The Legend of Zelda - Breath of the Wind
Greeting, my friends, it's so good to come back.
_Breath of the Wild is truly amazing, and ever since I finished it, I've been so obsessed with writing a fiction about the game. Still, it took longer to complete this story than I expected. My internship has been swallowing me, and it didn't help that I just broke up with my bf last week. _
But still, here we are. I hope you enjoy my work. This story marked some first for me. It's the first fiction of mine whose theme is neither pokemon or digimon. It's also the first story that doesn't have any of my OCs as main characters and the first one to not end with a happy note. Hopefully you'll have an enjoyable time reading this.
_ *Disclaimer: * Breath of the Wild and any related materials belong to Nintendo, I do not own any of them._
What is a champion?
Revali had always asked himself that question.
As far as he remembered, his parents were non-existent, and the only notion of parental feelings he'd ever received was from his adoptive father - the village's Elder, who was more than happy to provide the tough love he thought Revali desperately deserved. The Elder also had this irky habit of memorizing an awful lot of Revali's embarrassing moments, despite his advanced age, only to utilize them as surprisingly effective leverage should the young Rito ever came up with a rebellious idea or two.
And who said being the Elder's son was a privilege? In other to prove his worth, Revali had to work harder than any Rito ever did. Day after day, he trained his body and mind to their limits, using every method he could think of, and appropriately enough, he had grown into the perfect Rito specimen. He easily stood out among any Rit bunch thanks to his elegant blue feathers and his slender but toned frame, and every time he walked by them with his chest feather puffed out, his elegant scarf drifting in the wind and his eyebrows raised ever so slightly, hens and cocks alike, swooned at his handsomeness.
But Revali was much, much more than just look. To earn a place among the champions, he'd spent years honing his skills with the bow to perfection, and to say he was the greatest Rito archer would be an understatement. Case in point, when princess Zelda arrived at Rito village to appeal for his assistance, Revali had the chance to demonstrate his superior archery by shooting down several targets in rapid succession, with only minimal time to locate them, all the while balancing himself in a whirlwind - and that was just a trick in his arsenal. To complement his unparalleled archery skills, Revali decided he was far gone past the point of using the bows clumsily put together by inept crafters, so he went ahead and created his own, naming it the Great Eagle Bow. Yep, only that name befitted such an impeccable masterpiece - the signature weapon of the Rito champion himself.
Then there was the sky. To everyone else, it may be their limit, but not Revali. Vah Medoh mastery aside (which is also a not-so-small feat on its own), Revali's prowess at controlling the wind was such that he could even manipulate the air current to lift himself high into the sky, regardless he was surrounded by any form of wind or not. Proudly dubbing his unique ability 'Revali's Gale', he particularly enjoyed how other Ritos marveled at the sight of him soaring to the sky with his mighty updraft. Indeed, Revali knew he'd reached another level of sky mastery. He did not just control the wind. He was the wind itself.
Revali respected and got along with all the champions. All, except a certain Hylian.
Before he met Link, Revali'd had plenty of chances to interact with the other three champions. The Goron champion Daruk was somewhat a childish protective big brother Revali always wished he had. More specifically, the Goron possessed a jolly friendliness and this tendency to slap the air out of Revali's lungs every now and then with a boisterous pat to the back, just like he did everyone else, and as for his magical shield - "Daruk's Protection", Revali had never questioned its reliability. In fact, he pitied any monster foolish enough to charge headfirst at the nigh-unbreakable barrier of his friend (which Revali guaranteed most of them would). Then there was Urbosa, the Gerudo champion, the women who had altered Revali's definition of 'frightening', Calamity Ganon and all, as she once threatened to have his soft feathers for a new pillow should he dare to call her 'voe' ('man' in their complicated language) again. That said, for all unwomanly things the Gerudo had done or said to him, Revali couldn't find anything to complain about her lightning-manipulation technique, 'Urbosa's Fury', which proved powerful enough to wipe out an entire Bokoblin camp with ease. Personally, he could care less about anyone at the receiving end of her Fury, as long as it was neither him nor his allies. Revali was also willing to bet his entire roost worth of rupees that no one would ever find any gentler soul than Mipha in the entire Zora domain, or Hyrule for that matter. The Zora champion was so pure-hearted, even Revali himself found it impossible to become angry with her, and befittingly, her healing touch, "Mipha's Grace", could soothe even the most excruciating pain there was. Revali, however, had also had the privilege to witness Mipha wielding her lightscale trident, and made a mental note to never underestimate the Zora, for it would be a shortcut to certain defeat.
Together, their formation was as perfect as it could get. Daruk provided the ultimate shield, Mipha offered complete revival, Urbosa commanded the lightning and Revali himself controlled the sky. There was nothing more to add to, nothing less to subtract from, so when rumors had it that there was another champion - a Master Sword-wielding Hylian male, he was curious. He wanted to see why they were in any need of a fifth member, what made that Hylian so special other than the so-called darkness sealing sword strapped on his back?
Peering down from the wing of Vah Medoh, the blue-feathered Rito almost fell off his divine beast as he laid eyes on the Hylian for the first time. The foretold hero of Hyrule - or Link, so he'd heard, looked so painstakingly plain, so hilariously unimpressive that Revali swore he could pick a random, average Hylian to take his place and nothing would've changed. In fact, the Rito would go as far to claim if he stripped Link of his Master Sword and champion tunic, he'd be left with nothing, absolutely nothing. Also, Link didn't even wear a scarf. What kind of hideous fashion sense was not wearing a scarf!
The initial shock quickly morphed into crushing disappointment, and finally, a lump of anger in his throat. If Revali could be more proud of anything other than his unmatched archery skills or the magnificent craftsmanship he put into the Great Eagle Bow or his ravishing handsomeness, it was the fact he earned every single one of them. He worked hard, so in turn he respected hard work, and that was the main reason why he could get along with Daruk, Urbosa and Mipha despite their varying personalities. Just like Revali, the other three champions never had anything handed to them. They had proven their worthiness and showed all of Hyrule, perhaps even Calamity Ganon itself, why they deserved to be champion. But this Link, this _chosen_Hylian...just looking at him made Revali feel cheated, sidelined and, as much as the Rito hated to admit, jealous.
His first intended impression on Link? Well, let just say it missed the mark so profoundly that simply recalling the event made Revali ready to forfeit his champion title.
