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fic masterlist under the cut

ao3: caramelcats | writing tag: #caramel writes | analysis tag: #caramel rants | trilogy au tag (masterlist soon hopefully): #trilogy au

feel free to send asks with writing prompts/requests!

fic masterlist

not all of what i post is on tumblr, my full list of works is on my ao3!

legend of zelda

reflection of love - 8.4k; ravioli; soulmates au

never leave - 1k; marlink; link and marin dance together

warm afternoon and cool waters - 2.3k; marlink; mermaid au; marin and link take a break after a dungeon

foundations - 2k; totk!zelda is taken to skyloft and meets sksw!zelda instead of the zonai

untitled - 300; short fluff blurb, marin & link practicing ocarina together

suthorn boy - 1.4k; concept writing about eow zelda and link's developing relationship & some tri stuff too

linked universe

comma flirting - 4.4k; ravioli; letters sent between ravio and legend

night owls - 2.5k; legend and twilight smoking together

omori

blue bow - 18.5k; aubrey-centric, aubrey character study

gladiolus - chaptered (unfinished); sequel to blue bow, continuing aubrey's story after canon

untitled - 1k; novelization of 3 days left scene w/ basil & sunny in grandma's room

reflection of love

on ao3

word count: 8.4k

ravio shares link's scars; ravioli soulmates au

According to ancient Loruleian folklore, romantic soulmates have a special bond. This bond is indicated by their scars, and if one gets a scar, it will appear on the other's body as well.

Ravio's soulmate has a lot of scars.

Ravio is 12 when the first scar appears.

He sits up in his bed, staring at his arm. There’s a large swipe just below his shoulder, freckles already dotting over it. It hadn’t been there the night before.

It’s strange, he thinks, but maybe he just hadn’t noticed it. Maybe something had hit him on the way home and he just… didn’t feel anything?

…That makes no sense.

Ravio decides to forget about it.

But later that day, another scar shows up. A week later, three more. Ravio’s being even more careful than he usually is, but they keep appearing!

He brings it up to the princess when it’s been a month and it keeps happening.

Princess Hilda is sitting in her study, head leaning against her hand as she pretends to read a book. Ravio nervously approaches, swinging the door open loudly but running to stop it before it hits a wall. She turns up and looks at him, eyebrows raised.

The princess, like Ravio, has no real family to call her own. By technicality she’s queen, but as she’s a child, everyone calls her princess instead. And as far as Ravio knows, his bloodline was of brave Lorulian knights who served the royal family; that’s why he’s worked for Hilda as long as he remembers. Not like he’s inherited any of said bravery.

Ravio guesses that the two are friends. As much as they can be.

“Ravio?” Hilda asks. “What’s the matter?”

“I, uh…” Ravio finds himself unable to find words suddenly, not sure how to describe what’s been happening to him. Hilda huffs, standing up and putting her book away.

“Anything to get out of studying, I suppose.”

Ravio makes an awkward laugh. Hilda lightly hits him on the back of the head.

“What was that for!?” Ravio cries.

“Well, speak up! What’s bothering you!”

Ravio groans, finally giving up and moving his sleeve back. He shows Hilda the original scar, wincing as he looks at it again.

“That’s all?” She scoffs.

“What! I-I didn’t make this scar!”

“Then your soulmate did,” Hilda shrugs, turning away. She starts walking back over to her book again, seemingly giving up on the idea of having something better to do.

“Wait, what!?” Ravio cries. Hilda stops.

“You don’t know?” She asks. “I was joking, but…”

“No! I don’t know! What do you mean, soulmate!?”

Hilda is walking over to a different bookshelf, now. She picks up one, blows off the dust, and hands to to Ravio. It’s heavy. He almost drops it. She glares at him.

“What is this?” He asks.

“Old folk tales, from before our Triforce went out.” At these words, Ravio’s eyes widen.

“A-are you sure I should-”

“Oh, Ravio, it’s not like you’ll break it! You couldn’t hurt anything if you tried!”

Ravio grins sheepishly. “You’re right, haha...”

Hilda rolls her eyes. She gestures to an empty spot at her table, and Ravio places down the book. Hilda directs him through the pages to a certain chapter.

“Soulmates,” Ravio reads. “...Why am I reading this, again?”

Hilda sighs. “I’d guess it’s the cause of your scars. People used to really invest themselves into finding their soulmate through them.”

Ravio’s reading, only semi-paying attention to her. The book tells of the connection between soulmates, two people who are fated to care for each other. For romantic soulmates, this bond stretches beyond just the soul, connecting the two by body as well. The scarring that appears on one’s skin will also appear on the skin of their soulmate, and vice versa.

Ravio’s eyes furrow. “Does this still happen?”

Hilda sighs. “I’m honestly not sure. Since the destruction of the Triforce, it’s been so messy here,” her voice quiets, “...and everyone has horrid scars at this point.”

“So I’m bound to someone reckless, huh.” Ravio’s eyes trail across his skin, a bit intrigued. But also, he’s 12, and it’s not really the most important thing to him right now.

“I’d assume so.”

“Hm.” Ravio closes the book. “Well… thanks. I don’t have to worry about that now, I guess.”

“Good,” Hilda laughs, “You worry too much.”

And for the next 7 years, Ravio doesn’t worry about it. In fact, he nearly forgets about it entirely. He only remembers because every year or so, new scars appear on his body, and he wonders just how reckless this person was. No Lorulian in their right mind would throw themselves into so much danger time and time again.

The worst one is also the largest one, a gash from the bottom of his wrist to the inside of his elbow. Seriously, what in the Goddess’ good name was this guy thinking!? Ravio grumbles to himself, covers himself with his robe, and prays that nobody who sees his skin will think he’s some hotshot hero willing to adventure. Which might be an irrational thought, but someone did ask him if he was once. He can never be too careful.

