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Chapter Text

"It was my pleasure. I'm sorry I was late."

The first thing Wild was aware of was weight, pressure, crushing in on all sides. He curled his fists, able to do that much.

What happened? Sometimes, especially more recently, Mipha's Grace left him disoriented, unsure of recent memories. That was definitely her magic giving him energy, life. Those were definitely her words he heard. What happened?

The next thing Wild was aware of was the touch on his face. Did he end up under something?

He moved his hand up to his face-

He tried to move his hand up to his face.

He couldn't move his hand.

He couldn't move his arm. Either of them.

He tried to twist - what did he end up under - and only managed to shift the thing on his face.

It only made the pressure on his chest worse.

How did he only just notice that?

He tried to calm his breathing, but his chest couldn't - wouldn't - move as he needed it to.

Wild tried to keep his breaths short, just deep enough to get him the air he needed.

The air was already too hot.

Okay, what happened? Where was he?

Why was there so much pressure on him?

He felt his breaths quicken again, and he forced them to slow, the heat of his exhales warming his face.

Wild curled his hands again, something coarse running under his fingers, into his fingernails. He rotated them experimentally. Was this-

No, surely it wasn't. It couldn't. His brothers never would've let something like this happen.

Was this dirt?!

His hands scrabbled uselessly against the grit. Though this dirt was freshly moved, there was no give.

Wild felt hysteria bubble up. He barely even heard himself laugh. It would make sense, of course, since he was under the dirt, too.

He'd been buried.

Goddess, his brothers believed he was dead.

He laughed again, the humor never reaching his ears. Of course they did, since Mipha had to work her miracle again. He had died, far too often for anyone his age. His diaphragm spasmed in what he hoped was humor. Nobody should die as much as he had. It was rather unpleasant, after all.

Mipha's gift had started fading, sometimes leaving minor injuries when that hadn't been the case before. Other times, her magic didn't kick in for a few minutes.

How long had he been dead?

Wild let his hands scrabble again, wincing as this skin on his fingers tore. He had to get out. He had to find his brothers, to beg them for forgiveness for dying, for having to bury him.

He pushed again. If the dirt was loose, he couldn't have been dead long, could he?

He wiggled beneath the weight, but it didn't move.

Another bubble of laughter erupted from him. Mipha brought him back from whatever had killed him, but he was going to die again, wasn't he?

A flash of silver, fire in his belly, strength fading.

Of course he'd remember his death when faced with another one.

They were in a fight, that was certain. But what exactly happened?

He cast his memory back through the fog. He remembered weapons clashing, monsters squealing, grunting. A moblin before him, all of a sudden. He hadn't had a chance to react. Fire in his belly as the moblin struck without warning.

Warriors had caught him. Twilight had held him as he bled out quicker than anyone could heal. Twilight knew about Mipha, knew that Wild would return.

But he hadn't. Not until a few minutes ago, or whenever it was. He couldn't tell the passage of time. He could've woken up two minutes or five hours ago.

Wild huffed against the thing on his face. It didn't allow any dirt to fall through, but it did nothing to help his air. It likely wouldn't be long before he ran out.

…What if he just stayed? Why fight to get free? His body was already in the ground, he just happened to be aware. His brothers were already grieving him. He could just stop, fall back asleep, let himself drift away.

He wondered what they did with the Slate. Did they leave it? He felt against his hip where it usually sat attached to his belt. The hooks that kept it there were empty. Of course they took it with them. Flora would need it back.

…Did they leave flowers?

Silent Princesses, like Flora's favorite? Blue Nightshade for his?

Could they even find something like those in this era?

When were they again?

…Flora was going to be so sad. He didn't remember much from when he died the first time, but he got flashes of teary green eyes, water splashing on his face. She wouldn't have anything to cry over this time.

He didn't want her to cry anymore.

He didn't want to be the reason why those green eyes wept and carried such deep sorrow anymore.

He had to get free.

He remembered Hyrule, his green eyes. They would be so haunted, so hollow. They all would.

Twilight would be the worst. He'd be blaming himself. He likely was already.

Wild remembered the words he said to Twilight after the Shadow had almost destroyed him.

"Win this fight."

Maybe he should take his own damn advice.

His breath was already hot against the thing on his face. He was grateful for it now; it kept the dirt above him from falling into his mouth, his nose. He still had time, he could get out, and dammit he would.

He scrabbled his hands, fighting to create space. He had to get them above him.

But the more room his arms had, the less his chest had.

…This wasn't going to-

No, he had to get out, keep pushing. Wild couldn't be buried that deeply, could he? How long had he been dead?

Not important at the moment. He winced as his fingernails caught against the dirt, clumps uncomfortably wedging into the gaps.

His next breath didn't feel like the last several. His lungs expanded and contracted, but he still needed air.

He was already running out.

His efforts doubled, he pushed harder against the weight keeping him down. When he tried to catch his breath, he realized he was still lying in the same position. He hadn't made any progress.

His breaths came more quickly, more desperately, as he tried to fill his lungs with the air that he needed, but all he got was hot, stale, earth-tasting.

C'mon, Link, think!

What could he do? He couldn't dig himself out, not like this. He loved Mipha dearly, was thankful for her gift, but the timing was awful.

Wait-

Mipha's gift hadn't completely disappeared after the Calamity. Sure, it was fading, but it wasn't gone. What about the other Champions' gifts?

Wild closed his eyes (not much point in keeping them open) and reached for his magic. The gifts, during the Calamity, were always there, right at his fingertips, ready to be used. That had mostly disappeared after he'd rescued Flora, but maybe, like Mipha's gift, they hadn't faded entirely. Maybe they were still there, buried so deeply that he hadn't even realized.

And then he felt them, the fiery firm orange, electrifying yellow, and breezy green. They were still there, the Champions hadn't truly left him. Their souls had departed, but remnants of them remained within him.

Wild could feel sobs bubbling up in his chest, but he couldn't spare the air for them. It would have to wait.

How was he going to do this? If he had his slate, he'd use a bomb to move most of the dirt from above him. Could he do the same with the Champions' abilities? Daruk's Protection would keep any further dirt from falling on him, and maybe it would even be able to push the earth already covering him out of the way. Revali's Gale would push everything up. Urbosa's Fury to do the rest.

