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Kohga stared at the bundle of Yiga rags curiously. A tiny hand shot out from between the folds, pale and unblemished, and curled into a fist that shook fiercely in the air. He hummed, taking another step closer until he could see a tuft of hair the colour of a sundelion.

"What is it?"

A sharp squeal echoed off the walls of Kohga's office.

"And why is it so loud?"

Sooga stood off the side, ignoring the glances he could sense being exchanged behind the masks of the footsoldiers lined up by the entrance. "It is a baby, Master Kohga." He proffered. "The footsoldiers retrieved it on the latest mission to Central Hyrule. They brought him back."

"Him?"

Sooga hesitated for a moment. "It is a boy, Master Kohga. A Hylian boy."

Kohga hummed thoughtfully, prodding a slow finger into the bundle. Another shriek filled the already small room, and Sooga felt like the walls were pressing closer than before. He could hear the nervous shuffling of the footsoldiers just behind him, all five of them waiting for their master's inevitable verdict. 

"I still don't get why you brought it back," Kohga said, stepping back from the baby and scratching the back of his head. 

Feeling as though this was his cue to attempt to remedy the madness, Sooga took a broad step to the side and harshly shoved the footsoldier responsible for the issue at hand forward. The guy's name was Tom, if he recalled correctly, and had only been with the clan for the better part of a year. It usually took the new recruits at least twelve to eighteen months to begin getting into mischief; clearly, this one had other ideas. 

"M- Master Kohga, sir!" Tom's form went rigid, hands clenched tightly at his sides. Sooga almost felt sorry for him. "The- The child! It was abandoned by the roadside, Master Kohga, sir!"

"Abandoned?" Kohga repeated, sparing another glance at the baby. "Doesn't look abandoned. Looks like he fell straight from Hylia's arms, if anything." 

"It's true, Master Kohga." A second, braver footsoldier stepped into the spotlight, her voice laced with a confidence that only experience could gift. "We staked out the camp for an additional day, sir. Nobody came to retrieve him." Sooga's lips pressed into a fine line. An additional day of resources used to hang around and do nothing in camp? Their food supply was already running low, and time spent in the open was always a risk of being discovered. Kohga's hands came to his hips as he silently observed the five soldiers. 

"Alrighty then. Go on, skedaddle." He waved them away, turning his full attention back to the baby that was now babbling quietly to itself. Sooga shot them a muttered 'dismissed' and frowned as he watched them hurry out of the room, whispering amongst themselves. Folding his arms, he turned back to Kohga. The Yiga Master was hunched over the baby, head inclined curiously to the side until he reached out a hand again and began peeling the rags back. 

Sooga's frown only deepened when the red gave way to a knitted, green blanket just beneath. 

"Look at this."

Sooga blinked dumbly, staying fixed where he was because there was no way that had been Master Kohga. The Master Kohga. Top banana of the Yiga Clan, wielder of the Ultimate Yiga Power, and undefeated champion of the clan's battle-royale training sessions, The Rumble. There was simply no possible explanation for the gentle voice that had frozen Sooga in place; he was obviously imagining things. But then Kohga peered over his shoulder at him, waving him over impatiently.

"Come look at this." He hissed insistently.

Sooga felt like he was wading through mud as he made his way over to the desk where the baby had been hastily deposited by Tom. And before he could properly process the fact that Kohga had removed his mask, a pair of the brightest blue eyes Sooga had ever seen was staring unblinkingly up at him. His lips parted, shaping words that never passed them. 

"Wouldja look at that," Kohga muttered, almost amused. Sooga peeled his eyes away towards where Kohga was holding up the outer fold of the green blanket. What he guessed was name had been stitched into the corner in white, but the symbols were lost on him. He made a silent vow to brush up on his written Hylian in his free time. "What kind of name is that, kid? Link. Kinda boring if ya ask me." Kohga then replaced the blanket and tucked it underneath the boy, but he still somehow managed to squirm his other arm free and reached both hands out towards Kohga.

Both men stared silently back. 

Kohga tilted his head towards Sooga. "It wants me to hold it, doesn't it?"

Sooga licked his lips, his mouth feeling dry. "I believe so, Master Kohga."

Kohga hummed, then scooped the child up, one hand supporting his head and the other under the rest of him. He then shifted the baby to be propped against his shoulder and turned promptly to Sooga. "We need a basket."

Sooga tore his eyes away from the wisps of blond. "A basket, Master Kohga?"

"Yeah. Something for it to sleep in."

"Sleep?"

"Well, it can't sleep on the floor, I think that's bad for them or something." Kohga narrowed his eyes and relinquished one hand from the baby to snap his fingers in front of Sooga's face. "Oi. You awake? I ain't finding a bed for it myself, I dunno what I'm looking for. Never cared for a baby before." 

"I'll..." Desperately trying to gather his bearings, Sooga began awkwardly sidestepping towards the door, thankful that Kohga had turned his attention back to the bundle in his arms. "I will go and see if we have anything suitable, Master Kohga." He did an abrupt half-bow and ducked behind the curtain of a door.

* * * * * * *

"You need a what, sir?" 

Sooga's hands fell limply to his sides. He was a Blademaster for crying out loud. Hell, he was Second in Command to the entire Yiga Clan, yet here he was, bumbling around their storeroom in search of something that vaguely resembled what he could remember a bassinet looking like. He spared a glance at the old crate he'd emptied of Mighty Bananas but had a feeling it wasn't up to the task.

"A bassinet." He muttered, "Or a cradle. Just... something." And there was that awkwardness again. He could feel the confusion radiating from the soldier in front of him, incredulity practically dripping from her tone. 

"You mean, like, for a baby?" She asked, propping the box she was holding on her hip effortlessly. Sooga nodded bluntly. "May I ask... why, sir?"

Sooga cleared his throat, hoping to come off as confident instead of wholly underprepared for anything this scenario might entail. "No, you may not. Not until Master Kohga states otherwise." She nodded slowly and put the box down.

