Thanks for reading and reviewing! I knew this fic would be kinda controversial since it looks at Rick's group from a less than friendly way. I kinda wanted to show that Rick's group aren't really the good guys anymore. No one is in TWD world.
Kayla is angry, really fucking angry about Shane's death. It may have been justified but like Rick said, she has a right to be pissed even if it was just. She obviously has anxiety and anger issues, both of which Shane taught her to manage by counting down in her head. She is also kinda full of shit and false bravado, her angry taunts and threats are just that, taunts and threats.
I wanted to draw from Shane's character, their siblings after all. Shane was a hothead and he would make split decisions without thinking of consequences. He would talk shit to people and cause arguments, fight and snarl. I wanted to bring a little bit of Shane's crazy back.
I don't know maybe I've written Kayla a little too harshly but to be honest, she will grow and become more than just an angry lunatic. Haha. Hopefully I don't loose to many readers with my somewhat antihero. She is different than my other OC's.
Anyhoo, thanks again for the reviews and follows! It's nice having steady readers. This chapter is all AU, no spoilers.
Sorry for the long authors note.
I don't own the Walking Dead etc etc. OC and noncanon stuff is mine.
ENJOY!
Kayla stood at the fence lined with undead, the men attaching a new writhing corpse. She cocked an eyebrow with crossed arms watching the men almost being bitten while working. Negan glanced at her and asked, "not a flinch? The guy almost dies and you just watch?"
"I don't know the fucker." She muttered with a furrowed brow. "That what you want me to do? Stop these idiots from being eaten? Because I'm probably the wrong candidate since I don't give a fuck."
Negan's eyes narrowed and he leaned towards her, "don't take my good sense of humor as permission to mouth the fuck off or I'll introduce you to Lucille, up close and fucking personal." Gripping the back of her neck, he pushed her towards the men working, "you're on wall duty. Listen to them and try not to die."
Kayla straightened up, her eyes not straying to the man glaring at her back. Clenching her fists she moved closer, a hand on her knife.
"Show her what to do boys." He ordered before walking away. The men glanced at her with weary eyes, one stepping towards her with a lascivious grin. "Well ain't you sweet."
"Shut up Lou." Barked a man with a dark complexion and giant beard. "Don't mind him. I'm Darius. That ginger fuck is Stevens and you met Lou."
"Kayla." She responded, her eyes trailing over the fence line. "So what? They're like sentries now?"
"Pretty much but also camouflage. The dead can't smell us through it." Stevens informed, wiping the sweat from his sunburned forehead.
"No one tries to break in neither." Darius added, pulling a corpse out of a pit to attach to the wall. It writhed and squirmed, its teeth clacking and throat snarling.
"Or out." Lou muttered, his eyes narrowing at Kayla, "you helpin' or not?"
"I can't help if you don't tell me what the fuck to do. I'm not up on my construct a wall of dead people guidelines."
Darius grinned, "help me hold 'em. Lou and Stevens will chain him up."
Kayla grabbed the struggling corpse by the arm, the flesh almost melting off in her hand. "Jesus fucking Christ." She groaned, while shoving it against the wall with Darius. It snapped its broken, rotten jaws at her while the other two men wound chains around its torso and legs. Thick gore slicked her hands as she gagged on bile. Kayla had been locked in a basement for months and hadn't been exposed to fragrant smells of undead in quite awhile. Her tolerance had dropped for the odor.
"Awww. Poor lil girl." Lou taunted, while giving her a shit eating grin. "This too gross for ya?"
"Fuck off." She grunted, pinning the dead limb for another moment before they declared it secure. "there's gotta be an easier way."
"Ain't no easy way." Darius muttered, wiping his hands off on a dirty rag before wandering to the pit containing more dead ones. Narrowing her eyes she watched him try to grab another before she hollered , "Stop."
She strolled over and asked, "you have an zip ties?"
