"I told you I'm fine..." Carl looked down at the ice water in front of him, shaking his head. "I just haven't been eating a lot because we've been running low. And it's summer, it's hot, and people pass out from the heat all the time..." He pushed the glass away from himself and laid his head down on the table. "You worry too much."
Negan stood in front of the stove, stirring the noodles. "You need to take care of yourself. I get you have Judith but Carl..." Negan set the wooden spoon down on the counter. "You matter too. Not everything is about sacrificing yourself. You can eat without feeling guilty."
"My dad and Michonne and Judith need food. I'll be fine." Carl glared at him. "Since when do you are so much? You're the one who killed two of my friends. If you cared so much maybe they would still be alive and maybe, just maybe, we wouldn't be running out of food all the time because you wouldn't be taking it all. If you cared, we would all be fine."
"Kid," Carl loved to argue. Each and every time Negan tried to do anything for the kid he would turn it into a fight. Yell. Throw things. He held grudges better than Negan. "I'm trying to fix it, my people need things too-"
"Then you should try going out. Driving hours away, killing walkers, and then scavenging for days on end because you know if you don't find every hidden thing you won't be the only one dying. Kids will be. Families. Mom's and fathers. Grandparents." Carl scoffed, standing up. "But you don't do that shit. You just steal. You have no fucking idea how hard it is because you have everyone else do the dirty work!"
"Carl." Negan grabbed his arm, pulling him into his chest. "Look, I get it, you're mad at me, you think I'm just some asshole who takes what he wants, and you're right, I am, but that's how you get things done. When you have your own people you start caring about them, not everyone else."
"Get out." Carl yanked his arm from his grip, shaking his head. "I can take care of myself, I'm not a child, Negan. I've been surviving this shit for years and I've been doing it the hard way." Carl stepped closer, standing only inches from his face. "I am more of a man than you will ever be."
Negan laughed. This kid was stupid when it came to things like this. He knew how to strip a gun in under a minute and plan attacks better than the military, but when it came to feelings this kid was dense. "Look, you want me to care so bad, fine. Come back with me. I'll go on runs with you and we can... we can survive this together. Judith can't live in a place where there's barely any food-"
"I will take care of her." Carl was still close. Negan could feel his breath on his lips. "I have taken care of her, I don't need your help-"
"You're right, you don't, but it doesn't hurt. You don't have to stay, but... I don't want your blood on my hands and I don't want Judiths either. Just stay with us for a while. Eat until you're full, not until you know you can survive." Negan cupped his cheek. "With me you take what you want, not the bare minimum."
Carl swallowed, staring up at him. It would be safer for Judith. Negan had his home locked down and protected. They had more than enough. It was safer for her and that's what Carl wanted. Her to be safe and her to grow without having to hold a gun before she has her first kiss. "Fine," Carl whispered. "I'll go with you."
