Honey strutted to the communal bathrooms to take a long shower, daintily dabbing over her wounds again, limping pitiably on her gratuitously swollen ankle and scrubbing the accumulated sweat and grime from her body, when the temperate water ran clear she stepped out feeling refreshed, a light steam rising from her body, goosebumps flushing her skin with furious zeal as the draft from the open window and the freezing tiles made her dance like a Cossack.

She had generally avoided her reflection, but curiosity got the better of her and she walked over to the mirrors above the sinks, soaking in her naked frame.

And what a state she was, protruding ribs, a collarbone that could cut granite, her breasts had lost their fullness and her cheekbones were well past the stage of their natural nordic arch, the relentless stress had been almost too much to absorb, her hair was as frazzled as her nerves, shoulder blades as pronounced as a jungle cat's, heavy slightly purple bags under her eyes and skin as pale as winter's first snow, Brutal had done a number on her, and she couldnt help but imagine herself in a line up at a police station, holding up a number card after a night of barbaric crime.

But the world was a wicked, cruel, bestial place, brimming with man's inhumanity to man, savagely unabashed in its monstrosity, at least she looked the part of his New Order, and she felt like slapping herself for pitying her appearance when her people were struggling to collect goods he could pilfer.

She knew Negan wanted to talk, and for some reason, she didn't want him to see her like this, images of prized ponies and trophy wives flashing into her mind and she scolded herself for such a thought. But still, a niggling feeling urged her to try and make an effort, for some reason she still wanted his approval...she wanted him to know she still wasn't broken, the last thing she would do is amble into his office, the perfect picture of the result of his unremitting dominance, tattered and worn, no, it would make more of a statement if she waltzed in looking bright eyed and bushy tailed, it would take more than a schoolyard fight to revert her into a hollow husk.

Her mud-spattered face and birds nest of hair had never made her feel uncomfortable around Daryl, Rick or any of the men in Alexandria. She was surviving, not trying to win a Miss Universe pageant.

Glenn had once made a joke that Rick should borrow her hair to match his long, wild man beard, and it had niggled away at her, even though she laughed along and teased him back. But it had never prompted her to spend a little less time scavenging in the old gun stores and a little more in the beauty departments. Maggie had always looked so effortlessly pretty, that rich Americana girl next door look that had made Honey a little envious of her at the beginning...Michonne looked like a warrior from Themyscira, striking and statuesque. Rosita...well Rosita, a latina bombshell...Sasha was toned with plump lips and Tara had her hair and those eyebrows...But Honey was just

Honey...

Or so she thought.

She had often caught Spencer and Eugene looking at her from the corner of their sly eyes when they thought she was none the wiser...But nevertheless, she had never had any confidence in herself in that department, keeping her face clean solely for the next slick of walker blood to stick better.

But she wanted Negan to see the best of her, from her little show of force in the dog pit, to later this afternoon.

And how are you going to do that?! You don't even own a hairbrush!....No...But I know someone who does.

Telling herself this was all for her low self-esteem and shoving up her fingers to the mirror, she decided to pay Sherry a Visit.

Stockholm syndrome is a bitch.

~

Ten minutes later Honey tentatively knocked on the wives door, feeling like a nerdy schoolgirl approaching the preppy clique. She shifted her weight nervously while trying her best at confident composure.

The music died down and Tanya answered the door, clad in a long pink silk kimono and black sparkling high heels

"Hey, Tanya! Could I talk to Sherry for a minute?" Honey airily chimed, giving her a slight smile in spite of the wife's tight mouth and wrinkled nose, her eyes lazily trailing up and down Honey's form like she was a roach in the kitchen.

"Sherry, you've got a visitor!" The arrogant, self-absorbed arm candy bellowed, beckoning her in with her hand. Her nails looked freshly painted, and Honey couldn't help but scoff under her breath at such a useless waste of time.

"Hey Honey, what's up? Does Negan want one of us"? Sherry smiled at her, eyes soft and genuine, getting up from her seat and clopping over to the door. Honey had to eye her up, she looked good, and a niggle of jealousy nipped at her like a nibbling mouse.

"No...no don't worry, I'm not here because of him" The angsty brunette informed her, waving her hands in front of her nose and gently shaking her head.

But she reproached herself internally when she realized her lie.

"I was actually wondering...and it's gonna sound weird, but could you loan me a hairbrush and some makeup...oh and some fresh clothes? I don't have anything to give you in return, well except for some cigarettes but...I'll owe you one, I've got a bracelet I left at Alexandria that I think you'll like, I'll bring it for you when I come back?"

Honey watched her face carefully as a slight flash of bemusement washed over it.

Finally, Sherry smiled, and flicking her bouncy hair she chirped, "Come on H, I'll dig something out for you."

"Changed your mind, Honey?!" Frankie shouted over to her as the now pursed-lipped, fist balled girl in need of a detangle looked in her direction, Frankie was shuffling a deck of cards and watching her like how a Cat watches a Mouse, just gagging to get her claws out.

"He wishes! I've just come to borrow some stuff" Honey shouted back, and she could have swore she heard her scoff to Rosie.

Sherry beckoned Honey over to the side of the room as she rummaged through her large bag, producing a hairbrush and a set of fresh clothes.

"You wanted some makeup too didn't you?" The gentle-faced, doe-eyed Sherry inquired, unfortunately, loud enough for the other girls to hear

"Oooohhh, hot date?" Amber squealed, flapping down her magazine, fiddling agitatedly with the gold heart necklace resting on her chest while bouncing her knee.

