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ad1thi · 4 years

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frequent (emergency room) flyer | AU-gust Day 6: Hospital AU

AU-gust masterlist

i wrote this a while back, and a couple of people seemed interested in more, so here is another piece in that AU. tagging @m-e-i-c-h-a-n, @severelytinyeagle and @warmachinesocks (who was the original prompter) and im sorry if you asked for a continuation and didn’t get tagged. note: this can be read a stand-alone fic (but reading the original ficlet will help)

I’m begging you, please help me out here and get me something edible, I’m so tired of hospital food (from this prompt list)

After his first visit, Bucky isn't expecting to see Tony again. Despite how garish the burns had looked on his arms, the actual injury itself had thankfully not been that bad - and Tony only needed to come in one more time for a check in, just to make sure everything was healing well. It was a short visit, nothing to write home about and Bucky privately wished that the injuries had been a bit more severe.

Not too severe, because he didn't want Tony hurting himself, but severe enough that it warranted a couple more visits. Of course he kept that particular inclination to himself, because it wasn't normal to want your crush to be hurt and it was unbecoming for a doctor to want an injured patient, but it was there - in the back of his mind.

When Steve pages him a month later and tells him that he's got a repeat customer, and he ducks into A&E to see a familiar mop of hair; he's secretly pleased.

"What are we looking at?" he asks Steve, holding his hand out for the chart. Steve passes it over with a grim face, "His roommate brought him in. He was unconscious. Apparently he's been locked up in his lab for the past week, and when his roommate went to check on it - he was slumped against his desk. We managed to get him conscious again, and it looks like a case of a lack of food and drink."

Instantly, Bucky regrets the way he felt when he first found out that Tony was back in A&E. He nods sharply at Steve, and pulls back the curtain to see a pale Tony on the bed, and a black kid who can't be more than a few years older than Tony standing near the side of the bed.

"Bucky!" he croaks when he looks up, lips stretching out into a wide smile. He pulls at the black kid's sweater, "Rhodey look - it’s Bucky!"

"I can see that Tones," Rhodey says in a wry tone, and holds his hand out for Bucky to shake. "James Rhodes, but this punk likes to call me Rhodey."

"Doctor James Barnes," he says back, "also cursed with a bestfriend who gives out terrible nicknames. You must be James the original."

Tony gives him an indecipherable look, "You remembered."

Bucky can't tell him that he's played the weekend that Tony was in the hospital in his mind on repeat, revisiting the memories like they’re treasure, so instead he clears his throat and asks, "So what brings you to my neck of the woods this time?"

Tony opens his mouth to reply, but Rhodey beats him, "He doesn't know how to eat. Don't even start with me Tones you know it's true. Doctor," he turns to Bucky with pleading eyes, "maybe you can knock some sense into him. Explain to him that human beings need sustenance three times a day and they can't survive on coffee and ramen."

Bucky frowns, "You've only been having ramen and coffee? Tony you need vitamins, you need protein. While it's possible that you just fainted because of hunger, I'm going to keep you around for a couple of days. Run some tests to make sure you haven't given yourself scurvy."

His lips twist into a pout, and Bucky has to tamp down the urge to lean down and kiss it off his face. "This is all your fault," he glares at Rhodey mulishly, "I'm stuck in a hospital instead of at my lab like I should be. All you had to do was splash some water on me and this whole thing could've been avoided."

"I did, you didn't wake up" Rhodey says, obviously not rising to Tony's bait. He oddly reminds Bucky of himself, back when Steve wasn't a hunkering man made of muscles and Bucky had to wrestle his four foot ass in bed because he couldn't go five steps without dissolving into a coughing fit. "Besides, what're you complaining about? Now you've got all this free time to ogle at the doctor you've been talking my ear off about for a month."

Tony's cheeks pink, and Bucky excuses himself before he does something he's going to regret.

(Like find out exactly what Tony's been saying about him to his bestfriend)

Thankfully, Tony doesn't seem to have any serious illnesses apart from a mild case of dehydration and malnutrition; but Bucky keeps him under observation to be sure just in case. He's heard horror stories of students cracking under the pressure at MIT and almost starving themselves to death, and he's got a special interest in making sure that Tony doesn't become one of those horror stories.

Besides, he's fairly certain that Tony can afford the medical bills.

The downside of Tony not being at high risk of death is that Bucky can't justify visiting him often. So he does the next best thing, he assigns Steve to Tony. It's standard hospital procedure to have a nurse dedicated to their VIP patients, and it soothes something inside Bucky to know that Stevie is looking out for him.

What he fails to take into account, is the fact that Steve and Tony are remarkably similar people, and are therefore bound to clash.

"I can't take it anymore!" Steve bursts into his office, interrupting what was promising to be an extremely rewarding fifteen minutes of sleep at his desk, "He's so - UGH!"