He’s also never found the guy. It wouldn’t be surprising if he’d passed by them without noticing, but at the same time, he could easily recognize these scars they shared. 

Other things preoccupy Ravio. His duty to the crown, his side job of renting items out. Combined, he makes decent money, by Lorule’s standards. Enough to get food on the table. Most of the time. He tries not to overthink it.

More importantly, things have felt… off, for the past year or so. Soon after coming of age and officially becoming Lorule’s queen, Hilda has begun to have more meetings with the wizard Yuga. Ravio tries not to notice, not to pry, but he can tell something is happening soon.

Now 19 himself, Ravio has more duties as well, but nothing that particularly overwhelms him. He keeps up his business fine and well. He’s learned how to hide behind a silver tongue and con people when he needs to. He’s still a coward at heart.

For his 18th birthday, Hilda had gifted him a baby bird, a child of one living near the castle. Ravio named him Sheerow. It’s good to have company.

Hilda and him are like siblings, now. He trusts her completely.

That’s why he doesn’t expect what’s coming when she invites him in for a meeting with herself and Yuga.

“The Triforce!?” Ravio squawks, taken aback. “This place you found has it!?”

“They have their own,” Hilda clarifies. “With it, we can finally restore peace here.”

“B-But,” Ravio stutters, “How would we get it? Would they be willing to help?”

Yuga laughs.

“Your naïvete amuses me,” he says. “We simply take it from them. With the three pieces their holders keep, Lorule shall have the power we need!”

Ravio looks at Yuga… and he can tell. Right away, he notices the glint in Yuga’s eye, the crookedness of his smile, the emphasis he puts on “power”... he’s used this before, to snag extra rupees. Yuga is being dishonest to the queen.

Ravio immediately turns to Hilda. “This is a mistake,” he says, voice unwavering. “To cause the downfall of another kingdom… that is no way to use the Triforce’s power!”

“Ravio-”

“Boy,” Yuga cuts Hilda off, “I advice you to fully hear her plans before you speak.”

Ravio makes a half-glare at Yuga, heart beating out of his chest. He cannot let this happen - his duty to the kingdom, to his sister!-

“Ravio,” Hilda begins again. “I called you here because we need a third wielder.”

He raises his eyebrows.

“When the Triforce is together, each piece is held by a mortal who protects it. As Queen, I’m to hold Wisdom, and Yuga has offered to hold Power. Ravio… even if you might not believe it, you are a smart and strong protector… I humbly request you to hold Courage.”

“Courage!?” Ravio laughs. Oh, the irony.

“The Triforce will amplify your own,” Hilda defends. “The removal of our own Triforce removed the virtues of its holders, as well. The princess lost her wisdom, the wizard lost his power, and the hero… lost his courage.”

Ravio stops laughing.

“I’m not a hero,” he tries, firm, but Hilda shakes her head.

“I know you’re not,” she says. “But… something just tells me that this piece is for you.”

Hilda has never been the smartest person Ravio has known. She’d fall for Ravio’s easiest schemes, if he dared to ever use them on the Queen herself. She hated her studies, always tried to find excuses to get away. But she had a courageous heart. He knows she’s only accepting this idea because she genuinely believes it will benefit Lorule.

Yuga, on the other hand, Ravio doesn’t know. He can only see the power he lacks, and the power he thirsts for. Ravio does not trust him one bit.

And Ravio… well, of course, he’s a coward, through and through. But he likes to believe he’s developed some smarts with the time he’s spent learning how people think. That’s the beauty of being a salesman.

Maybe the piece does belong to him, and his lack of courage is a curse from ancestors long ago who only wanted to do something right.

For now, he doesn’t entertain the thought further. Regardless if he’s the holder of Courage or not, if he takes his spot, he will ruin another’s life. He can’t do that.

Ravio makes a decision.

3 Days to Go

She wants to do the right thing.

I wish I could help her.

But leaving is my only option.

“All I’m asking of you is to go with me and Yuga through the crack,” Hilda says. She pours Ravio tea. He doesn’t drink any.

“Princess, I-”

“Please, Ravio, I know your magic is enough to get us there.”

2 Days to Go

She's being duped. Doesn't she realize that? 

He's just a leech.

There's no choice but to go.

Ravio is hyper-aware of everything Yuga does.

He notices the way he talks, the way he moves, the way he’s condescending towards Hilda. He acts like he already owns the place.

He wishes Hilda would notice. He wishes that she believed him when he told her not to trust Yuga.

“You’re worrying too much again. Everything will be fine soon.”

Ravio starts packing his bags.

1 Day to Go

I have so little magic. Enough to go there - maybe not to come back.

But tomorrow must be the day.

I may never see her again, but I vow to save her from all of this.

Ravio is terrified.

His home is in disarray, his things thrown everywhere, what he needs barely fitting into his bag. He closes his diary. He looks at the bracelet in his hand. He thinks about the outside, the crumbles of a kingdom that he calls home.

Ravio is a coward. He has always been, he will always be. Even now, he’s running away from home, with the hope that he’ll find someone to save him.

But Ravio is also a loyal servant of the Lorulian crown. He has sworn an oath to protect his Queen, protect his kingdom, until his very last breath. He loves his sister. He truly wants to help her. To help everyone.

This is the only way he knows how to.

The next morning, Ravio does not appear when Hilda comes to collect him. She looks around the empty house. He is gone. He has run away.

Ravio has always been a coward.

She will have to do this herself.

Hyrule is bright, lighter than anything Ravio has ever seen. It’s pretty, in its own way, but damn it hurts his eyes.

He quickly flees the castle he’s landed in, thankfully leaving unnoticed by any guards. He wanders aimlessly a bit. The layout of Hyrule is identical to Lorule’s, except that it’s far more peaceful. Ravio can hardly believe it.

