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They found out three days after Wind joined the Chain that he walked in his sleep. Hyrule was the unlucky one on second watch that night when he saw Wind stand up and walk to his stuff. Hyrule didn’t think much of it till he saw Wind grab his sword and hold it with a tight grip. Hyrule worried as he called out to Wind, approaching slowly in case Wind wasn’t where he thought he was.
“Wind?” He didn’t react. His grip stayed the same and he didn’t turn to Hyrule. He put a hand on Wind's shoulder to turn him. “Wind?”
His eyes were open but glazed over, unfocused. Did he have a nightmare? Hyrule wasn’t sure but he knew it was best if Wind didn’t hold a weapon if he wasn’t fully here. He grabbed Wind’s Phantom sword to put it back down only for Wind to tighten his grip and move away from Hyrule. Even with dazed eyes, he still managed to glare at Hyrule, making him back up. “Wind, you should go back to sleep”
Wind didn’t listen instead, holding his sword tightly and lifting it up slightly for the tip to point at Hyrule’s lower body, almost as a warning. Hyrule took another step back and held his arms up in surrender. Wind lowered the sword again before holding his sword closer to his chest and started to walk in a circle. Hyrule was more confused and worry grew with it but left him alone, simply keeping watch of Wind every now and again. When his watch ended, he spoke to Wind again. “Wind? Are you gonna stay up?”
No response.
“Twi has third watch, I don’t know if you wanna try sleeping again but you should”
No response again.
Hyrule stared but didn’t say a word, choosing only to wake Twilight up for third watch. He told Twilight about Wind before going to bed himself. Some time during Twilight’s watch, Wind has gone back to his spot and slept with the addition of his sword in hand. Twilight brought it up during breakfast that morning. “Something happen last night, Sailor?”
Wind gave a confused look in response as he ate his breakfast. “No? Why?”
“You woke up during my watch and grabbed your sword before walking around” Hyrule added, grabbing the attention of the other six members. “During mine too. You stopped halfway my watch and went back to sleep practically hugging your sword” Twilight watch Wind, watching his reaction hoping the kid wasn’t gonna lie about a nightmare. Wind’s reaction was to shrug. “It’s kinda weird but it happens sometimes” He brought a hand back to rub his back, “just wake up holding my sword every now and then” he shrugged again and went back to his breakfast as Legend chimed in. “So we have a sleepwalker that grabs his sword now, great”
———
The second discovery happened two months after they learned of the sleep walking. It became normal when a sleeping Wind would get up at night, pick his sword up, walk about in circles, then fall asleep with his sword in hand. This time, everyone was the unfortunate victims of Wind’s unusual sleep behaviors.
Time was on second watch that night. A silent night with only the soft sounds of the wild life moving around when a cough joined the noises. A simple cough was nothing till it became more of a cough for air. When the sound changed, Time immediately turned to find the origin of the noise. Unfortunately, the cough of air because struggling gasps for air and chokes. The chokes and gasps woke everyone up, Four and Sky being the first to sit up because the chokes came from the person next to them. Time was quickly next to Four and Sky, immediately looking over for any immediate danger. The rest of the chain was sitting up, sleepiness being replaced by panic.
Wind was choking. His hands grabbing at his neck as if someone or something was choking him. His legs kicked in an attempt to push whatever he thought was choking him off. Time was quick to sit the boy up, hoping the change in position helped bring some idea to Wind that he wasn’t actually choking. Four patted Wind’s back while Time moved Wind’s hands away from his throat which was starting to get red with how much the boy was practically clawing at it to remove what was choking him. What was more concerning was the growing purple bruise forming around the sailors neck, as if something was choking him and had only just let go.
A minute later, Wind had stopped gasping for air, breathing slowly now. Time kept a hand on the sailor’s shoulder as he spoke. “Wind… Wind, you alright?” His eye switched to the new bruise and the youngest. Four had turned to get Hyrule to check Wind. Sky took Four’s spot on Wind’s back, gently rubbing it.
