It was back in the train station that the thought ever crossed her mind. Which is actually kind of strange to think about, Clementine realizes as she examines the small box in her hand.
She feels Louis shift beside her, turning over to sleep on his side facing her. She sits at the edge of the bed, peering over her shoulder at him. He's quiet tonight with a calm face. He nuzzles closer into his pillow as his near silent sigh escapes his lips.
Clementine smiles to herself. She opens the box, setting the lid on her desk and pulls out two freshly polished rings. She lets the larger one fall down her pointer finger as she examines it, twisting it around until she finds the detail she's looking for, and she smiles again.
Then, she turns to the sleeping boy beside her. One arm is tucked under his pillow while the other rests close to his chest. Clementine holds her breath as she carefully, gently pulls his hand closer to her. He doesn't move or wake.
She easily slips the band onto his ring finger and lets out her breath.
It actually fits. Not too loose, not too tight, but snug enough that it'll only come off with a little force. And it does. She slides the ring off and places it back in the box. Her heart beats loud in her chest and she recognizes the fluttering and tightening in her gut.
Tomorrow evening.
It's so close.
And to think had AJ not rummaged through that walker's pockets, she probably wouldn't be holding this box in her hands.
Two Weeks Earlier...
A supply run to the train station was a spur of the moment thing when the three of them were out hunting. They'd only caught three full-grown rabbits when Louis mentioned that it wasn't too far away. AJ had been all for the idea, and Clementine figured it wouldn't be so awful to go back and collect anything they might've missed from their previous trip.
Up ahead, but not too far, Louis is telling some crazy, exaggerated story that left AJ hanging onto every single word.
Clementine spots a walker from the corner of her eye lingering in the trees, it's head twitching with interest at the sound of Louis' laughter. It's the first one they've spotted in the time they've traveled, likely due to James doing his part of their arrangement.
They've worked out a decent system; anywhere they plan to hunt or scavenge, they let James know in advance so he can gather and lead stray walkers away, making trips a lot easier and a lot quicker. In exchange, he's welcome to come and stay in a room and eat with them whenever he wants. He didn't often stay many nights in a row, but Clementine's just glad to see him opening up with the others and making friends.
Clementine picks up a large rock and chucks it. The walker follows the noise.
The decrepit train station is empty. When they enter, there sat the dead couple, slumped over and still tied to their chairs. Everything looks the same as they left it last. They gather as much as they can, like leftover food and duct tape and a few bandages.
"Oh-ho!" Louis calls out from behind the counter. "Looks like I found your secret stash."
Clem quirks a brow and leans over the counter to peer down at him. He flashes her a bright smile and waves a beaten up chocolate bar.
"Seriously?" When she tries to reach for it, he teasingly jerks it away.
"I don't think so, darling," he pockets the bar. "Gotta save stuff like that for a special occasion."
"Special occasion," she scoffs. "Like?"
"Like when it's your birthday, or if it's someone else's birthday and you forgot to get them a present," Louis then glances away, "or, y'know, for date night."
"Date night, huh?" Clementine smirks.
"Woah..."
From behind her, Clementine hears AJ shuffling around the dead couple. He's unfolding something small and gray curiously. Upon a closer look, Clementine can tell it's a wallet, and from it, AJ pulls out a five-dollar bill to study it.
"Look at that," Louis approaches the boy, "looks like dinner's on AJ."
"Huh?"
Louis takes the wallet and pulls out some credit cards. "By the looks of it, we're getting a three-course meal."
"With extra dessert," Clementine smiles.
AJ looks between the two of them, clearly confused. "I don't get it."
"Money," he explains. When he turns it around, something falls out and Louis pauses. "...Huh." He bends down to pick it up. He flips it around and a smile tugs at his lips.
"What is it?" AJ asked.
Louis motions to the couple. "It's, uhm... their wedding photo." He hands it over to AJ.
"Wedding photo?" AJ studies the picture. Clementine moves around them to look as well.
It's jarring, the idea that the young couple are the same people as the decaying bodies in the chairs before them. They're both so clean and happy with wide smiles.
The woman's beautiful, Clementine thinks, with her hair pulled back into a bun of curls and her cheeks a pretty pink. Her dress is white with glittering details, and her diamond ring is visible on her hand resting against her husband's chest.
"They look..." AJ's mouth twists as he searches for the right word.
"Happy?" Louis offers.
"Well, yeah, they're smiling, but..." AJ looks at the dead bodies. "I don't know. It's weird. Why're they dressed like that?"
Louis laughs. "Well, little dude, back before the walkers came, people used to get married. It was a pretty big deal, and when they did, they'd have a wedding. Think of it like a huge party with lots and lots of people to celebrate the couple getting married."
