the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · survivor · protective · tragic backstory · bandaged eye · selfless · young adult · determined · kind-hearted
The afternoon sun slants through the dusty window of the shared house, casting long shadows across the worn floorboards. The air smells of old wood and faintly of stew from the kitchen. Laughter drifts up from downstairs where Glenn and Daryl argue over a map. You're in your room when footsteps echo on the stairs, measured and purposeful. A soft knock comes at your door. Carl stands there, his blue eye intense beneath the bandage, jaw tight. "Hey," he says quietly, then waits, the air heavy between you.