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lily-alphonse · 4 months

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To Be Young and Stupid by Lily Alphonse (Revali x Link)

Category: M/M

Rating: Teen (Mild injury, mild violence)

Rito have a habit of playfully pushing each other off ledges without a second thought. This becomes a problem though, when your friend doesn't have wings. Or A very cute glider origin story.

Words: 4,160

Tags: Hurt/Comfort, Mute Link, Poor Communication, Pre-Calamity, Rito Culture

Posting this for Revalink 2024, for the prompt Youth! I actually RACED to write this today. I wrote my ass off. Posting the whole thing here but I will also add an edited version to my AO3 soon.

➽───────────────❥

The first time it happened, Revali felt extremely foolish.

They had been sparring, and Link turned it into a game to see if he could reach Revali’s braids. He hadn’t given their precarious location any thought before shoving Link over the edge. But Link’s frightened gasp as he fell shocked Revali into action.

He leapt off the edge after him, talons grabbing him by the tunic and the thick leather of his sword harness. Hylians were not large, but with the momentum it was hard to lift him, and for a panicked moment he considered they might need to glide down into the water.

He pumped his wings harder, straining against gravity, until his gust shot them up higher and over the edge again.

They landed roughly in the grass, Revali narrowly avoiding slamming into a tree stump.

Link looked cross with him. He had a bit of twig stuck in his hair and dirt on his chin.

Revali meant to apologize, he really did. Instead, what came out was an admonishment of Hylians’ inferior biology; and how lucky Link was that he was in the presence of a Rito fast and powerful enough to catch him.

Link rolled his eyes and stomped off, but he still stayed in the village that night. Revali gave him an additional fish kebab, keeping only two for himself. The Rito champion could feel Link’s eyes on him, but avoided his gaze.

Link thankfully didn’t press it.

Revali worried that he would ask if he had done it on purpose. Because he had, and he also hadn’t, and he wasn’t sure what was worse. The truth was that it came naturally because pushing each other like that was something Rito did when they were comfortable with each other.

It had been a long time though, since anyone had played with him like that. Playing. That's what it was.

Ever since becoming a Master warrior, it was like there was an energy around him that warded people off; that commanded respect. Revali stepped into the role and acted in a manner expected of him. But part of him still ached to be young. To be played with. To be loved for his laugh and not his precision or his speed.

He felt safe with Link. And Link felt safe with him, and in a messed up way it made Revali a danger to him, since he could not fly.

Link was a bit jumpier after that, and it hurt Revali’s heart to see, though he knew it was only fair. But over time, things eased up again. They had to trust each other when they fought side by side. And they could, they were unstoppable together. Revali was the only one of the Champions with eyes fast enough to track Link’s movements when he was a blur on the battlefield.

The next time happened when they raced, Link running and Revali flying.

Link was remarkably fast. He might have actually beat Revali, though he didn’t want to consider that a possibility. Instead he flew too close to him at the end of the race, clipping him with his wing enough to knock him back. It was meant to be affectionate, mostly. But once again, Link was standing too close to the edge. And how was Revali supposed to remember he couldn’t fly?

They both should have known better, really, but they were young and stupid.

This time when Link fell he almost said something. The beginning of a word, “nn-“ swallowed up by the wind as he fell.

Revali groaned and jumped after him, though this time the Hylian had the sense to catch himself – if barely – on a lower ledge.

He allowed himself to be pulled up by Revali, but when they got topside, Link didn’t give him a chance to apologize (or say something arrogant meant to be an apology). Instead he removed his sword harness and threw it at him, his eyes brimming with tears.

Revali dodged it and watched dumbly as Link removed his tunic and threw that at him, too. This time it hit Revali’s breast. He watched it fall to the ground in confusion, but then he saw Link’s body.

His arms, where he had caught himself on the rock, were scraped bloody and raw. His chest already bore a red and purple bruise from impacting the stone.

But his face was the worst, so angry, breathing hard with nostrils flaring, eyes red with tears. Eyes daring him to say something cocky and dismissive again.

Revali didn’t. He didn’t say anything.

He knelt to pick up the discarded tunic and sword harness. He stayed kneeling and held both out for him.

