Hi guys! Thank you sooooooo much for all your follows/reviews! This is a slightly shorter filler chapter, but it's only because I've been hit with an idea and want to get it rolling. The next chapter will be a bit different but I'm really excited to get it written now I have it all planned out so you shouldn't be waiting too long. Let me know what you think so far anyway! Love you all!
They paced down the deserted road towards what she hoped would be Daryl's apartment. Why had she decided to go home with him?Maybe it was the protective feel of his hands on her shoulders as he put his leather jacket on her. Maybe it was the pang of sympathy she felt when his eyes looked pained, frustrated as his brother stumbled away. Maybe it was the way he considered each word carefully, conscious of her discomfort. Maybe there was no reason at all, and maybe it was a mistake. Nevertheless the words came out of her mouth as her instincts beat her brain, and now she was strolling down the street with a man she had met just a few hours earlier.
He was quiet, which Beth was thankful for. As they walked, Beth observed him. He looked rough around the edges though something in the back of her mind reminded her to not judge a book by its cover. At first he ignited a fear inside of her, but now she felt that fear was extinguished. There was something about him, something about the way he walked and his obvious nervous habits. Beth liked to think she was a good judge of character, and all it really took was a look into somebody's eyes. The eyes, after all, were the window to the soul. She came to a standstill and turned so that she was stood in front of him, about two feet away, and looked into his eyes. They were a piercing steel blue, and it took only a matter of seconds to see the pain, kindness and insecurity that they possessed.
"What?" he asked her, uncomfortably. He wasn't a damn painting.
"Nothing." Beth replied with a smile, before moving back to continue their walk. All it took was that one look and she knew; he wasn't a bad guy. She knew that his eyes were on her as they walked, probably still confused as to why she had stared at him like that. Beth wrapped her arms around herself as the cold began to fight through the leather, and was thankful when Daryl nodded at a small block of apartments ahead of them.
They walked over silently, Beth behind Daryl, and began to make their way up the metal steps. With each step her heartbeat got faster, realising that she was about to enter a complete stranger's home. A complete stranger that was probably twice her age. Her head said run, her heart said stay. The nerves suddenly took their toll and Beth missed one of the steps, causing her to grab on to Daryl who instantly steadied her.
"I gotcha, should take off them damn shoes." He said, nodding down to her heels. Beth let go, reluctantly, and nudged him to carry on moving. For a split second she felt their eyes connect, a mutual trust and understanding travelling between them. Yes, she was young, sometimes naïve. And yes, going home with a stranger was the complete opposite of what her daddy would want her to do, but there was an internal gravitation towards this man that she could neither explain nor prevent.
Daryl unlocked and opened his door, kicking aside some things that were in their path.
"Bedrooms through there, I'll sleep here. Will wake you up early and we'll go to Merle's." He said, pulling a blanket from a nearby cupboard and arranging his cushions. Beth moved slowly, wanting to observe as much of the space around her as she could before going to his bedroom. It most definitely wasn't what she considered a home. The walls were bland, no photographs or memorabilia or anything of the sort. It wasn't dirty, but wasn't exactly clean either. There were a few books scattered, a few empty beer cans, but other than that there was just plain furniture. Unsure of what to say, Beth turned to Daryl and smiled softly before opening the bedroom door and stepping inside.
It was the same in there. A few books, a few shirts. His bed wasn't made but Beth didn't mind. She sat at the end and kicked off her shoes. She considered taking off her dress since the zip had been irritating the skin on her back slightly, but she quickly dismissed that idea deeming it plain stupid. Instead she crawled in and wrapped up. Suddenly she was hugged by an array of enchanting, forest-like scents that pushed her into a peaceful slumber.