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Rain pounded on the window of the small wooden cabin the chain took refuge in. Each thump sent shivers down Legend’s back, itching under his skin. He could feel layers of goosebumps engross his body, the hairs on his neck standing on end. His foot tapped against the floor, playing an erratic and frantic melody as it spelled out his anxiety in hidden chords.
There was a time when rain brought him peace – the rhythmic pounding played a beat that eased him into a deep slumber. But that was a long time ago. Before his travels. Before his uncle’s death. Before Marin.
Now rain only brings anger and anxiety to shroud the suppressed loneliness and bubbling guilt that it reminded him of.
That he tried so hard to ignore.
But as the flash of lightning blinded his vision and the ensuing thunder crashed through his senses, he couldn’t repress the memories that flooded his way.
“Legend, are you okay?”
Legend looked up, broken from his thoughts. He saw Wind looking down on his currently small and shaking form hidden in the couch pillows. He must have looked pathetic, his teeth clenched around his hand as he hugged his knees close to his chest. He was huddled up in numerous blankets close to the fire in an effort to escape from the world.
“Yeah Wind, I’m good.” He shuffled, trying to get up on his feet in a show that he was really, honestly, okay.
Even though he was very sure he was on the verge of a panic attack.
“Are you sure?” Wind made a move to grab Legend’s hand to pull him up.
Legend's initial reaction was to flinch away from the sudden physical contact, but he didn’t want to make Wind feel bad or worry even more, so he let him. He appreciated the gesture, really, he just couldn’t help the way that it made his skin itch for an escape, unable to breath under the foreign contact.
Thankfully, either Wind or Time noticed his discomfort, because the sailor quickly let go as Time called him over to set the table. Legend’s hand was left dangling by his side, and despite how much he breathed in relief for the freedom, he couldn’t place the small voice that cried in starvation.
Not that it mattered, because he immediately bit it down with practiced skill, deaf to its calls.
Lightning cackled in the sky, followed by thunder in almost a mocking tone - as if it was toying with his mind. Trying to make a fool of his pitiful self as he suppressed tiny shivers.
He shook his head as he sighed, taking deep breaths to calm his racing heartbeat. He needed to find a distraction, or he might very well make a bigger fool of himself in all his anxiety.
He marched over to the table that was currently being set. Wild was off to the side, in the small corner kitchen almost done preparing all the food for eight burly heroes. Legend had a lot of respect for their cook, being under such a strenuous task and almost always providing utter culinary perfection.
Legend never understood how he could create such masterpieces, but still find random shit on the side of the road somehow intriguing enough to eat. He shuddered at the distant memory of wrestling Beedle off of Wild as he proceeded to shove an Energetic Rhino Beetle down his mouth. It took weeks to escape Beedle’s tail, and he’s never felt safe in Wild’s Hyrule since.
His worst fear was that Beedle would have some sort of telepathic communication with all the reincarnated Beedles across the universe and they would all be out to skin them. Honestly, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to think so. He’s been through weirder events.
“Food’s almost ready!” Wild called out, to which a chorus of replies echoed back. The brief exchange was enough to snap Legend out of his thoughts as he remembered why he came to the table in the first place - to distract himself from his thoughts.
Well, the bad ones that is. At least it’s working.
He moved to get the cutlery for the plates, but stopped when he realized that the dinner table was already set. He stood stupidly in the middle of the dining room with a handful of forks and knives in hand, wondering how he hadn’t noticed earlier.
“Legend, you alright?” Time walked towards him, looking at the ludicrous amounts of forks and knives in his hand.
“Um…yeah…”
Time simply raised a single eyebrow.
“I always eat with multiple forks. I…uh, prefer them over spoons anyways.” He tried. As if to prove his point, he walked over to his seat and awkwardly dropped the handful of forks and knives in his bowl, as if he was seriously going to eat with them all.
Time eyed him, “Yes, well I’m sure you’d be happy to know that Wild’s serving cream of mushroom soup.” He raised his eyebrow, (again). “So, you know, forks and knives are a bit pointless.”
Legend cursed under his breath. He was usually a lot better at lying than this. He was the chain's most deceptive member and talented liar - self proclaimed of course - but that was only because he was that good at lying! It's not like he could get the others to support his position anyways, not unless he spilled all his truths, and obviously that would defeat the title.
“O-oh. Um. I’ll just put these back then.” Legend made a move towards the kitchen when Time placed a hand on his wrist, stopping him in his tracks.
What’s with all the touching today? Seriously?
This time, unlike with Wind, he couldn’t help the instinctual flinch that sparked with the initial physical contact. “I-uh, sorry-”
“Legend.” Time looked increasingly concerned, his hand tightening his grip that made Legend ache for more warmth, in a way that frightened him too much. “You never apologize, what’s wrong?”
Farosh’s fuck, Legend, you need to get a grip of yourself.
“It’s nothing Old Man, I’m fine.”
“Nice try.”
“Seriously. I’m okay.”
“I don’t believe that for a second.”
“There’s nothing wrong!” He yanked his wrist from Time’s grip. He ignored the guilt that welled up inside of him. “I…I’m just starving.”
Starving for warmth. Starving for attention. Starving for lo-
“-for food.” To his amazement, as if the very goddess herself was watching this pathetic display of lies, Legend’s stomach growled to serve his point.
“See!” He nervously laughed. “I can really use that soup right about now…”
Time crossed his arms and gave him a look, not quite his infamous ‘disappointing father glare’ but something close to it. He looked as if he was about to say something-
“Dinners ready!” Wild screamed.
-but was interrupted as six ensuing heroes made their way to their bowls.
Legend made his escape, but not before Time very clearly sent a this isn’t over glare his way. He didn’t really give it much thought though. He figured - hoped - Time would forget…despite his impeccable memory.
Everyone seated themselves at the table, thanking Wild for the food as silence quickly engulfed them all. The loud pounding of the rain once again flowed back into his mind, and he felt his jaw clench tighter as his leg fell into its usual erratic beating on the floor.
“So…when do you think the storm will end?” Wind chimed, trying to fill the silent void.
“It’s been going for a good hour, doesn’t show a sign of stopping anytime soon.” Twilight took a spoonful of mushrooms.
“It’ll go through well into the night.” Time stated matter-of-factly, as if he had some sort of weather foresight. No one questioned him with these sorts of things, he was always right after all.
Great. Legend thought. Just have to survive the night.
The chain went silent again. Tired and exhausted looks littered their faces. It had been a long day, only a few hours prior they’d been fighting an enemy encampment threatening a nearby village. That is, until they were thrown through a portal into a thunderstorm halfway through, not ever finding out the outcome of the battle. They could only hope the villagers were safe, but it was a far fetched wish.
Hyrule looked at Legend as he rubbed his eyes, his foot frantically tapping the ground. Concern lined Hyrule’s features, and he wished he knew what to say, but he knew nothing would get through to Legend. He was well aware how stubborn the other was, such were the complexities of the Hero’s Spirit.
Maybe a distraction would help? It always helped him. Hyrule looked around the table, scanning all the tired and disheveled faces. They all could use a distraction really.
And that’s when he got an idea.
“Hey Wind,” Hyrule couldn’t stop the grin forming on his face, “Why don’t we play a game?”
Wind gave a knowing look as he smiled back. Their conversation brought the attention of all the other heroes as faces turned in their direction. “I have the perfect one, Hyrule.”
Hyrule could always count on Wind, he was a pirate after all. Passing time was his hidden talent as much as magic was his special skill.
“A game you say?” Warriors perked up. “What kind of game?”
Wind grinned even more, practically bubbling with excitement, “A drinking game of course!”
“Nice try kid.” Legend spoke up. He didn’t notice the small fulfilled smile on Hyrule’s lips as he did so.
“I’m serious! It’ll be super fun I swear.” He looked pleadingly at Time, who took one good look around the sour faces that made up the gloomy atmosphere and decided that it was worth a shot if it meant lightening the mood.
“Alright. But no alcohol for you kids.” To which Wind pouted, not that he expected any different.
“But what alcohol is there to use?” Wild asked. He certainly didn’t have any in his slate, and he was in charge of keeping all their ingredients.
Wind shot a toothy smile. “The cellar!”
“…Why do you know that.” Four asked.
Wind just disturbingly laughed as he hopped off towards the cellar entrance, seemingly ignoring the question at hand.
“Hey Wind,” Hyrule called over before he entered the cellar, “What’s the game called?”
Wind grinned the most gremlin of grins.
“Never have I ever!”
Legend groaned.
•:✧⋆•:𓆩•𓆪:•⋆✧:•
“Okay, so here are the rules of the game.” Wind started.
