stillgoodpeople | Just be reasonable!

Just be reasonable!

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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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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Beth paused when Daryl's expression changed, but he didn't seem to wake, so she relaxed again. Maybe it was completely stupid, but the idea had been working around in her mind for a while now and only became more insistent as the days and weeks wore on. She hadn't lied, that night at the shack, when she told Daryl what a good man she thought he was. She just didn't tell him how deep that appreciation ran.

It took a few second to work up her nerve, then she moved slightly, nuzzling her face against the side of his neck. Her lips found his pulse point, kissing it softly.

He might have been able to sleep through the touching, but the nuzzling sure got his attention... and the kiss? Yeah, definitely. "Mmph..."

His eyes opened blearily to look down at her, his entire body going tense for a second. "The hell you doin'?" His voice was rough with sleep and confusion.

"S'too early. Get some more sleep."

Well, that wasn't the worst possible reaction. He didn't shove her to the floor, at least. She considered that a temporary win.

"Not sleepy," she answered, rubbing her thumb along the edge of his collar bone above his shirt. "S'nice. Warm."

Beth tilted her head slightly and kissed the soft spot just under the hinge of his jaw.

"Hey--" Nah, he wouldn't shove her to the floor... he might fall out of the bed with the way he jerked back though.

"The hell?" He demanded again. Daryl Dixon could handle a lotta things, but he was doubting his ability to handle teenage girls more each day that passed. He brought up a hand to rub absentmindedly over the spot she'd kiss.

"Mind tellin' me what you're thinking?"

"I was thinkin' I wanted to kiss you."

When in doubt, her dad always said, tell the truth. She shrugged and scooted closer, closing the slight distance he'd put between them. One hand gripped his shirt again, just to be sure he didn't actually fall.

His hand comes up to press against her -- not push, not draw her in. This wasn't what he was expecting to wake up to... it's got him all off guard and much as he's trying to not let it show, his eyes are wide and his heart is beating maybe just a little too fast.

"Why? Don't say 'cause I'm the only guy around."

"Daryl," she sighed, a slight, exasperated, but fond smile on her lips. "I'm not gonna just kiss a guy 'cause he's there."

"I wanted to kiss you because I like you. You're a good man; you're strong and smart... a lot smarter than you let people think." She grinned and nudged his knee with hers. "Nicer, too, when nobody's lookin'."

He wanted to make sure this wasn't a whole I-want-a-drink thing all over again, that's all. Beth, when she had her mind set to something, was damn hard to deter. He was starting to feel like maybe it was similar in that respect at least.

"Also a hell of a lot older than you." Though he wasn't sure how much that mattered when you were the only two people around, when you were on your own.]

"It's not the same anymore, though, is it?" She put her head back down on their makeshift pillows and looked up at him thoughtfully. "It's not like the old world where I'd be going to school and parties and worrying about prom. I have to worry about things -- and people -- who want to kill me. Every day, all day."

Beth shrugged. "I don't really feel all that much younger."

He finally lowered his hand back to the bed, eyes drifting up towards the ceiling. "Shit... that's been my whole life pretty much. It ain't that much different."

It was all about doing what you had to survive, whatever it takes. Scenery was different, worries were different, but the game was the same.

He tilts his head back thoughtfully. "Guess you probably don't."

Kids didn't get to be kids anymore, no matter where they came from.

Since he settled back, Beth curled in close again, resting her head on his shoulder and enjoying his warmth again. She was glad he didn't bolt. It was nice to lay there with him.

"You don't have to kiss me, if it bothers you. I know I'm not..." Carol. Maggie. Michonne. "... all that impressive."

She shrugged and slipped an arm around his waist, squeezing lightly. "Just glad you're here."

"What are you talkin' about?" He gave her a look, arching a brow. Daryl wasn't usually free with the praise, but... "You're more impressive than you know."

He gave her shit when he got drunk, but hell, she'd survived a lot and come out stronger for it.

"Yeah, well... I ain't goin' anywhere."

Beth matched his look and shook her head. "I think the correct phrase is: Built like a popsicle stick."

Maggie got all the curves in the family. Beth had been fairly content with her role as 'the nice one' until the dead started walking and her life turned upside down.

"You think-- That ain't what this is about," he managed, eyes widening a little bit. Give him dead, diseases sons of bitches to kill, give him things to hunt...

Give him a girl who's apparently insecure and he's got no goddamn clue how to handle that. He ain't equipped.

"You're..." Dammit. "You're pretty. You already know that."

It wasn't insecurity, as far as she saw it. It was just facts. Jimmy liked her because they were neighbors and she was the nice girl next door. Zach, well... he had a distinct lack of options.

She smiled a little at Daryl's words -- she knew he was uncomfortable, but he was trying -- and leaned up to drop a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you. See? Told you that you were sweet."

"Quiet," he grumbled back at that, tipping his head back to look around. He had no idea what time it was, but... he figured it was time to get the hell up.

"We're gonna need to get movin'."

"Yeah, okay." Beth bit back a sigh and pushed herself up. She couldn't deny a sharp sting of disappointment, but then again, she supposed she didn't really have any right to expect him to have that sort of interest in her. He was a grown man and even though she didn't feel like a kid, she knew pretty much everyone saw her as one.

"I'll get our stuff together."

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