#rulie I’m sorryyyyyyy 😭

[skyward-floored]

Febuwhump Day 1 — Helpless

Day one! Just a reminder that I’m sticking to my lu Incredibles au for this, which is more or less a superhero au (if you need more explanation, feel free to ask!). I’m not going to do every day of febuwhump this year, but I’m going to do a bunch! I’m excited to share what I’ve been working on :)

Also me and @thepinklink collaborated on things this year— she’s made some fantastic art to go with the fics! :D

You can see today’s here!

Anyway, here’s some more Hyrule backstory, as suggested by a couple people. Warning for some child abuse (nothing extreme, but it is there) and mentioned past injuries.

Read on ao3

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Link clutched his bag to his chest as he crept down the hallway, heart thudding in his ears as he stepped shakily past a door with a faint light shining out from under it.

It didn’t open once he was past though, no voices coming from inside, and Link softly exhaled, continuing on his way.

He made extra care to avoid the boards he knew creaked, even though they were hard to spot with the only source of light being a sliver of uncertain moonlight shining in through a window. He had most of the boards memorized at least, but it was still tricky, and the bit of snow piled on the sill wasn’t helping matters.

Link bit his lip as he stepped past the stairs and the rotten board to the side that nobody had replaced, and squinted through the dark for the door that led to the street outside. It was right over here somewhere, but the faint light from the window didn’t reach this far.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

Link’s heart shot straight up into his throat as a hand grabbed his arm and yanked him backwards, forcing him to drop the small bag he’d had clutched in his arms. His meager possessions spilled out on the floor, and Link swallowed thickly as he looked up at who’d caught him, a man named Carok.

“Well?” he asked sharply, and Link scrambled for an excuse, his exhausted mind not up to its usual speed.

“I-I was just... I wanted to go outside?” he stuttered.

“In this weather?” Carok snorted, glaring at him. “No... I don’t think so. You know the Eyes of Ganon don’t take kindly to deserters, brat.”

But I’m not deserting! I’m not one of you! You just won’t let me leave! Link wanted to wail, but his throat had grown too tight for him to speak anymore.

“We give you a home, a dry place to sleep, food and shelter and a purpose, and you repay us by running away?” Carok spat, and Link looked down at his dirty boots, trying not to cry. Crying always made it worse. He wouldn’t cry.

Carok glared at him, and dragged Link back down the hallway, ignoring his weak struggles to get away.

He’d been so close.

He’d thought everyone was asleep, and since he’d had to heal that one guy’s hand (his stomach still rolled thinking of it), he assumed they would think he was still too tired to try anything. And admittedly, he was exhausted, but this was the first chance he’d gotten in ages to try and get away.

He’d only been stuck with this group for a few months, but he wanted out.

And he’d completely screwed it up.

Carok opened a door and shoved him inside, and Link’s hands grew clammy as he looked around, realizing he was in the cellar they always locked him in when he’d done something really wrong.

“Boss’ll deal with you tomorrow,” Carok growled as he slammed the door and locked it. “Take some time to think about how grateful you should be that we take care of you.”

Link didn’t bother replying that they hadn’t even remembered to feed him today.

He whimpered as Carok stomped away, and he sat down, tucking his arms around his knees and curling up into a tight ball. He’d try and get out, but he’d been thrown in here enough times to know that it wasn’t possible. No windows, and no doors aside from the one he’d just been shoved through.

Just dark and oppressive, and even colder then where Link usually slept.

He sniffled, allowing the tears he’d been fighting to keep back come out now that he was alone. Pain throbbed out from his arm where he’d been grabbed, and Link lit his palm up just a little, rubbing his hand over the worst of it while tears slipped down his nose.

Bruises were tricky though, and he could only ease the soreness a little. Not to mention they hated when he used his powers on himself, and he was still worn from using his healing so much, so Link only soothed the worst of it before letting his light fade, the darkness falling over the room once more.

Link rested his head on his knees, and closed his eyes, barely able to tell the difference from having them open.

He just wanted to leave. The other places he remembered living had been bad, but this one was millions worse. His old caretakers may have forced him to heal every little scrape and prick of a finger, and gone between ignoring and screaming at him at the drop of a hat, but at least the worst injury he’d ever healed there had been a broken arm.

Here he had to deal with gunshots, and knife wounds, and horribly burnt hands that were nearly blackened from—

Link swallowed thickly, trying not to be sick again. He’d already thrown up once after he’d healed those burns, and didn’t want to smell it all night.

Once he managed to get his stomach to settle, Link thought back to his failed escape, dread chilling his bones at Carok’s parting words. The boss wasn’t forgiving at all, and Link really didn’t want to be in the same room as him when he found out he’d tried to leave. He still had the scar on his back from the last time he’d messed up.

Link wiped his nose, wrapping his hands tighter around his knees.

He was sick of living like this, stuck with people who only wanted his powers, constantly scared of what he’d be forced to do. It made living on the streets look like fun in comparison, and that was saying something.

A sudden exhaustion washed over him, and Link buried his face in his knees.

He hated them. He hated this place, and the people who kept him here. And he so badly wanted to hate his powers that had gotten him trapped here too, but he... he couldn’t.

Despite it all, Link liked having powers. They made him feel special, and fixing injuries always felt right, deep in his chest. It was useful too, even when it wore him out and made him feel dizzy, and Link really did like them. He just... wished they hadn’t gotten him here.

Link looked back at his bruised arm, and something hot burned in his middle as he thought again of escape.

This was only a setback. He wasn’t going to stay here, he was going to get out, and never do anything he didn’t want to ever again! He’d find somewhere where he’d never be cold, or hungry, or hit when he did something wrong, he’d go wherever he wanted!

Link wiped his face with his sleeve, and settled in for a cold night, thoughts already going towards another escape attempt when he got out.

He would get away from here.

And when he did, he’d finally be safe.