Snuggle Buggle

When they get a chance to rest inside of an inn, especially on a cold day, there was a tendency of the entire group to do one thing in particular: dogpile Time.

Because Time was the only person who, one-hundred percent, needed to sleep on a bed. There was a reason that legend called their leader ‘Old Man’ and the snap, crackle, pop of the man’s joints and back every day was part of that. So, whenever they came to a place that had beds, it was rule that Time got one of, if not the only, bed.

Not that it really mattered if there was only one bed, somehow everyone ended up sleeping on it anyways.

Malon was made aware of this the second time that the boys had come to Lon Lon Ranch, and she wasn’t sure if she was irritated by it, endeared by it, or just plain loved it.

It started at around eleven in the evening. She and Time had gone to sleep an hour before or thereabouts and she was sleeping rather well when some sort of noise woke her up. It wasn’t a scream or the sound of something breaking, or one of the animals panicking or anything overly worrying, so she would have gone to sleep again, would have simply tucker herself tighter against her husband’s chest and let herself fall back asleep, but her wonderful pillow was stirring, pulling himself up because Link was a bothersome worried sort who couldn’t rest easy no matter where he slept. Irritation bloomed in her chest and she was just reaching up to grab his nightshirt and pull him back down onto the bed that was quickly becoming too cold with the draft he was letting in by sitting up, but then his voice startled her to stillness.

“Is everything alright?” Link’s voice was thick with sleep, very nearly a growl, but yet to soft to be truly angry.

She would have protested at that, of course things weren’t alright, he was letting all the heat out, but then she recognized the stream of light cast across Link’s face and the soft sound of shuffling feet near the doorway.

Curiosity won over irritation, and she turned in the bed to find herself staring at the shivering smallest hero, his arms holding his blanket around him as he blinked wearily. “’s cold.”

Link nodded, understanding, and then the blankets were being lifted and there was a wave of cold sweeping down to her toes. “Climb up then, quickly though, Malon can be a bear when she gets chilly at night.”

The teen looked at her awkwardly as if unsure about disturbing her yet somehow failing to recognize that he’d already done so. He33 was half asleep, she realized, or very much lost in his head, otherwise she knew the perceptive lad would have already thought about how coming to Link’s and her room would automatically disturb the both of them.

“Hop up.” Se patted the bed with a weary yawn. “You’re letting a draft in, luv.”

Her words were all that was needed, and then there was a small body climbing up onto the bed and she was tugging him in between herself and Link, ignoring how tiny icicle fingers sent shivers up her arms in favor of smothering the shivering smithy in a warm hug and enjoying the way that Link’s strong arms pulled the both of them closer to him.

It didn’t take long before soft snores were erupting from between them, warm breath tickling her chin as an even warmer feeling sparked in her breast. There was enough time to offer her husband a drowsy smile and take in his own fond one before she faded away again, arms wrapped tightly around the young one in her arms with her husband’s arms right around them both.

She got woken up again by the same sound, and when she blinked awake again, she was able to recognize that it was the sound of the bedroom door opening. This time at least when Link sits up, there’s a buffer between her and the cold, although said buffer shivers slightly at the cold that sneaks in beneath the sheets, but Link doesn’t even bother asking what the matter is, she only feels the bed shifting as he moves around, and when she blinks one eye open it’s to see Hyrule climbing up next to her husband and cuddling up next to him with a soft snore that earns the boy a warm smile as Link runs a hand through dark curls.

“He sleepwalks.” He rumbles, and she can only nod softly as he settles down again, warmth once more joining them beneath the covers.

