Chapter Text
Well shit.
Rick was fighting off walkers when his god-damned hatchet broke. He had his Colt Python, but wasn't going to risk attracting any more walkers, or worse people.
The handle had split in half causing the head of it to come off. To be honest, he had it for a while; it saved him multiple times from danger, whether it be alive or dead.
He pushed one of the closer walkers away and bashed its head into a tree till all that was left was brain matter splattering the trunk. The others were nearing fast, and Rick swiftly picked up the hatchet head and rammed it into the skull of another one, pushing it back to make another walker fall over, trapping it underneath the corpse. He stomped on the skull of the last one and looked around.
He could've sworn there had been more after him.
He dropped the hatchet head and wiped his bloody hands on his jeans.
He proceeded to search the corpses for anything of use before concluding they had jack-shit on them.
"Damnit!" Rick said angrily, kicking one of the corpses.
Rick felt a chill go down his spine, he felt that way anytime he was being watched. He looked around him again, still seeing nothing.
"Knock knock." A deep voice spoke out of nowhere.
"Who the hell is there?" Rick shouted, drawing his gun and clicking the safety off. He stills his near frantic movements listening intently to where the voice came from.
He felt a puff of air against his back before he heard it. "Negan." The man said now positioned behind Rick.
Rick swiftly raised his elbow to the man's nose, knocking him to the ground, and moved to point his gun at him.
"Goddamn, you're supposed to say Negan who, asshole." The man ground out grabbing at his now bleeding nose.
"Who the fuck are you?" Rick gestured with his gun.
"Didn't I say Negan? Shit, are you fucking deaf?" He mumbled.
"Why are you here, how did you find me?" Rick stated, growing more aggravated and anxious.
Negan chuckles. "Well, I'd love to answer your questions, but I'm not going to do it with a gun pointed at my fuckin' head. My face is too handsome to be wasted." After he finished talking, he gave an eerie whistle and nearly a dozen other people came out with their guns trained at Rick.
Rick scowled and switched off the safety of his Colt Python, slowly placing it back into its holster.
Negan got up, wiping the blood from his nose then started reaching for Rick's gun. Rick quickly and tightly grabbed Negan’s wrist catching him off guard."You touch it, I'll kill you." Rick said, gritting his teeth.
Negan smiled and sucked on his teeth. "Shit, I know you didn't just threaten me. But fuck I'm going to let it slide because I know I just met you, but damn. I'm not gonna lie, that turned me on a little. You stranger, just made my dick twitch!"
Rick looked at Negan with disgust. "Answers. Now."
Negan chuckled a little. "I don't think you realize that you aren't the one in control here. I am. So first, I'll ask you a couple of questions, then we'll see about yours. Got it?"
Rick's scowl impossibly deepened. "Fine."
"Holy, sh-eit, I really don't appreciate your attitude, but you got a pretty face that I'd hate to ruin. I won't ask you again and be respectful, do you understand?"
"Yes." Rick ground out his knuckles becoming more and more white with rage.
Negan playfully clapped, it wasn't until now that Rick saw the barbed wire wrapped bat that sat in the man's hand.
"Oh, you eyein' Lucille? She's sexy right?” Negan's smile grows wider. “I mean of course she is, you don't gotta answer that. But, what you do have to answer is who are you? The fuck is your name kind stranger?"
"Rick."
"Rick? Just Rick? No last name or anything just fucking Rick? Huh, I'll be honest, I expected something way more badass, but what I've seen is enough to prove you can hold your own and in a pretty badass manner. Alright, next question! You got any friends?"
"No."
"Huh, you sure, Rick? No community or camp you got?"
"It's just me."
"Shit, you are not the talkative type are you?” Negan asks, smiles fading for a split second.
Rick stares at Negan's face unwaveringly.
Negan clears his throat. “I'm going to need you to speak when you're spoken to alright?” He says stepping closer to Rick.
“No, I'm not.”
“Look at how easy that was, Rick! Now, last fucking question, do you want your own room or get this I'll offer you a night in my room. 'Cause you make my balls tingle, so it's either rub one out thinking about you or you do it yourself. Which will it be?"
Rick scoffs. "The hell are you talkin' about? A room? I'm not joinin' you."
Negan laughs, "Boys, are you hearing this! He doesn't want to join the Saviors! Fuck, if only you knew what you were missing out on, darlin'. Don't you miss hot showers, electricity? Actually, I think I’ll get you with not having to worry about whether or not you'll have food on the table?"
