❊Multifandom Imagines❊

Carl Grimes x Reader

The dim light of the fire illuminated the nameless men surrounding you. Yet you were not interested in learning their names, just as they were not interested in talk. These men, the saviors, were merely focused on inflicting mental and physical harm upon you, your family. They were simply followers, lost within the flock that contained them, following after their leader, just as sheep pranced after their Shepard. The Shepard that led these lost souls did not wield a crook though; instead his hands were glued to a barbed-wire wrapped bat that you couldn't seem to tear your gaze away from.

Your knees scratched against the gravel beneath you as you shifted uncomfortably in your spot. The gashes the covered your sides leaked blood. You tried to put up a fight for Maggie and her baby, but you were outnumbered. As you glanced around in that moment, you examined the countless men in front of you and realized this was nothing like Terminus. No one could save you now. This could be it for you. For Carl. For your family. There would be blood tonight. Another loved one would die a brutal death and you would be forced to witness it. You knew you should have been afraid, you should've been cowering down, making yourself look as weak as possible so you weren't the one to die today. It all came down to survival again. But this group was your home, and you would have willingly given your life up for any of them. Which was why you stared directly at Negan during his entire ordeal, unlike those who knelt beside you. Their eyes were diverted away from the evil in front of them, trying their best not to draw attention to themselves, yet you stared. You'd already done the unspeakable to protect them. If Negan was accepting volunteers, you would've been the first to raise your hand. Yet you knew he wasn't open for requests. He ran this show, and whatever happened tonight you would have to continue living knowing there was nothing you could have done. In this moment you were completely powerless.

Glancing next to you at Carl, a tidal wave of emotions flooded throughout your veins. The love of your life was in danger, but this time you couldn't whip out a gun and save him. You could only hope the two of you were lucky enough to survive the night. Carl felt your eyes boring into the side of his face and immediately glanced over at you, his eyes were filled with an indescribable fiery rage, but quickly softened as he saw your face. As he saw how torn apart you looked.

He desperately wanted to reach out and hold you in his arms again. He craved your comfort right now as you were the only person who could help diminish his irrational and reckless thoughts. But most of all he wanted to slip his fingers through your own, brush his thumb against the side of your hand, and tell you it would be alright. He knew you could handle it, and he also knew it wouldn't be alright. But he needed you to know. He would make sure it was alright for you, even if that put him in jeopardy. You may have helped dismiss his reckless thoughts, but you also caused them. For you, he would be reckless.

"You'll be alright," Carl mouthed to you, his hat teetering on his head. His words were confident, but his eye was contradicting. All he knew was your safety was guaranteed as long as he was near you.

"I love you," you mouthed back, repressing the small, warm tears that had been building up in your eyes. Staying strong was part of the deal. This wouldn't be the thing that broke you, but you weren't sure you believed him. You weren't guaranteed safety. Not now. Not ever.

"I love you too," this time his voice came out a faint, nearly inaudible whisper. He didn't care if he the 'man' who called himself Negan heard. He wanted you to hear his voice hoping it would calm you down.

"Well ain't that fucking cute," Negan seethed out, a low chuckle passing through his lips as he strolled toward you and Carl. Your encounter did not go unnoticed. He swung his bat back and forth almost teasingly as he stared at Carl for awhile, before diverting his attention toward you, a smirk playing on his lips.