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mydarllinglover · 1 year ago

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Alone || Mine

After the funeral, Carol had approached Natalia, when Daryl had been distracted with getting his things ready.

She had been preparing herself to settle the tension between herself and the woman, and to ask her to join them, but Natalia was already a step ahead of her, she had already chosen that she would be accompanying them to the herd, but when she was asked why, she refused to give a reason, just that she needed it to end, once and for all, and that meant any way how, she needed to do her part.

Daryl, who still refused to say a word to her, had all but dragged the woman onto the back of his bike, whilst Carol and Aaron rode two horses.

Once they got to their destination, "parking" their "vehicles", Connie, Kelly, Jerry and Magna had appeared from the foliage.

"Hi." Daryl greeted them.

"Hey, D." Jerry replied. "Nat!"

"Jerry" She grinned, jogging forward to hug the man. "How's Nabila, and the kids."

"Y'know, like normal, heard what happened to Rosita and Archie, they alright?"

"They're... they're all good, I have a lot to thank her for." She nodded, before moving on to greet Connie, as well as Kelly and Magna.

"Let's get to it. Screw these freaks." Magna sighed. "I say that in Siddiq's honour."

"That's the spirit." Natalia looked around the woods, seeing if she could spot anything.

"Thanks for helping." Daryl thanked Connie, patting her on the shoulder.

She pulled out a notebook, preparing to give a reply.

Natalia couldn't see what it said, but she couldn't deny that she craned her neck to see.

"You okay?" Aaron peered at her, as they walked.

"Fine." She smiled at him, pretending to not even notice the two conversing.

It was nightfall by the time they had reached the new border, and with a heavy sigh, they crossed it.

Daryl had been the last person, waiting after the others.

At some point, Carol had drew her bow, seeming to have spot something, though no one really took notice, except for Daryl, as per usual.

"Hey. Wait." He called to her, spotting the bear trap. "Coulda lost a foot." He commented, when she had saw it.

"They laid traps. Means we're getting closer. I saw something over there." Carol said.

"Will you stop this shit?" Daryl asked her. "Please. You want her dead so bad, you don't even care what happens to you."

"That's not true." She denied.

"You never came off that boat." He shook his head. "It's been like talking to a goddamn ghost."

"I'm doing the best I can."

"You didn't have ta drag my wife along with this, she didn't needa be out here."

"She wanted to come." Carol corrected. "I didn't make her."

"Yeah, only cause she thinks she owes you, she blames Henry's death on herself, bin beating herself up about it all morning, causea what happened to Siddiq, with Dante. I know you went and asked her, specifically when I wasn't around."

"She's useful, Daryl. You've been forgetting that, for a while. She's skilled and she knows her way in a fight, better than most of us."

"Not anymore, she's not meant for it out here, anymore, hasn't for a long time."

"You underestimate her, she's still capable."

"Well, the way you bin acting, I don wan' her getting hurt in the crossfire." He stated, before heading forward, to join the rest, temporarily stunting Carol.

The sun had risen high when they reached a clearing, the place Mary had said the horde was, and yet, it was an empty field.

"God damn it!" Daryl cursed, turning away as though it was an offensive sight.

"Wait." Aaron told him.

"For what?" He asked.

"This doesn't mean Mary lied to us, alright?" He tried to reason. "They were protecting this place. T-They put a trap in the road as a deterrent."

"Yeah, from some hunter a decade ago."

"No, that thing was rigged more recently than that, and you know it." Aaron pointed out.

"You wanna stand around and figure it out?" Daryl challenged.

"Look, the herd could have been here last week or yesterday."

"Or not at all." Natalia interjected.

"We!" He glanced at the woman. "Had an obligation to come check this out."

"Nah. Time to find Lydia. Let's go." He walked away, Natalia shook her head at Aaron in sympathy before also turning and leaving.

"She's our main priority." She reminded.

"You didn't have to snap at him like that, not in front of everybody." Natalia told Daryl, as they walked further ahead than the rest.

"What?" He grunted, trying to look for tracks.

"He was sure on this, and he had hope, its Aaron, you know what he's like, but you didn't have to shoot him down like that."

"I don' need a lecture, alright, we're looking for Lydia so we can get the hell back home." He finalised.

"Oh, how I wonder where our daughter gets her pessimistic attitude from." She sighed to herself.

They hadn't spoke again until they reached water.

"Lydia would have taken this river downstream." Daryl told the group. "Back to our side."

They followed, until they noticed that Carol wasn't,

"Hey, Carol. Let's go." Daryl called for her.

"You go on. I'll meet you." She told him, walking the other direction.

"Nope. We all stay together." He clarified, as though he was some chaperone on a school field trip.

She didn't back down though, so they changed course, following her.

Even when she darted through the tree's.

"Hey!" Daryl shouted, sprinting after the woman. "Carol!"

"It's Alpha, she's following her." Natalia shared, spotting the woman through the leaves as she also ran.

She had managed to pass Daryl, being faster than him, but he got the chance to catch up when she ran into walkers, taking them down, throwing them into the same hole they had passed all those months ago to find Henry and Evie.

"You alright?" He asked, when she had thrown the last one down.

"Still got it." She huffed. "Come on. Carol's still going after her." Natalia reminded, carrying on.

Daryl had waited back though, checking for more to come, as they ran, Natalia led the rest of the group into the same walkway she saw Carol going through, though she froze when she heard it, the large chorus of walker groans.

"I think we found the herd." She sighed, as the others also stopped staring down at what looked like a hundred walkers. "Well done, Carol.

"Guess they did move them." Aaron spoke lowly.

"Y'know, it's kinda reminding me of both of my pregnancy reveals." Natalia commented, raising her brows.

That's when a loud collision sounded, Daryl rolling along the ground just above them, stopping just before the edge.

"Speak of the devil..." She sighed, whilst Jerry and Aaron helped him up.

"Pregnant?" Daryl sputtered as he got to his feet.

"No, you idiot. I said, I was getting flashbacks to both reveals." She gestured to the horde.

"Yeah, we got a way bigger problem than memory lane." Magna looked around the cave, and so did the others, without the hundreds of walkers, the cave was a danger, alone, it was small, cramped, could possibly collapse at any moment and there looked to be no way out.

"Uh. Hey, guys?" Jerry called over the noise of the walkers, looking up, bringing attention to Alpha, who was stood on a high ledge, holding an torch of fire.

Carol stared at the woman with pure hatred, the realisation that she had been tricked got to her, then... she just screamed, loud, agonisingly and long, letting out all the rage she felt, and Alpha left her to it, exiting the cave.

"Give me a boost, I think I can reach it." Magna said, staring at the platform.

"Maybe Natalia can give it a go, she'll probably be lighter." Kelly suggested, sizing everyone up.

"Pipsqueak?" Magna, assessed the small woman. "Yeah, she won't reach a thing." She then gestured for the three men to help her up, and spot her.

"Ouch." Natalia muttered to herself, halting back, letting the others help up Magna, as she dealt with the walkers that were able to climb above the others, getting pushed towards them.

"Aah!" Magna screamed, losing her grip and falling to the ground.

"Damn. You okay?" Daryl asked, helping her up.

"I almost had it." She told him.

"Nah, it's too high, no one's getting up there." He said. "You risk breaking your neck."

"We could try hopping across." Natalia suggested

"What?" Aaron asked her.

"Look." She moved Daryl's hand, the one holding the flashlight, showing off the small platforms above the walkers. "Could use those to jump across." She signed as she spoke, her and Daryl had been learning it, as well as teaching the kids, they had decided to, after they met Connie.

"Nice." Daryl nodded, looking at her proudly.

"Wait. For real?" Kelly asked.

"Uhm, yeah, Unless you got a better idea." Natalia asked her. "I'll go first, follow my lead, but don't all bunch up, leave a spot in case I need to turn back."

"Wait, Nat, are you sure?" Aaron asked.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"Just that... you know, you got kids."

