Wild could not remember when he had fallen asleep last night, but he woke up to the suffocating embrace of claustrophobia. He would have screamed like a dying Bokoblin were it not for the faint scent of alcohol and the several pounds of familiar moss green and white fur lying on top of him. A triangular ear twitched and tickled his nose, and he had to bite his tongue from cursing the sleeping wolf, who thought that choosing him as his bed was a bright idea.

The Champion pressed a hand on his mentor's furry forehead and wriggled his body upwards until he managed to sit up. He would have given Wolfie a piece of his mind when he noticed that the wolf did not rouse and whimpered in his sleep. The sound that escaped from the transformed hero was heartbreaking, and Wild immediately knew something was wrong.

"Good morning."

Wild whipped his head to the source of the voice, only to see Time walking towards them. He slightly relaxed at the sight of the physically oldest hero and let his eyes wander to the rest of the room. He had to do a double-take at the sight that greeted him to ensure he was not dreaming.

Wind and Four were still sound asleep at either side of him. The former adopted a spreadeagle position with his blanket entangled around his ankles. It is a miracle that the Sailor had not fallen off the bed with how he nearly hogged the available space. The Smith, on the other hand, had not shifted a bit in his sleep as if to conserve the little room he occupies.

Two of the beds that they left alone last night were currently taken. Legend and Hyrule were locked together in a tangle of limbs - the former clung on his successor's torso like an overfriendly Octorok while the latter was splayed in an unusual pose that had been subject to teasing at times. Sky was curled in a fetal position, with Warriors embracing the Skyloftian from behind. The last bed was empty, save for Twilight's pelt and a few articles of Time's armor. It seemed that everyone decided to camp in one room only despite paying for two yesterday.

There was a brief moment of confusion in Wild's eyes before the events of last night reintroduced themselves in his mind. He flinched when he heard Time's footsteps stop beside Wind - the older hero towered over them like an impassive statue. He held his breath when his mentor's ancestor leaned down and peeled Wolfie off him as if the transformed hero did not weigh more than a sack of rice.

"Sorry, Pup, but you have to let go for now."

The wolf whined at the loss of a familiar scent next to him, but Time did not let him back down. He gestured for Wild to hand over the blanket he used and carried it with the wolf to the empty bed. The Champion could only watch as the Hero of Time gently dropped the wolf on the bed and draped the blanket over his form. Time signed for him to follow him out of the room, and Wild was left with no choice but to do so.

The march down to the mess hall was excruciatingly silent. Neither of the two men spoke to each other as they placed their order and picked the most secluded table underneath the shadow of the mezzanine. Wild tried to distract himself by looking around - only a handful of the inn's patrons were up and eating breakfast - but he could not shake Time's hawk-like gaze that bore on him. He could not even look at the hero's face across him for a mere second as their meals were served less than ten minutes later.

"The others might wake up late." Wild flinched at the sudden sound of Time's voice, but the hero did not comment on it. "Warriors dragged them for a drink in a local pub last night. A drink in the Captain's vocabulary turned out to be 'until you're wasted enough to forget your worries'."

Well, that explains the scent of alcohol that was coming from Wolfie. Still, Wild did not take Twilight to be the drinking type. Wolfie had foiled many of his plans to sneak into Gerudo Town to get a sample of the infamous Noble Pursuit. Even up to this day, he has yet to take a sip of the alcoholic beverage.

Time seemed to read his thoughts. "Pup refused at first, but I had to give him a little push. Otherwise, he would have spent the night fussing over you when he's not in the right state of mind to do so." An amused chuckle rumbled from the hero's throat. "Though, I didn't expect Warriors to bring him and the others back nearly dead on their feet. It was wise of the Captain to stay sober enough, considering he was the one who suggested it in the first place. I had to stop Twilight from transforming that time, or his secret will be exposed."

Oh. Wild brought down his spoon as he stared down on his plate. Guilt bloomed in his chest. He nearly got Twilight to reveal himself to be Wolfie.

"How are you feeling?"

Wild tried to force himself to meet his eye. He could not. "I... I'm fine." He answered quietly. "I've been through worse."

"You and I both know that's a lie." There was a clink of a fork. "But I won't hold it against you."

