This blog is where all of my writing will be collected in one organized place. They are all reblogged from my main blog and will be sorted as follows:
#full fic: Full length stories and one-shots.
#dribble drabble: Shorter pieces that are not long enough to count as a complete story.
#sneaky peeky: Special teasers of WIPs that are not posted yet. They will be deleted once their respective stories are posted.
#behind the scenes: Fun secrets about my thought process while writing.
#pretty picture: Fanart for my fics.
#planning plots: Brainstorming future ideas.
The ask box is open and anon is on! Please please please talk to me about my fics, I would love to answer questions and reveal secrets and share ideas for upcoming stories. Interaction is my lifeblood, never annoying, and I absolutely don't bite. Apparently being a writer makes me intimidating to some people, but I promise I'm just a normal person like you!
Please do not offer criticism (constructive or otherwise), requests, or demands for me to write more. I'm happy doing what I want on my own time unless I say otherwise.
I don't tag extensively for triggers, but I try to include warnings for my whump fics.
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A Fan Joy July fic for @drlessy based on this art!
Summary: Wild is sad, and looks to Legend for comfort.
Words: 530
AO3
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When Wild snuck up and wrapped his arms around Legend from behind, he expected the champion to start teasing or begging for some thing or another. Hyrule was sure to be in tow, and Legend glanced around in preparation to call Time or Twilight for backup. Nobody else was around, save for Sky and Wind who were playing a game outside their tent, which didn’t bode well for Legend. He was about to ask Wild if he minded backing off when he felt the other teen press his face into his neck, and something wet met his skin.
Now Legend was just confused. If Wild was upset, why had he chosen him of all people to run to? He wasn’t always the most affectionate, but he supposed that Wild was lucky that he wasn’t in a bad mood. He bit back his unwise words and twisted, pulling Wild onto his lap. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
Unsurprisingly, Wild was too upset to answer out loud. He hugged Legend even tighter than before, and the vet sighed and pulled him closer. Wild’s breathing was shaky but he was still unnervingly quiet. Legend grew more worried the longer they stayed there, hands fisted in each others’ clothes, seeking equal comfort at this point. He just wanted Wild to be okay, what was wrong?
Wolfie trotted into camp, tranforming into Twilight as soon as he saw their sad cuddle. “Wild? Legend? Are you okay?”
Wild made a little noise in the back of his throat that could’ve meant anything, and Legend stared at Twilight as he walked closer. The rancher held out his hands, a silent offer to free Legend of his burden, but the vet scowled and shook his head. Wild had come to him, and Legend had decided to cling to that responsibility.
Twilight frowned, folding his arms instead. “Anything I can do to help?”
Legend thought for a moment, hoping for a better idea but nothing came to mind. He rolled his eyes and pointed at Twilight’s necklace. “Can I have that?”
“You sure?” Twilight laughed, but he pulled it off and handed it to Legend easily enough. “Let me know if you get stuck.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Legend grumbled before he touched the crystal and let his bunny form overtake him.
Just as he had hoped, the change snapped Wild out of it. The champion cooed, adjusting to cradle Legend in his arms and nuzzled the top of the bunny’s head. With no small amount of grumpiness, Legend allowed Wild to press happy kisses to his soft pink fur. At least he wasn’t crying anymore.
Wild held onto Legend for longer then he really needed to, and the vet practically had to fight his way out of his hug to turn back. Wild started to chase after him, but thankfully Twilight held him back and asked if he felt well enough to make dinner, which he did.
Later that night, when Wild looked more like himself, it was Legend’s turn to attack from behind. He rested his chin on Wild’s head, watching scarred ears droop nervously.
“Whaaat?” Wild asked, the word drawn out and just as nervous.
Legend grinned and ruffled Wild’s hair. “Revenge.”
A Fan Joy July fic for @cheatsylu based on this art!
Summary: Four and Wind share a bed for the night, but neither can sleep without a sibling-like scuffle.
Words: 460
AO3
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The Chain had entered town right at the peak of market season, and space was limited for everyone not to mention a group of nine boys and men. The innkeeper gave them the key to his largest room, which he promised had three beds. If they were large enough, the Chain might have been able to share without forcing anyone to sleep on the floor.
They were hopeful, but opened the door to find… three rather small beds. Even convincing two heroes to share would be tricky enough, let alone finding a way for all of them to fit. A few sighs of disapointment went around the room, but mostly everyone was happy just to sleep the night indoors. Bedrolls were thrown in a communual pile on the floor as negotiations began for the space around the beds.
Time got one bed, and Warriors was bullied into another since he was still recovering from an injury. Wind and Four were handing out blankets, assuming that Legend and his achy joints would have the third bed, and they were surprised when Twilight called them to share it. Four immediately tried to argue that he was not a kid and he would not tolerate being treated as such, and Twilight gently pointed out that he only happened to be the smallest of them besides Wind. Four sighed and rolled his eyes, but Wind was excited that they had gotten lucky. At home, Aryll ended up sneaking into his bed more nights than not, so Wind was very used to sharing.
It was obvious that Four wasn’t as familiar with sharing a bed, but thankfully Wind was one of the few people he allowed in his personal space. They climbed onto the bed, maybe a little closer than Four would’ve liked, but at least they were only sleeping here for one night. Wind was cold, and tugged on the blankets until Four didn’t have any left. Twilight ended up having to stand over them to make sure that they were evenly covered.
Four tried to stay on his side of the bed, a task made nearly impossible with Wind’s tendency to wriggle around all night long. Wind sprawled out like a starfish, and Four nearly screamed out loud when ice-cold feet pressed against his leg. He bit his lip and pushed Wind away, but the younger boy soon rolled over and Four begrudgingly accepted that Wind was just seeking out his body heat. He shifted to meet Wind in the middle of the bed, their faces almost touching but not quite. Wind relaxed immediately, his fluffy hair gently tickling the smith’s forehead. They slept like that until morning, the first of many nights spent in too-small hotel beds across their worlds.
A Fan Joy July fic for @mizaruwu based on this art!
Summary: Legend sleeps, and Hyrule watches over him.
Words: 200
AO3
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Legend didn’t really sleep anymore, but he still got tired in a sense and wanted to lay down every so often. Hyrule remained by his side (he always did, he didn’t let Legend out of his sight anymore) and it was during these times that Hyrule managed to catch his own rare moments of sleep. He didn’t doze for long; he would jolt awake with the fear that Legend had drifted away while he wasn’t looking. He would often set up a chair at the side of Legend’s bed, resting a hand on his friend’s bandaged arm and pretending that he could feel his pulse.
That was silly, of course, only Hyrule’s own blood kept Legend’s body whole at all and it was stagnant, imperfect, something that his brother’s true form would never be-
When the thoughts grew too loud, Hyrule just squeezed Legend’s arm and smiled to himself. There, see? Right under his fingertips, the steady sign of life as Legend’s heart beat on. Legend was fine, he was here, he was just sleeping.
Any minute now, Legend’s eyes would open and Hyrule would bring him along on their journey to gather the rest of their friends.
Summary: The heroes have ended up at Lon Lon Ranch right in the middle of tornado season. Some aren't as willing to shelter in place, and a few hours spent in a basement with a dozen people isn't fun for anyone.
Words: 1300
AO3
Characters are from @thatbrokenpromise
The air was heavy with rain and unease. Lon Lon Ranch was safe, for the most part, stone walls protecting those inside from monsters and human enemies alike. The land was open to the elements, however, and the weather was nasty today. Thunder didn’t usually make Rabbit flinch, but this storm was unusually violent. He didn’t like it, and whenever he saw one of his companions he could tell that they felt the same.
