Breathe
Fandom: The Mandalorian (Star Wars)
Pairing: Din Djarin x wife!reader
Summary: Months after their escape from Nevarro, Din and the child finally return in the hopes of settling things with the Guild - and finding you.
[takes place within S1E8: Redemption]
Word count: 2.2k
Warnings: mention of injury and implied canon typical violence
masterlist
Din’s ears are ringing, each step a loud drum beating in his head as they make their way through the tunnels. Most of his weight is carried by Cara, but his feet continue to falter and his thoughts are on distant memories and Karga has to grip the arm not thrown around the shocktrooper’s shoulders to keep him upright. Din tries to lead them, direct them through the tunnels but they’re as much a maze to him as they ever were – he’d always entered through the bazaar, and he never bothered to learn an alternate route. You had always teased him for that-
‘Best in the parsec, huh?’ Din could see your smile but it was blurred, the searing pain in his head only just beginning to numb. He tried to focus on you - on the memory of you - as his feet continued to drag; but his mind was betraying him. He knew you’d teased him further, scolded him for not knowing his way around the covert in case of emergency. But the memory faded as quickly as it came, your laugh barely an echo in the empty tunnels.
They took another turn and still, no Mandalorians. Still, no trace of you.
Since taking the child, every quiet moment was spent thinking of you – wondering if you’d made it off Navarro alive. Hoping. He had last seen you with the armorer; you’d stood by his side as she crafted him new armor. You’d helped him put it on, piece by piece, unaware that as you worked the armorer was crafting something for you as well. He’d set two beskar ingots aside, his request of vambraces having been made prior to your arrival at the forge. Din thought you would object – you were a healer, not a warrior – and you were not a Mandalorian by Creed. But when you’d finished setting the final piece of his armor in place and the armorer had stepped out, Din had presented you with the unpainted vambraces and you’d silently accepted them. He hadn’t told you of the job that resulted in such a pay, but he didn’t need to. High reward meant high risk, and if wearing the armor meant easing his conscious regarding your safety then you’d hold your tongue.
But he hadn’t seen you since then. He’d meant to take another job, return to the covert with more credits and supplies before finally finding rest in your shared bed. He hadn’t anticipated the gnawing guilt, the little silver ball sitting atop a simple lever to send his world upside down. And he certainly hadn’t anticipated the covert revealing themselves, forcing them to relocate after he made his escape with the child - without you.
Paz Vizsla had assured him you would be safe, though. The tribe would protect you, as they had throughout the five years since you’d been brought before them. You were their healer, the former outsider that tended to their wounded and their foundlings. You’d readily sacrificed your freedom to live among Navarro’s shadows, only leaving the safe confines of the tunnel system to gather supplies when Din was off world. And although not sworn to the Creed, you were sworn to him – you were a part of the tribe by marriage, and they would treat you as one of their own. This was the Way.
“Stop,” Din reached for the light on the side of his helmet. They’d finally reached a juncture he recognized – the memory of you standing there with a foundling on your hip crashing into him as they’d rounded the corner – and he pulled his other arm from Cara’s shoulders. “I can stand. I’ll try to find tracks.”
Again, he fiddled with the settings on his helmet. But as his visor began scanning, it returned only faint traces. Boot prints of various sizes, adult and child alike, appeared to have rushed down one of the corridors weeks ago. Din knew it was futile, but he couldn’t help wondering which set was yours.
He led them through the tunnels now, the possibility of finding you safely hidden away with the covert propelling him forward. A few more turns, another dozen sets of prints lighting Din’s visor-
And Mandalorian armor, cracked and chipped and dented, in a pile on the floor.
There little quintet stopped short in the tunnel. For a moment, they forgot about the Imperials above ground. For a moment, all eyes followed Din as he stepped forward and fell to his knees. He picked up the nearest helmet, it’s dark and empty visor offering no comfort: he recognized it, the shades of blue and gold owning to only one among the covert.
As he turned it over in his hands, Cara moved gingerly to his side. He heard her say- “We should go.”
But Din still held the helmet in his hands. He wondered if he dug, would he find your vambraces amid the pile? Or the carefully crafted diadem – the beskar braided to rest just above your brow – that he’d given you upon exchanging vows? It’d been forged from a piece of his own armor, the only thing he could gift you in place of a signet he did not yet possess.
