TROUBLE [twd]

together

"Here," Daryl eases the jacket around Sakiko's shoulders.

He could see the way she shivered in the night air. But, she wouldn't voice that she was cold- or anything else for that matter as she hadn't said a word since they left the group.

"Y'all ever hear the one about us getting locked outside the house in a snow storm?" Merle asks, tossing a small twig into the fire.

When no one responds, Merle continues talking.

"It was damn near below freezing. We were trying to get in the house and both looked at each other to unlock it. Left the keys at the damn bar," Merle chuckles.

"How'd you get back in?" Nanami finally asks.

"Broke a window," Merle recalls, "Shoved Daryl in there and he unlocked it."

"After you clocked me in the nose thinking I was lyin' to you," Daryl remembers.

"I did, huh?" Merle laughs.

Sakiko slumps against Daryl's shoulder, her head resting on his arm. Even though she was drained, she wasn't tired. She couldn't bear the thought of falling asleep when her head was spinning with thoughts. But, her body was exhausted and she didn't have the strength to keep herself up.

Daryl scoots closer so she would be comfortable- not even noticing he was doing it. Merle sees the exchange, rolling to lay on his back and stare up at the trees.

The night air was tense with unsaid words- but no one wanted to let their frustrations out as they were mentally wired to the core.

--

"There's nothing," Sakiko finally expresses the next day.

She kicks at the leaves and twigs on the ground- not a track in sight.

"Well now, if you go and mess up the trail-" Merle begins.

"I said there's nothing," she stands her ground, sending a glare in his direction.

"Hey," Daryl calls, nudging her arm to calm her down.

Sakiko huffs, stomping further away from the men.

"She's still a little spit fire, I see," Merle comments.

"Man, she was just coming out of her shell," Nanami defends.

"Yeah, I saw the two love birds," Merle hums with a grin.

Sakiko's steps halt and she turns on her heels to stare at the man.

"You's getting close and cuddly with the pizza boy's brother, eh?"

"Shut up!" Sakiko snaps.

She didn't want to be out here. She wanted to be back home, at the prison, preferably in Ryan's arms. How dare Merle bring him up when she was so close to going over the edge in her anger?

"What? I'm just calling it like I see it," Merle shrugs.

Sakiko begins toward him, Daryl stepping between with his back to Sakiko, "Just drop it, bro."

Merle rolls his eyes, "Do none of you have any sense of humor? We's supposed to be family so why the hell can't Uncle Merle-"

"We're not family, asshole," Sakiko insults.

Daryl pretends that didn't hurt him.

"You're the junkie that bought from my junkie dad. It just so happens that you're Daryl's brother- but you're nothing more than that druggie that came by every other week."

"Your dad," Merle chuckles.

"Merle," Daryl warns.

"You mean the guy we was gonna drop you off to when shit hit the fan?" Merle recalls.