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Next update? Walking Dead: One Man Army
_____
Chapter 6
Not a word.
Not a breath.
The air around Lee's group was a vacuum, pulled tight with tension, with dread. Locked in a vice of tension that wrapped around every ribcage, pressing down hard enough to suffocate.
The light breeze that had stirred the trees just moments ago seemed to falter as if nature itself held its breath.
Mark's hands were trembling, knuckles white as he gripped his fists too tightly. The poor guy looked like he was seconds away from either pissing himself or bolting.
Carley's eyes flicked from one masked figure to the next, her hand hovering by her sidearm but not daring to draw it. Her finger twitched, hesitating, unsure.
Kenny had stepped forward slightly, spreading his arms protectively in front of Katjaa and Duck, the latter of whom clung to his mother's leg in confused silence. Kenny's mouth opened, then shut again. There was nothing to say. Not when this could go sideways in the blink of an eye.
Lilly had raised her rifle halfway, barrel pointed toward the ground, but her finger danced near the trigger. Her face was tight, pale, controlled, but barely.
Even Larry was quiet, which was saying something.
Nobody said a damn thing.
The man in the red dragon mask hadn't moved since stepping out of the Hummer.
He stood still, like a statue carved from nightmare and military hardware; armored, armed, and unreadable.
Behind him, a second figure exited the other vehicle.
Then a third.
Then a fourth.
Until there were six heavily armed masked men staring at them.
All dressed similarly, all masked, with different colors or markings, and all were silent.
And not a single one of them was pointing a weapon at them, thank god.
But somehow, that only made it worse.
They were clearly outnumbered and outgunned, if the other group wanted to do anything they couldn't do shit to stop them.
These weren't ragtag survivors; they moved with purpose, with skill.
Their gear was uniform, sleek, and well-maintained.
Not cobbled together from scraps and desperation like Lee's group.
Lee didn't need to say it; everyone knew.
These weren't looters, they weren't scavengers, hell, they weren't even survivors, not like them.
These people were prepared.
Trained.
Disciplined.
Like they had been waiting for this moment while the rest of the world fell apart.
Lee stayed low on the RV, rifle tight in his hands. He was ready to fight if it came down to it.
At least… he wanted to be.
He glanced down at the motel in worry, worried about the girl under his care.
The thought of her in danger made his stomach twist into knots.
This moment… it could be the end.
The others didn't say it, but they were all thinking the same thing.
Who are these people?
What do they want?
Are we going to die here?
The man in the dragon mask tilted his head slightly, as if studying him.
Lee couldn't help but wonder what was going on behind that monstrous mask…
____
They could barely contain it.
Behind the emotionless mask, their faces were practically exploding with joy.
"FUCKING FINALLY!"
They shouted all at once in their shared link.
"ACTUAL FUCKING PEOPLE!"
It's been too long.
"ITS BEEN TOO FUCKING LONG!"
Social interaction!
"IS THIS REAL?! THIS HAS TO BE REAL!"
They wanted to laugh, they wanted to shout, they wanted to sprint forward and hug someone like a lunatic.
"How long has it been since we saw someone new?" One of them thought aloud.
"Ninty-three days, five hours, and forty-one minutes, " Came the quick response from one of the others.
"Yeah, but who's counting?" Another asked sarcastically.
Just as they were no longer able to hold themselves back from their excitement, and were about to go over to the group.
The one in the red mask noticed someone on top of the RV.
He zeroed in on the man.
Broad shoulders, dark skin, thick beard. That look of I-haven't-slept-in-weeks-but-I'm-still-standing.
Was that—
No fucking way.
"Holy shit! That's Lee!"
The others snapped their heads to where he was looking at all at once, causing said man and his group of people to visibly flinch at the sight.
There was a sharp silenc–
"NO FUCKING WAY!"
"LEE?! That Lee?!"
"How many Lee's do we actually know, dumbass?!"
"He's alive! THEY'RE alive!"
"I can't—guys, GUYS, we ACTUALLY FOUND THEM!"
"No fucking way!"
"It's really him!"
"Now, we found them!?"
His fists clenched at his sides, not from tension, but from barely suppressed excitement.
"We actually found them. I CAN'T BELIEVE WE ACTUALLY FOUND THEM!"
And to think they were beginning to lose hope of ever finding them!
Their bodies twitched slightly in place, trying not to jump like a five-year-old on Christmas morning.
"Okay, okay, deep breaths," Their leader ordered them.
