"Why are you doing this?" Carol hissed, feeling the need to say something, anything, to buy them a little time. She knew exactly why he was doing it. He was a sadistic, evil, egomaniac. This was a way to torture them that he believed would weigh on them emotionally for the rest of their lives. If they somehow survived, every time they made love it would be there in the back of their minds - their first time together - and how traumatic and humiliating it had been.
Negan knew Carol would never give him what he wanted. She would be the one that he couldn't control - the one that got away. He could have killed her or killed Daryl or even killed them both, but he wanted to torture them in a way that he believed would make them miserable for the rest of their lives.
Before he replied a man stepped up. "Negan, come on - no one wants to watch this."
Carol closed her eyes, she knew what was about to happen before she heard the gunshot or the shocked gasps from the crowd. She felt Daryl's arm around her and she leaned against his chest. When Negan started to yell she opened her eyes. "Anyone else? Anyone else want to speak up?" he screamed, his eyes wild with insanity. Carol ,looked around, picking out the few familiar faces in the crowd. Sherry looked horrified, but also terrified as she struggled to compose herself. There were other women crying, fighting back tears and sobs. She saw Dwight's face and was extremely surprised that there was no fear at all. He was angry and his jaw was set in a determined fashion that somehow gave her a little hope.
She realized that Daryl was following her gaze and his eyes were fixated on Dwight with the same anger the other man was directing at Negan. Did Daryl somehow know this man? What was going on? She shook it off and looked at Michonne. When their eyes met she saw rage and fire, but Michonne was able to keep her exterior composed. She was like a coiled snake, ready to strike at the right opportunity.
"I didn't think so," Negan continued. "You will all stay and you will all watch. Anyone protests in anyway - well, I think you know what'll happen." The town was silent. He turned to her and Daryl. "And you two - I have a few rules." Carol's blood ran cold. As if things could get worse. "You will give us a good show. This isn't gonna be no quick fuck." Daryl tensed and Carol shifted, nuzzling him lightly to offer comfort. "There better be foreplay. Nudity -" Carol felt her face burn and she fought the bile that was rising in her throat.
Negan was smiling and she had never wanted to kill another human being more in her life - even with all the horrible humans she had encountered over the years. "Yep, I wanna see that sweet ass and those little titties."
Daryl started to move and Carol grabbed him. "Don't," she whispered. "I'm fine. I'll be fine." He looked at her and her heart broke. Daryl was a mess, barely able to control his rage. She needed to calm him, quickly, or they were both going to die - along with everyone they loved. "Can you at least get us a blanket or sheet or something to put on the ground?" Carol really wasn't concerned about having sex on the ground, it was really the last of her worries at that point. But she was stalling, postponing the inevitable in hopes for divine intervention or some sort of miracle.
Negan rolled his eyes, but spoke quietly to one of his men, the same one that had removed the dead body a few minutes earlier. Carol reached for Daryl's hand and linked their fingers. She squeezed and he relaxed slightly. Moments later the gate was unlocked and the man brought in a duvet and spread it on the ground in the middle of the cage. "There you go Princess," Negan snarled. He took a seat in a chair that was set up front and center and pulled a young woman into his lap. "Now begin. Show us what you got stud," he taunted Daryl.
This time he almost got away but Carol tugged him back. She moved as far away from Negan she could get them, trying to ignore the fact that it put them within a few feet of a group of strangers. Carol looked at them and they averted their eyes discreetly. It was slightly comforting to know that this was extremely awkward and uncomfortable for the people being forced to watch. They were merely pawns in a chess game where Negan was the King.
Carol took a deep breath and lifted her face to look at Daryl. He was looking at the ground. "Look at me," she whispered. "Please?" Slowly he lifted his eyes. It hurt her so much to see how upset he was that her eyes welled up with tears.
"I'm sorry," he whispered back. "I'm so sorry. I don't want to do this to you."
She reached up and touched his face, stroking his cheek. It was so hard to speak to someone so intimately knowing that people were watching and listening. "We have to. We have to," Carol replied, caressing his cheek. She reached her arms around his neck and stood up on her toes so she could whisper directly into his ear. "He wants us to hate it. He wants to destroy us. We can't let him." Carol stroked his hair and felt Daryl hug her close. "I love you. That part will never change." She nuzzled his stubbly cheek with her own. Daryl's body shook against her, he was crying. Maybe it was a terrible time to admit her feelings, but she had no idea what would happen after and she needed him to know before they had sex that she loved him and always would. "Shh. It's okay," she soothed him.
Carol drew back and looked at him again. "It's just us," she said. "Ignore everything else and focus on me. You ready?" Daryl nodded slowly. It was pretty much impossible to ignore the people surrounding them, but they had to try.
He touched her face and leaned down to kiss her. She felt his body tense when their lips met and several people made cat calls and lewd statements. Apparently there were a few that were going to enjoy the entertainment. Carol still felt sick to her stomach, but she forced herself to tune out the background noise and enjoy her first kiss with Daryl. She hugged him tighter and kissed him back. Her heart rate increased, but this time it was for a different reason. Despite the disgusting circumstances - it was still their first kiss and it was beautiful.
Only minutes ago she had wondered if she would ever see him again. She was worried that Negan might have sent men to kill Daryl. But now here she was in his arms, kissing him like she had wanted to do for so long. At least she could be thankful for that.
