C O M P L E T E D (currently revising)
Surviving through the zombie apocalypse is tough enough, but falling for a lunatic who drips in charm makes it a whole lot harder.
Prequel to Falter
"Lily, sweetheart we've gotta go," Negan said to me as he pulled the covers off of me. I groaned as I rolled over and pulled a pillow over my head. Negan let out a chuckle and threw something heavy onto my legs. I turned my head back to see that he had thrown his jacket at me.
"Come on, get ready," he announced as he headed over to his dresser, wearing only his gray jeans, leaving his top half bare. I watched him as I sat up, admiring his muscles and his tattoo on his back that I had never seen before. "Do you wanna go see your surprise or not? I know you're busy enjoying your hobby but come on," he said over his shoulder, giving me a smirk.
With a huff I stood from the far too comfy bed and gathered my things. As I waited for him to finish getting ready my curiosity had gotten the best of me. "So what's the surprise," I asked as I handed him his trusty leather jacket.
He slipped his arms through as he pondered on the question. "Well if I tell you what the surprise is, that doesn't make it a surprise, does it?" He said with a smirk. He leaned down to pick Lucille up from the table, his hair falling forward.
I let out a sigh, "not even a hint?"
He looked back up at me as he brushed his hair back. "Well maybe a hint, under one circumstance," he admitted with a mischievous grin.
"Well what's the offer," I asked as I smiled back playfully. He took my hand into his, slowly leading us to the door.
He turned back, leaning down to my level, "if you give me a kiss I'll give you a hint." He raised his eyebrows in anticipation as to how I would respond.
I rolled my eyes and answered. "Fine," I said as sarcastically as possible, but I couldn't help but let my smile escape. I wrapped a hand around the back of his neck, pulling him down to my lips. It was soft and quick because I wanted my hint immediately. Although as soon as pulled away, I missed the warmth of his lips.
Negan smiled down at me. "Thanks Tiger, now your hint," he said as he opened the door for me. "It's pretty cool," he said as we walked down the hall.
I furrowed my eyebrows at him to find that he was serious. "Really? That's my hint?"
"What? You wanted a hint about your surprise and I told you that it's cool," he said as he looked down at me. "Although I can tell you what the surprise is if," he began as he smirked down at me.
"Well I'm intrigued, keep going," I admitted with a hand gesture. I glanced around the cafeteria to find a few familiar faces, all with blank stares as they knelt down as we walked by.
"If... you give me a little more than a kiss," he said with a wink. My jaw dropped as I punched him in the shoulder.
"Negan!" I said in embarrassment and disbelief. I looked many staring faces, finding some of them concealing the dirty rumors that they could now create. "Come on just take me there," I said as I grabbed him by the arm, pulling him out of the cafe where he smugly grinned at everyone.
He lead me to the truck and we were on our way. The drive was filled with a comfortable silence. I watched the trees go by and Negan's reflection turn to me every so often. I decided to take my own glance, observing every detail.
How the rising sun set an orange glow on his features, creating the perfect balance of shadows. The way his signature scarf created just enough contrast to his dark uniform. And the way his lips curled as he smiled.
"We are almost there," he told me as he glanced over once more, taking hold of my hand. I looked down at our intertwined hands, realizing how they fit together perfectly. "And I just wanna say your fucking beautiful. I'm so obsessed with your face," he chuckled, making my heart melt.
____
"You brought me to an abandoned store?" I chuckled as I followed behind him.
"Well not exactly but you're almost right," he said as he held open the door for me. I walked in cautiously to find that it used to be a floral store. "Now I feel like you wouldn't be too big on a dried bouquet of flowers," he mentioned, causing me to giggle and nod. "But there are still pictures of flowers."
Negan walked over to a display that had a large poster of some flowers. He ripped it off the wall carefully, not tearing the edges. He shook the dust off and handed the poster to me. I took the old paper into my hands and instantly felt my lips curl.
It was a poster of tiger lilies.
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"You know when you were named Tiger Lily, your parents weren't wrong. You're beautiful fire hair, your clover green eyes, you match them perfectly. Although you're more perfect than a plant could ever be." He walked up to me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I rested my arms around his waist as I pulled him in. "You know, over the years I've realized that flowers always make people better, happier. They are sunshine, and that's what you are to me, my Tiger Lily."
I looked up at him, finding love and care in his brown eyes. His joyful smile left me speechless. My heart began to race, filling my chest with a warmth that I wasn't familiar with. Love.
"I just wanna say that since the day that I found you in the woods, my whole world has changed," he started once more. I laid my head on his chest, listening to his heart beat and meaningful words. "Honestly at first I was fucking terrified of you because you were so mysterious but strong. But I've come to love that the most about you. You're so damn intelligent about your actions. You're utter perfection to me. And you're everything to me. You're the only one."
I looked up into his eyes, losing all consciousness of the world. It was just me, and Negan. And that was all I cared about in that moment. "I love you, so bad." I smiled up to him, watching him process my words as his smile widened and eyes softened. One of his hands moved up to caress my cheek. I leaned into his embrace, closing my eyes in contentment.
"I thought you'd never say that," he admitted as he pulled my lips up to mold with his. It was soft yet passionate. All of the unsaid words and feelings poured out into the simple action.
Negan smiled and pulled back, leaving us breathless as our foreheads rested against each other. "Lily, I love you."
