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luimagines · 27 days

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Unlocking Our Chains in the Shadows

.....Ok.

More "original" work. ^.^*

Once again cowritten with @thesoftieanon with her character Hesper.

We once again lost our minds here. It's blind child, mafia au where this time Hesper was paired with Time. No demigods here though. Enjoy 29 pages of pure brain rot. We certainly enjoyed writing it.

Masterlist

Content under the cut!

When they first entered the house, it was stealth and deadly precision. They were a unit. A single track mind with the goal to meet and a target to eliminate.

They didn’t expect the place to already be filled with blood and carnage.

It was a massacre.

They stayed quiet, so as to not arouse suspicion if there were any traps nearby but the place had been cleared out. There were at least five dead men The Chain didn’t recognize and they found their target beheaded on his bed. Given that it was the middle of the night, this was a premeditated attack.

They were too late to get their own licks in- and had lost the one source of info that they had hoped to gain from him. A shame, but there was no use of crying over spilled milk.

An ear piercing scream shatters the sickly calm over the house, snapping all of their heads towards the rooms. A high pitched sound that unmistakingly belonged to a child.

Their hearts dropped.

While they weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty… they had often tried to stay away from the little ones. Whoever came before was unlikely not as kind.

“I want answers.” Time growls, signaling for Twilight and Four to follow where Sky and Hyrule had gone off to. Those two had no doubt found the child first. The boss of the group had to send Wild and Warrior to check the perimeter once more. If the scream had attracted any unwanted attention, they would have to be quick about getting out of there as quickly as possible.

It only took a few minutes.

Twilight returned with the child in his arms, shivering and sobbing quietly. Something pulls on the Boss’ heart strings. The small child could be no older than six years old. So young. And already so scarred.

“Don’t….” They whimpered. “Please don’t hurt me. Don’t hurt me like they hurt Father.”

Time sucks in a breath through his teeth. Sky and Four share an equally cringed look.

“We won’t.” Time tries to keep his voice level. The rage in his voice is already threatening to boil over at the dark scars on their arm. He doesn’t know where they came from, but it’s enough to know that this child hasn’t only suffered on this night- but perhaps many more before the attack. “We’re going to take you somewhere safe, ok? We just have to quiet for a little bit.”

They sniffle. “...No more bad guys?”

Time notices that the child doesn’t quite look in his direction. “No more bad guys.”

“Blind.” Twilight answers the unspoken question. He can see the confusion on Time’s face as clear as day. “Poor kid can’t see a thing. Doesn’t appear to be injury related.”

Time nods at his nephew. “Move out then. Don’t leave any evidence that we’ve been here.”

“Yes sir.” Was the answered chorus.

They move swiftly and silently and within the hour, they are back at their home base.

They’re quick to get the child settled, fed and cleaned. They don’t want to startle the child more so than they already were. Time interrogated Sky and Hyrule about their findings. Their target happened to be the child’s father, if they’re investigation was correct. The child had heard the house being broken into and hid in the closet for hours until they had arrived. The child hadn’t mentioned any other family.

Time sighed. They can’t exactly give the child into the system without giving themselves away but this was no life to live for the likes of a kindergartener. Wind was an exception. He had a little sister to look after the death of his grandma, but that didn’t mean they dragged on every mission they had.

Actually… now that he thinks about it… Aryll might be a bit closer to their age. Perhaps they could keep the child here. Aryll and Wind had nowhere else to go. Neither does this child.

Time sends the order to clean out a small space for the child to call their own. He calls Aryll over specifically and tells the young girl to keep an eye on them and help them feel comfortable. Be their friend.

Time calls over the boys and holds a meeting about the unsuccessful mission. No one seems to have anything to say.

He can’t blame them.

It’s late. They’re disappointed, tired and shocked.

Time holds a vote, mostly to see if any of them are against having the child here despite the challenges it would no doubt bring.

“Old man.” Warrior swallows harshly. “If we disagree, what do you plan to do?”

Time didn’t have an answer for him.

“Would you kick them out to the street?” Legend asks next, tempting the silence to answer back with teeth.

Time shakes his head. “Child of the enemy or not, they’re still a child. I’m not that cruel.”

A pregnant pause follows. It threatens to burst and explode but no one seems willing to take the needle to the pressure.

“No objections then?” Time raises a cool eyebrow. “It’s going to change our schedules by quite a bit. I expect all of you to play a part in making them feel welcome.”

Wild’s hands clenched into fists by his side. “With all due respect boss, it wouldn’t fit right by us to kick out someone with the same circumstances we all had at one point or another.”

Sky swallows harshly but says nothing.

Time allows himself to smile. The boys relax slightly.

“Dismissed.”

The boys nod and head out of the room. Only Twilight stays behind.

Time sighs and rubs his temple, already trying to compute mental calculations to keep things in order and figure out how to care for another vulnerable being in his charge.

“Uncle.” Twilight calls silently. “Didn’t the attack seem odd? …Right as we were about to get to our target, he’s already dead?”

Time shakes his head. “That drowned rat already had a bounty on his head. I’m not surprised he didn’t get wiped off the census earlier.”

Twilight hums and looks away. “You saw the scars on the child.”

“I did.”

“They’re also blind.”

“I saw that too.”

Twilight shuffles awkwardly on his feet. Time looks at him with the tender smile he only allows him to see when they’re alone. “What’s wrong pup?”

He takes another beat to answer. Time can see the veins on his neck pop as well as his jaw clench with whatever amount of force Twilight’s putting behind it. Twilight starts to shake. He’s pissed. “I’ve never been so angry on behalf of a person I’ve never met before, Uncle Link.”

Time nods. That’s his boy.

“I believe you.”

“I want to tear his heart out.”

“A shame he wouldn’t feel a thing.” Time answers dryly.

Twilight can’t help the wicked smirk that blooms on his face.

They say nothing more and depart.

The next few weeks are… strange to say the least.

The child is quiet and withdrawn. That’s to be expected. Aryll became close to the child and tried to be as close to them as possible. Due to this, Wind snuck past their defenses relatively quickly since that was his sister. Hyrule had been tending to the small bumps and bruises the child had sustained in their time in the house and also gained the child’s trust relatively quickly.

As weeks turned to months, Time didn’t know what to personally think of the child and didn’t go out of his way to form a relationship just yet. The child would come to him every now and then in his office and he’d let them sit in his lap. He’d hold them until they fell asleep and would carry them to their bed. But that was about it.

As more time went on, Sky and Four managed to get the child to giggle some more and explore some safe activities so that they weren’t bored. Twilight had taken to sitting in on their play time with playdough and beads and instruments to see if the child had started their schooling. If not, then the plan was for Time and him to make a curriculum and share it between Aryll and the child.