Wild may have only one shot at this. He'd have to make it count. He'd never tried using multiple of the Champions' abilities at once. Well, there was always a first time for everything.

He forced his quickening breaths to settle. Even laying down, he was starting to get dizzy.

He focused, drawing on the love the Champions had for him, and he for them. He took as deep a breath as he could, and he yelled.

The earth around him shook, orange and yellow shattering around him. The dirt above him finally shifted, loosened, as a gale tore at his clothes.

Wild pushed up, and he let out a sob when the earth gave way. He scrabbled, up, up, up, feeling as though he were almost swimming through mud. If it had rained recently, he likely was.

The dirt started to clump around him, clogging his ears, getting into his nose. But he wasn't going to stop. He'd never stop until Hylia finally called him on.

He reached up and up and felt the dirt around his cheeks start to grow wet with tears of relief. His hand had felt a breeze.

He scrabbled with his hands, fighting to clear a path, a route for the rest of him to follow through.

And finally, he made it.

His face finally broke through, and he heaved, the air blessedly cool in his lungs. He coughed, dirt flying from his mouth.

He blinked, even the light of the full moon harsh against his eyes. Earth and mud still clung to his eyelashes, but he could see.

He looked around, listened. But only the sounds of crickets, frog croaks, and a lone owl reached his ears. A sword was stabbed into the ground only inches from where he'd emerged, crooked from the shifting earth.

His brothers had moved on.

Wild wasn't surprised. He'd been dead. If any of his other brothers (Goddess forbid) had been in his place, he wouldn't have wanted to stick around long either.

How was he going to find them?

Well, he had to get out of the dirt first.

Wild scrambled, searching for purchase, handholds, anything to help pull himself up. The clumps beneath him shifted, filling in under him, giving him something to stand on. Slowly, like molasses, he climbed out and rolled onto his back, chest heaving the fresh, cool air.

He laid there, listening, breathing, just trying to collect himself.

And then he felt it. The pull, a tug he always felt behind his sternum when a portal appeared. He followed the tug, and there it was, inches behind him.

Wild was exhausted, all his energy spent getting just to the point where he was above ground. He didn't think he could get up and walk to it. But whoever was creating the portals (Hylia, hopefully) had left this portal so close he could brush his fingers against. It would do the rest in pulling him through.

First, he had to find whatever it was that was covering his face. He wouldn't be surprised if it was his cloak or bedroll. Wild wanted those back and a chance to clean them.

He found the fabric mixed in with the dirt by his feet, and he froze. It wasn't fabric. He'd know this texture anywhere.

It was Twilight's pelt.

The sobs he'd been holding back finally broke free, tremors shaking his whole body. Twilight's beloved wolf pelt, a comfort for him and anyone else who wore it, had been left in Wild's grave.

Wild wasn't dead anymore. He could return it. He had to.

Tears still streaming down his face, breath hitching in his chest, Wild brushed his fingers against the portal.

There was a pull behind his navel as the portal yanked him through, time snapping and curling around him until he finally landed hard against the ground.

"WHAT THE FU-"

"WHY-"

"HOLY SH-"

The clamor of voices was music to his ears, his sobs only growing louder in his relief.

"…Wild?"

The quiet voice echoed the loudest. As did the sliding of steel.

Wild finally opened his eyes and froze. Twilight stood there, sword in hand, inches from Wild's face.

"Twi," Wild croaked, chest heaving. His voice caught, and he coughed harshly.

"You're not him," Twilight said, his voice cold. The lighting cast his face into shadows, but his face markings were still vivid. "Wild died right in my arms."

Wild pushed himself up onto his shaky elbows, though it brought him that much closer to his brother's blade. "I did. And I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't want that to happen." His throat was scratchy. He coughed again, trying to clear his voice. "Mipha's Grace has faded a lot, and it took a long time for it to work."

"We waited five hours!" Twilight exclaimed. "How do I know you're not some trick? How do I know you're not the Shadow, puppeting my brother's dead body, or a redead?"

There wasn't a part of him that wasn't dirtied or muddied. He even saw, across the middle of his Champion's tunic, a gash, stained with blood. His own, he was certain. He lifted the torn tunic, showing the fresh scar that itched against the cool air.

"Twi, I'm really sorry," Wild said, his eyes burning with tears. "I didn't want to die, I didn't want to put you through that. I didn't want to put anyone through that."

The clearing was silent. Wild almost begged for someone to say something, to make some noise, so he could be sure he wasn't dreaming and still in his grave.

But through it all, Wild's eyes never left Twilight's. The fire in his eyes cooled, and Wild could see… hope? Sadness? He couldn't be sure.

"I want to believe it's you," Twilight said, his voice almost at a whisper. "But… I don't…" His hand shook, the blade edging dangerously close to Wild's neck.

"Twilight," Wild croaked. "I dug myself up." His breath came in heavy huffs. "I woke up in my grave, and I-" He cut himself off, another sob threatening to escape. Shit, he was tired of this. He was exhausted, just wanted to sleep.

Twilight's eyes turned glassy, tears leaking from them. "Cub?"

Wild couldn't trust himself to speak. He'd break down, fall apart, shatter if he tried. Instead, he numbly nodded.

Twilight froze for just a moment, and then-

The sword dropped and clattered on the ground, and Wild felt a different crushing pressure. But he didn't mind nearly as much.

Twilight's arms were around him, and Wild felt like he would fall to pieces if his mentor let him go. He'd just be a broken pile on the ground. He honestly felt like he'd shake apart anyways.

"Spirits, you're freezing," Twilight said.

Oh, that would make sense of why he was shaking so much.

He didn't get a chance to say anything. Someone else crashed into him, encircling both him and Twilight in their embrace. Wild caught a glimpse of red and blue markings. He could feel Time's sobs in the embrace.

And that was it. The rest of the Chain followed suit, crowding around Wild and Twilight. They were whispering things to him, sniffling, Wild swore he even heard Legend thanking Hylia. He felt fingers press into his neck, onto his wrist, just to feel his pulse. And he leaned in, feeling their warmth in return. He threw his arms around the nearest brother; it didn't matter who. It mattered that he was alive, they all were.