Rick's scowl falters slightly giving way to a furrow of his eyebrows.
"Why? Why are you offering all of this to me? What's your catch?" Rick questioned.
"Ricky, I knew that'd get you. To answer your question, which I do not have to do, but I'm just that fucking nice, because you, Rick, are bad-fucking-ass and you seem like someone I'd want on my team rather than the opposite. And for the catch, there really isn't one, just working for me that's it. You earn points to buy food. It's an economy, something we're all familiar with."
"That's it? The only reason you want to take me in is because you think I'm badass?"
"Pretty fucking much," Negan smirked. "So, what do ya' say, partner?" Negan said in a mock southern accent.
"I…Fine. But I'm not sleeping in your bed, ever. You're disgusting for even suggesting it."
"Whoa there, don't get ahead of yourself, you're still an insubordinate, always will be, well, to me at least.” Negan turned on his heel placing Lucille on his shoulder. “Keep up, sexy." Rick groaned and followed the man. He was led to the road with several cars and trucks.
Negan gestured to get into a large truck as he climbed into the driver's seat.
Rick stayed still.
"Come on, Rick! I don't bite, well not unless you're into that." Rick was really starting to hate that cocky ass smirk Negan seemingly always wore. But alas, Rick sighed and got in, buckling his seatbelt.
Negan started the car and led the convoy.
Negan chuckles to himself. "To be honest we found you by complete fucking accident. We were chasing someone else when one of my men saw you. We weren't tracking you down or anything."
Rick looks over to Negan. "Oh. Who were you chasing?"
Negan breathes a laugh. "One of my men. He ran away like a pussy with his smokin' hot wife and her equally hot sister. We'll get him, though. He can only run so far, there is no escaping me. Keep that in mind, Ricky boy."
Rick stayed silent for the rest of the drive.
When the convoy arrived at wherever this place was, Rick looked around holding his breath.
The place was huge, exaggerated by a large shadow cast from a factory's looming presence covering the equally large gravel courtyard.
The chain link fence surrounding had walkers chained up almost as if it were some kind of fucked up obstacle course.
Negan walks over to Rick and slings an arm around his shoulder, "Rick, welcome to The Sanctuary. Home of the Saviors." Negan bends down closer to Rick's ear and whispers. "That's us by the way, and soon it will be you too! And boy oh boy do I have some good ass plans for you. If you work out, that is, and if you don't, your pretty little face is too fuckin' good to go and waste, so you would go right there on that fence. But I really hope that it doesn't have to come to that, so try to cooperate."
Rick stares blankly at the man. After a second Negan pushes forward, arm pulling Rick with him.
"Let me show you around a little bit, get you all nice and settled in." Negan smiles.
Negan leads Rick around the Sanctuary, showing him the laundry room, the cafeteria, and various other rooms. Finally, they had reached the final room that Negan wanted to show Rick. He stops at the door and unfurls his arm from Rick.
"Go on, open the door!"
Rick hesitantly does as he's told and is met with a decent-sized room fitted with a bed and many other luxuries. His eyes widen with shock.
"Of course it's not as fucking good as my room, for obvious reasons, but this'll be your room. I'm sure you're fuckin' exhausted, so get some rest. I'll stop by tomorrow morning and give you more of a run-down of things. In a couple of days, some of my people will leave to get shit. I figure it'll be a nice job shadow opportunity.”
Rick's eyes only continue to grow as he looks around the room. "Thanks, Negan… I guess."
"You guess? Oh, baby, I think you know.” He says with a wink and a thrust of his hips. “But seriously, get some fucking sleep, you're going to need it."
Negan leaves and shuts the door behind him, Rick couldn't help but notice the click of a lock from the other side. At least Negan let Rick keep his gun.
Rick wanted to look around the room more and enjoy everything, but Negan was right he was exhausted. Before he flopped on the bed he noticed some clothes on the coffee table.
Rick was covered in walker guts so he wasn't complaining. Rick took off his shirt and started to put on the white one given to him when the door to his room opened again.
"Fuck.” Negan says as he takes Rick's topless form, eyes raking over his torso. “Didn't mean to walk in on you, baby, but that door leads to a bathroom.” He points to said door. “I'd recommend taking a shower before you get those clothes dirty too."
