Summary: Clementine goes to check on Louis, knowing he's been struggling ever since losing his tongue to the Delta.
Word Count: 2440
Read on AO3:
Clementine wandered the halls of the admin building alone. She and Aasim had finished up a meeting a few minutes ago regarding future plans with the supplies they had stolen from the Delta. Things had finally settled down enough that they were able to look towards the future rather than simply focusing on survival and recuperation. The raid on the Delta had been as successful as could reasonably be hoped, but they had still suffered heavy losses. Clementine’s leg ached beneath her as she made her way down the stairs slowly and cautiously, one step at a time. There was still a lot of healing to be done.
Speaking of which… Clementine turned her head to her left, listening for any sounds from the piano room. It was silent. She wondered where Louis was. Ever since they’d brought him home, he hadn’t been quite the same. Losing his tongue had silenced him in more than just a physical sense. He helped around the school where he could, but he didn’t reach out to the others like he used to. They’d scrounged up a pencil and notepad for Louis, but he tended to only write short, practical messages.
The day Clementine had made it outside for the first time since her amputation Louis had brightened up for a little while. He’d even written Clementine a little note covered in hearts asking if she’d be his girlfriend. That moment had made Clementine’s heart swell with joy. But as the weeks passed, Louis’ enthusiasm had dimmed once more. There was a somberness that came with the passage of time. It solidified the reality that this was their lives now, that his tongue was gone forever. Clementine could get a prosthetic and relearn how to walk, but Louis would never speak again.
Clementine considered going out the front doors of the admin building and looking for her boyfriend in the front yard. But even though the music room was silent, she had a feeling she should start her search there. The music room had always been a refuge for Louis; perhaps he was finding some solace there now. Turning her crutches down the hallway, Clementine clumped over to the doors, glancing through the slight opening between them.
She had been right. Louis was in there, sitting at the piano. But he wasn’t playing. In fact, he didn’t seem to be doing much of anything. He was just sitting there, blankly staring at the keys. Was he alright? Clementine didn’t want to intrude. But she also felt as though leaving him alone wouldn’t be the right call. Hesitantly, she pushed open one of the doors, her crutches clunking against the wood softly.
Louis turned to look for the source of the sound, his eyes widening when he saw Clementine. He hurriedly rose to his feet, walking over to help support her.
“Thanks, Lou,” Clementine nodded toward the piano. “Let’s sit on the bench together,”
Louis nodded, guiding Clementine toward the bench and keeping a hand on her arm until she was safely seated on the side closest to the doors. Then he circled the bench to sit on the other side.
Sitting there with him reminded Clementine of the night they’d sat together and she’d confessed her feelings for Louis, feelings he had reciprocated. It was the same night the Delta had attacked, the same night she’d failed to protect him. So much had happened in that night. The events felt far apart in Clementine’s mind even though they’d happened within minutes of each other. That confession had been some of the last words she’d ever heard Louis speak, the last she ever would hear clearly.
Shit, she’d come in here in hopes of making Louis happier and instead she was just contributing to the melancholy mood. She looked to the piano, trying to force some cheer into her voice. “Have you been working on your music?”
Louis shook his head.
“Why not?”
He simply shrugged, looking away from her.
Clementine frowned. Reaching out, she gently intertwined her fingers with his. “Louis, you can tell me anything. Where’s your notepad?”
Louis didn’t even bother to respond.
Clementine’s eyes scanned the room in search of it. It didn’t take long to locate. The notepad lay abandoned on the floor, several pieces of crumpled paper surrounding it. They seemed to have been torn from the notepad and tossed aside. Perhaps they were drafts of something Louis couldn’t quite figure out how to say. Her curiosity overtaking her, Clementine leaned over to scoop one off the floor. She began to uncrumple it.
Louis looked at her with large eyes, causing Clementine to pause.
“Should I not read it?”
Louis looked lost for a moment as if considering his answer. It wasn’t as though he could give a complex answer though, simply a yes or no. After a moment he reluctantly nodded. Still feeling torn, Clementine decided to give it a look. The very first words struck pain into her heart.
Dear Clementine,
I think we should break up. I should probably find a better way to lead up to that conclusion, but I figured it was best to just cut to the chase. The boy you said you had feelings for isn’t me anymore. Whatever made you like me, whether it was my jokes or something else that escapes me, isn’t a part of me anymore. I’m useless now. Simply a burden. And with things as hard as they are on you now with your missing leg, I know you don’t need any more of those.
