A/N: Merle is about four maybe five years older than Daryl in this story.
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By the time they reached the bar, she was thoroughly flustered, she'd hoped he hadn't noticed her continuous shifting from behind him. She was trying oh so desperately to remove some of the friction that was building up in her the faster the bike seemed to go. She knew it didn't mean anything but that didn't leave her any less embarrassed. At the end of the day she was a woman, a woman with wants and needs, and apparently her pelvis being pushed against him seemed to wake up some of these unrequested desires.
Wrenching off the helmet she took some very needed breaths of air, bracing herself back against the bike.
Daryl turned back, giving her a look that made her think he knew exactly what was going through her head.
"Ya alright?" he asked, taking in her pink complexion and slightly laboured breathing.
"Yeah, just…nervous," Carol offered, hoping he'd take her excuse.
"Don't be, y'all be fine." Daryl dismounted the bike, yet again offering a hand out to her that she took graciously although in all honesty she could have done without having the physical contact.
She shrugged his jacket off, passing it back to him with a smile. "I should probably go in first if you don't want your brother to know."
Daryl nodded in agreement, taking the opportunity to light up a cigarette, "see ya in a bit."
Carol turned on her heel walking towards the bars entrance, her nerves now deciding to finally kick in, no turning back now.
Daryl watched the sway of her hips as she walked away, more than appreciating the view. He wouldn't stay outside long, one or two smokes before going in after her, keeping his brother's behaviour in check. She didn't need to be scared off on her first day by that creep, he had no doubt that he'd try every trick in the book to get into her pants.
A few minutes passed before he walked into the bar, Carol apparently already giving her friends the heads up on the current situation as they spared him barely a glance.
She looked so out of place stood behind the bar, listening intently to what he presumed Andrea's uncle was saying.
His eyes scanned the bar, seeing his brother distracted in a game of pool, going over to make his presence known.
"Merle," Daryl called out as he took a seat at the table Merle and Axel's beers were set on.
"Hello there lil' brother, finally decided to join Ol' Merle for once," he chuckled, thrusting a fresh beer from the table into his hand.
"Ain't got nothin' better ta do," Daryl muttered taking a long pull of his drink, his eyes wandering over to where Carol had started serving at the bar, her friends giving her smiles of encouragement.
He didn't realise Merle had looked up from his game and followed his younger brothers gaze, licking his lips as he saw Carol.
"Ho-ly shit she's a pretty one," Merle commented, his gaze very freely running over her petite form.
"Eyes back in ya head dumbass," Daryl grunted.
"Says you," Merle taunted, a wolfish grin on his lips. "I was only following yer bulging eyes Darylina, ya wanna a piece've that? That why ya don't want me lookin'?"
"Don't care none," Daryl spat back, necking the last of his beer, "just shouldn't be gawpin' at her like that."
"Oh lil' brother I don't think she'd mind, she looks innocent enough but it's always the innocent ones that're the freaks in the sheets," he said, a tongue coming out to run across his lip hungrily.
Daryl's jaw twitched, god he fucking hated his brother, "Merle she's new, give the girl a god damn break."
"My hands're tied," Merle said taking a few steps backwards, his hands held up as if in surrender. "The dick wants what the dick wants," he cackled, spinning on his heel towards the bar.
"Mother fuck," Daryl hissed, getting up to follow him, if he had to he wouldn't hesitate to tell Merle that Carol was fucking his, well, kind of anyway.
Before Daryl could wrench Merle's arm he'd already caught Carol in conversation, Daryl having to play like he didn't know her. He could see her two friends watching him closely from the corner of his eye and hoped that they would help her out if Merle got too much.
"Evenin' sweetheart," Merle drawled as Carol came to serve him.
"Evenin' Merle," she tossed back, cleaning a small spillage with a rag.
Merle raised his brows in surprised, "how does a sweet lil' thang like yerself know my name? I'm sure I would've remembered if we'd met before."
Jesus fucking christ, Daryl thought rolling his eyes, hearing the snickers of her friends in response.
"Well we have and clearly…you don't," Carol smiled sweetly but her voice had an edge to it. "Now what can I get you?"
Daryl snorted a laugh at her bluntness, earning a jab in the ribs from his brother.
"Two beers please doll," Merle said, waiting for her to come back before trying again. "Say doll, what is yer name?"
"Carol," she responded, popping the lids off the beer for him before sliding them across the bar.
"Carol," he said rolling her name around on his tongue, "well Carol I look forward to seein' more of you," Merle paused then, his eyes sweeping down and then up her body, "a whole lot more."
"In your dreams," she quipped, an unamused brow raised at him.
"Oh sweetheart, I think yer gonna be a starring role that's for damn sure," Merle chuckled before turning to walk back towards the pool table.
Daryl's eyes cut through his brother, his lip raised in a snarl.
"Did you just growl?" Carol asked with a frown, his head suddenly snapping back to her. Shit, he hadn't meant to make a sound, didn't even know he damn did it.
"M'sorry 'bout my brother, can be a real asshole." He ignored the question hoping she'd just let it go, which thankfully, she did.
"I don't mind, he seems harmless really," Carol said with a small smile, wary of her observing friends sat at the end of the bar.
"Ya gotta lift home tonight?" he asked, wanting to go home soon but not wanting to leave her stranded, he wasn't a dick after all.
"Yeah, gonna stay with Andrea, avoid my parents for as long as possible," she chuckled.
Daryl nodded before glaring down at Andrea and Michonne, he was close enough so he knew they could hear him, "they just gonna sit there 'n' stare all night?"
Instead of looking put off by the Dixon's bluntness they simply grinned knowingly.
"More than likely," Carol laughed lightly, walking down the other end of the bar to serve a customer.
"Just enjoying the show Dixon," Andrea commented, a smug expression on her face.
"Y'all make sure Merle don't go harassin' her, I gotta piss." He didn't really have to piss, he just wanted to escape that conversation before it escalated any further.
"You think he likes her?" Michonne asked after he was out earshot.
"Too soon to tell," Andrea replied, watching Carol as she kept up with the steady stream of the customers, "her on the other hand…I just hope she has the sense to keep him at arms-length."
Michonne hummed in agreement, catching Carol's flitting gaze, her brow furrowing as she did a full sweep of the bar.
"He had to go bathroom," Michonne responded to Carol's unasked question making her blush at being caught.
"How you doing?" Andrea asked as she came back towards their end of the bar, reaching across to refill their empty glasses.
"Yeah not too bad, I think I'm getting the hang of it." She walked away again to serve another person waiting, Daryl emerging from the bathroom as she did, going back to sit with his brother.
Around half way through her shift Daryl stood from his table with his overly drunk brother in tow.
He said nothing to Carol as he beelined for the door, his brother on the other hand calling out slurred sexual remarks, making her giggle as Daryl kicked him in the shin.
"I'll be seein' ya real soon baby," Merle drawled as Daryl pushed the door open, shoving his brother out into the cold.
He turned back briefly to give Carol a straight-faced nod, Carol flashing a grin at him in response making his face crack into a mischievous smirk, winking at her before he followed out after his brother.
Her prying friends' gazes didn't miss the exchange, side eyeing each other as Carol got pulled back into serving.
"Oh, this is not going to end well," Michonne muttered to Andrea.