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To say the current battle was rough was an understatement. Each hero was dealing with far too many monsters for anyone’s comfort. Legend wasn’t sure what brought his jitters, the monsters that targeted the three smallest members, or the cloudy grey sky above that carried a foreboding sensation with it. Regardless, he didn’t like it.
He didn’t laugh when his feelings were correct. He didn’t laugh when Hyrule took a club to the ribs. He didn’t laugh when the daira threw its axe. He most certainly didn’t laugh when it created a small cut on Hyrule’s neck. He cried out in agony when blood poured from the wound his successor had. The teen collapsed in the battlefield, hitting his head on an abandoned club. A small trickle of blood came from the new injury, dyeing the honey-colored locks an ugly crimson.
“Cover me!” Warriors yelled. “If the wound is shallow enough, I can keep him from bleeding out!”
Legend was nearby instantly, fire rod in one hand and sword in the other. Monster after monster fell by his hands. In his rage, he didn’t even notice when it was over until Time’s hand was on his shoulder. “Legend, the monsters are gone.”
Legend’s body eased – until he caught sight of Hyrule laying ashen-faced in his own blood. The pale skin accentuated the small scratch on his left cheek from the very beginning of the battle. Warriors’ fingers were inside the neck wound. Legend cursed and pulled the fairy from his pouch at Warriors’ command, hating that it was their last. Warriors pulled his fingers out of the wound and the pink ball of light everyone knew to be a fairy circled around their injured healer. Legend knew the fairy did her best, he really did, but he was still so angry to see the neck wound scabbed over instead over completely healed. An animalistic scream escaped him.
“Legend.” Warriors said. “I know it’s still bad, but the fairy had to mend his artery or he never would have made it longer than a few seconds. She also had to work on his head wound and his ribs. I think one of them punctured his lungs so she had to fix that, too.”
Legend trembled. Why hadn’t the monsters gone after him instead? Why was Hyrule laying at their feet like a broken rag doll? Warriors wrapped bandages around Hyrule’s neck, and placed a small one over his cheek. Tears slipped down Legend’s cheeks as Warriors lifted Hyrule as though the teen were made of porcelain. The heroes really didn’t move that far from the battlefield, maybe only ten minutes of walking had passed when they reached a clearing with an audible stream nearby. Sky left his sailcloth and pouch. Legend and Sky followed Wars to the stream, with the captain carrying Hyrule in the front. Sky began filling waterskins. Warriors pulled a fine shampoo from his pouch and set it aside. Off came Hyrule’s bloodstained tunic, which was quickly dunked in the river. The water was tainted instantly, going red the moment the garment hit the water.
Sky held out a waterskin and the shampoo Warriors had set aside. “Would you like to clean Hyrule’s hair instead of staring at him?” The Chosen Hero asked.
“Waterskin will take forever with shampoo. You can either rinse his hair or gently move him closer to the water so you can actually wash it.” Warriors announced. “Believe me, I have experience.”
With shaking hands, Legend eased Hyrule’s limp form inch by inch until the teen’s hair was in the water. A new splash of crimson blood went into the water. Sky set the canteens aside. “Just tell me how to help, Legend.”
“I want him awake and safe, or someone besides him injured in his stead.” Legend murmured, squeezing some shampoo onto his hand.
“I’m sure we’ll find more fairies soon, Ledge.” Sky encouraged as Legend lathered the shampoo in his hands.
“I’m just glad we had the one. If we hadn’t…” Legend trailed off.
“Don’t go there, okay? It’s not good for your mental health.” Sky said, placing a comforting hand on Legend’s shoulder.
“Lift him for me,” Legend asked. Sky obliged, easing Hyrule’s head out of the water while Warriors viciously attacked the stained tunics a few feet away. Legend spread the suds of shampoo through his successor’s hair, wincing as the suds turned red. “You can lay him down now.”
Sky gently let Hyrule down from how the Chosen Hero had been holding him up. The running water rushed over the bloody suds, freeing them from Hyrule’s usually fluffy hair. Tiny bubbles of shampoo floated down the stream. Hyrule’s hair was declared ‘good enough’, and Sky hoisted Hyrule into Legend’s arms and arranged the teen so the sopping wet, brownish curls rested on Legend’s shoulder. Legend slid one arm under Hyrule’s knees and wrapped his other around his successor’s back. He rose, and Hyrule’s arm and legs hung limply.
“We’re heading back to camp.” Sky informed Warriors as he collected the waterskins.
