#skyloft is so beautiful

[luna-loveboop]

Sky helps Wild with cooking and it's the cutest thing ever

Ok ok so first off, Sky made a spoon for Wild to use while cooking

Obviously Wild was worried he would break it, so I headcanon that Sky remakes it for him if needed, like Four with his sword

Also in Timeline Talk 1, we see Sky helping Wild cut up food

I love this detail because Timeline talk 1 is Wind and Time talking, but Sky and Wild are in the background chopping ingredients and asking questions.

Like look at them! Chilling and cutting stuff! Sky is very good at woodcarving and cutting anything else, and Wild is obviously amazing at cooking. The detail of him helping Wild cut and prepare food here is so cool to me

I think Sky is probably very grateful to Wild for cooking for them, since he was always fed in a cafeteria at the knights academy

We have two (that l've seen) times where Sky is deliberately trying to help, by making a spoon for Wild to use, and helping cut up ingredients.

I think overall Sky tries to help Wild with cooking, and I love that so very much.

:)

Art by Jojo @linkeduniverse au!

[linkvcr]

autistic sky...save me

[lab-gr0wn-lambs]

the way I literally only played through the intro of totk and started welling up-

[majorproblems77]

🗻 (If you were in a Zelda game, where would you live? What would you be doing?)

(I have no idea how ask games work 😭)

This is exactly how ask games work!

Okay so

🗻 I'd love to live in Skyloft, It looks so cosy and I'd love a loft wing of my own... However, I'm horrifically scared of heights so that may not be the best thing.

So maybe the New settlement that the Skyloftians make on the surface. Probably as a baker? I love making cookies and cakes.

[arecaceae175]

Skyloft and Embroidery

I’m having so many feelings about the embroidery on Sky’s and Sun’s shirts in @linkeduniverse Entrance Pt. 3

His shirt is actually so beautiful . The more I’m staring at the picture the more I am appreciating the complex embroidery on it.

Throughout history, embroidery has had lots of different meanings. Women gathered and embroidered together and had time to speak with each other away from other pressures, and embroidery became the medium for powerful social movements. It was used in many cultures to wave stories into fabric that could withstand the flow of time. Elsewhere, embroidery symbolized wealth and status with intricate designs. And for some, and more often today, it’s just really really pretty.

I think Skyloft would lean toward embroidery as a method of storytelling and passing down legends. The outside of the Skyloft bazaar is so vibrantly colored, so colors and beauty are clearly important to the people.

The Bazaar, which is one of Skyloft's cultural hubs, is made of fabric and you can see the designs on even such large, durable fabrics. I can imagine Skyloft houses being covered in rugs and tapestries adorning the walls, telling the stories of the family who lives there and ensuring their history is passed down to the next generation.

Not only the big events of history, but the small, personal stories important to individuals and families. The big events and the history of the society would be held in places like the bazaar or the academy or with the goddess statue. But in a household, their tapestries might show the story of two people falling in love, of siblings who protect and love each other, of the largest pumpkin ever grown. Those things are the stories the families would smile and laugh about while sitting together over a meal.

The embroidery on clothing could represent a person’s attributes and dreams, or aspects of their personality they want to share with the world.

Image from @linkeduniverse Entrance Pt. 3

The embroidery designs on Sky’s shirt are light blue like the sky itself and red like his loftwing. There is green to ground him to the earth of his home when he feels the urge to fly forever. The blue is whispy and less distinctly patterned than Zelda’s, showcasing his head in the clouds personality and love for flying.

Zelda’s blue is a more regal shade combined with the gold. The shapes are well defined and confident, just like she is.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Sky having asthma, or some kind of breathing issues? For the prompt event?

Link had always known his lungs were… sensitive.

For the longest time, it had been a minimal issue. Sure, he didn’t sprint as well as others—he typically struggled with stamina anyway. But he could hold his breath longer than many, he could exercise well enough, and he still fought better than any of his classmates. Just because he had a propensity to getting respiratory illnesses didn’t mean he couldn’t handle things. It was nothing a little air potion and stamina fruit couldn’t fix.

That was the case. Before he’d gone to the Surface.

Nowadays it seemed like anything and everything could make him sick, could take out his ability to breathe. During his journey he’d compensated with air potion after air potion until his fever had climbed so high he’d passed out. Thankfully, he’d been in Faron Woods, and the kikwis, while not the most experienced on the matter, had at least thought to bring him water and nuts and let him rest in the shade until he could drag himself to the Sealed Temple.

He hated it. He felt like anything could knock him down. He kept trying to reassure himself that he’d still managed to keep up, to save Zelda, to end the war before it could restart. But he’d nearly died afterward because he’d ignored it for so long, pushed himself too hard, and everyone treated him like he was practically made of glass nowadays as a result.

Link wasn’t a particularly rebellious teenager. He was fairly lazy by his instructors’ standards, and he preferred to rest. He could cause problems when he wanted, though. He didn’t go out of his way to cause problems, of course, but… nothing was going to stop him from doing so, either.

So when he got a little too antsy to linger on Skyloft being watched by everyone, he flew his loftwing farther into the sky than he had in a long time.

The Great Sky was vast, beautiful and terrifying in its infiniteness. While the Surface’s enormous scale was overwhelming because it was all inhabitable, the Sky was more akin to a void to get lost in, a fabled sea where its depths could never be fully explored. Islands speckled the air in varying pockets, but there were enormous swathes of open air with nothing as far as the eye could see. It was said some knights died trying to explore, their loftwings tiring out and plummeting through the cloud barrier to their doom.

Link wanted to test his limits, though. Not because he felt particularly ambitious, but simply because he felt like he was going insane. He used to be content daydreaming on Skyloft, but nowadays if he stayed too still in one place he felt like he was missing something. As much as he loved to lay about, and as little energy as he had that sometimes forced him to lay about, he couldn’t sit still for long unless he was caught in a spiraling slump.

So here he was, pushing Crimson to tear into the sky farther than ever before. He recalled seeing a small pocket of islands in the far distance a little over a year ago when he’d last tried exploring like this before the knights had reeled him in. Now that he’d earned his knighthood due to his adventure, he wouldn’t be stopped.

The nagging pain in his chest was nothing to worry about. That was just nerves. He just needed to move.

The cold wind snapped around him, flushing his cheeks and biting at his nose. He clutched the leather around Crimson’s chest more tightly, glaring into the sky, and his loftwing squawked, reflecting his defiance with a loud seeming battle cry. His companion was filled with as much energy as he was, and had been scraping at the edges of Skyloft the entire day before Link had finally plummeted off its edges.

The pocket of islands grew larger. One in the center was entirely square shaped, seeming endless in its crevices and walls that inhabited its center.

A maze?

Link smiled. A puzzle. Perhaps he’d find something useful in its center. He wondered what Hylia might have left for him here. Perhaps he’d missed a goddess cube? It wasn’t like it made much of a difference now, but his curiosity was piqued nonetheless.

He flew directly overhead before jumping off his loftwing. As he crashed through the air, the pressure in his chest continued to build, but the thrill of skydiving overruled it. Link maneuvered his body left, right, rolled, flipped, and laughed. He loved this.

Eventually, just before he could hit the stone floor in the labyrinth, he deployed his sailcloth, letting himself gently land before looking around eagerly.

This was going to be fun.

XXX

It was getting dark.

Zelda looked out at the sky worriedly. Link had gone flying around noon. She’d let him be, as she was busy figuring out plans for the Surface, but she was growing worried now. Where could he be? She’d investigated all the usual local islands, and when the best lead she’d gotten was that someone had seen him fly beyond all of them, she started to wonder if he’d gone to the next community over.

Skyloft was their largest settlement, but not their only one. Still, if Link had visited Nestout, Loftwing Roost, or the Dragon Spire, he should’ve been back by now.

Well. Loftwing Roost might distract him more. But… maybe that was all it was.

When Zelda asked Groose to help her investigate to cover more air, though, it quickly became apparent that he wasn’t anywhere they knew.

“You think he went to the Surface?” Groose asked as they looked out at the vast expanse from the Dragon Spire. It was the farthest out island in the usual communities, and it boasted the most dangerous territory.

That would be the most likely explanation, Zelda supposed. But Link didn’t usually go down there alone. “I guess…”

“Don’t worry, Zelda,” Groose assured her with an easy wave of his hand. “Airhead probably lost track of time or something. I can check Faron and the Sealed Temple, you go back to Skyloft.”

Telling Zelda not to worry about Link was the most pointless venture imaginable, but she didn’t bother correcting Groose. Instead, she nodded, watching him take off on his loftwing before looking back out at the sky.

He wouldn’t… why would he go to the Surface alone?

Zelda squinted at nothing, wondering, listening. She tried to focus, tried to remember how to use magic to track others. She’d been able to do it before, back when…

Closing her eyes, she inhaled and exhaled steadily. The world around her changed, pulsing and colorful and tasting of sensations she couldn’t even describe. Everything felt so alive. Her loftwing chirped a little, fluffing and rubbing her beak against Zelda’s face.

“You can sense it too,” she whispered, eyes still closed, feeling the connection to her partner.

Her loftwing chirped a little, feathers flattening in anticipation. Then she took off, and Zelda dove after her, and they were as one as they tore into the farther expanses of the Great Sky.

With the cloud barrier gone, daylight lasted a little longer, allowing Zelda more time to fly. But she knew she wouldn’t make it back to Skyloft before dark. She would either have to make camp somewhere or risk flying in an environment she was still not entirely trained to navigate.

Instinct drove both her and her loftwing forward, tracing Link’s presence. When they neared a squared shaped island, her loftwing circled it, indicating that this had to be their destination.

What in the world was Link doing here?

Furrowing her brow in determination and trying to ignore the gnawing worry in her gut, Zelda leapt off her bird and descended into the stony structure below. She maneuvered her body as her eyes scanned different passages from above, honing in on a feeling that chewed at her fraying nerves.

A speck. Small, still, green.

Her eyes widened. Link.

Zelda tipped herself forward, making her body more stream lined so she could move faster. She didn’t pull out her sailcloth until she was seconds away from touching down. The harsh winds helped her steady herself, and she felt breathless as she ran to her beloved friend, who was laying motionless on the floor.

“Link!” She called, falling to her knees, voice carrying on the winds. She shook him, surprised at the heat radiating off his body.

Sick. He was sick, he was sick, they were out here in the middle of nowhere and he was sick.

Despite the gales howling, she could hear distinctive whistle and rattle, ominous and horrible and far too familiar. It sounded off rhythmically with every heave of Link’s chest, and she could see how his belly moved paradoxically to his chest, trying to assist his exhausted body in every way possible to move air.

This was bad.

What was she going to do? What could she do? Link got breathing illnesses so easily, but usually an air potion, warm food, lots of rest and even more coughing would help fix it. He’d only gotten truly, desperately sick for the first time after their adventure, and that had been from infected wounds rather than anything in his lungs. Her friend was no stranger to pneumonia, but they’d never been this far from help when it had struck.

Surely with all this wind, she could figure something out. Zelda moved to sit him up, knowing that laying as he was would do him no good. She tried not think about how there was barely any light left in the sky, how they could potentially be trapped here the entire night with few supplies.

There was no way she could fly him in this state.

Gritting her teeth, Zelda braced her feet on the ground, pulling him to sit up by his tunic and dragging him to lean against the wall so he could remain that way. Link’s head lolled with the movement, and she noticed with alarm that he looked beyond exhausted. How long had he been struggling to breathe? How much longer could he last? She’d heard nightmarish scenarios in the past, when he’d gotten particularly ill, warnings of how he had to rest, how working too hard to breathe could make one’s body give up altogether, and then nothing but forced air could save them.

Zelda dug through her pouch and then Link’s, desperate for anything that she could use. She herself was carrying a stamina fruit, and Link seemed have half of one in his pack—clear evidence that he’d been nibbling on one throughout the day in an effort to keep going.

She felt frustrated and terrified at the same time. Why would he run himself down like this? Why did he always run himself down like this?!

Her gut churned uncomfortably, guilt nibbling at the edges of her mind. You know why.

She shook her head. Then she pushed against Link, tapping his cheek. “Link. Dove, wake up. Please.”

She had no air potion to spare, but if she could just get him to wake up, she could at least feed him the last of the stamina fruit he’d been carrying. Hopefully it would help. Then perhaps she could investigate this place to find somewhere more suitable for him to rest. The sky glowed crimson, and she knew it was too late to leave this place.

Link groaned, bringing her some relief, though his breathing still sounded wretched. Sluggishly, his eyes fluttered open. There was hardly any recognition in them - he was exhausted.

Zelda held the stamina fruit out in front of him, having peeled it into smaller pieces. “Eat.”

He took each piece one by one from her, chewing slowly. A flush returned to his pale face, and he stared at her for what felt like half a minute before seeming to come to himself. “Z-Zel…?”

He could hardly get her nickname out for all the rattling in his lungs. Zelda could hardly breathe just listening to it. “We need to get you out of here, Link. Get you somewhere warmer.”

Was there even anywhere warmer on this island? Was there an indoor area at all? The place looked strangely familiar, but she couldn’t place why - she’d definitely never been here before.

Oh. That meant… she knew why.

Looking around, she tried to recall something, anything of whatever memories Hylia had to show her. But try as she might, she couldn’t recall this place.

