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#louisentine fanfiction
scullyy · 10 months
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Love Doesn't Need to Hide in the Epilogue
Pairing: Clementine x Louis
Word Count: 1948
Summary: All is fair in love and war, even with the threat of violence impending on the young teenagers a little crush cannot help but to blossom.
A/N: This was supposed to be multiple little clouis moments in one drabble but it got a bit too crowded for my liking and I got carried away with the first part KSKSSK. Anyhow, I'm like so proud of this?? Also Mitch my beloved you get to shine cuz you deserved better ;-;
-<3-
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At a mere eight-years-old, Clementine considered her babysitter one of her best friends. Sandra was kind, silly and knew all the lyrics to every song on the radio. Her games were creative, her clothes were always stylish and she could would make perfect waffles every time, safe to say Clementine wanted to be just like her in almost every fashion. Almost
Sandra would not shut up about boys.
The boy in her gym class, that one boy she went on a date to the movies with, the boy she bumped shoulders with in her Biology class. Every week there seemed to be a new boy, a new fixation. A hopeless romantic, Sandra listened to her heart more than she listened to her head. It was Clementine's' least favourite thing to talk about, boys were gross! Kissing was gross! The naïve girl told herself to never, ever obsess over a boy the way Sandra did. It was so incredibly boring, especially when they could have been playing their Secret Sisters game instead.
But now, at seventeen years of age, she too fell victim to the same thing; boys.
Well, maybe just one boy in particular.
There was no way in hell Sandra ever met someone like Louis; none of her romantic conquests sounded as kind, charming, delightful...funny...totally handsome-
"Hey Clementine!"
Said girl shook her head of such thoughts, trying to remember her original task. Spears, that's it. "Uh, sorry Ruby, bad nights sleep." Clem rubbed her eyes for added effect, also trying to distract herself from him and shoo away any lingering thoughts. Louis was on watch that morning, his legs casually swaying off the edge of the tower. She had only known him for almost two weeks, why was he trapped so tightly in her mind?
Deep down she knew and the answer scared her more than the battle looming over their heads.
"Uh-huh," Ruby wasn't silly like both her friends here, her keen eyes picked up on the puppy love look on Clem's face the second Louis came out into the courtyard that morning. She kept her hands busy with the wire spiralling around the arrowhead, a cheeky grin on her face. "I was just sayin' the banners are done, AJ and Tenn did a real good job. How's your spears goin'?"
"Fine, should have plenty by evening-" Her unfaithful eyes flickered back to Louis, who was now gazing up at a bright bluebird in the trees above. She hoped with all her might that he was smiling, no one had seen him smile in days. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what's wrong sug?" Ruby asked even though she had a pretty good idea what Clementine was going to ask her. It wasn't the first time she had seen this look, it was universal. Ruby's love detecting machine was as strong as ever!
"Has, uh...has Louis said anything to you? He just hasn't seemed like himself the past few days-"
"Louis hasn't talked 'bout you."
Clem choked on the air around her, spluttering everywhere and almost dropping the arrowhead in her palm. "Me? Who...why on earth would I ask that?"
"Cause you're totally crushin' on him!" The red-headed girl gushed, nearly screaming her words for the whole forest to hear.
Clementine swatted at the space between them, urging Ruby to keep her mouth shut. "I am not!" Even if Clem was good at lying, her blush - which was as bright as Ruby's hair in the sun - was exposing her heart and mind ten fold.
"Okay sure," Ruby snorted as she continued to laugh further at her friend, who was trying to shush her to no end. "It's nothin' to be embarrassed 'bout! Louis has some appeal...in his own bizarre way." Though she couldn't see it, what with all the racket he made.
"Oh god," Clementine threw her head against their table, wondering just how much strength would be needed to rip her hair out. "Is it that obvious?"
Ruby set down a completed spear, placing it with the other two she had made. "Naw. Well...maybe just a smidge-" Pinching her pointer finger and thumb together. "Don't worry, Louis ain't that observant."
Clementine had completely forgotten about her craft at this point, eyes lowering to her lap. "That and I'm sure he hates me." She was so certain of it, every time they passed by one another his head would drop down, finding the floor much more interesting.
"What makes you say that?" Ruby inquired further, also losing focus on the spears. They could be finished later, this was so much more important!
"He hasn't spoken to me for a few days, not since he gave AJ..."
Ruby leaned in closer, the gap that once separated them almost non-existent now. "Gave AJ what?"
"He let AJ have some of Tenn's old shirts since his got ruined when we got attacked in the woods." A memory she still held onto dearly as she couldn't help the innocent smile from growing.
Ruby buried her head in her hands and squealed, getting an odd look from Omar by the stairs. "Oh my god, that's adorable!"
Clementine rolled her eyes. "It's just some shirts, Ruby..." Besides, Tenn probably asked Louis to do it. Yup, one hundred per cent. 'There was no way he would be kind to us because he genuinely wanted to be, right? People aren't just kind for the sake of it these days, not anymore.'
A lie right after the other. Despite what she had put Louis through he was still there for her, for AJ. A moment of kindness she seldom saw these days, with no expectation to pay him back. That's just the kind of person he was.
Her friend had other things to say, however. "No way Jose! That's a sure sign of affection right there!" She waved her finger in Clems' face, bouncing around like a giddy toddler being presented with a gift.
Clementine moved Ruby's hand with a gentle push yet the support still steadied her shaky knees, even by just a small bit. "Whatever, it doesn't matter anyways, he can barely look at me. There are more important things to worry about right now as well."
"Uh-huh, is one of those things a booyyyy?"
"Hardy fucking har."
Ruby snorted as she continued on with her final spear, shaking her head lightly. "Y'all are too cute."
Clementine kept her mouth shut from that point on.
The young man on the other side of the courtyard wasn't feeling much better himself. One, there was nothing super interesting to look at when on watch. There was the pretty bird in the tree above him sure, but that bird flew off into the sky. He tapped his fingers against the wooden railing, practicing a song he was trying to finish writing. There was the C key, then the D key followed by-
He made the mistake of looking back at the school, his eyes immediately falling on Clementine, sitting beside precious Ruby, the two gossiping about something as the duo seemed super hushed, their eyes and heads low.
'What is she thinking about? It's hard to tell what's going through her head on a good day, though I haven't really given her much of a reason to smile or be happy lately- shut up Louis!'
"See anything dude?"
Louis was jolted out of the daydream he was slowly falling into by Mitch calling out below him. He straightened his back out, attempting his best chilled out position. Totally chill so long as Mitch didn't notice his fidgety hands. "Not unless you count the bird that was here a few minutes ago."
"No, I don't." Mitch kicked at a stray rock by his feet, he was supposed to be doing something with Aasim but it sounded boring so fuck that. "You cool, dude?" Despite not being the most emotionally in tune with those around him, Mitch knew if Louis of all people was silent then something was definitely wrong.
"Uh, yup. What makes you say that?" Even Louis didn't believe his own answer, uncertainty wrapping like a noose around his neck; uncertainty about his past memories, the future of his entire life and...well, her.
"Cause you can't stop staring at Clementine like a fucking weirdo."
Louis bit down on his own tongue to keep his sarcastic remark to himself, focusing on the sour taste of his own blood. "I'm not staring and even if I was it's not weird."
"Why?" Mitch continued, not taking the hint as per usual.
"...Because."
"Wow, nice save."
Louis felt the eye roll in that, Mitch's candour was something he was always a little bit jealous of. Violet possessed this too, he wondered why he hadn't picked it up after so many years together. Hell none of the characteristics he admired in his friends he seemed to possess; he was the two-headed lamb, the broken hand on creations clock, a small bug lost in a big garden.
And yet, a girl he had only known for a couple weeks found it within herself to forgive him of all that. To resign him to a different fate, freeing him as though he were David being pulled from his marble prison. 
"Has she said anything? To you or someone-"
"I'm not a fucking marriage counsellor, you got shit to say you tell her." Helping Aasim doesn't sound so bad anymore 'fucks sake Mitch.'
"Dude-" Louis' palms met his face, tugging at the skin around his hairline. "Forget I said anything." He kicked at a stray leaf, watching it twirl to the ground below, knowing his treacherous eyes would immediately gravitate towards her if given the chance,
Mitch leaned against the rickety ladder, finding the dumb look on his friends face fucking hysterical. "You wanna know what I think?"
"Not really-"
"I think you gotta suck it up and go talk to a fucking girl. Y'know, an actual girl. Not like Violet or Ruby." He wildly gestured to the red-head as if Louis was unsure who he was talking about, hell he wouldn't put it past him. 'Seems like his mind is all 'Clementine this, Clementine that', fucking idiot.'
Louis glanced between Mitch and Ruby multiple times, searching for whatever point his friend was talking about. "Mitch...they're girls too."
"Yeah I know, but not like girl girls."
Crickets chirped between them. "I'm so confused-"
Mitch waved him off, forgetting his argument just as quickly as he had brought it up. "You know I'm right. Don't talk to me about your fucking fucked feelings, tell it to her." With that declaration, he turned on his heels and marched back to the school, leaving Louis only with the sight of Mitch giving the laziest bird ever flipped.
"Thanks, Mitch. You're a real Romeo."
It was his own fault really, asking Mitch about girls was like asking Clementine to wake up on time-
'Oh c'mon now. Stupid crush, stupid school, stupid car crash that brought her into my life like a meteor collision.'
Meanwhile his lady love had found no luck in quieting her humming mind.
‘You don’t have time for boys, Clem. Get your shit together and stop being selfish.’
Louis would one day tell their friends the story of how he wooed Clem with his endless charm, how enchanted she was by the song he wrote and how - as he put it - “she just couldn’t resist any longer!”. She would go along with the bit because of course she would, she was never one to turn down a game.
Quick and not-so-subtle glances would become fingers perfectly intertwined, embarrassed and hidden smiles turning into inside jokes and a carving on a piano there for the rest of time, outliving even them.
-<3-
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twdteacakes · 8 months
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Time Left To Heal - Chapter 4 - I Loved Him
Overall Synopsis: The past can be haunting. There are scars that cut deep. Thanks to Lilly and her people, the children at the boarding school were wiped out, and Clementine lost her forever home. After such a huge massacre, only herself, AJ and Louis were left alive. Five years later, the trio are just trying to live a peaceful, carefree life. If only it were that simple.
Chapter Synopsis: Louis is gone. AJ is desperately trying to hold it together. Clementine’s psyche is breaking. Will they escape their captors or will grief swallow them whole?
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mcg777 · 4 years
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| Evening Tunes |
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Pairing: Clementine x Louis
Word Count: 3170
Summary: After a couple of stressful weeks, Clementine is taken by surprise by Louis' "special" invitation. Together, they find peace underneath the gleam of the moonlight, turning an ordinary night into something so, so much more.
Read on AO3
            It was the end of the afternoon. The wind twirled gracefully around the autumn leaves, inviting them to join it in its dance. Orange stained clouds embellished the sky, far apart just enough for golden waves to pierce through the ethereal veil. Distant, a lonely moon carefully revealed herself to the world below, her gentle glow somehow surfacing in the midst of the magnificent ballad of colors and lights. It was a beautiful sight to behold – one that Clementine was very thankful for.
           A soft yawn interrupted the gears in her eyes, causing her to briefly look away from the window. For the past few days, she’d been working non-stop, crafting plans, securing the school’s defenses and checking in on her friends’ patrols, all in the hopes of keeping Ericson safe from the many possible threats that hid beyond its walls. Most would think that after losing a leg, one would try to spend their days in the comfort of their bed, away from the stress and chaos of the outside world. Not Clementine, though; if anything, her responsibilities had increased, with her taking up the role of leader after the events with the Delta.
           Another stubborn sigh escaped the girl’s lips, but she fought through the exhaustion, refusing to stop admiring the view the heavens had gifted her with. It had been several weeks since her group had spotted any survivors, most of them not even significantly close to the school, yet Clementine stood on her toes. Their last encounter with strangers had been… tense, to say the least. If there’s anything her journey had taught her throughout the years, it’s that one should avoid taking risks at all costs – especially now that she had found a home in the boarding school, and a family in its former students.
           A knock on the door made her eyes stray away from the pinkish sky, dissipating her cloud of thoughts.
           “Yes?”
            Clementine waited patiently for a reply from the other side, but nothing came. She turned her head to the door, expecting whoever it was to simply walk in. Instead, two more knocks echoed throughout the room, causing the girl to sigh in annoyance.
