#also wow hi i love arat

[skymagpie]

Small rant regarding all these big WoW youtubers coming up with theories and why I think if Blizzard does go for a twist like that it will be cheap and absolutely stupid. Putting it below the cut for spoilers!

I am seeing a lot of the big name WoW youtubers say that Khadgar is either Xal'atath, puppeteered by Xal'atath or corrupted by Xal'atath and he will be her way to get back at Alleria because "The Lord of Ravens will turn the key" or whatever. And while that is a plot that could happen - it is not what is currently written, and if it does happen it will be a retcon. But I feel like this theory is missing few points:

Xal'atath did not trap Khadgar in the Dark Heart. She left him to die. A lot of us wondered back then if that was the case because of her "Goodbye, Guardian." line and it seems that from what we know now, she expected him to get killed and consumed like the rest of Dalaran.

Khadgar willingly reaching into the orb that the Dark Heart produced because he decided that turning himself into arcane energy will store him in the heart. This is something he figured out during the fight with the prior knowledge he had. This is something that Medivh always taught him to do! It's a callback to their relationship! This is such an important Khadgar moment!!!

Khadgar put his trust into Alleria and that she will stop Xal'atath. He also saved her because he loves Alleria and she is one of his closest friends. Then he gambled his life on a theory that hasn't been tested and in the end he was rewarded for his selflessness and trust in his friend by having her save him. Their arc came full circle. Why would you wanna intervene in something that needs no intervention?

Khadgar suddenly being Xal'atath in disguise will water down both Alleria's and Anduin's arc. Anduin brought him back with the Light, finding his strength as a healer and regaining his connection. Imagine if they were like "Haha nope sike, have another Light crisis arc!" like how many arcs should Anduin have? Alleria can still have her struggle with the Void in regards to her sisters, Turalyon and Arator. It doesn't have to be Khadgar anymore. In fact it makes sense for her family to be a way to "break" her more than her best friend. Khadgar surviving only to have something happen with the others will actually be a better twist for Alleria's character.

The cinematic is sincere, much like the other cinematics. It does not try to outsmart the audience. They are made so nicely and the hints from the "Destruction of Dalaran" one come into play later on. There is also a callback in the 'stay a while and listen' between Alleria and Khadgar to the very first cinematic between them (Dark Heart). These were made with care. Those soft looks between Khadgar and Anduin, the hug with Alleria, they have to be genuine. If they aren't you are treating your audience like idiots, you lie to them for the sake of lying to them. It would be season 8 of Game of Thrones level of stupid if they pull a 180 twist on these cinematics. The cinematics were so detailed, we guessed that Khadgar cannot move his legs from the very first one after his fight with Xal'atath, like that's the kind of detail they made sure we can pick up, but didn't make it obvious. This was good film language that matches the tone through the entire expansion.

Going for Khadgar again after everything he already went through and after he closed his arc and after he lost Atiesh and got permanently injured feels like you are just bullying this character for no reason. He didn't walk out of that unscathed, he got rewarded for his trust and selflessness by having Alleria save him. It's okay. He can retire here for now. Coming with more terrible things for a guy who finished his arc and is currently in a wheelchair feels meanspirited and honestly kind of an asshole move. I can't put it past Blizzard but it would just suck.

There are other characters in this franchise, we have yet to get more Horde screen time, why focus on Khadgar when his story got a nice ending? Just let him and us his fans have this small win and carry on with the story.

[voidlordfebreze]

I love how in that one part where illidan nukes the light thing we’ve been chasing basically the entire legion turalyon is the only person who seems too angry at him like everyone else is just SHRUG CANT BE HELPED cause lbrh it’s really obvious to everyone standing there that thing scared illidan witless

but also it was fun to see him freak out after he was playing like he knows better to everyone lmao

[faireth-reed]

About the scene with Taelia and Bolvar

Such a short scene but quite interesting to discuss. I'm one of those people who thinks that the best writers are those who write for the smaller plots, instead of the main "Jaina and friends versus world apocalypse".

At first, it's good to see that Kul'tiras actually mattered. Some of the best BFA plots (Zandalar, Lilian Voss and Derek Proudmoore) have been very forgotten, as if BFA hadn't been canon except for Teldrassil.

Also, Bolvar has been the biggest punching bag of this expansion, so he needs a bit of screentime. Not necessarily a fight, but an aknowledgement of who he is.

So, what to think about the dialogue?

Well, I've already seen people hating on Taelia. I hope it's the same four scattered incels that claim that WoW has become "feminazi" while denying how Blizzard treats women, but nevermind.

Taelia's feelings make her very human. She's free to tell her father of how she's feeling, he should know. Imagine being the daughter of a "hero", everyone giving condolences of how he fought for the light and others having to lie to her if they know the truth. Imagine going to another place, earning a whole new life with people that matter to you enough to fight for them. And then discovering that the one thing that has been told to you since you were little is a lie, and that the "hero" you always heard of has become a full new person.

It's not like Taelia is telling her father that he shouldn't have saved Azeroth. She's just telling him that not being able to help him during all that time brings her pain. We see how she told the truth when speaking about making that sacrifice, because we've already fought with her side by side, and we've seen how she's in the Shadowlands now.

She's telling him something like "I know why you did all of this, but I need time to assimilate all that's happening to us right now, because I don't know how to act". It is incredibly human. It is more true than Arator's meeting with his parents. Even if the circumstances were different, both were presumed dead at some moment, at least Sylvanas thought so. And he was raised by one of his genocidal aunts and Rhonin, so he had it "easier" than Taelia, who went to a whole new place. But his meeting went like:

-Oh, Arathor, we're so sorry that we left, we love you so mu- Oh, wait. Time to go again.

-Okay then. May the light be with you.

Taelia's reaction is way better than most people who see their families becoming Forsaken, she just needs time. She's not saying her father's not enough, but both of them have to work on their relationship. They will also have more time to bond, even though probably off-screen. The thing is whether he'll die because of the crown or something else, but probably not.

About Cyrus

The conversation was a bit similar to Draka & Thrall's about "tell me who you've become during these years". Bolvar really had to know how his daughter had been all this time, so WoW's language for that is "tell me how you learnt to fight".

And Taelia, of course, mentioned her other father, the one who raised her. It's only normal. Cyrus has always been there for her, even when Kul'tiras was facing its darkest time. So he can be considered her father as well.

I'm sure both men would admire each other if they met. Both have been important in their world, and both care a lot for Taelia. Just imagine some fic of them meeting and sharing some drinks and stories. Bolvar just visiting Kul'tiras in general.

What else would I like to happen?

I literally have no hopes for it, but some of the characters deserve better writing than what will probably be delivered to them. But the thing that would give these people true closure (besides Arthas, of course), is meeting Tirion again.

Tirion was done very dirty in Legion, like Vol'jin. But there are so many people that are tied to him. Darion, Bolvar, Uther... Even Jaina if you consider her shitty father, or other dead characters.

He was important to both Horde and Alliance, even before Arthas' defeat. So he deserves at least a hug.

I don't know how his death at Gul'dan's hands works (same with Varian), so perhaps he's not even able to be in the Shadowlands. At this time, I just know that the writers won't mention him at all. But there are many content creators out there.

Also, WOD and BFA are far more canon than SL for me, but there's some little things that can still be discussed.

[alteredphoenix]

Some Untitled Alleria x/Illidan Modern!Dance AU Thing (WoW)(WIP)

An idea that has yet to be written but with a single premise: Alleria gets a job interview at a famous dance studio in, I don’t know, the Azeroth equivalent of Chicago (because New York City and Los Angeles can go shove off, they get too much screen time, let me see my state’s city get some love for once). She has experience in helping elves struggling financially and mentally via creative outlets, and Fantasy Chicago - or Stormwind, because Stormwind and Chicago are Windy Cities - is heavily populated with elves, goblins, gnomes, draenei, dwarves, and pandaren trying to make a living among all the humans coming in from Dalaran, Gilneas, Stromgarde, Boralus, etc.

So, Alleria. The woman needs money. I don’t know where Turalyon figures into all this, I haven’t decided if he’s dead or divorced or what (no offense, Turalyon, but you didn’t get involved much if at all in my brainstorming lmao), but Arator is a college undergrad, Vereesa’s got her twins (I think Rhonin’s dead; sorry, Rhonin), and Sylvanas is being a Bad Bitch with Secrets Who Is Doing Her Own Thing, and though the Windrunners are well to do they could still afford to do better and aim higher so things aren’t too bad on the home front. So Alleria shops around for opportunities to keep herself occupied; she has a reputation in the neighborhood for having That Healing Touch on the mind, perhaps her expertise is required somewhere that hasn’t been attended to.

