For years, a segment of the Walking Dead fandom has maintained that Daryl and Carol are endgame, that they are the loves of one another’s lives. Never mind that we’ve never so much as seen them steal a passionate kiss or gaze lustfully at one another, their shippers remain convinced.

What do Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride have to say on the hot-button subject? Ahead of the Season 2 premiere of AMC’s fifth Walking Dead spinoff, Daryl Dixon, on Sunday, Sept. 29 (at 9/8c) — and an eagerly anticipated #Caryl reunion — TVLine took advantage of a Zoom call with the OG cast members to ask.

TVLINE | So whad’ya think? Have Daryl and Carol ever hooked up?

NORMAN REEDUS | That’s my mom you’re talking to!

Is that a look of love Daryl was giving Carol back in Season 4 of The Walking Dead? Courtesy of AMC

TVLINE | What? Your mom’s hot!

MELISSA McBRIDE | [Laughs] I don’t know. Maybe they have!
REEDUS | She is pretty cool. Maybe they took some Molly one night and… who knows?
McBRIDE | I like to have that in the back of my mind, and I will never tell what I think one way or the other. Neither no nor yeah. I just love where they are right now.
REEDUS | Carol made a move on Daryl, and then he started crying…
McBRIDE | Stop it!
REEDUS | He broke down in tears.
McBRIDE | And then he came to her tent and apologized.

TVLINE | And that was the origin of “pookie.” 
McBRIDE | [Laughs] That’s right. “Only if you call me Pookie!”