Warriors Lu - Tumblr Posts
Yall be thirstin over twiddies when he is RIGHT HERE
I swear he gets prettier and twinker with every update-
Warriors headcanon because I said so-
Warriors totally blames himself for the war. Whenever anyone tries to get him to understand that it wasn't his fault and Cia was a psycho, he'd say nothing but secretly he'd be like: "It was totally my fault, I should've given myself up when I had the chance."
Warriors was (and still is in his mind) a Mama's boy. Also, Warriors' mom died during a ambush, she was a soldier in the army and she wished for Warriors to also become one like her.
Warriors' mom was definitely the one to first wear the scarf and when she died, the soldiers took said scarf and gave it back to him as part of his Hero's Clothing.
Warriors definitely has the worst self-esteem in the whole team, he thinks himself as the least of the least and will think of everyone else but himself. He could be sporting a broken rib, a fractured leg and a shattered hand and still fuss over Legend's cut, or Wild's scrap or Sky's sprained muscle.
Whenever this happens, the Chain will threaten Warriors by telling him that they'll bring Time into the discussion and he'll bring the ultimate mother hen, Fierce Deity.
Warriors is the main medic in the team, while Hyrule knows how to heal, he doesn't know how to do it without leaving permanent damage. Warriors, being the war general he is, does know how to how to take an arrow out, how to stop a bleeding wound, etc.
Warriors was made for combating multiple foes at once, not 1v1, so when he began traveling with the Chain, he would always swing in a wide arc. He's gotten better at fighting one opponent but anytime waves after waves of monsters come out, the Chain will split from Warriors to avoid getting hit by his swings. They also know he does better alone in those types of situations and if anything happens their's always at least one person watching from a far, ready to jump in.
Warriors likes keeping up his appearance, it use to be because of his status as a war general but know he doesn't really know why. Also he's got the whole makeup, cream and hair product kit.
The man has a knife almost everywhere on his person, in his boot, underneath his scarf, in his glove, on his hip, on his breast (inside a hidden pocket), etc. He's afraid of getting betrayed like the soldiers did to him during the war.
Lu timeline
hahahahah fuck you all I've figured it out-
I'm not the first tho' :,)
Alr so, we all know the Linked universe right? (If you don't wtf are you doing, go read it-)
Alr I'm being aggressive lemme just explain.
So the timeline goes like this,
First
Sky
Four
Time
Legend Twilight Wind
Hyrule Spirit
(Warriors)
(Wild)
But where do Warriors and Wild go???? Well that's what imma answer according to my own Headcanons and an AO3 story which I give a link to at the end.
Now I know what most of you are thinking (and what some ppl don't know), Warriors isn't exactly canon. Well he is in the Linked Universe so we're giving him a timeline!
Warriors would most likely be after Hyrule, but because of the time traveling, all of the worlds would end up mixing in the end. Wild, meanwhile would be after Warriors! I know what you're all thinking. What about Twilight and Wild's protégé and mentor relationship??? Well it'll stay the same, so will the fact that in my heart they are blood related.
The story (that I will link at the end) will explain why Wild is after Hyrule, but I want to explain why Warriors is before Wild and after Hyrule as well as to why in Botw, there is a hero with red hair and not blond like Wars.
Buckle up everyone, this is going to be a mouthful.
So in the story, Hyrule was killed and his blood was drained to resurrect Ganon, then another hero comes and seals Ganon. In Botw, there is a story of a red haired hero who sealed Calamity Ganon. What if that hero was Warriors and the red hair was because he uses his firerod during the war which may have caused his hair to look red instead of blond.
I don't know how to explain the Sheikah technology, maybe it was a later addition to the war, y'alls can go wild with the tech but I'm here for the lore. This is where I'll stop, have fun with this peace of info which you'll probably forget Abt in a few hours 👍
Also for Twilight and Wild being so close, I think that the original world was after Hyrule, but because of the merging of worlds, the story ended being of Twilight, Hyrule long since forgotten but the story of how the calamity was created by Hyrule is somewhere really far away or is lost information!
Well I went and looked up what mithridatism was, and now I'm curious. What's that wip about?
It's about Warriors from LU! It was a headcanon of mine of him being overly afraid of being poisoned- so he poisoned himself to try and build an immunity to it. You can't die if you're immune, right? So something like hemlock would be what he'd do and sometimes I heard it can even turn into an addiction/coping mechanism for people and so I was making a fic where he struggled with it and stuff. Not a real snippet from it, but the description of a scene: So Warriors doesn't want people to know about his mithridatism and fear of being poisoned, so he does his little daily dose during his watch and so he'd be startled by something and go a little over on accident. Next morning he feels like crap and the chain is trying to figure out what's wrong and Time finds the vial of poison and stuff goes doooown. I didn't get very far with it but it's actually the second option in my most recent poll!
The last poll I'm gonna do before I start my writing lol, pick which Warriors angst you want
The logical people have spoken, time to put my phalanges to work
The last poll I'm gonna do before I start my writing lol, pick which Warriors angst you want
Too Much Thinking Is Bad For My Health (Part One)
Warriors was currently staring at his bowl of lovingly made chili with wide eyes. Today had not been a good brain day, not at all. Another of those days where no matter how much he loved the person making the food, or how many times he was told it wasn't going to kill him, he just couldn't bring himself to eat it.
The war had been hard. Too many assassination attempts from poison. It had made him terribly paranoid, and for good reason. Finding hemlock in your dinner wasn't a nice surprise. Funny how that was one of the only things comforting him now, was poison. Both his savior and his condemner.
Warriors had gone searching, bones showing and body shaking, for a way to make his brain quiet about the poisonings. Once the war was over, he hadn't much a need for being so paranoid. But it didn't go away, no matter how much therapy he tried or how many medications he took to make everything stop. So he'd turned to older methods. Seemingly simpler methods.
Mithridatism. The act of self-poisoning yourself in small increments to build immunity. If you're immune, you can't die, simple math. No one told him that it could become his only solace, the only thing he'd turn to. Almost an addiction. How ironic.
Warriors' hands shook, as he cradled his chili bowl. He was getting weird glances at this point, and worried ones from Time and Wind. They knew. They were aware of how messed up his brain was. They weren't aware, however, of the self-poisoning. Warriors looked back down at his bowl and attempted to pick up the spoon. No, nope, no.
He put the spoon back down and reluctantly put the bowl down altogether, pale. He tried to plaster on a smile. "I just don't think I'm very hungry right now, Wild. I'll eat something later." He said to the cook, trying to ignore how his voice shook. He got up and dusted off his pants, heading to his bedroll instead of sitting down by the fire like he usually did. Before he settled down, he pulled out his pack and ran his fingers over the very small vial in the front pocket. Hemlock, the very same thing that had nearly killed him so many times. It brought him both relief and anxiety.
"I'll take second watch, after Sky." He called quietly, and laid down, eyes still open and wide awake. He ignored the whispers, ignored the "I'll just save him something, for when he takes watch.", ignored the "Time, can you make sure he at least eats something, once you swap shifts?".
Everything faded as he attempted, in vain, to doze.
XXX
A handful of hours later, Warriors was gently shaken by a sleepy Sky. " 'S your turn, Captain. There's a good handful of fruits and a sandwich wrapped on a log for you, that Wild made. He figured you'd be hungry later." Warriors got up, pulling his sword to his back.