Somehow, she thought that would be the end of it, but then Wild and Wind both follow after in succession, and she has the youngest starfished across the both of them and Wild curled up at their feet where only a short while later a hug wolf joins them all on the bed, wrapping itself around the long-haired teen like a furry blanket. For that reason, it’s not really that much of a surprise when Sky comes lumbering in, dragging a half-asleep Legend behind him. It’s endearing, even if the bed is beginning to feel a bit small, to see them all half asleep and yawning their heads off. In fact, she rather doubts that Sky even is awake, and Legend is either asleep or very much lost to the world, because the teen is surprisingly clingy with his brother, and makes a soft and happy squeaking sound when Link maneuvers him to lay alongside Hyrule, both boys latching ahold of each other and burying their noses in the others’ hair or clothes. Sky, in turn, flops over the edge of the bed, practically falls, feet still hanging off until Link pulls him up alongside everyone else, Hyrule and Legend on top of him beside her husband, leaving just enough room for him to lay down again and pull her and Four even closer.

With seven boys in the bed, curled up and around herself and her husband, she no longer feels the cold, although the weight is rather unfamiliar. Still, it’s comfortable enough, but she still lies waiting for the final shoe to drop, and when there’s a creak of the door, she glances up with a yawn to see Warriors staring into the room with a knowing smile on his face and warmth in his eyes as he leans against the frame.

“Again?” The captain chuckles, somehow perfectly put together despite the late hour.

She doesn’t bother letting anyone chatter, instead pulling Link closer and freeing up just a bit of space at the edge of the bed for the beanpole of a young man. “Up you get, I’m tired.”

Royal blue eyes blink at her in surprise, but then Link is grumbling something or other and the captain is shaking his head and moving over, climbing up beside Sky with a soft whisper about the perimeter being safe or something of the sort, which she quickly silences with a soft hiss as she buries her face in golden hair and tries to avoid letting Wind’s fingers brush over her face.

It’s only a short while later that a melodic hum fills the air, from whom she doesn’t know, but a few others echo it, all in their sleep. She glances at Link, and he stares back, trembling slightly with pent up laughter as the two of them both fight not to start laughing at the absurdity of it all. At least the tune is soothing, and before she knows it, Malon is dozing off with all nine of her boys curled up around her.

Come morning, there’s a round of complaints and confusion as everyone comes to themselves when she forces herself out of her warm cocoon to go milk the cows, effectively waking everyone by disturbing the pile. She leaves the room and the boys to her husband’s care, the hero of legend trailing after her with a very wide and very squeaky yawn as he offers to help with the cows. It’s clear he knows what he’s doing, and she’s done before her usual time that morning, walking back up to the house with the pink-haired teen and buckets of milk just in time to see Warriors teasing Twilight.

“You missed the cuddle fest.” The captain yawns around a cup of coffee, strong bitter stuff that she would almost scold him for brewing in her house if she didn’t know it was the only thing to help him stay awake.

The boys are asleep.

It’s been a rather long day all around, but she’s thankful that for once Hylia had shown favor to her family and at least allowed them to be home today. Sure, it’s not like this is one of the milestone anniversaries that most Castletown women say are the most important, but that couldn’t matter less to her. It’s their night, theirs and theirs alone, and she couldn’t be happier with Link nestled up against her back as she works and all of their boys soundly asleep upstairs.

She’d almost think her husband was asleep, he’s holding so still, but she knows for a fact he isn’t; the lack of rumbling snores in the room being her proof. It’s a fact she both hates and loves, that Link doesn’t snore on the road but always does at home, but it’s a sure-fire way to tell how awake he is. Still, she bounces the shoulder his head rests on just the slightest bit.

“Y’ain’t fallin’ asleep on me now are ya, Link?”

“Course not.” Comes the murmured reply as her husband’s big nose tickles up against her neck and makes her giggle which only prompts him to do it again, pressing a kiss to freckled skin and making her squirm.

“Mr. Lon, please.” The reproach is ruined by her laugher as he squeezes her tighter and tickles her neck with his scruffy chin. “I’m going to drop the pie.”

“Unacceptable.” He rumbles, but he doesn’t stop, instead huffing into her hair and making her shiver at the warmth of his breath.