“You go.” His voice came from a distance. “Take the ship. I can’t leave it this way.”
‘I can’t leave not knowing if she’s still alive.’
Cara made to protest, to remind him of the Imperials that would surely be closing and the little green child that needed him – but before she could speak, Din had stood and turned on Karga. The guilt he had carried since leaving Navarro; the fear of losing you that he’d carefully hidden away; it all morphed into an ugly rage and he could no longer contain the storm that was whirling within him. His hand fell to the blaster at his hip when a voice cut through the tunnels-
It was the armorer, her helmet glinting in the tunnels low lighting. She was picking pieces of armor from the floor, salvaging what she could as she spoke. Din had been a member of her covert long before she rose to lead them, and she reassured him that he was not to blame for their fate. “We knew what could happen if we left the covert.”
And she retailed exactly what had happened: the immediate arrival of Imperials, the possibility that some escaped. But she did not mention your fate and Din found he could not speak the question. Instead, they merely followed as she returned to her forge.
Karga watched with great interest as the armorer began melting down what remained of a breast plate. Neither he nor Cara, who began to move about inspecting the room, interjected as the armorer asked of the child. They heard the truth of how it came to be in Din’s care, of what it was. Still sitting in the nurse droid’s arms, the child’s ears drooped as the armorer spoke of ancient tales and Mandalore The Great and battles fought eons past. It’s big eyes followed her as she scooped the now liquid beskar from the forge, only breaking from her as she reminded Din of their creed.
Din met the child’s gaze. The armorer, with her back to them, picked up a hammer and began to craft. And with every impact she made, Din could only flinch under his helmet. He needed to find you. He needed to know whether you were safe, to return you to his side not search the galaxy for this creatures home-
‘This is the Way.’
The armorer’s words echoed in his mind, and he found himself- for the first time- at odds with them.
So distracted by his thoughts of you and of the child, he did not hear as Cara reminded them of the Imperials searching for them or as the armorer detailed an exit route. Nor did he hear as footsteps began approaching, echoing off the walls of the tunnels at a sprint.
Karga and Cara immediately moved to either side of the entryway, their blasters in hand and Din, finally, registered what was happening. He still stood behind the droid, which had turned to shield the child from view – but the armorer continued her work, barely pausing to say, “Lower your blasters.”
Cara shot a questioning look at her, but her back was still to them.
The footsteps grew louder; Cara and Karga kept their blasters raised; Din’s hand hovered over his own-
And you came rushing into the room, your breath ragged and your hair disheveled. “They’re coming, Alor, from the south entrance-”
The sight of the man in beskar – the unpainted steel covered in blaster residue and scorch marks – stole whatever remaining breath you had and you immediately moved towards him, a choked ‘ner ka’rta’ on your lips. He heard you, gripped you as you clung to him.
At the sight before her, Cara finally lowered her blaster. She motioned for Karga to do the same, recognizing now who you were – you were the Mandalorian’s wife, the one he had mentioned on Sorgan. When they had driven out the village raiders and found rest and spoken of the future, Cara had inquired of the rules surrounding his helmet. She had asked why he wouldn’t remove it, why he wouldn’t settle down on the swampy planet with the widow and her daughter.
‘I’m married,’ he had said.
Cara had asked- ‘Where is she?’
And after a beat, ‘I don’t know.’
Cara had heard the pain in his voice, read the defensiveness in his body language. She hadn’t pushed the topic further.
Now she watched as you pressed your forehead to his, heard as you spoke quietly in a language she didn’t know. But time was against you, and the armorer had nearly finished her work.
“You must go,” she said. “A foundling is in your care.”
In your relief at seeing your husband alive, you hadn’t noticed the others. Now, as Din took in your own appearance – the beskar diadem still upon your forehead, your clothes and cloak dirtied and your medical bag slung over your shoulder – you saw the others. The man you recognized immediately – you’d seen him around the cantina, seen him as he spoke with Din. He was Guild, and the grip you had on Din’s arms tightened. The other was a woman, one whose eyes met yours with an expression you couldn’t read. But the armorer’s words quickly drew your gaze away, to the droid and the small green creature in its arms.
“By Creed, until it is of age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its father,” she continued. “And its mother. This is the Way.”
