Chapter Text
Time was nursing the second cup of coffee Wild had made for him in the inn’s dining room watching the stairs. It was late and Legend, Hyrule, and Sky were all still asleep. This was normal for Sky, he was a kindhearted sleepyhead, but not for Legend or Hyrule. He heard the shuffling of Wild beginning breakfast behind him, and the sizzling of food in a skillet. He heard a long, loud yawn from the stairs, followed by some mumbling. Sky, bedhead, rumpled clothing, and his sailcloth wrapped around himself like a blanket instead of a cape entered his view.
Legend and Hyrule were still absent. Time was worried. Sky was almost always their latest riser. The last time someone had woken up after the chosen hero… it’d been because it was induced by sickness. Time grimaced and set his mug down. He greeted the sleepy hero as he moved to the stairs.
“Morning,” Sky answered back, “Going to pack while waiting for breakfast?”
“I wish. Hyrule and Legend are still sleeping. I’m worried they’re sick.”
Most of the sleepiness left Sky’s eyes as his large heart must have squeezed in sympathy. “Anything I can do to help?”
“Thank you, but we should probably minimize contact with them, just in case. Also, your immune system - and Wind’s, for that matter - are not nearly as good as the rest of ours. You grew up on tight-knit islands where no new sicknesses could be introduced. You can help by keeping your distance and making sure Wind does the same. Two sick heroes are better than four sick heroes.” Time answered.
“Okay, I just wanted to offer. Ooh, is that coffee?” he asked, pointing to the mug Time had set down.
“Yes. You want it?” he asked.
Sky’s eyes lit up. “Thanks, Dad!”
Time blinked. Sky realized his mistake and they both started laughing. “You need it, if you’re sleepy enough to call me ‘dad’,”
“IT WAS AN ACCIDENT,” Sky said in a defensive tone.
“Sure it was,” Time answered, light and teasing, as he headed up the stairs. He slowly opened the door to the room Hyrule and Legend were in. One bed was cleanly made, and empty (he didn’t know Wild bothered to make his bed) and a blanket-covered lump was in the other. Peeking their heads out from under the blanket were Hyrule and Legend. The two heroes were snuggled close, Legend curling around Hyrule. The vet really had a soft spot for his successor. Time tiptoed over to the bed, unable to tell which limb belonged to which hero, they were so tangled up together. Upon closer inspection, he noticed they were both sweaty and flushed. The back of his hand was placed on Hyrule’s forehead. It was warm, like holding his hands above the fire. Legend’s forehead was cooler, but not by much.
“Legend, Hyrule. I need you to wake up,” he whispered. Legend’s eyes shot open and he sat upright.
“Where are the monsters?” he asked. Hyrule rolled onto his other side, lifted his head a little, and placed it in Legend’s lap. The traveler hero let out a content humming noise.
“There are no monsters, Legend. We’re in an inn.” Time told him.
Legend glared. “Why’d you wake us, then?” His voice was raspy, and his sentence was followed by a tiny coughing fit. Hyrule seemed to have fallen back asleep.
“You both slept later than Sky, and you’ve got fevers. I need to know your symptoms so I can get you the proper medicine,”
Legend gaped. “Bird Brain woke up before me?” He had another small coughing fit, before continuing, “I think Hyrule’s asleep again.”
“Hyrule, I need you to wake up.” Time ordered softly.
He was met by some sleepy mumbling and a, “No.”
“Rulie, you’re sick, Time needs to know what you’re feeling like so he can get you the right medicine and make you feel better,” Legend said, starting to stroke Hyrule’s sweaty hair.
“Feel like garbage,” Hyrule mumbled.
Legend winced. “Does your throat hurt?”
“Mhm.”
“Do you feel like you’re going to throw up?” Time asked.
“Dunno.”
“Are you struggling to breathe through your nose?” Legend questioned.
“Mhm.”
The questions continued on for a bit, and Legend and Time determined that Hyrule was dealing with the Moblin Fever. Easily picked up by the heroes because they slayed the suckers, and brought to the townspeople every once in a while when the moblins were brave enough to attack.
“I just shared a bed with him, so I probably have it, too,” Legend answered. Hyrule let out a soft sigh and allowed his eyes to shut, his head still in Legend’s lap.
“I’ll get some medicine,” Time whispered as he turned and tiptoed back out.
Back on the lower floor of the inn, Wild was serving breakfast to the other heroes. “How are they?” Sky asked.
“We’re staying here for a bit. We struggled to keep Hyrule awake to find out what he was dealing with.”
Wild nearly dropped the plate. “Do you think I carried their germs down here and got it in your food? Should I be sleeping in there again tonight? What if I get you guys sick by being around them?”
Twilight pulled Wild in close, an arm wrapped around his shoulder. “Ain’t nuttin’ we can do ‘bout last night, but tonight I can sleep in the bahn with Epona an’ you can take my bed.”
“Twilight, it’s pronounced barn, B-A-R-N,” Warriors corrected.
Twilight crossed his arms. “That’s what I said, city boy, bahn.”
“I don’t care how you pronounce it, you’re not sleeping there!” Time added, raising his voice. A few of the other people in the inn glanced in their direction. “Sorry, they’re being idiots,” he called to anyone he’d disturbed. “Now, I’m off to go see if I can track down some medicine for Hyrule and Legend. I’ll hopefully be back for breakfast soon.”
Time made his way to the front desk, where the lady greeted him with the questions, “How may I help? Are you checking out of your rooms?”
“Sadly, no. I’d like to add two more nights. Do you by any chance have some medicine? Two of my boys woke up sick.”
“I hope it’s not the sweet one with brown hair and freckles, the boy in the lobster shirt, or the tiny one with the multi-colored tunic,” the lady said, calculating the cost of three rooms and barn space for another two nights.
“It’s the ‘sweet one with brown hair and freckles’ and the cranky one with pink in his hair,” Time told the lady.
“Poor thing!” she moaned, “He told me I was too pretty to be sitting here yesterday, that I should be out showing the world my beauty. I’ll take 20 rupees off your fee for that statement. You’ve raised him well, sir.”
“Thanks?” Time said, hoping it didn’t sound too much like a question.
“Alright for two more nights, you will owe 980 rupees, 20 rupee discount for your son’s wonderful statement counted into the total,” the lady told him, smiling. Time forked over the rupees from their designated inn funds pouch that he carried.
“And what medicine did you need?” she asked, scooping the rupees into her arms and placing them where they belonged.
“Medicine for Moblin Fever, please,” Time said.
The lady made a face. “Ugh, that’s no fun. Had it once myself,” she placed a vial of medicine in his hands as well as two dispensers. “Here ya go. Tastes utterly awful, but it does its job. Maybe add some sugar to it - or something sweet, anyways - to help it go down?”
Time thought back to the fight two days ago, where they’d all gotten mid-level injuries, painful and unpleasant, but with no fairies or potions to ease the pain. Hyrule had run himself ragged healing them all, hating that they were in pain. He’d been pretty tired. Sugar would do nicely for his lingering magic exhaustion. “Thanks for the suggestion,”
“Of course,” the lady smiled, “Hope your boys feel better soon,”