#squido writes

[squidos-goodies]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

IT'S NEW YEARS AND THAT MEANS I UPDATE THIS FIC HAPPY 2024 EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sky-squido]

“Because I don’t have friends, do I?” Sky spat, whirling around to pin an imagined hero with his dark gaze, shoulders tense, fingers straining in his fists, filled with something hard and cold and trembling with enough force to shatter him whole.

“Not here. Not amongst you. No, I have—” he cut himself off, tearing away with a laugh equal parts disbelieving and derisive. “What do I even say? Patients? Projects? No, just more people in need of saving.”

His eyes hardened again, something twisting itself and settling inside his chest, visibly weighing his very soul down, killing the warmth and kindness so familiar to the soft curve of his face, sharpening his visage into that of a stranger.

Because he wasn’t Sky. Not without his kindness.

“Oh, I love you.” He started, his own voice fighting him as his body broke out into uncontrollable shudders, “every single last one of you. But you don’t love me, do you? Only what I can do for you.”

Stone cracked deafeningly against stone, Sky’s toes only just beginning to throb from the force of his kick, and as his lungs began to heave, he bent over, fingers caging another rock to hurl in his anger. His knees struck gravel, though, a hoarse cough shredding itself from his chest as he was forced to his palms, choking on the air.

“Of—fucking—course.”

The words spat themselves into the dust.

“Because nobody gives a shit about anyone other than themselves, do they? Their only concern is if I’m okay enough to help them.”

Sky slackened, dropping his head in defeat, every muscle in his back suddenly falling lax.

“As if I would ever tell them I wasn’t.”

Sky paused, then, cutting off his breath with silence, training his ears.

Only more silence.

Of course. How could he have forgotten? The person who always just happened to stumble upon someone when they needed it most always seemed to be Sky, somehow. What a coincidence.

And, unsurprisingly, it looked like nobody had taken it upon themselves to stumble upon him.

With that, some decision made itself within him.

And Sky let go.

His shoulder punched the gravel, his neck straining from the angle at which his temple struck the ground, his arms falling out limp in front of him, knuckles stinging from their impact with the rough stone, his flesh already aching with restricted bloodflow.

What? It wasn’t like anyone was going to find him.

Nobody looked at him unless they needed something. And he’d made sure everyone was taken care of before he left.

Of course, they always needed something else, too. While he was at it. Because he was just so fucking giving. Just such a nice guy. Real good-hearted.

Deep inside, he howled and cried and hugged his knees to his chest as a deluge of rain shore down around him.

Goddess, Sky wanted a hug.

Sure, he’d been hugging the others plenty, but sometimes there was a difference between hugging someone and being hugged.

Sky wanted to be held. Held as he sobbed. Without a touch of awkwardness or impatience. Only understanding and acceptance.

But, of course, who would hold him? That was Sky’s job.

Besides, if they thought he was anything less than perfectly alright, they wouldn’t come to him with their wounds. They’d suffer in silence and do something stupid and make everything worse and then they’d come to him anyway and he’d clean it up anyway and it would be even more work than if he had just sucked it up and bit his tongue and helped them out in the first place.

He didn’t even have to lie. It wasn’t like they ever asked him how he was doing—only if he was feeling up for a chat.

Some part of him whispered that it shouldn’t hurt this much. He’d been through worse. He’d be okay again, eventually. He always was.

But it did hurt. Because he loved them. He ripped his heart out of his chest with bloody, trembling hands, and struck it with flint and steel, setting it ablaze just to keep them warm.

They didn’t even thank him, anymore. Just accepted his gift and trusted that he had more to give next time they needed it.

And he did. Somehow, miraculously, he always did. No matter how bloodied, bruised up, and broken he was on the inside, by the grace of Hylia, he always just managed to scrape together exactly what they needed to smile just that little bit more genuinely.

And that was just it, wasn’t it? Now he couldn’t even bring himself to be angry. Not really. Not with them.

Because this was what he wanted. This was what he’d actively encouraged every step of the way. They wanted to stop, to let him have his rest, to handle their burdens themselves and not add any more weight to his. They were so worried about him all the time, constantly triple-checking to make sure it was alright before they spoke. Because they loved him. But it was always Sky who insisted, employing every tactic of persuasion he could invent, because here was someone in need of help.

Because Sky wasn’t Sky. Not without his kindness.

They told him to look after himself, to take care of himself, but didn’t they understand? Pain, suffering, hardship, they always came. And Sky had the power to make sure those he loved most didn’t have to go through those things alone.

And—how could he have forgotten—what a blessing that was.

What a beautiful gift, to have the strange magic of coincidence align just so that when these specific people he’d come to call family struggled and faltered and stumbled and broke down, that Sky—Sky, himself—could be there by their sides, reaching out. And that he could help. That his arms were arms that hugged and his words were words that healed and his hands were hands that held. That when they remembered those moments for the rest of their lives, they would remember a pain softened by warmth and a kind word and a soft embrace and, yes, even gratitude.

Because he knew they were grateful. He knew they loved him, not for what he did for them, but because of why he did it. They loved him. And they also knew, beyond a doubt, that Sky loved them, too. At the very least, he always made sure of that.

Some dam in his throat burst and Sky let himself breathe, dizziness dragging midnight into his vision, and he rolled over onto his stomach with a cough, pushing himself up to his knees and sucking in that crisp evening air, feeling a trembling tangle of thorns in his chest begin to unravel, somehow, impossibly, revealing itself to have been nothing but slipknots all along—slipknots and buds itching to bloom.

He blew it all out, the smallest of smiles tugging at his lips.

Thank you, he mouthed, something between the air and the atmosphere enveloping him in its warmth, wiping an unnoticed, forgotten tear from his cheek.

He pulled himself to his feet, brushed himself off, and blew out a steadying sigh.

He’d better head back—he knew his family would be worried about him if he were gone for too long.

And he knew exactly who to go to and ask for a hug. Warmth surged through his chest at the thought. Yeah. A long hug and a good cry and a full night of sleep in someone else’s arms. And Sky wouldn’t even have to say a word.