Link was the mute one, but in this moment Revali could not speak either. He could not say what he needed to. He could barely look him in the eyes.

This whole thing was so stupid.

Link took his things back from him. Revali stayed kneeling and looking at Link’s boots, beak set. This was the closest Link would get to an apology.

Link allowed him to clean his wounds by candlelight. Revali’s beak hurt from clenching it so tightly. He’d barely said anything since the incident, just mumbled commands to remove his tunic again and move his arm this way or that.

He couldn’t explain why he kept doing this. Why he kept breaching Link’s trust, just because he actually trusted him so much. How he wanted Link to push him too, and how it would actually be fun if he did it to him, and not this horrifying ordeal.

Link had long stopped bleeding but the rag Revali cleaned his wounds with was red with it.

If only he could give Link wings.

Or if only you had an ounce of self-control, a spiteful voice hissed in the back of his mind.

He stared at the canopy basket the medicine man had lowered down to his hut. The baskets were descended on ropes, but still had small canopies attached to slow their descent. Maybe something similar could be employed for Link?

He could ask Maro, the Rito craftsman who made the baskets, to make a larger canopy with handles for him.

No, that would be absurd.

Link tapped his wing, shaking him from his thoughts. Done? he signed.

Revali supposed he had been done for a while, and found himself stalling. He dropped the rag in the soiled water and nodded.

Link stood and replaced his tunic and sword harness. Revali stayed sitting cross-legged on the floor of his hut, eyes on the flickering candle on the table. “Will you stay tonight?” he asked quietly.

Link might have shaken his head no, but Revali did not look at him to see it. His response was clear enough when he walked out.

Revali sat for a moment, still staring at the flame. He listened to the Hylian’s steps fade on the boardwalk, drowned out by the singing of crickets and wind.

It was absurd to continue on like this, but wouldn’t it be more absurd to gift him something? With no idea how Link would rationalize the offering, it was too risky. Even aside from it being a gift, it would mean admitting there was something more between them; since it wasn’t as if he was throwing any other Hylians off of tall perches. Or anyone at all, really. No one came close enough, metaphorically or physically.

He stood abruptly and hurled the water bucket out of the hut in a rage.

➽───────────────❥

“This is awful, really. I don’t know how you live like this. Walking everywhere. Don’t your feet hurt? I suppose that’s why you wear boots,” Revali mused as they walked to the lake.

Link was back in the village with Zelda, Revali didn’t care what for, just that Zelda was busy enough with the elder that he had Link to himself. It took some convincing for Link to come with him this time, though. His eyes were hard to him now, suspicious. But Link was a people pleaser to a fault and Revali was not above using that against him.

“I’ve flown you plenty of times. We could fly there so much faster than this,” he continued.

Apparently tired of his complaining, Link stopped and signed something like drop, and that shut Revali up until they made it to the lake.

It was uncomfortably warm in the summer sun, and Link immediately stripped to his undershorts as they arrived. Revali found a spot in the shade of the cliffs near the lake to set up with his fishing spear.

In the distance, Link dove into the water with a loud splash.

Revali set aside his spear and splashed himself with some water to preen, getting comfortable. He watched as Link disappeared under the sparkling water and reappeared further into the lake, popping up to wipe his long hair back from his face and settle on his back to float.

Two thoughts warred for dominance in Revali’s mind. The first, (being a thought that occurred unfortunately often now) was that Link was quite captivating. The second, that Hylians were adaptable, but did not seem well suited to any environment in particular. Link survived fine in water. He moved in it almost successfully, but nothing like a Zora. And his survival in the sky was even poorer.

He continued to float on his back in the sun until Revali got bored of watching him and tried to catch a fish.

He watched them float idly beneath the surface, most of them too deep at this time of day. He tried to spear one and failed, the splash sending the others racing away. Revali cursed and sat back down on the rocky outcropping he’d chosen as his perch among the reeds.

Glancing back up he noticed Link was slowly floating closer, pushed by the slow lap of waves. He seemed to almost be sleeping, his face loose of its usual tension. If he was closer, Revali would have impulsively splashed him. He chuckled to himself for the childish urge and checked the water again to see if any fish had come back.

