Dead Man Walking

lxxxiv

"They're both dead," Rosita sighs as she tried to turn on the heaters. There was a huge snowstorm out there and Hunter knew they wouldn't work, they were old and shitty. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Well...We could keep each other warm."

"Uh, the peanut's listening."

Hunter chuckles and kisses her cheek. After everything that happened with the Alpha, Hunter and Rosita were quick to leave the Kingdom. Hunter wanted Lydia to come with him but she wasn't ready and Hunter accepted that.

Hunter pulled away from Rosita as he heard the door open and Eugene was walking in, "I did the systems check on the state of the array, as requested, and the solar panels are no Bueno. Best bet is to go old school to keep toasty. I'd advise initiating winter one ice-storm protocol."

"The meeting room, Aaron's house, and Barbara's have the largest working fireplaces. We'll divide into those," Hunter says as he puts his hat on, he brought it down to cover his ears, "I'll get the word out."

"We'll gather up dry firewood, stock up, get cozy, and ride it out."

Hunter groans as he remembered the prisoner they had locked up, "We can't leave Negan. He'll freeze down there. As much as I hate to say it, we have to let him out."

______

"I swear to god, I have memorized every square inch of this room," Negan says as Rosita chains him up, "And it still feels like a party."

"A never-ending party from hell."

"I mean, sure, all right. It smells like a goddamn barn in here, all bored shitless, but–"

"Language!" Judith scolds.

"Sorry. Sorry, kiddo. But, I mean, we've got ourselves this hot little love triangle here to entertain us," Negan says and Hunter furrows his brows, "It's like Christmas to me."

"Well, maybe they're just as miserable at Aaron's or Barbara's," Siddiq says.

"Hunter, your girl's doc, wait, hold on, I have a question," Negan continues talking but this time Hunter was actually interested in what he had to say, "Did you know, while you were out there looking for big brother Ricky, your girl here was having some adult fun with the doc?"

Hunter's hands freeze over the wood he was picking up. His head lifts up and he meets Rosita's eyes and by the looks of it, Negan wasn't lying. Hunter scoffs out a chuckle. He didn't know whether to be angry at her or not. He wasn't there for her, he was gone for a long time and he didn't even know if he was going to come back.

"So, Hunter, how do you know if that baby is even yours? This also begs the question–do you ever wonder what the hell was going on in there when she has her appointments?"

Hunter tosses the wood into the fire. While he was out there grieving the loss of his brother his girlfriend was hooking up with Siddiq. Siddiq, the man Hunter doesn't blame for Carl's death but now he wished he had. And now he was stuck in a room with people who'd lied to him. He wished he was trapped in the storm. It'd be better than this.

"Do you ever shut up?" Hunter snapped, "I mean, I know I've asked you that before and you said no, but after years all locked up all alone, I'm thinking I'll ask again."

Negan smiles, "That hurts, Hunter, truly. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say you didn't know."

Hunter drops the rest of the wood and walks over to Negan, "You're lucky my niece and nephew are in this room. I'm not gonna do anything to you. But if you don't shut up, I'm gonna slit your throat again. But this time Rick won't be here to save you."