Chapter Text
Late afternoon sun streamed into the cottage through open blinds, painting the floor with a mosaic of light. The pungent scent of fresh bread filled the kitchen, drifting out through open windows and mingling with the crisp autumn breeze captured by the air.
Ravio hummed to himself as he moved about the kitchen, opening the oven to check the bread, shaking his head and closing it shut for a while longer. He turned to the basket filled with vegetables instead, glistening under the light as water dripped from their skins and leaves.
Plucking out the closest potato, he held the peeler to its flesh when he heard chatter flow through the windows, his humming falling silent as he listened.
A customer—or multiple customers!
Ravio grinned, eager at the prospect of another sale. Today had been rich with customers—wealthy customers. He could easily splurge on some delightful treats from town tomorrow.
Placing the potato down, he dusted his hands off on his cloak and rushed to the entryway, leaning closer to the windows by the front door. Peeling back the curtains, he peered through to determine whether the customers would be worth his time—he had food to prepare, after all.
His breath caught in his throat when he saw Link alongside a group of men making their way down the trail towards the cottage. Bubbly excitement filled his chest and he bounced on his heels, preparing to step back and tear down the door to run into Link’s arms when he paused. The giddiness fizzled out as he took a closer look, as he noticed how Link stood a little off from the rest of the group, arms curled around his waist.
Concern wormed its way into his heart and Ravio bit his lip, brows furrowing into a frown. But then Link shot a glance at the cottage, a glance filled with such longing Ravio knew he only missed him; Ravio certainly felt the same.
He dismissed the concern, pulling the door open when one of the men, a taller one of the group with a blue scarf trailing down his back, knocked swiftly. Smiling brightly, he hurried the group inside, out of the rapidly cooling evening air. He missed Link among the rest of them, but that could wait another moment. Flicking the shop sign over to ‘closed,’ Ravio shut the door and turned around excitedly.
Only for his face to fall when he noticed Link, still standing away from the group, still standing away from him.
“Guys,” Link began—Ravio winced at how strained and dejected his voice sounded. What had happened to him?
“This is Ravio, my...” he trailed off, uncertain, and Ravio’s heart cracked. They were partners... Link had never hesitated to tell someone before.
“Ravi, these guys are my...distant family.”
Ravio nodded, listening with only half an ear as they took turns calling out their names—what kind of name was Time? He focused his attention on Link, on the way he shifted nervously, on the way he hadn’t made eye contact with Ravio since the group entered, had avoided it, even.
He would worry that he had done something, but Link hadn’t come close to his family either, had kept a consistent distance away from everyone in the room. No, it wasn’t him. Something had happened to Link, because his partner would always rush over for an embrace. Link craved affection deeply after being so deprived of it on his adventures—it reassured him, Link had told Ravio one night.
And yet, Link hadn’t touched anyone, not even Ravio, since entering the house—probably even longer than that.
What had happened?
His stomach twisted uncomfortably, but he turned to lead them into the dining room while he finished prepping dinner. He bit his lip as the group filed into the room, laughing and gently shoving at one another, or patting each other’s backs as they chatted away while Link followed along behind them, avoiding their casual touches. Concern clawed at his chest, but he could do nothing for it while the rest of Link’s group was with them—he turned back to dinner instead.
One of them followed him into the kitchen, tying his long, unruly hair back—Wild, he believed? The man offered to finish making dinner, promising he could cook, “unlike the rest of that lot,” before ushering Ravio out of the kitchen.
Ravio raised an eyebrow, but shrugged—less work for him. Besides, he had something of higher priority to deal with...
Link stood in the doorway, arms crossed as he watched the rest of his group chatter away excitedly at the table, a faraway look in his eyes. He didn’t look up as Ravio made his way over, but he did jump when Ravio took his hand to lead him upstairs with a quick call to, “be back for dinner.”
Ravio smiled when Link’s hand squeezed his, even if he hadn’t looked at him yet, and he squeezed back reassuringly.
Ravio nudged Link into their bedroom, slipping inside behind him and releasing his hand to shut the door behind them, leaving them in only the golden glow of the afternoon sun. He turned to lean against the polished wood with a sigh, heart squeezing when he noticed Link had crossed his arms tightly once more, looking down at the floor with twisted lips.
Pushing aside the concern twisting in his gut, Ravio strode forward, wrapping Link up in the tightest embrace he could muster—not that it was difficult, not when he had been dreaming of this moment every night for the past few months.
Link let out a shuddering sigh, reaching up to wrap his arms around Ravio in return and squeezing so tightly, Ravio feared his ribs would splinter. Still, he smiled when Link rested his head over his shoulder. That was better.
Of course, he couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room.
He cleared his throat, pulling away to lead Link over to the bed, plopping down and leaning back against the headboard. Shifting so he was comfortable, he patted the spot beside him with a smile. Link didn’t hesitate, climbing into the bed to lie half over him, snaking his arms around his waist and resting his head over his chest. Ravio rolled his eyes fondly, bundling Link up in his arms and pulling him closer. He left one hand over Link’s back, a soothing weight he knew was needed. His other hand slipped into Link’s hair, scratching gently to ease away the frown that clung to his partner’s face.
“Talk to me, dearest,” he murmured, smiling when Link looked up at him curiously.
“What do you mean?” Link asked, eyes flicking away quickly when Ravio raised an eyebrow.
