"Come on, come take a break, you earned it," Simon smiles.
Kirsty tucks her knife into her belt and makes her way over to him. She had been put on watch while the saviors made repairs to the exterior of one of their outposts. It was hot out, and her vest was already soaked to the bone. She rubbed at her head with the back of her arm, blowing upwards in an attempt to cool herself.
"Here, take this," Simon holds out a bottle of water. "It's hotter than hell out here. Go get yourself something if you're hungry," he gestures towards the back of the truck.
Kirsty grabs a sandwich from the cooler.
"Is that the last one?" A woman asks from beside her.
Kirsty shakes her head, grabbing another sandwich and passing it to her.
"Thanks," she smiles, hopping up onto the back of the truck. "Christ it's hot!" She glances at Kirsty, then pats the space beside her. "You can sit down. I won't bite."
Kirsty smiles and sits beside her, munching on her sandwich.
"You're from Alexandria, right?"
Kirsty nods, taking a drink of water and coughing slightly.
"I had a sister that was deaf. I mean, i know it's not the same, but she couldn't talk either. Born that way, poor thing. I say poor thing, she was smarter than anyone of us. It fucking sucks though, she told me often enough."
Kirsty turns to her. You can read lips?
"Yeah. It was fun actually. None of the others could read lips, not even my mom, bless her. So we used to have entire conversations round the dinner table. Most of them using words that'd make a sailor blush," she laughs.
Kirsty laughs in the silent way she has.
"Anyway. I just wanted to say, i don't think you're dumb or anything."
Thanks, Kirtsy nods with a smile.
"Names Arat," she holds out her hand.
Kirsty takes her hand, shaking it briefly. Kirsty, she mouths.
"Yeah, i know. Negan's taken a real shine to you," Arat laughs.
Kirsty shifts uncomfortably.
"I'm guessing you don't like him that much," Arat tilts her head. "Suppose that's fair enough on your part. He's not that bad, you just think he is cos you're on the opposite side. Both our sides lost people, but we lost more. And yet here we are, sitting side by side eating a sandwich, being civil."
We were trying to save our people, Kirsty defends herself.
"Course you were. Ain't it funny, how everyone seems to think they're doing the right thing?"
I get what you're saying, Kirsty nods.
Arat's face softens slightly. "I don't mean anything by it. That's just the way it is now. A bunch of people running around, thinking they're doing the right thing," she moves closer to Kirsty, lowering her voice. "This is between me and you. But i think the world would be much better if it didn't have men leading it. All that testosterone," she shakes her head. "They're basically leading with their dicks. Men call each other pussies like it's a bad thing. But i'll tell you this for nothing. In a world full of dicks, i'd much rather be a pussy. All you need to take a dick down is a little," Arat flicks her finger. "Knocks em off their damn feet. But a pussy? That mother fucker can take a damn pounding."
Kirsty almost chokes on her food with laughter, tears streaming down her face.
Arat giggles. "It's true though. I'd take being a pussy any day."
"Come on, ladies. Break's over," Simon shouts.
They both jump down from the truck. Arat shoulders her rifle. "You're alright. You need anything, just ask," she nods as she walks off.
The sun slowly begins to lower in the sky, the heat becoming more bearable. The saviors begin to pack up for the day, most of them chatting idly and smoking cigarettes.
Simon heads over to Kirsty. "Negan should be here soon. Just spoke to him on the radio, said he'll take you back to Alexandria."
Kirsty nods, taking a sip of water. She waves at Arat as she drives away in one of the trucks.
"Hey, new girl," someone shouts.
Kirsty turns to see David, who to be honest, she dislikes more than Negan.
"It true you can't talk?" He asks with a smile.
Kirsty nods, not really caring for where this is going.
"See," he turns to his friend. "Didn't i tell you."
His friend nods his head a little uncomfortably. "I'm John," he nods at Kirsty with a shy smile.
Kirsty, she nods. Then remembering that not everyone can read lips, she jots it down.
"Well look at that! She can write!" David laughs.
Kirsty frowns, her heart pounding against her chest.
"David, don't be such an ass. She's mute, not stupid," John says, shifting his feet uncomfortably.
Kirsty offers him a grateful smile.
"Wouldn't she make the perfect woman though? Pretty, nice package. I mean, there's plenty of pretty women around, but a woman that can't talk back? That's just fucking perfect!"
"The fuck did you just say?" Negan's raised voice comes from behind Kirsty.
"I was just joking," David laughs.
Negan stares at him, his face a bright shade of scarlet as he clenches his jaw. "Does it look like anyone's fucking laughing? Because i sure as shit ain't!"
