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Part 1 of Linked Universe Modern AU
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Linked Universe AU Directory
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2025-06-06
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3,147
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1/1
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"Didn't I Just See You At...?"

Summary:

Working three jobs while going to college can be hard - unless you can split into four of yourself! Scratch that - it's still hard... trying to keep the whole splitting into four power under wraps, that is. Especially when one of the four - the one worst at lying, of course - can't seem to resist making friends with your new neighbor (who may or may not be hiding a dog).

(Modern AU)

Notes:

Inspired by this post

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Work Text:

From the moment he started working three jobs with overlapping hours while going to college, Link knew it would eventually fall apart. It was a big city with plenty of strangers and space apart between their workplaces, but it was inevitable that, over time, people who knew him would see the same guy at different places too close together for things to make any sense, and one day, it would be someone who knew Link too well to buy the quadruplets excuse. 

Which was exactly why Link tried to keep everyone at arm's length. He had plenty of company by himself and was quite content with that.

At least, a quarter of him was content with that. Vio wanted to spend his non-school hours in peace and quiet, but not everyone felt that way. Blue, thankfully, seemed satisfied with having online gaming friends to shout at and shout with while blowing things up.

Green and Red weren’t like the other two. Green couldn't seem to turn down co-workers who wanted to hang out after work, which Link supposed was alright in the end, since anyone he worked with would recognize him if they came across him somewhere else anyway.

Red was the real problem. Theoretically, all Red needed to do was see people long enough to hand them whatever item he was selling on the online marketplace and then leave. A face that the buyer would probably forget by the time they got home.

As it was, Red could not seem to resist getting to know everyone he met. He insisted it was because once he got to know them, he could find more things to sell them and make more money (and, admittedly, he'd had some success that way), but the other three were pretty sure that was just an excuse. Red loved socializing, plain and simple.

“We're not going to befriend the new neighbor,” Link told himself as he poured a bowl of cereal. Yes, he might have split into four people to work three jobs and go to school, but he tried to come together for meals and sleep - mattresses were expensive, and so was food these days. Rent was bad enough. “We will be polite and we will introduce ourself when we happen to see them, but we will not go out of our way to befriend them.”

It was a plan he felt comfortable with and good about… while whole, anyway. 

The problem arose once he had left his apartment, ducked into that little alleyway, and split. Red waved the others off as they all headed for their respective destinations before returning to the apartment.

Rulie had set aside some good items at the thrift store for Red to pick up yesterday - Red gave him a cut for saving the good brands for him, after all - so today was a reselling day.

Humming as he went up the stairs, Red almost didn't come to a stop in time when the door to the apartment next door suddenly swung open and someone stepped out in a hurry.

“Woah-!”

“Oh, sorry! Did I hit ya?” The new face blinked down at him in surprise and concern.

“Nope, I'm good!” Red said. “You're our new neighbor, right? We- I was going to introduce myself later this evening.”

“Ah, are you 104?” the young man said, looking at the door next to his.

Red managed to keep from giggling at the number. “Yep! I'm Link.”

He stuck out his hand, and the man let out an incredulous laugh as he reached out to give it a firm shake.

“Well, I'll be, what are the chances of that? My name is Link too. Though uh, some friends of mine call me Twilight, if that makes things easier.”

“Oh! That's funny. It'll be unfair if only you get called something different, right? I'll pick a nickname for myself too!” Red thought for a second before grinning widely. He supposed he might as well go with the nickname he already had amongst some family members. “You can call me Four.”

Twilight quirked a brow and seemed about to ask why before he jolted and glanced at his phone. “It was real nice meetin’ ya, Four, but I gotta go or I'll be late to my interview at Boot Barn. See ya!”

“Ooh, best wishes!” Red called out as the man dipped his head and hurried away. “And avoid taking 5th to get there, there's road work!”

“Thanks!” Twilight called back.

What a friendly guy, Red thought cheerfully as he went inside. I hope I can get to know him better later!

Despite Link, when all together, reminding himself of why that was a bad idea, once he was without the logic of Vio and the demanding influence of Blue, the reasons for being careful about getting too close to people just didn't seem all that important. 

