Chapter Text
Where We Belong
Lunchtime.
The best part of the day at school, second only to home time. Usually, Clementine would spend it with Violet, but her girlfriend had some last minute studying to do for an afternoon math test. It was better to leave her to it; she didn’t want to be a distraction. Violet took her studies very seriously. Besides, she was coming over for a sleepover later. They’d have plenty of time to hang out over the weekend.
Still… it felt weird being alone.
Unsure of what to do, Clem eventually decided to sit under a gnarled tree on the outskirts of the playing field. They came here together sometimes, private enough to feel relaxed. Just the right amount of sun.
Hungry, she ate her lunch and watched baseball practice. Lee usually packed extra, just in case. Especially after hearing that Violet liked his cooking.
The thought of their names together made her feel unusually nervous. For good reason...
“I think you’ll find that’s my moping spot.” The familiar voice dragged her back to reality.
She looked up, a boy about her age stood there with crossed arms. “Oh, hi, Louis.”
“Mind if I join you?” Before he’d even finished the question, he had sat down beside her. “Too late.”
“So much for personal space.” Not that she should expect anything different.
“You look like you need the company,” he explained with a shrug before switching to subtle investigation mode. “Want to talk about what’s bothering you?”
“Who says anything is?”
There was no real reason to hide it, no point even trying. Not that it stopped her reflex defensive dodge.
Louis gave her a skeptical look. “Oh please. I know you and I know that look.”
“You’re not gonna let this go, are you?”
A smug grin tugged at his lips. “Nope.”
“Fine.” She shuffled uncomfortably, struggling to find the right words. “Violet’s coming over to my house for the first time since… you know...”
“Since you guys started dating,” he finished for her.
“Right. She’s met Lee before but… they haven’t spoken much.”
“Neither of them seem like the talkative type.”
“Not normally, no.” Now she thought about it, Lee and Violet shared a few similarities. That should make it easier but… “I’m just… nervous, I guess.”
“You, nervous?” he repeated softly. “Huh, never thought I’d see the day when you admitted that.”
“Honestly, me neither.”
Louis didn’t reply straight away, which was rare for him. Just before the silence got awkward, he leaned back on his hands. “You wanna know what I think? Aaaand before you say no, you don’t have a choice. Rhetorical question.”
“Why’d you even ask then?”
“Common courtesy.”
Clementine scoffed playfully. “You being courteous… guess I’m not the only one full of surprises today.”
“Alright, I deserved that one. Back to you, though. Lee’s a good guy. If he knows someone is important to you and they genuinely care, he’ll support you. Vi’s… a pretty amazing person. Sure, she comes off about as approachable as a cactus at first,” his grin turned from mischievous to gentle, “but there’s a lotta love stored deep.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Did you just… compare her to a cactus?”
“Am I wrong?”
Clem opened her mouth to reply, shutting it again before giving up. “No comment.”
“I’ll take that as lowkey agreement,” he teased playfully. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell. My point: she loves you, you love her. She makes you happy and vice versa. That’ll be enough.”
Louis was right, but that didn’t make the uneasy feeling disappear completely. “I know. I just guess I’m used to expecting the worst. That way, I won’t get hurt or disappointed.”
“If there are two people on this earth who don’t want to hurt or disappoint you, it’s Lee and Violet. And if either of them starts shit,” he cracked his knuckles, expression stiffening as he put on a mock threatening accent, “I’ll deal with them.”
She couldn’t help but smile knowing he had her back. “Thanks, Louis. I know it’s stupid to get so worried about this when I know it’ll be fine but…”
“Girl, I never said it was stupid,” he interrupted, lightly punching her arm. “I’d be freaking out, too. Hard to imagine someone as smooth and cool as me getting nervous, I know.”
“Right, not like you freak out every time you talk to Aasim.”
“Not as much as he does.” He checked his watch, tapping the face. “Well, time to get back to class.” He got to his feet, helping her up. “Just promise me something. Don’t get all worked up about stuff like this on your own. I’m here to talk, both as a distraction and for serious advice.”
Clementine brushed herself off, nodding. “I’ll remember that.”
Two classes and one short, mostly uneventful bus ride later, Clementine and Violet arrived at the stop closest to the Everett house. They got off, Louis offering an encouraging smile as Clem walked past. Violet picked up on it, frowning. That only made his smile widen.
Normally, they would all leave at the same stop even though there was one closer to both his and Violet’s houses, just so they could talk more. Today, he wanted to give them some space.
“See you guys on Monday.”
The girls began the short walk to the house, hand in hand. Being with Violet helped Clem relax a little. Her girlfriend had such a calming aura.
“Louis is so weird,” Violet stated as they watched the bus drive away.
“And yet, you’re still friends with him.”
“I never said bad weird. Just…” Violet’s face scrunched up, deep in thought, “weird.”
Clementine gently swung their arms, fingers firmly intertwined. “You guys sure have an interesting friendship.”
