Weapon Of War (Clementine x Louis)

Chapter 14: A Light

Clementine felt her lungs scrunch. Slowly, she looked down to see if what he said was true. It felt like her eyes were deceiving her. Both feet were firmly placed on the ground; both knees locked in place keeping her upright.

    Louis grabbed her shoulders. " I am so proud of you!" He didn't get a response. In fact he didn't even get a glance. Clementine stood staring at her feet.

    "I didn't even notice." She choked out. One minute she had been sitting comfortably next to Louis then at the sight of him leaving instinct took ahold of her well being. "I just, I couldn't let you leave."

    Louis seemed to be more excited than Clementine was. It seemed that she was overwhelmed. Thinking about it he could see why. Her actions were so hesitant yet it seemed like it was meant to happen. "Hey look at me." He picked her chin up forcing eye contact. "You did it."

    All the stars lit her eyes up once again. They danced in such a blissful harmony it felt surreal. "I did it." The pit remained in her stomach but the realization set in. "Louis I am standing! On my own feet. Nothing but me!" That smile could bring him back from a cold grave. Her sense of balance was lost in the moment. She began to wobble. Gently, Louis pushed her back down to the bench that they were now sharing.

"Was I your first?" He asked.

Her smile dimmed but still shined as bright as it could while she answered. "It may surprise you because you were not." Her comment took Louis back for a moment. "There was a boy I met on a mission. He was stupid and naive. He wasn't meant for that life. Him and I got closer while I helped his uncle. I saw his sister die after someone shot her in the head," Realizing she was getting off topic she shook her head and continued. "Long story short he got into an accident. He was flung out the windshield. When his uncle and I found him he was knocking on deaths door."

The memories seemed so foggy up until that moment. The closer she got the more vivid they became. "It was to say goodbye. This time it was a hello."

Who would have thought the soldier had a fling. It saddened Louis knowing that her first kiss was to say goodbye. "Can I play you something? Maybe it will cheer you up?"

Before Clem had the chance to respond her ears were graced with a dreamy melody. "What is it called?"

"I don't know yet. I can write the songs but I can't name them." His fingers glided so effortlessly across the keys.

"How do you write songs?"

"I write them as different things happen. Or when I feel something different." His notes came to an end leaving the large room silent again. "First time officially played. We should mark the occasion." Louis looked around the room for something sharp. "You wouldn't happen to have a knife on you would you?" At a moments notice Clementine reached into her boot pulling out a small pocket knife. "Well look at you miss handy dandy. I'll have to call you Handy Manny." He laughed at his own joke knowing that he might as well be speaking gibberish.

He began to carve an L into the wooden instrument. "Won't we get in trouble?" Clem asked.

Louis handed her the knife before he answered. "Probably. But I am the only one who comes in here half the time so it's all good."

Clem hesitantly took the knife carving a C next to his L. "Jesus your printing is ugly." He commented.

"At least I can shoot." She remarked. She didn't take it seriously because she knew he wouldn't intentionally hurt her feelings.

Once the C was tattooed on the piano she sat back and admired her work. She then carved a sloppy heart around the two letters. Clicking the knife back and tucking it back in her boot where it belongs she looked at Louis with a bright smile. "Oh is that a potato?" Louis pretended to examine it. "Ohhhh. No it's a heart." She nudged his arm somewhat harshly. "Hey now. Don't hurt the entertainment."

Clementine scoffed at him. Deep down though, she really did enjoy his jokes. Even if they weren't funny by any means. It just always felt like light. He felt like a light. "Louis I don't know how I feel about you."

    Pure shock and disappointment crashed into Louis' chest like a tidal wave. "At first I thought it was the same as Gabe but then, it changed."

   "Do you regret what happened here?" He didn't want to name it. The thought of her kissing him out of confusion felt like a dagger to the stomach.

    Clementine pressed a key on the old piano. It brought a snid bit of joy. Her lips were curled thinking about what her feelings towards Louis led her to do. "No. It's quite the opposite actually." Their eyes met. A part of her wanted to do it again but refrained. Instead she found her hands hesitantly inching their way closer to his. "I don't know how to do this. I don't know what this is supposed to feel like. It's different."

    Whether she realized it or not Louis noticed her hands getting closer to his. "That's okay Clem," He gently reached for her hands. Once they were in his grasp he felt how rough they were. "Truth is, I don't know how to do this either." Relationships were always a touchy subject for Louis since arriving at Ericson.

    "You don't?" It was relief knowing she's not a complete outsider.

    He shook his head. His thumbs were tracing circles on her hands. "If we do this, we do it together."

    His last words brought back a strange feeling of déjà vu. All the Majors, Captains and Lieutenants that she's fought beside. They fought together. Their movements always meant something in field. Sure this wasn't exactly the same but it was the closest thing she had.

     "Together?" She questioned gripping his fingers.

    "Together." he assured. He looked into her eyes. Almost like he was searching for something he just didn't know what.

    The two began leaning in slowly. It was going to happen again. That was until I certain crash was heard from the hall. Clem snapped back pushing Louis' face out of her way.

    It was Marlon. He knocked a picture off of the wall. He scrambled to pick it up again soon realizing he was being watched. Scratching the back of his neck he pointed down the hall. "AJ said he wants to apologize."

    Clementine let Louis back up. She twisted around grabbing her crutches and made her way out. Louis found his eyes wandering. Marlon noticed this and mocked Louis. He was mouthing 'eyes up'. Louis treated his hand like a jack in the box. He winded the imaginary crank until his middle finger sprang up.

     The way he looked at her was as if she was everything good and bright in the world. Even knowing she was darker than a demon itself.

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Yikes a week late and a short chapter. If I am being honest I left myself on a bit of a cliffhanger too. Not the best idea. But I can promise you there is going to be some cute chapters on their way;)

Also yolo you know that team I've been training for all summer? Ya well 2 days before the big tournament I blew my knee! Because why wouldn't I? Not like we've spent thousands of dollars on this or anything:)) I am cheesed if you couldn't tell. It's nothing too crazy though. All I did was tear a tendon and some tissue off my bone. On the bright side this gets me out of running🤠