This Animal I Have Become (A Negan/Bitten Fanfic)

Part 33: And I Break Into Pieces Right In Front of You

The next day, Negan awoke bright and early, eager to show everyone he was back and well. Bree was still asleep and he let her be, leaving the room and heading downstairs. He had business he had to attend to and it wasn't her time to shine, not just yet.

He stopped down on a set of steps outside the Sanctuary and lazily twirled Lucille around, waiting to surprise a certain someone as they came from around the corner, right on time. Dwight lit up a cigarette and took a hit off of it, oblivious of Negan being right there. Negan let out a slow, two-toned whistle to get his attention. He couldn't help but smile when he saw the startled expression on his face as his jaw dropped.

"Surprised to see me?" Negan asked, looking down on Dwight with Lucille over his shoulder. "Shouldn't be" Negan finished as he made his way down the stairs. Dwight still had a dumbfounded look on his face and his jaw was still practically hanging on the floor.

"Hell yeah I'm surprised...We found your car and Simon thought that-" Dwight started but Negan cut him off, asking Dwight to give him a hand to move a nearby dumpster. 

Dwight reluctantly nodded and put his cigarette in his mouth and proceeded to help Negan.

 While they were walking, Negan said "I'm not gonna lie, was a real punch in the dick when Rick cornered me in the basement with those decomposing assholes and you fellas never showed up...And then I come back, hearing stories that our little Bree turned on you and you SHOT her. Left her for the dead's next meal."

Dwight straightened up and his eyes dropped to the ground as he tried to fumble up an excuse, still shaky from being caught off guard.

 "Yeah...She got Simon good...Simon thought-" Dwight was interrupted again by Negan, who was now standing in closer, inches away from being in his face.

 "I wanna know what YOU were thinkin'" He growled, dropping his smile and getting serious.

 "See, I want to know if you remember who you are...This little talk is just between me and you" Negan reassured.

Dwight hesitated before he answered. 

"Simon's your number two, I thought you wanted him calling it. When Bree grabbed him, I didn't know what else to do and Si gave me the order. I remember who I am...I'm Negan" Dwight's eyes were as wide as a junkies and Negan could see right through him but he wasn't ready to confront him on it just yet. 

There were still more things to set in place and people to see before he made his move.

Negan's eyes remained narrowed but his lips curled into a smile.

 "Good. That's what I like to hear...Now do me a favor, put that smoke out...right there" Negan instructed, pointing to the ground.

Dwight was sure that this was it. He did as he was told and braced himself for whatever was about to happen.

"See when the time comes, and you will know when it comes, I want you to remember this little talk. I want you to remember what we've done and what we can still do together" Negan said, adding a bit of false warmth to his smile to put Dwight at ease.

 He gave Dwight a hearty pat on the shoulder and Dwight couldn't help but smile, feeling like he just escaped the jaws of death.

He still wasn't 100% sure what that whole conversation meant but he felt like everything had to be okay for Negan to just walk away like that without so much as a punch thrown. He was surprised that Negan wasn't as upset as he thought he would be over Bree but then again, he knew that she'd been more aggressive since she came back and maybe he thought it was better that she was gone.