#wexarethewalkingxdead: daryl dixon x carol peletier.

[insufferablemonsters]

𝔡𝔞𝔯𝔶𝔩 𝔡𝔦𝔵𝔬𝔫 & 𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔬𝔩 𝔭𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔱𝔦𝔢𝔯 - 𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔱𝔦𝔫𝔲𝔢𝔡 𝔣𝔯𝔬𝔪 𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔥 @wexarethewalkingxdead.

daryl  was  glad  to  be  on  this  expedition  alongside  carol.  he  was  extremely  concerned  for  michonne's  safety  and  whereabouts.  she  hadn't  been  gone  this  long  before  and,  even  when  she  was,  she  still  would  return  here  and  there  to  inform  them  of  her  findings.  with  rick  gone  and  now  michonne  blindly  looking  for  him,  he  needed  to  find  her  and  bring  her  back  home.  judith  needed  her,  the  community  did,  he  did  ...  she  was  his  best  friend,  following  carol,  of  course.  he  couldn't  imagine  doing  this  with  anyone  else.  if  it  wasn't  with  her,  he  would've  settled  for  doing  this  by  himself. he  nodded  once,  ❛  safer  up  there,  higher  up  ❜  he  told  her,  looking  up  briefly  and  then  back  at  her.  he  shook  his  head  a  bit  in  response,  ❛  we'll  come  back  fer  the  rest  ❜  he  agreed.  he  left  the  rest  of  their  supplies  in  the  office  of  the  abandoned  motel  and  only  took  the  bag  that  was  hung  on  his  back,  wielding  his  crossbow  in  his  hands.  he  wouldn't  place  it  down  until  he  was  completely  sure  there  wasn't  any  walkers  roaming  in  this  building  or  any  dangerous  humans  waiting  to  mug  and  kill  others  when  they  entered  this  place.  he  nodded  and  followed  in  suit,  taking  the  stairs  behind  carol,  but  his  steps  were  slow  and  easy,  quiet  enough  to  make  sure  they  weren't  creaking  the  wooden  panels  that  barely  upheld  this  place.  ❛  careful  now  ❜  he  stated  when  she  unbolted  both  entrances  and  handed  him  back  the  tools.  he  placed  them  into  his  back  pocket.  he  pointed  with  his  bow  up  the  stairs,  ❛  quiet  ...  ❜  he  warned  in  a  hushed  tone,  wanting  her  to  be  as  careful  as  possible.  he  didn't  want  any  surprise  attacks.

[doginthecorner]

@wexarethewalkingxdead

Daryl and Carol Moodboard! 

They both met in the midnight sky Got lost in each other's eyes Then threw away the map and lost the key God sent them the first two kids One named Fire, the other one Wind With a note that floated down for them to read It said 'You asked what it was like up here for Me.' Mother Earth and Father Time Fell in love over Appalachian wine Hit a rough spell and almost lost their minds Raised a little hell before they fell in line

[doginthecorner]

