scars • clementine x louis

Chapter 16: The Rescue

Warning: (Extreme language, Slight Gore)

Summary: The group goes to save Omar, Minnie, and Violet. But, everything takes a whole new turn.

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Clementine stirred up as she rubbed her eyes with her clenched fists. The sun's rays peaked through the slightly fragmented window, making Clementine squint her eyes and try to shift away from the light. Today was the day. The day that mostly Clementine dreaded.

She sighed as she casually arose from the uncomfortable cushion and took her hat from the dresser. She adjusted it on her hat and turned to face the door. She closed her eyes and thought about Lee. About what he told her during his last breath. 

"You're strong, Clem. You... you can do anything."

Clementine opens her eyes and takes a deep breath. She furrows her eyebrows. She can do it. She's been through much. This was nothing. Clementine opened the door and stepped out.

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Nightfall came. Everyone was hunching behind the bushes, right in front of the building. Clementine strolled up to AJ who was trembling.

"AJ?" Clementine queried, being sure not to touch him. His head darted towards her. His optics were wide and bug-eyed. He truly seemed terrified.

"C-Clem... I-- I'm scared." Usually, nothing really scared AJ. He was born in the walker age and was used to these things. But this, this was much different. It was like they were being assigned on a death mission. This left AJ feeling horrified.

Clementine embraced him into her arms, rubbing his back. "I know-- I am too. But we need to be brave. What do we do when we're scared?"

"We... we breathe." AJ took several breaths. When he finally calmed down, he nodded his head to Clementine, signaling that he was okay for now. She nodded back before she went to go check on her lover. He was standing with his hands planted onto his sides. Clementine stood next to him, admiring his masculine physique and his handsome profile.

"It's... really happening, isn't it?" Louis asked, still looking at the building.

"Yeah, it is."

"People are depending on us. Depending on me. You're depending on me to... what if something happens to you, Clem?" Louis turns to face her as she takes both of his hands. "I just-- I can't. I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to lose you either." Clementine brought her hand to his cheek and caressed it softly. "But we have to do this. You can't start crumbling. Not right now."

"Okay. No crumbling. Great. As easy as that." 

Clementine shoots him a glare. 

"Okay, okay! I'll try. Promise..."

Clementine flashes him a reassuring smile and pulls him in for a kiss. The couple gets interrupted by a small giggle from a little figure.

"Gross." AJ snickers before he runs away. Clementine's face turns red within a second as she releases a nervous chuckle.

Just then, the group hears growls coming from the walkers that were piling in. James had accepted to help Clementine and AJ to cause a distraction for the raiders. 

Forthwith, the group distributes, leaving AJ, Louis, and Clementine to rescue their friends. Clementine and AJ kill a walker and carefully dive the knife in its chest, actuating it to make a large opening in its stomach. Clementine, Louis, and AJ crouch over the walker. 

"We're not doing what I think we're doing..?" Louis spoke as he cringed.

"It depends." Clementine takes a handful of the walker's guts as she chuckles from Louis' comment. "What do you think we're doing?"