ORDER (sequel to Trouble) [TWD]

young love

Daryl Dixon was going in circles.

Every track he saw felt like a dead-end, his mind already too far gone to focus on the task at hand. No sleep, no eating, no.. anything, really- was beginning to take a toll on him as he searched through towns and woods alike to find Sakiko.

Beth's blabbering about 'needing a drink' wasn't helping matters. Seriously, Sakiko was just a year younger than Beth and even though she had her moments, Sakiko wasn't as dense as the farmer's daughter.

"They could've gotten out," Beth reminds for the hundredth time since yesterday.

"She did," Daryl absentmindedly nods, eyes scanning the map he'd found in the bar.

Beth picks at her nails, wondering what she could say to ease the man's nerves. They were in similar positions, yet still opposite.

Beth couldn't find her parent while Daryl couldn't find his kid. They were in the same boat, really.

When her words run thin, Beth decides to clear out the bottom of the bar for anything to get her mind off the awkwardness.

--

"I spy something.. turquoise," Ryan decides.

"What the fuck is 'turquoise'?" Sakiko blinks.

"Blue."

"Stop trying to be smart, we never finished fifth grade."

Ryan cracks a smile, shaking his head, "Whatever. Something blue."

"The sky?" she points her knife upwards.

"Nope," Ryan shoots down.

"That sign," she points.

"Nope."

"I give up," she huffs, dragging her feet.

"You can't give up after two guesses."

"Then, give me a hint."

Ryan purses his lips, pretending to 'sneakily' look over her frame before diverting his eyes.

"Are you checking me out?" she glares.

"No-"

"Just because I have boobs doesn't mean you can just look and-"

"Sakiko!" Ryan complains, tossing his head to look up at the sky, "No."

Sakiko gives a weary look before glancing down at her shirt, finally catching sight of the necklace around her neck, "My necklace?"

"Yes!" he groans, "God, Kiko."

Sakiko hums a sound of approval, pinching the little necklace between her fingers with a small smile. As their steps continue, Ryan wonders-

"Daryl give that to you?"

"Mhm," she nods once, "For our birthday."

'Our'.. The word feels like a blade in Ryan's skin.

Sakiko had yet to stop referring to herself in multiple terms. Most things were 'us' or 'we'. Everything was still she and Nanami.

But, Nanami was dead. And Sakiko was far from being over it.

She hadn't talked about that day very much. She had told him and Daryl of how she'd found Merle in the woods and refused to leave him behind. How they'd ambushed the Woodbury soldiers and stood their ground. How the Governor shot Merle and Merle slid Sakiko that blade she used to kill the Governor.

Then, her words faltered. She didn't talk about how there was another man left that had shot her in the back. She didn't dare mention what it was like- bleeding out as both Merle and the Governor turned only feet away from her.

If she's honest, Sakiko doesn't remember much of it. Maybe it was lost through the pain of getting shot- or maybe it was so scary she blocked the entire thing from her mind. Sometimes, there are flashes of that day in her mind.

When Judith had tossed her bowl on the ground after eating and Sakiko remembered seeing the slash of the blade in the Governor's throat.

When she'd touched a gun for the first, and last time, only to remember the sight of herself shooting those Woodbury men.

When Carl had slammed a door after an argument with his dad and she could faintly recall locking herself in that room when the Governor had turned.

Sakiko feared the day it all came back. The day she could remember it all from Merle turning to hearing of Nanami's death.

"How come you told me he was your stepdad?" Ryan asks- trying to get her mind off the past of the world before.

"Because you were annoying and I didn't believe you when you said Glenn was your brother."

"Why would you not believe that?"

"Glenn is like a thousand times cooler than you."

Ryan stops in his tracks, causing Sakiko to look back at him. He places a hand to his chest, feigning a pained look in his eyes.

"Ouch..?" he mutters, giving her a dirty look.

"Man up," she wrinkles her nose.

Ryan squares his shoulders, stomping toward her with 'manly pride' and once he's in front of her, he pushes her- though immediately catching her.

"Ryan!" she complains, a smile growing on her face.

"Is this manly enough?" he asks, wriggling his face in front of hers as if he were being 'threatening'.

"Horrifying," she notes, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and booping his nose.

Ryan scoffs, helping her stand up straight before they continue walking- his arm securely around her shoulders as hers drops to his waist.

"Hey," she knocks her hip into his, "I think we're getting close to the tracks. Should we follow them to a nearby town? Maybe we can find a map?"

"You're the tracker. I am just the follower."

"Not sure how smart it is to follow my lead.."

"You burn, I burn. We're in this hellhole together, baby!" Ryan teases, planting a dramatic kiss on her head.

Sakiko giggles, curling deeper into his arms as they stumble together through the wooded area.

Sakiko had spent a lot of time alone. Both against her will and as she was running away. She'd spent a large part of the first year into the apocalypse in woods like these with only her own voice.

Then, Nanami. And Daryl. And Merle. And the rest of the group- but mainly her family.

Ryan made her feel safe and even though it was just the two of them- Sakiko wasn't sure she'd ever feel 'alone' as long as Ryan was there.

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

i protecc my babies 🥺💞