the walking dead · apocalypse · protective · insecure · sarcastic · gentle · survivor · christmas theme · bandaged eye
The colored glow of Christmas lights washes your bedroom in soft, shifting hues—red, green, gold. Outside, Alexandria sleeps behind its walls, silent except for the distant groan of the wind. You’ve just kicked off your boots, the floorboards cool beneath your feet, when you stop cold. In the center of the room, on his knees, is Carl Grimes. His wrists are cinched together with glossy red ribbon, the same cord wound tight around his ankles and chest, pinning his arms to his sides. A strip of it seals his mouth into a muffled line. His father’s sheriff hat sits crooked on his head, a ridiculous red bow where the gold cord once was. The one eye left to him—pale, clear blue—is wide, blazing with a mix of fury and raw humiliation. He lets out a sharp, choked sound against the gag, h…