#i don’t like the takes that him & alden are free of blame or not doing what they’re doing

[castleofravens]

i don’t like keefe in kotlc canon bc he’s manipulative often and everyone acts like it’s fine and nobody really calls him out on it and yes i am aware he’s a product of his environment and he doesn’t know he’s doing it however if i were to raise my hand and accidentally hit someone behind me or smth i still hurt them and that would still require an apology, just bc you didn’t intentionally do something doesn’t mean people weren’t harmed by it

[walkerwords]

“The Savior Sessions” Part 25 of 33 - Negan x GN!Reader

IMAGE CREDIT: AMC

SERIES MASTERLIST

Summary: The communities are on alert as Negan goes missing and Alpha remains quiet. As the reader is dealing with the love of their life disappearing again, Negan finds company on the road.

Word Count: 5413

Warning: Swearing, Graphic Depiction of Violence

Song I Wrote To: “Wicked Game” by James Vincent McMorrow

Note: We begin with the reader’s POV, but we focus on Negan for the rest of it. Reminder, I will be changing things from canon with the rest of these chapters. all official dialog is property of AMC. 

--------

One Week Earlier…

“You know, I once knew a woman who could swallow a sword,” you said, examining your own blade in the low light of the cell. “I think in another life, I could do it.”

“Let’s not try tonight, okay?” Negan said, lowering the blade with his fingertips as he sipped from the clear jar you had brought him.

There was too much drama going on at the moment with Alpha, her Walkers, and of course, just trying to stay sane in all of it. Nevertheless, you still found time to indulge in the man that you loved. 

Showing up at his cell once it became dark was a normal thing, but the jar of moonshine that you had brought along with you was a change. A very welcomed one at that. You and Negan now sat on the floor of the cell, your backs against the cot, basking in the alcohol as it warmed your veins. 

“I still think this shit is highly dangerous,” Negan said, passing you the jar back. 

“It’s flammable too,” you said with a small laugh as you leaned against him. “Learned that the hard way.”

“Do tell,” he urged and you sunk further into him, getting comfortable. Negan slung an arm around you, keeping you close. 

“Eugene used to keep it outside of Alexandria in an old electrical box thing,” you explained, trying not to slur your words. “One day, he asked me if I would help him move some of it to Hilltop. I think Jesus or Alden wanted some. Anyways, us being morons, went out in a thunderstorm.”

“Which of course was not your favourite plan,” Negan said. 

“Right,” you agreed. “So, we were on our way to the place that he was holding it in when Eugene suddenly realized he had forgotten to take the big metal antenna off the top of the box.”

“Oh no,” Negan said, running his hand over the back of your neck as he listened. 

“We were about fifteen or so feet from the thing when lightning strikes and the spark lights the booze causing a massive fire. The worst part was that Eugene was also storing some leftover fuel at this place for Daryl’s bike and well…” you trailed off, making explosion movements with your hands. “I smelled like burning metal for three days.” Negan started laughing at that and you looked up at him, trying to see his face. You always loved it when he laughed. 

Reaching up, you ran your hand over his face and he turned towards you. “You are just…” you trailed off. 

“I’m what?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he gazed down at you. 

“Unpredictable,” you whispered. “You surprise and amaze me every damn day.” 

“That’s good though, right?” he asked, tilting his head. 

“It’s very good,” you said. “I’m not cut out to deal with the mundane.”

“Good cause you are anything but ordinary,” he said softly. The moonshine in your system was forgotten as those hazel eyes bore into yours. He was like the sun and you were trapped in his gravity. 

“You know that I’m always going to be here for you, right?” you asked.

“I know,” he whispered. 

“I just need you to understand that I trust you with my life and more,” you said, sitting up more. “I know that things are going to get messy with the Whisperers, but I think we’re gonna get through it. Especially if we stick together. I think we can win this war.” Negan wrapped his hands around your waist, pulling you into his lap. Bracing your hands on his shoulders, you ran your fingers through his hair. 

“I know, (Y/N),” he said. Tightening his grip, Negan made sure to be looking you in the eyes, something he always did when he was completely earnest. “I don’t know what I would do without you. For a while, I thought that there wasn’t a future for me besides these four walls, but you changed that. I love you so much and I know that you are right. We will win this war, no matter what it takes.” 

Smiling down at him, you leaned in to kiss him softly. “I love you, too,” you whispered against his lips as he pressed you harder against him. You laughed as he grabbed the bottom of your shirt and pulled it over your head before kissing you again. 

The moonshine on his lips was sweet but full of fire which was a perfect metaphor for the strong man that you gave your entire body and soul to…

A loud crash came from your right as a pile of lumber fell over near the windmill, taking you out of your memories. 

“Ya good?” Daryl said from beside you as he added fletching to his bolts. 

“Fine,” you said, running a hand down your face, trying to break out of the trance you had been in. 

