Daryl sat in the stiff chair with his feet up on the railing of the watch tower. Nights like this he really didn't mind watch duty. The air was crisp and warm, the sky clear above his head. He could see every star in the sky, something he hated about cities ever since he was a little boy - no stars. The sounds of walkers growling at the fence mixed with the singsong chirps or crickets and cicadas buzzing in the woods. In another time he would have spent nights like this camped out in a tent with his brother, avoiding going home til they absolutely had to. In a lot of ways, he didn't miss the way things were before.
Suddenly his thoughts were interrupted by soft footsteps on the stairs behind him. He assumed it was probably Rick coming to tell him to get some sleep and take over for him, even though he felt like his shift had only just begun. He couldn't help but be surprised when it was Beth that came up to the balcony with him.
"Somethin' wrong?" His voice was rough and hurried.
"I just like watching the sky when its like this. Don't you?"
"Nah," he lied. How could she know he had been doing just that before she invaded his sanctuary.
She pulled the second chair closer to him, the scraping of the legs piercing his ears in the silence of the night. He wondered sometimes how all of them made so much noise doing everyday things. It was like they had never learned to not go horsin around while Pa was sleeping for fear of incurring his wrath. Beth's feet came up to rest on the railing next to his and she sighed softly. It hadn't been very long since they had left her family's farm, but she seemed to have aged five years in that time. Daryl wondered to himself if he looked like an old man now. He couldn't remember the last time he looked in a mirror. Probably before everything went to shit in some dingy bar before Merle convinced him to take home some girl he found practically passed out standing.
"Can I ask ya somethin Mr. Dixon?" She was quiet now.
"Hm?"
"Why ya always takin care of everybody and don't let nobody do nothin for you?"
How was he supposed to explain something like that to her? Her big blue eyes stared at him, patiently waiting for an answer but he was unsure what answer to give her.
"Dunno," he shrugged awkwardly, "guess I just don't need nothin'."
She sighed and shook her head slightly, as if she already knew what he was going to say when she asked. After a few seconds she shifted in her chair and brought her feet back down to rest in front of her. As she stood Daryl felt himself torn between wanting her to just go to bed so he could have some peace and wanting her to stay so he wouldn't be alone. He didn't need to dwell on what he wanted though because instead of making her way back to the stairs she came to stand behind him, making him crane his neck awkwardly to be able to see her.
"Just relax," she purred.
Her hands felt like feathers tickling his neck when she placed them on either side of his shoulders, but his body still tensed at the contact. She rested her hands there for a moment to make sure he wasn't going to tell her off. Then, very slowly, Her tiny thumbs began pressing in small circles at the base of his skull, working their way through decades of pent up stress. She massaged her way down from the base of his skull to his neck, working knot after knot out gracefully and painlessly.
"Damn, girl," he sighed, "Where ya learn that?"
" Instinct I guess,."
Her thumbs kept circling the knots in the sides of his neck and she hummed softly. He almost wondered what the song was, but he figured it was just some church song he didn't give a shit about anyway. He'd never been to church in his life, wasn't gonna start praying now just because a pretty girl had her hands on him.
All too soon they both heard another set of footsteps coming up to the balcony. Beth jerked her hands away from Daryl's neck and turned to look out the other side of their post as if she were simply staring up at the sky. This time, it was Rick who came through the door and he looked surprised to see her.
"Daryl. Beth. How are ya?"
"Hi Rick," she drawled, "The sky is just beautiful ain't it? I'll see y'all in the mornin."
And with that, she was gone, leaving Daryl and Rick to chat for a moment before Rick sent Daryl to his cell for some much needed sleep. When he got there, though, all he could think about was what had happened on the balcony. Beth's hands on his neck and her words ringing in his ears.