Author's Notes: This was really fun for me to write! Enjoy :D
Sweet Hurt
Summer Time everywhere i turn tonight
Looks like paradise hidden in your eyes
Lightning strikes anywhere it sometimes strikes
Im so happy now, happy we survived
Take your time, take your time with me tonight
We can both be wise start over again
All you need is to leave behind
Leave behind your troubled mind
Your so happy now, happy in a lie
All the the little things keeping us together tearing us apart
All the little secrets leaving us forever buried in our hearts
Now I want more take in your own sweet hurt
But Oh unless you want me too
All the the little things keeping us together tearing us apart
All the little secrets leaving us forever buried in our hearts
Now I want more take in your own sweet hurt
But Oh unless you want me too
Summer Time everywhere I turn tonight
I'm so happy now, happy we survived
-Jack Savoretti
"Come on, Daryl! HARDER!"
Her blood was roaring in her veins, hot beads of sweat glistening all over her bruised creamy skin. There was a small tinge of blood on her lips and she loved the taste of it, as she savored the sensation of flesh hitting flesh while she coaxed the archer before her to act more aggressively.
"Remember… You asked for it."
He growled, swiping the sweat of his forehead as he charged his muscles for a heavy attack. He was going to test her limits this time, and see the resilience of the sinews of her back. He shifted his foot ever so slightly as he gauged the proper angle for his onslaught.
Beth's eyes sharpened as she braced herself in a defensive position, both her arms in a fist as she waited for the archer to charge at her.
They had been training like this for the past week, in the middle of the streets as he mentored her on the proper ways to defend herself in a hand-to-hand combat. It was her idea of course, wanting to add another skill to her arsenal in order to properly defend her in case of trouble. It didn't take much convincing for Daryl to agree. You can never be too prepared nowadays.
She had impressed him a lot, keeping up with his lessons every step of the way and surprising him with the strength hidden in the slender musculature of her body. It was only during the first day that he managed to completely disarm her, but after hours of defeat she learned, determination blazing in her eyes as she asked him to intensify his attacks. 'It just didn't feel real enough.' She reasoned. Daryl hesitated at first, never truly wanting to hurt the woman he so cherished, but she was insistent. Imagine his surprise then, when she managed to win their tussles seven times out of ten ever since.
Almost everyone was watching the couple now, completely entranced by the rapid practiced skirmishes of the archer they so respected and the way the dainty woman before him had continually managed to win each round. Surrounding the duo was a half circle, composed of Maggie and Glenn side by side, Rick and Michonne smiling hand-in-hand with Carl, Denise and Tara, Carol and Toby, Abraham and Rosita and Eugene, with some other people in their peaceful community. While all of the people remained on high-alert, the days have been uneventful ever since the last breach, and they found themselves going about their lives as normal, aside from the tripled patrol, the weapons they had doubled for everyone and other defensive strategies they have prepared during council meetings.
"I'll bet you a chocolate bar that Daryl pins her this time." Carl whispered to Michonne as they waited for the round to begin. "Deal." The woman smirked, fully confident with the growing skills of the young blonde before them.
"COME ON BETH! KICK HIS ASS!"
Maggie hollered while the rest of the crowd cheered for whomever they rooted for. The women cheered for the rogue while the men cheered for the archer, smiling in solidarity in a battle of the sexes. It was all in good fun, all of them fully respecting the tremendous capabilities of each other in battle. They were quite the formidable team, all of them together, with love and loyalty as fuel in their veins as they fiercely protected each other.
"You better not take it easy on her this time!" Abraham roared, still quite unbelieving that such a small woman can pin the hunter that he has personally seen snap a person in half with his bare hands. Daryl was definitely just humoring the blonde that he was clearly smitten with.
The roaring of the group quieted down as they waited for the archer to make the first move. Beth could not hear anything, her senses entirely focused on every minuscule twitch of his body They circled each other like two wolves fighting for dominance as they waited in bated breath..
