A/N: This will be the last chapter of this short story. It's short but it's everything I had in mind. I wasn't sure I wanted to continue it when I wrote the first chapter but I kind of happy with how the story turned out.
Be warned it's super fluffy! I don't know if it's because my love life has been on a roller coaster over the past year, but I'm in need for romance apparently haha! So yeah, it's cheesier than what I usually write (I think?) but I hope it will warm your heart.
Not beta'd as usual. Sorry for my bad spelling. Especially because I wrote during a pretty bad insomnia so it might worst than usual. I apologize.
Chapter 3
He stops walking and stiffens. And she realizes maybe that wasn't such a good idea. It might have taken time to reestablish communications with him over the past weeks, but they are in a good place now, she doesn't want to jeopardize that.
His eyes are focusing everywhere but on her and a soft grunt rumbles in his throat. He doesn't let go of her hand and just stands there, in front of her, close enough that she can see his jaw tightening. Beth tries to hold on to the boldness that took over her when she asked her question.
"It's okay Daryl. I feel it too."
He lifts his head so quickly to meet her eyes she almost stumbles back. There's curiosity in them and a hint of questioning too. She's not sure if she also sees suspicion and it makes her heart heavy and aching a little that he could think she doesn't mean it.
"When I woke up in that hospital, the first thing I thought about was you. It was hard, it was almost impossible to go on at first, not knowing where you were, not knowing if you were still alive. Being so alone."
It reaches something inside him, she knows it does. His eyes soften and he bows his head to look at the ground, worrying his lip with his teeth.
Her courage seems to overflow her. He hasn't let go of her hand, he didn't flee at her words. So she squeezes his hand and takes a step closer.
"I remained strong there. I knew I would get out of that place. I didn't know if I would ever see you again. But I kept strong. Because in my mind it was not over. We had to meet again. There was no way-" Her voice breaks and she swallows hard to regain control over her emotions.
Daryl notices and looks at her again. She's not prepared when his free hand cups her cheek, she almost gasps at the touch. It's so light, feather fingers barely grazing her skin, like he's not sure he can do it. She closes her eyes and leans in.
"I knew we'd be together again." She opens her eyes. "You gave me hope. You allowed me to keep the hope I was holding on, no matter what. I was alone, I had no nothing left to hang on, except the hope to see you again."
"Beth." It's a whisper and when she looks at his lips barely moving saying her name she's overcome with the need to kiss him. To feel those lips against hers. To hold on to him and never let go.
She was aware of these feelings. It took a while, even after they were separated, to realize it was more than friendship, far more than a necessity to survive. But right this moment she's never been more sure of anything.
"I feel it too Daryl. Whatever it is, I feel it too."
"I ain't…" It's hard for him, to phrase those words. She's not sure why.
Maybe because he never shared this with anyone? She feels a little proud at that thought, and just as sad. Because this man deserves every shred of love and happiness this doomed Earth has to offer.
He drops his hand and she can still feel the ghost of it on her skin.
"Why you telling me this?" He asks with honesty.
"Because I don't wanna loose any more time. I almost died-" She laughs softly. "So many times. I lost count. But I'm still here. And you are too. And I don't see why I shouldn't be honest, why we shouldn't be."
She can almost see the wheels turning in his brain, full speed, his train of thoughts running across his face. Oh what she would give to hear what's happening inside his head. He's not always been that quiet, that reserved. She remembers at the farm and at the prison. He could be cocky and loud. What happened with his brother, with the governor and everything after, it broke something in him. She wants to reach inside and put the pieces together. She wants him to be able to talk to her.
But he won't. She knows he won't and that's okay. Really it is. She can read his eyes. She understands, with the way his hand is still tight and warm around hers, the way his voice is calm, the way he stopped biting at his lip.
She smiles softly and leans in. He barely jerks away, just a reflex, some old habit of a previous life. But she notices how he relaxes when her lips brushes the corner of his mouth. And she feels the warmth of his breathe against her sensitive skin. It feels good, so damn good she wants more, she needs so much more of him. It's never been so physical before. She occasionally thought of him that way, about his skin, his lips, his hands, the heat radiating from his body. But it's never been so vivid. It's never been a burning craving coming from inside her belly.
