Chapter 4- No Harm in Asking, Right?

- General POV

Later that night, when supper was ready, they all sat down at the tables. "Wow. It's been... a long time since we've had a hot meal." Clem said, taking a bite of the stew. "This is really good.." She said, looking at Louis, who nodded to AJ. She looked over in surprise, seeing him gulp down all the food. "AJ, c'mon goofball, you don't wanna choke!" She said, smiling to him. He then looked back to her and grabbed the spoon off of the table. A few minutes later, he had finished his food, but he was still very hungry. "Clem..." He said, looking at her. "I'm sorry, kiddo. I'm sure they shared as much as they could..." She said, looking to him, somewhat sadly. "AJ, heads up!" Louis said, bringing his food closer to AJ. Clementine looked at him, surprised. "I'm full, kiddo. You can have the rest." He finished as AJ smiled and grabbed the bowl. Clem looked over to him and nodded gratefully, knowing he was lying when he said he was full.

After they all ate, Louis turned to Clem. "Now. Time for something.. Very important." he said, whipping out a deck of playing cards. "Goodnight!" Brody said as she passed the table, rolling her eyes. "Violet! It's time!" He shouted to her. She got up and walked to the other table. "What's the game tonight, Lou?" Marlon asked, moving all bowls aside. "War." He said, dealing out the deck. "How do we play?" Clem asked, picking up her deck. "It's easy. Everyone has a stack of cards. Everyone flips. Highest card wins." Louis butted in, saying: "And the winner gets to ask Clem a question!" He said as she glanced at him. "What? I want to get to know you better. We all do!" Still not satisfied with the rule, he added: "And if you win, you ask us one. It's only fair!" After they started playing, Violet was the first to win. "So... About AJ... where are his parents? I mean, you look kinda young to be his mom, so..." Clementine shifted, remembering Alvin and Rebecca. "They died. They were good people..." She said, looking down at her deck. "Makes sense. He's a good kid." Marlon said, trying to lighten the subject.

A few more rounds went by. "Hey, I win!" Clem said in victory, trying to think of a question. "What's the grossest thing you've ever eaten?" She said. "Uh, pretty easy. Horse eyeballs." Said Violet, grinning. "Slugs." Marlon added, chuckling. "Cantaloupe." Louis answered, distastefully. "Come on!" Said Violet. "Dude! I f**king hate cantaloupe!" He said, arguing. Clem smiled, flipping over another card. After that, some more rounds of useless, funny questions. "I got it." Louis said, smiling to Clementine. He shifted uncomfortably. "So, uh... ever... uh...ever have..a boyfriend?" He asked, looking at her nervously. "Oh my-" Violet started, slamming her fist on the table, cringing at the question. "What? It happens! Perfectly valid question!" He defended himself. "You can ask me if I've ever had a girlfriend. I haven't, by the way." He said, encouraging her. She blushed lightly before answering the question. "Well... there was a boy once..." She started, getting their attention. "We were... close. Me and him. I guess you could say I had some sort of... feelings for him. Not exactly love, but... something..." She said, turning to face him. He nodded, and looked down, flipping the next card.

Next, Marlon won. "Ha! I win!" He said, triumphantly. "So, Clem... You can't have been alone this entire time... Who used to take care of you?" He asked, hitting her emotions. She looked down, feeling her eyes start to water a little. Sighing deeply, she continued. "The first person to teach me about survival was.. Lee. He saved my life." She smiled. "He taught me lots of things. How to get through a herd, how to use a gun. Most importantly, he taught me how to let go." She said, wiping away a tear. No one asked after that. They knew it was a sensitive subject. All flipping their cards again, Clem won. "Um... have you guys met anyone famous?" She asked, looking around. "Nope." All of them said. "Well, I met a guy who used to be a baseball player, like, for money." She said. "Cool! Was he good at it?" Louis asked. "Dunno. We never got to play. He was good with a bat, though." She smiled, remembering Javi. "Baseball sucks." Violet said, impatiently. "You suck!" Said Louis, jokingly. "Not as much as baseball." Violet replied, flipping her card.

A few more rounds passed. They got deeper and deeper in. More personal, until finally: "Well, Louis? What's your question?" Marlon asked. "Ever... actually, nevermind..." "What? Ask it!" Clem demanded. "It's not a fun question..." He warned her. "Ask." She confirmed, looking at him impatiently. "Ever had to kill someone you loved?" He asked unsurely. Clementine raised her eyebrows in shock, looking away quickly, so he didn't see her tear up. "Louis!" Violet exclaimed. She took a moment to gather her emotions, before replying to the question. "Lee... His name was Lee." She said, looking back to him, not caring anymore if he saw her tears. "It was the same day I found out my parents were dead." She said, quivering when the wind came about. He looked down, feeling bad for asking. "I think I'm done playing for tonight..." She said, trailing off. She got AJ and headed back to the dorms in silence.

Clementine took her hat off and looked at the bloodstain Lee left on it when he got bitten. Her emotions getting the better of her, she choked up and let the tears fall from her face. AJ was already asleep in bed, so it was just her awake. She leaned against the bedpost, hugging her baseball cap, crying silently. She didn't even notice the light knock on the door when Louis came into the room. As she tried to remain silent, she felt a firm, yet gentle touch on her shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked over her side, to see Louis' hand resting on her shoulder. She looked away from him, wiping the tears off of her face. But before she could move away from the reassuring gesture, he turned her around and pulled her into a hug. She didn't even fight it. Not after the hurt she was feeling. Clementine rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It made her feel better, just knowing he was there for her. She felt... calm around him. Like she knew she was safe. But why? She asked herself as she sighed deeply. Why was he so different from the others? She felt safe with him. The same way she felt safe with Lee. But... something more. She wanted something more.

"I'm sorry, Clem." He whispered in her ear as she leaned on him tiredly. "I'm sorry for bringing it up." He didn't know who Lee was, but apparently, she loved him very much. She shifted a bit. Thinking she was breaking from the hug, he started letting go of her. But instead, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close again. "You... you didn't know." She said, trying to hold in a sob. He could tell she was very hurt right now. Not by him. Just by the memories that clouded her thoughts. "It's okay, Clem." He said softly, putting a hand on her head, pulling her closer. "He wasn't my father. But... he was the best dad I could ask for... I knew that the day I met him." She cried quietly. He swayed her back and forth, comforting her as best as he could. Eventually, he guided her to the bed. He could feel how tired she was, leaning on him the entire time, not moving away. They sat on the bed together. Clementine closed her eyes once more, still leaning on the supportive figure next to her, who himself leaned against the wall. She could feel herself drifting slowly. She'd had an exhausting day, and her head still made her dizzy. Despite what she had always been taught, not to trust people she just met, she trusted him faster than anyone, aside from AJ and Lee. Hat still in her hands, she rested it on her lap as she fell asleep.

Louis felt as Clem fell asleep, gradually leaning against him as she drifted, until she supported herself no more. He stood, carefully placing her head on the pillow, lifting her legs on the bed. Then, when she lay on the bed fast asleep, he couldn't stop himself from giving her a peck on the forehead. "Night, Clem. Sweet dreams." He whispered as he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

So, if you've made it this far, thank you for reading and I hope you're enjoying the story!!