“How has the weather been recently, Malon?” Skyloft asked softly, his hands wrapped around a mug of tea.
“Cold,” their host said with a bitter frown. “It warmed up as soon as you dropped in, which isn’t a good sign this time of year.”
“That’s a trigger for tornadoes, right?” Rabbit said. “Is there a place we can shelter if it gets bad?”
“We have a basement, yes,” Malon said. “Do you mind checking that everyone is nearby? I’d like to call everyone in quick if it comes to it.”
“Of course,” Rabbit agreed, and stood to search the house.
Most of them were inside, talking or mending their gear or setting up their sleeping mats. Rabbit completed his headcount by the time he found Far, Chief, and Hateno gathered on the front porch. Rabbit closed the door behind him and they watched the storm for a silent few minutes. The wind was strong, tearing dark clouds across the sky and sending rain in all directions.
“Looks pretty cool,” Far said, almost shouting to be heard over the storm.
Hateno took a step forward, halted by Chief’s hand closed around his. He shot the medic an annoyed look as lightning struck, followed by instant thunder. Rabbit jumped, stumbling into Far who wrapped an arm around him.
“Do you need to go back inside?”
Rabbit swallowed hard, staring into the storm. “We all do,” he said, loud enough for Chief and Hateno to hear. “Malon thinks a tornado could form soon, we should head to the basement.”
“I’ve never seen a real tornado before,” Hateno said, a disturbing lack of fear in his voice.
“And it’s not happening today,” Chief snapped. “Those things pick up trains. The aftermath is…” he shuddered and trailed off.
The wind picked up, and Rabbit shielded his face from the rain. “Come on, it’s safer inside.”
He led the way, Chief practically dragging Hateno in behind them. Far was at the rear, and lingered to look out a window instead. Malon and Skyloft were nowhere to be found, and Kokiri waved them over to the basement door.
“Where’s Malon?” Rabbit asked, letting the other two descend first.
“She’ll be back soon. Everyone else is downstairs,” Kokiri said helpfully. He looked worried, something that was rare to see and Rabbit wasn’t comforted by it.
“Woah, the sky’s green!” Far exclaimed, and Hateno nearly bolted back up the stairs.
“Come on!” Rabbit and Chief snapped simultaneously, and between them got Hateno fully down into the basement.
It wasn’t the biggest space, but there was enough room that they didn’t have to squeeze in shoulder-to-shoulder. Ordon was handing blankets to Outset, who wrapped them around himself and Skyloft. Four was inspecting the stores of food while Smith ran nervous hands down her braid. A familiar aura suggested that Minish was hiding under the stairs. Prince stopped his pacing to go to Chief, placing a hand on his shoulder in relief.
Rabbit turned around to see Far join them, then Malon and finally Kokiri. Baby Draga was in Malon’s arms, fussing and upset that she had been woken from her nap. Malon went to sit against the wall, quickly convincing Draga to settle down. Kokiri wasn’t as easily convinced, and set to pacing around the room while Prince took his place at the top of the stairs. Rabbit sat beside Far, and Ordon settled on his other side.
Maybe, sitting between them, he would stop shaking.
Kokiri paced, around and around and checking things that didn’t need to be checked. He passed Malon, wove through the other heroes, went up the stairs to talk to Prince and touch the door and began his cycle again. Rabbit felt restless just watching him, and after a while Malon stood and blocked his path.
“Just take her,” she said firmly, and Kokiri shook his head and tried to protest but Malon was pressing Draga into his arms. Kokiri froze for a moment, then retreated to the far corner of the basement to hunch protectively around his daughter.
Rabbit released a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Malon was truly one of the few people who understood Kokiri.
Of course, the peace didn’t last. Hateno growled something under his breath, and all of the attention snapped to the center of the room as he raised his right arm with a flash of green light. Before he could follow through, Chief tackled him to the ground and held him there.
“Don’t you fucking dare what if the house collapses on top of you?!”
“I want to see what’s happening, not be trapped in here!” Hateno argued, squirming beneath the heavier man.
“And what if the winds take you away? What if we get moved? I don’t know about you but I’m not in the mood to kidnap the baby,” Chief hissed.
Kokiri’s cold glare was too much for Rabbit to meet, and Hateno only lasted a moment before he groaned and pressed his face to the floor. “Fine.”
The wind picked up, and Draga began to cry in earnest. Kokiri looked ready to panic, then Malon knelt beside him and sang a soft lullaby that soothed the child to quiet whimpers. Malon rested her head on Kokiri’s shoulder, and he closed his eyes and let her.
The next hour or so passed in relative silence while the storm raged above them. Chief continued to sit on Hateno’s back, mindlessly braiding and unbraiding his long hair. Rabbit was still nestled between Far and Ordon, his fear diminished now that he could see that they were all safe. A few of them got up to stretch, but there was none of the restless pacing from before. They were content to wait it out- or at least, most of them were.
When Outset left Skyloft’s side, he went straight to the stairs. Prince stared down at him, unamused, and Ordon translated aloud as Prince signed.
“I know you’re ready to leave, but the storm isn’t gone yet,” Prince said. “It isn’t safe.”
“We can’t stay down here forever!” Outset argued, and Hateno sounded his agreement from the floor.
“Skyloft looks cold,” Prince signed instead. “Can you see if he needs another blanket?”
Outset scoffed, but his desire for freedom didn’t outweigh the worry for his friend. He made his way back to Skyloft, who had a bright look in his eyes that led Rabbit to believe that he knew exactly what Prince wanted. Outset, none the wiser, plopped down and was instantly beset by a cuddly Skyloft. Outset squawked, but didn’t have the heart to push him away and was promptly smothered.
More time passed, and finally the storm moved on. Prince, Far, and Hateno were the first to scout outside and returned with the all clear. Ordon coaxed Minish out of hiding and went to help Skyloft up the stairs, and Rabbit followed the others out of the basement.
Thank all the gods, the house was still standing. There was still a light rain shimmering against the sunset, and Rabbit opted to stay inside rather than check for damage. Hateno ascended through the ceiling to survey the roof and stayed there, still upset that he hadn’t been allowed to brave the storm by himself. Kokiri gave Draga back to Malon and left to see Hyrule Field, returning after a while to report a path of destruction that had miraculously avoided any major settlements. Rabbit offered to hold the baby while Malon sorted out dinner, listening to her plan to visit Kakariko and Castle Town. Draga fell asleep in his arms, content despite the earlier scare, and Rabbit felt the same. Everyone was in one piece, and all was well.
Summary: Link tells Malon about a gender-affirming moment that happened in Castle Town.
Words: 360
AO3
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When Link and a few of the younger heroes returned to the ranch from their outing, Malon didn’t miss how her wife’s face was practically glowing with happiness. That had been a rare sight, as their journey grew more perilous every time they were pulled away, and Malon savored her Link’s smile every time she got to see it. She grabbed Link’s arm and pulled him close, touching that face for herself.
“I just got back, Malon, what is it?” Link laughed, putting her hand over Malon’s.
“You look happy,” Malon said. “Did something exciting happen while you were out?”
Link frowned a little. “Um. I don’t think so…?”
“Is it because that one person called you ma’am?” Sky suggested.
“Oh! I suppose it is,” Link agreed.
“Aw, did that surprise you?” Malon asked.
Link blushed. “Well, yes, but in a good way. I’m used to answering to sir so I didn’t acknowledge them at first, but they were trying to talk to me. They thought they were mistaken to use that word when they saw my face, but… it felt nice to hear it, and know it was for me.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful!” Malon exclaimed, and reached to brush her fingers through Link’s hair. It was getting longer again, not enough to braid like before but she could at least pull it back properly. “Maybe it’s because a certain smart group convinced you to grow this out again.”
