Work Text:
Link could barely keep his eyes open. He hadn’t gotten much sleep for a few days now. It wasn’t always easy finding a safe spot to camp, and with the recent Blood Moon he had spent some time with the Monster Control teams clearing out a few of the larger monster dens. He was slumped over his horse, a speckled white mare he’d named Haven, resting against her neck as she trotted along. She kept a steady pace, as if she understood her rider’s current state. She followed the dirt path instinctively, letting out a nicker as they approached Outskirt Stable.
“Good girl,” Link said quietly, patting the side of her neck. He made a mental note to give her a treat later- maybe a few apples, or Endura Carrots if he had any. He smiled as the sound of the stables filled his ears- the neighs and snorts of horses, Myti greeting and waving to other travelers, Beetle clapping in time with the Stable Trotter’s music and hawking his wares.
“Good evening, Link!” came the gentle voice of Toffa from where he stood, overseeing the stabled horses as they munched on their hay.
“Good evening, Toffa,” Link said with a small, tired smile. Toffa headed over to him, taking Haven’s reins as Link slid off her saddle. “Are you well?”
“I’m well enough,” Toffa said with a chuckle as the pair walked toward the stable entrance.
“Back bothering you?” Link asked, looking over at the elderly man.
Toffa chuckled and nodded. “It is, actually. Seems there’s a storm rolling in,” he replied. He couldn’t help but be pleasantly surprised that Link remembered he had back pains, though at this point he shouldn’t be. It seemed Link had trouble with remembering events, but he never forgot a detail about the people he met. It wasn’t the first time Link recalled such a minor detail.
“Guess I got here just in time then,” Link returned, patting Toffa on the shoulder as he headed inside. He waved to Embry as he yawned, his feet dragging as he headed over to the check-in counter. “Good evening, Embry. Is there a free bed?” he asked, already digging in his pouch for a Sleepover Ticket he’d gotten from Addison.
”For you? Always! Do you want a wake up call?” he asked, taking the ticket from the young man and placing it under the counter in the till.
Link shook his head and waved his hand. “No thank you. I have some sleep to catch up on,” he said, yawning again, stretching his arms over his head as he walked over to one of the beds. He sat on the edge, setting his things down beside the bed and collapsing back into it. He didn’t even bother crawling under the blanket, electing to simply curl up in the center of the bed and promptly falling into unconsciousness.
Embry couldn’t help but let out an affectionate chuckle. Link was a favorite staple among the Stable workers. He was there often, and always a polite customer. He clearly adored his horses, and made sure to rotate the few he had regularly. If he was boarding Haven, Embry knew he would be taking Spot out next. Sometimes he’d even cook for everyone staying at the Stable, and his food was truly unmatched. Those nights Embry would let him stay for free.
Just as Toffa predicted, the skies opened up and rain poured down. It pitter-pattered softly on the canvas roof of the Stable as everyone hurried inside out of the rain. Embry slipped out from behind the counter for a moment, grabbing a spare blanket. He walked up to the bed quietly, then draped the blanket over the small Hylian boy, chuckling as he watched Link grab onto it, letting out a pleased noise in his sleep as he snuggled down into the blanket. Link’s lips curled into a soft smile in his sleep, and Embry could only pray to Malanya to give him pleasant dreams.