AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you for reading, following and commenting.
This Chapter is all about Daryl..
DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Walking Dead or its characters
Apologies in advance for any spelling and grammatical errors. Thoughts in Italics
Mixing Business With Pleasure
Chapter 3
"Home is where I lay my head so under the stars, I'll make my bed!"
Daryl quotes his Gramps as he lays beneath the open sky, staring up at the starry night thinking back to all those long summers and short winters he and Merle went camping with the man who taught them everything they needed to know about the woods, the wilderness and living a good and decent life with the bare necessities. They were the most cherished memories he held, happy memories he liked to look back on.
He couldn't complain about his new life, he shouldn't - there were less struggles, more opportunities but more importantly, his mom was happy and living the life she deserved to live, even Merle had cleaned up his bad boy persona and was making an effort with the change of society they had accidently fallen into. Fifteen years ago, if someone had told him, he and Merle would be respected businessmen that people looked up to in the future, he would have rolled over on the ground in fits of laughter but it was reality, people had started respecting them and even went as far as calling them, Mr Dixon and Sirs!
It took time to get used to the change in life and it was more of an effort and challenging for him in the transition. He felt he didn't always fit in - neither did Merle but Merle was Merle, full of bullshit, a showman. Merle could adapt into any circle or situation and know how to talk the talk and walk the walk and had everyone eating out from the palms of his hands. Merle's most reliable traits had not faded away with a change of scenery but evolved.
His remained the same - he's always been shy and reserved and chose to linger in the background; looking in from the outside and preferring to concentrate on the actual work. He liked the whole concept of taking an idea from his mind, putting it down onto paper and then re-constructing it into the real world. The end result was always professionally and personally satisfying. His Gramps built his own cabin in the woods, it wasn't the kind of shack he and Merle grew up in, it was better and something to be proud of. The cabin was his Gramps' pride and joy and he gathered construction must have always been in his blood and that filled him with joy, to be a little like his hero. He knew the old man would be clinking his beer bottle with his best friends up in heaven boasting of their achievements. He smiles up at one star that shines the brightest, he raises his bottle up and then take a swig from it.
Letting the cold beer course through his body, he closes his eyes. The downside of property development was mingling with people, getting people interested and to believe in their ideas and their developments and that meant a lot of promoting and getting their names out there. After years of hard labour; blood, sweat and tears and going head to head with business rivals - they had a business and name to be proud of. He just didn't like the parties, the schmoozing and ass-kissing that goes along with it all. He loved his job but he loathed the publicity that came with it whereas Merle loved the attention, did all the promoting, got the word out, brought in the investors and buyers but everyone wanted to meet him, the brains behind the whole operation and so he had to do the meet and greets and make small talk. It was hard and awkward when and all eyes are always on him, scrutinizing him. He hated that, everyone watching his every move but he endured it all for his mom and for Merle.
But looking around the familiar environment, he felt like this was where he belonged and he always returned to this spot when life suddenly became complicated. Here was uncomplicated and simple, even those memories of him and Merle scraping away with their Gramps letting them carry on so because it was an outlet to get things off their chests and neither of them meant any malice when they got down and dirty. He wishes he could go back in time when all he had to worry about was, if he was using the right fish bait and annoying Merle not thinking about the other night when things just went downhill when he thought it had gone alright.
Flashback – Daryl at 7 seven years' old
"Reel it in Daryl, that's it son! Easy does it, steady - steadyyyy!" Gramps crouches down beside Daryl at the edge of the lake encouraging him "That's it, just like that!" smacking his hands together.
"I gottit Gramps, I gottit!" Daryl shrieks out wide eyed when his little rod bends, bracing himself as he reels the line in and up jumps out of the water, a three-pound bass attached to the hook wiggling at the end "I caught another one!" He says more surprised than the last time.
"Yea ya did, and WOHOOOO! look at that beauty! We're gonna eat like Kings tonight!" Gramps laughs out loudly, his voice travels back to Merle who was tinkering about with his bike, stops to look up watching Gramps helping Daryl pull the fish in and drop it into the bucket with the dozen others. He smiles over at the pair and returns his attention back to his bike.
"Hey Merleeee!" Daryl called out "This one looks like you!" He picked up the ugliest pouted bass in the bucket, runs over and dangles it in front of his older brother.
