person a's cat is wont stop stealing peoples underwear and finds person b chasing after the cat trying to get their underwear back (because I found this adorable long master list of aus and one of them was awkward first meetings and screamed bethyl)

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Many people will say that dogs are man's best friend, but in Daryl Dixon's opinion, that spot was reserved for cats. His own cat for instance, a fat tomcat with a coat as black as night and glowing green eyes who Daryl had come to call Jack, was better than any damn dog. Yeah, he had a problem with tearing up his couch and leaving cat hair all over the place, but Jack had a crazy talent.

Kleptomania.

Daryl had a routine when it came to Jack. Every morning at about six, the cat would jump up on the bed with him, yowling and pawing at him until Daryl finally got his ass out of bed and let him out through the balcony door of his apartment. Jack would then go about his business wandering the apartment complex and only God knew where else. Then Daryl would go off to work, and when he came home, there was Jack, laying out on the balcony, some new treasure in his possession. Most of the time it was random things like a Scooby-doo watch, an old rag and one time a bracelet. Daryl would just shake his head at the feline, take the stolen items and place them in a shoe box on top of the fridge. Jack's problem didn't bother Daryl one bit, but then the cat started stealing more . . . personal items.

One day, Daryl had come home and found Jack laid out on the small balcony, a scrap of pink fabric tucked under his head. Frowning, Daryl had opened the sliding glass door and knelt down beside the cat, tugging the fabric free from Jack's hold. Daryl felt his face flush fire engine red when he saw what exactly the damn cat had taken.

Panties.

Daryl had averted his eyes quickly, cursing under his breath as he stomped towards the fridge, and quickly distributing the panties into the box. Jack hadn't even the good sense to look abashed when Daryl threw him a glare before stomping into the shower.

And it didn't end there. No, now every day when Daryl returned from work, Jack would be sprawled on the balcony, a pair of girl's underwear in his possession. All kinds(bikini cut, boy shorts, thongs), and of all shades (pinks and blues and white, some with little designs all over them) and fabrics (lace, cotton, silk). It was getting to the point Daryl was feeling like a damn creep with his stash of stolen panties above his fridge. He considered locking Jack up, but knew from past experiences what that meant for his furniture and wallet.

And he couldn't throw them away either. The buildings foreman, Eugene, was a fucking creep and Daryl had caught him digging through the dumpster behind the building more than once. God only knew why, Daryl didn't ask and didn't honestly want to know. And dammit his cat just needed to stop stealing shit.

It was Wednesday when everything took a tailspin into the shit pile. He was walking up the stairs, ready to jump in his shower and then bed and not wake up until morning. Today must have been international Fuck Your Car Up day because it felt like every car in town had been at the garage.

Jack and his thievery were the furthest thing from his mind when he reached his floor, so when he turned the corner to see a wisp of a blond in a baby blue bathrobe pounding on his door. Her skin was peaches and cream, a furious flush marking her cheeks as she continued to bang her fist against the door of apartment. Her blond hair was damp, and Daryl could just guess she had jumped out of the shower not moments ago. She was a little thing, too, wouldn't even pass his shoulder. She was cute too, Daryl couldn't help but notice, though he was more concerned as to why she was beating his door to a pulp.

"Get out here you four legged thief!"

Fuck.

Jack. Of course it was that damn cat. Daryl suddenly wondered how fast he could move out, because it was obvious she lived here too, though he'd never seen her before(which wasn't too surprising, Daryl wasn't exactly a social butterfly).

"I'm gunna make you into a coat you little fiend!" she called as she gave the door another hard smack.

"Hey," Daryl ground out, reluctantly calling her attention to him.

The girl whirled around, and he finally got a real look at her and damn it all she was far prettier from the front. Big blue eyes, and a mouth that looked like it was ready to slip into a smile, she stared at him in surprise and he watched as embarrassment took over, washing away the anger.

"Um. Hi." she stuttered as she threw her arms around herself, as though the robe she wore was see through. "Um, I have a really good explanation-"

"S'okay, I get it," Daryl grunted, carefully looking anywhere but at her, because he knew he'd just stand there and stare at her like a damn idiot if he wasn't careful.

"No, ah, I don't think you do," she said with a nervous chuckle.

"M, gunna say a cat stole your, um, you know," he ground out even as the tips of his ears began to burn.

The girl stared at him wide eyed, her mouth falling open in surprise.

"He's mine. Was wondering where the hell he was getting 'em from."

"He . . . oh my god. He's yours?"

"Just said that girl," Daryl murmured.