Their tongues met and Carol felt a flutter inside her body that was surprising given the situation. She hadn't expected to be turned on or feel those little things that you notice when you're intimate with someone. But she was feeling both. There was a stirring in her belly that was far more prominent than the knots of anxiety that had been there moments ago. Carol loved the feel of his tongue on hers and how passionate the kiss was. She ignored the yells when Daryl touched her ass lightly. This wasn't about anyone but the two of them. If they were both going to get through it without the emotional damage Negan was trying to inflict on them they had to make it all about them - not him and his demands.
They needed to find a balance between taking it slow and getting through it. Carol honestly couldn't imagine how much more pressure there was on Daryl. She would be naked, yes, but Daryl wouldn't be able to hide his arousal from the other men staring, judging and comparing. She had no idea if Daryl was small, average, above average and she really didn't care. But people would notice and she didn't want him to feel emasculated at all. He also had the pressure to actually be aroused and maintain it. Carol vowed to help him with that, whatever it took.
Daryl moved to kiss her neck and she started to work blindly at his buttons. His mouth was hot and she closed her eyes to enjoy the feel as he sucked on her tender skin. She had his shirt undone and she pushed it off his shoulders along with his vest. Daryl had scars on his back and she heard a few gasps as his skin was exposed. Carol hugged him and placed her hands flat on his back, covering as much of him as she could, both in an apology and a way of soothing him.
He stopped kissing her and looked into her eyes, with his hands resting on the hem of her shirt. Carol nodded and he tugged it off over her head. The cool air hit her skin, but it was the whistles and deep, disgusting groans from a few of the men that made the goosebumps cover her arms.
Daryl's eyes shot up, seeking the men who were making her uncomfortable. "Hey," Carol whispered. "Don't. I'm fine. Just us, remember?"
His hands moved to her shoulders and he stroked her arms gently. Daryl looked her in the eye and lifted her hands, putting them around his neck. The he lifted her, bringing her legs around his waist. "Oh yeah, let's get it on," someone screamed. Carol shivered, but refocused as Daryl found her lips again. He kissed her as they walked, pausing momentarily to ease her down to the ground, on top of the blanket.
Laying on the ground on her back was a blessing. Looking up she could only see Daryl's face and the night sky beyond that. If only she was deaf, she could truly believe they were alone. "Get the bra off," Negan growled loudly.
Anger flashed in Daryl's eyes, but she gave him a calming look and turned to let him unclasp her at the back. He looked so apologetic as he pulled away the material. Suddenly something in her snapped. This wasn't how she wanted her first time with Daryl to be. There should be no looks of regret, neither of them should feel sorry for what they were doing. Negan was not stealing this from her.
Carol sat up and quickly removed her boots and socks, then undid and wiggled out of her pants. She reached for Daryl and boldly did the same for him. She felt a wave of desire course through her as she pulled his pants down and realized he was aroused and that he would have nothing to feel emasculated about.
She allowed herself a quick moment to look around. Some were blushing fiercely, trying not to watch, some looked extremely aroused but embarrassed, and there were a few, not many, but a few, that were clearly enjoying every second.
Carol lay back down on the duvet and pulled Daryl on top of her. His body was warm and she could feel his erection pressing hard into her groin area. She kissed him hungrily, letting go of everything but how she felt about him. Daryl was holding himself above her, his beautiful arm muscles rippling. She ran her hands over his triceps and felt her body surge with heat. His hair tickled her face as they kissed, until they finally parted, breathless.
There were comments, she could hear them. Men were urging them on, telling Daryl to do things to her, but he was focussed just like her and they were somewhat in their own world. He moved lower and took one of her nipples into his mouth. The peanut gallery erupted with cheers and Carol could hear some of them banging on the side of the cage. She moved her attention to how good it felt as Daryl sucked. There was a throb between her legs, so intense it was almost scary.
He rocked his hips while he continued to toy with her tits and Carol sighed. His erection was pressing against her and the pleasure was incredible. She shifted and spread her legs, wrapping them around his body and lifting her ass slightly, trying to get the pressure in exactly the right spot.
"Hey," a voice boomed. It was Negan. Daryl stopped for a moment. "Get the fucking panties off and lick that pussy. I wanna see you eat her out Hillbilly." Carol squirmed, torn between so many conflicting emotions. Did she want Daryl to go down on her? Of course she did. She wanted it badly. But she felt embarrassed by the way she was so turned on in front of all these people. There was this constant back and forth between her desire to enjoy making love with Daryl and the fact it had been forced upon them in a horrible situation.
She must have looked panicked because this time Daryl calmed her. "Shh," he said, touching her face and looking into her eyes. "It's just us. Said I'd go down first," he shrugged and gave her a tiny smile. He made a joke. But not only that, he brought up a memory from so long ago. "I loved you then," he whispered, looking at her a bit shyly. "And I love you now."
"Come on, get to it. I wanna see your face in her cunt Big D," Negan sneered.
Daryl took a deep breath and reached for her underwear. She lifted her ass off the ground, still fighting the conflicting emotions swirling inside her. The desire was overwhelming, but she wanted to share this moment with him in private, so desperately. "Stop," a familiar voice cut loudly through the air. Carol froze and Daryl looked up. "Please Negan," Michonne was begging. "Please just stop this madness. Let them go and I'll give you want you want," she said.
"No," Carol yelled. "Michonne, don't -" She started to get up but Daryl held her down. He shook his head.
Negan rose. He looked intrigued and maybe a bit amused by Michonne's words. "Please," she pleaded again. "Just stop this and I'll do it. I'll be one of your wives." Carol felt tears start to trickle down her own cheeks. "I'll have sex with you. I'll do anything - just let them go." Carol's heart was pounding so hard she could barely breathe as they all waited in silence for Negan's response.