#prayers for clem to have survived THAT

[faithinlouisfuture]

Get it Michaellllllllllll

[yellowsugarwords]

Ericson & James being outside with s/o and cornered by walkers? As in like, unable to get back to the school for a while?

okay omg ima write this in the context that they’re hiding out in a tree

Clementine: Clementine was cool and collected; the way she’d always been taught to be.She’d help her partner up, then sit peacefully. “Bet you didn't think you’d be here today, huh?” She’d ask with a smirk. They did what they normally did when they were alone: spoke deeply. Hopes and dreams, wishes and prayers, memories and desires. “I just want AJ to never experienced half the pain I did.” Clem said, frowning. “And I hope I’ve survived long enough to know how to make that happen.”

Marlon: Marlon would immediately take charge, putting his partner in the tree before himself. As he crawled up, he would immediately pull them into his grasp. “Are you okay? Are you hurt? Scratched?” He was hyper paranoid of something, anything, happening to his person. They’d sit in silence, Marlon running his hands absentmindedly over his skin, reminding him that they were there, they were both okay, and they were going to escape when given the chance.

Louis: “I can’t climb!” After desperately tugging him up the branch they were sitting on, the two sat, panting, trying to calm the anxiety in their throats. Out of the way, no longer making noise, they knew walkers would eventually lose interest. So, they curled their feet up and stared silently at each other. “Wanna play a card game?” Louis asked, removing the cards from his pocket to deal. Just as he started, they scattered and fluttered to the ground below. Both of them gawkwed in horror. “Or not.” He whispered.

Violet: Violet would be the first one up the tree, helping her partner make their way up. Once they hit the top, staring at the dread down below, she’d turn with a hopeful smirk and hold out a hand. They played tic-tac-toe, rock paper scissors, and thumb wrestling. The entire time, they’d laugh, squirm, gawk, and get frustrated all silently. Their own silent, secret language brought them both joy, and peace, and made them forget about just where they were.

Mitch: The moment they got up into the tree, they two sighed, wiping their brows, calming their racing hearts. They two stared down, watching the walkers meander, bumping into their tree, jolting it with every move. “Wanna make out?” Mitch asked with a shrug. And they did. It may not have been the best way to kill time, but it was effective. That was, until the other Ericson kids went on a hunt to find them and stared for a few minutes before either of them noticed they were there.

Aasim: Aasim would be freaking out. Luckily, his partner was cool and collected, helping pull him up into the tree. “Oh God, oh shit,” he’d pant, holding a hand over his chest. His partner would guide him in breathing, helping keep him centered and present. Once he calmed down, as they were sitting in the silence, his partner tried to cheer him up by talking about the things they could do when they got back later that night. It gave Aasim hope to see how hopeful they were. He held their and and smiled sweetly. “Let’s do that together,” he’d whisper to everything they said.

Ruby: Ruby would be panicked, but would place enough trust in her partner to help keep her safe. As they sat in the tree, she’d sigh and wipe her brow. Silently, she’d take her partner’s hand, staring down at the monsters below them. They would sit silently, her squeezing their hand whenever she felt panicked, and them squeezing back. It was silent, and comforting, and kept them present in the moment.

Omar: Omar would be mega paranoid, but would try to whisper-talk his way through it. “They can’t hurt us, right? Not from up here. Not unless they knock down the tree. Can they do that? Are they strong enough to do that? There are a lot of them.” His partner would hold his hand hoping to keep his panicked ramblings slightly at ease. Occasionally, they’d chime in. “Yes, we’re safe. No, they can’t knock over the tree.”

Brody: Brody would be completely petrified. Her partner would help her up into the tree and would immediately hold her, helping her breathe, forcing her to look away and not acknowledge what was below them. They whispered as they spoke, speaking sweetly and gentle. “Just think about how nice it’ll feel when we get home,” they’d say to Brody. Brody would relax over time, feeling in control and okay again.

James: James would sit peacefully in the tree, solely because his partner didn’t have the mask and gloves that he had to bend in. They’d both sit peaceful, communicating softly and quietly as to not generate noise, waiting for the swarm to disperse. Were they terrified? James’ partner, slightly, but for James, not at all. He knew how walkers worked. He had confidence they would be okay.

[yellowsugarwords]

Can we get some headcanons with James stumbling upon the barn after the cave scene and helping Clem with the bite, and because of it, he ends up feeling super guilty, apologizes, and gets more protective of her? (Also possibly him joining the school?)

I have a few requests for this so here you guys go :)

The barn was his safe place.

His home.

But not this time.

This time something was off.

Some items outside of the barn were missing.

Moved.

Broken.

Some wooden banisters were snapped.

And the undead were clambering to get in.

As if something they wanted was inside.

Someone.

James started for the barn slowly.

He’d lost his mask back at the cave.

And he didn’t want to disturb them.

The barn felt as if it was in distress.

And the walkers were far more active than before.

Pleading.

Longing.

Pained.

James didn’t waste time.

He moved slowly, not wanting to disturb the creatures.

Not wanting to be seen.

He slipped in through one of the open cracks in the walls.

And faded away.

“Clem? Clem please.”

James froze.

His feet sliding against the hay.

He couldn’t have heard that right.

It wasn’t possible.

He drew in deeper.

With fear in his chest.

And hope in his hands.

He peered in and spotted AJ.

Kneeling before a figure.

Crying over a severed leg.

James already knew who it was.

AJ forced his face into Clem’s chest.