Consider he made his grand entrance by swooping down from Vah Medoh and landed on the flight deck with grace, delivered an epic speech/rant with clear intent to both boast about his competence and Link's supposed luck, even circled the Hylian a few times for good measure. The Rito was certain he had established some form of dominance over Link as he left the champion and his fancy sword speechless when he summoned his gale and let it carry him back to Vah Medoh with triumph. Looking down again, Revali was eager to inspect the fruit of his actions, to see what kind of unmannerly responses the so-called hero of Hyrule had in store for him.
Revali should be smirking, but he wasn't.
Link exhibited none of the reactions he'd hoped for. The blue-eyed champion neither stomped his foot nor nocked an arrow nor drew his Master Sword and demanded the Rito to come back for the duel Revali himself proposed. Instead, Link just stood there and stared up at him; even after his golden hair had settled after whatever left of Revali's Gale was gone. Oddly enough, Revali couldn't stare back, and even more amazingly, he found himself shrinking a little, as if Link's eyes were piercing the sky, right through Vah Medoh, right through him.
Revali clicked his beak, but he couldn't afford the indignity to huff in annoyance. He was, after all, the renowned Rito champion and the one who ignited this whole situation to begin with. The Rito just shrugged as he walked back into his divine beast, where he pondered his swirling feelings for Link, who had now returns to the village where princess Zelda was waiting.
What a curious little thing, this Hylian.
Thanks to a certain Elder's suggestion and as an apology to princess Zelda for being late to her welcome party, Revali had (begrudgingly) agreed to escort her back to Hyrule castle, together with Link, which meant he has to travel by horses.
Horses. Hylia above. Horses!
For the record, Revali had nothing against horses, for they were mildly tame and useful creatures. That being said, Revali couldn't put his feathered finger on how in the Calamity Zelda and Link seemed so comfortable on their mounts, while his experience was nothing but eternal torture. The Rito didn't find a horse's back anywhere near comfortable as a seat, which didn't help; nor did he fancy their maddeningly low pace compared to his usual speed, which also didn't help. Worst of all, stuck on his steed all day meant Revali hadn't any chance to fly, and for a Rito, being deprived of the sky sucked equally to being denied food, left alone the Rito champion. After all, what was good of sky mastery if he was confined to the ground?
Fortunately, the Goddess still had mercy on him. The journey didn't turn out as boring as he lamented it would be.
The princess, or Zelda, as she insisted how Revali should address her, spent an entire morning of their first day bombarding him with questions about Vah Medoh. Normally, the Rito would be bothered to no end by that kind of curiosity, but as he explained his divine beast's mechanisms, the way he perfectly controlled and synchronized with it, Revali was met with awe and sparkling eyes from Zelda, who even wrote down his elaborations eagerly as though she was copying an extremely valuable old book before it fell apart. For the first time in a long while, Revali felt appropriately flattered.
Link, on the other hand, remained irkily silent the whole time. Revali had hoped the Hylian would at least express his resentment with glares and scowls, but nope. Link appeared and behaved impeccably polite (if conversation neglecting counts as polite), which implicated either the Hylian was completely unaffected Revali's display of pettiness, or it was simply Link's idea of payback. Whatever the case was, after the fiasco that was their first encounter, the Rito couldn't bring himself to look at his fellow champion in the eyes, much less engaging in a talk with him. Still, there was something about the Hylian that set his feather on edge; and by that, Revali didn't mean the initial animosity he'd held against Link...so it was such a relief when he noted Link also communicated with Zelda the exact same way, with just shrugs, nods, frowns, sometimes smiles, and various other body languages. It'd have been quite embarrassing for Revali if anyone had found out he was secretively afraid that Link had been exclusively giving him the silence treatment.
Another day passed, and Revali's impression of Link began to shift. More specifically, the Rito found himself increasingly curious about his fellow champion. Master Sword and champion business aside, Link seemingly existed just to fulfill his duty as Zelda's loyal knight; one could almost say they were glued together. He stayed close to her, prepared meals for her, ate with her, and kept a watchful eye on her while she slept. Link's behaviors were reasonable and all, but Revali couldn't help feeling slightly irked by the Hylian's ridiculous servitude. Sure, knights were always bound to their duties, especially princess Zelda's personal one...but even so, noticing the Rito once in a while surely wouldn't hasten Calamity's arrival. Revali tried to convince himself that he - the great Rito champion, pilot of Vah Medoh, master of the sky and bow, didn't mope over such trivial matter. In other words, Revali's ego was preventing him from acknowledging the truth that he simply carved for attention - something he ironically had never run low on.
Perhaps Goddess Hylia had taken pity on him. Revali's wish was soon granted, albeit not under appropriate circumstances.
The moment Link's pointy ears twitched and his peaceful expression morphed into a dead-serious scowl, Revali knew they were in trouble. The Hylian knight leaned to his princess and gestured something to her secretively, which didn't bother Revali at all. So even in such a dire situation, Link still opted to inform princess Zelda first rather than, say, Revali - another champion, an accomplished archer with the ability to fly, and who happened to be right next to him. Good judgment, Link, good judgment! Anyway, Revali made a mental note to settle that later. For now, he had to remind himself that ensuring Zelda's safety is pretty much why he was here, "What's wrong, Zelda?"
"Blue Bokoblins, six of them." the princess supplied, looking rather nauseous.
"Where are they?" Revali inquired again
"Over there." Zelda pointed to the west of their road.
"If I may?" Revali offered; his words seemed directed at Link rather than Zelda. Why, the Rito wondered.
Dismounting his horse, Revali summoned his gale and lifted himself to the sky. The Rito felt a rush in his blood as he soared to his familiar territory again; the wind, gentle and reassuring, welcomed him like an old friend. The avian took his time, slowly investigates the area before concealing himself on a pine tree as he spotted the enemy. Just like Link had said: Six pig-nosed monsters, all Blue Bokoblins, armed with clubs and even bows. How in the Calamity did Link figure that all out?
Revali clicked his beak, cursing silently as he couldn't help but felt like Link had bested him in some sort of competition...that and, oh, the thought of these hideous Bokoblins using a graceful weapon like the bow. It brought shame to him - the greatest Rito archer ever lived, so it was only fair that Revali got to call dibs on those monsters. Besides, Revali just happened to look for a chance to even things out with a certain Hylian, and these monsters couldn't have popped out at a better time. Drawing his Great Eagle Bow, Revali nocked a trio of arrows and carefully took his aim. For the record, the Bokoblin gang traveled rather close to each other, so Revali wouldn't have to pay that much attention to accuracy, but the Rito figures that'd do a huge disservice to his skills and his precious bow. If he had the chance to do something flawlessly, why should he not?