"Okay, but," AJ says, "but what does it mean? To be married?"
"Uh, well," Louis scratches his neck, "it's what people used to do to prove they really loved each other, I guess. It was, like, a big step to take to marry someone and call them your wife, or your husband."
"And anyone can do it? Even me?" asks AJ. "I can get married?"
Clementine smiles, and says, "You're a little young for that right now."
AJ frowns and crosses his arms. "How old do I gotta be?"
"Well, there isn't really a set age, I guess-"
"And I can marry who I want?"
"Yes, but," Clementine shoots Louis, who's completely amused by the conversation, a glance as if looking for help with an explanation, "it's not really something people do anymore."
"Why not? I mean, you just throw a party, right? And I can marry whoever I love? Like you, right?"
At that, Louis laughs. Clementine sighs. "Uh..."
"Well, little dude, marriage wasn't for that kind of love," Louis says, "it's a bit more complicated than that." He puts the picture back into the wallet and tucks it back into the dead man's pocket. "These two didn't love each other like you and Clem do. They got married because..." Louis' smile almost turns sad, "they were in love, as a couple."
"Oh..." AJ thinks, "oh, like, a kissing love."
"A kissing love," Louis agrees. He winks at Clementine, and her heart flutters.
"Like you and Clem?"
Blood rushes to Clementine's cheeks as a loud, nervous laugh escapes Louis.
Before AJ can ask his next question, there's a soft bang against the door. The conversation's forgotten as they get low and carefully maneuver close to the door. AJ peeks out the window.
"Monster."
Clementine nods. They all stand, relaxing a little. The door's closed so one walker isn't a threat.
Louis hauls a large bag over his shoulder. "Well, I think we've gotten all we can get," he says, "should head back before dark."
Clementine nods. "Right."
But, she doesn't move. She watches Louis and AJ leave, and hears the walker being dealt with. Clementine turns back to the couple, her eyes glancing down at the man's rotten hand.
He still has his ring on.
"Clem?"
"...Coming."
It stuck with her the rest of the day. From when they entered the gates of the school again and all throughout dinner.
Marriage wasn't something she ever thought of. Sure, there had been that dumb "marry, 'flip', kill" question that seemed to come up during their card games, and sure, from all the groups she'd been in, some have had married couples.
Like Kenny and Katjaa.
Like Christa and Omid.
Like David and Kate.
...Like Rebecca and Alvin.
And before the walkers, her parents had been married. Happily married. She didn't remember a lot about them, but there were things that stood out in her brain when she concentrated her thoughts.
Like how her father would always kiss her mother's cheek before going to work and after coming home. It didn't matter if she was cooking, or still in bed, or working on a project, or on the phone, he always kissed her, like it was some unspoken rule.
And how they laughed together. Her father had this deep, rumbling voice that practically shook the house when he laughed, and his laugh only made her mother laugh harder.
And the cute names they called each other. Honeybun. That's what her father called her mother. Honeybun.
But, marriage wasn't something that stuck in her brain, not something she actively thought about. However, seeing that wedding photo, the couple who died together tied to those chairs, and actually talking about it, hearing Louis talk about it... it stuck with her.
AJ had let the conversation go after Louis moved onto another topic. She knew that he was trying to avoid the obvious question on AJ's mind.
"Like you and Clem?"
Like Louis and her...
"Yoo-hoo?"
A hand waves in front of her face. She blinks and turns to Louis. They're on the outside couch sitting in front of a fire. His arm rests comfortably behind her.
He grins. "Where'd you go?"
"Nowhere."
"You went somewhere."
Clementine sighs. "Just thinking, I guess."
"You got watch, Lou," Ruby says, approaching them. "You and Aasim."
"Aw, seriously?" Louis sighs before grinning. "Hey, wanna switch? I can take your morning shift and you can go with Aasim tonight?"
"Nope," Ruby shook her head and points back at the tower. "Get goin.'"
Louis slouches, mumbling quietly, "I tried, my dude..." Clementine rolls her eyes and elbows him.
"Don't keep him waiting."
"Yeah, yeah," Louis stands, reaching his arms high over his head to stretch out his body. He lets out a satisfied groan as his arms fall back to his sides. "I'll be there in a second."
Ruby nods and walks off.
His foot taps hers. "Guess I'll see you tonight," he says. Then, he leans forward. His fingers caress her jawline as he lightly pulls her towards him and places a soft kiss on her cheek. "I'll try not to wake you."
"Goodnight," is all she can muster up to say.
