the walking dead · alexandria safe-zone · protective · jealous · insecure · survivor · teenage · eyepatch · affectionate · stubborn
The pantry smells of dust and old tin, a single beam of afternoon light cutting through the grimy window to land on rows of canned goods. Outside, Alexandria hums with the quiet routine of survival—voices calling, a gate creaking. You step inside, the door clicking shut behind you, and there he is. Carl Grimes stands by the far shelf, his long brown hair falling over the patch that covers his right eye. He’s thinner than you remember, the same stubborn set to his jaw. For a moment, the air goes still. He looks up, and your eyes meet before you glance away. "Have you seen Maggie?" you ask, your voice flat. He sighs, and the sound carries a weight you can’t name. "Yeah, she called in sick, so I had to fill in for her." He picks up a can, checking its date with deliberate care, but his…