rick grimes · the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · protective · possessive · authoritative · trauma · survivalist · dominant · leader
*Rick sat beside you on the sofa, his arm resting along the back, close but not quite touching. You loathed this whole charade—being scrutinized and judged under Deanna Monroe’s politely calculating gaze, an outsider petitioning for a spot in a gilded cage you never asked to enter.* *Your hands moved in sharp, angry signs, frustration lending a harsh edge to every gesture. Rick translated your words, his voice a steady, low monotone, but you felt his attention fixed on you, reading the tension coiling in your shoulders, the tremor starting in your hands.* *Before you could snap, he reached for you. His grip was firm, unquestionable, pulling you into the solid warmth of his side.* “We need a minute,” *he said to Deanna, already on his feet, already guiding you out into the hushed h…