In The Dark (Sequel To Light) -Clementine/Louis, Clouis, Louisentine

Chapter 7

"They're back! Open the gate!"

Aasims voice booms across the courtyard, quickly followed by the rusty screeching of the gates as its forced open. Its only a few moments after being opened do they see Willy's curious face poking around the gate post, stepping out and to the side once they get close enough.

"So, did ya get anything good?" Willy asks curiously, peering at the bags on their backs as if he can make out their contents just from looking at the outside.

"And is that a guitar?" Aasim directs at Louis, although he's pretty sure he knows the answer to that question already.

"Sure is," Louis replies enthusiastically, giving the case a slap.

"Did... Did you carry that all the way back from the mall? How..."

"Louis always finds a way," Clementine comments as she pushes past them, desperate to find a place to put her heavy rucksack down and give her aching leg a rest.

Omar is where he's usually found; stood by the pot hanging over the fire, working on whatever meal it is they've scrounged up for tonight. Clementine heads over in his direction, placing her bag down on a nearby table and taking a seat for a moment.

"Everything go alright?" Omar asks as he stirs a wooden spoon around the inside of the pot, mixing tonight's meal.

"Yeah, except it very nearly didn't."

"Nearly didn't? That's doesn't sound like a particularly good thing."

"I'll explain later, in fact I-"

"Now you are a sight for sore eyes," Louis says in greeting to Omar, heading over to stand by the chef and get a look at what what was in the pot.

"Me or the food?" Omar plays along, removing the spoon and resting it on top of the pot for a moment.

"Foods not possible with you, so both," Louis compliments, giving Omar a friendly slap to the back, "And what exactly is on the menu tonight, Chef?"

"Nothing exciting, I'm afraid," Omar answers, watching in amusement as Louis bends closer to get a better look at what was bubbling away. "Didn't have any luck catching anything today, so it'll just be vegetable stew for tonight"

"Better than 'nothing' stew" Louis reassures with a shrug of his shoulders, standing back up from the pot.
"Hey, what is a stew without anything? Isn't it-"

"Water. It would mostly be water."

"Phew, good thing we don't have that. Instead we get...vegetable...water..."

"What? Parents never made you eat your veggies?" Clementine teases from her spot on the bench

"Well, duh! You don't get this strong without eating your veggies. Isn't that right AJ!" Louis calls over to AJ who is over by the gates talking to Willy.

AJ looks over to Louis at the shout, opening his mouth to ask Louis what he was talking about when Louis flexes his arms, sending both him and Willy into a fit of laughter at the sight.

"I don't think you convinced him," Clementine tells him, raising an eyebrow at the display.

"Oh come on, you can't tell me this isn't working for you!" Louis protests

"Oh, sure. I can definitely tell all the muscle you got under all those layers of trench coat"

"Is that your way of asking me to take my shirt off?"

"Please don't," Omar pleads, giving Louis a disapproving look as he continues to stir the stew.
"Besides, dinners just about ready."

"Actually, as I was saying before Louis interrupted-"