It had been a day since Negan had gotten out, or was let out, and you didn’t know how to even begin to understand what was going on inside his head, let alone yours. 

The last time Negan had left, you had been angry, but now you were just confused. Something didn’t feel right about any of it. Negan wasn’t a saint, everyone knew that, but he wasn’t stupid and he wasn’t heartless. Multiple scenarios went through your mind after Gabriel told you what happened. 

Lydia had tried to take the blame, but you had barely slept that night and would have woken if she had snuck out at some point. Then there was the fact that you didn’t hear anyone below the Grimes house all night. So, if someone had let him out, it was definitely a planned maneuver. 

Negan getting out was something that you wanted to happen, but you wanted it to happen on your terms. You and Negan would have had to make the decision together. The two of you had even talked about running and staying gone for a while so tensions could calm down. You’d go North, see what was in New York or Philly. You always thought that you would come back a year or so later and things would be different.

It was reckless and an idea that you didn’t think you’d ever actually do, but it was still in your mind. Negan had cautioned you against thinking such things. You figured he was afraid that you were going to alienate your family for him. What he didn’t understand was that he was your family and if he could be free, it would be worth it. 

At least, that’s what you told yourself. 

Now, you weren’t so sure what all those words he said to you meant. Did he even want to get out with you or was he using you? No, Negan would never use you. He had promised that you were different from all the relationships he had had in the past and the man never lied. 

And yet, maybe he had been lying the whole time. 

Your brain felt as if it was on one of those rickety carnival rides from your childhood as it invented theory after theory, trying to soothe curiosities. It was disorientating and it was also making it difficult to focus.

Leaning your hands on the table before you, you picked up one of Daryl’s bolts, turning it over in your hands as you wondered what it would feel like to put one of them between Beta’s eyes. 

“(Y/N),” Daryl said again and you dropped the projectile. 

“Sorry,” you said, rolling out your neck. 

“Ya need rest,” he said, trying to offer some comfort, but you didn’t want it or need it. Daryl was also not the cuddly kind of person at the moment. 

“I need to find him, I need to find Beta,” you said. Daryl narrowed his eyes, confused. 

“I’m not sure that’s a great idea,” he said, remembering his own fight with Alpha’s second in command. 

“I think it is,” you said with defiance. “Beta threatened me; he put his hands on me and I am not going to let him breathe any longer than he has to.”

“He threatened all of us,” Daryl said, but you shook your head. 

“This was...different. The way he looked at me that night, it was as if he was challenging me to try something. He reminded me of the Governor. Beta has that twistedness inside of him, I could practically smell it.”

“He threw me around like I was nothing,” Daryl reminded you.

“Well, I’m not you, am I?” you said, facing him. “Beta dies by my hand even if I have to build my own damn rifle and take the shot.” 

“Revenge doesn’t look good on you,” he said. 

“It’s not revenge, it’s inevitably,” you clarified. Daryl sighed, but he could tell that you set in your ways about this. 

“I’m sorry I was right about Negan,” Daryl said after a moment. 

“You weren’t,” you disagreed. 

“Come on…” he said with a knowing look. 

“You don’t know him, Daryl, I do, and I know that he had a reason. He wouldn’t have left me if he didn’t.”

“You don’t know that,” he challenged. 

“I do,” you said. “I know him more than I know myself. I don’t know why he’s gone, but I don’t think he just left to get away from Alexandria. With Negan, there’s always a fucking reason. That’s what makes him… him.”

“Don’t hold onto hope, (Y/N),” Daryl said. Looking at him, you shrugged.

“Right now, that’s all I got.”

------

The outside felt different this time for Negan. 

The last time he had gotten out of his cell, it was on a whim. Now, he had a direction and a purpose and he was going to damn well fulfil it this time. If he didn’t, you were definitely going to hate him forever.

Leaving you had been the hardest thing he’s done since he’s been locked up. However, when Carol stepped out of the darkness with her offer, he saw something that he had only seen in you. 

Possibility. 

Killing Alpha ensured the survival of Alexandria, Hilltop, and Oceanside and while all of those people couldn’t care less about Negan, there were a few that did and that made a difference. You, Judith, Lydia, and all the kids would be safe. Carol would have revenge for her son’s murder too. While Negan knew he wasn’t going to be winning any popularity contests with these people, he owed them, whether they cared or not. 

However, while he was doing it for them, he was also doing it for himself. He needed to know if he was worthy of being the hero, rather than just the sucker. 

It wasn’t just you that Negan was thinking about though, he was also thinking about Lucille. His late wife was the only other person who knew him as well as you did. Lucille saw the man that he could have become but never did due to his own faults. Negan had been a horrible husband to her, but he was willing to do better this time. 

