I think I liked you better when you didn't have a knife in your hand, Peaches

The Ghost

The wind and the sleet had arrived soon after Negan had left the garden that afternoon.

It couldn't even be called a storm, but even so, each and every one of the Sanctuary windows seemed to rattle and shake, causing each resident to give an involuntary shiver every time they heard the wind battering against the window panes.

The last run was due to arrive back later that night, but in the meantime, Negan had put a stop to anyone else leaving with the weather as it was.

As much as people presumed he was a hard-ass, he wasn't about to risk any of his best men out there in conditions like that.

It was late evening now, and Negan was still in a foul mood since his run in with Blake and Nick earlier today.

He had relegated himself to the rec room for the afternoon, lazing across the large sofas and smoking away half a pack of cigarettes he had stashed away for an occassion such as this, daydreaming about what it would be like to ring that fucking asshole's Nick's neck.

But as pissed as Negan was, he knew he would have to see Peaches at some point and probably grovel.

Yeah he was fully aware of how much of a prick he'd been. But shit, he wouldnt have had to say any of that shit if Nick hadnt been standing there, a fucking smirk plastered all over his goddamn face.

Oh how Negan wished he could have wiped that smug smile from that mother-fucker's lips, right there, right then.

Negan could hear Blake's soft voice on the other side of the cherry wood by the time he finally reached the door to his and Blake's room up on the third floor.

Knowing he couldn't do anything about the obvious smell of cigarette smoke that clung to him, Negan turned the handle and went inside.

Blake was there of course, perched on the edge of their large bed, as was Mia, the blonde tucking her up beneath the covers snuggly.

Negan knew how much the kid hated any kind of storm, and so Blake had blatantly made the sensible choice of letting her sleep in with them tonight, rather than get woken up by Mia's crying in the early hours from next-door.

Both girls looked up as he entered and closed the door behind himself with small snap.

Blake still looked completely unimpressed, glowering at him over her slender shoulder.

"You decided to quit being an asshole yet?" she asked coolly, turning back to Mia and smoothing the bedcovers down over her middle.

Negan pursed his lips together and moved over to the couch.

"Ass-howl'," Mia repeated with a giggle.

But Blake quickly gave a tut, turning her attention to the little girl.

"No, we don't say that, baby. That's a bad word," she muttered, before glancing back to Negan.

"Bat Mommy gowt to say it," grumbled Mia, folding her chubby arms huffily over her teeny chest.

"Ain't bein' an asshole, Peaches," uttered Negan irritably, removing his jacket in much the same manner and tossing it haphazardly down onto the leather couch.

Was he really being an asshole just for not wanting to watch some other guy lusting over his damn girl?

"An' Daddy say it!" Mia huffed again, sounding annoyed at the injustice of it all.

"Could've fooled me," Blake snapped, shaking her head and scowling at him. "So, what? You got a problem with me being down in the garden's now is that it? Don't think I'm doing a good enough job down there or something?"