Walking Dead Game Collection

"Secrets Exposed"

Title: Secrets Exposed
Characters: Clementine, Luke, Nick, Rebecca, Sarita
Summary: After Nick catches Clementine sucking her thumb while dozing off. Nick reveals her bedtime habit to the rest of the group, embarrassing the child. Luke comforts her.
Author's Note: I get such brother-sister vibes from these two oh my gosh
Requested By: Anonymous
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"You guys!" Nick, practically hurling himself down the stairs as he sputtered out his call, dumbfounded smile and all. It was almost as he if had won the lottery the way he came tumbling down the stairs.

"Woah, woah, calm down there." Luke teased, hands lifted in surrender as he finally made it onto the solid ground. His brows tightened given the expression worn on his best friend's face; one he hadn't seen in ages. "What's up?"

"It's Clem." At first, the phase promoted a flicker of concern through the group, their muscles tending, leering forwards in uncertainty at what the concern with the child was. But before they had a chance to press further, he spoke again. "You won't believe it." He managed through a chuckle. "It's amazing."

Luke, his worried expression vanishing as quickly as it came, raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"You gotta go see it."

Rebecca, her back heaved against the picnic table they all dined at every night, raised a bold eyebrow. "I'm not about to run up those stairs for something that I don't have guaranteed knowledge about."

Nick frowned, the excitement instantly flushing from his body and melting into the ground. Rebecca, more often than not, seemed to have that effect on him. "You guys are no fun."

"What is it?" Luke questioned again with a firm tap of his foot. While the others didn't seem to care too much for his discovery, Luke could find himself getting somewhat impatient with his desire to have the group flaunt at him. Not many in the group had found trust within Clementine yet, but Luke had. Luke had long ago.

"Clem--" Nick cut himself off to let a chuckle escape. "Clem sucks her thumb when she sleeps."

Silence lifted from the judgmental group. In sync, everyone seated raised their brows in discontent.

"Is that seriously it?" Rebecca spat, irritated at the male yet again wasting their time with his foolishness.

Nick's arms remained outstretched in glee, where they had been when he released the news, until Rebecca's cold words surfaced. After that, they dropped in defeat. "Yes? Guys, I was expecting a better reaction."

"It isn't that big of a deal." Sarita confessed softly, removing herself from her seat and starting towards the end of the table closest to Nick. She leaned against it meekly, crossing her arms against her chest as if she was shy; as if she was hiding from something. "She's only a child." Her voice remained low.

"But she's Clementine." He furthered, his gaze flickering amongst the bunch. "She's like, one of the toughest of our group. And she's a kid. And she sucks on her thumb?" He gave a brief chortle in disbelief at how little the rest of the group was interacting with him. "Guys, it's--"

"Nick...?" A voice fluttering into the air from just behind the group caused the male to perk. It was familiar in the worst kind of way. Before he had even fully turned, Nick could feel his eyes stretch in agonizing realization.

Flipping around, he was greeted by Clementine standing at the halfway point of the stairwell, staring down in horror to all those who Nick had exposed her secret too.

"Clem, you're aw--"

"Nick, what did you tell them?" Her ears were already beginning to flare with heat, gradually seeping into her cheeks and neck. The silence only forced her voice again, making it more determined this time. "What?"