Paranoid

it'll be okay

Twilight just stood there, holding the phone up to his ear. Time was just leaving. He wasn't going to be living here anymore. And it seemed like he wasn't even going to talk to them anymore.

"Twi? You okay?"
He nodded, then changed his mind and shook his head. "Time won't be coming back."
"Really? What happened? Is he okay?"
"No- I mean, yeah, but... Well, he decided to leave."
"What? Why?"
"I... I think it has something to do with what's been happening recently."
"Yeah, but why?"
"He... doesn't want us to die?"

Then, it struck him.

"No. He thinks it'll kill us if he stays here. So he won't come back."

●》○《●

He laughed. "You're hilarious. Gimme another drink. Uhh... yeah, that's good. Thanks. Anyways, what were you saying?"
"Yeah. So my girlfriend and I, we went to...."

He wasn't paying attention anymore. He wasn't here to make friends.

He spotted someone across the bar. Someone he'd rather not see. Someone who shouldn't be here in the first place. But that wasn't his business anymore.

Still, he kept glancing back.
The blond-haired somebody had his head down, but it was still clear who it was. He'd recognize those scars anywhere.
They lifted their head and grabbed a drink. They were obviously upset. Probably not here just to have a fun time.

"Hey. Bartender."
"Yeah?"
"Here." He dropped some rupees in front of him. "Get the sad kid somethin good. Don't tell'm it was from me, though."
"Kay."

○》●《○

Wild pushed the door open, looking down slightly.

"Wild! Thank Hylia, I was getting worried. You've been out for hours."

Wild looked up at Twilight.
"Can you... not talk to me? I don't feel like talking right now."
"Why? Is everything okay? Did something happen?"
"No." Wild pushed Twilight away and went upstairs. He went to his room and flopped onto the bed with a sigh, sinking into the blankets.

All he could think about was his family. Or, the lack thereof. How they were gone. How he watch his mom and sister get killed. Shot in the head.

He gripped the soft white blanket and shut his eyes tight.
He wished there was something he could do that would just make him forget. He wanted to wipe all of that from his memory. He wanted to just pretend that there was nothing wrong. Maybe if he imagined hard enough, he could forget. He'd be fine.

But he had no place to be this upset by it. Time had been through much worse. Probably. After all, if Time was... affected that badly, then it had to have been a terrible thing. And there had to be more to the story than "almost got killed."

...
What if Wild never got over the Yiga attack? What if it followed him forever? What if...

He shoved a pillow over his head. He had to stop thinking about it. He might... have one of those things. Whatever it was. Nobody ever explained it, even if they knew what was going on. Like Time. Time seemed to know. He seemed to understand what was happening to him. But he never explained it. Maybe he just assumed that Wild knew what it was. Maybe he just didn't think to tell him.

It didn't make Wild mad or anything. He just felt confused and scared. Something had to be wrong with him, but he had no idea what it was. Even that visit to the therapist didn't help. And he was never going back there again, anyway. It didn't help or clear anything up for him. It just made him think about the thing. And that was the last thing he wanted to do.

Maybe he was just looking at it wrong. Maybe a few more visits would do him good. But Time was the one who had set it up. And Time had left. And he clearly didn't want to talk to them. But maybe... maybe it was worth a shot. But he didn't want to bother Time. He obviously wanted to be left alone.

Wild sighed. He just wanted to talk to someone. Yet, at the same time, he really didn't want to interact with another person. So what to do...
Maybe he could text Zelda.

He pulled out his phone and typed a message to her.

~

Wild: hey, wanna talk
Zelda: sure
Wild: so... what should we talk about
Zelda: idk
Zelda: you actually caught me at the perfect time lol
Zelda: I just finished my work
Wild: sweet
Wild: so...
Wild: the reason I texted you I because I kinda need to talk to someone, but two is all stressed out and Sky is asleep or something and I don't want to bother anyone else and anyway their the only ones I feel like I can talk to lol
Zelda: ah
Zelda: is something bothering you?
Wild: yeah
Zelda: what is it
Wild: idk, I just feel... down I guess
Wild: and I keep thinking about my family
Wild: hylia I feel so awkward
Zelda: nah it's okay
Zelda: I can talk to you :)
Zelda: rant to me all you want lol
Wild: thanks
Wild: did I tell you about how Time just left
Zelda: noo
Wild: so he's been acting real weird lately right
Wild: like really weird
Wild: and the other day he left without saying anything
Wild: so now twi has to be the leader and I really don't think he likes it much
Wild: he seems super stressed
Wild: so yeah that's kinda everything I haven't told you yet
Wild: and speaking of time I just feel like my problems are so much stupider than his
Wild: like I have no right to be like this when he's got it so much worse, y'know
Zelda: that's no way to think
Wild: I know...
Wild: but I can't not think it
Wild: it's like physically impossible rn
Wild: also I can't stop thinking about my family and I wish I could just forget the Yiga attack
Zelda: that's no way to solve your problems
Wild: I know...
Wild: but I'm having such a hard time with this and it's really beating me up
Wild: I don't feel like I can keep doing this
Wild: like I literally can't handle this any longer
Wild: it's like when you have a bad headache and all you wanna do is stuff your head into a cold pillow for forever but this time it's not physical
Wild: and I know you probably can't do anything, especially from the castle but like I really needed someone to talk to
Wild: you probably think this is stupid, huh
Zelda: no, not at all
Zelda: it'll be okay
Zelda: ...
Zelda: idk what to say, sorry
Zelda: I'm not that good at these things
Wild: no, it's alright
Wild: I'm feeling a little better now
Wild: thanks for listening to my stupid lame ass rant
Zelda: np, happy to help :)