Steve tugs at his hair, and Bucky gestures at the couch in his office, wincing when Steve slumps against it face-first.

"Use your big boy words Stevie," he says in what he hopes is a calming tone, "Who's got you so worked out?"

"Your ickle Tony," Steve props his head up and says in a scathing voice, "Is the most infuriating person I have ever had the misfortune of meeting. It's like he wants to die. I don't know what you see in him Buck, honest to god, he drives me crazy."

"What did he do?"

"He refuses to eat!" Steve moans, but when he notices the expression on Bucky's face he backtracks a little, "He eats, but like ridiculously small amounts. His tray is never empty, and one time - I even caught him shovelling food under his plate to make it look like he'd eaten it. The kid is going to kill himself if he goes on like this."

Bucky wants to go over there right now, but he's got patients that can't wait. "I'll visit him after my rounds today," he promises, "find out what's going on."

When he enters the suite that they've put Tony in, he's in the middle of a very heated conversation on his phone. His skin is no longer pale, flushed full with colour, but he's still too skinny for Bucky's comfort.

"No Pep I -" he looks over when the door slides open, and his face transforms into a smile, "Bucky! Pep, let me call you right back."

Whoever it is on the other line is clearly not happy about Tony cutting the line on them because he hears the beginning of what sounds like yelling - but Tony ends the call before they can get anywhere. He cocks his head and bats his eyes at Bucky, "What can I do for my favourite doctor?'

"I'm your only doctor Tony," Bucky says with a chuckle, "Nobody else is willing to treat you." It isn't a lie, but it isn't the complete truth either. Bucky is Tony's only doctor, but only because he put dibs on any future Tony related visits. So it wasn't that nobody else was willing to treat Tony, it was more that Bucky wasn't willing to let anyone else treat Tony.

"So, what's this I hear about you not eating food? Keeping you under observation for malnutrition is counter-productive if you're not eating Tony." Tony frowns at that, his face twisting like he's had something sour.

He hears out and clasps Bucky's hands, looking up at him with wide eyes, "You have to help me. You gotta get me out of here. They keep trying to make me eat hospital food," he says 'hospital food' in a hushed tone, like he's worried Stevie is going to jump out with a tray and shove it down his throat.

(Knowing Stevie, it was completely possible)

"Tony," he says gently, "You have to eat. It's for your own good. You're dangerously low on vitamins and protein, and if we don't get that stuff in your system you could be running the risk of serious illness. Then you'll be shackled to a hospital room for the rest of your life, with no choice but to eat hospital food."

Tony contemplates that for a second, brows furrowing in concentration. "Okay, how about a compromise? I'll eat hospital food, two times out of the day, if you smuggle me in a cheeseburger for lunch."

"How about this? You eat hospital food all times of the day, and I'll buy you a cheeseburger when we discharge you?"

"You mean like a date?" Bucky suddenly becomes intimately aware that Tony is still holding his hand, "You asking me out on a date Doc?"

Bucky wants to say no, he knows that he's supposed to say no, but what comes out is, "Not yet."

Tony's face twists at that, before smoothening out in comprehension, "It's because I'm your patient isn't it. There's rules about this stuff, ethics or whatever."

"I could lose my license over it," Bucky admits, "not to mention that you're still in college."

"I'm a master's student," Tony says breezily, "I'm older than I look. I turn 22 this May. So how long?" Bucky makes a quizzical noise at him and he explains, "How long until it's okay for you to date a patient?"

"6 months," Bucky rubs the back of his neck with his free hand, "There's a bit of debate on it, but six months is pretty standard."

Tony nods, "I can do six months. I can wait six months."

"You have to stay out of the hospital for six months," Bucky says weakly, "No malnourishment, no lab accidents, you can't even get a scrape on your elbow, otherwise I could get written up."

"I can do that," Tony says confidently, and Bucky knows that he should talk him out of it, but he smiles toothily at Bucky, and he's gone, "I can wait six months for you. Can you?"

"Six months," Bucky says back, and it feels like a promise.