She stays there, on the edge of something more. It's enough for now. They have time now. They have time because it's finally in the open, it's finally out. He knows and it will happen, eventually. She's okay with that. She doesn't want to press him, she doesn't have to.
A last pressure of her lips on his skin and it's like a tremor vibrates through him.
They look at each other for a little while. She's lost in his eyes, blue and welcoming and still questioning. She'll answer those questions, she will. Not tonight.
After a quick thug from her hand to set him in motion they walk back slowly towards the house.
It's empty when they arrive, everyone is still at the party, including Judith and Carl. Daryl lets go of her hand once they are inside. He walks towards the blanket and pillow that were scattered in the corner of the room by the window where he was sleeping and also goes to gather the ones Beth used next to Judith's crib.
She watches him in silence, not exactly sure what to make of this.
"Com'on." He jerks his head towards the opposite room across the hall.
It's a small office room. A well-kept bookshelf and a massive wooden desk are almost filling the whole space. Daryl drops the blankets and pillows on the floor and removes the chair behind the desk to the side. Beth is still trying to understand what he wants to do, but she helps him when he starts pushing the desk against the wall to make more room.
Her look drops on the pile of blankets and back to him. This time he is biting at his thumbnail nervously, unsure.
"That okay?"
She barely understands his mumbling behind his finger.
When the full realization hits her, she smiles widely. It lights up his face and he finally lets go of his thumb to set up the blankets and pillows on the floor, right next to each other.
He does it so gently, so carefully, she doesn't find the will to help him, she just watches him tackle the task.
She lies down before he does, because he looks like he needs a little encouraging. She's nervous, she really is. But she's also very relaxed. It's an odd feeling, to be such at ease when her heart goes like thunder in her chest.
She knows he's not going to try anything. And even if he wanted to, she's not sure she wouldn't be ready. It's not exactly a question she's been asking herself. Still, she did think about it. Being with him fully, intimately, like she's never been with anyone. She wants that. Yes she does. She's never really imagined it happening, because that's not where they are at. Not yet. But now that she's really thinking about it, about him. Now that the possibility lies in front of her, she imagines it. And she wants to. She really wants to.
Anyway, she knows that's not how he sees her. For now. That will change maybe. Surely. Hopefully.
He lowers himself and sits on his side, right knee up and his arm resting on it. She's laying on her side, facing him, eyes soft and heavy on his features. His other hand cups her cheek again.
The door is cracked open. She's not sure he's done it on purpose, to make sure they hear anything happening and they can run easily in case of danger or if it's to reassure her.
"You can close the door, Daryl."
She doesn't need reassuring. Him being with her is the only comfort she needs.
The room is so small, he just has to turn around to shut it. He does so quietly even if the house is empty.
He still doesn't lie down with her and keeps looking at her face.
"I don't know what's happening Beth." His voice isn't shy; it's not a whisper this time, it fills the room.
"I don't know either."
"Never had that before. Never felt that."
"We'll figure it out together."
"Yeah." He nods slowly, still a little lost in his thoughts and in her eyes.
"Come on." She tells him.
So he lies down, facing her and using his arm as a pillow. He reaches for the blanket to put it over her shoulders. His hand goes to her hair and caresses it for a few moments. She feels her eyes becoming heavy with sleep. She moves closer to him and as if it was the most natural thing he's ever done, he lays down on his back and stretches his arm to welcome her on his chest.
She nests herself on his side, head and hand resting on the firm muscles of his thorax. He's warm. He's solid and strong. He closes his arm around her shoulder and she feels him relax under her. Relax to a point he releases a long quiet sight.
She starts falling asleep, her vision is blurred with images of Daryl's lips and hands, of his scent right under her. Of memories of the evening, Erick's words echoing in her ears and the rumble of people at the party. But it's fading and fading, only replaced by the smoothing sound of his breathing and the movements of his chest.
You don't want to waste any time.
She won't. They won't. Now it's all starting for them.
