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Chapter Text

Wind hadn't wanted to say anything at first.

It was just a nagging feeling in the back of his mind. A vague memory that plagued his subconscious until his smile dropped and he stuck to the back of the group. It was a bit of a battle to keep the others away without raising suspicion, but the forced spring in his step and relaxed shoulders was enough to keep the others appeased.

Or it seemed to, anyhow.

It was dusk by the time they finally decided to set up camp for the night. They had been traversing Hyrule Field after scaling the side of the Great Plateau for the most part of the day, Wild leading the way across the moderately unfamiliar land. They had only been in Wild's Hyrule a handful of times, and even those were spent in either the Zora's Domaine or his house in Hateno.

Wild had wanted to keep going until they reached the stable on the way to Kakariko Village, but due to the couple of sustained injuries after the rough landing from the portal, their pace had been slowed to that of a limping Legend.

Wind awkwardly stood back as the others shuffled about, laying out their bedrolls as Wild began setting up his cooking pot and sorting something out for their dinner.

It didn't happen often, the feeling. It was more fleeting, than anything - the feeling of wrongness - but the remnants lingered long after, like a heavy fog that refused to lift. It clouded his vision and forced himself inside his head. The thoughts always managed to resurface and drag his mood down, as well as his spirit. He hadn't thought it was important enough to bring up. Why would it be? The Heroes of Courage have more important things to worry about, like making sure they all survived a night in the wilderness of the most untamed Hyrule of their journey.

"Hey, Wind?"

Wind's eyes fluttered as he refocussed on the scene before him. He shifted his gaze away from the currently small fire to the hero frowning at him. "You good?" Four's head cocked to the side, a purple tint glinting in his eyes.

"Yep! Just thinking."

Four hummed, and gestured to the empty space beside his bedroll. "You can put your stuff there. Wild says to keep close tonight, we don't want you too far away."

Wind supressed an eyeroll at the concern. Of course it would be him they were worried about. Sure, he was the youngest, but he was hardly inexperienced in defending himself. He had defeated Ganon just as they others had - with a sword through the skull, no less.

With a light sigh, he stepped towards Four and proceeded to set his stuff out, the feeling in the back of his mind unrelenting. It had been a recurring thing ever since the end of his journey, as if the moment he pierced Ganon with the Master Sword, an unforgettable evil had seeped out and wormed its way into his brain. Obviously, that wasn't possible, but the principle was the same.

He huffed and slumped onto his bedroll, more tired than he would care to admit. Wild's Hyrule was immense and they'd been walking on uneven ground for hours on end. He was surprised Four had lasted as long as he did, what with his short legs. It was at the five hour mark that his ankle buckled, grabbing onto Hyrule as he tumbled, pulling them both down. Hard. Four's knees were scraped and his chin made harsh contact with the ground. Ultimately, it could have been worse than a few scratches and bruises, but with their red potions having run out two days ago, the point had been silently made that they needed to rest soon. Wild was reluctant to stop in the middle of nowhere for the night, but Warriors' sharp look had him relenting.

"How long until food's ready?" Sky had mumbled, falling face-first into his pillow.

Wild poked at whatever he was cooking in that pot of his, pursing his lips as he added a few more slices of hydromelon. "Ten minutes or so." This elicited a groan from the majority from the group - some at the prospect of food, others at having to move to get it. Either way, Wild smiled.

One by one, they all eventually congregated around the fire, like they did almost every night they were forced to camp outside.

"So, Wild," Time began as the bowls of Creamy Heart Soup was being passed around. "Kakariko's our first stop tomorrow?"

"Yeah," The Champion responded, sounding weary himself. "Should be about a day's travel. We'll be able to restock food and find a proper bed to sleep in." A collective sigh of relief was shared by the group. Wind couldn't remember the last time he had felt the comfort of a mattress and blanket to sink into for the night.

Wind wiggled on his patch of grass, trying him best to find a comfortable spot. Twilight spotted him across the fire, rising an eyebrow in a good impression of Time's.

"You okay, Sailor?"

Wind stopped his squirming and looked up, cheeks heating as the others turned their attentions on him.

"I'm good." He muttered, gluing himself to the spot and stared down at his soup. There was a hum of acknowledgement, and soon enough Warriors and Legend had delved right back into their debate over the best fruit, the others chipping in and laughing whenever one of the pair pulled a face.

Wind sighed into his empty bowl. The meal had reminded him heavily of his Grandma's soup. Of course, it wasn't nearly as delicious - or comforting - but it was better than nothing, he supposed - no offence, Wild.

By the time the fire had begun to simmer out and the sun had long since dipped below the horizon, Sky had managed to drag himself to his bedroll, promptly falling into it and falling asleep. The rest of the Heroes exchanged a look before deciding to follow suit.

"I'll take first watch." Time announced, turning his ocarina over and over again in his hands. Wind had noticed him warily eyeing the moon ever since the sun had set, just like he did whichever Hyrule they were in. The others had speculated it was an ingrained instinct from his journey; none knew what exactly, but Wind couldn't say he didn't relate to him in the muscle-memory department.

In the end, the chosen heroes slowly made their way for bed, grateful for the chance to finally rest under the watchful eye of their leader.

And as Wind snuggled into his bedroll, a wave of drowsiness washed over him, making his eyelids heavy, until he couldn't resist the pull anymore.

*******

Link rolled over in his bed and... promptly fell out. Right onto the cold, hardwood floor.

"Ughhh." He groaned, pulling his head up and blearily looking around. The décor of his grandma's house was simple yet cosy, much like the woman herself. There was no messing about when it came to Grandma, she would tell the truth without batting an eye, all while comforting you with a warm bowl of soup and a handstitched blanket.

Link grinned and jumped to his feet, suddenly remembering what day it was. He smiled widely and made for the ladder, sliding down the sides and landing with a thump in the kitchen.

"Ah, good morning." His grandma smiled sweetly at him and waved him over. Link skipped towards her, eyeing a pot that smelled suspiciously like his favourite soup. "Happy birthday, my boy." She took his face in her wrinkled hands and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you!" Link hopped on the spot, excited for what the rest of the day had instore for him.

You see, this wasn't any ordinary birthday. No, today was Link's special birthday. The day had finally come where he ascended from the realm of childhood into the adult world. Today was the day where he would receive his tunic. The one that commemorated the passed Hero of Time, and all he had achieved before mysteriously disappearing again. Link hoped to be like him one day - without the disappearing act, that is.

He grasped his hands behind his back and rocked back and forth on his heels, lips curling into a knowing smile. His grandmother raised an eyebrow at his eagerness, but simply turned back to her cooking.

"I know what that smile means." She spoke slowly, carefully, "You want to help round up the pigs again, don't you?" She let out a chuckle as Link's smile dropped and his bottom lip poked out in a pout. "Now, before you do that, Aryll said she had something for you. Take this," She handed him two small sandwiches, "and go see her. She's been waiting all morning. Patience of the goddess, that girl."

Link nodded, clutching his breakfast to his chest and returned a quick kiss to her cheek. "I'll be back as soon as possible!" He waved and sped through the door, into the late morning sunlight.

It turned out to be true, after all. The pigs had gotten out again and he nearly trampled one as he jumped down the steps of his porch. The sun was nearing its peak in the sky, hovering just above the watch-tower along the coast of the island. If he squinted, he would probably be able to make out the vague silhouette of his sister.

He kicked up plumes of sand as he raced across the beach, the wind in his hair and the heavy stench of salt in the air. Hylia truly had blessed them that morning. The weather was beautiful.

"Aryll?" Link called, standing at the base of the ladder up to the watch-platform. It would be one hell of a climb for her not to be there after all.

"Big brother!"

The voice was carried by the breeze, but... Link's brow furrowed. Not from the tower, he concluded. He spun around, eyes wide as they landed on the figure of his sister, standing proud and waving from the rope bridge between the sloped path and the forest at the top of the island's plateau.

Link raised his arms and waved back, beaming.

It was in that moment that he learned a hard truth.

It only takes a second for everything to change.

It was the shadow he saw first. A great, black beast that swooped across the golden sand and vibrant grass. Fear and a hint of curiosity swirled in the pit of his stomach. He looked up, shielding his eyes from the suddenly taunting glare of the sun. A flurry of blue, almost black, feathers filled the sky. A stream of yellow and green followed after, billowing in the breeze.

Link felt sick to his stomach.

The creature soared around the island, like a vulture circling its prey.

And just like dreaded bird, it lunged down for the kill.

Link's heart crawled into his throat, the sight of his sister being carried into the air being burned into his memory; the last, desperate cry for help forever ringing in his ears, even after he had saved her.

"Brother!"

"ARYLL!"

*******

Wind startled awake, hand pressed to his pounding heart and gasping for air. Sweat beaded his hairline, trickling down in a pitiful manner and dripped from his chin to join the puddle of tears decorating his lap.

"Sailor?"

He hastily wiped his face, glancing over his shoulder to see the darkened figure of Time. He sat slumped over his ocarina still, facing the group, propped against one of the logs they had used as a bench.

"Yes?" Wind croaked, internally cringing at the grogginess of his voice. It was painfully obvious he'd been crying, even if his tear streaked face and blotchy complexion couldn't be seen in the shade of the night.

Time's head tilted to the side ever so slightly, and he opened his arms. "Come here."

It was all Wind could do to not burst out crying right then. Instead, he managed to console himself until he had fallen into Time's embrace to allow the tears to flow.

It wasn't as if nightmares were uncommon within the group - quite the opposite, actually. Haunting memories and graphic recollections of past events frequently had the Heroes of Courage being dragged from their otherwise peaceful sleep.

Wind grappled at Time's tunic, holding himself closer. It was at moments like this he longed for his Grandma's hugs. She always knew exactly what to say, what to do, how to comfort him. The boys were just... not her. He wasn't ungrateful for them, not in the slightest, but it was the same way Time longed for the embrace of his wife, the way Wild sought the comfort he once held in the friends he had lost.

Time's arms wrapped around him, cradling him against his chest. If any of the others had been awake, Wind would have vastly objected to being coddled like this. He hated feeling like a child, especially when he knew that, technically, he still was. He was barely in his teen years, and though some of the others weren't much older than him - Wild only by four years - he was still viewed as the baby of the group.

"Have I ever told you boys," Time's voice was quiet, like a gentle Summer breeze, "about Saria?"

Wind's ears perked up, and he turned his face from being mushed against Time's chest. "No." He muttered.

Time sighed. "She was... my friend. My first friend, back before my first journey began."

Wind's eyebrows furrowed. "First journey?" His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Ah-ah, one story at a time." Time poked Wind in the ribs, earning a light laugh. "Anyway. You know how I grew up within a forest deep inside the Lost Woods?" Wind nodded. "Well, I lived amongst fairy children who never grew up. They were called-"

"The Kokiri!"

Time's eye widened slightly and Wind pulled away from his chest. "The Kokiri, right? They were around before the Koroks. I met one of them!"

"You... met a Kokiri child?" Time couldn't tell whether his heart was beating a thousand times a minute or had stopped completely.

"Yeah! In the Wind Temple. He was the Wind Sage, but..." Wind's eyes darkened, "he was killed when Ganondorf rose. But his spirit remained in the temple until I awoke the next Sage! So I got to meet him. He taught me the Wind God's Aria."

Time nodded as Wind's head fell back against his chest. "Interesting. I'm glad that at least one of you knew the family I grew up with. To an extent, at least."

"Yeah. Fado was cool." Wind muttered. "But who was Saria?"

"She was... my best friend. Before I left the forest. We used to play together everyday."

Wind could hear the sad tone of Time's voice, and only hesitated for a second before asking. "What happened to her?"

The air grew cold around them, and Wind subconsciously huddled closer to the elder. He felt how Time's arms had grown tense around him, as if the boy's presence was the only thing keeping him grounded. "She became the Forest Sage, and helped the other Sages to seal Ganon. But... unfortunately in order to awaken as the Sage, she, like all the others, had to... pass on. She couldn't achieve her destiny within the constraints of her mortal form."

Wind felt his chest constrict. Time rarely spoke of his journey, of the people he had known, of the trails he had to overcome in order to defeat Ganon and the other evils that had plagued his time - he had spoken of more than one enemy in passing, ignoring any and every protest and question in response.

"Your sister reminded me a lot of her."

Wind's mouth fell open. "How did you..."

Time looked rather sheepishly to the side. "You... talk a bit in your sleep."

Wind looked down at his lap. "Oh."

"You know, you can talk to any of us about anything that's bothering you." Time nudged his shoulder. "We all have our fair share of regrets and misplaced self-blame. If anyone were to understand, it would be us."

Wind nodded slowly. He already knew this, of course he did, but the thought of burdening the others with his problems made the guilt worsen every time, causing the words to die on his tongue before he'd even had the chance to utter them.

"It's... It's always the same." He started, feeling the stinging of tears appear once again. "She gets taken every time and I stand there and do nothing. Every. Time."

"You saved her, did you not?" Time offered.

"Yeah, I did, but at what cost? The loss of her innocence? The loss of her childhood? The loss of my childhood? It was never the same after that. It was as if... there was something hanging over us. As if we were both waiting for the next inevitable bad thing to happen."

"Have you talked to her about it? About what happened?"

Again, Wind nodded.

"Then maybe it's time to... not be afraid anymore. Your sister is... remarkably strong. To survive what she has endured and come out the other side smiling is a strength not many possess. She's lucky to have you as a brother, but you're also lucky to have her as a sister. She's grown since then. Have a little faith in her."

Wind hummed, still frowning. "But what if I'm not there to save her next time? What if-"

"You are not alone in defending that world." Time tilted Wind's face up and looked him in the eye. "There are others willing to protect your Hyrule just as much as yourself. And on top of that, you have us." And for the first time that day, Wind saw the elder smile. "And have a little faith in Hylia. If your sister is ever in danger again, the Goddess would not allow any harm to come to her. Sky will personally fight you on that."

Wind let out a short laugh, sounding more like a sigh, and pulled his knees into his chest. "Yeah. I know, but still..."

"The worry is, unfortunately, always going to be there. After everything you have been through, your fight response will always be on edge. The only thing you've got left to do now is tame it and channel its energy into something else. A way to relax, if you will."

Wind shuffle out of Time's lap and sat facing him, taking on a very serious look for that time of night. "What do you do to relax?"

"I play my ocarina." From his pocket, Time pulled a yellow-ish instrument with a green triangle adorning the mouthpiece.

"That's not your usual one." Wind pointed out, his eyes trailing down the ocarina still laid on the grass between them. "How many do you have?"

Time chuckled at the bewildered look on his face. "Just the two." He lay them side by side. He pointed to the one he had just revealed. "This is a Fairy Ocarina. It was a parting gift from Saria." He then turned to the blue one, emblazoned with a golden triforce. "This was from my Princess Zelda. It is the Ocarina of Time."

Wind gasped and stooped lower to take a closer look. "Is that why you're called 'Time'?"

Time passed a hand through his hair. His vision flashed with images of the Sacred Realm, Termina, the moon, Skull Kid, Navi, the Great Deku Tree, Saria, Zelda, Mido, Sheik, Malon, Ganon, the Happy Mask Salesman.

His entire existence reduced to a single second.

He blinked, and he was back with Wind. He smiled down at the curious boy before him.

"Something like that."

Chapter Text

Sky had felt his resolve start to crumble the moment he set eyes on the beastly thing. It was something straight out of his darkest nightmares, something so undeniably dangerous and heart wrenching, he wondered how, in all of Hyrule, the others could be excited to go.

Couldn't they stay right on the ground and look at it from there? Why did they have to climb the damn thing, anyway? Couldn't Wild just poof them up there with that magic box-thing of his? It looked like one hell of a trek, fully equipped with electric enemies and torrential rainfall the entire way.

And don't get him started on their destination itself. The mere sight of it his sent his stomach into rolling tides of nausea. Granted, it would be a tad easier on his lungs, but was the thinner air worth the utter torture he would have to endure to reach it?

