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).
Um, hi hello, im just gonna... leave this here.. take care of him for me thx <3
an extra gift for @captaincreative from the LU gift exchange this year 🫶 (pls lmk if this is you on here)
Hopefully these are higher quality than what ended up in the discord </3
This is what happens when you draw Fierce while listening to Lana Del Rey apparantly..
The inpsiration to just make him truly look like a divine man took me over for literal hours 💀 bitch would NOT let me go
(ngl it still might take over again today 😃 having Lana songs stuck in my head is not helping)
I did redraw 2 BOTW screenshots, (*not traced or just colored over, i just put it beside my drawing and stole the palettes)
but the hooded Fierce is actually based on a statue of two lovers, specifically the man looking down at his lover while holding them, and the knight Fierce is inspired by a lady knight photo i saw on pinterest <3
and with that im leaving before i get called a simp on main-
a/n: I MADE IT! I did so much research about medieval times for this fic I feel like a scholar.
wc: 4.6k
Master List
It happened in a split second. One moment you’re crossing the road, the green walk signal lulling you into a false sense of peace, then you’re tripping on a crack in the road causing you to drop one of your bags. You quickly scramble to pick it up, only for a loud horn to blare, a screech, and something hitting you full force, knocking you unconscious.
You woke up in a daze. Your mind felt completely blank at first, eyes squinting as you woke up to scratchy sheets and pillow that did not support your head that well. Then it seemed to all come to you at once. You were on your way home from a small grocery run, then something hit you. Adrenaline filled you as you tossed the blanket to the side, inspecting your body for any damages. Odd, not a single blemish on your skin besides some calluses that lined your palms. Strange becomes stranger. It was then that you looked around the room, expecting to find yourself at the hospital, but instead you felt your stomach drop. It looked like you were in some medieval historical museum.
What the actual fuck was going on.
You stood up, legs shaky. The room was small, it held a bed, a wardrobe, and a small fireplace. You felt all out of sorts, looking down at the long white nightgown that you donned. You weren’t sure what you would find when you descended the stairs that led out of the room, so you decided to check the wardrobe for a change. Perhaps that will help you feel a bit more stable doing a routine you were familiar with. Wrong. The wardrobe was filled with…tunics? There were a variety of colors, some with long sleeves, others with no sleeves, some beige, others vibrant colors. You felt way too out of your depth at the moment. Taking a deep breath, you tried to calm yourself, your mind was in overdrive and you needed to take things one step at a time.
With shaky hands, you grab a long sleeved beige tunic. It seemed like that was the first step, it looked like an undershirt. Placing it on the bed you went back to look over the more vibrant tunics, some with short baggy sleeves, others with no sleeves at all. It would make sense the tunic that is more flashy would go on top. Picking out a color you liked, you placed it next to the first tunic. Next you went to search for pants, most were brown or beige, picking the one that matched your chosen tunics the most you finally were ready to change.
You wished you had a mirror to see how you looked, but you suppose they weren’t as common in this time period. What the hell were you saying? Time period? Had you really gone back in time? No, don’t think about it. You took in another deep breath. At least the clothes were really comfy. Why the hell had people stopped wearing these?
With a long sigh, you decided it was finally time to tackle the question of what was beyond this room. Slowly, you walked down the wooden steps, peeking down and seeing that it was what seemed to be a living room/kitchen. An old stove was against the wall, the brick opened at the bottom that held a small fire that was slowly dying. So that’s how they cooked foods back in the day…in this day…? Whatever. A small wooden table rested on the opposite side with two chairs, a small bookshelf rested next to it. It seemed kinda cozy if you were being honest. Another set of stairs led down into another unknown area. Your stomach grumbled, echoing in the silent room. With all your panicking and shock you hadn’t realized how hungry you were.
It seemed that whoever you had become…were you still you? In a sense…yes and no. You don’t want to think too hard about it. Whatever. It seemed no matter what you were a bit lazy in any time period, as a kettle was on the stove with some boiling stew. Picking up a piece of wood from the pile that sat in the corner, you added it under the stove, causing the fire to rise once more. Ladle in hand, you stirred to see all that was in the soup. Bones, meat, carrots, peas, and corn. Grabbing a bread bowl, you scooped yourself up a portion and took a seat at the small wooden table.
As you ate your meal, you reassessed your situation. You were hit, most likely by a suv, bus, truck, or other large vehicle. Then you woke up in some medieval seeming house with medieval clothing. Wasn’t this the plot to some trashy isekai novel? Weren’t you supposed to be the villainess or heroine or something? Why were you some seemingly random peasant? A harsh sigh escaped from your nose. Sure, you didn’t mind reading one of those stories, but to live one? Was this some cruel joke? You needed to know where and when you were, and also who the hell you were. What was your name? Was it the same? With a shake of your head you grabbed one of the books on the shelf that sat next to you. Perhaps a story will help you find some crucial information.
Taking a bite from the bread bowl, you opened the book, only for another wave of horror to wash over you. The text was completely different. You couldn’t read the alphabet-
You clutched your head as a sudden intense, blinding white hot pain overcame you. Your eyes were squeezed shut as a ton of information washed over you. No, not information. Memories. This body’s memories. Memories of when you were a child and your parents walked you through the market, memories of being a teenager and already working in the bakery that sat below you. Memories of your parents dying when you were only eighteen, memories of navigating life in the city on your own, making friends, greeting customers, baking goods. You let out a loud gasp as the pain finally dulled into a throbbing annoyance, white dots littering your sight when you finally opened your eyes once more.
It felt like you were two people in one body, two different sets of memories held in your brain. You need to hurry and start baking so you can open shop. Do you even know how to bake? Of course you do, you’ve done it all your life. You quickly finished the bread that made up your makeshift bowl, rushing down the stairs and looking in awe at the brickstone oven that took up the center of your quaint shop. You started working like it was muscle memory. Taking out the ingredients you needed to make dough, cookie batter, pie crust, and pastries. Then you would put the dough in the oven after the fire died down and you brushed the ashes out. Once the dough rose, the pies cooked, and the cookies settled, you took it all out, bringing them to a table that sat right outside your home, where you would stand all day till your stock sold out or the day was over.
Perhaps you weren’t in such a bad situation after all.
…
It didn’t take long for you to get used to your new/old life. You learned to accept that you had died, that things would never be the same. One part of you itched for a phone or longed for your tv, but another felt refreshed. You learned to live in the moment, and you felt like you were in a community. You’d greet your usual customers with a beaming smile, joke with the man you’d usually get your meat from, listen to the gossip that everyone and anyone would spread about.
Everything finally felt like it was falling into place.
Until you met him.
It seemed like any other day. Waking before the crack of dawn to start your chores, setting up shop and waiting for your first customer. New and old faces popped up alike, until one face was all too familiar. You had accepted this was just some random world separate from your own, your body’s memories not bringing up any history lesson you recalled. But he changed everything. Blonde hair that swept to the left, blue eyes that matched the scarf that wrapped around his shoulders, green tunic and hat that made you want to melt and run away at the same time.
YOU WERE IN A LEGEND OF ZELDA GAME?!
How the hell had you not realized for so long? You were flabbergasted, your merged memories causing you another headache. Oh gosh, this wasn’t even just any Legend of Zelda game. You recognized that scarf and pretty face anywhere. This was Hyrule Warriors. That explains the war, your body recalled. This was just about the worst Legend of Zelda game to be isekai’d into. You willed the Goddesses to take pity on you, but they seemed to be in a joking mood as Link walked straight to your stall. Great.
