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English
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Published:
2025-07-29
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1,328
Chapters:
1/1
Comments:
18
Kudos:
133
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Written in the Stars

Summary:

Twilight drinks alone. Warriors wishes the rancher had better coping skills.

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

The captain woke to a crooked tune. The notes were stilted, words broken up between hiccups and mumbles, some repeated over and over until the rest of the line came to whatever miserable soul was singing. He sat up, rubbing at his eye groggily.

Warriors sniffed, feeling the cool night against his face. It was dark out, the moonless night deep indigo in color, not a cloud in the starry sky. A chilly breeze came up from the north, damp teeth on its edge. Blankets fell away from Warriors’ chest as he rose and he couldn’t help but shiver. Near the middle of the clearing, there was the fire, and as Warriors came to his senses, there was a figure at the fire.

Warriors pinched the bridge of his nose before he fought his way to his feet. He drew his blanket around his shoulders, shuffling towards the warmth of the flames. Sitting on the ground, his back against the rock, Twilight drank alone.

As Warriors neared, he recognized the song. It was one of those field songs Twilight sang to himself on long marches from time to time. The words were simple and the melody repetitive, but it barely mattered because Twilight was so tone deaf that everything he sang sounded like the same jumbled mess.

“You’re meant to be on watch,” Warriors muttered.

Twilight glanced over, a drunken hiccup escaping him. “I am,” he protested, his broken song interrupted.

Warriors frowned. “You’re drunk .”

“‘N s’what?” Twilight huffed. “Ain’— hic —ain’ noth’ out ‘ere ‘cept us ‘n the qui’t.”

“I can barely understand you,” Warriors sighed.

The captain sat down beside Twilight, snatching the bottle from the rancher. He lifted it towards the firelight, unimpressed to find it more empty than not. A pale golden liquor swished inside the thick glass, distorting the world into a blurry smear on the other side. Its smell was strong enough to burn the captain’s nose, but he took a nip anyway. He almost instantly regretted it, hacking as it burned his throat.

“Merciful— coughcough —what is that?” he rasped.

Twilight snatched it back, taking a swig. “Liquor,” he answered unhelpfully.

“Could’ve fooled me.”

“S’mash,” Twilight urped. “Fado make it. Ain’ good fer noth’ ‘cept drownin’ river gods.”

Warriors peered at the rancher. “I’ll…pretend I understood that.” The captain sighed, setting his arms on his knees. “You don’t drink often.”

“Gotta weakness,” Twilight admitted.

“Hm.”

“Jus’ gotta keep warm tonight’s all.”

“Warm?” Warriors pressed.

Twilight nodded, kneading over his own heart. His face sank, his eyes falling to the fire. “Cold inside,” he answered quietly.

Warriors nodded softly. “Right. You can talk to us, rancher.”

“Yeah,” Twilight hiccuped. “Reckon I c’n talk t’ bless anyone I wanna.”

“And yet you don’t.”

Twilight shrugged, taking another drink.

“You’ll regret this in the morning.”

“Ain’ be the firs’ time, nor’s it gone be the las’.”

The captain lifted his eyes to the night sky. In the city, the stars were muted, somehow. He wasn’t very scientifically minded himself, not for lack of trying, and so Warriors couldn’t make sense of why . It’d been explained to him once or twice, but he was never able to grasp it. Something bright enough to shine despite the pure blackness of night was blotted out by something as simple as the gas lamps burning on the sides of city streets. It was a manmade miracle, the captain figured.

Twilight nudged the captain, burping as he vaguely gestured to the sky. “See that one there’s th’ walker.”

“Walker?”

“Sorta catfish,” Twilight explained, rolling his hand. “Come up– hic –up on land fer air. They serve th’ river spirits, bringin’ news— hic —from th’ land.”

Warriors raised a brow. “I don’t see it.”

Twilight snickered. “Mus’ be blind,” he teased.

Warriors rolled his eyes. “ Or it’s a lot of stars, rancher. I don’t see any constellations.”

Twilight pointed out another. “Tha’s the wine jug. Come the new year, it tip over ‘n spill peach wine ‘cross the sky, fillin’ up ‘em mount’in gods’ cups ‘n when they ove’flow, it comes down t’ us in th’ springtime with th’ melt.”

