So, I celebrate follower milestones on Tumblr with prompted fluffy happy ficlettes. The lovely and wonderful subversivegrrl gave me a prompt that I am not going to lie, sorta kicked my ass. It took me forever to think of what/how they would play a game on the road, but I think I figured it out. It also turned out a bit longer than expected so there is that also… Hope you like.
I own nothing more than some sweet memorabilia.
Pink Pine Tree
The game began simply. Glenn had been uncomfortably waiting with everyone else as Lori and Rick had another heated argument on the side of the road watching Carl try to keep his tears at bay. Maggie was standing with her arm around Beth, who still seemed vacant after losing her home. They had been driving around for weeks with no end in sight and it was taking its toll on the group.
Glenn pulled Carl, Beth and Maggie over to the car he had been sharing with the Greene family. After rifling through the glove compartment for a moment he triumphantly pulled out an old, worn out strawberry scented pine tree. "I want to play a game. We try to sneak this onto someone and uh… the loser is whoever has it when we make camp at night. Sorta like Hot Potato." Glenn grabbed at Carl's hat, dropped the tree in and plopped the hat back down on his head.
"That sounds dumb" Carl scrambled to take the tree out of his hat and hooked its little elastic tie Beth's earring.
Beth giggled, "No it doesn't! What happens to the loser?" She struggled to unhook the tree from her earring for a moment before slipping it into Maggie's shirt pocket.
Maggie grabbed the tree quickly then leaned forward and kissed Glenn on the cheek, while sneaking her hand around and depositing the tree into his back pocket. "How about the loser has to eat out of the unmarked cans box?"
"But no trading!" Carl added.
"I thought you said it was dumb." Beth grinned at him.
"There is nothing better to do. I guess it could be cool…" Carl tried to explain.
The argument between the Grimes seemed to have reached a resting place, and the rest of the group piled back into the vehicles. The little tree passed ownership many times through out the day, eventually by the time the group was setting camp up Maggie had snuck it into Beth's pony tail with out her noticing. The four playing the silly made up game gathered around the box of unmarked cans.
"So, who lost?" Glenn asked.
"I don't have it!" Maggie laughed.
"Me either!" Beth chirped.
"Uh… Beth? That's not exactly true…" Carl gestured to her hair.
"What?" She ran her hands into her hair, pulling the cardboard tree out. "Damn!" She smiled and plucked a can right out of the middle of the box. After opening what turned out to be diced pears in heavy syrup she gladly plopped herself next to the fire to eat, giggling with almost every bite. Each little giggle causing Carl, Glenn and Maggie give a little laugh back.
"What's so funny?" Hershel asked while the rest of the group watched the four laughing over a can of pears. They each took turns trying to explain the game that they had invented, passing it the next person when their laughing became too much.
"Well, count me in. I never loose anything though!" T-Dog exclaimed.
"Now Theodore. You may have to loose since I'll play too." Hershel smiled.
Carol and Lori quickly agreed to play as well, both noting it was nice to see the kids smiling again. While Rick and Daryl were walking the perimeter unaware of the joviality happening at the fireside.
The next evening at camp T-dog sat grimacing at an open can of garbanzo beans, his least favorite.
"Whatcha problem T? You don't like chic peas? Why'dya get something out that box anyway, nuthin' in there got a label." Daryl sat next to him cranking open a can of black beans.
"I got the tree… I have to eat these nasty little things." T-dog stuck a spoon full into his mouth with a little gag-cough.
"What's wrong?" Rick sat down on T-dog's other side, "I have green beans, if you want to trade."
"Naw, it's the rules of the game." T shook his head and shoveled as much of the chic peas into his mouth.
"Game?" Rick looked to Daryl who shrugged.
Carol and Lori joined them as T-dog explained the simple game.
"So, while we are running for our lives, could die at any second, ya'll are playing a game?" Daryl scowled.
"Daryl, Look at Carl. Look at Beth. Hell, look around, everyone is smiling." Lori argued.