That night before everything fell apart, I told you thanks for listening. Now I don’t have anything worth listening to. So I figured it was best
The letter cut off there, unfinished. Clementine’s eyes shot up, searching Louis’ for answers. He wasn’t willing to look up though, his gaze remaining firmly planted upon the ground. “Louis...” Clementine heard her voice crack with emotion, “Why?”
Louis shook his head, his hand reaching out to tap the letter she’d just read.
“No, I don’t accept that. This letter is bullshit, just a bunch of lies you’ve told yourself since you’ve spent so much time alone with these thoughts. Louis…” Clementine’s hand tightened round her boyfriend’s, her voice desperate. “What I told you that night, everything I said, is still true. My feelings haven’t changed, not one bit,”
Tears were trickling down Louis’ face. A low gurgling sound came from his throat, the only sound he could make anymore. Clementine reached to brush the tears away only for Louis to jerk backwards away from her touch.
Clementine scooted forward, refusing to give up. “Louis, I-” Her words were cut short as she gasped in pain, her stump burning from being pressed against the bench. Clementine’s back involuntarily convulsed, sending her teetering off balance. She feared she’d fall over when all of a sudden, an arm came round her waist, pulling her upright. The piano clanged as Louis’ elbow brushed the keys in his rush to catch her. Clementine looked up to see him studying her face with concern. “Lou…”
Louis drew back, withdrawing his arm quickly. His face was hidden behind his dreadlocks as his chest rose and fell, clearly struggling with his own inner turmoil.
Clementine felt her own eyes burning. “I did this to you. It’s my fault for not saving you that night,” Louis’ head shot up and he quickly shook his head, but the message didn’t touch Clementine. This was something that had been festering within her too long to keep contained. “The night you were taken I had the chance to save you. I saw you fighting Dorian while Violet was being dragged away. I-I thought I’d have the chance to save both of you. Violet was nearer to the cage, so I took that shot first, but by the time I notched the next arrow…” Clementine’s lip quivered, her throat burning as she tried to hold back tears. “It was already too late. Lilly threw a molotov in front of the gates and suddenly there were flaming walkers everywhere. By the time we cleared them out, you were gone,”
She looked up at Louis, her eyes wet with tears. “If I’d known what Lilly would do to you, if I had any idea, I wouldn’t have stopped there. I’d have run through that fire and out into the woods. I’d have followed on foot and not given up until I’d found the trail. I…” Clementine’s voice wavered, her shoulders shaking as she succumbed to her tears. It was useless. She’d fought as hard as she could. Everything she was describing wouldn’t have done any good. She couldn’t have found Louis that way. Through a moment’s decision his fate had been sealed. And if she’d chosen otherwise, if she’d saved him first, would the same thing that had been done to him happen to Violet? If they found Violet in the cells like that, she’d never forgive herself. Both outcomes were unbearable and unforgivable.
Clementine could feel Louis’ hand gently rubbing her shoulder. The gurgling sound was coming from his throat again as well. Now they were both crying, both lost in their pain and self-condemnation. Her eyes blurred by tears, Clementine reached out for Louis, pulling him close. Her breath came in short gasps as she buried her face in his shoulder, her body wracked by grief. She couldn’t lose him. After all that they’d been through, all the hurdles they’d overcome to find each other, she couldn’t let this be their swan song. But how could Louis even forgive her now that she’d told him what she’d done.
Louis’ hands were on her back. His own face was hidden against her neck, made damp with his tears. He was shaking, his body trembling within Clementine’s arms. He didn’t pull back and Clementine didn’t loosen her grip on him. They stayed there in that moment, both afraid to pull back, scared that if they let go then things would truly be over.
It couldn’t last forever though. Slowly Clementine pulled back, her hands slipping up to cup Louis’ face as she gazed into his eyes. “Louis… whatever you choose, I’ll respect that. I don’t want you thinking that we can’t be together because you’re a burden because I don’t see that at all. We both lost parts of ourselves to the Delta, but that doesn’t mean we can’t heal. We’ll learn to grow past all that. But if you can’t forgive me for what I let happen…” Clementine’s voice wavered but she pushed through, “Then I can live with that. It’s your choice,”
Louis’ hands had come up to cover Clementine’s. Looking deeply into her amber eyes, he shook his head fiercely before pressing a kiss to one of her wrists then the other.
Clementine let out a shaky breath. “What does that mean? That you forgive me?”
Louis took one of her hands and guided it to his throat. He pointed at her and shook his head. What was he saying? That she wasn’t to blame?