"Yeah, so do you, and you, and you." She pointed to the men in group, who were all fathers. "Alright, ready?"

"Let's go." Daryl slightly squeezed her hip as she got ready to jump, flashing the light over her head.

"Follow after, If I want anyone watching my back, it's always gonna be you." She looked up at Daryl, speaking to him quietly.

"'M always gonna. Don't die." He murmured lowly.

"You either." Then she jumped, reaching the small rock, and the walkers instantly swarmed around her.

"She did it!" Jerry whooped at her success.

"Hey." She grinned. "Look at that, I'm so small, they can barely reach me." She looked right at Magna, who didn't seem at all impressed, but Connie was also smiling nudging her friend.

"Alright, baby, keep going." Daryl told her, moving the flashlight to show her next spot.

She moved up, letting Daryl take her previous space, as she jumped to the next, which was a bit more crowded, having to kick walkers away from her, as she moved around the rock, before running along a small pathway, stopping in a crook, catching her breath.

Natalia lightly threw her arms around Daryl when he sat beside her, kissing his cheek, as the others moved along, towards them.

"You alright?" He asked.

"We're still alive, is it weird that I'm kinda having fun?"

"Yes." He stared at her.

"I don't know, guess I kinda missed when my life was on the line, getting from point A to point B, that kinda stuff, I don't know." She shook her head looking around the cave. "Up there." She pointed, standing up and moving towards it, as Carol came flying towards them.

"Hey! Hey! Come on! Come on!" Aaron began shouting at Kelly, who had just jumped, but fell, hitting at walkers as she scrambled to her feet.

"Come on, I gotchu!" Daryl told Carol, as she prepared to join them.

Carol jumped, but had also skidded, falling and landing on her stomach, walkers reaching at her feet whilst Daryl pulled her up.

"Nice going, like a real knight in shining armour." Natalia commented at him completely not having her.

"Shut up." He scowled, when they were sure Carol was alright.

They then helped the rest over, making sure everyone was okay.

That was until one walker had clung onto Kelly's foot, but Jerry acted quick, using his large axe to chop it off.

"Hey, hand me that thing." Daryl told him, gesturing to the arm.

"Knock yourself out, dude." Jerry said as he passed it to him.

He had ended up turning it into a torch, using it to navigate as they made their way through the mine.

"Alright, I need you to stay here, alright, keep everyone together." Daryl told Natalia, passing her his severed arm torch.

"What, where you going?" She asked.

"Gonna go look around for a way out." He told her, as though that were obvious.

"Nuh uh, Connie, take this, I'm going with you." She handed the severed arm torch to Connie, following Daryl.

Should I even ask how we're doing on food?" Aaron asked Jerry.

"Not great."

"Food?" Kelly asked. "How long do you think we gonna be here?"

"Hey, no worries. Walkers got in here somehow. We'll get out." Jerry attempted to reassure her.

"I think we know exactly how they got here. Alpha put them here. These are theirs. We have to assume we're not alone." Aaron theorised.

Connie signed to Carol, asking if she was okay.

"I'm fine. Just a lil winded." She replied.

"She's claustrophobic." Daryl answered, as they made their way back over.

"Why didn't you think about that before you got us all trapped down here?" Magna asked.

"Hey." Aaron told her, not wanting to start anything. "It's not the time for this."

"Why not, seems like we got plenty of time for this." She shrugged. "What the hell were you thinking, huh? Running off like that by yourself?"

"Because she doesn't think, she see's and she does." Natalia said. "That's Carol, to hell with the actual important stuff that's going on."

"Hey! We ain't got time for this shit." Daryl told them. "We got in this mess together. We're gonna get out of it together. Now follow me, I think I found a way out."

They had found a large "room" to set up camp in, sorting themselves out, plotting.

"What did you mean, when you said that this place reminded you of when you found out you were pregnant." Kelly asked, filling the silence.

"Long story." Natalia answered, as she layed on her back, staring at the ceiling.

"It's either that, or we can go back to figuring out who's to blame for all of this." Magna said, her tone sounded awfully sarcastic, though.

"Fine, It was a whole bunch of us, all the leaders, basically, we took a trip to a museum in D.C and they have, had this uh, glass floor, so you could look down at all the exhibits, though, at this point, the only thing you could see was dozens of walkers, and as I was walking along it, it started to shatter, which did wonders for my self- esteem , as you can imagine, and as I fell through, like a swinging pinata, Siddiq decided to radio in and tell me that I was pregnant... with twins." She recounted that time, around seven years ago.

"Wow." Kelly raised her brows.

"Yep." Natalia had closed her eyes, her head leaning on her folded arms.

"And the other time?" Magna asked.

"Oh... I didn't actually find out then, he did." She pointed at her husband, who was sat by himself, in front of a fire he had built.

"The story of Archie? We never got to hear about this, either." Aaron, who was beside Jerry, shared.

"Yeah, I wanna hear this." The large man grinned.

"Too bad, I don't feel like sharing anymore." She decided.

"But..." Aaron began to complain.

"I don't wanna talk about it, because instead of being with my 1 year old baby, I'm stuck in a fucking cave."

"You chose to come." Carol remined.

"No one mentioned a cave." She replied. "Or that we were gonna be here... for hours, with nothing to do... just waiting... for a stroke of luck, or death... hopefully soon, I'm not picky."

"She's kidding." Aaron assured Kelly, who was looking terrified by each passing word. "Nat... Nat tends to get morbidly sarcastic when she's either bored or scared. Right now, that's both."

"Naming your son Archie, is a lil on the nose, isn't it?" Magna asked, looking at Daryl.

"I didn't name him, wasn't even there when he was born." He sniffed, examining his knife.

"What do you mean?" Jerry asked.

"Birthed and delivered him, myself, just like the twins. Not bad for a pipsqueak, huh?" She opened one eye, glancing at Magna, who rolled her own. "And I named him after two of my best friends, father and son, just combined the first letter of their names though, Archie Carl."

"Natalia, you are the most terrifying person I've ever met." Aaron complimented her.

"Thank you, Aaron, it means a lot to be taken seriously."

They had sat in more silence, until Magna stood up, walking towards Daryl, with a limp.

"Hey. Hey... can I, Can I get matches?" She asked him.

"You should try to take it easy for a minute." He told her.

"I can't." She breathed heavily. "I need to do something."

He caved, handing her the box.

"Thanks." Magna said, as she accepted them, then walked away, then Carol sat beside him.

Natalia moved to lay on her side, her back to them, so she didn't have to unwantedly over-hear their conversation, she needed to rest, for her own sanity, but she really, really didn't want to die in this cave,

It was quiet for quite a while, before Magna had shouted at them.

"Skins!" She cried, and everyone was up in the second, running towards her.

Magna was trying to fight one off as more emerged.

One, a stocky looking man, had lunged at Natalia, aiming to stab her, but she managed to duck, knocking him on his ass, before stabbing her knife into his skull, she turned around and the others were doing the same, killing without hesitation.

Daryl stood back from his, looking around, whilst another came running at him from behind, but Natalia was quicker, throwing an knife into their head.

"Let's go." Daryl decided, turning in the way they had come from, bending slightly to retrieve Natalia's knife, wiping it on his trousers, handing it back to her as though it were a relay race.

They had ran into another room/spot.

Connie began signing in frustration.

"If we don't follow each other in the dark, we're gonna get split up." Kelly translated.

"She's right. We stick together." Carol agreed.

"At least we know there's a way out now." Aaron said.

"Yeah, but where?" Magna asked.

"I think they went this way." Jerry suggested.

"You see where they went?" Daryl asked him.

"Not exactly, but... I know a road sign when I see one." He shone his flashlight on an arrow, that had been carved into the rock.

Daryl followed it, and the rest followed him.

"Hey, come on." He hollered, reaching something that had caused him suspicion.

Connie shone her light into the crack, but nothing seemed to be jumping out at them, just a path.

"I'll go through." Natalia suggested.

"Naw." Daryl shut her down, instantly.

"I can fit." She argued.