Ravio also quickly notices the faces around him are variations of ones he already knows. Lorule and Hyrule are mirrors of each other, he concludes. Thankfully, nobody seems to pay him any mind. His hood and robe cover his face well enough, and he isn’t mistaken for whoever his counterpart here might be.

He only as an inkling of where to start. The castle will likely be where Hilda and Yuga target. So on the off chance that his counterpart would also be a Triforce wielder, on the off chance that Hilda was right about Ravio being one, he decides to head in the direction of his house.

If that doesn’t work, then maybe he could go to Hyrule’s equivalent of Thieves' Town, and ask for anyone hero-like there.

Ravio spots two figures leaving his house (his other’s house?), but he’s not close enough to make them out well. They leave for the blacksmith pretty quickly, and Ravio follows. One emerges back out with something wrapped in cloth. He runs down the path, and Ravio dives behind a rock so he isn’t seen. An old habit.

Through the leaves, it’s still hard to see the boy, but he notices that his hairstyle looks like a longer version of Ravio’s own. It’s blonde with some hints of pink growing in at the roots. He can’t see his face until he gets closer.

And Ravio instantly recognizes him.

Of course, this was his Hyrulean counterpart - no surprise there, that’s who he was looking for - but his scars. One on his neck that appeared on Ravio’s two years ago. Another from his chin to the bottom of his cheek, one he could tell was recent, was recent on Ravio’s face too. He found him? The other with - with the scars - his soulmate - but -

The boy disappears before Ravio can finish processing, and he finds himself running after him, Sheerow chirping angrily at Ravio’s sudden sprint. He follows him to the Sanctuary, watches him unsheath the sword and run into danger like it’s nothing. Goddess, he was the hero, too. Of course he was!

Ravio sits and waits for a while. Dampé leaves, mutters something about reporting this to the castle. The boy doesn’t come back.

His soulmate, a Hylian. That’d explain him not meeting him before, huh.

…The sharing scars thing could just be because they’re counterparts or something.

That’s a lie. He’s seen the Hylians, very much unmarked compared to the Lolians he knows.

Okay. His soulmate. A Hylian. His counterpart. A hero.

Oh, why in Lolia was this happening now!? He doesn’t have time to stress over this! He has the fate of two fucking kingdoms resting on his shoulders, and he’s sitting here overthinking over finding some soulmate! He’s better than this!

Think, Ravio, think. Okay. He found his hero. Who really should be coming out soon, it’s been a while… regardless. He can send him off to help and save the kingdoms! And… figure out a way to help, somehow. He has weapons. He needs money (he always needs money). He could put up the front of a merchant, because that wasn’t a total lie. He just needs somewhere to crash, somewhere that’s close to the hero. 

(Not just because the hero is his soulmate. Sure, he’d love to learn more about him, seeing that their literal souls are bound together, but the safety of the kingdoms is more important.)

The door bursts open, and Ravio scampers into hiding again.

The person who leaves is not the hero, like Ravio was expecting.

It’s Yuga.

No!

He’s too late! Yuga is here, and the hero isn’t, and he took the Triforce of Courage, and next he’ll be after the other two Triforce pieces and Ravio won’t be able to do anything and he’s doomed-

Sheerow bonks against Ravio’s head, breaking him out of his spiral. His tiny companion is good at that. Ravio takes a deep breath and starts petting Sheerow.

Rationalize this, Ravio. Yuga’s never seen Ravio with his hood off, he hopefully wouldn’t recognize the hero’s face… even if he did, Ravio doubted Yuga actually believed he was worthy of the Triforce piece. If Yuga underestimated his counterpart, Ravio might actually be able to do something.

Yuga’s left, and Ravio stands up, trying to ignore his entire body shaking. He creeps through the Sanctuary doors.

His hero is passed out further in the building. The priest is also knocked out cold, laying by the pews. Goddess!

Ravio stumbles over to the hero, awkwardly hoising him up. He’s not one to really admit it, but Ravio is pretty strong with how much he lugs around on the regular. He’s strong enough to be able to move the guy with somewhat ease, carefully bringing him back to his house.

Ravio learns that the hero’s name is Link. He learns that his voice is quiet, but he’s snappy and banters with Ravio with ease. He doesn’t haggle, though, for some reason. And with a closer inspection of his face, Ravio confirms that each and every scar is identical to his own. 

He also learns that this isn’t Link’s first adventure. That’s all. He doesn’t know how many he’s been on, but he knows a rough timeline of how much has happened. Link’s been adventuring since he was 12. Ravio remembers the oldest scar.

He doesn’t tell Link that they’re soulmates. Or that they’re counterparts, and he’s from Lorule. Or that he is desperately trying to save the kingdoms too, but all he can do is rent weapons to the hero and pray he doesn’t die. You could say he’s too much of a coward to say anything about it.

To his credit, Link doesn’t die. Sometimes, Sheerow leaves, and Ravio looks in the mirror to find a new mark on his body. Sheerow returns with the weapons. Link shows up within the next day to rent them again. The cycle repeats.

The first time it happened, Ravio was worried. Actually, he was terrified, but what else is new? But Link came back, only grunted when Ravio asked what happened, picked up more weapons, and left.

Yeah, they aren’t that close.

Ravio muses that it can’t be helped, with Link’s combined effort of not appearing often and being a bitch when he does. Something in Ravio finds it endearing. He tries not to let it surface.

Link doesn’t talk much about himself, but Ravio still learns things. He learns, first and foremost, that Link is a hoarder. That doesn’t come from Link himself, but Ravio can’t help but snoop just a little. Link has chests upon chests that simply reek of magic. Most of them are full of rings. And if Ravio sells a few duplicates to other people who show up at the shop, then he blames it on his Lorulean upbringing.