Fin

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dinfeanoriel · 4 years

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Hypothermia

Well, well, well, look who’s back? And with a little ficlet for you wonderful people! Enjoy!

~~~~~

Cold.

Ice cold.

Too cold.

Wild’s cornflower blues snapped open the instant his body registered the sheer and sudden drop in temperature only to find his vision completely shrouded by whiteness.

Snow, his mind helpfully supplied.

Ice particles shimmered and sparkled, snow compacted tightly around him. Blinding him.

He was buried..!

Wild’s mouth opened with a gasp, inhaling what little air he could get. He carefully shifted his arms, willing himself to remain calm and think of a way out of the mess he’d somehow gotten himself into.

Where in Hylia’s name was he? Had there been an avalanche? Last he remembered, he wasn’t exploring the mountains or any snowy regions.Then how did he end up here?

He started clawing his way upwards, his heart beating steadily and blood pumping. The freezing temp pierced through his skin, settling into his very bones and stealing him of what warmth his body sought desperately to maintain.

Hadn’t he been in a desert? He recalled being somewhere sandy. A lot of sand.

An island? There might have been an ocean too.

Taking stock of himself, Wild figured he couldn’t have been under the snow for more than a handful of minutes, maybe a little longer. He couldn’t wait to escape it either. He already longed to throw on his warmest gear and snow boots and devour the hottest meal he could whip up given his limited resources.

“-ey!”

Wild paused momentarily, bemusement crossing his face at the muffled voice he swore he heard calling from somewhere above.

“-ild!”

That was his name. Who else was there? Were they trapped to?

A burst of determination and strength flared to life within him at the thought, pushing him to move faster and break through the surface to help whoever was there.

“Can...ear...e?”

He’d love to respond, give them an answer, but as of this moment, he was a little incapacitated. It took only a few seconds for him to finally dig himself to freedom. He burst out, hands slapping palm-down on the mountain of snow and eyes darting about in search of his nameless companion. It was a useless endeavour. A thick and foreboding fog covered the area he found himself in, obscuring his vision and hiding everything within a three foot radius from view.

“Wild!” Relief coated the disembodied voice and Wild snapped his head to the right. He narrowed his eyes against the fog, piercing through until he caught sight of something...blue? “T-That you? You alright?”

Recognition flashed in Wild’s gaze and he scrambled the rest of the way out of the snow holding him hostage,

“C-Can you hear m-me?” The voice tried again, a tinge of worry seeping into the otherwise shuddering tone, “Sure h-hope that was y-you!”

“Warrior?” He called, trudging heavily towards where the scarf lay. He grunted when his foot was swallowed by some loose snow, causing him to trip and almost face-plant into the cold ground.

This...This was the reason why Wild held a profound hatred for snow.

“Wild!”

“Where are you?”

“H-How should I know?”

Wild rolled his eyes at the snarky reply. Warrior must be fine if he’s already sassing him.

“Why aren’t you moving?” It was a good question. Warrior’s voice floated his way, carried by the bitter breeze, never once moving closer or further away.

“C-Can’t,” Warrior responded, “Stuck.”

“Stuck?” Wild echoed, kneeling down and curling his fingers into the fabric of the scarf he’d found. He tugged at it, surprised when it moved with hardly any resistance. He was even more surprised to find it wasn’t attached to Warrior’s person. “I found your scarf,”

“T-Thank Hylia! Blew a-away! Thought it l-lost.”

Wild frowned at the short, fragmented, sentences. Warrior’s voice wavered and shook from what Wild interpreted as the cold and his concern for the Knight rose.

“Now to find you,” Wild muttered to himself, tucking the scarf safely into his pack. Thank goodness he’d kept it on him. He hastily rifled through it and flung on his warmest shirt, switching his regular boots for those fit for snow, “Keep talking!” He told Warrior, “I can pinpoint your location easier if you do!”

“I-I’ll t-try,” Warrior answered, and Wild strained his ears to hear him.

“How long were you calling to me?”

“D-dunno,” Warrior trailed off and Wild’s heart skipped a beat. He might be uninjured but he’d only know for sure once he found him. Wild had no recollection of what had taken place before waking so how was he to know whether or not they’d been attacked?

“Warrior!” Wild barked sharply.

“A w-while?”

“Was that a question or a statement?” Wild quipped with a faint smile, echoing the words Warrior often said to him.

“Both,” Warrior declared with forced conviction.

Wild blinked in confusion, “Whatever you say, Warrior,” He took a left, inching forward with caution. For all he knew, they could be on a mountain. Better safe than sorry. Wild had far too much experience in falling off cliffs and ledges. He cared little in repeating it. “Say, how are you stuck?”

“Buried. S-snow.” Warrior said, “H-hate snow.”

“From what I understand, you don’t have much experience with the cold or snowy regions,” Wild commented, urging Warrior to carry on their conversation. The sooner he found Warrior, the better.

“D-don’t h-have any w-where I’m from...” Warrior partially explained. “N-not m-meant for the c-cold.”

His stuttering was worsening, Wild observed with a troubled frown. How long had they been trapped?

“A-already s-soaked,” Warrior added as an afterthought and Wild’s brow creased.

“You’re already soaked?” He asked, hinting for clarification.

“W-was.” Warrior corrected in a quiet whisper. Wild almost didn’t hear him. If it weren’t for the breeze, he most likely wouldn’t have.

“You were already soaked.” The Hero nodded to himself, bafflement rising. “How so?”

“G-got dunked.”

Say what?

