This takes place in a WD world where Terminus never happened. Beth escaped her captor, and is still on the run, alone with Daryl. I loved those few episodes where the two of them were alone together. So, I decided to keep that dynamic going a bit longer in fan-fiction form. I hope you like enjoy my little Bethyl fantasy. :) This is a one-shot, but if I get any positive reviews (hint, hint!), I'll keep it going. If not, thanks so much for reading. And oh yeah, some smut.
I Spy
It was hot and stuffy in the attic. Daryl could see beads of sweat on Beth's
forehead and upper-lip and he knew his own face was damp as well. His eyes
found hers and he managed a crooked half-smile for her benefit. They just
made it to this hiding spot mere-minutes before the squatters would have spotted
them.
Bruised and battered from her recent kidnapping and escape, Beth wasn't in any
shape for a fight and there just wasn't time to run. There was no question of
trying to make-nice with these people. Those days of blind-trust were gone. They
had had more than enough brutal lessons on just how screwed-up people were now.
It made him sad to think that it was only a few weeks ago that Beth had tried
to convince him that there were still good people around. He didn't believe it
then really, but she did. With all her heart she believed it. Then.
Daryl spotted the open closet door that housed the attic stairs just as the
group was beginning to enter the house. They grabbed their gear & headed up the
narrow stairs to hide. He jammed the door shut tight. Hoping like hell no one
got too curious and decided to venture up.
There was a partially-shuttered floor vent looking down onto a bedroom directly
below them. Once upon a time, it was a heating/air conditioning vent, back when
there was working electricity. Now, the vent would allow them some eyes & ears
on this group. If the group made it up to the second floor bedroom that is.
Daryl didn't think the people would venture into the attic. From the brief
look he got of them in the distance, he didn't think they were geared-up for a
long stay at the house. Most likely, they were just passing through, raiding
houses for supplies. Like he and Beth were before they came upon them.
Now, they were hunkered down in a sweltering attic, for God-only knows how
long. Hoping and praying that they weren't discovered.
Daryl chewed on the edge of his fingernail. It made him nervous to hide
instead of run. But he knew Beth was out of gas. Hiding was the best option at
the moment. He mentally counted their meager weapons and ammo. If it came to a
fight, they wouldn't be helpless. But he hoped like hell it didn't come to that.
Beth peered down the vent. She could hear the group milling around on the
first floor, opening cabinets and shelves. Gathering supplies most likely.
Beth looked up at Daryl sadly. Their faces were only inches apart. Stretched
out on their bellies on an old blanket allowed them the best view down the tiny
vent. He smirked at her, knowing without her saying that Beth was disappointed the
group was getting first dibs at whatever food stores were left. He reached out
and touched her hand gently in silent-support. She managed a shaky-smile before
they both heard the unmistakeable sound of footsteps heading from the first
floor to the second. Daryl squeezed her fingers gently. They both watched &
waited.
"I just want to sleep in a real bed tonight, Joe"
"I know. Me too, babe. Preferably naked with you"
Beth and Daryl listened to the couple as they made their way into the bedroom
below them. They looked young. Daryl guessed them to be about in their
mid-twenties. The woman giggled as she threw herself onto the bed directly below
their vent.
"Oh my God, a real-live bed! It's been way too long." The woman squealed in shock as the man jumped on top of her.
Beth held her breath. Daryl's eyes snapped up to hers and he gently shook his
head. Whatever evil they'd been exposed to these last years, this was no forced
situation. This couple was clearly here consensually.
Daryl felt his belly churn with nerves. He saw the looks these two were
shooting each other. He knew what looks like those led too. He snuck a look at
Beth from under his eyelashes. She was just passively watching the couple.
"Shut the door at least Joe?"
"Alright Sarah," the man said reluctantly getting up to close the door. He
stripped his shirt off as he walked back to the bed, "it's just, God baby, I
want you so bad. It's been too long. I told Jack and the others to stay
downstairs. Their turn at guard duty anyway."
Daryl swallowed audibly, keeping his eyes glued to the scene below. This
here's was a situation he couldn't of dreamed-up in his wildest imagination. It
was pretty obvious that the couple below was about to have sex, with him and
Beth being reluctant peeping-Toms.
Daryl could feel his ears growing hot. He didn't want to watch this with her.