Link has some other things that interest him, too. He owns many instruments, for example. Mostly ocarinas. A colorful harp-like thing. There’s eight instruments that hang in a circle on the wall, each looking unique. He asks Link about them once, and he pales. He murmurs something about them being remakes. Ravio doesn’t press it further.

There’s a beautiful apple orchard outside his house, and Ravio finds himself learning how to bake in his spare time. He even occasionally convinces Link to stay with him for dinner.

“There’s a scar on your wrist,” Link comments one night. Ravio freezes, fork in his mouth.

Link’s referring to Ravio’s worst scar. One of many that actually belongs to Link. Ravio tries to recover, finish his mouthful, but Link’s already noticed.

“Well,” Ravio comes up with, “How do you think I’ve got these weapons?”

From the castle, mostly. The magical things the soldiers find usually end up in Ravio’s hands, one way or another.

Link raises an eyebrow. “I’m not saying it isn’t impressive,” he says, holding up his arm. “I’ve got one similar.”

Ravio looks down Link’s forearm. From the bottom of his wrist to the inside of his elbow. Just like Ravio’s.

“Weird,” he replies, attempting to go back to eating.

Link grabs Ravio’s arm and moves up his sleeve. Ravio squawks. Link just stares at the scar, looking back at his own, matching the two. He sits there a moment.

“Weird,” Link repeats, dropping Ravio’s arm. Ravio tries to ignore how red his face is. They spend the rest of dinner in silence.

The days Link isn’t home start to feel longer.

This is partially because he actually does leave for longer, now. A week, two weeks at a time. He entered Lorule recently. Ravio knows because Link immediately started complaining after his first trip back.

Ironic, isn’t it? Ravio, alone in Hyrule, and Link, alone in Lorule. Ravio doesn’t have the guts to follow him back home. Besides, Link’s the only one with the bracelet now. As it stands, Ravio’s as good as a Hyrulean.

Link comes home one day and doesn’t talk to Ravio.

He throws some rupees on the table and buys a weapon, because somewhere along the line Ravio’s begun to let him do that, and then he walks to the kitchen and starts making himself lunch.

Ravio stands awkwardly, unsure what to do. He pockets the rupees and tries not to watch Link.

Eventually, Link sits with his food, and Ravio is suddenly aware that Link’s staring at him. He turns around and notices the other plate on the table. He made him lunch, too.

Ravio sits down.

Link’s silent throughout the first few minutes, looking like he’s trying to come up with words but unsure how to string them together. Ravio matches him. Link’s food isn’t half bad, he thinks to himself.

“I found an empty house,” Link randomly pipes up. Ravio moves his head to look at Link’s expression. He’s conflicted.

“Yeah?” Ravio asks. “Lots of people abandon theirs.”

Not by choice, of course. They get run over by monsters or others.

“This one was weird,” Link says. “Someone left their journal inside.”

Ravio’s heart stops, but he keeps eating, trying to stay nonchalant. 3 days to go.

“That’s stupid of them.”

“It had your hood on it.” 2 days to go.

Ravio drew in a breath. “Maybe my counterpart wears a hood, too.”

“Are you from Hyrule, Ravio?”

1 day to go.

“Am I?” Ravio looks at Link dead in the eye, though the other can’t see through his hood. “We both keep our own secrets, Mister Hero.”

Link presses his lips together. Ravio doesn’t move, challenging him to press further.

“...Ravio, why have my rings started disappearing?” Link backs down. Ravio grins.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A month later, Link spends a day at home. He shows up dirty and bloody after a particularly hard dungeon, stumbles into the house late after Ravio’s fallen asleep, and he’s out by morning. Ravio only can tell he’s been there because he left some of his things behind. Nothing much, just some armor, a bag with materials, his shield. He doesn’t leave his sword.

Ravio decides not to open the shop. Link comes home a few hours later to see Ravio picking apples.

“Mister Hero!” Ravio calls, cheerful when he sees him. Link only raises an eyebrow and walks over to him.

“You gonna charge me for my apples, too?” Link asks, but Ravio brushes him off.

“Shop’s closed today. I thought I’d help around the house.”

“I haven’t picked apples from this orchard for years.” Link’s voice is more of a mumble, more to himself, but Ravio picks it up.

“Hm, why?” He jumps for an apple he can’t quite reach. Link scoffs. He walks indoors for a second, Ravio hearing shuffling, and comes back outside holding a step-stool.

“Try this,” Link says. Ravio accepts the stool, but his mind dwells on the minute before.

“You didn’t answer my question.” Ravio stands on the stool and successfully picks the apple. He starts getting the higher ones, Link reaching over to help safely put them in a basket. Link’s looking away from him.

“You don’t answer any of mine,” Link shoots back, curt.

“Fine, then. An answer for an answer?”

Link ponders for a second. “I have more than one question about you.”

“You only get to ask one, Mister Hero.”

“When’d you come to Hyrule?”

“The day I met you.” Ravio’s immediate, honest response visibly surprised Link.

“Then who’s your Hylian-” Link’s cut off by Ravio pressing his finger to Link’s lips.

“One,” He reminds him, pulling his hand back. Link’s ears are light pink, but he gives Ravio a nasty stare all the same. “My turn. When did you stop picking these apples?”

“When my uncle died.” Link turns away, placing down the basket. His face is clenched up, like he’s suddenly trapped. Ravio finds himself falling silent. He’d gotten a bit carried away.

…

“I’m going inside,” Link mumbles. Ravio lets him.

Eventually, Ravio gets tired of picking apples. The orchard feels endless and it’s been at least another hour. His basket is full. Ravio comes back inside, placing the basket in the kitchen, and his eyes wander over to Link.

Link’s holding a plant. It looks like red hibiscus. Ravio’s not quite sure where Link got it from, assuming the market, seeing how fresh it was. Unless Link had placed a stasis charm on it, that is.

