Hello, I’m Moth! This is a sideblog for any writing I do!
As of right now I will not be doing requests of any kind (except for those that have been sitting in my inbox for the past... uh while). This may change in the future, and if it does I will let you know, but for now anything I post is just going to be for me! Also, if something catches your eye, like a prompt or headcanon, feel free to use it! I just ask that you credit me! <3 The ask box is always open if you have any questions or just want to talk :D
This will also be where I’ll link any series I end up doing, so keep an eye out!
If you want to check out my main blog- and see where my current interests are going- check out @iolitemoth!
I’m also on AO3 now! Check @Iolite_Moth!
I made an ask blog for Snail!Legend cause it seemed fun @ask-snail-legend (I may or may not make one for Little Legend as well, we’ll see)
Specific Tags: #moth’s tales (my writing), #moth art (art by me), #sneak peek (what it sounds like), #chapter notes (notes from first drafts), #fable art (fanart!!!), #fable writing (anything written by other folks), #mod speaks (just me talking, about writing or anything) #gift fic (gifts for folks!!), #snippets and bits (short bits, not necessarily for anything specific)
Skye in the Studio
Part 1
Part 2
Sillyvision Stories
Spell Gone Wrong
Henry’s Transformation
Gender is Boring (Robots and I Agree)
The Plague
Sunstone’s Universal Venture
Hatchlinghood Shenanigans
Trouble with Gossan
Assorted Linked Universe
Violets and Rabbits
♡Bunny Flops♡: Part One - Part Two - Part Three
A Bun in More Ways Than One
In Which Wars Picks a Fight With an Apple Tree (& Loses)
Blushing Bunnies and Rings
Nightmare
Beetle Hunting for Beedle
Thistles and Thorns
War Stories
Winter Chills
Beads and Rings and Other Things
Rabbit in a Wolf Den
Legend(ary) Cuddles
Assorted Legend of Zelda
An Assortment of Kisses
Cuddles and Wishes and Bunny Kisses - A collection of soft, fluffy moments with the bunny duo. Set after ALBW and during LU
Getting Together
First Kiss
Rain
Bunny Cuddles
Growth Spurt
Apples and Bunny Love
Heat Wave
Couch Cuddles
Chore Day
Bunny Fever
Cuddles? ✔️ Kisses? ✔️ Anything Else? ...Nah I Think We’re Good
Strength Training
Scars
Wolves and Rabbits - Legend meets Wolfie for the first time(s). It doesn’t go well
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Snail - Legend is turned small suddenly, leaving the Chain to deal with a traumatized baby!Legend with the Vet’s memories
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Fluffruary
Day 1: Best Friends
Day 2: First Date
Day 3: Cozy Shelter
Day 4: Ice Skating
Day 5: Hugs
Day 6: Small Gestures
Little Bunny - stories about age regressor Legend and his family
I used to use Google docs, but the white mode only was really annoying me (tires my eyes), so I swapped to Ellipsus (which I genuinely love and recommend), but it was bothering me a bit that I need wifi in order to use it, so now I switched to LibreOffice Writer, which I do like.
It very much has a Microsoft Word feel, but is open source and you need no accounts to use it. It's local on your device, so no AI can scan it, and no wifi is needed.
I still wish it had the Google Docs cards, because, bitch, that thing is so good for easy organizing.
Does Legend babble and vocal stim at his caregivers when little, or is he a quiet little bunny?
it depends on how he’s feeling and the story!! he’s usually a quiet kiddo, but sometimes when he’s really excited or happy he’ll chatter away!!!
honeybun lege tends to be quiet, preferring to hang out with his papa and either cuddle or play
little bunny lege swings either way depending on his mood and current age (his range is 3-4 and 6, sometimes younger)
fox and bunny lege is more of a chatterbox, i’m finding. he loooves telling his baba + toys all about what he’s doing or what happened earlier that day!! of course he has times where he’s quieter, like when he’s tired, but he’ll still make some noise :3
and of course every legend i write is a stimmer, he’s squeaking and honking and humming and echoing things his caregivers say!! <3
@iolitemoth and I have been cooking up something really special together.
Through the mass texts of random head canons and late-night thoughts, we finally conjured something up that I hope you'll enjoy as much as I did writing it!
To begin, here's my half of the fic that I'll post early now as a little sneakpeak :)
Warriors kneaded his hands, pressing his fingers in little fists, unsure of where they should go, where he should keep them. Pattering, curious footsteps echoed through the hallway.
A slight creak of the tattered wood under his own weight had the man flinch back with a feeble whimper. It wad his own height, his own weight that had felt overwhelming.
Fingers finding their way around his scarf, Warriors wrung the material until his knuckles blanched, perhaps growing sore too with the contact.
Long pants hung loosely over his deceptively frail waist, the material pooled at his socked-feet, he tripped over the soft fabric with ever uneven, stumbling step forward.
It had him feel even younger, everything else to be even bigger, scarier even. Warriors had to fight back the whimper that dared escape him.
He tripped forward once more, catching himself nimbly as he did the last few times. The hallways stretched forward, narrowed and grew taller, far taller than he was, far bigger than any part of him wanted to be.
Frantic, little bells rang in his head, echoed through his mind and ears. He searched high and low, front and behind for Time, for his Sprite.
It didn't feel right, nothing felt right, Warriors didn't feel right. Not quite like a Captain, nothing like a Hero, none of the honorable, reliant man he held up himself to be.
Time would know, however. He would be able to handle whatever scared Warriors, whatever it was that overwhelmed and worried him. Because though Time was the younger of the two, he was also the one who handled all much better, much better than Warriors could even wish to.
His eyes widened, peering through each of the open doors of the inn. It was mostly empty, especially in the late, evening hours. He was sure everyone had gone to explore the town, to spend their well-earned Rupees on all sorts of foods, on all kinds of little trinkets they wouldn't find in their own eras.
A part of Warriors wished he had been able to come too, that he could have fun as they did, perhaps be normal as they were.
Warriors felt any but normal, he felt any but as they did, or perhaps even himself, however much he wished to be any but a Captain, any but somebody to look up to.
For once, maybe he wanted to look up to somebody. He wondered if it was wrong to want to tilt his head up in awe, to shoot a pleading little look. Because he felt just as little, and he was certain that Time would smile back, and what would Warriors do to receive that reassuring look.
