Five Moments Daryl shared with Beth, and One Moment that he didn't.
1x.
It's dark in the woods.
Their fire is small, so not to attract any walkers, but their food is hot and his belly is full. For the first time in months, there is nothing to do but sit. He watches the flames. They are hypnotic enough that he doesn't realize she has slipped closer to him, and slid down next to him. Her leg touches his, and her arm gently bumps against him.
He's been stuck with her for a few months now.
He doesn't mind though. She's proven to be pretty self-sufficient, and she doesn't mind when he doesn't want to talk.
"Daryl." She says his name quietly.
He cocks his head at her.
"It's getting colder out."
He knows. It's been in the back of his mind all day. There's a change in the air, and the threat of winter is looming over them. They need to find shelter, maybe something more than temporary, and sooner than later.
"C'Mere."
She scoots closer, under his arm, until she's pressed against him, and his arms slip around him. She finds his hands, and her fingers slip through his and she settles against him.
He's never wanted too many people to touch him. He's had few loving touches in his life, but he doesn't mind Beth touching him. Her fingers hold his against her, and his chest feels tight. He's not sure when this started. It might have been after they left the prison. A few days of trekking through the woods had left her raw and tired. It wasn't until he took her hand to keep her from stumbling through a rocky patch of forest did he realize he liked holding her hand.
She shifts against him, and he rests his chin on the top of her head.
"T'morrow we find somewhere to stay for a bit. Before the winter comes."
"Okay." Her voice sounds rough and sleepy, and it pulls at him in his stomach. They need shelter. The cold will kill them off faster than the damn walkers.
He leans them back, propping himself against the log, trying to get comfortable. She presses further against him, trying to stay warm. He allows himself to relax for just a minute. Their camp is relatively safe. They've set up cans, and he probably won't sleep more than a few hours. The fire is warm, and still has hours left to burn. If he closes his eyes, he can imagine that it's just another ordinary day. Beth could almost be a friend, maybe a girl that Merle dragged along and ditched for her prettier friend; one that Daryl will keep safe from the threat of the cold night. With his eyes shut, he can pretend that tomorrow will come and he will head back to a small cabin and cook whatever he's caught and continue on quietly.
Beth lifts her head from his chest and cranes her head up awkwardly to look at him.
"You ok?"
He nods, his eyes still shut.
"Get some sleep."
Would she be his friend if there weren't rotten corpses walking the Earth at this moment? The thought hurts his chest, so pretends the answer is yes.
The fire cackles.
"Daryl?"
His eyes open, but only slightly. He didn't realize just how tired he really was.
"Hmmm?"
"I'm glad I'm here with you."
Her words warm his ears, and he has that feeling again. The one where his stomach tightens and he feels himself grow unsteady and dizzy like, and there's nothing else but him and Beth.
"M'Too."
His eyes close, and together they sleep under cold stars.