Legend didn’t seem to be in the child’s good graces yet, but the ones who were really struggling were Wild and Warrior. The child seemed to avoid them, but no one couldn’t figure out why.

Still that didn’t seem to break their spirits. Those two were just going to try harder and sweeter. In Wild’s case? Literally. He’d bribe them with sweets if he had to.

It wasn’t until the spring had begun to heat up for the summer that Time had gotten a rather unsettling invitation for a private meeting by none other than the Shadow Queen.

Now that Shadow Queen was another powerful boss that had built her empire from the ground up a long while ago. She was much more ruthless than Time and his Chain would ever be. Despite his own power, he knew better than to insult her intentions, no matter what they might be. They’ve never stepped on each other’s toes, never stepped beyond their borders and into each other's territory.

Time had no idea what Her Majesty wanted.

The boys were just as nervous as he was when he told them of the potential affiliation that would happen. They weren’t trusting of the circumstance but couldn’t come up with enough excuse to convince Time to not go through with it. The child comes up and hugs his legs.

“Will you be safe, papa?” They say.

Time feels his heart jump into his throat as he bends to their level. He tenderly moves their hair away from their face, kisses their forehead and gives them that same smile reserved only for solo time- but in front of everybody. “I will be back, safe and sound. I promise.”

Time leaves with his head held high.

That is until he gets to the center of The Shadow’s Queen kingdom. He enters through her casino with more unsettling ease.

It appears the guards have been expecting him.

He enters a back room and comes face to face with a desk with the chair facing away from him on the other side. He knows this trick. Time has played it multiple times himself.

He takes the chair facing the desk and crosses his leg across his knee, crossing his arms in a relaxed position.

She turns around and Time realizes that he’s actually seen her face before. Jet black hair and eyes that sparkled enough to rival the night sky at its fullest.

“You have something of mine.” She says sharply, tongue and tone all sharp and no doubt bladed.

Time doesn’t show any care or fear. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Does a six year old blind child sound familiar?”

“....I might know what you’re talking about.”

They have a stare down.

Time is trying to see if she’s willing to diverge any more information and the Queen herself wonders if the infamous Chain Boss is the weakest link of them all.

Neither of them want to back down. It would be a show of weakness that neither of them are capable of showing to the heads of the other mafia houses.

But there’s a desperation that Time doesn’t expect to see in the eyes of the Shadow Queen. It’s not the same cold blooded blood lust he’s heard so much about. This is a feral kind of hunger. A protection behind her fierce gaze.

This is personal for her.

He takes a chance.

"....I get them every spring and summer." Time offers. "You can have them in autumn and winter."

"I missed out on nearly six years, sweetheart, I'm not missing six months every year." The Shadow Queen chuckles, unamused. "You're cute, but not cute enough to get away with that much."

"You think I'm cute?" Time turns on his boyish charm, leaning in a little more to sell it further. "Regardless, a child needs stability. And my boys have grown quite attached to them. And while morality states that I hand the child over, you are a total stranger to them. It would do more damage than good to their psyche. I refuse to even so much as imply to abandon them. And my boys would very much agree with it."

She doesn’t answer him right away. Time knows that she’s chewing on his words. She’s taking him seriously. If she takes any longer to answer him then he knows that she’s considering his words.

Her fingers drum on the desk, well-manicured nails clicking against glass. She doesn't like it... but he has a point. And his charm is working better than she wants to admit. "... How about autumn and winter, plus weekend visits? So I'm not a stranger when we trade."

His eyebrows furrow invisibly. “....You’re the mother.”

She doesn’t answer him in that regard. Although her clicking nails subconsciously clack faster against the glass desk.

Time flexes his jaw, keeping a pleasant, if neutral, smile. "Naturally in autumn and winter the child will fall under your care. It's only fair to give the mother the holidays. And weekend visitation sits alright with me, so long as you come alone."

"That's not a problem, I was planning on that." She relaxes a little, seeming relieved. "I'm glad we could come to an agreement with minimal issues."

Time holds out his hand. "Pleasure doing business with you. I suggest making a place for the child and their wolf to stay in the meantime. I'll see you Saturday, your majesty."

He stands, brushing down his suit.

"I look forward to it." The Queen shakes his hand, standing with him. "Let me walk you out. Casino is hard to navigate the first time in."

"Of course." Time follows dutifully. He tries to look around as subtly as possible. You never know when he's going to need insider information.

The House of Umbra Casino was lively with customers drinking, gambling, chatting away. He notices bartenders and security guards roaming the floor, likely the Queen's people gathering intelligence. She chuckles after a moment, and Time realizes he's not quite subtle enough. "Taking notes on how I run things?"

"Only taking note of exits, my dear." Time responds casually. "The number of health code violations are minimal. I see why the business is unbothered."

It gets a small laugh out of her. "I take great care in my work. Do tell me the violations and I'll see they're taken care of."

"I hope you don't mind a closer examination then." Time turns his head and winks with his good eye. "On a later date, of course."

"Not at all." The Shadow Queen chuckles as they arrive at the door. "But for now, I'll let you go. Seems you have quite the family to get back to."

Time nods and leaves.

His mind is crowded with the idea that he might have a terrible decision. But he can’t afford for the others to see him dire straits. He needs to get his head on his shoulders and get down to business.

He informs his boys about the upcoming visit of the Queen and there is the expected outrage.

“You invited the Night Mother here to our base?! Just like that?!”

He didn’t expect Twilight to be the one to take issue with it though.

“Who’s that?” The child asks quietly from the doorway, silencing any further discussion.

They all stare at the child with apprehensive faces. Time forces a smile to his face and adds a more calming tone to his voice. “A friend. She wants to see you and is going to come by to play for a little bit on Saturday.”

The child perks up a little bit. “A new friend?”

“Yes.”

“...Would she like to play with Mr Wiggles?” The child shuffles nervously on their feet. Mr. Wiggle was one of the first gifts the chain had ever gotten them. It was their second day in the base and Legend had gone and bought them a stuffed elephant that Time was almost positive was actually a toy for infants. It had crinkly ears and what he thought was a rattle or a few bells hidden inside so it made a few noises when it moved.

They hardly went anywhere without him.

Time smiled a little more softly, shocking his boys even further. He’s starkly reminded of the way she all but begged him to get close to the child, how willing she was to agree to his terms without the threat of violence. If he looked closer, he thought he could see that very way their noses both curved and the slender hands that they shared.

Even if she hadn’t responded to him, Time knows better. She is the mother. But why wait until now to take the child back? He has more questions for her. “I’m sure she’d love to.”

