Negan's not used to caring about another person's feelings. Not that he's a monster, or anything. He feels bad when he sees natural disasters or massacres on the tv, but he also says everything on his mind without thinking if someone would be hurt by it. He's always been an unapologetic asshole his whole life. So he's thrown for a loop when the sobs of the omega next door make a strong feeling of guilt bubble up in his chest. Strong enough that he can't fall asleep.
And this is the second time the girl has elicited this feeling.
When the tone on his phone starts to play, he sits up from his bed with a groan, turning the alarm off quickly. Chuck had finally cried herself to sleep a few hours ago, but Negan still couldn't follow her, staying awake even after everything went quiet.
He gets ready for work and drinks a whole pot of coffee before he leaves his apartment. He has a fleeting thought that maybe he should check on the girl next door, but he dismisses it with a shake of his head and continues on his way.
His work doesn't provide much of a distraction throughout the day. It is uncharacteristically slow, so Negan has nothing but time to ponder his whole situation. He finds himself typing 'omega' into google, thinking maybe the internet will provide some answers to the questions he won't admit he wants to ask. It doesn't really help, though, the only pages that come up are porn sites and message boards for omegas to talk to one another.
Negan lets out a huff and rubs his hand down his jaw. He goes back to the top of the page and types in 'beta to omega' in the search bar. The girl next door hadn't answered him when he asked outright about her surprise presentation and despite Negan not wanting to admit that he's been so affected by her, he still really wants to know about her. That search is fruitless, too, though. It mainly brings up fictional books and romantic stories about betas changing their presentation.
He finally gets to the point and types in '25 year old presents omega'. The first three pages mention Holden-Sawyer Syndrome so he searches that instead. He spends about an hour reading all about the affliction. The more he reads about it, the more he sees how it fits with Chuck. The way she started fighting with him after years of never making a peep could be explained by mood swings, which are common before presentation. Also the way her body changed. Negan thinks she must've changed in the last few months considering he had never really noticed her before. If she always had those curves, there's no way he wouldn't have noticed.
And, of course, the time she was "sick" for a week. That must've been her presentation heat. The website says that heats are dangerous for omegas that have have this syndrome. They can't take suppressants, either, so their only options are take a knot from an alpha or spend their heat in a hospital. When Negan starts to read about alphas for hire and how they can be used if an omega has no mate, he has a realization.
"Alpha whores," he mutters to himself.
Those alphas coming in and out was just Chuck trying to find which alpha whore she wants to use to get her through her heats. The thought initially makes Negan feel a little better. She wasn't picking up random alphas to fuck everyday. But then he realizes that she is going to fuck one of those alphas. At least. Not to mention that when she knew she would need an alpha, she didn't even consider him as an option. And that stung.
But why would she consider him? She was going through something major and he made it worse by being a dick. Why on earth would she want him when he was being such an asshole? Maybe if he were nicer to her...
When Negan gets home after work, he pauses before opening his door. Peeking over his shoulder at Chuck's door, he lets out a heavy breath, trying to rid himself of the unpleasant feeling pooling in his stomach. But it's no use. He spins around and knocks on the door before he talks himself out of it.
Chuck stands from her desk chair and looks through the peephole after hearing the knock. When she sees Negan standing at her door, scratching at the back of his neck, she backs away. There is no way that she's going to talk to that jerk. Especially not after everything he said last night.
Negan knows Chuck is in her apartment, considering the girl rarely leaves. And he actually knows she's standing just behind the door because her scent coming from under the door is stronger than it was before he knocked. That means that she knows he's there and she's just choosing not to answer the door. Negan lets out a sigh and turns to go home.
He tries again the next day after work. Again, Chuck goes to the door, but doesn't answer. She's still too hurt by his words.
The next day, he knocks again. But when she doesn't answer, he decides to try more.
"Come on, Chuck. I know you're in there. Just talk to me," he calls out through the door.
She doesn't answer him. She just continues to stand there waiting for Negan to go back home.
But he doesn't. "I'm trying to apologize here, but I don't want to do it through a goddamn wall. Will you just open the door so we can talk like fuckin' adults?"
"I'm not an adult," Chuck snaps back bitterly. "I'm a spoiled eight year old. Remember?"
Negan lets out a huff. "Okay. I fuckin' deserve that. I know you're not a spoiled eight year old, okay?" He waits for Chuck to say something else, but she stays quiet. "Look... I looked up shit. Holden-Sawyer Syndrome. That's why you presented late, right?"
As soon as he says it, Chuck feels her cheeks redden. She really doesn't want to talk about her diagnosis with Negan, but she certainly doesn't want Negan shouting about it in the hallway, either. She hesitantly unlocks the door and opens it.
As soon as the door opens, Negan can't help but stare at the big green eyes gazing up at him. He'd never seen eyes quite the same color before. They almost looked like gems or stone, he thought. Like the jade figurines he had seen in a museum once.
Chuck moves to the side to allow Negan to pass into her apartment. Her movement brings Negan out of his thoughts and he crosses the threshold into the room. This apartment is basically a mirror image of his own. Her kitchen is to the left of the door with the bedroom off to the right and the living rom directly in front of him. But she has her tv and couch set up in a slightly different place than he does.
Chuck holds her hand out to gesture to the couch. Negan follows her prompt and sits on one end while Chuck sits down on the other, hesitant to be too close to him.
Negan clears his throat to start. "I was out of line the other night. And, you know, with the couch and being fuckin' loud. I shouldn't have fuckin' escalated shit, either." He lets out a heavy breath, not sure what to say. "It's not exactly easy to admit when I'm wrong and say sorry."
"I would've never guessed that," Chuck responds sarcastically.
"Yeah." Negan nods his head slowly and sucks on his teeth. "I am sorry, okay? I should have been more fuckin' mature. So... I'm sorry for all that shit. I never wanted to upset you as much as I did."
He seems actually genuine to Chuck, so she accepts his apology. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have gone off the handle at first. But what you said to me the other night..." she gets choked up thinking about it, "it was really hurtful." Despite trying to hold back, Chuck can't stop her eyes welling up. She turns away and wipes at her eyes to prevent the tears from falling.
