It was a few hours after Hershel had regained consciousness. Rick had gone after Lori almost as soon as she left. And Daryl struggled to figure out what to do with himself. He wanted to talk to Rick but doubted Lori would appreciate him walking in on their conversation. Instead he found himself outside against the wall of the prison staring at the woods trying to escape the persistent pain in his stomach. He realized he would kill for a cigarette right now. Anything to take the edge off. As the hunter chewed his lip he heard the soft clinking of chains as the side gate opened. He watched closely as Carol closed the gate. She looked positively exhausted and he noticed her hands were faintly stained black.

"Ya shouldn' sneak out of the house." He called, she gave a surprised gasp and jumped slightly.

"Jesus Daryl you scared the crap out of me!"

"Sorry." He chuckled. She shook her head but took a seat beside him. She rested on one of the edges of the building sighing heavily as she settled. "Hershel woke up."

"He did?!" She exclaimed excitedly then her face dropped as fear took hold of her. "Was he…?"

"Nah I mean he woke up, a little out of it and probably in a lot of pain but he wasn' a walker or anythin'. Lori said he didn' have a fever either." Carol sighed the look of utter relief crossed her eyes.

"I'm so glad." The hunter nodded, if they had lost Hershel he wasn't sure things would ever recover. They needed him especially now that there was room for plants and crops. But they needed him for more than just that. They needed him because he was one of them. He was a part of the group and the group needed each other more than anything else.

"Lori said he stopped breathin' for a bit but she managed to resuscitate him." He assured Carol quickly when she started to get that terrified look in her eyes again.

"He's so lucky." She breathed softly and Daryl nodded. She looked up at him her eyes searching. "Did you come up with the idea?"

"Which idea?"

"The leg…"

"Oh." Daryl scuffed the ground he exhaled deeply. "Yeah it was my idea. I told Rick about it one time."

"I figured." Carol nodded. He didn't know how to feel about that. Was it obvious that he'd come up with such a plan? Was it something that seemed characteristically him? Did that level of cruelty scream Daryl Dixon? Was it because he'd killed Dale when everyone else couldn't? Daryl closed his eyes trying to choke the feeling of disappointment and pain down into a ball and collect it deep in his stomach. "Your idea saved Hershel's life." Carol's voice broke through his internalizing.

"What?" The hunter's eyes popped open.

"If you and Rick hadn't cut his leg off the infection would have killed him by now." Carol smiled sweetly.

"But it could have killed him. My idea could have killed him regardless of the infection!" Daryl argued angrily he wanted her to be furious at him. It felt like it would make him feel a little better. Being blamed might make his insides stop hurting as much.

"That's true but he would have definitely died if you didn't. Daryl what you did was a good thing." Carol touched his arm tenderly not blaming him at all.

"We're always on the move." Daryl voiced the fear that had been plaguing him since Hershel woke up.

"Then we'll have to make this place our new home." She said without hesitation. Her eyes strong and unwavering. "We'll have to make this place work." Daryl worried his lip. She was right he realized, there was no other choice for them. They had to make it work. Not only Hershel but for everyone. This was one of the few breaks they'd had in a long time. They needed this regardless of the suffering they had endured to reach this point.

"You're right. We'll make this a place we can stay at for a while." Carol smiled an easy happy smile.

"I hope we can stay here forever." Daryl gave a shaky nod but he couldn't allow himself to feel so hopeful. Every time they got close to having a break it fell apart. He wasn't a pessimist by nature but this world didn't leave for much room for an optimistic mindset. The suffocating feeling of the prison still made him nervous but he would work through the issues for the benefit of the group. Daryl sighed feeling a bit better, he was resigned to staying in the prison as long as everyone needed him. "So how did it go with the prisoners?" Daryl exhaled deeply.

"Not well." She waited for him to elaborate. "Three of them died."

"Did the walkers get them?"

"No." Daryl mumbled his eyes downcast.

"Oh." Carol breathed. He was relieved she didn't ask anything more. He didn't want to go into detail about what had happened. "How are other things going?" She tried to move the conversation to a lighter area.

"Like what?"

"How about the thing between you and Rick?" She smiled mischievously clearly enjoying teasing the hunter.

"Yer just so sweet aren' ya?" She shrugged but was still smiling broadly not backing off. "We're fine."

"Meaning?"

"What are ya? Some sort of pervert?" Need to get yer jollies off by watchin' others?"

"No no!" She shook her hands in denial. "Just want to make sure you two are okay." She admitted softly a tender look in her eyes.

"Yeah we're okay." He relented hoping to assuage her fears. Daryl didn't know how to elaborate on that. He wasn't sure exactly how to describe what he and Rick had agreed upon and they hadn't done anything, so like Rick had said they weren't lovers yet. They were in a rather uncertain place.

The pain in his gut suddenly intensified and Daryl felt the instant need to be alone. The feeling hit him like a lighting strike hits a body of water. The air grew stale and heavy. Even being with Carol felt too stressful. He clenched his fists and gave a quick goodbye to Carol before running off. He soon wandered into the guard tower he and Rick had spent the night in. Daryl rested against the wall of the tower pressing his knees up against his chest. Compacting himself into a smaller target. Daryl probed the emotion that caused his unexpected panic.

His mind had flashed an image of Tomas stabbing Rick in the head instead of what had really happened. Hell there was over a dozen times today that Rick could have been killed by the inmates or walkers. Daryl squeezed his eyes shut and struggled to regulate his breathing. His breathes were coming out too quickly with too little coming in. It left his head feeling light and far away. Rick nearly died today and Daryl couldn't do anything to keep his leader safe. Daryl could see a thousand different ways he could have be killed. They should have never helped the prisoners. They should have killed them immediately.

