Heterochromia Iridum

Hey guys! Been a while since I've picked this up. I won't list a bunch of excuses, but thanks for being patient. Sometimes I get in my own head about things and get anxious. I hadn't actually read a single review from the last chapter until recently. Everyone is always super nice, I just have that little voice in the back of my head lately that I think made me worry and keep putting this off.

I'm also trying to write more to please myself than other people, which sounds shitty but I want to have fun. I have an erratic schedule lately, but I really do want to complete this story and hopefully start the sequel eventually.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Walking Dead or any of the characters associated with the franchise. I own the plot to this story and any original characters you may see, like Katty or Calum.

Chapter 25: Drowning

Katty's stomach twisted and turned. And she wasn't sure if she was nervous or excited or somewhere in between.

She didn't often feel intimidated by Daryl. Maybe in the beginning, but not as of late. He was just as, if not more, socially awkward and unsure as she was. She supposed that the cocktail of hesitance and artless beings that they were together should have caused them to drown. But they didn't. Katty felt like an equal and somehow not like a bumbling, nervous twenty-five – twenty-six? – year old girl wading too deep.

And so, she never typically thought of Daryl as an exceptionally tall, imposing figure. But pressed, chest to chest and against rough bark, Katty felt intimidated. Like a darkened window, he shut out the light and all she could focus on was Daryl. His breath rattled her like shutters in the wind.

He felt like a force of nature and Katy wondered if she was, now, wading too deep.

She blinked dumbly, realizing that Daryl was waiting for an answer.

"Uh – well – I mean," Katty didn't think it were physically possible for her to string together more than two words coherently. Her tongue felt sluggish and clumsy.

Daryl huffed out a laugh and Katty gulped as the air brushed over her face. His eyes were shadowed and intense and raking over every part of her face and Katty thought that surely every inch of her was shaking.

"S'ppose I could jus' see fer myself," his voice was as heavy and dark as his eyes and Katty quirked her brows, not fully understanding what he meant. What had he asked her again?

Daryl's arm came up, and he rested it heavily on the tree above Katty's head, somehow leaning closer to her than they were before. She was too focussed on his face and his smell and his everything, but her breath caught in her throat when she felt Daryl snake his other hand down to fully cup her between her legs. The denim around her legs was short and loose, and Daryl easily curled his fingers around the fabric and ghosted along the edge of her panties.

He rubbed her slowly through her cotton panties, and Katty would have sworn that she heard a barely restrained groan traveling from the back of Daryl's throat when he found out how wet she was. It seemed to spur him on, his confidence increasing along with his ministrations. Daryl's blue eyes slid from where his hand disappeared and back up to Katty's face. He normally wasn't one for eye contact, and Katty felt herself clench at the intensity of it. Daryl's expression was verging on stern, his jaw clenched and eyes focussed, spearing into her. Katty would have given anything to know what was going through his mind.

His index and middle finger brushed over her swollen clit and she whimpered, her knees knocking together as they threatened to give out. She felt somewhat self conscious with his eyes bouncing around; from her eyes, to her lips, down her body to his hand and back up again. Katty murmured something unintelligible, and leant in with the intent to press her lips against Daryl's, if only to save herself from the heat of his gaze.

Daryl turned his head, avoiding Katty but keeping his eyes on hers. "Nu uh," he reprimanded her thickly, swallowing as he pressed again on the spot that had made her knees tremble.

Katty huffed a frustrated noise to cover her moan, sufficing to narrow her eyes as best she could in mock annoyance as his fingers worked her through her panties.

"Gotta be patient," he reminded her, though Katty could hear an obvious strain in Daryl's voice. She wasn't sure if she was relieved or disappointed when he removed his hand from her, devastatingly slow. Leaning away from her a few inches, Daryl gripped her bitingly hard by the hips, his nails digging into her skin where they caught above the hem of her jean shorts. Her inhale shuddered as his hands travelled upwards, pulling her shirt along with them. Katty's stomach tensed as his hands explored her waist line, her eyes now glued to his face. Daryl was watching with a curiosity that she couldn't describe; like he was trying to memorize her, with parted lips and a brow furrowed in concentration. He pushed her shirt so it was crumpled and sitting above her bra, not making any move to fully undress her. Daryl's hands ghosted lightly over her covered breasts, before ducking his head and lavishly licking along the top line of her bra cup.

