Running From You I Negan x Maggie (ENGLISH VERSION)

Chapter 14: Someone like you

"Someone like you, and all you know, and how you speak

Countless lovers under cover of the street

You know that I could use somebody

Someone like you"

As Maggie's gaze met Negan's, the tension between them seemed to evaporate for a moment, replaced by a strange sense of familiarity and comfort. They were so close, the moment heavy with everything they'd experienced together and what they might still experience. But just as Negan leaned in, so close she could feel his warmth, a sound interrupted the moment.

Soft, slow footsteps came down the stairs. They pulled apart instantly, both turning toward the staircase to see Hershel descending slowly, shoulders slumped, his face pale and weary. He rubbed his eyes and coughed, a muffled sound that seemed rough and deep.

"Mom..." he called, his voice faint and uneven. "I... I'm not feeling so good."

Maggie reacted immediately, setting her wine glass on the table and going toward her son. She knelt beside him, touching his forehead and feeling the excessive warmth. Her expression turned alarmed, and her face grew serious as her thoughts raced, trying to process what was happening.

"Hershel, sweetheart... did you get hurt?" she asked, her voice thick with concern. "You... you weren't bitten, were you?"

Negan, who had been approaching, stopped suddenly. The thought of a bite, an infection, made him feel queasy. He examined Hershel's face, looking for any sign of a wound or scratch, his heart pounding.

"Bitten?" Negan muttered, the tension now evident in his voice as he approached and scrutinized the boy with a cautious gaze. "Hershel, did you feel anything?"

Hershel shook his head, his voice raspy and low.

"No... I wasn't bitten. I'm just... tired. And my nose is all stuffed up."

Maggie breathed a slight sigh of relief, but the fever radiating from her son still left her uneasy. She glanced at Negan, who was also focused and worried, sharing the weight of this responsibility.

"He's got a fever," Maggie said, her voice still full of concern. "It might be nothing, but... maybe we should call Jess, just to be safe."

Negan nodded, his gaze returning to Hershel, who now leaned on his mother, looking increasingly weak. "Good idea," he agreed. "I'll stay with him while you go call Jess. Go ahead, Maggie. We'll handle this together."

Maggie hesitated for a second, her eyes lingering on Hershel and then on Negan, who was already beside her son, ready to help. She nodded, giving her son's hand a gentle squeeze before leaving in a hurry to get help.

As soon as she left, Negan turned to Hershel, crouching down to his level and trying to keep his tone calm and reassuring.

"Hey, kid, tell me... what else are you feeling? Are you breathing okay?"

Hershel shook his head, his hand still trembling as he held his nose, trying to relieve the discomfort. "Not really... it's... stuffed up and... hard to breathe."

Negan looked at the boy's pale, feverish face and remembered a trick his mother used to do when he was a kid. It was simple but effective. He placed a hand on Hershel's shoulder and spoke with a comforting tone.

"Let's try something that'll help you breathe easier, alright? I'm gonna take you to the bathroom and run the hot shower. The steam will open up your nose and help ease your breathing. How does that sound?"