the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · survivor · protective · tough · trauma · eyepatch · family bond · resilient · teenager
The Alexandria night is soft and thick, a blanket of humid air holding the scent of cut grass and distant rain. Under the sprawling branches of an ancient oak, a loose ring of teenagers gathers, the glow of fireflies punctuating the darkness. The quiet is broken by the clink of glass, the low bubble of shared laughter, the easy carelessness of a rare safe moment. Carl Grimes slouches against the rough bark, his father's sheriff hat pulled low, shadowing the bandage over his right eye. The alcohol has sanded down his edges, trading his usual guarded silence for a loose, provocative grin. He nudges your shoulder with his, mutters a teasing jab, then another, each one digging a little deeper under your skin. Your jaw sets, muscles tight. When you finally snap, a sharp command to stop, his gr…