"So can I, I'm going first." instead of giving her space to make her piece, he squeezed through the rock.

Natalia huffed, folding her arms in frustration, leaning against the wall.

"He loves you." Connie signed, nudging her. "And he wants to protect you."

"I don't need protecting, I'm fine to look after myself." She signed back, though hers was a lot slower as she remembered which word meant what sign.

"He knows that, but he's scared, and the best way he can deal with that is by taking charge."

She shrugged not knowing what to say, but feeling slightly defeated.

"Are you guys doing okay?"

"You seem to know more about my husband, then I do, these days."

"This is it." Daryl called, from inside the tomb.

Natalia was the first to move, pushing off the rock to go after him, letting the others follow after her.

"Hey, Nat?" Jerry called, from the back. "I'm really jealous of you, right now."

"I would love to trade, Jerry, obviously, after we get out this cave." She replied, back. "We're almost there, anyway."

She had reached Daryl, who was stood, staring at another hole, except this one wasn't walk through-able, they would have to crawl through it.

"Mine." Natalia decided, getting ready to climb in.

"Nat, no-"

"Nuh uh, this has my name written all over it, you can join the queue." She told him.

"I don't want ya doing that."

"And you think I want you to? Look, I can easily get through that, you're gonna struggle, and so is everyone else, I don't wanna wait behind you lot, besides, if it's a dead end, it's gonna take me half the time to figure that out, then it is you, so I'm going first."

"She has a point." Magna said.

Natalia saw the confliction on his face, and as he was about to speak his mind, she kissed him, briefly, giving her enough time to startle him and sneak into the hole, crawling through.

"Hey, you alright, back there?" Aaron called to Jerry, as the rest were crawling through.

"Yeah, sure, I'm just a 6,2ft dude that had trouble fitting into airplane bathrooms. Why wouldn't I be okay?" He grunted.

"Fair enough." Aaron nodded.

"Hey, quit your whining, I can see the end." Natalia called, "It's like, a hairs away."

"Who's hair are we talking about, before the twins, or after?" Aaron called.

"Don't get her started." Daryl sighed.

"Aaron, you know I don't like to talk about that, okay? It's a real sensitive subject for me." She admitted. "Hey, I'm out! Baby, come on!"

"I'm comin'" He breathed, crawling forward.

"It's so spacious out here, oh wow, come on, keep coming, the oxygen here is great."

Daryl came struggling out, then Magna, Kelly was after.

"I'm good." She told them, as she fell to the floor, despite Daryl helping her out.

Carol's breathing had gotten out of control, by the sounds of it, she was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack, if she wasn't already in one.

"Carol! Carol!" Daryl shouted down the hole, trying to spot her in the very dim light.

"I'm here." She said, weakly.

"Hey, Carol, there's nothing to be scared about, alright, you're so, so close, just a little further." Natalia told the woman. "You've almost made it, and this is like the least scariest thing you've ever done, this is nothing compared to the thing's you've accomplished."

She was still struggling.

"Carol, I get your pain, okay, I understand, I understand it more than anyone could, okay, you know my daughter, my first one, before Evie, damn, when I lost her, I thought my life was going to end, and it did, it did feel like that, but then it didn't and I- I got to greive and I got to live a life that I could imagine her being a part of everyday, but yet, the vengeance I feel, that's never left me, to this day, I still wish I could cause harm over what happened to her, so I get your need to hurt Alpha, believe me, I do, but you're not going to get that satisfaction if you die in here, because you refused to move, but when you get out, I promise you, nothing on this earth will stop me from helping you see her bleed, I swear that on my life, but I need you to get out of that damn crawlspace, so we can drop that bitch and be done with this, with her stupid rules, and her meetings, all of it, so I need you to get the hell out, Carol."

"I can't." She whimpered. "I can't!"

"You can!" Natalia snapped. "You can, y'know why we named our daughter after you? Because you are brave, and you are strong, and one hell of a fighter, nothing stops Carol Peletier from getting to where she needs to be, nothing, because you are not scared of anything, even crawling through this, don't make us have named our child after someone who couldn't crawl through a damn tunnel, at least go down fighting, so we have a story to tell."

They heard movement, Carol was crawling through.

She felt a pat on her back, looking to her side.

"Thanks." Daryl muttered.

"I didn't do it for you, she needed a reality check, it's a long time coming." She smiled, reaching for his hand to hold.

When Carol had reached them, Natalia took the flashlight from her hands so that Daryl could help her out.

"Go ahead." She told him, as he carried her out of the cave

"I got you, I got you." He grunted, dealing with her weight.

"You did it." Natalia whispered to the woman, smiling, before turning back to the hole. "Right, three of you guys left, you got it."

"Hey, love the support, Nat, I really do, it's a nice change for you... but, just be quiet for a second." Jerry instructed, as something started whizzing.

"What is it?" Aaron asked.

"Aaron, man, be quiet." Jerry told him, as the whizzing continued.

Then was the sound of angry walker growls.

"Go, go, go! Go!" Jerry shouted, as Connie and Aaron clambered forward.

"Go, go, go!" Aaron tapped Connie, pushing her forward, faster.

Connie soon emerged, Natalia stepping back so she could climb out.

"Jerry, come on!" Aaron called back, as he also clambered out.

"Come on! Come on!" Daryl encouraged.

"Jerry, come on! You're almost there!" Aaron bellowed, when Jerry got to the tight bit.

"Guys! I'm... I'm stuck." He told them.

"Here, take my hand." Daryl said, reaching to grab for him.

Jerry groaned as he stretched himself tall, reaching for the other man.

"My feet! My feet! They got my feet! They're biting my feet! My feet!"

"Take your gear off!" Aaron suggested. "Take it off!"

He did as told, passing it forward.

"Come on, come on, give me your hand!" Daryl continued, as Jerry kicked at the walkers.

Daryl and Aaron were able to get a hold of him, pulling him out.

Natalia stabbed the walker that followed.

"You good?" Kelly asked, as they checked him for bites. "It's okay. They didn't bite through. You're good. It's all right. It's okay."

They all looked ahead, there was a small light, from up top, shining down onto the dark rock.

"Hey. Hey!" Magna called, standing up. "Look"

"Wait!" Daryl grabbed her around the waist, as she almost plummeted to her death, a large, dark void was just below.

Daryl tore off the arm of Natalia's latest kill, lighting it on fire and dropping it down, illuminating the horde just below them.

They had found another area, that had been boarded up with slabs of wood, Daryl had been the one to break through it.

The group walked through, silently, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did, and they hadn't found anything, either.

"Why are we standing around, just looking at it?" Magna asked.

"We got to be very careful." Kelly translated for Connie. "We take out the wrong piece, this whole thing's gonna collapse."

They took this in mind, as they looked for their exist.

"Alright, find something to dig with." Daryl told everyone, as they heaved and hooed.

"Hey, Aaron, can you help me with this?" Jerry asked, as they worked together.

"Yeah, yeah." He nodded.

"Kelly, what's that?" Natalia asked the young woman, seeing the box she had just uncovered.

"Look for yourself." She grinned, holding up a stick of dynamite. "Guys, look what I found!"

"Kelly! Uhm, that's great, but, that is dynamite, and unless you want to blow up into a million pieces, drop it!, like it's a new born baby!" Natalia demanded.

"What's going on?" Carol asked.

"Nothing, uhm, it's nothing, she thought she found something, but she didn't, it was just a cool looking rock." Natalia lied through her teeth, blocking Carol's view.

"But-" Kelly intervened, having dropped off her new find.

"Zup"

"No, but I-"

"Zup." Natalia repeated.

"But-"

"Kelly, go help the others, now." Natalia told her, pushing the girl around Carol.

"Nat?"

"It's fine, I don't wanna bore you with a rock, we haven't got time for that." Natalia walked away, quickly.

"Want to take a break?" Aaron asked Magna, as they lifted things around.

"I can rest when... when we get home." She replied.

"You in a hurry?" He pried.

