#twd fam

[ladywoodrose]

I'm sorry but I'm not sorry. If you didn't absolutely fall in love with Connie, I feel like something is wrong with you. AN ABSOLUTE ANGEL 🖤🥰

[happy74827]

Out of Reach

[Rick Grimes x Female!Reader]

Synopsis: Finding the right moment is a hard thing to do. Especially when it involves the man who's in charge.

WC: 4226

Category: Slight Fluff, Pining

Fair warning, he might be slightly OOC, but honestly, who cares. It's Rick mf Grimes. Just look at his arms, you'll be fine.

『••✎••』

It was a strange feeling, really.

Having him so close and yet so far away.

You could almost taste him on your tongue, feel his skin on your fingertips. The heat of his breath on your neck. His lips ghosting over your own. It was torturous to be so close, but not close enough.

You ached for his touch, longed to run your fingers through his hair. He was so tantalizingly close. His mouth inches from yours, the smell of whiskey and gunpowder clinging to his clothes. You wanted nothing more than for him to take you in his arms and hold you close, but you couldn't bring yourself to say the words. You didn't want to make him uncomfortable or make him run.

You weren't even sure if he wanted you the way you wanted him, but the way he was looking at you… The way he was touching you… The way his lips hovered so close to yours like he wanted to kiss you but couldn't. He had to know how you felt, right? He had to feel the same way you did.

Maybe you were imagining it all; maybe it was just wishful thinking, but it was enough to drive you mad.

He was so close and yet so far away, and you knew that if you didn't do something about it soon, you would lose your mind. Maybe that's what pushed you over the edge, the thought of losing him before you even had a chance to have him. Maybe that's what drove you to finally take matters into your own hands.

"Rick."

Your voice was barely a whisper, but it was enough to capture his attention. He looked up from his cup, his blue eyes locking with yours, and suddenly, it felt as if the world had stopped spinning. Time stood still as you looked into each other's eyes, neither of you moving, neither of you breathing.

He had never looked more handsome than he did at that moment. The sunrise danced across his face, casting shadows over his features. His eyes were so bright and blue, you could get lost in them forever. His hair was mussed and disheveled, the way it always was when he'd been out hunting or fighting the dead. You'd never seen anything more beautiful in your life.

"Yeah?" He said, his voice barely a whisper. He was still in a sleep-like state, but he was slowly coming back to himself. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand as if to wake himself up. "What's goin' on?"

You weren't sure what to say. Your brain had stopped working the moment you locked eyes with him. All you could think about was him, his smell, his touch, his taste… You were so distracted that you hardly even registered his question. All you could do was stare.

"It's Judith, isn't it? You heard her cryin'?" His voice was groggy, his words slightly slurred, but there was still an undertone of worry in his tone. "I know, it's awful. It's her new thing now. I haven't slept more than an hour at a time for weeks."

Rick's words were muffled as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, but they were enough to break the spell that had been cast upon you. You blinked rapidly, shaking your head as if to clear your thoughts.

"No, Rick," you said, taking a deep breath before continuing, "it's not Judith. It's you."

He was looking at you with those beautiful eyes, but the longer you looked at him, the less you wanted to look away. It felt like an eternity had passed while the two of you stared at each other, but in reality, it had only been a few minutes.

Rick raised an eyebrow as he continued to stare at you with a confused look on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted before he could say a word.

"What do you mean, 'it's him'?" Michonne asked, causing you to jump in your place. You hadn't even noticed her arrival. She must have been standing there for some time now, watching the two of you stare at each other, but you were too busy being captivated by Rick's eyes to even notice her. "What's going on?"

You weren't sure how much Michonne had overheard. Maybe she'd only heard Rick's question, or maybe she'd heard the rest of your conversation. All you knew was that there was no way you were going to confess now. Not in front of Michonne. You would never hear the end of it.

"It's nothing, really," you said, trying to avoid eye contact with the both of them, but you could feel their gazes burning into the back of your head. "I just… never mind."