           “Alright, I’m coming…”
           With her crutches in hand, it didn’t take long until Clementine finally reached the door. Upon opening it, she was greeted with something rather unanticipated.
           “Good evening, m’lady.”
           Whatever words she’d intended to articulate lost themselves in her throat. There stood Louis, bowing before her with a warm smile spread across his face.
           “My sincerest apologies for disturbing you at such a late hour. I truly hope my presence isn’t distracting you from more dire matters.”
           It would take a few seconds before Clementine managed to collect herself, ultimately deciding to play along with his theatrical act. Doing her best to replicate his tone, she put on her best whimsical front.
           “And to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
           “Well, you see,” he said, returning to her eye level, “I’ve travelled all this way to inform you of something very important.”
           “Oh, yeah?” she smirked, “And what could that possibly be?”
           Louis smiled, clearing his throat after taking an imaginary letter from his pocket and holding it out in front of him.
           “Your majesty is hereby invited to tonight’s special piano recital, occurring shortly after dinner in the music room.”
           She rolled her eyes at his antics, unable to hold back a laugh.
           “I see. May I know who else is coming to this recital?”
           The freckled boy paused for a second, dropping his seamless act.
           “Actually,” he said, rubbing the back of his head, “it’s just you.”
           Clementine’s lips parted slightly.
           “Oh.”
           It was not at all what she’d foreseen. Based on what he’d been suggesting, she expected it to be one of Ruby’s famous hootenannies, where they’d all gather around in a circle in the music room, evenings spent telling each other stories of the past, laughing and savoring the music playing in the background. She missed those days.
           The on-going silence between them pushed Louis to continue.
           “It’s just…” he sighed, “it’s been a while since we’ve spent some time together. Just the two of us, I mean.”
           He was right. With all the strategical thinking from the past weeks, the girl had barely even had the chance to thoroughly enjoy her time with AJ, let alone Louis. Unfortunately, those were the drawbacks of choosing to shield the ones you love, a path that drove her away from the people she strived to care for in the first place.
           The way he pursed his lips and gradually darted his gaze away from her told her that he was considering backtracking on his offer. Without hesitation, Clementine took a step closer, making the boy instinctively place his hand on her arm, just in case she lost her balance. She always appreciated his small gestures.
           “Hey,” she whispered, her own hand guiding her toward him, “I’d love that.”
           Louis eyed her gently, taking in the tenderness of her smile. They stayed like this for a moment, silent, simply enjoying each other’s presence. A magnetic field trapped them in each other’s gaze, and before he realized it they were already leaning in, forgetting all about their surroundings in favor of the dazzling view standing right in front of them. Just as they were about to close the gap, the sudden sound of steps coming down the hall broke them out of their own world.
           They both pulled back, traces of a rosy tint peeking behind their features.
           “Right… so,” he said, hands reaching for the comfort of his coat, “it’s a date, then.”
           Joy tugged at the corners of Clementine’s lips. She liked the sound of that.
           “It’s a date.”
           They shared one last smile before they parted ways, a soft chuckle leaving her as she watched him bow down to her yet again, only to be out of sight in a matter of seconds.
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             It was the beginning of the night. The chill in the air enveloped the school, breathing life into the still trees. The once warm tones of the sky were now mere shadows of the past, a dark blue tint brushing across the starry canvas as the moon smiled upon the Earth, casting light in the dark void below.
           The halls of the admin building emulated the outside world like a mirror. Peaceful, but cold; somber, yet delicate. Clementine walked alone among lifeless silhouettes, guided solely by the flame in her heart. A soft tune emerged from the shadows, breaking the silence and making its way to her. She followed it promptly, her crutches leading her to a very familiar door. Through the gap, she could see light.
            And there he was.
           She smiled at the sight. He sat at the piano, his hands effortlessly gliding over its aged keys, creating the melody that beckoned her to come closer.
           As she opened the door, Louis’ eyes fell upon her.
           “Clem, you made it!”
           Her eyes studied the music room in awe. Candles adorned the place, their warm colors accentuating the way the moon’s natural glow kissed their little sanctuary. Rose petalled flowers perfumed the air, beautifully arranged throughout the room, their essence fusing with the calming heat of the nearby flames.
           It took her breath away.
           “Louis, this… this is beautiful. You didn’t have to.”
           “Oh, you haven’t even seen the best part!”
           In a blink of an eye, the freckled boy removed a small bag of pretzels from his coat. Judging by how dusty it looked, it was safe to say the contents inside were, at best, stale. That didn’t seem to scare away the excitement in Louis’ voice, though.
           “Since tonight is our first real chance at having a proper date after all this time,” he said, handing her the bag, “I figured the occasion called for a special kind of snack.”
           “Oh god,” she groaned, failing to hide her amusement as she inspected the item more closely, “seriously, where do you keep finding these?”
           Louis raised a brow at her question.
           “And reveal where I keep my secret stash of below-average pretzels? I don’t think so.”
           Clementine couldn’t help but giggle at her boyfriend’s witty nature. He smiled in return.
           “Tonight’s show is about to start, and lucky for you,” he beamed, patting the seat next to him, “you were granted an exclusive seat!”
           She rolled her eyes at that last part, leaving her crutches propped up against the piano as she sat next to him.
           “Y’know, not many people get the chance to see the artist this close. I bet they’re jealous of you.” he added, sending a wink her way.
           That earned him a smirk.
           “Well, it’s not like there’s anyone else here.” she quipped.
           “Hey! The squirrels are watching.”
           And there it was again, the warm melody of her laughter. It was enough to make the otherwise steady drums in his chest go off beat, fluttering at a hasty rhythm. He lowered his head, a small smile blooming on his lips.
           The piano shyly murmured as his fingers skimmed over its keys.
           “So, any requests, your majesty?”
           Clementine pursed her lips. There was a vast array of songs she could ask him to play. How was she supposed to pick? After moments of indecisiveness, she opted to hand him the reins; yet just as she was about to speak, one particular song popped up in her head, shadowing all the other ones.
           “Remember the song you played when we first met?”
           His eyes found hers in the comfort of the moonlight, hearts beating in unison as they ventured down the bridge guiding them to their past. Their first encounter started playing in Louis’ head like a never-ending film; it had been so long since, yet somehow he still remembered it as if it were yesterday. It brought a smile to his face.  
           “Of course. How could I forget?”
           He let his fingers caress the piano keys ever so gently.
           Oh, my darling, oh, my darling,
           Oh, my darling Clementine,
           His voice came in soft waves, gentle like a whisper in the wind. It was different from the first time he’d sung to her, energy dripping from his vocal chords as he performed for his small “crowd”. No, this time there was a certain peace to it, with the beautifully weaved notes swaying around the candle lights, a hint of melancholy in the way the words escaped his lips.
               Clementine leaned against the boy’s shoulder, feeling her eyes succumb to the weight they’d been subject to for the past weeks. With a sigh, she allowed herself to rest at last, his voice cradling her in its soothing shroud.  
           You are lost and gone forever…
           A chill pierced through the room, one that only Louis felt, as the weight of those words sank in. They echoed relentlessly in his head, like the silent cries of a tormented ghost. The more he tried brushing them off, the further the words entangled themselves around his throat, a tight chain binding him to a vision that made him sick to his stomach.
           The girl waited for the next lyrics, but they never came. In fact, the music had stopped, too. When she opened her eyes, she found him seemingly lost, staring at the keys, his hands barely touching them. With her fingers slowly reaching for his shoulder, she expressed her worry through the gentleness of her tone.
           “Is everything okay?”
           A subtle frown enveloped his features, and although soon covered up, it was still noticeable enough for Clementine to know something was wrong. She opened her mouth to speak, but he was faster.
           “On second thought, maybe we should try something else.”
           She stared at him as his attention returned to the piano, brows knitted together in search of an answer. Why did he want to switch up the song?
           All Louis could see was shapes of black and white, a tempest arising from beneath his fingertips as they blindly pressed against the ivories, determined in finding the right tune – anything that could draw him away from the bleak thoughts clouding his brain.
           Clementine felt a slight sting in her chest as she watched him work his way through whatever was bothering him. Sympathetic, her gaze fell back upon him after she revisited the moment things had gone south in her head. It hadn’t taken her long to figure out why.
           “Louis.”
           He kept on going, refusing to give up on his seemingly impossible search. Endless attempts at stitching up a simple melody, yet despite his efforts none of the notes sounded right to his ears. The boy cursed under his breath.
           A soft hand cupped his cheek.
           “Louis, look at me.”
           In one gentle move, their eyes met. It was all it took to break him out of the trance; a single look and he was already losing his grasp on reality, now diving into the beautiful golden ocean that was her eyes. Clementine held him in place, the warmth of her touch sending waves down his spine.
           “I’m not going anywhere.” she whispered, her thumb softly brushing against his skin.
           As if having life of its own, Louis’ hand gently trailed up her arm, eventually resting on her own, fitting just as perfectly as two puzzle pieces. She leaned in, resting her forehead against his in an act of reassurance.  
           “Sorry, I-…” he sighed, pulling away slightly, “I didn’t mean to get like this over a song, it’s just…”
           The girl stopped him before he could go further.
           “Hey, it’s okay.”
           She didn’t blame him. After all they’d been through, all the close calls that could have gone terribly wrong, the bond they’d built … the thought of waking up in a world without one another had become unbearable. With that, what had once started as a playful song marking the beginning of their friendship, was now a reminder that everyone’s luck runs out sooner or later, including that of the ones you love.
           The couple stayed quiet in each other’s embrace, watching the wax of the candles slowly melt away with every second that passed, leaving tracks of its fiery tears engraved on their honey-tinged surface. It was the perfect ambiance, giving off such tranquility and peace that it seemed nearly impossible to disturb; or at least so thought Clementine, until she was struck with something that caused her to leap out of her drowsy state.
           “Hey, I’ve got an idea.”
           A pair of inquisitive eyes darted in her direction.
           “You know how you’re always telling me we should compose a song together…?” she began, moving her fingers along the sides of the instrument.
           Louis didn’t even have to hear the rest of it; his eyes had already lit up, a pure reflection of the stars adorning the pretty night sky.
           “Clementine, I… I’d love that.”
           She smiled at him.
           “Why don’t you start coming up with a tune?” she said, gesturing toward the piano, “I’ll help wherever I can.”
           And so, he did just that.
           After spending what seemed like hours carefully crafting a melody, a trial filled with lots of back and forths between the two, alongside the occasional chuckle at Clementine’s musical inexperience, the pair was finally happy with the result. It had been a tiring process, its effects arising mainly in the energy department; but at the end of the day, they’d do it again in a heartbeat.  
           A sigh escaped the freckled boy as he grazed his fingers over the keys he’d grown to love over the years. Clementine watched him tenderly, a simple nod encouraging him to delve once more into the path they’d walked on together.
           With a soft smile on his lips, Louis started from the beginning.
           It was a warm tune, one that irradiated a glow so bright that even the timid moon was drawn to its beauty. A melody so gentle and yet so passionate, a paradox proven possible with every press of a key. An aurora of emotions – bliss, melancholy, hope – all tugging at the strings in their hearts.
           But there was something missing; something they hadn’t spoken a word of. Something Clementine was about to fix.
           Taking a deep breath, she let herself free.
           You rest inside my mind,
           Since the day you came,
           I knew you would be with me,
           Louis’ eyes widened at the sound of her voice. Just like a soft breeze brushing against a vast field of flowers, she flew gracefully over every note. Each word rolled off her tongue with such ease, resembling a single ripple in the calm waters of an unexplored sea. It made the flame inside his chest grow wider, leaving him in awe of the girl he was eternally grateful to have met.
           Oblivious to the freckled boy’s thoughts, Clementine focused only on speaking on behalf of her heart. Closing her eyes to the world, she found inner peace as her voice merged once again with the soothing melody echoing throughout the room.  
           All the time we spent,
           What we shared was surely,
           Warm enough to know you cared for me.
           Louis’ hands lingered onto the ivories after her singing reached its end, her smile emerging from underneath the glimmer of the moonlight. She felt the thumping in her chest calm as the remaining notes came to life in one final stroke, bringing the song to its grand finale. As if carried to the realms of a heavenly dream, Clementine opened her eyes to find the boy staring at her so lovingly, his tenderness the reason for the sudden heat rising on her cheeks.       
