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Chapter Text

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You can request:
Fluff
Angst
AUs

You can not request:
Rape/non-con
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At this time, I'm not entirely comfortable with writing smut either, mainly because I'm not very experienced with writing it. Suggestive scenes may be allowed, depending on the context.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2: What Remains

Clementine didn't remember much from the day she escaped the Delta, though her absence of a leg was a constant reminder that she couldn't escape from.

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring where her missing limb should be.

It had been a few weeks since it all happened. Since AJ went against her orders, saving her life in the process. She was thankful for his quick thinking, but also burdened by the physical and emotional scars it left.

Adjusting to this new reality was harder than she wanted to admit. She was used to leading, to keeping everything together. But now? She was the one who needed help.

A frustrated sigh escaped her lips as she clenched her fists, tears pricking the corners of her eyes. She hated it. She hated feeling helpless, like a heavy load everyone else was carrying on their backs.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the door creaked open.

Louis strolled in, practically radiating positivity as usual. But the moment he saw her face, his smile dimmed slightly.

"Hey, just came to check in. You okay?" He said as he took a seat next to her, his hand resting comfortably on her shoulder.

Louis had been checking on Clementine every day since she came back to the school. Only then, she was on the verge of death.

He could still vividly remember the scene that played that day, AJ wheeling Clementine to the gates of the school in a battered wheelbarrow, barely and missing a leg. Ruby had wasted no time carrying her inside, tending to her wound as soon as she could. Louis stayed by her side the entire time, watching her closely until she woke up a few days later. He hated to think about it. The first time he laid eyes on her pale, unconscious body that day, he truly believed she was gone.

Clementine didn't meet his gaze. "Yeah, I'm fine." She answered, glancing back at her leg, or what was left of it.

Louis took notice of that. He knew that she had a lot on her mind, and he wanted to be there for her if she wanted to talk about it. "I know it's bothering you. We haven't had the chance to talk about.. everything. If you need to, I'm here."

Clementine sighed. She was never good at talking about her feelings, but with Louis, it felt a bit easier.

"I just.. I can't help but feel like I'm a burden to you. To all of you. I can't do anything I used to be able to, and I'm leaving everyone else to do the work I'm supposed to be doing."

Louis shook his head, his response was immediate. "Nobody cares about that, Clem. We care that you're alive. We have enough hands to pick up the slack. There's nothing you need to worry about."

"It's not just that." She added. "Ruby is constantly wasting supplies on me, there's barely any food to go around, and I can't help hunt anymore. I can't do anything anymore. I'm useless." Tears formed in her eyes as she let out all of her frustrations. Her voice cracked in desperation, despite trying to hold herself together.

Louis was dumbfounded. He couldn't believe Clementine would call herself 'useless' after everything she's done for the group. "Are we thinking about the same person right now? Because the Clementine I know wouldn't forget about everything she's done for this group." His voice softened. "Just because you're struggling now doesn't mean you're suddenly a burden. You're still our leader. We look up to you."

Clementine knew he was right.

Still, no matter how many times she was told she wasn't a burden, she couldn't shake the feeling. Her gaze returned to the floor, unable to meet his eyes in the moment. "You guys don't deserve a leader who can't fight to protect you anymore. What am I worth if I can't protect you? Part of me wishes AJ would've just listened that day."

Her last words were spoken impulsively, barely leaving her lips before regret hit her like a punch to the gut.

Silence.

Louis stared in disbelief, a look of horror and shock crossing his face. For a moment, he didn't have the words. Would she really rather be dead?

"I.. why would you say that?" His voice was quieter now, tinged with hurt.

She had never seen him look like that before.

"None of us would rather you be dead, Clementine." He continued, his voice shaky but firm. "We don't care that you're not the same as before. What matters is that you're here. AJ still needs you..." His voice broke slightly. "I still need you."

A rush of guilt overcame her as she listened to his words. She didn't mean to upset him. She was so caught up in her own self-loathing that she's forgotten how much her survival meant to him, to all of them.