He clenched his fists at his sides, not out of aggression, but to keep himself from bouncing in place like an overexcited dog.
His breathing was steady, but his pulse was thundering in his ears. After weeks, no, months of searching, of dead towns, cities, and darker memories, they had finally stumbled across the very people they'd all thought they would never find.
Not just random survivors.
Them.
The people they had been searching for from the blurry memories of a past life.
And here they were, alive, real, and right in front of them.
"…What do we do now?"Someone asked.
A pause.
"We don't fuck this up."
One shuffled awkwardly,"So… we just gonna stand here like a bunch of stalkers, or…?"
A beat. Then all five slowly turned their heads toward their leader.
He sighed.
"Alright, just give me a second, let me think."
Because how the hell do you explain to a bunch of scared survivors that you're not here to hurt them? That your here to help them?
That their faces were the first sign of hope you've had in months?
He glanced once more toward Lee on the RV, his heart hammering.
They had to play it cool.
Had to ease into this.
"…God, I hope we don't scare them off."
____
They were fucking terrified.
Lee could feel it in every breath they held, every twitch of a trigger finger, every half-step backward toward whatever safety they thought they could find behind the motel walls.
But there was no safety, not from this.
From his perch on the RV roof, Lee could see everything.
The motel lot below, the uncertain shifting of his group.
The dead silent formation of the masked men.
The tension was a living thing now, coiling around their necks like a noose.
He adjusted his grip on the rifle, but his hands were slick with sweat.
And he wasn't alone in it.
"Lee," Katjaa whispered urgently from below him. "What are we supposed to do?"
"Lee?" Carley called up toward him, voice tight but steady.
Mark's breathing was loud, panicked. "Sh-Should we run? What are we supposed to do?!"
Everyone was looking up at him now.
Except Larry.
Larry, predictably, had his jaw set and his hands clenched into fists.
"We shouldn't wait around like sitting ducks! We don't know who the hell these people are, I say we take them down before they take us down!"
Lee's eyes narrowed. "Shut up, Larry! That's a death sentence! You see their gear? You see how they move? That's not a fight we win. That's not a fight we survive."
Larry scoffed, turning to Lilly. "You're just gonna let him—"
"No, dad," Lilly snapped, rifle still aimed but eyes focused. "Lee's right. You saw them, this isn't some scavenger gang. They're military or something close to it."
Kenny finally nodded beside Katjaa. "We don't want to be the ones to fire the first shot and start something we can't end."
They were scared. God, were they scared.
Then…
The man in the red dragon mask moved.
It wasn't fast.
It wasn't sudden.
But it was enough.
He took one slow, deliberate step forward, hands rising slowly, palms open in a clear universal gesture of peace.
And immediately, the motel lot erupted in noise as rifles and pistols were raised, pointed directly at him.
"Stop right there!" Carley shouted, hands shaking.
"Don't move!" Lilly ordered.
Even Duck gasped from behind his mother, his little face buried against Katjaa's coat.
The masked man paused mid-step, hands still up, and slowly lowered his head just a bit. Not submissive, more like… thoughtful.
Like he expected this.
Lee stood up straighter on the RV, quickly but without sudden movement. He could feel everyone's nerves fraying like old rope.
He cleared his throat.
"I'm gonna talk," he said firmly, loud enough for the others to hear without turning it into a shout. "Everyone else, hold position. Do not shoot unless I tell you to."
A few hesitant nods. The fingers on the triggers loosened… a centimeter.
Lee adjusted his stance, raising his voice now and aiming it directly at the masked figure.
"Alright, you got our attention! You gonna explain who the hell you are?" he called out. "And what the hell do you want?"
The man didn't speak right away, instead, he slowly looked between the members of Lee's group.
No sudden movements, no reaching for weapons.
Just observing.
Then, at last, he spoke.
His voice came out filtered, faintly mechanical through the mask, but still undeniably human.
"We're not here to hurt you," the masked man said calmly."We're not here to take anything. We've been searching for survivors."
His tone was steady, serious, like he'd rehearsed this sentence a hundred times in front of a mirror and never once gotten to say it.
"You're the first people we've come across in months who weren't already dead."
A pause.
"We're here to help."
Lee stared in disbelief. "Help?"
The others were the same, finding that to be suspicious as shit.
"…You?"
The man nodded.
"Yes, if you're willing… we'd like to offer you a place, for all of you. A real place full of people with safe walls, food, medicine, and a working community."
