I'll Be Here Until You're Okay
Legend was fine when they landed in Skyloft. It'd been ages since Sky had seen Groose or Sun, and he quite literally cried when he saw them again. Sky deserved to see his partners, deserved to see his Loftwing, his home. It was a blissful few days of rest, before they had to leave due to hearing of a group of black blooded monsters nearby.
Legend was fine when they landed in Outset, even with the memories of the waves, the sand, a girl and a dream. Wind had missed his grandma and sister so much, and he'd screamed as soon as they hit the sand. He ran faster than Legend had ever seen him run. Wind had smiled more than he had in a while too, and Legend got really sunburnt and quite miserable.
Legend was fine when they landed in Four's world. It was good to see Four's Grandpa again, to trade stories and fix some of Wild's broken weapons. Four had been excited to see the Minish again, and get a chance to talk to Dot.
They were fine when they landed in Time's. The ranch was quiet and felt almost like home. Malon was kind as always, and they had good places to sleep. Fighting was easier, almost, with the knowledge they'd have an actual bath and mattresses to sleep on when they were done.
Fine in Wild's. Flora had been ecstatic to see her partner again, and Wild relaxed a good bit around her. Seeing Farosh had been a rare treat, and the hot springs Wild had brought them all to were heavenly.
Fine in Twilight's. Ordon was just as quiet as the ranch had been.
Hyrule's. Good to see Hyrule acting confident for once.
Warriors'. The bars were good.
But they were most decidedly not fine once they landed in Wild's again, after only a couple of months away from it.
***
Legend stepped forward out of the portal, Hyrule right behind them. They blinked in the bright sunlight, expecting to see a familiar landmark, the house they shared with Ravio...
When none of that was seen and instead they were greeted by an open field, Legend froze. Why Wild's Hyrule again? Why? Hylia must really hate them if she won't even let them go home. Legend hated her just as much, she never let them rest, not even after all the adventures. No matter how many times Legend did her bidding, she was never satisfied. Legend clenched a fist, angry. They wanted to go home.
Home.
Oh, Ravio.
Legend's eyes watered. They let their hand unclench, suddenly gripping the side of their skirt instead. It'd been almost five months since Legend had seen Ravio. Legend bit their lip and didn't notice their name had been called until the entire Chain was watching them with worried expressions. Legend took their hands from their skirt and clasped them together instead, with a sort of finality. "Wild. This is yours, right?"
Fuck, Legend's voice broke. Legend took a shuddering breath, watching Wild. Wild nodded, expression sad. Legend nodded stiffly right back, before turning around and beginning to walk, shaking. They didn't care where they went, not right now. If the road didn't lead to home then Legend didn't care.
"Legend-?"
Legend ignored Warriors, continuing to walk. The longer their mind dwelled on home, on Ravio, the worse they felt. Legend was quite tired of feeling sad already.
Ravio. Legend missed him so much. The space between his teeth, his scarf. Sheerow. His laugh. The feeling of his hands against Legend's. The gentle curve of the back of his neck against Legend's hand. The stumble when they danced together.
Legend hadn't even received a letter from their husband in what, three, four weeks? Almost a month? (Married for tax purposes, Legend always insists. Lies.)
What if Ravio was hurt? Worse, what if Ravio was dead? Fuck. The thought alone...
Legend choked, giving a soft whine. They brought a hand over their mouth, trying to stifle it. Tried not to cry, don't cry, don't cry, don't-
A soft hand came down on Legend's shoulder, encouraging them to turn. Legend turned, eyes squeezed shut, biting their lip hard to try and make the pain there worse than the pain in their heart. Legend was gently pulled forwards into someone's chest- Time, only Time had that height -and Time's hand came up behind Legend's head to cradle it close. Ravio had always held them the exact same as Legend was being held by Time right now. It hurt.
"I'm sure the next portal we go through will be yours, Legend." Time said quietly. Legend gave a soft sob- the way they were being held, how much they missed Ravio, the soft tone, it was all too much- and that was all it took for them to lose the tiny bit of control they had over their emotions. Legend shakily put their arms around Time, fisting the back of the man's shirt tightly.
"I miss Ravio." Legend whispered, crying harder as soon as Ravio's name was out of their mouth.
"I know, Legend. You'll see him again soon." Time soothed, hugging Legend for an undetermined amount of time. By the time they were done, the rest had set up camp most of the way and Wild was making lunch. Legend sat down next to the fire, close to no one.
Warriors offered Legend whatever Wild had made for lunch. Legend refused, staring into the fire. An apple was put into their hand.
Legend looked at it, and reluctantly took a bite. It wasn't long before Hyrule was pressed to Legend's left side, trying to comfort. The soft tingle of magic against Legend was soothing, even if only a little. Wind quietly came to rest against Legend's other side, small hands fiddling with a seashell. Legend tiredly watched the fire, tuning everything out.