Wild was almost asleep when Time, his voice croaking, declared they should make their way to Lon Lon Ranch. Wild started to move, was halfway standing until a pair of arms scooped him up.

"You're exhausted," Twilight said, because of course that was who was carrying him. "Go to sleep. I got you."

But Wild didn't want to go to sleep. A flash of another time, pain in his belly, and Twilight had told him the same thing. "Just go to sleep, Wild. Mipha has you."

Falling asleep was what put him in this mess in the first place.

He silently refused, keeping his eyes open until they finally reached the ranch, the sunset momentarily blinding him. They were inside seconds later.

Wild blinked, and he was in a chair, head tilted over the back. He could feel that someone was doing something to his hair. He wasn't sure. Warriors was in front of him a wet cloth.

"We've gotta get…" Wars paused for a moment. "All the - dirt off your face." His voice broke part way through, and he looked anywhere but at Wild's face.

"Yeah, it's kinda gross," Wild said, trying to put a smile on his face. He imagined it was more of a grimace. "I'm surprised my face is as bad as it is."

Hyrule piped up from behind Warriors. "Climbing up from your own grave like that? Nah, that's about what I expect."

Wars turned, aghast, but Wild let out a chuckle. Much better than a sob. Wild held out a hand for the cloth, but the Captain leaned around and wiped his face anyways. "Let me do this for you," was left unspoken.

Who was he to deny his brother?

The cloth was blessedly warm as Wars wiped off the dirt, mud, and whatever else Wild had on his face.

He felt a gentle tug on his hair again and heard a splash of water. Wild tried to turn his head and only got a glimpse of Twilight and Malon behind him. Malon caught his eye and shifted so he could see her more easily.

"Hey there, honey," Malon said. "How're ya doing?"

"Better than I was a few hours ago," Wild said, voice light. Hyrule laughed, but even he could tell it was forced.

Malon was undeterred. Her gaze actually turned somewhat stern. "How're you really doing?"

Wild felt another tug on his hair and heard another splash. What was that? He turned to Twilight who seemed to realize what he was trying to ask.

"I'm washing your hair," Twilight answered. He was still missing his pelt. Where had that ended up? It would need a wash after-

Warriors approached with the cloth again. It looked freshly rinsed, but it was still stained with the brown of the-

Wild twisted his hands into his tunic, but it was still torn, still with a layer of dirt and dried blood-

Wild's breath hitched, catching on the exhale. No. He'd already fallen apart enough today. He was fine, he was with his brothers and Malon at Lon Lon Ranch. He was safe.

Something touched his face, and he flinched. Warriors backed away as if he'd been burned.

"Link, look at me," Malon said. Wild finally met her eyes. She wasn't mad, upset, or even stern. All he saw in her face was- "It's okay."

-Compassion.

He couldn't hold it back any more. Wild shook as the sobs finally escaped. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he fell into the touch, wet hair slapping to his face. He was embraced once more. He tried to keep his tears from getting onto this other person's clothes, but he was held so firmly. And he was so warm.

"Just let it all out, honey," Malon's voice said. "I got you."

Whispers in his mind, of a time long ago, he'd been held just like this, hearing the same words. Wild held on firmly, to the fragments and to Malon. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so safe.

"I-I was dead," Wild choked out. "I was in the ground!" He'd been gone, he'd been buried, and he left his brothers to grieve. What kind of hero was he to abandon his brothers like that?

Malon tightened her grip. "That wasn't fair for anyone." Was her voice getting thick, too?

"I-I'm sorry!"

"You have nothing to be sorry for. None of you do."

It felt like forever before Wild could get his breathing under control, the tears slowed, and his shivering stopped. When he finally opened his eyes again, the Chain had surrounded him once more.

Twilight laid a hand on his shoulder. "We won't leave you."

Wild leaned into the touch, into the warmth. He could fall asleep right there, but he stubbornly kept his eyes open despite their burning.

"You're exhausted, honey," Malon said.

Wild shook his head slowly. He didn't want to sleep. He didn't want to be there again.

"That's alright," Malon continued. Oops, had he said that out loud? "We can set everyone up in here. How about that?"

…That would be nice, but it would still be too quiet, still remind him of-

Twilight noticed his hesitation. "How about outside? The weather's nice."

Wild managed to nod, and he was in Twilight's arms again. He was glad for that, Wild didn't think he'd be able to stand without stumbling, much less walk.

The air outside was cool but still blessedly warm enough to be comfortable. Twilight helped him change into a soft tunic and set of trousers, and soon, the rest of the Chain and Malon were outside with them. Twilight became Wolfie and curled up around Wild. He pressed up against the warmth, the softness that Twilight's pelt didn't have. Wolfie, in turn, laid his snout on Wild's chest.

Time and Malon joined him in laying against Twilight. Warriors and Wind wound together on their other side. Hyrule, Legend, Four, and Sky all pressed in but still gave Wild enough room to move. He grasped their hands in turn, relishing in their warmth.

Wild sighed in the evening air and let his eyelids droop closed. He was surrounded on all sides once more, but not with the earth. He was in the midst of his family.

Chapter Text

The fight was messy, rough. The moblins and bulblins were fast, almost too much so. Twilight had collected some scrapes here, bruises there, but the clash was finally winding to a close. Until-

"WILD!"

Twilight spun and saw Hyrule and Warriors hunched over a figure. He raced over.

When he saw his cub, he felt his heart freeze in his chest. Wild was already pale, deathly white. Blood bubbled at his lips, and the source of his wound was abundantly clear.

He'd nearly been cut in two below his ribs.

Hyrule's hands glowed teal with life magic. Warriors fumbled with the cork of a potion bottle. There were no fairies.

Twilight knew what had to happen.

He knelt in the rain soaked grass with his brothers and laid a hand on Wild's head. Tired blue eyes met his. Wild understood, too.

"Twi, fairy!" Warriors barked.

"We're out," Twilight replied, his voice much calmer than it had any reason to be.

Wars and Hyrule both looked up at his tone. He'd might as well explain.

"Wild received a gift from a friend," Twilight started. "It lets him recover from the point of death, but we have to let him go first."

