Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The fight wasn’t going as planned. It seemed that every force in nature had come together to make a quick take out of a monster camp unnecessarily difficult. They hadn't even been infected monsters, and if that said anything about their performance Warriors didn’t want to think about it.

They were in a Hyrule between times and had stopped at a small town while traveling, hoping to refill on potions, unfortunately, there hadn’t been any. The townspeople explained to them that there hadn’t been any merchants because of a monster camp stopping the majority of travelers that came through. And being the good samaritans they were, they figured they would solve the villager’s monster problem, but what they expected to be a quick fight turned out to be more than they bargained for.

The first problem they faced was the sudden storm that came down upon them. The rain making it hard to see as well as turning the ground into a slick muck. There had been far more monsters than they had expected too. The sound of metal on metal clanged throughout the woods.

Blocking the attack of a bokoblin Wars risked a glance around at the others, he couldn’t make out a lot through the continuous thick downpour, but to his left, he saw Twilight and Wild taking on a pair of lizalfos, they seemed pretty busy, but not in need of any help. Hyrule was crouched over Four, healing a nasty cut along the back of Smith’s thigh. Time stood over them blocking any monsters who tried to interfere. 

Wars turned back to his fight, the bokoblin was raising its club to strike again, taking advantage of its unprotected stomach, Wars leapt forward sword swinging as it sliced through the monster’s flesh. The bokoblin let out a screech and clutched at its wound, Wars made quick work of decapitating its head from its body and it fell to the ground with a wet thud. 

Slicking wet curls back from his forehead he looked up. The rain seemed to have started pouring even heavier than before, there were now puddles on the ground. Suddenly there was a yelp followed by a crack. Someone shouted to his left. Wars turned quickly, Wild lay crumpled on the ground, and Twilight stood over him, cutting through one of the lizalfos and blocking the attack of the other with his shield.

“Captain,” Time shouted, busy keeping bokoblins away from Hyrule and Four, “help them!”

Wars nodded, if Time noticed he wasn’t sure but he hadn’t repeated himself so it seemed he was confident that Warriors would follow through.

Careful not to slip on the wet ground, Wars rushed towards Twilight and the unconscious Wild. suddenly an arrow whizzed past him two inches from his face, Wars stopped dead in his tracks, they still hadn’t taken out the archer yet. Wasn’t Sky supposed to be taking care of that? Where was Sky? Wars glanced around covering his eyes to block the rain, trying to spot the chosen hero.

The flash of embroidered white fabric and the swish of a colorful blade caught his eye. Sky was back to back with Legend surrounded by bokoblins and lizalfos alike, Wars cursed, they were too busy, he glanced around again this time for the telltale sign of the blue-donned sailor. Wind was also caught up in his own fight.

Twilight and Wild would have to wait, if anyone managed to get snipped by an unexpected arrow they would be dealing with more problems than they already had.

Mumbling a curse under his breath Wars reached for his bag pulling his bow and arrow out of it, He wasn’t their best archer, but with Wild out of commission and everyone else tied up at the moment he would have to do. Another arrow whizzed past him, not as close as last time, but still too close for comfort. Notching an arrow Wars aimed at the bokoblin archer.

The usual tremor of his hands made it hard to aim and the rain made it hard to even see where he was aiming, he let loose the arrow and heard a dull thud. Another arrow flew past him. Damn it. he notched another arrow and squinted through the rain, forcing his hands to be as steady as they could. The bokoblin was hunched over searching the ground for another arrow, he blinked raindrops out of his lashes, pulling the bowstring taut, when the bokoblin finally stood up an arrow shot straight through its chest. 

“Ha!” Wars grinned, replacing his bow with his sword. He looked back to Twilight, he seemed to be holding his own still, but just as he started to make his way over to the ranch hand someone shouted.

“Captain!” Wars looked to his right to see Wind staring at him with wide eyes, he had been pulling his sword out of a fallen bokoblin but stopped, “Look out—Behind you!” he yelled pointing.

Warriors furrowed his brows and turned to look over his shoulder, a bit too late. His vision was obscured by the silver blade of a sword. Shit. 

He gasped as pain erupted across his face, stumbling backward as red filled his vision making it impossible to see, shit! He dropped his sword to wipe at his eyes only for another wave of pain to hit him.

“Wars,” a deeper voice shouted, “watch out!”. He looked up only to be met with the same splotchy red. He took a step back and slipped. His head slammed against the muddy ground and a wave of nausea passed over him. There was a clang above him, the sound of metal upon metal.

