#home: chapter 5

[freyadragonlord]

How do I explain how married Han Yoojin and Sung Hyunje are in the post-epilogue Side Stories without sounding like I am exaggerating or making things up...

[cappydoodle]

rereading my own fic and yeah I'm a comedic genius I think

[shinynewmemories]

All the final lines of each part of every Hunger Games book

THG: 

Part I:

“Because . . . because . . . she came here with me.”

Part II:

Before I can stop myself, I call out Peeta’s name.

Part III:

I take his hand, holding on tightly, preparing for the cameras, and dreading the moment when I will finally have to let go.

CF:

Part I:

It’s my mockingjay.

Part II:

This is no place for a girl on fire.

Part III:

“Katniss, there is no District Twelve.”

MJ:

Part I:

And his blood as it splatters the tiles.

Part II:

That I’m of more use to her dead than alive.

Part III:

I tell him, “Real.”

[acourtofquestions]

And if he found her, if he freed her …

Rowan did not let himself think beyond that. To the other truth that they would face, the other burden.

Tell Rowan that I'm sorry I lied. But tell him it was all borrowed time anyway. Even before today, I knew it was all just borrowed time, but I still wish we'd had more of it.

He refused to accept that. Would never accept that she would be the ultimate cost to end this, to save their world

Rowan scanned the blanket of stars overhead.

While all other constellations had wheeled past, the Lord of the North remained, the immortal star between his antlers pointing the way home. To Terrasen.

Tell him he has to fight. He must save Terrasen, and remember the vows he made to me.

Time was not on their side, not with Maeve, not with the war unleashing itself back on their own continent. But he had no intention of returning without her, parting request or no, regardless of the oaths he'd sworn upon marrying her to guard and rule Terrasen.

And tell him thank you-for walking that dark path with me back to the light.

It had been his honor. From the very beginning, it had been his honor, the greatest of his immortal life.

An immortal life they would share together somehow. He'd allow no other alternative.

Rowan silently swore it to the stars. He could have sworn the Lord of the North flickered in response.

[hybridheroes]

chapter 15 sorry for the wait!!! i passed all my exams!!!!

[cz19y]

WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO HOME ENDED?????

[blu3-j]

Welcome...Home..?

Overworked! Reader x Welcome Home Crew

Chapter 4

TW: Small breakdown (hinted at), character going nonverbal

I sincerely apologize for the delay of this chapter, fellow strangers! This chapter went through a lot of writing, revisions, edits, more writing, and more edits before finally making it here. But I finally have it done! I sincerely hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it! (Side note; I love the idea of all the characters giving the reader a nickname at some point that relates to them and how they see them in some form. It’s too adorable. I can’t resist it. I can now see Howdy calling the reader a nymph. It’s another name for larvae! Yes. Yes, I will now write Howdy calling the reader in any stories he’s in.)

Last we left off, Y/N had just gotten home from a busy day, and after a lot of emotions and events, began a trusting relationship with the crew of Welcome Home. One hurdle has been conquered, but there are still plenty more before our journey comes to a close.

Chapter 1 l Chapter 2 l Chapter 3 l Chapter 4

Groaning, you rose up from your spot. As you did so, your arm jolted forward to catch the warm blanket that fell from its precarious position on you. At first, the blanket wasn’t familiar. This isn’t the blanket you keep on your bed. Curiously, you looked up to find an unfamiliar sight waiting for you. The birds outside chirped their worries away as the sun began to rise and paint everything in a golden glow. The house was peaceful and still, like an old grainy photo hanging in an equally old and yellowed window. And sat in the middle of the living room was you.

Why were you sleeping in the living room? 

The events from the day previous flooded your memories. Your head darted around, desperate to see if maybe it had all been a dream. It must've been...right? You wanted to believe it had all been a dream, that you wouldn't have to worry about any of the problems that came with this. That maybe that night you fell asleep watching that show you just dreamed it all---and maybe hallucinated the small yellow puppet talking to you from just being that exhausted.

But in the end, you couldn't deny what was in front of you.

There the puppet cast was---sprawled along various places in the room. Across the ground, in chairs, and even on the couch next to you. Some even piled on top of each other, even when there was space for them all to have their own spots. All fast asleep.

Confetti was strewn across the floor and on furniture, paper straps and ribbons to games you had long since forgotten the rules of lay wherever there was room, and fake swords and feathers you had never got to see used rested haphazardly on the nearby coffee table. Looking back up, you saw the banners and balloons still hung from the ceiling. To you, it was quite a sight to behold. And even more strange and unfamiliar when you haven't had a mess like this since your high school graduation party all those years ago. Or had anyone else in your house like this since your moving in celebration, which ended up in a sleepover with your friends. You had almost forgotten what it was like to have company around.

Coming back to the present, it occurred to you just how cartoon-like and comically this cast was. Barnaby and Julie snored louder than a whale, and Wally....could you even call that snoring? You watched him as he lay curled up on Barnaby's chest, his face buried in the blue spotted fur, mumbling away a mantra over and over and over again.

"I'm sleeping...I'm sleeping...I'm sleeping..."