What would they have done if they had lost Rick? The group would have been crippled. Daryl doubted they could ever recover. Hell he doubted he would ever recover the loss of Rick. He couldn't figure out when his life and his existence had been tied so strongly to that of his leaders? Daryl just knew alone he wouldn't survive, his mind couldn't handle that kind of pain and solitude again. Daryl felt his limbs tremble, what if Rick had died? The hunter felt fear drip down his lips into his throat where it caught like bubble gum. Rick nearly died and it would have been all his fault. Daryl sat shivering and tormented by his thoughts for a torturously long hour before he finally wrestled control of all the pain and shoved it back down deep in his gut.

Daryl blinked clearing the panic from his eyes. He was centered again and felt in control. The air was fresh and not choking like before. Suddenly the answer hit him, he and Rick hadn't slept together and this world wouldn't wait. Hershel getting bit and the attack from Tomas just slammed the reality home. Daryl had thought he should wait until they were certain until things were stable but he realized they would never be certain or stable. They were never going to get the perfect opportunity. Daryl couldn't believe he'd sat around like a goddamn virgin scared of getting hurt for so long. Daryl was no bitch yet he'd acted like one. It disgusted himself. With resolve the hunter got up and walked to the exit. He left without anyone in the group noticing. He really didn't want to explain what he was doing. Daryl took his bike to the nearest town. It was small but he hoped one of the stores or houses would have what he was looking for. He longed for the porn store Merle had taken him to when he was fourteen. Daryl had been amazed by all the things they had to pleasure people. Though Merle's drunken teasing over his brother's innocence quickly soured the whole experience. But at least they'd be guaranteed to have what he was looking for.

Daryl found a small mom and pop store in the center of the town the sign was worn away from the chaos and it was cluttered with broken lights and shelves knocked on their sides. But overall it didn't look too bad. There was still some stuff on the lower shelves and with luck the hunter would find what he was looking for. When he glanced through the window he didn't see any visible walkers but he still cautiously toed the door open. He checked for walkers but still didn't see any, at least not yet.

He grabbed a nearby bag and headed towards the back to the pharmacy and rang the bell loudly like an annoyed guest. He heard a groan from the walker who stumbled into the pharmacy counter. Daryl couldn't help the grin when he noticed it was the pharmacist.

"Um… Yeah I was wonderin' if ya had any lube?" He asked the walker who made an angry disapproving growl. "Not for me of course. It's for a friend." He mumbled playing off the tone from the pharmacist. "I also need some condoms. I mean better to be safe than sorry right?" Daryl said as he crouched down to the condoms in front of the counter. "Is there a brand you prefer?" He asked the walker. The walker swung his arm in a big arch. "Ah haven' been laid for a while? That sucks man." Daryl sighed resting on the balls of his feet. "Me neither. Hopin' to change that tonight." The hunter gave a wink to the walker.

He shoved several boxes (not all for him and Rick, he'd leave some for Glenn and Maggie. Maybe under their pillow like a condom fairy.) Daryl also grabbed several bottles of lube but he paused staring at it hard. "I'm a little worried ya know." He softly told the walker. "I mean does Rick even know how to do it? Would it be better if I received or he did? I know Rick's a virgin there but maybe I'd be better at openin' him."

He remembered Rick mentioning that he'd done anal with a girl once or twice before but Daryl figured it had probably been a long time. Well before Lori and Carl and the hunter highly doubted that was something Rick stored in his mind. Because honestly who would figure they'd need to know how to do something like that again after getting married and having kids? Daryl sighed glancing up at the walker who was still swinging and growling at him. "Maybe it would be better to let him stay with something he's used to. At least for this first time." Daryl nodded to himself. "Though maybe I should prep beforehand I don' know how good he'll be at that. Plus it'll hurt if we go in and I'm underprepared." The walker grunted in agreement. Daryl knew from experience that being too tense or under lubed hurt like a bitch (though most of his partners didn't seem to give a shit if it hurt him or not. They only cared about their own pleasure.) He could only pray that Rick wasn't like those guys. "I know I wish I could just get us a book on this shit but somethin' tells me ya don' have anythin' like that. Too bad."

Daryl climbed to his feet and checked the rest of the store. He gathered the food and snacks. "Hey do these candles smell good?" He asked the helpful walker. "Think they create a mood? I mean Rick ain' a girl but he deserves somethin' not that I'm a damn romantic or nothin'." He insisted when the walker moaned clearly doubting his manhood. "We could use them regardless right?" Daryl thought putting three of them in his shopping bag. He also shoves a few lighters in there just in case. "Well I think that's all I need." The hunter mumbled crossing off his mental list. "Thanks a lot ya have been super helpful." Daryl was almost out the door before the walker gave a loud growl. "Oh where is my manners? I'm Daryl." The walker moaned. "Dan?" He asked and the walker hissed in response. "Nice to meet ya Dan. Maybe I'll see ya again when I need more."

Daryl winked and shook his bag letting Dan know what he meant. The hunter waved as he exited the shop. Suddenly a thought hit him and he popped his head back in. "Hey Dan ya have any smokes?" Daryl asked looking around the store, Dan gave another swing and Daryl checked behind the cash register where he found a few packs. "Oh thanks man." He grinned checking them out, most of the brands had been looted only a few were left in the chaos. "Which do you like best?" Dan growled again and Daryl nodded. "Hm. I've never tried that brand before." Daryl said thoughtfully as he grabbed and pocketed four packs. "Cheers Dan, this'll be great! See ya buddy."

