Walking Dead Game Collection

"Starving"

Title: Starving
Characters: Clementine, Javier
Summary: Deciding that other people need rations more than her, Clementine goes on a hunger strike while in Richmond. Noticing the child getting skinnier and more critical of her appearance, Javier decides to speak with the child about her wellbeing. tw; eating disorders.
Author's Note: If you're struggling, please click the link on my blog or DM to find resources on how to get help. People love you. Take care of yourself. You're worth it.
Requested By: Anonymous
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"When was the last time you ate?"

Clementine scoffed, waving her hand over her shoulder, dismissing Javier's statement. Then, she remained silent, not bothering to answer.

"Clementine."

Her full name. That wasn't a good sign.

The girl sighed, turning from where she had been taking stock of Richmond's canned goods and leaned forward. "What? Why do you care?"

Javi raised an eyebrow, finding her confusion unfounded. "Clem, come on."

Clementine sighed and returned to her task at hand, jotting down that they had 26 cans of green beans. "I'm fine, Javi. I don't know what you're talking about."

"I didn't ask if you were fine," Javi said, squinting. "I asked when the last time you ate was."

Horrified, Clementine halted her use of her pen. She knew she was busted, and she hated that she was busted, so she tried to play along. "I have eaten. That's what I mean."

Javi said nothing. Even though she wasn't facing him, Clem could tell he was judging her. She could feel that stare — his judgmental one, the one that attempted to see right through you — pierce her back. At that moment, she didn't care. She didn't care if she seemed like an asshole, or if she looked crazy. What she really cared about was getting out of there.

Tossing her clipboard to the side and swiping some hairs out of her face, the girl huffed as she made her way to the door, snapping it open as she stormed outside. All she could do, all she could hope for, was that Javi understood how livid the questioning made her and that he would leave her alone.

It did the exact opposite.

Seeing how upset Clementine became only proved to Javi that something was awry. If questioning her about the last time she ate sent her into an angry spiral, something was off. Most people would answer no problem and be on their way, but Clementine? She told Javi to back off. She stormed away. She acted as if he was twisting a knife into an open, decaying wound.

Maybe he was.

At the thought, although passing and fleeting, his eyes widened. He turned to stare after the direction she vanished in — through the door still faintly swinging from her forced, miserable exit.

Oh God.

While the thought had been fleeting, he brought it back. He dwelt on it. He considered the possibility that it may be true. He knew what it meant, and he hated it, really he hated even considering it, but he needed to.

Clementine was sick, and her rejection and anger toward him was a call for help, even if she didn't realize it herself. Yet he, all this time, had been blind, and hadn't noticed.

As Javi pushed himself out the door, as he made his way toward her normal hang out spot, piece by piece, everything came together. She wasn't pale because she had a cold, it was because she was starving. She wasn't wearing baggier clothing because she was 'trying something new,' it was because she was skinny, and cold, and didn't want anyone to see how gaunt she was beginning to look.