Within

thirty five

Ariana's eyes locked on his, cutting through his easy confidence. She wasn't here for games, and Negan could sense it. Her expression alone made it clear, she wanted the truth, not one of his charmingly deflective answers.

Negan let out a low, exasperated chuckle, raising his brows. "You want the truth? Or the pretty, wrapped-up version?"

Ariana didn't even realise she'd rolled her eyes until Negan caught it with a twitch of his own smile. Her impatience hung in the air between them.

Negan shifted in his seat, his expression turning more serious, though the amusement lingered in his tone. "Well, Spencer's dead." He said, almost too casually.
"And don't act like you're gonna lose sleep over that. You know he was a spineless, small-dick prick, right?"

Ariana bit down on her lower lip, holding back the immediate protest. "Of course I know. He is a total dickhead." She admitted with a sigh. "But did he really deserve to die for it?"

Negan barked out a laugh, the sound sharp and unbothered. "Oh, he absolutely did. Tried to weasel his way into leadership by telling me he's better suited for the job than Rick. Hell, he wanted me to kill Rick and hand him the keys to the kingdom."

Ariana groaned softly, rubbing her temples. "He's such a wanker." She muttered under her breath. "But still, the principle, Negan. Killing him?"

"Principle?" Negan interrupted with a raised brow. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as his gaze bore into hers. "Doll, in this world, principles are a luxury. You either lead, or you get led. And if you try to play the game without any skin in it? You get taken out."

Ariana sighed heavily, slumping back into her chair. She knew he had a point, but it didn't make it any easier to accept.

Negan sat down again across from her, eyes softer. "So, what's really goin' on in that head of yours?" His voice had lost some of its edge, shifting to something more genuine. "Because I know you well enough now to know that there's more."

Ariana's eyes fell to the table, her fingers tracing idle patterns on the surface. "Alexandria."

Negan's posture shifted slightly. "Alexandria." He repeated, voice low but watchful. "What about it?"

She lifted her gaze, meeting his eyes again, and this time there was a flicker of vulnerability. "I never really fit in with Alexandria." She admitted quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Negan didn't say anything at first. He just sat there, waiting for her to continue, knowing that there was more she needed to get off her chest. Ariana looked at him, her eyes troubled, her emotions swirling inside her like a storm she couldn't control.

"I tried." She said, her voice wavering. "I really tried to be one of them. To be part of that community. But... it always felt like I was on the outside, looking in. Like no matter what I did, I could never be what they needed me to be."

Negan's gaze softened, just a fraction, though his posture remained casual, almost indifferent. "Is that why you've never actually tried to leave?"
He asked, his voice low and steady. "Because you didn't fit in with Rick and his merry band of misfits?"

Ariana bit her lip, fighting the lump in her throat. "The only person I had was Michonne. But then her and Rick became a thing... and I started to lose her. But being here... with you... it's the first time I've felt like maybe I could belong somewhere. Like I didn't have to pretend to be someone I'm not."