Work Text:
It all happened so fast, yet Yunobo felt that it couldn’t have happened slower. One year after the Demon King had been defeated, he had been promoted to Chief of the Gorons despite his youth. Surprisingly, the anxiety that usually followed Yunobo had mostly gone away, and he was a lot different compared to the snivelling wreck he was a couple years earlier.
What wasn’t going away, however, was a certain issue. His mentor – Bludo – has been affected by his age a lot more than usual. Ever since Yunobo had become chief, Bludo’s memory has been getting worse. It was slow at first, and the both of them had chalked it down to just simple old age. After all, Bludo was over one hundred and twenty years old. While that wasn’t ancient compared to an average Goron’s lifespan, it was still a bit above average.
Yet... some Gorons around the same age as Bludo were sharp as flint. Of course, their memories weren’t all that great, but it was better than most other races at this age, and they could still clearly remember what rock they had for dinner yesterday. Bludo just couldn’t. No matter how hard he tries, he can’t remember much unless Yunobo tells him.
That seems to be happening a lot with Bludo these past few years. Previously, he’d been able to tell old Goron tales with perfect accuracy, but now, those tales are missing a whole lot more than just a few details. Not only did he forget entire characters, he sometimes forgot the entire story in general and start rambling about something else.
Another thing that was very concerning to Yunobo was the fact that Bludo kept getting lost. Bludo had always prided himself in being able to navigate Death Mountain blindfolded, and he had known the trails better than anyone. Yet, as time went on, he couldn’t find his way around most of the time. He couldn’t even find his way around his own house, let alone the rest of Goron City.
Yunobo had put it on himself to take care of Bludo, despite already being so busy with his company and his position as Chief. Despite how much the elder Goron complained about him hovering around, insisting that he was perfectly fine, Yunobo could see how grateful his mentor was for the help. This had been getting worse for years, and so has Yunobo’s worry. No matter how much he tells Bludo, the old Goron constantly mistakes Yunobo for Daruk. Which is ironic, given that all those years ago, Bludo had said Yunobo could never be what Daruk was.
Yunobo guessed that it might be the Boulder Breaker on his back, or the fact that his hair had grown out to look just like his grandfather. Maybe, it was the fact that the Goron hero was the only person that Bludo could remember clearly. The belief that Yunobo was actually Daruk is the only thing that could give the old Chief comfort in his final years.
Yunobo shook his head as if to clear the sad thought. It couldn’t possibly be Bludo’s final years, not yet. Gorons as tough as him easily lived to be over one hundred and fifty, and they were strong all the way until the end. They never let old age get to them no matter the complications they go through.
Yet, as he gazed at his mentor now, he realized that the old man that was once fierce and tough, looked like nothing short of a sick puppy. That once intense eye had dulled as time went on, the exhaustion now showing on the elder Goron’s face. Bludo had tried to convince everyone again and again that he was fine, but yet again, he was barely able get his sentences out without stammering or forgetting what word he was going to use. The stutter was so uncharacteristic of him, but it was clear that it wasn’t going to leave.
Bludo rarely talked now. Every time he did, it was either to ask a question or repeat what he had already said previously. The rough and grumpy Goron that was a father to Yunobo, had softened into just an old, confused man who was lost on what was happening around him.
All trains of thought immediately screeched to a halt as Yunobo heard Bludo cough – guttural, crunchy and wet – yet again beside him. The old Goron had gotten sick recently, with a fever and a rather nasty cough. And he had felt cold compared to the usual warmth of the Gorons.
“Uh, boss, are you… okay?” Yunobo asked, reaching out a hand to steady his mentor. The rapid breathing had grown more ragged as Bludo struggled for breath. His concern increased immensely when Bludo kept coughing into his fist, body shaking. With a jolt, he realized that there was blood on Bludo’s hand. The senior Goron was coughing up blood.
“I-Is that blood? Oh shit- oh no!” Yunobo catches Bludo as he crumples to the ground. His thoughts started racing as the coughing fit got worse, with the old Chief now struggling to even inhale.
"No, no, no, no, just hold on, Boss, please! I-I'll get some help, don't worry, you're gonna be okay!” Yunobo felt the anxiety arising within him as he supported Bludo. He could feel his mentor’s heartbeat racing under his palm.
“Woah, what’s happenin’? Is he alright?” A deep voice cut through his panic.
Yunobo looked up and saw that the other Gorons have noticed the situation. Relieved, he stammered out an explanation, trying to hide how his eyes were already filling with tears.
“I-I don’t know, he just started coughing up blood, I don’t know what to do, goro!” Yunobo said frantically, and with shaking hands, Yunobo held Bludo tighter as the bout of coughing somehow got even worse.
The other Gorons swarmed around them, yet Yunobo stopped paying attention as his focus zeroed in on the one person who had believed in him his entire life.
“Please, please just hold on... you're not gonna die... you're okay!” Yunobo begged, now unable to stop the tears from falling. Bludo’s skin had darkened around his nails and lips, and a strange rattling sound was coming from his chest.
“You're okay! You can survive this! Please, goro! I-I can't... I can't handle being Chief without you, please..."
Time seemed to stop as Bludo’s breathing paused. For an agonizingly long moment, he was still. Yunobo’s vision blurred further as his eyes watered up with even more tears. He waited for what seemed like forever.
"Please, breathe! Just breathe! Y-you're gonna be fine, I promise...!" he pleaded. The Gorons around him had slowed to a stop, watching the scene with a mix of helplessness and fear.
Yunobo breathed a sigh of relief as Bludo started to breathe again, only to have that relief be crushed as the coughing continued. He tried everything he could to get the old Goron to breathe properly, but to his dismay, it just wasn’t working. The awful rattling in Bludo’s chest would not go away.
"No, no, no, no, no, no... C-Come on! You can't - not now! I can't do it without you! Boss, please! You’ll be okay!”
The anxiety that Yunobo was doing so well at managing suddenly became too much for him to handle as he held his dying mentor in his arms. He froze as Bludo’s breathing stopped once more.
“Chief, I think he’s… Look, he’s not…” one of the Gorons, Aji, murmured as he knelt down next to them. Yunobo looked away, not being able to bear seeing the sympathy in Aji’s eyes.
"No, no, no! There has to be s-something we can do! H-he's fine, I'm sure!" Yunobo’s voice cracked again as his sobs made his throat close up. He couldn’t stop shaking.
Yunobo had faced horrors that one couldn’t dare to imagine. He had fought against many monsters that would scare away even the most battle-hardened warrior, had battled against evil reincarnated, and had walked alongside Hyrule’s hero himself.
Yet this was the scariest thing that had ever happened to him. His teacher, his guide, his father was withering away right in front of him, and Yunobo was powerless to do anything to stop it. Bludo was the one who had helped him up when no one else would. Bludo was the one who taught him how to be brave, and how to be great just like Lord Daruk. And now, he was suffering in his final moments, with Yunobo holding him close.
"Yunobo, he's gone. There's nothin' anyone can do, I'm sorry..." another Goron, named Gonguron, had knelt down next to the pair. He placed a hand on Yunobo’s shoulder.
"No...” Yunobo whispered, trying to deny the fact that the Goron was right. Bludo was gone, and nothing Yunobo did would bring him back.
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I’m so sorry, I'm so sorry that I couldn't save you, goro..."
Alzheimer's is a strange disease.