#9-19-23

[photozoi]

The water from the fish barrel is always tastier than the water from the nice clean water dish.

Mr Mung, Silken Windhound, 3 months

[desertpups]

Toronto 9/19/23

📷Ruthless Imagery

[nyanaknifegal]

A Date to Remember <3

[alicewritingstories]

Whumptober 2024 Fills Part 4: Secret

AO3

Fandom: Linked Universe

Central character(s): Sky, Hyrule, Legend

No.9: OBSESSION | Broken Window | Bruises | “Frame me up on the wall, just to keep me out of trouble.” (Fall Out Boy, Irresistible)

No.11: SEEING DOUBLE | Convenience Store | Loneliness | “Leave no trace behind, like you don't even exist.” (Taylor Swift, Illicit Affairs)

No.13: TEAM AS A FAMILY | Familial Curse | Multiple Whumpees | "Death will do us part." (Set It Off, Partner's In Crime)

No.14: LEFT FOR DEAD | Hunting Gear | Blackmail | “Because I want you to know what it feels like to be haunted” (tiLLie, kooL aiD mAn)

No.19: BLOOD TRAIL | Abandoned Cabin | One Way Out | "Is there anybody alive out there?" (Bruce Springsteen, Radio Nowhere)

No.23: FORCED CHOICE | Public Display | Broken Pedestal | "I'm doing this for you."

No.24: RADIATION POISONING | Collapsed Building | Equipment Failure |  “I never knew daylight could be so violent.” (Florence + The Machine, No Light, No Light)

Warnings: torture, imprisonment, hunger

---

Sky choked as another kick landed in the small of his back. His stomach twisted, but there was nothing left to throw up and all he could do was cough and gasp, reaching for some happy memory he could use to comfort himself and escape this experience.

"Oh, no, Chosen Hero," said the Shadow, kicking him again. "You don't get to pass out just yet."

Sky gritted his teeth and screwed his eyes shut. One of them, anyway. The other was already so swollen with bruises he couldn't have opened it if he'd wanted to.

"It makes sense, though." He heard footsteps walking round him and the Shadow's voice shifted to something like an echo of his own. "You always were a coward."

"If y'... wan' me… g'v… trif'rce… wrong way… go 'bout it." he panted out.

The Shadow snorted. "Do they know? Those two boys I captured you with?"

Sky didn't waste breath on asking what Hyrule and Legend were supposed to know.

"Do they know you're the reason for all their pain?" The incongruously-light footsteps paced around Sky in circles. "The sharp-tempered one… does he know you're why his beloved uncle died in his arms and he's spent his whole life on one quest after another? And your sweet little healer. Does he know you're why his world is, well, the way it is?"

The words sent a chill through Sky's body despite his pain and weakness.

"So much suffering," mused the Shadow, pausing by Sky's head and putting a booted foot on his right arm, just below the manacle on his wrist. "For so many people, but especially the ones you call your brothers. All because you were slow. All because you were a coward."

The words wormed into the wound in Sky's heart that had never fully healed, but he was determined not to show the Shadow that he'd found a weak point.

"I assume you'd like to keep your lie going and let them keep thinking you're a hero just like them." The Shadow leaned a little more weight on Sky's arm, grinding the bones together and finally wringing a whimper through gritted teeth. "Oh, good, I was starting to wonder if you were still conscious."

"Oh… 'm still… conscious." It was intended as a growl, but he knew it came out as more of a moan.

"Good." The Shadow eased up slightly on Sky's arm. "So. Do you want me to tell them the truth?"

Sky didn't, but he still didn't want to show that kind of weakness.

"Not even enough courage to say 'no' out loud, I see." The Shadow stepped off Sky's arm and started pacing around him. "Heroes. You talk so much about goodness and light. Who knew that you would find daylight just as violent as anyone else?" His voice took on the hiss of his lizalfos form even as he spoke.

Sky still didn't reply, trying to ignore the pain in his body and heart, trying not to let the words land.

A scaled hand grabbed the back of his neck to hold him down and he squirmed instinctively, his breath catching in his throat. The Shadow barely acknowledged his struggles except to tighten his grip slightly as with his other hand he released the chain between Sky's wrists from the catch holding it to the floor.

Sky yelped in pain as he was hauled to his feet, still by the back of his neck, and almost before he had found his feet the Shadow had taken hold of his wrists and was dragging him off down the corridor back to their cell, so fast it was all he could do not to trip and fall as he followed, especially as the pull on his arms sent fire chasing through his injured ribs. When they reached the door, the Shadow shoved him against the wall, one hand still holding his wrists high above his head, the other closing on his jaw.

