Daryl walked into the house yawning already and chuckled when Carol hit him in the arm when she yawned.
"Stop." She huffed, "I feel like I'm going to fall asleep right here."
Will walked around the corner and raised a brow at them. Daryl followed him yawning again only to get slapped again. Will snorted and kicked out at the kitchen table. He slid a box towards them and Daryl took a seat opening the box and grabbing a slice of pizza. Carol set next to him and shook her head waving it away.
"Not hungry?" Will questioned.
Carol shrugged, "No appetite."
"You eaten today?"
Carol frowned. She couldn't remember if she had or not. Looking to Daryl he didn't help any as he took a huge bite and just raised a brow his cheeks puffing out. Carol snorted and Will grinned at him. Daryl swallowed hard and coughed getting a slap to his back for his efforts.
"I think I died." He muttered.
"I do this thing called chewing my food, Daryl. You'd be surprised how much it helps while eating." Will shrugged taking another bite.
Daryl grinned and they both pushed the box towards Carol. She raised her brow but both men raised theirs back. Carol huffed but took a piece taking a small bite. Daryl went back to eating his eyes going around not seeing his brother's anywhere.
"Jess hire you?"
Carol nodded, "Yes."
"You tell him your dad took your car?"
Carol frowned having forgot she didn't have a way. Will was watching her and Daryl already knew what was about to happen. He just sighed and shook his head. He should have known the moment Will looked at him like that before he left and Jess got the same look.
"He said I start Monday so I have a week to figure something out." Carol looked off in her own little world.
Daryl pushed back from his seat excusing himself. Will eyed him, "Your brothers seem to think you're up to something. Should I worry they'll need to go to the hospital soon?"
Daryl flashed a grin at his father before his face turned to that of mock innocence, "Not sure what those two are talking about I haven't said shit to them. Just told them they should apologize to Carol." Daryl looked over at her and she was watching him with interest, "I mean they did make her cry."
Will's eyes ignited and snapped to Carol, "They made you cry?"
Daryl locked eyes with her and Carol swallowed her bite of food and her eyes widened comically, "It's not a big deal Will."
He stood abruptly and stormed from the room. Daryl laughed the sound that deep rich one she sought out from him earlier. It was a soothing balm to her nerves from the day. He was walking from the room his laughter leaving her alone. Carol stood suddenly not wanting to be alone. Every time she was alone she felt like she was suffocating and Daryl was able to push those feelings away.
He was half way up the stairs when a yelp sounded close by. Daryl just ignored it and walked into his room. Carol slipped in behind him and cleared her throat startling him. Daryl jumped and turned looking at her.
"Your dad left before I could ask him where I should take my stuff again."
Daryl licked his lips and shrugged his shoulders, "I reckon if you're wanting to move it you'll see him soon."
Carol frowned at him and he flopped back on his bed grabbing the remote and cutting his television on. He wasn't watching her while she started pulling out clothes to change into for the night. When she did look over at him he turned his head meeting her eyes and raised a brow. He knew she was nervous but wasn't sure what was going on with her.
"If you need to change use my closet or the bathroom. Though I'd say one of those fuckwits is in there right now."
Carol frowned and looked at his closet, "Your closet?"
Daryl stood up and walked across the room and jerked the double doors open exposing a walk in closet she hadn't realized was there. Over half of it was empty. He didn't see the point in having such a big closet and just shrugged when she raised a brow at him.
He kicked back out on the bed and shrugged his shirt off. He swallowed his medicine before Will came in here while on his warpath and started in on him. He wasn't sure where Will would tell her to sleep. Mac's room was up here and Merle's was down the hall. There was another room up here but it was full of hunting shit that they all used. It wasn't fit to sleep in and the bed was broke down and unusable right now. He was pretty sure Mac broke it anyways fucking around like a dumbass one day.
"Where's Shelby?"
Daryl looked around and frowned when he didn't see her. It wasn't like her to not come to him when he got home. Bringing his hands up he whistled loudly the sound deafening in his room. It didn't take long for the sound of her feet on the steps to meet his ears and she burst through the doors to the deck. She vaulted the footboard and kicked out over his legs crawling up them. Daryl looked up at Carol and to the dog. She grinned and damn near done the same thing as his dog. She vaulted over the footboard landing next to his hips and leaning over the dog scratching all over her.
He was trying to not look at her because if he did he was going to have some serious problems. Who the fuck slept in shorts like that? It couldn't be comfortable. He was pretty sure they were more like underwear a size too big for her. Goddamn that thought wasn't helping either.
"She's so soft." Carol purred.
Daryl groaned and shifted getting her off his legs. Carol snorted and looked at him smiling.
"YOU HEARD ME!" Will bellowed.
Carol jumped and tensed sliding closer up the bed too him. He didn't comment on it and she tried to not draw attention to her reaction.
