Brother's Keeper ¹ || The walking dead

101.

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The sun was coming up, and the birds chirped as the trees softly moved with the breeze, and Riven walked into the cellar, a plate of food in hand.

"..hey, wake up, you old fart." Riven spoke to Negan, who was already awake, just staring at the ceiling as he laid in bed.

Negan turned his head to look at him, sitting up as Riven opened the cell door and held out the plate towards Negan.

Negan stood up and grabbed the plate of food. Once Negan took the plate, Riven walked out of the cell, closing the door behind him and locking it.

"So," Negan spoke, "My son is a asshole."

Riven simply stared at him. Negan chuckled, "So, what's for breakfast?"

Negan looked down at the food on the plate, and he raised an eyebrow at Riven, "Reagan wasn't anywhere near this, right?"

That gained a small chuckle from Riven, "Why? Are you afraid that he might have poisoned your food?"

Negan nodded, "Yes, my kid is unpredictable," he grinned, "like he fell in love with you."

"You know what's unpredictable? I'm taking care of you. If I had the chance, I'd put you in an old folks home." Riven told him as he moved to the chair near the round table.

"How's the search coming?" Negan questioned, deciding to play along to Riven's sass.

"Comin' up empty. None are willing to take you," Riven replied, crossing his arms over his chest, "I mean, they reply the same." Riven mimic a walker snarl, causing Negan to let out a laugh.

"Funny." Negan took a bite out of his sandwich, and Riven let out a small sighed,

"We'll be leavin' in a couple of hours, Melanie should be back by then. Till then, can you dial back down on the assholeness with Rea?" Riven questioned, his eyes piercing into Negan's soul, creeping him out in a way, not that he would ever tell Riven that.

He would never admit to anyone that he found Riven a little terrifying. Riven could be terrifying when he wanted to. The way he just randomly appears out of nothing is terrifying.

Negan couldn't count how many times he almost had a heart attack by Riven's sudden appearances, he didn't understand how quiet Riven could be especially with those cellar doors that creak so loud whenever they open.

It wasn't just the random appearances that terrifying Negan, it was his eyes, the way they just pierce through his, it was like those eyes were staring into his soul.

It freaked him out. "..sure, little Dixon. As long as Rea dials down his." Negan grinned at Riven as he mocked the nickname Riven gave Reagan.

Riven uncrossed his arms, leaning forward, his eyes narrowing into a glare, "I'm serious, Negan. Cut that shit out. You are stuck in there for the rest of your miserable life. The least you could do is make amends with your kids,"

"I am not saying this for your sake, but for theirs." Riven stood up, sighing, "I don't want to see them hurtin' because of you, not anymore."

Riven walked out of the cellar, leaving Negan with his thoughts.

All he ever did was hurt his children. Even while being locked in a cell, all he ever did was hurt them. He didn't comfort Reagan and Melanie when Lucille passed, especially Melanie, who had found Lucille and had to stay with her walker mother for hours alone until he and Reagan returned.

He didn't offer any comfort, just pain and more pain. He kicked out his own daughter from the sanctuary, and he locked his own son in a cell so he wouldn't stop him from kicking Melanie out without any weapon to defend herself, without any supplies.

He turned his son into a killer for his own sake, he ruined his son, and for what?

Riven was right. He should make amends with his children, but Melanie would barely even look at him. She didn't reply to him. She barely talked to him.

She treated him like trash, and he deserved it.

Reagan looked like he wanted to punch him until he stopped breathing, and Negan would let him because he deserved it.

He let out a sighed, losing his appetite. Placing the plate food on the side, and ran a hand over his face, thinking of ways of getting his children to listen to him.

⭐️

Reagan walked out of the cabin, seeing Riven by the gate with cautious eyes. He walked down the porch steps and approached Riven, "What's wrong?"

He stood beside him, glancing at the trees, trying to spot the problem. "..thought I heard somethin'."

"Something or someone?" Reagan questioned, on alert,

"I don't know.." Riven mumbled, "we should check on Negan, though."

"Yeah, come on." Riven followed after Reagan towards the cellar,

The cellar door was wide open, and Reagan walked down first, but Riven paused by the door before he closed the cellar door.

Reagan snapped his head towards the cellar door with a look of disbelief, "Riven!?"

"Sorry, Rea! Apparently, since Negan saved my life, I owed him a favor," Riven replied, locking the cellar door,

"But I'll be back in ten minutes. Love you!" Reagan heard retreating footsteps and scoffed in disbelief,

"That little.." He let out a deep sighed and headed down the rest of the steps with a look of annoyance. He was so getting Riven back for this.

At least Riven was getting more comfortable with saying that he loves him. That brought a warm feeling in his chest, but he noticed that he didn't say it back. He cursed to himself. When Riven returned, he'll say it back.

"This was childish. Seriously, getting Riven to do your dirty work. Nice." Reagan told Negan with a shake of his head.

Negan smiled, "it worked, though."

Reagan glared at him, "Okay, so why did you get my boyfriend to lock me in this cellar with you?"

Negan smirked, "ooh, Riven did not tell me that! When did the two of you make it official? Wait," Negan grinned, "was it last night? Did you get lucky, huh?"

Reagan simply continued to glare at him, and Negan sighed, "Okay, first I want to start off by apologizing for not offering you comfort when your mother passed. That was a shitty move."

"Second, I want to apologize for locking you in a cell while I kicked out Melanie from the sanctuary.."

"What do you gain from this?" Reagan interrupted, "You apologize, and what? Do you think Mel and I are gonna forgive you?"

Negan shook his head, "No. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I want you to know that I am sorry for everything, and I want you to hear me out."

Reagan sighed, "Only 'cause Riven locked me in here."

⭐️
1145 words

...at least Glenn wasn't the bait this time...

Thoughts?