'five times kissed' ~ kE PTTHEMSAFE
the first time they kissed
it was an innocent peck on the cheek, a non-verbal way of saying thanks for taking the time out of the day to teach her and only her how to use a weapon and better defend herself. her ears still ringing from the multiple shots fired from the small handgun he’d given her to start with. she remembers the aroma that filled the air and how happy they’d both been when she’d actually managed to hit her target. his hands would guide her with arms on either side of her, so close she could feel his breath on her shoulder. blue hues flickered upward, grinning ear to ear as she lifted her head up and pressed her lips against his stubble covered cheek, uttering a quick thank you before running back towards the farm house in hopes maggie and her dad hadn’t seen.
the second time they kissed
it’s been weeks since he’d first taught her how to shoot. she’d been bringing him lunch and water everyday while maggie brought baskets of food to the others in his group. along with her trip, she’d bring him little letters and hide them away in hopes that he might find them and it might bring him to smile or even glance in her direction for a moment. this day, she’d gotten a letter back — one saying that she didn’t need to be nice to him but beth no longer had a choice, her heart gravitated her towards him. just before sunrise, she’d replied to his note with a simple request: meet me in the barn after everyone goes to sleep. she remembers anxiously avoiding his eye contact and confused glances in her direction. she’d cleaned up after herself quickly and dismissed herself to her bedroom where she sat with her knees tucked close to her chest, listening intently for her dad to holler up in her direction to say goodnight. she remembers the butterflies and how nervous she’d been as she quietly made her way down the front porch steps and towards the barn. his shadowy figure is burned into her memories. there’s silence between them, except for the shuffle of gravel beneath her feet. they stare into each other’s eyes for a moment and beth can’t help but smile. for a moment, she’s brave and that bravery pushes her to do something she’d been thinking about nonstop for weeks. a swift intake of breath is taken as she brings herself up to the tips of her toes and presses her lips to his, hoping that he’d kiss her back.
the third time they kissed
it felt as if they were the only two people that were left in the world. she smelled like the smoke that had torn through the home she'd grown up in and there was a deep sadness inside of her heart. she ached with the heavy loss that she felt and the simple fact that she no longer knew who lived and who had managed to die. when she'd seen him on the road with the others, tears poured from her face but she didn't run to him -- not first. her father was there and maggie beside him. her arms wrapped around them before slowly pulling away, taking careful steps towards him. if it had been any other time, she would have hidden it all away -- wouldn't have hastily wrapped her arms around him and pulled him up close for a kiss. it was a desperate kiss, a kiss drenched in happiness and a sense of relief.
the fourth time they kissed
was their first night at the prison. they're all exhausted and by this time, their newly budding relationship isn't a secret. it's the first time she's starting to feel safe, not constantly feeling the need to glance over her shoulder uncomfortably, and the feeling is only solidified by his fingers intertwined with her own. she has her head rested gently against his shoulder and her eyes are beginning to flutter shut. the warm touch of his hand against her pale skin brings a smile to her face. he's whispering into her hair that she should get some rest and that he'd keep her safe before pressing a single kiss against it. blue hues lift to meet his gaze before nodding her head and pressing her lips against his before resting against his shoulder once more.
the fifth time they kissed
she's been blinded by the sun and the slight breeze against healing wounds the now decorated her face left a stinging feeling. her heart pounded inside of her chest, uncertain as to who she would see on the other side of those doors. rick stands in front of her, casting his shadow and acting as her guiding light and the others stay close behind her. she knows that the others are close when he glances to look over his shoulder in her direction before stepping out of the way. it takes less than a moment for their eyes to meet and she's overwhelmed with a nervousness that tugs heavily on her heart and before she can stop it, there are tears streaming down her face. he runs to her and she meets him halfway before throwing her arms around his neck. he lifts her up into his arms and instinctively she wraps her legs around him. this kiss is one of yearning, she was certain that she'd never seen him again. her hands pull his face closer and in this moment, she feels like nothing in the world matters -- like all of the bad things that had happened to her had been wiped away clean and beth greene swears that she'll never leave his side again.
