𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐋 𝐆𝐑𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐒 [ 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 ] ✘

Breaking Down the Walls

Note: A request for RylielovesTWD23! I hope you like it, girl! I embellished a little upon your request, I hope you don't mind and some things had to be changed from the previous one I'd wrote for your OC since she'd already known Carl to begin with in that one but other than that, I hope you like it and thanks for requesting!! ^_^ 

I scoffed to myself, rolling my green eyes as I saw them come in. Don't get me wrong, I liked the new group okay. The leader, a friendly but closed-off man with a beard, was nice enough along with the rest of his rag-tag crew of survivors. Not that I didn't completely understand the being closed-off part, though. To say I had trust issues would be a massive understatement. But that was another story entirely...

Finally, he walked in and immediately, his baby blue eyes locked on mine. Ah, there he was. The brand-new bane of my existence these days - Carl Grimes. The sheriff's hat he always wore was nowhere to be seen tonight though, instead shaggy brown locks that reached past his ears was on display and taking a look around, I noticed the rest of them had cleaned up pretty nicely as well. The ghost of a smirk tugged at Carl's plump pink lips then as the rest of the group filtered into Diana's small home and I turned my head away so he wouldn't see the faint hint of scarlet dusting my cheeks. I really couldn't deny the fact that that boy was starting to make me feel things though - things I'd never felt before in my young life.

Oh, it's not like I hadn't met other guys or even dated a few after arriving in Alexandria. But...it was hard to let people in. I'd done it a few times over the years and it had always been a mistake. And a boy like that? Like Carl Grimes? Huge mistake.

He was what my best friend, Natalie, would call a "Cowboy Casanova". I swear, her and her country music would be the death of me. That is, if the walkers didn't eat me first. I chuckled then at my own dark joke before suddenly, I was interrupted from my thoughts.

"What's so funny?" a deep, velvety voice asked, snapping me back to reality.

I coughed, clearing my throat as ice-blue orbs met emerald-green. Carl. Pushing back a strand of light blonde hair that reached the tops of my shoulders, I bit my lip and shrugged.

"Nothing, I just...got lost in my own head, I suppose," I answered quietly, the nearness of him making me uncharacteristically shy all of a sudden.

He shot me a small smile before holding out his hand, "I'm Carl,"

Almost laughing at his formality at breaking the ice, I took his hand in mine and grinned, "Rylie,"

He cocked his head to the side, strands of dark hair falling over his forehead.

"Cool name..."

We lapsed into an awkward silence then with me toeing the tip of my boot across the wooden floor before I cleared my throat.

"So you're the leader of your group's kid, right?" I questioned, glancing around the room before my gaze landed on the now clean-shaven figure of Rick Grimes talking to Jessie, her son Sam pulling at the hem of her shirt to get her attention.

Annoying little brat.

"Yeah. Yeah, Rick's my dad,"

"He seems like a good man, from what I've seen. And heard,"

"He is..." he trailed off before smirking as he quipped, "Just don't let him try to convince you he's a good gardener,"

A laugh burst free from my lips and I shook my head, grinning over at him which he returned.

"So what about you? Is your family here?" he asked, smiling in a friendly manner.

The happiness drained from my own face then and Carl must've noticed because his own turned into a concern-filled frown.

"I'm sorry, I...are you alright-" he began to backtrack but I shook my head, faking a smile.

"Ah, no, they couldn't make it. Can you excuse me?" I said politely before brushing past, ignoring his protests as I made my way to the kitchen and through the back door.

It was just in time to - right before the inevitable flood of tears came, washing away any and all hope of happiness for the rest of the day. That was the last time I talked to Carl Grimes for a long time. He'd chased me all over town the next couple of weeks but I avoided him, ignoring him every chance I got. He was a great guy but I couldn't - I just couldn't. I'd lost too much to let my walls down again - it just wasn't worth it to get hurt like that for a second time.

I sighed to myself, resting the palms of my hands on the edge of the kitchen sink in Carol's house. She'd asked me here to help her bake cookies - a bit of a strange request seeing as she really didn't strike me as the type to bake but I'd accepted, hoping to get to know these people a bit better.

"You okay, there?" a voice cut through my thoughts, making me spin around on my heel, nearly flicking the bowl of batter onto the floor in the process.

Carl's concerned blue eyes met mine and I smiled, nodding.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied.

He arched an eyebrow, indicating that he knew it wasn't the truth spilling from my mouth and I rolled my eyes in exasperation.

"I'm okay, I..." I started but faltered, shaking my head.

Carl walked closer then, bridging the distance between us until he was only a hairsbreadth away. I could feel his warm breath fanning my face as he gently reached over to me, cupping my face in his large, calloused hands.

"But you're not, are you?"

The warmth of his blue eyes boring back into mine, the soft feel of his skin on my face, and the kindness in his question finally broke the walls down that I had been trying so hard to keep up. The tears came then, unbidden, unchecked. I didn't mean to and part of me hated myself for it as it happened but he said nothing - not one word. Just took me into his arms, letting me cry into his chest as I poured my heart out. It surprised even myself - I'd never been so open to anyone before. Not even Diana when she'd been so hospitable and welcoming when I had arrived here. But he was different.

When I finally pulled away from him, after the tears had subsided, I felt the pads of his thumbs gently brush them off my cheeks. I gave him a watery smile as I gazed up at him through my lashes, up into the charming face of a boy who was slowly breaking down my walls, letting me know that it was okay to let people in sometimes. I guess it came as no surprise then when, a week later, he asked me out and I said 'yes'. Well, at least Carol hadn't been surprised since she'd been low-key spying on us from the living room that day. But even that couldn't dampen my spirits. I had Carl.

And nothing could ever change that.