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alicewritingstories · 15 days

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Oh, Legend and Sky being buddies! :D

But poor Sky, poor Legend, that's a horrible thing to happen. But I love the interaction and Legend digging through his bag to get the potion in time. The bit with the dungeon map made me giggle a bit even though it's such a tense situation.

And then when Sky is healed and collapses on Legend's arm, that's really satisfying :)

Febuwhump Day Twenty-Two: "You weren't meant to be there"

Featuring Legend and Sky. Back to push my "Legend and Sky are buddies" agenda.

Heads up for major injury in this chapter.

AO3

First part | <- Previous part | Next part ->

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A heavy blow to his shield sent Legend stumbling back, splinters of pain lodging in his bone. He thrust his sword forward, only for the moblin to deflect it. The tip sank into the dirt before Legend could recover. He tried to yank it out but the moblin attacked again, swinging its club toward his side. He released his sword, twisting to block the blow. The club clipped the edge of his shield and cracked against his ribs, sending him flying. He hit the ground hard, pain bursting in his chest as he rolled. He gasped, the action only making the pain worse, trying to force himself to his feet. Stars danced in his vision and he only made it halfway, collapsing back to his hands and knees.

A shadow fell over him and he rolled, narrowly dodging a lizalfos’s blade. It screeched, lunging after him and striking again while he lay on his back. He blocked the blow with his shield, the impact jarring his already abused arm. The moblin appeared in his peripheral. With a grunt and creaking pain from his fractured ribs, he kicked the lizalfos sharply in its middle. It flinched back, giving him a brief moment to flip onto his stomach and scramble on hands and knees away from the moblin as it bore down on him. The club slammed into the ground just beside him, kicking up dirt. He struggled back to his feet as he moved and nearly ran headlong into a second moblin, one of the massive ones from Sky’s era. It roared and fell forward. He dove out of the way, the monster crashing onto its belly where he’d been moments before. He tried to regain his footing, breath hitching as it felt like his ribs ground against one another. He fell to one knee, staggered back to his feet, head spinning. Bracing his shield, he turned to face the monsters, backpedaling. He turned at the just the right angle for the first moblin’s club to nail him in the stomach.

The moblin threw him backwards, knocking the air from his lungs. His back slammed against the ground. Black spots crashed into his vision as his ribs groaned, sawdust taking up residence between bone and flesh. He gasped like a dying fish, staring up at the sky. Every breath brought more burning dust into his ribs but he had to breathe. He propped himself up on his elbows, tried to, at least. He barely got his shoulders off the ground before pain ripped through his abdomen, sending him back to the ground. Beasts moved in the edges of his vision and he weakly raised his shield. He dug through his pouch with his other hand. His fingers closed around a flat and round metal object. He threw a glance about. He could only see the monsters closing in. Last he saw before being separated, the other heroes were all at the bottom of the hill. Just as the first moblin reached him, looming over him with its club raised, he yanked out the Bombos medallion and fed his magic into it.

Explosions cracked around him, tearing up dirt and grass. The moblin roared as a blast launched it somewhere to his right. Several more monster screeches joined it, before the increasing explosions drowned them out. A lizalfos’s finger streaked overhead, smoke trailing behind it.

Then a human screamed and Legend’s blood went cold.

He struggled to sit up as the spell died out, gritting his teeth against the pain and forcing himself up. He glanced around, heart thudding painfully against his chest. Monster remains lay scattered around him, the smoke that curled upwards from them carrying the scent of burnt flesh. With as deep of a breath as he could manage, he pushed himself up to his knees, rising above the carnage just enough to see over it all. He scanned his surroundings, eyes darting from the bits of pink flesh to the detached limbs and digits. The grass sat blackened in a rough circle around him, flames still clinging to some of the blades. His eyes stretched wide at the mound of white and light green crumpled at the edge of the circle.