One was coming closer, but so was Link. He would find himself in the reeds with him if he didn’t correct his course soon. Revali sighed, giving up on the idea of getting any fish today. He contemplated calling out to Link, instead choosing to wait until he came within spearing distance.

Closer now, he saw how his injuries had developed, the bruise on his chest partially visible above the water. It had spread since that first day, but it was more yellow now than red.

Revali flipped his spear and poked Link’s leg with the butt of it. “You’re scaring away my fish.”

Link blinked his eyes open and brought a hand up to shield his them, turning to stand in the water. He grinned and shook his head, pointing at Revali. No, you, he seemed to say. Revali rolled his eyes, but was secretly delighted to have his friend acting normal again.

Link stretched and looked around them, then seemed to consider something for a moment. Revali barely had a moment to stand, feeling what was coming by the mischievous look on the Hylian’s face. “Don’t-” he started, but Link had already wound up his arm and sent a splash his way.

The water hit his bottom half mostly, and wasn’t enough to actually get beyond his top layer of feathers. “Dangerous to provoke me unarmed, Hylian,” Revali said, shaking his spear at him.

Link laughed, a sound that always sent a delightful shudder through the Rito since he so rarely heard Link’s voice.

He disappeared under the water and swam away. Revali smiled to himself, though somewhat disappointed.

He sat back down. At least he might be able to get some fish to come back now.

Link’s head popped up in the distance and he swam in long fluid strokes until he reached the other bank, where he pulled himself out of the water. Revali watched as he walked around where the rocks rose up in a formation beside the lake, disappearing out of sight.

Revali did not think much of it, assuming he was going to relieve himself.

A few moments later, when he had a fish in his sights again, a wordless shout from above shocked him just before an enormous splash sent water all over and around him.

Link had jumped from the edge of the short cliff above.

His grinning face emerged from the water with another laugh to see the Rito thoroughly soaked now. Revali leveled his spear at him in threat. Link yelped and disappeared under the water again, so he dropped the spear and removed his leather fauld, dropping it onto a nearby boulder to jump in after him.

It was a stupid thing to do, since as much as he looked down on Hylians’ swimming ability, most Rito were even worse. But he made an attempt to chase him regardless, which resulted in another splash, this time to the face. But Link was laughing, so it was worth it.

Revali sputtered and wiped the water away from his face. “I’m going to have to preen myself for hours after this,” he groaned.

Link looked at him with a curious expression before pointing to himself and making the sign for help.

Revali’s feathers would have ruffled if they could, as embarrassed as he was by the insinuation. He looked away quickly and folded his wings tightly around himself under the water. “I… Link you know disgustingly little about Rito,” he huffed.

He cocked his head and made a sign Revali didn’t recognize. “I don’t know what you’re saying,” he sighed, looking back to the bank.

Link swam closer to him and pulled his attention back. He pointed at him, then made the sign for speaking.

“Tell you?” Revali asked.

Link nodded with a determined expression. Revali noticed a dusting of freckles on his shoulders and cheeks in the sun.

“It’s…” he clamped his beak and looked up as if the sky held some kind of answer. He didn’t want to talk about it. But he did want Link to know. Part of him wanted Link to know in case Link turned out to want that level of closeness with him. “It’s an… intimate thing.” He finally spit out. He immediately looked away and nodded to himself, satisfied that it was a serviceable explanation.

When he glanced back at Link his cheeks were pinker. Sorry he signed.

Revali rolled his eyes and took the opportunity to splash him this time, his wing doing a better job of it than the Hylian’s puny arms. It was Revali’s turn to laugh as Link spit and wiped his face.

He turned back to the bank. “Come on I’ll drop you in,” Revali called over his shoulder before he could second-guess himself. He ruffled and shook out his feathers after stepping out of the water, most of it thankfully coming away, though he’d certainly look a bit more haggard till he could properly groom himself.

Link followed him out. He stood dripping on the rocks with his hands on his lean hips, grinning at Revali.

“What?” he asked, quickly skimming his beak over his flight feathers.

Link made another sign he didn’t understand. Revali made a mental note to learn some more of Link’s sign language because this was getting exhausting, as much as he liked to be the only one speaking. Revali shrugged at him and Link sighed. He held out his hand expectantly and Revali gave him his wing. It was their last resort when all other signs failed, for Link to spell the word in his hand.