Wild shook his head in frustration, cursing his fragile mind. Why couldn’t it keep a tight grasp on important information or memories and never relinquish them?

He heaved a sigh, resigning himself to piecing together what little he knew. He did recall being near an ocean. Perhaps they were swimming and then got transported?

That sounded right... There was a ping of familiarity when Wild thought of it.

“Okay, okay,” He muttered to himself, forcing his way through the snow, “We can work with this.”

It was then he realized Warrior hadn’t spoken for a few seconds.

“Warrior?”

“S-st-still h-here...”

Hylia’s bane but he sounded awful. A small trace of fear festered in Wild’s heart, growing gradually the longer it took for him to find his wayward companion.

“Good, good. Can you hear me coming?”

“Y-yeah.”

So he was closer. Wild peered ahead and slumped with relief when he spotted green in the distance.

“I see you!” He made his way forward, running as best he could atop the snow. A golden head lifted and Wild saw a flash of blue when their gazes locked onto one another. Worry replaced Wild’s previous fear. Warrior looked pale. Almost blue. His teeth were chattering and his body trembled violently from the unforgiving cold. He was half buried under a heavy mound of snow and Wild discovered his companion had been caught in a small avalanche.

“H-hey, W-Wild,” Warrior weakly greeted when said Hero crashed to his knees beside him, surveying the snow and the trapped position the Knight was in.

Flakes fluttered past them, carried by the chilling wind. Some melted immediately when they came into contact with Wild’s skin, others clung fast.

“You look awful, Warrior,” Wild huffed, jabbing at Warrior’s typically polished looks. He was practically disheveled now.

Warrior managed a small laugh in response, head dropping forwards almost limply, tiredly.

“I c’n on-only i-im-imagine.”

Wild pursed his lips tightly together.

Exhaustion. Fatigue. Warrior’s energy and strength were fading fast.

He could only hope the hypothermia was only just now settling in. If worse came to worse, Wild prayed Warrior caught only a mild case of it. The only comfort he had was Warrior’s constant shivering and not-so-shallow breathing.

“Stay with me,” Wild urged, gripping Warrior’s ice cold hand in his own. He almost snapped his arm back from the sheer frostiness of the Knight’s skin.

“S’warm,” Warrior slurred, clutching his hand as tightly as he could. The little strength he could muster served to feed Wild’s increasing concern. His friend’s health was compromised and it would only keep declining the longer they lingered.

“I’m going to get you out of here,” Wild promised, determination blazing in his eyes. “Then we can-” He cut off with a curse. They couldn’t teleport. Even if they were in the Hebra Mountains, as he suspected, Wild knew the sudden shock of warmth would prove detrimental to Warrior. Especially when he took into account the state he was already in. “We can find a cave,” He settled with a swallow. He hoped there was one nearby.

Warrior hummed, cobalt blues drifting shut.

“Hey,” Wild tapped against his cheek. Warrior’s eyes fluttered halfway open. “Don’t fall asleep on me, alright?” He tried to keep his tone light, but Wild was inwardly afraid for Warrior’s life.

Warrior’s body certainly didn’t tolerate the cold. It didn’t help that he wasn’t wearing any clothes capable of combating the freezing temps. He was dressed in his Hero’s outfit. An outfit Wild realized was once drenched with water that had long-since frozen and now clung to Warrior’s glacial skin.

This went from bad to worse in two seconds and Wild wasn’t appreciative of it in the least.

Carefully shifting about, slipping from Warrior’s feeble hold, Wild quickly analyzed the miniature avalanche the Knight had gotten caught up in. He dove into work shoveling the Knight out, talking to him and drawing him into conversation. He said whatever came to mind, telling stories, sharing secrets, and coaxing Warrior into responding or describing some of his own experiences.

It didn’t take long until Warrior was finally free. To Wild, it felt to be an eternity. The minutes that passed were excruciating and Wild could only hope Warrior’s condition didn’t suffer because of them.

“Still with me?” Wild asked, nudging the Knight.

A groan of discomfort was his only response.

Well, that wasn’t at all reassuring. Wild bit his lip and turned Warrior onto his back. His worry returned full-force when he caught sight of the blue tinge the Knight’s lips had taken on. His complexion resembled that of a ghost’s and his shivering was dying down.

Alarmed, Wild quickly but carefully maneuvered the fatigued Warrior into a sitting position. The Knight, barely clinging to conscious, slumped heavily against him, head lolling. Wild sucked in a sharp breath.

“Hey, you can’t fall asleep on me, you hear?” He sternly ordered, slapping him lightly on the cheek.

Warrior blearily cracked his eyes open, head pillowed on Wild’s shoulder.

“S’hard...”

His speech was horribly butchered. Wild swallowed hard.

Stay with me, Warrior, he inwardly pleaded.

“We’re going to find a cave, alright?” He told Warrior, striving to keep him awake and alert. “You’re going to be fine.”

Was he?

Wild quashed the unwelcome thought. Where was Wind’s optimism when he needed it? Actually, where was everyone?

Wild refrained from cursing the Goddess. Why was the group separated at a time like this? If they’d been together, Warrior would have been freed earlier.

Or others might have been trapped alongside him...

Wild scowled, the corners of his lips curling back and teeth bared in displeasure.

“A-alr-right?” Warrior’s raspy voice drew Wild from his thoughts back to the Knight. He looked to find Warrior watching him with a hint of concern.

Wild gave him a tight smile.

“Remind me which one of us is suffering hypothermia?”

“N-not m-me,” Warrior quipped dryly in return. A wave of gratitude flooded Wild. His companion might not be fully aware, but he was still with him. He understood what was happening. His comprehension wasn’t lacking too severely, reassuring Wild that they still had time before his condition became critical.

