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1.
“I loves fishing in ‘Qwee-bec’,” Dan sounds off.
“Who doesn't love fishing in ‘Qway-bec’?” Katy asks back.
“Great fishing in Quebec,” Wayne replies.
“I fucking hate ‘Kubec’,” Darry grumbles, for the fourth time since the trip started.
As soon as Wayne is finished calling out about someone getting Darry a Puppers, you're supposed to finish the call and response but you're stuck wondering why Darry doesn't like the city to the point of complaining so much and being a poopy pants. While you can understand that trips into the city can be time consuming, it is gonna be filled with most of Daryl's favorite things: booze, fishing, food and his good buddies.
“Absolutley no love for Quebec, Daryl? What did this city ever do to you,” you chide playfully as you walk on his left side, poking his arm.
“Oh it’s not the city he really has a problem with, is it Darry,” Katy taunts from your side.
“Hush, Katy,” Daryl begs her.
Katy just smirks at him before wrapping her arms around one of yours, pulling you closer to her and hurriedly walking you two forward so Darry is left with Dan. When you're in front of Wayne, who was leading the group until now, Katy calls out loud enough for the boys to hear, “it’s the French that give Daryl a hard time.”
Your eyes widen, disbelief clear on your face. “What do you mean,” you squeak out, not understanding what she's saying.
“I don’t really thinks that's appropriates to say Miss Katys,” Dan says.
“Oh get off my dick, Dan.” Katy shouts. “You'll have to get him to tell you,” she whispers to you as she shrugs, feigning innocence.
You briefly look back at Darry to see if he’ll start explaining, but his eyes are to the ground with his face scrunched in thought. You wanna give him time to gather his words so he won't feel rushed, and by the time you're at the fishing hole you've spent a couple minutes in silence.
Your Puppers is in the snow by your feet, your line is in the water, and you are on a mission. While Katy, Wayne, and Dan are caught up discussing this week’s latest gossip in Letterkenny, this would be a perfect time to see what’s really bothering Daryl.
Being friends with Katy since grade school has turned this friend group into your second family, but sometimes you feel like Daryl still sees you as “Katy’s friend” not just Y/N/N or his good buddy. You want him to know you better and maybe that means knowing him better too.
You turn to Darry and call his name softly. When he returns your gaze you blurt out, “okay, so like what's your deal with French people?”
He grimaces before starting timidly “I don’t speak French and they don't speak English so I can hardly understand ‘em as is." He stops to take a breath and look away before he rushes through the next part, embarrassed. "I always liked the French girls but they never liked me back on account they can’t understand me and all and I'm not handsome enough to get by on my looks.”
“Oh Daryl,” you sigh sadly. He turns back to you while taking a long pull of his beer.
“See that's why I ain’t wanna tell you! I don't need you pitying me,” he sniffs before spitting.
“It’s not pity Daryl, I just don’t like you thinking that way, is all. You are handsome.”
“Not enough for the French girls,” he shakes his head.
You nod enthusiastically, “more than enough for them and if they can't see it, they’re a waste anyways.”
You've spent years stealing glances of him while he works the farm and hangs around the produce stand and dances at Modeans (the original and every rebuild). While you’re sure everyone but him has noticed, you know the only person who understands the meanings behind those glances is Katy. You've been wanting to compliment him on his looks, waiting for the right moment. You don't know how to say it and you're not sure how he will take it, but you're sure now is the right moment to tell him what you've been thinking for so long. You take a long sip of Puppers immediately followed by a deep inhale.
“Daryl, I think you're downright pretty,” you breathe out. You make eye contact with him, hoping he will see the openness of your stare. You know you made the right decision when you see his cheeks turn a deep shade of red as he grins at you.
You hear the short giggle he lets out when he’s very happy or something really has him tickled. “No- no one’s ever called me that before,” he mumbles gleefully, clutching his beer.
“Well is it okay if I start,” you ask, hopeful.
He looks away and now you’re as sure as God’s got sandals that he's about to tell you off for being weird and to actually never talk to him again, until he lets out another giggle. “Yea, good buddy. You have at ‘er.” He turns back to you for a second to send you another red faced grin before he's lighting a dart and being pulled into a conversation to settle an argument about farts between Squirrely Dan and Wayne.