The hunter finally got on his bike and secured the bag in the side bags. He shook his head as he started the bike. "Crazy ol' Dan." He mumbled between a cigarette in his lips. Daryl took a leisurely drive back to the prison enjoying the ride and smoking his first cigarette in months. The nicotine felt amazing to his lungs and helped to clear his head. He found himself driving one handed half the way back, just so he could smoke properly. The sky was starting to grow dark by the time he made it back.

Daryl returned his bike and grabbed the bag and some blankets. He went to the tower he and Rick had slept in the night before and put out the blankets on the floor to pad it a bit. He set up the condoms and lube before placing the candles around the tower where they would be out of the way but could still provide light. He sighed feeling accomplished until he realized he needed to invite Rick up here. A cold chill broke out as he realized he had no idea how to do just that. He couldn't just say "Hey let's do it!" well he could but Daryl couldn't think of a more unromantic anticlimactic way for them to hop into bed together.

Then Daryl realized what if Rick couldn't tonight, he'd just decided they should but what if Hershel had gotten worse while he was gone. Or he and Lori were spending the night together? Daryl licked his lip and exhaled he'd gotten way too head of himself and the hunter suddenly felt defeated. He climbed back down the ladder and prepared to have dinner with the group. He'd been too focused on what he wanted to think about anything else. Daryl opened the door and found the majority of them were eating at the tables minus Beth and Maggie. They were probably eating with Hershel he concluded. Daryl sat down and took the food Carol offered him. He ate glumly as he tried to help keep the disappointment at a minimum.

"I don't have time for this right now." Rick's voice suddenly cut through the silence of the room. Lori was trailing behind him whispering urgently to him. "We'll talk later." He hissed but he came to a sudden stop when he noticed Daryl. His face froze for a moment before he started marching over. The hunter wondered if he was about to get yelled at for leaving the prison. Daryl spun his mushed food around trying to look innocent. Rick took a seat next to him and took the food Carol gave him as well but he didn't touch it. "Where did you go?" Rick asked after they sat in an awkward silence for a while.

"Out." Daryl shrugged.

"Where?"

"Just out." He growled defensibly which made Rick bristle with annoyance. The hunter felt like hitting himself, this was the worse way to try and convince the man to spend the night with him. Rick sighed angrily. Daryl worried his lip. "Look um… it wasn't anythin' dangerous. I just went out for a ride." He tried again.

"You could have told me." Rick growled anger still painting his words.

"I'm sorry." Rick was glaring straight ahead. Daryl bit his lip and leaned in close to Rick. "Can we talk later?" He whispered. The anger drained from his leader's posture. Rick nodded and glanced at the hunter.

"Where?"

"The tower." Daryl mumbled. "Whenever ya have the time." Rick was watching him closely, suspicious but he looked excited regardless.

"I'll be there." Daryl found his cheeks burning slightly and clambered up. He rushed quickly back to the tower needing to mentally prepare himself. His heart was pounding the sun was starting to set by the time he heard the door open. Daryl quickly lit the candles and stood fidgeting in the center of the room. He wasn't sure what to do with his body and his mind was nearly overwhelmed with nerves.

He wondered if he should just take his clothes off like in one of those movies he'd seen years ago. The one with the model girlfriend waiting for her Bond rip off of a boyfriend to show up to ravish her. But the hunter couldn't bring himself to do something that stupid. It just wasn't in his nature. The door squeaked open and Rick glanced at him. The hunter fidgeted and tried to stop his nervous twitching. Rick took a quick look around the room. He raised a brow at the candles but didn't ask any questions. "So." Rick said softly the annoyance from earlier was completely gone from the man's eyes. Daryl swallowed trying to move the lump out of his throat. "Should I ask you where you got all this stuff?"

"I told ya I went out."

"On a shopping trip?" Rick teased his eyes bright.

"I won the raffle." Daryl mumbled scuffing his toe.

"Lucky boy." Rick smiled taking a step forward. Daryl resisted the urge to pull back. Rick's sharp eyes were watching him closely and the hunter's stomach was a ball of writhing snakes. He kept trying to control the slight tremble in his hands and the rapid way his heart was pounding. "So what did you want to talk about?" Rick asked giving the hunter an out. He could just say nothing, that it wasn't important. But Daryl couldn't bring himself to say that. He licked his lips instead. He wished he had a drink of some kind to offer the man. That was how most of his nighttime relationships started, with him and his partner half dead drunk and horny to boot somehow managing to stumble into bed together.

"I um…" Daryl fumbled over his words struggling to figure out what he should say.

"Daryl?" Rick asked regarding the hunter closely. "Are you okay?"

"I…" He tried to force the words out of his mouth but it was like pulling teeth from a walker's mouth. Just say it, he thought, stop being such a goddamn coward. "I went into town to get supplies." Daryl said, inwardly cursing his inability to speak his mind.

"Get anything good?" Rick smiled gently and Daryl shoved his hand in his pocket and fisted the box of condoms buried deep inside. He half shoved the box in Rick's face due to the nerves. The man's eyes widened when he realized what the hunter had given him. Rick coughed awkwardly his cheeks tinted red. "Does this mean…" He stumbled over his words almost as badly as Daryl had.

"I wanna do it." The hunter whispered his face inflamed with an embarrassed heat.

"Oh? With? Anyone in mind?" Did Rick seriously believe he wanted to do it with someone else? Daryl's eyes shot up in disbelief, a denial on his tongue. Rick had a teasing grin on his face, his eyes crinkled in delight.

"Jerk." The hunter muttered looking down feeling even more embarrassed that he'd been duped so easily. Rick's warm hand took his and squeezed gently.

"Does this mean it's okay if I believe you got this for us?" Rick's voice was small and damn near vulnerable. Daryl swallowed deeply steadying himself.

