#lu fic

Time couldn’t say when it started. As timelines and eras passed them by like fireflies, a couple of months became a blur. Besides, it wasn’t like this was something he needed to count and recount for a quota, this was just Twilight.

He leans back on the couch, taking full advantage of his boys all sleeping already. It is a quiet, peaceful night. Malon lies in their bedroom upstairs slumbering without worry and Talon is in Castletown for the night. All is well and how it should be. Even his boys have their bedrolls arranged in the guest bedroom like a puppy pile, sleeping easily to the sound of living, breathing companions.

Puppy pile. Time huffs a breath, looking down at the only one of his boys still somewhat awake.

Twilight lays stretchout out across the couch, head in Time’s lap. He growls softly as he shifts around, mild discomfort forcing his upper lip up to expose a fang tooth. Time smooths a hand over thick, fluffy hair. He scritched the brown fluff with intent, fully aware of how thick his pup’s hair really is.

It’s not like Twilight is a dog to be leashed and collared in ownership. Time would never do that to the young man who loves to run freely, wander and patrol and take his own time. Still, in moments like this where Twilight wants to feel more loved pet than man, Time can’t help imagining a scarf around his neck, like the farm-dogs he’s seen around. Not as ownership, but belonging. Twilight would always have a place at Lon Lon Ranch, in either form. Sometimes, Time is tempted to make sure everyone else knows that, too.

Time digs his nails further into near-course brown hair. His whole palm rests against Twilight’s head and leaves a faint imprint behind when he lifts it. Carefully, Time cradles his hand against the side of Twilight’s head. A blue eye opens to peer up at him. Time ignores it, and settles his fingers in just the right place to scratch behind Twilight’s ear. Twilight shivers in delight and wiggles, pushing his head against Time’s hand.

Did Time understand exactly what was happening? No. Did that change anything, ever, for him? Also no. As far as Time could tell, falling into a wolfie-like mindset let the rancher be at ease for a while. If Time could grant his descendant more than a moment’s respite, he would.

Twilight turns his head, lightly nipping at Time’s fingers with sharp teeth. He grabs hold with sharp teeth and shakes his head, as if playing with a chew toy. Time restrains his laughter, but lets a small grin pop up the corners of his mouth. The single candle left burning illuminates Twilight’s open face, head all simple thoughts and instinctual actions right now.

Despite how gentle Twilight plays, Time still spots an indentation of teeth when he pulls his fingers away. Nothing serious, just dips in unbroken skin. Time wiggles his fingers over Twilight’s face, before moving them underneath his chin instead. Twilight goes still, instinctual wariness creeping in at the hand so close to his unprotected throat.

Still, he allows Time to do as he pleases. It warms Time’s heart to have somehow earned that trust. Once upon a time, Twilight barely allowed himself to cuddle against Time in hylian form, too embarrassed to realize Time had seen and done far weirder things, and truly did not mind.

Now, Twilight cuddles up to him easily in quiet, private moments. In all honesty, Time doesn’t hate it. Few have been brave enough to brave his one-eyed stare besides his wife. Yet here is his descendant relaxed against himself, heavy head on his lap like a hundred stuffed toys and warmer than all of them. It is not the worst feeling.

Time scratches underneath his pup’s chin, and watches his boy melt. He slackens, head resting against Time’s stomach and eyes closed.

The corrupted magic of it repelled everything. Time watched it repelling Wind's Phantom Sword, and Four's Sword of Four Elements. Time didn't even bother trying his Biggoron Sword, the blade may be nearly unbreakable but it lacked other enchantments without Time's magic augmenting it.

"We need to get out of here!" Wind cried while literally trying to climb the walls.

"Sky needs help, and the Captain has the medical supplies." Four murmured, crouching next to Sky. Four was checking Sky to see just what sort of shape the Skyloftian was in. It did not seem good based on Four's expression.

Time held his hand close to the corrupted wall, the arch of a doorway just visible when he pressed a little closer. The faintest glow of Light Magic was enough to see the arch, but before Time could press deeper- before he could try to dismantle the anchoring point- the red lashed out.