"Thank you, Sky. Get some sleep."
"You bet I will."
Warriors sat on the log, looking at the fruit. Two apples, an orange. A pear, some durians. He ignored all of them, and unwrapped the sandwich. He had no intention of eating it, just curious as to what it was. Maybe he could toss it out into the woods for Wolfie, if he was around. Could lie and say he ate that instead.
Lying didn't sit right. It was turkey cheese. He wrapped it up again and set it aside, staring out into the dark.
Eventually, even the dark wasn't as comforting as it had been. It was too quiet. Quiet, but Warriors could hear every snap of a twig, every leaf, every rustle, it was too quiet but it was too loud but it was- He scrambled for his pack, hands trembling. He pulled out the vial. Whether he wanted it to or not, it comforted him. He'd take it around this time every night anyway. Consistency. The vial was mostly empty, nearly ready to be replaced with another month's worth. Warriors uncorked it, shuddering as he breathed in the smell of something so deadly, something so ready to kill him yet it was the only thing keeping him alive. He looked around, making sure no one was awake; double, triple checking- then lifted the vial of poison to his lips.
"Hey, you okay?" The voice startled him, and there went the next three days down his throat. Warriors jumped, put down the vial, and looked to his side. Time was standing nearby, dressed in only an undertunic and pale pants. He didn't seem to notice the vial, so Warriors tucked it into his neckline and pretended he hadn't just taken something that could definitely kill him.
"I'm f-fine." Warriors' voice broke. Fuck.
"Clearly not. What's on your mind?"
Warriors twiddled his thumbs and sort of hunched in on himself, trying to push the poison from his mind. If he focused on it he might just go insane.
"The war, as always. I promise, it's just bad memories." Not quite a lie, not quite the truth.
"Anything I can help with?" No.
"No, it's just..."
How do you explain to your little (not so little now) brother that you poisoned yourself every night? You didn't. It was something he refused to do. He wouldn't subject Time to it.
"It's just hard, remembering. I'll be okay." Warriors tried to smile warmly, it came out as more of a grimace. Time sat down next to Warriors and took a hand, watching him with that one eye full of such wisdom, such love. "You will be okay. How about we take this watch together, hm?" He let Warriors lean on his shoulder a little.
"Alright." Just to humor him. Just to show he was fine and he'd be fine.
"I love you, brother. Get some rest if you can, okay?"
"Love you too, Sprite."
XXX
The morning was hell. What the fuck. Where was the sky? Why were people talking so loud? What time was it? His throat, he couldn't breathe, it was so hard, where was the oxygen? Where...
Warriors groaned quietly, and several people jumped.
"Warriors? Are you okay, can you hear me?" Hyrule asked quietly. Warriors barely opened his eyes, then shut them again.
"Hylia, his breathing is barely there. Shit shit shit, Legend, grab a potion, a fairy, something." Hyrule said frantically. Legend was rifling through Wars' pack and pulled free a fairy.
Wind was crying. Who would do this to his brother, who was normally so kind, so sweet, who loved them all and laughed like the father Wind didn't quite remember? Who patched his wounds no matter how small, who sewed his favorite shirt together and held him tight when he couldn't stand the memories? Soothed him to sleep and kissed his hair and spun him around in the sun with a smile? Someone who was so strong and who was there for everyone, no matter how much he was falling apart?
Wind was crying.
Time was frantic. For the first time in a while, he was frantic. None of the Links could have poisoned him, everyone was so clearly upset and everyone loved each other so dearly. No one would poison Warriors, no matter how paranoid he was of it. Who would? Who would do this to the man that took care of Time when he was just tiny little Mask, who joined him in pranks and helped raise him? Who taught him how to read and write and do math and love those around him, when he'd originally hated the world? Who taught him to see the sheer beauty in living?
Time was frantic.
Wild was terrified.
Had it been his food? Was Warriors allergic to anything he'd made? Certainly he'd have said something? Was it him, who'd done this?
Four was at war with themself, a blue voice trying to place blame and a violet voice trying to list out everything and anything about the situation and a red voice sobbing and a green voice trying to quiet them-
Sky was also crying.
Legend was crying, though he'd hide it.
Hyrule was crying.
Twilight was pacing, and- you guessed it- crying.
Warriors was dead.
Then he wasn't; the fairy had brought him back. His breath was barely there, but he was there, he was alive. Hyrule shuddered softly, hands glowing with magic. Legend was still looking around in Warriors' pack, whispering expletives and wiping tears. His hand hit the hidden pocket.
Warriors turned just enough that the vial he'd forgotten about glinted from his bedroll. Hyrule frowned and picked it up.
Legend unzipped the pocket.
Hyrule lifted the vial to try and figure out what the residue was.
Legend took one of the vials out.
Hemlock.
They locked eyes, then looked at their pale brother.
"What the FUCK." Legend snapped, taking out vial after vial of deadly poison; foxglove, hemlock, nightshade, all manners of things. "What the fuck."
"Did he poison himself?" Hyrule asked, voice shaking. Someone called out the word poison, a question, then the worried voices and cries rose.
"Looks like it. Hell, he wouldn't have gone out so slow if he'd taken a full one. Why did he take one in the first place?" Legend cradled all of the poisons in a hand and stashed them away in a small pouch. More sobbing, a thud of knees hitting the ground, gentle shushing.
Time's eyes snapped to Warriors, who was stirring. He went over to him, searching for any sign that he was still being dragged under the poison's influence. He'd be sick and sore for a while after this. Wind hiccupped and heaved for air, wailing. Reminding people he was only fourteen, was still a child, had just seen his brother die. Sky held him tighter, from their spot on the ground.
"Captain? Are you with us?" Time asked gently. Warriors opened fever-bright eyes. His hair was messy, his chest heaved weakly. His body shook and he wheezed.
"Sprite? Th' fuck happened?" He asked, voice rough.
"Poison, Warriors. You have lots of it. There was a vial in your bedroll. Did you... did you take it? You're really sick, now." The 'did you want to leave us' was unspoken, but it was there.
"Shit." Warriors whispered. He closed his eyes again, then opened them. "Yeah, I took it."
"WHY???" "WHAT THE HELL?" "SHIT." "THE FUCK, WARRIORS, ARE YOU INSANE?" "NO." "WARRIORS, WHY?" There were various shouts. Wind's crying increased, and Sky tried to calm him, making Four join them to try and help. Warriors flinched. Legend was the only one who didn't seem quite as phased. Wind fisted his hands in Sky's sailcloth and shook terribly. Sky petted his hair.
"Mithridatism." Warriors said hoarsely. He closed his eyes again. Talking was more of an effort than he'd bargained for. His head was pounding and fuzzy.
Legend filled in. "Mithridatism. It's an old war tactic, I think, that kings and nobles and such would use. Self poisoning in non-lethal amounts to try and build an immunity. Could be seen as a coping mechanism, could be seen as an addiction. Can be both." Legend's voice was quiet and somber.
Warriors kept his eyes closed, nodding mutely.
"Warriors, how long...?" Time asked. Warriors just shook his head. He was so fucking tired. He wanted a nap. Everything ached. "Wait, wait, please. We've got to talk about this. How much did you take? Was it on purpose?"" Time whispered, anxious of the answer.