“Pretty flower,” Ravio comments. Link doesn’t look up. Ravio looks back, and he notices that Link is curled up into the wall, and that there are the beginnings of tears sitting in his eyes.

“Link!” Ravio finds his voice raised in worry. He rushes over to the boy, wrapping his arm around Link’s back. Link draws in a shaky breath, subconsciously leaning into Ravio’s touch. And Ravio can’t help but feel distress for him.

“Sorry,” Link mumbles. “‘M fine.”

“You idiot,” Ravio sighs, holding Link. “Let yourself cry.”

Link draws in a shaky breath. “I can’t. I have to go… I have to save…” His voice keeps trailing off.

“Lorule won’t explode if you take a moment for yourself,” Ravio tries. He’s been taking enough moments for himself over the past almost-year, and nothing has died on a massive scale yet.

Link sniffs. Ravio sits with him, lets him sob it out. Eventually, Link speaks up again, his voice in a wobble.

“I hadn’t been home for a full year before this started.”

Ravio doesn’t know why Link decides to trust him. Link’s words breaks his heart regardless, because he understands. Maybe he hasn’t been on those adventures himself, but he’s seen those scars. He’s seeing those scars again, now - the mental ones.

“I’m sorry,” Ravio murmurs. “It’s not fair. You deserve better.” He means it.

Link makes a small, unamused laugh. “Life’s never fucking fair. I learned that on my first adventure.”

“When you were twelve?” Ravio’s words are more to himself than to Link, but he thinks them out loud. Of course, Ravio had learned that when he was 12, too. Childhood is something almost unheard of in Lorule. But in Hyrule, too, perfect and golden? Their hero suffering so much? Sure, Ravio could see that Hyrule wasn’t perfect. And he have been stupid to put Hyrule on such a pedestal. But part of him just can’t believe it… yet at the same time, it makes so much sense.

He hates it. He hates that Link has experienced so much pain. He hates that they’re both 19, and yet so much has happened to them. He hates that he can’t do anything more to help.

“How do you know that?”

Link is staring up at Ravio. He’s been so lost in thought that he hasn’t noticed the grief on Link’s face melting away to confusion, to realization, to accusation, to a mix of all three.

“How do you know I was 12?”

“I-I…” And Ravio’s silver tongue fails him.

Link takes Ravio’s hand again, like he did during that dinner, and he holds it up to his own. He pushes back Ravio’s sleeve. He looks at the scars.

“I knew it,” Link breathes. Ravio stutters. Link looks up at him. “You’re my…”

Soulmate? Counterpart? He has no idea what Link just figured out.

Link shakes a blush off his face and stands up. He moves over to his items, putting things back on. He grabs a few rupees and tosses them at Ravio. Ravio’s so flabbergasted, so frozen, he barely recognizes that they’re there.

When Ravio says nothing, Link picks up the only weapon Ravio hasn’t sold him yet. “For this.”

Ravio looks at the rupees, then back at Link. If it was any other day, he would have exclaimed Link hadn’t given him hardly enough money, bother him until he gets at least a hundred more. Instead, he stares.

“That’s the last of my stock,” Ravio says dumbly. Link rolls his eyes.

“I guess you’re retired, then.” Link pockets the weapon, finishes pulling everything back on.

“Hey-” Ravio’s brain catches up to him, and he scrambles to his feet. “Where are you going?”

“Lorule,” Link replies. Ravio tries not to make a sound of alarm, because something in him suddenly screams that he doesn’t want Link to be in danger.

“Link-” Ravio cuts himself off. Link stands in the doorway, stopping as he’s about to step through.

“What?” He asks.

“...Stay safe,” Ravio whispers. Link’s face softens, and he nods.

And he’s gone.

Link does not return for a month.

Ravio is used to this. Link usually only shows up a few times a month. Maybe once a month, he stays longer than five minutes. It’s why they’ve only had these little interactions in between dungeons, even though Ravio lives in his house. Their dynamic is mostly Link coming by for a few minutes to buy something. 

There’s nothing left to buy. No excuse to come back to him. And fuck, it hurts.

Ravio thinks he’s in love with him.

It takes a while to admit that to himself. It’s two weeks after Link’s departure when he starts to consider it.

And Ravio knows how to wait, he’s been waiting for a Goddess-forsaken year, knowing that Link is his soulmate, his hero, and only getting glimpses of him. But it’s different now, because instead of his thoughts sitting idly on the shop or the orchard or on Hyrule, he’s only been able to think about Link.

It surprises Ravio that he was surprised when he realized that Link is traumatized. Because of course he is. You don’t go on however-many adventures without seeing things. He guesses he was putting Link on too much of a pedestal before. Perfect Mister Hero. But now, with that little bit of trust, seeing Link for who he is, even a fraction of it - it means so much more. He’s Link. Link, Ravio’s soulmate.

Ravio will never, ever, tell him. Unless Link figures it out himself, which he might have already. Ravio ponders on what Link meant when he said “you’re my”. He still has no idea. Maybe he saw the scars and realized Ravio and him are counterparts, like what Ravio briefly attributed the scars to. Or maybe…

Ravio shakes off the thought. He’s being hopeful, maybe too hopeful for his own good. He’s a servant to the Loruleian crown, for Goddess' sake, and that’s why he’s here.

He tries to think about that. He thinks about Link instead.

When Link returns, it’s brief, and it’s with an air of finality that frightens Ravio.

“You’re back,” Ravio breathes. Link stands in the doorway, looking at him. 

“For tonight,” Link confirms. Ravio feels both relief and dread.

“Would you like dinner?”

Link nods.

Ravio’s aware of the awkwardness at the table. They both eat in silence, but there’s something radiating off of Link, something Ravio can’t quite decipher. Ravio can’t take it. Eventually, Link can’t either, because he opens his mouth.

