Late November (Early Winter)
It was cold. Jasmine's hair cascaded over her shoulders in a tangled mess, her slender body covered by the longest t-shirt she had ever found. The small cottage probably belonged to some large old man who enjoyed hunting almost as much as Daryl did. She wiggled her toes and rubbed her arms, shivering. The light that tumbled in through the window was frigid silver. The sun was gone, and the snow fell gently onto the ground. Of course, on the day the duo were going to leave and head back to the lodge with their trophies, it snowed. They needed to get back quickly. The radius of their borders had been stretched only a bit, given that Rick's troop had decided to take things slow, and approach the outer woods with caution.
The cold seemed to slow down the shambling corpses that infested the woods, making it easier for them to kill or make a quick getaway. Peering down at Daryl's bunk, she found it empty. He hadn't woken her up as early as he said he was going to, which Jasmine realized with a grumpy huff. She climbed down the ladder and onto the hardwood floor, a large yawn escaping her mouth. Bringing a hand to cover her parted jaws, she shuffled out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, where she got herself some water.
It didn't take her long to wake herself up and find her way to the bathroom, where she got dressed and pinned her hair up, washing her face with some of the small portion of soap on the sink. Jasmine had finished drying her face when the door opened with a gentle creak. The sound of heavy boots on the floor caused Jasmine to freeze. She paused, waiting for a moment... before Daryl's whistle cut through the air, signalling that it was only him. Jasmine loosened her grip on the rag she used to dry her face and stuffed it into the cupboard.
Exiting the bathroom, her eyes settled upon the archer. "Mornin'," he said softly, giving her a nod. "Almost ready t' go?"
"Yeah, just let me get my ronin and the rabbits from the back shed," she replied. "Have you got the deer all loaded up onto the bike?"
Daryl replied with a simple nod. Parting ways, she disappeared into the bedroom. There, she packed her bag and pulled on her boots. After quickly lacing them up, Jasmine slipped on her coat and scarf, and then hoisted the bag over her shoulder. The two left the hunting cabin quickly and quietly without another word. Jasmine helped him bring the bike up to the road, and waited for him to start it. Her eyes traveled up to the depressing grey sky above as snowflakes fluttered to the ground. They were peppering her face and eyelashes, and hair. Her breath was visible in the frigid air, translucent silver wisps escaping her mouth.
The bike kick-started with a ferocious rumble, like that of a thundering beast. Jasmine was startled by the loud noise, and thus quickly turned her attention to the bike. Daryl was leaning back in the seat, tugging on his gloves as he prepared himself for the ride. The corner of his mouth curled up in a smirk, most likely due to her little jolt of surprise. Climbing onto the bike behind him, she nestled her body up against his back and wrapped her arms around his waist. The bike gave one more growl, and within moments, they were flying down the road. The first time she had ever rode with Daryl had been absolutely terrifying for her. Her hair actually came undone a few times, which frustrated her, but now she took the extra precaution to pack an extra scrunchy if needed.
The young woman rested her forehead against Daryl's strong back and shut her eyes, listening to the bitter wind scream in her ears. The snow flew by at a million miles per hour, and every walker they passed would turn it's head, their snarls drowned out by the loud sound of the bike and the violent concussive wind around them. It didn't take long before she gained courage and brought her head up, looking around as the world zipped by in a simple blur. Everything played it's own part in smudged muddy paint on canvas; ever-changing and never remaining stationary. Jasmine felt a good half an hour or so pass before she began seeing familiar landmarks. The clutter of bare trees gave way to the sudden crumbled walls and burnt houses... the remains of Alexandria were eerie and haunting. They followed the road straight through the lost town. Jasmine felt a twinge of sadness as she could tell that Daryl was uncomfortable. His strong back was rigid against her torso. He was most likely eager to pass through the ruins as quick as he could. In fact, with a flick of his wrist, the bike sped up and they winded a corner, hastily making for the other end of the road.
