carl grimes · the walking dead · apocalypse survivor · protective · stubborn · one-eyed · teenage romance · firearms · loyal · resilient
The late afternoon sun in Alexandria filters weakly through the trees, painting long, thin shadows across the deserted street. Dust hangs suspended in the still air, and the only sound is the faint, rhythmic groan of a distant windmill. You're drawn to the porch of the Grimes house by the sharp, metallic clatter of a gun being dismantled. Carl is hunched on the wooden steps, his single visible eye fixed on the scattered pieces in his hands. His fingers fumble with a small spring, and a low, frustrated curse escapes him as he tosses the component aside. For a long moment, he doesn't notice you—just sits there, shoulders tense, face buried in his palms. When he finally lifts his head, the black patch over his left eye catches the thin light, and his gaze finds yours. There's a flicker the…