"Um.. yeah. Here." Stevens offered, his hands digging through a tool chest nearby. "Use em for extra holds when they begin to slip on the chains."
Getting to the pit ledge, Kayla crouched down as the dead inside began grasping for her. Preparing a zip tie she chose a set of hands belonging to a old man. "Grab his left wrist, I'll get his right, we pull him up. I'll pin him while you two bind his wrist behind his back."
Grabbing the wrists, the men dragged the corpse out, Kayla stepping on its upper back to keep it from wriggling free. The men yanked its arms backwards, tightening the band around them, securing the writhing corpse before it escaped from Kayla's weight.
"Now what genius?" Lou snarked, "we can't tie it like, Boss man wants their limbs free."
"We will. Give me that bag" She muttered sliding the burlap sack of the dead guys head saying, "Now all we gotta do now is drag the fucker over there, hold him by the shoulders while one of us secures the chains. Cut the ties and done. No more almost bitten bullshit from their wiggling asses."
Soon the group became a well-oiled machine, the fence becoming thick with walkers. Darius began joking around with Kayla, a huge grin forming on his face while she laughed at his story about his little brother breaking and entering. Kayla smirked when the man told her, all his brother walked away with was a dog bite on his ass and a bag full of fake jewelry. It had been a very long since she had a friendly conversation or even laughed without a thin veil of malice, she couldn't help but enjoy it.
"So I ask him. Where'd ya find this shit? And he says, 'well funny thing, they kept it in the kids room and I'm like , 'Nigga this shits from the toy store in the mall. Ya robbed a damn Disney princess."
Snorting Kayla wiped her forehead with the back of her forearm, "poor kid probably cried for weeks."
"Nope. I made him drop that shit in their mailbox." He bragged, his grin growing, "then I took him on a real fucking job and got that bitch trained."
The men stopped working as Negan approached, Lucille resting on his shoulder. All three of them knelt as he sauntered up, Kayla standing there with an incredulous expression.
"Really?" She asked with a cocked eyebrow.
"Get the fuck down." Darius muttered under his breath, grabbing her wrist to yank her downwards. Rolling her eyes she made a show of slowly kneeling, her eyes locked with Negan's without bowing her head like everyone else.
"Well boys the fence is looking good." He drawled, his eyes scanning the long line of dead ones writhing against each other. "this is more than you got done all week."
"Kaylas been a big help, Sir." Darius spoke, his friendly eyes flitting to hers with a flirty smile.
"That so?" Negan murmured his eyes narrowing at the man before strolling down the fence line inspecting their work. Kayla wanted to mouth off, she was used to doing it to Rick and everyone from Alexandria, knowing they'd never actually kill her. Negan however, Kayla had a distinct feeling everyone was doing as he said for a reason. The man circled them like a shark in chummed waters, as if he were just looking for the weak one to eat.
"You enjoying your time on the wall Kayla?" He asked with amused eyes, "you a fan of dirty work?"
Smirking she replied, "It's at the top of my list of dream jobs."
Everyone around her went still, a tension was slowly ratcheting up as Negan stared at her. She didn't move her gaze away though, she kept her smirking eyes on the man towering over her. Slowly he smiled, his tongue sweeping his teeth and the ticked his head towards the building, "Shifts over. Go get some grub."
Walking into the large room that housed the makeshift kitchens, Kayla approached the women handing out food. She wasn't even sure how they kept track of points or how the hell they determined who got what but she was starving. As she reached the table, Georgie sided up to her.
"She gets credit for five hours on the fence." The redhead said, glancing at Kayla and explaining, "fence duty gets you hazard pay, same as scavenge. Garden and laundry is a shit wage since the worst that can happen is ya get worms or wrinkled palms."
Taking her ration, Kayla followed Georgie to a table, both women sitting across from each other. Georgie was a tall woman with fiery red haired and a plethora of freckles coating her nose and cheeks. She wore fairly clean clothing, worn but without holes. Kayla watched her spear food from her plate, her pale green eyes flicking around the room. She could tell Georgie was the type to know everyone and everything, she had observant eyes.
