Thanks for all the support on this new and improved Cut Up Angels. I'm so glad that ya'll are reading and enjoying it! I set the time frame back so I could allow Kristina more time with all the characters, especially Daryl. I'be changed the story line just a little and wrote Daryl the way I think he'd act around an attractive, young female? Who knows. ANYWAY, second revised chapter, lemme know what ya'll think. Review review! Thanks again so much!
"Knock knock." I'm tryna fuckin' sleep an' someone's gon' bother me!? Who the hell did they think they were?
"Th'fuck d'ya want?" I growled, damn near fell on my face when I threw the tent flap open. I stumbled forward and inta the arms of Daryl, who thankfully caught me, grabbin' me underneath th'arms.
"Chill, Lil' Girl, I came ta ask fer a cigarette." He looked down at me, his hands still wrapped underneath my armpits, smirkin' that lil' smirk he had. I gave 'im the stink eye for a minute, pushin' myself upright and brushin' off the front of my shirt.
"Sorry 'bout that. I'm so clumsy I could trip over a cordless phone, I'll tell ya." Daryl just shook his head, that smirk still plastered across his face.
"How 'bout that cigarette?" He raised his eyebrows at me, "Least ya could do, ya know, since I saved yer life an' all." I couldn't help but smile. Felt good too. First time I smiled in I can't even remember how long.
"How 'bout I cut a deal wit' ya?" I offered, rubbin' my hands together. Daryl cocked his head to the side like what a puppy does when you start talkin' to 'em. "I'll give ya two packs, two whole packs, all t'yerself." I held up two fingers, "One pack fer savin' my life an' the other in trade of… oh, I 'unno, a huntin' knife?" I smiled sweetly, battin' my eyelashes at Daryl, tyna be cute.
"Th'fuck ya need a huntin' knife fer?" He took a step back as if I was wieldin' a huntin' knife right now, comin' at him like some sorta crazed mad-woman!
"Oh, I 'unno," I rolled my eyes, "maybe 'cause there is a bunch of dead fuckin' people tryna eat my fuckin' face off!"
"Lil' Girl, wit' me 'round, ya ain't gon' need a huntin' knife." The corners of his mouth turned up again, just slightly as he took a small step towards me. "But, if ya give me a whole pack, I won't lead a walker that strays inta camp directly ta yer tent, sound fair?" He asked, holding out his hand.
"How very kind of you." I grumbled, grabbin' my pack that sat just inside the tent entrance. I grabbed an unopened pack of menthol cigarettes and tossed 'em to Daryl, who caught 'em an' shoved 'em inta his pocket.
"Thanks."
"Welcome." I called ta him while he walked back ta his tent.
Somethin' 'bout Daryl got under my skin. Not in a bad way, like most people do, but in a way that when he turned around, I wished he wouldn't. I wish he'd sit an' talk ta me all night, but from what I seen so far, he ain't the talkin' type. Which I don't blame him fer, most people ain't got the best intentions, start talkin' then next thing ya know, yer heart went an' got all broke. People ain't no good anymore.
"We gotta shower, runnin' water an' everythin' if yer interested." Maggie, Hershel's older daughter said as I crawled outta my tent. It was late mornin', early afternoon by the time my sleepy ass finally woke up. Kinda glad no one woke me up at the crack a dawn to help do chores, I ain't slept that good since I can't even remember!
"Really? That's gotta be the best damn news I've heard in weeks!" My giddiness was evident; runnin' water? Soap? Shampoo? Now, I'm a redneck, born an' raised in the backwoods of Sissonville, West Virginia, ya ain't really gotta choice but ta be a redneck. Just cause I was a hick, don't mean I didn't like bein' clean! Damn, that's one of the things I done missed the most, my shower.
I hobbled my way up ta the farm house, movin' slower than molassas in December, to only be met by the one an' only. Daryl sat on the front porch, cleanin' his beloved crossbow with an old lookin' rag.
"There ever a time when that thing ain't attached ta yer hip?" I tried to tease but he looked at me like I had only one oar in the water! "That was a joke, yer supposed to laugh, or crack a smile, somethin'." I whispered, leanin' against the side of the house.
"Yer only supposed ta do that if the joke someone's tellin' is funny." He snapped back. I held my hands up in surrender and lowered my head.