💘 + Carol & Daryl

send me 💘 + A SHIP and i’ll tell you—

where they first met and how - They first met at the Atlanta camp when it was first set up. They didn’t really say anything to each other before the attack by the walkers a few weeks later though.  how long their ‘flirting’ phase was before feelings got involved - For Daryl it took him a long time to realize just how he felt about Carol. It was around the time of the end of the saviors war that he started realizing he had feelings for her, but he didn’t want to get between her and Ezekiel and she finally seemed happy so he didn’t say anything. Carol noticed a lot earlier, around the time they met up again after Terminus and just assumed he didn’t have the same feelings that she did.  who fell for who first ( if applicable ) - Carol definitely fell first.  where their first date was and what it was like  - Their first date is simple, just a hunting trip, and it wasn’t particularly awkward or anything because Daryl was already comfortable with Carol and vice versa. They held hands more while waiting for a deer though.  who asks who out and how ( with a sign? spelled out on a cake? just a simple ‘will you go out with me’? ) - Carol finally bites the bullet and asks him out and it’s a pretty simple point blank ask. who proposes first - Neither of them really proposes. They don’t really get married either, they just kind of start referring to each other as husband and wife one day.  if they keep / kept their relationship secret or let everyone know right away where the proposal happens and how ( kiss cam at a baseball game? on a hillside surrounded by ducks? at a disney park? ) - They really don’t do either. No secret or big thing. They just start calling eachother husband and wife and everyone else sort of follows their lead.  if they adopt any pets together - Just Daryl’s dog.  who’s more dominant - Carol where their first kiss was and what it was like - their first kiss was in the woods on a hunting trip, and it was slow, soft, and sweet.  if they have any matching couples stuff ( mugs? sweaters? pillowcases? ) Not intentionally, but Carol ends up stealing a lot of Daryl’s shirts and he just kind of lets it happen.  how into pda they are - I think Carol would like more PDA but Daryl isn’t comfortable with much more beyond holding hands. For him physical affection is something to be done in private.  who holds the umbrella when it rains - Neither of them really use an umbrella.  where their usual ‘date spot’ is ( if applicable ) - They go to the woods a lot. Occasionally to oceanside.  who’s more protective  - Daryl definitely  how long it is before they sleep together ( can be as in ‘had sex’ or as in ‘shared a bed’ ) - For sharing a bed that comes pretty easily to both of them, they sleep better with the other around. For sex that takes a while, I’d say probably a couple of months at least before Daryl is to a point where he’s comfortable with sex.  if they argue about anything - mostly eachother’s recklessness and Daryl’s inability to keep anything clean and tidy. who leaves more marks ( lipstick, hickeys, scratchmarks etc. ) - Definitely Carol, Daryl tries not to leave any on her as he’s afraid of scarring her.  who steals whose clothes and how often - Carol is always stealing Daryl’s shirts to sleep in and wear when she’s lounging around the house.  how they cuddle ( spooning? facing each other? ) - All kinds of ways, they usually sleep pressed against one another in some way, often spooning, but Daryl’s favorite way is always her with her head against his chest and his head resting on his hair.  what their favourite nonsexual activity is - Just being together and existing in the same space. If their in private Daryl wants to be touching or holding her in some way.  how long they stay mad at each other - Never very long.  what their usual coffee / tea orders are - straight black most of the time because that’s all you can get but Daryl actually does like a little milk in his to cool it down if they ever have any children together - No, they’re both in their 50s by the time they get together if they have any special pet names for each other - Carol calls him Pookie, but he doesn’t really have a pet name for her. Sweetheart sometimes if they ever split up and / or get back together -  Nope, once they’re together they’re stuck like glue to each other what their shared living space is like ( messy? clean? what kind of decor? ) - Daryl has a really hard time keeping things clean, he genuinely doesn’t realize he’s doing it but he’ll just pick stuff up and set it down somewhere else. It drives Carol crazy but she’s learned to live with it. Their room isn’t dirty persay just cluttered and messy. She does put her foot down about clothes on the floor though so Daryl has gotten in the habit of either putting them in the hamper or in the drawers. As for decor it’s pretty sparse. Their bed has Daryl’s blanket on the end of it - theoretically for DOg to sleep on but he always ends up curled up next to them at the head of the bed. They have a chair in one corner for reading, a shared dresser that’s usually litered with a few personal items and some random household objects. Daryl’s crossbow in one corner, Carol’s long bow and both quivers next to them. what their first christmas / hanukkah / etc as a couple was like - Daryl was pretty reluctant to celebrate Christmas because he doesn’t have very good memories of it but Carol was so excited so he helped decorate and wrap presents for the kids and ended up really really enjoying it.  what their names are in each other’s phones - In non apocalypse AU’s he’s Pookie in her phone and she’s just Carol in his if they have any ‘couple traditions’ ( buying a new mug for their collection every year? baking every friday evening? ) - Not really who falls asleep first and who wakes up first - They kind of fall asleep at the same time. If they’re not on watch at the same time they wait up for each other and grab a few hours together.  who’s the big spoon / little spoon - It varies but Daryl is usually little spoon  who hogs the bathroom - neither of them really? Daryl pretty much uses it as little as possible and Carol’s in there maybe half an hour in the morning for showering? who kills the spiders / takes them outside - they both just kind of leave them unless one of the kids asks them to do something about it, then they kill the spider. 

[doginthecorner]

Caryl.

who cooks normally?: Daryl does breakfast because it’s about the only thing he can cook, Carol does dinner, and they fend for themselves at lunch. 

how often do they fight?: Not often, but when they do it’s over big stuff, stuff they really need to get better about talking about before it sits and festers. 

what do they do when they’re away from each other?: Daryl gathers up little things that remind him of Carol to bring back to her like a crow. Carol tries not to think of him in any danger. 

nicknames for each other?: Carol calls him Pookie but he doesn’t really have a nickname for her. 

who is more likely to pay for dinner?: It’s the apocalypse so neither of them 

who steals the covers at night?: Carol, but Daryl doesn’t really notice

what would they get each other for gifts?: Daryl usually sticks to hunting knives and little things he finds on runs that remind him of her. Carol tries to stay practical because Daryl doesn’t need any more junk clogging up that bedroom. 

who remembers things?: They’re both terrible at remembering dates like anniversaries or birthdays or holidays, but they’re pretty good at staying on top of household work. 

who cusses more?: They’re both pretty bad about cussing but Daryl is markedly worse, especially in front of the kids. Judith and RJ both use fuck correctly in a sentence because of him. 

what would they do if the other one was hurt?: They’re both totally miserable patients but completely overbearing when one of them is hurt. Carol refuses to rest or stay in bed unless Daryl practically makes her and Daryl won’t even admit he’s hurt until Carol makes him go to the infirmary. 

who kissed who first?: Both of them kind of knew right when they kissed that they were going to do so. 

who made the first move?: It took him 10 years but Daryl. 

who started the relationship?: Daryl. 

[doginthecorner]

Carol.

DROP ME A CHARACTER NAME AND I’LL REVEAL MY MUSE’S HEART…

VISUAL ATTRACTIVENESS: 💗💗💗💗💗 (purely aesthetic appreciation of looks)

FRIENDSHIP LEVEL: 💗💗💗💗💗 (how close a friend they consider them)

SEXUAL DESIRE: 💗💗 (wanting to have sex with them)

ROMANTIC INTENT: 💗💗💗💗💗 (hoping for a romantic relationship)

💔 Non-existent 💗 Very low 💗💗 A little 💗💗💗 Hopeful 💗💗💗💗 High 💗💗💗💗💗 Maximum

ngl i don’t know what you expect from Daryl. He thinks she’s fabulous, and the most beautiful woman ever and he just wants to cuddle adn kiss her. 