He was nearing the end of the hallway, the doors he had left to search through were beginning to lessen. Warriors swallowed thickly. The fear that coursed through him, the sort of gnawing and worry felt real, felt true.
Because in the hallway he thought trailed on forever, was beginning to end, he could see the last of it. And still, he hadn't yet found Time, he was still scared, everything else was still overwhelming, and he still couldn't find Time.
Nervously, he brought a sleeve covered hand to his mouth, mouthing at the hem of his sleeve. He didn't bother rolling it up a little, or more so couldn't. Not when his hands didn't quite cooperate just right, not to grab onto the door handle, and certainly not to maneuver the material of his clothes.
Besides, he'd much rather swim in the warm fabric of his clothes than have it any other way. Maybe he'd better count his blessings, because if anything, finding Time would be the best of any of them.
"Is that so?" Time smiled warmly.
Legend nodded, shifting so that his stuffed toy sat right next to him, both glaring at Time curiously.
He mumbled something behind his soother. It was incomprehensible, save for the soft, little noises that escaped him.
Time gestured in a motion of encouragement, as though he understood exactly what Legend meant to say. "Of course, little one."
Legend waved his hands a bit, moving them so that his plush bunny nodded too at the very important discussion that was being held.
Time reclined back a little, pressing his back to the wall behind.
The door suddenly creaked open, Time looked up tiredly, curious as to who went looking for the two- Especially when Legend had made it clear that today was a small day, to which he wanted it all to himself, ushering his teammates out the inn with a little, frustrated pout, and his bunny pressed to his chest.
Though Legend, who was laying on his front on the carpet, immediately shot up, bringing his plush to cover right at his mouth, as though to hide from the intruder. Time's heart ached a little at that, though he hadn't much time to respond, notably when Warriors stepped in quickly, wide-eyed, and in a fit of nervousness.
Accidentally making eye contact with the man, a whimper escaped The Captain, having him bodily press the door back closed. Ripping his gaze off of Time, Warriors had forced himself to be rather fixated with the nearby lamp.
Legend promptly made a noise of relief, shoulders dropping.
"Wars?" Time broke the silence. Legend shifted in his place, folding his legs beneath him, fingers finding their way to fiddle with his plush's long ears.
The man in question flinched, staring at Time widely, in a quiet sort of jitter that had Time tilt his head in a worry.
"Is everything alright?" He asked.
Warriors made no move to answer, though once his wandering gaze landed to Legend, who stared back curiously with a little glare, his breath caught in his throat, and an uncomfortable frown tugged at his lips, his hands gripping his sides tightly.
Time made a face, it wasn't any normal for Warriors to be uncomfortable with Legend's regression, in fact, it was Warriors who had encouraged it, who had even bought Legend a blanket to cuddle with on the moments he needed his hands to himself, likely to prepare a warm drink for him in the mean time.
Though, he froze, and while Legend hadn't been any bothered by Warriors' appearance, or hadn't yet noticed the shift in his demeanor, Time has, which was exactly why his eyes didn't quite leave the side of Warriors' head.
Eventually, The Captain shuddered back into reality, a violent tremor coursing through his shoulders.
It was only after a few still moments though did Warriors stumble over towards Time. He folded his legs to his chest, and wrapped his hands over his knees, pulling himself as small as he possibly could.
Legend hadn't been much bothered, and by the corner of Time's gaze, he noticed the little one's bunny hopping once more on the plush carpet.
Warriors stared at it in silence. Normally, he would have preferred to play too, maybe catching Legend if he fell over, catching his toys if they had fallen out of his loose, little grip- But now, the most that Time has seen of him, was contemplative silence.
Legend made another noise, perhaps speaking to the toy in his hand. Time would have huffed a fond laugh, maybe even chirp back. However, there wasn't much that he could have brought himself to doing, not when he couldn't rip off his attention from Warriors.
"What's hurting you?" He peered downwards, finding that the sort of tugging at the side of his sleeve had indeed belonged to Warriors. He smiled at that, having but a faint idea at what may be bothering the boy so much. And if Time had to make a guess, then it looks like he has another very little one in his hands.
Warriors shook his head. Perhaps he doesn't know, if that overwhelmed pout on his face had anything to say.
"Do you want to play, too?" Time whispered, bringing an arm around Warriors' shoulders in a gesture of encouragement, briefly squeezing them as he melted to the contact.
Warriors shook his head, a panicked little motion. Fear glossed over his eyes as tears that threatened to spill over. He swallowed thickly, watching sadly as Legend played silently, yet contently with himself.
A part of Time wondered if that was a sort of envy he was seeing in Warriors' frown, or perhaps his fear was holding himself back.
Warriors was scared, Time was not. Time was safe, and Warriors too, wanted to be safe.
He buried closer, hands tightening over Time's sleeve, to the point that both his arms wrapped over Time's arm, pressing his face to his shoulder. He cuddled quietly, slowly moving closer as though he tried to hide it, that Time's finding out would be the worst of all outcomes for him.
For Warriors sake, Time pretended to be none the wiser, looking anywhere else but at the little Hero who wanted to bury and cuddle because being a Hero was very, very daunting and scary right now.
A few moments passed, and Warriors settled a little more. Though Time could still feel the fretting that had shown its way through the boy's trembling against his arm. He wouldn't exactly call it a small mercy of sorts, because while it looked like he was no longer on the verge of tears, Time had taken care of younger ones, however little, many a times to know well enough that a potential breakdown didn't just up and leave without making itself shown.
Legend crawled a little closer, watching curiously with furrowed eyebrows at Warriors' odd silence. He held up his toy, soft long ears flopping over the bunny's ears, a little invitation to play, blinking at him expectantly.
Warriors looked up at Time, unsure of how to respond. He wasn't very confident in his words, doubting if they could even work in the first place. His hands felt uncooperative too, Warriors felt trapped.
"It's okay." Time smiled, though Warriors didn't do so back. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Legend's hopeful, little stare.
Warriors shook his head, though found himself paying far more attention on how Legend seemed to hold himself. He sat on his legs, seemed to tilt his head upwards, rather than his eyes whenever he looked over at Time.
Warriors made a mental note of that, to which Time caught him staring for a short while, right before mimicking Legend, peering upwards at Time too.
The man bit the inside of his cheek. He could see the fear in Warriors' eyes, not a curious sort of posture, but one desperately copied for his own safety.