Rick looked at you curiously as he tried to piece together what you'd been saying, but you didn't want to talk about it anymore. You just wanted to leave, to escape his questioning stare, and maybe Michonne's too. She looked like she had a lot of questions.

"You sure?" Rick asked, but you didn't answer. You simply shook your head, letting him know you weren't going to elaborate on your cryptic words before you turned and left without another word. The embarrassment was written all over your face, but you were just thankful that Rick hadn't pressed the issue.

He looked a bit confused, but he didn't follow you. He knew better than to pry. Besides, it was early, and the last thing he wanted to do was start an argument when he was just trying to have a peaceful moment to collect his thoughts before Judith started up again.

Michonne, on the other hand, was far less concerned about your wellbeing and far more concerned about prying into your private conversation.

"What was that all about?" She asked as she approached Rick, her voice laced with intrigue as she sat down next to him. "Did she say something?"

"Nah," Rick replied, his gaze following you as you walked through the camp, "You didn't give her much of a chance."

Michonne sighed as she rested her chin in the palm of her hand. She was still clearly intrigued by your behavior, but Rick had already moved on. It seemed like the whole ordeal had gone over his head. Of course, it did.

Rick was always aware of his surroundings. He always had a clear head and was always paying attention. Even when he was asleep, he was still analyzing everything. Yet, he was completely oblivious to your feelings for him. For an ex-sheriff, he sure was stupid when it came to romance.

You'd been infatuated with Rick since you first met him, but at the time you'd only been friends with him and haven't realized it. But lately, these past few months you were finding yourself constantly daydreaming about him.

You always got lost in the little things, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, the sound of his laugh, the way he would play with Judith, or the way his lips would quirk up when you teased him… You’d always find yourself staring at him, imagining what it would be like to kiss him, and it was becoming almost too much.

You'd always felt safe in his presence, like nothing could ever hurt you while he was around, but lately, you felt like the closer he got to you the further away he'd go. You loved his company, you craved his presence, but you couldn't help feeling like he was slipping through your fingers. Especially when everyone else in the world seemed to involve themselves in your private conversations.

Rick had told you that you could always talk to him about anything, but sometimes it felt like you couldn't talk to him about anything without someone overhearing. And even when you did have a chance to talk to him, you couldn't seem to find the words. Your mouth would open, but nothing would come out. The only thing you could seem to do was look into his eyes and fall deeper and deeper.

You still found it a miracle that he never called you out on it. You found it hilarious that he always thought he was so smooth, but he had no clue. Ah, the irony of it all.

"Are you sure it was nothing?"

You jumped at the sound of his voice, quickly turning to look at him over your shoulder. His eyes were narrowed, and his lips were pursed as he tried to read your face.

What happened with leaving it alone? Rick always left you alone when you were in one of your moods. He knew you didn't want to talk, so he just left you alone. Why was he trying to get you to talk this time?

"I mean, it sure looked like something to me," he continued, his voice gruff as he scratched at the back of his neck. "Was it, uh, somethin' I did?"

You weren't sure if he knew it or not, but he was beginning to make you feel guilty. You hated that he felt like he needed to apologize for every little thing he did, like he needed to apologize for existing. This man always had his head buried in the sand while lifting others above him.

Honestly, it was exhausting.

Rick looked at you like a wounded puppy dog as he awaited your answer, and you couldn't help but sigh. It was impossible to be angry with him, especially when he was being so sweet, but he needed to stop acting so guilty about everything all the time. He takes the blame for everything.

"No, Rick, it's not you," you assured, smiling weakly at him as you turned around to face him, "It was something I was going to tell you about, but I just…"

"Michonne? It was Michonne, wasn't it?" He said, eyes squinting as he looked at you. "You hesitated to tell me, and you didn't want Michonne to hear, so you just… decided to leave instead?"

Excluding his obliviousness to your emotions, Rick was a very smart man. Even in his sleepy state, he could put two and two together to get the most accurate answer possible. You weren't sure if you liked that or not.

"Yeah," you admitted, shrugging as you looked down at the ground. You had no idea why you were embarrassed. You could tell Rick anything, right? Yet, for some reason, you just felt… weird.

