OH MY DARLING! || LOUIS

3 | UNRAVEL.

words: 5k

THE MAJORITY VOTE FOR CLEMENTINE TO LEAVE. Violet, Tenn, and Aasim were the only ones to vote for them to stay; unsurprisingly enough. The three thinking somewhat rationally on top of the irrational emotions that the others drowned themselves in. Jamie turns her attention towards their gravesite; fuck that. Whatever emotions she felt right now; the mix of anger and sorrow bottling up in her stomach wasn't irrational at all.

Her friends were killed. Fuck Clementine. Fuck AJ. Fuck their kill or be killed instincts. She didn't want to look at Clementine or AJ or guns ever again.

"She can keep us safe." Aasim presses on, trying to sway the vote. He's frowning, eyebrows knitting together in concentration. Despite everything they agreed on before the vote. That the vote will be final and there won't be any room to try and convince the others to change their votes.

"She killed two of our own." Mitch replies, stabbing a pointed finger at Aasim's shoulder and crowding into his space. She watches with tired and heavy eyes as Aasim takes a step back. The two are basically at each other's throats; a familiar scene before Jamie. Back then, maybe around a decade before, they used to get into fights a lot too. They used to have adults pull them off each other. Funny, how years later, she'd have to take that spot now. "Why are you voting for her, anyway? I get why Violet did, but you?"

"Mitch—" Jamie sighed, her voice heavy with fatigue. She wraps a hand around Mitch's arm, tugging him away from Aasim while Ruby does the same to Aasim. The two girls play as mediators for the two boys. "Mitch, c'mon...Everybody's...Everybody's tired."

"Tired my ass." Mitch spat, but he still backed off from Aasim's space. She doesn't let go of his arm until he physically unwinds. The tension in his shoulders softening out as he unclenches his fists. He sighs, breathing out the rest of the pent up anger in his body. Only then does she gingerly let go of his arm.

They were all tired. Jamie can see it in everybody's eyes. The way their shoulders slumped slightly. Burdened with everything. The way their eyes don't seem as alert. Not quite; just enough to be somewhat conscious. The bags under her eyes felt heavier, making it hard to keep her eyes open whenever her mind went idle for too long. Even with the quick nap she accidentally took beside Louis the previous night; she felt like she hadn't slept a wink at all.

"...You guys get some rest." Violet speaks up when the commotion calms down. Her shoulders are hunched, more than usual, arms crossed in front of her chest. Her blue eyes aren't looking at any of them, instead focused on the dirt ground at her feet. "...Louis and I will just make sure they get out of the forest safe."

"Someone needs to keep a lookout." Ruby says. Tired. Tired. They were all tired. Her eyes look around, hoping somebody else would volunteer for the job.

"I'll do it." Mitch raises his hand slightly; the first time he voluntarily accepted a chore in a good while, anyway. Jamie feels a frown tug at the corners of her lips. Violet seems just as shocked but decides against pointing it out. "Don't worry, I won't fall asleep."

"Okay." Violet nods, looking up to meet Louis' eyes and Louis' eyes only. If Jamie felt distant from Violet before, she felt especially distant today. After their obvious division after the events of last night. It seemed like the blonde girl she knew all her life was somebody entirely new. She knew of Violet before the apocalypse. Knew the Violet during her time with and without Minnie. This Violet was somebody entirely new. Determination in her eyes, still soft and unsure. But it was there; the same sort of determination Marlon had when he became their leader. "Okay, let's...let's go get them, Louis."