His smile grew just a little more as he picked his way across the moonlit mountainside, the chill of the night playing at his Sailcloth as he walked back to camp.

Silently, he thanked Hylia for the fact that so many of his darkest thoughts also happened to be complete and utter bullshit.

Now it was high time Sky got himself a hug from one of the many people who loved him fully and completely and without expecting a thing in return. Maybe he’d even go and get hugs from all of them, just because he could.

[sky-squido]

how some of the LU boys vent headcanons but in fic form

okay so a while ago i was really angry about something and cracked open botw to fight some guardians with only melee weapons and i kept getting viciously blasted to the ground and set on fire every time i tried to do anything and i was like MOOD but then i realized something. link always gets back up. immediately. you don’t even have to hit a button. he gets knocked down, and then he gets back up again. over and over for the at least a half an hour i was playing. and then that gave me feelings so i started writing.

this goes completely off the rails very quickly and is ridiculously self-indulgent but it was fun to reread so *gestures vaguely* now you get to see it. fair warning that even though it’s presented in a very video-game-mechanics way, wild is talking about serious self-endangerment so be warned if you’re not up for that. anyway, enjoy!

(2.4k words)

“You know what I do?”

“What?”

Hyrule turned around from where he sat keeping watch by the fire, startled by Wild’s sudden question. Or at least he’d been trying to keep watch, stabbing a stray piece of kindling into the sand at his side over and over again and trying not to think too hard about—well, he was trying not to think about it. Wild stared up at the clear desert sky, deep with unfamiliar stars, laying on his back in his bedroll with one hand stretched above his head, fingers splayed. Hyrule hadn’t even realized he was awake.

“When I’m angry. You what what I do when I’m just so frustrated and furious and filled with rage and I’m caught halfway between breaking something’s bones and breaking down and all I want to do is scream but I don’t even think I have the strength to speak?”

He opened his mouth to ask Wild when and why he’d felt that way and more importantly how he knew Hyrule was feeling that way, but Hyrule let his mouth fall shut, gripping the stick in his hands with white-knuckled fingers, twisting it into the sand and silently nodding his head in a request for Wild to continue.

“I go to Central Hyrule Field without a shield or a bow. I just take as many melee weapons and fairies as I can carry and wait for a Guardian to find me.”

Hyrule blanched and Wild caught his horrified expression in the corner of his eye, laughing a little.

“Oh, I also deck myself out in so much Guardian armor I can barely ride a horse. I’m really not keen on dying again.”

Hyrule relaxed a little, but not much, and waited with bated breath for Wild to continue.

“So I sprint up to the first Guardian I see and just start tearing into it with whatever weapons I have on hand.”

Hyrule nodded slowly, brow furrowed, beginning to realize why nobody went to Wild for advice on emotional matters.

“And then, inevitably, because they’re clever assholes, it scurries out of range and shoots me.”

Hyrule sucked in a breath, straightening, consciously trying to prevent his fingertips from glowing with the faint aura of Life. Wild, undeterred, stared up at the stars with a strangely nostalgic expression and continued.

“And it blasts me backwards and I land on my back in the mud and the grass around me is on fire and I’m choking on smoke with the wind knocked out of me and I know I’m gonna be black and blue from head to toe tomorrow and then, the next thing I know, I’m on my feet again.”

Hyrule just gawked at him, silent, watching Wild’s face sharpen into determination.

“And the second I’m on my feet again, before I can take another step, it blasts me back down. And sometimes I roll down a hill and when I get up I’m all dizzy and I find my bearings just in time to get hit again. And then I’m knocked back into the mud but before the fires have even gone out, I’m standing on my own two feet again, blood seeping into everything I own. I don’t know how I do it. I go to Central Hyrule half intending to tear every Guardian I see to shreds and half intending to let myself get blasted into the dirt and stay there, but I always find myself dragging my bloodied body back to my feet again by the skin of my teeth thinking just try me, you bastard.

“And I know when I’m decked out from head-to-toe in Guardian resistant armor with the Master Sword in my hand and a slate full of fairies, they never get the better of me for long, but for some reason I prefer to do that than nearly anything else. And I know I could parry their beams from a distance or shoot them in the eye, but even though it’s far more inefficient, I always use melee weapons. It’s not even because of the visceral experience of feeling the metal twist and tear under my blade anymore. It’s the way they get right up in my face and blast me back and beat me down and I always just get back on my feet again. I’m not even doing it for anything. It’s not like it’s to keep a promise to fulfill a duty. I just find myself laying on the ground and say to hell with this and then I’m standing up, staring forward with a weapon in my hand and ready to take on whatever comes next. It’s an important reminder, I think, when I feel hopeless after countless fights with demons I can’t see, that when push comes to shove and I find myself on my face in the dirt, I will always pull myself back to my feet again.”

Hyrule just stared at Wild, letting the words process themselves in his mind, Wild’s hand falling neatly over his stomach, his eyes still fixed on the sky.

“You really are completely insane, aren’t you?”

They both started at that, Wild shooting upright and Hyrule whipping his head around to stare at who’d just spoken.

Legend had propped himself up on his arms, the heels of his hands buried in the sand behind him, and he fixed Wild with the most unbelieving stare.

“I mean, I knew that already, but damn. At least when I vent my rage through physical violence, I engage in professional gladiatorial combat where they have the courtesy to drag my bloodied body out onto the curb to die instead of remorselessly blasting me to bits in the middle of an abandoned field.”

This time it was Hyrule and Wild’s turn to stare in absolute bafflement, their matching horrified expressions settling onto Legend, who shrugged.

“Not everyone has professional gladiatorial combat, Legend. Some people need to find a creepy hole in their backyard and jump into it.”

Three pairs of shocked and confused faces turned to the source of the new voice, a bedheaded Wind who, judging by the way he’d been rubbing at his eyes, had been struggling in and out of sleep for some time now.