[its-a-superpower]

"He signs with a southern accent," Connie told the older woman with a grin. "and he got flustered when I pointed it out."

Connie smiled, nodding her head. She knew that she was lucky and considered it an honor to have Daryl care about her and trust her as much as he did. She knew first hand how good he was at keeping secrets, as far as she knew, he'd never told anyone about what happened with the supplies that Magna and Kelly stole, and not only that but he'd also let her handle the situation instead of not trusting her like anyone else would have considering it was her sister and friend stealing things from his friends.

"He's proven me wrong about everything I assumed when I met him," Connie wrote on her notepad and showed it to Carol. "I didn't assume much, but I'm a little ashamed about thinking he would be someone who'd ignore me just because he couldn't speak to me right away."

She was going to write more but then paused, glancing back at Daryl before turning her attention back to Carol. "If we keep talking about him he's going to jump off the boat for real," she wrote with a snort that made her press the notepad to her mouth out of embarrassment as she showed what she'd written to Carol.

its-a-superpower‌:

Connie shot Daryl one last glance and a smile before she turned back to the railing and leaned against it like Carol did. She watched the older woman as she spoke, eyes widening when she mentioned that Daryl had been out looking for her child, she knew that Carol had lost a child way before Henry. But she didn’t know that Daryl had been out there looking for her. Connie could definitely see him doing such a selfless thing.

She found herself nodding at the statement about Daryl being special and felt embarrassment crawl up to her face in the form of a warm flush. But she didn’t turn away, wanting to hear what Carol had to say about Daryl. Connie nodded again when she said that Daryl would always be on the side of those he cared for no matter what.

Thinking back to what had happened with Magna and Kelly, Connie felt her face her even hotter, letting out a soft sigh through her nose as she bit her bottom lip. The idea that Daryl cared about her that much made her chest feel warm and too small for her hammering heart.

Connie turned to her notepad. “He is one of the kindest men I’ve known all my life,” she wrote, then showed it to Carol. “And one of the smartest too. He hates it when I praise him about it, but not even my friends learned to speak ASL so quickly and they were with me all day.”

Carol read the page in Connie’s notepad and smiled. She nodded and turned her gaze to Daryl for a brief glance then back to the other woman. “He likes to learn. You probably wouldn’t know that to look at him.” She remembered all the times when the others had doubted his intelligence and all the times that Daryl had proved them all wrong. Even her at the start of everything.

“He knew there wasn’t much else he could do so he could communicate with you, and that made him want to learn it all the more.” She remembered the first time she had seen him with the book on sign language. She hadn’t the heart to tease him, and actually let him teach her a little bit. Not that she could remember it now, but she knew if she tried, she could probably retain more than she gave herself credit for.

“You’re lucky he cares about you,” she promised the woman, seeing her cheeks burning a little darker. “If you got secrets, he’ll lock them up tight for you, too.” Not that Carol had too many secrets, but she knew they never went further than his ear. Her feelings and fears never came tumbling out of his mouth to anyone that wasn’t her.

[doginthecorner]

Caryl for the domesticity meme.

WHO COOKS NORMALLY?: Usually Daryl will make breakfast since the only thing he doesn’t completely fuck up is pancakes and eggs, and Carol will do dinner. 

HOW OFTEN DO THEY FIGHT?: Not very often, when they do it’s usually because they’ve been cooped up and unable to get space from one another. As much as they love each other they both value time alone and need it to be completely happy. 

WHAT DO THEY DO WHEN THEY’RE AWAY FROM EACH OTHER?: Carol usually reads on her time alone and Daryl goes hunting. 

NICKNAMES FOR EACH OTHER?: Carol calls him Pookie, and he doesn’t really have a nickname for her, though sometimes he’ll call her ‘Darlin’

WHO IS MORE LIKELY TO PAY FOR DINNER?: it’s the apocalypse, no one pays for dinner. 

WHO STEALS THE COVERS AT NIGHT?: Carol does, Daryl could sleep with a dryer sheet for a blanket and not know the difference.

WHAT WOULD THEY GET EACH OTHER FOR GIFTS?: Carol gives Daryl mostly practical things, hunting knives, sets of arrows, things he’ll use. Daryl generally does the same but every now and then he’ll turn up with something just decorative. Occasionally jewelry, but he also really has a knack for picking out the tackiest little figurines from shops, Carol does not like them but puts them out anyway because it’s a nice thought that he thinks of her when he’s out on runs

WHO REMEMBERS THINGS?: Carol, Daryl forgets everything. Anniversaries, date nights, birthdays (his mostly, he’s good about remembering hers) 

WHO CUSSES MORE?: Daryl, definitely Daryl. 

WHAT WOULD THEY DO IF THE OTHER ONE WAS HURT?: They’re both stubborn and terrible patients but they also both want to take care of whoever is hurt. 