It was a wonder how the others slept with the noise, and even more of a wonder how you slept with all the noise. You were usually a light sleeper due to your schedule, but unlike then, this time appeared to be an exception. You didn't even wake up to your alarm. Wait...what happened to your alarm? Did you sleep in?

...

Sleep in?! Your hand desperately searched around for your phone. When you didn't feel that familiar rectangular gadget by your side, you jolted up from your spot. Finally turning back to the spot you were previously sleeping, your body froze. Now with a better view of where you slept, you realized who you had been sleeping on. Originally unbeknownst to you, you had been curled up in Howdy's arms as he laid against the arm of the couch, the both of you dozing away without a care in the world. As it turned out, he was the comfy cushion you had passed out on.

He groaned as he began to stir from the sudden jerky movement, and he opened his eyes. His drowsy gaze met yours, and for a moment the two of you just stared at each other. You, with no clue as to how to react, and him…most probably still registering what’s going on. Outside, the birds continued chirping away their cheery song. A small lazy grin crept onto his face.

"Howdy, there. How'd you sleep, kiddo? You passed out during Sally's play last night." He adjusted himself to sit up more as he spoke in a hushed voice. "You looked so peaceful and I know how busy you are, I just couldn't bring myself to wake ya up." Your voice was caught in your mouth. You're talking to a puppet. Again. It's actually real. A living---maybe not so much breathing---but living puppet. And you just woke up from sleeping wrapped up in his arms, no less. He was still a complete stranger to you, and acting so casual with him despite the recent events was something you could not handle.

Still, you couldn’t ignore his expectant stare. It came out small and late, but he remained quiet for your answer. "...It was..okay." Your hands absentmindedly fiddled with each other, and you turned your gaze away as you corrected yourself. "Actually, it was the best sleep I've had in a long while. Too long." A chuckle slipped its way past your lips.

Your breath hitched. "Oh, no!" Adrenaline shot through you. Howdy flinched at your shrill exclamation—as did you, and the two of you froze. A loud snore from Julie echoed throughout the room, and you recalled how comically loud a few of your other “guests” were. If they could sleep through that, then they could sleep through just about anything. The two of you let out a relieved breath.

"I gotta find my phone! What time is it?! How long did I sleep in? What day is it?!" You rambled incoherently—your voice much more soft than before—as you searched the couch more thoroughly for that little precious device of yours. The green caterpillar snorted, bringing one hand up to his head and another to his mouth to stifle his giddy giggles.

After he managed to hold his laughter at bay, he talked once more. "It's Wednesday. Don't worry, kiddo. According to your calendar over there---" He pointed to the familiar paper calendar hung on the wall. "You don't have to worry about work today. Or any of your classes." A green hand patted onto your shoulder. "You have the day off!"

Another hand dug into one of the pockets of his apron and out he pulled your phone. He held it awkwardly in his hand in an attempt to mimic how he had seen you hold the device. It looked tiny caressed in his hand compared to how it looked in yours.

"It took a while of trying to figure out how to use this silly thing, but I turned off that doggoned alarm. Every busy bee needs their sleep every once and a while, after all!" His smile twitched to a frown as he stared deeply at it. "What is it, anyway? I never did ask. Is it some futuristic alarm clock or something? Why do you take it with you everywhere you go? And where are all the buttons? Shouldn't something like this need a buncha buttons? How did you make it so it works with just touching the glass here?" He tapped the phone and the screen came to life.

You were forced back to your nostalgic memories upon seeing the lockscreen. Displayed was an old memory of you and your friends not too long after your high school graduation. All of you were grouped together in a booth, laughing the night away at a karaoke restaurant. Things were so much more simple then. And a lot less lonely.

Above it was the clock, harshly contrasting in color to the photo. It read 8:23 AM. Below it sat a single unbothered notification.

"Day off!!" It read. He was right. You let out an exasperated sigh as your body eased and—without realizing just how relieving this knowledge was to you—plopped down harshly on the couch next to him. He softly chuckled as one arm of his leaned back on the arm of the couch.

"I know that look!" The tall puppet ruffled your hair. "Before I owned the Bugdega, I used to work a lot at a job I hated. Extreme word, but it’s true! You should take this day to just cool that jet of yours. You'll break down if you overwork yourself, nymph!" His eye caught yours, and the two of you shared a small smile in the peaceful moment. Before any more conversation could be had, however, a small movement in the corner of your eye caught your attention. Wally was now wide awake and peacefully watching the two of you talk.

Howdy waved and quietly called out to the little yellow puppet. "Howdy, shrimp!" The blue haired puppet remained quiet, only widening his permanent smile and waving back for a moment before shuffling himself off of the large sleeping dog. Mesmerized by his form, you watched as he moved and carefully made his way over to the two of you. Carefully, he tip-toed in between each colorful member of the cast on the floor, only stopping by Julie for a moment to dodge her arm she roughly threw to the side as she dozed away.

It was simple movements, and exactly like a regular human's, but something about it was...off. Perhaps it was just the knowledge of knowing he's a puppet and shouldn't be moving at all, but something about him felt....unnerving, in a way. You brushed the thought to the side. Maybe that's a thought for another time.

