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the sun dies on the edge of the mountain as the night begins to seep in. crackling fire and the voices of banditos swim around the chilly night air.
torchbearer watches as his fellow banditos gather around the fire and various places in the camp to eat supper. a peaceful night really. but it’s just the calm before the storm.
tomorrow, the bishops will be defeated and clancy will be free.
they have been preparing for this last effort and everything needs to go according to plan. his eyes flicker with the fire as his mind wanders the halls and dead ends in his mind. every scenario is playing like a broken record behind his eyelids.
the 'what ifs', the unknown, the fear— it’s all consuming. doubt plugs his throat with the fear of losing; not just the battle, but clancy. yet he swallows that doubt just like he swallows his pride. he needs to stay strong for the banditos, himself, and most importantly clancy.
but like pouring rain slowly diminishing a fire his bravery is drowning.
a gentle hand rests on his shoulder, pulling him away from himself. he turns to jenna who greets him with her piercing blue eyes and wide smile.
“you’re thinking too loud. relax.” she jokes, and he chuckles, but she’s right. she hands him a bowl of soup, a spoon and two slices of buttered toast on a metal platter. “here, you need to eat. need to have enough energy for tomorrow, yeah?” he uncrosses his arms and the cool metal stings his warm hands.
he stares at the food and the bile in his stomach burns and bubbles with anxiety. “i- i dont think i can eat jen, i’m too anxious. i’ll probably just throw it up.” jenna smiles and shakes her head. “i know, but try okay? small bites and deep breathes, like we’ve practiced.”
torch returns the gentle smile and takes a slice of toast to dip into the soup. jenna prepares another platter and glances around confused.
“hm, where’s clancy? he needs to eat too.” torch gulps down the soup soaked toast and looks to his tent. “he’s sleeping, i think. last i checked at least. he’s… nervous, but excited. he wants this over just as much as me.”
she leans the metal platter on her hip. “we all are, and we’re all here for you. we’ll all be there to help bring this to an end.” torch finishes the toast as his stomach churns uncomfortably at the pressure of ending this cycle. he sets the barely touched soup on the table, unable to stomach anymore.
“yeah, thank you. we’ll defeat him, we’ll save clancy.” he says it more to himself, a hope he wants to keep alive. jenna rubs her hand on torch’s back. “yeah, we will. you should go back to your tent before clancy wakes up. you know he hates when you’re not there. oh, and bring him his food please?” she hands him the platter and he takes it with a smile.
“you’re right. good night jenna, and thank you. for everything.” she gives him a parting nod as he makes his way to his now shared tent. he unzips it and lifts the dark green flap, immediately greeted by the warm lantern light illuminating the inside. the several thick blankets on the cot slowly rise and fall with half of a face poking out.
clancy.
his thick lashes cast soft shadows on his cold bitten red cheeks. his eyelids twitch slightly and brows furrow softly, lost in the realm of sleep.
torch pushes the scattered papers to the side on his desk by the bed and sets the platter down. he sits on the edge of the cot and caresses clancy’s cold cheek. a couple dark fingers curl against the off-white pillow that rests clancy’s head. a few smudges of black remain, sure to stain, but torch could care less.
the lantern’s flame accentuates the curves of clancy’s face, basked in the warm glow. so peaceful, torch wants this forever. clancy with him, peace and bliss swirling around him. tomorrow they will make it happen.
they have to, there’s no other choice. they’re past the point of no return.
clancy’s eyes flutter open and brown orbs squint as they get used to the soft light. he shifts the blanket down and jumps a little upon seeing torchbearer. torch flashes his lover a soft smile and clancy relaxes back into the warmth, a smile of his own curling on his lips.
torch runs his hand over clancy’s buzzed head, thumb rubbing on his temple. “hey there pretty petal, how are you?”
clancy hums at the sweet words. “‘m okay, jus’... tired.” torch sighs a little through his nose, he knows clancy is holding back, trying to put on a brave front. even so, he won’t push the brunette right now.