"Goodnight, darling." He leaves her with a smile.
And as she watches him walk away, it occurs to her with a single, strange thought.
I want to marry that boy.
Clementine tries to fall asleep, but she's restless. She doesn't know how long she's laid there, but no position, no angle allows sleep to take her.
AJ snores quietly in his bed on the other side of the room. Louis still won't be back for a few hours.
So, she gets up and leaves. As she's quietly closing the door behind her, she hears footsteps. Instinctively, she turns to see who it is.
Violet keeps her eyes forward as she walks down the hall, not giving Clementine any acknowledgment.
It'd been awful between the two of them ever since the delta fight two years ago. She couldn't even breathe in Violet's direction without getting 'fuck you' eyes, and talking was completely out of question. Not that Clementine didn't still try, but it seems that Violet's determined to keep herself in the shadows of the school, only talking to Tenn and Louis, and on rare occasions Ruby, Omar, and Aasim.
Louis once tried to help them patch things up. It didn't go over well.
What else could she do, though? Clementine can't force their friendship back together. Not after everything.
Clementine tries to put it out of her mind as she moves down the opposite direction. Down by the entrance doors, she finds Ruby grimacing at something in her hands.
"Hi, Ruby," she greets.
"Oh, hi, Clem," Ruby smiles. "Thought you went off 'ta bed?"
"Can't sleep."
Ruby nods understandingly. "Well, you wanna help me fix Willy's shirt?" she holds up a dirty blue shirt with a tear along the side. "Got it caught again and didn't bother stopin' to untangle himself."
"Of course."
Clementine kept the shirt still and flattened out while Ruby went to work.
"Wish that runt would be more careful," murmurs Ruby, "always tearing his clothes up. What'll happen if he ruins all of 'em? That boy'll be in nothin' but rags."
"You could have him sew his own stuff."
Ruby scoffs. "Yeah, right."
Clementine watches her steady hand as she sews in a comfortable silence. Being around Ruby like this is peaceful. The two had gotten close over the years, and for that, she's grateful. She adores Ruby.
Clementine glances around and decides to just go for it while it was just the two of them. "Hey, Ruby, can I ask you a personal question?"
"Sure, hon," Ruby smiles. "What's on yer mind?"
"Uh, well..." Clementine starts. "Have you... ever liked someone?" Ruby stops her needlework and perks a brow. "Like, had a crush?"
The redness on Ruby's cheeks brighten. "I-uh- what in the world are ya asking me that for?"
"Just curious if anyone ever caught your fancy," Clementine replies. She didn't think the question would actually make Ruby flustered.
Ruby pokes herself with the needle, hissing a cuss.
"Well," she says, "hate ta disappoint you, but no."
"Never?"
Ruby shakes her head. "Nu-uh."
Clementine thinks back to Aasim and Louis' constant teasing of the poor boy.
"You don't like anyone here like that? Not even a little?"
Ruby hesitates. "No." She finishes sewing up the shirt and holds it up in front of her. "Why the sudden question?" she asks.
"I don't know," Clementine answers honestly.
Ruby shifts her weight onto one foot and scratches at her arm. After an awkward silence. "Well... alright, can ya keep a secret?"
Clementine perks up. "Yes."
Ruby shakes her head. "Don't get excited. He, uh, he's not real."
"What?"
Ruby's blush deepens. "Sometime, after all the adults left, I had a hard time sleepin' at night. Ms. Martin was startin' ta worry 'bout me. She told me I should try readin', and I remember tellin' her how stupid that was. But..." Ruby sighs, "I still let her read ta me before bed one night. A love story called 'The Woodsman.' Well, kinda a love story. She read it so well and," she grins, "I guess I kinda fell in love with Milo."
Clementine smiles back. "And, why's that?"
"Milo's this handsome woodsman doin' everythin' he can to help support him and his family, right. He's kind, like, genuine kind. And the way he describes and talks about Abigail just is enough ta melt your heart. Or make ya cry."
"Do they end up together?" asks Clementine.
Ruby shakes her head. "No. Ya see, Abigail's taken and forced ta live on top this big 'ol mountain by this old, ugly witch as punishment fer Milo killin' one of her wolves." She runs her fingers over the fresh stitching in Willy's shirt and sighs. "Milo tries and tries again ta climb the mountain and save her, but every time he gets a little bit closer, he slips and tumbles down."
"Shit," Clementine says.
"Everything he does, he does it fer her. To free her of that witch's cruelty. And the crazy part's that he doesn't even know if she loves him back. He don't care if she does or not, he keeps climbin' anyway and it eventually kills him," Ruby shakes her head. "Never makes it back to Abigail."
