Heaven Isn't Holding My Hand (Whumptober 2023)
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Listing Series
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In Which Wind Didn't Sign Up For This, Like, At All by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
01 Oct 2023
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“You’re plenty useful. I lied,” he amends, less riled up. He pulls the back of Warriors’s tunic, unsticking it from his blood-soaked neck. Heartbeat still steady. Ugh, then why does he look dead?! “Just not in the same way as a fairy. And they aren’t harmed from being in jars. Unlike some fockin’ loser I know.”
He shakes Warriors just slightly. Revenge for being an idiot and exchanging himself for one massively powerful ally. They could've done without her. “You’re a cunt.”
Whumptober Day 1: Swooning (Wind & Warriors)
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Divining Dark Reflections by defenestration_nation
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
02 Oct 2023
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“Hey, I’m talking to you!”
With a shallow gasp, Twilight focused on the pink fluffball clinging to his collar.
“Mm,” Twilight agreed. “Arrow to the thigh.”
“What the- this is what happens when you stuff me down your smelly shirt!”
Twilight winced as small but sharp claws scrabbled against his bare neck before Legend tumbled out, completely free of Twilight’s freshly laundered, not smelly shirt, thank you very much.
Whumptober Day 2: “They don’t care about you” (Twilight & Legend)
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In Which Twilight Is Protective And Also Furious by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
03 Oct 2023
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“Come here or your sick friend gets it.”
Both of them tense. Four, slowly, tugs himself out of Twilight’s grip, pushing Hyrule into a more comfortable position as he does. His hands are shaking, and Twilight suddenly feels filled with incandescent, protective rage.
“Don’t you fucking dare hurt him,” he hisses, trying and failing to get up - Hyrule is still passed out half on top of him, and the cut on his leg makes him collapse halfway to his feet. “By the love of Ordona - I swear to the fucking Golden Three that if you lay a filthy goddamn hand on him again-”
Whumptober Day 3: Solitary Confinement (Twilight, Four & Hyrule)
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Doom by Dominion Rod by defenestration_nation
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
04 Oct 2023
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“I need backup!” Wind called shrilly as he stumbled after blocking a darknut’s blow.
“On it!” the rancher responded, currently the closest but under siege by a particularly aggressive like-like.
Out of the corner of his eye, Wind saw Twilight flick the mysterious rod in Wind’s direction, no doubt to summon a statue in aid.
Only a statue didn’t appear.
Wind froze as a strange sensation washed over him. His breath shuttered into shallow gasps. Wind tried to move to scream to do anything, but his body refused to cooperate.
Whumptober Day 4: "You in there?" (Wind)
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“Oh shit.”
The curse left Wind with a gasp, lacking any of its usual conviction. For a moment, Wind only gaped at the scene in front of him in horror.
Hyrule lay sprawled on the ground, almost buried in rubble. Fear squeezing his heart, Wind took in the agonized expression twisting Hyrule’s face, the pale complexion, and worst of all, the giant boulder that trapped Hyrule’s right arm. Hyrule’s eyes were closed and the traveler wasn’t moving.
Whumptober Day 5: Debris | Pinned Down (Hyrule & Wind)
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In Which Link Reminisces Upon What Once Was by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom
06 Oct 2023
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The wolf growls, still an inch from biting Link’s arm off. “I’m just saying.” He extricates his hand carefully from Wolfie’s mouth without much resistance. “I know I died as well. I just wish… I wish there was a better outcome.” He thinks of the Champions, of Mipha and Revali’s abilities sitting in the hollow of his chest. “The world may have been in safer hands had the rest of the Champions been resuscitated. I’m… not much, anymore, Wolfie.”
He leans towards the edge of the wall, unfolding his legs and hooking them over the side once more. Wolfie whines once more, concerned.
“I…"
I failed.
I should have been better.
I left this world to suffer for my mistakes.
He falters off, leaning farther into the wind and open air. Farther. Farther, until he’s just barely on the ledge and Wolfie has begun trying to pull him back, biting at his tunic -
and then he falls.
(Can be read as BOTW stand-alone; read notes)
Day 6: "It should've been me." (Link/Wild & Wolf Link/Twilight)
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In Which Legend Is Thrown Into A Dumpster by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
08 Oct 2023
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A nearby groan, and he looks around frantically. The alleyway is dank and smells of piss, and he can barely see anything in the dark - he fumbles around for his phone, then his torch, for a moment, and then gives up and pulls his glove down so the Triforce on the back of his hand lights up the area. There's no blood, which is a fantastic start, a couple of trashbags by Hyrule's feet, and -
"Oh, man," Hyrule says. He leans over the dumpster, stepping onto an empty crate for a better vantage point. "How's your day going, Ledge?"
Blood leaks out Legend's nose as he sticks his middle finger up at him, haloed by trash. "What do you think?"
Day 8: Overcrowded ER (Legend & Hyrule)
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In Which Time And Sky Bond Under Odd Circumstances by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
10 Oct 2023
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"Don't tell me your feet are bleeding, soldier."
"…I just really wanted to get in a bed," Sky says, voice small, and Time's need to scold him is suddenly at war with the need to give him a hug. He decides to save the former for later, sighing and pulling the kid into his arms.
