Carl grimes imagines

he loses his eye

C’mon, Carl, stay with me,” you beg quietly. Rick had just laid him down on the gurney, completely emotionless. He stays staring at Carl and pacing back and forth before he slams the door behind him, sprinting out to slaughter the incoming walkers. Denise is carefully pulling on the suture while Michonne is holding Carl’s head steady. Blood is steadily dripping on to Carl’s cheek, and falling on to the ground, creating a dark red spot on the floor.

“Go Michonne, I’ll stay with him,” you offer. Michonne nods and kisses Carl on the forehead before bolting out the door to help Rick.

“Alright, (Y/N), one more suture,” Denise finishes and cuts the remaining loose end of the suture. “Done, we need to move him to a room and make sure he’s not developing an infection.”

You brush Carl’s hair off of his sweaty forehead before Denise starts to maneuver the gurney down the hall. It was a struggle for the both of you to move him into a bed, but you got it after a few attempts.

“I can set everything up, Denise,” you say, setting up the IV on the bed post. “You go tend to everyone else. I know what to do.”

She reluctantly agrees to let you stay with Carl after giving you detailed instructions on what to do when he wakes up. After she leaves, you pile up the bandages on the nightstand and take Carl’s hand in yours. You bring his hand to your lips and kiss his knuckles lightly, silently hoping he would wake up as perfect as ever.

You stay with Carl into the early morning as you feel your eyelids getting heavier and heavier. You haven’t left his side in hours, even calling for Denise to bring you another IV bag to avoid leaving. The sun has already risen when you attempt to talk to Carl, silently hoping he can’t actually hear you.

“Hey, best friend,” you sigh, still holding on to his hand. “I kinda really hope you can’t hear me right now, but I guess I might as well get this off of my chest while I’m here. I’m in love with you. I’ve been in love with you since almost the first day we met. I actually hated you at first because you were such a good shot, way better than I was, but I came to enjoy your company after you set up target practice for us. Thank you for being my person through everything, no matter how much danger I’ve accidentally put us in. I love you, and I need you for however long this freaking apocalypse lasts, and as long as you want me to be, I’ll be here for you.”

You finish your little monologue and wipe a tear that had slipped on to your cheek. You rest your head on your hand, closing your eyes for a split second before you feel a slight pressure on your fingers. Your eyes snap open and you stare at your hand, waiting for Carl to do it again.

“Come on, Carl,” you plead. “Squeeze my hand again.”

You feel the little bit of pressure again and almost cry from happiness.

“Carl Grimes, you are my favorite person right now.” You squeeze his hand back and smile widely. It’s soon after when Carl opens his good eye and turns his head to look at you.

“Still looking good, (Y/N). Even with only one good eye left,” he says in a raspy voice with a smile.

“I mean, that wouldn’t have changed, even if you lost both eyes,” you chuckle.

“True,” he laughs. “By the way, I heard everything you said earlier.”

“Oh no,” you say out loud.

“I love you too, (Y/N). More than anything,” Carl says, smiling a little.

“Oh thank God, or else that would have been really embarrassing if you didn’t,” you admit before clearing your throat. “I need to change your bandages before Denise comes in and yells at me for not doing it immediately per her instructions.”

You reach your hand up to take off his bandage but he grabs your wrist to stop you.

“I don’t want you to be disgusted by me,” Carl admits lowly, letting go of your hand.

“Carl, I couldn’t care less what you look like,” you say, running our thumb over his cheek. “I wouldn’t trade my person for the world.”