#where we see minish vaati slowly losing it as the people he loves die/turn their back from him

[valictini]

God, I dont know if you read fics, but if you do, can you recommend some Vaati fics? Honestly, just any place where I can find some good Vaati content? This rat is sitting in my head rent free

Hoo boy, I haven't read any Vaati fics in a WHILE but ! I do remember loving one specific author called fleetfleets who wrote my favourite fics for the rat when I was a teen. Idk how well they aged but I do remember LOVING these very very much so I think it's worth a try (also those are the only English ones I can remember because most of the fics I read at the time were ones hosted on a small independent french website and it was mostly crack fics lmao)

Here are the fics I actually read from this author, but they also wrote other stuff that I never ended up checking out so don't hesitate to do so (click the link up there to get to their ff.net profile page) :

First one is Rend which is basically Vaati being nerfed and forced to cooperate with Link as they both get sent in another era and have to figure out a way to go back to their own time. It’s a long, epic, entertaining story where Vaati is a prideful asshole (as he should) and Link has to manage him while still being the moral compass of the two. They meet a lot of characters, get thrown into situations that are more or less dangerous, and I remember their dynamic being pretty fun but also the cause of a lot of tasty drama.

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Then you have two other fics that happen after Rend named The Unresolved and Recollection.

I remember liking The Unresolved, following a Vaati that chose to live alone away from Hyrule… until one day where he finds Link and Zelda’s daughter very far from home and so he has to return to Hyrule and figure out what the hell happened. I think I remember it having a good story overall, but I can’t remember it in details at all.

To be honest, Recollection was too needlessly cruel for me (and I remember reading an author's note agreeing, saying that they don't think it was necessarily a good idea to conclude the story this way) so yeah, do that what you will

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Then we have the vaazel duology, which I actually read a couple years ago after remembering that author’s existence and going on a nostalgia trip

First one is When I Return, where a kidnapped Zelda slowly and begrudgingly comes to an understanding with Vaati and vice versa. And then oops feelings. It IS a Stockholm syndrome type of situation but I do think it was handled well, as the gravity of the situation and Zelda’s emotional state play a central role in the narrative.

Overall, I liked the dynamic between the two very much. Basically it’s Vaati having to manage the politics of conquering Hyrule while he hears Zelda, in the background, doing increasingly annoying attempts to escape his palace, and him having a headache about it all. And it’s Zelda trying to escape but also eventually learning about how monster society works and how Vaati is actually not all powerful despite being at the top of the chain of command. And like, obviously, screw him for kidnapping her but also. “Wow never thought I could have any sympathy for that guy.”

Second is Forget-me-nots and violets that tackles the consequences of Vaati and Zelda getting together back in Hyrule. Vaati’s ready to cooperate to have some peace between Hyrule and monsters, but basically everyone around them (understandably) think that Vaati brainwashed Zelda and drama ensues. A good continuation and conclusion to this story

If any Rat Enjoyer reading this wants to drop some recs too, please do! for Anon, but also for me because I kinda want to read Vaati fics now lmao