Work Text:
"Ready for movie number one?" Maggie asked.
"The real question is are you ready, kitten?"
"Oh, I'll never be ready." She picked up the remote and started the movie. "You seen either of these before?"
"I saw Insidious right when it came out. I remember it was fucking good, but not much else. Never got around to watching The Conjuring."
"I'm going to be the only one screaming and hiding, aren't I?"
"Definitely," he smirked. The movie flashed up on the screen and began playing. "But you won't be the only one jumping. The jump scares in this movie are fucking intense."
"I'm already regretting all my life choices." She nuzzled into his arm in a not-so-subtle attempt to get some early cuddles.
He lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulders. "You sure you want to watch these?"
"Yeah." She tried to keep her voice light and breezy, but failed miserably. "I’d normally stick with slasher and zombie movies on my annual scare-the-daylights-out-of-myself movie night, but I figured I'd go with some real doozies this time since I got you to hold onto.”
“Are you doing this to get over your fear of scary movies or just because you're a masochist who likes to torture herself?"
"Little of both." She answered and pulled a piece of popcorn out of the bag and popped it into her mouth.
The opening wasn't anything shocking, but the vibe of the movie was dark, and the cinematographer had done a good job of creating an atmosphere of foreboding.
"Shit!" Negan laughed as a shower of popcorn rained down on them.
"Note to self. Never hold snacks while watching scary movies," she muttered as she brushed kernels out of her hair.
"Probably some good advice." He flicked one off his chest and in her direction.
"Need me to hit pause so you can tidy up?" She asked with a smirk.
"Oh, really?" He grinned. "So, I'm the one cleaning up your mess now, huh?"
"Well, it is your bed."
"But it's your mess."
"Holy freaking heck!" Maggie screeched and buried her face in his chest, wrapping her arms around his middle.
All Negan did was laugh.
"How many more jump scares are there?" she mumbled into his chest.
"In the whole movie? Oh, a shit ton.”
"I'm so regretting this." She shuddered and cracked one eye open to catch a glimpse of the screen.
"Don't worry, kitten. I'll protect you." As if to confirm, he made a big show of wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tight.
"My hero," she muttered.
She spent the next hour and however many minutes snuggled in his arms as they watched the scariest movie she'd ever seen in her life. Even he let out a few screams, though he chuckled afterward as if he found the whole thing beyond amusing.
"You survive?" he asked when the closing credits rolled.
"Not sure." She shifted so they were chest-to-chest, burying her face in his neck. "Can a forty-one-year-old keel over from a heart attack?”
"Not from a scary movie." He brushed his lips against her forehead. "You really are part cat. How are you sitting like that without your back screaming at you?”
She was twisted into a pretzel, trying to hug him while still sitting beside him. "I'm too busy worrying 'bout my heart to notice my back. I'm sure that pain will set in soon enough.”
"Come here, scaredy-cat." He gripped her hips and swung her onto his lap so she was straddling him.
He held her tight, the pressure of his arms around her soothing her racing heart. The movie was still playing in the background, the eerie music from the credits wafting toward them.
"Can you turn that off?" Maggie asked. "Even the music is creeping me out."
He let go of her with one arm, and the room went silent a moment later.
"Better?" he asked softly.
She nodded against his neck.
“Wanna skip the next one? Maybe watch a zombie or slasher flick instead?”
"Yes please,” she mumbled into his neck. “I've had enough heart palpitations for one night.”
He chuckled, giving her a quick peck on the forehead before changing the movie.
“Don’t worry, kitten. I got ya.”