June pressed the tip of her brush against the smooth, slate-grey wall. The bright yellow pigment of the paint was striking against the dull metal. As she moved her hand, the yellow spread in streaks, completing one of many sunflowers on her and Bella's cell wall.
She leaned back on her ankles, chin angling up as her eyes took in her artwork. Hues of yellow, greens, and blues swirled about most of the space. The colors stretched almost to the top so that it felt like she was looking through a window. Reminiscent of Van Goph, the sunflower field brought color and life into the small cell she and Bella had been calling home.
June had spent the past two months working on this whenever she had the time. Often it wouldn't be until night when she'd finally be able to sit down and focus. It was cathartic for her to create in a time of ruins – probably the same reason why Bella had lugged a piano to the cell block.
Speaking of who, June hadn't seen Bella for a few hours. It had been six days since the infection had been contained, and slowly, everyone had begun to go back into the swing of things. Not that they'd all managed to move on from losing half of their people, but life and walkers moved on, making it easier for all of them.
She stood up and took in the finished painting, her smile growing. Plopping her brush down into the tin can of murky water, she gave out a little squeal.
Carl suddenly popped his head in curiously through the curtains. June couldn't even flick him off for doing that again. The amount of times he almost walked in on them while they were changing was insane. But right now, she was just too damn happy.
The younger boy let out a low whistle as he scanned the field of sunflowers. "Lookin' good."
June beamed at him. "Have you seen Bella? I'm gonna show her."
He snorted. "Last I saw her, Daryl was making googly eyes at her out in the field."
She rolled her eyes. "Sounds about right." No way in hell Carl would say that in front of Daryl though. As much as Carl admires and trusts Daryl, he wasn't dumb enough to do such a thing.
She grabbed the basket of paint she had ransacked. June will return it to the library – where the kids often spend their time - after seeing Bella.
"Where are you heading?" asked June as the two teens left the cell and started down the stairs. They waved to Beth who had Judith in her arms as they passed by.
"Helpin' dad with the farm," shrugged Carl.
June glanced at him curiously. Carl had been different– and understandably so – since his mom's death. And she overheard Bella and Daryl talking about him killing a teenager during the Governor's attack. Bella was worried about the direction he was heading
Strangely enough, June wasn't bothered by hearing it. She knew she should, but she wasn't. Not that she supported his actions, but she could understand it.
Killing wasn't always bad, June decided. Maybe before the outbreak it was, but now it was different. Now, it's about surviving and protecting. But neither is killing the only solution.
But then again, June never had to kill before.
June could see how Carl was slowly recovering. They've grown as friends, even though June still rubs it in his face that she's a solid year older than him. He smiled more often, and his dad had a lot to do with it. Before, when her mom and Carl's dad went running off into who knows where, it would often just be Carl and June left alone. Rick wasn't known for subtlety – he was always in the thick of things. June could see what it did to Carl. It made him need to grow up fast, and who else would he try to emulate if not his own dad?
It made him colder and more distant. But now, Rick was showing him a different way.
It made June wonder what she takes from Bella.
Every leader at the prison had their own way of doing things. Sasha and Carol were more pragmatic. They saw things as it was and won't take any chances. Glenn was the keen, quiet voice of reason. Hershel was the moral compass. Rick certainly kept everyone on their toes, but he had no hesitation and made the hard calls.
Bella was the kind of leader to step back and listen. June would always see her watching – observing. She likes to know all of her options before deciding anything. And when she makes her call, she's firm about it. She was the kind of leader that would prefer to handle things herself rather than have others in the line of fire.
Daryl was harder to place. But that definitely did not mean he wasn't meant to be a leader. No one particularly expected it, but when it happened, it clicked as if this is what the prison needed. Nobody wanted to step up after Rick relinquished his responsibilities, but Daryl was the first to do so.
"Soon we'd be able to stop going out on runs for food," continued Carl.
June hummed, her basket swinging at her side. The two squinted as they walked outside. It was almost noon – the sun was glaring down at them. The grass was crisp green – just like on her wall – and the sky was a lovely shade of blue. When she painted her landscape, she drew inspiration from the hills before her now. The landscape was similar, just covered with sunflowers.
She spotted Daryl and Bella sitting on the grass, talking animatedly with one another. She started towards them as she waved at Carl. She called out as they parted ways, "Dinner later?"