"So…" he began, pausing for a moment to clear his throat, "What was it that you didn't want Michonne listening in?"

Rick watched you expectantly, clearly curious, but you felt like a deer in the headlights. You knew he would never push you if you really didn't want to talk about it, but he was also one of the most curious people you'd ever known. He wouldn't leave it alone.

It was one of his best traits, honestly. He was always trying to figure everything out, to put the puzzle pieces together and see the big picture. You wished he would take his own advice.

"Well?" he said, interrupting your train of thought, "What were you trying to tell me?"

"It was…" you began, swallowing the lump in your throat. Your cheeks flushed, and your hands began to sweat, and you couldn't bring yourself to look at him as you spoke, "It was something that's been on my mind a lot lately."

Rick was looking at you expectantly as he awaited your explanation, but you weren't sure how much you wanted to tell him. It was still hard for you to find the words.

Rick sighed as he leaned back, resting his back against the nearest tree. His blue eyes locked with yours as he waited, the light from the sun illuminating him like some sort of mythological deity. He was breathtakingly beautiful.

You wanted to lose yourself in his eyes forever.

"You can tell me anything, you know?" He said, his voice low as he tried to catch your eye, but you refused to look at him. "I promise, I'm not gonna judge you."

"I know."

You were so grateful for him. He always listened, always supported you, always had your back, and you never felt more at ease than when you were with him. He was the reason you were alive, and you knew it. You owed him everything.

"Can you look at me?"

You were too embarrassed to look at him, so you shook your head, refusing to meet his gaze. You knew if you did, you would lose your nerve and run off like you always did. Rick always tried to coax you out of your shell, but you'd never had a problem doing it on your own before.

Rick sighed, but you could tell he wasn't annoyed. He was just tired.

"This really is hard for you. I thought you would've said it by now."

"You don't even know what I'm going to say," you replied, finally looking up at him. His hair was tousled and unkempt. The sun was still low in the sky, so his eyes looked like the deepest oceans. You wanted to drown in them. "Maybe it's better if I don't say anything."

Rick didn't reply, but he didn't stop looking at you. His eyes were so gentle, so soft. They were inviting, like the sweetest embrace, and you couldn't help but be lulled in.

"No, it's not." His voice came out like warm silk as if it had been dipped in molasses and was being rolled over your skin. "Trust me, it's not."

You scoffed, rolling your eyes as you turned away from him, "I know what you're trying to do, but it's not going to work."

"And what's that?" he asked, but you refused to meet his gaze.

"Acting like you already know what I'm going to say," you huffed, crossing your arms.

"What if I do?"

You shook your head as you tried to avoid eye contact, "No, I don't think you do. I think you're just hoping I'm gonna say it so you don't have to."

Rick let out a deep sigh, but you didn't dare look at him. "And you call me the oblivious one."

You laughed, finally looking at him. "Well, you are."

"Am I? Am I really? Because it sure feels like you're avoiding the question."

"Oh my God, Rick, I'm not avoiding the question." You laughed again as you rolled your eyes.

"Then why won't you answer?" He asked, looking at you expectantly. "Why won't you look at me?"

Rick looked like a child as he stared at you, his lips turned into a pout as he continued to play his part. You couldn't help but laugh again, but this time it was much louder.

"Stop trying to act like you already know—"

"—What? Like your eyes won't wander to my lips every time you're talking to me? Like I don't notice you biting your lip every time I smile at you? Like I don't see the way you stare at me when you think I'm not paying attention? Like I don't hear you when you wake up in the middle of the night and have to go take a piss?"

You weren't laughing anymore.

Rick was so close to you that you could feel the heat of his breath on your neck. He had you cornered, trapped between him and the tree behind you. He was so close that if you leaned forward, you'd fall into his arms. You could feel his hot skin through the thin material of your shirt. Your heart was beating rapidly in your chest, and your mouth was dry, and you were barely aware of the words you were saying.

