Walking Dead It's Cold Outside

_A/N- This is just a quick holiday one-shot I wrote. It's based off of "Baby, It's Cold Outside" and is set in a ZA AU, where Daryl and Beth are safely at the ASZ._

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Beth took a momentary glance back at the disheveled bed, her exhausted body yearning to crawl back in and disappear into the warm covers. But something in Daryl's face drew her attention away. He pulled on his bottom lip with his teeth, glaring into the fireplace as if he could see something beyond the shimmering flames.

"I better get home." She sighed, tracing up his spine and absent-mindedly stroking his neck. She was always the one to have to make the call that it was time to leave. Daryl would never ask her to but Beth knew he wasn't ready for others to know just how deep their relationship was.

"Why?" Daryl questioned quietly, surprising Beth.

"My sister? My brother-in-law? Don't you think they'll be a little suspicious when I said I was comin over for crossbow lessons and ended up stayin the night?"

"It's snowing. Tell them it was too dangerous to get home." Daryl suggested seriously.

Beth smiled, curling her legs under her and turning her whole body to face Daryl on the faded loveseat. "It's five minutes away. And I'm walkin. Glenn's probably standin by the door waitin for me right now."

"It's cold out." Daryl retorted, still not moving his eyes from the fire, his jaw tensing.

"It's cold out? I've survived countless walkers, and you're worried I'll get a stuffy nose?" Beth couldn't help but laugh, finally causing a flash of a smile to appear on Daryl's face.

"It's freezin' out there." Daryl argued again, forcing his face to return to its natural stoic state.

"I really can't stay… What will everyone think Daryl? They'll make connections." Beth argued not for her sake, but out of concern Daryl would regret this decision in the morning. Just days ago, he had been so sure he needed more time and she wasn't one to force the issue.

"Maybe I don't give a damn. Maybe I just want you to stay?" He admitted, wrapping his arm around Beth and pulling her closer into his side in one swift movement.

Beth couldn't argue with Daryl, she just leaned over, closing her eyes to peck his cheek before leaning her head on his shoulder. She knew no matter how long they were together, she would never get sick of being able to kiss him.

"Just one more drink." Daryl whispered into her hair, inhaling her scent.

"Half a drink." Beth countered, "Can you imagine Glenn if I came home drunk? What would they say!?"

"They would say it was one hell of a crossbow lesson."

Beth rolled her eyes. They had practiced with his crossbow briefly but decided to head inside to the fire for some other practice when the storm began.

"Sing me a song while I pour." Daryl suggested, kissing her head before standing up from the loveseat.

Beth hummed a few chords of Silent Night as he poured two glasses of the whiskey raided from his latest run outside the ASZ. Daryl took the opportunity to light a cigarette, dangling it from his lips as he rejoined Beth on the couch and offering her a chipped glass.

"Let me?" Beth requested, reaching past the glass to delicately take the cigarette from between his lips.

"You won't like it." Daryl warned as he watched her, his curious look accompanied by a smirk.

Beth had barely inhaled before she broke out into a coughing fit, contorting her face as she handed the cigarette back to Daryl. "Damn, I shoulda known. You also like moonshine."

Daryl just laughed, sipping his drink and passing Beth hers, which she quickly took a drink of to cover-up the taste of the cigarette.

"Doesn't help that I found these in some basement. God knows when they're from." Daryl admitted, taking a long inhale.

Beth and Daryl sat in silence for a moment, sipping their drinks and staring into the fire. Beth felt like she was under some spell. Every other time she had hated leaving him, but understood it was the best option at the time. But once Daryl showed any resistance, suddenly the idea that it was snowing outside seemed like a good enough reason not to leave. A good enough reason to reveal to their friends and family what had been secretly going on since they had gotten to the safe zone months ago.

"Stay." Daryl said again, this time with more determination.

When Beth looked up from her drink, his eyes were focused on her, a clear positivity in them, despite the redness in his cheeks cause by the whiskey.

"You sure?" Beth asked, trying to hide the hope in her voice.

Daryl just smiled, "Get back in bed, Greene."

Beth stood without a word, placing her glass on the table as she made her way over to the bed and took a seat.

"But what will the neighbors think?" She teased, her voice high as the warmth of the whiskey warmed her face.

"Luckily, I don't give a damn."

Beth lay back on the bed, looking to Daryl as he approached slowly, unbuttoning his frayed flannel, "You sure I should stay?" Beth questioned a final time, unable to draw her eyes away from his chest in order to make eye contact.

Suddenly, Daryl was above her on the bed, his sure stare forcing her to look into his eyes, "Yes, I'm sure. Babe, it's cold outside."


End file.

Walking Dead, Romance