Cue Illidan, who happens to be the brother of famous billionaire hippie philanthropist Malfurion Stormrage. Illidan, the man who gets fed up with the foibles of late stage capitalism, bureaucratic red tape, and Malfurion’s conservatism over illegal substances and resources that Can Be Dangerous but also be used as a Force For Good and leaves it all behind to get the world’s shit together by becoming the crime boss of the Illdari...which doesn’t last long, because Maiev is a Cop With A Hard-On For Justice, and soon after the Illdari are scattered for several years until they come back with a vengeance and somehow wrangle Illidan out of prison and pay many politicians under the table to clear his good name.

Needless to say, the Illidari fall on hard times, and their only other recourse to reclaim their power is to mingle with society and keep their noses a little clean. Which they do so...as a dance troupe...that is also called the Illidari (they’re not really creative). And the Illidari, while being very good at fighting and killing and all things Tae Kwon Do, swordplay, and capoeira, are not very good at anything else.

And that includes Illidan, who’s getting his dance on to Janet Jackson on the stereo; and when Alleria happens to walk in on him, alone, and asking to inquire him about the interview (because the receptionist told her Illidan runs the joint), the first thing he does is get embarrassed...only to lose his temper (because no one ever knocks on the fucking door, but Alleria won’t tell him later on he’s got the stereo on too loud to hear anything else that isn’t Janet Jackson) and throw everything and the kitchen sink at her, screaming “You’re fired!”

Not for too long, though. Kor’vas and Allari decide to reach out to Alleria and, once they get her out of a 1980′s-induced existential crisis about Arator, Vereesa, the twins, Turalyon, that old life in Eversong, and the old gang life she used to lead as the Head of the Ren’dorei on the overpass overlooking the canals, bring her under the fold of the Illidan and His Merry Band of Wonderful, Socially Awkward Idiots, the Illidari, who - you guessed it - have put the spirit of Janet Jackson on a pedestal and use her as the pinnacle of music. (There’s an argument between Kayn and Altruis who’s the better ‘80s Japanese city-pop singer, and who’s the hottest among them, but they never do find because at that point they’re throwing down hardcore.)

The premise stops there, but eventually the Illidari become a little less socially stunted enough to perform on stage in a dance competition...which is against the likes of Tyrande’s Sisterhood of Elune, Fandral’s Druid of the Flames, Tess Greymane’s Greyguards, and Maiev’s Wardens (the Watchers forced Maiev to do something other than vigilantism, they’re assholes but not complete assholes). Oh, and Sylvanas rolls back into town, ready to start shit.

(When it’s put like this, it’s probably better for it to be several stories instead of one big one. Also I’m uncertain if I want it to be Alleria/Illidan or just have them be a BroTP? Then again, since Turalyon is most likely not present in this iteration of the story unless it changes somewhere down the line, the pairing can eventually be seen as romantic.)

[shadestriders]

Answer these questions then tag 20 blogs you’d like to know better!

Nicknames: Connor, Rae  Zodiac: Libra Height: 5′ 9″  Time: 5:26pm. Favorite band / artist: Jesus christ, I work in sound... this is a hard question... YA KNOW WHAT, HERE’S MY SPOTIFY KNOCK YOURSELF OUT ( https://open.spotify.com/user/21qcui2in774xb7oraxugh5la?si=-qi2-aSbQ5236PIK4u-mXw) Song stuck in my head:  you should see me in a crown by Billie Ellish... I keep skipping through my playlists to get to it. Last movie I saw: Toy Story? Kind of... I wasn’t watching it, but I was doing a poolside movie gig and that’s what it was. Last thing I googled: erm... something about Arator, I think... I may or may not be designing another blog... we’ll see. Other blogs: @raerns is my main blog, full of gayness and memes... mostly Sylvaina art, atm, but it’ll rotate through fandoms based on my preferences. @transknowledgable is an older trans resource blog I run... not very active anymore, but still there. Why did I choose this username: WELL, I didn’t want to change my main blog, and Raern/RaernS has always been my virtual handle since I started playing WoW.... so Lady Shadestrider it was. Following: Uh... a-a lot of people? Rpers, I’ve been stalking @lightsblade, @ladywindrunner, @fatesblades, @sunnrunnerrs, @anierous-sunblade, @diguerra, @merchantofthesands... ALL OF WHICH I”D LOVE TO RP WITH BTW :) Average amount of sleep: My fitbit tells me this week’s average is 5hr, 27min, and that sounds about right.. What i’m wearing: Black jeans, black tank top... stage clothes, honestly, from my gig last night. I didn’t want to pull on clean clothes because I haven’t showered yet, but I needed to go out. Dream job: Sound engineering for video game voice over sessions. Blizzard or Bioware would be my dream companies to work for, but honestly, I just want to be the guy that makes Sylvanas’s voice do that awesome cool echo-y thing while also getting to watch as Patty lays down her lines in the booth. (Or any voice actor/actress... I won’t list them all, because there’s really too many that I would have a mini heart attack from working with.) Dream trip: Scotland, Ireland or New Zealand, I think. Most likely Scotland - my spiritual beliefs kind of sort of make that into a pilgrimage destination AND IT”S PRETTY. Favorite food: Uh... um... buffalo wings? Play any instruments: ... a lot... like seven or eight throughout school (any wonder why I got into sound?). I mostly just play guitar and sing now, but I can also jam on a saxophone. Eye color: Brown Hair color: Natural hair is flat brown, but I have it dyed to an auburn red right now. Languages you speak: English - I took two years of Spanish in high school that taught me very little about what Spanish is commonly used in my area, but also after working fast food and retail, I can... sometimes speak like a broken Spanglish to communicate. I’ve always wanted to study German, but I am awful at actually heeding those Duolingo alerts. Most iconic song: Iconic? That’s... not really well defined? Tell ya what - Legends Never Die is a song I come back to for virtually ANYTHING, but if we’re talking iconic for the normal world, We Will Rock You by Queen. Random fact: UH... I’m trans? Hi. Describe yourself as aesthetic things: Ripped black jeans, silver filigree, massive clouds of smoke, greyscale guitar bodies, dimly lit rooms with ethereal reverb, olde magick runes, dragon’s blood incense (I’m... not really good at aesthetic and I feel like this is just a long line of text screaming GOTH.)

Tagged by: @diguerra thanky thankies Tagging: Everyone I could think of has been tagged already, I think... So... if you wanna...

[twdmusicboxmystery]

9x03: First Thoughts

Wow. Where do I start with this episode? This episode was so huge. I found it both tragic and fascinating. I can already tell there won’t be as many details and background symbols in this episode as there have been in others. It was really all about the plot here. The sociological ramifications of this will probably affect the entire rest of the season.

As in previous weeks, I’ll just talk about the bigger plot points today and then I’ll do details tomorrow. 

***As always, spoilers abound for episode 9x03, so don’t read until you’ve watched!***

So let’s just recap what’s happened. It’s been happening since episode 1, but everything really came to a head here. Saviors have been going missing from the bridge project. Then when Justin left last episode, he was killed as well. 

The other Saviors are suspicious and don’t feel safe, which I suppose you can’t really blame them for. They’re looking for answers, demanding weapons to defend themselves, and it’s starting fights. Almost riots.

At the end, we find out it’s the Oceanside gals who’ve taken these Saviors and are executing them for past sins. Daryl and Maggie find them and end up letting them go through with it.

Okay, so let’s analyze the crap out of this. (You know, my favorite past time.) This really plays into the whole revenge arc we’ve been seeing.

We know that at the end of S8, Maggie and Daryl weren’t happy with Rick’s choice to let Negan live. For the past three episodes, Daryl has been trying to convey to Rick that there are still wounds among these people that haven’t healed. Forcing them to live together won’t automatically heal those wounds. They certainly haven’t for him and Maggie. Now, we’re seeing the truth of that play out.

Now, I read the spoilers for this episode and I had to sit and think about it for a while. I don’t disagree with Maggie’s decision to hang Gregory. He wasn’t just being a douche anymore. He actually tried to kill her and even harmed her child somewhat. That’s not okay. He was a threat to the entire group and had proved he would kill to get his way. So I think Maggie was justified in what he did. But it’s interesting that it’s still causing problems.

Because she did that, it made the Oceansiders feel like they also have a right to avenge their own losses. 

It’s a hard situation because you can truly understand both sides of it. I don’t know that I’d trust most of the Saviors with guns either, but given that it was their group mysteriously disappearing, I don’t blame them for wanting to defend themselves. Arat was being a peacemaker and trying to redeem herself, but if she really laughed when she killed Cindy’s brother, it’s just karma coming back to bite her in the butt. So I can see both sides, and it’s tremendously sad because there isn’t one obvious answer that will give everyone peace.