Wars gaped, mouth opening and closing like a fish's. Hyrule met Wild's gaze, who only managed a slight nod. "That's a powerful friend," Hyrule finally said.

Twilight could only numbly nod. "Her power's been fading. Wild may need more healing when he comes back." Despite the calm in his voice, Twilight felt ice in his veins. How long could Wild hold on to this gift? How long could Mipha's Grace hold out?

He had to ignore that fear. There wasn't time. Wild needed him to be strong.

Wild looked exhausted, his breath only coming out in weak gurgles. He was trying to hold on, but what for?

"Just go to sleep, Wild," Twilight said. He ran his fingers through the younger hero's hair. "Mipha has you."

Wild closed his eyes and relaxed. It was only moments later that his chest stopped moving.

This part never got any easier. Twilight had always felt a pit in his stomach whenever Wild stopped breathing, always anticipating the moments teal flames enveloped him and letting him spring back to life.

Twilight kept his fingers running through Wild's hair, hopeful that somehow, the blonde could feel it.

How long would Mipha's Grace take? Last time, Wild had laid with a gash in his throat for almost 10 minutes. Twilight hoped it wouldn't take that long.

But the minutes ticked on. And Twilight kept watching for the teal flames.

"Twilight," Warriors said. Twilight didn't look away from his cub. "How long is this supposed to take?"

"Not longer than a few minutes," he responded. He rested a palm against Wild's cheek. His skin was already cooling. How long had he been waiting so far?

"It's already been 15," Wars said.

Twilight snapped up to meet his gaze. "What?"

Warriors' mouth opened and closed a few times. What words was he trying to come up with? "I hope you're right," he finally said.

By then, the rest of the Chain knew something was wrong. Time had joined them, Sky and Legend sat away with Four and Wind. Wind didn't need to see this. Four had a concussion, and no part of him was doing well.

Twilight sat and waited. He took Wild's cool hand, fingers much too slack. He'd be so cold once he woke up.

The woods around them were silent. It was like nature itself was holding its breath, waiting in anticipation.

"Pup," Time said, voice low. "It's been an hour."

Twilight's head shot up, and he met the Old Man's one eyed stare. He saw-

"No, just give him more time," Twilight said. Any minute now, they'd all see the teal flames and Mipha's miracle.

"Twilight," Time said more firmly. "He's gone."

That couldn't be right. It hadn't been an hour. It had only been a few minutes. Mipha's Grace would kick in any moment now. They just needed to wait a few more minutes.

Sunlight streamed through the trees, and Twilight blinked in the sudden light. Gold colored everything in a warm hue, and for a moment, Wild's face looked healthy. But the illusion shattered the longer he held the younger hero's hand.

Twilight startled when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder. Time knelt beside him, his expression laden with sorrow and compassion. But-

"No," Twilight said, voice stronger. "We just need to wait a little longer. Give Mipha time to-"

"How certain are you," Warriors said, "that her gift hasn't completely faded?"

Twilight's words caught in his throat. He heard sniffles and looked over to see Hyrule curled around himself, holding himself as if he were about to fall apart.

The rest of the Chain were huddled together, hugging, shoulders shaking. Were they-

"Twilight?" Warriors asked, face expectant.

Twilight finally started to stammer. "I- I- but… M-Mipha…"

Time searched his face. What for, Twilight wasn't sure. But he tried to tell Time in every way he could how much he trusted that Wild would come back.

Time seemed to realize how determined he was. "We'll wait a bit longer."

Twilight let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. He lost his hold on time then, every second seeming to pass much to quickly and taking too long. In those long minutes, Twilight wet his thumb and wiped the blood off Wild's face. The younger hero would hate feeling that. The seconds trickled on. The sun changed once again, the light leaving his face. When the shadows covered Wild once more, Twilight couldn't pretend. Wild was dead, but Mipha's gift would bring him back soon.

Why was it taking so long?

"Twilight," Sky said. When did he get close? Where did Hyrule go? "It's time."

The shadows had deepened around them, a chill starting to set in. Wild was heavy on his lap.

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked, voice cracking.

Warriors spoke up from his other side. "Mipha's gone." He sighed out, deep and long. "Wild is gone."

Twilight shook his head. There was no way-

"It's been two hours, pup," Time said. He put both hands on Twilight's shoulders. "We have to let him go. He's gone."

He felt like he was falling. His heart dropped to his stomach, and all of a sudden, he was in Time's arms, eyes burning, he couldn't catch his breath-

It didn't matter. Wild was never-

A wail erupted, and he dimly realized it was coming from him-

He thought he could hear someone talking, but it didn't make any sense-

A flash of steel- he thought it was monsters, but he looked, and Legend was holding shovels-

Was it night already? It was getting so dark-

"Link!"

He jumped at his name.

"Breathe."

The person holding him was moving, but it was just their chest. It was a steady rhythm, and he followed it. His breaths returned to something more even, and the woods became more clear. The person pulled away just a bit.

"Time," Twilight breathed. "Please."

Time's face crumpled, his eye glistening. "I'm sorry."

Twilight fell forward into the older hero's arms. He felt drops falling onto the top of his head. Was it raining?

It didn't matter. None of it did. His brother wasn't there to feel it.

He shook, breaths coming in spurts as he choked out his sobs.

"Twilight," another voice called.

He looked up. It hadn't been raining at all.

Legend stood in front of him, a shovel in each hand. He said nothing but held one out.

Twilight knew what this meant. You can do one more thing for him.

Dig his fucking grave.

He almost fell apart again right then. But Wild needed him. He curled over Wild's much too still form and pressed a kiss to his forehead. His skin was like ice, pale, white. He took off his pelt and laid it across his brother. With it laid just right, he could imagine Wild was sleeping, recovering from an illness. There wasn't a gash in his stomach with drying blood.

Twilight took the offered shovel and stood on shaky legs. He followed Legend closer to the treeline, and they started to dig.

This was a motion familiar to Twilight. He'd helped muck Fado's barn many times over the years, helped plow the fields of Ordon, even helped to build an irrigation system during a particularly bad drought.