In no way were you a do-over, but he did see the relationship that he had with you as a chance to finally be the man Lucille knew he could be. He just hoped that you would not end up hating him as Lucille did. He didn’t think he’d be able to handle losing you, not after everything he had done and lost to find you. 

Still, there was still that fear in his gut that he would not succeed on this mission. Alpha could take one look at him and take his head as she had with the others months before. That thought scared him, but he didn’t fear death, he feared leaving you behind without an explanation. Negan was ready if it came down to it and as much as he knew it would pain you, he needed to take the risks. 

“‘To die will be an awfully big adventure’,” Negan quoted as he turned his face to the sun. You had found an old battered copy of Peter Pan not that long ago. You had spent nights in his cell reading him passages from the classic and now Barrie’s words were ringing true. With a sigh, Negan continued on through the woods, trying to formulate his plan. 

Just as he turned down a small hill, however, a voice stopped him.

“Gotcha!” a male voice said and Negan froze, swearing under his breath. Raising his hands, he was ready to take the person down and run if he had to. “Don't try anything,” the man said before he began to laugh. Confused, Negan turned and who he saw made him drop his hands. 

“You gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me,” Negan muttered, “Brandon?”

The young guard from Alexandria, who was carrying a backpack, smiled at Negan. “The look on your face! Dude, seriously, I'm just messin' with you!” he said.

“What are you doin’?” Negan asked, but Brandon was still talking. 

“You're fast. Took me forever to catch up,” Brandon said. “So, prison break part two, huh?” Negan rolled his eyes and turned away from the kid, continuing on his way, but of course, Brandon followed.

---------

“My dad, he used to tell me how, like, you and the Saviors would, like, whistle back and forth before,” Brandon said as he kept pace with Negan who was trying very hard not to slap him silly.

“That was a long time ago,” Negan said with a huff. 

“I mean, not that long ago though, right?” Brandon tried as Negan didn’t bother with an answer.

“You, uh you say you had some granola or some shit?” Negan asked. Brandon quickly began rustling through his bag, eager to please. 

“Sorry about the raisins and the busted knife. Was kinda in a rush when I packed it all,” Brandon said as he handed Negan some food and the weapon he had brought from Alexandria. 

“It’s fine,” Negan said, waving him off. 

“So, you're really not gonna tell me how you got outta that cell?” Brandon asked, but Negan stayed quiet, not giving the kid an inch. You really didn’t like Brandon and Negan was starting to see why. Sure, he was annoying, but Negan already knew that. Now he was starting to see him as who he really was, a leech. 

“Alright,” Brandon continued, “well, at least tell me what we're lookin' for.”

“Someplace safe,” Negan said. Carol had given him freedom, but the plan was completely up to him. Considering how his day went after the first time he got out, he was getting a bit nervous. 

“I get it. A new Sanctuary,” said Brandon. “Damn, how badass was that place? And then, Rick Grimes comes along, talk about hypocrisy, kills our parents, drags us to Alexandria, lectures us about community.”

“Grimes was a good man,” Negan commented, not allowing the kid to tarnish Rick’s name. No matter what they thought of each other, Rick deserved respect. 

“I guess,’ Brandon shrugged. “Man, I heard you made him cut his own kid's hand off, then you killed them,” he said and Negan froze. “You know, Carl Grimes, I heard you shot him.” 

Negan whirled on the kid, shoving him against a nearby tree. “I never did that,” Negan sneered. “I don’t give a shit about what kind of fucked up rumors you’ve heard. Carl was... I would never kill a kid.”

Brandon was staring up at Negan and the latter was glad to see a bit of fear in the kid’s eyes. People could hate on him all they wanted, but the Grimes family were good people, are good people, and he respected them too much to listen to any slander. 

Especially about Carl. 

“Yeah, no, definitely. I'm with you, obviously. We're both Negan,” Brandon said and Negan felt sick. They walked on once Negan let him go, but Brandon was still pushing. “Did you talk to (Y/N) before you left?”

“Excuse me?” Negan asked, looking over his shoulder at the kid. 

“I just mean, do they know why you left?”

“I’m not seeing how that’s any of your business, kid,” Negan snapped. Brandon fell quiet then but soon spoke up when the two men came across an odd sight. 

“Who would do this?” Brandon asked as he looked down at the makeshift fence. Wrapped in barbed wire, wooden posts acted as a barrier and Negan immediately knew what it meant.

“Whisperers,” Negan said. 

“Damn. Should we cross? The enemy of my enemy is my friend?” Brandon offered. 

“No,” Negan said but made a point to remember the location. “We’re not equipped to deal with them.”

“They’re just people.”

“People who can blend in with the Dead,” Negan pointed out. “I’m not sure we can consider them human at his point.”

“Right, like that Lydia chick,” Brandon snipped and before Negan could go off on him, Walkers converged on them. Brandon slid to the side as the Dead fell upon Negan. The weight of the Walkers nearly brought him down, but Negan was able to eventually overpower them.