It had to be bullshit, didn't it? There had to be a catch!
Mark laughed nervously from the side. "Is this a joke? Is this some kinda trick?"
"No."
But the man didn't waver.
Kenny looked between the others, then stepped up beside Lee. "You telling me… there's a place out there that still works? And you're just here freely inviting us in? You expect us to believe that bullshit?"
"Not asking you to believe anything," the masked man turned to him, causing Kenny to tense."We just want to help."
Lilly narrowed her eyes. "And what's the catch?"
"There is none, "came the firm reply.
The words landed like a punch to the chest.
Because it sounded… real.
It sounded like something that wasn't supposed to exist anymore.
And yet, here it was.
Spoken aloud by a man whose mask hid any expression.
Lee didn't speak right away, but he felt the weight of every pair of eyes in the group on him again.
"We're not just gonna follow you," he said finally. "You get that, right?"
The masked man nodded."Of course."
"…Then how do we know this isn't a trap?" Lilly asked.
The man hesitated.
Then, slowly, carefully, he reached up toward the side of his helmet.
Everyone tensed again, rifles rising.
But all he did was click a switch.
A faint click-hiss, and the voice modulation shut off.
The mask came off with a soft click-hiss, followed by the gentle scrape of metal against cloth as the figure in red lifted it up.
And the world… paused.
In pure, unfiltered disbelief.
Because standing before them was not the grizzled war-hardened adult they'd all imagined. Not the stone-faced soldier whose presence had frozen the air around them.
He was a kid.
Couldn't have been more than fifteen.
His irises were colored a piercing blue, with messy black hair slightly tousled.
Everyone could hardly believe their eyes.
Lee's jaw dropped slightly, hands instinctively loosening on his rifle.
His voice cracked a little when he spoke.
"Y-You're just a kid…"
The boy smiled.
Small, genuine, and warm.
"The names Leo, nice to meetcha~"
That alone disarmed more tension than any words that were shared between them before.
He opened his mouth, clearly ready to speak, maybe introduce himself, maybe say something clever, but before a single syllable could escape, a voice from behind the adults rang out.
"Moooom… my stomach hurts! I'm hungry!"
Duck's voice echoed across the lot, whining just loud enough to be heard by everyone.
Katjaa hushed him quickly, eyes flicking nervously toward the strangers.
The boy turned his head slightly in Duck's direction and grinned.
Lee blinked.
That grin wasn't cocky, or mocking. It was kind, pleased, like he was just reminded why he was doing all of this in the first place.
Then, without a word, he turned halfway toward the men behind him and let out a sharp whistle. One crisp note, two short clicks.
Instantly, his men moved.
They broke formation and began spreading out, not toward Lee's group, but toward their own vehicles.
Boxes were pulled out. Packs unzipped. Foldable tables and small cooking sets were retrieved and unfolded right there on the edge of the lot. One masked man knelt and began setting up a propane burner with practiced ease, while another unfurled a thermal blanket on the pavement.
The sudden flurry of movement made Lee's group collectively tense again, weapons rising a fraction.
But the boy held up one hand in a calming gesture.
"Easy," he said, his voice free of modulation now. "They're just getting things ready for dinner."
He turned his gaze back toward them, eyes bright.
"Before we talk more," he said casually, "how about we get something to eat?"
That got everyone's attention, once again aware of their stomach eating itself alive.
He gave a boyish, proud shrug. "I make a mean beef soup."
The words should've been ridiculous. Comical, even, after everything.
But they landed like warm sunlight through a storm cloud.
For a heartbeat, nobody spoke.
Lee looked down at the others.
He saw Kenny furrow his brow, visibly unsure, but he was slowly losing the fight.
Lilly looked like she wanted to say no, needed to say no, but her lips stayed shut.
Katjaa, her hands still holding Duck protectively, finally looked up at Lee and said what they were all thinking.
"…We're starving."
Lee looked at the kid again.
He didn't know the name, but somehow, the boy's presence alone did more than the mask ever could.
There was something in his expression… just honest, bone-deep relief that they were talking, not fighting.
Lee sighed.
Every fiber of his instincts screamed to keep their guard up.
Never trust strangers.
Not in this world.
But…
Beef soup.
A warm meal.
"We'll sit," Lee said slowly, lowering his rifle fully now and slinging it over his shoulder. "But we keep our weapons, you understand?"
The boy nodded immediately. "Of course."
