Clouis One-shots

Change of Plans p.2

INFO: takes place right after Change of plans p.1. Has a father son moment between Lee and Louis (you'll see when you get there)
WARNING: I changed Louis' backstory a lot . Louis will tell Lee and I advise tissues, though they probably won't be needed.
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Lee and Clementine made it to the river a little later than the others, but when the oldest of the group met eyes with Louis, he immediately felt a rush of guilt. He hadn't realized that Louis blamed himself for standing up to Lee. Louis now wore a stained white muscle shirt with a pair of basket ball shorts as he tossed AJ into the air while he stood in the water. "Hey you two, you already started having fun without me!" Clementine yelled with a smile as she hurried to meet up with two of her boys.

"Well, AJ wanted you to teach him how to swim, so I couldn't just let him be bored while we waited for you Darling." Louis responded with a large smile, "the water feels great though, why don't you two join us?"

"Actually, Louis, I think we should have a conversation. More specifically, I need to apologize for how I acted last week, and I would prefer to do it in a more private setting- if that's alright with you."

Apprehensively, the pianist shared a look with Clementine before throwing AJ in the air once more. "Alright Kiddo, I gotta talk to your grandpa, you mind Clem now." Louis passed Clem the giggling child before kissing her cheek and walking to Lee, "let's talk in the shack. No where's more private than there," Louis continued to the little fishing shack where the spears were stored for easier access and quicker use.

Lee walked up the creaky steps behind Louis, unsure of what exactly to say now that he could see the beginnings of many scars along his back. The eldest male was startled out of his thoughts when Louis turned to face him, expression neutral. "I am sorry for how I approached you the other day, I had no right to say the things I did, nor imply that I had given you time to do something you shouldn't have to."

Louis looked shocked before he replied: "I'm sorry as well, I should not have disrespected you in such a way. I understood where you were coming from, I still understand today, and I cannot blame a father for trying his best to protect his daughter." Lee frowned at the sole terminology used by Louis. "Is something wrong, sir?"

"Nothing is inherently wrong, son, but why the single terminology? Every parent should have the same prerogative; to protect their children or child." Lee watched as the younger of the two grimaced a bit.

After grimacing, Louis looked down at the floor boards of the shack, debating if he should tell Lee. When he made up his mind, his expression was a grim one that Lee had never seen before. "My 'parents' didn't get that memo, my mother disowned me after I... I lied. My Father had been cheating on her for months, when I told her, she left the house. That's... that's when the beatings started, they kept going on until the divorce was finalized, and I lied. Said that I made the whole thing up and wanted her to come home, then she slapped me and... Said less than glowing things about me. Father increased his beatings, until I made a big enough scene to get thrown in the school for troubled youths."

Lee was in shock of the truth, "does Clementine know?"

"She knows the basics, I barely had enough courage to tell you this, it's difficult to mention." Louis answered with a huff. "You asked, and I told, Clementine asked what I was comfortable telling her. I will be telling her the rest tomorrow, but I need to ask you something."

"Go ahead, son, I am all ears."

"I want to marry your daughter." Lee gawked at the bluntness of the young man, "not today, but just a heads up." Louis walked past Lee, leaving him shocked in his wake. A while later, Lee exited the shack, ready to give Louis a piece of his mind, but when he saw how happy Clementine and AJ were with Louis- he thought twice.

Louis may have been one of many young adults to admire his daughter, but he was the only one who had her adoration in return, a not-so-easy feat.
Maybe Louis isn't the worst son-in-law.

Ten Years Later

"Grandpa, look!" Lee turned his attention to one of his many grandchildren, Diana, whom stood beside AJ with a big fish in her clutched fist.

"That's quite the catch ya got there Sweetpea, did I ever tell you about your gruncle Kenny? He used to fish as a job before the monsters showed up." Lee said whistfully as he rubbed his peppered beard, grown in honor of said great-uncle.

Alvin rolled his eyes in annoyance, teenage angst rolling off of him in waves, "here we go again. Why'd you have to get him started Diana?"

In response, Louis whacked the back of his son's head, "watch that sass or I'll get your Mother."

Alvin squeaked out a 'yes sir' before scampering away from the scene of his crime. "Mama would be upset if she knew bubba disrespected grandpa again..."

"Yes, which is why we're gonna keep this between us, unless he does it again. Okay Sugarpea?"

"Yes Daddy... When will my other brother or sister get here?"

"When they're ready, why don't you go play with Rascal?" Diana left Lee and Louis fishing in comfortable silence, until the former let out a groan. "What's up?"

Lee gave a sigh, "I'm just feelin sore is all, son. I'm just not as young as I used to be," Lee joked, earning a flat frown in response. "What is it?"

Louis sighed, "growing up, my father wasn't the Dad he should've been. I never thought I would have the family I have now, amazing kids, an ethereal wife and... a father who loved me enough to be a good Dad. You continue to teach me, which I can't say about other adults before the world turned to shit but you, Clem, and AJ gave me the courage and inspiration to change. And this is a depressing topic, but... I don't want you to go." Louis turned to Lee with tears in his eyes. "You have always been someone I looked up to, even when you were glaring daggers at me, you had the self restraint to hold yourself back from punching my face in."

Smiling, Lee clasped a hand on his shoulder, "Louis you have always been the Son I wanted. I acted like an ass, but it is true, and there's still something you need to learn about life." Louis turned his attention back to Lee, "no one you love is ever truly gone, you'll see them again."

"Thanks Dad," Louis gave him a small, tear-filled smile that Lee returned.

"Never a problem, Son."

Author's note

Hi! So I am still writing Restarting our Story I just wanted to post something happy in between.
Have an awesome fourth of July if you're in America and any other holiday in the world on the same day I hope everyone enjoys theirs! 😊