As she finally looked up at him, she could see his hurt expression. She held his gaze for a moment, silence taking over the conversation.

"I'm sorry, Louis.." She muttered, gently taking ahold of his hand.

"Look.. I'm not going anywhere. You just have to understand that it's hard having to get used to to a completely different way of life. I'm trying, but it's not easy."

Louis's gaze drifted to their intertwined hands, squeezing hers tighter, as if she'd disappear if he let her go.

"I know.." he murmured. "But you also have to understand that I'm here for you. We all are. It's okay to ask for help, y'know? But, I know how stubborn you are." His tone turned teasing, trying to liven the situation a bit.

Clementine huffed a laugh, rolling her eyes.

"Just.. promise me that you'll reach out if you're struggling? We all want to help, but we can't do that if we don't know what's going on." He added, his thumb brushing against her knuckles gently.

"I promise."

Their eyes met, the weight of that promise lingering between them.

Then, he pulled her into a hug, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. The sudden action caught her off guard, but she quickly melted into his embrace, the tension in her body slowly fading away.

"I love you." Louis whispered, his voice slightly muffled by her hair.

Her smile widened at the declaration, her skin growing hotter as she blushed. No matter how many times they exchanged those three words, it always seemed to make her heart flutter.

"I love you too."

They stayed like that for a moment before they broke apart, Louis laying a gentle kiss on her lips before standing up from the bed.

"C'mon," He held out his hand. "Let's see what everyone else is up to. I'm sure they're waiting for us." He said as he helped her up, handing her crutches to her and waiting for her to adjust before opening the door.

He let her step out first, following close behind.

And for the first time in weeks, Clementine felt just a bit lighter.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3: Shelter From The Storm

Clementine always thought she could sense when bad weather was approaching, though she nor the rest of the kids at Ericson expected such a large thunderstorm.

She sat in her bed, trying not to listen to the noise outside. Storms like these always brought bad memories with them. Memories of the many days she was out in the woods with no safe place to call home, not to mention getting separated from Christa all those years ago.

She hugged her knees to her chest, trying to suppress her rising anxiety. She knew it shouldn't bother her this much, not after everything she survived, but the unease was impossible to shake.

AJ had asked to bunk with Tenn and Willy for the night, since he was shaken by the weather outside. Clementine agreed, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

The sudden creak of the door handle snapped her out of them. Her shoulders tensed before she spotted Louis peeking onside, entering the room with his usual lopsided grin. Despite the comfort she felt from his presence, the subtle noise of the chaos that lurked outside the window kept her on edge.

"I thought I'd crash here for a bit, if it's alright with you. It seems like everyone has a buddy they're bunking with right now." He said as he took a seat on the edge of Clementine's bed. Immediately, he noticed something was off. She was curled up in the corner, stiff, her expression tense and almost frightened despite the small, forced smile she gave him His brows knit together as he inched closer.

"Clem? You okay?"

Clementine's smile faded. She averted her gaze as she tightened her grip around her legs. She shrugged, trying to downplay how she really felt. "..It's nothing. Storms just freak me out, is all." She tried to sound casual, hoping he would chalk it up to an irrational fear. A part of her wanted to tell him the truth. She knew he would listen, but the thought of burdening him with such a minor problem kept her silent.

Louis wasn't buying it. He knew there was more to it than just that, and he was determined to get her to talk to him. Without another word, he climbed into the bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and intertwining his fingers with hers. The sudden change of position surprised Clementine at first, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she let herself lean into him, resting her head against his shoulder.

"I'm here for you, y'know." Louis murmured, his hand moving to gently comb through her hair. "I might not be the most.. reliable guy all the time, but you can talk to me." The sounds of his voice and his touch always seemed to ease Clementine's nerves, and for a moment, she almost forgot to respond. She sighed heavily, her gaze falling to their joined hands.