One look at the girl's wobbling chin and quivering bottom lip has Negan scooting closer to her to comfort her. He sets his hand gently on her shoulder, the action prompting Chuck to turn her head back to him.
"Don't cry, sweetheart." He gently swipes her tear away with his thumb.
Chuck can't deny that the caring action makes those butterflies flutter in her stomach again. That is, until she remembers that Negan is the reason she needs comfort in the first place.
She fights the urge to accept his soothing touch. "It's Chuck." She gently pushes Negan's hand from her face and clears her throat. "I was really hurt by what you said. And I know no one's probably ever said anything that upset you, but... I guess I'm sensitive and you really-"
"I know," he interrupts, actually feeling bad about how he has affected this girl. "I'm an asshole and I never should've said that shit." He scratches at his beard. "And I know who those alphas were. Now, after I looked that shit up. I know you're gonna need one of them for your heat. Medically."
Chuck sniffles. "Yeah. And I really don't need your judgement."
"I'm not judging."
Chuck gives him an incredulous look. "You said-"
"I know what I said." He lets out a huff. This conversation isn't going the way that he thought it would. He thought she'd just accept his apology and move on. But that's not exactly happening. "It wasn't judgement. It was... anger."
"You practically called me a slut."
She's right. And he knows it. But he's not going to admit it. And he's certainly not going to admit that his anger was mostly out of jealously at the thought that she was sleeping with other alphas.
"Look. I'm an alpha. And I know you were inviting alphas into your own home, but since we live in pretty much the same fuckin' place, my territorial alpha ass interpreted that as strange alphas invading my area," he fibs, completely downplaying the real reason. "So I kinda freaked the fuck out."
Chuck takes his words at face value. "Oh." She didn't really think about it that way. "I-I guess I should've warned you first. I'm sorry."
Negan actually feels a little guilty at how easy it was to convince her. "No. It's not your fault, sweethear- Chuck."
She giggles at the fact that he corrected himself. She never liked those kind of pet names, thinking that they were belittling. Not really that she gets called them often, but when she does, it's always because people think she's a kid. But, honestly, she didn't exactly hate it when Negan called her sweetheart a little bit ago.
"Do you have plans for dinner?" he suddenly asks.
"No...?" she answers, confused at why he's asking.
"Let me make all of this up to you by making you fuckin' dinner tonight."
She scrunches up her face, still confused. "You want to make me dinner?"
"Yeah." He chuckles at her reaction. "You act like a man's never made a fuckin' meal for you before."
She feels her cheeks get hot, so she just shrugs, not wanting to admit that she really never did have a man make dinner for her.
"Shit," he mutters. "No one's ever made you dinner before," he responds, his statement somewhere between a question and a declaration.
Now her ears start to burn. "I-I... guess... not."
Negan sees the girl's whole face turn red in embarrassment. It's really a curious thing to him. He himself has never really been embarrassed in his whole life. Maybe when he was a kid a few times, but nothing like what this girl is going through. It's actually kinda cute, if Negan thinks about it. Her chewing at her lip and her cheeks going all rosy brings a smile to his face. But his thoughts quickly travel to what other activities might turn those cheeks pink.
Chuck is at a loss for words. And Negan isn't helping. He's just staring at her with his bottom lip between his teeth. He's just trying to be nice, right? she thinks. Bury the hatchet and that's it. Don't make a big deal out of it.
She clears her throat to try to act like an actual normal human being for once. "What kind of dinner are you making?" That doesn't sound normal, Chuck! she berates herself. "I mean, what kind of meal?" Wow, you're horrible. "I mean, what are you making for dinner?" She can't even look at him by the time she finishes.
This girl is something else. he thinks as she speaks. He's used to her giving him attitude, but one mention of a friendly meal has her so flustered, which is confusing. When she threw the first punch by playing music to interrupt his fuck session with whatever woman he was entertaining that night, he had thought that the girl next door was just an uptight bitch. But seeing her now has him rethinking that opinion. That bitchiness was most likely just hormones from her presentation. This girl sitting in front of him all blushing and adorable is most likely who she really is.
And he definitely wants to get to know this girl a little better.
"How does spaghetti and meatballs sound?" he asks with a smirk. "Homemade sauce and garlic bread?"
She meets his gaze. "Um... That sounds okay. Good, I mean."
His mouth curls up in a grin. "Come over to my place in an hour." He stands from her couch and walks to the door. "Don't be late." He opens the door and lets himself out.
Chuck sits there for a few minutes in silence before she even moves. "What just happened?" she says to herself.
For the next hour, Chuck freaks out a little bit. She had been sure that her neighbor hated her guts, but now, he apologized and wants to make dinner for her? She would've never imagined that that would happen. And now, she'll be going to his apartment for dinner. Not just dinner, but a homemade meal. That's special, isn't in? He's making an actual effort for her.
She starts to think about her role in all of this and decides that she should make an effort, too. Negan is making the meal, so she should cover dessert. Cooking isn't exactly her strong suit, though. Thankfully, there happens to be a bakery down the street that does fancy cupcakes, so she goes there to buy a half dozen. By the time she waits in line, gets her cupcakes, and walks back home, it's time for dinner.
Chuck knocks quietly on the door to apartment 53 and waits with the box of cupcakes in the other hand. When the door opens, Chuck is hit by the delicious aroma of the meal that Negan had prepared.
"Come on in," he announces cheerfully and steps to the side to hold the door open.
"Wow. It smells delicious," she comments as she crosses the threshold into his apartment. "I, uh, I brought dessert." She turns around to face Negan as he shuts the door. "Cupcakes," she says as she holds the box up. "I, um. I didn't make them. I bought them."
Negan chuckles and walks toward Chuck to take the box from her. "That's perfect." He sets it on the counter and gestures to the table, already set up for two. "Dinner's fuckin' done so go ahead and take a seat."
"Oh, okay." She takes one of the seats and sits down.
As Negan plates up to food, Chuck glances around Negan's apartment. It's tidy. Definitely more masculine than her own, with everything in dark woods and leather. And all of his furniture is much more expensive than her own.
Only a few minutes later, Negan sets a plate full of delicious smelling pasta in front of Chuck. "There you go, sweetheart." He sets his own plate across from her and sits down.