WHO KISSED WHO FIRST?: Carol kissed him first

WHO MADE THE FIRST MOVE?: Carol

WHO STARTED THE RELATIONSHIP?: They both did. 

[doginthecorner]

❤️ + Caryl.

They end up in Daryl’s bed most nights even before they’re together because neither of them sleeps very well alone and his room is far enough away from the kids bedrooms that if one of them wakes up in a panic they won’t wake the whole house. 

Daryl’s usually the first one to wake in the mornings, he’ll try to make sure the coffee is finished by the time Carol gets up. 

Showering together actually takes longer then having sex does, Daryl’s always been pretty ashamed of his body and he goes out of his way to hide it, even from her. 

He always gets dressed after sex - even if they’re just going to sleep. 

Their ‘dates’ largely consist of going out on runs or to the woods together, even if they’re not hunting, though they did try to have a date night at home once but RJ and Judith wouldn’t stay in bed. 

@wexarethewalkingxdead

[its-a-superpower]

Connie shot Daryl one last glance and a smile before she turned back to the railing and leaned against it like Carol did. She watched the older woman as she spoke, eyes widening when she mentioned that Daryl had been out looking for her child, she knew that Carol had lost a child way before Henry. But she didn't know that Daryl had been out there looking for her. Connie could definitely see him doing such a selfless thing.

She found herself nodding at the statement about Daryl being special and felt embarrassment crawl up to her face in the form of a warm flush. But she didn't turn away, wanting to hear what Carol had to say about Daryl. Connie nodded again when she said that Daryl would always be on the side of those he cared for no matter what.

Thinking back to what had happened with Magna and Kelly, Connie felt her face her even hotter, letting out a soft sigh through her nose as she bit her bottom lip. The idea that Daryl cared about her that much made her chest feel warm and too small for her hammering heart.

Connie turned to her notepad. "He is one of the kindest men I've known all my life," she wrote, then showed it to Carol. "And one of the smartest too. He hates it when I praise him about it, but not even my friends learned to speak ASL so quickly and they were with me all day."

its-a-superpower‌:

Connie hugged Carol back, but kept the hug short because she was certain that if the other woman hugged her for too long, she would start crying, and she didn’t want to cry on the first day on the boat. It was already quite hard for her to cry even in front of Kelly, she didn’t want to feel even more vulnerable.

She understood the feeling of wanting to stop caring, to throw everything away and just forget about how it made her feel– how much it hurt her. But it wasn’t possible, because no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn’t stop being her life, and many good things wouldn’t have happened if the bad things hadn’t happened. Yumiko had said it once: You can’t ignore the things that brought you where you are now.

Her attention turned to Daryl when Carol looked his way. Connie watched him as the wind moved his hair and couldn’t help but smile and wave back at him, holding her thumbs up to say that he was doing a good job.

Turning her attention back to Carol just as the woman spoke, Connie nodded in agreement to her words. “I can’t say I’m glad that some of the things I’ve been through happened, but if it wasn’t because they happened, I wouldn’t have met you guys, and that’s one of the best things that’s happened to me in a long time.”

Carol nodded. She understood completely what the other woman meant. While she wished that Sophia had survived and had made it to Alexandria with her, she knew that if it hadn’t been for the walkers rising in the first place, she would have never found this new family, she would never have left Ed and the abuse she suffered at his hands.

She would have never met Daryl, and she couldn’t imagine her life without the rugged redneck that would do anything within his power to make sure she was safe. She moved to turn her back to the rail and lean against it with her arms crossed over her chest. “Daryl spent days out in the woods lookin’ for my baby girl back in Georgia. He didn’t have to, but he did. That’s the kind of man he is,” she spoke plainly, allowing her lips to move over every word so that Connie could hopefully keep up with what she said.

“He’s special,” she said softly, smiling. She wanted her to know that because she knew Daryl had a soft spot for the woman standing before her, and they both deserved a bit of happiness. “When he cares about someone, he’s always on their side. No matter what.”

[its-a-superpower]

Connie hugged Carol back, but kept the hug short because she was certain that if the other woman hugged her for too long, she would start crying, and she didn't want to cry on the first day on the boat. It was already quite hard for her to cry even in front of Kelly, she didn't want to feel even more vulnerable.

She understood the feeling of wanting to stop caring, to throw everything away and just forget about how it made her feel– how much it hurt her. But it wasn't possible, because no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn't stop being her life, and many good things wouldn't have happened if the bad things hadn't happened. Yumiko had said it once: You can't ignore the things that brought you where you are now.

Her attention turned to Daryl when Carol looked his way. Connie watched him as the wind moved his hair and couldn't help but smile and wave back at him, holding her thumbs up to say that he was doing a good job.

Turning her attention back to Carol just as the woman spoke, Connie nodded in agreement to her words. "I can't say I'm glad that some of the things I've been through happened, but if it wasn't because they happened, I wouldn't have met you guys, and that's one of the best things that's happened to me in a long time."

its-a-superpower‌:

Connie smiled when Carol told her to tell her if she ever became too much. She was about to write that she didn’t think that possible when Carol caught her attention by moving her hand quickly to her own face. If it wasn’t for that quick, sudden motion, Connie wouldn’t have noticed the tear.

