Chapter Text
“Shit.”
“Language,” Time scolded Wind.
Personally, Time agreed with Wind’s assessment of the situation, but the others in the group were under the impression that he was the responsible one (except for Warriors— he already knew better). He’d like to keep that up as long as possible.
This didn’t appear to be any of their own worlds, but they’d managed to get a map and a rumor of where some ‘demonic’ monsters had appeared. The nine heroes had found themselves blocked by a deep canyon too wide for hookshots (‘clawshot,’ Sky had mumbled) to reach the other side. After hours of walking along the edge, they had finally found a way across. The only problem was, that way was a creaky old rope bridge that had clearly seen better days.
“I hope none of us are afraid of heights,” Warriors commented, leaning to glance at the bottom of the canyon.
Legend pulled him back by his scarf. “Careful. The weight of that big head of yours could send you toppling over the edge.”
“Alright everyone,” Time called for their attention before the two could get into a verbal sparring match. “It seems like this is the best we’re going to get. We’ll go one at a time, the lightest first. I’ll take up the rear.”
Wild glanced uneasily at the bridge. “Yeah, no thanks. I’ll just meet you guys over there.”
“Wild, wait!” Time called out too late, Wild had already leapt off the edge and whipped out his paraglider.
“I hate when he does that.” Twilight mumbled. Time patted him on the back in sympathy. They watched as Wild drifted down to the other side of the canyon wall, then climbed up the rest of the way and pulled himself over the edge.
“One less to worry about, I guess. Four, you’re up!”
Four made a distressed noise at the thought of being the first to cross that bridge. Still, he stepped up to the rope bridge. “Here goes nothing.”
They all watched every step he made with bated breath. Four went slowly and cautiously. Time almost wished he would go faster just so it wouldn’t take so long, caution be damned. Eventually though, he finally made it to the other side.
Time let out a deep breath when Four reached solid ground. “Alright, Wind.”
Wind eyed the rickety bridge with determination.
Time took back what he thought about Four going faster. Wind bounded across so fast he almost had a heart attack.
One by one the others made their way over. Hyrule, Legend, Sky, until only Warriors and Twilight were left with him.
Time had watched as Twilight’s fists had gone tighter and tighter since they found the rope bridge. His back was to Time, so he couldn’t see his face, but the rigid lines of his protégé’s shoulders said enough.
“Captain,” Time said, “why don’t you go next?”
Warriors glanced at Twilight with well-concealed worry. So he wasn’t the only one who noticed the rancher’s tense state.
“Sure thing, Old Man.”
And Time had his mentee alone.
He walked around so he could see Twilight's face. His eyes were hard and focused on the bridge itself.
“So. Want to talk about it?”
Twilight huffed. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Time studied his face. “If you really want me to, I’ll let it go. But something about this has you tighter than a bowstring, it might help to talk about it.” Time paused. Twilight didn’t say anything. “Are you afraid of heights?”
“No,” Twilight sighed, “it’s not the height. It’s the bridge.”
Time blinked. That wasn’t what he was expecting. “The bridge?”
“You could say I have a history of bad luck with them.”
“Ah. Have some break on you?”
“Some broke after I’d already crossed, at least two were destroyed as I was crossing them, I was forced into a joust on one twice, and one was set on fire while I was on it.” Twilight listed them off like it was a shopping list. That was… a lot of bad bridges, Time had to admit. “At this point I get nervous enough on the bridge back home leading into Faron Woods, and that one’s at least familiar and much shorter than this.” He cast a glance over the edge. “Not to mention the drop wasn’t so long.”
“I can’t blame you for not being comfortable with this.”
“I have very low expectations for bridges at this point. Nothing good happens on a bridge.” Twilight deadpanned.
“I’m sorry, pup,” Time said with sympathy, “I don’t see another way around this.”
“Hmm,” Twilight’s tone suggested he was at least partly joking, “I could try climbing down and up as Wolfie?”
Time’s head snapped to Twilight so fast he would swear he heard something crack. “Don’t you dare. It’s far too steep for a wolf, you’d only give yourself some broken bones. Not to mention, the others would see you.” The fact that he would even suggest it said a lot about how much he didn’t want to cross that bridge, even if he had only been joking. Time hated that he couldn’t do much of anything to help.
“No, you’re right. I’m not that reckless.” Time felt his face twist into an incredulous expression. He could think of a few examples to refute that.
Early on when the group was still being brought together, Twilight and Time were on their own together for a bit, giving Time a front row seat to the fact that on his own Twilight was just as up for outlandish ideas as some of the others; they just didn’t see it because he spent too much time trying to dissuade Wild from even crazier ideas to get up to any antics of his own.
“If you’d like, I can go first?”
Twilight thought it over for a moment before shaking his head. “No. If I went last I’d never go at all. Might as well get this over with, huh?”
He still didn’t move, frozen.
Time settled his hand on his shoulder. Twilight flinched at the sudden touch, but quickly began to relax a bit under the gentle weight. “I’ll be right here, behind you, and the others will be watching on the other side. You have your clawshot ready if you need it.” The gap was too wide to use it from one side to the other, but once he started crossing it should be able to reach one of the canyon walls at any point. Time looked him in the eye, so he could see how much he meant what he said next.
“You won’t fall. Even if it breaks, you will not fall.”
Twilight let out a shaky breath. “Okay.”
Time let go of him so he could grasp the rotting railing of rope. “Thank you,” Twilight said without looking at him. He kept watch as Twilight took one shaking step after another, until he safely reached the waiting arms of the others.
Time watched with a smile as Twilight got as far from the edge as possible without alienating himself from the group.
He made sure to have his hookshot on hand before he made his own way over. He may not be as nervous as Twilight, but extra precautions never hurt.
The bridge creaked ominously beneath him. He could feel the poor rope straining beneath him. He glanced down in an instinct to check his footing and instantly regretted it. The dizzying height only made him slightly nauseous. Maybe Twilight had the right idea.
He was past the halfway point when he finally heard a concerning snap. He instantly grabbed his hookshot, and a second later the bridge gave way beneath him completely. He heard someone scream, probably Twilight.
The moment he spent suspended in free fall felt like an eternity before he shot his hookshot and felt it be secured to the cliff wall. It pulled tight, and sent him shooting toward the ledge. The hookshot hadn’t secured right at the edge, and he soon felt a pair of hands hefting him up to solid ground. It was Twilight.
“Don’t you ever do that again.” Twilight was pale and shaking. Time blinked. Hadn’t Twilight been much further away from the bridge than this? The farmhand pulled him into a hug that he easily returned.
“I think you had a point about bridges, pup.”
Twilight gripped him harder.