"Weather like this brings back a lot of.. bad memories." She started. "A good friend of mine and I got separated a long time ago. She had taken care of me years after Lee.." she hesitated to finish her sentence, and Louis understood. She had talked about Lee a few times, and from the pieces of information he got, he knew that Lee had meant a lot to her.

"It was raining when a different group had ambushed us. They tried to grab me, but I escaped and fell into a river. It took me a long way downstream, and I lost her. Her name was Christa.."

Louis listened intently, and he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Clementine had been through so much in the years before she came to Ericson, and it broke his heart knowing how much she had to go through before finding a safe place to call home. His hand tightened around hers, hoping to provide some sort of comfort in her moment of vulnerability.

"I'm so sorry that happened, Clem. She sounded like a good person. I wish I could've been there for you.." Even if there was no way he could've helped her, Louis still felt guilty for what had happened to her, feeling almost as if everything would've been different is he was there to protect her.

Clementine shrugged. ""it's in the past. I know it shouldn't bother me anymore-it was so long ago-but every time a storm hits, I feel uneasy, like something bad is going to happen again.."

Louis shook his head. "Clem, It's okay to feel upset about it. It doesn't matter how long ago it was, you shouldn't have had to experience that."

Suddenly, an idea struck him, a grin spreading across his face.

"Wait here," he said, untangling himself from her and hopping off the bed.

He left the room in a hurry, leaving her confused and alone in the room. She rolled her eyes, a soft chuckle escaping her. "What is he doing this time?" She muttered to herself as she patiently waited for him to come back.

A few minutes later, the door swung open again, and Louis strode in with an abundance of pillows and blankets in hand. He dumped them on the mattress with an exaggerated flourish.

"We're having a slumber party!" He announced, beaming.

Clementine expected something like this from her boyfriend, but it didn't stop her from laughing at his antics. "You're such a dork." She teased as he began arranging the pillows and blankets around them, making their space more comfortable.

"You love it." He quipped back, making her roll her eyes in response, but the blush on her her cheeks was answer enough.

Once satisfied with his setup, Louis climbed into the bed, returning to Clementine's side. "Gotta say, I think I outdid myself this time." Louis praised himself as he got comfortable under the multiple blankets. "Oh, I almost forgot!" He said in realization as he reached into his coat and pulled out a bag of pretzels.

"How many of these do you have?" Clementine replied with a chuckle, remembering the same snack they shared on their first date.

"More than I should." Louis admitted. "Marlon and I found a whole box on a supply run a while back." He opened the bag, tossing one into his mouth. "I'm pretty sure they're all stale, but hey, free food."

Clementine shrugged, taking one for herself as she nestled closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his chest. Louis smiled, his own arm coming to rest against her back as they enjoyed their close proximity. The two rarely had the time for moments like these, and they wanted to savor it.

A low rumble of thunder outside caused Clementine to tighten her grasp around her boyfriend, but she slowly relaxed against him as he rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Thank you, Louis." She muttered, her voice slightly muffled against the fabric of his shirt. "For being here. For listening."

Louis's smile softened at her words. "Always."

He noticed the exhaustion in her voice, the way her words dragged just a little more with each sentence. He sat the bag of pretzels aside on the desk next to her bed, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace. "Get some sleep, okay? I'll be here when you wake up." He whispered.

Clementine didn't have the energy to respond, only cuddling closer to him in response. She had forgotten about the storm completely, only focusing on the boy embracing her. She mumbled something incoherent, already half-asleep. He chuckled softly.

'Goodnight, Clem.' he whispered, knowing she wouldn't hear it. Curled up beside each other, too tired to care about the weather outside, they let their exhaustion win.

The world could wait until morning.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Still Here

The escape from the Delta went wrong.

Louis was split up from Clementine and AJ. She said they would be okay.

They weren't.

He could still remember the moment AJ returned, but Clementine was nowhere to be found. Tears streamed down his face as he explained that she was bit. She told him to shoot her, but he couldn't do it. He left her there.

