Helvegen

The Hero of Legend was the one who suggested to stay there and have a good, proper rest.

"So unusual of the stingy old man to want spend money for once" teased the Hero of Warriors.

"I'm an old man indeed, and I need a good bed from time to time" the senior hero played along with no shame.

"Now now," The Hero of Time said, "I do believe one night to spend in comfort will raise morale among us men."

"I support this" hurried the Hero of Hyrule, "every now and then it is good to find us some-" he cleared his throat and looked at his cup of water "Morale raising stuff, yes."

The Hero of Time gave him a suspicious look, but the Hero of Warriors was quicker. He stretched one arm on the smaller hero's shoulder and squeezed him, laughing.

"You’re suggesting us to get drunk are you not?"

The mighty Hero of Warriors olympically ignored their leader's burning glare, more interested on how many of his friends' ears twitched up in sudden interest.

The Hero of Hyrule though, didn't miss the leader's disproving look.

"I just say, it wouldn't hurt a little fun" he said in a low voice.

"Booze and women" suggested the Captain. He was clearly joking. Sort of. Hopefully.

The Hero of Hyrule groaned as his friend just seemed to dig a hole big enough for the both of them.

The Chosen Hero stiffened visibly. The Hero of Twilight let out a laugh, but the Hero of the Wild just rolled his eyes in annoyance. The leader, the Hero of Time, kept his one healthy eye on them with a silent, murderous warning.

"No women" warned the Hero of Swords, pointing a finger at the Captain across the table.

The Hero of Warriors winked at him. "I'll get a man just for you." Then, he blew him a kiss.

The sword smith snorted at the offer, but recovered in seriousness to then say "You know what I mean." His eyes flickered to the group's youngest.

"Why women?" asked then the Hero of the Wind, with big eyes and a mouth full of cheese. And he was met with silence.

He then frowned and twisted his mouth, looking at the Hero of Warriors with disapproval. "Does this have to do with child making?"

And the table joined in one loud gasp.

"Child making" repeated the Chosen Hero in a whisper, pressing his forehead to the table before letting out an embarrassed laugh.

The Hero of Swords crossed his arms over his chest and gave the Captain a waiting look, and so did the Hero of Winds.

The Hero of Warriors opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. His face grew warm.

"No women" he said, then.

                                                     **

 "So, no children" the Hero of Warriors raised an eyebrow, a dancing joke on his throat.

The experienced Hero of Time could tell. Oh, he could tell.

And yet, "no children" he said.

Feeling humored, the Hero of Warriors licked his lips. "May I ask why?"

"Hey now," warned the Hero of Swords, "watch out for where this conversation is going." Beside him, the Hero of the Winds blinked very slowly, then yawned. He may be fourteen years old, but no one should ever underestimate the power of warm milk and chamomile can have on a tired body. The swordsmith regarded him with healthy envy, as his cup of ale wasn't giving him the same effects just yet.

The Hero of Warriors, drunk as he was, did not pay his friends any mind no longer.

The Hero of Time just shrugged. "Bad luck, I believe- or good luck, depending on how you see it." He let out a soft chuckle. "I already worry enough for my wife now that I'm away, I do not know how I could cope if I left her to raise a child of ours, all alone."

The group chorused a hum of understanding.

On a different situation, the Hero of Twilight would've offered comfort- he'd rest his head on his master's shoulder, or pat his back. He knew "Mavourneen" (as he decided to refer to her exclusively to tease his senior) was a soft, intimate topic- secretive, even. He himself was most interested in it, he wanted to know everything he could about her.

But he did not want to know about this particular thing about her. Or his senior.

And to make it all worse, he was sober.

Because the Hero of Warriors- curse him- made sure that this time none of the seniors, Time and Legend, could skip booze like last time. But they still needed at least two of them to keep sober in case anything happens; the Chosen Hero offered himself politely, and for the other one they drew straws.

The Hero of Twilight twisted and cracked the tiniest straw on his hand once more, and took a sip of water.

He should've seen it coming, the Captain was as nosy as his junior- Wild- was, with the only difference that the Hero of the Wild was much quieter and better at hiding it.

Even as hammered as he was now, the only thing that gave away his thirst for gossip about The Wife Topic, was the little sparkle in Wild's drunk, half closed eyes.

But The Hero of Warriors' nosiness was but an enormous contrast to his junior's. He felt no pity for their leader's words, and the interested smirk never left his face. He planned to go on, because the real question in the air had nothing to do with children.

It was a game of chicken, in which the Captain wanted to see how much he could push and insist about their leader's sex life without actually saying it. He didn't just want to get him drunk, he wanted to see the always calm, collected Hero of Time embarrassing himself.

The Hero of Time met his eyes with a lazy smile, his shoulders down and relaxed. He had a cup of ale on his hand, but Twilight never saw him raise it to his lips. Or perhaps never noticed when he did so? It cannot be his first cup. It's been an hour and everyone else had consumed enough alcohol to embrace the abyss- the Hero of Legend was dropping smooches over his pouch of money, the rest of the world was dead to him.

The Hero of Twilight gulped, eyes fixed on his master. He's got to be drunk, he thought, to be humoring the captain like this.

It was a game of chicken, because their leader was aware of the other man's intentions and was allowing this much to see how far will the Hero of Warriors' insistence go to get this information out of him, without saying something that would most definitely cross a big, fat boundary.

And somehow everyone was doomed to be embarrassed on their behalf- instead of them. The Hero of Twilight could already feel the shame bubble up his throat, his face was warm and he had no ale in his system.

The conversation went on, every word chosen carefully. The Hero of Warriors had his tongue dancing around his true curiosity, and the Hero of Time replied with just enough to keep the questions coming, but nothing else.

At every question, the face of Hero of Hyrule grew redder and the Hero of Swords' glare grew stronger. At some point, the Chosen Warrior cleared his throat and tried to derive the conversation, but the rest was too shocked or embarrassed to even speak over the table and take his lead, and his attempt was crushed by the worst possible question ever.

"Earlier, you said it could be because of bad luck," there was tease on the captain's words. "What kind of bad luck?"

The Hero of Twilight tensed. The Chosen hero shut his mouth instantly and finished his full cup of water in three loud gulps. The Hero of the Wild held a snort.

The Hero of Legend did not care.

"I beg your pardon?" The Hero of Time cocked his head, looking and sounding genuinely confused. But he was not, and Twilight knew. His senior was pulling for another question. Curse him, too.

The Hero of Hyrule let out a whimper- Twilight feared for the poor man's life, his face was so red it seemed like his nose would bleed cascades any minute now.

For such a legendary warrior, this was no honorable way to meet his maker.

Twilight did not fear however, for the captain's life. He deserved this. The man was drunkenly impaling himself in the chest with the Biggoron Sword and having the time of his life while doing so.

"I just want to know" continued the Hero of Warriors, and everyone held his breath. "Hopefully she has all the curves in all the right places?" and to soothe the blow, he added "I want only the best for you, my friend."

There was a collective gasp. Suddenly Wild wasn't having that much fun anymore, he dropped his cup of ale on his lap and cursed under his breath. The Hero of Hyrule audibly groaned and beside him, the Chosen Hero covered his face with his hands and breathed an "Oh dear".

There it was- the big, fat boundary.

At this point, The Hero of Twilight was sure his entire body personified an ass clench.

The Hero of Legend did not care.

But the Hero of Sword could not take this any longer; he stood up abruptly and his chair fell to the ground.

"I'm going to sleep" he announced, not hiding his embarrassment and indignation towards the entire table. All of them, either for starting this conversation or for never stopping it. He was offended at all of them.

His eyes softened when he turned to their youngest companion. "Come with me, brother" he called.

The Hero of the Winds reacted to his best friend's voice, and let out another yawn to break his hour-long quietness.

"I'm not sleepy" he said. His left cheek was pressed to the table, had been so for a while. He regarded the swordsmith with only one eye open.

And yet, the Hero of Swords respected his comrade's claim.

"But I am" he insisted gently, offering Wind a hand. "It's dangerous to go alone."

Wind blinked once, twice, and his head rose. "You're right" he took his friend's hand to stand up, a little dizzy. He was sleepy. "You must be drunk, I'll protect you."

The Hero of Swords allowed this assumption and nodded, grateful.

And with them walking away into their rooms, the tension was gone. Or so everyone hoped.

But it wasn't.

The Hero of Twilight felt a mischievous, dangerous aura behind him.

After all, the Hero of Time had yet to react to the fact that his wife was called ugly and undesirable to his very face.

Suddenly the Hero of Twilight realized he entered a game of chicken himself, between him and the entire exchange he witnessed between leader and captain. He could've excused himself an entire hour ago, knowing he did not want to hear about this. It was a game in which he tried to collect as much of innocent information about her without it being tainted forever. The game totally humiliated him.

He turned to his master.

The Hero of Time still had that lazy smile on his face, his one eye fixed on the Hero of Warriors, whose face lost all color. Apparently, he managed to sober up a little. He looked like he regretted every single word that came out of his mouth in the past hour.

The air felt thick.

"No more questions" said the Hero of Time, his voice did not match his smile. The words came so cold the Hero of Warriors felt it on his skin and hissed.

The Hero of Twilight finally assumed defeat and sat up. Just because the captain deserved it did it mean Twilight would enjoy the slaughter.

It took all the power of his knees to raise his body up, tearing through the heavy atmosphere created by his master's authority. He excused himself with a quick "I'm going outside for air" even though he wasn't drunk, and avoided all the pleading eyes of the rest of his comrades because he was not helping anyone out of it. He was not strong enough.