“I was wondering what smelled so good,” The hero smiled, eyes drifting across the various breads and desserts you were offering. “Heard that your stuff is the best in town.”
“It’s not,” You stated blankly. You were still fighting the urge to run, your fear coming out as indifference. With arms crossed, you squeezed your elbow tightly to get some of your anxious energy out.
Link blinked at your tone, his stance faltering slightly before he straightened up, “Don’t sell yourself short, I’m sure someone as sweet as you wouldn’t have any trouble cooking up something just as sweet.”
‘Wow that was bad,’ you thought. Okay, maybe you were exaggerating, it could’ve been worse…much worse, but you didn’t want him flirting with you in the first place.
“Did you want to buy something?” You asked, tilting your head and getting straight to the point.
“Uh, yeah,” Link fumbled, cheeks tinting a light pink. “Just a pumpkin tart, please.”
“That’ll be five rupees,” You told him, picking up the pumpkin tart. You took his blue rupee with ease, handing him the pastry. “Thank you, come again.”
Link was confused to say the least. Typically people would scramble to gain his business, swoon at his kind words, or even try to flirt themselves. You…you looked disinterested…scared even. Have you done something wrong? Why did you seem to avoid his gaze, shoot down his niceties without a second thought? You were strange, but he could take a hint, leaving your stall with a small nod of his head.
You let out a sigh of relief at that, eying the two girls that were giggling to each other before rushing towards you.
“He talked to you!” Ame squealed, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Her curly brown hair bouncing with her every movement.
“He bought your food!” Fisia exclaimed with a dreamy sigh, blue tunic swaying with her as she shifted side to side. “He’ll see how good of a baker you are and be quick to marry you!”
Your face contorted into a look of disgust, shaking your head vehemently, “Why would I accept? I don’t even know him.” A half lie. You were more worried about the drama that would ensue if Link knew of your origins.
“Because he’s the captain and a hero!” Fisia cried out like you had cursed all her kin.
“Not to mention he’s a total dream of a man,” Ame added. “You would be a fool to deny him.” You merely rolled your eyes at their claims. They had a point but you wouldn’t admit that.
“You act like one meeting has set our future in stone,” You grumbled with a shake of your head. “Are you going to buy something or continue blocking my potential customers?”
“You’re no fun,” Ame huffed.
“A man who has the potential of changing your entire life comes by and you throw it away,” Fisia glared. “If I were you I would’ve jumped at the opportunity.”
“You’re still young,” You waved off their complaints.
“I’m fourteen!” Sniped Fisia. “I’ve already crossed into my womanhood.” You cringed at the thought. Sometimes your blurred memories were a curse as you were forced to watch children married off to adults for social status improvements.
“Whatever you say,” You let out a resigned sigh.
…
Once again you found your days pass you by. It had been nearly a month since your run in with the fabled hero. You nearly forgot about it, more focused on the smaller aspects of your life. Cleaning clothes, buying groceries, cleaning your house. Life seemed to be a lot simpler here, something you tried not to take for granted. You owned your three story home, something you inherited from your parents. You had a profitable business, you quickly learned bread was life here. No plates, no bowls, bread was used for all that. One thing you will always yearn for is modern plumbing. It felt humiliating going in the nearby river or digging a hole, but everyone did it! Not even an outhouse! You felt like crying at the thought of being able to flush a toilet or wash your hands.
Point is, as used to this world as you were getting, it still seemed like something would flash back about your old life and remind you of advanced technologies you were missing out on. You shook your head, you needed to focus on the task at hand, picking up groceries for your bakery. Paying for the wheat, honey, and fruits, you hefted the heavy bag onto your shoulder, carrying the other goods in a basket. You made your way back through the crowds, weaving around running children and chattery adults. You nodded towards people you recognized, glaring at those who bumped into you. The sun shone down on you, causing sweat to bead at your hairline. All in a day's work.
“Hey, do you need some help?”
At first you thought you overheard someone’s conversation, it was midday and the market was lively, but then that stupidly handsome face popped into your peripheral and those damned crystal blue eyes were aimed right at you.
“I got it,” You replied easily, shifting the bag to sit a bit more comfortably. You almost thought you caught him pouting…
It doesn’t matter, you could see the door to your bakery just a few feet from you, he would just be hindering you more at this point. Besides, wasn’t he not only a knight, but a captain? Shouldn’t he be busy doing…whatever the hell a captain does? Why did you keep managing to catch him when he was free?
Then you ran into your next predicament. Opening your door. Sure, you could set your bundle of wheat down, open the door, then pick it back up, but that would strain your back terribly. You didn’t have long to come up with a plan as the hero picked up on your predicament.
“I knew I could help somehow,” He grinned smugly with a wink. Frustrated. That’s what you felt when your heart flipped at the gesture. Bad heart. Bad feelings. You were supposed to be avoiding this man not falling for him. You pursed your lips, squeezing the handle of your basket as you pass by Link.
“Thank you,” You acknowledged his gesture with a nod, missing his shocked expression.
“Any time,” He replied, smile softening just the slightest.
Your plight had only grown worse from there.
“He’s coming by more often,” Ame giggled, poking at your shoulder.
“Momma says that the hero’s taken a fancy to ya,” Fisia joined, pushing back a dark strand of hair that fell from her braid, sly grin painting her lips.
“Shouldn’t you girls be working?” You huffed, cheeks heating up at their implications. “Or are you trying to get a free sweet from me?”
“Is it working?” Ame asked, Fisia cackling and pushing against her shoulder.
“You two are going to be the death of me,” You shook your head with a sigh, something you found yourself doing more often than not these days.
“You know, my papa said food is a way to a man's heart,” Ame pondered after calming down from her laughter.
“Is that why you’ve been learnin’ more recipes?” You asked, trying to deflect from yourself ever so slightly.
“Mhm,” Ame nodded. “Gotta impress a noble to marry me and I’ll never have to work another day in my life!”
A small chuckle left you at that, “Good luck, it's a noble goal indeed.”
“That’s all the more reason why you should marry Sir Link!” Fisia groans.
They had been feeding too many ideas into your head. You watched with careful eyes as Link interacted with you, the way he leaned towards you, large smile and soft eyes. It was dangerous to roll the idea of dating Link, the legendary hero, around in your mind. It had become more and more tempting as of late. He had managed to make you laugh more than you’d like to admit and you had to give it to him, he was charming when he wanted to be. But you liked him even more when he was being a total dork, it felt a little more real, like he was finally opening up to you.
“Seems like I got lucky,” The familiar voice of the one who cursed your thoughts spoke up.
“One loaf of bread left,” You agreed. “Unless you were craving something sweet.”
“Hmmm,” He hummed while tapping his fingers on the table which currently held your last good before you could close up. An…almost sheepish smile tugged at his lips as his eyes looked everywhere but at you. “Perhaps I could get both?” You raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to clarify exactly what he meant.
The sun continued to fall, its golden rays lighting up his blonde hair in almost an angelic way. It was getting harder to deny your ever growing attraction towards the knight. The streets weren’t that crowded as people started to call it a day, some heading home, others towards the pubs. You yourself we're looking forward to grabbing a book and reading till it was time to call it a night.
“I’ll buy your last loaf…” Link started strongly, his confidence wavering a bit as he continued. “And take you out for a drink?”
…
Loud. That was the best way to describe your surroundings. A band was playing lively music as people cheered, sang music, and talked over the noise. The scent of alcohol permeated the space as nearly everyone had a pint of mead. A dish of King’s Chicken sat in front of you, the smells of meaty dishes making your stomach growl. You listened intently as Link told you a funny story from his training days, taking small bites to savor the more expensive end of food he had offered to pay for. As out of depth as you felt, you couldn’t help but feel a bit warm. No, not from the people dancing or the heat from the clay oven. It was a warmth that only the man in front of you could make you feel. Lips split in a smile, a laugh escaping every now and then as he gestured erratically to get his point across.