           “Clementine, that… that was beautiful.”
           She failed at suppressing a shaky laugh. It had been the first time she’d sung to him, and here she was silently telling herself that it wouldn’t be the last. Her eyes followed the trail to his own, a journey only complete after her hand had reached his, fingers intertwining in their perpetual longing for each other’s touch.
           And she smiled.
           “Couldn’t have done it without you.”
           The warmth he felt inside his core almost took his breath away. He was mesmerized by her, lost in what seemed to be a never-ending mirage. His gaze, so intense, so loving, it spoke to her in a prose whose adoration words could barely replicate – it touched her soul.
           Never had his heart screamed so loud for someone.
           Just like that, Louis listened to the ballad in his chest and let his actions speak for himself. Gently pulling her in, he pressed his lips against hers, sealing that moment for eternity. The kiss was like a lullaby, soft and affectionate, fueled by the chimes wavering within them. He would have eventually pulled away had Clementine’s hand not crawled up the back of his neck, keeping him close in their little corner of the world.
           And in that beautiful starry night, bathed in the warmth of the surrounding flames, they made a promise to never lose one another.
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louisfrecklesss · 5 years
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Louis: “I thought I lost you.”
Clementine: “Only for a minute.”
Louis: “Longest damn minute of my life.”
this. this right here. is beautiful.
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shipppersrus · 5 years
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The continuation of Clem’s story
I was thinking about writing a fic that continues Clem’s story from the time Aj cut her leg off and so on... I’d love to collaborate with someone who does art if anyone is interested! 😅♥️
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butterygalaxies · 5 years
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daffodils // louisentine fanfiction
Title: Daffodils
Word Count: 876
Synopsis: Clem is sick, so Louis brings her a gift.
AN: This is a fill for @hardlandoperarebel 's request! Enjoy :)
He’s running for his life when he sees them.
Daffodils. Louis knows they are daffodils because there was a patch that sprang up every year behind their house. He remembers how she loved those flowers, the only thing in the garden that hadn’t been trimmed and cut to crisp perfection. She’d sit on the patio and just watch them shimmering like gold in a whirlpool of rust. After everything had happened with his dad he remembered those flowers and he’d drawn them during art class on a sheet of paper.  He’d saved that photo until winter break, when the troubled youth were allowed two weeks of time at home. It was a shitty picture, just a few blobs of yellow and green, but when he’d come home to his mother she’d cried and hugged him and it had been like the way it was before.
It’s been a long time since his mother and a long time since art class and although those things float through his head as he runs from the  walkers chasing him, it’s not his mother Louis is thinking of.
Clementine is sick. Well, a lot of them are. There’s some bug going around the school that leaves the person vomiting and bed-ridden, and even though it’s nonlethal enough one look at the other kids’ gray faces and he told Violet  he was going on a run for meds. And Vi had given him a suspicious look but not for long because she had been too busy burying her head into the toilet, retching up the remains of last night’s possum stew.
Clementine’s sick, and a lot of other people are too, but so is she. Her voice is scratchy from the acid and her palms are sweaty and the meds he got from the drugstore on Highway 81 - probably all expired  - should at least help her rest easy.
But then he sees the daffodils, springing up from a crack on the pavement, green leaves sprouting through the concrete and reaching for the sun.  And he remembers his mother loving them. And he remembers the pictures Tenn and AJ like to draw for her, ladybugs and daisies and sunshine—and he pictures her face as he brings a little real sunshine into her life and suddenly his already overheating body is flushed all over.
So he does something stupid. He bends down and grabs the stems. Yanks. Almost falls over. Actually falls over, hitting the concrete as the deadheads close in. Shit, he’s clumsy. Scrambles to his feet and books the hell out of there, Chairles tucked under one arm and his pack under the other.
He gets away clean, if just barely.
It’s past midnight when Louis gets back to the school, and only Rosie’s awake, nudging  his hand playfully for a belly rub that he can’t deny her. The lights are off and he figures that the other kids can wait for the meds until morning; but when he’s headed for the stairs he passes by Clem’s room. He cocks his head, straining for any sound but when there’s only a quiet silence he pushes the door open with a shrug.
She’s fallen asleep curled into the fetal position, chin tucked into her chest and arms wrapped over her middle, eyebrows pushed together in discomfort Her curly hair is tied back messily but there’s still strands sticking to her forehead and neck with sweat.   She’s fallen asleep with a book across her chest—he recognizes it as the romance novel that got Violet and Minnie squealing when they dug it out of the library—propped up on two pillows and heaped in blankets. Even in sleep, she looks exhausted.
Louis checks to make sure she’s breathing - actually sticks his hand beneath her nose to feel the breaths  and thank God she doesn’t wake up because that is something he could probably never explain.
The trash bin is full of vomit, so he takes it to the kitchen to rinse out, giving it a good scrub, before heading back. She’s still in the same position, breathing heavily through her mouth. As carefully as he can, Louis pulls the book from her limp hands, sets the lace that broke off his boots inside to hold her place. He lays down a serving of the medicine and a glass of water, arranging them so she’s sure to see them first thing in the morning. Then he pulls out the flowers. They got squished in his pack, but not too badly—you can still tell what they are, and when he gives them a sniff it smells like something a girl would like - sweet and clean like summertime. So he leaves them on her desk, and after a few minutes making sure they’re placed just right, he heads off for bed.
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vikingknight90 · 2 years
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I know I’m not the first, but I wanted to do my own version of “What if Clem confessed her feelings to Louis later than in the game?” It turned into this little spur-of-the moment fic. Hope you enjoy ^^  Pairing: Clementine/Louis
Warning: Some angsty talk, but just a little. 
------------
“Hey, Louis...?” Clementine closed her eyes and enjoyed the gentle breeze engulfing them as they sat on the worn roof on the far west side of Ericson’s to get a glance of the sunset. 
It had been Louis’ idea. He had noticed her acting down for a while as the healing of her leg was moving too slow for her liking. Adjusting to her peg leg that AJ had made for her as he promised (that was, with the help of Willy and Ruby) was difficult, the soreness of her stump crying out every time it met the peg leg’s resistance, making Clementine stumble with tears pressing on her eyes and whispered curses under her breath. How long would it take until she could be of any use again? She wasn’t sure how she’d let Louis convince her into climbing onto the boarding school’s roof in this very state, but something about his eagerness and warm smiles, coupled with that playful look he’d occasionally give her that lately made her heart beat a little faster than before, ulimately won her over. He had offered her a compromise while taking her into a part of school she had never been to in order to find the stairs leading to the attic. “I promise you can beat me over the head with your crutch if the view disappoints you.”
Louis had turned and smiled at her while he held her hand leading her down the hallway while she hobbled behind him, and the warm feeling once again rushed to her cheeks while she managed to smile back and retort that she’d hold him up to that. He located the steep and partly broken stairs leading to what he explained was one of the two school attics, and carefully stepped behind Clementine and held her waist as she awkwardly climbed ahead of him. She already relieved him of the promise as it turned out she had to leave her one crutch behind in order to properly climb the dusty steps. 
“I can still give you a good kick with my peg leg, so don’t feel too safe.”
She heard Louis’ laugh behind her and enoyed the feeling of his hands on her waist, and wondered just when she had started feeling similarly towards him that she had known for some time he felt for her. Had it been after they had all escaped the boat explosion and Louis stood in front of her, chest heaving after he’d just killed a walker targeting her? She recalled how relieved she had felt that tears pressed on her eyes and she had thrown her arms around him, head pressed against his chest and thanking whatever higher power there was that he was alive. 
Of course it had began before that. Clementine remembered how self-conscious she had felt that night by the piano, when he had asked her to blow on the strings and told her just how much her company meant to him, and she could tell he had been nervous for what her reply was, wondering just what her feelings were for him. 
She hadn’t known at the time. It had happened too fast and she’d stumbled on her words and told Louis what a precious friend he was to her, hoping it wouldn’t crush him if he was really saying what she thought he was saying. She really meant her words and didn’t want to lose his friendship. 
The immediate look of disappointment on his face hadn’t escaped her notice, but he had quickly replaced it with a smile and asked her for a fist pump, something that still made Clementine snort at the memory.  Really, a fist pump? She had continued to worry if his exaggerated cheerfulness was fleeting and he would go on to distance himself from her after the sort of-rejection, but he hadn’t. On the contrary, Louis had continued to be sweet and warm and probably the best friend she’d gotten here at Ericson’s, which was weird to think about considering the... turbulent start they had had with him, to put it lightly. But after everything - Marlon’s death, her and AJ being kicked out and later returning, the raiders, the boat infiltration, the bridge scuffle with Minerva, Clementine getting bitten and nearly dying and losing her right leg... after all that, here they were. Louis was helping her climb stairs and laughing and she was there to laugh with him, looking like two ordinary and carefree teenagers fooling around, if not one of these teenagers having a peg leg in place of her real one, Clementine reminded herself of. 
Not that it was ever something that seemed to bother Louis either, apart from feeling sorry for her, that was. But Clementine appreciated that he didn’t shower her with pity either, he could tell she didn’t want it, nor did she need it, and he instead cheered her up in more subtle ways, like taking her to the school library to find books for her to read (now that she was sitting a lot more), coming to her room to play card games with her and AJ, bringing her second fillings during meals so she didn’t have to get up that much, and so on. Stuff that Louis assured her was no big deal and he was happy to do them for her, but Clementine appreciated these small things greatly and felt more closely connected to him than any of the others, if she hadn’t done so already.    Asking her to climb to the school roof with him, however, that was a first.
Clementine panted and coughed a little at the dusty and humid air of the attic hitting her once they were up, and she looked around to see all the crates and boxes covered with webs and even moss at places after not having been touched for eight years. Some filled to the brim with various junk, others tipped over and empty. She jolted as a mangy rat scattered over the dark and moldy floor just a few feet from them.
“Charming place.” she commented and allowed herself to lean her arm on Louis while catching her breath, and felt warm again as he responded by placing his hand on her for further support. 
“Jeesh, it’s even damper and moldier than the last time I was up here. Maybe we should leave the windows open to freshen the place up.” 
He waited till she felt better before telling her to wait while he went ahead to look for something.
“I joke, but as you can see there actually is a window here.” he gestured a few feet above them and Clementine looked up to see a gray and filthy window between a worn frame barely letting any of the clouded daylight in from the outside.  “Does it even open after eight years? It looks pretty worn down. Not to mention in bad need of a dusting.”
“Doesn’t that apply for the whole school? I’ve been up here and opened the window before actually... it’s been a while since last time, but it should be okay. Here.”
Louis came back with a stepladder whose state seemed to match everything else in the attic. Clementine raised an eyebrow at him as he placed it beneath the window. 
“You’re kidding, right? You want to climb that thing? It looks like it’s ready to break any minute. And how do you expect me to reach the window at all in my state?”
“Hey, trust me.”
Louis stomped on two of the stepladder’s steps to demonstrate to her that it was fairly sturdy, despite its look. 
“I’m telling you, I’ve done this before. It’ll take a little effort, but I’ll support you all the way.”
He smiled and reached his hand out towards her, that usual smile of his like there wasn’t anything silly about what they were about to do at all. Clementine sighed and shook her head, but conceded and hobbled towards him. She took his hand which he guided to grab at the stepladder’s handle, and carefully stepped up. It swayed a little, and she let out an involuntary gasp and tightened her hold, but then Louis grabbed it with one arm on each side of her and steadied it. 
“I got you.”
Clementine shook her head again and wondered how on earth he talked her into this again, to sit on some cold roof and see the top of the trees surrounding the school rather than their trunks from the ground? But she thought of how excited he had been when inviting her and didn’t want to upset him by saying so, so she kept shut and slowly let her peg leg follow her right foot onto the last step, the window just above her head. 
“Now what?”
“Try and open it. I’ll climb up behind you and push you up.”
Another sigh. Clementine grabbed the window’s handle and, with a small tug, it came open with a loud, uncomfortable creak. Dust flew from the frame with the sudden motion and made her nose itch. She looked outside to see the clouds slowly making way for a red evening sky, but she didn’t feel convinced yet.  
“Alright, I can almost see this magic view of yours. Come help me up. And you better not fondle my butt as you do”. 
Louis laughed as he slowly stepped up behind her, centering himself on the stepladder while he draped an arm around her waist. 
“I don’t make no promises.” 