Perhaps exploring wasn’t the option right now. Perhaps they just needed to hunker down and deal with it where they were. But the more she thought about it, the more she was certain that she could find a centralized location, which would be far better shelter for Link in his state.

“You think you can glide with me?” She asked, raising her voice to be heard over the wind.

Link tried to reply and instead fell into a coughing fit. It was a wretched sound, heavy with phlegm but not able to move anywhere. He clutched his chest, grimacing a little, and nodded.

That was not reassuring. “Link. I can’t carry you, don’t lie to me if you can’t do it!”

Link swallowed, sitting up a little straighter, more energized after the stamina fruit. “I… I think I can. J-just… not for long.”

That meant she had to figure out the route first.

Zelda went to work quickly, hugging Link and whispering in his ear that she would be back. He slumped against her, letting himself rest in her arms, and it made her heart ache. She wanted to just stay and hold him, to protect him and let him find some relief in her, but she had to figure this out quickly, while there was just enough light left.

With another promise of coming back quickly, she pulled away, leaping into the air. The wind smacked against her, and she quickly pulled out her sailcloth to let it guide her around the walls of the labyrinth. She tried to go by instinct, remembering each turn, at one point rising above all of it to get an overhead view. Eventually, she found the central area, which promised some relief from the harsh winds. It wasn’t hard to retrace her path, and she quickly found Link once more.

Her beloved was asleep again, shoulders rising and falling with his breaths in an attempt to help air move as best it could. It was an ominous sign, and Zelda felt nauseous at the sight of it. She nudged him awake, gave him half of the stamina fruit she herself was carrying, and helped him stand.

Link was unnervingly shaky on his feet, but he again insisted he could handle it. She had him hold her hands to ensure his grip was tight enough to hold the sailcloth and maneuver. Although he clamped down on her hands with enough strength to prove his point, she still worried.

There wasn’t much else she could do, though. She just kept assuring herself that if he slipped, she’d dive down below the maze with him and call her loftwing. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d caught him in midair (she tried not to guiltily think of the last time that happened).

Together, the pair stood at the edge of the platform and then Zelda counted down quickly so Link wouldn’t lose what little strength the stamina fruit had given him. Her heart nearly stopped when they jumped together, eyes never leaving Link, but he managed to hold on as his sailcloth rode the winds around them. Zelda had to lead at that point, but her head felt like it was constantly swiveling to keep track of her friend while they moved through the air.

The journey back to the center felt infinitely longer this time around, but they made it nonetheless. Link’s knees completely buckled when he landed, and though he tried to wrap himself in the sailcloth Zelda had gifted him so he wouldn’t lose it in the wind, but it slipped through his slack fingers as he felt. Zelda caught it as nearly an afterthought as she rushed to help him to the ground.

She pulled Link to her, letting him sit up against her chest so he could breathe better. “Link, what were you thinking coming out here when you were sick?”

Link’s breath rattled in reply as he grew limp with exhaustion. Zelda just buried her face in his shoulder, feeling his head loll against hers.

This was going to be a long night.

Zelda prayed to Farore for help as she counted Link’s breaths. Time crawled by, agonizing in its length as Link’s entire body heaved. As the sky grew black, and the stars twinkled in their excellent fervor, her beloved’s breathing eased a little, having recovered from flying. However, he coughed often, in harsh, horrible fits that hardly moved what it should, and those left him completely depleted. Zelda would rock back and forth, taking him with her, strengthening her back so he could sit against her as tall as possible, watching his ribs become more prominent as the night progressed.

Just when it felt like this nightmare could never end, the stars started to hide behind a shroud of pale pink, and Zelda thanked all three of the ancient goddesses that they’d survived the night.

The instant she determined it was light enough, she leapt over the nearest edge and called her loftwing. When she flew over the maze, she saw Link’s crimson companion circling the area, trilling worriedly. She wondered if he’d been there the entire night - she hadn’t heard him. She probably should have looked, but she was too terrified to think straight. In either case, she whistled sharply at him.

Link’s loftwing eyed her. Zelda whistled again. No loftwing was obligated to listen to someone who wasn’t it’s bonded partner, but Zelda and Link were close enough now that their birds would occasionally tolerate commands from each other, and Link’s intelligent friend could tell he needed help. Crimson followed Zelda and Indigo as they dove towards the center. It hardly had enough space for a loftwing, but Crimson spotted Link and maneuvered easily into place, swooping in and grabbing him with frightening precision.

Zelda hoped the position wouldn’t make Link’s breathing intolerable. But they didn’t have any other option.

The pair flew back to Skyloft at breakneck speed - the other settlements didn’t have the same medical care that Skyloft did. Zelda rushed to Link when his loftwing gently placed him on the ground.

Her friend was awake, cheeks flushed, hair a mess, and he clutched his chest. Zelda slid to her knees beside him. “How are you feeling?”

“I’ve had… better flights…” he huffed with a tired smirk.

Zelda wanted to punch him. “This isn’t the time for joking! What were you thinking yesterday?!”

“I… didn’t think… it was…” Link tried to argue only to have to pause to catch his breath, bracing his hands against his legs and leaning forward a little.

Zelda’s worries overrode her frustration, and she waved down the first person she saw, as many had noticed their arrival. Pipit and Groose both came running, as well as Professor Owlan. Thankfully Pipit had an air potion, and the relief on Link’s face was immediately apparent.

Zelda let the men take Link back to his room in the academy, giving them a moment before she checked on him. She found him sitting up against multiple donated pillows, two air potions at his bedside table, bundled up and in comfortable clothes. She smiled in relief, feeling her own chest steadily unclench at the sight.

She offered a quick thanks to Farore before kneeling on the floor and resting her arms and head on the bed. She was exhausted.

She felt Link’s fingers run through her hair before he settled his hand over the back of her head. “Zel…?”

Zelda reached blindly, fingers finding Link’s tunic before she jabbed his chest with her finger. “Don’t. Do that. Again.”

Link let out a sheepish huff. “Sorry, love.”

“This isn’t—your journey is over, and—Link, why—” Zelda shot yo, suddenly agitated, tears stinging in her eyes.

Link looked adequately schooled and apologetic, clearly upset that he’d worried her. “Zelda, I… I’m sorry. I just… I’m used to… to pushing through it. I don’t notice sometimes.”

Used to pushing through it. Zelda felt guilt crush her. She knew why he was used to it.

“Please rest,” Link requested softly. “I’ll be right here. I promise.”

Zelda sighed, reaching over to stroke his cheek. “Only if you rest too.”

Link nodded, offering a tired smile. Zelda wasn’t inclined to kiss him since he was sick, but she gently hugged him instead.

She still worried this would happen again, though.

[archerlullaby]

Hello friends! It’s been a long while since I posted, but here’s a piece based off of @kikker-oma ‘s incredible whumptober art! Go check it out!

Sky is tired. So tired. Tired of walking, tired of how his lungs burn when the forest grows thick, tired of how his callouses tore after the fifth time he raised it in battle today. Tired of—

“Pick up your feet Sky. By what Wild says, we won’t make it to Necluda if we keep going at this pace.”

Warriors pats him on the back and moves ahead of him without even so much as a glance. Sky closes his eyes in agitation but sighs his annoyance away. You’re the peacemaker. The peacemaker is calm. The peacemaker smiles. You don’t get upset with your brothers, especially when they’re just trying to help. “Sky! What’d I tell you? Hurry it up!” Warriors’s voice breaks through his calming mantra and Sky grits his teeth.

“Yes! Coming!” He picks up his feet, catching up with the group with a wheeze he hides in his sleeve.

The sun grows hot, and though the surface world of Wild’s land is beautiful, it seems to have a personal vendetta against Sky’s lungs. Having spent most of his life up in the Skyloft where the airborne irritants are few, this forest full of different flowers, trees, and grasses is a far throw from what his lungs are used to. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t take long until he feels that oh-so familiar band tightening around his chest. He focuses his breaths, trying to ignore the urge to cough, to yawn, to do anything to get more air in his chest so that the group doesn’t catch on.

“If you’re having trouble breathing, Sky, you should loosen your sailcloth. It likely doesn’t help being tied around your neck like that,” Warriors says, shooting him a backwards glance as if to say “I can hear you choking on the very air you breathe, dumbass.” Sky smiles thinly and tugs at the knot, loosening it slightly. Obviously that wasn’t what he meant. Warriors is just trying to help, as always, Sky chides himself.

“Right as always, Captain. Thank you.”

“Hmmm,” Warriors replies, giving Sky a quick once-over with a raised brow before turning forward again. Sky grits his teeth, hanging back away from the group to gather his thoughts and squash the buzz of annoyance that has once again invaded his headspace.

Master, I detect a rise in blood pressure and slight emotional instability. I suggest you take a break.

Fi’s voice echoes in his head and, unlike the usual calming affect her voice has, it only serves to muddle his thoughts.

“Now’s not the time, Fi,” Sky mutters.

On the contrary, master. There is a high probability of both your physical and mental health deteriorating further if you do not rest soon.

Sky merely groans inwardly and puts his focus into making one foot go in front of the other, which would be a relatively easy task had Warriors not fallen back to walk astride him.

“Sky, I think we need to work a little on proper hand care. A warrior is only as effective with a blade as his hands are capable of holding it, and I can tell that yours are hurting,” Warriors chides gently. The buzzing in Sky’s head gets louder.

“I’ll keep that in mind, thanks,” he replies stiffly. Warriors huffs.

“You’re not taking me seriously.”

“Now is not a good time, Wars.”

“Well, forgive me for trying to help you!” Warriors throws his hands in the air dramatically. “Listen. I’m just worried about you. I can tell you’re in pain, and I have a lot of experience with—”

Sky stops in his tracks, allowing the group to move ahead, leaving him alone with the other man. The annoyance that has been simmering all day suddenly ignites into something hotter. “Oh, and I don’t have experience?” He says, his voice low. Warriors looks at him with surprise, then rolls his eyes.

“Goddesses, Sky, don’t be ridiculous, you know that’s not what I meant. What’s with you?”

“What’s with me? What’s with you?”

Warriors opens his mouth to retort but Time’s voice rings out from ahead.

“It’s a dangerous place to fall behind!” Time says, the warning clear. Warriors gives one last look at Sky before turning on his heel and stalking back towards the group. Sky knew it was foolish to get in a fight over something so meaningless, but he was just so damn exhausted. He put a shaky hand to his chest and took a too-shallow breath. Can’t think straight. Can’t breathe right. Apparently I can't even take care of myself, according to Mr. High and Mighty, Sky thinks bitterly.

When he finally gathers himself enough to continue walking, the group is far enough ahead to where he can’t discern who is talking. Unease shoots through him and he begins to jog to catch up, but doubles over in a fit of coughing in just a few measly steps. When it finally subsides, he wipes the spittle from the edges of his mouth with one hand, his other supporting himself on his knee. With a groan of exasperation, he tries to blink away the spots in his vision

Master, behind—

“SKY!”

Sky looks up blearily to see Wild sprinting at him with a familiar glint in his eye just in time for a spear to imbed itself into the ground less than six inches from his boot. He has the right sense to throw himself to the side just as a Lizalfos’s tail sweeps the air right where his legs were a moment ago. Still recovering from his coughing fit, he wheezes as his hand reaches for the Master Sword, easily pulling the blade from the sheathe but not without throwing him off balance as he backpeddles away from the long reach of the monster’s spear. He lands on his back on the forest floor, bringing the sword up to defend himself best he could as the Lizalfos jumps on top of him.

Before it could complete its attack, a blur of royal blue body slams the creature off of him, both figures tumbling to ground with a thud. Twilight is not far behind, pulling Wild up with a single hand as the duo faces off with the creature. A hand tugs Sky up to his feet.

“Are you injured?” Time’s steady voice cuts through the air. Sky merely shakes his head, turning to help Twilight and Wild, but finds that the two have already dealt the final blow. Wild flicks his sword expertly to clean his blade, a grin on his face as Twilight glowers at him.

“Seriously? You have almost every weapon in the books and yet you still choose to tackle it?” Twilight baps Wild upside the head before chuckling. “Black-blooded too? You’re a maniac.”

Sky shoots Wild a shaky smile.

“Thanks, champ. I was in a bad way,” he says quietly. Wild merely shrugs.

“Sure thing. Also, we should keep moving. Where there’s one, there’s more,” he replies, before pointing and walking back to the path. “We’re only about an hour out. We can get to a safe part of the woods before the sun sets.”

The group follows Wild and Sky falls into line, acutely aware of how Warriors has not said a single word through the entire ordeal. The adrenaline wears off, leaving Sky feeling worse than he was before.

Just as Wild promised, they reach a clearing just as the sun touches the horizon. With a groan, Wind drops his pack and flops onto the ground.

“Ughh! My feet are falling off!” Wind exclaims, voice muffled by the grass. Sky watches as Warriors approaches the youngest and laughs, squatting beside the boy and ruffling his hair.

“Oh, come on, sailor! You could’ve asked me to carry you! Or we could have slowed it down a bit!” Warriors grins down at Wind.

Outrage. Slowed down a bit? Anger shoots through Sky as he hears Warriors continue to talk to Wind. Where was that sympathy when I couldn’t breathe? When he knew I was struggling?

Master, your heart rate has jumped to 115 beats per minute, an increase of 64.23 percent from two minutes ago. Sitting down would be a logical course of action.

