Credit goes to the various creators for their inspirational work.
It had been two weeks since they left Terminus behind in a glowing blaze. Just like her farm. Just like the moonshine palace they'd burned down together. Two weeks of walkin' and campin' and bein' around other people, and she ain't said but three words to him.
"Beth, I saved you a seat?"
"As you wish."
"Beth, wanna hold the crossbow for a bit?"
"As you wish."
"Beth, can you sing for me, I mean, us?"
"As you wish."
It was damn infuriatin'. She'd laugh and talk with the others just fine. It was only him she didn't wanna talk to. It was like those days they'd spent together after the prison fell never even happened. It was worse. At least before, he hadn't missed her so damn much.
Finally, he got fed up and confronted her while she was keeping watch a little ways from camp. Gone were the days when she'd been too scared and inexperienced to stand guard. "Beth, I wanna talk with you."
"As you-"
"If you say 'As you wish' one more time-" He broke off as she burst into giggles. "What's so funny?"
"Didn't you watch any movies when you was growin' up, Daryl?"
"'Course I did. I ain't that backwards."
"Ever watch The Princess Bride?"
"Why would I wanna watch some silly movie about princesses?"
"It used to be one of our favorites, Maggie and me." She smiled at the memory, of her happy world before the turn. Not like him. He didn't have anything to smile about from his life, not until after he threw his lot in with Rick and the others. "I'm sorry. I was just havin' a bit of fun. I thought you knew."
"Well, I didn't." He shifted, uncomfortably, unsure of what to say next. It had been so easy when it was the two of them. "What's the movie about?"
"It's a story about a guy and a girl that fall in love, get separated, and find their way back to each other." Her smile was for him now, for the memory they shared together. "Even when they told her he was dead, even when he did die, she never stopped loving him and he never stopped fighting for her."
"Sounds kinda shaky to me. Especially the part about him dyin'." He'd seen the haunted look in her eyes when she thought no one was watching, and he'd wanted desperately to ease her pain, to take back the time that had been stolen from them by that nutjob in the car. "Does it have a happy ending?"
"The happiest. He comes back to life and rescues her from marryin' the evil prince. Then they ride off on some white horses and share a kiss as the sun rises."
He swallowed, hard, wondering if that meant what he thought it meant. But he didn't have to wait too long to find out because the next moment her arms were around his neck, and her lips were against his. His hands slipped around her waist, and he kissed her back without hesitation. Last time, he'd been too afraid to act, too afraid to let her know how she made him feel. And then it had been too late. He wasn't gonna let that happen this time.
"Beth, I-"
"I know. That's what I been tryin' to tell you. Now shut up and kiss me some more."
"As you wish."