Ravio, Ravio, Ravio. Every heartbeat pressed Ravio's name into Legend's head. If they closed their eyes they could see their home. The place they put their shoes. Where they packed up their gear. The rocking chair. A table with a cup Legend had carved out of wood, when their hands didn't shake. A blanket that Ravio had crocheted, at the end of their shared bed.
Legend hugged themself, bringing a shaky hand to an earring in their ear. Enchanted with both a minor protection charm and a resistance to lightning. Ravio had given them to Legend for an anniversary. Legend took a shuddering breath. Their anniversary had already passed, and Legend didn't even get to spend it with their husband.
That night, Legend slept away from everyone, and poorly. They were grouchy all the way to the nearest stable, and then some. Warriors didn't jab at them even once the entire trip.
xxx
A week passed in Wild's world. A week and a half.
Two.
Every day, Legend was worse and worse. Everyone was quiet around them, lest they shatter whatever fragile state Legend was in. They cried, and frequently. No further words from Ravio, no reassurance that he was okay.
Three weeks.
Four.
xxx
They spent a month and a half in Wild's world. When the next portal appeared, everyone cheered. No matter how pretty Wild's world was, blood moons were no fun and neither were the guardians. Legend stepped through the portal first, and even chanced a prayer to Hylia. Another one to Lolia for good measure.
Please, let this one be mine. Let me be home.
They landed in an apple orchard. Legend rubbed their eyes and turned around to help Sky through, then Wind. When everyone was through, Legend put a hand on one of the trees, thumbing an engraving on it. L + R.
Link and Ravio. They'd engraved their initials in every one of these trees, after an escapade with a good bottle of wine.
Legend was home.
Legend started stripping themself of their gear, much to the Chain's surprise. They got their boots off, ignoring the questions, and started pulling on the Pegasus Boots. They started cursing up a storm when they had to untie the left one. As soon as they were on enough to stand, Legend clicked their heels and fucking bolted.
It didn't matter that they ran into a tree on the way there. All that mattered was the man in the purple button up, sleeves rolled up and hands in the garden soil. What mattered was the way he hummed and the way his fingers moved and the wedding band on a cloth beside him. Legend wrenched the boots off their feet as soon as Ravio was in their sight, and yelled for him.
"Rav! Ravio, I'm home!" Legend had tears in their eyes, scrambling to get to Ravio.
"Link?" Ravio's head whipped around, and he dropped whatever he had been trying to plant. He'd barely risen to his feet before Legend barreled into him, hugging almost tight enough to bruise.
"Link-? Oh, honey." Ravio whispered, as Legend started crying hard.
"I missed you, I missed you so much, Rav. I love you. I was so worried when you didn't send any letters, I thought you could've been dead and-" Legend whispered, the rest of the words lost against Ravio's skin, holding so tight as if Ravio would disappear like the girl on the island. Legend wouldn't be able to take it if that happened again.
"Breathe, dear. I missed you too, and I love you just as much. If not more. I was equally worried, since I haven't heard word from you in months." Ravio said softly, and even though his hands were covered in dirt, he brought one of them to cradle the back of Legend's head very firmly. Even though Time had held them like this more than a month ago, it hadn't felt the same.
This was home, and it smelled like lavender and apple soap. The other hand landed on Legend's back. They were still swaying lightly together when the rest of the Chain caught up. Sky flopped down onto the grass, wheezing. After a few moments, both Hyrule and Four joined him.
Legend whined very audibly when Ravio tried pulling away, tightening their grip.
"Link, we've got visitors."
"Don't care. Please, stay, please. Just a little bit longer, Rav. It's been so long. I was so scared." Legend's voice was soft, barely heard, whispered against skin.
Ravio sighed, and kissed Legend on the forehead.
"A little bit longer, then." Ravio sniffled, tightening his hold.
Link's wedding band glittered on their right hand, the only ring that Legend had brought themselves to wear for a while. They'd polished and fiddled with it a little obsessively. Sheerow twittered about, pulling at Legend's hair, nipping at his ear tips, his own little way of saying, "Hello, welcome home, missed you."- no matter how irritating. Sheerow was gently told something by Ravio, and after a moment, Ravio's right hand had the same ring resting on the designated finger.
"You're alright, honeybun. I'm here." Soft, whispered against Legend's cheekbone.
"I'm real."
Legend sobbed, squeezing tight.
Ravio was here, and he was very, very real.
fin.
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Ooo steddie and #78 could be so good
78. "You weren't supposed to hear that."
Thank you nonny, I hope I've done the prompt justice!
"How did I get so lucky," Steve mumbles tiredly into the planes of Eddie's pale back.
He's fast asleep on his front, passed out with a blissed out smile still pulling at his mouth, his face turned towards Steve on his pillow.