"Oh, fuck," she gasped at the unexpected action, her hips jerking forward and moving against Daryl's, desperate for contact. She felt him laugh against her skin, his breath hot and sharp. Daryl's mouth ghosted along her skin a few more moments before his hands grabbed her bra from the underwire and shoved it upwards, her breasts spilling out. She almost recoiled at the sudden vulnerability that she felt, but forgot about it the instant that his calloused hands started to massage her. Her eyes fluttered shut, moans on the edge of each breath as he alternated between kneading each breast and plucking at her nipples.

She let out a girlish yelp when Daryl flicked one and she tried to frown at him convincingly. Daryl let out a short laugh and leaned in, kissing her hard and quickly before pulling away.

"What d'ya want?"

She blinked, her eyes feeling hazy, and tried to focus on him. Katty wasn't sure what the right answer was. His question almost sounded like a challenge, and her lips twisted upwards as she met his eyes once more. Katty licked her lips.

"I want everything," she answered honestly, holding his blues with her own mismatched ones.

Something in his stern expression changed, and Katty wasn't sure what, but the next thing she knew, his lips were attached to her neck and his hands were deftly undoing the button on her shorts. Shoving them down her legs with a new urgency, Daryl stepped away from her like he had been burnt. He looked over her, something similar to proprietary, and everything about Daryl was dark and heavy and intense and sexier than she had ever seen him.

Correction.

Daryl Dixon dropping to his knees in front of her was the sexiest she had ever seen him. She was shaking without him to hold her against the tree, and could only watch and pray to God that he didn't notice how unflattering this angle was for her. Daryl's beard scratched along her skin as he hooked his fingers around the band of her panties and started the tug them down. His mouth trailed along her thighs, and he glanced up at Katty to prompt her to step out of the fabric. Katty noticed, but couldn't bring herself to ask, when Daryl immediately pocketed her underwear.

Sliding his hand underneath her left leg, Katty almost fell over when he quickly lifted her leg and pushed it onto his shoulder.

"Daryl!" she laughed out, steadying herself on his unoccupied shoulder and leaning further back against the scratchy bark. Her laughter quickly dissolved into a loud moan when Daryl licked the entirety of her slit. Weaving his hand around, Daryl placed it above her pubic bone and pulled upwards slightly, exposing her clit to his mouth and beginning his assault.

"God," she sobbed as a combination of lips, tongue and scruff sent more sensations than she could handle through her. "Oh, God." She was a mewling, trembling mess as his other hand snaked up to tweak one of her nipples roughly, before raking back down.

Daryl alternated between licks with the blunt of his tongue and concentrated circles around her clit. Katty's hand strung themselves through his hair, her own nails biting into his scalp. He pulled away momentarily, moving his fingers of his free hand down her slit, coating them in her wetness before sliding them inside of her. Katty let her head drop back as Daryl curled his two fingers inside her in a come-hither motion, and she let out a long string of expletives as she felt the tight ball of her climax winding up.

"Ya like that?" he coaxed, sending shivers up Katty's spine from the dark tone of Daryl's voice. She could feel him watching her, but she was too consumed by the rapid movement of his fingers to be embarrassed.

"Please, Daryl," was all she could manage to cry out, trying to tug his mouth back towards her. Daryl's lips and tongue attached themselves back to her clit, matching the now frantic pace of his fingers inside her. The thrusting and curling motion repeatedly hit against her g-spot, and Katty couldn't help but grind herself on Daryl's face, chasing her peak.

Like a cord that had abruptly snapped under tension, suddenly her world was white and unbearably hot as her climax ripped through her. Katty could hear her own moans and whimpers spike in volume and pitch, incomprehensible cries tumbling from her mouth. Daryl shoved her against the tree firmly when her one leg started to buckle, his fingers and tongue unrelenting as he forced her to ride out her orgasm.

When Katty came down from her high, Daryl was watching her, a satisfied smirk on his face. He kissed the inside of her thigh, the one that was still over his shoulder, before slowly letting her down. Her legs felt like rubber.

Daryl didn't say anything right away, and Katty could see him chewing on the inside of his cheek as he waited for her to right her clothing. As she finished buttoning up her jean shorts and pulling her bra and shirt back down so that she was covered, Katty looked up at Daryl and waited for him to meet her eyes again.

"You're amazing," she said firmly to the now self-conscious man in front of her. She didn't understand how, but Daryl's confidence always evaporated as fast as it appeared. Katty didn't mind reminding him, though. His eyes met hers briefly before he snorted and looked away. Katty grinned at the pink tinge on his cheeks.

