Archive of Our Own

The dark-skinned boy would look around the music room, the dusk lighting peering in as the sun began its descent upon the tree-lined horizon. He gave a quiet sigh, rounding the piano that had shifted so out of tune that it barely sounded proper anymore. His hand ran down the mildly damaged wood while he thought privately to himself.

Wonder where I’d be if I didn’t fuck up as a kid, It was such a random thought, but he was used to those. Random thoughts sprouted up when he was alone. His hands methodically tapped the piano like a wave as he then leaned a bit onto it. He leaned his head back, shutting his eyes. Dead, maybe. Most likely, actually.

He sighed again, this time a bit more deeper, before he shook out himself and stood upright. He passed by the piano, playing a chord for a moment… then remembering why he actually came in here after a few moments of pondering. He walked towards the bookshelf. He, then, pulled out the ladder, placing it as he climbed up. He was a bit shaky, but held the shelf while he leaned to the left and right, trying to find a record for something he had been wanting to do.

It’d be romantic, he told himself, while scoping through the oldies music that this school did have. Queen, Rick Nelson, The Beatles, Billy Joel, Pink Floyd, Roy Orbison. Those types of music artists. He noted a few good songs that he did spot, but they didn’t have the aura he was looking for. Slow, calm, but loving. Sweet. Something along those lines. So he kept searching, determined for it to be perfect, skipping over section upon section before he slowed at a certain section; David Bowie.

He pulled it halfway out, looking over the records. Space Oddity, The Man Who Ruled The World, Moonage Daydream… Five Years.

Yes, his mind would quickly agree to this one. Perfect.

He descended the ladder, giddy like a boy going to his first dance with his date. He imagined many scenarios, most that would most likely not happen, while he put the ladder away and held the record gently. From what he knew, AJ would be on watch with Willy after they came back from fishing, meaning he had just the right amount of time for this to work perfectly. Hopefully. Maybe. If he’s lucky.

He walked out of the Admin Building, peering around the courtyard, humid with Summer, for whoever was still out. Ruby, Aasim, Omar, Violet. He frowned suddenly. It hit him, just like that, out of nowhere, how empty it felt. Ever since Marlon, Brody, Mitch… Tenn.

He cringed internally. It hurt him to think about it too much, and he couldn’t now. Not that he had something nice planned for Clementine. He looked over the record, taking a deep breath, as he walked towards the dormitory building, opening the door and closing it. He walked through the halls, passing his own room, then slowing as he knocked on the door and childishly put the record behind his back.

He heard a shuffle of things before she answered, exasperated. “Come in!”

Louis would open the door, one of his iconic grins on his face. The room was a bit darker due to it’s position from the sunset, dark enough that she had already lit up the candle on the dresser. Clementine was shuffling to grab her crutches, her jean jacket off to the side, having been switching out her bandages most likely. She pushed herself up while he began to talk with a smile in his voice.

“Well, you know, I’ve been thinking…”

“Oh, god , Lou. What is it this time?” She sarcastically cut him off, finally looking up at him with an amused face.

“You know how.. Well.. y’know… how couples, like, in the movies-” Clementine furrowed her brows at that in a bit of lighthearted concern. “-would.. Y’know, dance together?”

He lived for the moment where her brows rose from that position, a bit of interest and a twinge of awe in her expression. He watched her fight the smile that tried to cover her face, her gaze moving to the floor, then back up with a bit of an awkwardness.

“Louis, how?” She finally managed through a laugh. “I kind of… have one leg.”

“Well, madam , you underestimate my ability of perseverance!” He would do his little thing with his jacket, swiftly yanking at it’s lining as he grinned proudly and his chin lifted.

Clementine stayed silent, only monitoring what he did next with a raised brow. Louis moved the record onto the gramophone, but didn’t play it yet, he slid off his jacket, flipping some hair out of his face as he tried to hide the grin that was already on his face. He looked over to her, who was still standing there with even more peaked curiosity.

“Okay, so–” He inhaled. “Sit down, and put your crutches– wherever.”

She obliged, eyeing him quietly. She took a deep breath once she was sat, her tone of voice more hesitant than usual. “Okay, what now?”

"Well, my dearest Clementine, oh dear love..." Louis shuffled over to the gramophone, playing the record, then rushing back over as it took a moment to squeak into playing. "...All you have to do is go along." He pulled his dark, forest green sleeves up while grinning with excitement, then scooped her under her armpits. She gave a ‘hhfuh-’ of surprise, quickly moving her arms and interlocking her hands behind his neck as she readjusted to stand property.

“I promise not to drop you,” He murmured with sincerity as he moved his hands hesitantly around her torso before the lyrics started.

Pushing through the market square, so many mothers dying.
News had just come over; we just had five years left to cry in.

“Louis…” She managed out, her eyes already glowing with nervous joy. He loved it. He drank it in like it was addictive. “...I don’t… know how to do this.”

“You just sway. You can hop a bit if you're shifting. I promise, Clem, I’m not dropping you.” He reassured once more, limbs wrapped a bit tighter around er waist. "Plus, who said I know how to do this either?"

