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Link was prepared for anything.
Knights out to get him? Fine. Kidnapped princesses? No sweat. A quest spanning ages? Interesting, but his bag of tricks was ever-expanding. After so many quests he hardly left home anymore without a sword on his back and enchanted rings on his fingers. And magic rods in his bag. And potions.
Point is, Link knew how the world worked and how he fit into it. The Hero was there to help. Kidnapping, demonic curses, no matter what he’d always be there to answer the call. A legend, they called him. A paragon of selflessness.
Paragons didn’t get happy endings. After so many years on and off the road, Link’s cottage has become little more than a waypoint between adventures. Dust crowded the corners and the orchard outside grew wild. Every time he thought he’d have a chance to rest, really recover from whatever once-in-a-lifetime cataclysm he’d miraculously averted yet again, someone came knocking at his door. Link was tired. But he couldn’t ignore the call, much as it tempted him. To abandon people in trouble, to have their cries fall on deaf ears? Lazy bastards, the lot of them, but it’s not like Link wanted the people of Hyrule dead.
He tried to remember why he’d taken up the damn sword in the first place, when he was alone on the road. His uncle’s joyous laugh and kind hands as he taught Link to graft apple saplings. His sister’s fondness when she spoke of her country during the rare moments they could share tea together. The fierce delight when he pulled off a stunt Din had been guiding him through for days. Sunset on the waves, a laugh like bells, the scent of flowers and salt on the air…
Well, maybe not the last memory.
Hyrule is worth defending, is what he was getting at. Link may rant and rave, he may want to run Hylia through with her own damn blade on bad days, but he didn’t hate her people for needing help. Link would do his job no matter how many times it took. Save the princess, save the world, rinse and repeat.
Link had a system. He knew how the world worked, and how he fit into it.
And then there was Ravio.
Infuriating, cheerful, bizarre Ravio. He barged into Link’s life and refused to back off throughout Yuga’s entire scheme and broke the script Link had painstakingly played out half a dozen times now. For all that Link complained about Ravio’s prices he somehow never managed to walk out his door without what he needed in hand. There at the end, when Link reached out one last time to say goodbye, instead of following the script and going back to rebuild Lorule with Hilda, Ravio ran through the tear in the reality at the last minute and took Link’s hand.
“You still owe me a fair amount of rupees, Mr. Hero!” He’d said brightly, smile not quite reaching his newly revealed eyes. “Don’t think you can escape your debt that easily!”
Link had gracefully ignored the white-knuckled grip Ravio had on his hand. Jumping through a portal between worlds without even a plan on where to sleep for the night? Idiot. They really were reflections of each other.
“You’ve already left enough of your crap in my house. I don’t want to expose anyone else to your sad excuse for an organization system, come on.” Link rolled his eyes and shouldered his pack, aching and tired and wanting nothing more than to collapse into his bed. He paused, looking over his shoulder to make sure Ravio followed. “It’s not like you can impose on me more than you already have.”
So, Ravio came home with him.
Link had expected the other man to stay a couple of weeks at most. Without the threat of Yuga and his minions Ravio would be free to explore a Hyrule brimming with life, and more importantly, paying customers. Two weeks turned to three, to four, and suddenly it had been half a year since the Lolian had come to stay in Link’s house. A slapdash piece of painted wood became a lovingly designed sign proclaiming “Ravio’s Shop” in vibrant purple letters. A travel bag became a wardrobe, the teapot was set out with two cups out of sheer habit. Folks down at the market began to inquire after Ravio’s health when he obsessed over a project and didn’t come out of the cottage for days at a time.
And Link…started to grow attached.
He hadn’t paid any mind to the gradual changes of his–their–home until Zelda called him out on it while having tea one snowy afternoon.
“So, what are you getting Ravio for Yule?” She’d asked, blowing steam off her cup. It was a blend full of spices today. Perfect for the chilly weather.
Link paused, staring into his own. “Why should I get him anything? Yule gifts are for family, Zel, the guy is nothing but a freeloader.”
She raised one delicate eyebrow. “Would you let a freeloader share your house for months?”
“That’s what I’ve been doing–”
“Would you introduce one to all your friends?”