"Accident. Didn't mean to take that much. Maybe three day's worth." Warriors whispered, before letting his eyes stay closed and his mind fade.
"Watch him, please." Time said to Hyrule. Hyrule only nodded, crouching down to sit near him. He then went to Wind, to take him from Sky. Sky reluctantly let go, and Wind turned to curl up against Time. "Why?" Wind asked, coughing in between sobs.
Time didn't have an answer to give him.
XXXXX
Guys now I have to make a part two what the fuck it really got away from me holy shit
@rrainydaydreams, @rebornofstars IT'S OUT AND ABOUT AND HOLY SHIT I HAVE TO MAKE A PART TWO RAA
Too Much Thinking Is Bad For My Health (Part Two)
Several hours had passed, and Wars hadn't woken. If anything, he'd gotten worse. Wind and Time refused to leave his side, Wind holding one of his hands and Time constantly checking and rechecking him over. Wind's sobs had long been quieted, but his eyes were red-rimmed and still teary.
Wars' breathing had stayed painfully shallow and he'd barely moved once. Hyrule had tried his magic, hoping to ease at least some of his brother's pain, but it hadn't touched the agony. Legend had pulled him back with a tired, remorseful expression on his face.
Four was curled up against Wild, still shaking and talking to themself. Their colors refused to be quiet. Twilight had taken to pacing, while Sky just watched with fear.
"Are ya sure 's hemlock?" Twilight asked, for the upteenth time.
"Yes, Twilight. It's hemlock." Time said quietly.
"Are you-" "Hush." Legend snapped. "We're worried enough as is, we don't need you pacing and fretting and driving us up the fucking walls. Sit down."
Twilight wrung his wrists and frowned deeply, before sitting down near Sky. He seemed ready to leap up at any given second, but at least he was sitting.
There was no known antidote for hemlock. At all. Even the tiniest amounts were fatal. Potions didn't touch it, no amount of Hyrule's healing magic was able to help, and even the fairy that brought him back didn't treat it.
They could only hope he didn't die again. They only had three fairies amongst them all.
XXX
That hope was short lived, and before the end of the night, they were down to two fairies. It was Time who was up and pacing now, just as frantic as Twilight had been. Wind had been corralled to sleep near Four and Sky, held tight to try and keep him soothed.
"Are there any Fairy Fountains nearby?" Time asked Twilight, voice wavering and cracking in the middle. He was grasping at straws, trying to find some sort of way to keep his brother alive and make him better.
He refused to lose Warriors.
"Not that I can recall. But we can always go lookin'. There ain't many that I can actually think of."
"Fuck." Time whispered under his breath, crouching to run his hand over Warriors' forehead, feeling the still-climbing fever. They really shouldn't move him. He was frail enough as it were.
"Do you have a map, by any chance?" Time's voice was even quieter, now that he was closer to Warriors.
"No. Usually didn't need one, anyhow. If we weren't so far from Ordon, I'd say we take him to th' spring. But that's about a day's walk, at our normal pace, from here. It would take more time than I reckon he has."
It would. In maybe six, seven hours, Warriors had needed two fairies. He was barely hanging on. They only had two left, so maybe they had about seven hours, eight if they pushed it, to get to the spring before they were out of them. But the spring was the only chance they had.
No one in camp was really asleep. It didn't take long for Time to have them up and aware.
"Let's pack up camp. Sitting here, waiting, none of it is going to do Warriors any good. He'll only get worse. Hyrule, Wild, while camp's being broken, can you go looking for fairies? If we're going to get to Ordon in any reasonable time at all, we're going to need more than just two."
Wild and Hyrule went off into the woods, for once without the intent of play or exploring.
Time settled down near Warriors, and started packing up his brother's things. A notebook, his pens. Time folded his scarf neatly, hands trembling. How many times had he himself been wrapped in it, when he'd had one nightmare too many, or was too sick to get out of bed? No matter how bitter he was, during the war, he'd loved this scarf almost as much as the owner of it. It was a comfort, even now, as Time ran his hands over it.
Time opened Warriors' bag a little more to fit the scarf, not wanting it to get ruined. There really was no other place for it, other than someone's hands or Warriors' neck. The bag was crammed full of things, and even though there was so much, it was neat and tidy.
Time pulled out a book, hoping taking it and putting it somewhere else would make room for the scarf. He caught a glimpse of the cover.
Old and worn, this was the book that Warriors had used to teach both Wind and Time how to read and write.
Time's eyes immediately teared, and he held it with a gentle grip. Why did Wars still have this old thing? At the bottom, in Warriors' scraggly handwriting - not neat like he would for war papers - were the words "The Good Ones".
Good what, exactly? Time opened the book, seeing the simple, childish shapes and letters. He smiled, and turned to a dog-eared page.
Oh.
So this was what he meant by the good ones.
The good memories, of the war. There were pages taped over pages and scribbles and drawings. Many of them were Time's own, when he'd barely known how to hold a pencil. Some of them were Wind's, when he was older, of Wars, of Mask, of the seagulls and the flowers and the things that reminded him of family. Of home. Some of them were Warriors', of a sleeping Mask and Wind, of Proxi, of Artemis. Pages of Wind learning how to spell. Pages of Mask learning how to draw a cat that didn't look like triangles.
Time didn't realize he was crying until a tear dropped onto a lovingly laminated page. He gently wiped it, then his own eyes. He tucked the book back where it belonged, in Warriors' pack. The scarf could be held. It didn't need to get shoved in here, unorganizing things Warriors clearly had in certain places. Time got up, zipping up the pack.
Time made his way over to Wind, who was folding up his bedroll.
"Here. Can you hold onto this?" Time asked, holding out the scarf. Wind's eyes widened. "Are you sure? I- I don't-" "It won't fit in his bag, and I won't have the hands to carry it. Please."
Wind took it in shaking hands and just sort of looked at it. He hadn't lived the war yet. This version of him was still fourteen, hadn't seen everything that he and Mask could get up to. Hadn't seen Warriors two years before now, commanding an army. But he'd naturally gravitated towards Warriors. It wasn't hard to see who had won his favor first.
Wind carefully wrapped the scarf around his neck, having to do it three times more so that it didn't touch the ground. "Thank you." He said quietly.
Time had already made his way back to Warriors. It hurt to see just how thin and weak Warriors had gotten. How had Time not noticed? How did he let it get this bad?
Time carefully helped Warriors out of his bedroll, and moved him to lean against a tree. He was so out of it, he almost looked like a doll. Limp and fragile. Time packed up the bedroll quickly, then scooped Warriors up gently, like a child. Warriors' head was easily pillowed against Time's chest, and he seemed to cling to the cold, hard armor.
He held Warriors while everyone waited for Wild and Hyrule to return. It didn't take long, maybe four more minutes. Wild's face was muddy and Hyrule's hands were scraped.
"We didn't find many. They gave us a run for our rupees trying to catch them. We only got three." Hyrule's voice was slightly breathless.
Five fairies total. Maybe fifteen hours to get Wars to the spring, if his cycle of decline stayed the same. Time nodded. "You did what you could. Keep them close. Let's be off."
XXX
Warriors' cycle of decline did seem to stay consistent, even three hours later. One more fairy down. Twilight was heavily skeptical about reaching Ordon in time. Even with the brisk pace they'd set, it was hard to keep it.
