Chapter Text
The camp had gone quiet for the afternoon, and most of the Chain was resting or fixing gear. Twilight had taken the rare lull to sit by the fire pit, gnawing on a strip of jerky while keeping an absent eye on Epona grazing nearby. It was peaceful, the kind of lazy, sun-drenched stillness he actually liked.
Until a gloved hand darted past him and the jerky vanished.
“Hey!” Twilight barked, twisting around so fast he almost made himself dizzy.
Warriors stood a few paces away, already chewing on the jerky that remained, smirk wide enough to make Twilight’s blood boil. “You looked like you were taking too long to appreciate it,” he said casually, like he’d done Twilight a favor. “Didn’t want it to go cold.”
“It’s jerky, you royal nuisance. It doesn’t go cold.”
Warriors just shrugged, brushing imaginary dust off his scarf. “Then you don’t need it back.”
Twilight’s eyes narrowed. “You’re real lucky we’re not in Ordon right now.”
“Oh? Planning to sic your goats on me again?” Warriors teased.
Twilight lunged.
The two went down in a tangle of limbs and curses, kicking up dirt as they rolled through the grass. Warriors managed to get in a few solid jabs before Twilight pinned him, one knee planted on his chest. Warriors wheezed out a laugh that sounded more delighted than pained.
“Mercy! Mercy!” he huffed, though his grin didn’t falter.
“Say you’ll quit stealing my food,” Twilight said, mock-serious.
“Never,” Warriors said through laughter. “It builds character!”
“Yeah? Let’s see how much character you’ve got when you’re eating mud.” Twilight scooped up a handful of dirt and nearly succeeded before Warriors twisted free, grabbing Twilight’s wrist and flipping them both. Now Warriors had him pinned, triumphant grin shining.
“Looks like Hyrulean training beats country wrestling,” he said smugly.
Twilight’s answer was a sharp kick that sent them both tumbling again, ending in another heap. For a long moment, they just lay there catching their breath, laughing like idiots.
Sky appeared then, holding a folded tent canvas under one arm, expression equal parts amused and exasperated. “Are you two seriously fighting over jerky again?”
Warriors, still flat on his back, raised a finger. “Not fighting. Bonding.”
Twilight snorted. “You call this bonding, I call it babysitting.”
“Then you’re doing an excellent job,” Warriors said, getting to his feet with a grin. He brushed grass from his tunic, still looking far too pleased with himself.
Twilight stood too, dusting himself off with a glare that was only half-serious. “Next time, I’m feeding you to the Cuccoos.”
“Promises, promises,” Warriors shot back, and before Twilight could respond, he flicked mud at his face and bolted.
“Wars!” Twilight shouted, half growl, half laugh, sprinting after him down the hill.
The sun had sunk low by the time they trudged back into camp, both of them covered in grass, streaked with dirt, and grinning like fools. Twilight’s hair had blades of grass tangled in it, and Warriors’ scarf had somehow ended up tied around his arm like a trophy.
Sky had just sighed when he saw them. “You two done acting like children?”
“Define done,” Warriors said, dropping down beside the fire.
Twilight rolled his eyes but sat too, his back to the flames as he unlaced his boots. The warmth seeped into his muscles, easing the ache from their roughhousing. For a while, the only sound was the soft crackle of wood and the gentle rhythm of the others breathing around camp.
Warriors leaned back on his hands, exhaling through a grin that hadn’t quite faded yet. “You fight dirty, you know that?”
“You stole my lunch.”
“It was a snack!”
Twilight gave him a side-eye. “You’re lucky I didn’t throw you in the river.”
“Mm. You could’ve tried.” Warriors smirked, then, quieter, “Would’ve been worth it.”
That earned him a baffled look. “Worth what?”
“The laugh.” He shrugged. “You don’t laugh like that often, farm boy.”
Twilight blinked at him, the comeback dying in his throat. The flicker of firelight painted Warriors’ face in gold and shadow, exhaustion softening the sharpness of his usual grin.
“…Guess I don’t,” Twilight admitted, voice quieter than before. “Been a long road. Hard to find much reason to lately.”
“Then I’ll just have to keep stealing your food,” Warriors said lightly, though there was something behind his tone, something that made Twilight look at him a moment longer before huffing a quiet laugh.
“Y’know, you’re a pain.”
“Yeah, but you’d miss me if I wasn’t.”
“Would not.”
“Would too.”
They both smiled at that, a wordless peace settling between them. Twilight reached for his bedroll, tugging Warriors’ scarf from his arm to toss it back at him.
“Here. Blanket boy.”
“Appreciate it,” Warriors said, wrapping it back around his shoulders. After a pause, he added, “You did good today, by the way. Out there in the skirmish.”
Twilight’s brow furrowed. “You saw that?”
“I see everything,” Warriors said, leaning his head back to stare up at the stars. “You’ve got good instincts. Time’s proud of you, y’know.”
Twilight hesitated, then nodded once, his voice rough. “Thanks, Wars.”
“Anytime.”
The fire popped softly. Their laughter from earlier still hung faintly in the air, like an echo of something warm and familiar. Warriors slouched further down, scarf pulled high over his nose, eyes half-lidded. Twilight stayed awake a while longer, watching the sparks drift upward. A small, unspoken smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.