Man with the Bat || a Negan novel

Chapter 23: You Win Some You Lose Some

As the days went on, Negan and I grew closer and closer. To the point where we were scarily inseparable. He spent hours pushing aside his leaderly duties to accompany me on early morning forest walks, sitting with me in various places as I read for hours, even took me out to the range a couple times for his own enjoyment. He was rather impressed with how well I knew my firearms, but the real test was seeing if I could properly handle Lucille.

"Now what did I tell ya' baby, you gotta hold the right arm straight - like this" he uses the excuse to demonstrate showing how it's done by lifting his arm as he instructs.

I raise an eyebrow as I attempt to do the same, the only difference is I have the bat. "Like this?"

He chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest, his biceps pulling hard at the dark black t-shirt he wore today.

"Better" he commends, "But move yourself a little more-" he pauses to move over to me, placing one hand on my hip and the other on my right elbow as he pulled it down more. "There we go."

"Is the hand on the hip necessary?" I smirk, knowing he's smirking behind me, "It's very distracting."

"Just like your ass is very distracting in those pants" his hand moves lower, before his touch fades away, "Two can play at that game."

I laugh just as Negan hollers, "Alright, let one out Dave."

Dave nods, grabbing a hold of the metal latch on the door. He grabs hold of it and yanks until the door is open. The snarling was muffled within the room, but once the door is open the wretched noise of the monsters cry for help is very evident within the space. It stumbles out the door, taking notice of me as soon as it's out in the light. Gnashing its teeth as if it could taste my flesh, myself taking note of the way his was falling off. Walkers never ceased to amaze me with just how ugly they could be. I had killed many in my day, but never really with a baseball bat before.

"Remember what I said Mi" Negan warns.

I nod as the creature nears, "It's all in the swing."

It limped to me with such determination, myself holding my ground. I had the reassurance of Negan right here if things went south, but why should they? I was capable of handling myself.

As soon as it got right where I wanted it, I took my swing. Using all my might as I released wrath upon that son of bitches skull, the sickening crack of the bat colliding with his head was revolting yet satisfying as whatever life left instilled in him faded away.

A slow clap echoed behind me and I smirked in pride as I wiped off the blood I felt splattered on my forehead. I beamed like a ray of sun as Negan put an arm around me as we both examined my work.

"Great job babygirl, that one didn't stand a damn chance" he chuckles as he kicks a small hunk of brain to the side, "I mean damn, who knew such a little girl could have such a killer swing."

"I'm not little" I defend, elbowing him in his hard abdomen.

"Mmmm 5'2 is pretty little" Negan discriminates my height as he pats my head.

"It's an average height!" I fight back, moving closer to him as I do.

"Don't worry Mia, I won't judge your abnormally small height" he smirks as he places his hands on my waist, "You're small but that doesn't make you any less of a danger."

"Damn straight" I chuckle as he pulls me into his chest, my own arms snaking their way around his middle. At first, showing signs of affection out in the open were odd for me. How could this bad ass villainous son of a gun smash someone's head in one second and then hold my hand through the garden the next? It seemed so odd but yet here I was melted into his chest like he was my morning motivation.