Chapter 41: Sunset
'Make our home, where we stand. One suitcase and half a plan. Follow the wolves and sing along. Past the voices to the song.'
-The Midnight, Sunset
(I wanted this to be not just a filler chapter, but the prelude of what's to come. No drama, llama. Just Becca and Joel because I really do like writing for these characters' dynamics. They're both imperfect people who make mistakes.)
Joel took off his snow covered and dirtied boots out the house. A long time ago, Becca gave him a good licking about minding his manners. He made a snide remark, which she took as an insult. Partly anyway. She still gave him a kiss. If only to soothe his bruised ego.
He made sure to always take them off after that. Once she got better; he couldn't wait to tease her again. He would pretend to walk in the house; boots and all. She would become all huffy. He thought she was sexy when she was mad. Who was he kidding? She was sexy all the time.
Joel shook his coat off before walking into the house. Another habit he's learned to pick back up. His mama would always get angry if he wore shoes or dragged snow or dirt into the house. It was a sign of disrespect.
After being detached from normal civilization for so long, it's like he's almost forgotten to have manners. He was like a caveman. Kill. Eat. Survive.
Becca and Ellie made him human again. They taught him he's always had this man inside him. Suppressed and starved for too long. He relished in connecting with them.
They didn't change him. No one could do that. He was still the same mean son of a bitch he's always, but he doesn't see a reason to be like that all the time. Especially with them. Never with them.
When he found the person or persons responsible for shooting her, he would bring the animal out in him. They would regret the day they ever thought about taking her away from him.
He would track, hunt and kill. The three things he knew he was good at. Age be damned. He would burn the fucking house down.
Not tonight though. He would focus on taking care of his woman. He wanted her better. Whole again. This would be the last time anyone hurt her. Physically or mentally. He considered himself one of those people too. He would not make any rash decisions without her. They were a team. Partners. In every sense of the world.
He thought Tess had been his partner. He discovered the cracks in the beginning. Little by little their relationship fractured into deterioration. He would never forgive a betrayal like that.
He walked past Ellie's room, seeing it empty. Her and Lizzie were staying with Sharon to help out with the kids. Ellie was becoming chummy with the kid. They were like peas in a pod. That could be dangerous.
He heard Callie and Becca singing something under her breath in the room. The door was opened and he walked right in, a smile on his face when he saw her,'Hey, beautiful girl.'
She had a beaming smile on her face as she looked back at him over her shoulder. She was folding laundry and he wondered why no one was helping her.
He was distracted by the smile on her face. He was always surprised when she looked happy to see him. He would never get over the look in her eyes. She seemed excited, almost giddy. Even Ellie wasn't happy to see him sometimes.
The smile on Becca's face darkened every sunrise. She made him feel special to be loved by her. She wasn't perfect. She's done a lot of not so nice things to survive. Everyone had their something. He stood behind her as he caressed her bare arms with the back of his hands.
She closed her eyes and sighed softly as she leaned back into his solid chest. His flannel fit him like a glove. She could feel the sinewy of his body against hers. He was always so warm, like a furnace.
He bent his head and kissed her shoulder, whispering,'You smell.' He hummed softly as pressed his crotch against her ass, letting her feel his erection.
Her eyes widened and she gasped when she felt him hard against her. Ever since she was shot; he's become more affectionate and tender with her. More patient.
It was almost like losing her broke something in him. He wasn't shying away from his desire for her. She's noticed his love language was touch. He wasn't always good with words, but his actions spoke volumes.
'You got hard quick.' She grinned,'Old man, my ass.'
He smirked against her skin and gently nipped at it, making her jump slightly. He pressed himself against her firmly, relishing in her moan,'Your ass, alright. That's the reason why I got hard so fucking fast.' His voice was sharp like a razor, gruff and deep in that southern drawl,'You turn me on, honey girl.'
She chewed on her bottom lip as he kissed and gently sucked on her neck,'Not that I'm complaining, but what's gotten into you?'
