"Love is friendship set on fire." ~ Jeremy Taylor
As the night wore on, people began to tire and trickle away to their own homes. After they got Rick upstairs and into bed and made sure Michonne was comfortable too, Daryl and Carol made their way down the hall to the room that Carol had vacated.
At the threshold, they lingered, staring first into the empty room, and then fixing their eyes on each other. Carol took Daryl's hand, winding her fingers around his, giving it a gentle squeeze.
An intense silence infused with a buzzing heat filled the space between them. She grinned nervously, and he stared fondly at her lips.
"So," she hinted. "Wanna pick up where we left off?"
Daryl grunted, bewildered that she didn't already know the answer to that question. Bowing his head, he searched for her lips, resigned to show her with more certainty.
Their lips met, locking together in a now familiar manner: steady, but loose. Carol tasted like strawberries, making Daryl hum with pleasure. She drew her arms around his neck, tugging him closer, kindling the embers that still smoldered inside them.
Pressing her against the doorjamb in a burst of ardor, he felt the heat from her body invigorate him. With equal gusto, she thrust herself towards him, and they spun around, his back hitting the wall as she kicked the door closed. Wedged between her heat and the coolness of the wall, Daryl felt his blood coil and constrict, galvanizing his need for more contact, springing him forward again. They grabbed and clutched at each other, compressing the surging force between them. Then they were moving through the empty space of the room as in a slow dance, the fiery rhythm picking up, heating, twirling them around.
Suddenly, the back of Daryl's legs met the foot of the bed, jostling him, and he fell backwards, sprawling on his hands. They broke apart breathlessly.
Daryl watched Carol staring back at him with a flush covering her face and wondered how far down her neck the splotches went. And as if she'd heard him, she removed her shirt, bravely discarding it on the floor, revealing her bra, stark against her fair skin. He sat up more attentively.
Indulging his eyes, Daryl felt his throat growing dry as they deliberately wandered over her flesh. His fingers itched as he remembered the feel of that black lace and the exact way her nipple had pebbled from his touch. A wave of heat rolled down the front of his body. The splotches, he had been keen to notice, covered more than just her neck.
Carol stalled, wanting Daryl to see her without any barriers, however flimsy. Concealing herself was something she could no longer do. And certainly not with Daryl's rapt attention saturating her core, turning her into butter. Slowly, tantalizingly, she reached behind her back with the grace of a swan, unclasping her bra. The material gently fell from her breasts, exposing them.
Adjusting himself in his seat, he marveled at her courage, her beauty as she stood before him. He was captivated, unable to move, robbed of his breath for a good long moment. Time seemed to still, growing diffuse, until finally he sighed. Her eyes smiled at him, so he smiled back contentedly.
She took it as a sign of approval and feeling encouraged, brought her hands to the button of her pants, unfastening them. His eyes dropped towards their movement, wiping the smile from his face as it morphed part way into a look of shock and eager expectancy simultaneously. Without meaning to, he licked his lips, and the action made Carol draw down her zipper ever so slowly, watching as his eyebrows peaked in curiosity. She felt powerful and sexy as she had never felt before.
One by one, she kicked off her boots into the corner of the room. With her thumbs crooked in the waistband of her pants, she shimmied them down just below her navel in a teasing manner. Daryl squirmed in his seat, feeling all his blood rush downwards. He gasped for air as he watched her, waiting, searching her eyes, silently begging for her to continue. He wanted to see her. All of her.
Kindly, she obliged him, letting her pants fall past her hips and down to the floor, stepping gingerly out of them to unveil her long pale legs. Only a stretch of thin black cotton remained.
Riveted, he narrowed his focus, ogling the juncture between her hip and thigh. Beneath the fabric, Daryl knew another treasure awaited. He felt himself tensing with anticipation, his fingers curling into the covers on the bed.
Carol took a step towards him, and he reached up automatically, compelled by the lure of her silky skin. His inquisitive fingers surveyed the backs of her thighs to her hips while he marveled at all her curves and lines. At the edges of her panties, he traced the boundary with miraculous restraint, feeling where the elastic met her skin with genuine appreciation for all the ways she fascinated him. She shuddered beneath his touch. He pressed his lips to her bare stomach, calming her with a kiss, cherishing this gift she had given him.
