[ Having a more 'real' conversation with Negan felt odd and unsettled Rick in ways he didn't want to look into too deeply. There were actually a lot of things he preferred to ignore and not uncover because he worried about what would happen if he did. He needed to maintain a certain sort of balance, especially with all the people they lost recently and how much more fell onto his shoulders to keep up. ]
Same about your wife. Were you the one who had to -
Thought you already had one. Simon - was it?
Daryl is my right hand man. He always has been. So was Glenn. He's one of the reasons we've all made it this far. He's helped keep us together. They both did in different ways. He likes going off hunting rabbits and it's how he feels most useful. He contributes to everything. Just might not seem like it.
[ He doesn't answer that question because, honestly, he's humiliated by the answer. He remembers talking to Carl about his mother, too. Interesting. Because hey, look, that was a tough kid. ]
Simon's great. But you know how it is. People die. Always got to have a backup dancer waiting in the wings.
[ And if he's a little impressed with his good choice, taking out Glenn and taking away Rick's only support with Daryl, then he's not going to bring it up. It might piss Rick off, and at this point if things don't go his way then it's probably best to have him on his side. Might save him by the skin of his teeth.
Not that he's thinking so negatively as that. But, you know. Backup dancing. ]
You know he's broken, right? Underneath that brusque exterior, that there is a broken man. Still spirited, sure, still kicking, but only cause the world hasn't stopped moving around him. He doesn't have hopes for the future, doesn't exist beyond his next meal. You've felt that, right?
[ He knew it wouldn't be easy to have Negan talk about actual things with substance but each and every comment led to something. Rick worked at a lot of negotiating in the past with his time as a Sheriff's Deputy and he knew a few tricks of the trade and how to read between the lines.
Besides, he didn't find it challenging to piece together Negan. ]
People are interchangeable to you then. No one can ever replace Glenn. No one ever will. The same with Abe. They're apart of us.
[ Discussing Daryl prickled at him and he had to grit his teeth to keep himself from snapping back. ]
Yeah, I know. We've had a rough couple months and some of the losses - he blames himself for 'em. Before Alexandria, we were struggling and barely made it to this point. Can you blame him? Every time we get somewhere, something screws it up. You're not the first person we've dealt with trying to rip everything away. You don't know the half of what we've overcome. That's why I'm trying to give you an opportunity to avoid what we can do.
I know. I know you've seen some shit. To get to this point, we all have.
It's like dicks. You and me, we've always known we're blessed, and we've measured out dicks against a whole lot of other people. Was close now and then, but we always came out number one. And now here you are. You've won all your dick measuring contests and I've measured mine. Short of whipping them out and waggling them at each other, we're not going to know who the winner between us is. And, having never lost a contest, we're neither of us planning to back down.
I don't doubt the competition will be tough. But you've got a whole hell of a lot more to lose than I do. All of you have. I'm not saying it to be a bitch, it's just the way these things are.
You'll find those people backed against the wall fight the hardest. They give it all they got because they've got the most to lose. Different than those who just fight for power or for what they think they deserve. It's different when it's for who you care about. Much different. You haven't seen what all we're capable of and the lengths we'll go to.
Think of it, all the communities working together and how much better the sanctuary will be because of it. With others willingly helping and adding to things.
Carl said a lot of your people act scared and are frail. It doesn't have to be like that. We can change things for all of us. Just got to be willing to give it a chance. Either way, it's gonna happen. Things will change. It's just the matter if you want a whole lot of bloodshed before it happens.
It's a new world, Negan, you're either going to be apart of it or you're not. Your people are going to give it a shot or they'll die. It's as simple as that.
no subject
Same about your wife. Were you the one who had to -
Thought you already had one. Simon - was it?
Daryl is my right hand man. He always has been. So was Glenn. He's one of the reasons we've all made it this far. He's helped keep us together. They both did in different ways. He likes going off hunting rabbits and it's how he feels most useful. He contributes to everything. Just might not seem like it.
no subject
Simon's great. But you know how it is. People die. Always got to have a backup dancer waiting in the wings.
[ And if he's a little impressed with his good choice, taking out Glenn and taking away Rick's only support with Daryl, then he's not going to bring it up. It might piss Rick off, and at this point if things don't go his way then it's probably best to have him on his side. Might save him by the skin of his teeth.
Not that he's thinking so negatively as that. But, you know. Backup dancing. ]
You know he's broken, right? Underneath that brusque exterior, that there is a broken man. Still spirited, sure, still kicking, but only cause the world hasn't stopped moving around him. He doesn't have hopes for the future, doesn't exist beyond his next meal. You've felt that, right?
no subject
Besides, he didn't find it challenging to piece together Negan. ]
People are interchangeable to you then. No one can ever replace Glenn. No one ever will. The same with Abe. They're apart of us.
[ Discussing Daryl prickled at him and he had to grit his teeth to keep himself from snapping back. ]
Yeah, I know. We've had a rough couple months and some of the losses - he blames himself for 'em. Before Alexandria, we were struggling and barely made it to this point. Can you blame him? Every time we get somewhere, something screws it up. You're not the first person we've dealt with trying to rip everything away. You don't know the half of what we've overcome. That's why I'm trying to give you an opportunity to avoid what we can do.
no subject
It's like dicks. You and me, we've always known we're blessed, and we've measured out dicks against a whole lot of other people. Was close now and then, but we always came out number one. And now here you are. You've won all your dick measuring contests and I've measured mine. Short of whipping them out and waggling them at each other, we're not going to know who the winner between us is. And, having never lost a contest, we're neither of us planning to back down.
I don't doubt the competition will be tough. But you've got a whole hell of a lot more to lose than I do. All of you have. I'm not saying it to be a bitch, it's just the way these things are.
no subject
Think of it, all the communities working together and how much better the sanctuary will be because of it. With others willingly helping and adding to things.
Carl said a lot of your people act scared and are frail. It doesn't have to be like that. We can change things for all of us. Just got to be willing to give it a chance. Either way, it's gonna happen. Things will change. It's just the matter if you want a whole lot of bloodshed before it happens.
It's a new world, Negan, you're either going to be apart of it or you're not. Your people are going to give it a shot or they'll die. It's as simple as that.