"I did… get it for us." He breathed flicking his eyes up to meet Rick's. Daryl was almost thrown off balance by the swift and strong hug Rick wrapped him up in. He could feel Rick's heart beating almost as quickly as his was. He almost thought he felt a tremble in his leader's body as well. "Are ya nervous?" Daryl asked in a whisper, he had no place to talk about being nervous but he felt like maybe he would feel a bit better if he wasn't the only one. Rick chuckled softly and buried his face in the side of Daryl's throat.

"Yeah. I am." Rick nuzzled against the hunter kissing his skin gently. "Do you want to make fun of me?"

"No." Daryl mumbled wrapping one arm around Rick's waist and the other cradled the back of his head. He felt more relief than anything at Rick's words. They could work through this together like always.

"I told you the last time I did anything like this was with that girl I dated long before Lori?" Daryl nodded along with Rick's words. "Well I'm trying to desperately remember exactly what I did with her but I'm drawing a blank. I feel like I'm trying to take a test for a subject I never studied." Rick chuckled embarrassed his cheeks warm against Daryl's neck.

"It's okay. I know what to do." Daryl whispered even though he worried he that wouldn't be able to guide them through something like this without massive failure.

"That's good because I really don't." Rick admitted softly.

"Didn' ya say ya have done it anal before?"

"She always prepared herself beforehand. I just showed up when she said her vibrator wasn't cutting it." Daryl laughed feeling like his boy scout mental image of Rick had been shattered.

"Ya dated really screwed up people didn' ya?"

"I wouldn't say we dated more like she used me when she needed me. There's a reason we weren't together for long." Rick chuckled and then shook his head. "We shouldn't be talking about shit like this right now." Daryl couldn't help but agree it felt weird to be talking about old sex partners as they stood so close together both wanting to get it on.

"Yer right we should be doin' this." Daryl said grabbing the front of Rick's shirt and collided their lips together. Before his leader could react the hunter deepened the kiss forcing him to submit to his dominance for the moment. Rick moaned softly fisting Daryl's hair as he crashed their lower bodies together creating a delicious friction between them.

When they finally pulled away both men were panting lightly before they reached for the other again and found themselves locking lips once more. Rick ran his fingers under Daryl's shirt stroking the tight muscles on his abs while Daryl found himself running his own fingers against Rick's dick through his pants. Rick was thrusting forward slightly trying to get more relief from the hunter's nimble fingers. But at the same time he refused to pull away from Daryl, in fact every time he tried Rick pulled the hunter back in for another scorching round of kissing and tongue thrusting.

When they did pull back Rick rested his forehead against Daryl's as they struggled to catch their breath. Rick's eyes were dark with lust as Daryl bet his own were as well.

"How do we decide who does…" Rick trailed off and bit his lip. Daryl resisted the urge to chuckle. The fact that Rick was worried about who was giving and who was receiving meant he cared about what they were doing but honestly Daryl figured the first time he should let Rick do what he was used to. Though the next time there was no guarantee. "Should I be worried about your smile?" Rick asked noticing Daryl's smirk.

"Nah. I'll make it easy on ya."

"Meaning?" Rick asked clearly worried.

"I'll let ya do me." Daryl whispered his face hot from his own words. Rick shook his head something close to a laugh on his tongue.

"Couldn't you have found a better way to say that?"

"I'll let ya shag me." The hunter shrugged.

"I think you mean I'll make love to you." Rick inserted tenderly stroking the hunter's cheeks.

"That's gay." Rick chuckled. "Alright maybe those were the wrong words considerin'." Daryl admitted but he was distracted by the feeling of their hard dicks pressed flush against each other.

"Maybe just a little." Rick eyed him closely as he kissed each side of Daryl's temple. "Are we ready?" The hunter nodded softly nervous to continue but he refused to turn tail now. Rick kissed the side of Daryl's throat again. Before either one could start working their clothes off their chapped lips mashed together again. They both shifted around trying to remove their clothing without breaking apart. Neither had much success with their clothes. They were too preoccupied with kissing the other.

Rick seemed to finally grow tired of having clothes separate them, he helped to work the hunter's clothes off. While incessantly pressing his lips against Daryl's not giving him a moments rest. It felt like they couldn't get enough of each other. The same thoughts that had been building in the hunter all day was exploding in Rick. The distance between their bodies got smaller and smaller as Rick kept pulling his reluctant partner to him. Their chests crashed together and Daryl realized he was glad neither of them had boobs or nothing. It would make it hard to kiss as deeply as they were. The way their tongues connected and worked against one and another felt strangely right and as close to perfect as the hunter had ever felt before.

The room felt like it was on fire from the heat created from their movements and Daryl could hear little moans and almost whimpers coming from Rick that sent shots of electric excitement to his groin. He never realized that something like that would be such a turn on for him but Daryl found it hot to hear the man nearly begging for them to get closer. He'd never had anyone be so desperate and needy for him before. Most of his past relationships had used him without caring about how he felt or who he was. Rick kept mumbling his name hotly in his ear telling Daryl Rick knew exactly who he was with.

Daryl shrugged his shirt off and struggled to get his hands around his pants. Rick pushed his fingers away and started undoing the buttons himself while his teeth nipped at the man's shoulder. Daryl groaned softly when the man swirled his tongue around the soft spot on his neck. The hunter helped rip Rick's own shirt off as he pushed his legs out of his jeans. Rick quickly slide his pants off as well kicking them off along with his boxers. Daryl hesitated on getting completely naked. He bit his lip trying to work up the nerves to take them off. Rick got close and smiled softly. He took Daryl's hands away from his own boxers and gently pulled them off himself.