He didn't catch himself that time, but it doesn't really bother her as much as she thought it should. That doesn't mean that she's going to let him off the hook, though.
"Is it really hard?" she teases.
Negan raises his eyebrows at her, not really sure what she's talking about. Surely this sweet thing isn't talking about what he thinks she's talking about. "Hard?" he finally asks.
"Not just using my name," Chuck answers.
Negan chuckles. Yup, the girl did not mean what he thought. "I guess it's just a habit." He gestures to the food and both of them take a bite.
"Oh, wow," Chuck mumbles with the food still in her mouth. She swallows before continuing. "This is awesome. You're a great cook."
Negan smiles at the compliment. "I'm fuckin' glad you like it." He takes another bite then swallows. "So, are you gonna get pissed if I call you anything but 'Chuck'?"
"Well," she dabs her lips with a napkin, "usually people call me little names because they think I'm a kid."
"I know you're not a kid."
She doesn't know why, but that makes a blush creep up her cheeks. "O-Okay. I guess it's okay, then." She takes a bite to try to cover her embarrassment.
Negan sees it, though. "Okay, sweetheart," he throws out to see what she'd do. He gets the reaction he'd hoped for when she bites her lip and tucks some of her wavy hair behind her ear as the blush in her cheeks deepens.
Chuck can't help the effect that her neighbor's deep voice and natural charm has on her. She knows she's going to beat herself up for it later, but right now, she can't really control herself.
"So what do you do?" Negan asks casually.
Chuck clears her throat to try to settle herself. "I'm a coder for Ad Astra."
"What's Ad Astra? And what's a coder?"
Chuck giggles before she answers. "Ad Astra is a software company and I write code for them. I basically do the stuff that makes programs and apps work."
He nods slightly. "I know fuck all about that shit. I gotta use a goddamn computer at work and that's about the end of it."
"Well, I like computers. And I get to work from home, so..." She shrugs a shoulder.
"Ah. That explains it. I thought I was living next to a fuckin' invalid."
"Not an invalid." She laughs. "Just somebody who likes staying in."
"If you like staying in, why'd you buy a fuckin' car?"
"Oh, uh... I do have to leave occasionally. And public transportation got a bit more interesting after... you know." She giggles nervously, not exactly wanting to go into it.
"What do you mean by 'interesting'?" He has a feeling he knows and it's already got his hackles raised.
"Well... just... you know." She shrugs. "People not minding their own business and stuff." She's quick to take a bite.
"Hmm." This girl is a shitty liar.
When Chuck is stuffed full, she pushes her plate away. "That was so good, Negan. I think I probably gained ten pounds," she jokes.
Negan stands and starts to clear the dishes. "Did you leave room for those fuckin' cupcakes?"
"I don't think I did." She giggles.
"Well, digest for a little while. We'll have some later," he throws over his shoulder as he places the plates in the sink.
"Oh, okay," she responds before really thinking.
Wait. He wants me to stay? she finally realizes.
Negan moves over to his couch and gestures to it. "Come on over here, honey."
Chuck stands from her seat at the table and moves to the couch. Negan waits for her to sit before he does, too. At a respectful distance, of course. He's pretty sure this girl isn't going to allow him to bed her just yet, so he may as well not push it.
They sit in silence for a few minutes. Negan is perfectly content watching the girl next door. The way her chest softly rises and falls under her breath. Her delicate hands sliding down her thick thighs until her long slender fingers tap randomly on her knees.
Chuck, however, hates the awkward silence. "Your apartment is nice," she blurts out and turns her head to face Negan.
He lifts his gaze to her face. "Thanks," he responds simply.
Despite the fact that Chuck feels like she's being awkward, she actually doesn't want to leave for some reason. At least any reason she wants to think about.
"How long have you lived here?" she asks quickly so the silence doesn't build again.
He thinks a moment. "Ten years or so."
Chuck nods. "I like it here. It's a good neighborhood."
"Yeah. Sheila and Bill are pretty good landlords."
Chuck nods again, not sure of what else to say. She's never been good with people one on one. Especially men.
Negan isn't sure what to say, either. Chuck, herself, said that she was sensitive and Negan has said the wrong thing and upset her before. A few times, actually. He doesn't really want to do that again and have to work her back up from hating him to liking him again. He's doing good right now, so he doesn't want to ruin it.
Negan clears his throat. "So, what the fuck do you like to do at home since you like staying in?"
"Play video games." She giggles, a little embarrassed by her answer. "I play guitar. And read." She shrugs. "I'm not really interesting." She giggles again.
"I wouldn't say that." He gives her a smile and it makes her feel better. "I read, too. I don't exactly play guitar, but I got that old record player over there." He points over to the console stereo. "But the last video game I played was Pac-Man when I was fourteen, so I don't know shit about that."
Chuck laughs. He's actually trying to be really nice to her and it's making her feel all warm and fuzzy. "Can I look through your records?"
"Sure." Negan stands and opens up the bottom of the record player to reveal shelves completely full of records. "But I fuckin' doubt you've heard of most of them."
Chuck kneels down and starts to sift through them. They are all in alphabetical order by artist and are separated by letter with plastic dividers. "Very organized," Chuck mentions aloud.
Negan kneels down beside her. As she leans in to look at the records, her neck moves into position close to Negan's nose. He instinctively breathes in a deep breath, scenting her. And it's pretty much the best thing he's ever smelled. He tries to convince himself that it's only because it's been several years since he's been this close to an unmated omega. But he knows deep down, it's for another reason.
"Queen, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath. You have a really good collection."
"You like this music?"
"They don't call it 'classic rock' for nothing. It's all classic."
"Most of these were my mom's," he comments.
"My dad liked classic rock. My mom is more of a folk kinda person."
It doesn't evade Negan's grasp that she said her father 'liked'. Meaning he's probably gone.
She pulls a record out. "Misfits?"
"That one is all mine." He chuckles. "You like Misfits?"
"Yeah. I actually have a Misfits T-shirt somewhere."
"So you got good taste in music. I stand corrected." He stands, stopping himself from groaning at his protesting knees. "You ready for those cupcakes?"
