Your Crying Shoulder

Scars

Daryl's pov

I did the best i could to not stumble after the old man. I've only had a bottle, if had a lot more before so this shouldn't be affecting me. For some reason my heart felt like it was poundin outta my chest and I felt nervous. Why was I nervous because of some old man? As I entered the room, I shut the door harder than I meant to. Looking around the room, I noticed it was smaller than mine and mae's. It even had a bookshelf in it. Rolling my eyes, I watched Richard stumble over to the chair. I quickly reacted and grabbed onto his arm helping him to remain standing.

"Thanks so much daryl, these old bones aren't as strong as they once were" he chuckled up at me.

Arching an eyebrow, I kept my grip on him as I helped him sit on the couch. When I let go when I knew he was seated, it was then that I realized how thin he was. He had gotten way thinner since I had brought him and his family back to camp. It was kinda uncomfortable even since I knew for a fact Mae had been sneakin her food to him. Silence surrounded the room as I started to awkwardly rub the back of my neck with my hand,

"Ummm where's dale?"

"He's in the shower and then I believe he went to check on Andrea." Richard smiled.

Nodding, I waited for him to talk, but he just kept starring at me. Alright this is weird as hell. If this all we're gonna be doin then I'm out, I had better things to do.

"So was there a point in you callin me in here or...?" I asked.

"What did you do before all this daryl?" He asked.

My eyes widened in confusion. Why the hell does that matter? I didn't say anything and the man chuckled,

"You don't talk much do ya son?"

"Don't have much to talk about" I grunted looking anywhere else but at him.

"I don't believe that. I don't believe that one bit. I think you have a lot to talk about. A story all your own, but you're afraid to tell it....just like Mae." He said.

My head immediately snapped towards Richard. Did he know about hat happened to her?

"I know what she went through. She doesn't think I do, but her mom told me everything. I see it in her eyes. The same look I see in her eyes, I see in yours" he said.

My heart was pounding again as I started messing with the bottle in my hands And adverting my eyes to the ground. I heard him sigh,

"You don't have to tell me and I'm not expecting you to, but I see the way you two act around each other and I see the way she looks at you."

My head snapped up once again In his direction,"what you mean the way she looks at me?"

"With trust" he smiled.

"She don't look at me no different then the way she looks at Rick" I grunted.

"No...she does, you both are just too stubborn to see it, but I do. You're very protective of her" he said.

"You gettin to a point?" I asked annoyed.

I was getting very uncomfortable talking to him. The way I act around Mae isn't his concern. It ain't no ones! He arched an eyebrow at me and then chuckled,

"My point daryl is that she's gonna need you."

"She don't need me. She's got you" I grunted.

Chuckling, he shook his head,"for now she does, but I'm getting up there and these bones don't work as well as they use to"

"Stop it. Ya ain't goin anywhere" I grunted adverting my eyes.

"Unfortunately that isn't your decision anymore. If anything happens to me daryl, I want ya to watch after her." He said.

"Stop it" I grunted.

"Look at me son" he said.

"I ain't yer son" I growled, but found myself looking into a desperate mans eyes.

He sighed,"I'm 84 years old. I can't run fast. I can barely travel long distances. I have diabetes. One day there isn't going to be insulin anymore no matter how hard Mae tries. She doesn't want to realize this, but I do. She's strong daryl, she's a survivor and I want to know when I'm gone she'll be taken care of so I'm asking you. She doesn't trust most men, but there's somethin different she sees in you. So please"

"Fine" I grunted.

"Promise me" he said seriously.

I starred into his wrinkly green eyes and saw them begin to water.

"I promise" I said.

Relieved, he smiled at me,"thank you daryl. Really"

I bit my thumb nervously and nodded as I turned to walk away. I gripped the door knob and as I opened the door, I turned back to Richard and said,

"But there's nothin gonna happen to ya. I won't let it"

He smiled and nodded as I walked out into the hall. I took a deep breath as I gripped onto my drink harder. Damn did I need to get drunk.

Mae's pov

For the first time in years I had a hot shower. The only time I had a nice, warm shower was when mom was home. Dad never let me have warm showers and if I did, I would be punished for taking hot water from him. Realizing I probably was in the shower for over 30 minutes, I quickly shut it off and stepped out. The bathroom was steaming because of the hot water I used. I kinda felt bad for taking that long, I hope I didn't take the hot water from daryl. I started brushing my hair and noticed the mirror was completely steamed. I wiped the fog off the mirror and immediately frowned at my reflection. I was skinnier than I was before and as I dropped my towel from around my shoulders, I cringed seeing the marks of my past. Marks that'll never leave me. Covering myself up with my towel, I turned towards the counter and realized I forgot my pjs in the room. Shit! Creaking the door open, I felt some relief to find that daryl wasn't back yet. Quickly running over to my bag, I slipped on some underwear and sweatpants, but I couldn't find a shirt. I dropped my towel drop from my back, but I kept it against my breasts as Dug deeper into my bag. Finally seeing my blue long sleeve shirt, I smiled triumphantly as I grabbed it. My smiling faded about as fast as it came and my body became ice cold as I heard the door close from behind me. Quickly looking into the mirror at the side, I see daryl standing there with his eyes focused on me. My eyes widened as I began to shake and i quickly put the shirt on. Turning towards daryl, my eyes began watering, but his eyes glared at me with anger. I adverted my eyes nervously to the ground as I heard him storm into the bathroom and slam the door causing me to jump. A few tears slid down my cheeks as I sat on my cot with my face in my hands. Daryl had seen my back. Daryl had seen my scars.