AN: Just a series of drabbles of the Dixon boys from childhood to Apocalypse times with eventual Caryl and hints of Merle/Beth. I own neither TWD or the drabble prompts; the prompts came from tumblr. Please review and enjoy!
~Cadence
Drabble #1: Introduction
Merle had always been an independent sort of person. Even at the young age of ten he insisted on doing everything on his own. He never really cared for people, or liked having them around. He went his own way, alone, and that was how he liked it. Having people with him, he felt, would only serve to weigh him down. He was an only child and any attention he ever got from his drunkard parents was screams and whippings, so why would he need anyone else? It worked out really well for Merle.
At least, til Daryl came along.
His Ma had swooned over the kid, cooing and cradling him with awe. His Pa had looked in on him every now and then, beaming and exclaiming loud enough for Merle to hear. "Finally, I've got a boy I can be proud of!" At least, for the first week baby Daryl was home. After that week things went back to normal. Pa went back to his nightly rituals at the bar and Ma went back to passing out drunk, waiting for him to come home.
And baby Daryl was left alone, in his cradle, forgotten, left to wail his lungs out. At least, until Merle came home.
Up til then, Merle had avoided the thing everyone kept insisting was his brother. All he saw in the cradle was a weird alien-looking thing that smelled, spat up, and cried nonstop. Definitely not the "bundle of joy" his Ma gushed about, early on. But now as he approached the cradle, watching this tiny thing, so small and helpless against the hell Merle knew the kid would eventually realize was their life and home, something in Merle changed. He wouldn't say it in his mind and he sure as hell wouldn't say it out loud, but something in the troubled kid softened. He reached into the cradle with an uncharacteristic gentleness and carefully picked up the crying. "Shh. Shut up now, ya here? Shut up. S'all right, yer fine. I'm here, ain't I? Shush up now." He bounced the baby gently, something he had seen his Ma do at one point until eventually the baby settled, falling back to sleep, resting against Merle's chest.
"Looks like its jus' you and me little bruther. Jus' you and ole Merle." He said to the sleeping baby who he slowly started to realize and accept was his baby brother, and would be through thick and thin.