There was no warning when Warriors started to seize, jolting Time out of the half-aware state he'd been in. It had been a frantic rush to get him on his side and stay near him, fairies at the ready if they were needed.
That was thirty minutes ago. Currently, they were surrounded.
Wolfos, and lots of them. Not to mention the lizalfos. Legend tossed Twilight one of his fire rods, and drew his sword. Hyrule stayed near Time, ready to heal. He'd never been a fighter. He would, if needed. But he would heal, before he fought. Time gritted his teeth.
They didn't have the time for this. Wild climbed a tree and readied his bow, and started letting ice arrows fly. Wind was fighting, Sky was fighting, Four was fighting, they were all around, getting rid of the enemies.
Time was standing there, doing nothing.
Time gently set Warriors down near Hyrule, but before he could take his hands away, Twilight put a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go. Pick him back up, we can't afford to fight here. Th' others'll stay back and fight them off. We've gotta get him to th' spring." Time looked at his boys, his brothers. He didn't want to leave them to their own devices, what if they needed him? A shiver wracked Warriors' body, making Time look down. This brother needed him more than the others did.
"Alright. Let's go." Time whispered. He scooped Warriors back up, and with Twilight at his side, they bolted from the battlefield.
XXX
One fairy. They had one more left and they were several hours away from the spring. Running for so long was making Twilight wheeze, and Time had reluctantly made them take a break. Chest heaving, Time put his head in his hands and cried. They wouldn't make it to the spring in time, he just knew it. No matter how they rushed and ran, they wouldn't make it.
Time had failed.
Worst of all, he'd failed his brother. Someone who took care of him, who loved him, who taught him that all life was to be cherished. And Time couldn't even repay him the same favor. Warriors would be dead, by the next sunrise. Time would never hear his laugh, his teases, his advice, his comforting voice ever again. Time would never be able to forgive himself.
Twilight looked down at his hands. Eight hours, that's all they needed. They only had about three. They wouldn't make it. No amount of praying to Hylia to save Warriors would help. They just wouldn't make it.
Time had himself convinced of that fact, when Twilight scooped Warriors back up. He'd given up. They'd never reach the spring in time. He kept chasing his thoughts in circles, while Twilight watched him. What were they going to do? XXX
holy shit the people who reblogged this, that messaged me, that read this, holy shit. You guys are amazing! This part two is for all you guys because WOW. I didn't think it'd be received with so much enthusiasm! But guess what? I'm gonna have to make a part three >:)
@rrainydaydreams, @rebornofstars I thought you guys would like to know :)
Too Much Thinking Is Bad For My Health (Part 3)
"Time, c'mon. Let's try 'nd make it t' th' spring." Twilight said gently, cradling Warriors so very gently to his chest. A hand behind his head, as if trying to shield him from the world. Time looked over at Warriors. His poor, poor brother. The man who raised him. More than The Great Deku Tree did anyway. Forget his father being a tree, his father was Warriors, more than anything.
"Twilight, we'll... we'll never make it." Time's voice cracked, and his eyes teared again. How could he have let this happen? Again, his thoughts were spiraling, repeating themselves. How could he have fixed this? When did he let it get so bad? After all this, was this how his brother died? Cradled in someone's hands, like a delicate scrap of flower? Did-
Warriors' chest gave an odd heave, the sign that his heart was trying to quit on him again. Twilight jumped. "Time, the fairy-"
Time's hands were already grabbing for the fairy bag, carefully taking out the last one.
Time's hand brushed something, as he lifted her from the bag and released her from her bottle.
The-
Oh.
His ocarina.
Time pulled it out of the bag, staring at it with wide eyes. The last time he'd used it was... was Termina. Time travel, those three days. Over and over and over. Those people that didn't remember him, oh how little he was. Tiny. Playing with time like a toy, until he realized just how important it was to stop the moon from falling. Frantically running through temples, trying to get to the final chamber before the final day. Over and over, those days. Repeating and doing the same thing. Mikau. Anju and Kafei. Darmani. Kamaro. Gone, lost to time and Termina. He'd never see them again.
What if he playing the song now? Would this cycle repeat too? Of him seeing his brother die over and over and over and see him collapse and convulse and seize and cry in his sleep and then never move again? Would he have to witness Wind's sobs and cries and pleas over and over and over until his voice died? Wild's guilt, Sky's fear, Twilight's remorse? Legend's buried horror and sorrow, Hyrule's hopelessness, Four's despair? See all of them go through it all over and over and over and over until he collapsed till the moon fell till everyone died and no one could be saved and he couldn't bring the ocarina to his lips anymore and had no more air to breathe-
"Time! Breathe!"
Twilight had set Warriors down gently in a patch of grass, and was currently gripping Time by a shoulder. "Set the ocarina down, unless you fancy smashin' it by grippin' it so hard. Take a couple breaths, Old man." Time's hands shook, and his chest heaved as he took panicked breaths. "The ocarina." He said, voice barely heard through the wavering tone and lack of air.
"The what?" Twilight asked gently, trying to figure out why Time had suddenly panicked as soon as his fingers had wrapped around his instrument.
"The ocarina. I can save him. I can. The Song of Time. Three days. I can-"
"You can take a breath, and talk to me, Time. You're spoutin' a whole lotta gibberish. I don't speak gibberish." Twilight had crossed his arms, but his face was worried.
"You said you can save him. How? What will it cost?" What would it cost? No one would remember the panic, the fear, the hurt. Only Time. Only Link, who was too young in body and too old in soul, would remember. Three more days to add to the never ending tally. But Link would remember. He'd remember the screams of horror, the sound of Wind's knees hitting the ground. The sound of his sobs and wails as he watched Warriors die. He'd remember Legend's quiet crying, into the hat that Warriors had stitched up for him so many times. He'd remember Hyrule wearing himself to magic exhaustion in the effort to try and ease his brother's pain. To heal it. He'd remember Wild's frantic guilt, as he wondered if he'd suddenly been the cause of all this. He'd remember Sky's shaking voice, as he tried to soothe. He'd remember Twilight's hiccups and shudders as he held onto Warriors' hand through a watch. He'd remember Four's erratic shouting, as they seemed to fall apart from the inside out.
Link would remember when others wouldn't. Oh, how he'd remember.
"Just a little air. Then we'll go back three days and this would've never happened." Time lied easily, getting up. Twilight visibly brightened. This seemed like a cure-all, though mildly sketchy. Anything to try and save Warriors.
Time lifted the ocarina to his lips, hands shaking, and began to play.
XXX
The moon was falling was the moon falling where were the masks he needed did he lose one no where's the deity mask I need that to fight which was next what to I do where's Saria WHY WON'T IT COME OFF NAVI HELP HELP HELP TATL COME BACK-
"LINK!"
Warriors' voice.
Time had suddenly scrambled away from the fire, eyes wide. He'd tossed his ocarina across the camp, to where it skittered to be near Sky. Sky picked it up gently and started to clean the dirt off of it, frowning. Time had then proceeded to curl up in a ball, grip his hair, and scream.
"Sprite, Link, come on. Talk to me, please. What happened? Are you hurt?"
Warriors' voice was frantic but he was there and he was okay and he wasn't pale yeah he was still painfully thin but he was there and he was okay and he wasn't dead or dying or-
"Link, please. Breathe." Time's chest heaved, whines and gasps leaving him. Warriors held him tight. This sudden breakdown... what could've happened to make Time break so thoroughly?