Revali released of the bowstring; his beak corner curled into a smirk as he felt his arrows launched at their targets with pin-point accuracy and deadly silence. None missed, killing the first three Bokoblins with ease. Satisfied, Revali then continued his assault with another set of arrows as the still-alive Bokoblins panicked and began to search frantically for the source of their fellows' sudden demise. The monsters eventually spotted Revali, only too little too late as his three new arrows had already pierced their necks simultaneously, ending the Bokoblins in a gruesome manner.
However, when Revali was about fly back to Link and deliver an epic speech about his awesomeness or how he single-handedly crushed the Bokoblins, damn Calamity's bad luck just has to step on his moment. A loud scream from princess Zelda made Revali snap his head back at the direction where he'd left her and Link, only to widen his eyes in horror. The pair, princess and knight alike, was under assault by four dragonbone club-wielding Moblins. Link had already had his Master Sword drawn, and Zelda was also defending herself with what looked like a royal broadsword.
Revali was glad no one saw him wincing. To Zelda's credits, she was doing quite the proficient job holding her own, but by now, the Moblins had noticed that she was the weaker fighter of the two, which meant Link was now tasked with keeping both himself and the princess safe.
It was like Link had decided to use this very moment to prove everything Revali had claimed about him was a load of bigoted, nonsensical crap.
The Hylian champion didn't panic in the face of danger. His movements fast and graceful; his strikes precise and determined; his footwork impeccable; jumping to dodge blow after blow aiming at him while also landing vicious slashes against the Moblins that attempted to target princess Zelda, almost as if he was always several steps ahead of his enemies. Link's battle instinct and aerobatic fluidity were such that it looked like the knight was dancing rather than fighting.
Goddess Hylia above, he was so beautiful!
Too busy ogling Link; Revali almost forgot the Hylian duo could really use his help. Once again, Revali called forth his trusty updraft and launched himself to the air, wasting no time as he unleashed a barrage of arrows at the enemies. The Rito's projectiles only managed to deal non-lethal damage since Moblins's hide was naturally tougher than Bokoblins's, but they still provided the distraction Link solely needed. The Hylian knight made short work of the disturbed Moblins, sweeping across the battlefield and cutting them down with a chain of critical hits; the Master Sword in his hand glowed proudly with divine blue light and the enemies' blood.
When the carnage finally ended, a wobbling Zelda tried to support herself with the royal sword, but wisely chose to sit down before she might collapse, while Link was already collecting valuable Moblin parts that had yet to disintegrate. Revali noticed the trickling blood from several cuts on Link's upper arms. So even with his skill and valor, the Hylian champion couldn't emerge from the skirmish unscathed, but it was understandable, given that dragonbone clubs were purposely designed to leave some extra scratches on their victims. If anything, Link seemed remarkably calm for someone with that many injuries...or perhaps he just had yet to even notice them.
In the end, their trip to Hyrule castle got delayed, but no one really complained. Well, almost no one. As the Rito champion, Revali didn't have the luxury to whine or throw a fit or do anything that would imply he was a spoiled kid, but after finally having his taste of the sky in two days, he couldn't stand the prospect of setting his feathery rear on a horse again. On a side note, the Rito was willing to endure said hardship if it came with a chance to see Link in action again, minus the consequential injuries, of course.
They settled for a camp fire, and Revali had no choice but to do the cooking while Zelda tended to Link's wounds. The Rito didn't mind another opportunity to show off one of his skills, but he hoped Zelda liked her food a little spicy.
"There," said the princess as she finished bandaging her knight's arms, "I'm nothing compared to Mipha, but your wounds should be fine now."
The bitterness lingering in Zelda's voice was evident, but Revali had no particular interest in such things. He might have accepted the duty to protect Hyrule as a champion, but Revali knew better than to stick his nose in the princess' business...except, maybe, those involving Link.
Link gave Zelda a grateful nod then flexed his arms with a 'good as new' expression, and Revali had to momentarily looked away to hide the smile at the corner of his beak after seeing Link's childlike display of enthusiasm. The Rito then handed Zelda and Link each a plate of his special spicy gourmet meat stew served with rice before digging in his own portion, enjoying the taste and the endless stream of praises Zelda had to offer.
The satisfied look on Link's face was simply the cherry on top.
...
"She's asleep, I assume?" asked Revali as he tossed a twig to the crackling fire. The Rito was met with a nod from Link, who took a seat next opposite to him. As usual, and much to Revali's chagrin, Link regarded him with a neither friendly nor dismissive look, but a painfully neutral one.
"You know, it wouldn't hurt to say a thing or two." Revali chuckled as he made the not-so-subtle remark, showing no effort to conceal the sarcasm in his voice. Link's quietness had finally worn his patience out, especially when the Hylian stubbornly refused to spare him a single word, even when they were together alone.
"I understand that you don't want anything to do with me, given some...unfair things I said when we first met," Revali paused and clicked his beak. He couldn't decide which was more amazing: How he swallowed his gigantic ball of pride and openly admitted his error, or the fact he had miraculously managed to vocalize said admission in front of another person. With his usual bravado completely gone, the Rito looked like he might choke on his own words as he continued, "So if it's still okay with you, I'd like to, uh, take everything back. Today, you've showed me what you're made of. Compared to everyone I know, your footwork and swordsmanship are second to none. You are, indeed, a champion, no less deserved than me, Urbosa, Mipha or Daruk."
When he finished, Revali stole a glance at Link, only to find the Hylian utterly stunned; his blue eyes wide and fixed on Revali, his mouth agape, his expression nothing but bewilderment. Still, the Hylian didn't show any sign that he'd say anything soon, and Revali wanted to hang his head in embarrassment. Revali, o great Revali! How unapologetically pathetic that even with the flashy deeds he'd accomplished, the Rito still failed a task as simple as coming up with a decent apology.
"Thank you."
Revali's head twisted to the source of the raspy voice with such speed and force that he thought his neck might snap. The Rito looked down at the campfire and blinked several times before fixing his eyes on Link again, as if to make sure what just happened wasn't a trick played on him by his own anxiety.
"You're not hallucinating. I just said 'thank you'." clearing his throat, Link offered gently as he observed the utter disbelief on his fellow champion's face.
"Whoa there," Revali raised a hand to halt the conversation, "You sound terrible."
"Gee, thanks." the Hylian rolled his eyes, "I wonder who's so desperate to hear my voice just now."
"I am," Revali admitted without hesitation, which was so not how he rolled, "But first, we need to get you some water. Here!"