The duo soon made it into the clear, and were out in the open again. The air was ripped from her lungs as she opened her mouth to catch a few snowflakes. It was more like catching tiny bees as she felt the flakes sting the back of her throat. She let out a soft cough and Daryl glanced sideways at her for a moment with a smirk on his face, before he returned his attention to the open tarmac.
The two drove for about another hour or two, before they found the road at the base of the hill with the overturned city transit bus. The motorcycle slowed and then with a rumble of defeat, came to a stop. It was time to walk from there on.
The two partners made it back to the lodge, ascending the hill. Daryl let out a sharp whistle, alerting the lookout that they had arrived. The archer took the bike around the back to cover it up and bring the deer in through the side doors. He would most likely go see Carol, which would leave Jasmine on her own for the rest of the afternoon. Rick greeted her at the door with a warm smile, and baby Judith wobbling at his feet. Astonished at how fast the young girl was learning, she beamed and swooped down. Jasmine hoisted Judith up, who reacted with a squeal of excitement. The young woman tickled the small child, who giggled and squealed again in delight, squirming in her arms.
The entire group asked her what was out there, how far they had gone, and if they had found anything good. As she was bombarded with questions, Daryl spoke to Carol in the back, whom she embraced upon greeting. He seemed a bit shocked, but hugged her in return. The archer then began to take out the hunks of meat they had prepared. Carol beamed and rolled up her sleeves, scuttling to the counter to find the plastic wrap. The meat needed to be frozen in order to keep it from spoiling. Daryl watched her quietly, before he turned and leaned against the island in the middle of the kitchen, watching the group as they cluttered around Jasmine. He shot a taunting smirk in her direction, to which she replied with a quick arch of her eyebrow.
The group all sat down by the fireplace, which was crackling low, but still creating warmth. "Well, it was pretty fucking cold. It rained a few times, but we managed to set up as many snares as we could. We had plenty of good luck," she explained, looking from member to member. Judith gently pulled on her shirt, and a swiped at a single wisp of hair that dangled from her messy updo. "Daryl and I came up with the idea of setting up traps for the Walkers too. We'd tie fishing line from the base of a bush or a small shrub, and then attach it to some cans we had strung up in the tree., The walkers were distracted from the catch we had on the snare, so then nothing could spoil it."
"That's actually a really good idea," Maggie remarked. She then looked over her shoulder at Daryl, who observed quietly. "Why didn't we think of it sooner?"
Jasmine peered at Daryl, whose eyes never left her. "Because he wouldn't listen to me before," replied the young woman, who arched her eyebrow again.
The archer shook his head and smirked. "Yeah, well, shut up," he mused. The group chuckled together, the sound sweet and bubbly. Jasmine had ached for that sound, just as everyone else had. Laughter was pure happiness.
"Well, it looks to me that this change could be the start of something beautiful," Rick announced. A proud grin laced his lips, and his eyes twinkled. Jasmine had never really seen the leader so gay before. At least, not in a long time. The group were all chattering and eager to spit new ideas out without much thought... eventually, they began to simply joke around.
"Hey Dad, why don't we have a party?" Carl piped up.
The group laughed once again. "What? I mean it! Glenn found the alcohol and all that stuff, right? And we have all that food, so why don't we celebrate?"
"He does have a point," chuckled Michonne. "Maybe we should have a night to let go?"
Rick's gaze washed over the group. "That does sound inviting," he agreed, his smile lighting up the room.
"All opposed, speak now or forever hold your peace.." Maggie disclosed. The room was silent as the group exchanged grins of excitement. Tonight would be a night to remember. Rick's group was going to do something unimaginable.
They were going to celebrate.
Carol finished brushing her hair. "I honestly don't think I've seen everybody smile like that in a long time," she admitted as she admired her wavy locks. Jasmine laughed softly along with the older woman. After a moment, she sighed. "So you honestly want it cut?" she asked. Jasmine shrugged. "Maybe, someday, I don't know.." she replied, shrugging. She then paused and tilted back her head, looking up at Carol. "Maybe like your's."