Your gaze again found Din’s: you had so many questions, so many concerns. Months had passed since you last saw him and so much had happened- so many lives had been lost. But you knew, among these people, now was not the time. Not when you had only spotted the approaching Imperials minutes ago. And Din’s gaze had never left you, one arm still holding you tightly to him.
Her work now complete, the armorer turned to fully face you and Din. “You have earned your Signet,” she said to him.
As she approached, Din’s grip on you finally loosened and you stepped away. But you didn’t go far, standing before him and watching with a mixture of confusion and pride as the armorer welded a figure onto his right pauldron. When she finished, she pressed something into his hands and said- “You are a clan of three.”
This should have been a momentous occasion, one marked by celebration as was typical of a Mandalorian earning their Signet. You should have been proud of your husband – and you were – but an explosion was heard and the unmistakable sound of boots followed and there was no time for traditions.
“It’s a scouting party,” you said, finding your voice again. “They found the south entrance, they come from the bazaar.”
The armorer turned to the droid and it immediately passed the foundling off to the nearest person – the woman- before making its way down the hall. She seemed to struggle for a moment, but the armorer had continued talking to Din and the Guild man guarded the door and no one seemed to know what to do with the foundling. So you stepped forward, your focus shifting entirely to the small creature as you lifted him from her arms and held him to your chest. The movement caused the light from the forge to bounce off your vambraces, and you missed how the woman seemed to assess you.
And as you quietly cooed at the foundling, his large eyes fixed on you and his little green claws reaching for your face, you missed the way your husband watched you. How his hands tightened around the set of pauldrons the armorer had given him, unpainted and bearing a matching mudhorn. How, after months of torment, he could finally breath again.
**
A/N: Hello 👋🏻 I’m gonna preface this by saying: this is not a guaranteed return. Life got a little crazy and busy and next thing I knew two whole years had passed since I’d been active on here and writing. And work took a turn recently and I found myself restarting The Mandalorian, turning to my old comfort show while the boyfriend was at work. Maybe it was rewatching the show; maybe it’s me craving an escape from work. But I remembered this sitting somewhere among my drafts and thought ‘what the hell?’ Hope y’all enjoyed it. We’ll see if this gets me back into writing. Be pretty cool if it did, I’ve missed it. And I’ve missed y’all<3
Taglist: It’s been so long, I don’t yet know who all is still active on here - so no tags today. But as always, comments, inbox, and messages are open should you like to be added!
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All right, who’s ready for some Incredibles au Wild backstory?
This could also just be read as any old modern au (with super powers hah), but either way I hope you all enjoy :]
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Time yawned, rubbing a hand across his face as he stepped over a basket of unfolded laundry on his way to the kitchen.
It had been a bit of a late night last night. A loud thunderstorm had gone through, terrifying Legend and sending him bolting into his and Malon’s room to huddle under the covers. They’d only just started to calm him down when Twilight had come in and said the thunder was hurting his ears, and then a particularly loud crash had woken Wind and gotten him crying as well.
Not much sleep happened after that.
Time yawned again, opening the fridge and pouring himself a glass of milk. He took a sip, and the cold beverage shocked him awake a little, but he still felt groggy, even though it was close to two in the afternoon.
The phone suddenly rang and he sighed, setting down his cup before heading into his office to answer it. If was Warriors or Sky with a harebrained idea to go out and do something fun, he was hanging up.
“Hello?” he asked as he picked up the receiver, and blinked in surprise at the voice that answered him.
He was suddenly very awake.
“Time. Can you talk?” Impa’s voice came through, slightly tinny. “It won’t take long.”
He leaned back and looked out at where Twilight and Legend were curled up and napping together in the living room, small pink rabbit nestled on top of a wolf cub. Malon was dozing on the couch close by with Wind in her arms, and he leaned back in with a soft smile.
“Yes. What is it?” He frowned suddenly. “Did something happen? Do we... need to move again?”
“No, nothing like that,” Impa assured, and Time couldn’t help his small sigh of relief. “It’s a problem I think you can help with though.”
“What do you need?”
Papers rustled on the other end of the line, and Impa cleared her throat.
“Lately a local police station has been getting reports of a particularly violent gang, who’s been targeting certain... individuals. Because of that our department has been keeping a sharp eye on it, but the police have since made significant progress in stopping them.”
She took a deep breath, and Time heard more papers being shuffled.
