Soo...I have no excuse for how late this is.
I suck.
Naked, sweaty Daryl hugs for everyone!
Also, a huge thank you to my amazing friend and beta Jaime.
Today is her birthday and I wish her all the best.
I'm a bit leery of posting this because certain parts are new territory for me.
Constructive criticism is enjoyed and cuddled
Daryl drove Merle home half dazed. In the course of one night his life had changed. He found his other half, his light in the darkness.
Turning onto a dirt road Daryl almost started when Merle began to speak in a tone he wasn't used to; he was serious and Daryl instinctively listened to his older brother.
"Now you know baby brother that girl ain't like the ones we're used to. She's cute and soft. You gotta show her you're man enough to care for her. Go hunting and bring her back something nice."
Was Merle serious?
He wanted him to bring Beth a dead animal?
Sometimes Merle didn't even try to hide the fact that he was an animal in a man's skin. It was why he made so many people uncomfortable. He walked around like a predator and even humans who had little to no instincts knew better than to turn their backs to him.
Sighing inwardly Daryl did his best to look like he was listening intently while he drove home, mind fixated on the girl he was going to eat lunch with.
"Oh Shit!"
Daryl hadn't thought it out fully beforehand but now he was faced with the knowledge that he had a date and he didn't even remember how to date. He was never a ladies man and the women who hung around Merle weren't the type you had long lasting relationships with.
Smirking like he knew what was running through his brother's mind Merle shook his head.
"Now I know ya ain't much with women. God knows I've tried to teach ya but you never listen to me. Now you got to listen to your big brother. You can't mess this up."
Coming to a stop in front of their secluded house Daryl gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles went white. He was going to have ask Merle for advice and that didn't sit well with him.
"So what to I have to do to keep her?" he ground out.
Merle almost preened in triumph. He knew Daryl hated to ask for anything. He was as independent as all Dixons were.
"You got to treat her well. Opens doors and all that sissy shit. She looks like the type that likes flowers and girly stuff. Oh and pay for everything. You got to show you can provide."
Nodding his head Daryl thought it didn't sound too hard but actions spoke more than words. He'd try his best.
Following Merle inside Daryl made a beeline to the bathroom. He'd need to shower the grit and sweat of the last day off and try and look presentable.
As he hopped in the shower Daryl thought more about what Merle said. Beth was soft...and sweet. She smelled like everything he'd ever wanted and he was terrified she wouldn't ever want him the same way.
As he washed his thoughts took a more carnal turn. He'd always loved a woman's hips, especially that shivery spot in the hollow of the hipbone. Beth's hips were perfect for his hands.
Abandoning his washcloth Daryl loosely gripped the base of his cock and with sure strokes brought himself to full hardness.
As he stifled a groan he thought of Beth on her hands and knees. He'd cover her with his body and all they'd know in that moment was each other. He'd taste her sweat and make it so good for her. Daryl thumbed the head of his cock and his hips thrust almost frantically.
He was already so close from the remembered smell of her skin and the faint taste left on his lips from his chaste kiss to her smooth cheek.
When he came he shoved his hand between his teeth to stifle his groan and the taste of his own blood mixed with the power of his orgasm left him on his knees.
Just the thought of her was enough to bring him to his knees. God help him.
Leaving the shower on shaky legs Daryl wrapped a towel around his waist and tried to think of what he could wear. Most of his clothes were either covered in stains, sleeveless, or ripped. He normally didn't care what he looked like as long as he was covered but he needed to make a good impression this time.
Merle had thankfully crashed out on the couch so Daryl didn't have to worry about his brother giving him shit about being so damn weird about his clothes.
Settling on a pair of faded jeans with only one small hole in the knee and a plain black shirt he wondered if he should do anything about his hair and then scowled at himself. There wasn't enough time to tackle the shaggy mess that was on top of his head.
As he grabbed his keys and wallet Daryl thought of what Merle said. Girls like flowers, right?
Beth was a lot more nervous than she thought she'd be. She'd only met this man last night and she swore there was just something about him that made her need to know him. She'd changed shirts three times before settling on a green button-down over a white tank. She was tired of being cute; she wanted to be sexy. She wanted Daryl to think she was sexy.
Beth was too keyed up to do anything but pace and check herself in the mirror a dozen times. What if he couldn't come? What if he was only doing this to be polite?
As her thoughts spiraled further and further out of control Beth heard the distant sound of a truck on the dirt road to the farmhouse. He had come! Now all she had to do was be a mature, sexy young woman.
Beth was screwed.
"I'm screwed" Daryl thought viciously. Hershel was waiting at the door for him. He knew he already had the old man's permission but he had never had a good experience with fathers before so he was still leery. Straightening his shoulders he got out of the truck carrying the gift he had put together from the field near his house.
"Mr. Greene, is uh Beth ready?"
Hershel smiled at Daryl and it only seemed a little mocking. He was a grown man and stuttering at the thought of taking a pretty girl out to eat.
Beth refused to leave her father and her maybe almost date alone together. Knowing Hershel's sense of humor he'd probably try to break out the baby books.
As she bounded down the stairs she caught herself at the sight of a small bouquet in Daryl's hands. His large hands looked so incongruous in comparison with the delicate wildflowers he was nervously clutching.
"Are those for me?" Beth asked with a delighted smile.
"Well they ain't for your dad." Daryl mumbled as he thrust the flowers in her waiting hands.
