TWDG: Oneshots

Not Really There

Ima have to put a fat trigger warning here. Containing themes of trauma and PTSD. This is likely nowhere near a faithful representation of what PTSD is and how to deal with it, simply a story idea. No offence is intended to anyone living with, or who have relatives who live with PTSD.

Louis' long nimble fingers bounced over 'the ivories' as he affectionately called them.

The elegant music bounced around the wide space of the music room, absorbed by the rotted wooden walls to create an even softer mellow tune.

The group of friends, Louis, AJ, Violet, and Clementine had been working for most of the day. As winter approached the colder weather and shorter days called for earlier rises and more work to find food for everyone.

Most of the school had been working hard for the whole week, and today, a Saturday according to Aasim and Louis' well-kept calendar, the group, who had been out working in the hunting grounds for most of the day, had decided to had a bit of a relax at the weekend.

Clementine grinned as she watched AJ investigate the old grand piano, peeking from behind it as he looked at the hammers tapping across the strings, a bemused expression on his face.

The brunette chuckled as Louis tried to explain the complex mechanics of the device to AJ, the smaller boy's bemusement only growing

The smile still playing across her face, she turns to see violet sat on one of the faded and frayed bean bags, a book in hand.

Except, that's not what she sees.

Against the opposite wall sits a slumped figure, cast in shadow, yet the bullet wound in his head is obvious, as blood leaks from it. As his head hangs low over his chest, the mangled back of his head can be seen.

One arm is fastened to a radiator by handcuffs, and the other lies limp beside him, a deep bite mark evident on the wrist.

Louis' music fumbles to a halt as the dread-head hears a yell and a scuffle behind him.

He spins on the worn stool to see Clementine now on the floor, her arms wrapped around her knees, shrinking away from the opposite wall, her eyes fixed on a point to violet's left, who stares at the girl wide-eyed, not sure what happened or what to do.

For Clementine, what she saw was gone almost as soon as she processed it, but the shadow of Lee still seemed to hang over her vision.

Louis stood from the piano, tentatively stepping towards the now sobbing girl. "C-clem-" before she can continue a small figure ran past him, wrapping his arms tightly around the teary-eyed brunette.

It was the one time that Louis and violet saw her not hug the fuzzy-haired boy back, simply keeping her arms wrapped tight around her knees.

They had seen things like this before with clementine. A gasp or yelp while hunting, only to dismiss it as nothing, and a couple of cases where she had gone back to her room. There was one time Louis remembered vividly. They had been spearfishing, getting their dinner for the evening, when he heard a yell from clem, only to turn to see her staring transfixed at a spot on the river. What she saw was luke, face down in the water. They had gone home in silence after that, clem shutting down all of Louis' questions.

It had never been explained to them, by Clem or AJ, but they cared all the same. Violet crawled over on her hands and knees, before placing her slender arms around clementines' waist. Louis stepped over, taking to his knees behind her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, gently pulling her back into his chest where she sobbed into his shirt.

As they sat there, Clem's sobs slowed as AJ whispered to her saying "it'll be okay" and "it's alright clem" violet and Louis Joining in steadily. Eventually, she had strength enough to garble out a stuttered "th-tha-thank you, gh-guys"

"we're here for you clem, it's okay" Louis muttered quietly.

Her sobbing slowly subsided, her breathing finally steadying. They all stayed there for a while, shielding Clementine with their own selves from her horrid memories.

A/N: oof, my heart. 725 words, so not the longest. Enjoyed writing it though, I like the premise of the shit clem's seen having more of an effect on her. let me know if you wanna see it continued.