#twilight ‘rancher’ linked universe has the best shot at understanding

[merriclo]

concept: time picking up a slight country accent from malon

[minty-mumbles]

Delirium

Summary: Wild gets sick, and Time and Twilight have to deal with his fevered delusions. No one has a good time.

Author's Note: My first Linked Universe fanfiction! Wooo! (Read it on Ao3 Here)

Content Warning: Hiding injuries which results in sickness, Sickness, Delirium/Hallucinations

~~~

This entire situation started only two short days ago. When they went to sleep that night, nothing had seemed amiss. Wild had seemed perfectly fine, if a bit tired. He had made a nice stew for dinner, nothing too complicated, and then crawled right into his bedroll, and was out like a light in less than five minutes. Time and Twilight had exchanged suspicious glances, but left it at that. It had been a very long day of traveling, and they had had a difficult fight that evening. Most of the group was tired. After all, Sky had similarly gone to bed immediately, and Wind looked like he wasn’t far behind.

Hyrule took the first shift on watch that night. Wind had the second shift, and Wild had the third. Thankfully, nothing happened throughout the first two watches. Wind was relieved when it was finally time for him to wake Wild, eager to go back to sleep.

However, when Wind tried to nudge him awake, his fellow hero had refused to budge. After a few more minutes of poking, which quickly escalated to shoving, Wind only had a few groans to show for it, his fellow hero’s eyes remaining shut tight.

This was highly unusual. Wild wasn’t the lightest sleeper- that title went to Legend, without a doubt- but he was always easy to wake. If it had been Sky, Wind wouldn’t have thought much about it.

As it was, Wind shot a concerned look at the lump of blankets Wild had become, and then scampered over to Hyrule’s bedroll.

By the time the rest of the group woke in the morning, Hyrule had woken Time and Twilight, after he had discovered the cook’s high fever, caused by an infected wound he hadn’t told anyone about. It was quickly decided that the group couldn’t travel safely with a sick member, and the group would be staying put until Wild felt better.

Four set about making breakfast, which was an uninspiring meal of simple roasted salmon. It was better than most others could do though, so no one dared complain, lest they be stuck with Hyrule’s cooking for lunch.

Their plan to stay put was ruined when a portal opened in the middle of the campsite after breakfast. After much groaning, they carefully packed the cook’s belongings, and distributed the packs amongst themselves so no one would be stuck with twice the weight to carry for the day. Twilight, as the strongest, was the one assigned to carry their sick companion.

Fortunately, they needn't have worried about a long trek awaiting them on the other side of the portal. It seemed that Hylia finally deemed it time to give them a boon of good luck, and they had been deposited nearly on the front doorstep of Lon Lon Ranch.

Some of the group smiled, relieved at this reprieve. Others- namely Legend and Time- shared a wary glance. If the goddess thought the situation bad enough to deposit them directly on the rancher's doorstep, this likely would not be a pleasant few days.

They had quickly set Wild up in one of the spare rooms. Malon had made some delicious cucco noodle soup, and the group had set about helping with farm work while waiting for Wild’s fever to break. They took turns watching the young man, as Hyrule was wary about leaving him alone with such a high fever.

The Champion had woken several times. Once on the first day after supper, on Legend’s watch, and twice again that night, once on Hyrule’s watch, and once on Time’s. It was always the same when he woke. He looked around in a daze, not quite processing the world around him. Those watching over him were able to get him to eat small amounts of bread and drink a little of the soup’s broth, but didn’t manage to provoke a reaction out of him. There was little improvement in his condition.

The second morning was when the group really started to worry. Wild’s fever still had not broken, and it had been over a day now. When he woke right after breakfast, he had moved past dazed and right into delirious territory. He was crying out for Zelda, and other names that none of them recognized. He struggled against Wind, who had been the one on watch at the time. Eventually Wind had given up trying to get him to lay down. Even with Wild as weakened with his fever as he was, Wind was unable to overpower the older boy, and had called for Time and Malon.

