Carl Grimes x Reader Imagines/One-Shots

Old Friend

This is a slightly better one soooooo yeah

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I heard a twig snap and whipped around, yanking my revolver out of its holster and cocking it in one swift motion. I aimed towards the noise, and saw a man walk out from behind a tree.

He looked kinda dirty, like he'd been out here a while, and also a little intimidating, but I didn't dare express that emotion in front of this strange man. He had a crossbow in one hand, and a dead squirrel in the other. "Take a picture, it'll last longer," he said in a gruff voice that sounded all too familiar.

My eyes widened as I remembered who he was. I lowered my gun. "Daryl?" I asked in awe that he was right in front of me. A couple years back, when all this started, he found me all alone in my old house. He and his asshole brother Merle took me in, looked after me a while. Then we got separated, and I've been alone ever since.

He looked confused. "How do you know my name?" He sounded very suspicious. And then it dawned on me how much my appearance has changed since I was 10. I had gone through a phase where I was a little too frilly and bright. My face looked a lot more youthful then, my hair was way longer, and my eyes had changed color slightly. Plus, there was height, weight, and puberty involved. That shit changes a person 0/100 real quick.

I blushed when I thought about how confusing this must be for Daryl. "I-It's me, y/n," I explained, pausing and waiting for him to catch on to who I was.

His face softened and his eyes widened, and I take it he remembered me now. "No way is that really you!" He appalled. "You look so tough and bad ass now. Where've you been?" He stepped closer to me and enveloped me in a bear hug.

He really cared for me when all this started. He took me to Atlanta with him and Merle, and we found a group there. There was a little girl there my age, and I was told there was a little boy, but I never saw him. I never saw the group leader either.

I did something stupid and snook out on a run with Daryl to the city, and that's when we were separated. And it was all my fault. "I've been alone all this time," I breathed, hugging Daryl back just as tight. He was always like a father to me.

He pulled away and smiled briefly before kindly taking my hand and walking away, pulling me along with him. "You're coming home with me. You'll love it there. There's a couple kids your age."

"Lead the way Dixon!" I exclaimed. I trusted Daryl, even after all these years. There was a point in time where I blamed him for getting us separated, but then I realized that he did everything in his power to keep me safe. I was the one who got us pulled apart in the end.

We walked maybe 4-5 minutes to a place called Alexandria. On the way he told me about it. He said I could live in his house with him, seen as I knew him well, there was a lot of space, and it got lonely and quiet there.

Once we reached the gate, a man with a mullet opened it up. "Daryl," he nodded, then looked at me. He looked like he was about to say something, then he glanced down at our hands and gulped. I gathered he thought Daryl was a pedophile of some sorts, but I didn't care. I knew the truth and that was what mattered.

Daryl walked me in and down the streets of Alexandria. I gawked at all the huge houses and the tall metal walls. He called this place home. It looked safe. It felt safe.

Daryl draped his arm over my shoulders and we laughed and talked until we stopped in front of a house. On the top step, the numbers '101' were painted on in black.

"This is the Grimes household. Rick Grimes is the leader here, and—" my heart stopped at the name 'Rick Grimes', before my heart beat accelerated. I gasped happily. "Did you say Rick Grimes?!" I shrilled, my mouth splitting into a huge toothy grin.