Carl shrugged. Throwing his backpack into the car and then throwing himself into the passenger seat. He rolled his eyes as his classmates ogled the police cruiser. As if they weren’t used to it after seeing it every day for 10 years?
Rick side-eyed his son, smiling wryly. “Carl?”
Carl sighed, “Don’t worry about it. Let’s just go home.”
Rick reached over the console, gently squeezing Carl’s thigh and winking at him. “Please?”
Carl rolled his eyes deeply, “Everybody is so pathetic. All of the couples at school exchanging valentines and making out in the hallways. It’s gross. I hate Valentine’s Day.”
“That’s too bad,” Rick shook his head. “How come it bothers you so much? Are you jealous?” He teased.
“No,” Carl argued. “I don’t care. I don’t know. I guess it would just be nice. You know? Getting chocolates or whatever. It’s dumb.”
Rick chuckled, “Well it’s a good thing you said something…otherwise I would’ve had to eat your gift myself.”
“What?” Carl asked. “What gift? Did somebody send me a valentine?”
“Check the glovebox.”
Carl opened the glovebox, smiling uncontrollably when he saw a pink envelope and a small heart shaped box. “Dad, you got me a Valentine’s Day present??”
Rick shrugged, “Of course. It’s our first one…you know. Together? I just thought.”
Carl blushed, leaning over the console to kiss his father’s cheek. “It’s okay, Dad. I got you one too.”
Okay, but how about a Rick/Carl and Andy/Chandler mashup where Rick and Carl are father and son, and they happen upon Andy and Chandler who were actors before the apocalypse, and Carl is like “Wait you guys aren’t together-together?” and Chandler’s like “No, he’s like my dad.” and Carl just looks at him like “please”. And then Chandler’s like, “Wait….you two…you and your dad?” And Carl smirks.
Someone asked me a while ago to write something about Negan actually following through on blinding Carl in 7x01. I started it last year, but didn’t finish. Here’s the intro:
As soon as Daryl moved, Carl knew he’d never see again. He looked to his father one last time, and then the rest of his family’s faces. He took in the details of everyone around him, knowing that from now on, they wouldn’t really exist to him. If he even survived… He feared for his father. If he had to eat the eye. If Negan actually made him go through with it. He didn’t think the man could do it. What would happen then?
Carl flinched when the bat hit Glenn’s head. He stood up, “Why?”
Negan looked to Carl, almost confused. “I just explained it, shithead. Dumbass over there decided to move. Therefore, one more of you has to die.” Negan hit Glenn once more.
“Get it, sport?” Negan asked.
Carl shook his head, “You said if anybody moved that you would cut my eye out. Not that you’d kill someone else!”
Negan raised his eyebrows, his cocky grin wavering. Who the fuck would remind him of that? He had forgotten.
Negan pasted his smile back on, “Well come on up here, kiddo. Someone’s an eager beaver. I was gonna let it go. But I guess that’s what I get right? I try to be nice and people question me. This is what it’s all about!” Negan explained, waving Carl over cheerfully.
“Come on, come on. Don’t be shy,” Negan encouraged.
Carl walked up to the man. He glanced at his father. The man was a wreck, sobbing on the dirt.
“Carl, no,” Rick cried. His words word muddled and wet.
Carl felt bad for his father, but there was no point in crying. Negan was a fucking asshole. There was nothing they could do at the moment. He briefly considered what would be worse–having an eye removed or eating an eye. He figured he had it worse, especially since he only had one eye to begin with. Still, seeing your son being disfigured for a second time couldn’t be fun. And that wasn’t even counting the first time Carl had been shot or the time he’d almost been raped. Carl was no stranger to being hurt.
“Rick, stop being so pathetic,” Negan jeered. “It’s just an eye. Maybe I’ll roast it for you so it’ll be nice and crispy.”
“Stop this,” Rick whimpered. He was angry at Negan. He hated him. More than anyone he’d ever encountered in his life. But that wasn’t strange to him. What was strange was the anger he felt toward Daryl. He could’ve just fucking stayed still. Rick gritted his teeth. He knew it was just a reflex. An accident. But this accident was significant. Carl was going to have something taken away that could never be given back. His sight. In this world it was a death sentence. Rick didn’t have the energy, and he knew if he moved that someone else would die. Maybe even Carl. But if he could, he would’ve knocked Daryl out. And the worst part is that Daryl would’ve let him. The guilty look on the man’s face was heartbreaking.
Daryl knew he was somehow responsible for this even though he wouldn’t physically hurt Carl. Even though he wouldn’t have hurt Glenn. He was the catalyst and he fucking hated himself for it.
Negan deliberated, “So. I know it’s kind of heat of the moment. We’re all excited. Eager to be here. I know,” the man nodded, putting his hands to his chest. “But,” he continued, “I just can’t cut the kid’s eye out willy nilly in front of you pathetic fucks.”
Rick was hopeful. He could accept if Carl was beaten. Punched or anything. Even if Negan wanted to do…wanted to sexually assault him…anything would be better than Carl being blinded.
“So, Rick. I’m gonna take this little guy here, and I’m gonna have my doctor surgically take the kid’s eye out. Then. Only then will you get your snack.”
Negan smiled. When he looked at Carl his smile faltered. The boy had his arms crossed nonchalantly. He could tell it wasn’t a tough guy act. The boy actually didn’t give a shit. It was kind of scary.
“Now, this is actually a good thing. You might want to thank me,” Negan held his arms out. “The boy can survive this. But, hey, I don’t know. Maybe you want to get it over with and the kid can bleed out on the ground. I don’t care. Rick? Answer. 3-2-.”
“No! Please!” Rick howled. “Not here. Get him-. Please let him have a doctor.”
“Excellent,” Negan clapped his hands together, “I knew we could make this decision together. God, I’m gonna tear up. I’m so proud of us for all this teamwork.”
Carl almost smiled at Negan. The man was so psychotic it was almost laughable. Carl realized that he was truly fucked up. Glenn had just been killed and his dad was sobbing uncontrollably and Abraham was just guts and Negan was smiling and he wanted to laugh. What the fuck? Carl fell to his knees. He was so in over his head. The adrenaline had worn off, and reality set in quickly. He was about to be blind.