"That's..." Clementine frowns, "awful."
"Can't tell ya how many times that part's made me cry," Ruby laughs, "and it's even worse 'cause as he's laying at the bottom dyin' he still thinkin' 'bout how only he knows she's up there and only he can save her and... he dies. He dies and becomes a star."
"A star?"
"In the sky. High up there and he watches and protects her from the witch until eventually, Abigail dies, too."
"And becomes a star, too, right?"
Ruby nods. "Right." She wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand. "Guess I always liked the idea of someone lovin' me that much, enough ta fall down a mountain over and over again just ta save me. It's silly, 'cause I know someone like that doesn't exist, but… thinkin' they do still helps me sleep at night." She begins to fold up the shirt. "After we lost Ms. Martin, I went through some of her things and found the book. Can't tell ya how many times I've read it." Ruby gives her a sheepish grin. "Huh… never told that ta anyone before."
"That's..." Clementine reaches out and touches Ruby's shoulder, "really sweet, actually."
"Don't tell anyone," Ruby smirks. "Don't want anyone ta think I'm too soft."
Clementine laughs. "I promise."
Ruby yawns then, and says, "Well, sorry I blabbered so much. Think it's time I hit the hay. Thanks fer helpin' me and... fer listenin.'"
"It sounds like a good read," Clementine says.
"I'd let you borrow it if ya want."
"I think I'd like that."
Ruby beams at her, smile wide across her face. She gathers all her things and is just about to walk back to her room when Clementine stops her.
"Ruby?"
"Hm?"
"Can I tell you a secret?"
"Don't hafta," Ruby says. "Just 'cause I shared, I mean."
Clementine shakes her head. "I know."
"Well, alright, then."
Clementine hesitates, and in a whisper, she says, "I think I'm in love with Louis."
Ruby laughs. "Oh, hon, that ain't no secret," she grins, "it's all over yer face when yer together. His, too."
"No, I mean...I'm in love with him." Clementine meets Ruby's eye. "If Louis were cursed by some witch and put on top of a mountain, I'd never stop climbing to get him back."
Ruby's grin falters as her eyes widen a bit with shock at the realization of Clementine's words. "Oh..."
"Is that crazy?"
"No," Ruby walks toward her, reaching down to grab her hands. "Not at all."
"Really?"
"Really," Ruby says firmly. "In fact, you should tell him that."
"Yeah?" Clementine smirks. "'Hey, Louis, by the way, if you ever happen to get cursed and kidnapped by a witch I promise to save you.'"
That makes Ruby giggle. "Well, if any one of us were ta get cursed..." The two laugh together. Ruby lets go of her hands. "Serious, though? Tell him you love him. Ya never know in this world... don't want any more regrets than we already got."
"I know. Believe me, I know."
Clementine's still awake when Louis sneaks in. He tries his best to be quiet, tiptoeing around before slowly sliding into bed with her with a huff.
Clem lifts her head off the pillow. "Hey," she whispers.
"Shit didn't mean to wake you."
"You didn't," she sighs. "Been in and out."
Louis scoots closer to her so that her chin presses against his shoulder. He entwines their fingers and brings their hands to rest against his chest. He's freezing from being outside.
"How was watch?" she asks.
"Same 'ol, same 'ol," he replies. "Convinced Aasim to play go-fish with a twist 'til he got mad," he yawns, "and threatened to throw my deck away."
Clementine smirks. "Sounds about right." She gets comfortable, pressing her body against his side. He kisses the back of her hand. She sees his eyes fluttering shut as the day's exhaustion catches up with him.
"How's your night?" he asks.
"Good, but better now." She watches the corner of his mouth twitch into a grin.
Clementine watches their hands raise and fall with every breath he takes, and soon he's fast asleep. His heartbeat is soft against her hand. She keeps herself awake a little while longer to make sure he remains peaceful. And he does.
As she runs her thumb over his, she wonders if the couple if the train station were holding hands when they died. She wonders what their last kiss was like, what their final words to each other were. She wonders if there were a lot of things left unspoken, things that wanted to be said, needed to be said.
She squeezes his hand and allows her eyes to rest.
In the morning, Clementine's determined to find James.
She sneaks out, leaving Louis in bed. AJ's already up, walking around on patrol. She makes sure to tell the others she's going out to find James, making up an excuse, saying she's worried that he hasn't been back in a week.
AJ insists that he go with her, but Clem manages to convince him that she'll just walk the perimeter since that's usually where James sticks around. That calms him down, but he still mumbles about never going alone. So, Clementine takes Rosie with her. After all, Rosie could use the walk.