Warrior’s distraction helped Wild to focus and the Hero stood, drawing Warrior up with him.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.”

Warrior managed a small, shaky, nod of agreement. He was more than ready to go.

Wild wrapped a strong arm around the weak Knight’s waist, drawing Warrior’s own across his shoulders and clasping his hand for comfort. It anchored him, kept him fastened in the present.

Starting forward, Wild bit down on his lip when Warrior stumbled, knees wobbling and unstable.

“S’cold...”

“I know,” Wild calmly agreed, quelling his worry. If Warrior leaned further against him, unconsciously vying for the warmth emanating from WIld, he said nothing of it. “It’s probably safe if I give you a warmer shirt...maybe some boots too. I just have to make sure you don’t warm up too fast.”

Thank goodness his Zelda was a researcher. She was well-read and knowledgeable in many fields. Not to mention that Wild had some experience but he digressed.

Risking a break, Wild slowly lowered Warrior to take a seat on the snow and earnestly dug through his pack in search of a shirt. He found one and yanked it out. It was a struggle for Warrior to slip it on, but they managed. Wild then switched Warrior’s adventure boots with his spare snow boots. That would help to maintain the little warmth he still had. They also swapped his trousers for dry ones.

“You good?” Wild inquired once they got moving again.

“Yeah,” Warrior drowsily replied. His coordination was still off but after a little while had passed, Wild was relieved to see some semblance of color returning to his face.

A mild case, Wild sought to convince himself. A mild case, nothing more.

But there was no telling how long Warrior had lied there completely vulnerable to the elements. The Hebra Mountains were harsh and unforgiving. They did not hesitate to claim the lives of those who dared to venture into them. Or, in Wild and Warrior’s case, those unfortunate to be dropped into them.

Together, they ploughed through the knee-deep snow, ignoring the flakes striking their faces and soaking into their clothing. The fog prevented them from seeing far but they valiantly pressed on. So long as they didn’t wander too close to any cliffs, Wild deemed they were safe.

When Warrior’s head would droop, Wild would shake him back to awareness. It wasn’t rough or startling, but enough for Warrior to snap back to attention.

“No sleeping while walking, Warrior.” Wild said lightly, hiding his worry behind teasing words, “We’ve got to find a cave, and then you can rest.”

“Sleepwalking,” Warrior murmured, cobalt blues owlishly blinking. He stumbled a couple of times. Wild instinctively caught him, cornflower blues full of muted alarm and regret that he couldn’t do more for Warrior than he’d already done.

“Say what?”

“The w-word you’re l-looking for...” Warrior answered with a small stutter. It relieved Wild and he huffed out a small laugh. “S’sleepwalking.”

“Oh, guess you’re right.” Wild agreed, if only to keep him talking. It wasn’t surprising that Warrior’s mind might be a little muddled and confused. The younger teen frowned, determination flaring to life. He needed to get Warrior out of the cold and he would. If only they could find a cave...

Warrior’s eyes fluttered again, the struggle to keep them open evident for Wild to see. His lashes would stick together longer only to be forced apart seconds later. He was striving to stay awake for Wild’s sake.

Wild exhaled deeply, a tendril of fear coiling loosely around his heart.

“You’re alright, Warrior, you’re alright.” He whispered with conviction. Whether it was meant to comfort himself or Warrior, he wasn’t sure. Most likely both. He only wanted to find a cave and build a fire to help his companion.

Thank Hylia Wild was adept to surviving. He’d had to learn early on what to do if he wanted to live. His world was certainly unrelenting and dangerous but beautiful nonetheless.

His hand was squeezed suddenly and Wild perked his head up to find Warrior wearing a minuscule smile.

“W-we’re gonna be fine, W-Wild,” The Knight assured him and Wild’s worry seemed to melt away at the trust and belief shining in those tired eyes, “We w-won’t be taken out by a l-little snow.”

“A little snow?” Wild parroted with a minute grin. He cocked an eyebrow, “I’d hate to see what your version of ‘a lot of snow’ would be.”

Perhaps this was why Warrior was Captain, Wild mused to himself. He remained calm and collected even during the worst of times. He was steadfast and immovable in his beliefs. Firm and resilient. Unafraid and courageous in the face of uncertainty and danger.

The Captain always thought ahead and worked endlessly to ensure their inventory was stocked, weapons were polished and maintained, morale never sunk, and fussed over the well-being of his companions. It was slight, barely noticeable, but Wild saw it. He heard it in Warrior’s voice when he would say something along the lines of, “Take a moment to rest, Sky. Don’t need you collapsing on us now, do we?” Or- “Settle down, Wild! You can’t go climbing every tree to fetch whatever fruit’s caught your eye! Not to mention your leg is broken and you aren’t doing yourself any favors with your constant moving! You are out of commission until Hyrule deems otherwise!”

To which Warrior proceeded to quietly order Hyrule not to release his new patient until Wild was absolutely fine.

Wild saw it in how Warrior took Wind under his wing and supervised the young Sailor with a keen eye. He never let Wind out of his sight and taught him all that he knew.

He saw it in the way Warrior would stand alongside a silent Twilight come sundown, never uttering a single word and doing nothing- a feat one would consider impossible for the restless Knight.

He saw it in the teasing and barbed jabs the Knight would fire at Legend, purposefully provoking him and keeping the snarky Hero fired up and fueled for another adventure.