“Get him out of here!” Time shouted from above him. Someone grabbed him from under his arms and started to pull him up. His head pounded from the change of altitude, his vision went from red to black. His legs immediately buckled from underneath him. 

“Come on Wars,” Sky’s soft voice came from his right, “we gotta move.” Wars groaned.

“Stop—I can’t,”

“I'm sorry, I know, but we have to move.” Sky cut him off.

Wars felt dizzy and tired, his face was warm and slick from blood and his vision had gone black. He stumbled as Sky practically dragged him along. Everything sounded far away, the clangs of metal and screeching of dying monsters were muffled. His head was pounding.

“Stop, Please” he sobbed as his legs gave out, he felt like the world was falling away from him. He was so dizzy, his face was sticky, he was too cold, where was everyone? Someone was talking to him but he couldn’t make out what they were saying.

Why couldn’t he see? 

Chapter Text

Droplets of rain twinkled on thin green blades. A chill autumn breeze blew through the clearing, pulling golden and red leaves from their branches and dropping them down upon the earth—and unsuspecting heads.

Legend smacked a brittle leaf out of his face as it floated down in front of him. With an unsavory curse, muttered under his breath, he turned his attention back to his sword—running a small dagger along the blade, once again causing a loud scrape that pierced through the small campsite with a ring.

He knew he wasn’t doing much in his attempt to sharpen his sword. Usually he would pride himself in his upkeep of his weapons, almost rivaling the little blacksmith’s own obsession over well polished and maintained equipment, but he hadn’t the care for it now.

The smith himself, who was sat only a few feet away from Legend, flinched every time the veteran scraped the dagger down his sword. The old man was doing his best attempt at keeping Four engaged in their not so enthusiastic card game—one that Legend hadn’t caught the name of—but it was failing more and more as the time passed.

Legend huffed and glanced up, pausing his unnecessary assault on the Tempered Sword. The rising sun shone through the thick trees, creating bars of light that seeped into the small nook they had turned into their campsite, illuminating the few logs that surrounded a cold fire ring.

An assortment of bags and colored blankets lay spread out, mingling among the small trees and foliage that breached the almost circle clearing. Though the ground was still damp, Legend would admit they were lucky to find a place not so ravaged by the storm that blew through.

Next to the unlit fire ring sat the traveler and champion. Hyrule had taken to hovering over Wild, when the latter claimed he was well enough the cook. Although the chillshroom pressed to his forehead proved as a reminder of the night before, and the concussion Wild still suffered from. They whispered in hushed tones to each other, discussing a multitude of things, what foraging they could do to replenish their rations, what supplies they would have to find in towns, and then it would go off on some random spool, as Wild would get distracted by something he saw or thought of.

Sky, Wind and Twilight were not present. Their ranch hand had woken up and promptly dragged the sailor with him out on patrol, Sky had followed them shortly after. It had been only the six of them in the clearing for around an hour and a half now.

Legend bitterly wished that he had left with the rancher too. To escape the uncomfortable and unnatural silence, if you excused the angry attacks legend made on his blade, that had fallen over the chain. The other’s had thought it too, that much was obvious. For a bunch of so-called legendary heroes, they all had seemed pretty comfortable with the idea of running away from the source of their discomfort.

Eyes moved against his will, and Legend found his gaze dragging to the far edge of the clearing, towards the sixth figure still with them at the campsite.

The Captain had placed himself up against one of the oak trees near the edges of the campsite. He had drug himself there on his own accord. Legend distinctly remembered him having smacked away the travelers hand that morning, when Hyrule had moved to help Warriors stand.

The traveler had pulled back away from the Captain immediately, and watched as Warriors, without his usual grace, sat up against the tree with rigid posture, sword pulled over his lap and vibrant blue scarf tangled around the sheath. It had become instantly clear to them after the Captain’s prolonged silence, that answered them whenever they would address him—or try to engage him in conversation, that he would not speak to them.

Instead he elected to tilting and swiveling his head in an almost cat-like manner to the early morning sounds of the forest. What he was listening for, Legend didn’t care.

So that’s where they left him, uncomfortably pressed up against the tree, stubborn and silent.

