Archive of Our Own ^beta

Sometimes it seems like the other heroes forget that he’s a big brother. The youngest he may be, but Wind has spent most of his life helping to raise someone even younger, and he’s no stranger to the frustrations and struggles of tending to an uncooperative sibling and calming flaring tempers and easing down anger.  

Aryll taught him strength. Taught him how to put others first. Watching her taught him how to be wary, to be aware, to know what the risks about him were at all times and what things to avoid, but also how to guide another person to avoid those same things. She taught him how to handle other people and how to address difficult situations, how to work through big problems in small steps, guiding another person along the way no matter how little that person understood or how much that person resisted. Aryll taught him how to lead, to guide, to care, and to acknowledge his own faults and flaws when presented with them.  

Mask was a different story.  

Mask was difficult; resisting everything, fighting, biting back with harsh words and harsh actions. Mask made him struggle every day to hold onto his sanity when they were first settling into their rhythm with Captain Link. The youngest hero had brought him so much grief that had he not had the help of the others in camp, Wind is sure he would have eventually shaken the younger kid so hard that he would have hurt him, on more than one occasion.  

Still, Mask taught him things Aryll didn’t. Where Aryll was chipper and bright, Mask was gloomy and grouchy. He taught the sailor how to handle the struggles of another person, how to step with care around troubles, not avoiding, but not steamrolling over them either. He learned from the other hero how to redirect someone who would shut down without a task, to guide them when emotions ran too high to allow reason to prevail. Mask taught Wind patience and longsuffering in ways that Aryll had not yet begun to do.  

He’s sure one day she will test his skill though. She’ll be turning eleven soon, and he knows that when it happens the whole world around him will begin to change.  

He’s not with her right now though. Right now, Tetra is the one in charge of managing his little sister. Right now, Tetra is teaching and guiding her and hopefully directing seemingly endless energy into learning to tie knots and raise sails and navigate.  

Right now, he has to trust that Tetra will once more look out for his sister while the weight of the world once more rests on his shoulders.  

They write to him though. They send him notes and pictures and Tetra will scrawl something haphazard in the margins of Aryll’s letters, playfully assuring that she hasn’t killed his baby yet, so he should keep his shirt on and keep fighting evil. It makes him smile, does so right now as he settles his things in the room Warriors had acquired for him and Time and takes a moment to glance over a letter, well creased and limp from constant rereading. It’s a touch of comfort, especially after being without his little sister so long. He’s never been without someone to take care of for very long, and suddenly being the youngest of a group....  

It’s so strange.  

He doesn’t like that he feels upset as he looks at the letter, doesn’t like that it can’t brighten him up. He folds it and sets it away and hopes that nothing’s too wrong, that he’ll figure it out. Honestly, that he’s made it this far at all is by the power of hope itself; nothing else could have done it! Except maybe that indomitable spirit his brothers all share, but as he doesn’t have that, it’s a moot point.  

The sailor settles his things away properly, then breathes.  

He’s going to check on Warriors.  

The captain hasn’t been doing good for days now and had looked quite haggard when Wind had ducked into his room to place his things. Time had been in here with him a moment ago, like ways getting his gear placed as quickly as possible and leaving the others to chat in the hall. They’d been discussing something for all of a moment, but neither the eldest nor the youngest had caught it in their haste.  

Honestly, the only reason he even paused to look at Aryll’s letter is because he knows Time will want a moment with the captain. As a kid, Mask was prone to jealousy, so even though he’s a man now, Wind still likes to give him and the captain some space. Warriors always thanks him for it, praising him for being understanding of his little brother, among other things. It’s not why he does it of course, but he doesn’t mind the captain’s thanks. Between himself and the stars, he loves hearing the man praise his work.  

But Time does too. And these things don’t come so easy to Time, whose always been the youngest child and never got a chance to learn many of the things Wind has learned. He’s an adult now, sure, but he’s still Wind’s little brother, so the sailor still makes sure to give him space with their dad.  

Mask needs it.  

He does too, but not as much. After all, he’s got more family back home.  

But he’s also got family here, and family that probably is ready for him to come and join them about now, so he leaves his room and heads for Warriors’, never suspecting what he’s about to find.  

What he finds in the captain seated on the bed, hand tangled in Time’s tunic, breath erratic and pained, panic blowing beautiful blue eyes wide and unseeing. What he finds is Time standing there, unsure, a hand on the captain’s shoulder and fury dancing with concern in his gaze. It’s like that time Warriors got blinded all over again.  

“Holy-” he cuts himself off. No, not in front of Warriors. “What happened?”  

Time seethes something in a twisting sort of tongue he’d never managed to learn, and the captain only shudders.  

