Prompt (Christmas):

It's Carol and Daryl's first Christmas together as a couple. Since carol really isn't in the mood to celebrate because she's missing Sophia extra bad this time around, Daryl does everything he can to make the day special for her. Possible proposal? Possible discussion of him wanting to try for a baby with her?

I did leave the discussion about having another baby out just because I feel like that's not where Carol would be at.

He could see that distant look in her eye, had been there since plans for Christmas at Alexandria had begun. Watching her with cautious eyes he placed his lips to her bare shoulder, bringing her out of whatever stare she seemed to be stuck in.

"Ya okay?" Daryl murmured against her skin, his eyes seeking out hers.

She hummed a sort of response, turning her head to face him with a sad smile, "I'm fine."

"Nah you're not," he said softly, slightly pulling away from her.

She sighed at how well he knew her, "it's just…hard you know?"

Daryl nodded even though he was sure he had no idea how it would feel to lose a child, he could never fully relate to the pain she was going through. No matter how much he wanted to be there for her he never felt like it was enough.

He did all he could in that moment as he saw the tears well in her eyes, wrapping a protective arm around her, pressing her temple to his mouth, his hand coming up to stroke her hair.

"Shh," he soothed as a small weep escaped her.

She clung to him like he was her lifeline, letting herself go through the motions. This would be the first official Christmas without Sophia. Technically there had already been a few but had passed them by without a second thought, fighting for survival no room to celebrate.

"I'm sorry," she spluttered, attempting to pull herself together, pushing back gently against his chest.

"Don't gotta be sorry," Daryl said determinedly, using the pad of his thumbs to wipe away her tears, his palms cupping her face.

She leaned into his touch, her tears now ceasing as her eyelids closed.

"I'm just not up for celebrating this year," she whispered sadly.

"Then we won't," he soothed pressing his forehead against hers, her eyes opening to look into his, "we'll have a day, just you 'n' me, I'm sure they'll survive a day without ya."

"Daryl that's not fair to you-"

"I don't care none, if ya ain't enjoying yourself I ain't gonna be either, and I don't wanna spend it with no one else so I'm stayin' with ya, alright?"

She gave him a small but genuine smile then coming forward to press her lips lightly to his, "alright."

The day came round quicker than she'd expected, waking up she'd almost forgotten all about it, almost. A sigh left her lips as she realized that there was no escaping it and her hopes to sleep through Christmas had not been achieved.

She stretched out her aching muscles, feeling across the other side of the bed coming up short when no one was there.

Rubbing her eyes she glanced across at the empty space where Daryl usually slept, maybe he had decided he wanted to go celebrate, she wouldn't begrudge him of that.

No sooner had the thought occurred her bedroom door opened, Daryl walking in wearing nothing but his lounge pants, holding a tray full of food.

"Mornin'," he smiled kicking the door shut behind him.

"Thought you'd gone to Rick's," she said, her tone holding no malice.

"Told ya it was just gonna be me 'n' you," he replied, placing the tray into her lap leaning down to give her a gentle lingering kiss.

She looked down at the tray and back up at him a smile growing on her face, "you made me breakfast?"

He rubbed the back of his head now looking nervous, "yeah, that cookin' shit, ain't as easy as ya make it look y'know."

She looked down at the plate of slightly burnt toast and runny fried eggs and grinned.

"It's perfect, you're perfect," she reached up to curl her hand around his neck, pulling him down for another kiss, "thank you."

"S'okay," he mumbled before crawling over her to his side of the bed.

She offered him a piece of toast which he took gratefully, sitting in silence while they ate.

"Is there, um, anything you'd want to do today? We don't have to, jus' if you wanna," Daryl asked his eye flicking to her.

Carol shrugged her shoulders, "anything distracting would be nice."

Daryl nodded, thinking for a moment before going into his bedside draw, "got a pack of cards, ya know how to play?"

Carol scoffed at him, "'do I know how to play?' Dixon you under estimate me."

Daryl gave her a smirk at that, "okay miss confident, I ain't gonna take it easy on you though, so don't be cryin' when I hand your ass to ya."

"I'd like to see you try," she teased as he shuffled the cards with ease, "need something to bet."

"How 'bout I win I get to ask you a question, any question I want," Daryl's eyes look dangerous as a devilish grin crossed his face.

"And I get to do the same if I win?" she asked curiously.

Daryl nodded confident that she'd never win anyway, "uh yeah sure."

It was fair to say his ass thoroughly got handed to him, not the other way round.

"Fuck Carol give a guy a chance," at this rate he was never going to be able to ask her one damn question, and one question was all he needed.

She'd asked him an array of embarrassing ass questions from, how many woman have you slept with, how old were you when you lost your virginity, did you like it the other day when I did that thing with my tongue…it was enough for him to want to stop playing all together. He ploughed on though, he just had to win once, he could do that, right?

"What I tell you about underestimating me?" she laughed as she reshuffled the cards, "plus you insinuated you were actually good at cards."

"I am good at cards," he grumbled before muttering under his breath, "ya just happen to be a little bit better."

Carol heard him and chuckled handing out the cards yet again. He focused this time, like really fucking focused and finally he won, barely.

"Damn baby really worked up a sweat during that game didn't you?" she teased bracing herself back on her hands.

"Won didn't I?" he grunted a smirk on his face.

"That you did," she praised mockingly, "now you get to claim your prize, ask away."

Daryl went quiet for a minute pretending like he had to think about it but actually he'd had this question in his mind for days. Now though he felt of a wave of uncertainty wash across him, what if she didn't want this?

"Five games later and you still can't think of one question?" Carol giggled getting a brief glare off him.

"I'm thinkin' woman," he grumbled, fuck it, do it, just do it, stop being a pussy and just ask her.

"Marry me," he said simply, it sounded more like a statement than a question but there was enough uncertainty behind his tone to let her know that he was in fact asking.

Her jaw went slightly slack, her mouth popping open, "I…what?"

"Marry me?" he made sure it sounded more like a question now as he reached into his lounge pants pocket, pulling out a small diamond ring.

She let out a little gasp as her hand clasped to her chest, "Daryl," she breathed.

He said nothing, letting her process and decide, although he felt like he was dying inside.

"For real?" she asked just above a whisper.

"For real," he whispered back, shit he wasn't any good with this kind of stuff.

"Yes," she breathed after what felt like an eternity of silence.

"Yes?" he asked his eyes lighting up.

"Yes," she said louder, a smile plastered across her face as she lunged across the bed, locking him into a hug.

He let out a grunt at the impact before chuckling into her hair hugging her back.

Her eyes glistened with tears as Daryl pulled away just far enough to capture his lips with hers, the kiss filled with all the love she'd never received but oh so deserved.

"Ya wanna see if it fits?" Daryl asked as he eventually came up for air, "it ain't much-"

Carol stopped him placing a finger to his lips, "it's more than enough."

She removed her finger, holding her hand out to him as he slid the ring on, admiring how pretty it looked against her pale slender hand.

He pulled her into another embrace, his mouth pressing against her ear.

"I love ya so much," he murmured pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"And I love you Daryl," she replied as a stray tear of not sadness but of glee rolled down her cheek.