Christmas was in a little over a week now and the twins found themselves occupying the space outside the stores for longer hours in the day as Shinsuke explained that he had a lot of work during the day that they now saw since they were on school break.

Nanami had found that buying a cheap pack of hot packs went a long way in the cold and was quick to share with his sister who had found that drinking three slushy drinks back to back with different flavors only left her with numb lips, a headache, and stomach cramps.

"Come on," Nanami sighs, helping his sister stand, "Let's go home. It's too cold out here."

Sakiko wasn't about to argue, her thighs had also gone numb from the cold concrete and her legs ached in the bitter wind.

Walking back home, they saw that it was a similar sight as there was a vehicle in the driveway. As Sakiko makes her way to the porch, Nanami grabs her jacket to stop her.

"We got in trouble last time we did that. I prepared for this," he reveals, pulling her to the side of the house and to their bedroom window.

Sakiko shivers in the cold, tugging her jacket close and gripping the hot pack tighter as Nanami pulls over an egg crate he'd placed there yesterday when they'd returned home. Once the crate is placed below the window, he climbs on top and shoves the unlocked window open.

He has to jump to make it halfway in the window, grunting in pain as his belt gets caught on the edge of the window. Sakiko giggles at his predicament, stepping onto the crate herself and helping Nanami climb the rest of the way inside. Once he's in, he reaches out to grab Sakiko's hand and help her inside with more struggle.

But, their efforts pay off as they successfully make it secretively into their own house.

Nanami pulls the window shut again as Sakiko hurriedly climbs on her bed and under her blankets to warm up. Once he'd finished, Nanami does the same in his own bed.

--

The twins new plan was used over the course of the next few days- leaving out the front door, going to the store to get snacks and return home only to circle around the house and climb back into their bedroom window.

Shinsuke usually kept his work partner's quiet, quick as well. The twins were still in the dark as for the context of the job, but they were warm and didn't care enough to be curious.

That is until the rough laughter they'd heard before had returned. Nanami didn't pay much mind where as Sakiko wrapped herself in her jacket and headed to their window.

"Where are you going?" Nanami asks.

"I have to go to the bathroom," she lies, hopping out the window.

Once on the ground, she breaks into a run in the bitter cold around the house, spotting that blue truck- though the bike wasn't in the back this time. With the absence of the bike, Sakiko wondered if her reason of leaving was also gone only to spot Daryl in the passenger seat with his knees bent as the bottom of his boots rested on the dashboard.

She couldn't really see his face and grew a smile on her own as she sneaks to the truck. Daryl toyed with something in his hands, but he had heard the smaller girl approaching and sighed to himself.

"Hi, Daryl!" she perks, jumping up at the passenger window.

"Hey, kid," he greets, bored.

"You're not asleep this time," she inspects.

"Wasn't tired," he shrugs.

Sakiko hums, leaning closer as she takes note of his condition, "What happened to your eye?"

Daryl glances to himself in the rearview mirror, his left eye swollen and bruised.

"Don't worry bout it," he tells her.

"I wasn't worrying. I was being nosey."

"Well, don't be nosey," he rephrases.

"We've met before- you know that's kind of my thing, right?" she questions.

Daryl glances to the small girl, "Yeah. I know."

"So, what happened? Are you really in a biker gang? Did you fight another group? Did you win?" she asks relentlessly.

"What are you doing here? Where's your brother?" he asks back.

Sakiko purses her lips, looking to the gravel driveway under her feet, "Dad makes us stay out when he's working. But, it's too cold to do that so Nanami and I sneak back inside."

At the realization that she'd spilled their secret, she looks back to Daryl with wide eyes, "But, you can't tell my dad!"

Daryl could only feel that pity build back up. A feeling of relation residing in his chest that made his skin crawl.

Did this kid see the things he had at his age? No.. She was too oblivious to the heavy nature. Daryl could tell she still had no idea what was happening behind her back and under the roof she called home.

"I won't tell him," Daryl decides, "But, you gotta do something for me too. This ain't one sided."

"Okay," Sakiko nods, leaning closer, "What do I have to do?"

Daryl glances to the house then back to the girl. When he looked at her, he could tell she was only looking at his bruised eye.

"You gotta listen to him more. Stay out when he tells you too."

"But, it's freezing cold! He has us stay out here all day. We've almost got sick staying out here," she complains.

"Find a place that ain't cold, then. Just, do what he tells you to," Daryl urges.

Sakiko crosses her arms defiantly, "I liked you better when you were sleeping."

"Kid," Daryl calls with a pointed look, "We made a deal. Now hold up your side."

"Fine," she glares, turning on her heels, "I have to get Nanami first."

Daryl watches as she stomps away around the house, knowing what she felt a little too well. As the door to the house opens, his own brother steps out.

"Hey, baby brother," Merle greets as he opens the driver door, "Didn't mean to keep you waiting."

"It's better waiting," Daryl shrugs him off.

"Yeah, my last dealer.. He ain't hold a candle to this guy," Merle says as he starts the truck, "Least this one won't hold a gun to your head. Don't seem like the type anyway."

"He's a good guy?" Daryl questions- to Merle's regard anyway.

"He's just tryna get by. He's got kids, guess that's why he keeps everything under wrap," Merle answers, pulling out of the driveway.

Kids, Daryl thinks as he looks to where Sakiko disappeared around the corner of the house. As Merle pulls onto the street, Sakiko and Nanami are heading back around that corner, Nanami looking annoyed as they bicker about having to leave into the cold again.

Daryl looks to the string of his shirt he was toying with- kids had to learn. Just like Merle, just like himself.

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

i cant be stopped