"Don't matter. It's dumb." Daryl continued to scowl.
"No, It's fun, and the kids need a little stress relief. I need it. We all need it. You should play. Its fun." Carol grinned.
"I ain't playin." he stated.
"Well, if it makes Carl that happy, I'll play." Rick smiled slightly as he watched Carl and Beth animatedly going over the events of the day.
Over the next few weeks everyone had lost a few times except Carol. Beth and Carl seemed to have decided on a truce and worked together to sneak the tree onto other people. Hershel enjoyed losing, as it seemed nothing in the unmarked cans box upset him. T-dog had become slightly paranoid to anyone getting close to him as twice he lost because of the lower pockets on his cargo pants.
Carol seemed to be able to sneak her way around getting the tree and the few times she did get it, she was quick to get rid of it and it was finally becoming noticeable to the group. Carl brought it up around the camp fire one evening.
"Does that make me the Pine Tree Champion?" she asked.
"No! That means I'm going to get you tomorrow!" Carl laughed through his loser can of creamed spinach.
The next day started with Carl sticking the tree around Carol's knife handle while she has her hands full while helping break down camp. She laughed and had it on Lori's wrist within moments. Later when Beth was asking Carol a question about cooking Carl snuck up behind Carol and tried to sneak it into the back of her boot. Before he could get it in without Carol noticing Daryl called out, "Carl, what the hell you doing? Your liable to scare her and have her kick ya' in the gut like a skittish horse."
Carol turned to see Carl crouched down on the ground by her feet and laughed. "No fair!" Carl grumbled.
"Hey, if its fair that you and Beth team up on everyone, then its fair I got her back." Daryl chuckled. "Carol, you riding with me today?" He gestured with his head to the bike.
"Yeah…" Carol took a few steps then turned to the two kids. She whispered "Give me the tree". With a confused face Carl handed it to Carol.
"You know, if you are going to call those kids out in their game, then I think that means you are playing."
"Whatever. Just get on…" he shook his head at her. As they kicked off Carol wrapped her arms around his waist and quickly slipped the tree into the inside pocket of his jacket. Giving Carl and Beth a grin as they watched her pull one over on Daryl.
The rest of the day, with every stop that the group made Daryl stood guard over Carol. He walked her out into the trees to relieve herself. He helped her gather and carry back water jugs. He helped collect the washing for the day. He put himself between her and anyone asking her anything.
The more Carol watched him put himself in the way of anyone who could possibly be trying to sneak up on her with the tree the more she felt bad about tricking him. When Rick pulled his car behind an old gas station and mentioned that it seemed to be a good place to hole up for the night, Carol panicked a little. Daryl got off the bike to help with the initial sweep of the gas station.
"Um… Daryl?" She called him back to her. He turned back as she threw herself around him, making him flinch. "Thank you for protecting me today." She spit out awkwardly while slipping her hand into his pocket and stealing back the stupid little pink tree.
He had gone stiff as a board when Carol hugged him. He felt every single movement that she made, down to taking something out of his pocket. When she pulled away he saw the pink elastic string around her wrist. He raised his eyebrow at her in question.
"I don't mind losing if it keeps the kids happy. Thanks for everything today though." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
His cheeks pinked as Glenn called out, "Don't let her grab your ass, that's how Maggie always gets me!"
"Shut up" he scoffed before turning back to Rick to help clear the gas station.
That night Carol gladly showed off the air freshener as she picked out an unlabeled can that happened to be her favorite beef stew. She commented a bit on the situation, "Even though I finally lost, I sort of feel like I won too." nudging her shoulder into Daryl's.
"You riding with me again tomorrow?" he asked.
"Sure!" Carol grinned. He reached out and fingered the edge of the air freshener on her wrist.
"Wanna stick it on Glenn tomorrow?" he lifted his eyes to hers and gave a small smirk.
"I believe that is a great idea…"
A/N: Seriously, comments really help motivate me...