His hand grasped yours tightly, yet with loving care. You could feel the callouses on the worn skin of his hand, proving more than just the look of them that he worked hard.
"Are you going to tell me yet where you're taking me?" You ask, a soft laugh escaping your lips.
Daryl turns his head to the left slightly, rising his eyebrow at you. "And spoil the surprise?"
Walking under the shade of the large grown pine trees, you both walk in the grass beside the road. Your boots marching along in the long green summertime grass.
The Sun is beginning to set, as you both set out an hour or two before dusk. The sky above you still holds a light blue shade, but now there are streaks of peach and lavender giving it a new sense of beauty.
As your fingers are tangeled within each others, as the grip on each other falters none. You can feel the cool smooth touch of the silver band around his wedding ring finger. The feeling new and something you already know you love.
Your left hand holds a similar ring on the same finger, taking up the space with a new feeling of love and home.
"Can you at least tell me if we're close?" You push, as you can feel the chilliness grow in the breeze. Knowing soon it will be dark, and fairly cooler than during the daytime.
Daryl looks down the road briefly before answering. "We're close."
You nod, smiling to yourself as he keeps all hints to himself.
The day was one that brought such joy to a world filled with despair. A day filled with beauty and love, a day that you'd both hold tightly to your hearts.
Daryl returned back from a run a week earlier; a seemingly usual run. One where they found few materials and keepsacks. But this one was different, this one he came back with something you never would've imagined.
That night he walked into the cell you shared with him, closing the entrance with the sheet strung up. Sitting beside you on the mattress, as you closed the old book you were reading. You could tell by the way he breathed and the way he never returned your gaze that something was up. That something was on his mind, causing him to become nervous even.
"You okay?" You had asked him, gently setting your hand on his shoulder.
He let out a long sigh, before turning his head to face you. "Ye know how I feel bout 'cha, right?"
He asked it in the only way he knew how, he didn't know how to deal with emotions he felt. You always understood that, but this statement caused you to laugh very lightly.
"Yes," You pause, still smiling a soft smile. "I think I do."
Grabbing your petite hands in his rather large ones, you felt something slip into your hold. Something warm from being grasped tightly in his own hand, and smooth like glass.
Looking down you saw a silver ring, it was simple... But nonetheless beautiful.
You mouth had gaped open slightly, not knowing what to say.
"I love you," Daryl whispered, and you could hear now the nerves clear in his voice. "I want you to be my wife."
Your eyes snap up to look at him through your lashes, your heart began to beat faster at the word wife.
He stared back at you, chewing on his bottom lip in anticipation for a response.
"Say somethin." He mumbles, feeling almost stupid for asking now.
A tear slips from your eye and rolls down your cheek as you lunge forward. Gathering him in your arms and hold onto him tighter then ever before.
"Yes," You whispered in his ear, and you could feel his sigh of relief. "I'll be your wife."
"It's just up ahead." Daryl tells you, breaking you from the memory of that night playing in your head.
It felt strange, being able to call Daryl your husband now. Not because he was the part that made it feel odd but the fact that there was instantly a feeling that something shifted. Something within your heart, beat harder. Each breath you took, was better than the last standing beside him. And every kiss he gave to you, felt like fireworks erupting from deep inside yourself.
"Here we go." Daryl mumbles to hismelf opening the door to a wooden cabin. It's dark now, the Sun set fast in the time you were both still walking.
The small place is cute, the outside a light oak.
A squeal escapes you as his arms wrap under your legs and back, lifting you up bridal style. Carrying you into the smal cabin, Daryl wears a small content smile of his own. Something rare and a sight to see.
"What is this place?" You ask as he closes the front door with his foot.
"Jus somethin I came across on a run." Daryl simply explains.
He sets you down softly on the edge of a quilt covered bed, going to grab something from the navy painted counter across from where you sit now.
"Can I ask what made you want to bring me here?" You ask him, watching his shoulderbaldes move as he opens something up.
He doesn't answer for a moment, until he turns back around with two cups in his hands. Walking over he sits by you on the bed.
"Ain't fancy champagne," Daryl says as you take a sip of the bubbly beverage. "but thought it was better then nothin."
You smile pecking his cheek softly, "It's great babe."
His cheeks pink up slightly at the nickname.
"And to answer your question," He pauses to take a sip of his own drink. "brought 'cha here cause I figured a man and his wife should be alone on their weddin night."
That calm statement from him caused your heart to race, and you only hoped he couldn't hear the quickening pace.
Suddenly the room seemed more intimate then it did a moment ago, the lack of light except for a few small lanterns brought a certain mood to the place. And the closeness to Daryl, made you more nervous.
It wasn't your first time together... In that way. You had both shared your first night months back, and that was also the night you realized the depth of your love for this man.
"And what does a man and his wife do.. Alone on their wedding night?" You ask, clearly knowing the answer. But wanting to hear him say it, out loud.
Setting both your cups down on the bedside table, he looks at you. And even in the darkened room you can see how his blue eyes shine.
"They find a new way of showing their love and commitment to each other."
Daryl's words seemed so far from his own, something deep coming from the man in front of you. And it surprised you in the best way, at how sweet and wonderfully honest he could be.
"And how do they do that?" You whisper as your lips inch closer to his. His hands holding your waist, as your own hover over his cheeks. Gently setting down on his skin.
"By kissing them here," He says before pressing his lips firmly against yours. Moving in perfect sync together. "and here," He whispers as they trail down your neck.
The feeling causing you to lean back onto the mattress, and your eyes to shut tightly.
"And here," He repeats, sucking lightly on your collarbone. Leaving a love bite, marking you in some way as his own.
That night, that beautiful night wasn't one just filled with lustful movements. But of love, pure undeniable love. A kind of love that you found yourself fading into, slowly... And then completely falling.
A/N: I love this one so much! I'm so proud of it! One of my favorites for sure!❤
