A/N here's a fluff chapter enjoy :D

Daryl was surprised how well he had settled into the domestic life; that guy sure had been wrong, telling him he was an outdoor cat. The more he thought about it, he knew his situation had been sad, but he wasn't an outdoor cat thinking he was an indoor cat, he was probably an indoor cat thinking he was an outdoor cat. That small change in words made the world of difference; it was equally as tragic though, yet not something he wanted to change. He smiled inwardly, it made a huge difference. He crossed and took the stew of the fire and brought it to the sink. Since he had cleaned and cauterised the wound he was able to go like normal again, every now and then there was a tinge of pain, but it was bearable, it had only been a week, but still it was healing fine. Beth's ridiculous reenactments got his attention; she was reading while he prepared dinner; she was nearly a quarter of the way through that ridiculous book. He turned to her and leaned against the cupboard, one arm across his chest and the other hand raised to his beard, rubbing it slightly as he stared at Beth.

"Oooh more, deeper...ahhh!" She read plainly, in a way that actually made it more embarrassing than if she actually read it properly. "Oh, John, harder, Emily let out a mew of pleasure as he..." She stopped, feeling Daryl's eyes on her; she looked up and felt her face flush red. "What?"

"What?" He mimicked.

She shifted in her seat. "You're staring at me." Her eyes shifted around the room but his stayed on her; clearly he wasn't planning on changing his line of vision. "It's embarrassing." She admitted.

Daryl shook his head. "What's embarrassing is how you're reading that thing; they ain't no damn walkers." He answered.

"I know," She felt stupid and a little confused by the comment.

"Well you sure as hell sound like one." He answered.

She folded the book shut, her finger keeping the page. "Well, I don't know what they're meant to sound like."

Daryl scoffed and turned back to the stew, adding in a few more bits. "Can't ya draw from experience or something? 'Cause in my head, I got these two people gettn' all down n' dirty by the ocean, and accordin' to ya readin' a couple o' walkers just showed up and it ain't so romantic now."

"I can't!" She answered flatly.

"What? Can't imagine the walkers, just listen to yourself, it ain't that far of a stretch." His voice was laced with amusement.

She would have been annoyed if anyone else teased her, but it was Daryl so she just answered honestly. "I can't draw from experience, don't really know what I'm s'posed to be making it sound like."

Daryl stilled his stirring for a minute, realizing what she had just confessed, then shrugged. Once he would've been embarrassed to say anything, hell, he wouldn't've said anything to anyone else, but Beth and he were just so damn comfortable that they could, it was easy. "Hmm, just thought you n' Zach..."

"Well, we didn't." She answered a little too flatly, before deciding to elaborate, purely because she didn't want to sound stiff about it. "I just wasn't ready for that... I mean, I think I just went out with him because I was bored...I know that's awful, I did like him, just…."

Daryl cut her off, understanding immediately and honestly not wanting that much information. "Ain't awful, jus' nice to have sum'n like ya. Just you two read like a damn romance novel, I jus' figured… whatever... read it like a walker if ya want." He continued spooning the stew into their bowls, feeling a little like a bully.

Suddenly he felt the book slapped against his arm and she was looking up at him sweetly. "Why don't you just read it then, huh? You with all your worldly experience." She challenged. He wasn't usually one to back down from a challenge but, this was a little unexpected.

"Nah, wouldn't be right..." He stated, receiving a lift of her eyebrows. "Wouldn't wanna go and wreck your innocence now" He added.

She didn't shy away, "Go ahead, you might teach me something." She answered as she took the ladle from his hand and replaced it with the book. "I can do this and you can do that."

He smirked at her; he hadn't really had someone call his bluff before and he wasn't ashamed to admit he liked it a little. "Not really something I should be teachin' ya." He stated flatly. He thought maybe it was more a statement to himself than to her, and she picked up on it by the way she looked at him.

She shrugged, seemingly losing all of the awkwardness. "Doesn't really matter, you taught me 'bout everything else since I can remember."

He would've thought that was an invitation if he didn't know her so well, only he did. "Hm?" He asked involuntarily, because he knew she wasn't thinking what it sounded like she was saying.

