"I don't like the way he's looking at ya." Daryl mumbled from beside Autumn. He continued to glare at Aaron unsmiling.
Whenever Aaron spoke, he sent quick glances at Autumn with a weird grin on his face. It triggered Daryl even if it didn't with Autumn. A strange feeling of uncertainty filled her as she watched him. Her expression was skeptical as she observed him lean back into the chair he was sitting in.
Gabriel was also sitting back on his chair, rubbing the back of his neck. His eyes studied Aaron's while Aaron's were glued to the wall, filled with discomfort.
"If you three are insisting you aren't a part of any group and are struggling with surviving," He cleared his throat. "What were you surviving on? Where did you stay?" He questioned.
"We were barely surviving, Sir. If there were buildings near us, we would scavenge them and stay the night. We never stayed in a specific place." Avery avowed, glancing around the room.
Autumn pushed herself off the wall and spoke, "What are you three?"
Matt, Aaron, and Avery's heads turned towards Autumn at the same time. Avery's facial expressions were soft and gentle, Matt's almost dreamy, and Aaron's suggested a stolid character. Autumn squinted her eyes waiting for an answer. Aaron rubbed his eyes and sat up, peering at her.
"Friends." He answered easily.
"How?" She shot back while walking towards him.
"We worked together before the whole situation." He replied once again.
Autumn moved in front of him and leaned down. "How did you three make it out together?"
Aaron bit his lip and leaned back against the chair, gazing up at her for a long time. He was quiet long enough to rouse her interest, and she glanced down to determine the cause of his silence. He was scanning her intently before giving her a response.
"We were at work when it happened. We were with a few people-" He glared at Autumn. "But they unfortunately died. Does that answer your question, Autumn?"
Autumn raised her brow at the sudden change in mood. She stood up straight, but something caught her attention. He smelled great, almost familiar. It caught her so off guard, her mind made up its own response. He smelled like the candle that was lit in her house. Realization crossed her features and with it another flash of anger.
"Why do you smell like that?" She whispered, focusing on him and only him.
He didn't reply but chose to stare at her.
"Why!" She shouted, banging on the table.
Autumn somehow pushed the table aside and put a knife to his throat. Aaron raised his hands in a sign of peace. The grin faded and he started to look frightened. Daryl grabbed her arm, pulling her in another direction. Autumn tried to get out of his grasp until she realized it was worthless.
"What the hell are you doing?" He questioned, letting her go once outside. She turned her face away from him and slid her knife into her pocket.
"Last night my candle got downstairs without me lighting it, Daryl." She rasped, sniffing from the cold air hitting her nose.
Daryl tilted his head in confusion.
"I also was downstairs last night, and someone was inside my house. I tried confronting Negan about it, but he says it wasn't him. Aaron smells like my candle. He was who I saw." She insisted, more like convincing herself than Daryl.
"Autumn, maybe you just didn't get enough sleep." He suggested. She groaned in exasperation.
"I'm telling you; I have a bad feeling about them." She spoke.
Daryl didn't speak. His eyes shifted momentarily from the building to her. He rubbed his face and sighed.
"Go home, check up on Negan. We'll have a chat tonight about everything. For now, just relax." Daryl spoke.
Autumn shook her head, covering her face with her hands. Her instincts, however, were telling her to run back inside and throw him out of the community. She shivered in the cold morning breeze and wiped her eyes, ignoring her own thoughts. The little action not going unnoticed by Daryl. He took off his sweater and wrapped it around Autumn, rubbing her arm for warmth.
"Hopefully Negan didn't light your house on fire." He spoke.
"I hope not." She smiled, walking away to her house.
When she approached the house, she knocked on the door and patiently waited for Negan to answer it. The door opened slowly, and a head peeked out.
"Took you long enough." His voice was gruff. He scanned her face with slight concern. "Is that Daryl's sweater?"
When Autumn pushed past him into the house, Negan furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms. "You should be happy I didn't light your goddamn house on fire." He followed her further into the house.
Autumn sauntered up to her room. She entered her room, trying to slam the door behind her. Negan squeezed his foot into the doorway, stopping the door. He met her gaze and his eyes warmed, his lips giving in to a smile. She didn't smile back.
Negan opened the door effortlessly and wandered into her bedroom. He threw himself on the bed and glanced up at her, waiting for her to speak.
"I don't know if you're staying or not, we didn't discuss that." Autumn looked away.