Daryl fought off the urge to shiver when he and Rick had finally stripped out of their clothes. He dropped his head his face burning from the vulnerability. Daryl wanted to pull his clothes back on. He hadn't been this vulnerable in a long time. The last time he hooked up with someone he kept his clothes on only opening his fly.

He saw Rick's bare feet step closer and the hunter squeezed his eyes shut. Part of him wished he could be someone else doing this with Rick. Someone worthy. Someone whose body wasn't broken open with scars someone clean and pure. Someone who was just not himself. Rick cupped the hunter's face tenderly shifting his hair out of his eyes. Daryl kept his eyes downcast not able to muster the strength to look up. Rick pressed the hunter up close chest to chest. Daryl nearly panicked at the feeling of skin on skin. His body shivered uncomfortably he could feel Rick's smooth skin against his broken damaged skin. He'd never felt more like a used piece of garbage before than he did standing next to Rick's immaculateness. Rick's big hands continued to stroke his face and cup the back of his neck.

Rick turned him around and exhaled hotly on the back of Daryl's neck, the tremble that rocked through them both nearly brought the hunter to his knees. His leader's fingers run along Daryl's spine touching the scars littering his back lightly like he'd break if too much pressure was applied. Daryl almost felt like he'd break anyway if he was treated too gently. He wasn't worth that kind of concern or love. To be treated so thoughtfully made his insides hurt with angst. He didn't feel worthy of the man's fingers much less his affection. Rick pulled Daryl's back flush against his chest and he could feel the rapid beating of Rick's heart through his back. The man was running his thumb over the chapped lips of the hunter while his big hand cradled his face. Daryl bit his lips trying to hold his voice in check, the last thing he wanted was to moan like a drunk, dick starved slut (Merle's term not his.)

Rick started tweaking his nipples twisting almost violently before rubbing a soothing finger over the abused nub. Daryl squirmed feeling almost powerless in their current position. He reached his hand back and cupped Rick's hard shaft moving over the hot flesh pulling upward slightly. Rick gasped his body going rigid for a moment as a whimper broke out of his lips as massive pleasure pulsed through his body.

He wrapped his arms around Daryl's waist their warmth bleeding into each other. "You okay?" The hunter nodded timidly, Rick sighed softly. "Then why are you trying to distance yourself from me?" Daryl shrugged realizing he was as far away from Rick as he could get without actually exiting the embrace. The distance between them must have felt like a separation of emotion and an urge to leave their current relationship, or that's how Rick must have looked at it Daryl realized. When in reality he was just scared of his scars yet again ruining something good for him. That Rick would lose interest the moment he saw that his whole body was covered in the scars. That he really was a broken man. "Is it because of these?" Rick breathed reading his mind, his fingertips tracing over the small scar on the hunter's wrist caused from jumping through a glass window on a dare. Daryl didn't nod. He couldn't, he wanted nothing more than to not tell Rick his fears and insecurities.

Rick slowly took his hands off the hunter and moved a fraction away and Daryl was hit full in the face with Rick's rejection. Daryl swallowed ashamed that his issues had stopped them. He considered suggesting they do it with most of their clothes on. But Rick seemed to have other ideas. He turned Daryl around so they were facing each other and tenderly grabbed Daryl's hand and pressed it against his left shoulder. Rick moved the hunter's fingers slowly over the skin trailing upward one finger at a time. Daryl looked up the moment his fingers touched raised skin in a broken nearly circular pattern. Rick guided Daryl to trace over the edges even pressing around the hard skin that formed the scar tissue. He had him trace the deep lines shattering out from the scar. "This is from that gunshot before all this happened." Rick whispered continuing to trace over the scarred skin before slowly moving their hands downward towards his leg.

Rick ran their entwined hands over a long thin scar on the side of his thigh. "This is from trying to clear a fence. I didn't make it clearly. And this." Rick touched a tiny scar in the corner of the underside of his jaw. "Was from tripping on some stairs as a child." Rick slowly let go of the hunter's hand before tilting his jaw upward until they locked eyes again. "I'm not nearly as flawless as you seem to think." He murmured his eyes showing no hint of a lie. "We all have our scars. Physical, emotional, mental." Rick stretched a finger out and ran a tip against a patch of scars on Daryl's chest. "This doesn't bother me. It doesn't matter. You matter not your scars. Not your body not your past. Only you. You are the only thing that matters to me." Daryl couldn't breathe he'd stopped thinking. How could he possibly respond to something like that? He felt his chest nearly burst with affection for Rick and his honesty and never ending kindness towards someone like him. "Aren't you going to say something?" Rick murmured against the hunter's temple.

"I'll ruin the moment if I try." Daryl mumbled his heart and mind still trying to recover from everything Rick had said. Rick chuckled on his temple before placing a tender kiss against Daryl's lips. He didn't try to deepen it yet that kiss held all the affection and devotion Rick had stored in him for Daryl. "Stop tryin' to turn this into a damn romance movie. It ain' rainin' or nothin'." Daryl grumbled gruffly trying to mask his embarrassment and his erupting emotions with an annoyed attitude. Rick smiled and brought his lips to Daryl's ear.

"Fine. I'll whisper sweet romantic words to you later." He breathed before suckling on the hunter's ear. Daryl gasped his toes curling at the sudden attack. Daryl could feel Rick's hard dick pressed against his leg. He could feel how badly Rick wanted this and Daryl felt a tiny surge of pride that someone as great as Rick wanted him. Rick traced his fingers over Daryl's muscled stomach and moved between his legs touching the sensitive skin of the hunter's inner thighs. He moved close to his dick but never actually touched the place that needed relief the most. Daryl nearly groaned and begged Rick to touch him properly. He rested his head against the man's shoulder angling his eyes so he could look at Rick. The heat in his eyes warmed Daryl internally, the way his face was flushed with excitement was incredibly attractive. Rick smiled down at him his eyes full of fondness that had Daryl almost looking away. Not sure what to do with the emotions that filled him from the soldering look Rick was giving him. His leader redirected his focus quickly when he kissed the soft spot behind Daryl's ear.