"Um, I might be able to find something, sir. Is there any particular size you would like?"

Sooga was quiet for a long moment. "Baby-sized?"

And again, there was that silence.

"Right. Okay then." The soldier took a tentative step backwards, her mask remaining fixed firmly towards the Blademaster as if she expected him to poof into someone else the moment she looked away. In the end, she disappeared behind a stack of Mighty Bananas and chipped arrowheads (who stored those together?) and Sooga found himself releasing a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. 

Those blue eyes. It felt like they'd been staring right into Sooga's soul. What kind of baby stares like that? Then again, Sooga hadn't met very many babies in his time, so as far as he knew they all did that. He hoped they didn't though. It was creepy.

"Will this do, sir?" The girl called out as she heaved a tightly woven basket back around the corner, held high above her head to avoid toppling over any of the precariously stacked piles of bits and bobs that Sooga should probably have somebody sort through. Taking it from her, Sooga brought it down to inspect it. The structural integrity of the basket seemed good enough, and the oval shape was ideal for housing a small person. The sides were high enough to prevent said small person from rolling out in the middle of the night should they choose to be adventurous at entirely inappropriate hours of the morning, which was a bonus. He briefly wondered why they had such a nice basket to begin with, but was side-tracked by the soldier still standing to attention, lightly rocking back and forth on her toes. 

"Thank you. This shall do nicely." He nodded his approval, and the footsoldier visibly lit up. 

"Awesome! You're welcome, Blademaster Sooga!" 

Leaving the soldier to get back to whatever it was he had interrupted, Sooga began the walk back to Master Kohga's office, basket in hand. He could feel the curious gazes of the other soldiers following his every step the whole way, and he could only hope they couldn't see the tension in his shoulders. He wasn't sure why he was so unsettled by the whole ordeal, a baby is hardly a foreign object after all, but then he supposed one inside the base was. The hideout was hardly the appropriate place to house an infant, what with all the fighting they did and the constant threat of invasion from the Gerudo, but he didn't like to challenge the authority of Master Kohga when it came to official matters. Sooga sighed quietly, allowing his mind to travel to other matters.

Sooga and Kohga had become something of an item in the past few months. Well, it was edging closer towards a year now, now he thought about it. Unofficially, anyway. Neither of them had taken to labelling whatever it was that had grown between them, and Sooga didn't want to feel as though he were overstepping should he take the initiative; Kohga was still Master Kohga after all. Things had stayed woefully vague despite the whispers and muttered comments he had overheard from the other members of the Clan when they thought he wasn't listening. Lovers was a common one, as was partners. He'd heard husbands wheezed out between snickers a handful of times, and even roommates on one memorable occasion - he still didn't understand that one though.

At the end of the day, Sooga knew that Kohga was going to do what Kohga wanted to do. That was part of the reason he was their fearless leader: he did what he wanted without letting anyone stand in his way, be it the Gerudo or the guards of the King of Hyrule himself. Kohga was a force of nature, which was exactly why Sooga was concerned if he decided to keep the baby. Babies were delicate, required constant attention, and used up more resources than Sooga felt the Clan could keep up with. Keeping the child would be difficult. But then that leads back to his initial point: Kohga never let anything stand in his way. If he wanted to keep the baby, he would keep the baby. And if Kohga wanted to spoil that kid, then it would live like the prince of Hyrule. 

Something shifted in Sooga's chest then at the thought of not just keeping the child, but raising it. Could they raise it? They were a gang of outcasts living in a hole in the desert and stole food to survive, could they really be responsible for the life of an infant? Was that fair to the boy? Maybe they could drop him on the doorstep of Gerudo Town because surely somebody there had enough heart to care for a lost child despite it being a Voe.

Sooga's train of thought came to a sudden halt when a flash of red appeared in the middle of the hallway. He stopped and stared down at the soldier, tucking the basket under his arm. 

"Soldier?"

"Ah, Blademaster Sooga, sir!" Ah. Tom. 

"Can I help you?" He asked warily, noting how nervous the boy appeared to be. Hopefully, nobody had broken anything. 

"Blademaster Sooga, sir, I was just wondering... Master Kohga..." He shuffled his feet, "Master Kohga isn't, um, mad, is he? Blademaster Sooga, sir?"

Sooga felt his eyebrow creeping up his forehead. "Master Kohga is not angry with you. I believe he was simply surprised by the turn of events."

"I see." Tom rubbed the back of his neck, dropping his gaze to the floor between them. "Well, just know that I'm sorry if I've caused any problems, Blademaster Sooga, sir."

Sooga simply nodded, but the stiffness in the soldier's form stayed strong. 

"May I..." Tom pressed his free hand to his side, "Is the baby going to be okay?" He eventually asked, clearly losing some kind of internal battle. But Sooga simply stared at him, dawning realisation at the fact that... The baby was young. A few months old, if he had to guess. He might be able to sit up by himself, his neck seemed strong when he was trying to crane it around to see Sooga before he'd left. But at the same time, he was only a few months old. Small babies need milk, don't they? Could they get that? "Sir?"

Sooga inhaled sharply, adjusting the basket under his arm. "The child will be fine." Tom stopped incessantly rubbing his neck, then sighed. 

"That's good. I hope I did the right thing."

Now thoroughly morally conflicted as to what to say to that, Sooga simply gave one of his awkward nods and made to step around the smaller soldier. 

"Ah! My apologies for keeping you, Blademaster Sooga, sir!"

Sooga didn't say anything for the rest of the walk back to Kohga's side of the hideout, pointedly avoiding anyone who so much as glanced in his direction and expertly swerving around those intent on seeking him out. Being Second in Command was great and all, but it made for a difficult time in trying to navigate the base in peace. He felt the tension in his jaw relaxing when the curtain to Kohga's office came into view, and he only hesitated for a moment before pushing it aside and stepping over the threshold. 

"Master Kohga." He said just as the man in question twizzled around to face him. 