“jenna made soup and buttered toast. you need to eat petal.” clancy stretches his arms above his head and lets out a small whine before sitting up against the blanketed metal frame.
torch grabs the metal platter as clancy rubs his eyes, still coming back to the realm of awake. torch puts a pillow down on clancy’s crisscrossed lap and then the platter with food. he places a kiss to clancy's head before sliding off the cot to sit on his desk chair.
clancy pouts as he nibbles on the toast. “why are you all the way over there? ‘m cold, come warm me up.”
torch lays the papers back neatly on his desk as he flashes a smirk to his love. “i’ll get your jacket then.” a loud whine is all he gets in return.
the pair soon fall into a comfortable silence as torch runs through the plan in his head again while clancy eats. he traces the circular walls with his finger. it glides across each rough page as he maps the route over and over again for the thousandth time.
he can feel eyes on him, watching his every move. he turns to look at the bed, only to be met with a sight he could only describe as beauty.
his pretty petal staring at him, lips jutted into a sad pout. metal platter forgotten on the floor, his hands now occupy the pillow, hugged close to his chest. his heart skips like a happy child with a balloon looking at clancy.
his clancy.
“i miss you.” the pouting lips mumbles into the pillow as he nibbles on it. a small habit torch has noticed he does with his clothing as well, helps him ground and comfort himself. torch rises from the desk chair and his back shoots lightning bolts of pain through it thanks to his awful sitting posture.
he groans and clancy giggle, mumbling ‘old man.’ into the pillow. torch scoffs and lets his body fall on top of clancy’s, weighing him down. giggles turn into full blown laughter as clancy tries to push the elder off of him.
“torch! get off of me, you’re too heavy!” he smiles against clancy’s neck before planting his hands on either side of his head and lifting himself off the smaller man. clancy softly punches torch’s shoulder before sliding them around his lover’s neck. his dark fingers play with the short curls at the base of torch’s skull.
torch gets himself more comfortable, laying stomach down between clancy’s opened thighs. he settles his head between clancy’s neck and shoulder, planting soft kisses to the dark smudged skin.
clancy rests his cheeks against torch’s curls, settling into the embrace. thighs completely trapping the larger man, one hand rubbing his sore upper back and shoulders while the other plays with the short curls that frame torch’s head. pure heavenly bliss.
torch would say he could die here and be happy. it’s perfect; his body entangled with the love of his life’s body.
he wonders, if they’d die together, if their bones would remain intertwined forever under the blanket of soil. maybe yellow flowers would blossom above them, their love growing up to the sun.
he would be happy with this, and he will be. once the battle is over. they will free clancy and then their lives together can finally begin.
the ruby red ring in the chest at the end of the bed sparkles in torch’s mind. after this, he’ll make their love official, put it in the purest form. red rings for them both, inspired by the invisible red string theory.
he remembers reading about it when he was younger; in eastern asia there's a belief about an invisible red thread that connects two people together. destined to be with each other, no matter the distance or what circumstances the pair face. the red string ties them together, forever.
it reminds him of himself and clancy. no matter what they’ve faced, how many times they've been apart, they’ve always come back into the other's embrace. soul mates in every sense.
he doesn’t know what he’d do without clancy. the fear of losing him, it’s all consuming and a possibility he’s had to consider. the sudden sadness washes through him and his eyes rain gently on clancy’s neck.
clancy caresses torch’s cheeks and forces the elder to make eye contact. reluctantly, he does, and those warm, caring brown orbs silence his fears. a soft swipe across his eyes dries his tears.
only clancy could love him like this.
he sits up and looks down at the man under him. he hunches over and rubs his hands across the exposed skin of clancy’s tan stomach.
“i’m scared petal.” vulnerable, fragile; torch tries to not let his walls fall. he’s ashamed, and his eyes refuse to meet clancy's.
dark hands lay atop his where they rest on clancy’s stomach. his thumb rubs soothing circles into his lover’s tummy, to help himself really. loving clancy always gives him peace.
“torch, look at me, please?” the words weigh down on his eyelids as he squeezes his eyes closed. he turns his head away as tears threaten to leave the lines of his eyes.