After she's left, she wanders around to his usual spots close to the school, letting Rosie sniff around and chew up some sticks. She eventually finds him near his barn full of walkers.
When he sees her, he slips his mask off. "Clementine," he greets softly. Rosie comes up to him and licks his hand. He softly pats her head. "Ah, Rosie."
"James, you're okay."
"Yes," he says. "You were worried?"
"Just haven't seen you in a while. Wanted to check up on you."
He smiles. "You're very kind," he says. He stands from the log he's sitting on and says, "It's been peaceful out here. And cool. Sleeping outdoors when it's like this always makes me feel good."
"I can see that. Just, don't forget to check in with us, okay? Willy's been asking about you."
That makes James smile.
Clementine crosses her arms and takes a breath to steady her quick pulse. "Actually, there's another reason I wanted to find you."
"Oh?" he asks. "What is it?"
"Well, uhm," Clementine looks up at the barn. It's faint, but she can hear them shuffling around and groaning inside. "Of the walkers you've found, do any of them happen to be wearing a ring?"
James cocks his head to the side. "That's a strange question."
"I know," Clementine admits.
"What do you need a ring for?"
Clementine doesn't reply. She tries to think of an excuse, to hide her true intentions, but her mind's suddenly gone blank.
"Clementine?"
"I just... need a ring. Nothing fancy."
James doesn't push. He slips his mask on and as he walks over to the barn, he says, "I'll look."
He's inside for a long time. Long enough that Clementine starts to get anxious. She wanders about, kicking at rocks and watching for stray walkers. She throws a stick for Rosie a few times.
Eventually, he does come out, and Clementine is right there, eager to see his findings.
James shakes his head. "Sorry."
She gives a disappointed sigh.
She was hoping that she wouldn't have to go back to the train station. It's out of the way, and with only Rosie...
Actually...
"That's okay," she says. "Mind tagging along with me, then?"
"Where?"
"There's a train station a little ways away," she explains. "There's a ring there."
He's curious, but again, he doesn't push. "Okay."
They don't speak much as they walk. Clementine's a little glad, it gives her a moment to really think about what she's doing.
It's odd that she's considering the "feelings" of the dead walkers left in the train station, but she keeps telling herself they're dead, they don't need their wedding rings anymore. If anything, they'd be glad their rings could be used again for their intended purpose, right?
Then again, the couple had made a request to be left alone, one that Clementine didn't honor. Perhaps they wouldn't be too thrilled with her stealing from them after all.
The area around the train station is clear, just like it was yesterday. Once inside, they approach the couple. Clementine bends down and slips the gold ring off the male walker's finger, wiping it off on her jacket. She studies it, and something occurs to her.
What if it doesn't fit?
She slips it onto her ring finger. It's a little loose. When she looks at it, she realizes it might even be too small for Louis. His hands are bigger than hers and if it's only a little loose on her...
She turns back to James. "Try this on."
"Uhm, what?" He blinks down at her.
"Your hands are bigger. I just need to see if it'll fit."
James' eyes dart between her and the ring. "Clementine... you- you're not... uhm, asking..."
She stares at his suddenly terrified face and it hits her. "No! No, I'm not- no!"
"I-It's just, um, Tennessee once told me-"
"I'm not proposing to you!" She exclaims that way louder than she probably should have. This causes Rosie to bark.
James visibly relaxes. "Oh," he says, "then why do you need me to wear it?"
"Because I..." Clem lowers her head, weighing her options here. She decides that James is trustworthy and that the truth is the best answer. "Because you have bigger hands than me and... I need to see if this will fit Louis."
The surprise is clear in his expression even though his face is covered by his mask.
"I see," he says. "When did this happen?"
"Nothing's 'happened,' really. Not yet."
"He asked you...?"
"No," Clem shakes her head. "He... actually has no idea about this."
James smiles slightly. "Oh."
"So," Clementine's face is warm when she offers him the ring. "Will you just try it on?"
James takes the ring, but when he tries to slip it on, it barely goes past the mid-knuckle. "Seems he has smaller hands than me," he says, referring to the walker.
"Shit. It probably won't fit Louis then, either."
Well, there went her plan.
"Keep it anyway," James hands it back to her, "in case you can't find anything else. I'll keep an eye out for any walkers I come across, see what I can collect."
"Thank you."
An awkward silence falls over them, so Clem decides to check the lady walker, only to find her ring missing.
"Well... I might need not any rings. After all, it's the thought that counts, right?" she half-jokes.
"Giving up so quick is unlike you," says James. "His hands aren't mine. It might fit."
"I guess."