“Very.” But he still doesn’t stop, so she has to make do, stepping over to their picnic basket to place the precious pie-tin inside, her husband trailing after her like the strings of her apron. The old picnic basket is well worn from many a similar venture when they were courting, and the old blanket she’s set beside it is grass-stained from how many times Link and she has spread it out beneath the old oak on the edge of the property; just far away enough that her father couldn’t see them, but close enough that they hadn’t had any need to disturb Epona. The old place is something of their own special spot, having been a meeting place in their youth, a hideaway from her father in their childhood and the location of their wedding, much to Zelda’s disappointment after the queen had offered them the castle great hall for the occasion. Tonight, however, it is their destination, provided of course that they can sneak out without any of the boys waking up.

“You’re certain they’re all sleepin’?” She asks for what feels like the thousandth time, although she knows it’s only the third.

“Positive.” Link rumbles into her hair. “And Hyrule’s sleeping with Sky, so he’s not likely to come looking for me later.”

“Good.” She loves their boys, but tonight is something she wants to be just for the two of them, and the curly haired traveler’s tendency to sleepwalk isn’t something she wants to have to worry about tonight. Sky will keep him contained, the both of them cling on like vices when they’ve got someone near them, and she doesn’t doubt that the veteran will end up caught between them sometime in the night, further securing that both of them will stay put.

“What ‘bout the others?”

Link raises his head enough to meet her eyes, his own royal blue one warm with a rare sort of light that he doesn’t let most other people see, but which makes her feel giddy and warm all over like when they were teenagers. “I told Wars we’d be out for the night, he said to have a fine time and not to worry. I think Twilight heard as well, and if anything happens, I trust the two of them to be able to handle it.”

She nods, setting everything back into place and checking one last time to make sure she hasn’t missed anything. They’ve already had dinner with the boys, but there’s no shame in having something a few hours later, and she and Link both never mind a midnight snack on occasion. Besides, it’s their night, they can do as they please.

“Link, dear, I need to get us the cups.” It would be fine for him to keep holding her if she was going for the normal sort of cup they use everyday, but what she wants are the special set that Zelda had given them as a wedding present, and those are up in the top of the cabinet, up where even Link can’t reach them without a stool.

There’s a petulant huff from the man behind her, but his arms loosen from her waist long enough for her to get the cups and settles them safely in their basket, only to have him scoop her back up again and cradle to her chest as he stares down at her with that adoring warmth in her eyes. “Are you quite ready now, Mrs. Lon?”

“You can’t wait, can you?” It’s half a scold and half a tease, but he disregards it entirely, settling the picnic basket in her hold and moving towards the door as if he isn’t carrying the weight of the both of them. “I can walk you know,” She reminds him. “I’m not nearly far enough along to need to be carried.”

Mischief twinkles in her husband's gaze as a sharp grin flashes over his handsome features. “And have my wife walk over the threshold alone on her wedding day? I think not.”

“I carried you across when we were married.” She reminds him, tapping his nose playfully and watching how he flushes the slightest bit, smile widening further as the night breeze rustles through his bangs and sends her own long hair flying up around the both of them.

“And it’s my turn now.”

“You say that every year.” Comes the laughed response, but it’s hardly a complaint and they both know it.

It’s not a long walk to the old tree, something she’s incredibly thankful for because even with how strong Link is she knows he has his bad days whether he’ll admit to it or not, and she also knows that he’ll be pulling this same stunt every year until he physically can't anymore. Once they get there, it’s a simple matter of laying the blanket out (they’d argued position a million times in their youth, so it’s no bother now as they let it out in the agreed upon place) and settle the basket off to the side as they sit together beneath.

Some couples, Honey and Darling for instance (she’s asked since childhood what their real names are, but no one in all Hyrule seems to know the answer) have mentioned having traditions or set rules for an anniversary, but just like all the rest of their relationship this day is something they allow to remain untainted by rules and standards, and the only requirement is that they try to spend it together and happy; not much of a task if you asked Malon.

“What does Mrs. Lon fancy first?” Link teases as he settles next to her, leaning into her space and smiling that same almost cocky grin that she’d wager a fortune none of their boys have seen in their lives.

“What are my options?” She teases in return, sitting as primly as she knows how and smirking back in kind.

“I’m at your complete service, ma’am. Anything you say goes.”

“A song?” She asks hopefully, watching the smirk fade to something less playful as he moves closer, settling down at her side and allowing her to relax against him.