"I just don't wanna hang out here any longer than I have to. Do you?"

"No, but... you barely rested, haven't eaten anything. You never stop."

"I didn't leave things good with Yumiko." She breathed, heavily.

"I'm sorry." He squeezed her arm in condolence.

"Me, too."

Daryl had found something, yanking at it hard, until it broke, falling to the ground with a cloud of dust.

"You okay?" Natalia asked, as he backed away, covering his mouth.

"Yeah." He nodded, "Fine, now." He pointed at the window he just opened up to the outside. "Come on, go." He gestured for Kelly to peep out."

"Just a little more." She told them.

"Where's Carol?" Daryl asked, as the others gathered around the exit.

"I have an idea," Natalia grumbled, heading towards the now rifled through, box of dynamite. "For fuck sake." She sighed, heading back to where Carol would be.

When they had found her, she was hanging of the edge of the rock, right over the horde, struggling to get up.

Natalia had been the one to go to her, she didn't trust Daryl getting over the rocks.

"Carol, come on." She held her hand out for her. "Just grab my hand, okay? I'm right here."

Carol latched on, and together, they were able to get her up.

"You okay?" Natalia asked, as they still clung to each other?

"We can take out half her horde from here." Was Carols reply.

"And that's worth risking your life for?"

"She killed my boy." Carol broke down.

"I know, Carol, and I am so sorry that she did, but this? You just can't do this, you can't live your life suicidally, he would never want that, you can't let his death be in vain, cause then, then she would win, and you can not let her win, we need to make her pay, this? She can always get more walkers, and she'll just double it next time, no, you need to do what she did to him, to them, you need to take her head, and that's when it stops, that's when this ends, and you can't do that if you're down there. Come on."

Natalia went to move back, and she thought Carol would too, but then she reaching for the stick, dropping it, and they both watched in horror as it fell into the horde.

"Hey! Come on!" Daryl called to them to come back, as the walls around them shook.

"She- She's bleeding." Natalia wheeped, as they reached Daryl, blood was dripping down Carol's face, it was all she could see.

"So are you!" He told her, grabbing hold of her, just as Connie and Magna came, helping support the two.

"Come on! Come on! Hurry!" Magna rushed them towards where Jerry was holding the support beams, by himself.

"I can't!" He grunted, struggling with the weight.

Magna helped Natalia stand, whilst Daryl squeezed her arm.

"You keep her safe, you get her out of here, Imma help from up there." He told her, squeezing the woman's hand again, before darting to the top.

"Give me her hand, I'll pull her up!" Daryl shouted down, when he was ready.

"No, no she goes first, she's bleeding." Natalia urged.

"Nat, so are you!" Magna told her.

"She's bleeding, get her out of here!" She pushed, hitting Connie to get Carol to move.

Connie helped push Carol up, as more rubble fell down.

"We've got more skins!" Magna cried, letting Natalia stand on her own, so she could fight.

Jerry screamed in agony refusing to let go.

"Get outta here!" Magna cried.

"I- I gotta help" Natalia, who was going considerably pale, stuttered, looking for her knife.

"Nat, I love you, but you need to get the hell out of here, before I drop this on you" Jerry told her.

"Hey, come on!" Daryl shouted down.

"But they're-"

"Go!" Jerry screamed at her. "Daryl, your wife, she ain't looking so great, you're gonna have to help her!"

"Nat, baby, come on, just give me your hand!" Daryl told her desperately.

She caved, staggering up, and as soon as they caught sight, Aaron and Daryl yanked her up.

"She's bleeding, real bad." Aaron looked at Daryl nervously.

"Jerry, come on man!" Daryl ignored it, wiping at the blood coming from a large gash on Nat's hairline, dripping down her face.

"We gotta help them" She almost whispered, reaching down as, they tried to pull her away, whilst Jerry climbed up.

They had three seconds to run before the mine exploded, sending a large thick cloud of dust into the air.

The group coughed as they got their barings.

Daryl looked around him, but he couldn't see her, he could've sworn she tried to pull away, but he held on to her, he did, right, he pulled her back, so why wasn't she by his side?

"Nat? Nat! Natalia!" He called, running to the rubble, turning over the rocks. "Nat? Nat, baby, where are you?"

He threw the rocks, as more dust clouded his vision.

"Natalia!"

"No!" Kelly cried, realising that her sister hadn't emerged from the mine, neither had Magna, but he couldn't focus on that right now. "No! No! No!"

"Nat, baby, where are you, please." He begged, as he searched.

Aaron had helped him, then, he found her.

"Daryl..." He said, his voice shook. "Daryl... I- I found her."

He turned in a mili-second, almost running to the man, until he froze, staring at her body, her unmoving body.

"Daryl...." Aaron whispered, as he darted to her.

"Nat?" He threw the large plate of rock that was over her arm, now, it looked out of place, her wrist was bent, he could've sworn that was her bone sticking out.

Her eyes were closed, there was a slash across her cheek, her head injury looked more and more bloody, her skin, that he could see under the dust, was ghost pale.

Daryl held her, her head fell down as his arm supported her neck.

"Nat, baby..." His voice was weak, he layed his head on her chest, listening for a heartbeat. His own fluttered when he could hear it, weak and soft, but there, her pulse was near enough the same, but she was still alive. "Help me!" He shouted to Aaron. "Help me!"

"Daryl-"

"Help me! She's alive! She's-... she's alive, just, just help me, please!"

"This blast is gonna call walkers and Whisperers from a hundred miles from here!" Kelly yelled, staring at the wreckage, from where her sister was buried in. "We don't want our backs pressed against this mountain when they come. We can't save her if we're still here, and we can't save them if we're dead."

"She's- we're, help... help- we're gonna get help, and they're gonna, they'll" Daryl could barely make out his sentence, his eyes welled up as he held Natalia tightly, lifting her off the ground.

"Go ahead, say it to me." Carol

whimpered, clinging onto his arm, but he shoved her away. "I deserve it. Just say it to me. She's going to die because of me. You were right about everything. Just say it to me."

He struggled to get past her again, but she grabbed him once more.

"No, please." She wailed. "You care about her. You've loved her for so long. And now she's going to die because of me. Please, just say it! Please say it!"

He ignored her, turning back to Aaron and Jerry.

"Take her. Go home and get her help, you... you'll get her there. Evie, Rosita, they can help her." He walked towards Jerry, who met him half way. "You... you protect her, you keep her breathing till she can get help." He told him, not giving her up yet.

"I will, Daryl, I will." Jerry looked at him sincerely. "All of us will have to have been dead before anything could happen to her."

Daryl looked down once again, even like this, she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever graced his eyes on.

His lip trembled as he took her in, leaning his forehead on hers.

"You stay alive" He whispered. "You stay alive for Evie, For Daisy and Bambi, for Archie, and for me. God damn it, you stay alive for me, Natalia Isabelle Dixon, you fucking stay alive... I love you." He kissed her forehead before letting the large man take her, gently, he made sure she was safe and comfortable, even if she was unconscious, before he turned away, passing Carol without acknowledgement, once more.

"Tell the others we found the horde." He told the group.

"Where you gonna be?" Aaron asked.

"They got out before us." His voice shook, as he fought back tears. "There's gotta be another way in." He needed to stay busy, there was nothing he could do for Natalia, and he'd lose the strength to not hurt Carol if he stayed around, he needed to stay busy, and away.

Jerry walked in the direction of home, holding onto Natalia tightly, muttering words to her every so often, to remind himself that he wasn't holding a dead body, no matter how it felt, Kelly walked in his shadow, whilst Aaron limped behind, focusing on getting home, focusing on getting one of his best friend's back so she could stay alive.

They left Carol.

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emisanemu · 1 month ago

Text

*°Almost Me Again°*

Aaron (Raleigh) x Plus-sized! Fem! Reader

Word count: ~7000

Rating: 18+ MDNI

Warnings: Minor character death, smut, cursing, accurate in depth descriptions of body parts, Negan, mentions or murder and death, unprotected sex, PiV, fingering, nipple sucking, female anatomy, male anatomy.