He saw it in the way Warrior would budget their expenses to include Four’s purchases of books to read when they would settle in for the night. Sometimes, when Four had nothing to occupy his mind, the Knight would lend Four some books he’d bought supposedly for himself (Wild knew they were personally purchased by Warrior for these specific occasions).

He saw it when Warrior would surprise Sky with a new journal, claiming it’d caught his eye in the marketplace and reminded him of the soft-spoken, mild, Hero.

He saw it in Warrior’s efforts to boost the timid Hyrule’s confidence. The extraordinary care he put in not embarrassing him in any way or putting him on the spot.

He saw it in the way Warrior would stealthily hoard Time’s armor and weapons, studiously polishing them until they shone brighter than the sun. Every nook, cranny, and crevice was spotless, not one centimeter left untouched. When asked why Warrior would frequently undertake such a painstaking and time-consuming task, Warrior would scoff and lecture them on the importance of preventing rust and ensuring the durability and up-keeping of weapons.

No one called him out on his bluff. Then again, Wild figured no one really knew the true motive behind Warrior’s actions and deeds. The why.

Wild looked to his companion. The Knight deserved recognition for all he did. They were little things but they meant so much to the Heroes.

The Hero subconsciously tightened his grip on Warrior.

Perhaps he could return Warrior’s kindness.

“Say, Warrior,”

A quiet hum answered him.

“Once we get out of here and you’re well again, how about a duel?”

This caught Warrior’s attention.

“Duel?” He echoed, interest piqued. There was even a flicker of excitement in his eyes. Wild nodded,

“Why not? I’m curious about the techniques you know.” A thought struck Wild and he snapped his fingers, “Oh! How about a trade-off? I teach you some tricks I know and you teach me a few of your own?”

Warrior mulled it over, his mind working sluggishly.

“Deal.”

The wind howled all around them, their hair lashing at their cheeks and eyes. Wild valiantly ignored it while Warrior barely acknowledged it.

Wild’s gaze darting ahead in the hopes that a cave would magically appear before them, but when had Fate ever been so kind?

Never.

The longer they stayed out, the more danger Warrior was in. Yes, he was warmer now thanks to Wild’s clothes, but it was only a matter of time before he was freezing again. Not to mention he was already suffering a mild case and needed to be indoors out of the snowstorm.

Stupid Hebra Mountains.

And while he’s at it, curse Fate.

“Wild..?”

“Yeah?” The younger teen glanced at his friend, noting how drawn Warrior’s features had become. He pursed his lips tightly together, stubbornly squashing his rising concern.

“Keep talking...Helps me focus...”

So Wild did. He told Warrior about the trouble he would get into while on his adventure. How his wolf companion would more-often-than-not scold him in his own unique way when Wild would do something the animal deemed stupid. He shared some of the precious memories he reclaimed and spoke fondly of the Champions. He recited the legends and myths he’d learned and described a handful of people he’d met.

“From what I can remember- oh look!” Relief coated Wild’s tone when he happened to glance up and see a dark crevice in the rock face across from them, “A cave!”

He could have celebrated.

Lugging most of Warrior’s weight, Wild dragged them both to the tiny cave they’d miraculously found.

“We’re safe now, Warrior,” Wild found himself saying, excitement stirring as he helped Warrior down a ways away from the entrance. The Knight all but slumped against the wall, uncaring of the cold biting into his back, “I can start a fire and you will be warm in no time!” The cheer in his voice was genuine and pure. Warrior found himself grinning upon catching it.

He wearily watched Wild hastily drop his pack and when he blinked, found Wild dumping an armful of wood onto the cave floor.

Warrior did a double-take. Where in Hylia’s name did he find wood? Or did it materialize out of thin air?

The younger Hero bustled about busily, setting to work on lighting a fire. It took him a couple of minutes, but he finally set off a spark and vigorously fanned it until it became a full-fledged flame. The small fire spread until it engulfed the wood whole and blazed to life.

The warmth from it caressed Warrior’s skin and his eyes slid shut in satisfaction. He could definitely say he was not a fan of the cold or snow.

He listened to Wild moving and shifting things and only when he felt a heavy hand settle on his shoulder did he reopen his eyes. Without a word, Wild drew Warrior’s arm across his shoulders and lifted him from the ground to lead him to the makeshift bedding spread near the fire.

Warrior blinked. When had Wild made that?

“It isn’t much,” Wild began, apologetic, “But it should help.”

Warrior slipped under the blankets and reveled in the warmth they emitted. He didn’t hesitate to slowly bury himself underneath them, the solid weight more than simply comforting to him.

Goodness but moving drained him of his remaining energy. Still, Warrior sluggishly managed to tug a pile of blankets above his shoulders and turned to face the fire.

Wild hovered nearby, making sure he was comfortable.

“Get some sleep, Warrior. You’ll be better by tomorrow.” He promised.

Warrior hummed, clumsily shaking an arm free and waving his hand in the air. Wild caught it in confusion. Warrior cracked an eye open, gave him a small smile, and squeezed his hand with a faint murmur of thanks.

Wild returned the gesture with a smile of his own before urging the Knight to rest.

Warrior’s consciousness declined quickly afterwards, exhaustion finally catching up with him. He barely felt his hand being tucked back under the blanket but he did register the solid weight against his back and the hand on his shoulder before allowing sleep to claim him.

