Within

thirty four

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the thin curtains of the room, casting a soft glow over Ariana as she stirred beneath the blankets. A dull ache throbbed in her head, and she groaned, pulling the covers over her face to block out the light. Her mouth felt like sandpaper, and the faint taste of last night's drinks lingered on her tongue.

Ariana's head pounded with each heartbeat, a constant, throbbing reminder of the alcohol she had consumed the night before. She tried to piece together the events, snippets of laughter, Negan's voice, and the warm touch of his hand flashing through her mind. Her eyes cracked open slightly, wincing at the intrusion of light. As she blinked, trying to orient herself, she noticed the figure moving around the room.

Negan was at the small table across from the bed, pouring a glass of water with one hand while holding a couple of aspirin in the other. He glanced over his shoulder, noticing Ariana's movements, and grinned.

"Well, look who's finally awake." He said, his tone filled with amusement. "How's my favourite party girl feeling this morning?"

Ariana groaned again, her hand coming up to rub her forehead.

"Is this what being a walker feels like?" She muttered, her voice hoarse, making Negan laugh. She forced herself to sit up, immediately regretting it as a wave of dizziness washed over her. "What the hell did I do last night?"

Negan chuckled again, walking over to her with the glass of water and pills in hand.

"Let's see."He said, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. "You had a few too many drinks, got a bit wobbly, and I had to play the knight in shining armor and carry you back here." He held out the glass and pills, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "Take these, they'll help with that headache of yours."

Ariana took the glass and aspirin gratefully, downing them in one gulp. The cool water was a relief to her dry throat, and she sighed, leaning back against the headboard.

"Thank you." She mumbled, her eyes meeting his. "I didn't mean to drink that much. I guess I just... lost track."

Negan smirked, watching her closely.

"Yeah, well, you're not exactly a heavyweight." He teased, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
"But I gotta admit, you're pretty cute when you're all tipsy and giggly. You told me some interesting things last night."

Ariana's brows furrowed, trying to recall.

"I did?" She asked hesitantly, feeling a flush creep up her cheeks. "What did I say?"

Negan's grin widened, clearly enjoying her discomfort.

"Oh, you know." He said, drawing out his words. "Just some sweet talk about loving me, wanting us to live in a house, maybe pop out a kid or two. You've got quite the romantic streak when you've had a few drinks."

Ariana's eyes widened in horror, a deep blush spreading across her face.

"Oh god." She groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"I can't believe I said that. I'm so embarrassed."

Negan laughed, a warm, genuine sound.

"Don't sweat it." He said, gently prying her hands away from her face. "It was kind of nice, actually. You've got a way of making me think about things I don't usually think about. Besides, I'd be lying if I said the idea didn't have its appeal."

Ariana peeked up at him, her embarrassment slowly fading under his easy demeanor.

"Really?"