“It’s because he kept bugging me–”
“Go all the way to Hytopia to get a replacement for his damaged hood?”
“He can’t even go outside without–”
“Link, darling, savior of Hyrule, Lorule, Labrynna, and Holodrum.” Zelda set her teacup down and steepled her fingers together. “You lent that man your Pegasus boots so he wouldn’t be late for a meeting with me. The last time Irene tried to touch them you told me you kicked her out of the house and didn’t speak to her for a week!”
Link’s ears drew back as he sputtered, justifications flashing though his mind faster than he could grasp them. He crossed his arms and glared at the floor. Zelda sighed.
“Jumping through to a new reality isn’t something you do for a roommate or a free bed. Ravio wouldn’t have stayed in Hyrule if he didn’t care about you. And it’s obvious to anyone with half a brain that you–”
“That’s enough, Zelda!” Link blinked, and found himself standing with his fists clenched. The princess had leaned back in her own chair with a hand over her heart. What she’d almost said… I can’t go there. Not now, not again.
He’d left with muttered apologies. Zelda hadn’t pushed further, but she’d watched Link go with a knowing look that made him want to punch a wall. How dare she pry into his private life! Yule was a stupid holiday anyway. Link hadn’t celebrated it since he was little, since his uncle–
It was a stupid holiday.
Still, if Yule dawned and there was a new set of tools for Ravio’s jewelry making, Link wasn’t going to say anything. It’s not like he wrapped them or decorated the house. It was for himself, really, those enchanted accessories came in handy even at home and Ravio had been complaining about his pliers wearing out or his files breaking or—
Okay, maybe Link was in denial just a little bit.
No matter what he did, something felt like it was missing. Link had itched as the months dragged on. The more accustomed he grew to his roommate’s presence, the more restless he became. Something was missing.
And then came Zelda and her stupid fucking invitation for tea and her stupid nosy fucking questions. She was right, she was always fucking right , but Link cursed her for it. The more Link tried to deny his feelings, the stronger the burning under his skin became.
Link knew he was screwed the day he’d dragged Ravio out into the garden.
“Are you sure we have to dig like this?” Ravio asked, pouting. “Can’t we just, I don’t know, scatter the seeds and let nature…work?”
“They’re fucking onions , Rav. And they’re not seeds, they’re bulbs. A little dirt isn’t going to kill you.” Link tossed the merchant a trowel from where he was kneeling in the currently bare plot of earth. The ground had only just thawed, a chill hanging in the air despite the early spring sunshine. Tiny hints of buds lined the trees in the orchard.
Ravio hitched up the edges of his robe with a sigh. “I’m not built for manual labor, and here you are, working me to the bone.”
He’d left the hood behind today–still a rare occurrence, even after months of living together. Freckles stood out against his olive skin. Link found himself studying the pattern as Ravio inspected the bulbs Link had already buried. Even with his distaste of all things dirt, Ravio eyed the garden bed with the same focus he gave his enchanting, calculating the depth of the holes yet to be filled, the spacing between plants. He always gets those little crinkles around his eyes when he’s concentrating. Link thought. He lifted a hand–to smooth them away, to show Ravio what to do next, he had no idea–before he shook himself out of the distraction.
Where the fuck had that come from? “I already tilled the soil, you don’t have to stab at it like that.” Link placed a hand over Ravio’s, ignoring the burn of physical contact that was in no way making his heart flutter in pleasure and readjusted his grip on the trowel.
They worked in what would have been companionable silence from there, apart from Ravio lamenting the growing amount of dirt under his poor fingernails. Link had gone to fetch some peas to plant when the onions were almost done. No sooner had he grabbed the tiny pouch from where it rested beside his other gardening tools did Ravio let out an ear-piercing wail.
Link dropped the packet in shock and bolted to his roommate, forgetting for a moment that there was a very full, very metal watering can in between them. His foot exploded in sparks as he collapsed into the dirt inches from Ravio. He spit out a mouthful of dirt, pushing himself up onto his arms to look for the threat. Is he hurt what the fuck happened I turned around for five minutes–
“It touched me, Mister Hero!” Ravio cried, staring down in abject disgust at…
An earthworm.
