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chapter sixty-two | the starry night
THE MIDDLE BROTHER watched his older sister climb on the back of Daryl's motorcycle, waving goodbye after he opened the gate for them to leave. Carl helped him close it before walker came too close, bidding him a see you later before leaving his side too. Ethan stayed at the front gate and waited until he couldn't see his sister or hear the rumble of the motorcycle anymore.
The teen didn't agree with Laurel's reasoning for going to look for the Governor, joining Daryl, her boyfriend. She tried to ignore that Ethan didn't know they were a thing, avoiding the conversation whenever they near the topic. Ethan didn't care too much to bring it up, but like any brother, he likes to tease.
Ethan barely remembered Laurel's last boyfriend. That was when their parents were alive and when Laurel was still a teenager herself. It's been a while since Laurel put herself out there, and as much Ethan didn't particularly like Daryl, just because of Ethan's own issues with Daryl's past brother, he could see clear as day how much Daryl cared about his sister. He appreciates it.
Laurel wasn't around much when she lived with their family, he remembers the fights, the cops, and pretending he didn't hear her sneaking out from her room next to his when she was grounded. He always hated the fact his sister was the reason they couldn't be a family, a real one, and why their house was always filled with yelling. Laurel always had to do something that would ruin the day.
But, she made up for most of it the moment she got herself straight. She moved out, got a job in the city, and would visit almost every weekend. Their relationship got better then, but he still had a part of him that hated her because of how she ruined a lot for their family.
She was the one that told him he was an orphan, and she never left his side after that. She helped him go through rehab therapy, waited by his bedside, and was there when he woke up from every surgery. It was hard in the beginning, going through so much change. He lost his parents, friends, home, his legs barely worked, and almost everything he's ever known was gone. But, Laurel always somehow made it better every time he walked into their apartment. Even if they fought almost every day.
Laurel always took care of him and Cassie. Laurel took care of everyone and it was nice to see someone take care of her for once as Daryl does.
"Ethan!"
Ethan turned to someone yelling his name bringing him out of his daze. Glenn waved from a little up the hill towards the courtyard, and Ethan started to jog toward him.
"What's up?" Ethan asked once he met up with him.
Glenn sighed, "need you to go to the fences, it's starting to get busy after they left."
The teen shrugged, "alright."
"Thanks, man."
They parted ways and Ethan made his way back down to the fences, grabbing a crowbar from a barrel on the side before joining the small group to take care of the walkers lining up. He stabbed the walkers through the holes of the fence absentmindedly for a while, not even noticing his arms starting to cramp up.
