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“Just once. That’s all I ask.”
Clementine frowned, looking around Ericson’s courtyard. She could hear Louis, she just couldn’t see him.
“Louis. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I have important things to do.” Violet’s voice carried over from outside the walls. “Unlike you, I guess.”
“Excuuuuuuse you. This is very important.”
THUNK.
Peering through the bars, she spotted them. Both were stood by a tree, a walker suspended between them, stuck in one of their tree traps.
CRACK.
He slammed Chairles into the upside down walker’s side, sending it swinging like a pendulum. Shaking her head, Clem opened the gate. When those two were together, things could get… interesting. They turned to look at her as she approached, Louis grinning broadly while Violet rolled her eyes.
“Hey, look I swiiiiing both ways. Get it?” He waved the chair leg around wildly back and forth.
The walker garbled out unintelligible sounds, the tree branch above creaking under the weight.
Violet sighed deeply, expelling almost all the air from her lungs. “Oh my god, Louis. Can you just… not?”
“Nope. Our dear Clementine does too, right?” He held Chairles out for her to take, raising an eyebrow expectantly.
Humoring him, Clem took the chair leg and hit the suspended walker twice in the torso - forward then back.
SMACK. THUD.
When she caught Violet’s eye, she shrugged and handed Chairles back to Louis. Offering an appreciative wink, he turned his attention back to Violet.
“Come on, Vi. Don’t leave me hanging. Well, him hanging.”
“Ugh. If it stops you making all these lame jokes, then fine.”
She snatched the chair leg from his hand, planting her feet firmly on the ground. The second the wood connected with the walker’s head, it flew a few feet then rolled across the dirt, teeth chomping at thin air.
“Damn, Vi.” Louis whistled loudly. “He’s really getting… a-head in life… death, no wait, undeath?”
She narrowed her eyes. “I thought I said no more bad jokes.”
“You did. But I never agreed.” He grinned, then began to croon, “Take me out to the ball game, take me out with the crowd-”
“You are just so… ugh ...”
Violet couldn’t even finish her sentence. Huffing loudly, she shoved Chairles at Louis then headed back inside Ericson’s walls.
“Someone doesn’t appreciate the classics. Don’t go dissing my boy Sinatra.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t tease her too much,” Clementine advised, watching her storm over to one of the benches dotted around the courtyard.
Louis waved his hand, brushing off the concern as he leaned on Chairles. “Ah, it’s fine. I know the limits. When Vi’s really angry, she radiates this actually horrifying wave of death energy. And her glare, that could kill any man at ten paces.” He shuddered involuntarily. “But, maybe you should go check on her. Just in case. Since, you know, she probably doesn’t want to smack your head off into the woods like she did that walker.”
Clementine looked at the still swaying body and distant head again. “I get all the easy jobs, huh.”
“Oh, I think you are completely safe from her wrath, Clem.” He smirked, putting a hand on his chest. “That’s what you get for being so cute and stealing our poor Vi’s heart.”
“You almost make that sound like a bad thing.”
He laughed loudly, resting the chair leg on his shoulder. “Are you kidding? You’re like, the best thing to ever happen to her. Period. Not even a lifetime supply of chicken nuggets could make that girl half as happy as you do.”
“That’s… both the strangest and sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” Louis bowed, then tilted his head towards the school gate. “Now, go get her, Clemster. Before she gets me in my sleep.”
Leaving him to deal with what was left of the walker pinata, Clem re-entered the courtyard. It was empty as far as she could tell, maybe because everyone wanted to avoid Violet’s bad mood. She swore she could see Willy peer out of a window before he was yanked into hiding by someone. Observing from a distance.
Cautiously, she moved towards the bench Violet was sat on. As she got closer, she could hear muttering.
“Vi?”
Violet lifted her head, meeting her gaze. “Oh, hey, Clem. Sorry about… all that. Louis just really gets on my nerves sometimes. Over the stupidest shit. Maybe… maybe it’s because he’s practically a brother to me at this point.” She smiled for a fraction of a second, then her shoulders slumped. “I… I know he means well, but… I’m just not good at this whole ‘people thing’ still, I guess.”
Clementine put a hand on her hip, then smiled. “Oh, I don’t know. You were pretty good with the whole people thing when I turned up.”
That actually made Violet laugh, self-depreciative but a laugh nonetheless. “Like hell I was.”
“Okay, maybe not right away, but you opened up pretty damn quick.”
Everyone was surprised by how fast she warmed up to Clementine. Even Louis and Tenn, who had seen her vulnerable side more than anyone, were left gobsmacked.
Violet’s expression softened. “That was because of you, not me.”
“Everybody needs a little help sometimes. That doesn’t mean they didn’t work hard to get where they are.”
Any lingering frustration faded away, Violet’s posture relaxing. Hesitantly, she stood up and walked over to Clem, who welcomed her with open arms. She rested her head on Clementine’s shoulder, a genuine smile forming.
“Thank you, Clem. You always know exactly what to say. I don’t know how you do it.”
Clementine gave her a firm squeeze. “Beats me. I’m just making this up as I go along.”
Lee crossed her mind for a split second. Now she knew how he had felt, blindly stumbling forward. Juggling keeping everyone alive and happy. She wished he was here to give her some advice now.
“Well, then you’re good at improvising, then,” Violet mumbled into her shoulder.
When they broke apart, Clementine kissed her cheek, then held out a hand. “Come on, let’s go find Louis.”
Blushing slightly now, Violet sighed. “Yeah, I guess I do kinda owe him an apology.”
She took Clem’s hand firmly, gently swinging their arms as they walked back out the gate. Their eyes met for a moment, offering each other a dorky grin.