Carl Grimes Imagines

Kid Stuff

A/N: the dialogue isn't exact btw

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It was a pretty nice day, if you cancel out the dozens of walkers on the fence line. The kids here have adapted pretty well, both to the safety of the prison and the death ridden world. Seems like they're taking it for granted.

Carl and I were checking out the new comics Michonne had brought, when Patrick came in and asked if we wanted to join him in walking out in the yard. So here we are ten minutes later taking a stroll outside watching the kids point and gaze at the walkers on the fence.

"I wonder what they're up to," I told Carl.

"Nothing good, probably." I frowned. Carl seems like he's been trying to grow up too fast lately, if that makes sense. He called a pig by its name he created for it, and got scolded by Rick. He seemed upset about it, but not anymore. He's taken more authority, and he's become a bit hardened since his mom died. The only reason I know is because I'm not the only one who thinks so. Carol told me to look after him after all of us new people showed up. Patrick and I are the only ones he allowed himself to become close to.

"Are you naming them?" Carl asked one of the kids.

"Yeah, we saw one of them with a name tag on and so we thought all of them should have names," A girl answered him. Carl seemed to get mad at this.

"Why the hell- ok look, you can't just name walkers. They're not pets. They kill people."

"People kill people."

"They aren't alive. Don't. Name. Them." The kids sulked, not understanding why what they were doing was so awful. Carl seems to not remember that they're only children. I was a little frustrated with him. Even Patrick was wary of Carl.

I stepped away from the boys and put a hand on a girls' shoulder. "Why don't you go inside and find Carol. It's almost Storytime." She nodded and two of the other kids followed her.

"Hey Patrick, Y/n, you coming to Storytime tonight?" The last girl asked.

"Yeah, I'll go," Patrick answered.

"Me too. You go on ahead, Patrick. I'll catch up with you later."

"Okay, see you then." As I watched Patrick run off with the girl to the prison, Carl was giving me a weird look.

"Seriously?"

"What? I like to go. It's nice."

"Let me guess, it's kid stuff, so I wouldn't understand?" He joked, but I kept my face emotionless.

"You know, lately I wish you would."

Carl was confused. "What do you mean?"

"I think you're growing up too fast, Carl. And I'm not the only one. Lately you've been a little harsh to those kids."

"Y/n, they were naming the walkers. They see them as they're like little fluffy animals in a zoo, and not blood thirsty killers everywhere you look." Carl was talking slow like he had to spell it out for me. It just frustrated me more.

"They're just kids. You've forgotten that you are no different. I am no different. We are still kids. We will do kid things, make kid mistakes. You need to remember that. You were scolded by your dad for naming a pig and now you scold them for naming walkers? I think you're overreacting." Carl ran his hands through his long hair, looking at the ground before finally looking at me in the eyes. A frustrated habit he developed.

"Y/n, look. Before we got to the prison, a friend of mine turned and was killed, my dad gave me this lecture. He said that there was no more kid stuff, no chance of having a normal childhood like he wanted me to have. He told me I needed to grow up. So that's what I did." He was definitely frustrated.

"But you don't have to do it so quickly. This world alone forces you to grow up, and those kids are handling it the only way they know how; because they are still kids. They're trying to enjoy as much of a childhood as they possibly can. I'm still trying to," I put a comforting hand in his, watching as his face softened at the gentle touch. "Maybe you should, too."

I removed my hand and did the most bold thing I could ever do and kissed him on the cheek, and started walking towards the prison. "I'm going to Storytime. I'll see you later." Carl watched as I kept getting farther away from him, the internal battle in his head evident on his face.

"Y/n," he reached out for me as if I was no more than just out of his reach, "wait." I stopped dead in my tracks, perking up my ears, ready to listen to what he had to say. He walked over to me and wrapped his arms around me in a hug. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to be like my dad and be more in charge. I wanna protect people, protect you. I don't want those kids to make a mistake that could cost them their life, or anyone else's."

I pulled away from his hug a little to look at him. "I know. And thank you for that. But you don't have to be like your dad to be a great leader." He smiled and kissed the top of my head, making me blush. "I'm going to Storytime." Then I pulled away from his embrace and went towards the prison again.

"I think I'll join you."

I stopped on top of a hill and turned around. "I thought it was just for kids?" I smirked.

"Yeah well, I'm still a kid, aren't I?" He smiled, joining me at the top of the hill.

"Well then come on! We're late!" I smiled and grabbed his hand, pulling him along with me like a child. He laughed and ran along with me.

And in that moment, we grew up. Neither of us were complete kids at all, because at that moment, we both fell in love with each other.

I love this one. I was just watching the episode and it popped into my head. That's how most of these will be btw. Anyways, I hope you liked it:)