Dusk had just begun to settle over the Sanctuary lots, sending pink and gold streaks across the dimming sky above.

Blake, with her flannel shirt tied around her waist, removed her gloves, standing up straight and wiping the perspiration from her brow with the back of her hand.

Her and the other Saviours had made a lot of progress today, repotting some tomato plants that had far outgrown their pots. As well as putting up yet another makeshift greenhouse, which some of the generals' had brought here on the way back from their run to the outpost this afternoon. The glass house had been in need of a lot of work in its disassembled state, with a few panes missing here and there. But with a couple of quick patch-ups later, in looked pretty good, and definitely functional.

For not having much experience with this kind of thing, Blake was proud of herself for what she had managed to do so far. It was indeed a far cry from admin work in an office, but perhaps this was something she could really get behind. Making this place, well, better…

A warm evening breeze seemed to dance over her shoulders now, causing Blake to shudder slightly, tossing her gloves down beside an empty wicker basket, before turning on her heel, and making to head inside.

She was the last one out here, as always, alone in the eerie quietness of the small walled garden.

But as she turned towards the door that led inside, Blake stopped suddenly. The smallest of smiles dancing its way slowly over her lips.

She cocked a slender eyebrow skyward.

"Can I help you?" she muttered out, her eyes coming to rest on the tall and looming figure of Negan, stood there, illuminated by the light of the doorway.

He had his arms folded across his chest, accompanying the smug grin he had plastered over his long features, as he stood there, leaning causally up against the doorframe.

The dark-haired Saviour marvelled at her for a moment, giving an impressed sort of chuckle, as his chocolate eyes studied her face carefully.

How long had he been standing there for, Blake wasn't quite sure…

She gave a small bemused frown, pushing a strand of loose caramel-hair away from her dust-strewn cheeks, as he finally spoke.

"What can fuckin' say, Darlin', I'm just keepin' a close on eye on my goddamn empire out here," Negan said in a low drawling voice, as Blake, shifting a large ceramic pot aide with her foot, smiled down at the ground.

"Ah, I see," she commented lightly, giving a knowing nod. "So does all this meet your approval then?"

But Negan just gave a grin.

"It certainly fuckin' does, Sweetheart," he said in an affectionate tone, causing Blake's heart to pound just a little bit faster out here in the quietness of this place.

Silence almost immediately fell between the pair of them for a brief moment, the light growing more and more strained out here as the seconds ticked by, as the first of the crickets began to chirp in the tall grass just beyond the garden walls.

"Well, if you ever wanted a change in vocation," said Blake in warm voice. "I do have some weeds that need tending to."

She cocked an eyebrow up in his direction once more, as Negan agave a laughing scoff.

"Hmmm, sounds fucking tempting, Sweetheart, but I think I'd prefer to stick to bashin' people's brains in," uttered the dark-haired Saviour in a enthused voice, arching his back as he spoke and raising the barbed-wire covered baseball bat in his gloved hand with zeal.

At this, Blake rolled her eyes, smirking slightly, and watching as Negan pushed himself from the doorframe, slowly strutting over toward her.

Blake gave a small gulp, but shook herself hurriedly.

What the hell was wrong with her tonight?

She had to stop this…

…didn't she?

Within just a moment, the dark-haired man had come to stop just a foot or two away from her now….his boots chinking along the dusty ground as he did so.

Blake blinked up at him, desperately searching for words.

God, why was this so hard They had managed all this with no problem before, so what was different now?

But Blake knew exactly what was different.

Things had changed between them now.

Things had been done, people had been lost, words had been spoken…and things were just, well…..they were just different now…that was all…

But that didn't mean that Blake cared any less.

Far from it actually….

Her heart aching, ever since the RV…

That night had been the most perfect and yet the most horrendous night of Blake's life, and something, she, for some reason, could not get out of her head.

Negan had done something so special for her…and yet in one foul swoop, the Wolves had taken from her the person Blake had cared about oh-so dearly. Her one chance of perfection that had been snatched from her grasp…Negan going with it too.

He had acted so callous towards her that night. So uncaring that Mia was gone.

Blake had thought the pair of them had meant more to him than that, but she had obviously been mistaken.

And Blake, although she could forgive….she could not forget.

She was hurting. Even now.

And so Blake did not want to slip into that same routine…lulled into a false sense of happiness..…for Negan to ask her yet again to become his wife…

His prize…

His trophy…

For Blake couldn't face that. Not now.

To her, these emotions were too strong for that.

So perhaps distancing her from him was the right thing to do.