"None of that, now." Time lightly shook his head. "
Legend shrunk back a little, as though the words were directed to him. But, the way that Warriors' glare seemed to flit by to Legend's direction, the little one had quite the idea.
Placing his bunny aside, a few pats on the soft head for good measure, Legend scuffled back to a nearby wall. He watched Warriors cautiously, pressing his back against it, and drawing his knees up to his chest.
It was the safest sort of position he could find himself in, and hugging his legs tighter had a comforting warmth well up in his chest. It was only a hope that Warriors too, would feel the same.
Legend couldn't help the smile that crept on his face when Warriors had done the exact same, oblivious to the boy's intentions, though appearing a bit more calm as he hugged himself all tight and little.
Time too, seemed to notice, a fond, yet proud laugh escaping him.
Warriors breathed in deeply, closing his eyes, and feeling the warmth of his loose clothes on him. Time hadn't spoken a word, neither has Legend. That sort of considerate silence had a blush beginning to dote on his face out to the tips of his ears, though he still hadn't stopped focusing on his breathing.
The overwhelming rush of thoughts in his mind seemed to slow quite a bit, and Warriors eventually found the confidence in him to sneak a hand up to Time's sleeve, this time to tug in a beckon for attention, rather than to hold out of a fit of fear.
Time's expression softened. "Is everything alright?" He asked.
Warriors shook his head, choking back a plaintive whine. Pressing closer to Time, he buried his head in the crook of Time's arm, to which the man accepted with little retort.
He blinked a few times at the sudden motion, it was only the telltale tuft of blond hair did Time see, watching down with a knowing little smile.
"Are you scared?"
Warriors shook his head, however unconvincing. It was more so the soft drag of material over his face did he focus on.
"Would you like any help?" Time asked once more, running a broad, warm hand up and down Warriors' trembling arm in a slow, periodic motion of comfort.
The boy shook his head, right before a sudden, little sob escaped him.
Legend's eyes widen, and the small, hopeful smile he once had dropped right when Time's own heart did.
"Oh no, Wars…" Time frowned, pulling him tighter. Though it was the motion that had him crumpling further into the embrace. "Come here, now."
Pulling the boy upright, Time guided Warriors to his shoulder, where it was far more safe and warm to cry.
He sobbed once more, Time beginning to gently pat a knowing hand between his trembling shoulder blades. It was a soothing motion, something that regularly rocked Legend to sleep, or helped those stubborn tears to stop falling. It had the boy feel safe, had Time's heart warm in a parental sort of comfort. He wondered it too, Warriors would feel the same.
"I know why you're scared." He hummed, the boy sniffled, looking up curiously after a short while. "You feel all little, don't you?"
Warriors whimpered, closing his eyes and bringing Time's hand up close to his chest, cuddling as close to the man as he could.
Legend watched silently, a part of him yearning too for Time's comfort, to be held and embraced and gathered as Warriors was. Though, it was seldom he saw the remnants of Warriors' crying, the sound of a wrenched out, miserable sob didn't exactly sound very settling.
He vaguely wondered if Warriors had been threatened by him. Legend nervously thought as his hands fidgeted with the ears of his bunny. He was happy, he was at peace- Was he not? So why wasn't Warriors? He was copying Legend, wasn't he? And Legend tried to be safe, tried to have Warriors be safe too, so why wasn't he happy?
Time frowned, feeling the shift of both tension, and of the demeanor in Legend, who didn't feel quite at touch with his younger mindset at this current moment.
That won't do. That won't do at all.
"It's safe, young one." Time mumbled to Warriors, though Legend seemed to have heard it too, seeing how he slumped forward a little, visibly calming at the words.
Time was usually confident in himself, in helping others. Though now, he still couldn't help but be unsure of whether Warriors really was going through something to Legend.
"You can come out of your burrow, little fox of mine." Time encouraged, and after a little while, Warriors peeked out a little from where he buried his face against Time's arm, blinking up fearfully at the man a few times.
He smiled warmly at Warriors, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. Not when concern doted over them, and possibly every other part of Time as well. Perhaps it would be best to take things a little slower.
part two of a collab with @5pace-0ut1aw! their part is here!
A few minutes had passed and Time could tell Wars was calming down. It wasn't much, but his trembling lessened and he loosened his grip on his tunic, even if only slightly. Wars sniffled once, twice, then let out a quivering sigh.
Legend watched from his place on the rug, brows furrowed as he watched his brother fall apart. When he noticed Wars calming he uncurled and crawled forward, bunny in hand. He pushed himself up, using Time's knee as leverage, to stare at Wars. The other boy stared back nervously. After a few moments Legend seemed to come to some sort of decision- Time watched, amused, as he pulled his pacifier out of his mouth with a quiet pop! and held it out to Wars, brows creased in a pout that Time had to hold himself back from cooing at.
Wars made no move to take it; he stared at the object, then at Time, whining. Time sighed.
"It's very kind of you to want to help, little bunny," he said, keeping his voice light, "but we don't give people things we've had in our mouths. It's yucky. Thank you for trying, though." He gently pushed Legend's hand away before patting his head. Legend pouted harder but leaned into the touch, putting his pacifier back in his mouth.
Wars' stomach chose that moment to rumble loudly and his cheeks flushed darkly. Time held back a chuckle.
"Hold on, little fox, I should have something for you." He pulled his bag closer and rummaged through it for a few moments before pulling out a small package wrapped in brown wax paper. He opened it to reveal a collection of dried fruit. "Here you go, little fox of mine."
He held it up for Wars to see: there were dried strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and orange slices. Wars' eyes went wide but he made no move to take any. Time held it closer but he only bit his lip and leaned back.
Time frowned; he'd have to try something else. He set the package on his lap and thought.
His brother had food problems, he knew. From rationing and shortages to repeated poisonings, he had been left with a deep mistrust and wariness of any food unless he knew exactly where it came from and who had made it and how.
Hmm...
That could work.
Time picked up a few berries and held out his hand. Wars blinked, curious, and moved a little closer. He didn't try to take any, though, and Time pursed his lips for a moment before another idea occurred to him. He pinched a berry between his fingers and popped it in his mouth before picking up another and holding it out to the boy. After a moment of hesitation Wars opened his mouth, allowing Time to feed it to him. His little fox took no time chewing it, his shoulders dropping with a sigh. Time picked up another berry and this time there was no hesitation.
