Work Text:
If you just paid attention then maybe......
You're late
Perhaps you should go help someone else?
You're far too quick, boy!
He'd thought he fixed this problem, the ugly monster that coiled in his bones and held him to the ground. He'd thought he had finally done enough, seen enough, been enough.
He'd thought he would never need to face a demon again, death staring him in the face as its quieter cousin sapped his strength.
He was wrong.
A swirling, purplish portal had opened in his yard. It scared the tiny birds. Fi called to him, and he took up the sacred sword of Hylia once more.
On the other side were eight heroes, eight blessed by the goddess, eight who shared his soul.
Eight who had done more, seen more, been more than himself.
They walked from place to place, from world to world.
They walked and walked and walked and walked.
Sometimes he had to run to keep up.
His sword, one of them disdained. His goddess, none (save but one) had ever known.
His enemy, all of them had fought.
At resting moments he sneaked glances in rivers and ponds, searching his own face and seeing only exhaustion. Only weakness. Only brokenness.
He ran. He ran and ran to keep up with them, in spars and travel and battle. They were strong, so so strong.
Sometimes he dreamed he could see nothing but their backs as they ran past him.
One day, he could hold no more the weight (the death) that sat on his shoulders. He had to stop, to stop moving, to stop trying. There was no choice he could make, no paths to decide between.
And they stopped too. They stopped walking, carrying, talking, and came back for him.
They asked for a reason, for a way they could help. And in that moment, all he could do was grasp on to them and see how far their love went.
That evening he told them why, and he told them everything. He told them how it was his failure that caused their suffering (Legend and Wind swore it wasn't), how it was his weakness that held them back from their goal (Hyrule and Time reasoned it wasn't)—
And then they stopped him.
It was his courage that saved their futures, they said. It was his comfort that bolstered their spirits, they said. And it was his presence, simply being there, that made them value him.
There was nothing he had to do, not struggle nor fight, to just be loved.