Daryl glared, waiting to see if she would let him speak and when she kept quiet he continued. "First off, ya didn't do anythin' wrong. Second ya ain't just some dead girl! My dumb ass just doesn't know how ta show ya how important ya are."
"Didn't have that problem after you got shot." Beth reminded him, clearly remembering the tender moment he gave her that night in the recliner. She reached up to remove his hand from her shoulder that was holding her there and he wouldn't budge, irritating her further. "Let go!" She yelled, feeling trapped and didn't hesitate at all when she raised her hand and slapped him across the face. Trying to make him move.
Daryl flinched at the hit and growled, his cheek and the side of his mouth stinging instantly. "Dammit Beth!" He cursed, probably deserving worse than a slap with the way he was treating her, but he didn't care right then. His hands found her wrists to keep from getting hit any more and held them at her sides. He was going to make her pay attention whether she liked it or not. "Now... if yer ready to listen, i'll let ya go soon as I'm done sayin' what I need ta say, alright?"
Beth just huffed and gave up her struggle, knowing she couldn't over power him.
"Women like you don't just fall for pieces of shit like me and it's only a matter of time before yer ass realizes it. That night made me see I ain't no good for ya. Yer innocent and kind and I ain't nothin' but a mess, hell I can't even figure out how ta open up around ya and every time I start to, I remind myself ya deserve better." His eyes drifted away from hers a second while he struggled with his next words. Opening and closing his mouth a few times before actually speaking. "Ain't never felt this way 'bout nobody and I don't think I could bare to lose ya...when ya see I ain't never gonna be what ya need."
Beth watched as his face fell above her and felt her chest tighten with regret. She should of never questioned him, never hit him again, none of it. She felt terrible.
"So I told myself if I didn't say or do nothin', then I didn't have anythin' ta fuck up. Well...we both see where that shit got me." His grip loosened on her slightly, but not enough to let her slip free, just enough to be able to rub his thumb across the raised scar on her wrist. Knowing she could of ended it all back on the farm and he wouldn't have this moment with her, but he watched her fight to live. He watched her do it every day.
"Daryl?" She whispered his name to get his focus back on her, waiting for him to make eye contact. "Don't pull away because you're scared. I may need you in my life for certain things to survive, but I also want you here. I want you to tell me your secrets, to share my own with you, to feel you against me...I even want the dirt and grime that comes with its very own package of swear words." She couldn't help but smile then. "I knew what type of person I was growing attached to before you even knew anything about the man you are. Before I'd ever even spoke to you. Back then I thought it was a silly crush, but when I saw you hold Judith for the first time I knew." She slipped a hand free to reach up and brush his shaggy bangs from his eyes. "If I deserve better, then I'm not gonna go looking for it. I've known for a long time what I want and you aren't going to change my mind. I'm more worried about you freaking out and shutting down, turning back into the person you used to be."
Daryl stared at her for several minutes just listening and when she was finished his first reaction was to lean down and kiss her, but Beth quickly turned her head and reached up to place a hand on his mouth. "Oh no you don't. I don't know if I can handle this anymore. If you kiss me, you better mean it and deal with whatever comes after. No more running...no more pushing me away."
He shook his head. "Not gonna push ya away no more...but I ain't perfect, still tryin' ta figure this shit out."
"I know...and I'm sorry I hit you again..." Her voice was soft and honest, he could tell her apology was genuine.
Daryl shrugged. "I deserved it." He reached down to grab a card he noticed was laying by her head, licked it and stuck it to her cheek before standing. "Gonna go make a round real fast before it starts pourin' again. Deal us a hand for when I get back?"
Beth smiled at his childish behavior, thinking it was much better than him closing up and gave him a nod.
After he pulled his boots on, gathered his gear and slipped outside, Beth reached up to remove the card from her cheek with a sigh. She flipped it over when she went to pick up the rest and saw it was the 2 of hearts. Whether he'd chosen that one specifically or it was just coincidence, it made her grin.
