Dating someone was a completely alien experience to Clementine.
She had done all sorts of insane things before this; swinging from the rotor of a crashed helicopter suspended fifty feet in the air, run through gunfire to protect AJ when he was a newborn. But starting a relationship somehow felt like the most unbelievable thing that she could have done.
How the hell did people act on dates? What even was there to do on a military base?
Thankfully, Minnie took initiative. Before dinner one night, the redhead had taken her by the hand across the base.
"They're not gonna come after us for not being at dinner, are they?" Clem asked.
"Nope. I got an exemption form from Lilly, I told her we needed time to work the case."
Minnie led her to a small set of barracks. She knocked on the door and a boy slightly older than Clem opened the door.
Upon seeing Minnie, he let them both in.
"What are we doing here?" Clem asked, looking around confusedly.
"Have you ever wanted a tattoo?" Minnie smiled.
"I guess? I never thought about it."
"Charlie is an amazing artist. I've been waiting for ages to get mine done, and he's finally got enough material together to ink us both if you want."
"Sounds awesome, let's do it." Clem grinned.
Charlie got out a toolbox full of needles and jars of ink. While he boiled water to sterilise the needle, Minnie and Clem sat facing each other on chairs.
"What do you wanna get?" The redhead asked.
"I don't know. I kind of want it to have some meaning, that would be good for a first tattoo."
"Yeah, absolutely."
Clem racked her brain trying to think of something good to get tattooed onto her.
Suddenly it hit her, it was so obvious.
Charlie placed a tray with his equipment on the table.
"Know what you want?" He asked, looking at Clem.
She nodded and took a seat opposite him as he dipped the needle in ink.
***
Clementine stared at the back of her hand. It still felt tender, almost like sunburn.
She lightly ran her finger over the letters on the webbing between her thumb and index finger.
For almost her whole life, AJ was her number one priority. Everything she had went into keeping him safe, teaching him how to survive.
The tattoo was simple, just AJ's name, but Clem couldn't be happier with it.
"Ow, shit." Minnie winced over at the table.
Charlie held her arm while he dipped the needle into ink, then pierced her skin with it.
"Hold still, I'm nearly finished." Charlie muttered in deep concentration.
Charlie had exaggerated how close to being done he was. After nearly twenty minutes, he finally put his needle down and leaned back in his chair.
"Can I see?" Clem asked, getting to her feet.
"Sure, check it out."
YOU ARE READING
The River (Clemerva)
Fanfiction"I haven't been avoiding her. I mean, I have. But it's not... I just don't want to talk to her until I know exactly what I want to say. Fuck, relationships are hard." The redhead sighed. "I wouldn't know, I haven't been in one before." Clem shrugge...