"Should get back," he said instead of acknowledging her compliment, grabbing his crossbow and the string of dead rabbits and squirrels that had been forgotten on the ground.

"So soon?" Katty asked airily, disappointment laced throughout her voice.

Daryl glanced back at her almost shyly, biting back a smile. "They'll be waitin' fer dinner," he muttered as they started to walk back. She watched him from her position slightly behind Daryl, eyes raking over his form, thinking about nothing other than the man in front of her.

He surprised her when he peered back at her, jerking her out of her thoughts.

"What?" she asked at his curious look.

"Ya smell like pot," his eyes squinted as Daryl scrutinized her.

She let out a string of laughter, "Uh – yeah," she admitted, wondering briefly if he was going to get annoyed with her. "Calum's late birthday present to me."

Daryl's brows rose, "'Nd ya two morons thought it was a good idea ta smoke up while we're out here?" he sounded a combination of irritated and amused, which Katty thought was better than the pure annoyance that she had expected.

Katty let out another laugh, this one more embarrassed sounding than the last. She didn't have a good excuse or reason, so Katty just shrugged and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Orgasms are better when you're high."

Daryl let out a short laugh, shaking his head, "So it was tha pot then, huh?"

Katty shot a grin his way, "Sorry, darling."

She saw Daryl stiffen at the term of endearment and frown to himself. Katty rolled her eyes; she could almost physically see Daryl retracting back into his shell. As if she was going to let him try to close up on her after what they had just done, though, and thought of a distraction. Reaching over quickly, Katty pinched Daryl's butt, laughing when he jumped and then swatted at her with an angry scowl.

"Knock it off," he grouched at her, taking a few large steps away from Katty as they reached the clearing that their group was set up in.

"Can't help it," she drawled at him from behind, unconcerned if anyone from the group overheard. "Spent the last few hours staring at your arse, you have no idea how hard it's been on me."

Daryl's neck up to his jaw was noticeably red and he huffed away from Katty and she stared adoringly after him. He dumped the string of dead wildlife in Glenn's lap before he ducked inside his tent without a word of greeting to the group, presumably to grab whatever he needed to gut them. She grinned; he definitely didn't want anyone seeing his flushed face.

Katty chortled at the disgusted look on Glenn's face, plopping down in the fabric camping chair next to him. Everyone, save Michonne, was seated around a makeshift fire pit that hadn't been lit yet, chatting to each other in various groups and subsets. Michonne was sitting in the back of the pickup truck that the other three had driven in, perched on the roof of the cab, keeping lookout.

Glenn eyed her happy, tranquil expression. "How are you so relaxed looking after watching him kill stuff for hours?"

Katty lifted her eyes back to Glenn, her lips twisting into a lopsided smile as she tried to think of something to reply that didn't involve Katty explaining what had transpired in the woods.

Before she could respond, Glenn's eyes narrowed. "On second thought, I don't want to know."

Abraham guffawed loudly from his place beside Rosita, and Katty knew whatever he was about to say wouldn't be good.

"Only one thing causes that glow," he commented, arching a suspicious brow at Katty and then bouncing his gaze suggestively between her and Daryl's tent. Katty sent him a pointed look, and Rosita swatted Abraham on the thigh.

"Shut up," voicing what Katty was thinking, Rosita rolled her eyes at Abraham, who grinned at her in turn and slung an arm around the back of her chair.

"Seems like you two were productive," Rick commented as Daryl appeared again, referring to the string of animals, but Katty could hear the teasing note in his voice and bit back a smile. He had one leg crossed over the other and regarded both of them with a grin from his position on Abraham's other side. Daryl grunted in response, perching himself closest to the unlit fire pit so he could toss the finished meat into the pot that was strung over the logs.

"Daryl did all the work," Katty clarified, watching as the hunter shrugged dismissively without looking up. She watched as Calum scooted his chair over to where Daryl was, Daryl giving Calum a nod when he reached down and grabbed a squirrel from the pile and pulled out his knife. Katty cringed, knowing she should offer to help gut them. She knew how to do it, she just really hated it. She hadn't seen the two of them interact much, and watched their silent collaboration interestedly.

"'Least ya don't scare away everthin'," Daryl pointed out, glancing up at her briefly before jerking his head in Rick's direction. "Walks 'round like he's fuckin' stompin' grapes."

