In a world ruled by fear, survival comes with a price.
When her brother's attempt to overthrow the Saviors fails, Tessa finds herself under Negan's watchful eye-protected, controlled, and dangerously close to the man she should hate. As violence, po...
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Negan shoved Carl and Tessa into a much bigger room, the door slamming shut, making them take a seat on a leather couch.
"I want to get to know you better Carl. Your sweet aunt here has been so generous to open up so...now it's your turn."
"Why?" Carl says, confused as to why Tessa would even tell Negan anything.
"Well you're smart figure it out. In fact i'm going to tell you how smart you are in case you don't already know. You went on a mission to find me, and you sure as hell did. You even killed two of my men...you should know by now that i'm not going to let this slide."
Tessa began to worry, worry at the thought of Negan hurting her nephew and not being able to stop it.
Negan began to chuckle, "Ah I can't...I can't do it. It's like talking to a birthday present. You gotta take that crap off your face. I want to see what grandma brought me." Negan's said, twirling a finger at his own face.
Carl hesitated, "No"
"Two men! Two men," Negan barked. "You really want to piss me off? Do you want Tessa to die? Right here? Right now?"
Slowly, Carl peeled the bandage away, exposing the hollow wound.
"Get that hair out you face let me see"
"Negan..." Tessa pleaded. She can see how uncomfortable Carl is feeling. It hurts her knowing she can't protect him from Negan. She would do anything to protect Carl.
"Jesus Christ! Thats is disgusting! Sweetheart, have you seen this? I mean have you looked, it is gross as hell! Can I touch it?"
Carls voice broke. His good eye welled, tears spilling down his cheek. he turned his head, shame during.
"...shit," Negan muttered, quite, "You're just a kid. Look I uh...it's easy to forget you're only a kid. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings or anything. I was just screwing around."
Carl didn't answer him. His chin dripped, his shoulders curling inward the way they did only when he was genuinely hurting. Tessa moved closer, her hand barely brushing his arm, a tiny movement, but enough to steady him.
Negan took that in slowly. His expression didn't soften or harden, it just stilled.
"Carl, I want you to sing me a song"
Tessa looked confused, "No." Carl stiffened.
"You're gonna sing me a song, kid. And you're going to do it now."
Seeing the confused and hesitation on Carl's face, Negan suddenly shot up from his seat grabbing Tessa by the upper arm.
Tessa gasped softly as Negan brought her right up against his side, his grip firm and unmovable. He didn't squeeze. He didn't yank. He just...held her there.
Lucille lifted. Slow. Deliberate. The barbed wire gleamed as he brought the bat up besides Tessa's shoulder, the wood resting lightly, almost casually against her collarbone.
The room went silent
Carl breath shook.
"You are my sunshine..."
His voice wavered instantly. He couldn't hold it steady, not with Tessa trapped besides Negan, not with Lucille so close she could hear the faint scrape of the barbed wire against her skin.
Negan watched Carl with an eerie, calm intensity, tightening his grip on Tessa's arm just enough for Carl to notice.u
"You make me happy...when skies are gray..."
A tear slid down Carl's cheek.
Negan finally, slowly, lowered Lucille from Tessa's shoulder, letting the bat fall back to his side with quiet finality. Only then he released her. Tessa immediately stepped back towards Carl, shaking, but steady.
"That was pretty good, Lucille loves being sung too. Only thing she likes more than bashing brains in. Weird huh?" Negan says with a chuckle.
"Come on you two, it should be ready."
"What should be ready?" Tessa says with confusion.