Time could only watch as the youngest- who not a minute ago was struggling to breath, grabbing, and kicking like someone was choking him- looked up at him as he rubbed his eye and mumbled in confusion. “What… are we being attacked?…”
Four, who had been in a conversation with Hyrule and Warriors about Wind choking, turned his head to look at Wind who apparently grew another head. Sky looked at Wind as if he had just confessed to committing a horrible crime. Time had to take a moment to actually blink his one eye while internally trying to figure out if Wind was truly innocent or lying to joke. Thankfully for Time, Warriors took the lead as he moved to Wind, held him by the shoulder and inspected him while he spoke to him in a scolding tone, “What? What?! You were gasping and kicking while choking not even two minutes ago!” Wind could only blink and think of his response when Warriors continued. “Did you have a night terror? Were you actually being choked?” Time put a hand on Warriors shoulder, ready to pull them off the sailor who looked nothing but half awake. Sky took a more gentle approach as he continued to rub Wind’s back. “We’re just worried… you seemed like you were being choked by someone. Are you alright?” Wind blinked for a moment, as if processing what Sky said before chuckling nervously. Hyrule kneeled next to Wind, looking over at the small marks Wind made to himself and the forming bruise around his neck. Wind didn’t appreciate that he was being surrounded after just being woken up. He moved back slightly, Sky still keeping his hand on his back. “I’m fine. I didn’t get attacked or have a nightmare and what not” He rubbed his back, occasionally meeting Sky’s hand. He caught Warriors about to argue and quickly added, “it’s just like my sleep walking, it happens every now and then”
A small, “I told you so” was heard from Legend as he looked at Wild and Twilight. The rest of the Chain looked more shocked, Four being the one to speak after the reveal with curious purple eyes.
“Just happens? You’ve got a bruise forming around your neck like something actually did choke you” Wind put a hand on his neck while Hyrule looked at the bruise. “He’s right Wind… the bruise shows you were choked and by the looks of it, it was something like a rope or something” Hyrule’s words increased the worry, especially for the Old Man and Warriors. “Guys I’m fine. Seriously. Nothing choked me or anything. It just happens” while not a fantastic answer, the chain was tired from being woken up in a panic. “We’ll talk about this in the morning, for now, everyone back to sleep.” No one needed to be told twice as they each went back to their bedrolls, Warriors seemed ready to take Wind with him only to be beaten by Sky who took Wind under his sailcloth and cuddled with him. He protested at first but eventually gave in, both out like a light.
In the morning, they all sat around eating breakfast when Time brought up last night’s event. “Sailor, last night-“ Wind cut in as he looked at his food. “Like I said last night, it just happens sometimes” He lifted his head to show his neck to everyone. “See? The bruise is gone, nothing to worry about” Time sighed, a sign that he wasn’t going to let last night slide. “Wind, we understand that it might not be something to you but hearing a brother choke for no apparent reason in the middle of the night isn’t something we can brush off.”
Sky nods. “Yeah, especially along with your sleepwalking. It’s a matter of safety for you and us.” Wind glared at his food, gaze flickering to the side every now and then. He was hesitating but he knew Sky had a point, his sleep behavior had a safety concern; he wouldn’t want a repeat of what happened with Tetra that one night…
With a sigh, Wind spoke. “I don’t know how the choking happens, all I know is that it’s a direct influence from the thing I defeated on my second journey, Bellum. I only know that because I remember seeing the bruises of when he had me wrapped around his tentacles. I don’t know how or why it happens when I’m sleeping.”
“That is interesting,” Four said. “It could be a subconscious fear that you haven’t realized. This could also go with your sleep walking with your sword. What doesn’t make sense is that it only happens when you sleep.” Four paused to think. Now that he thinks about it, as much of an open book as Wind is, he almost never talks about his second journey. He only gave small hints about it and when asked, he answered in a way that doesn’t give a direct answer. The others seemed to realize that. “Did your second journey involve sleep? That might be why everything happens only when you sleep.” Four asked, glancing at Time who got the memo, they’ll get an answer. Wind seemed hesitant, keeping his gaze down. “Kinda? I didn’t exactly sleep during the whole thing till the very end of it.”