"Ya like kissin' don' ya?" Daryl mumbled his cheeks heating.

"I like kissing you." Rick admitted shamelessly. "Tell me what to do." Rick murmured his lips pressed against Daryl's temple. The hunter wanted to laugh, Rick expected him to lead them? He swallowed harshly trying to work up the nerve to continue. Don't be a pussy! Daryl screamed internally. They'd come this far he couldn't just stop now.

"We do what we've been doin' only more." The hunter mumbled his face hot from the words. Rick seemed to understand and pulled the man closer to him (if that was possible.) Rick fisted their dicks together stroking slowly but with enough pressure to curl Daryl's toes.

"So we just keep doing stuff like this?" Rick asked his head buried in Daryl's throat. Rick's gasps caressed Daryl's neck leaving little tingles behind. "You know we're in trouble if you're expecting me to just instinctually know what to do." Rick whispered giving fleeting tender kisses to the hunter's jaw.

"Sorry." Daryl breathed trying to remember what should happen next. He was too caught in the hot slippery feeling of their dicks pressing together. It had been too long since he'd gotten off. He bet it was the same for Rick and Daryl didn't want all this effort to be wasted on just some damn hand job, (although it did feel particularly good.) "I got some lube." The hunter mumbled groping blindly behind him. Rick got to the bottle first and slowly lowered them to the ground. "If ya want I can open myself up for ya." Daryl offered trying to make this as easy on Rick as he could. Rick pressed a quick kiss to Daryl's cheeks and smiled down at him.

"I want to do this. If you'll let me I want to be the one to do this."

"Yer weird." Daryl mumbled flushing red. But the warm feeling in his gut betrayed how he really felt about Rick's words.

"I just want to make you feel good. Isn't that what making love is about?" Rick whispered close to Daryl's ear. The words bouncing around in his head. He'd never had anyone care about making him feel good like this. Most people he'd been with chased their own pleasure and cared little if he came along for the ride.

Rick spread the lube liberally across his fingers but he didn't make the plunge just yet. He kept mixing the liquid in his hands, Daryl suddenly felt the fear hit his gut like a gunshot. He worried Rick was losing his nerves and had realized what they were doing or worse who he was doing this with. Daryl's legs started to drift shut as he tried to keep his head down to hide the pain and disappointment. "It's okay. We can…" Daryl trailed off, try again? Pretend this didn't happen? He wasn't sure which one to go with. Before he could start searching for his pants Rick had pushed Daryl back down. His teeth biting into the hunter's nipple.

He gasped his eyes blown wide and it was then that Rick pressed a slender fingers against his opening. Daryl bit back a moan, a mix of pleasure and pain exploded through his veins. Rick continued sucking and nipping each nipple lavishing attention as he carefully worked his way into the hunter's body.

"I didn't want my fingers to be too cold." Rick whispered harshly his breathing coming out in heavy pants. "Isn't that what most people hate?"

"Ya mean girls." Daryl grumbled. "Not a girl." He still hated that Rick treated him too gently though in their current position he couldn't really refute the fact that he was taking the chick role. Daryl flushed deeply at the thought. The Dixon's in his family must be rolling in their graves or at least spitting out a freshly caught meal, he thought and for once Daryl didn't actually feel that bad that he was a disappointment to the Dixon family. Maybe this once it would be okay.

"I know." Rick said slipping his tongue into his lover's mouth. "Trust me I know." He smiled giving Daryl's dick a quick squeeze. Rick slowly withdrew his finger before pressing in again.

"It's okay ya can put another in." Daryl panted nearly dizzy from the full feeling. Rick licked his lips and inserted a second finger. He gently spread his fingers trying to work the hunter open.

"Does this hurt?" Rick asked concerned when he noticed Daryl biting his lip sharply. He shook his head panting.

"No. It's just been a while since I've done this." Daryl whimpered. Rick nodded but he still looked worried and brought his other hand up and started stroking Daryl's dick gently trying to keep his attention on the pleasure instead of the pain. Daryl squeezed his eyes shut trying to maintain control. He wanted nothing more than to beg Rick to just get it over already but he knew if they tried now it would hurt him and probably Rick as well. Suddenly the pressure on his dick left and instead he felt a thumb under his eyes. The fingers inside him stilled too before pulling out slowly and Rick's deep voice was full of sorrow.

"Daryl it's okay." Rick whispered. The hunter nodded knowing they had to continue.

"I know let's…" Rick touched his lips effectively stopping Daryl from speaking anymore and he miserably shook his head.

"Daryl." He whispered. "Do you want to stop?" The hunter felt like he'd been kicked straight in the balls, all the air left his lungs.

"W-what?" His voice trembled, he wondered how he could have possibly screwed this up so badly. Daryl's whole body felt like it was about to start shaking but he bit his lip trying to hold himself together. He should have known this wasn't going to work out. How could he have been so stupid to think it would? The pride he'd felt earlier evaporated like steam.

"Daryl." Rick cradled his face with one big hand. "You're shaking…" He trailed off like he didn't know how to continue without making things worse. "Are you scared? Do you want to stop?" Rick asked his voice full of uncertainty. The hunter had expected to hear annoyance and anger at being forced to stop when they were both so desperate for release. He slowly opened his eyes and stared at Rick. Daryl couldn't see any hate or anger just distress in Rick's eyes. His blue eyes kept searching his face looking for a way to fix the man below him. Daryl timidly shook his head. Did he want to stop? Hell no. Was he scared? Never. …Or that's what he wished he could say. He wished he could be like his brother just using his body as a way to get off. But he couldn't. Daryl knew once they did this there was no going back. As much as it would break him if he lost Rick now, if Rick died after they did this it would destroy him.