“Do you think so?” Link wondered. “I only cut it because I thought it would be more practical.”
“Yes, well, it’s not exactly the fashion for men to wear their hair long. Or for women to cut it short. And yes, there are exceptions,” Malon added, knowing that Link was about to protest, “But it was easier for that person to see your longer hair and assume that you were a woman without you having to prove it.”
“But that’s so stupid,” Link whined. “I still don’t understand why there have to be so many complicated rules.”
“Truthfully, I don’t either. But you’re happy, and that’s all I care about,” Malon said, and that convinced her wife to smile again.
day 2 of fan joy july is from @triforce-of-mischief ‘s fic Survivor’s Guilt :)
usually i imagine that legend would stay away from beaches to avoid the memories of Koholint, but there’s something beautifully bittersweet about him and wind sitting on the shore and thinking about the past together
Summary: Hateno's plan to spend a quiet moment alone with Chief is thwarted by a monster that wasn't supposed to be there.
Contents: wasps, an allergy scare but it's a false alarm
Words: 1700
AO3
Characters are from @thatbrokenpromise
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There was sand under Hateno’s feet as the world reformed, and he spun around to see a glowing green portal leading into a large stone shrine. They were surrounded by volcanic rock and dead trees, and he pulled up his map to confirm that they had landed at the Kimayat Shrine. It would take some travel to reach one of Akkala’s stables or his house outside Tarrey Town, but this area had incentive for them to stay a while before they headed towards civilization.
Prince snapped his fingers for attention. “Hateno, this is yours?”
“Yeah,” Hateno said. “There’s places nearby we can spend the night, but there’s also natural hot springs all around this plateau. We might have to kill a few monsters because they’re not good at sharing but…”
Unsurpsingly, the decision was unanimous that they should take advantage of the opportunity that had been handed to them. Hateno showed the others the layout of the area, and they split into groups with the agreement to meet back at the shrine.
Chief had gravitated towards his usual tentmates of Prince, Kokiri, and Smith, but Hateno had something else in mind. He stepped forward to grab Chief’s hand and said, “Come with me?”
Chief looked at him in surprise, then glanced back to see Prince’s smile of approval. “Um. Sure?”
Hateno grinned and pulled him away, in a direction that he knew nobody else would care to go. Most of the hot springs were arranged close to each other and near the shrine, but he knew that there was a spot between Death Mountain and Gut Check Rock that was free of monsters and away from sight.
He knew that it was easier to share a quiet moment with Chief when no one was watching.
“This mountain is a lot more alive than the one at home,” Chief mused, and Hateno frowned.
“There’s not much to see down here. The Gorons live on the other side. Even the ones who did venture over here turned back.”
“But the birds seem to like it here,” Chief pointed out. “There’s water, and plants that are acclimated to this climate. Monsters can’t survive where nothing else does, after all.”
He was right. Hateno supposed that he should have stopped assuming, by now. Anywhere in Hyrule that seemed lifeless at first glance always proved him wrong.
“What’s yours like, then?”
Chief happily told him about his own home, and Hateno listened attentively while they walked. He paid more mind to the flowers and birds that lived among the rocks, most of them unbothered by his boyfriend’s soft voice. The area was quiet, for the most part; they were out of earshot from the rest of the group and the air was humid and still.
As they rounded Gut Check Rock, neither of them heard the moblin until it was right in front of them.
It was just as surprised as they were, and though it wasn’t carrying a weapon it was still aggressive. It snarled, whipping its ugly snout around in search of something to attack them with. Hateno shoved Chief behind him, swearing and apologizing in the same breath.
“There’s not usually monsters back here!”
The moblin had found a gray mass attached to one of the many dead trees, and ripped it from the branches with a massive hand. It roared again and threw it, where it landed at their feet with a light thud. Hateno didn’t waste time looking at it, darting to the side while he summoned a spear from his pad.
It didn’t matter how strong the moblin was. He needed it dead now, and an ancient blade was more than sufficient.
He nearly fumbled the spear when Chief started screaming behind him.
Was there another moblin? No, they weren’t that stealthy. What else-
Too late, he put the pieces together. Dead trees. Gray mass. Chief screaming in pain and fear because he was fucking allergic to bees-
Hateno struck the moblin with as much force as he could muster, and the ancient blade did the work for him. He dropped the spear and didn’t wait to see the moblin vanish into thin air as he whirled around.
Chief had dropped to the ground, covering his face and neck in an attempt to protect himself at all from the swarm of furious wasps that had emerged from the destroyed hive. The insects coated his bare arms and hands, stinging again and again while all he could do was sob.
Hateno reached frantically for his pad again, pulling out a puffshroom which he threw at the ground beside Chief. A thick cloud of smoke enveloped them, and Hateno reached down to pull Chief to his feet and away from the confused wasps. Stumbling, Hateno took them to a hot spring that was actually safe from danger and finally let his boyfriend collapse.
Chief was shaking, gasping in shallow breaths and Hateno didn’t know if it was shock or worse. He knelt in front of Chief and asked, “Do you need your kit?”
The medic whined, giving no other indication that he could respond at all. “Mnnnn…”
“Link!” Hateno was a breath from sobbing himself. He placed a hand on Chief’s knee and repeated, “Do you need your kit?”
“N… no. ‘M not ‘lergic to wasps. Jus’ bees,” Chief said, the words taking visible effort to string together. “It… it does hurt. Hurts a lot.”
Hateno exhaled hard. “Well, no shit. Your hands are swollen from the venom. Do you think you can make it to the hot spring? The water should help while you heal.”
Chief cracked his eyes open, seeing how close they were to the nearest spring. “I can. If… if you can help me?”
“Of course, love. That’s why I brought you here. I just didn’t mean for you to get hurt on the way.” Hateno pressed his hands to his eyes, trying to stop the angry tears from falling. “I’ll help you get your boots off, first.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” Chief whispered, but Hateno ignored him as he unlaced his boyfriend’s boots. He gently tugged them off, one by one, and sent them into his pad.
“Can you stand by yourself? I don’t want to touch your hands like this…”
Chief needed a moment to brace himself, but he managed to push himself upright. Hateno helped him step out of his coveralls, then tapped his shirt.
“This too? You’ll feel better without the fabric rubbing against the stings.”
“Yeah,” Chief agreed, and Hateno ended up having to help him again. He was as gentle as he could be, but Chief still winced as they pulled his shirt over his shoulders. Hateno hated seeing how thorough the wasps had been, their welts dotting all the way up Chief’s arms and scattered just past the edge of where his shirt had been.
Hateno put Chief’s clothes and kit in the pad, then remembered to do the same with his own. Chief was steadier now, as the shock wore off, and could follow Hateno to the hot spring. Hateno stepped into the water first and Chief was almost hesitant to follow. Every step into deeper water was slower, more nervous as he waded towards the point where he couldn’t help but let it cover his arms.
Hateno turned to watch him, wishing so badly that he could just hold his boyfriend’s hands. “You’re okay, just one more step, alright?”
Chief made an unsure sound and extended a hand in front of him, reaching. Hateno almost shook his head before he realized that he was offering his palm, the one area that would be safe for Hateno to touch without aggravating the stings. Relieved, he let their hands meet and coaxed his boyfriend to join him in the center of the spring. Chief gasped as the water slipped over his shoulders, and fear shot through Hateno as he watched him grimace. Had he made the wrong choice? Was the hot spring only hurting Chief more?
“Chief? Is it too much?” Hateno asked, already trying to think of what else he could do to help. He sounded anxious, and he hated it.