"And you've what? You trained him to sneak into girl's apartments and steal for you-?" she was looking at Daryl as if he'd just told her he had leprosy.

"No! I ain't a creep. Christ. He just . . . I let him out, cuz if I don't he'll fuck up my place and when I come home he's there waiting and he has . . . ."

"Panties. My panties."

Jesus why him?

"Look, girl-"

"Beth."

"-I'll give 'em all back, just . . . just please stop talking about it." he huffed and moved past her, unlocking his door before she could say a word. Daryl took a step back allowing her to proceed him inside.

The girl, no, Beth, Daryl corrected himself, skedaddled right for the door to the balcony, where Jack was laying out as content as could be basking in the suns rays, sliding it open and snatching a purple pair of panties from the feline's paws.

"Take my panties again, and I'll skin you," she hissed at him.

Daryl was slightly frightened but Jack just blinked lazily at her and continued on with his nap. Beth turned to face him, frowning up at him.

"You said there were more?" she asked him, glancing around his sparsely furnished apartment.

What was she expecting? For him to have them tacked to a wall or something?

Just give 'em to her and get her out 'fore she thinks you're anymore of a creep. Daryl motioned for her to follow him towards the fridge.

Reaching up, Daryl pulled the box forward from where he had pushed it back out of sight, taking it down and all but shoving it into Beth's arms. Beth stared at it wide eyed, giving it a tentative shake, eyes widening at the clanking inside.

"That's not just panties in there," she noted, as if thinking out loud.

"Mm, Jack, uh my cat, he likes to steal all kinds of sh-things. At least before . . . ."

"Before he found my panties? You know, I thought I was going crazy, I actually blamed my roommate of stealing my things. I'll have to apologize now," she chuckled lightly, a small smile pulling at her lips.

"I am sorry. 'Bout Jack. I didn't . . . and I had no idea where they were comin' from . . . . "

"It's okay," she quickly assured him. "I mean, it's not okay, but . . . I get it. If it was my pet showing up with strange people's underwear I wouldn't really know what to do either but . . . . "

"What?" Daryl asked with a frown.

"Why did you keep them?" Beth blushed the moment she voiced the question.

Once again a familiar burning rushed through Daryl and he ducked his gaze from hers'. "Just . . . Eugene goes through the dumpsters. And I didn't want him finding 'em so keeping them seemed like, I don't know, lesser of two evils or some shit."

That made Beth giggle, a hand flying to her mouth to cover her smile. "Lord, I guess I should thank you then. The idea of Eugene with my panties . . . . " Beth gave a mock shiver of terror.

Daryl let out a snort, shaking his head. "I'll lock him up or something, sorry again."

"No, you don't gotta lock him up. I've been leaving the bathroom window open lately, he must be getting in through there. I live two floors below," she explained with a small smile. "I'll be sure to keep things locked up from now on."

"Sounds good," Daryl agreed.

The pair of them stood there like that for a pregnant moment of silence before Beth seemed to realize she was standing in a stranger's apartment in nothing but her bath robe.

"Um, I'll get going. Thank you, um . . . " she bit down on her bottom lip in a way that had Daryl clinching his hands at his side and his heart beating just a bit faster. "I don't even know your name."

"Daryl. Dixon." he provided haltingly as he felt his embarrassment grow.

"Beth Greene," she replied, her mouth still holding that small smile. "It was interesting meeting you, Mr. Dixon. Maybe next time I see you I'll be fully clothed and dry."

She was teasing with him. No, she was flirting with him and Daryl couldn't really believe it.

"Maybe," he managed. "Ah, so I'll . . . .'

"Be seeing me?" Beth provided. "Thank you again Daryl. And don't be too hard on Jack." And like that she was slipping past him towards the door, box full of Jack's stolen goods tucked under her arm.

Daryl watched Beth close the door behind her. It was only Jack's insistent meow that made him glance down.

"C'mere," he grunted as he lifted the tom cat from his spot on the floor, giving him a thoughtful scratch behind the ear. "Didn't know you had good taste in women, boy."

Jack's only answer was his customary lazy blink and a purr of contentment as Daryl continued scratching him.

"Good boy, Jack." he murmured as he gave one last glance to the door.

Yes, there was no question in Daryl's mind that cats were man's best friend. Or at least this cat was indeed Daryl's best friend. No damn dog could have brought about Daryl meeting Beth Greene.

And Daryl was hoping that he'd see her again.

"S'good cat, Jack," he hummed with a slight smirk.

Jack just kept on purring.

. . .

I don't know if this is a one shot or maybe something that could be more.

Please review :)