It had been nearly a month since Aurora had started the 'Negan Night Watch' as she called it. In that time she had still managed to not speak a single word to him, and she prided herself in that. Instead she just watched him closely and quietly, almost as though she was studying him. And in a way she was. Meanwhile he did the same to her, although Negan was anything but quiet. In fact Aurora was convinced that word wasn't even in the man's vocabulary.
She arrived at eight as usual, bringing Negan's dinner with her. Placing the tray on the floor she slid it closer to his cell bars before she went and sat on her bed with her latest book.
Negan took the food from his tray and began to eat while he watched her read. "How long have you been down here with me? A month? And I don't even know your name yet" he spoke up. Aurora looked up from her book and offered a small shrug of her shoulders before continuing to read. "You plan on giving me the silent treatment forever? Tell me... who'd I kill? Your boyfriend? Your Dad?" He began guessing, trying to find something to hit a nerve, a task that was one of his many specialties. At this point he would do almost anything to make this frustratingly silent young woman utter a single word to him. "But then again, you don't look at me with hatred and disgust like everybody else here" he mused.
Before Negan could say anything else a knock came at the door and one of the gardeners that Aurora worked with popped his head around the corner. "Hey... sorry to bother you. Barb wanted to know if we had any more stakes for the tomatoes, a few more are starting to droop" Benjamin told her.
"No worries Ben, I cut a fresh bundle of sticks this morning. They are in the far right corner of the big garden shed" Aurora told him.
"Awesome. Thanks Aurora. Night" he smiled cheerfully. She cringed internally at the mention of her name in front of Negan, but gave Benjamin a quick smile and a wave.
"Faggot" Negan muttered as Aurora began to read her book again. Her head snapped up and she stared angrily at him. "A bundle of sticks... it's called a faggot" Negan stated in a matter of fact kind of way as he chuckled cockily. Aurora scoffed at him and turned her attention back to the book in her hands.
"You know, I was almost beginning to think you were mute, I hadn't heard a single word pass those pretty pink lips since you've been down here" he smiled. "But hot damn... your voice is sexy as fuck. Kinda reminds me of that actress, the blonde with the slightly husky voice... you know the one. She's fucking hot. Actually you kinda look like her too" he grinned. "Like her...crossed with that boyish singer Pink".
As much as Aurora wanted to ignore Negan, he had kind of peaked her interest. She wanted to know which actress he was talking about. She didn't really know why. Maybe she just wasn't used to someone giving her a compliment. Not many people would see past her somewhat androgynous look. She looked up at him her eyebrow raised in confusion. He hadn't exactly given much information to go on.
"Oh c'mon you know the one... she's probably every teenage boys wet dream" he chuckled. "She was in that movie with the Scottish guy... the Island".
"Scarlett Johannson" Aurora spoke up before she could stop herself. She always had good knowledge when it came to movie trivia.
"Yes! That's the one" Negan said as he clapped his hand on his leg excitedly. "So... your name is Aurora?... That's different, maybe even a little weird" he teased.
"As opposed to Negan" she shot back. "My Mother liked the night sky" she told him in defence.
"Well, I'm gonna call you Rori, because you're cute as a fucking button and I think it suits you" he grinned smugly.
"My Dad called me Rori" she said as she eyed him.
"Really? Well... I could be your Daddy" he said with a suggestive wink.
"What makes you think I need or even want a Daddy?"
"Every girl likes a Daddy" he chuckled.
"Not every girl".
"Oh I see... you're a Dyke huh?"
"Excuse me?"
"A Lesbian" Negan clarified.
"I know what a fucking Dyke is you moron. You think I'm gay because I don't want you to be my Daddy?" She almost laughed. "Ever thought maybe you're just not my type?"
"So you're not gay then?"
"Not that it is any of your business, but no. I am not gay. Despite what your antiquated steriotypical views may tell you" she sassed.
"My deepest apologies Sweetheart. I meant no offence. You know what they say about people who assume".
"Yeah... you're an ass" she quipped. "And I'm not offended".
"Really? Could have fooled me".
"I couldn't care less what you or anyone else thinks. I could have quite happily let you believe I was gay. It's not that you thought I was gay... it's why you thought I was gay. I am who I am. Love it or hate it. I won't change for anyone. And I certainly won't change because of people's fucking rediculous preconceived notions of what it means to be gay, or any other stereotype for that matter. You can't go putting people in boxes like that. We are all different and we are all unique" Aurora practically ranted before she stopped herself.
"Well I for one, love it" he grinned. "You stay true to yourself Rori. Because you are clearly beautiful inside and out".
"Don't act like you know me" she said with a roll of her eyes. She knew exactly what he was trying to do.
"Oh I don't know you Sweetheart. But I'd sure as shit like to. And after this one little conversation I know that you have a kind heart. Not to mention I've seen your pretty face every day for a month. You are fucking beautiful, no doubt about that. Accept it" he grinned.
"Rick warned me about you, you know".
"Oh yeah? What did Rick the Prick tell you?"
"That you are a sweet talker. A ladies man. You will say whatever it takes to sway people. Turn them to the dark side" she teased.
"Fuck, what am I to you people? Darth fucking Vader?"
"I'm impressed you got that reference" she grinned.
"Sweetheart you weren't even born when that shit came out" He teased.
"I wasn't even a thought when that shit came out" she laughed.
"So how old are you kid?"
"Old enough to not be called kid" she quipped giving him an angry stare.
"My bad" he smiled raising his hands in mock surrender. "So what... 17? 18?"
"Seriously?"
"What? Not that young?... 20?"
"Dude... I'm 25" she laughed.
"Well Sweetheart you look young as fuck. I would not have guessed 25. I was almost beginning to feel like a dirty old man for thinking you're so fuckable" he teased, earning himself another sass laced eye roll. "You know... fifteen minutes ago I didn't even know your name" he grinned triumphantly. "Now look at us".
"I hope you enjoyed it, coz that's all the information you're getting from me" she countered.
"Aww c'mon. We were getting on so nicely".
"Well Negan. It seems you know plenty about me. And I know nothing about you. For a guy who likes to talk a whole fucking lot, you never talk about yourself".
"What do you wanna know Rori?"
"How old are you?"
"Old enough to be your Daddy" he teased with another sly wink.
"Alright we're done here" she said as she picked up her book again.
"Okay okay... sorry. Old habits and all that. I'm 48 Sweetheart".
"Is Negan your real name?"
"Yup"
"What did you do to these people?"
"These people? They aren't your people?"
"They are now. But I wasn't here when whatever happened, happened. I arrived after you were already here" she said as she gestured to the cell.
"Alright then. Get comfortable Sweetheart. Let me tell you a little story... all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down" he grinned.
"Seriously? You're gonna tell me that your the fucking Fresh Prince of Belair?" She laughed.
"Wow... wasn't sure you'd get that reference" he mocked.
"I may be young, but I wasn't living under a rock".
"I was just fucking with you. But seriously, I'll tell you what went down and how I ended up here" he said as he got comfortable on his bed and looked at her from across the room.