"You got a place to stay?" Georgie asked, chewing her food noisily as she looked over Kayla. Shrugging, she replied, "no idea."
"Boss tell you where you're working?"
"Nope." Kayla mumbled through a mouthful of food. "I don't know shit about shit around here."
Snorting loudly, the other woman rolled her shoulder and suggested, "room with me. My last roommate bit it."
"What a compelling offer." Kayla joked with a smirk, her eyes teasing. Georgie grinned widely showing off the little gap in her front teeth, "Smart ass. I didn't do it. Those shitheads from Alexandria did it. She was at the outpost doing maintenance on the generator, Jen hadn't even killed a biter before. Bastards killed her in her sleep."
Kayla's eyes narrowed and she asked, "Alexandrians did that?"
"Yep. Half the people at that outpost were grunts, idiots who cleared the woods of deadheads." Georgie drawled, shaking her head with something close to disgust. Swallowing thickly, Kayla glanced up as everyone knelt for Negan's arrival. Sighing inwardly, Kayla grit her teeth and followed suit. It was ridiculous and if she wasn't so sure Negan would put his size thirteens up her ass, she'd tell him to fuck right off.
"Good, Georgie got you situated then?" He asked, motioning for her to stand up, the man rolling his eyes. Cocking an eyebrow at him she nodded, a smirk pulling at her lips at the man's obvious distaste for the groveling.
Georgie nodded a few times before replying, "she's going to room with me until she's placed."
Negan nodded, a sly grin sliding onto his face, "Girl on girl. I like it. Maybe I can watch."
Georgie made a gagging sound and sneered, "No man meat in my bed."
Snorting he jeered back, his eyes flitting to hers, "Maybe Kayla likes man meat."
Kayla continued to chew her food, a blank expression sliding onto her face despite the nervousness rattling around inside. "I sleep alone." She muttered, before asking, "speaking of, I'm kinda tired. Where's this room?"
Negan grinned at her change of subject and instructed, "You're on scavenge tomorrow with Georgie. Simon's running it. Meet them outside in the morning."
Nodding in return the women stood to exit the cafeteria. Georgie glanced at Kayla as they left Negan's company and murmured, "if he asks, say no."
"Asks what?" She replied, with a furrowed brow and narrowed eyes.
Rolling her eyes Georgie muttered, "to be a wife. It's not worth it and you're capable enough to keep yourself alive."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"If you're a wife you don't have to worry about shit. Points, jobs, finding food. All you gotta do is spread those pretty thighs." She huffed, her nose scrunched up in distaste. Kayla frowned at the information. She had figured it was something like that but it didn't make it any less unappealing. The world was a fucked up place.
"I'm not a whore. Don't worry about it." She muttered as they climbed another set of stairs.
"Good." She replied with a smile, "I hope you don't mind sharing a bed, my rooms only got one."
Kayla's eyes narrowed and she growled, "if this is some fucked up ploy to get in my pants you're gonna be disappointed."
Georgie laughed loudly and she gave her a teasing look. "I don't need ploys to get in your pants. You'll beg me soon enough."
Kayla snorted as the other woman elbowed her playfully, mock glaring at her, "fuck off."
Walking through the sprawling warehouse, Kayla, Georgie and Darius split from the group to clear the dead and scout for supplies. The distribution center once served the northeastern coastline and despite it having been obviously raided at some point, the trio had found gear.
"So you and Georgie huh?" Darius asked Kayla as the piled a few boxes in the aisle. Snorting she dropped a large bag filled with beach towels onto the growing pile. "Why is everybody obsessed with my living situation?"
"Because you're hot and Georgie ain't so bad."
"Gee thanks asshole." The redhead deadpanned from above, tossing a box at the man's head. He chuckled slapping the cardboard away from his face. Georgie hopped down and snapped, "Let's grab this shit and head back."