Coming down the Surface during his journey had been one of the most arduous tasks he had ever completed, the monsters he faced along the way only being half the battle. Sky wasn't adapted to life on the ground, he was born to exist amongst the clouds, not the forests and caverns that lay beneath. The health problems that had conveniently arisen due to his decent had opened up a rabbit hole of further problems. The thicker air led to asthma, of all things. It was a condition rarely heard of in Skyloft, only around one in every five hundred children and adults being diagnosed at some point in their life. And don't even get him started on the dietary issues. Living on Skyloft meant a significant lack of any food consisting of meat, so the plentiful stores of everything from cuckoos to rabbits to goats hadn't gone down well with him.

These were problems that he could deal with. Take more frequent breaks when the air got too heavy, and regulate his breathing. Avoid meat. Easy. Simple. What the others were expecting of him now... not so much.

He couldn't blame them, not really. He hadn't told them of his fear, so how were they to know?

In the end, he shook his head in defeat.

There would be no avoiding it. He had to go.

Right up to the top of Shatterback Point.

Goddess above, what had he done to deserve this?

Suddenly, he felt an arm sling around his shoulders, the scent of sweat and something sweet assaulting his senses.

"Looking a tad pasty in the face, bird boy. Not getting cold feet, are you?" Sky knew that Warriors was only teasing. That's how he was. Any concerns or worries would - more often than not - be prodded at through snide comments or blatant, snappy remarks. But even still, he wasn't wrong. As a matter of fact, the Captain had hit the nail on the head. He was scared. Terrified, even.

"No." He grunted under even more of Warriors' weight being pressed against him. "I'm just not liking the idea of being fried to a crisp in the pouring rain."

He felt Warriors shift, the weight leaving his shoulders and a hand finding the small of his back. "If you want to stay, you can. I'll tell them you have... food poisoning. Sick everywhere."

Sky raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "Flattering, but Hyrule would then stay behind and they would all worry. Relax, Wars, I'm fine." Sky met his eye, quietly surprised by the concern he found in the taller man's gaze. He wasn't sure why, but it constantly caught him off guard whenever Warriors was showing anything besides cockiness. The caring side of the hero reminded him a lot of Time, in a way. Quiet, but still there.

Warriors started at him for a moment longer, then relented, though not looking entirely convinced. "If you say so."

*******

If they ever made it to the top without dying, Sky swears he was going to kill Wild. Why would the boy even suggest this torture? Wait, no, he knew why. The wild child had no self-preservation.

Sky was going to die on this damn hill. He just knew it.

"Not far now." Wild called to them, wiping the sweat from his brow and slotting one of his arrows back into the quiver. They'd just taken out a pack of lizalfos, and Sky had almost passed out when Wind had been pushed close enough to the edge that Warriors wrapped himself around the boy and dragged him to the other side of the path, holding him until the battle was over. Sky was sure that Wind was perfectly fine, only allowing himself to be coddled due to Warriors' death grip on him and the rapid rise and fall of the Captain's chest.

With Wind freed from his comrade's grasp, they continued up the path, Wild leading the group with his ears perked for danger.

"You're still looking... pasty." A voice spoke directly into his ear.

Sky frowned, and glanced over his shoulder. "Don't you have another word?" He wouldn't usually be this snappy, but his tested nerves were pushing him over the edge. He'll be swearing like Wind next.

"Sweaty? Freaked out? Panic-stricken? Lost your marbles? He-"

"Holy Nayru, I get your point."

Warriors would have smirked at the foul language if it weren't for the obvious distress carved into Sky's face. "Something is going on in that pretty little head of yours." And his eyes narrowed sceptically. "And I want to know what."

"Nothing. I'm fine." Sky shouldered him away, feeling slightly guilty for pushing away the Cap's good intentions, but he didn't want to endure the wave of embarrassment that always followed the confession of his - quite frankly - ridiculous fear. Phobia would be more accurate, but the term felt more... definite.

"Bullshit. You have-"

"Warriors." Time's low but harsh voice cut in. "Lay off him."

Sky noticed the Hero's hand curl into a fist, no doubt the manifestation of frustration. "But Time, he-"

"Is not entitled to say anything he does not want to."

Sky wasn't sure whether he wanted to punch Time or hug him. Sure, he was defending him, but now he knew there was something up. Great.

Sky thought about it for a moment... He really needed a nap.

Warriors frowned at him once more before releasing a sharp sigh and walking ahead to join Twilight and Hyrule.

The Chosen Hero had expected another bombardment of well-meaning yet poorly-timed questions. He'd even prepared his excuses: he was tired and just needed a nap. When nothing was said, however, he chanced a look towards Time. The leader was quietly walking beside him, an air of dangerous calm radiating from his stiffened posture. He knew that he'd have to explain his dampened mood at some point, but for now, he was grateful for the quiet.

"This is it, guys!" Wild took off in a sprint towards their apparent destination, Wind, Hyrule, and Four hot on his heels.

It didn't look like much to Sky. A pointed rock with a few bushes and trees adorning it. It was only when he looked out across the rest of Hyrule that he understood the appeal of this tourist attraction deep in the heart of Zora's Domaine. There was something distinctly Skyloft-y about the formation of clouds scattered in the sky above, the sparse rays of sun littering the landscape beyond with patches of gold. It made his chest ache for home.

"I must say," Time's hands perched on his hips as he looked about them - an action that reminded him of Sun's father, "Wild's Hyrule is certainly some competition for Skyloft's views. Hate to break it to you." His hand slapped Sky's back, and he was forced to step forwards to avoid faceplanting the earth.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Except here there aren't any Loftwings to save you if you fall off the side, he thought bitterly as he subconsciously moved towards the centre of the path, putting as much space between himself and the cliffs as possible.

"I'm gonna jump." Wild proudly declared, and Sky felt his heart plummet into his stomach.

"Ohohoh, me too! Me too!" Wind began hopping on the spot beside him. The two boys grinned excitedly at each other.

"Are you sure that's safe?" Time interjected, though didn't look as concerned as some of the others - namely Twilight, whose complexion was rivalling the snow of Hebra Mountain.

"Oh, please." Wild smirked, overflowing with smugness. "I've done this hundreds of times. Plus, there's no rocks at the bottom. It's harmless!"

"Harmless until you splat on the surface." Twilight had taken a seat on the ground, Hyrule comfortingly patting his back.

"I'm a stronger swimmer than any of you!" Wind's arms crossed tightly over his chest. "I've lost count of the amount of times I've fallen overboard. We'll be fine."

Twilight didn't look convinced. Time did.

"Alright then." The leader smiled and raised his hand to salute them. "Good luck to you, Sailor, Champion. May the Goddess be with you."

The two boys returned the gesture, giggling all the while.

Sky smiled at the scene, ignoring Warriors muttered complaint of them "stealing his moves." Sky sometimes forgot just how young some of them were. Wind had only just turned fourteen a few weeks ago, and Wild was getting by on only a few years worth of memories. Sky, himself, wasn't that much older, but his adventure had been more than enough adrenaline and danger for him - ten lifetimes over.

Wild and Wind didn't wait around after their send off. They shook hands, and jumped.

Twilight launched himself to the edge to watch, and just as quickly drew back, claiming he was going to be sick, only to return to his spot to stare down beside Warriors and Legend. Four and Hyrule had already taken off in a sprint back down the path to meet them at the bottom. Legend helped Twilight to his feet, gently - which was rather surprising in itself - supporting the poor man as they slowly followed afterwards. Warriors just laughed and clapped Sky on the shoulder as he passed.

"I doubt Ranch Hand will sleep tonight." Time chuckled. When met with silence, he glanced at his companion.

In that moment, Sky's knees buckled and he collapsed into a sorrowful pile of panicked gasps and trembling hands.

"Sky?"

Time knelt beside him, hands planted firmly on the other's shoulders, an attempt to keep him grounded from the apparent spiralling fear crossing and warping his features. Shakily, with tears stinging his eyes, Sky shook his head. The words simply wouldn't come, and with his rapid breathing, any attempt at speaking would only sound like strangled gasps of air.

Time removed his hands from his shoulders, rubbing down the Chosen Hero's arms until they clasped his hands. "Alright, Link, you're going to repeat after me." He pressed Sky's hands to his own chest, noting he seemed to relax slightly at the sensation of a steady heart beat. It was something to latch on to, a healthy rhythm he could try to mirror.

"Breath in for five seconds." Time did so, and Sky's lips quivering as he tried to.

"Hold for five." Sky's fingers clawed at the material of Time's tunic, his nails almost pressing through the fabric and leaving red scratches along their leader's chest.

"Out for five." It was more like an inversed gasp, but Sky managed to match Time's breathing. They repeated this over and over again, each time Sky's breathing becoming clearer and more in time with Time's.

"Link?" Time's prodded. "You with me?"

Sky felt a wave of nausea wash over him, and he barely managed to turn his head before hunching over and vomiting. He felt Time reach up and brush his hair away from his face, holding it in place whilst his other hand rubbed up and down his back.

Sky inhaled deeply, feeling his airways open and the thinner air fill his lungs in sweet relief. He even felt better having emptied the contents of his stomach, even if the vile tasting residue lingered in his mouth.

"Link?"

Sky looked over to Time, smiling weakly as he shuffled away from the pool of his mess to lay down. His eyelids felt heavy, and he had to fight the tempting pull of sleep. It would be bliss to take a nap after that ordeal, but Time had already done enough, he didn't need to lug Sky down the side of the cliff with him as well.

"Sor- Sorry about that." Sky could still feel the tears streaking his face, and his skin was no doubt blotchy. None of them were pretty criers, which only added insult to injury at this point.

"You want to tell me what triggered that?" It was posed as a question, but Sky there was no avoiding the painful answer. In all honesty, it was just embarrassing. He shouldn't be scared, him least of all, yet here they were.

"So, erm-" He hiccupped, clearing his throat as pink tinged his cheeks, and he continued. "It's silly, really-"

"Link." Sky sharply inhaled. They rarely used their given - and shared - name, and hearing it now sent him right back his journey; before he became Sky. He was surprised by the fondness he had grown for the name he had been given once he met the other heroes of Hyrule; each time somebody called him he was reminded of Skyloft. "If it caused a reaction like that, it's far from silly."

Sky stared at him for a moment, finding nothing but sincerity in his eyes. He looked to the side, chewing the inside of his cheek as he willed the words to form. "High places and myself... are not always the best of friends."

A look of realisation passed Time's face. "You're afraid of heights."

Sky let out a dry, condescending laugh. "Ridiculous, isn't is? The boy from the floating sky-island, scared of heights. It doesn't even sound right."

Time studied him for a long moment. "There's a story here."

Sky almost laughed at that as well, but... well, Time was right.

Now or never, he thought.

"It was... mere hours before my journey began." Sky sat up and braced himself for the inevitable horror he always felt whenever he recounted the traumatising events prior to the Wing Ceremony. "The annual Loftwing race was due to start later that day, and Zelda suggested I got more practice beforehand. Now, you've seen the way we mount our Loftwings. It's a leap of faith off the land and whistle." Sky sucked in a breath, his head starting mirror the weightlessness of falling through the clouds. "But this time, I couldn't sense Crimson. I- I tried to explain to Zelda that he wasn't there, but... I don't know. She trusted that he would come to catch me. So she... pushed me."

Sky bit his lip to stop it trembling.

"I had never experienced fear like that before. Skyloft is perfect, there was nothing to be scared of. So when... When I was falling, it was the first time I realised that I could- I could die."

Subconsciously, his hand shot out and gripped Time's.

"I genuinely thought that was it. I didn't know what was below the clouds at that point, and it crossed my mind I could simply... fall forever. In the end, Zelda's Loftwing caught me and carried me back up to Skyloft, but the fear... It never left me."

Sky glanced towards the pointed edge of Shatterback Point, and all the horrific fantasies his mind had conjured up of him falling - of any of them falling - swarmed his vision. He suddenly felt sick again.

"Obviously, we found Crimson. Some of the other boys thought it would be a good joke to hide and tie him up." Sky's face turned dark at the memory of his beloved Loftwing being hurt like that. He had never fully forgiven Groose and his cronies for it. He wasn't all that bothered about the way they treated him - Zelda put them straight over that, anyway - but touching his Loftwing, well, that was a line crossed.

"You didn't have to come up here if you didn't want to." Time's hand slid from his and landed on his knee instead. "You shouldn't pass these things off as something to ignore. If something bothers you, please say something. We will do whatever we can to help."

Sky wiped his nose across the back of his hand - something his Zelda would be perpetually complaining about. "Yeah, okay. Thank you."

"We should get down before the others start to fuss." Time said after a moment. He extended a hand for Sky pulled him to his feet.

The Chosen Hero smiled to himself as Time took the lead down the mountain. It was ironic, really. Time had reiterated something he had said to one of the other boys almost word for word.

But even so, the words had warmed him right to the core. Not talking about their problems and feelings was something all the Links suffered with - some might even say it was an inherent part of their shared soul. Despite all that, however, when the moment arose - when it truly mattered - each and every one of them would step up and be prepared to do anything for his brothers.

Sky had only known them a few months, but when he looked at each of them, his chest swelled with pride. He was in constant turmoil with himself over this. If Demise hadn't of cursed his soul to forever reincarnate, Ganon wouldn't have ravaged the land of Hyrule a devastating amount of times, but... without the curse, he wouldn't have met any of the others heroes - hell, they might not have even existed.

He knew that one day, he would tell them about the curse. He had a feeling Time already suspected as much, and Four had occasionally mentioned a vague reference to his era's history on Skyloft and the war with Demise.

The time was not yet, but he could sense it edging closer with every passing day.

But that would a battle for the future Sky to fight, though.

And for now, he was content with the gentle support and brotherly love interwoven within the group.

He glanced up at Time, and then out across the vast expanse of Wild's Hyrule.

And suddenly, he didn't feel so afraid anymore.

Chapter Text

"I can't believe you." Time growled, his arm looped around Warriors' waist, fighting to keep the Captain upright.

"I toootally can." Warriors slurred, head swaying side to side with each step.

"You had one job." Time continued, ignoring the dazed look on his brother's face. "Not to get drunk. And yet here we are."

"Yes, wellll. That thing the Gerudo lady gave me was some strooooong stuff. Never had anythin' like it." Warriors stumbled, almost pulling them both down.

"Evidently. Never knew you to be a lightweight. How many did you have?"

"Erm." Warriors extracted one hand from Time's firm grip and began counting on his fingers. After a moment of careful consideration, he looked up at their leader with a dead serious expression. "Some- Somewhere between two and twelve."

Time groaned, his eyes rolling in exasperation. He was tempted to simply not give the man a red potion for the headache that would be sure to rear its head in the morning, but the group had to keep moving. They'd been in Wild's Hyrule for almost two weeks now, and Wild had told them he could sense Hylia, and where she was, a portal would be soon to follow. They had all been on edge since then, waiting for the next swirling mass of unknown matter to suck them through space and time to spit them out somewhere else. Personally, Time was hoping to go home sometime soon. The ache in his chest to see Malon again was becoming unbearable, and he knew it would be just the same for the others who were missing someone or something special.

"You- You should..." Warriors dipped his head for a moment, before snapping up again with wide eyes. "Should join me some time! Y'know," He elbowed him in the ribs, and they both staggared to the side. "Loosen up those old bones of yours. Maybe- Maybe even find your smile! Haven't... seen it in a- a long time."

Time couldn't help the scowl he sent the drunkard's way. He smiled plenty, thank you very much. "I don't have time to drink my way into oblivion."

Warriors giggled from under his arm, poking a pointed finger into his cheek. "Ha. Time." He collapsed into a flurry of chuckles as his knees buckled. Time was pulled to his knees beside him, almost growling as he scooped the Captain's knees and shoulders into his arms, picking the Hero up to save anymore falls. Time was being pushed to him limit tonight, and he was a hairbreadth away from dumping the man and leaving him in the middle of the desert for the lizalfos.

The rest of the group had congregated around the Kara Kara Bazaar. Wild had stated he had some business to finish off in Gerudo Town, and due to the city's laws he'd have to go alone. Twilight had been reluctant to let his cub go off by himself, but alas, Wild said it was the only way. He had promised to return before the sun set, and currently dusk had already fallen. The sky had been painted with giant sweeps of pink and orange, the sun barely visible above the horizon.

