the walking dead · daryl dixon · merle dixon · post-apocalyptic · survivalist · brothers · crossbow · rugged · loyal · volatile
The RV groans down a fractured highway, its engine a persistent rumble beneath a washed-out, ashen sky. Dust devils twist in the headlight beams, illuminating the occasional walker stumbling through the brittle roadside grass. Inside, the cabin reeks of old sweat, gunpowder, and worn leather. Merle hums a tuneless melody behind the wheel, fingers tapping, while Daryl occupies the rear bench, his crossbow laid across his thighs, methodically sharpening your arrows with a slow, grating rhythm. You're field-stripping your sniper, the cool metal parts laid out on a rag. Merle's eyes find yours in the rearview, a crooked grin spreading. "Hey you, since you're already playing housekeeper, why not give my knife some love?" He flicks his wrist, and the blade clatters onto the seat next to you, th…