“But they haven’t been able to be everywhere. Yesterday they stumbled across another group of them, but they were too slow. They’d already gotten another victim... another super.”
Time’s stomach lurched as Impa sighed. “The group escaped, but the super they had...”
She hesitated, and Time’s grip on the receiver tightened. “Yes?”
“He’s only a boy. About five we think. And based on the condition the police found him in... the group was trying to kill him. And not quickly.”
Time breathed in sharply and leaned back, running a hand down his face.
Right around Legend’s age.
“Is he okay?” he asked softly.
“I won’t go into specifics but he was in bad shape when he was found,” Impa reported in a quiet voice, “His left side is covered in burns, and there’s possibly permanent damage to one ear. He’s been unconscious the entire time as well, and we’re not sure when he’s going to wake up.”
“What can I do?” Time breathed, his stomach roiling with anger and nausea. His power was biting at his fingertips, and he let it simmer a bit. “You called me because you need me, right?”
“Yes, but not you specifically,” Impa explained, “He needs somewhere to stay. He’s in our custody because of what he is, but we can’t find records of him in any system. We have no clue who he is or where he’s from, and until we do, we need somewhere for him to stay.”
“And you think my house is a good place for him to do it,” Time said knowingly, and he can almost hear Impa nod.
“Exactly. He’ll be around other kids, and supers, whom he won’t have to hide his powers from, and be in a much less stressful environment than anywhere else we could send him. And if something goes wrong, you all will be able to help him, or get him to someone who can.”
Impa went quiet for a second.
“I wouldn’t ask this if I didn’t think it was the best option Time,” she said eventually. “I know it’s sudden, and a lot to ask, especially since you’re already pressed for space. It’s possible he’ll attract unwanted attention as well.“
Time thought it over for a couple minutes, tapping his finger on the arm of his chair.
“...are there any other options?” he asked, and Impa sighed.
”Honestly? Not really.”
“That’s fine, I just wanted to know,” Time replied. He breathed in, then out, calming his anger at the poor kid’s situation. “I’ll have to discuss it with Malon. But as long as she agrees my answer is yes.“
“Excellent,” Impa said, and Time could hear the smile in her voice. “I’ll wait for your confirmation of course, but we both know Malanya has a heart softer than hay. She can’t ignore anyone in need.”
Time smiled. “Neither does the Fierce Deity. When should we expect you?”
“I don’t know for sure. As soon as he’s awake and healed enough, but we don’t know when that will be.”
“Of course. Thank you for calling Impa,” Time said. “We’ll get ready.”
“Thank you Time, for doing this,” Impa said genuinely, “you’re a good man. We’ll help provide you with some things for him, and I’ll call again when I have more information.”
She then hung up, and Time stood to go ask his wife about their new houseguest.
(...)
Malon immediately agreed to the boy (he’d been given the temporary name of Link, because of course he had) living with them when he asked what she thought.
He actually had to stop her from calling Impa and demanding information on the thugs who burned Link, her face red with anger after he explained what happened. She wiped a few tears from her eyes as he calmed her down and convinced her not to send a herd of animals out looking for them, then let out a tired sigh.
“All we ever did was try to protect them,” she murmured sadly, leaning against him, “and this is what it’s come to.”
Time held her back, and wished he could do more.
They got to work preparing for another kid in their house, signing any forms Impa gave them, (apparently the fact that the case involved supers made some things a bit of a grey area) and somehow making room in their already-small-for-five-people home. Legend and Twilight helped where they could with a bright and incessant curiosity about the whole thing, but were a little confused on what exactly was going on.
“So it’s like... grandpa visiting?” Legend asked in confusion when they tried to explain it to him, his nose scrunching up. “Or uncles?”
“Sort of honey, but it’ll be for a longer time then when they come,” Malon said, and Legend tilted his head.
“Why?”
“Link needs somewhere to stay, so he’s staying with us,” Malon answered, but Legend’s expression stayed confused.
“But we don’t know him?” he asked, and Time sighed.
“Yes Legend, but Link was in an accident, and needs somewhere to stay for a while while they find his family,” he patiently explained, “so he’ll be staying with us.”
Twilight frowned from his seat. “Accident? Is he hurt?”
“Yes, he was hurt,” Time nodded, and both his son’s faces fell, “but he’s getting better, that’s why he’s staying with us. So he has a good place to get better in.”