As they turned the last corner, the oasis came into view, bringing with it a sense of relief. Wind, Four, and Legend were hanging around by the water's edge, though only the former had actually dived in. Hyrule and Twilight were watching as Wild - who had stayed true to his word and returned on time, for what is possibly the first time ever - cooked what Time assumed would be their final meal of the day, all while Sky was propped up against one of the trees, fast asleep.

As much as he hated to admit it, Warriors was heavy. Even without all his armour, the man weighed a ton, and Time wasn't sure whether his arms would give way before they reached the others. He spared a glance down at the hero in his arms, meeting his awe-struck eyes for a short moment before he looked up again.

It was Legend who noticed them first, and the hearty laugh he let out drew the others' attentions right to him and the almost passed out Captain.

"I don't believe it!" Legend had gotten up and, with a malicious grin, made his way over. "Is he drunk?"

Time grunted in reply and swerved around the shorter hero - the others exchanging a knowing look behind his back. He trudged towards the fire, his eyes boring into Twilight's as he muttered something to Wild, who immediately started swiping through his slate.

Time only briefly checked the ground before he dropped Warriors, the man landing with a heavy thump on the sand. The hero himself barely acknowledged the fact he'd been dumped in an unflattering pile and sighed, looking far more sober than his jelly legs made him out to be.

Before anything else could be said, Time had stalked off and Wild was propping Warriors up to pour something vile-smelling down his throat.

*******

Dinner had been a quiet occasion.

Time had barely eaten three bites before he deposited the rest with Wild, muttering a quiet thanks, and headed off towards the multi-purpose shop beside the small lake. Warriors had watched him leave, guilt pooling in his stomach as the others carefully avoided both his and their leader's eye during the meal. He was feeling significantly less drunk now, Wild's outrageous concoction having worked surprising wonders.

It was a terrible idea, and he knew it, but not even Twilight's best imitation of Time's Eyebrow of Disappointment could stop him from ditching them and chasing after the Hero of Time.

It hadn't taken long, but it felt like an eternity had passed by the time he finally made it to the top of the building. He climbed - rather precariously - up the side and onto the stone adorning the roof. Hylia knows how they got it up there, but the spot provided the perfect spot to watch the sunset or spend the cool night stargazing.

Or in Time's case: to brood.

The man was perched on the edge, overlooking the southern desert where Wild had explained one of his Divine Beasts had once kicked up one hell of a storm.

Warriors watched him for a moment, in all his pissed-off glory. His next few steps would be dangerous, and would no doubt have him almost thrown off the top of this boulder, but hey, Time was family at this point. And Warriors would do anything for his brothers.

"I'm sorry."

He stopped behind the silent Hero, praying to any of the Goddesses that Time didn't uppercut him right there and then.

"Don't be." The gruff reply came, and Warriors felt a short-lived rush of relief until he continued. "I'm sure you'll do it again next week."

The Captain sighed, raking a hand through his sand-filled hair. There was no shadow of a doubt that he would be shaking the golden grains out of his clothes for the next five weeks, but the resigned slump of Time's shoulders proved he probably deserved it.

Not knowing what else to say, he sat down beside Time and leaned back against the cool stone. It was a welcome change from the intensity of the Gerudo heat that not even the pool seemed to quench - if Wind's sunburn was anything to go by.

The seconds of silence stretched into minutes, and before long the sun had fully set and the moon was suspended low in the sky. It had been a unanimous agreement that Wild's Hyrule was the most beautiful of them all; every time they were dumped here, Warriors was always caught off guard by the sheer wonder that surrounded them. In a world where nature was running rampant, it shouldn't be a surprise there would be alluring sights around every corner, but being the castle-boy he was, he didn't get out much.

"I know you won't believe me," Warriors finally broke the silence, unsure of whether it was a wise move. One could never tell with Time. "But we're more alike than you think."

Time emitted a disbelieving chuckle, lightly shaking his head. "Try me."

"Do you remember the first time we ended up in Legend's Hyrule?"

"You mean the first time you wound up blackout drunk? Yes, I do."

Warriors grimaced for a moment as he recalled the sickening headache the following morning. "Yes, well, did you know that was actually the first drink I'd ever had?"

He could see Time looking at him through the corner of his eye.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Would I gain anything from lying about that?"

Time seemed to ponder that for a moment, and a relenting huff encouraged Warriors to continue. "I'm sure you're wondering how that makes us similar. Well, let me begin by saying: I'm not trying to weasel my way out of the shit-show I created today, nor am I trying to excuse all of my past... tavern endeavours." Time rolled his eye. "All I want to do is explain that... this is the most free I have ever felt."

"You mean drinking brings you freedom? You wouldn't be the first to say-"

"No, not that." Warriors smirked at Time's putout expression. "I mean being here. With you guys. On this... wild and wacky adventure of a lifetime."

"I'm not sure that's exactly how I would describe it." Time's voice was low, a dark look on his face as his gaze remained on the far off silhouette of land beyond Hyrule.

"But it's how I would. But then again, you probably wouldn't understand." Warriors shrugged, resting his hands on his stomach. "Looking out for more than just yourself on a day to day basis, I mean-"

"Excuse me?"

Time's head whipped towards him, an incredulous eyebrow raised. "I look out for you eight utter morons every day and night. If I didn't, you'd all probably fall off a cliff or burn a forest down. So don't come at me for only looking out for myself when I keep my damn eye on every single one of you."

"Exactly!" Warriors abruptly sat up. "You feel stressed. Overworked. Out of your depth since you haven't had so many people to care about in one go before."

"I've had every life in Hyrule and beyond on my shoulders."

"But how many of those folks did you meet? Speak to? Get to know? You know it's different with us. And you know that connection to us that you feel? That sense of responsibility to keep each of us save at any given moment? Well, then imagine multiplying that by ten- no, a hundred!" Warriors' voice had risen until he didn't realise he was shouting.

"Have you ever had to carry the burden of leading hundreds of men into battle, some of them barely in adulthood, and knowing for a fact that not all of them were going to make it out alive?" Warriors was seething, his cheeks tinting pink with frustration. "So yeah, I'm sorry that this is the first time in years that I've felt like I can finally relax and just let myself go, even if it's for a few hours. I trust each of you enough that you're not going to get yourselves killed in every battle we face, and yeah, I still look out for you guys, but I don't feel like I have to constantly keep checking over my shoulder to make sure you're all still standing. I don't have to feel responsible. I feel safe. I can just... be."

Time let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. They had all known about Warriors' role as Captain of the Royal Guard and Hylian army, but none had thought anything of it when the Hero himself seemed to gloss over the fact. Truth be told, Time hadn't even considered the immense stress and pressure the man must be feeling on a day to day basis, knowing the lives of all those men and women were in his hands. And, even if he hated to admit it, he understood how it was different to the pressure he had experienced. Deep down, he knew that the lives lost in his battle against Ganondorf weren't his fault - even if he did blame himself. The lives that Warriors was playing with, they were his choice. Which of his soldiers were more dispensable than the others, which he could risk losing, and which were worth protecting. Time couldn't even begin to imagine making decisions like that. In their group, every single one of them was indispensable, so there was no question about it. He had to protect them all.

Warriors fell backwards, throwing his arm across to hide his teary eyes. "You know, I see every single one of- of my soldiers as mine. I... I know I shouldn't, that it will only wind up with me hurting, and it does, but I do. Every single one of them means something to me. They all trust me to look out for them, and when I have to send them into battle, knowing that they might not come back, it just- It kills me a little bit more, each time." He glanced at Time from under hid arm. "Just how I imagine you feel."

Time's breath hitched. This was probably the most brutally honest he had ever heard Warriors. The hero tended to keep his cards close to his chest, playing down his emotions and focussing on the others and their needs. Now it all made sense.

"I... can't say I understand how that feels. I don't, but," Time sounded contemplative, and he lay down beside Warriors, "what I do understand is that... meeting you all is probably one of the best things that has ever happened to me, and likely ever will." Warriors smiled at that. "But I just want you to know that, the drinking, it does get to me. And I'm not trying to spoil your fun, or... keep you in line, it just... reminds me of someone I used to know."

Warriors sniffed and pulled his arm away. They both ignored the tear tracks adorning his cheeks. "Another drunkard?"

Time slowly shook his head. "No, no alcohol was involved. It was a... unique circumstance. But watching you, and any of the others for that matter, simply lose control like that, and willingly. It takes me right back to when... He was a friend of mine." Warriors eyes widened as he realised Time was talking about his journey, and he silenced his wandering mind to pay attention to the adventure of legend. "He wound up playing with a power far beyond his control. Lost himself to it. He caused... a lot of hurt with it. He... he wasn't in control, but..."

"I get it." Warriors quickly said. "It's... different, but I get it."

Time looked to him and nodded, a smile playing at his lips. They fell into an easy silence, Warriors' still rather ragged breathing and the laughter of the others being the only sounds in the heavy night.

"There was... this one boy." Warriors started. His breath hitched, but he cleared his throat and carried on. "He wanted to be a soldier so bad. A guard, specifically, and work in the castle. Said he wanted to make his family proud. They all said that, but he... he meant it."

Time saw the look on his face, a painful mixture of regret and raw anger.

"But, with the way the rankings worked, if one wanted be a Royal Guard you had to work active service first. I knew how much he wanted this, so I took him under my wing, gave him private training. He reminded me a lot of myself, the unwavering determination. But we were amidst a war. Battles came around quickly. And it was his first one. A real taste of war. I- I thought he was ready."

Warriors' glossy eyes met Time's.

"His name was at the top of the list of those who perished. He- He was sixteen. He was still a child. And it was my fault-"

"No."

Time grabbed Warriors' hand and clasped it between his own. "You are in no way to blame for his death."

"But-"

"No. He understood the risks. You prepared him as best you could. War is... unfair at the best of times. Battles are bloody and cruel and any lives lost are not your fault."

"I just- He didn't deserve that kind of end."

Time sighed. "Nobody ever does."

He slowly pulled them up and wrapped his arm around Warriors' shoulders, guiding him into his side.

The Captain slumped against him, a tired sigh escaping his lips. "Good talk." He muttered.

Time chuckled. "Glad we cleared a few things up."

"But y'know," Warriors pursed his lips, crossing his arms, "you don't have to feel like you need to protect us all this time. We all got each others' backs. It's not all on you."

"I know." Time felt a small smile playing at his lips. "But being the oldest I feel it's my job to keep you all safe. I'm not complaining. It's just the most natural way things went."

Warriors' laugh was a low rumble in his chest, and he rested his head against Time's shoulder. "Okay, Dad."

Time couldn't help but smile at that.

Chapter Text

Legend kicked his feet up and relaxed back into the chair, hands folded behind his head and stomach full.

He hadn't felt this at peace in weeks. It reminded him of that time when-

"Feet off the table."

And just like that, his mood was ruined.

He sulkily obliged Twilight's demand and returned his boots to the floor. It wouldn't have been a problem in his house. He could put his feet up anywhere and not a word would be said about it. Legend chewed his lip. Actually, that probably wouldn't be true. The last time he tried it, he got a slap around the head with a dishcloth. Wait- that was so not the point he was trying to make-

"-end?"

A hand waved by his face.

"EARTH TO LEGEND!"

Legend didn't jump. He didn't. He was simply... surprised.

He pushed Wind away by the face and assumed his usual scowl. "What?" He snapped.

"Easy there, Vet." Warriors chided, chin tilted up in a smug smirk. "Wouldn't want any bad vibes in literal paradise." He waved his hand around, gesturing to the rest of the canteen. Legend rolled his eyes. "Yeah, keep rolling them. You might find a brain back there."

With a sharp huff and a handful of bread launched at Warriors' face, he stood from the table and stalked out the room, Wind calling after him and Twilight no doubt lecturing the Captain.

He glanced up and right, deciding to head outside rather than getting lost somewhere in the Knights Academy dorms.

Sky was right when he said the air in Skyloft was thinner, lighter, than that of the Surface. Legend had to be careful not to run too fast, or do anything strenuous, since he tended to find himself out of breath quicker than he normally would. Wind and Wild seemed unaffected by the altitude, and he couldn't help but feel a tad envious as how easily they adapted to new environments. Nothing seemed to bother them, from the extreme cold to sweltering heat to islands floating in the sky.

He trudged down the path, hands stuffed in his pockets, and narrowed down on Hyrule and Sky sat on a patch of grass, closer than they aught to be to the edge. With a shrug, he strolled on over.

Without a word, he sat down and crossed his arms, staring off into the clouds beyond the floating landmass.

"Erm." Sky muttered, waving a hand in front of his face. Why was everybody waving at him today? "You good there?"

Legend blinked between them. "I'm fine."

Sky slowly nodded, then turned his attention back to Hyrule, hesitating for a moment before carrying on with whatever Legend had interrupted.

"Anyway, so, what I was suggesting was that we scout the area tonight since that's when the majority of monsters come out up here on Skyloft. In the tunnels and that, they're a constant, but if we've been sent up here then the danger must be posed to the community."

Hyrule nodded along. "But Twilight thinks we should go this afternoon?"

"Yeah. Said it would give us more time to be thorough."

Hyrule hummed, drumming his fingers along the plumes of grass. Legend's frown deepened. This was so boring.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Legend felt a finger poke his cheek, the looked to find Hyrule's face much closer than it had been three minutes ago. He swatted the hand away.

"I'm fine."

Sky shrugged. "If you say... so." His voice trailed off, his eyes finding something over Legend's shoulder, and he beamed.

"Sorry, boys, if you'll excuse me." The Chosen Hero rushed to his feet, and Legend watched over his shoulder as Sun met him halfway, their arms flying around each other as they basked in the other's embrace.

"Aww." Hyrule chuckled from behind him, also watching as Sky wrapped his arm around her waist and led them away. "They're so sweet."

Legend spun back around, a sour look on his face. "Yeah. I guess."

Hyrule's eyes narrowed on him, a contemplative frown pulling at his lips. Legend glared back. Suddenly, the Hero of Hyrule's face brightened considerably, and he bit back a smile. "Are you jealous?"

Legend had to fight the blush the threatened his face and neck - though his ears were surely a lost cause. "Me? Jealous? Ha! Don't make me laugh."

"Your ears are red."

Damn. He knew it.

"I'm not jealous. Just... embarrassed that they have the nerve to do that in the middle of the street for everyone to see."

Hyrule couldn't resist the grin anymore. "You mean for you to see." Legend's arms crossed tighter over his chest and looked away. He wasn't jealous. Truly, he wasn't, but... seeing Sky and Sun so happy with each other, so at home, it made his chest ache with longing to hold someone close to him. Hold his someone close to him. "I can't blame you, anyway. I reckon everyone wants a little bit of what they have. Soulmates, if ever I saw them."

Legend's ears poked up, and he rose an eyebrow. "Do you want something like that?"

Instead of turning pink, like Legend expected him to, Hyrule's face grew serious as it screwed up in thought. "I don't know." He finally settled on. "I haven't given it much thought. If any, actually. I'm not good with people, so having someone so close to me seems... a bit ridiculous, to be honest."

Legend blinked. "Oh. Yeah, that's fair, man. Don't feel you have to pursue something just for the sake of it."

Hyrule smiled gently and nodded. There was a glint in his eye that made Legend's face fall, and another smile - more suspicious - suddenly broke out across his face. "Sooo, do you have someone?"

Legend opened his mouth to answer, but... nothing came. Heat was starting to spread up his neck and claw onto his face. Any hope of salvation died with the words on his tongue.

Hyrule's face lit up and he pushed Legend to the ground. "You do!"

"Oi! Get off me you feral child." He pushed back at Hyrule, masking his surprise at not being able to move the man an inch. What was he made of, rocks?

"Who is it? I don't remember meeting anyone special when we visited your Hyrule." He suddenly gasped. "Did you not want us to meet them? Were you avoiding them?"

"No!" Legend gave a final shove, and Hyrule released his shoulders, sitting back onto his patch of grass. The Hero of Legend brushed down his tunic and straightened his cap, frowning all the while. "We were... We landed too far away from my house. We had shit we needed to do and it just wasn't a viable option."

Hyrule hummed. "Well, I hope we can meet them one day. It would be interesting to know who managed to get through all your crankiness to the softie we all know is inside."

Legend gasped indignantly, hand to his chest. "How dare you."

Hyrule threw his head back and laughed. It was... nice, Legend thought. Hyrule was always so cut off from the others, his emotions scarcely showing more than surface level reactions. Seeing him now, relaxed and open, it was as if they were finally getting through to him.

