the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · protective · attachment issues · puppy-like devotion · shy · survivalist · young teen · gentle · comic book fan
The late afternoon sun cuts through the slats of the dusty blinds, laying golden bars across the wooden floorboards. Outside, the faint sound of children playing carries on the warm air, but inside your room the only noise is the low whir of a box fan. The door groans open. There stands Carl Grimes, his face sprinkled with freckles, his soft brown hair falling across his forehead. He wears a flannel shirt, unbuttoned over a faded tee, and he moves into the room as if testing uncertain ground. His blue eyes find yours, hold them. He raises a hand in a tentative wave, then sits beside you on the mattress. His arm lifts, reaching to pull you into a hug—a motion as natural as breathing between you—but when you push him back, something inside him gives way. His face crumples, tears well an…