Violet laughed softly. “That’s putting it mildly. Sure, he can be frustrating as hell sometimes, but he’s about the only person who’s always been there for me. Well, aside from you, of course.”
“You’ve known him for a long time. Way longer than me.”
“For as long as I can remember. We’ve been through a lot together.”
Violet and Louis had been neighbors pretty much all their lives. They met Clementine two years ago, quickly accepting her into their small friendship group. Now she thought about it, Louis probably took it upon himself to play the role of matchmaker right from the beginning. Always appearing or disappearing at the right time and place.
He wasn’t anywhere near as stupid as people thought.
When they got closer to her house, she felt Violet’s hand shaking in hers. She squeezed it reassuringly.
“I’m, uh, sort of nervous about this,” Violet admitted sheepishly.
“Me too.”
That admission caught her off guard. “Oh?”
“I know Lee’s gonna love you, and he has every reason to, but…” Clementine stopped mid-sentence, words failing her completely.
Picking up on the silence, Violet continued for her, “That doesn’t take away the worry.”
“Exactly.”
Violet slowly came to a standstill, so did Clementine. She took her girlfriend’s hands in her own, expression softening. “Clem. We’ll get through this, okay. Like we have everything until this point. I know I haven’t talked to Lee much, but you love him for a reason. Just like I have a reason - well, lots of reasons - to love you and… you love me.”
She pulled her in for a brief kiss, then another and another until they both felt relaxed enough to face whatever was waiting for them.
“If it’s with you, then I’m ready for anything,” Clementine stated with a newfound confidence.
Sharing one last kiss for luck, they pressed ahead until they reached the house. It was small but in a cozy way. The tiny front yard was well kept, filled with colorful flowers. Passing through the gate, Clementine found her key and let them both inside.
She didn’t even get in the doorway before she felt something - or, more accurately, someone - collide with her.
“Clem!”
Picking AJ up, she whirled him around, much to his delight. “Hey there, goofball.”
“Cleeeem, I told you not to call me that.” His feet found solid ground, arms crossed once the dizziness had passed.
She shared an amused look with Violet before ruffling his hair. “Oh right, I forgot. You’re too old for that, huh.”
Pouting for a moment, he turned to the other girl with a broad grin and gave her a hug. “Hey, Violet.”
Not really sure what to do with her arms at first, she eventually settled on returning the hug. A little awkward but genuine. “Hey there, AJ.”
He grabbed her by the wrist, excitedly pulling her inside the second her backpack touched the floor. “C’mon, dinner’s almost ready.”
Shaking her head with a smile, Clementine put her bag down and followed after them. They all made their way to the kitchen, where Lee was busy preparing food.
“Hey, sweet pea.” His eyes settled on Violet, offering a welcoming beam. “And Violet. I’m glad you could make it.”
Almost giving way to her nerves, reassured by a quick glance at her girlfriend, Violet nodded. “Yeah, me too. Thanks for having me.”
“Pleasure’s all mine.”
Wanting to talk to Lee alone, Clem put a hand on AJ’s shoulder. “AJ, why don’t you help Vi set the table?”
He saluted, beckoning Violet over to the cupboards. He tried to carry too much, almost dropping everything. Lee chuckled as Violet took the top half of the stack, AJ looking very disheartened.
“Guess I’m not strong enough yet,” he muttered, clearly disappointed.
Violet stopped, lightly nudging him with her elbow. “Even superheroes need sidekicks.”
He lifted his head, that one sentence perking him up. “You’re right. Disco Broccoli has sidekicks, too.”
As they headed towards the table, AJ excitedly discussing his favorite cartoon shows, Lee leaned against the kitchen counter. “So, how was school?”
Clem shrugged. “It was okay.”
“Just okay?”
“As okay as school can be.”
He chuckled at her apathy. “School’s not so bad, Clem. There are worse things. I mean, look at me. I went back to teach.”
She gave him a playfully disbelieving look. “It is when you have to do math homework.”
“Okay, you got me there.” He put up his hands in defeat, then turned around to remove a tray from the oven and put it on the side. “Homemade chicken nuggets. I know you said Violet liked them.”
Honestly, Clementine was both surprised and impressed. “I didn’t think you’d remember.”
“You talk about her,” he hesitated, conflicted. “A lot more than I think you realize, sweet pea.”
“Oh…” She felt her heart pound.
Did he know?
“She’s a good friend of yours. Maybe more than that?” he stopped dead in his tracks, sighing. “Sorry, you don’t have to answer that.”
“No, it’s okay, I…”
“Daaaaaaaaad,” AJ called from the other room. “I’m hungry.”
“Food’s coming,” he replied.
There really was no need to avoid the topic now. “Vi’s… kinda sorta my girlfriend.”
Even the thought made her heart flutter, temporarily forgetting her fear of rejection. The love she felt and received in return honestly made her feel invincible sometimes.
Lee raised an eyebrow, almost amused. “Kinda sorta, huh? Well, I kinda sorta knew that already.”