Once the Dead were finally down, Negan turned to Brandon and he was pissed. “What the hell!” he said. 

“Sorry, sorry, I was just getting your gift ready,” Brandon said as he showed Negan what was in his hand. Negan straightened up as he saw the baseball bat. A bat that was freshly wrapped in the wire of Alpha’s border. “I also got this,” Brandon said as he pulled out a leather jacket. “Found it in the back of an old storage garage. My dad said he never saw you without it.”

Suddenly, Negan got an idea. Before Rick locked him up, he was good at a lot, but the best thing was charming his way into places. However, that charm had disappeared after the many years locked away. Now, looking at the jacket and the new bat, Negan finally realized what he would need to do to get to Alpha. 

He would have to become the Negan everyone once feared. Although, not just yet. 

“Listen,” Negan said, “uh why don't you just put that in your backpack? I don't wanna be recognized.” 

“You like it, though, right?” Brandon asked, sounding like a damn groupie. 

“More than you know.”

———-

Negan and Brandon kept moving. 

“Did anyone see you leave?” Negan asked, not wanting Aaron or Daryl to be tracking them. That was the last thing Negan needed. 

“Nah,” Brandon said, “but the bitch with the baby did see me come out of my house. Not sure she cares.”

“Her name is Rosita,” Negan corrected, surprising himself. Since the blizzard, he had been thinking about Miss Espinosa. Rosita had as much reason to hate Negan as Maggie did, but Negan began to think that perhaps the new mother was just as tired of being outwardly hostile as he was. 

“Right,” said Brandon. “Sorry man, I thought you didn’t like her.”

“No, she doesn’t like me, there’s a difference,” Negan said. 

“Is there?” 

“I only had problems with a few of those people. Rosita was not one of them.”

“I heard a story that she shot at you,” Brandon said and Negan snorted at the memory. 

“That she did,” Negan said. “Though, I did murder someone in front of her so I guess I deserved it.” 

“And now she’s with a priest. Weird.”

“Gabe is alright,” Negan said. In fact, besides you and Lydia, Gabriel was the closest thing he had to a friend. He had thought he was making headway with Aaron, but he could never get a proper read on that man. 

In fact, there was one person whom he actually did want to properly speak to and that was Ezekiel. There was something about the king that made him incredibly curious. However, after the death of his son, Negan didn’t even know what he would say to him.

You had always said that Ezekiel was a good man and a fair one. Negan began to wonder what the tiger-wrangler would have done with him if it had been up to him and not Rick. Those thoughts were interrupted when he and Brandon heard screaming. 

“Sounds like a girl,” Brandon said. 

“And a kid,” Negan said as he heard the second yell. Negan took off towards the sound, anxious to find the source. It didn’t take long for him to find it. An abandoned bus stood broken down in an old lot. Inside, he could hear screams of panic and the unmistakable groans of Walkers. 

Negan didn’t hesitate to run towards the bus, hauling himself up the steps of the old vehicle. In the back, a woman cowered before the Walker as a young boy hid with her. Negan headed straight down the aisle, grabbing the creature by its shoulders. The rotting jaw snapped at its new attacker, but Negan was stronger. Throwing it towards the open back door, Negan slammed it to the floor and used the accordion door to smash its brains to bits. 

The shouts of alarm were replaced by heavy breathing and then small sobs as the woman clutched at her child. “Thank you,” she cried, “thank you.” Negan, who was breathing heavily nodded to her, offering her a squeeze on the arm that she reached towards him. Amongst the gratitude, Brandon was celebrating Negan’s gory display. 

Once Negan was able to get the mother and her son calm and situated, he pulled Brandon aside. 

“So, what’s the plan here, boss?” Brandon asked. 

“What are you talking about?”

“Rob them? Take their shit and go, right?” Brandon offered. 

“It’s a mother and child,” Negan reminded him “Fuck kid, you really think that I’m going to hurt them?”

“I mean… that’s what you do,” Brandon said. 

“What I do is none of your goddamn business,” Negan said, stepping into his face again. “You know what, this isn’t exactly workin’ out, is it? I think you need to get lost, find your own damn celebrity so you can lick their fucking boots. I’m done.”

“I can’t just go home, they’ll know I helped you!” Brandon said, stopping Negan before he could leave him behind. 

“Then don’t go home,” Negan said. “You’re free, kid, go wherever the fuck you want.” 

“I thought I was helping you,” he said. 

“No, you’re not. I got my own shit to do and I can’t play babysitter. Do us both a favor and get the hell out of here,” Negan said before turning his back on the teen. Brandon hesitated for a few moments before hiking his bag up on his shoulders and walking away. Negan didn’t relax until his form disappeared into the surrounding brush. 

After Brandon had gone, Negan went to speak with the mother, helping her get comfortable as her son was in view just outside the bus. “Ya alright?” he asked. 