Katty heard Michonne laughing to herself from her position on the truck. Rick grin turned sheepish, "Hey, I think I've gotten better."

"Subtlety has never been your strong suit," Glenn added. Rick opened his mouth to argue, but Glenn cut him off, "Katty, have I ever told you about how I met Rick?" His eyes danced with laughter.

Her eyebrows raised, and she grinned at the cringe Rick sent before turning her attention back to Glenn. "No, I don't believe you have."

"He rode a horse into the middle of Atlanta –"

Katty's jaw dropped. "Atlanta was completely overrun."

"Okay, okay," Rick laughed, embarrassed, raising his hands in defense, "before Glenn starts, Katty," he addressed her, "just know that he exaggerates a lot. It wasn't as bad as it sounds."

"Not as bad as attracting a herd's attention, turning the horse into a Walker buffet and getting yourself trapped in an old military tank?"

Katty let out a disbelieving laugh, flicking her attention between Rick and Glenn. "You're fucking joking."

Glenn launched into an animated retelling of the story of their beginning, and Katty mostly listened as she glanced around at the different faces. They had all surely heard this story, but there were various smiles and laughs and amused expressions at what had been so long ago from now. Rosita got up to light the fire and Katty helped her put together and cook their meal for the evening as she listened to Glenn talk.

She was almost able to forget that they were in the middle of the apocalypse with the dead walking around. It felt like friends on a camping trip. Katty smiled to herself and it was a bit sad between the other emotions in that moment.

"How did you and Calum meet again, Katty?" Rosita asked once Glenn had finished.

Katty paused, and she could see in her peripheral both Calum and Daryl pause in cleaning up to look over at her. She was quiet for a moment, trying to think of a way to spin it in a humorous way. She wasn't sure how dead boyfriends and Walker bites and attempted suicide could be that.

"I found her," Calum supplied with a wide grin. "Lucky thing, too," he tossed a wink her way, a message that only Katty – and Daryl, she supposed, would understand. Katty smiled warmly at him in turn, grateful for many things but especially that he had directed the conversation.

"Wasn't the ball buster she is today?"

Calum snorted at Abraham's question, rolling his eyes. "She was wearin' a damn swim suit under her clothes."

Katty popped her hip out, resting a hand on it. "And how does that mean anything?"

"It's not fuckin' Baywatch, Katty" Calum cried, seemingly disgruntled at the memory of her high-cut red one piece swimsuit. "Slow motion running won't save you from Biters."

Abraham and Glenn found that rather funny, snorting and snickering in response. Laughter danced in Calum's light eyes, and he mussed up his hair. Katty rolled her eyes. Calum was always like that whenever the attention was on him. He was approachable and charming; good looking and lanky while not being intimidating. People were easily drawn to him and it usually worked in their favour.

"I had just come from the airport," Katty tried to justify it. "I was living out of a suitcase that I had packed for Florida, not the end of the world," she grumbled, hearing Calum bark out a laugh in response.

Dinner was ready, and Katty, without realizing it, found herself fixing Daryl a plate. She had been distracted by Calum teasing her and the resounding laughter that followed, and didn't put much thought into it before turning to hand him his food. Daryl's brows rose slightly in surprise, and Katty was thankful that no one seemed to notice or care enough to comment on it. He muttered a low 'thanks' under his breath and nodded at her. Katty could see Calum watching her, his lips upturned in a smirk, and she threw him an unamused look.

"And for your information," she started, placing emphasis on the word, "there was a quarry with water nearby and I had considered seeing if the people there would let me wash my hair."

"We were in a quarry outside of Atlanta at the beginning, too," Glenn stated offhandedly through a forkful of meat.

Katty frowned at Glenn, squinting as she tried to remember the people when she and Tyler had approached them. "I don't remember any of your faces being there."

Glenn shrugged, "Maybe not, then. Weren't there for long, so might have even been another group after us."

Katty sat down with her plate, chewing thoughtfully as she recounted the people she had seen. She remembered a few details. Specifically, the man that had been condescending towards her.

"There was some cop, brown hair, walked like he owned the place. Bit of a prick," she recollected aloud. "Couple blondes and an older guy, too." That day seemed unbelievably far away, thinking about it now.

Glenn's head shot up, startled, and he looked between both Daryl and Rick. Rick's eyes flicked between the two men as well, but Daryl was frozen, staring at Katty. "What were their names?" Glenn asked her quickly.