They'd made it through about a third of the package when Legend tugged on Time's pant leg with a curious sound.
"You want to try some, bunny?" Time held out a berry and Legend popped it into his mouth.
He chewed a few times before his face twisted in obvious disgust, nose scrunching as he tried not to spit it out. He managed to swallow but stuck his tongue out immediately after.
Time chuckled and Legend went pink, brows furrowing in a pout.
"Don't worry, bun. I've got something you might like better." Time pulled out an apple and watched as Legend's eyes widened. "Do you want it whole or do you want me to cut it up for you?" He held up one finger, then two for the options.
Legend hummed, chewing absentmindedly on his fingers for a moment before holding up two.
"Sliced it is, then," Time smiled. Legend smiled back before beginning to chew his fingers again; Time gently pulled them out of his mouth and replaced them with the pacifier. "Don't chew your fingers, bun. We don't want to get sick, remember?" Legend gave a little huff through his nose but nodded.
It only took a few moments to slice the apple up and hand Legend his snack. The boy took it eagerly, eyes shining as he pulled his pacifier out again to eat. The first bite had him honking happily and Wars looking up in surprise at the sound. Time chuckled and ran a gentle hand along his arm. Wars leaned into the touch and kept watching Legend.
"Here, little fox. It's important for little ones to eat." Wars obediently opened his mouth and let Time continue to feed him. Legend swayed and honked as he ate his apple slices, happy bunny noises that had Time smiling warmly.
He managed to get his fox to eat a little over half of the fruit before Wars turned his head away, signaling he was finished. Time praised him for doing such a good job, and he ducked his head, cheeks going pink.
Legend finished his apple soon after and held up his hands, sticky with juice. "Help, p'ease."
Time huffed a fond laugh, pulling out a clean cloth and his water skin. "Good job asking, bunny. Did you like your snack?"
Legend nodded, doing his best to hold still as Time cleaned his hands, then his face, which sent him squirming away with giddy giggles. The older hero let him go once he was clean and Legend scrubbed at his face.
"There we go, all clean."
"All c'ean!"
"All clean..." Wars murmured.
They sat quietly for a few minutes; Legend picked up his bunny and began to play, murmuring behind his pacifier. He seemed to be telling it about snack time, face scrunching in exaggeration. Time caught Wars watching out of the corner of his eye, the boy biting his lip as he watched Legend play.
He was about to ask Wars if he wanted to try jointing Legend but was beaten to it by Wars himself as he slid down to sit on the floor, pressing his back against Time's leg.
Legend glanced over and blinked at the change. He looked up at Time, who shrugged, then back at Wars, who stared back at him nervously. Legend made a thoughtful little noise and turned to grab something behind him.
He held out his hands towards Wars and in them were his plush cubes- one bee themed and one strawberry.
Wars stared, unsure, and Legend thrust his hands forward with an insistent sound.
Hesitant, Wars reached for the strawberry cube. Legend let it go with a chirp. He pulled the bee cube close and began to examine it, fingers tracing the different shapes and textures with the single-mindedness only a child could have. Now and then he glanced at Wars to see if he was following along, trying to be sneaky, brightening when the other boy began to examine the cube in his own hands.
It didn't take long for his little fox to become absorbed in the toy, slowly gaining more confidence until he was no longer copying Legend and instead doing it his own way. Time leaned back, a proud smile on his face as he watched his boys.
Then he was lunging forward as Wars brought the cube up to his mouth to chew on it with a curious sound.
"Little fox, we don't put things in our mouths-!"
Wars whined and held tight, even as Time tried to gently pull it away from his mouth. From the corner of his eye, Time saw Legend watching with wide eyes, his expression changing form confusion to upset distress the longer his toy was in his brother's mouth. Time winced and gave a firmer tug, careful not to yank it away and send Wars roppling to the floor.
Wars gave a tiny growl and held on tight, shaking his head like a dog with a bone. Time had to bit his lip, the action almost too cute to handle; his little fox was living up to his name, it seemed.
He gave one last tug and finally Wars let go. The boy immediately pouted, clumsily crossing his arms as Time did his best to wipe off the saliva. It would need a wash, unfortunately, but that would have to be later. He put it on the nightstand for now.
"Are there any other toys you might want to share, bun?" he asked Legend. His little bunny was clinging tight to his bee cube, staring at Wars with eyes beginning to fill with tears. Time sighed; he had to diffuse the situation before one or both of them had a meltdown.
"Alright, how about this- Legend, you can keep playing with your cube or your bunny, whatever you like. Wars, little fox, let's try something you can actually chew on, alright?"
He turned to dig through his bag, making a triumphant noise when his fingers closed around what he was looking for. He pulled out a teal chew necklace, shaped like a ring. Perfect.
Wars' ears perked curiously when he saw it. Time handed it over and watched him explore it, figuring out the shape and then raising it to his mouth before pausing to glance at Time. When there was no negative reaction, he shoved it in and began to chew, eyes lighting up.
"There you go, that's better than a plush, yeah?" Wars gave a little nod, chewing happily.
Legend was notably more relaxed now that his toys were no longer in danger of being chewed on. With one more glance at Wars, he turned back to his bee cube.
It was quiet for a while after that, the two little boys content to occupy themselves. Time counted fifty-six minutes before Legend yawned, dropping his cube to rub at his eyes. He turned to the older hero with outstretched arms, clearly wanting to be picked up, and who was Time to deny him? He leaned down to scoop him up, making sure to grab his bunny, and propped him on his hip with a groan. Legend hummed contentedly and laid his head on Time's shoulder, one hand clutching his bunny.
Time out his hand on the back of Legend's neck, holding him gently in place as he swayed side to side. Legend's humming died away to sleepy murmurs before quieting altogether.
The peace was interrupted by a tug on Time's pant leg. Glancing down, he saw Wars pouring up at him- or, no, at Legend? Wars tugged again, frowning when he didn't get a response.
"What is it, little fox? Can you use your words?" Time had an idea of what he wanted, but he'd already been taken by surprise once, so it was better to ask than to assume.
Instead of saying anything, Wars tugged Time's pant leg again and pointed up at Legend with a tiny growl. Legend stirred and blinked down at him; Wars' frown grew and he pointed again.
