Daryl woke up to the sound of Merle arguing with his pocket dog. He didn't quite know what possessed Merle to name thing Zeus but here they were. He was awake to the sound of Merle having a legitimate conversation with the dog on the merits of if human food was going to upset it's delicate stomach.
"Good morning." Daryl said. A yawn stretching his whole body.
Merle was banging around the kitchen now in some semblance of cooking. It was a Saturday and neither of them would be working today. Daryl wouldn't start until next week anyways. He was looking forward to having something to do. Since leaving the base he'd been bored out of his mind. Well since leaving his station he'd been bored. Nothing to sink his hands into.
He took a cup of coffee and walked out front. He was already completely dressed and ready for the day. Teacup, which he decided was what he was going to call Merle's dog, followed him out the door. He set on the porch swing and just took in the calm neighborhood. It was a far cry from where he'd come from as a child. He'd never be caught dead here before. They'd run him off if he had.
"Hey neighbor!" A woman called out.
He didn't know the voice and swiveled his head around. It was a dark headed woman and he felt his insides curdle. He recognized her. It was Lori Sheffield from highschool. He felt his blood run cold for a mere moment before he shoved it away.
Waving back and nodding at her wasn't enough to detur her from walking towards him. He wanted to get up and go inside. Maybe she matured after so many years. Maybe she wouldn't recognize him.
"You're Daryl, right?" Lori chattered. "I'm Lori. We went to high school together."
She waited for a few seconds but didn't seem to need him to have a conversation.
"Well Merle said his brother was coming back from a tour of duty." Lori smiled brightly. "Now my husband is a cop here in town and I worry every day he wont come home.I don't know how Merle's done this for years worrying for his brother like this."
Daryl felt irrational anger spike through him but kept it at bay. He wasn't a child anymore.
"Hard to say really." Daryl acknowledged.
"Well we have a weekly cookout! Yall ought to come." Lori cheered and patted herself on the back. "You'd like Rick and Shane, Shane's his partner."
Daryl nodded. "I'll mention it to Merle."
"You do that! It'll be tomorrow. If you can't make that one next week same time." Lori simpered before swirling around on her heels and trotting right back across the grass.
What fresh hell did he wake up in that Lori was inviting him and Merle to cookouts. What had Merle been up to since he left that he was even on this side of town. Even worse was what if he hadn't been and their parents were closer than they already were to them.
"See you talked to Lori." Merle laughed. "Sweet little thing to look at aint she."
"She's something."
"She trying to get you to come to the cookout?"
Daryl nodded and sipped his coffee. Merle handed him a plate full of food and set down at his own chair. Daryl began chipping away at his food much like he did in the military.
"Yes."
Merle hummed, "It's always a hilarious bit of shit over there. I've been a few times."
"Since when do you do cookouts with the Sheffields and cops?"
"Since they want to keep their mechanic happy." Merle waggled his brows, "No one wants to pay more than they have too. Plus free food. Officer friendly can cook."
When he finished eating he took his plate inside with Merle close behind. It almost felt like when he was a teen again. Merle always looking over his shoulder making sure he wasn't being stupid. Only now he was an adult. He didn't need looked after anymore but he supposed it would take Merle a awhileto get used that.