He wanted to run out of the inn, but he had pride. The Hero of Twilight walked slowly towards the door that would save him, feet itching to walk faster but he had self control. He had it.

"But just so you know-" said the Hero of Time, and his voice had changed entirely. He sounded almost playful- and that sent a chill of fear down Twilight's spine. The inn had no air suddenly. Their leader cleared his throat before continuing, and the sound of it alone made The Hero of Twilight hop three steps closer to the door.

He no longer had pride.

But it was still too late.

"-- I am insatiable around her."

Finally, The Hero of Time's face broke into a full grin as he watched his younger peers choke on their drinks. The Hero of Warriors covered his face in his hands, clearly never ready for this answer. Shame was the darkest shade of red, and it tainted the captain's ears before their leader's mischievous eye.

Everyone else was coughing ale out of their lungs- the Chosen Hero, whose cup was empty and had had no alcohol throughout the night, choked on air alone.

Everyone was dying but The Hero of Legend, pouch hugged to his chest. He did not care.

Time finally laughed when he heard a groan behind him, followed by a hard thud as his junior, the Hero of Twilight, banged his head to the door. It was then when he took the first sip of his first cup of ale.

Well, he swallows as he finishes making the sandwiches for the picnic he must attend in a few hours, it's more than that.

And Momo knows- he's just being cruel to himself because the whole situation frustrates him.

Thyme is so charming. How dare he.

Behind that stoic look, Momo learns of a soft, gentle, awkward person. Adorably awkward.

He learns of a man who comes up with the worst puns in all Hyrule and to his shame, Momo laughs at them as if they were the wittiest of jokes. He learns of a man who can be both a protective, caring friend-- but also the one asshole friend who would push him into the cold river one afternoon by the end of winter, and then jump right after him, laughing like a maniac.

Thyme is beautiful, too. How dare he.

He learns of a soft eye, and a dead scarred eye that still hold kindness somehow. And a big nose that wrinkles at the bridge whenever Thyme isn't happy or satisfied about something, and nostrils that flare letting out loud sniffles when he's angry or annoyed (and at the beginning of their not-yet-friendship, Thyme was often very annoyed-- at Momo).

He learns of a crooked smile that makes his heart jump and strong scarred hands that hold him as if he's the world's most delicate thing- why, Momo wonders, and then shakes his head.

He knows better than getting any hopes up.

Because he learns too, that Thyme was once a married man, and his heart drops where his stomach is.

Momo has nothing to offer him.

Suddenly the sandwiches don't look so tasty anymore.

And when he walks up to the pond- that cursed pond. Thyme is already there waiting for him, sitting by the edge, his bare feet into the water.

That damned crooked smile plays on his lips when he looks up at Momo, and there's a spark of mischief in Thyme's voice when they greet. It holds a silent promise that Momo may end up thrown into that pond at some point during their picnic.

Momo is honestly okay with that, he admits to himself as he sits beside Thyme and pushes both his feet into the water as well.

And something goes horrible wrong then. Because Momo is still miserable, and it translates in quietness.

Lunch goes on in silence, and Thyme shifts beside him because he's uncomfortable. He's not used to Momo being quiet.

Horse- Thyme's horse whose name is "Horse", snorts behind them and just then Momo realizes she's here. He jumps and blinks and then looks at Thyme, who slowly meet his eyes and he's waiting.

Thyme is bad at starting conversations- has a hard time keeping up with them in general. But he likes listening to Momo, and Momo knows.

And Momo feels even shittier, then. He feels so bad, he's already ruining this.

"I'm sorry" he chokes, and it's the absolute wrong thing to say but it's already out and Thyme's nose wrinkles.

But at least he's given a starter- which Thyme takes, tilting his head and asking, "Are you okay?"

Oh, he's not okay. Momo is so not okay.

He gulps and looks away because Thyme's eye burns into him through his long bangs of hair.

"There's someone I like" he says very softly.

Thyme tenses and shifts again, closer to Momo. And when he speaks, he sounds a little accusatory and Momo shrinks in his place.

"Honey?"

Momo freezes, then he laughs- but comes out as a sob almost. "No" he answers, "it's not Honey."

He's really going to ruin this. Five days after finding out how he feels about Thyme, he's going to ruin months of friendship he worked so hard for and cherished so much. He wishes to shut up and be quiet again, but his throat burns and squeezes every word out of him and he hates this.

"It doesn't matter" he says, and remembers Thyme had once a wife and that he spoke fondly of her. That once Thyme had someone that made him happy. "I have nothing to offer to him."

He looks down at the pond, sees the reflection of his own stupid baby face and remembers each time Thyme called him a kid. He swallows his own bile and feels angry at his own genes.

"I'm ugly, too" he says and it's not what he means, not really. He's just being cruel to himself like he always does when he's frustrated.

"That is a load of bullshit" Thyme says so quickly Momo believes he almost heard him choke. Which is unusual, because Thyme rarely shows any trembling on his voice unless he's holding a laugh, about to prank the life out of a very gullible idiot- which happens to be Momo, in most cases.

But when he looks up Thyme's nostrils are flaring and he looks like he seriously took personal offense on Momo talking shit about his own dumb self. And it's a really hot sight to behold. Damn it.

It takes seconds and their gaze holds, and Thyme relaxes, looks down. One of his hands moves towards Momo's, calloused fingers full of tiny scars grab just one index finger of Momo's and holds it oh so delicately.

"You're very cute" he says with a small voice, and bites the inside of his cheek. Momo's heart jumps and get stuck on his throat and now he can't speak. Thyme's head rises, and he looks so determined when he says, "if a korok and a baby cactus had a child, it'd be you. That's how cute you are."

And Thyme looks like he means it. His face is straight and his eye is dead set on Momo's big, blue ones. Thyme really means what he says.

Behind them, Horse snorts again. Momo feels judged. His sandwich is floating in the pond and he has no idea when it got there.

The hard, dry skin of a thumb brushes against one of his knuckles and it breaks Momo in several pieces. He laughs-- he laughs very hard because holy shit, Thyme has the weirdest standards when it comes to what he finds cute apparently.

He laughs because he was just compared to both a korok and a baby cactus and boy, Thyme has just reached a whole new level of awkward. It goes beyond adorable.

It's kissable. Thyme reached kissable awkward.

His eyes flood with embarrassing, thick tears because wow, he really wants to kiss this man before him a lot. And then it hits him, the horrible realization that he's been wanting to kiss Thyme way before he saw the older man that afternoon washing himself in this pond.

Fucking Hylia- it's bad enough that he names her- the picnic is ruined.

"You're in love, bon-bon" he remembers Hennessy say, with the softest voice he's ever heard in his friend.

Momo is in love. He's very very in love with Thyme and wants him very much.

It sucks.

He sniffles, he's no longer laughing and Thyme looks visibly alarmed. It is when his hands cup Momo's face that the first sob comes out.

"Shit," says Thyme, and Momo agrees.

Worried, Thyme pulls Momo to his chest though, and Momo feels his face pressed to a lot of muscle and a beating heart--- and the picnic doesn't feel all that ruined suddenly.

"What did I do?" Thyme asks, he sounds just as upset as Momo feels. "Fuck. I'm sorry, shit."

Momo shakes his head, which is both to try to reassure Thyme that all is fine, and also because now he gets to rub his face to Thyme's pectorals and when Horse snorts a third time, Momo knows he's being judged.

"It's fine" he stars, "it's just--"

"What?" Thyme's hands do the thing again- holding Momo's trembling shoulders as if Momo wasn't once a cold blooded killing machine like Thyme is, and instead is the most delicate thing in all of Hyrule.

"This is the nicest thing someone has ever said to me before" Momo says, and it's a big, fat lie. He doesn't know this yet, but this will be the only time he'll ever lie to Thyme in his life.

And of course Thyme doesn't believe him. He tenses just slightly, but doesn't insist on Momo's answer. Instead, he wraps his arms around Momo and holds him close, almost pulling Momo into his lap. Lips press to Momo's hair and Thyme's voice drops into something low and soothing that makes Momo's stomach flutter.

"One day you will find someone that will give you what you deserve" Thyme says, and it sounds like a promise-- and a threat, somehow. Thyme is an awkward man. It's cute.

The picnic is going great actually, Momo thinks as he sniffles a lot of snot back into his nose.

It takes minutes and Thyme doesn't let go, his protective hold on Momo doesn't even loosen one bit. Momo exhales a lot of air, and stops shaking.

"You feeling better?" Thyme asks.

Momo nods, rubbing his face to Thyme's chest again. It's been five days and now he's hopelessly unable to keep it to himself and if their friendship survives, then Momo is okay with being a little bit of a pervert. He believes this is the closed he'd ever have to Thyme's intimate affection and he's willing to take anything he's allowed to.

"Good" says Thyme, and his voice trembles again, too. But for a different reason. A familiar one.

And when he leans to the side and throws the both of them into the pond, Momo just lets it happen.

 ** That one time Thyme wanted to die **

 Thyme is waiting outside Hennessy's house. His arms are crossed over his chest to keep himself in check and not punch a wall. He keeps still, wishing the blood will finally drain off his face and he stops feeling so hot.

He doesn't know how to feel, exactly. When Momo said, some months ago, that he was in love- but it wasn't Honey, he spent many nights guessing who could be. The loneliest nights, Thyme fantasized that person was him. Those were really mourning nights for his self respect, but his heart- and other parts of his body- remembers them rather fondly.