Besides, over the next few days, Red came to realize that this new neighbor of theirs was so interesting! Though Link had never once seen a dog with the man, Twilight usually had dog fur on him, and they'd heard a short howling sound on two different occasions. And this was a no-pet apartment building!

Vio was certain he was keeping a secret pet and even brought over a welcome gift of cookies (a handful given to Vio by another student, which didn’t feel right to Red - surely they could have baked something fresh instead of regifting?), assuming the dog would bark when he knocked on the door, or that, at the very least, he'd spot signs of a dog when Twilight opened the door.

There were no toys on the floor and no dog sounds, Vio had told them later. There had been, however, some dog fur on Twilight's clothes again. 

Maybe, Green had said, he hangs out with dogs during the day and sometimes watches dog videos at home with the volume up.

Red had backed the theory - Twilight didn't seem like a rule breaker by any means.

Until one night when Red was making a late night sale with a woman who only got off work at eleven pm. Box of goods under his arm and ready to head to the police station parking lot to make the sale, Red had just finished locking the door behind him when his neighbor's door handle started jiggling a bunch. 

Curious, he stopped and watched. Maybe the knob was jammed? He had just been about to go over, knock, and offer help when the door slowly swung open. 

A furry head poked out.

Do dogs get that big?

The moment the animal's eyes caught sight of Red, it jerked back inside, and there was a scrabbling sound as the door slammed shut.

“I won't tell!” he called softly through the door on his way past. He was pretty sure the others wouldn't either. Vio didn't care as long as it wasn't a bother, and the howling had never happened while Link was asleep. Green would want to tell the truth if someone ever asked him, but presuming no one would, he wouldn't go out of his way to snitch. Blue would maybe just insist on getting to meet and pet the dog as payment - a bribe Red could certainly get behind. They all liked dogs, after all.

There was no response, but hopefully it would assuage Twilight's worries.

I should tell the others as soon as I get back, Red thought as he continued on his way to the meeting location.

But by the time he got back, Green was half asleep on the couch, Blue was spitting curses at him for taking so long and eating up precious sleeping hours, and Vio was doing that thing where he stared at the same page of a book for five minutes.

Best to combine into one so he could get the sleep he needed for work the next day.

 

It wasn't often Link split before breakfast, but this time, he had questions for himself.

“Why didn't you tell us about the dog?” Blue demanded.

“Because you'd find out anyway,” Red said, swinging his legs as he waited for his toaster waffle to pop out. 

“I don't think that's a dog,” Green said. “That looked more like a wolf, right, Vio?”

“Some people own wolfdogs,” Vio replied, waving his hand in disinterest. “That's not my concern. What I want to know is why you didn't have any questions or concerns over the fact that this man's dog opened the door on its own.”

Red's legs stopped swinging as he tilted his head. “Oh. I dunno. Um, can't some dogs do that kind of thing? I've seen it in videos. They'll go get drinks from the fridge for their owners.”

“But that dog was about to leave the apartment.”

“Wait, are you saying that dog was trying to sneak out of the apartment? Like it's some sort of rebellious teenager?” Blue said before laughing loudly. “Oh man, that's kinda hilarious actually.”

“Twilight didn't answer when you said you wouldn't tell. Isn't that kind of weird? That he wouldn't open the door to talk to you about it? So maybe he doesn't even know,” Green said.

“Should we tell him?” Red asked.

“No,” Vio replied, pushing away his own curiosity and desire to learn more about the odd dog. “We stay out of it. If we stay out of his business, he'll stay out of ours.”

 

Twilight did not stay out of their business. Though, to be fair, it was a perfectly reasonable question.

“Didn't I just see you at In-N-Out?” Twilight asked as the two crossed paths right outside the apartment building.

Red froze. “Uh… that's my twin. I mean, quadruplet. We're quadruplets, in case you ever see two others!”

“Oh! Wow, I had no idea. He responded to Four and acted like he knew me, so it threw me for a real loop when I saw ya here since I came straight back.” Twilight waved a to-go bag with the name of the fast food place Green worked at right on the side.