He staggered to his feet with a breathless curse that turned into a hiss, arm wrapped around his ribs. He stumbled through the monster remains, barely managing to keep from falling to the ground again as he tripped over the moblin’s club. His heart throbbed in his throat as he drew closer to the white lump, head spinning harder as he made out the blue design on the cloth.

“Shit,” he whispered. He repeated it, quickening his steps. He half-ran, half-tripped over to the body, repeating the curse like a mantra.

“Sky!” he cried in a rough voice. Less of a cry, more of a harsh whisper, ribs protesting the whole way. He circled around in front of the hero, lightheadedness clutching at him and threatening to bring him to the ground. The hero lay curled on his side, face slack. His cape twisted around his torso, speckled with red. Legend crouched beside him with a wince, grabbing the sailcloth with trembling fingers and disentangling it from around Sky. Blood soaked through Sky’s tunic, wreathing his middle and left side. Legend let out a sharp curse, gripping his hair as he took in what he’d done. He didn’t- he didn’t know, he never would’ve-

He forcibly shook off the mounting horror, reaching into his pouch with one hand while grabbing an apparently uninjured portion of Sky’s arm with the other. Sky twitched at the touch, face scrunching up in pain. He let out a soft hiss, eyelids fluttering open. His gaze landed somewhere near Legend’s chest, brow furrowing.

“V…Vet…?” he croaked then winced. He moved to press an arm to his middle but flinched away the moment it made contact, making a sound that was probably supposed to be a yelp.

“D-don’t touch it,” Legend hissed through his teeth, doing his best to ignore the pain lancing through his ribs as he dug through his pouch. “Din’s sake, Sky, what were- what were you doing there?”

“Y-you were… ‘n trouble,” Sky managed, wincing weakly. The blood crawled farther up his tunic.

Legend’s hands froze, eyes widening. Sky was coming to help him. Of course he was, and then Legend- Legend- He clenched his jaw, choking back the horror once more as he resumed his search for a potion. Dammit, why didn’t he have any kind of organization, Warriors was right, he had way too much shit-

Sky let out a quiet sigh and went still. Legend’s head jerked up to stare at him.

“Hey,” he croaked, reaching out and grabbing Sky’s arm again. Droplets of Sky’s blood sank into the grass beneath him. Legend squeezed his arm harder, afraid to shake him and jostle the wounds. “Hey, no, you can’t- y-you can’t do this. Sky. Sky.” The chosen hero didn’t move. The horror roared up Legend’s throat before he could stop it, crashing into him and knocking all the air from his lungs. Sky was coming to help and Legend blew him up, he blew him up. He squeezed Sky’s arm so hard his knuckles went white, frantically searching through his bag with his other hand. No, find something to heal him, worry about waking him up later. If he’s even still- No, no, he was breathing. He had to be. Legend dug both hands into his pouch and began pulling out his items, tossing them haphazardly onto the grass. He had to have something. He had to, he was the collector, he had everything, he had to, it was in there somewhere, he just had to fucking find it-

His hand closed around a bottle and he yanked it out only to chuck it to the ground when only a green liquid sloshed around inside. Useless. Power bracelets. Useless. Boomerang. Useless. Old dungeon map. Why is that even in here, useless. He glanced back at Sky. His breath caught in his throat as he saw just how much of Sky’s tunic had been stained a dark reddish-brown by his blood, the chosen hero’s face white as a sheet. What was the point of having all these items, all this experience when he couldn’t even find one potion to heal his friend, what was the point?

The next bottle he pulled out contained red liquid. He lurched forward, the dust between his ribs and flesh igniting at the movement. A whine built in his throat and he bit his lip, reaching for Sky with one hand, clutching the red potion in the other. Sky didn’t respond to the touch on his arm, horribly still under Legend’s hand. Legend shook him before he could change his mind. Sky’s expression twisted and he groaned, hand moving sluggishly to the injuries hidden under his tunic.

“Sky,” Legend said through the pain, voice tight. “Sky, I’ve got a potion.”

