Linked AU One-Shots

5.Oceans

This sprint's prompt was "Wind and Legend." I was given 6 hours, but I wasn't sure what to do so I only spent an hour again--

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

Wind was happy to be home. After months of traveling, exploring different pieces of land that seemed to stretch even further than the oceans, he was finally home. As fun as it was time traveling and meeting new friends to pull pranks on, he had grown to miss the open air ruffling through his hair, the taste of salt upon his tongue and the ever-changing color of the sea. He had begun to almost wonder if he would never see it again.

When he had first gotten his bearings of his surroundings, he couldn't help but squeal in excitement. He had spent the rest of the day dragging his three other companions throughout the island he called home, having them meet everyone that raised him and he grew up with. His grandma generously hosting the heroes, and the islanders did their best to help supply them for their upcoming journey. By morning's first light, they were ready to set out on the open sea to search for whatever Hylia had brought them over here for.

"This is my trusty ship." Wind explained, gesturing to the red boat that had helped him time and time again. "It's no ordinary ship." He chuckled lightly, wondering if he should tell them that it was alive now, or just have them find out by themselves.

"There's no way I'm getting on... that." Legend huffed, uncrossing his arms for just long enough to gesture to the boat before them. "That's nothing but a bunch of scrap wood. And you're telling me that you– a twelve year old– are going to just hop in, without a clue as to where we are supposed to go and just trust we aren't going to end up stranded somewhere?"

"He beat Ganondorf, didn't he?" Time asked, lifting an eyebrow, but Legend merely huffed.

"I know, I know... it can be really scary setting sail for the first time." Wind assured with a smile. He may not know Legend well, but he had grown used to the man's usual negativity and insults. "At least, I know I was scared the first time I went out on my own. But the truth is, I'm not actually alone! You see, my ship is actually alive; it's been a great companion to me." He set a hand over his chest, closing his eyes as he felt warmth bubble in his chest. All that time he had spent, travelling from place to place, he never truly was alone.

But despite this, Legend still seemed unconvinced. "Yeah, no way I'm getting on that scrap wood and getting stranded somewhere. Come find me when you have a real ship. Not this thing for little boys wanting to play Hero."

As Wind's eyes widened with the sting of the insult, he heard Twilight growl, "Legend!" This didn't stop the man from marching inland, away from the sandy shore.

"Don't listen to him." Time assured to their youngest member, glancing at the way Legend went with confusion in his eye. "Just because you're a lot younger than us doesn't mean anything. You've well proven yourself."

Wind stared on where the figure shrank until it disappeared entirely, continuing to frown. "I'm... ok." He decided earnestly. He felt bad, but he could tell that he hadn't felt insulted per se. It was... something else. A feeling that something was wrong with Legend, perhaps. Realizing this, the growing boy cleared his throat. "But uh – you guys stay there. I'll be right back." He didn't linger to watch Time and Twilight look at each other.

It took a few minutes for Wind to find the person he was looking for, leaning up against a large rock. He hesitated, wondering if this was even his business, before he sat against the other side of the rock. "What do you have against the sea?" he asked bluntly. From the corner of his eye, he saw Legend jump in surprise.

"What I have against the sea?" He asked warily. "It's water. It doesn't have feelings, Wind."

In a way he was right, but the sailor felt as though he was wrong. The sea had moments of anger in a storm. It had moments of calm, where hardly a ripple touched its glass-clear surface. Other times, it murmured, as though talking with an old friend. It would lap at the shore, as though to remind islanders like Wind that it was there, it was always there no matter what happened as though to ground them. Regardless, though, that was irrelevant.

"You mentioned something about getting stranded a few times." Wind explained, frowning. All he received in reply was a grunt.

"Yeah, and what of it?"

"Are you –" Wind cleared his throat, buying himself time to find the words he was looking for. "Are you scared of water? Can you not swim?"

"Of course I can swim!" Legend snapped as he sat up to look over at the other. But it was in the words he didn't say that told Wind something else.

"Oh, so you are scared then." Wind hummed as he sat up to meet Legend's gaze, accidentally letting annoyance slip in his tone as well. "You're just too cucco to admit it." A smug smirk slipped onto his face. For someone so fierce and hot headed to be afraid of something so natural seemed like a complete role reversal as he often was painted by Legend as "just some kid."

"I–" Legend cut himself off with a huff, looking away. "I told you, I can swim! And no– I'm not afraid of something as stupid as water!" Just storms. Boats breaking, failing. Getting struck by lightning. Tumbling into the unforgiving waves below. Not quite drowning. Being trapped and stranded on an island. Falling in love. Murdering that love in order to escape. Never speaking about it again.