She cast her eyes back down to the notebook, turning the page around to a blank one and writing quickly. “I was pregnant when the turn happened,” she wrote, then stared at it as she pondered if she should show it. The only ones who knew so far were her family– hell, she hadn’t even told them until they demanded to know why she’d been so reckless as to rush to save the baby the whisperers left for the walkers to kill. But it had been years since then, Connie felt like she could talk about it, specially to someone who had experienced that loss too.

Touching Carol’s arm, she showed the writing to the woman. Her heart beating faster, as if she was revealing some shameful secret that she would get judged for. But she forced herself to push that feeling aside, because what happened hadn’t been her fault, it hadn’t been anyone’s, and she was way past blaming herself for it.

She flipped the page after a minute of silence, writing. “I guess that’s why I feel the need to keep others safe.” and showing it to Carol.

Carol’s eyes watched as the other woman wrote in the notebook. Her eyes moved over the woman’s features. She could tell that something heavy had moved over the younger woman, and she wanted to reach out, wanted to comfort her, but she held back. Her lips fell into a frown as the woman held the notebook a little closer to her chest before finally allowing her to see it.

As she read the words, she felt the emotions welling up deep inside her. Her eyes lifted, locking on her face before she turned the page to write something else. She read the words quickly before lifting her eyes back to Connie’s. She leaned in, hugging her close for a long moment.

“I’m so sorry,” she breathed softly, almost certain that the other woman would understand her words even if she couldn’t read her lips. She reached for her hand, holding it gently. “We’re alike in that respect,” she promised the woman. Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears. “Somedays I wish I could just throw it away and not care anymore…”

Then her eyes moved to Daryl as he stood with the wind blowing his hair as he drove the boat across the water. He looked at them, smiling and giving a little wave. “Then he reminds me why I can’t.” Her eyes locked on Connie’s once again.

[its-a-superpower]

Connie smiled when Carol told her to tell her if she ever became too much. She was about to write that she didn't think that possible when Carol caught her attention by moving her hand quickly to her own face. If it wasn't for that quick, sudden motion, Connie wouldn't have noticed the tear.

She cast her eyes back down to the notebook, turning the page around to a blank one and writing quickly. "I was pregnant when the turn happened," she wrote, then stared at it as she pondered if she should show it. The only ones who knew so far were her family– hell, she hadn't even told them until they demanded to know why she'd been so reckless as to rush to save the baby the whisperers left for the walkers to kill. But it had been years since then, Connie felt like she could talk about it, specially to someone who had experienced that loss too.

Touching Carol's arm, she showed the writing to the woman. Her heart beating faster, as if she was revealing some shameful secret that she would get judged for. But she forced herself to push that feeling aside, because what happened hadn't been her fault, it hadn't been anyone's, and she was way past blaming herself for it.

She flipped the page after a minute of silence, writing. "I guess that's why I feel the need to keep others safe." and showing it to Carol.

its-a-superpower‌:

Connie felt it when Carol approached and opened her eyes, smiling at the woman as Carol joined her against the railing. She watched the woman’s expression as she spoke, recognizing the longing for a life with less emotional burdens all too well in Carol’s eyes. Connie reached out, giving Carol’s bicep a squeeze in sympathy.

Pulling out her notepad, Connie scribbled quickly. “My father used to say that everything weighs less in the water.” she showed it to Carol, giving her enough time to read before flipping the page and writing again. “He didn’t allow arguments on the boat either: ‘Cause the ocean doesn’t need more salt’,” she quoted her father’s words.

She pressed the tip of the marker to a clean page after showing the previous one to Carol, hesitation making her pause before she gathered the courage to open up to the woman, just a little. The trip didn’t need to get too emotional on the first day.

“I love the ocean because people don’t expect me to listen here,” she confessed on the paper. “Back before all this, many people expected me to always be paying attention to them because they couldn’t get me to look at them by speaking, still happens sometimes.” she flipped the page. “At sea they either stay quiet because noise scares the fish or because they want to listen to the ocean. So I get to relax too.”

Carol relaxed even more as the woman standing beside her let her into her world a little bit more when talking about her father and being out on the water. She was happy to have it confirmed that Connie had been on the water before today. So she would give her more to be responsible for than Daryl at first. Just until he got the hang of sea life. She shifted her head, reading the paper and then smiling. “Your father was a very smart man.”

She patiently waited as she began to quickly scribble in the notebook again. She looked out over the water, lifting her eyes to the sky as the birds flew overhead, heading back to land. She looked down, realizing that she was finished and quickly read the next page. She chuckled softly at the next one. “Pretty sure I’d have loved your father because that is so true.” She couldn’t promise there wouldn’t be squabbles on this boat, but she would damn sure try not to cause any without a good reason.

She bit her bottom lip, pulling it into her mouth for a moment before she sighed softly. Her eyes moved over the paper as Connie wrote. She reached out, touching her elbow and giving it a squeeze. “You let me know if I get to be too much, please?” She didn’t mean to, but sometimes she forgot that she wasn’t in charge of the entire world.

