Poker Face

Chapter 30 - The Prisoner

"Oh, fuck me," Aven groaned when she woke the next morning, her thighs still aching vaguely and her tattoo stinging at her side as she inadvertantly rolled onto it. Negan, already out of bed and dressed, chuckled as his eyes went to her bandaged tattoo and then to the bold bruise on her neck.

"Shit, you're a fuckin' wreck, huh?" he sneered. "Wake up. Lemme take that bandage off, let that fucker breathe."

"I can do it," Aven replied with a yawn, carefully peeling the bandage off to reveal the tattoo beneath the bleeding excess ink."

"Warm water and soap," Negan ordered, pointing to the bathroom. "Do it in the sink or bath, not the shower. Pat it dry with a towel and don't get it wet otherwise. That shit's gonna be irritating for a few days. I have to go pay Daryl a little visit, see if he's ready to kneel."

"You know that's creepy as fuck, right?" she said.

"What?"

"Making people kneel to you."

"That's not creepy, that's respect," Negan said gruffly.

"No, that's fear and it's creepy. Can I come see Daryl with you?" she changed the subject, having said her piece and not actually interested in an argument. 

"You can meet me down in the cells when you're done," he replied. "But don't fuck with me and don't have a fucking 'Nam flashback or something."

"Such a sensitive soul," she crooned sarcastically.

"You love me," Negan smirked. Aven quickly took care of her tattoo and got dressed, grabbing Negan's red scarf to cover her bruised neck before leaving. She stepped into the cell block to meet Negan not even ten minutes later. 

"Aven," Negan began with a welcoming smile as she came down the hall. "This is Fat Joey. He's the one who knocked you the fuck out after you knocked Simon the fuck out."

"Sorry," Joey said genuinely, shrugging at Aven.

"Don't be, she was being a dick," Negan said. Aven nodded at Joey and gave a small, apologetic smile.

"You were just doing your job," she said.

"Joey, you're on break. Take thirty," Negan said, relieving him of guard duty for the moment. He turned to Aven and smirked down at her. "Feel good to be back, doll?"

"Fantastic," she replied dryly. "Where's that awful music coming from?"

"Daryl's cell," Negan grinned. "I let you off easy when you were in here. Figured you were already fucking insane enough."

"Good call," she said.

"Dwight, cut it!" Negan yelled down the hall, the music stopping a moment before Dwight came around the corner and proceeded down the hall to meet the two in front of Daryl's cell.

"Isn't that a bit much?" Aven asked Negan, referring to the music. "You're not going to get his cooperation this way. You're probably just pissing him off."

"She's wrong," Dwight grunted to Negan unapologetically. "He'll break."

"You're just happy you have someone to beat on for once," Aven muttered, looking away disinterestedly.

"Or I just know what I'm doing," Dwight replied with a scowl.

"Oh, I don't doubt you know exactly what you're doing," she replied, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Behave, you two," Negan interrupted after purposely giving Aven enough time to finish her retort. "Dwight, let's see if you're right." Negan held out his hand and Dwight gave him the key. Negan unlocked and pushed the heavy, metal door open with a loud creak to reveal Daryl lying with his face to the wall, naked and shivering.