Work Text:
Poor Carl
Carl giggled quietly from his hiding place among the shelves of books. He was hiding in the library of the prison, waiting for his father and Daryl to come in so he could scare them. He’d seen that his father wasn’t as bright as he normally was, except when he was with Daryl of course, and he wanted to have a bit of harmless fun and make him smile. He’d been waiting for the right time and snatched up this perfect opportunity when his dad and Daryl were whispering about meeting each other in here later in the day.
Carl had been patiently waiting for about 10 minutes when he heard two pairs of footsteps approaching the door. The 13-year-old stifled his laughter, amused by his imagination of their reactions. He’d taken into account the fact that he might get a bullet in his head or an arrow through his eye but he brushed off the concerns. He knew both of the men would probably draw their weapons but they’d wait to assess the situation before firing.
The pair had entered the room and were silently making their way to the table that had once been there for inmates to sit and read at. He heard two objects, which he knew to be their weapons, hit the wood table and he smiled in anticipation. He was waiting for them to start talking so he wouldn’t be heard quite as easily when he stood up.
His brow furrowed in confusion when he heard a grunt and what sounded like two bodies colliding. He grew slightly alarmed when he heard a body slam into the table and feared that the two were fighting, he was preparing to stand and reveal himself when he heard what sounded like a moan. He froze and furrowed his brow again.
“Daryl.” Carl’s eyes widened when he heard his father’s voice. It sounded urgent and pleading. Was Daryl hurting his father? He prepared himself to stand yet again and protect his dad when he heard another moan and the rustling of clothes. What the hell? Carl heard a gasp and his eyes widened with understanding. Oh. Oh. Oh shit. He could barely keep from voicing his horror when he heard his father moan the hunter’s name again and the man’s answering groan of pleasure.
Carl’s blue eyes darted to the locked door, cursing his luck. He couldn’t very well alert them to his presence and have them be embarrassed that he was there as well as angry for interrupting them. Oh God, I’m gonna have to listen to them. I’m gonna be scarred for life. Carl covered his ears when he heard clothes rustling and being thrown to the ground. It was futile though, because apparently his father was so goddamn loud during sex and the sounds bled into the teen’s ears.
He tried singing in his head to distract himself but a particularly loud shout of the hunter’s name cut through and made Carl cringe. He was cursing himself for trying to play this stupid prank, if he’d just left well enough alone, he wouldn’t be here now. He heard both men call out the other’s name after a few more minutes of muffled banging and his shoulders sagged, hoping this terrible experience was finally over. He risked removing his hands from his ears and heard clothes rustling again. He thanked God they were getting redressed and were preparing to leave.
He watched from his hiding place as the two men shared a final kiss before unlocking the door and exiting, leaving Carl shell-shocked and scarred. I mean, I’m happy for them but I didn’t need to hear that. He stood, his legs were numb from staying crouched so long because he’d been too shocked and scared to move once he’d figured out what was happening. He shakily walked out of the library, slowly making his way back to the cell-block and dreading having to look his father or Daryl in the eyes ever again. He didn’t think he’d be able to do it, not without hearing his father calling out the hunter’s name or Daryl’s grunts as he- Carl cut off that thought and shuddered.
Of course, everyone was seated at the tables, enjoying dinner when he entered the room. His dad and Daryl shared a bench like they always did, but now the sight made Carl turn red and want to run as far away as possible. He jumped at the sound of his father’s voice, trying not to think about how the same voice had just been calling out for the antisocial redneck next to him not five minutes ago.
“Hey, Carl, where ya been?”
Carl grumbled something unintelligible as he sat down next to Beth, his stomach churning at the sight of the plate of canned vegetables and Spam.
“What’d ya say, lil’ man?” Daryl looked at his partner’s son curiously.
“Went for a walk.” Carl mumbled, pushing the food around on his plate but in no mood for eating at the moment.
“Are you alright, kid?” Glenn called from his place next to his wife, everyone’s attention was on the young man. They were looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and concern.
“Yeah, ‘m fine.” Carl shoved a forkful of peas in his mouth to avoid having to talk anymore, he just wanted to curl up in his cell and die.
“Hey, Carl, I know we ain’t been spending much time together and I was wonderin’ if you wanted to head down to the library with me an-“ Rick was cut off by his son abruptly standing and shouting.
“No! No.” Carl spun around and headed back into the cell-block, ignoring the worried gazes he could feel burning into his back. He never wanted to go anywhere near the library ever again. He climbed the stairs and entered his cell, curling up on the bed and bringing his knees to his chest. He closed his eyes, wanting to forget everything that had happened today. He didn’t open his eyes when he heard the footsteps ascending the stairs or when someone knocked on the wall just inside his cell.
“Carl, what’s going on with you?” Rick stepped into his son’s cell, gazing worriedly down at the boy that was curled in on himself. He knew his son was still somewhat angry at him- for reasons he still didn’t quite understand- but he didn’t expect the vehement rejection he’d just received in front of everyone.
Carl huffed out a sigh, not wanting to talk to anyone, let alone his father. “’M fine, just tired.” He hoped his father would just drop it and leave but it seemed the Fates were against him today because the man entered his cell further and sat on the edge of the bad, placing a hand on his leg.
Rick couldn’t help but wince at the pain that lanced through his heart when his son jerked his leg away from his hand and opened his eyes wide and panicked. “Don’t lie, son. Something’s bothering you.”
“It’s nothing, dad. Really. I just need to be alone for a little bit. And I’d like to spend some time with you and Jude, just not in the library.” Carl had sat up, curled against the iron bars at the head of his bed, as far from his father as possible. Rick noticed this and felt another pang of hurt in his chest.
“Alright, well I’ll leave you alone then.” Rick made to pat his son’s shoulder but stopped when he saw him flinch and just stood and exited the cell.
