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The first time Louis slept in Clementine’s room wasn’t intentional.
It was a colder night so everyone huddled into the piano room together, but Clementine just wanted to be alone. AJ felt the same. They usually felt the same and did the same. They were okay with being alone together. They were used to it.
Louis had caught on to this occasional routine and he started joining them. They would sit together against the wall on Clem’s bed in her and AJ’s shared room, side by side with Clementine’s head resting on Louis’s head and AJ sitting across from them on his own bed, sometimes she’d tell stories of the times she spent with her different groups in the past, Louis would tell stories of his younger days at Ericson, sometimes they would just sit in silence as AJ sat at the desk drawing pictures or practicing his writing. Louis could practically hear Clementine think and he’d just try to soothe her mind and quiet her thoughts by keeping her hand in his and rubbing the back of it with his thumb, his other hand rubbing her scalp until she fell asleep.
Usually once Clementine had fallen asleep Louis would untangle his fingers out of her hair and place it on her shoulder and delicately lay her down and place the blanket over her, always kissing her temple before he turned to AJ to send him to bed.
But tonight, Louis was just so exhausted and drained, he’d been feeling like this since everyone returned home after escaping Lilly and the Delta weeks ago. Today had just been an especially difficult day, and he knew Clementine felt the same as soon as he saw her at breakfast earlier that morning. Even AJ was soundly asleep, light snores coming from his bed as Louis listened on. He was so warm and he felt so safe with Clementine, and he couldn’t help but notice how much more relaxed and soundly she was sleeping tonight. He also liked the warmth radiating off her and it calmed him watching her chest move slowly with her breathing as he laid his head on top of hers.
Louis didn’t want to make Clementine uncomfortable by spending the night without asking, but he couldn’t bring himself to interrupt her deep slumber. He didn’t bother lying her or himself down as he draped her blanket over both of their shoulders and slumped slightly against the wall as he laid settled his head down on hers, and he closed his eyes and let himself drift off.
Louis woke up first the next morning with an aching neck and his mind disoriented from not waking up in his own room. He exhaled a small groan as he lifted his head up and looked around, seeing AJ’s back to him as he slept and then looked down to where Clementine had taken the blanket for herself and shifted to her side and rested her head in Louis’s lap sometime in the night. Louis realized what had happened last night and he felt himself tense up. He didn’t want Clementine to wake up like this and be uncomfortable or angry at him for intruding since he never asked to spend the night before. It wasn’t like Louis was scared of his girlfriend or didn’t want to sleep in the same bed as her, he just didn’t want to push Clementine or cross any of her or AJ’s boundaries.
He took Clementine’s shoulders and gently flipped her to the other end of her bed and laid her head on her pillow and adjusted her blanket to be full covering her. She squirmed a bit and Louis’s breath caught in his throat, and he tensed up and stilled himself until she stopped moving. He still bent down and left a kiss on her temple as always, then tiptoed out of the room to the courtyard to help Omar with breakfast.
Clementine and AJ come out about thirty minutes later when breakfast is served and she still sat down beside Louis and squeezed his hand before she started to eat. Louis was comforted when she never mentioned him sleeping over and he felt relief.
He planned to bring up the idea to her soon, he just wanted to make sure that she seemed ready and he wanted the conversation to be on his terms.
***
The second time it happened AJ had entertained the idea.
It was a more upbeat night full of laughter, Louis and Clementine telling embarrassing stories and Louis telling his worst jokes. AJ laid on his side with his elbow propped up in his bed while Clementine lay on her back on her bed with her hands behind her head and her legs stretched out over Louis’s legs as he sat against the wall on her bed with her. Clementine had gotten more comfortable with physical affection and physical contact in general when it came to Louis, as she found herself relaxing at Louis’s touch.
They had eventually calmed themselves down a bit, as they fell into more relaxed, casual conversation that AJ didn’t seem to have much interest in and rolled over to his other side, his back now faced to them.
Clementine fell asleep shortly after they fell into a comfortable silence and to the comfort of Louis absentmindedly running one of his hands up and down her leg. He noticed her soundly sleeping and started to lift her legs until he saw AJ stir and roll back to face him, clearly still awake.
“You don’t have to leave, you know,” he whispered. “She seems more relaxed having you around. I like you being here too.”