More silverware clinked as they ate in silence. Finally, Wild let his shoulders slump and voiced the words they both were waiting to be spoken. "You...already know."

Time placed his utensils down. "...Yes." The man's response was nearly a whisper. "Yes, we do, and I'm sorry."

Wild snapped up with his eyes wide. What…? Did he just hear him say -

"Sorry," Time repeated. There was unbridled sorrow in the hero's only working eye this time. "You shouldn't have suffered the same fate as us. A hero's life is always destined to be full of tragedies. The Goddess shouldn't have pushed you to such a miserable destiny just because one of our reincarnations died before he fulfilled his duty."

Wild's ears drooped. He pursed his lips as he nursed his food absentmindedly. "I…It wasn't easy."

"I know."

"I was alone. I didn't know a thing except to defeat Ganon and save Princess Zelda." Wild's grip on the stem of his spoon tightened. "All while I masqueraded as Link. As the Hylian Champion. As the hero of Hyrule destined to save the land."

"I'm sick of it." Wild confessed. "I don't want to be anyone's hero. I'm just…." He buried his face in his palms. "I don't know who I am. What am I supposed to be. I just...I don't know. I really don't know."

"Wild…."

The Champion took a shuddering breath and lowered his hands. He looked up to the Hero of Time with a pained expression. "Aren't you angry?"

"About what?" Time asked softly. "At whom?"

"At me!" Wild pointed to himself as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "At me, Time! I've kept something important a secret to everyone. I've kept my identity hidden and made you think I'm one of you! I deceived you! Aren't you angry?"

"No. I am not." Time shook his head and met the younger man's eyes with a firm look. "There's nothing you did that I should be mad about."

Wild gaped at him in disbelief. He could not believe what he was hearing. How little do they value themselves as heroes to just forgive and accept him like that?

"Why?" Wild demanded. He was getting frustrated with the man. "I'm a fraud, Time! A liar! An imposter! How could...how could you not get angry at me? I could betray you anytime I want because I don't share your spirit. I deserved to be punished and killed by your hands at this very moment!"

"Wild," Time reprimanded. However, there was no hint of malice in his voice. "Stop it. Whatever you think you deserve isn't really what it is."

"No, no, no!" Wild stood up and clenched his fists. "You...you don't understand! I tried to tell Hyrule the truth, but he didn't believe me. The things I told you...about me dying, coming back to life, and losing my memories, they're not true. I lied, Time! I broke the trust that everyone gave me! I don't deserve your mercy! I don't deserve your forgiveness!"

Time rose from his seat and held the Champion's gaze with a stony look. "... You're right. You don't."

Wild could only watch in abject terror when the hero rounded the table and strode to his side. He blanched when Time placed his hands on his shoulders and prompted him to look to his face.

"Because there's nothing to forgive. You've done nothing wrong, Wild."

Wild bowed his head and covered his ears to block Time's words. "N-No…."

"Wild, look at me."

"No…" Wild tried to worm his way out of Time's grip. "P-Please... don't….I don't want to hear it…."

"Wild, look at me." Time kept his hold firm. His voice was pleading, or it might be just Wild's frantic thoughts playing tricks on him. "Please look at me, Cub. I beg of you. Please."

That was the first time Wild heard Time call him by the nickname Twilight has for him. Something in his heart twisted painfully upon hearing the desperation in the hero's voice. Slowly and shakily, Wild lifted his head to look at the hero beneath tear-stained lashes.

"Wild, listen. You've done nothing wrong." Time said. "Everything you said and everything you did up to now, all of it was to survive. You did it to live up to the expectations that weren't supposed to be yours. You were forced to take the hero's mantle when it wasn't your duty to do so. We will not cast you aside for something you have no control over. If anything, we are angry for your sake. The Goddess has no right to tamper with someone's life just to make them fit a vacant position, no matter how urgent a situation is."

"B-But if I didn't…." Wild stammered. "Then...then, Hyrule will get - Calamity Ganon would have won. Princess Zelda...she will die. Everything...everything will get destroyed."

"I know." Time nodded all-knowingly. "That's why you're worthier than any of us to be given a hero title. Hylia had chosen you to take the place of the fallen hero in your era, but you're the one who made a choice. You could've said 'no', but you accepted. You loved the land of Hyrule that much to make that decision, and you've shown more courage than any of us could."