"No no no no no no no the moon is falling where's the moon what day is it one two or three where's Tatl? Please, I don't want to go back to Termina-" He was speaking aloud. Warriors increased the pressure of his hold.
"Link, look. See?" He pointed between the trees. "The moon is right there, nice and far away. A crescent, tonight." Time looked up.
There it was, the moon. No evil grin. No Majora. No numbered days.
Time took a steadier breath.
"There you go. Can I ask what set this off?" Warriors' voice was gentle, a hand cradling Time to his neck, like he'd do when Time was little. Fresh out of Termina. Time shuddered with a sob, crying instead of screaming. His hands came to latch onto Warriors' clothes- Warriors, alive and not well, but alive. Heart beating steady.
"You died." Time sobbed quietly.
"I-... Link, I'm not dead. I'm not dying any time soon. What brought this on-"
"You died so many times. Over and over and over and there weren't enough fairies to get us to Ordona's spring. Poison, Wars. You poisoned yourself and you died." Time shuddered again, tears pouring down his face.
Warriors froze. Poison. How did Time know?
"How did-"
"The Song of Time. Three days. I moved back three days. We were having chili that night. Then you didn't eat and so Wild made you snacks but you didn't eat and on your watch I surprised you so it was my fault you poisoned yourself and died-"
"Slow down, Sprite. Slow-"
"And everyone was screaming and crying and we couldn't save you and so I-" "Mask."
Time froze, hiccupping and crying. The camp was quiet.
"You used the Song of Time?"
Time nodded, gripping the back of Warriors' shirt hard enough it was ripping holes.
"I... I died?"
Another nod, another sob.
Warriors just held Time for a moment, thinking to himself. He'd died, huh. Funny how it was something he was so paranoid of dying to.
"Warriors." Wind's voice was quiet, as he came by. Wars looked up. Wind was holding out a blanket with worry evident on his face.
"Thanks, Sailor. We'll be fine."
Wind frowned, but he turned away to leave them be. Warriors looked back down at Time, still crying and clinging to him.
"Dad." Time's voice was small. Full of fear.
Time had only called Warriors dad exactly three times, when he was Mask. Once when he was so sick that he couldn't even open his eyes; he'd called for Warriors to read him a story book. Once when he'd gotten an an arrow through his side and was convinced he was going to die.
And once again, as he held Warriors' hand so tight and was transported home.
"Shhhhhhh. It's alright." Oh Hylia, Warriors couldn't do this.
"I don't want you to die again, please don't let this be another cycle-"
"It won't be. In the morning, we can have a nice long chat about this, okay? About the poison problem, I mean. It's probably high time I talk to someone about this." Artemis had told him that for years.
Time rubbed his eyes, and tried sitting up, realizing just how ridiculous he probably looked. Crying into Warriors' shoulder. Wasn't he supposed to be the leader? Strong and mighty and unshakable? He had an apology ready on his tongue when Warriors pulled him back in.
"Sit your ass back down, Link." Time sat back down, tears still pouring no matter how fast he rubbed his eyes. Ridiculous. He was (somewhere) in his thirties, why was he crying? The crisis had been averted. Warriors wasn't dead.
But he had been.
Warriors cradled Time as close as he could, given the height difference.
"I'm sorry, Link. We'll have a talk in the morning, okay? For now, get some sleep."
Time closed his eyes, and relaxed into Warriors' hold. He slept through the night. There would need to be a big, long talk in the morning, but for now, they were okay. And they'd be okay.
fin.
@rrainydaydreams and @rebornofstars IT'S DONE RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
SOAP'S MASTERLIST
Might as well, since I'm having trouble finding my own fics haha
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
✰ You Don't Have To Be A Hero To Save The World (Wind-Centric)
✰ I'll Be Here Until You're Okay (Legend-Centric)
✰ Kleptomaniac Legend (Legend-Centric) ✧ Too Much Thinking Is Bad For My Health (Warriors-Centric) ✧ ✰ Part One ✰ Part Two ✰ Part Three ✰ The Blood We Shed, It Never Dries (Mask and Warriors-centric)
✧ She Is Fiction, She's A Curse, She's A Pretty Thing On A High, High Shelf (Warriors and Legend-centric) ✰ Part One
✰ I Left My Body Lying Somewhere In The Sands Of Time (Time-Centric)
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘ And here is my AO3 if you prefer it!
It will be edited as I make more, and there's crumbs if you scroll, but these are the fully fleshed fics (and the single ask I really enjoyed how it came out, haha)
The Blood We Shed, It Never Dries
His hand cradled the back of his brother's head, gentle and firm and there. He whispered a curse, a prayer, a promise of love. His voice wavered, broke. He began to cry, soft at first and then louder, louder, until he was crying and sobbing and holding his brother like the most precious of treasures, the most holy of all holy things. Cradling him as of he were a child, something sacred, something to be cherished. Should be be cherished? Did he deserve it, after all this time?
His brother certainly seemed to think so, whispering how he was so sorry, he was so, so scared, and how much relief he had felt to see him alive. Alive, alive, alive.
He didn't feel alive. He felt hollow, he felt small. He was small, in his brother's arms. Something fell out of his limp hands as his brother sank to the dusty, bloody ground with him in his grasp. He didn't look at it, it didn't seem to matter. Was he alive? Did he deserve to be?
He blinked slowly, hearing his brother's sobbing through water. His head hurt. He was thirsty. He wanted to cry, but he was too tired. He wanted to wrap his arms around his brother, this man, this simple, loving, amazing man who was larger than life, who was his rock, his shelter, his home. But his arms were too small, made of lead. He couldn't even lift his head.
Was his breath getting shorter? Or was he just tired? Was it evening into sleep, or was he dying? He couldn't tell, and that made him panic. His breath sped. Good, not dying.
But once it sped, it didn't slow. His brother gave him a worried look, then a soft call of his name. A firmer hug. His breath continued to speed, gasping like a fish out of water. Maybe he was dying. Maybe this was it. Why when he realized it, was there such a profound fear? Did his friends feel this fear when they died? His eyesight was blurry- ah, there were the tears he'd been too tired to cry.
" ... 'M dyin'." He slurred quietly, chest shuddering- was it with final breaths, or sobs?
"Oh, honey. You're not dying." His brother said, with a teary laugh. "Not dying at all. You had me convinced you were going to, but you didn't. You're safe and sound right here."
He looked to the side, and could catch a glimpse of blood and a limb and someone's face, a bandanna, a boomerang, an eye - before his face was gently directed away and back to his brother's chest, holding him there, caging protecting him.
"Who-?" He croaked, bringing hands up to grasp at his brother, his rock, his lifeline. His parent.
"No one you know. Not one of us. Not Tune, not me. Not Tune, not anyone you need to worry yourself with." Names. Oh, those existed. Kokiri didn't bother with names, they only had them when Link was there.
He wasn't Kokiri anymore. And he wasn't Link.
"... T'ne's 's safe?" Mask slurred, blinking slowly, grasping a little less tight at the Captain's shirt. One hand lost its grip and fell, before Mask sluggishly tried to get it back up and latched onto the Captain again.
"He's safe." His brother easy lied, keeping this child, his child, his brother, his son, in the sweet and blissful dark. Mask didn't need to see the Sailor yet. No one did. No one would see this field but Mask and Captain Link, Mask made sure of that.