All the heroes each had a newly designated glass filled to the brim with liquor, save for Hyrule, Four, and Wind, who held water since they were deemed too young to drink. Legend and Wild just barely made the cut.
“Basically, the goal is to win.”
“No shit!” Legend interjected.
“Shut up! Let me tell you how to win!”
“Well then hurry it up!”
Wind stuck out his tongue. “Okay, so pretty much the game revolves around things you think you have done compared to what other people have done, okay?” He gave a brief pause before continuing. “You gotta start your sentence with ‘never have I ever…’ and proceed to say something you’ve never done before. The point is to say something that you think other people have done. Are you guys following?”
Slow nods reluctantly filled the table, a few confused glances shot in some directions.
“Okay…so if you indeed have done whatever is stated after ‘never have I ever’, then you drink. If you haven’t, then you don’t do anything. The goal is to get everyone as shitfaced drunk as possible. Got it?”
Various murmurs of agreement mixed with Time’s very clear ‘language’ were scattered across the table, paired with nods and thumbs ups.
“Okay, let’s start.” Wind pulled out a rupee pouch - ignoring the “Hey that’s mine!” cry from Warriors.
“This is the sacred pouch of speaking perms. To prevent ensuing chaos, you can only declare a statement when you are in possession of the pouch. By default it will travel clockwise in the circle, but if you have an idea, just shout and we’ll pass it to you.” Wind passed the pouch to Time, who sat beside him.
Time just stared at the pouch, as if he was expecting it to start preaching holy words.
“Go on!” Wind pressed. “You know, when I said the pouch was sacred, I didn’t mean sentient.”
Time chuckled ominously, “Wouldn’t be my first time.” The fuck was that supposed to mean?
“Hmm.” Time thought for a second. “Never have I ever….rode a horse.” He took a sip from his drink as a few other confused and unsure members hesitantly followed suit.
“No no no!” Wind ripped the pouch back from Time. “You’re not doing it right!”
Time looked confused. “But I said something I knew the others have done before?”
“No, you’re supposed to say something you haven’t done! Here, for example: Never have I ever rode a horse.” He looked expectantly at the others. “Go on! Drink!”
“But you said the same thing I said.” Time said.
“Yes, but the difference is that I’ve actually never ridden a horse before.” Wind paused. “The fuck’s a horse anyways?”
Time was about to open his mouth to send a warning ‘language’ when he just stopped and stared at Wind in bewilderment. So did Twilight.
“You don’t know what a horse is?” Twilight almost dropped his spoon.
“I don’t either honestly.” Sky raised his hand. “Are they dangerous?”
“Dangerous? No –I mean…I guess they could be if you treat them as an enemy? Twilight was currently torn between confusion and astoundment.
“Well, that’s all I need to know I guess.” Wind passed the pouch on to Time for his chance at redemption.
“Alright, let’s try this again…” He thought for a second. “Never have I ever……………….” He never finished his sentence.
“Okay, that’s it. Pouch privileges are revoked from the Old Man for the foreseeable future.” Wind ripped the pouch out of Time’s grip, which earned a small grunt in return. “Anyone got any ideas?”
“I think I got one,” Four motioned for the pouch, to which Wind threw it over past Time - who looked rather upset he didn’t get his turn back.
“Never have I ever fallen in love.” Ouch. Four didn’t waste any time getting to the meat of things, it seemed.
Twilight practically spit his soup out of his mouth and spiraled into a coughing fit, drinking to ease his throat – or because he was heartbroken, who knew. Beside him, Sky had a huge smile on his face as he drank from his glass. No one noticed Wild taking a small hesitant sip from his glass.
“Does your mom count?” Hyrule asked.
“…I wouldn’t think so…no?” Four said. “Well, the question was talking about falling in love, your mother has your love from the start. But what do I know?” He shrugged.
Hyrule slumped, disappointed he hasn’t yet gotten a chance to participate in the game. He didn’t miss, however, how Legend took a tentative sip beside him. “Legend?” He softly gasped.
The others turned to look, and to their surprise, Legends glass was indeed less full than it had been moments prior. Warriors chuckled from across the table, “Let me guess, is it Zelda?”
“What? No-.” A brief sense of disgust passed over Legend’s face before he remembered to regain his composure. “Um, no. Not Zelda.” He declared. “It was a long time ago.”
Wild perked up at that. He looked like he was about to say something, but didn’t.
When Legend didn’t move to say anything else, most members got the message to stop waiting for more. “Who wants the sacred pouch?” Four asked, hands in the air ready to launch the holy thing at any moment.
“Me.” Time said.
“Pass the thing here,” Wind called over. Four hesitated before obliging. “Sorry, Time. Gotta respect the holy pouch.”
Time looked very dissatisfied, to say the least.
“Never have I ever eaten a hot footed frog,” Wind immediately turned to Wild, who looked like he’d just been stabbed through the heart by his best friend. Twilight laid back in his seat, laughing as it contagiously spread across the heroes.
“I told that to you in confidence that it would never be uttered aloud again. You have betrayed my trust.”
Wind simply grins.
“Why the hell did you eat a frog?” Four asked.
“Was it good?” Hyrule also asked.
“Hyrule, you better not be getting any ideas.” Legend pokes.
“No promises!”
“Hey–“
“Because Zelda told me to.” Wild said, as if that was the only answer there could possibly ever be.
“You did it…because Zelda told you to?” Sky repeated.
“Yes.” He stated, like it was obvious.
“Did you….want to eat the frog?”
“No. Not really.”
“So…why?”
“What was I supposed to do? Run away from my sworn duty?”
“Y-you could have said no??” Sky was alarmed at how this wasn’t common sense.
“I….oh. I didn’t think of that.” He proceeded to take a sip out of his glass and stare at the wall for the next few minutes.
“Well then.” Wind awkwardly began, still looking at Wild’s still figure out of the corner of his eye. “Hyrule, would you like to try?” He passed the pouch to the seat in front of him in which Hyrule sat in.
“Sure uh..” Hyrule accepted the pouch, staring at its holiness as if he might break it at any given second. “I guess…never have…I ever kissed someone?”
Warriors just scoffed with a smug grin as he chugged the glass in front of him. Time raises his own glass, staring at Warriors, as if he was trying his best to understand something without luck.
“Warriors, we all know you’re a player. Don’t need to make a show of it.” Wind deadpans.
“I’ll have you know I am actually one of the most loyal and faithful partners one could wish for.” He put his hand on his chest in a dramatic motion.
“Don’t you remember that time we went to a tavern and all you did was hide behind a corner because you recognized like three girls in a row.” Four pointed.
“I remember! We weren’t even in your Hyrule!”
“That was different! They were out to get my head!” Warriors grabbed his hair.
“Ah yes. The heart, soul, and head! Three things a woman could only dream of.”
“I mean it!”
Four rolled his eyes. He looked to Sky, who happily drank his beverage, lost in a daydream. “No surprises there.” He commented.
“–Huh?” Came Sky’s incoming response.
Four giggled. “Nothing, love-bird.” Sky smiled and they both laughed together.
Wild seemed lost in thought, but otherwise didn’t move to take his glass despite his hand being questionably close. Twilight, however, looked like his horse just fell off a cliff as he slowly brought his glass to his lips and drank. No one pressed the sensitive subject.
“Remind me why I agreed to this game.” Legend groaned, as everyone glanced his way.
Legend, red as a tomato, begrudgingly sipped his glass and quickly put it down, hiding his face under his pink hair that matched his red complexion.
Warriors chuckled. “Guessing that isn’t Zelda either?”
“Din’s tits, stop guessing Zelda!”
“I will when you stop turning beet red at her name!”
“That’s not because I like her idiot!”
“No, it’s because you looove her.” He smirked.
“Goddess, shut up.” Legend crossed his arms and looked off to the side, feeling very hot inside.
“Hey, I’m on to something aren’t I?”
“Nayru’s nuggets, fine.” Legend relented. “You’re right in a way. I do love her, but not in that way. I haven’t fallen for her.”
“What way then?” Warriors cocked his head.
“In a brotherly sort of way.”
Warriors scoffed. “Sure, keep telling yourself that. That’s what I thought at first too.”
Legend’s eyes widened, and a mischievous smile started forming on his face. “Oh my goddess. You’re in love with Zelda.”
Hyrule slapped a hand over his opened mouth.
Wind on the other hand, did not, and his loud shrieking gasp was very evident among the table. “Warriors? Is that true!??”
“Don't be ridiculous.” He waved off. But despite his unbothered laughter, Legend could see through his denial.
“No, no wait–” He gasped. “It’s even worse isn’t it?” He caught Warriors’ attention, who was now looking directly at him. “It’s one sided .” He accused. Well, not accused, but Warriors definitely felt that way.
