I don't own The Walking Dead, or any of its characters. They belong to their respective owners. uvu I'm hoping to update soon enough with more little drabbles - and requests would be great!
It's when everybody looks at him like that; that's when he knows something's up. It's bigger than last time, so big it'll swallow him whole and spit him out filled up with rage so they won't focus on the scared-child face or the cracking question in his voice.
The group's combined sights stare Daryl down like a cornered animal and he circles, circles round and round until he feels predatory, quick eyes fixed on the leader of the pack; a pack he isn't and shouldn't really be part of but he tries even if Merle calls him a dumb shit for it, blows smoke in his face and laughs.
He tries because he has to prove his brother wrong just once in his life, prove that they don't have to be alone, that someone somewhere's gotta care about them like they care for eachother.
Merle never makes it easy for him.
News hits him like a bolt to the gut and he turns away to make sure he isn't really crying, turns back and the fight breaks out.
It's his own fault when Shane chokeholds him.
It's his own fault when 'Rick Grimes' talks to him like he's ten years old again and his breathing picks up in the first throes of panic because something about the situation is too familiar and he wants to run but he's conditioned to fight no matter what. It's Merle's fault, Merle's fault everything is Merle's fault but more than that everything is Daryl's fault.
The hold on his neck loosens and he's left half-curled in the dirt where everyone can see. Humiliation burns hot and cold right through him even once he's up and snarling again like he was never thrown down in the first place, spitting venom at the men responsible.
They're staring again because Daryl is dangerous, a live wire like Merle would have wanted. He can almost hear the good job, baby brother in his head, see a serpentine smirk behind the red of his eyelids.
It's worth it, worth whipping round and round and seeing their displeased faces, knowing how much they dislike him, want him gone, it's worth it because at least he's done Merle proud.
Merle is the only one that cares.