Chapter Text
Sky sits in the warm sunshine, just far enough from the campsite that the sounds from his companions are muffled. Warriors has come to sit by his side, at Sky's insistence. Sky caught him making a third sweep of the camp's perimeter, wasting energy in an endless prowling cycle. Sky has a theory about what would happen if he could get Warriors to still for a brief moment and now that the opportunity has presented itself...
Sky casts a furtive glance to his right. Warriors is a silent companion, sitting in an easy sprawl beside him. His expression is slack and listless as he listens to the methodical scrape of Sky’s carving knife against a woodblock. Pushing down a hopeful smile, Sky focuses on his work. It feels good to be useful even in something as simple as helping a companion care for himself.
Not for the first time, he wonders who watched over his fellow heroes on their journeys. Who pointed the way when they were lost? Or reminded them to take a potion? Who stayed at their side through every dark corner, or faced head-on the horrible monsters lurking there? Anyone? No one? Sky knows if they carried the Master Sword that they were not truly alone, no matter how silent Fi remained, but he can acknowledge how lonely the silence must have been. They wouldn’t have known the soft chime of her voice or the reassuring pulse of power in the sword that bolstered courage.
They didn’t know Fi. She had gone dormant, leaving Sky behind, and every day he missed her.
A warm weight presses against his side and a wash of relief hits Sky, grateful for the distraction from his thoughts. Warriors’ head slumps on Sky's shoulder, finally surrendering to the pull of sleep. Sky allows himself to grin at the sight. Success! Don't think I haven't noticed all the night watches you keep taking, Warriors.
Sky wondered what kept this particular hero from sleep the past few nights. Nightmares? Paranoia? A vile mix of both? Or perhaps it was just plain insomnia? He hated that lack of sleep seemed to be a theme with some members of their group. Sky had struggled with sleep during his adventure but that… that was over now. And he didn’t like to dwell on it. Thinking about it too much made him… susceptible. To seeing things again.
Sky took in a deep, steadying breath. Fixation and anxiety only made the nightmares worse, the doctor had said. But Sky knew what stole sleep from him was not in the way of common nightmares.
But it won’t happen now. It hasn’t happened in nearly a year. You’re past that. Stay calm.
The sun was pulling low into the trees now, but Sky had soaked up so much of its warmth that he too felt the hazy pull of sleep. For a brief moment, Sky's stomach churned at the thought of what might be waiting for him when he closed his eyes.
Stop that. Just because you remember the “dreams” for one evening will not bring them back. You’re fine.
Sky whittles, stubbornly trying to stay awake a little longer, and silently tells himself he's grateful.
He’s grateful for the gift the goddess bestowed on him so many years ago. The dreams -visions- of the future. The visions showed him The Imprisoned, an abomination of Demise’s true form, long before he was fated to fight him. The visions showed him Zelda and the danger she would face. They warned him and informed him and… and terrified him.
The visions are useful. They are. And I’m grateful.
Grateful for the ability to help his loved ones. Grateful for the knowledge granted him of the future. Grateful even for the harder visions. The ones that torment and petrify and leave him waking in a cold sweat, nauseous and feeling more exhausted than when he first closed his eyes. The visions that nipped at his heels during his journey slowed after Demise’s defeat. They came rarely now and he’s learned to keep his mouth shut about them.
It’s his gift. And his secret. And he’s oh so very grateful. But now, he thinks he would rather not go to sleep.
~~~
Sky rockets awake, heart pounding, nausea swelling up his throat. He holds back the scream still echoing in his head. Breathe. Take a moment. Take in your surroundings. Sky traces the shapes in the near darkness, some lumps of blankets silhouetted by distant firelight, a few ambling shapes of his friends still getting ready for sleep.
“You alright there, Sky?”
Sky resists the urge to lurch to his feet, simultaneously aware of the voice behind him and the warm weight against his shoulder. His fingers twitch, longing to wrap around a sword and slice at the noise from behind, old habits screaming at him to defend himself, half expecting black diamonds to crystallize into the air around him. But no demon was sneaking up on him tonight. That was Four’s voice. Sky knows that voice. Relax. Besides, he wouldn’t want to wake Warriors. His companion still lay slumped against him, mouth open against Sky’s shoulder.