So, what’s this got to do with Beth, right?

Not much, except that she simply HAS to be a huge part of Daryl’s thought process here. A couple of major references to her that I saw.

When Daryl and Maggie talk in the woods, she talks about how she looks at Baby Hershel every day and thinks about Glenn and what could have been, implying that she regrets he’ll grow up without his father. She says she can’t let go of that.

Daryl answers. “You don’t have to. I haven’t.”

Okay, granted, that’s probably at least somewhat about Glenn. Daryl still blames himself for Glenn’s death, and I’m sure he looks at Baby Hershel every day (and even Maggie herself) and thinks of Glenn. But I’m sure he also looks at Maggie every day and thinks of Beth. He hasn’t let go of the people he’s lost or stopped thinking about what might have been.

I watched the end scene of this episode like three times last night. It just struck me as so tragic. Everything Cindy says about her brother could be something Daryl thought about Beth. Listen to her monologue and watch him watch Cindy and apply it to Beth:

“My mother and my grandmother found this place for the group. There was so many of us, then. Men and women. And kids. My mom and I built a garden. Me and my brother used to play right here.”

I mean, that would be a pretty fair description of the prison, no?

“But then the Saviors came. And Simon wanted what we had.”

The Governor’s right hand guy, who was an anti-parallel to Daryl, literally said, “We want what you got, Asshole,” before they took down the prison.

Then Cyndie starts to cry. 

“They murdered my mother. She shot my brother right here. And they took everything because they could. …I told you I loved him. I needed him!”

I think it’s super significant that directly after Cindy says the lines, “I loved him! I needed him!” it shows Daryl’s face. You can just see it in his expression: he gets it, and empathizes. And my friends, that is NOT about Glenn.

So we’ve got Maggie and Daryl going against Rick and now planning to finally take Negan out. The Saviors ditched the bridge project. Rick mentions that if they don’t finish the work before the water rises, the bridge will probably be washed away. Remember that the bridge represents trade routes between all the communities. So without it, they’ll be cut off from one another. That’s pretty huge. Not only would it be symbolic of the rift in TF, but might also parallel them being split into groups in 4b.

See, Daryl is in the exact opposite place now that Beth taught him to be. She said, “you gotta stay who you are, not who you were.” Who Daryl is has radically changed. She taught him to have faith, look for “good people,” and move on after losing people and things. Daryl isn’t doing any of that. He can’t move on. He says straight out that he hasn’t let go of these things and can’t.

You can also see it in Arat’s last words. When begging Maggie and Daryl to help her, she says, “I’ve changed.” They walk away anyway. So they’ve gone from the hopeful (Rick: I know we can all change; we get to come back. Beth: I wish I could just change. Daryl: You did.) to no longer believing people can change or giving them a second chance.

I even caught a “try” reference. Rick says he knows Daryl doesn’t agree with everything he’s doing, but he only asks that Daryl, “try.” Remember back in 5x06, Consumed, Daryl said much the same thing to Carol, who was in a dark place back then. “You’re right here. Trying.” Now Daryl isn’t trying at all.

So. Stinking. Sad.

So, in terms of Beth, this is significant because there’s never been a more perfect time for her to return and show Daryl the way.

So I think this episode represents a major turning point. Every since the war ended and Rick decided to let Negan live, everyone has gone along with the plan (if unhappily) and tried to play along. This goes for Daryl and Maggie, but also others. I haven’t even talked about Anne/Jadis. This is the episode where everyone stopped trying. They called it quits on the truce and are now divided and all going their own ways.

In fact, another way they show this is through the tomato symbol. We’ve seen tomatoes plenty of times before on the show. I’ve come to believe they represent growth and moving forward toward a positive future. I mean, they literally a plant that grows. (it’s also a red and green plant, but we won’t go into that right now.)

But more specifically in this case, these tomatoes represent Carl and his vision for the future. We can tell that two ways:

1)In Carl’s vision where Negan was part of the group, he was holding tomatoes. 2) At the beginning of this episode, Rick puts a tomato on Carl’s grave.

So I think that represents that they were moving toward Carl’s vision of the future. By the end of the episode, the Saviors were squishing tomatoes under their feet as they walked away from the project and the community alliances. 

In other words, this is the episode where they started moving away from Carl’s vision of a peaceful future.

In other words,

I think things are about to get super exciting and more tragic than ever.

Okay, that’s all I’ll say for today. Details tomorrow. How did everyone else like the episode?

[write-havoc]

This Is How I Disappear Ch. 57

Summary: A girl named Chuck finds herself in the exact place she doesn't want to be, living with violent men in a desolate nursing home. After her former gym teacher finds her, will he be the savior she was looking for?

Fandom: The Walking Dead AU

Pairing: Negan/Original Female Character

Status: Ongoing

Contains: swearing, violence, sexual assault, blood, smut

Intended for readers 18+ of age only

Masterlist

Harlan had requested Chuck be on bedrest for the next few days. And Negan made sure it was strict bedrest. For two days, Negan did just about everything for Chuck, even escorting her to the bathroom when she needed to go. He also made sure to keep Chuck calm. Carson’s death had hit Chuck hard. Mainly because she felt guilty for never thanking him for everything he did for her. But Negan knew just the right things to say to make her feel better, like he always did.

When Negan had to leave the apartment to tend to his duties, which he did so begrudgingly, he insisted that Laura or Arat sit with Chuck and tend to her. Chuck had apologized to them, assuming that the woman would resent the job, but they didn’t seem to mind. In actuality, the three women had gotten to know one another quite well over the past several weeks and developed a friendly relationship between each other.

Today, Laura is on shift while Negan is out and she’s sitting on the couch flipping through a book. When Chuck sees that it’s The Soul of the Fearless Wave, she wonders how it made its way back into their bedroom. She thought that Negan had gotten rid of it long ago.

“Shit,” Laura calls out as she turns the page. “This is a good book.”

Chuck can’t help but laugh. “It’s... pretty entertaining, actually.” She just keeps it to herself that she thought it was entertaining because of how bad it is.

Chuck shakes her head, her eyes flicking down to notice a wet spot on her chest. She initially thinks that maybe she spilled a little bit of water the last time she took a drink, but when she sees another spot on the other side of her chest, she realizes what it is. “Oh,” she says aloud.

“You need somethin’?” Laura is already standing and coming forward before Chuck can stop her.

Chuck feels her cheeks turn bright red. “Uh...” She tries to cover her chest so Laura can’t see. “N-No. I’m okay.”

Laura pauses at the side of Chuck’s bed and looks down at her. “You don’t have to be embarrassed, Chuck. I have a kid, remember? I know what it’s like to be pregnant.”

Chuck nods and moves her hands from her chest, exposing the expanding wet spots on her cotton nightshirt. “I guess I started to leak.”

“Is this the first time?”

“Yeah,” Chuck answers quietly. She knew that this would happen at some point, but for some reason, she still feels a little embarrassed.

“Do you have any nursing bras up here?”

“Yeah.” Chuck points to the closet. “The dresser on the left. Top drawer.”

Laura follows Chuck’s directions and comes back in with a nursing bra and a new nightshirt. “Before all this shit,” she waves a hand around, “I was a bartender in this biker bar. That where I met Niko’s father. And I worked through my entire pregnancy.” Laura gently pulls Chuck’s soiled shirt over her head and drops it on the ground. “I only took off one week when I had him. Worked up until the day they induced me.” Laura slips the nursing bra onto Chuck’s arms and fastens it behind her back.

Chuck adjusts the bra on her chest and inserts the reusable pads that Laura hands her.

“I remember the first day my boobs really started to leak,” Laura continues. “It was fuckin’ busy in the bar. And this guy was like, ‘Hey! Your tits are leaking!” And I was like, “So?! You want a beer or not?!’” Laura gets the clean nightshirt over Chuck’s head. “I didn’t have time to deal with it, so I just rocked it.”

Chuck laughs. Then she realizes that Laura had told that story to make Chuck less embarrassed about having her clean her up. “Thanks,” she says quietly.

Laura shrugs a little. “You’re welcome.” She picks up Chuck’s nightshirt from the floor and throws it in the hamper.

Before Laura walks back to the couch, Chuck calls out to her. “So Niko was just a baby when all of this started?”

“Yeah.” Laura turns around and sits down on the bed, propping herself up on the headboard beside Chuck. Though Chuck has all the pillows behind her.

“Wow. That must have been rough. I couldn’t imagine being out there with a baby,” Chuck comments. Her mind reels with the thoughts of Laura having to try to keep her son safe after the turn.

“Yup. Niko’s father died pretty early on. He saved our lives, but...” She shakes her head.

“I’m sorry, Laura.”

