#Also though like Legend of Zelda they did what amounts to a confusing AU with BotW/TotK in terms of continuity

[illegiblewords]

I really wish that, when creators of multi-part stories decided to make new additions, they would look at what aspects of their world or story overall haven't been explored yet or if there are interesting possibilities/questions raised that could be examined. As opposed to ya know... pulling totally unrelated shit out of their asses.

It doesn't just feel forced--it's frustrating for audiences who are invested and curious about the world/characters. It feels like the source creator cares less about the work than the fans do at some point.

[linerwriter]

Youth

As some of you know, I wanted to get away from Wild for the next couple fics because I’ve been focusing on him a little too much and I wanted to try my hand at writing a different Link. So, who better to do than Time?

(thank you @spacemalarkey for requesting Time, it helped me a lot)

(also I have a fic planned for Legend, so that should be coming out soon)

Word count: 1639. For the @linkeduniverse AU. Enjoy!

Time remembered the days when he was young.

Back then, he felt like he could change the world. And, while there was some truth to that statement, that feeling slowly diminished over time. As he grew older, that spark of innocence in his eyes changed into the burden of weariness, brought on by the many hardships he faced.

It took a long time for him to come to terms to what happened to him. For years, he wandered around Hyrule and the land beyond it, trying to heal. It wasn’t until his friends (although he could barely call them that anymore at that point) forced him to stay near them that he was able to confront it.

Even then, it took a long time for him to talk about it. The only other person who understood what had happened to him was Zelda, and she was rarely able to talk with him due to her duties. He couldn’t talk with Ruto or Nabooru, they were in entirely different places and had their own responsibilities to deal with. So, he was forced to stay at Lon Lon Ranch, the best thing to ever happen to him.

He felt like he got his life back. Yes, he could have fame, riches and glory if he stayed with Zelda, but the feeling of accomplishment and pride after a hard day’s work… That was a feeling that could never be replicated.

So when he met his counterparts, he was worried, for multiple reasons. Would they know of his failures? Of how he was the one responsible for letting Ganon take control? Or would they ignore that completely, focusing on his accomplishments? He didn’t know which one was worse.

In reality, though, the others were the exact opposite of what he feared. They were brave, smart, silly, but above all, they were humble. Even Warriors, who was the most airheaded of them all!

He didn’t know their stories. He didn’t what had happened to them, he didn’t know who they loved, who they lost. They were the same as him during his youth, lost and wondering what to do with their lives. It frightened him a little, if he was being honest.

The days of his youth were dark. They were sad. He wouldn’t dare wish the type of pain he felt on his most hated enemies, they were so bad. So to see the same thing, plastered on their faces (some of them younger than even he had been), it scared him. The great Hero of Time, scared for others! Oh, the jokes some would tell if they found out.

But it was true. And he had no idea how to stop the repercussions from happening.

It started off on an otherwise normal day at the ranch. They were visiting again to rest for a while, and to just enjoy each other’s company. Malon was happy with the amount of people in their home, which made Time happy, which made the others happy.

They morning and afternoon had been filled with chores and relaxing. Currently, the sun was setting, signaling dinner for everyone on the farm. Time was getting ready to go back in, cleaning up the activities the others were doing, when he noticed Sky sitting on a log, all alone.

Time approached the young soldier softly, trying not to scare him. Gradually, he sat down on the log Sky was sitting on, and they stared at the sunset together in silence.

“Hey, Time?”

Time blinked, “Yes, Sky?”

“How do you deal with it?”

“Deal with what?”

Sky turned toward the older man with a confused look in his eyes, “With the guilt.”

Time reeled back inwardly in surprise. “Dealing with guilt, huh?” He raised his hand toward his chin in thought, “I guess it depends on what you’re feeling guilty about. Are you feeling regretful? Do you think you could’ve done something different, or better?”

Sky digested that silently, “I don’t think it’s anything like that.”

“Do you mind telling me what’s bothering you, then?”

Sky hesitated, arguing with himself internally. It’s not like it’s exactly a secret, one part of him whispered, and Time’s trustworthy!

That doesn’t mean he knows everything, the other part hissed, and he could hurt us.

Sky shook himself out of his thoughts, “It’s just… as far as we know, I’m the first reincarnation of the original hero. Before me, there wasn’t anything like Ganon, or those mages that want to summon the thing.”