Legend perked up. “So we gotta help him feel better!” he said firmly, ears twitching. Twilight nodded enthusiastically, and Time let out a chuckle.
“Yes, you two can help. Just remember he won’t be used to us at first, so no overwhelming him,” he said, leveling them both with a serious look.
They both nodded seriously back, and Time knew they’d do their best.
(...)
Impa called again nearly two weeks later, stating that Link was awake and healed enough to stay with them.
They’d hoped he’d be able to tell them something about himself or where he was from, but he didn’t answer any questions they asked him, to a point where they weren’t sure he actually remembered anything from before the incident. He didn’t tell them his name either, though he seemed fine enough with Link.
He was also one of the quietest kids Time had ever met.
When Impa brought him over, he didn’t say a single word, his hand holding tightly to hers. Time took in the angry lines splayed across the side of his face, some still bandaged, and felt his anger broil as the power in him surged to do something about this, to fix this.
But he pushed it away, and gave Link a gentle smile instead.
“Link, this is Time and Malon, you’re going to be staying with them for a little while,” Impa explained, and Link flicked his eyes up at the two of them. His gaze lingered on Time’s scar over his eye as he looked at them, and Time returned his stare with another smile.
Impa left, and Malon took over, gently sweeping Link inside and showing him around. He didn’t say a word the entire tour, looking around the house with a quietly curious look in his eyes.
Sky had offered to take Twilight and Legend out for the afternoon so Link could settle in a bit, and he seemed to be comfortable enough with his new lodgings, poking around in the backyard, and watching Malon make lunch. He’d settled in the living room as the sun set, and was quietly coloring a picture when the door opened and Time’s sons came crashing in.
“Hi!”
Link jumped at the sudden hello, and shrank back behind Malon as Legend charged up, peering at him with a nervous sort of curiosity. He was certainly an interesting kid to look at, what with his bright pink hair and blue hat.
Legend waved, and Link waved hesitantly back, then returned the grin he gave him with a barely-there smile.
“My name’s Link but everyone calls me Legend,” he proudly proclaimed, then pointed behind him as Twilight walked up. “An’ that’s Twilight. He’s also Link, and so is Wind too, but he’s a baby and isn’t as intresting. You get to share our room!”
Link nodded, probably remembering back to when they showed him the bedroom.
“Nice to meet you,” Twilight said with a big smile, holding out a hand. Link stared at it, then hesitantly took it, letting Twilight wiggle his arm around in the way kids do when shaking hands. “You wanna see something cool?”
Link nodded, looking curious.
Twilight grinned at him, then fell to the floor, dark shadows falling around him. Link gasped, but Legend shushed him, watching his expression closely. Then the shadows dispersed, and Twilight stood there wagging his tail, tongue lolling out of his mouth.
Time looked over to see Wild’s reaction, and saw near literal stars in his eyes.
“Big puppy,” he said in a surprised voice, and Malon and Time exchanged little smiles at hearing him speak. It was the first he’d spoken all day, and while his voice was small and whispery, it at least confirmed he could talk.
There were a few lines near his throat that had made Time wonder.
Legend giggled at Link’s words, resting an arm on Twilight. “He’s not that big. Not yet anyway. We looked up ‘pictures of big wolves at the lieberry, an’ Twilight says he’s gonna be bigger then dad someday.”
“I don’t know if he’ll be quite that big,” Time said with a raised eyebrow, but Legend ignored him.
Link stared in wonder at Twilight’s wolf form, then hesitantly reached out a hand. Twilight ignored it and bounded forward instead, licking him and madly wagging his tail.
Time was about to tell him not to be so rough, but Link burst into laughter, patting Twilight on the head while trying to avoid his attempts to lick him.
Legend looked smug, grinning as Twilight managed to lick Link’s face. Normally Malon would scold him for licking people, but Time figured she’d make an exception this time, and this had obviously been their boys’ plan all along.
He looked over at her and saw a fond look on her face as Link and Twilight tussled a bit, and smiled to himself.
(...)
Link had been with them a week when Time first heard the crying.
He’d already been having a restless night, and frowned, opening his eye as he sat up in bed. It was a quiet, barely perceptible noise, and if he hadn’t already been half awake he likely wouldn’t have heard it.