“It is what it is. He was a good man.” She gives a sad smile. “Negan and Simon found me and Niko and brought us here. There was probably only like twenty people here, then. Sherry and her sister were here. Most of the lieutenants, actually. And TJ.” She lets out a sigh at the mention of the man.

TJ and his group were all murdered by Eldritch and his men at the start of his attack on The Sanctuary. When all was said and done, Negan held a memorial service for the fifty or so people that died, which was rough for everyone. After the service, Negan had a small group go out to find the bodies of the men Eldritch had killed, wanting to give them all a proper burial, but they were never found. Negan had confessed to Chuck that he assumed that Eldritch let them turn and used them in his undead army. The thought had sent a chill though Chuck’s bones. Eldritch was truly an evil man for doing everything he did.

Laura continues. “But Negan was always real good to me and Niko. Even when shit was scarce, he always made sure I had enough to eat because I had to breastfeed my son. There wasn’t any formula or anything here. He was the only kid.”

“Negan has a soft spot for children.” Chuck giggles. “Don’t tell him I told you that.”

“That’s not exactly a secret.” Laura laughs. “Negan can be a scary fucker when he needs to be, but he’s good to the people that do their jobs and aren’t assholes. Everyone knows that.” She clears her throat and shifts to get more comfortable. “When I told him I wanted to be part of his soldiers as soon as he started the whole ‘saviors’ thing, he didn’t laugh in my face. He didn’t tell me I needed to just be a mother and work in the laundry. He shoved a .45 in my hands and told me to show him what I got. He never judged me. Never underestimated me. That showed me what kind of leader he would be and I’ve been following him ever since.”

Chuck smiles, happy in the knowledge of how respected her husband is here. The baby starts to move around, so Chuck moves both of her hands to her stomach.

“Pain?” Laura asks, quickly shifting into bodyguard mode.

“No. Just kicking,” Chuck answers with a smile. The baby has still been kicking regularly and Chuck takes it as a good sign that she wasn’t injured in the fall.

Laura places her hand on Chuck’s stomach to feel. “She’s a strong one!” She laughs. “You’re making me want to have another one.”

“Really?” Chuck giggles. “You don’t even have a boyfriend, do you?”

Laura shrugs. “You think that Alexandrian with the haircut is single?”

Chuck laughs, realizing Laura is talking about Eugene. “You would eat him alive!”

“You think he’d let me?” Laura waggles her eyebrows to accentuate her joke.

The next day, Harlan checks over Chuck as Negan paces their bedroom.

“Everything looks good,” Harlan says as he pulls back from Chuck. “I’d say you can be off bedrest now. We can get you down to the infirmary for an ultrasound to make sure, but I see no reason to worry anymore.”

Chuck lets out a sigh of relief.

Negan pauses his pacing to ask, “We’re good?”

Harlan nods. “Let’s get down to the infirmary just to double check. I bet Chuck won’t mind stretching her legs a little,” he teases.

Chuck giggles. “I would love to walk around.”

The ultrasound looks perfect, to everyone’s relief. When Negan and Chuck get back to their room, he squeezes her in a tight hug.

“I love you so much, baby girl,” he whispers into her hair.

“I love you, too, Negan.”

Negan pulls back to cup Chuck’s face. “Please, Chuck. Will you just take it fuckin’ easy until the baby comes? I know you want to be productive, but please stay up here. Or with me if you wanna walk around.”

Chuck knows that Negan worries about her and the baby. So despite the fact that she doesn’t want to be cooped up inside for the rest of her pregnancy, she agrees to do it. For Negan.

“Okay. I promise to take it easy.” She strokes his cheek and tips up to peck his lips.

The rest of the night, the pair cuddles up on the couch and watches movies, perfectly content and relaxed for the first time in days.

“Negan?” Chuck whispers to him when she realizes that he nodded off.

“Hmm?” is all he answers without even opening his eyes.

Chuck just stares at his face and smiles. Sometimes she can’t believe that she has this perfect man to call her own.

“We should go to bed.” She kisses his cheek.

He smiles, his eyes still closed. “Mmhmm.”

The next day, Chuck is sitting on the couch playing a video game in just a pair of shorts and her nursing bra. Though it’s a cold January day outside, Chuck finds the room hot. She knows it’s just her pregnancy, since Negan hasn’t complained and seems to be just fine in the office as he works on whatever he’s working on.

Negan walks into the bedroom and pauses. “You look hot as shit like that,” he jokes.

Chuck laughs. “Well, I am hot . But not in the way you mean.”

Negan chuckles and sits down next to her. “You’re still beautiful, baby.”

Chuck looks down at herself, definitely not finding anything beautiful. “I’m all sweaty and leaky. And it’s just gonna go downhill from here.”

Negan leans over and kisses Chuck sweetly. “No matter what, you’re still the most beautiful thing I could ever fuckin’ see.” He bends down to kiss her stomach, too.

Chuck runs her hand over his head. “You’re such a softy.”

He straightens up. “You want me to show-“

A knock on the door interrupts Negan’s thought.

“ It’s Simon. Can I come in? ” comes through the door.

“Hang on,” Negan calls out. He searches around for Chuck’s shirt, finding it thrown on one of the chairs and helps her put it on. “Alright. Come in,” he yells then sits back down next to Chuck.

Simon enters the room and gives Chuck a nod. “Hey, kiddo. How ya feeling?”

“Okay. I’m hot right now.”

“Really?” Simon raises his eyebrows. “It’s kinda chilly up here.”

“She’s running hot,” Negan comments. “What do you got, Simon?”

He starts to answer. “Rick was on the radio. He said his guys came across a pretty big settlement in the north a few days ago.” Simon flicks his gaze to Chuck for a second. “He wants you to meet them.”

Chuck looks over to Negan quickly. “No. You don’t know what’s out there. You can’t leave.”

Negan lets out a sigh. “What did Rick say about this group?”

“They’re in some big high school,” Simon relays the information. “He says they got families, children. They’re good people.”

Chuck starts to get a little upset because she knows Negan is probably going to leave. “Negan...”

Negan cups her cheek to silence her. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I don’t want to fuckin’ leave, but I’m gonna have to. I need to size these fuckers up. And I’d rather do it fuckin’ now than closer to your due date.”

Chuck’s eyes well up with tears. “But-“

“Hey,” Negan coos. “It’s safer out there now since the biters are fuckin’ slow. And the roads are pretty fuckin’ clear. Nothing to worry about, okay?”

Chuck nods. “Just... get back quickly.”

“You think I wanna be away from my girls for a goddamn second longer than I need to?” He smiles at her and it makes her smile back.

“Okay,” she quietly responds.

Negan looks up to Simon, who is still close to the door. “Radio Jesus and tell him to get here tomorrow morning. Then talk to Rick and tell him we’ll meet him at Alexandria tomorrow. Then we can all head the fuck out from there.”

Simon nods. “Sure thing.” He nods a goodbye to Chuck before exiting.

Once Simon is gone, Negan looks back to Chuck. “I know, sweetheart,” he says before she can even say anything.

“You said you wouldn’t leave.” Chuck looks up at him with wide eyes.

“Fuck. Don’t give me the eyes. I gotta go. I gotta see these people.”

She sighs. “Fine.”

“Please don’t be pissed at me.”

“I’m not. I’m just gonna be worried about you.”

He kisses her forehead. “I promise, nothing memorable will happen.”

  ——— Negan’s POV ———

Me, Dwight, Arat, and Jesus pile into a car and head out of Alexandria following Rick, Daryl, Michonne, and Carol in their car as they lead us to this new fuckin’ settlement. Rick told me that he spent a few fuckin’ days there just talking to them and getting to know their leader. He said they seem like good fuckin’ people. I’m not just gonna take his goddamn word for it, but it does make me lean toward maybe trusting this fuckin’ group. I gotta form my own opinion, though.

We pull up to this parking lot about fifty yards away from the gate to the settlement and fuckin’ wait. Oh, shit. I fuckin’ know this place. I applied for a goddamn job here right after I graduated. It’s a fancy pants fuckin’ boarding school for boys. Rutherford Academy...? Something like that. I wasn’t fuckin’ waspy enough to get hired there.

After about ten minutes, three fuckers on horseback emerge and trot to us.

“Heh,” I say aloud, no no one in particular. “I was talking about fuckin’ horses to someone a few weeks ago.”

“This way, please,” one of the guys, who’s wearing weird ass cobbled together armor, calls down to us. They lead us in through the gates and dismount.

“I’m Richard,” the tall, middle aged man calls out. “King Ezekiel asked me to show you guys around a little bit.”

I chuckle. “King?”

“Negan,” Rick chides.

I just shrug back at him. This guy here calls himself “king” and I’m not supposed to think that’s fuckin’ bullshit?