“I’m sorry, you didn’t sleep through your entire adventure till the very end?” Legend asked in shock. “How long was this adventure?” Wind nervously rubbed his back. He didn’t have an answer, time never moved in the world of the Ocean King and he was traveling around the world nonstop. He wasn’t sure how he hadn’t ever gotten sleepy, then again, Linebeck thinks he might be over 100 years old and in the world of the Ocean King, he never remembers a night or ever being tired. He didn’t have any ways to tell time in the Ocean Kings world. “Umm… I’m not sure. I wasn’t exactly keeping track of time and I was in dungeons most of the time so I couldn’t tell time.”
Silence fell over the Chain as they all looked at Wind who only blinked innocently like he hadn’t just admitted to not sleeping for an entire adventure with no clue of how long it was because he was underground for most of it. “Sorry about my sleep habits.” Blink blink.
———
Wind poked the fire with a stick. He was put on second watch more often after the constant scares he gave the Chain. He swears he saw Warriors pluck a white hair yesterday morning. His ear twitched as he heard Legend mumble in his sleep. Wind shrugged as he rested his chin on his hand, Legend usually mumbled nonsense in his sleep, it wasn’t loud enough to wake anyone up. His eyelids grew heavy, he fought them off but in the end sleep overcame him.
•
Hyrule woke up to the sounds of what can be called children giggling. He turned to where the fits of giggles were coming from only to find Wind and Legend sitting near the fire, giggling. Hyrule raised a brow as he watched the pair giggle like little kids before speaking between giggles. Wait speaking? Were they even speaking? Hyrule sat up to get a better look at Legend and Wind. Their mouths were moving and sound was coming out of their mouth but he’s never heard anyone talk in that language or anything similar. He blinked a few times before deciding not to bother since they both were awake. He laid down and went back to sleep ignoring the mad giggling and strange language the two were speaking.
Time wasn’t lucky enough to ignore the mad giggling from the duo. He groaned as he sat up and saw the laughing duo next to the fire. He rubbed a hand over his face as he spoke. “Legend, Wind, what are you two giggling about?” Legend turned to Time. “Shh, the watered bird was being walked by the snake.” Legend turned to Wind before speaking in a language Time hadn’t heard before. He had to blink- not sure if he did with one or both eyes but he did. He noticed how both their eyes had a dazed look over them, were they both sleep talking? Time sighed as he stood up, walking over to the giggling duo. “Alright you two, to bed.” He gently lifted them both up, moving them each to their own bedroll. “No!” Wind whined. “We were at the lake close to the sea where the crabs and plants sang their song!” Legend nods. “Yeah. I prefer the star that sings near the floor by the road of the old rattle coil.” Wind giggled before talking in a different language with Legend following. Time could not do this right now. Wind got out of Time’s grip and tackled Legend down, thankfully on Legends bedroll. “A normir! Buenas noches,” Wind kissed Legend’s cheek. “Te amo, a mimir!” Legend followed the action and kissed Wind’s cheek. “Buenas noches Viento.” Not a second later both were out like a light in each other's arms, mumbling nonsense to each other; at least it wasn’t loud. Time blinked again, two eyes or one, he could not believe what he just witnessed.
•
“We need to talk about last night.” Time said that morning. Wind groaned and threw his hands up in the air. “Seriously?! I swear the choking and sleepwalking is all I know. What more did I do?”
“Not just you this time,” Time turned to Legend. “You two Legend.” Legend looked at Time in shock. “Me?! I haven’t sleepwalked since I was five.” Hyrule spoke up. “Did you hear the giggling too, Time? I woke up to them talking in some other language and giggling. Time nods. “Giggling like mad and talking in a language I’ve never heard. I was moving you two to your bedrolls but the two of you decided to share a bed last night.”
Legend looked at Wind. “No wonder the brat was with me.” Wind blew him a raspberry and Legend rolled his eyes. “What’d you mean speak a different language? I’m multilingual but him,” he pointed to Wind. “I don’t think he knows anything but his Hylian.” A small ‘Hey!’ came from Wind as Time sighed, he felt gray hairs growing already. “I don’t know but I ask you two one more time, is there any more sleep related ‘problems’ that we don’t know about?” Wind looked at Legend. “Add sleepwalking to his list.” That earned Wind a glare.