The tension didn't vanish, not completely, but it eased.
Carley lowered her pistol.
Kenny exhaled sharply and rubbed the back of his neck before turning to his family, smiling.
Mark looked like he could cry.
Lily still had her guard up, but her rifle was lowered.
Larry grunted and grumbled, but didn't object for once.
And Duck?
Duck cheered.
"Yay! Beef soup!"
The older boy laughed quietly, something warm and clean in that sound, and turned to oversee his men unpacking cans of meat and vegetables.
Lee watched him for a long moment.
This kid, armored to the teeth, part of what looked like an elite unit of professionals… cooking soup on a camp stove like it was the most normal thing in the world.
____
At first, no one touched the food.
The savory scent of beef broth, simmering with canned vegetables and tender chunks of meat, drifted through the cool afternoon air like a siren song.
It filled the lot, invaded their nostrils, clung to the back of their dry throats and growling bellies, but still, they hesitated.
Old habits, deep ones, the kind beaten into every survivor after weeks of fear and walkers.
Carley sat on the edge of a concrete step, one hand still on her pistol holster as she eyed the steaming bowl in front of her. Katjaa held Duck's hands, ready to snatch them away if anything looked off.
Even Kenny, for all his earlier relief, sat with his back tense and his eyes narrowed.
They weren't ungrateful, just… wary. That was survival now, it was the law of the land.
Then, Duck picked up his spoon.
He didn't hesitate, not even for a second.
He dug in like it was the best thing he'd ever tasted. His eyes lit up instantly, cheeks puffed as he slurped it down, followed by a loud and delighted "Mmmmmm!"
Everyone stared.
And then… slowly, cautiously, they followed his lead.
Mark took a bite and immediately choked on an emotional laugh, his spoon clattering once against the side of the bowl before he brought it back up for another.
Carley finally let go of her holster and leaned over her bowl, her expression shifting from suspicion to something dangerously close to happy.
Katjaa cried silently for a few seconds as she helped Duck wipe broth from his chin, her own bowl untouched until her husband nudged it toward her.
She nodded her thanks and finally took a bite. Then another.
Lilly and Larry were the last to give in.
Lilly kept her rifle nearby, propped against her leg, but even she gave in when the steam wafted into her face. She ate in quiet, focused bites, watching everyone.
Larry grumbled something about "damn soup" but didn't stop eating once he started.
Lee sat a little apart from them all, back to the RV wheel well, spoon in hand, bowl braced on his knee. The soup was hot. Rich. He could taste real seasoning, maybe bouillon cubes or scavenged spices. It warmed his belly instantly, and with it, something else inside him loosened.
A knot that had been there for weeks.
Across the lot, laughter started to bloom.
Duck's mother giggled when Duck slurped his third bowl noisily and declared it "better than Grandpa's stew," earning a chuckle from Kenny.
Even Lilly gave a small, tired smirk when Larry muttered under his breath that the soup wasn't "total garbage."
They were smiling.
Lee felt it then. Like a breath, he didn't know he'd been holding finally let go.
He looked around at his people, his family, in all the ways that mattered, and saw faces lit by something that hadn't been there in a long, long time.
Hope.
It was soft and uncertain, like a flickering candle in the dark, but it was real, and it came in the form of a warm bowl of soup made by a boy with a gentle smile and a mask that could scare a walker.
Across the lot, Kenny stood up, balancing two empty bowls, his and Duck's. He walked across the gravel toward Leo, who was crouched over the large pot.
Kenny stopped beside him, waited a beat, and cleared his throat.
Leo looked up, his expression lifting when he saw the man.
"Hey," Kenny said, holding out the bowls. "We uh… we could use a refill."
Leo smiled and took the bowls without hesitation.
As he ladled in more, Kenny exhaled and gave a sheepish chuckle.
"I just wanted to say…" he rubbed the back of his neck. "Thanks for the food. My wife and kid, hell, all of us, we really needed it."
Leo paused for a moment, then offered him a sincere nod. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, was afraid it didn't meet expectations~"
Kenny took the bowls back but didn't leave right away. He glanced around at Leo's armored men, still working like a well-oiled machine, and then back to the teen.
"You know, when you stepped out of that truck…" Kenny gave the younger boy a playful squint. "You scared the shit outta us."
Leo laughed, really laughed, and even a few of his men turned their heads, visibly amused.
"Yeah," Leo said with a smirk, "I get that a lot."