Malon shifted a bit as he got up out of bed, but stayed asleep, letting out a single sleepy murmur before falling still again. Time smiled at her then stood to follow the sound that had roused him. He had thought at first that it might have been Wind, but when he checked he was lying dead asleep, thumb in his mouth.
He followed the noise down the hall to his boys’ room, but he paused upon reaching the door, noticing that their lamp was on.
“...ink, wake up Link, it’s okay, it was just a dream,” Twilight’s voice whispered, and Time heard a hiccupy sob.
He took the utmost care in cracking the door open without making any noise, peering in at the sight inside. Link sat hunched into a ball on his bed, wrapped in a blanket and shaking as tears dripped down his face. Twilight was sitting next to him, wringing his hands anxiously, but Legend was still lying in his own bed. He must have somehow still been asleep.
“Link?” Twilight whispered after a minute, his eyes still wide with worry.
Link just buried his head in his knees.
Time took that as a signal it was time to intervene, and was about to enter the room when Twilight’s face took on a determined look. He leaned closer to Link, pulling his blanket more snuggly around his shoulders, then turned into a wolf, making the younger boy start in surprise.
Twilight whined and nudged him, and Link sniffled, wiping some tears from his eyes with a fist.
He held out a shaking hand, and Twilight bumped it with his forehead, keeping it there until Link began to softly pet him.
“Thanks,” he whispered eventually, and Twilight curled around him, letting Link bury his head in his fur. Time stood silently in the doorway for several more long minutes, watching as Link’s breathing slowly evened out and his tears began to slow.
He waited until he was sure Link had fallen asleep again before pushing the door open and slowly walking in, standing by the side of the bed with a small sigh.
Twilight’s ear twitched and he opened a sleepy eye at him, but Time only gave his ears a gentle rub.
“Go back to sleep pup. Thank you,” he whispered, and Twilight’s tail thumped once before he closed his eye once again. Time gave him one last pat, than ran a hand over Link’s head as well. He brushed some of the blonde hair out of the kid’s face, and felt his heart squeeze at the tear tracks still on his cheeks.
“Sleep well boys,” he murmured gently, then turned off the lamp and headed back to bed.
That night was only the first of many where Time heard Link crying because of a nightmare, but he soon realized Twilight was much faster at calming him down afterwards than either him or Malon.
And he always got to Link first.
No matter how quickly Time or Malon would slip out of bed, by the time they reached the boys’ bedroom, Twilight would already be sitting next to Link and comforting him, usually as a wolf. Legend would sometimes sit next to them as well if he happened to get woken up, and Time would often wake to find them all sleeping in one big pile in the morning.
...sometimes in his and Malon’s bed instead of Link’s.
The three had near immediately become inseparable, and Twilight and Legend had even given Link a nickname at some point to avoid confusion. Which Time didn’t quite get the reasoning behind until he went outside one afternoon, and found the newly-christened Wild looking down at him from their roof.
It turned out Wild loved to climb.
Everything.
Bookshelves, tables, fences, beds— if was even a bit taller then he was, Wild climbed it, and climbed it fast.
“Well he’s definitely adjusted to living here,” Warriors laughed as Wild smiled at them from the top of the rather tall tree in their backyard.
“No doubt about it,” Time sighed, and went to ask Sky if he’d help retrieve him.
Wild still wasn’t the best at climbing down.
(...)
The weeks went by quickly, and the longer Wild stayed in their house, the more it felt like he’d always been there; peering up at whatever Malon was making for dinner, poking around in the yard with Twilight, excitedly showing Wind a frog he’d found.
He certainly didn’t feel like a temporary guest anymore, and Time had to keep reminding himself he most likely had a family out there to go back to, one that was probably worried sick and doing everything they could to find him.
For some reason the thought didn’t make him feel much better.
Wild’s burns had mostly faded to waxy-looking scars by now, and the amount of nightmares he had had been steadily going down as well. He still didn’t speak all that much, but Time wasn’t sure if it was the pain that sometimes bothered him, or the way he’d always been. Not that it much mattered whether he talked or not, Time would love him even if he was completely mute.
What concerned him more was that he still hadn’t shown them his power.
Wild knew they were supers of course, aside from seeing Twilight transform he’d seen Legend turn invisible sometimes, and he’d even seen Wind show some small abilities. Time knew Wild’s refusal to use his own stemmed from being attacked, and while he‘d never push him, it concerned him that the kid simply didn’t use his powers at all.
