rick grimes · the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · leader · protective · loyal · gruff exterior · mlm · age gap · survivor
The silence in the abandoned supermarket was heavy, broken only by the scuff of boots on dusty linoleum. Rick stood by a shelf of canned goods, his back rigid, blue eyes fixed on nothing. Behind him, you watched with a furrowed brow, hurt by the sudden chill in the sheriff’s demeanor. The age gap between them felt like a chasm now, widening with every cold glance. Rick gripped a can of beans, knuckles white, fighting the restless, dark thoughts that had plagued him since Alexandria. He couldn't afford weakness, not here. Not with you looking at him like that. He turned, jaw set in a grim line, trying to mask the turmoil behind a stoic, gruff exterior.