“I’m going to fight Yuga tomorrow,” Link murmurs. Ravio freezes. Right. Yeah. That’s what he found Link to do in the first place.

“Good luck,” Ravio barely gets out. 

There’s silence a bit longer. Ravio’s thoughts crash into him, spiraling into a madness of what ifs. He ends up staring at his food, fork in his hand.

“How do you do it?” Ravio asks.

“Hm?” Link looks up.

“How do you keep fighting? How do you stay unafraid? I… don’t get it.”

And Link laughs. And he stops laughing, and there’s a serious expression on his face.

“Ravio… I’m fucking terrified. Why do you think I’m here instead of camping outside the castle?”

Oh.

“If I could drop this sword, if I could never be a hero again, if I could breathe without worrying about something attacking me… I would want to. I do want to. So badly.”

“Oh.”

Link looks at his hand, at the glowing triforce piece that now sits there. That’s new.

“Courage… isn’t not being afraid,” he says. “It’s fighting despite it.”

Ravio nods. He is the stupidest person to ever disgrace Lorule.

“...One more thing, Ravio.”

Ravio looks up at Link through his hood. “Hm?”

“You… I… just in case. I don’t know how much longer the connection will stay open. Between Hyrule and Lorule.”

Ravio nods. “Thank you.”

Link gives a short nod. “Mhm.”

The next day, Link leaves early, but Ravio wakes up to send him off. As soon as he knows Link is gone, he starts packing up his shop.

He has to be quick. He doesn’t know how long Link will spend in Lorule Castle before meeting Yuga and likely Hilda. He throws things together, takes down his signs, packs his bag. Sheerow flutters around him, curious, but doesn’t get in his way. 

Ravio’s first step into bravery is when he runs past monsters to retrieve his signs. It’s nothing unlike how he got the signs up in the first place. But, he tells himself that was courage, and he feels better about himself.

It takes some wrangling with magical artifacts, but Ravio makes it back to Lorule, and it’s a punch in the gut to see everything again. To smell the slightly acidic air, to see the dead grass, to be hit with that sense of dread that even the land seems to hold. He’s home.

Ravio stumbles through the castle. It’s completely foreign to him, having been remade into a dungeon. Thankfully, he only has to outrun monsters and chase through the halls, as Link has taken apart everything in sight.

“But that’s…!”

He hears voices from the throne room. The door is locked - shit - he looks over at the wall and starts to climb without thinking.

“This isn’t over! I must have it!” That’s Hilda’s voice…!

Ravio peaks into the room, spotting Link by the wall. Behind him is a blonde woman, definitely Queen Zelda, and in front is Hilda. Hilda! She takes a threatening step towards the others. Ravio takes a breath, and like he’s practiced, he throws caution to the wind.

“Please! This has to stop!”

Ravio leaps into the room, hitting the ground hard, hearing rupees spill out of his bag. Ow. He quickly gathers his surroundings and jumps back up, facing Link.

…Now or never. Courage… isn’t being afraid. It’s fighting despite it. Goddess, that phrase sounded kind of childish, but he needed it.

Ravio throws back his bunny hood, looking Link dead in the eyes. His expression changes to genuine shock. Oh. Then… Link hadn’t known they were counterparts, that means he knew about them being-

“Who-?” Zelda’s voice brings Ravio’s mind back, and he focuses. He takes a deep breath.

Ravio pleads to Hilda, tries to convince her to let Hyrule’s Triforce go. He rambles a bit, but he forces himself on track, even snapping at her at one point. He just needs her to realize. Please, he needs her to realize. 

Ravio is a coward at heart. But he is also cunning and smart, and that gift of quip is somehow enough. Hilda relents. She brings them all to Lorule’s sacred realm, and Ravio is so relieved. But he also, very suddenly, realizes he won’t see Link again. 

He watches Link give Hilda his bracelet, and suddenly finds himself moving. Hilda steps forward and begins to use the bracelet’s magic, and Ravio grabs Link’s hands. Link looks up at him in minor shock.

“I…” Ravio says. He looks at their identical scars. Link notices.

“Soulmate marks,” Link breathes. He knew. He knew.

Ravio loses all sense and presses his lips to Link’s.

Link makes a noise of surprise against Ravio, and Ravio almost pulls back, doubts himself, but Link places his hands on Ravio’s cheeks and pulls him in closer. And oh, he needed this. Ravio and Link hold each other until they’re out of breath. Ravio pants when he finally pulls away, staring into Link’s eyes and cherishing the blush that runs from his cheeks to his ears.

“You knew,” Ravio’s so quiet, he’s sure only Link can hear. Link nods.

“Yeah,” Link replies, equally as quiet. “I always… wondered, how my soulmate would look with all my scars. Worried. But. You look good.”

Ravio’s tempted to laugh. To think what defeats Link, the Hero of Legend, is a simple compliment. But he’s blushing too hard, and Link’s face is so close, so he just kisses Link again.

“I think your courage rubbed off on me,” Ravio jokes as they pull apart again. Link rolls his eyes.

“You were always courageous, Rav. Just believe it.” And he does.

A cough brings them out of their reverie. Ravio looks up to see Hilda and Zelda staring at them. Oops.

Ravio turns back to Link. Just a second longer. “I’ll find any way to connect us again,” Ravio promises.

Link’s face changes. “If it jeopardizes the safety of our countries-”

“We’ll find a way, Link,” Zelda cuts in with a smile. “We’ll be safe.”

Hilda nods. “A soulmate bond is… precious.” Ravio can tell the emotion behind her voice, even if she makes a good front of hiding it. He smiles at her.

“Thank you,” Ravio says. He looks at Link. “It’ll be okay.”

Link nods, but it looks so small. He’s lost people before, Ravio can tell. He will fight so hard to get Link back.

Ravio gives Link one more kiss. He tries to tell Link with his eyes, This just started. It won’t end yet. Link gets the message.