Legend's brow furrowed. It was clear he didn't understand what was going on, but Time worried his apparently instinctual need to bicker would kick in and the two boys would start fighting. That worry grew when Wars growled again and Legend growled right back.
"Alright, that's enough. We don't growl at each other, it's very rude. If you want me to hold you I can do that, but please no fighting. If you do I'm putting you both down. Understand?" They continued to glare at each other and Time pinched the bridge of his nose, exasperated. "Wars? Little fox?" The boy perked up at the sound of his name. "Would you like me to pick you up?"
Wars brightened and nodded, pulling at Time's pants again while reaching up with his other hand. Legend made a displeased sound and wriggled until Time tightened his hold and he settled, huffing.
"I'm not putting you down, little bunny, calm down."
With a grunt, Time knelt down to scoop Wars up in his other arm. He immediately wrapped his arms around Time's neck and curled close, ignoring Legend's unhappy grumbling.
Time pulled himself back up with a groan. He would do his best, but he could already tell he wouldn't be able to hold them both for long. He had to think of a solution, quick.
He rocked the boys in his arms as he thought. They fussed at each other for a few moments but settled fairly quickly at the soothing motion. Legend yawned, and Wars copied him a moment later.
...It was naptime, he could set them down on one of the beds. Or maybe separate ones if they continued trying to fight. He did not need two upset, overly-tired babes throwing a fit because they couldn't stop picking at each other to sleep.
He'd try one bed first. If they couldn't settle down he'd separate them and deal with the consequences.
"Alright, you two, naptime." Legend gave a happy little hum, which Time took as agreement and set the boys down on the nearest bed. "Lie down now, there you go." He reached for the blankets to build a simple wall along the edge of the bed. Legend wasn't usually at risk of falling off, but sometimes he got extra restless if his sleep was particularly unwell. He was unsure about Wars; better to be safe than sorry, just in case. He added the pillows from the other beds for extra stability before leaning back to check his work.
Two curious, sleepy faces peered back at him. Legend was curled on his side; he never slept on his back if he could help it, feeling unsafe unless he could protect his vulnerable belly and throat. Wars lay on his back, flat as a board, a habit from his time in the War that he hadn't managed to break.
Time gave them a warm smile and moved to sit on the other bed- only to be stopped by an upset whine and his little fox reaching for him with wide eyes. When Time didn't immediately respond he made the same upset noise, which set Legend off, the other boy whimpering and kicking unhappily at being disturbed.
Before either of them could get more upset, or Legend kicked Wars, Time moved back and ran a hand through Wars' hair, shushing him with tired patience. He did the same to Legend when he kicked out again, still upset.
"Shh, shh, it's alright, little ones. I'm not going anywhere. Hush now. Let's try to get some sleep, alright? I know you're tired."
Legend finally calmed, kicking slowing to a stop as he yawned wide, buckteeth on full display. Wars reached for Time again, grasping his hand and trying to pull him onto the bed. He caught himself with one knee on the mattress, his other hand between the boys, suddenly very aware of how much smaller Legend was than himself- if he fell he would squash the younger hero and then absolutely nobody would be happy.
"You want me to join you?" Wars let out an insistent noise and tugged at his hand again. Time huffed out a laugh. "Alright, alright, let me up so I don't squish either of you." He gently pulled his hand out of Wars'- hushing him when he made an upset noise- and carefully clambered onto the bed.
It took some shifting and rearranging, but eventually Time found himself propped against the headboard with a sleepy little hero tucked against either side. Legend was curled close, clutching his shirt and nuzzling into his stomach like a contented kitten. His breathing slowed into soft, squeaky snores as he drifted off, content.
Wars was still awake; when Time glanced at him the boy looked unsure of himself.
"What's wrong, little fox?" he asked, taking care to keep his voice low. Wars looked up at him, biting his lip in what Time knew to be an anxious habit before looking away again. He worried with the hem of his shirt, running the fabric between his fingers in a self-soothing motion. Time hummed thoughtfully. "Are you still nervous?"
Wars flinched and Time knew he'd hit the nail on the head. Running a calming hand along Wars' arm, he cast about for something that might help him to relax.
Something twinkled from the depths of his bag from where it sat on the nightstand.
Reaching over, he pulled out his ocarina. He rubbed his thumb along the holes, pondering. What would be a good song to get his little fox to sleep?
He supposed a tried-and-true classic wouldn't hurt. Taking a deep breath, he lifted the ocarina to his lips to play.
The first notes of Zelda's Lullaby drifted through the room, quiet and serene. Wars stopped fidgeting to listen with an attention that quickly began to wane as his eyes fluttered shut. On Time's other side, Legend twitched before settling into deeper sleep with a sigh.
Time continued to play until he was sure they were both asleep before letting the song trail off into silence. He set the ocarina on the nightstand with a sigh.
Caring for two regressed boys took more out of him than he had thought. He wouldn't change it, though; anxious he may be, Time could see the effect it was having on Wars already. A few more sessions would help him get more comfortable with it and hopefully figure out his own way of doing things. Legend was always looser and calmer when he came out of his headspace, and Time hoped it would do the same for Wars.
His train of thought was interrupted by a yawn. ...Ah. Maybe it was time he had a nap, as well.
He shuffled to get more comfortable, careful not to disturb the little ones at his sides, and yawned again.
His last thought as his eye began to close was that he wouldn't mind doing this again if it meant he got two cuddlebugs at the end of the day.
Brain blurry... imagine Legend with a blahaj and when he's upset he can just curl around it with his whole body and flop into one of his brothers' laps to snuggle and the big blahaj helps him feel small and everyone's really nice to him about it
🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 oououuouhh that's so cute..... he's so itty bitty with his blahaj...
the five stages of grief were never meant to be a checklist your character moves through in chronological order across three chapters. Let me save you from writing a grieving character who is simply having scheduled emotions:
⊹ Grief is not primarily crying. i know that sounds wrong but hear me out. a lot of grief looks like doing laundry. cooking something the person liked and then not being able to eat it. watching a show they recommended and never told anyone you finished it. grief goes very quiet and very domestic for long stretches and then ambushes you at completely unreasonable moments like a petrol station or a Friday at 4pm for no reason at all.
⊹ people who are grieving often seem fine. not because they're suppressing or being brave or in denial, but because humans are genuinely capable of functioning and being devastated at the same time. your grieving character can make jokes. can go to work. can have a good day. can feel guilty about the good day. can feel guilty about not feeling guilty. grief has a very active internal bureaucracy that has nothing to do with what's visible on the outside.