It wasn’t good to keep that kind of thing bottled up. Time knew that well.
So he tried to ask him about them one morning, making sure the question was gentle. But Wild had shrunk in his seat, merely shaken his head, and been quieter than normal the rest of the day.
Malon had tried then, taken Wild up to her father’s ranch and shown him how she could call horses as well as understand them. And despite how thrilled Wild seemed by the demonstration, he still didn’t reveal his own.
Until Legend finally cornered him.
“You have a power right?” Legend said one rainy weekend when they were stuck inside, shoving his face up close to Wild’s. The two had been playing a game of some sort with Wind, but he’d gone off for a nap a little while ago, and Legend now had nothing to occupy himself. “What’s it? Can I see?”
Time didn’t turn his head from the book he was reading, but he flicked his eye up at where the two were sitting. Wild looked nervous, and leaned away from Legend while shaking his head.
“Don’t want to” he whispered, and Legend frowned.
“But you’re ‘lowed to here,” he said with a wave of his hand, “we’re at home. Powers are allowed at home but not anywhere else,” he said like he was reciting it from memory. “It’s totally okay!”
Wild still shook his head, and Legend crossed his arms.
“Nobody’ll see Wild, it’s safe! Look!”
Then he leapt up in the air and turned into a little pink bunny rabbit.
Wild gasped, and immediately kneeled down to look at him, eyes huge. Legend had shown him his invisibility powers before, but he’d never done this.
He hesitantly reached out a hand, and Legend hopped closer, letting him run a finger through his fur.
“How’d you do that?” he said in wonder, and Legend thumped a leg.
“It’s one of my powers. I toldja, it’s safe here! I can do this and nobody even cares!” he explained, then hopped around a bit. “But now that I’ve showed you mine you gotta show me yours. ‘S only fair.”
Wild looked around the living room anxiously, but Time was the only other person in the room, and he made sure his gaze was solidly on the book in his lap.
“...okay,” he whispered nervously.
Time slipped his gaze over to Wild again, and before he could even blink the boy was suddenly on the other side of the room, the pages of his book flipping as a breeze buffeted his face.
Super speed, he thought in amazement as Wild ran back then did a couple quick loops around Legend. Legend for his part turned human again almost immediately, and stared, his eyes now the huge ones.
“WHOA! That’s awesome! You must always win races!” he gaped, and Wild blushed.
“I’ve never raced before,” he admitted, and Legend grabbed his arm.
“Well then we gotta! From here to the bed upstairs, readysetgo!”
Wild’s face lit up, and he took off, Legend sprinting after him even though his cap had been blown off and he had positively no chance of winning.
Time watched them leave with a warm smile, not even caring that he’d lost his place in his book.
(...)
“Mama? Can I help with dinner?”
Malon smiled down at Wild, who was hovering eagerly around her feet as she chopped some tomatoes. He’d started calling her mom about a week ago, and she couldn’t help but let him.
“Of course honey, can you get some safflina for me?”
Wild nodded and zipped over to the pantry, rifling through shelves at a speed much faster than necessary as he looked for the plant.
Time leaned on the counter and watched him zip around the kitchen, grabbing whatever Malon happened to need, sometimes before she could even ask. Wild had begun using his powers much more regularly ever since Legend had talked to him, and now spent much of his time zipping around the house and climbing things at twice the speed he had before. He seemed the happiest Time had ever seen him, and he smiled as he watched him hand Malon the salt shaker.
Wild caught him watching and returned his smile, and Time was about to ask if he could help at all when the phone rang.
Malon went to answer it, but he waved her off, raising a pointed eyebrow at her messy hands. She flicked some tomato at him and he dodged it, smirking as he picked up the phone.
“Hello?”
His smile faded as he heard the answering voice.
“Time, we found out who Link is,” Impa said, and something in his stomach went cold.
He glanced over at Wild, who was happily putting chopped up bits of tomato into a pot while Malon kept watched him.
He swallowed and caught Malon’s eye. “Go ahead.”
“His name’s Link Satori, I suppose we got lucky on the name. His parents died when he was a baby, apparently he was living with his grandfather, who was a super. He died right around when Link was attacked though, and we think he may have been a target of the same group that went after his grandson. No siblings.”
