i really loved the short story of isekai reader patching up Twilight using modern medical methods aka stiches. Could we have more of that? Maybe isekai reader teaching them some more things like maybe the reason Sky gets so winded when he runs is because he might have asthma.
Absolutely! I love giving these boys a much-needed break!
You mentioned Sky, but I've also seen people head-canon that Four has migraines and I wanted to be nice to him seeing as SOME PEOPLE have been STABBING HIM recently. (I know one Tylenol probably wouldn't stop a migraine, but he's 1. never had medicine like that before and 2. really short, so it would probably be ok dosage-wise.) Time is here because OLD.
LU x Modern! Medic! Reader
Four
“Ow,” Four winced, touching the side of his head.
“You ok?” you turn as you walk, shifting the bag on your back as you do.
“Fine,” he mumbles. “Just a headache.”
“Ok, give me a sec,” you take your arms out of the straps of your bag, swing it around to the front of your body, then put the backpack back on backwards so you can dig through it.
“I don’t need a potion,” Four says quickly. “Honestly, it wouldn’t even help. It’s just a headache.”
“Four, if you’re complaining about a headache, it’s serious,” you continue digging through your bag, remembering the various injuries he’d taken without so much as a wince. You guess black smiths were just built different. “I’ve got some Tylenol. One pill and some water and you should feel right as rain.”
“A potion wouldn’t help,” Four says again. “It’s not an injury.”
“Good thing this isn’t a potion, then,” you take out the small white bottle, then proceed to struggle with the child-proof cap.
“I’ve seen you give that to some of the others,” he points at the bottle. “They eat it and then they feel better. Potion. Maybe not liquid, but still.”
“It doesn’t actually heal anything,” you explain, grunting as you try to open the cap. “The thing causing the headache will still be there. It just blocks the pain.”
“How would there be no pain if the injury is still there?” Four raises an eyebrow.
“It’s like… how do I explain this,” you muse. “So, your nerves send signals to the brain. Think of them like little mail men, taking messages from where the pain is to you. This blocks those signals. The mailmen are still there with their letters, but now the letters can’t get to where they’re going, so no pain.”
“So I’m full of tiny little mailmen,” Four smirks.
“Sure,” you laugh, then finally pop the cap off the bottle and shake a single pill out of the container. You hold it out to Four. He takes it, looks it over, then pops it into his mouth.
“Wha–!?” you sputter, your hand still reaching for your water bottle. “Did you just dry swallow it?”
“Yes?” Four winces at the after taste. “Why? Was that wrong?”
“I mean, no, it’s fine,” you close your bag, still bewildered. “It’s demented, but you won’t, like, die.”
“Who are you calling demented?” He grins.
“You just took a pill without water!” you cry. “Who does that!?”
Time
Time was old. Mentally, yes, he was probably like 60 or something as far as you or anyone else could figure, but physically as well. Most of the other heroes were in their twenties or younger. Time was in his thirties, and with the added stress of hero work he might as well have been forty.
He had old injuries that still ached, and the past strain on his body had definitely sped up how quickly he developed arthritis. You noticed the way he would massage his hands occasionally. Or wince when he woke up. It was your job to notice these things after all.
Unfortunately, heroes were stubborn and selfless. Most attempts to help them were met with “I’ve had worse” or “so-and-so needs it more.” And from what you could tell, Time had never been “mothered” in the traditional sense, making it all the more unlikely he would accept anything you had to offer. He thought your help was necessary for the others, not him. It was noble. And incredibly stupid.
You had to find alternative ways to help him.
“Tea?” you hold up a mug to him as he passes where you’re sitting, your own cup held loosely in your other hand.
“That’s not suspicious at all,” Time frowns at the mug.
“What’s suspicious about tea?” you take a sip from your mug.
“Yeah, old man, when has tea ever gone wrong?” Wild, currently also enjoying a cup of tea next to you, smiles.
“Tea isn’t suspicious,” Legend nods, clutching his own mug close to his chest.
“Not at all,” you agree, nodding in a totally not suspicious way.
“Then why are the two people you’re always after about pain management the only ones drinking it?” Time points at Wild, who often got whole-body aches that he liked to try to ignore, then at Legend, who, like Time, had arthritis in his hands, but was more willing to take medicine for it.
“Maybe they’re the only two who happened to walk past,” you take another long sip from your cup.
“What’s in the tea?” Time sighs.
“Uhhh, it’s green tea, so Camellia leaves,” your arm is starting to get tired from holding the extra mug out to him. “And some honey.”
Time raises an eyebrow. He didn’t remember having honey in the camp supplies.
“We just got it. Wild shield-surfed face-first into a hive,” you explain. The Link in question gives you a thumbs up when you glare at him.
“So this tea is just to use up the honey?” Time takes the mug carefully.
“Can’t really store it all. Our jars are for fairies or potions,” Legend shrugs.
“I kept one jar,” Wild smiles.
“Fine,” Time takes a drink. Success!
“Oh! And I added some turmeric and ginger,” you admit, looking away from him as you do. You glance at your surroundings in a nonchalant manner. “They have anti-inflammatory properties. Figured you could use it.”
“I knew it,” Time narrows his eyes (eye), but takes another drink of tea. “You were trying to medicate me.”
“Is it helping?” you ask. He flexes his hand, thinking.
“...Yes,” he finally admits, shoulders slouching in defeat.
Sky
“That’s not what happened!” Sky scowls. He had been recounting his attempt to catch the apparently portal-using mail man when a few of the others had begun teasing him about his inability to run.
“That’s totally what happened,” Legend smirks.
“Sounds like asthma,” you shrug, turning away from the conversation to inspect Twilight’s side. Apparently there was some evil magic that you couldn’t see infecting the wound, and while you were no mage, you were a medic, and infection of any kind, magic or otherwise, was unacceptable.
“Asthma…?” Nine heads tilt inquisitively sideways, various looks of confusion on their faces.
“Do you guys not know what asthma is?” Now it’s your turn to be confused.
The blank looks you get back speak for themselves.
“Okay,” you pinch the bridge of your nose, trying to think. “Athma is like… your throat gets tight and it gets really hard to breathe. Sometimes it feels like someone is sitting on your chest, making it really hard to get air in.”
“Oh, yeah, that’s pretty accurate,” Sky smiles.
“How do you not know what asthma is? If you have asthma you should have an inhaler.” You stand up, forgetting Twilight’s magic wound for a moment, and start rummaging through your bag. There wasn’t really a way to treat inflammation like that with the herbs you had available, but you had to have something.
“I thought it was just because I grew up in Skyloft,” Sky shrugs. “The air down here is just different.”
“That’s not how altitude changes work. The air up there is thinner, meaning Skyloftians should have an easier time breathing near the surface,” you say exasperatedly.
“Oh,” Sky blushes.
“So it’s an illness?” Warriors glances at Sky and takes a not-so-subtle step away.
“No, it’s genetic. You can’t ‘catch’ it, if that’s what you’re afraid of,” you roll your eyes. A few of the boys snicker at Wars’ look of relief.
“But is there a cure?” Sky sounds hopeful. “You said something about me needing to have something.”
“An inhaler. Not a cure, just a way to treat the symptoms,” you give up digging through your bag. “It’s medicine that you breathe in. And I have no way of making it here. If we ever go to my era I’m breaking into a pharmacy and getting you one.”
“Surely there must be something you can do without traveling to your era,” Time says.
“Not really,” you grimace. “We can limit triggers. If you didn’t have issues on Skyloft your asthma might be triggered by humidity? Or pollen? But it sounds like it’s triggered by exercise, which… well, you might have chosen the wrong profession.”
“You could say that again,” Legend snorts.
“Well, not much to be done,” Sky hums. “I’ve been alright up until now. I should be fine.”
“I’m still swiping you an inhaler if we wind up in my era,” you mutter, adding it to your growing list of things to either buy or steal from a modern pharmacy (some of the meds these boys needed were prescription, which you wouldn’t really be able to get otherwise).
Reader is lonely in the unfamiliar world of Hyrule and struggles to talk with the chain. A clear view of the night sky unearths the pain you had been suppressing the past few days.
Tags: hurt/comfort; somewhat Sky centric; Sky x reader if you squint; all members of chain appear (except First); human!reader
Warnings: feelings of homesickness, isolation, loneliness, alienation; focus on emotional difficulties
a/n: Did you know that if all the artificial lights on Earth were shut off, the night sky would be completely visible everywhere on the surface with clear skies in almost an instant?
wc: 2748
—————
Three days ago, you found yourself in an unfamiliar land. Rain pierced through your clothes and you stumbled blindly through the deluge until you bumped into a group of boys. At first, apprehension overtook you— but they folded you amongst their ranks with understanding. Their situation and yours were quite similar, all being out of place and time. Despite this, there seemed to be a cool distance between you and the boys.
You and the boys— all somehow named “Link”— encountered monsters and strange phenomena that could only be described as magic. To the Links, it was completely normal and they navigated their reality with ease. To you, however, it was making your mind skip a beat. How was any of this even possible? You came from a world ruled by science and logic, and every moment seemed to bring about a new impossibility. Their world was nothing short of mind-blowing at every step, and you were finding it difficult to handle. A rift in experience stood between you and everyone else. You were so different from them, after all.
Maybe conversation could help bridge the gap?
Yet the thundering rain continued for days, and holding a conversation proved difficult with the constant pitter-patter of foliage. Every attempt to speak was punctuated with a “what?!” or a “huh?!” and you figured it would be best to save whatever you had to say for another time. Maybe it wasn’t even worth it. Maybe you’d be home— warm and dry— soon enough.
—————
After another long day of walking and fighting, the group stops to set up camp. The rain had waned throughout the day until it finally sputtered out with a cough in the afternoon.
The ones they call the champion and the traveller manage to start a weak fire with slightly damp firewood, and they begin to prepare a meal together while chattering with excitement. The smith raises an eyebrow at their discussion but turns away to set up camp and organize supplies with the sailor. You’re not sure what ‘special ingredient’ the champion and traveller are talking about, but you know actual warm food after days of soggy rations sounds divine.