"You were ages!" Kohga shoved an accusing finger at his chest. The baby was now back on the desk, the blanket laid out across the table. Tiny feet kicked in the air, and Sooga couldn't help the slight twinge of a smile at the sight. 

"My apologies, Master Kohga. The storeroom could do with tidying. It took a moment to find this." He shifted the basket into his hands and held it out towards his master. Kohga, still without his mask, pursed his lips. 

"Looks good." He announced, sweeping back over to the child and picking him up by his underarms. Sooga watched in mild amusement as the boy continued to kick aimlessly, a pinkiness rising to his cheeks from the exertion. The baby gurgled as Kohga brought him over and turned him around so he could get a good look at the basket. "What do ya think?" A pudgy hand reached out and tapped the brim. Then he sneezed. "I agree. It'll do until you're toddling around and need a proper bed." 

A proper bed. For when it's older. When it grows up.

"Master Kohga?"

"Hm?"

"May I speak freely?"

Kohga turned to him, bushy eyebrow raised. "You, my good man, may say whatever you like. We've been over this." 

"Right." Sooga cleared his throat. "Kohga, are you serious about keeping the child?" Could you be any blunter? But Kohga seemed unfazed, shrugging.

"Don't see why not."

"Because we are a clan of fighters, have limited resources, and could be attacked by any number of armies across Hyrule at any given moment."

Kohga frowned, and Sooga pushed down the panic that shot through him. This isn't Master Kohga, this is just Kohga. Relax.

"You don't think we can?" Kohga's voice had turned soft again, and he turned the baby around to face him. The kid's knuckles were now buried in his mouth, drool dripping down from the corners of his lips. "He's so itty-bitty though. Someone needs to look out for him." 

"You don't believe the Gerudo would be better?" 

A familiar fire flashed in Kohga's eyes at the suggestion, and he stalked over towards Sooga, hissing, "Handing the kid off to our enemy? Are you crazy?"

"I simply meant they are more prepared for rearing children."

"Anything they can do, we can do better!" Kohga declared, raising the boy into the air. "Can't we, Linky? You think we can do it, right? You wanna stay with us, don't ya? Not the mean ladies across the street!" The child withdrew the hand from his mouth and sneezed his approval again. Kohga's brow crinkled down the middle. 

"Maybe we should dust in here." 

"I can get somebody on that right away," Sooga suggested, heaving himself past the blatant dismissal of his concerns.

"Excellent! And the storeroom, apparently. Now, come this way my wonderful hunk of muscle, we must set up young Master Link's quarters!"

* * * * * * *

Apparently, young Master's Link's quarters were the empty corner of Kohga's bedchamber. Sooga set up the basket and made sure to fasten it to the dresser that had been shoved against the wall. After sending one of the footsoldiers out to retrieve the softest blankets in the hideout, the basket was now appropriately decked out in fluffiness that even Sooga was a tad jealous of when they finally lay the child to sleep snuggled up against his green blanket. 

Trying to feed the damn thing had been a challenge. Having no breast at their disposal, they'd had to make do with what they had until easier means could be acquired. This meant trying to spoon-feed it watered-down banana mush. Link hadn't seemed to mind it too much, his main offence being the spoon itself. No, Sooga did not understand, though Kohga apparently did and promptly switched the spoon. Link ate peacefully after that. 

For his sanity, Sooga chose not to inquire.

A shopping (stealing) list had been composed for a team of footsoldiers for a midnight heist. Contrary to popular belief, the entire clan was not made up of idiots, no matter what the Gerudo said. They already had a capable tailor in their midst, meaning only fabric needed to be fetched for clothes. Milk was needed, which would likely need to come from somewhere further inland than the desert, as did some other foodstuffs. It was upon Sooga's insistence that they feed Link something other than bananas, and Kohga had begrudgingly agreed.

Overall, it seemed everything was running rather smoothly. Too smoothly. Sooga almost voiced as much, but quickly thought better of it. 

Naturally, his efforts were in vain. 

It was him who the crying woke first. He blearily peered across the room to the basket in the dark, squinting as if it would make much difference. Before he could drag himself from the bed, Kohga was already up and shuffling across to the baby. Sooga heard shushing noises and the quiet whimpering of stifled sobs. He made out the shape of Kohga hunching over to pick Link up and hold him close as he swayed from side to side. Something twisted in Sooga's chest at the sight. 

"Is everything alright?" He asked groggily. The child had quietened by now, the sniffles replaced by steady breaths. 

"We're good," Kohga murmured back. "You sleep. I got it." 

Sooga hummed, but couldn't fight the weight in his eyelids.

The next time he awoke, the room was brighter. He pried his eyes open and turned onto his back, all thoughts of a baby absent from his mind until a soft giggle to his right had his brow rising. Beside him, Kohga lay propped up by pillows, a wideawake Link sat upright on his stomach, staying put by Kohga holding his tiny hands. Another giggle bubbled up from the small being, and Sooga pushed himself up onto his elbows.

"Kohga?"

"He's ticklish." The leader responded in awe. He poked the child's foot again, eliciting another bout of laughter as he squirmed. "I don't think I've ever heard kiddie laughs before. Do they always sound like that?"

Sooga felt a twinge in his lips as Link giggled again. "Like what?"

"Like... like a sunny day."

Sooga's eyes flicked up to Kohga's face to find him totally and utterly enamoured by the drawn-out little chuckles. His eyes crinkled and the corners of his lips quirked upwards. Sooga doesn't think he's ever seen quite that look on his master before. It was nice. 

"Does that sound dumb?" Kohga suddenly asked, tearing his gaze towards Sooga. The Blademaster lightly shook his head. 

"Not at all." 

Content with that answer, Kohga went back to prodding the child, apparently seeking out other ticklish areas.

After Sooga had swung out of bed, dressed, and donned his mask, he left Master Kohga's chambers in search of breakfast. 

"Good morning, Blademaster Sooga." The soldier, an older woman, managing the breakfast table in the Mess Hall put down a tray of muffins to give him her full attention. "I've heard there's an extra mouth to feed these days. That right?" 