“torch.”
stern and concern laced in the single word. his lashes part their way and flicker over his lover's face. “you don’t need to keep your walls up around me, i’ve told you that. you don’t always have to keep up this strong persona around me. i love you for who you really are.” a cold hand caresses his warm cheek as he absorbs clancy’s gentle words.
shaky and soft, barely above a whisper, a voice cuts through torch’s brain. “i- i’m scared too… i don’t know what’s gonna happen. but, we can’t think with fear. it’s like what we preach; ‘peace will win and fear will lose.’ we gotta stay true to it.”
torch can’t help the smile that curls onto his lips. he stares down at the fallen angel below him. how he got so lucky, he doesn’t know. but he’ll never take this gift for granted which is why he’ll never give up on clancy, no matter what. a promise he’s made to themselves.
“i’m sorry for all i’ve put you through. i’m sorry for breaching our trust, deceiving you… i just want to save you.” torch let’s out a shaky exhale, lungs burning with desire.
“i love you, so much.” the words fall from torch’s lips as naturally as breathing. clancy holds his head and brings it down so their foreheads rest against each other.
“show me then. make love to me. i don’t wanna feel the fear, i just wanna feel your love.” his breath hitches and he’s pretty sure his heart stops for a moment at the younger’s words. he rests his lips against clancy’s, not to kiss, but instead to mumble against.
“anything for you petal, anything.”
clancy smiles fondly against torch’s lips before taking the elder’s bottom lip between his teeth playfully. torch chuckles and gently wraps their lips together. his hands find purchase on clancy’s hips with soft squeezes and rubs.
clancy’s cold dark hands feel like warm light against torch’s cheek and neck. their hips gently buck and rut against each other as their lips swim against each other, a shy prayer between them.
clancy pulls back, lips plump and wet with spit. his eyes are hazed over, pleading and looking up at torch. their harsh breaths fill the silence in the tent, sheltered away from the real world.
“need you, please.” torch places a hand on clancy’s cheek and the man nuzzles into the warmth with a whine. he places his thumb on clancy’s lips; they part on instinct and his thumb slips into the wet heat. the soft moans that fall from clancy’s occupied lips egg him on as he begins to thrust his thumb in and out.
“so good for me petal, so perfect.” he uses his thumb to coax clancy’s tongue out. he replaces his thumb with his mouth, smashing them into a messy make out. hands wander down the tan body below him, down to the tented boxers. a playful squeeze earns him a choked moan into their heated kiss.
he slips his hand down clancy’s boxers and his own, pulling out their cocks and pressing them together. clancy pulls away from the kiss to shove his face into torch’s neck. he whines into the shirt’s fabric, nibbling softly.
torch takes them both in his hand and strokes them together. the younger’s back arches off the cot as he bucks his hips up. a firm hand quickly keeps him in place, much to clancy’s dismay. torch shushes him and rubs his lover’s hips to soothe him.
he continues his slow shared strokes for a grueling amount of time. he watches the red tip of clancy’s cock spit out precum and gently removes his hand from clancy’s cock and wraps it around his solely. he knows the man below him is close and doesn't want to end their fun so soon.
clancy’s thighs squeeze around torch’s hips as he whines a silent beg. torch lays his lips against clancy’s neck, sucking soft hickeys that would never be shown through the dark ink.
continuing his assault on clancy’s neck, he takes the opportunity to pull the man’s boxers off and then his own. the cold air nips his skin but the thrill of the moment keeps him safe and warm.
he leans away from clancy’s neck and pulls him up so he’s sitting partially in his lap. his hands run over the newly exposed flesh of his thighs to his plump cheeks behind him. clancy throws his head back as torch’s hands slide under his black shirt, lifting it above his head, tossing it into the dark void behind them.
for a man full of darkness he glows like the sun.
the tan expanse is warm to the touch. black symmetrical lines show a stark contrast on his pecs. he thumbs over his lover’s nipples, hard and sensitive from the cold. clancy bites his lip to stop his sounds from spilling. torch can tell how worked up he is already, foreplay gets him going so easily. he pulls his own shirt off, joining the black shirt in the abyss.
he lays clancy flat against the cot, hand trailing down his whole body, up and down. clancy looks at him through hooded eyes, blissed out and on edge. torch grabs a pillow and shifts it under clancy’s hips. he places a kiss on his lover’s lips, trailing it down his body until he gets to his cock.
he presses kisses around it and then to the base. licking a fat stripe up it earns him a hiss from above and he chuckles. his hands push clancy’s thighs up to his chest. clancy wraps his arms around his legs, keeping them locked to his chest. torch's hands, now free, wander down the tan cheeks, spreading them to reveal his prize. the pucker winks at him in anticipation.