“Better now,” she said.

“How long have you been out here? You got people?” 

“It was just Milo and me. We'd been walking for days, weeks, until the hissers ran through our camp, scattered everyone to the winds. After that, we went back to what it was before, what it always is in the end, Milo and me, moving from place to place, surviving,” she said. 

“I’ve been there,” Negan said. “The wandering is the worst part.”

“How did you stop? The wandering,” she clarified. 

“That is a long story, but I did end up in a place that’s not too far from here. You and your boy seem like good people and if I know them, which I do, then they will help you,” Negan said. 

“Why would they?” she asked. 

“Because,” Negan said, “they’re the kind of people that save people.”

--------

Negan found Milo not that long after. 

“Hey,” he said, joining the kid. Milo looked at him with worry, but Negan offered his hands in a placating gesture. “Don't worry, kid. I don't bite. Your mom, she's inside, packin', so we got a little bit of time to kill,” Negan said. 

“Where'd Brandon go?” Milo asked, looking around. 

“Brandon, he went looking for supplies,” Negan said and then sighed, not liking the taste of lies on his tongue. “You know what? I'm gonna be real with you. Uh, I told Brandon to get lost. You see, uh, it turns out, not the best co-pilot, if you catch my drift.” Milo looked at him in confusion. “You don't catch my drift at all, do ya?”

“Not really,” Milo admitted. 

“You've never been on a plane, huh?” Negan asked and Milo shook his head again. “Aw, man, it's alright. It's not your fault that God turned this world into an asspit before you were born. Alright. Picture this, alright? Sitting on a plane, really nice, comfy seats, but it feels like you've been sitting on the runway for Goddamn ever. Suddenly, there's this kinda rumbling, a groan, alright? The plane finally starts to creep along, right, and now we're moving faster and faster. And you look out that window, and everything's turning into a blur. And then, Whew. Wheels come up off the ground. You are flying,” he said with a smile. 

“Like birds?” Milo asked. 

“Hell yeah like birds,” Negan said. “Up and up and up, higher and higher, until it feels like you are floating on top of the frickin' world. And you're looking out that little window, and you can see houses. They look like little toy houses and little toy cars.”

“Sounds scary,” Milo said. 

“No scarier than the hissers,” Negan said, using the nickname Milo’s mom had used. “I hope you’ll be able to experience it someday.” 

“Me too,” Milo said. Negan smiled down at the kid, reaching over to ruffle his hair. “Do you have kids?” 

“I don’t,” Negan said. “Though I do know a few and they are just as badass as you.”

“Are you married?” Milo asked, still curious.

“Not anymore,” Negan said, looking out over the dying world. “Though, I do have someone. Their name is (Y/N).”

“Where are they?” 

“Someplace safe,” Negan said. 

“Why aren’t you with them?”

“I gotta do something,” Negan explained. “Fix some things.”

“I get that,” Milo said, reaching over to pat Negan on the back, causing the latter to laugh.

“What is with you kids in this new world, you’re all so damn wise,” Negan said as he thought about Judith particularly. “Look, I told your mom about a place I know. They’ll help you and get you some food. They’re good people.”

“Are they your people?”

“A few are,” Negan said. “You’re gonna be okay, kid.” 

“Thank you for saving me and my mom,” Milo said and Negan smiled at him. 

“You are welcome, but if I don’t go and find some firewood, all three of us are gonna freeze tonight. Take care of your mom until I get back?” 

“I will,” Milo said. 

“Good man,” Negan teased as he got up and headed into the woods to hopefully find some warmth for the night.

------

Negan walked, grabbing wood as he found it, but it was taking too long and he needed to get back to Milo and his mother. 

As Negan began the trek back to the bus, a Walker shuffled out of the trees. Pulling the old knife that Brandon had given him, he let the Walker approach him. “You bastards just get more ugly by the day,” Negan grunted as it grabbed for him. Negan kicked out its legs and shoved his blade in the rotting skull. Kneeling down, Negan searched the Dead woman’s coat. He was hoping to find a lighter or matches, but what he found instead made him laugh. 

Inside her coat pocket was a broken hatchet. It looked as if she had hit something too hard with it and broke the handle. However, the blade was still intact and Negan could see dried blood in the etching. Holding the hatchet, he began to think about another hatchet-wielding maniac he once tousled with. 

“Look at me, Rick,” Negan said to the empty woods, “I’m trying to be the fuckin’ hero. If Carl could see me now…” Negan left the broken weapon behind as he hauled his firewood back into his arms and headed back to the kid and his mom. 

Negan walked with steady steps, ready to finally get some rest. However, as he approached the lot, something felt wrong. It was too quiet and as Negan turned the corner, the wood in his arms crashed to the ground. 