Wally crawled up on the couch next to you and into your lap. As always. But you didn’t push him away. In a strange way, it comforted you. The tension that had slowly been digging itself deep into your core melted away like snow on a warm sunny day. Your inner child pleaded to hold him dear, but you refused. It was a hard fight, but you managed to resist the urge.

Howdy watched the two of you, a gentle grin on his face, before he lifted himself up from his seat and walked around the couch. You glimpsed at him and jumped when you saw him looking and motioning you to follow. You glanced between the two puppets, unsure, before quickly picking Wally up like he was a toddler and carrying him with you and obeying the insect puppet’s wishes.

Wally, of course, quickly fell limp in your arms. You recalled his attempt to comfort you last night, and it occurred to you that this was most probably another thing he didn’t know how to really…react to. One awkward pause later, he leaned against your shoulder and buried his face in the crook of your neck. Instinctively, you gave in to that inner child that pleaded for a connection, and nudged your head against his.

Howdy led you to the kitchen where he began rummaging through the cabinets. Now away from the rest of the colorful puppets sleeping away, his voice became a lot louder and clearer from his previous mumbling."This is a nice place you got, nymph." He bent down to a cabinet and began shuffling through it, only finding pots and his laughter echoing back to him. "I'm still having trouble finding everything, though! Where do you keep your pans? This place is like a maze!"

The two of you talked the morning away as you directed him to the right cabinets for everything he needed. Slowly, one by one, the other puppets awoke and walked in, each joining your conversation. Some chose to seat themselves at the table while others opted in aiding Howdy in cooking breakfast.

Sally was the first to walk in. She was cheery and energetic, and each step of hers had a bounce in it. For a moment, you almost thought she was quite literally glowing. But the allusion dashed away as soon and fast as it had made itself evident. The little starlet chose to occasionally aid Howdy when requested while she recited and re-enacted scenes to numerous plays she had starred in. Most of it was nothing more than dramatic improvisation, but you couldn’t resist applauding her and watching her eyes light up every time you did.

Barnaby and Poppy were the next ones to walk in. Both were generally drowsy and calm, quietly jabbering away as they walked in. Poppy clamored if everything was okay from all the racket she had heard, but Barnaby assured her and joked about how loud Sally was being. After her worries had been quelled, Poppy stationed herself next to Howdy to converse and help cook when she wasn’t too scared to do so. Meanwhile, Barnaby gladly seated himself next to you and Wally at the table.

Finally, Julie skipped into the kitchen, holding the hand of a drowsy Frank holding the hand of an upbeat Eddie. The trio questioned the commotion, but quickly seated themselves at the table and joined in the ever growing conversation upon seeing the six of you joyfully conversing.

For a while, you all acted as though there was nothing wrong. Like you had all known each other for months and everything had already been resolved. But tension remained. And finally, when the conversation died down and came to a pause, Poppy spoke up.

"So..." She hesitated, glancing to you for help. The large bird curled a little in on herself and hid herself with her wings. "What do we do now?" The others murmured. The tension was much thicker than before. You furrowed your brows and looked down. Wally was still in your lap. His expression remained the same, but he was silent. His gaze followed the others to you.

Over the past two days, you noticed something about the puppets. Something so extremely small, but made a mountain of a difference in the way you saw the colorful cast.

When looking at something, the puppets' pupils never twitched back and forth like humans'. Theirs never moved subconsciously to take in as much information they could like yours. This was the first time you noticed Wally's was.

A small part of you wanted to panic and run away again. A large part, actually. You had as much of a clue of what to do as they did. But just as you almost gave in, bright pink fabric in the corner of your eye caught your attention. The fabric of her dress.

"Then I'll be brave with you."

You promised.

You're going to be brave.

You swallowed the urge down as far as you could. "I'm...not sure," You started. "I mean, we all already established you'll be living here until you can find a way to...." Your voice drifted off.

Eddie piped up. "Home."

"Home, right." You turned your attention to a topic a little less stressful, opting for casual conversation to stall you time to think. "Wait, is that what you call that place? It's just...Home?" Julie jumped up, her expression relaxing a moment.

"Yeah! Oh, that's right. You haven't met Home yet."

Watching your eyebrow furrow, Sally joined in. "Home's a living house! That's where Wally lives." She hummed to herself. "I wonder why Home isn't here. Are they still in the neighborhood?" Her gaze wandered to a few of the others, each shrugging in response. Frank stepped forward as he adjusted his bright yellow bowtie. You quickly turned your attention back to him after brushing off seeing the bowtie flutter in a strange movement. That’s a thought for later.

"I've been doing research on this strange world," Frank began. His unibrow furrowed further as he slowly spoke, his tone growing in intensity with every word. "...And so far..I have no idea how we could've gotten here. There's no record of these things happening before!” His hands curled into fists. He stammered further and further with every sentence, his pupils twitching back and forth towards nowhere in particular. “Which..is preposterous! We couldn't have been the first instance of this happening!" He stomped his foot down as his face grew red, and much to your surprise, his head spun. Spinning…spinning..and stopping when Eddie lightly grasped onto it and held it in place. Frank sighed and glanced at the mailman before continuing. "I'm sorry, Dear, it's just---" His brow furrowed as his face grew red again. "I just don't get it! How could we be the only ones for this to happen to?! I-I don't---" he paused again as his glare turned towards the ground. His voice turned quiet as a few strands of hair drooped in his face. The harsh shadows kept you from seeing his face. "I don't understand. I don't know how to get us back to Home." Things were quiet as Eddie turned him around and hugged him close. Frank didn't hug him back. Just kept silent.