“Please let this be the last surprise.” Warriors said to which Legend rolled his eyes. “Sure. Can’t have sleeping beauty all cranky.”
——
As night dawned again, Wind took first watch. His mind was stuck on his and Legend’s sleep talk episode. He only knew one other language. One he learned in the world of the Ocean King; if Legend knew that language that meant he was a dreamer too.
Wind looked at the fire and hummed the Ballad of the Wind Fish. He did so unconsciously every time he thought of that world. It was in his second dream that he heard that song- he would never call it an adventure, it was a vacation with a sister he will never see again. Wait. He remembered she always spoke of a boy- he saw her sometimes next to Legend before fading away. A boy who she called a hero, stuck in a dream like he was. She helped the Ocean King wake up to help the boy wake up and be free. She-
“Where’d you learn that song?” Wind turned to see Legend sitting up from his bedroll, everyone else fast asleep. Legend moved to sit next to Wind who turned his attention back to the fire. They stayed silent before Legend repeated the question. “Where did you hear the Ballad of the Wind Fish?”
Wind took a sharp breath in as he turned to Legend. “You know the song?” Legend gave a nod as he looked at Wind before looking at the fire. “You could say I heard it in a dream…” Wind looked at the fire again. “You’ve met the Wind Fish…” it wasn’t a question. Wind gave a nod. “Were you the one who woke him up?”
“Yeah… someone helped me.” Wind felt his hand twitch. He held his own hands as he spoke. “Marin… she sang that song.” Legend looked at Wind in shock. “Did you go to Koholint island too?” Wind shook his head. “I was on another island. She told me about it though… about you too.”
Legend grew a hopeful look in his eyes, Wind remembered Aryll having that same look in her eyes when he and Tetra saved her. “She remembers me?” Wind nods. “She talked about you. She missed you,” he felt a smile form on his face. “She loves you” Legend felt tears form in his eyes but quickly wiped them. “Did she help you wake the Wind Fish up?”
Wind shook his head. “My dream with Marin wasn’t a journey. It was a vacation I suppose.” He fidgeted with his hands. “I was just there… I met her there on the small island. She was like my older sister” Wind held his hands tighter. “She taught me her songs… told me stories about you, I told her stories of my adventures. I hated it. I knew it was all fake, all a dream but it was a wonderful dream.” Wind felt an arm wrap around him. He leaned on him, not holding the tears back anymore. “She woke me up…”
“When I found out around halfway through my adventure that Koholint and everyone on it was just part of the Wind Fish’s dream, I couldn’t bring myself to try and get the egg to hatch. It was Marin who went up and sang to the egg to try and get it to hatch.” Wind gave a chuckle through tears. “She never changes”
They stayed in a comfortable silence. When Wind finally looked up at the sky and noticed it was half into second watch. “Shit. We should get to bed… I’ll wake Twilight up.” Wind whipped his tears as he stood up. Legend followed, walking over to his bedroll. He picked it up and moved it next to Wind’s.
Wind shook Twilight. “Twi, wake up.” He heard Twilight groan and sit up. “I accidentally cut into your watch.” “It’s fine…” Twilight brushed it off as he stood up, immediately going to check the perimeter. Wind moved to his bedroll and snuggled next to Legend. “I’ll tell you about my second adventure next time… when I meet the Wind Fish or in my case Oshus.” Legend nods as he ruffles Wind’s hair. “Alright bambino, whenever you're ready” Wind raised a brow, “what does bambino mean?”
“I’m not gonna tell you.” Wind glared at Legend. “You landlubber, I’ll get it out of you.” That earned a chuckle from Legend. “Whatever brat. Go to bed.” He pulled Wind closer. Wind just huffed but snuggled closer. “Buenas noches, Legend” Legend looked down at Wind. “You're just full of surprises. Buenas noches, Wind o quieres Viento?” Wind gave Legend a small push. “Ya cállate” Legend chuckled. “Alright. Buenas noches, Wind.”
“Buenas noches, Legend. Hubieras amado Ciela…”