“Yes. Yep. Sitting down, thanks Fi,” Sky makes out through gritted teeth. Taking off his armor and setting the Master Sword aside, he does his best to breathe. Rolling up his sleeves, he basks in the cooling air. He sits with eyes closed, face towards the darkening forest, listening to the sounds of the coming night, the crickets chirping, the frogs croaking. All is well. All is well and you are calm. You are the peacemaker…

“—Do not believe he should take watch tonight. I am not confident in his line of thinking right now,” Warriors’s voice cut through Sky’s meditation. Sky’s eyes snap open as he tunes in to what was clearly supposed to be a private conversation. Not confident?

“Can you check on him?”

“Time, I don’t think that’s a good idea. He clearly wants to be alone, and to be honest, I don’t feel like holding a conversation with him right now.”

“Warriors—”

“Don’t, Time. He’s been off all day, and there are already tensions between us. And with that stunt he pulled earlier? I already told him once to catch up. His lackadaisical actions could’ve gotten people hurt, or worse. Something has to change. I’m trying to figure out what to do with him.”

Sky heard Time say something in return, but the anger that had clouded his mind blocked it out. He rose slowly, turning towards the two with rage written across his face. Time notices him first and places a hand on Warriors’s shoulder.

“What to do with me?” He hisses, stalking towards Warriors.

“Sky—” Warriors starts, tugging out of Time’s grasp.

“What to do with me?” Sky stops nearly chest-to-chest with the other man. “What am I? A child?”

“No, Sky, that’s not—”

“Or maybe I’m one of your soldiers that you can command? Is that it, Captain?”

Warriors’s gaze darkens. “Well then, maybe, if it would help you get your head out of the clouds, perhaps it would be best to start thinking like the knight you are, Skyloftian,” he replies.

Sky was breathing hard, his wheezing starting to come back. Fi chimes from where he left her, but he ignores her warning. “You have been on my ass all day! There is no doing anything right with you is there? Because you’re always so perfect!”

“I’ve been helping you all day, because you clearly need it! Maybe you should use that head of yours to listen!”

“I don’t need your help!” Sky’s voice has risen, drawing attention from the others. Time merely stands aside with crossed arms, electing to let the two men settle their differences. “I don’t need you to tell me how fast to walk, I don’t need you to tell me how to take care of myself, I don’t need your two-sense on if I am capable of standing watch or not!”

“Is that so? Then explain to me how you got yourself trapped under the spear of a Lizalfos if not for you and your lack of ability to think for yourself?” Warriors spits.

Rage makes Sky’s mind go blank. He shoves the other man before gathering his tunic in his fist, pulling Warriors towards him, their faces mere inches apart. Sky could feel angry tears burning his eyes, and he was angry, so angry, and so, so tired.

“I’m getting real tired of you treating me like the village idiot, Captain!” Sky snarls.

Warriors’s hand wraps easily around Sky’s wrists, pressing bruises into the skin as he leans forward, his face red with anger. “You are way out of line, Chosen,” he snarls and yanks on Sky’s arm, which doesn’t budge. “You need to step back before I make you.”

Chosen? I’ll show you chosen, is Sky’s last conscious thought before he raises his lips in a snarl.

“Make me.”

M-STR…N-ED…TO…CA-M…DOWN!

Fi’s voice rings and reverberates in his head, but he chooses to ignore it as the hair on his neck and arm rise, the buzzing in his head deafening. He fails to see how Warriors’s eyes change from anger to fear, or how he tries to pry Sky’s fist from his tunic. He is aware of yelling, and then Warriors is ripped from his grip and a strong pair of arms is encompassing his chest. A sharp pop fills the air, then silence, and the next thing he knows he’s gazing up at a sky full of stars, something hard at his back. There is an odd energy in the air, and it smells of ozone. Ozone? Oh…oh no. Oh no, no, no, what have I done?

“Ow.”

A voice in his ear snaps Sky out of his panic. “Time?”

“That’s me,” Time’s voice replies.

Sky scrambles off of him and turns, his hands ghosting over the other man.

“Did…did I burn you anywhere? Does your head feel okay? Oh, I’m so, so sorry!” Sky exclaims, tears springing to his eyes. Time merely chuckles from where he lays on the ground.

“I’m fine Sky. But maybe I won’t wear my armor next time you call electricity forth from your person,” he says with a wince as he sits up.

“I’m sorry!”

“It’s okay.”

“No, I really—”

“Sky.” Time stands and grabs him by the shoulders. “Don’t apologize to me. Gather yourself, and when you’re ready, go to Warriors. I believe a calm conversation would do you good. As adults.” Sky nods. Time looks at him skeptically. “And I reiterate, as adults,” he says again, raising an eyebrow.

“Yes, I understand,” Sky murmurs, “Thank you.” Times nods and moves away, gesturing at the others to go about their business. Warriors is nowhere to be seen.

Sky makes his way over to his space, laying out his sleeping roll, gently refusing the food Wild brings to him (until Wild shoves it in his face with an unsettling glare), and apologizes to Fi for not heeding her warning. She chimes quietly in response, never one to hold a grudge. After several hours into the night, Sky still can’t sleep despite Fi’s gentle plea to get some rest, so he stands and searches the camp for Warriors. Legend, who is on watch, glances at Sky then simply juts his chin towards the edge of the camp, towards a large stump at the woodline. Sky smiles his thanks.

Gathering his courage, Sky walks towards the stump. On the other side, he can see the top of a blond head and a familiar blue scarf. Sky pauses just before reaching the stump.

“May I…join you?” Sky asks softly. Warriors merely gestures a spot next to him on the grass. Sky settles next to him, and they sit in silence for a while until Wars breaks it.

“So. Lightning,” he says. Sky winces inwardly.

“Oh…yeah. It’s a long story,” he replies, “And not a very happy one, unfortunately,” he adds quietly. Warriors nods understandingly. Silence again.

“Warriors—”

“It’s okay Sky.”

“No—”

“I should be the one apologizing to you,” Wars finally turns and faces him, regret in his eyes. “I was insensitive. Uncaring. I knew that you were being hurt by my words and I didn’t stop.”

Sky shook his head. “I was too lost in my own emotions to see that I was losing control. I almost hurt you out of anger. I hurt Time,” he sighs, resting his head in his hands. “You’re right. Sometimes I am too undisciplined to call myself a knight.”

Warriors shoves his shoulder. “None of that. We all have our moments. Yours wouldn’t have happened had I not been such a moblin-headed idiot,” he declares. “But truly. I am so very sorry, Sky. I was on edge already from traveling in Wild’s world and I took it out on you.”

Sky nods. “Thank you. And I’m sorry as well. For almost, you know…”

“Electrocuting me?”

Sky nods again.

“Eh. I deserved it,” Warriors chuckles. A smile pulls at the edges of Sky’s mouth and they fall into a comfortable silence. Warrior’s arm falls across Sky’s shoulders and he pulls him into a hug.

“You’re still my brother. You know that?” Wars mumbles into Sky’s hair.

“And you’re mine,” Sky replies softly, melting into the embrace as tears prick at his eyes for the third time that day. “I love all of you to death,” he adds.

“Yeah, we’re pretty great, huh?” The other laughs quietly, Sky chuckling in return.

They stay like that for a long while. The night grows colder and the moon is high in the cloudless sky, the stars dancing far above the canopy of trees below. Sky feels his eyelids grow heavy, the warm embrace lulling him into sleep until Warriors nudges him to sit up.

“You should go back to your bedroll and get some real sleep. I know you’re exhausted,” he tells Sky.

“Dn wnna mve,” Sky mumbles in response.

“Huh?”

“Try to move me again and I will strike you with lightning,” He says, cracking an eye open and glaring halfheartedly at Warriors, who laughs in response.

“Alright, alright! Sleep well, Sky,” he whispers. A beat. “And for what it’s worth, I love you too. You lot are the best family I could ever ask for.”

Sky smiles, pulling the soft fabric of the scarf over his shoulder, and falling into a dreamless sleep.

[maple-the-awesome]

When Another Finds Out About His Crush Part 2/3

Part 1 || Part 3

Pairings: Sky, Time, Twilight x GN Reader

Overview: What happens when someone else in the Chain finds out about his feelings towards you?

Zelda Masterlist 💙 Fandom Masterlist

Sky is arguably one of the most passive Links in the chain. Laid back, often tired, and a ‘dripping optimistic’ (as Legend once complained), it would be easy to forget that he's the one who had gone face-to-face with a demon god before. His ability to be cheerful and kind is not something he takes lightly, though, so with that in mind, he's reeeally trying to bite back his irritation right now and keep smiling.

Sky was in such a good mood earlier today - better than usual - because yesterday afternoon, the group had found themselves in his Hyrule - Skyloft, to be exact. That means that he's not only been temporarily reunited with his friends and the world he knows best, but that he also gets to show it all off to his new companions as well. Stretching the meaning even further, this translates to him finally getting to show you around his home!

He was overjoyed when you agreed to a personal tour of Skyloft. You'd get to see where he's grown up, meet his people, and (hopefully) fall just as in love with this little island as he is until you (maybe) decide you might actually like to move here yourself. That's why he promised to show you everything and to have a wonderful afternoon together. Just him, you...and Wind.

Oh, Wind...Why couldn't he be more like the others, so worn and drained of energy that the very last thing they wanted was to be dragged around an entire island all day with an unusually (and scarily) vibrant Sky who woke up before noon for once? Why couldn't Wind have just taken the hint when Sky tried to divert his attention, doing his best to turn down the young pirate's requests to tag along without downright saying 'no' because at that point, it would've gained suspicion from everyone else, tempting them to ask why you, out of all of them, get a private tour of Skyloft?

Don't get him wrong: Sky is by no means ashamed of his feelings. They're only natural especially when faced with such beauty. He just wants his confession to be on his own terms, not due to some likely inappropriate jokes that would come from some of the other boys' teasing (particularly from the likes of Legend or Warrior). In his mind, he's decided that you deserve something romantic and sweet - a tender moment shared between only the two of you so that you may understand his affections without any pressure to agree to them. It just...takes a bit of courage to finally plan that moment out is all, but he'll be sure to tell you some day...Someday when Wind isn't around to play the role of an awkward third wheel…

Wind clearly means well. He’s still young - a child even, some would say despite his objections. It isn't necessarily his fault that he's running around asking question after question about Skyloft or that he likes to call your attention to anything he's found that can be deemed 'cool'. It isn't your fault either that you answer to his beckoning, simply being the caring person that you are. Now, Sky would also argue that it isn't his fault for being so jealous right now, but if he truly believed that, there probably wouldn't be even a hint of shame in his heart like there currently is.

He's reeeally doing his best to keep positive. You look so adorable playing with a litter of remlit kittens. His only critique is that he wishes to be the one sitting next to you in the place of that pirate. Instead, he sits a few feet away, his chin against his palm as he huffs bitterly for what feels like the hundredth time, the childish side of him hoping you'll hear and inquire about what's on his mind, yet once again, you don't. You're too busy squealing over the fluffy little creatures who curl up on top of your lap for a nice nap. For Hylia's Sake! Even those little gremlins are luckier than him!

As a more rational person would point out, there's nothing actually preventing Sky from sitting next to you, after all, Wind is to your right and there's plenty of room to your left if he just moves the remlit mother laying there. A few scratches would be worth your company surely, but no, Sky would rather mope here alone, waiting rather (extremely) impatiently for the moment you stand to dust yourself off.

"Alright! I think the longer I sit here, the less strength I'll have to leave and I'm really looking forward to seeing the rest of Skyloft while we're here, so what's next, knight?" At long last, your glowing eyes finally bless Sky with your attention, your joyful smile almost instantly making him forget about his previous dread.

"We haven't seen my loftwing yet. Wanna meet him?"

He didn't think it was possible for your eyes to get any brighter, however he stands corrected, "Do I!"

There's no way Sky could ever let you down, so he wastes no time leading you to the edge of the island where he calls his loftwing. Perhaps due to the surprise of not having seen his master in months, the large bird appears swiftly, announcing his arrival with a loud 'squawk' before gracefully landing on the platform in front of you.

You're in awe, as Sky had hoped, unable to tear your eyes away from the shimmer of the loftwing's crimson feathers which are just as impressive as your friend has described to you. Unfortunately, before he can comment on your amazement, he’s reminded once again that the two of you aren't the only ones here. In seconds of the loftwing landing, Wind's presence is once again made apparent, "WOAH! He's so cool! This is how you get around these islands? I wish I had a bird to explore the sky with - I mean, I prefer keeping to the sea with the company of a good ship - but just to see what's above the clouds or to go over large mountains instead of around would be awesome!"

"Wind's right! To be among the clouds and see the world from a bird's eye view...What I wouldn't give to see that - Although, I'm sure you're pretty accustomed to flying yourself, huh Sky -?" Your smile disappears when you look back to your friend only to finally notice his pout. You don't think you've ever seen him look so upset aside from whenever he's 'woken up too early', "...Hey, are you alright? What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." He grumbles, however the worry never leaves you nor does the frown. It feels like a stab to his heart, reminding him of how unfair he's truly being today. Wind is his friend who’s merely expressing interest in his home and culture. It isn't like he's purposely trying to step on Sky's toes or be an annoyance, he's just having fun during one of their rare days off. As for you, you've been looking forward to seeing Skyloft ever since you first learned of it. You deserve to have a nice day to relax and fulfill your wish, not have it bittered because of Sky's selfish mood. He should be ashamed of himself for not valuing his time with you as it is, alone or not.

