Just be reasonable!

[stillgoodpeople]

Running, running. It seemed like all they'd done since the prison fell was to run. Aside from the odd moment stolen to partake of some Moonshine and arson, they'd been steady going. Finally, when the weather started to turn colder and the wear and tear of constant running took its toll. They found shelter where they could, but nothing was ever secure. It always turned into another flight for their lives.

Tonight, they'd holed up in an old storage unit. The mostly empty unit was shelter enough, secure enough with its rolling, metal door. The only real problem was that it didn't have any insulation to speak of and the bitterly cold night air blew in through the cracks.

They'd fashioned a place to sleep. It was bed-like, with the wooden pallets and scraps of old furniture and linens. After weeks of sleeping wherever they could, mostly on the hard ground, it was almost, kinda, sorta comfortable... if it wasn't in a deep freeze.

"Daryl," Beth sighed, fighting to stay patient. "You can't sleep on the floor. It's like a sheet of ice. Just get up here, already."

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[theonlyzenone]

Running was the only option they had right now. Running and fighting and just trying to live to see another day. Beth was what got Daryl through it -- the kid didn't deserve to die like so damn many others had. She didn't deserve to just be made to stop neither, live in whatever hole they could secure for themselves.

She wanted to run, so they ran.

Tonight felt like sleeping like a king to Daryl, after all the shitty places they'd found. Cold as hell, but it was shelter from what was outside.

Okay, cold as fucking hell on the floors, but he still hesitated when she told him to move. He'd kept a blanket they'd found for himself and tugged it tighter around himself. "M'fine. Don't worry about it."

[stillgoodpeople]

It was with considerable effort that Beth didn't roll her eyes. She was convinced that, if she looked up 'stubborn' in the dictionary, it would say: See also: Daryl Dixon. Stubborn and not half so concerned for his own well-being as he should be.

Fine. If he wouldn't do it for him, maybe he'd do it for her?

"Yeah, but I'm not. It's cold as sin in here and you're taking away my extra body heat." She patted the space she made for him beside her and gave him her best pleading look. "Please?"

[theonlyzenone]

He opens his mouth to protest again, tell her she'd live... but that look. He knew that look and he knew that persistence and it ain't likely she's gonna take no for an answer without kicking up an even bigger fuss.

It doesn't mean he has to look thrilled about it as he shifts up and moves to climb onto the makeshift bed though. "Fine, scoot over."

Letting her freeze wasn't an option anyway.

[stillgoodpeople]

No, he doesn't have to look thrilled. She is, though. This way, neither of them froze. She considered that a win.

She scooted over even more, surrendering the bigger share of the bed to him. He was bigger, after all.

"Thank you," she told him, giving him a smile.

[theonlyzenone]

He grunted in response to that. Like he'd let her freeze anyway, especially when they didn't have the luxury of starting a fire or anything to keep warm.

"Just get some sleep. Best we get a head start tomorrow."

[stillgoodpeople]

Beth shook her head a little at his response. After all this time with just Daryl for company, she'd started to learn which of his grouchy tones were genuinely angry and which were just... Daryl. Tonight, he was just Daryl, if a little frustrated over their circumstances. Understandable, really.

Beth spread his blanket over the two of them, adding it to hers, and then settled under them, immediately curling into his side and sighing happily at the extra warmth he provided. Much better.

"G'night, Daryl."

[theonlyzenone]

He mumbled something in return as he settled in, under the covers and with Beth at his side. It was a lot warmer this way, he had to admit... and if he shifted closer, no one could blame him, right?

He let his eyes drift shut, trying to let himself drift off. It wasn't always easy when you never knew what'd be around the corner next, but... at least here, they were safe. Safe and boarded up for the night. He should enjoy it while they had the chance.

[stillgoodpeople]

Beth, on the other hand, once her shivering began to subside, dropped right off. In her sleep, she snuggled closer to her source of heat and safety, gripping a handful of Daryl's shirt and curling one leg across his. She hummed softly in her sleep, rubbing her cheek against his side.

[theonlyzenone]

Daryl shifted a little beneath the slight weight. Beth seemed bound and determined to attach to him, if the way she was clinging and throwing her leg over his is anything to go by... which was kind of awkward as hell. Not as bad as it could be, but... probably miles from appropriate all the same. Didn't stop him from sliding an arm around Beth's shoulders after a moment, careful not to wake her. If she wanted heat, he could at least try to give it.

[stillgoodpeople]

The arm around her shoulders shifted her a bit closer and her subconscious took that as an invitation to curl in even more. She wiggled in, her head settling on Daryl's chest, the solid thump of his heart under her ear soothing her into a deeper sleep. After this long together, just the two of them, she'd found herself associating Daryl with comfort and safety, even if he was a little prickly and tended toward grouchiness most of the time.

She knew, under all the growling, he'd never let anything bad happen to her.

[theonlyzenone]

He wouldn't let anything happen to her, if it was in his hands. He drifted off into a surprisingly restful sleep, his arm staying curled around the slighter form at his side. Made him rest easier, knowing she was somewhere close and safe and he hadn't fucked that up at least.

Even the cold didn't seem so bad with an extra body against his.

[stillgoodpeople]

It was rare Beth woke before Daryl. He seemed to have some kind of innate hunter's clock that told him when the sun was coming up. Then again, they'd been running on a handful of hours of rest for the last few days. It wasn't any wonder he was sleeping a little harder than usual.