“s- stop staring…” the younger mumbles at the vulnerable position. torch quirks his brows and smirks. “just admiring your beauty, petal.” clancy squeezes his eyes closed as he whines. torch just chuckles and kisses his embarrassment away.
lips are replaced with two fingers and clancy happily takes them. he moans loudly around the salty taste. keeping his fingers in the man’s mouth, torch dives back down to his lover's lower half.
he kisses the tip of his cock, kissing down to his hole. he licks a wet stripe across it and the moans above him grow louder. his lips suction cups on to the pleading hole, sucking greedily. he can feel clancy’s teeth biting down on his fingers gently in attempts to muffle his moans.
the wetness allows his tongue to slip in to explore clancy’s most intimate part. he takes his time taking clancy apart, until his thighs are shaking and the man’s a blabbering mess. he pulls away panting and rakes his eyes over the beauty laid in front of him.
fingers still shoved into the mouth's wet heat, he’s a moaning mess, just like torch wanted. his fingers slip free, leaving clancy panting. torch licks the spit off the corners of his mouth, sliding his tongue into his mouth.
mouths occupied, torch slips the wet fingers down to clancy’s plump pucker, circling them teasingly. he pulls away from the kiss to watch as his fingers slip into the tight heat. the pucker greedily swallows both fingers as clancy lets out a choked moan.
torch smashes their lips together again to swallow clancy’s moans. he sloppily fingers clancy’s hole, searching for that special place. the kiss is torn as clancy throws his head back in a guttural moan. bingo. he fucks his fingers into that sweet spot, other hand kneading the meat of clancy's thighs.
“t- torch, s- stop please, don’t wan’ cum like this.” his breath is airy and his head is high in the clouds of bliss. torch slips his fingers out and plants a soft kiss on the corner of clancy’s panting mouth. his calloused hands run over the buzz headed brunette, the soft prickles tickle his cool skin.
their eyes meet and the younger flashes his crooked teeth smile, a smile that warms his cold body. perfectly imperfect.
“my pretty petal… so good for me. you ready?” he spits into his palm and rubs it across his length. too overwhelmed for words, the brunette nods vigorously. their lips morph together once more, much deeper this time as torch lines himself up.
he watches his love’s face contort in slight pain as he pushes in. he mutters sweet praises into his mouth to distract from the sting. once fully seated inside clancy, he takes a moment to bite his own lip, a faint metallic taste infiltrates his taste buds.
the warmth wrapped around him, so wet and tight it, makes his head throb and dick twitch inside. eyes lock onto clancy’s shut ones, brows relaxed but still he awaits clancy’s confirmation to move.
the man’s warm eyes open and lock onto torch’s. he curls into a blushing smile and gives a soft nod to the elder, a non-verbal okay. torch catches the younger’s lips as he pulls himself out so only his tip remains. he snaps his hips back in and clancy let’s out a whiney moan into the kiss.
music to torch’s ears. he’s addicted to the sound, he’s addicted to everything about clancy.
he continues with gentle thrusts, hands running up and down the tan body below him. he allows his hands to roam over his warm skin, rubbing down to the dark ink hands. their fingers interlace and torch raises them above clancy’s head. the man bears his inked neck and his lips pepper kisses against the dark skin.
clancy unlaces one hand and brings it against torch’s neck, fingers swirling invisible patterns into the pale skin. the familiar warmth pools in torch’s stomach as he continues with deep thrusts. he lifts himself off of clancy and uses his now free hands to hold the lithe hips in place. delicate thrusts grow more erratic and so do the moans that spill for both lips.
in the back of his mind torch knows some of the banditos probably can hear them doing the devil’s tango. he makes a mental note to apologise but right now? he could care less.