Laying in pools of their own blood, Milo and his mother were dead, their vacant eyes gazing up at the sky. Standing above them, holding a tire iron, was Brandon. The teen was beaming with pride as he looked at the man before him. Negan, however, was only seeing red as he saw the child’s body crumpled on the floor. 

“That's it, right?” Brandon asked. “You almost had me. Back on the bus, when you kicked me out. Then I remembered, This is Negan. He's always messing with people, keeping 'em in line.” Negan began to stalk towards Brandon, his body moving on its own accord. 

“So I realized there's a test,” Brandon continued. “‘It's gonna get a lot more dangerous from here on out.’ That's what you said to me. You wanted to make sure that I had the balls to do what had to be done. What do you think? I passed, right?” Brandon said with glee as he stared down at his victims. Negan bent over and picked up a large rock, weighing it in his hand as he approached the lunatic. “I am Neg‒” Brandon tried to finish as Negan swung and hit him over the head with the rock. 

Brandon went down hard, blood oozing from his head, but Negan had to finish the job. With a few more hits, the brain was damaged and Brandon was dead with no possibility of returning. The rage that he was feeling was too overwhelming. The mother was bad enough, but a child? Milo was as pure as they came. Brandon hadn’t killed them, he had stolen them and Negan wasn’t going to allow that. 

Blood was splattered on Negan’s clothes and face, but he kept moving. He grabbed Brandon’s bag, pulling out the black leather jacket. Taking it in his hands he admired it for just a moment before sliding it across his broad shoulders. 

The feel of the leather on his back was both familiar and terrifying. However, he knew it was needed and so, he zipped it up the way he used to and from the bag, pulled his new weapon. 

Lucille 2.0.

The menacing weapon felt familiar. She would never be what his original was, but she would do if he was going to pull off the performance of a lifetime. “Takin’ one for a team that would rather see me in a grave. Oh, how things have fuckin’ changed,” Negan said as he swung the bat up to his shoulder as he looked down at his newest victim. 

Negan raised his head, leaned into one of his legs and then headed towards his destination. A destination fenced with barbed wire. 

----------

“Alright, you sorry, rotten sacks of shit! What's a fella gotta do to get eaten around here?” Negan announced as he wandered through the darkness. Waiting until nightfall, Negan had prepared himself for what he was about to do.  

“What's the matter? Huh?” he continued. “Y'all scared of the Big Bad Wolf? Little pig, little pig! Let me in!” he yelled as he moved over the border and into Alpha’s territory, letting his voice travel. “And there you are!” Negan said as he finally noticed the Walkers and in the moonlight, blades appeared in some of their hands. “Oh, I am gonna huff. I am gonna puff. I am gonna blow your house all the way down!” 

Out of the darkness came a large shape and Negan immediately knew who it was. You had described him so much that Negan felt as if he practically knew the asshole. 

Beta. 

“Alright, you big-ass freak,” Negan said as he stared down Alpha’s right hand in the dark. With a deep breath and your face at the forefront of his mind, Negan gripped his new Lucille and grinned. “Here we go.”

TAGS: 

@lucillethings @cameronsails @stark-dreams @amaroho  @thanossexual @yes-sir-hotchner @boom-bunny @delusionalteenagewhispers @scootankle @ritajammer21 @writteriguess @tea-atfive @jennydehavilland @waspyyy @yespleasejayhalstead @hoemadegrace @writingdeadangel @huffledor-able541​ @pulplorrd​ @felicisimor​ 

[fadefromthelight]

No. 11 - Struggling

Summary: Claire doesn’t know what’s loss until she no longer has her wings.

Read on: Ao3

Claire lays against the cold, stone floor, her hand digging into the crook of her elbow. The inject site no longer hurts but the silence that it brought is suffocating. It’s as if all her senses have been muted, washed out to the point of barely resembling what they were before. Guilt pools deep within her chest, sticky and unbearably hot. They forced Julian to live like this for days on end. No wonder he was so irritable.

She shifts, her head falling to the right. The bars obstruct her view, cutting it into strips, but she can clearly see Ian in the cell across from her. She’s fairly certain that Ashlyn rests in the one beside her and Milo in the one diagonal. She can only assume that Michela, Ellie, and Julian are in the ones out of her vision.

If she had her magic, she would be able to tell without even opening her eyes.

Ian groans from his cell and she can hear the rustle of clothes. She stands up and presses her face against the bars. Luckily they don’t hurt her. “Ian!”

Ian sits up, his eyes narrowed. He glances over to her and stands quickly, practically stumbling into the wall. “Claire! What’s going on?” He looks between the bars, eyes darting.

“I don’t know.” Claire bites back the whimper building in her chest. “Can you see anyone else?”

“Ashlyn’s beside you.” Ian says. His voice strains as he leans out between the bars. “I think Ellie’s beside her.”

“Milo’s next to you and I think it’s Michela next to him.” Claire could barely make out the soft grey of Michela’s sweater.

