Too Good to be Bad | Negan |

43 - Let's play

It's been some time since I walked the halls past curfew, but nobody bothers us in the company of two Saviors. Alex and Derek walk ahead of us and I hang back a little with Kieran. Finally, we get to talk somewhat privately.

'I'm really glad to see you', I tell him earnestly.

'And I you', he says, smiling at me. As always, his smile tugs at my heart. It's been hard, putting everything that happened between us behind me, but I'm so glad we talked it out before he left. As we walk side by side, our arms linked together, there's no uneasiness between us.

'What's it really like at the satellite outpost, Kieran?' I ask him.

He smiles a little bitterly.

'Should have known I couldn't fool you, Pierce.'

I smile back at him, but I'm not happy to be right. 'Nothing gets by me, you know that.'

'It's usually not too bad', he says hesitantly. 'It's just, there's only Saviors there and they're not... let's say, my kind of people.'

'What do you mean?'

'I've seen things... I can't quite get out of my head. Things I wish I hadn't seen.'

'Like what?' I ask, pushing him.

'I don't want to talk about it. But the people at the Hilltop and the Kingdom they're terrified of us. And for good reason.'

I take him in silently for a moment. He seems a little different. Not just his appearance, but something in his eyes as well.

'Do they make you do things... things you don't want to do?'

He doesn't answer me right away and keeps his eyes in front of him.

'We all do what we gotta do, right?' he says finally.

'Right', I answer softly.

We walk the rest of the way in silence. I wonder what kind of things he's seen. I don't know too much about the way Negan and his Saviors keep the communities that work for him in line. But I know they can be ruthless. Not for the first time I wonder at what cost I'm living here so comfortably.

'Derek', someone at the door greets Derek jovially. 'Haven't seen you here in weeks.'

'Good to see you, Anton. Brought some friends', he says, nodding his head towards us.

Anton looks us over and lets his eyes rest on me. I've seen this guy around. He's a prick, always happy to pester us workers for whatever reason he can come up with.

'You should bring friends like that more often', he says, winking at me. I try not to glare at him.

'Come on', Kieran says, clearly annoyed. He pulls me with him into the room, ignoring Anton. It's quite crowded in the bar. Saviors and their friends gathered around the room, drinking, laughing, chatting. Gladly, they don't pay us much attention. We're no longer new faces at the Sanctuary.

'Ryan's over there at the pool table', Kieran says, scanning the room. 'Let me get him, see what kind of Scotch he wants and get the hell out of here. I nod and join Alex and Derek as Kieran walks away.

'Brings back memories, I'll bet?' I ask Alex.

'What do you mean?'

'Isn't this where you first kissed your lover?' I say, pinching his cheeks to annoy him.

He laughs as he pushes me away.

'You're such a child, Pierce.'

'I have some memories of my own here', Derek says, smiling at me.