Daryl took his time to check the fences, making sure no one had cut holes in them, also making sure the Walkers weren't building up and causing them to buckle. There never were many and he always made sure to take out the ones close by with his knife to keep that from happening. He also walked around the huge building that housed all the storage units. Checking their exits along with taking note of the newest units they would be searching through the following day. Their vehicle was still packed up and right where they left it. Everything had been smooth with surviving since they arrived, but he made sure not to get too comfortable and let his guard down. The only struggles they faced were with each other and Daryl hoped their little chat made them understand one another a little better.
Daryl wasn't used to having to stay close, worrying about someone else and never getting a moment to himself. Doing the daily rounds was about the only time he would step away from her, but it was never for long. Back at the prison there were enough people to keep an eye on each other and he could sneak away to be alone. Go hunt, hide away in the guard toward and just get away from everything, but now Beth consumed every part of him, even in the rare chance he did get to himself. She was always there in his mind.
Lightening flashed in the distance bringing him out of his thoughts and soon the thunder followed. He only had one more thing to check and made it quick since the rain started to pick up again.
He'd probably only been away from her about twenty minutes and by the time he finally returned he was soaked. Running back inside and slamming the metal door shut to keep the storm out.
Beth jumped at the sound of it crashing against the cement, not hearing his footsteps as he approached due to the rain.
"Daryl?" She spoke softly, the room pitch black and she hadn't seen who ran in. She found the handle of her knife that she kept close and gripped it tightly, waiting for whoever it was to make themselves known.
Daryl pulled his zippo from his pocket and flicked it to life, lighting up the darkness enough to find some candles. "Sorry, forgot how dark it gets in here with the door closed." Once he found a candle to light he dropped his zippo beside it and went to make sure the door was secure so it couldn't be open from the outside. He didn't plan on going back out until tomorrow and wanted them safe from any dangerous visitors or looters.
Beth sighed in relief when it was him and slipped her knife back under her pillow. She hadn't moved from the mattress other than to gather up the stray cards that were scattered about on the floor.
Daryl tossed his bow onto the couch and went to get some dry clothes, pulling the sheet down they hung to allow each other privacy and changed quickly. He hung up his wet clothes to let them dry and walked over to where Beth was sitting on the mattress, lighting a few more candles along the way.
"Was everything alright out there?" She asked when he sat down, still holding the deck in her hand.
"Other than the rain, yeah." Daryl shifted to get comfortable. "Still wanna play?" He asked, pointing at the cards.
"Poker right?" She asked.
He gave her a nod.
As she was dealing them out she paused and looked over to catch his eyes, coming up with an idea. "Since we don't have anything to bet, how about if you lose...you have to tell the winner a secret?"
Daryl took his cards she dealt and shrugged. "Alright." He played a lot of Poker growing up and couldn't really see her getting much information out of him this way. "Wait...like randomly just share a secret? or the winner gets ta ask the loser anythin' they want?"
She thought about it a minute. "I guess being able to ask a question would be easier than just randomly thinking of something to share. We'll go with that. If you win you get to ask the loser anything you want, deal?"
"Deal." He looked at his cards then and waited until she was ready.
The first game went by fast, Daryl winning with no problem and he smirked at the small victory. Now he just had to think of something to ask her. He scooped up the cards since he would be dealing next and idly shuffled them around in his hands while he thought of a question.
Beth waited and after he didn't say anything she spoke up. "Really, anything you wanna know. I'll answer honestly, no matter how weird or personal."
His eyes watched her and he reached out to grab her hand, turning her wrist over to expose her scar. "Why'd ya do it?"
Beth dropped her eyes from his and gently removed her wrist out of his hold. Bringing it to rest in her lap, lightly wrapping her hand over the old gash. "I was weak... Everyone around us were dying, the dead were in our back yard trying to eat us. There was no escaping it. Figured I wouldn't last long anyways." She shrugged. "Wanted to do it again after the farm...but I watched how the others fought to survive and we started to get our lives back, gaining a little control, I wasn't going to let them win... Besides if I had succeeded I wouldn't of been able to enjoy your company anymore." She smiled and nudged his leg with her foot. Trying to lighten the mood after telling him something depressing.