"...I can always take you flying, you know?"

"Really?!"

He nods, giving a more genuine smile than the forced ones he's worn previously today, "It sounds like we'll be staying here for the rest of the day. I'm sure we could squeeze in some time later -"

"- Why don't you just go now?" Wind quizzes with a perked eyebrow, making Sky flinch.

Despite deciding that he'll no longer be jealous or annoyed with the younger boy, he finds himself fearful over the idea of being stuck in the sky for hours with him. Yes, his loftwing can technically carry the weight of all three of you, but how awkward would that be? He'd much rather wait and find a moment to sneak off with you later than somehow become the third wheel on his own non-official date, "Uh, n-no. Not right now. I'm sure you two want to keep going with the tour, so -"

"- Actually I was gonna head back anyway," Wind mentions with a casual shrug, surprising Sky, "It's almost lunch and last time I was late, Wild gave me cold soup. Good soup isn't meant to be cold! Never again!"

Sky hesitates, perhaps expecting Wind to actually change his mind once he agrees to take you on a flight, however to his continued surprise, the Sailor doesn't.

"As much as I've been loving the tour, I wouldn't mind cutting some time off of it for a tour of the sky instead," You add, innocently fluttering your eyelashes in hopes that it will be a good enough argument.

“O-Oh? Then I’m sure going now would be fine. If Wind could update the others so that they don’t get worried looking for us?” A blushing Sky glances to the boy in question who eagerly nods and, for a second, the knight almost sighs aloud in relief.

Pleased with this, you happily turn your attention away from the two to pet the loftwing who leans into your touch, “You wouldn’t mind giving us a ride, right buddy? It would be greatly appreciated.”

Sky’s smile is hardly hidden as he lovingly watches you interact with his beloved loftwing, although he is quickly torn away from the moment by Wind’s sudden voice. He didn’t even realize the boy hadn’t left yet, "You know, just because I'm the youngest doesn't mean I'm blind, right? If you wanted to take them on a date, you should've just said something back at the Academy."

Sky stammers in response, whipping his head around to face the boy as he finally runs off while waving back at you both. Of course, Sky doesn't miss the mischievous smirk he wears, "Have fun you two!"

"’you sure you’re alright, knight?" You ask once finally joined by your friend, noticing the slight red to his cheeks as he wobbles on over, "If you aren't feeling well, we don't have to go today."

"No, I'm fine…'just not the biggest fan of pirates sometimes."

Time has encountered his fair share of mountains - both literally and figuratively, although the former applies here. He's hiked up the steepest of trails where his knees nearly touch the ground and has traced enough cliff edges for the fear to feel numb. Now, that doesn't mean he doesn't get tired or has ever stopped grumbling inside at the sight of such challenges, but he's learned to keep all complaints internal, after all whining has never fixed a problem...If only these boys would learn the same lesson.

There is no silence between the howls of the wind and the dramatic moaning that follows behind him. It's become apparent that not all heroes are as accustomed to trekking over slopes as he is, although that doesn't earn them much sympathy. They're all capable young men who have held their own against even the most fearsome of monsters, so he expects they won't be waving any white flags in defeat to mother nature.

Some are clearly doing better than others in the sense of swallowing their own misery. Wild leads a few yards ahead of the group, arguably faring the best even in comparison to Time which can be blamed on his adaptability gained from his own travels (or the climbing armor he currently wears; a mix of both?).

Warrior and Twilight follow closest behind Time. Every once in a while Warrior will mumble something about being hot to which Twilight will grumble for him to take off his scarf then. Sometimes they bicker beyond that, sometimes Warrior merely huffs and wordlessly adjusts his scarf to be looser around his neck. Although he doesn't spare the Rancher much concern, he seems to find joy in picking on the poor trio who heave behind them - Legend, Hyrule, and four - once making a smug comment about their 'short legs'. Legend would've no doubt whacked or thrown something at him if he wasn't so worn out at the moment.

Sky and Wind follow the three, seeming to lean on each other for support as they whine of burning lungs. While not fully out of their realm, the poor Hylians aren't as used to traveling in the same way as the others, often having the luxury of a loftwing or boat to carry them across the furthest of distances.

Then there's you...At the very back of the line, silent aside from your huffs and puffs, but struggling nevertheless. You’re completely out of your realm here, not having a background comparable to any of the boys, really. You've done hikes, you've walked around town, and maybe you've taken part in some races before, however none of those compare to the exact workout you're currently being subjected to.

You're tired, sweaty, and your legs shake with every step, threatening to collapse at any moment as they curse you for your resistance, but you say nothing of it aloud nor do you complain whenever looking up to see this damn mountain just keeps going and going...Truthfully, you're not sure how much longer you'll be able to drag yourself forward, however you refuse to admit defeat in fear of being thought any less of by the heroes you travel with. You refuse to be their burden and you refuse to act as any kind of annoyance to Time who's obviously wanting to reach the other side sooner than later.

Words can say a lot, but appearances can sometimes say more. It only takes one look at you to see your distress as you stray further and further behind the others, none of whom notice except for Sky who offers aid you brush off and Time who stops at the top of a slope to watch you sympathetically. He may hold the boys to high standards given their titles as heroes, however he understands that doing so to you, at least to the exact extent, would be unfair if not plain cruel.

“Let’s take a break here.”

A chorus of relieved sighs and praises to Hylia follow save for Wild who keeps marching onward until looking back in confusion once he finally notices the group is no longer following his example.

You’re particularly happy to be presented with the gift of rest. Unlike the others who at least have the decency to walk off trail and step into some shade, you collapse to your knees right where you formerly stood, taking a few heavy breathes there before shamelessly crawling under a nearby tree yourself.

“...How much further do we have?” You manage to ask Sky at last after regaining some of your breath. His hesitance is answer enough, causing you to groan.

“The trip down will be much easier than going up,” Time approaches, speaking before the knight can. You notice that he eyes you specifically, “...But we can take another break at the peak once we get there.”

“Thank you Goddesses!” Wind cries - literally, you think there might be tears in his eyes - and it seems that everyone else in the group shares similar thoughts as they relax a bit more, however to Time’s surprise, you no longer share their cheer.

You look down at your sprawled out legs and narrow your eyes as if they’ve done something terrible to you, “...We don’t need to take another break after this one. If we keep stopping, we’ll never reach the base before sundown.”

“Then we make camp on the mountain after going as far as we can in daylight. The terrain might be different than what we’re used to, but we’ll get by.”

“That wasn’t in the original plan.”

“I underestimated the distance we’d be covering. It’s not a massive overwrite -”

“- And it’s one you don’t have to make for my sake,” You click your tongue in annoyance when Time merely blinks at you in wide eyes; the face of mocked innocence that displays his surprise over you having discovered his true motives…as if they were ever that well hidden, “I’m not blind, you know? I can see what you’re doing - you all do the same. I’m not a seasoned traveler like the rest of you, I get it, but that doesn’t mean you have to treat me as such. I can keep up without anyone babying me or, Hylia forbid, thinking any less of me.”

Your last words are mumbled bitterly under your breath, yet Time picks up on the slight sorrow behind them which goes straight to his heart and softens it greatly.

"I don't think any less of you?”

"Clearly you do," You huff, although your eyes focus on the ground sadly as you complain quietly, "You ignored everyone else except for me. When they fall behind, you tell them to keep up. When I fall behind, you stop the world to wait. It’s ‘cause you think I can’t possibly keep up, isn’t it? …You pity me..."

Time frowns deeply at this, wanting so desperately for you to understand that isn't the case. It pains him greatly to hear you believe he looks down upon you. If anything, it's the opposite. Everyone else here has had life experience to train them. You haven’t. So what? That isn’t a bad thing, in fact he thinks it’s wonderful that you haven’t been subjected to the same horrors that he had grown up with. You are a kind and strong soul who deserves nothing but the best in life instead of being beaten down. The very last thing Time would want would be to cause you suffering of any form even if it’s just a bit of exhaustion on a simple hike.

"You weren't able to get up the mountain in one go. So what?" Warrior invites himself into the conversation with a roll of his eyes, his arms crossed over his chest as he makes his way over, “That doesn't mean anyone here is ‘pitying’ you. Failure is just a part of life as is struggle. We've all encountered it. Hell, you think I would've been able to go up this mountain before I joined the military? The first time I trekked up Death Mountain, I was just as worn out as you. I've had practice since then, and one day you will, too. The important thing is that you've pressed on without arguing, complaining, or giving up. You took on this challenge bravely despite knowing it would be difficult. Getting as far as you have is crazy impressive for someone who's never done it before.”

All of the boys are quick to nod along, some adding their own compliments towards your endurance which leaves you blushing in embarrassment yet feeling touched nevertheless. The only one not to respond immediately is Time. He finds himself jealous of this, wishing he could voice his inner thoughts and admiration towards you as easily as the others do, however when you glance at him - almost as if you’re waiting expectantly for him to add a comment of his own - he loses all courage which is replaced by a heavy thumping in his heart. And here he was starting to think he had outgrown this teenage awkwardness.

“You, uh…If anything, your strength is inspiring. Try not to underestimate it. I assure you, we haven’t.”

You hum with a nod, a bit of cheer returning through your smile; a glowing look Time definitely prefers on you compared to any gloom, “Thanks…Really. It means a lot.”

Soon, the group begins their journey again and like the others, Time is ready to move onwards without anything else said, however his attention is drawn to Warrior when he could’ve sworn he heard the Captain suddenly scoff from his side. The smirk playing on the blond’s face only proves that Time’s ears are still working just fine despite their age.

“That was a good save. I think you owe me.”

“Excuse me?”

“I must say, lifting (Y/n)’s spirits by complementing their skill provided a far less awkward outcome for everyone compared to having to listen to you deny and eventually stumble over a confession - despite how long one is overdue.”

“...What are you trying to imply?” Time narrows his eye at the Captain who is hardly fazed, in fact he fights the urge to roll his eyes when looking back over his shoulder at the older hero. He can try being as intimidating as he wants, but one look at the man’s dusted red cheeks is all it takes to have Warrior smirking again.

“Ooh, I think you know, Old Man - we all do. I mean, it’s not exactly science to find out why you’re so lenient on (Y/n) and only (Y/n). ‘can’t say favoritism is the most professional for leadership to take part in, buuut it’s nice to see you lighten up a bit and actually act human for once. ‘keep scowling all the damn time and your face will get stuck like that.”

"What are you doing?"

"Huh?"

"You keep fidgeting with your tunic. I swear, you're worse than Wars."

Twilight huffs at your comment, although that doesn't stop him from slapping more dust off of himself despite how doing so wordlessly proves your point, "That's a mighty hard bar to pass, wouldn't you say?"

"Yeah, you're probably right...But seriously though, what's got you so worried all of the sudden? You act like we're about to walk into Hyrule Castle. You're a ranchhand, for crying out loud! This is where you should feel most comfortable, is it not?" While others might think you're teasing him, he knows you well enough to catch that genuine concern held within your voice. He also knows you well enough to understand that you won't be as willing to drop this topic until it's resolved.

"This isn't just any farm we're headin' to. This is the farm."

"I don't follow," but then you give it some thought, skillfully connecting the dots between Twilight's behavior and the particular home your group approaches, "...Oh...'cause it's Time's place?"

He hums in confirmation as he fights back the urge to ask you about the status of his hair, although if he does that, you'll surely roll over laughing and never let him criticize Warrior's daily 'beauty routine' again.

"Twi, it's Time! Sure, he can come across as a little...stern sometimes, but he isn't Princess Zelda! Just don't kick your muddy boots up on his table or anything like that. Follow those small town manners I know you live by and you'll be fine."

"But -"

"- Besides, I'm like, ninety-seven percent certain that Time favors you out of everyone, so you have nothing to worry about -"

"- It's not that simple!" Twilight pouts, stopping dead in his tracks which consequently causes you to do the same, "...I wanna make a good impression here. It...means a lot to me that I do…”

You sigh before stepping closer to him. There, you take his hand gently and give him an encouraging smile, "And you will. Just be yourself, Twi. There's no shame in that. You're already a great guy, after all - a model, country gentleman, if I've ever met one."

Twilight ducks his head, his cheeks burning due to your words, although luckily for his sake, if you've noticed, you don't comment on it. Instead, your attention is stolen away by the others as the group finally arrives at your long awaited destination: Lon Lon Ranch.

Normally, it would make him beyond nervous (a rambling mess, at best) to have your hand intertwined so tightly in his as you excitedly drag him along, however today can be an expectation. To feel your support quite literally in his grasp means the world to Twilight and does wonders to calm him when it comes to enter the threshold of Time’s cozy little home.

Much to Twilight’s relief, you seem to hold some type of power when it comes to predicting the future. All he had to do was simply stumble out a greeting and Time’s lovely wife, Malon, was already overjoyed to accept him, especially impressed to realize he shares a similar farming background as herself. From there, the day continues at a relaxed pace that calms Twilight’s internal worries, although the passage of time nor the many chores the boys are offered to keep busy can’t be given too much credit for that.

