#haha you thought this was gonna be pure angst? thought i was gonna break vio and shadow's hearts? think again pal

[lucky-clover-gazette]

For the fic prompt game, if you're still taking those: constellations

(I went rogue and did way more than three sentences. Feels thematically accurate, at least.)

"And that one is Farore," Vio explains, pointing a finger towards the night sky. He watches as Shadow narrows his eyes, trying his hardest to make sense of the abstract constellation. He leans against the balcony's railing, and it's a little too precarious in Vio's opinion, even with the knowledge of Shadow's levitation powers.

"I don't get it," Shadow tells Vio, so sincere and trusting that it makes Vio's heart ache. "You're gonna have to show me again."

Vio nods, a sick feeling in his gut that can't be fully attributed to copious amounts of evil root beer. But still, one look at Shadow and he finds himself smiling.

"Of course," Vio says, and points towards the sky again. "I'll show you as many times as you need."

Shadow steps closer to Vio, his voice quiet as he makes his request. "Maybe it'd help if you…"

Vio looks at Shadow's outstretched hand and blinks. "I… what?"

Shadow scowls and rips his hand away. "Forget it, that was stupid, I—"

"Oh!" Vio exclaims, reaching out just a little too late. "I get it. Sure, just give me your hand."

Shadow rolls his eyes and offers it to Vio again, pointer finger already outstretched. Vio tries to gently guide it towards the sky, but standing side-by-side it's a little more than awkward.

"Come here," Vio says, even though he knows this entire situation is a nightmare of his own design and he's only making it worse for himself. "Stand… in front of me."

Shadow shrugs and does as he's asked, sandwiching himself at an appropriate distance between Vio and the balcony railing. He's not pressed up against Vio, but it's like he radiates warmth, despite the fact that he is literally a creature of darkness.

Vio gingerly takes Shadow's hand again, admiring the dark purple nail polish on his clawlike nails. Vio's are painted too, plain black, and it strikes him in this moment that they've chosen each other's colors instead of their own. Did he mean to do that? Did Shadow? Is this all just Hylia's cosmic joke at their expense?

Vio feels Shadow relax into his chest as he begins to lazily guide his finger in a line. "See?" Vio asks, hoping Shadow is too focused on the sky to notice his rapid heartbeat. "This star connects to this one, and then this one, and all together they look like Farore's mark."

Shadow cocks his head. "Uh, I guess? I don't know, I feel like I could say it's anything and it'd make sense."

Vio raises an eyebrow. "Now I'm interested. What do you see instead?"

"A dragon."

"Okay, then it's a dragon," Vio says, feeling himself lean into the crook between Shadow's head and shoulder.

"When we rule the world, we'll change it officially," Shadow says, and Vio is struck yet again by the reality of Shadow's supposedly evil intentions. Yes, he lacks appreciation of Hyrule and its residents. Yes, he's petty and theatrical and clearly needs a therapist who isn't his pet rock. Yes, it was pretty fucked up of him to ask Vio to kill Green, even if he tried to comfort Vio in the aftermath.

But no, he's not like Vaati or Ganon. He doesn't want to hurt others, or even rule the world. Shadow fears the light, but it just might be what he covets most… or maybe second-most.

But Vio can't think about that.

"I'll make sure we do," Vio says, nuzzling his forehead against Shadow in a way that he hopes goes unnoticed. He savors the warmth of it, the pure rightness of the gesture, the innate feeling that yeah, this is exactly where he's meant to be and exactly what he's meant to do. And in another life it would be simple, and Vio could have this, and there would be no need to manipulate or betray the person he's pretty sure he's destined to love. Not destined by Hylia, or the Golden Goddesses, but… something else. Maybe nothing at all.

But that's not the life Vio has been tasked to live. His purpose is to stop Shadow Link from destroying Hyrule, and then celebrate his victory by dying so the true hero can live on. Honestly, Vio might have a better reason to destroy the world than Shadow, because that's pretty much an existential nightmare from start to finish.

"You all right?" Shadow asks, his head turned in concern. Vio stabilizes his expression and gently lowers Shadow's hand.

"What would you do if I said no?"

Shadow shrugs. "Nothing, really. Unless you wanted me to do something, in which case… you'd just have to ask."

Vio exhales as he takes stock of his senses: the lingering bittersweet taste of evil root beer, Shadow's impossibly warm body against his own. A nauseating feeling of futility as they stargaze over a world they're about destroy, unless Vio does something to stop it.

But… what if he could stop it, and keep Shadow safe at the same time?

What if that's always been an option, right in front of him, among countless other possibilities entirely within his control?

What if he could say anything, and then make it make sense, and what if…

What if he doesn't have to do it alone?

"Vi?"

"Shadow, I…"

He just has to ask.