" A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage." Time recited those words solemnly as if he had done it many times before that moment. "You possess that courage and more. What the Master Sword had failed to recognize, the incarnation of the Goddess did. She gave you a title meant to be yours only and bestowed it upon you using the very sword that harmed you."

It was strange to hear Time speak about Hylia in a good light. The man resented the White Goddess for his and the other heroes' misfortunes, but right now, his eyes only conveyed the sincerity of his words. The Old Man squeezed the scarred youth's shoulders firmly. "With or without the sword, we recognize, respect, and accept you. You are family. Blood or not, spirit or not, you are one of us. Nothing could change that. We will fight for you to hell and back if needed to be. Do you understand, Cub?"

Wild's lips trembled as he tried to form an answer. "I…"

"Listen to him."

The two turned to see Twilight lumbered towards their table. The Rancher looked like he had seen better days - his dirty blond hair was swept to one side, and his clothes askew to different angles. There were large bags under his eyes that made him look like he had aged a decade. He removed his pelt and draped it over the Champion's head. Despite the hangover that loomed over him, he guided Wild to sit down with him and coaxed him to lay his head on the shoulder.

"What the Old Man said is the truth, Cub," Twilight murmured as he patted his head. "We will not abandon you just because you don't have the same spirit as us. If anything, we are the ones honored to meet you. I am honored to meet you. Our first meeting, the fights we had, and the moments we shared...I will never trade it for the world. I'm sure the others feel the same way as I do."

Wild's body quivered like a leaf, and a pair of scarred hands tugged the edges of the pelt's hood to hide his face. Twilight wrapped an arm over his back and rubbed circles as the Champion muffled his cries against his shoulder. His clothes would be wet with tears and snot later, but it is worth it. It is worth it for a member of his family.

Time smiled approvingly and signed that he would go and give them some privacy for a few minutes, to which the Rancher was grateful. They enjoyed each other's company in relative silence, punctuated only by the distant conversations in the mess hall and the waning sobs and hiccups of the Champion. There was no need for words - Time had already voiced everything that Twilight wanted to say to his protégé. All except for one...

"I'm proud of you, Cub," Twilight whispered against the wolf fur that covered the Champion's head. "You might be reckless and feral at times, but that's who you are. I'm proud of you, with or without the Hero's Spirit or even the Master Sword. You've gone a long way and accomplished many. I might've not been with you all the way, but I'm proud of you. I'm very, very proud of you, and I want you to know that."

Wild did not respond, but if the grip on the fabric of the Rancher's tunic was anything to go by, Twilight knew he had heard. Time returned with a tray of the similar meal and a drink to help with the hangover and passed them to his descendant. The latter gently nudged the scarred youth to continue eating with them. The Champion did not seem keen to let go of his mentor's shoulder but obeyed the same.

About half an hour later, Wind joined their table and greeted them with a Good morning! that Twilight returned. Time nodded while Wild gave him a shaky smile. The youngest hero noted the Champion's puffy eyes, and he crossed his arms with a frown.

"Did Time and Twilight make you cry?"

The question made the said two heroes raise their eyebrows. Wind plopped next to Wild on the bench and tried for his best glare directed to them. "It's not nice to make people cry, you know."

Time chuckled while Twilight snorted and reached out to ruffle the hero's hair. "No one's doing that, Sailor. We'd just finished...sorting through stuff."

Wind pouted at being treated like a kid but did not bat the Rancher's hand away. "I was there, you know." He lifted his chin defiantly. "I don't believe that Wild doesn't have the Hero's Spirit. I have my reasons, but Sun gave him a title. The Goddess herself gave him a title. That's more awesome than being given a title by the Master Sword!"

"Well, tell that to our resident cook here." Twilight tousled Wild's hair next, earning him an annoyed grunt from the Champion. "He's being more stubborn than Hyrule during his bad days. Why not try to make him understand, Sailor?"

Wind looked at Wild, who averted his gaze. He reached out and cupped the Champion's cheeks, squeezing them together as he made the older man look at him. "You're a hero." He declared with all seriousness he could muster. "If someone said otherwise, I'll make them walk the plank. Or you can just flip a finger and tell them to fuck off because they're wrong, and they can just shove it to their - OW!"