While it’s nice to see his brothers let loose for a day and enjoy themselves in a more domestic atmosphere than some of them have ever had the delight of knowing, Twilight finds himself glued to your side the most, particularly keen on sharing this moment with you for embarrassing reasons he’d rather keep to secret for now. As far as you should be aware, he’s excited to be meeting the closest blood relatives he’ll ever know (at least for many years to come), not that he’s also giddy that you get to meet them as well.

Twilight’s here to make a good impression with his mentor, although he finds himself inclined to soak up all your reactions to Lon Lon Ranch, in fact, he’s a bit desperate to decipher just how you’d possibly feel about one day living at a place like this yourself. You seemed unfazed by the farm chores and you’ve openly expressed to Malon your jealousy of her peaceful home which is a far cry from life in the city. Perhaps you’re only being a kind guest, although Twilight won’t let go of the idea that you might just be honest with those words, truly desiring a more easy going atmosphere he’ll happily help you build if you’ll allow him.

Although the work has been simple and laidback, you aren’t alone in your tiredness by the time day turns into night. You had been yawning already after dinner, so Twilight’s rather surprised to see you still awake when he returns from his talk with Time, your sudden whispered voice amongst the darkness actually managing to startle him slightly, “You’re back. How’d it go? Was it all you hoped for?”

Tiptoeing around those who have already fallen asleep, Twilight finds his own sleeping back while only sparing a quick, awkward glance in your direction, “Yeah…”

“Oh, come on. What did you guys talk about? Don’t leave me in suspense.”

“Nothin’...Nothin’ important.”

Although tucked into his sleeping bag with his back turned towards you, he can hear you sit up straighter and can use his imagination to see your pout, “You seriously think I’d believe that? I’ll find out one way or another, you know. In fact, I’ll start bugging you about it again first thing in the morning, so don’t sleep too comfortably, you hear?”

“Goodnight,” Thank Hylia you have no way of seeing his boyish grin or burning blush given his position and the lack of light. When you huff and lay back down to finally sleep, you allow him to drift back into his thoughts, his mind too awake for rest as he reviews his previous conversation with Time and Malon.

It went well, officially extinguishing his prior worries once and for all. The feeling in Twilight’s chest was indescribable as he listened to their pride in him, something that hit much deeper than any other direct compliments he’s received. 

As the conversation reached its end, he was sure there could be nothing else said to add fuel to those feelings, already feeling light as a feather when Malon awed with a slight giggle, “Oh, and your partner was beautiful. (Y/n), right? I’m afraid we didn’t get too much of a chance to talk today with all the excitement, but we’ll have to sit down for a private chat tomorrow. You know, in-law to in-law?”

“H-Huh? Ah, I-I’m afraid we’re not actually…together like that.”

"You're not? I could've sworn..." Malon had looked to her husband in disbelief, a point where Twilight would’ve expected his mentor to confirm his statement, after all, Time’s been journeying with you both for the last few months, so he should’ve known the truth, however he had instead shrugged with a hand placed on Malon’s shoulder.

"They're in denial still, dear."

"I suppose it runs in the family then for you boys to be easily intimidated,” Malon placed a hand on her hip with a slight shake of her head, “Link - My Link was the same way. Took it him ages to ask me to be his own -"

"- Hey now -"

"- In fact, it was me who had to take that first step,” She then stepped over to take Twilight’s hands, ignoring how bright red and caught off guard he was. Her smile - innocent yet holding a hint of mischief to it - is one he won’t forget anytime soon nor will he forget Time’s smirk in the background, “The way you look at each other doesn’t leave much to question, hon. Clearly you care for (Y/n) and it seems to me the feeling must be very much mutual given how you’ve been trailing each other all day, so try not to concern yourself too much with all those ‘if’s and ‘but’s. The sooner you leap over your nerves, the more time you’ll have to spend together. Hylia knows after everything you boys have been put through, you deserve all the happiness you can soak in.”

“It’s something you’ll regret if you let it slip through your fingers,” Time had added, pulling his wife to his side as they both smiled at each other lovingly.

Even now, their words echo in Twilight’s head and he finds it impossible to close his eyes without seeing you both in a similar position, you pulled to his side with the overwhelming feeling that everything is just right with the world so long as you’re together….‘wouldn’t be a bad thing at all…

[manitschilly]

My notes taken while reasearching the Zelda Timeline lol, mostly cannon a little headcannon in places. Also my Zelink rating aren't how much I like them it's how likely they are in the narrative.

Power: Din ->Demise->Ganondorf. The Gerudo give birth to a male every 100 years, and it's only ever been Ganon. The 100 year system got screwed though because Ganon keeps not actually dying. Pigs. Fire. Red.

Courage: Farore-> heros spirit (fierce diety?)-> Link. Only the hero's spirit is reincarnated in Link, so he's not the same person. Not related at all, except for Twilight Princess where Link is a descendant of Ocarina of Time Link. Wolves and horses. Lighting. Green.

Wisdom: Naydra -> Hylia-> Zelda. Every Zelda is actually Hylia reincarnated through a consistant bloodline. Loftwing. Ice. Blue.

-there is a void called Null

-The three goddess create the earth and the triforce, and that's their only relation to Demise, Hylia, and the heros spirit. They're not reincarnations at all, more like patrons. (Unwillingly in Dins case). Din created the land, Farore created life, and Nayru created order.

-possibly Zonai and Sonia and Rauru founding the first kingdom of Hyrule. This would imply there is a Ganon unconnected to Demise sealed for the rest of everything and a dragon Zelda floating around. Rauru and Sonias light and time magic start off the royal family.

-a long undisclosed time with robots for some reason

-A battle between the Hylia, Demise and the races in Hyrule breaks out over the Triforce. Hylia takes the Hylian kingdom into the sky to protect them, then becomes a Hylian to protect the triforce. She also created a sword with a spirit named Fi with her godly power. With Demise sealed for now, she waits to be born.

-Sheikah are probably started around here, as like a Hylia cult.

-Skyward Sword: First incartion is Skyward Sword, when Hylia chooses to be born as Zelda and chooses Link as her champion to hold the heros spirit. They fight Demise who then curses them to reincarnate forever, and establishes his own incarnation, kicking off the rest of the series. Hylia, now Zelda, is shown to use her time powers. Link, Zelda, and a few Hylians from Skyloft restart the kingdom on the surface.

Link and Zelda are in love, Zelda chosing Link specifically for that reason. This could imply that Hylia and the heros spirit are soulmates in some way, and every incarnarion after is an extension of that. They don't end up together every time, but that makes it even more beautiful and heartrenching. (Just to specify, Links aren't related so don't worry about it) 10/10 Zelink potential this shit is cannon.

Kikwi present. Impa is there as part of the Shiekah. Impa seems to be either a repeated name or a title given to Shiekah warriors meant to protect the reincarnation of Hylia, not their own incarnation.

-another very long time gap

-evil sorcerors are after the triforce which is hidden in the sacred realm. A new temple of time (after the one in Hylias time used to hide the sealed Demise and Zelda) is built around the master sword, which has been holding in Demise this whole time.

-Another long time passes. Zelda's descendants have become the royal family. Princesses are named Zelda after the original incarnation (note, they aren't all reincarnations, just named after her). There is still a lot of magic floating around the bloodline.

-sheikah are sworn to Hylias blood and therefore the royal family.

-Hyrule is again in danger, a special species called the Minish come from the sky to protect them with a special sword, which was then wielded by an incarnation of Link.

-Minish Cap: a bitch named Vaati wants light powers, turns the current Zelda (actually an incarnation, you know because there's a hero) to stone, and that times Link turns the Minish's sword into the 4-sword. Zelda is the light power source, as the light power is still in the royal family. 8/10 Zelink potential

Gorons present

-Another time skip

- Four Swords: the four-sword is used to defeat Vaati again by another Link and Zelda incarnation. 6/10 Zelink potential

- time skip

- Giant ass civil war

- shiekah go into hiding but are still used by the royal family for sketchy shit. (Queue shadow temple 'nam flash backs)

- the first actual Ganondorf is born, or the second depending on if the Zonai are before or after.

- Ocarina of Time: Ganondorf is born as king of the gerudo, and pretends to be allied with the king to gain access to the triforce which is still in the sacred realm, sealed with the master sword. This Link incarnation pulls out the master sword as a child and opens the sacred realm, allowing Ganandorf access to the Triforce, the triforce of power attaching itself to him forever. This also gave Link the triforce of Courage and Zelda the triforce of wisdom. The sacred realm becomes evil and Ganondorf is sealed in it. There's a lot of time travel and it ruins just everything.

Zora, Kokiri, Gerudo, and Gorons present.

Great deku tree dies and is reborn.

and now shit hits the fan

Fallen hero time line

- Ocarina of Time: Link freaking dies and Ganondorf wins, taking the while triforce for himself. He still gets sealed in the corrupted sacred realm, but now he has the triforce. 0/10 Zelink potential long term, as Link is dead, but like 8/10 short term.

- time passes and homies keep going into the sacred realm to get the triforce but they never come back and monsters keep coming out. The sealed it again, at great cost of life and resources

-Echoes of Wisdom: a dark being called Null that was the nothing before the three goddess's created Hyrule starts taking over Hyrule with Rifts. Zelda gets kidnapped and Link is called to save her, but immediately after gets dragged into a rift and Zelda saves Hyrule from Null, who for a second owns a piece of the Triforce. At the end Null is defeated and the Triforce is restored. 10/10 Zelink potential it was glorious

- A Link to the Past: Agahim, some bitch, takes over the kingdom and the remaining sages to break the seal on Ganon. This reincarnarion of Zelda magically contacts the new Link. He kills Ganon and uses his newly acquired triforce to put everything back to normal. Now the royal family has the triforce. 7/10 Zelink potential. Same Link then has Links awakening acid trip. I'd knock down the Zelink potential but Malin like isn't real so.

Zora present

-Oracle series: same Link then has another acid trip but this time it's real, ending with Ganon being brought back to life as a mindless force of chaos. Ups Zelink to like 8/10, and confirms existence of other kingdoms beside Hyrule that aren't in another dimension.

- triforce splits again somehow, power returns to beast Ganon

- time skip

- A Link Between Worlds: new Link, new sages, Lorule exists so that's fun, opposite Hyrule dimension without a triforce. Ganon is freed and eats a man probably. Confirms this Link and Zelda have their respective triforces. Upon returning to Hyrule, the triforce is again in 1 piece and peace is restored to Hyrule and Lorule. 8/10 Zelink potential and like 9.5/10 Hildio potential.

- same Link goes to Hytopia, yet another kingdom in the same dimension.

- time skip. Great time, royal family again has the United triforce.

- King breaks up the triforce and sends Courage to the next Link incarnation, hiding its physical location from all except his daughter Zelda. New King puts that Zelda under a sleeping spell and regrets it. Tries to rule with just power of Wisdom but it doesn't go great.

- time skip

- The Legend of Zelda: same Ganon steals the triforce of power, new Zelda and Impa. New Link, without triforce of Courage, again postponed Ganon

- Adventure of Link : same Link is helping Hyrule not burn down, when suddenly he is given the triforce of Courage mark. He wakes up the old Zelda. I'd say the Zelda born in his time is the actual incarnarion, the older Zelda just a princess. 9/10 Zelink actually but like also he's a little weird with old Zelda to little odd but okay.

Child timeline

- Ocarina of Time: Link defeats Ganondorf and is sent back in time to relive the childhood he didn't have. He warns the royal family before Ganondorf can gain any power and therefore the events of Ocarina of Time never happen. Link leaves on a horse to look for Navi and has a Majoras mask acid trip. 10/10 short term Zelink and like 2/10 longterm, but also one of my favorite dynamics. This is one of the tragedy timeliness, where Zelda loved him before sending him back in time (Sheik was a simp). He could have ended up with this Zelda, but he probably didn't because his descendant in the next game isn't royalty like at all. Scrodingers Zelink, if the next Zelink happened then this one didn't, but we don't know if it does.

-Twilight Princess: Ganondorf is banished to the Twilight realm, where the wizard sent there a Hella long time ago got busy. He gains power with a guy named Zant who takes over the Twilight realm and breaks out to Hyrule. The princess of the Twilight realm named Midna finds the new Link incarnation, an actual descendant of the last one and holder of the triforce of Courage.

Link is trained by the like ghost of the hero of time, who is an adult and missing an eye. The hero of time means nothing to this Hyrule because Ocarina of Time never happened.

They kill Ganondorf finally holy shit and the Twilight mirror is shattered, forever separating the two places.

Like 8/10 Zelink potential, frick Illia freaking hate her. I follow that Zelink both had a crush on Midna but she's gone sooooo

Gerudo, Gorons, and Zora.

-big ass time skip

-Four Sword Adventure: new Ganondorf is born finally, but is like immediately sealed with the 4-sword by a new Link. I don't think there even is a Zelda so 0/10 Zelink potential

Adult timeline

-Ocarina of Time :This is what's left when Link gets sent back in time. Ganondorf is sealed in the corrupted spirit realm and the triforce of Courage shatters into 8 pieces, master sword is returned to the temple of time. 10/10 horribly tragic Zelink poor Zelda good lord.

-time passes without any reincarnations.

