Archive of Our Own

He should’ve fallen out of the habit years ago, really, when the war stopped and he wasn’t stationed miles far from the castle by the month.

But fate had funny plans, and the habit of writing up reports had set in and never left, so he found himself with an envelope full of papers detailing every other day of his life.

He hadn’t stopped then, and he certainly didn’t stop now, regardless of the fact that he was cramped with three other people in a room meant for two.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•

“What is it that you always write in there?”

Warriors stopped for a moment, lifting a brow at Four. “What?” he asked teasingly. “I can’t keep a diary to catalogue my wonderful life?”

“Probably thinking up horrible pick up lines to use on poor unsuspecting lads and ladies.” Legend scoffed from the bed, briefly looking up from his book. Sky was sound asleep in the other bed, having retired early.

“I’m wounded,” Warriors said. “I really am just keeping track of my days.” He stuck his pen back into the vial of ink, turning around to properly face Four, who was looking curiously at his open journal.

The smith frowned at him glancing up from the journal entry. “Your days or your battles?” he asked. “Because that doesn’t look like normal diary-keeping to me.”

Warriors looked down at his unfinished writing. He had gotten into the habit of writing in it so often that it was, for all intents and purposes, a diary at this point. But sure enough, at the top of the page, it said in neat bold letters—

[extract]

From: 03858, 20XX Wild’s Era

Department: Military Field Division, Captain

“You’re in the Field Division?”

Warriors jumped, turning up to Legend, who had somewhen gotten up and walked over. He was casually thumbing the worn leather of Warriors’s journal.

Warriors shooed the hand away. “Where else would I be in? Holed up in Engineering? Besides, why are you all reading this? This is private.” He closed the journal, glaring at Four and Legend, who only had curious looks on their faces.

“I wouldn’t really know,” Four said slowly, “but if this was private, then why are you writing it like a report?”

Legend crossed his arms. “You’re not cataloguing our whole journey to your Queen, are you?”

Warriors frowned at Legend’s tone. “Of course not. That’d be a lack of respect for your privacy on my part.”

Legend didn’t look convinced. “I’ve read military reports before, Warriors. People don't write them just because.”

“Hey, hey, hey. No need for conflict.” Four stepped in between them, gently pushing Legend back and keeping a hand on Warriors shoulder. He turned to Warriors. “Don’t mind him, Wars. We’re just curious, that’s all. You’re always writing them up, but we rarely see you send letters by the bundle.”

Warriors faltered at that. He glanced up at Legend’s furrowed brows and Four’s unreadable look. He looked down at his journal, where entries and entries of his life lied written.

“It’s…” he paused, unsure of how to explain it. He didn’t even know if he wanted to explain it, but Legend and Four looked at him expectantly. “It’s for myself, mostly. I suppose even after the war, I just… never stopped writing them. They're for my own peace of mind.”

“You’re not sending them, then?” Legend asked. “They seem awfully well formatted.”

“Oh Hylia, no. What would I even send in? This whole book? I doubt Her Majesty would fancy reading so many reports.” He glanced away, focusing his eyes on the wood of the small desk. It was true. These were for him and him only. He had a handful of more journals stacked back home full of similar reports that would never see the light of day.

He heard Legend heave a loud sigh. “I swear, you get stranger by the day. I’m retiring. Any more talking and we’re going to wake up Sky.”

“Oh please. We all know he wouldn't wake up if an ambush broke out,” Four replied, but both he and Warriors watched Legend crawl under the sheets. The veteran tucked his book onto the bed stand before pulling the covers over. He sent them a glare and a pointed look at the light switch as if to tell them to make sure to turn it off.

Four turned back to him with a sigh of his own. “Well, it is getting awfully late. We should hit the hay too.” He gave Warriors one last searching look before he said, “Goodnight, Warriors.”

Warriors hummed affirmatively, mumbling out a ‘goodnight’ in return. He watched the smith turn the overhead light off, bathing the room in only the dim, yellow light from the candles lining the desk. Four settled down on the floor.

Focusing back on the journal, Warriors opened it again, looking back at the unfinished entry.

He stared at it for a moment — and thought about what it said about him and the war. Carefully, he dipped the pen back into the ink, and in the silence of the night, light parchment scratching was soon the only sound that filled the air.

•<•>•<•>•<•>•

[extract]

ID: 03858

Location: 20XX Wild’s Era

Department: Military Field Division, Captain

Note: Flask restock.