The child smiles, bright and innocent.

The boys look back to him with valid faces of suspicion and distrust. Time meets them head on. “She’ll come by Saturday morning and will leave before sundown. I want a few of you boys to keep watch between her and the child. I don’t care how you do it, just do it.”

“Will she come alone?” Warrior frowns.

“Of course.” Time raises an eyebrow. “That was one of the conditions.”

“And she agreed?” Hyrule asks incredulously.

“I know. I was shocked too.” Time sighs.

Twilight shuffles awkwardly in his spot, not able to come up with an argument to stop what has already been agreed upon. The child walks further in and crawls onto Time’s lap once more. Time looks at his nephew and tries to not look too lost. “Pup?”

The young man wipes his hand harshly down his face and takes a deep breath. “I’ll be there.”

“Thank you.”

With that, they were off the races trying to get together the means to host The Queen herself into their humble base of operations. They went through with a deep clean of the place before tucking away any unnecessary info they would hate to be leaked.

Peaceful talk or not, they didn’t need an enemy to spy on their business.

Luckily, when she appeared in all her glory on the appointed day- it was hard to not see the panic in the way she walked. In the way she talked. It was much too business-like to speak with any child. She no doubt made Aryll uncomfortable as well. The young girl had offered to spend the day with the child and the Night Mother as well, if only for the child to have more familiarity with the stranger.

Twilight, Sky and Hyrule had offered to take shifts until The Queen left.

No one seemed willing to make eye contact with the woman- not that Time could blame them.

They took to fingerpainting when playing with Mr. Wiggles wasn't enough to distract the children.

The first day wasn’t a total disaster in the end though. Even Time had to admit that. He walked the Shadow Queen to the door and put himself between her and the boys he considered his own.

“Well, your majesty?” He offered his hand. “Was it everything you wanted to be?”

She bit her lip before banishing whatever nerves she may have had left over. “It will suffice.”

A beat passes before her anxieties take hold once more. “Did I frighten them?”

“You frighten everybody.” He shrugs, not willing to rise to whatever bait she’s planting. “Should I expect your carriage next week at the same time, your majesty?”

“Call me Hesper.” She once again doesn’t bother answering her question. “It’s easier that way.”

“Hesper.” He says her name slowly, savoring the way it tastes on his tongue. “Very well. Drive home safely.”

She nods and he closes the door.

Very quickly they all fell into the strange and unorthodox routine of this new arrangement. The child was still a little apprehensive around the woman and the woman had yet to fully break out of her business tycoon persona to let the child in. It was almost painful to watch.

But Time had to admit, she wasn’t going to give up anytime soon.

The summer passed by quickly. By the turn of autumn, the child was growing more and more out of their shell and Time was happy to see their progress. Wild had eventually won them over, although poor Warrior was still working on it on his end.

They were happy and things were calm.

That was until their base was attacked.

It was in the middle of the night and the boys were quick to awaken and fight back against the intruders. As soon as there was any push back whatsoever, the attackers fled the scene, hardly landing a scratch against them. Although there had to be at least a few gunshot wounds on the opposing side. Sky was quick to grab a weapon and fire a few… warning shots.

Time’s first concern was the child.

They had already been through violence. He wasn’t sure if they would be able to handle more.

As misfortune would have it, upon the very superficial investigation, the intruders were after the child.

Now that just pissed him off.

But that was nothing compared to the reaction of the woman he went to report it to. He’s actually quite glad that he took his nephew with him.

"I'll have my best people on guard in five minutes."

"Uh- m-ma'am, that isn't necessar-"

"Twilight." He shut his mouth in an instant. The Shadow Queen all but glares at the young man in question. "With all due respect: that is my child they're attacking. I am not having a repeat of what happened last time." She sends a text, then turns back to Time. "They'll be here in five minutes."

Time nods, as if expecting this. "I figured as much. Such is why I'm alerting you first thing. Let's go, Pup. We have to show our guests around."

"Wha-what?!" Twilight blinks double taking between the two adults. "Are you serious? Just like that? You're ok with this?"

Time raises a cool eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

Twilight can see the subtle threat as it is and he settles down... begrudgingly. "No, sir."

"Then let's go."

To the credit of her men, they’re right on time. They’re quick to check all of the perimeter and any weak points and blindspots the base has. They start reinforcing the second the find anything of potential interest.

Four and Wind had stayed with the child as the strange men poked their noses through their house. Aryll was taking a few notes of the way Hesper was ordering around her men, watching her with great interest as well. The others were too busy trying to move around the men and keep all of their information secret. Not that the other group was doing much snooping. According to the grapevine, The Shadow Queen had formed an alliance with The Chain.

No one wanted to break the thinly lined trust.

The child however, notices that everyone was on edge. They tug on Wind's sleeve. "Is the scary lady staying? Why is she yelling?"

"She’s just really worried about you." He's quick to make her seem (hopefully) less scary. "Your safety is really important to her."

"Yeah." Four joins in, ruffling the child's hair. "She just wants to make sure the bad guys can't get you, kiddo."

The child listens closer, eventually picking up on the telltale stutter of an anxious heartbeat, almost hidden behind the fury.

"mmm..." The child grips their shirt and Wind's sleeve. "Does papa know about this?"

"Yeah, he knows. He's with her right now." Four tells them.

The child looks away, letting their ears do most of the work. "Legend and Warrior don't seem too happy about this though.... Is it because the scary lady scares them too?"

Wind and Four share a look.

"Uh... maybe, kiddo. She's pretty new to them too."

Hesper finishes giving orders, and the guards vanish. It's then that she allows herself a small sigh, a slight lax in her shoulders. "Alright. They have their instructions. I'll look into who might’ve ordered the attack as well."

She frowns, thinking as she looks out into the city. "I hate to think that... nevermind. ... Did I scare them?"

Time doesn't look her way as he inspects the 'damage'. "Who? My boys? Yes, but I had assumed that would be a given. It's not everyday The Night Mother leaves her den, let alone to bark orders at another, formerly claimed, rival."

"Oh. No, I mean..." She trails off, glancing towards Four and Wind, but it clicks. Last thing a mother wants is her child being scared of her. Especially when trying to rekindle a relationship.

Time knows this. She had asked the same question the first she visited. He was just trying to distract.

He sighs. "It takes time. They witnessed the murder of three people when we found them. You can't expect them to be trusting. It took us weeks. They still act guarded around Warrior and Wild. Although the latter seemed to have given them enough sweets to lower their guard. Give it time. They're a good kid."

“Right... right, sorry." Hesper looks away. "Patience... you'd think I'd be better at that. Not in this case, apparently."