Daryl listened and gathered a bit more understanding into the woman laid out in front of him. He didn't really have a response to what she'd told him, so he started dealing the next hand, nudging her leg back as he held his cards and worked on his strategy.
He ended up winning again and Beth huffed dramatically, tossing her cards at the pile in defeat.
Daryl chuckled and handed her the deck after cleaning the cards up from the mattress. "This is too easy."
Beth rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, rub it in. Go on, ask away."
He rubbed his hand over his stubbly chin. "Ya ever seen a man naked?" He blushed, but the information would help him for when they took that step forward.
Beth kept her attention on the blanket under them that she was currently picking at. She knew the questions could get uncomfortable, but those were the rules. "Not in person...I've seen pictures. Plus Maggie has told me more than I ever needed to know."
"Like what ya saw?" He asked with a grin.
"That's two questions, but since I'm feeling nice I'll answer...lets just say that's what sealed the deal on my sexuality." Not that she ever questioned it, but it definitely informed her of just how much she did like it.
Daryl felt himself go hard and he shifted so she wouldn't notice, surprising himself at how much it turned him on to know she liked a mans body. He quickly passed out the cards to distract his mind from wandering.
Beth actually ended up winning the next round and she made a show of excitement over beating him. "Hmmm." She thought while playing with her lower lip, Daryl's eyes watching her fingers intently. "You ever have dirty thoughts about any of the women back at the prison?"
He was glad the light surrounding them was dim enough to hide how red his face was. His hand going up to scratch at the back of his neck. "Yeah..."
"Who?" Beth asked, replacing her fingers on her lip with her teeth.
"What happened to one question?" He lifted his eyes to see her and almost groaned at her biting her lip. She had no idea how sexy she looked.
"I told you more than I should of, remember?" She pointed out with a smirk.
Daryl sighed, trying to be a man and not let this little game embarrass him. "Carol...at first. Before I stopped fightin' with myself...had a hell of a time keeping ya out of my head. Just felt wrong when I first met ya, you were so young...but damn if my body didn't react every time I saw ya ass in those shorts that let ya legs travel for miles...made me feel like some damn pervert."
Beth felt her breathing pick up and she flicked her tongue out to lick her lower lip, not even noticing she'd done it, but he did. "You ever touch yourself while you had those thoughts?" She asked boldly.
Neither one of them were even paying attention to playing cards anymore. The game had turned into a free for all, just ask whatever you wanted, whenever you wanted.
Daryl fist his hand into the blanket, wishing he could relieve some of the pressure in his pants. The way she kept doing things with her mouth was driving him crazy and he couldn't tear his eyes away from it. "Sometimes" He choked out.
Once Beth realized what he'd just told her, she bit down on her lip again to hold back a moan and he almost lost it. "For the love of God stop, please..." He begged, not being able to help it anymore he reached down to press his palm against his throbbing hard on and readjust himself. A part of him didn't even care if she saw, hoping it would make her feel the same way he was feeling right then.
Beth's eyes drifted down his body when he shifted and started to feel that familiar ache between her legs when she caught a glimpse of the bulge in his pants. She had imagined what he would look like naked on more than one occasion and was dying to see what lay hidden beyond the material of his jeans, to feel him against her without the barriers of their clothing. She'd been lucky to see most of him while caring for his wound, but she needed more.
"What did you think about?" She asked in a whisper nervously, ignoring his pleading for her to stop whatever it was she was doing that had gotten him so worked up.
Daryl couldn't take it anymore. He'd been sitting there the last five minutes trying to find a reason why he shouldn't do what he was thinking about doing and each time he thought he had a good reason, he realized he had nothing. He couldn't find a single damn reason to convince himself not to reach out and touch her and that's exactly what he did. When he finally finished arguing with himself he reached up to place his hand on the back of her neck, slowly pulling her forward. "I can show ya...if you'll let me..." His voice was low and husky, his lips brushing against hers he was so close.