The sight of the prison fences made tears well up in Sakiko's eyes. She had been walking for so long and she was finally back. She just wanted to tell everyone sorry and never leave her cell again. Maybe lock herself in.

Oscar, the prisoner, was the one to open the gates for her.

"Everyone's been looking for you," Axel, the other prisoner, informs.

Tiredly, Sakiko nods, trudging her way up the long hill to the prison

"Sakiko!"

The sound of her name being called with so much concern made her legs tremble. Carol and Sophia hurry out the fences, making their way to the teen as fast as they could.

"Thank God!" Carol cries, tugging the girl into a hug.

The sudden affection only caused the tears to spill. Weakly, Sakiko clings to Carol as she cries on her shoulder.

There's the distant sound of more people rushing out and Carol pulls Sakiko back so she could see that everyone was coming out to greet her.

Everyone.

"Daryl?" Sakiko whimpers.

Still with a limp, Daryl makes his way down the hill as Sakiko's shaking legs take her up. As tears blinded Sakiko's vision, Daryl found a few of his own slipping down his cheeks. A sob erupts from Sakiko's chest as the pair collide into a hug, Daryl lifting her off the ground to keep her as close as he could.

"Don't you ever go like that again," Daryl orders in her hear.

Sakiko furiously nods her head in assurance that she heard him before hiding her face in the crook of his neck, hands gripped onto the back of his shirt like it was a lifeline.

Over his girl's shoulder, Daryl catches Hershel's eyes. Hershel smiles to him, giving a soft nod to remind Daryl that this was right.

"Never again," Daryl tells Sakiko, kissing her temple.

--

"Glenn and Maggie should be back soon," Ryan informs, "They went looking for you and formula. Daryl just got back earlier and he was planning on going out again later."

"Sounds to me like everyone except you has been looking for me," Sakiko scrunches her nose, "Nice to know who my real friends are."

"After you left, Glenn and I made it outside the gates. Nearly got lost myself looking for you. Was looking all day yesterday with Glenn, too," Ryan reverses.

"Fair enough," Sakiko grumbles, crossing her arms.

"We looked everywhere," Ryan sighs, "But, I knew that you'd come back or we'd find you."

"Don't act like you know me," Sakiko teases, "I tolerate you at most."

"I can hardly stand being in the same room as you," Ryan plays back.

"Your face makes me sick."

"Your voice makes my ears bleed."

The teens keep their ground, bickering back and forth with each other. Somehow, the games were missed more than anything in the world in the two days they'd been apart.

"You're annoying," Sakiko informs.

"So are you," Ryan smiles.

Sakiko had never felt so relieved and safe at the same time.

She stares at Ryan for a few seconds, recalling the days when they'd just met. When those bickering fights were real and she could hardly stand being around him. Now, she never wanted to leave his side.

Taking a bold step forward, Sakiko places her hands on his cheeks and kisses Ryan.

Ryan blinks in surprise as Sakiko steps back. As the reality catches up to him, a smile graces the lips that could still feel hers.

"Gross," Sakiko scoffs, a blush rising on her cheeks.

"Disgusting," Ryan agrees.

Grabbing Sakiko by the side, Ryan tugs her closer to him to reconnect their lips. Sakiko tenses for a moment before relaxing in his hold, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to be closer. Both smile as their kiss continues, now having a new favorite activity other than their play fights.

--

"Are you mad?" Sakiko questions, looking over to Daryl.

Daryl pulls his bow strap closer around his shoulder- the weapon feeling natural on his back after Carl had found it.

"I've run out of anger to you. I's just worried," he admits, "Can't stay mad at you no more."

Sakiko smiles softly, her knife flipping easily in her fingers. She was used to the motion, the thing that seemed to remind her of her brother. But, now she knew what he was like- how much he had changed.

"Daryl," Sakiko sighs, "I need to tell you something."

"If this is about you and Ryan, don't sweat it. Sophia saw and told me."

Sakiko's eyes widen, "Okay.. One- it wasn't about that. Two- I'm so going to ruin her."

Daryl scoffs a laugh, glancing to the walkers outside the fence.

Sakiko shakes her head to get the thought out of her mind, "No.. It's.. It's something else."

"Our run? We can still go," Daryl offers.

"No! I mean.. Yes, I want to go, but.. Can you just let me talk? Since when are you the one full of questions, isn't that my thing?"

"Fire," Daryl chuckles.

"While I was out there.." she begins, trying to figure out the right words.

Looking to the walkers as well, she catches the sight of a familiar weapon and pauses. The sword, the hair, the fierce look in her eyes..

"I met someone.." Sakiko continues, not breaking eyes from Michonne.

Daryl notices her distant gaze, following her sight to also see the woman standing outside the gates with a basket in hand.

"Rick!" Daryl calls, pulling his bow off his back.

"Michonne?" Sakiko asks, trailing off to the fences.

"Kiko!" Daryl shouts, trying to reach her only for the teen to take off into a run.

Rick, Hershel, Carl, and Beth make their way over in a hurry as Daryl takes off after Sakiko.

"What is it?" Rick asks, following behind Daryl.

"Some chick, I don't know!" Daryl exasperates before muttering under his breath, "Goddamn it, Kiko."

Skidding to a stop in front of Michonne, Sakiko grips the fence in front of her, "What are you doing here?"

"Prison.." Michonne heaves, "You were coming here.. Your people.."

"What?" Sakiko asks, looking to Michonne's condition- the walker blood coating her outfit.

"Your people.." Michonne tries again.

At the sound of her voice, the walkers turn their attention to Michonne- seeing past the blood and noting a human's appearance.

Sakiko takes her knife out, stabbing one through the fence beside Michonne as the woman stumbles away.

"Sakiko!" Rick shouts, "What's going on?"

"Rick! You have to help her!" Sakiko calls back, "Hurry!"

Rick and Carl run to the gates opening them up as Rick shouts 'cover' to Sakiko. Sakiko places the heels of her hands over her ears as Rick begins shooting walkers down.

Michonne puts up a fight until the exhaustion and blood loss sets in and she falls to the ground. Sakiko takes a deep breath, forcing her fear aside and running out the gates after Rick and Carl. Bringing a knife back, Sakiko flings it to one of the walkers that lingered above Michonne as Carl shoots the other down.

"Was she bit?" Hershel asks Rick as Rick kneels beside Michonne.

Tugging at her clothes, Rick finds the wound, "Gunshot."

Eyes turn to Sakiko who retrieves her knives and hurries to Rick's side.

"Sakiko, what is this? You know her?" Rick asks her, pulling Michonne up to carry.

"Long story," Sakiko says, still in a daze as she stares at Michonne's face.

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

whos ready for this shit storm bc im not

SAKIKO AND RYAN MY BABIES IM CRY

daryl and sakiko are really my heart and soul i didn't expect to love this bond as much as i do when i first started writing for them

sakiko going from i hate these people to this is my home lemme hug everyine real quick-

my babie 🥺