“t- torch— ‘m so close.” torch refocuses his attention to the dishevelled man under him. he runs his hand over the pudge of clancy’s stomach down to his shaft. a gentle grip and tug leaves the man’s thighs shaking.
“o- oh— m’ so close please! pleasepleasepleaseplease— “ clancy’s hands claw the elder down, chests flushed together. he can feel the blunt nails digging into his back and shoulders, a delicious pain.
“cum for me petal, let it go.” torch mumbles into the corner of clancy’s gaping mouth. a soft twitch in his hand and a breathy moan follow suit. hot white stripes line the tan skin below it. a beautiful sight and one torch never wants to forget.
a couple more deep thrusts and he’s burying his own hot release inside his lover. both are lost to the world, completely blissed out, still deep in the realm of love-making. clancy’s hands wrap firm around torch’s shoulders, keeping him pinned down and inside.
they lay there like that for an unknown amount of time, simply enjoying the presence of the other. soon, the post-sex haze seeps out the tent and torch allows himself to slip out. he watches the red rim spurt out globs of thick white.
he groans at the sight and uses a finger to push it back in. clancy quickly swats his hand away, clearly overstimulated by the small gesture. torch giggles at his love and the younger adds to the noise. he leans down to plant a soft kiss to his now very tired love.
rolling out of the cot, he grabs a spare cloth and returns to clean clancy up. after care is one of torch’s favourite things to do, it allows him to show his appreciation to the love they’ve shared.
he hands clancy a cool cup of water and retreats to dress himself in his olive green hoodie and brown sweats. he grabs a yellow hoodie and black sweats for clancy and returns to dress the half-awake man.
once both are snuggled up in the warmth, he gets in behind clancy and spoons him. clancy wiggles back into the man and their legs intertwine. the thick blankets swamp them in warmth against the cold darkness.
the silence would usually unnerve torch. too little sound to occupy his brain, too little sound to distract himself from the dark thoughts that try to slip through the wrinkles of his brain.
but with clancy in his arms, the silence is comforting. he doesn’t need the sound to distract him. he can focus on the warmth against and the soft breathing and snores from clancy. in a moment like this he realises that clancy has helped him just as much as he has helped clancy. he’s not sure if clancy knows the effect he has on him, unknowingly diminishing the anxiety that bubbles in him.
the buzzed hair tickles his chin and he presses a kiss to prickles. “i love you clancy.” he whispers into the body in front of him. soft snores is all he gets in return and that’s perfect.
tomorrow they’ll breach the city walls and defeat the bishops, defeat nico, free clancy.
together, they can conquer anything.
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they reach the top of the rocky hill, hand in hand with their fellow banditos following close by.
the circular walls of dema greet them with a bitter reminder. clancy’s hand squeezes torch’s tighter. torch looks over to his masked lover with concern.
his eyes hold an unreadable expression but torch knows he’s scared, but ready for this to be over. he gives clancy a reassuring squeeze back and those eyes meet his.
with only their eyes exposed, they give each other a knowing look. this is their chance, and they must take it. clancy’s eyes flicker against the warmth of the lit torch and mutters against the fabric of his mask.
“i love you.”
three simple words that ripple and reverberate through torchbearer’s bones. his lashes quickly bat away the tears that want to spill.
“i love you too, no matter what happens.”
they share a nod and that’s their cue.
raising the lit torch he’s destined to bear, he shoves it forward, pointing at the cement city. a wordless command to the other banditos. they begin to tread down the rocky hill with torch leading.
he allows himself to look back at clancy whose feet are still planted in the ground. their eyes meet for a moment before clancy runs to the left, down under the city. torch leads his people to the rising dead, the glorious gone, being forced from their eternal slumber to mindlessly defend the people who manipulated them.
flames flicker and limbs swing as the dead rush to them. he raises his torch and slams it down on one of the possessed zombies, watching the flames erupt the already dead corpse, turning them to ash.
put to peace at last; he sets ablaze several fallen friends, one after the other, with only one thought in mind.