You took small sips of your mead, watching Link down his third glass. He seemed a bit nervous, it seemed like he was drinking to take the edge off. You weren’t sure why he kept seeming more and more nervous around you. Sure, you had been a bit standoffish the first few times you met, but you had gradually warmed up to him. How could you not?
You easily found yourself telling your own story, you had a lot, from bad customers to your own idiocy. You tried to ignore the shy smile that tugged on your lips at the way he leaned towards you, like he was waiting on your every word with bated breath. Your heart fluttered at the sound of his laughter when you said something funny, or how he would scowl when you recalled an irritated customer. You found yourself leaning closer to him as well, excusing it by thinking it was just so you could hear him better.
This was dangerous. You could tell the alcohol was starting to get to him, dilated eyes never straying from you, cheeks turning a rosy pink, words becoming just the tiniest bit more slurred. It was getting late, you may not be opening up shop tomorrow but you still had household chores to do. You felt a bit fuzzy yourself, barely, but after one pint you had called it enough.
“I think I should call it a night,” You yawned, covering your mouth with the back of your hand.
“I’ll walk you home,” Link offered, stumbling to stand up.
“I think I should be walking you home,” You chuckled, standing up as well. The blonde vehemently shook his head, offering you his elbow. You took it and began to walk out of the pub.
“I wouldn’t be a proper knight if I let that happen,” Link explained.
“Alright,” You agreed easily with a cheeky smile.
Stars littered the night sky, many oil lamps snuffed out for the night. The cobblestone streets were dark as you two made your way towards your house. Quiet laughter and teasing remarks filled the air, the odd passer by glaring or piss drunk. As you got closer and closer to your door, you found yourself wishing to hang out with the knight again.
“Thank you, oh valiant hero, for walking me home,” You grinned.
“Anything for you,” He replied without missing a beat, his words a bit too sincere for your poor heart. You stared at each other, seconds feeling like hours, minutes feeling like days. It was like someone put a spell on you, your eyes tracing his features. His eyebrows were relaxed, a small beauty mark rested under his right eye, his pink lips looked oh so enticing. It seemed the same thought was running through his mind as his hand lifted to hold your cheek, calloused palms brushing against smooth skin.
“I think I’m in love with you,” Link whispered, the sounds of crickets and frogs the only background noise. You felt your mind short circuit as his face inched closer, the scent of mead invading your nostrils. “Can I?”
You knew you should say no. You both were intoxicated to an extent, you should wait till you were sober…but he was so close to you. His body heat made your mind turn even fuzzier than before, all rational thought slowly leaving as his lips brushed against your own. You gave in, pressing your lips together in a desperate, needy kiss. Link reciprocated with fervor, pushing you against the door of your house gently in contrast to how his teeth bite at your lower lip.
You suck in a deep breath when you pull away, heart beating erratically as his lips start to trail from your jaw to your neck. You blink rapidly, trying to come back to reality.
“W-wait,” Your breath hitches as he kisses a spot that makes your knees weak. He stops instantly, pulling away just enough to meet your eyes. Dear goddesses are you down bad for him. If you thought his eyes were dilated earlier they’re practically a black hole now. “You’re drunk.” You state, gently pushing against his chest to create some space, to try and regain your sanity.
“It doesn’t make my feelings any less real,” Link murmured, nose brushing against your own sweetly.
“Then tell me tomorrow when our heads are clearer,” You mumble back, caressing his cheek before opening the door and entering your house. “Get home safely.”
…
It had been days. Your stomach felt like it was twisting in knots. Have you done something wrong? Was he sent away on a mission? Was it the kiss? Was it only a drunk induced mistake? You wanted to puke at the thought. You tried to keep busy. Make your goods, buy groceries, wash your clothes, clean your house. Do anything but let the thought of your feelings not being reciprocated rot and fester.
“We made you somethin’!” Fisia grins as she and Ame run up to your stall. Your desolate expression melts, warming ever so slightly at the girls who you would call friends.
“And what might that be?” You ask with a small grin.
“A friendship bracelet!” Ame exclaims, holding out a bracelet made of linen string. You felt your heart melt at the gesture, taking the gift and holding it reverently.
“Thank you,” You thanked them genuinely. “This means a lot.”
“We all have matching ones now,” Fisia explains, the two of them showing off their matching bracelets. Ame helped you put it on, the two of them happily comparing their hard work. This was the closest you got to a true moment of respite.
Of course the goddesses couldn’t let you have the moment for too long. Ame let out a gasp, tugging at Fisia’s tunic and pointing towards your right. Turning your gaze to what could’ve possibly caught their attention you felt your stomach drop. There stood Link who was slowly walking towards you. He kept his head down, hands fiddling with his iconic scarf.
“You think you can just come back after breaking their heart!” Fisia snarled as she pointed towards the hero. Eyes fell onto the four of you, causing you to shrink at the negative attention. Your cheeks felt like they were on fire, was it that obvious you had fallen for him hook line and sinker? Link’s mouth gaped open before shutting tight, he worried his jaw. He looked absolutely racked with guilt.
“I came to apologize,” Link explained, but it felt like your world stopped. You couldn’t hear what he said next, your heart pounding in your ears. This was it. He was going to tell you it was all a mistake and that he didn’t mean any of it. Your breaths felt short, you wanted to run, you didn’t want to face the problem.
It wasn’t till he was standing in front of you, gently shaking your shoulders and calling your name that you snapped out of your panic. You watched him with wide eyes as he looked at you with concern mixed with regret.
“I’m sorry it took so long,” Link sighed, forehead resting against your own. “I…I was going to come the next day, but then there was an emergency that I had to attend to and I didn’t have any time to write you a letter…” He let out a frustrated sigh. “I love you. I love you so much it scares me. I, I’d be honored if you’d allow me to court you.”
“I was waiting for you to ask you idiot,” You huffed, biting back any more scathing remarks in favor of pulling the hero into another, this time sober, kiss. So absorbed in your own little world, full of relief of happiness that your feelings truly were reciprocated that you didn’t hear the squeals of Ame and Fisia, or the whispers of the other towns folk who watched on. Link didn’t seem to mind either, pulling you flush against him as he savored the taste of your lips on his own.
Perhaps you should thank whoever hit you, as you wouldn’t be in this situation without them.
Dink: [Name], looks like you've been left behind by your so-called friends, huh?
[Name]: Oh, no, I'm certain they're doing their best to find me.
Dink: Well, it must be so upsetting to know how weak and helpless they think you are.
[Name]: Not at all. I am weak and helpless and I appreciate their understanding.
Dink: Yes, well- surely it burns you up- I mean- that they're always pointing out your flaws, right?
[Name]: Not really. In fact, I think I'm awfully lucky to have friends who want me to be the best I can be.
Dink: *picks [Name] up and throws them into another portal* Oh for goodness sake! You've been kind for far too long, my dear! Time to be cruel! ARRIVEDERCI!
𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 — the five times twilight thought you knew he was wolfie, and the one time he confirmed it (kinda) (2.8k)
𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 — twilight x fem!reader
𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒 — fluff, humor, slight romance, you're a lil shit, wild's a lil shit
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑'𝐒 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 — meant to post last week. procrastinated yet again. guilty of editing after posting
“Something on your mind, pup?” Time asked him.
