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The first time the Chain had ended up at LonLon Ranch, Legend had thought for a minute that he was hallucinating. There was the red hair, the eyes... Then Malon kissed Time, and he realized that it wasn't her... She was dead. He knew that.
Needless to say, it had been odd for him at first. He couldn't help comparing Malon and Marin. Actually, in a way, it helped. He could see the difference in their personalities, in their outfits- even their mannerisms. Sure, he still saw the similarities, especially in Malon's red hair and the blue eyes, but it wasn't quite the same. Marin's hair had been darker, not as orange.
He’d seen, too, the pictures of Talon on the walls and above the fireplace. Talon, Malon, Train, Marin… It had been a rough night. Memories he both never wanted to remember and never wanted to forget plagued his memory, keeping him awake.
He had never spent much time around Tarin. He had been busy adventuring, and spending time with Marin, and ridding Koholint of monsters to get really close to the man. Of course, Legend knew that he’d had another reason, the same reason he had kept comparing Malon and Marin at first, only with Tarin and… someone else.
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"Ugh. Your monsters are crazy, Wild," Wind said, standing up after a long battle.
"They are?" Wild asked.
"It took Time and Twilight working together to take down that silver moblin, I think Wind has a point," Legend said, stowing the various weapons he'd used back into his satchel.
"Guys!" Sky suddenly called, "There's a portal!"
A collective groan rose through the air.
"Grab your things," Time said, already making his way over to Sky.
After the usual mess of nausea, cursing, and regular post-switching routines, Legend looked around, trying to collect his bearings.
""Anyone know where we are?" Warriors asked.
"This is my Hyrule," Time said after a moment, "We're near the ranch."
That cheered everyone up. The ranch was like a second home to most of them. Or, in Hyrule's case, an actual home, because Legend refused to think of that cave he had shown them to the last time as his successor's home.
"How long of a walk?" Twilight asked. Time stood there for a moment, calculating.
"About two hours if we don't get slowed down," He told them.
Despite everyone's exhaustion from the earlier battle, they walked quickly, the idea of a warm bed and Malon's company and good cooking energizing them. Even so, Wars had resorted to giving Wind a piggy back ride by the time they got to the ranch.
Thinking back on it later, Legend wished he hadn't been so enthusiastic.
"Link!" Malon called, running out of the house to her husband, and Legend felt a pang inside that he quickly squirreled away. Now was not the time for what-ifs.
"You boys must be exhausted. Come on in! There's soup on the stove, it'll be done soon. I'll get some bowls ready." Malon shooed them all into the house, pushing them to take off their boots and go into the kitchen. They had barely made it into the doorway, however, when a burly man stepped into view.
"Link! You're home!" He called.
Legend stopped short, and Wars ran into him.
"What gives? Can't let the rest of us get in the house?" He teased, and Legend moved forward automatically, but his eyes never left the man.
"it's good to see you." Time said, giving the man a hug.
"Boys, this is Talon. He's Malon's father."
A chorus of "hello"s and "Nice to meet you"s rang out. But Legend still couldn't move. Talon looked like... He shook his head.
"You good, Legend?" Sky asked. Of course sky had picked up on his mood. Out of all of them, Sky read emotions best.
"I'm fine. Better than the captain's hair looks," Legend snarked, but the words didn't carry their usual weight. They seemed hollow and empty, even to his ears.
"You're sure?" Sky asked quietly.
"I'm absolutely fine. Just hungry," Legend said, putting on a confident mask. Don't let him see, don't let him look closer, don't let him see past the mask…
"Same!" Wild said, coming up to them. "It's nice not to have to cook for once."
"Do none of you other boys cook?" Talon asked, hearing Wild's words.
"Can't," Four said with a grin, " Besides, 'Rule can't even boil water without burning it."
"That is not true! I boil water all the time!" Hyrule protested.
"And burn it a lot," Twilight chuckled.
Hyrule protested the fact all the way to the dinner table. Malon had already made bowls,, and now she and Time handed them to the boys, along with some homemade bread that Malon promised was fresh from the oven. It was deliciously warm.
Conversation that night was light, with Malon asking how they were doing, Wind recounting adventures, Wars trying to get the younger boy to leave out the part where he and Twi slid halfway down a mountain wrestling... Little things. Nice things. Legend smiled at it all. But he didn't feel up to his usual snark. He just sipped at his soup and sopped up the broth with his bread.
Eventually, the conversation turned to the ranch. Legend was starting to zone out when he heard Twilight say, "You're planting an apple orchard?"
"Yup!" Talon affirmed, "Been wanting to for a while now. Just haven't been able to get the seeds in. But some saplings should be arriving soon."
"What type?" Legend asked, and his voice came out rather huskily. He cleared it and tried again. "What type of apples?"
"Pink Ladies!" Talon said excitedly, "Great kind, aren't they? Good for pies and cider, not to mention the fact that they smell good too."
Legend bit his lip as the man went on and on about his plans for the orchard. Eventually, he couldn't take it anymore, and he slipped out of his seat.
He was halfway to the barn before his vision began to blur. Halfway up the loft ladder before the first hot tears began to fall.
