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jinxedruby · 3 months

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Febuwhump Day Thirteen: "You weren't supposed to get hurt"

Featuring Time and Warriors (and Sky and Hyrule briefly)

This is part two of day four: obedience (the one where Wind gets kidnapped)

AO3

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Pain pounded at Time’s head from all angles, digging into his skull and splitting it in half. He dared to pry his eyelid apart, the simple action alone increasing the hammering tenfold. The nearly extinguished light of day glowed against the blurry mess of a street sprawled out before him. The evening light may as well have shone with a thousand suns by how much it hurt. He groaned, eye squeezing shut again as memories returned in a slow trickle. Arriving in town with the others, booking a few rooms at the local inn, splitting into pairs to resupply. He’d gone to get new cloth for mending with Wind-

Wind.

Time’s eye snapped open. He braced his hands beneath him, attempting to shove himself up. Pain exploded in both his head and back of his shoulder, gut twisting as bile rose in his throat. He tried to ignore it, hauling himself to his knees, but the wound in his leg also made itself glaringly apparent. He half-collapsed again as colors swirled in his eye and he emptied his stomach onto the street. The world whipped around him at dizzying speeds but even so, he struggled in an attempt to stand. He lifted his head, the movement yanking a thread of tension taut from his brow, along the back of his head, and down his neck. The street pulsed around him and he nearly threw up again, but he managed to suppress it as he looked around. Empty. No sign of Wind or any of the men. Time’s heart slammed against his ribs. How long had it been? Where was Wind? What had they done with Wind?

Time forced himself to his feet, the wound in his leg screaming as pain roared in his head. He immediately staggered sideways as the cobblestone pitched beneath him. He collapsed to his hands and knees, the left side of his head itching as something wet saturated his hair and ran down his face, making his skin feel gummy. He tried and failed one more time to get up, vision darkening as he crumpled to the ground again. He let out a groan in half pain, half frustration and franticness. He needed to get up and find Wind before something happened to the sailor, he needed to.

“Old man?!”

The shout rattled in his ears, echoing strangely. He attempted to get up, to turn. For his efforts, he vomited again, the only substance to come up burning his throat.

“Oh no!”

Footsteps drummed against his skull, each sound sending throbs through it. Hands wrapped around his shoulders, avoiding his wound as they eased him back to the ground. He growled and pushed at the hands, trying to force his way up.

“Calm down, old man, it’s me!” the first voice called. A blue scarf and the smell of soap and wood fire came to mind. He squinted over his shoulder, struggling to see through the pulsing lights and colors. Warriors’ face swam in and out of focus. He meant to say the captain’s name, but moving his tongue brought the nausea racing up his throat again and all that came out was a moan.

“Hang on, we’ve got you,” Warriors said. Time could hardly see him, but he could feel Warriors squeeze his shoulder. Another voice responded to the captain, words lost under the blanket of wool that took up residence around his head. Warriors’ deeper tones replied then a blissfully cool sensation bloomed in Time’s head and wounds. It started on the left side of his skull at the point where the vice gripped tightest and expanded outwards from there. As it spread, the wool steadily unwrapped from his head, clearing his hearing and bringing the spiraling world to a halt. The deep burning of the knife wounds in his back and leg gradually subsided as well. The spots had barely begun to fade from his vision before he started pushing himself to his feet. Hands pressed down on his shoulders, another on the side of his head, two voices protesting the movement.

“Whoa, whoa, slow down, old m-“

“They’ve taken the sailor,” Time cut Warriors off, forcing his leaden tongue to obey him. He made it to his knees and turned in time to see Warriors’ expression change into a mask of shock.

“Wh-what-“ he stammered, eyes wide.

“Some men took the sailor,” Time forced out, pushing himself up on unsteady legs. “I don’t know how long it’s… how- where they are, or… We have to find him.”

Warriors’ face went white. “The sailor’s been kidnapped?”

“Yes, so we can’t waste time.” As he spoke, Time turned away to begin heading down the street, nearly running into Hyrule in the process. He moved to go around but Hyrule remained in his path, the traveler holding up his hands and staring up at Time with a fearful gaze.

“Hold on, I know we need to hurry but you still have a concussion-“ Hyrule began.

“We don’t have time to worry about that,” Time replied hastily, stepping around Hyrule. A hand gripped his elbow and pulled him to a stop. He whipped his head around to face Warriors, ignoring the lurch of dizziness the motion caused. The captain flinched almost imperceptibly as their gazes met but he hardened his expression a moment later.

“We need our gear,” he said firmly. “And we need to tell the others so we can find him as fast as possible. Running in unprepared won’t help him. Hear me?”

Time stared at Warriors for a long moment, jaw clenched. A part of him wanted to tear himself out of the captain’s grip and run after Wind himself, but a larger part of him knew Warriors was right. He sighed, forcing his jaw to relax.

“Fine,” he said. Warriors nodded and loosened his grip before fully letting go, as if to make sure Time wouldn’t bolt.

The trip back to the inn took exactly four minutes and thirty-seven seconds, but it may as well have taken ages. Time felt each agonizing moment tick by, each moment Wind could be getting hurt, each moment the men took him further and further away. When they finally arrived at the inn, Time strode right past a confused Sky to get his gear, leaving the others to explain the situation. His armor took too long to don, so he didn’t bother, only snatching up his pouches, swords, and shield. As he stepped out into the hall in a near run, strapping on his pouches and scabbard, he crossed paths with Warriors.