Her face scrunched up adorably as she peered up at him, suddenly shy and cowering at his gaze. “I don’t wanna look stupid.”

“What? Looking stupid? I think the badass Clementine looks very tactical when she dances with me,” He lowered his chin a bit while his eyes sparkled with nothing but love (and, admittedly, a bit of his usual humor) in regard of his partner.

News guy wept and told us, “Earth is really dying.”
Cried so much his face was wet, then I knew… he was not lying.

“You’re such a dork,” Clementine managed out, looking down a little at her his feet and her foot, doing a small hop as he turned slightly, then back up at him.

Louis only gave a dramatically dreamy sigh. “Oh, how well you can flirt with me, darling. I'd swoon, if I didn't have you in my arms.” His voice teased nearing the end of his sentence.

He could tell that, if she was not holding onto him for dear life, she would be holding the bridge of her nose with mock disappointment, which only made him giggle a bit. In turn, that made her giggle, managing out a (jokingly) unimpressed “Oh my god…” at what he had said.

I heard telephones, opera house, favorite melodies, saw boys, toys, electric irons and TVs.
My brain hurt like a warehouse, it had no room to spare. I had to cram so many things to store everything in there.

They had fallen quiet for a moment, embracing the sweet moment, before Clementine finally broke in.

“How long did you think about doing this?”

“Like, in general, or started seriously thinking about it?”

“Humor me.”

“In general? Since I started crushing on you, which was when I watched you beat the shit out of those walkers. Only offhanded thoughts, though.” That earned him some blushing from her while he continued. “But probably started to only seriously think about putting this all together about a week ago.”

“Aww, all for me?” Clementine hummed, recovering from her flusteredness, but Louis replied confidently. “Yes, all for you, my beloved.”

And all the fat, skinny people. And all the tall, short people.
And all the nobody people. And all the somebody people.
Never thought I’d need so many people…

She looked off, towards the door for a moment, as she hopped slightly. “If you told me when I was fifteen that I’d get to slow-dance with someone, I wouldn’t believe it.” She held on a bit tighter to the other.

“Well, dreams do come true, as… one of those inspirational posters would say,” He paused, then added in a mild ramble. “And me. I would say it. Since I’m here with you, dancing, dating you, Ericson isn’t burnt down and we’re not kidnapped, and… you’re alive. We’re alive.”

Clementine gave a smile of love, hopping a bit closer and to turn as they swayed and she echoed; “We’re alive.”

A girl my age went off her head, hit some tiny children.
If the black hadn't have pulled her off.. I think she would’ve killed them.

“Do..” Clementine took a quiet breath, stopping her question. “I wish I could still do things.”

His brows furrowed, knowing where this was leading. “You do.”

“Not in the way I wish I could,” She quickly shot back. “Not in the way I have.”

“But you’re alive– Clem, you gotta start listening.” He added the last part humorously, like a parent who was telling their kid the same thing for the hundredth time.

However, it only made her smile bittersweetly. She leaned her head into the crook of his neck, her arms wrapped around his neck. Louis felt goosebumps come over his skin, breath hitching unnaturally as he slowly hugged his arms around her waist. He wasn’t going to drop her. He refused to.

A soldier with a broken arm… fixed his stare to the wheels of a cadillac.
The cops knelt and kissed the feet of the priest, and the queer threw up at the sight of that.

They stayed quiet, just swaying. He had a firm but soft hold on her despite his lithe frame, trying to ignore the way his stomach was knotting. Clementine didn’t remove her face from his shoulder, holding him tightly. He kissed her head.

I think I saw you in an ice cream parlor, drinking milkshakes cold and long.
Smiling and waving and looking so fine, don’t think you knew you were in this song.

“Remember when we had our first date?” He managed out with a chuckle, trying to clear the air of it’s anxiety.

She turned her head so her cheek was on him instead of her forehead. “Yeah, you pulled it off well. Pretzels and all.”

He smiled happily at that. “Well, do you know what I look for in a woman?” He emphasized the ‘I’, his voice shifting into a jokingly regal tone.

She only laughed. “What is it?”

“Brains,” He hummed. “I think, out of your beauty, and humor, and badassery, I fell for your mind.”

Before she could interject with anything joking, he continued with a more serious voice. “Aasim, when.. when we were voting about you staying, all the way back then, he said how he trusted you to survive. How you knew what you were doing. And– and before all the stuff went down… I believed that. I do now, of course. But… well,”

And it was cold, and it rained, so I felt like an actor.
And I thought of Ma, and I wanted to get back there.

“...That’s why you’ve gotten so far. That’s why you lead us, even though you can’t go out there alone anymore. That’s why we aren’t all dead.”

Clementine was quiet. Maybe he was imagining this, but his skin felt a bit wet from where her eyes were. She was leaning a bit more into him as her only leg trembled with effort. He quickly noted this, swooping her as close as possible to him as he backed closer to the bed so he could put her down.