-Ganon escapes his seal in the sacred realm but there's still no Link or so Hyrule is effed. The gods flood Hyrule, society continues on mountaintops that are now islands and Hyrule is frozen underneath a giant ocean. The Triforce of Wisdom is split in two between Zelda, who stays on land, and her father, in the frozen Hyrule.

-Time passes badly

-Windwaker: Gannon escapes to the surface and kidnaps "girls with pointed ears", or descendants of Hylia. A new Link appears and gets the master sword from the frozen Hyrule, but it doesn't do shit until he fixes the triforce of courage. The king appears and bestows Links pirate captain the other half of the triforce, as she's reveled to be this time's Zelda. The triforce is restored and the old Hyrule gets genocided. Ganon is sealed, not dead, and Link and Zelda/Tetra go to establish a new hyrule. 10/10 Zelink potential this is some good shit. Rito, Kokiri, and Gerudo present

-Phantom Hourglass: Same Link and Zelda have a bit on their quest, no lasting consequences except for 11/10 Zelink potential. They discover New Hyrule.

-Spirit Tracks: some train shit in New Hyrule, new Link and Zelda have a soft romantic adventure with no lasting consequences except no more trains. 10/10 Zelink it's the whole plot.

Gorons present

After or before

-all the three timelines get just apocalyptic and society is just like gone, so the Zonai come from the Heaven's and with their arrival comes the merging of the three timelines.

-OR potentially Rauru and Sonias time is actually before Skyward Sword, as Ganondorf isn't actually a reincarnation. This would imply that every other game happens inbetween Rauru and Sonias time and Breath of the Wild, which i like better but it makes some leaps in logic, however it also explains the existence of both time and Light magic in the royal blood line.

-time passes

-Hyrule is once again reformed OR formed for the first time, by the last of the Zonai, Raruru and his Hylian wife Sonia. The incarnations are still going strong, so Ganondorf is born but their kind of hosed because there isn't a Link or Zelda OR the incarnations havent started yet and this is the first Ganon, before he was tied to Demise.

Luckily, either way, a Zelda comes from the future, and after a battle ending in the death of Sonia, Rauru uses himself to seal Ganondorf away and Zelda turns into a dragon.

-Time passes, the kingdom grows and hyrule castle is built over Ganondorf.

-Time passes and either all the other games happen or nothing happens, either way Zelda is still a dragon.

Definitely after

-a Link and Zelda are reincarnated to fight Calamity Gannon, whatever is left of the monster Ganon that was never killed in the other timelines. They, with the highly technogically advanced Shiekah, build weapons and postpone his return. We don't know much but like 8/10 Zelink I don't know could be cool. Shiekah go off, creating shrines and all types of shit.

-abreak off of the shiekah called the Yiga form, which is like the shiekah but for Ganon instead of Hylia.

-Breath of the Wild: a new Link and Zelda are born. They are so far ahead that they no longer have a grasp on the incarnations before them besides a few sparce legends. They know Ganon is coming back but they don't know who he is. They know Zelda is suppose to have powers, but they have no idea how she's gets them. Link finds the master sword in the lost woods, guarded by the great deku (the 2nd actually the first one died somewhere).

So they fail, whoops. Link dies and gets put in a Sheikah shrine for healing while Zelda holds of Ganon for 100 years.

-hyrule collapses and turns into almost a tribal society very unconnected.

-Link wakes up, wrecks havoc, and defeats Calamity Ganon, freeing Zelda and starting the reconstruction of hyrule.

10/10 Zelink potential. We got the before when Zelda cononicly loved him but we don't know Links feeling, and then Link might remember her and its like a reuniting thing and it's lovely or he doesn't and they fall in love again. Or possibly he didn't love her before and either way its a saga and his rubber band was in her study in "her" house thats all I'm saying.

-7 years, hyrule is being rebuilt by Zelda.

-Tears of the Kingdom: A sickness is spreading through Hyrule, Zelda and Link go to investigate and find what's left of the Ganondorf Rauru fought, who is either the first ganondorf or the most recent one. Zelda is sent in the past to Sonia and Rauru, along with the destroyed master sword.

Zelda is turned into a dragon and lives out thousands of years as one, potentially during every other game in the series. If so, the cloud layer established by Hylia was probably around until the upheavel, hiding her.

-The Upheavel happens and the world gets a little more cracked out, but Link defeats the Ganondorf and Zelda is turned back to her Hylian form. 11/10 Zelink potential and the dragon bit is so upsetting.

The three goddesses are present as dragons. Are they dragons? Are they just manifestations of their power? Idek but it's sick.

What the hell is Beedle? I read a fanfic once that he never dies because he helped Hylia once and it was really good so I highkey stand by that.

Sages kinda hop around, usually there's 7, one for each major group, even though not every race exists in every game. Are they extensions of the gods somehow?

(Rito, Zora, Gerudo, Gorons, Hylians, Shiekah, and whatever weird shit they got going on that game usually just Zelda)

One main issue with the Zonai before theory is that there's all the races when the Rito specifically doesn't seem to exist outside of the adult timeline.

There is a possible Kikwi, Kokiri, Korok pipeline.

I prescribe to the fierce deity as the original hero incarnation because it's just fits well and I'm obsessed with him, but it it doesn't really matter either way. I also read a fanfic once where the Fierce Deity loved Hylia and fought with her against Demise, but he died and the hero's spirit in each Link is what's left of him. Also read one where he saved Farore once from Demise and that's why he's specifically blessed with courage. Might have been the same one. I cannot remember it is 5:30 am and I haven't slept yet.

Ears are cool and plot relevant. The closer they are the Hylia the pointier their ears are, they get less pointy over time. Which adds to the Zonai being before because they got the pointiest ears. Also Gerudo ears get more pointy as time goes on.

Din gerudo pipeline? That's interesting. Farore and Nayru don't really have anything like that. Hylia has the Hylians but that's it.

Great Deku tree? Who? How? Why is he still kicking? Kind of adds to the Before Zonai theory or else he would have had to survive whatever apocalypse destroyed everything

In summary, somebody off me and therapy is probably a good investment.

[adrift-in-thyme]

Happy belated birthday @luna-lovegreat !!! Here’s the Sky fluff I promised!

So sorry this took me awhile to finish!

—————————

“Just how strong is the bond between a loftwing and a Skyloftian?”

Sky has been asked that question quite often since plummeting to the surface. Even more so after he ventured from his timeline. He never truly knows how to reply. How can he explain their relationship? How can he put into words the utter exhilaration of soaring atop your loftwing?

From what he has observed, people usually place platonic love — and especially the platonic love between human and beast — somewhere beneath both romantic and familial, as though it is an inferior thing. As though it can never reach the same heights and depths as the others. The same precious worth. But Sky knows differently.

The love a loftwing and their rider share is like nothing else. As priceless and unbreakable as a diamond.

So, when, finally, a portal spits the heroes out in his era, Sky is overjoyed.

He can see Sun for the first time in forever, wrap her in his loving arms, hold her close and breathe her in, and whisper everything he’s wanted to tell her all these long months. He can see his friends, his family, the place that will always be his home, no matter how far he travels or what monsters he battles.

And —

He separates from Sun, runs to Lofty as the bird lands in a rush of wind and feathers. A grin splits his face and it feels good to smile after everything, so, so good…

— and he can reunite with his loftwing.

“Wow!” Wind gasps, mouth agape. “So, that’s a loftwing?”

“Close that mouth of yours before you swallow a bug,” Twilight teases, setting a hand on the sailor’s shoulder. His lips quirk up in a smile. “He’s beautiful, Sky.”

Lofty preens beneath the praise, ruffling his feathers and throwing back his head. Sun chuckles, and Sky sends her a grin.

“He is, isn’t he?” He sighs, leaning his forehead against Lofty’s beak. The next words leave his lips in a whisper meant only for the glorious animal before him…though if the beautiful woman standing close beside him hears he won’t mind. “I missed you so much, Lofty.”

A low trill emanates from the bird.

“He has missed you too,” Sun murmurs. “I’ve taken him out for a few flights to keep his wings limber. But you know he truly flies for no one except you.” She cocks her head, a grin on her lips. “You should take him out for a flight.”

He turns to her, a question in his eyes. It’s been so long, after all. He feels as though he hardly has enough time to catch up with them both. Much less Gaepora and Groose and everyone else….

“Are you sure, Zel?”

Sun nods and the breeze lifts her golden locks. “Go on, sleepyhead. We’ll have all the time in the world to spend together once you get back.”

Sky breathes in deep.

That’s right. They have time now. For the first time in a while, they have time.

He raises his eyes to Lofty’s, excitement alighting in his chest.

“You wanna go for a flight, Lofty?”

Feathers fly as the bird straightens, shaking himself out. His proud cry reverberates around the space.

Sky leans over, presses a kiss to Sun’s lips. And then, surrounded by the echoes of oohs and awws and ews that sound from his brothers, he climbs atop the loftwing’s back and is off.

The sky is a brilliant blue today. And while it’s always a brilliant blue in Skyloft – has been since he was born – Sky can still appreciate its splendor.

Even the brightest, most joyful heavenly display in another Hyrule cannot measure up to the plush clouds and soaring ceruleans of his home. And as Lofty climbs higher and higher, he feels a wide grin stretch his lips.

It is wonderful to be home.

He had known that he missed it – this little island full of vibrancy and life. The longing had eaten at him during the long nights and dogged at his steps through their arduous journey. But he supposes he had suppressed it to an extent — denied it even — if only to keep going. If only to keep from crumbling beneath the fear that always captures him when he sets foot on firm, grounded earth.

The fear that he will never again take to the skies.

But now as Lofty turns his grand body in a barrel roll and his sailcloth lifts and the wind sings in his ears and fills his nostrils with exhilarating freshness, those dark feelings are miles away.

Lofty pauses abruptly at the tail end of the trick. Then, he dives, plunging downward so suddenly that Sky’s stomach plummets along with him. His grin grows wider even as the brisk air steals any moisture from his mouth. He’ll be choking later, more than likely. But he is used to it by now.

A dry throat is a small price to pay.

Lofty shoots up, goes down again. Another pointed spin takes out a drifting octo. Sky’s echoing whoop turns to almost giddy laughter.

“Having fun, sleepyhead?” Someone calls from his right. Sky looks up just in time to catch sight of Sun streaking towards him. Her loftwing flips upside down as they soar over his head. Her delicate fingers reach for his and for a split second, the world seems to slow.

“Sorry,” she says as their fingers brush in the ghost of a caress, “I couldn’t resist joining you.”

Lofty lets out an eager call of welcome and Sky smiles.

“I’m glad you did, Zelda.”

She smiles and the world seems to grow a little brighter.

It always does when she’s around…

“How about a race, then?” She inclines her head toward the minuscule forms standing on the edge of Skyloft. “They’ve already cast bets.”

Sky chuckles. “All in favor of you, I’m sure.”

She doesn’t reply. But her smile grows just a touch larger, a hint of mischief in it.

Sky shakes his head.

He’ll admit it hurts a little to be betrayed by his brothers in such a way. They’re right though.

The only person who could ever beat him in a fair race was Sun.

“Alright.” His grin is more fierce now, teeth bared in playful determination. “You’re on!”

Yes, he thinks as they streak toward the designated finish line, the tips of their loftwings’ wings just touching, the bond between a loftwing and their partner is strong. As strong as the love he feels for Zelda. As strong as the love he feels for his brothers.

His family.

And maybe in it’s own way…even stronger.

[fourstarsoutofnine]

Can I request Sky x reader where reader gets rescued by him and it's also their first time meeting each other as well? uhhh something like Sky slays the monsters that held reader captive and then they can properly meet. hope it's not confusing.

Safety

Sky x reader <3

Warnings:none other than this is probably straying from canon. Also it’s short and probably bad, I haven’t written anything for Loz in a while, but bc of a resurgence in my Zelda era I’m back.

Link was going about his day like any other weekend. He slept in late, got up around noon, walked around with a dazed smile on his face. The surface had its perks. Of course he loved living up in skyloft, but there was something so enchanting about the surface. The vegetation was so much more lush and beautiful down here… everything was rather dry in the sky… made sense, it was always direct sunlight… all the clouds loomed below. He’d since experienced rain for the first time, and loved it. His first thunderstorm, however—that was different. He reminisced as he walked along a path, the master sword on his back as it always was. He was ripped out of his daydreams by a bloodcurdling shriek. He took off and found someone being backed into a wall by a bokoblin. They were holding their head as the bokoblin raised its weapon, ready to strike. Link stepped in between the person and the beast, catching its weapon in his shield. He slew the beast and turned, crouching in front of you. “Are you okay..? You’re not hurt anywhere, are you..?

Too stunned to speak, you shook your head. You weren’t hurt—or at least, you didn’t think so. Your adrenaline was still pumping so hard you could hear your heartbeat in your ears. Link held his hand out and you took it, letting him help you up. He helped you back to the main trail, and back to town with the others. Finally, you were calmed down enough to speak. “Thank you for saving me… I’d be a goner if you weren’t there.”

“It’s nothing at all.” He smiled softly. “I’m Link, by the way.”

“The hero. I know.” You smiled just a little. “Y/n.”

“Well, y/n—it might be wise to keep a weapon when you’re straying from town..” he laughed a little. “I could teach you how to use one sometime..?”

“I might take you up on that… I mean—I’ll definitely take you up on that.” You laughed. “It’d be useful. Thank you, hero. Or—Link. Thank you, Link.”