⊹ Grief also changes shape over time in ways that aren't necessarily about getting better. the first year is often adrenaline, there are things to do, people around, ritual and structure. year two is frequently harder because the adrenaline is gone and the world has moved on and expects you to have moved on with it. your character being more visibly undone eighteen months later than at the funeral is not a pacing problem. it's accurate.
⊹ The relationship with the dead person doesn't stop. this is the one writers get most wrong. your grieving character is still in a relationship , still arguing with the person in their head, still updating them on things, still furious about something left unsaid, still finding out new things about them from other people and having to integrate a version of them they didn't fully know. grief is not the end of the relationship. it's the relationship continuing without any new information coming in.
The younger heroes go exploring, and Legend has some fun. It doesn't take long, though, until a pretty bug distracts him and he ends up alone. His brothers will find him, right?
CW: legend finds himself separated from the group and alone and panics. he's found and comforted, but remains upset until the end of the chapter
"Come on! Let's go this way!"
Four pairs of feet trekked through the lush undergrowth, four bright voices raised in excitement. The Chain had found themselves in a lush forest; everything was bright and green and lively and, with no apparent danger, the Sailor, Smithy, Traveller, and Veteran had set off to explore. The Champion was, unfortunately, confined to camp after attempting to go off on his own with a sprained ankle.
Legend gazed at the forest around them. This land felt fresh and new, and it made him feel refreshed. The worries from Warriors' Hyrule felt far away, here, and he looked forward to exploring this new land. There were strange plants, and bugs, and birds singing in the trees. He couldn't help the childish excitement that arose at every new discovery.
It had been a long time since he'd felt this way. He loved adventuring, yes, but years of quests and dungeons and battles had dulled the spirit of it all until he was just. Tired.
But now, with his brothers around him and the only goal to find the coolest bug or plant they could, he could feel that old enthusiasm beginning to stir again.
He eagerly joined in pointing out the interesting things around them and, when they started a game of chase, laughed and shrieked with joy with the rest of them. They played for hours; at some point the soft cotton of smallness slipped over his mind, but he paid little care, too focused on having fun.
At one point a brilliant purple butterfly flitted past and Legend's attention was caught. His feet followed after it almost unconsciously, and he hardly noticed as he passed through the trees, away from his brothers.
The butterfly alighted on a pretty blue flower and he crouched down to watch, fascinated with the way the light made its wings sparkle. He stayed there, entranced, until it lifted up and flew out of sight, Then he stood and turned to call out to his brothers only to freeze.
For the first time he realized he was alone.
Legend swallowed. The trees seemed to grow around him, the shadows between getting darker.
He shook his head and squared his shoulders. It was fine. He just had to retrace his steps and get back to the others and everything would be fine. He took a few steps forward before stopping. This... was the way he came, right? Or was it through here? No, that tree looked more familiar. But so did that one.
Legend felt his breath quickening as he turned again, trying to remember the way he came. Everything looked the same. He called out, voice weak, for his brothers, but no one came.
If only he hadn't followed that stupid butterfly!
Utterly lost and alone, Legend sunk to the ground and tried not to cry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wind was having a grand time exploring. This land was so bright and interestin'! Normally he didn't care much for forests, but this place was real neat. There were so many creatures an' bugs an' weird plants an' he wanted to see it all!
He was so caught up in all the new and playing with his brothers that he didn't notice anything was off.
So when he saw Four talking to something by a bush, he wandered over in curiosity. Drawing closer, he saw it was one of those small mouse-like creatures the Smithy said helped him on his first adventure. Min...si? No, minish, that was it.
Wind couldn't understand the minish like Four could, but he could tell that the little creature was worried about something. Grass rustled and Hyrule appeared on Four's other side.
"Where?" Four asked, attention solely on the creature perched on a branch before him. "Can you take us there?" The minish nodded and Four smiled before pushing to stand. He turned (unsurprised by the two of them standing there), and told them, "The minish told me there's someone crying in the woods. They're going to take us to them."
Wind's brow furrowed. Someone crying in the woods? They had to go help! Hyrule seemed more cautious, but agreed to go after a moment.
Four led them through the woods, following the minish as they led the way, Wind and Hyrule making sure to keep close. At one point Wind turned to say, "What d'you think could be wrong? Maybe it's a lost kid? Whaddya think, Vet?"
There was no answer.
"Vet?" Wind stopped walking and looked around for his brother. He was absolutely certain there had been four of them, but where had he gone?
Hyrule and Four stopped as well, glancing around in confusion. "Maybe he went on ahead?" Hyrule asked, sounding unsure.
Without any other ideas, the other two agreed. Thankfully, the minish had stopped when they realized they were no longer being followed, so it didn't take long to find them and get moving again.
Eventually, Wind began to hear the distant sound of crying. As they drew closer he realized it sounded... familiar, somehow. He quickened his pace and in a few minutes burst into a small clearing, Smithy and Traveller right behind him.
On the other side of the clearing Legend looked up, startled. The other boy's cheeks were streaked with tears and there was a lost expression on his face that had Wind's chest clenching. Legend stared for a moment before reaching for him with shaking hands; Wind wasted no time rushing over to drop down beside him, where his little brother immediately grabbed onto him and clung desperately. Wind felt tears begin to dampen his shirt and hugged his little brother tight.
"Shh, shh, guppy, it's alright. We're here now, yeah? No need ta be sad anymore." Wind shushed him and rocked side to side, threading a hand through tangled hair and scratching lightly. Legend shuddered and clung harder.
"'m sorry, I didn't mean to," Legend cried into his shoulder. "Th-there was a bug an' I followed it an' then I got lost an' then there wasn't anyone an'- an'-" He hiccuped. "I was alone," he whimpered.
"Oh, guppy." Wind hugged him tighter. "It's okay. I'm no' mad at you. Promise. I'm sorry you were alone."
Faint rustling had Wind glancing over his shoulder to see Hyrule and Four standing at the edge of the clearing, looking awkward. He huffed a laugh and gestured them over. When they didn't move, he rolled his eyes before shuffling so he was sitting facing them with Legend in his lap and patted the ground beside him.
"He ain't gonna bite, ya know," he teased. "Most 'e'll do is cling an' maybe cry on ya a bit." Legend sniffed, as if to support his statement.