The voices could still be heard but not what was said. Carol turned and looked at him, "You got them in trouble."
He nodded, "You're goddamn right I did."
"You used me to do it."
He turned his head looking at her, "You going to tell my dad you didn't cry?"
Carol scowled at him, "No."
"Okay then."
"Still thats mean."
"It'll be worse." He muttered but she heard him.
Carol snatched the remote. "What do you mean?"
Daryl melted down in his bed dragging his pillow over his head. Carol started fighting him for it.
"Fuck." He growled jerking the pillow hard and rolling.
Carol yelped and her body slammed into him. He froze with her pressed into him. Carol's breathing changed and he forced himself to relax. Carol pushed up off him but was still over him. Daryl raised a brow at her and her face flushed. He forced himself to not stare down her top that he could so easily have seen everything if he was a piece of shit.
"What did you mean? What's our plan?"
Daryl snorted, "Our?"
Carol nodded eagerly. He wasn't use to having someone on his side when he got his brother's back for shit. It'd come in handy though cause if they done something to Carol Will would take their fucking heads off. Daryl rolled suddenly flat on his back and was underneath her upper body. Neither were really paying close attention to the close proximity.
"You let me work out the details and then we'll get those fucks back."
Carol nodded, "Are they always so..." She waved her hand around, "Them?"
Daryl nodded, "My brothers are assholes."
"I wouldn't go that far. Mac did come get me today and Merle has cats."
Daryl raised a brow, Cats makes someone a nice person?"
"I didn't say nice...just not an asshole."
"No he's an asshole." Daryl shook his head, "Have you even asked him the name of those fucking meowing bastards?"
Carol shook her head at him but a crash outside the door and slamming doors had them both turning to his door. Carol set up straight. She was even with his hips again and turned towards him her legs crossed indian style. They were both waiting as the sounds of steps came their way.
Will knocked on the door before walking in. Daryl didn't react like he knew his brothers were hoping for when they seen Carol there. They reacted though. Both of them ducked their heads and looked anywhere but at her both of their faces coloring. That was a first. Daryl looked over and snorted realizing it was them trying to not look at her in her clingy shirt and fucking shorts that he was pretty sure weren't shorts. Will scowled but didn't say anything.
"Boys." He warned.
Mac made a grand show of walking forwards, "Dearest Carol from the bottom of my bastard heart I'm forever sorry for coming in here and making dick jokes." Will slapped Mac hard in the back of the head and he growled glaring before he met her eyes, "I didn't mean to make you cry Carol. I'm sorry."
Merle leaned into the wall and picked at his nails with a knife looking at him then her, "We meant to make him cry not you. Sorry."
Carol nodded her face sincere and doe eyed, "I appreciate it."
"And?" Will growled glowering at the other two.
"We need to learn manners and how to not barge into rooms." They said in unison.
Daryl knew that was a long shot. He'd heard this from them before yet they still barged right in. Will pointed out of the room and both of them turned walking out. Daryl elbowed Carol while his dad wasn't looking at grinned at her waggling his eyebrows. She mirrored his smile then went back to looking like the picture of innocence. His dad didn't stand a chance.
Will turned and looked at her, "If they do anything else you let me know immediately Carol."
She nodded and he turned walking out shutting the door. Daryl snorted and Carol put her hand over his mouth shushing him. She leaned in her breath fanning over his throat, "Shhh you know they're listening to see if it was sincere...don't give them a reason to suspect anything."
He nodded but she didn't move her hand away from him. Instead she slid it down his jaw her fingers tracing his features. He watched her silently. Her eyes were following her own blazed path as she explored him. He swallowed hard and her eyes followed the movement. Her eyes went to his mouth seconds before she looked at his eyes. Her eyes were darker than usual and she leaned in kissing him. He grabbed her pulling her more towards him and let her lead the kiss. He was fighting to keep himself in check with her and was only able to because of her complete lack of experience that was obvious to him. She deepened the kiss and pushed him back on the bed more following him before they parted for air. Her chest was heaving against his own and she smiled.
"You taste like mint." Her voice was soft and he snorted.
Licking his lips she watched him but instead laid down cutting the television back on tucking her head under his chin and curling up against him. Daryl was still struggling to get himself under control. She was testing him. She was going to be the deat of him and in that moment his father and Jess looks made sense. They knew him better than he knew himself sometimes. Daryl scowled but it made sense even more why his father was quick to call his brothers on shit. He would have anyways but Will knew his temper and he thought he was right about Daryl's feelings he was going to stop fights before they started.
"I didn't get to ask again." Her voice was sleepy and soft.
Daryl nodded his fingers tracing down her spine. He just nodded and he felt her smile against his skin. Her breathing evened out before long and the soft rise and fall of her chest against his side didn't take long to lull him to sleep.