"I want information from you. You want silence from me. I suggest you consider your options," the Shadow hissed in his ear.

Sky knew his options. And giving up the triforce and the other heroes wasn't one of them.

The Shadow unbolted the cell door and hurled Sky in. He cried out as he landed, pain once again shooting through his battered body, and couldn't even try to resist as his chained wrists were once again attached to a tether in a corner of the cell. He had barely gathered up the strength to move when the door slammed and the cell was plunged into darkness.

"Sky?" asked Hyrule's voice. "Are you there?"

Sky stirred, biting back a moan.

"How bad is it?" asked Legend quietly.

"Nothin' new broken," replied Sky. Plenty of new bruises and some lash marks, but nothing deeper. He coughed to clear his throat. "Not too… much blood lost. You two OK?"

"You worry about yourself for now," said Legend.

"You missed a meal," said Hyrule sadly. "We saved you some of our rations. Can you move enough to reach?"

They'd discovered early on that they could just about touch each other if they reached out and strained against the chains on their manacles. Sky didn't have the energy to do that right now. And in any case he really didn't feel right taking any of their meager rations of food and water.

"Finish it," he said. "I… I'll be OK." He coughed again, struggling to find the words he knew he needed to say.

"Sky," said Legend suspiciously, "What's wrong? What happened?"

"There's… something I need to tell you." There. At least he'd started.

There was silence for a moment.

"Sky, we're going to get out of this," said Hyrule at the same time as Legend said, "Save it to tell us after."

"No, I… I have to tell you now. I should have told you before." Sky sighed and winced at a searing pain through his ribs. "There's… a secret I've been keeping. The Shadow seems to know it. I… want to tell you before he does."

Silence. Sky used the time to take another long breath, as deep as he could through a tight throat and broken ribs.

"There's… a curse. On me. On all of us. And it's my fault." Another cough. "It's… I fought… you know I didn't fight Ganon. I fought the demon lord Demise."

Gradually, he told the whole story, bleeding words into the darkness. How he had been too late over and over again. How it had taken him too long to save Zelda and how she had suffered as a result. How when the battle was done and he stood over the defeated demon, he had been too slow once again. The words Demise had spoken, dooming him and Zelda and all their descendents and successors.

"I was too slow," he said bitterly, the words scraping in his dry, worn throat. He ignored the pain and difficulty. It was the least he deserved. "And that's why… that's why. There are thousands of years of blood on my hands, all through time, all across timelines… Everything Ganon has done to any of you or your lands or those you love… ultimately it's because I was too slow." Finally, the words choked off. "I… knew you'd hate me. So I didn't tell you. I… I'm so sorry…"

Then he waited, choking back more sobs, more alone than he'd ever been, for their reaction.

He wished he could see them.

He was glad he couldn't.

Hyrule spoke first. "Sky, drink something," he said softly. "Here." There was a soft scrape of a wooden cup across the stone as it was nudged towards Sky.

Sky stared in the direction the voice had come from. "Dri- What?"

"He's right," said Legend. "You sound awful."

"Didn't you hear anything I just said?" That was more than his throat could stand and he broke down coughing.

"Of course we did," snapped Legend. "Now drink something."

Sky reached out, wincing as he moved his bruised, stiff body, and managed to hook a finger over the edge of the cup and carefully draw it towards himself. The water was stale and dirty, but it was wet and soothing on his dry throat and that was all that mattered. He sipped carefully, not wanting to risk making himself sick.

"Right," said Legend shakily. "Now, you listen to me, Feather-brain. None of this is your fault. You didn't make Demise kidnap Sun and you didn't make him curse you. You did your best to fight to save yourself and your home and your family the same as any of us. It's not your fault you had to."

"It is my fault I failed."

"Stop insulting my brother," said Hyrule, his voice raw.

"I'm… not?" said Sky, confused. "Legend -"

"Not my brother Legend, my brother Sky," said Hyrule.

"We can talk about what happened and what it means," said Legend. "But right now, stop blaming yourself for everything that happened to us. Even if I thought you did it on purpose for some dumb reason, Goddesses know there's blame to share around."

"And you'd have to have done something way worse for us to hate you," added Hyrule.

"Right," said Legend.

Sky's breath caught again and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying not to cry. He couldn't lose too much water. "You… mean it?"