Cautiously, Chief closed the distance and let himself rest against Hateno. “…No. It feels nice,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around Hateno.
He gently returned the embrace, cupping his hand to pour hot water over the back of Chief’s neck. Even there, a few wasps had slipped between his fingers and stung what they could. Slowly, Chief relaxed, the welts shrinking from the hot spring and his healing, but it didn’t erase the pain that he had been through in the first place. It didn’t make Hateno feel better about what he had led Chief into, what was supposed to have been a sweet moment alone but turned into… this.
He held Chief’s hands, his thumb ghosting over traces of what remained of the stings, and breathed, “I’m sorry.”
“You couldn’t have known,” Chief protested.
“I could’ve been careful,” Hateno insisted.
“It wasn’t your fault-”
Hateno grunted and released Chief’s hands, reaching to hold his boyfriend’s face instead. No stings, no tears, just tired green eyes staring up at him with… frustration, probably. Because Hateno refused to stop apologizing for what had been his fault, no matter how much Chief didn’t want to see it that way.
Those eyes narrowed. “Hateno-”
Hateno didn’t give him another chance to argue. He caught Chief’s words in a kiss, and to his relief he leaned into it. Chief’s face was flushed beautifully when Hateno finally pulled back, his words failing him for an entirely different reason.
“I love you,” Hateno said, pressing a softer kiss to his forehead. “And I’m sorry.”
Chief silently melted against him, and Hateno wasn’t ready to leave the hot spring until he could no longer see any wasp stings on his boyfriend’s skin. The sun was still high, and after a few minutes of sitting on the ground they redressed and made to rendezvous with the rest of the group. Hateno checked his pad meticulously for weapons, and insisted that Chief carry a shield on the way back.
Summary: Kokiri feels a little lost, and Far finds him with his guard down.
Words: 260
AO3
Characters are from @thatbrokenpromise
Inspired by this post by @whump-in-the-closet
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Kokiri didn’t make it very far before he was caught. He stood with one hand on the wall, trying to keep his balance as the other person voiced their surprise.
“Woah, hey, what are you doing up? Chief said to stay in bed a little while longer, remember?”
It was Far, and he moved much faster than Kokiri did. He placed his hand on Kokiri’s shoulder, and he flinched and reached for a knife that vanished from his hand before he could raise it.
“No, let’s not do that,” Far sighed, gently closing Kokiri’s fingers around empty air. “I won’t touch you, sorry. But you gotta go lay down, come on.”
Kokiri let himself be led, because truthfully he hadn’t had much a plan beyond getting out of bed in the first place. It… helped, but also didn’t, that Far was being so carefully nice. Kokiri didn’t want to think about it, but it was hard to keep his guard up when he was so tired.
With Kokiri’s begrudging permission, Far helped him climb back into his bed. He didn’t leave just yet, poking around and making sure that Kokiri had enough blankets and water within reach. Far returned to Kokiri, then, determined to press the back of his hand to Kokiri’s forehead. Kokiri leaned into the touch, just a little, even as he told himself that he was not affected by the comforting gesture.
He closed his eyes as a stinging pressure built behind them.
He bit his lip to hide the way his next breath shuddered out.
Summary: The Four Sword has changed Link into something not entirely hylian anymore, and Zelda has just rescued him from the cruel royal doctors. Now they have a chance to just breathe and recover together.
Words: 790
AO3
Zelda paced around her room, more than just upset. She was furious with the way that Link had been treated away from her supervision. She had warned the doctors that he couldn’t speak, and they had taken full advantage of his inability to stand up for himself. She had been terrified for him when the sword had done something to his body, but had it been wrong to rush him to the healers? No, Link had been hurting for so long, he deserved to be treated. Just… not like that.
They were going to have to search for a new set of royal doctors.
“Link?” Zelda called. “Are you doing okay?”
She didn’t mean to fuss over him, but she would never forgive herself if he passed out in the bathtub.
As expected, he didn’t answer out loud, but a splash of water confirmed that he was fine. Fine, and enjoying his well-earned bath. Zelda hadn’t seen much, but it had been impossible to ignore how he limped alongside her, barely able to stay upright. She hoped that it eased the pain of whatever the magic had done to his legs.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll… be here whenever you’re done. Please take your time.”
She knew it was far from the first time she had said so, but she still meant it. She sighed and turned to absently touch the tray she had requested for her bed. She didn’t know how well Link had been eating, especially since he had woken up, and she hoped that he would appreciate the bowls of fruits and tea.
There was more splashing, and Zelda waited anxiously until Link finally emerged. He looked tired, leaning heavily on the doorframe, and she rushed to support him so they could walk to her bed. He murmured wordless thanks and sat, cautiously pulling his legs close to him. He made a face and laid his tail over his lap, running his fingers through the wet hair at the end.
Zelda sat opposite him, trying not to stare too openly. It was the last thing Link needed right now but it wasn’t like she had ever seen a hylian with a tail before…
Link noticed anyway. His face, already flushed from the heat of the bath, darkened furthur and Zelda saw his tail twitch under his hands.
“Are you feeling better?” Zelda asked, and watched him relax. “I asked for some food, if you’re hungry.”
Link nodded eagerly, his tail momentarily forgotten as he reached for the food. Zelda laughed quietly and passed the tray to him, making sure they didn’t spill tea on the blankets. Between the two of them, the tray was soon picked clean.
Link stifled a yawn, then glanced nervously at Zelda. Was he afraid that she would kick him out, after everything she had done to help him? She didn’t care if she got in trouble for it. For goddesses’ sake, he was already on the bed.
“You can lay down if you’re tired,” she told him gently, and Link practically melted in relief. He dropped and curled up on the spot, then made a shy noise and held out a hand to Zelda. She hesitated only a moment before she took his hand and joined him.
It had been years since they were this close, and she always forgot how small he was beside her. Link happily snuggled closer, fitting comfortably against her. He pressed his face into her neck and sighed, making her giggle at the feeling of his breath on her skin. Link made a sort of bright vocalization that Zelda could only describe as a chirp, and he reached for her hand to fidget with. Their fingers intertwined, his thumb tracing mindless patterns across her palm.
With her free hand, Zelda carefully touched Link’s hair. He squeaked, but quickly leaned into her touch and she hoped that it was an invitation to continue. She ran her fingers through loose curls and a low rumbling sound almost made her stop immediately. Did Link not like that after all? But no, he hadn’t pulled away and he was squeezing her hand now more than ever, and she realized-
“Oh,” she breathed. “You’re purring.”
Link was too content to respond, or perhaps even notice, and Zelda bit back her awed squealing. His purrs, strong and steady, grew louder as she gently tucked his hair behind what remained of his ear. Something soft landed over their clasped hands with a thump, and Zelda nearly cried of relief when she realized that Link trusted her enough to rest with his tail between them.
Everything that had hurt them seemed so far away now, and the only thing that mattered in this moment was their shared closeness.
Summary: Minish has a toothache, and ignoring it hasn't helped. They need to ask for help, as scared as they are to trust people near their mouth.
Characters are from @thatbrokenpromise
Words: 1900
AO3
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Minish wasn’t an idiot. They had felt it immediately when they had cracked a tooth during the last battle, and had fought hard to hide it from the others. They had spent a few days hoping desperately that it would heal on its own, but the pain was only getting worse as time went on. It was nearly impossible to eat soft foods or even drink, and Minish didn’t know how long they could keep on like this without collapsing.
There wasn’t a single good outcome they could think of. Either something worse happened to their tooth on its own, or…
They didn’t want to. They really didn’t want to ask for help.