"Good." Mask whispered, eyes fluttering. He was so, so sleepy. For once, he didn't snap at the Captain for holding him so dearly. He was tired. It felt nice. Tune was safe. Where was he?
"T'ne?? Tune?" Mask whispered, mouth full of cotton, as he tried calling for his brother. Wars gave him a sad look, with both joy and grief in his eyes. Who was the joy for, and more importantly, who was the grief for? "Shhhh, dear. He won't answer right now."
Mask shuddered. There was something the Captain wasn't telling him, wasn't there. He knew that look, that crinkle in his brow. He could see early gray hairs at his right temple, and he reached to touch. His hand was covered in blood. Was it his own???
Mask startled and pulled his hand back, leaving a very small, bloody handprint on the Captain's face. He was about to whisper an apology, but Captain Link cut him off. "Shhh, shh. Shh. It's not yours, it's not mine. I've got you. How about you take a nap, hmm? I'll get you all washed up and you can sleep?"
Sleep sounded phenomenal. But there was a part of the Captain missing, it was clear. Maybe multiple parts. At least a single visible one.
"... Sc'rf?" Mask fingered the edge of Captain Link's collar, leaving blood there. "You wouldn't want to see it now. All dirty. I'll get it cleaned."
"Mom?" Mask whispered, sniffling. "Wh'r's T'ne?" He wanted his brother. Tune's hands were warm and his hair smelled like salt and his eyes were sea green. Captain's were cold, too big, gripping tight, as if afraid Mask would disappear. Tune would know what to say.
"Don't worry, honey. Just sleep, okay? Just take a nap. We can worry about it later." Treating it as if it were another bloody spot on his tunic. Mask wanted to ask more, wanted to cry, to call out for Tune again... but his eyes closed. "L've you Mom." He whispered quietly, not noticing the way The Captain looked over the destruction before him. "I love you too, Mask. Get some sleep."
The Captain laid his son, his brother, his kid down on the dusty ground and moved to his other one. The one that wasn't moving, and wouldn't. Only sixteen. A giant scarf draped over him, like a burial shroud. Warriors held a limp hand, the only part of his other kid he could bear to look at.
"I'm so, so sorry, Tune. So sorry. I love you. Mask loves you, and he's sorry. He won't know how you died. Only I will. And I'm sorry for that. But he doesn't need to kill himself to attempt to make it right. I can't lose both of you. Losing you is hell enough. I love you." And he kissed the place where Tune's forehead was supposed to be, covered by bloody cloth.
Link went back to his currently sleeping child, hands curled up, only nine, unaware of the grief and destruction around him. Link stepped on the cursed, bloody, wooden mask as he went by, cracking it clean in two and then picking up his child. It wasn't Mask's fault. It was his namesake's.
He didn't hear the god scream in pain from it's vessel being broken. Mask curled up tighter in Link's arms and started to whine, covering his ears. He could hear. Link helped cover them.
Then he carried him home.
fin.
She Is Fiction, She's A Curse, She's A Pretty Thing On A High, High Shelf
It was surprisingly calm in camp today, Warriors thought with a small smile. He was eating a handful of almonds and cashews that Time had handed him. Wars looked up, about to ask Time for a handful of walnuts as well, before that calm was shattered.
Wind, shrieking happily, some sort of argument on his tongue that Wars couldn't make out. Legend, her hat gone and hair down, an ice rod in her hands. Pink ring glittering in the firelight.
"I'll fucking freeze you with my ice rod, Sailor! Don't try me, your kneecaps will go first!"
Wind laughs again- ah, that's what they're fighting over, Legend's hat. Warriors laughs, and gets his walnuts. Wind ducked under Sky's arm, and between Wild and Hyrule.
"I'll leave ye on an island!" Whatever else he said was lost to giggles and a child's joy. Warriors set his nuts aside.
"Ah, Wind! What's an island?" Warriors asks, his voice clearly teasing. Wind pauses just enough, seemingly insulted, for Legend to snatch her hat back. Her voice goes sour as she responds with; "Something I don't enjoy, anymore."
Wind looks at her, confused. Wars tried to uplift the conversation from it's sudden, dark turn with a half of a story.
"I knew a girl from an island once, in the war. Long blue dress, bright red hair. Always had a hibiscus in it-"
It does the opposite of it's intent.
Legend's eyes go wide, as if she'd just seen a ghost.
"You. WHAT." Her voice is soft, laced with unknown hurt and something resembling fear. She's rigid now, eyes searching Warriors' for any kind of lie.
"She was a nice girl, really good on the battlefield-" Wars tries to amend, fix whatever mistake he'd unknowingly made.
Legend seems to freak out a little, her eyes holding unshed tears. She suddenly grips Warriors by the collar of his shirt, not caring about the sudden rigidity and anxiety Warriors began to show.
"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN YOU KNEW HER." Legend screams, her voice breaking in the middle. She swears again, softly, and thumbs off the pink ring, not caring where it fell. They usually didn't show such lack of care for their things. It's quickly replaced with a blue one, and Legend is back in Warriors' face and space, his voice raised again.
"ANSWER ME, WARS!"
"I-I just knew her from the war. What's the big deal? She just came through the portal and joined us. Then she went home." Warriors' voice shook, as he spoke. still stiff and uncomfortable.
Wild frowns at Legend, crossing their arms. They hadn't caught nearly any of the conversation and was trying to piece the story together. "Leg, what's wrong? You're so fuckin' loud, like, the Gorons on Death Mountain can probably hear you."
Legend glares harshly at Wild.
"WARRIORS KNEW MARIN, THAT'S WHAT!" His voice cracks terribly, and one of the tears fall.
"Why are you yelling at me about it?" Warriors asked, his fingers starting to tremble. Legend was raising his voice higher and higher, and it was making Warriors' ears go back. Legend's ears were down and back clearly very upset and no one knew what for.
"You don't understand." Legend's voice breaks in a way that sounds final, like his voice isn't coming back to the same snark it usually possesses. It stays trembly and upset. Vulnerable. His breath catches on what suspiciously sounds like a sob.
"Maybe explain it then!" Wild says, with a good deal of sarcasm. Warriors responded at the same time with a soft, "I don't."
Twilight came into the clearing, surprised at the shouting, he'd been out patrolling. Just to make sure they were completely safe, having a couple people injured. Hyrule, who was passed out cold due to heavy magic exhaustion. He still smelled like blood. And Sky, who had a broken shoulder. He refused to rest it and broke it worse.
Wind was vaguely talking about a bird friend he had, who was a girl, and who could fly but she looked like him, almost human. He was leaned up against Four now, nearly dozing as he told his stories. Time watched, not intervening. His boys could work out their own troubles. He didn't need to get involved. Everyone else around didn't dare add onto the conversation, in fear of being yelled at by Legend or making everything worse.
"I leave for five damn minutes, and now 'vryone is yellin'." Twilight says with no fondness, moving to Wild.
"I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU KNOW HER AND YOU SHOULDN'T KNOW HER BECAUSE SHE WASN'T FUCKING REAL." Legend's voice has a rasp to it, from the shouting.
"I... I don't know what to tell you? She went home." Wars whispered.
Wild frowned. "Well, that's a little scary. She wasn't real?"