The ranchhand, the knight, and the veteran disappear into the verdant woods to scout the area while the old man and the captain attempt to wipe down their armour. You decide to help by hanging everyone’s clothes up to dry, including your own outer layer drooping sadly on the line. With nothing to protect you from the wind, every slight breeze sets your teeth chattering. At least it might dry your clothes faster. You stand alone in your task, trying not to turn back as laughter breaks out amongst the boys.
The sun’s rays peek through the trees as it drifts below the horizon, eventually giving way to the evening. As you watch the last bit of sunlight disappear, you notice a curious sight. At first you think it’s nothing unusual for once, just the stars coming out. There’s so many, and they’re so bright. It should feel familiar, shouldn’t it? But a slow chill crawls up your spine.
These stars are not your own.
Even the comfort of the night sky only reminds you of your distance, and you search desperately for a familiar constellation. Miles away from the brilliant lights of a city, this should have been easy. But you’re not on Earth. You’re far, far away from home.
Humans have always used the stars to navigate their world. They’re familiar and watch over every person from cradle to grave. For millennia, they’ve been our anchors in the sky. But for the first time, a human stares at the sky and a stranger’s stars stare back.
It’s too much. The monsters; the magic; even the mundane— all of it feels so wrong, and you feel the desperate pull of your heart trying to drag itself home. A deep ache settles within you, and it leaves you hollow.
What are you supposed to do?
You sit with your feelings for a moment. You name them.
Homesickness. Loneliness. Fear.
You detangle your woes piece by piece, and the intensity dulls, if ever so slightly. But it lingers.
What can you do? You go over a mental list in your mind.
Take deep breaths.
You can do that. In, and out. In, and out. Your heart rate begins to reign itself in.
Count the things you can see.
OneTwoThreeFourFiveSixSevenEightNine Ten sets of clothing, dripping wet, dangle on a line. You wring them all out, water dripping down to your elbows.
Talk to a friend.
Your hands still. That’s not an option here.
Or is it?
There seems to be a cool distance between you and the boys, but perhaps it’s you keeping everyone at arms length.
It’s easier to stay distant, to acknowledge the reality that you’ll have to say goodbye one day by never getting close enough to say more than “Hello”. But you’re here right now, and you don’t need to make it all on your own.
Talk to a friend.
You wring out the last piece of clothing— the knight of Skyloft’s white cape, speckled with mud— and smooth out the wrinkles left behind. The others have returned from their scouting trip and pass around some berries they found. They look good.
The rain has stopped, hasn’t it? Why not give conversation a try again?
You walk back to the camp and sit down. The knight notices you and holds out his hand, full of clumpy fruits that resemble raspberries. You can pretend they are. His hands are covered in small cuts— presumably from thorns— and you smile. It seems everyone else is just as enthusiastic for fresh food as you are.
As you pop the berry into your mouth, you cringe. The knight chuckles.
“Sour, right?”
You nod, and take a seat on the log next to the veteran, who is attempting to wring out his hat. He hums in acknowledgement and you hum back.
“Ready to experience the best cuisine the land of Hyrule has to offer?”
You grin. “I’m excited to have something warm for once.”
“Yeah, well, the traveller’s helping cook. Maybe put your hopes and dreams on hold,” he says with a snicker, throwing his cap back onto his head.
“Why? What’s wrong with his cooking?”
“You’ll see.”
The champion takes a long sip from the stew he helped make, savouring the taste. He nods in approval, humming a happy note. “Tastes good to me.”
“That’s thanks to the special ingredient I’ve been saving just for now,” the traveller says, grinning from ear to pointed ear. “It’ll knock your socks straight off!”
The veteran grimaces. “How much you wanna bet it’ll knock the newbie straight out?”
You laugh, feeling more at ease. “How bad can it be?”
The traveller cheers. “That’s the spirit!”
Everyone aside from the champion and traveller exchange nervous glances. The smith shakes his head, eyes filled with terror. Oh. Okay. Great.
Easy laughter bubbles up from the other boys as you groan. You rub your arms, trying to quash the chill still rattling throughout your body. The ranchhand, noticing your plight, gestures for you to move closer to the fire. You both totter forwards, holding your hands out to the heat. Warmth curls around your fingers, and you rub them against your face. Heat radiates off of the ranchhand like a brazier, and you shuffle ever so closer.
The old man glances up from carefully drying his armour, eyeing the clothes dangling on the line.
“Excellent work hanging everything to dry—” he comments as he gives a sly half glance towards the captain. “—even if you had to do it all yourself.”
The captain scoffs. “Old man, I thought you of all people would understand. It would be insulting to the armourer if I let their work be ruined by something as trivial as rain.” He glances over at you, eyes crinkling as he smiles. “Thank you, so much. What would we do without you?”
“It’s the least I can do,” you say, thinking his praise to be overly lofty for what you actually contributed.
“I would have helped— really —if it weren’t so damned difficult to dry chain mail with a wet cloth—”
“Excuses, excuses.” The veteran’s dry voice crows out, interrupting the captain.
“Is that what you think?” The captain’s voice sharpens, but he maintains a jovial demeanour. “Why don’t you take over for me, if you think it’s so easy?”
The veteran takes one glance at the mail in the captain’s hands and waves him off. “No thanks, someone has to be on the lookout while you scrub your nose with armour polish.” He leans back, making an excessive show of looking around the camp.
“Some lookout you are,” the captain scorns, ignoring the veteran’s further taunts and turning his attention back to the sopping wet cloth in his hands.
The ranchhand rolls his eyes at the exchange, changing position from crouching to seated by the fire. He eyes the stew, giving it a slight whiff. His nose twitches, but he makes no comment.
You both still for a moment, watching the flames dance beneath the pot. Bright imprints fade to dark spots on your retinas, and you rub your eyes.
The loud clang of the champion striking a pot lid with a ladle stirs you.
“Dinner’s up!”
The others draw towards the fire and take seats on the logs and the still muddy ground. After weeks of travelling, you supposed cleanliness took a backseat. For most of you, at least. The captain carefully adjusts himself on his log and you swipe at any stray leaf litter before taking a seat between the veteran and the knight. The sailor and the smith pass out bowls to the others, and you decide not to comment on the amount of fresh mud dripping from the sailor’s shirt. That must have been what all the laughter was about.
Although… you still don’t have a bowl. Fair enough, you didn’t happen to have one on you when you came from Earth. No problem, you could wait for someone else to finish, or use the pot lid as a plate—
Your reasoning is interrupted by the appearance of stew in a bowl held out to you. You look up, and see a smile warmer than a forge.
“I have a few extras,” the smith says, “so you won’t have to drink from the pot or anything.”
You smile and take the bowl from him, grateful.
“Careful—” the smith warns.
“Ooh yeah, it’s hot.” You adjust your grip on the bowl.
“No, just, be careful.”
You pause. Right. The secret ingredient. It can’t be that bad, right? Maybe… no. Warm food. It doesn’t matter how it tastes, you just need something that’ll warm you from the inside and out.
Preparing for the worst you raise the bowl to your lips and…
“How is it?” The traveller and champion watch you expectantly while the others cautiously sip.
… It’s fine. A bit off, sure, but nothing worse than whatever you’ve reheated at home. You dare say that the soggy rations you’d consumed for the last three days were almost worse.
“It’s good.”
“Mmh… so, nothing strikes you? At all?” The veteran presses a curled finger to his lips, eye twitching.
You come from a world of hyper-processed ‘food.’ You literally eat stuff like this for breakfast.
“Yeah, it’s fine. A few flavours I’m not used to, but it’s more a ‘culture shock’ sort of thing, I guess.”
The traveller deflates. “Darn. I was hoping it would be a real zinger for the newbie.”
“It surely was a ‘zinger’ for the rest of us,” the old man says flatly.
The traveller perks back up, and he offers seconds with the champion. The rest politely refuse.
You polish off your bowl, and the knight pushes his towards you.
“I’m not very hungry.” He donned such an innocent smile, you’d almost think he was telling the truth.
Regardless, it doesn’t matter; this half-nasty stew resembled ambrosia to your tastebuds after days of soggy hardtack. You sip from the bowl, chewing on tough meat chunks that turn into stringy bits between your teeth. Small veggie pieces melt in your mouth. The knight looks you over.
“What was that all about, back over by the clothes?”
You nearly spit out your stew.
You rap your fingers along the base of the bowl, staring at the colourless vegetables which are punctuated by weird pink chunks. The others chatter as they clean up, none taking notice of the intense gaze the knight is casting over you.
Talk to a friend.
“Mm… just looking at the stars.” A moment of silence. “They’re, uh, lovely.”
Dodging the truth of the matter.
He nods.
“I never realized what a treat seeing the night sky was,” the knight muses, “Where I’m from we live above the clouds— and the stars are close enough to touch!— but on the surface there’s all sorts of things in the way. Knowing that a clear sky is a rarity down here makes me want to appreciate it like I never have.”
“Mhm. That’s true.”
The knight looks you over again, gaze less intense. His irises seem to reflect the dark sky more than the warm fire. If you look close enough, you can just make out pinpricks of light from the stranger’s stars in his eyes.
He stretches, leaning back on his arms. He sighs, and you follow his gaze towards the dancing flames.
“You know,” he says, “I might know how you feel.”
He glances over at you, gauging your reaction. You say nothing. He continues.
“Like I said, I came from an island above the clouds. When I first established a settlement on the surface, it was difficult to adjust, to say the least.”
“But you had your people with you, right?”
“That’s true. But then, I ended up in another place, another era. Everyone I knew… hm… we Links realized that I’m the first on the timeline our eras exist in. It’s been a few hundred, maybe thousand years since my time…”
“Oh. I… I’m so sorry.”
He relaxes, throwing an arm up. “Hey, it’s alright! They’re alive back in my era, just not here and now. It’s the same with you and your world. You’ll see them again. One way or another, the world won’t be so unfamiliar.”
You hum. One day…
He gives you a soft smile. “Every one of us is in the same situation. You’re not alone— we’re all doing our best in unfamiliar lands. Yeah?”
