Archive of Our Own ^beta

There was water seeping through the walls of the cave. 

Warriors spun around, gaze locked on the water that was slowly rising up to his ankles. His heart stopped and started, and Warriors swore viciously. His hands started to shake. Four saw it a second later, and his gasp sounded out, barely heard over the sounds of the still-shifting rock around them. Warriors swore again, whipping his head up to Four. The man caught his frantic gaze. He shifted on his spot above, taking his hand from the place they had seen the others moments before. His wide eyes nearly glowed in the light of Warrior’s torch. Warriors swallowed harshly. The water lapped his shins.

“We need to get out. Now.” Warriors hissed. His voice echoed on the water and rock, a ghost of his words. 

And they moved.

Warriors chucked the torch up, and Four caught it, slamming its end into a crack in the rocks before dropping down. Splashes followed his steps. The torch light flickered above them as the men below raced around the edges of the room, pushing at every rock, every crack, every shifting pebble . Water fell into Warrior’s eyes, and he brushed it off. Four sweared from across the small cavern. The scent of blood filled the air. Warriors sent him a glance. Four didn’t return it, his hardened gaze on the walls and ceilings. Water fell in streams. 

It was up to Warrior’s hips.

He tripped on a loose rock, and he fell into the water with a yelp. Before Four even turned around he was already up, whipping his hair out of his face as he dived after that loose rock. But it was nothing, nothing– it led nowhere. 

He let out a shout. Four let out one of his own– a softer one, as the man’s face pinched with desperation. Warriors sent him a wild glance, his eyes wide as he snapped his gaze around. His eyes flicked to each stone. To each gods- damned trap. Four turned away, letting out a shaking breath. He jumped up. Climbed the walls. 

The water was nearly up to his neck, after all. He was shorter than Warriors.

Warriors hit the water, ignoring the splash. It was at his chest. He tried again at the walls. Still, not a single loose stone. 

Distant shouts erupted above them. 

Warriors head snapped around, his ears flaring. Four was already moving, launching himself up. He left spots of murky red behind his left hand. He scrambled to the place beside the ceiling, holding on tightly. The water fell off of him like rain. 

“TIME!” he shouted there, and it was deafening in the small cavern. “TIME! WE’RE OVER HERE!” Warriors flinched. But he clenched his jaw, reaching up for a handhold. He dragged himself up, gloved hands slipping against the wet rock. 

“Do you see him?!” he quickly called to Four, lifting his chest from the water to stare up at his brother. 

“No,” Four breathed. His hands were shaking. “No, no, but I hear– LEGEND!!” he screamed, and Warriors felt the breath leave his lungs as he stared up.

 “LEGEND! HELP!” Warriors bellowed. And never before was he so thankful for his loudness. 

He heard the answering shout above their echos. Above the never-ending sound of water. Within moments, Four cried out, and tears colored his voice as the words of their brothers filled the space. Warriors lifted himself to just below Four, his gaze locked upwards. 

There was so much said. Warriors couldn't hear half of it, but Four did– he answered, he shouted, he talked. Warriors lost his grip, falling back to the water just as it reached his boots. He sent a glance to Four. The man sent him a wild glance, but didn’t move. Warriors looked away, spinning around in the water. 

He couldn’t touch the bottom anymore. 

The light from the torch reflected on the splashes he made like drops of fire. And he felt like he could be burning, with every nerve alive. Warriors spun around again. There was ticking above them, followed by a crash and what sounded like glass breaking. The room shook. Warriors had to dodge both rocks and Four as both came crumbling down. Four resurfaced within a blink, already scrambling back up. Warriors sent a frantic glance to the shaft of light that had appeared, no bigger than a fist. He inhaled sharply, looking away, and dived down.

The rocks scraped against his hands. He pushed at what he could see in the dim underwater light. He pulled at everything he could. He went around the walls, eyes stinging at the grains of rock that bit them. His lungs began to burn. Rumbles filled his ears, shook his body. 

He pushed himself back up to the surface. The water was almost at Four’s feet. The man was saying something, shaking his head. The rumbles that felt so muffled before were nearly inescapable now. Warriors threw his gaze up, tracking the shifts that were just above Four’s head. 

“Four. Four!” he called, shouting when the rocks began to move. Four glanced down, his eyes shining red in the firelight. He followed Warrior’s look, ignoring the voices outside. Warriors yanked his foot, pushing off from the side of the wall at the same time. 

