#i dont mean to alarm anyone but its actually quite dangerous to out that info out there

[lemonys-place]

heyyy gentlest reminder, my friends, that you do not have to disclose your trauma and mental illnesses to justify your age regression. it's perfectly fine to regress/dream "just because" and strangers are not entitled to your sensitive information/past just because they want to validate it FOR you. don't let anyone make you feel like you have to explain yourself just for coping/soothing/self-parenting in a way that feels good + healing for YOU. there is no criteria to meet to be yourself!

but also, it IS sensitive information and there are some people around the community especially predators who will use that information to get closer to you and/or hurt you. so please practice internet safety, be careful who you share your details with, and block ANYONE who doesn't seem right or play nice.

protect your space and be safe everyone! 🙏

[sucaritra]

Bāṛi - Chapter 15

Word Count: 1832

Warnings: language, anxiety, Negan

Summary: Negan teams up with some familiar faces

A/N: quick reminder - Lucas is the baby from chapter 11. also, is anyone reading this anymore? i dont get as many readers on here so im not too sure if i should continue posting here

Masterlist

The tension was thick in the cab of the truck as they drove along the road, not even Simon’s shitty country CD was playing to cut through the heavy atmosphere. Taking in a deep breath, Negan watched as the lightening cloud of smoke grew ever closer.

He wasn't worried per se, of course not. Though, he couldn't say he was entirely happy with the situation at hand. The not knowing of what they were walking into was beginning to set his teeth on edge. Not hearing back from the first team that was sent out to investigate wasn't helping matters any either.

The changing seasons could well and truly be felt now, the temperature having dropped low enough to turn the end of his nose red, his Saviors not faring any better. Negan would have much preferred to be lazing around with the wives, engaging in certain activities to bring his body temperature way up. Or better yet, a fidgety little Brit warming up his side, just as she did earlier today.

“No fucking way.”

Removing his gaze from where it was stuck on Lucille in his grip, Negan raised his head to see what had caused his right hand man to sound so incredulous.

“You've gotta be shitting me.”

Keeping his eyes on the man who wasted no time in staring daggers at him, Negan stepped out of the truck and sauntered over towards the group, his men following close behind.

“Well, well, fucking well. Prick! Fancy seeing you here! What the fuck are you doing here?”

Negan’s eyes narrowed dangerously at the man, putting his energy into focusing on Rick, as he couldn't be a hundred percent sure that he would be able to school his features if he let his sight drift to the burning wreckage directly behind Rick. Afterall, he did have an image to uphold.

“Probably the same reason you're here. Haven't found any signs of who did this, but we ain't been here long.”

Negan took great pride in the obvious distaste Rick had in having to answer to him, the control that slips from his grasp oh so quickly, all because Negan had arrived on the scene. Deciding to throw the prick a bone by saving the teasing for another time, Negan does a quick count of everyone that arrived with Rick. Most of the faces he recognises to be from Alexandria: the hot samurai lady; Rick’s redneck guard dog - Darren? Darrell?; the pregnant widow was also, surprisingly, there, along with a few more. The rest of the group was made up of Hilltoppers, with the long-haired pretty boy up front and center.

Where not too long ago Negan was slightly uneasy with bringing as many men as he did from the Sanctuary, now he was somewhat grateful that his men outnumber his employees.

Not wasting any time due to the slowly increasing numbers of walkers in the area, Negan divided the ragtag group in front of him into smaller units, consciously splitting up as many of the Alexandrians and Hilltoppers as possible, or at least the ones that looked like the biggest threats. Not willing to blindly trust Rick’s word, Negan pairs himself with him. If Rick was lying, and he had anything to do with this or his missing men, then he wanted to be close enough to let Lucille work her magic.

Once the teams started to spread out and look for any signs of the perpetrators, the Saviors consciously keeping an eye out for any signs of their missing men, Negan gave in and took a good look at the burning wreckage before him. The damage was so severe that the man had no idea what the building was before it went up, the fire having charred the rubble left behind and the explosion leaving a significant crevice surrounding it, making any attempts to get closer highly risky.

Dragging his eyes towards Rick and Fat Joey, he motioned them to follow as he lead the way towards a convenience store that, like all the buildings in the area, had its windows shattered, no doubt from the explosion.

After taking down a couple of the dead and doing a quick sweep, the trio took their time picking apart the store, searching for any signs of life or of anything valuable.

“Rick,” Negan sing songed, “I couldn't help but notice all yer little friends with you today. I fucking hope you didn't leave my little goldmine you call home with no one to protect it. And that little one-eyed psycho kid of yours doesn't count as protection.”

Clenching his jaw, Rick tried to keep the contempt out of his voice as he replied, “We’ve had an influx of survivors lately, plenty of people to help protect Alexandria while we're away.”