But all that hope has been totally crushed when he walked on Momo and Hennessy lying together in bed just minutes ago. Hennessy was on top of Momo and looked pretty proud of himself. Momo was... very Momo-looking. He didn't really fully stop to see how Momo was doing once he recognized him, he felt too ashamed and maybe a little hurt. He stills feels a little hurt, even though he has no right to do so.

He still stays in front of the house, back leaning on his horse, waiting. Like an idiot. He waits until Momo and Hennessy are done doing things he doesn't want to imagine but his mind wanders there anyway. He waits because he still wants to see Momo and hang out with him because it's been a while and he misses his friend.

It shouldn't matter. They're still friends.

It doesn't matter.

When Momo comes out and sees him, his entire face lights up and Thyme forgets for a second that his heart just got broken in the worst possible way. He smiles back.

"Hey you" he says, and when Momo approaches for a hug, Thyme allows it.

Because he's lame and whatever little contact he can get from Momo he'll take it.

At some point in their relationship, Momo had taken a little habit of rubbing his face against Thyme's chest whenever they hug. That's also something Thyme allows because it's probably the closest he'd get to intimacy with sweet, innocent Momo and Thyme is thirsty and pervert.

Then he remembers what he's seen just minutes ago. Momo isn't innocent.

It hurts again, but it heals just a little when he feels how Momo's hair tickles his neck and chin. Momo is still sweet.

He also smells really good.

Stop that.

Momo is just being friendly and affectionate and Thyme is a pervert for enjoying himself too much.

"Hennessy said you came over" Momo starts, as he pulls away. Thyme is disappointed the contact ended and also that his presence wasn't noticed back there, when he loudly entered a bedroom without asking like a troglodyte, and stuttered all over himself at what he saw-- even though it did save him from some humiliation. Momo must have been very focused on whatever they were doing. "You wanted to ride with me?"

Thyme mentally bites back a very, very horrible joke about Momo and riding.

"If you want to?" Thyme offers. He then adds, softly and honest. "I missed you."

Momo stills for the split of a second, and blinks in surprise at him. He recovers very quickly though, and answers with a smile. "I missed you too" and his voice pours with sweetness and Thyme's knees weaken just a little.

There's a short moment of heavy silence between them and Thyme fears a conversation he truly doesn't want to have.

But Hylia is cruel, sometimes.

Momo clears his throat, and looks at the floor. "You... didn't see anything, right?" his face is red and so are his ears, and Thyme knows that Momo knows what that 'anything' means. No, Momo isn't innocent.

"It's fine" Thyme says, surprising himself by keeping a calm voice.

Momo's face gets a little redder, "He was just-" he continues, "teaching me things."

"It's fine" says Thyme again, his throat feels a little tight and so does his chest.

It sucks.

The mood changes suddenly, fortunately, when Momo then turns to the horse, and greets her.

"Hello, Horse" he calls to the mare, and Thyme doesn't correct him.

There are many things he hasn't told Momo yet, starting from Hoe's real name. Or the story behind the scar on his face.

Or that he has the biggest, heaviest, horniest crush on Momo- that's probably not a crush anymore and instead something bigger and more terrifying to admit.

Some things Momo just doesn't have to know ever, Thyme concludes.

Of course they share the horse. Of course Momo takes the reins and Thyme sits behind him and hugs Momo's middle a little tighter than he should.

This is fine, Thyme thinks.

It is not fine.

Because when they go ride away- very away from Hennessy's house, Thyme is painfully aware of everything. What he saw is still very fresh in his mind and his blood boils with something he cannot name- anger? jealousy? horny? maybe all those three mixed up into a white hot ball within his stomach.

He's painfully aware of the fact that finally he can relate the concept of Momo to the concept of sex into one full, stronger concept: Momo is sexual- without it feeling like a really guilty fantasy he's to feel guilty about after a desperate jack off session, on the loneliest nights at the Lost Woods.

And that maybe he's not that much of a pervert for lavishing in the affection of his friend, at the expense of Momo's apparent obliviousness. And that perhaps Thyme is enjoying all the physical contact he's getting as much as he does because Momo knowingly allows it.

That's a terrible thing to think, Thyme believes, Momo has a boyfriend.

Momo would never do that, and Thyme is overthinking everything. Obviously. Totally.

He's also painfully aware that, as they ride together sharing a horse, their hips move together in glorious, tortuous sync.

Thyme corrects himself- this is the closest to intimacy he'd ever get with Momo.

And it feels really, really good. Dangerously good.

Oh no.

Thyme feels whatever hot bullshit in his stomach turn into something softer and less painful, and slide lower into his gut. And he starts to panic real bad.

But his body seems to disengage from every single desperate order his brain gives because he keeps on holding Momo really tight against him.

There's no way Momo wouldn't notice--

"Hey" Momo says, eyes fixed ahead and with a breathless voice. Shit. It's because they're riding. Of course. Shit. "Move your dagger away" and he laughs, "it's poking my butt."

Holy fuck. There is no dagger.

Thyme breathes in very deeply, swallows very hard.

He lived a good life.

Thyme closes his eyes, and stares into the abyss.

"I can't" he says, with an impassive voice still.

Momo laughs again, "Are you scared of letting go and fall?" he teases, but makes Hoe slow down anyway. "Come on, you know I'm a good rider."

There's another horrible joke about Momo and riding that Thyme tries really hard to bite back again. He manages. Barely.

Thyme doesn't have to open his eyes to know Momo let one of his hands off the reins-- because that fucking hand lies on Thyme's fucking thigh and holy fucking shit--

"Do you want me to do it for you?"

And the abyss stares back.

 ** I'd love to nuzzle your balls for the rest of my life if possible thank you very much **

 It feels like Momo just pent hours in the void, even though it's been just seconds when everything went white and his body felt heavy against the sheets. He later realizes, as he regains focus, that the heaviness he feels it's also because Thyme's body is pressed atop his back.

He really likes the weight though, and the bruises he can feel on his skin, and the burn of the bites on his shoulder. His thighs are slick and wet and Momo thinks about how, up until six months ago, he never cared about sex.

It took one very handsome man, who once punched him in the face, to change that.

Now Momo is eager to have his face pressed to a pillow, panting hard after a good orgasm, his eyelashes wet with tears that never came out.

Thyme shifts on top of him, and Momo feels a hand on his cheek and smiles. Carefully, Thyme brushes away the hair that sticks to Momo's sweaty face, and then kisses his cheek.

"Hello," he says, and he sounds spent and happy.

Momo's smile grows and he tries to wiggle under his lover, who chuckles and lifts his body enough to give Momo room to turn and lie on his back, only to fall atop him again- their chest pressed flush against each other.

"Hey" says Momo, and their smiles meet in a kiss.

Momo feels the light sting on his scalp when Thyme presses him a bit more into the mattress, and it makes him moans into Thyme's mouth just a little. Perhaps his hair was pulled too hard, but he likes it. He's by no mean a masochist, but his body heals very fast and Momo quickly misses all the marks of Thyme's desperate lust leaves on him. He doesn't get to enjoy or brag on any hickeys or love bites for long, so he indulges in the flash of pain they mean until his body heals it.

And even though Thyme knows that, he still apologizes when he's rough- and his kisses are tender and so are is hands when they caress Momo's body with the softness of a feather, looking for a bruise to kiss better.

Whatever Thyme unleashed within Momo, he likes it. He likes being touched this much, and he likes the kisses and he likes having Thyme's dick inside him and he likes having his hair pulled- it's much, much better than when they started and Thyme treated him like he was made of glass.

Now they both know better and Momo enjoys watching how Thyme is when he loses control of himself. He likes being wanted this much, and he likes the trust he's given.

His powers activate automatically on him, but he has to will them into Thyme's body to heal him too. Momo has short nails but that really doesn't stop the scratches that still appear on Thyme's shoulders and arms and back. And also, to revitalize him and give him some extra energy.

Because whatever Thyme unleashed within him, Momo is addicted to it.

Thyme purrs, already used to Momo's care and energy flow inside him. His chest trembles against Momo and it makes Momo's spent little cock twitch, trapped as it is between their bodies.

Thyme knows and he smiles down at him. "Remember when I was the pervert in the relationship?" he teases.

"Hush" Momo tells him.

Thyme laughs, and leans down to kiss his chin. Momo sighs. They're sleepy.

"I have to clean up" he says, but he doesn't want to get up, and Thyme seems very comfortable on his spot on top of him, too.

"I can clean you up" Thyme offers, and licks his lips.

Momo frowns at his lover's mouth for a second- it really takes him a full second because dirty jokes are not his forte. Then, he laughs.

"You're still the pervert in the relationship" he says.

Thyme laughs as well, and drops several pecks on his face and calls him beautiful. And Momo can feel him hard against his thigh again. Good. This is the most selfish use he's ever given to his healing abilities and it's worth it.

He leads a knowing hand to the back of Thyme's neck and scratches, watching how his lover closes his eyes and sighs. It's slow and there's really no hurry for it, but Thyme lowers his head and hides his face on Momo's neck and sucks the skin right above his pulse. When Thyme rolls his hips, Momo gasps.

He may be very new at The Sex Thing but he's a quick learner and Thyme just happens to be his favorite subject. He loves to nose on the hair between Thyme's thighs, the smell of man and clean sweat that makes him dizzy with want, he likes the taste of Thyme in his mouth. He loves the noises Thyme makes, even if they're minimal and he's nowhere as loud as Momo is.

