Chapter 2: Don't break the Rules
Hi! First, thank you for reading my work. I'm not English, I'm French, but I'm trying my best. If you have any suggestion, don't hesitate and leave a comment. Enjoy!
That morning, Rosita and Spencer had planned to explore a place that seemed interesting near Alexandria. They prepared their car by filling it with weapons and a few provisions, but little given the scarce supplies.
It was almost 8 a.m. when they heard trucks pulling up about ten meters from the front door, knowing full well who they belonged to.
Spencer and Rosita looked at each other as Negan's footsteps approached the door, humming until he stopped.
« Little pig, little pig, let me in ! »
Rosita thought that was a very bad joke and that she probably wouldn't like this man anyway. Spencer, after opening the door and revealing a smiling Savior leader uttering a very enthusiastic "Hi", seemed to hesitate before simply responding in an attempted joke:
« Hum… Who are you ? »
"Oh, you better be joking! Negan, Lucille, I though I made a deal with your cowboy leader no? Didn't he tell you about me?"
"Of course I… I tried to joke, my apologies. "
He said, looking disappointed and embarrassed as Rick made his way quickly to the gate.
« Well, hello there ! »
"It's barely 8 o'clock, you came early. "
Rick had finished opening the gate and was now facing Negan. In the meantime, several civilians had approached the scene along with Sasha, Carl, Glenn, Abraham, Carol and Maggie.
« I missed you. »
Rick was sure everyone had heard, making him particularly uncomfortable, manifested in his face turning red, Negan grinning like never before and the people around wondering what was going on.
He muttered something incomprehensible before guiding Negan and his men along the inner wall to park a few trucks there and make the switch.
It went well, each interacting calmly with the other group even though there was still tension. Negan then walked over to Rick, Lucille still in hand but not threateningly.
« I'm happy to see that everyone has understood the rules, Ricky boy. Really. »
Did he… ?
"« Ricky boy » ? Seriously ?"
"Oh I'm so sorry, maybe you prefer me to call you cowboy? Or I can call you..."
"Rick, I prefer you calling me Rick."
"Argh! You're not funny! Anyway, RICK, I would love you to make me visit your place, it looks magnificent!"
He hesitated, after all nothing ensured the Saviors wouldn't attempt anything until the exchange was over, but Rick hadn't even had time to think about it as Negan continued after approaching and taking a look more bitter.
« You know, I think the good faith that we show, that I show, deserves a little fucking hospitality. Don't you think so, cowboy? »
It was definitely a threat, a threat that everyone had heard and that had the merit of showing who had the power.
Rick knew all of this, and he didn't want to take any risk. He then motioned for Maggie to continue running the exchange as he and Negan walked towards the streets for an unintended little visit to Alexandria.
This seemingly inappropriate event at first turned out to be a good way for Rick to try and pin down the man beside him.
« Tell me, Rick, does the little one-eye boy is your kid ? »
The question was said oddly, but Rick took it simply as a curious question.
« How did you know it ? He's not the only kid around. »
Negan chuckled in a deep voice.
« He has the exact same fucking look as you. »
« What look ? »
Negan stopped walking, watching Rick insistently.
« That look that gives the impression that you are a teenager in the middle of a video game to whom I just turned off the console and asked to set the fucking table. »
He understood what the metaphor meant, but he didn't know how to take it, and raised his eyebrows in question.
« It means, Rick, that I don't like the way you look at me. I feel like I piss you off royally, and it pisses me off royally. »
The leader of Alexandria knew it could go wrong in no time at all, but he couldn't just hang his head every time, either.
Rick had limits, like everyone else.
« And how did you think I was going to look at you? I don't know you, actually all I know about you is what I've been told, and what I've been told makes me look at you the same way I look at someone one who's dangerous."
It had come out on its own, and it had kind of relieved Rick, who found Negan's semi "friendly" way odd. The latter resumed his usual smile, although less pronounced than usual.
« Glad you know who you're talking to. »
They started walking again, soon arriving in front of the house where Rick, Carl and Judith resided.
"Well, you have a hell of a house!"
With some hesitation, he launched himself.
« Negan, can I ask you a question? »
He looked pleasantly surprised, even a little too glad that Rick had asked him a simple question.
« Of course you can. »
He just wanted to know who he was dealing with, so he decided to start with a simple question without a second thought.
"What were you doing before all this shit? I mean... what job?"
Rick saw Negan's face suddenly turn darker, in a sad sense, but still with a slight smile that was fake this time. He hesitated a few seconds before pulling himself together and answering.
"Well, the last job I did was a high school sports teacher, and I forbid you to laugh or talk about it!"
But Rick chuckled lightly, too shaken by the image of Negan uttering threats and harsh words at desperate teens, causing the latter to laugh too, a laugh that sounded sincere enough for once.
« In fact, I was looking for a job when it happened. I was kicked out of high school where I taught after beating up a bastard who was unfortunately a parent of one of my students. »
"Damn. What had this "bastard" done to deserve this?"
Rick had continued to smile at the little story, but after that question, Negan's eyes definitely looked sad at the memory. He had no idea why at all, but it also made him sad to see this.
"You... you don't have to answer. I was just curious... Sorry."
He didn't know why he blamed himself so much for hurting the man facing him, but he blamed himself.
Negan noticed his discomfort and resumed the conversation.
"It's nothing. Now that I've told you that, I want to know too. What was the fearless Rick's job before all of this?"
The mood warmed up a bit again, letting the conversation flow naturally, as if they had known each other for some time.
"I was the King County Sheriff's Deputy."