"Now, now. Care to tell me why Legend looks like he's going to burst a blood vessel?"

Footsteps came to a stop behind Legend, and he leaned back against the legs. "Hyrule is bullying me!"

Time's eyebrow slowly rose. "Hyrule? I don't believe it. Tell me the truth."

If they thought Legend's jaw couldn't drop any further, he'd just proved them wrong. A wicked grin spread across the innocence of Hryule's features, and he met Legend's eye in a challenge. "Oh, you'll regret that later." The Vet's eyes narrowed on him.

Time's chuckle sounded above their bickering, a deep rumble that resembled the earth shaking. "And you call Warriors dramatic."

"That's it!" Legend leapt to his feet, hands thrown to the sides to emphasise his point. "I'm going to find someone who will be nice to me. I have no time for this slander." Hyrule's laughter only loudened, and Legend stalked away, a small smile playing at his lips.

*******

Legend scowled at them.

Sky and Sun were walking along, hand in hand, not a care in the world.

Well, Legend will have you know that he cared. Very much, in fact. And it wasn't as if he was against them being together, he was glad that Sky had found somebody who made him happy, and would continued to do so until the day his life came to an end.

It wasn't them being together that he had an issue with. It was the fact they were... together.

Legend facepalmed. He was going round in circles.

It wasn't that they were together. It was the way they held hands. They could hug and kiss and laugh together.

Legend hadn't been able to do that since he left his home months ago. He wasn't even sure how long it had been now, since he had held them in his arms, basked in their presence, ran his hand through the locks of unruly curls.

He didn't notice the footsteps coming up behind him this time, nor did he see the person sitting down beside him until a hand waved across his vision. He snapped back to attention, the look of deep thinking leaving his face to be replaced by irritation.

"What is it with you people and waving?" He had snapped, pushing Time's hand away.

"Last time someone prodded you, you threatened to break their fingers. I think Wild still has nightmares."

Legend pouted, crossing his arms and returning his gaze to the couple. Sky had set out a blanket on the grass for them, and with the sun beginning to set over the horizon of clouds, it really was a picturesque scene. Could almost rival Wild's dusks, he thought.

"Do you want to tell me what's bothering you?"

Legend turned to face him, eyebrows drawn together in fake confusion. He knew exactly what Time was getting at. Was he going admit this? Not a chance. "What do you mean?"

"You've had a face like you're sucking on a zapshroom all day." Legend looked down. "It's going to do more harm than good to keep everything bottled up. I thought Twilight talked to you about that."

"It was you who put him up to that!" Legend didn't know whether he felt more pissed at Twilight's hour long lecture or Time's smug expression. "He just wouldn't stop talking."

Time nudged him. "He means well, you know that."

Legend grumbled something incoherent in return. Instead of continuing the bickering, he once again found his eyes trained on his brother, the Goddess incarnate right beside him. "Look at them. So happy."

"The nerve of some people."

Legend huffed a laugh, though the bitterness of his tone swung right back around and slapped him across the face. The light mood disappeared, Time sensing the change in the air. Legend's knees tucked into his chest, and he fiddled with one of the many rings adorning his fingers.

"What is it?" Time asked again, softer this time. He drew a knee up and waited for Legend's reply. Pushing the question would only cause more distress to the Veteran Hero, even if he would never say so. It had taken some time, but eventually the leader of their little clan had been able to see through the walls surrounding Legend. Each had been carefully constructed and maintained as if his life depended on it.

Time had to admit, they all had their boundaries, and they had each learned to respect each other's limits, but sometimes... it was a relief to watch them come crumbling down. He would never admit it, but he'd sensed the collective sigh of relief when Wild finally collapsed into Twilight's arms and cried - no, wailed - about losing those he called 'The Champions'. Nobody had spoken a word of the breakdown afterwards, too relieved to have Wild sleeping through the night now without waking up in a fit of shouting and tears. They never cared about their lack of sleep, it was seeing how drained and miserable their brother had been during the weeks-worth of build up that had grown their concern - Twilight and Time's especially.

"It's just-" Legend tried to begin, but words failed him before even a sentence could be uttered. He let out a sigh, dragged a hand down his face to pinch the bridge of his nose. "They're a great couple. Good for each other. I have no doubt they'll put a ring on it soon, but..."

"You want something like that?" Time suggested.

"No. I mean, yes. Wait, no, I mean-" He covered his red face with his hands, releasing a low and long groan of frustration.

"Sounds complicated." Time said, twirling a piece of grass between his lips much like Twilight does. Legend briefly wonders who influenced the other.

"You have no idea."

They fell into an easy silence after that. Skyloft had to be the Hyrule with the best views in Legend's opinion. Wild's Hyrule was stunning, there was no denying that, and that ocean of Wind's was as impressive as it was daunting at times, but there was simply something about life above the clouds that made the Surface pale in comparison. It was no wonder Sky boasted about his home so much, if Legend lived somewhere like this, he wouldn't shut up either.

But that led onto another thing. His home.

They'd only been to his Hyrule a handful of times compared to some of the others. The land was peaceful for the most part, so their help wasn't strictly needed. It pained him, really. The others got to go home, why didn't he?

Legend sighed. It was now or never, he supposed.

"I'm married."

He doesn't see, no, he feels the intensity of Time's shocked gaze on him. Honestly, he'd surprised the others hadn't guessed something like this by now, with how nosy they all could be - Warriors and Wind especially.

"I- You- What?"

"Ha!" Legend exclaimed in delight. "Wait till I tell the others I managed to render the Hero of Time speechless! Warriors owes me twenty rupees."

Time watched him carefully, as if trying to decipher the truthfulness of the declaration. In the end, the raw sadness and ache in Legend's eyes was enough proof.

"You never spoke of a spouse. It never crossed my mind you were even courting, actually."

Legend laughed dryly. "We all have our secrets, old man. Mine is that I got hitched."

"To who, may I ask?"

Legend almost laughed at how formal the man was being. It was as if he'd just admitted to plotting against the Royal Family.

"I told you about the guy who scammed me throughout my journey, right?"

Time's eye went comically wide. "Him?"

Legend smiled to himself, nodding. "Him."

"I don't... I don't follow." And for the second time, Time was left speechless.

Warriors was never going to believe this.

"It was... unconventional, to say the least. We married out of convenience. He isn't from Hyrule, and in order to obtain citizenship without the whole ordeal of birth certificates, and court meetings, and- and a whole bunch of legal stuff neither of us could be arsed with, we simply got married." He said with a shrug, then quickly added: "Our taxes were also lowered."

Again, Time was stumped.

"Now don't get me wrong, it worked out in the end. We were both happy, living in Hyrule, him working the shop and me doing... hero stuff, as he would say. Life was good. That is, until it started happening."

Time was almost too afraid to ask. Almost. "What?"

"He... He started flirting with me." Legend's face was a strange mix of disgust and affection. Time had never seen anything like it. "And I liked it."

"This is..." Time drew is a deep breath, letting it go slowly as he absorbed every word of Legend's tale of romance and taxes. "Unlike anything I've heard before."

"Eh." Legend shrugged. "We're quirky like that."

Silence seeped back into the air. Time was at an uncharacteristic loss for words. What the Vet had described to him was the most backwards love story he had ever heard, and yet... it made sense. Nothing about the Hero of Legend was conventional, from the masses of fire and ice rods he horded, to the pink hair, to even the strange way his nose twitched when he sensed something coming.

Time watched him carefully. He could see the pain etched into the hero's face. He was reminded of his love for Malon, and his home on Lon Lon Ranch, and the life he hoped they could build together once his life of adventure finally drew to a close. He had seen his wife only a few weeks ago, and even the lone month they had been apart, it tugged at Time's heart like nothing had before. He longed to be with her, to kiss her, to love her, but there he was, stuck in another time altogether.

He looked back down at Legend. When was the last time he had seen his husband? Had they... even met him?

Time felt a pang in his chest for his brother. He couldn't begin to imagine the ache he must be feeling, and to have to watch Sky and Sun... It was no wonder he was so irritable whenever they visited Skyloft.

"Tell me about him."

Legend's head perked up, and his ears tinted red. "What?"

"Your husband. I would like to know what to expect once we finally meet him."

Legend rested his chin against his knee, face neutralising in thought. "He is... a handful, at the best of times." Legend's smile grew sad, the redness of his face softening to a delicate pink, matching the gentle voice that uttered words of pure devotion and adoration. "He was there for me throughout my journey, even if he did overcharge me. He became a pillar in my life, someone I could always go home to. I... didn't even realise it happening. I've been in love before, but this... The love I feel for him is the most beautiful thing to ever happen to me." Legend hadn't noticed his initial point had waffled off into a rant, but the more he rambled, the more Time could feel the waves of anger, hurt, and... endearment radiating from him. "I hadn't realised I had fallen, and when I did it was far past the point of no return. The rings adorning our fingers became a symbol of something so much more than a contracted agreement, and before I could even process it, it turned out I was married to the love of my life - even if it was unintentional."

Legend sucked in a breath, blinking away the stinging in his eyes and tactfully avoiding Time's eye. Red coated his face, ears, and neck.

Time's hand came to rest on Legend's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm glad you found each other. It sounds like it was meant to be, and is something to be cherished. After everything you've been through, you deserve it." Time wasn't sure his little speech would be enough to brighten the Veteran's spirits, but by the lone tear the managed to escape and the smitten smile gracing his lips, he assumed not much more would be needed.

"Yeah. I just miss him, is all." Legend fiddled with the ring again, the one Time now recognised as his wedding ring.

Time cracked a smile, knowing the feeling all too well himself. Then slowly, his eyebrow rose, and he spared another curious look towards Legend. "You never told me his name."

Legend looked up at him, smiled softly, then looked down again, spinning the gold band around his ring finger over and over again.

"Ravio." He said, his voice somehow even more gentle than before, as if the name itself was as delicate as snow.

"Ravio of Lorule."

Chapter Text

He wasn't sure when it started, exactly.

Perhaps it was the fight when he was struck down, his arm in pieces and in need medical attention from their potions, Mipha's Grace, and Hyrule's own healing powers to simply ensure his arm was still functional after recovery. The group had come to the general conclusion that it had been the worst injury any of them had sustained thus far, and that stronger medicinal resources would be needed to any future... incidents.

Or maybe it had always been there. A niggling feeling in the back of his mind he'd pushed aside until it simply couldn't- no, wouldn't be ignored any longer.

The little voice, saying he was nothing more than a burden. A failure. A lost cause.

And every time he cast his gaze across the other heroes, the most painful thought occurred, like a knife to his heart.

You don't belong.

It had hardly been a surprise, if he were being honest. He didn't even belong in his own time anymore, never mind the deep past that already a hero suited to each era. His world had moved on without him; too much had changed for him to be able to claim it his home anymore. The cities, the communities, his... friends... They were all gone. The only salvaged part of his previous life were the scattered stables that littered the land. They were the one thing the children and grandchildren of those who had survived the Calamity decided to rebuild, a desperate yet not entirely futile attempt to connect the four corners of their map again. Wild had come to know each of the stable-hands by name, the familiarity becoming a grounding factor of his journey. In a world as wild as himself, any anchors to reality were welcomed with open arms.

But then, if he didn't belong in his Hyrule... where did he belong? It couldn't possibly be overseas, not since the neighbouring continents had cut communications with Hyrule once Ganon escaped the seal, and the other eras were out of the question.

Maybe... he was simply destined to wander. Sure, he had that house in Hateno, but that had been nothing other than an impulse buy that now functioned as a place to hoard all the stuff he had accumulated over the past few years. He supposed it was a handy pitstop for the group when they eventually did land in his mess of a Hyrule, but what about when this adventure was over? It was a painful thought, one that made his chest constrict uncomfortably, but it was an imminent outcome, nonetheless.

He wished he hadn't put this much thought into it. He always did this, got caught up in his own head until the thoughts turned his mood sour with the seemingly endless pessimistic possibilities. He didn't want to think about. He tried not to.

Which is how he ended up in this situation: at least twenty arrows were currently embedded in the bark of the poor tree he ended up butchering with both his sword and bow.

He groaned. He was going to have to sharpen all the arrows again now, and not to mention Four's complaining of his using the sword on anything but a monster. Apparently fighting trees and rocks were not socially acceptable uses of a sword. Who knew? Not him - or Hyrule, for that matter.

"Whatever that tree did, I'm sure it's sorry."

Wild's ear twitched at the voice. He had noticed Time's form slowly making its way towards him half an hour ago, and the man had been sitting and watching him assault the tree ever since.

"What do you want?"

In all his shame, Wild stepped forwards and began plucking the arrows from the chipped bark, examining each one to assess which were salvageable and which weren't. Three arrows in and it wasn't looking good.

"Initially, I came to ask you about the healing properties of your Hyrule's natural produce, but seeing as you were busy..."

Wild had to stop his eyes rolling before he faced Time. "You could have stopped me to ask. No need to waste you time." He turned back to the tree and heard Time standing from the log he had claimed.

"You're upset." He stated, rather dumbly in Wild's opinion.

The Champion turned to face him again, dropping a bundle of broken arrows onto the soft grass below, and forced the most unnatural of smiles to curl the corners of his lips. "What makes you say that?"

He knew he shouldn't be snapping at Time. It would only be ending in a scolding and a disappointed eyebrow raise, but the pent-up anger at himself had to be vented somewhere, and the tree hadn't remotely helped.

"You should take a break from maiming the forest and join us. When I left, Wind was telling stories of his time at sea."

Wild's toes curled and his ears flicking down. The last thing he needed right now was to be surrounded by a group of people who fit together like the pieces of a puzzle - especially one of which he didn't fit into. "I think I'll pass. Gotta sort the, erm, tree out."

It was the most pathetic lie he had over told. What could he do about a tree he had essentially peeled like a Mighty Banana?

"Hiding yourself away from the others isn't going to help. Maybe you should-"

"What if that's what I want?!"

And just like a bowstring, he snapped.

Wild flinched at the harshness of his voice, the words holding an undertone of venom so poisonous that Time had physically recoiled a step.

But it was so easy for him. For Time, that is. He fit in like the missing piece wherever he went. The world stops turning the moment his presence leaves. Everywhere he went, it was like he was going home.

Twilight's era had welcomed him with open arms - some of the older generation even remembering the tales their parents and grandparents had told them about the Hero of Time. Wind's had been abundant with awe and a hint of resentment for the hero who had saved Hyrule, but vanished before The Great Flood. But they knew him, all the same.

But Wild, well... it would never be that easy.

Wherever he went, wandering eyes followed his scar, as if it was something to gawk at. Wild hated it. He couldn't even hide the damn thing.

"Maybe... Maybe I want some space between us." Wild turned back to his bow and began testing the strength of the string after that rather... extreme training session. "You're all constantly in my face. I don't need you in my business. I handled myself fine for years, now is no different."

What was he saying? He loved having them around, he thrived in their company. Why... Why was he pushing them away? He didn't want to be alone, not again. All he could remember was loneliness, he wouldn't go back to that, not again. They were his kin, he belonged... with them... but...

No, he didn't.

They had succeeded.

He failed.

He wasn't the hero they thought he was. If they knew the truth, well, nothing would be the same. He didn't deserve the title Hero of the Wild. The only thing he had saved was a broken world already on the brink of death. He hadn't saved a single soul the day of the Calamity, himself included. He shouldn't be here with them. He wasn't anywhere close to their level. He was a lonely boy with no memories, no family, and no home. He didn't belong anywhere, least of all here.

"No." Time said, matching Wild's hostility. "You don't want that."

"Right, because you would know."

"I don't, but it would help if you told me."

Wild had rarely heard Time like this. It was the kind of angry that made you want to slink away and hide until the storm had passed. It made you want to grab onto someone else, so you wouldn't have to endure the rage alone.

But this time, it made Wild want to cry.

Which was... ridiculous, in itself. Wild never cried. None of them did - or at least tried not to. Crying was a weakness; it didn't have a place in a life like his. What would he even cry about? A life he couldn't remember?

But even so, cry he did.

It started quiet, a pitiful whimper as his shoulder shook and his hand came up to pinch his eyes in an attempt to stop the tears. His lip trembled as the words to tell Time to get lost became lodged in his throat, threatening to cut off his airways.