“I’m not in love with her, idiot!”
Legend burst into laughter. “The bachelor went and fell for the one girl he couldn’t have, how comical.”
“I’m not–”
“Oh shut up. You think I’m that stupid? Sure as hell I’ll believe you.”
Warriors glared. “Well, I can easily say the same about you. Denial at its finest.”
Legend only continued to laugh. “You think you’re onto something, huh pretty boy? Like I said, there’s nothing between me and Zelda.”
Warriors certainly did not look happy. “Won’t believe it until I see it.”
Legend glared his way. “You want proof? Zelda’s my twin sister, dipshit.”
A bombshell was just dropped on the group.
“WHAT?”
“You’re the crown prince of Hyrule??!”
“Legend, you’re royalty?!”
“WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS BROKE THEN?”
“Ugh. Shut up, all of you!” Legend silenced. “It’s not that big of a deal really. The royal family spent most of its time hunting me down anyways.”
“I have even more questions.”
“Is that why your guards tried to kill us last time we visited?”
“It all makes so much sense now!”
“What the hell are you doing here? You have responsibilities back home!”
“Hell no! Hyrule already owes me enough for all the shit I pulled them out of, I will not be getting tangled in royal politics.”
“Okay, point proven. Who’s next?”
“Oh uhhh…” Hyrule still held the pouch in his hand, trying to wrap his head around the huge commotion his turn caused. “Sorry, did anyone want it before I pass it to Legend?”
“I do!” Four smirked. Hyrule threw over the pouch and Four caught it with a small cackle. “Never have I ever accidentally gotten someone pregnant.”
All heads immediately turn to Warriors, who put his hands up in offense, “Hey, I’m not that stupid!”
“Damn.”
“Why do you sound disappointed??”
“I’m just living for the drama.” Four shines him a toothy grin.
“Let’s face it, if it had to be someone, it would definitely be you.” Twilight stood and patted him on the shoulder as he made his way to the kitchen for seconds.
“You guys are all the worst.” But he didn’t deny it.
“Hey! Pass thy holiness over here!” Wind summoned. Four tossed the pouch over.
“Well…since we’re on this train of thought…” Wind snickered a bit, “Never have I ever had sex,” he asked, because of course he would like the little gremlin he is. He smirked around the table.
Time obviously raised his glass, he’s a married man after all. To no one’s surprise, Warriors lifted his glass as well. Both Sky and Twilight also raise their glass.
Time feels a sense of relief when none of the younger ones reach for their glass….But that’s broken when he sees Legend looking extremely red- more than he thought was physically possible.
“Legend…did you-” Twilight began.
“No.” comes the immediate response, and he chugs his glass. No one knows if it’s in answer to the given prompt or because he needs a stress reliever. No one wants to find out.
“Legend, how old are you even??” Warriors started.
“I am of legal age, thank you very much.”
“Yes, because that’s very reassuring.”
“How old are all of you guys anyways?” Hyrule asks. “Not that I have my own theories, but I’ve been wondering.”
“A hundred and seventeen.” Wild deadpans.
Time coughs.
“Twenty-two,” Twilight responds.
“I just turned twenty-two!!” Sky pointed at Twilight, who pointed back with a giddy smile.
“Thirteen,” Wind pouts, “But I’m practically fourteen by now!” He adds, as if it made a difference.
“Well I’m actually fourteen.” Four snarks. “Almost fifteen actually.” He smirks at Wind, who sends a glare in his direction.
“You may be older, but I bet I’ve drank more than you’ve pissed in your life.” And Wind grabbed the alcohol bottle in the center of the table. Four recoiled in fake offense at the sudden personal attack.
In motion with the several exclamations around the table, Legend grabbed the bottle before Wind could pour its contents within his own glass. “HEY. No alcohol for minors!”
“Shut up Legend, you’re practically a minor yourself.”
“IM OF LEGAL AGE.”
“Okay, AND I'M A PIRATE! What do you think pirates do all day? Play cards??”
“Yes, actually. That’s what children your age should be doing.”
“TAKE THAT BACK FUCKER.”
“Enough!” Time’s voice rings over the ensuing chaos.
“Wind, no drinking. I don’t care what you’ve done in your personal time, but I will not have you drink in front of me.” Wind begrudgingly relented. Legend stuck his tongue out at Wind and began refilling his own glass.
“I’m sixteen!” Hyrule beamed, as if that brief interruption never happened. “We’re not that far apart!” He looked at Four, who gave him a smile.
“…Twenty-five.” Warriors stated, a bit horrified at the number of minors in his midst (and yes, he definitely counts Legend as one, but would never admit it for fear of being skinned alive).
Frankly, it was depressing to think of the hardships they all had to go through at such a young age. He was at least in his late teens before the war had started, and since then he’s had several years to recover. Some of these youngsters haven’t even had a year before being swept off on this new inter-dimensional quest the goddess brought them together for.
“Pass the damn thing here, Wind.” Warriors called. Wind obliged.
He gave Time a quick glance before smiling, “Never have I ever gotten married.”
Expectantly, Time raised his glass, but to his horror, Legend also raised his glass. To make matters worse, Wild looks like he’s been hit by a horse.
“Legend, what the fuck.”
“Remind me how old you are again??” Twilight demanded.
“I’m of legal–”
“How the hell did you pull before me??” Warriors wailed in confusion.
“Okay, we all knew Time was married, but Legend, you have some explaining to do.” Four stated. Everyone nodded in agreement.
“Where’s your ring even?”
“It must be that pink coral one he always wears. The one he never takes off.” Four pointed to the ring in question.
“Wh– uh no.” Legend hid the ring under the table and brought out a chained necklace hidden under his tunic. “This.” He motioned to the simple silver ring that dangled from the chain and quickly tucked it back in.
“So, who’s the lucky person?” Warriors asked.
“It’s literally just for tax evasion! Stop turning it into something else.” Legend ignored how his heart pounded otherwise.
“Oh yeah, forgive me for thinking that marriage meant anything other than eternal and boundless love for one another.” Four snarked.
“I can agree with Four. Marriage is for a special someone.” Time smiled at Legend, who currently looked like a chu chu jelly from death mountain.
“Right…which begs the question–,” Hyrule started.
“No I need to know more!” Warriors cried, sensing the subject change.
“–how the heck is Sky not married yet??”
That was a good point.
“Yeah Sky. You’re head over heels for Sun, what’s keeping you?” Twilight turned.
“Are you scared of commitment??” Wind asked, his curiosity shrouding his perception of boundaries.
Sky laughed at the sudden barrage of questions. “No Wind, that’s not it.” He gave a soft smile and revealed a bracelet on his left arm. It was simple, but woven into the wooden base were two loft wing feathers, one a brilliant red and another shining purple.
“This is our promise to each other. We just haven’t had the time to carry through yet - with all the responsibilities down on the surface.”
“You’re engaged??” Wind exclaims.
“Ah, should’ve known.” Twilight laid back in his seat.
Legend could see that Warriors was still not quite over his whole marriage thing, because he could feel his eyes bore into him. So he quickly raked his head for the next question, “Gimme the goddamn pouch! Uh…Never have I ever…uh, seen a worm?”
“Huh? How have you never seen a worm before?” Wild looked thoroughly confused.
“Why are you talking as if you have?”
“Because I have!?”
“You mean the mythical legendary creature that’s only written about in ancient texts?”
“Uh…I wouldn’t say there’s anything legendary about them…”
“What do you mean!” Legend's eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you also also have fucking ants.”
“…Yes?”
Legend stared. “You’re being serious. Like, the fifteen-foot ones that had impenetrable armor as thick as a tree?”
“…No?”
Legend gave a dismissive motion, “Should’ve known he was fucking with me,” he mumbled. Wild just stared in confusion.
Four thought to himself for a second. Sure gigantic worms and ants exist! It’s all about perspective. When he was in Minish form, everything seemed deadly and giant. He would often mess with his Hylian friends, telling them how he felled such enormous beasts, when really, he was the tiny one.
Wait…Is it possible that those harmless stories actually spiraled into legends?
He choked on his spit.
To think, all the many scholars and archeologists that might have wasted away their lives on some stupid stories.
…Well, it would be his little secret, he concluded.
Warriors passed the pouch on to the next person beside him, Wild, as he took it while mumbling something along the lines of ‘gigantic’ and ‘skeletons’.
“Well, I guess,” Wild began. “Never have I ever swam underwater?”
To his amazement, Time, Twilight, Sky, and Legend drank.
“What?? But how??”
Time coughs and mumbles something about the Zora, to which Twilight says, “Zora armour.”