"I… I don' w-wan-wanna stop." He whispered trembling, his voice shook almost as badly as he was. Rick rested his forehead against Daryl's.

"We don't have to do this." Rick insisted. Daryl knew Rick was giving him a way out. That he would never force him into something like this. No matter how much Rick wanted to do this, Daryl knew he would put the hunter's wellbeing before his own. That for some unexplainable reason Daryl mattered more to Rick than Rick himself did. Daryl hugged Rick tightly to him and exhaled slowly as he came to terms with his feelings. The deep uncontrollable feelings that refused to let him rest for a moment without having Rick close by. The unfathomable emotions that Daryl never thought he would be capable of. The feelings he held for Rick went bone deep, deeper than anything he'd ever felt before and that alone scared the hunter.

I want this and so does Rick, he realized looking at the man's soft blue eyes. Now he had to take the risk of a freefall and hope that Rick either caught him or he sprouted wings. Crashing to his death was the only other option.

"Do ya want to stop?" Daryl whispered scared of the answer he'd receive. Rick hugged the hunter tightly in response.

"God no. But I told you before if you want to wait I will." Rick said softly.

"We're in this together right? We're a team… right?" Daryl asked needing reassurance that they were in this together.

"Always." Daryl smiled at Rick's response he didn't hesitate with his answer. Always, Daryl liked the sound of that. He kissed Rick's shoulder biting gently before he licked the bite. Rick whimpered his dick giving a twitch. Daryl smiled and stroked his dick giving it the attention it was clearly begging for. He pressed their dicks together savoring the familiar feeling of Rick trying to press them closer as he craved more heat and fiction between them. Daryl felt the twist in his gut as his blood started rushing in excitement and thrill again. Rick was quickly panting again as the hunter worked them back up to the level they were at earlier.

"Slide your fingers back in slowly and try to stretch them out a bit." He whispered Rick's eyes blearily opened and his nod was almost completely distracted by the feelings of their hot dicks pressed together. But Rick put his fingers inside Daryl and moved smoothly with some level of confidence that he was missing earlier. While he was still gentle he pressed in firmly and spread his fingers out opening the hunter up. "Ya should probably put a third finger in." He panted trying to remember exactly what should happen next while his brain was melting from the sensations on his insides and outsides. Rick added the third finger but he pressed his face back to Daryl's throat and ran his tongue down a vein licking the shifts in the skin from the hunter's moans. Rick had already memorized Daryl's sweet spots on his throat and was attacking them mercilessly.

Daryl was torn between thrusting forward to meet Rick's dick or back to meet his fingers. The burn from the fingers had long since been replaced with a sweet pleasure and fullness that he'd forgotten. Suddenly Rick pressed in deeper his fingers touching the spot inside Daryl that made him nearly climax, his eyes rolled back at the electric feeling. Rick took notice of his reaction and rubbed the spot more and more making Daryl a shivering mess of hot sensations. He panted thrusting back to meet Rick's fingers. Rick took Daryl's chin with his free hand and brought their lips together. Their tongues automatically meeting to mingle and collide together. The moans shared between them left both men nearly dizzy with excitement and sensory overload. Rick continued to message Daryl's prostate while their tongue's met.

Daryl's limbs started to tremble with the urge to release and Rick's clouded eyes were hinting that he was in the same state. "Stop." Daryl panted pushing against Rick's shoulder trying to propel him back slightly. Rick didn't seem to hear him he only pressed closer and bit at the hunter's collarbone. "Rick please." The hunter begged. "If ya keep goin' we'll…" He couldn't even finish his sentence under Rick's assault on his senses. Daryl squeezed their dicks tightly. The pleasure pain of a too tight grip on the hypersensitive skin shot through Daryl like sticking your finger in an electrical outlet. Painful yet tingly. His mind felt clearer while Rick groaned lowly, whimpering his displeasure at the treatment. But his blue eyes weren't clouded over with lust anymore. He was more rational, at least for the moment. "Ya've done a good job preparing me." Daryl mumbled and almost snickered at the flash of pride in Rick's face from the praise. Rick got the message and slowly pulled his fingers out.

Daryl moaned from the loss of heat and weight inside of him before he could even get used to the empty feeling Rick was back crouching in front of Daryl. He pressed the tip of his dick against Daryl's opening but didn't push in. He looked at the hunter instead waiting to make sure it was okay. Daryl smiled to himself. He appreciated the gesture but he desperately needed to get off. He nodded at Rick who slowly cautiously pressed in. At first Daryl felt fine as the head went in. It didn't hurt much but as Rick pressed in more the hunter felt like he was being torn open. He gasped and panted and tried to breathe through the too full sensation. He tried to breathe through the tearing he felt inside but his stomach quivered with twisted and ripped pain.

He had felt open with Rick's fingers but clearly his dick was larger than the three fingers. Daryl bit his lip forcing himself not to cry out when Rick fully seated himself inside him. He expected Rick to start slamming away but he didn't move. Daryl cracked an eye open, he couldn't even feel Rick breathing on him. Instead he was staring down watching Daryl with a mournful expression in his eyes. Daryl tried to give a smile but it came off as more of a wince. Rick slowly lowered his body and covered Daryl's before holding him tightly not moving a muscle. The hunter could feel Rick's heart hammering away against his chest. Rick kissed the side of Daryl's face and gently pressed a hand to his flagging erection. He tenderly stroked his hand moving gently not frenzied as he worked Daryl back up. He pressed kisses everywhere on the hunter's body kissing and licking his sweet spots like the only thing that mattered to him was making up for Daryl's pain.