Still, nobody had caught on. Nobody had pinned Minish down and forced their fingers into their mouth. Whatever treatment they received had to come from their request, but that didn’t make it any easier.
They waited one more day, hoping against hope that the magic would bring them to Minish’s own era. If this had to happen, they at least wanted Zelda to be there. They trusted her, they loved her, and they knew that she would do everything in her power to avoid hurting them.
Luck wasn’t on their side. They remained in Lorule, and the pain kept Minish awake all night long. Any appetite for breakfast was long gone, and they curled up in their bed and whimpered until they could bear to stand up.
One step at a time. They would find Ordon and tell him what was happening, because he was at the top of the very short list of their companions that Minish trusted. Then they just had to gather the courage to talk to Chief.
Minish shook their head and huffed to themself. They couldn’t believe they were doing this.
Another shock of pain seized their mouth, and they closed their eyes against it. They didn’t have any other choice.
Ordon and most of the others were still eating breakfast, and Minish sat beside him while making themself as small as possible.
“Morning, sleepyhead,” the ranchhand said easily. “You hungry?”
Minish grimaced and shook their head, even though they could feel the consequences of avoiding food for this long. They reached for Ordon’s arm and squeezed it, tight enough to convey their urgency.
“Do you need something?” Ordon asked, then glanced at Minish and added, “Or is something wrong?”
Minish looked around the table and found too many eyes that pretended they weren’t watching. They tugged on Ordon’s arm and pointed at the door.
“Not here, alright. Give me a minute.” Ordon finished the last of his food before letting Minish lead him to their (thankfully empty) room.
Before they could think to hesitate, Minish pointed to their mouth and made a small, nervous sound. Ordon frowned, but kept his hands to himself.
“Something is wrong with your mouth? Are you hurt?”
Minish nodded, shying away even though Ordon still hadn’t moved to grab them.
“Is it something I can help with, or can you let Chief take a look?”
Minish took a deep breath and pointed past Ordon, to the door.
“Okay. You’re sure about this? I know you have good reason to not let people near your mouth…”
Minish wanted to say no, they didn’t even want to think about a medic being near them like this. But this had to be their choice, as much as they didn’t want it to be, so they nodded and braced for whatever would happen next.
“I’ll go find Chief, then. Do you want me to stay with you while Chief looks at your mouth?”
Minish nodded again, terrified at the thought of being alone again.
“He’s not gonna hurt you, I know it,” Ordon promised gently. “Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
Minish collapsed on their bed as soon as Ordon was gone, curling up in a tight ball that didn’t stop their panicked shivering. They whined to themself, trapped in a spiral of their own pain and misery.
Too soon, Ordon returned with Chief in tow. Minish hissed reflexively at the medic’s soft greeting, and watched as Chief flinched but managed to compose himself. They couldn’t do that again. Unsteady hands were dangerous.
Minish convinced themself to sit up with Ordon’s help, and just as quickly retreated to protective arms. They heard Chief settle in front of them, and turned to face him when they were ready. Chief smiled, forced but there all the same, his hands visible and resting on his lap.
“Ordon told me your mouth hurts,” Chief said. “May I see?”
Minish made an uneasy sound and nodded, watching Chief closely. The medic reached for Minish’s face, and they leaned away before he could touch them.
“I need you to stay still,” Chief explained. “Please.”
Minish narrowed their eyes, but allowed Chief to carefully touch their cheek. He was wearing his gloves, and as Minish opened their mouth they tried to keep their focus on the unfamiliar texture of the rough fabric on their skin. Chief’s hand stayed well outside of Minish’s mouth as he looked within.
“Looks like you cracked a tooth,” Chief confirmed. “It doesn’t look good, how-”
Chief’s thumb shifted slightly, grazing the edge of Minish’s lip, and their mind went blank with panic. They twisted and bit, but their tooth couldn’t handle the pressure. They recoiled with a cry, hands pressed to their mouth as if they could hold back the pain.
“Shit- Chief! Are you-”
“I’m fine. Minish, I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
Minish couldn’t answer, keening miserably as their eyes stung with angry tears. Angry with Chief, angry with themself, angry at this whole situation. Chief had scared them, they had almost killed him for it, and their mouth still hurt so much.
“Let’s just give them a minute. You need to breathe too.”
“You’re right,” Chief sighed.
They sat quietly for a few minutes, then Minish slowly came out of hiding once more. Chief wasn’t upset; he never was. He asked Minish some questions like nothing had gone wrong.
“Do you know when you cracked your tooth?”
Minish made a face and held up their fingers. Three, four days ago?
“Have you been able to eat despite the pain?”
Not enough, not anymore. They shook their head firmly.
“Okay.” Chief sighed again, hiding his own face behind his hands for a moment. “I know you’re not going to like what I’m about to say.”
They didn’t like anything about this. They couldn’t see how Chief could make it worse.
“If your tooth hasn’t healed in the last few days, it’s not going to start now. You’re going to get sick, either from hunger or infection as it gets worse. It needs to be pulled. Do you agree?”
They hated it, but they did. They were more afraid of what it would do to them if they left it alone.
“If this was anything else, I would say that I could do this without giving you something to help you stay calm. But just from touching your face…”
Minish flinched, and Chief looked genuinely apologetic.
“If you’re awake, I don’t think that would be safe for any of us. You still have a choice, though. Would it be easier if I only gave you enough so you can’t feel your mouth, or would you rather sleep through it?”
Minish wanted to hiss and hide and never have to make this horrible choice, but that wouldn’t help. Should they stay awake while Chief pulled their tooth, or give themself the mercy of sleep?
Somehow, that question answered itself. Slowly, they held up two fingers and closed their eyes.
“You want to sleep?” Chief guessed, and Minish nodded before ducking to hide against Ordon. “Okay. Are you ready now, or do you need to wait…”
Minish made a sharp sound. If they waited, they were going to lose their nerve and continue to live with the pain until they were truly in danger. They needed this to happen now, they needed it to be over.
“I understand. Ordon, talk to them, please. And don’t stop.” Chief’s voice had taken on a different tone, one that sounded more urgent.
Ordon’s deeper voice immediately pulled Minish’s thoughts away from Chief. “Hey, Minish, you’re gonna be hungry when you wake up, right? How about I ask Hateno for some honey, and you can have that as soon as your mouth feels better. You can eat all your favorite fruits again, and-”
Minish felt a sting in their arm, and their terrified gasp never made it to a scream.
****
There was something soft and fluffy underneath Minish’s hand. It wasn’t their tail; they could feel it resting on their other side. They felt a weight over them, too- a heavy warmth draped over their legs. It brought a numbness, like it had been there for a while but as the moments passed Minish realized that their entire body felt like that. A weird sort of tired, that tugged at their limbs in a way that made it a struggle to move.
What… had happened?
They opened their eyes, blinking a few times and found themself tucked into bed in a vaguely familiar room. The furry mass on their lap turned out to be a great gray wolf, alert and docile with his head beneath Minish’s hand. It was Ordon, Minish knew, and they wondered why it had taken some effort to remember.
“You’re awake,” the wolf said, his eyes looking over Minish while his head remained still.
Minish flexed their fingers in the wolf’s fur and swallowed, about to respond but another sharp sense of wrong struck them as they did so. Their mouth felt normal, and they hadn’t thought anything of it but something told them that they should have felt pain. They ran their tongue over their teeth and discovered a gap that hadn’t been there before.
Everything was starting to line up, but Minish couldn’t quite catch up. They tried to speak again, in the picori language that came easier when Hylian was too much. “Doctor? Hurt me?”
“Not quite,” the wolf said. “You were hurt, and you asked Chief to help you.”