In fact, that's what he was doing. He was helping Jaggle and Pergie. It was an especially tough year rain wise. They'd need all the water they could get for their pumpkins.

Link worked, shoveling as much dirt as he could. He could hear someone else turning the earth. Good, he'd need help to get this done before sundown and it got too dark.

They both maneuvered around the roots of the nearby trees. This didn't need to be pretty for the water. Just functional.

Eventually, the hole was deep enough. It would hold Wild plenty of water well enough. Link wiped the sweat off his brow, very likely spreading dirt all over his face. That was okay, he'd wash it all off later.

There was someone talking, but they could wait until he got himself out of the hole. Link moved to hoist himself out, but someone grabbed the back of his tunic.

"Link," he said. "Where are you right now?"

Well that was certainly a silly question. "Ordon of course."

"Link, look at me."

And Link looked. The teen in front of him was someone he'd seen often over the past few months. The strawberry blond hair, blue cap, and dirt-covered face were all familiar. Deeply so.

And then the rest hit him like a rampaging Goron.

Twilight fell against Legend, sobs shaking the both of them.

Fuck, what was he trying to do? He was going to have to face… everything eventually. "I-I thought…" He couldn't finish his thoughts. Finishing them would make them more real.

"I know," Legend said.

Twilight sniffed heavily and wiped at his face. Though who was he trying to fool? Did it even matter in the end?

Warriors and Sky leaned down to help them out. It wasn't graceful by any means. But the dirt covering Twilight didn't feel out of place.

The others were crowded around, kneeling. Twilight didn't have to guess what they were circled around. Wild looked even more like he was just asleep, like he could awaken at any moment. His hair was combed, free of stray leaves. Wind was putting the finishing touches on a braid. But hours had passed. Mipha's gift was gone.

Twilight didn't kneel so much as collapse with his brothers. He cast around a questioning look, begging as much as he could without words that digging had been a waste of time. Only a couple meet his eyes, looking just as lost and broken as he felt.

Twilight sat there, with his brothers, for what felt like forever but not long enough. The sunlight faded. Soon, it would be too dark to see.

Warriors stood, each brother standing with him. They all seemed to understand. Twilight didn't want to. He wanted to kick and scream, demand that they wait, that they needed more time.

But they'd waited long enough. No miracles were happening.

Warriors gently picked Wild up, letting his head loll off of his arm. Twilight almost warned him to be careful.

Four stepped forward and carefully detached the Sheikah Slate from Wild's belt. Flora would want that back.

Spirits, they'd have to tell Flora.

Warriors gingerly stepped into the hole and delicately laid Wild down, spending a moment to make him look comfortable.

"His face," Twilight found himself saying, voice nothing but a croak. "We cover the face in Ordon."

Warriors nodded and slid Twilight's pelt up to cover Wild's white, peaceful face. He burned every detail to memory, every freckle, scar, the shade of his hair.

And then he was covered, the pelt just large enough to hide the face and tunic color from view.

This was just a body.

Warriors and Legend took the shovels this time. "Old Man, how long?" Legend asked, voice clear and not giving away any emotion.

"Five hours," Time croaked.

A fresh wave of sniffles. A choked out sob. Whispers under breath. Twilight ignored them all.

Wars and Legend gave each other a look and nodded resolutely. They each shoved their shovels into the freshly turned earth and spread it over the body. It was still, much too quiet. All the woods around them were. Nature itself was mourning the body it was about to reclaim.

It felt all too soon but not long enough before the body was completely covered, out of sight. All too soon, the hole was filled, leaving the clearing around them almost the same as they'd found it.

Time took the fallen sword, the blade of a fierce hero, and stabbed it into the ground above the head of the body. It was a grave marker, the best they could do. But nothing would ever be enough to honor the body.

And then it was done. It was all over.

The sunlight was gone. This would typically be the time they'd set up camp. No one wanted to. Sky and Warriors started walking, and the others followed behind.

Twilight had no idea how long they walked. He was exhausted, but he knew he'd never be able to sleep if he tried. He didn't think the others would be able to either. Their walk was silent save for the crunching of leaves and twigs underfoot. No conversations and laughter. No complaints about feet hurting. Not even the wind whispering through the leaves.

It was all silent, like the forest itself was keeping quiet out of respect. Mute, just like Wild-

He cut off that thought just as quickly as it had appeared. Thoughts weren't going to help. They would only fall to what ifs, and he couldn't-

He shut that down, too. He imagined the basement of his house, dark, filled with boxes, each big enough for the thoughts flying around his head. He pictured grabbing them, stuffing them inside, and slamming the lid shut. And he kept walking.

It was almost a relief, then, when they all felt that tug from the portal that appeared mere feet in front of them. They shared a glance and, one by one, stepped through. No conversation was needed. Twilight looked back the way they came, back towards the body and the sword as a grave marker.

"I'm sorry, Wild," Twilight whispered. His eyes burned as he turned away and walked through the portal.

It wasn't as much of a relief as it would've been when Time announced they were in his era, not far from Lon Lon ranch. Normally, Twilight would feel a warmth blossoming in his chest at returning to a place that felt like a second home.

He just felt empty.

Bereft of everything, like he'd left it all with the body in the unknown era.

Twilight turned to start walking, but the others started shouting, clamoring, all of a sudden. He turned to see what the commotion was about. And his veins filled with ice, a stone dropping in his stomach.

A coughing, disheveled, dirty body had appeared from the portal.

It was the same body they'd left behind, left to rest and return to the earth.

It shouldn't be here.

"Wild?" slipped from his lips. But no, it couldn't be. This was a trick. A Shadow, a redead, a spell. Twilight drew his sword and leveled it at the body.

All at once, the others fell silent. The only sounds came from the woods around and the body heaving breaths.

"Twi," the thing said. Its voice was just a croaking facsimile.

Twilight saw red. "You're not him." This was cruel, some demon or monster toying with their emotions, their pain. How dare this thing take advantage of them?! "Wild died right in my arms."

The thing wearing Wild's face pushed itself up, inexplicably bringing itself closer to the razor sharp edge of the blade. "I did. And I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't want that to happen." It coughed. It was trying to use his voice. "Mipha's Grace has faded a lot, and it took a long time for it to work."