Four moved first, the Smithy crossing over to sit almost cautiously on Wind's right. "Yer not gonna break 'im," Wind tried to assure him. Four didn't look convinced. Still, the Smithy reached out a tentative hand and placed it on Legend's arm.
The little boy hiccuped and lifted a hand to grasp at Four's, holding tight as if to make sure he wouldn't disappear. Four's face did a funny thing and he scootched closer, squeezing back.
That just left Hyrule.
Wind raised his eyebrows and gestured with his head for the other hero to come over. Hyrule made to step forward but faltered, staring at the three of them with an unsure look on his face. Wind rolled his eyes and gestured again.
It took a few moments, but eventually the Traveller got his feet moving and came to sit on Wind's left.
Legend turned his head, nose brushing against Wind's throat, to look at him. Wind wasn't sure what his expression was, but it made Hyrule start before looking sad.
"Hi, Lege," he murmured. "Sorry we weren't here before." He lifted a hand to brush it, fairy-light, over Legend's back.
"S'okay, Rue-Rue," was Legend's response. Hyrule blinked before his face went pink. Wind cooed and ruffled Legend's hair.
"Rue-Rue's a great nickname, guppy. See? He loves it." Sure enough, there was a tiny, shy smile on Hyrule's face. Legend gave a quiet chirp and turned to snuggle into Wind's chest. Soft breaths puffed against his collar and he wrapped his arms around his baby brother in a hug.
They stayed like that for a few minutes, contentedly soaking up each other's company. Eventually Four sighed.
"We should get back soon. The others will come looking for us if we're out too late."
Wind booed but gently nudged Legend off his lap so he could stand, then helped the boy to his own feet. Four said something to the minish, which Wind hadn't realized was still there, and it nodded before waving at them and scurrying off.
"Our friend is going to lead us back," Four told them. "Let's get going."
He started after the minish and the rest of them followed, Legend stumbling clumsily after as he tried to keep up, clinging tightly to Wind's hand all the while. Hyrule appeared on the boy's other side and helped steady him. The three older boys chattered as they walked, pointing out anything that caught their eyes; it helped cheer Legend up and kept his mind off of what had happened. He even chimed in a few times, though for the most part he seemed content to hum quietly and focus on putting one foot in front of the other.
The walk back didn't take long, perhaps ten minutes before they found themselves exiting the trees into camp. Legend glanced around, cheeks flushing darkly and ears tilting back in embarrassment, before his eyes alighted on Wars. Without letting go of Wind's hand, he reached for the man with a 'mn!'
Wars turned from where he was speaking with the Champion and Wind watched as he immediately realized what was happening. He crossed the camp in a few strides to pick Legend up and prop him on his hip without a moment of hesitation before giving Wind's hair a quick ruffle and nodding to Four and Hyrule.
"How was exploring? You four find anything interesting?"
"Lotsa cool stuff!" Wind nodded, Four and Hyrule piping in with a few of the things they'd seen. Legend was quiet, playing idly with the Captain's scarf as they talked.
Wind spoke up, wanting to spare Legend from feeling like he had to apologize again for getting curious and wandering off. "Lege found a cool bug an' got a little lost for a bit, but we found 'im right quick an' nobody's even a little mad! Trav'ller even got a cool new nickname, right guppy?"
Legend nodded shyly. Hyrule went pink again.
Wars hummed, looking between the three of them. "Is that right? What is it?"
Legend hid in his scarf, the tips of his ears going pink. Wind could just hear him mumble "Rue-Rue."
Wars smiled, chuckling warmly. "That is a pretty cool nickname, bun. Does the Traveller like it?" Legend nodded shyly. Hyrule did too, still flushed. "That's good. Come on, you four. It's been hours and I'm sure you're hungry."
As if on cue, all four of their stomachs rumbled loudly. Laughter sounded around the camp and Wild waved them over from his place by the fire.
"C'mon! I've got something ready! You can tell me all about what you did today while we eat!"
Wars began walking over and the three younger heroes quickly followed; Wind scurried to catch up and grabbed one of Legend's hands, smiling up at the boy.
"Today was fun, right Lege?" Legend nodded, smiling back at him. Wind beamed. "C'mon, lessee what th' Champ's got cookin' fer us!"
He all-but dragged Wars, and by extension Legend, towards where their brothers were gathering around the fire. Wars laughed and let himself be dragged along and Legend let out a giggle. Wind's smile grew at the sound.
Legend does some thinking, signs some Important Papers, and tries not to have feelings about it.
[not much to warn about this chapter, other than legend having Thoughts and issues, but he does have a negative reaction to wars ruffling his hair towards the end that wars makes a note of]
Legend was quiet for a while after their talk. It had been very emotionally taxing, in more ways than one, and he needed time to work through it all.
A large part of him still had trouble believing any of them wanted him to be a part of their established family. He'd been on his own for so long it felt strange; like he'd told Papa Wars, Time, and Wind, he had his friends, and his grandparents were still alive, but most of them lived far away. Zelda was often busy, and he didn't feel up to dealing with the knights most days, so they saw each other rarely. Ravio was really his only constant. The other boy had cemented himself as a close friend and, eventually, confidant.
But none of them were family. None of them were his grandparents with their ranch; his grampa badgering him to become a knight despite his repeated refusals but still teaching him everything he needed to know about working a farm, or his granma, letting him clamber up next to her and watch as she baked or mended and comforting him when things got too much. None of them were his uncle, the man who had raised him and taught him and cared for him until he... until he couldn't anymore.
But there was another part of him that longed for the feeling of someone choosing him to be their family. Of having people you knew you could turn to, rely on, go to no matter where (or when) you were.
He missed it.
He had thought over Wars' offer, once he was out of his headspace, and realized he really did want to accept it. He might not show or say it often, but Legend truly cared about those he called his brothers. He wasn't sure what he would do after this quest was finished; Wars had mentioned something about time sorceresses(?), so it was possible the Captain would be able to ask them to figure something out.
Legend didn't want to lose his brothers when this was over. He wanted to stay with them, to visit them, to have them visit him.
Maybe having those official papers would help somehow, let them track him by his signature or something. Magic could be used in ways even he didn't know; there was certainly a chance it was possible.
Mind made up, Legend marched himself to Papa the Captain's office and knocked on the door. It opened after a moment to reveal Warriors, who smiled warmly when he saw him. The man gestured for him to enter and Legend stepped inside.