"At least keep it as a symbol of what you're asking. It'll mean a lot to him, regardless."
Clementine runs a finger over the smooth band. It almost feels heavy, not physically, but with all the intentions behind it.
"Did you ever think about these things with Charlie?"
"...At one time, yes." He says nothing more.
With the ring in her possession, Clementine leaves the couple behind once more.
She fumbles with the ring secured in her pocket. "Maybe there's a way to change it? Stretch it, maybe?"
"I wouldn't know," James says. "Maybe ask Mitch. He has plenty of tools. Maybe he could help."
Clementine hadn't thought of that.
Their tool collection doubled after they took down the raiders and stole most of their supplies. Plenty of things used for building or repairing or breaking things down. Mitch and Willy were thrilled when they dragged it all back to the school. They kept most of it hidden away in the basement. Maybe they did have something that could help.
James comes back with her to the school. Once they're through the gates, he takes off his mask and is nearly run into by Willy and AJ.
"James!"
"You're back!"
"Good to see you're not dead," Mitch says, approaching and knocking James' shoulder with his fist.
"Yes," James replies awkwardly, rubbing at his arm where Mitch punched him.
Ruby comes over to greet them, too.
"James, you hungry? I can have Omar whip you up something."
"No, thank you, I'm alright-"
Willy grabs a hold of his arm and drags James over to one of the tables. "C'mon! Look what I did to this crossbow!"
"It's super cool!" AJ exclaims.
"Oh-okay!"
Clementine grins before turning to Mitch and Ruby.
"He stayin' a while this time?" she asks.
"I don't know," replies Clementine. "Hopefully."
"Louis was asking for you earlier," Mitch says. "Something about tuning the piano or some shit."
Clementine smiles. 'Tuning the piano' meant piano lessons. He'd been teaching her to play for a few months now, insisting she learns so they can do duets together. She isn't great, but she's improving.
Ruby giggles at the expression Clementine's face. She snaps out of it and says, "Okay, I will go find him."
Mitch rolls his eyes and walks away.
Before Clementine can call after him, Ruby says, "I left 'The Woodsman' in yer room fer ya."
"Thanks," she says. "Can't wait to read it."
"Enjoy tuning the piano," Ruby smiles before walking off.
Clementine decides that Louis can wait a little longer. She spots Mitch over on the couch, sharpening his knife with some handheld tool.
"Hey," she greets. He barely looks up from his work.
"What's up?"
"I need your help with something."
"Oh, do you?" he says flatly.
"Yes," Clementine frowns. "In the basement."
"Right now?"
"Right now."
Mitch examines his freshly sharpened knife. "...Fine. I was going down there anyway." He tucks his weapon away and moves over to the basement doors. Clementine follows close behind. Mitch yanks open the doors with a grunt, and as they go down the stairs, he asks, "What'ja need?"
They stop at one of the work desks. Clem pulls out the ring. "Is there any way you can make this bigger?"
Mitch stares at the ring with a deadpan expression.
"Serious?"
"Is that a no?" Clementine asks.
Mitch snatches the ring out of her hand. "Make it bigger?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"That's for me to know."
He shoots her another look. He taps the ring on the desk a few times then examines it again. Then, he bites it.
"Look, if you can't do anything, just say so," Clementine says, annoyed.
Mitch quirks a brow at her. "Fine," he leans against the counter, holding the ring up, "I'll see what I can do… if you tell me what it's for."
Clementine's insides tighten. She knows he won't give in, as stubborn as he tends to be, and if she wants his help, she'd have to give in. Not point in fighting.
"Fine, fuck it," she says. "You're going to find out anyway, might as well tell you now." She crosses her arms and leans against the table as well. "But, you gotta keep it to yourself, at least for right now. Got it?"
"Fine."
"It's for Louis."
"Louis?"
"Yeah, I'm…" she closes her eyes and takes a breath, "I'm asking him to marry me."
Wow, saying it out loud is… strange.
When Mitch doesn't say anything, she looks up at him. His expression is almost funny.
"...Why?" he finally asks.
Clementine shrugs, saying, "Because I love him."
"Gross."
She elbows him.
"Wait, you're asking him to marry you? You know that's not even a thing anymore, right?" Mitch asks. "That shit doesn't matter."
"Maybe not to everyone, and, honestly, it didn't matter to me either until now," she explains. "And it's not a big deal, I just… want to let him know how I feel and I need a ring to give to him."
"So, what? You're gonna have a wedding?"
"I-I don't know," she admits."I haven't thought that far ahead yet."
Mitch's brows furrow as he eyes her and Clementine can see the gears turning in his head. She figured he wouldn't understand what she wants to do, or that he'd call her an idiot, or-
"Are you doing this so you two can fuck?" Mitch asks bluntly.