“If so you owe me two kicks of my leg instead of one.” 
Louis carefully positioned himself and hoisted her up. It was easier than Clementine would have thought, sometimes being short and not weighing much had its advantages. Three seconds later she was out of the window, and noticed how Louis at the last moment was pressing his hand against her butt for the last push.
“Hey!” she said, but with a laugh as she lifted herself up and turned to help him up next. But Louis was taller than her and already had his arms over the frame and was was crawling out.
“I’m sorry, did you want to get out or not.” he said and managed a smile between his grunts, and Clementine leaned back while giving him space to hoist himself completely out. 
  “I told you I’m like a ninja.” he winked at her while carefully positioning himself on the roof as she had just done not to lose his footing. 
“I’m pretty sure ninjas don’t use stepladders.”
“That you know of.” 
Clementine smiled and looked around. She had been worried if Louis was taking her out on a steep part of the roof, there was no way she could safely keep up her footing with a peg leg. But he had no doubt considered this, and they had come out on a level part of the roof. 
Clementine peeked down at the drop some 20 feet below her, leading to the school grounds splayed out in front of them, and she was surprised at how high up they actually were. A sudden wind ruffled her hair and made her jolt a little, worrying just how secure they were sitting on a worn wooden roof that she saw had various holes differing in size and witdth scattered about. 
Lost in her thought as she looked over the holes, she jolted again as Louis grabbed her arm, averting her attention to him. 
“We need to get a little higher. Just slowly climb after me.” 
“Louis...” 
“Or you can climb before me. If you’re comfortable that I’ll be looking at your butt if you do.” 
He smiled in amusement and gave a mock-apologetic look when she glared at him in return.
“Louis, please, I don’t really feel safe enough up here to appreciate your jokes.”
“I thought I was the scared one between us. I thought you weren’t afraid of anything? ‘you telling me you’re afraid of heights?” “When did I ever claim I’m not afraid of anything? But no, I’m not scared of heights, more like I’m scared of falling through this rotten roof that seems like it can cave at any minute, just like it’s already done at several places if you haven’t noticed.” “You just struck me as that badass, that’s all.” Louis smiled again and crouched to get in front of her, showing her the way they would go. 
“That’s why I told you to climb after me. I told you I’ve been up her before. The roof is sturdier than you think, it just got ruined by mold and weaker build at places.”
“Sure...” Clementine said with a slight shiver to her voice and got on her hands and knees to climb the slight steep after him, not at all being able to crouch on her peg leg. Thankfully the top of the roof was only another 15 feet ahead of them, and she breathed a bigger sigh of relief than she’d thought when they reached it. Louis slowly sat himself and reached out to pull her up the last inches, placing her next to him and holding onto her until she sat comfortably as well. 
Her leg decided to start aching a little after the climb, and Clementine felt exhausted and breathed heavily. Almost without thinking, she leaned against Louis for support. The freckled boy tensed up at her action, and Clementine felt a little embarrassed in the midst of her exhaustion. Was it an overly intimate thing to do between friends? She quickly leaned away again after a few seconds of considering it. 
“Sorry, I just... need to catch my breath.” 
“Hey, it’s... okay.” Clementine peeked at Louis to see him looking away while his cheeks had gone a little darker in color.  
Subly nodding to herself at what it implied, she finally looked ahead to take in the so-called fantastic view. Not that Louis had called it that, but with how they had struggled to get up here, she’d swear that’s what he thought it was. 
“So... I know I probably built it up a lot, but what do you think? Not too bad, right?” he queried next to her in time to accompany her thoughts. 
Clementine would be lying if she said she wasn’t a little impressed. They really were higher than she had thought; not only did they see the top of the trees, but beyond them too. The clouds had completely given way for the soft evening sun, and a gentle red light was bathing over the school and the surrounding greens. She saw mountaintops far away in the distance, and from up here, the gentle songs of evening birds were a lot clearer than from below. 
If it weren’t for her leg, Clementine thought, she definitely could see herself wanting to come up here more often to enjoy the peace and view. She better not tell Louis that as he would definitely tell her to ignore the leg and that he would help her up here anytime she wanted. There was no need to further burden him with stuff he did for her, regardless how much he claimed to not mind it. 
“It’s pretty... I’ll definitely give you that.” “”Pretty”...” Louis mimicked her and smiled as he leaned back and drew in the warm summer air. 
“I’ll take it.”
Clementine smiled in turn and leaned forward to rest her head in her knees, closing her eyes to listen to the bird song and soft rustling of trees. Amidst these sounds, she also listened to Louis’ quiet breathing next to her. She felt his presence mere inches from her, and a strange and content feeling spread inside her, as if it had been a good while since she had felt so at ease, so--- in the moment and safe. She strongly believed that Louis being next to her was a big reason for this, and she had to fight the urge to lean against him again. 
A part of Clementine wondered if Louis would ever try to make a move on her again, or if calling him her friend had permanently repelled him from it. She just knew that if he were to put his arm around her at this very moment, she would let him. 
A few minutes passed of the two just sitting in a silence they both found strangely comfortable, but no arm were draped around her. Clementine opened her eyes and peeked towards the schoolyard below them, and a thought came to her head that made her let out an amused “Hm” against her knees.
“What is it?”
“I was thinking... this place must really have looked nice at one point, didn’t it?”
Louis followed her gaze to the schoolyard below, and nodded as he leaned forwards to rest an arm on his knee. 
“Before all this... happened, you mean?... Yeah, yeah this place did look good. A lot less bushes and trees in the middle of the yard, that’s for sure.” Louis tried to recall the first impression he’d gotten from the school when he was first dropped off here eight years ago, but frankly, how massive and looming it seemed to his 10-year old self was more ingrained in his memory than how pretty and... non-apocalyptic it looked at the time (not like he had had anything to compare it with then). 
Thinking back to that day, however, it triggered another memory for Louis that made him quiet, and Clementine noticed and turned towards him to see a deep frown on his face, his lower lip slightly trembling, giving the impression that he suddenly was on the verge of tears.
“Louis...?” she shifted to face him more, a frown on her own face at this sudden shift in the mood. “Oh, it’s... nothing. I just...I wondered how long...” Louis cleared his throat and took a deep breath to calm his voice that suddenly shivered.  
“How long...?” 
“My parents.... I just wonder how long... how long they lasted. ... That’s all.”
“Oh...” Clementine felt her heart twist at the involuntary memory of her own parents erupting in her own mind. It startled her and she suppressed it the best she could, or else she might lose her composure right here in front of him. It had been a while since she had thought about them, but despite the years that had passed, it never seemed easier to do so. 
“It sucks.” she managed to say. “To think of, or see... your parents like that. It really fucking sucks.” 
Louis looked at her now, and in his expression she saw him remembering what she had said about her parents, her very first awake day at Ericson’s, and it turned to regret.
“I’m sorry, Clem... I didn’t mean to... bring that up...” “No, it’s okay.” she interrupted him. 
"You’re allowed to... talk about your parents. It’s okay.” she managed to give him a slight smile, and he studied her face as if to read if she was really fine with it. 
Clementine hadn’t said it outright, but the way she had said it, Louis wondered if she had seen her parents as walkers. He couldn’t imagine what a traumatizing experience that must have been, especially as she was most likely a child at the time. Louis could barely stand even imagining his parents like that, and felt the urge to throw up every time the image involuntarily creeped into his head. 
Had it at least been the only thing bothering him, he might have had a slightly easier time to learn to live with it, but the harsh truth was that it wasn’t. Memories of his past actions were there right alongside it to tear at his conscience and make him detest himself whenever they intruded too much.
The first tear breached his eye now, and Clementine widened her eyes at him.
“Louis... what...?”
The tear surprised him and he quickly looked away and wiped it.
“I’m sorry, Clem, I...” he breathed and raised his hand towards her in a ‘I’m fine’ motion, which she clearly didn’t buy. It was his biggest shame, but he had told her before, so Louis figured it was okay to bring it up again. He knew he wouldn’t get away with deflecting or lying to her anyway, so might as well be open. 
“Sometimes I just wonder... after what I did to them...” he paused and took another deep breath, feeling more tears pressing on his eyes. 
“I wonder if they thought of me and.... wanted to see me. In their last moments... Do you think they did...?”
“Louis...” Clementine felt her heart break for him and before she realized it, she had scooted a little closer and grabbed his hand. 
“Of course they did. They were your parents.”
“Yeah, they were my parents, alright.” Louis had looked down at where her hand clutched his, more of a natural reaction to the sudden touch than anything, and now looked back at her, and she saw what she thought was the saddest expression she had seen from him.  
“I sure wasn’t much of a son to them.”
“I’m sorry, Louis.” Clementine sighed and rubbed his hand, trying to think of what to say. 
“You know... it’s not the same, but... I kind of feel like a mom to AJ.” She met his eyes again and saw his brow furrow at the confusion of where she was going.
“I know that if he did something that really hurt me... well, I would probably still love him.”
“Probably?” Louis raised a mock-eyebrow at her, and she smiled and shook her head.
“Alright, I would definitely still love him. I might think he was being a little shit and, I don’t know, ground him for a year or something... but I would still love him.”
Louis nodded slightly and gazed intently into her eyes as if he was trying to see how truthful she was being, and Clementine suddenly got more self-conscious of her hand still holding onto his. She thought perhaps the topic had passed when she saw his smile drop again and eyes wandering to their hands.
“Even if he, I don’t know, ruined your marriage?”
Clementine wasn’t sure what to make of his expression, whether it was serious or if he meant it as some halfway joke, but she sighed in compassion and took it as an opportunity to remove her hand, only to gently cup his cheek with it, bringing his slightly startled gaze back to her. 
“That’s a very spesific situation, but yes... even if he ruined my marriage. ” Clementine looked him straight in the eye and hoped to convey how serious she was, before she thought she’d try to lighten the mood and hoped he’d welcome it.
“Besides, who would I get married to these days anyway? ‘you have any suggestions?”
To her relief she saw him smile, and proceeded to get a mock-pondering expression on his face while she slowly removed her hand, waiting in genuine amusement at his answer. 
“Hmm, definitely that guy, what was his name... Gabe?” 
Clementine felt her cheeks flush in annoyance and lightly slapped his arm, which brought a genuine laughter from him. 
“Yup, based on your reaction, that was his name alright!”
“You shut your mouth. I told you Gabe was just a friend.” Clementine turned away in slight annoyance, but she couldn’t contain a small laugh herself at the improved mood she saw Louis in, despite it being at her expense. 
“Alright then, wait... didn’t you tell us that evening that you would marry Ruby? I’m so sorry, Clem, you must be heartbroken that Aasim beat you to wooing her.” 
His mood was clearly back as he playfully nudged her, and Clementine looked ahead at the sunset and just giggled an “Idiot.” at him. 
“I figured it out, I would marry one of those famous people you said must still be alive somewhere. It sure sounds convenient to hide in one of those giant mansions that probably still has a working jacuzzi and movie theater. Can you imagine?”
“Excellent point. Do you think whoever you’ll marry is into polygamy? I’d join as a second wife if it meant those perks and still hanging out with you.” 
Clementine snorted and hid her face in her knees, not wanting to laugh too loud at the dumb joke. 
“You’re unbelievable.” she said without looking up, trying to hide the giggle in her voice. 
“I try.” he said in a more soft tone all of a sudden, and surprised Clementine a little when she felt his hand gently stroke by her temple to brush some strains of hair away. She looked at him, which seemed to shake him out of the sudden urge to touch her and he pulled away, giving her an innocent smile and light shrug of his shoulders as if to say he hadn’t meant anything by it. 
“Do you, uh... do you want to get down at any time? Just let me know if you’re cold or... the leg starts hurting.” 
She saw him fidgeting and his cheeks had reclaimed a little of the rosy color from before.
“Hmm, soon.” she answered and looked ahead again. The sun wasn’t far from setting, but its last rays were still a warm pink and colored the roof where they sat. Clementine saw the border of the sunlight closing in on their legs as the schoolyard was covered in shadows below them, and she felt that serene state again, as if Louis and her were the last people the sun was shining on at this very moment. 
It was then she called out his name again. Clementine turned to meet Louis’ eyes where he still sat just a few inches from her, and when he faced her, she tried to read his expression for the emotion she so often thought she saw that he likely was trying to hide. 
“Yeah...?” 