"Wild, I-"

Time didn't get the chance to finish his sentence.

Wild's knees buckled and he collapsed to the ground, his bow falling to his side as his now free hand came up to cover his face. Long strands of golden hair draped over his eyes and nose, until all Time could see were the teeth biting down so hard on his lower lip it was bound to draw blood.

Time froze. Was he... was he supposed to help? Was he allowed to touch Wild when he was like this? He'd only witnessed a handful of breakdowns between the lot of them, and each had their own preferences of how they liked to be dealt with. Sky appreciated being held until he calmed down enough to talk about it, as did Wind. Twilight liked being softly spoken to, a way to distract him from the spiralling thoughts. Warriors was used to silence as he worked through it - since that was all he knew from the army - as was Hyrule, but that was due to months he spent alone travelling. Legend and Four preferred to be alone, as Legend tended to lash out at anyone who came too close, and Four... well, Time wasn't sure what he did, but he always came back considerably more relaxed, so he wasn't one to question it.

But Wild... he wasn't sure. Twilight usually helped his cub through the ups and downs.

But Twilight wasn't here right now.

But Time was.

The boy seemed to curl even further into himself. His knees came to his chest and his arms wrapped around his head, burying himself further into his own bubble of panicked sobs.

"Hey, hey." Time tried, holding his hands out as if he were calming a frightened animal.

Wild's arms only tightened around himself, and he turned away. He could still hear the sniffles and see his shoulders trembling with every wave of heavy pain and resentment. He looked so helpless, so hurt, so alone in that moment. Time wasn't sure what came over him. Maybe it was a sudden urge to protect, perhaps even his paternal instinct kicking in because one of his boys was hurting.

Before he could process what he was doing, he had collapsed to his knees and was peeling Wild's arms away from himself. He only caught a glance of the boy's face before he pulled him close. There wasn't much resistance, only that of some who was tired to their core and reluctant to move. Carefully, he draped Wild's limp arms over his shoulders and pulled the hero towards himself, an awkward attempt to mirror how he'd caught him clinging to Wolfie in the past.

Wild didn't think twice before his arms tightened around Time's neck and he pushed his face into the collar of his tunic, his tears instantly darkening the dampening material. Time's grip only tightened on the distraught boy, trying as best he could to remember the gentle reassurances Twilight would whisper to him. He played with the idea of calling the Hero of Twilight, but when Wild's arms tightened their already almost strangling hold, the name died on his tongue. It didn't matter to Wild who held him, he just needed someone.

Time's hand ran up and down his back, catching on the quiver's strap and releasing it. The arrows tumbled to the group with a small clatter, and Time was finally able to securely pull the boy closer. Wild twisted his face into Time's shoulder, his pointed ear brushing against Time's jaw.

The Hero of Time isn't sure he's ever seen the young hero so broken. And it... The memories that swam through his subconscious, they opened up a chasm in his chest he thought had closed years ago. Thoughts of him and Skull Kid. Of the pain of watching as Skull Kid's body fell, visibly lifeless, to the ground once the damn mask had been removed. Time could almost feel his heart plummet into his stomach as the image flashed behind his eye. The child had been his friend, before the... the moon, and the mask, and-

Wild gasped for air and pulled back, shoving his hands hard into Time's chest and pushing him away.

"Wild-"

Wild shook his head furiously, tears spilling in steady streams, and Time's heart all but shattered.

"Do you want me to get Twilight?" He asked, as gently as a war-torn hero could. Wild shook his head again. "Please, Wild. You need to tell me what I can do. I can't help if I don't know how."

Wild's hands fell limp in his lap. It was like the life had been drained from his body with every tear that fell. He sagged beneath the impending weight upon his shoulders, but he wouldn't let Time share the burden.

With his eyes glossed over, Wild grabbed his Sheikah Slate. Neither of them spoke as he tapped away at the screen. Though when he stopped, his chin trembled, and his short-lived composure broke. He tossed the slate across the grass, landing before Time.

Normally, Wild was very open about the others using the slate (when permission had been granted, of course). He would let Wind scroll through all the items he had collected over the years; Legend was forever intrigued by his magical weapons; and Hyrule would often comment on the healing properties Wild had somehow incorporated into his varied dishes.

The gallery had always been a sensitive topic, but on occasion he'd allowed them to see the pictures he'd taken during his journey. The mostly consisted of vast landscapes and infinite skyscapes, each one taken to create a small window into the boy once known as Link, now dubbed Wild. The boy who had been all alone for years. The boy who had fought a monster not knowing who or what he was fighting for.

And now, Time knew, a boy who was still in mourning.

Wild had mentioned a team of heroes from his era known as The Champions. It had only been brief, almost like he hadn't meant to utter their names at all. Wild had never mentioned a family bound by blood, and now he knew why. Wild's family was found; forged like the blade of the Goddess. They were united in a time of peril, and in doing so, stumbled upon the people they would come to know as kin.

Wild heaved another sob, pressing his palms into his eyes, anything to stop the tears.

"I- I..."

The words wouldn't come. Wild tripped over himself, like he had whilst learning to talk again. Instead, he returned to most comfortable form of communication he knew.

I miss them. He signed. They were my home.

Time looked back down to the picture, now focussing on the Hero of Courage. His hair was shorter then, he noted, still as messy but more professional. He face looked younger, and fewer scars littered the skin. That included the scar emblazoned on the left side of his body. While he looked mildly uncomfortable with his photo being taken, there was no doubt about the bond he shared with the Champions and his Zelda. Arms were wrapped around each other, bright smiles and the closeness between them. They were about as ragtag as their group was; a team of misfits and unique characters banded by hate and bravery and determination.

"What were their names?" Time quietly asked. Wild's sobs had subsided into hiccups, his breaths coming more easily. With a wipe of his face, he crawled forwards and slumped down opposite Time.

In turn, he pointed to each of the individuals. "Daruk. Urbosa. Mipha. Revali. Zelda."

With a swipe left, another group of people appeared. Time recognised their attire and symbolism as that of the Sheikah.

"Purah. Robbie. Impa."

Time's heart lurched at the last name.

Wild swiped again. Time was at a loss this time.

In the picture Wild held a young girl in his arms. He looked a good few years younger, but the girl couldn't be older than five. Her arms were wrapped around his neck and a bright red bow was adorned upon her head. Behind them an older gentleman stood with his hand clamped down on Wild's shoulder, a proud smile shown into the camera.

"Lily." He pointed to the girl. His finger moved slowly, but realisation dawned on Time before the final name could be spoken. "Father."

Time never knew his birth father. He doesn't even remember his mother, despite being told the story of how she left him in the care of the Great Deku Tree. The old tree himself was the only father figure he'd had growing up, and even then his guardianship over the fairy children had been more scaremongering them into staying in the forest than any kind of paternal care.

When the Great Deku Tree died, it felt more like losing an old friend you hadn't spoken to in years. You could feel their absence, but it didn't hinder your day.

Time didn't know what it was to lose a parent like Wild had. He knew what it was to lose friends and allies, nut not a figure so close and personal like a parent.

A part of Time wishes he was able to relate Wild in some kind of way, just to say he understood.

Wild took the slate back and the screen went dark, but his eyes didn't leave space where the image had faded.

"If it's any consolation," Time brought his hand up to Wild's shoulder, rubbing the tense muscles with slow, circular motions, "I'm sure some of the other boys will be able to relate better than myself, but..." He sighed, "You boys are the closest thing I've had to a family in a very long time. If you ever need to talk about anything, and I mean anything, be it nonsense or nightmares, we will always be there to lend an ear."

Wild quietly nodded, his head dropping against Time's shoulder in resignation as he collected his thoughts.

"And for the record, you are the furthest thing from a failure, Wild." A small grunt was given in response, and Time's hand came to the small of his back, rubbing gently. "You are a survivor. You are a hero. You are the Hero of the Wild. Your friends and family would be proud."

Wild inhaled sharply, but this time he didn't try to fight the tears.

Chapter Text

Four's head was pounding. The voices hadn't stopped in days, his counterparts continually chatting away without a care for the fact he would drive himself into madness.

It had been far too long since their last split, but they simply couldn't get away from the group for more than five minutes other than to pee and wash. There was always someone or something happening around him, and while he loved the others, he found himself missing the days when he only had his cap for company. Only one voice to keep track of at any time of the day. Now, there were four voices following his every step, not to mention the eight others constantly around him.

So, while they were all technically him, four can become a crowd after a while.

Which led to his current predicament. Blue was going on and on about something or other, while Red tried to calm him down and Violet fought back just as violently. Green was steadily losing patience as he ran the whetstone along the already sharp edge of the Foursword. He had half a mind to drop what he was doing and disappear into the woods they had set up camp beside. Wild had advised against it, since apparently not a single stream of sunlight was able to penetrate the thick layer of leaves looming above. Wind was convinced it was cursed. Time had sided with Wild and forbade entrance. His fingers danced along the hilt of the Biggoron sword as he said this, and not even Warriors had drummed up the courage to argue.

"I am right, why are you still arguing with me?" Violet sighed exasperated.

"Because you're not right!" Blue shouted back.

"Come on, guys, we can't keep doing this. We need to sleep properly tonight, so can we all please calm-"

Blue shoved his hand into Red's face to shut him up. Red squealed behind the hand and shot a pleading look towards Green.

"I'm busy. You can handle yourself." Green muttered as he continued to sweep the whetstone along the blade.

"Pardon?"

Green blinked. Blue continued to look enraged, but Violet had ceased the fight and was staring into the middle distance.

"Four?"

Green blinked again, and suddenly his senses came rushing back. He looked up at Time and frowned. "What?"

"You said something." Time said, cocking his head to the side questioningly.

"I did?" Green could feel the blood rushing to his face. No, their face. As subtly as he could, he shook his head to refocus his consciousness. He wasn't Green right now, he was Four, and he had a damn job to do. "I- I did, yes." He cleared throat and Violet rolled his eyes. "I was just wondering if any of your weapons needed tending to?"

Time's eyebrow rose slightly, but he slowly shook his head. "No, I believe they're all fine, thank you."

"No problem." Four muttered, turning his attention back to the Foursword.

"Very smooth, Green. Very smooth indeed." Blue drawled, folding his arms tightly and frowning.

Green kept his mouth glued shut.

"Knock it off. You know how hard it is." Violet reprimanded. Red cringed as he felt tensions rising once again.

"I don't see why you don't let me take control more often. I'm a part of Link, too, I have a right to it." Blue's narrowed eyes found Green's

"Because you can't control yourself. We'd fight with Warriors more often than we'd be able to get away with." Violet hit him upside the head and Green suppressed a chuckle.

It was nearly always like this. The constant stream of chatter and bickering in his head like a never-ending monologue of his every internal thought. He remembers a time when the thoughts didn't have a voice. Ah, the old days.

"Oi, Green." The hero in question felt his stomach drop. Blue advanced towards him. "I wanna have a word with him."

"Blue, no-" Before Green could finish, Blue's hand came down heavily on his shoulder, and he felt himself being throw violently into a subconscious backseat.

And green eyes faded to blue.

Blue - now Four - grinned down at the Foursword in his hands. He dropped the whetstone and turned his attention to Time, the man absorbed in the book he'd picked up at their last trip to a Castletown.

"So, old man," Time looked up, eyebrow raised in a perfect arch. "I was wondering about that mask of Wild's." A wicked grin spread across his face. "You know which one I mean."

Any emotion dropped from Time's face. He stared blankly at Four, though his finger tapped rapidly against the page of his book. Four felt a satisfied pang at the reaction.

Time cleared his throat. "You're best asking Wild about it. It's his mask, after all."

"You know what it is." Four continued to push. He felt his counterparts cringing in the back of his mind. "You're scared of it."

"I don't believe this is of any consequence." Time said, slow and low. His tone was laced with a silent warning. Four paid no notice.

"Is it something from your adventure?" Time shifted uncomfortably. Four felt a tug in his mind. "I bet it's mad powerful if monsters are afraid of it." Time flinched. "Did you use it?" His hand curled into a fist. "Do you still have it? Can I see it?" Time stared dead ahead. Four's grin grew wider as he landed the final blow. "What did it do?"

"Enough!" Time's blook slammed shut and his eye narrowed on Four.

The smaller hero gasped; a hand pressed to his temple. He lurched forwards, face screwed up in pain. Time watched on, bewildered.

"Stop!" Four shouted, his trembling ceasing on the word. He blinked once, then twice, and he sat up. Violet eyes turned on Time, serious and unforgiving.

"I apologise, Time." He returned to his seat and picked up the Foursword and the whetstone, continuing where Green had left off. "I can get ahead of myself."

Time's jaw was slack, his book long forgotten in the grass. "Don't worry about it." He muttered.

"Idiot, look how upset he is!" Green hissed at Blue.

"Your apology was so dry. He probably just thinks your messing with him for a reaction. So not cool." Blue waved Green off, folding his arms tightly across his chest.

"Don't criticise me for cleaning up your mess." Violet snapped. He could feel Time's curious gaze on the side of his head. He kept his eyes down.

"Let me handle this." Red muttered, and before anyone could protest, Four's eyes shifted from violet to red.

"Time!" Four pressed his hands to his face, curling in on himself. "I'm so sorry! Please forgive me for prying, I don't know what came over me!"

Time couldn't have looked more uncomfortable if he tried. "I- I said it's fine. You don't need to worry about it, it was just-" Before he could get the rest of his sentence out, Four looked up at him, eyes brimmed with tears.

But it wasn't the crying that had Time's words dying on his tongue.

"I thought your eyes were green."

Four froze, tears drying, and his mouthing opening and closing again and again, yet not a breath managed to escape his lips.

"Oh no." He whispered, shuffling away, his wide eyes never breaking from Time's.

"Four?"

"Oh no no no no no."

In a flash, the red was gone. Green shone from behind tears.

Four pulled at the collar of his tunic, suddenly too hot in the evening light. A far too familiar tingling sensation wrapped around his fingers, seeping up his arms and spreading into his chest. His arms wrapped around his torso, a desperate attempt to keep himself together. He could feel the others arguing in the back of his mind. Angry shouts and cursing so loud Four almost pressed his hands to his ears.

"Four, what's going on?" Time's voice broke through the chaos. Four stared up at him, panicked and scared.

"So much for a hero of courage." Blue's voice echoed above the others, much louder than before.

"Stop." Four muttered, eyes flashing between green and violet.

"What?" Time said, a hand coming to rest on his shoulder. Four hopes the others can't hear this.

"Stop." Four repeats, more urgently as the shouting becomes louder. His eyes have settled into green, the occasional pulse of blue reminding Time of the ocean.

"Four, what's-"

"STOP!"

The voices went quiet.

Finally, quiet.

As did Time, for a reason Four decided to investigate later. Right now, he was content to lie peacefully, without the hustle and bustle of his counterparts in the back of his mind.

And that's when it hit him.

It was too quiet.

"Oh, shit!" A startlingly similar voice exclaimed. Four shot up, eyes wide.

No no no no no no no-

Violet eyes stared back.

Blue groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head. "What the fu-"

"OH NO!" Red gripped clumps of his hair and pulled, a frantic look in his eyes.

Four- no, Green looked at each of them in turn, anything to keep himself from having to meet the eye of their audience.

"Well, this quickly went to shit." Blue crossed his arms and stared accusingly at Violet.

"Do look at me like that. This is your fault!"

Red curled impossibly further into himself, hiding his face behind blond bangs and covering his ears. With nowhere else to turn, Green slowly looked towards Time.

The Hero of Time's book had been long discarded. A curious eye stared at them from the shadow of a tree, one hand half-reaching for his weapon laying within reach amidst the grass, the other held out in front as if keeping the four smaller Heroes at bay.

"Fascinating."

Time sounded breathless as he dropped both his hands into his lap and peered at them.

Green's ears perked up. "What?"

Time shifted forwards, examining each of them with a look that would usually have Four turning on his heel and running. "I should have realised it sooner."

"Realised what, old man?" Blue snapped, arms crossed tightly.

