ELEANOR . NEGAN

100.

Elle did a zipping gesture and they continued to walk down the gravel. Ian didn't really have a set-in-stone plan to send for Eleanor, he just wanted her to find out about the white armoured walkers. If only she could tell him about Leah... right?

Probably not — she didn't want the Riverbend people to be in a fight that has nothing to do with them. Not one single bit. "Nelly," Negan looked over at her quizzically. "Frank thinks the armour is from a really fucking civilised community."

"Obviously, doll-"

"What if it's the community Eugene contacted?" Negan stopped and raised his brows. "You know, they keep giving us care packages, right? And not once have we been there to spot them... so, pretty fucking skilled, right?"

"Well, shit, Doll. That's a damn good thing — Alexandria was a shit hole."

Elle smacked his chest, "Shut your gob. It's better than the flats."

"You could say a pig sty is better than the flats." He grinned. "But in the end, they both stink of shit."

"I can't with you."

Eleanor hastily walked ahead while the man laughed like a hyena behind her; deep chuckles and clutching his chest like a fucking old man. What a prick. Then he caught up and hummed interestingly, "Alright, so Alexandria is with this... the fuck do we call it?"

"Aw, is your old and wrinkly brain playing up again?"

"Watch it," Negan pointed. "Community." He then remembered the word and kept walking beside her. "Which Leah is hunting? Killing?"

Elle prayed to the heavens above (not that there was in her eyes) that Leah was just desperate and not on an actual killing spree. "Well, we can't find that out, can we? Her last kill was in the fucking winter."

"Great! She's frozen, case closed—"

"It's Leah." She retorted and he just huffed. "She's a merc, ex-soldier... or always soldier. I've never really understood the Americans logic on that." Negan cleared his throat and she looked up at him. Shut your gob. "Uh, right anyways. Me personally? I wouldn't let myself die 'cause my twisty twist on wood doesn't create a fucking fire. Leah would be the same. She's not dead."

Okay... The two continued to walk down the gravel with eyes stuck on the sidelines. It was quiet between them which was weird, except it wasn't at the same time. Nonetheless, the only sound filling the air was the scuffles of their shoes and the summer heat enveloped them into a sweating mess.

And then Negan realised something. Brutal yet true, something Elle couldn't see.

"You and Blondie? Not the same chick." It was random and out of there and Eleanor had to freeze to look at him. "I mean it, Ellie."

Eleanor sheepishly looked down at her converse, scuffing it into the concrete with downcast eyes. She thought her and Leah were the same, similar — murderers. She didn't believe Negan. "We're both soldiers, killers... I murdered her brother, it won't be long 'til she kills one of mine."

"Carter had it coming."

"Carver." Elle finished, snapping her eyes up at him. "He did have it coming, and I don't fucking regret it. But if that was you? Or- or Maya? Fuck, even Frankie? I wouldn't stop until they were all dead... and that's what Leah will do."

-

Maya can remember when they arrived to Alexandria for the first time; immediate fear and danger until the squeaky words of Eugene filtered over the community. It was like a harsh blanket lifted off the survivors when their welcoming hands let them in.