The twins' birthday wasn't much of a celebration. Shinsuke was high and forgot it was even coming up and the two in question didn't bother with reminding him.

They spend the day at the diner where Janet had made them a birthday cupcake each, sliding them both ten bucks and her treasured strawberry candies.

"We're gonna be closed for awhile after this week," she advises, "Chef's wife is down bad sick and he's gonna take of to be with her and just in case he catches it. He doesn't wanna get anyone else sick by coughing in their fries."

Janet laughs as Sakiko eyes her fries suspiciously.

They'd told Daryl that was their plan the day before, but they were both still surprised when the man himself walked into the doors and sought them out with his eyes.

"Wow, I thought you wouldn't have been one for birthdays," Sakiko comments.

"'m not. Just thought you two are," Daryl shrugs, tossing some money on the table for them, "Pay for your food with it."

He picks at the bags in his hand, before forcing himself to be strong. Why was he nervous over handing kids some random crap he'd found around he and Merle's shack? Why did these two have him in a grapple that he actually came to this damn diner on this day?

"Here," he speaks, tossing the two plastic bags to the kids.

Nanami picks his up first, finding a cross necklace and pocket knife laying on a jacket that Daryl had outgrown.

Sakiko glances to Daryl before picking up her bag, seeing a pretty necklace, pocket knife, and lighter.

"Cool," Nanami comments, picking up the pocket knife.

"His is bigger," Sakiko teases.

"It's a jacket," Daryl explains, leaning on the booth and picking at his thumb nail, "Winter's comin'. Figure you could use it."

"He gets a jacket to stay warm and I get a lighter to stay warm?" Sakiko wonders, picking up the lighter.

"It was mine. We always see each other outside the shop- that's one I got when I smoked my first."

"You're telling a fourteen year old to smoke? That has to be a felony," Nanami hums.

"I ain't.." Daryl sighs, "Do you want it, or not?"

"Of course I want it!" Sakiko glares, pulling her bag to her chest, "What about the necklace? It's pretty."

Daryl looks to Nanami, "That one was mine. Thought it might fit you."

Nanami nods, slipping the cross over his head. Sakiko looks up to Daryl, the one with a flower on it in her hand.

"'s my mom's. Found it going through some of our old stuff," Daryl tells her.

Sakiko smiles a bit, unhooking the necklace and placing it around herself and hooking it on. Daryl's lips twitch as he looks to the item that had a new home on the girl.

"I gotta head back. I'll see y'all later on," Daryl pats the booth.

"Oh.." Sakiko frowns before forcing a smile, "Okay, then. Thank you for this."

"Thank you, Daryl," Nanami adds himself.

Daryl gives a short nod before ducking back out of the bar, the kids able to hear his bike start up and drive away.

Sakiko picks up the lighter, flicking it like she'd seen Daryl do before, yelping as the flame singes her finger.

"Yeah, maybe just use it as decoration," Nanami pokes at her with a smile.

She shrugs, picking up the pocket knife. She wondered just how many Daryl must have that he didn't mind giving the twins one each. Opening it, she can't deny the feeling in her chest that made her feel safer with the weapon in her grasp.

As Nanami tries on the jacket, Sakiko laughs as it was still a bit too big for him, "You'll have a growth spurt one day."

"Shut up," Nanami scrunches his nose, pulling the sleeves up out of his way to continue his meal.

--

Daryl found himself sitting at the bar that night, Merle's temporary salvation long forgotten once again. Though Merle was right in the middle of the chaos, Daryl kept to himself at the bar. His eyes watched Merle- envy, annoyance, longing, jealousy, and about a dozen other emotions in his mind and chest.

Daryl could be like Merle, more so than he already is. He could order a drink from the busty bartender, down it in seconds, maybe get lucky with one of the more desperate women here, and wake up with a headache and plans to do it all over again. He could do that, really. It looked easy enough. It was all he knew to do even though he hadn't even partaken in those events.

But, why was he thinking of those damn kids again?

Daryl spent his birthdays alone, at least they had each other. Why was he angry about them having to do that, though? Why could he not stop thinking about that new bruise he saw on Nanami's arm when he was shuffling through the bag? Why had he cared to pay attention so much that he knew said bruise was new to begin with?

Pity. Daryl pitied them because he knew their life was like his when he was their age.

Will Dixon was probably rolling in his grave at the revelation of Daryl giving a shit about someone that had a different last name than them.

Daryl hated the crowd here, he decides. He was going to find Merle and they were going to go to their shack of an excuse of a house that Merle called home. Or if Merle insisted, Daryl would just walk home and chance Merle getting his third DUI. Still, he figured to tell the elder brother so he knew the younger didn't completely abandon him. Daryl wasn't like Merle there, that much he was sure of.

Wrapping his jacket around his shoulders, he looks over the crowd for Merle. Though awkward, he soon finds himself going through the crowd to try and find his brother.

"Merle!" he calls above the chitter-chatter and music.

It takes what feels like hours until Daryl catches sight of Merle and makes his way to him only for his blood to run cold at the man he was talking to.

"Hey, baby brother," Merle greets, "You know Shinsuke, right?"

Daryl had half a mind to scoff at his brother's horrible butchering of his dealer's name.

"Mm," Daryl nods, eyeing Shinsuke up and down, "I'm headin' out. You comin'?"

"I need the truck for a bit. Last minute deal," Merle vaguely implies, flicking his finger between himself and Shinsuke, "We can head out after if you wanna tag along."

Daryl nods slowly, agreeing to the terms. Follow Shinsuke home, make sure he doesn't start any shit, and maybe make sure the kids are all right for the night.

Daryl could handle those change of plans.

--

Daryl had driven himself and Merle to the Otani household, staying a safe distance away from the man of said family as he veered precariously in between the lines of the road.

Once they pull into the driveway, they see the living room lights on and door standing wide open. Merle doesn't question when Daryl gets out with them and walks to the house. When Daryl catches sight of limping prints of steps in on the ground and blood, he had to fight every nerve in his body that screamed to run inside.

Merle and Shinsuke don't notice those tracks and walk inside. Daryl follows closely only to freeze in the doorway at the sight.

Sakiko was on the floor in front of the couch, knees to her chest as her eyes were wide in fear- entire body tense. Nanami was in the kitchen with water running, bitterly washing the blood away from his arms and hands.

"The hell happened?" Shinsuke asks, Sakiko jumping in fright and Nanami startling as he looks to them.

The twins look to each other with similar expressions before both eyes fall to Daryl.

Daryl inspects the scene closer to find the pocket knife he'd given Nanami was on the floor covered in blood, finally noticing Sakiko holding hers in a clenched fist.

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

hi i love my twins

hi i love daryl

i love their relationship i-