Katty frowned, trying to remember what the willowy brunette had called the cop. "Didn't really get names. Some other woman called him – uh – something with an 'S' or a 'C', maybe –"

"Shane? Was it Shane?"

There was an urgency in Glenn's tone that Katty didn't quite understand right away. "I'm not sure," she couldn't place the name, but it may have been Shane. Or Sean, who knows. "One of the blonde girls was nice."

"Sounds like our old group," Rick murmured, now staring into the fire. Katty wondered what he was remembering. Who he was remembering.

The smallest notions can trigger memories and make you feel like you were drowning again and again.

None of them said anything further; Katty was glad for that fact. Her mind was already buzzing at the idea that she had been so close to them. Glancing across the fire at Daryl, she saw him staring right back at her, his eyes burning. Close to him, her mind echoed. She wasn't sure if any definite confirmation of the fact would make her happy or make her want to cry. Shane – or whoever it was, had said that maybe if it was just herself and Tyler, they may have been able to take them in. What if she had taken him up on that offer, what if they had left their group. It had been Katty's fault for being so self absorbed, but those people hadn't really meant much to her. How different would her life be if she had gone and stayed at the Quarry. Would she have met Daryl? Maybe she wouldn't even still be alive.

Looking back at Daryl, she knew that he was, to some extent, thinking the same thing.

"I'll go switch with Michonne so she can eat," she piped up, wanting to get away from the group for a bit.

"Wait, Katty," Rick stopped her as she started to rise out of her seat. "Let's all talk briefly about what's happenin' tomorrow before everyone goes to sleep."

She hesitated before sitting back down, wondering where this was going.

"Might be best to split into two groups tomorrow, cover more area and get done faster," Rick started, looking over everyone for their individual reactions.

"Split up?" Katty questioned. "Aren't we all going to the city centre?" she frowned. There had been a Home Depot that a few residents had known of, along with a few other supply stores, organic health stores and garden centres.

"Mostly," Rick offered vaguely. "Don't wanna go too far into the city, and we're going to be on the lookout for other equipment and weapons."

Katty narrowed her eyes and thought over her options. She saw this in two ways; either be compliant and go along with whatever the group thought, or question Rick bluntly.

"What's really going on?" Her mouth made up her mind for her, and she tried to keep the accusation out of her tone. "I don't think so many of us have to be out here, just looking for farming shit."

Rick regarded her evenly for a moment, and seemed to be deliberating something internally. He sighed, roughly shoving a hand over his face and through his hair.

"There's a reason why Alexandria has been so," he paused, thinking over his choice of words. "Safe. Quiet."

His words stuck to the roof of her mouth. Katty could feel a pit in her stomach forming, knowing that the conclusion would not be good.

She nodded, urging Rick to continue.

"There's a pit – a quarry. Me and Morgan found it when we went to bury Pete. There's a herd, a big one, would take down the walls if it gets out."

"Why aren't they getting out?" she immediately questioned. Whatever was holding they had to stay, be reinforced.

"A few trucks that were left there," he stated simply, and the pit in her stomach got bigger. "They've been squeezin' out every now and then, but as soon as any of the trucks give way, they're headin' straight for Alexandria."

Katty wanted to look around at the rest of the group, but found herself glued to Rick. There was no trace of exaggeration or joking in his eyes. This herd was big, and he was worried.

"What do we need?" Seeds and wheel barrows could wait.

He blinked hard before Rick took a deep breath, and Katty prayed that Rick had a plan already in the works.

"Supplies. Need to build a wall, need to reinforce the roads so we can lead them another way, need Walkie Talkies or somethin' so we can communicate in groups, need weapons," he listed. "We have to prepare them all, show them how to fight them. We'll need all the bodies we can get." He was referring to the residents of Alexandria, and Katty couldn't agree more. It was long overdue, and the town was infinitely lucky that nothing had come along to squander the peace that shrouded Alexandria. Until now.

"Anything else?"

Rick sighed.

"Time. We need time."

Katty felt like she was drowning all over again.

The sky was an inky star laced darkness.

The quiet was just what she had needed that night, after everything that day, and she took a deep breath. Katty had known that something had been amiss; she had just hoped that it would have been more benign than an enormous pit full of Walkers.

She had dug further. Prodded Rick and the rest of the group with more questions, tried to bounce ideas between them on what to do. In the end, Rick had shaken his head, stating that they would figure it out as they went tomorrow. No use planning when they weren't sure of what they'd find.

