〖 & 𝒽𝑒 𝓈 𝓂 𝒾 𝓁 𝑒 𝒹 〗

How was his dad so surprised at this question, he was the right age for these feelings right?..And it’s not like Carl had the whole ‘awkward sex’ talk. “Because ..I’m a teenager with..hormones?” He wasn’t telling him the real reason, he’d never hear the end of it.

  eyes  on  the  target  ahead ,  she   gripped   his  colt   in   her  hand;  it   weighed   it  a lot    but   she   could   handle   it .   breathing  in   and  out, finger   loosely  on  the    trigger   as   she   aimed  ,   and   her   index   finger   squeezes   lightly  .   shot   after   shot   fired   and   each   can ,   fell  to   the ground   with   a   single   bullet   lodged   into   the   can .   a   smile   formed on  her   lips  ,   as   she lowered   the   gun .      ❛   like   that. ?  ❜   she  asked   as    she    turned   to   face  him  .

she’d always thought that , if she’d ever met her father , it would be under better circumstances …   not one that was shrouded in threats , death and misery .   inside , she wanted to AVOID the conflict .   he was her father , for crying out loud !   the only other member of her family left standing .   but still , despite that , she was still angry .   blood boiled , heart pleads for her to avenge glenn .   to avenge abraham .   negan , he’s been gone for so long ,   she doesn’t think he DESERVES to be called her father .   but this group had taken her in when it all seemed so hopeless .   this was what a real family was .

         “ i want to . ”   she projects her voice , makes herself sound certain in her decision  (  despite the fact that inside she was questioning herself  ) .   “ just because he’s my father , that doesn’t change what he did .   what he’s done .   what he’s doing .   i NEED to do this . ”

         death always kept close; it’s followed ivan all his life and riddled his life with harsh reminders of it. family, friends, and just in time for the world to go to shit, him. there was nowhere to go up, but for a long time he hadn’t wanted to go anywhere. briefly he’d lapsed into herds, flitted group to group for weeks at a time only to leave in the dead of night. people got too close, and ivan swears they could smell the rot on his breath.

         alexandria had changed that all though. it was relative comfort, and even behind the walls there was space enough for him to stray from the group. certain people made that hard though. the man in charge wanted to know each and every person that came through those gates, and ivan was no different. well, he was a bit different. against all odds, ivan had found something to be happy about.

               so much for that.

         it came to a grinding halt, like teeth on bone, in the form of a walker latching itself to his leg. this wouldn’t be a problem if he were on his own– he wouldn’t smell human. rick’s smell on him had confused the thing. any other accident in the world, he’d be able to keep a level head. but even he didn’t know what would happen this time.

         “wait, wait!” ivan shrinks back against the wall, slouched on the floor. he can feel it happening and he can’t stop it, sweat building on his brow and cheeks flushed with fever. “d-don’t, please– not yet.” trying to be the stronger one fails him when he chokes back a sob, skull rolled back against wood paneling.

It wasn’t unusual for human beings to beg for their lives at the end of it . Especially in a world where you fight to stay alive every single day . Seeing Ivan plead for Rick to lower his gun , to give him just a little bit longer , broke his heart all over again . Hand shook against the colt python as he laid it down , using his other hand to wipe sweat and tears from his own hot skin . Rick could hear the panic in Ivan’s words , and he shook his head , closing his eyes against the scene . ‘ It should’ve been me , ’

If he was just a little bit faster , a little bit more careful . If , if , if . Nothing was going to save Ivan now . But if Rick could do one more thing for the kid , then he would . Leaving his gun on the bed , Rick rose to trembling legs , stumbling over to Ivan’s side , where he should have been in the first place . Hands slowly lifted to place on either side of the other’s face , shakily moving drenched curls away from his forehead . ‘ God , you look awful , ’ Despite himself , Rick laughed , causing several more tears to spill from stormy , blue eyes . He shook his head , thinking and thinking , until he pulled his handcuffs from his belt , looping one around Ivan’s wrist , and the other around the rung of the heater .