Clementine opened her mouth to protest. “Louis, I-” But before she could get any further Louis had pulled her to himself once more, his arms wrapping round her protectively. Clementine’s eyes stung with fresh tears. Hesitantly she reached out, her own arms coming round to circle his waist. Their last embrace had been one of desperation. This one felt softer, more intentional. Clementine felt Louis’ head come to rest atop her own. They sat there in silence, everything perfectly still. Finally Clementine softly cleared her throat. “I take it we’re not breaking up then?”
Louis nodded, his chin lightly brushing the hair on top of her head. He placed a gentle kiss upon it before settling down once more.
Clementine closed her eyes, letting the tension in her body truly start to dissipate. “I’m glad. I can take a lot of things, but losing you… I never want that. I know this isn’t easy for either of us, being this broken. But having each other makes it better, not worse. I need you, Louis. Each and every day,”
Louis pulled back for a moment, just far enough to look at Clementine. Taking a deep breath, he pulled the corners of his lips up into a smile.
“That’s my Louis,” Clementine reached up to brush away a stray tear that glistened upon his cheek. “But if you’re ever sad, that’s ok too. I want to hear about it all, in whatever way you want to share it,”
A distant look came into Louis’ eyes. Rising to his feet, he stepped away from the bench. At first Clementine was afraid he might leave the room, but instead he walked over to his notepad. Kneeling down, Louis picked up the crumpled pieces of paper that surrounded it one by one. Once all were gathered he walked back to the bench, taking the one that Clementine had read which lay crumpled and wet beside her. He then made his way over to the fireplace, setting the entire pile deep within it, tucked amongst the logs. There was no fire burning now, but the symbolism wasn’t lost on Clementine. Returning to the bench, Louis sat once more beside her.
Clementine smiled, the pain in her heart replaced by a warmer, purer ache. She truly loved this boy. “Thank you,” She glanced over at the piano. “Would you like to focus on something happier now? Maybe play me that song you wrote?”
A myriad of emotions danced within Louis’ eyes. Clementine hoped it hadn’t been wrong to ask this of him. But the piano was his voice, in a deep, intrinsic sense. She wanted to hear it, to let him speak through its melody. Louis’ hands rose after a few seconds, coming to rest delicately upon the keys. And then he began to play, the same song he had played for Clementine that night the room had seemed full of magic and light.
Slowly, Clementine laid her head down, bringing it to rest against Louis’ shoulder. Her eyes closed as she let the music overtake her senses, hearing Louis’ voice in every note he played. The world outside the walls of the music room was still harsh and cruel. It hadn’t become any easier in the time they’d spoken and that wouldn’t change. But here with Louis she felt safe. Not because there was no pain, but because he was with her in it, just like she was with him. And together, Clementine believed they’d be able to make it through whatever the world might throw at them.
He has nicknames for all of the kids (uses a particular gesture to associate with them all).
Whenever Clem or AJ are having nightmares, Louis will begin humming soothing music until they drift off to sleep.
He has incorporated his silence into the card games he plays with people now. Whenever playing he will often make overly exaggerated reactions to the cards people choose causing them to laugh at the ridiculousness, and other times he will perform silent magic tricks pretending to be like Teller from "Penn and Teller" to the amusement of AJ.
He lets his body language convey his emotions and thoughts.
Whenever Clem is talking to AJ, Louis will sometimes sneak up behind her and pull goofy expressions to try and make make him laugh before she notices. It's became a game between the two of them much to the chagrin of Clem.
After everyone got back to the school and Clem regained enough energy to navigate the building again, the very first person she sought out was Louis.
She saw him sitting at the piano lost in thought. He was playing a familiar tune all too reminiscent of a time from before the raiders attacked. He smiles when he notices her and gestures to the bench beside him. As she nears, he begins setting the crutches aside as she lowers down on the seat.
He continues playing as Clem watches on with a small smile. Slowly the tune begins to shift into a much different song... He grins at her reaction when the realisation of the finally hits her and she rolls her eyes in mock annoyance before calling him a dork and lightly slapping him on the arm.
"Oh my darling, Clementine? Really?" She laughs at him.
Amusement dances around his expression as he goes back to the keys, mouth opening out of habit to sing before clenching firmly shut as a wave of sadness washes over his features.
Clem stares at him in concern as he tries to pick up from where he left off hoping she didn't notice the slip.
She looks on in thought for a minute or so before opening her mouth hesitantly and letting the words flow out from her lips.