Legend looked down at his feet, hands losing their steel grip on Warriors' tunic very suddenly. Legend began to wring his wrists. "She wasn't real." His voice was very, very small. He sounded so heartbroken. Almost like a child, who'd lost something so important to them. Fuck, Legend was only what, seventeen? Eighteen? Twenty at most? He was still a kid. Still young enough to be one.
"I'm c-confused." Wars said, moving back from Legend's touch just fast enough to be worrying. He started rubbing the side of his neck.
"She wasn't real. She was a dream, she isn't real. Wasn't." Legend whispered, almost to himself. Warriors murmured something about Marin summoning a fish.
Twilight whispered to Wild, not quite catching the whole plot of the argument. "So why, pray tell, 're they arguin' now? All 'm gettin' is that they're fightin' over some... fish?"
"I don't really know." Wild responded, watching Legend pull at his own hair and try desperately not to cry. "Wars was talking about someone that appeared from a portal in the war, and apparently Legend knew her? But she was a dream?"
"Ahh, okay. So they're fightin' over a girl."
Wars broke the silence between himself and Legend. It was a rather large mistake, on his behalf. "So I'm guessing you d-don't have a good history with Miss Marin?"
Legend turned. His eyes were wide, soft around the edges with hurt. He gripped Warriors again, this time by the shoulders. "A GOOD HISTORY??" He shouted, making Warriors flinch harshly. "A GOOD HISTORY????? WARRIORS, I WAS IN A DREAM FOR OVER A YEAR OF MY LIFE, AND FELL IN LOVE WITH HER. AND THEN I WOKE UP. AND SHE WAS NEVER REAL." Legend choked on a sob, beginning to finally cry out loud. His hands softened on Warriors' shoulders, and Warriors quickly pushed them off. He couldn't take the touch of his brother right now, not like this. Legend nearly fell over. He didn't care.
Wind frowned from his spot and paused his story. He whispered a small, "Oh."
Wild looked less mad now. "That's..." Legend cut him off. "I don't fucking understand, Wars. Help me understand. Is she still out there? Could I see her again?" He was pleading now, not screaming. One of his legs shook hard enough to nearly send him to the ground.
"Legend. Leg- Link. Look at me." Warriors said, trying to hide his own discomfort for Legend's benefit. "I didn't know that. How could I have?"
Legend threw up his hands.
Wild tried to butt into the conversation with his own dream experience. "So… uh… you also sort of had something happen like that too? Where something happened and it's not supposed to be real?" Legend didn't call him out for butting in like he would usually do. He shrugged.
"Yeah, if you can call it that." He sounded defeated. Legend rubbed his eyes. Twilight was fed up with all the crying and shouting.
"Hey, Legend. Let's go take a walk, 'kay? We can go get some space. Talk about her if you want? Or jus' walk." He offered his hand.
"Yeah. Yeah, I could take a walk." Legend whispers, as if he's parroting someone. He hugs himself, knees shaking as he presses himself to Twilight's side. Twilight slings an arm over him, hugging his frame. He usually gave off such high energy, such power, conviction, confidence. Now he just looked small. Sad, defeated, upset, and destroyed. Wars had built up hope so fast and so quick just to break it down with a wrecking ball.
"Alright. C'mon, I've got you. Shh." Twilight whispered, as Legend began to sob in earnest. He led him away from the clearing.
Warriors watched with wide eyes, rattled from both the trauma dump from his brother and the yelling that had been right in his face.
Warriors had never seen Legend cry.
XXX
I MUST MAKE A PART TWO HELP
WARS 🤩🤩🤩
@hyruledwarriorr 👀👀👀
Wars and Four, yay! :)
I hc warriors as having albinism (bc my friend has albinism and I don’t see enough positive representation for albino ppl) so I did a sketch of him
Warriors gets his nickname
Hi I’m not updating long fics even though I want to, I’m instead writing more short Incredibles au stuff *collapses*. I’ll update other things eventually I promise ;-;
This is the furthest back fic I’ve written I think— Time is only a teenager, and Warriors is very smol. Time goes by Time because he got sick of them both being Link, but Warriors doesn’t have a nickname yet. I think that’s all the background you really need though, so I’ll stop and just let you read already.
————————————————————
Link held tight to Time’s hand as they walked down the sidewalk, headed towards the corner stand where Time knew they could get lunch for cheap. He usually skipped lunch himself, or just nibbled something small, but since it was the weekend, Link wasn’t in school and he had to get him something.
Time looked down at his little brother, Link trotting along beside him. He was nearly drowning in his too-big scarf, and Time flipped it around his neck one more time so he wouldn’t trip on it, Link giving him a little smile.
Time sighed to himself.
He was still figuring out how to deal with having a kid as his responsibility, but... he was making it work. He’d managed to get Link in a preschool on weekdays, and was working on a more permanent place for them to stay besides “in this nice tree” or “in the backseat of the car”. Nobody believed him when he said he was old enough to rent an apartment when he tried though, so it was usually still the backseat of the car for them.
But in general, Time didn’t usually feel like screaming, and was able to keep Link happy, so he was counting the whole thing as at least a partial success.
He seriously needed to find a nickname for the kid though— two Links was two too many.
Why did you name him after me, Mom? he thought as he watched Link jump over a slushy puddle. Why did you leave him with me? Surely you knew someone who who would do a better job? Someone who’s an adult? I’m his brother, but that doesn’t mean I know how to raise him.
A crashing sound made Time’s ears prick, and the thoughts he’d been repeatedly having ever since he’d met Link fled as he turned towards a tiny side street, one that ran behind several shops.
He tugged Link over towards the alley, suspicion in every step. That hadn’t just sounded like a normal dropping-something crash to him. And sure enough, he found a newly shattered window that led into a pawn shop, a shadow disappearing into the shelves inside.
“...bad guy?” Link asked, and Time nodded, already looking for a spot to switch into his super suit.
“Bad guy. A crazy one too, breaking and entering in broad daylight. Looks like somebody doesn’t know that stealing is wrong,” he said with a tsk, and Link let out a small giggle.
Time quickly ducked behind a dumpster to change, and emerged moments later, flexing his hands in his gloves. Link gave him an interested look, and Time suddenly remembered that he couldn’t very well bring his four-year-old brother inside with him.
“...Right,” Time sighed, then scooped Link up and quickly deposited him behind the same dumpster he’d changed behind. “Stay here, don’t let him or anyone see you. I’ll take care of him but don’t come out until I come get you.”
Link frowned, worry pinching at his eyebrows, and Time tucked his scarf a little more tightly around him.
“I’ll be fine, don’t worry,” Time assured, but Link kept frowning.
“Hurt?”
“I won’t get hurt. And even if I do I can handle it, but I need to not worry about you while I fight. Stay here,” Time said firmly, then turned and jumped into the shattered window before his brother could argue.
He spotted the robber within seconds, the man breaking open a glass case with all sorts of valuables stored inside. Time put his little brother out of his mind for now, and crept closer, then abruptly cleared his throat. The man jumped at the noise and whipped around, brandishing a crowbar and staring at him.
“I don’t think those belong to you,” Time said with a smirk, and the man swung, Time nimbly jumping out of the way.
“Fierce Deity,” the man spat, and Time gave him a mocking bow.
“At your service. Put the fancy gold watches back.”