Genre: Slight Angst, smut, fluff, friends to lovers.

{Author’s note: yes, I am acutely aware of the fact Aaron is gay, this is an OOC fanfic where he chooses to sleep with a woman. If you do not like it, don’t read it, I am not erasing the character’s identity or what have you, it’s my own interpretation.}

It was a quiet night along the vast stretches of Alexandria, for the first time in a long time the air was filled with the subtle chirping of crickets and the crackling of leaves fluttering to the ground. The usual rot that fills the air is instead replaced by the scent of fresh tomatoes growing in the makeshift garden, and the nostril nipping aroma of embers from the small fire pit Deaana had built just beyond her home. This, the quiet, the peace, the assurance was all new to you, having spent the last two or so years betweens camps and the unforgiving roads. You had arrived around a day after Rick’s group, covered in mud, blood, and looking utterly filthy, the ‘guards’ on post at the front gates had at first mistaken you for a walker, that was until you vehemently protested being shot. The look of shock on their faces that you were not some rotter would have been comical if it wasn't so utterly pitiful. That had been roughly two and a half months ago, not that you made a habit of keeping track of the hours or days any longer, not that it would matter, each day just seems to blend together, or at least it did for a very long time.

Now, for the first time in years, you truly yearned to savour life, to savour the setting sun and the quiet nights. Simply just surviving had faded into living, to actually living for the first time in what seemed like forever. Although, despite the euphoria that came with safety, you could not help but to feel restless at times, unable to sleep, still on edge as if you were hiding out in some dingey cave again rather than sleeping in a bed. You stood up from the bed, your cold, sockless feet settling against the shaggy carpeted floor below you, cringing slightly as the aged wood beneath creaks slightly. A lot had happened since your arrival, the joining of the various communities surrounding Alexandria, the loss of many beloved members of the community, including the leader herself, Deeanna, Negan endlessly terrorizing Alexandria as well as the other communities, and the impending ‘war’. You wanted to hunt the man down and kill him yourself, anything to return to the previous sense of peace and serenity you had once known, yet your fear of succumbing to the fate so many others had fallen to, held you back. So instead you remained placid and idle, offering your services when needed, but not putting yourself too far out on the line.

You slowly meander across the carpeted floor to the white door of the room, hoping to whatever higher power, if you even believed in one anymore, that you wouldn’t wake your housemate, Aaron. The pairing was unconventional to say the very least, but Rick’s group, at first, were not the epitome of trusting, and the other residents of Alexandria had looked upon you as if you were some wild animal who had wandered into the community. Aaron, as well as Eric when he was still alive, had not. Just as they had welcomed in the rabid, almost feral Daryl Dixon, they had welcomed you in as well, scars, dirt, and all. You were always thankful for them, for the kind solace they had offered you, Eric’s death had hurt you, but it hadn’t affected anyone more than Aaron. When you saw him, you swore you saw a shell of a man walking amongst the rest of the community, wandering and fighting almost aimlessly. You slowly make your way out of the room and creep past Aaron’s room and to the stairs, cringing each time the floor sighs and creaks.

Although, when you reach the bottom of the staircase and turn towards the living room, you silently jolt in surprise at Arron’s figure sitting with his back turned towards you on the couch. His head is down and you can hear the distinct sound of sniffles coming from between his lips, which sends a spark of sadness and empathy through your heart.

“Aaron?”

You speak softly, like a gentle coo, almost as if you are beckoning a frightened animal, which you know feels a tad condescending, but you cannot help but want to offer comfort, rather than questioning and judgement. He all but whips around, his eyes are red and puffy with still flowing tears, and his face is wet, he looks like a man broken by the world, left shattered and in pieces. He knows he looks pathetic, almost pitiful, sitting in the dark, quiet living room, crying as if he is some young child. He does not want to appear weak like that, like some kind of broken mirror of his former self, shattered and splintered apart by the events of his life, by the loss of his love. He swiftly wipes the tears from his face, hoping desperately you had not seen them fall in the first place, even though he knows from that worried look on your face that you had.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” He speaks softly, his voice gravelly from crying, all you do is gingerly shake your head and step forward, your voice a quiet croon as you speak. “No, I couldn’t sleep…you’re fine.”

Your reassuring smile that you flash him does little to quell the ache deep in his chest that melts and seeps far into his bones like a sickness that can never be cured. You walk slowly towards him, as if you are scared of spooking him, which only serves to deepen the pit within his stomach, making him feel smaller, as if he is physically shrinking in on himself. He can still feel the sting in the corners of his eyes, remaining from his previous fit of choked tears. He almost wants to protest your presence, to vainly insist that he is fine, when without a single doubt, he is far from being fine, so far he doesn’t think he even remembers what feeling ‘fine’ means. You stop just in front of him, tentative to move or speak, the air feels thick, as if it could be cut with the edge of a knife. Yet, unexpectedly, your presence doesn’t crowd him, rather it blankets him in a rare form of peace, the warmth and earnest radiating off of you in waves, like a soothing balm to his perpetual aching soul. Just you being there causes his heart to ache in a way that he doesn’t quite know how to explain, although, he doesn’t know if he even wants to explain in, or just allow it to fester, to bubble beneath the surface.

He wishes in this moment he could pull back, to retreat somewhere secret and deep within himself, where comfort can not find him. He feels so undeserving of solace, undeserving of peace, not after what happened to Eric, not when he feels it is so deeply his fault. Eric had been hesitant, not wanting to fight, insistent on being the even benevolent, peaceful presence, yet he had chosen to protect Aaron, something Aaron had failed to do so in return. He almost wishes he had left and taken Eric with him, started something new away from it all, protected his peace, protected his love. He had chosen what feels to be an unwinnable fight over what he knew in his heart would have been the right thing, and for what? For people he barely knew? For a community he didn’t even know if he believed in anymore? All of it seems to pale in comparison to the ever loving, ever steadying presence that Eric was. When he looks up into your eyes, and sees that glimmer, the shine of empathy and understanding, it lights a fire of self loathing within him that threatens to burn him from the inside out, to tear down the weak walls he has built up, to tear him down.

“You don’t have to pretend, Aaron.”

Your voice is a soft soothing murmur when you speak, so earnest and sweet it almost physically pains him. He turns away, his eyes squeezing shut and his hands white knuckling the arm of the recliner he is sitting on. The way you speak, despite himself, makes his heart stutter in his chest and his breath hitch slightly, and all he wants in that moment is to dive into that pool of delicious warm relief that you offer. The way your eyes glow with unspoken affection and care, it makes him feel things he has buried so far down he never thought he’d feel them again. Everything about you is a tempting, fragile thread pulling him closer, urging him to let go of the walls he’s built, the armor he’s worn for so long. But fear grips him, cold and sharp, like a phantom clawing at his insides. If he gives in, if he leans into you—into this softness—will it break him? Will he lose himself in the comfort you offer, only to be torn apart when the world turns against him again? He swallows hard, trying to steady his breathing, but it only makes everything worse. The beat of his heart quickens, and for a moment, he’s paralyzed, caught between the need for your warmth and the panic that comes with letting someone in again.

“You don’t have to face it alone…” You place a gentle hand onto his shoulder, a soothing, caring, yet simple gesture. “...and you don’t have to keep blaming yourself.”

Your voice sounds like syrupy gospel to his ears, and your hand on his shoulder sends sparks through him, all the way to his core, shaking him slightly. His jaw tightens at the simplicity of it, the truth in your words that cuts right through him. He wants to believe you, wants to hold onto the idea that there’s more than just survival left in this world. That there’s something here worth saving. But how could he? How could he after everything he’s seen, everything he’s lost? It’s easier to stay numb, to keep his heart locked away behind walls too high to climb. But, you make it so immensely difficult by simply being who you are, by being so open and understanding, even in the face of everything you hold a flame of hope he can only hope to have.