Ravio chuckled. “You can hide this from your companions, but you can’t fool me. Something’s wrong, darling, I can see it.”
Link sighed, slumping in his arms and nodding slowly. Ravio grinned at the achievement, running his fingers through Link’s hair while he thought, waiting patiently for his partner to find the words he needed.
“I just...” Link’s mouth twisted and he buried his face in Ravio’s neck.
“Take your time, love,” Ravio said, tilting his head to rest it over Link’s comfortingly.
“I missed you so much,” Link murmured. “I missed this.”
Oh. He missed... but why hadn’t he sought any affection from his companions?
Ravio held him closer, leaning back to press a gentle kiss to the crown of his head. “Oh, dearest. Why didn’t you go to your family for help?”
“I didn’t know how to,” Link admitted, looking down with a sigh. His arms tightened around Ravio’s waist as he hid his face once more—Ravio hummed reassuringly, continuing to run his fingers through Link’s hair.
“They found me when I was investigating the portals,” Link continued, his voice barely a whisper, words laced with such shame, Ravio couldn’t help run his hand down Link’s back in an attempt to soothe him, to reassure Link that he would never judge him.
“It had been a week since I’d seen you. Since...” he trailed off with a sigh. “I was irritable, and I guess they took that as a sign to avoid touching me. I didn’t know how to ask when they all saw me as someone who hated touch, and—” He made a face, shaking his head.
“What is it?” Ravio asked, gently brushing hair out of Link’s face from where it had fallen over his eyes, tucking the lock behind his ear.
“I’m meant to be the battle-hardened Hero of Legend! Not some child who can’t go a few months without touch. It’s pathetic,” he mumbled, turning to bury his face in Ravio’s shoulder once more as red rose to his ears.
Ravio blinked, his concern lifting away with the smoke of fiery anger. He really thought...
Ravio flicked Link’s ear with a scowl, waiting until he had his partner’s full attention before he began to speak. “Link, you’re an idiot.”
Link reeled back, opening his mouth to argue when Ravio silenced him with a look, raising his eyebrow to dare him to even think of refuting his words.
“Are we talking about the same people? I only watched them for a few minutes and I could see how affectionate they were with one another; do you really think they would judge you over something like this?”
Link grumbled, looking away.
Ravio sighed, reaching out to cup Link’s cheek, turning his gaze back to him. “Link, they won’t judge you over this, okay? They’re your family, right?”
Link hummed his assent glumly and Ravio smiled. “Then they’ll accept you no matter what.”
Link sighed, nodding enough for Ravio to notice without knocking his hand away. Warmth spread through Ravio’s chest, his grin falling into a fonder smile. His anger fizzled out when Link leaned into his touch, eyes slipping shut. He found himself gently rubbing Link’s cheek with his thumb as he had longed to do for so many months.
Link sighed contentedly, opening his eyes once more, hope shining within them as it always used to. “I’ll try my best with them, I promise.”
Ravio nodded, reaching up with his other hand to brush the hair away from Link’s face. He leaned forward to press a gentle kiss to his nose, chuckling when his partner laughed lightly. “That’s all I can ask of you, dearest. Now, come here.”
Link brightened so quickly, Ravio found himself snorting, even as his heart warmed at how adorable the sight was. They settled down, Link resting over his chest, arms wrapped around Ravio tightly and his head in the crook of his neck. Ravio placed his arms over Link’s back, tapping out the beat to a song he had heard in town, eyes slipping shut. He tilted his head to rest his cheek against Link’s hair, reassuring himself that his partner was here, he was home and he was safe.
“Dinner!”
They both jumped, looking at one another with wide eyes as the pleasant haze they had slipped into was torn away.
“I forgot about them,” Link admitted with a chuckle.
Ravio rolled his eyes, nudging Link up so they could stand. He stretched quickly, before snatching up Link’s hand in his own once more.
“I’m...nervous,” Link admitted, squeezing his hand tightly as he bit his lip.
Ravio stepped forward, drawing him into a tight embrace with one arm, the other gently rubbing at his knuckles from where their fingers remained intertwined.
“You’ll be fine, love. And if they do try to make fun of you, they’ll have to deal with me!” He stepped back, reaching for the knife he kept in his pocket.
“Ravi, no! Put the knife away, bun.”
Ravio’s cheeks warmed at the name he had missed for months, but he nodded, slipping the knife away once more. “Alright. Come on.”
None of Link’s companions mention their interlocked hands as they sit at the dinner table, for which Ravio found himself grateful—Link’s face was already slightly pink, and he hated to imagine what even light-hearted teasing could do to his anxious partner.
Wild passed them bowls of soup with a bright smile, gesturing to the sliced loaf of bread in the centre of the table, should they need it. Ravio smiled, snatching up a couple slices for himself and Link—he had prepared it, after all.
“Hey, Legend,” the kid beside Link—Hyrule—said. Ravio blinked curiously at the nickname, but dismissed it in favour of digging into the bowl of soup.
He sighed in content as warmth seeped through him, jumping when Link’s hand tightened around his own abruptly. Tilting his head, he turned curiously, only for pride to well up within him when he saw Link, his arm wrapped around Hyrule’s shoulder as he chatted with the kid.
Ravio smiled, squeezing Link’s hand in return. He would be fine.