Red ~ TWD (Daryl Dixon)

Always Remember Us This Way

Daryl POV

I stomped down the hall leading to our room trying to shake the anger and frustration that stuck to me like glue. I knew living at The Sanctuary wouldn't be a walk in the park, but these assholes were wearing on my last damn nerve. Merle said it wasn't their fault, not entirely, that I was being too tough on them. I ain't never seen him be so calm or reasonable. It made even more pissed. If you wanted to survive in this world you had be tough because if you weren't, you were dead. Lord knows I'd buried enough friends along the way to learn that lesson.

It pissed me off they didn't understand that.

It pissed me off that Merle might be right.

It pissed me off I was being forced to play nice with people who'd tried to kill us repeatedly.

Ever since we moved to this shithole I'd be been pissed and it was exhausting.

When I opened the door to our room I saw Red sitting on the bed humming while she strummed a guitar. Her big, green eyes went wide when the door slammed against the wall, but it was the faint hint of a blush on her cheek that stole my breath away. You'd think I'd get used to seeing her like this, wouldn't be a fumbling idiot every time she looked at me, but I didn't think I'd ever get used to loving her. Every time with Red was like the first time. I still had no idea why she picked me, but damn if I wasn't gonna hold on with both hands.

"Bad day at the office honey?" she purred, giving me a lopsided grin. She pushed the guitar off her lap, sitting up straighter like it might somehow hide the instrument behind her thin frame.

"Practicing again?"

I pointed at the guitar, closing the door softly and shrugging out of my vest. She blew a strand of hair out of her eyes, picking up the instrument. Her hair was down, long red strands hanging over her perky breasts, and I had to close my eyes and take a deep breath to keep from pouncing on her like a horny teenager.

"Jesus says I need to practice." Jesus was a smart man. He'd been trying to teach Red to play the guitar for a few weeks and so far the only sound she'd been able to make sounded like a cow being slaughtered. "I think I'm getting better."

Her fingers brushed against the cords, and I braced for the worst but was pleasantly surprised for once. The tune was almost enjoyable. She missed a few cords here and there, her face scrunching up in concentration trying to right the ship and I couldn't help but smile. Red approached learning to play the guitar like she did everything else, jumping in with both feet and beating it into submission.

When she was back on track she smiled up at me and my heart skipped a beat. She started humming, refocusing on the instrument in her lap and I walked towards her. Sinking down on the bed at her side I couldn't tear my eyes away off her. She was oblivious, smiling happily while she continued to hum.

"What song is that?" I asked.

"I don't remember the name. It's something my grandma used to sing when I was little."

The pain that flashed in her eyes pulled at my heart strings. She didn't talk about her family often, but I knew they were always on her mind. She'd lost so much, even before the world ended. Sometimes I wasn't sure where she found the strength to go on, especially in the beginning, but I suppose that was just who she was. The word surrender wasn't in her vocabulary.

"Will ya play it for me?"

Her hands stilled, the soft music filling our cramped room stopping abruptly. "I uh...I don't think I'm ready for that."