Time raised an eyebrow as if all the pieces suddenly fell into place. "When I was a boy, I heard tales of four Heroes who rose up in the face of a great evil known as Vaati, a demonic Wind Mage. When you told us of your time with the Minish, it reminded me of the legend of the Foursword and its wielders. Initially, I had thought that you were only one of the four swordsmen, that you didn't feel ready to open up about the others. But this, now it all makes sense."

"I-" Green began, letting what Time had said sink in. "I didn't know people spoke of the Foursword in your era. I didn't know people even knew what had happened with Vaati."

"Tales of the Hero always find a way to be told. Hylia ensures Her people know there is a saviour amongst them." Violet turned his attention away from Blue and faced Green.

"Indeed." Time nodded. "The Hero's courage is a leading factor in what keeps Hyrule at peace, as, if it weren't for the Triforce, an imbalance of power would bring chaos to the land."

"Huh." Green hummed thoughtfully.

"Well, as sweet as this is," Blue pushed to his feet and stretched. "I need to get some air and alone time. You three are the most irritating people known to Hylia."

"Just don't go too far!" Violet called after Blue as he stomped away, not sparing a glance over his shoulder. Violet turned to Time and sighed. "Apologies for him, he is our temper."

"I see." Time muttered, observing them each in turn. "How did this come about, then?" He gestured vaguely to them, wincing when he realised the insensitivity of his question. "You are not required to answer if it's a delicate subject."

"No, it's fine." Green assured him. "We'd be more than happy to answer any of your questions. It's the least we can do after hiding this for so long."

Time cocked his head to the side. "You aren't obligated to tell us anything you do not wish to. We all have things we'd rather keep quiet." He said, his tone darkening at the end, as if he knew all too well.

Green nodded appreciatingly. "And as for your question," He picked up the Foursword and held it skyward. The jewel in the cross-guard shone bright, the colour changing depending on the way the light hit. "It's because of the Foursword. The sword has the ability to split the wielder into four copies of themselves - hence the name." Green placed the sword down and leaned back against the tree opposite Time, tilting his head back to gaze at the sky. "It's why we don't allow any of you to wield it. We don't want this to happen to you."

"Do you regret it?" Time asked, low and cautious. Usually, when one of them talks about the tougher side of their journeys, they don't ask questions. They just listen, appreciating what information they are willing to share.

"We didn't know it would happen." Violet spoke up. Time had noted he was more reserved than the others. Not introverted, but more... careful. He thought before he spoke, calculated any consequences before acting. Time could tell he was the level-headed one of the four. "When we infused the White Sword with the power of the elements, we weren't sure what it would do. This is the last thing we expected."

"You're not answering his question."

If any of them noticed Time's flinch when Blue spoke, they didn't mention it.

Time turned to look over his shoulder, finding Blue standing defiantly behind them. Blue stared at him for a long moment, a calculating look on his face before he sighed, resigning himself to the truth. "We can't regret it. We don't get that luxury." He stepped forwards, stopping beside Green and exchanging an identical look of remorse with him. "It was a necessary part of our journey. If we didn't, we wouldn't have defeated Vaati. There was no choice to regret."

Time knew what he meant all too well.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"Don't worry about it." Violet interrupted. "Consider it fair game after Blue's questions earlier."

Time's eyebrow rose, and he turned back to Blue. "So that was you." He muttered. Blue huffed, not meeting his eye. "If you don't mind my asking, how does it work when you're... together?"

"More often than not, it's yours truly who's in charge." Green mock-saluted him, a proud smile on his face. "I'm the brave side of Link. The part of him that houses the Triforce of Courage."

"I'm the braincell." Violet interjected before Green's ego got any bigger. "Strategist, intellectual, and scholar." He reached out a hand and shook Time's. "Pleased to meet you, properly."

"Unfortunately, the Link we knew wasn't all that great with emotions." Green sighed. He motioned towards Red and Blue, who had tuned out the conversation and were bickering relentlessly, Red appearing to be on the brink of tears again. "Red is Link's empathy, and Blue is his emotions."

"They usually balance each other out, making us more stable when merged. It's why Four is, more often than not, calm and collected." Violet explained, shaking his head.

"Link always put others before himself. It's what being a hero meant to him, it's why Red is so passionate." Green went on, gesturing with his hands in a way Time recognised as a habit Four's. "But in doing so, his own emotions got supressed. It's why Blue is so volatile now he's his own entity."

"I see." Time nodded along. This all made so much sense. All those time's Four's mood suddenly shifted, the ongoing debate on his eye colour, whenever he was caught talking to himself. Time had drawn these quirks up to Four just being Four. They all had their little habits, small oddities and comforts that carried over from their adventures, so it made sense that Four had them, too.

"This doesn't... weird you out, does it?" Red suddenly asked, ignoring whatever Blue was rambling on about. Green looked up at him, hopeful in the face of uncertainty. Violet's face remained stony. Time could see why he was the braincell.

"I've seen some strange things in my time. This is just another thing to add to the ever-growing list." And for the first time in a while, Time cracked one of his 'I'm proud of you' smiles. It was rare to catch Time smiling openly on a good day, but to have one specially for you was a privilege in itself.

"See?" Blue snapped. "I told you he would be fine with it." His tone was harsh, but while the others were berating him for his brashness, he subtly nodded towards Time, the makings of a smile twitching at the corners of his lips.

Time nodded back, a newfound sense of respect for Four warming him from the inside out.

Chapter Text

Twilight didn't even notice when it started happening.

It took Legend pointing it out for it to finally register.

From the way he walked, talked, even sat, he was becoming much too similar to Time than any of them were comfortable with. Warriors had even taken to calling him pocket-watch, in some kind of sick joke they all found funny except him (and Time, the oblivious old man).

This led to Twilight pointedly walking with his back achingly straight and his farmer's accent becoming even more prominent than before - though that may have been an unintentional nervous habit.

When the others started picking on him for that, then he went to drastic measures.

He started avoiding Time.

During mealtime he would sit on the opposite side of the group, on the move he'd often take up the rear, and always make sure there was someone between them when the time came for them set up their bedrolls.

Now, it wasn't as if being compared to Time was a bad thing, not in the slightest. The Hero of Time was an admirable man with many fine qualities about him, but there was a difference between liking him and being like him. And don't get Twilight wrong, there wasn't anything necessarily wrong with being like Time. He hadn't pulled Wind up on his habit to automatically agree with everything Time said, or Sky for sounding like him when he tried to be more assertive.

No, in fact, the problem wasn't with Time, it was with Twilight.

"You know, ranch hand, you couldn't make what you're doing any more painfully obvious." Legend hissed into Twilight's ear, making him jump.

"Dunno what you're talkin' 'bout."

"Alright, cut it with the accent. I know your game, and I ain't playing." Legend jabbed him in the ribs.

Twilight frowned at him. "What do you want?"

Legend raised an unimpressed eyebrow. "You're avoiding Time, and I want to know why."

Twilight huffed and went back to stitching the week-old hole in his tunic. "Why? So you can blackmail me?"

"Is it so hard to believe it's because I care?" His head lolled to the side, looking down at Twilight. "Contrary to popular belief, I do have a heart."

"I know that." Twilight hissed. "I just don't know what you want me to say."

"The truth might be a good place to start." Legend muttered, though his tone had lost the sarcastic edge as he plonked down beside Twilight. "Go on." He urged. "Spill."

"I just-" Twilight cut himself off, sparing a glance across camp to where Time was lying back across the grass, hands tucked behind his head and staring at the sky. "I just figured I was spending too much time around him."

Legend frowned. "Why? Because I said you were becoming a mini-me?"

Twilight shrugged. "You weren't wrong. Not even I could see the line between what was me and what was his influence."

Legend crossed his legs and pulled a face. "Is that really such a bad thing? You're making it sound like you contracted a virus or something."

"Of course it's not bad, Time's a great person and an even better Hero, but..." He trailed off, his sewing slowing down as well.

"But..." Legend echoed, resorting to another jab in the ribs when he received no response. "Oi. Focus."

"But... I'm my own person, as is Time. It's creepy for me to start mimicking his habits."

Legend barked a laugh, shaking his head. "Please! We're bound to pick up some of each other's habits. Hylia, this morning I caught Wind trying to style his hair like Wars." He grimaced. "It didn't end well."

Twilight didn't say anything. Instead, he kept his eyes glued to the tunic in his hands, but any effort at mending it had ceased. Legend raised his eyebrows.

"But this goes deeper than that, doesn't it?" He asked, surprisingly gentle for someone of Legend's rating on the hot-headedness scale.

Again, Twilight didn't say anything. Truthfully, he just wanted to be left alone. He didn't want to have to deal with Legend's incessant questioning. He just wanted a quiet evening before supper, then he would go to sleep. He didn't need this right now.

"Listen, I'm not feeling too good right now, would you mind asking another time?"

Legend stared at him for a long minute, and Twilight knew his everything was being thoroughly analysed.

"Alright." Legend shrugged, seemingly satisfied. "If you say so."

And with that, he stalked away.

Twilight let out a breath of relief, mentally patting himself on the back for the figurative arrow dodged. All he had to do now was get through the rest of the night and-

"Twilight."

The man in question flinched, stabbing himself in the finger with his needle and wincing in pain. He glanced up, his heart plummeting into his stomach to find Time's figure looming over him.

"Yeah?" He asked. Curt. Twilight internally cringed.

"Can I have a word?"

Twilight could feel his insides chewing themselves out. Of course he would notice, idiot, why wouldn't he?

"Ooo, someone's in trouble!" Warriors whooped from beside Wild, who was watching over his shoulder, face contorted in concern.

Twilight glared at them all as he rose to his feet, abandoning his sewing and following Time into the forest. If I die, I hope the others finish mending my tunic so I can be buried in it.

Time was silent as he led them further and further into the woods. Twilight fought the urge to scoff at the fact Time hadn't even checked to see whether he was actually following. Naturally he would, but that wasn't the point.

They came to a stop beside a small pond, the surface glistening with a purity only nature can grant. Time came to the water's edge, staring down into the pool.

"You're avoiding me."

And there it is.

Twilight sighed, running a hand through his hair. He wasn't prepared for this conversation. He doesn't think he would ever be ready.

"Have I done something?" Time turned around; hands clasped behind his back. He stared down at the forest floor. Twilight found it odd the man wouldn't meet his eye.

"No." Twilight said, almost cautiously.

"Have I... said something?" This time, Time raised his gaze to meet Twilight's. Twilight couldn't find it in himself to answer. He simply shook his head.

"Then what is it?"

Twilight felt the air leave his lungs. He'd witnessed each of the other Heroes of Courage in various states during their time together. Angry, homesick, smitten, exhausted, the list could go on. But never, and he means never, has he ever seen the Hero of Time looking desperate.

"It's... It's nothing." Twilight took a step back, but Time took two steps forwards, the distance between them slowly starting to close.

"Then why aren't you speaking to me?"

Twilight wanted to run away and hide. This was too awkward, too... everything. It was too much.

"Because I- I don't, I mean- I'm... not? I just-" He cut himself off, pressing a hand to his forehead and pushing his suddenly irritating bangs away from his face.

Time's face had screwed up in uncharacteristic confusion. "What?"

"I- I just can't!" Twilight desperately tried to keep his voice down. The last thing he needed right now was an audience.

"What?" Time's eyebrow rose. "Why?"

"I promised you I wouldn't!"

Time stepped back at Twilight's outburst, the cogs whirring too fast in his head. "Promised... what? I don't understand."

Twilight scoffed. "No, well, you wouldn't." He winced at his wording. "Not yet, anyway."

Time's hand rose to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Alright, you've lost me."

Twilight groaned, exasperated. "Are you serious? Did you really not notice?"

"Notice what?"

"I'm becoming like you!"

Any retort died on Time's tongue. "Wh... What?"

"Hylia above." Twilight pressed his hands to his face. Forget supper, he wanted to go sleep now. "You just-" The words got stuck in his throat, so he threw his hands into the air instead. "This would be so much easier if you weren't so young!"

Time stared blankly at him. "I think that may be the first time any one of you referred to me as 'young'."

"That is beside the point." Twilight snapped, waving a warning finger in Time's face. "I can't believe you're so oblivious as to not notice."

"Of course I noticed."

Twilight stopped in his tracks, staring up at Time. "Then why didn't you stop me?"

"Because I didn't realise being like me was such a horrifying prospect." Time replied, his voice harsh enough to make Twilight recoil.

"That's not what I..."

Time sighed, turning away. He walked back towards the water's edge, sitting down in the thin bed of flowers lining the bank.

What was Twilight supposed to do now? He couldn't very well leave Time like this, but what could he say to make this any better? Time was a difficult man to talk to at the best of times, but when he was in one of his moods it became ten-times harder to say anything and have him actually listen.

Resigning to his fate of not getting out of this one, Twilight quietly followed him over. He sat down beside Time, ignoring their unintentional identical postures.

"You know," Time said quietly, staring into the water. "When I first realised you were my descendant, there was a period of time when I disliked you. Every time I saw you, it was like I was looking at my failure, right in front of me. I didn't manage to kill Ganondorf, so now you were being handed that burden." Time's hand raked through the grass, feeling the soft blades between his fingers. "I felt the same about Legend and Wind for some time, so it wasn't just you. But then... Then I found out you were a blood descendant. And for some reason, that changed everything. For the first time in my life, I had family bound by blood, and I just... I held onto that, probably for longer than what's healthy, but... as much as the others are my boys, you really were mine. And I don't think I could let that realisation go."

Twilight had started holding his breath ages ago, so when Time finished, he gasped for air.

"I'm sorry if I crowded you. If you want space, I understand, but... just don't cut me out. I don't... I'm not sure what I would do if I knew you hated me."

Twilight gaped at him. Everything he said couldn't be further from the truth. "I don't hate you." His mouth opened and closed as he searched for the right words, but nothing else would come to him. He felt like an emotional lost cause.

Twilight sighed heavily, dropping his head into his hands. "I don't even know if you'd believe me." He muttered. He could feel Time's questioning gaze on him.

"I'm sure I would."

Twilight looked up, their eyes meeting for a long moment before Twilight turned his gaze to his reflection. He chewed his lip, twitched his ear, sniffed. In the end, he gave up.

"This isn't the first time we've met."

Time paused. "What do you mean?"

Twilight laughed dryly to himself. "Back during my journey, I somehow landed myself a mentor. He taught me everything I know about fighting and surviving combat. I probably owe my life to him, 'cause I doubt I would be here to tell the tale if it weren't for him." Twilight shifted in the grass. "He was known as the Hero's Shade. Or, formerly, the..." Twilight took a deep breath. "The Hero of Time."

Time didn't say anything. Twilight wasn't surprised. What was someone supposed to say to that? But then again, their journeys have been one long wild ride for the lot of them. Maybe this just another check on the never-ending tally of the 'Chosen Hero's Guide to Everything Weird, Wonderful, and Downright Harrowing'.

"I... see."

Twilight pursed his lips. "Hm, no, I don't think you do." He snapped, pushing to his feet and beginning to pace back and forth behind Time. "You see, I'm not sure how to explain this to you without spoiling the future and messing up the timeline. Time is a delicate thing, and one wrong move could potentially-"

"Twilight." At some point Time had turned around, his hand now gripping Twilight's knee, holding him in place. "If anyone understands the intricacies of time, it would be me." Twilight cringed. "But what you're telling me is that... somewhere in my future - your past - we... meet?"

Twilight pressed his hands to his temples, inhaling sharply. "Yes and no."

Time's eyebrow arched. Twilight felt like digging a hole and hiding in it until the sun came up.

"Alright, you're starting to sound like Wild with his conspiracy theories."

Twilight shook his head vehemently. "No, no, this is real. I really was trained by you." Twilight stepped free of Time's hold and began pacing again, starting to lose himself to his thoughts. "I learned so much from you. Like, what it meant to be Hylia's chosen hero, how to wield the Master Sword, how to bear the Triforce of Courage. You showed me what it is to be a Hero, a Champion, but you were... you were so broken, inside. So steeped in regret and- and it hurt knowing that my predecessor felt so terrible about what he had done, and I-I..."

Time's face had blanked.

