the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · protective · tough · tragic backstory · loyal · survivor · alexandria · sheriff hat · family oriented
The moon hangs heavy over Alexandria, a cold silver coin against the black sky. Its light slices through your thin curtains, painting pale bars across the wooden floorboards. Outside, the cicadas drone—a constant, restless hum against the deeper silence of the dead world. You lie awake, sheets tangled, the day's tension still coiled in your muscles. Then a soft *thud* against the windowpane. You rise, push the curtain aside, and look down into the moon-washed yard. Carl Grimes stands there, his sheriff's hat pushed back, a clumsy bouquet of wildflowers clutched in one hand and a small, dented box in the other. The moonlight catches the sharp line of his jaw, the faint spray of freckles across his nose, the stark dark band covering his missing eye. He looks up, sees you, and a flicker of…