#ss time

Not too far from him -resting underneath one of those looming trees- is the drowsy laughter of their young sailor draped in the freshly dried sailcloth, nestled into the cozy side of the Chosen. It seems the man was regaling tall tales of his home to the sleepy boy who sat enraptured, fighting the bob of his heavy head to stay awake and listen. Time wouldnt be surprised if the boy fell asleep like that, and he doubts Sky would have the heart to move Wind if he did. 

A particularly loud pop of embers draws the old man back to his job, sighing to himself when the new flame struggles to eat what surrounds it. Reaching to his side, Time grabs the remaining tinder to slowly feed the weak spark. Most of the kindle or branches were used to build their first campfire which left the general with dead undergrowth and other small twigs to create a second one. It was less than ideal but Time has worked with much worse…though he does remember a certain hero had taken it upon herself to search for more, evidently she has yet to return. 

With a groan, Time pushes himself to his feet -ignoring the faint pop in his knees- as he realizes its been almost 17 minutes since he’s last seen the girl.

“Dont hurt yourself,” Legend ribs from his fire, not giving the old man the grace of ignorance. 

“Hush.” Time grunts, subtly stretching out his lower back as he approaches the veteran. “Have you seen the keeper?”

Sitting a little straighter, Legend squints at him before glancing around. “Lynn? Wasnt she with you..?”

Giving the confused teen a pat on his shoulders, Time followed the direction he last saw the girl walk in. “Keep an eye on that fire, I’ll be back soon.” 

Though he hears a faint apprehensive noise from behind him, Time doesn’t stop. There was no need to jump to conclusions, they would have heard a struggle if one had occurred and he knew very well that each of these heroes could handle themselves- including Lynn. There was no reason to cause a panic, it was likely that the girl had gotten distracted or had wanted a moment of privacy- it wasnt like they could give eachother much while travelling a barren place like this- something he could not blame her for. So he did not turn around to reassure the teen, or warn the other two, he would find Lynn in one piece, just as she had left, and give her a talking to about leaving for long periods without telling someone. 

Sand gives way under his dark soles, followed by the occasional crunch of twigs. The shady bramble and murky water were far too dark for Time’s liking, it would be an effort to find someone in the dark…And he has yet to find a sign of the girl.

Furrowing his brows, Time wasnt sure why his brain was so insistent on the matter, it was simply 17 minutes- Well…maybe a little over. Closer to 18. A lot could happen in 18 minutes, especially in a climate they knew so little about- actually he did know something, he knew that sudden monster attacks were a lot more plausible than they should be. This also does not consider that they were taking refuge in the only place with a source of water -that they knew about at least- which by itself would be a sought after resource for those wandering these wastes, meaning the likelihood of monsters suddenly appearing was a lot higher than he originally thought.

A sudden rustle halts the General in his tracks. Quickly scanning his surroundings, Time notes that he’s almost to the other side of the water before his eye catches a break in the bushes lining the bank. 

Slowly, with a hand on the hilt of the Gilded Sword, Time approaches. 

Crouched with knees hugged to her chest, looking entirely too small in a spare night dress that engulfed her completely, Lynn quietly sat at the edge of the pond while watching as the water laps at her feet. Leaves sat messily in her long, undone hair- like she had jumped into a freshly raked pile- that obscured her face. Time noticed her breathing was slow and uneven yet with a glance he could not see any peaking sploshes of red..But he did take note of the forgotten bundle of gathered kindle beside the keeper.

His hand slides off the hilt, frowning when he realizes the girl still had yet to notice his presence. Time looks around his feet for a moment to find a rather brittle looking stick, softly the old man steps forward with a crunch. 

The girl startles, whipping her head around with a hand buried into the sand to stabilize her and the other balls into a fist, only to pause when she sees him. “Time? Wha uh..hi?”

Her confused but kind greeting would have cracked a smile from the soldier if he did not notice the girl’s red rimmed eyes and avoidant gaze. “You have been missing for 19 minutes.”

“Have I?” Lynn stammers, looking around the space. “I-i m sorry, I didnt even- yeah sorry. I was just…”

The keeper quickly stands, almost tripping over the dress like shirt before shuffling to gather the kindle she had forgotten. Though she tries to be subtle, Time watches the girl wipe her teary eyes before shaking off sandy linen. 

“It wont happen again.” She blurts out, looking ready to all but dash away

“Stop,” Time rests a hand on her shoulder. She shifts on the balls of her feet. “What distracts you?”

When the girl doesnt make a noise, Time frowns. “Were the boys too rough? Was something said?”

Those questions spook a strong shake of the head but nothing else. 