And James finally caught a glimpse of her face.

And he wished it wasn’t the last image of her now burned into his skull.

“No, no, no,” AJ sobbed.

Softly, like he didn’t want to wake her.

“You trusted me,” he wobbled. “I’m sorry you did.”

Hope choked in James’ throat.

And he left his anger at the door.

And swarmed in.

“Clementine,” his voice flew on it’s own.

Unreigned by him.

“AJ,”

He knelt, feeling the child’s sobs radiate.

“James—”

“What happened?” He gawked, studying the child and the leg.

Feeling the violence.

Horrified at the crimson.

“She got bit,” he wobbled out.

Hardly able to keep his voice steady.

“She wanted me to kill her.”

AJ’s head lowered.

And he shoved his jacket sleeves under his eye to sop up the tears.

“And I think I did trying to save her.”

And he wailed.

And the walkers outside heaved in interest.

James studied him.

Watched, his mouth agape, at the child before him.

Bearing the weight of so much.

James had once been in his shoes.

The weight of the world on his shoulders.

The decisions of life and death placed in his teenage hands.

And he didn’t know what to do.

So he decided.

And made mistakes.

And caused ruin.

Everywhere.

AJ wasn’t a killer.

He was a child.

He was learning.

But like James once was.

But AJ wasn’t like James.

He didn’t kill anyone out of anger. He never had.

He killed out of necessity.

Out of what he had been taught.

And lashed out due to anger.

Because he didn’t know what else to do.

James dipped in, his ear brushing her neck.

There was a soft shift.

Her skin grazed his ear.

And he sighed out a bundle of stresses.

She was breathing.

James swallowed his fear and glanced at her leg—

Her stump.

He corrected his thoughts.

He ripped off his gloves to better examine it and the state it was in.

He was impressed.

And through his wails, when his eyes were dry enough to see, AJ could tell.

“You know your stuff,” James cooed softly.

AJ sniffled and said nothing.

The wound had been cauterized and wound in rope.

He’d taken off his jacket and tucked it under the stump, using it as an elevation pillow.

He didn’t have fabric to wrap it with.

So he hoped elevating it would keep dirt from getting inside.

“Where did you learn to do this?” He asked.

His hands rushed back to Clementine, feeling her cheeks and forehead, urgently scouring for a fever.

AJ swallowed hard.

And watched him, drowning in guilt.

“Clem.”

And James held their stare.

James’ hands didn’t leave Clem’s cheek and leg

It sat against her knee.

Squeezing gently.

Begging for a sign of life.

Her chest raised and heaved.

A weak sigh.

His sign-

He jumped, his hands clutching each of her cheeks. “Clem?” He breathed.

Her name was a prayer on his lips.

Gentle and pleading.

She hummed.

A sign of life.

And he sighed.

A sign of hope.

Her eyes heaved open.

As if they were carrying pounds of weights.

And settled her stare on him.

She squinted.

Not recognizing him.

And James felt as if his heart escaped from his chest.

“James?” She breathed.

The frailness of her gaze growing clearer.

The familiar tuff of hair and war touch grounding her.

He smiled.

And felt his heart return.

And let a gentle, thankful laugh escape.

He clutched the sides of her temples.

Gently, delicately.

And placed a single, warm kiss on the centre of her forehead.

He pulled away, and set his hands back on her cheeks.

Watching the way her eyes grew brighter.

“Thank God you’re here.”

Clementine smiled sleepily, her eyes closing again.

Her chest sighed.

And James sighed with her.

AJ watched James.

Hesitant, almost terrified.

He didn’t what was to come from this.

He didn’t know how James felt about him.

James leaned in, sweeping his arms under the girl’s body.

“Do you mind if I carry you home?” He asked gently.

Softly.

Sleepily, Clem smiled.

And AJ could see just how pale her cheeks were.

Because she didn’t get the nice pink in her cheeks when she did.

“I am,” she said.

James did.

Holding her as a sculpture of glass, he carried her home.

With AJ at his side.

An equal.

Another him.

James glanced down at her, taking in her form.

Her sleepy posture.

Her closed eyes.

The limpness of her hand.

Even as it fell off her chest and held AJ’s.

That was the last time James would leave her.

Would leave either of them.

He needed to keep them safe.

He needed to guide the. Protect them.

He needed to steer them away from danger.

And his anger had driven them right into it.

His grip on Clem grew tighter.

And AJ glanced up.

Is brows furrowed.

Concerned.

James thought he was going to ask about Clem.

Whether or not his grip was a bad sign.

“Are you okay?” AJ asked.

And James demeanour faltered.

He hadn’t expected that.

His expression fell.

From determination to regret.

From seriousness to sincerity.

“I’m just sorry,” he said softly, not wanting to speak too loud.

Not wanting to jostle Clem.

AJ paused.

James could see him trying to understand.

“I was unfair earlier. Cruel.”

James looked forward at the path—the few paces they had yet to walk.

“To both of you. I feel terrible, and I’m sorry for doing that to you.”

His gaze met AJ.

And AJ’s stare widened.

Surprised James meant it.

“We forgive you,” he said, with a small nod.

“We?” James asked.

AJ nodded to Clem. “I know what she’d say.”

And James smiled.

Clementine was right to trust him.

He was a good kid.

And he saw a lot of himself in him.

They were only trying to survive.

And grow as people along the way.

And he was in the same boat.

Only trying to get by.

With them, maybe it would make it a bit easier on all of them.