stream ego renegade boy

THE LITTLE THINGS.

four reminds time of the kokiri children. maybe that's a strange thing to say, but it isn't like he's saying it out loud. it's true, though. he has such a resemblance to them, in his own little way. he doesn't look like a forest child, but his behaviour is strikingly similar to one. when they first met, time could have easily believed it if four had said they were a kokiri. it really wouldn't have been hard. he has a deep love for the smaller things, spends a lot of time picking at the grass. despite living in a town his whole life, he's said he feels more at home when he's outside rather than in. time thinks it makes sense, in a way. its usually much calmer outside, with more space giving more chance for peace and quiet. four doesn't seem to be the loud type, or if he is he hasn't shown that side yet, so finding it more comfortable outside is reasonable for someone who doesn't particularly like noises too much. time's caught him escaping from the others plenty of times, just on account of noise. he can't really blame him. he appreciates the group and their diverse skillset, but...most of them are teenagers, or young adults. they can be louder than they intend to be. sometimes, time joins him. not often, but sometimes. enough times to know the routine enough. four eats whatever that nights meal is — pace of eating seems to depend on...something. time hasn't figured out what. — and sits in his own little world for a few minutes afterwards, before excusing himself. nobody questions it, because four is up there with the least likely to run off and do something dangerous. ..which is maybe a low bar. time chooses not think on that for long, though.

it's happening again, as he's thinking about it. four's started tapping the bowl in his hands, in that subtly impatient way. the way that children do, when they're waiting for their parents to let them go and play again. he doesn't think four realises when he's doing it, but he does it every time he plans to run off. time doesn't call him up on it. never has. it really is not that big of a deal. but he notices it, every single time. waits to see how long four will sit there before excusing himself. he never usually lasts more than five minutes. he always starts to fidget the longer he's waiting. time honestly isn't sure why four waits in the first place, but guesses it's out of politeness. while four resembles the kokiri in a lot of ways, his manners are...admittedly a lot better than theirs. at first, it worried time a little bit. the way four seemed to keep to himself, staying on everyone's good side. but it became clear that this behaviour is just how he is, so it was let go. if time's honest, four...kind of reminds him of how he used to be, in a way. impatient at times — not in a way that's harmful. just a way that's noticeable — while also being aware enough of the surroundings to know if patience is a desperate need. outwardly, four seems like a perfect hero image. outwardly polite and calm, always keeping a level head, acting as a hero should. but they've all been together for months now, and the cracks in that image shine brightly. four likes when things are organised, gets stressed when they're not. time started trying to keep his own items organised, to lessen the younger's stress, to...varying results. he won't lie and say he's an organised person, but he can try to be one. the smithy likes being alone sometimes. not a lot, and never for long, but sometimes he just sticks to himself. time doesn't blame him for it, really. he gets it. when he's done thinking, he's noticed the tapping has stopped, and that four has left again.

four doesn't mean to be secretive. or, well, he does sometimes, but it's not always intentional. but he's started to notice that maybe there's a few things that might read as suspicious, or like he's hiding something from everyone. he caught time watching him, earlier. just after he'd finished eating, before he wandered off. time seemed to be thinking really hard about something — he thinks he was, anyway? it's kind of really hard to read time's expressions. either because of the fact he's only got one eye visible, or the fact he's got crazy poker face. four isn't really sure. just knows it's kinda hard to crack the guy. all he knows is that he's worried time might start to think there's something wrong. he knows the man worries — rancher got it from somewhere, after all — and knows that if he thinks something's wrong, he'll start to be careful with you. like you might break if he's not gentle. and, politely, as much as four appreciates the care, he really doesn't enjoy being treated like he's breakable. so. he would like to avoid this situation, if at all possible, by any means necessary. not that he thinks he'd have to go too far to prove anything? he's...pretty sure he wouldn't. people can be unpredictable though, he guesses. no matter how long he's known this group, it'll never really be enough to know how they'll react to every possible situation. hell, he's known zelda his whole life and he still doesn't know how she'll react to things sometimes!

four lets out a sigh, sitting with his legs crossed and his hands picking at blades of grass. if he looks close enough, he can see a few field minish running about. this era — which, they still haven't figured out where they are. four thinks he should ask if anyone's pieced anything together when he gets back — doesn't have many of the little guys, it's nice to see them running around. in the back of his head, he wonders if the others can see them. wind definitely can. wolfie can, but twilight can't, which is a weird discrepancy that ezlo probably would have explained if he was here. other than that, he isn't sure. nobody's ever brought it up, or mentioned seeing them when four is absolutely certain that they'd be within view. maybe they all think they’re just seeing things…? he guesses he can't blame anyone for thinking that. then again, a lot of the group consists of adults, and adults aren't usually the ones that can see the minish, so…maybe they just really can't see them. a little sad to think about. but...four guesses there isn't much he can do about that, really. he can mourn it all he wants, this is just the way things work.