Steve leans down and kisses his naked shoulder, watching the steady rise and fall of Eddie's breathing and the way the moonlight filtering through Steve's bedroom window paints his skin silver.
It's new, this thing between them, but Steve's heart has never cared about things like that.
He's all in already, not that Eddie needs to know.
Steve's not stupid enough to scare him away with something like this, big feelings that happened way too quickly.
Steve absently traces one of the jagged demobat scars, and sighs contentedly.
He can let himself have this, he can let himself say it just this once, no consequences.
"I love you," he whispers, letting the words hang in the quiet room.
"Oh, sweetheart," Eddie mumbles, making Steve freeze.
Fuck.
Eddie rolls over and sits up, swiping a hand over his face and into his hair. He flips a handful of curls out of his eyes and smiles broadly, but it disappears the moment he sees Steve's stricken expression.
"You weren't supposed to hear that," Steve manages to say, his heart in his throat.
He lifts his gaze to the window behind them, briefly calculating the likelihood of breaking his leg by jumping out the window or how quickly the cops would be called for indecent exposure.
He could always lock himself in the bathroom -it's the least outlandish plan and one that won't result in bodily harm or an arrest.
He startles again as a gentle hand caresses his cheek.
"Where did you go?" Eddie murmurs, he still looks concerned, and a bit confused now, his big brown eyes flick back and forth between Steve's own.
"Do I need to radio the party babe? Because I'm not that keen for them to catch us with our pants down".
Eddie's grinning as he says it but his brow is pinched and Steve can't take his big brown eyes staring with such open concern.
"It's okay, Eddie, really," Steve mumbles.
His fingers gather the fabric of the sheets into his fists as he brings them up to further cover himself.
"You don't have to pretend you didn't hear me, we can, you can," he bites his lip and takes a deep breath through his nose.
He can do this, he can do what he should have done for Nancy.
"You don't have to stay here and pretend--"
"Woah, woah, what the fuck are you talking about?" Eddie says sharply, he turns to face Steve fully, letting the sheets pool around his hips.
"Please don't make me say it again," Steve croaks, his voice brittle and wane in the quiet room.
The words, you're bullshit, we're bullshit, echo distantly, again and again.
"Sweetheart," Eddie says gently, "I don't understand what you're talking about".
Steve swallows, feeling as though his chest is about to crack in two with how fast his heart is beating, "I said I love you."
Eddie stares blankly at him, lifting his hands in a go-on, motion.
"I…it's too soon," he picks at a loose thread hanging from the sheet fabric twisted between his fingers, "isn't it?"
At this Eddie softens entirely.
He sucks his teeth and pulls Steve towards him with a long sigh.
"Sweetheart," Eddie murmurs into Steve's hair as he nuzzles his ear, lifting his face to nibble gently on the lobe, "darling, light of my life, oh fairest knight, my honey nut cheerio--"
"Okay, knock it off," Steve groans as he tries to get out from Eddie's arms but they tighten around Steve, holding him in place.
"My love," Eddie hums, making Steve pause, "oh you like that one huh?"
Eddie leans back and lifts his hand to tip up Steve's chin, from this angle Steve can see the barest of freckles dust over his nose and the crinkles at the edges of his eyes.
They're too young for wrinkles but Steve can see where they will eventually make their home, a whole future on Eddie's face.
"Who says it's too soon? Fuck that," he says roughly now, his brown eyes flit between Steve's own, "I love you too, no take backs".
Eddie swipes his thumb over the crest of Steve's cheek, catching a tear he hadn't realized was there.
No, not now.
Steve tries to duck his head, to wipe his eyes and pinch his nose but Eddie beats him to it as he leans in to lay smacking kisses all over, on his closed eyes, Steve's cheeks, his chin -which Eddie pauses to nibble on just like his ears, before finally attempting to place a gentle kiss against his lips which have pulled into a wide giggling grin.
"Be serious Steve," Eddie huffs, tamping down his own smile, "shit, how am I supposed to kiss my boyfriend when he's laughing like a damn loon?"
Steve feels like crying all over again.
"Say it again," Steve murmurs, his eyes still closed, some small part still worried if he opens them this will all disappear.
"My boyfriend," Eddie hums, pressing one last kiss to Steve's nose, "I'll say it as many times as you need me to until you believe it Stevie".
"I love you," Eddie whispers again as he tilts Steve's face up before kissing his lips. It’s chaste but the way he sucks on Steve’s bottom lip as he pulls away and waggles his eyebrows makes Steve sigh.
"What do you say I take my boyfriend to bed?" Eddie says softly against Steve's lips as he climbs over him, bracketing his hands on either side of Steve's head.
"I'd say we're already here you dork--"
The rest of his sentence is lost in a grunt as Eddie let's himself fall into Steve, muttering about how vengeance will be nearly as sweet as him.
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