Right, so he’s got to piece this one out. It shouldn’t be too hard, right? Warriors is panicking, not just sick. Something triggered him, and since the captain’s list of triggers is relatively small (at least when compared to some of the others’) it should be too hard to figure this out, yeah? For the moment though, he crosses over, making sure to settle his feet the way Warriors is used to hearing. It’s a big thing, one most of the others haven’t caught, but footfalls are important , and Warriors knows their gaits by heart, so Wind keeps his normal as possible to tell the mind of the other exactly who’s coming over. It works too, because the man lifts his head for a moment, and when the sailor pauses before him, the hand clutching the bedsheets beside the man is lifted to settle in his hair.  

Warriors likes fluffy things. Or at least, he thinks so. The man always seemed to calm down when he’d play with their hair, and the one time Midna brought one of her wolves around, the captain had been petting the thing on and off for ages. He’d done it so much Midna started scolding him about spoiling them, which of course only made the man worse. Sometimes Warriors is like that, sometimes he’s not just a dad, sometimes he’s a little sibling too, and it drove certain members of their camp crazy.  

“Link?” He tries, skipping over the nickname and going back to what’s most familiar, both for him and the captain, “are you okay?” Warriors is not okay, but it’s an easier question to answer than ‘what’s wrong and what triggered you?’  

The captain hisses out a breath, shoulders trembling slightly and face screwing up in pain. Wind slips from beneath his hand to sit beside him instead, rubbing his back like Granny does for him when he’s sick. It helps at least a bit, bringing back some clarity to blown out eyes, breathes evening slightly until, at last, an answer rattles out. “Had a bit of a fright,” the man gasps. “I’ll.... I’ll be fine in a moment.”  

He’s probably right. Wind scans the room, the things spread out on the bed; nothing here is anything that should have upset the man, so whatever it was that set him off probably isn’t around anymore. It won’t take long at all before he’s shaking both Wind and Mask both off and claiming he’s fine, even if that nasty cough is still there for all of them to hear. Still, he’ll be okay once he’s had a moment to recover, and in the meantime, Wind can check on his little brother.  

Mask’s gaze is hard. Both eyes are turned towards the door now, where the threat or fright had probably come from, and they’re both open. It looks wrong, Wind thinks. Mask is supposed to have two bright blue eyes full of fire and mischief, not one sad blue one and one white one that stares, soulless and cold, into the world. He doesn’t like how it is now, but he knows it’s probably something the man can’t control; not any more than Warriors can get rid of his burn scars or Wind the rope burns on his wrists. It’s just a sign of a story still untold, and while he’d like to know what it is, he’s equally content to pretend everything’s fine and his little brother didn’t grow up and have to suffer even more after leaving them behind.  

Sometimes it feels like he’s the only one the world was kind to when they parted ways.  

True to his suspicion, Link’s breath rattles to a quieter tone, shoulders and hands easing, loosening, desperation and terror dropping away to reveal exhaustion as the man sags, head thumping against Time’s stomach.  

The older man looks all the more unsure.  

Wind sighs.  

“How about you lay down, cap’n? Mask an’ I’ll help you settle in.”  

Like picking up a tune, his now much older little brother falls into step with him, standing by and offering silent aid with whatever the captain might need of them. There’s precious few times Link’s been sick, but injured? Broken down and burned out? They have lots of practice. Not that Link is at all pleased with that, and they know he feels guilty about relying on them for near anything at all, but the man has to be allowed to be weak times, and his sons really don’t mind offering a safe haven as he offers to them.  

Blue eyes fall shut for a moment before a slow nod meets his words, the captain sitting up slowly and then pausing. Short ears flicker forwards, clarity shining again in those same blue eyes as they flick to the door. Wind follows the man’s stare, catching, at the last moment, a whisp of pink hair ducking out of sight. Laughter escapes him as Time huffs something more in that twisting fairy speak that he uses sometimes when he doesn’t want Wind or Link to know he’s swearing. “I’ll handle it,” he tells the other two, getting up and glancing back at Time, “you’ll stay with him?” Earnest eyes meet his own with a sharp nod.  

Warriors, between them, rasps something like a sigh. “Tell the vet he shouldn’t be sneaking around here; he could get sick again.”  

The affronted sound from the other side of the wall confirms all their suspicions of who, precisely, is out there, and Wind sniggers as he heads out to confront said sneak. Of course, he’s not expecting more than one sneak, but it’s as much shock as it isn’t a shock to see Hyrule at Legend’s side, both boys waiting with concern written clear on their faces, albeit in different ways. Legend is more guarded, he always is, but Hyrule is open and worried and still staring past Wind’s head until he manages to pull the door shut behind them.  

No point in making the other two listen in when it definitely won’t help anyone, especially the captain and all his need to protect the lot of them from his issues.  

“Is he okay?” Legend asks, face pinched, hesitating slightly in a way that’s sort of uncharacteristic for the vet.  

“We heard yelling,” Hyrule adds, finally glancing down to Wind instead of trying to stare through the firmly shut door. “What happened?”  