“Time,” Warriors said, stopping beside him. “The traveler and Sky are going to get the others. I assume you don’t know where the men took Sailor?”

“They knocked me out first,” Time growled, jerking his belt tight around his waist. “I didn’t even see what direction they went in.”

Warriors pursed his lips, jaw clenched. “I figured as much. We’re all going to split up and search. I’m coming with you.”

Time nodded and Warriors hurried off to grab his weapons. Thankfully, he was ready within seconds since he hadn’t taken off his chainmail. He re-emerged from the room while buckling his scabbard across his back. He nodded to Time and they set out.

The sun had fully set by the time they got back outside, the town lit only by the pale light of the moon. They jogged back to where Wind and Time were attacked, searching for any sign of where they might have taken Wind. Footprints, blood droplets, anything out of the ordinary. But the only thing out of place was Time’s blood splattered onto the cobblestone, glistening in the moonlight. They checked nearby alleys, side streets, poked their heads into surrounding buildings, but nothing.

“Okay, we need a strategy,” Warriors said after searching for a few minutes yielded nothing but frustration.

“I’m open to suggestions.” Time rubbed his still throbbing temple as they left yet another empty alley behind.

“Well, the kidnappers were bold enough to grab a kid when an adult was right there. They struck at a time when few people were out and about,” Warriors began, brow folded in thought. “Which tells me they’re experienced and know the area well.”

“So, they probably already have somewhere in mind to take him,” Time responded, heart clenching.

“Right. That, and it wasn’t a spur of the moment decision. They probably planned this. Maybe they saw us come into town, I don’t know.” Warriors huffed and paced forward a few steps, planting his hands on his hips and gripping the fabric of his tunic. He ducked his head, bangs falling in his eyes as he muttered. “Is it part of a bigger operation? Are there others? Is it a problem in this town or the whole kingdom? If it’s a trade then they’d need some mode of transport, something big if there’s a lot of cargo…”

He paced back toward Time then walked away again, mumblings continuing near incoherently. Restlessness itched at Time’s lower back and collar, hand tapping against the side of his leg. He watched Warriors pace, his own mind spinning with possibilities and horrible scenario after horrible scenario of what could be happening to Wind. He tightened his jaw, blinking hard. He should’ve done more. He should’ve brought at least a sword with him. The town was supposed to be safe. His boys were supposed to be safe. He never should have allowed his guard to fall. But he had. And now Wind was-

“The waterway!”

Warriors’ shout snapped him out of his spiraling thoughts. Warriors spun around to face Time, hands coming off his hips to gesture as he spoke. “This was too methodical to be a one-off so they have to have a system. But I didn’t see anyone in this town with weapons and there were plenty of children Wind’s age running around unattended during the day. So, these guys aren’t usually active in this area.” Warriors spoke so fast that Time could hardly keep up, the captain rarely stopping to breathe. “Which means the kidnappers travel, so they’d need good transportation and a good cover to not garner suspicion. Lots of ships use the waterway near town to transport goods which makes it the perfect cover if they have a ship.”

Time’s eye widened as Warriors stopped to catch his breath. “So, they took him to the river.”

Warriors nodded. “They took him to the river.”

Time turned in roughly the direction he thought the river was. “We need to go, now.”

“No, we need to go tell the others,” Warriors said, jogging to catch up with Time as the old man started forward.

Frustration burned under Time’s skin. “If they make it to the river and ship out, we won’t be able to find him for a long time.”

“It’s the middle of the night,” Warriors countered. “If they ship out now, it will look extremely suspicious and most likely blow whatever cover they have. They’ll wait until morning.”

Time bristled, spinning to face Warriors. “Captain, I mean no offense, but your speculations are just that. If you’re wrong, it is our sailor on the line.”

Warriors’ expression closed off, jaw set. Time wilted slightly, realizing this was far from the first time the captain had heard words like that.

“My speculations haven’t failed me yet,” Warriors stated firmly, steadily meeting Time’s gaze. “My instincts have.”

For a long moment, the two stared at each other. Time forced himself to breathe evenly. Every moment they waited was another moment Wind was in danger. He couldn’t bear to waste a single second, but if they went in unprepared…

Warriors’ gaze softened. “Please, Time,” he said quietly. “Trust me.”

Time blinked, finally breaking eye contact. He heaved a heavy sigh, dragging a hand down his face. “Okay. We’ll get the others first.”

Warriors nodded, reaching out to clap Time on the arm. “Come on, then. Sky and Traveler went this way.”

He hurried off, Time following close behind. As they ran, Time could only hope the captain was right. He prayed that he was. He squeezed his eye shut for a moment before opening it again, jogging alongside Warriors.

Hold on, Sailor, he thought, heart clenching again. We’re coming.

#what better way to spend valentine's day than to write whump #linked universe #linked universe fic #linked universe fanfic #ruby writes #febuwhump #febuwhump2024 #lu time #lu warriors #i cannot for the life of me figure out if time has a scabbard for each sword #but there’s definitely one for the biggoron sword so I’m just gonna assume he keeps the gilded sword in a pocket dimension lol

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