Beauty and the Beast. (Negan.)

05.

She was confused. She hadn't felt those kind of things since Danny and as bad as this sounds, he didn't affect her as much as Negan did.

Christ, if Rick hadn't interrupted, who the hell knows what would have happened.

She didn't even want to think about that.

"Blake?" Enid appeared from nowhere, "What's wrong. Are you okay? I heard voices."

She nodded and quickly got up, "I'm fine." She then noticed that the teen had her infamous backpack on, "And where are you going?"

"Hilltop," she replied instantly, "I need to see that Maggie is okay."

Enid had always been honest with each Blake; she told her that she snuck out over the walls and she never tried to stop her. As long as as she told her she was going and that she'd be back by dark.

She nodded, "Okay. I sense that this time you won't be coming back."

Enid nodded, "Glenn's gone. I need to be there for Maggie."

Blake crossed the small space in between them and hugged her tightly, kissing the top of her head, "Be careful, kid. At least promise me this, don't go until Negan's gone. If he catches you..."

"Got it." the teen said.

I released her when Emily started crying upstairs, "Give Maggie my love."

She heard the door shut as she climbed the stairs. Entering the room, she scooped the little girl up, "Hey, hey. What is all this noise? Huh?"

Emily settled once she was in her mother's arms, letting out a cheerful squeal as she started tugging her hair.

"God dammit," Blake whispered, "Baby, please don't do that."

There was thumping on the stairs as someone ran up, Jenn running into the room.

"Jenn?" Blake gasped, "How on earth did you get back here? You were at Rick's!"

"Mr Negan brought me!" she giggled and her mother inwardly groaned.

Of course she thought when she heard him downstairs.

"Honey, I'm home!"

"He says he has a present for me!" the little girl said excitedly and darted out again.

"I really need to teach her to be less trusting." Blake whispered to the baby in her arms.

Negan was sat on the sofa, her daughter bouncing up and down on her feet in front of him.

"Negan," Blake began, entering the room, "You're here. Again."

He looked up and she felt her cheeks heating up when he met her gaze, "I'm just getting ready to leave. Just want to give Jenn this."

She watched as he pulled an inhaler from his pocket, a smile making its way onto her face.

"See this?" Negan asked, leaning forward, "This is gonna help your cough, yeah? Or if you feel like you can't breath or you feel your chest get all tight. Take a couple puffs of this."

Jenn took it from him and inspected it closely.

"Oh and this," he said, going into his pocket again to produce a small packet of jellybeans, which she practically snatched from him.

"Jenn," Blake scolded, "Don't grab!"

"It's okay," Negan waved his hand and stood up, "I'm going now. You can relax now, Beautiful."

She watched Jenn, who was happily eating his candy, tensing when his hand brushed her lower back. Looking over her shoulder at him in time to see him wink before he disappeared from view.

"Dammit," she whispered, quickly following him out into the hallway, "You didn't have to do that. T-the inhaler I mean."

His back was to her as he inspected a picture on the wall and he shrugged, "We had some spare going. Don't think anyone uses them."

"What's the catch?" she asked before he could stop herself.

"The catch?" he repeated, finally turning to her, "What makes you think that there's a catch? Can't a guy do something out of the goodness of his heart?"

"Guys can," she murmured and stepped forward, "I just find it hard to believe you would."

"Oh, Beautiful," he sighed, "You really know how to wound a man."

"I've been told that you're a bit of an asshole. I'm just wondering what your angle could be."

"I am an asshole," he agreed, "But I care about kids. And your kid, I'm guessing she's had it rough. She lost her dad, right?"

"Yeah," Blake whispered, looking down as if she was seemingly interested in Emily's hair, "She did."

Thinking of Danny always brought her mood down but recently, she hadn't been thinking of him as much as she used to. Which made her feel guilty.

And here she was thinking of this man in front of her. With his dark leather jacket and his charming smile.

Ugh.

"Here," he said, throwing something at her, which she just managed to catch and she saw that it was another inhaler, "For when that one runs out."

Blake bit her lip, debating on her next move but before she could chicken out, she moved forward and leant in to kiss his rough cheek.

"Thank you." she whispered.

He gave her a wink and a smile, tweaked Emily on the chin (which made her giggle) before taking his leave and Blake moved to close the door after him, watching as he retreated towards his truck.

It was getting very hard to dislike him.

~*~

That night, after she had gotten the kids to sleep, Blake lay on the sofa, wrapped up in a cocoon of blankets and she couldn't help that her thoughts turned again, to Negan.

Was he really as bad everyone was making him out to be? Or was it all just for show? But if it wasn't and he really was ruthless, what had made him that way?

Blake was determined to try and find out.

Of course, she did feel guilty. She was starting to enter very dangerous waters with her feeling like this towards him.

But she couldn't help it. She had always had attractions to the 'bad boys' and Negan, well he was the definition of the word.

Letting out a sharp breath, she turned and got more comfortable, thinking of what had happened earlier in the day and what could have happened if Rick hadn't interrupted.

Had he have kissed her? Had she have kissed him?

I wonder what his lips feel like...she thought, nibbling on her own. I wonder how he is. Oh my god, no. Do not go there.

Would he be romantic? No, Blake couldn't see him being like that. No, he had a dominant nature. He would definitely be in charge. Not that she would mind. Maybe he'd throw her around a little.

She felt a shiver of pleasure surge through her at the thought before she groaned, pulling her blankets over her head.

She really hoped that her stupid brain would stop thinking and let her sleep.