"Daryl! Do not pull on my rabbit's ears!" Carol barked. Daryl jumped, losing his grip on the rabbit he was trying to reach in the pen. He hadn't expected her to be behind him.
"I was tryin' ta get that fat one right there," Daryl said, pulling his arm out of the pen and sitting back in the grass. "I was gonna ask ya if she's pregnant so I could move her to the other pen," he explained.
He was proud of their rabbit collection. It had grown, and even though they had butchered a few, it seemed like they kept replenishing themselves. Carol had already mentioned they had to figure out something to do with them when winter came, and Daryl was beginning to wonder if they could make an indoor rabbit house in one of the houses they weren't using to keep from building anything new.
The rabbit Daryl was going after was a newer arrival, one that Beau had brought in from trapping a few days ago, and Daryl didn't know if it was a boy or a girl, but it wasn't as friendly as the ones they'd had longer. It didn't want him to catch it, that much he was sure of, and the others wouldn't get out of his way.
"I don't care what you were doing," Carol said, coming over and getting on her knees to reach into the opening to the pen. Daryl crawled back and out of her way a little. She could almost crawl entirely in the opening that he struggled to reach through. He wondered if Tyreese had done that on purpose. "Don't pick them up by the ears, ever," Carol said. She backed out of her position, and hugged the rabbit that had been evading him to her chest. It didn't look like it had run from her at all and Daryl was irritated that he'd been chasing it around for at least ten minutes.
"Who are you? Fuckin' Snow White?" He growled.
Carol smiled at him. "If you pull their ears, they aren't going to like you. No wonder some of them have been scratching and biting me more. You've been torturing them when I'm not looking." She held the rabbit up, examining it for a minute. "She's a girl, and I think you're right, I think she is pregnant."
Daryl got up from his spot and reached an arm out to Carol. She let him help her up and he closed the rabbit pen back before anyone could plan an escape. She started toward one of the other pens in the network that Tyreese had built for her.
"Instead of pulling on my rabbits' ears, why don't you take the bucket of water I've got in the shade by the front steps down to the fields. It's ready for drinking and it's hot enough that I'm sure everyone down there would appreciate some water. Michonne's down there, so you can check on her when you go," Carol commanded, already opening the other pen's door.
Daryl didn't respond to her, but he did go around front, easily finding the bucket that was marked by the various cups floating in it. He picked it up, stopping a moment to watch what Beth and Stella were doing. He knew they were helping Carol can things, but he had no idea what the process was all about. It just involved a lot of water and firewood, that much he knew.
"You thirsty?" He asked as he walked by them, offering them the bucket. Both of them were drenched in sweat. Beth refused the water, but he stood there a moment while Stella dipped one of the cups out and gulped down the water, thanking him.
When he was done there, he started toward the fields, careful not to slosh the water out of the bucket.
When Daryl got to the fields, he sat the bucket down and watched everyone for a minute. Everyone was doing something, but hardly anyone was talking to anyone else. These past few days they'd been busy, but everyone was enjoying what they were doing. All of them were running off a constant stream of commands from Carol, and Daryl had been so busy this morning that he'd been scared to turn around, thinking he might run into himself heading off in a different direction.
He spotted Michonne watering plants and made his way toward her.
"Come get ya some water, 'Chonne, 'fore it gets too hot. They ain't no shade out here to put it in," He called, approaching her. Michonne stopped what she was doing for a minute, turning to look at him, and then went back to it.
"I'll get some in a second, Daryl, when I'm ready to refill," she said.
Daryl smiled, deciding to tease her a little.
"Why you waterin' 'Chonne?" He asked.
Michonne could hear the tone of voice and she didn't even have to look at Daryl to know that he was going to start ribbing her. In the past week alone she felt like she'd gained at least two inches in her belly, and Daryl loved it. He had also finally achieved the ability to feel the baby, and he was enjoying that too. Now, apparently, it had his spirits high enough that he was going to try to get her dander up.
"I'm watering because I don't feel like picking," Michonne responded.
"It's 'cause you can't pick, ain't it, 'Chonne?" Daryl asked.