Laughing softly at Jasmine's remark, Carol smiled. "Well, long or short, your hair is beautiful - you are beautiful." With a soft kiss on the top of her head, Carol set the brush down and began to style her hair. "My mother taught me this when I was a teenager," Carol explained as she fiddled with her dark locks. Jasmine's smile widened.
"Really?" she inquired. "Are you sure she wasn't a hairdresser?"
Carol chuckled. "I'm very sure."
After she had finished the upstyle french bun, she tucked some of the last baby's breath and cedar leaves she had into the bun. With her dainty features, Jasmine looked like some sort of forest fae. "Thank you Carol.." she said softly, feeling a wave of emotion wash over her.
Rising, she hugged Carol tightly, and the two stayed like that for a while before they released each other. Everyone was dressed in their best and washed up for the evening of celebration. Maggie and Sasha had managed to grab a few dresses for everyone to surprise the group. Michonne naturally declined the offer, but was happy to dress little Judith up. It was odd, as Carol and her dressed themselves like their lives were normal again. Of course they didn't have any nice shoes, so they went barefoot.
Glenn had almost seen Maggie, and Carol had acted as if it were her wedding day, shooing the curious young man out of the room. They had found such a beautiful flowing blouse and a new pair of jeans for Carol. She had been so overwhelmed that she had cried. Jasmine felt a bit corny, dressing up. It felt strange, and once again she thought that she was currently pulling herself into some odd device. She had gotten so used to her jeans and such that her bare legs under leggings felt almost exposed. Carol helped her button the long white blouse up at the back, the cool air on the small gap in the back of the shirt tickling her skin.
After they were all ready, the girls hugged each other and headed downstairs. Michonne was at the bottom of the stairs. As soon as she saw the girls, she clapped and hooted. Jasmine made it to the bottom of the stairs, shifting and adjusting her shirt uncomfortably. Her eyes swept around. The floor had been cleared, the chairs pushed out a bit further for foot room. The fire roared and the bottles were set out on the island. Candles glowed all around and Jasmine felt warm and cozy. She felt at home. The curtains were drawn over the windows to keep from bringing any attention to the lodge, and Sasha was keeping watch upstairs in the crow's nest.
"I'm sure you girls would have worn dresses if we had some razors around," snickered Michonne. "You all look like you're ready for a ball."
Maggie, in reply, rose and pulled Jasmine up to her feet. She began to protest, but was cut off when Maggie spun her in a circle. Judith clapped her hands and giggled, wiggling along too. Once comfortable, she got into the rhythm. Eventually all the girls were laughing and cheering the two on as they danced, granted with little finesse. The door was the only thing that interrupted them, opening with a howl of wind. Glenn, Rick and to everyone's surprise, Abraham, came through the door.
"Looks like I'm just in time for some liquor," chortled the beefy man. Jasmine blinked from where she stood next to Maggie, unsure of the newcomer. Rick and Glenn were certainly relaxed around him. The gentlemen looked upon the three girls in the room, flowers in their hair; practically glowing. "Holy.." Abraham astonished, and whistled. Glenn beamed when his eyes fell upon his lover, rushing to Maggie and lifting her into a kiss. "You look.. you... wow!" There was a chorus of laughter at Glenn's awkward attempt at a compliment. He was clearly at a loss for words.
The men joined the group, settled around the fire. Their faces were pinched from the cold, but they didn't look too shabby either. They scattered soon, enjoying glasses of wine or rum, even some of the whiskey left over that hadn't been snatched for medical purposes. Abraham was introduced to the young lady, whose hand clasped her's firmly. Grateful for his chipper attitude and his clever jokes, she hung around with him for a while. It wasn't long before she began to feel a bit anxious. Jasmine couldn't help but keep glancing at the main entrance. Daryl hadn't come inside with Rick and Glenn. She hoped that he hadn't decided to ditch that evening's events. Jasmine had assumed that he would come back with the group, but it seemed that she would be disappointed. Breaking from the chatting group, Jasmine padded in bare feet up to the island table, where she set to making herself useful. Carol soon followed up beside her, taking a break from socializing for a moment.
