March, 1979.
"Daryl?"
A small boy peeked out from behind a closet at the sound of his name, after an hour of being confined in silence to the small space between the wooden structure and the hard wall. His expression was nervous, his mess of hair stuck up and wild around a pale face that, for the past couple of hours, had been afraid to move from the darkness. And then, he spotted his brother.
"Merle!"
The child's expression brightened and calmed at the sight of the older boy, as he rushed from the small space and half-stumbled, half-ran over to his sibling, a mutual tight hug taking place that lasted for a few slow seconds. It was only when a loud bang sounded, followed by curses from a gruff voice, that the two boys both jumped, instinctively stepping back to look at the closed bedroom door, waiting a couple of seconds in hesitance before letting out a synchronized sigh.
Merle watched the door for a few more moments before turning back, gently crouching in front of his brother and studying him.
"Been drinking again?"
Swallowing, the shorter boy nodded. His blue eyes jumped back to the door as another crash from his father sounded throughout the small house, his expression still scared when he looked back to his brother who, even when crouched, was slightly taller than him.
"And.." The older boy spoke quietly as he did the same, glancing at the room's entrance before back at the younger child, locking their eyes as he remained serious.
"Has he hurt you again?" He spoke quietly, knowing that the question he always asked, was always met with the same answer.
When the smaller of the two quickly shook his head, lips pressed tightly together, the young teen sighed.
"Daryl,"
Hesitation. After a few silent seconds in which Merle raised his eyebrows, tilting his head as he waited, Daryl nodded.
"That son of a bitch." The teenager, though just fourteen, got immediately to his feet, fists clenched as he looked at the door once again, making his way over to it as he muttered cursewords in anger.
"I'll fucking show him, the stupid cu-"
"Merle, no!"
A tight grip from a small hand on the older boy's arm stopped him in his tracks, making him turn to look down at his brother, who's face remained frozen in fear as he shook his head quickly, rapidly.
"You - You can't! He'll hurt you - He- No!"
Speaking in quick, disjointed sentences, his grip tightened on Merle, who simply watched him and gave a gentle sigh,
"He hurt you," He said simply, placing his own hand on his brother's shoulder as a form of comfort, before crouching down to reach his eye level once again.
"And nobody gets to hurt my little brother, got that? C'mere,"
Cracking a slight smile, the older boy pulled Daryl close, listening as the high pitched voice piped up again, next to his ear.
"I don't like it when he hurts you, Merle.." A pause. "What.. what if he hurts you again?"
Pulling back a little, the older boy locked eyes with the younger.
"I don't care," He spoke quietly, allowing the smile to turn into a half-grin.
"Besides," Merle shrugged.
"I aint nobody's bitch."