Poker Face

Chapter 13 - Negan's Plan

"Don't you worry your pretty little head," Negan teased Simon as they stood out by the gates discussing Simon's perspective on the girl that bludgeoned him. "She stepped the fuck out of line but you bet your ass I stuck her right back in it. Poor thing, didn't eat the whole time she was in the cell. Must've just been so worried about you."

"It's okay, boss," Simon assured Negan, believing that his fearless leader scared the holy hell into and back out of his supposed prisoner and that she'd been put in her place. "I ain't scared of her."

"No, of course not. She ain't so scary," Negan replied, turning to look at Aven who was waiting by the truck for him and raising his voice so she could hear the last part of his comment. He then turned back to Simon, leaning sideways into him with a mocking grin. "Bet you're pretty pissed about getting your ass beat by a fuckin' girl though, right?" Simon only glared back, unamused, biting his tongue. "Aw, come on. Turn that fuckin' frown upside down, you get to be the big man in charge for a few days while I'm gone."

"You really think she needs to be left that far out?" Simon asked curiously. Usually if a newcomer decided to leave, they were taken away from the Sanctuary by car but no further than a day's drive total to and from.

"I'm still not so sure she doesn't have connections out there. Gotta make sure she doesn't bring an army back and finish you off," Negan winked playfully, enjoying Simon's annoyance before gazing back towards Aven with a heavy sigh, relaxing his smile. "I'll tell ya, that girl is a fuckin' force to be reckoned with." When Aven saw them looking at her again, she got uncomfortable and took the cue to interrupt.

"Hey, Simon," she said sheepishly as she got to Negan's side.

"There's the little killer," Negan exclaimed, his grin growing wider as he tossed his arm over her shoulder, again priding himself when she didn't flinch. "Doll, I believe you have something to say to Simon?" he chided like a parent pushing a child.

"Yeah, I, uh...sorry," she began awkwardly. "I really am. I'd try to explain what was going on in my mind when I flipped out but nothing was making much sense. I was in defense mode and I just thought...I don't know. Anyway, I'm sorry for freaking out and putting you in the middle of that."

"And?" Negan asked playfully. Aven cocked her head up at him, shaking it slightly unsure what else he was looking for. "And 'I'm sorry I knocked you on your ass like a little girl,'" he added, smug eyes glowing at Simon. He was having a lot fun but intentionally goading Simon to make Aven's offense seem lesser, knowing he'd need them to cooperate if he could get her to stay. Aven reached out to shake Simon's hand and he returned the gesture. She smiled politely but couldn't help the snarky remark from slipping.

"I'm sorry I knocked you on your ass like a little girl," Aven repeated, unable to hide the smile that broke its way through her straight-faced expression.

"And she has a fuckin' sense of humor!" Negan praised. "Damn, doll, you'd be the whole god damn package if only you'd packed those cute little panties instead of the boring ones." Aven's eyes went wide and shot towards the ground as a bold blush spread across her face. Negan chuckled at her reaction and turned to Simon, muttering some last minute instructions before turning back and holding out his arm ceremoniously for Aven to take. "Shall we?" Aven glanced at his arm and then back up at him before rolling her eyes and turning on her heel and stalking over to their packed SUV. 

A few days earlier, Negan had been alerted by his farthest outpost of a massive herd of walkers passing by. Like all such updates, he incorporated the likely path of the herd into his maps. It was headed straight for a town the Saviors had raided clean, where Negan had spent some time scouting to see what use the buildings could be to them. He ultimately decided not to occupy the area but kept it in his files as a possibility.