Legend all but glared at Warriors from across the clearing, he gripped the small dagger in his hand and scrapped it, painfully loudly, down the Tempered sword once again. Warriors’ face showed no reaction to the sound, the only indication that he heard it all at was the small turn of his head, as if he was listening for something behind him. Legend saw the disapproving look Four shot him out of the corner of his eye, but did not move his gaze from the Captain.

Warriors didn’t return Legend’s glare, he didn’t even look back at the Veteran, staring, unblinking into the campsite, he wasn’t looking at anything. It upset Legend to know that what he would call a very fine death glare, seemed to no longer have any effect on the Captain. Perhaps if he stared long enough, Warriors would be able to feel his pure spite and anger, without ever having to see it.

It’s not like he will be able to see it ever again, so he might as well develop magical powers that allowed him to read Legend’s mind.

Warriors was an idiot. Legend had decided it, so it was true. The fool was always reprimanding them about watching their backs and, like the hypocrite that the Captain was, he had very obviously not watched his back, allowing a mere bokoblin to sneak up on him. It hadn’t even been quiet—Legend had seen it, Wind had seen it. In the end Wind had been the one to say something about it, a shout in warning, maybe if the kid hadn’t the monster would’ve successfully hit its first target—which had been the back of Warriors’ neck.

And then this would be an entirely different scenario, a small voice in the back of Legends head whispered betrayingly, he urged it into silence.

His gaze dropped to the sword in his lap. His own face stared back up at him, warped from the blade, but the frustration painted in his brow was still obvious. His hair was hanging down from his face, framing it, the small pink tint was still there.

He glared down the straight slope of his nose, down into the blue of his eyes, eyes that were not a murky white, like someone else’s now. The longer he looked at his reflection, the more he decided he didn’t like it, it was easier not to like things. Disgust and anger came naturally to him.

He snapped his gaze away from the sword with a loud huff, and slid the sword back into its sheath. This prompted a glance from Time—as the old man handed over one of his soiled looking playing cards to Four, and the smith shuffled it into his deck. Legend shot back his own look, which the Old Man took a hint from and looked away.

Snatching up the Tempered Sword, he heaved himself up, brushing damp dirt off of his legs. Leaves crunched under his feet as he made to walk across the campsite.

He could feel eyes on him as he walked, he chose to ignore them, knowing that if he didn’t he would be met with the furrow of Time’s brow or the concerned eyes of Hyrule. He carefully made his way through the colorful circle of blankets careful not to step on any sleeping rolls.

As he approached, Warriors’ head snapped up, his ears flicking, his eyes looking towards Legend—and right past him. Subconsciously, Legend's steps faltered, he cursed silently to himself forcing his legs to move forward. His chest clenched as he stared into the murky fog in War's eyes.

The Captain’s head followed Legend, his eyes jumping as he tried to pinpoint exactly where he was. Warriors’ shoulders held a stiffness to them. His breath was deep and over controlled. His lips were pulled at the edges, drawing his mouth into a thin line. No matter how much he could try and paint an image of peacefulness, Legend would see through it. A liar would always be able to see another liar.

“Veteran,” There was skepticism in his voice, like he was worried he was wrong, but he still didn’t voice it as a question. Legend was honestly surprised he said anything, as a mere hour ago he wouldn’t utter a single word to the Old Man.

Legend stopped a few feet away from the Captain. “Yeah it’s me,” The rest of the clearing had fallen silent, the conversation at the fire ring falling to a stand still. Legend could feel their eyes on him, and from the flick of an ear and slight pull of lips, he could tell Warriors had noticed the silence as well.

Legend slung his sword off his back and unceremoniously tossed it to the ground. He ignored how the Captain’s eyes darted towards the direction it thudded on the dirt, choosing instead to lower himself down next to Warriors, carefully brushing the hem of his tunic under himself. Yes tunic, not skirt, thank you very much. He sat up against Warriors’ tree.

If a random traveler had passed by, they might have noticed the uneasy feeling that solidified in the air, thick enough to cut through with a knife. If they were perceptive they would notice, when they looked to the oak tree, the tenseness in Warriors’ arms; the way his head tilted towards Legend, who now lounged against the tree next to him; the way his brows scrunched up in unspoken thoughts; the way his thumb traced over the hilt of his sword, perfectly positioned to draw, should he need to.

Or they could be stupid. Not perceptive, and blissfully unaware. They might not notice the scarred broken skin that ran over the bridge of the Captain’s nose, or the murky unnatural white irises that jumped around and twitched without Warriors’ control. And if they did, the fool wouldn’t have questioned a thing, they wouldn’t have known that the Captain’s eyes were supposed to be a royal blue. A blue that glinted when the captain laughed. A blue that could turn sharp as a knife under a scrutinizing gaze.