“I… asked?”
“Yes. You wanted to sleep while he treated you, so you’re waking up from that.” The wolf lifted his head, only to lick Minish’s hand. “You were very brave to do that.”
“Oh.” They tried to imagine how they could have possibly trusted Chief enough to agree to that, but their mind still felt very fuzzy from whatever medicine had put them to sleep. “…I’m hungry.”
“We thought you might be.” The wolf pointed his nose to the side table and explained, “I didn’t know how you would feel, so I brought you honey to start with.”
Honey sounded very good. They would have thanked Ordon for thinking of their favorite food (and one that wouldn’t hurt their mouth), but all of their energy was spent on reaching for the jar of honey. Their body was still clumsy and weak from their unnatural sleep, but they were able to grab the jar and open it. Ordon watched them, clearly guilty that he couldn’t help, and Minish scratched the wolf’s head until he settled again.
Being able to eat even something so simple and sweet felt almost too good to be true. It hadn’t come easily but extending their trust, however reluctant, had offered a nice reward.
Summary: Prince gets stung by a bee. He is fine. Chief does not get stung by a bee. He is not fine.
Words: 465
AO3
The buzzing near Captain’s ear was a minor annoyance, and he thoughtlessly swatted it away. His hand connected with something larger than expected, and seconds later he yelped when the insect got its revenge. He lifted his hand to his neck, catching the bee which had already spent itself on his final act. Captain sighed and paced a circle, looking more carefully before he returned to camp. If there was a hive nearby, it may not be a safe space to stay after all.
He didn’t find any more bees, and the welt on his neck was still smarting, so he sighed and made his way back to the group. He passed Minish on the way and got their attention before signing, “Can you get Hateno and check the area for bees?”
Minish nodded and ran off. Captain went to his tent, where Engie was already inside.
“Please don’t freak out,” Captain tried, but of course his brother was on his feet in a heartbeat.
“What did you do?”
“I’m fine, I just wanted to know if you have anything for this…” Captain said, turning so Engie could see.
Engie’s eyes went wide. “Is- Is that a bee sting?”
“Yes. I only saw the one, I sent Minish and-”
Engie had to glance down to rummage furiously through his medic bag, and Captain redirected when he looked up next.
“You know I’m not allergic, I’m fine, it just stings a bit-”
He had to pause again when Engie applied something to his neck with single-minded determination. Captain caught him as he started to pull away, gently squeezing his brother’s shoulder before he spoke.
“Engie, please. Focus,” Captain said calmly. “Just breathe.”
Engie scowled but clearly took a deep, slow breath.
“I’m fine,” Captain repeated. “It was just a bee sting and I can barely feel it anymore. Thank you.”
“What if there had been more?” Engie snapped. “What if there are more?”
“Minish and Hateno are looking now. If anything, the bees should be afraid of them.”
Engie couldn’t help a tiny smile at that, but he still gave Captain an anxious once-over. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“For the last time, yes. Now come here.”
Despite his half-hearted protests, Engie relinquished his fretting and let Captain pull him into a firm embrace. Captain hadn’t lied, the pain was fading, and his insistent calm finally passed on to Engie. His brother’s panicked shivering and shaky breaths hardly set in before they were gone, and he relaxed fully in Captain’s arms.
Hateno poked his head into the tent and caught Captain’s gaze, briefly signing that the area around camp was clear for a good while.
Captain smiled and nodded, and Hateno vanished just as quickly. It was good to know that they both could breathe easy.
Summary: Link leaves Kakariko to find the first Divine Beast, hoping to find his memories on the way. However, the Sheikah Slate also has a faulty memory of lives that have long been lost. (Or: what if the slate didn't know that the old villages are ruins?)
Words: 780
AO3
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Link had barely gotten to explore Kakariko Village, and Impa was already sending him away. She had refused to suggest which region he should explore first, and he sat on the floor of her house and looked at his map. The Sheikah Slate displayed four markers spread across Hyrule, but one was clearly closest to where he was now.
Divine Beast Vah Ruta.
The name meant nothing to him. Impa had said something about a Zora, which wasn’t familiar either. Link was still surprised- and more than a little scared- by just how much he had yet to remember.
At least the Sheikah Slate knew things. After the King had faded away, the ancient relic was the only constant companion at Link’s side. It didn’t offer much for company, but Impa had said that it was important for Link to keep it safe so he could regain his memory.
The village was surrounded by tall hills, and Link had learned his lesson by stubbornly traveling in a straight line to reach it in the first place. He studied the topography of the area, finding that he could go downhill and loop around to Vah Ruta by leaving Kakariko from the north. Walking to the top of the hill, he saw that there was even a shrine on the way.
He still wasn’t used to his paraglider, and redirected midair to land at the bottom of the opposite slope. He folded the glider and looked up to see… rotting wood planks, the foundation of what had clearly been a house once. He had seen this kind of structure before, at a distance, but he had been too focused on his objective to take a look before now. He swallowed hard, and stepped closer.
A whirlwind of magic rushed around a well packed with dirt, and a Korok appeared at Link’s feet. “You found me!” they cheered, seemingly oblivious to the ruins surrounding them.
Link knelt to take the Korok’s tiny seed. “What happened here?” he asked softly, and the Korok giggled.
“Silly question!”
The spirit wouldn’t say any more, and Link sighed and grabbed his slate once more. He flipped to the map and stared at the small symbol that indicated a house, like the ones found around Kakariko. He tapped on the picture and a name even appeared beside it.
Taya’s Training Hall.
Training for what? Did it even matter? There was no hall anymore, no signs of life except for the Korok bouncing by the decrepit well and the flowers growing around a few rusted swords stuck in the ground…
“Taya?” Link called, and again, “Taya, are you there?”
In the swamp below, a blue heron startled and flew away. Nobody answered Link’s call.
Something bad had happened here, and he didn’t like it, but whoever this Taya was they were gone, and Link needed to reach somewhere safer before nightfall. He sighed, waved to the Korok, and picked his way down the hill towards the shrine.
Between the monk’s puzzles and the unfamiliar attacks of the fast-moving Lizalfos, the ruins of the training hall were firmly in the back of Link’s mind as he continued across the swamp. He saw more shapes in the distance, dotted across the interconnected islands, and dared to hope that it was another proper village. They would have lodging for the night, and could answer what happened to Taya…
But he was disappointed once again.
He stood in the middle of one of the larger islands, surrounded by what should have been a dozen homes, but the smell of rot and mildew chased that fantasy away. His slate chimed, and he turned the screen up with shaking hands.
Goponga Village.
The text sat glaringly, innocently, in the corner of the map as icons spread over the islands. The Slate offered information about each business, every family, a hundred people who couldn’t be more obviously gone. Link walked around the swamp, his eyes blurring with tears as the Slate told him the names of those who should have been living in the village.
Sweetspring Inn.
Harpoon Fishing Supply.
Lotus General Store.
Goponga School.
He found grass sprouting between overturned stools and cracked tables. He walked past a wagon in front of what had once been a stable. He knelt before a pair of halberds that hadn’t been enough to protect the souls of children long dead.
Was this… the Calamity’s doing? Had this village and countless others been destroyed by rampaging Guardians while Link tried to escape with the Princess? All of these fallen citizens… was this Link’s fault?
The Sheikah Slate, he thought bitterly, was just as naive as he was.
@triforce-of-mischief started to poke at their @overcome-series again and sent my old art around LOL. I decided to redo it now that I have a screen tablet and it's easier to draw over an old pose without having to redo it from scratch, so here's Legend & Red cuddles from "Safe to Heal"
Summary: Link doesn't want to see any more kids live with the same fear he spent years learning how to overcome. His methods are… questionable, but worth it in the end.