“I…” He starts, his voice hoarse, not entirely sure of what he’s trying to say. Words are too hard to come by right now. “I don’t know how to do this,” he admits, the crack in his voice betraying him. “I don’t know how to let anyone in again.”

The words fall from his lips like a weight, heavy and raw, and the ache that swells in his chest feels almost unbearable. He hates how broken they sound. He hates how much he wants to crawl into the comfort of your presence and just stay there, hidden from everything, but he’s too afraid to. Afraid of being hurt again, afraid of the pain that might come if he gives his heart to someone only for it to be torn away. But something about you... it makes him want to believe again. It makes him wonder if there’s a sliver of hope left in a world so empty. His hands tighten around the armrest of the recliner, his knuckles white, as if bracing for impact. He can't let you see the way his heart falters, the way it aches with longing and fear all at once. He’s afraid if he does, it will ruin everything—everything he’s built up over the years. But when he looks at you, when he sees the care in your eyes, the quiet strength you’ve always carried, he wonders if maybe it’s time to let go

“I….” He trails off, not sure how to force the words from his throat, how to admit the one thing he’s tried so hard to push down, to hide even from himself, knowing it’s too painful at times to admit. “I don’t know how to forgive myself, he’d still be here if it weren’t for me.”

He admits weakly, so quiet he almost hopes you didn’t hear him, but the way your hand falls away from his arm, tells him all that he needs to know. Despite himself, another hot, wet tear slides down the length of his cheek, pooling at his furry, bearded chin. He half expects you to just walk away, to leave him in his never ending self-loathing, yet you don't, instead you shock him as the warm pad of your thumb rubs underneath his eye, wiping away his stray tear. The motion is gentle, intimate in a way that sends an electric current straight to his chest. His heart stutters at the softness of your touch, and he feels something in him crack wide open. He had braced himself for the silence, for the distance he’d come to expect when he let people in too far. But your hand is warm, steady, and unwavering. It offers something he hasn’t felt in so long—hope.

“I’m not going anywhere,” you whisper, your voice soft but firm, and he wonders if you can feel how much those words sink into him. “And you don’t have to do this alone. You don’t have to carry the weight of it all.”

His breath hitches, chest tightening, as he looks at you. The fear that has always gripped him, the guilt that has suffocated him ever since he lost so much, now collides with the raw tenderness in your eyes. He’s not sure if he’s ready to confront the truth, if he’s ready to let go of the guilt that has haunted him for so long. But the sincerity in your gaze makes it hard to hold back any longer.

“I couldn’t save him,” Aaron chokes out, his voice trembling. “If I’d done things differently—if I’d just been there...” You shake your head gently, cutting off his spiraling thoughts. “You can’t carry the weight of things you couldn’t control,” you say softly. “It’s not your fault, Aaron. You did everything you could. But sometimes... sometimes, we lose people no matter how hard we try to hold on. It’s the world we’re in.”

The way you speak, so matter-of-fact but with such compassion, makes his heart ache. You’re not excusing his pain, not pretending that it doesn’t matter. But you’re giving him space to feel it without letting it consume him entirely. The words are raw, and they cut deep, but somehow, with you there, they feel less suffocating. He feels something shift in him—a slight easing of the burden that’s been crushing him for so long. It’s almost as if the weight of his past—the guilt, the fear, the grief—can finally breathe for the first time. It’s still there, lingering in the shadows, but it no longer holds the same power over him. He doesn’t know if he’s ready to let it all go just yet, but with you beside him, he feels like maybe it’s possible. Just maybe. He swallows thickly, his throat tight with emotion, but he doesn’t pull away from you. In fact, he leans closer, seeking the comfort in the steady presence you’ve offered him without hesitation. You’ve become his anchor, even when he feels like he’s about to be swallowed by the storm inside his own chest.

“I don’t deserve your kindness,” he mutters, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. It’s not the first time he’s said something like that, but it feels truer than ever now. He’s lived a life of mistakes, of things lost, of people gone. How could someone like him deserve someone so full of warmth, someone who sees him without judgment? You shock even yourself when you speak up, your tone almost angry, angry that he could talk about himself like that. “How can you say that?”

You speak more forcefully than you initially intend to, but your voice isn’t harsh, instead it holds an air of hurt, both for yourself and for him. Your hand falls away once more and you take a step back, your chest feeling tight, almost painfully tight. He looks at you with shocked, wide eyes, thrown off by your outburst, never quite seeing you act in such a way, he has seen you act fiercely, but never towards him. Your voice isn’t harsh, but there’s a rawness to it, as if the words are more than just for him—they’re for you too. You take a step back, your chest tight, the pressure rising within you. You can feel the weight of the emotion swirling in your throat, fighting to break free. You weren’t expecting to react this way, but something about seeing him so broken, so full of self-loathing, cuts deep. Aaron looks at you in stunned silence, eyes wide with confusion. He’s never seen you act like this, not toward him. You’ve always been gentle with him, understanding, patient, but now there’s something different in the way you stand. There’s a fire in your eyes, a desperate need for him to see himself as you see him.

“I don’t understand,” you continue, your voice more quiet now, but still fierce. “Why do you think you don’t deserve kindness? Why are you punishing yourself like this?” Your hand falls away from him, fingers curling into a fist at your side, unable to keep your frustration from showing. “You’ve been through so much, Aaron. I see you. I see the good in you. I know what you’ve done, what you’ve lost, but you’ve also given everything to keep others alive. You deserve kindness.”

The words settle into the space between you like a quiet storm, and Aaron’s gaze falters. His eyes drop to the floor, his shoulders tense, the familiar weight of guilt pulling him further inward. There’s a heaviness in the air, the kind that only comes when someone is too full of emotion to express it, and it settles heavily on his chest.

“But I’ve made so many mistakes,” he whispers, almost to himself. “I’ve lost too much. And people... people died because of me. I couldn’t protect them.” He swallows, his voice shaking with the admission. “I don’t deserve to feel good, I don’t deserve forgiveness, not after everything.” You step forward, your heart aching for him. You know the kind of pain he’s carrying. You can see it in the way his body tightens at the mention of loss, the way his words tremble like they’re coming from a place too dark to reach. But you refuse to let him pull away. “You didn’t kill him, Aaron, you loved him, more than I have ever seen a person love someone. You didn’t kill Eric, the world did, and you can not keep blaming yourself for that.”

You speak earnestly, so much so your words nearly make him ache. You lift a hesitant hand to his cheek, caressing his stubbly, pale skin gently, tracing along his scars and the lines along his face with the tips of your fingers. He shivers gently at the contact, he hasn’t so much as had a hug since Eric died, your simple, caring touch sends shocks through his system, and causes his heart to pound dangerously against his ribcage. It is foreign to him, never had he thought he would have butterflies in his stomach for anyone but Eric, especially someone of the fairer sex, yet, they flutter treacherously in his gut making him feel almost nervous. His eyes flutter closed for a moment as your touch lingers, the unexpected warmth grounding him, pulling him away from the spiraling thoughts he has been carrying for so long. The weight of his past, the mistakes, the loss—it all becomes a little less suffocating, softened by the gentleness in your touch. He never realized how starved he’d been for this kind of tenderness, how much he'd longed to be seen and cared for again. It’s almost disorienting. To feel this much, to feel this good, after everything. He can’t remember the last time he felt safe enough to let go, to trust someone. To feel like he matters. But right now, with your fingers lightly tracing the contours of his face, everything feels a little more bearable. The heaviness in his chest isn’t gone, but for the first time in a long time, he doesn’t feel so alone in it.

“Aaron…” Your voice is soft, quiet, and it makes him want to close the distance between you, to allow himself to sink into the warmth and safety you’re offering. His heart flutters unsteadily at the way you say his name, the care in your tone pulling at something deep inside of him. He’s so afraid of feeling this way, but he can’t stop it. And, despite the fear, he doesn’t want to. Not anymore.