Sky’s eyes opened just a crack, gaze drifting about aimlessly. Legend held the bottle in front of his eyes. Sky’s eyes began to drift closed again and Legend swore. He gently pushed Sky onto his back, gut twisting as the chosen hero whimpered. He shifted closer to Sky and carefully threaded an arm under Sky’s shoulders, lifting him so his head propped up against Legend’s shoulder. He ripped the cork out of the bottle with his teeth and held the glass rim to Sky’s lips. Sky weakly turned his head away from it, eyes still closed.

“Gonna… throw up,” he managed, arms pressed over his stomach.

“Sky, drink the fucking potion!” Legend yelled, despite how it made his ribs burn.

Sky’s eyelids fluttered again, gaze clearing just slightly. His eyes traveled to Legend, noticed the potion that Legend practically shoved against his mouth. He pushed his lips against the rim just slightly and Legend tipped the bottle toward him. Sky screwed his eyes shut as the potion poured into his mouth, throat moving as he swallowed it down. He had to stop once or twice, breathing shallowly through his mouth, face pale. Eventually, he drained the last drop and slumped back against Legend’s arm with a sigh. Legend pitched forward against the sudden weight, throwing out a leg to catch himself. He yelped through his teeth, screwing his eyes shut as sparks of pain shot through his chest.

“Y’re hurt,” Sky slurred, shifting in Legend’s arms.

“Did it work?” Legend gritted out instead of shut up and worry about yourself for once. Sky gingerly prodded at his middle and side, sighing and not flinching from the touch.

“Yeah,” he breathed. He braced his hands on the ground behind him and tried to push himself up but failed, arms trembling violently. When he fell back against Legend’s arm that time, the veteran was ready. “Tired.”

“Yeah, that’s what happens when-“ Legend’s words stuttered to a stop. He meant to say ‘that’s what happens when you lose that much blood’ but the horror clawed its way up his throat once again. “S-Sky, I-“ He choked when Sky looked up at him, blinking slowly. “I didn’t- I didn’t know you- you were there, I…”

Sky watched him for a moment, eyelids drooping. He reached up and patted Legend’s hand where it clutched his shoulder. “S’okay.” Then his eyes fell shut and he went limp.

Legend swore, shifting as Sky’s full weight sagged against him. With a pained hiss, he stretched his leg out in front of him to rest his arm on. Every breath felt like tiny knives scraping against the inside of his ribs. He glanced around them, partially to see if any of the others were nearby, partially to make sure no other monsters were coming. He relaxed slightly when he saw no monsters, turning to look back down at Sky’s sleeping face. The slightest hint of pink grew in his cheeks and lips, just enough to tell Legend that he had only passed out and his wounds weren’t bleeding anymore. Legend half-heartedly attempted to stand, only shifting slightly before immediately giving up, pain rocketing inside his chest. He pursed his lips, holding Sky a little tighter. They certainly weren’t going anywhere anytime soon. He could only hope that the others found them before more monsters did.

#reblog #someone else's writing #jinxedruby

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alicewritingstories · 16 days

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Is, uh... is Captured posted anywhere? Because if it's Warriors whump, which it sounds from your post like it is, it might be relevant to my interests...

(And thank you very much for your kind words - I'm sorry if my writing exacerbates any bad feelings; that's a hard place to be, so sending you a big thumbs up and all the encouragement I can and thanks again for saying you like my work; I see a lot of flaws when I look at it and it feels amazing to hear people like it anyway yes, thanks, bye *runs away *)

@alicewritingstories Will you believe me?

I once read one of your fics, but I forgot to bookmark the fic, and I accidentally deleted all the tabs on my cell phone. However, I drew a sketch of 1 scene from your fic that I remembered, but because I hadn't found the fic, over time, I forgot about the fic. I don't remember the title or writer too.

Until yesterday, I saw your fic list, and I felt like it was the fic I had been looking for! I immediately read it and looked for my old sketch, and...

Do you know which scene this is from the fic Brother's Blood? (old sketch)

No?