Once you're sure he's no longer looking your way you turn to Katy to squeal but she's already looking at you, smirking. You are about to retell the story before she just stops you with a knowing look, passing you an already lit spliff. Of course she knew his reason, and now you know she was listening to what you told him.
You feel your face heat, knowing her teasing is imminent but as you are inhaling she just asks “good enough?”
You exhale with a lovesick smile on your face, “good stuff.”
2.
The following week you and the hicks decide to meet at Mod3ans for a night of drinking after spending your respective days apart. You are sort of surprised to find yourself arriving at the same time as Darry with no other hick in sight.
You wave to him as you walk up to where he’s waiting by the door and you smile in thanks when he holds it open for you to walk through.
You two exchange the usual hick greeting while you saddle up to the bar and sit in your usual row of seats. Which just so happens to be directly in front of where Gail is currently gyrating to a sensual beat only she can hear. Bonnie McMurray greets you from down the way where she’s waiting on customers.
You wave to her as you sing out “hiiiiiiiiiii G.” While Rosie and Bradley may be each other's favorite cousint, Gail is yours. You get one of her rare real smiles as you guys do your short secret handshake.
“How are you baby cousin?”
“Thirsty, Gail, hoping to get some drinks for me and my good friend here,” you point your thumb at Darry like she wouldn’t know he was with you even if he wasn’t on the stool directly next to yours. It gets a laugh outta her like you hoped.
“What’ll it be chickadee,” she looks between you and Daryl.
“Two puppers and three shots of Gus N’ Bru, one for you of course Gailer,” Daryl grins up at her.
Gail slinks closer to the bar, and Darry, while dragging her hands over body, making direct eye contact with him and sighing out “got anything else for me, Dar-ry,” hips thrusting in time with each syllable of his name.
“Just the drinks, Gail, thanks,” he sits back while blinking.
“Oh come on, when are you gonna let ole Gail take a run at you? You know I could take you down, cowboy,” she declares as she pours the shots and pops the tops off your beers before sliding them your way, grinding and writhing her hips the whole time.
“Not doubting that Gailer but we’ll never know,” Darry looked away sipping his beer.
You’re not about to stop her at all because her antics usually make you laugh and now you have the added bonus of seeing the blush on his face. You’re in the middle of wondering how deep it will get as she keeps going but she stops when you hear a crash from the other side of the roadhouse causing the music to stop.
Before you can even turn around Gail is slamming her hands on the bar and yelling out, “what the FUCK? Calm the fuck down or get the fuck out! Fuck!”
Once the music starts back up you grab your glass of Gus N’ Bru and suggest “I’d have a shot, favorite cousint have a shot?”
Gail grabs her glass and smirks, “I’d have a shot cousint.”
You grab Darry’s hand to push a shot glass in it, “pretty boy, have a shot?”
Darry’s eyes widen in shock, it’s almost like he either didn't expect you to remember the conversation from last week or he didn’t think you would go through with what you said. You just laugh and shake your head at him, holding your glass towards him you ask again “my pretty friend Darry, have a shot?” He grins at you while nodding, holding his glass out to touch yours and Gail’s.
Tapping your glasses together you all cheers loudly “To Modeans” then throw your shots back, tapping the now empty glasses twice on the bar top. You chug some Puppers as you watch Darry check his phone.
You weren’t kidding when you called him pretty. To be fair (to be fair), he always is to you, but tonight he's changed out of his barn clothes, and you can tell he combed his hair. Filling out his short sleeved button up and smelling like something that's definitely not Banana Boat, maybe that eau de toilette he's always on about. While this new scent is making you wanna curl into him, you can't lie and say you don't love the smell of that now familiar sunscreen; ashamed to admit to even Katy that you bought a bottle of that stuff just to smell like him sometimes.