It wasn't fair! He didn't begrudge Time for a moment, but why did it have to happen this way?
Legend couldn't help the sobs that began to shake his body as he thought of everyone he'd lost. Koholint... Marin... His uncle…
His uncle, who had loved their orchard with everything he had. His uncle, who had cared for him, raised him. His uncle, who had taught him how to use a sword.
His uncle, who was dead.
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Time watched, brows furrowed, as Legend slipped away from the table. He'd been acting strangely ever since they got to the ranch, quiet, moody…
Actually, that was pretty much a description of Legend when he was tired, but still.
"Somethin’ wrong, son?" Talon asked, noticing Time's expression.
"I'm not sure," Time said, "Legend's been acting strangely.”
"He didn't finish his soup!" Wind announced a moment later.
"That's weird. He said he was really hungry earlier," Sky mused.
Now that made Time's eyebrows rise. Legend saying he was hungry and then not eating?Something was definitely wrong.
"I'm going to go check on him," Time said, kissing Malon's cheek.
Legend wasn't outside- Time checked all around the house first. Then he checked the barn. He could hear something...
No, someone. Legend was crying.
"Legend?" Time called softly. THere was no answer, so Time climbed up the loft ladder. Legend was curled up in a ball, tucked away in the closest corner of the rectangular loft.
"Legend, are you okay?" Time asked, reaching a hand out and touching the boys shoulder.
Legend screamed! Time startled, nearly falling backwards out of the loft. Legend's eyes were wild and unfocused, and he scrambled away from Time’s comforting touch.
"No. No," He was repeating, over and over, "My fault. My fault. No. NO!"
"Legend!" Time called again, unsure what to do. He didn't want to scare the boy- but he had to be able to help somehow.
"Link? Is everything alright?" Talong called from below. Time sighed and stepped down the ladder.
"I'm not sure what to do," He admitted. Legend was getting softer now, only his sobbing and a soft mumbling mummer of words audible. Talon listened for a moment, then nodded.
"I can handle this."
"Are you sure you don't need help?" Time asked, not doubting Talon's skills, merely offering his own.
"I'm sure. I helped you more times than I can remember," Talon smiled encouragingly, then clambered up the loft ladder.
"Legend?" He asked quietly, moving through the piles of scattered hay and kneeling next to the crying lad, "Link?"
Legend looked up then, freezing when he saw Talon's face.
"Uncle?" He asked. His voice was broken, raw with emotion and grief.
"I'm sorry lad, no. I'm not your uncle," Talon said, with the same calm, quiet voice, though Legend's voice broke his heart.
At Talon's words, Legend truly broke. His sobs became a muffled scream, and his body shook so hard that Talon was afraid it would break. He drew the young boy in, running a hand through the hair that was normally covered by Legend's cap, but had been freed in the boy's scramble to get away from Time. He held Legend close, knowing that there were no words that he could say to change anything.
They stayed that way for a long time, hot tears soaking the front of Talon's shirt and the child in his arms shaking wildly, truly grieving a long ago loss.
After a while, Legend’s sobs became hiccups, and his shaking slowed, though it didn’t stop.
“It’s alright, son,” Talon said softly, “you’re safe here. You’ve hidden your hurt for far too long, but you can let it out now. You can relax. You’re safe here.”
Legend sniffed, but he didn’t answer. He didn’t think he could answer. He didn’t have any tears left in him, but he believed the man… It wasn’t his uncle, he reminded himself, but maybe, maybe, just for a moment … just for a moment… he could… pretend…
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Legend wasn’t sure where he was for a moment when he woke up. There was something soft underneath him, and something warm and even softer on top of him that smelled like-
Was that Twilight’s pelt?
He opened his eyes and looked around. It took him only a second to realize that he was in the bunkhouse. There was a sort of meaty, delicious smell in the air that he couldn’t place.
Legend looked down. Sure enough, Twilight’s pelt was on top of him. He was in a green tunic, and he only belatedly realized that it wasn’t his when he nearly tripped over the length of it as he got out of the bed. His own pack and tunic were nowhere to be seen.
What was that smell? Legend slung Twilight’s pelt over his shoulders against the slight chill in the air and headed to the kitchen. He found Wild and Malon there, cooking up pancakes, bacon, and eggs.
“Morning, Legend!” Wild called out over the sounds of breakfast, “How’d you sleep?”
“Good, I guess. Undoubtedly better than the Old Man,” Legend answered back, his tone teasing.
“I slept fine, thanks for asking,” Time said, coming in the kitchen door. He made a discreet motion to Legend and followed the younger boy outside.
“Are you alright?” He asked, “Last night, you seemed…” Time trailed off, unsure.
“Are any of us alright?” Legend snarked, then softened.
“I’ll be fine, Time. Just had… some old memories that I hadn’t thought of in a while come up.”
Time nodded and went inside, but Legend stayed on the porch.
Was he really alright? Would he really be fine, really ever heal?
Legend wasn’t entirely sure. But as he watched the sun light up the world, Wind chasing Warriors with a cucco, Rule and Sky pointing out various shapes in the drifting clouds, he thought maybe, just maybe…
Maybe he could be alright.