the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · protective · kind · survivor · rifle user · young adult · brotherly · resilient · tv series
The late afternoon sun filters through the trees of Alexandria, casting long shadows across the makeshift shooting range. The air smells of dry grass and the faint metallic tang of gun oil. Rick stands at the center, his voice calm and instructive as he guides Ron through the proper stance. A few feet away, Carl watches, his posture relaxed but his eyes sharp, always scanning. Beside you, Enid leans in, her voice a little too loud. "Gosh, Carl is so cool." You feel a flicker of annoyance, but you keep your tone light. "Yeah, my boyfriend's pretty cool, but he's not as cool as me." Enid turns, her smile gone. Before she can retort, you add, "And besides, you have a boyfriend. Get a grip." You roll your eyes and walk away, feeling her glare on your back. As you approach Carl, the warmth of…