It was quiet as the two helped chop up some of the meat. After a few moments, Carol glanced in her direction. "You keep looking at the door," she commented softly.
Jasmine felt her cheeks flush in embarrassment. She paused for a moment. "He wasn't with them," she murmured in reply, rinsing off her hands. After drying them off, she turned and stepped up to the island, leaning against it and gazing upward. One of the large windows let in a few shafts of silver light. Jasmine had become so used to being with him and only him that upon returning, when flooded with questions, she had instantly felt comfort upon meeting his eyes from across the room. That's what she needed at the moment.
Carol soon pursued Jasmine and gave her a reassuring rub on the back. "You have to understand that he strays..."
Jasmine let out a soft sigh. "I guess so." Carol smiled softly and then returned to the main kitchen, carrying the heavy stew pot to the fire. It looked like it would be rabbit, beans and wild carrot stew.. Abraham was quick to his feet to help her, taking the large pot from her so she wouldn't have to strain herself. No one wanted Carol to be stuck inside because her injury was damaged again.
"Jasmine, honey, why don't you go set up some candles down the hall?" Carol called. The young woman obliged and took to the cupboards. She found the items required and then padded out of the kitchen, disappearing into the dark hall.
That's when the door opened. Daryl stepped inside, the wind gusting as he stood in the corridor, semi-drenched, his crossbow in hand. He seemed almost confused, glancing around the room at the new, rather dressy clothes. Someone had decided it would be interesting to string a tie around Abraham and Glenn's neck, and the women were dressed up like some sort of odd bunch of hippies. It must have looked like quite an unusual party to poor Daryl.
"You're late," scoffed Rick, obviously just teasing.
Daryl looked around at the candles. "Well, I guess I am."
"We were starting to wonder where you wandered off to," Carol added.
Swinging his crossbow off his shoulder, he dropped his bag of unknown objects, eyes laid upon Carol. The corner of his mouth curled up in a faint crooked smile. "Is this some kind of dress-up game?" he asked.
"That's what I was thinkin'!" mentioned Abraham. Daryl turned his head at the sound of the towering man's voice. In the moment, Daryl beamed, and the two strode toward each other, and greeted each other with a firm hug and a slap on the back. Rick approached and the three men spoke to each other about the recent events. Once the archer had pulled away from their trio, he turned over to Carol. The two had a soft conversation.
"Where'd Jaz get to?" he asked, sounding a bit concerned. Daryl's eyes flitting over the kitchen, the cupboards, the staircase.
"Went to the back probably," Carol replied vaguely. She looked away from the archer, but couldn't resist the urge, and smirked. Daryl, knowing she was hiding something, eyed her suspiciously. Without another word, Daryl was suddenly distracted from his search by Glenn, whom handed him a generous amount of whiskey.
Maggie rose from her seat and picked up Judith, whom played on the floor. "I think I'd best take the babe and the big man up to bed before we begin our fun," she suggested. Carl tried to protest, but Jasmine piped up as she was returning from her duties in the back. "Come on kid, up to bed, before Maggie drags you up by your ears," she called. The girl crossed her arms and leaned against the island table. "Maybe next time though, okay?"
There was a sudden startling sound as Daryl choked on his drink at the sight of her. Abraham gave him a slap on the back, causing him to lurch forward. The group burst into a guffaw. Daryl wiped his mouth and shot everyone a bitter glare. After a while though, he loosened up.
"Very funny," he rasped, coughing again.
Jasmine snickered along as well, albeit softly, given that he was probably embarrassed. She didn't want him to feel as if she was taunting him. Daryl shot another fleeting look in her direction, smirking halfheartedly and shaking his head. Jasmine crossed the short distance to the open floor, stepping down beside Carol so that she was closer to both of them. The two simpered shyly at each other.
"You two look like you're gonna get hitched or somethin'!" Abraham remarked.
