted to write. I'm not quite sure but this might sort of tie in with my other fic, if it does it will probably be a new chapter in that story (and I will update that soon, promise!). So this is fic is inspired by Luke Bryan's "Drunk on You" and will take place before they find the prison. I think I will do one more inspired by "In Love With the Girl" that will take place after they find the prison.
Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of its characters and I also do not own Luke Bryan or any of his songs.
Winter had passed with great turmoil and running around. It was presumably late June or early July based on the excruciating daily heat that sweltered but it was really too hard to tell for sure. While they hadn't quite found a completely safe and/or permanent residence yet but they had found a small two story lake-house on the outskirts of the woods. It was relatively small but they found it about three weeks prior and anything was better after being on the run for so many months. They knew they would have to find something permanent for the upcoming autumn and winter seasons. They could only take so much running around and Lori would be due at any time in the fall. Plus the lake was a great way to keep cool and somewhat clean in the dire heat.
Lori sat next to the shallow end of the lake on top of a large boulder as she and Beth worked away at cleaning the week's grimy laundry. Carol was inside getting things ready to start cooking for the fish fry they were planning on having later in the night, they just hoped it would go better than the previous one at the quarry back in Atlanta. T-Dog was on watch on one of the house's balconies that jutted out from one of the upstairs bedrooms. Rick and Daryl were off hunting and/or making sure there were no walkers or any other threat in close proximity. Glenn and Maggie were off somewhere enjoying their alone time and Hershel and Carl sat on the lake's dock fishing for the night's dinner.
After getting the food ready to be cooked on the fire when everyone got back Carol walked out to the home's small covered porch. The house was quaint and tight but it was the best place they were able to find, being secluded and all. It only had two bedrooms (that of which were taken by Glenn and Maggie in one and Lori, Carl, and Rick in the other) but the living room was large enough for all of them to sleep as long as someone was on watch. It wasn't fully stocked when they found it but there were an array of left over canned goods and a few bottles of homemade wine they found in the pantry that they would be partaking in at the fish fry or whatever it was they were planning on doing later. She took in a deep breath enjoying the calm that surrounded them at the moment; she knew it couldn't last forever so she might as well appreciate it.
"Need any help?" She asked Lori and Beth as she walked up to where the other females were sitting.
"Sure always can." Lori said handing some of the wet clothes to Carol. "We're about done washing but you can start hanging the clothes up to dry." Carol nodded and began hanging the clothes on the makeshift clothes line they had fashioned out of two tress that sat near the lake and some rope.
"Catch anything?" Carol heard Beth ask; she looked up she saw Daryl and Rick walking out of the woods towards where the three women were finishing up the laundry.
"Caught a few squirrels but that's bout' it." Daryl stated, a man a few words.
"Did you have to kill any walkers?" Lori asked still unsure of how safe the area was, especially after the last time they had thought they settled in a seemingly calm place. Plus her and Rick weren't getting along the greatest, always questioning one another.
"Only two, its safe here for the time being, let's try to enjoy it." Rick replied, slightly annoyed with his wife's constant questioning. With that he walked into the log house.
"Can you do somethin' with these?" Daryl asked coming up to Carol, holding up about four or five squirrels that were attached to one another on a string. She nodded.
"Course, I think Hershel and Carl caught a few fish today. We should be set."
"Alright, want me to go skin em' then?" He asked, wanting to be helpful so she wasn't forced to do it all herself.
"That'd be great. I should be done with this in a few minutes so I can start cooking." He nodded and walked off to go skin the squirrels.
A few hours later everyone except Rick (who had volunteered to keep watch while the others ate) was gathered around the fire they had made enjoying each other's company. They were telling stories of life before the world started to be overcome with cannibals. While everyone else sat and ate Daryl had a hard time not letting his eyes wander to Carol cooking the fish and squirrel everyone had caught earlier in the day. When she wasn't cooking she was sitting next to him on one side with Lori on the other. He was thoroughly impressed with how far she had come over the last few months, especially after the death of her daughter they had so vigorously looked for.
"Guys we almost forgot about the wine in the pantry!" Glenn said, remembering the alcohol that was in the house.
"I'll go in and grab it. Here let me take your plates." Carol said as she gathered everyone's plates and silverware before walking up the porch steps and into the house. Daryl wanted to help so he took the remaining plates and was only a few steps behind her. Carol placed the contents of her arms into the bucket of water in the sink. She grabbed the two bottles of wine and was turned around just as something else was walking into the small kitchen doorwary.
"AHH!" She yelped before realizing it was only Daryl. "Oh my gosh it's just you Daryl, thank God. You scared me."
"Sorry didn't realize, just tryin' to help bring the dishes in." He said placing the dishes into the bucket as well.
"No its fine ya' just caught me off guard. Come on let's go see if maybe we can have a little fun." She said as she walked back outside, smiling to herself thinking about him just wanting to be helpful. That was just his nature, no matter how much he tried to fight it. She knew in that moment for some reason that she had feelings for him that were a little more than friendship. He really was a really friend, although the group had become more of a family than friends and she liked that especially since hers was gone. But she had a feeling that whatever she felt for him might be different than what she felt for say Glenn. She didn't know for sure at the moment but she assumed that in time whatever was going on between the two of them (because sometimes neither of them even knew what was going on with each other) would become more apparent.
"A'right." He said in his gruff southern voice. They went back to where everyone else was. Hershel was now on watch. Maggie, Glenn, Carol, Daryl, T-Dog and Rick all partook in the wine drinking. Beth began singing and a tipsy Maggie and Carol joined in and began dancing with one another enjoying the pressure free environment, even Glenn joined in with the dancing while the others watched and laughed.
Daryl couldn't help but feel happy when he looked at Carol, he couldn't explain what he was feeling because he had never really felt like he was currently feeling. But when he saw Carol he knew he had to watch out for her and take care of her. She was important to him for some reason and he didn't understand why but he knew he had to.
Soon some of the people (Rick, Glenn, Carol, Maggie, and even Daryl) who were drunk were complaining of the heat that still lingered in the nighttime air and began stripping down in to the bare necessities and began wading in the water while the others continued to laugh at the drunken antics.
"Are all people who drink this crazy mom?" Carl asked his mother, amused by the adults acting more childish than Carl himself.
"Yes Carl. And this is one reason you shouldn't drink, its way more entreating to watch people who are drunk." Lori told her son. "Come on let's get to bed, it's getting late." Lori said standing up while trying to keep her balance with her ever growing pregnant belly. Her, Carl, Beth, and T-Dog all trickled inside while the rest of the group were acting tipsy in the water. Hershel just chuckled to himself as he watched the chaos ensuing from people who could relatively control themselves.
Daryl sat on one of the large boulders splashing everyone in the water, but no matter how tipsy he was feeling (he didn't get drunk, he was a man who could handle his liquor) he couldn't keep his eyes off of Carol in her drunken state giggling and hiccupping with Maggie and Glenn, none of which who could hold their liquor. Rick was distancing himself on another boulder near the edge of the lake, nursing one of the bottles. But he barley even noticed he just kept looking at her like his eyes were magnets wanting to attach to her. Soon everyone was heading inside Maggie and Glenn passed him getting out of the water Carol trailing behind them. She stopped by him and gave him a simple peck on the cheek "Night Daryl." She laughed and his cheeks went red as he looked down in embarrassment. She was obviously drunk but for some reason he felt like she knew exactly what she was doing.
AN: So maybe not that much Caryl but I don't think they did anything romantic too much before the prison I think their relationship is way stronger now (friendship and romantically) and if I write the other one it will be after the prison and more Caryl-y so please REVIEW! Thanks!