Ride the lightning

Ch. 11

Walking through the house silently he rolled his shoulders the tension there despite the fight with Shane. He knew there was a bigger fight coming it was just a matter of where and when. Shane wasn't stupid though and he would find a way to come at him when Mac wasn't around. He was a moron if he thought he wasn't able to defend himself and needed his brother to do it. Sure Mac like to step into shit but that was because Mac craved the violence, it sated something in him to make someone bleed. Daryl wasn't much for violence despite his temper and that was where Shane got things confused.

"You're up early." The voice was low.

Daryl flicked his eyes over seeing the blonde he had seen Kira talking to on more than one occasion. She wasn't as bad as some of the others. She was a spitefire and he was pretty damn sure she wanted a piece of Kira herself. He grunted but done nothing else and she smiled looking back out the window not pushing him to talk any more. He was thankful for it cause he wasn't sure what the fuck to say to her.

His mind was pushing and pulling him through the memories and scars Kira had poured all over him. She had a history as rough as his as far as abuse went. She got out though where he hadn't even had the ability to do that. Will would have hunted him down and the one time that Daryl had run Will had done just that. He had ended up with a broke arm, shattered collar-bone, and bruised ribs. It was a lesson well learned and he hadn't tried it again knowing that the next time Will would kill him. He had accepted all the shit heaped on him and even the shit his own brother had dumped on him without so much as a glance most days.

"You know Darylina," Merle chuckled his eyes going to mac. The chuckle wasn't in the least bit friendly but instead came out tainted and bitter, "I'm not sure about him."

Daryl's eyes flicked to his other brother's back who was oblivious to Merle's judgement at the moment. Mac was nothing like Merle in so many ways that sometimes he had to wonder if those two had any blood between them at all. Mac and Merle didn't get along from the start when Merle came back from his tour of duty. He had expected like always Daryl's complete loyalty and when he seen there was someone there besides him that he couldn't discount with his whole "blood is thicker" diatribe he had started his personal vendetta against him.

Merle learned quick though as did Mac. They squared off and neither backed down. It boiled down to Merle asking about Will and Mac snarling insults his way about why he hadn't been there, why he was never there.

"Why don't you both shut the fuck up." Daryl snapped looking at the pair of them.

Mac side eyed him and grinned while Merle scowled at him not liking hearing his younger brother talk to him like that.

"Best watch your mouth Darylina." Merle snapped back, "Kick your goddamn teeth down your throat."

Mac snarled, "Make a move and I'll tear your fucking leg off and ram it down your fucking throat. Think your fucking something coming back from licking the boots of the military when your just one some fucking power trip."

Merle eyed him with disdain but Daryl chewed the side of his lip fighting laughing. He hadn't ever seen someone talk to Merle that way and in a way it was refreshing seeing someone not take his shit.

"Fuck you cock sucker. Who the fuck you think you are?" Merle snapped.

Mac smiled leaned on the wall next to Daryl causing Merle to scowl further when Mac's body brushed his youngest brothers body and Daryl didn't tense and move away.

"You know exactly who I am."

Daryl snorted at the memory. He hadn't been sure those two would ever be able to be around each other without going for each others throats. All it took though was them to each figure out that the other wasn't out to hurt him. For all his faults Merle, and he had a fucking lot of them, Merle did care about him.