"Looks more like my butthole!" Merle smirks as he begins to yank down his jeans.
"Ewwww, that's nasty!" Daryl screws up his face, slaps Merle on his bare butt with the slimy fish and sets off running with Merle right on his heels chasing after him.
"Good grief!" Gramps rolls his eyes whilst pulling out his pocket knife.
"Ya wanna see ma fishin' rod?" Merle asks teasingly.
"Hell no grossss! Gramps!" Daryl yells for help as he jumps over the log.
"Ya get that nasty thing out and I'll use this huntin' knife right here ta perform a minor surgery and you'll never get to use it again Meryl!" Gramps promises as the light from the sun hits the sharp edge of the blade making it sparkle.
"Yea Meryl!" Daryl scoffs "Get away you buggabutt or I'll slap ya silly!" he yells chucking the fish back but Merle catches up to him, lifts him up and dangles him down from his legs.
"What was that Darlyna?"
"Ya heard me ya Snozcumber!"
Daryl's scrawny little fists go swinging and he lands a few punches at Merle's shin which only makes him chuckle "That tickles, swing harder boy!"
"Like this?" Daryl enquiries with a grin balling up his fist and ramming it right in Merle's crotchal region "Timberrrrrr!" and the eldest Dixon goes down like a falling tree.
"I may be small, but I'm King of the Woods!" Daryl towers over Merle sprinkling leaves over his body, adding insult to injury as Merle rolls around on the ground cussing like a true redneck.
"Boys, get ya nasty keisters over here!" Gramps barks "Merle, stop bein' a weenie and get the frying-pan goin' and Daryl, it's time ya learn how to gut a fish properly, get over here!" Gramps orders.
"Yes sir!" The troublesome twosome responds.
Merle carries Daryl like a sack of potatoes to where their Gramps is sat preparing his tools to clean and gut the fishes. He deposits Daryl by dropping him down next to Gramps as he walks off looking for twigs and pieces of wood for the fire, all of them whistling as they work to get dinner prepped, cooked and plated up before nightfall so they could finally relax around the fire.
Flashback Ends
Daryl smirks when he puffs a prefect ring of smoke into the air, the gentle breeze carries it away. Gazing into the dancing flames, he notes there's a primal link between man and fire. It provided warmth and protection from wild animals, light in the dark wilderness, a place to cook food and its magnetic power that attracted and pulled them around it together. The flames of the fire inspired stories, discussions and built a strong bond and companionship between them - him, his brother and their Gramps. A tiny world of their own.
He smiles remembering all those crazy wild stories their Gramps told them, stories that were told over and over, he never got bored of them. And the advices he'd received, guidance's of making the right choices, taking the right path to be a good person and to feel good about himself. He had a lot of issues and insecurities but spending time out in the woods with Merle and Gramps, those insecurities disappeared so he savors those moments, it was those moments that got him through the tough days. A week spent fishing, scavenging food, wandering the woods, admiring breathtaking views, fresh air and dipping into the clear cool creeks - refreshed his mind, body and soul. He felt at peace just being surrounded by the familiar sounds of the trees, the little running creeks and the woodland animals. The simple life. No distractions, no interruptions, just him and nature.
With the crackling of the campfire and the warmth kissing his face, Daryl felt languid and satisfied like a cat curled up lying in a sunlit window. He gives in to his sleep, not ashamed of wanting to be that cat, reaches over to the bucket and drowns the fire with water, mixes the ashes and embers with soil making sure everything was cool and wet.
"Son, take the time to completely put out the campfire, it only takes one sparkle to start a forest fire!" Gramps' advice rings in his ears.
With one final check of the entire pit for possible sparks or embers, he crawls into his tent, zips it up and snuggles inside his sleeping bag. Sleep had taken over as a small chill ambles through the campsite, whistling as it goes. When his brain slows down, his eyes finally close and he dreams of blonde hair, blue eyes, soft pink lips and that everlasting beauty teasing him. He could resist anything but he'd discovered, he couldn't resist Beth Greene. No matter how much he tried to block her out and evade those thoughts of her during the day, they took him over at night.
"Home is where I lay my head so under the stars, I'll make my bed, with you!" He mumbles in his sleep dreaming of laying there under the stars with Beth Greene in his arms.
He was kidding himself. He had tried and he had failed, Beth would always be on his mind.