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There was blood on the pauldron. It trickled over the intricate design pressed into the gold, bringing the edges up to the surface. Twilight found his hand on the piece of armor, thumb sliding over the wet surface. The ground was beneath his knees then, his eyes burning. His lungs burning.
There were voices ringing around him. Someone calling for Time, someone else reassuring another. Yells for a potion or a fairy. It all fell on Twilight’s ears, but none of it was understood. Dread settled heavy on his back. There was only blood .
“Rancher,” Four said, setting his hands on Twilight’s shoulders. “Twi, take a breath.”
A gasp of air, a shuddering exhale. Twilight clutched the pauldron closer to himself. He could sometimes trick himself into forgetting Time’s fate. He could convince himself Time and Shade were different, separate. But now the sword swung down into him, tearing the illusion apart.
Lifting watery eyes, Twilight saw Time sitting half up on the ground, a pained smile turned up towards the captain. Time’s eyes shifted towards Twilight, the man’s expression falling when he saw anguish in the rancher’s.
“He’s fine,” Four assured Twilight, speaking softly but firmly. “He’s okay. Take another breath, alright?”
Another inhale. Twilight hugged the bloody armor to his chest.
“Good. Take another one,” Four instructed.
“Are you hurt?” Wars asked, kneeling in front of Twilight.
Four pushed the captain aside lightly. “Not now. Don’t ask him questions.”
Wars frowned, but nodded. Four talked Twilight through more manual breathing. Inhale, exhale. In and out. Twilight finally found his shoulders relaxing. He drew up a bloody hand to rub at wet eyes, but Four took it first to wipe his fingers clean.
Wars reached for the pauldron. Twilight bit at the air like an animal, jaws snapping with a sharp click as a growl rumbled from his chest.
The captain drew back, raising his hands in truce. Four only shot Wars an annoyed glance.
Wars stepped away, arms crossed, watching carefully from the sidelines. Whatever Four was doing worked so Wars, much to his own annoyance, left it alone. He wanted so desperately to take charge, but Four was speaking softly to Twilight and soon enough, the rancher was breathing again.
“There you go,” Four encouraged. “Easy, rancher.”
“Smith,” Time prompted.
Four glanced up to a concerned frown. Time’s steady, cautious gaze was fixed soundly on Twilight. The smith nodded, moving away, giving Twilight a bit of space. Time settled at Twilight’s side. He put his arm over his pup’s shoulders, startled when Twilight crumbled into his chest with a loud wail which drew the others’ attention.
Time knit his brow, but stayed with Twilight as he wept. Four and Wars worked to move the others along and give the two privacy.
“I’m sorry ,” Twilight blubbered. “M’so sorry!”
“Sh, sh,” Time hushed. “Twi, it’s alright. You haven’t done anything–”
“I can’t save you,” Twilight whined.
Time sighed gently, brushing his fingers through Twilight’s hair. His eye flicked down to the armor clutched in the man’s hand. Twilight buried his face in Time’s shoulder, rambling what sounded like nonsense.
“Link,” Time said carefully. “What’s going on with you?”
Twilight shook his head, gasping weakly. “I–you–” He bowed over the armor, hugging it as if it were precious to him.
“Did I scare you?” Time asked.
Their journey was stressful. Sometimes small things made them break and Twilight was good at hiding the tension he held. The rancher could snap like a mouse trap at times, though his flashes of emotion were brief and startling. They were nothing like the keening Time bore witness to then.
“Nearly die,” Twilight whispered.
“No,” Time said. “It was just my shoulder–a potion was more than enough.”
“You gone die ‘cuz’a me. You gone get killt ‘cuz ain’t able t’save you none ‘n Miss Malon gone be left all ‘lone ‘n you gone be los’ f’r s’many years waitin’ on me ‘cuz I done be the reason you–”
Time hushed Twilight with a tight squeeze. The word vomit was unintelligible to the eldest hero, but it seemed to calm Twilight to release whatever had been brewing in him for Hylia knows how long.
Time glanced down in worry as Twilight fell into a soft mumble. Tired from battle, exhausted from weathering his own emotions. Twilight fell quiet, still sniffling. Time smiled gently, wiping at his pup’s face.
“Twilight,” he said in mild greeting.
Twilight drew away as if repulsed by the man. Time blinked, surprised at the sudden turn. Twilight spilled to the side, pawing at his face.
“Twi, are you–”
“ Go away ,” Twilight hissed.
Time took in a breath through his nose, but nodded after a moment. He glanced at his shoulder, brushing his fingers over the chipped armor.
“Can I have my shoulder piece–”
Twilight hucked the thing at him. Time startled, baffled. There was hurt in the rancher’s face, shame in his eyes. Time opened his mouth to speak, but then the rancher slipped into his fur and fled into the woods.
Time sighed, picking up the bloody armor. He frowned at it softly, trying to pretend as if he never noticed the grieving with which Twilight regarded the pauldron.