"Yes," they said together.

"Th-thank you."

"Now get some rest," said Legend, more gently now. "We're going to get out of here, but you need to keep your strength up."

"Eat first," said Hyrule, and Sky once again heard the scrape of something being slid across the stone. "It's going to be OK."

Sky grabbed the plate and nibbled the two small pieces of stale bread, still sniffing back his tears.

It's going to be OK.

He still had his family. And with that knowledge to sustain him, he could hope.

It's going to be OK.

[huariqueje]

Swimming Pool in Gros - Marc Dailly

Swiss , b. 1978 -

Oil on panel , 30 x 24 cm .

[jtl-fics]

WW- a scene you have a fun writing!

WIP Wednesday 10-25-23 (Closed) | New Kings AU

After that he watches Josten bolt off at speeds that leave him feeling like a chump. The kid was going to be a menace on the court next season when he was on the team with them.

Seth felt his stomach churn a bit at the thought. Was he watching his replacement? Seth knew that he wasn't anything approaching 'the best' but he took pride in his place as a starter. If Day really did rehab his hand then Seth had no doubt that even as a right-hander Kevin Day was better at Exy than him.

Watching Neil Josten running he can't help but worry that he might not even have opportunities to show his stuff his final year. He knows at this point it is a long-shot but he still dreams of getting an offer from a professional team. With that kind of money he could do a lot for his siblings. With that kind of money maybe he could be at least a little worthy of Alli-

[mousesketches]

garfield redraw

[moron-hassaikai-and-more]

Spinner: sitting on and touching warm rocks…that’s the good stuff…

Deidoro: are you….a reptile…?

Spinner: what are you? A cop? Mind your own business.

[bugmistake]

sometimes its so crazy to realize that there's actually a lot of things i like. that i thought i didn't like because i was a depressed teenager. i love being outside! i love swimming! i love talking to people! even strangers sometimes! i love getting dressed in fun outfits and doing makeup! i love reading and going to art museums! i just thought i was doomed forever to a life of complete and total apathy and void! and now look at me! still a little shaky but i'm doing it!!!!!

[photozoi]

"Did I just hear someone comment about my hair?"

Egads, the lighting! Mr Mung, Silken Windhound, 3 months with sunfuzz ears.

[lhaagain]

@sicktember Part 2 - My Mortal Soul

I've taken a slightly different approach to Sicktember this year and have grouped the prompts together into five fics. This one includes the following prompts: 19. Hypochondriac Tendencies 11. Mediaeval Treatment 23. Under a Spell 9. Overdramatic Patient/Caretaker 2. Too Much of a Good Thing/Overindulgence

My Mortal Soul

“I could not possibly,” Monica Joan declared. “My soul is only clinging to my physical manifestation by a thread.”

“I’m sorry you’re not feeling well,” Julienne said gently, coming to sit on the side of her sister’s bed. “Is there something in particular the matter?” When their elder sister had not appeared in the chapel for Lauds, Julienne had seen the weary look on Ada’s face and offered to go up instead.

For as long as Julienne had known Monica Joan, and she suspected long before that, she had been something of an eccentric. She was fond of ancient cultures, astronomy and astrology but increasingly she seemed to not only be fascinated but truly believe what she was saying.

“I am besieged by an evil temper. The wind must be from the east.”

“It might be,” Julienne said. “But I suspect that has little to do with what ails you.”

Read more on AO3

[desertpups]

So happy to be back in Toronto, I’ve so many good memories here. Thanks to everyone who joined me at the @budweiserstage at the largest show I’ve played in Canada. I’m so grateful to experience this kind of support! See you again before too long 🖤

📸 @ruthlessimagery

[secrettreestuffidk]

you ever think about how pretty much the only reason we use base10 is because we have 10 fingers and if everyone had 6 fingers on each hand we'd use base12 and never even think a thing of it and also math would be pretty much better in every way?

[yakultii]

ever since I was little I never gave a fuck if anyone else liked me, I just wanted to like me and eventually I did for a little while but then I forgot how

[adriles]

im not afraid of my imminent death, ghosts & spirits, grievous war crimes,the anger of the gods, consuming undercooked hog, or snapping a string on my lyre. but i am afraid of 1 thing.... my glory and amazing war prowess being forgotten by time

[huariqueje]

Zoé and the cat  - Marc Dailly

Swiss , b. 1978 -

oil on canvas , 24 x 30 cm