he gives a little wave to the minish passing by, putting his thoughts into the back of his mind. he can worry about it later, if he really decides it's something to worry about. for now, he would rather just relax. the whole point of wandering off is to get some peace, after all. he likes the others, being around them, and he likes to think he gets along with them all well enough! but sometimes it's...exhausting, being around people. he can't explain why. not really. it's just something he feels, something he's always kinda felt. the breaks are necessary. they help prevent him from snapping without meaning to. bonus for it just being nice, to sit in the grass with just the minish around for a little while. sometimes they climb up onto him and mess with his hair, or his earring, and he lets them do it every time they ask. they always mean well. sometimes they end up tangling his hair, or getting things stuck in there, but never anything that four can't fix on his own. he doesn't exactly find it fun, to have to fix it, but he's never exactly mad about it. they're so small, of course they'll have a bit of trouble getting it right all the time. ...he wonders if the minish are similar to the koroks that wild's era have. they're both kind of forest spirits in a way, right? the smithy clicks his tongue, watching the minish start to work around him. very briefly feels very guilty about disrupting their workspace, gives an apologetic look towards them all, before tilting his head back and staring up at the sky. he doesn't really register it, but at some point his eyes fall closed, and he just..sits there, taking everything in. it's nice to be alone sometimes, nothing but you and the sounds of nature. comforting in a way he can't really explain. guesses he doesn't really have to explain, though. nobody's asking. maybe he focuses on the silence a bit too much, though. the time passes, and as it gets darker the minish stop their work. some climb up onto the small hero, while others scatter away to their villages and homes to get rest. the ones that climb up find places of their own to rest. some in his hair, others hiding in his hood. he lets them do their thing, but keeps a very very persistent mental note of where they all are. he doesn’t want to hurt any of them accident, you know? distantly, he thinks he hears movement, but doesn't think too hard on it. well, not until the movement stops, and wolfie appears in front of him, with time following close by.

"hi, wolfie,"four mumbles, reaching a hand out to pat him on the head. he gets an amused little huff for that, which is a great response in four's opinion, so he turns his attention to the older man. "...hey, time." some of the minish on the smaller start to move around again. one of them hops over onto wolfie's snout, and he's visibly trying his best to not draw attention to it. four doesn't realise it's probably because time can't see them... "you've been gone for a while,"time points out, kneeling down. four blinks at him, but before he can even say anything, time speaks up again. "who are your little mouse friends?" four's eyes light up. wolfie's ears perk up, turning slightly to look at time. "you can see them?"the smithy whisper-yells, a smile rapidly growing on his face. time appears confused for a brief moment, before it settles. "ah, i assume this is not a commonly-seen creature, then," he shakes his head. "not really. i think it was only usually kids and animals...? i forgot the exacts. most people can't, though!"he explains, trying not to startle any of the minish hiding on him. the little creatures have grown curious, though, learning that an older hylian is able to see them. guesses it really isn't common. four lets one climb onto his hand, and then offers the hand towards time. "they're called picori, but they're also known as minish,"he hums gently, "they're the ones hiding things in the grass and pots and stuff. little gifts to help you out, you know? they're helpful little guys. sometimes they help with little tasks, too, like — there's this shoemaker in my era, they help him finish up projects when he falls asleep doing them." "i see,,"time muses, watching the mouse-like creature climb onto his hand. "are they in all of our worlds?" four clicks his tongue. "i've never seen any in wild's era."he admits with a shrug. "but everywhere else we've been so far, yeah. you have a couple on your ranch, you know? they hide in the cupboards."he states it like a fact. "they keep rearranging your spice rack cause you don't put stuff in the right place." "do they, now? i'll have to thank them for their help, then,"he tilts his head, gently placing the minish back down on the grass. "most people can't understand them, they speak a different language then we do,"four explains with a nod. "you can use a jabbernut to learn it, though. that's what i did, anyway," time hums lowly and nods along, as if taking in the information to use it later. somehow. four wouldn't be surprised if time wanted to learn their language, though. he's always liked the forests, and magic spirits that live within them. four's honestly surprised that time hadn't learned about the minish yet, all things considered, but... he's happy that he knows now. four watches the little minish that time had placed down run off in the same direction the others had. the one that climbed onto wolfie has settled onto the wolf's head, not planning on going anywhere. seems like the ones in four's hood don't want to leave either. "you can have first watch tonight,"time informs, standing up and offering a hand out to four. "if you would like. so you can let your friends leave on their own terms," four takes the hand, allowing himself to be pulled up. "sure,"he agrees with a whistle, "i'm sure they appreciate not being rushed, too."