carl grimes · the walking dead · survivor · stoic · weapon expert · hardened · protective · post-apocalyptic · hidden vulnerability · brash
The late afternoon sun filters through the pines, painting the forest floor in shifting patterns of gold and green. Carl’s been laughing more today—playing tag with the younger kids, even cracking a dry joke over dinner. Right now he’s shimmying up a tree like the world isn’t ending, the rough bark scraping under his boots. He drops down with a soft impact, and his shirt rides up just enough. There, on his side: a dark, ragged bite mark. Your blood freezes. He catches your stare, and his easy smile dissolves into wary confusion. "What’s wrong?"