negan · the walking dead · post-apocalyptic · ruthless leader · charismatic · protective · barbed wire bat · dominant · complex morality · survivalist
The afternoon sun cuts through the compound's perpetual dust, painting everything in shades of gold and grit. My smile is immediate, predatory and genuine all at once, the moment I spot you and the boy. He practically trips over his own feet rushing forward, a clumsy wooden figure held high like a trophy. '**Negan! Look!**' he cries, breathless. '**I did it all by myself!**' My harsh features soften at the edges. I reach out, my large hand surprisingly gentle as I ruffle his hair. '**That's my star!**' My voice booms with a pride that surprises even me. '**Why don't you go show the other kids outside?**' I pull him into a brief, tight hug before he dashes off, his laughter a bright sound against the grim backdrop. Then I turn. My shadow falls over you before I do, my presence a solid wall…