Follow You Down - Bethyl Fanfiction

Combustible Kindness

Carol had gone back inside, leaving Daryl in the care of Rick, Hershel and Beth. They were finishing up their work for the day. Daryl was back in his chair and Rick had wheeled him down to the farm so he wouldn't be alone in the yard. Beth removed the tack from the horses and closed them up for the evening. The sun was still strong and her pink shoulders were just getting brighter, but she didn't seem to mind. In the absence of her touch, the small creature of doubt that lived in Daryl's stomach began to scratch at his insides for no particular reason. But then Beth looked at him with her smile that rivalled the sun. It worked it's magic and settled the creature for the time being.

"You should learn all this. You would like ridin'. Least until you get your bike back." Beth said lightly as she left the makeshift stables to join Daryl on the other side. Her hips swayed again in that way that made Daryl desperately search for knees like they had vanished. Once he had composed himself a little better he replied,
"Gotta' be allowed to walk for myself first, Greene." He grumbled, annoyed the rules placed upon him.
"I think you proved you can do it today, they'll trust you more now I bet."

The walk back to the cell block started slow, as Beth tried to push Daryl up the hill. She eventually gave in to Rick, allowing him to take over and the progress was much faster. She instead linked arms with Hershel and Daryl watched on as she chatted happily to him, noticing her back was just as pink as her shoulders. He selfishly imagined himself if Hershel's place. Beth's touch came so easily to those she loved. He had noticed how affectionate she was with Maggie, Hershel, Glenn and even Rick. It was as though she was so full of kindness that if she didn't offer it to enough people in one day, she would combust. 

Daryl then realised he should count himself in that group, given that she had wrapped her entire body around him the night before and had been singularly responsible for his cleanliness those first few days after the incident. 

Once inside, Rick took Daryl to the serving table and the archer picked up two plates of what looked to be the generic 'stuff from tins' found in the prison kitchens. It looked to be some kind of meat in a brown paste with what had to have been powdered mash potato. They headed to their usual table choked down the flavourless meal. Daryl's gaze fell on Beth. She was nudging Glenn in the ribs and laughing hard at something. Daryl felt laughter bubble in his own chest just at the sight of her. He didn't know what was funny, but his body wanted to share whatever she was feeling.

After dinner, when Beth had left to shower, Daryl tested reaching for the wheels of the chair, seeing how much it hurt to wheel himself around. Surprisingly, it wasn't as bad as he thought. The wound felt tight with his arms stretched out to the side, but it was bearable. He wheeled himself from the dining room into the cell block, relishing in the first bit of independence in a long while. The archer then took to the corridors of the prison, using his new found freedom to move around solo. He didn't really have a destination, it was more the journey itself.

He was heading to a t-section in the corridors when he saw Beth walk past, not noticing him, busy rubbing her hair with a towel. The shower had soothed her sunburn into a warm glow. His body yearned to follow her and his hands decided to agree without his minds consent. Moving as silently as he could, Daryl wheeled himself after Beth, trying not to grunt from the effort. Finally, he was right behind her. He then became unsure what to do next. If he said anything, she would jump out her skin and ask why he was following her. He hesitated before a smirk broke out onto his lips and her reached back on the wheels until his chest screamed at him in protest and pushed.

-

Beth yelled out as she felt the blow to the back of her knees, causing her to fall backwards. The towel she was using on her hair slipped from her hands as she fell, eyes wide with fear. That was until she found herself colliding with large thighs and a pair of familiar arms caught her around the waist to soften the landing. By the time Beth's feet had fully left the floor, the look of terror was replaced by shy laughter. Before she could turn to face her captor, Daryl's voice was right behind her, low and quiet, shocking her with it's closeness.
"Quiet girl, don't want the whole place thinkin' you're bein' attacked." The way he said girl made Beth shiver. His arms were still wrapped around her waist and her body was betraying her by flaring up in goose bumps. Beth took a breath and turned to look him in the eye.
"Well I am, ain't I?" She asked with a slightly nervous smile, praying her cheeks weren't as red as they felt. His smirk widened at that, giving him a look that would be terrifying to a stranger, but was simply intoxicating for Beth. 

And then she was being shifted again. Daryl's arms unwound from her waist to scoop under her thighs, twisting her in his lap so her knee's hung over the arm rest and she sat across him, wet hair whipping around as his other arm slid up to place a hand at the base of her neck. Beth could no longer hide the flush that radiated from her cheeks down to her neck. She could see Daryl's eyes move over her through his dark hair, roaming her form before slowly meeting her gaze. Beth let her instinct take over and placed her arm around his back, leaning into the archer, face inches from his as he spoke to her with a weight in his voice she hadn't heard before.
"You're only bein' attacked if ya want to be." Beth couldn't stop her bodies reaction when he spoke to her like that. She knew Daryl would have noticed her stomach and thigh muscles tense. She felt a warmth spread through her that did nothing to help the goose bumps, but wonders for her confidence. She twisted into his neck so her lips brushed his ear and whispered,
"Maybe I do."