A joke. It's a fucking joke.
Negan thought it was a joke, Elle thought it was a joke, even Gabe did. The way Eugene had half his head stuck up the chimney flute to suspect what was going on was annoying as it is.
It obviously meant one thing. "As I suspected. The chimney flute is completely gunkified. What singed your nostrils earlier was no doubt a toxic mixture of creosote and H2O." Finally, the man got away from the chimney and turned his flashlight off. "Blizzard's done some tearing and blaring. And our chimneys ventilation capabilities are nil to none. It'd be unwise to spark up another blaze lest we plan on ceasing all respiratory functions a.k.a smoking and choking."
Christ alive. Eleanor blinked slowly at all the words while Negan grinned. "God," He dragged out. "I missed you, Eugene."
"I can't say the same."
Negan frowned which obviously made Eleanor laugh. "Shut your mouth, doll."
"Oh, bite me."
He turned on his heel and raised his brows. "We can make that happen," He winked. "Make your next cell visit a conjugal one-"
She went to punch him in the chest but he caught her hand and pressed a soft kiss to her knuckles. Twat but she didn't pull away.
"Okay, folks!" Gabriel's booming voice made Elle ignore the dickhead beside her and she focused on the Priest's words. "Contingency plan. We're going to Aaron's house. It'll be tight quarters, but we'll make it work."
Everyone started to shuffle to the front door of the meeting room, forgetting about Negan like he was nothing. Elle didn't blame them, if anything it made her laugh. The way he looked at the group of people with raised brows and a permanent scowl was enough to make her audibly chuckle.
"None of you assholes is gonna-"
Elle stepped forward and sighed. "Shut up."
The group of people didn't spare anymore glances at Negan, clearly Eleanor had it handled because she got down on her knees and started to unlock the lock by his feet. Time for a joke, he thought.
She stomped on his foot.
He laughed at her antics but also smirked that she knew exactly what he was going to say. "Shit, doll. I do mean it when I say you know me so well."
Eleanor huffed and dropped the chains to the ground, ignoring the echoing clang, while she got back on her feet and looked at him. "Or maybe," she started, dragging her delicate hands down his torso. "I just had to deal with your shit for three years." Elle then tightly grabbed on to his wrists with a teasing grin. "Be good."
"Yes, ma'am."
-
In a moments notice, the outside that was once thick of desperate wind and never-ending rain turned into a giant snow globe that God decided to shake up and down.
The falling white was anything but delicate. It was cold and hard, like a million tiny icicles biting at any piece of bare skin you could find. Everyone in the meeting room was walking with shaking legs and shallow breaths, holding onto a guiding rope like it was Mt. Everest.
Everyone had blankets and thick jumpers and coats, their face shielded away by scarfs and hats.
Eleanor had Negan.
Since he was the prisoner and Eleanor was titled the guard, the two were huddled in the back of the line. Eleanor's hand on the small rope was eloped with his larger one while he had another free hand rubbing up and down her chilly arm.
She should've told him to stop, but she simply couldn't. Every so often, he'd lean forward and pull her hood further down her face anytime the wind would knock it backwards.
She tried to do it herself once but Negan was quick to step forward and settle her free hand in her pocket so he could do it for her. Like he said before, or rather thought, he wants to protect Eleanor. He doesn't need to, he isn't forced to, he just wants to.
The howling of wind was soon took over by the howling of a dog. Dog. Eleanor's head was quick to look up at the sound, her eyes narrowed to try and see through the thick snow that wouldn't stop falling.
Dog barked again.
Judith.
"Jude!" She yelled from the back of the line. "Stay where you are!"
"It's Dog!" A little voice yelled back. "He needs help!"
"Judith-"
The young girl didn't listen to Eleanor's words and instantly went running through the fog, her silhouette disappearing in seconds. Shit. Martyr time is exactly what people thought because in seconds, Eleanor pulled her hand out of Negan's and went sprinting after her.
"Judith," She yelled. "Stop, come back!"
In the distance she could hear Maya screaming for her, her voice echoing through the smog and chasing after her sprinting body. Elle had to ignore it. Her legs were taking her faster through the snow and she couldn't stop, she needed to keep going.
Not again.
She knew she made it far through the snow because the voices of people drowned out and she was alone, calling out for Judith's name whenever she reached a turning.
"Judith!" Bark.
She sprinted towards the dog's howl until a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and brought her to a stop. "No, no, I need to find her."
"Sunshine-"
"Negan?" She turned around in his arms to look up at his features. He had no hat and the collar barely reached his jaw, but somehow he still looked warm. Maybe he just had that effect. "I need to find her."
"Alright, doll. I know, I know." He puffed his cheeks out, rubbing his hands together and exhaled through his nose. "I'm coming with you."
"W-what?"
"You really think I'm letting you do this alone?" He chuckled, "Crazy damn girl you are."
She smiled at him but nonetheless shook her head and grabbed his wrist and without another word, they both started to run towards the sound of Dog barking.
Negan was the shouter, his booming voice the only thing you could hear over the howling wind while she sprinted ahead to hear the howls of Dog. Even if you couldn't see each other through the snow, they made sure to stay close.
"Judith!" Bark. Elle went wide-eyed at the sound, it sounded so close. That was good.
"Negan!" She yelled. "I'm gonna- she's gonna be right there!"
There was no respond. "Negan?!"
A croaky sound echoed through the air and a broken, "I'll be right here, doll." filled her ears.
That does not sound okay.
But she didn't have time to waste at the moment. She staggered through the thick snow and the forcing wind and finally, amazingly, sweetly, she saw Judith and Dog huddled together. "Jude," She called softly, dropping to her knees to wrap her arms around the young girl. "It's so cold, come here."
With no argument, Judith staggered over to her open arms and once latched on, Elle grabbed the makeshift lead for Dog and stood up with Judith curled into her arms. Elle hated this. Hated that she could feel Judith try and battle the coldness with her non-stop shivering and chatter of teeth.
It scared her.
"Come on, sweet girl." She whispered under her breath. "I'm- we'll find Negan... and he'll help, alright? He can help."
Eleanor sniffled and pushed through the snow and the cold temperatures — but it was getting harder too. Judith's tiny hands were letting go on Eleanor's jacket and fuck, "No, no, hold on. Please hold on, Jude."
"Ellie-"
"Hold on."
Elle held on tighter and pushed through the shit stain of a snow storm but she couldn't keep doing this. Her nose was running, tears prickled her eyes, she felt bare and frozen.
"Doll?" Negan echoed.
Thank fuck. "Negan, I can't- I can't-"
A pair of arms wrapped around Judith and Eleanor and that was when the tears started to fall. Now was not the time to cry, she could already feel them crisp against her cheeks but she couldn't help it. The warmth of Negan's cheek was pressed against hers and he whispered that it's okay. It'll be okay.
We'll be alright.
Loads of bollocks.
She was now in a state where her mind wasn't working but her feet were following Negan as he took ahold of Dog's leash. He whispered reassuring words to keep Judith awake and to keep Elle sane, but everything was going in through one ear and out the other.
Except for one thing.
"If it takes going through a fucking blizzard to make sure you're okay? Then fuck me, I'd do it over and over a-fucking-gain."
It wasn't soft and romantic and it wasn't poetic either, but it was Negan. And he meant it.
And even despite the frosty weather that was making her brain not work, a slight warmth rose across her cheeks. And this time? She wasn't even embarrassed about it.
Fucking blizzards.