Immediately, Revali yanked a water flask from his belt and handed it to Link, then watched as the Hylian drained it in matter of seconds while also tried to work out how exactly the knight sounded. Link's voice was obviously out of use, so strained and breathless, just hearing it made Revali throat a little dry. However, underneath that hoarseness was something else, something youthful and innocent that characteristically belonged to a young man. It made Link actually seemed like the eighteen year-old Hylian he was instead of a solemn, older-than-look, duty-bound knight people expected him to be.
"Thanks," said Link as he wiped the excess water from his chin, "It's been a while since I last talked to anyone."
"What do you mean a while?" Revali's voice was high-pitched and sarcastic, "And here I thought you were completely mute."
"Do you want to talk or not?" Link said in retort; his eyes gleaming with mischievous amusement.
"Right," Revali fumbled with the water flask Link returned to him; numerous questions erupted in his mind, struggling for priority, "I assume you've always been able to talk."
"Yup, since I was born." Link grinned; his voice much clearer now.
"So why," the Rito paused. He was going for 'why haven't you all this time?', but ultimately decided against asking such personal question, not at this point of their relationship, "Do I have this privilege when even your princess doesn't?"
"Will you forgive my bluntness if you insist on knowing?" Link fiddled with the Master Sword's hilt as he spoke.
"You have my consent."
"How to begin...Well, as the Hylian champion and princess Zelda's personal knight, I'm either respected or on friendly terms with most people I know, but you - you're the sole exception, and that really intrigued me. When you left me behind and flew back to Vah Medoh, I kept asking myself what have I done wrong to offend you or the Rito village, but no matter how hard I think, I just can't figure it out."
Revali's feathers ruffled slightly as Link accidentally reminded him of their unpleasant first encounter, and he decided the best course of action was to remain silent and let the Hylian continue.
"While we travelled to Hyrule castle, I tried to study you to find out what you don't like about me, but you kept your distance, so I gradually gave up." Link admitted sheepishly, "Until, well, just now."
Revali wanted to kick himself in the foot. Link basically implied that the misery he'd been subjected to for the last two days could've been easily averted, had the Rito not been dickishly stubborn about having a proper talk to sort things out with Link. Then again, how had he supposed to, when even Link himself showed no sign of interested in a conversation or if he could even talk for that matter?
The Rito had yet to decide what to make of this revelation when Link's voice filled his ears again, "So if you don't mind, I'd like to know what caused the sudden change of heart?"
Now it was Revali's turn to startle. Link's bringing this up so soon really caught him off guard, and that was saying something. True to be told, Revali had yet to come up with any reason for his sudden courtesy other than 'I want to hear your voice', and the Rito would rather throw his Great Eagle Bow off Vah Medoh than vocalizing that kind of cheese in front of Link. Fortunately for Revali, his quick-wittedness instantly came in, "It's no big deal, honestly, I just want to...uh, like I said, compliment you on your prowess with the sword, that's all."
"Really?"
Was Revali seeing things, or there was a glimpse of disappointment in Link's blue eyes? Nonetheless, it was gone when he attempted a double take.
"Really." the Rito confirmed.
"Thank you. I...I think you live up to your reputation as well," The Hylian rubbed his golden hair awkwardly as he praised Revali, complimented by a shy yet otherworldly gorgeous smile, "I envy your skills with the bow."
Their eyes met, and Revali couldn't be more thankful that the warmth on his cheeks, which felt suspiciously like a blush, was hidden underneath his feather. Link, however, had no such convenience, and Revali watched in odd satisfaction as redness began to spread across the Hylian's perfect cheeks. The longer they looked at each other, the brighter Link's blush seemed to get, until he was forced to break the eye contact and hide his face under his lush, golden hair.
The pair fell silent. The fire crackled. And Revali felt something stir in his chest.
Revali was normally a morning person, but after an exhausting trip from Rito village to Hyrule castle, the feathered champion decided he'd earned the liberty for some extra sleep-in. Not that he could get up early anyway. So drained had Revali been the previous night that when the guard showed him to his guestroom, the champion immediately collapsed onto the conveniently provided hammock and snored his way through the night without bothering to unpack his stuff.
Revali woke up terribly late the next morning, which he considered a disservice to his flawless self-discipline, but his body couldn't be more thankful for the extra rest. Now reinvigorated, Revali finally got to consider his room, and unsurprisingly, things were exactly as he'd expected them to be: Total emptiness, save for some basic furniture like table, chairs and a couple of wardrobes. As far as Revali knew, king Rhoam had ordered all guestrooms to be minimally furnished so his visitors could decorate it however they desired. All they had to do was making a request, and the Hyrule royal family would supply any furniture or ornaments imaginable. Obviously it was a sign of hospitality, though the way Revali saw it, this custom seemed more of a statement about Hyrule's prosperity from the king himself, like 'see, anything you want, we have'. Of course the Rito was smart enough to keep his beak shut on this matter, for he'd like his head to stay where it supposed to.
Grabbing a handful of wildberries from the fruit platter on the table; Revali opened the ceiling window across the room and walked out the balcony. The Rito leisurely tossed the berries into his mouth one by one, enjoying the sensational combination of tangy sweetness on his taste buds and crisp, refreshing morning air over his feather. Nothing beat the morning in Rito village, but he found the breezes here decent enough.
The sound of weapons clashing caught Revali's attention, and the Rito realized the balcony where he stood was directly above a training ground. Hyrule royal guards, armed to the teeth, were exercising morning practice with spears, claymores and broadswords. The Rito quietly considered them, and in his humble opinion, the guards certainly held enough skills to match their position, but they were certainly not the best - not by a long shot.
Eventually, Revali noted the sight of a lone soldier from the corner of his eye, and it wasn't hard for him to recognize that person's blue champion tunic or a certain Darkness-sealing sword in his hand. Revali fixed his eyes on Link, admiring the Hylian's masterful swordsmanship; perfect posture and graceful yet deadly slashes. If only Revali could wake up to this every morning, he'd be more than willing to spend the rest of his life in this boring castle. The Rito chuckled to himself as he made a mental note to make sure no one would ever catch wind of that silly wish, for the sake of his glorious reputation.
