Fair warning: lots of smuttiness and some light bondage ahead. Please let me know what you think!
The next day was Carl's birthday. At least, they were pretty sure it was. The group had been keeping track of the days since they left the farm, but no one was totally certain their estimation was correct. In any case, his birthday was still celebrated and in true apocalypse style: Carol made a cake from a stale boxed mix, Rick gave him his very own handgun, Michonne gave him a stack of comics she had been hiding away for weeks for the occasion, and the others gave him little trinkets or handmade gifts of their own. Carl's palpable happiness lifted everyone's spirits. Daryl had even offered to teach him how to shoot his crossbow, which Carl was over the moon excited for. Butterflies rose in Carol's chest when she overheard Daryl telling him how he would take him hunting once Carl got good enough. He was so sweet with Carl and she loved how he had been slowly breaking out of his rough outer shell to reveal the truly warm, caring person underneath more and more.
Tyreese and Daryl had set up a bonfire outside in the early evening. The days were getting shorter and the night air had a definite chill, but everyone stayed warm near the fire. They weren't concerned with the attention it could draw; they had thoroughly scouted the area, and the walkers almost seemed like a complete afterthought. Some of the other prison inhabitants had kindly offered to pull double duties with taking watch and tending to the walkers at the fence so the original group could have a night off and just relax for the first time in forever.
Beth had her guitar out and was singing, and although she kept side-eyeing Carol and Daryl no one else paid them much mind. Daryl, who was perpetually underdressed, had been shivering a little when Carol arrived with an armful of blankets which she passed out before sitting on the log next to him and draping one around both of them. He had instinctively put his arm around her waist and she leaned in like it was the most natural thing in the world. Both were grateful that everyone silently accepted them together without comment, and didn't realize that most thought it had been a long time coming anyway.
Everyone traded stories and laughter, and Tyreese had even surprised everyone with a case of beer he had secretly found while on a run. Carol didn't particularly like beer but she took one anyway, sipping on it just until it warmed her before giving the rest to Daryl. Rick even let Carl have his first beer, which he promptly spit out to everyone's amusement. The mood around the fire was light and happy, and although Sophia's absence was something Carol knew she would never stop being painfully aware of, she was still able to let herself just relax a little enjoy the happy evening. They sang happy birthday and Carl's face shone, and Carol felt truly hopeful and optimistic for the first time in as long as she could remember. She leaned into Daryl's shoulder and he squeezed her tight, absentmindedly playing with her jacket sleeve under the blanket.
When the fire had begun to die down and they had sung dozens of old songs, people began to slowly filter back to the prison until there were only a few left under the bright stars. Daryl was helping Tyreese polish off the last of the beer, and Carol could tell he was feeling pretty relaxed. Beth grumpily pushed past them to go to bed while Rick was showing Carl how to properly stoke a fire, and Carol yawned and stretched her back.
"I should turn in," she announced, standing up to gather the excess blankets. She wished Carl a happy birthday again and everyone said goodnight, though Daryl briefly touched her leg as she walked by him. He raised an eyebrow in a silent question, and she leaned down to quickly whisper in his ear,
"Wait for me in your cell."
Daryl's eyes widened until she could see the reflection of the moon in his eyes and he nodded. Carol flashed him a smile and made he way back to the prison, sashaying her hips a little extra as he stared at her the whole way back.
"Are you guys gonna go camping again or something?"
Daryl's head snapped around and he glared at Carl, who was giggling like a little shit. Rick chuckled too while he poked at the fire.
"Ain't none o' your business what I do," Daryl muttered, though he wasn't truly upset at the kid.
"I'm just saying," Carl said, holding up his hands in such a Glenn-ish way Daryl was sure Glenn must have put him up to it when he leaned down to whisper to Carl before he and Maggie turned in.