Time managed to hold Wild down enough to get him to drink some water, although he nearly had to pin the younger man down to do so, eliciting some more screams from him. It certainly seemed that his delirium wasn’t going away anytime soon. Meanwhile, Malon started to set up a cot in the main room of the house. It would be more convenient to have Wild on the lower level of the house, so they didn’t have to carry water and food up the stairs. That way, she could keep an eye on him while making meals, giving the boys a break from watch duty.

Warriors had ushered most of the others out of the house when the screaming had started, claiming that ‘they had better things to do than sit around and listen to their comrade’s pain.’ No one argued, the young sailor in particular looking very pale at the screeches from upstairs. Warriors couldn’t blame him. It sounded like Time was pulling the Champion’s teeth out.

Twilight alone had remained behind, twitching agitatedly by the cries of his protege. Warriors shared one last understanding look with the man, then shut the door, cutting off the cries from the group outside. The group of six slowly shuffled off to the barn to get started on feeding the animals. It was a peaceful morning. The cuccos seemed to be in a less murderous mood than usual, and the sun was shining, burning away the night’s dew. It was quite tranquil.

Inside the house, a much less peaceful scene plays out.

“No, no, no, no!" Time gripped Wild as tight as he could without hurting him as he lifted the champion into the air. The feverish man limply struggled against Time’s grip with all his might, which at the moment, was not much.

Twilight stood nearby, ready to assist Time if need be. He ran a washcloth over his cub’s forehead one last time before they began the trek down the stairs.

"It's okay, Wild. You’re okay," he uttered soft reassurances. Honestly, the soothing words might as well be for himself, for all the good they did for the one held in Time’s arms.

"Don't- don't!" Wild sucked in a shuddering gasp. "Don't put me back in there." Gritting his teeth, Time made his way into the hallway, ignoring the nonsensical cries of the boy in his arms. Giving into his pleas wouldn’t get them anywhere, and they would just need to do this later. “Please, please! l'll do anything!"

As they reached the top of the stairs, Wild seemed to get a sudden burst of strength, struggling much harder against the elder heroes. “I’m sorry! I’m not that hurt, don't put me in there, not again!"

Time sighed, grimacing and adjusting his grip slightly. "You aren't going anywhere except the living room, Wild." In response, Wild let out a wail and reached over Time’s shoulder as far as he could; his eyes were fixed on Twilight, but he could tell Wild wasn’t truly seeing him, and he reached for someone or something that wasn’t truly there.

"Time!”

TIme grimaced harder. Was this what having children was like? Caring for them, and inevitably getting your heart ripped out when you see them in pain? Trying your best, yet not being able to help, despite being right beside them? Goddess, if it was, he wasn’t sure he was ready for children. "I’m right here, Wild-"

They finally reached the bottom of the steps, and Twilight stopped to wipe at his face again. This time, the cloth was scrubbing away tears as well as sweat. "Shh, cub-”

“TWILIGHT!” Wild’s voice had reached a high fever pitch. It wouldn’t surprise Time if even the group outside could hear him, he was screeching so loud. Twilight made a wounded sound, then grit his teeth, doing his level best to ignore the cries of the younger hero.

Time maneuvered himself and his passenger to the cot set up in the corner of the main room. He carefully settled himself onto it, not daring to let the younger hero go. With all the strength his thrashing had suddenly gained, Wild would probably throw himself off the cot if he was set down now.

Through the screaming and the sobbing and the struggling, Time did his best to hum any song that came to mind in a desperate attempt to soothe the distressed boy. He eventually settled on a quiet Song of Healing.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Wild drooped. His head landed against Time's chest, eyes staring at the ceiling, yet seeing nothing. His body shook with exhausted sobs. He was coughing and gasping, but he wasn't squirming anymore.

It wasn’t much, but it was a step.

“Please,” Wild rasped, his voice worn from the screaming he had been doing, “Don’t put me back in the shrine.” The words and pleads from only a few moments ago abruptly clicked into place in the two’s minds.

The Shrine.

Goddess, they were stupid. They weren’t sure what the exact circumstances were leading up to him being put into the shrine, but he may very well have still been conscious. Confused and fever-addled as he was, it would have been easy for his brain to draw false conclusions about where or even when he was.

“We won’t,” Time whispered, “We won’t.”