Words: 2600
Warnings: childhood/medical trauma, child/medical abuse, some descriptions of needles, morally correct kidnapping
Notes: Post- LU and Overcome, Legend/Link is probably in his early-mid twenties
AO3
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Even now, years after Link had gone through rounds of exposure and healing, visiting the Kakariko doctor’s office sent a shiver down his spine that had- well, almost- nothing to do with the stethoscope pressed to his back. He would’ve been more than happy to avoid the place for the rest of his life, but Zelda still pushed him to make infrequent visits for his mental and physical health. The next nearest doctor was too far away to be convenient, even if it represented less traumatic memories.
Link wondered if it had been this very room, where that group of callous adults had overpowered him in the name of efficiency. He imagined that he could still hear his own terrified screams.
The nurse’s ear twitched in the same direction as his, and he realized that, while they were not his, the screams were very much real.
“The walls are so thin,” the nurse sighed, then reached for an empty space on a side table. “Oh, for Nayru’s sake- I’ll be back in a minute, Link, I forgot your files.”
Link nodded, barely registering the words as all he could hear was the commotion from the other room. It was a kid for sure, growing more frantic by the second. Link’s heart twisted with sympathy and fear, and his hand absently went to the golden bracelet on his wrist.
If he walked out the door, the nurse would herd him back in an instant. He hadn’t planned on going back to old habits, but if he just sat around while the kid-
A crash and an adult’s shout answered that question before his mind had even formed it, and a flash of magic flattened him into the wall. He shimmied down the hallway and around a corner, popping back out in front of the door where the yelling was loudest.
Link took a deep breath- he only had time for one- and knocked on the door. The screams didn’t abate in the slightest, but a deeper voice called permission. It was all that Link needed, and he entered the room with a show of confidence that he belonged.
Just as he suspected- no less than four adults were crowded around the examination table, leaving just enough room for a nurse who wore a fresh bruise on their cheek and held a syringe in their hand. Link could barely make out the kid pinned under too many hands, gasping for air during the unexpected respite. Link tore his eyes away; he had to deal with the others first.
It helped that he was an adult now, too.
“Hey,” Link said with a little wave, all too casual. “Sounds like you need some help?”
The nurse glared suspiciously at him. “We have this under control, it’s a routine procedure. Aren’t you a patient as well?”
“Indeed I am,” Link replied. “I also happen to be the Hero, and I wanted to offer assistance in the way of magic.”
He pulled a simple ocarina from the pouch at his belt, holding it like it wielded great power.
“Why pick a fight when you can simply put them to sleep? All I have to do is play a short tune and your day will be so much easier,” Link said smoothly.
The kid gave another panicked cry, but Link kept his gaze on the nurse.
“He is more trouble than he’s worth,” the nurse agreed slowly. “All right, play your magic song and get this over with.”
“Gladly. Mind stepping out of the room for a minute? I can’t control the range of the spell and I assume that you would rather be awake to do your part,” Link explained.
The nurse shrugged and nodded, then gestured for the rest of the adults to file out of the room.
“I’ll let you know when,” Link promised, then the door closed and he was alone with the kid.
Finally, Link was able to take the time to properly see the kid. A small boy, probably younger than Link himself had been. Most of them were, he thought bitterly, but he shook the thought away. He was here for the kid.
The kid had, understandably, pressed himself to the wall and stuck his fingers in his ears, staring at the ocarina like it would leap out and bite him itself. Link smiled at him and dropped the ocarina back into the pouch. He plopped down on the floor and signed “Hello.”
The kid stared at Link’s hand and cautiously removed his fingers from his ears so Link could whisper out loud to him.
“Hello,” Link repeated. “My name is Link. What’s your name?”
“…Benji,” the boy mumbled through chattering teeth.
“Benji. It’s nice to meet you. Are you scared?” Link asked gently.
Benji made a face like Link had just asked if the sky was blue. Hesitantly, he nodded.
“Would you like to not be?”
Benji nodded again, more urgently this time.
“I’m going to grab a few more of my things,” Link explained. “They’re going to help me get you out of here, then I can help you not be scared. Is that okay?”
At Benji’s confirmation, Link flourished a bright red cape and and a pair of winged boots. He swapped out his ordinary boots for the magic ones as Benji slowly slid down from the table and reached for the cape.
“We’re going to have to be quick and quiet,” Link said. “I have to carry you for this to work, but you can tell me to put you down as soon as we’re safe.”
Link climbed onto the table to silently open the window above it. He made sure that the cape was secure around Benji’s shoulders (he knew because he could no longer see the kid) before he leapt back down and slammed the door open.
“He jumped right out the window before I could finish the song!” Link shouted, secretly pleased at his ability to fake a shortness of breath. “I had no idea a kid could even do that- I think he ran that way, through the village!” He pointed west, to Kakariko proper.
The adults scrambled to run outside and begin their wild goose chase, and Link allowed himself a grin as he turned to the seemingly empty room.
“Hurry now, come here,” Link said, holding his arms out for an invisible mass to barrel into him. Hugging the kid tight, Link sent a signal to his pegasus boots and ran down the hall, out of the clinic, and due east. Benji’s fingers dug into his shoulders as he ran, but he squirmed free of Link’s arms as soon as they reached his house.
“This is my home,” Link said, taking the cape to stuff it back in his bag. “We can’t stay for too long, but you’re safe here.”
He opened the front door and the resident feathery menace flew out to greet them. Benji yelped, then giggled as the little white bird immediately set to preening his hair.
“That’s Sheerow,” Link sighed. “Sheerow, since you’re here, does that mean-”
“Link? You’re home already? Did everything go okay?” Ravio called from inside the house, his voice growing louder as he hurried to greet Link himself.
Sheerow squawked as Benji ducked behind Link, hiding when Ravio came into view. Ravio put his hands on his hips, fixing a playfully stern glare on Link.
“Do my eyes deceive me, or have you brought another child to our home?”
“I didn't have a choice!” Link protested, his tone just as light. “You know how it is, Ravi, I can't leave them there frightened and alone!”
“Yes, I know,” Ravio agreed, stepping closer to kiss Link’s cheek. “I’m just worried that one of these days you’re going to get in trouble for kidnapping the village children.”
“It’s a morally correct kidnapping,” Link grumbled, but Ravio had already knelt to offer his hand to Benji.
“Hello there,” the merchant said kindly. “I’m Ravio, Link’s partner. It’s a pleasure to have you here.”
Benji looked nervously at Link, then with the help of an encouraging smile he took Ravio’s hand. Ravio stood, still holding the boy’s hand, and turned to lead him into the house. “I sliced some apples, Link, if you’d like to make a pie while you talk.”
Link caught Ravio’s face as he passed, pressing his own kiss to his partner’s nose. “Thanks, Ravi. You’re the best.”
“I know,” Ravio chirped, and took them all to the kitchen.
“Mister Link?” Benji said as they lined up to wash their hands. “I have a question…”
“Go for it, kid.”
“Why are you helping me when everybody else was mean?”
Link stared at the soap on his hands for a few moments too long. “Because people were mean to me, too. And I don’t like seeing kids hurt. The best way I can think of to help is to just… bring them here, for a chance to breathe. I wish we had longer, but I'll have to help you as much as I can as quickly as possible. It's easier to focus when you're not at the scary place, but I can't exactly keep you here forever.” He offered a towel to Benji, watching the kid dry his hands. “Does that make sense?”
Benji nodded. “Does that mean I have to go back?”
“Yes, it does. But first I want to talk, and know that I’ve helped you and that you’re ready.”