With one last stroke, Link smiled in satisfaction and sheathed his Master Sword, then switched to the bow on his back. Given that most Hylians considered the bow a secondary weapon, Revali was pleasantly surprised as Link drew an arrow from his quiver and shot it with great efficiency, though his speed left something to be desired. Fortunate for the Hylian, had it been a few days ago, Revali would've swooped down and bragged about his absolutely superior marksmanship while laughing at Link; but as of now, the Rito saw this as nothing sort of a golden opportunity to improve the relationship with his fellow golden-haired champion. Such a thought made Revali marveled at how drastically he'd changed.
Finishing his last berry, Revali took a moment to steady himself and launched into the air. The Rito circled above Link a few times before rocketing down, resulting in a gust of wind powerful enough to knock Link off balance. When the Hylian was standing again, Revali made a point to greet Link with his showiest pose on, all the while preening his flawlessly neat feathers, "Morning."
Unsurprisingly, Link appeared delightfully polite as he nodded and bowed his head slightly, which Revali easily interpreted as the Hylian's nonverbal version of 'good morning'.
"No one's eavesdropping us, you know? You can let it all out." Revali chuckled as he pointed out, enjoying the patch of pink that was spreading across Link's cheeks.
"D-did you sleep well?" Link said at last, fiddling with his bow.
"Well enough. Hyrule has nice morning air, thought it pales in comparison to Rito village's, and I must say, there's no better place to experience the perfect sunrise than my roost." Revali replied, boastfully and proudly.
Link's face brightened, and instantly Revali could see where this was going, "You'd like to see it?" - He asked, and was met with an enthusiastic nod - "Hold your horses, champion. Did I mention that it's nearly impossible to get there without wings?"
As Link pouted in disappointment, Revali felt rather guilty for finding it much too cute. Also, he might or might not have intentionally left out the fact that watching the sunrise together was considered a romantic practice among Rito couples.
"Very well, I suppose I can bother myself to give you a lift." - as he made the offer, the Rito's mind drifted to a romantic scenario in which he and Link leaned against each other, hand in hand, catching the first rays of sunlight on his roost top. The idea was so irresistible that he hardly felt any shame about tricking Link into it. After all, he was hunter, and hunters seized opportunity when they saw it. What he hadn't expected, however, was Link's warm and golden smile as the boy beamed and nodded vigorously.
Seriously though, warm and golden? Perhaps Revali should spend a few hours of solidity to mope about his concerningly increasing cheesiness, but that would be in the time to come, for now, "Draw an arrow, champion. Let us observe how you handle the bow."
The Hylian happily obliged as he nocked an arrow and aimed for the three he'd been using as target. With his expertise, it took no time for Revali to detect the problem with Link's archery.
"Impressive. Your technique and accuracy are actually quite good." Revali complimented, tapping his beak, "Your aiming, however, takes too long, so by the time you unstring, the target - moving target - will've gone out of sight. It's not your fault, though" - he quickly added the last part -"I might've been unfair to judge you on Rito's standards, and that bow you're holding is unsuitable for quick shooting anyway."
Despite Revali's attempt to steer the blame away from Link, the Hylian still had a disheartened look on his face, "What should I do, then?"
"Don't push yourself too hard. Your archery does have room for improvement, but given your proficiency with the Master Sword, I can't see any reason to stress over this matter." Revali said, unable to resist patting the sulking Hylian on his shoulder. The simple touch last only a few seconds, but already Revali could feel the warmth transferring from Link to his chest, "If you still want my advice on how to improve, then the first step is your bow. Quick shooting is most compatible with recurve bows, so I recommend getting one. That'd be a problem since they're not common in Hyrule, but worry not, today's your lucky day. If you ever come back to Rito village, I promise you a recurve bow, and I'll even help you out with your marksmanship."
Revali paused for a moment to ponder at the astonishing fact that in the span of a minute, he'd made more promises than he'd ever had in his entire life. Then again, the breathtaking smile he received was worth all the promises in the world, and in response, Revali felt the heat in his chest rising to a feverish level.
For once, he'd found something brighter and warmer the morning sun in Rito village.
"Okay, so we have everything covered; any other request?" the Rito offered, so generously it utterly baffled him, which did not - by any means - imply he was a selfish, heartless dick. As a result from his upbringing and childhood struggles, Revali simply couldn't stand the idea of lending unworthy people help any more than asking for help, but ever since he'd managed to forge this friendship with Link, Revali had been uncharacteristically soft when it came to the Hylian champion. No matter how hard he tried to put up a calm and icy front, it all seemed to melt away in Link's presence, exposing the deepest, most vulnerable part of his soul to Link's lightness and to a strange feeling that made his heart go out of control yet also leave him craving for more.
"Yes, I...I want to see one more thing..." Link replied sheepishly, stealing a glance at the Rito's wings.
Revali easily noticed Link's gaze and he had a pretty good idea what his fellow champion wanted, though he couldn't help teasing, "What's the matter, champion? Want to take a closer look at my wings?" - Revali curled his tongue around the term in a rather flirtatious manner; his mind playing on the notion that large wingspan was a sign of superiority and an attractive feature during courting rituals among Ritos.
The effect was immediate, as Link's already pink cheeks reddened even more; almost resembling Red Chuchus and emitting so much heat even Revali himself felt it. The Rito was torn between relishing Link's adorable frustration and putting the Hylian out of his misery, but in the end reasons won out, "You want to see my gale?"
Link beamed. This boy seemed to know it was impossible for anyone to deny him.
"Didn't I..." Revali stopped his clarification half-way. He'd indeed showed Link Revali's Gale before, but not under the best circumstances, and the Rito was in no hurry to remind either Link or himself of that occasion. Clearing his throat, Revali nodded, "Here we go. Pay close attention, champion."
It turned out Link did pay close attention.
It took Revali merely a second to prepare his stance and spread his wings before he was lifted to the air by a mighty updraft and - much to his unexpected amusement - so was Link. In his eager attempt to show off, Revali must've channeled more than twice the energy he needed to perform this maneuver, and the excessively strong gale had also picked Link up from the ground. Now stranded in midair, the Hylian had no choice but to hold onto Revali tightly for dear life, and the Rito could tell Link was shrieking something like 'Revali!', 'Let me down!' or 'Aaahhh!', all of which he gleefully ignored.
As he flew into the air, Revali paid no mind to the extra weight latching onto him, for the only thing he cared about was Link's warmth pressing against his body - so soothing and endearing - it literally put his mind on air while also making his heart pound in excitement. The only other time he experienced such sensation was when he'd finally mastered the Revali's Gale, but even that paled in comparison to the overwhelming happiness he was feeling. He let go of his burdens and fear of Calamity's impending arrival. He became a carefree Rito, soaring amidst the wind, with Link by his side.