You crack a smile. “Yeah.”
You gaze into the fire together, the light burning shadows into your eyes. Mumbles and chatter flit in and out of earshot as you enjoy the moment.
“-‘s cold-”
“-they dry yet-?”
“-still wet-”
“-idea-!”
Glancing up, you see the sailor holding up a giant leaf. You remember him using it as an umbrella the past few days.
He trots forwards, aiming himself towards the clothesline.
Hm. What is he doing?
He raises the leaf over his shoulder, ready to swing.
Ohh, he’s using it as a fan to dry the clothes. Clever.
Memory strikes just too late— you didn’t clip the clothes to the line. You didn’t have any clips. There’s no clips on the clothes. They’re free. Not clever.
You pounce forwards.
“THEY’RE NOT-”
You’re too far. He swings.
“…attached.”
Colourful garments float away, drifting through tht sky like kites and snagging on nearby tree branches. The knight stifles a snort. Chaos ensues. Yelling and incredulous ruckus echo through the camp, and the sailor shamefully shoves the leaf back into his bag. The champion springs into action— though not before snapping a photo with his weird iPad thing— clambering up the trees and pulling clothes down from the branches with a huge grin on his face. Even the knight gets up with a groan and joins the fray, presumably searching for his cape.
Maybe now wasn’t the time to divulge your deepest, darkest fears, but talking to a friend lightened the load— if only ever so slightly.
The sailor approaches you with a sheepish expression and hands you your own outer layer, still damp with new bits of leaves and dust on it.
For now, you need to redo what you’ve done, hanging clothes on a line.
You take it with a smile.
But this time you have the whole chain to lend a hand.
—————
a/n: My first LU fic! If you have any constructive criticism on the characterization or anything, lmk <3 I haven’t had the time to properly study the characters yet so I did my best 😭
Also I started writing this in December so no First, oops
Overview: We've done the Chain meeting each other's kids, but what would happen if they met their own kids during their travels...long before they even know of their existence?
Zelda Masterlist 💙Fandom Masterlist
Time knew something was off practically the moment he and the boys stepped foot on the property.
For well over a year, you've been bothering your husband to replace that old, rickety pasture fence - and not through simple patch work, either.
You wanted an entirely new fence just like the one that welcomes him home now, and while he wouldn't exactly put his past your ambitious nature to have just built the fence yourself within the few months he's been gone, he does believe it to be beyond your capabilities to have also constructed a brand-spanking-new barn along with it…
Neither the fence or barn were there when he last kissed you farewell. Talon could've possibly hired someone else to complete both projects during his absence, yet that doesn't seem in his character nor funds not when he insists on getting as much free-labor out of your strong, capable husband as possible...So how exactly did they come to be?
"Mornin'! What brings you gentlemen around?" There's a young girl feeding cuccos nearby, her smile greeting the group of strangers like a warm hug.
She looks vaguely familiar, if Time were to speak honestly, her facial features striking him as being oddly similar to those he'd find in a mirror - same nose and all. It's a silly thought he's prepared to dismiss almost as soon as it crosses his mind, that is, until the girl suddenly drops her pale of feed with a gasp, "PA!?"
Everyone is caught off guard by her piercing cry, however they're left even more stunned when she races forward and leaps into Time's arms without any sign of hesitation or discomfort - a great contrast to the man in question who, despite catching her easily, still stumbles backwards in his own surprise.
He's frozen stiff like a plank of wood while the girl hugs him tight, nuzzling her face against his dirty armor without a care in the world as expressed through her delighted laughter, "You're back! Oh, how I missed ya'! I thought you said you'd be gone longer? Ma and Mel are gonna be sooo happy!"
"Geeze, a teenager? He's older than we thought," Time hears Warrior whisper.
It could probably be understood why he and the other Links are so willing to brush off this situation. As far as they're aware, this girl is someone known to Time. Her 'pa', apparently.
It's easy enough to accept since they already know him to be the eldest hero who also happens to be happily married. It's only Twilight and Four who keep their eyebrows raised, feeling both confused and slightly betrayed by this information. Had he lied to them before when he said he had no children yet?
"...I'm sorry -" Deciding to put an end to the whispers surrounding them, Time gently pushes the girl back with two firm hands upon her shoulders, "- It seems there's been a misunderstanding here. I...We haven't met."
"P-Pardon...?" Oh. She sounds so heartbroken - and looks it, too, with wide, pained eyes and a wobbling lip! The sight strangely fills Time with a sudden urge to rid of that frown by any means possible...but why would that be?
Looking at this girl up close, he realizes there's really no denying the similarities she carries to not only to himself, but you as well. If anything, she's a carbon copy of you both!
She did say 'pa' earlier...and out of all the young men here, she didn't hesitate to confidently jump into his arms while saying it, too. She obviously works here on the ranch, and given the new structures Time's never seen before...It might sound insane, but this whole mission has been. It’s possible that she's -
"- GIRLS! SUPPER!" Before anything else can be said, a loud bell is heard ringing from the house. Following it, Time once again finds himself frozen. Although he has no confirmation on who this girl is, he could easily recognize his wife from a mile away even if she does look a tad older.
You ring a bell on the porch in a practiced fashion, your voice booming across the ranch, but of course, it doesn't take you long to let your attention stray to the group of men hovering around your daughter; strange men, to be specific.
Time would be concerned if you didn't look surprised - and honestly a bit aggravated - by their presence which has you instantly marching down the steps with a huff, clearly on the verge of shouting something their way and shooing them off until you snap your mouth shut at the sight of him. From there, you have a very similar reaction as your dear Saria had.
The fabric of your dress is crumbled up in your hands as you rush over, although unlike your daughter, you show more restraint than to immediately jumping into Time's arms. Instead, you stop mere feet in front of him, one hand hovering over your mouth while the other hovers between you both as if you’re afraid to actually touch him. You gasp his name, however that's as much as he gives you the chance to say before he's sheepishly ducking away.
"I...don't think I'm in the right time."
"No, I reckon you aren't..." You smile sympathetically before at last committing to reaching out to him. Your aged hands are gentle upon his cheeks even as you turn his face side-to-side in quiet awe, "Oh, look at you, dear...You're so young...And yet, you look so tired."
You aren't his wife - not exactly, anyway - however that doesn't stop Time from melting against your sacred touch, holding your hands to his cheeks with an exhausted sigh of his own, "...It's been a long few months."
You chuckle - a pleasant sound as you let your fingertips brush against his skin before stealing them away from him completely, "I can recall."
Time's eye leaves you only to glance back at the girl who now hovers shyly behind, fiddling with the fabric of her dress. You take immediate notice of his diverted attention, turning around to face your daughter for yourself, "...Well, I suppose there's no sense in hiding it now. This is Saria, one of our girls."
"I, um...Hiya...pa," She squeaks, her nervousness being a far cry from her earlier excitement mere seconds ago. Then again, this is probably a difficult situation for her as well. Just as much as she’s a stranger to him, he’s also a stranger to her.
"Our -...One?" Time repeats, catching onto that small word you used. He's not sure if he sounds more confused or eager by the question.
"We've got another ‘round here somewhere. Mallory. She should -"
"- MA! I CAN'T FIND THE - Oh...!"
"And there she is…" You chuckle, sending your eldest daughter a smile and waving her over to join the rest of you.
She, too, is cautious to the strangers standing in her yard, yet unlike her twin she carries a fierce confidence in her stride not unlike the one you had originally approached the boys with.
There's only a brief flicker of surprise when she sets sights upon the man who will inevitably become her father, yet she maintains her guarded posture, taking place behind you with a defensive stance, that is until Saria pulls on her arm with a whisper in her ear:
"...He's pa but younger..."
Mallory blinks, at last seeming to trust her own eyes as she lets bewilderment take the forefront of her expression while looking back to Time. Raising her chin, she does her best not to look too eager, "...You didn't mention this part of your adventures."
"I take it you're in need of a place to stay for the night - all of ya’?” You don’t make it sound like much of a question, calmly addressing the group as if this situation is completely normal for you. Of course, it sorta is when you’re married to the Hero of Time.
"We wouldn't want to impose -"
"- Oh come now, Link. This is your home in any time," You wave a dismissive hand, looking to your daughters with a commanding smile, "Girls, we're gonna need more plates."
"Yes, ma'!”
This is the WORST! Who even invited this guy? Why is he here sitting at the campfire as if he's an official member of the group? And, most importantly, why the hell is he getting so cozy with you?
Legend grumbles, watching with jealousy in annoyance as you hang onto every word the stranger says throughout his dramatic account of his 'supposed' adventure. None of it sounds all that special, of course, yet everyone in the group listens as if they’re actually entertaining this - this fraud!
Liron is his name allegedly. Your group had first crossed paths with him deep inside a particularly demanding dungeon which was already strange in itself seeing as only heroes tended to brave the depths of such ruins, although no one else seemed to question it much.
The mysterious boy proved to be quite skilled and knowledgeable when facing some of the more complex puzzles, especially thanks to his many tools, some of which looked suspiciously similar to Legend's own collection (not that anyone really cared to listen to his paranoid observation).
"I highly doubt he robbed you, Vet. Even if it is your stuff - which, really, what are the chances - he could've probably just come into possession of them during a time long after yours," That was your theory, which to your credit, was a perfectly reasonable explanation given the eight other Links surrounding you, however Legend was far too stubborn to consider it.
Perhaps he wouldn't even be so hostile if not for how easily Liron had warmed up to you. From the jump, the young man has been by your side, almost fishing for your approval whenever it came to his accomplishments inside that dungeon or the stories he currently tells over dinner. That little rat even has the audacity to look across camp every so often, no shame in the bright smile he dares to flash at Legend as if to say 'I've got you beat'!
Finally having enough of the sight, the Veteran shoots up from his spot, ignoring every concern thrown his way as he marches out of camp. All the while, his mind swirls with feelings of rage, jealousy, hurt, and self-pity.
Liron's just lucky there's so many witnesses or else he'd -! ...Well, Legend doesn't really know what he'd do...