"W-What are you talking about?" You stammered as you took a step back. Rick followed your movement, and you nearly stumbled into his chest. He placed his hand on the small of your back to steady you, but it sent tingles down your spine.

"You're a terrible liar and you're bad at hiding your feelings," he said, leaning down to whisper in your ear, "And I've always been good at reading people. Especially you, Miss Know-It-All."

Your heart was beating so hard, you were sure he could feel it pounding against his chest, and it felt like your knees were going to buckle at any second. Rick had backed you into a corner and was inches from your lips, but he had yet to close the gap. He was still waiting for your response.

"This is so embarrassing," you whined as you pushed against his chest, trying to push him away, but he held firm, not moving an inch.

"Why?" he asked, looking down at you with his soft blue eyes, "What are you so embarrassed about?"

"You… You know why," you mumbled, your face growing warm as he continued to look at you.

"Do I? I have to say, I'm a little confused here. Why don't you tell me? Why don't you use your words?"

You couldn't meet his gaze as you continued to play with the hem of your shirt, but Rick wasn't going to let you hide. He placed his hand under your chin, forcing you to meet his eyes. Even after he confessed that he could read you like a book, he still wanted you to use your words. Maybe it was just because he wanted to see you squirm.

Suddenly, your throat allowed you to speak. Argue even,

"You knew this entire time and yet you never said anything? You let me dance around it when all along you knew how I felt. It's… humiliating, really. I can't believe you let me embarrass myself this entire time. You should've stopped me sooner."

Rick was looking at you with those beautiful eyes of his, and you felt like he was peering into your soul. He was trying to find the words to say, trying to find the right thing to say to make you feel better. But what was there to say?

"I thought you weren't going to judge me," you continued, sighing as you looked away from him.

"I'm not judging you," he whispered, leaning down to look at you, "I didn't judge you. Look, what I said moments ago, that was me teasing you. Truthfully, I was just waiting for you to say something. I mean, I could see it in your eyes every time you looked at me, and I… I just…" He let out a deep sigh, running his hand through his hair before he began again.

"I wasn't sure how you felt about me. I had a feeling, a feeling I decided to play on, but I wasn't completely sure. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination." He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts before continuing, "And the last thing I wanted to do was scare you away. I was trying to let you work up the courage. I didn't want to rush you. Like I said, I know how to read people, and I was waiting to hear what you had to say."

He paused for a moment, looking into your eyes with that gorgeous gaze of his. He seemed to be searching for something in your expression, some sort of indication that you wanted him to continue. It made you feel like you were being examined under a microscope.

"I'm not very good at this," he finally said, his voice low as he continued, "The talking part, I mean. I don't do it well. It's the reason why Lori and I had issues in the end. We never had good communication. But I… I didn't want that to happen to us. Not with you. I care too much."

"So, technically, I was right," you said, trying to hide the smirk on your face.

Rick laughed, a deep and throaty laugh, as he shook his head. "Don't be so smug. You got your way."

"Yeah, I did."

Rick had his hand on the back of his neck as he looked at you expectantly, "So, what's your plan now? What are you gonna say? You were so against me acting like I knew what you were going to say that I'm just curious to know what you're going to say now. Do I want to hear it?"

You couldn't help but laugh. Of course, he'd want you to use your words. He'd tease you mercilessly if you tried to go silent again, so you decided to take the initiative and just say it already.

"I concur," you replied, smiling brightly at him. "There. I used words."

Rick chuckled, a soft and quiet sound that sent shivers down your spine. You could get drunk on the sound of his laugh alone. It was so gentle, so genuine. It was as sweet as honey, and you never wanted him to stop laughing. You wanted him to laugh forever.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," he said, rolling his eyes, "I get it. You got what you wanted. Can I ask what you were going to say before this all happened?"

"You said it already," you teased, raising an eyebrow at him, "Better than I could’ve."

Rick sighed as he looked down at you, "I really hate how clever you are sometimes. You always have a comeback. I just… I really want to know."

"Really? You want me to repeat myself? Hear me stutter and sweat all over the place? Just stand there looking like an idiot while you stand there looking all cool and collected?"