“I think I’m always going to be a Mom at heart.” At the mention of being a Mom, she felt the tears welling up in her eyes as she quickly blinked to make them go away, but instead one fell down her cheek. She moved her hand to flick it away, hoping that the woman hadn’t seen it.

[its-a-superpower]

Connie felt it when Carol approached and opened her eyes, smiling at the woman as Carol joined her against the railing. She watched the woman's expression as she spoke, recognizing the longing for a life with less emotional burdens all too well in Carol's eyes. Connie reached out, giving Carol's bicep a squeeze in sympathy.

Pulling out her notepad, Connie scribbled quickly. "My father used to say that everything weighs less in the water." she showed it to Carol, giving her enough time to read before flipping the page and writing again. "He didn't allow arguments on the boat either: 'Cause the ocean doesn't need more salt'," she quoted her father's words.

She pressed the tip of the marker to a clean page after showing the previous one to Carol, hesitation making her pause before she gathered the courage to open up to the woman, just a little. The trip didn't need to get too emotional on the first day.

"I love the ocean because people don't expect me to listen here," she confessed on the paper. "Back before all this, many people expected me to always be paying attention to them because they couldn't get me to look at them by speaking, still happens sometimes." she flipped the page. "At sea they either stay quiet because noise scares the fish or because they want to listen to the ocean. So I get to relax too."

its-a-superpower‌:

Connie saw the deadpan look on Daryl’s face as he spoke and smiled innocently. “You’re welcome, captain,” she signed, saluting mockingly as she watched them.

She pressed a hand to her mouth, letting out a soft gasp with eyes wide in a fake expression of fear after Daryl told her that her turn was coming up soon. The look didn’t last long, quickly turning into a toothy smile, Connie was excited about finally learning how to drive a boat. She moved closer, close enough to see but making sure not to crowd them or get in their way.

Connie was a visual learner, so she paid attention to what Carol showed Daryl and what each thing did, making sure to remember them for when her turn came. She made contact with Carol while she was teaching Daryl how to steer and winked, playfully doing the sign of the cross and holding onto the nearest surface for dear life.

After a few minutes, Connie moved to lean against the railing. Her eyes slid shut as she enjoyed the breeze on her fave and breathed in the smell of the ocean, it was one of the only things that hadn’t changed after the turn, she was certain that it smelled better now that there weren’t thousands of boats polluting it and causing the fish to die and rot, tainting the scent of salt with the piercing stench of decaying sea life. It was one of the little things that she made sure to enjoy whenever she visited Oceanside.

Carol couldn’t help the small chuckle that bubbled up from her at Connie’s teasing that they just might die with Daryl behind the wheel. Something she loved more than anything was joking around to keep the mood light so she welcomed that the other woman was so open and capable of having a laugh. She couldn’t agree more with Connie if she tried.

Then she was quick to become business as their safety and the integrity of the boat mattered a lot in bringing them all three back to Oceanside safely. Her hands were quick but efficient in showing both of them how to read the dials and what not to do with the wheel if they didn’t want to turn the boat over on top of them.

She was content that Daryl was doing a good job so she left him to get a better feel of the wheel as they were now on the open water and the shoreline was several miles out away from them. She watched as Connie moved to the railing and let the ocean air move over her. She followed her, watching intently as the woman let a part of herself go.

“That’s what I like the most about the ocean,” she said softly, careful to make sure that her words were pronounced boldly so she could read her lips. “You can leave your cares and worries and baggage on the shore. Pick it up when you get back.” She had a lot of baggage that she wished she could leave on that shoreline and never pick it back up again. But there was something about being on land that made everything all that much heavier.

[its-a-superpower]

Connie saw the deadpan look on Daryl's face as he spoke and smiled innocently. "You're welcome, captain," she signed, saluting mockingly as she watched them.

She pressed a hand to her mouth, letting out a soft gasp with eyes wide in a fake expression of fear after Daryl told her that her turn was coming up soon. The look didn't last long, quickly turning into a toothy smile, Connie was excited about finally learning how to drive a boat. She moved closer, close enough to see but making sure not to crowd them or get in their way.

Connie was a visual learner, so she paid attention to what Carol showed Daryl and what each thing did, making sure to remember them for when her turn came. She made contact with Carol while she was teaching Daryl how to steer and winked, playfully doing the sign of the cross and holding onto the nearest surface for dear life.

After a few minutes, Connie moved to lean against the railing. Her eyes slid shut as she enjoyed the breeze on her fave and breathed in the smell of the ocean, it was one of the only things that hadn't changed after the turn, she was certain that it smelled better now that there weren't thousands of boats polluting it and causing the fish to die and rot, tainting the scent of salt with the piercing stench of decaying sea life. It was one of the little things that she made sure to enjoy whenever she visited Oceanside.

its-a-superpower‌:

Connie only got parts of what Carol had said, but not enough to understand it fully. She was thankful when Daryl interpreted it for her, a chuckle leaving her when he added that he thought Carol meant it. If someone knew Carol, that was Daryl, so she believed his word and looked thoughtful for a moment.

“I am not completely against that plan,” Connie signed, grinning up at Daryl. “I’ve fished Kelly out of the water, I will do the same with you.” She then motioned to Carol with her head to encourage Daryl to translate what she had just said for the woman.