“Uh-huh.”

“And it wasn’t until my journey ended that this cycle became a thing, and it was my fault that it even occurred in the first place,” Sky was rambling at this point, “so I wouldn’t blame you guys if you didn’t like me that much-”

“Sky,” Time laid a hand on the younger man’s shoulder, “it’s okay.”

Sky was quiet for a few seconds. “Okay?” He echoed softly, “How is it okay? I’m the one who started this entire thing, after my battle with Demise! All of you should be angry with me! You should be blaming me, not helping me!”

“And who says you deserve it?” Time replied calmly. “Who decided that you were solely responsible for what happened during your journey? Who was it?”

Sky froze. “I know it’s hard to believe,” Time continued, “believe me, I know. But just because you were the one tasked with creating the Master Sword, with rescuing your Zelda, with fighting this Demise- it doesn’t mean that you carry all of the burden.” He looked Sky in the eye, “I have no doubt that if you didn’t do those things, we wouldn’t be around. We wouldn’t have even been an idea.”

Sky took in gasping breaths, “But how can you be so sure?”

“Because I’ve gone through the exact same thing as you are right now.”

After that bombshell was dropped, nothing moved. It was as if the very earth itself had stopped moving. “Y-you have?”

Time nodded, a faraway look in his eye. “I started my journey when I was very young, but during it, magic got in the way, making me fall into a seven year coma. When I woke up, the world had changed. There was no lush green grass, the sky was brown, there was no happiness. It wasn’t until after, when I was back to before my and finally able to think, that I started to wonder.”

“Wonder what?”

“If it was my fault.” Time snapped back to the present, “For months, I traveled my world, never staying in one place. I had no home, because I felt I didn’t deserve one. How could I? I was the one who allowed Ganon to gain control- I was the one who ruined their lives, even if they weren’t aware of it.”

Sky looked confused, “But you said that was what you thought when you were younger. Do you still think that way?”

Time smiled, closing his eye. “Not anymore, no.”

Sky’s forehead creased, “How?”

“Well,” Time started to explain, “My friends, first of all. They had known what I was doing for a long time, but were worried I would be angry if they tried to help. Eventually, though, it got to a point where it was either splinter their relationship with me, or I would drive myself to death.” He chuckled, “So the princess sent her private guards after me and forced me to stay here.”

“But why here?”

“Because they figured that being here would help me the most. It’s peaceful, calm, and most importantly, full of life.” Time grabbed Sky’s hand and held them, forcing Sky to look into his eye. “It made me realize something: life is worth fighting for, no matter what. No matter the outcome, no matter the methods used, if you can get rid of the thing plaguing your life and the lives of others, it is always worth it to protect it.”

“But that doesn’t excuse the fact that I caused this endless cycle of reincarnation to happen!” Sky cried out.

“Sky,” Time’s voice was serious, “This is a lesson my wife taught me, when I was going through the exact same thing you were. Just because you did something that caused a negative outcome doesn’t mean it was the wrong choice. Yes, my actions led to the deaths of others. Yes, my inexperience caused problems. Those things all happened. But just because I did them doesn’t mean it was the worst possibility. If I hadn’t decided to try to help, what my Ganon would’ve done was worse than what actually happened.”

He lowered Sky’s hands, placing them gently on the log. “So stop blaming yourself. Yes, you decided to go on that quest. Yes, you decided to make the Master Sword. Yes, you fought Demise and beat him, starting this whole mess. That doesn’t mean what you did was bad. I have no doubt that, if you hadn’t decided to do those things, what could’ve happened would’ve been much worse than what actually did.”

At some point during Time’s speech, Sky started crying. He held his face in his hands, his body shaking with the sobs he was letting out. Time’s expression softened into a look of empathy and kindness, hugging the boy close to him.

“It’s okay to not be the cause of everything.” He murmured into the younger one’s ear, “None of what happened was your fault, so try to stop feeling guilty about it.”

A few minutes later, Sky’s cries faded, leaving him empty and tired. “Are you feeling better?” Time asked softly. Sky nodded, burying his head into the older man’s chest. Time wrapped an arm around his back, “Ready to head back in?”

Sky extracted himself from the other’s arms, rubbing his eyes. “Thank you, Time.”

“You’re welcome. Let’s go home now, shall we?”

“...Okay.”