"Don't be mad-." The man began as the women walked away but his voice was cut off with a loud crack and horrible groan. Kayla turned to find Darius on the floor with a hatchet spitting the back of his skull in half and two men holding guns on them. Shifting uncomfortably she flexed her fingers around the hilt of her knife.
"Uh uh uh." One noticed her actions, "raise those pretty little hands, doll."
Gritting her teeth she watched as Georgie followed his orders, the woman's anger palpable. One of the men shoved Kayla's roommate to the ground, Georgie slipping in Darius's blood. He began struggling with her as the other man approached Kayla, his handgun aimed at her forehead.
"We can do this the hard way or we can do this the worse way." He leered, his mouth curled and hungry.
Narrowing her eyes she growled, "If you think you're laying a finger on me you're a delusional fuck."
He took a swipe at her, the butt of his gun barely missing her temple as she ducked. Moving quickly she dove around the pile of gear, picking up Darius's rifle. Swinging around she landed the end of the rifle against her attacker's wrist knocking his gun away. He grunted, his other fist slammed into her jaw making her head snap back. Within seconds he pounced on top of her but Kayla was ready, her knife shoved upwards into his neck. She twisted it causing blood to fountain out of his throat onto her chest. Shoving him away Kayla climbed to her feet to find the man pounding on Georgie's face with heavy fists.
Picking up the rifle, Kayla swung high and hard, the heavy weapon cracking against the man's skull. He fell away from the injured woman, his eyes wide as Kayla towered over him with a maniacal sneer. Tossing the gun away she sauntered towards him.
"You're fucked." She growled before jumping onto the man's chest, her balled fist smashing him in the face. Kayla had knives and guns but her chest was filled with blazing coals and it felt good to hit something. Every inhale stoked the anger simmering in her gut, fury seeped from her pores and limbs as she pounded on his face until it collapsed.
The raging woman only stopped when her arms fatigued and she felt broken bones scraping across her knuckles. Georgie had moved away from the gory mess Kayla made, her face swollen and bloodied. Glancing behind her, Kayla found Simon and a few other Saviors staring at her. Her chest was heaving as she panted heavily, her hands and face soaked in the men's blood.
"What?!" She barked, climbing to unsteady feet. "Fuckers deserved it."
Simon slowly smiled and muttered, "That's gotta go on the wall, snap a shot of that Javier."
A Hispanic man came forward with a Polaroid camera, a flash went off and film was spit from the black box. He flapped it in his hands while he smirked at her. "Boss'll like this one."
Ignoring the men, Kayla flicked gore off her hands before wiping them on her pants, she looked over at Georgie and asked, "you good?"
"Yeah." The redhead croaked, one of the men helping her to her feet. "Thanks."
"No problem."
On the ride home Georgie received first aid from a Savior that was once an EMT. He offered Kayla help with her bruised and bloodied hands but she blew him off. She couldn't shake the adrenaline from killing the men, the steady buzz in her veins making her leg bounce and eyes jump around. Kayla could feel eyes on her but she avoided making any eye contact. She didn't regret what she did, not by a long shot but she knew it wasn't just because the men deserved it. Kayla had been picturing all the people that had pissed her off. She was thinking about her dead brother and his murderer, the long jail sentence and the people that had held her captive. Past injustices boiled up and she poured every ounce of rage into that man's face, her bare fists turning it into ground beef. Even with that outlet, Kayla could still feel the anger simmering under the surface. If she didn't work through it sometime, the woman was pretty sure it might just burn her up from the inside out.
Kayla sat in the medical bay as the doctor looked over her hands, Simon having insisted on her being checked for broken bones. She had rolled her eyes at the order but followed his direction to the office.
The doctor felt her knuckles, rotating her fingers and wrist before cleaning and bandaging her hand. She was diagnosed with a minor sprain and cuts and contusions but all would heal just fine. Georgie was laying on a cot nearby getting stitches when Kayla left the medical office. She dipped her head as she thanked her again, muttering a 'see you later'.