Daryl just snorted and stared into the fire, too preoccupied with Carol's instructions to be annoyed. Wait for me in your cell… did she mean immediately, or should he wait outside for a while? What was he supposed to be waiting for, exactly? She could just want to read to him like usual, but they never did that in his cell… in fact, they hadn't done much of anything in his cell lately. He had been spending so much time in hers he had thought more than once that he might as well just move his stuff there; was that what she wanted to talk about? Daryl shrugged to himself and chugged down the rest of his beer. It was his fourth, not including the third of a can Carol had made him finish for her, and his brain was too pleasantly fuzzy to properly think about it.
"I should go in," he announced. "Uh… pretty tired. Happy birthday, kid," he said as he ruffled Carl's hair and slung his crossbow onto his back.
"Daryl," Rick said just as Daryl turned to leave. Daryl turned back and Rick raised his eyebrow at him but smiled. "You should just know that… that if you're happy, we're happy for you."
Daryl stood motionless for a moment then stiffly nodded his thanks. As he walked back he couldn't stop a smile from creeping over his face. He and Carol hadn't talked about telling everyone else about them yet, and on a subconscious level it had been because he was afraid the others would be… angry? Disappointed? Not happy about it, at least, but the sincerity of Rick's tone warmed him from the inside out. These people really did care about him, and he was getting better at shutting out his invasive, negative thoughts.
He got to his room and flopped down onto his long neglected bed. He wasn't sure if he should change clothes or not, or if he should even take his boots off. More than anything he wanted to know what was up Carol's sleeve, and hoped she hadn't accidentally fallen asleep. He fiddled with the ends of his arrows, his fuzzy mind begging him to give in to sleep but some of his other body parts keeping him wide awake. Just as he was debating going to Carol's cell himself, a light tapping knock came at his door frame. There was only one person who knocked so softly, and his mouth went dry.
"Come in," he said.
Carol stepped around the corner and he softened. She was wearing her usual oversized jacket, and he noted right away that that seemed to be all she was wearing. Her slender legs peeked out from under the hem of the jacket that ended at the top of her thigh. She could make a burlap sack look good, he thought.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," she replied, stepping into his cell and stopping short. She quickly glanced back and forth down the hallway before unzipping her jacket and revealing what was underneath.
Daryl's throat went dry and he gulped like a goldfish as she tossed her jacket onto his bed.
Carol stood before him in nothing but the black satin nightgown he had unwittingly gifted her a few weeks earlier. The silky fabric clung perfectly to her hips and betrayed just a hint of cleavage like it had been tailored just for her, which took his breath away entirely. She gave him a little half grin and twirled around, her face shining.
"Never thanked you for bringing me this," she teased.
"Carol…" he breathed. She was, unquestionably, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life. She smiled sheepishly at his hungry gaze, then he was on his feet and had closed the gap between them before he could think twice. He brought his hands up to grasp at the fabric on her hips and she moaned into his lips. He knew he probably tasted like beer but was thankfully otherwise fairly clean, and she, as usual, tasted like sweetness and morning sunlight. She wound her fingers in his hair and he ground his hips into hers to show her just how badly he wanted her.
"Hold on," she gasped when she finally came up for air.
"What?" he groaned as he moved his mouth to nip and kiss along her jawline and neck.
"I… I had an idea," she said, and her voice betrayed just a hint of trepidation.
Norman brought his head back to look at her, though he kept his hands firmly planted on her hips, rubbing his thumbs over the heavenly fabric.
"What kinda idea?" he asked. His vision was blurred at the edges though he couldn't tell if it was from the beer or from Carol's hardened little rosebud nipples just visible beneath the black silk.
Carol's face broke into a nervous smile and she giggled, looking down at the floor.
Daryl tilted her chin up and kissed her sweetly on the nose.
"What kinda idea?" he repeated in a husky voice.
Carol took a breath. "Well…" she began, "I know it's been a little while, and… and I've missed you, and… I thought… I could wear this and we… we could do whatever you want."
Daryl raised his eyebrows. There were so many things he wanted to do to her he was having trouble narrowing it down.