'I wanna show you how I feel.' He licked from her neck up to behind her ear, biting at the cartilage,'I promised myself that…if you lived I was always gonna show ya how I feel. There wouldn't be a day that goes by where I ain't loved on ya. When we die, I wanna know that I loved ya good. The way ya deserved.'
She could hear the emotion in his voice. The trembling and cracking sound. The kind of raw vulnerability he didn't share with anyone else.
Becca didn't turn around to face him. She didn't have to. She knew she would see nothing but love and respect. Just as she had for him.
'I love you too.' She bit her bottom lip and pushed back against his crotch.
Her eyes widened when he let out an uncharacteristic whimper. He sounded almost…desperate?
She discarded the towel on the floor as he draped his arm around her shoulder. He didn't to put any pressure on her healing wound. She wasn't one hundred percent, but he was so gentle and delicate with her right now. This is why she loved him. Why she knew him.
No one else got this side of him. Not anymore. Not ever.
He slid his other hand underneath her dress, grinning when he felt her panties,'You're actually wearing some this time. I didn't think ya owned any. I fully supported the no panties by the way. Very feminist of you.'
She snorted as she rolled her eyes,'You're more of a fucking feminist than I am.'
He laughed as his dipped his hand inside her panties. He licked his lips when he felt her soaking wet. She always got so turned on for him. He loved knowing he could make this beautiful woman keen for him. He was selfish of him, knowing no one else had her like this. Wet and beckoning his touch. She really did want this. Want him.
He looked up at her face as his index and middle finger slid up and down her pussy. He took his hand out of her panties and sucked his fingers inside his mouth.
One day, he would shove his fingers into her mouth, coated in her juices as he fucked her hard into the mattress. For now though, he would make her feel good. He was tired of the hurt.
His eyes fluttered in pleasure and he moaned softly. He popped his fingers out of his mouth and shook his head in disbelief,'You tastes so good.' He leaned in, whispering against her lips,'Sweet like honey.'
He pressed his lips against hers and slid his tongue into her mouth, letting her taste herself.
Her eyes widened in surprise as he kissed her. She could feel her entire body getting warm. She tasted herself on his tongue, musky and sweet, coalescing with his own.
She's never had this before. This deep kind of intimacy. He didn't take selfish enjoyment in her body, like all the men in her life. He cherished it. Adored it. Nothing between them could ever be shameful.
He slid his hand back into her panties and started rubbing her clit with the same wet fingers. He was gentle, but firm. He knew she was still healing, but she needed this release. She was stronger. Every time someone hurt her she became stronger.
She held tightly onto his arm as he turned them around and carefully walked back wards to the bed. He sat down and gently sat her on his lap with her back facing him. It would be more comfortable for her.
She could feel his erection through his jeans. She knew it was painful for him, but he didn't complain. He was focused on her.
He rubbed her clit in slow deliberate circles. She moaned gaspingly and his brow knitted in concern,'This too much, honey girl. We can stop.'
She writhed in his lap as he rubbed her harder,'Don't stop. I'll fucking you.'
He laughed hoarsely into her ear and bit back a moan as she grinded onto his cock. He wasn't wearing any underwear. She could feel the length of him. Her ass rubbed along the contours of his dick. He arched his hips, unable to help himself.
They were both so keyed up. It's been such a long time for both of them. They were supposed to be together that night. He knew they would've been married by now. They were both doers. Fate set them back a notch, but maybe for a good reason. They both needed some more time to heal.
She whimpered as she heard his rough and ragged gasps in her ear, fleshing her body out in goosebumps. They were like horny teenagers, sneaking away to have illicit moments. Nothing about this felt indecent.
'I'm gonna come.' Her face scrunched up as if in pain. She ground her ass against his cock, hearing his sharp intake of breath,'Fuck, come with me. Please.'
Her desperate and begging tone did him in. He always was a sucker for the begging,'I got ya, honey.' He let out a guttural groan and dipped his head back, his eyes rolling in please, 'Fuck, I'm gonna come too. Shit.'