"We waited five hours!" Twilight roared. His vision tunneled. This thing was mocking him, mocking the memory of-

Wild deserved to rest. Couldn't this thing give him that?

"How do I know you're not some trick?" Twilight continued. "How do I know you're not the Shadow, puppeting my brother's dead body, or a redead?"

He tried to squash down the tiny spark of hope with the disgust, rage, he felt.

The body raised the ruined tunic, a scar running across under its ribs just like-

Twilight met its eyes. They shone with what could only be tears. Could this really-

"Twi, I'm really sorry. I didn't want to die, I didn't want to put you through that. I didn't want to put anyone through that."

The rage he felt wanted to run this facsimile through. But the hope cried out what if? Was it possible? Could this truly be Wild?

Had they made a terrible error?

Twilight's hand holding the sword started to shake. His breaths came in heaves as the fiery rage and sparking hope warred within him.

"I want to believe it's you," Twilight finally whispered. Not to the body but to the world. "But… I don't…" He couldn't choke anything else out.

"Twilight, I dug myself up." Deep huffs of breath, voice still scratchy but gaining strength. "I woke up in my grave, and I-" A hand to the mouth, desperately trying to hold back a sob.

The boxes of thoughts in his head started to creak open, lighting up the basement.

Twilight had seen Wild do the same motion too many times on his journey, the weight of defeating a nation-ending Calamity too much for anyone, least of all someone with only a few months' worth of memories. Twilight looked at the form in front of him and met those blue eyes that only a Wild brimming with life could have.

"Cub?" Twilight choked out.

A nod.

And that was all Twilight needed. The sword fell from his grasp, never needed in the first place. He wrapped Wild in a hug, burying his nose in the other's hair. The smell, of pine trees, flowers, nature, was just so Wild.

And it was layered with dirt.

Ordona, his cub had to dig himself up from his own grave.

Wild shook in his hold. Twilight's hand brushed against his skin. "Spirits, you're freezing." The ground had been chilly from what little he could remember of that haze. Wild could also still be suffering from blood loss.

Time crashed into the both of them, the Old Man's face creased with relief. And then it was like a spell broke. The rest of the Chain pressed in, sniffling, each trying to check for themselves that Wild was actually alive. Twilight still had to check for himself, pressing two fingers under Wild's jaw. He felt a pulse thrumming with life. Wild leaned into his hand, further proving that this wasn't a nightmare.

They were all together again. And for the moment, that was the only thing that mattered.

Chapter Text

The last rays of sunlight were fading when Time declared they should go to the Ranch. The Chain disentangled themselves from the pile they'd created, Wild (awake, breathing, alive) in the middle of it all. His shivering had eased, just a little. But his eyes still wearily darted around.

The Champion was pushing himself up to his feet, but Twilight wouldn't have that. Wild had lost a lot of blood when he'd…

Twilight swiftly shut that thought down.

Regardless, his Cub needed support. Who was Twilight except a big brother?

Twilight scooped Wild into his arms (without any protest, Twilight noted grimly) and started following behind Time.

Wild already looked half asleep. He'd need so much rest to recover from…

"You're exhausted," Twilight found himself saying. "Go to sleep. I got you."

As soon as the words left his lips, he almost stumbled. He'd said almost the exact same thing before…

He hoped Wild didn't remember.

Then, only moments later, when he glanced down to check (that Wild was still alive) how Wild was doing, he realized he was wrong. He did remember. Wild kept his eyes open, unseeing. Twilight found himself staring at them, almost tripping, just to be sure they moved, they blinked.

A stone dropped to his stomach, almost with the force of an angry goat. Twilight was the one who made this happen.

They should have waited longer.

That thought bubbled and boiled inside his head as they approached LonLon Ranch. Time went ahead to alert Malon prepare and a space to let them all recover. It tossed in his stomach as the Chain filed into the familiar farmhouse. And he swore he almost felt his heart stop when Wild didn't react. He was much too still.

(Was he still alive? The pulse thrumming at Wild's neck still shouted yes.)

Wild stayed stubbornly (thankfully) awake as Malon demanded they clean him up before figuring anything else out. He didn't seem to notice as he was placed in a chair and Time got warm water from near the fire. (Wild was still cold. Twilight wanted to bundle him up in all the blankets the ranch had.)

Warriors demanded a rag to clean Wild's face. Twilight roughly handed one to him. Warriors had doubted Mipha's Grace. He'd been the one to lay Wild… Twilight should have been the one handling getting all the… (he didn't want to think it)… off of Wild.

Then Malon knelt down behind Wild's chair, dirtied hair draped over the back. Twilight knew what he could do for his cub then. Malon handed him a rag, then she poured some of the water over Wild's hair.

Finally, Wild seemed to rouse again. He twitched when Malon ran her fingers through his hair, clumps coming apart and falling into the bucket. He talked to Warriors, calling his own face gross. Twilight almost lost it again just there, his breath hitching. But he couldn't lose it. Not yet. Wild needed him to be strong.

And then Hyrule spoke. "Climbing up from your own grave like that? Nah, that's about what I expect."

Wild chuckled. Twilight let his head hang. His eyes burned. He had dug that grave. It was his fault Wild was there. His head fell into his hands, but he recoiled on feeling the grit covering them.

Twilight stayed there next to Malon, unable to get himself to move. Malon, thankfully, poured more water over Wild's hair and combed it with her fingers. Wild turned his head. Twilight ducked his own. He couldn't bear to meet Wild's eyes again, couldn't fathom facing the hurt, pain, betrayal that would be there.

Malon (could Twilight actually be a descendant of hers? Someone so much braver and stronger than he was?) shifted to face Wild. Twilight tried to busy himself with his self-appointed task, shutting out what was likely a private conversation between the two. He poured more water and combed through like Malon had.

Wild turned his head. Twilight only managed to catch a glimpse of panicked blue eyes before he ducked his own head. "I'm washing your hair," he explained needlessly.

Silence for a moment, then a hitch of breath. Wild flinched violently away from Warriors, who leapt away, pale.

"Link, look at me," Malon said. With the command in her tone, there was no way Twilight had any choice but to look at her.