It feels like her heart stops in her chest as her eyes pop wide open. "Excuse me?"
"You don't gotta be married to screw around. I'm not saying that you should or anything, though. These walls are fucking thin," Mitch explains.
Clementine's mouth moves but no words came out. She shakes her head. "No, that's not- we're not- just-"
"Y'know," Mitch ignores her stuttering, "My grams used to tell us we'd go to Hell if we had sex before we were married and all kinds of stupid shit. Yet, here we are, literally living in hell, and I doubt it's because some idiots fucked before someone 'officially' declared them married," Mitch says.
"That's not why I'm doing this!" Clementine manages. "That's not even- It's not your business, anyway!"
Mitch frowns, holding up the ring, "Then, why the stupid ring? It doesn't mean anything. Wearing this and saying you're married doesn't change anything, so why bother?"
"It means something to me, okay?" Clementine snaps. "I don't care if it's 'not a thing' anymore. Is it so wrong that maybe I want to try and give him something that most of us thought was long dead? That I want something like that?" She snatches the ring away from him. "Yesterday, AJ found a wedding photo that belonged to this walker couple, and Louis explained what it meant and I just… I haven't been able to get it out of my head. I didn't ask you to understand what I want to do. I asked you if you could adjust the ring for me."
Mitch eyes her quietly. Then, he straightens up. "Fine," he says, holding out his hand, "I'll fix your fucking ring."
She hesitates but hands it back in his palm. Then, he searches around in one of the drawers and pulls out some string. "Gimme your hand," he demands.
"Why?"
"Just do it."
She does so, and he wraps the string around her ring finger. He pinches it and slides it off, then cuts it with his knife. He gives her the rest of the string. "Measure his finger and get back to me."
"Uhm?"
"Do it when he's asleep or something."
Clementine watches as he starts darting around, pulling tools off shelves and digging around in drawers, muttering to himself. When he notices she's still standing there, he says, "Don't you gotta meet your husband-to-be?"
Shit, she almost forgot.
"Right, the piano," she says.
Then, Mitch tenses. "Wait…" his face twists in disgust, "Oh, God, is 'tuning the piano' code for...?"
It takes her a second to get what he's talking about.
"Mitch, I will stab you."
"Yeah, yeah, I don't wanna hear about it anyway," he waves her off. "Go do your gross stuff."
She leaves the basement flustered and ready to strangle Mitch. She takes a deep breath to calm herself and looks around for AJ. He's still over sitting with James, Willy and Tenn. Determining he's in good hands, she goes into the school.
A week passes before she's able to figure out how to measure Louis' finger.
She comes in after her night shift to see him and AJ still awake and reading a book together. She recognizes the cover as the one Ruby gave her.
"That was so cool!" AJ exclaims. "That wolf came outta nowhere and swish! Off goes its head!"
Louis laughs as AJ chops his hands through the air and jumps off the bed.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Clementine asks.
AJ freezes. "Oh, I couldn't sleep."
"I thought maybe a story would calm him down but it seems that backfired," Louis explains. He closes the book and sets it on the nightstand. This causes AJ to pout.
"C'mon, one more chapter?"
"Sorry, little dude, it's time to get some shut eye."
"But, I'm not tired!"
"We can read some more tomorrow night, okay?"
"Promise?" AJ holds out his pinky, expression serious. Louis hooks their pinkies together.
"Promise."
Then, AJ turns to Clementine. "I'm still not tired, though. Can I go check and see if Tenn's still awake? I'll go on patrol if he's not."
Clementine sighs. "Fine, just don't cause too much trouble."
"I won't!"
He grabs his box of crayons off his desk and hurries out the door.
Louis slips off his jacket and flops down onto their bed. "Now that the small child is gone, and we're alone..." he trails off. Clementine feels her pulse quicken at the suggestive look on his face, but then rolls her eyes when he pulls out his deck of cards from his pocket. "How about we play a game?"
"Another card game, hm?"
"Don't sound so thrilled," he laughs. He shuffles through his deck, flipping and rearranging them. She joins him on the bed, sitting across from him with her legs crossed. She reaches over and plucks the deck out of his hands.
"How about we mix it up?" She sets the cards on the table.
"What did you have in mind?" he asks.
She smirks. "Close your eyes."
Louis raises a curious brow up at her. "Don't think I've heard of that one."
"Just do it," she says.
"And what happens when I do?"
"You'll have to close them and see."
She can see his confidence starting to bend, but he rearranges his position on the bed to be more comfortable and clears his throat to try and hide it. Then, he closes his eyes.
