Aurora returned later that night, bringing dinner for the both of them. She had taken to sitting by his cell and eating with him. Although he was still a prisoner, that's not how she saw him anymore.

"You look much better like this" She smiled a little shyly.

"You weren't digging the sasquatch look huh?" He teased.

"Nah... I prefer rugged, not overgrown" she chuckled.

"So what else do you prefer?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you like in a man? C'mon I know I'm your type" he smiled.

"Like your ego needs any more stroking" she laughed softly.

"I could tell you what does need stroking" he grinned with a suggestive wink.

"You're an asshole" Aurora laughed.

"C'mon Rori... I'm stuck in this cell 24/7 and you are the only person that talks to me. You're the only person who can even stand me. Humour me please" he practically begged.

"Alright... what do I like in a man? A good sense of humour, he has to be able to make me laugh. A nice smile. Respect for women. I like a man who is rugged, you know... tall dark and handsome. None of this pretty boy shit. And... I love tattoos" she said as she grinned at him.

"You like tattoos huh?"

"Oh yeah. I guy with ink is totally sexy".

"So I am your type" he chuckled with a smug grin.

"Yeah... I guess you are" she said with a non-committal kind of shrug, trying to play it cool.

"C'mon... you like me. I'm totally fuckable right? You think I'm sexy...
You can tell me" Negan teased.

"Shut up" Aurora laughed.

"I love it when you laugh" he said seriously. "But honestly, if things were different... You'd go there right?" Negan teased some more.

"You're fucking persistent aren't you?"

"Damn right. You can't tell me you don't feel it"

"Feel what?" She asked innocently.

"You're gonna make me be the one to say it aren't you?"

"Yup" she grinned smugly.

"I fucking like you Rori. You're cute as fuck, you are funny as shit and you are fucking real. You don't hide behind some mask, you're not fake as shit with make-up caked on your face saying shit you think I wanna hear to get me to like you" he told her.

"My goal was never to get you to like me".

"I know, and that's why I like you even more. You don't have to try. You don't need me to like you".

"Am I some sort of forbidden fruit to you? Something that you can't have. You like the challenge? Is that it?"

"Is that honestly what you think of me?" Negan asked, the hurt and disappointment evident in his voice.

"No" she retracted. "It's just... I dunno I guess I wanted to be sure. Maybe I let Rick get into my head. Because he's worried that you got into mine".

"I wanna be in your head, but not in that kind of way. I'm not trying to play you Rori. I wanna be on your mind. I want you to be thinking about me, in the same way that I think about you" he admitted.

"And what way is that?" She asked curiously.

"Every fucking way Sweetheart. You and I are connected that's obvious. Mentally, emotionally, spiritually... and physically in the most innocent way you can fucking imagine. And if I'm being completely honest that scares the holy shit outta me. Just the simple touch of your hand can bring me back down to earth when shit in my head is getting all too much. You keep me grounded like no one else ever has" Negan smiled.

"Not even Lucille?" She asked, knowing about his late wife.

"Not even Lucille had me feeling the way you do".

"So it's not just me feeling this then" she smiled shyly.

"So you admit that you do feel it too?"

"I have for a while now" Aurora smiled.

"Fuck... I wish we weren't separated by these god damned bars" Negan sighed as he rest his forehead on the cold hard metal, his hands wrapped tightly around the bars, his knuckles turning white.

Aurora slid her fingers over his knuckles before resting her hand on top of his making him look down at her. "Maybe it won't always be this way" she offered.

"You and I both know I'm not getting out of here".

"I talked to Rick today. He knows about us... whatever this is. That we have this... connection. I told him that you want to be a part of this new world. That you want to redeem yourself".

"What did he say to that?" Negan asked.

"He wasn't sure he believed it".

"Of course he doesn't"

"Maybe not now... but I'm confident he will come around. He will see what I see in you. I will make sure of that" she smiled.

"You and your good heart" Negan chuckled.

"You deserve a second chance" she told him.

"Rori..."

"Yeah?"

"I could fucking kiss you right now" Negan whispered, a shy kind of smile plastered on his face, almost as though he was nervous about it, which was very uncharacteristic for him. "But I don't want it to be with these bars between us. I don't want that to be how you remember our first kiss".

"You're pretty confident that it's gonna be a kiss worth remembering" she teased.

"Oh I fucking know it will. You can't tell me you don't feel that tension?"

"Of course I do".

"Good. Hold on to that" he smiled. "It's gonna make this all the more amazing when I can taste those pretty fucking lips of yours" he grinned smugly.

"Negan..." she groaned.

"What?"

Aurora rolled up her sleeve to reveal her tattooed arm.

"That is some sexy ink, but... why are you showing me this now?" He asked a little confused.

"It's what's beneath the ink. Feel my skin" she told him. Reaching out a hand he ghosted his fingers up her arm feeling the goosebumps on her skin.

"Is this what I do to you Sweetheart?" He asked, a little surprised.

"Mmhmm" she smiled.

"That is fucking awesome" he smiled smugly. "So how far exactly does this ink go?" He questioned cheekily as he slid her sleeve up a little higher, his fingers dancing along her skin.

"Maybe one day I'll show you" Aurora grinned.

"Yeah? You gonna strip for Daddy?" He teased.

"If you keep referring to yourself as Daddy then it's never happening" she laughed.

"I know you fucking hate it. That's why I say it" he laughed.

"You're such an asshole" she giggled.

"I know. Yet you still like me you fucking crazy woman" Negan smiled fondly.

"I do" she laughed.

"Now that we are no longer pretending like there isn't something going on here, why don't you drag your mattress over here permanently?"

"You trying to get closer to me Negan?" Aurora teased.

"Rori I wish I could have you as close as humanly possible" he growled lowly, his words and his tone sending a fresh wave of goosebumps over her skin.

Aurora dragged her mattress over to Negan's cell and laid out her pillow and blanket. "Well, you'll have to settle for having me this close for now" she smiled as she lay down facing him.

"I'll take it" he grinned as he placed his mattress on the floor next to the bars. Settling down on his bed Negan lay facing Aurora feeling at ease looking into her eyes. Stretching out an arm she slid her hand through the bars towards him and he grasped it with his own. Bringing her hand to his lips he gave it a gentle kiss "Goodnight Sweetheart" he smiled sweetly.

"Night Negan" Aurora whispered as she grasped his hand tighter before closing her eyes and slowly drifting off to sleep.