out of the corner of his eye, a small figure moves up a stone wall. he can’t stop the shaking in his hands as he watches clancy, his clancy, reach the top of the tower. his body disappears into the dark opening and the sudden urge to protect becomes all too consuming. he yells at a few banditos near him to follow him into the tower.
fear is rushing through his veins as they infiltrate the tower. he drops his backpack down on the stone, slamming on the door with the blunt end of his torch. burgundy doors are slammed open and stone steps echo their heavy steps through the twists and turns of the tower.
several three blue lights illuminate their final destination, a simple wooden door blocking him from the end. he slams his shoulder against the door until it finally gives way. but as it opens a bright light blinds him and a gush of wind send him flying back onto the hard ground.
he groans at the pain and shakes his head as the fellow banditos rush past him into the room. he quickly gathers himself and pushes past them to the front. small particles fly around and red cloaks lay on the ground.
clancy is still, staring out into the setting sun, not a bishop in sight. his mask lays abandoned on the ground with the red robes. a proud smile creeps it’s way onto torch’s lips and he lets out a breathy laugh.
he did it, the cycle is over, he knew it was stupid to doubt clancy. but before torch can praise him, clancy rips down the red drape next to the window and wraps it around himself.
torch’s brows furrow in confusion, he can’t see clancy’s face to read what he’s thinking. clancy reaches down and grabs the red robes one by one, resting them in his arms. he turns around and torch’s heart drops.
those once warm eyes read an expressionless cold. his black neck has now crept up to his lips, wrapping his smile around his head, splitting it in two. he hands one red robe to the first bandito on torch’s left. they take it, and the next one takes it and the next one too.
”clancy, what are y-” his shaky words are cut off by clancy handing him a red robe of his own. torch stares into clancy’s eyes, eyes that do not meet his own and instead stare at the cloak, waiting.
his jaw is wobbling and his eyes are fogging over. he raises a hand to hold clancy’s cheek but the man is quick to turn his head to avoid the gentle touch, eyes still refusing to meet.
“clancy… please…” his hazel eyes fill with silent tears and his voice shakes with fear. clancy pushes the cloak against torch’s chest again. he looks down at it and then back again at the man he once knew. clancy’s eyes meet his this time, but not an ounce of warmth fills his chocolate brown obs.
“i love you.” he whispers to the man. not a word is uttered in return, instead the man in red moves on the the next bandito who takes the cloak. the mask taunts him on the floor as he picks it up. it’s heavy in his hands. torch’s body is shaking as he backs away.
all eight banditos, bathed in red head to toe. that, man, in the middle draws up his red hood and steals one last cold glance at torch before turning on his heels, fully submitted to the darkness in red.
torch’s eyes blur with tears and he steps out of the room, grabbing his dim torch laid on the ground as he moves. each step weighs him down and defeat lays heavy on his shoulders. he tracks back down the tower, through the halls, the twists and turns, alone.
the door back to outside greets him solemnly. the bright yellows and oranges of the setting sun greet his eyes and the dark green of the hills reflect the light. the outside is peaceful, a stark contrast to what he just witnessed. his backpack is still laid on the stone, a few papers scattered about.
squatting down, he picks up the pieces. pieces he put together for a purpose. a purpose now gone. the mask clancy once wore as a symbol of who he is, abandoned on the ground.
empty.
a fellow bandito walks towards him, shoulders slump with his heavy sack, a knowing look plastered on his face.
“what now?” torch keeps his back to the guy as he searches his head for an answer. what now? the question echos in his skull. this is not what they had planned. the guy looks up to the tower with an adoring look.
“i really liked this clancy.” torch stops his packing and hold his breath. “yeah, me too.” he swings the full sack over his shoulder and finally faces the bandito. torch glances back up at the tower as he addresses the man.
“but that’s not clancy up there anymore.” he looks to the rocky green hills, a path home. “he’s out there somewhere. and we will try again.” the bandito furrows his brows at torchbearer’s words.
“again?” torch looks the worried bandito in the eyes and flashes a small smile.
“always.” he grabs his torch and raises it, ready to lead his people back to their camp to try again. the bandito follows his leader with a puzzled look. “but, why?”
“because; i am torchbearer. and i will not give up on him.”
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