They had attempted to lighten the heavy air afterwards, telling more warmhearted stories and echoes of their pasts. They were few and far between, and Katty noticed that none of them were recent. How much longer until they wouldn't remember anything funny or sweet?

Katty had lucked out and had gotten first watch. First watch was the easiest and meant you got the most uninterrupted sleep. No one had objected and she figured that they could tell that she had an urge to be alone. She had trouble describing, even to herself, how she was feeling and wanted some time to sort through her thoughts.

She had once thought the Walkers weren't the scariest thing out there anymore; not compared to humans, at least. But she supposed that anything in large enough numbers was an army of sorts. Katty frowned to herself, wondering why she didn't start offering defense lessons to the residents of Alexandria sooner. Rick was right, what they needed was time; unfortunate that that was the resource that no one had enough of these days. Difficult to find, near impossible to get back once it was gone.

The quiet and still and calm of the night was a double-edged sword. It served as a reminder of the quarry full of Biters, the only barrier between them and a herd stealing lives and sanctuary. Everyone had retired to their tents for the night, and Katty looked around, wondering if anyone ever slept soundly anymore.

Her ears perked and Katty turned her head in the direction of a zipper sliding up the front of a tent. It came from her tent, and she watched as Calum ducked out, covered in a large sweater and carrying a flashlight and water. He quickly turned and shut the nylon tent before any insects found their way in, and walked quietly and quickly over to Katty, on the truck.

"Been quiet?" he asked, stretching and looking around the grassy area they were in.

"Yeah. I have at least another hour or two, Cal," she whispered to him, aware that it wasn't his turn yet.

He shrugged, shuffling in the grass. "Can't sleep anyways. You can stay if you want, but I'm starting early." Calum never could sleep first. Katty remembered when it was just the two of them, he would always take the first half of the night.

Calum hopped up onto the back of the truck, attempting to be quiet, and then perched himself next to her. She hesitated and considered leaving. They couldn't really talk; it'd be inconsiderate of them to keep the rest of the group awake.

"Get," Calum chided, nudging her with his elbow gently. His eyes danced over her shoulder for a brief moment, and a grin slid onto his face once more. Tipping his chin in the direction he had been looking, Katty arched an eyebrow before turning to see what he'd been motioning towards.

Daryl's tent.

"I won't tell," Calum muttered teasingly, a laugh at the edge of his voice. Katty rolled her eyes, slightly embarrassed, before sucking up her qualms and standing to leave. She almost yelped when Calum swatted her butt. "Go get 'im, tiger."

She sent him a withering look before jumping off. Katty skipped going to her tent first to stall, knowing that if she did she'd likely chicken out. Daryl hadn't explicitly invited her or even remotely suggested it. They didn't really have much contact after hunting, aside from her bringing Daryl a plate of food and then him nodding at her in the form of a goodnight gesture before he disappeared inside his tent.

Katty tried to be as light-footed as possible as she approached his tent, not wanting anyone else to hear her but also hoping that Daryl wouldn't be able to tell if she lost her nerve halfway and turned around.

She quirked her head as she reached the door. It wasn't like she could knock or announce herself. Shrugging, Katty just bent down and slowly unzipped the flap, cringing at what she felt was a loud noise. Ducking inside, Katty zipped it back up before looking over at Daryl.

She could already feel that he was awake.

Katty wasn't sure if Daryl actually slept. He was always up before she was, Katty never had to wake him up. It was likely part of his life, even from before the end of the world. Hunting especially, nevermind whatever thoughts she had about what Daryl's home life would have been like before. They hadn't talked about it.

Turning to face him, she wasn't surprised to see him laying in his open sleeping bag, arms crossed behind his head. What surprised her was that Daryl didn't look shocked to see her. He regarded her cooly, with slightly raised brows. No words were spoken, Daryl didn't greet her, resorting to just eying Katty up and down briefly. It felt like a challenge.

He was still dressed, just had removed his vest and knife, laying it on the floor just underneath the cot where Daryl could reach it quickly. Katty's lips almost quirked at the fact Daryl wasn't wearing shoes, his bare feet perched at the end of the cot.

Katty maintained eye contact as she kicked off her shoes in what she hoped was a graceful manner, and then took the two short steps towards Daryl. He didn't make any motion to move, just stared at her, so she grit her teeth.

