Chapter 25 - Sibling Rivalry

Hope you enjoy this chapter, I meant to get it out to you last weekend but I didn't have as much time as I thought I would. Let me know what you think of this chapter, I love hearing from you!

Carol paused outside the living room when her and Daryl got downstairs, she could hear them talking. She waited to hear what they were saying in case it was about her and Daryl.

Daryl leaned over her shoulder, whispering into her ear, "What they sayin'?"

Carol sighed, "Can't hear much."

"Come on then, let's find out."

"You first."

Daryl rolled his eyes, "Ladies first, my dear."

Carol rolled her eyes right back at him before opening the door slowly and silently walking over to them. He followed after her, glaring openly at Merle.

"What are you talking about?" Carol asked, making them both jump a little.

Daryl huffed, grumbling something rude from where he stood behind Carol.

Merle watched him with narrowed eyes, "What's your problem?"

"What's it to ya, asshole."

"The fuck did I do?"

Daryl rolled his eyes, moving past Carol to go outside, "Come near me and I'll stick an arrow up yer damn ass personally."

Merle huffed, watching him go, "Sounds like he's the one with an arrow up there."

Daryl had heard him, scoffing, "Nope."

Merle watched him go, nodding at him.

He walked outside, not even bothering to get on any shoes as he walked barefoot down the porch. He sighed and took a deep breath of the fresh air, his eyes narrowing as he watched the road.

Carol sighed, "He won't stay pissed forever."

Merle huffed, "If I know anything then it's that Daryl is the most stubbornest person I ever knew and it ain't gonna be a friendly forgiveness."

"Might help if you apologized to him first." She suggested.

Merle groaned, "If he don' kill me first."

Carol smiled, "I won't let him actually kill you."

"He can kill with his eyes ya know, one look when he's pissed off and I'll be gone the next."

Carol laughed, "I think you're over exaggerating it a bit."

Merle stood up, running a hand through his hair, "Ya wouldn' know, he ain't ever mad at ya."

"He'll forgive you eventually, trust me."

Merle sighed, "If ya say so."

"I'll make sure of it."

Merle shook his head, "Where'd Sophia go anyways?"

Sophia giggled as she walked back into the living room, "I put the empty popcorn bowl back in the kitchen."

"Ya should go see yer daddy. That'd cheer his ass up."

Sophia giggled again, "Bad word."

"Woops."

Sophia nodded before running off to do exactly what he said. Daryl looked over at the door when Sophia emerged, giving her a smile.

"Hi Daddy." Sophia said as she sat down next to him.

"Hey there little bit, what'cha up to?"

Sophia shrugged, "Nothing."

"Alright."

"What are you doing?"

Daryl shrugged, "Nothin'."

Sophia nodded, "You angry?"

"At Merle."

"Only Merle?"

Daryl nodded, glancing at her, "Who else would I be mad at?"

Sophia shrugged, "Me, for interrupting you and Momma, maybe."

"Nope, wasn' yer fault."

"That why ya blaming Merle then?"

Daryl nodded, "He told ya to come in, didn' he?"

"After I asked him what to do, I saw first."

Daryl sighed, "Then it's his fault, he knew what he told ya to do was mean and wrong."

Sophia looked up at him, "Weren't that bad..what he did. Didn't hurt nobody."

"It hurt me, not physically but emotionally."

"Why?"

Daryl huffed, "'Cause he knew he was ruining a moment."

"Did we ruin it all?"

Daryl shook his head, "No, just that one moment."

"Then does it matter so much? One moment isn't too bad."

"Yeah but still."

"It'll be okay, you can have more moments."

Daryl pouted like a child, "That was a special moment."

"Any moment is special if you make it special."

"That one was different, it was 'bout figurin' somethin' out."

Sophia watched him, "Figuring what out?"

"What we are, me and Carol."

"And what are you then?"

Daryl shrugged, "Together, I guess ya'd call it."

Sophia tilted her head, "But Daddy you didn't just figure that out, eveyone already knew that."

"I meant like together together."

Sophia nodded, "So do I. We all already knew that."

"What?"

"You and Momma have always been together, it obvious that you love each other cause you always wanting to protect each other. That's what people in love do."

Daryl sighed, "Obvious to everyone but us."

Sophia nodded, "Maybe."

"Wanna do somethin'? Go somewhere?"

"Yeahhhh but what?"

Daryl shrugged, "Don' know."

"Think 'bout it then."

"What would ya wanna do? How 'bout some sort of game?"

"We could play tag or is your leg too bad for that?"

Daryl shook his head, "My leg is fine, it's all healed. Carol is just bein' over cautious."

"Momma just don't want ya to get hurt that's why."

Daryl nodded, "I ain't gonna, 'm perfectly fine."

Sophia smiled, "That good then."

"Yeah, come on. Ya wanna play tag, let's go play tag."

Sophia stood up, rushing to tag him before he got up, "You're it!"

Daryl huffed, standing up and chasing her to the backyard. He was the quickest in the Dixon family but made sure to run slow so it was fair as he chased her.

Sophia giggled, "Ya can't catch me."

Daryl chuckled, "Yer too fast."