His breath catches as you step even closer, your presence overwhelming in the best way possible. He finds himself reaching for you without thinking, his hand trembling slightly as it moves to rest on the curve of your waist. The simple touch feels monumental—his pulse racing beneath his skin, reminding him of the emotions he’s spent so long suppressing. Before he can stop himself, his hand moves, lifting gently to cup your cheek. His thumb brushes against the soft skin there, tracing the curve of your jawline. The touch is almost too tender, like he’s afraid he’ll break something precious. But he doesn’t pull back. The space between you grows even thinner, and you can see the war in his eyes—the battle between wanting to pull away and desperately wanting to lean in. The tension in the air is palpable, but it doesn’t feel like pressure; it feels like something waiting, something he’s not sure he’s ready for but can’t fight anymore. Without thinking, his face inches closer, just enough for his lips to hover over yours. He can feel the heat from your breath, feel your pulse thrum beneath his fingertips. He hesitates for a moment, just a moment, his eyes flicking to yours, searching for reassurance. You don’t pull away. In fact, you close the last inch of distance between you with a slow, deliberate movement, your lips brushing his with the gentlest of touches.

It’s like the world shifts beneath them, everything but the two of you fading into nothingness. The kiss is tentative at first, a soft, hesitant thing as if you’re both testing the waters—neither one of you is sure what the next step will be, but both of you are willing to take it. His heart is pounding in his chest, and for a moment, he wonders if you can feel the thrum of it through the space between you, through the kiss. But then, something shifts. The kiss deepens, and Aaron finds himself unable to resist any longer. He pulls you closer, his hand slipping to the back of your neck, his fingers threading through your hair as he tilts his head slightly, deepening the kiss. He’s not sure if it’s the fear of losing you or the raw emotion that has built up inside him over the months, but it’s everything at once—comfort, fear, need, desire. His lips taste of mint, coffee, and something so distinctly him that it all but turns your brain to mush and leaves you completely and utterly breathless.

Your lips taste of some kind of lip balm he assumes you must have found on a recent supply run, mixed with mint toothpaste and something fruity that he can't quite identify, but it is oh so addicting. He almost can’t help as his tongue darts out from behind his lips to caress yours, asking silently for entrance into your mouth, which to even your surprise, you grant without a moment of hesitation. His tongue, commanding yet tender, slips beyond the barrier of your lips, nudging at your own, spongy pink organ, caressing and feeling the waiting cavern of your mouth.

~18+ beyond this point~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He moans, a small gruff noise that bubbles up from the back of his throat, into your mouth. It vibrates past your lips and down the column of your throat, your hand comes up, gripping almost desperately at the front of his shirt, your mind warring between pushing him back and pulling him impossibly closer. His appreciative, desire fueled moan sends shocks straight to your core, and your panties. Despite the want and yearning that is pooling in your lower abdomen like a coiling snake, you pull away, although your resolve almost crumbles as his mouth chases after yours. The hand you have on his chest stops him, and instead his forehead presses against yours, his breathing heavy and mingling with yours. He can feel his own desire swirling deep within himself, the hardness in his pants that is pressing into your lower stomach a testament of that. Aaron’s eyes bore into yours, his breath still hot against your mouth. He’s waiting, waiting for you to make the next move, to decide if you’ll give in to the unspoken heat between you. His hand grips your waist possessively, his other comes up to cup your face, his thumb brushing over your swollen lower lip. You feel the pressure of his fingers as he grabs your waist, his touch burning you through your clothes. You swallow hard, trying to find the right words.

“Are you sure?” You whisper softly, your breathing still laboured, your hand is pressed gently against his chest, your fingers splayed against the black fabric of his shirt. He wants to laugh, you’re so caring, still so soft despite the cruel world that surrounds you both, he just caresses your chin and utters a simple, “Yes,” before he swoops his head down and reconnects your lips with his.

Your eyes widen slightly at his boldness, but then flutter closed at the feel of his slightly chapped lips against yours and his stubbly mustache pressing against the skin underneath your nose and you allow yourself to melt into the passionate embrace of his kiss. His right hand slides up from your chin to the back of your hair, tangling into the locks of your hair and pulling you closer, the one at your waist squeezes your hip through the fabric of your bed pants, the soft plush expanses squishing beneath his grip. His hands are firm but still tentative as he explores you, squeezing at your hips, sides, and back, yet never straying down past your waist, ever being the respectful man that he is. Your left hand glides up from his chest to his face, gasping his cheek, the pad of your thumb caressing his beard clad jaw, while the other hand goes almost tentatively to his shoulder.

Your eyes threaten to fly open with shock as he sits back onto the recliner, pulling you along with him so you end up on his lap, straddling either side of his thighs. The contact even surprises him, it is all so new to him, you’re so delicate and feminine against him, the soft, chubby curves of your body pressing against his lean muscular form in a way he has so solemnly experienced. He allows his lips to move away from your lips and down your jaw, another moan bubbling up from his throat at the soft feel of your jaw against his mouth. His hand slides down to grip the meaty flesh of your thigh through your bed pants, again, heat spreads through him at the soft tantalizing curves of your plush body beneath his calloused fingertips. He kisses along the side of your neck, allowing his tongue to dart out, giving himself a taste of your sweet, silken skin, you taste of salty sweat, some faint soap, and something so uniquely you that it all but makes his head spin. Your breath catches in your throat as his lips trail down your neck, sending tingles throughout your body. You lean into his touch, tilting your head to give him better access. Your fingers tangle in his hair, gripping gently as waves of pleasure wash over you. His hands continue to roam your curves, kneading and caressing with a reverent tenderness. You rock your hips instinctively, drawing a low groan from him that vibrates against your skin. The sound ignites a fire deep within you.

His strong, warm hand traveled higher, reaching beneath your sleepwear to caress your stomach, sending shivers down your spine. You gasped, and he immediately froze, his breath hot on your earlobe. "Are... are you alright?" he rasped out, his voice thick with arousal yet clouded with concern. His fingers were lightly tracing hypnotic patterns on your belly, the calluses on his fingertips sending goosebumps across your skin.

You manage a weak nod as his hands dance up and underneath your bed shirt, caressing and feeling the smooth expanses of your skin, squeezing your plushness gently between his fingers. The pads of his fingertips explore every dimple, freckle, and stretch mark along your skin as if he is adventuring the Earth itself, worshipping your skin, because in that moment you are his own personal heaven. His goddess to pray to at bended knee, his solace in a world so broken, and the glue that can fix a broken, shattered man. Sure there were better ways for this to happen, when he is more clear headed and put together, where he can delicately drape you across his bed and feel every part of you so deeply. Yet, he can not bring himself to move, partially because he doesn’t dare snap you out of this haze, nor does he want to move away from you for even a fraction of a second, revelling too much in your warmth and your desire for him. When your hips rock forward, almost on their own accord, he lets out what can be described as a low growl of approval against the side of your neck, right where your clavicle meets your shoulder.

His hands slide up higher, finding the heavy, fleshy mounds of your breasts, nearly weighing them in his grip, squeezing and squishing the soft plush of your chest. You let out a small, breathy gasp and arch into him, pushing your breasts further into his gentle grip, which causes him to smile into the skin of your shoulder. His thumbs react in an exploring manner, brushing over the hardened peaks of your nipples, playing and swirling around the buds gently. A shiver goes through you at the touch, and a small moan falls from your lips, your hands tighten in his hair, pulling at the deep chocolate coloured locks. His lips move back upwards, trailing hot, open mouthed kisses up the side of your neck to your ear. The heat of his breath against your ear sends shivers down your spine, and heat rushing towards your core.

“You’re so beautiful,” He rasps huskily against your ear, his hands squeezing your breasts as if to emphasize his point. “So perfect and beautiful.”