“What are Zora?” Sky asks, and literally everyone turns in bewilderment. “What?”
“You don’t know what Zora are?!” Legend practically screams.
“No??” Sky responded in a panicked confusion.
“Wait, then how can you swim underwater?” Twilight asks.
“Uh…well I completed this trial called the Silent Realm that rewarded me with a water dragon scale…” He dug under his tunic and revealed a small turquoise scale attached to a coral decorated string around his neck. “It helps me swim.” He shrugged.
“What a scary name…”
“The trial was much more scarier.” Sky stated, his eyes blank as a blackboard as he stared into the distance, a horrific expression on his face.
“Okay, but we’re ignoring the obvious.” Everyone looked at Four. “Wind, how the fuck do you live in the Great Sea but not know how to swim underwater??”
“Hey! It’s not my fault the water is poisoned!!”
“Your water is WHAT?”
“That makes two of us!!” Hyrule beamed as Wind smiled back.
“That’s not something to bond over!!” Legend was now facepalming.
“Hey…Legend, you never said how you can swim underwater?” The group went silent with anticipation.
Legend cursed under his breath, he just had to open his mouth didn’t he? “Water is not my thing.”
“You always did remind me of a cat.” Sky said.
“Try rabbit.” Twilight smirked, both him and Sky laughing at seemingly some inside joke none of the others understood.
“Shut the fuck up, both of you.” Legend grumbled.
“What’s a cat?” Wind asked, only to be ignored.
“Okay but seriously, how can you swim underwater?” Wild faced Legend fully with his utmost attentiveness. He honestly wouldn’t be surprised if he whipped out a quill and paper and started taking notes.
Ugh. They were bound to find out sooner or later, might as well tell them.
“I can turn into a mermaid.”
“…”
“you….WHAT??”
“Holy shi-“
“Language!”
“WHAT COLOUR IS YOUR TAIL?”
“Do you also have water bending powers??”
“what can you not turn into..."
“I need to know more!!”
“Guess you’ll find out if we’re ever chucked into the Great Sea.” A chain reaction of disappointed sighs sprung all over the small circle.
“Great, now you jinxed us.” Four rolled his eyes.
(Their next portal, in fact, did chuck them into the Great Sea and Legend almost died because of the poisoned water. But that’s a problem for the future!)
“Okay, but in all seriousness, that’s pretty cool.” Sky hums.
Legend gave a dry chuckle. “Trust me, it’s more of a curse than anything. Makes taking baths a headache.”
“Oh, sorry. I thought it would be pretty useful.”
“Yeah, the goddess probably thought it was an essential item to stop me from drowning myself.”
Warriors coughed.
Twilight coughed.
Time coughed.
“Well…who wants the pouch next?” They all were seemingly going to ignore that dark joke Legend disturbingly threw in such a monotoned manner.
“Pass!” Sky asked. Wild passed the pouch over to him, grabbing it with a soft clink.
“Never have I ever….fell into lava.”
“Why the hell would anyone be here if they fell into lava Sky!” Came Legends voice, who immediately choked when he saw Wild taking a sip.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
“There’s absolutely no way.”
“Oh my god. Wild.”
“Yeah so….I might have fallen into lava once or twice before..?” He shyly stated. As if that wasn’t a life ending occurrence.
“Once or twice?”
“How are you alive?? Why the hell did I not know about this?” Twilight was now giving a brief vital check on Wild, all rationality thrown out the window.
“I’m okay I swear! I mean, the pain was searing and unbearable and it still haunts me in my sleep to this day –but I’m unscathed!…Physically.” He gave a weak thumbs up.
Sky looked like he wanted to throw up. Twilight looked like he was actually going to throw up. He excused himself.
“How are you okay?” Wind frantically asked. Four, Hyrule, and Legend all nodded in agreement to the question.
“Well…it’s complicated.” He tried. “I had a special someone that helped me.”
“You can’t possibly say that your charred corpse was healed from the power of friendship.”
“No! Not the power of friendship! The power of love!”
The others stared unconvincingly back.
“Okay, it was magic. –Not mine though.” He quickly added when he saw Hyrule’s excited smile.
“Was it like another shrine then?”
“No. It was nothing like that.” Wild cringed at how aggressive that came out. “Sorry, no. When I was on my adventure I helped someone that was dear to me long ago. She was a Zora, and had the rare ability to heal incurable wounds.”
“Ohhh! That makes so much more sense!” Wind’s eyes widened when he realized he said that aloud.
“…Wind. What did you just say?”
“I…said that makes so much more…defence?
“Did you just say ‘that makes so much more sense’? As in, you knew?” Wild was proceeding to freak out about how translucent his life may be to the others.
“No I didn’t I–” He huffed, “Oh goddess just give me the pouch.” Wild threw over the pouch and Wind opened his mouth, “Never have I ever had the ability to see ghosts.” And he drank out of his own glass.
“Oh.” Was all Wild said.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I take it she hasn’t moved on then?”
Wind sadly shook his head.
Wild nodded. “Is she here right now?”
“She’s always there.”
Wild looked like his whole world came crashing down. He resisted the urge to look behind him, in some false hope that he would be able to see her face again.
He placed his hand face up on the table, and Wind could see the bright ethereal form of a Zora reach out to grab it. Wild had a ghost of a smile on his lips –he had no way of knowing where she was, but somehow, he knew all the same. His hand did not move from that spot.
Legend was quiet throughout the whole exchange, his breathing once again uneven while his foot tapped irregularly against the ground.
How many dead people surrounded him? Haunted him? Glared at him for ripping them of their innocence and wiping them out of existence?
How many people could Wind see? Does he think any less of Legend? Were there even any at all?
He felt a surge of pain in his head. He couldn’t tell whether the throbbing was caused by the pulsating, rushing blood in his ears or the harsh pounds of rain outside. He just closed his eyes and drank in an effort to make the pain go away.
“Legend, are you okay?” Hyrule silently whispered to his side. He could see Time glancing at them from his peripheral, not trying to bring unwanted attention. He appreciated the privacy.
“Yeah, I’m good Rulie. Alcohol just makes me a bit sleepy.” He rubbed his eyes. Not because they were damp, of course, but because he was tired.
Hyrule gave a small, sad smile that made Legend’s heart hurt and mind scream –please don’t give me that look–
“Okay.” Hyrule quietly said. He carefully put a few mushrooms in Legend’s food, and normally he would refuse and pester Hyrule to eat more, but he currently didn’t have the heart to do so. So he just smiled a ‘thank you’ and left it at that.
“What an amazing ability!” Sky spoke up.
“Well…I wouldn’t say amazing–”
“So, are there any evil spirits we need to worry about?” Warriors chuckled, but quickly fell off when Wind actually seemed to take his question seriously.
“Well….I never wanted to tell Twilight this in fear that he would never be able to sleep in peace again, but there’s always this guy with a pointy mask that comes once in a while and tries to break his neck while he sleeps. Of course, he’s harmless. He’s a ghost after all and can’t interact with the physical world, but it’s still jarring to see in the middle of the night.”
Little did he know, Twilight could very much hear him from the bathroom and was currently throwing up his dinner.
Everyone looked deeply disturbed, and Wind made no move to continue more on the matter. He definitely wasn’t going to mention the undead mask collection Time had at his disposal, or the demonic entity that seemed to linger in one of his most secretly hidden masks.
“Um…I’m just going to pass the pouch to Time now. Time, your pouch privileges are restored.”
Time took the pouch with glee. “Thank you, Wind.” With pouch in hand, he faced the table, “Never have I ever…”
They all waited in anticipation for the incoming words dancing at the tip of his tongue. The room tensed as practically everyone leaned in, wondering what crazy, perplexing thing he would say next. Time was the most ominous and mysterious member of the chain, what intricacies could he possibly come up with?
…
…
…
…drank well water.” He finished. Well, that wasn’t nearly as exciting as everyone thought it would be.
Everyone except Sky and Wind raised their glass. “Seriously old man? Never drank from a well? You literally live on a farm.” Warriors said.
“What’s a well?” Sky asked.
“Beats me.” Wind said.
“You guys seriously don’t know what a well is?” Wild raised a brow.
“It would only make sense I guess. Wind lives in the sea, and Sky lives in, well, the sky.” Four reasoned.
“What does that have to do with anything?” Wind asked.
“Wells are used to access groundwater. It’s a source of freshwater for nearby towns and villages.” Twilight explained.
“Fresh is not the word I would use to describe them.” Time stated.
“Huh.”
“All the wells in my Hyrule are clogged now. Well, most of them.” Wild said.
“Really?” Four asked. “Why?”