Sooga nodded stiffly, wondering just how many people already knew about the babe. "That's right. Would it be worth asking where you heard that?" 

Never one for formalities, the soldier shook her head with a scoff. "And hand over the names of my sources? Nice try, sir." The sir felt out of place given her advanced age over him, but Josephine kept up the act of subordinate despite having scolded Sooga like a child a handful of times in the years they'd known one another, and Sooga had simply never had the nerve to correct her. She was one of the only members of the Clan he had such leniency with; he had the title of Second in Command to live up to after all. "So how'd that happen then?"

Sooga clasped his hands behind his back, preparing himself for the bombardment of invasive questions that were bound to come. "How do you mean?"

"Please, I know you and the Master well enough to know neither of you went actively looking for a child of all things. So how'd you wind up with one?"

Sooga grimaced. "One of the newer recruits brought him back. Abandoned."

"It's a boy?"

Sooga nodded. "Named Link."

"Link?" Josephine shook her head, dishing up two bowls of breakfast then reaching behind the bench for an additional pouch that Sooga eyed curiously. "Powerful name, that. He's going to be a handful." She passed the food over to Sooga, looping the pouch onto his arm. "Warm milk for Link. Make sure he takes all of it. There's some pureed apple in there too. A child can't grow on just Mighty Bananas, unfortunately." 

"Thank you, soldier." Sooga nodded his appreciation. Josephine was a character he'd known the entire time he'd been with the Clan, having joined herself back during Kohga's father's time as leader. She'd nodded her approval through every one of his promotions, patted his back after a particularly tough training session, and cornered him to check everything was as it should be after the rumours of his involvement with Kohga got out. To put it simply: he was grateful for her, and now the care she gave him was being transferred onto the child. At least someone seemed to know what they were doing. Sooga retreated from the Mess Hall just as the rest of the Clan were beginning to slink in, the ones without their masks casting him curious looks. 

Kohga's chambers were quiet when he returned. He eased the door open, pausing just outside when he heard no movement from within, then pushed it the rest of the way. The bedchamber was completely void of any Masters or babies. Sooga felt his eyes narrow suspiciously. 

"Sir?" He was met with silence. He ventured further inside and placed the food down. "Master Kohga?" 

Raucous laughter echoed down the hall and Sooga followed the sound down to Kohga's office. He drew the curtain to the side to find Kohga leaning against the desk, mask lifted onto his head and still in his sleepwear. His eyes then fell to Link perched on the desk, hands freely exploring the Yiga mask that was barely clinging on. 

"Sir?" Sooga couldn't help the smile. He crossed his arms in amusement just as Kohga spun around, caught off guard. 

"Sooga! Honestly! Creeping up on me."

"My apologies, Master." Cocking his head to the side, he peered more closely at the boy. He'd managed to push the mask up now, revealing the lower half of his chubby cheeks. A cheeky grin curled at his lips and he gave the mask one final shove, and it fell to the floor with a clatter. 

"Huh." Kohga's gaze lingered over it for a long moment. "Give it a year or two, kid. It'll fit like a glove soon enough." 

"You want to raise him to be a soldier?" Sooga couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice, but a part of him wondered why he felt it in the first place. Of course, Link would become a soldier, especially if he grew up in the Clan. Really, there was no other choice than to become a Yiga, not if that was all he knew. 

"If that's what he wants." Kohga waved dismissively. "He could be a healer or something if he wanted. Not all about fighting, after all." Sooga supposed he had a point there. "Still, he'll need a mask. Maybe we could make a teeny tiny one."

"Perhaps." Sooga found himself agreeing. "Even so..." He trailed off, feeling awkward all of a sudden. Kohga perked up at the hesitation, visibly intrigued. 

"Sooga?"

"I just wonder, Master."

Kohga shifts Link into his lap as he hops up onto the desk and crosses his legs. "Alright, mister, shoot. We're all ears." He gently tugged on the oversized pair of Hylian ears, and Link squealed in protest. 

Sooga sighed. "I cannot help but wonder whether keeping the boy is the best course of action." Kohga frowned, and he hurried to add, "I merely mean from a practical standpoint, for his own wellbeing. If he were to grow up here there would be no children of his own age to socialise with. Not to mention food scarcity during the winter, the desert temperatures, and the nature of our mission. His life here may be... hard." He finished rather lamely. Kohga's frown hadn't lifted throughout his speech, his arms tightening around the boy's midsection. The Yiga Master glanced down at the head of blond hair, brow crinkling. 

"You wanna send him away?"

"I..." The baby blinked up at Sooga, eyes wide like he understood everything he was implying. "He's a baby, Kohga. He needs parents. He needs a home, not a hideout." 

Kohga stiffened. "I don't see why we can't be his parents. The squirt clearly has nobody else in the world." 

Sooga's blood ran cold, yet it felt like his face was burning. "Pardon?" He wheezed.

"Yeah!" Kohga nodded enthusiastically. "We already manage an entire clan, what's one more ankle-biter?"

But Sooga was still hung up on the we can be his parents part of the deal. 

"Master Kohga, correct me if I'm wrong, sir, but are you suggesting that we... parent the child together?"

"Um, yeah?" He replied like it was obvious and not an entirely life-changing prospect. "The brat needs a family, I say we give him one."

Finally having had enough, Sooga pulled his mask off and gawped at the Yiga Master, his composure fracturing into pieces.

"Woah, Soogie, you good?"