“But even then, I’d still rather train with Orca. He’ll lay me flat on my back and bruise me to hell and back but at least he’s not gonna kill me. You guys need some serious help. Besides, the best way to vent negative emotions is by committing mass genocide against the Big Octos using a ship-mounted canon. There’s nothing like the smell of black powder and calamari to make a guy feel like himself again. That one only has like a thirty percent chance of actually getting me killed.”

Legend, Hyrule, and Wild all just stared at him.

“What!?”

Legend, Hyrule, Wind, and Wild all jumped at the owner of the fifth voice, Sky, sitting upright, still half-in his sleeping bag but looking perfectly awake as he gawked at Legend.

“That was not what I expected you to say! None of that is what I expected any of you to say!”

Four pairs of eyes blinked at Sky.

“Okay, Wind wasn’t too far off the mark, but Legend, are you kidding me? And I don’t even know where to start with Wild.”

There was a moment of silence before Hyrule finally spoke up.

“So what do you do, then?”

Sky turned to look at him, compassion welling up with the firelight in his eyes.

“When you feel like you’re on the verge of breaking, what do you do?”

Sky sighed, his gaze drifting to the distant desert horizon.

“I’ve let myself be angry. I’ve leaned into it, let it sink its fangs into me. I’ve been so, so, unbelievably filled with rage that I didn’t know where the fury stopped and I began. There wasn’t a thought in my mind, just the thunderous crash of lightning and the rushing in my ears as I stood up again and again, not caring as I felt myself struck back to the ground, soaked through to the bone. And I’ll admit, it’s an amazing feeling, dragging yourself back to your feet again with nothing but the sheer conviction that this isn’t where your story ends. But you’re supposed to try and avoid getting knocked to the ground in the first place. It’s already hard enough when you’re trying not to get hit and at least in that case you get better at defending yourself. You’re already gonna get beat up enough. Don’t go looking for it.”

Wild and Legend opened their mouths but Sky cut them off, continuing.

“You know what I think? I don’t think you like venting your emotions through violence because it makes you feel powerful, or it’s somehow cathartic to you. I think you do it hoping you’ll get hurt in the process. That what you fight will fight you back and knock you down and so you’ll finally look on the outside how you feel on the inside. I think you want to fight something that you can see so you feel vindicated about just how hard you’re fighting on the inside. Because when you win those fights, you don’t feel relieved, or satisfied, or even proud of yourself. You feel disappointed. Because it was over too fast and it didn’t hurt enough. So you start looking for more. But it’s never enough. And leaning into the rage only fosters it, only makes it stronger, and soon you can’t even remember what you were mad about anymore because being mad feels good and hurting and being hurt feels good. It’s simple. It’s easy and it’s mindless.”

Legend and Wild looked away, staring at the sand, Wind and Hyrule now watching the pair with wide, worried eyes, Sky still continuing, undeterred.

“I almost lost myself to that. It was so easy to just throw myself blindly into the next battle. It makes it so easy to just forget about everything. But it doesn’t help. Venting the fury doesn’t put the fire out; it fans the flames. No number of wins or losses was ever enough to get it out of my system. I can’t live like that anymore. Not ever again. Honestly? I’m terrified of what would happen if I let myself succumb to that kind of rage. Of what I would become. So, to answer Hyrule’s question, when I feel myself breaking, on the verge of shattering either myself or something else, I practice my sword forms. I still get my blood pumping, feel that satisfying exhaustion sinking into my bones, but my focus is on precision, accuracy, technique, not on whether I’m going to kill or be killed. It doesn’t feel the same, not at all, but that’s exactly the point. It’s not about releasing the rage or about stuffing it in. It’s about turning it into something else or, rather, seeing it for what it truly is. Maybe you’re tired. Maybe you’re sad or scared or frustrated or can’t escape that one sound you hate more than anything in the world, I don’t know. But a familiar exercise, something constructive, has a way of making things make sense.”

Sky stopped, then, reading everyone’s expressions, trying to gauge whether or not his words had had their intended effect.

Hyrule stared into the sand, his voice quiet.

“I don’t know any sword forms.”

Sky straightened, his eyes bright with a warm, giving sort of hope.

“Well that’s not a problem at all. I’ll just teach you some of the ones I know.”

At the way Hyrule’s face lit up, Sky smiled, pulling on his boots and drawing his blade, finding a relatively flat spot in the desert and kicking some of the sand around to flatten it a little further before evidently finding it sufficient.

Wild and Legend watched from their bedrolls, eyes wide with curiosity, Wind already pulling out his own blade, jogging over with haphazardly hushed excitement.

“I don’t know any forms but I learned some really great moves that are super fun to practice! Is it okay if I help?”

Sky nodded, inviting Wind to come stand by his side, Hyrule standing in front of them, looking a delightful mix of excited and determined until he caught Legend and Wild staring at him in his periphery and shifted self-consciously.

Wind scowled at them.

“What are you two gawking at?”

Legend didn’t say anything, but didn’t look away either. Wild explained himself.

“I’ve forgotten any formal sword training I might have had. I know there were forms I learned, once, but they’re all faded and trying to puzzle my way through the muscle memory only frustrates and confuses me more.”

Sky nodded in understanding before turning to Legend.

“You’ve been trained, though, right?”

Legend looked away. Sky’s face melted into horror.

“You told me you’ve been adventuring since you were ten. Please tell me you were trained.”

Legend huffed out an unfunny laugh.

“Define trained.”

Wind gaped at him, speaking before Sky could. “Did anyone teach you any moves before giving you a sword? Like all the different ways you can swing or how to get past an enemy’s guard?”

Legend’s eyes fixed on the horizon and he tensed, his voice nearly impossibly quiet, but it carried nonetheless in the silence of the night.

“There are multiple ways to swing?”

Sky and Wind stared at him in horror.

“Legend,” Sky started carefully, “what do you do when you can’t get past an opponent’s guard?”

Legend finally turned to face Sky, meeting his eyes with a defensive confidence.

“I set them on fire.”

“And if you’re out of magic?” Wind prodded, eyes wide with concern.

Legend shrugged, looking away again. “Keep hitting them. Hopefully back them into a wall or off a cliff. Sometimes I’ll merge into the wall and slip behind them before popping out and getting a solid strike in before they manage to turn back around.”