A broad smile spread across Negan's face and his eyes lit up, like a child at Christmas. Rick admired his reaction which he found exaggerated but funny.
« Holy shit! Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes! Do you know it's damn sexy? You should wear your uniform, really. I'm sure you look hot wearing that shit.»
Rick immediately blushed at Negan's remark, why the hell was he blushing at each of his remarks?
Negan ran his tongue over his lips, confirming that his purpose was indeed to make him blush, and Rick didn't even want to imagine why he was doing this.
« Oh, don't be shy, I'm sure you've already used your handcuffs on someone other than a criminal! Did you ?"
As if that weren't enough, Negan had taken on a much slower voice and kept approaching Rick, literally taking the words out of his mouth.
« I... hum... I-I think that's not so important.. »
Negan laughed out loud, giving Rick some space and a few seconds to calm down, a smile almost softens at the reactions of the other leader who always seemed so serious before.
This wasn't the first remark to suggest that Negan was interested in Rick, after all he did from their first meeting and didn't hesitate to let his eyes linger on his body, but it was only then that Rick really realized all of this.
Suddenly, they heard voices rising towards the entrance to Alexandria, definitively sweeping away the lighthearted atmosphere that reigned between the two leaders. They exchanged a brief "hell" look before rushing to the source of the noise.
The scene that greeted them wasn't even surprising when you think about it: Abraham was on top of David, hitting him with force and anger. David kicked him back, reversing positions, blood dripping from their noses and mouths.
Sasha and Laura were yelling at them to stop this, without succes. Everyone started to scream, some encouraging and others trying to calm things down, but couldn't. Fortunately, no one had time to use a weapon and the screams stopped on the side of the saviors at the sight of Negan, his face closed and visibly annoyed.
« Hey, Abraham ! Abraham stop ! I SAID STOP ! »
Rick tried to stop him as well, which worked well enough until David decided to spit in his face, making the redhead blush with hatred. Fortunately Daryl held him back, with Glenn's help.
Silence reigned, all eyes were on Negan, to whom the rest of the events belonged.
Rick turned pale, for he now knew he was a man of his word, and now it was his warnings that echoed in his mind: "... I will beat the holy fuck fucking fuckety fuck out of one of you."
He was scared, really. Carl was looking at his father, asking him what to do, and calmed down when he met his gaze and noticed the soothing hand wave intended for him.
Negan, holding Lucille firmly, approached David and Abraham.
"What the fuck is going on here boys? Why so much violence?"
His tone was deceptively outraged, almost disgusted at the sight of the wounds on the two men, reinforcing that feeling of unpredictability that loomed over him.
Abraham spoke, the vein swelling in his temple.
"This fucking motherfucker tried to touch Sasha! She pushed him away, but this bastard forced her and put a hand to her ass after grabbing her arm!"
Negan immediately frowned at the word "forced" and his fake smile was gone for good.
David awkwardly tries to defend himself.
So Negan approached David, as a predator approaches a trapped prey.
"I thought I was clear enough, Davey. Have I not been?"
"Y-Yes sir. You were clear enough."
"So what the hell were you doing here?"
Negan kept a calm, almost whispering voice, but no less terrifying.
"Negan, sir-"
"Do you really think i need you to answer that? I know that you were trying to rape this woman, weren't you?"
"I didn't try to rape her sir, i just wanted to seduc-"
"Are you telling me that if you had been alone with her, you wouldn't have tried to rape her?"
No one dared to speak or even move, and it was then that the people of Alexandria realized how dangerous Negan was.
David just looked down at Negan's eyes, his trembling hands hanging down either side of his body.
"This is some unacceptable behavior. Rape is against the rules here. I wouldn't wanna be somewhere where it wasn't. Someone in charge who let something like that fly..."
He drew a hunting knife from his belt, shaking his head from side to side, huffing disapprovingly, then pointed his blade in the direction of his face.
David's breathing will quicken.
"David. You really crossed a line here."
"I'm sorry, sir."
Negan lowered his knife but still kept it in his hand. David's breath grew more and more trembling and pleading.
Then Negan stuck the knife straight through his throat, going to the side.
"You know what?"
David's eyes widened as did everyone else's eyes, except the saviors, who were obviously expecting this.
"I do not accept your apology!"
Then he abruptly withdrew the long knife from his throat, watching the man opposite him collapse to the floor, choking on his own blood.
He turned to Sasha.
"Hey, i'm truly sorry for what Davey tried to do... what's your name?"
"Sasha..."
"That is a beautiful name. I hope you know that was not wanted, and i will never accept that. So, if you want, you can achieve and stop old Rapey Davey from becoming Dead-Alive Rapey Davey."
"No, i'm okay."
"You choose. Arat!"
He turned to a nearby woman and she immediately approached to finish off the body of David who was already starting to growl.
After that, everyone seemed to calm down, somehow ending the exchange.
Rick approached Negan, cautiously in spite of himself.
"Rick! Sorry for this, it was unexpected but as you can see I took care of this. I hope you don't blame me?"
He knew full well that even though Rick held him responsible, there wasn't much he could say. But anyway, the smaller of the two had seen very well that Negan hated these behaviors, which reassured him a little about the dubious morality of the man.
"Of course i don't. Everything is okay now, that is what matters."
Negan smiled broadly at Rick, which Rick couldn't quite interpret.
But as misfortune never comes alone, another cry is heard, of pain this time. Once again, the two leaders quickly turned to the source of the noise and saw Maggie hunched over on herself, on her knees, and Glenn totally panicked beside her.
Shit, the baby!