He spelled a short word, slow and deliberate. C-U-T-E.

Revali yanked his wing back and began walking to the path Link had walked previously. “I’m not cute,” he spat, trying to smooth back the feathers sticking out on his crest. His insides felt like they were on fire.

Link laughed from behind him, following him up the rocky slope. The further they climbed, the more Revali’s heart raced. This was an opportunity for Link to understand what he had meant to do all this time. He wondered if Link would piece it together himself, or if he would somehow find the courage to explain that he’d never meant to hurt him. At least here, with the water below, Link was safe.

At the ledge, he turned to look at the Hylian. The sunlight was sharp in the late afternoon, it would be setting soon. Revali liked the color it cast on Link’s skin.

“I can take you up higher,” Revali offered.

Link continued to stare at him, an unreadable expression on his face as if maybe he was piecing it together. Then he made the signs for Rito and thing. A Rito thing.

Revali huffed a laugh.

Link smiled, and suddenly grabbed his arm, yanking him towards the edge.

“Oooh no,” Revali growled in amusement and wrapped his wings around Link’s warm body as he fell, taking him down with him. For a blissful moment they laughed, holding each other close.

Then they hit the cool water, abruptly plunged beneath the surface. It was uncomfortable to be submerged, but Revali was more awed and overjoyed that the Hylian had finally gotten him back. And he understood. At least he seemed to.

He had never wanted to kiss him so badly as he did now, seeing Link erupt from the water laughing, the orange sun illuminating his wet skin.

Instead, he left the water, shaking himself off again.

He turned back to Link who was still making his way back to the edge. “Come on, I’ll drop you from the sky this time,” he called back excitedly, unable to contain his child-like giddiness anymore.

Link mounted his back and they flew up over the lake, the sun fully setting now. They didn’t have much time left.

Link’s first dive was impressive, a backflip off of Revali’s back. He shouted the whole way down and Revali couldn't help but laugh.

He also couldn’t help but feel like a bad influence; he’d never known Link to be such a showoff.

He flew down to the water to meet him, hovering over the middle of the lake where Link landed.

Fun, he signed.

“One more, hold your arm up,” Revali smiled down at him.

Link did as he asked and Revali gripped his forearm with his talons. It was an odd angle they hadn’t tried before, but worst case he would just fall back into the water, which was the point anyway. He pumped his wings hard to pull Link up, his foot cramping by the time they made it back into the sky.

This time, just before dropping, he could swear Link winked at him.

And suddenly every apprehension he had about the glider was gone. He didn’t care. He was definitely going to have that glider made for him after all.

➽───────────────❥

At Revali’s request the glider was done in three days, but it took another week for Link to come back. The Rito champion was irritable the entire week, snapping more than usual. The old doubts were back. But he was stubborn, he would see this through.

He buzzed with anticipation on the day of Link’s return, going through the motions of formalities, greeting the princess and waiting for Link to be dismissed. He almost grabbed his hand in his excitement, but held back just in time, clasping his wings behind his back and motioning with his head to the general direction of his hut. Link nodded at him with the small grin he wore when others were watching.

When they made it back to his hut, he was tempted to close up the sides to hide them, though the speculation from his neighbors would likely have been worse. So he settled for sitting on the ground away from the entrance where they could not so easily be spotted.

Link simply followed his lead with a curious expression and sat cross-legged on the rug with him, watching as Revali pulled the glider out from under his low table. He slid it over to Link and said nothing, for a moment wishing he wouldn’t have to say anything, but knowing he should. “It’s um..” he cleared his throat, “It’s for you.”

He folded his wings in his lap and looked down at them, nodding to himself again. That was all he should have to say, really.

Link opened up the folded canvas and inspected it.

After a moment Revali felt a hand on his knee and looked up at him again. Flying? Link asked.

Revali nodded quickly.

A grin stretched across Link’s face before he jumped up.

“Link…” Revali said hesitantly, standing to join him. The Hylian stepped around him and made his way out of the hut onto the boardwalk. “It hasn’t been tested!” Revali called after him, suddenly worried he was going to throw himself to his death.

