TIES THAT BIND | Negan Smith

1. The Savior

Athena raised the glass in front of her to her lips, the room temperature beverage within a stark contrast to the cool material of the cup.

She barely even felt the burning sensation that was supposed to accompany whatever alcohol she had poured for herself. Without even glancing at the bottle label, she had swiped it and poured a generous amount before chugging it in two large gulps.

With a sigh that was a mixture of irritation and pure exhaustion, the woman placed the glass on the counter before her harsher than was necessary before dropping her head into her hands. She tangled her fingers into her curly hair before tugging at the roots in aggravation.

"I take it you heard the news?" An all too familiar voice spoke from beside her, the tone being one the woman knew to be masking concern behind a cocky attitude.

Athena grunted as her only form of acknowledgment, not opening her eyes nor raising her head to face the person that had appeared beside her.

He was standing close enough that she could feel his shoulder ghost across hers as he leaned against the counter next to her.

She could feel his eyes burning holes into the side of her head, but she still didn't move, didn't speak. She didn't have enough energy to.

"It just seems to be one shitty thing after another these days, doesn't it?" Though the man tried to keep his voice light, the words were what was already weighing down on the woman.

Finally, she dropped her arms and turned her head to the side, blue eyes narrowing when she caught sight of his easy smile, "Things haven't not been shitty since long before the world ended."

Negan's smile dimmed a bit at her words, a spark of sadness flashing over his eyes briefly, but instead of commenting on the matter further, he allowed his eyes to sweep to the bottle that sat across from Athena.

He picked it up with a low whistle, shaking it a bit in his grip to showcase the emptiness she hadn't even realized she had achieved when pouring her glass, "Didn't even bother saving any for me?" He teased.

Athena knew he was just trying to lift her mood in the only way he knew how, but her mood had already been stomped on to the point of almost no return. So, in turn to his words, she just leveled another glare on him.

Negan placed the bottle back down and raised his hands in mock surrender, a larger grin slipping onto his face as he did so, no doubt finding joy in riling her up- even at a time like that.

She reached forward and swiped the glass back into her grasp, only to frown down at the object when she remembered that she had already emptied it.

Ever so gently, Negan reached his hand out and wrapped it around the woman's wrist, slowly lowering it so the glass was back on the counter, his smile softening the slightest bit as he did so.

The blonde haired woman was quick to avert her gaze from his face, knowing that the rare softness of his expression would do nothing but make her composure crumble. She didn't have time to break down these days, there was no room in her life for it.

That would be a sign of weakness. She didn't show weakness anymore. She made damn sure of that.

It was silent for a moment, Smith was waiting for her to speak and she knew it. He was giving her the room that she needed to think.

She was the first to break from the silence, rounding on the man, "Blown up? How the hell did Bud manage to get them blown up? I know he's an asshole but I didn't think anyone would be stupid enough to go as far as blowing them up. All fucking seven of them."