It had been the first and last time Connie and her father got Kelly on a boat at sea. After a wave rocked the boat too hard and Kelly, who had been sitting too close to the edge, ended up falling overboard, she’d refused to try and go fishing with them ever again. That’s what had started the tradition of going camping at least twice each month for the sake of having a family activity that didn’t involve boats.

Getting her notepad back from Carol, Connie quickly wrote. “Maybe if you teach him how to drive, he’ll be too busy to jump overboard and we won’t have to tie him up.” before showing it to both of them.

Daryl quickly relayed what Connie had said to Carol, chuckling after doing so. He could just see Connie pulling her sister from the water, soaking wet and angry ball of fury. He smirked as he and Carol both laughed at the mental image they were picturing at her words.

Carol’s eyebrows raised at the suggestion. “I had planned to teach you both tomorrow,” she promised. She had just wanted to give them both the opportunity to get their sea legs before she started bombarding them with boat handling. It wasn’t as easy as it looked, especially if the water was choppy. “But if it will keep him with us, I guess I could start today.”

She motioned for Daryl to get behind the wheel and to take it. “Come on. You’re gonna be the captain today.” She saluted him teasingly and lowered her hand. “Be careful. Just a small move will have the boat turning too far left or right.”

Daryl looked around Carol at Connie, staring at her with no emotion on his face. “Thanks for this.” He felt Carol as she grabbed his elbow and gave it a squeeze, warning him to not be a pill. She had ways of taking care of that, and he knew it. He smiled then, giving Connie a wink. “You’d better be paying close attention though. Your turn is comin’ up soon.”

[its-a-superpower]

Connie wasn't expecting the hug, it could be seen in the way that her eyes widened that it caught her off guard, but that look of shock only lasted a couple of seconds before she beamed and hugged Carol back. Connie loved physical affection and never shied away from it.

She laughed when Carol said that she might need a combination of the two, determinedly shaking her head and quickly wrote on her notepad. "Don't give him ideas," with an arrow pointing in Daryl's direction before handing the notepad to Carol so she could read. Connie turned her attention to Daryl when he said he'd swim back to shore.

"But I'd miss you if you do that," she signed, pouting slightly before smiling sweetly at him to make up for the teasing.

Connie knew that Daryl wouldn't really leave, no way he was leaving them alone out in the water. But she wasn't going to point that out, wouldn't risk him taking it as a challenge and actually doing it.

its-a-superpower‌:

Connie huffed out a soft laugh through her nose when he puffed his chest out. She enjoyed the rare times when Daryl would act in such a way, almost childishly, not looking tense or worried like he usually did. It was adorable and relieving, because he deserved to spend some time away from problems just like everyone else.

She watched them both as they told her that no one but Daryl drove the bike and pouted slightly up at him before pinching his forearm when he called Carol a pain in the ass.

“She’s not a pain in the ass,” Connie wrote on her notepad, showing it to Daryl with a scolding look on her face.

Connie pressed her lips together into a thoughtful expression that lasted just half a minute before she smiled. Moving her right hand to her forehead with her index and thumb making a C shape.

She wrote “Because you’re smart.” on her notepad before showing it to Carol.

Carol laughed softly at Connie’s reaction to Daryl calling her a pain in his ass. She knew she certainly had the tendency to be a pain, but she knew he’d called her that in a loving manner, but she didn’t mind one bit that the woman took up for her. She touched Connie’s arm again, giving it a slight squeeze. ‘Thank you.’

Daryl rolled his eyes. 'I just might swim to shore if you two keep this up.’ He glanced between them and the shore, gauging the distance. It wasn’t too far, and it wouldn’t take much out of him if he jumped overboard right now. He smirked as he stepped out of reach of Connie’s pinching fingers. 'I think you’re both gonna be a pain in my ass this trip.’

Carol watched as Connie made the 'c’ sign and then placed it to her forehead. She smiled as the woman explained why she chose that one. Her eyes lit up as she leaned in, hugging the other woman. She was absolutely too kind. 'Maybe I need a combination of the two,’ she teased.

[its-a-superpower]

Connie huffed out a soft laugh through her nose when he puffed his chest out. She enjoyed the rare times when Daryl would act in such a way, almost childishly, not looking tense or worried like he usually did. It was adorable and relieving, because he deserved to spend some time away from problems just like everyone else.

She watched them both as they told her that no one but Daryl drove the bike and pouted slightly up at him before pinching his forearm when he called Carol a pain in the ass.

"She's not a pain in the ass," Connie wrote on her notepad, showing it to Daryl with a scolding look on her face.

Connie pressed her lips together into a thoughtful expression that lasted just half a minute before she smiled. Moving her right hand to her forehead with her index and thumb making a C shape.

She wrote "Because you're smart." on her notepad before showing it to Carol.

its-a-superpower‌:

The look that Carol gave Daryl was enough to make Connie snort, she attempted to cover it with a chuckle, but she was sure that it didn’t succeed.

Connie grinned as Daryl pointed at both of them. “I will hold your hair if it happens,” she teased him playfully, repeating the process of showing it first to Carol and then to Daryl so they both could enjoy his reactions. “You’re lucky that we don’t have a camera.” she’d never really record Daryl if he got sea sick, not even if she had a camera, because that would be an humiliating situation. But there was no harm in joking.