Ok, here is after I read your fic again. XD

Your fic makes me tense and want to keep reading! I love it! Thank you for sharing your fic!

Fanart of the fic Brother's Blood, chapter 7. Please read this fic, Guys!

#reblog #articuno13

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alicewritingstories · 18 days

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*hysterical screaming and hand-clapping * Oh wow oh wow oh wow this is so cool and thank you thank you thank you!

Poor Wild and everyone just realizing the yiga is coming but it's too late and *more screaming *

Thank you again so much, I'm so excited and I'm so happy you're enjoying it and glad you found it again and yay!

Do you mind if I link to this?

Thank you!

@alicewritingstories Will you believe me?

Until yesterday, I saw your fic list, and I felt like it was the fic I had been looking for! I immediately read it and looked for my old sketch, and...

Do you know which scene this is from the fic Brother's Blood? (old sketch)

No?

Ok, here is after I read your fic again. XD

Your fic makes me tense and want to keep reading! I love it! Thank you for sharing your fic!

Fanart of the fic Brother's Blood, chapter 7. Please read this fic, Guys!

#fanart for me!#someone else's art #reblog #brothers' blood #lu whump #linked universe whump

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alicewritingstories · 19 days

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Oh, I haven't done it yet because I wanted to wait and make sure it was OK, but I'll let you know as soon as it's done!

Thank you! 🤩

Sketches of Hyrule healing his brothers.

Maybe will become a short comic.

#la sera

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alicewritingstories · 19 days

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❤ I especially like their expressions. Wars looks so caring and concerned and it's obvious from their balance how much Sky is leaning on him ❤❤

If you're still taking requests, I'd like to suggest Sky and Warriors. Maybe in the aftermath of a battle or accidentally falling off of something tall. Whatever you think fits.

Sooo I went with the 'Aftermath of a battle' route hehe. Poor Sky! Big Brother Wars be taking good care of him though. i just hope the arrow isn't poisoned or anything :0

Thank you @gryphonlover! you have a great day💙

CW! Arrow injury, Blood, bruises

#other people's art #reblog #mischefous

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alicewritingstories · 20 days

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*small voice * I would be so, so, so excited if you drew something for Brothers' Blood...

But would also recommend Follow the Lights or (a bit shorter) Comedy of Errors

Fan Joy July!

Coined by the sweet @isasan347 , Fan Joy July is an art challenge I've created for myself!

I will be drawing one piece of colored fan art every single day of July that corresponds to a scene in various Linked Universe Fanfics.

This challenge is meant to push myself to draw daily, give back to writers who make this fandom so much fun, and give others a chance to read something new they may enjoy 😄

I will be choosing some fics myself that I've read and enjoy, but I would love if others recommended their favorite LU fic. This way I can pick one LU fan fiction to draw for all 31 days. Feel free to self promote as well!

To recommend me a fic, please comment or reblog this post with the link so that I can see it easier. Please avoid sending asks if you can, just because I tend to get overwhelmed when my inbox gets full 🥴🥲 hehe

I'll be taking recommendations from April 11-30. After that I'm going to start drawing so that I can be ready to post in July! ( This is gonna take me a while so I need all the prep time I can get haha).

**I'm not asking anyone else to do this challenge, but I would ADORE if anyone wanted to join me! Even if it isn't for the whole month. **(I can be your excuse if you've ever wanted to draw for a writer but were too shy hehe)

I've also seen one or two writers interested in how they could participate. I think that maybe if there is an artist you enjoy you could write something for a drawing they've done? I know there are a ton of very talented LU artists in the fandom, so that could be a good challenge for writers ��

--- General Notes:

Please note that I will only be doing 31 drawings and a recommendation does not guarantee I will draw for it ( I love you all, but I can only do so much)

I will be tagging my challenge as "FanJoyJuly" and will try my best to note posts appropriately

I will be tagging writers (if they have a Tumblr and I can find it)

I will be linking the story for each day in the post

I will not be releasing which stories I'm drawing for until I post them (for the DRAMA😉)

As we get closer to July, I'll create a master post and update it with each post I make in case people are interested in following along ❤️

Thank you all for the initial feedback for this idea, and I'm excited to get started!