"Whatever you want," she repeated, taking one step forward until their breaths tangled together, so close she almost brushed his cheek with her eyelashes when she looked up into his eyes.
Daryl's mind was reeling from shock and arousal and a hundred different feelings at once. He resisted the overwhelming urge to throw her on the bed and ravish her right there, as his slight tipsiness emboldened him to consider something he had only fantasized about on a rare occasion. His mouth twitched at the corner and he nodded. Carol bit her lip and giggled when he tossed her jacket back at her.
"Put this back on," he said.
"That's the kind of outfit you're into?" she teased with devilish eyes. "Well, if I had known that -"
"Carol," he murmured, yanking the jacket up over her shoulders. "I need ya to put this on right fuckin' now."
Carol maintained a surprised expression but she finished covering up again, and she had no sooner zipped it then he scooped her up and carried her into the hallway. She giggled into his shoulder and strained up to press kisses to his collarbone.
"Where are we going?" she asked breathlessly.
Daryl didn't reply, he just swiftly took her up stairs and around corners of a deserted section of the prison until finally he burst through the doors of one of the abandoned offices. He set her down carefully then slammed the door shut and yanked the zipper down her jacket in one fluid motion. It fell into a heap on the floor and Carol yelped as he hoisted her up around him and walked her to the desk.
"Daryl, what -" she asked, and he suppressed a groan at the tone of her voice.
He loved how her voice changed when aroused, it got lower and breathier and more insistent and was so, so sweet. He wiped all the objects off the desk in one clear swoop, and laying her gently on her back he bent over her to kiss down the front of her nightgown, stopping to roll her hard little nipples under the fabric between his teeth as he pushed the hem up over her stomach. He groaned into her breast when he realized she wasn't wearing underwear as his fingertips brushed over her slick entrance. She wriggled to pull it over her head but he stopped her. He wanted her to leave it on, and laced their fingers together as he placed teasing kisses all over her lower stomach.
"You," he murmured between kisses and soft suction before he pulled back to rake his eyes over her exposed sex, "Are fuckin' beautiful, Carol."
Carol didn't even have the chance to form a response before Daryl descended to her cleft and began devouring her like she was the last meal he was ever going to have. In the secluded office away from the rest of the prison, Carol didn't have to hold back her moans and whimpers of pleasure as he quickly settled into the rhythm he knew she liked. He licked and sucked around her little nub, ever so slowly increasing the pressure and speed. She broke a hand away from his to alternate between pulling lightly at his hair and kneading her breasts.
"God, Daryl, holy shit," she grunted as he alternated fierce pressure with maddeningly light swirls.
Daryl's cock was aching almost painfully as it begged for release, but he forced himself to focus entirely on her pleasure. He managed to placate himself with thinking of what he had in mind for when she was finished. He hooked her legs tighter around his shoulders and licked and swirled and suckled firmly until her breath was coming in quick, shuddering whimpers.
"Fuck, Daryl!" she cried out louder than ever, gripping his hair with both her hands so firmly he saw stars as he carried her up and over the tipping point of a white hot orgasm. She writhed and whimpered beneath him as she came down and he crawled up onto the desk to kiss the hollow of her neck while she caught her breath. She had gone completely limp, barely able to return his kiss while her chest heaved. After a moment, she raised her hand to brush the hair from his forehead.
"How do you want me?" she breathed and met his eyes with a dark, intense gaze. Daryl was caught off guard at her quick turnaround but loved the way she looked at him with her heavy lidded eyes like he was the most appealing thing she had ever seen. He stood up and she scooted to the edge of the desk until her legs were wrapped loosely around his hips and he leaned down to kiss the top of her head, content to just hold her for a moment. She was still breathing heavily and her skin was slick with sweat as she held him tight.
"Carol, I… there is somethin' I wanna do'," he said, swallowing hard.
Carol looked up at him with a coy smile and she ground her hips against his pelvis, causing him to suck in sharply through his teeth.
"Anything," she murmured, bringing her lips to the tight muscles of his stomach just below his ribcage as she stroked him lightly over the fabric of his pants.