~~~~

A few hours passed and the storm outside was finally dying down. Wild remained watchful, regulating Warrior’s condition and periodically checking his temperature. The Knight was no longer shivering, something Wild counted as a blessing. His temperature was slowly climbing back to normal and Wild knew he could sleep now that Warrior was recovering from his bout of hypothermia. He couldn’t bring himself to, however.

He feared that Warrior would worsen if he wasn’t keeping an eye on him. This, Wild knew, was irrational. He was clearly recovering, but it didn’t stop him from staying up and caring for the Knight. Until Warrior was one hundred percent back to full health would Wild allow himself to relax.

He heaved a soundless sigh, drawing one knee to his chest and curling and arm around it. He rested his chin in his hand and peered out of the entrance of the cave. He hoped the others were safe and sound and that he and Warrior would reunite with them soon.

He found he dearly missed their company.

Wind’s enthusiastic ramblings, Sky’s carefree smile, Legend’s clever jabs, Hyrule’s quiet observations, Time’s stalwart presence, Twilight’s agreeable company, and Four’s musings.

It was so silent without them. So dull and dreary.

He looked forward to being with them again. To being a part of the colorful and individualistic group.

His thoughts were cut short by the unusual sound of something snuffling nearby. His ears twitched when they detected something panting and Wild’s head snapped up.

“Wolfie?!”

There was a pause followed by a relieved bark.

A dark form appeared in the entrance, blocking out the sunlight seeping in and Wild smiled widely upon recognizing Twilight in wolf form.

Wolfie bounded inside, changing back into a familiar Ordonian once he came close enough.

“Wild!” Twilight’s dark eyes shone considerably when they fell on him. His gaze shifted to where Warrior lay, still bundled up and barely visible. His relief vanished. “What happened?”

He moved to stand by Wild’s right, crouching down and looking between the two.

“Hypothermia,” Was all Wild gave. Twilight needed no further explanation. He could hear all Wild said packed within the single word. The Ordonian turned to Warrior with an echo of concern etched into his otherwise neutral features.

“Is he alright?”

Wild smothered a smile when Twilight immediately tugged his fur pelt from his shoulders and tucked it around Warrior’s shoulders.

“He’s recovering,” Wild replied, shaking his head when Twilight began to fuss over Warrior’s well-being. His ancestor prodded at the fire, checked Warrior’s temperature, ensured he was comfortable, then moved to look Wild over.

Wild resigned himself to his fate. He knew better than to protest.

While Twilight wasn’t quite on par with Sky- Hylia knows the Skyloftian excelled in mothering them when they fell ill or were injured- he came close.

“The others aren’t too far away,” Twilight absentmindedly told him, “We happened to be close to one another when we were transported. You and Warrior were the only two unaccounted for.”

Huh. Interesting.