Sky looked between Wild and Legend, coming to a decision.

“Would you two like to learn some sword forms, too?”

Wild nodded slowly, tentative hope brewing in his eyes. Legend, gaze steadily averted, looking to be barely holding back a sea of emotions, rose to his feet, blade in hand, coming to stand by Hyrule’s right side, Wild taking his left.

“Alright,” Sky started, scanning his three new pupils with a warm careful eye, already proud, “start with your sword sheathed.”

[squidos-goodies]

Art from the newest chapter of my fic, Hey Four, Wanna Kill A Dragon With Me?

(oh yeah chapter 7’s out. ta-daaaaaaaaa! hope you enjoy!)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/36465094/chapters/96948144

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[squidos-goodies]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

AFTER TWO AND A HALF ENTIRE YEARS

TO ISOLATE IS FINALLY DONE

honestly, legitimately, truly, thank you, everyone.

[sky-squido]

Girl and Dog

(for context, my little sister's running a D&D campaign where one of the characters is learning to read. because we are supremely extra, we wrote an entire children's book for this character to learn to read with. then we fell way too hard in love with it and now it is 3k words (oops). BUT YEAH IT'S REALLY CUTE AND WE WORKED REALLY HARD ON IT so we wanted all of you to be able to read it too :D)

This is Girl. Girl lives with Mom and Dad. Girl and Mom and Dad live in the town. 

The woods are next to the town. The woods are very big. Mom and Dad tell Girl to stay in the town. But Girl likes to see new things.

“I want to see the woods!” says Girl. 

Girl wants to get set for the trip. Girl gets all her cool stuff. 

First, Girl gets her best bag, to put the things she finds in it. Next, Girl gets her shiny rock, to make new friends. Then, Girl gets her magic stick, to hit mean things. Last, Girl gets her big green cape, to show how brave she is. Her mom made the big green cape for her, so it will keep her safe.

With her best bag and her shiny rock and her magic stick and her big green cape, now Girl is set to go to the woods. 

Girl steps out of her home. Girl goes out of the town. The woods are tall and green and pretty. Girl will see the woods! Girl takes her first step into the woods. 

Girl sees lots of new things in the woods. Girl sees a huge leaf and a funny bug and a rocky hill. Girl is very happy and goes to see more things.

Then Girl sees a gray dog! The dog is big and looks very soft. 

“Hi! I am Girl!” says Girl. “You look very soft.” 

“Hello,” says the dog, “I am Dog. Do you want to pet me?” 

“YES!” says Girl, very loud. “I do want to pet you! You look very soft.”

“Okay,” says Dog. Dog walks to Girl. “You can pet me now.”

“Thanks!” says Girl. Girl sits and pets Dog.

Dog is very soft and warm and fluffy. Dog starts to wag his tail. Dog is happy.

“Where are you going in the woods?” asks Dog. “You are far away from the town.”

“I am on a trip!” says Girl. “I want to see new things! I have my best bag and my shiny rock and my magic stick and my big green cape! Now I am set for my trip!”

“Wow!” says Dog. “You must be very brave. But there is one thing you do not have. It’s the best thing to have on a trip!”

“Oh!” says Girl. “What is the best thing to have on a trip?”

“A friend!” says Dog. “Trips are way more fun when you have a friend! I want to be your friend. I want to come with you on the trip and you can pet me lots and lots.”

“WOW!” says Girl. “I like to pet you a lot. I want to be your friend too! Thank you! You are very nice.”

Girl gives Dog a big hug. Dog is very happy and wags his tail lots and lots. Girl and Dog go into the woods to see more things.

Girl and Dog walk in the woods for a bit. They see a pretty tree, a red berry, and a mossy log. They sit on the mossy log under the pretty tree and eat the red berry. It is a yummy snack!

When they are done, Dog says “I have an idea for the next part of the trip! How about we go to the big rock?”

“Ooh!” says Girl, “the big rock is a new thing! I want to see the big rock!”

“Okay,” says Dog, “I know the way.”

Girl and Dog go to the big rock. On the big rock, there is a small bird. There are twigs next to the bird.

“Hi!” says Girl. “I am Girl! Do you want to be my friend?”

“Oh, hi Girl,” says the small bird. “I am Bird. I think a friend would be nice.” 

“Okay!” says Girl. “You are now my friend! And I am now your friend!”

“Hooray!” says Bird. “Friends are very nice.”

“Now that we are friends, what will we do?” says Girl.

“I want to show you my nest,” says Bird, “but I don’t have one.” Bird is sad. “I want to make a nest so all of my bird friends can have a home. But it is very hard to make a nest. Can you help me?”

“Okay!” says Girl. “I will help you make a nest! I will see if any of my cool stuff can help us.”

Girl looks in her best bag. Her shiny rock is there. But the shiny rock will not help Bird make a nest. 

“Oh!” says Bird. “That is a very nice bag.”

“Thank you!” says Girl. “It is my best bag! I put the things I find in it.”

Girl looks at her best bag. It is nice and soft. Girl looks at Bird. Bird is very small.

“Bird, do you fit in my bag?” says Girl.

“I think so,” says Bird, “let me try.”

Girl takes the shiny rock out of the bag. Bird gets in the bag. Bird fits in the bag! There is lots of room in the bag.

“Oh my!” says Bird. “This is so cozy. I bet me and all my bird friends can fit in here too!”

“Yay!” says Girl. “You can keep it. I don’t need it very much.”

“Thank you!” says Bird, “I will take this bag to use it as a home for me and all my bird friends.”

“Hooray!” says Girl. “I like to help my friends. Now what will Dog and I see next?”

“The lake is very pretty,” says Bird. “I think you two will like it a lot.”

“Thank you!” says Girl. “We will go to the lake.”

Girl and Dog wave bye to Bird. Girl and Dog saw the big rock and now they will go to the lake.

“That was fun,” says Girl. “I am very happy we can help our friends.”

“Yes,” says Dog. “That is also why friends are the best thing to have on a trip. Friends help their friends.”

