Redemption - The Walking Dead

Lighten up while you still can, don't even try to understand.

Negan was sitting on the edge of the bed with Carol standing in between his legs as she towel dried his hair.

"Boy am I glad I knew where to find you." He squeezed her ass causing her to fall closer to him.

"What took you so long anyway?" She chuckled and hung the towel around his neck before fixing his hair back.

"Well, I was comendeered by one of Maggie's merry-men. It was weird. They had some kind of parole bullshit to go over with me. Apparently, I'm no longer gonna be under watch but I have to check in, morning and night? They think it'll stop me running off again."

"Will it?" She stroked his jaw.

"I got a couple other things keeping me around now." He smiled and turned his head to kiss her hand.

"A couple?"

"Yeah, I am real interested in seeing how that new fence pans out. Seriously, how weird is that though. I try to run and they reward me? On the plus side, I'm good for sleepovers now." He pulled her in closer to him again.

"They're just trying to keep you sweet. Daryl told me today that they're gonna ask me to step down from council."

"Yeah they told me that too. You're right. They're trying to play us."

"They're gonna give me an ultimatum."

Negan thought for a moment. "You know, I'll understand if you choose them."

"No," Carol shook her head. "We'll fight this."

Negan stood up and took her into his warm embrace.
"You wanna eat?" He kissed her hair.

Carol put her hands on his bare chest and stood back. "You go ahead, I'm gonna freshen up."

"I can help with that again if you want."

Carol playfully rolled her eyes and pushed him away. "Go make me some damn food." She winked.

"Yes ma'am"

•••

"Take it eeeasy."

"You gotta be fuckin' kiddin' me." Daryl walked into his kitchen to find Negan cooking and singing, wearing nothing but the towel that was wrapped round his waist.

His damp hair hung over his eyes before he brushed it back when he looked up with a grin."Hey, smiler! Omelette?"

Daryl dumped the possum he'd been holding in the sink. "Where is she?"

"Upstairs buddy, but listen, when a lady says she needs a moment, you gotta give her a moment, hell, give her a few." He turned down the heat on the stovetop. "And, after the moment we just had, she's definitely gonna need a moment." Negan blew on his eggs before tasting them. "Damn, I've done it again. This shit tastes good!"

"Everythin's just a big joke to you ain't it?"

"No, it ain't." He pointed at Daryl with his spatula. "But this is the first time I've been this happy in a long ass time. You remember what being happy feels like? Boy, your face would just crack into tiny pieces if those lips of yours moved too much, wouldn't it?" He looked at Daryl, waiting for a reaction.

"Man, put some fuckin' clothes on."

Negan's grin returned as he ran his tongue along the inside of his bottom lip and nodded. His attention turned back to his cooking and he continued to sing.

"Who's killing the cat?" Carol was glowing as she all about waltz into the room. Her hand was already squeezing Negan's bicep before she noticed Daryl was there too. "Oh. Hey."