Where Twilight felt so shaken, Malon was a pillar of strength, her gaze unwavering despite Wild's rising panic. She held firm, even though Wild was on the verge of bolting, getting himself lost in Time's era.

Malon's next two words proved to be the precise words Wild needed to hear.

"It's okay."

Like a dam had burst, Wild started crying, shaking as sobs escaped him. Malon laid a hand on his shoulder, and he fell into her like a puppet with its strings cut.

Twilight felt like he shouldn't — couldn't — move. If he did, he'd shatter some illusion. Wild would be gone. Malon would be mourning, no one able to comfort her as the Chain themselves grieved.

"I-I was dead," Wild choked out. And oh, how Twilight's heart ached to hear those words, the terror in his voice. "I was in the ground!"

No more. Anything Twilight could do to take this terror, he'd do in a heartbeat. He stood behind Wild's chair. One by one, his other brothers joined them as if they were creating a wall, a shield, to keep Wild safe.

"That wasn't fair for anyone," Malon said, her voice growing thick, her own eyes wet with grief.

"I-I'm sorry!" Wild cried.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Malon lifted her gaze to meet each of theirs in turn. "None of you do."

Wild had nothing else to say after that. He fought to get his breathing under control, breaths hiccuping. And his shivering finally stopped.

Twilight hoped it was because he and his brothers were surrounding Wild with warmth.

Wild finally opened his eyes, bright and puffy, and they met Twilight's. He knew he had to be like Malon, strong, a pillar Wild could lean against. "We won't leave you."

And Wild leaned into him, sighing deeply. He blinked, but his eyes were slow to reopen, sleep trying to lay its claim on him.

"You're exhausted, honey," Malon said. She'd noticed as well. Wild would need so much sleep to recover from the cold, the blood loss, this entire experience for sure.

Wild shook his head. Twilight only just managed to hear the words tumbling out of his mouth. "I don't wanna be there again."

Twilight's heart almost shattered all over again. It was his fault Wild now seemed afraid to fall asleep. What kind of hero was he? That someone under his care was terrified of sleep.

"That's alright," Malon said, taking Wild's statement in stride. "We can set everyone up in here. How about that?"

Surely there was some solution? During his adventure, Wild had rarely used beds, choosing instead to sleep under the stars.

That would work.

"How about outside?" Twilight asked. "The weather's nice."

He only needed the slightest nod from Wild before he was standing in front of the younger hero and scooping him into his arms. No protests again. Twilight didn't like that. Wild was never content to let someone carry him, always wandering and finding something interesting to point out to their brothers.

This wasn't like him.

The rest of the Chain stayed indoors for another couple of minutes, likely to grab pillows and blankets from anywhere they could find them.

While they did that, Twilight helped Wild shrug out of his ruined and dirty tunic and trousers and into more comfortable clothing.

This wasn't like Wild at all.

But Twilight couldn't let his fear, his worry, overtake him. Wild needed him.

And he could best help Wild as a wolf.

The Chain set up their pilfered bedding, keeping Wild in the middle of their impromptu pile. Twilight pulled on his Twili magic. He didn't waste a moment, the squares of shadows still drifting around him as curled up around Wild, laying his head on the younger hero's chest.

Malon and Time laid against him, and Twilight watched as the rest of the heroes settled in to sleep. Wild reached out to each of them, grasping their hands.

It wasn't long after they all laid down that Wild's breath slowed into sleep. Twilight didn't dare move, keeping his wolf head on the Cub's chest, feeling every inhale and exhale as Wild fell deeper and deeper into slumber. The rest of the Chain around him followed in kind, their breaths deepening and evening.

Time shifted next to him, laying a hand on Wild's still dirty hair. Despite their best efforts, Malon and Twilight hadn't managed to properly clean it. Clumps still hung there, staining the blonde dull and ashy. Wild would still have to deal with it when morning came.

…It was all his fault. His fault that Wild felt the need to sleep outside in the chilly night air. His fault that his Cub was still covered in dirt. His fault that Wild still shivered despite their best attempts at keeping him warm-

"Twilight," Time hissed.

Twilight shifted his eyes to meet Time's. He wouldn't move his head up, desperate to be sure Wild stayed breathing.

"You're whining," Time explained.

And Twilight heard the high, keening sound. Surely it was coming from somewhere else? He silenced himself to listen. The keening ended. His face would've reddened if it were capable. He hadn't realized the more wolfish part of himself had surfaced, whining like a pathetic pup-

"Pup," Time's voice more gently called. "Talk to me?"

Twilight kept his place, stubbornly staying as Wolfie. He needed to stay, Wild needed him to make sure he was still alive. Surely the younger hero would have nightmares?

"It's my fault," came a whisper. But not from Time.

Twilight finally picked his head up, but only the barest amount. He still needed to make sure Wild breathed.

Warriors had sat up, hunched over himself. He rested a hand on Wind's hair, playing with the strands. He kept his gaze on the Sailor as he spoke.

"I should've trusted you." Warriors' voice broke, only just audible. "You were right. We should've waited. If we'd just waited a little longer, if I hadn't put him in there…" His breath hitched.

Wind wasn't asleep after all. He reached a hand up to the Captain's shoulder, a fist wrapped in the blue scarf.

Someone else shifted from behind Twilight. He couldn't see who it was.

"This wouldn't have happened if I was better," came Hyrule's murmur. "I-I should've been able to heal him. Then h-he wouldn't have…"

Twilight couldn't stand to hear any more. He whined, high and long. Wild shifted under him. Everyone fell silent, still. The younger hero below him settled once more, sighing out a breath.

Couldn't they see? Twilight was the one that had told Wild to let go, to let Mipha take care of him. He should've known that Mipha would take longer after the last incident, when Wild took ten minutes to return to life.

"That's enough," Malon kindly but sternly said. Her voice remained soft so as not to wake anyone. But was anyone truly asleep except for Wild?

She sat up and laid a hand on Wild's still dirtied hair. "You're all blaming yourself for things you couldn't control. And things no one should have to face. We lost him. You did what you thought was right. You couldn't stay. But he's alive now. He needs all of you now. He doesn't need you all blaming yourself a-and-"

Malon's voice broke. Time sat up with her and pulled her into his embrace while she shook. She cried freely, unafraid to let herself be seen.