She thought it was there. He smiled that rare smile that had no playfulness or teasing to it, it was simply warm and genuine, and he looked directly at her with eyes that spoke a gentleness she couldn’t put her finger on. Like he would look at her like that and no one else. At least she liked to believe that.
“Why don’t you kiss me?”
She saw the world spinning in those eyes now. The dark orbs widened and Louis’ jaw slightly dropped. Clementine bit her lip and saw his brow furrow as he stared at her, eyes darting as he looked for a sign in her expression to tell him she was joking.
“... what?”
She had to hold back a giggle at the usual smooth-talker’s first choice of word being that, but how could she blame him?
“You heard me.”
Clementine wasn’t sure where this boldness came from. There was just something that told her not to be afraid with Louis and that she could trust her instinct about his feelings. She just hoped she hadn’t completely misread him which of course... was a possibility. 
“Do you...” he managed to say before pausing as he looked down and cleared his throat, and if Clementine wasn’t sure he had blushed before, he sure was now.  
“Do you... want me... to kiss you?”
It was Clementine’s turn to blush as he looked straight at her now with that question. His expression was soft, almost desperate all of a sudden, as if some front he had kept till now dropped with her request. It shook her a little and made her cheeks even hotter. Clementine was determined not to falter out of her confidence, however. She swallowed her nerves and reached towards him. 
 “Yes...” she whispered. Even inches away, she saw his eyes, vulnerable and tender, studying her to really ensure himself she was being serious.
It was Clementine’s turn to be surprised, then, at how sudden his lips crashed onto hers. 
A brief contact at first. Clementine barely got to close her eyes before he pulled away again. His nose brushed against hers and half-lidded eyes bore into hers, his cheeks flushed a dark red. 
He’s still insecure...
Clementine realized she had to convince him better. 
She leaned forward to make their lips meet again, giving the softest of moans as she did.
It seemed to be the go-ahead Louis had needed. He quickly and eagerly returned her kiss now. Clementine found his hands cupping her head to hold her in place, which made her giggle under his lips before she sank into the moment and parted them to invite him further in. He dropped one hand to cup her waist, to which she answered by letting one hand caress at his thigh. 
The seconds passed as they moved their lips against one another, when the franticness of it overwhelmed Louis and he pulled away again. He breathed shakily while he stared disbelievingly into the amber eyes of this girl he had wanted to kiss for so long but had settled that it wouldn’t happen. He wanted to pinch himself.  
“I...”he spoke up, trying to collect himself not to say something stupid to ruin it. “... guess I need to take you up here more often?”
Wow, good job.
That made Clementine laugh. A shy, adorable laugh that made him want to grab her right back into another kiss, but he managed to restrain himself, and she scooted a few inches away while still holding onto his hand that rested in her lap now. 
“No, you don’t.” She still smiled and bit her lip while her insides somersaulted with butterflies. 
That was... not bad for a first kiss. she sheepishly thought to herself. She was still a little stunned at the brief passion he’d displayed and how he’d held her, and her heart still drummed in her chest and made it hard to keep eye contact with him for long. 
“We can... um, go down now. ... If it’s okay by you...”
“Uh... sure!” Louis was shook out his own stunned state and said that a little too loud, making him blush even more if it was possible. When he saw Clementine begin to move, however, the freckled boy couldn’t help himself and reached out to grab her wrist, prompting her to meet his eyes again.
“I know I’m... such a dork for saying this, but... promise me I can still kiss you when we get down?”
Clementine laughed softly again. Was it possible to be this cute? She gave him the second shock of the evening by leaning forward to kiss him yet again.  
Nose still touching his, she returned his gaze once more and sighed in near bliss. 
“I promise.” 
-------------
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dee-and-scully · 2 years
Text
I Will Always Find You
https://archiveofourown.org/works/25777657/chapters/62607910
Chapter 1 - 2 available now
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[against all odds, your hand is in mine] [2/4]
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Seasons change, and with each comes a different story. In a world where the dead roam around, romantic companionship seems unlikely. Yet Ericson stands, and within it are four couples who are proof that it's possible.
Summer: Clouis | sleepless nights, purple and orange skies, adventure, rooftops
Read on AO3
Notes: Hi. Have some clouis I wrote at 3 o’clock in the morning when I couldn’t sleep. Just as much hand holding and smoochin’ as the last one. 
[screenshot used is from the lovely @pi-creates​ who also helped me figure out this damn school layout... well as much as possible. the school layout is wild.]
---
Clementine used to dread night.
Before she and AJ had a stable roof over their heads, comfortable beds to sleep in, and a room to call their own. That's when night used to weigh down on them. Many sleepless nights she would lay awake in the back seat of their car with AJ curled at her side. Every little noise kept her alert, feeding into her worry.
Noisy bugs, the coo of an owl, walkers groaning in the distance, hungry animals, and sometimes dangerous people trying to survive by any means necessary- they were what occupied her mind every damn night.
What if she fell asleep and walkers surrounded the car? What if scavengers broke in and took their stuff at gunpoint? What if the place they parked wasn’t safe? What if she couldn’t get to her bag in time, or the knife from beneath the seat?
Then night would end, dawn would break, and another morning sun would rise. They would survive all over again.
Sometimes dawn was worse. She always wanted to let AJ sleep just a little longer, but couldn’t. They were back on the road with empty stomachs and never enough sleep in their systems. The same thing every damn day. She would promise AJ they would find something, that one day they would find a safe place they could call home.
She was never sure that day would come, but it did.
They were saved after a car accident that should’ve left them to the walkers, and brought to Ericson’s Boarding School for Troubled Youth.
It wasn’t easy ensuring this place as a home for herself, AJ, and the rest she’s come to love as her family, but it was worth it. Clementine doesn’t have to sleep clutching a knife in her fist anymore or lay awake wondering when they’ll find their next meal.
She doesn’t even have to worry too much about her recovery.
The loss of a leg like that? Clementine knew she wouldn’t have survived that if they were still out on the road.
Everything they went through was worth it.
While walkers still roam and there are other dangers out there, most of her other troubles were in the past. She has family to rely on now. Aasim and Louis are by her side to keep things running smoothly. AJ takes on more responsibility the older he gets. Not everything falls on her.
The only things she should think about at night now are the good things.  The fact that AJ sleeps peacefully in the bed across from her, and how Louis’ arm feels draped over her waist as he rests beside her. Sleep should be easy, and night shouldn’t be intimidating.
And yet, she lies awake with thoughts so loud and overwhelming, she’s surprised they don’t rouse the entire dorm. It doesn’t help that her leg has been bothering her with “ghost pains,” as Ruby calls it, and the dorms are sweltering from the heatwave this week, leaving the air stuffy and uncomfortable. Sweat sticks to her brow and everything is uncomfortable. No matter what position she lays in, no matter how dark it is out or how open the window is, there’s no escape from any of it.
It’s hot enough that Louis suggested he sleep in the other bunk for the night so that they didn’t smother each other. They both knew that wasn’t going to happen, but it’s sweet that he tried. They’ve shared this bed for over a year now, and even though his arm is heavy and does nothing but make her warmer, it’s harder to sleep without him there.
He even tried his best to sleep as close to the wall so he could give her more space, but no matter what, he always ends up rolling over closer to her.
With a small sigh, Clementine reaches up to feel atop the dresser beside the bed. First she grazes wood- her peg leg. Pushing that aside, she finds the water bottle she kept there. Maybe that’s what she needed. The heat always made her throat dry, and the air in here is so humid it’s nearly driving her insane.
Wrapping her fingers around Louis’ wrist, she lifts his arm to slide away as gently as she can so as to not disturb him. A quick, sharp pain shoots through her thigh, and she has to bite her lip to suppress a wince. It doesn’t linger, but damn, sometimes it’s enough to put her whole body into shock.
A soft gust hits her from the window as she sits at the edge of the bed, a small relief that goes as soon as it arrives. She hopes for more windy days. At least then the heat is bearable in the shade. When everything is still and the sun is in full bloom, there’s no escape.
Louis shifts, arm spreading out across the space she no longer laid. Something about that makes her smile. Most of his face is buried in the pillow, the rest obscured by his dreadlocks. She reaches over to brush them back. Her fingers linger after tucking them behind his ear, revealing his serene expression.
There were so many nights that Clementine slept alone in the woods. Before she got AJ back, there were nights where she was convinced she’d never sleep in another bed again.
Damn it.
These thoughts… they won’t go away.
The water is just as warm as everything else, but at least it leaves her a little less parched than before.  What she would give for some ice. Hell, at this point, she’s tempted to hobble out of Ericson, down to the river, and fling herself into the cool water. She wouldn’t even care if she scared away all the fish or got all gross and muddy.
The heat of a hand brushing her back startles her, causing water to dribble down her chin.
Louis rubs soothing circles over the thin material of her t-shirt. Staring up at her through drowsy, lidded eyes, he sighs.
All thoughts of the river are gone.
“Clem?” His voice is rough, quiet.
She smiles down at him. His hand falls to rest against her arm as she whispers back.
“I didn’t mean to wake you. Go back to sleep.”
A hum sounds from his throat, and for a moment, she thinks he’s doing as she said. But instead, Louis props himself up on an elbow to better see her through the dark.
“Your leg?” he asks, cocking his head, his brow furrowed with a concern that spreads warmth through Clementine’s chest. “Is it bothering you?”
“Only a little,” she admits with a shrug, then offers him the water bottle. “More thirsty and sweaty, if anything. Hard to get comfortable in this heat.”
Louis takes a swig of water, grimacing at the taste. “That all?”
“Mostly.”
“Bad dream?”
“Have to sleep long enough to dream.”
“Ah,” he says. Closing up the water bottle, he scoots closer to her kiss her clothed shoulder, resting his chin there. “What’cha thinkin’ about?”
“Everything, nothing,” she tries, relaxing against him. “I don’t know.”
“Wanna talk about it?”
“The everything, or the nothing?”
“Whichever.”
“Nah, I don’t want to keep you up.”
“Too late, love,” he yawns. “I’m wide awake.”
She smiles. “You sound it.”
“Mmhmm.”
Clementine rubs her heavy eyes, and her hand falls into her lap only to be grabbed by him. A bit of embarrassment washes over her knowing how sweaty her palms are, but Louis doesn’t seem to mind.
“It’s hot,” he grumbles when she doesn’t speak. “It’s bullshit.”
She really must be tired because she nearly chokes on a laugh. Her other hand presses against her mouth, and she freezes to check on AJ. He’s still fast asleep, sprawled over the bed and snoring. Louis chuckles into her shoulder.
Despite complaining about the heat, Louis presses closer to where he’s almost beside her. He watches outside the window. It’s not as dark as it was when they were laying in bed. Dawn’s coming, and that makes her sigh. Her only consolation is that even though she knows she’ll be tired all day, maybe it'll be enough to make her want to sleep when night comes once more.
Louis hums, and then pulls away so quick, she almost falls back. When he speaks her name, he’s strangely serious.
“Clementine?”
She loves the way he says her full name. She never told him that, but somehow he was able to figure it out.
“You up for a little adventure?” he asks.
She raises a questioning brow at him. “Uh, what kind of adventure?”
He’s out of bed, silently moving about as he whispers, “That’s for me to know and you to find out.” He grabs her slipper and his boots from the corner, and her makeshift peg leg from the dresser.
“Right now?”
She’s sure by “adventure” he means playing piano in the common room until morning arrives and they have to get the day started, but it’s a bit early for that. Usually, their piano lessons are in the evening time.
Louis kneels down in front of her to help secure her peg leg. She waves him away with a suppressed giggle when he tries to slide her slipper on like in that old princess cartoon. Both hands in his, he pulls her up from the bed, only to then grab her crutches. Odd.
She’s gotten better at balancing on her peg leg for short distances, only using crutches on busy days where she needs the extra support.
“You’ll need them for where we’re going,” he explains, handing them to her.
“The common room isn’t that far.”
“Who said anything about the common room?”
Before she can respond, he grabs two pillows from the top bunk above their bed and presses a finger to her lips. He nods over at AJ, who’s still fast asleep. They try to sneak out as soundlessly as possible, but that’s hard with how loud her crutches tend to be when moving. Luckily, they don’t seem to disturb the slumbering boy.
They’re hit with the refreshing morning air as soon as they step outside. Louis walks ahead of her, stretching his arms high above his head and letting out a yawn that turns into a satisfied groan. Clementine inhales as much as her lungs allow her, the scent of cool dirt and something floral an intoxicating combination.