“So the only one who’s missing is Julian.” Ian’s grip tightens around the bars, his knuckles whitening. “I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“Just because he isn’t here doesn’t mean he’s with them.” But Claire couldn’t stop the growing doubt. It couldn’t be a coincidence that the only member of a Thieves Guild in their group is the one that isn’t there.

“It was his idea to come here in the first place.” Ian releases the bars and leans against the wall, staring at the ceiling. “And apparently his father is here as well.”

“Maybe if we let him explain himself, we’d know.” Claire tries. She doesn’t quite believe the words herself but it feels wrong to not defend Julian when he wasn’t present himself to.

Ian barks out a laugh, bitter and mirthless. “Don’t you start too. We already have Michela jumping up to defend him, we don’t need another one.”

“I’m not defending him.” Claire instinctively reaches for her magic and flinches when all she brushes is a chilling emptiness. “I just want to know what’s the truth.”

Ian gestures to the cell, the smile tight on his face. “The truth is that we’re here and Julian isn’t.”

“We can’t take this for face value.” Claire tries to keep the tremor out of her voice but slips through the cracks. “We have no idea where he is.”

“My point exactly.” Ian grins, self-satisfaction burning bright within it.

Claire crosses her arms over her chest, goose flesh riddling them. She looks away from Ian, unable to understand why he’s being so hard on Julian. Yes the circumstances weren’t shining a very favorable light on him, but she couldn’t put the whole blame of their situation on him. They did bind and drag him to the front door themselves. He might’ve led them here but they put themselves into this situation.

“Claire? Ian?” Ashlyn’s voice filters up from her cell, thick with confusion and disorientation.

Ian glances over to her with a side eye. Claire steps up to the bars, shoving her face through them. “Ashlyn! I’m next to you.”

Ashlyn sticks her head out and peers over to Claire. She flings out her hand and Claire responds in kind. Their fingers barely brush together. “Are you hurt?” Ashlyn asks, her voice thick with concern.

“No.” Claire twists more of her body through the bars and she can grab onto Ashlyn’s fingers. “They only suppressed my magic.”

Ashlyn nods and glances over to Ian. “They suppressed yours too?”

Ian didn’t look over to them, keeping his gaze firmly on the ceiling and his arms crossed over his chest. “Yeah.” Something flickers in his voice and it takes Claire a moment to realize it’s bitter self-deprecation and frustration.

Ashlyn turns to the cells on the other side of her. “Ellie’s beside me while Michela’s across from her.” Ashlyn gestures with her other hand to the cell in question. “The only person I don’t see is Julian.”

Claire looks over to Ian. His expression tightens but he doesn’t say anything. “I wouldn’t go there. All we know is that he isn’t here.” Claire says in lieu of an answer.

The question is clearly written on Ashlyn’s face but she doesn’t say anything further. They sit like this for a while, content with their hands brushing. Ian doesn’t look at them, electing to the glare at the door leading out.

The door clatters open and Alden walks in. A predatory smile rests easy on his lips, natural and instinctive. His eyes are cold and sharp and a shiver runs down Claire’s smile when his gaze lands on her. She tears her hand from Ashlyn’s and clutches it to her chest.

“I expected more of you to be awake.” Alden’s voice is smooth, almost enough to hide the falsity of it.

“Alden.” Ashlyn spits the name, glaring. Her hands shake at her sides. “What do you think you're doing?”

Alden steps forward, resting a hand on the lock of Claire’s cage. Claire stumbles back, pulling on magic that wasn’t there. Alden pulls a key out of his pocket. “I’d tell you, but I doubt you would understand. It’s obvious that foresight isn’t your strong suit.”

“Step away from that cell.” Ashlyn’s voice is low, dangerously so. It’s powerful even without the addition of her magic. “Or you’re not going to like who you’ll see.”

Alden unlocks the cell and Claire steps back into the wall, digging her fingers into the concrete. She desperately reaches for something that isn’t there. “You can’t scare me with Morgan’s name.” Alden says. “I’ve tamed much worse.”

He steps into the cell despite Ashlyn’s screams, which have become more nonsensical in her frustration. He reaches a hand to her like she’d willingly go anywhere with him. “Go away.” Her voice is unsteady and weak, holding nowhere near the strength that Ashlyn’s does. But she hopes that it gets her point across.

“Now Claire.” The way that Alden says her name chokes her breath in her throat. “No matter what you try, you’re still coming with me.”

“No.” This time the word is stronger. Claire adds a glare to punctuate it.

Alden sighs but it’s more resigned than dejected. “We can do it your way, if you want.”

Claire tenses but it still doesn’t prepare her for what Alden does. He pounces and grabs Claire’s wrist. She tries to wrench in free but he ignites his magic against her skin. Normally her magic responds in kind, flaring to protect her from the worse. But nothing stops the magic from brushing against her skin.

