Scenario: A day or two into the apocalypse, and Shane is still unable to locate Carl + Lori. Seeing how fast King Country/ Atlanta, succumbed to the wave of undead, Shane already knows he can’t afford to keep looking for them—it’s every man for himself. Just as he’s about to leave the city, he meets you.
For this scene, I was imagining a quiet ride on a rural hwy while both Shane and the reader process the day’s events + meeting. Sort of this small window of time before they park and find a place to sleep for the night.
The stars are clearer the further you two head out of the city. Overgrown and dense thickets trailing alongside the stretch of infinite highway.
Shane’s eyes don’t stray from the road. Bloodshot, mournful, sunken.
He thumbs through the local radio stations one by one in search of another EAS broadcast, though they’ve stopped transmitting hours ago.
His legs and feet are numb from how long they’ve been on the road.
Again, he paws at his stubble, letting out a heavy breathe.
The vehicle you’re [traveling] in doesn’t belong to either of you. But you’ve filled it to the brim w/ supplies found along the way.
When you close your eyes, you can still hear the urgency in Shane’s voice from this afternoon.
The ghost of his touch on your back, waist, as you two maneuver around one another in the too-small of space that is your bedroom, your home.
Grabbing essentials, resources from your cupboards, and stacking them near the door, ready to be loaded into the car.
Meanwhile, he gives you instructions—quick, low, like he wants to avoid being overheard.
Cubbies, wardrobe, storage, he tosses it all next to you onto the bed to pack.
He would’ve packed your entire bag for you if you’d let him.
You can tell that Shane’s the type to dote.
You can also tell he’s a ticking time bomb ready to explode any moment now.
The wild panic in his eyes as he saves you from that hoard—still jittery, distressed, from witnessing the military gun down civilians in a hospital; from almost being at the end of that same barrel; from leaving his best friend & family behind to die at the hands of those things while he ran away like a coward.
Shane’s goal would be a love nest in the woods. Enough food and supplies to last you both for the rest of the year.
A manufactured safe space, where he could foster the perfect atmosphere/opportunity for you to fall in love with him as hard as he fell for you. For you to be the Lori to his Rick.
Think easy southern charm teetering back/forth between over-affectionate and friendly + flirty. Subtle, intimate actions/touches being labeled as platonic and innocent.
A long buildup of cat and mouse that Shane is committed to.
Regardless if it’s just you two, or you have an audience (in the form of other survivors.)
Would definitely be an overprotective and devoted yandere that slowly becomes paranoid overtime as the season progresses/situation worsens.