His mouth pulls away from the side of your neck for a mere moment to pull your loose bed shirt up and over your head, allowing it to fall haphazardly onto the carpeted living room floor. He pauses, and for the first time since his lips touched yours, he feels unsure, he is just completely and utterly mesmerized by the sight of your bare front. The heavy, plush curves of your breasts, the hard peaks of your nipples, the plush mound of your stomach, the hills and valleys of your stretch marks and the dimpling along your skin. You look like magic in human form, so aggressively beautiful and feminine, it causes his breath to hitch in his throat. He swallows deeply and allows instinct to guide his mouth towards your chest where his lips envelop your hardened nipple, pulling the aching bud into his mouth and swirling around the peak with his hot, wet tongue. Again, you arch into his touch, your breasts pressing into his face causing his beard to rub at your soft, sensitive skin, sending another needy mewl to fall from your lips, almost yearning and begging for him.

His ministrations become more desperate and feverish as he allows the sensitive bud of your nipple to slide between his teeth where he nibbles gently. He smirks against your bare breast at the way you moan almost needily for him, your hands pushing his face deeper into your skin. His free hand, the one that isn’t lavishing your other nipple with attention to match the movements of his mouth, slides down past your stomach to the waistband of your sleep pants. Your breath catches in your throat as his fingers tease the edge of your pants and his blue eyes glance upwards, searching for the permission he so desperately craves. Words don’t seem to find you in this moment as you just almost too eagerly nod your head, something you would be embarrassed about if you weren’t so blindingly desperate for him. His hand slips down past your waistband, immediately seeking out that warm, slick heat between your legs. He feels a little out of his depth as his fingertips glide along the edge of your panties, feeling your slick that has dampened the fabric. It is different and new, yet rather than feeling trepidation he feels anticipation as he slides his fingers further down to push your panties aside.

He almost gasps as his finger makes contact with your hot, soft, wet skin, his pointer and middle digits slide down through your slit, gathering the wet arousal onto them. A soft moan escapes your lips at his touch. You arch your back slightly, pressing yourself against his exploring fingers. The sensation sends shivers of pleasure through your body. His fingers move slowly, teasingly, as if memorizing every curve and fold. You can feel his breath quicken, matching your own rising excitement. He leans in close, his lips brushing your ear as he whispers huskily, "You're so wet for me." The low rumble of his voice makes you tremble with desire. His fingers continue their sensual dance, circling and stroking in a maddening rhythm that has you aching for more.

A shudder runs through your body at his touch, and you arch into his hand, craving more. His fingers explore you slowly, teasingly, circling your most sensitive spots without quite giving you the pressure you need. You whimper softly, your hips rocking against his hand. He watches your face intently, drinking in every flutter of your eyelashes, every parting of your lips. When his thumb finally brushes over your swollen bud, you cry out, clutching at his shoulders. He smiles, continuing his ministrations as tension coils tighter and tighter within you. Just as it begins to build, he pulls his hand from your panties and out of your sleep pants, causing a whine of protest to fall from your lips.

“Shh…” He croons out gently and allows his lips to travel up your jaw, over your chin and to the corner of your lips. “...I just want to go slow, beautiful.”

His words cause heat to rise to your cheeks and you nod almost shyly, causing a small amused smile to etch its way onto his lips. He caresses your bare side gently before pulling his hands away ro reach to the hem of his black long sleeved shirt. He pulls his shirt up, slowly, almost teasingly, and over his head allowing the article to join your own shirt on the shaggy carpeted floor. Your eyes roam over his exposed torso, drinking in the sight of his toned muscles and smooth skin. The dim light of the room casts shadows that accentuate every curve and plane of his body. You reach out tentatively, fingers ghosting along his collarbone before trailing down to his chest. His breath hitches slightly at your touch, and you feel a thrill of excitement course through you. He captures your wandering hand in his own, bringing it to his lips to place a soft kiss on your palm. The tender gesture makes your heart flutter. He leans in, his forehead resting against yours as his free hand cups your cheek. For a moment, you both stay like that, breathing each other in, savoring the intimacy of the moment. He leans in, reconnecting his lips to yours in a deep, sweet intimate kiss.

He brings his free hand back down to the waistband of your pants, grabbing gently at the fabric as he begins to pull them down. “Lift your hips, pretty girl.” He coos softly, coaxing your hips up, which you do without hesitation, pushing yourself up onto your knees on the recliner so he can pull your pants down. With some clumsy maneuvering he manages to pull your pants and underwear down your legs before discarding them into the growing pile of clothing on the floor. You settle back into your seated position on his lap, letting out a soft gasp at the feel of his hard bulge pressed right against the bare fat of your pussy. He grinds up against you, a small, gruff breathy moan falling from his lips at the feeling of your slick staining the front of his jeans. His hands move to his belt, which he makes quick work of removing and casting aside onto the floor before he fumbles with the button of his jeans. He pushes the now damp, blue denim fabric down his legs, along with his boxers, exposing his achingly hard manhood.

He is long and thick, pale with an angry red leaking tip, long blue veins up his girthy shaft, uncut and perfect. He has a thicket of dark curls at the base, adorning his pretty cock perfectly. His balls are full and heavy, every part of him aching for your slick silken heat, he reaches down, unable to resist as he gives himself a few languid, teasing strokes, both to quell the ache and to give you a show of what is to come.

“Are you ready?”

He asks quietly, although he wants nothing more than to take you immediately, but he won’t push you or force you, he wants to make sure you want him just as badly as he needs you in this moment. You manage a weak nod and lift your hips, pressing forward to allow his swollen tip to slide between the slick folds of your pussy lips, nudging at your waiting heat. He moans softly the minute he makes contact with your womanhood and gives you a nod back before his hands come up to grip your hips, guiding you downwards towards his aching cock. His tip notches against the entrance of your wet tunnel before in a slow grinding thrust he presses up into you. You both let out breathy wanton moans at the sensation, and your hips move down almost on their own, pushing him deeper within your silky heat. He fills you, inch by delicious inch, every ridge of your tight, wet pussy squeezing his aching cock, making it difficult for him to keep his composure and not just bucking up into you with reckless abandon. In a moment you’re fully seated on his bare, muscular thighs, his cock filling you at depths you didn’t even think were possible to reach. You grind down experimentally, the tip of his cock kissing your cervix as you do.

“You feel so good.” He groans into your bare shoulder, his hands sliding down to the thick plushness of your ass, squeezing roughly, as if trying to ground himself and not move too hard too fast. “I almost can’t control myself.”

You want to respond but your words seem to get caught on your tongue as he bucks up into you gently, causing a whiny moan to fall from between your lips, like a beautiful siren song to his ears, beckoning him deeper into your silky slick pussy. You grind your hips down, your pelvis nudging against his, your pussy mound meeting his pelvic bone. His hands grip your hips tighter, guiding your movements as you rock against him. The delicious friction sends sparks of pleasure coursing through your body. You arch your back, pressing your breasts forward as waves of sensation wash over you. His eyes roam hungrily over your form, drinking in every curve and contour. You lean down to capture his lips in a passionate kiss, tongues dancing as you continue to move together. The coil of tension builds low in your belly with each thrust. You break the kiss, panting, and rest your forehead against his. His breath is hot on your skin as he increases his pace, driving deeper. His hand travels down to rub circles with his thumb against your neglected swollen clit, and almost like a trigger on a gun, it sets you off.

Your hips still, your entire body clenching as you cum, your pussy squeezes him in an impossibly tight vice grip, sending him into his own finish. His cock presses deeply into you as he expels his hot wet seed into your waiting channel, filling you to the brim with hot wetness. You rock your hips a few more times, riding out both of your highs before you fall forward collapsing against his chest. Your breathing is hard, the same as his, and your heart is pounding rapidly in your chest. You can feel a thin sheen of sweat coating your bodies as you settle against him, not even making a move to pull him from your spent, and still spasming pussy. You both fall into a semi silence, only broken by the sounds of your heavy pants, and the small kissing noises as he places gentle pecks along your shoulders, trying to bring you down from your intense pleasure fuelled high. At this moment, neither of you speak, but you both know this is just the beginning of something new, a peace between the two of you that cannot be turned on its head, not even by the harsh world you now live in. In this moment, and hopefully for many more moments to come, it's just you and Aaron.

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