This way they could talk, laugh….be friends perhaps.

But that was all…

For it would kill her to feel something for Negan, which he didn't feel back.

Blake parted her lips, feeling her throat go dry, as the seconds of sheer silence drifted by the pair of them.

But it was Negan who spoke first, gazing at her face as though trying to read her almost distant expression right now.

"You always work out here alone this late, Peaches?" Negan uttered in a soft, sort-of questioning tone.

But Blake gave a smiling shrug, biting gently at her lip.

"I just like the peace and quiet I guess," she murmured back, as Negan stared down at her with something in his eyes that almost resembled awe.

Blake had never seen him look at anyone the way he looked at her…but then again, Blake had never really seen him around his wives for very long. Maybe this was something he revealed when he was with them too…this side of him…

"Well, I just thought I'd come out here to see if you we're headin' in for dinner sometime soon…" said the dark-haired man, blinking slowly, his tongue reaching his back molars.

Blake's lips twitched upwards slightly as she remembered to their conversation back in the marketplace just earlier this afternoon. And at her recollection, the leader of the Saviours had mentioned seeing her for dinner then….but Blake had not of course taken him seriously.

She chewed on her lip, attempting to mask a small smirk.

"This mean you really don't have anything better to do that escort me to mealtimes, then?" she said in a goading tone, folding her arms over her chest, mimicking Negan's earlier stance.

But the dark-haired Saviour eyed her back, grinning and giving a hugely over-the-top sigh.

"Well, you got me," he teased back. "Maybe I am gonna have to get myself a job in this fuckin' set-up of yours after all, doll-face."

But Blake just laughed before she could stop herself.

"And what makes you think I'd even employ you anyway?" she bit back, raising both her eyebrows before staring away out across the lot. "You seem like a bit of a troublemaker to me. And maybe not the kinda' guy I want on my team."

But her eyes were drawn back to Negan, as he took a step into her suddenly, grinning widely and revealing his line of perfect white teeth.

"Oh, I've got a fuckin' feelin' you could handle me, Peaches," he growled into her ear, sending a shiver running down her spine.

Blake's green eyes met with his, as she pulled back slightly…their faces just a mere breath apart.

She felt herself instantly heat up…despite the temperature slowly dropping outside, now that the sun-ray's had long since disappeared.

But the moment didn't last for long, as the caramel-blonde woman gave a smirk, and dragged her eyes away from his….remembering what she hadn't long told herself….

Just friends. That all they could allow themselves to be. For either of their sakes.

"So…to the dinner-hall then?" Blake said gently, peering up at Negan once more, a gulp sliding its way down her slender and exposed throat.

But Negan, had already eased himself back onto his heels and widened the gap between the pair of them once again.

And instantly, another large grin slipped over his long and tanned features, as he eyed her.

"Well, I mean that is a fuckin' option," he nodded playfully. "Although I was thinking that maybe you'd wanna do somethin' a lil' fuckin' different tonight, maybe…."

Blake gave a small bemused sort of frown, her eyes meeting with his.

"Like what?" she asked a little tentatively.

But Negan just leant in towards her again, bumping her shoulder with his broad, leather-clad one, playfully.

"I was thinking a change of scenery perhaps," he growled in a low voice. "If you're up for it, Darlin'?"

Blake stared Negan out for a long few seconds, blinking hard up at him….feeling her breath catch in her throat momentarily.

Just friends…

Blake slowly smiled and gave a tiny nod, as Negan stepped aside to allow her to walk with him charmingly.

"Al-right," he chimed. "Pizza and a slow fuck it is then."

And at once, Blake tutted loudly as she dug him hard in the ribs with her elbow.

"Uh, in your dreams, asshole," she purred in reply, as Negan glanced her way, nudging her back, as they began to walk.

"Told you, you could handle me, Peaches," he uttered back. "In any fuckin' way you like."

And Blake could only roll her eyes ,smirking, as the two of them disappeared off inside , closing the door to the gardens with a clang behind them.

Sorry it's just as short one today. I'm not feeling too great at the moment. Hopefully more to come soon if you'd like more Negan/Blake? I have some nice ideas coming up that I hope you'd enjoy but they're pretty long term, so I hope you all don't get bored or anything with lots of chapters.

Thanks so so much to CLTex, chelseajowhite, Hmc09, xojade, Guest, reigningempire, Nedstark39, Guest, Hannah, FriendsWithTheMonster, Son's Angel, guest12354, frog, fearthewalkingdead15 and l0velylexx for commenting on the last chapter.

Please review if you get the time to. :)