Twilight felt a sense of dread settle in the pit of his stomach. What had he done? He's as bad as Sky with his rambling at times. Twilight had seen this look before; it was the one Time wore whenever he spoke of his adventures - though those moments were few and far between. Twilight liked to think he knew more than the others, being his blood descendant and apparent most trusted confidant of their leader's, but really, what did he know about Time? He could probably list on his fingers the number of times he ever got anything more than surface-level information, and even that was only on one hand.

"How much do you know?" Time's voice was low, lower and more threatening than Twilight had ever heard before. It sent a chill up his spine.

"Not- Not much. He- You- We never really spoke much about the past. I... I don't-"

"You know it's my fault the timeline split, correct?" Time was avoiding his eye, but the silence alone was loud enough Twilight may as well have just screamed yes! I know one of your deepest secrets and it wasn't even you who told me!

"It was never my intention. The timeline was- is a mess. Zelda thought it fit to send me back to relive my childhood, but as it turns out the timeline I left carried on existing in my absence."

"Wind's Hyrule." Twilight muttered, the pieces starting to fall into place.

Time cleared his throat, raking a hand through his hair. "What else did he say?"

Twilight chewed his lip. He had one of two choices now. He could either continued to embarrass Time and divulge everything he knew about him, or he could avoid the question and speak about what's truly bothering him and risk being grilled about it later.

In the end, he took the risk.

"He made me promise something." Twilight whispered, clutching his arms like he used to when he was small. "Something I thought I would be able to do, but it's proving... trickier than expected."

Time's head tilted up at him, curious but withdrawn.

"He made me promise not to be like him." His foot tapped rapidly against the grass. "I mean, I thought it was going to easy, but then I met you and you were just-" Twilight's gaze fell back to the water. "You were everything I ever wanted to be. You were strong, brave, helped everyone in need. Your adventures were no doubt some of the toughest out of any of us, and yet you still walk into battle, head held high and courageous in the face of evil. Again and again, you put your life on the line for us like it's nothing. You never seem scared of what could happen to you. You put us first every damn time and I just- It's hard, knowing what regrets and pain you carry with you every day, and I only wish I could help lighten the load but all I can do is break the one promise I had to keep. What kind of Hero does that? After everything you went through, you were still looking out for me, protecting me, so how could I look you in the eye knowing that one day you'll walk into the Goddess-damned forest and never return?"

Twilight wasn't sure when he'd started crying, but when a warm hand brushed against his cheek, wiping his tears away, he found his composure breaking even more.

"It is not your responsibility to look after me." Time spoke as his arm wrapped around Twilight's shoulders, pulling the boy into his side. "And nor am I going to hold you to a promise I don't recall making."

"You will." Twilight's voice was muffled by Time's tunic, his face pressed into the older man's shoulder. "One day."

"But that day is not today." Time countered. He prised a reluctant Twilight away from him and held him by the shoulders. "But listen to me carefully. Right now, I don't want you worrying about me."

"But-"

"No, I don't want to hear it." Time brushed his hair away from his face. "I don't want you to feel pressured into being something you're not. I don't care what you think about me, but you have to stop drawing comparisons. You are a Hero in your own right, and it's an honour to fight alongside you." Time sighed. "Truth be told, yes, I worry about you. All of you. You're all so much younger than I am, and I hate watching you throw yourselves into battle. Someone needs to take responsibility over you, because clearly a lot of you had pretty wild childhoods and you just need... Someone to be watching over you. You all deserve that, and it's only the minority who actually had it."

Twilight snuffled, his eyes tinged red from crying. Hylia, he was so pathetic, crying over something so menial. It was-

"I'm proud of you."

Twilight crumbles in his hold, and Time doesn't let him go.

Chapter Text

Hyrule felt bad for saying it, but sometimes he found himself missing the old days.

The times when he could wander free throughout his land, practicing the little magic he had been granted through his heritage and communing with the nature all around him. He wasn't made for Castletowns or Castles, or even villages like Hateno or Ordon. He didn't belong with Hylians, he belonged out there, in the great wide unknown.

And luckily for him, that's right where they were now. Wild had wanted to make a stop at the Akkala Lab to visit one of his old friends, and now they were trekking down the hill towards the East Akkala Stable. Wild had assured them it would be safe to spend the night there, and with some arrangements, they would be able to sleep in a bed each - which is long overdue, according to Legend.

On the way down, taking up the rear of the group, Hyrule had the chance to appreciate the world around them. Thie region could easily be the most beautiful part of Wild's Hyrule. Red and golden trees littered the hillside, spreading out across the lush countryside. It reminded him of his own Hyrule; the danger and the beauty mixed so perfectly, like the sweetest fruit steeped in poison.

As they came up the stable, Hyrule's eyes wandered towards Death Mountain, the burning abyss marking the western skyline. He followed the ridges in the stone down to the grassy verge and the... crater? Wild hadn't mentioned anything about a crater like that.

"Hey!" Wild smiled as he approached the front desk of the stable, waving as the owner looked up at the commotion.

"Ah, Link!" Rudi returned the smile, leaning against the counter. "What can I do for you?" Hyrule watched as Rudi's eyes edged over Wild's shoulder towards the rest of them, eyeing them up warily. Hyrule doesn't blame him, a clan of knights like them were a usual sight.

"You don't happen to have room for nine, do you?"

Rudi's eyebrows rose. "Nine, you say? Well, I suppose we can sort something out. I should have a few extra beds packed away in storage, I can fetch them and set them all up-"

"Nonsense." Time stepped in with a wave of his hand. "We have nine strong men here with nothing better to do. We can sort all that out."

Warriors groaned, earning an elbow in the ribs from Legend.

Rudi nodded. "Alright then, that'll be a total of one-hundred and eighty rupees, if you would be so kind."

Hyrule zoned out as the prospect of payment was brought up. He was never good with handling money. He never had much need for it before he started journeying with the boys. The others were always planning which town they could stock up in next, always on top of their finances and letting Wild pay for most of their stuff. Honestly, Hyrule was still baffled by their reaction to -learning Wild's rupee balance. Was a couple hundred thousand really that much?

He let his gaze wander around the inside of the stable. It was... cosy. He could imagine why it would be a popular stop with the travellers as well as those who had chosen to set up a more permanent residence there. He imagined it would look nice in the evening, what with the little lights and gentle atmosphere.

But even so, it felt like the walls were closing in, the tarp roof sagging until they became so trapped that they couldn't breathe.

Hyrule tried to shake the idea from his mind. Hylia, he needed some air.

So, as the others began to set down their belongings, collapsing onto the beds with a sigh of relief for their poor feet, Hyrule wandered outside. It was late afternoon, but he still had a couple hours before Wild would light the cooking pot, and the world was just so tempting.

Hyrule had always felt something weird about Wild's world. He didn't hate it, quite the opposite, but there was always something bitter lingering whenever he thought of their time here. When he'd brought it up to Four, he'd said what Hyrule was experiencing was jealousy. Well, maybe he was. Just a bit. Hyrule's Hyrule was small by comparison, and what he would do to get to wander a land as large as this day-in-day-out.

He ran his hand through his hair, brushing the thoughts aside.

He needed a moment to clear his mind. His eyes found the crater at the foot of Death Mountain again.

They wouldn't miss him for half an hour, right?

He shot a glance over his shoulder, then took off in the direction of the mysterious cavern.

The air rushed past his face, catching his hair and sending a chill down his spine. It felt refreshing, a welcome change from the sweaty trekking they were often subjected to. His legs burned from strain, a mix of the sudden sprinting and prolonged walking for hours earlier that day. His lungs heaved for air, heart pounded against his ribs, eyes stung against the bitter wind. Oh, how he'd missed this.

When he reached the edge of the crater, he peered down the abrupt cliff-face. It was as if a chunk of the land had been carved out of the ground, leaving behind a gap in the landscape. Hyrule recalled Wild mentioning that certain areas of... Akkala, was it? Being rich in ore. Perhaps this is where he meant? It certainly looked like quarry, anyhow.

Finding an edge that wasn't as steep at the others, Hyrule slid down into the pit. He glanced back up the slope. Too steep for Hylian feet to traverse. Ah well, fairy form it will have to be.

He redirected his attention back to the pit. It was surprisingly pleasant. Large stumps of uncarved stone stood amongst scattered trees and shrubs. It wasn't picturesque, like Akkala Falls or Faron Woods, but it held its own beauty. Hyrule could see this being a place of work and community. It was likely to be the Gorons who mined here, so it wasn't any stretch of the imagination to picture days spent hard at work and evenings filled with laughter and food. The Gorons always held a wonderous sense of community, bringing their high spirits everywhere they went.

Paths had been carved between the stones, wide treks carpeted with thick grass. Hyrule could feel the softness of the blades beneath his boots, alongside the subtle snapping of twigs and crunch of the occasional auburn leaf.

His eyes lazily scanned the area. He couldn't sense any monsters nearby, despite Wild's account of looming Guardian Skywatchers lurking about the area. The busted remnants of a propeller convinced Hyrule they had been more than dealt with.

He let his guard down, basking in the stillness of the air. It was unusual to find such peace in any of their Hyrule's - especially Wild's. The chaotic nature of their calling often landed them right in the middle of the action. He had to admit, the empty feeling of the quarry was a welcome change.

He wandered between the tiny, stone plateaus, his hand brushing against the smooth rock. The natural materials of this world were softer than those of his own. He wasn't sure how, but it felt like Hylia attempting to gift the inhabitants of this land a helping hand amid the wreckage. Intentional or not, Hyrule could feel her presence in the land. He suddenly understood why Sky loved this place so much.

Hyrule was just about to turn back, having thought he exhausted all the sights to see, when his eye caught something along the North face of the pit. Carved into the rock, a stone arch was adorned with intricate patterns. His eyebrow rose with intrigue. He stepped closer, revealing the narrow path through the hill above.

The air was thick with must, the walls lined with patches of moss and chipped stonework. It was obvious it had been constructed a while ago, the natural decay prevalent throughout the tunnel and out the other side.

When he stepped from the beneath the shadows of the tunnel, the ethereal atmosphere almost made him turn back. It was powerful, the energy in the air. His eyes landed on the statue of Hylia in the middle of the pool. The surface of the water gleamed with an unnatural light that felt entirely at home.

The Spring of Power.

Hyrule recalled Wild's telling of three statues of Hylia spread across the land, each dedicated to a piece of the Triforce. Wild had taken them to the Spring of Courage before, and every single one of them felt the inevitable draw of their spirits towards the Goddesses - even Legend, as much as he tried to deny it.

Hyrule felt his soul ache as he waded deeper into the water. His boots and trousers were soaked when he came to a stop, staring up at the Goddess.

Hyrule had never felt an immediate connection with Hylia, not like Sky and Wild had. She had always been a presence in the back of his mind, but he rarely took the time to pray.

He cocked his head to the side.

No, this wasn't Hylia's power he could feel.

It was a terrible shame, Hyrule thought, that so many neglected to pray to the Three Golden Goddesses. Hylia cared for their world, but none of them would exist without Farore, Din, and Nayru. The Triforce wouldn't exist without them, for better or worse.

Hyrule's spirit was bound to Farore, and the Zeldas shared the wisdom of Nayru.

He was certain the Triforce of Power was never meant to end up in the hands of evil, but a relic of unrivalled power would undoubtedly be the centre of much desire.

So, burdened with a desire he wasn't sure was entirely his own, he fell to his knees, hands clasped together.

And for the first time in years, he prayed. Not to Hylia. And not to Farore or Nayru.

No, Hyrule prayed to the Goddess whose name had been tarnished with the blood of those who had fallen at the hands of Her Triforce.

He prayed to Din, the Goddess of Power.

*******

Time crept as quietly as his clunking chainmail would allow. The air was quiet as he passed through the grassy patches, following after Hyrule.

Now, he wasn't stalking like Legend had accused him of. He was simply looking out for a brother. And it wasn't as if he intended to talk to Hyrule, he was just there to make sure he was okay. They all needed their space on occasion, Hyrule being no exception, but they still had to be careful while adventuring. Being out alone was practically asking for trouble.

So, with one of Wild's spare swords strapped to his belt as Four was busy tending to the Biggoron Sword, he advanced down the narrow tunnel into the cliff face.

He immediately caught sight of Hyrule when he came out the other side, up to his shoulders in water, facing the statue of the Goddess.

Hyrule is religious?

Stone pillars lined the path either side, bordered with flowing streams and the gentle crashing of waterfalls. The pillars had crumbled with age, a few still standing, but adorned with cracks. He could smell the age of the structure mixed with the freshness of a rain shower.

Really, he should turn back and let the others know Hyrule was fine, just taking a breather, but there was something deep inside him that made him press forwards. He clutched the sword to stop it rattling in the sheath as he ascended the steps.

The path opened out into the pool at the foot of the Hylia statue, two trees protruding from the water's surface. It was a beautiful sight considering the wear and tear obviously prevalent on the statue's surface.

Time stopped at the water's edge. Hyrule hadn't moved from where he was knelt.

It was an eerie quiet, Time thought, his hand gripping the hilt of the sword just that much tighter.

"You can come closer."

Time flinched. He saw Hyrule flick his hair out of his face, but he still didn't turn around.

The Hero of Time opened his mouth to apologise, but the words failed him, and he ended up following through with Hyrule's request.

The water drenched Time up to the waist as he waded towards Hyrule. The statue continued to loom overhead.

"Do you pray?"

Time was caught off guard by the question, and it took him a moment to process what was being asked.

"Oh, erm, no. Not often, anyway."

Hyrule hummed. "I don't, usually. I don't feel much connection to the deities, but..." He opened his eyes and turned to Time. "Is it bad to relate with a Goddess?"

Time's eyebrow arched. His gaze shot to Hylia for a moment, then back down to Hyrule. "I suppose it depends on the context."

"Din." Hyrule stated, rising from the water. "Her Triforce was never meant to be used for evil. She doesn't deserve to be defiled like that. Her flames created this land and cultivated the earth, yet Her name has been tarnished by Ganondorf."

"I... had never thought of it like that. You're not wrong, I suppose." Time admitted. He'd never taken the time to sit down and truly ponder the Goddesses, truthfully. He had always known of their stories and believed in their presence - it was hard not to when you possessed a fragment of their all-powerful relic. But, debating the morality of their creations and their personal associations to the items, well, let's just say Time had more important things to worry about.

"I apologise for any impertinence, but how do you relate to that?" Time quietly questioned, unsure of whether he would be overstepping the mark. He'd already intruded upon Hyrule's personal time, he shouldn't further his nosiness with any unwanted questions.

Hyrule turned his eyes to the overcast sky, as if waiting for the inevitable first few drops of rain. "She's an outcast, like me."

"Hyrule, you're-"

"No, wait, let me explain." He held his hand up, effectively silencing Time. He drew in a long breath, closing his eyes, focussing his other senses. He could feel the movement of the water, hear the sway of the trees, smell the oncoming rain. He opened his eyes. "I've never had this many friends before. It's different, but nice. But I'm still a lone traveller. It's... ingrained into me. I'm not like the rest of you. Many of you had companions, or met other travellers along your journey, or made stops in different towns. I could go for weeks without seeing another person, let alone speaking to someone. The constant company can become... a little much, at times. But that's okay." Hyrule smiled. "Yeah, it's okay."

Time doesn't think he's heard Hyrule say so many words in one go.

"Hyrule, I hope that none of us have made you feel out of place amongst us. You- You belong with us. You're one of us. I'd hate to think you feel isolated." Time said, his arms folding across his chest to save them awkwardly hanging at his sides.

Hyrule looked up at him and shook his head. "Not at all. It's just how it is. Like how the Triforce of Power will always be in the hands of evil, the Hero will forever be reborn to fight it, and the Royal family shall carry the blood of the Goddess. Sometimes, even the things people view as flaws, are not really bad things." Hyrule waded forwards through the water, climbing onto the platform meant for offerings to the Goddess. "Without the Triforce to unite the land in times of peril, who knows whether the different races would get along. Without it, would we really know there are Goddesses out there who watch over us? And in the same way; if I hadn't been alone, would I have been able to complete my mission? If I craved attention and validation from other people, would I have caved from loneliness while on my journey? Everything is as it is for a reason, good or bad, and it's okay to accept that, because that's just how it is."

Time pondered this. He was used to the philosophical questions from Wind and Sky, and he nearly always had an answer. But this side of Hyrule? It left Time concerned as to how no one noticed the deep thoughts and air of calm that resided within the otherwise wild Hero of Hyrule. It worried him that maybe he didn't know his boys as well as he thought.