He laughed, a deep and throaty sound, as he placed his hand on your back. "Well, you already did that, but if you'd like to try again, I'd love to hear it."

You rolled your eyes, letting out a huff as you looked at him with narrowed eyes. He was standing so close to you, yet so far away. All you could do was stare at him as he looked down at you. It was a lot harder to confess your feelings when his gaze was piercing into your soul.

"Can you move?" You asked, motioning to his arm that was pinned between the two of you. He didn't reply. He simply looked at you for a moment, taking in your features, before moving his hand away. He was being gentle like he was afraid to touch you. His fingertips grazed your skin ever so slightly as he retracted his arm, sending shivers down your spine, and you were overcome with the urge to take his hand and hold it in yours.

"Are you going to make the first move now? Or am I gonna have to do all the work?" He asked, his lips quirking into that mischievous smirk you knew so well.

"Oh, shut it."

"Only if you-"

"Rick! I thought I heard your voice." Gabriel's voice cut through the air like a knife, and it took everything in you not to groan. You hadn't even heard his approach, and he was so loud it almost felt as if you'd been caught doing something you shouldn't. "I'm glad I found you."

"Yeah?" Rick said, clearing his throat as he turned around. He shot you a glance, an amused smile on his face, before turning his attention back to Gabriel. He really did know how you worked, didn't he?

"I've been meaning to talk to you for a while," Gabriel said, looking down at the ground with a sheepish smile on his face. He had been around long enough to know when to keep his mouth shut. "There's been something I wanted to discuss with you."

Rick furrowed his brow, glancing at you for a moment before nodding, "Yeah, of course."

"Would it be okay if we spoke in private?"

The shared look between the two of you was enough to burst into laughter, but you managed to bite your tongue. Rick, however, wasn't so lucky. He let out a quiet chuckle as he shook his head, trying to hide his amusement.

"Yeah, of course. No problem," he said, placing his hand on the small of your back as he began to walk away. He shot you another look over his shoulder, that smirk still on his lips. "I'll be back, okay?"

You wanted to tell him that you would be waiting for him, that you wouldn't leave without him, but you couldn't. Gabriel was already shooting you a questioning look from across camp, and you really didn't feel like explaining anything to him. You weren't even sure if you wanted to explain anything to yourself.

So instead, you watched as Rick walked away, his eyes locked on yours. His gaze burned into your skin, and it took everything in you not to run after him. You wanted to tell him that you'd be waiting for him. You wanted to tell him that you weren't going anywhere, but you couldn't find the words. So, you watched as he disappeared into the woods with Gabriel at his side

Once he was gone, you sighed, letting your head fall as you rubbed your temples.

Always so close, but yet so far away.

[dandrew-stuff]

New photos and bts from episode 06 of The Ones Who Live featuring Michonne and Rick(Danai and Andrew too🤭)!

[terriblegam2r]

PSA to my fellow Richonners and Walking Dead Fans:

Some asshole is posting spoilers for The Ones Who Live in the Richonne tag (and literally every other walking dead/cast member tags) without any warning or consideration for those who don’t want to be spoiled for this show.

If you don’t want to be spoiled make sure you block user “twdspoilers4theprivileged”.

Danai literally begged a few times at the premiere for no one to spoil this show, so anyone who goes against that is purposefully disrespecting her, Andy, Gimple and everyone who worked hard on this show.PLEASE REBLOG THIS IF YOU CAN TO HELP GET THE WORD OUT TO MORE FANS. I know a lot of people still don’t want to be spoiled, and they shouldn’t be bombarded with it unexpectedly in a tag that’s suppose to be safe.

[lazyneonrabbitt]

Adar smut fic sneak peek

And it was nice, even Adar agreed. Now that he and his children had a home there was no need for endless planning and strategizing to keep him busy anymore.

"I admit, you are right. Having a quiet conversation just for the pleasure of it is something I have not done in a long while." He watched you place your mug down, impressed with how quickly you had downed the wine for a mere mortal who claimed not caring about getting drunk.