Old instincts kicked in.

Time dodged, the magic lashed out and hit the wall behind where Time had stood. It seemed to scorch the air above his head as Time dropped towards the ground. A glance revealed nothing.

No change.

The wall opposite of the corrupted magic was undamaged, untouched by it.

Wind swore. Four looked like he wanted to swear as well. Time internally agreed.

If his Light Magic did nothing, or rather if it caused the corrupted magic to lash out at them like that, then it was useless or worse than useless. Time scanned the room trying to see anything that would help them escape because Four and Wind were right, they needed to get out so Sky could get help. There was one thing that Time saw. One thing that could help.

Time never wanted to touch it again.

The burning ache of his body shifting, growing and shrinking, seemed to settle in as he glanced at it.

"Time?" Wind asked, his voice worried.

Time blinked and realized that both Four and Wind were watching him. Then Time noticed that his hands were clenched into fists, a slight sting telling him that while he had been focused on the past, on sensations more memory than real, his nails had dug into his own palms.

"Well… I know of one way to get out."

"Is it safe?"

Time would usually smile and brush off the worries. He would assure them that it is fine and nothing would happen. Time studied the Master Sword, the gleaming blade resting next to Sky in the blue and gold sheath. Slowly Time reached down for it, his fingers pausing before curling around the hilt.

"Should be."

The words did not reassure them as much as Time hoped they would. That was fine. Time knew how to get them all out of this room and to safety with this sword.

Unsheating it Time turned to the corrupted magic that acted as a wall. Holding the sword parallel to his body Time took a slow breath.

"Don't be scared, I've done this before."

Those words lingered as Time closed his eyes, the sword glowed softly. With a slow breath Time sliced outwards, diagonally. The wall quickly showed the fracture from where the magic was sliced through. Four and Wind swiftly worked together to get Sky through the opening. They turned back to help Time but the door was blocked again.

"Time!"

"Go on, find the others." Time's voice was steady and calm.

Time waited long enough that they would be clear from the doorway. Then Time created another opening allowing Time to escape the room. Outside of the room Time waited long enough to resheath the sword before he dropped to his knees. With some effort Time managed to get to a wall and sit curled up comfortably while the effects of holding the Master Sword passed.

"You okay?" Four asked as he sat next to Time, his shoulder pressing gently against Time's arm.

"I would like to never do that again." Time responded, trying to keep his tone light.

"Well according to Wild-"

"Wind was able to get through to Wild?"

"Yeah, seems like something about that room was blocking the stone."

"Of course." Time groaned, his head thumping lightly against the wall.

Four gave a soft laugh. "Well the others should be here soon. Wild was able to get a lock on our location once Wind was out."

It’s Wind who decides to pick them up, this time, shooing away larger, more scarred hands to delicately cup their former guide between his fingers. He carefully avoids the one crumpled wing, and lets them curl up into a half-ball against the creases of his palm, his brown eyes large even against their fuzzy light

The little thing hums at the motion, a short tune that rings familiar in Wild’s ears and makes them prick up on instinct.

Surya still has a fairly shocked expression, behind their light which had temporarily dimmed in their surprise. They look up at him with hopeful curiosity, and then at them, large eyes landing on their clothes and soaking in the sight of their faces after so long.

“How-“ They start, and Wild shivers at the melodic sound of their voice. A sound he had dreamed of and dearly missed, ever since they had left, not of their own volition. A sound akin to the softness of petals and rich like being nestled beside a warm campfire . “How are you all here?” Their sentence quivers at its end, and Wild feels a foreign sort of heart-break hearing it.

If the guide had known all of them... just how many goodbyes have they done?

He watches Wind brush the end of his thumb against their good wing in affection, a fleeting sort of comfort, and it flutters lightly in response.

Their neck curves up as Surya smiles up at him, eyes teary.

“…It’s another quest.” Legend answers, something so tired and weathered that Surya snaps their head over. “So I guess it makes sense, that you’re here.”