Hilda places her hands together. Ravio watches Link and Zelda become paintings, fly into the crack, and they are gone. He stares, open-mouthed, as the golden light fades to nothing. The bracelet fades as well.

It’s quiet.

“...I’m sorry,” Hilda’s voice wobbles. “I’m sorry.”

Ravio turns to his sister, takes her hand, and pulls her into a hug. “It’s okay.”

She chokes a sob into his shoulder, and he continues to hold her, whispering comforting words. He feels numb. He’s gotten everything and lost everything today, and he has no idea when or if he’ll see Link again. He saved Lorule and lost Hyrule. He gained Hilda back but lost Link.

The ground begins to shake.

Ravio’s grip on Hilda becomes a protective hold, and he looks up to make sure no pillars are falling on each other. He has no idea what’s happening, and looking at Hilda, he can tell she doesn’t either. Ravio trips over and falls on the ground, letting go of Hilda before she falls as well.

He watches the crack of golden light reemerge, bigger, growing until the entire stone explodes. Hilda throws her hands in front of her face. Ravio is knocked to a laying down position. Sheerow dances over him, making sure he’s alright.

As he sits up, he witnesses something beautiful.

Through the rubble, black triangles form, connecting to each other. Slowly, they turn gold. Ravio hears Hilda gasp, feels the shock through his body, and he realizes what Link and Zelda have done.

The Triforce floats in front of them.

Is he dreaming?

Hilda begins to weep, sobbing out small prayers and thanks. Ravio looks over to her, too astonished to say anything. He realizes he’s shaking, and he tries to get up, but his legs are wobbling. He leans onto Hilda, and she grabs him again, crying into his shoulder.

“I can’t believe it,” She sniffs. “After everything…”

Tears flow down Ravio’s cheeks. “I can’t either.”

They say patience is a virtue. Ravio knows patience. At least, he knows waiting. But this is killing him.

The first few weeks that follow are a mess. Ravio and Hilda use their wish to restore Lorule. The architecture, the nature, the wildlife, as much as they can with pure magic. With that done, Hilda greets her kingdom and officially declares the return of the Triforce’s protection. What follows is a lot of politics, meetings with nobles, and restoration efforts.

Ravio doesn’t get to think during any of this, too busy being a public figure. He’s a Triforce holder now.

Yeah, that happened. He got the Triforce of Wisdom. Which surprised him, and didn’t at the same time. Hilda got the Triforce of Courage. Yuga is dead.

He wishes he could tell Link about it.

Hilda and Ravio haven’t been able to find anything yet, nothing to help them connect with Hyrule. Ravio hates it, worries about it, but there’s nothing he can do. He and Link had just started to have something more when Link had to leave. He needed more with Link so badly.

It’s been another few months, and Ravio is 20. He wakes up with a scar on his palm, almost like a burn mark. It’s the first scar he’s seen since Link left.

Link is alive.

Well - of course he’s alive. Ravio is irrational and frets over literally nothing, and he didn’t genuinely think Link was dead. But it’s comforting nonetheless. Link is alive and still getting into trouble, as always.

Ravio doesn’t think much of it. Maybe Link’s picked up a job, and got hurt at work? Ravio remembered something about a blacksmithing apprenticeship, some off-hand comment from Link about having to drop it for his adventure. 

Maybe he’s trapped in another adventure and didn’t get to rest for long.

Ravio decides to stop thinking.

He gets dressed for the day, heads to the castle. He’s ditched the bunny hood after the restoration of Lorule’s triforce, but he keeps it at home as a memento. That was his protection during dark times. The rabbit.

Ravio still keeps the scarf, though, even though it looks awkward with his new and slightly more formal uniform. Sheerow likes to bury himself in it and use it as a nest, and always complains when Ravio takes it off. So the scarf stays.

The castle is a mess when he gets there, more so than it usually is. It’s been transformed back into its previous state, thanks to Ravio and Hilda’s wish on the Triforce. There’s still a constant clutter of people running around to do things or go places. But today, a guard immediately runs up to Ravio, like something just happened.

“Sir!” The guard states. Ravio internally cringes. Despite his protests, Hilda knighted him for formalities. He has no actual role as a knight of Lorule, yet the soldiers always use formal titles when referring to him. Officially, he’s Hilda’s royal advisor. Lolia knows she needs one.

“What is it?” Ravio asks, glancing around. He notices the relief on the guard’s face that he’s here. “Did something happen?”

“Queen Hilda requests your presence immediately,” the guard replies, “For important kingdoms affairs.”

Kingdoms? With an S?

“Take me to her,” Ravio says, his heart rate rising.

Hilda is pacing around the throne room, glancing between the wall and out the hallway. She sighs in relief when Ravio arrives.

Ravio spots it immediately. A small crack in the wall, a glimmer of light.

He thinks back to the burn scar on his palm.

“Can you get through?” Ravio asks, shaky. Hilda shakes her head, but she takes his hand and guides him over to the wall.

“I briefly heard Zelda’s voice coming from the crack,” she says, her voice nearly at a whisper. “I think she and Link are trying to reopen the connection.”

Ravio nods. “Yes. They have to be.” He lifts up his hand, shows Hilda the scar.

“That’s where your Triforce piece is!” Hilda exclaims. “Do you think… they were trying to use their own?”

“It’s worth a try,” Ravio nods. “Neither us or them have Power, though. Maybe that’s why they can’t open it…”

Hilda has already run forward, placing her hand on the crack. She motions for Ravio to do the same, and he obliges.

Ravio takes a deep breath and tries to concentrate his power into the crack. He feels Hilda doing the same, the Triforce connecting. There’s a long, powerful silence, then-

Boom!

Ravio feels a burning sensation on his hand. He jumps back, clutching it close and grunting in pain. Hilda’s glove falls to the floor, she threw it.