David swallows deeply. "I'm sorry, i just-,"
"I don't give a FUCK what you was just. I hear you talk to her like that again, John here will be picking your useless good for nothing brains out of Lucille! You fucking hear me?" Negan frowns, his breath heavy.
David nods his head. "Y..yes, sir. I'm sorry, it won't happen again."
"It better fucking not. Now get the fuck outta my face, asshole," Negan grimaces.
David almost stumbles his way to his truck, his hands shaking as he starts up the engine.
"Negan, i wasn't-," John starts.
Negan cuts him off. "I know you wasn't. Make sure he stays outta my fucking way, okay?"
John nods and follows David to the truck.
Kirsty stares at Negan, and finds herself feeling something she never thought she would for him, respect.
"I'm fucking sorry about that," he turns to her, offering her a weak smile.
It's okay, i'm used to it, she shrugs her shoulders.
"No," Negan frowns. "It's not okay. Do people talk to you like that in Alexandria?"
Kirsty shifts her feet. Not exactly like that. I guess some people feel like they're humouring me just by talking to me, i don't know.
Negan's shoulders sag. "Is that what you think of me? That i'm just.. humouring you?"
She looks up at him and shakes her head. No, i don't.
He smiles briefly, his eyes burning deep into hers, then he turns his head. "We should get going, gonna be dark soon."
Rick watches them pull up at the gates. He's surprised when Negan drives off without getting out and taunting him.
"Kirsty, you okay?"
I'm fine, she nods.
"Daryl was looking for you earlier. I think he's going out on a hunt, wanted to know if you were interested in going with him?"
I'll go find him, she mouths.
"Sorry, i didn't catch that," Rick says apologetically.
She takes out her notepad and writes it down instead.
"Oh, i think he's at Aaron and Eric's."
Kirsty nods as she heads towards Aaron's.
"Hey!" Aaron smiles as he opens the door. "You looking for Daryl?"
Kirsty nods with a smile.
"Well, he's in there eating us out of house and home," he jokes. "You want some? There's plenty to go around."
Kirsty rubs her hands together. Can't say no to that.
She steps into the dining room, the smell of spaghetti hitting her nose. Daryl and Eric look up as she enters.
"Kirsty!" Eric almost beams. "Feels like i haven't seen you in forever. Take a seat," he smiles, pulling out the chair between him and Daryl.
Kirsty sits down and takes a plate, filling it with spaghetti.
"Here," Daryl places his bread on her plate. "Don't say i never get you anything."
"Well that's generous. Considering you already had five rolls," Eric jests.
Thanks, she mouths, dipping the bread into her spaghetti sauce.
"You wanna come hunting later?" Daryl asks through a mouthful of spaghetti.
Kirsty shrugs her shoulders. I'm pretty tired.
"No wonder," Daryl frowns. "Negan's working you like a dog. Anyone would think he don't have men of his own."
Aaron clears his throat. "So what are your plans for tomorrow, Kirsty?" He asks, trying to change the subject.
She takes out her notepad, writing with one hand and eating with the other. Might go on a run. See what i can see.
"You want me to go with you?" Daryl asks, sounding a little needy.
I thought you were going out on a hunt? You might not be back, she writes.
"Aw, to hell with that. Hunting can wait," he shakes his hair away from his eyes, wiping at his mouth with the back of his hand.
Okay, Kirsty nods. This is really good, she mouths to Eric.
"Oh, thank you. If only Aaron would appreciate it," he frowns in his direction.
"What? Since when do i not appreciate your cooking?" Aaron asks with a hurt look on his face.
"You never compliment my cooking," he says.
Kirsty laughs silently, covering her mouth.
Daryl walks Kirsty to her house, following her onto the porch. "You want a smoke?" He offers one out to her. Kirsty takes it gratefully and sits down on the porch step. "You find out anything about Negan yet? Anything we can use?"
She shakes her head.
Daryl looks down at his feet, his hair falling over his face. "It ain't right you working with him. I wish i could do something about it. Rick ain't even close to coming up with something. If anything, he's more compliant."
It's alright. It's not like Negan's mistreating me, she writes.
Daryl frowns at her. "Almost sounds like you're defending him?"
I'm not. I'm just telling you how it is, she writes.
He looks away, exhaling the smoke from his cigarette. "Sorry, i weren't trying to sound like i thought you was warming to him."
Kirsty looks of into the distance. She wonders if Daryl would actually be right to think that. Am i warming to him? She quickly puts the thought out of her head and flicks away her cigarette. I'm gonna get some shut eye. I'll meet you out front at sunrise? She writes.
Daryl nods, stepping up from the porch. "Sure, i'll see you tomorrow. Night," he smiles, watching as she heads inside.