Glancing at the others, you found one by one, they all looked back to you. There were no more smiles. No more laughter.

You couldn't tell what they were thinking by looking in their eyes. But you could tell they were lost. Lost and scared.

…Just as much as you.

So you inhaled a sharp breath, and pulled yourself together. "Alright," You started. Peering over to the bright-eyed girl, you watched a small glimmer return to her eyes. "I don't know what to do either." Your gaze connected with each puppets' as it wandered over the group. "But that doesn't mean we can't throw ideas until one sticks!" A small twinge began to form in your stomach, but you continued. "We're all lost…a-and confused, and scared. But we're not alone." Finally, you looked back to Wally. "We're in this together." Determination inflamed you. "And if there's anything I know, it's that if there's a way something can happen, then darn it, there's a way to undo it! I don't know how...but I'll help you find a way home."

"To Home." Frank mumbled into Eddie's shoulder. Your mouth twitched up at his response.

"That's the spirit!" A small round of chuckles came around the group of puppets. “We’ll start throwing ideas and making investigations soon, but first, we need to take some time to get ourselves calmed down. A panicking mind isn’t the best for getting out of bad situations.”

A clacking sound caught your attention. Eggs and hashbrowns---organized in a way the eggs formed eyes and the hashbrowns a smile. Peering back up, you saw Howdy.

"You sure know how to bring people up, kiddo." He ruffled your hair before turning to the rest of the puppets. "I've got breakfast fixed up for you all, so you better come get your fixing before it gets cold! Like Y/N said, we'll get this figured out, but first we have to take care of ourselves!" The cast cheered and grouped around the counter Howdy had set with various cooked foods. You watched them with curiosity as they gabbed away and piled food on their plates.

Out of the corner of your eye, you spotted a familiar blue hair strand, and looked down. Wally hadn't moved from his spot. Rather, he watched the crew with you. "Are you going to get some?" You questioned him. His eyes met yours, half-lidded as always, and his stare unchanging and unmoving. It was quiet as you waited for his response. Distantly, a small tik-tik-tik was heard.

"Okay." He hopped off your lap and walked over. The others quickly noticed him and helped him grab a plate.

Things were back to how they were before the topic changed. And once again as you watched the group, you felt a small pang.

You were so different. And in those differences, alone. Just like always. You decided to push that feeling down.

Now's not the time.

You sighed as you turned back to your plate.

Now...how in the world were you going to get them back to Home?

[jintsuki]

they hugged

[imodnareddeadau]

Take Me Home, Chapter Five: Canned Peaches for Dinner

Having shaken off their pursuers for now, Imogen and Laudna set up camp in a nearby hunting cabin to recover from their wounds.

[meownotgood]

I'm still writing... unfortunately work has been really busy again so I definitely won't be able to finish chapter 4 by the end of the month like I planned.... 😭 but I'm nearly done, I'll keep working 🫡

[ssreeder]

Hiii I'm sorry if you've answered this before, I'm just wondering if you have an idea (vague or otherwise) about how many chapters ITF is going to be? I'm just curious. Thank you, hope you have a great day ^^

I have? Maybe? I’m not sure! But after this we’ll have probably 10 chapters left! I’m guessing we’ll end up at 31 total chapters but that’s just my guess! We’re on the home stretch!!

[turtleduckscribbles]

Close to Home

“No matter where I go to offer aid, Link remains at my side…”

~A brief exploration of Zelda’s personal journey toward home, and how she finds it in Link.

Read on AO3 or continue below.

<< Chap 4 <<

~o~o~o~o~o~

Chapter 5: "Crumb-sized Gremlins"

The air was brisk, and the afternoon sky was sullen and gray, but the lashing wind from earlier had since died down, and Zelda, dressed in a fresh blue and white pullover, felt like she’d been given a new lease on life. Coupled with her bath, Link’s excellent brunch of vegetable omelets, warm crusty bread, and wildberries put some color in her cheeks and a spring back in her step. With her vitality restored, she was, finally, in control once more.

Or at least more than yesterday, anyway.

Her fingers itched to draw her hood, but instead she forced her hands to remain at her sides. Before they’d left for town, she had pledged to herself that she wouldn’t hide behind a mask anymore. These dedicated citizens of Hyrule—her incredible, resilient people—deserved that much. But as they progressed along the path to the village proper, her trepidation threatened to make a swift comeback. Thankfully, though, a quick sidelong glance was enough to assuage her frayed nerves.