#FanJoyJuly #kikker oma

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alicewritingstories · 20 days

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So pretty...

Would you mind if I wrote something inspired by any of these? I don't want to tread on your comic because I'd love to see it

Sketches of Hyrule healing his brothers.

Maybe will become a short comic.

#reblog #someone else's art #la-sera

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alicewritingstories · 20 days

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that ‘pakige?’ post but me, a couple hours after posting a fic, like ‘comints?’

#reblog

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alicewritingstories · 25 days

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#reblog #asexuality

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alicewritingstories · 26 days

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Their expressions... 🥰

sooo, I read A LOT of whumpy LU fics, and I finally had the motivation to draw up my favorite part from one of my fave fics where poor Legend gets drugged and Warriors is the first to get to him.

(Also i sowwy i didnt get every detail exactly how it was in the fic, dis was the best i could do)

I would love to do more of these. But fudge knuckles my motivation is dogshit. that's also why this is super messy T3T

but anyways, i do hope yall enjoy, AND GO READ THE ORIGINAL FIC ITS AAAAH, AMAZING!!!! Give it sum big lov'n!

#other people's art #reblog #mischefous

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alicewritingstories · 27 days

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I really like Sky in this one :)

Directionless Pt. 4

Pt. 1/ Pt. 2/ Pt. 3/ Pt. 4/ next part coming soon!

#reblog #someone else's art #recalled

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alicewritingstories · 28 days

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Whump idea I vaguely had and don't know what to do with, so posting it as a prompt:

Whumper and two whumpees. Whumper puts Whumpee 1 under something like a weight or a guillotine blade or something suspended on a rope and ties Whumpee 2 to a chair nearby, then makes Whumpee 2 hold the end of the rope between their teeth. If they slacken their grip, the weight/blade/whatever will fall on Whumpee 1.

#whump prompt

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alicewritingstories · 28 days

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🥺😢🥲❤❤

@uncleskyrule happy belated birthday!!! Thank you so much for your patience while I wrote this! I hope it's worth the wait!

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Four knows what sleep deprivation looks like.

He’s seen it spelled out on his grandfather’s face when long days turn his usual joviality to melancholy exhaustion and draws the shadows of half moons beneath his eyes.

He’s seen it painted across Dot’s beautiful features after an arduous night when the memories resurface, memories of a leering crimson eye, of claims to possession hanging heavy over her, of cages and darkness and smothering magic.

He’s seen it shadowed across his own face too, when the battles within and without grow to be too much, darkening his features, drawing them thin, sucking the youthful fat from his cheeks, the light from his eyes.

And he’s seen it…on the faces of his brothers.

On Time’s when the moon is full. On Twilight’s when a quiet twilight falls and skeletal trees whisper in tongues known only to some. On Wild’s when the amnesia recedes, Warriors’ when phantom lips press across his cheek, Wind’s after he awakens screaming his sister’s name. On Hyrule’s when he gives too much, Legend’s when the adventures he never speaks of tell their tale in his petrified cries at night…

And now on, Sky’s.

Some may find it strange for a man who can drift off practically anywhere to suffer from fatigue. Add to that uncanny ability, Sky’s penchant for seeming one of the most mature of their little group, the most…put together.

But Four is well acquainted with the deceptions someone can tell through demeanor alone. He himself has been dubbed mature, put together, responsible. And while, yes, those labels are true (Four would certainly be cross if people decided to start dubbing him childish or, Hylia forbid, a disaster as they call some more unruly children in his Hyrule), the lie rests in the assumptions they bring about.

Beliefs of invincibility and impervious spirit. Beliefs that there is no need to be gentle or kind, no need to offer respite or lighten the load.