You realize you've been staring for more than a drill bit and it would probably be a good idea to look away now. You avert your gaze to your bottle, starting to pick at the label when you hear the door open. You look to see if it’s the rest of the hicks but it’s just another local. You sigh and turn back around to Gail leaning over the bar again but this time closer to your stool. You're mostly used to her popping into your personal space as she pleases so you don't startle and jump back. You're glad you didn’t when she smiles knowingly at you and pushes another shot your way.
Sending a coy look her way, you smile sheepishly “I didn't order this cousint.”
“It’s a freebie, jellybean, if you answer me one thing,” Gail leans closer so she can whisper to you.
“Pitter patter.”
“Are you in love,” she grabs under her boob aggressively to demonstrate her heart, you assume, before moving her hands down her sides, swirling her hips while making a face of passion and grunting out “or lust?”
“Shh, down Gailer girl,” you plead and take the shot, looking quickly at Darry to make sure he didn't hear her. With his eyes still firmly on his phone, you turn to Gail and mumble, "what if it's the former?"
“Either one is fine, my girl, all I’m saying is you have to shit or get off the pot. I'm not sure other girls would say he’s pretty and that isn't me disagreeing with you,” she rushes to finish before you can interrupt her and tell her that it doesn't matter what they think. “But the other girls are looking and I don't want you getting hurt when he starts looking back cause you were stuck waiting.”
You nod solemnly, “thank you cousint but I'm a big girl,” you assure her.
She doesn’t say anything else, just looks you over before sliding her eyes to Daryl, who was just now putting his phone away, then back to you, smiling.
You’re smiling back at her when you hear the door open. You don’t even have to look to know it's the hicks as you hear Wayne's jovial banter about having a round of Gus N’ Bru and Puppers on him. Gail winks at you before moving down the bar to hand out bottles and pour shots as everyone sinks into their stools. Squirrely Dan on the other side of Daryl, Katy beside you, Wayne beside Katy, and Rosie next to him.
Katy hugs you from the side in greeting while you wave back to Wayne and Rosie then you move to give Dan low bones behind Darry’s bar stool.
“Everything alright,” Katy asks suspiciously when she eyes the two empty shot glasses next to your full third shot and your second bottle of Puppers, knowing you usually don't move so fast when you're waiting for everyone to show up.
You're not even sure what to say, trying not to let Gail’s message get you down but you know she’s right. Why would Daryl wait around for you when he looked like a masterpiece even in mucked up blue coveralls? You’re shaking your head no, going to tell Katy to meet you outside so you can tell her everything over the joint you rolled and maybe she will help you see where to go from here, when you're stopped by a big, warm, work firm hand gently shaking your elbow. “Actually hold that thought,” you ask her before you turn around. She just rolls her eyes and laughs, taking her shot before turning around to lean against the bar so she can check out the dance floor.
You turn facing Darry to see him looking shy but determined. When you look into his eyes he freezes with his hand still on your elbow.
“Were you gonna say something to me big shoots,” you wonder.
“I uh. Yeah.. um,” he clears his throat and swallows a couple times.
“Just spits it outs good buddy,” Dan chimes in helpfully, already over watching Daryl flail.
“I was just uh wondering if you would save me a dance tonight, Y/N,” Daryl asked nervously, bringing a hand up to rub the back of his neck.
You smile brightly at him, wasting no time giving him an answer, “I would absolutely love to dance with you, Daryl. Save me a real good song” you smile sweetly, swaying into his side and bumping your shoulders together.
“That’s a Texas sized 10-4,” he confirms.
“Then I’ll see you in a bit,” you slide off the stool with your beer in hand and pull Katy up and off her stool to trail you outside, she has to know everything right now and you would rather not spill your business around so many ears.
You squeal once you get her outside, quickly dragging her to your secluded smoking spot so no one can walk up on youse.
When you hand her the joint and your lighter you smile and say “everything is better than alright.”
3.
It’s been a month since your first dance with Darry that night at Modeans, and it seems you two had been dancing around each other from that point on, gravitating closer and closer all the while. You feel like he sees you as part of the group now, more so his good buddy like you were hoping, but now it seems as if he is stuck in the same boat as you, not wanting to rock the fragile waters of your ever closer-growing friendship.