“Any in particular?”

“Anything.” Because everything sounds lovely in Link’s voice, even a funeral dirge.

He shifts a bit closer again, arm wrapping around her shoulders as he hums softly, and she can almost hear the flap of his ears as he wracks his brain for the perfect tune. She lets him think; it’s just something that she’s come to understand about him, that music matters far too much to be used lightly, and Link will always choose the best song he can think of for any given time. At last, however, the first rich notes are flowing through the air and drifting upwards until their lost, dancing up towards the stars themselves and filling the heavens with a rich melody that would make the very planets dance if they could.

Maybe, when they were younger, this would be where she would catch Link by his hands and pull him into a dance, but she’s equally content to rest at his side beneath their tree, soaking in his warmth and the rumbling vibrations of his singing as she leans her head on his shoulder.

Epona’s song drifted through the cool morning air.

The sound brought a smile to Time’s lips as he snuggled closer to the warmth pressed beside him, breathing in the clean morning air and tugging the blanket up higher on his shoulder.

He really didn’t want to wake up.

Although, he didn’t remember opening the bedroom window last-

Wait. They weren’t on the farm! They’d gone to sleep in the forest last night! There was no window to leave open, and no Malon singing or lying beside him. He shoots awake, pulling himself up with the intent of looking around camp, only to have something pull him back down towards the ground.

Looking down, he feels his scarred heart melt. Twilight twitches in his sleep, arms locking around his shoulders, sleepily groans sounding as the lad hangs off him, cold nose pressed to his neck. Tiny, whuffling snores sound from his pup as the younger man nuzzles closer, and he can only chuckle softly and rub his protégé's back lightly as he settled back down to let Twilight sleep.

He is curious who had been singing though.

A single blue eye takes in the camp as he props himself up slightly on his bedroll, careful not to disturb Twilight as he takes in where each of his boys lay.

Legend and Hyrule lay curled into each other, Legend clinging to his protégé while Hyrule’s hands lay buried in his mentor’s silky hair, a smile on the face of the younger and drool on the face of the elder*. Warriors lies close by, sprawled across his bedroll and snoring fit to wake the dead, utterly content and comfortable in the safety of his brothers and proving it with his noise. Opposite the three, Wind and Sky curl close, Sky’s sailcloth and their blankets thrown over the two leaving only Four’s left foot visible from between them.

His pup curls close to his side, one leg thrown over his waist and arms locked tight around his shoulders, holding him in place and preventing him from rising, but the bedroll on his left...

Epona’s song continues to dance through the camp, and Time’s single eye finally falls on Wild, the cook busily scrubbing out his favorite cooking pot on the very edge of camp, the familiar tune dancing off of the young one’s lips, suds rising halfway up his arms and hair thrown back in a messy bun that reminds Time strongly of Lullaby’s own hair when the woman loses patience with it. Decorum be shot, the queen will throw her own hair back with a simple hair tie in front of the whole court, ignoring how it makes her appear and continuing her duties without hair hanging in her face and her neck free from the oppressing heat of its constant curtain.

If ever he doubted that Lullaby and Shiek were the same person, each time he sees his princess behave in such a way, he’s reminded that, different time lines or no, there is still the same fiery spirit and passion for change in his friend that there had always been, and it is something he is happy to see reflected in some of his boys, along with Malon’s stubborn personality and incredible strength and kindness.

Maybe he is looking for the traits of those dearest to his heart in the boys that had pushed their way in. Be it by force or by accident as the hero might be, but it brings him no small joy to see Lullaby in Legend’s sharp glares or in Warriors’ brisk manner when planning. In Hyrule’s swift fingers or Wild’s sharp and calculating eyes. To see her in Four’s dark eyes, always thoughtful, always knowing, or in Sky’s burning passion.

It’s a wonder to see Malon in Wind’s boisterous cheer, and in Twilight’s rolling laughter. To see his wife’s mischief reflected in Wild’s luminescent gaze or her love of life in the way Legend cares for his orchard and animal friends. And the glimpse of unbelievable strength in Four’s easy lifting of weapons as big as himself, or the echo of her in the firm set of Warriors’ shoulders always makes him smile to himself.