“What the fuck, Ravio!” Link pulled himself up, crading the leg that was sure to be bruised as hell come morning. “We’re in a goddam garden, what do you expect?”
“Not to be assaulted by a beast!” Ravio waved his trowel at the worm accusingly. He scooted back when the thing moved. His bottom lip wobbled. Link thought he might cry.
Link rolled his eyes as he reached for the worm. “This thing is about the length of your finger and you call it a beast?” He dangled the worm in front of the horrified merchant. “I fucking wish this was the size of some of the monsters I’ve fought.”
“Get it away from me!” Ravio ordered, scooting back farther.
Link smirked. “Aww, but don’t you think it’s kind of cute?”
Link crawled forward, no longer caring about his bruised leg. The expression on Ravio’s face was just too good. Every time the worm got near Ravio he whined like a kicked puppy. Laughter bubbled up in Link’s chest. In a surge of bravery the merchant slapped Link’s hand away, sending the worm flying. He pouted at Link.
“I offer to help you out of the goodness of my heart and this is how you repay me? Abuse! Cruel and unusual punishment!” The overdramatic complaints just made Link laugh harder. Tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. “What kind of hero exposes a poor, humble civilian to such horrors?”
Ravio reached over to shove Link into the dirt, but Link caught his hands. “Rav, you’ve never been humble in your life . And trust me when I say any monster that’s stupid enough to show its face isn’t getting anywhere near you. Not while I’m around.”
Ravio blinked, mouth hanging open at the unusually frank declaration. The short tussle had left his cheeks faintly pink with exertion. Morning sun shone down on his hair, giving life to an indigo shine Link had never really noticed before. His eyes, usually so deeply hidden, were greener than any leaf or stem or blade of grass Link had ever seen. I thought green was my favorite color before, but…
Link looked at Ravio, and between one heartbeat and the next something settled in his heart. A missing piece, found at last. Link wanted to stare into those eyes forever. He wanted to wake up next to this man for the rest of his life. This infuriating, over-the-top, charismatic man, who had given Link warmth and comfort and a sense of home he hadn’t felt since his Uncle died.
“Um, you can let me go now, Link?” Ravio said, one delicate eyebrow raised. Link dropped his hands like he’d been burned. “You okay, Mister Hero?”
No. Oh, no no no no. Link shook his head, banishing the thoughts to the deepest corner of his heart. “I’m fine. If you’re finished throwing a fit over nothing, I can take it from here.” Link shooed him out of the garden, desperately trying to ignore the pounding of his heart.
He couldn’t think of Ravio like that. He couldn’t. Link’s heart was closely guarded, walls built up and up and up after years of trying not to shatter. He’d learned time and time again that letting people close to him was a surefire way of getting them hurt. The Goddesses couldn’t let their hero have a happy ending. The world needed his help too much for him to ever settle down.
Heroes got stories, got songs and legends.
Not happy endings. Never peace.
Letting Ravio in was as good as throwing him at Ganon’s feet, and Link would never let that happen. Ravio, damn him, was too precious to fall victim to the fate of everyone Link had ever loved.
So in the following weeks Link grit his teeth and began to pull away. He stayed longer in the orchard. He patrolled the nearby woods for any whisper of trouble. He painstakingly cataloged every magic item he owned. Anything to keep away from Ravio. It’s for his own good. Link told himself, day after day. Ravio haunted the fringes of his life, never leaving, analyzing Link’s every move with a mind too damn clever for his own good.
When three months of this song and dance had Link biting his nails to bloody stubs, he began to pack. Time away would help him get his head on straight. It might even help quell the feelings that stirred in his chest every time Ravio brushed against him. Yeah, that’s what he needed. Just a quick journey, a few weeks at most. He’d be back before the apples started to ripen.
Ravio wasn’t about to let him slip out quietly, though. Link had his pack in hand, half baked promises to return on his lips. He’d been seconds from opening the door when Ravio began fumbling through his pockets. He stumbled forward, hand held out in desperation. Something glittered in his palm.
An emerald ring.