“Sky?” Four asked again.
Right. He needs to answer. “Uh, yeah, fine. I'm fine.” He smiled thinly, heart finally slowing from its rapid pace. “Just dozed off.”
“A pre-bed nap?” Four gives Sky a faintly amused look.
“I couldn’t bear to wake him.” He indicates the sleeper with a tiny nod of his head.
“Well, I can.” Four kicks at Warrior’s leg. “Oi! Move it! Find a different pillow.”
Incoherent grumbles emanate from Warriors, and he shifts to a more comfortable position.
“Come on.” Four tugs at Warriors, bracing his feet and pulling with his entire body. Warriors follows sluggishly, exhaustion making the older hero uncharacteristically quiet and compliant. Sky scrambles to follow, all traces of sleep far gone. He watches Four lead Warriors away by the arm, eventually depositing him on a bedroll with an exasperated huff.
“Thanks,” says Sky, though he’s not sure what for. It just seemed the appropriate thing to say. He was pleased to be useful, even if it was only to help another find sleep, but he didn’t intend to create more work for someone else. He hadn’t meant to fall asleep at all and see-
Nothing. I didn’t see anything. It was just a regular dream.
“Sorry you had to come fetch us,” Sky says.
Four shrugs. “Not a problem. Goodnight.” He wanders off to his own bedroll, features placid and unreadable. As if he hadn’t gone out of his way to check on Sky and correct what needed fixing.
Then Sky is alone, left with the details of the nightmare niggling at his mind. He ignores them. He begins to properly get ready for sleep, even though his bedroll, so enticing a few hours ago, now brings with it a feeling of dread. Nausea bubbles again in his gut and Sky grits his teeth against the feeling. Perhaps if he pretends a little longer it will go away.
Besides, it was just a dream. A dream of the sun swallowed up in darkness. What could that mean?
No, it was an unremarkable nightmare. Nothing to be so uptight about. Sky yanks his outer layers off, the cloth pulling roughly against his ears. They twitch in discomfort, unwillingly recalling the shout of pain he heard, not ripped from his own mouth, but unsettlingly familiar.
Stop thinking about it. There was nothing significant in that dream. Sky takes a sip of water from his canteen and closes his eyes, focusing on the cool trickle down his throat. Behind his eyelids, he sees it again. A flash of blue, tumbling and twisting through the air until it crumples with a cry against the rocks.
No.
With forced calm, Sky lays down on his bedroll, ignoring the dread creeping over him. Please. Not again. Sky sends the desperate prayer skyward, willing it to be heard, despite the sinking feeling in his heart. But he knows. Of course, he already knows.
The visions are returning.
Why now? Sky thought. Why send more now? I completed my quest! Cold fear grips him and he jerks upright. Was Zelda in danger? Was this a warning that he needs to go home?
“Sky?” Twilight has first watch tonight. He’s turned toward Sky, head cocked to one side like a curious loftwing. “Is something bothering you?” The question is soft and inviting. Twilight is a good listener, but tonight Sky wishes he were a bit less observant.
“I’m fine.” He replies. As always. He had to be fine. What could he say? “Sorry. I can’t sleep because I’m afraid I’m having vision warning me about the future.’ ’ And it was a hard thing to get people to believe, Sky knew. It was the sort of thing that made people look sideways at you when you turned your back.
Sky can feel Twilight still watching him, so he lays back down and closes his eyes. He wants to squirm under the scrutiny, but that was irrational. No one here knew about his visions. And no one would find out.
It was a fluke anyway. They aren’t coming back. There’s no reason for visions. Zelda is safe. The other heroes and I are tracking down infected monsters as fast as we can. It was a simple dream.
Sky pulls the blanket tighter around his shoulders and curls in tightly despite the warm night. The vision- no the dream, just a dream - happened when Warriors fell asleep beside him. Perhaps that was a trigger? The theory sounds weak even to himself, but if preventing anyone bumping up against him in his sleep helps keep the visions away… A brief pang of loneliness echoes through him at the additional wall he’s putting up. This is safer. He forces his body to still and his eyes to close. And then he waits for sleep. It takes longer than it normally does, but eventually, blissful slumber takes him.
