Chapter Text
Four had decided that if he ever met the deity that decided to curse him with 12 brothers, he would have some incredibly choice words to share, consequences be damned. After all, what punishment could outdo the absolute hell he was experiencing on this particular afternoon?
The day started as normal as any other, the group of hero’s trekking through some unknown forest in Hyrule or Wild or Twilight’s time. Four had barely heard where they were in between the waves of pain and nausea rolling through him. Four considered himself a generally calm person and had managed the careful peace between the four Colors living inside his head ever since the day they first split. It just so happened that today of all days, the Colors were not in fact feeling calm nor peaceful and instead decided that today was the perfect day to bicker. Being that they were a part of Four, their loud bickering had led to the worst. migraine. ever.
“C’mon guys why can’t we just split for a few minutes?” Blue had started as soon as Four had cracked his eyes open that morning.
“Blue, you know the rules. We barely know these people, and we don’t need another bad reaction. I, for one, don’t want to be left stranded in an unfamiliar Hyrule.” Violet had chided while Four had splashed water in his face from a small creek nearby.
“Really, Vio, ‘these people’?” Four could practically feel the whine in Red’s tone as he pulled on his tunic and boots, silent as he helped pack up camp. “We’ve been traveling with them for nearly two months; they’re just more versions of us. That makes them literally family.”
Four was hardly listening as Time and Warriors laid the plans for the day’s journey, following a dark forest path to a small village where there were rumors of black-blooded monster attacks. Even Green had chimed in, choosing a side and thus egging the argument on.
“Vio’s right guys, I don’t think now is the right time.”
“But when is the right time, Green?!” Blue burst out, sending a sharp stab of pain through Four’s temple. “We’ve been practically trapped ever since that portal opened up!”
“Yeah, guys, can’t we just sneak to the woods for a few minutes?”
“Nuh-uh, Red.” Vio immediately shot his crimson counterpart down. “I know your tricks, we’ll split and then you’ll wander off and we won’t be able to fuse again.”
Red’s loud, offended gasp sent a wave of pain through his head, though he managed to only stumble before resuming his even gait. The group wasn’t exactly in a rush, but they definitely weren’t walking slow and throughout the day, Four fell to the back of the group with Sky and Wind. He couldn’t stop thinking about Vio’s words, about the possibility of being left behind. Glancing around himself, he took in the group.
Legend was off to the side, marching angrily with Wild and Hyrule close behind. In his hands, Wild held a rather disturbed looking frog. Four wasn’t sure exactly what Legend was saying, but he was sure it had to do with Wild and Hyrule’s tendency to wander off.
Wind and Sky were speaking in quiet tones next to him, the Skyloftian hero explaining some carving he had been working on by the fire that morning. Both had seemed to understand Four’s silence as a sign not to engage, though they didn’t know the real reason he had been avoiding talking.
Time, Twilight and Warriors led the group, lost in conversation, and Four was sure they were trying their hardest to not to laugh at Legends exasperation towards Hyrule and Wild.
Of all the heroes, those three were the oldest and most experienced, other than maybe Legend. In any case, Four was sure they had seen things much stranger than a boy split in pieces. Yet he hesitated again on Vio’s claim of being left behind.
Four could imagine their reactions to him splitting. Another three mouths fed, three more bodies to keep track of in battle. He knew exactly how they’d see him. Between Warriors’s battle-worn logic and Twilight’s constant worry, he knew what they’d call him. It was a word he’d heard often, between cries of monster and evil. They’d call him a burden. Even Time, as the group’s leader, wouldn’t be able to deny it. Four ripped his eyes from the trio, as he attempted to focus anything but the pain in his head and his heart. The yelling had barely stopped all day, and Four felt exhausted from trying to tune it out.
Except, for the first time today, this bickering wasn’t coming from inside his head.
“I just don’t understand why you two can’t manage to stay on the path!” Legend said sternly, a guilty Hyrule and Wild hanging their heads low and their faces distorted in Time’s armor as they fell into step behind the older man.
“Aw c’mon Ledge!” Hyrule began in a near exact imitation of Blue’s tone. Four would have chuckled if he hadn’t already felt so annoyed. Instead he simply squeezed his eyes shut and failed to block out the many loud voices. “We were barely gone for five minutes, and you wouldn’t have even noticed if-”
“Yeah, if Wild hadn’t set that tree on fire!” Four hadn’t noticed that Wind left his and Sky’s side, running up to join Legend and the others. Four must have been more out of it than he thought to miss a miniature forest fire.
“Not helping, Sailor!” The Champion all but growled at the boy clad in blue. Legend let out a long-suffering sigh that rivaled only Time’s.
“We have gone over this, you’re both heroes and practically of age. Wild, you’re 18-”
“118, actually.”
“118” Legend impatiently amended. “You guys cannot go off to collect things every time we stop to rest. What do you even need a stupid looking frog-”
It was Wild’s turn to imitate the voices in Four’s head, interrupting Legend with an offended gasp identical to Red’s.
“Stinky does NOT look stupid!”
Four tuned out whatever had come after Legend’s angry yell and the barely hidden chuckles from the Hero of Warriors and Hero of Twilight. The sun was now dipping low in the sky, and Four prayed they could stop walking soon. All he wanted was to crawl into his bedroll and be left in silence.