Clumsy explanations fell from Ravio’s lips as Link stared. Enchantment to protect against lightning, he said. He’d seen the fractal scars, the way Link tensed at thunderstorms. “I can’t protect you out there like you protect everyone else, but…I can do this. ”
Link’s resolve crumbled.
He takes one step forward, then another, close enough to reach out and cup Ravio’s face in his hand. He leans in, breath ghosting across Ravio’s lips before giving him a gentle, questioning kiss. Ravio froze for a moment before relaxing into the embrace.
Hands winding through hair, clutching at clothes, backs, anything they could reach. Link didn’t have time to psyche himself out when he had Ravio’s hands clutching him like a man drowning. Link held him back just as hard, reached just as desperately.
Then three quiet words whispered in between frantic kisses shattered the moment.
“I love you.” Ravio breathed, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Link felt himself plunged into icy memory. He shoved Ravio away from him, chest heaving with more than just the recent entanglement. I don’t want him to–I can’t–he doesn’t deserve –t his was a mistake. Link thought.
I love you,
The ruffling of hair, a rough hand in his.
I love you,
The annoyed affection of an older sister, bracelets glinting in the firelight.
I love you,
Walking hand in hand on the beach.
Every time his heart opened, every time Link let himself care, his partner suffered.
All those casual touches, those searching looks. I’m so fucking stupid. To know Ravio felt the same, that he wanted something more? It stole the breath from Link’s chest.
“I can’t–Ravi, I’m sorry–”
And then he ran.
I love you,
The man that raised him smiling despite the blood, telling Link to be brave
I love you,
The dancer who’d become his sister being spirited away by a tornado
I love you,
Whispered, imagined from afar as the Windfish woke.
A hundred different versions of the phrase swirled through Link’s mind, bringing him to his knees at the edge of the orchard. Tears of frustration and terror stained his cheeks. Behind him, the cottage was barely visible in the light of dawn.
Link couldn’t go through that heartbreak again. Screw it, he couldn’t let Ravio suffer the way everyone who’d gotten close to him ever had.
Ravio with his stupid bunny obsession. Ravio barging noisily around the house when all Link wanted was peace. Ravio charging exorbitant prices for his work.
Ravio making Link hate a deep, secret part of him just a little bit less.
Ravio filling a too-quiet home with laughter.
Ravio somehow always making sure Link had what he needed, no matter how small or mundane.
Link had never spoken of his fear of lightning to the merchant. During the summer storms he holed up in his room, spent time organizing the piles of items in his cellar, tired in vain to read anything from the pile of books he’d accumulated over the years. Anything to distract from the thunder. Ravio had not only noticed, but cared enough to craft a magic, lightning dampening ring just to give Link peace of mind. His eyes when he’d been afraid of Link’s rejection. That hope, fearful in its intensity as Link’s hand cupped his face.
The heat of two bodies at last pressing closer. Holding Ravio like the treasure he was. Three words out of Ravio’s mouth, whispered with all the conviction of prayer.
And Link ran like a fucking coward.
“Fuck fuck fuck fucking shit damn it all!” Link punched the ground. Warm spring soil wasn’t nearly as satisfying as he hoped it to be.
I’m such a fucking idiot. He pours his heart out, and I just leave him? What the fuck is wrong with me? Link punched the dirt again. He stayed for me. He abandoned his goddamn world for me and this is the thanks I give him?
Ravio’s green eyes had shone all the brighter with unshed tears when Link threw himself out the door to their house. The shock and heartbreak on his face…Link never wanted to see him look like that again. No doubt the Lolian was worrying himself sick back at home. He’d put on a brave face when Link inevitably came back home, he’d smile his stupid salesman smile and make a joke about delivering the wrong product or some shit.
“It’s obvious to anyone with half a brain that you care about him.” Zelda had tried to say months back, when Link was still trying to convince himself Ravio was bound to leave any day.
Oh, what a fool he’d been.
Link heaved a sigh. Shaking his head, he leaned back, gazing at the sky through branches heavy with apple blossom.
“I can’t lose him.” Link whispered to the spring breeze. But every time, every single time someone had told Link they loved him…he ended up alone. He deserves better than a broken sword. But Link, selfish creature that he was, couldn’t let Ravio go.