"Yeah. I think so." She stands and follows Negan over to the counter. "I got a variety because I didn't know what you would like."
He opens the box and sees the sweet confections, perfectly iced an topped with sprinkles and chocolate shavings. "I'm not picky, sweetheart. You pick whenever one you want."
She looks over the box and chooses a chocolate one with white frosting. Negan picks a red velvet one and they each take a bite. Chuck ends up getting frosting on her nose, which makes Negan chuckle.
"You got a little..." He leans forward and wipes the tip of her nose with his thumb.
The contact sends a wave of excitement through her body, turning her cheeks instantly red and making her giggle. Negan sees the reaction and smirks back at her.
"Sorry," she whispers and wipes at her nose to get whatever Negan missed.
"No problem." He licks his thumb then finishes his cupcake and grabs another. "These are fuckin' awesome."
"They are really good."
"Have another."
She giggles. "I think I'm good. I ate so much today."
He smiles warmly at her. "Okay."
Chuck feels those butterflies in her stomach going haywire at the sight. But it's not just that, it's everything. The way his scent calms her, his deep voice, his effortless charm. It all makes her feel like she's being pushed toward him by some unseen force. But she's not ready to relinquish control to her new omega instincts.
"I-I should get going," she announces suddenly.
Negan's smile falters slightly. "Alright, sweetheart. I'll walk you out." He does the gentlemanly and sees her to her door.
She opens it and turns around to Negan. "Thank you for dinner. It really was delicious."
"You're welcome, honey." He smiles down at her. "You know, I do more than fuckin' spaghetti. We can do this again sometime, if you want."
Chuck starts nodding before she really thinks about it. "Uh... yeah. That sounds good."
"Good." Negan stands there, waiting to see what Chuck does. As much as he wants to make the first move, he stops himself, not wanting to scare the shy girl off.
When the electricity between the pair builds, Chuck wrestles with what to do. She feels the compulsion to do something she can't quite explain exactly. Jump in his arms, touch his skin, kiss his lips, something... more. The feeling makes her incredibly nervous. She's never really been romantic with a man before, having always felt that she was incapable of having a normal relationship with one. But that's not the case now. She could potentially have that normal relationship. Have a mate. And she has a fleeting thought that maybe it could be the man standing before her.
In the end, though, she decides to run away from those thoughts. "Goodnight, Negan." She takes a step backward away from her neighbor and into her apartment."
"Goodnight, baby girl."
She quickly closes the door, unsure of what she might do if she didn't.
Chuck barely leaves her apartment for the next few days, afraid of running into Negan and making a fool of herself. She feels like a teenager again with her first crush. All those same feelings she had back then come rushing back. And they aren't all good ones. She had spent so long staying away from people that she almost forgot about how self conscious she can get around them.
Now that Negan has dangled himself in front of her, she isn't sure she should trust it. She's seen the kind of women he brings back and they definitely aren't like her. All sleek makeup and tastefully revealing clothing. Meanwhile, Chuck's wardrobe is comprised of T-shirts and jeans, one tube of mascara being the entirety of her makeup collection. She's so different from those confident, sexy women that she doesn't really see why Negan would waste any time with her. Even with the whole alpha/omega attraction thing, she doesn't think he would choose Plain Jane omega Chuck over a gorgeous, sexy beta.
But maybe... just maybe he actually does like her as a person.
It's one of the days that Chuck needs to go to the office, so she gets up early and drives herself to Ad Astra headquarters. It will be her first time there after she presented. To say she's nervous is an understatement.
When she gets to her floor, she goes mostly unnoticed for a while. It's not until she has to sit in the small meeting room with the people in her group that she feels eyes on her. Everyone in the room is a beta, but they can still tell that the distinctly omega smell is coming from her direction.
Thankfully, everyones heads turn to the door when their boss, Mr. Ruben, who happens to be the only alpha at the company, walks in the room. He pauses at the door and looks over the room before walking up to the white board on the wall. He details the next project they need to work on and divvies up the labor. When he dismisses them, everyone gathers their things to leave.
"Miss Langdon?" her boss calls out before she gets through the door.
Chuck turns back around and approaches him, unsure of why he would want to talk to her.
He runs his hand over his hair, cut in a stylish undercut. He doesn't exactly look like your typical software guy, well dressed in a button up and blazer. At over six feet tall and quite muscular, he's an imposing figure, too. Not to mention his piercing blue eyes and jet black hair complete with a full beard.
"You must be all better," he says with a smile.
Chuck isn't sure what he means. "Better?"
"Last month. When you were hospitalized."
"Oh, yeah." She giggles. "I'm all better."
"Good. I'd hate to lose one of the best coders I have." He takes a step closer. "If you ever need anything," he digs out a business card from his inner jacket pocket and hands it to her, "give me a call. That's my personal number." He sets his other hand on her shoulder. "I mean it, Charlotte. Don't hesitate to call."
At this close proximity, she can take in his scent. It's good...ish. It's not bad. It just doesn't have that special... thing that maybe some other alphas have. Like one alpha in particular.
"Thank you Mr. Ruben. And you can call me 'Chuck'." She tucks the card into her pocket and gives her boss a friendly smile.
"Okay, Chuck. You can call me 'Eldritch'."
When Chuck gets back to her building later that day, Negan is in the lobby at the mailboxes.
"Look who it is," Negan teases. "I haven't seen you in for-fuckin'-ever. I thought you might be avoiding me."
Chuck giggles, those butterflies she's been trying to keep at bay coming back full force. "No," she fibs. "You know me. I'm a hermit." She shrugs a shoulder.
"Well, you could give a guy a complex." He shuts his mailbox and starts to walk with Chuck to the elevator. When they fall into stride next to one another, Negan swears he can smell another alpha on her. "Where were you today?" he asks as casually as he can, managing to suppress the growl that is threatening to escape from his throat.
Chuck doesn't notice the subtle change in Negan's attitude. "Work."
They get to the elevator and Negan pushes the button. "Good day?"
She shrugs. "It was normal. What about your day? Sell a lot of cars?"
"A few." The elevator arrives and they walk in. "You got plans for dinner tonight?"