Not much has changed. You both do the same things you always have and go the same places you always go but now more times than not you go to those places together. Even if you two show up separately youse always gravitate to each other anyways. When you're alone with him you two usually start chatting about the menial, surface things until getting drunk, sometimes high on your end, usually bringing out the deeper sides to your conversation. You don’t know if he's asking these questions cause he wants to be nice or if he actually cares, but you sure are cataloging every story, secret, and favorite of his.
When the other hicks are around you and Darry will still chat but mostly you two spend an absurd amount of time making heart eyes at one another when you think the other isn't looking. But of course Wayne, Katy, and Squirrely Dan see it and quite frankly, they're all a c-hair short from giving you both good smacks on the head. Lucky for you and Daryl's skulls, they have one more plan before it comes to that. Which brings you to tonight, a sleepover at Wayne and Katy’s farm with Rosie, Dan, and Darry. The little town is expecting a lot of snow, maybe even enough to trap you in, and you all decided you'd rather be together having a good time instead of stuck alone if several feet of snow do end up falling tonight.
Everyone was instructed to buy and bring a case or two of Puppers and one bottle of whiskey along with snacks and foods of their choice, so you all would be well stocked for the night and tomorrow if need be.
Pulling up you notice you're the last to arrive on the property. Parking your car you reach for your phone, contemplating who to text to come out and help you with your booze and snacks. You're not thinking long when Daryl steps out of the door, letting the screen slam shut behind him as he lights a dart, eyes roaming the darkening sky. You catch his attention when you get out of your car and close the door, stepping towards the boot.
“Hey, Y/N/N, how’re you now” he asks, smiling softly down at you from the porch.
“Good n’ you, Dar” you smile warmly at him.
“Oh not s’bad,” he shrugs, stepping off the porch to move closer to you and your car.
“You stepped out for a smoke at the right time,” you started cheerfully. “I'm gonna need another set of hands getting my share in the house and I didn't know who to text for help.”
He walks to your driver's side door and opens it to pop your trunk before closing the door and moving to stop in front of you. He makes sure to catch your eyes before telling you earnestly “you can always call on me for help. I’ll be there for you, Y/N.”
You're stuck staring at him with that lovesick grin back on your face, and this time you're not doing a thing to hide it, speechless as you gaze up into his clear blue eyes framed by dark blonde lashes. You only realize it’s started to snow when a couple snowflakes land oh so gently on the lashes in the corner of his left eye. You watch his mouth open slightly in surprise and you see his eyes light up in wonder.
He looks like an angel in the fading light, with the snow falling all around him and catching in his unruly curls and a few eyelashes. You accept that you are completely smitten.
Without thinking you bring out your phone and snap a picture of Daryl. For a split second you feel weird cause maybe that was a step too far and you think about deleting it, but when you look at your screen and see his eyes slightly scrunched with a small smile on his face you have to share with him exactly what you see. Flipping your phone around to show him the photo you grin “think i found your next profile picture, Dar-Bear. You are so pretty; you look like an angel,” you sigh earnestly, a little too honest. “What do you think?”
He gazes at the picture before smiling back at you, “I think you always catch the best sides of me. And I’ve been thinking about something else too, little shoots.”
“Wanna fill me in then, big shoots,” you grin at the new nickname, putting your phone away. Darry leans directly into your space and opens his mouth when Katy leans out the back door and yells at you two to get inside before you freeze. He doesn’t move, waiting until she closes the door to address you again. “May I take you on a date this Saturday,” he asks.
Your heart is thumping loudly in your chest and you smile so hard you think your cheeks might split as you nod happily. “Yes, Darry, you may,” you laugh at his politeness. “Maybe we can go inside? I’m starting to shake here,” you joke and he nods.
You and Darry move to the trunk. He picks up the two cases of beer you brought along and you grab your overnight bag and the bags with the snacks. After closing the trunk you lock up the car and follow behind Darry into the warm house. You stop inside the kitchen to put away the food, knowing the extra yogurt you thought to bring for Daryl would need to chill immediately. He puts down the Puppers and starts to help you unpack groceries.
“You don’t like mixed berry yogurt,” he points out, slightly confused as he holds up the 6-pack.