He arched his hips up over and over. He was sucking and kissing on her neck, slobbering on her skin. His breathing was coming out jagged. He tightly closed his eyes, thinking about her riding him with nothing in between them. His cock buried deep in that tight little cunt of her. She was going to feel so good from the inside out.
Her thighs clenched together as she came. She cried out his name, the sounds echoing throughout the otherwise quiet and empty house.
His eyes widened amazement as he felt the juices gushing out of her. He should've eaten her out. He wanted to taste every last drop of her. Not wanting to waste a thing.
'Fuck.' He moaned as he came. The rumbling sound mumbled by her skin. She could feel his cock twitch as his hips jerked. His jaw was slack and his head was leaned back, biting his bottom lip. It was the sexiest she's ever seen him.
His hips jerked one last time as he slid his hand out of her panties. He licked his fingers again and she blushed. Her mama would call him scandalous, but he thrilled her.
She knew sex with him would be amazing. She was excited to explore things she wasn't comfortable with other partners. Not that Ben or David qualified as such. She wanted to explore what sex between a loving couple could feel like. Her darkest and deepest desires. Things she was too afraid to explore with anyone else.
They sat there for a few moments to catch their breaths.
Joel looked up at her as she got up from his lap, 'You okay?'
She laughed and shook her head,'I just had a really really good orgasm. I'm fine. Like if a fucking Army of infected came charging in. I would still be fine.'
He shook his head as he stared down into his lap, frowning when he saw the wet spot, 'I'm gonna lose a lotta jeans this way.'
'I'll wash them.' She shrugged,'I've become a pro at washing soiled jeans.'
'Soiled?' He smirked,'You been reading Brontë again?'
She laughed and shook her head,'No, Romeo and Juliet.'
He cackled at that and took off his jeans and t shirt, throwing them into the basket. He sat on the bed as naked as the day he were born. He did it so naturally, like he was comfortable with her. She would hope so considering they were going to be married.
He watched her pick up the basket and frowned,'You don't have to wash my clothes, ya know? You ain't my maid.'
'I know that.' She shrugged,'You do the dishes every night and a lot of the cooking. We split chores.' She grinned,'Besides, I'm still hurt about that sweater. It took a long time to knit.'
'One time and you'll break my balls about it forever.' He nodded,'You wanna get a shower with me?'
'Yeah.' She nodded,'I would like that.' She placed her hand on her chest,'Still have to be careful. It's still healing.'
He nodded as a contemplative look came over his face. He stretched his arms out, silently beckoning for her.
She walked over to him and stood in between his legs as he lifted up her shirt. He gently kissed up and down the length of her skin, delicately nuzzling into her skin. The skin was still angry and red, puckering up from the stitched being taken out. It didn't matter to him.
So beautiful.
Tears filled her eyes as she tangled her hand in his hair, whispering,'Thank you, baby.'
Did he say the words aloud? Could she already read his mind?
'I love this because it shows me you're alive.' His eyes stared up at him, dark and glassy with tears,'You came back to me.'
She bent down and kissed the top of his head,'I always will.'
He reveled in her words. A man like him wasn't used to hearing that. They kept him for a short time, wanting some fun and a good fuck. Come sunrise, they couldn't run fast enough. She stuck around. He wouldn't never get used to this. Having someone to come home to.
They took a shower together, but kept it casual. Their bodies were tired and sore. They were weary, but content. For the time being.
After dinner, they retreated out onto the porch. Joel played his guitar as she sat on the top of the steps, listening to him play a soft and soothing melody. Probably something from his past.
She stared out onto their land, watching as the sun began to set, enveloping the entire sky in an ethereal orange glow. She smiled to herself. She loved watching sunsets. It's been a while since she could sit and appreciate them.
She back on the words he said to her earlier. She came back to him. She stayed with him. Through sunrise and sunset.