Twilight looked to be deep in thought as he stared into the fire. Fists clasped in front of his face, eyebrows furrowed, and eyes occasionally flickering to your form on the other side of camp. He stewed on his thoughts a bit more before quietly replying. “I’m sure she knows ‘bout Wolfie.”
“Oh?” Time raised an eyebrow and briefly looked at you. “And what makes you say that?”
“... she been teasin’ me,” he huffed, unclasping his hands and relaxing his stiff posture. “Dropin’ hints every now an' then, but never says nothin’ else ‘bout anythin’.”
Time let out a quiet chuckle. “Well if she knows and she’s just teasing you about it, then I doubt there's any need to worry.”
He huffed through his nose. “Yeah, but I still wanna know if she knows.”
His ancestor only continued to chuckle at his distress, so he let his mind wander to all the times where it seemed like you just had to know.
Six weeks ago
After finding themselves in Wild’s Hyrule, the group had decided to rest for a few days and take advantage of their close proximity to Goron City. The hot springs called to their aching muscles, and they weren't about to miss a chance to replenish their supplies as well. Not having much to stock up on himself, Twilight had decided to relax as Wolfie with the others.
They were currently lounging in the common area of the inn, but you were about to make your way to the springs, packing up the last of your essentials.
“Can I come too?” Wind asked with a bright smile. “I want to see the springs! I won’t splash, promise!”
“No thank you,” you replied instantly. “You can go with the others somewhere else.”
He immediately pouted. “Why not? I’m good company, you might get lonely.”
Warriors smacked him upside the head. “Trying to spy on the lady, are you?”
It took a second to get through, but Wind blushed furiously when he caught on. He stammered out a response.
“N-no! I, I didn’t mean to–I just–I'm sorry!” He threw himself on the ground, covering his face.
You snickered at him and bent down to pat his head, comforting the poor boy.
“There there, sailor. You are good company, but not for a bath in the ladies area,” you said with a big smile. “I’ll take Wolfie as my company.”
Wolfie’s ears shot up, his head following a second later.
What?
It was now Wild’s turn to snicker. “Wolfie's great company. He can even keep watch for any unwelcome guests.”
Wolfie glared at him.
“Exactly!” you agreed.
What?
“Come on Wolfie,” you said as you slung your bag across your shoulder.
He made no effort to move from his spot on the ground and you pouted at his lack of movement. Wild nudged his butt with his foot, making him let out a deep growl at the Champion.
“You usually like hanging out with me though,” you said. “Do you not want to this time?”
“He’s just a bit shy about hanging out with the ladies he thinks are pretty,” Wild said with a wicked grin. “Go keep her company Wolfie, she might need it.”
And with that, Wild gave him a kick to his furry behind. Wolfie yelped at the action and swivelled around to his attacker, growling menacingly and snapping his jaws at him. Wild remained unfazed, his grin not faltering in the slightest.
“That’s not very nice!” you exclaimed.
“If he doesn’t want to go, I’ll go!” Wind piped back up. “I’ll stay on the other side of the spring and not look. Pinky promise!”
Wolfie turned his growl on to the Sailor, and Warriors smacked him upside the head again. Slowly and begrudgingly, Wolfie walked to the inn entrance.
“Yay!” you beamed, and Wild’s snicker transformed into a full-on laugh.
You hurried to your companion, giving him a good scratch behind the ears the way you knew he liked it.
Wolfie did not like this one bit. If, and when, the others ever discovered his secret, he didn't know if he'd be able to endure the torture that would inevitably follow. Maybe he should have been honest from the start. It would have saved him a lot of trouble.
The spring you chose ended up being around a 20 minute walk from the inn, and he had to admit that the seclusion was nice. He sniffed around the area a bit to make sure that there were, in fact, no unwelcome guests before settling down.
You scratched his head once more and plopped your belongings at the edge of the water.
“No peeking, Wolfie,” you called to him.
He huffed loudly in response. As if he would ever (but it would be so easy to just turn. He could turn back before you even noticed. No, he was a gentleman. He would never. Would he?).
“Both Time and I will be very disappointed if you do.”
The tail he had been slowly flicking back and forth froze.
What?
Why did you mention the Old Man? There was no way. There was no way you knew. You wouldn’t reveal it this way, would you? No, you didn’t know. So why did you mention him? It’s just because he was their leader, right? No other reason. He needed to calm down. Calm down, Twilight. But everyone knew he looked up to the Old Man. His face of disappointment was the Ranchhand's well-known fear.
He was overthinking things. Definitely. That had to be it.
Four weeks ago
You nudged your shoulder against him gently. “Something troubling you?”
Yeah, you're troubling me.
“Nothin’ important,” he replied.
They had stopped for their midday break, and he had made a conscious effort to sit against a tree far away from Wild. His mentee had spent the day prodding him about any ‘potential feelings’ he might have for anyone. And after a very, very, undeniably, definitely, brief bout of stuttering, he had vehemently denied everything and anything, and now was left a little huffed and puffed. If there was anything going on, he certainly wasn’t going to talk about it now.
“... you sure?” you asked. “Wild seemed like he was enjoying your time a little too much.”
He inwardly prayed you hadn’t heard or picked up on anything.
“Yeah, ’m sure. Don’tcha worry your lil' head over it,” he said, playfully messing with your hair.
You whined in protest, shoving his hand away.
“Hey! Has he finally driven you crazy? Is that it?” You looked at him accusingly while holding the wrist of the offending hand above the two of you. “‘Cause only crazy people mess with my hair.”
“Maybe,” he said with a wolfish grin, his other hand shooting out to continue the assault.
You shrieked this time and found yourself resorting to full on tackling him to the ground to stop it. They all knew you could be quite ruthless when it came to brawling, and they knew you weren’t afraid to play dirty.
“You have gone crazy!” you accused. “Insane! Mad! Barking mad!”
Twilight wouldn’t have thought much of that statement if, one, it came from someone else, and two, you hadn’t said it with a glint in your eyes and a shit-eating grin on your face. He froze for a moment. A moment too long, and it was all you needed. You took the chance to bite his arm, hard.
“Ow!” he yelped, wrenching his arm from your grasp and shoving you off. “Me? Barking mad? You just bit me!”
“Proof?” you inquired with a smirk.
He wildly gestured to the bite mark on his arm.
“I don’t see anything.”
“Why you–”
Three weeks ago
Despite the creeping paranoia that you knew his secret, Twilight couldn’t stop himself from spending time with you in his wolf form. It was a guilty pleasure and the reason he found himself laying across your lap. It was a way to be close to you that he couldn’t do as a human.
You were sitting away from the others for a change, journaling under the shade of some trees not too far from the stable they had come across. With how he was positioned, you had set your journal on his back where you were writing. You treated him to the occasional pet for letting him be your table.
He kept his eyes closed, enjoying the feel of your hands tangled in his fur. Goddesses, he wished you knew his secret. Would you still allow him to be with you like this? Would you keep your distance? Or would you treat him as affectionately in his human form as his wolf one? Oh how he hoped for the latter, imagining your hands running through his human hair instead of his fur.
At some point he became mildly aware that you had set your journal aside and a hand had traveled closer to his head. It was tracing patterns on him that were quite soothing, and he almost found himself falling asleep.
Until he recognized the pattern.
You were tracing his forehead pattern.
Every ounce of relaxation he felt evaporated into thin air and his mind went blank. He never thought the others could really see the mark on him, because otherwise the connection between him and Wolfie would be way too obvious. And he’d like to believe his sword brothers weren’t that stupid. Wild had only mentioned it being slightly visible on his fur, only really there if you actively sought it out.