There are others at times. Saria in Hyrule’s smile. Kafai in Wild’s laugh. Romani in Wind’s eccentric ideas, Nabooru in Legend’s firm stance and heavily lidded gaze, Navi in Sky’s light scolding and Tatl in Four’s acerbic wit. Glimpses of home and family echo around him, pulling close what reflected it and making them home and safety themselves. And over it all he can hear the winding of tunes that both tore apart and hold together the memories of his youth.

And now, one such tune, one especially close to his heart, one meant only for the Lon family and their famous steeds, dances over the edges of the camp and past the ears of the sleeping heroes as Wild lifts his cooking pot and carries it over to the fire, singing softly with faint and muddled words, many of them wrong, mumbled or tripped over, but sung all the same as food winks into being from the champion’s slate.

“-ne-ver far from home. Epona, Epona, can you hear hmm hmm, singing from in my heart, hmm-hmm-hmm.” Mumbled hums break the words as the champion works over the fire, measuring and stirring. “Something if you’re wandering far away hmm-hmm, listen for this melody calling you! Re-mem-ber that you have something-or-other to complete! I trust hmm hmm hmm hmm hmm hm!”

The muddled version of the song makes him chuckle softly, startling the younger hero into spinning around, the spoon that Sky carved him brandished like a weapon as the champion prepares to defend himself against whatever he thinks may have startled him. Face beet red and growing redder.

“You have a nice singing voice.”

Wild looks instants away from combusting on the spot. “hOW- How long were you awake?”  Gone are the stumbling yet melodious trills of the cook’s voice, instead replaced with a panicked squeak only made worse by his age.

It was like the first time he’d successfully startled Shiek, both of them both still so young that their voices broke under pressure, and the thought makes him smile as he meets the startled child’s gaze.

“Long enough.”

Wild’s ears droop, quivering with shame and embarrassment as the kid’s shoulders hunch up to brush against them, eyes darting down and refusing to meet Time’s as boot scuffs the dirt softly. “I thought you guys- that is- I thought it was-” Cornflower blue glances up, meeting his own for only a second before darting away again. “I thought it was safe.”

Safe? What does the cub- Understanding dawns and he finds himself chuckling low and soft. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”

“It’s not that.” The champion whispers. “I just- I don’t like people...hearing.”

Oh.

Also familiar, also so very familiar. Only this time he doesn’t see his wife or sisters and brothers, or mother or friends in the flushed face of the hero before him.

A squeaky voiced young hero, who’d pulled his cap over his face more times than anyone would guess when looking at his scarred face now, had time and again been encouraged by a darting blue fairy.

“You’ve got a lovely voice Link. No shame, come on!”

Of course, fairies always like hero their Chosen sing, but Time himself had, admittedly, stumbled over notes and keys nearly as badly as his pup still does, but he’d lacked any of Twilight’s playful self-confidence to be able to own up to the harsh squeaks and shrieking chirps that erupted out of him whenever someone else tried to get him to sing, or caught him singing.

He was fine, when Navi was fast asleep or the Kolkiri were half a forest away, or when it had just been himself and Epona, trailing through the dark woods in search of a light he’d have given anything to hear encouraging him to keep trying to raise his voice. It’d been the first time he’d really tried to Sing for his fairy, but it hadn’t done anything but tempt over two fairies who already had their own Chosen, a skullkid who’d pulled him along into a world where his voice had hidden with his face behind mask after mask.

It took Malon catching him singing while at work in the barn before he’d been able to et the guts up to actually try for her, but it’d been worth it when he hadn’t had to fumble with fancy words to ask her to marry him, not when there was a song and a dance just for that that he’d learned for Kafai while in Termina. Malon made his heart sing, but she also made him sing, and while her voice far outdid his own, it always made him happy to hear the two ringing together.

He’d once hoped, once he found out, that he’d one day hear Twilight’s voice rise up with theirs on some starlit evening, but after hearing his pup sing...

