Mushaboom • Daryl Dixon

2

Daryl

Once we got inside, she left the room. I walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and took out a 2 Popsicles and compress. As she walked back in, I motioned one to her and she shook her head. I threw one back into the freezer and jumped up onto the counter. I sat and watched as she began to poor peroxide onto a towel. It was a routine at this point.

She begin to wipe the blood off my face. For being upset, she was always gentle and calming. We both stayed silent in these kinds of moments. She had me hold the compress to my cheek. I looked around the room as she tended to my nose, but when she started tending to my mouth I looked to her and her eyes.

We both looked away as fast as we looked at each other. I was always too afraid of ruining moments or something- I don't know. When she moved her focus off my face I looked at her. For a moment, her eyes met mine again, but I didn't look away. For being brown they were pretty beautiful. Light brown eyes that matched her wavy hair. Her hair was something else. It was everywhere, but never looked crazy messy-

I flinched as she pressed her hand into my ribs.. I hit him good twice out of the other 15 swing and misses I threw. But I managed to be punched at least 7 times. Kicked twice..

She looked up at me, her face almost expressionless, but I could see something else in her eyes. Pity. How awful. She could tell where my mind had gone so she moved her attention, looking up at me.

She was so small, she still had to look up a ways. I gave a weak smirk, trying to break the tension? I couldn't tell what kind of tension it was so I just ignored it. Her mind shifted when I did this. She looked back to my shirt and she finally spoke up.

"Lift it up." She demanded. I looked at her, silently pleading to leave it alone, but she stood her ground and kept with her hard stare.

"S'nothin' Rache.." I promised, barely audible. She gave me a look and I sighed knowing that I lost this one. I lifted up my shirt a little past my ribs where I knew it was bruised. She let out a weary sigh and looked up at me.

"Was it worth it?" She asked calmly. I stared at her, for a split second I glanced down to her lips, then looked to the floor and begin to chew on my lip. Looking down, I saw the bruises on my ribs and I hated myself for always putting her in the position to take care of me. I brought my eyes up to hers.

"Mhmm" was all I sounded, and nodded. She didn't say anything and continued to examine each bruise. I let my head hang down while she finished up with me.

When she finished, she began to turn away. I jumped down from the counter I lightly grasped her wrist and she quickly met my gaze.

Rachel

When Daryl grabbed me I spun around to meet him. He stared down at me and I stared back with the same intensity. The look he gave me killed me, but I was upset with him.. I was. He stepped closer to me, only inches away.

"Thanks.." he rasped softly. My eyes softened and I went to speak but couldn't. I only nodded. He softly let go, letting his hand slide down past mine, and turned to throw the popsicle sticks away. I let out a breathe I didn't realize I was holding.

I couldn't ever stay angry with Daryl. It was impossible. But him getting himself into trouble was not okay. He would not turn out like his brother and father. He was so much better than that. He had too much heart to stoop to their low selves. Seeing him beaten like that hurt, especially knowing that he had been subjected to abuse since he was about ten. Actually seeing it happen to him was too much. Daryl deserved better. It wasn't fair.