Walking Dead Game Collection

"Hold My Own"

Title: Hold My Own
Characters: Clementine, Javier, Gabe
Summary: After Clementine nearly loses her life, Javier gives her a lecture and harsh reality check, letting her know she's just a child and she should stay in a child's place. Clementine gets upset and feels hurt by his words because she thought Javier respected her as an equal. Javier eventually tells her that he knows she's capable of taking care of herself, but he still worries about her.
Author's Note: Wow there's a lot of interruption in this one lmao whoops sorry yo. tw; swears
Requested By: Anonymous
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"You're kidding me." Javi's voice was firm and deep as he gripped his baseball bat resting in its holster. His shoulders tensed, his voice gravelly as he brushed past Gabe and towards Richmond's entrance.

"No. I'm not." In contrast to his uncle, Gabe's voice was quivering and high, dripping concern at each and every word. "She left like 5 minutes ago."

"Then there's time." Javi grumbled, quickening his pace. She couldn't be far, and hopefully she wasn't. She wouldn't be able to face everything she wanted all alone, especially not this time.

"I'm coming with you."

"No." He turned, shouting over his shoulder to his nephew. While wanting to drive his point home to Gabe, he refused to hesitate in his way to retrieve the girl. "Just because Clementine has a death wish, doesn't mean you should too."

"Javi-"

"I'll be right back." He grumbled, allowing the edge of his bat to drag against the dirtied pavement, hauntingly filling the surrounding air with cloud of dust for his departure.

Javier always knew that her determination to find AJ drove Clementine to unsafe, risky measures, but he never would have assumed she'd be this extreme. Less than half an hour prior, a wagon of bandits had stormed Richmond, attempting to take whatever they could. They tried to unleash a swarm, but luckily it was squelched and the hole in the barrier was sealed with ease. One of the bandits, in the midst of the raid, called out.

"Hey, I know you."

Clementine's hands had gripped the rock she was hiding behind. "Do you?"

"Yeah yeah, you're that kid with the kid." He scoffed. "The crazy one the guys always talk about."

Her fists tightened, her body lifting and ready to leap at the wagon, but a sudden bullet smashing into the boulder before her caused her to flinch back down.

"Thank God he's out of this shit show."

Then, they had vanished.

Clementine had tried to make the case that they should go after them, but it was almost unanimously turned down. She had taken such personally and now, mere minutes after they had decided to remain safe, she had darted off alone.

Classic Clementine.

The moment the gate closed behind him, Javi broke into a sprint, starting down the dirt road the wagon had taken off in earlier. Hopefully, if he paid close enough attention, he could find them. All of them.

The trail, the farther it went, grew more fruitful with nature and wildlife. Suddenly Javier was bounding through and past trees and brush, attempting to stay on the trail. Until, hearing the faint creaking of motion, he slowed.

"Hey!"

He'd recognize that voice anywhere.

Peering forwards, stationing himself behind a tree, he watched as Clementine emerged from the bush a few feet forwards, standing in the middle of the road, hands on hips, challenging those who had challenged her. "Where is AJ?" It came off as statement rather than a question, but the tension in her tone was painfully clear.