"Calm down, Rambo! Yer right, I ain't as funny as I like ta think I am." This made the corners of his mouth turn up, givin' me a sideways look while he ran his rag across the bow.
"Ya headed in there ta cook me some fuckin' lunch?" I raised an eye brow at him, crossin' my arms over my chest, as I watched him clean his bow with care and precision.
"Actually, I was gon' take a shower, thank you very much." Again, my 'too-big-for-my-own-britches' attitude surfaced. "Th'fuck do I look like? Yer maid?" If looks could kill, I'd be deader than a doorknob.
"Figured ya be doin' somethin' nice fer the man who saved yer life." He growled, pushin' himself to a standin' position. He walked towards me, his lean body towerin' over mine. I only stood 'bout five foot three inches. This sonofabitch was much taller than me, and much stronger.
"I thought th'pack of smokes was com-pen-sa-tion enough fer savin' my life." Narrowin' my eyes at him, pushin' my chest out just like my big brother taught me, 'Make yerself seem bigger than ya actually is.'
Daryl chuckled, chewin' at the inside of his bottom lip as he looked down at me, movin' in just a little closer. "Yer a tough lil' bitch, ain't ya?" His warm breath rolled over my already sticky-with-sweat skin like fog.
"Y'ain't got no idea." I smirked, turnin' on my heel and pullin' open the screen door that lead inta the farm house.
"I could help ya cook lunch, if ya'd like?" I offered to the tall skinny brunette who I learned to be Officer Rick's wife, Lori.
"That would be wonderful, thank you." She seemed a bit taken aback at my offer, but smiled sweetly at me anyway. "Daryl brought back some squirrel while you were in the shower, do you know how to skin them?" She aksed, holdin' up one of the furry rodents by its tail.
"Sure as hell do!" I cheered, limpin' over to her, grabbin' the lil' bastard outta her hand. "Been skinnin' squirrels since I was just a youngin'!" Lori laughed at my enthusiasm, it was that or she ain't seen a girl so adamant on skinnin' a lil' tree climber.
After I had all the squirrels skinned, gutted and ready to be thrown in a pot of water, Lori sat down beside me, runnin' her fingers through her hair.
"So how old are you?" She asked, the curiosity in her tone was obvious. She was just as cautious with me as Rick and the rest of the group had been. Don't blame 'em either. I'd be cautious too.
"Twenty-two years young." I smirked, brushin' some stray hairs outta my eyes.
"Rick told me you had a husband?" She asked, raisin' her eyebrows. I nodded an' tried to not look her in the eye. Why was she so damn interested in my life?
"Married 'im when I was just sixteen." I explained. Lori's eyes almost popped outta her head when I told her that. "Young an' stupid. Daddy didn't want me 'round no more, so he let me get married." I partially lied.
"Sorry for your loss." She said, givin' me these sorry, sympathetic eyes.
"Survival of the fittest, right?" I shrugged it off, seeing the pot starting to boil over. "I'll get that." I mumbled, pushing myself ta my feet, grabbin' the wooden spoon that sat on a lil' table next ta the fire.
"I made yer fuckin' lunch." I smirked, pushin' a bowl of hot squirrel stew into Daryl's chest. He looked at me, then at the bowl like he didn't know what ta fuckin' do with it. "Ya eat it, ya know?" I made a guesture like I was shovelin' food inta my mouth.
"'Bout time women started doin' women's work." He growled, the smallest hint of a smirk on his face.
"Only seemed fair, since ya saved my life an' all." I winked. Daryl shook his head, setting the crossbow he had been carryin' on the ground next ta his feet. "Ya should teach me how ta use that thing." I knew how ta shoot a gun, new how ta shoot a bow an' arrow, but Daddy ain't ever teach me ta use a crossbow.
Daryl raised an eyebrow at me curiously, lookin' down at the weapon sittin' at his feet. "Ya want me ta teach ya to use it? What fer?"
"'Case I fin' one out an' 'bout." I smirked. "Gon' need ta learn how ta defend myself 'gainst big, scary guys like you." I poked his chest.