You placed the mug down and thanked the wine for silencing the voice in your head as you sat straight up and murmured something. Adar didn't catch what it was, and questioned you about it.

"I said," With a swift move you flung your leg over his lap and straddled him. "There is probably other things that you have not done for pleasure in a very long time."

Because I still crave that "Make Adar an actual dad" fic so I gotta write it myself.

Smut is done already, I might make it multiple parts depending on how long the story becomes.

[real-russ-jackson]

"The Walking Dead: Dead City" Panel at New York Comic Con 2024, Day 2 at The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center on October 18, 2024 in New York City

(Photos by Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images for ReedPop)

[yokaishinari]

A crossover I can't stop thinking about.

[twdnonsense]

Moments in TWD that altered my brain chemistry

Rick reuniting with Lori and Carl in 1x3

Rick thinking Carl was going to shoot him, only for him to shoot Shane instead (2x12)

Lori’s death (more accurately, Carl having to shoot her) (3x4)

The reveal that Carol killed Karen and the other guy who got sick (don’t remember his name) (4x3)

Lizzie killing Mika and then Carol killing Lizzie (4x14)

The entirety of 4x9 & 4x16

Rick ripping Joe’s throat out WITH HIS FUCKING TEETH (4x16)

Michonne holding Carl after that scene in 4x16 & him falling asleep on her afterwards (4x16)

Carol saving everyone at Terminus (5x1)

Carl holding Judith while he sleeps (5x10)

The entirety of 6x09 - especially that one shot where Carl looks up with blood running down his face to reveal that his eye’s been shot out and just says “dad”

Michonne kissing Carl on the forehead before going out to help fight the herd (6x09)

Rick holding Carl’s hand while he’s asleep at the end of 6x09, and Carl slowly doing the same at the end of Rick’s “new world” speech (6x09)

“A kid with a messed up face probably wouldn’t make the best first impression anyway” :( (6x11)

“Because it should be someone who loved her, someone who’s family, and I’d do it for you”, and then their hug afterwards (6x10)

The last like 15 minutes of 6x16

“You’re my best friend, Michonne.” “You’re mine too. You’re mine.” (8x09)

“Carl, it was all for you. Right from the start, back in Atlanta.” (8x09)

Rick holding Carl’s hand while he was dying (8x09)

Carl killing himself so that Rick and Michonne wouldn’t have to (8x09)

[allthegothihopgirls]

looking in the comments of cailey fleming's post about her new movie and the whole twd cast being supportive and congratulating her is the sweetest thing oh my god

[ofauroradreams]

*screams* MICHONNE GAVE CARL A FOREHEAD KISS I'M SCREAMING

[loganlostitall]

🖤🖤🖤

[ladywoodrose]

I'd sell my soul just to see your face

And I'd break my bones just to heal your pain

In these times, I need a saving grace

But time is running out, and I'm starting to lose my faith

But if I told you I loved you, would it make you want to stay?

I'm sorry for the way I hurt you and making you walk away

(I should have took the time to tell you)

And if I wrote you a love song and sang it to you every day

Would it ever be enough to make you wanna come back home and stay?

(I can't go another day without you)

Would it make you, make you, wanna stay?

(Girl, you gotta know I love you)

My heart's on my sleeve, but it's turning black

(I guess I know what it feels like it to be alone)

Without your touch, I'm not gonna last

(I know you know that I need you just to carry on)

It feels like my walls are caving in

(You'd always hold me before I left you hanging on)

I'll do anything to have you here again

But if I told you I loved you, would it make you want to stay?

I'm sorry for the way I hurt you and making you walk away

(I should have took the time to tell you)

And if I wrote you a love song and sang it to you every day

Would it ever be enough to make you wanna come back home and stay?

(I can't go another day without you)

Yeah, the days are cold, the nights are long

And I can't stand to be alone

And please know this is not your fault

And all I want

Is to tell you I love you and make you wanna stay

There's gotta be a way 'cause

Going on without you is killing me everyday

And if I wrote you a love song and sang it to you every day

Would it ever be enough to make you wanna come back home and stay?

