Daryl had inadvertently travelled the same path as most of the Dixon men. It had gotten to the point where it was almost a tradition to get into fights, drop out of school and develop varying substance addictions. He'd been lost without any job, squandering the last dollars he had on drink and bawdy sex clubs until he couldn't sink much lower on the moral scale. For the most part Daryl was okay with the life set out for him, but he felt lonely. Another unfortunate attribute of Dixon men was the unwillingness to talk about their problems, or to seek solace in each other.

One dusty Autumn day, Daryl committed a cardinal Dixon sin. He asked for help. He wanted company, a warm embrace and most of all he wanted tied to someone in a bond stronger than blood. At his brother's feet Daryl confessed something terrible: he was lost.

His brother found him. Made Daryl his own. But Merle didn't rescue him from the oblivion or sweep him away like in some fairytale. He took Daryl by the hand and led him further down the spiral, into the darkness.

A swift smack to the top of his buttocks brought Daryl into reality. He yelped in surprise, knowing that would cost him.

"Sit." The gruff voice came from behind him.

Daryl's breath caught as he felt a cold hand on the small of his back that gently pressed down. He knelt and prepared for what would come next. Everything was so much more intense, so much sharper when he was blindfolded. He wasn't used to it yet, but Merle promised to break him in.

"I'm sorry." He breathed, bowing his head. He could never keep quiet, never pay attention long enough. Daryl wanted Merle to fix him by whatever means necessary. He wanted to make Merle proud.

"Sorry what?" The voice behind him rose in volume and he knew Merle was getting angry.

"Sir," he added hastily, "I'm sorry... sir."

No response. What worried Daryl more than Merle growling behind him was complete silence. Sweat dripped lazily down his face, past the restricting collar around his neck and down his muscular chest, which now rose and fell at a faster pace. He was scared and didn't know what would happen next, but that only seemed to worsen the erection burgeoning in his slacks. The ring Merle had placed around his shaft and balls was tight and uncomfortable, but Daryl finding that he quite liked the feeling.

Finally, his ears pricked up as he heard movement within the room.

Merle knelt down beside his younger brother and ran a calloused hand down his cheek. Daryl wanted to arch into his hand, to kiss it, but he knew better than that. The older man smiled, and gave Daryl's earlobe a quick bite before standing up again, satisfied that the boy had passed his test. Daryl ached as he felt Merle's warm mouth leave his skin.

"I bet you want me to fuck you. You want me to fuck you so hard you can't sit for days. So hard you bleed." He whispered the last word, sending shivers through Daryl's spine and he bit down on his lip to stop himself from coming. His legs trembled and he blushed. Daryl wouldn't dare come, not until Master told him to.

"Bend over, boy." Merle ordered. Daryl swallowed hard and proceeded to place his cuffed hands in front and lean on his forearms, his ass high in the air, waiting. Two fingers slipped in a Daryl moaned slightly, only to receive another slap on the ass. The fingers left his hole and he froze, waiting for a punishment.

His eyes widened under the blindfold as the cold shock of rubber assaulted his already alert senses and Daryl tasted blood when he bit into his lip this time. In the silence earlier Merle must have gone to get the dildo that was now pushing itself into Daryl's tight ass.

The younger man scraped the floor helplessly as the huge mass entered his body, pushing and stretching.

"Don't you dare come." Merle barked, his breath low, full of warning and desire.

Merle smiled as he heard Daryl whimper. One final test.

"You like that, puppy? Like how it feels?" Merle's thrusts had become slow and teasing, and he waited for Daryl to arch up into it. But he didn't. Time for his reward.

"How about this?" He muttered before pushing his thick, throbbing member into Daryl's reddened opening. He couldn't hold in a sharp cry this time, but Merle didn't seem to hear.

Merle's weighty cock had fully entered Daryl and he began a steady movement timed with soft strokes to Daryl's tender nipples. The older man couldn't help but smile at his younger brother writhing below him, face red with lust, cock aching to be touched. Merle sped up, moving his strong hands to the back of Daryl's neck, roughly pressing him down against the floor.

"Please, sir. Please. I-I need... I can't..." Daryl's voice wavered from against the ground and he sounded ready to explode. He was shaking now, from beneath his blindfold hot tears rolled down his face. His hands and wrists hurt from desperately trying to cling to the floor and get some kind of grip as his Master ploughed mercilessly into him. Daryl's hips bucked and he felt like it wouldn't be humanly possible to hold it in any longer.

"Come for me, now." His brother's voice was thin and ragged but still retained the trademark snarl. Upon instruction, Daryl let himself go. In a blaze of burning relief, he cried out as loud as he could. He saw spots in front of his eyes as he came, thick, ropey strands pouring over Merle's hand and the floor beneath him. Merle's face contorted into a silent shout as he also came, emptying white, hot stream into the younger man, who seemed lost in the intense pleasure of the moment. Daryl's arms gave out and both men crumpled to the floor in a sticky mess, breathing heavily.

Daryl didn't know what happened after that. He blinked as light filtered in through the window blinds of a familiar room. Merle's bedroom. He didn't quite know how he had gotten there, but he knew from experience that this room was out of bounds. His heart broke out of its lazy rhythm and began to beat faster as something stirred from underneath him. He became aware that his pillow was warm, breathing steadily and so much more comfortable than pillows should be. Merle propped himself up with his arm and smiled from behind Daryl.

"You alright?"

"Oh, uh, yeah." He lay back (onto a real pillow, this time) and tilted his head back to look at Merle.

"I mean, yes sir. Sorry sir."

Merle let out a small laugh and smiled again, his eyes crinkling at the corners and brilliant white teeth showing. Daryl gazed into his face, stunned by his amazing smile. He'd never seen this side of the dominant older man before.

"You don't have to call me that."

Daryl was now more surprised than before.

"At least not until I fully wake up." Merle yawned, joining him on the pillow and looking at him with piercing blue eyes. Daryl was the one who smiled this time.

Merle reached out and pulled his little brother closer. Daryl nestled into the nook of Merle's neck, stroking his brother's belly softly but cautiously, still not sure if Merle was allowing him to do this or not.

The older man trailed a tired finger down his lover's cheek and down his chest before nuzzling into Daryl's hair.

Feeling his brother's warm breath against him sent tingles down his spine. His eyes were closing slowly and he realised he wasn't fully recovered from the previous event... whenever that was. He didn't even know the day right now and he didn't care. It felt like time had frozen, just them and a beautiful light.

"I love you." He drawled, half-asleep and not fully aware of what he was saying, "Love you... so much."

He vaguely registered someone kissing him.

"Good boy."