“You are so smart,” says Girl. “You know so many things.” 

“Thank you,” says Dog. “I like to talk to my friends and learn new things.”

“Okay,” says Girl. “Let’s go make some new friends and learn some new things!”

“Yes!” says Dog. “This will be fun!”

Now Girl and Dog are at the lake. The lake is very big and pretty. It is shiny and looks like the sky.

“I am so happy to see the lake!” says Girl.

Girl puts her hand in the lake. The lake is nice and cool. Now Girl’s hand is wet.

“I want to see what is in the lake.” says Girl. “I will go in the lake!”

Girl gets into the lake. It is very fun to swim in the lake. Girl sees a nice shell, a smooth rock, and a wavy plant.

Next, Girl sees a fancy fish.

“Hi!” says Girl. “I am Girl. Do you want to be my friend?”

“Hello Girl,” says the fancy fish. “I am Fish. I do want to be your friend.”

“Hooray!” says Girl. “I like to make new friends a lot.”

“Me too,” says Fish. “But I can’t find my other friends. We like to meet here to swim, but I think they got lost. It is hard to find places in the lake.”

“Oh no!” says Girl. “Can I help? I like to help my friends. That’s what friends are for!”

“Oh, thank you,” says Fish. “This is so nice. What can you do to help?”

Girl looks at her cool stuff. She has a magic stick to hit mean things and a shiny rock to make new friends and her big green cape to show how brave she is.

“Oh wow,” says Fish. “That is such a shiny rock! I bet my friends can see it, even from very far away.”

“Do you want my shiny rock?” says Girl. “So your friends won’t get lost and you can swim with them.”

“Thank you so much!” says Fish. “Now my friends can find me and I can swim with them.”

“Yay!” says Girl. “I am so happy to help my friends.”

It is cold in the lake and Girl wants to be warm. Also, Girl misses Dog.

“I think I will go back to the land now,” says Girl. “I hope your friends find you!”

“Okay!” says Fish. “If you want to see more water, there is a very cozy stream close by.”

“Oh thank you!” says Girl. “I will go there. Bye, Fish!”

“Bye Girl!” says Fish.

Girl goes back to the land. Dog is there, and he is very soft and warm and dry. Girl gives Dog a big hug. Girl is very happy to be with Dog. Dog is now wet, but Dog is very happy to be with Girl, too.

Girl and Dog sit in the sun until they are both warm and dry. 

“I made a friend in the lake,” says Girl. “Her name is Fish. I gave her my shiny rock so her friends don’t get lost.”

“Yay!” says Dog. “I am so happy you made a new friend.”

“Me too,” says Girl. “She said there was a cozy stream close by. We can go there next.”

“Okay,” says Dog. “That sounds very nice.”

Girl and Dog go to the cozy stream. They see a big log, a lily pad, and a red leaf.

Now Girl and Dog are at the cozy stream. The water makes a pretty sound when it hits all the rocks. Girl likes the sound the water makes lots and lots.

Then they see a frog next to the stream. The frog has a funny hat!

“Hi!” says Girl. “I am Girl. Do you want to be my friend?”

“Howdy Girl!” says the frog with the funny hat. “My name is Frog. Being your friend sounds real nice.”

“Yay!” says Girl. “I like your funny hat.”

“Why thank you!” says Frog. “I like your big green cape, too.”

“Thank you!” says Girl. “Mom made it for me. It shows how brave I am. See?” Girl does a spin.

“I do see!” says Frog. “And my hat was a gift from my dear mama, too, but I can’t get to her no more.”

“Oh!” says Girl. “Why not?”

“Well she’s on the other side of this here stream,” Frog says, “and I can’t get over there.”

“Can you hop over it?” says Girl. Girl hops up and down so Frog will know what she means.

“No,” says Frog. Frog looks sad. “I can’t hop very well.”

“Oh,” says Girl. “Can you swim to the other side?”

“No,” says Frog. “The water is too fast.”

“But Fish said this is a cozy stream,” says Girl.

“Oh, not at all!” says Frog. “Maybe this stream is cozy for fish, but not for frogs!”

“Oh,” says Girl. “I don’t think I get it, but that’s okay.” Girl still wants to help Frog cross the stream.

Girl looks down at her magic stick. It is nice and big so she can hit lots of mean things. It is so big it can go from one side of the stream to the other. Girl has an idea.

Girl puts the stick down across the stream. Now there is a small bridge over the stream.

“Can you cross the stream now?” says Girl.

“I think I can!” says Frog. Frog goes on the bridge. “Hot dog! This is the best!”

Frog goes over the stream.

“Yeehaw! Thank you, friend!” says Frog.

“I’m so happy that I can help my friends!” says Girl. She is so happy that she hops up and down lots and lots.

Frog tips his hat. “Have a very nice day! Thanks again!”

“You too!” says Girl. “Bye, Frog!”

Now it is late in the day. Soon it will be night. Girl yawns. “Let’s go to our next spot!” says Girl.

“You look very sleepy,” says Dog. “It’s hard to go on a trip when you’re sleepy.”

“Yeah,” says Girl. Girl pets Dog. Girl is very sleepy. “Today was a big day,” says Dog. “First, we went to the big rock and you gave Bird your best bag so it could be a nice nest. Next, we went to the pretty lake and you gave Fish your shiny rock so her friends don’t get lost. Then, we came to the cozy stream and you gave Frog your magic stick so he could cross the river. You made so many friends and gave all of them your help.”

“I did help lots of friends,” said Girl. “Today was a very good day.” Girl sits with Dog. “But you’re silly, Dog. You didn’t say that we met! That was today and that was very big.”

“You’re right,” says Dog. “That was very very big. I’m so glad we met and are now friends!”

Girl sits up. “Oh Dog!” she says. “You’re my friend! I like to help my friends lots and lots! I gave help to Bird and Fish and Frog, but not you! What do I do to help you, Dog?”

“You’re silly, Girl,” says Dog. “You did help me lots and lots just by being my friend today. Trips are best when you have a friend with you. You got to go on a trip with a friend today, and so did I!”