The pair descended after a few circles in the sky, and Revali soon learned that even the Hero of Hyrule was no match to dizziness. As soon as his feet touched the ground, Link began to wobble dangerously and eventually fell over with an undignified yelp. Revali barely had time to catch his friend as he wrapped his wings around Link's waist to keep the Hylian from collapsing, "You okay? I'm sorry, really, I am."
"Don't...ever...pull that prank on me again." Link managed to choke out, gasping for air like a fish out of water.
"It was an accident." Revali explained. He certainly didn't sound as guilty as he should have.
Link raised his head to cast an irritated glare at Revali, but his annoyance dispersed the moment their eyes met. The Hylian couldn't help letting redness grace his face once again as Revali looked at him intensively, "Revali?"
The Rito didn't respond, instead kept gazing into Link's eyes - where he saw a vast blue sky...and himself, adrift in it.
Making a bow was no child's play. From selecting the proper materials, conceptualizing the shape to actually realizing it, every step required knowledge, experience and first class craftsmanship, for the bow was more than just a weapon - it was also a piece of art, and as an archer and a craftsman, Revali understand that better than anyone else. In fact, after having completed the unparalleled Great Eagle Bow, never had the Rito thought of the day where he would make another bow for someone other than himself.
Thus, as soon as he came back to Rito village after his escort duty, not without reminding Link to visit him, Revali immediately set to work on his promised bow for Link. After a few quick words with his father, which essentially boiled down to him reporting the events of the journey, Revali spent the next day seeking the appropriate tree to make Link's bow. It took him a while, but the Rito finally fought an adequately sturdy tree, and made short work of it with his Feathered Edge.
Now came the difficult part. Initially, Revali had planned to make a Great Eagle Bow replica for Link, but after having rethought the idea, he eventually dismissed it. The Great Eagle Bow was purposely designed to fit his arm strength and extensive aerial combat, so it might be a little too much for Link, but more importantly, what's the point of presenting Link with a bootleg version of something that already existed, be it flawless or not?
For the sake of his concentration, Revali opted to work in Vah Medoh in lieu of his roost. The Divine Beast rumbled as he descended upon it, as if welcoming its master home, and Revali affectionately trailed his hand along the beast's walls, "Miss me?"
Vah Medoh groaned, which Revali registered as 'yes', having learnt to communicate with the giant flying construction after years aboard it.
"I miss you too, but don't worry. From now on, I'll be here most of the time. I need to...ah, prepare a gift, and I want it to be available when Link finally comes here." Revali said gingerly in a manner similar to that of an adolescent Rito confessing his first love to his older sibling.
Another groan, this time slightly higher-pitched, and Revali huffed as he realized the noise was a tease, "Yeah, yeah, laugh it off."
...
Days passed, fast and peaceful, and Revali's hard work slowly come to fruition in the form of a magnificent bow, carefully thought out down to the smallest detail. Just by observing Link's archery practice, Revali was able to design the bow's length, weight and the string's sturdiness to maximize its firing rate without compromising power and mobility. For the finishing touch, he gave the bow a simple but charming paintjob that perfectly expressed his artistry and would surely highlight Link's gracefulness when he used it.
But that wasn't all. During the past few days, whenever Revali worked on the bow, his focus would slowly but eventually drift from technical details to a certain Hylian. His features, his voice...his smile - they came out of nowhere like a gentle breeze, lingering in his mind like a cloud moving aimlessly on the clear sky. Breeze and cloud? Revali could hardly believe he - the best, proudest, the supposedly most arrogant Rito warrior - came up with that kind of simile, but the champion honestly had to other way to describe how Link messed up his head.
Sitting on Vah Medoh's flight deck, Revali ran his fingers along the bow he'd make for Link as he recalled the conversation with his father the day he'd returned to Rito village.
...
"My son," The Elder started as Revali finished reporting his journey, "I can tell something has changed in you, so if you don't mind, I'd like to know if you could share whatever trouble you're facing with me."
Revali wasn't surprised, for he knew no matter how much he'd grown, he would always be his father's child, and no father read his child like the Elder. Still, that didn't stop him from mocking, "Well father, haven't you passed the age of poking your nose into my business?"
"Old and senile I may be, my eyes will always see through you, fledging." the Elder chuckled, "But if you wish to keep your secret, then allow this old man an educated guess. Perhaps your trouble has something to do with, hmmm, the Hylian champion?"
"How did you...Argh, never mind." Revali rubbed his temple in frustration.
"Worry not, Revali, for that's as far as my knowledge goes. What I find truly curious, however, is in what manner did he manage to offend you? As far as I'm concerned, young master Link seemed nothing but kind and polite."
"Yeah, kind and polite." the Rito champion sighed. He really wished his father would stop getting under his feathers so easily, but while they were at it, perhaps he could seek some words of advice from the Elder. Revali was that close to throwing himself off the mountainside, but he knew better than to refuse a good source of consult, especially when it was right in front of him. Finally, Revali mustered all of his courage and dignity, "Father, how does it feel...to be in love?"
The Elder was certainly taken aback by his son's question, but years of hardening experience had rendered him unable to be surprised by anything for long. More importantly though, so that was how it was. His stubborn, prideful son had finally fallen victim to the unbreakable spell of love, cast by other than the Master Sword wielding Hylian...which was, by no means, a bad thing. In fact, if the Elder had made a list of individuals who he'd entrust his son to, Link would've topped it. That aside, he could see why Revali was into Link - the boy was just delightfully cute.
"That was a tricky question, but I'll do my best to provide you with a satisfying answer. Imagine what makes you happy, like eating a bow of chilly meat stew on a snowy day; conquering the sky with your Gale or mastering Vah Medoh...now multiply that feeling by infinity, and that is love. But it's more than just happiness; it's addiction. You can't help thinking about that person. You can't help but find every detail of that person attractive. You can't think of living in a world without them." The Elder said without missing a beat, all the while observing the look of amazement and enlightenment gracing his son's face.
To surprise the Rito champion even further, the old bird suddenly stood up from his rocking chair and gently place a hand on Revali's shoulder, "My son, I know I've been strict on you, but believe this old bird when I say not a single day goes by that I'm not proud of you. Every time I send you off, I have to fight back the feeling that it might be the last time...and it hurts me so much that I can't be of any use for you in the fight against the Calamity, but at least let me give you my blessing. You deserve love, Revali, and I'm glad you've found it in young master Link. May you two make it through the war and live happily forever under the Tabantha sky."