He drew in a breath, determined to get the words out before he lost his nerve. "I'll sign the papers. The- For the adoption thing."
Wars looked proud when Legend glanced up at him. The expression made him flush and look away, lips pulling into a scowl (definitely not a pout). He started when a hand landed gently on his arm and guided him towards the desk, where he could see a small stack of papers sitting.
"It's a good thing I've got the paperwork ready, then. Would you like to read it first?"
Legend's chest felt warm and he blinked hard, swallowing against the sudden swelling in his throat as he sat down. "Tha-" He cleared his throat and tried again. "I'm. Let me see the- the papers."
Wars handed him the short stack and let him flip through it. Legend found himself thankful he had set his mind to learning each of the others' Hylian, so he only had a little trouble.
Wars let him read through it on his own, only stepping in when he couldn't understand this or that word. Soon enough he had made it through the whole stack and, after only a moment of hesitation, was signing his name on the line Wars indicated. The man had already signed his own name on the line below, and the sight made Legend's chest feel warm. It was another sign that he really wanted him.
As soon as he laid the pen down Wars swept him into a hug, peppering his hair with kisses. Legend leaned into it, a smile making its way onto his face, and he clutched at Wars' tunic to hide it. After a minute or so he drew back and Wars let him go.
"I'll take these in to be processed right away," Wars said, picking up the papers with a smile. "Feel free to do whatever you like now. It will take some time for this to get sorted, so don't worry too much about it."
He led Legend out of the office and left him in the sitting room to head to the castle to submit the paperwork. Legend dithered for a while before deciding to work on some embroidery. He'd finished the Sailor's shirt weeks ago and his fingers had been itching for something to do. No one's clothes needed work, though, so he turned to his own wardrobe.
Instead of his usual clothes, however, he found his hands and mind drifting towards his new ones- the ones Wars and the others had gotten for him. He ended up pulling out an apron and began to add flowers and strawberries along the hem. He even added a little frog on the breast pocket. He paid no mind to the other heroes coming and going, too focused on his project.
It was only when he felt a touch on his shoulder that Legend blinked out of his concentration. Glancing up, he saw Wars smiling down at him and flushed at the realization he saw him embroidering his new clothes. He tore his gaze away and moved to set his work down but was stopped by Wars' hand on his arm.
"You can keep working if you like. I just wanted to let you know the paperwork is submitted; now we just have to wait for it go through."
"Oh. Cool. Great." Though he tried to seem unaffected, his ears flicked eagerly, betraying his excitement. Wars laughed fondly and ruffled his hair- Legend jolted, not expecting the touch and not liking it right then.
"Oh- I'm sorry," Wars apologized. Legend huffed and raked his hands through his hair to get rid of the sensation before fixing it.
"It's whatever."
Wars clearly wanted to argue that it wasn't, but held himself back. Legend appreciated it; he wanted to be excited about the adoption paperwork, not pick a fight about when he did or didn't like being touched. They could do that another day- preferably never.
Warriors cleared his throat. "Anyway. Just wanted to let you know."
"Thanks. You gonna tell the Old Man and the Sailor?" There was no way he would be leaving them out of this, but Legend wasn't sure if Warriors would tell them now or wait until it actually went through (if it went through- Stop that.).
"In a bit, yes. I'll... leave you to your embroidery, then." Warriors moved to pat his arm but hesitated, pulling his hand back and nodding instead. Legend watched him go, ears lowering as a pang went through his chest. He did his best to ignore it.
The first days of recovery that follow a rescue, a traumatic event, a mission gone wrong, an illness... The vulnerability of it can come in different shapes:
Whumpee going non-verbal (they know Caretaker will understand them anyway).
Falling asleep anywhere and at any time: naps don't follow time rules anymore, couches, chairs, other people become the perfect bed for a rest.
Soft and large clothing. Nothing tight at their waist or neck. Big sweaters that smell like someone safe.
Occasional tears after a previous big big cry™
Eating less and only because they have to. They feel nauseous, exhausted... sleep sounds like their only necessity.
Nightmares, confused dreams that leave whumpee sweaty and shaky, visions of alternate endings...
... cue Caretaker shushing them back to sleep, with a warm hand on their back or between their hair. They keep a dim light on, maybe they speak soft words until whumpee falls back asleep.
Speaking about lights, Whumpee who's afraid of the dark being surprised by a small night-light near the door after turning the lamp off for the night.
Getting used to sitting on the medical table in front of a doctor/nurse as their wounds are checked, bandages changed, blood drawn...
Warm baths. Caretaker helping Whumpee with slow and careful hands. They wash their hair, their hands and face, they disinfect their wounds and pay attention to all their bruises, they clean blood and dirt out of their skin until they look almost new.
No one asks anything from them. Their teammates are concerned, they ask whumpee if they need anything (another blanket, a cup of tea, some food, a hug) but they never give them tasks or jobs. Whumpee might feel useless but Caretaker never gets tired of assuring them that what they need right now is a good rest.
Okay I don't know how much you know or care about Splatoon but here feels like a safe place to say I love the idea of caregiver!Callie so so so so much. She's so bubbly and energetic and sweet she'd be so gentle and caring with kiddos. She'd be the queen of fun games and exciting stories or just fun to talk to, and really big on nicknames. I think she'd be good at getting shy little ones to come out of their shells or cheering them up by being silly. Callie would give the best warm snuggles and I think she'd always have a stash of blankets or pillows somewhere
And I apologise if you have no idea what on earth I'm talking about :b /gen
i know a bit!! my brother loves splatoon and i’ve watched him play a lot!!!
this is such a sweet image!!! i’ve always liked callie and marie, and callie really feels like she’d be a great caregiver!! :D
Little Legend who likes to snuggle with Ravio and stick his face in Ravi's hood and giggle about hair in his mouth or be a bunny and hide in that massive hood feeling safe in the tight dark space that smells like safety. Sleepy baby bunny accidentally falls asleep and Ravio naps with him while the chain look for Legend not knowing he's hidden in Ravio's massive hood and securely buried in his scarf too, qnd Ravi's also sleepy ans can't tell them
aaaaaah that’s so cuuuute i love it 💜💜💜
itty bitty bunny snuggled up in ravio’s robe and hood and scarf in a bunny pile on the couch <3<3<3