Chuck looks up at Negan, wresting with what her answer should be. Of course, now that she's so close to him again, she wants nothing more that to have dinner with him. But should she really do it?
"No," she answers meekly. "I was thinking about getting a pizza from Fulci's."
"That sounds fuckin' great," he replies, accepting an invitation that wasn't given. "My place or yours?"
"Uh..." the doors open on their floor and they exit. "Mine, I guess."
"Seven sound good?"
"Yeah."
"I'll pick the pizza up." Negan unlocks his door and opens it.
"No. I can-"
He turns back around and cuts her off. "I got it sweetheart. See you at seven." He closes his door, leaving Chuck confused in the hallway.
Negan is aware that he was being pushy, but he just couldn't help it. After their first dinner, he thought he had an in with the omega next door. He didn't want to make the first move, so he waited for her. He really expected her to come to him. But then, he hadn't seen her in a few days. It was a blow to his ego. Then smelling another alpha on her, even if it was faint, had him overreacting.
Chuck, on the other hand, really doesn't think too deeply about the motives behind Negan's behavior. She's mostly just thinking about how she can keep herself in check around him. He has such an effect on her now and she doesn't quite understand it, having never felt anything like it before. Is it just an omega/alpha thing? Or is it just a man/woman thing? She pretty much has zero experience with either situation.
Whatever it is, Chuck's pretty sure she's out of her league. She just hopes that she doesn't embarrass herself in front of him. Or ruin whatever they're building.
Dinner that night goes really well. They joke a lot and talk casually. And Chuck is really surprised at how relaxed it is. Yes, she still gets those butterflies, but it's more pleasant than anxiety inducing.
When Chuck comes back out from using the restroom, she finds Negan standing in front of the bookcase in her living room. When he turns to her, she sees that he has a book in his hands.
He holds the book up a little. "This is well worn."
"Yeah," she answers, then gently takes the book from his hands. "It's my favorite."
"You have good taste. Lord of the Rings is the shit."
Chuck giggles. "You've read it?"
"Fuck yeah, I have."
"You don't seem like a fantasy kinda guy."
"I read a lot when I was a kid." He taps the book in Chuck's hands. "This was my fuckin' favorite, too."
"My dad used to read it to me before I went to bed. This book was his from when he was a kid." Chuck runs her hand over the worn cover of the hardback.
"He passed?" Negan asks gently.
Chuck nods.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart."
She shrugs a shoulder to downplay her feelings. "I was a kid. It was years ago."
"Doesn't make it suck any less."
Chuck nods as she looks up at him with her big green eyes, trying to push back the urge to seek comfort from him. At the same time, Negan loses his internal fight whether to comfort her or not. He steps forward and wraps his arms around her. Chuck lets him.
She had never been a hugger. Only her mom and her uncle, pretty much. But this hug with Negan feels like nothing she's ever experienced before. His scent is so comforting, but also exciting, even if Chuck wouldn't admit it. His long arms around her made her feel like nothing could ever hurt her, like he could fight off armies barehanded just to protect her.
Having Chuck in his arms affects Negan in the way he expected. Feeling her pressed up against him, of course, has lust filled images flooding his brain. But there's also an unexpected warmth seeping into his chest, which is something he hasn't felt in a long time.
The intensity of it all scares both of them and after a few moments, they pull away from each other.
"You okay, baby girl?"
Chuck nods. "Yeah. Sorry." She giggles nervously.
"Don't apologize," he says gently.
The next week, Chuck and Negan see each other at least a little bit every day. The first day, Negan comes over while Chuck is playing a video game.
"So what's this called?" Negan asks from his seat beside Chuck on her couch.
"Grand Theft Auto. Five."
"There are five of these?"
Chuck laughs. "Actually there's more than that."
"So what's the point of this shit?"
"Crime, pretty much." She giggles. "You do missions for people where you steal things or kill people. Or you can just drive around forever."
"Holy shit. Is that a strip club?"
Chuck giggles. "Yeah. You want me to go inside?"
"You can?!"
She thinks his shock funny. "You can get lap dances."
"Fuck yes! Let's do this." He leans forward to see the screen better.
Chuck pulls Trevor's truck up to the strip club and gets out.
"Whoa, wait. Who's that?" Negan points to the screen.
"That's me. Well, that's Trevor."
"Shit. He looks like this guy I know. Only methy-er."
Chuck laughs. "Trevor is my favorite. This strip club is his, so all the strippers love him."
After showing Negan the strip club, including a private dance, and various other sites in San Andreas, Chuck hands the controller off to him so he can try his hand at it.
"Shit! Driving's fuckin' hard!" he exclaims as he sends his car straight into a building. "Oh, fuck. I killed a pedestrian."
"Yeah. They tend to get in the way."
"Ooo. Can I take the motorcycle?"
Chuck laughs at his enthusiasm. "Yeah. But they can be harder to drive than the cars."
Negan pretty much immediately crashes into a car head on and flys off the motorcycle, killing Trevor instantly. "Shit. This is a long fuckin' way from Pac-Man."
"I suppose." Chuck laughs.
Another day, Chuck and Negan spend a few hours sitting on Negan's couch discussing books. They actually have very similar tastes when it comes to them. They both share a love for fantasy books as well as science fiction. Chuck also tells Negan about her love of mystery books, though he admits that he's never really read any. And Negan has read quite a few books on espionage that Chuck never really had an interest in.
They spent hours getting to know each other, what their interests are, little tidbits about their pasts, their hobbies. Chuck learns that Negan loves classic cars. Negan learns that Chuck knits. Though Negan knows that the alpha part of him just wants to knot this girl, there's still a part of him that genuinely likes her. Even if he won't admit that maybe the thought of having a relationship with her would be nice.
But, still, he doesn't want to push her into anything sexual. Through the things she's told him and how she acts, he knows that she's shy and inexperienced with men. Especially alphas. He also knows that if he wanted, he could convince her to go to bed with him, probably pretty easily. But he doesn't want to convince her. He wants her to want him. He wants her to choose him, all on her own.
