"You never told me you had a library." Carl was pulling on his shirt, tying his shoes next. "I'm surprised you didn't. I'm surprised you even have one." He glanced over his shoulder at Negan. "I mean, It's not like you read or anything." Negan slapped the back of his head causing Carl to laugh. "Come on, really. Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because there are zombies outside and I figured that the last thing anyone still alive in this god forsaken world would do is read." Negan shrugged on his jacket and picked up his bat. He rested it on his shoulder and walked around the bed, towards the door. "I regret Simon coming in here and talking about it already."
"Why?" Carl stood up and ran his fingers through his hair. "I love libraries. They're so calm... and no matter how bad the apocalypse got there were still books around. No one cares about raiding libraries when everyone in your group is starving." He walked out the door, dragging his fingers across the wall. "Why do you have a library?"
"So there's something for everyone. We got a shooting range outside along with cooking and art shit." Negan shrugged. "People need to have something to do when they aren't working. Not eberyone has a bunch of wives to sleep with." He smiled when Carl punched him in the arm. "Jealousy is cute on you."
"Bite me." Carl continued walking without looking behind him. He walked like he owned the world. Since Carl had came to the Sanctuary he had been calmer and happier. At the Sancrutary he was protected. He didn't have to protect himself anymore or run around worrying. He could relax and finally be a kid, even though he was going to be 18 soon.
"I'm trying, but you seem to be more focused on reading." Negan shook his head, following Carl down the stairs. "I can't believe the boy that broke in and tried to kill me is a fucking loser." He grabbed Carls arm and stepped in front of him, pushing the doors open to the main room. "Lucille liked reading. She said it was an escape... so I always bought her books." He shrugged, as if he was shrugging away the heaviness of the conversation. "Figured if anyone needs an escape its my people. An apocalypse is happening outside. If a bunch of papers with words on it calms them down, then so be it."
"I agree with her." Carl looked around at all the people. He had only been around for two weeks. Living there. Leading them. They were still nervous in his presence. Wide eyes glazed over in fear with sweaty palms and shaking hands to match. He jumped when Negan yelled at them to get back to work. Carl reached out, grabbing onto the back of Negans jacket without thinking.
Negan chuckled. "You're jumpy." He reached back and pulled Carls hand away. "You're okay, kid, calm down. If anyone lays a hand on you I'll bash their skull in." He pulled Carl into his side, kissing the top of his head. "Daddy takes good care of his baby."
"If daddy takes such good care of his baby then he would leave his wives." Carl walked out of Negans grip, looking over his shoulder and smirking back at Negan. "Just a thought." He stopped when he reached the end of the room, looking between both doors. "Left or right?"
"Right, you little shit." Negan was smiling as he walked after Carl, shooting all the men who looked at Carl a warning glare. That kid was Negans and only Negans. Negan wasn't good at sharing. He would make sure Carl was only his even if that meant killing anyone who looks at his boy too long.
Carl was first to the door, looking back at Negan one last time before turning the knob and walking inside. The room was huge, identical to the one they were just in, except it had many bookcases filled with different colored books. Some were thick and some were thin. Some were bright colors like children's books and others were plain colors like black and white with barely any writing on the spine. Against the walls were the taller bookcases, filled to the brim with books. On the floor the bookcases were lined up in different, thin rows, only wide enough for one person to walk through. There were more books in the room than Carl had ever seen in a library. Then again, it had been years since he saw a normal library.