Goddesses above, those markings were obvious on his Hylian form. There was absolutely no way, no way you didn’t know. Should he turn to look at you? Were you looking at him right now? Of course you were, how else would you be tracing the pattern. If he turned, would that let you know that he knew that you knew? Maybe he should just continue laying still. Yes, just don’t turn and he can avoid the problem all together.
He turned. You were looking right at him.
But it wasn’t too bad. You seemed distant, as if looking at him absentmindedly. Not intense like he imagined, with teasing eyes boring into his own with a hidden taunt. And when you finally met his gaze, your eyes were gentle and soft as if you didn’t expect anything else from this moment.
And despite the nerves in his stomach, Twilight found that he was alright with this. In this moment, he was content with everything.
Four days ago
Tonight the rancher had chosen to stay in his wolf form during dinner. There had been some monsters nearby that had already been handled, and a thorough scout had ensured that the vicinity was in the clear. But it didn’t hurt to remain alert, hence his preference for the form with heightened senses.
But that didn’t make him any less hungry, and the smell of Wild’s cooking was tempting him to ditch his self-assigned job. For now he had to settle for sitting next to his travel buddies, watching them eat the delicious food, and waiting to eat the portion that Wild had saved for when he 'returned.' That was until you plopped down next to him.
“Here you go, Wolfie,” you said.
In your hands was a mushroom skewer that Wild had seasoned and roasted to perfection, per usual. It was one of the more simple meals they occasionally ate that he thoroughly enjoyed.
But wolves were carnivores, you should be giving him meat. So why in Ordona were you offering him, Wolfie, a mushroom? He didn’t like the answer in his head.
“I thought this would be good since you’re not the biggest fan of meat,” you said in a hushed tone.
How did you know he didn’t like meat?
Carefully, you removed one of the mushrooms from the skewer and held it in front of him. Twilight held your gaze for a good few seconds before gently taking it from your hand.
His thoughts had stopped. He was no longer thinking. And honestly, he didn’t feel like thinking anymore.
Twilight ate the mushroom.
“Good boy.” You smiled softly and scratched his ear as he munched.
Twilight didn’t want to look, but he was willing to bet at least 500 rupees that Wild had his eyes trained on him yet again, and that the snicker he was hearing was coming from him too. The rancher decided to ignore the question of whether or not Wild suspected you knew too.
You held another mushroom in front of him.
He ate the mushroom.
A few hours ago
You were an affectionate person, always showing it while respecting everyone’s boundaries. You kissed Wind’s forehead, ruffled Hyrule’s hair, and wrapped Four up in many hugs. Sometimes you even managed to give Legend a hug, but he always pretended to grumble about it like the ungrateful brat he was. Wolfie was no exception to your affections, but this was definitely a first for him.
Kisses. So many kisses. You were peppering his face with an absurd amount of kisses.
Thank all that was holy that they were currently situated away from the others, because he didn’t think he would ever recover from this. You had wrapped your arms around him in a way that made it difficult to get away, so he opted to move his head around in a playful manner hoping you wouldn’t would take the hint.
“Do you not want kisses?” you asked with a pout.
He responded by ducking his head underneath your arms, successfully wriggling out of your grasp. Twilight took a few steps back before shaking himself vigorously. When he looked at you again, you were still pouting at him.
Resist temptation, Twilight.
He barked at you and turned to where he could hear the others making camp.
“Fine,” you relented. “But one more kiss and then we can go?”
No.
He barked at you again, once again motioning his head in the same direction. Twilight is vaguely aware that it did nothing to answer your question.
But that didn't matter, because you managed to grab him one last time in what was definitely one of the tightest (yet still friendly) embraces he had ever felt. And with that, you plant the biggest kiss on his snout. Honestly, smooch was probably the better term for whatever that was.
“Mwah!” you said with a face splitting grin.
What the–
“Ok, let’s head back now.”
He didn't feel like thinking anymore. He just followed you back to camp as you leisurely walked, humming a tune he couldn't recognize. It was only when they were nearing the others that you spoke again.
“Let’s keep the kisses our little secret, yeah? The others might get jealous,” you said, shooting him a mischievous smile.
He hadn't decided to start thinking again, so he just huffed in response.
Present
This now brought Twilight back to the present, but more specifically to a few moments ago. Warriors and Legend were still looking at him with smirks from what had happened, and the Old Man had been no better about it given how he just confessed that you possibly knew his secret.
He didn’t know what you and the others had been discussing on the other side of camp, but all he knew was that next thing, you were standing right in front of him, bent to eye level with another no-good smile on your face once more.
“Whatcha doin’ darlin’?” he asked.
Your grin grew. “Teaching the others a lesson.”
“That don't sound good." He quirked an eyebrow. “An' why am I involved?”
“For this!”
His breath hitched and everything slowed to a standstill as you leaned in, planting another kiss smooch on the tip of his nose.
“That ought to make the others jealous,” you said almost proudly before whispering the next part. “But I guess it’s not a secret now. Sorry about that.”
You eyed him knowingly with that same stupid grin before walking back to the others, some of whose jaws were on the floor. He couldn’t judge though, because he was sure he was no better. Twilight leaned backwards on the log he was sitting on and eventually decided to just fall flat on his back as his hands came up to hide his face.
Youknewyouknewyouknewyouknewyouknew
“Well, that was something,” the Old Man said.
“Shut it.”
Youknewyouknewyouknewyouknewyou–
You just kissed him in front of everyone. Everyone.
I’ve seen a couple times of an au where you’re the guide for the Chain, but they don’t remember you at first until you do or say something that triggers their memory of you.
Little imagine for whichever of the Chain of your choosing when they’ve freshly remembered you: You get dragged by him, then he wraps you up in a tight hug and nuzzles his head against yours. He then says, “Y/N! I’m so happy to see you again! I was getting worried that I’d never see you again.” His voice hitches, “I missed you so much-!” He then bursts into tears onto your shoulder. You gently shush him and tell him it’s okay while rubbing and patting his back. For the few days, he’s super clingy and very protective of you.
They asked for a Reader trying to learn from the boys how to write, but chaos ensued instead.
Masterlist
Content under the cut!
“We need you to get some supplies for us at the local market. Can you do that for us?”
Those were very simple words. An incredibly simple request.
“Sure! I don’t mind at all.” Was your reply.
Very simple words. A simple response.
But the list in front of you was anything but.
You stared at the squiggles on the piece of parchment given to you by Twilight. It was supposed to be a comprehensive list of everything the team needed. From foodstuffs to medicine to threads and sewing materials galore, it was more than a page long and accounted for whatever anyone asked for.
Everyone else was indisposed.
Warrior and Wind were on parameter duty, securing a proper campsite for the week while everyone regrouped and rethought the original plan. Wild and Twilight were on food stock, making meals and storing them in Wild’s Sheikah Slate for a more perilous journey ahead. There would be very little stopping from that point on, and very little rest to be had. Having meals on hand would surely lessen the load.
Time and Four were on weapons upkeep, sharpening, and repairing any chips or dents that their swords, magic rods, boomerangs, hookshots, shields, and armor could have obtained in the stretch prior. Legend and Hyrule were the ones organizing the tools of their trade, making sure each and every item returned to the proper hoard and owner.
Sky was supposed to go with you, but he was benched with a broken foot, leaving you alone to do all of the shopping. You didn’t mind it, and you think Sky didn’t mind it either. Last time you checked, he was taking a nap under Epona’s guard.
No matter. You were grown. You were responsible. You were big and strong and brave and could totally do this.