What was Kohga thinking? Sooga may be willing to follow him into battle and protect his leader with his life, wait on him hand and foot, and make sure his every need was met, but he draws the line at this. This was a commitment, but not like the one he undertook when he joined the Yiga Clan. This was personal on a whole new level. This wasn't asking for Sooga's strength and loyalty to the cause, this was asking for depths of himself that even Sooga barely saw. This was asking for sleepless nights tending to the care of a person who could fit in the palm of his hand. This would be teaching a child how to tie their shoelaces and eat their vegetables. This would mean talking about their feelings and helping them through tough times, nothing of which Sooga had enough knowledge to confidently share with someone else, especially someone who would be relying on him so wholly. He supposed he wouldn't be alone in it though, not with Kohga by his side and the rest of the Clan at his back. At the very least he understood how raising a child could be a team effort, but from the way Kohga made it sound, he wanted Sooga to... to what, exactly? Take on the role of father? The very idea made his gut sink. Maybe he could-

But then Link yelped. It was a small noise, barely audible really, but it made Sooga's thoughts grind to a halt. Those blue eyes were fixed on him again, wide and unsettlingly focused. And then two arms stretched out towards him. Sooga felt his heart stutter in his chest. Kohga's brow rose. He held Link out into the space between them, but Sooga blinked blankly at him. It suddenly occurred to him that he'd never actually held Link before. Or any baby for that matter. He'd done all of the hauling of baby paraphernalia, from bassinets to blankets to dubious-looking food. He'd even stopped a pile of bananas from toppling onto him. But Kohga had kept the boy close since he'd wound up in his care, and it had never crossed his mind to, y'know, relieve him of that for five minutes.

Link grunted again, kicking his legs but still reaching out for him, a pout starting to form. 

"C'mon, Soogie, you gonna leave the kid hanging?"

And before he could think twice about it, Sooga reached out and took Link into his arms. The fussing stopped almost immediately as Link settled into the embrace, going limp as he was pressed against Sooga's chest. 

"There ya go, big guy! He don't bite." 

Sooga could feel the warmth of the tiny Hylian seeping through his uniform. If he weren't so concerned about not crushing the child, he'd be preoccupied with alleviating the burning in his face.

Sooga was Kohga's Right Hand for one reason: he was damn good at what he did. Training the new recruits? Fine by him. Organise a patrol? Consider it done yesterday. Keep Master Kohga safe in battle? Done and done.

Hold this baby without his knees turning to jelly? He may need some practice on that. He doesn't even know why. It's just a kid. A smaller version of the people he is surrounded by daily; there wasn't anything remarkable about this one. 

But then Link peered up at him, a tiny palm patting his cheek. A blond lock of hair curled down his forehead and dangerously close to his eye, so Sooga brushed it away. He didn't think the touch would result in Link chortling away to himself, quite content in the arms of a stranger. 

"Y'know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you liked the kid." Sooga could hear the smugness in Kohga's voice before he saw the smirk. With a sigh, Sooga shifted Link onto his hip.

"He has a charm about him." 

"Does that mean you changed your mind?" There was a hopeful glint in Kohga's eye. Sooga hesitated, letting Link's babbling fill the silence for a moment.

"It does not." He decided on. "I still believe he would be more suited to conventional household arrangements, but..." He spared Link one final glance and made up his mind. "If you truly think we can give him a good childhood here, then I don't see why he can't stay."

Hylia, when had he become such a pushover?

Kohga was quiet for a minute. He stayed still on the desk, radiating a sense of serenity that had Sooga's nerves prickling. Never had he known Kohga to be anything remotely close to serene.

"I'll admit, Soogie, you had me worried there for a sec. Thought I'd have to be raising this runt all by my lonesome." 

"Do we even know how old he is?" Sooga asked. 

"Dunno. I'll get one of the Healers to give him a once-over."

"I can take him down after breakfast," Sooga suggested. "Come, there is food in your chambers. Link needs to be fed." 

Kohga hopped off the desk and stretched his arms above his head. "Alrighty then! Lead the way, mister Blademaster!"

* * * * * * *

The medic, the eldest apprentice of Head Healer Galena, pursed his lips as he tilted the baby's face up to peer inside his mouth. Link didn't seem too bothered by it, but Sooga found himself cringing anyway, especially after the way the kid had spit up on Kohga's shoulder just half an hour earlier. 

"Looks like he's already started teething." The medic, Lee, pointed to a pair of white points peeking through Link's bottom gum. "And he's holding himself up okay." Lee leaned away from the child, letting Link sway slightly but ultimately stay upright. "He's not crawling though." He continued thoughtfully, "I'd put him around the six to eight months bracket." His attention shifted back to Sooga as he lifted Link onto his feet and held on as he found his balance. "I can have Healer Galena have a look at him if you like, but it's always hard to tell a child's age. They all develop at different rates you see, sir. We'd never know for sure. Unless we had a birthdate, that is."

"Little chance of procuring one of those," Sooga muttered. "Have Galena take a look. A second opinion wouldn't hurt."

"Of course, Blademaster Sooga." Lee got up and ducked behind the curtain, leaving Sooga alone with little Link. The kid's hair seemed to glow even brighter in the intense candlelight of the Med Bay. After seeing redhead after redhead of the Gerudo, and then the uniform black hairpieces of Clan, the splash of gold was a welcome change. And despite being less than a year old, Link's hair already reaching his chin. It curled at the ends; not quite ringlets, but enough to make it clear it would be difficult to manage the older he got. Unlike the Sheikah, Hylians weren't all blessed with straight, tidy hair. It would be something they would have to learn to keep in check if he ever wanted to grow it out. 

"Blademaster Sooga?" He looked up when Lee returned, closely followed by Head Healer Galena.

"Good morning, sir," Galena said out of courtesy, but her attention already was firmly fixed on the littlest Yiga in the history of the Clan. She eased the mask from her face and placed it to the side, getting up close to Link. "Hello, little one. You've caused quite the buzz lately. You said he was teething?" She asked over her shoulder.

"Yes, ma'am. He's teething, sitting up by himself, and rolling over when prompted." Lee listed, bristling happily when she nodded in approval. 

"Shall we get you weighed then?" She asked Link, lifting him over towards the scales she'd brought in. Plopping him down, Sooga's brow crinkled when Link gurgled unhappily. "It'll only take a moment, don't go crying on me." Galena reprimanded lightly. She checked the scales. "Seventeen pounds." She picked Link back up and for some unfathomable reason, dumped him straight into Sooga's arms. "I'd say he's about seven months. Slightly underweight. Nothing to worry about, but just make sure he's eating well and he'll be right on his way."