Finally, he lunged towards her with a swift jab, which she blocked. She countered with a jab of her own which landed on his gut. It did not deter him, taking one step backwards before he landed a successful hook to her ribs and then swept her to the ground with his feet. Beth snarled at the impact but quickly lifted herself up, this time she tackled him, landing three swift punches on his gut before she grabbed his right arm and pinned it to his back, causing immeasurable pain as Daryl fought to fight back.
He heaved as he escaped her hold, lifting her up before he prepared to pin her to the ground, but the nimble woman only twisted her legs around his torso as she rotated herself and used both her arms to pull him down with her. They landed violently to the ground, but without missing a beat, the blonde warrior put his head in between her thighs and twisted, leaving him in an incredible chokehold he could not escape.
Daryl patted the growl three times, and the women cheered in victory as they watched the incredible seraph stand victorious once more. The archer ruffled his hair in silent pride, his heart resting a bit with the knowledge that his angel is more than capable of defending herself.
He kissed her brow tenderly, not caring about the eyes that were on them. They all pretty much discovered that they were a couple anyway, just from the way they were completely inseparable and the fact that they both always looked like they wanted to devour each other. The hand holding and chaste kisses were just an extra.
"Good job, Greene." He chuckled, completely unabashed by the fact that a woman had beaten him. She was a force of nature… nobody just truly understood it until now.
Out of the corner of Beth's eye she saw Carl gingerly pouting as he handed Michonne a yellow bar of chocolate. She ruffled his hair in a soft giggle as she lightly teased the kid. "That's what you get for bettin' against me."
Carl scoffed with a soft apologetic smile.
"BULLSHIT!" Abraham jeered, catching everyone else's attention. "He's just taking it easy one yer ass!"
Daryl scoffed at the completely untrue accusation. He would never truly hurt her but he always gave it his best shot. She wouldn't have it any other way.
"Trust me man, I ain't." The archer replied.
"We'll see about that." The burly redhead challenged, stepping forward to the 'ring' as he prepared to test the woman's skills for himself. The rest of the group 'Oooohhhh' ed at the skirmish about to unfold. Daryl had complete confidence with Beth, but she didn't quite feel the same way about herself. The army man was almost thrice the size of her, and he had clearly been hardened in battle way before the turn. She didn't think she liked her chances this time.
The crowd cheered however, and Beth found herself in a tough position, unable to refuse his challenge.
"You asked for it." Daryl murmured, hoping that the man heeds his warning.
Abraham squared his shoulder and cracked his neck, smiling confidently as they began to circle around each other. Beth was inwardly panicking, her mind going blank from her immediate intimidation for the towering man. She did not think she can win this one, much to everyone's dismay.
"Let's see what you're made of, angel." He grunted, fully intent on proving himself right. Beth swallowed a trembling ball of nervousness.
Abraham charged at her like at tank, before landing a successful punch to her side. Beth reeled, forgetting how to defend herself. She skidded to the side before the man landed another punch to her gut. Her eyes watered as she returned his attacks but he easily blocked it with the shield of his arms. She steeled herself as she swept her foot across him, sending him to the ground in which she straddled his neck in the middle of her thighs while she whalloped him left and right with five solid punches that rang his head. It wasn't enough however as Abraham wrapped his arms around her thighs and lifted himself up, along with her featherlight body still wrapped around his head. With a massive heave he yanked her away and slammed her body to the ground.
Beth gasped as the overwhelming pain flooded her. There was no way she would ever be able to defeat this hulking man, but she refused to go down without a fight. She lifted herself up the ground and put herself in a defensive stance once more, just like Daryl had thought her to do. But it was pointless as Abraham managed to land two more punches to her body, making her wince as she stumbled backwards. Her eyes widened as she prepared for his final onslaught, the red warrior twisting as he primed a final uppercut.
'This was it.' The angel thought, preparing herself for the force of his punch. But then it all happened so quickly and everything changed.
As Abraham coiled for a final punch, two solid arms yanked his shoulders, causing the army man to react instinctively as punch the archer straight in the gut. Daryl coughed as he fell on his knees from the sudden impact. "Oh shit, man! My ba-"
But it was too late.