“Okay!” says Girl. “I’m so happy I got to help you today. You helped me too, Dog. You are my friend! You made this trip so much fun. I’m so happy we’re friends.”

“Me too,” says Dog. 

Girl yawns some more. She puts her head on Dog’s head.

“You need to sleep,” says Dog. “Do you want to go home?”

“I don’t know,” says Girl. “Mom and Dad will be mad I went into the woods. They tell me not to. I don’t think they’ll let me come back to the woods.” 

“Oh,” says Dog. “Do you want to stay in the woods? We can go to the spot I like to sleep in.”

Girl pets Dog. “I don’t know. I don’t want Mom and Dad to be sad. They’re really nice all the time. My mom made my big green cape for me.”

“I see,” says Dog. “So what will you do?”

Girl thinks lots and lots. Dog is really nice all the time, too. Girl also doesn’t want Dog to be sad.

Girl thinks about the town. Girl thinks about how warm and cozy her bed is when Dad tucks her in. Girl thinks about all the things she learns in school. Girl wants to learn to read big books. Girl thinks about Mom and all the things she shows her how to make. Girl wants to learn to make capes, too, even cooler than the ones Mom makes.

“I think I will go home,” says Girl. “I’m very glad I came to the woods. I really like all the new things I saw and the cool trip we had. And I really really like all my new friends!” Girl pets Dog some more. “But I want to go home.”

“Okay,” says Dog. “I’m glad Mom and Dad will be happy to see you. But I will be sad that I won’t get to see you again.”

“Me too,” says Girl. Girl gives Dog more pets. “I will miss you lots and lots.”

“I will too,” says Dog.

Girl takes off her big green cape that shows how brave she is. But Girl knows how brave she is. Soon she will make her very own cape. Girl will make lots of capes.

“Here,” says Girl. “I want you to have this. So you can keep it and think of me for a long time.”

“Oh Girl,” says Dog. “I will think of you lots and lots, even if I don’t have your big green cape.”

“I will think of you lots, too,” says Girl. “But I still want you to have it.”

“Okay,” says Dog. “Thank you very much. I will take care of it so much.”

“Just like you took care of me!” says Girl. Girl puts her big green cape on Dog. Girl ties her best knot, to keep it nice and snug. “There,” says Girl.

“Thank you, Girl,” says Dog. “I love you so much.”

Girl gives Dog the biggest hug. 

“I love you too, Dog,” says Girl. “So so much.”

“Goodbye, Girl,” says Dog.

Girl lets go of Dog. “Goodbye, Dog,” says Girl.

Girl is going home. Girl turns around to wave goodbye to her best friend, Dog, in a big green cape.

Girl goes back down the cozy stream. Girl can see Frog on the other side with his mama, who has a funny hat too.

Girl goes from the cozy stream to the pretty lake. She goes past the big log, the lily pad, and the red leaf. Girl looks in the pretty lake and sees Fish and her friends going for a big swim by the nice shell, the smooth rock, and the wavy plant.

Girl goes from the pretty lake to the big rock. She sees Bird with lots of bird friends in the nice nest. They are going to sleep. Girl wants to go to sleep, too.

Girl goes past the huge leaf, the funny bug, and the rocky hill. Girl is now at the end of the woods. 

Girl goes out of the woods. Girl goes back to the town. Girl goes back to her home. Mom and Dad are very happy to see her and give her a big, big hug. Girl loves Mom and Dad too.

“Oh no,” says Mom, “did you lose your big green cape?”

“No,” says Girl. “I gave it to my best friend.”

“Okay,” says Mom. Girl is so sleepy. Mom picks her up and takes her to her bed. Dad tucks her in. 

Girl is so cozy in her bed. Girl had the best day.

Girl has the best dreams, too.

The End

[sky-squido]

dashed out a quick h/c ficlet between homework assignments! (sky & legend)

A symphony of sparks swirled up from the campfire, illuminating the pair of heroes, at once both together and alone, who staved off the darkness of the night with watchful eyes and a contemplative silence.

Until that silence was broken.

“Can I tell you something I’ve never told anyone before?“ Sky’s soft voice, rough from the long night of unacknowledged emotions, wafted amidst the cool night air.

Legend straightened where he sat, at once captivated and terrified by the question, desperate to hear what Sky had to say and yet unable to escape the sensation that he was about to find himself squarely out of his depth.

Sky raised his gaze to the starlit sky. “People need to get more sleep.“

Legend blinked at him, the pounding of his heart suddenly skipping with confusion.

“Am I hallucinating? Am I going insane? You have definitely said that many times to many people.“

“Oh, I know,“ Sky laughed, “I just wanted to get that person over there to click the Keep Reading button so we’d have more space to chat.“

Legend stiffened, shooting a cautious glance over his shoulder. “Are you sure breaking the fourth wall is a good idea?“

“Absolutely,” came Sky’s reply as the Chosen Hero slipped a hand into his pocket and retrieved a pair of reading glasses that he flicked open with practiced precision and propped professionally onto his nose, clearing his throat as he stared down at the thick, binder-clipped packet in his hands. “I have some stuff I’ve been meaning to say and I figured this was a sufficient pretense with which we could get everyone’s attention.“

“I’m definitely hallucinating,“ Legend decided.

“Ah,“ Sky started, raising a knowing finger, “but you wouldn’t be if you actually slept.“

“I sleep!“ Legend protested.

“How many hours a night?“ Sky countered.

“Enough...“ came Legend’s weak response.

Sky pulled his glasses off his face and stared Legend dead in the eyes.

“Give me a number.“

“...five? On a good night?“

Sky’s eyes narrowed. “And on an average night?“

“Three?“

Sky continued to glare.

“Two?“

Sky silently slipped his glasses back onto his nose before pointedly flipping through a few pages in his packet.

“Aha!“ He finally exclaimed, pointing at a highlighted section and angling the paper so Legend could see while he read aloud. 

