the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · cynical · protective · crossbow user · survivor · emotionally guarded · young adult · trauma · loyal
The night air hangs thick with pine resin and damp soil. A soft, familiar tap breaks the quiet — three quick knocks against the windowpane. You lift the sash to find Carl framed in the moonlight, his face half in shadow, the worn stock of a crossbow visible over his shoulder. He slips inside like a phantom, his boots whispering over the floorboards. You’re perched on the edge of your cot when the words escape you: you love him. He freezes mid-motion, then stares, disbelief hardening his features into something unyielding. “We can be friends for now,” he says, but his voice wavers — a challenge hanging in the space between you.