He gave a thumbs up. "See you then!"
June relished underneath the warmth of the Georgian sun. It was still spring – barely – so that they didn't all feel like they were baking. The wind billowed throughout the grounds, providing the perfect amount of cool air to counteract the sun's warmth.
She could see Bella sitting upright, arms wrapped around her legs and chin resting on her knees. Her hair was loose and would pick up every time the wind went by. Underneath the bright sun, her hair would shift from black to brown to even gold.
Daryl was lying down on his side beside her. His elbow propped him up, and one knee was bent up. He looked casual, and June could see a half-smile on his lips. It was a teasing smile, further confirmed by how Bella rolled her eyes and shoved his shoulder at whatever he said, causing him to roll onto his back.
June caught Bella's eyes, and her mother waved at her, grinning. "What's up, kid?" She called out.
In response, June simply raised her basket of paint, a triumphant grin on her face. Bella's eyes widened in realization, startling in the sea of green grass around her. She gasped dramatically, her head lifting up from her knees. "All done?"
June reached the two as she beamed. "All done."
Daryl had made himself comfortable after being shoved onto the ground. Now on his back with arms crossed behind his head, he squinted against the sun at the teen. "Ain't you supposed to be helpin' Carol with the kids?"
June raised an eyebrow at him as she sat down beside Bella. "Don't you have someone to stare down or glower at?"
He nodded up at Bella, who was looking down at him with faint amusement. "Why else do y'think I'm here?"
June only planned on stopping by, but – unsurprisingly – her and Bella ended up getting trapped in a long conversation.
"How about Athens?"
Daryl shrugged. "Athens, Georgia? Never been. That place got nothin'. Not even good bars."
Bella nodded contemplatively. "You're not wrong. The family I lived with spent their days on the couch watching TV nonstop."
He considered the two in front of him. "How about Helen? Nice enough place."
Bella pursed her lips in thought. "I think I went there once when I was about ten. Never lived there though."
June glanced up from her current project. Bella's hand rested in June's lap with the younger girl's brush hovering over her skin in contemplation. "I went there once with my friend, Holly, remember?"
Bella wrinkled her nose. "That girl was an asshole." She tilted her head. "Remember Tybee Beach from two years ago?"
June grinned. "How could I forget?" She turned to Daryl. "We've never gone to the beach before until then." She sighed. "I wonder what it's like now."
"We'll go back one day," promised Bella. "We all can. Once everything here settles down."
Bella cocked her head as she studied Daryl, a small smile on her lips. "You are definitely from northern Georgia. Nowhere else you would get that southern twang."
He scoffed lightly but didn't argue against it. Finally, Bella asks, "Jasper?"
He raised an eyebrow as he rubbed his jaw.
Bella laughed in relief. "Finally!"
He pointed at her. "Only half right. Didn't grow up in the city. We were out a couple of miles near the woods."
June suddenly straightened up. "I -" she paused dramatically "- am done."
Bella stretched out her arm, revealing emerald green vines curling around her forearm down to her hand. Her palm was graced with a bright sunflower with other small buds framing it. It circles around to the back of her hand where more greens and yellows spanned.
Bella smiled down at it as she experimentally flexed her hand. "I love it." She pecked June's cheek.
June grimaced playfully, but her smile broke through. "I should probably get this back to Carol. She's been hunting me down for these paints."
Daryl sat up, strands of grass embedded in his hair. "Have you seen Michonne?"
June shrugged. "Last I heard, she and Hershel were gonna go out to burn the rest of the cloth from Cell A."
Bella looked out into the forest. "I'll ask if I can go out with them. I haven't been out in ages."
Daryl frowned at her. "You should rest some more before goin' out."
She waved him off, standing up. "Shouldn't be too bad. Just right along the fence."
June pointed at her seriously. "Don't go on and ruin my masterpiece."
Bella raised her hands in defense. "No worries. Can't wait to look at your other masterpiece back at the cell."
She kissed June on her head, and June made her way to the prison.
Before entering, June took in one last look at the rolling hills. Daryl was escorting Bella to the gate, and June could see the others milling about. The breeze came through, sending fresh, crisp air. The warmth of the sun lingered on her skin. She could hear the birds chirping and the kids laughing.
Feeling wonderfully, immeasurably content, June walked into the prison as the heavy metal door swung shut behind her.