Link walked beside her now, clad in a red tunic and the Master Sword at his back. Following brunch, he too had cleaned up, stepping out to use the tub in record time. His hair was still damp, and his cheeks were rubbed raw from his rapid-fire time in the bath, making the blue in his eyes pop. Feeling her gaze, he looked over, and she hastily returned her concentration to the road, suppressing a blush.

As they approached some quaint boxy houses on the edge of town, two men came into view who stood just off the dirt path. The older of the two, a colorfully dressed middle-aged man with a clipboard tucked against his chest, spotted Link and waved him over. Link ambled toward them, Zelda in step at his side.

“Well, if it isn’t young moneybags!” the man said. He had a singsong voice and a cheeky quirk to his mouth, his eyes painted with rouge. “Haven’t seen your studly mug for some time.”

The second, a young man wearing a sleeveless vest and tool belt, turned at the sound of his associate’s voice and gave a start of surprise. “Ah! Link! It’s been a while.” He wiped sweat off his brow. His cheeks were spattered with freckles, and he held a ball-peen hammer in his hand. “Where’ve ya been?”

Link gave a congenial shrug. “Everywhere.”

The man laughed, as if appreciating a good joke. Zelda racked her brain, sifting through her memories of Link’s adventures. Who were these men? Were they close to Link? She turned this over in her mind but didn’t get very far, as all eyes abruptly turned to her.

The first man—the one with the clipboard—cocked his head. “And who might this be?”

Zelda stared blankly before realizing he was addressing her. She cleared her throat. “Hello. I’m… I’m Zelda.”

Clipboard Man held out his hand, and Zelda shook it. “Bolson.”

Hammer Man also stepped forward with a firm handshake. “I’m Karson.”

With introductions apparently out of the way, a loaded silence settled. Zelda clasped her hands together and looked elsewhere, feigning ignorance at the appraising, brow-arched look that Bolson was giving Link. She cleared her throat again, rooting about for something to say. “Are you, erm… working on something?”

Karson latched onto the opening, giving his hammer an awkward twirl. “Yeah! We’re finishing up some house inspections. We need to make sure regulatory standards are met if we plan on expanding Bols—”

“Ah ah ah, Karson! You know that’s my line.” Suddenly, Bolson tossed his clipboard to the ground and broke out into dance, sashaying his hips and shoulders. “With love, courage, and hopeful hearts, we give every house a new staaart! That name again is Bolson! Yeah, yeah! Buh-buh-buh-Bolson Construction. Bolson!”

He raised his hands to the sky, singing and bobbing to the rhythm of his song—then, to cap it off, he struck a pose, his arms and legs bent at funny angles. “SHA-DING!”

The seconds dragged on as he held his position. Zelda shifted her weight, unsure of what to make of his performance. To her surprise, Link was the first to speak.

“Aren’t you retiring?”

An affronted gasp escaped Bolson. Quick as a fox, he sprang to his full height, his hands flinging up in exaggerated outrage. “Well, excuuuse me, Mr. Hotshot! Retirement doesn’t happen in one fell swoop, you know!” He clucked his tongue, muttering under his breath. “Young bucks like you would do well to remember it.”

Link appeared unfazed by the eruption. His gaze slid over to Karson. “Is Hudson on tour with that song?”

Karson barked with laughter. “Basically! He’s got it made in Tarrey Town. Actually, he was talking about breaking off and forming his own company, last I heard.”

Link gave an approving nod. Bolson, already over his outburst, stooped to pick up his clipboard. “Hmm. Love’s made him wild and reckless,” he said haughtily. “Still, I’m happy for him. Reminds me a bit of young money here, come to think of it.”

“House treating you well, Link?” asked Karson.

Link hesitated before his gaze drifted over to Zelda. He nodded, his blue eyes like sunlit seas.

Zelda scanned his face before it came to her: Bolson Construction. Of course! These were the builders who worked to restore Hyrule. Who had sold Link’s house to him. 

The same house she was currently staying in…

“So, you guys out hitting the shops today?”

She blinked back to reality at Karson’s question. “I… Yes. Or, well, no. We’re visiting an old friend.”

Karson nodded politely. “Ah. Well, if you’re ever up for it, you guys should come get dinner with me and my girlfriend sometime. She works at one of the boutiques in town—Ventest Clothing. She could hook you up with a discount!”

“That is… very kind,” said Zelda, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Thank you.”

“Okey-doo, Karson. Let’s leave them to it,” said Bolson, coming to her rescue. “Have a nice day, you two! Go paint the town red… That’s a construction joke.” Smirking, he straightened and brushed himself off. “Lovely to meet you, my dear.”

“You as well,” said Zelda.

They bid farewell and departed. Once out of eyeshot, Zelda gave her knight companion an inquiring once-over. As usual, Link’s face betrayed no agitation, as if peculiar interactions such as these were humdrum affairs. As peculiar as it was, though, Zelda shelved it for another time, for the emergence of town put everything else far from her mind.

If Zelda could describe Hateno Village in one word, it would likely be “pastoral.” Now that she was viewing it in proper light, she could see its appeal: Clay houses and red-tiled rooftops dotted the rural landscape, endowing the town with a sort of provincial charm. Brows of fog hung over diligent farmers tilling their fields. Sluggish windmills peeked out from behind rolling green hills. And there, towering in the background, stood Mount Lanayru. A sobering reminder.