"Keep them closed," she says. "And no peeking."
"A little peeking?"
"Nope," she pinches his arm. "Peek and you lose." She keeps an eye on his somewhat nervous face as she grabs his hand with the palm facing upwards.
"Uh, remind me," he blurts out, "what-uh, what are the rules of this game, exactly?"
"You keep your eyes closed," she says. She uses her pointer finger to trace an L on his palm. Almost immediately, he closes his fist and jerks it away. He covers up a laugh with a cough.
"What-!?"
"Eyes closed!" Clem presses her other hand over his eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going to spell something out on your hand," she explains, "and when I'm done you tell me what it is. And you can't look or pull away."
"Seriously?" he asks. "Do you have any idea how much that tickles?"
"Well, I didn't think you were ticklish," she teases.
"I'm not!" he objects.
She grabs his hand again. "I'll give you an easy one to start, okay?"
She tries to move as little as possible to pull the string out of her pocket. She traces the L again. His fingers twitch and he grows tense with keeping the laughter bottled up inside him. She carefully spells the rest of his name as well as wraps the string lightly around his ring finger before quickly pulling it off.
"Don't open them," she says.
When she's done, he pulls away again and rubs his hands together. He keeps his eyes closed.
"What did I spell?" she asks him. She ties the string at the measurement mark.
"Louis."
"Are you sure?" she teases.
"I think I know how to spell my own name, thank you," he says. "Even with whatever sneaky finger trick you're trying to pull."
"Well, I guess you win."
"Can I open my eyes now?"
"No."
"What? Isn't it your turn?"
"Nope."
"Darling, I'm starting to think this game's a little rigged."
Clementine takes a moment to glance over his face. His brows are knitted with concentration, and she can tell he's biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. She pockets the sting and reaches for his hand again. She absently traces the lines along his palm. His hand twitches again.
"Okay, that's not even a word," he complains.
She brings his hand up and kisses his knuckles.
Then, she leans over and kisses his chin, then his cheek. His breath stops before coming out shaky. She kisses his jaw. She lets go of his hand and runs her fingers over the thin fabric of his shirt. They move to his collarbone and his neck. She presses her thumb lightly against his pulse point. It beats hard. His skin is warm.
He carefully grabs her waist.
She traces a heart over his chest.
He tightens his grip on her.
And she finally presses her lips to his with a satisfied sigh.
The world's a blur when her eyes flutter open.
She feels relaxed, calm as she weaves in and out of dreamless sleep. The body wrapped around her is warm, tight... and trembling?
And suddenly, she's cold and awake, and Louis is gasping for air.
Fear runs through her veins as she jolts up. Louis has his head tucked between his knees, shaking and trying to breathe. All that escapes his lungs are short puffs. Her hands are on him immediately, pulling him close even when he flinches away.
"No-" he whimpers.
"Louis," she whispers, pushing his dreads away from his face, "it's okay, it's me."
He shakes his head. "Shit-" he sobs. He cries are muffled by his arm but Clementine can see how red and wet his eyes are. "-I'm sorry-" she hears him cry, "-I'm sorry, I'm sorry-"
She holds him tight against her.
He'd been sleeping so calmly these past few weeks. But, even so, the nightmares always back. They always did for her, too. But, that's where she and Louis differed. Clementine's nightmares have become a natural, accepted part of her life. She knows there's no escape from them.
But Louis… even now, two years later, he still dreams of that woman. Shit, Clementine couldn't even remember her name or what she looked like, but she knew Louis did. Her name engraved itself into his brain the moment he heard Minerva's distressed cry at seeing her fall over dead.
She's tried telling him over and over again that what he did was self-defense, that if he hadn't done what he did, that woman wouldn't have hesitated to kill him. Fuck, that woman wouldn't have hesitated to cut off his hand had AJ not attacked her. In her mind, Louis had no reason to feel so horrified, so ashamed.
"-I didn't mean to-"
But he did feel those things and she wouldn't ever ignore that. She wouldn't ever belittle that.
So, she holds him and let him quietly weep until he physically can't anymore. She rubs his back and his arms to try and calm his shaking. She whispers comforting words into his ear and kisses his temple, his cheek. She wipes the cold sweat off his brow.
And when they wake up tomorrow morning, she doesn't say anything.
She watches him move about the room, gathering up his boots and sitting on the bed. He laces them up and rests his elbows on his knees. She doesn't need to see his face to tell he's exhausted.
"Clementine?" he whispers.
"Yeah?"
"I love you."
And like that, any doubts about what she wants are gone.
"I love you, too."