Taiki tried his best to get them around in legal ways, but it was difficult sometimes. so, he did resort to odd jobs and some theft. however, when he got older and matured, he was able to barely grasp his first ever legal job at the age of 15.

eventually, Yaeko also got a job when she was 14 (which is a couple years later). she was good friends with a girl and her family. so, they were able to get her a fake ID to lie about her being 15.

so now, the two older siblings would put together as much money as they could from their jobs and side hustles (theft & pawning, Taiki may have had a better job by 19, but money was still VERY tight, especially since he was withdrawed from school and didn’t have a high school diploma, Yaeko was then doing the theft without Taiki’s approval).

Kumiko and Naoki tried their best to contribute but Taiki and Yaeko wouldn’t let them because they didn’t want him to follow their not-so-great footsteps. they always made sure the younger ones didn’t go on an empty stomach, to have great hygiene, have clean clothes, and to be as content as possible.

they were really on their own though. no one ever held out a hand for them after the fake ID for Yaeko, but it didn’t really hurt their feelings. no, because it actually fueled something in the Yasuda siblings: to help others in any kind of way.

from the very beginning of their family’s tragedy, it gave Taiki the dream that many kids had always dreamed about: to become some kind of professional hero.

his siblings were very supportive.

time went on, Taiki was in the top 3 of the final points for the entrance exam at a hero school for those seeking a second chance (he was about 21 when he began his hero studies).

Naoki, from a very young age, watching his older brother being so selfless and the best influence, and then seeing Taiki reach for a wonderful title—which is something Taiki very much deserved—made the young boy want to become a hero as well.

Daryl and Dallas’s relationship unfolded with time, years. they were friends and then they had a deep talk, which ended in Daryl risking everything to confide in Dallas about his sexuality. you know how things were back then. Dallas’s reaction was the first time in Daryl’s life that he wasn’t met with a cold sneer or a strike of a damn belt. Dallas accepted him for who he was and made it known that he never saw Daryl as a lesser person. this eventually led to them holding hands.

slowly, their relationship became more romantic. stolen glances both in public and private. in secret, they held one another, kissed each other’s cheek, and then on the lips. they’d talk about anything and nothing, Daryl mostly listened since he loved to hear Dallas. Dallas equally adored Daryl. he’d always help Daryl look after himself, he just couldn’t help it. Daryl would often grunt about it but never shook Dallas off. can you imagine Dallas’s reaction to Daryl’s back ? he hugs him tight and cries for him, Daryl was never much of a crier (due to his deadbeat father Will).

they loved each other. it took Dallas a while to gather the courage to say those three words to Daryl. Daryl wanted to say it back because he knew he loved Dallas—but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Dallas understood perfectly why without Daryl even telling him, and he never held it against Daryl. Dallas can see how much Daryl cared for and loved him, and he was happy with that.

when Daryl was 19, he finally walked away from Will and the hell he had to live in for all his life. he and Dallas moved into a little apartment two towns away. they kept up appearances as roommates.

things were going great. when they first moved in, that was the first time they’ve done it in an actual bed. past times were on a worn out mattress in Dallas’s old shed (Dallas would tell to his folks that he and Daryl were gonna go hunting and excuse the long hunt with a white lie), on a blanket deep in the woods, or in Will’s beat up truck whenever Daryl took it. they held up quite a domestic life with each other, which ultimately contrasted what Daryl saw between his parents growing up.

they were happy.

and then Merle was discharged three years later. things changed for the couple the moment their telephone rang. Merle was able to reach them because Merle had talked to Dalls’s uncle who thought that Dallas must know about Daryl (they don’t know that Daryl was living with Dallas). Merle and the other man knew each other from drug dealing. Merle didn’t know who Dallas was, but thought he’d give it a try. a day or two later, Merle called again and Dallas gave the telephone to Daryl. after years of not talking due to circumstances, the brothers talk again. Merle wanted Daryl to accompany him like old times. Daryl said he’ll let him know.

things went from one to another, Daryl pondered for a long time. Merle wasn’t as open-minded about many things. Daryl remembers many times when Merle and some others would jump guys who they thought was gay and not “normal”. suddenly, Daryl remembers that Merle offered to drop by Dallas’s place to pick him up. Daryl looked around and it was undeniable that Daryl didn’t just crash here and there.

knowing how violent and ill thinking Merle could get, he never wanted to put Dallas in a terrible situation. Daryl loved him too much to let anything happen to him. but something else was clawing at the back his head, his loyalty to his older brother.

eventually, Daryl had to choose between his brother Merle and his beloved Dallas. Daryl knew that if he chose not to go back with Merle, Merle wouldn’t stop popping up again and there would be a constant danger for Dallas. he also knew that if he chose his brother, he wouldn’t be able to live knowing that the pursuit of his and Dallas’s dreams had gone one sided.

at age 22, Daryl leaves. he couldn’t even face Dallas when he said goodbye. he feared that he’d accidentally kiss Dallas dumb in front of Merle who waited in his old, stolen truck. Dallas watched the truck go down the road.

Daryl found himself pressing the heels of his palms against his eyes.

in the present time, Daryl and Carol sit next to each other near a makeshift fire. Daryl had confided in her about the love of his life.

for more than 20 years, Daryl lived without any real reason and even more regrets.