"You know... you taught me how to shoot straight, balance myself, with a gun and a cross bow, taught me how to settle Judith, how to change a diaper... how to care for someone like that." Because when Beth thought about it, she had always cared about people, but never for someone. She was the baby of the family and she had never had to until Judith "How to cook small and fluffys, and use a knife, for both filleting a squirrel and stabbing a walker, taught me how to track... just sayin'." And then she realised what she was saying, and it crossed her mind that she wouldn't mind if Daryl taught her that too, but it's not how she meant it. "Not that I meant..."

He cut her off. "That's teachin' you to survive Beth, ya know plenty bout livin'…you can figure it out ya'self one day." He wasn't being mean about it, just reminding them both of the obvious and she got that.

She smiled at him, "Yeah, if there are any boys left. Maybe I'll have to take a walker, at least I know the right sounds for that." She smiled as she handed him a plate. He took it gratefully with a pleasant grunt as he dropped the book to the sink and tickled her ribs, just enough for her to smile but not laugh. Her resulting wonky walk had him stifling a chuckle that just came out as another amused grunt.

"Oh,Mister Dixon, is that the voice I use?" She smiled back at him.

"Eat up." He commanded.

Dark set in earlier and earlier now, they'd barely finished eating and it was black outside. Beth washed the dishes, while Daryl fed the dog. Beth made them a warm drink and Daryl stoked the fire for the final time that night, and as they stood over the sink sipping their tea Beth couldn't help feeling that this felt the most like home since the prison. She had said as much and receive a disgruntled noise from Daryl that sort of said maybe he thought so too. They straightened up a little; Beth puffed the pillows on the couch for the dog, Daryl moved his crossbow from by the door to by the bed, just in case.

"You know you've got to teach me to use mine." Beth said, pulling him from his thoughts.

"Mhm." He answered.

"Is it the same?" She questioned.

"M-m...easier, I guess."

She looked quizzically at him,"Why don't you use one then?"

He shrugged. "Used to mine." He decided, which was apparently a good enough answer because she went back to wiping down the kitchen sink.

Daryl picked their book off the table and took it to her bedside cupboard. He hadn't opened that drawer before, it had been claimed as her own, but when he did he was a little surprised to see the gift for Hershel. He picked it up and held it in his hand for a moment; he'd completely forgotten about it since everything went down and she hadn't mentioned it. Beth turned to say something, but saw the look on Daryl's face; he looked over at her with an almost frown.

"Why you keepin' this...in here?" He asked, with no reply he realized he was again being too harsh so he continued "Could'a eaten it, put the seeds out."

Beth looked to the offending Big Cat on his night stand; it wasn't about eating it, otherwise one of them would've eaten the Big Cat.

"Because." Beth smiled; Daryl looked at her with a frown as she crossed to him. "Because it was so nice, of you both, of you, 'cause that whole time you kept telling me surprise birthday parties were stupid. Even if Michonne had to rope you into it, it's nice that you got him a present; that means something to me" she smiled as she took the bundle.

"Ain't mean nothin', she jus' put my name on it is all."

Beth shook her head. "Michonne would've just got any seeds, you got the right ones for the right time of year." She called him on it.

"Just wanted to shut you up is all." He answered gruffly.

"It means a lot to me, Daryl." Beth pushed up and kissed his cheek softly. "It means a lot." She answered, and the feel of her so close to him, so intimate, so what?...grateful?, set his pulse on fire, he wanted to grab her, pull her into him and crush his lips against hers, but he couldn't; he knew that. She was still staring at him, though, and the distance would've been so short, and she was smiling sweetly, looking up at him with all the trust in the world. He raised his hand to her neck, and pulled her gently, she hesitated at first but then she leaned forward, and he wrapped his arm around her and just held her, it was gentle and kind, he didn't know why he felt the urge to do it, maybe it was to stop himself from doing more, but whatever the reason it felt right.

Beth was surprised;Daryl had never done something like this before, never showed affection to anyone like this, except Judith, he was different with her; sure, he'd patted her on the back, carried her around, even held her hand. Night-time was different;he seemed to touch her constantly then, but she figured he was just reaffirming she was safe, while he didn't have his eyes open to see that, even then though something was guarded about it. Still, he'd never held her like this, like he wanted to hold onto something. Beth decided she liked it very much, she wanted it, needed it; as though being here in his arms was her most favorite place in the world, like she felt safe, she wrapped her arms around his waist, careful not to hurt him and held on. Of course it was Daryl, so it didn't last long.