“Y’know, I’m not much of a morning person,” Louis says. “It’s a shame.”
“Neither am I.”
They’re both notorious for sleeping in and being the last ones up. Might be due to them being night people or having troubling sleep patterns. Either way, AJ usually has to shake them awake, and even then, they end up lying in bed until they have to get a move on.
“And yet, you’re up so early.”
“Funny,” she knocks into his shoulder with a smile. “So are you.”
“Who do we think we are?”
Louis wraps an arm around her shoulder, pulling her close enough to plant a quick kiss on her temple. Together they head into the admin building, passing the common room to make the slow climb up the stairs.
“So, where exactly are we going?” she asks. “Because if it’s to play piano, we missed our turn.”
Louis winks back at her. “You’ll see.”
“You have another secret piano that I don’t know about?”
“I wish, but no.”
When he brings her through a blocked-off hallway, they have to climb over a bunch of furniture and debris. She damn near gets stuck, but Louis is able to lift her up with ease. He’s gotten good at that.  
She’s never been through this part of the school. It’s more decrepit than the main parts of the school she sees every day. From what she can tell, the rooms aren’t classrooms, but maybe they used to be offices? Who knows, most of the lettering on the plaques are falling apart.
At the end of the hall, there’s a ladder leading through a hole in the ceiling.
“Uhm…?
“I take it you’ve never been to the attic?” he asks, noting her puzzlement.
“Nope. I didn’t even know this place had one.”
“It’s pretty spooky up there. Lot’s of big spiders, maybe a couple of bats, and possibly a boogeyman. And a lot of old teacher shit,” Louis gives a disgusted shiver. “I think the headmaster kept some of his things up here, too. Been a while since I’ve snooped around.”
“You want to look through the headmaster’s things, or are we here to fight this boogeyman?”
“No, and no,” Louis smirks, and tosses his pillows up one at a time before stepping aside and motions for her to go first.
“Are you sure this thing’s stable?” she asks, wigging the ladder. Dust puffs all around it. It clearly hasn’t been used in a long time.
“No,” he replies, “but I’ll be right here to catch you if you fall.”
“And what if we both fall?”
“Then I’ll break your fall, and you’ll break my ribs.”
She rolls her eyes. “Great.”
It’s tricky climbing such a steep ladder, but he’s right behind her to keep her steady.
The musty heat of the attic hits her first, nearly making her gag. It’s not as dark as she expected, but there is something eerie about the unknown shadows of everything stored up here. It's the kind of place where your eyes play tricks on you, making you believe things are all around you, ready to pounce. She gets another whiff of something moldy and wrinkles her nose. Dirt and dust stick to her legs and shorts, and her hand brushes something sticky, like a bundle of webs. God, she hopes she doesn’t get spiders in her hair. It’s longer and curlier than it’s ever been, and she doesn’t even have her hat to protect it.
“This is…” she trails off.
“Super romantic?” Louis questions as he climbs up the ladder. She doesn’t even need to see him to know amusement's plastered all over his face.
“No. Not even a little. It’s gross.”
Louis laughs, helping her up to wipe the grime off her back.
“Not much has changed,” he says, peering around. “Except I think something died up here? Though I don’t think I need to know for sure, and that’s not why we’re here anyway.”
He leads her over to one of the double windows, the one with the least amount of breakage. Grunting, he tries to force the rusted lock to detach. She gets a good grip on the other end, and on the count of three, they pull. Once loose, the window slides up with little effort. The problem is the remaining glass. It cracks and drops to the wooden floor, shattering.
“Damn it,” Louis curses, doing his best to kick the shards out of the way. “Here, I’ll go first, just watch where you step. That’ll go right through your slipper.”
“Yeah, that’s what I need. An infection in my other foot,” she mumbles more to herself, but Louis snorts a dry laugh anyway. She hands him the pillows and her crutches before bending through the open window herself.
It leads to the balcony overlooking the entire yard. It’s much bigger than the broken balcony outside the office, the one beneath them. It’s perhaps more than twice its size. Finally, the stench of the attic is gone with the brush of the wind. Not too strong, but enough to cool the dampness of her skin. She closes her eyes, breathing it in.
“Y’know, if we told Ruby about what’s in there, she’d have a heyday tearing it apart,” says Louis.
“She’d make you help her clean it out.”
“Well, hey, let’s not get too crazy,” Louis laughs. “I think she’d rather have Aasim’s help. It can be their special project.”
“Oh yeah, I’m sure he’d love that.”
Clementine’s never been up here on this balcony. She always wondered how to get up here and what the purpose of it is. Why have two dormers of the slanted roof leading to an unusable balcony?
Hell, when Mitch and Aasim hung the threatening banner across the admin building for the raid, she assumed they climbed up from the outside. She had no idea the windows opened from inside the attic.
“Huh…”
Turning from the roof,  she heads to the end of the balcony. From here she can see far over their walls and through the miles of trees that are nothing more than black silhouettes against the lightening sky. It’s not the highest point overlooking the school, but it’s enough to make her a bit woozy when she looks straight down over the edge.
“Wow.”
“Pretty nice, huh?” Louis says over his shoulder. “It’s a wonder we don’t come up here anymore. The view is worth braving the attic.”
Realizing he’s not standing with her, Clementine curiously watches him throw the pillow onto the pitched roof. They slide down a little before sticking against the worn and sun-damaged tiles. She knows there isn’t anything flat on top, though. It’s an edge, so what’s he doing?
“Uh, Louis?”
“Tell me something, Clem,” he says, bracing himself against the wall of the dormer as he climbs the slope. He climbs on top of it with ease, snatching back the pillows as he asks, “When was the last time you woke up early, sat down, and enjoyed a good sunrise?”
The question isn’t what Clementine expected.  Truth be told, she’s watched the sunrise many times. All those sleepless nights that occupied her thoughts tonight, they all ended with her watching with a pit in her stomach as the sunrise brought morning.
But thinking about it now, she hasn’t watched a sunrise since…
“Well, the last sunrise I saw was when I was bitten,” she says slowly. “AJ and I walked through the woods and didn’t stop until morning, but I guess that doesn’t really count. I wasn’t sitting… and I wasn’t paying too much attention to it. I was worried about other things.”
Louis is quiet, and she can tell he’s panicking, second-guessing himself.
“I’m sorry,” he finally says. “I uh… I didn’t mean to bring that up. I forgot that you… shit.”
“No, no,” she shakes her head, moving away from the edge. “Louis, it’s okay. I know.” She sets her crutches against the other dormer and smiles. “You gonna help me up?”
Relief loosens his shoulders, and he grins back. She can still see the uncertainty lining his dark eyes, and makes a note to reassure him once she gets up there.
Locking his hand with hers, Louis helps pull her up to him. He loops an arm around her waist, and with ease, she’s sitting on top of the dormer's roof, facing him. She can see why he brought pillows. This would be painful without them. It takes them a moment of shifting and fussing with the pillows before they find a comfortable position. Facing where the sun would eventually rise, they sit close with their legs laying off the side.
They both catch their breaths, and Clementine places a hand over his that rests comfortably on her thigh.
“You good? How’s your leg?’ he asks.
“A little sore, but that’s nothing new.” She brings his wrist to her lips. “Thank you.”
He chuckles a bit, tipping his head forward as if to hide his smile. That wouldn’t do. Leaning forward, Clementine caught his lips with hers for a quick kiss, only for it to be broken when she nearly lost her balance.
“Don’t fall off!” he exclaims, clutching her waist. “If you fall, I’m gonna have to fall after you, and it’ll be embarrassing when the others find us all mangled up here.”
"Don't worry, I'll break your fall."
"Ha ha."
She follows his gaze to the sky.
It’s light blue now, almost a cool gray with wisps of burgundy clouds, and all the stars are gone. It’s peaceful, the ambiance of rustling leaves and birds chirping their morning songs soothing. The breeze even brings with it a chill that tingles through her arms.
It’s so much different up here than it was in the dorms, or even just in the yard. It’s crazy to her that not an hour ago, she was lying in her bed, uncomfortable… overwhelmed. Now, the smallest bit of glow teases behind the trees, and she can only think about how Louis’ hand in hers makes her chest swell.
It’s easier to keep those unwanted thoughts away, and she wonders if it’s silly to think that the thoughts can’t find her up this high. As if those miserable, painful memories couldn’t always find her.
Everything matters, and yet up here, so does nothing, and she’s strangely happy about that.
The radiating light blooms, warming blues into purples and oranges, light bleeding through the trees onto the grounds of Ericson. An amber cast washes over them and the dark rooftop.
It’s never looked like this before. Or if it did, she ignored it for years.
Clementine steals a glance at Louis, admiring the glow against his freckled skin. It reflects in his dark eyes. Her heart quickens. She always thought of him handsome, and he only grew more so the closer they became over the years.
But sitting here with him on the roof of the admin building, watching dawn break all the colors of the world, she could only think of him as beautiful. Not just because of his looks, or even the things he said to her tonight or any other night. It’s in the way he holds himself and who he was and who he became. It’s the way he smiles not only with his lips, but with his eyes. She trusts him. She hasn’t felt so safe in the arms of another since she was a little girl hugging her parents or entrusting her life with Lee, and that meant everything to her.
“We don’t have to talk about what’s bothering you,” Louis says suddenly. “I just want you to know that I’m here, okay?”
He’s watching her now, studying her now that he’s caught her staring.
“It doesn’t matter,” she manages, voice coming out much shakier than intended.
“Yes, it does.”
“I don’t want to think about the past.”
Louis kisses her wrist. “Okay.”
That’s more than enough reason for her to lean over and hug him, and when his arms wrap around her, she decides she wants to stay up here. She’d give up sleeping in, her worst habit, to do this again.
He kisses her slow, hand brushing the back of her neck to curl in her hair. She shivers, bringing him closer than before to deepen the kiss. They’ve done this hundreds of times before, but kissing Louis never fails to make her forget everything else, even if only for a fleeting second.
Nothing else. Just right now.
"Clementine."
This moment.
His lips on hers.
The sun. The morning air.
These feelings.
Like every day, the sun rises, and it’s another day.
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zombiesarita · 3 years
Text
Zombie Girl
Slowburn Clouis. Ericson’s AU.
Chapter 3 out of ?
Words: 4,409 out of 12,122
Ship: Clementine X Louis           Background Relationships
Genre: Angst. Comedy? Comedic angst. Eventual romance & fluff.
Warning: None currently. Eventual warnings will apply.
Description: If you had the chance to interview Clementine Crawford, she would swear up and down she was just a normal teenager with no traumas or anger issues. None at all. How dare you even ask? Unfortunately for her, her past counselors stood firm with the idea her temper was "uncontrollable" and she needed "to get the hell out of their office before they call the police". They obviously had some sort of vendetta. Honestly, she's an angel. Just don't get on her bad side, and she probably wouldn't kick your ass. Yet despite her protest, her family transferred her to Ericson's in hopes the school's therapy and rehabilitation programs could help her. All thanks to Lee Everett, a family friend and a history teacher for the boarding school for "Troubled Youth". Now she has to deal with corrupt authority, a group of morons that took her in as their own, and an infuriating boy that makes her angry in the best possible way. Can this party of misfits break down her walls? Can a certain freckled goofball teach her it's okay to not be okay?
Maybe. But first, they all need to stop calling her "Zombie Girl" if they want to keep all of their teeth.
Give it a read on AO3!
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sir-silly · 4 years
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I’m working on a modern TWDG au and this is the dress I plan on having Clem wear to homecoming with Louis :)
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scullyy · 1 year
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Sunkissed Faces and Quiet Places
Pairing: Clementine x Louis
Word Count: 500
Summary: One of hundreds of mornings spent together, Clem takes time to reflect.
A/N: I’ve had this in my drafts for a while and I’ve missed writing, I’ve missed you. I’m not sure if anyone in this fandom is still really active but I don’t care, I love these two and I love being here with you. This is all just pure fluff hebfhsjbs
Enjoy xx
- <3 -
"Psst, Louis!"
The young man grumbled, his mind caught in the zone where the whole world is a dull hum. His girlfriend inched closer, their noses almost touching now. "Looouiisss," She sang lightly, a small part of her not wanting to disturb his slumber. But AJ was off doing who knows what and she was lonely, a feeling she seldom got these days. "Hey, wake up sleepyhead."