Michonne glanced at him.
"I can do it, Daryl, but I don't want to and I don't have to, so I'm watering," She responded. She wasn't irritated at all, she was in a good mood, but he liked irritating her from time to time, so she tried to make it sound like she was a little annoyed.
"It's OK, 'Chonne, I wouldn't want'cha doin' all that bendin' down and squshin' the baby no way," Daryl said. Michonne realized that he was done teasing for the moment. She emptied her watering can and he reached out and took it from her. "Now go get ya some water, you look thirsty."
"How can anyone look thirsty, Daryl?" Michonne asked, turning and heading toward the bucket where Jimmy was standing, quenching his own thirst.
"Well, if'n they can look thirsty, you look thirsty," Daryl said, keeping step beside her.
Michonne took one of the cups and gulped down the contents. She missed having cold water to drink when the temperature was like this. The only time the water seemed really cool right now was when it was in the creek, and they never drank it fresh. They always boiled it first to make sure that it wasn't contaminated in any way. Michonne refilled her cup and drank it down again.
"See, you was thirsty," Daryl said.
Michonne thought about it a minute. The creek water wasn't cold, but it was cool, and right now she thought it would be amazing to soak herself in it. She knew that she could convince Beau, who was doing almost constant water runs with Carl, to bring her a bucket of it directly, but even drenching herself that way wasn't what she wanted. She contemplated, refilling the cup and drinking the water slowly, looking at Daryl.
"What'cha thinkin', 'Chonne, 'cause it looks like you up ta somethin'," Daryl said.
"Daryl, how would you like it if you and I slipped off together for a bit?" Michonne asked after a minute. She finished the water and put the cup back, moving closer to Daryl.
He eyed her a little nervously.
"In the middle of the day, 'Chonne? We got a lot to do…" he said quietly.
Michonne pushed herself against him, kissing him. She pulled back gaining eye contact.
"Let's slip down to the creek," she whispered. "Go for a little swim," she urged.
"I told you that ya ain't goin' outside them gates," Daryl responded.
Michonne kissed him again and then put her mouth near his ear.
"Me and you, alone, skinny dipping," she whispered. "Cool and wet…"
Daryl started to pull away from her and Michonne tried not to smile. She had his attention, and she knew that.
"It ain't safe," Daryl said.
"We'll just be down at the creek. Beau and Carl have been running water all day, they'd hear us if anything happened," Michonne whispered. "There's so much going on in here that most of the Walkers are more interested in what's going on inside our fences than they are in what's going on outside them. It'll be fine," she urged.
Daryl looked hesitant, but she thought he wasn't far from giving in. Michonne kissed him again, nipping his bottom lip and tugging it a little.
"Get a room," Junior said. Michonne became aware of him just behind her. "Or at least get away from the water bucket, geez."
Daryl went crimson and Michonne snickered.
"What do you say? Somethin' better than a room? I'll be with you, you can protect me," Michonne urged.
Daryl sighed, and shifted. She was sure he was turned on, and probably a little uncomfortable.
"Fine, 'Chonne, but you stayin' right with me so I can take care of ya," Daryl said.
Michonne smiled.
"Thank you, Daryl. I'll go get my katana and your crossbow. Meet you at the gates," she said. She turned and left him standing there awkwardly holding the watering can that he'd taken from her.
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"What are you doing?" Carol called when she saw Michonne headed toward the gate where Daryl was standing, carrying her katana strapped across her back and his crossbow thrown over her shoulder.
"It's fine, Carol, we're just going to step out for some fresh air, can you keep an eye on Hope, please?" Michonne called back. She didn't listen to Carol's response. She was anxious to get Daryl out of the gates before Carol could stop what she was doing and make her way over there to start trying to talk him out of it.
Maggie and Seth, both of whom were recuperating, were on watch duty, it being the easiest job available that still left them feeling like they were doing something.
"Open up," Michonne said, approaching them. She handed Daryl his crossbow.
Maggie looked at them both, a hesitant look on her face.
"It's alright," Daryl said.