"They're beautiful.
Just wait right here for a second. I'm gonna put them in some water and then we can go. She looked at her father with a mock glare, "And no embarrassing stories Daddy!"
Daryl shuffled awkwardly waiting for Beth to come back. Apparently the flowers had gone over well so he guessed he'd have to buy Merle some Jack in appreciation. Damn it.
Hershel took pity on Daryl and clapped him on the back while loudly talking about the time Beth had fallen face first into a pile of manure.
"Ok then. Bye Daddy!" Beth yelled as she grabbed Daryl and almost ran out of the house.
Remembering Merle's prompts Daryl opened the passenger door for Beth and tried to steel himself for 15 minutes in an enclosed space with the most perfect smelling woman he'd ever imagined.
"Um..." Beth was still blushing. She couldn't believe out of all the stories her father could tell he told that one. Maggie still didn't let her forget that it took 3 hours of scrubbing to smell normal.
"M'brother Merle told me Pixie Sticks could get you high so I snorted some and sneezed blue for half an hour." Daryl said, trying to make Beth feel better.
The rest of the car ride went by quickly as both recounted their most horrifyingly embarrassing stories.
Flowers. Check.
Open doors. Check.
Now onto managing to pay without seeming like a Neanderthal. Merle had some good advice but sometimes it seemed like he was living in the 50s or something.
"Y'know this is my treat, right?" he said hopefully.
Smirking playfully Beth nudged him with her shoulder as they looked over the menu. For such a small town they had a really great Chinese place.
"Well you are they one responsible for me getting almost no sleep so yeah, you're paying."
Daryl wasn't really an adventurous eater but he let Beth order for him and his eyes grew almost comically wide as he realized the amount of food she picked. Yeah, he could eat a great deal more than the average man but it seemed like she had an appetite to match his own. What the hell was Mushu Pork anyway. Wasn't that the dragon from Mulan or something?
As Daryl watched Beth he noticed one of the waiters was too. He wasn't even being subtle about it and Daryl was standing right next to her.
This may have been their first sorta date but it was his and no one took anything that was his. Daryl stepped forward, wrapped an arm around Beth's waist and buried his nose in her hair inhaling her scent and trying to calm himself.
"Um...did you just sniff me?" she squeaked. Adorably so in his opinion.
Hiding his face further in her golden hair Daryl growled out, "Yes, y'smell damn good and everyone knows it and you're here with me."
Beth giggled at the ticklish sensation of his stubble rubbing against her cheek .
"You're just lucky I like the he-man vibe."
They stayed wrapped up in each other until their order was ready.
Daryl purposely didn't tell Beth why he had asked for take-out. He had a plan and he wanted it to be a surprise.
He wanted to share something beautiful with her. A place he felt at peace.
Coming to a stop in front of a small trail Daryl got out and opened the door again for Beth and grabbed their food and an old soft blanket his grandmother had made.
"C'mon, it's just a little bit further."
Beth was intrigued. She had never been to this part of the county. It was mainly woods and hunting grounds. As Daryl held a branch back for her she started to hear the sound of rushing water.
She gasped, "We're having a picnic next to the Oconee River?"
"This is a spot not a lot of people come to. Merle n' I hunt and fish here."
They came to the beginnings of the bank of the river and Daryl unrolled the blanket and sat down, patting the space next to him.
"Your gonna have to tell me what the hell I'm eating. I don't usually get anything other than sweet and sour chicken." Beth gracefully sat down and decided to give Daryl a crash course on Chinese food. MooShu pork, steamed dumplings, pepper chicken; they'd try all of it especially those fried doughnuts crusted in sugar.
Snagging a dumpling with her chopsticks Beth caught Daryl's surprised expression.
"Do you not know how to use chopsticks" she grinned.
Daryl simply shook his head.
"Well good! I can teach you."
Beth took the other pair and grabbed Daryl's right hand. His hands were large and calloused in her own and without even knowing it she rubbed his palm with her thumb.
He was always entranced with the contrast between him. Beth was so small and soft and he...wasn't.
He only half listened to her explanation, too caught up in the feel of her skin against his and the smell of her happiness.
He, Daryl Dixon, was making her happy and he had never felt better.
Daryl was also making her laugh. His attempts to pick up a clump of rice ended with it scattered over his lap so with a slight smirk he abandoned his chopsticks and scooped up some rice with his fingers.
"Gross!" Beth laughed.
What followed was an orgy of eating. Daryl was going to get her to order everything the next time they went out and there would be a next time.
Shoving the empty cartons in the paper bag they came in Beth fell back on the blanket and curled on her side watching Daryl lick his fingers clean. There was something endlessly endearing about him. He was all at one a sexy man but with adorably boyish qualities.
"We're going to do this again, right" she asked quietly.
Quirking an eyebrow Daryl looked at her with a straight face, "Well if we come here all the time it'd get boring but I'd like to take you other placed. Hell, you could even take me places."
Beth simply smiled and nodded.
"Lay down with me" she said a moment later.
"Uh..."
Beth snorted a bit, "I'm not asking to get naked or anything but I'm warm, full, and sleepy and I like to cuddle."
This day just couldn't get any better.
Daryl shifted and laid down behind her, spooning her gently with his arms around her waist.
"Yeah, I could nap."
And so for the next hour both of then dozed in the sun, curled up around each other completely at peace with the world.