He twisted in his sleep ever so slightly, pulling the blanket further up his shoulders, blocking the rays of fresh sun that came in. "Five more minutes." Despite his sarcastic tone, Clem could see his cheeks rise; the sign of a genuine smile.
"C'mon, you always wake me up in the mornings."
"Cause you always sleep in late."
"I do not!"
He opened one eye and was greeted by her enchanting grin. Not a bad way to wake up if he was being honest. "Oh yeah? You have a problem with how I wake you up?"
Clem bit down on her tongue to better repress her giggles. "I know you're trying to be cute again, but it's hard to take you seriously when you have drool coming out of your mouth." The floodgates to the giggles were bombed open as Louis frantically wiped at his mouth, his nose scrunching at the cold, wet feeling.
"So much for being charming," He sighed in defeat, snuggling back up into his pillow. The single bed just barely held the two of them, so personal space wasn't a thing during these sleepovers. Their arms and legs were crisscrossed like a game of twister, though they definitely didn't start off that way when they first got into bed. "Do I still have a shot?"
She took a long, dramatic pause. "Maybe, I'm sure there's someone else out there who also has dashing good looks."
Quiet, the only word Clementine could have used to describe these soft mornings. These sleepovers were a rare treasure, a treat for the two whenever one (or both) were feeling particularly prone to night terrors; a fleeting image in either ones mind of dead friends, blood soaked hands or ear piercing gunshots. An endless echo in a dark cave... and yet morning would always come and he would always be there, she would always be right beside him.
"Good luck with that Clemmie-"
"-don't call me that-"
"-Considering most of the popular are either dead or have flesh rotting from their faces, I'm as good as it's gonna get." He was sitting up now, stretching his tired limbs. Louis was in quiet thought over what job Violet was gonna assign him today, he hoped fishing with AJ.
Clementine hauled herself out of the bed and over his frame with ease, her feet hitting the dusty floor with a small thump. Despite Louis' protests, she knew there was work to be done, but she also knew tomorrow morning would come and they would follow this routine all over again. Even if there was no sleepover, they would still have every morning together for the rest of their young lives.
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twdteacakes · 4 years
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Time Left to Heal - Chapter 2
Overall Synopsis: The past can be haunting. There are scars that cut deep. Thanks to Lily and her people, the children at the boarding school were wiped out, and Clementine lost her forever home. After such a huge massacre, only herself, AJ and Louis were left alive. Five years later, the trio are just trying to live a peaceful, carefree life. If only it were that simple.
Chapter Synopsis: With relationships strained and paranoia increasing, our trio hike to an old mining town, and take shelter for the night. Feeling relatively safe, they decide to enjoy the spoils of life, while they still have the chance.
Archive of Our Own:
https://archiveofourown.org/works/23302753/chapters/60533971
Fanfiction.net:
https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13531036/2/Time-Left-to-Heal
Wattpad:
https://www.wattpad.com/912848269-time-left-to-heal-chapter-2-life-is-precious
Major thanks to my beta reader @scullyy
And thanks to @goofygomez for giving me some great advice during the writing process.
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mcg777 · 5 years
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| Count My Freckles |
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TWDG Drabble Challenge
Day 05: “Nightmare” 
Pairing: Clementine x Louis
Word Count: 1595
Description: Clementine wakes up from a horrible nightmare and Louis makes it his mission to make her feel better. His plan is adorably odd.
Notes: This originally wasn’t for the TWDG drabble challenge (I started writing it way before knowing about it), but I thought I might as well participate! ^-^
Thanks to @stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale for creating this challenge!        
Read on AO3
     ————————————————————————————————-
           Blood. All she could see was blood. It followed her around like a shadow, leaving a trail of wet footprints as she roamed the depths of her darkest memories.
           “Hey,” he whispered, “it’s okay.”
           Clementine ran her fingers through her temple, wishing it would be enough to soothe the ringing in her ears… but it wasn’t. Each time her heart pulsed it felt like a stab to the chest, a feeling that worsened the dizziness in her head.
           Just breathe, she told herself, you’ve been through this before.
           Louis rubbed her back, watching in silence as she did her best to calm herself down. He hated to see her like this. The nightmares had started to become more frequent in the last two weeks, and it seemed that no matter how much he tried, nothing he did or said had any effect on her. Of course, he could tell she was thankful. Every time, she’d squeeze his hand or give him a small smile; but the look in her eyes always returned to the same tiredness and dread.
           He rested his head against her forehead and stared into the night sky, barely visible due to the window’s wooden boards. He watched quietly as the stars sparkled through the dark, creating striking patterns that spread like small blotches of paint in a black canvas. Louis took in the beauty of the constellations. Only those who’d attempt to connect the dots would be met with such a magnificent sight…
           Then, it hit him.
           In a blink of an eye, he crawled on the bed and sat in front of Clementine, crossing his legs.
           “Count my freckles.”
           “What?”
           “My freckles,” he said, taking her hands in his and gently pulling her toward him, “count them.”
           Clementine stared at him in awe, her voice muffled by an invisible cloth of perplexity. The gap between them was now almost non-existent, with her arms resting around his neck and his hands on her back.
           “… and just how am I supposed to do that?”
           He smiled at her. “It’s easy! Just start on one side and once you’re done, move on to the other.”
           The cogs that worked in her brain failed to keep up with the reckless thumping of her burning chest.
           “What made you think of that?”
           “Don’t worry about it. Just trust me, okay?”
           She pursed her lips, inspecting his face. A sea of freckles adorned his cheeks and nose, going all the way up to his forehead. Attempting to count them would be the equivalent of madness; but when her eyes fell upon his again, so loving and inviting, she had no choice but to go along with the odd task he’d given her.
           Clementine breathed in slowly, an attempt to cool her tense body.
           “Alright, I’ll try.”
           Louis tilted his head, “Yeah?”
           She gave him a ghost of a smile, “Yeah.”
           He stared at her fondly, observing how the moonlight that spilled inside the room enveloped her in its delicate glow. Holding her close, he leaned in for a tender kiss.
           “Okay,” he murmured, pulling away just enough for his nose to brush hers. “Whenever you’re ready.”
           Clementine prepared herself to embark on the impossible quest that was counting the boy’s freckles. A spirited debate on how to best approach the situation began to run on her mind, yet none of the options voiced seemed efficient enough for the job. Noticing her struggle, Louis pressed his lips against hers again in an act of encouragement.
           “You got this.”
            She listened to his words. Saying she was putting too much thought into it would be an understatement. Perhaps going with the flow wasn’t such a bad idea.
           So, she did just that.
           Her eyes studied the left side of his face, stopping at the smallest dot.  
           One, two… she counted, taking a closer look at his cheek. Five more over here, six smaller ones over there – no, seven…  
           Just as she was processing that information, Louis planted a quick kiss on her lips.      
           “Louis.”
           “What?” he asked, failing miserably to hide the grin on his face.
           “You keep kissing me.”
           “Oh, didn’t I mention?” he said, raising a brow, “I’ve decided that every five seconds or so, I’ll kiss you.”
           She shook her head, “You know I won’t be able to keep track of your freckles if you do that.”
           “Well, that’s what makes it a challenge!”
           Clementine sighed. At that point, it might as well have been better to make up a random number and go with it.
           “Okay, then. How about…” she whispered, the corners of her mouth lifting into a small smile, “nine hundred and fourteen?”
           The way his laughter ignited the room caused her heart to flutter.
           “As much as I’d love to have as many freckles as the number of floors in our magnificent purple house,” he said, pulling her in for another kiss, “no, I don’t think so. Try again.”
           Just when she was about to speak, he intervened once more.
           “Oh, and before you ask,” he shifted on the bed, “yes, I do know how many freckles I have on my face.”
           That statement alone made her burst into a fit of giggles. He couldn’t possibly be serious.
           “Yeah, I’m not even gonna pretend I believe that.”
           “Hey, it’s true!”
           “You counted them?”
           He paused for a moment, his memories taking him back to much simpler times.
           “Yup, used to do it a lot back when I was younger. Every day, I’d wake up and run to the mirror to check if there were any new ones,” he said, a subtle pout then forming on his lips, “Didn’t see many changes, though.”
           The image of a little Louis standing in front of a mirror, squinting his eyes at his own reflection in search of new members for his freckle collection was incredibly adorable to Clementine. She pictured the shine in his eyes and the smile that’d surface on his face on the rare occasions he’d find another one, his inner joy projecting itself onto the outside world with each one of his victory dances.
           She was brought back to reality when she felt him brush a strand of hair away from her face.
           “That means no cheating.” he told her.
           “Alright, alright…”
           A new strategy was very well needed.
           Her eyes alone wouldn’t do the task justice, that was certain; not when it was so easy for her to lose herself in that captivating labyrinth of his. Clementine tugged on her bottom lip. Perhaps she could find another tool…    
           Her hand left his shoulder and slid up his cheek, its softness welcoming her fingers to carefully trace the constellations he wore so beautifully on his skin. She used her thumb to mark his freckles, gently brushing it along each one she came across. A rosy tint soon began to spread on his face as he kissed her yet again. Clementine smiled against his lips, ignoring the strong urge to keep them bound to her own. Instead, she let her fingertips guide the way once more, her focused gaze preventing her from losing track of anything.
           Her finger then reached his nose, carefully running it along the bridge all the way down to the tip. Louis flinched slightly, unable to suppress a laugh when she repeated the process again.
           “I didn’t know you were the ticklish type.” she teased.
           “I’m not.”
           Clementine raised a brow. Shortly after, she was drawing small circles on top of his nose, smiling when she got the exact same reaction from him.
           “You were saying?”
           “Okay, okay,” he laughed, brushing her hand away, “maybe a little.”
           A sense of calm submerged her body as she watched him with a tenderness only he could match. To think that a while earlier her heart had fallen victim to her mind’s haunting echoes of the past…
           She repelled those thoughts away.
           At last, her eyes scanned his forehead. It was slightly less busy than the rest of his face, which made the tiny specks far less challenging to count. Applying the same method, she found herself jumping from freckle to freckle in between kisses until there was none left.
           Just as Louis leaned in once more, Clementine placed a finger on top of his lips.
           “Eighty-four.”
           He stared at her, wide-eyed.
           “Oh, I-…” he breathed, “I didn’t expect you to actually count.”
           She let out a quiet laugh, watching as he rubbed the back of his neck.
           “So, did I get it right?’
           “Close,” he said, smiling softly, “it’s eighty-seven.”
           Damn.
           His hand trailed down her arm, stopping to enlace their fingers together.
           “It was a good effort, though.”
           She silently agreed.
           With that, Louis left his previous position to sit properly on the bed. Once again, he looked up at the peaceful night sky, admiring the stars that glowed in its dark blue tint. He hoped that she’d found the cluster of freckles on his face just as soothing as the constellations that glimmered above.
           “Hey, Louis?”
           The melody of her quiet voice made him turn to her. Her gaze was low, resting upon her lap, as if she was deep in thought. He waited patiently for her to continue, but nothing came. He held his breath as he yearned for a reaction – anything that’d tell him that it had worked, that it had been worth it… that she was okay.
           He didn’t have to wait long.
           The shine on Clementine’s eyes when she finally glanced up at him made him push all his fears away.
           “Thank you.”
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louisfrecklesss · 5 years
Text
Louis! I miss you!
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shipppersrus · 5 years
Text
The Kids Are Alright- Episode 1, Part 3
Possible trigger warning for a character mentioned who committed suicide.
Rated T
[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]
A/N:
This chapters discusses sexuality and sex.
This chapter discusses suicide. Trigger Warning
I grabbed my crutches and we all made our way to the couch. Louis sat my crutches down while I took a seat, once he sat I cuddled up next to him. Ruby, Asaim, Violet, came to play this go round. Louis dealt out the cards and apparently today we were playing War. We all put out our cards and Asaim scored the highest card with Louis scoring the lowest.
“Alright Asaim what is something you’ve been dying to know?” Louis awaited.
“When did this happen.” He pointed between him and I.
“I’m irresistible obviously. Brains, brawn, my dashing good looks, wonderful sense of humor; how could she resist.” Louis stated.
“Sure Louis, now tell us the real story.” Violet flight.
“I’m serious! Clem confessed her undying love for me, we shared a kiss and now she’s all about the Lou.” He pulled me tighter in his embrace.
“Clem is that true?” Vi studied my face.