Maggie made a face, but didn't say anything. She opened up the gate and they both passed through. Michonne pulled her katana and quickly swiped the heads off of two of the Walkers nearby. She paused a second, waiting for two more that were approaching. She swiped at them just as she heard them closing the gates behind her. She turned, facing Daryl now who was just staring at her.
"I thought I was takin' care of ya," Daryl said after a minute.
"Just clearing the gates," Michonne said, shrugging. "There's one coming to your left."
Daryl dropped his sight away from her, stabbed the approaching Walker with an arrow, and paused again before starting forward with Michonne toward the creek.
As they walked, they didn't see many Walkers, and it seemed like Michonne had been right. Most of them were probably drawn to the fences of the community by the sounds inside. When they did see one ambling toward them, Michonne unsheathed her katana and walked toward it, lopping its head in half before Daryl could say anything. So far she hadn't allowed him to kill any of the stragglers that had taken an interest in them.
"You gotta stop doin' that," he said when she turned to walk back toward him.
"Everything's fine, Daryl," she said. "The baby didn't even wake up. I'm not even tired. In fact, I was more tired watering crops," she argued.
"Still, I told ya that I would take care of the Walkers and you keep chasin' after 'em," Daryl said.
"Stop, Daryl. If there were more than one or two at a time I know you'd help, but I feel great and I wanted to kill the few we've seen. I'm not overdoing it or anything, I promise," Michonne responded. She could see the water, just ahead. She turned a little.
"Where we goin'?" Daryl asked.
"Downstream a little," Michonne said. "You don't want Beau and Carl coming for water and getting a free show, do you?"
"You got a point, 'Chonne," Daryl said. He followed her to the water's edge a little down from where they collected water and put their weapons on the ground near the edge so that he could get to them in a hurry while they were in the water, if such a need arose. These days he wasn't sure if he was more afraid of a surprise herd of Walkers or of the approach of some unknown person. Either way, he wanted the weapons where he could get to them fast. He wasn't taking any chances out here if he could avoid it, not with Michonne with him.
Daryl watched as Michonne started peeling off her clothes. He was waiting to take his own clothes off, not wanting to miss watching her. When her shirt was off, she turned toward him, and he swallowed hard, a little embarrassed that he'd just been standing there watching her. He wondered what she thought about it. She smiled at him after a second.
"Do you think you can stop staring long enough to help me get my pants off?" She asked.
Daryl came over and helped her pull them off with her leaning propped against him, her hand on his back while she freed one foot and then the other. She stood there, naked, for a moment when Daryl raised himself back up.
"How long has it been, Daryl?" Michonne asked him. He really liked the way she was smiling at him right now, but he blushed a little.
"How long's it been since what, 'Chonne?" He asked.
"Since you first saw me naked?" She asked. "If I remember correctly, you were still wearing all your clothes then, too, and you looked just about as embarrassed."
Daryl bit at his thumb, realizing that she was right, in some ways this was a lot like it had been at the pharmacy and now he would have to wrestle out of his clothes while she waited on him. Daryl started to take off his boots.
"You didn't look like you'd been eatin' watermelon seeds then," Daryl said, glancing up momentarily.
Michonne rubbed her belly.
"No, I didn't look like this then," Michonne said. "And I'd say cantaloupes maybe, but not watermelons, not just yet."
Once Daryl was free of his boots he made short work of peeling off the rest of his clothes. He was highly aroused, and was a little embarrassed at first when he stepped out of his pants. Michonne was wading into the water now.
"Be careful, 'Chonne, them rocks could be slippery," he said. He started toward her, trying to shake off his embarrassment. She didn't seem to notice, or either she didn't care. She did stop, though, barely in the edge of the water and waited for him to get there, stepping in next to her and wrapping his arm around her waist.
They waded into the water together. It wouldn't have been water that Daryl would necessarily have considered cool, but in contrast to the outside heat it was. Michonne moaned as they waded out into the deeper part of the creek and submerged themselves. The water wasn't very deep, but they could easily lower themselves enough to be covered.
Daryl looked at Michonne, her eyes closed, her head tipped back. He was hovering over her, his arm lazily wrapped around her, holding her up a little. He kissed her throat and she held her head back farther. He licked at the water droplets that were resting there, licking up to her jaw and then kissing her.
