#timextwilight

“So, are you ready to spar Twilight?” Time said cheerfully.

There was an almost incredulous look on Twilight’s face.

“Hey, it’s not like you’re going to be branded as strange or anything. You’re a man, and how long has it been since you arrived up here? A little over a year now?”

That still doesn’t explain the tension back there…

“Y-Yeah…” He said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head.

“Then, pull out your sword!” Time said, an energetic and eager smile on his face.

And a smile finally graced Twilight’s features as he pulled out his weapon and sword. “You better prepare yourself teacher!”

“Save the bragging until you actually beat me!”

And their blades clashed.

.+++.

“U-Uhm…” Twilight stuttered into the ground.

“You really need to manage your accuracy Twilight…”

“Hey! You’re the one who miscalculated your dodge!”

“And Have I not told you about shifting blame onto others?”

“Yeah, Yeah. It’s my fault.” Twilight groaned. “I’ll get off you now.”

Twilight thought he heard giggling not too far away. Great… He thought and paused in the middle of getting off of Time. Damn peeping-toms.

At least it wasn’t like they were doing anything right? He looked back down at an expectant Time and resisted the urge to bite his lips. (And the urge to kiss those lips) Time looked so… handsome right now.

“Well, are you going to or not?”

Ah, fuck the consequences!

Yes, he knew that the two had known each other for much longer than he had known his master so it was only natural that they were closer, but he still couldn’t get the picture of Time letting Sky talk to him, when he wouldn’t talk to his own pupil.

Yes, certainly whenever he and Time trained they had fun and there was always a smile on his teacher’s face but… there always was an undertone of something, of whatever was bringing the great Hero of Time down on that one night on the cliff.

“You know…” He heard Mini whisper into his ear. “If you don’t stop ogling Time over there, he will eventually notice.”

“W-What! I’m not!” Twilight burst out, his face flooding with red. “Besides where would you get that idea!”

“Please…” Mini said and flicked his hand. “I grew up too ya know. I just prefer to be a kid.”

Twilight ‘hmph’ed and turned away, but not before letting his eyes linger on Time once more.

Okay, so maybe he was.

Almost at once, all of the Links to date said. “The cliff.”

The hero who saved two worlds blinked. He had only been here for a few weeks and had no idea what they were talking about.

“The cliff?”

“Yeah.” Mini said. “He always goes there when he’s feel’n down, or when he’s think’n.”

“…Feeling down?” Twilight whispered, his voice filled with worry. “Why would he feel down…?” He’s always happy whenever I’m around though…

Sky gave him a soft smile and put his stick into the ground, offering a hand to Twilight. “Are you worried about him?”

Twilight blinked. “W-What? No. I’m just confused… it seems so out of character of him.”

Mirth twinkled within the senior’s eyes. “There are many things you have yet to know about your teacher, Twilight.”

Twilight bit his lip. All of the other Links seemed so…accepting of this behaviour so certainly… With determination in his eyes he grabbed his elder’s hand.

“Let’s go.”

.+++.

Seeing his teacher sit on the cliff was certainly sorrowful. What had Time had to think about? His past life? Mistakes he may have made? As he stepped towards his teacher, he stepped on a branch and it snapped.

In shock, Time turned around to see his student trying to conceal himself and failing miserably. A small smile appeared on his face. “It seems I should have taught you more than just sword techniques Twilight.”

Red graced the newcomer’s face and he glanced around but could not see their ancestor anywhere. “It’s not like it really matters up here anyways.”

“True.” Time said in a disquieted manner and things fell into an awkward silence.

After a few moments, Twilight took some steps forward. “Hey… Time, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing really, I was just thinking.”

Twilight frowned. What was wrong with his teacher?

“You go back to the party, I don’t want you missing out because of me.”

As Twilight was going to take more steps towards Time, Sky had reappeared and held his shoulder and shook his head. “Don’t force him.” He said. “It’s probably best if you leave him be. Go on ahead, I’ll try to coax him out of his mood.”