Though Chuck is genuinely enjoying her time with Negan, she doesn't mention it to her mother, which is actually pretty strange for her. She would normally tell Diane everything, but for some reason, she keeps this to herself. Part of the reason is that she doesn't want to jinx it by telling anyone. If she tells her mom that Negan is her friend, then he flakes on her, it would make her feel so much worse. Then, of course, there's the fact that Diane had told Chuck that she didn't trust Negan. If her mom knew that she was spending so much time with Negan, she would probably chew her out and say she was disappointed in her.
But also, Chuck keeps it all to herself because she's still trying to work out exactly what she's feeling. She's smart enough to know that there is a purely physical component; Negan's scent affects her so much more than any other alphas' because they're more genetically compatible. But there is the way he makes her feel emotionally, too. He makes her laugh. And she likes making him laugh. Even so, she's too afraid to really indulge in those feelings. And she is miles away from even considering sleeping with him.
Throughout the whole week, Negan thinks it best not to bring a woman home. Not that he isn't hooking up with anyone, he just doesn't take them to his apartment. He doesn't exactly rationalize the decision in his head, but it's obviously for Chuck's sake. Whether it's a service to her because she hates the noise, or if it's so she'll think he's more available for her is a toss up.
Chuck wakes up fairly early one morning feeling strange. Well, it isn't completely strange, she's feeling the same way she did the day she presented.
"Oh no," she groans to herself.
It's only been two months since her presentation, but she's fairly certain that she is going to start her first heat. She jumps out of bed and goes into her bathroom to take her thermometer out of the medicine cabinet. The pamphlets Dr. Bailey given her had said that heats begin with a low grade fever. When she takes the thermometer out of her mouth and it says 99.9, she knows her fears are confirmed.
She takes a deep breath to calm herself and pulls out her phone, but she's hesitant to dial any numbers. Should she contact one of the alphas through the Alpha For You app? Or should she talk to Dr. Bailey to set up a room for her in the hospital.
There's another option. A voice in her head reminds her.
Is it an option, though? Is she really ready to have sex with Negan? She's spent so long knowing that physical love would never be a part of her life that it seems like she needs more time to accept that she can actually experience it.
Not that sleeping with Negan would be like love. They're definitely not at that stage, yet. But it would certainly be more intimate than with an alpha for hire that she had only talked to for about an hour.
Having made her decision, Chuck dials Dr. Bailey's number. The doctor tells Chuck that she will inform the hospital to expect Chuck's arrival in the next hour or so. Chuck is very happy that there is no judgement in the friendly doctor's tone, having worried that she might be disappointed that Chuck didn't want to use an alpha.
Next, Chuck leaves a message for her mother, knowing that she's at work right now and can't answer her phone. Then she calls her landlords to tell them she'll be gone for a few days.
Finally, she calls her boss. Since he had given her his personal number, that's the one she uses. When she says that she will need to take a few more sick days, he accepts it quickly, saying that he knows she will get caught up on her work in no time.
"Okay," she says to herself. "This is no big deal. I'm just gonna be put to sleep for a few days." She shakes her head. "Yeah, that's normal."
She packs her backpack with one outfit, toothbrush, and hairbrush for when she's discharged from the hospital and leaves her apartment. When she turns out of her doorway, she sees Negan halfway down the hallway. He hears Chuck's door, so he turns back to her.
"What are you doing up so early, sweetheart?" he calls out.
Chuck walks down the hallway to meet him. "I'm going on a little trip," she lies. For some reason, she doesn't want Negan to know that she's going into heat.
Negan would have normally seen through her lie, but he's running late today and he hates not being on time, so his mind is elsewhere. They get in the elevator and Negan presses the ground floor.
Despite Chuck's oncoming heat, Negan doesn't notice anything different. Consciously, anyway. His body has definitely picked up on the subtle pheromones, though. Soon enough, there's going to be a storm raging within him.
Negan ends up getting to work on time, but by the end of the day, he wishes he had just called off. Everyone seems to get on his nerves, from his boss to the customers. He ends up only making two sales, too, so it was hardly worth his time.
It isn't until Negan starts to walk down the hall to his apartment that he recalls his brief conversation with the omega next door. He had hoped to cook her dinner tonight to continue to get closer to her. It all had been going well, with Chuck warming to him bit by bit. If he can continue to stay in her good graces, when her heat comes, she may just ask him to get her through it.
As Negan unlocks his door, he puts two and two together.
"Shit," he mutters under his breath. "She lied."
He throw his keys on his desk and kicks off his shoes. The omega next door was most likely starting her heat. That's why she left. At first, he's relieved. He had read that omegas with her condition could go through their heats in a hospital, if an alpha is unavailable. Since alpha whores always do their thing in the client's house (at least that's what Negan assumes), she's probably gone to the hospital.
Some strange alpha isn't going to pop his knot in her.
But as he's changing out of his work clothes, he realizes that not only did Chuck not ask him to help her through her heat, she lied to him about having her heat. She didn't even want him to know about it. And that pisses him off.
With Chuck gone for a few days, Negan decides to head to the bar and hopefully find a woman to bring back home to maybe get him out of his bad mood. As soon as he walks into the bar Simon starts to pour Negan's usual.
"Get me a beer, too," Negan calls out as he takes his seat.
Simon sets the bourbon in front of Negan and turns to grab Negan a beer. "One of those days, huh?"
"Yup." Negan downs the drink and puts the glass back down on the bar. "Another."
Simon sets the beer beside the glass and brings the liquor bottle up to refill Negan's drink.
Negan takes a drink of the beer as Simon pours the bourbon. As soon as Simon pulls the bottle away, Negan downs the drink again.
"Keep 'em coming," Negan growls.
Simon takes a good look at Negan for the first time since he walked in. "Shit," he mutters. "Give me the beer."
"What?"
"Come on man, give me back the beer."
Negan is starting to get angry. "Why?"
"You know why."
"I don't fuckin' know why."
"You gotta get outta here, man."
"You're fuckin' shutting me off?! I just got here!"
"You're in rut, Negan! I can't fuckin' serve you if I wanted to."
"I'm not in fuckin' rut!" Negan hadn't had a rut for over a decade. Not since before his mate died. And he's not exactly a newly turned alpha that can't control himself. Him going into rut is something that he wouldn't have expected.
