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The chain to the roof fell away and Daryl shoved his way ahead of the others. "Merle?" he called out, heart in his throat. "Merle"
There was a moment of unbearable silence as Daryl moved forward, ignoring the men behind him then he heard the rattle of metal against metal. "Daryl?" Merles voice sounded hoarse, and rounding the pipes, Daryl could see what near 24 hours on this roof had done to the other man.
"Jesus Merle!" he breathed, then turned back to the others. "Get those damn cuffs offa him now!" and he reached over to grab the bolt cutters when the black man took too long to get close and did it himself. He wasn't expecting Merle's other hand to come up and grip the back of his head, and for once he didn't give a damn for the company they were in, they could suck it up for all he cared, he let himself be pulled in for a kiss.
There was a retching sound behind him, and some sounds of surprise. Daryl ignored them, hiding his blush by finishing up destroying the cuffs, cutting them right off Merle's bloodied wrist.
"What?" Merle said suddenly. "Not gonna tell me you liberal minded shits got something against folks kissing?"
"Aren't you... you know... brothers?" the Chinaman asked.
Daryl turned his face slightly to look at Merle and snorted. They'd said that before, at the quarry. Where the hell had anyone gotten that idea from? It weren't like either of them had ever said it, even if they didn't broadcast what they really were. Merle snorted himself. "Not that it's any of your business, but we're hitched." Daryl found himself saying, and he felt that little part of him that hated telling people rebel at the thought.
"Now, now little brother... No need to go lying to them." Merle gave the others a nasty grin, he was too weak to do any real damage to them if he hit them, so he was doing it another way. Daryl punched his shoulder hard, before offering a bottle of water.
"Shut up Merle." He studiously didn't look at the others. He'd grown up in what had been classed "The proper side of town" filled with people like those back at camp. He knew place had nothing to do with how people acted. He'd ended up with scars across him there just as easy as if he'd been living in a slum. Merle weren't a saint, hell, it felt like he'd been in prison more than out, but at least he was honest. He never hid any of his thoughts about anyone, and Daryl mightn't agree with some of them, what he said about black people and others, but it wasn't hidden, and Daryl preferred it that way.
But he knew other people did hide things like that, hid their distaste for things. He knew he and Merle were talked about at the quarry, knew people referred to them as white trash, rednecks and hillbillies, but never to their faces, just two faced whisperings that set Daryl's teeth on edge. That's why he didn't like them to announce what they were to each other, and for all of his faults, Merle went along with it.
"We-ell, if it isn't Officer Friendly." Merle drawled suddenly, and Daryl went on the immediate offence, grabbing hiss husband and hauling him in for another kiss.
"No fightin'" he breathed when he pulled back. "Please."
Merle made a sound of disgust, but thankfully only said. "I ain't forgivin' ya for this shit."
The answer from Rick took longer, and Daryl felt himself tense, because this was exactly what he hated about other folks. The two faced crap they pulled, where they measured him and Merle up and found them wanting. Which wasn't fair.
“All right, I can take that.” Was what Rick Grimes said, and it didn’t come off as anything but honest, reminding Daryl of why he had chosen to put his limited supply of trust in the man at the quarry.
“Ya alright to run if ya hav’ta?” Daryl asked, frowning at the bloodied cuts around his husbands’ wrist.
“You know I am Darylena.” Merle said, all cocky smiles that made Daryl want to thump him again for putting any of them into this position to start with.
“Don’t call me that asshole.” He snapped.
“You sure you ain’t brothers?” T-Black Man asked.
Daryl rolled his eyes, but ignored him, because no amount of talking was going to erase anyone’s perception of rednecks. Sure they were all just incestuous assfuckers. Why not. He sighed, and pushed himself to his feet, lifting his crossbow and holding his free hand out to help Merle up.
“Let’s get out of here.” Rick Grimes said, and Daryl nodded in agreement. He just wanted to put this whole sorry day behind him.