“But-“

“So late, though?” Warriors wonders out loud. And he’s right. Ever since they had met up, they had been stuck in Wild’s era without direction for weeks, travelling and camping and fighting together. So why only now?

Did the Goddess, or whoever was leading them around think they needed them that badly? Wild is unsure whether to feel offended or grateful.

Sometimes, when he truly lingers, he remembers cold, iridescent blue liquid retreating from his skin, and opening his sticky eyes to a little face looking down at him with thinly disguised curiosity and excitement. Little feather-thin fingers tickling the apple of his cheek, and pattering like droplets against the bridge of his nose and along his hairline.

He had almost shit himself.

Surya had been there from the start. From the very, early beginning. Delighted at the sight of him awake, even in the dark of his tomb. Wild’s eyes following their path in the air with an innocent, undisguised wonderment.

Nowadays, he has become much more jaded. But he fights to keep that wonder, that curiosity - the way Surya would.

For the longest time, he had wondered if Surya died too - they learned a lot about Hyrule, together. But interestingly, Wild had never seen Surya in the memories he had to regain. Not once.

Wind jolts up straight, and the passenger in his hands clutches tighter at the fence of his fingers with a squeak. “Were you fighting? Is that why you were injured when you came out of the portal?!”

“What-! No!”

He slumps a bit. “Oh. I’ve got nothing then.”

Hyrule steps forward, hands raised up. “Do you want me to heal your wing? It looks painful.”

They send him a grateful look over Wind’s curled fingers. “Would you? Thank you so much.”

Hyrule’s ears redden behind the locks framing his face, taken-aback. Wild feels happy for him.

He had noted before, Surya's odd way of speaking. In an accent he had never heard before, but perhaps that was common with fairies. How they had exaggerated every thank you, never held back in praises and found even the most littlest of things extraordinary. Even their odd swear words.

Wind offers his hands out and in an instant, Hyrule’s glowing hands are hovering over Surya’s crumpled wing, blue healing magic drifting from his hands and curling into the air like steam. Creases in the wing straighten out and vanish, and Wild can finally see the linear, branching patterns on the thin organ clearly enough that they glimmer in the thin afternoon light. It had always been an odd pattern to him in the past, and he likens it to the faint puzzle-piece patterns he sees in the Sheikah Slate screen from time to time.

Their guide hums soothingly under their breath, and they all slump over in unison. Even Time, who drops an inch or two in height.

Twilight starts giggling under his breath, and chokes when Wars elbows him right in the side.

“What’s this quest about then?” Surya asks after a brief silence, and twitches as their wing snaps into place. Ouch - that looked painful. “Do we have to beat Ganon again?”

And that’s a thought. How many times has Surya helped them beat Ganon? If they have been around for all of their adventures, then surely they have helped beat Ganon more than the veteran had.

That’s… terrible.

Even he barely could handle facing Ganon twice. And Surya is a little fairy. Did Surya have any choice in this?

They traded looks over their head, and the guide followed the motion with furrowed brows, as confused as they have ever seen them. Seeing them so disoriented after so long of them knowing exactly what to do in every situation was… disconcerting. It didn’t lend well to what they were doing there.

“Monsters have been getting stronger, and smarter.” Time starts, “Once killed, we can see that their blood is as black as tar. But that is all that we have.”

“There were already signs of them before we met.” Four added quietly. “They had been hunting down travellers in our eras, most of whom had barely managed to escape with their lives. That’s how it started.”

“So you guys have been hunting them down?”

“Anytime they appear, yes.”

“Oh okay.” Surya brings their arms up to cross them, resting them on the tips of Wind’s fingers. A thumb comes to rest between their teeth. “And you’ve got samples?”

Wild stared. “Of what?”

“The blood!”

“Why… would we do that?”

“I thought we were trying to figure out what was up with the monsters?”

Time had his hands out in front of him, trying to understand. “Yes, yes. But how would that help?”

“Well, maybe you can hand it over to Purah or Kilton and see what they find?” They suggest brightly, smiling at their non-understanding faces. “For one of your Zeldas, perhaps?”