“Shit,” the queen murmurs to herself, looking at her own burnt hand.

It’s not too bad, and it heals unnaturally quickly, faster than a red potion would do the job. Soon, the pain is only lingering, and Ravio looks up.

The crack has doubled in size, large enough for them to slip through even without being in painting form. Ravio can’t believe it. He looks at Hilda, and she’s smiling wide.

“We should mention this to someone before we disappear,” Ravio muses.

“We should,” Hilda agrees.

Hilda takes Ravio’s hand and they walk through together without telling anyone.

On other side, it’s just as bright as Ravio remembers. Even in Hyrule Castle, the world is cheery and beautiful, not unlike what Lorule is slowly becoming. But even better, he’s faced with two people who seem to have been waiting for him and Hilda.

“Link,” Ravio breathes, staring at his hero. Link’s face shows a kind of relief that Ravio can’t put into words.

“Ravio,” Link responds, and he’s unable to say anything else before Ravio grabs him and kisses him.

Ravio’s new job is to be a foreign diplomat, keeping up with affairs relating Lorule with outside kingdoms. This is a fancy title for “you get to live with Link”.

When everything was finally worked out and Ravio comes home with Link as a roommate-slash-boyfriend, the first thing they do is compare scars. Ravio comments on when he first found them, his reactions to certain ones, his thoughts on who his soulmate might be. Link confides that he was worried his soulmate would hate the scars. Ravio says he loves them. Link kisses him. Ravio kisses him back, then kisses his cheek scar, then his neck scar, and then down much, much further. Link holds him close, unsure what else to do with himself, and Ravio tells him to keep sitting pretty. Link obliges.

The pair learn a domestic routine that’s foreign to both of them, but Ravio loves. He can tell Link loves it too, through his small gestures and occasional gifts. Oh, the gifts. Little pastries made with Link’s own apples, trinkets he finds in Kakariko, rings with protection charms on them. Each makes Ravio feel so warm inside, loved in a way he never knew before.

Link starts picking apples in the orchard again. He harvests them over several days, Ravio coming out to help, and the autumn leaves look so beautiful falling by Link’s hair. Ravio wishes he could paint.

It’s afternoon, the first time Link sits up to go to the orchard. Ravio’s about to start dinner but can’t find him, until he sees him outside.

Link, his hero, clumsily standing on the step-stool outside, hair and tunic gently blowing in the autumn breeze. Ravio only watches for a few minutes, enchanted by how simple and lovely the scene is.

He steps outside slowly, not wanting to disturb Link, but the other hears Ravio’s footsteps crunching the leaves. Link smiles.

Ravio starts picking a few apples and putting them in the crate. Link continues doing the same, not letting Ravio’s entrance stall him for long. They fall into a comfortable silence, only interrupted by Ravio’s inability to resist a certain apple and eating it instead of putting it in the basket.

“If you keep doing that, we’ll have none to use,” Link lightly chastises, teasing more than anything else. Ravio grins.

“Can I buy it off you, then?” He jokes.

“For 400 rupees, at the bare minimum.” Link snorts when Ravio fakes a distressed look, placing his hand on his forehead and leaning back.

“Mister Hero!” Ravio gasps. “My prices were not that unreasonable!”

“You wouldn’t swear that under the law of Nayru.”

Ravio huffs, admitting defeat. “Of course I wouldn’t. I’m a conman, not a liar.”

Link laughs, easy and unrestrained. Ravio instantly falls in love with that laugh.

“You said you picked these apples with your uncle?” Ravio asks after a bit, as they’ve fallen back into silence. A murmur of assent comes from Link, and when Ravio turns to him, he’s wearing a small smile of remembrance.

“He made me this stool especially for it,” Link says.

“He did?” Ravio laughs.

“I was, like, 8. I kept begging to help him in the orchard, but I was too short to reach anything. He eventually caved and made me this.”

Ravio smiles. “Your uncle sounds like he was kind.”

“He was.” Link quiets a bit. Ravio looks up, takes Link’s hand, squeezes it.

“I’m glad you started picking apples again,” Ravio says, soft.

“...’ve been neglecting it long enough. Can sell the apples in town. I… missed your pie.”

He can’t help but giggle. “Link… you can just ask me to make it.”

“Can you make it,” Link states.

“Yes, I can,” Ravio says with a smile. “...For 200 rupees.”

Link throws an apple at him. Ravio darts to the side, laughing.

“You-!” But Link’s laughing again, unable to finish his insult. Ravio pulls him off the stool, and they fall to the floor, like they’re idiots in love. They are. Ravio moves his fingers into Link’s hair, who’s still snickering into Ravio’s chest.

He can get used to this. Oh, he can get used to this.

Link, his hero and best customer, the boy who shares every scar with him. His soulmate. His soulmate. And Ravio has him, forever, if he has anything to say about it.

He’s the happiest he’s ever been.

Ravio thinks back to when he first found those scars, when he read about soulmates. Somewhere along the line, a child Link read about Hyrule’s soulmate traditions, too, and nobody had known they matched. Nobody had known that Ravio and Link match.

Ravio wants to talk to that child and smile, tell him to persevere through fear, and that one day he’ll find a golden boy in a golden world. The boy isn’t perfect and he never will be, but he’ll be perfect for that child.

After all, they’re soulmates.

---

current brainrot: this panel and how time is scared of the fierce deity

"i'd be far more afraid of what destroyed the demon" when i first read this i thought he was referring to himself, but really he's sharing his own fears subtly enough to not alarm the others... damn...

plus referring to fd as a "what" instead of a "who". the fierce deity is something separate than time with immense power that TERRIFIES him, to the point where he sees it as a Thing instead of a Being. it's so

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Hello, Linebeck realizing he can't only think at his own a*s

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fish

2022.02.03

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Tea at Richard’s Villa

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