"Oh my darling, oh my darling, oh my darling, Clementine~"
Her voice catches him by surprise and he stares at her in wonder for a second as she continues singing for him.
Overcome with joy at the sudden duet, the two of them finish the song together.
As Louis slowly wraps up playing the final notes he glances over at her with the most gentle and loving smile she has ever seen.
The two of them embrace, enjoying the moment knowing that no raider or walker can ever take it away from them. The present is theirs and always will be.
Summary: Clementine and Louis enjoy a playful evening together in the music room.
Notes: This one occurs in a Romance Louis/Save Violet reality.
Clementine and Louis were in the music room together, practicing their nightly music lesson. They’d started small when it came to Louis teaching Clementine how to play, focusing on nursery rhyme tunes while she learned the keys. Tonight, she was trying to master “Three Blind Mice”. She wasn’t doing too bad, although she’d hit the occasional sour note. Louis would simply smile and redirect her hands to the right keys. It was nice to work on something together that didn’t require speaking or walking. For a few precious minutes each night they could spend time enjoying each other’s company without the painful reminders of the past few months coming into play.
“Well, I think I’ve just about got it now,” Clementine declared moments after finishing the tune. “What do you think, Lou?”
Louis gave a dramatic chef’s kiss to show his approval.
“That good?” Clementine giggled. “Well, alright, then, I won’t question the master’s opinion,”
Louis looked like he meant to reply, but was stifled by a yawn.
“Yeah, it is about that time. Help me up?” Bracing one hand against the piano, Clementine held onto Louis as he lifted her to her feet. Foot. Her crutches were leaning against the couch. Clem slowly began to hop over in their direction, leaning on Louis’ shoulder for support. It was only a few steps more… Suddenly Clem’s good leg twisted under her. Before Louis could catch her she’d fallen to the floor with a surprised squeak. Louis immediately crouched down beside her, his eyes screaming his apology.
“It’s fine, Lou,” Clementine gave her boyfriend a wry smile before looking over at her right leg. “You, my friend, are fired. I give you one job and you can’t even manage that?”
Her foot had nothing to say on the matter.
Clementine fell back to the floor with a sigh. She tucked her arms behind her head as she looked up at the mildewed ceiling. “You know what? I think I’m gonna sleep here tonight. That seems like a good idea,”
A thump beside her drew Clementine’s attention. Louis had plopped down beside her, stretching out on the floor as well and meeting her gaze with a playful smirk.
“Calling my bluff, huh?”
Louis shook his head.
“Oh, you’d actually be willing to sleep here? I shouldn’t be surprised. You practically live in this room anyway,” Clem teased.
Louis’ wrinkled his nose in retort. Then his eyes wandered lower. Clementine looked down to see what he was staring at. At some point during the fall her shirt had risen up above her jeans, exposing her slim stomach. Clementine felt heat rush to her cheeks at the unintentional breach in modesty. She reached to tug the shirt back down, but Louis’ hand stopped her.
Clementine looked up at him, searching his face to find his intention.
Slowly Louis placed her hand back by her side. He leaned forward, his head moving trailing down her form. Clementine felt a panicked thrill run through her blood. She didn’t know how to react to what was happening. Should she say something? Or-
All of a sudden Louis planted his lips directly on Clementine’s belly button and blew the loudest raspberry she’d ever heard.
“Louis!” Clem shrieked, immediately devolving into giggles as she lunged forward, pinning him to the ground. Before Louis could stop her she pulled up the corner of his shirt, blowing her own raspberry against his stomach. “How do you like that? Wait, no-”
Retaliation was immediate. Lifting her up onto his lap, Louis buried his face against her stomach, blowing a series of raspberries that made Clementine enormously ticklish.
“Louis, please! I give, I give!” Clementine declared, tears rolling down her face as she struggled to break free of her boyfriend’s playful grasp. Louis was laughing too, the sound rumbling deep in the back of his throat. He paused his barrage for a moment to enjoy the smile on Clem’s face. That was a tactical error.
With a mock war cry Clementine turned the tables, tackling Louis to the floor once more. Louis attempted to defend himself, covering his stomach with his arms. That only led to Clementine running her hands along his sides, trying to tickle him into submission. “Better give up, Lou,” she taunted, pressing her fingers deeper into his sides. “I’m not planning to show any mercy,”
Louis shook his head back and forth as he futilely attempted to wriggle his way to freedom. His eyes sparkled with mischief. He wouldn’t surrender so easily.