It was wrong. But there was no way not too. She was lying right next to him,
shoulder to shoulder in the stuffy space. They couldn't move around much or
they'd risk being heard by the group. They were stuck.
"Then we better hurry", the woman Sarah replied stripping off her own shirt.
She wasn't wearing a bra. She started working on taking off her pants next.
Daryl closed his eyes and mentally swore up a blue-streak. Why did he have to
be right about this? Couldn't they just go to sleep, or better yet leave?
Joe stood at the edge of the bed and began removing his belt, jeans. "Nah,
babe. We can take our time tonight." He once again covered her body with his and
settled between her thighs. He leaned down to kiss her lips. She writhed beneath
him and let out a breathy moan, returning his eager kisses.
Daryl peeked over at Beth to see her reaction to all this. If he had to guess,
he'd say Beth was a virgin, or at the least not very experienced. He wondered if
she'd be shocked or disgusted by all this.
They'd had a few moments between them...before. Daryl still felt the pull of
her. All the time actually. With every damn look from her big-blue eyes.
But since she escaped, all they'd been doing was running. They were stressed
and exhausted. She was fragile right now, not herself, and he was determined to
keep her safe. No room for anything but just surviving. Not that there ever was anything to begin with really.
Despite all that, despite the fact that it probably made him the biggest fool,
he was still wildly attracted to Beth. He cared about her too and that's why he
keeps those feelings to himself. She was sweet and innocent. And way to young for a guy like him to be having thoughts about.
Beth wasn't looking at him. Her eyes were glued to the erotic show below them.
Daryl watched her watch them. Beth's pupils were dilated and he noticed her
breathing had sped up. She didn't seem to be shocked or disgusted by the
live-porno happening in front of her. Not one bit actually.
Damn
Daryl pursed his lips into a thin-line as he continued to gauge her reactions.
He knew he shouldn't stare at her. It was only going to make this situation more
difficult for him. But he couldn't look away. God help him, she was getting
turned-on watching the couple.
It had been awhile since Daryl had been with a woman. Too long. Voyerism
wasn't really his thing. He much preferred to participate than watch.
But watching and hearing another couple make love while you're pressed-up next
to the woman you desperately want? That was entirely different.
Daryl could feel his body reacting to Beth's arousal. He shifted slightly to
try to ease the ache in his pants. The movement only served to jostle him closer
against her. She felt small and soft against his side. He could feel the heat coming off
her body through her clothes. Lord help him.
Sarah urged Joe off her. They switched position and Daryl and Beth watched as
Sarah took him into her mouth. Joe threaded his fingers in his lovers hair and
threw his head back in ecstasy as she licked and sucked him.
Every muscle in Daryl's body was tight from holding himself in-check. He was
panting, and hoped like hell that Beth didn't notice. He felt dizzy with desire.
Beth's lips were slightly parted as she continued to watch the couple. Daryl
was transfixed as her small pink tongue, ever-so-slowly licked her lips. He felt
a jolt down-low in his belly as if she'd physically touched him. Just from
watching her lick her lips. Pathetic.
He knew she was doing it unconsciously, a reaction to the scene below, and
that made it even sexier. Daryl gritted his teeth and tried to push these lustful thoughts from his head.
But there was no denying it, as much as he wanted too. Beth was enjoying the show.
Beth shifted, rubbing her thighs together wantonly, and Daryl always in tune
to her, could sense that she was fighting her own arousal. Since he was losing
that battle himself, it gave him some satisfaction to know that.
The satisfaction however was short-lived because Beth chose that moment to
look over at him. He was blindsided by the pure-lust in her eyes, looking not at
the couple, but right at him.
Daryl knew he should look away from Beth. It was only gonna make things more
difficult for him. But he was weak when it came to her and he knew he couldn't
fight this now. He looked right back at her. His face open and raw with need, all for her.
He knew how much he wanted her would be mirrored in his own eyes. Part of him
wanted her to finally see it. To know how much he needs her. A bigger part of
him was terrified she would see it and reject him.
He saw Beth eyes widen at the intensity of his stare. She bit her lip and
looked slightly dazed. Was she confused, excited, scared? Daryl couldn't tell.
She was making him crazy.
