not a big deal~carl grimes

<twenty-three>

i slept in carls bed that night. i put on a lamp above his bed and read to him as he drifted off. i laid with my head on his chest as he drifted off. as i looked back up, i noticed his eyes were fully shut and he was lightly snoring, something i had passed off as heavy breathing before realising he was asleep.

i turned the lamp off so he could sleep decently and put the book on the nightstand after putting in a bookmark so i wouldn't loose the page. i laid down facing away from him. even in the dark, i could see the open door but nothing beyond it, just the pitch black of the hallway outside.

i felt carl shuffle closer to me, pressing his body against my back and throwing him arm over me to pull me a bit closer. his arm relaxed again as he drifted back off. i couldn't sleep though. the thought of what i would do about me and him kept me up. not that it was a hard decision, i already knew what i was going to say when he woke up the next morning. i was more thinking about what would happen between me and enid. surely she would realise that it was always supposed to be me and carl right? i mean he had to. even after i left him behind me and found a new place, even though i didn't mean to, the universe brought us back together.

i hadn't realised i had fully zoned out until i got pulled out of my thoughts by judith crying down the hall.

i gently moved carls arm off me as even with his sister crying and screaming at the top of her lungs, he didn't wake up so i snuck out. i made my way down the hall, using the light from judiths nightlight that sat by the door, indicating where her room was. i found her laying in her crib, crying.

i pouted at her as she looked up at me. i reached into the crib to pick her up. i held her, gently bouncing her as i rubbed her back to soothe her. she held onto my hair too as it was still long enough for her to grab, just a lot shorter than it used to be.

carl came in as the crying began to quiet down a bit before stopping. he wrapped his arms around my waist as i held judith, just as she fell back to sleep. he let go of me as i put her back down. 'you're great with her.' he smiled, pushing some hair back, kissing my cheek just in front of my ear.

i turned to face him, just now realising that he was only in a grey short sleeved t-shirt and dark blue, plaid boxers, baggy ones that looked like they could be shorts. his hair was a mess from sleep and his eyes still weren't full open as he was still tired. 'you look cute like this.' i commented.

'thank you.' he smiled 'you always look cute.'

i giggled quietly 'so do you. you just look especially cute when you've just woke up.'

'i could say the same for you.' he eyed my messy hair and my black sports bra that usually i would wear an oversized band shirt with but i forgot it and the black running shorts and fuzzy socks that covered my feet. 'you know, with it just being us here, and looking after judith, and you staying over, it makes it feel like we're our own little family.' he joked.

i held his face 'yes.'

'yes?'

'yes, i will be your girlfriend carl.' i clarified. 'i would love to be the girlfriend of a boy so smart and strong and brave and handsome and sweet as you. i knew since you asked me. me thinking was more about what i would say to enid but i don't care what she thinks or how she hears it now. i just know that you're my favourite person in the world.'

he kissed me on my lips as i leaned further in, stumbling when he pulled away. he laughed as he stopped me from falling on the floor. 'nearly fell asleep there? come on, let's get you back to bed.'

he lifted me around my waist as my legs wrapped around him and he carried me back to the bed. he laid down as i unwrapped my legs from his waist but still kept my head buried into his neck, laying down cuddled up to him. his arms snaked around my waist, pulling me into him more as he softly kissed the top of my head 'goodnight baby.'

i smiled at the nickname as i began to hear his soft snores, eventually falling asleep myself.

i woke up the next day. i tried to sit up but there was a tight grip around me, holding me down, which freaked me out until i saw and remembered that it was just carl. i leaned up, peppering his cheeks with kisses to wake him up, which luckily it did. 'morning sleeping beauty.' i quoted what he said to e last time i slept round.

he sat up stretching 'oh god, i think that was the best sleep I've had in ages. maybe you should just move in.' i laughed and he did too.

'maybe if we get to a year i will. how's that sound. but i can still sleep here a night or two every now and then.'

'can you sleep over again tonight?' he sked.

i nodded 'only if they don't get back by tonight. i'f they do i'll stay at home. i need to tell daryl and carol everything.' i laughed.

'who are the people you're immediately telling?' he asked, as he got up, changing his shirt for another grey one but with long sleeves which he pushed up to make them shorter.

'daryl, carol, and matthew. that's it.' i answered.

'your brother scares me.' he commented 'do you have to tell him?'

i rolled my eyes 'he'll find out eventually so i have to, otherwise he'll be even madder i didn't.' he was about to say something but judith began crying. 'oh no, the baby's awake. i di it last night, it's your turn.'

'you're really going to play into my "our own family" aren't you.' he laughed, walking down the hall.

'of course.' i shouted after him.