Rick blushes, and Negan closes the door once again the lock clicks. God that was embarrassing.
Rick took the man's advice, though, and undressed fully in the bathroom, starting up the shower. Rick waited a bit for the water to heat up wondering if what he said was true or if it was a lie just to get Rick to come with him. Rick felt the water and laughed to himself. God, he missed hot showers. He stepped in and scrubbed for what felt like hours.
He stepped out and grabbed the towel. His entire body was pink and raw. He put on the white undershirt and put on the fresh pair of boxers. He left out the black jeans not wanting to sleep in the course material like he had done for nights on end. He had the safety of walls and other people again. He will still sleep with one eye open though. He still doesn't know what this man's intentions were. All he's been getting from the man is mixed signals.
That night Rick had the best sleep of his life. He even dreamed, something that had stopped happening a while ago.
When Rick awoke it was to a knock on the door. He swiftly pulled on the jeans before the door swung open. Negan's from filling the door frame.
"Good morning, Rick! Ready for your big day?"
"What?" Rick said groggily.
"Shit, Rick, you've got to meet everyone. If you're going to be a savior you aren't going to go around calling people, fucker, sir or ma'am. Calling people fucker is my job, maybe you'll earn that privilege, eventually. But for now, you, are at the bottom of that fucking food chain."
"Oh, okay. I just got to put on my belt, give me a minute."
"Alright, baby. Oh, and while you're at it you might as well put up your fly too." Negan smirked.
Rick looked down and flushed with embarrassment. He quickly pulled the zipper up and grabbed his belt as well as all the utilities that go on it. He ditched the hatchet sheath having no use for it with nothing to put in it, and followed Negan out of the room.
He led him to a balcony overlooking a large open space and banged Lucille against the metal railing capturing everyone's attention. When the people below spotted Negan they all fell to their knees.
"Good morning everybody! Today we have a new recruit." Negan yelled, placing his hand on Rick's shoulder pushing him forward a little. "This is Rick. Everyone say hello to Rick."
The crowd boomed in union, "Hello, Rick."
"Well, now that you all know, Rick, how about you all introduce yourselves. So, everyone, who are you?"
"Negan!" They all shouted still on their knees.
"What?" Rick whispered to Negan.
"Rick, we are all Negan. So actually I'll ask you right now, Rick. Who are you?"
Rick just looked at Negan with confusion.
"Negan?"
Negan's smile grew impossibly bigger. "You don't sound too sure about that, so I'll ask you again. Who are you?"
"Negan." Rick said, looking Negan in the eye.
"Fuck yeah you are! We have a new savior!" Negan yelled addressing the crowd.
They all cheered, matching Negan's energy.
"As you were." The crowd stood up and went on like nothing happened. "So fucking cool, right? Just have them match me like that, oh it's the kinda thing that just tickles my balls, very similar to you, Negan." Negan giggled, "I'll never get bored of calling you that, the look in your eyes, Rick. God-damn, it's pure fire, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't sexy as fuck."
Yeah, sure it's cool I guess." He said ignoring the flirting, Negan nodded and patted Rick's shoulder before he dropped his hand.
"Follow." Negan didn't wait for Rick, he just started walking. Rick had to speed walk a little to catch up from Negan's long strides.
"So, what is that about, are you guys like a cult?"
Negan laughed, "No, Rick. I just think it's important they know who they belong to, who provides, and shelters them. But like I said earlier there is a food chain, an though I have high expectations for you, Ricky, you're not high up on it yet. But I would like for you to meet who is!" He said loudly opening a door to what looks like a meeting room.
A few people sat at the table already. They all looked over as the door opened.
Negan pointed to the end seat and gently pushed Rick towards it. Negan walked around the table sitting at the seat on the opposite end, he kicked up his feet up on the table and put Lucille down next to them.
"So, everyone introduce yourselves." Negan says waving an arm towards Rick.
A man with a mustache spoke up first, "Well hello, friend! I'm Simon and you are?"
"Rick, Rick Grimes."
The next person so step up to introduce themselves was a blonde woman named Laura, next was a guy named Gavin, then a woman named Arat, lastly was a woman called Regina.
"Nice to meet all of you." Rick looked awkwardly at Negan waiting for new instructions.
"So, Rick, how about you share with the class what your deal is? Tell us about yourself."