Kenny chuckled and shook his head. "Hell of a mask, kid."
Leo shrugged, handing over the bowls. "Figured it'd keep people from shooting at us."
"Damn near had the opposite effect."
That earned another laugh, and for a few precious minutes, it felt like the world wasn't burning down around them.
Lee took another bite of soup, letting the heat fill his chest, and around him, conversation picked up.
Lily asked one of Leo's men how they found so much gear, getting an answer in the form of a modulated voice. That started a flood gate of questions, especially when Katjaa asked what their community was like.
And Lee?
He just watched.
Watched his people eat and laugh and breathe like they hadn't in weeks.
He didn't know who this kid really was or how long it would last.
But for the first time since the world ended…
He felt like maybe, just maybe…
It could begin again.
Lee set the half-empty bowl down on the RV bumper with a soft clink and stood, brushing the dust from his jeans as laughter and the gentle clatter of spoons continued behind him.
The smell of beef and herbs still hung thick in the air, mingled with the faint sizzle of the burner. But for now, he wasn't thinking about food.
He glanced across the lot toward Leo, who was crouched beside the pot again, handing a fresh bowl to Katjaa. The boy was talking with her now, relaxed, cheerful, like this was any other afternoon in a normal world.
Lee walked up slowly and gave a light wave to catch his attention.
Leo looked up, one brow raising slightly.
"Hey," Lee said, his tone calm. "I'm gonna go get someone."
"Someone from your group?" Leo blinked once, then smiled.
Lee nodded. "Yeah, she was sleeping when you showed up. Figured she should at least eat something before it gets cold."
Katjaa smiled sadly, "Poor thing, she told me she was too hungry to be awake before she went to bed."
Leo gave a small, understanding nod, his blue eyes gentle. "Go ahead, there's plenty left."
"Thanks."
Lee turned and walked toward the motel.
The sun was lower now, painting long golden streaks across the crumbling walls and cracked pavement.
He climbed the worn stairs slowly, boots thudding against concrete as he moved down the walkway to the farthest room.
Clementine's room.
He raised his hand and knocked softly.
No response.
He knocked again, a little louder this time.
There was a pause.
Then, a familiar, quiet voice, small, tired, and guarded.
"W-Who is it?"
Lee felt a pang in his chest.
"It's me, Clem."
Then the door clicked.
It creaked open slowly, revealing a teenage girl in a hoodie two sizes too big, making her look smaller than she actually was, and sleeves draped over her hands.
Her curls were a little flattened on one side from sleep, and her wide brown eyes searched his face for a beat before she let out a breath of relief.
She smiled.
"…Lee."
"Hey there, Clem," he said, his voice softening as he smiled back. "Sorry to wake you."
She rubbed one eye. "It's okay… I just… I heard voices and I didn't know if it was…"
Her words trailed off, and he nodded. He didn't need her to finish.
"It's alright, everything's okay."
She stepped into the light, still carrying that quiet strength he always admired.
"Another group found us," he told her, about to bring her up to speed.
She tensed a little, eyes narrowing.
"Showed up in trucks, armed to the teeth, and scared the hell out of everyone with their masks… They said they've been looking for people like us to join their community."
She processed what he said, but only one thing mattered to her.
"…Are they dangerous?" she asked, voice low.
He looked at her with sad eyes, that shouldn't have been the first thing that should be going through a young girl's mind, and shook his head.
"Doesn't look like it, besides the masks, their actually quite friendly, and there's a boy with them about your age, maybe a bit older."
She blinked, visibly surprised.
"A kid is with them?"
Lee gave a small smile. "Yeah, didn't expect it either, but he looks like a good and honest kid. He even offered us food when Duc–"
"Food?" she interrupted, like she wasn't sure if she heard him right.
He laughed, gesturing behind him.
"Hot, steamy beef soup~!"
Her stomach grumbled audibly, and she looked down in embarrassment, but when she glanced back up, there was a new light in her eyes, excitement.
"Is it good?" Not that it mattered, she was going to eat it anyway, bad or not.
Lee smiled wider. "Duck's already on his third bowl. Even Larry didn't complain."
She laughed quietly and stepped out of the doorway, pulling her hoodie tighter around herself.
"Okay," she said softly. "I'll come."
Lee stepped aside to let her pass, then followed after her.
The laughter down below picked up again, carried by the breeze, and as Clementine made her way down the steps toward the firelit lot and the scent of soup, her eyes widened just a little at the delicious smell.