~~~
It is not morning light that wakes him. Nor is it the hands of whichever hero drew the short straw of waking him. It’s that scream, pained and raw and echoing in Sky’s head that rips his consciousness into the waking world. He jolts, his eyes flying open and searching for that last glimpse of blue swallowed by darkness. His hand closes around the Master Sword, her grip as comforting as the warm hand of a friend, just as his brain registers reality.
He’s half-reclined in his bedroll. Autumn gold leaves blanket the forest floor and the sky is a soft orange above, not a scrap of blue in sight. He is safe. There is no darkness. No one screamed.
Sky releases the sword and rubs at his face. Blue. The dream was of someone in blue disappearing into darkness… Was that the same as yesterday’s? No. Sky grits his teeth. Leave it alone. It doesn’t mean anything.
“Whoa! Sky, you’re up already?” Wind’s voice cuts into Sky’s thoughts.
Sky turns, a ready smile on his face for the younger hero. It freezes on his face as the sight of Wind’s bright blue tunic fills his view.
“Heh, guess I don’t gotta wake you up this morning.”
“I-” Sky’s thoughts are scattered, flitting around him like stray loftwing feathers. Blue. Falling into black. “You guys don’t always have to wake me. I’m not-” And a scream. Had he ever heard Wind scream like that? “I’m not that bad.”
“Sky. Yer always grumpy in the morning.”
A dream is a dream. It doesn’t have to mean anything. “T-today I’m not.”
Wind beams back. “Today you’re not! Sounds like the winds are in my favor today.” He offers Sky a hand. “Come on. Wild’s just now started on breakfast. If we help out we get first dibs!”
Sky lets Wind pull him to his feet and draw him into the morning routine. Routine is good. It distracts. It keeps his mind busy. ‘An idle mind stirs up destruction,’ Professor Horwell used to say.
So Sky moves. He doesn’t falter and let his thoughts backslide. Not when he kneels beside Wild and his arms bump against his shoulder, rubbing against the soft blue of his champion tunic. Not when Warriors joins them around the small cooking fire, vivid blue scarf fluttering around his knees. Not even when Sky hands a bowl of fried egg and rice over to Four and notes the patch of blue on his tunic as well. He moves and smiles and sits by his companions, not looking for any more scraps of colors. Not imaging if he could tell the difference between their screams.
Sky spoons a bite of food into his mouth and feels a twinge of answering nausea. He swallows anyway and fights down the desperate need to cry. Please. I don’t want this. Not again.
But when has his mission ever been about what Sky wanted? It was what needed to be done. And if not Sky, then who? His ears prick at the sounds of idle conversation around him and Sky knows he would never force one of them to pick up his burden. Would one of the others be given his visions if he ignored them? Over my dead body. I’d rather-
“Hey, Sky! Help!”
Adrenaline shoots through him as Sky scrambles to his feet, nearly slopping his breakfast onto the ground.
Wind darts around Wild, trying to snatch at the object in Wild’s hand. “Come on, Sky!” Wind calls again. “Make him delete it!”
“What?”
Laughter ripples around Sky as the others watch Wild nimbly dance out of reach, his strange sheikah device held high. Wind makes a swipe for it but Wild leaps and scales the tree just behind Sky, making it look deceptively easy.
Wild looks down to grin at Wind only to squawk in alarm at the boomerang whistling toward his hand.
“Dodge that, landlubber!”
The sheikah device falls and Sky instinctively snatches it out of the air.
Wild comes crashing down from the tree only for Wind to crash into him in turn. They tumble away with calls of, “Delete it Sky! Delete it!” from Wind and yelping protests from Wild. Legend and Warriors call out bets, adding to the chaos while Twilight looks torn between breaking up the tussle and laughing at the both of them.