"Scoot," she commanded in a whisper, using the most confident voice that she could muster in that moment. Katty flicked her wrist, emphasizing the word.

Daryl narrowed his eyes at her, obviously not liking being told what to do. He hesitated, and Katty half expected him to shake his head at her. Maybe laying next to him in bed, even if it was a cot, was too intimate for the man, and she was pushing him. Katty tried to soften her features and relax, trying to convey something that was comforting and not the nervous energy that she felt.

Daryl flicked his eyes up and down her once more contemplatively before moving. He shifted away to make room for her, and then twisted so that he was almost propped up on his side. Before she could overthink it, Katty shrugged off her jacket quickly and climbed in beside Daryl, laying on her side and facing him.

"Hi," she breathed, trying not to feel overwhelmed with how close he was. Katty could feel his hot breath ghosting across her face and feel his eyes flitting over her. She braved a shy glance up to his face.

Daryl hummed something short in return that resembled a greeting, and Katty could practically feel his chest vibrate. She pondered briefly if he could then tell just how fast her heart was beating. It scared her, in a way, just how much more intimate it felt, laying next to him.

They laid there, just looking at each other, Daryl's gaze somewhat calculating, waiting to see what she'd do. Katty gulped before moving closer and tilting her face up an inch, locking her lips to Daryl's. She reached down and grabbed his hand, placing in on the dip in her waist. It almost felt as though she were coaxing him, alternating and giving him short, playful kisses to make the moment less, less whatever it was, Katty wasn't sure that she wanted to name it.

She let out a little squeak when he suddenly squeezed her side, and Daryl shushed her against her lips as she felt him smirk, running his hand up and down her side. Her stomach clenched when it travelled down and then back up as he reached the hem of her shirt, sliding his palm against her flesh. Katty could feel goosebumps raising on her skin everywhere that he touched her, and Daryl's mouth and tongue against hers became more insistent. More heated.

Katty bit his lip playfully, eliciting some noise from him in the back of Daryl's throat, before she swung a leg over him on the cot and pushed herself up, straddling him. Now he looked a bit surprised, staring up at her, eyes burning.

Katty liked the change in position, liked feeling like she had the control for a change, and relished in the primal look on Daryl's face as he watched her. She stopped him when he reached forward with the intent on pulling off her shirt.

"Hands down," she murmured at him, shoving his arms back down beside himself with a grin.

For whatever reason, he decided to listen to her, frowning at her in turn. Katty ignored the look, and settled herself more firmly on his lap, biting her lip when she felt Daryl's hardening cock pressing into her. Crossing her arms at the base of her shirt, Katty slowly started to pull it up and over her head, grinding herself against Daryl just as slow. She heard him let out a puff of air as her hips made slow circles on top of him, and Katty chucked her now inside-out shirt to the side. Reaching behind her, Katty unhooked her bra, holding the cups to her chest as she slid the straps down her arms on either side. Daryl eyed her hungrily, which only spurred her on.

His hands came up again and reached for her the moment that she had dropped the bra to follow the shirt on the ground of the tent. Again, Katty pushed his arms down.

"I said, hands down," she purred into his ear as she leant forward. Daryl fidgeted under her and Katty moved back, firmly pressing her centre on him. Katty smiled when she heard him swear under his breath.

Sitting on him topless, her nipples hardening from the chilly night air, Katty reached forward and started to undo the buttons on his dark grey, sleeveless shirt. She could feel his heart pounding as her hands ghosted over his chest, heaving with every ragged breath. Katty looked over him admiringly after she had finished with the last button.

"You're sexy," she commented honestly and deeply, eyes raking over his exposed upper half. Katty tried not to let her eyes linger on the scarring spattered across his chest, knowing that Daryl would be conscious of it.

He scoffed and rolled his eyes, disbelief written across his face. Katty leaned forward and planted her mouth on his again, moaning into his mouth when his rough hands found her breasts and, rolling his thumbs over her nipples. Daryl was suddenly pushing himself up to seated, Katty coming with him, and he half-shoved her off of him and to the side, flipping them over.

It was teeth and tongue and fire as Daryl's mouth descended onto hers once more, pressing himself to her firmly. Katty paused, contemplating for a moment before bringing her hand up to Daryl's jawline lightly, pulling back slightly and kissing him sweeter than the heat that had been starting to boil. Unused to the slower rhythm, they fumbled a bit before they matched each other, Katty somewhat surprised that Daryl was alright with the change in tempo.