“You… did?”
“Clem, you’re as subtle as AJ sometimes.” He suddenly went really quiet. “I’ve been in love before, a few times, so I know some of the signs. You can only hide so many.”
“And… you’re okay with that? Me and Vi?” She didn’t know what she’d do if Lee said no.
He didn’t even hesitate for a second this time. “Why wouldn’t I be? I trust your judgment and Violet seems like a nice girl. I look forward to seeing her around here more.”
Clementine let out a breath she didn’t even realize she’d been holding in, her entire body relaxing.
“We can talk more about this later if you want, you don’t have to. I just don’t want AJ to starve.” Lee winked at her, getting their meal plated up.
Homemade chicken nuggets, potato wedges, beans and various dipping sauces. They all helped bring it out, including several glasses of soda.
Violet’s eyes lit up when she saw the chicken nuggets. “These look amazing. Better than any store bought or fast food ones.”
“Go ahead and try one,” Lee encouraged with a warm smile.
Thankful that he wasn’t acting any different than usual, Clementine glanced over at AJ. He had already started shoving food into his mouth, getting it all over his face. They had all given up trying to enforce table manners. At home, anyway.
Debating using cutlery until she saw Lee and Clementine pick them up with their fingers, Violet took a bite out of one of the chicken nuggets on her plate.
“Mmm. They taste even better than they look.”
Pleased with the verdict, he took a sip of his soda. “That’s what we like to hear. I might not be the world’s best cook, but I did learn a few things from my parents. Family secrets.”
Violet shuffled in her seat. “Could you maybe teach me sometime? Uh, only if that’s okay with you...”
“I’d love to.” As a teacher, Lee thrived off passing on knowledge.
She graced them all with one of her rare, truly dazzling smiles before continuing her meal. Every now and then, Vi and Clem gently nudged their feet under the table. A reminder that they had been given the chance to be here together. They would never take this closeness for granted. Ever.
When they had finished, they cleaned up... after bribing AJ to help.
“I put some extra blankets and pillows in your room, Clem,” Lee mentioned as he put the last plate away. “Help yourself to more food, some dessert or drinks.”
“Thanks.”
“If you girls need anything, I’ll be down here with AJ.” He motioned towards the games console stashed away neatly under the TV.
“I’m gonna kick dad’s ass!” AJ exclaimed with an enthusiastic clap.
“Now, that’s fighting talk. Don’t think I’ll be going easy on you!”
Grateful that Lee was keeping AJ busy - he would probably keep coming into Clem’s room and disturbing them otherwise - she led Violet upstairs. Not before grabbing some cake for dessert, another soda each and their backpacks. In between a pillow fight or two, they made a cozy spot on the bed. Borrowing some of Clementine’s pajamas, Violet got ready for bed with her girlfriend following shortly after. They got comfortable, setting up the laptop for a movie marathon.
Snuggled up under a blanket, they slowly ate the cake and other snacks Clem had in her closet, sharing tender kisses. At times, they weren’t even paying attention to the films, too caught up in one another. When it hit midnight, they moved the laptop to the bedside table, playing soft music to help them both sleep. Being together almost always cured any lingering insomnia anyway.
Limbs tangled, Violet pressed a kiss to Clementine’s forehead. “I’m so lucky to have you, Clem.”
That made her blush hard and smile. “I’m damn lucky to have you too, Vi. The luckiest girl alive.”
“Joint luckiest,” Violet corrected with a slight pout, closing her eyes. “Shared with me.”
As Clementine laid there, she wondered whether she should tell Violet about her short conversation with Lee earlier. Maybe it was best left until the morning, or until they’d really had the chance to talk about it. No, she should just mention it now. It would help take the pressure off.
“Vi, you still awake?”
Violet’s eyes fluttered open, sleep-dazed. “Hmm?”
“While you were helping AJ earlier I… told dad… about us…”
That woke her up a little. “What did he say?”
“He was pretty supportive. I didn’t get much time to discuss it properly but… it’ll be okay.”
She felt Violet relax into her, warm lips brushing against her cheek before she nuzzled in. “I’m glad, Clem. Not that I expected anything else. Lee’s a good dad. I can tell by the way you talk about him.”
“He is.” The best parent she could ever hope for. Kind, caring and patient.
“And AJ’s cute, too.”
Clementine laughed. “Just wait until you get to know him better. You’ll see a not so cute side.”
“I hope to see all the sides. Of AJ, Lee, you…” she paused, averting her eyes as if she was working up courage. “I hope I get to be a part of it all someday.”
“What’re you talking about, silly?” Clem squeezed her tight. “You already are. You’re part of this family. You belong here, more than anyone.”
“Clem, I… thank you.” She didn’t even try to stop the tears.
“You dork. You’ll get me started too.” Clementine gently kissed them away.
“The mighty, badass Clementine Everett crying? It’s more likely than you think.” Violet bumped their noses together lightly.
“You know it. Especially around cute girls. Well, a certain cute girl.”