(I can't go another day without you)

Would it make you, make you, wanna stay?

(Girl, you gotta know I love you)

Would it make you, make you, wanna stay?

(I can't go another day without you)

Would it make you, make you, wanna stay?

[sickly-sapphic]

bizarre that chandler riggs is real life famous. he's so just some guy shaped

[troonwolf]

tbh even with all the changes I liked the first few eps of IWTV and thought it had a lot of potential but I swear it’s almost intentionally designed to piss off it’s core audience more with each episode

which I don’t understand. who did RJ think would watch this? gay vampires is already a niche, especially if you ignore Anne Rice’s name slapped onto it. her name being there is the only reason people watched it, and then you almost go out of your way to make sure the story is unrecognisable to those people lol?

it literally lost more viewers than it gained episode to episode. y’know who those viewers were? yeah, the core audience of book fans slowly giving up with each new bad plot reveal and clumsy interpretation of the story

it couldn’t even stay at a steady 500k, it lost viewers each time it aired. AMC might drag it on for a few more eps to fulfil the contract but this is already dead on the table.

and it’s honestly all because of RJ’s hubris in thinking he could re-deliver a beloved story to an old fandom in a completely butchered form and we’d somehow think he was a genius for it. 

basically we’re watching his delusions of grandeur fall apart in real time which is more entertaining than the show itself rn.

[illusianation]

Well. Helloooo! It’s been approximately 184 years since I posted any kind of meta on this site, let alone a TWD-related meta. But here we are, in the year 2024, no less. Nothing like The Book of Carol and Melissa’s return to bring some of us back. Unfortunately, it’s been a mixed bag, and current spoilers point to some really disturbing info about our beloved characters, specifically Daryl. The following is from a recent Twitter post made regarding Daryl’s character and thought it would be cool to post here, too.

CW: Daryl - relationships + trauma

There are so many feelings about the spoilers re: Daryl/Isabelle, and this post isn’t meant to invalidate any of them or defend the storytelling choices or retcon. Umm, no. Not at all. That’s a whole other post and many others have written extensively on the issues of show-running, creative consistency, and marketing of The Book of Carol. It’s not even about shipping, really. On the contrary, this post is to share some thoughts about Daryl as he is now, viewed a bit thru a trauma lens.

Before I start, I feel it’s important to note that I am an LCSW, or Licensed Clinial Social Worker, in the US.

A big part of viewing what’s going on with Daryl’s character is to start by posing some important questions: Where is Daryl emotionally? What’s going on in is his headspace? Is he clinging to what’s there in France because he feels utterly alone and resigned to his fate? What if Daryl is actually able to open himself up to Laurent and Isabelle in part because of his relationship with Carol and not in spite of it? What if he’s capable of connection & love with others precisely because his OG found-family showed him what it can look like in so many ways? Hear me out. It is a powerful thing to consider, especially given that Carol, Judith, and his family undeniably shaped Daryl, offering him his first real sense of belonging and trust. Now it appears totally lost to him - a devastating, compounded, and total loss. And he is NOT OKAY.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t OOC for him to connect with others the way he has and/or regress. As we know, trauma survivors like Daryl, especially those with histories of domestic violence, complex trauma, childhood abuse, and neglect, often find themselves in cyclical patterns of vulnerability. It does make sense that Daryl, even after growing in his relationships with Carol and the fam, might still be susceptible to getting involved in dysfunctional relationship dynamics (cough *Leah* cough) His need to care for others, while being a strength, also exposes him to people who might exploit that—whether intentionally or not. He is, in a sense, truly acting out of character.

In Daryl's current emotional state he’s completely unmoored (by a literal ocean of impossible distance no less) from his foundation of emotional safety, and has appeared to regress to the point of being unrecognizable to some. The idea that Daryl's protective nature and discomfort with intimacy coexists with an ability to be exploited by others, speaks volumes to the complexity of trauma responses and his arrested development. Daryl can embody fierce loyalty and affection, yet be caught in cycles of seeking out or gravitating toward what’s familiar, even if that familiarity is rooted in pain or dysfunction. There are not a lot of options for relational safety in the ZA. Isabelle, Leah, and even Rick, all in their own ways, represent that tug of codependency and trauma-bonding for Daryl. Not to mention, when there are children connected, his protective instinct becomes exponential.