Link ran to the nearest landing and stopped, Revali jogging to catch up. He was fiddling with it, checking the canopy and where he should put his hands.

Revali looked around to see if anyone was watching. There wasn’t anyone in their immediate vicinity, but prying eyes could be anywhere. In the huts around them, in the boardwalk above.

“I thought maybe we should test it at the lake,” Revali said in a low voice, folding his wings behind his back again.

Link shook his head absentmindedly, still looking at the glider. Then he folded it under one arm and signed a string of words too quickly for Revali to interpret.

“What?”

Link groaned, and then made two simpler signs, clearly exasperated.

You. Catch.

Revali felt flustered again, the feathers on his face pricking up. Was he really that confident in his ability to catch him?

He smoothed his feathers and nodded. “Alright then. Have it your way.” He jumped off of the platform and turned, hovering nearby to watch him, bracing himself.

The Hylian opened the glider again and tested its resistance a few times by running a few steps and stopping, then turning around and doing it again. Revali’s heart raced embarrassingly fast the entire time, expecting him to drop each time he got to the edge.

You threw him off multiple times yourself, idiot, he chided himself.

But those times were an accident. This was purposeful, and he was trusting the gift he had made for him (and his strength, if it came to it).

Finally, Link ran off the edge, and Revali held his breath.

The wind caught the glider and anticlimactically blew him back onto the platform.

Link laughed, and Revali echoed him, coming in to land next to him again.

“Seems like it works. But… how about we go somewhere you can really fly?” Revali asked with a mischievous smile.

➽───────────────❥

Revali flew them to the peak of Cuho mountain, the closest place with a moderately high elevation that wouldn’t require Link to get into snow gear.

Link was excited, jumping off his back as soon as they landed.

He expanded the glider again and looked at him with a wide grin. Then his smile faded, and he closed the glider, tucking it away in a side pocket of his pack. Revali watched with growing concern as he stepped back towards him, almost too close.

“Are you–” he started, before Link suddenly hugged him, his arms low on his midsection due to their height difference. Revali’s insides lit up again, and he warred with himself as to whether he should hug him back, or kiss him, or push him away, and so he did none of it.

Link pulled back and signed, thank you.

“Yes, well,” Revali cleared his throat again, a single traitorous arm resting on Link’s shoulder. “Don’t go boasting, I have a reputation to uphold.”

Link chuckled lightly, not quite making a sound. But he could feel it, with Link so close.

He signed again. And I forgive you.

Revali scoffed and rolled his eyes, but could not help the smile taking hold on his beak. “As if I ever apologize,” he mumbled.

Link chuckled again, then stopped as if noticing something. He pointed at Revali’s abdomen with a confused expression.

Revali craned his neck down to see what he was looking at, just for Link to suddenly place a kiss on his beak.

He’d barely processed the action when Link jumped away from him with a shriek of a laugh, apparently afraid of whatever retaliation was in store.

He’d kissed him. He’d actually kissed him. His fingers brushed the spot in blissful shock, before he snapped back to the moment. Link was running for the cliff’s edge, still laughing.

“Oh you’re going to get it now,” Revali threatened playfully, racing after him.

#revalink week #revalink week 2024 #revali #link #loz link #legend of zelda #breath of the wild #botw #fic #my fic #ao3 writer #fanfic #loz fanfic #legend of zelda fanfic #revalink fic #revalink fanfic #botw fanfic #loz #tloz

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ginneke · 1 year

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already too late (if we arrive at all) - #1

It's Revalink Week! You probably want cute things! But because it's me, there's knives. 🔪

Was struggling for a long while to decide what to do for the prompts, so I'm taking them as loose background vibes for each section of an overall ficlet. I'm writing this more or less as we go, so let's hope we get to a satisfying....ish ending! Will port to Ao3 at the end of the week.

(hey @coconi this is what you were happily waiting for. .....or one of those things anyway.)

Pairing: Revalink Rating: T

(A soulmate AU, sort of.)

-- Prompt #1: what are you waiting for? --

Revali is… many things.