“Yeah, we uh, well, it's just easier to respond to each other's names and nicknames and play along since we get mistaken for each other so often,” Red said nervously. “I do the same thing when I get mistaken for one of them! You know, someone comes up to me and says…” 

His gaze darted around as he searched for a name. The man who had bought that action figure earlier that day bubbled to mind. 

“‘George, how are you doing?’ I'll just go, ‘Oh, I'm fine! Good to see you!’”

“His name is George, then?”

Red nodded. “Yep! They're George, and uhhh… Paul, and…”

He shifted the package in his arms awkwardly.

“...Ringo.”

The corners of Twilight's mouth twitched. “George, Paul, Ringo, and Link?”

He nodded again, feeling like a bobblehead. “Yep! That's us!”

“Your parents really liked the Beatles, huh?”

“Yep!” He nodded a little faster.

“Right. Well… uh, I'll try and remember their names and ask which one they are if I come across another. No need to go pretendin’ for me, right? We're neighbors, after all! If your brothers ever come to visit, I don't want to be that guy who can't get their names right.”

“That's very nice of you, Twilight!” Red said. “I have to go drop this off now, bye!”

With that, he scurried away, mentally kicking himself. This news was not going to be fun to break to the others.

 

“Your name is George now,” Red blurted once everyone was home. 

Green slowly pointed a finger at himself since Red’s gaze was locked onto him, and Red nodded. 

“Wh- Why George?”

“Because it was the first name that came to mind when Twilight asked me who the lookalike at In-N-Out was!” Red said, fingers winding into his hair. “I panicked!”

“It's such a stupid name though,” he muttered.

“It starts with G at least,” Vio pointed out.

“Well our color nicknames aren't exactly clever or catchy either,” Green said, shooting Red a look.

“Um, George isn't all…” Red said sheepishly. “I kind of gave the rest of you names. But! Vio, Blue, you two get to pick which one is yours!”

Vio crossed his arms, suspicion in his sharp stare. “And what names did you come up with?”

Red fidgeted, gaze floating away. “...Paul and Ringo?”

“You chose Ringo instead of John?” Blue erupted.

“I pick Paul,” Vio said quickly.

Blue wheeled on him immediately. “Wait, no, you can't just decide that! I don't want to be Ringo!”

“I already called Paul.”

“I wish I could be Paul,” Green pouted, marching over to the couch to flop onto it. His foot smacked Red in the shoulder in the process. Out of respect for his misery over suddenly being named George, Red kindly decided not to raise a fuss about it. 

“I refuse to be Ringo! We should just tell him we're all Link and threaten to spill about his dog if he tells anyone!” Blue snapped.

“A secret dog does not quite outweigh secret powers,” Vio remarked coolly. “That would be stupid.”

“If you don't think it's a good idea, you be Ringo!”

“No.”

“Maybe we can make him think he was just seeing things?” Red offered. “If we hit him over the head hard enough, maybe he'll even forget what happened entirely! At the very least, it'll make him out of it enough to question his memory if we insist there's only one of us and only ever been one, right?”

“That's messed up,” Green muttered into the cushion. 

“And won't even make a difference if it happens again where he sees George while getting dinner on his way home and then sees you, Red,” Vio remarked.

“Please don't call me George.”

“I'm just practicing.”

“Whatever, Paul.”

“No, call him Ringo!” Blue insisted.

“At least he bought the quadruplets thing, right?” Red offered, hoping to soothe the atmosphere.

“Of course he bought the quadruplets thing,” Blue said, throwing his arms up in the air. “He doesn't have any reason to think otherwise! No one's first thought is going to be, nah, I bet it's actually that he can split into four people!”

Green shifted his face off the cushion and hissed, “Blue, keep your voice down!”

Blue shoved Green’s face back into the cushion with a scowl. “Keep your head down, George.”

“Guys,” Vio said, an odd tone to his voice. Everyone looked over to see him staring down at their phone.

“Yeah?”

“Our cousin Link is coming.”

“Head-stuck-in-the-sky Link or windbag Link?” Blue asked.

It got a bit confusing when there was more than one Link in the family.

“Wind.”

Green rolled over and snapped his fingers. “Man, that's cool! We haven't seen him in - boy, how many years now?”