"Sentiments...You've really grown soft in your age, eh?" Revali tried to play it cool, but his attempt at sarcasm fell miserably as his eyes began to well up.
After weeks of waiting, Revali finally received a letter from Link, which informed him that the Hylian would arrive at Rito village after a few days by horse. Apparently, he'd accompanied Zelda to Gerudo town for some official business, and the princess had generously deemed herself safe enough under Urbosa's protection to allow her trusty knight a few days off. Fair enough, Revali thought. With that imposing, thunder-controlling, scimitar-wielding Gerudo woman who had once threatened to pluck all of Revali's feathers at her side, Zelda could hardly lose a hair, left alone being harmed in any possible manner.
The suspense of his beloved champion's arrival rendered Revali unable to focus on anything. For days, he either stayed aboard Vah Medoh and caressed Link's bow absent-mindedly or circled relentlessly in the sky with his eyes fixed longingly at Rito village entrance, awaiting a certain blue-eyed Hylian who'd claimed every restless moment of his. Revali never truly understood why his father always insisted on meeting him immediately after he'd returned to Rito village from expeditions, but as of now, Revali had finally learnt it the hard way - the aching pain of waiting for someone...someone he loved and cared about from the depths of his soul.
Needless to say, Revali also learnt how fulfilling the pay-off was. The Rito's eyes were as shiny as star fragments when he caught the sight of a Hylian rider galloping toward Rito village. Grinning from ear to ear, Revali swooped down and landed on his roost top, where he took a deep breath to calm the hammering heart in his chest and the urge to chirp in delight like a hatching.
Link eventually slowed down and soothed his mount by stroking the horse's neck fondly. The sight put a feeling of warmth in Revali's chest as it helped him recognize another one of Link's endearing traits. As much of a stoic knight the Hylian appeared to be, he was perfectly capable of showing compassion for almost anyone - even a horse, which most people, Revali included, simply dismissed as a means of travelling.
With his excitement suppressed and his cool mode on, Revali made his way to the village entrance, where Link appeared to be explaining the reason behind his arrival to the two Rito guardsmen. The two Ritos gave Revali a respectful nod as they saw him approaching, and Link...the nerves of this Hylian! How dared he do such a wonderful job at making Revali's heart race again with that glorious smile!
Revali didn't realize he was staring, until Link's voice snapped him out of his trance, "Uhm, Revali?"
Oh crap! The Rito champion grimaced. He quickly deployed distraction by turning to the guardsmen, "Seto, Reiji, the Hylian champion is here on my invitation. You can let him in now."
"We were about to, master Revali." said one of the guards, who quickly introduced himself to Link, "Please forgive my rudeness, master Link. I'm Seto."
"Your invitation? Good goddess, so I've finally lived to see the day you started giving out invitations?" the other guard - Reiji - quipped.
"Am I supposed to be humored by that?" Revali said icily as he shot Reiji a death glare. How in the Calamity his reputation had deteriorated to an implied antisocial jerk was beyond his comprehension.
"Right, bad timing..." Reiji mumbled, but became jovial again as he talked to Link, "Anyway, I hope you enjoy your time here, master Link."
"We'll take good care of your horse, so you need not to worry about it." added Seto, smiling fondly at Link, who responded with courtesy and a healthy dose of brightness.
He's on even better terms with these two blasted guards than he is with me? Revali wondered bitterly, clicking his beak in what he sadly admitted was jealousy. Alas, it soon dawned on Rito champion that period their trip to Hyrule castle, the affable blue-eyed Hylian had been friend with practically everyone but him. Revali wasn't sure how he felt about that piece of information, but it certainly had no effect on his intention of taking a step further than friendship with Link. Clearing his throat to catch Link's attention, Revali offered, "It's getting late. We should get moving, my champion."
The possessive/suggestive term come out with extra weight, and Link seemed to understand the implicature as he blushed slightly and followed Revali into the village like an obedient child.
...
Link was popular in Rito village. Correct.Insanely, unfairly popular, now that he didn't follow princess Zelda and nod to her orders anymore. Surrounded by villagers, the Hylian smiled and waved his hand to greet the enthusiastic crowd while Revali cleared the way by shooing away the gathering audience, most of which were curious Rito children wanting to see the hero with the darkness-sealing sword.
Revali made a face. For the record, he had no problem protecting Link, but he was sure as hell didn't find this celebrity-bodyguard status quo amusing, not one damn bit, especially when he had to fence off flirtatious hens who tried shamelessly to hit on Link. Can't say he hadn't been doing the same thing for a while though.
At least there were no prying eyes when they made it to Revali's roost. Fed up with unwanted companies, the Rito champion had given the ultimatum that anyone who came within ten feet near his roost would eat an arrow triplet from the famous Great Eagle Bow itself. As much as the villagers admired Revali, they also knew how terrible his wrath could get, and by now, they all knew better than to get on the champion's nerves.
"Come here; let me show you your bed." Revali offered courteously as they entered his roost, which was rather well-arranged and pristine. Revali didn't lead a messy lifestyle, but he'd done some cleaning, just in case Link was even more of a neat freak than him. The Rito pointed to a bed right next to his hammock, "That's the best I could find. I'm sorry if it's a bit crammed..."
Link had no complaints as he brushed past Revali and dropped his luggage by the bed, then threw himself bodily onto the mattress and stretched like a lazy cat. "Hope you enjoy it." - The Rito finished with a chuckle.
"It's perfect." Link sighed; eyes closed and golden hair all over his face as he smiled in delight. Gone were the burden of a hero and the duty of a princess' knight. He looked much so relaxed, much so young in the evening's yellow haze it made Revali wonder when was the last time this Hylian boy enjoyed such a moment of peace and solitude. The more Revali thought about it, the more it amazed him how this scrawny, less-than-twenty boy managed to stay sane and compassionate with the weight of Hyrule on his shoulder.
"Get some rest. I'll make dinner. Fancy some bass?" Revali said.
"That'd be great." Link replied, sitting up from the bed, "Do you need any help?"
A simple decline would be sufficient, but Revali couldn't help puffing out his feathers and clutching his chest dramatically, "Need I remind you that I'm Revali, the most handsome, talented and overall awesome host in Hyrule, bar none?"
Revali's over-the-top remark elicited a fit of laughter from Link, who was soon joined by the Rito himself. Revali wanted this from Link - this unrestrained, innocent, genuine sound from the heart, not the silent, borderline pretentious front everyone expected Link to put on.