He carries himself with a level of confidence that borders on arrogance; he doesn't hesitate to share his thoughts when things displease him (often), and rarely has anything positive to say about anyone — or anything.

In short, he's the kind of person that Link's instincts say he should have nothing to do with. If he's not sniping at Link’s failure (inability) to respond to his challenge, he's opining - at length - on the supposed flaws of Link’s so-called character, and if he’s not sharing said opinions with all and sundry, he’s pretending to ignore Link's general existence.

Would Revali speak with less vitriol, if he knew? Or would disappointment sharpen his tongue, and resentment make him even more vicious?

Link doesn't know. He fears finding out. He guards his secrets closely. Indeed, it's entirely possible that they would never have had anything to do with each other, hailing as they do from opposite corners of the country, if not for this cruel trick of fate.

…Revali is, undeniably, the Rito's greatest archer in generations, and a true master of flight, as graceful in the air as Mipha is in water. Even if his personality is lacking, his skills would be more than enough to make up the shortfall, under any normal circumstances.

And yet…

Link cannot speak of this to anyone; they wouldn't believe him if he did — but there's a secret too delicate to name, too fragile to share, too tenuous to trust.

A side of Revali that he would never want Link to know about.

This is the final thing about Revali. The most upsetting thing about Revali. The thing that makes Link wish he was someone, anyone else, and then makes him loathe himself for that thought.

Revali is Link's soulmate.

And time is already running out.

—

Link is twelve years and eleven months of age, the first time he feels the tug on his wrist.

The legends say this should be a joyful thing. It's nothing of the sort. If Link hadn't learned, eleven months ago, hopes crushed before they had a chance to bloom, that his soulmark was far from a happy one — if he hadn't had the lesson reinforced, over and over, through harsh glances and cutting whispers from the moment he drew that sword from the pedestal out in the forest — he might have let himself…

Curled into a ball in the corner of the barracks, on his low mattress tucked well out of the way of the older boys — young men, really, and all of them much older than him — Link holds his left wrist out, far away from his body as if distance might be enough to remove the temptation to answer.

Your soulmate, it's said, can feel strong emotions from you, if you're holding your end of the string.

Link does his best not to have those. It only makes things worse.

But Link's soulmate, whoever they are, won't stop tugging on the thread that connects their souls without their will or their consent.

Curiosity. That's the only Link feels reverberating along the string, and if he hadn't already known that his soulmate was - in all likelihood - younger than him, this basically guarantees it. Naive enough to be innocent; innocent enough to be curious. Curious enough to keep tugging on that binding thread despite the lack of reply, long past the point where Link thought they would give up. It should be their first assumption. If nobody replies, then they don’t have their matching mark yet. That’s how the legend goes: it’s only when you’re old enough to understand what the mark means that it’ll appear on you.

Well, that’s how Link understands it. Other people say it differently. But other people don’t have that awareness of how an unspooling thread can mark you—beyond the obvious. How eyes can follow you with suspicion, and fear, and resentment, when you’ve done nothing but bear the touch of a gift so rare as to have become a legend.

When it’s clear that what should be a blessing is closer to a curse.

When they forget so easily, and chide you for remembering.

It's only when the moon is high overhead that Link's unlucky soulmate finally starts to relent in their investigation of the thread, their curiosity fogged over by fatigue, the tension finally growing slack, but the faint thrum of contact still there, as if — still enthralled by its newness — they’d gone to sleep still clutching the string, unwilling to let go.

And it softens something in him: though he wants to be angry, wants to hate the mark and everything it stands for… instead Link draws his outstretched wrist back towards him, and though he doesn’t dare touch the strand hanging loosely from his wrist — the thread only he, and not even his so-called soulmate, can see — he curls his other hand near to it, so close that he could touch it, if only he was brave enough.

It’s bad luck, to be Link’s soulmate.

Whoever they are, Link wants to protect them.

No matter how impossible it is.

Links to be added as the week goes on:

Part 2: here Part 3: here Part 4: Part 5: Part 6: Part 7:

(Part 8?)

#revalink #revalink fic #revalink week #revalink week 2023 #ginnefic #revali/link #soulmate au (of a kind)#knives ahoy #.....okay i might. *might* have something cute for later. so let me have my knives now

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