Redemption - The Walking Dead

What it is, or isn't

Carol lifted strands of Negan's soft hair and watched them fall as she let them go. His head was in her lap, his eyes closed. They were on a sofa in Carol's house. It was late. She repeated the motion a few times over before running her thumb over his eyebrow and then down the stubble on his cheek and along his jaw to the cut on his lip. She couldn't help but look at the scar on his exposed neck, it was a constant reminder of his past and the man he once was.
Carol knew he was awake but he lay completely still. She combed her fingers through his hair again, brushing it to the side. He really was quite handsome.
Negan's rhythmic breathing was deep and slow. Carol chuckled.

"What's funny?" Negan muttered without opening his eyes.

"You. You're almost purring."

"Mmm." He reached up and took Carol's hand from his head, his fingers laced with hers from behind. He nuzzled her hand against his face then slowly placed a lingering, firm kiss on the pulse point of her wrist. He returned her hand to his hair.
Carol breathed out a laugh while twisting locks of Negan's hair in fingers.

"Shit, you don't know how damn long it's been since I've felt..." He chewed the corner of his bottom lip and let out a long sigh, "I don't know." Negan, not for the first time in Carol's presence, couldn't find the words.

"Affection?" Carol offered.
Negan's eyes smoldered as he opened them to give Carol a smile. The warmth that filled his chest in that moment swelled.
She smiled back down at him. "How's the headache?" She was still stroking his hair.

"Pounding. Today fucking sucked."

Carol sighed, "I know but we made it through."

"I'm sorry I put you in this situation, got you into this mess."

"I came to you remember."

Negan's soft smile broke into a grin. "Hell yeah you did."

Carol stroked his eyebrow again. "Try to get some rest."
She wanted to invite him to her bed, but it just didn't feel right with Daryl in the room opposite. She remembered the noise the headboard had made the night before and blushed to herself.

•••

Daryl woke up just before dawn as usual. He threw on his clothes and went to the bathroom. He splashed water on his face to wake himself up and sorted his hair as best he could in the mirror. It wasn't until he got to Carol's bedroom door that his morning ritual changed.
He stopped just as his hand was reaching for the handle, he couldn't check on her as he always did. He was glad he remembered to stop. He hated that he'd stumbled into a private moment the day before. He hated how he reacted and he especially hated that he saw Carol lying almost naked with Negan. He'd be more careful to respect her privacy now, privacy he never even thought to give her before.

On his way to the kitchen, Daryl found Carol sleeping upright on the their sofa with Negan's head still in her lap. His bruising and swelling was much worse than it was the day before.
Daryl cleared his throat gently.
Carol woke up with a start.

"Hey. Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya."

"Hey." It took Carol a moment to realise where she was as she woke up. She rubbed Negan's chest to wake him.

"Shit, what time is it?" Negan sat up with a wince, his face scrunched with pain.

"Early still." Daryl wasn't sure how to act. He bit his thumb nail.
Carol was rubbing her stiff neck.
"You best go to bed." he told her with a glance to Negan.