Momo never expected himself to be so loud, either. But then again, he never expected to ever want a person like this. Or in any way, truly.

"I don't think I could ever be tired of this" Thyme admits, his voice hoarse and hot against Momo's skin.

Momo's free hand travel up and down Thyme's arm, tip of fingers caressing his way around old scars he finds beautiful. Thyme is so beautiful.

"Even when I'm old and my butt is flat and full of old people warts?" Momo asks, in contrast to his loving attention.

Thyme has a cute, deep laugh. But there's a laugh he lets out only after he's been fucked, which sounds so delicious, coming out of a throat that's rough for having sheathed dick and moaned around it.

Momo loves that too.

"I'll still fuck it with my flaccid penis full of old people warts" Thyme says, and he sounds serious but then he snorts and so does Momo.

"How would that even work if it's flaccid and too old?" Momo asks because he has to. He's cackling, too, because Thyme said penis, and that's such a lame word.

"I'll tie to a stick" Thyme answers without a pause, because apparently he expected this question.

"Gross!"

The room smells of sex and it echoes laughter for minutes, and moans for some other minutes.

Momo admits, he really doesn't think he'd get tired of this either.

I'd love to nuzzle your balls for the rest of my life if possible thank you very much, Momo thinks but doesn't voice it. He's not confident enough for such level of dirty talk. Or any kind of dirty talk. Or any sort of talking, really, especially while being fucked so hard he feels his insides turn to jelly.

This is still the horniest thought Momo has ever had in his life without having Thyme's glorious cock inside him so technically, he's progressing a little.

Maybe eventually he can tell Thyme.

Instead, for now, Momo says something else between titters. "Look at us, talking about growing old together."

Thyme's smile gets bigger and toothy, and he looks so happy and charmed and loving and beautiful that Momo's breath catches.

Momo is so in love.

"Ew, we're so sappy" says Thyme, laughing, and Momo wants him in his bed forever.

 ** Patience **

 His clothes feel a little tight on his body and Thyme realizes he may have filled up a little, which shouldn't be surprising- he went from having just what he found around in Lost Woods to having several full meals a day.

After disappearing for three months and coming back, Thyme stays in the Lurelin for five months. It's the longest he's ever stayed away from the shack in the Lost Woods ever since he got in this universe.

But he doesn't mind, because he gets to learn about Momo better.

First, he learns that Momo likes cleaning and cooking a lot- although the second one he already knew very well, from the early stages of their friendship-not-quite-friendship where the only reason he allowed Momo to follow him around was because he brought food.

(And, because he's really pretty)

He also learns that Momo has ... almost infinite patience. He's a patient teacher to the children, and a patient doctor for the people in the village. He's patient when other links mistreat him. He was patient when Thyme mistreated him.

Sometimes he's too late or a person just simply cannot be saved. Momo hurts, but he knows the family hurts more, and understand when he's screamed at. Because the anger will pass eventually and Momo will be needed again.

Thyme shakes in wrath at things Momo takes with grace. Thyme knows he cannot act on his anger because it's not his place- and if Momo doesn't, why should he?

But if he can help in some way- he will. When they get home he pushes Momo to a wall and kisses him until he melts, and they make love until Momo forgets to feel sad and what they are is the only valid emotion.

Sometimes Thyme teases, because there's a limit to Momo's patience- well, there should be. Momo says he doesn't know himself, and Thyme believes him because Momo has only lied to him once since they met, and that's all Thyme needed to know Momo is really bad at lying.

"I'll find out eventually" says Thyme and while he's still teasing, he kind of means it.

He learns too that Momo loves cock. Well, Thyme's cock only, as far as he knows.

It shouldn't be that big of a deal, considering they're boyfriends and of course, one kinda has to appreciate or just tolerate the genitalia of their beloved at least one bit. Or so he assumes.

He's Momo's only experience- and he knows that someone as beautiful and loving as Momo didn't stay a virgin, while being a soldier and expected to have a short life, because he wasn't wanted.

Thyme knows Momo was just not interested in that function of his body. And he's not sure exactly what made Momo see him that way, but he's thankful for it.

Really thankful for it.

He noticed very early in the relationship that Momo was curious. When they decided to go a little further and sleep without clothes, Momo would stare. And when they first touched, Momo was more interested on getting Thyme off than have any attention on himself.

And when Thyme taught him to use his mouth well- he noticed a small addiction. And that just feels like a very egocentric thing to say but Thyme isn't sure how else to explain it.

Momo got really good at sucking dick very quickly, but also and still to this day Momo doesn't seem to care to stop himself unless Thyme is pulling his hair because this tiny, hyperactive lover of his seemed that he would suck him off past orgasm, over sensitivity and then back into full hardness if he wasn't stopped. It's like he really, really likes having his mouth full with cock and his throat abused and while Thyme enjoys the attention, he wants to please Momo, too.

(At least he can joke about it.)

("Do you guys want me to leave you two alone?" he'd say, voice trembling because Momo's been down there for way too long and Thyme's hands are antsy and grabbing the sheets is just not enough.)

And while Thyme is no stranger to sex, he knows that every lover is a new experience to learn from. He discovers that Momo is very self conscious of his appearance and the one time he called him "baby" during a really tortuous blowjob session Momo pulled away with a loud pop and looked at Thyme like he'd just slapped a puppy.

Well at least he stopped Momo without pulling his hair. But also, accidentally, he stopped everything else that could happen that night.

Eventually Thyme finds out of a positive way to stop him only when Momo discovers that getting his ass fucked is the absolute next best thing after having his mouth fucked.

Which leads him back to Momo's patience. The best thing Thyme learns in those five months is that indeed, everyone's patience has a limit.

And Momo's limit is three fingers up his ass.

By now Thyme knows Momo- nosy, talkative, loud Momo- seems to lose the entire ability to talk when he's really horny.

Not that Momo never really needed to voice his needs, because Thyme is a simple man, and very easy too. It takes Momo sitting on his lap and a few kisses and maybe a well acted out whine for Thyme to rips both their clothes off and push him to the nearest horizontal surface.

He's a simple man.

Thyme can't really get Momo to tell him what he likes, and is led instead by the other sounds Momo makes which are glorious in their own way.

He'd like to hear it, though.

But trying to get Momo to talk is a mistake- fingers move slowly, stretching up and painting with lube the warm walls of Momo's insides; and that's all it takes for Thyme to find out. Perhaps too a few laps on Momo's little cock that Thyme is oh so fond of because it's so pink and it leaks so pitifully and he would love to baby talk to it-- but that would probably earn him to sleep on the ground outside.

Three fingers is all it takes and Momo, for the first time, speaks in bed.

"Please" he says, and he clenches around Thyme's fingers and every single hair on Thyme's body rises.

He wants to hear it again.

"Please what, love?" and he kisses the soft inside of Momo's thighs, where no hair grows.

"Inside" Momo speaks again and this is the closest he'd ever heard Momo beg and Thyme feels like he's reaching heaven with his pants still on.

He feels confident now, and the kisses on soft skin turn to biting. Momo squirms and mewls on the bed.

"I'm already inside" Thyme teases in a low voice, and to his luck he finds the spot he was looking for, pokes it, and watches with delight how Momo arches his body so much his back is no longer touching the bed.

But then Momo is propping himself on his elbows and he gives Thyme a look.

For the next, silent, still second Thyme is almost sure Momo is about to pounce him.

This is the first time ever that Thyme felt so turned on while also low-key fearing for his life.

And because he's an asshole and really likes picking on Momo's patience, it doesn't get to be the last time, either.

Eventually, Momo does pounce him.

 ** That one time Thyme tried to cook **

There's a window above the stove, in the kitchen of their hut- that's no longer a hut really, but a house. More rooms and space was needed when Thyme stopped being a visiting lover and became a husband and father, instead.

Thyme helped build this humble house with his bare hands the moment he was healed up enough after the the Last Battle. Ganon was gone and Thyme had no more worries, he could finally live in peace with the love his life.

You know when for a while you're living so well, having such a good time with yourself and everyone in your life- and it makes you distrust your own luck? That's Thyme's general mind setting, even though it's been years. He adores his goddess but knows better than to believe Hylia to be so kind, and Thyme fears the day he gets to lose everything if he gets too comfortable.

It's too late though, he already thinks himself a happy man. He's already gotten too comfortable.

Through the window above the stove, in the kitchen of their house, Thyme sees fire and gulps. He feels the heat very close to his face, the pile of hay located right outside the house is burning and it's Thyme's fault.

If he doesn't move, the fire will spread and burn the entire house he built with his own hands, and Momo's.

But he does not move- he's in shock still. Like, he just. How exactly did he manage this?

He lives in peace now, goes to hunt often to feed his family, goes to fight not so often because it's no longer needed.

Sometimes, Thyme looks at Momo who cooks and cleans and shaves him and cuts Listik's hair and envies him a little.

Sometimes, Thyme would like to try being a house husband.

"As long as I don't burn anything" said Thyme like, fifteen minutes ago, when he picked a knife and decided he'd make dinner tonight because Momo said he'd be home late.

Well shit, someone left a metaphor on the kitchen floor, Thyme thinks now, as he watches the fire outside his house, don't step on it or anything.

Listik is outside, yelling his throat sore as he throws water into the hay pile. Digger joins with some buckets, and Bitters. Luckily the flames do cease to be, and there's just a pile of ashes instead.