*LINEBREAK*
“Wha’ the hell did ya say ta yer dad?” The hunter strode into the teen’s cell, angry and looking for a fight,
Carl simply opened his eyes and stared at the man in front of him before shuddering and shutting them again. “What?”
“He ain’t been talkin’ or doin’ nothin’, he’s just sittin’ out there wonderin’ why his son hates him.” Daryl crossed his arms and stared furiously at the indifferent expression on the boy’s face.
“I don’t hate him.” Carl averted his gaze, looking at the bottom of the bunk above him and trying keep his mask of indifference up to avoid showing Daryl the panic and mortification that was swirling underneath.
“Well, he sure as hell thinks ya do. So get yer ass out there and apologize.” Daryl uncrossed his arms and made to grab the teen’s arm, only to have it grab air as he flinched back and practically cowered in the corner of his bunk, back pressed against the wall as much as it could be without Carl going through it. Which is exactly what the boy looked like he wanted to happen. “What the hell’s yer problem, kid?”
“I ain’t got a problem.” Carl was getting a little angry, annoyed that the hunter wouldn’t just leave him alone, wouldn’t get it like his father had.
“Yeah you do. Ya had a problem since you walked in fer dinner.” Daryl’s temper only rose when the boy flinched at his words, the hunter couldn’t figure out why and that made him angry. What the hell was going on with this kid?
“No, I don’t. I just wanna be left alone.” Carl could feel his anger rising, he just wanted the man to leave but he wouldn’t take the hint.
“Well, I ain’t leavin’ until ya get over yer attitude an’ agree to apologize to yer dad.” The man raised his eyebrows when the boy came scrambling out of the bunk and faced him, fists clenching at his sides.
“I don’t have an attitude! I just want you to get out and leave me alone!” Carl shouted, angry at himself for getting stuck in the library, angry at Daryl and his father for not checking the room before going at it, and angry at the stubborn man for not leaving when he asked.
The commotion attracted the rest of the group towards the cell, gathering around it to watch and ready to intervene if necessary.
“I told ya I ain’t leavin’! Wha’ the hell is wrong with you?” Daryl’s voice wasn’t as loud as the teenager’s but it was still raised.
“I fucking heard you guys in the library, alright!” Carl shouted, done with the stubborn man and just wanting to forget about everything that had happened that day.
Daryl froze. “What?” His voice was quite, as was everyone else outside the cell. Rick had stepped inside, shocked at his son’s words, he ignored the crude language in favor of listening for his son’s answer.
“I was there. I heard you.” Carl’s voice was empty, drained from the scale of emotions he’d experienced that day. He just wanted to sleep.
Rick and Daryl could feel their faces heating up, two pairs of blue eyes widening in shock. Rick took a step towards his son but stopped when the boy took a step back. “Oh God.” Rick’s voice was completely mortified and filled with dread. “Oh my God, Carl, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Rick pulled his hands through his hair and closed his eyes. How was he supposed to continue living knowing he’d ruined his son like that?
“It’s not your fault, dad, it’s mine. I wanted to scare you guys, have a little bit of fun. I heard you two talking about meeting in the library so I figured that’d be the perfect time. I was hiding and then you guys came in and the door was locked and you were so damn loud.” Carl’s face was red again and he buried his face in his hands, wanting to hide from reliving the incident.
The group gasped slightly at the realization of what exactly had happened to the poor boy. They were embarrassed for everyone involved, and wondered how this was going to affect things in the future.
“Shit. Shitshitshit.” Daryl pressed his palms against his eyes, hoping to hide from the boy in front of him.
“Yeah, you’re telling me. You’re not the one that had to listen to his own dad getting screwed.” He’d been given the Talk, each member of the group trying to explain sex to him in their own way, some made no sense, some more embarrassing than others, Glenn even offered to ”draw it out” when it seemed like Carl was confused.
“Oh God. How the hell did this happen? Why is this happening?” Rick was pacing, trying to sort out all of the thoughts racing through his head.
“You guys were too horny to check the room for people, I guess. I don’t know, dad. Can we just please pretend it never happened? I’m going to be scarred for life but I can deal with that as long as we just never talk about it again. Never. Again.” Carl felt bad when he saw hurt flash across his father’s face and the man winced. “It’s not like that, dad. I’m happy for you guys, I am. You deserve to be happy, especially now. But that was something I never needed to hear, never wanted to hear and never want to hear again, okay?”
Rick stopped and looked at his son, wondering when he’d grown up without the leader noticing. “Alright, son. I’m sorry you had to hear all that. Daryl and I will give you your space until everything’s settled down, alright?” Rick glanced over at his lover, gauging his reaction to the situation.
“Thanks, dad. I appreciate it.” Carl nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. The group had dissipated after it’d been revealed what exactly was bothering Carl, figuring the three of them needed to work things out with some semblance of privacy.
“Sorry I was yellin’ at ya, kid. Didn’t know it was this that had ya all bothered.” Daryl grumbled, embarrassed that his lover’s son had witnessed them getting it on like a couple of teenagers.
“’S fine, Daryl, how could you have known? Like I said, it’s my fault, y’all thought you were alone.” Carl rubbed his eyes, really just wanting the two to leave so he could sleep and try to forget what he’d witnessed earlier. “Can I get some sleep now? I just wanna forget this ever happened.”
“Yeah, yeah, sorry, son. Goodnight.” Rick grabbed the hunter’s arms and exited the room, preparing himself for the inevitable discussion about what happened and what will happen in the future.
Carl sighed and curled up under his covers, spent from the whirlwind that the end half of the day had turned into. He closed his eyes and prayed that things wouldn’t be too awkward for very long, they did have to function as a group after all.