Still confused, Sky looks down at the rectangular device in his hand. A single stylized blue eye stares up at him. He sucks in a breath between his teeth before determinedly turning the device over. There he sees an image of himself, bundled up in his blanket, fast asleep. But he’s not alone. Wind is snuggled up against him, head tucked under Sky’s chin. The youngest hero looks peaceful in sleep, one hand in a loose fist nestled between Sky’s chest and Wind’s lips, making it almost look like-
The shiekah device slips from Sky’s hands as Hyrule twists it away for a closer look. “Huh. You guys weren’t like this when I woke up.”
“Don’t look at that!” Wind’s voice rings out from the tangle of limbs still on the ground. “Traitor!”
Hyrule shrugs. “Nothing wrong with being a snuggler. Keeps you warm.”
Wild dissolves into laughter and Wind takes the opportunity to elbow him in the gut and break free.
Legend peers over Hyrule’s shoulder. “Hmm. A thumb-sucker though… that can’t be sanitary.”
Wind’s cheeks flush pink. “I’m not, and you know I’m not, you chowder-headed rat!”
“Well,” Legend drawls, “a painting speaks a thousand words and this one certainly looks like your thumb is in your-” He cuts off with a grunt as Wind tackles him.
Time carefully steps over the squabbling pair. “Well, there goes another one.” He pats Sky’s arm as he passes, amusement in his face.
Sky does his best to smile back. There’s a lump in his throat that won’t allow him to relax. Wind had been next to him, and the same dream occurred. So was Wind who he should keep an eye on? But earlier…it had been Warriors who triggered the whole thing, right?
“I can get rid of it if it bothers you that much.”
Sky jumps at the voice by his elbow. “Four! I didn’t hear you come up.” Laughing awkwardly, Sky pats at the back of his neck. “You, uh, wanted to get rid of something?”
Four gives him a strange look. “The picture. You act like it bothers you.”
“Oh. Nope. I’m fine!”
Four hums, considering this response, and Sky can feel himself sweating.
“If you’re sure.”
“Yup. It’s all fine.”
~~~
After breakfast, the others bounce back and forth around Sky, rowdy movements and boisterous words lobbed back and forth across the campsite. He watches dully as Wind bounds up to Hyrule’s side and flops an arm over his shoulder, mouth never ceasing in telling his tale, incident with the slate long forgotten. Twilight’s booming laughter sounds to Sky’s left and he catches Warrior's exchange a smug smile with Wild, pleased that he provoked a laugh. Time tosses in the occasional dry comment, teasing and cryptic in equal measures. They all mesh together so seamlessly. Even Legend, prickly as he likes to come across, usually has someone at his side. Hyrule and Wind mostly brave the veteran hero’s snark and Warriors seems to thrive on it.
Four gathers his things a few steps away from the others, quiet and efficient. At first, Sky had thought he and Four were similar in that way, existing slightly apart from the others, but he was wrong. Four is content in his isolation. Sky longs for connection.
It’s not for lack of trying. Sky has made a concentrated effort to be kind and helpful and he has been well received but… The others flutter around him, just out of reach. They are friendly, but not friends. But perhaps he is expecting too much. He’s used to knowing so much about his fellow Hylians, having either grown up in their midst on Skyloft or been at least casual acquaintances. Perhaps this is what’s normal among those who only have a scant few months of interaction?
He sighs and tries not to think of Skyloft. Of Zelda. But the barest hint of her perfume still lingers on his sailcloth and these days his mind is hopelessly pulled back to home. And it’s not just thoughts of Zelda, but of Groose, Fledge, Pipit and Beedle. He misses the easy trust built over years of knowing someone. He misses just talking to someone who won’t take his words as the only measure of who he is as a person. He misses his friends.
The weight of the Master Sword, of Fi, hangs heavy on his back, her silence a constant reminder that he is truly alone.
Shame burns in his gut. How pathetic to be so homesick. Surrounded by people and he’s feeling lonely? Plant your feet and duck under the clouds, Link. You’re a hero, remember? Act like one.
~~~
They travel onward, following tips from the locals about particularly violent attacks in the north. Sky follows along in a haze, mind buzzing at every scrap of blue that catches his eye.
