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Fuck fuck fuck fuck fucking fuck!
Daryl's legs burned from lactic acid as he ran like mad towards the farm's well, Rick close behind him.
God damn it all. God damn these people, god damn that little bitch that had his baby brother acting like a love-sick puppy.
Still he knew it wasn't her fault - she'd been mad and upset when she came running for the house, telling Daryl all about how the rest had used Glenn as "walker bait" and sent him down that well with the bloated walker in it.
Something had gone wrong, something had broken. It had scared the shit out of Daryl, that second before she continued the story Daryl had thought she might tell him Glenn was-
No.
But Merle had shown up - pushed some on the fuckers away before pulling up a screaming Glenn by himself. Then he'd proceed to beat T-Dog and Shane to within an inch of their lives.
That wasn't why Daryl was running though.
Maggie had told him how Merle had turned to the kid after, of how he'd slapped the kid over his face before dragging him by his hair towards the woods.
Fuck. Fuck.
This was bad. Daryl knew he had explained it before; Merle can't show his feelings in any other way without being physical. Words was a no-no to him.
A pat on the back. Ruffle of your hair. One-armed hug. Affection.
Anger.. A fist to your face. A slap. A spanking. A beating..
Daryl gasped for air but just kept running like mad. He knew this situation could happen, his older brother couldn't control himself in certain situations. But dammit Daryl had expected to be there when it happened, to protect Glenn.
Once he reached the well, he stopped for a second and saw T-Dog and Shane being coddled by the others, and he had a god damn urge to beat them as well.
But the scream, the scream, that came from the woods had Daryl running again.
He only turned around for a second to tackle into Rick as he heard the man follow him.
"You stay tha fuck outta this cop! Yall have done enough ya hear?! Stay tha fuck away!" He roared at the stunned Rick - before starting to run again.
After a while he could see them and fuck..
Glenn was bent over a fallen tree, his t-shirt pulled up over his head and his pants and underwear at his ankles. And Merle..
Shit the kid had only recieved 3 spankings in his whole life - one by Merle and 2 by Daryl.
And now Merle was beating.. He was beating the kid with his belt.
The boy's behind was a reddish-blue, and his back was a red-welted mess.
Merle had been pushed over the line, and while Daryl would've given the kid the spanking of his life if he'd been the one that got him out of that well - this wasn't a spanking, this was a beating.
Like their father used to do, and..
Merle was crying. Fuck!
Daryl was moving again, at a speed he wasn't aware of he could reach.
And then he tackled his big brother - sending them both to the ground and then letting his fists fly to subdue his crazed brother.
He almost lost the advantage when Merle roared and started to fight back - but after Daryl screamed to his face "Merle! You are hurting him! You are beating him!!" the man's fight just left him. And Daryl let him go as he bucked and then stumbled away deeper into the woods.
He was sure no one would see Merle for days.
Gasping for air and taking a second to calm his madly beating heart, Daryl finally could tend to his baby brother and fuck... Glenn was a mess.
The kid was almost blue in his face from trying to, and failing, to breathe while screaming.
His eyes were terrified, and glanced over. Shock.
Daryl let out a sob. He was too late, the damage was done.
He carefully put his hand on Glenn's head, and recievied another wail for it.
"Ya stupid..! Ya fuckin' stupid little.. Look what ya done to yerself! FUCK!!"
Glenn just wailed and whimpered, and Daryl couldn't take it anymore.
He roughly pulled up the kid's pants and pulled his t-shirt into place before picking the kid up, bridal style because fuck the kid was lighter then a little girl.
Glenn stopped wailing and almost choked him instead once he got those thin arms around his neck - he was holding onto Daryl as if he'd never let go.
"Sorrysorrysorrys-sorry.."
The mantra started suddenly and Daryl choked on another sob.
He carried the kid to their camp that had been moved a bit from the rest of them.
Roaring an angry; "Tha fuck are yall looking at huh!? This is yer fault! This mess right here is all yer fault, ya hear? Stay tha fuck away from my family, all of ya!" to the gawking camp-members.
Glenn whimpered and held on tighter, and Daryl made a shushing sound as he lowered the kid to his sleeping bag.
"Kid.. I gotta check the damage baby brother.. Ya gotta let go for awhile ok? Jus' for a sec."
The boy started to sob but let go and didn't protest as Daryl turned him to lay on his stomach.
He pulled down the kid's pants and boxers again and fuck.. He was already blue, his buttocks looked like it had been smeared with blue berry sauce.
It was really blue.
He pulled the pants and underwear off, and the t-shirt as well, before he snatched a rag and some water to clean the kid up. And Glenn let him do it without a word - only his pityful sobbing and whimpering breaking the silence now and then.
When Daryl was pleased with the clean up, he pulled out a clean t-shirt and boxers and helped Glenn get in to them.
He pulled up the zipper of the tent, forced Glenn to drink some water, and then laid down and pulled the kid to his chest. Letting him cry himself to sleep, humming some old song while stroking the kid's soft hair to comfort him.
They'd be fine. They had to be fine. This was all Daryl had, and ever wanted.
His family.
Now to wait for Merle to get back.. It would be days for sure, but he'd be back. He'd never leave Glenn and himself to fend for themselves - even if it meant he'd be forced to grovel at his knees for them to forgive him.
They'd be fine..