When Digger asks how the fuck it happened, Listik's eyes flashes to the window where he meets his very guilty father, presses his lips together in judgment, but says he doesn't know.

But he does know, he's just a very loyal comrade.

Listik has gotten taller, his bones filled up well when Momo and Thyme took him in. Not much is left from the angry child Thyme brought home, once. He's at a very awkward age, though, his voice breaks ugly when he speaks sometimes and his eyes are a little too big for his head still. And he still has no eyebrows and there's still baby fat on his cheeks. He looks like a very handsome toad and Thyme is very proud of him.

He remembers very vividly how some years ago the kid sat him and his husband on a table after months of living with them and said that "Hey, this adoption thing is a little too serious for me, so how about we're just buddies instead?". The little shit. Thyme loves him more than his life.

He watches Listik thank the neighbors and make his way around the house to get back inside, and he readies a big apology.

But when he hears the door open and turns to meet his son, he finds his husband instead.

Momo looks at him with big blue eyes, hes panting like he just ran a marathon. He looks terrified and of course he saw the smoke and the fire outside his house on his way back home because Hylia is not the kindest goddess and Thyme already expected to explain what happened to the hay pile now ash pile they bought for their cow three days ago, anyway.

Thyme winces, and Momo walks in with long steps until he's in the kitchen and there's only the dining table between them.

"My love" Momo starts, and Thyme feels like shrinking a little. Pet names aren't something they use often on each other- mostly because they like to hear each other's names. Thyme only uses them when they fuck, but Momo uses them when he's trying to console him. Wow, is he really, now. "What happened?"

Thyme swallows, and Listik enters the house just in time to hear Momo's question. He knows Listik will not save his ass this time- because technically, Listik is angry at him and also, because he's slightly more loyal to Momo than he is to Thyme. The little shit.

Thyme swallows again.

"So, I uh, tried to cook."

Momo's face falls in terror and that's a valid reaction because technically, Thyme should never be allowed into no kitchen unsupervised. It's like a curse, one he hoped to overcome as years pass eventually but today's incident proves him that no, not yet. Probably not ever.

At some point while making dinner, Thyme forgets a cloth near the stove- which of course, catches fire. Thyme doesn't particularly react well to panic, unless it's a life or death situation in which he can either punch or cut his way out. Generally he stays both stoic and very, very still as he processes what the fuck is going on at the moment.

The cloth is in his hands and is on fire and Thyme doesn't move.

Momo winces as he hears the story and interrupts just to say, "Why didn't you throw it into that bucket of water on the counter?"

Thyme doesn't answer for a second, and Listik clicks his tongue- a world wide gesture of judgment and disappointment.

Momo is waiting.

"I told him to do that" says Listik finally, and crosses his arms on his chest.

Yes, Listik came into the kitchen, screamed his heart out and told him twice to dump the cloth into the bucket of water that was right there. He heard Listik's advice, his brain processed it, then discarded it altogether.

And then, he threw the cloth out the window.

And now they were there.

Momo's eyebrows shoot up high enough to lose themselves into his hairline- he opens his mouth, closes it. The he opens it again with closed eyes and a sigh.

"Well," he says, "at least no one got hurt."

Thyme sighs in relief, too, and his shoulders slouch. He didn't notice his back was so tense until now.

"Really" Listik says, indignant. "He almost burns the house down and you don't even scold him."

Momo laughs and cups their son's face in his hands. Momo is almost patience incarnate, aside from one single situation that only Thyme knows about. It's no surprise that how calmly he reacts to his husband's lame arson attempt.

"I'm sure the scare is lesson enough" he says, and kisses Listik's scar on his forehead.

Listik blushes brightly and looks down, "I got scared the most here and the lesson wasn't even for me" he mumbles.

At that Thyme reacts, and all comes crashing down on him and he feels really guilty and really shitty all in one.

"I'm sorry," he says and his voice is small. He turns to Listik to say it again, "I'm sorry love, I should've listened to you."

Listik looks at him with a glare first, but then it softens, because Listik loves him too and he never stays angry long.

"It's fine, pop" he says, and then sighs. "Next time dad goes out, I'll cook."

Everyone silently agrees. Listik can make some really good egg sandwiches.

When Momo finally walks up to his husband, he hugs his neck and asks, "what's for dinner?"

Thyme looks at him, and Momo is beautiful. "I made you soup" says Thyme, almost shy.

He watches Momo's face redden, looking like he's falling in love with Thyme all over again.

The soup tastes like shit. Thyme managed to ruin soup somehow.

Listik sniffs at it and then pushes the bowl away. Thyme looks at his own bowl, defeated and sickly, and doesn't touch it. Momo doesn't even use a spoon- he just picks his bowl and slurps from it. And then he takes Thyme's bowl, and then Listik's, and then the rest that was left on the pot, he eats all of it.

"You don't have to do this for me" Thyme says, guilty but deeply flattered. His cheeks burn. "You'll get sick."

"I never get sick" Momo says, and it's true.

He then sits on Thyme's lap and kisses him in a way that makes Listik cough and look at the ceiling.

The kiss taste like shit, too.

Malon was cackling, giving her husband's arm a playful push, who decided he should tell everyone how in fact the cow incident happened at all.

The Hero of the Wild let out a small, soft giggle before raising his head to speak, so low only his senior would hear.

"I love this place."

The Hero of Twilight chuckled, looking at his protege. "Feels like home, huh?" he asked.

"Yes" it was unusual to see such a big smile on the Wild Hero.

The Twilight hero picked his plate, feeling warm all over.

"It really does feel like home, indeed" he said, pushing some pork into his mouth.

  **

 Her voice was beautiful- truly, she sang like an angel sent by the very Golden Goddesses, to bless this world. She charmed the horses to come over to her, into the corral- and also the boys, and her husband.

All so they could hear her.

The tune was one the Hero of Twilight had known all his life. One he could reproduce himself with a few instruments, even.

She had her back to him, her singing interrupted by soft giggle as the oldest horse of the farm approached her. Just like any other farm creature, he found himself drawn closer and closer, to where she was.

Her laughter was too, a song.

And then Epona- his Epona, younger and stockier, came as well. She snorted close to the ear of the woman, who gasped and turned at her.

"No need to get jealous now, ladies" she joked, as she patted each Epona on their noses. "The mistress has two hands."

At that, the Hero of Twilight let out a soft titter. Malon turned to him, then.

Her smile as warm as the sun, the look in her eyes full of the calmest affection.

"Hello, puppy" she said, and he felt his ears twitch at the sound of her voice, regarding him.

"It's pup, uh- no, actually" he choked. The Hero of Twilight could only assume his face looked as red as he felt it hot. "I don't answer to none of the nicknames your husband calls me by, I just-"

"You break my heart" he heard behind his back. He could hear the smile on the Hero of Time's voice. He ignored his senior and gulped, eyes fixed on the woman and just her.

Malon laughed. "Oh I understand you, child" she said, "I'm the creative one in this relationship. Nicknames are my forte."

"Because fairy boy and grasshopper are oh so creative" they heard her husband say.

Malon gasped once more and then laughed, her eyes danced to past the young hero, to where her husband was. "Go be a terror somewhere else, will you dear?"

There was more laughter, from his senior and his comrades, behind him. Then, footsteps- everyone was getting back to work, now that the concert was over.

She looked back to where their horses were, now regarding one another with snorts and sniffles. Malon smiled.

"They seem to like one another" she said.

The Hero of Twilight smiled, too. "As if they've known each other all along."

"Perhaps they do" said the ranch owner, her smile growing. "A mother would always tell her own apart, my old girl would never deny her nature."

Suddenly, a cold sting ran up his spine. The sudden change in temperature within him must have messed with him somehow, for his knees felt weak.

"I wonder what they're talking about," Malon said, amused. But her eyes were fixed on the young hero. "Perhaps my girl is asking yours, 'Are you mine?'"

The Hero of Twilight felt goosebumps crawl under his tunic, and he turned to meet her eyes slowly, nervous.

"What makes you think your horse and mine-" he coughed up, and then swallowed, unable to finish. He looked at her with wide blue eyes, the same shade her eyes were.

"You know what they say," Malon looked at him with quiet adoration. The same kind of look the Hero of Time has given him, too. "The blood always pulls harder."

The Hero of Twilight went very, very still.

"I know what they say" he whispered.

 **

 After the Hero of Time told the story of the cow incident, it was no surprise that, throughout the day, the other heroes wanted to try and reach the record on the old race track in the ranch. All fruitless attempts, of course.

"After him, I don't give away no more cows" Malon let out a dramatic sigh.

The Hero of Time- her husband, crossed his arms over his chest. "Oh no," he said with a scowl, "she offered 'The kiss of a sweet maiden', instead."

The rest of the young men shared a laugh. Malon rolled her eyes. "He beat his own record six times."

The Hero of Time placed his hands on her hips, pulling her closer to him- till her soft bosom pressed against his hard chest. A sensation he had missed dearly. Smiling, he said. "Seven times, mavourneen."

She laughed, "By the seventh time, I told you to just ask me out."

"I proposed."

"That you did, you terror."

"Just jumped out of my horse" the oldest hero turned to their public. "Fell on my knees and gave her-"

"The tackiest possible ring!"

"Hey now," he chuckled, "you should've seen the horde of monsters I fought for it!"

Malon shrugged theatrically, a teasing smile on her face. "Pity" she said.

They both knew the dungeon in which he found that ring had been empty way before he ever went there. But the boys didn't need to know that.