“‘Course not,” you grimace as you take it from him and place it in the fridge on top of your preferred strawberry yogurt.
“Then why’d you bring it good buddy,” he tilts his head, curious.
“Oh you are spare parts, bud.”
You jump at Katy’s voice, somehow just noticing her sitting at the kitchen table with Rosie and Wayne, who of course has Gus on his lap.
“What?” Daryl whines out, wanting to know how everyone already has the answer he can't seem to come up with.
‘“Oh Jesus fu…” Wayne shakes his head, sighing loudly. “Okay, Darry I'm gonna walk you through this, so. Y/N here doesn’t like mixed berry yogurt, do you bud,” he looks over at you to confirm.
“No I sure don’t, Wayne,” you answer laughing lightly, putting away the rest of your share.
Wayne looks over at Darry, all the while giving Gus ear scratches, “okay, so, Darry lemme ask you this. Would I be right to say mixed berry is your favorite yogurt flavor?”
“Right as Wayne,” Darry giggles at his own pun.
“Then it’s safe to say she brought the yogurt for you, you sack of bolts.”
“That’s a Texas sized 10-4,” you smile. “I brought everyone at least one of their favorites for tonight, besides booze. I even got my aunt’s recipe for those Haitain tacos.”
At that Dan comes running into the kitchen, pulling you into a hug that lifts you off the ground and spinning with you. “You are always a joys to have arounds but now youse are my favorite.”
“I do what I can to please,” you just hug Dan back until he puts you down.
“Darry if you don’t gets after this girl I wills,” Dan playfully winks at you as he sits down, wanting to get a rise out of Daryl.
He feigns disappointment when Darry just walks up to you calmly and passes you an open beer. You take a refreshing sip when you feel a strong arm slip around your shoulders and the smell of skin warm Banana Boat invades your senses. You look up just in time to see Darry smile smugly at Dan, “looks like I already beat you to it, big guy. I’m taking Y/N on a date Saturday.”
When he turns his smile to you, it’s sweeter and soft. You're smiling back at him when the room is filled with clapping and cries of “finally”, “Its about fucking time”, and “thank Christ!”
4.
You and Darry are in your car as Saturday night comes to an end, heading to Mod3ans to meet the others for a few drinks, laughing your asses off. The night seemed to start out awful but you would do it all over again if it meant you would end up in your own passenger seat, watching Darry crack up behind the wheel, pushing his hair from his flushed face. You’re wondering what it would feel like if you could reach out and do the same to those dirty blonde curls when he brings up what happened during your meal.
“I told you my salsa would be too hot for you! You know you can’t handle heat,” you shriek with laughter.
“You said it was like a little pepper an’ I can handle a little pepper, that wasn’t no little pepper,” he chuckles and shakes his head. “You ain't say it was that hot!” he argues back.
“Yes I did, Darry!”
“Did not!”
“Yes I did and you know I did!”
“Did not!”
“Did too!”
“DID NOT!!” he crows and the car falls silent.
You stare at the side of his face until he takes his eyes off the road for a quick second to look at you. Your eyes connect briefly and you both burst out laughing again before he turns back to the road.
Once you guys calm down you ask timidly, “did you enjoy at least one thing we ordered?”
“Oh yea,” he's quick to reassure you, “the margarita was perfect and those tacos were real good. I just know now to listen to ya and stay away from the salsa next time," he’s pulling into the gravel lot and finding an open spot near Wayne’s truck.
You look away from him and face the window, taking deep breaths and gathering all your courage to say what’s on your mind, so you dont notice when he takes the keys out of the ignition and turns to look at you.
“So there will be a next time,” you ask hesitantly, and just so there's no confusion you rush to tack on a mumbled “with me?”
“Hey, now, look at me,” he coaxes gently, sending you a shy smile when your eyes lock onto his baby blues. “I know that tonight coulda gone a lot smoother but I think we worked out the knots in this rope good enough. I really liked dinner with you and I’m gonna like drinking and dancing the night away with you even more. I can’t promise our second date will be perfect but I know I’ll have a good time if you’re with me.” He grabs your hand that was resting on your thigh, giving it a squeeze in between his two palms, “what do you say, little shoots? Will you let me take you out again, show you a good time?”