Ravio’s stupid laugh at a stupider joke. Clever eyes flashing as he figured out an enchantment he’d been chipping away at for weeks, and the instinctual embrace Link had drawn him into when Ravio finally pulled it off.
Ravio who had stayed. Through Link’s tempers, his depressive spirals, his wandering off for weeks on a quest nobody had even asked him to complete, that time.
There was warmth in Link’s life now. Fuck, it was a life now, not just a mess of fighting and puzzles and running running always running. Ravio had given Link a sense of home and peace he hadn’t felt in that house since he was a little boy. If he had to go back to dusty shelves and dark windows, instead of warm fires and warmer laughter…
“It’s okay for you to enjoy yourself, you know.” Ravio had said one day soon after the quest to save Lorule had ended. “What do you do for fun? When there’s no monsters to fight?”
“There’s always monsters, Rav.” Link scoffed. The merchant didn’t need to know Link hadn’t done anything for the fun of it since a mad wizard had spirited Din away.
Gradually, though, withered apple trees grew back towards health. Books on magic and history were left beside cups of half-drunk tea. A plot was cleared and bulbs planted, paving the way for a garden come spring. Link had proudly shown Ravio the first harvest from it just days ago.
The rising sun set something aglow in the dirt beside him. Link blinked, puzzled before his eyes landed on the emerald ring. It must have ended up on his person somehow, flung to the ground in the midst of his self-deprecating meltdown. He reached for it, turning the tiny thing over in his hands.
Magic radiated off of it. Lightning dampening yes, but also preservation charms, ensuring no trouble Link got up to would break it. It was simple in design, compared to some of the other rings Link wore on a daily basis. A single square-cut emerald, a smooth band of gold. Ignoring the fact that the gem was somehow the exact same shade as Ravio’s eyes, the sheer amount of power poured into it left a signature that couldn’t have felt like anyone other than the man himself.
Link had never known anyone as skilled with magical crafting as Ravio. The items Link received from the merchant had never failed him on his quest through Lorule. The effects didn't weaken, never unraveled over time like they might if a less skilled craftsman had created them. Ravio might not be a fan of swordplay, but he had a level of skill Link could never hope to achieve.
Opposites, Ravio had once said, on the subject of Lolian and Hylian counterparts. And equals. Each pair is quite complimentary, really! Together they cover each other’s weaknesses. They can do things with each other neither would be able to do alone.
Link had stubbornly been ignoring the hopeful look on Ravio’s face at that part of the explanation. Opposites and equals, huh?
Ravio may not be a hero like Link, but he’d come through more than his fair share of hardships.
You have to trust him to make his own decisions. A falling apple blossom landed on Link’s knee. He twirled the delicate flower between two fingers. Have his back when there’s trouble. Don’t worry about keeping him away from any danger–he can take care of himself.
Link breathed in deeply. The scent of flowers and clean, green growing things filled his nose. The sun–when had it gotten so high in the sky? How long has he been sulking?–warmed his face where it shone through the branches.
Link was a man of action. Words had always been Ravio’s strength, he thought, glancing back towards their home.
How could he apologize for fucking up so colossally?
How could Link ask him to stay? To stay in their little house, to build a life together. The two-room cottage that contained so much love, cluttered with memories and magic items alike.
Hold on a second.
Link patted himself down, grinning when he felt his rupee pouch hanging at his waist. He’d dropped most of his gear in his panic to get out of the house, but with that and the power bracelet that he’d already slid onto his wrist…
I know what to do.
***
Ravio’s head was pounding. He groaned, rubbing the crust out of his eyes. The small sofa he shared with Link was comfortable, yes, but the pile of books beneath his cheek had done his neck no favors. What had possessed him to fall asleep here? He’d been reading late into the night, trying not to think about…
Link. Link’s violet eyes shining with unshed tears as he backed away in fear. His desperate scrabble out of the house after Ravio had thoroughly embarrassed himself by not only presenting a ring, but a love confession . Ravio groaned, fidgeting with the scarf wound around his neck. He cast a hopeful glance around the cottage, but his hopes were dashed at the absence of boots by the front door, the lack of any life signs in the early light of dawn. Link hadn’t come home last night.