Richard glares at me. Whatever. “Follow me,” he says and turns away to lead us on the fuckin’ tour.

It’s not exactly thorough. The guy just points at buildings and says what’s inside. He says they have a fully stocked infirmary with two fuckin’ actual doctors. Big ass cafeteria with a commercial sized kitchen. Dormitory for all the residents to fuckin’ live in. And I can see for myself that they have crops, though they’re not growing right now since it’s goddamn winter. And paddocks for animals along with the stables that the school already had. Fuckin’ rich assholes.

From what I can tell, this place is fuckin’ nice. There are people moving around constantly, so they got numbers. Probably more than Alexandria. And they got a ton of kids. More than what we got back home, even. Everyone looks fuckin’ healthy and happy, so... yeah. I guess they make a good first impression. But I’m not letting my goddamn guard down completely just yet.

Richard stops us outside a building. “We wait here until King Ezekiel is ready for us.”

I fuckin’ roll my eyes which Rick sees and elbows me. “What?”

Rick rolls his eyes back at me. “Just... hear him out,” he whispers.

“Fine,” I answer.

The door opens and a guy comes out to motion for us to go inside.

“Hey, I should warn you about something before you get in there.” Rick continues to talk, but I’m not listening anymore.

My entire focus shifts to the man holding the door open for us. He’s probably in his late thirties with sandy blond fuckin’ hair, kinda portly. And he looks just like... Goddamn, that poor fucker looks exactly like-

“Negan!” Rick’s urgent voice breaks me out of my thoughts from a few steps ahead. “Are you coming?”

“Yeah,” I answer immediately. “Shit.”

We walk up the stairs and through the door, but I try not to look at that guy. I just don’t want to look at that fucker’s face.

Richard leads us through the halls and into a fuckin’ auditorium as I try to forget about that dude. All thoughts leave my fuckin’ brain, though, as my eyes immediately go to the man sitting on a goddamn throne in the middle of the stage and the thing that’s sitting beside him.

“Holy fuckin’ shit!” I yell, completely surprised. “Is that a fuckin’ tiger?!”

The animal raises its head and I swear to Christ I almost fuckin’ scream. Like, who the fuck has a goddamn tiger?! But I reel that shit in and turn my head to Rick.

“You could’ve fuckin’ told me there was an actual goddamn tiger in here.”

“I did,” Rick spits back. “You weren’t listening.”

The man on the stage clears his throat so I fuckin’ turn back to him. “Greetings, newcomers,” he calls out in a fuckin’ confident... regal , I guess, voice. “I am King Ezekiel. And this is Shiva,” he gestures to the big cat. “Welcome to The Kingdom.”

I stare at him for a moment. He doesn’t look fuckin’ real. He looks like a goddamn comic book character, with thick ass dreads and a big leather coat, holding a fuckin’ staff in one hand and a chain in the other. Not to mention, he’s sitting on a fucking throne with a goddamn tiger beside him !

“Is this fuckin’ real?” I say to no one in particular.

“Hear him out, Negan,” Rick pleads.

I turn back to Ezekiel and wait for him to start his fuckin’ spiel.

“I have heard much about you, Negan, from Rick and his men. From what he has said about the alliance between your two groups and his, I believe that joining that alliance will be beneficial to all.”

I shrug a little. This whole fuckin’ thing has thrown me for a loop. I have no idea what to fuckin’ say. “What do ya got to fuckin’ offer?” is what I settle on.

“To start, I would like to aid in your endeavor to rid this land of the abominations that have been plaguing all of us. Rick has told me about your immediate plans to corral the dead and exterminate them once the cold of winter renders them immobile. My people are very skilled at dispatching the dead, and can lend a hand to your efforts.” He looks off to his right to a big guy that I didn’t even realize was standing there. Even though he’s got a goddamn battle axe in this hands. “Jerry, would you get our guests their gifts.

The guy, who is wearing a weird ass knee length red coat, disappears off the stage and then returns with a basket in his hands. He walks up to me and hands me the fuckin’ thing.

“Consider these as a promise of things to come,” Ezekiel starts talking again and gestures to the basket. “Alas, it’s after the harvest, so proper trading of our goods will have to wait until warmer weather, but please,” he gestures to me, “take those as a token of our budding friendship.”

I look through the basket which is full of jars and cans. Some of them are marked as vegetables and some are various jams and jellies, including goddamn raspberry which is my fuckin’ favorite and haven’t had in years. “This looks fuckin’ good,” I downplay how excited I am. I’m pretty sure I’m gonna crack open that jar on the way home and eat it with my fuckin’ fingers.

Ezekiel lets out a sigh for some reason. I mean, shit’s going good so... “Rick informed me about your recent experience with a man named Eldritch. We, too, had a run in with him and about ten of his men about a year ago.”

“What?!” I bite back.

Ezekiel starts to explain. “He and his men came here disheveled and starving, telling horrendous tales of the state of things in Baltimore, to the east, where they came from. We had always stayed away from that area, ourselves, because we, too, had bad experiences there. Once Eldritch and his men got their strength back, he replayed out kindness by trying to raise a coup, but my loyal subjects showed the vehemence of their fealty and refused. We exiled him and his men after that.”

“Exiled them where?” I ask, already getting pissed.

“South,” is all he answers.

“South?” I repeat. “South, to me .”

“We never ventured south,” Ezekiel tries to make the excuse. “We didn’t know about your settlements. Or Rick’s.”

“If you had dealt with that fucker properly, none of that shit would’ve happened!” I yell.

Shiva perks up at my raised voice, but I am fuckin’ pissed, so I don’t stop.

“You have any idea what I lost because of that motherfucker? What I could’ve fuckin’ lost?!”

“Negan,” Rick puts his hand on my shoulder to calm me the fuck down.

“I am truly sorry about that,” Ezekiel states softly. “If I had known about your settlements, I wouldn’t have set him on that course. That is something I will have to live with, but I sincerely hope we can get past this for the sakes of our subjects. An expanded alliance between all of our groups will strengthen all of us.”

I’m breathing hard, but I suppose he’s right. So I nod. From the canned goods, it’s evident that they grow some shit that we don’t. Or even HIlltop. Trading with these medieval fuckers will definitely be better for us. And they got fuckin’ animals, which means more meat. Better diets for my people means better people, so I can’t really pass this shit up.

I turn back to Rick. “Eugene still got some more radio equipment?”

“Yeah,” Rick answers. “I’ve already talked to King Ezekiel about it. But I wanted to get your okay on it before we went ahead.”

“Electricity is not plentiful here,” Ezekiel explains. “We have some solar panels that power the freezers and ovens in the kitchen. But I think we can add the radio equipment and power it without problem. Being in contact with your groups will cement our alliance.”

I nod again and turn to Rick. “Get him the equipment.” I turn back to the king. “We’ll call you about when we’re gonna clear out those fuckin’ dead zones. Probably pretty soon.”

“Yes. I would be honored to help with that endeavor.” Ezekiel gives me a big smile and gestures for us to leave.

If these fuckers hold their own out in the shit, and prove to be not fuckin’ dumbasses or monsters, then come spring, we can get our trade on. And if that she goes well, an official alliance can be made.

Honestly, it fuckin’ surprises me that I’m not fuckin’ fighting with this. When I started The Sanctuary, I fully expected it to be me against the world. But working with Hilltop got me, well, Hilltop . If I told them to fuck off when Jesus first darkened my doorstep, I would’ve never taken control of them. And my people would’ve lost out on the different food they get from the hillfolk. And we’d be out a fuckin’ doctor just in time for Chuck to give birth.

If I wouldn’t‘ve worked with Alexandria, I probably wouldn’t have beat Eldritch. Rick and his guys were instrumental in that shit. As much as I want to say it was all me, it fuckin’ wasn’t. So working with these groups has been fuckin’ better for my people. So I gotta consider that shit when thinking about what I’m gonna do with The Kingdom.

As we all leave the building, that same guy is standing at the door, holding it open for us. And I just can’t deal with it anymore.

I turn back to him quickly, startling him. “What’s your name?”

“Martin Harris,” he answers.

“What’s your father’s name?”

He looks back at me, confused. “William Harris. Why?”

“He your real father?” I just gotta know...

He glares at me for a moment before answering. “Yes,” he bites back. “He’s my real father because he raised me since I was three years old. He adopted me on my fifth birthday and gave me his name. So he is my real father. Not that it’s your business.” He lets out a huff and continues on with a little fuckin’ attitude. “But if you must know about my biological father, he was a horrible man. He pulled my mother off the street while she was walking back home from bible study and raped her. Got her pregnant. She was sixteen .” He takes a breath but still looks fuckin’ pissed at me. “When the police finally found him, he was already in prison for killing his wife and almost killing his son. So excuse me if I don’t want to call that man my anything .”