"I super fast like Santa!"

Daryl just shook his head, she sure knew how to make someone laugh. He finally caught up, tagging her on the shoulder and saying 'Yer it,' before turning and running off away from her.

Sophia ran straight after him, going as fast as her little legs would go, "'M gonna get you!"

"Nah uh!"

"Yes! Santa powers are too fast and is gonna help me get you!"

Daryl chuckled, running around a tree but fooled her not, "Pfft, we'll see!"

Sophia ran fast and jumped out at him, tapping his leg before running off again, "You it!"

Daryl chased after her, laughing as she giggled away.

They chasing went on for quite a while till they both were too tired and fell down in the grass, panting and just staring at the sky now in a comfortable silence.

Sophia huffed, "Running is so sleepy."

"Mmhmm."

"We should lay here forever and ever."

Daryl chuckled, "I'd like that."

Sophia giggled, "At least till dinner is ready."

"Can't miss food."

"Nope, never."

Daryl chuckled, "Especially yer mama's cookin'."

"Ummm hers is the best in the world."

Daryl nodded, "Mmhmmm, sure is."

"Yep!"

"When's dinner anyways?"

"I dunno, soon I hope."

Daryl nodded, closing his eyes, "Hopefully so."

"Yeahh."

Daryl sighed, glancing at her once before looking back up at the sky then closing his eyes tight. Sophia scooted over closer to him before doing the same.

-Hit The Wall-

Daryl woke up with a start, surprised that he fell asleep but when he looked over at Sophia she was snoring softly too. He chuckled, they must've got so comfortable they dozed off.

Carol quietly cleared her throat when Daryl woke up, alerting him to her presence and the fact that she had been watching them.

He looked behind him, seeing her. He stretched and sat up, grass pieces in his hair at parts. She grinned as she watched him, he still looked sleepy and confused which was adorable.

Daryl grumbled something then laid back down, getting comfortable again and deciding to sleep more since Sophia was.

Carol sat down next to him when he made no effort to get up, "Are you hungry?"

Daryl cracked one eye open and moved to pull her down beside him, grumbling, "Nope."

Not expecting to be pulled down she flopped back down onto the grass next to him, muffling a laugh.

"Sorry."

She shook her head, "It's fine."

Daryl grumbled again, "No, my fault."

"So...nothing bad happened did it?"

Daryl looked up at her, "Sat down too hard, yer ass probably hurts."

Carol shook her head with a smile, "My ass is fine."

Daryl closed his eyes with a smirk, his hands going back behind his head, "Alright."

Carol nodded, "You two have been out here for hours you know."

"It's peaceful."

Carol smiled, "Yes...I guess it is."

"Ya don' think it is?"

"It is. Sometimes it's not though."

Daryl didn't open his eyes but shifted her way, "Why not?"

Carol laughed, "Because you and Sophia are really loud."

Daryl chuckled softly, "At least it means we sleep well."

Carol nodded, "But I should probably wake her soon or she won't sleep tonight."

"Then wake her up but make sure she knows yer the one wreckin' her comfortable, warm sleep."

"Or I could blame it on you." Carol teased.

Daryl grumbled again, "Shuddup."

"Nope."

"It yer fault, not mine."

"I know that."

Daryl kept his eyes closed, "Go on then."

"Maybe in a little while."

Daryl huffed, "Alright then."

"Yes. This is more comfortable than I thought."

Daryl closed his eyes again, mumbling something before reaching out to hold her hand. She twisted her fingers with his, smiling softly as he ran his thumb softly on her hand, smiling.

Carol hummed, "Five more minutes or Merle will probably get hungry again and eat everyone else's dinner."

"Dumbass."

Carol laughed, "Sometimes."

Daryl closed his eyes again, "It true."

"Maybe but he means well, most of the time."

"That's a lie."

"No."

Daryl scoffed, grumbling, "Sure."

"It's true."

"For ya, not for me."

"You'd be surprised."

Daryl huffed, changing the subject after a while, "Can we eat outside?"

Carol nodded, "Want me to bring it out here?"

"I can help."

Carol shrugged, "Only if you want."

Daryl stretched, sitting up with a grunt, "I wanna."

She smiled as she got herself up, holding her hand out to help him up, "Come on then."

Daryl took it but still used his own weight to get up.

Carol glanced down at her daughter who was still sleeping peacefully, "Maybe I should wake her now."

"If ya wanna."

Carol nodded and bent down gently waking her, "Sophia, dinner time."

Daryl whispered to her, "Just 'member, yer fault."

Carol rolled her eyes up to him, "Sophia sweetie, get up."

She groaned and mumbled, "Five minutessss."

Carol sighed and picked Sophia up, holding her to her chest, "Come on, dinner." She led them back inside to the kitchen where she instantly found Merle working on his second helping of dinner.

Daryl rolled his eyes, "Fat ass!"

Merle huffed, "Shut up!"

Daryl growled at him when he passed him, following behind Carol.

Carol sighed, "Be nice."

"Nope."

Carol groaned, "Actually like living with three kids."

Daryl huffed, "Rude."

Carol smiled, "But true."

"Four kids."

"No."

