Daryl waits, arms folded over his chest. He was planning on telling Mia about prosthetics today, getting her something that would actually help her going forward. Plenty of people have lost limbs, nobody would ask questions. Nobody's looked askance at Daryl's inquiries.
But here he is, watching a one-handed girl try to climb a rope.
(Merle, Daryl's sure, could do this. Merle also tied a knife to his stump. There was a limit even to that man's stubbornness.)
Thinking of Merle teases one of Merle's old lines out of Daryl's mouth, and he's surprised to hear it come out without the man's casual cruelty. Just impatience, really. "C'mon. Impress me."
Mia just loves making things difficult. The thought of utilizing a prosthetic has never once crossed her mind. She's just - been okay with things the way they are for whatever reason. It was her call anyway. She's the one who ripped her own hand off in the first place. She didn't have a choice. But she didn't bother sharing that with Daryl yet.
"I'm thinking about it."
Climbing the ladder on the water tower wound up being easier than she had originally thought - thanks to the rungs. Steadying herself with those definitely helped. This... hm.
She tries working through it on her own, staying quiet while the gears turn in her head. Wrapping the rope around her bad arm won't work. And since it's only the one rope it's not like there's any sort of... loops she can use. It's one of those situations where she has an idea but also can't articulate it at all.
She goes through the motions anyway, approaching the wall of the ditch a few different ways. All of them are unsuccessful.
Because Daryl isn't his brother, he doesn't laugh when the girl ends up in the dirt. He doesn't help her up, either. This isn't the way he prefers to teach anyone anything, leaving them out to dry and letting them figure it out, but it is a Dixon special. Survival of the fittest, Merle would say, except it always felt a lot more like punishment, cruel and lean.
He'd feel guilty, just goddamn awful about subjecting another person to this, but Mia asked for it on a damn platter. He offered help. He's pretty sure-- and this is astounding to him-- he isn't entirely in the wrong. Mostly, probably, but not completely.
Mia doesn't get up when he asks his question. She's seething - silently - as she lays there. Not being able to do something pisses her off. It's disappointing. And her stubbornness knows no bounds.
She's succeeded before, so accepting defeat doesn't come easy. At all.
"I guess so," she finally mumbles after what seems like ages. She pushes herself up from the ground, a look of pure agitation on her face. Then she ends up sitting in the dirt.
"You can't go around like this." He's surprised to find his voice cool with disappointment, rather than the usual hot anger. It's almost refreshing. "I ain't gotta tell you all the ways you can die out here."
She doesn't make eye contact or regard him in any way, just moves to get up. She's slow about it. All the failed attempts at climbing have left her feeling a bit on the sore side.
He doesn't push it. Some part of him wants to, but he can't remember the last time somebody apologized to him and meant it. That's gotta mean something. So he just nods, and-- carefully-- pats her on the head. A small comfort, maybe, but he knows it's the best he can do.
He takes the rope in hand once more. "Climb on up."
The headpat takes her by surprise, and she stops as the action registers. She blinks but says nothing, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. Tears weren’t threatening to leak out of her eyes what are you talking about.
“Okay.”
She nods and does as he tells her. She’ll listen whenever he speaks from now on.
The tears deaden what little remains of Daryl's anger. He climbs up wordlessly, getting Mia to the top, before pulling her into a wordless half hug. It lasts for barely a moment, the girl pulled in under one long arm, and then she's free to go.
Just because she’s free to go doesn’t mean she wants to.
The hug is awkward for the briefest second, but then she feels relaxed. Probably the least frazzled she’s felt in who knows how long. It like a David hug, and she knows she can’t get any of those anymore. So she just sort-of stays there a bit longer than he’d expect her to.
“Thank you,” she mumbles, once she lets go and takes a step or two away.
Daryl stays put, letting her take her time. No one's watching, and it costs him nothing, even if it makes him feel awkward and unworthy all at once. Not five feet away, a horse nickers softly. Daryl reaches out with his free hand to pat the thing's soft nose, not sure when he became a creature that comforts others. He just wanted to bring her back quick and safe, thus the rope, thus the horse.
"Didn't do nothing." Less than, as far as he's concerned.
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But here he is, watching a one-handed girl try to climb a rope.
(Merle, Daryl's sure, could do this. Merle also tied a knife to his stump. There was a limit even to that man's stubbornness.)
Thinking of Merle teases one of Merle's old lines out of Daryl's mouth, and he's surprised to hear it come out without the man's casual cruelty. Just impatience, really. "C'mon. Impress me."
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"I'm thinking about it."
Climbing the ladder on the water tower wound up being easier than she had originally thought - thanks to the rungs. Steadying herself with those definitely helped. This... hm.
She tries working through it on her own, staying quiet while the gears turn in her head. Wrapping the rope around her bad arm won't work. And since it's only the one rope it's not like there's any sort of... loops she can use. It's one of those situations where she has an idea but also can't articulate it at all.
She goes through the motions anyway, approaching the wall of the ditch a few different ways. All of them are unsuccessful.
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Maybe that comes out sounding more bitchy than she wants it to. But she’s annoyed. She hates not being able to do things on her own.
She’s gonna keep trying until she winds up face first in the dirt.
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He'd feel guilty, just goddamn awful about subjecting another person to this, but Mia asked for it on a damn platter. He offered help. He's pretty sure-- and this is astounding to him-- he isn't entirely in the wrong. Mostly, probably, but not completely.
Going up north is weird as shit.
"You done yet?"
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She's succeeded before, so accepting defeat doesn't come easy. At all.
"I guess so," she finally mumbles after what seems like ages. She pushes herself up from the ground, a look of pure agitation on her face. Then she ends up sitting in the dirt.
"At least I tried."
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She doesn't make eye contact or regard him in any way, just moves to get up. She's slow about it. All the failed attempts at climbing have left her feeling a bit on the sore side.
"I was being stupid. I'm sorry."
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He takes the rope in hand once more. "Climb on up."
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“Okay.”
She nods and does as he tells her. She’ll listen whenever he speaks from now on.
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The hug is awkward for the briefest second, but then she feels relaxed. Probably the least frazzled she’s felt in who knows how long. It like a David hug, and she knows she can’t get any of those anymore. So she just sort-of stays there a bit longer than he’d expect her to.
“Thank you,” she mumbles, once she lets go and takes a step or two away.
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"Didn't do nothing." Less than, as far as he's concerned.
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She sniffles a bit, rubbing at her face to make sure there’s zero evidence of her little emotional moment. Then she tucks her hair behind her ear.
Wait. Is that a horse? Where did he find a horse?
“Oh - hello there. What a cutie!”
She’s cautious to approach it, holding out her hand to make sure the creature knows she’s okay.