As the light-headed woman watched her beloved protector fall into the ground, it seized her. The darkness and the red threads that clouded her vision as her pupils constricted until there was no more light in her eyes. Her blood simmered, scalding and sizzling as it demanded a violent retribution.
In the blink of an eye she was on him, merciless in her barrage of concentrated impact against the rib cages of the brawny redhead. Her teeth was bared in a ferocious snarl, contorting her gentle features until she was no longer Beth the angel, but Beth, fury incarnated.
Abraham hastily tried to defend himself but the frenzied woman continued her attack, grabbing both his shoulders as she kneed him in the groin so hard that he fell to the ground in a breathless recoil. She didn't stop however as she kicked him mercilessly across the face, sending him toppling in writing pain as he spat out blood to the ground. As the warrior tried to stand up, she kicked him, again and again until she sharply wielded her elbow and collided it against his nape.
The warrior fell to the ground in an unconscious heap.
Silence passed, with no one daring to speak a word as their eyes widened in shock. There lied one of their most powerful combatants, face planted on the asphalt of the ground while a blazing archangel stood victoriously over him. Everyone erupted in a cheerful roar, completely blown away by the amazing turn of events of their skirmish. Rick's head shook in jubilant disbelief, along with everyone else's as their respect for the blonde grew tremendously. The leader was about to approach and lift his knocked out comrade but then he halted, as he realized that the blonde was still in her trance of rage.
Everyone gasped as they watched Beth pull out her piston and point it towards the slowly waking up man. But before they could react, Daryl was already there, calling out to her as he gently squeezed her shoulder to stop.
"Beth, look at me…" he breathed softly but urgently. He couldn't allow her to lose control this time. He had to pull her out of the darkness she was trapped in. Otherwise, she would never be able to forgive herself.
Abraham stirred awake froze at the sight of a gun barrel pointed to him and slowly raised his hands upward in a humorous surrender. "Easy there, angel…" he chuckled, unfazed by her threat.
"Beth. Look at me!" the archer growled, louder and rougher this time as he willed his wrathful angel to focus on him. "Y'gotta fight it, girl!" The woman snarled as she twisted her head towards him, her hands still at the trigger as she continued to point it on the man's head.
Slowly, his soothing voice pulled her out of the blanket of darkness that she was drowning under. Her eyes blinked open and once again there was light, as the distressed angel gasped and let go of the pistol in her hand. The sound of metal clattered to the ground and her eyes widened with shock over what she had almost done.
"I did it…" She murmured her gaze shifting to both of her hands. Daryl steeled himself for the guilt that was bound to crush her spirit once more, but was surprised when his angel wrapped her arms around his neck in glee as she cried happy tears.
"I did it, Daryl! I controlled myself!" she squealed, practically hopping with delight over her first achievement. She had never been able to escape her trances before, not until she had heard his voice pulling her from the abyss she was falling upon. He truly was the anchor to her soul, the only entity that tethers her between the boundaries of dark and light.
"Ya did." He murmured in a relieved reply as he smoothed her hair downwards to the arch of her back. His heart was still pounding with terror as he almost failed her once more and allowed her to make a terrible mistake.
Abraham groaned upwards, taking Beth's offered arm to help him lift himself up to the ground. Beth's lips trembled as she apologized profusely to the man who now bears a split lip, a bruised eye, and plenty welts across his body. He groaned at the sensation, his brows furrowed deeply as he towered and leaned down the guilty blonde.
"Ya fight dirty." He hissed, his voice rough and rumbling with intensity. Beth bit her lip with guilt, feeling small once more from the warriors looming gaze.
"I'm sorry.." she squeaked, her arms rubbing circles around her wrist from shame.
"You…" the soldier roared, his voice echoing throughout the streets. Beth cringed in anticipation of his anger.
"…. Are ONE HELLUVA WOMAN!" the redhead cackled as he shook her dainty palms in his battled hands.