He shrugged. “I think the Calamity contaminated them with malice which poisoned a lot of people, so they clogged most of them. Although I don’t have any specific memories of drinking from a well, I probably did before.” Wild said. “Maybe I’ll just drink for the fun of it.” And he raised his glass to take a chug.
“We just collect rainwater where I’m from. It rains a shit ton because of all the water.” Wind explained, ignoring the faint “language” chastising him.
“It’s not poison rain right…?”
“Uh…I don’t think so?” Wind was now paranoid.
Hyrule had a weird, confused, and peculiar face, but didn’t comment on the ensuing conversation. Legend didn’t think to push.
“Should I be worried about drinking well water after this conversation?” Four asked Time.
He thought for a second. “You should be okay.” But it didn’t sound all that convincing. Four decided he wouldn’t just to be safe.
“I think I have one.” Wild motioned for the pouch. “Never have I ever used magic?”
“WHAT?? Your Hyrule doesn’t have magic??” Legend was about to faint.
“Uh…not really? Isn’t that normal?”
“But weren’t you just talking about healing magic-”
“Yeah, yeah I know. But those are rare abilities that have only been seen before in ancient times. Modern day-to-day Hyrule doesn’t have much magic.”
“Wait, then what’s that weird thing on your hip? I get all sorts of weird vibes from that slate, you’re telling me that’s not magic?”
“What? My Sheikah-slate? No, it’s not magic.” Wild thought to himself for a second.
“It’s some sort of weird innovation the Sheika came up with centuries ago. It can do amazing things. I guess in that sense, it is sort of magic.” He smiled to himself. “Like, here. It can freeze a moment in time and keep it forever!”
The chain looked cluelessly at him as he grabbed his slate and pointed it at them all. A soft click chimed, and he turned the slate over to show them all an exact replication of the heroes – facial expressions and everything – all sitting by the soft fire in the cabin they currently rested in.
“Woah! That’s so cool!” Wind beamed.
“Impressive.” Warriors said, who was now also frantically fixing his hair.
Time nodded, “That strangely reminds me of something from my younger days. You ought to use it more often.”
“That’s….not what I expected. But that’s pretty amazing.” Legend hummed.
“Really? You’re not usually impressed.” Wild smiled.
“Well yeah, it’s one of the most useful abilities I've seen. Imagine using it in a dungeon where a hidden code is needed to open a door. You don’t have to rely on memory with such a power.”
“Huh….I never thought about that.” Wild admits.
“You….what? Seriously?” Legend blinked.
“Well…to be honest I’ve never really been in a dungeon so…guess I've never ran into that problem?” He shrugged.
“you….WHAT?” Legend felt incredibly faint now. For all his four or so adventures he’s been on, his dungeon-crawl total was very much in the double digits. He couldn’t imagine never coming across one in his journey. “So…what do you have then?”
Wild just shrugs again awkwardly, “Giant mechanical birds, lizards, elephants, and camels?”
“…”
“My Hyrule doesn’t have much magic either honestly.” Twilight perked up before Legend could comment. Time, on the other hand, looked deeply disturbed at what Twilight had just said.
“Magic…can't say that I’ve run into it that much.” Sky chimed in. “Except of course, this guy who called himself the Demon Lord kept reanimating inanimate objects to try and kill me. But other than that, not really.”
Silence. Everyone stared at Sky, who stared back in confusion. “What, is it something I said?”
“You guys seriously don’t have magic? I can't imagine not being able to rely on magic during my adventure.” Hyrule looked down to his hands. “I must have had it easy.”
“Don’t you dare start.” Legend stood up from his seat.
“Hyrule, you have gone through just as much as all of us here. You have had to survive off of nothing but the literal fucking grass, fight relentlessly –for not just your own life but everyone else’s life too –without so much as a nick on your body, and on top of all that you never got any sort of recognition or support from your people.”
Legend pointed an accusatory finger at Hyrule. “Don’t you dare say you’ve had it easy.”
Everyone stared at Legend’s sudden burst of over-protectiveness.
“…thanks Legend.” Hyrule softly whispered, a small smile on his lips. Both the boys shared a moment with each other before Warriors interrupted the sweet atmosphere that was created by grabbing the pouch and chucking it at both heroes.
“Hey, watch it!”
“Fuck you!”
“Respect the sacred pouch!!!”
Hyrule bent to pick up the fallen pouch that rolled under the table. With the pouch in hand, he stared cluelessly at what to do next.
“Well, c’mon on Hyrule. Might as well go.”
“Uh, okay.” He twiddled his fingers. “Never have I ever…rode a lynel?” Hyrule tried.
“That’s a stupid one. Of course no one here has tried to ride a goddess damned lynel.” Legend rolled his eyes.
And proceeded to watch in horror as Wild slowly lifted his glass.
“WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK WILD?”
“Wild. What.” Came Twilight’s panicked voice.
“Wild even I’m not that crazy!”
“Wild that’s awes-“ Warriors chucked his second coin pouch at Wind.
“Wild. You have some explaining to do.” Time’s voice boomed.
“IM SORRY.” Wild tried to calm the ensuing chaotic energy that spontaneously combusted mere seconds ago. “It’s just…easier to fight in their blind spot.”
That was definitely not the right thing to say, if their increasingly horrifying reactions were anything to go by.
“THEIR BLIND SPOT??” Legend was surley going to faint now.
“Oh, you can not be trying to reason this.” Four couldn’t believe he had to say this.
“Wild you can’t actually think that that serves a tactical advantage in battle!” Twilight’s brain felt like it would implode.
“Hear me out-”
“No. No, I will very much NOT hear you out.” Legend chugged his drink, the current events being too much for his brain to handle.
“Wait…I kinda want to hear him out.” Hyrule shyly chimed in.
Legend spit his drink out. “NO. Wild you’re tainting Hyrule’s innocence!” Legend turned to face Hyrule fully. “Hyrule. NO riding lynels. Or I will personally never talk to you again.”
Hyrule nodded frantically.
When everyone seemed to calm down, Legend turned to Hyrule. “Why don’t you try again ‘Rule? This time a question that won’t give me a heart attack please.”
“Oh, um okay. Never have I ever….willingly drank water?” Hyrule proudly said, but to his amazement literally everyone in the table took a sip and stared at him. He could see Legend clutching his heart, ready to fall over. Whoops.
“…Hyrule. It’s normal to drink water.”
“I–, wait…What?”
Horror slowly crept on Time’s face. “Hyrule…when was the last time you drank water?” He cringed at the incoming response.
“I, um…..” He was certainly not prepared for this sudden interrogation. “I guess…not that long ago?” He tried to think of the last time he bathed, but his mind drew a blank. “I wanna say last week maybe? Last week Monday, I think. Yeah.”
He heard a sudden thump on the ground. Beside him laid Legend’s unconscious and pale figure on the floor.
“LEGEND!” Shit! Legend fainted!
“Oh gods.” Time muttered under his breath as Sky tended to Legend’s still form.
“Hyrule, you need to drink water.” Time talked slow, as if he was teaching a toddler how to write for the first time.
“What? Why would I do that?” Hyrule was thoroughly confused.
Twilight looked like he was having an existential crisis as he cupped his mouth.
“Water is very important for your survival.” Time couldn’t believe he was saying this. How had he failed Hyrule this bad?
“What? Since when did you need water to survive?” He thought of the blackened and poisoned water in his homeland. He was seriously supposed to drink that? He made a face. “Are you guys pulling my leg?”
Time covered his face in his hands, the most distraught the chain has ever seen him. Twilight practically screamed, “How are you even alive right now!!”
“How are you alive right now!!?” Hyrule was seriously so lost. How could they survive off such a thing? What nutrients did it provide to the body? Was there some sort of liquified translucent meat he didn’t know about?
“Hyrule.” Time started, seemingly recovered from his temporary mid-life crisis moments prior, “Is your head hurting right now?”
“Um I….I guess?” But isn’t that a normal thing? Isn’t that a sign that your body is alive and working hard? Hyrule always thought the stronger the migraine the stronger the mind. “The normal amount.” He finished. He thought that would ease the tension in the room.
It did not.
“Hyrule there is no normal amount!” Twilight cried.
“A headache is a sign that the body is dehydrated. That means–” Time added before Hyrule asked, “–that your body needs more water.”
“God, speaking of headaches, I have a huge ass one right now,” Legend groaned, waking from his stupor.
“Aren’t you drinking water right now?” Four motioned to the translucent cup sitting in front of Hyrule.
“Oh, what? Um…no, this isn’t water.”
“What? Then what have you been drinking this entire time?” Legend felt his blood draining from his body.
“Uhh…it’s something called…vod-ka? I think?”
Legend fell back to the floor with a thump.
