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Twilight sat down with a heavy sigh. He had just gotten back from patrol and was exhausted. He didn't sleep last night…or the night before that. These nightmares- they came quicker than hoards of Bokoblins.
He looked across camp, at Time. All he could see was Shade-
When he looked at Time, he understood, Time would die in this armor.
Twilight sighed and dropped his head into his hands. He was so consumed by his own thoughts he didn't hear the footsteps in front of him, only coming out of his thoughts when he was startled by the sudden weight next to him.
“Didn't mean to startle you…” Time said, sitting down. “Are you ok?”
“I- yeah…why wouldn't I be?” Twilight was quick to put on a mask but Time wasn't fooled.
“Hm…Twilight, you may be able to fool the others…but I can see past your lies.”
Twilight just huffed and looked away. “It's…it's nothing.”
“This,” Time gestured to him, “is not “nothing”.”
“I…” Twilight sighed, cutting himself off. “...I can't…I can't sleep…”
“Nightmares?” Time asked.
“Yeah…” He nodded, rubbing a hand over his face.
“They've been getting worse, haven't they?”
Twilight just nodded.
Time's expression softened slightly. “You don't have to tell me what they're about but…I'm not going anywhere.” He placed a hand on Twilight's shoulder.
Twilight let out a shaky breath, he closed his eyes and tried to keep his hands steady.
“Did you sleep last night?” Time suddenly asked.
“I…uhm..”
“Uh huh…the night before?”
“No…”
“Then you will sleep tonight, let me take your turn for watch.”
“No- Time, I can't let you-”
“Twilight. You need to sleep. I'm not just going to sit here and watch you exhaust yourself.” Time immediately cut Twilight off. “I will carry you to your tent if I have to.”
“Time..” Twilight started before stopping. He let out a shaky breath and pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes trying to stop any tears.
“Hey hey…it's alright, I'm here.” Time scooted closer, putting an arm around Twilight back, his hand came to rest atop his head.
Twilight leaned into the touch almost immediately, he desperately wiped the tears from his cheeks.
“M sorry…” He mumbled.
“It's ok…you're alright…”
“S pathetic…”
“Hey,” Time said, tilting Twilight's face to meet his eyes. “None of that.”
The rancher just sniffled and dropped his head onto Time's shoulder.
Time grabbed Twilight by the shoulder, standing up and guiding him to do the same.
“Let's get you some rest.”
Twilight just nodded and let Time take him to his tent. Once he was there and laying down, he let out a big sigh.
“You're ok.” Time ruffled his hair before walking out.
Now that he had stopped crying…he realized his head had hurt pretty bad and had everyone always been so loud?
And Goddess it wasn't always so bright outside was it? He curled up, trying to block out the noise but even the bedroll felt odd- it was too itchy and made a weird sound when he shifted.
Twilight sat up quickly, kicking off the blanket he had. He let out a whine and ran a hand through his hair…and then he ran it through his hair again. And again until it became something to try and soothe himself.
As the noise outside picked up again he resorted to tugging on his hair to try and ground himself.
He let out another whine and closed his eyes, curling in on himself.
Time had gotten a few feet away from the tent…once he left Twilight, he had stood there, gazing over the camp when he heard the whine…
Instantly, he turned around and had gone back to Twilight, careful and slow as to not startle him he crouched beside the rancher.
“Hey hey…it's ok..” He said in a soft tone before grabbing Twilight's hands. “We don't need to hurt ourselves…it's ok…”
“Loud-” Twilight shot out.
Time immediately lowered his voice.
Despite how everything felt like too much at the moment, the warmth of Time's hands felt nice…
Twilight leaned into it without a second thought. He dropped his head onto Time's chest, one ear pressed against it to muffle noise.
After realizing what Twilight was doing, Time put a hand over his other ear.
Twilight let out a shaky breath and squeezed his eyes shut. He leaned heavily against Time and let out another whine.
His other hand slowly ran through Twilight's hair, a gentle and soothing action.
Twilight's whining subsided into shaky breaths, he slowly lost the death grip on his hair and the tension melted away a little.
Instead of gripping his hair, his hands moved to grab Time's shirt- like holding him in place.
“Better?” Time asked, Twilight just nodded in response.
He let out a sigh and shifted to get more comfortable against the man's chest.
Time reached out, carefully as to not disturb the rancher, and grabbed a blanket. He pulled it over Twilight.
With one final sigh, Twilight let his eyes close and drifted off to sleep.
— In the morning —
Twilight woke up with a muffled groan, he was in his tent now…
Honestly he was debating turning into the wolf…everything felt much…simpler.
Sitting up, he grabbed his bag, sifting through it.
As he caught a glimpse of the artifact he grabbed it and in a few seconds a wolf stood where he was.
Twilight shook out his pelt with a huff and walked out into the camp where breakfast was being made.
He plopped down at Times feet, letting out a sneeze and resting his chin on the man's knee.
“Pup.” Time greeted giving him a scratch behind one of those ears.
Twilight immediately leaned into it with a contented sigh. He let out a low grumble and turned, burrowing his face into Times chest instead.
“Feeling better?”
A low grumble was given as a yes, Twilight sighed and leaned heavily onto Time.
His tail thumped quietly on the ground as the man continued to scratch behind his ear.
For once everything was still.
It was perfect.