The visions will worsen if he's taking the wrong path and with every step, he dreads the coming night. He is quiet at dinner, taking in the glint of eyes so many shades of blue. Is he on the right course? Who should he stick close to? He closes his eyes at rubs at his face, wishing he had someone to confide in. If Zelda were here she’d put a comforting hand in his, steady and unafraid, knowing how touch grounded him when he was panicking. She would listen to him without judgment and try and help him figure this out. He pictures her now, playfully trying to get him to smile, blue eyes catching his- Sky's heart thumps. Blue again.
"Sky?" Time asks.
"What?" Sky glances around the group, trying to act like he had been paying attention. Several of the others hold instruments in hand.
Time gestures to his simple tan ocarina. "Do you feel like joining us?"
"O-of course." He smiled sheepishly, reaching for his harp. He helped his companions fill the night with music, some songs played with familiarity, others he followed along as best he could. It helped to keep him focused on the present, pushing back the growing worry that he should be heading home.
Blue.
Wild cackles with laughter at Twilight's "instrument", a long blade of grass held between two thumbs. Should Sky keep an eye on the champion?
Blue.
Wind has stolen Warrior's scarf, saying all eyes should be on the conductor as he waves his baton threateningly. He’ll have to keep watch over those two as well.
Blue.
He catches Legend’s gaze and something about their shape reminds him of Zelda's eyes, peering over her shoulder as she flies on her loftwing, the bird's bright blue feathers obscuring her from view with every flap. What if she’s in trouble? What if I should be home?
Stop.
Sky forces a smile and plays a little louder.
When the fire flickers low and wan starlight cannot provide enough illumination to play by, it’s time for sleep. Sky picks a spot far from the fire’s warmth where most of the others huddle. He lays his pack on one side of his bedroll, sword and shield on the other one, and tries not to make it too obvious that he’s blocking himself in. Last night’s vision had left him tired and flagging all day. He needs to rest.
But despite his best efforts, sleep does not come. Sky closes his eyes and feels the slow crawl of time slip past. He opens them and watches the stars drag across the sky. He hears each softly spoken exchange as watch shifts end and a new hero takes up vigil over the camp. At one point he thinks he catches the soft padding of Wolfie circling the camp.
Still, the night drags on. Sky prays for and dreads sleep in equal measure, a clash between his body’s need and his mind’s fear. At last, he begins to drift, weariness plucking at his limbs and dragging eyelids shut-
“Monster!” Wind’s shout reverberates across the camp. “Monster attack! Look alive!”
Adrenaline hits him like a lightning bolt. Sky is on his feet, sword in hand when the first blow hits. A boulder twice his size thuds into the middle of the camp sending up a spray of dirt and charred firewood. The ground shudders below him as he backpedals. He hears shouts from the others and prays no one was hurt. Trees snap and splinter to his right and morning sun glints off a hulking pile of rocks moving in their direction.
“What is that?” Hyrule’s voice, though Sky couldn’t catch sight of him through the trees.
A flash of metal reveals Warriors and Time facing down the creature, weapons drawn and shields up. Warriors shouts, “How did a pile of rocks sneak up on us?! Wind?!”
Wind races forward, a lance length ahead of the lumbering beast. “It didn’t sneak! It was just there!”
Legend appears on the opposite side of the camp from Sky, hands deep in his pouch as he hastily backs up. “What do you mean ‘it was just there’? It’s a walking rock monster the size of a house!”
Wild joins him, fingers flying over the panel of his slate. “Talus,” he says tersely.
“Strategy?” Warriors calls, eyes never dropping from the creature.
The talus lurches forward and a second boulder hurtles toward Legend and Wild. Sky steps forward, mind suddenly filled with, - blue scream hitting the rocks no no no NO- before the two heroes leap to the side and the rock smashes into trees.
“I mean-” Wind zips forward and rolls smoothly under creature’s legs coming up behind it and firing off a frozen-tipped arrow, “-it was just regular rock when I stepped on it!”
Hyrule joins Wind, sword slashing ineffectively at the rock.