Maybe if he were a braver man, he would've openly confronted the teen, demanding that he keeps his dirty paws to himself instead of acting so chummy around you, after all your Legend's girlfriend and he met you first which means he has dibs! Or something like that...
...Deep down, he knows he should have more faith in himself and in you. It's not like you're the type to fall for a charming smile and funny stories alone, yet your dear o' Link can't help feeling insecure when faced with someone who so obviously carries less baggage and sourness than himself.
What if you realize you're into laidback guys over those who are emotionally reserved? What if, while listening to Liron's exciting tales, you decide you want to follow him around instead of the Chain? How is Legend supposed to compete?
"Hey!" Oh for the love of Hylia - If anyone were to come chasing after him, Legend would've hoped it would be you or Hyrule. Hell, he'd even settle for the Captain at this rate. Anyone except for Liron who comes jogging up with a worried smile that almost looks real, "Are you alright?"
"Peachy," Legend hissed through clenched teeth, pouring all his willpower into being civil...but it's a losing battle, "We need more firewood."
"Oh...Mind if I help then -?"
"- No need."
Liron frowns at the rejection which does nothing to actually turn him away. Instead, the teen maintains pace with Legend, remaining glued to his side as he walks with his arms awkwardly crossed behind his back.
After a few breaths of silence, he speaks up, "...If there's something on your mind, it's better to tell someone than keep it bottled up inside. That's what my mom always says anyway...Here, why don't we head back to camp so you can talk to (Y/n)? She'll know what to -"
"- What's your obsession with her?!" There is it - The snap in Legend's patience. He halts immediately in his tracks, spinning on his heel to glare at Liron dangerously with a finger pointed against the boy's chest, "You need to back off! She's -...not interested, alright?!"
Ideally, Liron would've seen the fire in the hero's eyes and taken the hint - then preferably a long hike off a short cliff for all Legend cares. The others would be confused, and you might be a little sad, but surely everyone would forget about his face in no more than a few days...however rather irritatingly, Liron merely tilts his head in mocked confusion, a bold hand placed upon his hip, "And what's that supposed to mean?"
"It means she's my girlfriend, so STOP SNIFFING AROUND HER!"
Liron blinks once then twice, yet Legend maintains his sharp glare, fully prepared to meet any arguments head on, in fact he might even be willing to throw a few punches if the situation were to call for it...but to his astonishment, instead of challenging him for your heart as expected, Liron dramatically sticks out his tongue with a gag, "EWW! GROSS! You can't be serious! What do you think - that I've been flirting with her this whole time!? That's DISGUSTING!"
His reaction catches Legend off guard at first, although the hero's quick to recover with a new flare to his anger, "...'Disgusting'?! What's that supposed to mean, huh? Y-You're too good for her or something?!"
"What? No! She's a wonderful person -"
"- She is -" There's no question about that.
"- But I'd never date her! Not in a billion years!"
"Well, that's great because she is too good for you anyways!" Legend bites back childishly.
"Ugh! Can we please stop referring to my mom as a romantic option?! It's freaking weird!" Liron groans while rubbing a hand over his face, yet he freezes mid-action once he realizes what he's just let slip.
Now Legend's left completely stunned, staring at the other boy as if he's grown two heads. Mom? You? As in, this guy's your son?
...Sure, now that he says it and now that Legend's actually paying attention, Liron does share some similar traits as you. He most definitely has facial features at least and personality wise you aren't so different which is probably why you've gotten on so well.
With everyone being from different timelines, it wouldn't be completely impossible for him to be from a future where you've settled down...so why does that thought make Legend's stomach turn? The image of you in some other man's arms, likely getting married and doing the deed, eventually carrying his kids and -
"I - ...That...makes sense, I guess..." Is all he can mumble in his shattered state, too overwhelmed with emotions to think of anything else. It's amazing how quickly his fiery anger can be replaced with cruel heartbreak by only a few words alone.
"You...alright?" Liron cautiously reaches a hand towards Legend's shoulder, yet he jerks away harshly.
"Yeah, of course I'm alright! Why wouldn't I be?" He snaps, turning his back to the teen with his glare renewed, yet it becomes rather pathetic as he looks towards the ground, "...I guess that explains why you've been so close to her this whole time. She must be a good mom, right - I mean, if you guys get along so great now. What am I saying - of course she's probably a good mom! She's - It's her!...You and your dad must be pretty damn lucky to have her."
Oh, how Legend wishes Liron would just leave - return to both you and the others so that he can be left alone with his own bitterness as company. Instead, the annoying brat remains, daring to scoff at the veteran hero's dramatics, "...Hylia's sake, you're as dense as they come!"
"Excuse me?!"
“Here I was worried you were going to put the pieces together yourself right away, but even now, you're still miles off!" Liron huffs, his hands placed on both of his hips - a habit he no doubt inherited from you, "Didn’t she already suggest it to you - that I could be from your Hyrule, from some point in the future? Well, she was right. I am...Now, why do you think she’d decide to stay there of all places, hmm?”
"...You - You mean?"
Liron rolls his eyes with a smirk, "Weren't you listening back at the campfire? The others were already pointing out how similar you and I look, not to mention you said it yourself: I have some of your items. Personally, I'd say it's far less likely that I happened to rob you, and more so that I just took some helpful advice from my old man before stepping out the door."
Legend continues to stare at Liron in utter shock, mouth agape and everything as the wheels stutter inside his brain. It’s a lot to take in, after all…
This kid who’s been following the Chain around all day, happily chatting away with you while desperately trying to involve him in every conversation, secretly seeking the approval of you both, not as a rival, but as a child trying his hardest to impress his parents.
…He’s your son - No, not even just that. He’s the son you share with Legend. That must mean something, right? That no matter how much he screws up - no matter his past heartbreaks or whatever cruel things the universe continues to throw at him - you must still stick around, continuing to love him despite all his flaws and enough so to even raise a child together…
Legend finally clasps his mouth shut, awkwardly looking away from Liron in hopes it isn’t too obvious how watery his eyes have suddenly become, “...So...I'm your dad? ...I guess that must suck for you."
Liron blinks again, although his confusion melts into a smile too soft to have come from Legend’s genes, “...Actually, it's like you said: I'm pretty damn lucky. Not only do I have a great mom, but I’ve also got a pretty amazing dad, too.”
For the first time since embarking on this long, tiresome journey, Sky can relax a bit after walking through yet another strange portal. The sight of a clear blue sky and breath of crisp air lifts a sizable weight off his shoulders, the familiar terrain of Skyloft immediately curing that awful homesickness that's been aching in his heart since...Well, almost as soon as he had left, really.
It's only natural that his thoughts jump immediately to you. Where are you right now? What are you doing? Will you be happy to see him? Have you missed him just as much as he's missed you? So many questions and so little patience left in his weakened will. He can't wait to see you!
Perhaps if he weren't so young and lovestruck, Sky would realize that there's other priorities that should be at the forefront of his concern. First of all, the Chain didn't come here to meet his girlfriend although they would all still be very pleased to meet you. They're hunting a threat - a threat which no doubt came slithering through here. It's in everyone's best interests to find that shadow before it can cause more harm, Hylia forbid to any of the peaceful inhabitants of Skyloft.
Second on the list, Sky should really explain to his brothers how his time works. As far as he understands, none of the other Links have experience on floating islands located thousands upon thousands of feet in the air. One wrong step and they could easily end up like Wild.
With curiosity getting the better of him without a watchful babysitter to pull him back, the Champion takes a single step too close to the island's edge while trying to get a better look at something in the distance. In a split second, the ground crumbles beneath his boot and he loses balance with a yelp that startles everyone...Yep, Sky really should've rearranged his priorities a bit better!
The sight of Wild entering a freefall through the clouds and to his presumed death understandably causes a panic amongst the group, but before Sky can leap from the edge himself to save his friend, a gust of wind blows by as a giant green bird dives down from above.
The creature moves at an impressive speed, skillfully catching up with the falling hero who it snatches in its talons, putting an end to his uncontrollable descent. It seems that it only needs to take a few powerful flaps of its wings to then bring the boy back to the safety of the island and his distressed friends.
"Are you okay?!" The question comes from two different directions, asked by both Wild's savior and Sky as he comes running over to them both, the rest of the Chain right on his tail.
"Y-Yeah...Yeah, I'm fine…" Wild squeaks from where he sits in a dazed, suffering from both the burn of embarrassment and brief terror he had felt after being suddenly scooped out of the air by a giant creepy bird-creature…which is still notably staring at him with its beety eyes and -
"- You should really be more careful!" Despite the girl's attempt at scolding, she comes across as more concerned than she does annoyed, "If I hadn't been there, you would've plummeted straight to the Surface - a fall no one could survive without a sailcloth."
Right...He had his paraglider, didn't he? Well, now everyone just feels stupid for worrying so much not that it'll save Wild from a proper lecture later.
"Thank you for your help, miss. My friends are...new around here. I should've been keeping an eye on them," Sky explains while rubbing the back of his neck with a nervous chuckle. Honestly, despite being one himself, he's always found some of the Knights of Skyloft a bit intimating...Then again, it could just be because he spent enough time getting scolded by them during his Academy days…
At last, the girl looks away from Wild to the rest of the group, although her attention is more fixated on Sky than anyone else.
Upon spotting him, she's swift to push her goggles up to her forehead, giving clear view to her eyes which are as wide as the sun, her mouth left agape after giving a strangled sound of surprise that falls short of forming any real word.
Unfortunately, Sky is apparently blind to her stunned reaction, naively tilting his head in curiosity once being able to see her own face, "I'm sorry, I don't think I know your name. Have we met before? I mean, of course we must've - It's not like Skyloft is that big of a place and you look familiar, but I'm, uh, blanking on a name."
"I - Um...What...?" She stammers, even stumbling back a step while looking him up and down, "...Is this some kind of prank or something? I don't even know how you'd -...Oooh, let me guess! This was Cielo's idea, huh?! He's trying to get me back for dying his loftwing's feathers last week, isn't he?!"
"Huh? W-Who...?"