As she reached the floor that the women resided on, Kayla found Negan leaning against her doorway, Lucille propped against the wall. He grinned at her as she approached, his head cocked to the side as he looked over her wrapped hand and bloodied clothing.
"Well don't you look like you had fun out there." Negan teased with a wicked grin and amused eyes. Kayla huffed out a breath, tossing her weapons belt to the bed, "Oh yeah tons of fun."
The man laughed, sitting down on their bed as if he were in his own home. Kayla stood in front of him, her arms relaxed but posture stiff. She still wasn't sure what Negan's motivation was, the man held his cards close and Kayla was secretly waiting for the day she was locked in a cell again.
Negan pulled out the polaroid Javier took and flipped it around so she could see the destruction she caused. It was a mess of blood and gore, swollen bruised eyes and caved in nasal cavity.
"Why didn't you just shoot him? Simon said you had a gun." He asked with a cocked eyebrow, waving the picture closer to her face as if she couldn't see it.
"He deserved it." She growled turning her face away from the gruesome snapshot, her injured fist tightening despite the pain shooting up her forearm.
Negan nodded but she could see he knew why she did it, the man knew vengeance and spite. "I'm not denying that but it would've been easier and safer to shoot him."
"I enjoyed it, that what you want to hear?" She barked crossing her arms in an effort to keep distance from him. "I pictured Rick's stupid face and drove my fist through that fucker's head. If I could've, I would've torn it off his goddamn shoulders."
"You've got an anger problem I don't know about?" Negan drawled a knowing grin sliding onto his too handsome face. It was disarming and Kayla couldn't help but snark, "I think you're fully aware now right?"
Negan grinned crookedly, glancing down at her bandaged hand, "is it broken?"
"Not really."
Laughing at her nonchalant attitude he asked, "did you see doc?"
"Yeah. It's fine."
"Good. You're with me tomorrow. I'm taking a group east, towards the coastline." He instructed, standing from his spot on the bed. "We leave at sunup."
The scouting mission had been without any excitement and had gone flawlessly until their trip back towards Sanctuary. Negan was driving a large military truck with Kayla and a savior called Sacks when a herd seemed to appear from nowhere. The group traveling behind them was cut off, leaving the trio to move on without them. Soon though they were pushed off their route and onto the back roads as the dead took over the surrounding area.
"Goddamn meatbags," Sacks bitched, rolling down his window to slam a machete into a biter clinging to the rearview mirror. Kayla looked over the map for a route out of the boonies and onto another highway leading towards Sanctuary.
"Anytime now doll." Negan growled as he plowed through a group of shambling corpses, congealed blood splashing cross the windshield.
"Maybe… turn right at the stop sign." She muttered, inwardly crossing her fingers that the tiny road led to where she thought it did. As they bumped along the dirty road, the unmaintained routed rutted with potholes.
Grunting as the truck dipped with an impressive crack in the pavement, Negan bitched, "Great choice darlin'. Feel like I'm getting fisted by the hand of God on this road to nowhere."
Kayla snorted loudly and muttered, "Sorry the gps didn't tell me it was under construction."
Negan glared at her but she watched his lip twitch, a smile tugging at his mouth. Kayla cocked an eyebrow as Sacks suddenly exclaimed, "Watch out."
The truck ran over a group of biters but instead of passing over them easily, the truck's tires tangled up in chainlink fencing. The dead had gotten stuck in it at some point, the group dragging it around behind them.
"Fuck." Negan growled at the truck ground to a halt, its wheels digging into the mud and gore of demolished corpses. Climbing out of the large vehicle Kayla took watch as Sacks began cutting away the fencing tangled around the wheels. Negan slammed Lucille into a biter who wandered to close, a sharp crack of bone and wet splatter making her grimace. Kayla was stabbing her way through two more when Sacks screamed out, a corpse tangled in the wheel well had not been killed by the vehicle and bit into the meat of his thigh.