“According to Basner et al. in twenty-thirteen, ‘Epidemiological evidence has linked habitually short sleep duration to excessive sleepiness, accidents, cognitive deficits, and more recently to increased risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and all-cause mortality.’ ”

Sky paused in his reading to side-eye Legend. “Do you want to die a slow and painful death as a result of highly preventable diseases?“

Legend looked away with a pout. “Not particularly. But it’s fine! I’m just being an idiot!”

Sky cleared his throat again for effect and continued reading.

“Despite growing awareness of these risks, current surveys indicate that 35%-40% of the adult US population chronically restrict their sleep to less than 7 hours on weekday nights, primarily for lifestyle reasons.”

Legend gestured at the paper with exasperation. “See! I’m in good company! Forty percent of adults in the US—wherever that is—do the same thing!“

Sky raised an eyebrow, then flicked forward a few more pages in his packet. “Now, I understand how easy it is to let your decisions be swayed by what’s considered normal. Fortunately I have some thrilling papers on behavioral economics that might help you reevaluate why you do what you do, and maybe I can help you make some better decisions.“

“Behavioral what?“ Legend asked incredulously.

“Behavioral economics,“ Sky repeated before elaborating, “I’m a psych major,” as if that explained anything.

Legend’s eyebrows shot up on his forehead. “The Knight Academy gives out bachelor’s degrees in psychology?“

“This is fanfiction, Legend. You know there aren’t any rules.“

“This is a fanfiction?“ Legend repeated, “it seems to me more like a thinly-veiled callout post because squido knows nobody ever reads all the incredibly interesting scientific journal quotes she posts even though she’s risking a lot by using her university’s institutional access to publicly share otherwise paywalled information so she’s trying to integrate it into a more interesting format instead to see if people will actually read it.“

“Yeah,“ Sky agreed, “but that’s kind of what she does with most of her ‘actual’ fanfiction anyway. Earlier this year, you invented Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and somehow Wind became a Psychodynamic therapist. In her sophomore year high school English class, she learned that fiction has incredible power as a vehicle by which we can teach people things they wouldn’t otherwise be open to by suspending their disbelief and getting them invested in the characters. The story ends, but the lessons remain. From that day on, she resolved to use that power for good.“

“Huh,“ was Legend’s only response. “I thought it was because she learned about Narrative Therapy and how stories have an incredible power to change people’s lives“

“That too. Anyway,“ Sky continued, “according to Sunstein in twenty-fourteen, some of the most effective ways to influence people’s behavior are by using social norms to weaponize unconscious peer pressure and carefully framing the information you give the people you’re trying to convince.“

Legend cocked his head. “I don’t see how this is relevant.“

“Well,” Sky explained, “if you say that you’re not alone because lots of other people have just as bad sleep schedules as you, I would like to propose a counterpoint.”

Sky’s gaze grew very intense as he slowly swiveled his head to stare directly into the camera.

“You are in the minority. Most people get over seven hours of sleep a night. Most people aren’t legitimately chronically sleep deprived. But you are. You are suffering from memory problems, cognitive impairments, anxiety, and emotional distress that could be avoided.“

His stare grew piercing.

“Close tumblr,“ he ordered, “and go to sleep.“

[sky-squido]

Linking Adventure!!!

OKAY SO I FINALLY CAVED

i’ve been daydreaming about link redesigns for years but always figured it was too big a project or nobody would want Yet Another Link Redesign but i actually love every link redesign i’ve seen and there have been more and more lately (props you guys they’re all awesome) so here are mine! i have no intentions to turn this into a full AU even if i do have the plot for it kicking around my brain, i just wanted to share my fun character ideas :3 obligatory disclaimer that this is not LinkedUniverse (or linkedmaze, or linkverse, or bonus links, or—) so don’t tag it as such!

it’s called “Linking Adventure” because *cough* maybe it was an adventure but also because the Point of the adventure is to link the three timelines together before the universe disintegrates. fun! this selection of links, then, is all the ones who get recruited for the quest.

here’s how that went down btw:

Hylia/Zelda (“Vega” in this AU): UGGGGH SkSw Link (“Altair” in this AU): what’s wrong? Vega: I JUST COMMUNED WITH THE GOLDEN GODDESSES Altair: oh no Vega: THEY LET THIS NINE YEAR OLD BREAK THE FABRIC OF REALITY. TWICE Altair: oh no Vega: AND NOW THEY’RE TRYING TO FIX IT Altair: yay? Vega: BY SMASHING ALL THE REALITIES TOGETHER Altair: oh dear. where is this? Vega: in like a buncha millennia Altair: oH. so wait where will you be you at the time? Vega: I doN’t KnOW! Altair: can i help? Vega: yes please Altair: cool. how do i do that. Vega: I’m gonna yell at Nayru and get her to yeet you into the future. there’s three heroes, one in each timeline, whose help you’re gonna need Altair: nice Vega: Oh also go grab the Hero of Legend, too. He’s pals with her oracle and will definitely come in handy Altair: sick Vega: cool okay so to stabilize the Convergence you’re going to need to find the full Triforce in each era and merge them together—that should hold most of reality together pretty solidly. you’ll need each timeline’s master sword to do that, though, since it’s the only artifact strong enough to withstand that kind of power. Also you can’t bring your own Master Sword because that might break reality. i’m sorry. is that too much? you’ve done so much already, you don’t have to— Altair: this isn’t like last time, though. i’ve got more experience, there’s no demon king to fight, and you’ll be safe. that’s all that matters. Vega: thank you. so much. Altair: just don’t erect any statues in my honor while i’m gone Vega: no promises!

and then he went and found everyone and they had a little adventure. here’s the gang! (transcriptions and clarifications of the handwritten text under the cut)

And here’s just some concept sketches about how they’d all fit together as a team

transcription: Favored battle positions (this is really loose) Wind— ranged support Altair— taking out main enemy’s weak point Fire— high damage output Traveler— distract enemy Night— misc.