“Back up you two!” Time calls out as the talus tips back, smashing face-first into the ground and just missing the two of them.
Sky has only a moment to feel the weak flutter of relief at Wind’s blue tunic not crushed under a thousand-pound rock. “Weak spot. Where’s the weak spot,” he mutters.
“Up on top.” Four’s quiet voice sounds from Sky’s side. When did Four get here? “There’s a piece sticking out that’s black…”
Sky can see it for a brief moment as the talus lurches upright, pulling up two new arms of stone from the earth.
“Wild! Weak point?” Warriors calls again.
“On it’s back!”
Sky can work with that. “Nice call,” he says to Four. The both of them race side by side to find a clear vantage point. Sky pulls out a bomb flower and lobs it toward the stone monster. It explodes against the gray surface, but the monster hardly flinches, rotating to face them.
“Circle up!” Warriors calls. “But keep moving and keep it distracted!”
Four tosses a bomb of his own before grabbing Sky’s sleeve and yanking him along after him. Sky only perceives a faint whistling noise before the ground buckles below him with the force of the newly thrown boulder. He and Four stumble, but are quickly back on their feet. Explosions echo from the other side of the talus, the others having switched to bombs as well.
“Watch your aim!” Sky recognizes Legend’s shout. “You’ve got friendlies on the other side if you miss!”
Another ear-popping explosion. But this time the talus shudders and Sky can see the cracks running through the black protrusion on the talus’ back.
Sky and Four race forward and hurl another volley of bombs. They hit and the talus lurches to one side. Almost there! Sky swaps to his whip, eyeing the much smaller rock legs and wonders if he can knock it off balance. So far, things are going well. No injuries as far as Sky can tell. No sign of a blue figure crushed and screaming. Everything is fine. Still… Sky takes a second to locate all the blue in sight. Four is at his side. Wind zips by on his left, a blur of wild energy and Hyrule on his heels. Warriors and Time are on Sky’s right, calm and efficient. And Wild…
Sky’s heart lurches up into his throat. Where is Wild? His feet freeze before he realizes it and only Four’s sharp yank on his elbow reminds him to move.
The talus rears back, ready to launch another boulder when Sky hears Wild’s shout.
“Twilight! Shield up!”
On the opposite side of the talus, Sky spies Twilight whip his shield up to shoulder height and drop to one knee. Wild vaults of the shield straight into the air, bow at the ready. Time seems to slow around him as he takes careful aim, bomb smoking at the arrow tip.
Wild fires. The explosion shatters the black outcropping and the talus lurches backward. Sky huffs out a relieved sigh as a cheer goes up from Wind and Hyrule.
The talus thuds into the dirt. But its arm, raised for one last throw, follows the backward momentum and separates from the body, hurtling towards the figure directly behind it. A figure in blue.
Sky’s mind whites out in panic. Someone screams. His arm flicks out and the whip obeys, wrapping around an arm. It’s not enough, Sky knows it, but he yanks anyway, lurching the figure toward himself as the boulder thunders closer.
Rock and flesh connect. Sky hears the crunch of bone and feels the jerk of the whip as the body is flung to the side. But he holds on until the rock rolls to a stop and the body stills.
For a horrifying moment, it seems no one can take a breath.
Then everyone moves at once. They all rush toward the bloody figure on the ground, royal blue scarf splayed on the ground beside him. It’s a blur of noise and motion and Sky feels like he’s floating ten feet above his body. A figure in blue. Flung against the rocks. A scream. Someone screamed.
“Sky?” Four’s voice sounds very far away.
“Someone screamed,” he mumbles. “When he- when Warriors…”
“That was you, Sky.” Four’s hands tug the whip out of his hand. “Sit down.”
“Why?” You should be helping Warriors. Someone help him! He tries to focus on the huddle of bodes and catches glimpses of Time, Twilight, and Hyrule bent over the ground. Wind stands at the ready with what looks like every pack in camp in his arms, face determined.
“You’re face is white as death. Now sit.”
Four tugs him down until Sky sinks to the ground. They sit, side by side, waiting. At some point, Sky feels pressure wrapping around his hand that doesn’t let go. His mind scatters and he can’t quite grasp the meaning behind it.