You lean back and pretend to think, going as far to tap your finger on your chin. When his face starts to fall you quickly swoop in and drop a kiss on his cheek, wanting to see him blush and smile again. “Yea, of course I’ll let you show me another good time, big shoots.”
“Let's say we celebrate with a Puppers,” he smiles.
“I’m surprised we’re not having a Puppers right now. Well pitter patter,” you smirk and slip out of the car.
Darry sits behind the wheel with a dopey grin on his face, soaking up the happiness he feels now that he knows he hadn't fucked this up so soon like he thought. After a few seconds he mumbles to himself “let’s get at ‘er,” and steps out of the car. By the time he meets you at the front of your car the other hicks are outside leaning against the wall smoking.
By the time you walk up and go through the traditional greeting, Darry already has a dart lit and Katy is passing you her blunt.
“Where’s your piece of shit van, Darry,” Wayne presses.
“What the fuck Daryl, don’t tell me you made her drive on the first date,” Katy sneers.
“Well accordings to Professor Tricia a woman can drives herself anys and everywheres she so pleases.”
“Thanks for the lesson no one asked for Dan,” Katy deadpans while staring blankly ahead.
“I drove! Just when I was on my way to get Y/N my van gave up on me, so we took her car.”
“How many times I gotta tell you to get rid of that scrap pile of bolts,” Wayne gripes.
“She’s got one more season in her for sure, good buddy,” Daryl argues.
You all let out a groan at his denial.
“What's that there on your shirts, Darry,” Dan inquires.
You hide a laugh behind your hand when Darry's face goes red as he pulls his shirt out and looks down at the semi-large stain covering the middle right half of his button up. Shaking his head he just inhales his dart and starts muttering.
“Dar-bear didnt wanna believe that my salsa was too hot for him and he knocked over his margarita trying to fan his mouth and get to his drink at the same time,” you get the story out in between fits of giggles.
“And what's on your pants, Darry,” Katy sweats him, rolling her eyes.
“I was moving the margarita pitcher next to the bakset of chips and Y/N was moving the milder salsa to my side but sent it a little too hard ‘cause some spilled out the bowl and onto my jeans.”
“Hey, Darry, real quick, what were the chips in,” Wayne asks.
“A bakset,” comes Darry’s immediate reply.
“Attaboy,” Wayne praises and moves on. “Well, fuck a duck, youse two have had a night. Was it worth it at least?”
“Yea did youse two even have a good time,” Katy implores.
You and Daryl look at each other and share a secret smile. You can't lie, even with all the mishaps, it was the best date either of you had been on in a while. You recall his happy and flushed face, remembering how bad you were itching to push some curls off of his forehead, which you do now since nothing is stopping you. The dirty blonde locks are softer than you imagined but Daryl blushes like you hoped he would, smiling and nodding as he answers breathlessly, “yea, I had a good time tonight.”
“I had a lot of fun with the prettiest boy in Letterkenny tonight,” you agree.
“I don't thinks your exposeds to call mens pretty Miss Y/N,” Dan chimes in.
“Dan I am this close to losing my shit,” Katy seethes while pinching her fingers close together. “Hop off!”
“Well, so, if all is good then…" Wayne trails off, blinking fast. "I’d have a beer. Katy, have a beer?”
“I’d have a beer, big brother.”
“Darry, have a beer?”
“Of course, good buddy.”
“Y/N, have a beer?”
“I’d love a beer, Wayne.”
“Squirrely Dan, have a beer?”
“Don’t mind if I dos good buddies.”
“Fuck, boys, let’s have a beer.” Wayne shuffles off the wall quickly, stiffly tossing the butt of his dart before he's moving towards the door and holding it open for Katy. Dan flicks away his half-finished dart, fixing his hat before following Wayne inside, leaving you and Darry under the flicker of the streetlamp.
“Does it bother you that I call you pretty,” you wonder out loud as you move towards the door, just wanting to check in and make sure he’s still okay with it.
