So this chapter is a little short. I didn't realize how many words it took for there to be a healthy amount of scrolling on a page. Let me tell you, it requires a lot of words! I think all of my chapters will be short. At the moment my goal is to get the story out so expect shorter chapters. When I complete the story I will refine it and maybe consolidate the story into fatter chunks.

If that upsets the readability for you let me know! This is my first fan-fic and I would love feedback. I don't think this particular issue is something I can change but I will take it into consideration for future stories. Nothing hurts more than loving a fanfic and waiting for the next chapter to come out (because it usually never updates again)

My Clementine angst chapter wasn't ready and I had this on the backburner. I felt drawn to adding more to it tonight. Coincidentally, this fits better with the pacing of the story! The muse is treating me so well. Hope you enjoy ~

Today was really different. Like not different in a 'Oh my god walkers, WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE" way.

Or a 'Oh my god walkers are gone, we're free. We're free!' way either. Nope. Today was different in the 'bunch of kids living without adult supervision' way. Emotions high, relationships shifting and Louis extra alive to every touch of Clementine's.

Louis reminded himself of the one thing he knew for certain: He was a total idiot. S tier to be exact. The best of the best! Clementine's badassery didn't just keep her a step ahead of everyone on this god-damned earth, it made her a killer lothario. Anytime he tried putting the moves on his girlfriend he stuttered, he freaked out God. He made a total fool of himself!

Idiot? Sure. Impenetrable? He wishes! Louis had hit on girls, boys, pianos, trees and many other things in the past. Literally and figuratively, that was all child's play. He had nothing to lose and popularity to gain with the flirtations from his past. But things were different with Clementine.

Firstly, he was a young man. Yikes. Second, he was keenly aware of the location of his girlfriend's, gaahh, how to put this courteously? Aware of his girlfriend's . . girly parts? Tertiarily, he couldn't stop thinking about said girly parts. He was an adolescent mess of love and hormones.

The pressure to live up to his feelings for her could get overwhelming. Louis was a puppy. To be adored, pet and fed in that order, rinse and repeat. He didn't expect to be lovesick to the point of self-loathing. He knew he was an idiot but he thought that would make wooing his beau easier. Nope, he fumbled and freaked out around Clementine like he was fighting for his life.

Louis didn't think he'd be this way in love. He also hadn't he considered wreaking havoc on his parents' marriage, an apocalypse, a zombie apocalypse, being a fairly bad-ass zombie killer, and meeting the baddest zombie thwonker with the best ass: Clementine. Nope, he hadn't considered any of that either.

So, Clementine made all the moves. Their first kiss at the piano, the next one in front of the raiders' ship hell, even the one this morning. In spite of everything she went through, she made it seem effortless. Pretty?! In these conditions? Mind boggling that Clementine. She has personality, strength, leadership ability, and the biggest heart Louis had ever seen put to action. She was everything he imagined he would grow up to be.

Yes, he was super awesome as is but, he had some misgivings about being with his ideal dream girl who was more unabashed with her feelings.

He never concocted another disastrous plan after breaking up his parents. Louis figured that was a lapse of sanity from having the perfect life. Everyone fawned over him. His parents' wealth bestowed him with all the trinkets he could have wanted. He expected his dream would be easy fishing too. When his dad deemed his dream a one way track to poverty, it was inconceivable. He snapped. Clementine and AJ were becoming a waking dream for the young man. He knew himself. He knew he wouldn't do anything like that again. Nevertheless, that outrageous crime of his blunted his confidence. Torrents of doubt and self-resentment entombed him and every time another wave hit him, he had to pull himself back out.

This was why Louis was hesitant to be vulnerable with Clementine. Which was silly. They had fought in battle together. They protected their home together. As awful as it was, Louis even killed someone for her. For everyone's safety at Ericsson. He had to have faith. He still had to growing up to do. He thought he had done all of his growing after killing his first walker. Or after losing Minnie and Sophie. Okay not done growing yet. Then he definitely grew the hell up after the deaths of Marlon and Brody, and abandoning a child and a young woman to the outside world. Nope nope nope! After a dozen more harrowing events Louis thought he was as grown as any one person could be.

Apparently not. Dealing with butterflies in his stomach when Clementine laughed would require even more world-weariness. At least this travail involved a sweet girl he could touch, not smearing walker guts over your favorite jacket.

He hoped his displays of affection and humor were good enough for her. The sinking embarrassment of getting caught with your heart yelping from your throat was awkward. Really, really awkward. But it was better than being frozen with regret.

And like Louis' past, his present was challenging to process too. But he wasn't going to ruin it. He was going to make his jokes, take Clementine on dates all over the school. Maybe he could even build her a treehouse for private dates, private conversations, private moments. Louis was determined to show Clementine how fun life could be. Even if that meant restless nights lamenting over all the embarrassing things he did. S tier idiot.

Currently Louis was not teaching AJ manners. Louis was feeling like a fresh summer's breeze and decided to go with the flow and do something fun. Not like anyone was asking for him anyway. A pretty day like this was just begging for a game of beach ball. Couldn't just out and tell AJ he wanted to play a game. He had to keep things exciting!

And AJ earned downtime for patrolling this morning.

"Hey AJ, what would you like to do right now?"

"I don't know," AJ shrugged. "Does anyone need help?".

Louis started jumping up and down excitedly and pointing at himself. This got a good laugh out of AJ.

"Louis what are you doing?"

"I need some help buddy. You see, my arms are feeling really weak. You see this?" Louis flexes his bicep

"All flab", Flexes the other and flexes his arms in the typical strong man pose. This elicits giggles from AJ. Louis was glad to see him smiling. Louis continued

"It would really help if we played a sport so I could build up some muscle mass. I don't want to drag you down when we go scavenging".

AJ crossed his arms and looked warily at Louis. He could see Clementine's mannerisms right there, he really was her kid. "I don't believe you. You're plenty strong Louis. Yesterday I saw you lift that heavy thing and move it to where we practice shooting arrows".

Louis smirked "How do you know it was heavy".

" . . . I couldn't lift it". AJ threw up his hands in defeat.

Louis crouches to AJ's level, and levels with him. Softness imbues Louis's features. He considers all that AJ has seen and how foreign fun and games are to this six year old. Completely different from Louis as a kid.

Louis squints his eyes, looking at AJ. AJ drops his arms, looks Louis up and down in confusion.

"Uhhhhh, what did I say?", AJ asks.

Louis keeps squinting then points his lips out. Louis stares. Keeps staring. Okay, now AJ is weirded out. AJ standing stock still asks "What?"

Some more weird faces from Louis and more of AJ out of his element.

Until Louis yells

"Race you to the beach ball!", and sprints off. AJ babbles, stutters, steps over his feet until he gets it.

AJ says "I'm gonna beat you no matter what!". Sprinting towards Louis and the location of the beachball. Louis may have gotten a head start but AJ knew where he left the beachball last.