Husband and wife met their eyes and smiled. Malon pressed both her hands on her husband's chest, fingers spreading over his shirt. Her hands traveled upwards to cup his jaw and pull him down; his hands however, traveled south with mischief sparkling in his one healthy eye.

It was the first time the Hero of Twilight- or any other of the team truly, had seen their senior this relaxed, calm and fun. But of course, he was safe here.

This was his home.

They watched as their senior nuzzled his darling wife and she giggled, and when their smiles finally met, pressed one to another in a tender, longing-

The Hero of Twilight had to look away.

To the race track.

He gulped, and to his annoyance he could feel his face hot all over once more. He felt embarrassed sure, but also too happy for his heart to bear.

Everyone was happy to know there was hope, that this was a possible future for all of them.

Moved by the scene, the Chosen Hero could not help but let out a soft, "Aww," a hand pressing to his cheek.

It broke the spell right away.

The spouses broke their kiss, for a second Malon pressed her face to her husband's chest as she laughed. Her ears were red.

The Hero of Time turned to the boys, blinking his one eye several times as he just remembered their presence. When his sight sank on the Hero of the Wind, he swallowed loudly, and slowly began to pull his hands upwards to his wife's back- where it was proper.

Then all the heroes' eyes were on the Chosen Hero, who froze.

"Oh boy oh dear- did I cause that?" he said, the hand on his cheek traveling to his mouth in shock. "I am so sorry, please continue!"

"Yes," hissed the Hero of Warriors, grabbing the Chosen Hero's shoulders from behind, shaking them a little. He turned to the couple sporting his most charming smile. "Please, continue."

Malon laughed aloud then, and finally pulled away from her husband to walk towards the house. The Hero of Time's slouched just a bit as he watched her go, and he sighed.

And so did everyone else.

The boys began to return to their duties, but not without the Hero of Legend turning to the two guilty young men.

"You're both perverts" he said, and turned away.

The Hero of Warriors let out a snort, this wasn't the first time he was ever told such a thing.

The Chosen Hero however, had his eyes grow wide- both hands pressing to his chest as he opened his mouth in the loudest gasp.

 *

 But Malon didn't reach the house before someone caught up to her.

"Ma'am" she heard, and with a smile she turned to the voice- its owner a breathless, big boy she'd come to adore. And how couldn't she?

The blood in her veins pulled her to. That beautiful boy before her had only given her so much joy with just his face, just his eyes, his hair. His nose. She felt she'd known him all her life.

Are you mine?

"Yes, child?" she asked instead.

The Hero of Twilight composed himself before speaking. "I want to race."

Her smile grew wider.

 **

 His Epona was younger, bigger- and a little brutish. She was faster, too.

And he was a much, much better rider.

The Hero of Twilight patted the neck of his horse, wet with sweat for she rode, hard, around the track.

"Just one more jump, love" he told his precious Epona. "One more and we're done."

He could hear the cheer of his friends and the laughter of a lady. It reminded him of Ordon, when he also showed his skills with his darling mare.

It felt like home.

The obstacle- an old fence, become closer and with it, his triumph. Epona jumped high and he felt every hair of his body rise with adrenaline.

Her hooves met the ground once more, and the public roared.

He felt the wind hit his eyes with the speed, but did not make Epona relent until he was close enough to where Malon awaited him, back at the start of the track.

"My my, would you look at that" she said, clapping her hands and laughing. "You have established a new record!"

He jumped out of his horse and his feet met the ground unceremoniously- tired as he was, breathing through his own mouth, just like his horse beside him.

His friends came to pat his shoulders, his head- they patted Epona, too. The Hero of Swords took her reins, and walked her to the shade. The Hero of Hyrule brought her a bucket of water.

"I must warn you though" said Malon, "the prize you won has changed a little bit- but" she teased, "you didn't race for the prize now, did you?"

At that, the smile on his face instantly disappeared. It dawned on him: he didn't consider the prize at all. Why did he do it?

Why did he race? He knew there was no way his senior- The Hero of Time, could reclaim the title again with his old Epona, and his with his own prime being no more. He just erased a mark of his master, in his very home. What for? To leave his own? He wasn't supposed to ever be in this ranch at all.

The pride of his triumph disappeared and all that was left was guilt and dread.

Why did he race to win?

Malon didn't seem to notice, and she continued. "You see, I am no longer a maiden" she explained.

"And she was never all that sweet to begin with" added her husband with a laugh- and when she slapped his arm, he laughed again.

"Hush you," she told him, and turned back to the boy. "Plus, I married a very protective man."

"Well excuse me," said the Hero of Time, "I don't go around kissing every lady who beats me in archery."

She laughed and winked at him. They both knew he always let her win. Malon had joked many times that her victories are still fair, for she may not win the game properly- but she won him.

"What's be the praise then?" asked the Hero of Legend. "Money?"

"Oh it is still a kiss" said Malon, "just not from me."

The Hero of Twilight blinked once, twice. Then he looked at his master, who opened his arms.

"Come here" said the Hero of Time.

"Oh- oh no," the Hero of Twilight said. The universe apparently had a grudge on him and whatever happened in this ranch was just done to embarrass him. "No no no, no no no-"

When his senior took a step towards him, the Hero of Twilight broke into a sprint into the nearest corral. A foolish choice, he realized. As he met the fence, the collar of his shirt was caught before he could jump it.

He may be old, yes, but the Hero of Time was still a hero.

The Hero of Twilight felt a strong arm encircle his shoulders, pushing his chest down as his back crashed against his master's front. He felt a small, rough pressure at the top of his head, on his hair.

He laughed the entire time. "Ew" he said, too.

The Hero of Time tittered, "Come on now, it didn't hurt you one bit!"

But when he forced the boy to turn and see him, the senior saw tears with that laughter.

He cupped his junior's face, he let out a soft chuckle at the trembling smile before him. His thumb began to dry the boy's cheeks.

"What's this?" he asked.

The smile dropped entirely, and the Hero of Twilight choked.

"I beat your record," he said.

The Hero of Time gave him a tender, adoring smile. One his junior has been seeing way too often since they came to the ranch.

"My boy" said the older man, his voice full of pride, "you're supposed to best me." His own smile opened into a happy sigh, "if you don't, then I'm failing at my job."

He pulled the boy into a tight hug and let him sob just a bit, and then he heard footsteps, and his wife's voice.

"My my, did you traumatize the poor thing?" she teased as she got closer.

He didn't turn to look at her when he replied. "I don't know what I did- I thought I was good at this!"

"Clearly you aren't!" she stopped by his side and patted the Hero of Twilight's head.

"You liked when I do it to you" said the Hero of Time, and his smile grew when she gasped and when he heard his embarrassed junior groan against his shoulder.

The Hero of Twilight began pushing away, "Oh I do not want to hear wherever this conversation is going" he said.

But the moment he freed himself from his senior, his face was caught by the hands of his senior's wife.

She pulled him down and pressed his ear onto her chest, patted his cheek. "There there," she teased. And he knew she was teasing because both spouses were cackling.

But he could hear her heartbeat, and it soothed him. He felt the beat of her heart into his very veins, pulling on his blood.

It didn't just felt like home, he realized, as the Hero of Time ruffled his hair and joined the hug.

Thyme pressed his back to the trunk of the tree as his legs betrayed him and he slid to sit on the floor, breathing hard. He could feel the blood slipping through his fingers and when he coughed, he too tasted the blood. Shit.

He looked up at the sky, it was a lovely, sunny day. Perfect to cause a reset, he guessed.

His view was interrupted by a shadow that wasn’t the tree. It moved fast for his tired eye to follow, the creature knelt beside him- to check on his wound.

He tried to focus his blurry vision into trying to recognize whoever sat with him.

Thyme recognized the voice first.

“Oh this doesn’t look good.” said the newcomer.

Ah, Thyme thought, Digger’s “little brother”. The obnoxious kid with no sense of personal space.

“Is Digger with you?” he asked, hopeful that at least someone he knew and trusted was near.

The kid shook his head and his eyes were fixed on the wound, hands on his own knees, closed into fist. He seemed to be concentrating in something.

Thyme swallowed his own, thick spit, trying to keep his patience in check. “Do you have any hearty potions?”

The kid shook his head again, and let out a sigh. Thyme couldn’t help but groan as pain and the sense of impending death became a little too stressing.

“Thank you” he said with only bite in his voice.

But then he saw the boy’s lips glow a tender blue, and then his hands. Thyme caught his breath. A special ability? The glow reminded him of-

The kid pushed Thyme’s hand away from the wound and the sole touch gave Thyme goosebumps all over. He felt anxious suddenly, a little fearful even. Then the kid pressed one hand on the wound and suddenly Thyme felt a small jab of pain from the sting to its quick fading as a wave of freshness spread over his entire body from where the boy touched, and then it turned warm.

Thyme groaned at the sudden sense of pleasure and looked through his bangs to see the boy, as he leaned closer.

“Kid-” he said.

“I’m not a kid” said the younger hero, as his other hand went to Thyme’s chin. “Forgive me.”

And then he pressed his lips to Thyme’s, and everything went dark.

*

When Thyme woke up the sun was high enough to let him know it was past lunchtime. He should get up but he still felt too weak and the grass under him felt too comfortable. The kid-not-really-a-kid was sitting beside him.

“You should eat,” he said. “If you sit up, I’ll feed you.”

Thyme grunted, as nice as it felt to lie down like the dead, the promise of food was enough motivation as he sat up and greeted the other chosen one.