Darry stops and gathers you close after stomping out his dart, pulling you in by your hands and holding them to his chest. “I’m sure that’s the nicest compliment I ever got from anyone and it's even sweeter coming from your lips, so I could give a rats ass what anyone else thinks.” He places a soft kiss on each hand, dropping your right hand after he's intertwined the fingers of your left hand with his right.
“How ‘bout that beer" he charmed, holding the door open for you.
You just smile and nod, pulling him through the door behind you by your connected hands.
5.
You wake up in Katy’s bed the next day, alone and nauseous. Your head feels like it could split in two and your mouth tastes like death. Must’ve over done it last night you think while turning to face away from the window, needing to shield your face from the light. You groan as you open your eyes to see two pills on your phone and a glass of water next to it on the nightstand.
You sit up on the side of the bed to swallow the pills, making a note to think of how to repay Katy once your brain is fully back online. You stretch before climbing out of bed, grabbing your phone and heading to the empty bathroom across the hall. Once in there, you hear the sounds of life coming from the kitchen, coffee being brewed, newspapers being flipped through, and food sizzling in pans. It makes you wonder if you're the last one to wake, again. You know no one would be surprised seeing as you usually sleep later than everyone, but you rush through your routine anyways, not wanting to make the others wait any longer for you.
When you make it down the stairs you see Dan, Darry, and Rosie at the table. Dan is behind a newspaper while Rosie is reading a book and Darry is scraping up the remains of a yogurt cup. Katy and Wayne are in the kitchen plating up food and making everyone more coffee.
Walking by Dan and giving him low bones, you stop and briefly hug Rosie wishing her a “good morning, cousint.” Darry reaches beside him to pull out your seat for you without looking up. You slide into your chair before leaning over and pressing a kiss to his cheek.
“I just knew we’d have to come and get you sleeping beauty,” Katy jests when she brings over coffee mugs for you and Rosie.
You sip your coffee gratefully and smile up at her, “may have overdid it just a drill bit last night. Thanks for getting me in bed by the way.”
“You should be thanking Daryl, not me. Shit, how much did you drink last night?”
You turn to him confused. You don't exactly remember how the night ended, having assumed Katy helped you since it was her bed you woke up in. It's only now that you notice Darry is out of last night's stained clothes and in a fresh pair of coveralls. You know for sure he doesn’t keep barn clothes over here, not clean ones at least, which only leads to more questions like: how did he get you in Katy’s bed and go home and back before breakfast? “I’m still thankful, just very confused,” you admit.
“I know you don’t like waking up alone in the house when you're hungover and I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable waking up alone with me,” he smiles shyly. “So we got a ride here last night and I put you in bed with Katy. Dan and I went to get your car, along with me a change of clothes, after we got up,” he finishes, shrugging like it’s no big deal.
“Thank you, Daryl,” you gasp out sincerely, used to him being thoughtful and going out of his way to take care of his friends. While being on the receiving end of his acts of kindness is nothing new, it never fails to make you misty eyed and apparently when you’re hungover, slightly speechless. Knowing that he’s been listening to you and even went out of his way to do this for you has you falling harder for the scruffy man before you.
Darry just smiles at you with hearts in his eyes, leaning into you to bump your shoulders together. “Anything for you, sweet thing,” he whispers resolutely.
Wayne and Katy come through holding 3 plates each full of eggs, bacon, waffles, and potatoes, passing them out to the table. You wait for them to settle down before you dig into your spread, letting out a soft moan when salty and savory flavors explode on your tongue.
“You better settle down over there, cousint, or we’ll be able to reheat our coffee on Darry’s cheeks,” Rosie jokes.
You look up wide eyed at his blushing face and smirk. “What if I think Darry is real pretty when he gets to blushing like this and I need to see it more? My personal raspberry,” you just laugh as the light shade of red on his face grows darker.
“You could rivals a tomatoes, Darry,” Dan jokes.
“Oh yea, he could for sure give a fire extinguisher a run for its money,'' Wayne adds, not looking up from where he's cutting his waffles.
“You wanna be a delicious red, Darry,” Katy teases.
“Okay, okay,” you laugh and stop them after a few rounds of their comparisons, only now that Daryl’s blush has gotten several shades darker. “Leave my pretty boy alone and eat your food.”