Goddess, I’m terrible. Ravio knew Link struggled with his emotions, he knew it! And Ravio had scared him away.
The pounding in his head continued, and only at a brief and unexpected lull in the sensation did he realize it wasn’t just a headache, there was a rhythmic noise coming from outside. What in the world?
Ravio crept towards the back door. It was times like this he longed for his hood to hide behind. The door glided open silently on well-tended hinges to reveal…
Link.
Link, on his knees behind their house, in the midst of a freshly cleared square of land. There was a pile of lumber off to one side– where had that come from? –and Ravio’s Hero was hammering a beam into the ground.
“You’re okay.” Ravio whispered. The vice around his heart eased.
Link froze for a second before setting down his hammer. He looked up at Ravio with eyes that were tired but shone clear with purpose.
“Where did you go? Have you not slept?” Ravio asked, stepping through the doorway. He came to a stop before Link. He reached out towards the Hero’s tired, sweaty face before flinching back with the previous night in mind.
Link grabbed his hand before he could pull away. “Been up all night. I got back late, you were already asleep. And…I wanted to get to work.”
“What’s all this about then?”
“Figured the house was getting a little crowded. If we expand it a bit your merchandise and my items could–it’s going to–it’s for you.” Link stammered. A light blush stained his cheeks and the tips of his ears, but he held Ravio’s gaze. The grip on his hand tightened. “A workshop. Something a little more permanent than a couple of tables shoved in the corner.”
Ravio’s mouth fell open. After the mess he’d caused last night he’d expected Link to pull away again, maybe for him to grab his travel bag when Ravio wasn’t looking and slip away for a couple weeks to cool off. He’d come back eventually–he always did–and they’d carry on like usual. No need to mention Ravio overstepping the Hero’s boundaries.
He’d never expected to find Link the very next day not just opening his home to Ravio, but altering it permanently to suit the Lolian’s needs. Ravio’s eyes flickered down to their joined hands. His heart skipped a beat at the familiar green glimmer on one of Link’s fingers.
Link stood up at Ravio’s continued silence. His eyebrows drew together in worry. “Look, if it’s too much I can use the supplies for other things. You’re not stuck here or anything, you can go wherever you want, I just thought–”
“Are you okay?” Ravio asked, bringing his other hand to rest atop Link’s His thumb brushed the ring that had caused him such stress. “I know I pushed you too hard last night. This was just my wholehearted wish for you to be safe , not push you into anything you weren’t comfortable with.”
“No!” Link cried with an intensity that shocked the both of them. He took a deep breath, then responded in a calmer tone, “No. You didn’t do anything wrong last night. I was just scared. And stupid.”
“The hero of Legend, scared of little old me?” Ravio let out a laugh he hoped sound more convincing than it felt.
Link smiled, then shook his head. “Not you. Never you, Ravi, I just didn’t want you to get hurt.” Slowly, cautiously, Link’s free hand came to rest against Ravio’s cheek just like it had the night before.
“Look, you know I’m not great with words at the best of times, and last night took me by surprise. You said… that… and I felt like if I let you in any farther, if I told you–I’ve lost a lot of people, Ravio.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Link smiled, eyes achingly fond. “I know. And you’re tougher than you give yourself credit for. We’ve been through hell together, and I…” He gestured helplessly at the barely-begun foundation around them. “I didn’t know how else to ask you.”
“Ask me what, Mister Hero?”
“To stay. For good.”
Ravio felt heat rising in his cheeks as a helpless little “ oh,” fell from his lips. He dropped Link’s hand and drew in closer, wrapping his arms around the nervous Hero. Link’s arms trapped around him in turn, hands grabbing onto his robe for dear life. Link held him like he thought Ravio would disappear if he didn’t hold him close enough.
“ Say it again.” Link whispered, pleaded in his ear.
“I love you, Link.” Ravio sighed into his hair. Link released a shuddering breath. He turned his head slightly so he was facing Ravio once again and pressed a featherlight kiss to his lips.
And there, on a warm spring day that smelled of new beginnings, the Hero of Legend allowed himself to be happy for the first time in nearly a decade.
“I love you too, Ravio.”