"Carol, listen," he said seriously, tilting her chin up and desperately trying to ignore her hand motions. "I… it ain't somethin' that's gonna be gentle."
Carol's lips parted but she waited for him to continue.
"An' just like before, if you want me to stop or go slower or anythin' you just tell me and I will, alright? No questions asked… ya just need to tell me, cause hurtin' ya is the last thing I'd ever wanna do." His voice shook, but she just nodded.
"Daryl," she whispered, tilting her head up until he leaned over far enough for her to gently kiss him. "I trust you. And I… I love you."
Her words lit a fire within him. Daryl took in a ragged breath and returned her kiss, murmuring, "I love ya right back," into her soft, sweet lips that begged him for more.
Carol's mind was swimming as Daryl eased her off the desk. He had something in mind, and she was burning to find out what it was.
"Ain't gonna be gentle," he repeated in a low tone. "If ya wanna stop…"
Carol lifted her hand to cup his cheek and she bit her lip. Whatever he was thinking, she wanted it. She wanted it all. She leaned up to brush her lips over his and then bit down lightly, pulling back only to whisper in a desperate, pleading voice,
"Daryl, I… I don't want you to be gentle."
Daryl trembled, but he met her eyes and nodded. He leaned down as if to kiss her, but then suddenly grasped her hips and spun her around. Carol yelped a little in surprise, which quickly turned into a moan as he assaulted her shoulders and back with urgent, needy love bites. His fingers found the hem of her nightgown and he ran his hands up her body, pulling it along with him but he stopped short when she lifted her arms to help him take it off.
"No…" he whispered into the back of her neck which sent a shiver of excitement to pool in her lower stomach.
Instead of sliding the nightgown up and over her arms, he pulled the front of it over her head. Carol realized what he was doing with a sharp gasp, and lowered her arms while he wound and twisted the material until her wrists were firmly bound behind her. Heat and wetness flooded to her core and she let out a whimpering moan when he briefly drew her back into him to whisper,
"This okay?"
Carol nodded fervently, unable to speak between panting breaths. Immobility wasn't something she had imagined herself being into, nor her complete helplessness before him, but she realized she trusted him so deeply that she wasn't scared at all. On the contrary, it awoke a deep, needy ache within her and she wiggled her hips in a desperate attempt to get him to continue.
Daryl didn't need much convincing, and his breaths were just as ragged as hers as he quickly stripped off his pants while maintaining a firm hold on her wrists. His iron hard cock bounced on her bare cheek when it sprung free, and she automatically leaned forward and whimpered impatiently. Daryl shifted her until she was bent over the desk flat on her stomach with her feet still on the floor, her ass positioned at just the right angle for him to rub the head of his cock up and down her slit.
"You good?" he asked one final time.
Carol couldn't focus on anything but how badly she needed him.
"Yes, please, yes," she whimpered, straining back against him.
Daryl took a deep breath and plunged into her in one swift stroke that caused her to cry out. He pulled back and thrust again, and goosebumps exploded all over her exposed skin.
"Fuck, fuck, yes, yes, yes," she moaned in time with his quick thrusts. He held her bound wrists for leverage with one hand and her hip with the other, bucking into her with such intensity that her eyes drifted closed and there was nothing in her world except for the unbelievable sensation he was causing her.
Daryl panted loudly with each thrust and she loved how he was completely letting himself go. Over and over again he slammed into her, occasionally adjusting his grip to move to her ass or to rake his nails down her back. Each snap of his hips sent a shiver through her, and when he held her wrists she strained her fingers to grip his. Carol was barely aware of the string of expletives coming out of her mouth, too amazed that she had never been fucked so good in her life to care.
Whenever Daryl slowed his pace to catch his breath she made up for it by pushing her hips back into him in a desperate plea for more. She had lost all sense of time entirely, aware only of the mind numbing sensation of him stretching her walls to their limit; and after what could have been minutes or hours he yanked her up off the desk by her bound wrists until her back was flush against his torso. She whimpered at his change of pace; with the new angle he slowed down as his cock pushed upwards even deeper than before.