Sky's confusion only seems to upset the girl further, her frown growing deeper as her eyes dart between him and the other boys who are equally bewildered by this conversation…however they can't help feeling a weird sense of deja vu when glancing between this stranger and their fellow hero. Does everyone on Skyloft just look this similar or is she...?
"Maybe we aren't in your Skyloft," Time suggests helpfully, introducing himself to the conversation by placing a hand on Sky's shoulder, "We're sorry to cause any trouble, miss. We were just passing through."
"Ah! You told me about this before, but you never mentioned -..." The girl mumbles, a flicker of realization crossing her face as if all the pieces of complicated puzzle have snapped into place in front of her eyes.
Instantly fixing herself before any more questions can be voiced, she clears her throat and stands a bit straighter, that be it a bit shyly, "Um, yes, I’m afraid you’ve found yourself in the wrong time. That's why I was so thrown off, you see...Heh."
Then as, if unable to help herself, she steps closer to Sky - a bit too close for comfort if he were anyone else, but too polite for his own good, he merely stands there with a strained smile as the mystery girl hovers inches away from his face, seeming too lost in her own world to notice his discomfort, "You just - Well, you look so young! No, um...No grey hair or anything.”
Then, as if suddenly realizing the inappropriateness of their situation - at least considering the information she clearly knows that Sky certainly doesn't - she moves away with a bashful smile, "S-Sorry. I, um, got carried away...My name's Azure."
Luckily for her, Sky beams, finding himself much too entranced by...well, something about her, to take offense towards her poor respect of personal boundaries. You know, if it wasn't for his lack of memory, he'd be tempted to say he's known this girl forever. Maybe it's her familiar eyes, or perhaps her friendly personality...Whatever the reason, he can feel a strange pull between them.
"Link - Oh, but you probably -!"
"- Already know that? I do," She smiles, shaking Sky’s hand rather eagerly before fixing her excitement. She then at last looks to the other heroes behind him, "All of your names are Link, right? It's nice to meet you! My parents have told me a lot about the heroes of the future."
"I take it we know each other then?" Sky asks innocently, luckily not seeing the way some of the others roll their eyes with groans of disappointment.
Time pats his shoulder sympathetically. Yet another thing he'll understand when he's older…
Although the last portal placed the Chain too far to make it there within a single day, Four absolutely refused the idea of leaving his Hyrule without visiting home first which is what drove the group to stay the night in a neighboring town.
Of course, his motivations aren't due to any simple case of homesickness. The other boys may take delight in teasing him over it, however the Smith takes no shame in admitting he's mostly just excited to see you, his beloved. After months of being on the road, he's found himself within mere miles of you and tomorrow, he'll actually be within your arms again! He'll even be able to finally show you off to his companions and prove that you are, in fact, very real.
The thought has put Four in quite the jolly mood even as he lays in bed, too excited to fall asleep just yet. Elsewhere in the room, Hyrule runs an inventory of his supplies while Legend works to repair a particularly nasty tear in his tunic, both equally silent in their individual tasks.
Such a tranquil quiet leaves the air clear to other sounds, like the echo of hushed voices and shuttered steps through the hall - nothing the boys think too much of until a certain set of shadows begin dancing in the light underneath their door.
The shadows don't move on, indicating that someone isn't just innocently passing by, but hovering directly outside the room itself. Now, if it were someone from their group, they would've surely knocked, and Four had already noted earlier that he rather strangely hadn't seen anyone in town that he recognized, so who could it be?
Grabbing their swords out of caution, Legend and Hyrule quietly step to either side of the door, the trio sharing a look before the Vet swings it open suddenly. Once he does, two girls fall straight onto the floor with a thud. They groan while a third remains standing behind them, shaking her head with her palm smacked against her face in a mix of embarrassment and disappointment.
The two on the ground glance up warily at first, but for one, any awkwardness she might've felt quickly disappears. She pushes herself off the ground and her sister with an elated gasp, her attention focused solely upon Four, "AHA! I told you! I told you! It is him!"
"Get off of me!" The girl under her shouts with a shove, however it promptly turns into a wrestling match between the two who begin arguing without any regard to the three heroes who share a round of unamused glances amongst themselves.
"Do I...know you guys?" Four finally asks, carefully eyeing the trio. Triplets, obviously, seeing as only their clothing and styles differ, but he doesn't recognize them...at least that's what he wants to say initially.
Actually, the more he squints, the more he does get the feeling that they look a bit familiar. Seeing as this is his Hyrule, it wouldn't be too unbelievable to say they could've crossed paths at some point or another...but he can't quite guess when or where that would've been.
"Of course you know us, we're -!"
"- Big fans," The third girl finally speaks, calmly stepping over her sisters and extending a hand towards Four who she's slightly taller than, "We're big fans, Sir. My name's Mari and these are my sisters, Amber and Camelia...You see, they thought they saw you at the market earlier today and wanted to see if they couldn't get a closer look -"
"- Hey, you wanted to see if it was him, too!"
She sends the other girl a warning glare, "- We're so sorry for...Well, this...I'm sure you've come to this inn to get some rest, not deal with strangers - which we clearly are."
Her sisters bow their heads in disappointment, one with a huff and the other a pout.
"It's fine," Four answers, although to be honest, he's less focused on her apology and more caught up with trying to figure out why these girls look so dang familiar. None of their names ring a bell. Perhaps they truly are just strangers? He has been on the road for quite some time, and it is getting late...Still, for some reason, that answer doesn't sit right with him. Why do they kind of look like...?
"Yeah, tracking some guy down to his room isn't creepy at all -"
"- Pardon my asking -" The triplets' apparent leader starts again, ignoring Legend's rude comment. Her focus seems just as trained on Four as his is on her, "- But, um, what exactly are you doing here?"
He blinks away from his wandering thoughts which he's likely overthinking anyway, "My companions and I needed a place to stay for the night. This is the only -"
"- She means in this time," The other sisters have finally risen from the ground, Amber dusting herself off with narrowed eyes, "In case you haven't noticed, this isn't exactly your own. You're waaay too young."
"Shh!" Mari hisses.
"Don't shush me! He would've figured it out sooner or later!"
"So this isn't my time?" ...Of course, Four should've probably put that together on his own. No wonder he didn't recognize anyone in town, not to mention the buildings and shops haven't matched up exactly to memory.
He simply excused it as the town having gone through some renovations within the time he's been away, too distracted by the thought of getting home to truly dwell on the flaws of that logic...although now it seems he'll have to wait even longer for your reunion...
"Um, no. I'm afraid it's not."
"And how do you know that exactly?"
"We've, um..."
"You don't see it?"
"Camelia -"
"- See what?"
"- The family resemblance!"
"Camelia!"
"Whaaat? Can he not know?" She pouts innocently while looking to her sisters.
"No, you idiot! Not unless you want to mess up the timeline!"
"...Mom's going to kill us..." Mari facepalms with a heavy sigh, causing Amber to snap her head in her direction.
"It was Camelia who blabbed first!"
"Fine. Mom's going to kill her then us for not stopping her."
"'Family resemblance'? Are you trying to tell me...We're related?" Four's first reaction is shock while looking between the three girls. He knew they looked oddly familiar, but it had seemed crazy to think at first! They look just enough like him to cause notice, but they also look like - you!
Even as the triplets continue to argue amongst themselves in a way that has the other boys rolling their eyes in annoyance, Four's next reaction is surprising joy. Yes, it's strange to realize he's currently standing in front of his future children (and there's really no denying it's true given the clear presences of his genes), however there's also an excitement to be felt at what this implies.
These girls don't just look like him, they look like you, too! He can see little parts of you both mixed into their appearances and demeanors, which means - the two of you - You must actually make it! Despite all the challenges the Goddesses love to throw at their heroes, you're going to continue loving him, enough so to one day have children together! ...While he's upset to think it might still be some time before he can return home to you, this thought gives him a warming comfort deep inside his heart worth that temporary heartbreak.
What I feel like each Link would do when it’s time to go to bed with you! (Slight mention of kinks but nothing too big)
Sky
- oh our favourite sleepy cuddle bug ugh, we love a physically clingy man that can manhandle you to bed.
- not without consent of course hehe.
- he’s definitely clingy in bed too, but unconsciously chokes you by 3 am when he’s having a couple dreams (let’s be real, all Links have nightmares…)
- Whether he’s being spooned or is spooning, he’s a happy man.
- could literally fall asleep with only you being his blanket and him being your heater.
(Side note, did you know that women generally feel colder because their inner heat is like 5x more than men? It’s also less spread out so women’s hands and feet just get randomly SUPER COLD compared to men who have a cooler inner body temperature who don’t experience that! All Links take advantage of this to make you feel warm even if they don’t know the reason behind it.)
- being in skyloft makes you 10x colder too, so sky is probably holding hands and holding feet 24/7 in your sleep.
- he’s a light snorer, but fully alert, always ready to protect with a bit of a sleepy stance.
- he probably sleeps with a shirt and some pants, used to having a bit of clothes due to cold weather in skyloft.
- sky does this thing where he shoves his hands up your back just to feel more skin contact. He’s definitely a skin-to-skin type of cuddler—he’d solely take off his shirt for it.
Time
- Our Daddy issues man, or at least for me he is. Ugh the comfort he gives when he gives you a simple hug, IMAGINE sleeping with this man and his shirtless glory hugging you into his toned chest…
- okay got a little carried away but honestly who doesn’t love that. He’s definitely the spooner in the relationship but can be spooned depending on his mood (cough cough, nightmares)
- definitely stays awake at night sometimes not believing that his life is real or that you are real.
- his funny habit is that he DEFINITELY snores LOUDLY when he’s in a comfortable space with safe people and safe everything
- that’s when you KNOW he’s happiest than ever.
- probably sleeps with one eye open otherwise (not that he has a second to use. No I don’t regret that.)
- if you both can’t sleep, you guys will probably chat each other’s ears off till you do or sit in comfortable silence.
- he loves having you beside him, having that one comfortable warm spot always being there with him through very terrifying nights
- you’re both working through his nightmares, and maybe one day you might not have to worry about that at all.
Warriors
- now I’m gonna be fully honest, average man who likes flirting with women definitely had NO IDEA how to sleep the first time y’all went to bed together.
