Daryl was shaking his head watching Mac and Merle. This was going to end bad but the ball was already rolling and there was no stopping it now. Mac had lost his shirt somewhere already and it seemed like he was determined to make an ass of himself. Merle was helping with them both arguing with each other. He knew how these things went between them. Merle would start something and Mac would snap back...they'd either fight it out or start doing everything they could to piss the other off.
"Louie Louie oh no sayin we gotta go...yeah yeah yeah yeah" Mac sing songed at Merle.
Merle glared at him but Daryl seen the smile in his eyes. Mac was good and buzzed and Merle stood up walking forward towards the younger of the two. "You know Mac you were a real son of a bitch today at work."
Mac grinned at him and nodded, "What of it?"
Merle moved quickly and struck him in the chest sending Mac sailing backwards. He stumbled backwards and his foot caught on Daryl's boot sending him hard down on his ass and flat on his back. Mac grunted loudly and Merle howled with laughter. Daryl tipped his beer back leaning back and looking down at where Mac was laying. He was staring up wide eyed and glaring but a smile was on his face.
"Well if you go down there you better just beware of a man named Merle Dixon. Now Merle wanted trouble he stand about six-foot and all the ladies called him tree top lover and all the men called him sir." Mac sung loudly laughing from his position sprawled on his back.
"You little fucker." Merle growled walking over glaring down at Mac.
Mac tipped his beer at him somehow managing to now have spilled it. Daryl chuckled and Merle slapped his beer bottle making it foam up and spill on to him.
"What the fuck Merle!" Daryl growled. He stood up and before he thought about where he was tore his shirt over his head to get the beer off himself. "Fuckin' asshole'
"Fuck you you little fidgety fuck!" Merle barked.
"Bad, bad, bad Merle Dixon...Baddest man in the whole damn town." Mac started singing loudly. "Badder than ole King Kong, meaner than a junkyard dog..."Mac's voice started rising loudly as he kept singing.
Merle loomed over Mac and then tipped his beer pouring it down on Mac. Mac looked up at him and lifted his boot quick missing Merle's groin like he aimed and instead caught him in the thigh. "Fucker now I'm wet."
"Just like the pussy you are." Merle laughed loudly. "Boy you're getting slow."
Mac shoved himself up to where he was supported on his elbows and glared at Merle, "Fuck you Daryl tripped me."
Daryl looked over glaring, "The fuck! I aint in this shit. Fuck you both."
Both of them glared at him and Daryl threw his hands in the air and stormed off for the truck hoping he had a spare shirt. Daryl's mind caught up to him suddenly after watching his brothers fight and he realized they weren't alone. He suddenly felt the intense need to escape and started feeling his pockets. Before he could make much progress he felt a large arm wrap around his chest and then Mac was in front of him while Merle held him still.
Mac shoved his hands down into his pockets and Daryl growled at him while Mac smiled. "Just hold still and don't fight" Mac laughed.
"Fuck you."
Mac shook his head, "Your tits aint nice enough and your ass just dont do it for me sorry."
Mac lifted his hands suddenly tossing Daryl's keys back and forth and Merle released him. "Where were you going Darylina?"
"To see if I had another shirt." He scowled at them.
Merle clucked his tongue and spit to the side, "You sure you weren't about to try to escape?"
Daryl just glared at them and Merle gave him a knowing smile. Mac was already back over at the fire that was roaring now since he was tossing more woods on to it. Merle was studying him and stepped closer. Daryl looked off refusing to look at Merle.
"You that pissed?"
Daryl huffed and crossed his arms over his bare chest, "What the fuck am I here for? You're gonna disappear with whoever and Mac is gonna take off with that girl he picked up earlier."
Merle waggled his eyebrows, "You know if you ever decided to remember you had a dick down south you might be surprised that you don't gotta be such a nagging vagina about things." Daryl opened his mouth to speak but Merle started talking over him, "I aint lettin' your ass leave cause you been drinkin'."
"So you let the most destructive of us have my keys?" Daryl questioned incredulously.
Merle shrugged, "Mac isn't inclined to drinking and driving to get away from crowds."
Carol's eyes were wide watching the brothers. SHe had never been out like this and watching them joke around was the most amusement she had in a long time. She found herself smiling as Mac and Merle argued. She didn't hear any real anger in their voices or see any even in their bodies. It was all just for fun and she smiled even more just watching them.
"Told you it wouldn't be bad." Natalie smiled. "Though I'm not sure where Andrea is."
Carol looked around and then sighed, "She said she'd be here."
As if speaking of her made her appear Andrea pulled up and cut the engine stepping out of the car. Natalie elbowed Carol and winked, "I bet you money she leaves with Merle."