It is the same fate their leader suffers so often, the same Warriors and Twilight sometimes crumble beneath. Suffering silently, yet always strong. So strong.

And Sky…

Sky hides it better than anyone.

Four is uncertain whether or not he is the only one who notices his distress. Perhaps, he is.

It doesn’t matter though. In fact, if he is the only one who has taken note of it then it is all the more important that he do something before Sky’s inevitable collapse.

But life never makes things simple. And in the end, he’s too late.

It has happened too many times now — a portal that separates the heroes into mismatched groups. Four thinks that perhaps, after his near defeat at the combined hands of the champion and the rancher the Shadow is attempting to be more careful.

More conniving. More vicious.

Attack first and you won’t be defeated. Such is the attitude of wild animals and beasts. More than likely, the Shadow shares it too.

This would explain why in addition to splitting the heroes up, this portal also dumps them right onto a battlefield.

Or at least, it does for Sky, Legend, and himself. Four can’t be sure what the others are facing. But he can only pray it isn’t a sand-drenched dungeon packed with redeads and stalfos.

The unearthly screeches of the emaciated corpses fill his ears as he fights, teeth gritted, heart pounding. It’s all the three heroes can do to stay out of reach of their paralyzing cries.

Back up to escape one beast and you nearly collide with the mad swing of a stalfos’ claymore.

Four winces as the very tip of a blade slices across his left arm and leaves an angry gash in its wake.

That’s going to need a bit of potion to remedy.

Beside him, Legend growls what sounds like a curse as he plunges his hand into his pouch and retrieves a fire rod. He brings it in a sweeping horizontal arc. In a blaze of blistering heat, a group of the monsters fall.

“Well done,” Four says with a breathless smirk. He plunges his sword into the gaping chest cavity of one of the stalfos still struggling for survival on the darkened floorboards. With a raspy exhale, it dissolves into ash. “I think you just turned the battle in our favor.”

“I’d better have,” Legend huffs. “The sooner we get rid of these things, the sooner we can get out of here.” He screws up his face in a grimace. More monsters crumple beneath his skilled hands. “It smells like death.”

It does, indeed, Four thinks as, finally, the last of the monsters fall. The stench of it hangs heavy, permeating the thick darkness that surrounds them, wafting from the thin threads of light carrying from faltering torches.

But now that the battle is over they can focus on escape. Hopefully, to a place where it proves easier to breathe.

He sheathes his sword, glances around. The gash on his arm throbs and the various bruises and smaller cuts he earned join in its stomach-churning beat. Still, it could have gone far worse.

“We all okay?” Legend asks, bangs falling into his face as he replaces his fire rod.

“Yes,” Four says. “How about you…Sky?”

His voice pitches an octave higher as he catches sight of the Skyloftian, turning the question almost into an exclamation.

The knight lies crumpled where he had stood mere moments before. The Master Sword lies fallen beside him, his cape flows over him like a blanket of snow. His breath comes in shuddering gasps that grate upon Four’s ears as he races to his side.

“Sky!”

He shakes him, slightly, and hazy blue orbs flutter open. Sky groans.

“What happened?” Legend drops down beside him, panic in his voice and a half-empty potion bottle in his hand. “Did a monster get him?”

Four shakes his head. “I don’t think so.” A quick inspection provides no sign of blood or other injury. But Sky’s face is ashen and he shudders as though in the throes of fever. “Sky, are you hurt?”

“N-not hurt.” Sky curls his fingers into a fist, as though attempting to gather strength. “J-just…just…” He swallows, tries to drag himself up, and nearly collapses again. It’s only Four and Legend’s quick movement that keeps him upright. “‘M fine.”

“Like hell you are!” Legend’s eyes are blazing with emotion now. “Sky, what happened?”

Sky shudders again. He glances down at the trembling hands he has folded into one, white-knuckled fist. There is a certain helplessness in the look.