Daryl scoffed, "Yep, yer counted."

"No. I'm not a child, I'm the mom."

"And 'm not a kid, I stopped bein' a kid at age five."

Merle huffed, "Ya still acted like a damn kid till ya was twenty."

Sophia giggled, getting down from where her Mom was holding her, "I the only kid."

Daryl crossed his arms, "Listen to the girl."

Carol shook her head, "Maybe."

"She right."

"Says the man arguing like a child."

Daryl huffed, "At least ya called me a man not a kid."

Carol laughed, "Oppps my mistake, I meant kid."

"Shuddup."

"No, never."

Daryl huffed, "I ain't a kid."

"You're not but you're acting like one."

Daryl rolled his eyes, "Am not."

Carol nodded as she dished up Sophia and Daryl's plates, "You are."

"Am not."

"So arguing like this isn't childish?"

Daryl shook his head, "Yer arguing' too, so yer a child."

Carol smirked, "No I'm just pointing the truth out to you."

"Nope."

"Yep. Now sit down and have dinner before I send you to your room without any." Carol teased.

Daryl huffed, "Shuddup."

Carol smirked as she put the plates on the table and sat down at an empty seat.

Daryl ate his silently, refusing to look at Merle who was staring openly at him.

Carol watched them, sighing loudly. She wasn't hungry now as she had already had a small plate earlier while they were outside asleep.

Merle finished his and put his plate in the sink. He leaned on the counter and watched Daryl get up to clean his own bowl and once his brother was done and moving to walk by him, he kicked the back of his knees and made him fall to the ground.

Daryl growled at him from the floor, "Sonuva bitch! I wasn' doin' anythin' to ya!"

Merle huffed, "Been being an asshole to me all damn day."

Daryl stood up, huffing at him, "Gives ya no right to push me down."

"I reckon it does."

Daryl gritted his teeth but refused to hit him, "It don'!"

"Yeh? Why not?"

Daryl just shook his head, moving to walk away from him, "Don' touch me!"

Merle pushed him again, ignoring him completely.

Daryl growled, catching himself this time, "Stop that!"

Merle just shook his head and did it again, "No."

Daryl glared at him, stepping back, "Stop!"

"Fight back!"

Daryl shook his head, leaning against the counter in the kitchen, "No."

"Come on, ya clearly got a problem with so just get it all out now and we can stop this shit."

Daryl shook his head, "I ain't ever gonna hit ya 'gain, it ain't right. It ain't what I wanna do, I don' want to hurt ya."

Merle scoffed, "Ya need to get this out of ya system somehow."

"Hurtin' ya ain't gonna help."

"Then what?!"

Daryl didn't look at him, "I don' know. Ya know how it is, I don' know feelings'."

Merle huffed, "Well figure it the fuck out!"

"HOW?!"

"I don't know but I can't take this bullshit of you glaring at me all day."

Daryl huffed, "Ya glare at me too!"

Merle growled, "Because ya do first."

"Not at dinner."

"Ya did."

Daryl shook his head, moving to leave and go upstairs, "Ain't true."

"Fuckin' is!"

Daryl ignored him, going upstairs and to his room.

Sophia huffed, "You shouldn't hurt Daddy, Uncle Merle. That was bad. Go say sorry!"

Merle huffed, "It didn' hurt 'm, just annoys 'm. It's a past thing, don' matter."

"You have to say sorry!"

"It ain't gonna work."

Sophia huffed, "You gotta say sorry though."

"No."

"Yes Uncle Merle."

Merle shook his head, "No, I was only tryin' to help 'm get it out of 'mself but he refused!"

"You shouldn't fight though, fighting is bad."

Merle sighed, "Only way he can calm down and get over somethin'."

Sophia shook her head, "Go talk to him."

"No, he hates talkin'."

"He likes it when I talk."

Merle huffed, "'Cause he loves ya."

"He loves ya too."

Merle shook his head, "It's different. He had to grow up with me so I know everythin' he wouldn' want anyone to know 'bout 'm...He don' like that."

Sophia frowned, "But he still loves you and you love him."

"Talkin' ain't gonna solve it though, it just ain't that easy."

Sophia nodded, "Than what will solve it?"

"Time."

"Maybe but that long."

Merle nodded, huffing, "Could take months really."

Sophia shook her head, "Too long, no. That no good."

Merle sighed, "I don' know what else."

Sophia nodded, "I could try and fix it."

"No, ya shouldn' get involved. It's just siblin' rivalry."

"Then you gotta fix it."

Merle shook his head, "We're always gonna fight, it's just somethin' we do."

Sophia frowned, "Shouldn't be."

"All siblings do it."

"Why?"

Merle shrugged, "When yer livin' with 'em yer whole life then yer bound to have some arguments."

"Nooooo. Arguments ain't good."

Merle shook his head, "Well it just a part of life."

Sophia huffed, "Well I don't like it."

Merle shrugged, "Oh well."

Sophia stood up, "No more!"

Merle sighed, "Ain't promisin' that. We've been doin' this shit forever."

Sophia groaned, "You should stop."

"Hard to."

"But you gotta try."

Merle sighed, "I am."

"Good."