Pain runs up her arm and she screams.

Her knees buckle and Alden drags her out of the cell. Ashlyn yells out, with Ian joining her a moment later. Claire tries to kick at Alden, flailing out with her arms to scratch anything she can get purchase. But he carries her out in such a way that she can’t break free.

Alden drags her through hallway after hallway and she eventually stops struggling. She has to save whatever strength she had left for when Alden releases her.

He stops in a room, shoving her into a chair not unlike one used for massages. Alden binds her wrists and ankles. She tugs against them but they won’t budge.

Another set of footsteps echo in the room but Claire can’t turn her head to see. They speak, their voice low and rough. Dissimilar to Alden’s. “Is that her?”

It sounds like Julian’s father.

A hand rotates her wrist, exposing the pale underside. The touch is chilled against her skin. “Yes Raymond.” Alden says. Something twists inside of her. Wasn’t that the name of the Royal Scientist’s brother? “This is the Ayers. Her wings should be the same length as yours.”

A chill pools in her chest and she can’t breathe. “W-What are you guys doing?”

Metal clatters beside her. “Don’t worry.” Alden says. He brings a needle up to the soft inner flesh of her arm. He presses against her veins before pressing the needle into her skin. He pushes down the stopper.

Everything within her ignites with an unexplainable electricity. Her magic fights against her as she tries to wrangle it into control, it wanting to obey her commands and shrink away from her. She loses and her wings activate in a brilliant spark of magic.

Alden grabs two other needles with practiced ease and steps behind her. She feels his hands against her shoulders, running along the joint where her wings meet her back. He inserts a needle at the base of each wing, injecting the liquid beneath her skin. She tries to stop him but she can barely move with the restraints and her magic roaring in her body.

The moment her wings go numb she lashes out with her magic. Alden presses a hand against her throat. “I wouldn’t try that.” He says, his voice low and practically a hiss. “I don’t need you alive for what I’m doing.”

Dread settles deep into her bones and a sticky fear crawls up her spine. They may kill her. She could die.

“The less you move, the easier it’ll be for both of us.” Alden says. She doesn’t move, fearing a needle or something worse digging into her throat.

Alden positions on hand on her back and the other presumably on her wing. He twists and pulls, tearing it right out of its socket.

The pain runs deep, flaring all the way down her arm. She bits her lip, letting only a whimper escape. It’s only when Alden picks up the knife does something shatter within Claire. “No!” She screams, her voice raw and pulled thin with tears. “You can’t do that!”

Alden doesn’t say anything. “No! No no no...no.” Her words cut into pathetic sobs that tear through her throat. Raymond stands there, watching.

Alden presses the knife into Claire’s flesh and everything goes white. Pain filters in, fractured and muted. Her breath comes out in muddled gasps and she feels like everything is too loud.

Something thuds against the floor and she suspects it’s her wing.

(She knows it’s her wing but she can’t bring herself to accept it. If she does, then this is all real.)

Alden and Raymond leave, twin sets of footsteps accompanying them. Claire tests her magic, feeling for her wings. She knows they aren’t there but she had to be certain.

The connection between her wings is gone, broken threads fluttering in the void that used to contain her wings. It’s expansive and devours her in the inky darkness.

Her whole world shatters and all she can do is sob.

[thatmultifandommess]

Fitz Forgiven By Sophie Too Easily?

So, don’t get me wrong, I like Fitz as a character, but one thing that always makes me frustrated is how easily Sophie forgives Fitz when he blames her for something. It’s pretty obvious she likes him, and he likes her also. She always says that she understands why he was acting the way he was (which, yes, it was understandable). What makes me frustrated, is that she isn’t like that all the time with the others. Obviously Sophie will, probably, always forgive her friends because she cares about them (as we can see from situations such as Keefe “joining” The Neverseen) there are just certain things I didn’t quite get. For example, when Dex accidentally made the gadget that was going to be used by the council to take away her abilities until she was “ready” to be responsible with them. He would not intentionally hurt Sophie like that in any way, he just was happy to finally feel useful. And though Sophie knew Dex didn’t mean to do it, she still had a hard time forgiving him (but she eventually did). When Fitz, even though the circumstances were understandable, knew what he was doing and Sophie seemed to have taken it better (he did apologize though. That made me feel a lot better. The boy isn’t a jerk😂. I am also aware he was in a lot of pain because of Alden’s state). I know that the situations were MUCH different and Sophie had the right to feel bad or freak out as much as she wanted, I just felt like it may not have been as fair to my little baby Dex Dizznee over here. That’s just one situation out of a couple that I’ve found, and I just want to end this by saying that this is my opinion. I’m not trying to make you agree with me, I just feel this way personally. Please don’t freak out on me too much. Feel free to tell me your opinion on this subject. Coolio?