“He... he doesn’t have anyone?” Time asked, and Impa sighed as Malon walked over, realizing what was happening.
“No. His parents died years ago, and he has no other family, other grandparents, aunts or uncles... nothing,” Impa continued, and Malon let out a soft oh. ”He has no legal guardians... apart from you two.”
“Then... what does that mean for him?” Time asked hesitantly, and Malon put her hand on his arm.
Impa shuffled some papers. “Well... one option would be placing him into the foster system. But with him being a super it’ll be nearly impossible for them to place him with a family, it might be years before—“
“No.”
Time and Malon met each other’s eyes. They’d both spoken at the same time.
“No?” Impa asked with a hint of a smile on her voice, sounding oddly knowing.
Time looked over at Wild, who was trying to pick some tomato out of his hair, and giggling as he only managed to spread it further.
“No. We...” Malon squeezed his hand. “...we want him to keep living here. With us.”
“We’re already his family in everything but name,” Malon added softly, pulling the receiver closer, “all we really need to do is make it official. We’d like to adopt him.“
Time knew Impa was smiling now.
“I think we can make that happen.”
(...)
“What’s going on?”
Malon and Time smiled at Legend, who was tapping his fingers impatiently on the table while Twilight mostly just looked confused. They’d gathered everyone for a family meeting, even Wind (though he was asleep in Malon’s arms), and Legend was getting increasingly impatient.
Wild smiled knowingly from his seat, having already been told what this was all about.
“Is there a surprise for us?” Legend asked, “a trip? Presents? Carrots?”
“Do we have to move again?” Twilight asked quietly, and Malon shook her head.
“No honey, we’re not moving,” she immediately reassured him, and Twilight looked relieved. “And it is a sort of surprise. We have some news to tell you.”
“Well what is it?” Legend huffed, putting his chin on the table.
Malon met Time’s eye, and he cleared his throat.
“You boys remember how Wild was supposed to stay with us until the police could find his family?” he asked, and Legend and Twilight nodded.
“Did they find them?” Twilight said hopefully. He’d worriedly asked about Wild’s family several times over the course of the younger boy’s stay, hoping his friend would finally get to see his parents again.
Time sighed.
He and Malon had already explained to Wild what had happened to his grandfather of course, and he’d taken it quietly, merely nodding once they finished.
“Do you remember him at all?” Malon had asked, and Wild gave her a small shrug.
“I already knew he was gone,” he had said quietly, and hadn’t elaborated.
So what Time said next was only a surprise to Legend and Twilight. “Yes, but they... Wild doesn’t have any family to stay with anymore.”
Legend froze, and Twilight looked stricken, wrapping his arms around himself.
“So... so where’ll he live now?” Legend asked in a trembling voice, and Time smiled as Malon squeezed his hand.
“Well... we thought he could stay here,” Time said, and Wild covered his grin with his hands as Twilight and Legend stared at their father.
Malon smiled. “We’re going to adopt him.”
Legend and Twilight immediately swung their stares over to Wild, and he smiled at them, looking the tiniest bit sheepish.
And the room suddenly exploded into noise.
“Adopt— you’re adopting Wild?! Wild you— you get to stay here!” Twilight gasped. “You get to be our brother!“
“We’ll get to celebrate your birthday and race all we want and come to school with us—“ Legend chattered, steadily increasing in both volume and speed, “—An’ climb stuff an’ go to the store an’ see Wars an’ Sky an’ Sun an’—“
Wild’s smile only grew.
“NEW BROTHER!!” Legend finally finished with a holler, so excited that he turned into a rabbit and promptly launched himself at Wild.
Wild caught him and smiled wider than Time had ever seen him smile before, and began to laugh as Twilight leaned over and hugged him. Wind got woken up by all the noise but surprisingly enough didn’t cry, merely babbling loudly and adding to the chaos.
Time smiled as his boys celebrated, and Malon leaned her head on his shoulder.
He would never be glad of the violence that Wild had suffered, nor the injuries he’d bear the marks of for the rest of his life. But he’d always be grateful of the circumstances that had allowed him to be sitting in their dining room, smiling brightly as Twilight leaned on him and Legend bounced onto his shoulder, all three happily talking and laughing.
He wouldn’t trade this moment for the world.
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