I fuckin’ knew it.

“Nathan McRae,” I almost whisper. I never wanted to say that fuckin’ name ever again.

His eyes get fuckin’ big. “H-How did you know his name?”

“That fuckin’ monster was my father, too.”

[swampgallows]

I just read your bit about mental health and Warcraft. As sombody with PTSD I really resonate with Saurfang and it pisses me off that they just dismiss the fact that he (pretty much cannonly confirmed) has it. So yes I feel you Swamp

Yes!! I really feel like these things are peppered in to give quirks to characters and then are taken away or ignored the moment they have to be developed further. Trauma is an inevitable side effect of war, but I suppose the game wouldn’t be able to justify 20 years of continued conflict if it gave any real dimension to its impact. Plus, it truthfully isn’t very fun to sit and ruminate about the enormity of war.

There are a lot of quests that address some short-term issues like goblins dumping toxic waste or orcs cutting down trees or whatnot that the character gets to go and solve. But for larger themes or character-specific cases, there is radio silence. Like, are the people of Orgrimmar still starving or not? Did Garrosh’s reign help them at all? 

I think BFA is going to be a kind of Cataclysm 2 where it’s going to stake out the canon for what’s happened in game, sort of like how Chronicle 3 gave the final word on which factions won which raids. We’ll see if the Horde did dominate Ashenvale after all, if the Alliance managed to corner and expel the Forsaken from Lordaeron/their HOMELAND, etc.

But yes, from individual character perspectives I feel like a lot of very strong, emotional dialogue that could address this are missing from Warcraft. Like many pointed out, I can’t believe that Turalyon and Alleria didn’t IMMEDIATELY embrace and shower Arator with love and apologies and “I missed you”s the SECOND they arrived in Azeroth. They barely shared a conversation.

Saurfang is thrown back into conflict despite losing his son to the Lich King? Will he have to confront Nazgrim and more death knights in BFA?

Sylvanas is a story in and of itself… Her entire experience of continuing to exist post-Lich King is criminally underwritten, I think. Though I was informed of a short story I somehow missed where she begs the val’kyr to kill her and they refuse. I will have to find it and read it and make another assessment. Regardless, her ambitions appear to have heavily transformed compared to whatever point in time that was.

Jaina, of course, has experienced never-ending suffering…

Like, while apathy/anhedonia are certainly symptoms of trauma/PTSD, I think the real reason these characters don’t show any emotion or reflection on their past is because of how they are NOT being written, rather than their emotions being deliberately ignored in the wake of their trauma. I also think another reason WoW is severely lacking in this kind of cause-and-effect is because it can’t decide what kind of game it is. It wants the severity of events found in its M-rated counterpart Diablo but also wants to maintain its technicolor accessibility to children. Hearthstone is all around kid-friendly and HotS serves as an anything-goes fan fiction AU-in-action, but WoW has hovered steadily in the “Teen” section for a long time. 

It’s not like teens haven’t experienced trauma; my trauma is one of the major factors that led me to WoW as a teen in the first place. But I think examining the outcomes of war from anything beyond a “comic book”/pulp lens might brand it as more “mature” subject matter, and I think that’s a route WoW will only toe the edge of. 

So we out here pickin up the slack and diving right in LMAO

[sucaritra]

Bāṛi - Chapter 12

Word Count: 1671

Warnings: language, anxiety, Negan

Summary: reader makes a new friend

A/N: comments are greatly appreciated!

Masterlist

“Who's that?”

“You've not seen Mason before?”

You narrow your eyes and try to recall if you’d come across the man who just entered the games room with Simon, exuding authority and power on par with Negan and Simon. You've been at the Sanctuary long enough now to know everyone’s faces, if not their names, and Mason’s was definitely a face you haven't come across.

“Nope. Who is he? Looks important.”

You turn your attention back to Sam as she takes a swig of something that was most definitely homebrewed, given the smell. You wrinkle your nose in disgust when she offers you a sip, causing her to chuckle at your actions.

“He's one of Negan’s top guys, probably ranks after Simon.”

“How come I’ve never seen him?”

“I think he's been taking charge of the outposts. You probably just missed him when you got here. No idea why he's back now though.”

“Huh.”

“You know, he hasn't actually been here that long, compared to everyone else. Got here just a few months before you.”

This brought your attention back to Mason. How does one rise to the top so quickly? You voiced your wonder to Sam, who didn't disappoint.

“Well, he's just an all around good guy. Does whatever he's told, doesn't cause any problems.”

“You can say that about a lot of the Saviors though.”

“True, but no one shed blood they way he did. I don't know exactly what happened, but the gist of it is that there was an incident on the drive back from a pickup. Negan was there, I think they were attacked. Well, anyway, Mason basically took a bullet for Negan, and you know how Negan loves a good soldier. From then on, Mason was given more responsibility and I guess Negan trusts him since he's part of the inner circle.”

“Wow.”

Looking back at Mason, you see he's already looking your way. All it took was a wink from him before you quickly averted your gaze away from him, cheeks flaming in embarrassment at being caught looking.

You had the pleasure of meeting Mason up close and personal the next morning when you smacked into him just as you reached the top floor in your rush to not be late. With reflexes quick as lightning, he grabbed hold of your arms so you didn't take a potentially lethal tumble down the flights of stairs.

Would you ever go a day without embarrassing the shit out of yourself?

Smiling apologetically, you squeak out an apology and thank you, though he laughs it off.

“Don't you worry about it honey, it’s forgiven since it looks as though you’re runnin’ late for work?”

“I am, but that’s no excuse for not watching where I was going, again, I’m sorry.”

And you really were. If it were anyone else, you probably would have winded them from the force of your little collision, but Mason was no ordinary man. If you had no idea about Negan, it would have been very easy to believe Mason was the one running the show. He definitely looked the part with his strong build, self-confidence oozing out of every pore and his dominant personality. Though he looked to be in his late thirties/early forties, it certainly didn't take away from his good looks as his striking green eyes and mousy brown hair gave him a certain charm.

“No more of that, it’s forgiven and forgotten!” The laugh lines around his mouth and creases in the corner of his eyes were so infectious that you found yourself smiling along with him. Thinking that was the end of it, you slowly edge around him to continue your way towards the office, only to be stopped by a gentle hand on your arm.

“Listen, before you dash off, I gotta say somethin’. I heard about what happened with that scumbag Roy.”

You tense up immediately, all traces of the smile gone from your face as you recall your encounter with him and the subsequent punishment, thanks to your tattling. Though his warm smile does help to ease your guilt, if only slightly.

“I just wanted to let you know that he’ll be out of the infirmary in the next couple of days, but you have nothing to worry about. We’re gonna make sure he can't get near anyone again and try and pull another stunt like that. Hell, even if I gotta shadow him 24/7, then that's what I’m gonna do.” Your chest warms at his cheeky smile and wink sent your way, causing you to roll your eyes and huff out a laugh.

“Thank you, I appreciate that but as long as I don’t have to see him again, then I’m sweet.”

“That you are, honey.”

Does the Sanctuary have a siren call drawing all these hot as shit men to it that you don't know about?!

One at a time Maria. If James turns out to be a dud then you can have a go at sinking your claws into this hunk.

Doing your best to appear cool, you quickly bid goodbye before making your escape to the office. Although, you wouldn't be you if you didn't bump your shoulder into the door to the hallway during your escape, earning a hearty chuckle from Captain Green-Eyes.

The buzz of activity seems to never end at the Sanctuary and the first chills of the changing seasons is felt in every corner. Thanks to your tardiness, Negan sent you out into the chaos to seek out the Savior team leaders and hand out rotas for their shifts. Negan has had to move quite a few Saviors to outposts just to make room for all the new survivors that keep turning up on an almost weekly basis, causing a shake up of the Savior's different roles. Saviors with more menial jobs are suddenly finding themselves guarding the weapons stash or patrolling alongside the more trusted Saviors.

All in all, it just meant more paperwork for you.

Venturing outside to try and find Arat to hand over her papers, you pull your jacket closer to your body in a vain attempt to retain some heat. The slight nudge against your rib comforted you as you felt your knife in your inside pocket. After the incident with Roy, Negan let you hold on to it when you tried to hand it back after the Alexandria trip, saying you can keep it as long as you continue being a “good girl”. Pfft. Smug git.

You watch as a couple of trucks pile in through the gates and various Saviors emerge and immediately begin to unload the supplies. Catching sight of James, you quickly make your way over. It feels like you never see him anymore, which is a damn shame since you wouldn't mind looking at nothing but him for the rest of your, probably short, life.