The side path joined the main thoroughfare, and a number of storefronts came into view. Due to the adverse weather, the streets were largely deserted, but signs of life still flourished. Cuccos roamed unattended, pecking merrily at the damp earth. Idle neighbors clustered under dripping awnings. Sellers called out from their open shop entrances, some hailing Link by name—but without fanfare, Link only nodded and waved, continuing on his way with Zelda in tandem all the while.

They crossed a small bridge that marked the town’s center, and little by little, Zelda began to notice something odd. While the majority of the town’s residents remained indoors, there were those who braved the foggy day by the dozen: children. Kids of all ages roamed the muddy streets, barefoot and blithe, playing tag and leapfrog and follow-the-leader to their hearts’ content, screeching and chasing one another in throes of laughter. A pair of these scruffy children ran by them now, and as the second child passed, he gave Zelda and Link a backward glance. He halted in his tracks, his mouth forming a perfect O.

“Hey! I know you!” he gasped. “You’re that one guy! Hey! Hey Narah, come here!”

The first child, a taller girl with pigtails, pivoted around. She studied them briefly; then, as if deeming they were below her attention, she turned her back and ran on, leaving her companion well behind.

Unmoved by her departure, the little boy barrelled over to Link, who gave him a small smile. “Hi Nebb.”

The boy—Nebb—looked Link up and down, eyes lighting up as they came to rest on a point above his shoulder. “Whoa! Cool sword, mister! Wait… Is that—Is that a royal broadsword?” He bounced on the balls of his feet, starry-eyed and fit to burst. “Wow! That must be a real knight’s sword! Belonging to a real knight! Just like Grandpa told me about! Sooo cool! Can I see it, can I see?!”

Link allowed him to prattle on until he came to a breathless stop. Then, fingers closing around the hilt of the Master Sword, he slid it from its sheath, the cold steel singing in the air. He held it aloft for the boy to see. 

Zelda watched it reverently, feeling a twinge in her chest. It seemed to shine with an otherworldly light in the overcast sky.

Nebb ogled the legendary sword. But the longer he looked, his wide-eyed wonder gradually turned dim, and his lips turned down into a frown.

“Nah… that ain’t it. No way that’s the right color. Not royal enough.” And without further ado, he spun on his heel and raced after his playmate, waving at them over his shoulder. “See ya, Mister! Bye, Mister’s Friend!” He rounded the bend and disappeared from view.

Zelda stared after him before glancing at Link. He gave her an unruffled shrug. Always the stoic. She bit back a smile and together they continued onward up the trail.

They strolled past the chief’s house, past the general inn, until they found themselves on the outskirts of town, ascending the northern hill face. Stores and cottages were replaced by flaxen fields and patchwork farmlands. The trail was steep and unpaved, and with each step, Zelda grew increasingly short of breath. Sprightly children easily zipped past her on the path, putting her to shame. But it didn’t matter; Link was there, and she clung firmly to him as he guided her up the hill, taking it slow, taking breaks, taking breaths. One step at a time.

By the time they crested the hilltop, Zelda was wiped. How she had been so fighting fit all those years ago was genuinely a mystery. She accepted water from Link who, as always, courteously remained by her side. Below them, the village was faint and abstract, a misty illusion beyond reach.

Zelda turned away from the sea of fog to the structure that lay a mere dozen steps away: Hateno’s Ancient Tech Lab. The end of the line. Though drastically smaller than its royal predecessor, the echoes of the past superimposed themselves onto the present, and in an instant Zelda was transported back in time. Judging by the burning blue furnace and the four-eyed frog leering over the door, it appeared that some things never changed. She wondered if the same could be said for what lay inside… 

Seeking encouragement, and finding it in Link, Zelda rolled back her shoulders and, for the first time in over a century, entered Hyrule’s Ancient Tech Lab.

It was… a mess.

The workroom seemed to be inhabited by an uncaged ferret. Books and displaced pages were strewn pell-mell across the floor. Blueprints, maps, and scrawled notes dominated every inch of surface, as if a whirlwind had come through and turned the place upside down. Zelda walked past a winged contraption of Sheikah making, the air alive with puffs of smoke and the sounds of bells and whistles.

And there… toward the back by the bookshelf…

“Now now, Ms. Purah, let’s not lose our heads. I do not believe they meant any harm—”

“Oh, confound it, Symin! You know as well as I do those grubby ankle-biters meant every little  BIT of mischief they dipped their sneaky mitts in!”

A flustered, white-haired man gestured uselessly as a short-statured girl zoomed past him on a rolling ladder. “But—Ms. Purah—the furnace is, quite plainly, out in the open, for all to see. Surely you can—”

“Symin, you numpty! Just because something is out and about doesn’t mean it should be handled! By everyone and their second cousins, no less!” The ladder clunked to a halt, and with her attention riveted to the overflowing shelves, the girl chose a tome at random, flicking through its pages. “They’re interfering with Top Secret Matters of Most Importance! World-saving matters, as it so happens!”