She moaned again, her eyes still closed. She returned his kiss, flopping against his arm and floating lightly in the water.
"I ain't never made love in no creek before," Daryl said.
"That makes two of us," Michonne said, still not opening her eyes. "But I'm willing to try if you are," she finished.
Daryl kissed her again, one hand finding her breast while the other held her to him. She felt light in his arms, and cool from the water, and he had to admit that it there was something very calming about the moment, but very exciting as well. He tried to ground himself, his knees in the rocks below him, trying to figure out exactly how to go about this with the weightlessness that the water provided them, but not wanting to rise up out of it enough to seek gravity.
When he finally positioned himself in a way where he thought he could accomplish his goal and keep Michonne from touching the creek floor below them, not wanting her to be ground into the rocks and gravel, he entered her and she wrapped herself around him. Her change in position surprised him, but aided him as well.
Michonne moaned loudly.
"Gotta be quiet, 'Chonne," Daryl gasped. This wasn't a moment when he wanted to be surprised by Walkers. Michonne responded to him by trying to hold back her moans of pleasure.
Daryl was surprised when Michonne came long before he felt he was ready. Normally he found himself trying to hold out to make sure that she made it, but this time he still felt like he wasn't there, and she had buried her face against him, stifling her cries. Daryl continued, spurred on by the fact that Michonne was still responding to him, wrapped around him, her fingers digging into him. She came again, just as he'd found his own release, and for a moment they remained there, in the same position.
Michonne pulled away first.
"That was pretty damn incredible," she said, breathing hard.
Daryl smiled at her.
"It was that," he said. "I reckon we didn't do too bad for a first time."
Michonne snickered at him.
"I'd say we did great for a first time," She said.
Daryl ducked under the water, enjoying the feeling of complete relaxation coupled with the refreshing water. Michonne floated just inches away from him. He rested there, his hands keeping him from floating off anywhere and from sinking down, and he watched her, passing his eyes every now and again around the banks surrounding them. He wasn't going to rush her back. He'd wait until she'd had her fill of the water.
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When they'd finally decided to head back to the community, deciding that they'd been gone long enough and were cool enough to return, they both dressed quickly, with Daryl helping Michonne.
Michonne felt incredible. She couldn't stop herself from smiling at the moment. Daryl looked like he was feeling pretty good too. He grinned at her when he put her katana in her hands. She quickly put it on, and waited for him to shoulder his crossbow.
She leaned over, kissing him again, and she felt his hand go to her belly. The baby was kicking, but he had his hand in the wrong place, so she reached around and moved it for him. He grinned at her again, not saying anything. After a moment he dropped his hand, put his other hand on the small of her back and pushed her gently in the direction of the community.
They walked along, slowly. Michonne hated for the outing to end. For once she was going to hate seeing the fences appear in front of her.
They caught the attention of a Walker, and it started toward them. Michonne waited, deciding she'd let Daryl kill it since she hadn't let him kill any that they'd seen before.
"Go get him, woman," Daryl said after a second. Michonne turned and looked at him and he smiled a half smile at her. She walked forward and killed the Walker quickly, slinging her katana clean and re-sheathing it. She shot Daryl a questioning look, wondering why he hadn't protested like he had the entire way down to the creek. "We 'bout to be back at the gates soon," Daryl said after a minute, "and then you ain't gon' get to kill ya no more Walkers for a while, so I figured I'd let ya have the ones on the way there, as long as there ain't too many of 'em."
Michonne smiled and wrapped her arm around Daryl's back.
"That's the most romantic gift I've ever heard of before," Michonne said.
Daryl chuckled.
"You know me, 'Chonne, if I ain't nothin' else, I'm a romantic kinda guy," Daryl responded. "Just don't tell no one, OK?"
"I wouldn't dream of it," Michonne said, seeing the gates just ahead with Maggie and Seth already moving to open them. There were three Walkers bunching around them, and she unsheathed her katana, knowing that Daryl wasn't going to protest her clearing the gates for them to pass back inside.