"I can't with you boys," he mutters into Sky's hair, feeling the younger male start to tremble. "Come. We're sitting."
He pulls them over to the edge of the road, stepping down into the dirt and helping Sky do the same without irritating his injuries. The kid wavers at the sight of the wheat field for a moment, glancing back down the road they'd come from, and freezes in Time's arms.
"Time," he says. "We've been here before."
Time follows his gaze; down the ditch, parallel to the road, straight at the scorched earth where they'd first been attacked by the Wizzrobe. The place they'd been walking away from for the last few hours.
Whumptober Day 10: Stranded (Time & Sky)
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In Which Wind Finds Out Why Legend Has So Many Cursed Rings The Hard Way by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
14 Oct 2023
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Water, once again, and this time he's pushed down entirely, smooth rocks pressing back against his ribcage. His thrashing doesn't help. It's all he can do to not breathe in, don't breathe in -
Wind is a pirate. He grew up on a tiny island in the Great Sea, perpetually surrounded by water. He'd been in water often, even if it wasn't good water - he'd jumped in willingly, walked a few planks, been thrown in by friends - it was water. It was home.
For the first time in his life, he's afraid of it.
Day 14: Water Inhalation (Wind & Legend)
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In Which Sky Gets Banned From A Pub, Probably by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
17 Oct 2023
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Deep, shuddering breath in, slow exhale out. There's blood leaking from his forehead from where Sky'd impacted the stone. Another shuddering breath. His stomach rolls. Exhale.
Murmuring around him, raised voices - he's in the bar. On the floor. He hadn't been on the floor a minute ago.
"…don't touch him, you'll make it worse."
"He just attacked that woman!"
"It's battlesickness. He's a soldier. It's a goddamn trauma response, so don't touch him."
Day 17: Touch Aversion (Sky & Warriors)
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scopophobia; fear of being watched by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
19 Oct 2023
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"Ugh," Warriors says, and then downs the entire cup in one go. He chokes. Legend's hand thumping his back feels like fire. "Wasn' vodka."
"My bad. They look the same."
"Ass." He sighs, rubbing at his neck again. He'd scratch the shit out of any part of his body if it got the feeling of her delicate nails trailing down them. The bartender pours out another shot at his behest, and he downs it. "I don' know how 'm gonna keep this up, Ledge."
Legend's mouth twists sourly, but Warriors gets the feeling he's not the one he's upset at. "You'll get through it."
"I can' get her eyes off me, man." He gestures to his neck. "Or her hands."
The eyes watching him flicker with concern and a question. Warriors doesn't respond to it, instead dropping his arms back against the counter and leaning his chin on them.
"She can' be ec - executed 'cause she's the Guardian of Time, or - wha'ver." He sighs. Another shot, and then Legend reaches over to carefully slide all the empty shot glasses away and pushes water into his hands. "Maybe 'm better off dead."
Day 19: Floral Bouquet (Warriors ft. Legend, Time, Twilight)
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In Which There Is A Sense Of Déjà Vu by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
23 Oct 2023
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(He glances at Mask, who's still on the floor and staring at him with big eyes. One small hand, too small, is gripping the shaft of the arrow as if to pull it out.
Don't, he signs, quick and short, I'll be back. Don't move.)
"Not that bad, hm?"
"You really don't need to talk to me like I'm a child anymore, Captain," Time says, although the fondness in Warriors's eyes sends bolts of warmth through him. "I'm at least a decade your senior."
"Still my baby brother." Warriors kisses him swiftly, obnoxiously, on the forehead.
Day 22: "Watch out!" (Warriors & Time)
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“I triggered him. On purpose.” And no one'd fucking noticed. “I brought up something from his past in a way that I knew would hurt him, and it - it fucking worked!”
He whirls around, that ugly anger and guilt bubbling back up into his throat. “And you didn't fucking notice. No one noticed, only me, because I was the only one close enough to recognize his trauma, and then I - I fucking turned it on him!” He jabs a finger into Sky's chest, and the elder stumbles back, eyes wide. “I took his trust, I threw it on the floor and I fucking stomped on it! To make myself feel better!”
“Legend.” Hands wrap around his elbows. His vision is blurry, and he tries to push them away.
“We're all fucked up, and all I'm doing is - is making else everyone worse.” He wrenches his hand out of the gentle grip blindly. “I'm fucking sinking, Nayru fucking knows I am, and I'm going to bring you all down with me!”
Day 29: "What happened to me?" (Legend, Sky & Warriors)
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In Which Warriors Is A Stressed Single Mom Taking Care Of His Eight Kids by qar
Fandoms: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
14 Apr 2024
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Three left. Sky dealt better with his anxiety and breathing issues when distracted, and he'd probably tire himself out and end up falling asleep sooner rather than later. Sky's coddling was most of the care Four needed, as well; mentally, Warriors knocks Four – the person – off his list of people to take care of.
Injuries, now. Some of the tension leaks from Warriors's frame. Injuries are easy, now, familiar, no matter who he's treating. The current lack of healing items should stress him out, but that, too, comes with a strange tinge of comfort; they'd never had enough supplies during the war effort, perpetually using more than they could gather.
Familiarity was comforting. That didn't mean it was good.
Day 26: Working To Exhaustion (Warriors & Everyone)
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