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Soft rains washed over the budding flowers, leaves and petals swaying in the calm winds as droplets cascaded down the stem, pooling in the soil.
The sky boomed and cracked as thunder crashed against the angry clouds, shortly followed by blinding flashes of lightning. The clouds were flushed an angry dark gray color. Frustrated they must’ve been, throwing tantrums on the once peaceful ether, bright blue with faint wisps of white, like faint brush strokes on a canvas.
Little puddles of mud were stomped on, colorful boots and vibrant rain jackets contrasted from the grey skies and thundering clouds. Legend sighed, watching the rainwater slowly drip down the glass window. He weakly cheered internally when his drop had won the very tense and eventful race, speed changing as the drop dodged others. How fun.
He sat on the armchair, knees brought up to his chest and arms close, a short-lived attempt to alleviate the pain and discomfort his joints brought him. Yet, no matter how he did so, there was no contribution to the hurt his heart had felt.
Legend wasn’t entirely sure what caused his usual discomfort, if the term was even powerful enough to consider it as simply discomfort, or a mild inconvenience, especially because it was much more than that. It was always there, like a shadow looming behind him, regardless how fast he ran to how high he jumped, it never quite left him. The best he could describe it was an aching pain in the periphery, that under certain conditions, his mind was spiraling over the persistent throbbing pain.
And it was frustrating really, Legend struggled trying to cope living with it. No matter how he sat, or he bent his arms and legs, the pain all but persisted. No matter how many layers he stuffed under shirt, no matter how many jackets he zipped up, or socks he wore, warmth never relieved it either.
His limbs were too sore. They were red and swollen and every movement he made had them creak like rickety hinges, prone to simply shattering or disintegrating by nothing but a small gust of wind. And Legend hated that, he hated how fragile and inadequate it made him feel.
Back when Legend was a bit younger, he remembered huffing when nothing worked, thinking he was doomed to suffer with this curse for the rest of his pathetic and tragic life. He recalls so vividly, clenching the blanket in his shaking hands as he succumbed to the infuriated tears, dripping down his face and landing on the blanket in a mockery of his weakness.
Legend’s breath hitches in the very slight. Shaking his head and the thoughts away, he narrows his focus into the boring display of the rain drops. While it wasn’t much, at least it was better than reliving his worst memories.
Legend could only sit and watch. Stay behind as his brothers held hands and laughed and played in the rain. He could see Hyrule from here, in between Sky and Twilight as the two watched over him, occasionally catching the boy before he tripped over the bright red boots a-few-sizes-too-large and fell right into the mud. His hands were tightly clasped with Sky’s and Twilight’s, both lifting the boy up and over particularly deep and slippery puddles. Oh how Legend wanted to be there for Hyrule, to catch him when he fell and to steer him away from everything. If Legend couldn’t protect himself from the agonizing pain, then he could at least protect Hyrule from a bit of mud. Legend all but wanted Hyrule’s problems to be first world, and seeing Sky and Twilight do that very job had something twinge in Legend’s heart that wasn’t quite exactly upset nor jealousy.
Wind was the near opposite of Hyrule, practically rolling in the dirt and drinking the rain, as though it was a gift descent from above. Four stood off to the side, watching amusedly. Legend could tell from the crossed arms and the distinct lean to the side as he remained.
Sky was on his knees, bent over the grass and back up to the rain. His hood was pulled up, so it took Legend some extra counting and careful watching to confirm the man under the coat. He was probably tending to a small bug or flower, given that his hands were cupped as he stood up, carefully jogging over to a tree to deposit it gently.
Warriors was the one whom Legend was most surprised to be found outside. His coat was obviously made for the fashion of it, a deep royal blue that had a little slit to the end of it and a cinch at the waist. It didn’t have a hood, so it was the first time that Legend had seen Warriors in his unstraightened hair; Messy, wet, and plastered to his face in all its glory.
He continued to rest his eyes on the sight, from the comfort and warmth of their own home. But all Legend felt was a cold, brooding feeling in him.
The thought lingered in his mind, like a pest unwilling to leave. It ran around in circles, and no matter how hard Legend tried, his train of thought always abruptly stopped right at it.
They were all out, all playing and having fun in the rain, making valuable memories and spending unforgettable quality time with each other. All but Legend.
Legend nearly jumped out of his place when he heard indistinct commotion from the background. He was to go and investigate, ready to hold the fort, keep the house intact, and protect his brothers. That was until he heard Time’s voice, calling “Is anyone still home?”
Legend replied with no haste, wincing right after as he noticed his failure to mask the perturb in his voice. It looks like he isn’t the only one that had heard it, given that Time had leaned from the doorway, an eyebrow raised and a calculated expression in his face as he scrutinized legend, trying to find the dismay in his face.
Legend stands corrected; Everyone was out to play besides him and Time . Legend didn’t know if he was supposed to feel better by that or worse. So he did neither, and heeded little to that.
Though, no matter how he tried to play it off, he was rather hurt when Time had disappeared once more.
But it wasn’t as if Legend were to call for him back, and to force him to stay with Legend. He wasn’t going to stop Time from having his moment because Legend couldn’t have his. There was no way that Time was going to waste an opportunity for fun by sulking with Legend. And soon after, Legend will be flickering his gaze between eight specks of color.