Carol wrapped an arm around Jasmine's waist suddenly, and they dramatically held each other close like two enthralled lovers. Laughter rang out again. Invited over to the circle, the two women joined everyone around the fireplace where more drinks were passed out. The group became merry and laughed often, reminiscing of memories. Carl had once brought a frog back to the prison once, and according to Maggie, it had scared her half to death. Her father, Hershel, had calmed her down and shown her that there was nothing to fear about the little amphibian... whereas when Daryl had come to see what the commotion was about, he had suggested that they "eat the damn thing". Carl had refused, of course, and kept it for a few days. Unfortunately the creature died, and Daryl was (reluctantly) given his treat of succulent frog legs.
Jasmine shot him a look of both appreciation and disgust. Daryl was smiling softly, enjoying the story.
"It tasted real good, if that helps," he remarked. He looked down into his mug, swirling his whiskey around, and then took another sip. Jasmine took a swig of her own, enjoying how it burned as it went down. It reminded her that they were all still human, that they were all alive, and that they could all still feel something.
The evening drew on and soon the troop of survivors were ruddy-cheeked and a bit intoxicated.. although some more than others. Glenn laughed so hard, he fell off his chair and onto the floor. Everyone burst into another chorus of cackling. Even Daryl was laughing.
"C'mon, I thought you Asians were all about balance 'n shit like that!" he mused.
Jasmine's head was buzzing. She looked over at Daryl as he sneered over at Glenn, who was on the floor, trying to catch his breath. Maggie helped him up. Daryl could make cruel comments sometimes, but at the moment, everything was hunky-dorey, so there were no issues. The archer chuckled and then took a final swallow of his mug. He slammed it on the table, the mug then filled with rum. Next was Carol and Rick, Abraham and Maggie taking it slow. Someone had to stay sober enough to control the others... more or less.
Maggie suddenly piped up, sighing as she came down from her chortle. "Okay, okay! So, what's one thing you miss since, you know, all this happened?" she asked the rest of the troop. The group all pondered for a bit. Rick was the first to pipe up.
"I'd say family get-togethers. Like barbecues."
"Chocolate," commented Carol.
Glenn snorted. "Pizza."
The entire group let out a hum of agreement. Jasmine dreamily thought of a hot slice after a long day of work: the smell of the delicious creation filling her small apartment. Feeding her dog pepperoni. She missed her dog.
"I definitely miss gettin' laid," Abraham chuckled, rising and adding to the fire.
The group reacted with raised eyebrows and caterwauls of enthusiasm, all agreeing... all except Daryl. Jasmine's eyes had wandered to him, and once again, his eyes were upon her. All joy was wiped from his face. As usual, his eyes dropped once caught and he looked at the table, deep in thought. She couldn't help but feel her ears begin to turn pink. Swallowing nervously, Jasmine took a sip of her rum, and then allowed her own eyes to fall to the table.
"Well, Maggie and Glenn don' have that problem," remarked Daryl. She was brought back into reality by the laughter and the scoffing coming from the two lovers. Her dark lashes fluttered as she watched him stand up. "I'm gonna go take a piss." When he walked, he stepped in sort of an awkward, shamble-like fashion. Jasmine found that he looked sort of like a walker, and for a split second, the thought made her stomach churn in disagreement. Carol gave her a nudge so as to get her attention, and she turned to the older woman with a smile.
The doors shut with a click and the group chattered among themselves. It wasn't until Carol suddenly stilled that Jasmine returned her attention to the older woman. She looked as if she were listening for something.. Confused, Jasmine pricked her own ears, and at first she couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary.
"I think Judith is awake," Carol said.
The group abruptly stopped and listened carefully, and sure enough, the wailing of the young toddler caused Rick to rise. He crossed the floor in a moment with too much finesse for a drunk man, and ascended the stairs. Rick soon returned with a fussing Judith in his arms. The babe was squirming and crying, red in the cheeks and uncomfortable. Rick attempted to hush her, but she wouldn't stop crying. Carol stood up and hovered beside the scruffy man, offering a dainty finger for her to grip. Unfortunately her attempts didn't do any good. Even Abraham took her in his arms and babbled at her to try and cheer her up. The babe quieted a bit, but soon started howling again.