“Are you doing okay?” A voice came from his left. Sky, ever the picture of care, peered at him with worried eyes and furrowed brows. “ You don’t look too great.”
“Never been better, Sky.” Four tried to cover his words in sarcasm, but only managed to reveal just how much pain he was in. Shit. Had Sky been that blurry before?
To his credit, Sky didn’t press him much further, only taking in the waning sunlight and Four’s distressed face before releasing a small sigh himself.
“I’ll be back, kiddo.”
Four could barely process Sky’s words and Blue's aggravated reaction ("did he seriously call us kiddo?!") before the other man was speedily walking towards the front of the group and speaking with Time in low tones. Before Four managed to catch up to them, the elder hero clapped his hands, silencing the younger heroes’ bickering and the older ones’ mocking.
“The sun is nearly gone and there’s a chill in the air. Let’s stop for the night and rest up. I don’t foresee reaching the village tonight and we must be prepared to take on whatever evil is hiding there tomorrow.” Time, to his credit, didn’t so much as glance at Four during his speech. Four barely processed the flurry of movements around him as camp was set up. Soon, a cooking pot was set up over a fire, and Wild was shuffling through his Sheikah Slate for ingredients.
A breeze blew through the camp, and Four felt himself shake violently. The Colors’ argument had cooled for the time being but his headache had not. It felt like someone had decided to play children’s weaving games with his insides, his stomach pulling tight with every little sound. Everything was far away and way too close at the same time. Voices were echoing around him, and he couldn’t be sure what came from the brothers in his head or his brothers around the campfire.
“-et Four decide, he’s the only one who’s been quiet all day.”
At that moment, Four realized there were 8 pairs of expectant eyes all trained on him. If only they knew his day had been anything but quiet.
“Deci-” He licked his lips, his throat dry with disuse and his tongue falling heavily. A deep breath as he tried again. “Decide what?”
“What kind of cheese for dinner.” Wild stated matter-of-factly, seemingly oblivious to the Four’s distress. “I’m making a dish called macaroni and cheese.”
“Mac and cheese?” Red cried excitedly. “We haven’t had that in forever.”
Red was right. Four loved mac and cheese, it reminded him of quiet nights with Dot after his first adventure. The nights where the dark felt like a vast cavern ready to swallow him whole, memories of the horrors he saw in his search for his friend clawing at him. The nights where Dot would send away the knights and castle staff and together, they’d make the one dish they knew how to make without burning down the castle. Afterwards, they’d sit with their cheesy creation and distract each other from the darkness. To him, mac and cheese was a warm hug when he needed it most.
“Um, w-what kinds of cheese have you got?” Four asked, again failing to conceal the pain he was in.
“Goat’s cheese, cheddar, some mozzarella from Lon Lon, and one from Rito in my time.” Wild’s response came like a knife through Four’s eye, the smithy barely able to focus on the cook’s words.
“Ooh, try the new one!" Green cried, ever adventurous.
“No, no, cheddar has the best flavor!” Blue chimed in next.
“Goat’s cheese is so creamy though!” Red argued. At least they weren’t fighting about splitting anymore. It was Vio’s vote next, hopefully he could use his logic to get the four Colors to agree.
“I think the mozzarella is closest to Dot’s recipe.” Din’s fire, Four really hated Violet’s logic.
“Well, Four, what’cha thinking?” Four came back to the outside world as Hyrule addressed him, the group still waiting for his decision.
“Well, give him a moment to think, Rule.” Warriors chided the younger hero.
“Just because you take ‘til the cows come home to make a decision, Captain, doesn’t mean he will.” Twilight dug into his friend. “Four’s got the best head on his shoulders out of all of us.” Four did not think any of them wanted to know what was actually happening in his head.
“Green, you always get to make the decisions!”
“Shut up, Blue, it doesn’t matter that much.”
“Guys, we have to answer them soon.”
“For once, Red is right, we need to-”
“What’s that supposed to mean, Vio?!”
“Please don’t fight about this!”
“NO! I’m tired of waiting around!”
“Stop fighting, guys”
“I’m so sick of your voice”
“I’m so sick of your arrogance”
“I’m sick of-”
“WELL, I’M SICK OF YOU GUYS!” The sudden silence startled Four out of his head, and he became just aware enough of his surroundings to realize he had said the last part aloud. He hardly took in his brother’s pained expressions around him as he marched over to his bag.
“Look, Four, it’s not that big a deal, I can just make something else.” Wild was the first to break the silence Four's outburst had cause the others still staring at him as though he’d grown another head. That part would have made him chuckle had he not been so fed up with the constant noise. After a moment of rustling though his pack, his hand closed around the weapon he’d been looking for, and in a flash, one hero became four.
The group of eight heroes froze, jaws dropped low, watching as four boys, identical to their Four, except for the monochrome tunics, walked silently towards Wild. Each took one of the cheeses from his hands and tossed them into the warm pot. The heroes wearing red and blue began to stir the concoction and add spices respectively. The purple one remained near Four’s bag, pulling out a small notebook. The one in green offered a sheepish smile.
“So it looks like we might need to have a discussion.” Green said, ignoring the guffaw coming from Legend’s direction. “I was hoping we could have it over some mac and cheese.”