It was only once the door was closed that Carol allowed her mask to fall and sighed. This whole Alexandria town thing…. She wanted it to work, but past experiences had taught them that you couldn't take things at face value. Hell, even she was playing the game, and she wondered if people were really blinded by her tales about her wonderful husband (she hoped the bastard rotted in hell) and how much of a people person she was. In all honesty, she was certain type of people person, as in people she liked and trusted, people who had seen her become who she was now, people who hadn't seen it but still accepted that there were things they wouldn't see and had to accept.
She got rid of her soccer mom attire, and entered the shower booth, wanting to wash away everything, starting with the fake smile on her face, and the uncertainties that were always creeping around somewhere. She turned the shower as hot as possible, the steam invading the cabin, and she felt the tension in her shoulders, the one that never really left her diminish to the point where she knew it was there but it was not bothering her.
She let the hot water run, her feet getting wet, but not herself as she was not under the shower head yet. They had lived so long in filth, and could go back any second to it, she didn't want to take anything for granted.
She heard the door of the bathroom open, and she turned around, so surprised she didn't think about covering her naked body.
"Daryl?" She almost squealed.
He was putting down his cross bow, and getting rid of his vest. There was something do absurd about her standing here naked as he removed his own attire, she wanted to laugh but didn't dare, as old habits died hard.
"You said you wanted me to take a shower," He said, as if it made perfect sense.
She watched as he kept on removing his clothes, in full military mode.
"I did say that, but why do I feel like you're twisting my words around?" She answered.
She was still naked, no clothes had magically jumped to cover her frame, and she found out she didn't care. This was who she was. He knew her by heart, even better than she did herself. The shell which held who she was didn't feel to be of such consequence.
"I ain't twisting your words. I just didn't want to take a shower alone. I wanted to take a shower with you."
"Were you afraid the big bad water would harm you?" She joked. "Did you need me around in case it tried to eat you alive?"
"Shush woman," he said, standing naked before her.
She thought about the expression, "naked as the day one was born" but it didn't fit. Daryl hadn't been born this man, with his scars, and his fears which showed sometimes in his body language.
"Watch who you're shush…" She began, raising a finger as if to berate him.
She found herself laughing out loud, and fucking freely, as he all but jumped on her, and got them both under the shower spray. Her hands gripped his arms, and she loved the feel of this man against her. He pushed her back against the wall, and no part of them went untouching.
She laughed some more as he kissed her neck, and her nose, thinking about how ridiculous they must look. He shut her up with a kiss on the lips, and she moved one hand to his hair, his filthy hair, getting cleaner by the minute. He ran his hand up and down her fragile frame, as if he wanted to make sure she was really here, and she just grabbed on tighter, her legs coming around his waist, as he was in fact lifting her up and holding her so, between his hard body and the wall.
She kissed him again, and again, and she moaned against his shoulder when she felt him in her, where she had wanted him for so long.
He was grunting, and she was moaning, and she pushed her head back, tilting it to offer her neck, as their bodies danced a dance they had known all along.
She had a small cry when she reached her climax, and she opened her eyes to find him staring.
"Years of wanting to do this, and this is all I get?" He asked.
Though deliciously tired, she laughed again, and when he pushed back in her, she found out that maybe she wasn't as tired as she had thought she would be.
Soon she was moaning louder and louder, and he along, as the water washed away the remains of the day. She tried to use the cabin wall to steady herself and give him more space as they kept on doing their timeless dance.
When they both came, he rested his head on her shoulder, and she felt like she might melt.
He chuckled and she opened her eyes.
"Don't hose me down in my sleep, you know how to get me to shower now", was all he said, and she laughed along with him, freely.