ELEANOR . NEGAN

072.

The sun soon began to set which means the quietness of Alexandria resumed. The cozy warmth radiating from the lit fireplace filled the living room as three people sat on adjacent settees with cheeky grins.

"I'm winning."

"No, you're not."

Maya eyed Eleanor, and Eleanor eyed Maya, then both girls eyed Lydia who froze up.

The three women were playing a game of rummy, something that sinked into Eleanor's past where she used to play every night with her nan and Jac. So far, Elle and Maya believed they were winning, but some could argue that only one was.

Elle has 4 Aces, and then a Jack and Queen of hearts and an eight of spades. One more card and she's won. However, Maya had a Jack, Queen and King of spades, with a 1 and 2 and 3 of hearts. She needed one card too.

"Pick up a card," Elle ordered.

Maya huffed and sneakily picked one up, her eyes scanning over it. It was a 7 of clubs, fuck off! She placed it back down on the deck.

"Am I allowed some of that?" She questioned, eyeing the whiskey bottle sat beside Elle's whiskey glass. "Looks nice."

Elle put a protective hand over the neck of the bottle and scowled. "Looks nice my fucking tits. You ain't touching it."

"What about me?" Lydia asked.

"Oh, of course."

"What?!" Maya pouted. "How is that fair?"

Elle raised a harsh eyebrow and raked her eyes over the girl. She was supposed to be covered in mud. But her jeans were ultimately clean and her hands fresh. She knew the girl didn't change because they were the same clothes. "Did you do the veggie patch?"

"Yes." Maya responded.

"Really?"

She huffed. "Yes, really."

Eleanor knew she was lying. Surely she was lying. But nonetheless, she tucked her cards in her back pocket and walked towards the kitchen to grab two glasses. When she turned her head, Lydia and Maya were laughing while the girl shook her head no.

Cheeky bastards, she thought before reaching up to grab two other glasses. She didn't have many whiskey glasses so she just picked up two long glasses and decided to fill it to the quarter mark.

Before she turned back to the girls, someone walked through the front door. Elle already knew who it was from the echo of boots dropping to the floor and a loud, annoyed and probably tired out groan. That warm buzz made its way to her stomach.

She grabbed another glass.

When she walked back into the living room, she could already see Maya shuffling out the deck and giving Negan a set of 7 cards. "You're filthy." Maya stated, matter-of-factly.

"Blame Ellie-"

"Ew." Lydia and Maya said in chorus, while Elle sneaked behind Negan and smacked him on the chest.

When her hand hit his chest, the man physically relaxed and lolled his head to the side to catch sight of his girl. Brown eyes fleeting over her features and welcoming smile while his larger hand came up to cup hers. "Hiya, doll."

Elle smirked, "Prynhawn da, Nelly."

The two caught each other's eyes and instantly warmed. The natural and familiar feel of brown against green, clashing together like the stars and the moon. Until Maya spoke up.

"Do we need to close our eyes or something?"

Elle quickly snapped out of it and sat down in her original seat, placing the glasses on the table. "Pack it in."

"Or what?"

Elle snapped her eyes to Maya but Maya had the same look with a child-like glow in her irises. "Don't test me, Skittles. Or I'll send you back to the patch."

Lydia laughed and Maya huffed while she sulked back into her seat. The domesticity of the feeling brought Eleanor peace, and so did the natural brown swirl of whiskey as she filled the glasses. Maya reached forward and took her, gulping some, and she didn't flinch. Elle wasn't worried because at least she was used to it and didn't throw up all over herself unlike Elle when she first drank back in the normal world.

"Hold the fuck on," Negan started. "I did the patch-"

"Negan!" Maya hissed.

"What now?" He groaned. "You don't have that damn bow to my head, I can say whatever I want."

Eleanor just laughed, and so did Lydia. Maya was caught red-handed and she knew she was in for it for tomorrow duties. "Cawsoch eich dal." Elle hummed in a sing-song voice.

Maya put her middle finger up, Elle threw a pillow at her.

Soon enough, the room died down and only calamity and comfort stayed floating in the air. The game of rummy kept going on, Eleanor winning the first round and then Negan, and then Lydia twice. Maya didn't win at all — karma for not doing the vegetable patch.

When the sun was completely gone and the moon was at its highest, Maya and Lydia were sent off to bed, leaving just the two adults sharing a bottle of whiskey in front of the dying fire. It was quiet and silent, but never awkward. Because how could it be?

"You look happier today." Elle looked away from her drink to catch Negan's pointed gaze. "It's a good look before you go all goddamn pissy at me."

Elle chuckled. "I wasn't going to say anything."

"Don't lie, sunshine."

Then the silence came back, but not without Negan standing up with a groan and plopping down next to her. His arm instantly went around her body as their eyes stayed stuck to the fire. The flame was weak and barely there but still warm.

Elle couldn't decide if the fire was warmer or if Negan was.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin. "Close your eyes." He mumbled.

Elle listened.

"Open your hands too."

"Bossy-"

"Oh, I pretty sure you said you liked that." She flushed a furious red. "Keep them pesky eyes closed, Sunshine."

Seconds later, a delicate thin band filled her cupped hands and the familiar press of a cross made her eyes shot wide open. In her hands was her necklace. She instantly looked at him. "That guard gave it to me. When he came to find me when Carol let me out." He smirked. "Kept me safe... so I see why it's so goddamn important now."

"Negan," She said, shocked and amazed. "Fucking hell, I might cry."

"Hey, I was the one who took it." Elle's soft features were quickly replaced with anger, but it didn't reach her eyes. He smirked. "I figured I should be the one to give it back to you."

"Thank you."

He sighed, "Don't have to thank me, doll."

YOOOOOO
i love the domesticity of it all

i never see it in negan fics and i always think about it so im trying to make it work? but at the same time i miss old crazy negan so like..??? its very constricting but i like to believe im doing a good job???

anwuays, here's negan chapter is the soon and i hope i do it correctly without harshing lucille's importance and so forth

also this is going to be a long authors note but you guys have no idea how excited i am for the reapers plot. like zero idea. i have so many great plans AND so many ideas for the whole maggie glenn negan and elle plot. i know it's going to be hard to portray and perfect but im gonna try my hardest. also just want to give one clue towards the reapers plot and that is: soldier.

on more exciting news, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2024 here we go (i want to cry)