His face lights up as soon as he spots you, grinning from ear to ear as he holds out his arms to you. You happily oblige, wrapping your arms around him as he playfully lifts you off the ground. He catches you by surprise when you feel him place a light kiss to the side of your head before placing you back on your feet.

Trying not to let the red takeover your face, you look up at him and lightly punch his arm.

“Where've you been?! I feel like I never see you anymore.” Your bottom lip juts out slightly, genuinely disappointed at how little time you've spent together. James was probably the first real friend you'd made at the Sanctuary, inadvertently making him your source of comfort. And after the events of the last week, you could do with a bit of comfort, and just simply forgetting about all the bad that had taken place.

“I know, I know. It’s only temporary though! Once we’re good for winter, I’ll be stationed back at the Sanctuary like I used to be. Then you won't be able to wait to get rid of me.”

Just as you were about to reply, you caught sight of Arat talking to Mason by the front gates, before starting to walk around the building, heading towards the gardens.

“Oh! I have to go! I've got something for Arat.” you flash James the papers in your hands, “Can we meet up later?”

“I’ll do you one better. I just need ten minutes to help with unloading and then you wanna get lunch?”

You beamed at him before nodding your okay and dashing off after Arat. You learned early on that Arat was a woman of few words, or, at least, she was with you, which you were always grateful for as it meant you didn't have to attempt any awkward small talk.

Since you didn't have long to wait, you decided to wait for James by the front entrance, plopping down on one of the many picnic tables scattered about. Mason soon joined you, striking up a conversation so easily with you that you almost forgot how terrible you are when it comes to talking with other people.

You found yourself enjoying being in his company, and also completely agreeing with Sam’s description of him, “he’s just a good guy.” And he truly was. In the short ten minutes you were talking, Mason managed to get out of you how you were feeling slightly guilty about how things went down with Roy, even though you knew you shouldn't. You were almost glowing in self-assurance after his little speech about how you did the right thing and how, through your actions, Roy won't be able to try anything with any woman here anymore. You were almost sad to cut you talk short; it was doing wonders for your self-esteem.

Walking side by side with James to the canteen, you couldn't help but grin as he oh-so-casually took hold of your hand, gripping it tight and pulling you close as you made your way through the Sanctuary.

tagging: @neganisking @backseat-negan

[pedroscurls]

Title: Our First Night

anonymous requested: Could you do a request for a girl who is around 19-20, dark blue eyes, pale skin, and dark brunette hair who is like innocent looking but actually has a really dirty and witty sense of humor. And Negan kind of falls in love with her? Could her name be Lara? And could it involve smut? Like dirty sex haha with anal and him talking really dirty before the sex and then during? 💓 💜

Character(s): Negan and Lara (original female character) Summary: Lara has a big crush on the leader of the Sanctuary, Negan. Tonight, though, she finds out just exactly how mutual the feelings are. Word Count: 2,904 Warning: SMUT! Honestly, dirty af smut! Significant age difference and anal! So, beware if you are not into that sort of thing!  Author's Note: Thank you to the anon who sent me this! And also, thank you so very much for including some features so I can picture the girl and include it in the story! Whoever sent this request in, I hope it meets your standards and that I executed your idea well! Thank you again for sending it in! Enjoy! :-)

(GIF Source: @justnegan)

Lara was the youngest Savior that Negan allowed to fight alongside him and his other men. Usually, he was very hesitant in allowing women to join the Saviors, but Lara gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

She excelled at hand-to-hand combat and while her choice of weaponry would always be some sort of knife, she was also a good shot.

Negan would have been stupid to have denied her the right to become a Savior.

He also knew that she was young. Her dark blue eyes accented perfectly well with her dark brunette hair and pale skin. Negan never asked how old she was, but if he were to guess, he would assume she was either nineteen or twenty.

For some reason, he hoped it was the latter.

Aside from her beauty and capability to fight amongst potential threats, Negan enjoyed spending time with her. He never had the opportunity to have some alone time with her, but he would always catch her eye from across the room.

Lara had an innocent face, but behind it, she had a mouth of a sailor and her sense of humor was dirty and witty, much like Negan’s.

Tonight, however, the Saviors were gathered in one of the recreational rooms after a successful supply run. Lara had been with the particular group who found two bags worth of medication and so when she walked in, the men surrounded her with high praise.

“Lara!” they screamed, chuckling obnoxiously.

Lara took note of the alcohol on the table before her eyes scanned the room. She tried to move away from the crowd to get herself a drink, but she felt someone rest a hand on her lower back and before she could turn around to bad mouth the man, she bit her lower lip at the sight of Negan.

“If it isn’t my favorite Savior,” he winked. The crowd dispersed, allowing Lara and Negan to walk directly to the table with all of the alcohol.

“I don’t see Simon anywhere,” she replied.

Negan chuckled, shaking his head as he took a sip from his beer. “Sometimes I forget how fuckin’ funny you are, Lara.”

Lara cleared her throat. She always had a crush on Negan. He exuded confidence and power and Lara wanted nothing more than to be on the receiving end of both those traits. She wondered why he never asked her to become a wife, but she figured she would get restless sitting in a room filled with other women doing absolutely nothing but waste time.

“Seems like your old age is getting to you, Negan. I think Dr. Carson can give you some memory exercises to help you with it.” Lara winked, opening a bottle of beer.

Negan narrowed his eyes. Usually, he wouldn’t let anyone talk to him like that, but with Lara, it was different. He was smitten with her the moment he challenged her to prove to him that she could be a Savior.

Since then, Negan had the perfect team to keep by his side and that always consisted of Simon, Lara, and Arat. He didn’t trust anyone else aside from those three.

“You know, kid, you’re really pushin’ my buttons,” Negan said.

Lara narrowed her eyes. Negan knew exactly how much she hated being called a kid because she certainly didn’t act like her age, which made Negan wonder just how old she really was.

“Well, old man, someone has to, right?”

Negan watched as her small lips wrapped around the top of the bottle. He cleared his throat when she swallowed the contents of the alcohol. He shook his head and took a step in her personal space.

“How old are you anyway? Are you even old enough to drink?” he asked.

“What are you going to do if I’m not? Arrest me?” Lara rolled her eyes.

Negan smirked deviously, his usual brown orbs turning to a darker shade filled with lust.

“That depends. Do you like to be handcuffed? Tied down? Dominated?” he whispered.

Lara bit her lower lip. She needed to keep her composure or else Negan would see right through her façade. She didn’t need him knowing that she was interested.

“Actually, I do. But with guys that are capable. You being old and all, I’m sure you can’t get it up.”

Negan tightened his jaw, taking another step forward. Lara looked into his eyes, feeling a wetness settle at her core as her back hit the wall.

Now, she was trapped between the wall and Negan’s body.

“You’re testin’ me, Lara.”

“Why don’t you prove to me that you’re not like the men your age, Negan?” she offered.

Negan furrowed a brow slightly. He wasn’t expecting her to give in just like that. Besides, he never thought that she was interested in someone like him.

Negan, however, decided to take it a step further and lean down to hover his lips against her ear.

“You do know that I’m probably three times your age.”

Lara nodded, shutting her eyes as she set her bottle of beer down onto the table.

“Didn’t Simon tell you?”

“Tell me what?”

“I like older guys.”

Negan narrowed his eyes, “You’re lying.”

Lara grinned, resting a hand on his leather-clad chest before she leaned on her toes to whisper into his ear. “If I was, would I be willing to drop to my knees and put your dick in my mouth?”

Negan cleared his throat, moving a hand to grasp her backside roughly which earned him a quiet squeak of surprise.

“Don’t tempt me, doll or else I’ll pull it out right here.”

Lara giggled, pulling back to look up at him. She gently lifted her hand to his cheek, allowing herself to revel in the feel of his stubble against her fingertips.

Negan leaned into her touch. He shut his eyes and leaned forward, moving his lips closer to her own before he stopped himself. He didn’t even kiss his wives and if his men saw him kissing a younger woman that wasn’t his wife, who knows what type of rumors they would spread.

“Meet me in my room,” she whispered.

Negan smirked, “You going to let me get a taste of that pussy, Lara?”

Lara squeezed her legs absently together. “Why don’t you meet me in my room and find out?”

“Well, you better start walking. Let me see that ass while you do,” he winked.

She pulled away from him, taking her bottle of beer and lifting it to her lips. Lara teased him by letting her lips graze the opening of the bottle, parting her lips slowly. She watched as Negan’s eyes dropped to focus on the teasing of her lips before he narrowed his eyes.

“Stop fuckin’ teasing.”

Lara laughed quietly, downing the rest of her drink before setting it down once more. She nodded, licking her lips slowly before she walked away from him. Lara excused herself from the party and walked directly to her room in anticipation.