Anyway! don’t expect more content of this! i just don’t have the patience for comics and i wouldn’t want to tell the story any other way. 

cool! transcriptions below the cut:

FIRE: “The Big Guns” [LoZ 1 & 2] 19 yo (she/her) Nicknamed herself for her favorite spell - uses she/her, don’t question it - has Down Syndrome & ASD - is mostly nonverbal - can speak with a stutter but prefers to sign - if she gets emotional while signing, her hands Will catch fire - abandoned as a baby and raised by fairies - insane magical potential - near-constantly casting life to counteract various health complications - her favorite spell is fire. - she did not hide from Ganon’s cult - fiercely protective & loyal - is very no-nonsense; to the point - when she casts fire, the ends of her scarf flare out like fairy wings - her hands always glow faintly so she can be “heard” in the dark - solves problems with fire - prefers to speak with actions over voice or sign

TRAVELER: [aLttP, OoA, OoS, LA, ALBW] 17 yo (he/him) Nicknamed himself for his passion in life - LOVES adventuring & traveling - hates fighting—prefers to avoid/distract enemies - incredibly fast & agile—attacks by surprise - the lightning strike just before Koholint made him almost completely deaf - and gave him arrhythmia (tachycardia) - gets chest pains/short of breath sometimes - when he’s backed into a corner, he’ll go feral with his magic rods - kid’s a walking encyclopedia - super kindhearted—cannot refuse someone who needs help - incredibly curious & nosy (if someone needs help, he will find out about it) - prefers to sign, but can still talk, since he could hear for most his life, but sometimes he’s hard to understand b/c he’s been deaf for a year. - his eyes are really, REALLY vibrant blue ever since he used the Triforce the second time—they glow faintly in the dark - somehow more level-headed when in danger than when he’s safe - he’s like a freaking cockroach he WILL NOT die - damage reduction items have no effect on pain <3 - pretends Koholint never happened (claims to have only been on 4 adventures) - ✨avoidance coping✨ (Dialogue Sample): “hey, is this place upsetting you? If it helps, I’ve catalogued 4 separate exit routes and have strategies set up for handling all the monsters we’re likely to encounter here!” (Outfit Description): he has pegasus boots, the magic cape from aLttP (which turns him invisible and invincible), the Protection Ring from OoA/OoS (which makes him take 1 heart of damage from every attack), the red tunic from ALBW (which reduces damage taken by 75%), and the Heart Ring L-2 from OoA/OoS (which heals him over time)

WIND [WW+PH] 14 yo (he/him) Nicknamed himself for his position as Wind Waker and his love for the ocean’s breezes - ADHD (hyperactive) and misophonia - he will flip out if a noise bothers him too much - somehow, he always seems upbeat—master of mind over matter - never loses sight of the big picture - can be curled up in a ball, crying, hands over his ears, and still say with full certainty that he loves life - “I’m not okay, but I will be, and that’s enough for me.” - If he loses hope, the world is literally ending - Really Freaking Good with a bow and arrow - his ice, fire, and light arrows are so OP - uses one of Tetra’s cutlasses ever since he jammed the Master Sword into Ganondorf’s skull - he’s had a no-killing-humanoids policy since then, too (clarification: he’ll only kill things that burst into purple smoke upon death) - even though Phantom Hourglass took 10 irl minutes, he counts those months towards his age - has no items from PH except for the empty hourglass - the Pirate’s Charm around his neck glows faintly in the dark. members of the Royal Family can speak through it—everyone else can only play the messages he’s recorded on it - oh yeah, he can record and play audio messages on it (Dialogue Sample): “how dare you! that’s the same as just giving up!“ (Outfit Description): friendship bracelet Aryll made (a set of 4 for her, Tetra, Wind, and Grandma); bracelet of grass he learned how to weave in the Ocean King’s world; custom made coat a 13th b-day present from Tetra (he’ll grow into it); socks were a gift from Aryll

ALTAIR [SkSw] 22 yo (he/him) Nicknamed himself for his Loftwing, who he named after the brightest start in Aquila, the eagle constellation - ADHD (inattentive) - has prophetic dreams - Team mom energy - usually tries to avoid combat—focus on support/defense (clarification: unless he deems it appropriate to draw his sword, in which case, Oh No) - may or may not be the King of Hyrule - he is trying to be very diplomatic—likes to talk things out - loves talking about everyone’s feelings but his own - he’s the kind of person you grow really close to really fast and tell everything to and then realize several months in that you know NOTHING about him - kind of under a lot of pressure—acts like it doesn’t affect him so people still feel comfortable coming to him for help - he’s nominally in charge cuz Hylia sent him to grab the others but he honestly doesn’t care—it’s all Laissez-faire - unless you make him angry - it’s very hard to make him angry - but when he is, he’s like a completely different person—grows completely silent and becomes brutally efficient - his left eye’s been purple ever since Demise—don’t worry, it’s totally fine and normal for it to be doing that.

NIGHT [TP] 23 yo (she/her) Nicknamed herself night because night is what comes after the twilight and she felt really lost after the events of TP - just kind of a girl dw about it - what happened to her leg? well she HAD it when she fought Ganondorf... idk where it went~ she’s got her knee but nothing below that - she got that canon repair guy to make her a new leg - it has a gun in it. it shoots explosive rounds & has 10 shots - she’s ambidextrous and decided to take full advantage of that by dual wielding blades - ever since she lost her leg, she had this awesome fighting style where she switches frequently between hylian and wolf, darting around the battlefield on 3 legs before shifting into a hylian in midair, lashing out with both blades, and landing as a wolf. she’s very good at it but after a long battle she’ll be sick for a little while from the magic. - takes on the leader role determinedly. fiercely protective - she cares so, so deeply and honestly all the time. it hurts so much but she can’t help it and doesn’t want to. she’ll keep caring even if it kills her. - has, on some level, lost hope that she’ll ever be happy. Ordon feels intensely wrong, somehow, and she doesn’t know where else to go. everywhere she goes, she feels trapped. - Midna said “see you later” and then destroyed the portal. Night doesn’t take people at their word. She won’t be vocal about it, but she won’t believe them, either. - harbors distrust towards Altair but still cares so deeply for him. fully expecting to get backstabbed and that the pain of it will kill her (clarification: this killing is metaphorical)

more art of them here!