Daryl’s current isolation, insecurity, and uncertainty about the depth of Carol’s love and his OG found-family provides a pretty valid underpinning for why he might be more open to a connection with Isabelle and Laurent, and even actively choose it when given the opportunity to go home. It’s not the arc that makes the truest sense for Daryl, but it is still very true to life in the way trauma can regress personal growth, even temporarily.

At the same time, it’s 100% understandable that this shift feels like a betrayal to Daryl’s character, as it undermines the progress he’s made and relationship choices he’s made in the past. The narrative may fall really short of pushing Daryl forward, instead choosing to revert to old tropes that fail to capture the nuance of his journey. By ignoring the potential for deeper, more layered storytelling, the show risks alienating viewers who’ve been invested in Daryl’s growth over the years. It already has, and I see y’all out there. 🫶🏼

Ultimately, it’s the tension between authenticity in trauma responses and narrative sense and progression that leaves the audience, Daryl, and most likely Carol, completely unsatisfied. IRL, growth is non-linear but in fiction, especially after so much buildup (and let’s face it MISDIRECTION) it’s not unfair to expect a clearer arc forward, versus regression into old patterns.

Hopefully, the progression will materialize in resolution which will in turn, lead inevitably to - truly actualized, authentic, and absolute love in all ways for Daryl with the safest, most accepting person person in his life, Carol. After all, Spain is still out there.

Part 2 Coming Soon: Carol and Survivors’ Guilt

[akiraarabella]

This is me appreciating RWBY, I'll be jumping from one point to another so dont worry if im not making any sense. its not you!

All of these past volumes for me doesn't feel rushed (it maybe because I've finished it in 2 days so thats on me) but i feel when i think about volume 10 and the story so far is that yknow when you start writing a book just because of that one scene you made up in your head. So now you need to build up the characters and the events for that scene to make sense. I feel like in nine volumes we got a good setup for "that scene" thats gonna happen In volume 10 or maybe even 11 who knows. Do you get what i mean? No? GREAT! SEEMS LIKE WE'RE OFF TO A GOOD START!

Can i also just say that Jaun's VA killed it in the 7th episode of Volume 9. Both arguments that Ruby and Jaun makes.. I can't help myself but watch the 7-8-9-10th episodes of volume 9 again and again. This whole volume was directed on character development mainly for Ruby since the other characters already had their arcs before this volume except for her and Jaun. (Jaun kinda did as well but never got the closure he needed which was acceptance and he learned that in the volume 9)

And i gotta be honest even from the start Neo was the most intriguing "villain" For me. Maybe because of her design choice or her semblance but something about her made me really like her. And I'm glad they went the way they did for her story too.

I'm saying it again. If Neo doesn't come for our rescue with the jabberwockies im gonna throw some hands.

AND the way they used the Blacksmith in the tree and the story is just UGHH BRILLIANT!!!

The whole politics shenanigans with ironwood in the previous volumes were really made this feel a bit too real especially Nora standing up to Ironwoods plan was just chefs kiss. IM A BIASED NORA FAN COME AT ME I DARE YOU

AND ALSO WHEN I SAY I SCREAMED HEARING CHRISTINA VEE'S VOICE IN THE SHOW I MEAN I SCREAMED ALRIGHT!!!! that was a jumpscare moment for me

Another also PIETRO MY MAN BEING VOICED BY LEE HIMSELF?! (i know VAs name is not lee im talking abt the twd game lee dont get it wrong) I KNEW I HEARD THAT VOICE FROM SOMEWHERE!

Glad Emerald is on our side now. Can't wait to see how much of a time jump we had between volume 9 and 10 AND for more ✨TRAUMA✨ let's get it fam! Keep up the hype!