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skyloftian-nutcase · 2 years

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Beautiful (Linked Universe story)

Summary: After consecutive days of battle, Warriors sees Twilight struggling and reaches out to help.

It hadn’t been a pleasant week.

Having just entered this new Hyrule, whenever and wherever it was, the group had immediately set to work investigating. They’d figured out they were between heroes, which meant it was all the more urgent to hunt down the monster hordes before they could cause damage. That meant long days of hunting, and many nights interrupted by ambushes.

Warriors ran a hand through his hair, weary from the most recent battle they’d finished a few hours ago. At this rate it almost felt like his war days again, constantly being on the move and running into armies trying to kill him and his troops. He smiled at his brothers, proud of their abilities.

And then he frowned.

Twilight sat slumped by the fire, his dinner untouched in his hands. That wasn’t like him at all – the younger man usually ate heartily.

Warriors quickly scanned the rest of the group again – Time was setting up his bedroll and listening absentmindedly as Wind spoke to him about the fight earlier in the day (the sailor’s eyes were noticeably slowly drooping as he talked; Warriors figured he’d be out in a few minutes) while Legend and Hyrule had already fallen asleep back-to-back. Sky was fussing over Four’s laceration for the fifth time (the smithy remained patient and smiled at the concerned knight), and Wild was finishing storing the leftover food while humming Epona’s song. The camp rustled with soft activity before slowly, everyone started to fall asleep.

Time was settling Wind into his bedroll as Wild walked over to Twilight.

“What’s wrong? You’ve barely eaten,” Wild remarked. “Did it taste bad?”

Twilight glanced at Wild, his expression tired, and he gave a meager smile. “Nah, ‘s ok, Champ. Just wasn’t that hungry.”

Clearly what he was, however, was tired. Warriors knew the man’s accent was usually better contained than this. The captain remained still from his position, silently observing, waiting to see if he was needed.

As Twilight insisted to his worried friend that everything was all right, he let Wild take the leftovers to store them as well. The champion settled uneasily in his bedroll, occasionally glancing at Twilight, but the rancher had first watch and was not going to be heading to bed anytime soon. By this point Wind, Legend, Hyrule, and Four were asleep. Time walked around the camp’s perimeter, easing his own nerves and ensuring that everything was indeed safe for the night (a ritual he often did, especially during stressful weeks like this), and Sky stretched, discarding old gauze beside his bedroll with carelessness and slumping onto the ground in exhaustion. Warriors watched to see if the old man spoke to Twilight at all, and Time gave the rancher a brief, stern, but concerned reminder to wake him for the next shift before going to bed.

Twilight sighed, looking at the ground.

Well, Warriors was honestly still too wound up from battle to rest anyway. Rising, he walked over to the fire and sat beside the ranch hand.

“I’ve got first watch, remember?” Twilight said with a pointed look. “You need to sleep.”

“We all need to sleep,” Warriors tossed back easily with a shrug. “It is what it is. You okay?”

Twilight rolled his eyes. “Honestly, y’all are fussin’ too much.”

“And you’re going Country on me.”

“I am from the country.”

“I know, Rancher. But I also know you always have an appetite, and you didn’t eat dinner.” Warriors noted, facing Twilight fully. “I’m not the Champion. You don’t have to put on a strong face for me. What’s wrong? Are you injured? Sick?”

Twilight huffed out a mirthless laugh, keeping his gaze on the fire. “No, I’m not… it’s not… I’ll be alright, Captain.”

Ah, the accent was disappearing. He was trying to convince him. Somehow, that just annoyed the captain even more. They were all tired, and his patience wasn’t what it should have been.

“We’re adults for heaven’s sake, Rancher. Just be straight with me.”

“It ain’t really your business, Cap.”

“It is if it’s bothering you.”

“Well, it won’t be tomorrow!” Twilight snapped all of a sudden, glaring at him. “Look, I just need a bit, but I’ll be fine, okay?”

Warriors was silent, watching him. Given Twilight’s propensity to shoulder burdens and try to handle things alone, he wasn’t entirely trusting that the man wasn’t at least ill. Twilight, however, seemed to interpret his analytical silence for hurt, and he took a shuddering breath, closing his eyes.

“I’m… ‘m sorry,” the Ordonian muttered. “Look, I just… I just don’t like talkin’ about what’s botherin’ me while it’s actively botherin’ me. Can’t put words to it, and don’t want to. Does that make sense?”