- the awkward straight board of shock realising that you guys are sleeping next to each other. (Not sex get your mind out of the gutter)
- however, you wake up the next morning and your trapped within his arms, unable to get out, and he’d place a couple kissed on your jaw to mess with you.
- definitely also kinda sleeps with one eye open, not much of a snorer…Or so he says but you know he’s a loud one when he’s DEEP in sleep.
- he loves playing with your hair when you can’t sleep.
- curly, straight, wavy, long, medium, short, he’ll find a way to style it in your sleep, you’d wake up with an amazing hairdo (that’s probably disastrous).
- he likes circling patterns on your arms too, like trace it and memorise the FEELING of your skin. He thinks it’s super soft compared to his hand and body that’s littered with scars from his battles.
- sleeps shirtless, keeps a knife under the pillow.
- no one will take this happiness from him.
Twilight
- biggest cuddle bug! Second to sky of course, but a big cuddle bug nonetheless.
- he LOVES spooning you to smell your shampoo, he falls asleep to it and your regular scent.
- I swear to god this guy just has a scent kink but he genuinely finds comfort in it. Hell he even loves shoving his face in your neck when you’re sleeping to take a whiff and fall asleep in an instant.
- bro knows how to fall asleep like in the military, tight routine and schedule and all, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t wake up from nightmares too.
- I wanna say his nightmares are the WORST just simply because his world is so horrific. (The amount of jumpscares I had while playing TP is insane)
- insufferable in summer, this motherfucker is a walking furnace and sadly y’all can’t survive the heat at night, so you decide to link pinkies (hahahaha pun) or tangle legs or something and everything else is treated like it’s gonna give you covid.
- sleeps shirtless, heavenly ripped muscles that you wouldn’t miss the chance to trace before passing out.
-you both have your own weird kinky habits (I think I have it too.)
Hyrule
- poor bby oh my god, third cuddle bug in the list, I was gonna give that spot to Wild but Rulie my baby…
- he deserves all the love, definitely gets spooned often but would love to spoon every now and then too.
- also sleeps with one eye open, monsters constantly out for him isn’t safe for either of you.
- I kinda headcannon that he gets visions of monsters or like a feeling that they’re nearby, call that fairy intuition.
- however, when in a safe spot he’s clinging onto you and completely passed out, like nothing but you matters in his little world.
- likes to sleep with his clothes on to always be able to be on the move, otherwise he’d sleep with a random comfy oversized shirt of yours, yeah he’d steal.
- he’s still a Link, he has to be a menace SOMEHOW.
- on the nights he stays awake, he loves fully paying attention to you and whispering all sweet things about how amazing you are and how he’s such a lucky guy to have a pretty gal like you.
- would move your hair out of your face softly and memorise your every feature, worse, probably worship the land you slept on.
- and he’d 100% give you loads of kisses throughout the night. He feels that if he doesn’t appreciate you enough you might leave. Be sure to pay this bby back tenfold.
Four
- he’s so genuinely complicated I don’t even know where to start.
- he feels like the most normal in the group, with lack of a better word, despite having his personality split shit with the four sword.
- on regular nights, he sleeps close. He’s not a clingy sleeper but he won’t mind you and him mingling limbs together.
- doesn’t mind being spooned or spooning. If he feels like it though he’ll be super affectionate when you guys face each other, he’ll hold your face and place kisses on the corner of your eyes to get you to giggle before sleeping.
- he smiles softly when he hears you laugh, honestly he’s a happy man. God forbid you’d be a sleep talker and he’d be having full conversations in your sleep because he simply loves hearing your voice.
- he sleeps shirtless.
- he’s definitely warm, but Four himself is better for summer while he usually splits for winter when you find your hands and feet growing supper cold.
- you’ll find each colour sticking to one side to help you warm up. The clinginess order being Red, Green, Vio then Blue.
- Blue’s a shy tsundere don’t worry he’ll come around <33
- Vio doesn’t mind being affectionate since he logically knows that it’ll boost your happy system (dopamine but do they know what that is? Hmm) and warms you up.
- green just likes helping, being super close to you is a literal bonus that he takes with cheers in his heart
- red is clingy for the sake of being clingy, helping is the bonus—
- Four is a mix of snores, sometimes he’ll be loud, sometimes quiet and sometimes no snores at all.
- he’s definitely one of those that doesn’t get nightmares as often, but sometimes loses touch of reality and has to ground himself in the middle of the night by just focusing on you.
- he loves you lots <333
Wild
- you won’t be able to sleep with this guy.
- unless you tie his hands and legs and body up to the bed, you won’t be able to sleep with him, he MOVES…A LOT.
- his dreams are the biggest reason for his active movement in his sleep.
- you guys decided a great solution was wrapping him like a burrito and you sleeping while hugging said burrito.
- all jokes aside, he doesn’t move every night but he still sprawls out like a star fish.
- your best bet is sleeping on him so that he’s grounded and is reminded not to move at night because you could get hurt.
- plus as a descendant of Twilight, has a bit of the urge to just smell your shampoo while you’re on top of him.
- another one that loves stealing your clothes, but he lets you steal his so he sees it as fair trade.
- hugs you super tight when he gets nightmares, he doesn’t know how to deal with them so you might have to wake up and shush him down to help him a bit.
- otherwise he might stay up the rest of the night unable to sleep, but hey, at least you’re sleeping peacefully.
- he might just pass out again while he’s sleeping with you like that.
- he does the same as hyrule where he whispers how much he loves you, but not to the same extent as him.
- he’d do a lot for you.
Legend
- hardest for last, tries to be less clingy but can’t help it and gives his act up really early on.
- he loves being spooned, he’s always suffered being a protector and having all these jobs and people to protect, he just thinks it feels nice to not have that pressure on him in his own comfort home.
- he definitely waits for you to sleep first so that he can take his time admiring you or tracing patterns all over the skin if your side, arms or cheeks.
- it’s a little silly but he always wishes for you to have good dreams, he has slight eyebags from his bad ones but you being there and staying there helps with it.
- he sleeps with a shirt on and surprisingly doesn’t snore at all.
- he loves having your legs on him and your arms around him like a little koala. He thinks it’s cute and he gets to just feel you way more so it’s a win win for him.
- I feel like he’d also be a whiner, he basically whines about affection when he’s feeling more comfortable with you but he’d be SUPER embarrassed if that got out.
-loves putting his face in your chest to listen to your heartbeat, he falls asleep to it constantly and promises it’s the best sleep he gets every time.
Wind (platonic also short, mb)
- I feel like Wind would also have nightmares and clings to you throughout the night.
- you’d be shushing him quietly when he sobs about a dream and you both would stay up chatting about stories that you know, experienced or heard of
- Wind definitely falls back to sleep with that, still clinging to you but with a smile on his face.
- he’s happy he’s got you to rely on when the night seems so cold and terrifying.
Little acts of affection the boys give you - blurbs
Sometimes, you just don't have the time for big or long acts of affection when you're traveling with the chain or working. That dosen’t mean the boys don't still show affection
This is written as romantic, so no Wind this time.
Four - linking pinkies
Four falls into step with you as your group pushes through the busy market street. His presence is always something that is welcome.
"Hey," he says as he hooks his pinkie with your own. "Is this okay?"
"This is perfect," you smile at him a little.
Hyrule - secret smiles
It's in the middle of packing up camp to get ready to leave for the day that you meet Hyrule's gaze. He stands across camp, helping Legend but his eyes meet yours anyway and he gives you a soft, warm, adoring smile.
His smile is the one he only uses for you. The gentle curve never fails to make your heart warm.
You aren't sure anyone else sees the smile, but it isn't meant for them anyway.
Legend - fixing clothes/ accessories
It's early when you leave the inn, a yawn still seems to linger somewhere deep in your bones. The sun is still rising to be fully in the sky as you and your group head out to talk to the locals.
"Wait," Legend says as he takes your hand in his so you don't go too far.
You turn to him, blinking a little at the furrow in his brows. "Ledge?"
He reaches out and fixes the cloak on your shoulders so it lays more comfortably and the clip is more secure. He gives a soft smile you aren't sure he knows he wears. "There. Better?"
"Yes."
Sky - tucking you in
Your slumber releases you just enough to feel someone pulling the blanket back up your lax form, tucking you in just so. The night breezes brushes against your face lightly.
"Hope you're having good dreams, sunshine," Sky's voice says in a quiet and fond tone.
You aren't awake enough to answer, but you can't help the vague fluttery feeling in your chest. This feeling only grows when a soft kiss is given to your forehead.
Time - leaving notes
You find the note in your bag as you dig throughout it for your tooth brush. It's a little note but you know who it's from before you read it.
'You looked like you had a lot of fun at the lake today, I hope you sleep well. If you need me at all feel free to come get me. I'm sorry we aren't sharing a rooms this time. If you'd meet me early for breakfast I'd love that bit if you need more sleep I understand. Sweet dreams - Link'
Of course 'Link' is your lover Time. He's so sweet to you. Even now, when he's watching over a hurt Sky, he takes steps to make sure you know he cares.
Twilight - forehead kisses
You sit on a log beside Wild as the champion cooks, warming yourself as you admire the fireflies in the distance. Dinner smells amazing, like it often does when Wild cooks.
Twilight comes over and drops a kiss to your forehead with a smile, standing to your right just a bit. "Hey, darlin'."
"Hey yourself," you grin up at him.
He laughs a little, that deep voice a delight like always.
Warriors - giving you a blanket
The cold creeps through your several layers against your wishes as you sit as close to the fire as you dare. Snow flutters outside the window of the inn room but you can't take being around many people now so in your room it is.
A blanket settles around your shoulders as Warriors sits beside you with his own blanket. He dosen’t speak, but he offers you a real and gentle smile.
You lean your head against his shoulder, "Thanks."
Wild - playing with your fingers
You lounge against a tree with Wild between your legs and leaning back against you. Your hand rests in both of his.
Wild plays with your fingers gently, careful of any sore knuckles or bruises that may cause distress. Any rings are frosting on the cake as he uses the time to slowly commit the lines and marks of your hand to memory.