Negan starts to look around at the people around him. They're all completely silent, watching what's going to happen next. And they all look scared. They know an alpha in rut can be dangerous. It makes Negan take stock of himself and the way he's feeling.
Shit. I'm going into fuckin' rut. he admits to himself.
"Come on, Negan. I don't wanna have to force you out," Simon pleads.
Negan pushes the beer towards the bartender and gets his wallet out. "Fine. Just sell me the bottle of Beam and I'll fuckin' leave." If he's gonna be going through his rut alone, he'd sooner just drink until he passes out.
"I fuckin' can't Negan. I could lose my liquor license."
"What? Why the fuck...?"
"It's illegal to sell alcohol to an alpha in rut. They passed a law like five years ago."
"Goddamnit!" He lets out a huff. "Fine," he hisses out and throws a twenty on the bar for the drinks. "Any of you women wanna fuck an alpha in rut?" he calls out to the whole bar. When no one answers, he starts to leave. "Didn't fuckin' think so," he says to himself.
When he gets back home, he calls work to leave a message that he won't be coming in for a few days because he's gone into rut. It's widely accepted that alphas in rut shouldn't be around the general public. At best, they're jerks and at worst, they're dangerous. No matter what, his boss wouldn't want him there until his rut passes. Thankfully, alphas don't receive much blowback for missed days due to rut.
Unfortunately for Negan, his plan to get blackout drunk to get through his rut is quickly derailed. He happens to be just about out of alcohol at home and now he knows that no one will sell him any. Instead, he just goes to bed and hopes his rut isn't too bad.
When he wakes up the next day, he really starts to feel the affects of his raging hormones. First it's hunger. He eats pretty much everything he has in his cupboards. Then, he feels like he wants to head outside and punch the first person he sees in the face. But, of course, he doesn't do that. He can control himself enough to suppress the violent urges that ruts can bring.
Later on in the day comes the urge to fuck anything he can. Since he has no omega, and beta women typically don't want to be with alphas in rut (unless they're particularly adventurous), his hand will have to do.
The next day, he's so miserable he can barely take it anymore. Jerking off only sates him for a few minutes, then he's right back to full mast. It's making him go out of his mind not being able to have what he wants.
Unsure of what to do and with his more rational brain taking a sideline, Negan leaves his apartment dressed only in his boxers and stomps over to Chuck's door. He knows she's not there, but he's not exactly thinking straight. He sniffs at the air and the faint scent coming from under the door soothes him slightly. Kneeling down on his knees, he puts his nose right at the crack of the door and breathes in deeply.
"Fuck," he breathes out as he scent seems to permeate through his veins.
He stays there for a few minutes, but it's just not enough. He needs more. He straightens back up and tries to open the door, but it's locked of course.
"Goddamnit," he growls. He's just about ready to knock the door down when his rational brain perks up momentarily with a better idea.
Sheila and Bill are just sitting down for dinner when there's a pounding on their door.
Sheila stands from her seat. "I'll get it." She walks to her door and opens it.
Negan immediately thrusts his hand out, palm up. "Keys," he demands gruffly.
She takes in the sight of him, dressed in his underwear, erection prominent, sweat soaked skin, hair disheveled. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's wrong with him.
"Keys!" he demands again. "I need in Chuck's apartment."
Bill comes up from behind Sheila and sets his master key in Negan's palm.
Sheila looks back to her husband. "We can't-"
"The girl's not there," he cuts in. "If he does any damage to her apartment, we'll bill him."
When Negan finally gets into the apartment next door, he lets out a sigh of relief. Being in her space, with her scent surrounding him gives him some comfort. But it's still not enough.
He stomps into Chuck's bedroom and pulls down the comforter on her bed. To Negan's chagrin, they mostly smell like detergent, though. She happened to have just washed her sheets the night before she left, so she only slept in them once.
"Fuck," he hisses. It's not enough.
He opens up her closet and finds her hamper full of dirty clothes.
"Mmm," he growls at the scent coming off of the clothing. He plunges his hands in the hamper and pulls out about half of the clothes, carrying them out to the bed and throwing them down on the sheets. He rids himself of his underwear and climbs onto the bed, curling the omega scented clothing all around him.
He immediately starts to fist his cock in search of some relief. It doesn't take long for him to get that release. Though the omega's scent surrounding him keeps him sated for longer, he still starts to get hard again within the hour. He shuffles around the clothing surrounding him and finds a pair of underwear.
Without thought, Negan pulls the garment to his face and breathes in deep. Omegas have scent glands located in their groins, so this particular piece of clothing is more saturated in her scent. And it smells better than anything Negan has smelled before in his whole life.
He can't help but snake his tongue out from between his lips to try to taste that delicious scent. Still, he wants more. He starts to suck and bite at the cloth as he rocks his hips into the pile of clothes on the bed.
Vaguely, somewhere deep in his mind, he realizes that he's crossing a line. But his rational brain is buried so far under his alpha instincts that he just can't stop. He doesn't think about the consequences or what he's going to do after his rut is over. And he certainly doesn't think about how he would explain all of this to Chuck.
The next morning, Chuck's heat abates and she's discharged from the hospital. Dr. Bailey notifies Diane that Chuck is ready to go home, so she drives her car to Chuck's apartment and catches a bus to the hospital.
"I'll drive you home, sweetie," Diane says to her daughter as she gathers up her things from the hospital room.
"Yeah, I don't really feel like driving."
"My car's at your building. We can go there so you can pack a bag to come to my house."
"I think I can stay home," Chuck comments. "I really don't feel as bad as I did last time."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. I'm not really that groggy. Just a little tired."
Diane isn't sure she should let her daughter recover by herself. "Are you sure?"
Chuck lets out a laugh. "Yes, Mom. I'll be fine. I just want to eat something and then nap a little bit."
"Alright, sweetie."
After stopping off at a McDonald's for a quick lunch, Diane and Chuck make their way back to Chuck's apartment. When Chuck puts the key in the hole, she realizes that her deadbolt isn't locked.
Chuck turns back to her mother. "My door's unlocked. I know I locked it."
Diane is confused for a moment, but she reacts pretty quickly. "Get behind me." She digs through her purse to find her little can of pepper spray. "Get your phone out and get ready to call the cops."