“I wouldn’t say my undying love, but yeah I guess I made the first move.” My cheeks started to grow warm thinking of the moment that felt like forever ago.
“Like I said I’m irresistible.” He kissed the top of my head.
“Oh come on Lou, everyone knows you were head over heels for Clem since she got here this just proves that you didn’t have the balls to make the first move.” Vi called him out while everyone else giggled in agreement.
“Or I’m a gentleman and wouldn’t impose myself on a women who could probably rip my throat out with her bare hands.” Louis fought back.
“Alright, Alright guys next question.” Asaim asserted as we all drew or next card. This time I drew the highest card and Ruby drew the lowest.
“Poor sweet Ruby, come on Clem give her a good one.” Louis encouraged me.
“Alright Ruby, so how did Asaim pull you in?” I couldn’t help my curiosity.
“Well after the fight maybe a week later I found the sweetest poem on my dresser and it made my heart swell.” She grabbed his hands.
“I guess I owe Louis a thank you, I’m not giving it to you but it’s owed.” Asaim chimed in.
“Wait what did Louis have to do with it?” He never told me any of this.
“Well that love letter would of never seen the light of day if it wasn’t for me. I found it in the trashcan in our room and thought it was too good to waste.” Louis was all too proud of himself.
“More like rummaged through our trash can, but sure.”Asaim rolled his eyes.
“Well look at you now, you’re a taken man.” Louis gave him a wink. We all continued on to the next swipe of cards. This time Louis got to ask Violet a question.
“So Vi since we’re talking about love, would you say you’ve ever been in love?” Louis asked her.
“Obviously Minnie was my first everything. I remember our first kiss like it was yesterday, we were up the tower looking at the clouds and I kissed her. I was so scared but when she kissed me back I knew I was in love with her. It’s funny too cause when I saw her again alive and well all those feelings came rushing back but as soon as we spoke, the way she looked at me it was all different; almost like she was a new person and we never had known each other at all.” Violet player with her boots.
“I’m sorry Vi I didn’t mean to bring up dark memories.” Louis shifted on the couch.
“It’s not really dark if you think about it Minnie now and Minnie then we’re two different people. The end of the world has a way of changing people, I just wish I knew that before I went partially blind.” Vi half smiled. “I’m sorry again Clem. You has to make a tough call and I shouldn’t of said all those harsh things to you or tried to fight you when you came back to save us.”
The group grew silent as we all just sat there. That’s when Aj came running out the building.
“Louis it’s done!” Aj was jumping for joy.
“Perfect timing.” Louis stood up letting me fall back on the couch.
“Perfect timing for what?” I was confused. That’s when Louis picked me up and carried me to what seemed like the music room.
“Okay Clem close your eyes.” I thought about putting up a fight but decided not to. What were him and Aj up to.
Aj ran ahead of us as the cold from outside deserted my body to the weakness of the Admin Building. I felt Louis turn and it felt like we were in the music room. I could tell by the musty smell and the tingling feeling I got every time I thought about the moment I shared with Louis in here. When you start falling for someone everything feels familiar in the sense of the places you guys go together and the music room was filled with Louis. He finally put me down as I leaned my body weight on him.
“Now open.” I opened my eyes and the room was filled with pillows and red candles. The set up was very romantic. “Alright little man, thanks for all the help! This is where we part ways.” Louis set himself up for a high five.
“Wait, I can’t stay?” Aj’s fave dropped.
“First Clem and I need to talk then you can come back.” Louis smiles assuringly.
“Ok hurry up and talk I’ll be right on the stairs waiting!” Aj started to take off.
“Or you can draw up the best picture ever!” Louis encourages.
“Ok!” Aj says enthusiastically.
Louis helped me sit down on the soft pillow lay out as gently as he could. Him and Aj doing all this for me almost brought tears to my eyes. After Louis helped me he headed to the piano and reached behind it bringing over two rusted cans of soda and a chocolate bar.
“Wow where did you get these?!” I was completely surprised.
“I found these on my way home the night you- well anyway I found them and thought i’d save them for our real first technically second date.” He winked and sat right next to me.
,
“Lou I don’t know what to say.” I bit my lip. The emotions I felt were indescribable.
“Speechless I like it.” I could tell he was nervous. I leaned in to kiss him and he returned my gesture. It was simple yet so meaningful.
“Aren’t you going to open them.” I was ready to eat chocolate for the first time since forever.
“Whoa hold your horses Clem, you always have to save the best for last.” Louis got up and headed to the piano. “I want to play you the song I made for you, I added words to it, then if you think it’s completely terrible you’ll forget once you have the chocolate.” How could I ever think anything he’s done for me is terrible, he’s absolutely delusional. I listened as he took a deep breath.
The day you walked through those doors
My whole life changed evermore
You saw through my bullshit
And you’re with me through it
Thank you for your love
Your amber eyes are worth more than gold
They carry the secrets never told
I promise to protect you
I promise to love you
In a way you’ve never been before
Thank you Clem
You’re the light I never knew I was missin
Thank you Clem
I’ll protect you till my last breath
You deserve the world but till then here’s my hand.
I was speechless as the tears slipped down my cheek. I could never understand what I could do to deserve a guy like him. I searched and searched and searched for someplace safe to call a home where Aj could just be a kid without worrying about whatever waited on the other side but I never thought in a million years I would find this and more. I never thought I’d find someone who could make me smile without trying or someone who could care about Aj as much as I do. Someone who could love me for me, past the blood on my hands and the dirty laundry of the things i’ve done and now I have and nothing could of prepared me for this. I think I’m falling in love…
“Was it that bad… I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He sat next to me I could see his hand lightly trembling.
“Shut up.” I cupped his face and slowly brought his lips to mine. He kissed back the butterflies turning into heat. His hand dropped to my waist as he pulled me closer to him, I wrapped my arms around his neck trying to pull him closer to me even though there was no air between us. It was like my lips knew exactly what to do, even though I don’t. My body was tingly all over and I felt really hot like I had a fever but I didn’t want to pull away or let go I wanted this moment forever. We kept going for what felt like forever till we heard the door creak and immediately pulled away Louis jumping back what felt like 5 feet.
“My pictures ready!” Aj busted through. Both Louis and I fought to catch our breath.
“It looks so good little dude.” Louis chimed in as he tried to compose himself.
“You can’t even see it from over there.” Aj pouted.
“Aj could you give us 5 more minutes.” I couldn’t look at him right now I was too embarrassed.
“But Clem-” Aj whined.
“Just 5. I promise Aj.” I negotiated. He moped out of the room and closed the door. Louis and I maintained our 5 feet apart as we both tried to figure out what just happened. We both started talking at the same time and stopped as the awkward silence fell between us.
“I guess we should bust out the chocolate before he comes back out here.” Louis finally made his way to me. “I’m sorry if that was too much I don’t know what happened.”
“No! I mean don’t be sorry. I liked it, I think… I never felt like that before.” I played with my jacket button.
“Me too.” He smiled.
He handed me a chocolate bar and it had a note with my name on it with hearts all around. I looked at him as he he watched me patiently open it.
‘Will you be my girlfriend. - Louis’
“Louis.” My heart was beating faster than it had ever beaten before.
“Eat the chocolate for yes, and run away for no.” He awaited my answer. I took a bite of the chocolate and watched his face beam. “Is that a yes?”
“That’s a yes!” He embraces me. We kiss again and the knock was back once more. “ Come on in Aj!”
We cuddled up as Aj shared his drawing with us, I haven’t been this happy since before everything happened. The boys had the fire going and all rested in each other’s company listening to the fire tick. Aj laid in my lap as I rubbed through his kinky hair. We laid there until he was sleep, I dozed off for a bit to see Louis playing the piano. I slid Aj off my lap and picked up my crutches as I made my way to him. As I stood behind Louis I could feel something was wrong, I couldn’t imagine what could be wrong in these moments but then it occurred to me that our quietest moments are typically our darkest hours. I rubbed his back as I moved my crutches to sit down next to him. The sad tune he played told me everything I needed to know
“Hey.” I started.
“Hey.” He kept playing.
“Want to talk about it?” I leaned on his shoulder.
“I don’t think so.” He kept his head down focused on the keys.
“Ok.” I listened to him quietly playing as I thought about all the ways we were different yet the same.
Louis lives, I survive; but we both probably never thought the last time we’d see our parents would be the last time we’d see our parents. It reminded me of what Ben said about Kenny when we were talking once. We talked about how much we missed our parents, he understood me or at least that part of me. It’s hard not to know if they’re living or dead or something else… until you find out.
“Erin was my first crush.” Louis tapped one of the keys over and over.
“Did she go here?” I asked.
“Yeah. She was super quiet but I knew she had a lot to say. She has colorful braces, and the happiest smile.” He smiled at the thought.
“Did she have feelings for you as well?” I wondered.
“Maybe. It was hard to say, something happened in her past that would never let me know.”
“Wha- what happened to her?” I was hesitant to ask him.
“When it all started they went out searching for help, some of the kids. When they came back I guess she saw something that scared her and she slit her wrist. I found her bleeding out, I was too late. She left me a note, it said keep living and breathing; that they would need me. It said If they don’t someone will. That was at the start and it helps me not give up on the darkest of days. Now I have you.” He looked at me.
“I have you too.” He kissed my hand.
I woke up the next morning to see Aj’s bed empty. I assumed they headed out to find the group they saw. I thought about yesterday, how I craved Louis’s kiss and now his touch it made me uncomfortable and comfortable all at the same time. I’ve never needed someone like that before, it scared me. I started to think about what we did, what it meant… and I needed answers. I sat up and put my jacket on as I searched for Violet. I became panicked as I thought about that hot feeling I had, did I have sex?!
I made my way made my way to violet's room and slammed the door.
“Violet I think I had sex!” I held onto the door my eyes wide in shock.
“You what!” Violet sat up from her book shocked. “Wait you and Louis had sex, no way!” She didn’t believe me.
“Well I’m not sure actually… we were kissing last night and we kissed in ways that we never kissed before, it was with.” I mouthed the word tongue as Violet awaited me to keep going. “I got really hot and felt weird but like all over my body, and I didn’t want to stop.”
She stared at me like she was waiting for me to keep going.
“What else?” She pressed on.
“Well Aj busted in and I swear we almost ran away from each other.”
“Clem…” she rolled her eyes but in a full body eye roll.
“What?” I was genuinely confused.
“You and Louis didn’t have sex… well if Aj didn’t walk in you may have.” She continued reading.
“Well then what was it?” I sat on her bed looking for answers.
“You guys made out and you liked it, that’s all.” She continued in her book.
“Oh… sorry. I don’t know much about this type of stuff.” I was very embarrassed, I didn’t want to run around telling people we had sex when we didn’t.
“What do you know?” Violet gave me here attention.
“I know about periods, masturbation, and I thought I knew what sex was.”
“Oh boy. You have a lot to learn.” She sat up and faces me.
After my chat with Violet and her almost too vivid description I learned a lot. I learned about sexuality, and bases, hooking up and other stuff. She didn’t leave out one single detail. Most people didn’t like talking to me about it but Vi seemed completely comfortable teaching me. She answered most of my curious questions but also dodged a few.
I headed back to my room as I journaled some things. A knock on my door took me out of my thoughts and I invited the person in, it was Willy.
“There back! They have stuff.” Willy shouted and took off running I got my crutches and headed out to the courtyard.
Aj was the first in carrying lots of fruit with him. He ran and gave me a hug as he headed to set down the fruit. Louis was next holding a bag full of weapons on his shoulder and more food as well. Another person followed behind them, it was James. James was holding a crate of something. He stopped when he saw me and I approached him.
“I thought about what you said Clementine. Maybe you’re right. I’m sorry.” James was very empathetic.
I thought long and hard for a second. Should I throw him out, what if this is a trap to take Aj. Or what if he’s sincere.
“You’ll be safe here James.” I put my hand out for him to shake. He shook it and headed inside.
“It’s good to see you Clementine. I knew you’d make it.” That voice echoed through my brain as I recalled all the memories it carried. Clementine do this, do that. She almost had me die with Luke, then tried to steal the car right before Arvo shot me. Her red hair and pale skin stood in front of me. I reached for my knife and smacked her in the face with my crutch the proceeded to tackle her. I don’t even know how I was on top her but I was my raged spilled out.
“You bitch!” I was ready to stab her and put her out of her misery.
“Clementine!”
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