Her warm hands stroked the back of his head, sliding down to his neck, grasping his collar. Looking up, Daryl sat back, enjoying the sublime view of her towering over him like a queen. Bold and beautiful. She ruled his heart. Bending down, ravishing his lips, she commanded his body.
Like two flames, his hands scorched her skin as they spread upwards, cupping her breasts, searing her flesh as the kiss sizzled between them. She pulled at his collar, needing him closer and closer, her body aching with an undeniable thirst.
Swiftly, her hands began to unbutton his shirt as his skin hissed with pleasure from her every movement. Dragging his shirt over his shoulders, the fabric pooled at his waist until she glided her thrilling fingertips down the length of his arms and past his wrists to release him. With his hands free again, he brought them back to her body, exploring her, electrifying her, making her skin bristle into millions of tiny bumps.
Carol opened her eyes, leaning back from the kiss to admire the expanse of his bare chest, taking in the ruggedness of his shoulders and arms. She saw it then, the shock of it hollowing her, confounding her, not understanding how she could have missed it before. Maybe she hadn't wanted to see.
Roughly the size of a quarter, an angry welt protruded on Daryl's shoulder from where he had been recently shot. It filled her with dread, how close she had come to losing him. Shutting her eyes to keep the tears from spilling, she held her lips to the scar, reconciling her fears as she kissed the pain away.
He inhaled delightedly, enraptured by her tenderness. It was only after she drew away that Daryl saw the sheen of grief lingering in her eyes. "Carol—" he began, his heart catching in his chest, and then he couldn't find the words to continue.
There was nothing he could say. He couldn't undo the past or secure their future; he could only love her—now, and for the rest of his days, however many were left.
His eyes drifted to her own scars, regarding them with reverence as he silently caressed them each in turn. Arm. Thigh. Abdomen. He could only think about how strong she was. How capable. She wasn't broken in the slightest.
He took her hand and held it over his pounding heart, showing her.
"We ain't ashes," he reminded her, shaking his head. "You ain't."
Rubbing his hand over hers, he was determined to make her understand.
"Hell, woman, you're the goddamn torch."
With tears burnishing her cheeks, she chuckled tensely. Daryl smiled.
Resolving to banish the darkness, Carol clasped his hand and pulled him from the bed, inviting him to chase her thoughts away. He stood willingly, radiating warmth as he stared into her eyes, his hand coming to her face with affection, wiping her tears, comforting her, reminding her of the brilliance of a thousand suns. With a sigh, she encircled her arms around his neck, bracing herself against him, letting him restore her to life.
He kissed her forehead as they held each other tightly, both of them needing the closeness to quell their fears. Soon, she became distracted by his lips traveling across her brow, down her cheek, effectively shutting off her brain as he began to lap at her ear with his tongue. He bit her earlobe, and she lost herself once more to sensation, releasing a muted whimper as everything else fell away.
Daryl felt Carol sink into him, purring with pleasure. Her response was gratifying, heightening his own as the feeling of her breasts flush against him made his body hum and spark in return, setting fire to his blood. Her fingers tangled in his hair, gripping and tugging, inciting his arousal.
Their restless lips found each other again. His hungry hands flowed down her body, grabbing at her flesh, pulling her up against him as he sought that delicious tongues danced and mingled, stoking their passion. Sweat began to drip and pool between them. The maddening touch of her hands on his skin, made him squeeze harder, his pelvis bucking into her uncontrollably. Daryl rumbled, unleashing a ravenous growl from deep in his core.
Vibrating through her body, his roar echoed between her legs, weakening her knees. Carol trembled, and she tightened her grip on him to steady herself, her hands still frantic in their exploration. The scent of tobacco and mossy heat emanating from his feverish skin made her increasingly dizzy. Her head began to swim as she fell into rapture.
All at once, she buckled, staggering backwards, and Daryl followed clumsily, loosening his grip. Her hands accidentally swept low across his belly, and he convulsed, gasping as he pulled away from her in shock.