“I dunno,” he croaks. “Was fighting and the room start-started swirling.” He curls in on himself further, and Four wonders if the next shaky exhale brings tears with it. His voice is very small. “I just-just fell.”

“And you didn’t have the strength to get back up,” Four says, solemnly. An idea is already forming in his head, a confirmation of what he has witnessed these past few hellish weeks.

I should’ve acted sooner.

But there had been fights both in and out of the group, and injuries and secrets unveiled. There had been discussions long overdue, restorations to be made in the face of pain and sorrow. And he, he had been in the midst of it all.

Between explaining the Four Sword and its powers and making up with Wild, he just hadn’t found the time…

“You haven’t been sleeping, Sky…have you?”

Now, Sky raises his head, glazed eyes focusing unsteadily on Four. Slowly, he shakes his head.

Legend blows out a sigh. He sits down beside Four and brings a dusty hand over his sweaty brow.

“Sleep deprivation? Yeah, that’ll do it. How long haven’t you been sleeping?”

Sky swallows. A beat passes, then another. The oppressive feel of death begins to crowd in on Four again. He struggles to breathe beneath it.

Then, “Since Twilight,” Sky whispers, and Four’s heart plummets to the depths of his stomach.

Legend’s hand falls to his lap with more viciousness than defeat. His face screws up in an expression that toes the line between sorrowful and intensely irritated. “I knew something was up! I knew it! should’ve — ”

“Couldn’t have done anything,” Sky croaks, leaning further into Four’s touch. A small smile quirks his lips. “Was me that should-should’ve d-done something in the…in the first place.”

Legend’s eyes narrow. “What do you mean?”

Sky looks back down at his hands.

Another theory is beginning to form in Four’s mind now, joining with the previous one, enlarging it, and embellishing it until things start to make sense. A theory born out of something Sky has said before, a snippet he had overheard and tossed aside in favor of giving his full attention to fighting the Yiga that had taken Wild captive.

“I’m sorry, champion,” the Skyloftian had said as he had helped Warriors tend to the boy’s wounds. “I was late…again. I’m sorry.”

“You blame yourself.” Four measures the words carefully, speaking each one with intricate precision. Lest he step in the wrong place and cause them all to plummet. “You blame yourself for what happened to Twilight.”

Sky lifts his bloodshot eyes. A tear wells in one of them then spills over to slither gracefully down his cheek.

“Why would you blame yourself?” Legend asks, even as comprehension burns in his violet irises. “It’s not your fault the rancher got hit. You weren’t even near him when it happened!”

“I was near enough.” Sky’s voice is quieter than ever now, more like a whisper than anything else. “I know the skyward strike. I could’ve hit that…that thing if I’d been…b-been faster.” His breath hitches. But to Four it sounds defeated more than panicked. “I was late and he paid for it. I’m a-always…”

He curls in on himself, weighed down by exhaustion, shuddering with pain and sorrow. Legend looks at Four and Four looks at Legend. Then, slowly, together they reach out and draw Sky into their arms.

It’s strange. Four hadn’t taken Legend for someone willing to show physical affection freely. But he embraces the Skyloftian as though it is no price to pay. As though he has done so before.

Long nights. A shuddering sob. Soft feet dressed in boots with wings adorning their sides. Whispers in the dark that exhaustion muddles before Four can make them out. Amethyst eyes staring from over a hazy cloud of silken white. Sliding shut as a larger form huddles deeper into an embrace.

Sky shivers again and Legend holds him tighter.

“It’s not your fault,” Four murmurs, pouring every ounce of confidence he possesses into those words and praying that it is enough. “It’s not your fault, Sky. You did everything you could do for him. There’s nothing else you could have done.”

Sky doesn’t reply.

They hold him, whispering assurances, as his tears wet their tunics and his fatigued body quakes beneath the burden he forces it to carry. They hold him until, at last, in the murky darkness, surrounded by carcasses of monsters and piles of resting sand, he drifts off.

In the arms of his brothers.

#reblog #someone else's writing #adrift in thyme

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