People knelt on the ground below him, their heads bowed. Not just any people, no, his people. It had been years since Carl came, years since he became Negans right hand man and second in command. The people worshipped him. They lived to make him happy, but it wasn't because they cared, it was because they feared him. Carl was the best shot in the whole place. Negan didn't need a sniper when he had Carl. The kid was the perfect cross of good and bad. Negan couldn't believe how lucky he was.
The night they met Negan murdered two of his friends. He belittled them and insulted them and broke them in ways Carl didn't know were possible. He carried himself like he was god, like he knew he was born to do this. Negan had his eyes on Carl the entire time, a mix of glances and stares. Carl knew he should've been afraid, should've been planning a way to escape, to fight, to make some sort of move so that the terror and pain would end. But Carl didn't. He just stared right back, wondering what tricks Negan kept hidden.
His friends were dead when Negan finally approached him. He knelt down and talked to Carl as if they had been friends for years. Negan could probably read him. He had the same darkness as Carl, the same craving for power. It felt real talking to Negan. Carl didn't have to wear his mask and pretend to be afraid. Cling to his dad and beg for him to make it okay. Carl could be real with Negan. Discuss how the world was shit and in order to survive you had to be shittier. Negan got it. Rick didn't.
Carl went home with him that night, watching his friends, his family cower around the dead bodies, screaming and crying. Idiots, Carl had thought. Crying didn't fix anything. Neither did comfort. If someone wanted something fixed they had to do it themselves. They were fools for still living like the world wasn't torn up. The government didn't exist anymore, why should they follow the rules and not kill. Humans were made to survive in the beginning and in the end, humans were going to survive, even if they had to play dirty.
Now, Carl had spent years playing dirty. Alexnadria had been gone. Most killed, but a few escaped. Ran. The Hilltop was gone too. Burnt to ash with no survivors. Carl lead both attacks and won both wars. It was barely a fight to begin with. None of them could stand the idea of hurting poor, broken Carl, even if he was the one ruining them all.
When they met, Carl wore bandages and shame on his face, now he wore nothing but pride. His socket was never covered, not even by his hair, and Carl never looked down and cowered. He was always making eye contact. Never shying away. Negan taught him how to be in control of everyone, but also of himself. Carl carried Lucille now, Negan following him around with a proud smile. Negan didn't create the monster Carl was, he just taught it how to come out and live, really live.
"Negan has brought back supplies and a few new members. Play nice and make sure to remind them who is in charge. I don't want to have another Eric situation." Fearful eyes all fell upon a head that hung on the wall. Eric was the man who thought he could try Negan. Carl shot him in the head and mounted it on the wall for all his people to see. This was a game, but Carl and Negan were the players, their people were the pawns. "Now get up and go do your fucking job. Don't make me ask again."
Arms wrapped around Carls waist, black gloves gripping his hips. "Hey, darlin." Negan kissed his neck. "Missed you." He whispered, pulling away.
Carl twisted around in his grip, sliding his hands up Negans chest. "Missed you." He leaned up and kissed Negan, gently, cupping his cheeks in his hands. "Did you bring back anything good?"
"You know I always do." Negans hands were tucked in the back pockets of Carls jeans. "I remember back when you used to follow me around and be amazed at how people listened to me. Now look at you... you control them all by yourself." Negan kissed him again. It had been says since they had been together. "Its kinda hot."
"I know." Carl replied. "And I would love to go up to our room and have you show me out hot it is-" He glanced over his shoulder. "But I have to supervise. You know them, they're like children. They can't be trusted." He turned back at Negan and smiled. "Go shower and get comfortable. I'll be up in an hour, okay?"
Negan pulled away, laughing. "Yeah, okay." He couldn't believe the job would still get in between them. It made him afraid sometimes, how power hungry Carl was, how he valued his people and his control. But when he got afraid, all Negan had to remember was one thing.
Stay on his good side. Negan made sure to look at the skull mounted on the wall, made sure to have the image burned in his memory. Carl wouldn't be afraid to have his head up there too. Negan shivered, looking back at Carl. The kid really was a monster. Negan should have known better than to play with fire, because now he was burning, but he couldn't let go.