His tongue caressed Katty's, her body the same fluid motion against Daryl. Lips locked, Katty reached down and undid her shorts, sliding them down her legs best she could and then kicking them the rest of the way off. Daryl was supporting himself with his elbows on either side of Katty's face, so she pulled off Daryl's belt and undid the button and zipper on his pants. She tried to use her feet to shove his pants down some, and then snorted loudly when he fumbled and slipped while trying to kick them the rest of the way off, ending up half-falling on top of her.

Daryl scowled at her, though his embarrassment shone through, shushing her louder this time.

"You shush! That was loud," she scolded quietly, trying not to laugh. Daryl shoved a hand over her mouth as he reached behind him to cover them with the sleeping bag. She resisted licking his palm, knowing it would ruin the moment more than she had already.

Daryl returned to kissing her, sliding a hand down her body to between her legs, humming in approval when he found how wet she was already for him. Katty moved her hips, grinding herself against his fingers that were slipping between her folds, trying to resist whimpering and writhing.

He pulled away from her lips and leaned to the side to grab something, so Katty moved her mouth down his jaw and neck, alternating between biting, licking and kissing. He hissed when her hand closed around his cock, pumping him slowly, smearing his precum around the head.

"Wait," he rasped at her when she started moving him up and down her folds, becoming slick from her wetness. Daryl pulled a foil packet out, and Katty blinked at it, almost asking where the hell he got that from.

Fuck it, who cares.

She took it from him, quickly ripping it open and pulling the latex condom out. Katty kissed him quickly on the jaw, reaching down and rolling it over his cock. Wrapping her hand around him once more, Katty teased him along herself first, rubbing his head against her clit briefly before positioning him at her entrance. She almost cried out at the feeling of Daryl filling her painfully slow, and he kissed her again to silence her. He started to move inside of her and Katty writhed against him, trying to buck against Daryl to get more. Her hands curved around his lower back, nails digging into his skin, before she moved them lower and grabbed his firm backside, whimpering as he gradually picked up speed. Daryl pulled his mouth from hers, pressing his face into the crook of her shoulder; Katty could hear him biting back his own moans as he thrust into her.

Katty didn't think she'd be able to cum again today after what happened in the forest, but could feel her climax quickly approaching, the familiar feeling appearing in her lower abdomen. Daryl's thrusts were quick, rushed, and bordering on erratic as he neared his own end. Raising his head from her shoulder, Daryl reached a hand up to push her hair back from her face.

"Look at me," he growled lowly at her, making Katty's eyes snap to meet his, surprised at his request. Daryl thrusted harder and deeper, and she was able to maintain eye contact until her climax hit, and her eyes fluttered shut, mouth opening in a silent cry as her walls contracted erratically around him. He shoved his face back into the side of her neck, hot breath caressing her ear with barely contained groans as he finished. They lay there, unmoving for a minute, each coming down from their highs, catching their breath. She whimpered when Daryl pulled out of her, and he kissed her sweaty forehead quickly before removing the condom, tying a knot in it, and dropping it on the ground.

Katty couldn't resist reaching out and lightly laying her palm on his heavily scarred back as he was turned away from her, pausing when he flinched hard at the contact. When he settled back down, facing Katty, she moved so that her head was on his outstretched arm, scooting closer to his chest. Daryl didn't seem to care, not voicing any complaints as she curled into him. Katty listened to his breathing slow for a few minutes, not saying anything.

"Are they from before?" she asked quietly, unable to resist.

Daryl was silent for a while, and she assumed he wasn't going to answer.

He made a noise in his throat. "Yeah," Daryl clarified.

"Merle?" Katty probed further, curious.

"Some," he acknowledged, his voice uncaring. "Mostly the ol' man."

Katty couldn't help but notice his other hand trailing on her left leg, brushing over some of her scars.

"Before?" he murmured lightly.

"After," she answered, her throat feeling dry, hoping Daryl wouldn't ask anymore.

He didn't. Katty's eyelids felt heavy, and she relaxed against Daryl, letting them shut.

Consumed by his smell, his body, his everything in that moment, Katty thought that drowning might not be so bad after all.

A/N: Hey, you! Thanks for reading. :) It means a lot to me. Sorry this took so long, but at least it's relatively long.

I will properly thank everyone for reviewing and all that in the next chapter, I promise!

Please feed an author and leave a review,

-Submechanophobia.