Chapter Text
Torch was walking for weeks, maybe months. Never stopping, always searching.
For Clancy. Always Clancy.
Torch had lost Eric along the way. He claimed “they’d never find Clancy” at least five times in two weeks alone.
But Torch kept going. He wouldn’t give up on them.
He kept retracing steps, looking in places he’s never been on the maps.
Still, no luck.
He never thought to go back to Dema.
That’s not Clancy.
That’s what he told himself, at least.
But maybe he was lying to himself.
Maybe Clancy WAS up there.
He looks down at the map in his hands, his eyes raking over where he drew small Xs on different places.
He looks out past the horizon, his eyes landing on the faint outline of the cement city in the distance. Clancy.
He carefully rolls back up the map and stuffs it in his bag, slinging it over his shoulders and letting out a sigh. He expects to hear a small voice ask if he's okay, but it never comes. He shakes his head, pushing his thoughts away and starts his path to Dema once more.
|-/
The path to Dema seemed longer than usual. He's taken the routes dozens of times, but this one feels like the longest.
His legs are sore from walking so far, and his boots are fairly worn out. His torch, however, isn't out yet.
He feels like he's been walking for days when he finally makes it to a clearing near Dema, and a smile spreads on his face.
The clearing was quiet. The cement city was just ahead, gray and huge. Torch put his bag down and brushed off the dirt. He could hear the wind and a faint hum from the city.
He looked around, hoping maybe Clancy was there. Maybe leaning on a wall, or hiding with that small, teasing smile that made Torch’s chest hurt. But there was nothing. Just wind. Just silence.
Torch gripped his torch tighter. Something about this place felt… wrong. Like it was watching him.
He took a deep breath and started walking. One foot in front of the other. The clearing seemed to go on forever, and the city looked like it moved farther away the more he went forward. But he kept going. He couldn’t stop.
He walks around for a bit, until he sees a faint figure in the distance. His chest immediately tightens and his mind immediately jumps to Clancy.
He watches the figure move around, wandering and looking all over the place, like they've never been outside of the city before.
Torch walks closer to them, his heart rate increasing with each step he takes.
With a wavering voice, he manages to gently call out, "Clancy?"
Clancy cocks his head back without hesitation. He couldn’t see who was calling for him.
Torch takes a quiet step forward, holding his breath. His eyes start to go fuzzy from staring at him for too long.
Fully turning around, Clancy finally catches the voices figure. He can’t make out who he is, but he could feel a familiar presence.
After seeing Clancy turn around, he knew for sure that that was him. He took 6 small steps forward again, only for him to call out; “Clance?”
Clancy squints. who is that? he thinks to himself, before noticing the red tape on his jacket.
The dirty, old and worn out red tape he would wear when he was considered a leader. When he was considered brave.
“Torch?”
Torch's heart swells and he runs up to Clancy, wrapping his arms around him as they fall to the ground. Clancy's eyes widen as the Bandito runs into him, sending him to the ground, with Torch latched onto him like a baby koala.
"I'm sorry I didn't come back for you, I didn't think properly and-" Torch's voice in muffled in the other's shoulders, and Clancy's arms slowly wrap around him. His heart rate increases with each word Torch says, his mind reeling.
Clancy shakes his hand and shoves Torch off of him, and Torch looks at him confused, his eyes somewhat teary.
"Wait, what-" Torch stares at him, his backpack falling off of his shoulders.
Clancy looks at him, like really looks, and then he smiles. "You found me."
Torch blinks a couple times, before nodding weakly. "I- yeah I guess I did."
Clancy's eyes soften, before he takes off his robe and hugs Torch again.
"I'm sorry, Torch, I shouldn't have become a Bishop, I just-"
"Shut up, you're talking to much," Torch says pulling away, leveling himself with Clancy.
Clancy stares at him, his lips parted. "I said like ten words?"
Torch scowls at him. "Don't be a smartass."
Clancy laughs gently. "Hm, sure." He rolls his eyes before leaning in to kiss Torch, who immediately reciprocates and kisses back.
Clancy's hands move to Torch's waist, and the other's left hand moves to cup his jaw, and the other hand moves to his neck.
Clancy slowly guides Torch back into the grass, gently denting the yellow daises that were there. Torch lets himself get moved down, and he feels Clancy somewhat straddle him. They break apart for air for just a moment, staring at each other before Clancy immediately goes back in to kiss Torch.
They stay like that, Clancy partially on Torch, and Torch holding him, before Clancy shifts slightly to lay sort of on his side, but still partially on the bandito. His hand moves under Torch's jacket, gently caressing the skin there, making Torch shiver. Clancy smirks against his lips, tracing gently patterns on his sides.
Finally, the pull away, hearts racing a breaths ragged.
Clancy stares at Torch, and Torch stares back, smiling.
Clancy gently kisses him again, before resting his forehead on the other's.
"You found me," he whispers gently, his eyes half lidded.
"Always," Torch answers, kissing him lightly, before leaning back in the grass staring at the sunny sky.