"You're scared." Time says bluntly. "You're efficient and you're used to instant results."

He also looks away from her. "This is beyond your comfort zone. You're not in control and you don't like it. ...The kid can feel it. There's no harm in being honest with yourself."

(Said the biggest hypocrite.)

She chuckles a bit. "Vulnerability around the wrong people can risk everything in this line of work, Link. I was trained to be a book no one wants to read. As much as I want to, I don't know how to be honest."

"Would you consider your child to be 'the wrong person'?" Time asks point blank. "Even if you don't know, I suggest you start learning. The kid would know when you're lying."

Hesper's eyes widen as she realizes what she implied, and it's like a switch flips. The professional killer and businesswoman vanishes, leaving the nervous mother scrambling behind.

"I didn't mean that, I-! Oh, why would I even suggest that..." She tucks a stray strand of hair back, blows out a breath. "Alright, I see your point. ... Any advice on how to start?"

The switch flip shocks Time more than he's willing to let on. If he allowed himself to think it, she appears just as any mother would

It's a shame she could end them all in an instant.

But he sees the trust where it's placed. At this point he knows her child better than she does.

Time smiles. "Ask them questions. What's their favorite toy? Their favorite show? They've been trying to paint recently. Draw with them. With time, they'll feel better around you. Just don't take it to heart if the boys join in. It's the most excitement we've gotten in a long time, and they love them."

Not to mention it's been helping the kid feel more at ease. But he won't say that. No need to rub salt on the wound.

"Painting?" Hesper feels a memory stir in the back of her mind; she had always wanted to... she quickly pulls away from the memory before she can get lost in it, and smiles back. "I think I have a set of paints back home, actually. I'll have to bring them next time I come over... Thank you, Time, that helps a lot."

Time raises an eyebrow, trying to tease her gently. “Oh, are we back to that? And here I thought I heard you actually call me by my name?”

She pauses and he laughs a little. He won’t push her. She’s flustered enough. He nods, turning to her at last. "You're welcome and please do. Let me know if you need a room. I'm sure we can clear space."

"Ah- a room?" She laughs a little, looking... flushed? Interesting. Time doesn’t comment on that either. "You've done so much already, I don't want to impose. It's still your house."

Time chuckles. "Well it just so happens to be a very big house. It'll just be a play room of sorts. Neutral ground for the child."

He'd do anything to make sure they feel safe. Of course, they may need more furniture for it.

"Oh! In that case, I'd be happy to help with it! I can bring some things in... after I've asked what they'd want in one... it could be their dream playroom!" She pauses, smiling sheepishly. "I-if that's okay with you."

Time chuckles and allows the way she blushes at the sound to please him deep in his bones. It’s been a long time since he’s seen a woman blush as delicately as she does. He allows her to stay for longer than usual that night.

With their guard higher than usual, the boys still refuse to complain to their boss about the changes. The child doesn’t notice much of a difference as everyone gets into another change in their routines. They keep learning the little curriculum they have and the chain tries their hardest to keep things as normal as possible.

It grows increasingly harder the more they see Time and The Night Mother spend longer and longer talking to one another. However, they can tell that something is happening between the two of them, even if neither of them is going to say anything anytime soon.

Autumn turns colder and winter approaches. That’s when trouble decides to come back to bite them.

It’s on the further side of the border this time. Ganon and his band of no good ruffians are making claims against The Chain again. This is not something they’re unfamiliar with, but they’re going to have to be smarter about this than in the past. They can’t risk having trouble on their side so close to their home when they have the children to think about.

The Shadow Queen has had enough of their funny business. Apparently she’s had a few run-ins with the son of Calamity Ganon but refused to elaborate when Time asked.

Wild was furious.

Calamity Ganon was the whole reason his family was dead- and yet his son gets to live?

Time had to remind him that no matter how much he deserved and was willing to attack, Ganon was more powerful than they were and he gained his power for a reason. This was not the time for rash decisions. Even if he secretly agreed with Wild’s logic.

Hesper had taken a few hits too many and told them that she was going to fight the man anyway. She asked them to stay behind while she pushed him back enough to remind him that he wasn’t the only King Pin around.

She stopped visiting as often.

Time didn’t want to admit it but he had actually grown to miss her. Dare he say, he wanted her with him instead. But he has a duty to his boys, his little girl and the child she entrusted to him to keep safe.

He couldn’t risk joining in on the fight.

It was dark already when he heard it.

Time had already tucked the child to bed and was checking the locks on the doors when he heard a solid thunk just beyond the wooden frame.

The sound causes him to pause and hesitate.

He undoes the locks and steps outside, keeping his weapon out just in case and- “Hesper?”

Blood.

Lots of it.

She’s on the pavement and not moving.

Time drops his weapon and runs to her side. His heart is instantly pounding in his chest as he picks her up and brings her inside the base. He puts her in the spare room they’ve kept clean for unsuspecting visitors but it’s about to get very messy.

Time hurries and wakes up Hyrule and gets Warrior, the two most versed in first aid as he scrambles to get the needed equipment for her to be treated.

He’s furious.

His heart beats rapidly and furiously. His own blood rushes through his body at breakneck speeds. It’s the only thing he can hear right now aside from his breath.

He’s so angry.

Hesper could have been followed.

Hesper had just brought the war she so desperately wanted to keep away from her child right to their doorstep.

Hesper could have asked for help.

Time would have given her the assistance needed then.

He forces himself to slow down.

Didn’t he just admit to himself that he couldn’t take that kind of risk?

He tries to stay out of the room and out of the way of those who actually know how to help her. As luck would have it, most of the blood on her wasn’t her own. As luck would further have it, Warrior was in tune enough with this line of work that he asked the same questions Time had when she was lucid enough to speak.

She was not followed.

She had killed Ganon and the last of his goons. The territory was now up for grabs. Something Warrior had gladly taken note of.

Hesper hadn’t slept in days.

Time had taken note of that.

Lastly, when Hyrule asked about coming here instead of back to her own place, she mentioned wanting to tell the good news but felt tired. So tired. She was going to turn back so no one would be worried any more. They should rest easy.

She fell asleep soon after that.

Time growls but thanks the two boys for their help, asking them to keep quiet about her arrival and to merely go get some rest after their hard work.

Time finds that he can’t sleep that night.

In fact, Hesper stays asleep for a long time. Days pass. Time finds himself worrying more over her well being than the rest of the responsibilities that he has to take care of. He’s lucky that the boys can more than handle themselves. But the child-.... Her child. He had to think of what to tell them.