I saw on tik tok one day a video about how “Every girl that has had a crush on Link, could always tell who Link really wanted” as it showed all the moments of characters realizing or being jealous that Link might have liked Zelda. I was wondering if you could do something similar like that but make it x reader. Where its the girls that ended up liking Link during his quest being able to see that he loves the reader or the moment when they realize that he likes the reader and not them. Like for example, Malon for Time. Midna for Twilight. Zelda for Sky. Idk if you do stories about the Chain about their adventures before LU, but I think it would be interesting. If you don’t want to do them all, I think just those three that I mentioned would be fine (or if thats still too much, just Twilight). Could be angst with them being accepting of it, could be made about angst but kinda humorous jealousy, could even be fluff if you look at it through the lens of the reader. Sorry if this doesn’t make sense!
Hello, anon! I’ll go with the three you mentioned(Time, Twilight, and Sky). I feel like it’d be hard to do all of the Chain for this request without having some being repeats because some of them pretty much only have Zelda as an option. I’m also going to add in Reader feeling guilty for ‘taking’ Link away from them. Apologies that they’re a bit similar to each other 🙇♀️
Anyways… enough of me rambling. Time to write your request, anon! Sorry for the slight delay!
Time
Malon had been crushing on Time ever since that day she had meet him as a child where she was waiting on her dad to be done delivering milk. She had noticed another young girl had been crushing on him too, that being Y/N. She didn’t really see how Y/N had appealed to Time at all. She only ever saw Y/N feeding the dogs in at the market! Despite that, she competed with Y/N; even though it was one sided on Malon’s part because Y/N seemed oblivious.
Malon had given him a chicken, taught him Epona’s song, given him a cow, flirted with him, and even offered to provide a roof of his head! All Y/N seemed to do for him was give him hugs. Malon did get herself to begrudgingly admit that gentle affection and merely hanging out is probably what drew Time to Y/N. Time did seem to be a loner who secretly craved company and affection. But Y/N wasn’t as oblivious as Malon had thought.
Overtime, it was starting to really get to Y/N. She slowly distanced herself away from Time. Not that it was all that hard with him not being able to visit often thanks to him being busy trying to rescue the Sages and Zelda. It was a bittersweet feeling to see how happy Time was when he had gotten to see Malon again and having gotten a cow from her. She wasn’t sure if he even noticed that she was distancing herself from him because he was occupied by his journey.
She knew he’d always come to visit for a few days whenever he got done saving a Sage. So she made sure to keep on top of gossip about him. So when she overheard he had rescued a Sage, she’d make sure not to be home, either being at work or being on a stroll outside. But he managed to catch her out and about after saving the Sage of Spirit.
He had proposed to her with a ring he had found. It was over the top and extravagant. Y/N knew it was for her because it had her favorite gemstone on it. She still accepted it gratefully, even though she felt unworthy of it. Time did notice that she didn’t seem to like it. So he made sure to get her a less extravagant ring to properly propose with once he defeated Ganondorf.
When he went back to being a child again, he made sure to do his utmost to prove to Y/N that she was good enough for him. He did notice she was upset anytime he brought up Malon. There was rocky times early on when trying to prove to Y/N that he preferred her. But eventually he managed to get her to stop putting herself down. He proposed to her with the less extravagant ring and they lived a happily ever after, even when the journey with the Chain came along.
He got all cheeky when Y/N pieced together that Twilight was one of their future children. If he hadn’t won Y/N over properly and helped her with her low self worth, Twilight wouldn’t exist.
The other two are below the cut!
Twilight
Along with Ilia, Y/N was also one of his childhood friends. She’d been captured that dreadful day when King Bulblin had ordered his henchmen to knock him unconscious and kidnap the village children. That had been the last time he saw Y/N for a while. He had been dragged into the twilight, both by a Shadow Beast and Midna. By the request of the Light Spirits and Midna, he worked on saving Hyrule from the twilight and getting the three pieces of the Fused Shadow.
It wasn’t until he got into the twilight covered Eldin Province that he finally found Y/N and most of the other village children. He found them in Kakariko Village’s sanctuary, all huddled up together to hide from the Shadow Beasts. Where was Ilia? He saw Y/N trying to comfort the children before joining them in crying. It was a sad sight, he wanted to comfort them all so badly, but he was reminded he was invisible to humans will in the twilight. Colin inspired a bit of hope by saying that Link would come to save them.
He noticed the fragile hope and surprise coming over everyone, especially with Y/N. He didn’t get to enjoy seeing Y/N being a little happy for long when Midna made one of her usual snarky remarks. With a huff, he lit the torches to get into the cellar where there was a few of those shadow insects he had to kill to get the Tears of Light. Once the twilight lifted and after Eldin told him that the next Fused Shadow piece was with the Goron Tribe, Y/N and the children came out of the sanctuary. They all hurried over, with Y/N stopping briefly to help Colin back up after he tripped.
Y/N then wrapped Twilight up in a tight hug. She fussed over him and asked him about what happened to him. She had noticed his change in attire and that he’d acquired weird black markings on his face. She said that both suited him, which made him blush and become bashful. This made Midna realize that Twilight had preferred Y/N over Ilia. She was glad that she hadn’t taunted him with transforming into Y/N because he wouldn’t have been motivated to help if she did.
Overtime, Midna and Twilight’s bond improved, but Midna could tell he preferred Y/N. Midna was quite literally a princess and would’ve been queen if it weren’t for Zant usurping her throne. Though she may not be as powerful as she had been, she could easily provide whatever Twilight would need. Midna did realize childhood friendship was a huge factor for his preference, but it didn’t help her jealousy though.
After Midna had left to never be seen again, Y/N could definitely tell that Twilight was heartbroken. Y/N started to wonder if he preferred Midna over her. With how hard he tried to find ways to reunite with Midna and how often he’d cry about it to her. It made Y/N start to think that he didn’t like her anymore. She couldn’t get herself to avoid him entirely, mainly because he had a knack for finding her.
So she’d get quiet whenever he brought Midna up, only comforting him with the occasional gentle touch. He did realize how he’d been coming across when she hadn’t been as affectionate as usual. She had actually burst into tears at one point. That made him get over Midna right then. So he did everything and anything to prove that she was his one and only.
He eventually got her convinced that he did want her. And with a weird twist of fate, Y/N got dragged along with Twilight for his journey with the Chain. The others were a bit envious that only Y/N got to treat him like he was a mere puppy while in wolf form.
Sky
Y/N was a mutual childhood friend and knight in training of Sky and Zelda. For the longest time, she had felt like she was the third wheel of the friendship. Especially with how close Sky and Zelda were getting within the past few years. Sky seemed to put Zelda first, and Y/N second. She felt as if the only people who truly liked her were drifting away to focus on each other.
When she had heard that Zelda had gotten captured and saw Sky’s sudden drive… She wondered if Sky would be that driven to save her if she’d been the one was captured instead. Though she’d been getting bitter over how close them two had gotten, she worried for the safety of both. Was Zelda okay? Was Sky having any luck finding her and doing so quickly?
Periodically, Sky would come back to Skyloft during his journey. He’d come to stock up on supplies, upgrade his equipment, and check in on the residents. He seemed exhausted every time he came back, but he’d really perk up when he’d finally find where Y/N was. He’d run over and practically smoother her in a tight hug each time. He’d hum to himself and bask in her presence. It surprised Y/N a bit every time, he never did this with Zelda. Sure, she wasn’t bossy like Zelda would be sometimes, but what made Sky prefer her over Zelda?
Little did Y/N know, Zelda had very similar thoughts. Though Sky clearly loved her, she could tell he liked Y/N more. She tried her hardest to make Sky like her without being bossy about it, but she was still jealous. While she tried to keep herself safe with Impa, she couldn’t help but to wonder if part of the reason that makes Sky take a while to briefly meet with her was because he spent too much time visiting Y/N. What’ll happen when this is over?
When Sky had told Y/N that Zelda was the mortal reincarnation of Hylia, she felt like she just got tossed aside. How could she compete with someone who was just about a goddess? Y/N took it upon herself to hole up in her room at the Knights’ Academy to focus on her studies. Why even bother trying to intrude into their relationship now. They had made it clear over the past few years that she wasn’t needed by them anymore.
She didn’t even bother to come out when she’d heard that they were both back from the Surface. She didn’t feel up to celebrating their return with the festivities or helping with building a community on the Surface. They could do it without her… To her surprise, she didn’t expect that Sky had come to find her by himself and he was just about pounding on her door.
She reluctantly opened her door and immediately got pounced by Sky. They both tumbled to the floor with a thump. Y/N could feel that Sky was actually stressed out and she could tell that he had come to her so he could relax. She felt him relax and then he fell asleep on her! She realized that she was being stupid this entire time, Sky definitely did want her over Zelda.
Together, they become the cringiest lovey dovey couple with Zelda cheering on their antics. This continued even when Sky was dragged into the journey with the Chain. With how much he’d gush about someone, they thought it was his Zelda because they knew him and her were really close. To their shock when they visited Skyloft, he ran faster than they’d ever seen him run. He zoomed past Zelda with barely a hello and tackled Y/N.
He peppered her with kisses and cooed about how much he missed her. It made some of the Chain want to puke. How crazy young love can be, especially with childhood lovers.
The End!
I hope you liked it, anon! My askbox is always open for Linked Universe x Reader requests! People can feel free to request LU drawings too!
since requests are open! Can I have something involving the chain less wind, like some simps for the reader? Because when you write about how in love they are it seems so cute to me! I need these guys less wind to be total simps for me it is a real need-
YEYSEYSYEYSYEYSYESYEYSYEYSYEYS—
I’m so excited for this request. Okay. Okay okay.
Time:
time will not let you do anything you don’t have to do. No work for you.
Of course if it’s something you want to do he’ll let you, but what I’m getting at is that this is a chivalrous man.
Chivalry is alive and well with the hero of time, he worships the ground you walk on and makes sure you know that.
Twi:
chivalry part 2 but in a different way.
He’s always making sure you have everything you need.