Legend could hope that he might be that blissfully unaware, but he wasn’t. He—of course, noticed all of these things.

Sitting down now Legend realized he hadn’t thought this through. He could see Warriors becoming more tense as an awkward silence hung over them. Legend glanced around the clearing, looking for something, anything that he might be able to talk about, the others had moved back to what they had been doing before, albit a lot more quietly. They were doing a terrible job at pretending not to be listening intently to what Legend or the Captain might say or do. It seemed like Wild was the only one who was actually not paying attention anymore, focused again on whatever he was scrolling through on his shekiah slate.

Legend wasn’t one for small talk, and although he was still furious, he for some reason had chosen—against his better judgement, to make banter with the Captain.

Legend did not care if Warriors didn’t want to speak, if the man did not want to find the other end of Legends’ rath, then he would be damn well to suck up whatever pity party he had thrown himself into, and get the stick out of his ass.

Legend stretched his legs out in front of him, settling more comfortably against the tree. His eyes were still locked on Wild. “What’s the bet you’re willing to make that breakfast will be something completely inedible?” His voice was quiet, not quite a whisper, but silent enough that one would have to strain to listen to what he said. He was sure the others were doing that anyway.

The Captain’s brow twitched, and he tilted his head in Legend’s direction.

“What?”

Legend shrugged, Wars’ ear twitched at the sound his tunic made against the tree. “I wouldn’t put it past the champion to whip up any strange contraptions while his head is knocked up” to emphasize his point: Legend raised a hand to his forehead and tapped his knuckle against it, Warriors did not react to it in any way, it was unlikely he would have even if…even if he could see—Legend shoved the thought to the side.

Warriors’ face pinched and he turned to face the camp again, “is he alright?” He asked back in a hushed voice.

Legend followed Wars’ gaze even though it led nowhere, “Oh I’m sure he’s fine,” he looked to the two figures huddled at the fire ring. “He gets flogged up the head more times than I can keep track, he always pops up just fine after.”

The Captain pressed his lips together at Legend’s dismissal, but he didn’t say anything, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. Legend chewed on his lip as he watched Warriors out of the corner of his eye, after a minute of silence he grumbled a curse under his breath. Fine be that way, Legend knew how to carry a conversation just fine.

He sighed and turned out to the center of the camp again, raising his voice he addressed the concussed cook.

“Hey Champion! What are we eating for breakfast, anything edible?” A small smile formed on his face at the end of his sentence.

Wild’s head shot up, and he turned to look in Legend’s direction.

“Huh? Oh—um…” he scrolled through his sheikah slate before his head popped up again, “I think I have enough cucco eggs to scramble them, and I have pork. I can fry that.” He glanced around the rest of the camp, gauging the others' reactions. Four shrugged and took a card from Time’s deck.

Legend leaned towards Warriors’ and nudged him with his elbow, “let’s hope they're actually cucco eggs and not some strange monster’s instead” he whispered. All this elected from the Captain was a small hum while he pulled away from Legend’s arm.

And so it continued on like that. Legend found random things to talk about as they sat up against the tree, which prompted small words and hums from Warriors occasionally. Legend was mostly talking to himself, but he was too stubborn to give up and walk away from Wars.

It was when Legend was talking about the colors of the foliage above them, comparing them to hues of paint he had back at home, that the Captain finally snapped.

“If you’re going to sit here you can at least be quiet.”

Legend’s mouth snapped shut, his rambling coming to an abrupt halt. Genuine shock painted his face as he stared at Wars. The Captain never broke. Legend had seen him smile and have respectful conversations with noblemen who would insult him to his face, and never once did he show any inkling of hurt.

The man who sat next to Legend now was someone he didn’t know, a man long forgotten to the past of the Captain. Only one person in the clearing had the privilege of meeting that man, and his eye was trained on Warriors now, the damaged set of cards clenched in his hand—forgetting the game he played with the smith before him.

“What?” Legend smiled in confusion, his brows pinching together.

Warriors shuffled his feet against the ground, staring defiantly out into the camp.

“I can’t hear anything over your incessant talking”

Legend sat up from where he was lounging against the tree, his face scrunched up in offense, eyebrows pinched together. Snarking words filled his tongue, but before he could even speak—demand to know what the hell Warriors was even listening for—it hit him all of sudden. Realization washing over him.

