Work Text:
Initially, Torch wasn’t planning on telling him.
Technically, he wasn’t even supposed to know. It was just something he stumbled upon, but he’d be lying if he said he regretted it. It was their funny but endearing little secret - “their”, as if the other man knew. It was probably better this way, actually. Really, he only found out because Clancy, who’s usually as sneaky as a cat, made a misstep one of the times he left the camp. Now usually, Torch wouldn’t mind; Clancy was free to do whatever he wanted. But that night… something told him to follow. So he did, into one of the forests near the camp. He walked for about fifteen minutes before he could hear a faint, soft voice. Keeping his guard up, stealthily, he walked closer towards the source, assuming it could be a bishop, or perhaps another Dema escapee.
And that’s when he saw one of the most majestic sights of his life; something to burn into his memory for the rest of his life.
Clancy, perched on a stump, with the most beautiful voice in all of Trench. His cat-eared balaclava lay abandoned next to his thigh as his voice sung a soft and gentle serenade, a soothing balm to Torch’s soul.
“I wanna fall inside your ghost… and fill up every hole inside my mind. And I want everyone to know that I am half a soul divided,” Clancy’s quiet but melodic voice filled the air, and Torch could see his hands shuffling around a little. This was a side of Clancy that Torch had barely caught a glimpse of; quiet. Unguarded. Soft. No frown or furrowed brow in sight; just… him.
He stayed for the whole time that night, just listening to Clancy’s quiet vocals. He only reluctantly made his way back to camp when the voice had stopped, seemingly getting ready to retire for the night. A million thoughts raced through his mind. Clancy could sing? Would he sing for him one day? Maybe even about him? What song was that? Can he hear it again? Did he write it? Where did it come from? Should he ask about it? But shit, then he’d know that he was watching him… But one thought stuck out in particular.
What would Clancy do if he found out that Torch had been watching him like a creep?
Or worse… what if he quit singing? What if Clancy was so embarrassed about being caught, that he swore a silent oath to never sing again? He knew that that was probably incredibly unlikely, but… he wanted to hear Clancy sing again. It brought out a soft, vulnerable side that he hadn’t seen before. And Torch wanted to pull down all of his walls and find the man behind it all. The one he had caught a glimpse of that night.
So for now? This was his little secret. And he was a damn good secret keeper.
---
“I could take the high road… but I know that I'm going low… I'm a ban- I'm a bandito,” Clancy’s soft vocals filled the air, and warmed Torch’s soul on the chilly night. Torch couldn’t help the small smile that crawled across his lips. He’s singing about the Banditos… can he count this as them being his muse? Or is that too self-indulgent?
It had been about an hour or so of sitting out there in the dark, listening to his voice. He had no idea when Clancy went out; even though he had tried his hardest to listen for it, he could never catch onto the sound of his footsteps. Perhaps those cat-eared points on his balaclava were fitting. He had only realised that Clancy had gone when he finally looked over his shoulder to see the flap of Clancy’s tent ajar. And so, like a completely normal person with very platonic feelings for his… friend (does Clancy consider him a friend? What does he consider him as?), he followed the same path that he followed the first few times into the woods, and as expected, there he found Clancy, balaclava-less and messy hair out, singing softly into the night sky.
It had been about a week or so since the first time that Torch had found out about Clancy’s talent. And honestly, Torch couldn’t lie; he was growing fonder and fonder of this soft, vulnerable Clancy every night. He could feel a connection so deep in his veins that it pulsed underneath his warm skin. And maybe, just maybe, Clancy could feel it too… even if he had no idea that he had such an audience. Or an audience at all.
He couldn’t help himself; as if his feet had gained a mind of his own, they slowly brought him closer to the source. Step by step, inch by inch-
Crack!
And just like that, Torch’s favourite sound to listen to stopped instantly. Torch slowly looked down, and to his horror, his heavy boot was pressed on a now-broken twig.
Shit.
Like a spooked cat, Clancy jumped about five feet into the air, looking around wildly.
“Who’s there?!” Clancy looked as tense as a feral cat that was about to pounce. “Sahlo folina, sahlo-” Nope, he couldn’t have the other Banditos here right now.
“It’s me!” Torch reluctantly emerged from the shadows, hands raised. Clancy's face morphed from panic to shock.
“...Torchbearer?" Clancy’s face looked like it was burning hot as he scrubbed it with his hands. "How long have you been listening?!”
“...a while. Since, uh… there was a song you sang about…” Torch racked his brain for the lyrics, and not just the details of Clancy’s face when it was at rest. “...something about falling in someone’s ghost…?”
Clancy paused his movements and started mumbling words under his breath. Torch was able to catch onto the words taxi cab under his breath before he nodded a little. “...so what, you’ve been stalking me?”
“Not… stalking, per se, more like… being your quiet and unknown audience?”
“And unwanted.” Clancy’s sharp tone ended his sentence firmer than he could. But right after, his shoulders sagged a little. “...did they sound okay?”
“More than okay,” Torch affirmed with a quick nod. “...after hearing you for the first time, I may have… followed you afterwards. To hear you sing. In a non-stalkerish way.”
“...we’re revisiting that last part later, but… you liked them that much?” Clancy looked almost… shy?
“Yeah… did you write them yourself? The songs?” He offered a quiet nod, and Torch’s smile grew just a little more. “...but I won’t lie and say that your voice doesn’t also play a part in why I like them so much.”
Clancy’s face burned as bright as the red accents of his balaclava, which was held tightly in his hand. He seemingly ran out of words, squirming on the spot, so Torch spoke up again.
“When we get out, I could add beats to your songs, if you wanted…? I used to play drums a lot, and I’m a bit rusty, but… I'd give it a shot.”
“‘When’?” Clancy echoed. “You sound confident that things will work out.”
“Of course I am… I do think you’re different, Clancy,” Torch’s deep brown eyes shifted towards the mentioned man, who was a little red. “I think you’ll make it.”
“...mm.” Shockingly, Clancy leaned his head a little on Torch’s shoulder. His face burst into flames, but he tried not to react. Clancy's never been very affectionate, so when these moments happen... it always catches him off guard. “I hope I do.”
“...yeah,” Torch swallowed. “I’m sure you will.”
A comfortable silence settled amongst the two of them, and Torch didn’t dare to breathe. A moment like this? He valued it almost as much as Clancy’s life; it was something to look back on one day, when the sun would be setting over a new world. A peaceful, happy world.
“I don’t… sing a lot.” Clancy spoke up quietly. “I’m not really good.”
“You are, though.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“I’d never lie to you.” Clancy’s protests seemingly died on his tongue, and unless he was going absolutely delusional, Torch could have sworn that he had shuffled a little closer.
“...I play piano, too. And bass.” Clancy spoke up again quietly. “Maybe we can form a band. You and me.”
Torch’s gaze shifted to the other man, a glint of surprise in his eyes. “Yeah? I’d love to, Clancy. Just you and me. We’ll tour the cities and play shows for everyone.” With a fond smile, Torch looked up into the clear night sky.
“You should sing for me sometime; y’know, with you knowing that you’re singing in front of me, and not just me listening in the trees.” Torch teased a little. Clancy went as red as the colours of his balaclava, which he hastily pulled back on.
“...I’ll think about it.” Hastily, the cat-eared man stood up, and Torch immediately missed his warmth. He spoke up again, a hint of worry sneaking its way into his tone. “You’re not gonna tell anyone about this, are you?” Torch shook his head.
“That’s for you to tell… but I don’t mind being the only one knowing.” He gently nudged his side, making the man beside him smile a little under his mask.
“...neither do I.”