You repeated the mantra in your head again and again.
You were going to be fine. Legend, in his perfectionist manner, gave you a rundown of everything he needed, followed up by Wild and the food he was looking for, and Four with only two things on his list. Surely you’d remember most of it. And that had to account for most of the list in your hand.
Or so you told yourself.
You set off.
Thread, leather strips, new needles, ten yards of cloth, hemming tape, new scissors (if available), and a new measuring tape.
Rice, potatoes, carrots, wheat, cheese, apples, and oats.
Whitestone (if available) and polishing oil.
You managed to find most of those items, scissors not included, sorry Legend, and meandered your way back to the meager camp your friends had been setting up in your absence.
But your confidence was wavering.
This didn’t remotely look like the entirety of the list you were given. It didn’t even look like it was covered half of the list.
You felt that it was safe to assume that every new line of squiggles on the parchment was a new item, but Hylia help you, you had no idea what it said. You don’t know if you got the right items or if your memory was wrong. You knew that Legend of all people had asked for more things, and now that you were thinking about it, Time had also pulled you aside to ask for some specific items as well, but you don’t even remember what he said point-blank, so there was no help in that regard.
Was it too late to fake your death and start over in whatever timeline you landed in and change your identity entirely?
“Hey! You’re back!”
That’s a yes.
“I’m back!” You wave to Hyrule, putting on your bravest, brightest smile, and enter the little safe circle the boys had created while you were gone.
“Did you get everything?” Wild asked from the current firepit, cooking today’s dinner, no doubt.
Your cheeks colored, and you put your bounty down for Hyrule and Legend to sort through as was their duty for today. You could go with an easy answer, but the truth was far more blatant and simple. There would be no hiding it, no matter what you said. “No, sorry, guys.”
“You couldn’t find everything?” Warrior raises an eyebrow. “Strange. We scoped out the town a while ago. They should have had everything we were looking for. They seemed modernized enough to carry what we need.”
“Except potions and fairies.” Hyrule sighed, hanging his head low for a beat.
“We can catch fairies.” Twilight shrugged.
“And you can leave the potions to me.” Wild continued, not looking up as he cut up some cucco and tossed it into the cooking pot. “It’s everything else we need to stock up on.”
“No meat?” Wind looked over Legend’s shoulders as he took the things out of the parcels to organize them.
“It wasn’t on the list.” Four answered before you could open your mouth.
“Why not?”
“We can hunt,” Wild said again.
Twilight made a face, nudging the Champion in the side, and Wild responded by sticking his tongue out indignantly.
Maybe you were in the clear? Everyone else was distracted enough, right? Sure, there wasn’t enough stuff, but you were willing to bury the ordeal six feet under if it meant you could avoid anything potentially embarrassing.
You tried to side-step your purchases and returned the money bag to Warrior as discreetly as you could. Just a little while longer, and the whole thing would be passed. It would end there, and that would be the end of it.
Time calls your name, making you jump out of your skin when you least expect it. You turn on your heel and face the Old Man. He was looking over the items you brought with a hand on his chin, and with what you dreadfully call his ‘thinking face’ on. “Let me see that list. Surely we’re missing some more important things.”
Your heart sank.
There would be no avoiding this.
“Sure thing!” You said anyway, hopping over and putting the list in his hand. You chewed on your lip nervously.
Time furrowed his brow and turned to you. You can tell he’s trying to be merciful, eyebrow raised, and a subtle, if growing smile on his face. “...I think I see the problem.”
“That’s rich coming from you.” Four snorts.
“And why’s that?” He smirks back.
“Didn’t you get hit in the eye?”
“Well, yeah. That would be why he has a scar.” Wind rolls his eyes.
“No, his other eye!”
“Oh.”
“Enough.” Time holds his hand up. He turns to you and hands the cursed list back to you. “This is definitely not everything we were sent to buy.”
You try to think of an excuse on the spot. “I couldn’t read it.”
“Well, yeah. Farmboy here wrote the list, didn’t he?” Warrior snickers. “I can’t imagine his chicken scratch would be legible enough to make do.”
“Not exact-”
“Hey!” Twilight tossed his boot at the Captain’s head. “What’s wrong with my penmanship? I can write just fine! It’s legible. I write better than you even!”
“Oh yeah? Mind telling me then why the last time we checked into an inn, you took up two lines to sign in your name instead of one?” Warrior smirked, catching the boot with one hand. To Twilight’s horror and annoyance, Warrior tossed the boot behind him, losing it in the underbrush of the forest flora.
Twilight growled as the boys around them snickered.
Sulking, he stomped off to the bushes to search for his boot, giving Warrior ample time to stand up and hold a separate piece of paper toward you.
With a self-pleased smile, he said, “I took the liberty of making a copy of what everyone listed off before you went, just in case this very thing happened-”
“Thank you for the vote of confidence!”
“-I had a suspicion that you’d need to make two trips anyway since you were down a teammate.” Warrior continued, unfazed and utterly delighted. “Hopefully, you find this a bit more helpful, after all.”
You took it, not wanting to be rude.
“Uh-” Slipped from your mouth before you could stop yourself. This wasn’t exactly better.
While it looked distinctly different from what Twilight had given you, there was still no making any sense of it. While Twilight’s script was soothingly thick brush strokes, Warrior’s was thin, close together, likely with a pencil or charcoal if you had to guess.
At least the list was no longer more than one page of paper.
“I can’t read this either.” You blurt, feeling the shame creep up your neck.
“Wait, what?”
“HA!”
“Sorry.” You instinctively try to hand the list back to him. “I appreciate the attempt, but I can’t read this.”
Warrior takes it dumbly.
“See?” Twilight hopped back to his original spot, fighting to put his boot back on. “It’s not just me.”
“What’s wrong with it?” Sky asked, foot up, and laid back with a stick and a whittling knife in his hands.
“The Captain wrote it.” Legend snickers. “What wouldn’t be wrong with it?”
“Nothing is wrong with it!” Warrior cried, outraged. “My penmanship is perfectly fine.”
“Uh-huh.”
“It is!”
“Uh-huh.”
“Why you little-!”
“I can write it.” Sky smiles at you. “It’s the least I can do. I’m really just sitting here. Not doing much. If someone could just pass a piece of paper and a brush-”
“I don’t think that would help.” Time gives a knowing, if apologetic, smile.
“I don’t see the harm.”
“I can help!” Wind grins, putting his hands on his hips. “Even if Sky’s list doesn’t help, having extra copies would probably be better off in the long run.”
“Or a waste of paper.” Four quips.
“Let him have his fun.” Hyrule gently knocks the smaller hero on the back of his head.
You bite your lip, watching as everyone distracts themselves with ease. Again, you’d think this would be a good moment for you to slink away and get out of everyone’s way and be done with it. You hold your breath and slowly sit down, away from the main circle.
“I’m afraid you’re all forgetting one glaring issue.” Time speaks up, voice patient and subtly amused.
“Here you go!” Wind chimes, ever gleeful. He clocks your location with ease and holds out a piece of paper with more squiggles on it. “I hope this helps!”
“Well, there we go then.”
“Hold on, just so you can cross-reference-” Sky holds up his hand, parchment and brush already in hand. “At this point, something might have been forgotten; it’ll be good to have something else on the list. We remembered a few things after you left-
“Don’t bother.” Legend hands you another piece of paper. “I’ve seen Sky write, and he gets everything wrong. The man can’t spell anything right to save his life.”
“I went to school, Legend-!”
“So did I, and you’re still wrong.”
“If my foot wasn’t broken, I would get you!”