They wait in horrible anticipation, the most good they can now do is to stay out of the way. They watch Wind pass potions to Twilight and bandages to Time.
They wait. Until finally Wind calls, “He’s breathing! He’s okay!” and Sky can finally breathe as well.
~~~
An hour later, Warriors has been bundled up and put on strict bed rest until he regains the strength to walk on his own. Red potions had taken care of the multitude of broken bones and knit together the torn flesh, but the blood loss will take much longer to recover from.
He would be fine. Warriors would recover. But it had been a close call.
Sky sits off by himself, shivering, unable to fight off the chill that’s taken root in his bones and the black thoughts circling in his mind like sharks. What was the point? Why send the visions if I couldn’t stop it? Unless I was supposed to? And I failed.
Footsteps approach and Sky can tell from their rhythm that it’s Twilight. He tenses, hoping Twilight’s not come to check on him.
“Sky? You alright?”
Sky would like very much to scream. Was he acting so pathetically that he needs checked on when they have an injured party member five paces away?
Twilight sighs. “Never thought you’d be one of the difficult ones.”
Sky puffs out a breath of air, blowing his bangs to the side. “I’m not.”
“Glad to hear it. Let’s hear what’s eating you then.”
I can’t tell him.
But if he did tell the truth… He wonders how Twilight would react, how any of them would react to such blatant guidance from the goddess. If he told them what the visions let him see, would they be grateful for the help? Resentful of her continued interference? Would they even believe him if he told him?
Of course, they'd believe. Right? Stranger things have happened to them all. There's no reason they wouldn't.
Still, Sky can’t bring himself to tell. He’s spent too long guarding his secrets with a smile and a shrug. He’s just Sky: sometimes quiet, often cheery, loves to talk about home, and is a fair swordsman. That’s enough.
He tells himself it has nothing to do with how people looked at him back home. How their delight at how he found Zelda turns cold when he mentions the visions. How talking about glimpses of the future makes them stiffen and shift warm conversations into stilted ones. No one ever called him a liar or anything. But... it was easier when he kept his mouth shut and pretended to be normal.
This way is better. I'm helpful this way. Sky's hand shakes ever so slightly. The visions are helpful and they were given to me. I can bear them.
But Twilight is waiting, clearly ready to out-stubborn Sky, so he has to say something. Not about the visions. Not that what happened to Warriors is truly his fault. But maybe…
“I should have been faster.”
Twilight doesn’t even bat an eye. “Pff. Sure. And I should have been able to teleport. And since I can’t that makes it my fault, right?”
Sky glares but there’s no real heat behind it.
“Sky, It wasn’t your fault that he got hurt.”
Sky doesn’t answer. But I was warned. So I should have done more to stop it. But you can’t know that.
“You know what was your fault though?”
Sky’s hands tighten on his arms, bracing.
“The fact that Warriors is alive.” Twilight grins. “That is 100% your fault and it’ll be on your head every time he complains about the humidity and how it’s wrecking his hair.”
He can’t stop the weak laugh that bubbles out and Twilight’s grin widens.
“You could have spared us all from that, Sky.” He rests his chin on one hand. “How could you?”
Sky shakes his head. “I know what you’re doing. And thank you.” He has to let Twilight know the effort is appreciated, even if Sky doesn’t deserve it. The full vision didn’t come true, so he’ll count that as a victory. He shudders again. He needs the recovery only a good night’s sleep can bring, and tonight, he’ll finally get it. But the blazing mid-morning sun beats down on them. It’s not even noon and he’s desperate for a nap. He has to make it through the rest of the day.
Sky ignores Twilight’s searching look while trying not to make it look like he’s ignoring him. He’s fairly sure he fails miserably, but it doesn’t matter. Twilight huffs out a quiet sigh, pats Sky’s arm, and leaves.
Sky has barely the time to enjoy his respite from prying questions before another pair of boots stomps up to him. He recognizes the wings adorning the sides immediately.
Legend shoves a steaming cup toward Sky. "Drink this tea."