"Well, I was a sheriff's deputy in a small town in Georgia. I was shot on duty and went into a coma, and when I woke up I was suddenly just in a horror movie. I tried to look for my family, but they were gone. I never found them, I don't even know if my son or wife is alive."
"Well what brings you to Virginia then? It's definitely a ways away from Georgia." Simon said with a smile.
"I really don't think they stayed in Georgia. I guess I just gave up, figured that Washington DC would be safe, but I never made it that's when Negan found me."
"I see. You didn't travel with any groups?" Gavin questioned.
"I suppose, but not for long they all died sooner or later. I was the only one left."
"Huh, and what's your son's name, Rick?" Negan asked.
"Carl. My wife is Lori."
"Well I'm sorry you never found them, Rick." Arat actually sounded sympathetic.
"Thanks." Rick said, forcing a small smile on his face.
"Well, Rick I don't know about you, but I am starving. Why don't you grab all of us some grub?" Negan said taking his legs off the table
"I have a feeling I don't really have a choice."
"Atta boy! Now you're gettin' it."
Rick left to get everyone food while everyone else stayed put.
"Thoughts?" Negan drew out.
"I don't know, but I trust you, Negan so if you think he's got what it takes, I believe you." Simon answered.
"Sounded like the truth. Rick has that leadership in him, it's almost like you can feel it radiating off of him. If he's alone he's got nothing, but with a group to lead he can do supply runs. Hell he could lead his own outpost- when we trust him enough. I won't lie, I see his potential." Laura stated.
Negan nodded.
"Yeah, what Laura said. Rick he's different; he's got one goal; find his family. That alone should prove that he's extremely loyal. And if he somehow finds his family while he's with us, his only goal will be protection. He's got a good pair on him, he elbowed Negan once and knocked him down, he's strong. I like him." Gavin added.
"If we do take him in, just saying, he's reserved. I'm sure you guys could tell, but it might take a while for him to come out of his shell. If what he said is the truth, he's never had something like this before he'll most likely want to keep it, but are you sure he'd agree to our way of doing things?" Arat asked the table.
"True, that's a good point." Negan said. "He can be violent, at least to the damn corpses. If we find a wire we could cut on him to get him to snap without him knowing it. I think we might just have us our own personal fucking murder machine."
"Hmm. Good idea. Manipulate him into sending the fear of God into anyone that opposes us. I mean Negan is already great at that, but we get an attack dog? Even more. Like you said he's loyal as shit, we just got to gain his trust. Maybe take it easy on him, be nicer to him."
Negan laughed through his nose. "Shit, Simon I like your style."
The table went quiet not wanting Rick to hear anything when he got back.
A few minutes later Rick returned with a cart of treys with various foods on them.
"The cafeteria workers didn't cause any trouble for you did they?" Negan asked.
"A little, they didn't believe me when I said I was getting all the treys for you and everyone else. But they finally gave way when I… well I hope it's okay that I threatened them with your name, but it worked and they gave me this cart too."
Negan laughed, "Hell yeah you can threaten them, they should know better than to pick on the new guy."
"Okay, good." They each grabbed their treys and Negan took Rick out of the meeting room and towards Negan's bedroom. "I said I'm not fucking going in their.”
"Jesus Christ, Rick just come the fuck in. Sit down." He gestured to the couch.
Rick sighed and came in looking around the room, his mouth dropped open a little. It was elegant and filled with things Rick never thought he'd see again.
"Like what you see? My offer is still on the table."
"No, thank you." Rick said, sitting down, immediately digging into his food. He hasn't had food this good in so long.
"Alright." Negan said plopping down on an arm chair opposite of Rick.
"Nice room." Rick mumbled in between bites.
He chuckled, "Perks of being their leader, Ricky. Which actually re-fuckin'-minds me, you know how I said earlier you'd come on a supply run will us?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, you see, we do supply runs differently here, see the saviors are the top dog. And there are other dogs that work real hard because they don't have as much strength as us, right. So, to keep it that way and so we don't waste food, energy and people, we take from the other dogs. Not all of it, but enough so that we can continue to live like kings, and the others stay on the bottom, but don't die."
"So, you take some stuff from other- what communities? So, you don't have to risk your own people's lives."
"Yep." He replied, popping the p.
"And how do they comply with that?"
Negan laughed, "That's the fun part, Rick! We make a deal, they give us half their shit, and we don't kill them. And just to cement that what we mean isn't an empty threat I kill one of their people in front of them. They know we have more fighters than them so they always comply."