He really did think that one day it would have gotten easier, to watch others live out his deepest desires- And Legend doesn't mean to simply run around in the rain and catch a cold near after. No, he meant to let go. To free himself from the constraints of his aching limbs and weak health. Yet, even if he tried, there was no way he was able to muster but a few steps without falling to his knees and crying out from the sharp sting.
Legend hears a set of footsteps, evenly spaced and considerably quieted, like little thumps on the wooden floor, slowly increasing in sound as they approached.
Time returns once more, two mugs in his hand, small paper tags flying and swaying on the glass as they jostle from the careful steps.
To say the very least, Legend’s quite confused; Time hasn’t informed him of a guest visiting over, nor does it seem that any of his brothers are willing to return. Looking outside to confirm that has nothing but sorrow pang in his heart.
A nudge to his arm pulls Legend right out of his thoughts. “For you.” Time simply says, gesturing the mug to him.
Confused, Legend accepts the offering, wincing from the strain his minimal stretching brought.
Time reclines back on the couch, sitting nearest to Legend yet leaving a markedly large amount of space between the two.
He takes a sip from the mug. Legend mirrors the action, yet he slightly delays himself by blowing softly on the steaming liquid. Hot sweetness hits his tongue and immediately fills him with comforting warmth. He hums quietly against the rim of the mug in content.
“So.” Time eventually asks, breaking the soft silence. “Why aren’t you out with them?” He says innocently, Legend wonders if he knows of the dam he had just broken.
Petulant tears prick up in his eyes, Legend bashfully looks off to the side, not wanting Time to see the dejection on his face.
Saying that everything hurt him was an understatement . His joints ached and his limbs were stiff. And legend was just so upset . He wanted to take out his anger somehow, wanted to do anything to take away the pain, to at least take the edge off. What he would do for a few seconds of solace. He wanted to be mad. To hate himself and his body for hurting him this way. Legend wanted to process the thought, to let it marinate to later hopefully get over the fact that he just simply had to step aside in such things, fun in the snow and rain never existed for Legend.
Legend was rarely even given pity, or remembered enough. He was usually spared a look of sympathy by. He usually sat quiet when conversations arised, asking if they remembered the thing Wind said out in the rain . He’d always have to fake some extent of laughter, to try and fit in somehow, when he was the only one kept away from inside jokes. And whenever he asked about it, the jovial conversation always abruptly stopped, and someone would have to briefly explain it without mentioning the obvious you had to be there. Even if they never said it, Legend heard it loud and clear each and every time.
It wasn’t fair.
He didn’t do anything to deserve this. Why did Legend have to be tested by Hylia herself daily, to be reminded of his inferiority to everyone else in nothing but aches and missing out. Why did Legend have to bite back his cries, to all but scowl and insult and tease and play it off, even though he wanted nothing but to be held through the worst of it.
His eyes burnt with tears as he choked on a pitiful sob, tearing away from his throat. Legend could hear Time faintly gasp and shift in the background, yet he paid it no mind, focusing on trying to paw at and wipe away the rolling tears. A shudder tremored through his body, triggering the worst of his aches in its wake, until Legend was reduced to a sobbing puddle of pure agony.
“I-It’s just-” Legend rasped out, “My joints are killing me . Time, I can’t take it any longer.” He broke down into another miserable sob, his words accentuating the pain even more. He really couldn't take it anymore. Legend couldn’t handle the soreness any more. He was just too damaged and weak, even to the point that he had stopped receiving the bothersome pity, probably because he had already received it more than he already deserves .
Maybe he should just suck it up, to walk through the aches and to move on. But trust Legend to say that he tried . Legend did all he could, to ignore, heal, distract- Everything. Yet nothing worked.
“And- And it sucks because I can’t even join them. It’s like I’m not allowed to have a little fun in my life.” The word sucks could only describe so much, this wasn’t it. Legend knew, but didn’t care, not enough, not when his mind was going on an inner tangent over his hurting limbs. “Do I really deserve nothing?” He pleaded, his voice small and begging.
Legend’s rant pittered off into nothing but guilt and defeat.
“Legend…” Time started, waiting for the boy to interrupt him, or to get up, run, or even start an argument because he simply didn’t know what to do with all this anger . Time anticipated all outcomes, yet he didn’t anticipate for Legend to immediately shut up and listen to Time’s voice, as though a switch was flicked in him.
“I know.” Time says, nodding solemnly.
What? Legend looks up, his face splotchy with tears and eyes perplexed.
“I know how it feels. And it’s not fair,” He simply puts out. The words hang heavy in the air.
Legend is taken aback- This is the first time somebody has put his pain into nothing but a few words. Did Time really know?
“It isn’t fair to sit out on these things, and to live with pain to this extent daily? Legend, why didn’t you say anything earlier?” Time all but begged.
“I… I don’t actually know.” Legend replied, ashamed of himself. “I just-” He sighed in exasperation, spluttering the last of his argumentative flames, unable to put anything into words anymore, he was at his limit. Time was aware of that. And because of that, he no longer pressed.
“This can be a conversation for a later time. And just remember; I want to help you. I want to get over this with you, yeah? And we can do that later. For now, just try some of the tea I’ve made you. I heard it helps with inflammation.” He added with a wink. Legend stared, mouth agape and eyes wide. “Tha-Thank you.” He briskly nodded, trying to push away the last of his tears.
Maybe Legend wasn’t so alone. Maybe the little company was what mattered the most. And no matter how much it rained outside, the Sun started to shine for Legend.