He appreciates the gesture, he really does, but just how weak does he look to everyone right now? One would assume Sky was the one who got clipped by a talus and not Warriors. "Legend, I'm f-"
"Tell me you're fine one more time and I’ll pour it into your lap."
He meekly takes the cup. “...thanks.”
Legend grunts. “If you’re not feeling well you need to tell us.”
This again. Mother cuccoing from Twilight and Legend? “It’s nothing worth te-” Sky cuts off his words at Legend’s glare.
“Tell. Someone. If not me, at least tell Four.”
“Four?”
“Well yeah. He noticed you were acting off yesterday. And he likes hanging around you.”
“He does?”
Legend stops what he’s doing and gives Sky a searching look. “You didn’t notice?”
Sky quickly drops his attention to the hot tea in his hands, hoping the steam rising off it will account for how hot his face suddenly feels. It’s silly how the mere hint of a friend makes him feel giddy. It’s stupid. And childish.
But if he’s stupid and childish then so be it. He’s happy.
Legend scoffs and sits next to him. “Idiot,” he says. It doesn’t sound like an insult, laced with a tone that some might call affectionate.
Sky looks down at the tea in his hands, recalls the numerous moments of the others checking in on him and reaching out, in their own ways. He sighs. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”
Legend doesn’t answer, just bumps their shoulders together. A simple touch. It’s grounding when everything has seemed unstable. But it’s finally over and Sky can’t resist sinking into that touch and closing his eyes. Just for a moment, soaking in the feeling of safety.
He doesn’t intend to let sleep pull him under, but when has he ever been fully in control of that?
~~~
Someone is crying. The noise is faint at first, but Sky is sure. The sounds of distress pull at his heart and he turns about trying to find who it is.
The crying gets louder, desperation lacing the noise and sending Sky's heart into a rapid tempo. He walks toward the sound, eyes scanning the darkness for the source.
A desperate shriek pierces the air and words tumble after. "No! Please, wake up. Don't leave! You have to wake-" A wet gasp cuts off the words and the cries continue.
Sky spins, the sound seemingly everywhere around him, thrumming in his head. "Where are you?"
A hunched figure appears and Sky freezes. It catches sight of him in the same moment, beginning to crawl toward him on the ground. Its face is an indistinct blur.
"Help me!"
Cries that seemed pitiful only seconds ago now strike Sky as unnerving. "W-wait."
"Help me!" It shrieks again, fingers wrapping around Sky's boots.
"I don't know how!"
A hand latches onto Sky's belt as the figure pulls itself higher, the other hand grabbing a fistful of his tunic. "Please!" It cries, face warping into unrecognizable smears of color. The voice though... Sky feels like he should know that voice.
The hands grab at Sky's collar and he reels back, pushing away from the figure.
He looks down.
Sky's hand is splayed against a tunic bright and vivid, as red as a heart flower.
The dream ends and Sky snaps back to consciousness right where he left it, slumped into the warmth at his side, cup dangling from his fingertips, and Legend propping him up. He jerks upright, breaking the contact, pulse thundering in his ears.
It was a dream it was a dream it was a dream-
"Oh don't look like that. I let you get some rest now so you won't be dead on your feet today."
No please it was just a dream it didn't happen again-
"Just don't bring it up, alright?"
You’re just paranoid is all. That's all it is.
"Sky?"
He squeezes his eyes shut for one moment and just breathes. But even that brings no comfort, for there is nothing to distract from the utter exhaustion that drugs his muscles into feeling like jelly. In a mocking wave, nausea swells within him. And despite the burning sun above, Sky feels only the unnatural chill of having seen something beyond what should be possible.
Again, he's been given a glimpse of the future. A future of red and cries and begging for help.
Sky opens his eyes to Legend hovering before him, clear worry painted on his face.
"Sky? Say something! You're kinda freaking me out."
Sky reaches out and splays his hand against Legend's tunic. As red as a heart flower. He breaths in. He breaths out.
The visions are useful. And I’m grateful.
Locking all his fear down as deep as it will go, Sky whispers, "I'm alright, Legend. I'm fine."