Work Text:
Clancy took a deep breath. He was home again, alone in his shared bedroom. He knew that he would start to process everything now that he had a moment, so he tried to made himself busy. He didn’t especially want to think about what happened in the labyrinth right now.
His relatively new journal found its way to his desk, special fey flowers safely pressed inside. A journal wasn’t something he’d ever really expected to keep up with; nothing especially noteworthy happens to a wandering nameless bard. What would he have written about? This town’s silly overheard gossip, or that town’s cute stranger who smiled at his music? None of it really mattered in the long term; he’d be off to the next town soon enough. But things have certainly changed, haven’t they?
It’s been so long since he’s had a consistent place to sleep and a family to watch his back. It’s been way too fucking long, actually. And in all those years, no one’s managed to break through his barriers as easily as this group has. He has absolutely gone soft with the security they bring, yet he still finds himself habitually keeping things from them. He sighs, falling back onto his bed. Even though he trusts his team with his life, he still has one foot out of the door. Just in case.
He huffs a quiet laugh at himself. This is ridiculous. What is he going to do, run away again? It’s a bit fucking late for that. He genuinely loves everyone here; there’s no way in hell he could just leave them. He’s just used to the life of a traveler.
He should work on this. There’s no point in making leaving hurt less if you’re never going to leave.
Granny Gorick’s fortune told him not to get too comfortable...
“You who seeks a home for his guarded heart, beware!
The family you’ve found is the biggest threat to your heart’s greatest task.”
Granny Gorick was definitely not the best person to take advice from.
Clancy sat up, taking his newly fixed violin in his hands. It was time to open up a bit. He could do a bit.
***
“Heya sweetheart! Would you like to hear a new song?”
An announcer asks a crowd if they’re ready, and they cheer excitedly.
“Hehe, good. Come, join me in my room.”
“My mom used to sing this to me when I was little. Now I want to share it with you! You ready?”
A kid asks if their fallen playmate is okay.
“I’m okay. I’m just happy I could play it for you. Thank you for listening, sunshine.”