"Same as usin' a gun." Daryl growled. He had brought me out inta the field, ta shoot at hay bales. "Hardest part is pullin' the string back ta the latch." He explained to me, puttin' the tip of his boot into what he called the 'cocking stirrup' and used it as leverage ta pull the string back.
"Look's easy enough." I put my hands on my hips and nodded. Daryl laughed out loud, lookin' at me as he released the string from the latch, handin' me the crossbow.
"If ya can git that string back all on yer own, I'll give ya yer pack of smokes back, Lil' Girl."
"I gotta better deal fer ya." I smirked evilly. "If I can't pull this lil' ole string back all by my self, I'll d'ya laundry and cook fer ya." I nodded, raisin' an eyebrow. "But, if pull this back, Daryl Dixon's gotta gimmie a kiss."
"My next trip inta town, I'm gon' find ya a pretty lil' apron ta wear." He smirked right back at me. Daryl wasn't as uptight when ya got'em alone. With the rest of the group seemed like he had his guard up most of the time, but if ya was lucky to have some one-on-one personal time, he wasn't as cold as he made himself out ta be.
Just like Daryl had done I set the cocking stirrup on the ground, pushing my foot inta it to keep it from movin'. I rested the forearm grip on my knee and grabbed the string with both hands on either side of the latch. I gripped it tight an' pulled back, groanin' as I realized how hard it actually was. "Damn." I whispered, pulling one hand away to wipe the beads of sweat formin' at my hairline..
"Got a problem there, Lil' Girl?" Daryl called out, his tone all sarcastic.
"Shut up, I can do it." I growled back softy. I tightened my grip on the string and pulled back as hard as I could. I closed my eyes tight and found every bit of strength inside of me and heard a satisfying 'click' of the latch securing around the string ta hold it in place.
"Someone owes me a kiss." I smirked at a wide eyed, stunned Daryl Dixon.
"I ain't owe you shit, Lil Girl." He hissed as I made my way towards him, holdin' the cross bow out for him.
"Deal's a deal." I shrugged my shoulders as Daryl snatched the crossbow outta my hands.
"I ain't agree ta nothin'." He was mad. I think he was mad that I actually got that string back, not that I was tryna kiss him. I raised an eyebrow and took another step forward as Daryl took two steps back.
"Ya offered ta buy me a pretty lil' apron, didn't ya?" I started closin' the space 'tween Daryl and I as his back hit a tree that stood in the middle of the field. "Sounds like an agreement ta me."
Daryl looked panicked, like he had no idea what ta do and fer the first time since I met this man, he looked vulnerable. I smirked ta myself, thinkin' 'bout how easy this might actually be.
I took three small steps an' there I was, standin' chest ta chest with the intimidatin' Daryl Dixon. "I ain't gon' bite'chya." I smirked up at him, my fingers findin' the hem of his leather vest. "Unless yer inta that." I teased. He rolled his eyes and pushed my hands away from his vest with his wrist.
"Fuckin' get it over wit." He growled. I smirked, wrappin' my hand 'round the back of his neck, pushin' myself up on ta my tippy toes.
"Try an' enjoy it?" I whispered, pressin' my body inta his, feelin' how hard and muscular he really was underneath all that pesky clothin'. "Relax!" I whined, feelin' him tense up at my touch.
He groaned and looked down at me, his icy blue eyes piercing everything that I was with just a simple look. I took advantage of him lookin' at me and pulled his lips against mine.
He jerked back, but my grip on his neck kept him in place, pushin' him up against the tree as I wrapped my other arm around his neck, kissin' him long an' slow.
His body was as rigid as a two by four, until I felt him slump against that tree and his hand found my hip. I smirked against his mouth, knowin' he was actually enjoyin' this an' not just puttin' up with it.
I pulled away with a smirk, crossin' my arms over my chest as I looked at him. He furrowed his eyebrows an' tried ta compose himself but I knew I had turned him ta mush. Hell, that kiss turned me ta mush. I ain't gon' deny that a lil' sparked somethin' inside of me. "There's more where that came from, if yer ever… ya know… lonely." I winked, suckin' the corner of my lip inta my mouth. "Ya know were ta find me." I turned and started limpin' my way back ta camp, leavin' Daryl Dixon standin' there. Wide eyed and stunned fer the second time in fifteen minutes.