He'd never expected her to really hug him back, not like that; he didn't know what he expected, if he expected anything… didn't know he was going to do it, he supposed. When she responded, he realized he liked it a lot more than he should. He knew it wasn't that it was Beth that made him feel this way, that he just needed something and being in this situation day after day with a beautiful girl, which was the part he had to keep reminding himself of, she was just a girl; anyway, it got his feelings all torn up, it was stupid, but he was only human, for now anyway.

He knew that wasn't true, that it was Beth and he'd quit looking at her as a girl a long time ago, but if that was the lie he had to tell himself, he would. He took a deep breath and realized as he did that her head had brought itself to rest on his chest, right about where his heart was;she would have to be hearing how it was pounding around in his chest. With that thought he pushed her back, but she didn't really move, just looked up at him, and it occurred to him that the way she looked at him, no one had really looked at him like that before. She wasn't just looking at him, she was looking into him, taking in everything, and he knew exactly what that meant, because that's how he had been looking at her. His eyes drifted down to her lips, and he felt his fingers prickle;it was then that he realized neither one of them had actually let go of each other. He forced his eyes back to hers and caught her mimicking the action, he shook his head slightly, enough was enough; he cleared his throat and looked away, anywhere but at her. His eyes droppeddown to the drawer, withwhich he busied himself; repacking the book and gift, only now it wouldn't shut, so he pulled the package out and turned the gift sideways and it still wouldn't shut, something was catching. He reached his hand in with a grunt and pulled the offending item out, huffing something like a laugh.

"Thank you." Beth smiled as she snatched them.

"Yours?" He teased as she took the pink, fluffy handcuffs.

She frowned. "No, they were there already." She answered as she crossed to the bin.

"Ya ain't gonna throw 'em out, are ya?" He asked, she nodded, "Don't..." She looked quizzically at him. "Well, we might wanna use them one day." He answered.

"Really, Daryl? Wow, okay, you can have 'em." She tossed them back to him. "Not my thing, but each to their own."

He actually blushed, realizing her thoughts. "Nah." He shifted a little. "I meant, do they have a key? They might come in handy...y' know without the fluff."

Beth smiled. "Oh, um yeah, key's in there."

He threw the cuffs back in the drawer and everything settled to fit this time, so he closed it up and crossed to his side of the bed, climbing in he watched Beth as she blew out the candle on the kitchen bench and crossed to the wardrobe, bringing the candle from the table and placing it on her bedside. She reached in for pajamas, which consisted in her world of all too short shorts and little singlet tops; she was funny like that. He slept in whatever he wore as long as it didn't have walker bits on it, she liked being all civilized though and changed into pajamas; he supposed it made her feel normal. "Daryl" her voice broke his musing.

"Hmm?" he answered, lolling his head on his arm to look at her.

"Just, um, the bathroom's so cold at night time; do you mind rolling over so I can get dressed here?" He didn't bother replying, just left one hand behind his head and the other resting on his chest. "Well, I ain't gonna do a show for ya' she statedand he realized he hadn't moved. He reached across and grabbed her pillow dropping it on his face, replacing his arm on his chest as if he hadn't moved.