"It's smart, get other people to do your dirty work. But I don't understand why you're telling me this now?"
"I want to make sure you are okey dokey with our to be fair fucked up tactics."
"I'm fine with it. You do what you have to do it's about survival now. I'm not going to despise you for murder, when I've killed people too."
"Oh, is that so, Grimes?"
"Yeah. I don't know how many, but I know why they're all dead. So that I can live to see my family again."
"Damn, Rick, see this is why I did not want to mess with you. I mean I already figured something was going on with you since I saw you in the woods with that long ass beard and that cowboy hat. I figured you'd been out there a fuckin' while. Speaking of, do you want to shave that? I got shit in my bathroom you can use."
"Yeah, actually I would." Rick said, getting up and placing the empty tray on the coffee table between them.
"Haircut too?"
"You have a stylist?"
"Yep, one of my wives used to be one."
"Wives? Plural?"
"Once again, Rick the perks of leading this whole operation. I'll get her over here, we'll be back by the time you finish shaving."
"All right, thanks sir."
"Don't call me sir, Rick."
"You got it boss." Rick chuckled.
"Smart ass." Negan said as he left the room.
Rick went into the door that Negan gestured to when talking about the bathroom, and immediately Rick spotted the razor and a pair of hair scissors. He got to work fast cutting the bulk with the hair scissors and finishing it off with the razor.
Judging by the silence from the other room Negan had not in fact not gotten back before Rick was done.
Rick looked in the mirror at his clean shaven face one more time before something in the background caught his eye.
Rick did a 180 and faced the shower wide eyed. Rick grimaced and turned away out of the bathroom.
Negan had left a dildo suction cupped to the glass shower's wall. What the fuck.
Rick closed the door behind him and tried to shake the memory. He instead focuses on the bedroom.
Rick inspected what felt like everything in the goddamn room. And still no Negan. He was starting to yawn despite the good night's rest he got. He went over to Negan's king sized bed and felt the sheets. They were silk, all the more tempting. But Rick was not going to sleep with someone he just met less than 24 hours ago.
But sleeping in his comfortable bed isn't sex. But Negan would probably be pissed if he found out, so, maybe he'd just try it out for a second and then get off.
Rick hesitantly laid upon the bed. The second he stopped moving he was relaxed. The mattress was soft and cushiony, when Rick laid his head back on the pillow he couldn't help but close his eyes. Just for a second he told himself.
It in fact was not a second, he very shortly fell asleep on his side inhaling what must've been Negan's scent. He didn't mind nor did he think about it too heavily, he wouldn't lie to himself the man smelt good. Even in the middle of the apocalypse.
It was the sound of the door opening that woke him up. 'Fuck.' he thought he had to get out of his bed, now.
He scrambled off the bed falling flat on his face after his foot got caught up in the sheets. Sheriff's hat still on the bed.
"Rick?" Negan said after he heard the loud thump he noticed the mess up sheets and the hat he practically doubled over in laugher. "Holy shit. Did you sleep in my bed?" The man was now looming over Rick who didn't even bother to get off the ground. "I figured you would've just left to go to your room."
"I-"
"I'm not mad if that why you rushed the fuck off of it. Though it is pretty fucking funny to see you flat on your face."
Rick lifted his arm and flipped off Negan. He grabbed Rick's wrist and twisted.
"Ah fuck, shit I'm sorry, Negan, please."
Negan untwisted his wrist and aggressively pulled him up. His scowl dropped after he saw Rick's face.
"Shit, Grimes. That will take some getting used to." He said gesturing towards his own beard. His surprised face soon faded and let back the scowl. "Next time you decide to fucking flip me off I'll cut them both off. Don't forget that I'm in charge, just because I'm nice to you doesn't mean we're all buddy-buddy."
"Got it, sorry. It won't happen again."
"Now sit down so my wife can cut your hair."
Rick nodded and sat down on a wooden chair he took from the desk against the wall.
"And before you ask, I was gone because that guy I was looking for came back. I had to iron his face, at least I got a new wife out of it."
"What?"
"Did I say you could speak? No? That's what I thought. After this go back to your room, you'll leave in the morning."
Fuck, way to go, dumbass he's kicking you out. Rick thought as he left to go to his room placing the hat back on his head.