Rick didn't rush as he lavished affection on Daryl and if not for the occasional twitch from Rick's dick inside of him he would have forget they were connected at all. Daryl found himself panting as his dick grew hard again and his body loosened up once more. He touched Rick's cheek and smiled letting him know it was okay to move. Rick hesitated looking scared and kept searching Daryl's face. He kissed the hunter's lips tenderly as he slowly pulled out and pushed back in even slower. Rick kept this slow nervous pace for a while and Daryl found himself almost exhausted by it. It felt like he was being denied a piece of steak while everyone else ate it and he had a salad. "Rick it's okay." He whispered in his ear.

Rick pushed forward with a bit more force but he was still too cautious with his movements. Daryl sighed and took one of Rick's nipples between his teeth. The man yelped and pushed in forcefully in response. Daryl smirked and lavished the nipple with his tongue. He never figured Rick would be such a nipple guy but he found it cute and endearing. He worked the nipple over waiting until Rick pulled back to bite rewarding him when he gave a good solid thrust forward. Rick was whimpering at the sensation and his fingers were gripping Daryl's hips hard enough to leave solid bruises. As Rick gained confidence his hips shoved forward and snapped back rapidly creating a hot delicious fiction inside Daryl. Rick pressed especially deep on one stroke and hit Daryl's prostate again. The hunter howled as his skin shivered at the contact, his whole body alight with over stimulated nerves.

"Did that feel good?" Rick asked giving swallow thrusts as he let Daryl recover. Rick smiled rubbing the head of his dick against Daryl's prostate teasing the bundle of nerves. Daryl whimper his head growing fuzzy. "It must you've gotten tighter." Rick breathed stroking Daryl's hips sweetly. "You're so tight you know? It feel amazing." With each word he pressed in and out of Daryl making sure to hit his prostate with each pound. "I feel like I can't get close enough to you." He breathed against Daryl's ear before licking the shell.

Daryl couldn't find his voice through the spinning heated world, if he could he would have responded with some sort of snarky comment but his mind wouldn't connect with his tongue at the moment. Rick reached a hand out and squeezed Daryl's dick. His thumb moving across the moist tip. "You're so wet." He teased. "It's hot. You're so hot Daryl. You're amazing." Rick was mumbling his mind half gone from the clenching heat of Daryl's insides. Daryl pressed his lips to Rick's shoving his body back against Rick's thrust the moan between them almost had them cumming.

Rick pulled Daryl up and seated him on his lap where together with Rick's thrusting up and Daryl's slamming his hips down created the perfect mixture of pleasure and heat between them. All the while Rick kept squeezing and pulling Daryl's dick running his fingers over the tip often. Daryl found his fingers tweaking Rick's nipples twisting them gently. Rick bit the hunter's lip and smashed their mouths together and shoved his tongue in Daryl's mouth. Rick kept shifting his dick across Daryl's prostate making Daryl move himself trying to keep the amazing pressure going. He could feel Rick's dick swell slightly as his body reached its limit. "I can't." Rick whispered.

"It's fine go ahead." Daryl panted pressing his head against Rick's shoulder. They gasped together as Rick sped up. His hand and hips moving almost too fast for Daryl to keep up. He bit Rick's shoulder holding his voice in while Rick kept moaning in Daryl's ear. His pants so hot and sexy messing his mind up.

"Daryl Daryl." He breathe heavily his body nearly exploding. Daryl kissed Rick once more as the man squeezed his hand on Daryl's dick the twisting ball of tension in Daryl's gut exploded when Rick pressed firmly against his prostate for one final time. Daryl moaned panting his orgasm melting his brain. Rick cried out as Daryl tighten around him and he came inside Daryl breathing his name. They breathed together their bodies hot and slick from exertion. Daryl felt his eyes sluggishly slipping shut and he felt Rick slowly pull out. The hunter whimpered when Rick laid him against the floor. He shivered on the cold until Rick pressed in close to him. His arm around Daryl's waist holding the hunter tightly against his chest. Daryl felt Rick gently kissing his neck as he wiped something across the hunter's stomach cleaning him up. Daryl felt far away from his body like he was floating under warm water. He struggled to keep his eyes open but he found them drooping as exhaustion claimed him. The last thing he felt was Rick squeezing him tightly and words mumbled against his neck. Words that sounded an awful lot like romantic declaration of love.


Hello everyone! I am super sorry (seems like I'm saying this a lot in these notes) this took so long. I didn't want to post this chapter until I felt like it was good enough. It's been a long times since I've written anything close to smut and this is the first time I've ever put it out online so I wanted to do the best I could with it. I've gone over this chapter again and again trying to work and rework it. I have little experience writing smut so I hope it turned out okay! Like I said I was super nervous and made friends and family read it. I almost never do that but they were great sports about the whole thing!

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! I'd love to hear what you think if it was good bad whatever! If you have the time please review and let me know how I did. If you guys liked it enough I'd be willing to try my hand at a few more. (I have some good ideas where the smut would be perfect for this story!) So please review so that I can get an idea if you guys would like more or not. One thing I did realize is my smut scenes seem to have too much emotion... oops. I just couldn't leave the feelings behind sorry! I wish I could write just pure smut but apparently I like the slow drag too much!

Anyway let me know what you guys think! Thank you very much like always to everyone who's read, review (especially you guys!), favorites, and follows this story! I can't tell you how happy that makes me! I've already started the next chapter so it should be out soon hopefully! Thanks again guys and I'll see you all in chapter 25!