She crossed her arms for a moment, giving him a scolding look before she wrote on her notepad. “No littering.” and smacked him on the chest lightly with her notepad.

After saving her notepad back in her pocket, Connie hooked her arm with Daryl’s and pulled him closer to the wheel. “C-A-R-O-L is teaching me how to drive,” she signed, making the signs bigger than than they needed to be out of excitement. “Maybe when we go back you can teach me how to ride your bike.”

She paused for a moment, then signed. “We also need to come up with a sign for her name.” Daryl knew Carol better than Connie or anyone else did, so there was no one better to help her come of with a sign that would describe her.

Daryl smirked as the woman on his right snorted softly. They were having too much fun at his expense, and this would be a long boat trip. Of that he was certain. He rolled his eyes once again as she promised to hold his hair. "You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” He snorted then, shaking his head. “Both of you, no doubt.”

“That camera would be taking a long swim in the ocean,” he promised her, chest puffing up a bit, proud of himself that he’d threatened to get rid of all the evidence of his being seasick if it happened.

Carol chuckled softly at the interaction between the two of them. They were really and truly what she had needed while on this trip. She just needed to get out of her head for a bit and just be with friends, be with Daryl. Her smile was genuine as she reached out, touching Connie’s arm to thank her silently for making her day with her teasing of Daryl. She knew she would like her once she gave her a chance. She already did.

Daryl allowed her to slip her arm through his as they moved back to the steering wheel. He didn’t know a damn thing about sailing a boat, but he had it on good authority that Carol had taken to it like a fish to water. “Oh no. No one drives the bike but me.” He nodded as if that settled it.

Carol piped up, “That’s true. He hasn’t ever let me drive it. Not even once.” She pouted a bit, but in truth, she much preferred to have her arms wrapped around Daryl instead of being in control. All she had to do was hang on while the wind whipped through her hair.

Daryl thought about Connie’s words, glancing at Carol and looking her up and down. He scratched at his neck. “Pain in my ass would cover it,” he teased, which got him a swat to the arm from Carol.

“Gee. Thanks.”

[its-a-superpower]

The look that Carol gave Daryl was enough to make Connie snort, she attempted to cover it with a chuckle, but she was sure that it didn't succeed.

Connie grinned as Daryl pointed at both of them. "I will hold your hair if it happens," she teased him playfully, repeating the process of showing it first to Carol and then to Daryl so they both could enjoy his reactions. "You're lucky that we don't have a camera." she'd never really record Daryl if he got sea sick, not even if she had a camera, because that would be an humiliating situation. But there was no harm in joking.

She crossed her arms for a moment, giving him a scolding look before she wrote on her notepad. "No littering." and smacked him on the chest lightly with her notepad.

After saving her notepad back in her pocket, Connie hooked her arm with Daryl's and pulled him closer to the wheel. "C-A-R-O-L is teaching me how to drive," she signed, making the signs bigger than than they needed to be out of excitement. "Maybe when we go back you can teach me how to ride your bike."

She paused for a moment, then signed. "We also need to come up with a sign for her name." Daryl knew Carol better than Connie or anyone else did, so there was no one better to help her come of with a sign that would describe her.

its-a-superpower‌:

Connie turned her attention to Daryl after Carol did. She had to press a hand over her nose and mouth to avoid snorting when he posed and wiggled his eyebrows at them, feeling her cheeks warm up after he signed what he’d just said for her to know.

She ripped the page that said “YOU got Daryl on the open water” out of her notepad and crumpled it into a ball, waiting for him to come closer then flicking it in his direction with enough force for it to reach him.

“You are as sexy as you can be difficult,” she wrote in her notepad, showing it to Daryl and then to Carol to not leave her out of the conversation, and also because she was sure Carol would agree. Connie flipped the page and wrote again. “We were talking about how much we’re going to enjoy the view once the boat starts rocking and you’re bent over the side.” she repeated the same motion as before, though this time she showed it to Carol first, then to Daryl so they both could enjoy his reaction.

Carol couldn’t help but smile at the way the two of them had slid easily into a friendship. She knew Daryl had it in him even if he doubted himself on a regular basis. She watched as Connie crumpled up a piece of paper and threw it in his direction, hitting him square in the chest. She couldn’t help but laugh softly.

Daryl caught the crumpled paper, opening it to read it. He rolled his eyes as he wadded it back up and tossed the paper overboard. He gave a soft snort. "I’m not difficult. Cautious maybe. But definitely not difficult.” This warranted a look from Carol that clearly showed that she had his number and he might as well give it up and admit what all three of them knew.

He watched as Carol read what she’d written first this time and seemed to turn her attention to him in order to see his reaction. He narrowed his eyes, stepping forward to touch the corner of her notepad in order to read it. He rolled his eyes dramatically and shrugged his shoulder. “Told you that shade of green ain’t my color.” But he couldn’t promise that they’d be eating their words because he’d never been on the ocean, and he had no idea what being on a boat in the ocean would do to his body.

“Watch and see,” he promised the two of them with a finger wagged back and forth first at Connie then at Carol.