„you‘re fine sweetheart, it‘s just me…“

god weren’t you a sight ― face smeared with dirt and blood, as you‘d barely escaped the walkers trying to gnaw at your flesh and bones. thankfully unhurt, or so he hoped, his gentle coaxing did the trick to get you to at least look at him…

"hey there pretty girl," Rick tried to muster up an encouraging smile, hoping it would soothe you enough to not spiral into any sort of anxiety, as he knew you were probably awfully overwhelmed. his fingers gently rubbed over your eyes, making sure to not rub any of the grimy stuff into your waterline, already filled and pricking with unshed tears. "you hurt anywhere...?"

it was smart, he thinks then, for you to hide inside the smaller cabinet. you could hold your own if you really had to, don't get him wrong, but the mass of these straying walkers would've overrun and surely devoured you..., so thank god for your quick thinking! even if you must've been so scared all alone, waiting for him to find you.