"What the hell is that pep talk, Sailor?"

Wind rubbed the back of his head as he looked up and saw Legend behind him. The Veteran wore a scowl that easily reads, I wake up like this, and I am about to kill someone. He looked like he had seen better days - except that those better days are still bad ones. His hair was a mess, with the blond strands stuck out from all sides, and his face pale and tired, yet murderous at the same time.

"It's awful. If you're going to give this idiot here a pep talk," Legend jabbed a thumb to Wild. "Don't hold back. Do you think you can get through that thick skull of his by just saying fuck? Give him a proper talking-to that only a true pirate could give! It's about time we baptize him."

"Yeah, please do that and get us kicked out of this town." Hyrule groaned as he appeared beside the Veteran. He stepped behind Wild and bent down to lay his head on the latter's left shoulder. "Uggghhh! Hangover's a bitch, and it's the Captain's fault."

"Hey!" Warriors exclaimed as he claimed his spot next to Twilight. "Just because you can't handle your liquor right, it doesn't mean you have to blame me. It isn't my fault you've got such low tolerance to alcohol."

Time spoke without looking up from his plate. "Mind your language. All of you."

"Old Man, we got a hangover. Give us some leeway. Even Hyrule is cursing you, you know."

Hyrule let out a long-drawn groan of annoyance. "I will curse you and your descendants to an eternity of misery and agony IF you insist on being FUCKING loud."

"See?" Warriors gestured at the Traveler. "He just double-cursed."

"Keep it down, guys. It's still morning." Four scolded as he dumped a water basin on the table before Wind. "I've brought a cold compress as I promised last night."

The Smith grabbed one of the two towels submerged in the ice-cold water and began dabbing it on Wind's eyes. The Sailor squawked in protest and cursed at the cold that bit his skin and tried to wriggle his way out of Four's reach, but Legend was there to block his only exit. The Veteran placed his hands on the youngest hero's shoulders to keep him still and help let the Smith do his work.

Warriors glanced behind them and waved. "Hey, Sky. How long are you going to stand there for?"

Wild peered over his shoulder and saw the Skyloftian standing a few feet away from their table. The Chosen Hero was looking down on his boots as he fiddled with the fabric of his sailcloth. He must have felt someone's eyes on him and lifted his head to meet Wild's eyes. For a painful moment, neither the two heroes said a word and simply stared at each other before Sky finally decided to approach with some reluctance in his steps. Hyrule must have sensed something was about to go down and peeled away from the Champion. The Traveler, however, did not move back far to the point that he would not be able to go to Wild's rescue should a fight ensues.

Sky stopped a few meters away from Wild and struggled to form his words. "Wild...I…."

"...Not your fault," Wild mumbled just loud enough for their table to hear. He reached out to hold the Skyloftian's wrist. "It's not your fault, Sky."

"But still -"

"It's not your fault." Wild declared, more firmly this time. There was a glint of conviction in his red-rimmed eyes. "So, please. Don't beat yourself over it."

Sky pursed his lips, and Wild gently squeezed his wrist. A moment of understanding passed between the two, and the Champion let himself be swallowed with a warm hug from the Chosen Hero. Wild buried his face against the hero's tunic as Sky cradled him like a lifeline. They could have stayed like that were it not for Four nearly thrusting a wet towel between them.

"Sorry to interrupt your touching moment, but could you please not hog Wild all to yourself, Sky? I still have to treat his eyes, if you don't mind."

The two looked at the Smith and then at each other before chuckling. The moment they let go of each other, Four immediately jumped on Wild, much to the surprise of the Champion. The latter yelped and toppled backward off the bench, but not without grabbing onto the people next to him. Someone yelled, and then there was a pile of eight heroes on the wooden floor and a very concerned Hero of Time looking over from the other side of the table. That, however, was short-lived when they looked at each other and started laughing. Time could only shake his head and chuckle as he gazed fondly at Wild and their seven companions.

They might have teased him for being such a father to the group, but he does not mind. These heroes are his boys, and he will fight to a bitter end for the happiness they deserve.

Me, who just wrote an entire chapter meant for fluff: "Oh, goodie! Which Link (other than Wild) should I torment to celebrate this momentous occasion?"