"Thank you, Galena," Sooga said, shifting Link onto his hip again and resisting the urge to tense up again. "Is there anything else we should be aware of?"

"We, as in yourself and Master Kohga?" She asked. Sooga felt his skin prickle at the subtext. Nobody had ever asked so explicitly about his and Kohga's relationship, typically for fear of being sentenced to cleaning the lavatories for a month. Except for maybe Josephine. But she'd always done whatever she liked. Schooling his expression beneath the mask in an attempt to collect himself, he took a breath and proceeded. 

"Master Kohga has decided to take a leading role in the child's upbringing, and as his Right Hand I shall be assisting him in this endeavour." 

"So the child is staying permanently?" Lee asked, then shrunk in on himself when Sooga turned to him. "Sorry, sir. I was just curious."

Drawing a long breath and adjusting Link in his hold, Sooga nodded stiffly. "Indeed. Link will be staying." 

"In that case..." Galena disappeared behind the curtain for a moment then reappeared with a green folder. "If you'll permit me to do so, sir, I'd like to run a few more assessments. Building the boy a medical record will be useful in tracking his growth and development to ensure everything is as it should be. I can monitor things such as weight gain and the like. I would advise monthly checkups, especially since we know nothing about his genealogy or genetic family conditions, but if you like just a few times a year should suffice." 

Suddenly feeling overwhelmed, Sooga nodded numbly. Link was released from his embrace again and Lee was sent away to grab some supplies while Galena went about wrangling an arm free from the too-big babygrow Link had been found in. 

As Link was poked and prodded for the next hour, Sooga got a distinct feeling that they'd bitten off way more than they could chew.

* * * * * * *

"With all due respect, Master Kohga, you simply cannot do that," Sooga stated with a resigned sigh. 

Kohga balked. "Why not? Link thinks it's a great idea! Don't ya, kid?" He held the boy up, receiving a hearty cough in the face. "See? He agrees."

"Sir, the training grounds are hardly the place for an infant." Sooga tried to reason, "What if he gets hurt?"

"Don't worry, Soogie, today's training is just shields! It's the opposite of getting hurt."

Sooga remained unconvinced, but Kohga was already halfway out the door with Link. Well... shield training couldn't be too dangerous, could it? Sooga got flashes of Sheikah magic gone rogue when he closed his eyes and followed quickly after. The least he could do would be to be the buffer between Link and any dodgy techniques the footsoldiers displayed. Magic training was easier said than done, the worst incident being when a rookie nearly fell down the Pit, but that hadn't happened in years, and Sooga would damn himself if they had a repeat of that nauseating experience again today.

The Arena was already filled with rowdy Clan members by the time the three of them arrived. It was a beginner's session today, delivered by Kohga himself as he guided the newbies through the first few Sheikah arts and helped them tap into the ancient runes that drove the magic. It should be a straightforward couple of hours that left the footsoldiers with little to show for it; that's how training always started for those beginning from scratch. There would likely be others who'd already dabbled in the ancient arts (something neither Sooga nor Kohga ever examined too hard) who would move up into a more advanced group led by one of the Blademasters instead. 

The cadets began to calm down once they noticed Kohga and Sooga making their way to the front of the group. It took Sooga a moment to realise that the air of awe wasn't in reverence for their Master's presence, but rather the bundle of blond and green in his arms. By the time they stopped, silence had befell the Arena, and if it weren't for the masks, Sooga would be certain that every pair of eyes would be fixed on the tiny Hylian peering around inquisitively. 

"Alright then! I hear you newbies are wanting some special training so you can kick some butt!" Kohga always opened like this; an informal prod at the Clan to put any nerves at ease. "Now, I admit some of the early training can be super boring, but if ya stick with me and work hard, we'll get to the good stuff soon enough." To demonstrate his point, he tapped his foot and a few feet away a spiked rock burst from the ground, spewing hot air and grit everywhere. A murmur rippled across the group, some craning their necks to get a better look. "But first, the simpler arts must be mastered. So today we will be focussing on shields. The Yiga do not carry metal shields like those lowly Hylians and Gerudo because we are better than that! We can be stronger, faster, deadlier, and to do so you must each learn to defend yourselves." And with a snap of his fingers, a blue box appeared around himself. He could feel the excitement in the group crackle electrically, but that would simply not do. "However, the first thing on the agenda is the most important part of any summoning of the ancient arts..." He paused for dramatic effect, and Sooga rolled his eyes in the privacy of his mask. "Meditation!"

A groan resounded across the group and Kohga cackled. Sharply turning to Sooga, he passed Link over to him. The boy went with little fuss, apparently too entertained by the bunch of funny-looking masked people currently bumbling into their various interpretations of a meditative stance. Taking that as his cue to move aside, he carried Link over towards the cliff wall surrounding the Arena, staying clear of the opening that led up into the bitterly cold Gerudo Highlands. Usually, he'd stand guard and watch for anyone managing to blow themselves up, but this time he could feel his concentration waning as Link struggled against being held. He frowned, trying to calm the child by patting his back the way he'd seen Kohga doing, but it was to no avail. Link continued to squirm until Sooga could think of nothing better to do other than to put him down.

Sooga sank towards the ground and crossed his legs, placing Link right in his lap. The boy stopped his incessant fussing, leaning forward to peer over the wall of Sooga's shin. He babbled something then sat back, seemingly appeased. Sooga let a small sigh of relief escape. He really didn't like having to leave these training sessions in case Kohga needed him. It was always best to have all hands on deck when a group was only just starting to learn the ancient arts, and, knowing their luck, having to sit one out would no doubt lead to disaster. 