“I’m Momo, maybe you remember me?” said the younger hero, offering him a rice ball. “Digger’s brother? We met before-- you uh, pinched my nose and told me ‘got your nose’”

He laughed softly, a little nervous, but Thyme didn’t. He picked the food from Momo’s hand with a weak “thank you” and began to eat it slowly and watch the place around them. It wasn’t the forest where he got hurt. They now sat near a very small pond.  

Momo cleared his throat.

“I brought you here” he answered Thyme’s silent question. “Thought you might want to wash off all the blood eventually.”

Thyme turned to him, and then realized: he felt no pain. He quickly looked down to palm his sides and only found a hole on his clothes, with dried blood around it.

He looked back at Momo.

“You can heal” he said.

Momo shrugged. “Some sort of enhanced healing ability. I can’t revive the dead like Mipha’s Grace does, but I can heal just fine any other kind of wound or illness, no matter the severity” he smiled. “You’re okay now.”

Thyme nodded, grunted. He noticed the basket of rice balls on the ground between them and took another one.

“Why did you kiss me?”

Momo coughed.

“I didn’t--- kiss you” he said, laughing nervously. His face was red. “You were stressed and in pain, so I sent some healing energy to your brain to stimulate it into numbing the pain and relaxing you um- it’s just easier to reach the brain from mouth to mouth contact.”

“Mouth to mouth contact” Thyme repeated, incredulous, as he pushed the new ball of rice whole into his mouth.

“Uh-- um, I have to leave” Momo got up suddenly, dusting his lobster shirt and his ... underpants? Does this kid really walk around in underwear? “See you around, yes?”

Thyme swallowed and stood up as well, picking up the basket of food to hand it to him. Momo shook his head and started walking backwards, away from him.

“You can keep the basket, it’s okay” he said.

Thyme didn’t go after him, but felt strong enough to call for him. “Kid--”

“Not a kid” Momo laughed nervously again, getting further and further away from Thyme. “I’m actually twenty four years old, just don’t look like it? I uh, a disadvantage of this power is that it takes me longer to age I guess-- and I guess Digger baby talking to me in public doesn’t help either haha” he looked as red as a tomato now. “Boy I talk a lot- I have to go now.”

Momo turned and began to rush away now.

Thyme called him again.

“Momo.”  

That stopped him. Shrinking his shoulders, Momo turned around slowly, to meet him.

Thyme took a deep breath.

“I remember you, Momo” he said. “Thank you for today.”

Momo was far enough for Thyme to barely pick on his features except for his really, really red face and his open mouth.

“That’s okay” he said, and then turned to run away.

Thyme sighed, shook his head. For someone so loud and obnoxious, that kid could get as shy as a fairy sometimes.

He sniffled, and caught the stank of death from his clothes. Ah, right.

Slowly, Thyme started to unbuckle his belts and pull off his tunic, walking towards the pond. Well Momo was right about it being convenient, although he wondered how someone so small managed to drag him all the way here.

When he finally reached the pond, he decided to examine the new scar on his side.

Thyme didn’t answer, he just looked at his shack standing rigid, his whole body seemed to emanate dread.

Momo squeezed his hand. “Thyme?” he called.

“I haven’t been here in months” said Thyme. “It’s going to be very, very dirty. Uh-” he cleared his throat, “it’s not like I cleaned it much when I came here, either.”

Momo shrugged, “It’s okay”

Thyme turned to him, his voice incredulous. “You like to live in cleanliness” he said, “you clean your house everyday-”

“Thyme, it’s okay.”

“You change your sheets everyday-”

“--It really is okay.”

“And you take two baths a day. More if you’re upset about something.”

Momo let go of his hand and laughed. “Fine! I am so going to clean this place!” he admitted. “I hate wearing boots and I love walking around my house with my bare feet and I love feeling the fresh clean floor under my feet yes I am cleaning this whole place.”

“I knew it!” Thyme pointed a finger at him, laughing too. “I totally did not believe you when you equipped five mops and told me they were ‘your weapon of choice’.”

“They are my weapon of choice.”

They both laughed.

Momo hugged Thyme’s middle and kissed his cheek. “I like it.”

*

Thyme cannot remember when was the last time his shack was so full with noise. The rustling of leaves as the broom pushed them out the shack, the “clank” of his old cooking pots as they were rearranged and now held from one of the wooden walls. The sound of hammers as new shelves were being fixed to other walls and a new front door.

Momo’s singing.

He would mop the floor and shake his butt to his own songs, spin around holding his mop like he would a dancing partner. Thyme watched with appreciation, until he dropped his broom and took Momo’s hips, had him turn to him and pressed their chests together.

“Dance with me instead” offered Thyme.

“You don’t like dancing” Momo laughed.

“Oh I do.”

Thyme kissed Momo’s cheek, then his jaw and lower, to his neck. Momo had always been ticklish, but a good suck over his pulse always had him shiver a little. Especially if accompanied by Thyme’s hands squeezing his butt.

Cackling, Momo tried to push him away playfully. “What you want to do is not dancing.”

“It is a form of dancing” Thyme said, “and I am really good at it.”

“You are” Momo laughed and patted Thyme’s shoulders until he was let go. “But I have to shower first and I won’t shower until I finish cleaning-- as a reward.”

“I thought your reward would be to have sex with me” teased Thyme.

Momo turned back and leaned down to pick up his mop, purposefully sticking out his butt knowing Thyme would appreciate the show.

A low hiss let him know that Thyme indeed was.

“That is also my reward” said Momo.

*

After a long day, dinner and a good bath, they finally readied to sleep.

“A clean house is a happy house” said Momo cheerfully. If Thyme could roll both his eyes, he would.

“How do we sleep?” asked Momo.

“Well uh-” Thyme coughed, “usually I just throw some sheets at the floor near the fireplace.”

Momo gave him a look, Thyme just looked at everywhere but his lover.

“We just washed all the sheets and they’re hanging outside” Momo said.

“And the bear pelts?”

“Also put to clean” Momo said with no guilt, then walked to where his bags where and started looking around. “I brought clean sheets. And pillows.”

Thyme crossed his arms, and chuckled. “You have an issue.”

Momo didn’t listen, returned with the items, and the sight of them made Thyme gasp.

“It’s the soft purple sheets” he breathed.

“Your favorite sheets!”

Thyme never thought, in his life, that he’d have favorite sheets one day. But then again he never thought either, that he’d fall in love again. Or that of all people, he’d fall for a loud, baby faced person who somehow also shared his goddesses sent, terrible fate as chosen hero. And more importantly, he never thought that he’d trust someone enough to have them in this place.

The moment they lied on the floor atop the soft purple sheet- the moment Thyme’s face hit the pillow, he fell asleep. 

*

Cleaning the house again the next day was easier, there was barely anything to fix. It went much more quickly- although they wasted enough time teasing until Momo finally admitted that he indeed, had an issue with dirtiness.

Then came clearing outside, cutting the grass, fixing the cooking pot and cleaning the old ashes from where once were bonfires.

“My stays in this place are always uneventful” confessed Thyme as they outside on the grass, for lunch break. “It’s quiet and lonely, here. I come when I need it- but sometimes, especially if I stay here for a long time, I forget how to make myself leave this place.”

Momo put his spoon of curry back in his plate, and placed a hand on Thyme’s thigh. Thyme turned to him with a smile.

“Once I ventured out and found a korok, but I guess I looked way too gloomy and shaggy because it ran away from me” said Thyme.

Momo blinked, and his hand went straight to his mouth and his eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“He tripped over a twig and fell face first, wrinkled his little mask” continued Thyme.

“Aw, a baby” said Momo, voice muffled behind his mouth.

“And then he cried.”

“Awwww, a baby!”

“I laughed so hard” Thyme chuckled.

“Thyme!” but Momo was laughing, too.

“Guess I was isolated for way too long because it shouldn't be that funny right?” Thyme’s voice shook with amusement. “I laughed until my stomach hurt, I laughed for days. I would remember about it and laugh- I am laughing right now.”

“Please tell me you helped him?”

“Yes... but I was still laughing stupid, which of course could only further his humiliation, making him cry all the more- and making me laugh all the more.”

Momo had to leave his food on the grass to dry his cheeks and eyes, cackling. He then grabbed Thyme by the collar of his shirt and kissed his lips.

“You’re horrible” he teased against their kiss.

“He sounded like a very annoying squeaky toy” said Thyme, and gave his lover a playful peck.

 *

 Night fell- while the forest was so thick daylight barely passed through, it managed to get much darker when the sun set. They were tired enough.

Thyme eyed his handiwork- their improvised bed. Clean bear pelts and sheets spread on the floor, right before the fireplace, oh they would sleep very warm and comfortable today. Or not sleep, Thyme wouldn’t mind that either.

He turned to see his lover stand before the windows.

“Faeries came” said Momo softly, then turned to him with wonder in his eyes. “They really do follow you everywhere.”

Thyme chuckled. “Close the window, don’t let them in tonight.”

“But--” Momo was about to protest when something in the way Thyme said that stopped him. He closed the window and walked towards his beloved. “Do they come inside sometimes?”

Thyme nodded. He could already sense Momo’s amusement and his lips twitched upwards.

“Do they sleep with you?” asked Momo.

“Sometimes.”

Momo gasped, “that is so cute.”

Thyme shrugged, and took Momo by the hips, pulling him close. “I know what you’re thinking” he said, “We can’t let them in to sleep tonight.”