Once she made it to her room, Lara quickly removed her clothes. She wanted him to step inside to see that she was already waiting for him, and wet too.

After a few minutes, Lara lied back and heard the door creak open. When she saw Negan appear, Lara grinned and sat up on her knees.

“Fuck, doll…”

Lara smiled, standing from the bed to walk over to him. He removed his leather jacket after setting Lucille down carefully onto the small chair near the television. He looked down at your bare frame, running his hand down your side.

“I’ve got a big fuckin’ problem and I think your mouth can help,” he smirked.

Lara looked down at his pants, noticing the large tent bulging out of the fabric. She reached down and ran her palm along him, feeling the hardness against her. “Wow…”

“Ever had something as big as this, doll?”

“Well, I don’t necessarily know if it’s big, Negan.”

Negan narrowed his eyes, turning her around as he pressed himself against her back. He looked down at her backside, bringing a hand down to slap the skin roughly. It left her with an intense sting of pain as she shut her eyes, squeezing her legs.

“You can feel it, don’t you, Lara?” Negan pushed Lara down onto her bed, his hips pressing against her from behind. He groaned, watching as her hips began to roll against his own impatiently.

“Negan…”

“Oh, now you’re moaning my fuckin’ name, aren’t you?”

He quickly removed his t-shirt and undid the belt on his pants. Quickly, he shoved the fabric down to his ankles and grasped his dick to run the tip of it along Lara’s length.

“Holy fuck, you are wet.”

Lara gasped at the feel of his bare manhood so close to her aching entrance. She tried to push back against him to allow him to slide into her, but he pulled back and prevented her from doing it.

“Negan, please…”

“Sorry, doll. As much as I love begging, I want you on your damn knees with your mouth open for me.”

Lara nodded, instantly scrambling to her feet. Once she turned around to face him, her eyes dropped to his erected manhood in his hand. She cleared her throat; she wasn’t expecting Negan to be that big.

Negan smirked, “What? You look a bit scared, doll.”

Lara narrowed her eyes. “Of what? Your dick. I can take it.”

“Sure you can. We’ll test it out, don’t you worry, doll. Besides, young pussy? Fuck yes.”

“You don’t even know how old I am.”

“If I guess, will you get on your damn knees and suck my dick?” he smirked.

Lara nodded. “Okay, you have yourself a deal.”

Negan stared at her, his eyes deviating to her body as he let his eyes linger at her breasts. He reached out to run his fingertips down her chest to her abdomen before allowing himself to touch the tuft of hair at her lower half.

“I think you’re twenty, doll.”

Lara bit the inside of her cheek. Without allowing him to respond, she dropped to her knees and slowly opened her mouth like he asked.

“Mm, I was right?”

Lara nodded, “Yes, now hold up your end of the deal.”

“Oh, I’m holding it up,” Negan smirked. Slowly, he guided his member to her lips, growling at the feel of her soft lips against his throbbing member.

Lara caught him by surprise when she grasped his hips and lowered her head, allowing him to hit the back of her throat. Negan wasn’t expecting her to be able to deep throat, no less suck as well as she was doing for someone her age.

Negan groaned, shutting his eyes and holding Lara’s hair back away from her face. He forced himself to keep his hips still, but the feel of her warm mouth surrounding his throbbing dick, he couldn’t help himself.

When his hips abruptly pushed forward, Lara gagged, pulling back suddenly. She looked up at him, taking note of her saliva slickening his member.

Negan slowly opened his eyes, running his thumb across her cheek as he stared into her blue orbs. Suddenly, he picked her up and tossed her gently onto her bed. He pulled her hips to the edge of the bed and stood between her legs, staring down at her.

“I’ll fuckin’ get a taste of this pussy next time,” he said, running his tip along her length once more.

Lara shivered in anticipation, staring up at him. “Who said there’s going to be a next time?”

Negan narrowed his eyes, “Don’t make me slam into you. I know it’ll hurt…”

“I can take it,” she quipped.

“You are a dirty girl, aren’t you, Lara? What else you have hiding under that sleeve?”

Lara looked down at herself. “I’m naked. No sleeve here.”

Negan growled and suddenly slammed into her to the hilt. He remained still, groaning as her tight walls grasped onto his member in a vice-like manner.

Lara gasped, her hands clutching his shoulders tightly for stability. God, he was big and he was filling her to the brim.

“God, Negan…”

Negan smirked, pulling his hips back before pushing back into her. He watched as her eyes fell shut and her mouth remained open to let a string of moans escape her lips.

Negan didn’t know if he was able to last longer than he was used to. Lara was tighter than he had felt before and he was sure that after this, he was going to want more.

“Fuck, that’s right… That feel good, Lara?” he whispered, looking down at her.

Lara nodded, moaning loudly as a response.

“Shit, doll… You’re so fuckin’ tight… It feels so fuckin’ good.”

He leaned down to rest his hands at either side of her head, his hips slamming against her rapidly to the point that their skin slapping against one another echoed throughout her small room. She loved every inch of his member, loving the way he was able to slide in deeper than she thought was possible.

“You’re so big, Negan… Fuck!”

Negan smirked, snapping his hips forward and remaining still. “You like the way this dick feels inside of you, doll?”

“Y – Yes…”

“I can’t hear you,” he said, repeated the same roughness of his hips coming forward.

“Yes! I love the way you feel inside of me, Negan!”

Negan grinned, “Now that’s more like it. Good girl.” He moved his hands to her hips and continued his rapid thrusts. He felt her walls slowly begin to tighten and as she reached her climax, Negan pulled out and ran his thumb rapidly against her clit to allow her to ride out her high.

Slowly, Negan turned her to abdomen. He looked down at her backside and slowly pushed her buttcheeks apart, growling at the sight.

“Ever had something –”

“Put it in me,” Lara interrupted.

“But –”

“Not in my pussy, Negan.”

“Have you had something there before, Lara?” he asked.

“Nope, but I’m willing to try, so please…”

Negan grinned. “You’re constantly surprising me every goddamn day, Lara.”

He slowly ran his tip along her tight end, watching her wince slightly once he tried to push himself into her. He pulled back, bringing his finger instead to warm her up to him.

“I’ve got to get you ready, baby,” he reassured her.

Lara gasped suddenly when she felt his finger penetrate her other end. She stiffened slightly, grasping onto the bedsheets tightly.

Negan felt her tense up, running his free hand soothingly along her back. “Relax for me, Lara…”

Lara shut her eyes and nodded, allowing herself to relax. When she did, her hole slowly loosened and allowed Negan to push his finger in and out of her.

After a few more movements, he pulled away from her and brought his dick to her tightness. She tensed once more, shutting her eyes in anticipation.

Negan kissed along her back lightly to her shoulder, pushing his tip into her slowly. “Fuck, Lara…”

She moaned, trying to push him away at the sudden intrusion before his arm wrapped around her waist to keep her still. “Negan…”

“Shh, doll… I’ve got you.”

As more of his member slid further into her tightened hole, Negan groaned and allowed only half of his member to feel her tight walls. He slowly began to move his hips, feeling her walls finally give way to his girth.

He used his free hand to rub at her clit, giving her body more pleasure aside from pain. Negan slowly picked up his pace, shutting his eyes at the feel of her tightness surrounding his dick. He was going to want more of her and Negan was sure that she felt the same way.

“Negan… Faster,” she said.

He grinned, nodding in response as his hips slammed forward. Negan felt himself delve deeper before he pulled back halfway only to push further into her.

Lara shut her eyes, allowing herself to give in to the pleasure that she was receiving. Her grip around the bed tightened as she felt her walls begin to tighten at the feel of Negan’s thrusts and his rubbing on her clit.

“Negan… I’m close again…”

He nodded, his hips showing no mercy whatsoever. He growled into her ear, applying pressure to her clit and just like that, her body shook with the intensity of her climax that raked through her body. Lara moaned aloud, his name escaping her lips in a quiet scream.

“Negan!”

Negan groaned, her tightened walls grasping onto him, milking him to his own release. He thrusted a few more times before shutting his eyes, releasing into her. When he pulled back, he watched as a few droplets of his own release drip down her leg.

Negan stood up, grunting quietly as he reached for a nearby towel. He cleaned her up and slowly turned her to her side. Negan never cuddled with any of his wives after sex, but Lara was different.

He could tell.

He lied down and pulled her into his arms.

“You okay?” he asked.

Lara smiled, “A bit sore, but I feel great.”

“A damn twenty-year-old who is one of my top Saviors and is a fuckin’ freak in the sheets. I like that,” he chuckled.

Lara looked up at him.

“So, we’re doing that again?”

“Fuck yes we are.”