Your face, your race, the way that you talk.

He slowly pulled backwards, arms still locked around her waist as he smiled boyishly, hoping to get her to grin. To forget about all their worries, like he planned. How did he ruin that already? Why did he have to be serious?

I kiss you, you’re beautiful, I want you to walk–

Clementine looked at him up and down, as if making sure he was actually there. He hated the way her expression was as he sat her down. Bittersweet, saddened. She was smiling though, feeling loved, just… still sad.

We got five years, stuck on my eyes. Five years, what a surprise.
We got five years, my brain hurts a lot. Five years, that’s all we got.

And so he leaned down and kissed her. Clementine stiffened under this, but quickly fell into his soft lips with closing eyes. They held this for a few moments before separating, their eyes opening in sync to hold with each other. He held a breath he didn’t know he was holding as Clementine moved herself further back, pulling him with her as they reconnected. I t was perfect. Just as he imagined. Them kissing by the outro of the song, the climax of it all. Even though he wished she hadn’t been upset during it, it was still perfect. She was perfect.

We got five years, what a surprise. Five years, stuck on my eyes.
We got five years, my brain hurts a lot. Five years, that’s all we got.

Her hands scrabbled at him, clutching at his shirt tightly. She stifled out a relieved sigh as they kissed, and he could not be happier. He wanted to comfort her for as long as possible, whether that was for only the next few moments, or for the next five years. He wanted her to always hold onto him like this, like he was the only thing in the world for her. Like they were the Moon and Earth, dependent on each other. They separated for only a millisecond, both managing a breath before continuing. Clementine and him had not had quiet moments like these very often since they were more dependent on their lower numbers, which made them even more special. Even more precious. Precious, like her. Something to keep close.

We got five years, stuck on my eyes. Five years, what a surprise.
We got five years, my brain hurts a lot. Five years, that’s all we got.

Louis gently moved her further back on the lower bunk so her back was against the wall, awkwardly pulling along with her and settling into a kneel, his thighs against his calves. They held this kiss for a few moments longer before separating. They held their gazes to each other quietly as Louis reached over to take her hand.

“I love you so much, Clem. So, so, so, so much.” He managed out, personally not liking how needy he sounded when he said that. Like he was desperate for her to say it back. But that was exactly how he was feeling.

Clementine moved a hand to rub his freckled cheek, her eyes glistening with emotion. She looked overjoyed as she murmured a response while a smile began to grow. “I love you too.”

We’ve got five years, what a surprise. We’ve got five years, stuck on my eyes.
We’ve got five years, my brain hurts a lot. Five years, that’s all we got.

Hesitantly, Louis moved forward again, but pressed a kiss into her chin. He peered at her curiously, physically feeling the way she had shivered, before moving to the side of her neck. Nothing explicit, just soft pecks towards her skin. He trailed kisses to where her skin met the cuff of her cream-white undershirt, then stopped for a moment to duck his head and hold it where he was.

“I scored so well,” He hummed elatedly, a bit of a giggle escaping after he said that, and an echoed giggle from the lover he directed it to. She moved a hand to run it down the back of his head and through his dreads. He looked upward to give her one last kiss under her chin as she spoke softly, as if speaking too loud would break the moment. “Well, we both got lucky.”

Five years, five years,
Five years, five years.

She was quiet for a second, then murmured in continuation. “Why this song?”

Louis was sitting up now, a bit more to the side of her now, but no longer (basically) ontop of her. He gave a quiet pause, then replied with a jesting voice.

“I think it fits. You know, the world. Us. Everything. The world ending. The nostalgia. That stuff– And, well, of course, some of the lyrics about the girl. The girl being… you.” He ducked his head at the end of that sentence, suddenly flustering himself as he spoke so valiantly of her. Her face was glowing with glee.

The song began to die off as Clementine pulled a hand to rub under her eyes, clearing herself of tears as she laughed nervously. “Sorry for getting emotional, I think.. I think I’ve been a bit stressed lately.”

“You’re fine, really, babe.” He reassured her in a very, very earnest tone, then fell off into an awkward laugh-talking to try and hide his embarrassment. "And, honestly, I mean, you- the-- the music, it was a bit sad. So I don't think I helped there."

There was a moment where they just looked at each other. Love. Relief. Glee. Gratefulness. She gave a very small smile with intentful eyes, something that always made Louis get butterflies all in his stomach. She suddenly grasped at him and pulled him to lay on the bed. He, then very quickly, adjusted so he was sitting halfway up, moving his hands out to help Clementine a bit. She laid down quietly, her head on his shoulder, his arm wrapped around her securely. She moved her free hand to his, holding it tightly, a small sigh escaping.

He didn’t want to break this moment, so he stayed quiet, just taking a deep breath to keep himself from getting too excited and ruining it. She was his, and he was hers. Nothing would break that, he wouldn’t let it. He kissed her forehead quietly, then looked up at the bottom of the bunk above them. This was one of the few things he could truly appreciate; her in his arms. Safe. And alive.