Around her everyone cheered once more, completely euphoric over the victory of the woman. It didn't matter to them that she almost lost control- they all have had to deal with certain triggers of their own—they understood the darkness that everyone has had to battle deep inside their hearts in this cold-hearted world. What mattered was that she stopped herself. What matters was that not only did she prevail over her battle with the man, but she also rose triumphantly over her battle with herself.
"You were amazing, Bethy!" her older sister gushed as she embraced her in congratulations. Everyone agreed around her, raucously cheering over her victory.
"If I were you, I'd marry this one in a heartbeat and never let her go!" The redhead bellowed as he slapped his palms over Daryl's shoulders. The archer flushed red as he muttered an incoherent response. Carol's eyes shone knowingly while the rest of them murmured in excitedly or awkwardly. Maggie's eyes darted rapidly between the hunter and her sister, trying to see where their relationship stood.
Beth stood there, blushing fiercely as she bit her lips and looked bashfully downwards, her fingers brushing her hair behind her ears as she shyly smiled towards her lover. 'Marriage in an Apocalypse?' that thought sounded so absurd to her.
But then again… it didn't sound like such a bad idea… Maybe…
After all, she had no intention of ever loving anyone else but the man before her. She would take his heart with her to the grave than ever consider living without him anymore… She wondered if the tracker felt the same way. Her eyes flitted towards her flustered lover who was clearly averting his gaze away.
Oh.
He looked pained at the thought of it…
Of course the archer wouldn't be the type to put a label to what they were. They were hopelessly in love with each other. He's never really said it but they both knew... Anything else beyond that would be completely unnecessary. Besides… a man like Daryl Dixon would never want her as his… wife…
Right?
"Ok everyone! Drinks at my place!" Maggie intervened, distracting everyone from their hushed murmuring and saving the couple from an awkward situation. "BUT NO ALCOHOL! We need to stay sharp!"
Daryl sighed in relief, for the first time ever finding himself appreciating the older woman's meddling. Beth blinked the question away in her mind as she treaded towards her lover and entwined her finger's in his.
"I just totally kicked Abraham's ass!" she giggled in his ears as the group wade their way down the street. The hunter squeezed her palms gently, his heart booming with pride for the seraph's battle skills. She just never stopped making him proud.
"That's my girl." He murmured as he kissed her brows once more. She blushed at his sentiment, her heart thrumming at the possession of his words. Because after everything else was considered, all that she truly needed was for her to be his, and him to be hers.
"So… how are you feeling?"
The older sister softly questioned as she took a sip of tea before her. There were only the two of them in the kitchen, the rest of the crown having left half an hour ago after spending the entire afternoon in a cheerful get together. It had been a good day.
Beth flustered pink as her sister caught her staring at the archer who was reticently conversing with Rick and Glenn. She couldn't help but always look for him, despite the very small distance between them.
"I'm good…." She murmured, nervously brushing her hair against her ears once more.
"Really good… actually." Her eyes glimmered as she recounted the countless times they have made love in the past week ever since she had uttered the words that he always loved to hear. They were like teenagers, hungry and addicted to each other's touches and insatiable in their carnal lust. It was a wonder that they ever managed to leave their bedroom, even if only to train for combat.
Maggie took another sip from her cup, trying to hide the knowing smirk that gleamed in her eyes as she watched her younger sister involuntarily glance at the archer once more.
"I can tell."
"Wh- What do you mean?" Beth gushed embarrassedly subconsciously toying with the leather on her throat.
"You look less strung up lately… like you're finally feeling at home."
Beth paused as she considered her statement. It had only been a week and a half, but day by day, she found herself feeling less fragmented inside. As she slowly reacquainted herself with the people she now called family, she had also been regaining a lot more of her memories, making her feel at ease as she found herself less anxious in the middle of their presence.
But something still felt like it was missing.
"What's wrong?" Maggie frowned, wondering if she had said something once again to aggravate her delicate little sister. She reached for her shoulder's as she willed the blonde to meet her concerned eyes.
