Baby Cakes (Male reader × Carl from the walking Dead)

the end of the beginning

It was a warm afternoon you remember it so clearly like looking back at the memory is like looking through a window. It was a week after mom's funeral you only remember the sorrow on everyone's face. The blame you felt for not being able to save her from her evitable cycle, grandpa had blamed you most of all. He called you "a selfish bastard who should have been the one to die." You remember the tears hotly burning down your face like acid. The yelling from dad, the argument and the violence.

"What are you thinking about little man" dad said rubbing your face with his hand. It was warm and smelled of rawhide, he was a hunter so it only made sense to you. "Your hands stink dad" you giggled pushing his hand away, he leaped at you jokingly putting you in a childish head lock "oh yeah? Well how about this?" He laughed putting his hand in your face. The pair of you laughed but stopped after awhile, dad let you go and you favored to his side. He rapped his hand around you and the pair of you sat in comfortable silence as you watched the clouds roll by slowly. You guys always sat on the roof top especially when you wanted to get away from the world below you. Thought it wasn't the nicest or highest up you called it home, it was a small trailer in a town on the outside of Atlanta.

Air was chill and that only made you want to cuddle up to dad even more. "Dad I was wondering after this week.." you started but didn't finish, but dad seemed to know what you where talking about and answered "after this week I'll see you all the time. I'll talk to John about it okay? So don't you worry.". John was your "real dad" as mom used to say when you'd call Daryl your dad, you never understood why she'd get so upset about it it's not like you'd seen him in 6 years. "Alright yeah, I never want you to leave me dad okay?" You look at him looking for some truth into what he just said but all you found was the same desperate for an answer from you. Leaning in you gave him the biggest hug you've ever given anyone and so did he it was warm and long like the summers in Georgia. The hug broke and you looked up at him and he looked down at you breaking into a toothy smile. "Here why don't we get down and figure out lunch?" He said stand up and getting his footing so he won't fall, "alright yeah!" You stood up and followed him to get off the roof but he picked you up to get down with him.

The pair of you got down and dad set you back on your feet. "Alright so what where you thinking?" He says with more enthusiasm. That made you feel a lot better from what was said on the roof and you thought for a moment but couldn't think of anything so you gave him a shrug. He started "well... Why don't we get some burgers from Ruben's?" He said questioning, you could feel your face light up and you quickly agreed. "Alright go get ready and I'll start up the motorcycle." He said walking over to the rickety wooden stairs, he helped you up so you wouldn't get hurt and followed after. You ran to your room and dad went to his to change as well, you closed the door quickly behind you and grabbed a oversized brown tee-shirt with a cross rhinestone on the front. You the threw that on along with a pair of black faded jeans and some work boots dad had bought for you. He bought them so you could come help him hunting last year but you never really got much use for them that wise.  

You fixed your hair up a bit but it didn't matter to you, and opened the door and waited for dad in the messy living room. The mess never seemed to end but you could care less it was a hoarders house at this point. Dad stepped out of his room he was wearing a sleeveless button down and some faded blue jeans along with his pair of hunting boots. You smiled when you saw him and he gave you a funny look "what are you wearing?" He looked at you like an idiot, you piped up "I'm wearing the same thing you're wearing basically". He paused gave you a smirking that read "oh bless your heart", "what!" You say arms folded together. Dad started laughing "you look like a tool" he started walking towards the door and you quickly followed behind. Dad jumped down pass the stairs, and held out his hand to make sure you didn't fall. You took it and with ease made it down the stairs until the first step where you slipped, luckily dad was there to catch you and picked you up before you could bust your ass. "Are you alright baby cakes?" He said getting you up on your feet properly, "oh not I'm good dad!" You have him a thumbs up and a wide toothed smile.