By the fourth night, Time finds himself sitting by his desk with his head in his hands. It’s been another sleepless night. Dawn breaks and Time can hear the door of the room opening. There’s a small thunk and a muted curse. After a faint pained hiss, he hears the same floor board that always creaked when stepped on wrong. A pause and then it creaks further, slower- as if trying to avoid the sound from happening at all.

Time gets up, keeping his walk as calm as possible as he goes to confront her. He can see Hesper get to the stairs and begin her descent despite her bandages and bruises. He doesn’t want to make things worse between them but there’s frost on the ground now and if she left now she would most likely get sick with her injuries. For some reason, that only gives him more incentive to keep her here.

"Going somewhere?" Time speaks from behind her. He's leaning against the wall, his arms are crossed and an eyebrow is raised.

He does not look happy.

Hesper winces, looking back very slowly.

She can see why the boys hate this look.

She looks back down, deeming silence the best course of action over the responses 'no' and 'I'm sorry'.

His glare only hardens. "I asked you a question."

Okay, not the best course of action. "No..."

"Incredible." Time gets off of the wall, still glaring. "Going nowhere and yet you're out of bed and sneaking around my house like some rebellious teenager."

He begins to walk toward Hesper with purpose. "Get back there. Now. We need to talk, since you're finally lucid."

In a panic, she scrambles back up onto the bed as best as she can, squeaking in surprise when Time effortlessly hoists her up the rest of the way.

She has not genuinely feared the outcome of a conversation in a while, but this one definitely scared her the most.

Time keeps his arms by her sides, caging her in. He lowers his voice to a whisper, but he's obviously livid.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He hisses.

"I-" I wanted to see you. Oh no, she can't say that. She knows better than to say that. But what else can she say?? "I-I was going to do a quick check and leave-"

"Leave?!"

Time pushes himself away from her to pace the room. He makes a rash circle before coming back to the previous position. His hands grip the bed sheet until his knuckles turn white.

"What do you expect me to tell your child then?" Something in his eyes turns sharp and desperate. Like an animal. "Or Twilight. Or Wild. Or Hyrule. Or Warrior. Or Legend. Or Sky. Or Four. Or Wind."

He gulps, almost pushing himself into her face but holding back. "What were you thinking?! You could have died."

I could have lost you, sits on the tip of his tongue. But it's too soon. Too raw.

Blood on his hands- Ganon's, hers- haunts him.

He hasn't been able to sleep this entire time.

"... I'm sorry." There’s a line down one cheek, then the other. She takes a breath that hurts for too many reasons. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't... I wasn't..."

She hadn’t cried since her husband died.

Time's face crumples and his impossibly tight grip grows tighter.

He hangs his head and takes a deep breath. As he lets it go his whole body relaxes. Not looking up, Time reaches for her hand and gently, slowly, hesitantly, laces their fingers together.

"You scared me." Time admits. "Don't do it again."

Hesper sniffles, wiping at her eyes with her free hand (the one laced with his unconsciously squeezes it). "I know... I'm sorry..."

"...You've been unconscious for days." Time's voice wavers slightly. His grip on her hand also tightens- albeit more gently than how he gripped the bed sheets. It's tender.

"Everybody's been worried sick."

He crumples fully. Finally,

His head lands on her lap.

"The child asks for you. They know you're here. They ask me 'papa, when can I see mama? When is mama gonna wake up?' and I can't answer them."

He makes no movement for breathing, but her knee starts to feel cold and wet. "What was I supposed to tell them?"

A hand brushes through his hair after a moment. Gently and methodically untangling the knots, rubbing his shoulder.

"... You sacrifice a lot for them... no wonder they all love you so much." I love you too. Hesper sniffles quietly, smiling a little. "You should rest, Time. I can take it from here."

"....You're more insane than I thought." He mutters.

He lifts his head up, ignoring the tears running down his face. No one has seen him cry. He also hasn't cried in years.

"If you failed to notice, you were hardly capable of staggering out of the room. Let alone taking it over." He stands and wipes his face. "I'll send one of the boys up...and the child...It's ...only fair..."

He sniffles, fixing his face.

"You'll be taken care of here, I promise."

He leans in, caging her in gently once more before he pauses.

What was he about to do?

Time blinks, unsure of himself suddenly, uncharacteristically.

"I'll... go get them.."

"... Right." She nods, looking down. She lets his fingers slip away from hers slowly, then suddenly grabs his hand again before he can leave.

"... Hesper?"

She feels her heart flutter. She likes hearing him say her name.

"Promise... promise me you'll rest afterwards. Please." She asks softly, timidly... but she doesn't think it's the soft mom side of her talking. Or the assassin.

Time's eyes also soften.

In a fluid motion, he adjusts her grip, bringing her hand up to leave a kiss on her knuckles. "Yes, My Queen."

He looks up with a subtle wink, and lets her hand go.

He has to tell Wild to make food and for Twilight to bring the child and for Legend to find Hesper some clothes to change into. And he has to make sure that the budgets are in order and that the defense system is running...

Then rest. Maybe.

The child comes running to him a few (many) hours after he sends them up to Hesper with Twilight.

"Mama says it's bedtime for you, Papa." They find his shirt and tug on it. "You promised."

Time blinks, swaying slightly as he bends to pat the child on the head. "Is that so?"

He feels so tired.

"Did you talk to mama?"

"Mmhm! She was too tired to play tag, so we painted and talked for a while before she had to sleep again. She told me to make you go to bed too because she knew you were still up." The child takes his hand now, tugging insistently. "Come on, Papa, you have to sleep."

Time chuckles quietly and lets the child lead him through the house. It’s only when he realizes that the child begins to lead him to Hesper’s room that he digs his heels in. "Bubba, she's still hurt. I could make it worse by accident. It's better if I sleep in my own bed."

"Oh... but she wanted to see you. She asked Twilight about you."

Time winces, unknowingly letting his emotions betray him.

"Um... but..."

He can't think of a reason to not go.

The child grins and takes the queue to keep dragging him into the room where their mother is sleeping. Time smiles at the sight. It appears a little someone had tucked a teddy bear under her arm. The small child feels around for the bed before they begin to climb in. Time sighs, picking the child up. "Bubba- you should go to sleep too. I don't think there's enough room for all of us."

"Aw, okay. Maybe next time we can snuggle." The child pouts a bit, but accepts it.

Time chuckles, carrying the child away and to their room. "It's past your bedtime anyway, bubba. We'll see how mama's doing tomorrow."

And not because he nearly kissed her earlier and held her hand, twice. He was the one to clean her up and bring her in. He wants her recovery to be as perfect as possible.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Hesper had been awake enough to hear them both. She finds herself lost in her thoughts afterwards.

Mother never believed in getting attached.