"Nothing… I'm actually really happy, right now." Beth huffed as she recomposed herself. " "I don't know Maggie… it just feels like something's still missin'."
"What do you mean?" She patted her younger sister in the back, hoping to comfort her like the way she was supposed to all along.
"I just can't help but hope that I'll remember everything else already.. you know? I'm always scared that maybe he will realize that I'm not enough without my memories.. and he'll leave."
"What! Daryl could never do that! He's completely wrapped around your fingers!" Her older sister laughed, finding the idea of the deeply in love archer leaving her sister entirely absurd.
he angel teared up as she softly exhaled what she constantly saw in her archer's darkened eyes. "I see it in his eyes… like he's waiting for me to remember something… even if he doesn't say the words… I know that my amnesia is hard on him… he would just never admit it."
Maggie hugged the blonde tighter, unable to find any words to really rectify the situation. Their relationship was also very new to her, though it is apparent to her that Beth and Daryl had been in love for a long time already.
" I know I'm not remembering fast enough! I just wish he would just say it already…"
"You're just imagining everything." The brunette whispered as she rubbed the seraphs tense shoulders. "Trust me on this one… okay?"
"I've been wrong about many things, but this one... I'm right about: Daryl is as powerless to leave you as you are to leave him. The only one bothered by your lack memories… is you."
Beth smiled softly, appreciating the kind gesture and comforting words that she had long forgotten about. It felt really good to have someone to confide in on the matters that she could not talk about with her reticent lover. Having family was a lot nice than she remembered.
"Where is he anyway?" she whispered, as she looked around the entire home in search of her beloved hunter who was nowhere to be found once again.
"Do you ever consider it?" Rick gruffed as he stared lovingly towards the woman who was splitting a chocolate bar with his son.
"Settlin' down?"
Daryl sputtered on the swig of soda that he was drinking. Leave it to his brother to wait until he was completely caught off-guard before he pounced on him with a loaded question. Glenn chuckled as he patted the archer on the back.
"What now?" he coughed as he wiped the remnants of the beverage off his lips.
"You know… exchangin' rings.. sayin' vows… stuff like that." Rick murmured, unfazed by the roughness of his comrade's voice.
Daryl's eyes darkened as he unconsciously glanced towards the angel, drinking tea in the kitchen as she conversed with her sister. He wondered if the idea has crossed her minds.
"Maybe…" he murmured lowering his eyes to the floor. "Someday.."
"Yeaa…. " the leader agreed, agreeing with the archer's line of thought. "Someday sounds good…"
"Except we don't know how many days we got left now, do we?" the leader contemplated, lost in his own thoughts to realize just how relevant his musings were to the hunter's problems. He took another large gulp of the stale soda, wincing and wishing it were alcohol instead.
The archer swallowed a heavy ball of dread at his words. He of all people knows just how quickly he could lose the love of his life in the blink of an eye. He bore the scars and nightmares to prove it.
"There's things I gotta do first… things I gotta say…" he murmured, low enough for only his two companions to hear.
"What do you mean? It's not like you haven't told her you loved her before right?" Glenn chuckled, unwarily hitting the exact tender issue that has been bothering the archer all along. It had been a week since she had showered him with confessions of her ardor, yet somehow he could only respond by showing his devotion through the way they entangled with each other.. again and again and again… all through the day and night. They had been insatiable, barely leaving the bed for sustenance and training.
It had been a sleepless- but wonderful- week.
Daryl froze on the spot, choking one more on his sip of drink as he stuttered a response. Rick and Glenn stared at him incredulously. Everyone knew they were together. Everyone knew they were in love. Everyone knew that their ties run deeper than a fling, their devotion to each other more powerful than any other force of nature combined… enough to make the dead rise again and go through hell and back so that they could be reunited halfway across the country.
"You… you have told her…. Right?" Glenn hesitantly asked once more. Even Rick had confessed his feelings for Michonne and their relationship was brand new and sparkly compared to the tried and tested couple.