Momo pouted and wrapped his arms around Thyme’s neck. “And I know what you’re thinking.” He could feel hands sliding down to his butt, and then some soft, playful gropes.

“It’s okay” Thyme allowed himself to pinch a buttcheek and chuckled at Momo’s little whine. “We can feed them breadcrumbs tomorrow.”

“We can do that?” Momo asked with a trembling voice. “They eat breadcrumbs?”

“We are not letting them in tonight.” repeated Thyme, rubbing his lips to Momo’s chin.“We can’t let my fairy wives know of our affair.”

Momo laughed. “So I am your mistress?”

“The homewrecker, yes” Thyme kissed his face, as Momo’s laughter grew loud. “Lie with me.”

Momo was still chuckling, let Thyme put him in bed, take off his clothes and lie atop him to kiss his face and neck, while scarred calloused hands caressed his sides with a tickling touch. Laughter turned into sighs and moans, the pats on Thyme’s back became scratches. They were both panting when Thyme pulled away for just a second to admire his lover below, and he saw beauty.

The dying fire on the chimney provided enough light for him to see. Momo’s skin under the light looked more delectable and welcoming than usual. His flushed, smiling face, his blue eyes filled with adoration as he looked up at Thyme, and reminded Thyme that he was oh so loved.

Thyme realized then why suddenly this shack felt so cozy now, and homely. He’d probably feel lonely and sad even in their lovely hut in Lurelin, if Momo wasn’t there.

As Momo cupped his face and brushed his hair away with his fingers, Thyme realized that his real home was a person.

And that was a scary thought.

“Are you okay?” asked Momo, his smile growing tender as his fingers traced the lower part the his scar that crossed his right eye.

Thyme’s voice shook as he said, softly. “I love you.” And he leaned down and kissed his lover, before Momo could reply and say it back. He already knew how Momo felt- and a tug on his heart warned him that if he heard it right then, he would cry.

They made love over and over, until Thyme forgot his fears and his own name.

 ***

 It would still happen. Perhaps not as often, but it would still happen.

Thyme hoped it wouldn’t, because it was unfair. He was happy now, he had so much love, and friends. He ate well, he slept well. He rode his horse and sparred with Digger, hunted with Laurent. Watch Momo cook.

He was supposed to be happy.

But as frustrated as he felt with himself, he knew that just wasn’t the way things worked. His hands would itch and food tasted the way the color gray looked. He would space out from conversations that he was even interested in, his mind would wander away from Momo’s voice, to emptiness.

Everything would feel numb, even Momo’s touch, a pinch on his chin to raise his head.

“Do you need to leave?”

Momo already knew, like he never expected for this to cease all that easily. There was only patience in his voice- no hurt or accusations, nothing Thyme’s mind could cling to in order to feel guilty, so he could say-

“I’m so sorry, Momo.”

It came out regardless.

Momo shook his head, and smiled. “There’s nothing to apologize for.” He kissed his cheek and took his hand and they walked back to their hut. It might not be so good to miss dinner at Bitters and Digger’s house without letting them know, but Momo would charm his way out of it- the way Digger taught him, himself.

They took a bath together- the second one of the day, because Momo liked sleeping fresh and clean and Thyme started to get used to it.

And then they went to bed.

By early morning, Thyme was ready to leave. Momo gave him a bag of vegetables, fruit and prepared meals for him, the weight of all this food felt reassuring on his back.

He stood there by the front door, and sighed.

“What is it?” Momo asked, placing a soft hand on Thyme’s back, who sighed again.

I don’t know, is what Thyme did not say. It wasn’t like he wanted to leave, he just felt he couldn’t stay.

Since Thyme didn’t answer, they both stood quiet for a minute, until Momo let out a small “Oh!” and went away to look for something.

Thyme turned just in time to see him return, hands hiding behind his back.

“It’s dangerous to go alone” said Momo, smiling. “Take this.”

And he gave Thyme a mop.

Thyme said nothing for another hot minute and then, he laughed. Hard. Bent forward to cackle loudly even though it wasn’t that funny- even though he was pissed off at himself and leaving Momo was killing him. Even though the tears that stung his eyes weren’t of laughter. Goddesses, was he thankful for his long bangs that covered his face.

Momo chuckled softly and pressed the mop to Thyme’s chest, and kissed his jaw. “You’re going to be okay.”

Thyme nodded, took the mop with a small smile and a sniffle. His voice came out thankful, it cracked a little when he said, “I’ll come back soon.”

Momo stood up on tiptoes to press a kiss to the corner of his lips. “You will.”

Thyme knew he would.

He found him alone by his front door, just about to enter. He saw Momo freeze and assumed his footsteps were already heard, and as he approached he stretched one arm.

One finger to run over Momo’s back- it barely reached halfway its trip before Momo gasped and turned around to hug his neck. And their lips met, tender pecks and whispers of "I missed you" between breaths.

A nip on his lower lip and a hiss might lead Thyme to believe he was a missed more than usual, and he was right to assume so as he was pulled into the house and pushed onto the bed with tiny eager hands roaming over his chest, above his clothes. By the time his head touched the pillow, he was already missing his tunic and undershirt.

Their kisses grew hungrier and Thyme could feel it, the high. Momo's ability was activated, the fresh sensations of his healing energy spread into his mouth and numbed his face until reached his brain and unchained a strong wave of pleasure through his whole body. He felt himself tremble, heard himself moan- blood was already rushing to his dick.

It was different than before.

When Momo pulled away, Thyme expected to see his lips glow faintly, but they weren't. When Momo panted and his lips parted a little, Thyme saw the soft, blue light. It was his tongue.

Oh sweet goddesses in the heavens.

Momo kisses Thyme's jaw, down his neck, with soft touches in which he'd open his mouth just enough for his tongue to barely caress the skin of his lover. Those kisses grew wetter as Momo went lower, and goosebumps appeared wherever Momo kissed. The lovely happy trail of blonde hair stood up, when Momo pressed his lips right below Thyme's navel.

Momo's soft laughter against his lower belly were enough to make Thyme gasp. When did he became such a little devil? Oh Thyme knew- he knew he was Momo's first an only lover. This was all his doing.

It felt almost wrong, to have ruined such an adorable thing like Momo is. But Thyme was proud of his handiwork, and he was proud to know Momo only wanted him.

Tender nuzzles against his cock through the fabric of his clothes, a pull of his pants and a hard bite on his hip bone had Thyme thrusting his hips up, with a loud groan.

"Momo-"

His cock was free, and hard and the sight of it as it stood proud and thick made Momo pause the tortuous tease.

"Oh I missed you" he whispered as a hand took the member and gave a soft squeeze that had the both of them moaning. Thyme summoned all his strength to raise his head and see Momo's lovely face half covered behind his own cock. Holy shit.

Momo swallowed thickly, and let go of his lover's erection, having it rest on Thyme's belly. He tried to accommodate better in the bed, lying on his stomach between Thyme's legs and then slowly, reach for the other hylian's hands.

And just as slowly, and looking at Thyme's face with his cute, loving big eyes, he put both Thyme's hands on his hair.

There he was, the sweet little monster cake Thyme fell for.

"Holy shit" said Thyme.

Momo leaned his head down and pressed his tongue flat to his lover's cock, to take a long lap from base to tip and then repeat a few times. A hand went to hold on Thyme's cock as Momo's lips embraced the head and gave a good, playful suck.

Thyme bit his lower lip, one of his hands went back to hold the sheets, but the other stayed a fist on Momo’s hair, giving a soft tug just to have his younger lover moan around his cock. It earned him for Momo's hand to start pumping him slowly, up till his fist would meet his wet lips.

There it was again, but the healing energy wasn’t fresh but warm and every time that glorious tongue pressed just below the head of Thyme's dick as he sucked would send hard waves of pleasures that would pool in the tightening knot on his belly and have Thyme moan helplessly.

A desperate thrust let Momo know of what his lover wanted, and that devilish hand of his stood on the base of Thyme's dick as he relaxed his throat and took him in fully. Thyme's hand on the younger man gave another tug, and he whispered a curse.

"You're such a fucking good boy, love" he said, and then closed his eyes to enjoy the feeling of Momo's throat tremble in a choked moan, as replying to the praise.

When Momo finally pulled away he leaned to attend the one part he hadn't yet, while his hand pumped in a faster rhythm, easier now that it was lubricated. He nuzzled Thyme's balls and sucked on their skin, his other hand fondling what he couldn’t kiss.

Thyme threw his head back- so embarrassingly close already, the knot of pleasure inside him felt overwhelming and his legs were shaking and ready to close around his lovely Momo.

It took actually, a few tickling, loving pecks on his belly to finish. Momo's fun and loving nature would always be his undoing.

Thyme came with a broken cry. Thick, hot cum shot through Momo's finger onto Thyme's belly and with a gasp, Momo rushed to close his mouth over Thyme's dick once more to suck what was left of his orgasm.

Thyme could say he saw stars and it’d be an understatement. His healthy eye went dark for a second and then there were explosions of light of different colors. His body shook hard and as pleasure overwhelmed all his senses and then drained him into Momo's mouth.

He was still very high and barely felt Momo licking clean his chest and his abdomen, but felt awake enough to react to the kiss on his cheek, afterwards.

"When I can move again" started Thyme, panting. One tired, heavy arm fell over Momo's back on a lazy, weak hug. "I will do you so hard I will ruin you for everyone else."

Momo laughed. He never wanted anyone else, just Thyme.

And Thyme knew.