She had trained Hesper to plan, to sneak, to kill, to run a business, to run from the law.

And yet Mother forgot the most important lessons.

What are you supposed to do when you get attached?

Knowing her, she would say cut your losses. Get rid of your feelings before they grow out of control.

Well, too late for that one.

Hesper sighed at the ceiling, still holding onto the stuffed bear from her baby.

Family was one thing. She would never regret that attachment.

... But what about a lover? She knew the sting of losing one; she couldn't bear it a second time.

Not with someone so wonderful. So powerful.

So utterly terrifying.

It was too late to leave Time... she'd already tried. It might’ve been the biggest mistake of her life. It would've meant so much more than leaving a person, it would be abandoning her child again, abandoning the humanity she just found.

... Why did she even try to leave? Was she afraid? Afraid of attachment, admitting weakness?

... Afraid of Time?

She shook her head, even if she was the one who asked. She wasn't afraid of him. She loved him. Time meant so much to her. Everyone in this house did.

... This house was her Achilles Heel.

... She should leave. For their safety.

Hesper grips the bedsheets. If she grips hard enough, she can feel Time's warmth there still.

A warmth she couldn’t bear to leave.

In the other room, Time sets the child to rest, finally. Three bedtime stories later and two lullabies and they fell asleep. Their chest expands and deflates with every deep breath.

He sighs.

He's so tired.

Time leaves the room, softly shutting the door and banking to the left. He's not entirely sure why, but he's heading back.

He has to see her. He has to know that she's ok. That she really did wake up.

He doesn't bother knocking.

He grabs the door knob and turns it quietly, in case she's asleep and opens it.

His heart is pounding in his chest and he feels as if he could throw up at any minute.

Is she gone? Is she still there? Is she hurting? Is she dead?

He can feel himself spiraling.

He's just there to check, he tells himself. Nothing more, nothing less.

Hesper looks up from the bear in her lap.

"... You're still awake?" It comes out much softer than anticipated.

Time blinks, sagging from the release of his anxiety.

"I could ask the same to you." He replies just as softly. "The child said you were sleeping."

"I was. Just woke up." She watches him a moment, then moves over, patting the now open space on the bed. "Come lay down. You need to sleep."

Time's eyes soften as he moves into the room. "You're still injured. I doubt that's wise."

He bends next to the bed, resting his arms over it. "How're you feeling?"

"A lot better, but I don’t feel like trying to walk at this time of night." Hesper rests against the headboard. "How are you feeling?"

Time hums. "Better, now that you're here."

He blinks. That was more honest than he was intending.

"A bit tired, but nothing a good nap won't fix."

He doesn't want to be checking her out, but he can't help the way his eyes fitter over the injures he knows are under the blankets.

"The child is asleep now." He tells her. "Took longer than usual."

Hesper chuckles softly. "I think they know how tired we are. Before I fell asleep, they suddenly stopped painting and insisted I go to bed. Tucked me in and everything."

Time snorts, resting his head on his arms. "They do the same to Warrior and Legend. They always seem to know. I see you have Charlie with you... They love that bear. It was the first one we got for them. Although Mr. Wiggles is their ultimate favorite."

"Charlie, huh?" Hesper admires the bear with a gentle smile. "Well, it’s nice to meet you, Charlie. You almost look like the blue bear I got them as a baby... could never get them to let it go."

Time chuckles, smiling softer. "Really now?"

This is cute. Time finds his eyes closing.

"They must have been a cute baby."

"Cutest in the world..." Hesper looks over. She can tell he's falling asleep. "... Come to bed. Please?”

Time doesn't even register that she speaks.

He reaches for her hand and promptly passes out.

Hesper snorts softly, taking his hand.

"That's going to hurt tomorrow." She squeezes his hand. "Sleep well, Time."

She stays awake a little longer, watching Time as he sleeps. Eventually, he turns, falling off of his seat and straight to the floor. Hesper laughs and finds herself relaxed enough to fall asleep again at last.

Hesper wakes up first and finds that Time is still on the floor of the room. She can’t help but laugh again at his expense. The sound wakes him up.

"Sleep well?" She’s in a teasing mood this morning. And doing terribly at stifling her laughter.

Time sits up slowly, running an internal diagnostic check.

Everything seems to be functioning. No pain outside of what he's used to. No hangover or side effects that he can recognize.

He turns to Hesper.

"Well...this is certainly one of the better places I've woken up face flat in."

He sent a dashing smile. "Good morning gorgeous."

She giggles, ducking partially against the bed. "Good morning, handsome. Suppose the floor is better than propped up against the bed. I feared for your back."

Time grunts, twisting so that his entire spine can pop like rock candy. "I've dealt with worse. Better bent over-"

You know what. He's not going to finish that sentence. He forgot he's in "polite" company. "What about you? Sleep well? Have any pain?"

Hesper hums. "No, no pain. Have some energy back, too. Given my track record for healing, I wouldn’t be surprised if I was up and walking again soon."

Time smiles genuinely. "Good. ...Good! That's great!"

"What about you? Feeling a little better after your nap?" Hesper chuckles, brushing hair from his face.

Time tilts his head into her touch. "I always feel better when I'm around you."

He smiles and gets up. "I'll get your food. I'll be right back."

"Okay. I'll be waiting." Hesper smiles as he leaves... then realization hits like a bucket of ice water.

Were they flirting? Is that okay??

She shakes her head. No way. They're just being playful. He couldn’t possibly-

Time leaves the room, feeling giddy for the first time since he was a boy.

Wild is already up, plates of food on the table, waiting to be claimed by whoever wakes up first.

"Good morning." Time takes two plates without hesitation. "Any updates on the matter of-"

"None that I'm aware of." Wild flips more food onto the next plate. "Who died that made you so happy?"

"No one." Time shrugs. "Hesper is recovering."

"....Is that all?:

"She called me handsome." Time turns on his heel to go back. "I'll let you know if there's any need for updates."

"Yessir."

Time returns to the scene of Hesper talking softly with her baby.

"Hm? Oh look, Papa's back." Hesper grinned.

"Morning, Papa!" The child waved, Hesper gently nudging them so they waved at him and not the wall.

Time can feel his heart swell at the sight.

"I brought breakfast." Time rotates the plates, handing one to Hesper as he sits on the bed.

"Thank you, Time." She smiles and takes the plate. She proceeds to share it with her child, who doesn't need to know there's only two plates.

"Does papa have food?" They ask before they take a bite.

"Yes, bubba. I have food." Time chuckles quietly.

"Eat as much as you like." Hesper encourages the child as she feeds them another bite.

They smile, eating happily.

Time eats silently, watching Hesper be a mother after so long of having to figure it out on the fly.