For a moment he debates telling them. They’re not familiar with Warriors particular brand of trauma, but at the same time, they’re heroes who the captain trusts. Link cares for Hyrule, it’s obvious, and the two are becoming close in a way not even Wind can achieve. Legend's a different story of course, but not because Link hasn’t tried. He gets the impression though that the vet just doesn’t welcome people easily, a bit like Mask. Still, the captain hasn’t stopped trying, and he still clearly cares for the both of the boys before him. Besides that, Wind trusts them. He may not agree with Legend on everything, and he may not have much in common with Hyrule, but they’re good people.  

“Something set the captain off, I’m not sure what. We’re handling it though.” he means it as a reassurance.  

Both older teens exchange a glance though, violet and green meeting with words spoen between that Wind fails to read. He waits though, until Legend’s staring at the door and Hyrule at him, frowning. “Did the doctor have bad news?”  

Wait what? A doctor? Wind’s stomach sinks down to his feet. “There...someone brought a doctor?”  

“Yeah, Twi said he’d be running for one when we first arrived.” Legend answers, brows furrowing in confusion as he looks back at the sailor whose face is rapidly twisting up in worry. “Didn’t you hear?”  

Some very, very not Warriors approved words slip out of his mouth, making the traveler laugh nervously even as the vet’s brows furrow further. Neither looks thrilled at his apparent distress, and he can feel the worry wafting off of them as he bites at his lip, glancing back at the door. “That makes so much more sense.”  

“What does?” comes the returning demand, pitched with ever mounting concern as ringed hands fold tighter into dark sleeves, “Wind, what happened?”  

He takes a breath. They can know, right? He can tell them? Warriors isn’t shy about the subject like he is about others, and he won’t panic at the mere mention like he might with...things. Still- but it’s Legend and Hyrule! It’s not like it’s one of the older heroes or something! And they’d get it! “Warriors is... he’s got a phobia of doctors.”  

“Iatrophobia,” Legend mutters, face twisting up in sympathy even as the traveler at his side winces. Wind felt that.  

“Yeah. So, Twi bringing in a doctor...”  

“It set him off.”  

Violet eyes dart down the hall, down towards Wind can only assume is the rancher’s room.  

“He’ll be okay,” the sailor tells his brothers, “but he’ll need some space. Legend,” and back those dark eyes flicker to his own, “I need you to keep Twilight away from him for now. I know-” he cuts off the protest he can already see building before it’s uttered “-it’s not his fault. Warriors didn’t tell you. Still, Time is....”  

“Time gets harsh when his loved ones are hurt,” Hyrule murmurers lowly and Wind nods.  

“Precisely. It's worse when it’s Warriors specifically. Don’t ask me how I know.”  

“So how do we want to handle this?” The vet asks, glancing between him and Hyrule, and Wind can’t help the spark of surprise that they're including him all of a sudden. Usually, planning is left to the older ones, but even when it’s not, Wind is usually left to sit and listen while they all do it. It’s sort of nice to be included, especially as both of them seem to turn at once to him, as though assigning him authority in the situation.  

He steels himself, trying to figure it out for a moment. Both older boys wait. There’s a nervous energy between them, more from the vet than the traveler, but they hold their tongues until Wind looks up to them again, resolve striving to take control rather than allowing his own nerves to get in the way. “Legend, I need you to keep the rancher busy. Time will probably blame him if he sees him, and he’s already probably blaming himself. Keep him distracted and don’t let him tear himself up over this.”  

“How is he supposed to do that?” Hyrule asks. “This is the rancher; he beats himself up over everything! ”  

He does.  

The vet fidgets, frown furrowing his face again and ears flapping slightly, thoughtful. Time does that too, Wind finds himself thinking. “I could always pretend I wasn’t feeling good. He’s been up my ass about getting sick since it happened. If I show even the slightest sign of not being okay-”  

Hyrule’s green eyes flicker, something like a smile touching his face. Wind doesn’t hold his own back. “Do it.” and then his attention is drifting to Hyrule. “I need you to tell Wild to make some tea, and soup. I know you could do it yourself, but I’ll also need some herbs and stuff, and Wild gets....”  

“Distracted” Legend provides.  

Both of them nod. Distracted is the perfect word to describe how Wild gets. “Wild also gives Cap’n a headache, so I want him busy and not getting in the way. ‘Sides, he’s fond of Rulie.”  

The traveler beams.  

“You got it.” Legend salutes, and Hyrule clumsily immitates the gesture.  

Wind grins, snapping back a far cleaner one in return. He had a feeling he could count on these two! “Excellent! And I’ll help Time with Wars. Between us three, we’ll have these old codgers handled!”  

Legend grins, the one he usually only shows to Twilight and Sky, and Hyrule’s beam is bright as sunshine. Wind’s glad he’s got them as backup.