"Goddamn it." Negan shouted, jamming Lucille through the dead ones head as Sacks fell backwards to the ground. The large man ripped the cargo pants open to see the deep wound, bone and muscle showing gruesomely.
"Fuck." Sacks moaned, laying back on the ground in defeat. Negan frowned and confirmed what they all knew, "We can't save you man."
"I know." The injured man groaned, his hands clenched into tight fists. "Just do it. Tell Shelly I went out fighting, not dying like some pussy."
"I'll make sure she's taken care of." Negan muttered, his eyes glancing at the gushing wound.
"Not as a wife." Sacks moaned, pain taking over his face, "Don't do that to me man."
Negan looked at her self consciously and then murmured, "I wouldn't do that to you or Shelly. Don't worry about her alright?"
Nodding Sacks groaned, "thanks man."
Nodding Negan pulled out a knife and pressed it at Sack's carotid artery. "Close your eyes brother."
Kayla looked away as the man choked, the sound echoing on the street as more dead began to trickle out from the surrounding woods. "We gotta go." She murmured, approaching another set of undead bastards.
"The trucks fucked." Negan drawled, kicking the flattened tire. "We gotta hoof it."
Both grabbed their bags from the truck cab and began jogging down the roadway. They avoided the incoming horde, both pushing their way through groupings of undead. Kayla slammed a knife into yet another temple as the sound of Lucille smashing skulls and butchering the biters rang out behind her.
Eventually the road was clear and the pair made it to a long stretch of open highway. "There isn't shit around here. We need cover for the night." Negan instructed, pointing to the shape up ahead. "It's gonna have to be that."
"A van, that's not a real shelter." Kayla muttered as they approached it.
"Tough shit. You wanna climb a fucking tree have at it." He barked, jogging down the street.
Inside were two walkers, both writhing in their seatbelts. Negan yanked one out, slamming his boot through it's skull as Kayla did the same with the other only jamming her blade into its temple.
"Smear the windows." He ordered, grabbing the corpse by its shoulders to drag its destroy face over the dirty glass. Blood and brain coated the doors and windows, the thick fluid blocking the view inside and hopefully covering their scent. Kayla took the jacket from her dead corpse, using it as a paint brush for her side of the van. Soon the windows and doors were smeared with the gore and both climbed inside to huddle down for the night. Negan used a tiny flashlight to look over the map, his dark eyes scanning the possible routes to Sanctuary. He muttered a few curses and bitched, "You sent us up shitcreek without a paddle."
"Don't blame me, I have no sense of direction." She replied, leaning back against the passenger seat.
"You should've fucking told me you suck at basic map reading." He barked, pointing at her angrily, "You got Sacks killed."
"Fuck off. I did not"
"What did you just say to me?" he growled, his eyes growing darker and more than a little dangerous as his body seemed to loom over her.
A thump outside got both their attentions, Kayla's eyes peeking outside to see the herd had caught up to them. Ducking down she motioned for Negan to hide also, whispering, "Herd."
They both laying side by side on the floor as the dead shuffled passed. Kayla glanced at Negan who was picking gory tissue off of Lucille's barbs. Wrinkling her nose at him, she tilted her head up to see into the rearview mirror. The dead were still pouring by, their rotting faces passing along side the van. She could hear broken fingers and jagged teeth scraping just inches from her head.
Chewing her lip she tried to not think about how fucked they were if the horde noticed them but the effort to forget made it worse. She could feel her usually suppressed anxiety disorder flair up with a vengeance. Her fists tightened as breathing became impossible.
"Hey." Negan whispered, his voice barely noticeable because her panic was growing exponentially, her heartbeat thundering in her skull. Kayla finally glanced at him with wild, panic filled eyes, her teeth biting her lip white. Moving to his side, Negan braced himself over her causing her anxiety to worsen.
"Shh." He hissed, while propped over her "shut the fuck up."