Chuck does as she's told, falling in line behind her mother with her phone in her hand.
Diane takes a deep breath before slamming the door open and stomping in with her can of pepper spray raised high. "Whoever's in here, get out!" she yells.
Negan jumps up from where he was sleeping on Chuck's couch. At some point during his rut, Chuck's bed had started to smell too much like him, so he took the rest of her dirty clothes and laid with them out on her couch. With his rut passed, everything he had done during it floods back to him. He looks down at his naked self, then to the couch covered with clothing, then up to the two very shocked faces of Chuck and her mother.
When Chuck finally processes that she's staring at naked Negan, she covers her eyes and turns her head away.
Diane, however, is fuming. "Call the cops, Chuck!"
"No, wait!" Negan grabs some of the clothes from the couch and covers himself with them in one hand. "I can explain."
"Chuck, call the cops!" Diane commands again.
Without uncovering her eyes, Chuck responds. "Why don't we hear him out?"
"Hear him-?" Diane shakes her head. "He's naked in your apartment, Charlotte!"
"I was in rut!" He yells. "I saw her," he points to Chuck, "the day she left and I went into fuckin' rut that night."
Diane stares at Negan, anxious at what that news means. Young alphas can go into rut when they are around any omega in heat. But Negan is older, and should be able to control his urges. The only other time Alphas go into rut is when their mates start their heat. Chuck and Negan certainly aren't mated, so there must be another explanation. And that explanation is something Diane doesn't even want to consider.
It's said that there can be an alpha and omega so genetically compatible that they are considered "true mates". That is, there can be no one else on earth more compatible with them than each other. And once these true mates meet, their cycles will sync even if they haven't mated.
"Chuck, wait outside," Diane says to her daughter without removing her gaze from Negan.
"Mom-"
"Outside, Charlotte!" Diane demands.
Chuck obeys her mother and leaves her apartment, never raising her head.
"Put some clothes on," Diane commands to Negan.
Negan nods and goes into Chuck's bedroom to quickly put on his boxers. When he comes back out to the living room, Diane immediately lays into him.
"I knew you would go after her. I told you to stay away from her!" Diane pokes at Negan's chest to punctuate her point.
He just steps away, not wanting to actually do anything to this woman. "Yeah, well, I didn't stay away," he says simply. "And she didn't exactly push me away, either."
"Did you sleep with my daughter?!"
Negan leans into Diane's space. "You think if I did, she'd've had her fuckin' heat in the hospital!"
She takes a step back from him, not wanting to provoke the alpha. "Stay away from Chuck," she says more calmly.
He looks right into Diane's eyes. "I tried."
She swallows hard. "Try harder."
"You think this is all on me? I went into rut because of her." He points toward the door.
"Don't blame this on her."
"I haven't had a rut in fuckin' years. And then she goes into heat and fuckin' leaves me! I tried everything I fuckin' could to get her to be with me for her heat. I did every-fuckin'-thing right, but she still didn't fuckin' choose me. That's why I went into rut. That's why I had to be here in her scent or I would've gone fuckin' insane."
Diane stares at him for a minute, breathing heavily as she processes what he has said. "Chuck is not your mate. She will never be your mate. You are not good enough for her, Negan. You hear me? You would ruin her life."
The memory of Lucille's father's words resonate in Negan's mind. You broke my little girl's heart. You ruined her life, Negan.
He drops his head and nods, suddenly defeated. "You're right," he agrees quietly. "I'm not good enough for her."
Chuck is sweet, smart, innocent. And naive. Exactly the kind of woman he would never go after because he knows she's good. She deserves love and loyalty. She would expect it, but Negan isn't sure if he's even capable of that anymore.
Negan lets out a sigh. "I'll wash all this shit." He starts to gather the dirty clothes that he's soiled even more. When his hand goes over a pair of Chuck's underwear, he actually feels shame over what he did.
"No," Diane walks over to him. "I'll wash it."
Negan grabs the underwear quickly and balls them up in his hand, hoping Diane wouldn't notice.
But she does. "What are you doing?" She grabs at his hand but he pulls it away. "Give me it," she says more forcefully.
"I'll buy her more."
Diane scrunches up her face. "I can still call the cops, you pervert."
Negan looks down in shame and hands the ruined garment to Diane.
Diane thought that Negan wanted to keep the underwear for the scent, but the ashamed look on his face and the state of the article tells her that's not the case. It's obvious from the little holes and rips that Negan had chewed on the clothing.
Diane lets out a heavy breath. Knowing that Negan got so worked up over her daughter is something that she really would have rather never known about. "Don't tell Chuck about any of this. I don't want her to know what you were doing in here."
"I think she's gonna fuckin' figure it out, Diane. She's a goddamn adult."
"She's not..." Diane isn't sure of exactly how she wants to say this, "she's not like me and you. She's not savvy about the world. Or people. That's why I have to look out for her. So I'm telling you again, I will not let you hurt my daughter. If I have to drag her out of this building kicking and screaming to get her away from you, I will."
Negan wants to fight back. He wants to tell her that he'll do whatever he wants and that she can't stop him. But the shame and guilt that have taken up residence in his chest have him backing down.
"Okay," he says quietly. "I'll leave her alone." He walks over to the door to leave, but sees it's already ajar. When he opens it and walks out into the hallway, he sees Chuck standing right by the door, cheeks red and tear stained.
Unbeknownst to Negan or Diane, Chuck had listened in on everything that they had said. What Chuck heard, or rather, how she interpreted what she heard, is that Negan had only been nice to her because he wanted to have sex with her. And that her mother thinks she's a stupid little girl that can't make her own decisions.
She stares at Negan for a few moments before she turns away from him and runs down the hallway toward the elevator. Negan fights the urge to call out to her, thinking that it really is for the best that he stays away from her. As he watches her get into the elevator, he thinks that she will find a mate eventually, an actual mate that doesn't just want to pop his knot in her. A mate her own age that will treat her right. A mate that won't step out on her or be selfish. A mate so much better than him.
Despite those thoughts, Negan can't help but walk down the hallway after her, like his body is moving on its own accord. But he's not fast enough. The doors close before he gets to them.