“As if! You can’t run! All I’ll have to do is get to that tree over there, and you’d be winded before you could catch up.”
“GET OVER HERE!”
“Nope.”
“Boys.” Time pinched the bridge of his nose. “Need I remind you that we’re all from different points in time? Different eras? Different histories? Perhaps, our dear friend would have more luck writing the list themselves? Right?”
He turned to you, looking apologetic and expectant. “We can go other what you brought and what we still need. But this time, for the sake of everyone else here, you can write in your own script so it won’t get lost in translation.”
Oh dear, moment of truth.
You should have been up front since the beginning. It wasn’t necessarily because everyone wrote something different. You think that, if you paid close enough attention, Time’s writing looks similar to the signs you’d see back home.
However…
“I can’t.”
The group paused what they were doing, staring at you, expecting you to elaborate.
Not wanting to make a deal out of it, you throw your hands up and take another step back. “ I can’t!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Wild furrow’s his brow. “You can’t write?”
“Why not?” Twilight speaks up again. “If it’s the materials, you could just borrow what we have, it’s not like we’re stingy-” He gave a pointed look toward Legend before smirking. “We’re not all stingy.”
Another boot goes flying.
Twilight likewise catches it and tosses it absentmindedly behind him without batting an eye.
Legend squawked indignantly.
“I can’t.” You repeat yourself and sit down with finality, crossing your leg for good measure.
Even Time took a moment, blinking in surprise and sitting beside you. “You can’t… read?”
You squirm, biting your tongue, not that you were particularly shy about the fact. Most people in your town couldn’t read either, so it’s exactly a point a shame, but to be with all these heroes from all these walks of life, and they seem to all have… knowledge, albeit different from one another, really felt like you were singled out of the lot.
With each of them having the ability to do so, you had tried to keep it under wraps for the entire journey. Luckily, it wasn’t much of an issue, and you typically found someone to take over writing your name in the inn or reading any signs or maps. Until today, that is.
Which is why this solo trip to the market was so nerve-racking as it was. There would be no more hiding it. Everyone would know. Everyone would have something to say. Everyone would see that you were the only one without. There would be judgment, Scorn, even. There would never be a need to show your face around them again. They’d all know. They’d see you differently. They’d treat you differently. They’d- They’d- They’d-
You had taken too long trying to think of a reply, looking at all of them with wide eyes and a half-open mouth. They shared looks that went over your head, and all came to the same conclusion. Your silence was more than enough of an answer for them.
“Welp, no time like the present.” Twilight slapped his legs and stood up. “I’ll teach you the basics. It’s pretty easy. You’ll get the hang of it in no time.”
“Don’t do it.” Hyrule snickers. “His words are all weird-looking. Who’s the say he has the qualifications to teach?”
“I oughta smack you too.” Twilight glared.
“Or he’ll just toss your boot.” Legend came hobbling back. The Vet smacked Warrior over the head as he passed.
“Hey!”
“That’s for giving him the idea to throw people’s things.”
“You threw it at me first!”
“Boys!” Time pinched the bridge of his nose before shifting and rubbing his temple in small circles. “There are more important matters at hand.”
He turned back to you and gave you a gentle smile. No judgment. No shame. No disgust. It was the same gaze he’d looked at you before, calm, knowing, patient almost. You never understood it. It was like he saw something in you, something he recognized, but by the three, you weren’t sure what it was. “You should have said something sooner. We could have handled it. Like Twilight said, we could teach you too, if that was something you wanted.”
You bit your lip, stalling as you tried to find the words.
This… was different from what you were expecting. All your doubts were shot down in an instant. You felt winded. Heavy. Your body had dropped nearly all of the tension it had been holding onto, and you realized just how tired your anxiety had made you. Like a popped balloon, you felt the need to take deep breaths. Your body whole felt slow and lethargic, wind taken out of your sails, and leaving you frozen in place.
What were you supposed to say? Was it truly so easy? Why were they so willing to look past what you were lacking?
“I don’t… I don’t understand,” was the only thing you could bring yourself to say.
“Well, everybody has to start somewhere.” Wind chirped again, swinging his legs back and forth as he rocked on the log he was sitting on. “My sister is still learning. She has trouble with bigger words, and she gets a lot of the spelling wrong, but it’s not like that’s a bad thing. She’ll get better with time, and you will too.”
The boys around you seemed to have calmed down, sensing the need for a more sedated atmosphere. They all happily sat in a circle around the fire, while Wild began to hand out the dinner that had just finished cooking. Some of them began eating at once, hissing when the hot food scalded their tongues. Others held the bowls steadily on their lap, far more interested in this current development with you than stuffing their faces.
“We can teach you.” Wild grinned as he handed you your dinner. “I mean, you’ll have to tell us which one is the closest to the letters you have seen back home. Otherwise, we’d probably teach you the wrong ones and then you’d be no better off than before.”
“Or we could try to teach you all of ours, so when you get back, you can just pick and choose.” Hyrule shrugged, mouth half full of food.
“Don’t eat with your mouth full.” Four nudged him after he pointed and swallowed his own bite.
“Also, that’s a horrible idea.” Sky deadpanned. “We’ll only confuse them in the process. Not to mention that it would take way too much time, and we don’t know how long we have until this whole ordeal is over.”
“It’s not like we’re trying to make them a scholar.” Legend pointed out with his spoon, dripping sauce into the soft grass below. “Just enough to know words and get through day-to-day life.”
“I still think we let them choose.” Wild continued, finally serving his own portion now that everyone had something to eat. “It’s easier, faster, and far more beneficial in the long run.”
Warrior nodded in agreement. “Ok, then. We should write out the letters most commonly found in each of our Hyrule’s and have them take a look. It’ll have to be after we finish eating, though. We’re burning daylight.”
“Well, they’ve seen my writing.” Twilight shrugged. If it didn’t click with anything, it means I’m already out.”
“Yeah, then what?” Four snorted. “Where does that put you?”
“I’ll head back into town and finish the list since I actually know what was on it. I can take Epona. She can help me carry more and come back faster. I’ll be back before first watch, most likely.” Twilight shrugged and rolled his shoulders. They popped from the shift. “No need to wait up for me, though.”
“We wouldn’t.”
“Thanks.”
“We’re forgetting a very important part of the process.” Time said softly, looking up from his bowl with a small smirk.
“We are?”
“What are we missing?”
Time turned to you, amusement alight in his eye. “Do you even want to learn?”
The boys settled once more, seeming embarrassed and shunned to have forgotten that you were still very much with them, and frankly, should have been the center of the conversation.
You continued to hold your silence, unsure of the correct choice. You didn’t personally see the point. As you thought to yourself earlier, most of your village or town or whatever have you, your community didn’t know how to read. There wasn’t much reading to be done. Most people just had things memorized and got to work. Not that it helped you, your memory was horrid, but that was just the way of life, you supposed.
Still… if they were offering? What was the harm?
“I’m… not opposed.” You said softly, letting the food you were given cool in your lap. You hadn’t had the heart to touch it yet. “If it’s alright with you guys, I’m not against it. I’m willing to try.”
“That’s what we like to hear!” Sky cheered.
“That’s the spirit!” Four clapped you on the back.
“I’ll be back.” Twilight stood up, handing his empty bowl back to Wild. “Just gotta hitch up Epona, then I’ll be on my way.”
“Be safe!”
“Don’t die!”
“If you do, make it cool!”
“Thank you.” Twilight waved them off with a half-irritated smirk on his face. “You’re all annoying.”
“Love you too!”