A floor below, Joe had Sarah on her back. He was lying between her
outstretched thighs, kissing and loving her most intimate place. Sarah was
writhing and moaning his name as she road out her orgasm. With weak hands she
pulled her man upward. They kissed some more.
"You're so beautiful Sarah. God baby," Joe moaned as he finally entered her.
At the sound of Joe's voice, Beth's attention was drawn back to the lovers
below. Daryl let out a shaky-breath, he hadn't realized he had been holding.
He had been frozen, pinned in place by her gaze. Another second and he would
have done something stupid, like kiss her, or worse.
The couple below's cries were getting louder, their movements faster. Daryl
knew it would be over soon. And then what would he do? Stuck up here with Beth.
His body strung tight with his need for her. His erection pushed hard into the floor, showed no signs of letting up anytime soon.
His fingers practically itched to touch her. This was awkward as hell.
Daryl desperately tried to reign himself in before she looked his way again.
They were hiding in an attic for shits-sake because Beth was too weak to run.
Granted it was hard to not to think sex when it's going on right below you,
but that was no excuse for him to be fantasizing about Beth.
She had never shown him by signs she wanted him, and he needed to get that through his thick skull.
After an awkward beginning, they were friends now. They watched each other's
backs in a world gone to shit. That's all. Now if he could just get his body to listen.
Joe and Sarah were wrapped around each other. He was idly playing with a
strand of her hair. "I love you baby"
"Love you too"
Joe pulled the blanket over them, and Daryl thought they might nod off, but
then there was a knock at the bedroom door.
"Food's ready," a man's voice called through the door.
Joe groaned, but Sarah nudged him, "don't know about you, but after that
performance, I'm starved. Let's go down and grab something before we crash for
the night."
"Alright babe"
Daryl watched them dress with a lump in his throat. On one hand, he was
thrilled the couple was going. On the other hand, that left him alone with Beth.
And with the couple gone, they could whisper freely. Daryl dreaded any talk
after that scene, especially as strung tight as he still was.
The couple left the room. Daryl could feel Beth's eyes on him but didn't want
to meet her gaze. He knew he was being stupid, so he reluctantly looked up.
Beth still seemed dazed, but she managed a small-smile. Daryl didn't return
it. Afraid if he gave even an inch, he'd lose what little-control he had.
"That was so beautiful" Beth whispered in a shaky voice. "Don't you think that
was beautiful?"
Of all the things she coulda said, Daryl didn't expect that. Dumbfounded, he
just shrugged a bit and muttered.
"Mmmm"
Beth wasn't done surprising him. In a voice so small, Daryl could just barely
hear her, she whispered, "I want that."
Daryl's mouth went slack jawed as he continued to stare at her.
"I want to feel that kind of love", she continued. "I want something that
beautiful too." Then she looked away, embarrassed.
Without thinking, instinctively wanting to comfort her, Daryl gently cupped her jaw, feeling
her warm, smooth skin, and turned her eyes back to him. "You'll have that Beth.
Someday."
Beth shook her head, he could see tears starting to shine in her eyes. He
reached for her, but she pulled back so she could meet his eyes. Taking a breath
to steady herself, she started whispering again. Rushing, as if she needed to
force herself to speak.
"Daryl, I know you don't want to hear this. I know you never let me get
too close. But I need to tell you, just this once, no matter how stupid I sound,
that I care about you, more than a friend, I mean. I...I wish I could be with you."
Daryl's eyes widened, his heart lurched in his chest as he tried to deny the
truth of what she was saying. Self-damning thoughts pounded through his brain.
She's too young, too perfect. Not for him. He could never deserve someone like
her. He just wasn't good enough.
"Don't Beth. It ain't right."
She shook her head and angrily whispered, "I know you think I'm just a stupid
kid. Someone your stuck with."
All his jangled-up emotions, ready to burst, funneled into one that he was most comfortable with, anger. He hissed back at her, "No, I don't. Stop putting words in my mouth, girl. You don't know what I think. You don't know what I want."
He leaned in closer, mere inches from her face, and grabbed her arm angrily,
yanking her body flush up against his. He could feel her breasts pressing up
against his chest. She felt soft and warm against his fevered body. He knew he was dangerously-close to his limit.
"What if I told you? What if I told you that I...? Aww hell, what if I showed
you?"
And with that, he snapped. Hauling her against him, he kissed her
waiting lips.