Warriors still didn’t like seeing his friend, his brother, in this state. But he could respect that. “Yeah. It makes sense.”

Twilight nodded in thanks and acknowledgement, opening his eyes and staring stubbornly at the fire, waiting for Warriors to go to bed.

Except he didn’t. The captain wouldn’t talk to him if he didn’t want to, but he himself was still letting the adrenaline wear off, and he took comfort in others. He knew Twilight wasn’t as sociable as him, but given his current state it couldn’t hurt to have the company. Warriors certainly wasn’t the most comforting person in the group, but he could at least offer support silently while respecting Twilight’s privacy.

For a while, it was okay. For a while, they both were lost in their own minds, whittling away the time in comfortable silence. But then, Twilight shuddered again, shaking his head at whatever was holding his mind captive. Warriors looked at him, and the attention was immediately noticed.

“Sorry,” Twilight said softly. “Didn’t mean t’ bother you.”

Warriors said nothing, not wanting to push. And for once, Twilight took the silence as an invitation, feeling the need to elaborate.

“It’s just… that wolfos. There was a wolfos in the last fight.”

Warriors nodded cautiously. “Yeah. There was.”

“And… and that villager freaked out about it.”

“The villager was freaking out about all the monsters, Rancher.”

“Yeah, but… but they were lookin’ at the wolfos.”

Warriors wondered if he might actually know where this conversation was going.

“I just… it jus’ made me think about…” Twilight shifted, taking a fortifying breath, trying to spit the words out. “People don’t like wolves, Cap.”

Warriors furrowed his brow, trying to parse this out. “Is this because you can turn into a wolf?”

That had to be it. Twilight flinched and immediately spoke. “They… nobody knew. Nobody recognized me back in Ordon. And they…”

Warriors could infer the rest easily enough. He imagined how hurtful and horrible it would be to see the people he loved cowering in fear at the sight of him. He wondered if they even tried to drive Twilight off. He didn’t dare ask.

“’S stupid,” Twilight rambled on, but in a low tone as if he were speaking to himself. “I’ve gotten used to it. Doesn’t usually bother me anymore.”

Warriors could at least speak to that issue. “You’re tired. We all are. We react differently when we’re tired. Things that don’t bother us are suddenly problems. Things that we’ve gotten through in the past suddenly come back to haunt us. There’s nothing stupid about that.”

“They didn’t know any better,” Twilight said, shaking his head, his voice growing in strength, his accent slipping out of reach as he tried to steady himself. “And I know that. I knew that even then. There’s no reason for me to be upset about it now, to let it just take over my head like the Champion’s memories take over him. I don’t have that right.”

Warriors furrowed his brow. “That right?”

Twilight sighed, shaking his head. “Wrong phrasing. Sorry.”

“No,” Warriors said firmly. “No, you meant something by that.”

For a long time, Twilight said nothing. Warriors began to debate if he should press further or leave it alone. But Twilight swallowed thickly and then spoke. “It’s just… you… the others… it’s stupid, but I just… I feel like I don’t have the right to hurt like you guys do.”

Warriors felt his body grow cold. What… what did that mean? Had Twilight been suffering in silence this entire time? How long had he felt like this?

“I… I had a happy childhood. A good childhood,” Twilight explained, his emotions choking his voice, his accent back and threatening to make Warriors struggle to understand. “Belly always warm an’ full, people who loved me and supported me… never had t’ worry about whether there would be monsters huntin’ me or if the world was gonna end… and even when I was no spring cucco no more, I didn’ go through what y’all did… like, sure, the Twilight Realm made everythin’ all cattywampus, but I still had friends 'n’ family, I didn’ lose my entire identity an’ country an’ people like Champion, I didn’ have t’go on so many adventures that I wore myself ragged like Veteran, I didn’ have t’ fight a war like you. I don’ know what a lot of the others endured, but… the way Traveler always looks over his shoulder, the way Sailor laughs off the fact that he had t’ kill a man at thirteen… and that doesn’ even begin to cover some of the others…”

Warriors waited patiently for Twilight to come to a point (and mentally stored away a few notes for later, like what the rancher knew about the Twilight Realm and what in the world cattywampus meant), and the wait paid off fairly quickly.

“I jus’… there’s no reason for me to feel like this.”