“Is that right? New residents. Huh.”

Letting Rick’s words register in his mind, Negan felt a cold tendril of dread wrap around his heart, something that he hadn't felt in a long fucking time.

“Ya know, Rick, it’s funny you should say that. We've had a whole fucking mob of survivors showing up on our doorstep over the course of a few months.”

Negan watched Rick narrow his eyes in suspicion, before replying, “The Hilltop’s had some new citizens too. That's quite the coincidence.”

Before he could reply, Negan’s walkie went off, informing him that one of the teams had found something. Making sure Rick and Fat Joey were following, Negan made his way towards what appeared to be an indoor carpark with the open spaces in the walls boarded up. Before he could step inside, he was once again interrupted by wis walkie.

“Negan?”

The signal was pretty shitty considering how far away they were from the Sanctuary, but Negan would’ve recognised that accent anywhere, even through all of that static.

“Maria?”

Even Rick managed to pick up on his surprise but it was too unexpected for Negan to try and hide it. Where the fuck did she get a walkie from?!

“You ……back ……-ling them……”

Negan strained to hear her through the crackling of the reception but he had no luck.

“Sweetheart, need you to try that again, you're breakin’ up on me.”

It seemed as though all three men held their breath as they waited for a response, hearing nothing in return.

“Babygirl, can you hear me? You still there?”

Nothing.

Negan didn't leave her with a walkie, meaning she must have gone out of her way to get one just to reach him. That did not bode well for the Sanctuary.

Putting on his mask of confidence to hide his growing worry, Negan resumed making his way into the carpark.

“The fuck are you two waiting for? Let's go, pussies.”

Rick knew all of that swagger was just for show, but he wasn't stupid enough to challenge Negan on it and instead followed behind him after sharing a look with Joey.

The carpark consisted of the ground floor, plus four levels above that. The ground floor was littered with freshly killed walkers, no doubt the work of one of the other teams, and as soon as they made their way up to the first level all three men were on high alert as they saw the first signs of someone making this place home.

Tin cans on wires that must have once been intricately set up as a survivalist alarm system were now laying uselessly on the ground, as well as other knick knacks and homemade devices that would have alerted anyone residing up here of any intruders or stray walkers.

Continuing on their way, the men reached the second floor, taking in the scene before them in shock.

Negan was eerily reminded of the communal living area back at the Sanctuary as he took in the rows upon rows of bedspreads and sleeping bags laid out across the floor. Making his way through, he took note of the things that were left behind, shit no one actually needed anymore. Stepping over books and empty food packets, the trio continued on to the third floor where they met up with Simon and a few Saviors and Alexandrians.

Again, the floor was covered in bedding and personal artifacts.

The group started picking its way through the clutter for anything useful as Simon gestured for Negan to follow him.

“You're gonna wanna see this.”

Simon lead Negan to a small box that was set up near a sleeping bag. Peering into the box, Negan used his gloved hand to grab the only two things in there. The first was a babygrow that was covered in dried blood. Negan breathed a quiet sigh of relief to find that there was no blood on the inside. The second item was a soft, blue, baby blanket. Simon lifted one of the corners and presented it to Negan, looking somewhat disturbed.

The embroidery was not the best work, considering this person stitched it with the dead roaming around just a stone's throw away, however the white was easy enough to read on the blue background - Lucas.

Negan, for once, was speechless as he tried to make sense of all of the random bits of information he received in the span of less than half an hour.

“You guys! You need to see this!”

“Oh what the fuck is it now?!”

Negan didn't know how much more fucked up info, that didn't actually make a lot of sense, he could take, but made his way up to the fourth and final floor anyway, hearing a slight crackle come from his walkie as he does so.

Negan didn't have time to take in the supplies located on this floor, instead, the sight of Rick’s face as he looked over a piece of paper he was just handed made him head directly towards him.

He hadn't seen that look on his face since the night of the lineup when he officially introduced himself and Lucille to Rick and his group.

“Negan?! You there?”

Hearing that sweet voice come through much clearer, Negan reached for his walkie with one hand whilst simultaneously snatching the paper from Rick with the other, almost catching him with Lucille in the process. He brought the walkie to his lips, though words seemed to fail him as he looked at what happened to be a map in his hand.

“Negan? If you can hear thi……to get back right now……I don't know what to do……We need you.”

Negan stared down at the little crosses strategically placed on the map. The little crosses that marked the Sanctuary, Hilltop, Alexandria and even the Kingdom. There were detailed routes on the most efficient ways to get to each community, details on the size of each one and even what types of supplies they had.

“Negan? Please…“

Maria’s broken voice was enough to break Negan away from that troubling map, quickly shoving it into Simon’s hands before replying.

“I'm right here babygirl, don't you worry. We’re coming back darling.”

tagging: @neganisking @backseat-negan