He loves Twilight like a son, but heaven forbid he ever force his wife to listen to that tone deaf mess!

Wild though, oh, Malon would love to tempt Wild into singing and guide him along until his voice could ring with hers. The child had the voice of a fairy, ethereal and inhuman, but in a way that made him feel light and airy and almost like he could fly.

“Well...” He wants very much to stand and walk over to Wild, but he was still trapped and Twilight was both a brick and incredibly strong, leaving him trapped until his pup is good and ready to wake up, something he fully believed Wild would prefer to prevent happening for the time being. “I can’t not hear it, Wild.”

“Try?” The kid pleads, eyes wide and face nearly purple from embarrassment.

“It’d be an insult to whoever created the voice to do so!” The words spilled out before he could stop them. He was supposed to reassure the kid, not make him panic more by pressuring him! “That is- Wild, you have the voice of an... I suppose Legend would say “an angel” whatever those really are. To be frank, I wouldn’t choose to forget it if I could.”

“I’m not a good singer.”

“Bullshit.”

The newest hero’s gaze shoots up to meet his own, shock written across scarred features at hearing him swear. “You-”

“Don’t tell Warriors.” He whispers with a wink- blink- whatever, it was meant as a wink, and hopefully Wild would read it as one.

“You swore.” Wild breathes

“And you lied.” He returns. “You’re a good singer. Confident, maybe not, but I thought I heard Maon when I first woke up, and unless you want to tell me that my wife has a poor singing voise-”

“No! Of course not!”

“Settled then.” He smiled. “You’re a good singer.”

The champion stares at him, ears twitching slowly and eyes blinking as he processes the words, before a light scowl pulls at the kid’s scars as he crosses his arms. “It- no!” At the grin he shoots at the kid, Wild whines softly. “Dad!”

Both freeze at that. Or rather, Time blinks repeatedly, shocked, and Wild’s hands fly up to his mouth, eyes wide and horrified.

“I’m sorry!” Wild blurts out, still hiding behind his hands. “I slipped I-”

Laughter, deep and rumbling enough that Twilight is happy grumbling against him in response, sounds through the camp as Time throws his head back. He can’t stop it, but he will embrace it. This is the best morning he’s had in ages and Hylia have him if he doesn’t take a moment to enjoy it! “You’re fine, Cub. I’ve been called much worse than that more than once. Unless of course,” He grins at the young hero, brows pulling down in a mock stare, even if he can’t hold his smile back to be convincing. “You think I’d be a bad one?”

“No! You’re an awesome- You’re going to be-” Wild is somehow redder than he was before and he stomps his foot almost petulantly as he catches on to the laughter that still rumbles in Time’s chest. “Time!”

“I don’t mind.” He rumbles out, and more than anything he wants to walk over and ruffle the kids hair, or wrap him in a hug, but he’s trapped by Twilight, and instead can only lift his free arm in an offer that Wild hesitates to take. He’s almost considering lowering his arm and rescinding his invitation when the champion barrels into his side, face buried in his shoulder as Golden hair fills his vision.

“I hate you.”

“Such disrespect to your father.” Time scolds playfully, gently pinching Wild’s ear and making the champion giggle at the touch. “What will your Mamalon say?”

“Ma-” Wild sits up again, staring down at him in confusion. “Mamalon?”

His lips pull into a smile again, something he’s done more this morning than he has nearly all week. “Something Legend calls her, which I’m stealing because she and I both like it.”

The champion’s eyes trail down to where scarred fingers still tangle into his tunic. “Can I call her that too?”

“Well,” He chuckles. “If I’m your Father Time, I think it’s only fair she’s you Mamalon.” At Wild’s smile he smirks. “Ad she’ll be delighted to learn you already know the family song, if only in part. Her mother wrote that for her you know, and I’m sure she’d love to teach you the rest of it. She taught it to me after all, and I used to sing as poorly as Twilight!”

Wild’s mouth opens and closes a few times as a light blush colors the kid’s cheeks before he shyly nods. “I’d- I think I’d like that.”