The place where the light was collapsed barely seconds later. Rocks fell down with it, and Warriors pulled them farther away, covering their heads. A sizzling came from his right. The light went out. 

Warriors opened his eyes. He didn’t know when he closed them. Glowing blue mushrooms floated before him, probably from Wild’s slate. He had no idea how he missed them. In his arms, Four was silent, staring up at the place in the ceiling. It was so much closer now. The rumbling stooped, leaving them in silence made of dripping water and Warrior’s frantic breaths. 

It was almost peaceful, the way the blue light reflected against the walls.

Warriors braced himself against the wall, tugging Four to it as well. The smaller man silently held on, and Warriors shakily exhaled. He leaned his forehead against the cool rock, breathing heavily. He just needed a moment– a momen t, is what he told himself. A moment, and then he would keep looking. Warriors squeezed his eyes shut, pressing his head harder against the rock. His heart beat fast in his ears.

He couldn’t catch his breath. 

He could hear Four’s breathing. It sounded so slow, so calm– so resigned. It echoed across the water, a neverending force of its own. Warriors squeezed his eyes tighter. 

“. . . We’re not going to get out . . . are we?”

Warriors felt tremors shake their way down his body. “No,” he said without hesitation, firm in his words. “No, we’re going to get out. I just need a moment.” He ignored the shake in his voice. 

It was silent. Warriors exhaled once more, running a hand down his face. He sent a glance to Four, who he found to be watching him. Warriors held his gaze, letting his face morph into one of disinterested determination. One of the tricks of being a captain. 

“We’re going to get out, Four. Alive,” he told the younger, gaze hardening as his fear rose once more. He kept his voice even, his face a perfect mask– a flawless performance. He even made himself believe it, for a moment. But Four had alway been able to see through his mask. He could see through anybody, really. 

The boy smiled sadly. 

“. . . You know, I don't think I ever told any of you how much I loved you,” he said softly. Warriors exhaled sharply, turning away. He examined the walls, what scant view he had left.  Four chuckled behind him, and soft splashes followed the sound. 

“. . . You guys were my brothers.”

Warriors paused, ears twitching at the words, ones spoken even softer than the ones before. Warriors exhaled, and his shoulders fell with the movement. He turned back around, holding onto the wall with one hand as he faced his brother. Four didn’t meet his eyes. 

“And we love you too. Despite your insanity,” Warriors said quietly, smirking as he nudged Four’s arm. The boy rolled his eyes. 

“Gee, thanks,” he said dryly, sending him a small smile. His eyes reflected the dim light of the mushrooms. Warriors tilted his head, his smile fading. 

“. .  . I don’t think I told you all I loved you, either,” he murmured, eyes defocusing. “Or if I did, I should have done it more.” He let out a breath, gaze downcast. But he clenched his jaw, thumping a hand against the wall beside him. 

“Which is why we’re getting out of here,” he said, voice sure. He stared down Four, setting his brow, and Four merely stared back. “We’re getting out. Right now.” 

And with that, Warriors dived under. 

He took a mushroom with him. He was finally able to see, now. He swam faster, feeling around for anything of note. Back up for air. Down again. Repeat, repeat, repeat, searching for any shifting rocks, any missed way through, any–

A current. 

Warriors whipped back around, staring at his hand. He swished it, just once, and watched the bubbles form. They were sucked away within a blink, shot towards the edges of a rock he must have missed before. 

Or, Warriors thought, glancing upwards, it was shifted during the same thing that cut us off the second time. 

Warriors pushed himself towards it. He shoved at the rock, and bubbles left his mouth when it rocked. The current grew stronger, and Warriors put a hand to it. His lungs burned as he stared at the rock. Then something in his mind snapped, and Warrior’s eyes widened. 

We’re running out of time.

And, for the second time, Warrior’s nerves came alive.

“FOUR!” he shouted, bursting out of the water. He nearly hit his head on the ceiling. It was barely a foot away. 

“Four, there’s a way out–!” Warriors hissed, whipping around to look for his brother. He passed over him at first, just a shape in the dim. But Warriors snapped around, leaping forwards through the deep water. “Four, c’mon, we need to go, right now–” 

But Four just looked at him blankly. Warriors blinked at the look, his movements stalling. Then he scowled, his hands coming to Four’s shoulders. 

