No Sanctuary For Old Men [18+] |Negan| ✔️ Complete

XXII • Mischief

There was a split second of pain, a hiss, then numbness as the nerves melted away. A low moan slipped from Daphne's mouth and Negan's lips curled into a devilish smile as he watched her eyelids flutter.

"Did you like that, strawberry?" he growled as he removed the wire. 

She had. The pain and the ritual of it, the sight of his heated gaze as he marked her as his own. 

He read it in her face and smirked, turning to replace the metal into the coals to clean it.

Ariadne stepped around him, donning nitrile gloves, and knelt to look at the fresh burn.

"Hell of a place for an open wound," she muttered. 

Daphne gasped as the woman spread ointment on it, and then covered it in cling wrap, taping the edges down. 

Ariadne pursed her lips. "Walking around is going to suck while this heals."

"No pain, no gain." The blonde grinned, and Negan barked a laugh.

"Welcome, Lieutenant," he bellowed, and cheers thundered and echoed once again.

"Come see me in the morning for aftercare instructions!" Ariadne yelled in Daphne's ear over the roar, and then disappeared into the crowd.

The blonde hopped down from the table, and Paula was first to grab her hand.

"Welcome, officially," she said with a smile. "You definitely earned it."

"Move your ass!" Simon barked from behind the redhead, and she stepped aside with a laugh.

"Watch yourself, wheels," Paula warned, swatting him on the shoulder. 

He stuck his hand out to Daphne and she shook it firmly. "Good to have you, kid," he said, and she rolled her eyes.

"I guess anyone under thirty is a kid to you, huh old man?" she replied, and they laughed. 

Donnie pulled her into a crushing hug and she awkwardly patted his back while Paula snickered. 

"Thank you for saving my girl," he said as he squeezed.

"You're welcome," Daphne croaked, the air squeezed out of her lungs. "You know Arat did just as much as I did," she said, and took in a lungful as Donnie let her go and turned to the woman in question.

"Hug me and I'll break your arm," Arat put up a hand in warning.

He backed away, wrapping his arms around Paula instead. "Primo and Mol send their best, they're spending time with Talia and the kids before we ship out tomorrow."

"Aw, it's too bad we won't be able to make mischief together," Daphne said with a glint in her eye.

"No unsanctioned fuckin' mischief!" Negan interjected, handing a cold beer to her over Paula's shoulder. "I'm glad I'm fuckin' separating you shitheads."

"I'll still have Arat." Daphne side glanced her new coworker with a not-so-inconspicuous wink.

"And we still have tonight." Paula looked positively devious.

"I noticed you said 'unsanctioned'." Daphne clinked her beer against Negan's before taking a swig. "What exactly is 'sanctioned' mischief? Doesn't sound like fun." She pouted, and his eyes twinkled.

Beer quickly turned to shots, and before long Daphne found herself in the fighting ring opposite Paula.

"First to three, right?" the blonde asked, bouncing back and forth on her feet to loosen up her tingly body.