Warriors pat him on the back. “Everyone hurts sometimes, friend.”

“Yeah, but I shouldn’t hurt like this. Not when I didn’ go through what y’all did.”

“Link,” Warriors said, catching the man’s attention. “It doesn’t matter what walk of life we come from… we all hurt the same. There’s no shame in that.”

Twilight’s cheeks puffed out, his face seeming to swell with stifled emotion. He cleared his throat and looked away. “You manage to hold yourself pretty well, all mighty handsome and put together.”

Warriors choked out a laugh. “I’m more than happy to give you some tips if you want. Your hair could use a bit of work, but honestly, you’re pretty put together, certainly in comparison to the others. That wolf pet is a bit on the nose, though.”

Here he finally managed to get a chuckle out of the ranch hand, and he felt some satisfaction with that. Then he added, “Besides, what’s on the inside matters far more.”

“Sweet Ordona, I’m not that concerned about physical appearance,” Twilight groaned in exasperation. “I just mean you’re put together. But yeah, sure, you’re a very handsome man and a beautiful soul as well.”

Although Warriors had heard plenty of compliments over the years, Twilight’s simple words touched him. He smiled, feeling his heart hum with peace and comfort, but then Twilight pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You don’t think you’re put together or a beautiful soul?” Warriors questioned.

“Do I look like either of those things right now?”

Warriors shrugged. “Everyone’s allowed to falter.”

Twilight looked down, his already round cheeks puffing out as his eyes watered. A single tear slipped down his face and he aggressively wiped it away with a mumbled, frustrated, “Shit.”

Warriors shifted to kneel down directly in front of Twilight, ending up just a little below eye level of him. Taking the rancher’s hands in his own, he said, “Being put together isn’t everything, you know. And you know what? You’re beautiful just the way you are, Rancher. Hurting doesn’t change that. You don’t have to be perfect and always okay.”

Twilight’s lips quivered, and he quickly sucked them in and bit them. The corner of his mouth curled upward in an acknowledging, heartfelt smile, and his eyes glittered as he held Warriors’ gaze. He squeezed his hands in return, unable to speak.

Satisfied with the acknowledgement, Warriors smiled back, and then he rose to sit beside the rancher on the log. Wrapping an arm around him, he pulled him to his side and felt Twilight rest his head on his shoulder.

“This is horse shit,” Twilight suddenly said, making Warriors stare at him in surprise and bewilderment. “I’m supposed to be the big brother of the group.”

Warriors’ laughter was so loud he was sure he woke up the entire camp. Twilight clamped a hand over his mouth, throwing himself off balance, and they both unceremoniously fell backwards off the log. Warriors continued to laugh, and Twilight had to join him.

Flat on their backs and giddy from the brief adrenaline rush of falling, the two giggled themselves into breathlessness, interrupted when Time appeared upside down in Warriors’ line of vision.

“What are you boys up to?” the old man asked tiredly, his face a mixture of amusement, sleepiness, and mild curiosity.

Warriors suddenly felt mischievousness bubble in his chest. “Rancher said ‘shit.’”

Time’s eyebrows rose. After all, Twilight never swore.

The Ordonian stammered, tripping over his words to save face, and then gave up, smacking Warriors on the chest.

“Must be serious,” Time muttered, crossing his arms and giving a signature smirk that Warriors knew all too well from a certain troublemaking sprite.

“Oh, it is,” Warriors went on as Twilight groaned. “He was asking for beauty tips.”

“For the love of—” Twilight rolled onto his belly and buried his face into the ground. “That’s it, I’m leavin’, y’all take over watch.”

There was a beat as Twilight caught his mistake and he shot up to his knees. “I—I mean you take care of watch; I’m just going to go patrol the area.”

Time knew Twilight better than Warriors, and a simple slip of an accent and vernacular was all the excuse he needed. “No, I think it’s time you get some rest.”

“But—”

“My watch can start a little early, son.”

Warriors blanched at the nickname, surprised at such a slip up (after all, Time filling in the void as a father figure to many of them was a specifically unspoken fact of the group), but he supposed after Twilight had almost died a few weeks ago Time’s pride wasn’t big enough to worry about it.

Warriors was never going to let him hear the end of it.