Symin gave a long-suffering sigh and turned away from her. “Yes, Ms. Purah… The furnace is an integral part of our research—most assuredly. But the guidance stone is still functioning normally, so everything’s…”

He cut himself off. From across the room, Zelda could see the whites of his eyes growing incrementally wider as he took in the unexpected sight of her. She held his gaze, her words unable to breach her mouth.

Purah snapped the book shut with an irritated huff. “Guidance-stone, shmidance-stone! There’s more to research than just the guidance stone, Symin! What about the telescope? Or- or any of the travel gates? Huh?!” She replaced the book and hopped down from the ladder. “Without the blue flame, our research is toast—guidance stone or no guidance stone! Can you imagine going back to the primitive old days, when we had to walk everywhere we wanted to go? And we’re on top of a hill, to boot! A blasted hill! I mean, how would the princess feel if she came back and had to hike all the way up h—”

It was almost comical, really, the matching expressions of shock coloring the two Sheikah researchers’ faces. Purah abandoned her rant mid-sentence, her mouth fully agape, as if the Guardian Deities themselves had waltzed into her hidey-hole. The workroom was suddenly a scene from a stage production: looks of theatrical wonderment were frozen in time like some sort of bizarre tableau. 

Zelda stared unabashedly back at the child standing before her. One of her oldest surviving friends—a stranger by all rights, yet just familiar enough to warrant emotional transparency. Link had prepared her for this moment, and so had Impa; they had told her outright what she would find coming here. Yet even still, Zelda was finding it difficult to process what her eyes were relaying to her. Where once Purah had been a chic and sophisticated young woman, older than Zelda herself, now she was a bright-eyed, button-nosed young girl. A scholarly young girl, at that. It was entirely unfathomable.

Seconds passed in momentous silence before Purah’s eyes shifted slightly to the left of Zelda, and she scoffed. “You know, Linky, if this is your oh-so-clever way of settling the score after our first meeting, then I’d just like to point out how very, totally un-heroic of you that is.”

Zelda blinked. She looked toward her knight companion, who stood off to the side. Link regarded Purah with easy nonchalance. He gave a small shrug that constituted an offering. Purah threw her hands in the air with an exasperated puff, immediately dispelling the mystified illusion that had settled onto their little party. 

“Typical Linky. Quiet as a snowflake, but twice as slippery. Come on, Mister, work with me here!”

Still dazed, still disbelieving, Zelda took a small step forward.

“I mean sure, go ahead, no biggie, just catch me with my ducks all out of whack, why don’t you! Nope, no siree, no problem at all! It’s not like a certain Princess of Hyrule will walk in unannounced or anything! A princess who has, mind you, gone AWOL for a hundred stinking years!”

Zelda inched closer, wringing her hands.

“And hey, what the heck, why not get the drop on Purah? Poor, sweet Purah, who’s tormented by snotty brats and chosen heroes alike! Even though she’s done nothing but serve and help said chosen hero since he first stumbled in here, clueless and half-naked from his time in the Shrine of Resurrection! The shrine that she herself put him in, might I add!! Not to mention all she did to fix the Slate for him—”

“Your… your hair…” Zelda swallowed to unstick her throat. “Your hair’s the same.”

The instant the words were out of her mouth, she heard the absurdity in them. Purah seemed to as well, for she broke off with a look of pure amazement. Zelda took another step forward.

“And your… your glasses…”

Purah blinked at her owlishly, her lenses greatly magnifying her vermillion eyes. “Ya know, Princess, I could say the same for you. In fact, you haven’t changed a bit!”

There was a brief, charged moment where princess and child gazed upon each other in fascination. Then, all at once, to nobody’s surprise but their own, the floodgates broke.

With a sudden, lurching sob, Zelda dropped to her knees just as Purah dropped her facade, the little Sheikah’s face crumpling as she ran forward into her friend’s open arms. Zelda clutched her close, the cold frames of Purah’s spectacles smooshing her cheek, as if a hug could make up for decades of lost time.

They remained like that for a while, Zelda wasn’t sure how long, until finally they pulled away, hurriedly wiping at their eyes.

“Well,” said Purah with a hiccup, “so much for keeping our heads, huh Princess?”

Zelda gave her a watery smile. “It was only a matter of time. I was long overdue for a good cry.”

This much was true: Aside from the hitch in Zora’s Domain, Zelda had prided herself on doing a respectable job at keeping a lid on her emotions… mostly. Even her reunion with Impa, her closest confidant in days long past, had been more of a mental adjustment than anything—a shock to the system, not a full-fledged, emotional blowout. But now, staring Purah in the face… It seemed everything was catching up to her.

“I gotta say, your reaction isn’t nearly as overblown as I’d expected,” Purah said, rubbing furiously at the wet tracks streaking her face. “Can’t say I’m too surprised, though. I figured Linky must have spilled the beans about me at some point or another. Naughty Linky.”

Zelda gave a shuddery laugh. “To be fair, it was more your sister’s doing than anyone’s. She’s done an exceptional job of bringing me up to speed.” She regained her feet, overall pleased with the composure in her voice. “Goodness, where to begin? I can’t believe I’m finally here. There’s so much catching up we must do. Your lab… It feels like I’ve traveled through time…”

She took in the sights, panning the length of the room, and her eyes found the man in back. She’d almost forgotten him; his gaze was fixed on her, rapt and unblinking as though in a trance.