“Warrior was caught in an avalanche. When I found him, he was halfway buried.” Wild shuddered at the memory. What would have happened if Warrior had been completely overtaken by the avalanche? Wild might never have known and walked away, condemning Warrior to suffocate to death.

A gentle swat was delivered to Wild’s head and the Hero yelped in indignation and startlement. He rubbed the back of his head, directing a mild glare to an unrepentant Twilight.

“Stop that line of thinking, Wild. You know it doesn’t help.” His predecessor lightly reproached.

Wild heaved a sigh.

“I know...but I can’t help but wonder at the possibilities.”

“I get it, I do,” Twilight murmured with understanding, eyes dim. He settled a hand on Wild’s shoulder, “But they didn’t happen and that’s what you need to focus on.”

Wild frowned with a shake of his head, “I could have left him. Without knowing he was there, I could have gone about my way and we wouldn’t ever know what became of him. We would have been left to speculate, but we would never have known for sure what might have happened.”

Silence fell as both heroes looked to the dozing Warrior. A reminder that he was physically there with them.

“Without him...” Wild began softly, “It wouldn’t be the same. I...I don’t want to imagine what it would be like for Warrior not to be there.” Just the thought disturbed him. He knew first-hand how precious moments were. Time was fleeting and the future uncertain, something he’d learned early on and wrangled with constantly. Who knew what tomorrow could bring?

That was why it was so important to cherish the time one was given and to treasure the little things.

“Well, we won’t have to because he’s here and I reckon by the morrow, he’ll be up and at ‘em again.”

Twilight’s confident words and reassurance settled Wild’s nerves and troubled mind. He believed Twilight and smiled, grateful to have been given the chance to meet him.

“Who’ll what?” A groggy voice interrupted them. Wild whipped his head round to see Warrior rolling onto his back with a groan, eyes blearily blinking open to stare at him. “Why do I feel so awful?”

“You’re awake!” Wild brightened, completely dismissing Warrior’s question.

“Barely,” Warrior muttered, casting an arm over his eyes, “Where’re we? What happened?”

Wild sat back on his heels, frowning deeply. “What do you remember?”

There was a brief quiet as Warrior wracked his mind for any recollection of what happened last. All he could conjure were blurred and muddled memories of stumbling through a snowstorm and something about an avalanche. He faintly recalled a voice talking to him, keeping him alert and a steady presence that never once left his side.

“It doesn’t matter,” Twilight answered for Warrior when the silence prolonged, “What does is that he is awake and most likely needs to eat.”

Warrior lifted his arm, peering at Twilight in confusion.

“When did you get here?”

Twilight flashed him a grin. One Wild recognized. It was sharp and mischievous and a little daunting to see. In any other circumstance, it would be terrifying, but Wild knew it for what it was.

“I’ve been here.”

“What?” Warrior’s brow furrowed and his eyes rolled up to the ceiling as he tried to remember whether or not Twilight had actually been with himself and Wild. “That can’t be right...”

Wild rolled his eyes, casting a reproachful look at Twilight.

“Make yourself useful and fetch the others, Twi,” Wild ordered, jabbing a finger towards the mouth of the cave.

Twilight sputtered at the skillfully crafted jab inserted in his descendant’s words. He quickly recovered, narrowing his gaze on the snickering Wild.

Huffing to himself, Twilight trudged out of the cave into the dawn and Wild set to work on putting together a wholesome meal for Warrior as the Knight drew himself into a sitting position and hassled him for answers on what had happened.

When the others arrived, it was to find Warrior gratefully cradling a warm bowl of soup in his hands, a blanket loosely wrapped around his form as he listened attentively to Wild’s report on what had transpired the night before.

With the Heroes gathered together and basking in one another’s presence, Wild decidedly felt whole again. He settled between Warrior and Twilight, listening to the quiet conversations and murmurings of his companions.

Sky was sketching away in his journal, Legend was reclined against the cave wall simply listening, Four was sitting cross-legged beside a chattering Wind with a small smile, Hyrule was reorganizing his pack, and Time was subtly keeping his eye trained on Warrior.

This was how the Heroes often spent their evenings.

Wild didn’t think he’d ever felt more at home than he did now. Nudging Warrior’s side, Wild leaned close and whispered a reminder to him,

“Don’t forget you promised me a duel.”

The Knight grinned, flicking his spoon in Wild’s direction, ��Now that I remember.”

Wild laughed with another roll of his eyes, “Of course you do.”

Wild was glad he’d been with Warrior when they were suddenly transported. He didn’t want to think of what might have happened. The what-ifs were banished from his mind, his sole focus being that Warrior was here in the flesh with no plans of leaving them soon.

Wild would ensure he didn’t. And when next Warrior took stock of inventory, he would find bottles upon bottles of cold-resistant potions. Wild figured it’d be fine.

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