The surprise felt like a refreshing breeze the way it cut through the sultry air surrounding them. Catching her breath, she smirked impishly. "Ticklish?"
Daryl scoffed, kissing her fervidly to distract her.
Her persistent fingers brushed against him again, and he writhed, wiggling himself away from her.
Carol beamed triumphantly. "You are!"
"Stop," he warned her, his threat half-hearted.
"But I like it."
There was heat in her gaze as she challenged him. It spurred him into action. Growling, he found her hands, wrestling them away and behind her, feeling satisfied as she pouted indignantly. The motion had her back arching, her breasts jutting proudly towards him. Smug from the glorious sight of her, he growled again, dipping his head to nibble at her neck and down across her chest in reprisal. Carol shivered, gasping for breath.
"Daryl," she called out breathlessly. The sound of it enlivening him as he licked and sucked on her flesh greedily.
Her hands broke free from his faltering grasp, grabbing him behind his ears as she pressed his head towards her.
"Daryl!" she repeated more urgently as his mouth found her breast.
With the taste of her on his tongue, he pulled her roughly against him and suckled harder, feeling his skin melting against hers. The torrid heat soared and spun, flourishing, spreading, consuming them. The thrum in his blood, making him crazed as it rushed through him.
She cried out, and he released her, panicked by his actions, wondering if he'd hurt her.
Instead of complaining, her fingers flew to the fly of his jeans which she quickly unfastened in his confusion, drawing the zipper down the hardened length of him before he could protest. His pants fell to his knees, held up by the rope he had tied around his ankles to keep his pant legs secured. He felt alarmingly exposed, his thoughts in disarray as his blood hammered in his ears.
Carol knelt down, trying to untie them as he stood there floundering, overwhelmed at the sudden pace of everything. She giggled as she fumbled, searching for the ends.
"A little help here?" She looked up at him, the mirth shining in her eyes. It settled him.
Seeing her on her knees made him uncomfortable, so he dropped to the bed with a bounce, letting Carol remove his boots as she stared at him longingly. Reaching behind his calves, he found the knots and loosened them, allowing her to yank his pants the rest of the way off, finally freeing him. Then she joined him on the bed.
Some of the heat had dissipated, making the moment feel less urgent. Daryl felt grateful, but grew nervous as the salience of what they were doing suddenly became clear. He paused, touching her cheek as he gazed into her eyes with some uncertainty, his nakedness only heightening his feeling of vulnerability.
Carol reclined on the bed, coaxing him, drawing him down towards her, kissing him lightly, tenderly, her soft hands stroking his skin. Some of the tension in his body began to recede as she caressed him. As Daryl relaxed, he let his hands glide over her curves, matching her gentleness, her throaty moans encouraging him to slip his tentative fingers between her thighs, seeking for her cache of heat.
His fingers glided over her, sending ripples of pleasure straight to her core, liquefying her. Somehow, she found the strength to wiggle out of her panties, baring herself completely to him. It seemed to give him a little more confidence and he rolled her on top of him. Skin on skin, their hearts raced together as they kissed and discovered one another.
His desire for her keeping him on edge, Daryl suddenly pulled away, needing to see her, a question in his eyes.
Carol saw him hesitating, the unspoken worry etched into his brow. Of course, she thought.
"I'll stay with you," she promised, her voice barely above a whisper, reaching for his cheek to reassure him. "Always."
Hair of silver, heart of gold, eyes too blue for this mad world, Carol was like an angel bathed in starlight, Daryl would recall later, her skin alight and glowing. Her breasts full and round, humbly bowing towards him, dusky nipples heralding her devotion. She was the most exquisite creature on earth. And she loved him.
His face softened, eyes swelling in acceptance; he believed her. Kissing her with more tenacity than before, he relinquished his doubts, surrendering to her completely.
Driven by desire, guided by hope, his kiss fueled the flames already carried in their hearts, dissolving their remaining fears. Effusive and blazing, their love burned through their flesh as they joined their bodies and melded into one. Flowing together, flaring and billowing, they ascended on waves of bliss, calling out their ecstasy in unison. Two souls inseparably welded; they were finally together, in all ways, stronger than they ever were apart.