“Oh, right, duh, formalities!” trilled Purah, back to her chipper self in no time flat. “Princess, this is Symin, my assistant. Symin, this is… well.”

Symin didn’t seem to hear her. He remained in idle awe before, slowly, he advanced forward, his eyes never leaving Zelda’s face. Once he stood directly in front of her, he fell to his knees.

“Princess Zelda,” he croaked, forehead pressed to the floor. “You’re here! Y-You’ve returned to us! It is—It is an honor to be in your revered presence. Everything you’ve done… your service, your sacrifice… Your noble deeds are not lost upon us. We thank you tremendously.”

Zelda had braced herself for interactions such as this—she had received no less from Impa’s granddaughter back in Kakariko—but it still didn’t stop her stomach from clenching. Humbled, she clasped her hands to her chest. 

“I… I don’t know what to say. I’m touched by your kindness. But please, really, there’s no need… Please rise…”

Symin obeyed and rose from his obeisance, and Zelda noticed his eyes gleamed with tears. He extended a hand to her, palm-up, by way of greeting. “It is the pleasure of a lifetime to meet you, Princess.”

Zelda accepted his warm hand with a smile, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Likewise.”

They broke apart. Zelda rejoined her hands at her front, allowing her breaths to even out. As she gazed upon the beaming faces around her, affection enveloped her like an embrace, and she reveled in the feeling of mutual love. She wondered what she’d been so afraid of.

“You mentioned you’ve had some interference as of late?” she asked, addressing Purah. “With your research, I presume?”

Purah made a show of rolling her eyes. She swung around and stomped back to the bookshelf. “‘Interference’ is putting it lightly. More like crumb-sized-gremlins-meddling-where-they-shouldn't-be, if I have anything to say about it—and I do!”

The first thought that shot through Zelda’s mind was that Purah was one to talk about “crumb-sized” anything, but Symin stepped in: “The village children have decided to… er… take it upon themselves to adjust the furnace—”

“Tamper with, Symin!”

Symin sighed. “Yes, Ms. Purah. Tamper with.”

Zelda looked between them. “But… the furnace is fine. Link and I were just out there.”

“Well, that’s because I just finished relighting it!” said Purah, already rifling through her books again. “After walking alllll the way back up here in the stinking fog with the blue-stinking-flame to do it!”

A soft huff of amusion sounded behind Zelda. Link had a challenging glint to his eye as he watched Purah, who waved a dismissive hand at him. “See? Linky knows!”

“So… these children,” Zelda said. “They’ve been spending time up here?”

Purah made a noise of derision. “Too much time, if you ask me.”

“The children enjoy playing by the lab most days,” Symin explained. “I believe it’s their way of occupying themselves while their parents are employed with their work.”

Zelda dipped her head in contemplation. This was perplexing news. It certainly checked out, however; she recalled the throngs of children seen in the streets earlier, Nebb being one of them, whiling away the day with their various outdoor activities. Without a means of distraction, the tech lab would naturally prove a curiosity to them, a droll spectacle that was too enticing to pass up. She couldn’t blame them.

“Anyhoo, enough of all that!” said Purah, sending scattered pages flying as she leapt onto a stool next to the central table. “Now that you’re both back in town, I’d like to run some queries with the Sheikah Slate, so if you wouldn’t mind, Princess, I’ll need you around in the coming week. I want to pick your brain on a couple things—and you’ll have to give me the rundown on all your exciting escapades you’ve been taking without me lately!”

Zelda smiled in affirmation, cherishing the feeling of belonging. “Yes. I’d like that very much."

~o~o~o~o~o~

>> Chap 6 >>

[deus-ex-mona]

pretty minor thing to think about, but i find it interesting how chapter 7 is the first chapter illustration to show chizuutan as chizuru (instead of chuutan)

like, i get it’s a flashback chapter, but we hardly got to see her as chizuru in the previous few chapters thus far… maybe we’ll get to see more of her as her true self after the hiyori fight/make up? only future chapters may tell, i guess…

[emeralddoeadeer]

no place like home

Modern AU - rated M

Chapter 5: composition

Padfoot – are you just coming back to start packing? Prongs – Eh, no. I’m coming back because I live there. Padfoot – Sure, for now

read on Ao3 (3.3k words)

or from the start

[bedlamsbard]

running through plot ideas for The Next Big Fic in a "well everyone ELSE did this ten years ago but I haven't done it yet" *shows up ten years late with Starbucks* kind of way

[jamiesfootball]

🌹🌹 politely asking for a glimpse of the 5+1 sleepy pavlovian fic pls

He made quick work of tying his trainers, and if while he was bent over he pressed his eyes into his knees, blotting tears against the fabric, well it was probably fucking obvious that that's what he was doing but no one was going to say shit, were they? Was fucking damage control now. They'd already seen him bawl like a fucking baby, the least Jamie could do was make sure they didn't have to keep seeing it.