“Listen to me,” he said, nearly shouting over the sounds of the water. “Listen to me, Four! There’s a way out! Don’t you dare give up on me now!” He shook his shoulders, pressing his forehead to Four’s. “Don’t you dare give up on me now,” he whispered, and in his mind, he saw a different man where Four stood. A soldier, from so long ago. One who gave up, and what comes from that.

Oh, Hylia. Please . 

All was quiet. Warriors stared at his younger brother, silently begging. 

And beneath his gaze, Four’s eyes suddenly snapped up to his. The boy blinked, just once, before weakly smiling. His eyes shone with green and blue as he tilted his head. 

“Tell me where to go, Captain.” 

And Warriors was never so proud of someone in his entire life. 

He grinned back. He sent a glance upwards, mentally calculating how much longer they had as he spoke. “There’s a current down there,” he said, pointing downwards. The mushroom he left below seemed to pulse in the darkness as Four nodded. “That’s our way out. We just need to lift it.” Their heads bonked against the ceiling. Warriors lifted a hand to the rock. As did Four. 

“Sounds– easy enough,” Four gasped out, coughing out a bit of water he swallowed. Warriors nodded, staring down into the depths. They had one shot at this. 

Just one. 

“That's the spirit,” he mumbled, turning his face to the rock. Four chuckled, then fell silent. 

“....I love you,” he whispered, muffled against the rock.

“I love you too,” Warriors murmured back, his neck craned backwards. “I’ll see you on the other side. Three, two, one, go!” 

And they dived. 

Warriors reached the rock first. He grabbed at the edge, planting his feet. Four appeared a moment later, a mushroom in his teeth as he grabbed the other side. They pulled, and the rock made a scraping sound against the bottom. The current grew stronger. Every second that passed felt like an eternity. 

And still, the gap was not wide enough. 

Warriors tried again, planting one foot on the wall. Four moved in front of him, using his legs to push at the rock instead. His face was beginning to look red under the blurriness of Wariors’s sight. Warriors’s hand slipped through the new gap, and a burst of red blood flooded the water. Warriors paid it no mind. He felt his efforts weaken. 

They still couldn’t fit. 

Something shifted in the corner of his vision. Four’s pushes, where they were calm, collected tries before, began to get more frantic. His hands grasped for purchase as he locked eyes with Warriors, his eyes wide as his face steadily turned darker. Warriors silently cried out, pulling harder as his brother’s struggles became downright panicked. He pulled, his muscles groaning at the effort, his lungs beginning to do more than just burn. And yet, the gap was not big enough. 

Even as Four went limp through the black of Warrior’s vision. 

Warriors grabbed tighter to the rock, his bloodied hands skipping across its surface. His heart pounded in his ears, louder than he’s ever heard it before as he braced himself one last time. And when Warriors pulled, he pulled with all his desperation, all his fear. He felt his teeth creak with how hard he was clenching his teeth, felt his muscles tighten, and his tendons nearly crack. He pulled with more strength than he’d known he had. 

And the rock came unstuck. 

Just as Warriors ran out of breath. 

~~~///~~~

Warriors woke up to being moved. 

He opened his eyes with a gasp that quickly turned into a deep cough, turning onto his side and stopping as water rushed past him. Another set of coughing echoed his own, from a bit further down, and Warriors glanced up. Four was on his elbows just inside the cave, and beyond him, Warriors could see sunlight. The water continued to fly past, snatching at his clothes and hair as Warriors coughed, still staring down at his brother. And finally, the water ceased, leaving the sounds of their ragged breathing behind. 

Four waited for a monument, his green headband taken nearly off his head. There was a trail of blood on his forehead, newly bleeding. He looked up slowly, eyes trailing over the cave. His gaze caught on Warriors, and the older man smiled. 

“Told– told you,” he wheezed, unable– and unwilling– to move from his spot on the cave floor as he grinned. “Told you we’d– we’d get out.” 

And Four blinked at him. Then he smiled back, letting out a breathy laugh as tremors shook his frame. Warriors felt the same happen to him, and he laughed back, quickly stopping when it hurt everything in his body, though. So he was content to stay still, staring down at the light as Four rolled over and stared at the ceiling. The others would find them eventually– he could hear their voices already. 

Warriors closed his eyes, letting out a shuddering breath as the footsteps of the others came ever closer. He thinks he deserves a little nap. 

We got out, he thinks, and he smiles, carefully breathing. We got out.

We got out.