The man laughed, then his eyes narrowed behind the reptilian mask he wore. “Dinolfos of the Lizal gang doesn’t take orders from you.”
“Fine,” Time sighed, rolling his eyes. “I guess we’re doing this the hard way.”
He threw a punch towards Dinolfos, which the robber neatly avoided, and the two began to fight, weaving around each other and dodging attacks.
Dinolfos was surprisingly skilled at avoiding Time’s punches, and Time had barely landed any hits after several minutes. Dinolfos on the other hand, had grazed him at least twice now, and annoyance began to swell in Time’s chest. He wasn’t incapacitated from the hits, but he didn’t like where this was going.
He fought faster, managing to knock the crowbar from Dinolfos’s hand, and the battle sped up without the weapon in the mix, kicks and punches just barely grazing both of them.
This guy is fast, Time thought, lunging out of the way of a punch that likely would have given him a bloody nose. How is he so fast?! Argh.
Time managed a swing that connected with Dinalfos’s shoulder, and he reeled back, shouting in anger as he lunged for Time. Time once again dodged out of the way, and noticed with a smirk that his opponent’s swings were getting more wild.
He backed up to give himself some space, easily dodging the angry punches thrown at him. Time stuck his tongue out as Dinolfos missed again, and his opponent let out a roar of frustration as Time continued to easily avoid his angered strikes.
Until Time stumbled on the dropped crowbar.
His foot slipped and Dinolfos lunged, kicking Time right in the chest and knocking the breath out of him as he was thrown straight through the broken window. He went flying into some trash cans at the end of the alley, and heard Link gasp from his hiding spot, but his chest was tight, too tight for him to sit up or even move, just lie there and gasp for breath.
Dinolfos’s foot had caught him at exactly the wrong angle, and knocked every bit of air from his lungs.
Footsteps ran over, and Time opened his eyes with a cough, expecting to see Dinolfos with his weapon raised above his head, ready to strike.
Instead he saw Link standing protectively in front of him, arms held out as if to shield Time despite his tiny size.
Dinolfos laughed.
“Is this your sidekick, Deity?” he guffawed, looking down at Link as he stalked forward. “He is tiny! Were you so desperate for help that you thought even a baby would be better than nothing?”
He continued to laugh, and Link glared up at him, his hands clenching into fists. Time tried his best to catch his breath and get to his feet, but his lungs refused to work, no matter how he gasped. Stupid lungs, come on!
The very air temperature seemed to drop all of a sudden, and a flare of panic hit Time as the robber stepped towards Link. No no no no no—
Dinolfos lunged for him, but Link blasted a spurt of ice from his hands, hitting Dinolfos in the legs. He yelped in surprise, and before he could recover, Link sprayed more ice at him, trailing up his legs and hitting his arms as well.
The shots were clumsy, and it was obvious Link didn’t have much practice, but Dinolfos was completely stuck by the time he finished, and unable to grab his weapon.
Or move, for that matter.
“You brat!” Dinolfos hissed, glaring at where Link stood. “How dare you? I am of the Lizalfos pack, son of Dinal, leader of the Lower Lizards, Master of—!”
Link shot a bit of ice over his mouth, making his face flush with anger.
Time finally managed to get some air into his lungs, and he rolled over, looking up at Dinolfos and Link with an impressed expression.
“Huh,” Time wheezed, still trying to fully catch his breath. Partially from the kick, but mostly from the remaining panic of seeing his little brother nearly be attacked while he just gasped for breath on the pavement.
Sloppy, too sloppy, you should have put him further away, he barely knows how to use his powers he could’ve been hurt he could have been ki—
Time sighed, and winced as he put a hand to his chest and lightly rubbed. He was definitely going to have a bruise tomorrow. “We’ll have to talk about your listening skills kiddo, but... nice work. You’re quite the little warrior, huh?”
His brother’s face positively lit up at his words, and he pointed to himself, some snowflakes settling in his hair.
“Warriors,” he said proudly, and Time snorted, slowly getting to his knees.
“Warrior, kid. No S.”
“Warriors!”
“There’s only one of you, there’s no S,” Time argued back as he stood, but the kid just kept chattering ‘Warriors’ to himself, over and over. A vein bulged in Dinalfos’ forehead, and Time snorted, shaking his head.
He had been thinking about finding a nickname earlier... I suppose there are worse ones out there.
“Well come on, ‘Warriors’, let’s go get lunch. Frosty here can just hang around until the police show up,” he said, ruffling Link’s hair.
Link beamed, and took the hand Time offered him as they stepped out of the alleyway and walked down the street, leaving Dinolfos behind in the alley.
Dinolfos yelled a curse behind them that was entirely unintelligible.
I'm playing Hyrule Warriors for the first time. Ya'll. I'm so sorry. All those fics with Cia being fuckin bonkers and pursuing Link/Warriors like a crazy ex girlfriend or something? I didn't believe ya'll. I thought "It's a Zelda game. She couldn't be that bad."
I was wrong. I concede.
I was all "I should play the game to be able to write Warriors better. Maybe I can plan a subplot with it for Requiem." Ha ha. Ya'll, I haven't been giving his trauma enough thought. I knew he had big T trauma. I knew. But I didn't *know.* I have so much work to do. Fucking hell. I have to finish the main plot to plan anything. Fuck. I might have to finish this before finishing chapter 11. Fuuuuuuck
Warriors is often characterized as being vain or self-centered when it comes to his appearance, but for me that's not true. Self-conscious is how i would describe it. Before the war, I don't think he cared about his appearance at all. He wasn't nobility, and on the battlefield, appearance isn't all that important if your face is covered by a helmet.
The war came with some very unexpected developments, like getting the Master Sword, skyrocketing through the ranks, meeting Impa, meeting Zelda, and more. As the one bearing the Hero's Spirit, he can handle those things.
But then he became Helen of Troy.
Hyrule is at war because Cia is in love with him. Her attraction had more to do with his heroic actions and nature than the appearance of his reincarnations, but...
Come on, that's not what the rumor mill is saying.
Word on the street is Warriors is so drop-dead gorgeous, so bootylicious, that the kingdom is fighting a war over him. He's the face that launched 1000 ships. So everyone has high expectations when they see him.
And Farore forbid he doesn't live up to those expectations every hour of every day.
Every time he introduces himself he sees that slightly disappointed look in the other person's face that he didn't live up to hype. What a tragedy he doesn't always conform to everyone's idea of the ideal man, that he looks like a person and not the divine image of beauty incarnate.
And the comments! "I thought you'd be taller" "I thought you'd be shorter" "You have some baby fat" "You look older than I expected" "Your hair is a little messy" "Your sleeve is too wrinkly" On and on about things he used to never notice or care about. It's worse when he's at a noble gathering and Zelda is using him as a prop to drum up support for the war effort, but even on the field he can't escape it.
Farore forbid Warriors go without a shower for a few days and have helmet hair because there's a war. "You have to look presentable for the troops or it'll lower morale." Of course it'll lower morale. He's Helen of Troy. His beauty is the point. He has to look presentable.
All this results in Warriors having a lot of anxiety around his appearance. He checks himself in the mirror over and over for imperfections he didn't notice the first time. And even after that he can't shake the feeling that he's somehow doing it wrong or missed something, and everyone is secretly laughing at how silly he looks and he's embarrassing Zelda by simply being in public.