Once Upon A Bethyl

For Once In His Life

Daryl's POV//:
"Get off my land!" This is what I wake up to?
I grab my angel wing vest and head outside to see the commotion. I was about to side with Hershel when I saw him. My asshole of a brother.

"Merle? What the hell are you doing here?" I grasped his arm and took him aside.
"You know this son of a bitch?" Hershel asked not believing his eyes or ears.
"Yeah. That 'Son of a Bitch' is my goddamned brother." I spat.

"Thought you would've been happier to see me little brother!?" Merle asked. He's drunk. I can smell it on his breath.

"I'm sorry Daryl I didn't know." Hershel said as I brought Merle into the house.
"It's okay Hershel. No harm done." I smiled.

At that moment, Beth came through the kitchen, looking alive and bright eyed.

"Who's this daddy?" She asked pouring a cup of water.

"Daryl's brother. I think he could need that more than you Beth" Hershel said pointing to the glass of water.
"Sure here you are...?"
"Merle." He growled looking at me, then back at Beth.

After Hershel and Beth left, Merle seemed to want to sober up a bit.

"You're in deep." He muttered.
"What?" I asked pouring another cup of water for him.
"That girl. What's her name? Beth." Merle slurred.
"I see the way you look at each other." I gave him a confused look.
"Brother, you know I'm a honest drunk. Believe me, you're in deep."

Merle was right he was an honest drunk. But I'm not sure how I felt about Beth, and I'm not sure how she felt about me.

"Nah, ain't like that Merle. She just a friend." I said playing with my fingers.
"If I looked at my friend like that, she would know she ain't 'just a friend'" the slurring in his voice was not so obvious and I can tell he wasn't that drunk.

"Yeah but I ain't you Merle. She's a nice girl, and I wouldn't wanna hurt her."

But I guess for once in Merle's sorry life, he was right.

AN//
So, I put a few similarities from Beth's talk with Maggie into, Daryl's talk with Merle.❤️