Kayla's eyes teared up, her vision blurring as she swallowed a sob. A hand cupped her face and Negan's mouth was next her ear. She could feel his hot breath as he rasped, "It's alright. Calm down."
"C-can't." She stammered, her teeth chattering and voice cracking. His hand covered her mouth instantly, his eyes flicking to the window above them, the sound of the dead increasing. Kayla squeezed her eyes shut and felt tears streaming down her temples and pooling into her ears. She felt fragile and stupid in front of a man who would probably exploit such a sign of weakness. Negan's hand slid from her mouth, his thumb brushing the wetness away.
"Shhh." He hushed, his tone softer than before. "Deep breath."
"And count." She murmured, her brother's voice as rough and gentle as always in her mind. Her eyes slid shut but without the tension of before. Relaxing into the habit, Kayla had counted to fifty when Negan asked, "what do you mean count?"
"Something my brother always told me. Count to a hundred. Helps with stress." She confessed, her eyes flicking away from him.
"You mean panic attacks."
"That and anger issues." She added, her lips twitching at the confession.
Negan pursed his lips to hold in a laugh, his eyes gleaming down at her. "No shit? you have anger problems" He joked sarcastically, "never would've noticed."
Rolling her eyes she felt her pulse slowing down and breathing return to normal. Kayla peeked up at him under her lashes, the need to look but the embarrassment of her panic attack making her shy.
'Jesus get over yourself Kay.' She scolded herself inwardly.
"You're fucking hot you know that?" Negan rasped, his voice rough but tone soft.
"Shuddup." She whispered, a blush crawling up her neck to paint her cheeks. He laughed quietly, his chest brushing hers at the movement. "Even more so when you blush like a girl."
"Fuck off." She muttered, her eyes betraying her angry tone. Kayla was enjoying his teasing, it was taking her mind off the impending death beyond the inches of steel and plastic.
"Probably a bad idea with the whole herd thing. Maybe later you can watch me fuck off."
Clenching her teeth to keep from growling she relaxed back into the floor, her mind forcing her body to loosen up. Negan stayed hovering over her, his dark eyes following her every movement.
"Feel better?" He murmured, rolling onto his back slowly.
Humming in response she turned her head to look at him. "Thanks."
"Don't come expect it." He sneered, the man seemingly tired of being pleasant.
"Never." She deadpanned quietly, closing her eyes to rest while they waited.
The sun had set hours ago and the herd had finally moved on. Kayla and Negan stayed put opting to travel when they could see their surroundings. They shared a protein bar and the last of their water, both sitting silently chewing.
"Get some sleep." He spoke after a long silence as he leaned against the drivers seat, his arm propped on his bent knee. Kayla watched him out of the corner of her eye, as he kept watch. The man was good looking, the salt and pepper scruff taking over his face and neck only adding to it. She swallowed thickly as she noticed the way the muscles in his forearm flexed while he cleaned Lucille's handle.
"Stop staring. It's fucking creepy." He rasped without looking up.
Kayla blushed but denied his statement. "Why would I stare at you?"
Negan snorted, a crooked grin gracing his face, his teeth shining bright despite the shadowed interior of the van. "Because you want me."
Scoffing, Kayla rolled her head against the door to peer over at him. "Oh yeah?"
"Abso-fucking-lutetly. I bet you're all kinds of damp for me right now."
"Fuck off perv." She growled, her look of revulsion a cover for the reaction his words caused, squeezing her thighs together self-consciously.
"Riiiiiight. I'm the perv. You're the one undressing me with your eyes." He drawled, wiggling his eyebrows comically.
Laughing quietly she rolled her eyes and joked, "what do you expect when you dress like that? You're just asking for it."
Negan was quiet a moment before he barked out a laugh and his eyes gleamed with amusement. "That... Right there. That is why I wanna keep you around. You're fucking hilarious."
"Gee. I thought it was my tits and ass." She deadpanned, her cheeks warming at his words.
