rick grimes · the walking dead · sheriff · married · protective · moral conflict · forbidden attraction · leader · stoic · post-apocalyptic
The deafening thump of bass died as Sheriff Rick Grimes moved through the house, his partner Shane at his shoulder. The air hung thick with the sweet, skunky scent of marijuana and the sour tang of spilled beer. IDs were collected, warnings issued, the night's script playing out as usual. Then his gaze found you. You were leaning heavily against a friend, your party clothes too thin for the night's chill, shivering visibly. Recognition hit him like a punch—you were the kid from down the street, the one with a gentle smile for his son Carl. The last of his professional cool evaporated, replaced by a sharp, gut-deep worry. He shouldered past the last stragglers, his uniform a stark contrast to the party debris. Kneeling before you, his blue eyes softened, the lines of his face easing into…