AN: Leave a comment if you want this to be a multi-chapter! I will only do so if I gain enough comments. C: also, leave me your prompts in the ask box! I will take prompts from detailed to words to quotes- whatever your heart desires. I will post periodically in the Caryl tag.
He was mad. He was more than mad. He was pissed off.
Oh, but not Daryl, oh no. Certainly not Daryl.
Rick had been having one of those bad, bad days as a leader and a parent where he could snap at just about anyone, one of those cranky days the pressure of leadership gave. Daryl had been doing everything asked of him; hunting, organizing runs, checking to make sure everyone was okay and everyone in their small family had what they needed, and he had been having a rather happy day, which was rare to see anymore for him to be walking around smiling and making casual small talk with Maggie or Glenn or whoever else. He even gave Carol a peck of the cheek before he had left for hunting early in the morning.
It was getting late and they had served dinner. Carol had made what she could with what Daryl had caught and skinned for her, and he had even helped her cook a little; she had found in recent times he wasn't actually that bad of a cook. Not too shabby for a redneck with only the experience of frying game, she thought in another time and another life he might have done alright had he been some kind of chef in a restaurant. Everyone was happily eating while Rick paced around, trying to hush Judith who was fussy now that she had begun to teethe. They hadn't yet been able to find any teething rings on any runs.
Daryl was beginning to look nervous and got up to offer him a sturdy bone for the infant to try to gnaw on in place of a ring, heading over to him. There was his hushed voice and the unsettled silence in the group due to Rick's foul mood, and Carol watched closely, keeping an eye on Rick.
Indeed, Daryl was the one he snapped at. His right-hand man was of course a target to his mood by default, although Rick had never yelled at him before. Rick spun around abruptly, and began yelling, "Jesus Christ, Daryl, if I wanted a dog, I'd get one! I can take care of it myself, why don't you just go sit down? What do you know about babies anyway, you've never had one, now have you! Why don't you try being a father and taking care of a cranky baby so you don't attract any walkers, huh?"
Daryl flinched and hunched his shoulders, seeming to shrink. He didn't say anything, just took a step back. His abused reflexes seemed to have gotten better but in the face of being yelled at by a man that was a brother to him, he was clearly hurt although trying not to show it, a reaction similar to what he would have done in the face of Merle's often verbal abuse. His face fell to look rather dejected, biting his lip, flinching a bit more when Rick got close to his face.
Suddenly, Carol was there, pushing Rick back gently, standing in front of Daryl. Her gaze was hard and she wasn't sure she had any right to speak after what she had done in the prison, before saying firmly, "Rick, that was unfair. You know it was. Daryl's been working all day to keep everyone happy. You know he's been doing everything he can to get you supplies, we're just not in a place any baby-related stores are nearby, cut him a break. He's been working his ass off and he's still been in a good mood all day! So what if he's never had a baby, he took care of yours half the time at the prison! He'd make a great father, he will make a great father someday. That baby isn't cranky, she's in pain, don't you remember what it's like to lose a tooth? Well, imagine that but ten times worse because you're getting all your teeth!" Everyone looked a bit stunned, but especially after she had said "will" about Daryl being a parent.
"Carol..." Daryl started, but he was quickly cut off when Carol continued.
"Now, he's my man and he contributes to the group a huge amount! Lay off!"
Carol growled, dusting herself off and stormed off to the car they had been sleeping in, slamming the door. Rick stood still for several moments before bouncing the baby again, who had begun to cry more because of the argument, saying softly, "I'm sorry, Daryl..."
Daryl nodded a little, glancing from him to the car before darting off after her. Carol was sulking, glaring at the dash when he got in, glancing up just a little, hissing, "Sourpuss apologize?"
Daryl suddenly grabbed her, pulling her to him and kissing the top of her head, burying his face in her neck and hugging her, murmuring with a chuckle, "Yeah, calm down, pookie... Thank you."
Carol pouted for several moments longer, a little mockingly, before curling her arms around him, sighing. He propped his chin on top of her head, his thumb stroking her back, giving a little contented purr when Carol whispered, "I have to protect my pookie."
"Damn straight."