Raining? Take his cloak, it’s fine!
Still hungry and there’s no food left? Have his, he’s full.
;not that the others don’t do this, I just feel like this is especially so concerning twilight).
Wars:
the moment you beat him in a duel, it’s all over for the captain.
Cue It Will Come Back by Hozier.
He’d be down so deviously for you it’s not even funny. From then on he’s doing things just to impress you.
Trying to defeat the most foes, trying to lift the most supplies
Hylia help him…(and help us all)
Four:
I feel like the smith would make you things
Little welded flowers
He’d even dabble in jewelry, if that’s your thing.
If not, he’d learn to make little trinkets.
Sky:
In the same vein as the smith, Sky would whittle you little trinkets.
He’d nap with you in the sun and watch as the rays coat your skin in gold, highlighting your features, the leaves of the trees casting shadows
I feel like he’s the type of guy to kiss your hand. It just feels like a very Sky thing to do.
Wild:
Get ready for so much food yall.
This boy loves to cook for you. That’s his love language. Cooking and finding little things you might like
He brings you flowers, too.
I feel like he’d sing to you too. Love songs, songs stuck in his head
He’d try to learn your favorites just so he can surprise you when he starts humming or quietly singing it
He likes the surprised look on your face. It’s the cutest thing to him.
Legend:
The vet is very cautious and guarded when it comes to love, but once he falls, oh boy… he is in love. You’re his everything. The air he breathes. He’d spend every waking moment with you if you’d let him, and stay by you well into the night.
He gifts you jewelry with protection spells embedded within them. If something happened to you, he’d be beside himself. Blame it all on himself. He couldn’t bear it.
For little dates, he likes to take you to a lake or beachside. You find little stones that match each other’s eye colors and gift them to each other—or if you’re on the beach you find shells you think the other would like.
Hyrule:
Also wants to impress you, but it’s because he feels like he has to
You mean so much to him he just wants to make sure he’s worthy of that affection
Tell him he is and he doesn’t have to do anything to be. Please. He needs to hear it.
He’d also pick flowers for you. Only he knows exactly what they mean. He’s fluent in the secret language of flowers.
White lilies for his pure love, red tulips for the declaration of love, bluebells for the consistency of his love, and yellow roses for his contentment
Reminder that he is a fae. He can be feral for you, as a treat
Warning(s): Minors proceed with caution and avoid chapters marked with an *
Notes: The LU mermaid fic y'all have been waiting for
Main Masterlist | Fic Masterlist | Next Chapter
It was precisely noon on a sunny Tuesday morning when your life would irrevocably and inescapably change.
You resisted the urge to grimace as your boss of two years, seven months, and three days loudly cleared her throat; hot-pink nails threatening to permanently damage the 129-year-old ebony timber of the desk they were currently sinking into, while your own, unpainted nubs pressed against the rapidly moistening flesh of your clenched palms. Working under the renowned Ava Farcan, a marine biologist with enough years of experience to rival your life, was neither for the strong nor faint of heart, which made it a damn miracle that you had yet to leave without your hopes and limbs mildly intact.
"I have a task for you," said the keeper of your soul and college debts with a sharpness thin enough to rival a fresh blade, and, miraculously, the terror in your heart lessened and was promptly replaced by only mild trepidation.
"Yes?" you asked, knowing full well that it was no one's business if you had the sudden urge to leap to your feet and start cheering.
Ms. Farcan's expression was one of someone who could not only read minds, but simultaneously judge them without saying a word. "Due to the Pacific Conference in two days' time, I will be unable to oversee our new… arrival," she paused, as if to let the importance of the situation truly seep into each syllable, and you nearly leaned forward in your chair when a crimson lip quirked up. "Can I trust you?"
"Always," was the only word your tongue managed to produce.
Hylia's Grace Aquarium and Mercreature Rescue was, like its many-syllable name, a towering building of concrete and recycled sea glass. Shimmering rainbow prisms lay smattered against the concrete, reflected from the glass-green crown encircling the upper rim of the aquarium, only disturbed by the sweeping darkness of your shadow as you made your way to the infinitely-discrete-er staff entrance, swiping the thin plastic keycard on the sensor before sweeping inside.
The door gave way to a long, dimly-lit hallway, the scent of seawater and antiseptic searing against your already dulled senses, and it was a lesson in patience not to cringe at the distinctly wet noises your company-brand crocs made with each step.
A row of heavy metal doors protruded on either side of the hallway, veritably indistinguishable to the untrained eye.
But you knew. You knew well.
The staff locker rooms were similarly unsuited for company. Thick, stringy mold glistened in the blue-grey corners, directly along the row of lockers housing wetsuits and other job paraphernalia. You made your way to the rightmost locker with an almost resigned sigh, using every ounce of focus in your frazzled mind to trick the rusty combination lock that had plagued you since day one to open.
Fortunately, luck was on your side today, because nary a second had passed and the damn thing was popping open like it was brand new, revealing company treasures within: a fraying wetsuit that had seen many better days, complete with a crimson milk crate housing your borrowed scuba gear and folded lab coat on the top shelf.
You changed quickly, shucking off your jeans and t-shirt with practiced speed; there was little room for fashion as far as your navy scrubs and branded coat were concerned, though you were guilty of submitting to creative expression through the grinning shark badge clip hanging inconspicuously from the scrub top's collar.
The main hallway was no less empty than when you first walked it's slippery floors, glistening tile that no amount of chlorine-bleach concoction could scrub completely clean, but
Your crocs squeaked in protest when you rounded the corner, flitting into one of Hylia's Grace' many gargantuan rooms. Large, aquarium grade tanks lined each of the four walls, filled to the bursting with water more purified than what much the City's general population drank. They were empty, no less lonely that the PhD student interns crawling through the halls.
For now.
Nary a week had passed since you'd been staring into the tiger shark mer's big yellow eyes through the thick glass, pressed your hand against the shining pane. The creature, lovingly named 'Buck' by staff much older and wiser than you, was a violent, wonderful being to help. He was your first patient, from the first feeding to the day you watched his powerful body cut through the choppy waters of Castle Town's sparkling bay, scarred dorsal fin cutting proudly through the frothing waves.
Sometimes, when you were alone, you would find yourself yearning to touch the glass once more, if only to relive those precious seconds where human and sea creature connected on an personal, irrefutable level.
The study and, by definition, rehabilitation of mercreatures was never your first choice of a job, but it was by far the most rewarding. You'd started college, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, on the path of medicine and emerged a burgeoning PhD student, working for the Marilyn Monroe of the marine biologist community for just enough to settle your debts in ten to thirty years and perhaps make a halfway decent life for yourself.
You were ripped from your thoughts when a gaggle of grad students burst into the room, new-hire packets and cold coffee clutched to each of their chests. The stench of fear and too-salty-seawater sickened you.
"And here we observe our head researcher in their natural habitat," announced the bouncing form of Mrs. Kelly McRay, the woman responsible for hiring fresh blood and dragging you into the proverbial light for various media interviews when your boss pulled her privilege just enough to be proverbially exempt. "Say 'hi', everyone!"
A chorus of nervous 'hi''s echoed through the still room. You debated waving. You also debated sweeping your lab coat over your face and running off like some sleep-deprived version of Batman. In the end, you waved and even added a polite nod. "It's good to see you out of your cave, Kelly."
"Quite true!" came her patented british accent, followed by a smile so jaunty you nearly pulled out a penlight to check the state of her jaw. "C'mon kids, who's ready to see the lab?"
Another chorus of noise rose from the students as they were promptly shepherded from the room, taking with them their coffee and packets and obnoxious Hoka shoe squeaking.
You waited until there was silence, then some. Just to be sure. Just to know that you were truly alone. Just to slip across the hallway to your office, an old room no larger than a generous broom closet. Peeling beige wallpaper framed the space, only obscured by a smattering of grainy photos: treking the mountains of Hebra, sailing Lake Hylia, and climbing an ancient tower in Faron. An oak desk sat in the corner of the room, nearly indistinguishable from the mountains of papers stacked atop it, and a similarly cluttered chair occupied the opposite corner, fabric light and scratchy from dust and disuse.
It was embarrassing. It was perfect. It was all yours.
With a sigh worthy of someone twice your age, you plopped on the only available seat---a rickety rolling chair that had definitely seen better days and less butts---in the room and slid behind your desk, beginning to sift through the seemingly-endless stack of dissertations, research materials, and… was that a Hybucks company party receipt from a year ago??
After several painstaking minutes of tossing your precious parchment hurling into the recycling bin, you managed to crack your ancient laptop open to see what horrors had spawned in your Hymail inbox.
Ping!
You audibly groaned as your fears morphed into reality, then immediately slapped a hand over your mouth in an attempt to avoid being written up for 'fornication' like Bobby and Janet from marketing. You didn't need that kind of shit on your permanent record.
The H-mail was exactly as you expected: cold, short, with that perfectly-squiggly signature spelling 'Ava Farcan' in long, looped lines. A transfer receipt from Lurelin Mercreature Rescue lurked at the bottom of the message.
You clicked it. You prepared yourself for images.
Transfer 10678B4; adult male Shortfin Mako Mer
Reason for transfer: Severe motorized speedboat injuries - 3rd degree scarring spanning leftmost 3rd rib/trunk to precaudal pit, deep lacerations on first and second dorsal fin, light bruising to caudal keel, ambulation and feeding assistance required
Shipping date: 06/21/20XX
Estimated Arrival: 06/23/20XX
That was… a lot of injuries.
You kept scrolling, and… Hylia, now you were really wondering how the poor creature was still alive. The first image depicted a set of long, dark lacerations marring the pale flesh of a shortfin mako mer, cutting through skin and sinew alike. The second revealed exactly what a speedboat boat propellor could do to anything not made of welded steel, and you used the supplementary images of bandaged wounds in a last-ditch attempt to collect your scattering thoughts.
You checked the date with an almost mechanical glance.
Tomorrow. He would be arriving tomorrow.
You closed your laptop.
You left to gather medical supplies.
A BIG thank you to @skippingstonez for inspiring this insanity <33
