Blind ➳ D.D (Pre-Apocalypse)

15. Tears can look like rain

"M-Merle?" Daryl questions with a dumbfounded look of shock and confusion struck upon his face.

"Did ya' miss me?" Merle asks and loudly chuckles in his raspy, Southern voice as if he just made the funniest joke in the world.

After all these years of Daryl talking about Merle, describing him, but not actually letting me see his brother in person, makes my eyes widen at the sight of this hardcore redneck.

He has stubble on his face like Daryl, but more, with short, grey hair to show off his cocky smirk. By his structure he seems pretty built, but that little spark in his eyes tells me that he seems sort of dangerous and sly.

Not like the killing or hurting dangerous. More like the 'let's go set this abandoned house on fire for fun!' sort of dangerous. Typical redneck.

"I thought you were still in jail," Daryl says with a harsh tone.

"Ya' thought wrong Darlina! I got out a couple 'f months ago. Been travelin' a bit, I jus' thought I'd drop in ta get ma bike back and see how ma baby brotha' was doin'! 'Specially since it's his birthday soon."

Daryl stares at him agape while I can't help but notice his cheeks turning a tiny shade of pink.

"Wait, what?" I say. "It's your birthday soon? When?!" After all these years I actually forgot when Daryl's birthdate was.

Daryl looks down at the table.

"Aww, is Darlina bein' a pussy an not tellin' his own girlfriend when his white trash ass was born?"

Daryl grunts and shoots Merle the smallest glare. Daryls icy blue eyes finally meet with mine.

"It's on th' 17th," He mumbles.

"June 17th? You're going to be 19!!" I chuckle. "That's in a couple of days! You'll be so old!"

He starts to smile and I bite my bottom lip, managing to stifle a loud laugh from bursting out of my mouth.

"Yup, yer catchin' up ta me!" Merle laughs.

Daryl silently scoffs. "Barely."

"What was that?" Merle questions with a sharp tone.

"Nothin'," Daryl grumbles back.

"Good." Merle pauses. "Got som' attitude since last time I visited you an Dad."

Once Merle mentions the word Dad I can't help but notice Daryl quickly tense up. From the very long years I used to know Daryl Dixon, I can instantly tell he's uncomfortable. He'd rather be in another place than this one.

We've never talked about his Dad much. How come when Merle mentions him just once Daryl looks like he wants to go die in a hole?

"How is the old bugger? Still livin' with him? Servin' the lazy ass beer while he watches tv and bangs hookers? Shouldn't be usin' yer attitude with him 'er he'll give yer ass one hell of a beati-"

Daryl stands up, interrupting Merle mid-sentence and begins to walk out of the booth.

He passes Merle, both of them bumping shoulders but Daryl keeps on walking to the entrance of the store, his fists clenched by his side.

"Where ya' goin' Darlina?! You forgot to pay fer ya' pie!"

I quickly take a twenty dollar bill out of my jean pocket and place it on the table near the half eaten plate of pie, not bothering to wait for the waitress. More focused on my friend, I walk  right around Merle and towards the way Daryl left.

Once I walk out of the warm store, I enter the cold, rainy outside, hearing Daryl slam the drivers door on his pickup, himself already inside.

I quickly rush over and hop inside before my hair and clothes gets soaked.

"Daryl," I begin, facing him who's just staring at the steering wheel, the occasional raindrop sliding down his face from his slightly wet hair. "What the hell was that all about?"

He just grunts and turns his face away.

"Hey."

I scooch over so I'm sitting right beside him and gently place my fingertips on his left cheek, moving his face back so it's facing me once again.

"Why did you storm out?" I ask, peering up into his eyes that aren't making contact with mine. He doesn't respond. "Daryl?"

I suddenly notice a single tear leak from his eye but he quickly wipes it away with the back of his hand.

That definitely wasn't a raindrop.

"It's nothin'."

I bite my lip at his stubbornness, but decide not to push him, despite the fact I still am confused why he just left and began to almost cry.

The rain pounds on the hood of his truck as I wrap my arms around his side and hug him tightly. He needs this for whatever reason.

"I hope you know I'm always here for you Daryl. You can tell me anything and I will never judge you, you're my best friend after all."

Probably my only one too at the moment, I think to myself.

Hopefully later he'll spill the beans for what just happened in the past ten minutes.

We then silently sit there in his blue, Ford, pickup truck, half hugging, leaving me sitting here with a billion thoughts racing through my head.

The rain just falls down harder.