"Hey, darling." Negan walked towards a woman he had seen a million times before. She had long brown hair and a knife in her hand. "You seen that kid with the eye?" Negan raised his hand and put it over his eye, chuckling when she glared at him. "I'm not being mean, that's just how he looks."
"He has a name." The woman crossed her arms over her chest and looked back towards Ricks house. "Its Carl." She turned back around to Negan. "And I don't think Rick wants you going to his house and being alone with his son. I think he rather die before having you anywhere near your son."
"Sucks for Rick. I spend a lot of alone time with his son." Negan walked past the girl, nudging her with his elbow. "Thanks for telling me where Carl is." A few seconds after he added, "Thank God you're pretty." He laughed to himself, walking down the road.
Coming to Alexandria was always different than every other place Negan collected from. They still fought and pushed Negans boundaries. He wasn't sure if he admired their stubbornness or was just pissed him off. They act like they still have a chance, like Negan will always be forgiving, which he barely has been. Rick and his people were stupid for retaliating the way they did, starting wars they knew they couldn't finish. It was going to take a lot to break them, good thing Negan was persistent. .
Ricks house was being guarded by the weird priest and some person Negan had never seen before. They must be making allies in hopes of beating Negan. Foolish. Negan pushed past those people, chuckling when the light died in their eyes once they saw him. He would never get over that, the way people feared him, the way he could make people back down with just a look. Negan was powerful and he loved every minute of it.
Inside of Ricks house was clean, almost as if no one lived there. A few baby toys littered the ground but other than that the house was spotless. No dishes. Nothing out of place. The house was silent, too, which was sort of suspicious, but Negan was in the mood to try his luck. He gripped his bat in both hands and walked up the stairs, keeping his back to the wall. His eyes darted back and forth from the top of the stairs to the bottom. There was still no sound as he walked down the hallway.
Each of of the bedroom doors were open. Ricks. Michonnes. Even Judiths. Carls room was the only one left closed. He must be inside. Negan lowered his bat but kept his guard up, looking back over his shoulder at the stairs. The house stood still. Negan grabbed the door handle and twisted it, pushing it open. Carls room looked different. His sleeping bag was rolled up and the books that were normally spread out on his floor were gone. The walls of his room were bare, the chips in the paint being the only thing that stood out.
"Hey." Carls voice was quiet, like the house. He was wearing a backpack, a sleeping bag and another bag on either side of him. "I was just getting ready to come see you, I told Simon to get the car but... you know him. He's always picking fights and harassing people. I think he's over compensating." He smiled, running his fingers through his hair. Carls face was empty like the walls. No bandages covered his socket, in fact his hair wasn't even covering it.
"Hey.." Negan sounded like the breath was knocked out of him. He leaned against the wall, biting his lip. "Any reason you're all packed up?" He pushed off the wall and walked towards Carl, slowly snaking his arms around his waist. "You running away or something?"
"You know why I'm all packed up." Carl mumbled, standing up on his toes and kissing Negan. "I am running away... coming to live with you." He gripped Negans jacket with white knuckles.
"You're not running away..." Negan whispered. He kissed the top of Carls head and pulled him closer, as if he let go Carl would change his mind and not come back with him. "You're coming home."
