ELEANOR . NEGAN

035.

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.