I Mean It Gets Better In The End But - Tumblr Posts

You Don't Have To Be A Hero To Save The World

Wind has always known that he doesn't have the "Hero's Spirit" or whatever religious mumbo jumbo the older Links have talked about. He wasn't "Chosen". He'd wanted to save his sister and got dragged down to hell because of it.

Wind never liked talking about it. He didn't feel like he belonged when he did. So if you block it out, it doesn't exist, right? He was so so wrong.

The Links had a penchant for storytelling around the fire, and the topic of tonight's ramble was adventures, as always. But specifically, what started them. Wind pulled uneasily at the scars on his palms.

"What started your adventure, Four?" Hyrule asked, mouth half full of dinner. "I drew a sword and Zelda got kidnapped." Four said, adjusting their headband. "Figures." Legend mumbled quietly. "My adventure was st-" Warriors was cut of by Twilight. "We know it was some lady who was obsessed with you and started a war over it, Wars, we hear it every night." Twilight wasn't mean, just tired.

"What about you, Wind? What started your adventure?" Four asked, smiling encouragingly. Wind never really talked about his adventure (and for good reason.) "Did your Zelda get kidnapped too?" Legend's voice was joking.

"Um. No. My sister did, though. She got carried off by the Helmaroc King and I had to go save her. Tetra told me not to but Aryll's my sister. I couldn't just let her die there." Wind said quietly, still scratching at his scars.

The conversation ebbed and flowed, as Wind sort of lost himself in his head for a little while. He remembered meeting them all, not too long ago. Sky had been handing the Master Sword to everyone, to learn their hero titles. Wind had gone pale and refused to hold it, immediately making everyone suspicious. He had reluctantly given in in the end, and took the sword to hear his title. He'd nursed the burns on his hands in secret, for days after.

XXX

Later that night, as Wind was getting ready to go to bed, he heard the last remnants of conversation. "Who sent you on your journey, Time?" Time gave a small laugh and then said quietly, "A fairy." ...

"I volunteered." Wind called from across the clearing, pillow in his hand. Multiple heads turned to look at him. Why did he say that??? They weren't asking him. "You. What?" Legend asked, confused. Maybe Wind just felt the need to get it out there. "Volunteered. The King Of Red Lions needed me. I wasn't just going to leave him. Besides, the Wind Waker was kind of fun to play with." Legend came close to Wind and grabbed him by the shoulders. "You. WHAT." "Volun-?" "I heard you the first time! I meant why. Why would you volunteer for something like this??? Are you insane? Wind, why?"

"I told you! The King of Red Lions needed me! Outset needed me! I wasn't just going to sit there and twiddle my thumbs while people died!"

Legend gripped his own hair, eyes wide. "But kid, why? Was it just some wish for adventure, or some adrenaline kick? You coulda saved your sister and been done-?"

Wind stood up, little hands curled into fists, pulling at his scars.

"I volunteered for the rest, why are you so pent up about it? It was my own choice! I stepped up when no one would and went through hell to save my fucking sister and everyone else that mattered! It's not my fault your life sucks, because you're such an asshole half the time!! I'm not some dumb kid!" Wind kicked a rock and it ricocheted off the pot still over the fire. Legend flinched. And Wind turned on his heels and took off, screwing up his face and trying not to cry.

XXX

Wind was later found, sitting against a tree, by Sky. Wind was picking at his hands as Sky sat down, the crickets chirping everywhere.

"Are you alright?" Sky asked gently. "Legend is an ass." Wind mumbled, sniffling. "Sometimes. He means well. His adventure was very, very hard on his soul. He doesn't want you to have the same fate." "Still an ass." Wind mumbled, wiping at his eyes.

"It's a defense mechanism, if you will. Here, do you want Fi? She always makes me feel better." It took two seconds for Wind to scramble away, Legend momentarily forgotten. "No, no. No thank you. I don't want to touch that sword." Wind said, shaking his head. "Why not? Maybe she has advice for you- "I SAID I DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THE FUCKING SWORD!"

Wind slapped a hand over his own mouth, and then the other. His eyes welled with tears again and before he could get out any sort of apology, Sky was putting a hand on his shoulder. "Okay. Why, Wind? Why are you so against the Master Sword?" Sky asked, voice quiet. Ready to listen. Fi was his closest friend, so he wanted a reason. Wind shook. "She burns me." He whispered softly, clasping his hands together tightly. "And it hurts." "She what?" Sky's voice was incredulous. "Fi would never! She'd never burn someone with the Hero's S-" "I don't have it." "... What?" "The Hero's Spirit. I don't have it, because I'm a volunteer. I'm no one's successor, I don't have the bonds you guys do. My Hyrule is flooded, and I'm alone." Wind's voice cracked, and the words were not two seconds out of his mouth before Sky was bodily hugging him to his chest. "Hero's Spirit or not, someone's successor or not, you're still our brother, Wind. You always have a place here." Sky whispered, and Wind fisted his hands in Sky's sailcloth.

Wind pulled at the scars on his hands again, and Sky watched. He gently took Wind's small hands in his own, much bigger ones. "Are these the scars from handling the Master Sword? When you had to defeat Ganon?" Sky asked gently.

Wind nodded. "Stabbed him straight through the noggin." He laughed without any humor.

Sky pressed a kiss over each palm, like kissing a boo boo for a young child. Wind almost snatched his hands back. But before he could, Sky said, "We'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

fin.