He finishes and puts the plate on his lap.

"Oh? All finished?"

"Mmhm!" The child hops off the bed. "I'm gonna go play with Wind, he's gonna teach me how to fly a kite!"

"Aw, a kite?" Hesper smiles. "You'll have to teach me how to get better."

"Okay, Mama!" And with that, they run out of the room, leaving the two adults alone.

Time smiles, nudging Hesper with his knee. "Your turn. Eat."

He's already done with his food.

"I am, I am." Hesper chuckles as she eats. "And before you scold me about the portion, I don't eat much on injuries. Can't stomach as much, for some reason."

Time raises an eyebrow. "I wasn't going to say too much. Having not eaten in three days can stretch out your stomach significantly when you do. I wasn't expecting you to eat much anyway. As long as you eat something."

"... Oh." Hesper blinks, clearly not expecting that one. Stunned by his calm (and intelligence), she finishes her meal quietly and wills herself not to blush.

Time takes her plate without any other comment. "I'm sure it's boring being on bed rest but unfortunately, there's little I can personally do to remedy that. The best I can do is get the boys to move you to the play room. I'm sure the child would be more than happy to spend the day with you. They've been wanting your attention for a while now."

Her eyes go soft on him. "Really? You already do so much, I don't want to strain you boys too much..."

But he already knows she'd love that more than anything.

Time snorts. "I've never been shy about putting them to work- but I don't think they'd complain as much if it has to do with you."

He winks, already taking out his phone. "I'll be back later and they'll be here in a jiffy."

Hesper giggles at that one. "Alright. Thank you, Time."

He smiles and leaves, intending to get to work without further delay.

Within minutes, Sky, Twilight and Warrior appear by the door.

"Good morning! Glad to see you awake, at last."

"Glad to be awake." Hesper chuckles. "I hear we're going to the playroom."

"That's correct." Warrior nods. "Ready when you are."

"Think I'm as ready as I can be."

Warrior and Twilight nod. They each move to the side, picking her up. Sky moves to support her back while the other two hold her up as she sits on their shoulders.

"Onward!"

Hesper helps as much as she can to get herself carried over to the playroom, but she can't help but joke about feeling special. Soon enough, she's settled in the playroom, and she thanks the three boys for their troubles.

It's at about this time that the child rushes in, leaves and twigs tangled in their hair.

"Oh, bubba, you have a few things stuck in your hair." Hesper chuckles. "Can I help you get them out?"

"Mama? Can you walk??"

"No, the boys brought me over so we could play."

"Oh! Yeah, I wanna play!"

"Can I help you with your hair first?"

"Sure, lemme get my brush!"

That was later in the autumn. Eventually Hesper got better and returned to her own house. It dawned on Time that the child they shared should have gone to her house by now but neither made an effort to correct the issue. Hesper was in no way healed enough to take care of the child 24/7 and she had yet to bring it up either.

By the time Hespered remembered the second half of the deal they made back in early summer, she had a new problem to deal with.

She was on her way to her scheduled appointment at the Chain Base, ready to chew Time out when her foot bumped something. A baby. On her doorstep.

There was a note on the top of the little baby’s chest.

For some reason, Hesper already gathered that this was her mother’s doing.

Hesper picked up the baby right away, regardless of potential risk. His face twisted as if he was crying, fat tears ran down his cheeks... but he made no sound. Not a single peep.

She bounced him gently as she brought him inside, nudging the door shut with her foot. The poor boy was freezing. How long had he been out there? He could've died-

She heard the church of paper. Tucked in his swaddle was a note. She shifted him to one arm, opened the note with her free hand.

He is of no use to me. Perhaps you will find use for him in that little waste of time you call a family.

... She crumpled the note in her fist, knuckles turning white.

She'd never wanted to kill her mother before.

She was lucky the baby came first.

She calls Time and says she's going to be late

"Late? Why?"

"... My mother left me a present."

Hesper wasn’t about to disappear on her own baby though, and decided that after the two year old was fed, washed and properly warmed, she would still go visit. And maybe ask for some help. Again.

Hesper knocked on the door, texting Time to come out alone. He does so, no questions asked. Hesper doesn’t have the forethought to think through that level of trust.

Time stares for a minute before he speaks. "You know.... I'm sure your mother would have said something first if she wanted grandchildren so badly... I didn't think we were moving that slowly."

The little boy stares at him curiously, blue eyes wide and bright.

"Better us than a woman who'd leave him in the cold for... who knows how long." Hesper cradles his head close to her chest. He smiles and nuzzles it. "He's mute. I didn't even know he was out there until I opened the door. I hope he doesn't get sick."

Time flexes his jaw and nods. "Wild can get the kid some warm milk. I'll see about running to the store for emergency supplies. Food, diapers, blankets and maybe a car seat. We can figure out the rest later."

"Thank you." Hesper looks down at him again. He's taken to looking around again, taking in the strange new world around him. "... I was thinking his name should be Sol. His smile is so bright."

"And here I was thinking it was for the bright blond baby hair he's sporting." Time chuckles, leaning over to run his hand over the baby's head.

Time grabs his keys, instantly texting a message on his phone. "I'll be back. Make yourself comfortable. Wild should be working on the food as we speak. I'll get the boys to make a list of other items we'd need."

He heads to his car, unlocking and opening it without missing a beat. "We'll take care of him."

Sol reaches towards Time, clenching and unclenching his little fist.

"Yeah, that's Time." Hesper whispers to him with a smile. "He's the papa here. He's such a sweetheart~"

"Hesper?" Sky asks as he opens the door. "Are you ok? I've never seen Time leave in such a rush."

Sol and Sky meet eyes at the same time. Sol offers a toothy grin, while Hesper offers a sheepish smile.

"I'm fine... Sky, meet Sol."

Sky's jaw drops and it's visible, the way he scrambles to form a coherent thought. "...Congratulations."

He clears his throat and opens the door wider. "I wasn't aware you were expecting.... like at all..... whose child is that?"

He tries to backtrack. "Not that it wouldn't be yours... or that there's multiple possibilities of fathers- it's just you were here last week... and you visit regularly and nothing was ever mentioned-"

Help him, he's rambling.

Hesper covers his mouth, chuckling. "He's my brother, Sky. Not my son. But I'm taking charge of him now. Does that help?"

Sky's mouth shuts with a soft click and he nods. "Yes....It does. ....Do you want to come in?"

"Yes, please." Hesper chuckles, finally stepping into the house.

Sky coughs and lets her in. He lifts his hand to his mouth and calls out. "Her royal highness has arrived!"

