Carl Grimes x Reader Imagines/One-Shots

Step Espinosa pt. 1

After the group escaped Terminus, we went on a search for sanctuary elsewhere. I hadn't had time to get to know anyone from the group yet. But my step-sister Rosita, Abraham, and Eugene had. The only people I really knew were Tara and Glenn. We met them on the road, saved their asses. At least, that's what Rosita told me. She told me to stay in the car when we came across them.

It felt strange in an actual group again. Hell, it felt strange to be in the little circle of people I had before. Abraham and Eugene never spoke with me. Rosita was the only family I had left, and even she didn't talk with me much anymore.

I was unsure of Rick's group, although I felt we had a newfound bond now that we had fought against Terminus as a whole team.

Everyone was walking together, looking for shelter as it was getting darker. I trailed behind, feeling uncomfortable around so many new strangers.

I played with my knife, continuously checking my gun to make sure it was loaded. Kicked pebbles and gravel underneath my feet. Tried my best not to overthink things. Which naturally led to me overthinking everything.

What if everyone in this group were liars? What if they were good people, but they just didn't want me here? What if they hated me? What if they killed me? What if-

"Don't think I got your name," an unfamiliar male voice said from beside me. I jumped and stopped walking along the tracks, readying my knife to stab at the stranger.

It was a pale boy with gentle blue eyes. He wore a sheriff's hat atop of his head of brown hair. He held his hands up in surrender. "Whoa, calm down!" He gasped in surprise. I lowered my knife slowly and sheathed it at my side.

I turned away from him, walking back in the direction we were headed. I wasn't cold with him, I was just...awkward. I mean, I was awkward with everyone here. But it was crazy seeing a cute boy my age again, let alone just someone my age.

I heard him jog to catch up with me. "What's your name?" He asked, curiosity plaguing his oh-so smooth voice. I cleared my throat nervously and glanced at him to find his eyes glued to me. I looked back down before answering him.

"Y/n. My name is y/n," I said softly. I caught another discreet glimpse of his face to find a small smile plastered on his lips.

"I've always loved that name. I'm Carl Grimes, by the way." I felt slightly flustered around him, and I wasn't quite sure why.

I pushed a strand of hair out of my face and relaxed a little bit. He seemed nice enough. "Thanks," I accepted his compliment. "Nice to meet you Carl." I held out my hand for him to shake.

He didn't hesitate to shake my hand. I flinched under his touch, feeling my stomach begin to erupt with butterflies and jolts of electricity running through my body.

I felt his hand twitch slightly in mine, and wondered if he had felt the same sensation as I had. We both pulled away our hands gingerly, awkwardly laughing at the same time.

There was a long while of awkward silence before we heard someone screaming for help. Me, being the amazingly heroic person I am, ran towards the screaming immediately. I pulled out my gun in one hand and my knife in the other.

"Y/n Espinosa!" Rosita screamed. "Get back here!"

"Carl!" Rick yelled. I looked behind me briefly to see Carl hot on my tracks with his gun in hand. I smiled to myself at the sight of him in action. He was pretty hot in general, but while he's being all serious, running to someone's aid, he—

Okay, I have got to stop. I just met him. The smile faltered and I stopped running. I saw the source of all the calls for help. There was a bald, dark skinned man dressed in preachers robes on a rock. There were walkers at the bottom, grabbing at the air in hopes that they would get their next meal.