"Why is she getting so agitated?" asked Maggie, clearly concerned now. Carol exchanged a confused and worried glance with Jasmine.
"Is she hungry?" Jasmine asked. "I can go ready some formula..."
Carol shook her head. "I think she's just uncomfortable."
The door opened and the wind violently stirred the candlelight, the flames flickering vigorously as if quivering in fear. Daryl stepped inside, looking from one face to the other as the child continued to squirm and make strange.
"What's pissin' her off?" asked the archer. He was just as lost as everyone else. The smell of tobacco wafted off him and Jasmine nervously glanced at Carol, who was too focused on Judith as the toddler bawled. Maggie was given the baby next. Everyone eventually took their seats again, clearly too drunk to know what to do for her. The crackling flames mingled in with Judith's yowls. As the minutes dragged out, Judith would ease up and then start back up again, even coughing from the strain as she shrieked. Daryl took the seat next to Jasmine with a heavy huff, which caused her to shift in her chair. Carol shot him a glance and he met her greenish-grey eyes confidently, challenging her to say anything to him.
The constant howling of the babe was enough to drive someone insane. Her head was beginning to throb from Judith's rather noisy complaints, which wasn't too pleasant. She just hoped that the baby would calm down soon.
"Why don't ya try singin'?" suggested Daryl, rather suddenly. The aura in the room became tense, and cold. Hollowing. Jasmine knew that singing wasn't something the group really did, at least not anymore. Maggie looked at the archer with a look of subtle shock, but nodded. Visibly, she swallowed in the firelight, and then began to sing softly to the babe. Judith's cries continued, but then eventually diminished as she began to calm down ... but unfortunately, without warning, she began to bay once more. The troop all let out a groan of frustration and defeat.
"She'll need to calm down soon or she'll draw attention from outside," Michonne remarked, her voice rather sharp. Her eyes were hard and her jaw was set. An angry, drunk Michonne was someone she didn't want to share a home with. It had been a long time since Jasmine had sang herself.. perhaps she could try? No, she wasn't in the right position to start serenading. She felt as if it would bother Judith even further. Maggie tried a little louder, but then eventually stopped, trying to hush her now with a gentle chide.
"Its okay Judith... honey.. honey, shhh..."
Maggie trailed off as a new voice arose, this one coming straight from an unexpected source. Daryl hummed a soft tune, the notes not incredibly perfect, but nonetheless steady and soothing. She had never seen Daryl as much of a singer. Jasmine peered in his direction in bewilderment as he crooned softly to little Judith... The baby began to settle a bit. Jasmine's gaze fluttered over to Maggie, who stared at Daryl with both shock and grief. Soon, he stopped, leaving the group in complete silence.. Judith had calmed down, and was now looking over at Daryl with sleepy eyes. Gurgles of curiosity escaped her lips. The room was chillingly silent for what felt like hours.
Judith began to fuss again, whining and writhing. Maggie instantly rose and handed the child over to Daryl. Her eyes never left the archer as she sat down on the ground at his feet. Her mouth was open slightly, and her soft green eyes were beginning to fill with tears. Daryl awkwardly gazed down at Maggie, and then allowed his gaze to quickly wash over the entire circle. Finally, he turned his attention down to Judith. Hesitating at first, he eventually took a deep breath and began to hum softly once again. Clearly the archer couldn't remember the words to the tune, but he hummed the notes as best he could. His husky voice filled the silence despite how softly he crooned to the little girl. No one moved, everybody sat still, dumbfounded.
And soon Judith was asleep, her wide eyes once upon the archer, now shut as she suckled upon the little bit of his shirt she had managed to grab.