Louis felt his world collapse around him in that moment. Disbelief, shock, then a hollow emptiness that settled deep in his chest.

that day broke him. He was never the same.

He locked himself away, refusing to leave his room for days at a time. The others brought him food, water-he barely touched it.

Everyone was worried for him. They reached out, tried to help him, but he pushed them away. Eventually, he emerged, but not to rejoin them. Instead, he made excuses to leave the school, making longer and longer trips out on his own. He was gone for hours almost every day, and there was nothing anyone else could do about it.

One night, he was out on a walk, hoping to clear his head. That was the goal for all of his long walks, and it was yet to be achieved. He decided to scavenge for more resources for the group. It was something useful, at least.

He felt guilty for not reconnecting with the group, but he just couldn't bring himself to talk now. He was still grieving, and he had a feeling he'd be doing that for a while longer.

At some point, he found himself near an old barn. It looked run down, and he noticed tracks in the dirt under his feet. A herd must've came through.

Then- a rustling in the bushes.

He turned quickly, listening for the source of the sound. The sounds of broken groans and dragging feet told him it was a walker.

His blood ran cold as he recognized her.

Clementine.

Unmistakably Clementine.

But it wasn't her.

Clementine didn't have rotting skin or sunken, milky white eyes. The only thing remaining from her former self were the clothes on her body.. and her hat.

Louis's heart pounded so loud he could hear it in his ears. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He just stood there, his gaze glued on the rotten body of his girlfriend in front of him. As she caught sight of him, his hand reached for his gun.

He absentmindedly drew his weapon, pointing and aiming right in between her eyes.

But he couldn't do it.

He couldn't do anything. He completely shut down.

His hand shook as she drew closer, his finger frozen on the trigger.

As they locked eyes, he thought about the night Marlon had accused her of murdering Brody. The way she looked at him, pleading. He had chosen her then, stood by her side when no one else would.

Suddenly, her cold, dead hands latched at his shirt.

"Fuck!" He dropped the gun and fell backwards with a yelp. She fell on top of him, her jaws snapping inches from his throat.

Adrenaline surged through him. He pushed her off with a grunt, rushing to find something to restrain her. He caught eye of a rope hanging loosely on the side of the barn, and he bolted for it as Clementine shambled after him. Snatching it up, he backed away, leading her to a nearby tree.

He dodged her grasp, trapping her against the bark as he secured the rope around her body.

He staggered backwards, lowering himself to the ground in front of her. As he caught his breath, a strong feeling of nausea overcame him. He couldn't bear to see her like this, and he surely couldn't kill her.

He stared, contemplating on what to do in this situation, eventually losing track of time. He didn't want to leave her. He didn't want to let her go yet. Not when she was right here.

Clementine- his Clementine- was right in front of him. Her body was still moving, still existing, but she wasn't there. Not really. The realization made his stomach turn.

She growled lowly, her rotten fingers grasping at the air between them. Her lifeless eyes locked on him as she struggled against the rope, her movements slow but relentless. The rope held firm, but Louis felt the instinct to flinch every time she lunged forward.

"What the hell am I doing?"

His hand dragged down his face. The reality of what he was doing came crashing down on him. He had a gun. He should've ended this. That's what Clementine would've wanted. That's what the told AJ to do.

I should end this. Louis thought to himself. I should've done it as soon as I saw her.

But he couldn't do it. He just couldn't.

His eyes darted to her hat, still resting stop her tangled, filthy curls. It was a miracle it was even still there.

"God, Clem.." His voice came out hoarse, barely a whisper. His throat felt tight, as if he was choking on his own grief.

She didn't respond.

Of course she didn't. She was gone.

But somehow, sitting in front of her, Louis felt his words bubbling up in his chest anyway.

"You'd probably tell me I'm being stupid right now, huh?" He muttered with a humorless chuckle. "Tell me to stop wasting time and do what has to be done."