“I’ll follow when I’ve finished washing the tunic.” Warriors responded. Legend and Sky walked the short distance back to camp. Hyrule’s bedroll was already set up, courtesy of some other member of the chain. Legend laid Hyrule down in his bedroll. A towel appeared in his peripheral vision, but he paid no attention to the hand that held it. It was probably Time’s, but Legend honestly didn’t care as he yanked the towel from the hand and began drying Hyrule’s hair. Sorrow cut through Legend’s heart like a knife as Hyrule didn’t even stir from the contact that he usually flinched at. Warriors returned at the time that Legend had finished drying Hyrule’s hair as well as he possibly could, and wrapped the damp locks in a bandage in case his head wound decided to begin bleeding. Wounds sometimes seemed to have a mind of their own, after all.
Legend didn’t sleep at all that night. Then again, he didn’t really try. He just sat next to Hyrule, with one hand resting on his successor’s neck, taking comfort at the weak, speedy pulse that greeted his fingers until his hand went numb from being in the same position for too long. He switched his hands, happy to feel the erratic pulse again. It at least meant ‘Rule was alive, for now. Legend barely noticed when the light of the sun broke through the trees.
Wild’s voice cut through the silence as the long-haired hero began breakfast. “Legend, did you even sleep at all last night?” he asked, forgetting to be quiet and therefore waking the lighter sleepers, including Time and Warriors.
“He didn’t sleep?” Warriors asked. “Legend, I know you’re worried about Hyrule, but staying awake won’t help anything.”
“I have to. I failed him. I left a mess behind for him to deal with, and now I can’t even protect him from injury. It’s an atonement for my crimes against him.” Legend mumbled.
Time rested a hand on Legend’s shoulder. “He disagrees. He’s got quite the case of hero worship for you. He mentioned to me once that he wasn’t even worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as you.”
“He’d also be pretty angry if he knew that you practiced self-neglect over this,” Warriors added, knowing he feared the angry side their healer carried within him, although it usually stayed hidden until someone lied about an injury or failed to take care of themselves. Legend shuddered, thinking about how scary Hyrule got when he was mad and promptly laid his ear over Hyrule’s heart.
“I’m not promising anything,” Legend mumbled as he stifled a yawn.
Warriors smiled. “I think you’ll sleep as well as possible considering the circumstances. It’s nice to have your snark back, if only for a few seconds."
Legend scowled at Warriors, but it was interrupted by another yawn. Sleep whisked him away not long after he closed his eyes. The days passed similarly, all blurred together in Legend’s panic-stricken mind. He only ever left Hyrule’s side for the bathroom and faithfully cleaned Hyrule’s wounds with water when Warriors declared the activity necessary, using new bandages to minimize the risk of infection. Legend eased small sips of water and red potion through Hyrule’s lips. It was day five – or maybe day six, Legend hadn’t bothered to count – when Legend was greeted with a weak groan and some shuffling from Hyrule in his bedroll. Hyrule’s pulse had returned to normal when Legend checked it, a small smile creeping across his face. There was no other interaction from Hyrule for the rest of the day. When the sun began its ascent the next morning, however, Hyrule’s eyes opened, dazed, unfocused, and confused – but they were open! The first tear trickled down Legend cheek, wet and traitorous to the emotions he’d fought to keep under lock and key, and the rest poured from his eyes in a way that was not dissimilar to a waterfall shortly thereafter. He brought his hands up to wipe his eyes, despite knowing how futile it was with the amount of water he was crying out.
“Legend?” a weak, raspy voice asked, “Why are you crying?”
Legend couldn’t answer, too overwhelmed with joy that Hyrule was awake and mostly well. Warriors, however, answered for him. “You were critically injured in a fight a week ago. We were all very concerned for your wellbeing, but I think Legend was the most worried. We’re very glad to see you awake.”
“Is it safe to hug him?” Wind asked.
“As long as you’re careful.” Warriors answered, lifting Hyrule into a sitting position. Wind slowly wrapped his arms around Hyrule.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,” Wind said, crying into Hyrule’s shoulder.
Legend tapped Wind on his back, still crying. “My turn. Move over.” Wind scrambled backwards, knowing Legend was very scary when he was mad. The red-clad hero pulled Hyrule into his lap and laid the brown curls on his shoulder. “I-I was so s-s-scared, ‘Rule. Y-y-you took a-a deep cut to your n-n-neck a-and Warriors had to st-st-stick his fingers in the wound to st-st-stop the bleeding a-and we only h-h-had one f-f-fairy. I-I thought I was g-g-gonna l-l-lose you.”
“You didn’t,” Hyrule whispered, his mouth by Legend’s ear, “I’m right here.”
Legend didn’t stop sobbing as he held Hyrule close, listening to the soft, even breathing that meant his successor had fallen asleep in his arms.