“Bye, Twi!” You called out, waving your arm to him. “Thank you for picking up where I left off.”
“Happy to be of service.” He said with a small smile, bowing to you at the waist dramatically. With another small wave, he turned back around and headed to where Epona was to get her saddle on and to make sure she was ready to make the trip to finish shopping.
“Ok, everyone,” Warrior said, reaching into his bag and taking out multiple sheets of parchment and different brushes. “I wasn’t joking. We’re burning daylight. Let’s all write out our letters from our homes so they can pick and choose which is the closest.”
“Will do!”
“Got it!”
You smiled, beginning to eat your dinner. As if in synch, all the boys started to write on the parchment, whether they were done with their food or not. Within moments, the pieces of paper were set in front of you. You looked them over as you ate. You had to admit, you had your favorites. Wild’s was pretty to look at, and you thought back to Twilight’s writing from earlier that day. You thought that it would be cool to write like that, but if the goal was to take what you’d learn and use it back home, it didn’t seem very practical in the long wrong.
You also noticed that a lot of them looked incredibly similar, despite obviously being different. Surprisingly, Sky and Legend had almost the exact same letters, but they were placed in different spots, which explained why Legend claimed Sky didn’t know how to spell. Wind’s and Four’s letters were also eerily similar, but they looked nothing like the writing you’d seen on the signs when you'd travel.
Warrior and Time had distinctly different ways of writing, but you struggled to tell if it was their personal handwriting or if that was just how the letters looked. You didn’t trust it, nor did you recognize it.
You looked expectantly at Hyrule, wondering if her had his own paper, but he shrugged. Which… didn’t answer your nonverbal question. Returning to his food, he gave you a cheeky smile. “Legend and I have the same alphabet. So it doesn’t make a lot of sense to give you the same thing twice.”
“Oh!” You perked up. That was a curious bit of information.
“...You can read each other’s handwriting?” Four tilted his head.
Hyrule shrugged again. “No… Well, maybe.” Some boys in the group snickered as Hyrule continued, not caring for their opinions on his penmanship. “Not my fault you can’t read it.”
“It is?” Legend turned to him, an incredulous look on his face. “It’s exactly your fault. By definition, it is your fault.”
“Maybe you should just get better reading skills.”
“Learn to write clearly!”
“Well, it’s easier said than done when you didn’t go to school!”
“It’s called practice! What does school have to do with-”
You ignore the boys as they begin to roughhouse and scramble for cover as they wrestle. Some took Hyrule’s side purely to spite Legend, while those on Legend’s side weren’t; they were simply to calm the fray.
Smiling to yourself, you finish eating your food and set the now-empty bowl in the pile Wild had left to the side to be washed later. You move from your spot to sit next to Sky, who was watching the fiasco with far too giddy delight. You tugged on his sleeve. “...Hey, Sky?”
He turned to you in an instant, a blinding smile on his lips as you caught his attention. “What’s up? Did you choose? Got a question?”
“I recognize this.” You said quietly, pointing to a few letters as slowly as you could. “If I put these together, does it spell Cat?”
“Yeah!” Sky grinned impossibly wider. “So you do know a little bit at least!”
“One word.” You admit bashfully, avoiding eye contact. “I know one word. And it’s because it’s part of the local ranch. Everyone back home just calls it Cat’s Place, but if I remember correctly, the official name in the kingdom is Cat’s Furball Highland… or something along those lines. These three were always around for Cat.”
Sky looked at the letter for a little while longer before he turned to you, suddenly serious. “...What’s a cat?”
“I don’t…” You looked back at the paper of characters as if it had all the answers. “I don’t know... I think it’s the name of the lady who owns the place, but I’ve never spoken to her before.”
“Huh.”
“Yeah.”
“...So?…” Sky leaned over, being careful not the move his foot too much.
You flushed and looked away, while holding the paper out to him as subtly as possible. “...Can you… uhm… teach me?”
“Gladly!” Sky grinned and set his own dinner bowl aside. “When would you like to start?”
“No, don’t pick him!” Legend complained from the sidelines, currently stuck in a headlock by Warrior while actively clinging to Four and Wind by the backs of their tunics. Hyrule is laughing in the background while Wild is taking as many pictures as he can with his Sheikah Slate.
Time is actively looking in another direction, hoping to invoke probable deniability at best.
“What?” Your brow furrows, looking at the mess that had grown in the ten seconds you were talking to Sky. “What is happening?”
“I’m winning.” Legend says with an entirely straight face. “What does it look like?”
Time gets a small smirk on his face as he visibly bites back any attempt at responding to the blatant lie and audacity.
Legend begins to choke as Warrior tightens his grip. “You’re winning, aren’t you?”
“I’ll destroy you, pretty boy.” Legend coughs out, squirming as Four and Wind attempt to make their escape at the same time. “Don’t test me.”
“Tomorrow.” You tell Sky, almost afraid to look away from the chaos unraveling in front of you. “We can start tomorrow.”
Hyrule suddenly gets the brilliant idea to take a few steps back before getting a running start and body slamming the tangled up boys sideways, taking all four of them out at once. Wild laughs so hard at the sight of the groaning heroes that he drops his Sheikah slate directly into the mud. He dove to catch it and slipped as well, face planting himself into the ground.
“Children.” Time shook his head. Despite his tone and word choice, there was an undeniable grin on his face, even though he attempted to hide it behind a hand. There was laughter in his eyes as he did absolutely nothing to stop or save them from themselves.
“Should we… stop them?” You asked instead, looking at the boys begin to dogpile Hyrule while Wild frantically tries to save the Sheikah Slate and return to documenting the mayhem.
“Who’s this we?” Sky asked with a far too pleased grin on his face. He pointedly gestured to his broken foot. “I’m not moving.”
You looked back to Time, but he was too busy fighting off his shaking shoulders, desperate to maintain his reputation as the aloof, stoic leader, to even attempt to break up the mess.
You pouted, sitting on the sidelines, hoping that they wouldn’t suddenly decide to drag you into the middle of it. Wind began biting in an effort to be released. And Four wasn’t above kicking below the belt to gain an advantage over his opponent.
No, thank you.
You almost thought of complaining that Twilight should be here. That he would put a stop to this. That he would help. That he would be the mature adult here.
But you knew better.
He’d be in the middle. He’d drag them all down with him. He’d be the master and the instigator. He’d be dog-piled by all of them. He’d take them all on at once.
He’d probably win.
And there would be no stopping that gloating train for weeks.
That was not something you’d want to put up with.
“You still willing to learn?” Sky leans over, poking your shoulder repeatedly. “I don’t mind it. But I’m pretty sure we’d have to have this in the background for almost every session. I can’t imagine that being an easy thing to ignore. It’s not like it’s going to make learning any easier, either.”
You look and watch the boys for a little while longer. In the distance, you can see Epona beginning to approach, with Twilight on top of her, and the sheer amount of stuff he had purchased to fully restock the group’s supplies. He didn’t seem bothered or hurried to return, that is, until one of the boys shouted particularly too loudly, which alerted the resident farm boy to the havoc that was occurring back at the base. You saw him urge Epona to pick up the pace.
Further chaos was upon you, you were sure.
Still, you looked back at Sky and gave him your biggest smile. “I’m sure! I’m willing to try at least. We can always go somewhere else for a little bit while they get their aggression out of their systems.”
“I’m proud of you.” Sky pats you on the shoulder. “It’s not easy to learn when you’re older.”
“I can vouch for that.” Time says, looking at you. “For what it’s worth, I also learned when I was older.”
You perked up again with a bigger smile. You were big and strong and brave and could totally do this.