"Those are definite bonuses." He drawled with a shit eating grin, his lean body stretching out across the ground. "Like perfect handfuls in both regions."
Rolling her eyes, her gaze landed on the window instead of his charming grin and appealing eyes. The man was dangerous in more ways than Kayla had thought, she felt as if she were in way over her head.
"Mmhmm." She hummed, relaxing back against the door. Negan settled down also adding quietly, "Seriously no one has the balls to joke around with me like you."
"Probably because you beat people to death with Lucille." Kayla replied before she could stop herself, her body cringing at the possible misstep.
"Only when they deserve it." Negan muttered, his brow furrowed.
Laughing dryly Kayla offered, "But you decide that so it could literally be whoever and whenever you want."
They sat silently a moment when he asked, "So why aren't you scared?"
Kayla shrugged lazily even though her insides were jittery and unsettled, "Truthfully I have no idea. Maybe I'm not scared of dying."
"You want to die?"
Shaking her head, Kayla really thought about it. It had occurred to her several times since the world went to hell. After Fort Benning fell and she was running for her life, she thought about it and after finding Atlanta burned to the ground Kayla almost gave up. The last time she contemplated it was after finding out how Shane died but she didn't go through with it and she didn't think she could. It was against her nature to give up, she was too damn stubborn. "No it's just that it's gonna happen eventually."
"So you'll just give up."
"No. I'll fight to live but if you decide to beat my skull in, there isn't much I can do about it."
Negan stared at her with tense eyes for a long heartbeat and then muttered, "I won't brain you."
"Good to know." She whispered, her eyes flitting over the man looking back at her.
The vehicle was silent for a few minutes when Negan asked, "are you and Georgie fucking?"
Scoffing, Kayla glanced over, "is that the rumor?"
"Pretty much. Personally I think you're a cock slave and not a muff diver but some think it's why you're rooming together." He drawled with a shrug of nonchalance but Kayla could see he was just as eager to know her personal life.
"Cock slave?" She asked with an incredulous look. "Does it matter if we are?"
"No but I was going to ask you to be a wife." He replied, mischievous eyes watching her every move.
"No thanks." Kayla replied her nose scrunched up in distaste.
"Because you're a carpet muncher?"
"Jesus Negan. Can't you just say lesbian?" she exclaimed, her brow furrowed.
"No. Come on tell me. Do you smoke pole or eat tacos?" He mouth curling into a wolfishly grin and his eyes playful. Kayla laughed despite herself and shook her head. "I'm abstinent."
"Fucking liar." He huffed, crossing his arms and frowning.
"I'm not a lesbian but I'm not looking for a man alright?" Kayla sighed, the night turning a little too weird. She hadn't expected to gossip about her sex life with the leader of Sanctuary.
"Fine. But I think you'd be a great addition." He replied, one eyebrow raised as if hoping she'd change her mind.
"What for your trading card collection? I'm not a fucking flavor of the week. It won't happen," She growled, the idea of being one of a man's harem making her sick. "Ever."
"Jesus. Calm your tits. Just offering you a safe place to live and food to eat without needing points."
"And an obligation to 'smoke your pole'." She snarked with a disgusted look in her eye.
"I don't force anyone to do anything. I offer shelter, food and whatever else they fucking want. All they gotta do is be a wife. Cook, clean and put out. Just like any other marriage."
"Whatever." She muttered, "I'm not going to argue with you. If those bitches wanna sell their pussy rather than take care of themselves, good for them. But I'm not weak and I can take care of myself. If I'm going to fuck someone it's going to be because I want to, not because I have to."
"So you don't want to fuck me." He asked, his tone teasing and eyes amused at her rantings.
"No." she huffed, slumping back against the car seat heavily.
"Liar." He laughed, wiggling his eyebrows again.
"Keep telling yourself that." She muttered dryly being unsure if she meant the words for herself or him.
Thanks for reading and please review!