Warriors glanced towards Twilight, scrutinizing him. “You’re kidding.”

Twilight shook his head, pounding his chest to let out a drunken belch.

“Animal.”

“Ain’ we all,” the rancher hummed.

Warriors sighed, pointing in another direction. “Is there one over there?”

Twilight nodded. “Th’ monkey– hic –’scuse me–king.”

“And what is that?”

Twilight knocked the captain’s shoulder. “Issa monkey, ‘n it’s king.”

“Yes, well, I gathered that much, thank you.”

“Well don’ ask stupid– hic— questions.”

“Perhaps I won’t ask any .”

“Makes my life easier,” Twilight shrugged.

Warriors sighed, leaning his weight against the rancher. Despite the chill in the air, Twilight was as warm as always. The rancher glanced down at the captain with a curious hum before he set a hand in the man’s hair and began to web his fingers in and out.

“Sof’,” Twilight marveled.

Warriors nodded, closing his eyes. “I try.” The captain opened his eyes again after a moment. “So what reason do you have to drink?”

Twilight paused, thinking over his answer. After a moment, he took another drink. Finally, his eyes fell on Time’s back and then swiftly, he flicked his gaze to the fire.

“B’lieve in ghosts, cap’n?”

Warriors hummed. “In a sense.” He gave Twilight a pestering smile. “Are you being haunted?”

Twilight nodded, the look on his face solemn. “Yeah.”

Warriors blinked, lifting his weight from Twilight’s shoulder. “Are you really?”

The rancher shrugged. Another sip. He hiccuped, his whole chest bouncing with it. After a moment, he wiped his nose on the  back of his hand.

“Twilight, I’m serious. Did something happen? Did you see something? Did you hear something?”

Twilight nodded grimly. “Seems like a bad dream,” he mumbled, “but I ain’ wake up fr’m it.”

“What bad dream?”

Twilight glanced over, searching the captain. He said nothing, shaking his head before he nicked the bottle again.

“Twilight—”

“Seen a dead man,” Twilight answered.

“When? Today?”

Twilight nodded.

“I’m sure it was nothing, rancher. It was just your imagination, I’m certain of it. Hylia knows I see them too sometimes—”

“This’s diff’ren’,” Twilight sighed.

Warriors frowned. “Hey, you should lie down. You’ve had more than enough to drink. You shouldn’t be on watch in this state anyway.”

Twilight looked away, pouting. “Nothin’s killt us yet.”

“No, but you’re too drunk, Twi. Go to bed. You need your rest.”

Twilight huffed.

“You’ll feel better—” Warriors stopped himself. “Well, actually, I’m sure you’ll be miserable come daybreak, but maybe your ghost will vanish, hm?”

Twilight smiled bitterly. “Doubt it.”

“You’d be surprised. They have a way of disappearing when you’re not looking.”

Twilight’s smile fell, his eyes lingering on the fire. Finally, the rancher conceded. He staggered to his feet, walking in a crooked line. He spilled over to his bedroll, flopping down beside Wild. Warriors watched as the man clumsily grabbed at the bedding.

The captain stood up, making his way over. He snatched the rancher’s bottle of liquor just as it was about to tip, setting it aside. Twilight swatted at Warriors ineffectually as the captain pulled back the blankets and tucked him in.

“Good night, Twilight,” Warriors said sternly as he held the cover over the rancher’s neck and shoulders.

Twilight nodded, eyes sinking closed. “Mm.”

Warriors let out a short sigh as Twilight fell into a drunken sleep. The captain took the bottle back to the fire, sniffing at its contents again. His face soured as if his stomach was having a visceral reaction to poison. Instead, Warriors found its lost cork resting on top of a flat rock. He plugged up the bottle before he sat. The captain basked in the warm spot Twilight left behind, releasing a sigh through his nose as he did. He tipped his head back, eyes lingering on the stars. He was determined to see a catfish in them.

Notes:

THIS IS SO LATE I AM SORRY

ur bday was like. almost 2 months ago. teehee. whoopsies. anyway i read the latest chapter of id still love you the same and i was like damn drunk twilight. love that guy. i wholly believe he would be the sort to have problems with alcohol. my man just wants to feel something sometimes.

I LOVE YOU GRANDMA