His finger tapped against his arm, his eyes flicking between the statue and the half-soaked Hyrule. "But what if someone has the power to change how it is?"

Hyrule didn't look at him. His eyes focussed on the face of Hylia. "Then I pray to every deity out there that they know what they're doing."

He hopped off the platform, landing in the water with a small splash that made him smile. He waded back over to Time, grinning up at him. "Thank you for listening to me ramble. I think I'm just over-tired."

Time fought the urge to defend Hyrule's honour from himself. "If you ever want to talk, I will always lend an ear."

Hyrule chuckled, light and airy, as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Thank you, Time."

Chapter Text

Warriors had warned them about his Hyrule.

He'd mentioned the scent of burning that clung to the air, even after the fires had long been extinguished. How the scarring of the land was unmatched, even in comparison to Wild's ruined world.

But even so, nothing could have prepared Time for seeing the world in person.

Despite having been travelling as a group for a while, none of them had ever step foot into the Hero of Warriors' time period. Time had thought it unusual, considering the frequent stops they made in each of the others' homelands, but had decided to leave it in the hands of the Goddess. No point in rising above his station - they were all just the brawn of Hylia's army, after all.

"Alright, men." Warriors' hands were placed firmly on his hips, a fierce frown casting a shadow over his face. "This is my Hyrule, and these are my rules." He turned to face them. Time immediately noticed the shift in attitude. The playful and chilled Warriors was gone, in his place, well, as his namesake claimed him: a warrior stood. Time felt humbled, for some odd reason. "Rule number one, you listen to and heed what I say. If I say not to do something, you don't do it." Warriors' gaze lingered long enough of Wild to earn him a glare. "Number two, do not engage in a fight of any kind outside of duty. We are here to fight monsters, not civilians. And rule number three." He faltered just long enough for Time to raise an eyebrow. "Rule number three. Remember who you are. You are Hylia's Chosen Heroes, bearers of the Triforce of Courage, and heroes of Hyrule. So, you're all going to act like it."

"Ha. Sounds like a threat." Legend snarked. Warriors caught his eye.

"I'm serious."

Legend didn't say anything to that.

The path towards Castletown was short, but arduous. Clumps of rocks and broken weapons littered the road, chunks of the gravel missing in some areas. Warriors passed through unfazed by the damage. Whether he was intentionally ignoring it, or simply didn't care enough to notice, Time couldn't tell.

The outer walls of Castletown soon came into view. The main gate was the only way into town, and the path was heaving with merchants and travellers alike. Time supposed they would have fit in, a band of young men off to see the wonders of the world, but laden with weapons of all kinds doesn't exactly give off 'friendly passer-by' vibes.

People stared as they passed, some greeting Warriors and others acknowledging him with a curt nod of their head. It was expected that Warriors would be known throughout town, but the sombre air they seemed to carry about them didn't fit with the otherwise cheery atmosphere of the farmers' market. They were heroes. Bringers of hope and peace, yet the citizens regarded them with caution.

Time's frown deepened.

"Hang on." Warriors held his hand up, ushering them to the side of the road. "Alright. We're coming up to the barracks. This is where my rules come into play. Listen. No fighting. And, lastly, remember who you are."

"Is there something we should know?" Twilight narrowed his eyes, his unease resulting in a concerned looking Wild. The last time Wild was worried, well, let's just say everyone in the group slept with one eye open that night.

Warriors sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "It's just- The army. They're good men, trained soldiers and strong fighters, but at the end of the day they're just boys who were thrown into a war too young. Some of them can be... a lot to handle. Just be wary." He chewed his lips for a moment, his eyes flitting between the group and the looming shadow of the castle just ahead. "Keep Legend, Wind, and Four in the middle."

"Oi! You fuc-"

"Legend." Time squeezed his shoulder. "Trust him."

For the second time that day, Legend complied.

Wind was getting nervous.

Warriors led the band of heroes through the gates to the soldiers' training grounds. He let out a tense breath when they found it empty, save for two men leaning against the walls, sipping from what Warriors assumed were the hipflasks the General had a vendetta against.

"Ah!" One of them called out, raising the flask. "The wanderer returns!" The soldier sauntered over, his friend trailing behind. "Link, old friend, where have you been this time?" His speech was slightly slurred as he eyed up the group.

"It's usually hordes of ladies trailing after you. Can't say this surprises me, though." The other smirked, taking a long sip of whatever potent alcohol they'd managed to sneak out of the palace kitchens.

"Mind forever in the gutter, is it? No wonder you're full of shit." Warriors snarked back. Time prepared for a verbal smackdown, but his eyebrow rose when Warriors pulled both men into a tight hug. "Good to see you boys again."

The first man clapped him on the back. "And you, Captain."

Warriors turned around, his arms slung over the men's shoulders. "Boys? This is Aaron-" the first man, "and Luca." the man with the smirk. "Lads, these are the Heroes of times passed and yet to come. I've been travelling with them, across all eras of Hyrule's history. It's been one hell of a journey."

"The adventure is never quite over, is it?" Aaron muttered, taking in each of his new acquaintances. "And what shall I call you all?"

"Well," Warriors placed a hand on his chest, "since all of us are called Link for a reason unbeknownst to us, we go by our titles. So, here we have Sky, Twilight, Hyrule, Wild. The short stacks are Four, Legend, and Wind. And the old man in the back is Time."

Luca looked over. "What about you?"

"He's Warriors, though jackass is more appropriate."

Aaron raised an eyebrow towards the man with the pink hair. He turned back to Warriors. "I like this one."

"Alright, party's over." Warriors rolled his eyes, waving Legend off. "You know where the General is? Or were you too busy getting pissed?"

Luca patted Warriors' shoulder, then gestured towards the castle. "He's in his office, where else would he be? All the old bastard does is eat, sleep, and work."

"Nothing's changed, I see." Aaron shrugged in response. "Right, come on fellas, we should make ourselves known. We can check into an inn after."

"You should come drinking with us tonight!" Aaron raised his flask into the air once again, the contents sloshing out onto his boot. "Fellas night out!"

"Yeah, yeah, we'll see. I'll find you lads later." Warriors called back to them as he guided his Heroes towards the staircase leading up to the castle's backdoor for staff and, apparently, the legendary Heroes of Hyrule.

"They seem nice." Sky mused as they wandered seemingly aimlessly down the halls.

"They're my best friends." They could hear the smile in Warriors' voice as he led the group. "I've known them since we were in diapers. We were all neighbours growing up, then went into service together. They probably know me better than I know myself."

"I don't know what you were so worried about. Everyone here's so nice." Wind said, a small skip in his step.

Warriors sighed. "That's because you haven't met the newbies and veterans yet. Aaron and Luca have only been in active service a few years. It's the newcomers who have the ego as large as the moon, but the vets think they're hard as nails - which may be true, but they shouldn't pick fights with those who can't defend themselves against a trained soldier."

Time nodded in agreement. "You'd think defenders of Hyrule would have some kind of honour."

"I know, right?" Warriors shook his head. He'd done his best to drill any kind of respect into the men he'd led into battle, but most of his words of wisdom went in one ear and straight out the other.

They stopped outside an intricately carved door, a plaque nailed to it reading General Griffiths.

Warriors knocked three times. A gruff voice called enter from within. Warriors' teeth ground as he turned the handle and pushed the door open. He stepped inside, hand raising in a salute. "Sir."

The General tore his gaze away from the stack of letters, his eyebrow arching in interest at the band of men in his doorway.

"Captain?" He leaned back in his seat, hands folded across his rounded stomach. "Isn't this a surprise. I thought you'd gone for good this time."

"No, Sir. Can't get rid of me that easily."

Griffiths' lips pursed. "No, apparently not." His eyes dragged across the men just behind his subordinate. "And it seems like you've brought friends."

Warriors stepped aside, head held high. "Sir, may I present the Heroes of Hyrule from eras prior to and following this one."

Time took this as his moment to make proper introductions, seeing as he was appointed leader and all. "It's a pleasure to meet you. May I-"

"Link, could you take these gentlemen to wherever you intend to house them. I'll be requiring a meeting with you later." Griffiths turned back to his papers, completely ignoring Time's handshake. "And make it quick."

Time's eye remained on the General, lips parted in disbelief.

"Yes, Sir." Warriors' hand gripped Time's shoulder, sending him a pointed look as he herded them out the door.

None of them missed the way Twilight closed the door with more force than needed, nor did they reprimand Wind's muttered curses.

Awkward silence settled over the heroes.

Warriors never thought he'd want another portal to open underfoot and swallow them whole.

*******

Time sat uncharacteristically slouched at the bar. The others were gathered somewhere else in the tavern, creating a ruckus if Four and Wild's laughter was anything to go by. Time had needed a breather from the group for a moment. The portals were starting to take their toll on the older hero, and the surprisingly comfortable bar stool was doing nothing to sooth the ache in his knees, let alone his head.

There was a constant murmur in the background, and the gentle noise was starting to slow his thoughts. It felt as though he'd been caught in a bubble, where the outside world had been drowned out, and his racing mind could finally take a break from survival and looking out for his boys.

Whether it was the drowsiness in his bones or the ache in his head, it didn't matter. Either way, Time didn't hear the voice just behind him until a hand shoved against his shoulder. Time's glass of whisky almost toppled over.

"Hey, old man."

Time found his eye rolling. "Don't you have someone else to-" He stopped mid-sentence, having not been met with the face of one of his boys. A young man glared at him, dark hair falling into his unkind eyes.

"Oi. You stupid or something?" He snapped his fingers in Time's face, and the hero felt a surge of irritation flash behind his eyes.

"Can I help you?" Time bit.

"Yeah. You can move. This is our spot." He nodded towards the bar where Time was sat. Two men came up behind him, arms folded and eyes cold as an ice rod. Time knew their kind, and not moving would be inviting a fight, but... Warriors had said to remember who they were. He was the legendary Hero of Time. He'd fought the Hylia-damned moon. He deserved to rest his feet wherever the hell he liked.

"I don't hear a please." Time spoke softly, slowly. Tauntingly.

The man slammed his hand on bar, an obvious - yet futile - attempt to intimidate Time.

"Now."

Time tilted his head up, looking down at the men through his eyelashes. His hair fell away from his forehead, exposing the full length of his scar and markings. One of the man's lackeys visibly flinched away. Time tried not to take it personally.

"Still not hearing that please."

The dark-haired man leaned closer, the smell of alcohol already heavy on his breath. "I ain't scared of you, old man." He hissed.

Time smirked. "And it's bold to assume I would be scared of you."

"I'm a soldier. I could have you arrested."

"On what charges? Minding my own business?"

"Causing a disturbance and resisting the law."

Time's eye narrowed. "You aren't the law."

The man grinned unnervingly. "You wanna bet?"

Suddenly, he grabbed Time's shoulder and shoved him to his feet, grabbing him by the collar and yanking uncomfortably closer. "Now you listen to me, if you're gonna-"

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

The man stopped, his gripping loosening on Time. He looked over his shoulder, glancing side to side before dropping his gaze downwards.

He burst into laughter, fully releasing Time and turning his attention to his apparent challenger. "And who might you be, kid? Lost your mommy?" He man leaned down, hands rested on his knees in exaggeration.

Legend stared blankly at him, arms folded. "Good question." Legend nodded, tapping his chin. "Who am I? Well, I don't suppose you'd recognise my nickname - Legend - but a few of the others might ring a bell?" He shrugged, then raised his fingers to count. "I'm the Hero of Legend, Legendary Hero, Triforce of Courage, Hero's Spirit, Hylia's Chosen Hero, Zora Hero, Hero of the Essences, Mr. Great Hero, and Hero of Hyrule." He exchanged a look with Time. "Oh, and Link."

"Bullshit." The man raised his fist, arm drawn back. Legend scoffed.

The man gaped when Legend caught the punch.

"Hmm. Sloppy posture. And when you punch, you gotta throw your whole body into, use the motion. Twi? Show him."

That's when the Hero of Twilight's fist made sharp contact with the man's nose. A painful crack jolted through the air, and the soldier fell to the floor, grasping his face.

Shouts filled the tavern as Twilight shook out his hand. "Man, I haven't punched someone like that in ages." He rolled his shoulders, turning to Time. "You good?"

Time's eyebrows were raised, the most shocked Twilight had ever seen him. "I- Yeah. I'm fine." Time looked down at the man. "You broke his nose."

Twilight shrugged. "He was being rude."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" The man's lackeys gawped at them, half ready to fight, half ready to bolt. It's a shame they wouldn't have time for the latter.

"Were you not listening?" Wild leaned on one of their shoulders, grinning in the way that usually alerted Time to when something - or someone, that one time - was about to catch fire. "We're the Heroes of Courage."

Four crept up behind them, kicking in the backs of their knees. The men collapsed to the floor, coming face to face with a wide smile.

"You know," Sky murmured, holding the Master Sword out in front of him, running his finger up and down the edge. "People have told me it burns if someone unworthy touches the blade." His eyes flitted between the men. "Wanna test that theory?"

Time felt a small tug on his sleeve. "Are you okay? Anything broken or bruised?" Hyrule whispered to Time as Wind cursed the men out on Hyrule's other side. Time drew his brow together. "I'm fine. Him, on the other hand..." He gestured to the man bleeding from a crooked nose, dark rings already appearing around his eyes.

A beat of quite passed, then Hyrule spoke again. "I heard the doctor in town is good at what he does. He'll be fine."

"What in the name of Hylia is going on here?"

Ah. Just the voice Time was hoping to hear.

The heroes and men turned to look at Warriors. The Captain stood with his hands placed firmly on his hips. "What did I say about fighting?"

"They started a fucking scrap with Time." Wind pointed to the men on the floor.

Something shifted in Warriors' eyes in that moment. He crouched and narrowed his gaze at the men. "Well. Attacking a Captain's family. That's a risky stunt. Too bad I'll have to report it to the General. Can't be having soldiers starting fights with the public, where's the honour in that?"

"That bastard broke my fucking nose!" He dark haired man pointed accusingly at Twilight.

Warriors turned him. Twilight shrugged. They smirked at each other.

"I'm sure the doc can sort it."

"I don't want it to scar!" The man continued to whine.

Wild crouched in front of him, head tilted to the side so that the hair fell away from the left side of his face. "Scar, huh?"

The man's mouth open and closed several times before he scrambled to his feet and stormed off, his lackeys following after.

"Oi." The bartender leaned over to them. "I ain't wanting no fighting in here. Out. All of you."

Warriors sighed, folding his arms. "Come on, men. Sorry about the disturbance, folks." He ushered the heroes out the door and into the cool evening air.

The walk back to the inn was noisy, with Wind and Four chatted animatedly about the fight, Wild interjecting occasionally and Sky gazing down at the sword, a thoughtful smile gracing his lips.

"You good?" Twilight sidled up to Time at the back of the group, hands tucked into his pockets.

"What the hell was that?" Time finally broke, hissing his question to his descendant.

Twilight looked away, a guilty gleam in his eyes. "They were bothering you."

"I can handle a couple of men."

"I know, but..." Twilight kicked at the dirt, nodding towards the others. "You've helped us, we wanted to help you."

"By breaking a man's nose?"

Twilight groaned, pink tinting his ears. "Okay, I was aiming for his jaw and missed. Still, I think I got the point across."

Time chuckled with a shake of his head. "You certainly did that."

They fell into an easy silence the rest of the way back to the inn. Just as they were about to duck through the door, Twilight held Time back for a moment.

"Y'know, I know you see us as your boys. You're our leader and all" Time felt an embarrassed flush crawling up his neck. "But I just wanted you to know: you're our old man, too. And... you're the closest thing some of us have had to a father - me included - and we just-" Twilight rubbed at the back of his neck, avoiding Time's eye. "We appreciate you. So, thanks for just... being there." He bumps shoulders with Time. "That's from all of us."

Anything Time could have said died on his tongue. He stared at Twilight, fighting the stinging of tears in his eyes.

Maybe he'd had too much to drink.

Or maybe these boys had managed to worm their ways into his guarded heart.

Deep down, Time knew which one it was.

He hadn't even touched his whisky.