𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘, 𝖺 𝗀𝗅𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝖻𝗎𝗆

she comes running over to me

No matter how bruised or battered, no matter how intense the fight had been, it was always the same.

The second the dust settled, the second the enemy fell or the ship stilled or the screams faded into silence...

Nancy would look for him.

And Thomas, like muscle memory, would already be there, eyes scanning until they locked on hers.

Sometimes she ran. Sometimes he did. Sometimes it was in slow motion, the world muffled behind the pounding of her heart.

Always, they ended up in each other's arms.

Nancy didn't say much. She just buried her face into his neck and breathed.

Thomas held her tighter, his arms firm and grounding. No words needed.

"You're okay," he would whisper, every single time. "You're okay. I'm here."

★

Once, she had blood on her lips, ash in her hair, and her prosthetic had sparked and hissed. She still ran. Still flung herself at him like gravity only existed between them.

"Missed you," she mumbled. Thomas kissed her forehead. "Every second."

★

In the background, the Right Arm teens were always so used to it.

"Yup. There she goes," said Frypan, dragging a crate past.

Vicky nudged Aris. "Bet you five ration bars Thomas says the 'I'm here' line again."

"Too late," Aris whispered. "He already said it."

★

It became tradition. No matter where, no matter what.

Thomas was Nancy's finish line.

And Nancy? She was Thomas's reason to make it back.