(Just a warning that there is language in this part that I usually wouldn't use except for a certain character. Just warning you all!)
Walking down the stairs and into the small kitchen area that had been set up, it was late evening and by now most people had gone off to bed. But you were still up, and apparently so was Merle Dixon.
His head tilted against the wall, his legs bent and spread slightly as he slouched on the metal bench in the cell he sits in.
"You got him so whipped." His raspy southern voice spoke up, ending the dead silence in the room.
Turning around, you face him with a confused look growing on your face.
"Who?"
He lets out a laugh, one that grumbled from low in his throat but wasn't a full clear laugh. More of one you'd expect from a big smoker... But then again it did fit him.
"My baby brotha." His accent was present in everything he said, but it differed from Daryl's. Daryl's was smoother, and richer; like honey. Merle's accent burned into you like bad whisky; hard to swallow down without feeling a sting.
You let out a snort, walking closer to him and pulling a chair up to the bars to sit down. "What are you talking about?"
Picking at his the dirt under his thumbnail, Merle shakes his head at you. "You some sorta blind bitch?"
Merle had always been blunt, rude and really just an asshole ever since you met him. Which caused you sometimes to wonder how it was possible that one brother was a drug addicted, womanizing prick, and the other was a quiet, decent guy. A good man.
"You don't see the way my brotha follows ya around like some damn puppy dog?"
"Or the way he looks at 'cha, like some love sick pussy."
Shooting him a glare for his continuing use of bad language, you think back for a moment. Trying to see things Merle is describing but you can't.
"We aren't like that," You try explaining. "we're just friends."
Merle grunts, "Friends my ass!"
"So what are you saying? He likes me more than a friend?" You ask, annoyed with him. You could only spend so much time with Merle Dixon, and you were beginning to wonder if five minutes was pushing it.
Merle claps sarcastically, "There ya go, finally catchin up with the rest of us now huh?"
"You have to be joking Merle," You shake your head at him, not seeing it. "Daryl would tell me. And there's no way he likes me. In that way."
"And," Merle holds the word out for a couple second before slapping his hand down on his leg. "we lost ya."
Letting out a sigh you stand up, putting the chair back to where it originally was.
"Why don't 'cha ask him yourself," Merle calls out to you as you are a step away from leaving this part of the prison. "unless ya think the truth 'ill scare ya."
Your hand paused on the key in the lock, but you finally forced yourself to unlock it. Leaving him and heading up to your cell.
Walking past the room Beth sits in journaling away and the cell that Maggie and Glenn hold each other in as they sleep. Walking to the end where yours is and changing into the clothes you use as pajamas.
Slipping onto the matters, under the red and grey wool blanket you had found on a run you shut your eyes, hoping to fall asleep fast.
But just to your luck, sleep doesn't come. Instead you lay there staring up at the concrete ceiling, all of Merle's crazy words echoing in your head.
Running your palms over your face, you throw the covers off you. Getting up, you walk back down the hallway. Your bare feet freezing with each step on the cold prison floor.
Reaching just the cell you were looking for, you see the glow from a small candle on the nightstand table beside the bed.
"Daryl?" You voice bounces off the walls, making his head snap up. There was a bed sheet hanging in the doorway, giving him a little bit of privacy. But you push it to the side, sticking your head in but not going in completely.
He made it clear he didn't want to sleep in a cage like cell, but as winter came again everything became colder. And inside a cell was warmer then the perch.
"Hm?" He hums softly, as he sits up in the bed. You can tell from the clothing he has on, and the awake look on his face that he hasn't tried sleeping yet.
"Can I come in?"
He nods slowly, placing the arrow he was tossing back and forth in his hands down.
The moment you walk into the dimly lit room, you wish you had changed what you were wearing. Or at least out on pants. You wear a long black shirt that passes down to your thighs, making it seem like the shorts you wear aren't even there.
"You cold or somethin?" Daryl asks, as you sit silently beside him.
Raising your eyebrows you look over at him, "What?"
"Ye came here for somethin, He slowly begins. "and ye ain't wearing much for a winter night."
Red floods to your cheeks making you stutter as you try replying.
"No, I uh..." Shaking your head, Daryl looks at you unphased by the way you stutter. "had something I wanted to ask you."
"At this hour?"
"You aren't making this easy are you?" You mutter under your breath, letting out a deep sigh.
"Look," You pause to look over him again. "your brother was telling me some things."
Daryl rubs the back of his neck, "What kind a bullshit he tell you this time?"
"I wouldn't call it that." You express you him, shaking your head softly.
"Oh yeah? Ain't nothin good I can tell ye that."
"Daryl," You sigh, getting a bit annoyed with his negativity. "what he told me.. Was about you."
That only makes his roll his eyes, "Course it was."
"Look," You hand reached out and rests on his thigh. "he said some things and I need to know if they're true."
"A'right." He grunts, leaning his head back against the wall.
"He told me that you," You swallow the nervous lump growing in your throat. "like me."
Daryl chews on his thumbnail, shrugging. "Ye alright."
That makes you let out a soft breathy laugh, "No. I mean, like more than a friend."
His eyebrows bend in confusion, and you let out a frustrated sigh. Realizing he still isn't getting this.
"He thinks you might have feelings for me," You tell him. "like romantically."
After trying to explain it again, you can see the moment he understands what you are saying. The way his face goes a tint of pink and he instantly grows defensive.
"He's a lying--"
"Daryl," You whisper softly, touching his hand. "please don't. I just, I need to know if it's true."
A battle goes on in his mind, and you can see him fighting all the options he has going on in his head.
Lie. Storm out. Lie. Beat up Merle. Lie.
But instead he shrugs, defeated. "Guess he ain't wrong."
Suddenly, you feel warm and your heart picks up pace.
"Really?" You breathe out, as he finally looks at you.
"Ye gonna leave now that 'cha know?" Daryl asks you, and you can see that glimmer of fear in his eyes. Fear of rejection.
"No," You whisper sliding closer to him, a small smile playing on your lips. "I'm not leaving."
"Not going anywhere."
A/N: I wasn't sure about this one, almost deleted it, but decided to post it and see what you guys thought of it. I like some parts of though. Hope you guys like it!