She opened her eyes and peered up at Daryl, still lulled by warmth and sleep. The hand that had been resting on his chest reached up to brush her fingertips along the edge of his jaw, marveling at how the rough hairs felt under them.

[theonlyzenone]

Daryl might've slept later than usual, but that brush of a hand got him to stir a little. His expression pinched a little. Never been much of a deep sleeper really.

He didn't open his eyes right away though and he seemed to relax again after a moment. They were safe for now and while he knew they couldn't sleep the whole day away, his body kept practically begging for five more minutes at least.

[stillgoodpeople]

The deeper kiss sent shivers down her spine. Beth moaned softly against his lips, her tongue moving to tease against his. The hand stroking his arm moved higher, returning the favor and tangling into his hair. The feeling of having the long strands sliding between her fingers gave her an unexpected thrill. Every boy she'd ever gotten anywhere near this close to had been close cropped and clean shaven. The rough scrape of Daryl's stubble and the brush of his long hair against her skin was so different.

When the need for air forced her to break away from the kiss, she panted ragged breaths and then kissed down the line of his jaw, pausing to suck more firmly at the soft skin underneath the hinge of his jaw.

[theonlyzenone]

His head tilted back on instinct to welcome the touch of her lips, his own breath coming in quick. He let out a low noise at the feel of her lips on him. His hands smoothed down her back to hitch her closer, rolling back to his back. Shouldn't do this, but damn... she was making it hard to resist at the moment.

[stillgoodpeople]

A thrill went through her when he pulled her on top of him. Oh it felt good to have all of his lean, hard body stretched out underneath her. In spite of her best intention to stay slow and easy, the change in position gave her a rush... a powerful feeling. God, she wanted him.

Her hips rolled instinctively against his, arching her body against him while her lips moved to the other side of his neck, nipping and nuzzling at every bit of available skin.

[theonlyzenone]

A noise escaped him, deep in his throat. His hips rolled up just as instinctively when hers moved, seeking out more of that friction as he moved his head to the side. Whatever reservations he had about this were forgot under that attention, under that growing need that even he wasn't impervious to.

[stillgoodpeople]

That got her moving, hips finding a slow, rough pace, grinding down against him. The friction of denim on denim was delicious and frustrating. Too much and too little. She wanted lots less clothing between them.

She leaned up, panting hard, eyes blown with desire, and bent to kiss him deeply. She gasped against his lips. "Daryl, please..."

[theonlyzenone]

His hands reached down, tightening on her hips as she moved. His eyes met hers, debating, thinking... and shit, was that hard to do when everything in him just wanted those damn clothes off.

Didn't matter if it was a bad idea when his hands came up to tug at her shirt, pulling it up. "Please what?"

[stillgoodpeople]

Oh, yes. Yes. Beth ducked under the fabric, letting Daryl remove the shirt entirely. Her concerns about being not voluptuous enough had disappeared more ad more with every touch. Once it was gone, she bent to kiss him again, more urgently.

"Please don't stop," she panted against his lips, still grinding eagerly against him.

[theonlyzenone]

He could do that. He returned the kiss as he arched against her, hands moving down her back. He wanted to touched, feel more. Eventually, they moved around to her front, smoothing from her stomach up towards her breasts as he broke off the kiss to move his lips down to her jaw and along her neck.

[stillgoodpeople]

Beth's breathing came in short gasps. Daryl's hands were rough and calloused from years of hard work and bow hunting. The way they moved on her skin made every nerve in her body light up and plead for more. She couldn't wait to feel them on the even more delicate skin of her breasts.

She braced one hand on the bed and moved the other to cover one of his, guiding it up to where she wanted it. Needed it. "It's okay... you can touch me,"

[theonlyzenone]

He let her guide his hands, eyes meeting hers when she encouraged it. Jesus, this was ten different kinds of wrong probably, but he let her do it. Wanted it. His hand curled over her the swell of her breast when she guided it, carefully as he leaned up to kiss her lightly.

[stillgoodpeople]

Beth returned the kiss just as softly, easing back from the eagerness and desperation from before. It wasn't just sex she wanted. Oh, she wanted it plenty, but she wanted him to understand that it wasn't just that. Somehow, the surly, prickly redneck had gotten under her skin in a way she never expected from him. Then again, before this, she'd never had cause to get so close. She'd known he was a good man, but never quite how good.

When the kiss ended, she leaned back slowly, sitting astride his hips, shivering at the feel of him hard in his jeans, pressed up against her. Because of her. She guided his other hand to her chest and moaned softly at the feel of them moving on her breasts.

One hand moved down to trail her fingertips down the line of buttons on his shirt, plucking at them very lightly, inquiring rather than demanding, this time. "Can I..?"

[theonlyzenone]

He had no damn idea what he was doing. Beth was a good girl -- for all the shit he said to her when they were drunk, the fact of the matter was that he couldn't imagine not having her there. He couldn't imagine not wanting her close.

He groans when she sits back, eyes narrowing in desire as she looks down at him. He rolls his hips up after a moment --

But then her fingers move to his shirt and he hesitates a bit. Undressing... it wasn't something he did, not around other people. He works his mouth, not too sure what to say for a moment. Maybe she won't see nothing, if he's careful.

"You can open it," he finally murmurs after a moment, giving a short nod.