His gaze was locked on hers as he continued speaking. It wasn't her, he knew that. But as he continued to stare, he couldn't stop seeing her.

Louis let out a shaking breath, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know if I can do that, Clem. Everyone else has already moved on, but.. you're still here-I mean, I know it's not you, but.. damnit, you were just here. We were supposed to go back to the school together. We were supposed to-"

His voice cracked, and he stopped himself, squeezing his eyes shut.

When he opened them, she was still there. Still reaching for him. Still existing.

He swallowed hard, wiping any stray tears from his eyes. And against all reason, he kept talking.

He kept talking, because if he stopped, he'd have to admit she was really gone.

And he wasn't ready to do that yet.

Chapter Text

Chapter 5: Unexpected Gifts

The morning sun cast a golden glow on the ground below it, beams of light reflecting through tree leaves as they swayed in the wind. The rare sound of birds singing echoed through the woods.

It was a peaceful day, something that didn't happen often in this world. Clementine sat on the steps of Ericson's main building, her crutches resting beside her, savoring a moment of calm. She looked around and noticed that everyone seemed to be doing their own thing while enjoying the nice weather.

Willy and AJ kept watch at the front gate as usual, Ruby tended to the horses, and Omar was preparing dinner. The others were out on a scavenging trip that Clementine had sent them on a few hours prior.

"Clem! They're back!" Willy called as he spotted the group approaching the gate.

Clementine grabbed her crutches, adjusting them before making her way over to them. They opened the gate, allowing Louis, Violet, and Aasim to enter.

"Any luck?" She asked, closing the gate behind the group.

Aasim spoke first. "Not much. Batteries, matches, some painkillers... we did get a couple rabbits on the way back, though."

Clementine wasn't completely satisfied with his answer, but she nodded thoughtfully. "We might need to talk about expanding our territory soon. Resources are depleting."

The group nodded in agreement. Aasim handed Clementine the supplies before departing to give the rabbits to Omar for meal prep.

Clementine pocketed the items, returning to her spot on the stairs. Violet followed behind her. "Hey." She sat down next to Clementine, grasping her hand gently, a soft smile on her face.

Clementine smiled back, her fingers lightly brushing over Violet's. She could feel her nervous energy, but couldn't quite understand why.

Violet opened her mouth as if to speak, but stopped, turning to look at the ground awkwardly. Her thumb instinctively traced over Clementine's hand, a small frown on her face.

"Vi? What's wrong?" Clementine asked, a hint of concern in her voice as she noticed Violet's unease.

Violet reached a hand in her pocket, grasping something and holding it out for Clementine to take. "I.. I found this for you." She muttered, her face reddening as embarrassment settled inside of her.

Clementine takes the object, confused at first. Upon closer inspection, she realized that it was a simple silver necklace with a star charm on it. "I know it's nothing special, I just... thought you'd like it." Violet added quickly. "You don't have to wear it.."

Violet continued on as Clementine admired the piece of jewelry. She turned it in her fingers. It was a little worn, but still beautiful. She glanced back at Violet, who looks like she wants to disappear.

With a soft smile, Clementine silently puts the necklace on, brushing the charm with her fingers. She wraps an arm around Violet's waist, the contact causing her to stop rambling and freeze in her grasp.

"Thanks, Vi." Clementine murmured against her shoulder. "I love it."

Violet's face reddened, but she managed a small, shy smile. "Yeah, well.. you deserved something nice." Her voice faltered slightly, trying to keep her composure, but failing. "It's not a big deal."

Clementine chuckled before leaning her head up to place a gentle kiss on Violet's cheek. Her face flushed immediately, hiding her face in her hands as she mumbled something incoherent under her breath.

"Not that big of a deal, huh?"

"Shut up."

Clementine gave Violet a smug grin before resting her head on her shoulder once again. The weight of the necklace on her skin warm and comforting.

'Not that big of a deal.' Violet tells herself again, but as she felt Clementine's hand gently squeezing hers, she knew she was wrong.