“Well, he wasn't able to come to Sky's wedding, so…” Vio paused as he started to do the math, then stopped. “Wait, that's not important. What's important is that he's on his way right now and doesn't know about us.”

“And shouldn't,” Green said. “With a motormouth like him, the entire family will know before an hour is up.”

“Why is he even coming by so suddenly anyway? Shouldn't he be in school? It's not summer break yet, is it?” Blue questioned.

“He explained it all in his text.” Vio looked down at the phone and began to read, even as the others started to crowd around to read for themselves. “He said, ‘Hey, got kicked out of school - not my fault lol - and am being sent to some dumb boot camp correctional school place, so I'm running away and need a place to crash. I know my super cool cousin will let me stay for a while, so I'm on my way. Be there in a few hours.’”

“How the heck did you even understand what he wrote? It's like someone stole half his keyboard!” Blue complained. “Why are there so many acronyms?”

“It's very efficient once you learn,” Vio replied. “It's like digital shorthand.”

Blue made a noise of disgust.

“Okay,” Green said, stepping back and putting his hands on his hips. “We can manage having Wind here. We just have to be more cautious about where and when we split. And uh, tell him that the In-N-Outs here are garbage and he should never eat there.”

“Sure. And I'll give out a list of every house I'm going to clean and business whose windows I'm going to wash so Red can make sure he doesn't cross paths with me at any point of the day,” Blue said flatly. 

“I don't think I'd have to worry about him showing up on campus at least,” Vio said.

“I won't be able to keep him with me all day,” Red said. “There's no way. You know how he is.”

“Too bad he grew out of child leashes,” Blue sighed.

“We need to figure out a game plan,” Green said. “Red will be around him the most when we're separated due to his work, so we'll just say that's our job.”

“He'll find my study materials,” Vio pointed out. “He's too snoopy.”

“We go to college on the weekends?” Green tried. “I don't think he'll think about it too hard.”

“But weekends are so good for sales! I can't stay out of the apartment all weekend - I'll need to come and go,” Red whined.

“It'll only be for as long as he's here,” Green said. “I'm sure we can get something figured out and send him back before it's even been a full week.”

“It would be a lot easier if we just told him he can't stay here,” Vio muttered.

“Naw, we can't do that to him!” Blue said. “Whatever he got kicked out of school for probably wasn't his fault. Well, not entirely. He was probably just doing what he thought was right and got a little out of hand. He's not a bad kid. It wouldn't be right to leave him hanging.”

“Besides, we owe him,” Green pointed out. “He never cashed that in, and you know he's not the kind to have forgotten.”

“You're right,” Vio said with a sigh. “Alright. Comb the apartment, let's try and make sure it looks like only one person lives here. We don't have a choice but to make this work.”

“You guys comb, I'm going to get the guest room ready for him,” Blue said.

“What guest room?”

“Red’s sales room. I'm gonna turn it into a guest room.”

“WHAT?! No!” Red cried, running after him. “I've got that set up perfect for taking photos, don't touch it! He can sleep on the couch! We didn't invite him anyway!”

“What do we do when he finds out?” Vio murmured.

“If he finds out,” Green replied. “God above, I hope it's an ‘if’.”

Notes:

Twilight, off screen: Man, his parents sure made a choice there. Four kids, four Beatles, but they didn't commit all the way… and instead of John being the third, they picked Ringo? Weird. I won't say anything because it's rude, but that's weird. Also, he hasn't pursued the “dog” issue or told the landlord, so I wanna be extra nice to him.

Headcanons:
Time is Twilight's uncle. Time and Warriors were army buddies (Wind was obviously not there).
Wild is an American Ninja Warrior competitor (he's been training for years but wasn't able to join multiple times due to events outside of his control)
Red taught Hyrule what brands and items to keep an eye out for.

Come hang out on my Tumblr! (send thoughts my way there too if you have em. I have no current plans of continuing this, it was literally just written for the George, Paul, and Ringo joke, and also so I'd be in someone's will, but you never know! If I ever post more, it'll be to the series this fic is under, so sub to that just in case if you're interested)

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