"HESPER!" Wind calls out from beyond the house. Multiple footsteps follow suit. The patter against the hardwood. "Good morning Your Majesty!"

Hesper laughs. "Good morning! I brought my little brother today, hope you don't mind!"

Sol merely grins at the sudden multiplication of boys, waving and bouncing in Hesper's arms.

The boys cheer as they come to say their greetings.

Twilight shakes his head. "Does he need anything immediate?"

"No, I have it covered." Hesper chuckles as Sol wiggles around. "I think he might want to play, though."

"How little is Mama's brother?" The blind child asks and Hesper crouches down.

"Littler than you, bubba." Hesper guides the child's hand to Sol's, and they gasp as his little fingers grasp theirs.

"Is he a baby?" At Hesper's confirmation, her baby gets excited. "Baby brother! Let's go play!!"

By the time Time returns, he finds all of his boys crowded around the woman and infant as they all try to get the baby to laugh. It is clear that while the baby smiles widely, he makes no sound.

When the commotion dies down and little Sol has enough to keep him steady for a week or two, Time gets the answers to the questions he didn’t ask earlier as Hesper explains all that she knows.

They talk for hours.

It’s a long time before either of them realizes what time it is.

It’s decided to revisit the earlier and let the blind child stay with Time and his boys for a little longer while Hesper tries to get her life together with her little brother in her own house.

It begins to snow outside.

Hesper stays the night.

No one’s sure when it happens but Hesper has fully integrated herself into their dynamic and she comes over nearly everyday.

They have a party for new years and naturally, she’s invited.

Most of the boys take to entertaining the children as they time counts down. The older ones, including Hesper, open the wine cabinet for a glass or two. Or more. Much more.

Time and Hesper have ended up on the bed next to each other as the clock slowly ticks down, neither caring much about the commotion happening down below as the boys no doubt begin to rough house. It’s nice actually.

A bit loud- but it’s family.

….This is they’re family.

They're talking, laughing, and then they're closer than they should be, being openly soft and vulnerable.

It slips out of Hesper first. She didn't mean to say it.

"I think I love you, Time."

Time abruptly stops laughing, staring at her for a moment.

He just stares. No more laughter. No reaction.

A hand comes up to stop her from leaving if she gets up. Slowly, it moves to cup her cheek. "Do you mean that?"

She can't help it; she holds his hand there with her own. It's so warm, so right, even as she worries she may have ruined their relationship. "... Every word but 'think'."

"Outstanding." Time runs his thumb over her cheek. "I would have said the same thing."

Hesper pauses, the train of acceptance derailed. She was the one staring now, at his eyes, his smile. "... Really?"

Time grins. It's boyish and uncaring. "Yes, really. Darling, you're stunning."

She laughs, a melody he thinks only he's ever heard. "What does that mean?"

Time scoots a little bit closer. "I see you... and I'm awestruck...star struck even. I forget to breathe. I forget to think. I forget myself. Everything in that moment is you. Only you. And your beauty, your wit, your talent. You are breathtaking."

They're close all over again, but it's intentional now. Maybe they're even closer than before. Hesper chuckles softly as she tries to find the words to reply, forehead coming to rest against his. "I'd argue you're the breathtaking one here. And the witty one. Somehow you know just what to say to leave me speechless. And... it's a wonderful feeling. ... You’re wonderful, Time."

Hesper wasn’t sure who leaned forward first. All she really knew is after a moment of resting her forehead there, staring into those brilliant blue eyes, she had glanced down, and then their lips connected.

It was soft. Short, simple, and sweet. Hesper almost couldn't believe it had happened, if not for the warmth it left behind. Slowly, one became two, and two became three, each one just a little longer than the last. Just another moment. Just a little deeper. Just a little sweeter.

Because all the time in the world just wasn't enough.

"Happy New Year, Mama!" Hesper’s baby exclaimed into the moment, running over to the pair. Hesper chuckled softly, reaching down to ruffle her child's hair.

"Happy New Year, My Darling."

Time thinks he might be drunk. But he's not sure if it's from the liquor or the kisses. He sits up and picks up the child. "Come 'ere you!"

Only to mercilessly tickle them.

"Happy new year bubba."

"Happy New Year, Papa." The child giggles, getting cozy between the two. Soon Sol has joined the party, clambering into their laps and pointing at the pretty lights hanging everywhere.

'Stars!' He signs with a grin.

"They do look like stars, huh Sol?" Hesper chuckles, kissing his head. "Good eye~"

Time snorts. "Yes, that's true. They do look like stars."

He's looks at Hesper though- trying to get a glimpse of her eyes once more.

He's not thinking straight. Something is telling him to leave- the vulnerability is dangerous. She is the Shadow Queen. The Night Mother. She can end his whole empire with a single stroke of her finger...

And yet he kissed her. He wants to kiss her again. He wants to never stop kissing her.

Her eyes are sparkling in the lights, warm and stunning as ever. She watches her kids run off again as Wind mentions sparklers and fireworks, and nods at Twilight as he goes to supervise.

And then she's looking at him again. How could this woman be the Night Queen? It just didn't fit.

"Interested in the fireworks?" She smiles, and the lights in her eyes dare to shine a little brighter for him.

"You could say that." Time smiles and holds out his arm. "Care to join me?"

"I'd be delighted." Hesper grins, taking his arm as they go outside.

Time's smile seems to widen as he leads her through his house.

The boys are busy shooting firecrackers and sparklers and getting the children to join in the fun. Sol runs around wildly with two sparklers, chased by Four who also has two. Both spot Time and Hesper at the same time and run over to offer them one of their sparklers.

"Oh, for me? Thank you, Four." Hesper chuckles, taking the sparkler.

"No problem."

Sol grins, bouncing a little as he extends his sparkler to Time.

Time nods, taking it gently. "Thank you, Sol. Go play."

He ruffles his hair and pats his shoulder to send him off. He stands and waves the sparkler through the air. He makes a heart and strikes a line through it. Like an arrow.

Hesper giggles from his side and makes a heart with their initials in the middle, like she's a schoolgirl doodling in her notebook. She follows it up with several tiny hearts.

"Now all that's missing is a stick figure wedding." She jokes.

Time wraps his arm around her hips, pulling her flush against his body. He presses his ear next to her ear. “Or we can just have the real thing.”

Hesper’s heart starts beating rapidly. She turns to him, not sure if it’s her heart or the liquor that does the talking but she kisses him again. “I’d like that.”

Time smirks and kisses her back, dropping his sparkler in the process. He can’t help it.

Behind them, back in the house, the clock strikes midnight, the beginning of the new year- and their new lives.

#linked universe #linkeduniverse #blind child #mafia! chain #modern au

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