For the time being, Negan held more of the cards and because of it the other groups mostly behaved. They didn't push the boundaries as much as they could because they were concerned over the consequences and didn't have him to rally them. The loss of Ezekiel also squashed some of the fire but it wouldn't last for long. The Saviors thought they were untouchable and for the moment they were but only just because they had no idea who they were messing with. They had been through worse and always managed to come out victorious. Things were bleak but Rick could feel the shift and some of the power shifting back into his hands. He just needed to play the balance correctly of when to make Negan work for it and when to give in and let him think he had won.
Men like Negan were always so predictable and he faced enough of them during his time on the force. He knew how to negotiate and while it used to be with his words, now he knew how to use other means.
Pressing the rag to his bleeding lip, Rick nearly startled at Negan's words. Really? Let him get right on that. Turning to face the man, he tilted his head to the side, the rag pressing a little harder to his mouth. He wanted Negan to see the damage done but he hadn't anticipated such genuine concern. Through all their time together, he knew how to read Negan and could tell the more honest emotion expressions. The man really didn't have many actual walls, not in the way most did in their new society.
It made him wonder sometimes how Negan managed to hold onto things for so long or could no one else read him as easily as he could? Letting the bloody rag fall onto the counter, he pulled his shirt up and off, allowing for it to pool on the ground beneath his feet. The reveal exposed the scars he had prior to being locked up in the compound but also revealed plenty of relatively fresh marks. There were plenty of bruises and cuts, one of which probably should have received stitches. A few burn marks ran along his stomach but the ache in his arm hurt the worst. If he had fought back, they wouldn't have managed to inflict anything on him but he had his reasons for not reacting. They would be sorry, though, he would make sure of it.
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Men like Negan were always so predictable and he faced enough of them during his time on the force. He knew how to negotiate and while it used to be with his words, now he knew how to use other means.
Pressing the rag to his bleeding lip, Rick nearly startled at Negan's words. Really? Let him get right on that. Turning to face the man, he tilted his head to the side, the rag pressing a little harder to his mouth. He wanted Negan to see the damage done but he hadn't anticipated such genuine concern. Through all their time together, he knew how to read Negan and could tell the more honest emotion expressions. The man really didn't have many actual walls, not in the way most did in their new society.
It made him wonder sometimes how Negan managed to hold onto things for so long or could no one else read him as easily as he could? Letting the bloody rag fall onto the counter, he pulled his shirt up and off, allowing for it to pool on the ground beneath his feet. The reveal exposed the scars he had prior to being locked up in the compound but also revealed plenty of relatively fresh marks. There were plenty of bruises and cuts, one of which probably should have received stitches. A few burn marks ran along his stomach but the ache in his arm hurt the worst. If he had fought back, they wouldn't have managed to inflict anything on him but he had his reasons for not reacting. They would be sorry, though, he would make sure of it.