Carol's eyes widened, "Are they dating? I didn't know!"
Natalie looked at her, "Dating? You're kidding me right? Merle Dixon doesn't date."
Carol looked over at the man as he leaned back talking to Daryl. Daryl was nodding along with him now wearing his leather jacket. He had it zipped up but not all the way and hints of his bare chest kept taunting her in the fire light. She blushed at her thoughts not sure where they were coming from. She'd never been like this before and it was embarrassing where her mind kept drifting too.
She turned her head when she heard more vehicles pull up and had to question how many people were going to come here. She looked over at Daryl again and seen him scowling but Merle was laughing. Mac had his back to her but she thought he was laughing to and she seen Natalie stand up. Daryl spoke low and Mac turned his head watching Natalie and he stood up following her. Carol grimaced and looked over as Andrea set down next to her.
"She left as soon as I got here." Andrea huffed.
Carol looked at her, "You said you were going to be here two hours ago."
Andrea grinned, "I had to get ready."
"We're setting outside around a fire how ready did you need to be."
Andrea's eyes drifted over to the Dixon's and she smiled at her, "Carol you need to get out more."
Carol took a sip of the beer offered her from the girl Maggie who was now setting next to her. She was talking at Daryl while he watched the fire. He occasionally answered but she felt like he was trying to pull away even more. She got the sense that he wasn't much of a partying type and she smiled looking at her warming beer.
A tiny blonde girl swooped in and took a spot right next to Daryl. He barely turned his head to look at her but she said something and he snorted his eyes lifting to Carol briefly. She raised her brow and she seen the blonde lean around her and the look she was giving her was making her more uncomfortable than she was okay with. Daryl shifted his eyes to her again and she tried to smile but she was sure that it didn't meet her eyes when he frowned at her. He spoke to the girl and she stood up and walked away.
Carol tried not to think about it and let her mind drift. Before long she realized it was more or less just her and Daryl that weren't paired off. He seemed to be in his own world leaning forward with his elbows planted on his knees as the fire light lit up his features. She stood up swallowing down her anxiety. If she wanted to know about her father and what was going on she needed to suck it up.
Daryl looked up at her suddenly and Carol almost turned away but walked right up to him. "Can I talk to you?"
He raised a brow but nodded at her. He didn't speak and she motioned her after him. She didn't feel comfortable talking with this many people close even though they weren't paying attention to her. She couldn't hear him behind her and turned looking over her shoulder and smiled when she seen him right there. He was quiet, so quiet. A world of difference from her own father.
When they were away from the others she stopped but he kept walking and she done like him and silently trailed after him. She didn't know where they were going but she found that she trusted him. He turned when the hill started sloping down and looked at her, "Watch your step."
Carol nodded and found that they were now at the rock face and she could hear water. Daryl kept walking and she smiled even more when she seen them now walking behind the rushing water of the waterfall. She had never known this was here. She had been to this lake hundreds of times, never at this exact spot so high up looking down but enough. Still she didn't think that many people knew about this place, it felt like his own hideaway.
He watched her as she walked over to him and then he took his seat leaning back against the cool stone. The air around them was moving from the water falling so quickly around them and she smiled as her hair danced. She stood watching the water for a while as the moon hit it and the sounds around her, it was beautiful here.
Carol suddenly realized how far from everyone they were and that she didn't really know him. She tensed and he sighed, "Carol I'm not going to hurt you, you asked to talk to me if I remember correctly." He started to stand up muttering to himself. "This was a mistake."
Carol moved quickly and took her seat next to him. There was a good two feet between them and she blew out a breath. He stilled but still looked annoyed regardless. "I wanted to ask about our dads."
He made a noise in his throat, "You know what I was right..this was a fucking mistake."
Panicking Carol grabbed his wrist tightly and tugged, "Please just hear me out."
She seen his eyes on her from his awkward half crouch where he had tried to stand, "Why are you asking me? I'm sure you ole man has enough to say."
Carol studied his face but didn't let go still not sure he wouldn't leave, "I've heard all kinds of things about your father from my dad...but I also know how much." She paused swallowing knowing that if he father heard her or seen her right now she would regret so much. "I know enough to know he isn't an honest man."
Daryl looked at her so long that she felt her face burning red but then he set back next to her. He had to set closer due to her holding his wrist and she felt her body heat up. The wind moving around them from the waterfall had cooled her quite a bit and she was immediately warmed from the heat coming off him. She wanted to lean into him but shook that thought away. What was wrong with her?
"What did you want to know?" Daryl's voice was less gruff.