Ravio showed Benji how to roll out the pie crust while Link looked for the spices for the filling.
“Let’s start from the beginning,” Link said. “Did the doctor explain what they were going to do?”
“No. But my friends said that it hurt, and it was scary, and so it made me scared too. And it was scary not knowing what was happening, too.”
Ravio squeezed Benji’s shoulder, and the kid leaned into the comfort.
“Okay, that’s a good thing to start with,” Link said, stirring the apple slices to coat them with sugar and spices. “So, the doctor and your parents want to make sure you won’t get sick. You take medicine when you get sick, right, a syrup that tastes weird but helps you feel better? It’s like that, but so that you never get sick at all. And you can’t drink it, so they had to find another way to get it into your body.”
Benji had rolled the dough flat, and Ravio draped it over the pie pan. Link poured the filling into the crust, nudging Benji himself after he did so.
“They put the medicine in a little tube with a needle on the end. The needle is hollow, so they stick it through your skin and push the medicine right into your bloodstream. It does hurt, but it only takes a few seconds and you can learn how to make it easier for yourself.”
“Easy?” Benji sounded disbelieving, and Link chuckled as he and Ravio layered the latticed top crust.
“Remember, I used to be afraid too. I still am, a little, but with a lot of time and patience and help from my friends, I learned how to be in control of my fear. I can teach you what I know, and you can try it when I bring you back.”
“The pie needs to bake for an hour,” Ravio said. “That should be plenty of time for you both.”
“Yes, it will,” Link confirmed. “Do you want to sit in the living room, Benji?”
They settled on the couch, where Ravio joined them as soon as the pie was baking. Link tried unsuccessfully to shoo Sheerow away from where the bird was determined to make a nest in Benji’s hair. Sheerow glared at Link, but Benji didn’t seem to mind, so Link sighed and let the bird be.
“If it took you a long time to not be scared, how come I have to go back today?” the kid asked, shrinking into himself.
“If you learn how to be brave the first time, the next will be easier,” Link said gently. “That isn’t how it happened for me, and that’s why I don’t want to see more kids end up like me. It’s not easy to convince parents to wait for another day, so you’ll only have until I bring you back to the clinic, but it’s still more time than you would have had if you had stayed there.”
“Okay,” Benji said quietly, and Link held out his hand for the boy to hold.
“Let’s try breathing, first,” Link said. “If you take deep breaths and count them, your body will relax by itself. Breathe with me, one, two, three…”
Benji did well with the breathing, and they spent much of the hour planning out distractions and what the kid wanted from the adults in the room. By the time Ravio left to take the pie out to cool, Link determined that Benji was as ready as he could be.
“You’re gonna do great, kid,” Ravio said, ruffling Benji’s hair as he saw them to the door. “Come get some pie when you’re done, okay?”
“I will!”
Benji stayed in good spirits as they walked to Kakariko, but he quieted down as they reached the clinic. Link noticed and hugged the boy’s shoulders.
“You’re gonna be fine, alright? I’ll be there the whole time, and they won’t have to fight you anymore.”
“Okay. I trust you,” Benji said, and Link was very proud of the kid he had just met.
His father was waiting inside, and rushed over when Link brought Benji through the door. “You found him! I can’t thank you enough, sir.”
“Happy to help,” Link said. “We had a good talk on the way back. I hope you don’t mind if I join you again.”
“Yes, of course,” the man agreed. “Do you still have that ocarina on you…?”
“We won’t be needing that,” Link said firmly. “Your son is old enough to be reasoned with, so I see no reason why that wouldn’t be the case. He knows what he needs, right Benji?”
“Um… yeah. I can sit still this time, just… can you hug me, Dad? And tell me what’s happening so it’s not as scary?”
Benji’s father blinked in surprise. “That’s all?”
“You don’t conquer fear by ignoring it,” Link said. “You acknowledge it, learn from it, and find support to grow past it. Trust me, I know. It’s a pretty simple lesson, really. And Benji’s at a pretty good age to learn it.”
“Huh. I guess you’re right. Well… are you ready, Benji?” the man asked, and Benji stepped away from Link to stand by his father instead.
“Mhm. I’m gonna be brave.”
Only one nurse was needed this time, and everything went as well as Link could have hoped for. Benji’s father held him the whole time, talking the boy through every step of the process. Link was relieved to see how easily the man comforted him, reassuring Benji that he had been brave even as the kid needed an extra minute to recover from the sting.
“If I may, I’d be happy to invite you to my home,” Link said when everything was done and Benji was calm. “We can talk more, and I have a fresh apple pie that’s begging to be shared.”
“I don’t see why not. Thank you very much, sir,” Benji’s father said, and the boy cheered.
The nurse cleared their throat, and Link remembered belatedly that he had pulled his own stunt earlier that day.
“Right, sorry about that. You two go on ahead, I’ll meet you there.”
It was easy for Link to sit patiently, knowing that he had been able to help a young kid in need. One more person who wouldn’t have to live with that fear, like Link had for most of his life. Sometimes a hero’s job was small, but would still have a big impact.
@skyloftian-nutcase's Fluffvember Day 16, “This isn’t a negotiation, friend”
Summary: Sky wants to go to bed, and Wind isn't sleepy. Wind doesn't win that argument.
Words: 220
AO3
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Sky leaned back in his chair and stretched, letting the feeling of a well-deserved meal and rest settle over him. If the inn’s beds were half as good as the food, he was in for a very good night. Maybe even a few nights, if the next portal took its time.
“I’m going to head upstairs,” Sky announced, and Time waved for his attention before he could stand.
“Do you mind some extra cargo?” Time asked, nodding at Wind who was clearly drifting off in his seat.
Sky smiled and made his way to the young sailor instead. “Not at all.” He gently shook Wind’s shoulder, and the boy grumbled at him. “C’mon Wind, let’s go to bed.”
“But I’m not tired,” Wind complained, one hand weakly trying to bat Sky away.
Sky scooped Wind up and turned to carry him upstairs. “This isn’t a negotiation, friend. It’s been a long week for all of us.”
Wind scoffed at him, but was too sleepy to struggle. Sky brought him to one of their rooms and laid down on a bed with Wind sprawled on top of him. The boy mumbled and pressed his face against Sky’s chest, evidently accepting his fate. Sky sighed happily, hugging Wind close to him, and fell asleep under the comforting weight of his little brother.
@skyloftian-nutcase's Fluffvember Day 9, "I missed you"
Summary: The Chain have returned to Lon Lon Ranch, and Red is especially excited to see Malon again.
Words: 240
AO3
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Malon set her hands on her hips, watching with anticipation as a large group of warriors filed through the front gate of the ranch. It had been a while since she had seen her husband and the boys, and she was already counting heads and scanning for injuries, hidden or not. They all looked healthy and well, and she breathed a sigh of relief before calling out to them.
“Welcome back!” Malon said, and Link was close enough that she could see his eyes light up when he heard her voice. He opened his mouth to respond, but an excited shriek came from one of the younger boys before he had the chance.
“Miss Malon!” the boy cried out, and she had barely recognized Red, split from Four, before he sprinted towards her and threw his arms around her waist. “I missed you!”
Malon laughed and picked him up, easily cradling him in her arms. “Hi baby!” she said brightly, and knew she had guessed right when Red giggled in delight. “I missed you too, hon.”
“Did you miss me, as well?” Link asked, finally close enough to lean around Red for a kiss.
“You know I did,” Malon said when Link pulled away. “I missed you all.”
The rest of the boys gathered around them, all happy to see her again. It was good to know that here, they had a place where they could just relax and be themselves.