"Ya like that?" he growled into her ear as he brought up a hand to brace firmly against the base of her neck.
Carol's knees weakened and she nodded furiously, frustrated yet unbelievably aroused that he wasn't allowing her to turn her head and kiss him.
"Ya walk around… all sweet… and innocent," he grunted between deep strokes, "if anyone knew… that ya like… this… kinda thing…"
Carol bit her lip and giggled, then a low groan escaped her when he tightened his grip on her neck.
"Don't stop," she panted as Daryl pulled her hips harder against him. "Don't ever stop, please, please..."
Daryl pushed her back down onto the desk and tightened the fabric around her wrists. He steadied himself and began to thrust back into her so hard and so fast Carol saw stars, crying out his name over and over. Her whole body began to tremble and her knees felt like they were turning to jelly, and he gripped her hands so hard she was sure he was leaving marks but she couldn't find it within her to care. Instead, she just pleaded with him to go harder and faster until her words merged together into one strangled cry as he pushed her right over the edge. Waves of pleasure crashed over her like a hurricane and Daryl held her up by her hips as her legs gave out completely and her cries subsided into shuddering little whimpers.
As soon as she regained her footing Daryl followed her with spastic jerks and heavy breaths as he finally let himself go. Daryl vice gripped her wrists and spilled into her with her name on his lips, a sound Carol knew she would never get tired of. They were both still for a moment, catching their breaths and trembling until Daryl gently undid the knot around her wrists and pulled out of her with a low grunt. He guided her upwards and lazily kissed the back of her neck while she hummed with contentment. Bringing them around to the desk chair, Daryl collapsed into it in an exhausted heap and she curled up into his lap, her eyes fluttering closed as she rested her head on his shoulder and felt his heartbeat thud against her skin.
Carol brushed his damp hair back from his forehead and smiled up at him with shining, happy eyes. She had loved every bit of what he had just done, and hoped to convey just how satisfied and content she was without having to say it aloud. Daryl guided her hands down to his mouth so he could gently rub and kiss her wrists where her nightgown had left marks, clearly worried he might have been too rough despite her obvious enthusiasm.
Carol reassured him with, "That was incredible, Daryl. So good.
"It wasn't… I didn't…? He stammered, wrapping his arms tighter around her and resting his chin on the top of her head. She fit perfectly in his lap, her curled naked body a warm, comforting weight on him.
"No," she breathed, tracing lazily over his collarbone. "You were amazing. I never knew that it… that it could be that good."
Daryl softened and pressed his lips lightly to her forehead. They sat in contented, comfortable silence until Carol began to shiver. Her trembling roused Daryl, whose eyes had begun to droop, and he eased her off of him so he could retrieve her forgotten jacket from the floor. She pulled her nightgown back on and he found his pants while she zipped her jacket back up. Once clothed, he felt like an awkward teenager who had just been caught doing something dirty. Carol noticed the sheepish look on his face and she started to giggle. He chuckled along with her and soon they were full out laughing. Carol stepped closer to wrap her arms around his waist and rested her head in the hollow of his neck. As they slowly quieted down Daryl ran his fingertips lightly through her hair and down her neck.
"Bed?" he murmured into her hair.
She nodded in response and they quietly walked hand in hand back to the cell block, pausing to look around corners before rounding them. As they arrived at her cell Daryl leaned in to whisper,
"Ya better keep that nightgown around."
Carol snorted and smacked his shoulder, and they finally collapsed happy, satisfied, and exhausted onto the bed. Daryl snaked a hand under her head like a pillow, and pulled her into him.
"Goodnight, love," Carol murmured as she pulled the blankets up over them, but Daryl was already fast asleep and lightly snoring. Even in his sleep he maintained a firm hold around her waist and she kissed him on the cheek before snuggling in and drifting off right along with him.