The group fell quiet under Kohga's instruction, marking a rare moment of peace in the hideout. Sooga couldn't find it in himself to complain about the liveliness of the Clan, not when he knew that so many of its members came from less-than-ideal backgrounds; the noisiness was a sign of comfort, homeliness, camaraderie. He wouldn't try to take that away. But that wouldn't stop him from enjoying the few glimpses of calm he was granted, either.

It didn't take long for Link to become bored of sitting quietly, so he did what any good-natured baby would do to rectify the problem: 

He started to cry.  

During a lesson on mediation, this was, obviously, less than ideal. Several heads twizzled their way, relaxed forms drooping from the distraction.

"Oi!" Kohga snapped his fingers at the group. "Focus. Amid battle there'll be way more distracting you than a squealing kiddo. Like swords flying at your heads." This got the rest of them facing forward again, but Sooga could feel Kohga watching him carefully. He tried jiggling the boy and clapping his hands, hoping that the footsoldiers didn't see, but the cries persisted on. He'd eaten not long ago, so it couldn't be that. Sooga went as far as checking his diaper, but all was clear. Rapidly running out of options and realising he'd probably have to take Link back inside, he gave it one last attempt. Ripping a sad-looking weed out from a crack in the cliff, he held it in front of Link for him to see.

Link's cries stopped. Blinking through his tears and trembling lip, he stared intently at the weed. It was nothing more than a couple of leaves, the flower having already wilted, but a small hand still shot out and grabbed at it. Sooga huffed in amusement at the fascination in those sky-blue eyes. Link's fingers traced along the leaves with all the delicacy a seven-ish-month-old could muster. Seeing as there were more weeds where that one came from, Sooga lifted Link from his lap and plopped him down by his side. The baby cooed, dropping his weed to reach for the others. And after each leaf had been pulled free from the crevices from which they grew, Link moved on to the rocks littering the ground, Sooga watching all the while.

There was something so interesting about the way infants could be enchanted by the most mundane things of life. Give a child an empty box and they'll have fun for hours, Josephine had said to him, but he'd never truly believed it until now. Then Link found a particularly red rock and held it up towards Sooga, eyes shining. 

"Thank you," Sooga muttered, taking the rock and placing it atop his knee where Link could see. Apparently pleased with this, Link clapped and turned back to his work. 

As the minutes ticked by and the sun rose higher in the sky, Sooga found the rapt attention Link gave to his pile of pebbles and leaves quite admirable, especially when he noticed the footsoldiers, who were supposedly meditating, shooting them the occasional glance. He wasn't even deterred by the commotion of the group when Kohga declared it time to begin practising the summoning of the ancient arts. 

In fact, it wasn't until one particular footsoldier was placed in time-out after nearly bursting into tears that Link shifted his focus. The soldier plonked themselves down against the cliff - far enough away for it not to be awkward, but close enough that they could watch in on Link's handiwork. The staring had only intensified once the soldiers had an excuse to be caught looking in their direction rather than having their eyes shut. 

Link only looked for a moment, then went back to what he was doing. Sooga felt his eyebrow rise when the soldier seemed to sink in on themselves at the blatant dismissal from the kid, but then they grabbed for something off to their side then cautiously shuffled towards them. Sooga felt his guard go up, but then the soldier held out a small rock in their hand. It was small and round with a tiny patch of moss growing on the side. Link stared blankly at it for a painfully long moment, then took it and added it to his pile. 

Sooga isn't sure what propels him to do so, but he quickly asks, "What is your name, soldier?" The footsoldier freezes just as they were about to back away again.

"Winslow, sir." He said, the words edged like he'd been caught with his hand in the Mighty Banana crates. 

"Winslow." Sooga nodded absently, "And how are you finding training, Winslow?" The soldier sat down again, keeping his distance between himself and the Blademaster.

"Tough, sir. But I enjoy a challenge." The kid couldn't have been older than eighteen Sooga reckoned, but they always made a point not to pry into a soldier's private life. Sooga wasn't naïve, he knew what reputation the Yiga Clan held, and he understood they were disliked by the majority of Hyrule for their ideals. That being said, he also couldn't dispute the fact that when a new face came to them, more often than not they were seeking refuge from a life that didn't treat them kindly. Sooga was mature enough to admit that that had been the case for himself, and also why he never endeavoured to ask the new recruits for a history. The Yiga Clan would be a new start for them. Hell, they didn't even know if the names they were given were real. Sometimes he suspected they weren't, but what difference would it make at the end of the day to challenge them, so he let it go.

"It will only get tougher from here." Sooga mused, catching Link just before he toppled backwards. 

"I know, sir. Part of me is looking forward to it." Winslow placed his hands in his lap and watched the group quietly. 

"And the other part?"

"I'm just glad to be here with my brother."

"Brother?" Joining with family members wasn't unheard of, but still rare enough to snag Sooga's attention. 

Winslow nodded. "My twin. He's over by the far wall. I had a feeling he would be better at the ancient arts than me."

"And what is his name?"

"Foster, sir." Sooga would try to remember that.

"Okay, take a breather gang!" Kohga suddenly called out. A collective sigh of relief overpowered whatever he said next, but soon enough he was jogging over to them. Winslow quickly stood and bowed to Kohga before scuttling off towards a boy who was bolting towards him, his arms waving.

"Master Kohga." Sooga greeted. 

"Blademaster Sooga." Kohga returned, a smirk audible in his voice. "And how is everything going over here with this little Fortified Pumpkin?" He crouched down behind Link and tapped his shoulder. Link craned his head around to look, but then turned away again with mild disinterest. Kohga gasped, clutching his chest. "Damn kid, I leave for a minute and you've already forgotten me? You wound me, child, wound me!" 

"You need not worry, Master. I, myself, was quickly forsaken for a dead weed."

"Wow. We knew a baby could be so heartless." Kohga ruffled Link's hair. "Got some guts. kid, I'll give ya that." 

"How is the class going?" Sooga asked, only just realising that he'd barely been paying attention the entire time.

"Eh, they're an alright bunch. I'll whip them into shape, then they'll be your problem."