Maggie and Glenn had escaped up to their bedroom where they were most likely going to engage in adult activities. Jasmine laughed softly as she heard them giggling from the balcony like two children. The stew pot was being washed in the sink next to her, while Jasmine dried off the dishes. Daryl scrubbed at the rim of the massive basin used for the stew that evening, the sound of the steel wool causing Jasmine to cringe slightly at first. She adjusted eventually though. Soon he rinsed the large pot out, wrinkling his nose at the sopping content that went down the drain. He was most likely a bit nauseated by the disgusting display due to how much alcohol he had consumed.
"You know, that was quite brave of you," Jasmine remarked.
Daryl turned his head to her, pausing for a moment as he furrowed his brows in question. He studied her for a moment, but then resumed his task of washing the pot free of food. "Wasn't much," he replied, shrugging.
"Daryl, you sang to Judith.." she said, arching an eyebrow.
"So?" Daryl shrugged.
"I didn't think a big ol' meanie would do such a thing for a screaming kid.."
"It wasn't like anyone else was tryin'," Daryl countered as he continued to wash the dishes. The task wasn't too difficult for him, which surprised her, considering that he had downed nearly four mugs full of rum.
Jasmine looked over at him and smirked. "But you of all people?"
Daryl peered over in her direction, studying her for a moment. "Why didn't you sing?"
"You beat me to it, Mister Sinatra," teased Jasmine. The girl reached over and gave him a nudge. Again, she was given a calculating look, but soon he loosened up and smiled softly.
"Sinatra?" he echoed, and chuckled softly. She giggled along and nodded. Reaching over, Daryl flicked water in her direction. Jasmine let out a tiny cry of protest and then returned the little spatter, dipping her hand into the water and aiming for his face. Daryl flinched and laughed once more, and the two returned to the task at hand.
Jasmine quietly dried the cups, returning them back to the pantry. Tilting her head back, the young woman attempting to put one of the mugs back up into the cupboard. It was too far up for her, and she attempted to reach her destination by going up onto her tiptoes. When she still couldn't manage, Daryl came up behind her and placed a hand upon her waist to balance her. He then proceeded to take the mug from her hand and placed it up where it belonged. Her ears heated up, but acted with the least amount of awkwardness as possible.
"Y'know, I dunno if I like this or not.." Daryl stated, rather abruptly. Frozen, she gazed down at the counter top. He remained in the position he stood in, not even taking a moment to consider the fact that he was standing far too close for comfort. She felt Daryl faintly brush against her dark hair with a curious hand. Oh, he's looking at the flowers, she thought, although still uncertain about the current situation. Jasmine was practically glued to the spot as Daryl quietly hovered behind her. There was a subtle hint of movement, and suddenly Daryl had begun to carefully unpin the french bun that Carol had worked so hard on. A few of the baby's breath buds loosened and glided to the floor, but whether it was the alcohol or not, she was mesmerized. All she could really sense at the moment was his lingering eyes upon her back and her long hair. Jasmine felt him part her hair and then cast each handful over either of her shoulders.
He seemed to linger there for a moment, before he bent his head down and rested his brow against the back of the crown of her head. "I'm not used to you lookin' like this.." The soft feathering of his breath against her skin caused her free hand to grip the edge of the counter tightly. Her opposite hand that was curled against her chest balled into a partial fist. Never had Daryl even come close to touching her like this, let alone even coming near her. He had always put a comfortable amount of space between them both, which she was definitely content with... but now Jasmine was beginning to feel that the whole business of personal space seemed like something undesirable.
Carol suddenly came from around the corner, obviously finished putting away what alcohol was left and snuffing out the candles. "Daryl, Jasmine: before you two go to bed, can you make sure that - oh..."
Like a startled animal caught in the act, Daryl's head came up and he stepped away from Jasmine. The girl released the air she had been holding in her lungs, the tension in her shoulders disengaging, her legs feeling completely flaccid. Her heart was pounding. Jasmine felt the uttermost need to hold herself up using the counter top. Instantly her attention turned to the woman who had interrupted the moment, her green eyes searching her facial features. Carol gazed right back at the two with a start, her eyes fluttering from one to the other. Jasmine couldn't exactly read the expression she carried, the alcohol still dulling her senses. However, she still couldn't deny the guilt tying a knot in her stomach.
