Ride the lightning

Ch. 35

Daryl didn't even bother looking at the ruination before him. It could have only been Merle or Mac. It was always one of the two and he knew that Mac had been with him all night. Merle was the only person though that would have went this route. Mac would have painted the world red with as mad as he'd been. It seemed that Merle had done them a favor and got Phillip's throat to the nearest razor in the end.

"Fuck you." Mac snapped.

Merle pushed off the wall and crowded Mac backwards. Daryl eyed them already use to their posturing and bullshit. It was the same shit after all these years. Both had huge egos and even bigger issues. If they'd just shut the fuck up sometimes they'd see that the ends were the same after all. That wasn't his brothers though because they both needed to be the biggest asshole in the room.

Merle shoved Mac causing his back to hit the wall. Daryl side eyed them again and shook his head. He couldn't get a fucking minute to think with these two going for each others throats. Turning just as Mac swung at Merle he huffed feeling the blood hit his face and chest. Shifting on his feet he slid between the brothers easily. It came with years of doing so that he was able to avoid being hit. He could feel the beat of each of their hearts against him as both chest heaved.

Mac's hand gripped the leather of his belt immediately. Mac was cocked and loaded. He wanted to hurt something- someone. Merle wasn't like that. He didn't actively seek out hurting people in the ways Mac did but he also wouldn't back away from a fight.

"Calm the fuck down." Daryl snarled, "Both of you."

Merle met his eyes, "You gonna show her this?"

"Yes." Mac and Daryl spoke in unison.

There was no doubt that Kira would see this. She needed too. Phillip haunted her all her life and seeing what was left of him. Seeing that he could never hurt her again, touch her, touch them, or take another breath would be cleansing. She needed it as much as they needed to see that weight leave her shoulders.

Merle nodded and his eyes ran over Daryl. There was trouble in his eyes. "What happened?"

Daryl swallowed thickly. Merle was watching him closely and he felt Mac's chest press against his back. He could feel the thunder of his heart and the pain they shared. It was something Merle never seen, it was something he wasn't there for, it was something that till this day troubled him. He'd hid it well but he knew something happened all those years ago that fucked him up.

Looking at the blood puddling around Phillip as Mac slipped his arm around him. Watching as it thickened and darkened he could almost smell the smoke and southern comfort. He could feel the way blood thickened sin ran down his arms and his back. The way it pasted his hair to his head and made his shirt cling to him like a second skin. It was like static in his mind and he swallowed.

"I killed him." Daryl's voice was gruff.

Merle followed his eyes but Daryl never cared. He knew Merle was aware something happened.

"Those marks..."

Daryl felt his chest heave. "He'd been on a binder for a bit. He was pissed that Mac wasn't kissing his ass and being the model son he wanted. He didn't want him with me all the time- wanted him to hate me like he did."

Mac arm tightened around his chest and he felt his forehead press into his shoulder. Mac mourned not being there. He mourned every stitch hat went into his body that night.

"He came in about two fifths in and started screaming." Daryl snorted, "I should have left right then but hindsight." There was a humorless laugh that sounded, he was sure it was his but he felt disconnected.