"Your thoughtfulness precedes you, sir." 

"I know, right?"

Link then screeched. Both of their heads spun towards him, expecting to find a tiny finger trapped beneath a stone or a leaf stuck in his hair, but instead, his expression was relaxed, thin lips pulling up into an almost smile. With all his might, he lifted a speckled rock to Kohga and cooed. 

"Hm? What's this?" Kohga took the rock and peered at it. Sooga huffed a laugh.

"A gift, sir."

"A gift?" Kohga sounded intrigued. Sooga gestured to the growing pile of stones balanced on his knee and smiled. Kohga snorted and tucked the rock into a pouch on his belt. "Well, kid, you're a real charmer, y'know that? Gonna have to forgive you now." Link garbled and turned away again. 

"I believe we may need to acquire some things to keep him occupied that aren't dead plants and rocks," Sooga muttered.

"I'll have the scouts go out and look for some stuff," Kohga said as Link somehow managed to lob a pebble over his shoulder. 

"Master Kohga, sir!" A spritely voice called out. "Benson is having a moment again!"

Kohga groaned. "These kids, I'm telling ya." He pushed to his feet and stretched, Sooga absently casting his eyes along the arch of his back. "I'm coming!" He patted Link's head before moving away again to intervene before anybody ended up flung down the Pit. 

Sooga watched him go thoughtfully, then turned his attention back to the boy. 

"You know, child," Sooga murmured, sliding his hands under Link's arms and lifting him up, "it would not hurt if you decided to sleep. That way the last couple of hours could pass without you trying to eat the rocks." 

Link pouted at him. 

Sooga put him back down.

* * * * * * *

"Y'know what I think, Soogie?" 

Sooga withheld a groan. Don't get him wrong, he loved listening to Kohga's thoughts, no matter how abstract and bizarre they may be, but it had already surpassed midnight and Link was still wide awake, meaning they were still forcibly awake. 

Everyone was awake.

Nobody should have been awake.

Sooga was tired.

"What?" He grunted. 

"I think we should take Link on a field trip."

Sooga didn't like where this was going. "To where?"

"The roof."

"When?"

"Now."

"Now?"

"Yes, now." Kohga rolled off the bed, Link in his arms, and shuffled towards the door. Sooga could see the obvious weariness in his movements, the way his feet slightly dragged as he stepped into a pair of sandals. "Come on, before I have to drag you."

A deep aching had settled in his bones by the time Sooga rose to his feet. He'd had to lead a rather strenuous training class that afternoon after one of the other Blademasters had been sentenced to isolated bedrest by Head Healer Galena after managing to contract the flu. It was a session he usually handed off to one of the younger Blademasters for that exact reason: much to his own chagrin, Sooga knew his knees couldn't always keep up with the endless energy of the footsoldiers, especially not after he was still winding down after a weeklong mission scouting out the borders of Rito Village. The frigid air combined with hours upon hours of climbing was rough on his joints these days. 

The hallway outside Kohga's room was silent, save for the gentle crackling of the candles illuminating the path. Kohga led them down past the various other doors leading off into obscure corners of the hideout until they got to the main entryway. The guards stationed by the door abandoned their game of cards and stood to attention. A reprimand was on the tip of Sooga's tongue, but Kohga quickly said, "Stand down fellas, we're just going for a walk."

"Do you require one of us to-"

"Nah, we're good." Kohga waved them off and disappeared through the door. 

And just like that, Sooga found himself standing atop the hideout in the middle of the night, a cooing baby to his right, and Kohga pointing up at different constellations in the sky. The air wasn't as cool as he had been expecting, but it was still enough to send a shiver down his spine. Despite everything else he should have been thinking about, like organising next week's guard rota, he wondered exactly what he had done to deserve everything he had in that moment. Link was quietly content in Kohga's arms, supposedly listening as the Yiga Master went on and on about one set of stars that sat right above the cliffs, only just in view.

Kohga's mask had been pushed back onto his head as he chatted. The light of the moon illuminated the surprisingly sharp line of his jaw. Dark stubble ran down his face and beneath his chin, prickly but obviously trimmed down to fend off the irritation that wearing the mask every day could cause. Sooga's eyes travelled back up again then, tracing the slope of Kohga's nose, the curve of his lips, the wrinkle of his brow as he squinted into the sky.

Link had fallen asleep, it seemed, if his silence and steady breathing were anything to go by. A thumb was tucked into his mouth and he contentedly nuzzled against Kohga in his sleep. Kohga had quietened after he shifted Link more comfortably in his arms, gazing at the boy's lax features as if he were the most baffling notion in all of Hyrule.

"And they call us the bad guys." A hint of bitterness seeped into Kohga's voice as he harshly whispered, "Whoever left this kid is the real monster. How could someone do that? Look at him."

Kohga was right. Link was the picture of everything right and true. Sooga wasn't sure what had occurred that led to the child being left by the side of the road, and while he always made a conscious effort to never judge, he couldn't push down the bubbling resentment for whoever had left this kid for the wilderness. Sooga wasn't an imbecile, he knew full well that Hyrule could be a dangerous place, but to leave a baby alone to fend for themselves in the wild was a low he hadn't realised the kingdom had sunk to. A sudden wave of relief crashed through him at the thought of what could have happened if those footsoldiers hadn't hung around for Link's sake. The possibilities only made him sick, so he shoved them aside to focus on the safe child snuggled in Kohga's arms. 

Never in a million years would his eighteen year-old-self believe this is where they would end up someday. Allowing himself to succumb to that disbelief, Sooga softly wrapped his arm around Kohga's shoulders and scooted closer, suddenly shy. 

"Y'know something, Sooga," Kohga muttered, "I don't think we'll be too bad at this whole parenting thing."

Sooga pressed his lips together, still unsure. "You think so, sir?"

Kohga huffed, grinning. "Yeah. I have a pretty good feeling about this."

In his sleep, Link snuffled lightly. 

Sooga took that as his agreement.