“Of course… stay safe, y/n.”

“You too.” You smiled, watching him walk away as your friends rushed up to check on you and get all the details from the conversation you shared with the hero.

[misspelledwordswizard]

Alright, I'm feeling some Sky fluff so how about The Chain ends up on Skyloft and Sky takes the reader for a ride on Crimson as a cute little date?

Oh, that was so sweet to write! I hope you like it <3

A date in the skies

The blond man’s blue eyes shone as he recognized the place they had arrived at after passing through that portal. The blue sky surrounded the surroundings, the wind howled along with the sound of several birds flying nearby, all of this mixing with the natural cacophony of the people who lived there, on that large island in the sky.

The others, however, seemed a little more than confused about their current location. Of course, most quickly associated it with the heroes of the skies, but it was still shocking and intriguing, it was all very new to the others, including me, who had been following them for several months now.

Sky promptly informed and explained to everyone that they were in Skyloft, his home, and made sure to give them a quick tour of it, mainly to prevent them from ending up lost. The sun was shining high in the sky indicating the beginning of the afternoon when he finally finished explaining everything about the island to his brothers, releasing them to explore it at will as long as they returned to the designated meeting point, the knight academy, at the end of the afternoon.

I considered the idea of going exploring as well, I’m naturally quite curious about the place where my beloved was born and raised, but I want much more to spend this time alone with him and enjoy this beautiful day. Knowing Link, he must have planned the whole day for the two of us, maybe he’ll show me the places of his childhood, or we’ll just spend some quiet time together, either way it’ll be great.

I stood next to him as everyone dispersed, some obviously more excited than others, but all curious about the floating island we’d ended up on. As soon as the others were out of sight, we looked at each other, already knowing what the other was thinking, and we smiled at the coincidence.

— Okay, Mr. Romantic, what are your plans for today?

— Oh, I’m so excited for this, I’ve been waiting for the chance to show you Skyloft, and Crimson, and spend some time alone, I could take you flying after a romantic picnic. – He replied, visibly excited about the idea, making me smile at the lovely thought.

— That sounds great, love. I couldn’t think of anything better, but just being able to spend this day with you makes me happy. Especially when it’s been so long since we’ve had our alone time. – I said, remembering all the company, as much as they were very dear to me, sometimes eight brothers-in-law could be a bit much.

With the plans set, we went together first so I could meet my boyfriend’s Loftwing, a large red bird, with a huge beak, who looked at me curiously. He seemed to accept me well, though. He happily let me stroke his soft neck feathers, rubbing his head against me affectionately, and Sky seemed very pleased with that.

After this friendly encounter, we agreed that it would be time to eat something, we had been walking for a while and this would be the perfect moment for that romantic picnic previously planned. We bought some food and walked towards the waterfall that flowed into the island’s lake. It was truly a spectacular sight to behold, the water fell beautifully and sparkled reflecting the sun’s rays, giving the place na almost magical air.

I was totally enchanted by the Remlits on the way there, they were totally adorable, had soft fur and kept following us around so we could play with them. But I have to admit that I almost had a heart attack when I saw Link throw one of them off the edge of the floating island. I mean, I trust my boyfriend, of course I do, but who in their right mind wouldn’t be scared by that? And of course, to my surprise, the little feline came flying back with his ears, which was partly relieving, partly adorable, and partly comical.

We turned our attention back to the meal we were waiting for, choosing a spot near the lake, on the bright green grass, sorting out what we had brought and laying it out on a charming red picnic blanket. We took our time to eat, our conversation flowed as always, it was always a mutual understanding, a comfortable and fun topic to discuss. I love hearing the sound of his voice, how excited he seemed to be talking about his era and his adventures, and now, seeing how beautiful and wonderful this place was, I could understand.

We must have spent a good few hours there, much more engrossed in each other than in the activity itself, and every moment was wonderful, I must say. Sharing a very different pumpkin treat was na experience, it seemed that pumpkins were popular around here, and certainly everything they made with them was delicious.

— Are you ready to go, feather? – Link asked, using his sweet nickname he gave me.

— Sure, dear. I’m excited to do this, even though I must admit I’m a little apprehensive.

— Don’t worry, you’ll be more than safe with me, my love. With that, we finished putting our things away and walked towards the statue of Hylia. The large statue that was visible from all over Skyloft. Arriving there, I was even more impressed by its size, but that didn’t draw as much attention as the red bird that flew over the place, just waiting for the hero’s command.

Link asked me to wait on the edge, and then jumped without any hesitation, something that would have scared me if I hadn’t known it beforehand, but I couldn’t help but be at least a little surprised. Soon the sound of his whistle was heard, and then my boyfriend resurfaced, riding his Loftwing, close to where I was, holding out his hand so I could climb up too. Even though it was a bit difficult, that’s what I did, and then I held on tightly to the blond, making him laugh. My grip tightened when I felt the large bird move, flapping its wings and rising into the sky. I hid my face in the crook of Sky’s neck and only saw what was around us again when I felt the flight stabilize.

The view from up there was incredible, it was possible to see the whole of Skyloft from there. I could see, even though with some difficulty, some of the boys walking towards the knight academy. Only then did I notice that it was late afternoon, the sun was setting on the horizon, bathing everything and everyone with its golden rays that made the situation even more beautiful. It was breathtaking, without a doubt. I managed to get used to the feeling of flying, so it became something fun and magical, and being able to be so close to Link was na added bonus, it was the perfect way to end the day.×

— This is beautiful. – That was all I could think when my mind was too busy processing all of that. – I love you, Link.

— I love you too, feather. – He said smiling, looking divine illuminated by the sunset light, making me think how lucky I was.

[skyward-floored]

This is the longest one yet, buckle up (comes before the one where Volga confronts Cia)

———

Skyloft is beautiful.

...Or, at least, Link thinks it would be, if there weren’t currently a battle sweeping across its placid fields.

He wipes some dirt off his cheek as he slices past another monster, the warm sunshine and springlike weather in sharp opposition to the blood and screams surrounding him. A flower gets crushed under a moblin’s foot as Link goes to attack it, and he distantly wishes he could have come here before all of this destruction and death swept through.

The Skyloftians aren’t letting their islands being overtaken without a fight though, and they fight just as fiercely as the men Link brought with him.

One cuts down a bokoblin that was trying to sneak up on him, and Link nods his thanks before spinning around and slashing at another. He can’t help feeling the pressure of leading his men here without any higher officers above him and an unfamiliar force as their allies, but they’re making it work, and the battle is close to being won.

But if they’re going to win, they need to defeat the commander of the enemy forces.

A sudden roar rings out from somewhere outside the keep they’re fighting to take, and Link’s heart wrenches into his throat, the sound horribly familiar. He leaves the keep in the other soldiers’ capable hands and runs outside, making his way along charred grass and scorched earth.

Fire shoots into the air nearby, and Link freezes as he reaches a plaza, locking eyes with Volga when he turns his way.

He’s only seen the dragon knight once since Cia spilled the secret of his parentage, but only from a distance. He hasn’t fought him at all since that first day, merely watched Impa fight him from a distance, busy with his own mission and battles, but that was it.

This is the closest he’s gotten to Volga since he learned who he is.

Link hesitates as he looks at the dragon knight, his throat growing strangely tight, but Volga has no similar reservations, charging forward with his spear raised.

The first thrust nearly takes off his head, but Link dodges, and the two of them whirl around each other, Link avoiding flames and jabs from the spear while Volga dodges his sword. Link falls quickly into the familiar rhythm of battle, ignoring the thoughts crashing through his head and the endless echoes of both Cia and Impa’s words.

He has a job to do, and he won’t let the fact that something in his chest feels like it’s going to either shatter or explode stop him from doing it.

He refuses to think about who Volga is to him right now.

Volga swings his spear and Link blocks it with his sword, grunting as their weapons lock. Link is by no means weak, but Volga is incredibly strong, probably due to being a literal dragon, and Link finds himself being pushed backwards, scrambling for purchase.

His foot slips just the smallest bit as he tries to make a move, and Volga sees the opportunity and leaps on it.

He roars as fire explodes around them, and Link cries out as he‘s thrown backwards from the force of the flames, heat and light and pain whirling around him.

Proxi yelps in alarm, and Link’s skin aches, the fire searing through his gloves and no doubt forming burns on his hands. Volga’s flame is so intense that even Link’s practically fireproof skin can’t stand up to it, and he’s almost afraid to look at the impact it left. Link dizzily raises his head, and feels an almost tingly feeling run up his hands where he’d lifted them to try and shield himself.

He hazards a glance down at them, and stares, eyes going wide at the orangey-red scales shimmering over his fingers like the lava in the Eldin caves.

Every other thought in his head is immediately silenced.

“What..?” Link whispers, lifting a shaking hand closer to his face, spreading his aching fingers.

Upon closer inspection, it doesn’t look like his hands have actually grown scales, merely gained a faint impression of them, shimmering and glowing in the sunlight. His skin is doubtlessly burnt underneath, but he can barely tell through the almost jewel-like luster that’s fallen over it.

Link doesn’t have time to examine his hands further though, as something else slams into him, throwing him backwards and sending him crashing into a wall.

More fire accompanies it, and Link coughs as pain sears up his middle, the edges of his tunic singed. He clutches a hand around himself, ignoring the pain from the burns and the strange appearance of his hands, and curses his distracted state as he feels around for his sword.

Weird hands can come later, Link!

Footsteps approach, and Link scrambles to get to his feet, biting back a cry when he ends up sliding back to the ground. He looks up and sees Volga staring at him, his spear raised as if to run him through.

But he doesn’t attack, merely stands in front of Link, smoke trailing from his form.

Link blinks, then realizes Volga is also staring at his hands, the faint shimmer of scales fading, but still visible. His stomach suddenly heaves with nerves, and Link swallows, Cia’s words flashing through his head again.

Apparently there’s a bit more to being half dragon then he thought.

“What are you?”

Link looks back at Volga at the words, the dragon knight still staring at his hands. His brows are drawn with an emotion Link can’t puzzle out as the scales finally fade, nothing but reddish skin left in their wake, and Link drags in a shaking breath.

“Your hands should be nothing but charcoal right now,” Volga continues as Link tries to sit up, gritting his teeth when his middle flares with pain again. “Yet your skin... what are you?”

Link bristles a little at the question, and tries to draw on the legendary courage he supposedly possesses in order to get his thoughts in order and actually speak, instead of continue to merely stare.

“I... I’m part dragon,” he says finally, unsure of how else to put it.

Volga tilts his head, still staring, face expressionless. Link is reminded of his conversation with Impa as he looks at him, where the Sheikah leader had told him of the darkness she’d observed surrounding Volga, unlike when she knew him.

Looking at his shadowed eyes, Link sees what she means.

“How is this possible?” Volga rumbles, voice impossible for Link to read.

Link swallows. He can think of several ways Volga could take what he’s about to say off the top of his head, none of them good. Proxi softly chimes from inside his hat, quietly encouraging him, and Link closes his eyes.

“You... it’s because you’re... my father,” he says thickly, still breathing heavily through the pain, his arm curled tightly around his middle. “I’m— I’m your son.”

The words feel strange as they leave his mouth.

Volga stares at him, his eyes narrowing as the silence stretches between them.

Link sits quietly as he waits for a reaction. If Volga decides to attack in any way, Link won’t be able to dodge in time, Volga too close, the pain in his middle too intense. There’s a potion in his bag, but he doesn’t have time to pull it out and drink it. His sword is out of reach on the ground behind Volga, and none of his men are in the direct area, busy taking keeps further away or blocked off by the wall he’s been slammed against. Link and the dragon are alone for the moment.

He’s entirely at Volga’s mercy.

“Who told you this?” Volga rumbles finally, his voice low and stern. “How do you know?”

“Cia,” Link gets out weakly, fighting the urge to cough. “Weeks ago.”

Volga is silent, smoke trailing from his nostrils, and Link watches him in silence, breath hitching when a tremor runs through him. The dragon knight appears deep in thought, his thumb lightly rubbing his spear, and doesn’t say anything for such a long time that Link isn’t sure what to do.

“...Impa,” Volga murmurs finally, voice distant as his spear lowers a hair.

“Yes,” Link says quietly, trying to see Volga’s eyes through the shadows that lie over them. “She... she’s my mother.”

Something in Volga’s disposition seems to shift at the words, hard lines easing, his tense posture softening, expression turning into one that seems almost wistful, in a way.

Link watches him cautiously, unsure of what’s going through Volga’s head. He’s never seen the knight act like this, still and quiet. And despite the part of his brain reminding him of their first encounter and yelling at him to fight back and get out of here, he remains where he is, watching Volga think in silence.

“A hatchling,” Volga murmurs after what feels like forever, so soft Link almost doesn’t hear him.

Then suddenly Volga whips around and leaps into the air, turning into a dragon with a burst of flames.

He flies away without so much as a backward glance, and Link watches him go, a bit stunned at the abrupt departure. He stares at Volga flying away until all he can make out is a faint impression of fiery wings, then leans back against the wall, breath still shaking in his throat.

Proxi pokes out of his cap as he finally pulls his potion from his bag, and she sits on his knee as he drinks it, watching him in silence.

“Are you okay Link?” she asks softly.