And Twilight realized what he was doing. He was hiding behind Wolfie, behind a form that couldn't cry.

Wasn't he just the biggest coward? Hero of courage? Yeah, right.

But he had to be strong. Wild needed someone unshakeable. And he was going to be that person.

Time passed, the moon changing positions, the stars still glinting overhead. Twilight listened as his brothers fell between states of wakefulness and sleep. Each of them sat up at different points to watch Wild. Sometimes just for a few seconds, some for minutes at a time, just to make sure that when Wild's chest fell, it would rise again.

And Twilight stayed awake through it all. He couldn't rest. The others needed it more, needed sleep. He stayed right next to Wild, head resting on Wild's chest, until the moon started its descent.

Wild started to shift as the moon touched the horizon, his breathing changing. He was starting to wake up again.

Except it shifted. Wild's breath hitched, body tense, and Twilight realized what was happening. Wild was having a nightmare.

Twilight shifted his body, putting his front paws on Wild's chest. His joints ached at the first movement in hours, but this was something he'd always done for his cub. He nosed at Wild's neck.

But instead of easing the younger hero back into sleep, Wild moved restlessly, pushing against him.

What was happening? Pressure always worked!

Wild suddenly went still, but he was still tense, still caught in the throes of his nightmare. His eyes snapped open, and he pushed against Twilight, a yell on his lips. Twilight let himself be pushed off and fell against Time.

Wild sat up abruptly, eyes searching, but Twilight wasn't sure what for. He wasn't actually certain Wild was seeing him. His gaze was frantic, panicked.

Twilight whined.

Wild's eyes locked onto his and focused. His breath hitched again. He curled into himself, arms wrapped around his knees. He muttered, words too soft for Hylian ears but plenty loud enough for Wolfie's.

"…I'm not there, I'm not there, I'm awake, I'm alive…"

Twilight pressed in, leaning into his cub.

Wild pushed him away. He scrambled, stumbling over the sleeping brothers around them.

Time, who'd woken up when Twilight fell against him initially, slowly approached. The Chain started to awaken around them.

Twilight had caused this. Again. All of it was his fault. It was his fault he'd let Wild go, his fault they'd buried their brother, his fault Wild was so shaken now, his fault-

"Twilight," Malon said. She'd sat up as soon as the commotion started. "Help your cub." There was a look in her eyes. It wasn't stern, but it wasn't her usual twinkle.

What could Twilight even do? Everything he'd done had only hurt. If he tried again, he was just going to push Wild further away.

"Twilight," Malon said again. "You transform back and talk to him."

Well.

He couldn't ignore something like that. Said so plainly, it made sense. Wild needed someone to talk to him, to reassure him.

Oh, Twilight was an idiot, wasn't he?

He let the Twili magic wash over him, shucking Wolfie like he would an old pair of boots. And then he was in front of Wild, the younger hero still curled into himself. Time knelt next to him, not saying anything but a steady presence all the same.

Wild froze as he approached, eyes snapping up to meet his. "I-I'm sorry I pushed you," Wild stammered. "I-I shouldn't've-"

"None of that," Twilight said. "I can handle it."

Wild forced a deep breath, but it still stuttered, still caught. His next words were hardly more than a whisper. "I thought I was back there." Twilight froze, but Wild continued, barreling through his explanation. "I-I couldn't move, there was so much pressure on me, and I-"

"Oh, cub." Just hours ago, he had feared he'd never get to say that again, never get to see Wild come more fully into his own, leave him behind and for Flora to pick up any of the remaining pieces.

But Wild was here, alive, breathing.

And Wild was still hurting.

Twilight opened his arms, and Wild fell into them.

He had no idea which of them started shaking first. But it didn't matter. The sobs that had been building up in him finally bubbled over. It felt like one of the lava plumes in Death Mountain. A pressure release, hot, messy, and dangerous. But a needed one.

Wild wrapped his arms tightly around him, and Twilight relished the feeling. His brother was alive.

"I'm sorry!" Twilight managed to gasp out. "Spirits, I'm sorry!" He poured as much meaning as he could into the apologies, into the embrace.

Wild said nothing for several long moments. This was it, this was when Wild would blame him for not waiting long enough, for telling him to let go, for leaving him to dig himself out of his own grave.

But then he felt Wild shake his head. "You did nothing wrong."

Twilight lifted his head. There was no way he'd heard correctly, that Wild didn't-

"I don't blame you, Twi," Wild said, eyes rising to meet his, voice no more than a croak. "I should've tried to warn you that it would take a while, I didn't think-"

"Wild," Twilight interrupted. "None of that. You didn't do anything wrong, either." No more hiding. All they needed now were truths. "This fucking sucked. None of this was your fault."

"It wasn't yours, either," came Wild's response. "None of yours."

Twilight had forgotten. The Chain wasn't really asleep. They'd been listening this whole time. He looked around. Each of them were in stages of wakefulness, some even standing. They all held concern and love in their eyes. He wouldn't have it any other way. These were his brothers, his family, and he wouldn't leave any of them behind again.

But this was still for him to say. "You're right. It wasn't." Twilight finally pulled back to fully look at Wild. His face was a mess of tears, snot, and dirt they hadn't managed to clean off. Twilight guessed his own looked the same.

"Can I help you clean your face?" he finally asked.

Wild let out a wet chuckle. "Only if you let me help clean yours. Your face is gross."

Twilight let out a surprised bark of laughter. "Look who's talking!"

"Boys, boys," Malon said. "You're both pretty!" She sat down next to them, wet cloths in hand. Twilight hadn't even realized she'd moved, much less fetched things from inside.

Wild let out a louder and more genuine laugh. "I know I'm gorgeous!"

"I dunno," Legend said, gesturing to Warriors. "Pretty boy over there may have you beat."

"May? I absolutely do!" Wars replied.

As Twilight and Wild wiped at each other's faces, the tension bled away from everyone. Jokes and teasing made the rounds, and Twilight only paid half attention. Wild, his brother, was alive. They all were.

Twilight knew there would be nightmares coming for all of them, but the waking world held the truth.

They were all alive and together once more.