Suddenly the door opened and both of them froze, looking up at the source of the sound. Aasim stood in the doorway looking horrified at what he’d just walked in on. “I was just dropping by to grab a book,”
“O-OK,” Clementine stammered, her cheeks taking on a flustered hue. Quickly she adjusted the hem of her shirt, tugging it down over her jeans.
Aasim walked in and grabbed the volume that lay open on the couch. “You know, you both have bedrooms that would be much more suitable locations for activities of that nature,”
“It’s not what you think!” Clementine protested, rising to one knee. “It was a tickle fight!”
“If that’s what you want to call it, fine,” Aasim retorted. He exited the room before Clementine could argue her point any further.
Louis was dying of laughter. His arm draped over his eyes, Clementine could tell that he was laughing to the point of tears. She levelled her best glare at her boyfriend even though he couldn’t see it. “It’s not funny! What it had been A.J. who’d walked in?”
Louis glanced over at his girlfriend. Lifting his hands up, he gave a good-natured shrug.
“Oh, you’re no help,” Clementine huffed. Her crutches were only a few feet away. She slid across the floor, attempting to get to them. Before she could get far though, she felt a pair of arms lifting her up. Her eyes went up to Louis, who gave her a playful wink before reaching to loop her canes over one hand and walking out of the room. “I can make it myself, you know,” Clementine softly protested.
Louis ignored her. Making his way out of the admin building, he carried her across the front yard. The night air pleasantly prickled against Clementine’s skin. She rested her cheek against Louis’ chest, taking a moment to breathe in his familiar scent. She could feel how tired she was, her eyes drifting open and shut. Her energy had been distressingly lower since the amputation. At this moment though it felt like a blessing. She knew she’d sleep well.
Louis opened the door softly with one foot lest AJ was already asleep inside. Of course he wasn’t. He’d told Clem earlier that night that he and Willy had plans to build a blanket fort in the older boy’s room. She wouldn’t be surprised if he planned to stay the night there. Gently setting his girlfriend down on her bed, Louis positioned the crutches against the dresser beside her.
“Lou, would you mind checking on AJ for me? If he wants to spend the night in Willy’s room, that’s fine. I just wanna make sure,”
Louis nodded. Sitting beside her on the bed, he began unlacing her boot. When he slowly pulled it off, Clementine inadvertently hissed. Louis’ eyes jumped up to study her face in concern.
“I’m OK. Just been a long day is all,”
Louis nodded in understanding. Setting the boot beside her bed, he rose to leave.
“Louis?” Clementine’s voice caused him to pause and turn around in the doorway. “Tonight was fun,”
Louis smiled. Placing a hand over his heart, he extended his arm toward Clementine, causing a rush of emotions bubbling up inside her all over again. With that, he was gone.
Clementine found she was smiling to herself as her head sunk lower into the pillow. Her eyes drifted closed, staying shut this time. Life had a way of being surprisingly wonderful sometimes. She was thankful for today.
What would you think of a season where we played as the caravan group we see at the end of season 4, and eventually run into Clementine and the kids and we get them to help with a problem we’re having. Since Clementine can’t help she would send Louis/Violet, Aasim and Omar to help us and we get to know them better
I think that could be fun. But I would still be hesitant since the characters would be written by completely different people.
I feel like I would have difficulty getting into it because everytime Louis/Violet (for example) said something I would be thinking to myself: "Yeah but WOULD they actually say this if Kent/Lauren/Mary/ect wrote their dialogue? Is this in character of them? How would they react to this if it was the same staff??".
I know that's very nitpicky but I'm one of those people that overanalyses things and I feel like I would constantly be taking myself out of the immersion to think about this stuff lmao.
But I do think that would be a neat concept as it would allow us to talk to people and form types of bonds that we otherwise would not have made as Clem. We could develop characters like Ruby, Willy, Aasim and Omar as well since Lou/Vi wouldn't be as much of a major presense like in TFS.
Hell, even regarding Lou/Vi it would be really interesting to see the "captured" versions of them go through their development (maybe the one you didn't save as Clem you get to form a closer bond with here as someone completely new).
We could see how Louis copes with being unable to speak and maybe we can interact with him using gestures at certain points (or very basic sign language the kids made).
We could also see how Violet copes with her vision loss and maybe have moments of helping her out and maybe even helping her practice fighting again in case she ever needs to defend herself.
Maybe the plot could be us in trouble and having to stay hidden with them for a short while.