Carol's lashes fluttered, and her partially parted lips shut. Nodding with caution, she continued in an almost defeated tone, "Remember to make sure the shutters are all drawn and the door is locked."
"Got it.." Daryl replied, his voice low. Jasmine turned her head to look over at the archer, who was standing with his back to her, his hands supporting him as he leaned against the counter. His head was bowed slightly.. almost in shame.
Carol padded her way across the kitchen floor and then turned on her heel, quickly heading up the stairs. There was an awkward silence, the only interruption being the sound of her door shutting from upstairs. The two remained almost as if they were stunned, glued to where they resided as they processed what had happened. Jasmine began to come down from her place in the clouds and cleared her throat softly. Shifting, she began to to hastily comb her fingers through her hair, removing the soft white buds. Jasmine attempted to recreate the upstyle that Carol had created, but gave up eventually, admitting defeat, and simply making a sloppy bun. If such a beautiful hairstyle bothered him, then she'd make sure it changed. Finally, Jasmine worked up the courage to turn to face Daryl. The archer hadn't budged.
Hesitating, she studied the back of his leather vest, the familiar set of angel wings like some sort ironic symbol. He was far from innocent... Jasmine took a bud in her hand and tossed it at him, observing how it hit his strong back with satisfaction. Daryl turned his head to look at her and for a moment, he remained cold, but soon he shook his head and smirked. The tension within the room dissipated.
"Can y' hold your liquor well?" murmured Daryl. He always spoke in a quick quip of mumbles. Jasmine nodded as they washed up in the bathroom together. She sat on the edge of the tub, watching him rinse his face off as she combed her hair out with a brush.
"And you?"
"Are you kiddin' me?" Daryl paused to dry his face off. "I could get twice as fucked up. I could drink all night."
Jasmine shook her head and softly laughed. "I doubt that."
"Next time I'll show y'," promised the archer. Once she had finished grooming her hair, she stood up and ran her hand through it. She casually ruffled it and then swung it over her shoulder. Her eyes traveled up to the archer's reflection, noticing that he was gazing right back. As he frequently would, Daryl averted his eyes once caught. Clearing his throat, he straightened up from where he had been leaning against the door frame. Jasmine's eyes dropped in though for a moment. Perhaps she should ask him why he was always staring.. Blowing out the candle, the bathroom was plunged into darkness. Jasmine turned fairly quickly, however she was met with Daryl's solid frame. She barely managed to keep them from colliding, digging her heel in to keep the contact to a minimum. There was a moment of awkward movement before Daryl stepped back and allowed her past, following behind her as she walked to her room.
"Get some rest," he said, his voice just barely over a whisper.
Jasmine smiled softly and nodded. "Okay Daryl, thank you."
Daryl began to turn but stopped himself. He paused, turned his head in her direction and hesitated... Jasmine felt her breath catch in her throat. Daryl awkwardly cleared his throat and nodded, giving her a once over. Daryl turned rather gracefully for one so drunk, and crossing the hall to his door. The girl quietly turned and opened her own door, although slowing as she didn't hear his door shut. In the silence, there was a heartbeat where she felt his eyes upon her, before she pushed her way inside and closed her own bedroom door behind her.
Holding her breath, Jasmine strained her ears.. and eventually heard the soft click as Daryl's door shut and locked. Jasmine allowed the air she had been holding in to escape her lungs and opened her eyes, gazing into the dark bedroom.
[Author's Note:] B A M ! Okay, since that drastic turn of events, things keep getting even more heated when the group spontaneously decides that they are going to celebrate their happy lives... Because who wouldn't want to when you believe you've finally found a forever home in the mountains during the apocalypse? The girls even add onto it by dressing up a bit more, which I think is what really brings tension into the mix! What will happen next? Keep reading to find out.
Thank you for your support, I hope you're enjoying the story so far!