Time resists the urge to sigh. It's clear how upset Lynn is by the bob to her throat, the faint quivering lip and the forced even breathing. Yet the girl made no attempt to communicate her feelings or the clear issue she had. Truthfully, Time wasnt quite sure where to go from here. He thought of himself as an emotionally mature man even through all his struggles but…Well, this was different. 

“...I am aware I might seem the most open, but if you are struggling with something you need not take that burden alone.” He softens his tone. 

Again, no response. 

Knowing he couldn’t force the keeper to talk, Time decided to try again if at a later date- he did not need one of their members making a habit of disappearing. He gave her shoulder a soft squeeze before turning away. It felt him with a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach but there was not much he could do, if she wasnt willing to talk than–

“Im sorry.” A tiny voice stops him. “I- Its not big…somethin stupid. I didnt wanna worry anyone..”

Time kept his back to her, mulling over her words for a moment. “The only worry you’ve caused was for your safety. I’d much rather listen to ‘something stupid’ than question if something befell you.” 

A pause. 

Time is acutely aware of the faint rustling of leaves and the shushing of waves. He’d much rather have this conversation while walking back to camp but he had no desire to rush this. Instead, he’ll rest a hand on the hilt of the gilded sword and watch their surroundings. 

“S-so…You know how, like, you and Sky have partners?” The question- though more of a statement- confuses him, he gave a nod. “I uhm..back home, I do too. And today uh..it just kinda reminded me of uhm him. On our journey we found this cute oasis in the Gerudo Desert and…It was like, one of my favourite memories. S-so…yeah. I'm sorry, I just miss him.”

 This time the old man allows himself to smile. Not out of amusement but in fond understanding- He has felt that soft yearning in moments of remembrance, a feeling that is heartbreakingly lonely without your other in arms reach. A feeling only made more shattering in the heart of youth. 

“You need not apologize for such things,” He hums, eyes lifting to the starry sky. “You certainly are not the only one who yearns for their lover.”

“Ugh- sorry, yeah I bet you and Sky are havin a much harder time. I shouldnt have brought it up..” 

Time blinks at the girl’s dismissive tone. Turning, he sees Lynn pick at the collar of her dress -now that he looks at it, the clothing looks much more akin to a mens shirt- with a look he could only describe as a visualization of ‘being up oneself.’

“What’s his name?” He asks, deciding on a different route. 

Lynn blinks, pausing and slowly raising her head. “Uh…Gawaine.”

Time nods. “And how long have you known this boy?”

“Not as long as you’ve known Malon.” 

Ah. 

“Is this your first time being separated from him for this long?” He crosses his arms.

“W-well…no.” She chews the inside of her cheek. “But like…We promised eachother that if we couldnt stay out of this kinda of life then we’d be in it together, no matter what. A-and im here and hes not and I know hes gonna be freakin out and–”

“You,” Time interrupts. “Are in an unknown climate, likely millions of years apart from the person you hold dearest, which has caused you to unwillingly break a very important promise. It does not matter the length of time or who you believe has it ‘harder,’ this feeling in your chest -this hurt and fear- does not mean less compared to mine or Sky’s. It would be foolish to try and equate one’s love to another.” 

Lynn’s head slowly lowers, eyes hidden behind thick messy bangs as she adjusts the bunch of kindle under her arm. Time isnt sure if his message got across but he does know that it takes a lot more than one motivational talk to change something. So, with a more assured outlook, he reaches out to gently brush those loose leaves out of tangled hair.

“Come,” He smiles. “Lets get you back to camp.” 

Lynn looks up, eyes big and round with a shining look, before Time gives her head a gentle pat and turns. 

The fires were more noticeable now that dusk had settled, their faint crackling travelling far across the quiet crater. He will take the first shift of the night- he always did- and ask whether Legend or Sky can go second and third. He found that Wind much needed his sleep as a growing boy and…well, tonight he’ll let Lynn get as much sleep as she wanted. He justifies it as her distracted mind would only be a hindrance to the shifts. That wouldnt–

Rustling leaves, snapping of twigs and movement in sand. Something was fastly approaching the man from behind- Time had barely shifted on his heel before something wrapped around his forearm and pressed against his arm. 

Lynn. 

She was hugging his arm with one of hers, head resting against it. The old man froze, caught off guard, watching the girl pull away with a smile with green eyes looking up to him with an encouraging spark, burning bright like flickering flames. The keeper pulls away and takes a few steps forward. 

“Thank you,” Lynn stands a little taller. “...You’re not as scary as I thought you were.”

Apparently whatever face he pulls was enough to entice a childish giggle from her before she spins on her heel and races to the camp with a hop to her step. Time stands there, motionless, with a whirlwind of thoughts and questions…but as the girl runs off he cant find himself to worry about them. So instead, the old man shakes his head with a laugh and follows the girl with a little less tension in his stomach. 

What an interesting end to the day.