Beth smiled to herself; a few weeks, even days ago, she wouldn't have even considered getting dressed anywhere near him, but this was Daryl and she was so comfortable with him and he with her, slowly letting his guard drop. She had been so shocked when he hugged her earlier, not just because he did, but because of the tenderness with which he did it, and then she had been sure he was going to kiss her, which she really wouldn't have minded; that thought was strange to her, thinking about Daryl like that at all. When she first met him she was sixteen and he was,what, thirty?Almost old enough to be her father, only her actual father had had her late in life, so not nearly as old as her father, but old enough. Also,he was so guarded, at times just plain rude, a little aggressive, not someone she wouldeven haveconsidered being friends with, let alone someone she could ever imagine being... this when she thought about it, it had always been there; respect, respect for the way he looked for Sophia; hurt, because he looked just as sad as her when he saw her walk out of the barn; trust that he'd keep them all safe; and, when she thought about it, friendship. She remembers back on the road, he was sitting on the porch taking guard one night and she had had an argument with Maggie over something stupid, she can't even remember what it was, but she had walked off and found herself on the porch. It felt strange at the time as she crossed and sat by him, close enough that she'd be safe if a walker came by, but far enough to feel alone. He had just looked at her and puffed his cigarette and mumbled. "'K?" she had nodded, and he just left it, didn't have to ask what happened, just got it, and a few minutes later he'd added. "It'll pass," which was exactly what she'd needed to hear, and that was it. She had felt it then, the first few tendrils of friendship. It was Judith who really built it up though, he'd often to come and visit Lil'Asskicker, as he so tenderly called her and he'd actually talk to Beth; at first it was just about Judith, but it soon became more. He'd close up when others were within earshot, but just every now and then it seemed like he wanted her friendship, like he needed it; there was a time or two he came just to talk to her, when she didn't have Judith, it was strange, but a nice was awkward that first evening that she climbed up the watch tower with an unsettled Judith in hand and just sat there, talking all night; she smiled when she thought back at the look on Glenn's face when he came up there. She had awakened instantly at the sound of the trap door, realizingthat she had been leaning on Daryl in her sleep; she didn't understand the amusement on Glenn's face then, because there was something more than amusement, there was an understanding and a subtle reverence. She had no idea what that meant then, but maybe she did now. Did he know something she didn't all the way back then? It would've been amazing that he didn't tell...then she thought maybe he did, because it was around then that Hershel would take Daryl for walks along the perimeter; Maggie started looking at Daryl with some sort of annoyance that Beth had, at the time, only figured that Daryl had done something jerkish to receive… maybe they knew? Did Daryl know back then? She sure didn't, does he know now? She's actually not sure what she knows now, but it's something.

"How much longer ya gonna be?" The muffled voice came from under the pillow; Beth jumped a little realising she'd been dressed for a while and just lost in thought. She leaned forward,took the pillow from his face and slipped under the blankets as she blew out the candle beside her bed.

"Ya okay?"

She squeezed her pillow nervously, "Yeah, was just thinking."

She thought he was going to leave it at that because it seemed like an eternity before he answered. "'Bout what?"

"Just remembering when we were on the road."

"Hm"Daryl looked at her back; he supposed it wouldn't be long before she fell asleep, rolled over and flopped her arm over him. Damn girl had to sleep like a starfish, take up the whole damn bed, but still it was more comfortable than the floor and truth be told he liked how she always ended up with her hand on his heart...her heart. He wasn't kidding himself, he knew exactly what he wanted, had never really been more sure of anything in his life, he just also knew that she was just a kid and it wasn't okay and if Hershel, god rest his soul, had ever found out, well, he might have just be taken out by a one legged old man. Daryl knew it, he knew it before they left the prison, before that week together by the graveyard, he knew it a long time ago, right back on the road; they were clearing a house, Rick said the house was clearand he'd done upstairs while Daryl took downstairs and Glenn did the perimeter. Daryl was across from the room washing his hand, where he'd managed to cut it with his own damn knife taking out a walker. That's when he'd heard her scream and he'd run in to find three of them; Rick must've missed a room. He got the first one in the head while the other two had backed her up to a wall; he'dstabbed another from behind and got his knife stuck, so without a weapon, he put his hand over her arm where the walker was about to sink his teeth in, so that it might get him instead of her. Of course Rick had come in and shot it, but that's when he knew their little silent moments where they just sat, the few conversations, her serving him just the smallest amount more food than the others, was more than just some strange friendship; he'd die for her and he wouldn't even think about it. He didn't know what that was back then, didn't know it would turn into wanting her like this, but it was the beginning...it was something.

She finally did it, rolled over and placed her hand on his heart with a heavy thud; it actually made that pain subside a little, it had been getting worse and worse, but now with her hand on it, it dulled down to something he could hardly feel, and he knew it was wrong but it felt so right. He spared a look at her, she didn't look like an angel, not like the chick in that book. He didn't think she looked gorgeous sleeping, he wasn't captivated by it, wasn't compelled to sneak a kiss while her eyes were shut; no this wasn't a romance book and he knew he'd never have her like that anyway, but he had her like this. Her all droopy-faced, messed hair, slightest of snores with each breath, and her hand on her heart, the one he had given her a long time ago, he found his hand covering hers, like he wanted some sort of affirmation that it was real, and it was.

He let out a smile, because he had...something.

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