“I don’t want to intrude on your guys’ space. I do like being here with you both too little man,” Louis smiled at AJ as he felt his heart burst at AJ’s words.
“Clem sleeps better when you’re around. She doesn’t have as many nightmares as before since you’ve come in here and she seemed to sleep really well that one night you spent here.”
Louis’s felt his heart drop at that, as he thought he had been discreet enough for neither AJ or Clementine to notice. But AJ was undoubtedly the most observant kid and lightest sleeper Louis knew, so he shouldn’t be so surprised.
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. Sometimes it makes me feel better too,” AJ started. “She doesn’t seem as scared, so I don’t feel as scared either.”
“I sleep better when I’m with you guys too,” Louis confessed. “You sure Clem won’t stab me if she sees me here in the morning?”
“No! I won’t let her do that to you! Promise,” AJ giggled.
“Okay little dude, I’m taking your word for that and counting on you,” Louis lifted Clementine’s legs off him and he laid on the outer side of the bed. He heard AJ stand up and blow out the candle, then the creak of his bed as he climbed back onto it.
“Good night Louis.”
“Good night AJ.” Louis shifted himself closer to Clementine and he studied her face, she always looked so peaceful and beautiful when she slept. She was laying in the middle of the bed so Louis found himself slightly hanging off the bed, but the warmth from Clementine was all the comfort he needed.
***
The next morning Louis woke up alone in Clementine’s bed, now more in the middle of it. He sat up and saw Clementine and AJ sitting on the floor around the coffeemaker they had brought with them, whispering to each other as if to not wake up Louis. They both must have heard the bed slightly creak because they both turned around as soon as he sat up, a small blush on Clementine’s cheeks.
“Good morning,” she said into her coffee mug, then took a gulp out of it. Louis chuckled to himself, knowing she was feeling bashful about the intimacy of sharing a bed.
“Morning,” he stood up from the bed then plopped himself by her on the floor. “Good to see that I wasn’t stabbed for staying. Thanks for protecting me little dude.”
AJ let out of a laugh as Clementine almost choked on her coffee, then scoffed at Louis. “Shut up, why would I have stabbed you? For spending the night?”
“Well, yeah!” Louis laughed awkwardly. “I didn’t want to put you in an uncomfortable position without talking about it, plus I know how shy you get around AJ about that stuff.”
“I’m gonna go find Tenn,” AJ excused himself and walked out, Louis internally thanking AJ for letting them talk alone.
“Well, it doesn’t bother me. I don’t remember the last time I had a good night’s sleep like that. Plus, you’re really warm,” Clementine explained.
“So if I wasn’t warm then you would’ve stabbed me?” Louis mocked offense and Clementine scoffed and pushed his shoulder, shaking her head.
“I guess we’ll have to keep on testing to that theory to find out,” Clementine joked, then looked down. Louis found himself speechless at that last comment, trying to figure out if Clementine had said what he thought she was trying to imply.
“Is this the equivalent of you asking me to move in like the dating magazines say?” Louis tried to joke to break the awkwardness. “By asking me to spend the night every night?” Clementine laughed softly at Louis, her blush growing darker.
“Yes, you dork.”
“Well, then I would be honored to,” Louis said. “I’ll move my things here later to really make this move in official.”
Clementine shook her head slowly, but Louis stopped that by pressing his lips to hers and taking her hand. Clementine kissed back immediately, putting her free hand on the back of Louis’s neck as she deepened the kiss.
“Gross!” Tenn and AJ exclaimed, making Clementine and Louis break the kiss and look at the door in horror.
“Go away!” Clementine called back at them and then looked down, making Louis smile.
“But it’s my room!”
“The big kids are talking right now AJ!” Louis interjected, trying not to laugh at Clementine’s embarrassment.
“We’re big kids!” Tenn protested, poking his head more into the doorway.
“Oh yeah?” Louis challenged, then took Clementine’s face and kissed her cheek, making a loud smacking sound. AJ and Tenn yelled out in disgust again as Clementine protested at Louis as she got even more embarrassed. The boys ran away, then Louis pulled away from Clementine, not able to hold back his laughter anymore.
“You’re the worst.” Clementine deadpanned.
“Hey! They wouldn’t leave us alone! We were talking.” Louis put his hands up and shrugged.
“Whatever. Let’s just go to breakfast. I’m starving.” They both stood up and Clementine took Louis’s hand, leading him out of
their
room.