Despite Time’s tone brooking no argument, Twilight did, in fact, argue. Warriors eventually compromised between the two, offering to stay up with Twilight to accommodate both Time’s concern that he shouldn’t be on watch alone in his exhausted state and Twilight’s need to pull his weight. Time acquiesced with a stern look to the captain, a silent warning to not take total responsibility and refuse to wake him when it was his turn, and then went back to bed.

Twilight sighed, rubbing his face. “I hate you.”

Warriors looked affronted. “What did I do now?”

“Make me talk about my feelings. I suck at that. I don’t like that.”

“You’ve talked about things just fine in the past,” Warriors remarked with a shrug. “You’re not as broken as you think you are.”

“I ain’t broken,” Twilight said with strength, his eyes fierce.

Warriors smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You’re damn right.”

After that, watch went by peacefully as the pair took turns stoking the fire in silence. When Twilight’s watch was up, he pulled his bedroll over beside Warriors, and the two stared up at the sky together pointing out different constellations. They were both still restless, both still hurting in different ways from the day, but they were together and content enough with that.

Sure, they were hurting, but they were healing too.

And it was beautiful.

#I saw an opportunity to make Southern Twilight and I WENT WITH IT #not sure the title works that well but oh well #I was listening to Scars to Your Beautiful by Alessia Cara and just suddenly imagined Wars telling Twi the refrain #the whole you're beautiful just the way you are line #and then I decided to write a story around that #and then I proceeded to struggle trying to maintain that as a theme lol #August is Wars' bday month so it's Wars' month period #it's time for Warriors love y'all tell me what adventure he should have next #I projected quite a bit onto Twi in terms of coping but I feel like it works for him #linkeduniverse #linked universe #lu warriors #lu twilight #angst #hurt/comfort #writing

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void-botanist · 1 month

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Thade Adventures: Parkour

OCs: Thade Orech-Pabat, Caladea Ores-Pabat, and Pirianus Orech-Pabat

Words: 500

Content warnings: heights, getting kinda made fun of in front of your crush

Taglist: @vacantgodling

“Do you think it’s possible to parkour all the way down to the ground floor from here?” Thade said, leaning against the railing at the edge of the open space that cut all the way down to said ground floor.

“Maybe,” Caladea said, barely looking up from her phone.

He grinned. “You think I should try?”

She looked up for real. “No, you can’t parkour.”

“I can totally parkour,” he said, pushing himself up on his arms so that his hips rested against the top of the railing. He brought one sandaled foot up between his hands—he wasn’t going to go further than crouching on the rail, because he couldn’t parkour, but his foot slipped out from under him and his arms betrayed him and he found himself bent double over the railing, clinging to the slats, his feet barely skimming the carpet. The fourth floor suddenly looked very high up. ��

“Okay, I take it back,” he said. “Can you help me?” If he’d been with anyone but Caladea, they probably would have left him there to think about his actions for a while, but she came over right away to haul him back up by his pants waistband. Which would have worked if he hadn’t chosen this moment to be wearing sweatpants. Instead of helping, she just pulled down his pants, and he suspected also his boxer briefs.

“Oh no, I’m sorry,” she said like it was an accident, but she was also giggling.

“Callie, you better not be filming this.”

“I’m not.” Giggle giggle. She must be, because she certainly wasn’t helping him. He kicked his legs a little bit and felt a cold rush of fear as he shifted forward on the rail. Well, this was fine. He could just work his way back up the slats with his hands, and he would eventually slide back onto the floor. It wouldn’t be easy, but it would be faster. He’d hardly started when he felt familiar rough-edged hands on his hips and he was ungraciously pulled back upright. As his blood stopped pooling in his head, he beheld Pirianus standing there, frowning as always. That is, until Caladea showed him something on her phone, and he cracked a tiny blue-edged smile.

“Thanks,” Thade said with zero gratitude, pulling up his stupid sweatpants. Before he could escape these two chucklefucks, though, Caladea turned her phone on him, and he was met with a photo of himself stranded over the rail, his panicked face looking through the slats, and his hairy asscrack surrounded by ironic hearts and sparkles. Across the top was the word PARKOUR flanked with party poppers and flames.

“Great, thank you,” he said with a fake smile. It should have been funny. He should have been laughing—he could take a joke at his expense any day of the week—but instead he felt his cheeks burning. “I’ll get that put on my calling cards.”

He didn’t look at her or Pirianus as he walked away.