“Hyrule no! You weren’t supposed to tell them!” Wind yelled across the table.
Everyone looked to the translucent cup in front of Wind. He quickly chugged it down before it could be whipped from his vicinity.
“Oh you little wallmaster! I told you no alcohol for minors!” Legend choked out immediately after Sky resuscitated him for the second time that same sitting.
“Fuck you, Legend!”
“Wind. You directly disobeyed me. Where is the rest?” Time’s voice commanded.
“…There is no rest. It’s all finished.” Wind looked up to Time.
“Show me.”
Wind reluctantly pulled out a thermos from his pouch.
The size of his forearm.
“Hylia, help me now,” Twilight sent a prayer to the heavens.
Time sighed and took the empty thermos, putting it in his bag. “I’m watching your glass from now on young man.”
“That makes two of us.” Legend sneered at Wind. He also grabbed Hyrule’s glass and poured it into his own without so little as a glance.
In a hurry to switch the topic, Hyrule quickly passed the pouch beside him to Legend, breaking the staring contest he had going on with Wind.
Legend stared at the pouch for a second. “Oh boy do I have a good one.” He smiled smugly. “Never have I ever gone a morning, afternoon, and night without coffee” Legend snickered as every single person around the table took a swirl.
“That’s not something to be proud about!”
“Hey, I’m not proud, I'm just satisfied I got a whiplash.”
“Literally wrong game, Legend.” Wind stated.
“They’re all the same to me. You should get double points if you get everyone in the table to drink.”
“You don’t get points in this game!”
“Well, in my version you do.”
“Okay, well we’re playing my version, the pirate version? You know, the one with drinking – even though you stripped me of that privilege despite it being a core function of the game.”
“No drinking for minors.” Both Legend and Twilight say in unison.
“And no double points. You seriously want to give Hyrule double points for not drinking water?” Four says, matter of factly.
“Oh dear god, I thought that was a bad dream.” Legend paled a bit.
“This is all besides the point,” Sky begins. “Legend, you’re addicted to coffee.”
“Am not!”
“Are too!”
“Three cups a day is nothing! I usually down three before afternoon hits.” Legend realized in that moment that he probably should have kept his mouth shut.
“Okay, your coffee privileges are revoked.” Wild declares.
Legend gasped. “You wouldn’t dare.” If looks could kill, Wild would currently be ash.
“Anything for my brother in arms.”
“You’re not doing me a favour! Guess who’s not going to cover you in our next battle because their energy reserves were starved.” If his implied threat wasn’t already obvious, his glare certainly was.
“Legend, we’re going to have a chat later.” Time sighed.
“Oh look who’s getting a timeout,” Warriors laughed from across the table. That is, until a dagger was shot his way. “Geez! Someone disarm this kid.”
“I’m NOT a kid and no one will dare lay a finger on me.”
Time stood up, picked Legend’s flailing form, and took him upstairs as he fumbled and stuttered in his stone grip. The second floor door closed with a bang and both heroes were gone until further notice.
“Someone’s getting a lecture.” Warriors snickered.
“Damn. Well, next question anyone?”
“Um…unfortunately Legend has the legendary pouch. And he currently is not here so…”
“Whatever, we’ll just use another one.” Warriors motioned to the pouch he chucked at Wind earlier.
“No.” Hyrule, Four, and Wind said simultaneously.
“You must respect the holy thing.” Four said. Wind and Hyrule nodded.
“Fine. So what do we do now?”
“Uhh….”
“Well…”
“Right. That’s what I thought.” Warriors sighed.
“You know…I never got a chance to go.” Twilight perked up. “So technically, I never swore by the rules of the pouch. I wouldn’t be committing a sin by continuing the game.” He shrugged.
The younger members took a moment to deliberate on this newfound information before deciding that it was indeed alright for Twilight to proceed.
“Okay. Fine by us.”
Twilight paused for a second, thinking to himself before he smiled at the rest of them. “Alright, Never have I ever…eaten an apple.”
•:✧⋆•:𓆩•𓆪:•⋆✧:•
“Let go of me! Put me down right now I swear Old Man!” Legend ignored how his voice squeaked halfway through his sentence as he was more focused on obtaining freedom from Time’s iron grip.
What’s with all the touching today??!? Goddess!
He didn’t like it. Not at all. He needed space to breathe and presently, with his face shoved in Time’s shoulder blades, he wasn’t getting any.
They entered a room – not that Legend knew anything more because currently his vision was a blur of the ceiling, floor, and hair (that wasn’t his) as he flailed around in Time’s grip pointlessly. This man was insanely strong for no reason. Legend even had his power bracelet on for Din’s sake!
He heard a bang and suddenly he was thrown on something very soft as he faced the ceiling, finally being able to breathe. Freedom at last!
But he couldn’t help how cold he felt all of a sudden.
It was probably just the alcohol though. He was definitely feeling the effects of the past hour sink in.
He groaned as he sat up, coaxing his body in a sitting position on the bed he found himself on. Across from himself, was Time, who sat patiently on the bed on the other side of the room. For all his intimidation tactics, Legend didn’t find him frightening at all. Not. At. All.
They were in one of the cabin bedrooms. It wasn’t large by any means, a simple room that’s on par with what you would find in any other tavern, but cozy all the same.
The room was dark, save for the one window that let the shredded light from the cackling lightning shine though, earning a flinch from Legend. He braced himself for the thunder, which hurdled its way only moments later – sending vibrations through the ground and up his spine. He must have closed his eyes at some point, because when he opened them he was again reminded of Time’s presence.
He couldn’t really see Time’s expression in the dark ambiance of the room, and the alcohol definitely wasn’t helping. He could feel the black void clawing at him in all directions, inching closer and closer…
As if reading his mind, Time stood to light the candle on the nearby nightstand and closed the curtains. He breathed a sigh of relief as he visibly relaxed. He could still hear- still feel the distant poundings of rain, but he could at least focus on reality now.
Legend huffed and crossed his arms, probably not aware at how much of a child he looked like in Time’s eyes. “Why am I here.”
“I said we would talk later, didn’t I?”
“So you dragged me to a whole nother separate floor just to ‘talk’?”
“Would you rather it in front of everyone else?”
“Well, no but–”
“So isn’t this the better option?”
“Goddess, stop answering me with questions! Give me a straight answer, what do you want from me?”
“I don’t want anything from you Legend.”
“Bullshit.”
“You’ve been acting off ever since we’ve gotten here. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong. You’re wrong.”
“You haven’t been acting like yourself.”
“Oh, like you would know.”
“Of course I would. I care about you.”
Legend’s eyes widened as he stood up straight, “No. No you don’t. What do you want from me?”
“I don’t want anything from you Legend.”
“Yes, you do!”
“I’m only concerned.” And if this conversation is anything to go by, for good reason.
“I’m fine. There’s nothing to be concerned about, thanks.”
Time gave a little pause and crossed his arms.“You keep spacing out, you’ve been on edge this whole night.”
Legend didn’t answer.
“If there’s something bothering you, I’m here for you. You can talk to me. If it’s not me you want to talk to, by all means I’ll grab someone else.”
Legend began pacing around the room, running his hand through his hair. “Goddess, oh my fucking god. What gives you the right to shove me in this room and demand me to talk and then waltz around saying that it’s because you care for my own well being?” He felt his fist connect with the cold wall, but he couldn’t hear the thump over the thumping of his own blood. “Stop fucking around! Tell me what you want!”
“I don’t want anything-”
“Then why am I here!” Legend screamed.
Time didn’t answer. Even if he did, Legend didn’t hear him over his pent up fear and anxiety translating into boiling anger raging through his heart. “Why am I here?? Tell me goddess damnit! Why am I alive?”
“Legend–” Time reached out–
“No! Don’t touch me! And don’t pretend for a second that you're here because you care, whatever the fuck that means.”
“That’s why I’m here Legend. I’m worried about you.”
“No, you’re lying. You don’t care about me. You can’t care about me.”
“You’re in denial.”
“No you’re delusional! Just…just fucking leave me alone! Why is that so hard for everyone to do?”
What am I saying? Why am I being so difficult?
“If you honestly cared about me–
Stop stop stop this isn’t what I want–
“–you would walk out this door–”
Stop please don’t–
“–and leave me the fuck alone.”
There was a pause.
Legend waited in anticipation for a scolding, a lecture, a whatever. But none of that ever came.
“If that’s what you want, Legend.” Time placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m always there if you need me.” His hand slipped, and Legend swore he felt a peace of his heart rip apart at the loss of warmth as he watched Time walk towards the door.
No no no please–
The door closed shut.
