HEART FOR BRAINS • the walking dead

023: come back home

Rio glared up at the man, standing in place as he stared back. Merle leant closer, pretending to scrutinise him and the boy took a step back.

"You're shitting me?" Merle laughed, reaching for Rio which his one hand. He squirmed under the man's touch and turned away. "God, lighten up. What's the matter with you?"

"Come on." He continued taunting, prodding him. "Daryl's back, he's missed you all so very much."

Rio just grimaced and looked the man up and down.

"What?" Merle scoffed, looking to Daryl and then back to Rio. "You not speak or something, you re—."

"Don't you dare finish that sentence." Glenn interjected, standing by the side of the boy.

The other man simply laughed in his face, an unsettling expression over him. "Long time no see, amigó."

"Not long enough." Glenn spat as he walked away, dragging Rio with him. He didn't object, clinging to Glenn's arm. Not until he saw Axel's dead body on the floor, a hole straight through his head. There were many more in his torso.

Rio's breath hitched and Glenn tore him away from the scene. He headed straight back into the cell block. Maggie caught up to them and Rio looked back once to see Carol making her way over to Daryl.

"Why is he here?" Glenn muttered to himself. "He can't seriously expect us to let him stay here. Piece of shit."

Maggie made a noise of agreement, before sitting down on her bunk. Glenn sat besides her and Rio just paced the room.

"Sweetie, come sit down."

"He's a dick." Rio shook his head back at her. "He did that to Glenn," he pointed at the boy's bruised face, "he tried to kill you both and now he wants to come back. Why did Daryl even bring him? Have you even heard the stories he tells about Merle?"

"I haven't." Maggie sighed.

"I mean, why is Daryl back? He left for days and didn't even bother to say goodbye, so why is he back?"

"I don't know."

"But i'm glad he's back. I think. I missed him. I don't know." Rio groaned, running a hand through his hair.

"Don't work yourself up, come on sit down." Maggie ushered him over and he sat on the bed between them, leaning his back against the wall.

There was a fuss outside, followed by the loud clanging of the prison bars and a lock. Shouts followed and the boy let out a sigh as he slumped further into the bed.

"What the hell, man?" Rio heard Daryl shout from the hall. Glenn and Maggie got up to see what the commotion was about, Rio slipping under their arms to see for himself.

Merle latched onto the bars he was trapped behind and Rick held the keys in his hand. He stepped back as Daryl inched forward, shouting.

"He's got to stay in there." Rick answered him.

"Come on." The man whined.

"He's a threat. We locked Michonne up." Rick defended, pointing at the woman behind him.

"Because we didn't know her. We know Merle, I know Merle." Daryl tried to justify. That was the thing, they knew Merle, knew what he was capable of.

"We know him." Rick let out a dry laugh. "He took them hostage," the man gestured to Glenn and Maggie who stood in the doorway to their cell behind Rio. "Nearly took the damn kid too."

"Fine." Daryl huffed.

"Fine?" Merle raised his voice.

"Fine." He repeated before making his way up to his perch.