Daryl exhaled deeply and uttered a harsh whisper.
" 'f course I have.. . told her plenty..." he spat softly to the ground.
"….. she just doesn't remember…."
"WHAT?!" Glenn yelled, louder than he had intended, causing the small group of people in his house to shift their attention to the trio. Maggie and Beth raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
It was true though. He had given uttered those three words to her, the very night that he lost her. And everything else after that turned out horribly wrong. He didn't think he could ever risk it again. She has never once demanded the words out of him before so there was never ever really any need…
Was there?
He looked at the candle-lit woman, awash in golden light who had resumed her conversation with her lesser sister. She would ask him if she really needed to hear him say it… right?
"You have to tell her!" Glenn expressed vehemently, like the world was going to implode if the archer didn't heed his words. "She has to know!" Rick decided to keep his lips closed, not wanting to meddle what was none of his concern. He wished his brother happiness but he ordered his family around enough as it is.
"Time for us to go." Daryl coughed defensively, not really angry towards Glenn but just aggravated with himself. He had enough secrets floating in his mind as it is. He nodded a goodbye towards their leader, leaving Glenn silently exasperated as he walked towards the kitchen towards his luminescent songbird.
"I don't know Maggie… it just feels like something's still missin'…"
…..
"I just can't help but hope… you know… maybe he will…."
….
"I see it in his eyes… even if he doesn't say the words….."
….
"I just wish he would just say it already…"
….
He stopped on his tracks before the two women spotted his approach. Though their voices maybe mutes and some of their words were muffled, he had heard enough to know that the two sisters were talking about him.
'I just wish he would say it already.'
Daryl inwardly cringed, knowing fully well exactly which words his angel secretly yearned to hear. It was entirely stupid on his part not to realize that while Beth was an extraordinary woman, she still had the same inclination to need verbal assurances. His heart lurched in slight panic as he slowly backed away from the kitchen, and left the sanctity of the house in haste as he cleared his lungs with fresh air.
"Tell me what this is, Daryl…"
She was beautiful, splayed in the sheets of his twin bed in his cell, as she caressed his cheeks in a post-orgasmic haze. He would never grow tired of the way she flushed after they consumed each other.
"Do I really gotta tell ya?" he gruffed, brushing his thumbs against the swole of her glossy lips. It pained him not to be able to say the words that she needed him to say. He had never heard those words directed towards him in his life… he didn't think he could ever say it to anyone either.
She would be the first.
But if he said those words….
She would also be the last.
"No." she whispered catching herself in an unreasonable demand.
There was no way she would ever force her beloved into doing something he did not want to do. What they had was enough, all the happiness and intimacy and secrets that they shared had forged an undeniable bond between them, stronger than words alone could bridge.
The torrent of emotions in his eyes alone would tell her what his roughened lips could not.
"Maybe I just need t' hear you say it some more..."
He raised his body so that she was pinned under him once more. The sensation of their bareness stirred heat deep within their core once more.
"Haven't I told you enough already?" she murmured, placing a trail of tender kisses on his neck before searing her gaze into his eyes once more.
"Remind me again?" he whispered, uncertainty still laced in his throat. So maybe he needed her words more than she needed his words… he was only but a greedy human.
" 'M scared we'll forget this when we wake up.."
As she looked into his silver blue eyes, her heart melted. He was so starved for love.. and she had so much to give for him—and so she found himself spilling the only words that his soul yearned to hear. "I swear to you, Daryl Dixon…"
"I'll forget my own name before I ever forget that I love you."
He shivered at her sweetest confession as he rewarded her with a yearning kiss. Slowly they succumbed to their darkest dreams once more.. the archer and the angel colliding together in a raging fire that flooded their veins until the flames have entirely consumed their bodies and souls.
"I love you too Beth.. I love you too."
He had never said those words before. But now that he had… he didn't think he would ever grow tired of exhaling the words once more.
End Notes: swooning. I am swooning guys…
Also. How bad-ass is Savage Beth. I'm just sayin..