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It started off innocently enough but didn’t go unnoticed. The little glimmer in your daughter’s gorgeous blue eyes when she looked the new boy’s way. The way she batted them and poutted out her bottom lip as he teased her. The way she giggled and touched his arm so sweetly. You watched her follow the new boy around the camp like a lost puppy looking for attention, the boy more than happy to give it to her. The two stole sweet kisses amongst other things, hidden behind the trees of the forest, behind the backs of houses abandoned and not, and even in the darkness not doused by light covered by the warm light of the camp fire. You understood why your daughter did what she did. You had been a teenager once yourself. So you didn’t mind her first fling. However your husband had been blissfully oblivious to your daughter’s first crush up until now.
Daryl had just gotten back from a run around dinner time. Walking over with your 11 year old son Beau to meet him at the forest’s edge. Kissing Daryl sweetly you pulled one of the duffles bags from his shoulders. “Welcome back.” You hummed happily. Daryl’s warm chuckle resonated across your lips at the sound of your son’s over done disgust at your public display of affection. “That’s so gross!” Beau whined, kicking a pebble into the darkness and bushes of the forest. “Yeah. Get used to it.” Your husband muttered, walking to your camp area to toss the bags down before joining the others at the fire. Phoenix hadn’t yet noticed either of your presences as the two of you approached hand in hand. She had been pressed close to the new boy, Todd, fingers intertwined, nuzzling his cheek and laying soft kisses along his jawline. You could have laughed at Daryl’s perplexed look, the rusted gears in his head slowly turning as he put two and two together. But you never had a chance to even open your mouth before Daryl’s demeanor changed drastically. “Phoenix!” He bellowed glaring daggers at the young couple. The two separated in an instant sending Todd crashing to the ground as he fell off of his log seat. You couldn’t help but jump at the abruptness of your husband’s voice. Silence fell across the camp ground. Daryl’s anger felt palpable. “What the hell do ya think yer doin?!” Daryl growled, stepping towards Phoenix and Todd. “Daddy!” Your daughter gasped in surprise. Standing from her place her surprise melted into justified embarrassment and anger as Daryl spoke. “Don’t you Daddy me! Kissin’ all up on that boy like that! Like some kind of hussy! We don’t even know ‘im! I want you to stay the hell away from that boy.” Shock rolled though you and you could help but to stare in disbelief at your husband’s words. Once again before you could even breathe your daughter cut in. This time with rattling sobs. “God you are such a prick sometimes!” She screamed swiping at the tears that rolled down her cheeks with the heal of her palm. “I’m seventeen now! I can date if I want to! Hell! You and Momma were engaged by my age! You had me when you were nineteen! So you can’t fuckin’ say shit about my relationship! I love him daddy!” Daryl was fuming. His whole face was beat red as he glared at the forest floor, his hands shook at his sides, and his breath hitched as he presumably but his own tongue keeping whatever biting words he was thinking back behind his teeth. “You’re fuckin’ grounded.” He growled lowly turning his gaze to the frightened boy who scrambled to stand beside your daughter. “And you… get your shit and leave.” Phoenix shook her head a pleading look in her face as she stepped forward to only to be turned away. “Daddy please-“ she begged, cut off by Daryl’s harsh look. As Daryl opened his mouth to retort you stepped between them. “Enough. Both of ya.” You growled, looking sharply between the two of them. “Daryl. You said more than your fair share. Phoenix… I want you to apologize to your father. Now. Finish your dinner then you’re to watch your brother until we come back.” You muttered softly attempting to meet her soft blue eyes. Phoenix blinked away harsh tears, refusing to meet your gaze as she glared to the ground shuffling her feet. With a deflated sigh she resigned herself, glancing up at Daryl and muttering a soft apology. “Good. Stay in the camp. You’re father and I need to have a talk.” You said firmly, looking pointedly to Daryl then your son. “Go with your sister.” You whispered softly watching him nod and scurry to Phoenix’s side. “Todd…” you muttered lowly looking to the teen. “Just… keep away from our girl for right now.” You warned.
Following your husband as close as you could from behind you jogged to catch up. “Daryl Dixon!” You hissed, desperate to catch his attention, glaring at the wings on his back as he walked away. He stopped abruptly at the line where the forest met your little camp and you couldn’t help but bump into him feeling your chest hit his back making you stumble to catch yourself. Daryl’s soft hand wrapped around your wrist to catch you before he began to anxiously pace the bounds of your safe haven. Even in the midst of an argument, he was ever the gentleman. “You know ‘bout that?” He growled softly, sending you that look. That look that wasn’t exactly a glare but told you he was suspicious and a little pissed off. “I did… I just didn’t know it was so serious.” You muttered softly. Daryl grunted running a hand through his hair. “Why didn’t ya tell me it was goin’ on?” Daryl growled again stopping in his tracks long enough to eye you. “Well, I didn’t think you needed to be told.” You bit back. “Besides,” you whispered, stepping towards Daryl. “I thought you were at least a little aware of it.” Daryl hummed his gaze still hard on you as you wrapped your arms around his waist. “‘Course I didn’t know ‘bout it. Would ‘a stopped it sooner.” He muttered much softer than before. A soft smile graced your lips as Daryl’s arms wrapped around your body as if on instinct, his hand combing through your hair softly as he thought staring off towards the fire. Kissing his cheek you hummed. “Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on her?” You whispered giggling at the perplexed look your husband sent your way. “What are you on about, woman? You saw the way they were clinging on each other.” He murmured. You could feel his muscles tense at the thought. But you couldn’t help but laugh again catching his curious eye. “Daryl Dixon, you know full well we were doing much worse than a little cuddlin’ and kissin’ back when we were seventeen.” You teased, pinching your husband’s ass where you had left a horrible stick and poke tattoo the day you both drank enough of his father’s moonshine to kill a horse. Daryl jumped nearly a foot in the air swatting your hand away, his blush deeply visible despite the darkness of the night. “Shut up.” He muttered. But the smirk playing on his lips proved that he was thinking of similar risqué memories. “I know we weren’t… great kids Y/N.” He whispered, pulling you close his chest and laying a loving kiss to the top of your head. “I just don’t want our kids to make any of the same mistakes we did. Especially when it’s so fuckin’ dangerous now’a’days. I mean. What if she had gotten pregnant, Y/N? Wha’ would we do then?” He asked his voice shaking with emotion and vulnerability. Holding him tight you kissed his jaw. “We’d make due, Daryl. We’d become grandparents and make due.” You giggled at the groan Daryl made as he squeezed you tighter. “Yeah… well I ain’t gonna be no grandpa any time soon. I’m too young for that shit.” He muttered into your hair. You smiled humming as you slid your hands beneath Daryl’s t-shirt feeling his chest beneath your fingers. “Yeah… You’re no spring chicken but you’re definitely not a Grandpa either.” You teased. “Oh, ya think so?” Daryl muttered, a bit of a lustful challenge in his voice. Giggling Daryl pulled you deeper into the forest to show you just how much he could still do.