Darry shoves his warm face in your neck, hiding. You think he’s gonna stay there but you’re pleasantly surprised when he kisses your neck in thanks and sits back up to finish his plate.
After breakfast you all are sitting around the produce stand with caesars, soaking up the sunshine for a few hours.
“Nothing cures a hangover like a caesars. Cheers, boys,” you tap your glass against Katy’s before taking a noisy sip.
“Can’t see a caesar and not wanna seize ‘er,” she cheers back.
“Classic caesars or did you do something new this time,” Rosie asks her.
“Can never go wrong with the classics.”
“You always make a perfects caesar, Miss Katy’s, and that’s what I appreciates about you.” Dan calls out.
“Oh is that what you appreciate about me?”
“Let’s take about 10 percent off the top there, Squirrely,” Wayne responds in kind.
“Oh heys sky, you're so blues today, wow,” Dan looks up and away.
“You wanna know what? I love a caesar,” Wayne declares. “Perfect drink for today’s activity.”
“Oh yeah? Well what are we doing today, good buddy,” Daryl asks.
“Okay, Darry… Darry, okay. Hey, Darry, you wanna tell me what today is?”
“Sunday?”
“... and what are Sundays for besides getting wasted, bud?” Wayne waits patiently.
Before Daryl can answer, the rest of you are cheering, “Sundays are for picking stones!”
+1.
Over the next month you and Darry go on several dates, all infinitely better than the first but equally as much fun. You two started having dates at each other's houses last week and tonight it's your turn to host. You planned drinks, a movie marathon filled with his and your favorites, and a dinner you two can make together, going for more cozy and intimate vibes.
The dinner plates are soaking in the sink, dessert bowls have been pushed aside on your coffee table, and the third movie of the evening, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, is playing on the TV while you cuddle into Darry on the couch.
You don’t even feel him staring at you as you quietly but passionately mouth the words along with the actors on screen. You’re laughing at the Grinch who's currently upside down in his self-built sleigh screaming about how he's gonna throw up before he dies, when you feel fingers brush your cheek lightly.
“I’ve always known this is your favorite movie, guess it shouldn’t come as a shock that you know all the words,” Daryl whispers.
You flash a cheesy grin at him, feeling a smidge embarrassed that he was paying more attention to you than the movie but it’s overtaken by the joy you feel at the fact he remembered another seemingly small detail about you that hasn’t changed since childhood. “I can’t believe you remember that.”
“I never want to forget a thing about you, pretty girl,” he says passionately.
“You…” you gulp, not believing your ears. “You think I’m pretty?”
“I may not be the sharpest tool in the carpenter's box but I do have eyes, you know,” he says half joking. “You’re beautiful, Y/N, and I’ve always thought that. Figured I had no chance with you, until the night you told me you thought I was pretty, too.”
“I meant every word,” you sigh ardently.
“I know that. So did I.” He lets out a deep sigh and opens his mouth like he wants to say something only to close it with no sound leaving.
“What is it, Darry?”
“Nah- it’s nothing.”
You roll your eyes and lightly pinch his side, hating it when he bait and hooks you like this just to give you nothing. “You never have to worry about telling me what's on yer mind, big shoots. I’m always gonna wanna hear what you have to say.”
Daryl was nervous to ask you before hearing your last statement, but the honesty in your voice instilled a certain confidence in him. Now he’s sure of what your answer will be.
“I wanna know how you would feel about going steady with me? You know, being my sweetie” he kindly asks, voice not wavering, looking directly into your big eyes.
“I feel like I would like that very much,” you beam up at him.
“Can I give my pretty girlfriend a kiss?”
“Yea, pretty boy, I’d like that too.”
Daryl smiles as he gently grabs your face, pulling you closer to him and tilting your chin up to keep your eyes connected. His eyes move slightly downwards as he giggles and swipes something off your cheek and holds his finger out to you. “Eyelash, make a wish,” he whispers.
“Wish you were kissing me right now, bud,” you close your eyes as you blow the eyelash off of Darry’s outstretched digit. Before you can open your eyes he's planting his lips on yours.