“–don’t go…” But it was too late. Time was gone and Legend was left alone, like he always was.
Like he always will be.
Why are you upset? This is what you wanted.
He threw something.
You did this to yourself.
He kicked something.
You’ll always be alone.
He screamed.
It’s been a long time since Legend had cried –he couldn’t even remember the last time he did. But as the distant pounding of the rain came back into fruition Legend fell to the floor and wailed with the storm that raged within his heart.
He didn’t care if the others heard him. He cried tears he didn’t even know he had, a dams worth overflowing through the small opening that was cut through his chest.
It wasn’t as if the others cared enough to hear him anyways, the ensuing storm ringing them deaf to his calls.
Soon the exhaustion overtook him, and his dizziness nullified his senses as he found his eyes closing shut, surrendering himself to sleep.
He didn’t notice the silhouette outside the door, slowly entering the room and approaching his sleeping form as they watched him with tender eyes. They ran a hand through his hair as they picked him up and carried his still form towards the bed, tucking him in.
And when he would wake up to find himself on the soft bed and not the floor, he wouldn’t think anything of it. He would convince himself it was nothing but a figment of his imagination; a dream, even though deep down he knew it wasn't.
But he just couldn’t accept it.
•:✧⋆•:𓆩•𓆪:•⋆✧:•
Time made his way downstairs, a deep frown ingrained within his face. But that quickly changed when he came down to Wild furiously whipping something up in the kitchen as Four and Wind argued, Twilight in the background looking very unsure while Warriors looked fed up with everything. Hyrule, despite being the usual ball of anxiety he is, arguably looked more at peace than anyone else currently in the room.
“Your moral compass fucked.” Four stated.
“It’s more morally fucked for you to call your friend’s moral compass fucked!” Wind retorted
“I’m not your friend! Go jump off a plank!”
“I have several times mind you! That never stopped me!”
A few ways behind them, Time could hear the frantic mumbling of ‘absolute crime’ and ‘embarrassment’ spewing out of the champion's mouth, covered in a mess of goat butter and apples.
Time made eye contact with Twilight, who’s eyes glimmered with hope at the possible end to both his and Warriors’ misery. Sky had apparently resigned himself to his room, lucky bastard.
Time shook his head, “Do I even want to know?”
Twilight gave a lopsided smile, glancing at Four and Wind who still went at it - no holding back whatsoever. “I said I never ate an apple before, and the reaction I expected was definitely different than what I got.”
“I honestly still don’t understand how you’ve never had one before.” Warriors massaged his head.
“The guy manning the shop was never there!”
“Which is why you should have stolen them! It was a perfect opportunity practically handed to you on a silver platter!” Wind screamed.
“You see, this is what I’m talking about! How can you call yourself a hero yet steal and pirate around!” Four screamed back.
“BECAUSE I'M A PIRATE.”
“That's the problem! You’re a pirate, not a hero!”
“That's like saying you can’t be a hero because you’re a blacksmith.”
“That’s not the same at all?!!”
Time internally groaned. Thank the goddess he had a couple of ounces of alcohol in his system, or his brain would have probably combusted on the spot.
“Time?” He glanced over at the small and timid voice. “Where’s Legend?” Hyrule asked, his fingers tangled together as they fiddled in anxiety and anticipation.
Time’s gaze softened, “Sorry Hyrule. He's sleeping, I don’t think he’s coming down for the rest of the night.”
Hyrule’s face fell as his shoulders slumped, now biting his fingers. “Oh. Okay.”
Time’s heart sunk a bit. “If it makes you feel better, you can call it a night. He’s in the last bedroom to the right.”
Hyrule smiled in relief and quietly nodded, quickly gathering his things and making his way upstairs in no time. Time watched him hurry along with a sad smile. Poor kids both had severe attachment issues but in the complete opposite way. It was heartbreaking, to say the least.
Time turned to Twilight and spared a glance in Wild’s direction, eyebrow rising in an unspoken question. Twilight followed his gaze, scratching the back of his neck sheepishly, “He’s been like that for the past half hour. Called me a ‘disgrace to the hero’s lineage’ and promised to whip up the best batch of apple pie ever known to man.” He ran a hand through his hair. “You can't argue with him when he gets like that. He’s been unresponsive since, muttering a few vulgar curses here and there.”
“Of course, Four and Wind have been taking it away since.” Warriors gave an exhausted stare in the pair’s direction, who were very much still going at it. “I was seriously contemplating on chucking them both out in the storm for good measure, but Twilight convinced me otherwise.”
Time groaned and rubbed his eyes, “We will not be chucking anyone outside in the storm tonight.” He walked over to both Four and Wind who relentlessly snapped at each other and pulled on their ears, getting surprised gasps and winces of pain - but more importantly, their attention.
“Ow ow ow ow ow-“
“Ow FUCK-“
“I’ve just about had it with you two.” Time gave them a tug, sprouting forth a new layer of curses. “To bed, both of you.” He gave an extra tug for good measure.
The pair reluctantly obliged, but not without glaring at each other in an unspoken ‘this isn’t over’ look, which only made Time internally groan even louder.
They both begrudgingly made their way upstairs. “Take the first room to your left!” Time informed, wanting to keep as much distance between them and the already sleeping pair in case they start up again.
Once out of sight, both shoulders visibly relax as he slumped down in the chair next to Warriors and Twilight, “Those two will be the death of me.”
“Four is usually more collected than that. You don’t think…” Twilight trailed off.
“Don’t tell me he also got a hold of the alcohol.” Warriors spoke into his hands, trying to rub the exhaustion off his face and failing.
“Sneaky little rodent, should have known better than to leave a bottle of undefended liquor in front of three unhinged and underaged Links.” Twilight shook his head.
“I think the real culprit here is Wind’s personal storage of alcohol that spawned out of nowhere.” Warriors pointed out, glancing to Time’s bag where the empty thermos resided.
“We’ll have to talk to him later about that. For now, let’s just focus on a moment's peace.”
“Agreed.” Both Twilight and Warriors said in unison.
The next few moments slipped away in silence as each member lost themselves to their own thoughts. That is, until they were all face to face with a very delicious looking apple pie that should have been physically and chemically impossible to whip up in such a short amount of time.
They all looked at the honey creamed pie and back at its creator, Wild, who simply stared expectantly at Twilight without saying a word. Slowly, getting the memo, Twilight hesitantly took a bite out of the single piece that was placed in front of him before stiffening in place, tastebuds seemingly overwhelmed.
“Oh my goddess, Wild - this is amazing!” Twilight cursed himself for never stealing any apples when he had the chance.
Seemingly satisfied, Wild nodded and moved towards the steps, resigning himself to bed without another word. The other heroes watched him leave in silence, weirded out by the odd mannerisms…not that they were complaining though because they had just been gifted a piece of literal heaven.
“Well what are you guys waiting for?” Twilight spoke up, “I’m not about to finish a whole pie by myself.” And they all happily dig in, sparking happy conversation while their stomachs cheered with glee.
“How’s Legend doing?” Twilight asked between his bites.
Time’s chewing came to a slow. Twilight’s wolfish senses no doubt picked up on the commotion both of them caused upstairs despite the raging storm above them. He sighed, “I should have seen the signs. I should have known he was struggling.”
Warriors had now stopped eating, his full attention on Time. “Everything alright with the vet?” He asked, even though he knew the answer.
“He’s struggling, but keeps pushing everyone away.” Twilight said, both a question and a statement.
Time nodded tiredly. “I’m not sure what to do about him. Thank the goddess he has Hyrule though.”
Warriors frowned. “I’m ashamed I didn’t notice sooner.”
“It’s alright, none of us did. The vet’s good at hiding things.” Twilight put a hand on his shoulder, earning him a thankful smile from Warriors.
“It’s not only him.” Time sighed. “There are many disturbing things we found out about the younger members today. I only wished I noticed sooner.” He shook his head.
“It’s our responsibility just as much yours. We should have been keeping a better eye on them. None of us realized how bad the vet had been getting until now, unfortunately.”
“It’s a shame it had to get to this point for us to realize. What do you suppose we do about him?” Warriors asked.
“For now, nothing. I don’t want him to think I betrayed his trust by telling you all.” Time said.
Twilight and Warriors nodded, dropping the subject and continuing to eat the dessert in front of them. They continued small conversation well into the night as they ate, embracing the brief moment of peace before they resigned themselves to bed.
•:✧⋆•:𓆩•𓆪:•⋆✧:•
Hyrule woke up to a soft, tickling sensation on his face. He weirdly felt very warm, more than usual. He begrudgingly opened his eyes to be met with Legend’s sleeping form curled beside him, hidden under the blankets.