____
It was going pretty well.
Leo sat near the burner, stirring the soup slowly as the last few refills were passed out, savoring the warmth of the fire and the quiet hum of conversation.
Just talking, laughing, enjoying each other's company.
And more importantly, they were accepting them.
He could hardly believe it.
Leo leaned back slightly, taking it in with a contented sigh.
His men were posted up on the outskirts of the motel now, standing guard while giving the survivors space.
Even they looked more relaxed now.
Leo glanced up at the sound of a soft laugh.
Kenny was stopping Duck from trying to take off one of his men's masks, and even Lilly had the faintest smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
He hadn't realized how badly he needed this.
To see people smiling again.
To be reminded that it wasn't just him out here.
That the people he remembered from their past life actually exist.
Then, movement at the top of the stairs caught his eye.
Lee was coming back.
"Hey, you're finally back! What took you so lon-" Leo sat up straighter instinctively and was about to offer a small nod of greeting, but stopped when he noticed the person beside him.
And his world stopped.
A girl was walking beside Lee, hat pulled on messy curls, sweater sleeves hanging past her hands, brown eyes wide as she took in the scene.
She looked around cautiously, curiously, but not afraid. There was something strong in the way she moved, even if she was still blinking sleep from her eyes.
Leo's breath caught in his throat.
No way.
His jaw dropped slightly.
That face...
Clementine.
That was Clementine.
But… she wasn't a little girl.
She wasn't clutching a walkie-talkie or hiding behind someone's leg. She looked like a teenager, like she was around his age.
His heart skipped a beat.
He didn't know what to think. His mind went totally blank, just white noise.
For one long, stunned moment… All Leo could do was stare.
"Why did my heart skip a beat?"One of his men asked in confusion.
"You guys too?"Another asked.
"Does anyone else hear music?"
"Yo, boss, you ok?"
_____
Clementine followed closely behind Lee, her hoodie drawn tight around her shoulders as the last traces of sleep clung to her limbs like morning fog.
The warm scent of beef broth wafted stronger with each step they took toward the lot, drawing her forward with a quiet urgency that tugged at her stomach, but even more than the food, it was the voices, laughter, and conversation that kept her moving, kept her curious.
She hadn't heard this kind of noise in a long time.
People were talking like things were… okay.
Then her gaze shifted ahead… and landed on someone new.
He was sitting by the burner, one gloved hand stirring a large pot with practiced rhythm. Instead of harsh features or an older, hardened face like she'd expected…
He was a boy.
Around her age, maybe a year or two older.
Clementine's eyes widened before she could stop herself, surprise and curiosity stealing across her face.
He had dark, tousled hair that stuck out just slightly from the breeze. His skin was lightly tanned and flushed a little from the fire's heat, but it was his eyes that caught her off guard.
A piercing, bright blue.
She slowed slightly, her breath catching just a little.
She refused to admit it, but…He was handsome.
She blinked and looked away quickly, heart giving an odd, stuttering thump in her chest.
Why? She didn't know.
But there was a heat rising in her cheeks as she brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and tried to act normal.
Lee walked ahead with an easy pace and stopped beside the burner. He gestured casually toward the boy, unaware of the way Leo had frozen in place.
"Clem," Lee said, his voice warm, "this is Leo. He's the one who cooked the soup and made all of this happen."
Clementine hesitated for a breath, then took a step forward.
She looked up at Leo, gave him a small, shy smile, and offered a weak, "Hi."
He opened his mouth, paused, then lowered his eyes quickly, struggling to keep the flush from his face.
He didn't say anything, but after a moment, he reached out slowly and offered her a warm bowl of soup, careful not to meet her gaze.
Clementine accepted it with both hands, fingers brushing his gloves for just a moment.
Lee watched the exchange, brow arching slightly in amusement.
"Oh?" he hummed, a corner of his mouth tugging upward. "That's interesting."
The way he crossed his arms and gave Leo a knowing look as he stepped back said it all.
Leo refused to meet his eyes.
He was too busy pretending to focus on stirring the soup.
Clementine looked down into her bowl, steam curling up into her face.
"…It smells really good," she said quietly, not sure what else to say.
Leo nodded once, still not looking at her, but there was a tiny smile playing at the edge of his lips now.
"I, uh… Hope you like it." He slowly looked up, and his eyes met hers.
She gave him a confident smile.
"I'm sure I will~"
Leo looked like he had just been shot in the heart.