"Then what did you discuss?" He questioned, tilting his head.
"Nothing you need to know."
Negan exhaled and chuckled.
"I know what happened." He said, catching her off guard. She eyed him and crossed her arms. "I followed you and Daryl; I listened and saw what happened."
Autumn shook her head, she looked annoyed as much as disappointed. He rose from her bed and glanced down at her. Her face was hard to describe.
"Did you see..." She trailed off with a hand on her forehead.
"Yeah." He sighed. Autumn tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. He stared into her eyes. "I mean, I slept like a baby last night, so I didn't hear a single thing."
Autumn rolled her eyes and shoved him. Fury and rage bubbled within her. Negan stumbled back a few steps, his eyes finding hers again. She leaned forward, her breasts brushing his chest. Her body was stiff, her blood racing. Negan lowered his head to glance at Autumn below him. He looked at her intent features and smiled daringly.
"Are you stupid? I told you to stay here. You're so goddamn defiant it makes my head spin." She shouted, caring less if anyone can hear. Autumn glared at him with hatred. His jaw tightened and his eyes flashed a warning.
Negan sighed. "I do what I want when I want. A teenager can't boss me around."
"How can you be so arrogant and glib after everything you've done? It's insane." Autumn clenched her fists, uncertain what game Negan was playing with her. His eyebrows jerked up in surprise.
"How can you be so brave and stupid to call someone standing over you arrogant and glib?" He questioned, squinting his eyes at her.
Autumn rubbed her body against his and furrowed her eyebrows. "You wouldn't kill me."
"Is that a challenge?" He raised his brow and kept his eyes on hers.
"You couldn't." She said.
"No, but I would love to." He answered.
Autumn angrily huffed, saying nothing but tightening her jaw. His eyebrows met in the middle of his forehead, and his gaze flared with heated interest. Maybe the only thing that angered him was that she didn't find him irresistible. The conversation had her so oblivious that she didn't hear the sound of knocking at the door until Negan's head turned slightly to her door.
She took a step back and began following the sound of banging until she reached her front door. Her hand opened it and she peeked outside the door. Daryl was outside standing patiently, biting his lip. It wasn't unusual, he bites his lip whenever he's in deep thought or nervous about something. He continued biting his lip but moved his body forward into her house.
He looked briefly around the living room; Autumn guessing he was searching for Negan.
"Aaron is staying." He said, fiddling with his finger. She stayed quiet but scoffed. "Gabriel decided on that. He left me to decide whether or not Negan stays with you." Daryl paused, gazing out of the window. "I wanted to talk to you about that. Even if I don't like him, it's not my decision." He sighed.
"But If he does stay, you're keeping this on you twenty-four-seven, no exceptions."
He held out his hand with a walkie in it. Autumn took it from his hand and tugged it onto the waistband of her pants.
"Thank you, D," Autumn said. "Want a beer?"
"Fuck, yeah. I want a beer." Negan announced, stumbling down the stairs. She looked up at him, anger heating her blood again.
"No, you're not getting one," Autumn replied.
Daryl's arms were folded across his chest and his rugged features were drawn into a troubled frown. With a final glance at Autumn, he dropped his arms from his chest and sauntered to her fridge.
"Okay, Mom." Negan wiggled his fingers in her face.
Daryl reached into the refrigerator and pulled out one water bottle for himself. He slid open the lid and took a few sips, then cleared his throat before talking.
"Me and you are going out scavenging," Daryl spoke, glancing at Negan.
"Uh, why me?" Negan asked. She met his gaze and saw the confusion that crossed his features.
"Because winter is approaching, we need to scavenge for food." He replied, then added, "But also because I sure as hell don't trust you here by yourself or out there with her." His voice was calm and deliberate.
Negan reclined on the couch, propping himself on an elbow. "Now why would I want to hurt my favorite person here?" He smiled mischievously.
Daryl did not attempt to hide the disgust in his eyes. He gazed at Negan intently for a minute before taking a tiny breath. Autumn sensed annoyance in Daryl's face.
"I'll go," Autumn muttered. "And he's coming with me." She glowered at Negan.
He let out a long breath and grinned at Daryl. Negan stared down at him for a moment, his expression unreadable. Autumn came from behind Daryl and rubbed his shoulder reassuringly.
"I have my walkie for a reason, hm?" She whispered, raising her head to look at him.
"Fine, but I'm packing yer' stuff."