That was odd. He could have sworn that he had slept in the opposite bed as the vet, determined to give him as much personal space as possible. How did they both end up in Hyrule’s bed?
Is it possible that Legend had woken up in the middle of the night and willingly cuddled with the traveler? He felt a smile creep its way on his face as a surge of pride filled his chest.
Well, he wasn’t complaining. He leaned into the vet, who unconsciously responded with a little shuffle of his own. The sun had yet to rise and he could still hear the storm rage on, albeit farther than before. He could only guess it was a few hours past midnight.
He felt Legend shuffle again, and he instinctively moved with him in response. But when Legend moved again, that’s when he noticed tiny trembles under the blankets. Legend was shivering?
He moved to put a hand on Legend’s shoulder as it trembled under his shaking form. The vet’s hands were curled into fists, covering his eyes that were shut tight. His breathing was heavy, and when Hyrule strained his ears he realized that Legend was whimpering.
Shit! He’s having a nightmare!
It was generally an unspoken rule to wake each other up from nightmares. Considering their travels, many of them had very intricate and scarring occurrences that appeared in such dreams, and on unfortunate nights like those, sleep deprivation was preferred over reliving past horrors.
Hyrule gently shook Legend’s shivering form, “Legend, hey, wake up.” He softly whispered.
It didn’t take much to wake him, they were all fairly light sleepers due to the constant dangers on their travels. Legend awoke with a small gasp, and Hyrule could have sworn he heard a soft cry of ‘Marin’ spill from the vet’s lips. “Legend! Hey, it’s okay, you were having a bad dream. We’re in our room.”
Legend unconsciously grabbed Hyrule’s arm as he frantically looked around, trying to get a grip of his surroundings. When he seemed to finally calm down, he slowly coaxed himself in a sitting position, still holding Hyrule’s arm. “…sorry ‘Rule.” He rubbed his eyes.
Legend was almost never this touchy or apologetic, only when he was really upset. Hyrule felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his chest. “Don’t apologize. How are you feeling?”
When Legend took an extraordinary amount of time to deliberate on that question, (more than he thought necessary), he added, “Do you want to talk about it?”
Legend’s grip around Hyrule’s arm tightened. “…yeah.” Hyrule’s eyes widened in suprise. “…But it’s hard to.”
Hyrule’s gaze softened. He understood. When your major coping mechanism was to bury everything from the world, it made it really hard to dig it back up.“Does it have to do with the village?” The village they failed to save before they had been portaled away into a raging thunderstorm.
Legend pursed his lips before shaking his head. “No. Not the village.”
Hyrule thought for a second, clearly stumped. What else had happened yesterday that was enough to upset him so much?
A flash of lighting and thunder struck in the distance, causing Legend’s form to flinch ever so slightly. The vet’s grip tightened on him, and his eyes widened in realization. “It’s the storm, isn’t it?”
Legend didn't refute it, and Hyrule took his silence as a yes.
But why would he be scared about a storm? “What about the storm bothers you?” He asked.
“I…I got stuck in a pretty bad one out at sea. I was shipwrecked.” Well, that made a bit more sense. Hyrule was starting to understand why he was acting so off…but was that all? Just a shipwreck? There must be more to it than that. There were still so many unexplained things, like that name he mentioned in his sleep…
“It was the start of my fifth adventure.”
Oh. Oh. That changes things…All the historical and ancient texts Hyrule read depicted The Hero of Legend’s four adventures - yet here he was disclosing that there was a fifth?
But how would that even be possible - there was no way a whole kingdom could keep a legend a secret - unless there was something more to it?
“What happened after?” Hyrule had a sinking feeling in his stomach.
Legend's grip tightened on his arm, and for a second Hyrule didn’t think he would answer, but his lips parted as he moved to speak, “I woke up on an island. And…” He took a deep breath. “And there was a girl who saved me. Her name was Marin.”
Oh crap. Hyrule already knew this story wouldn’t end well.
“I should have been dead. But all the damage I suffered in the storm had mysteriously disappeared…the broken ribs, concussions, bruises…” Yikes. Must have been one hell of a shipwreck.
“They were all gone. I was just severely dehydrated before Marin gave me a bucket full of water and took me into her cabin.”
“Something tells me that’s only the start of the oddities.” Hyrule added, jokingly and anxiously.
Legend shifted, a ghost of a smile lining his lips before he continued, “Time worked differently there. Days, weeks, even months passed, but at the same time they didn’t. I never felt hungry - not that it stopped me from eating,” He chuckled. “My hair and nails never grew, and I could actually sleep peacefully. I knew deep down something was wrong, but I ignored it.” He gave a bitter smile.
“It was a selfish wish, but I wanted it to last forever.”
Hyrule didn’t think so, but he didn’t want to interrupt him, so he listened and stayed silent.
“We spent ages together. It could have been weeks or months, I couldn’t tell. But it was long enough for me to know.”
Know that he loved her. Hyrule really didn’t like where this story was going.
“But like I said, it was a selfish wish. My dreams eventually began to be plagued with nightmares about some deity called the Wind Fish. They kept telling me to wake him up. I tried to ignore them at first, but they only got worse overtime.” He hugged his knees.
“Some days I would wake up in the middle of the forest, surrounded by dead monsters with my sword in hand. Other days I would find myself wounded, with no recollection of how or why.” He shivered. “Those days were the worst, because I had absolutely no idea what I did. I could have hurt someone, but I would never know - I still don’t.”
“I would always come back home to Marin freaking out over my disappearance. I couldn’t trust myself anymore, and I hated the pain I caused her, so I set off to wake this fucker up.”
He let go of Hyrule and moved to drape both hands over his face. “Everyone told me not to, but I didn’t listen. They said something terrible would happen…” He sniffled into his hands, and Hyrule realized that he was crying. “I collected eight stupid instruments to wake the Wind Fish, and I thought it would finally be over.”
His quiet sniffles only grew in size, until his whole body shook with sobs. “B-but, when I woke the Wind Fish, he said that it had all been a dream. Everything. The whole island, the people, Marin…All the days we spent together, the countless times she tended to my wounds or fell asleep in my arms…None of it was real.” He took a sharp breath, and Hyrule hugged his tiny shivering form. “And I woke up, stranded in the middle of the fucking sea cold and alone.”
“I never even got to say goodbye.” He added in a cold, silent whisper.
“I’m so sorry Legend.” Hyrule could feel tears line his eyes as he listened to his brother's broken sobs.
“I-I shouldn't even be upset! None of it ever happened - it was a fucking dream. But why do I feel this way?”
Hyrule didn’t know what to say, and he doubted Legend would actually listen in his current state, so he just continued to hold him tight as his body shook with Legend's tears.
“It wasn’t a dream to me.” He cried in silent sobs. “I loved her. So, so much.” His whispers were barely audible over the raging storm above them. Hyrule only squeezed tighter in response.
“I came back after to search the sea, on some false hope that maybe I could find her again. But there was nothing. It had all been wiped out of existence. Everything I had gotten from the island had disappeared, everything except the instruments and…” He motioned to the coral ring on his left finger.
Hyrule gasped softly, “Wait Legend, when you said you were married-”
“No.” He sniffled in response, his breathing coming to a calm. “It was just a promise ring. My marriage is only for tax evasions, remember?” He tried to laugh, but it came out as a weak sob instead.
The vet stayed silent for a moment, before shaking his head. “What I don’t understand is just how…unnecessary the whole thing was. Everyone was fine before I came - they were at peace for fucks sake! Why did the goddess drag me into the island just to wipe them out of existence?” Each word was thick and heavy as it ripped its way through Legend’s throat.
“I’m not stupid to reason. I know I didn’t really have a choice at the end of the day, but that doesn’t make it any less my fault.” He laughed bitterly. “The funny part is, I wasn’t even supposed to sail that route to begin with. I went off course after hearing some stupid rumours about a sacred beast.” He spat. “Sacred beast my ass.” Of course, Legend was the only one who could throw in some salty joke while full on sobbing.
“The dream wasn’t hurting anyone…she could have lived a happy life, and I wouldn’t have to feel so…alone.” Hyrule never heard Legend sound so young.
Hyrule held him tight. “I’ll never leave you Legend. Not if I can help it.”
Legend appreciated the sentiment, but he knew it was a lie. Nine heroes brought together through space-time…they would all eventually have to leave each other.
They would all eventually have to leave him.
And he would be alone again. Just like he always was.
A fresh tear slipped down his cheek, and he leaned into Hyrule’s warmth as another wave of sobs overcame him.
He wished this moment would last forever. That someone so warm would hold him this tight and never let go. To never have to feel the pain of someone he loved so much being ripped away from him again.
But nothing ever lasts forever.