The reason why Warriors had planted himself defensively up against the tree; the reason why his head turned and ears twitched at every sound in the forest; the reason why for his absolute silence; the reason why he clenched his sword on in his hand, as if he would need to draw it; the reason why he looked ready to jump up at any moment. He was scared. Scared that something would sneak up on them, scared that he wouldn’t be able to know until it was too late, scared that he would be useless and defenseless in the situation.

The anger and biting words drained out of Legend immediately. He felt stupid for not realizing it earlier, letting his own frustration blind him from the fact that even though he was hurt and angry with Warriors for letting himself get hurt—The Captain was struggling more than Legend was with the revelation.

Legend stared at Warriors, before he drug his gaze away to stare at the trodden dirt near his feet.

“Rancher, Sailor and Featherhead are on patrol. They would come back and tell us if something was out there,” he glanced back at the Captain, watching as Warriors clenched his jaw. “You don’t have try and keep watch, the rest of us are all perfectly capable of defending each other from something out there, you can let yourself rest—“

“I don’t need your pity.” The Captain snapped in a low voice, he had spun around when he interrupted Legend, his blank eyes staring through the Veteran.

Legend’s breath caught in his throat while he was trapped in the white pupils' unseeing gaze. He felt the familiar anger building up in his chest again.

“Well it’s a good thing I’m not then,”

Warriors scoffed and turned away again, “yeah sure, and Twilight needed Sky and Wind to help him patrol, because he definitely isn’t fully capable of doing it alone.” His voice was painfully sarcastic.

Legend’s brow pinched together, “what are you insinuating.”

“You know what I’m talking about—you all think you can just ignore the ‘moblin’ in the room! Beating around the bush isn’t getting anyone anywhere.” Warriors’ teeth clashed as he clenched his jaw, when he spoke again his voice was barely above a whisper. “We all know it.”

Everyone in the campsite was watching now, long forgetting the distractions they had meticulously planned out. Perhaps they knew what Wars was referring to. Legend hadn’t the faintest idea.

“Well, you’re going to have to be more specific about what the hell ‘we all know,’ because I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Legend,” Time warning. Legend ignored him, too frustrated to care at this point, so did Wars.

“I can’t see—I’m blind, okay! You want me to be the one to admit I’m a fucking hazard—well there! You can go back to whatever the hell you were doing before, I’m sure we’ll come across a town or something you can all dump me in sooner rather than later.”

Horror and shock flashed through the campsite. Many wide pale faces staring at The Captain. Four’s eyes flashed a multitude of colors, the cards in his hand long forgotten. A shadow seemed to fall over Time, his empty hand clenched in a tight fist, and he stared at Warriors with an indescribable expression. It was Hyrule who spoke up, his voice held all the horror of them combined.

“Wars—we would never—we don’t think you’re a hazard, we wouldn’t abandon—“

“Oh shut it, Hyrule! You’ve been walking on eggshells all morning.” Warriors snapped, cutting Hyrule off.

Legend snapped to his feet, jumping up to stand above Warriors. He glared down at him and pointed a finger down at the Captain’s face. “Don't talk to him like that! Just because you might feel like the whole world's out to get you right now, doesn’t mean you get to take it out on us.”

“Legend,” Time's warning met the air again.

Warriors snarled as he glared blankly up at Legend, “I’m just stating facts.”

“You’re not the only one who got hurt, so—yeah! you’re blind, and if that upsets you, you shouldn't have let yourself get smacked up the face!” Legend’s face was warm with anger, there was a boiling pot in his stomach.

Warriors’ hand tightened around his sword hilt, “get the hell away from me”

Legend leaned forward.

“Make me.”

“That’s enough!” The whole campsite jumped at Time’s shout, Four, Hyrule and Wild stared at him in shock. Time never raised his voice.

“Legend.” The blazing blue eye stared into Legend’s own as he looked at the Old Man. Legend clenched his jaw and snatched his sword up from where it still lay on the ground.

When Twilight, Wind and Sky returned back from their patrol, the campsite was in absolute silence apart from the soft crackling of frying pork. They exchanged short glances and awkwardly sat down around the fire. Legend was back on the other side of the campsite, steaming as he angrily rummaged through his supplies.

No one looked at the Captain, no one spoke to him. He sat against the tree still, jaw clenched, lips pressed together, and hands tightly around his sword.