'No...just some quality time with your husband'. Honey was desperately tempted to bite back.

"Somethin like that..." She instead smiled over at her, noticing how she looked up and down and slapped her lips like she had tasted something sour.

A bad energy had been building up in the room as it suddenly felt cold, they definitely didn't want her here. She was an interloper.

"We look about the same skin tone...Here's some foundation and a brush, oh and a mascara, blush, and lipstick." Sherry excitedly prattled, it looked like she had been reinvigorated while she handed Honey the implements, shooting the girls warning glances when the giggling increased.

"Thanks, Sherry, I appreciate it...I'll pay you back..." Honey mumbled to her, turning her back on the immature china dolls who had gathered in a bunch, like cackling monkey's, Sherry's eyes were gentle but held a silent strength, and it was obvious she was the little chief in this tribe.

"There's a big mirror and sink in there, the lighting's good, get ready in there if you want and leave your old clothes, I'll get them washed and sent back to your room for ya."

Honey exhaled a loaded sigh, nodding her head and gently squeezing Chief wife's arm in thanks, turning to walk into the big bathroom as eight eyes stuck 1000 degree daggers into her back.

~

Honey sighed at her reflection in the foggy mirror, feeling thoroughly underwhelmed and pulling her locks out of its bobble. Dragging the brush through and wincing as she chipped away until all the knots were gone and it was semi-straight, using a towel to rid it of the residual dampness.

She looked at the little foundation bottle quizzically in her hands, and a painfully repressed memory made her smile, she remembered this brand from before, its little gold lid glinting in the light.

She internally waged a battle with herself, thinking of thanking Sherry for her trouble and showing up at Negans door looking like a scruffy Badger.

Glancing at her sorry reflection again strengthened her resolve as she tipped up the little bottle and poured a blob on the back of her hand, dipping the brush and beginning the arduous journey of painting her face.

Nearly an hour must have passed off her dotting, dabbing and mixing, until no hints of insomnia remained, her cheeks rosy pink and a thick lashing of mascara framing her wolf-like eyes, her vulpine features wonderfully, but cosmetically enhanced.

She placed the implements back on the sink, washing out the brush and folding up the towel, changing out of her old clothes and pulling on the ones Sherry had mercifully gifted her.

A pair of light blue jeans and a soft knitted black sweater fitted the brunette snugly, and she couldnt help but smile as she twirled in the mirror jubilantly, how good it felt to get out of dirty clothes and into fresh ones as she ran her nimble fingers down the material, giving herself a metaphorical pat on the back while traipsing towards the exit, but she stopped dead when her pricked ears heard a hushed conversation, and she hastily put the glass toothpaste holder to the door, holding her now ragged breath to still her pounding heart.

"What do you think of her"?

"I don't know? Who's she getting dolled up for? Do you think it's for him?"

"I can't believe how much he's let her get away with, I heard about the kitchen!"

"She better not fuck it up for the rest of us, I can't work for points"

"Nah, he's not really interested in her, shes just his leverage"

"Yeah but don't you think he's been acting weird since she came?"

"Amber slept with him last, didn't you?"

"Yeah and he kicked me out halfway through, he's not even visited us once since!"

"I'm telling you she's going seeing him, she's gonna fuck it up for us when was the last time he's not slept with us for this long"?

"Urm, never!"

"I wouldn't worry about it, she's just a scruffy little nut job, she'll end up on the fence soon, I just know it, she'll be a popped melon like her friends, she's got it comin', when he get's bored of her, Lucille will be the last wood she see's"

"I don't know...I've seen the way he looks at her, and people are talkin', she got a beatin of brutal because he couldnt do it to her himself"

"Sherry, what do you think?"

The sneering, practically growling Honey had heard enough, swinging the door open as the conversation died instantly.

"Don't you look good, Hon?" Sherry smiled nervously, shooting a warning glance at Amber who promptly crossed her arms and pretended to spit in the plant pot.

The steaming, searing brunette looked all these catty, bitchy, pathetic excuses of women over, watching them watching her, her eyes narrowing at how they drank in her image and upturned their powdered noses. They looked like a caricature of a pre-apocalyptic brothel, so secure and padded in a world of neverending turmoil, and Honey was praying for the strength to not snap and give them a dose of reality.

"Thanks, Sherry! I'll leave you all to get on with-"

"So Honey, who are you seeing?" Rosie quizzed, her tone laced and oozing with snobbish contempt as she kicked off her high heels.

"Oh...Just some guy who's been really nice since I've got here, you wouldn't know him" Honey muttered, placing her hair around her shoulders and adjusting the back of her bra, she wanted to tell them the truth in retaliation, to make them jealous and put a fist in their mouth's. But she was smart enough to know she had to be calculating and sly with them, after all, who knew how much influence they had over Negan.

"So not Negan then" She cooed with a saccharine voice, drawling out his name.

"Of course not...I'm just his leverage, I'll end up on the fence soon, why would I do this for him?'' She deadpanned, giving her a frosty, Siberian gaze.

Amber coughed on her drink and rolled her eyes as Rosie slightly flinched.

"Thanks, Sherry love, I owe you one"

"Don't worry about it Honey, I hope you have a nice night"

Oh, I will, I'll have a fucking awesome night just so I can rub your god-damn faces in it...and your husband is going to pay for what he's done to me, I don't forgive, and I won't forget.