Link exhales as the potion does its work, soothing his aching hands, healing the burns and weaving through the pain in his middle. A cheer goes up from somewhere nearby, which probably means that the battle has been won, the monsters in disarray without their commander.

Link stares up at the sky, looking back at the spot where Volga disappeared.

“Link?” Proxi asks again, her tone much more worried then before.

“I’m alright,” he says quietly. “Sorry Proxi.”

“It’s okay. He sure left in a hurry,” his fairy notes, wings fluttering in the breeze. “Do... do you think he believed you?”

Link sighs, thinking back to what Volga said. His reaction had seemed so incredulous, but he hadn’t attacked him again, despite Link being cornered and unable to easily fight back. And had he merely imagined the softness in his tone when he’d spoken of Impa and a hatchling, or had Volga truly..?

Link shakes his head, brushing the thought aside.

“I don’t know if he did or not. But at least he knows now,” Link says, Proxi fluttering into the air as he raises himself upward. “And he heard it from me. Not Cia.”

He can’t help but smile just a hair at that realization. Impa had told him that she assumed Cia didn’t want Volga knowing anything about a son, but now he is fully aware of the possibility, even if he didn’t believe him.

Your move, sorceress.

Proxi settles on his shoulder, and Link sighs, realizing now just how how weary he is from the battle. He looks at his hands, now healed from any marks from Volga, then turns to retrieve his sword and prepares to head back.

The wind blows his bangs, and Link pauses for a moment, glancing back at the sky where Volga disappeared.

Then he turns away, footsteps lightly crunching across the burnt grass.

[heronoegg]

I mean this in the best way possible: If i looked up the word "spaghetti" in the dictionary i would find your art style.

On another note, i request bnha wing au lore, such as how similar their diets are to their specific bird species and birds in general as well as how cities look like, and a picture of Northern Goshawk Sero (because apparently they're the most acrobatic birds according to google.)

i don't even like spaghetti all that much if im being honest hjbghjfb it hurts my stomach and tomato makes me break out yet here i am eating pizza

anyway Sero is actully a sparrow because the pun was too good for me to pass it.

original colors and one i blasted with filters because i like doing that jvkgf hcj

i didn't want him being a hawk cause in their society Hawks are viewed as the "better" birds (by better i mean like Hawks though raptors are viewed as stronger, more successful, beautiful/handsome ect they are so this and so that) Sero's quirk compared to Bakugo influences my choice of making Bakugo a Hawk and Sero a common bird - a sparrow. there was another reason but i forgot what it was

Now as for your other questions.

-How similar are their diets to their specific bird species and birds in general

I mean, i wouldn't say somebody is eating another person, but it's not severely uncommon in their world that a person would eat another person if they were starving enough and there was nothing else around. Raptors would sooner eat a rat before another person they'd have to be severely pushed into eating another person and it's only raptors/predators cases that have eaten other bird persons but that hasn't happened in a long time (at least that they know about) It's frowned upon to eat people jfknvbghfj

They do eat seeds, they grow vegetables, they eat roots, they grow fruits, bugs that aren't sentient, they eat other little critters that aren't sentient, they eat rats that aren't sentient - they have some form of non-sentient cattle cause if rabbit people like Mirko exist that means rat people exist, i don't think sentient cow or pug people exist but bugs and lizards aren't off the table there are sentient bugs and lizards cause bug people are incorporated in wing society.

-how do cities look like?

I actually have this written out. Ok so in this AU for somereason i never explained but the planets flora grew to like massive height so giant trees that reach the clouds exist, flowers that are big as houses exist, plants making people look like bugs even if they are a bird exist but normal size land, plants and trees exist as well.

living arrangements

Bird people

they typically nest in tree houses or live in hollowed-out trees that serve as single-family homes or communal living spaces almost that of hotels.

Higher branches are reserved for the rich or successful - safety and status all that noise.

Mid-level branches have platforms and hanging structures it's middle-class neighborhoods. The poor/under paid live in shrubs where bugs live or smaller trees closer to the ground floor but still elevated enough that they aren't touching the complete ground.

Houses include perches and structures robust enough to support winged living. Regular furniture but adapted for wings and tails. Beds that provide space for wings i imagine their round?

People do still do nest-building - i think my friend said Deku's mom owns a nest. -it's an older generation thing, i assume they integrate natural materials into their living spaces either inside normal homes or in custom-built house.

i think the bird houses are my favorite thing in this AU cause i sit here and think about how their houses look alot

I think of balconies, roof gardens, open spaces it's really cool in my head think of skyloft from skyward sword but without the clouds kinda? i had skyloft in mind when i was making this AU

Bat people

They prefer caves or cave-like structures that can be built into cliffs or large trees. Wealthy bats love spacious caverns higher up, lots of privacy and security from predators

Middle-class bats may have communal roosts on ledges or hollowed parts of large trees, while the less fortunate find shelter in smaller crevices and overhangs closer to the ground but still vertical enough for their needs.

Bug people

those with butterfly or moth wings build around massive flowers and tall vegetation.

The rich live high in canopys but i think bugs are the lowest ranking species here.

some might dwell on large leaves or within the stems of tall plants, lots of vibrant communities akin suburban life. it's silly jhtbgfhj

Some individuals may resort to makeshift accommodations among thickets or low-lying plants, some elevation to facilitate their flight-based movement.

There are no streets; travel is facilitated by flight between different areas. There are lots of glades and clearings that serve as social and trading hubs for interaction between different species and economic classes.

i have other things about this AU but i wanna save it for it's own post i just wanted to answer your question.

[crazylittlejester]

mini fic requests??? :0

The heroes end on Skyloft. They got to know Sun is Hylia, a literal goddess, the first of all the Zeldas! They're all anxious and expect to see a tall, elegant, regal lady with a stoic expression, dressed in white.

Instead they get there and this short chaotic, super expressive gremlin, wearing a knight uniform, runs to Sky so fast they both fall off Skyloft and then laugh as the others are both shocked and confused.

I absolutely loved this, I’m sorry it took so long to do. The prompt was super cute :)

Here you go!! (606 words):

Skyloft was everything Sky had told them it was, but somehow also more. Being so high above the clouds was making Warriors’s head spin, and looking over the edge had him feeling weak in the knees, but Twilight had silently offered him a hand to hold to steady himself and the captain had taken it without hesitation. They’d arrived on the island in the sky a few short minutes ago, just in time to see the sun set, and Warriors’s breath had been stolen away from him by the sheer beauty of it all. He’d been here once before, during the War of Eras, however he hadn’t had much time to really take it all in and realize how beautiful his friend’s home was.

Sky, of course, had been over the moon to be back home, excitedly bouncing around while the others took a moment to adjust to the suddenly thinner air.

Warriors was so distracted by his heart pounding away in his chest due to how close to the edge he was and also by the views that he hadn’t really been paying attention to Sky rambling on about his home until his brother let out a sharp squeak.

“You guys can meet Sun!!” He beamed, running off towards a large staircase.

“Slow down, please,” Time wheezed, rubbing his forehead. The group slowly and groggily trailed behind Sky, who, bless him, was really trying his best to contain his excitement. He stayed with them the entire way up the stairs, bouncing all the way up while Warriors was tightly gripping onto Twilight and the rail for dear life.

He didn’t understand how the others were all so unbothered by how high off the ground they were, the captain appeared to be the only one struggling with it, but he was grateful that no one made a comment or teased him. It seemed even Legend knew when it was not an appropriate time to poke at him.

When they finally reached the end of the stairs, Sky led them into a familiar looking area, towards a ledge where a blond girl sat with her back to them. Warriors immediately assumed this must be Sun, Sky’s Zelda, Hylia reborn. From the way his brother talked about his girlfriend, the captain had imagined her to be as radiant as the goddess herself, an elegant guardian of the islands of the sky.

Warriors had not been expecting the young woman to whip around with a wide, plotting grin, and run at Sky, knocking him sideways over the edge.

He couldn’t help the scream that tore itself from his throat, and he clapped a hand over his mouth as his eyes widened in fear. All the others, except for Twilight who was graciously still holding his hand, raced to the edge to look over and see what had just happened to their beloved brother.

“WHERE’D HE GO???” Legend yelled, breathing heavily.

“Did???? Did she just kill them??” Wind gulped, looking back towards Warriors and the rancher with wide eyes.

Before anyone else could speak, a large red bird came flying up from over the edge, startling the group of heroes and causing everyone to stumble backwards.

“I ain’t ever seen a bird that big in my LIFE,” Twilight choked, gripping on to the captain’s hand a little tighter than he probably meant to, but Warriors didn’t even notice because all of his attention was on the fact that Sky and Sun were on the birds back, laughing like it was some kind of normal afternoon.

“He’s…” Four frowned, hands on his hips. “He’s fine. He’s fine he just… Hylia above.”

[asocial-lobster]

Homesick

"Hey, Sailor? Are you okay?"

Wind frantically wiped his eyes. It was probably too late to hide he had been crying, but he tried anyway. The others already saw him as the child of the group. If he let them see him like this, he would only be confirming their biases. He would no longer be an equal. He'd be reduced to someone to be rescued. And after the adventures Wind had been through, he never wanted to be seen as helpless again. He'd earned the right to call himself hero of Hyrule.

"I'm fine," he said and cursed the tremor in his voice. Pirates were supposed to be good liars, damn it.

"Mhm," Sky said. He sat down beside Wind in the sand and looked at the ocean in front of them. It sparkled in the evening sun.

"Do you miss sailing?"

Wind looked at the man at his side while he contemplated how honest he should be. The skyloftian's brown hair swayed in the wind, framing a round and kind face. Maybe it was the combination of his gentle expression and intense eyes, but Sky had an odd way of always looking both sleepy and awake, Wind thought.

"I s'ppose so," Wind said.

"But that's not what's bothering you," Sky said. 

Wind sighed. "No."

They sat in silence for a while as the sun dipped closer to the horizon. Soon, the sky was bathed in red and orange hues. The ocean reflected the light. It was a spectacular sunset, but Wind knew it would be even more beautiful from the deck of his ship.

"The sunsets on Skyloft are amazing," Sky said like he'd read Wind's thoughts. "Sometimes Zelda and I go flying, just as the sun is setting. The red and orange is everywhere around you. It almost feels like you can touch the sun."

A wistful look had appeared on the older boy's face. He often spoke of his Zelda and his friend, Groose, but Wind had yet to meet either of them; he hadn't been to Sky's era yet. He knew that the knight's home was a floating island - which was, you know, weird - but he didn't know much else about it. 

"What's Skyloft like?" Wind asked.

"I'm not even sure where to begin," Sky said. "It's so different from the other eras I've seen."

He hesitated. 

"Living on Skyloft feels like the rest of the world is just out of reach. The horizon is endless and there's a whole world beneath the clouds, just waiting to be discovered. But you're confined to the island itself."

He sent Wind a smile.

"That's how it used to be, at least. The cloud cover disappeared after my adventure, and we've begun exploring the Surface."

Wind could get behind wanting to see the world. He'd felt the same way when he was small, looking at the endless ocean but unable to leave his island. Until his adventure, of course.

"Why couldn't you explore until after your adventure?" Wind asked. "Did you have to stay with your family?"

"Skyloft is very small. Everyone knows everyone, so the island feels like one big family," the knight answered, something in his eyes suddenly turning bittersweet. "But I don't have any parents or siblings. So to answer your question, no it wasn't because I had to stay with my family. Hylia herself made it so that it was impossible to cross the cloud cover."

"What happened to your parents?" Wind asked cautiously.

"There was a virus when I was little," Sky said. "Like I said, Skyloft is very small, so it spread quickly. My parents didn't make it."

Oh. Wind looked at the knight and wondered what else he was hiding. Sky was always so patient and kind. Wind had thought he was an open book. He was only now realizing how much he had yet to learn about his past.

"I'm sorry about your parents."

"I'm okay," Sky promised with a small smile. "It was a long time ago."

He bumped Wind's shoulder with his own.

"What about you? Do you have family back home?"

The burning in Wind's eyes intensified. He sniffled.

"I have my grandma and a little sister." 

"What's your sister like?"

Wind smiled shakily. 

"Aryll has a lot of energy. She likes climbing trees and dancing and swimming. That sorta thing. I'd promised to take her sailing when I came home from dealing with the dungeon."

A tear finally escaped his grasp and slid down his cheek.

"And then I left without even saying goodbye."

"That wasn't your fault," Sky said. "You couldn't have known we'd show up that day. And you weren't in control of that portal either."

Wind shook his head. While it was true he hadn't exactly been expecting to run into a group of heroes from other timelines in the dungeon, he had still left his grandma and Aryll behind. And it'd been weeks since then.

"I didn't even get to explain what happened," he said. "They must think I'm dead."

The tears started flowing more freely, and Wind couldn't have stopped them if he tried. Sky put an arm around him and held him close.

"We'll find a way to let them know what really happened," the knight promised. "Maybe we'll even get to visit your era soon, we've already been to Four's world twice."

Sky put his cheek to Wind's hair.

"We'll figure it out. You'll be okay. You'll be okay."

And Wind let himself be cry into Sky's shoulder until he had no tears left. The knight's voice was low and soothing. The breeze smelled of salt – of home – and the gentle lapping of the waves made for a pleasant background noise.

"You'll be okay," Sky whispered.

Wind settled into the older boy's hold and tried to believe it.