The two laughed until they ran out of breath. Hugging his aching stomach, Revali managed to choke out, "Okay...Stay here and enjoy the view, I'll be right back. And don't try wandering outside alone unless you want to get swarmed over again."
Link nodded, moving to one of the windows to check the lake view it offered. Satisfied with his arrangement, Revali hummed a joyful tune and headed for the kitchen, determined to produce the best hearty bass he'd ever attempted.
...
The moon was high up when the pair finished their dinner. Setting his empty plate on floor, Revali quietly contemplated Link. Under the moonlight, the Hylian seemed to have an aura of mystery to him, and it suddenly occurred to Revali that he actually knew very few about Link. Where was his home? Who raised him to be a warrior? How had he acquired the Master Sword? Was he always this soft and stunning? So many questions swarmed Revali's mind, until a familiar voice brought him back to reality, "Revali?"
"Huh...what?" the startled Rito stuttered. This Hylian seemed to have a knack for throwing him off-balance.
"You're giving me that look again." Link pointed out coyly.
"Did I now? Oh well...I was wondering about your birthplace and how you came across the Master Sword." Revali replied honestly, though he wouldn't hold out too much hope. The Rito himself would be reluctant, if not even suspicious if someone suddenly questioned him about his past.
The Hylian went silent, and to Revali's surprise, Link's eyes snapped shut and his brows furrowed as if he was suffering from a headache. Revali hurried to the Hylian and put his arms on Link's shoulder, fearing that he might've triggered something unpleasant in Link's mind, "Are you okay? I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have asked."
"I'm fine." Link replied weakly, "This happens every time I try to recall that place. It was just...vague and blurry. I only remember a forest, a giant tree and the noise of children."
The Rito, too, had no clue what Link meant, but he chose not to press this matter as it caused the Hylian discomfort.
"I didn't know how I got out of that forest. I woke up near Hyrule castle and was adopted by a widowed royal guard." Link continued, "He didn't want me to follow his footsteps, so he taught me neither swordsmanship, archery nor any other combat skill. I learnt and trained by myself. Things went on like that until I was twelve."
Revali nodded, quietly working his mind around the idea that Link had been holding up by himself since such an early age, which also meant his first assumption regarding the Hylian's luck was utterly false. Not this much of a sloth after all, this one.
"It was around that time the Hyrule royal family learnt the prophecy about Calamity Ganon, so they held a ceremony in the Temple of Time to find the wielder of the Master Sword. I had no business being there, but my curiosity got the better of me, so I snuck into the temple...The moment I saw The Master Sword, I was drawn toward it, and when I got close, the Master Sword began to glow, like it was...welcoming me."
"True enough. I heard rumors say the Master Sword chose its owner." the Rito agreed, "But what happened afterward? No one tried to stop you? No one questioned why there was a kid...err, sorry, no offense."
"None taken. Well, people did complain about my age, but no one dared to defy the Master Sword's divine will, so there you have it." Link concluded with a nonchalant shrug.
"Does it bother you, to be given that kind of responsibility at the age of twelve?" Revali asked. He felt a lump of anger in his throat, not with Link, but with the unfair crap this world had thrown at the Hylian. No one deserved to be weighted down by Hyrule's fate at such a young age, no one. Especially Link.
"N-no, of course."
It was an obvious lie - Link's reply. Revali could tell from the Hylian's tense shoulder, but he couldn't bring himself to continue anymore. Though indirectly and inadvertently, the fact he'd hurt Link twice tonight made Revali feel like stabbing himself with his Feathered Edge. He wanted to comfort Link, to hug the pain away, but right now, the only thing he could do was tapping Link's shoulder reassuringly, "Sleep. I'll wake you early tomorrow and we can enjoy the sunrise together." - the Rito suggested gently.
"Yeah," Link agreed, "Hey, Revali."
"Uh huh?"
"Thank you."
Revali blushed, feeling incredibly giddy. Was it him, or Link's voice had just gotten particularly soft on him just now?
...
Link woke up to the fragrant aroma of wildberry crepe and the sight of a grinning Rito.
"Not even my father gets this breakfast-in bed-service from me. You're one lucky Hylian, you know that?" Revali quipped, handing Link a plate of pastry.
"Have my gratitude then, Your Highness." Link said in retort, happily receiving his portion from the Rito. They ate in content; Revali's excellent cooking brought a smile on the Hylian's pretty lips.
"We still have time, but it's better to get there early," Revali spoke, spearing a wildberry with his fork, "And you might want to put on some extra clothes. I know it's morning, but the air might get a bit chilly for...ah, featherless folks."
Link stuck his tongue out adorably, causing Revali's heart to do a somersault. The Hylian then produced a warm doublet from his pack, but was prevented from putting it on by Revali, "Whoa there, I said chilly, not cold, and I won't be able to enjoy anything sitting next to a sweaty Hylian. Here..." - The Rito removed his scarf and wrapped it around Link, shivering slightly as his feather touched the tender skin of the Hylian's neck, "There you go, warm and stylish. That's how I roll."
"Show off." Link sniggered. Still he ran his finger along the scarf's silky texture with endearment and appreciation.
As they walked outside, Link finally understood why Revali claimed getting to the roost top was impossible without wings. The place was located at the highest spot of Rito village, sporting such immense height that its top was practically hidden in cloud. Worse still, the surface was completely smooth, rendering it hazardously unsuitable for any attempt at climbing. Had the Goddess created this place exclusively for Ritos, Link wondered, but for now, he was grateful to receive a ride from Revali - the strongest, fastest, most skilled Rito alive, possibly ever in history.
Eyes back to his host; Link tilted his head in curiosity as he saw Revali strapping a big, fabric-wrapped package onto his back, "What's that?"
"A secret." said Revali, putting a finger on his beak.
"I can keep one." the Hylian insisted like a child being denied candies, drawing a chuckle from Revali, who opened his arms and beckoned Link to latch onto him, "You'll know soon enough, but first thing first, keep a tight grip, okay? I hate to drop the hero of Hyrule to his untimely death."
Link pouted, but nonetheless complied with the instruction as he closed his arms around Revali's midsection. The Rito froze a bit at the contact. Revali knew he was supposed to concentrate, but it was difficult to when he could practically feel Link's warm breath ripple through his feather, "Ready?"
"Yes."
The flight turned out rather well, and they made it to the roost top minutes later, though Revali didn't waste the chance to complain it was twice as much as he usually spent. They settled at the edge as the sun began to creep over the mountain range with all of its glory. Streams of pulsating light saturated the sky with a golden haze, signaling the start of a new day. Revali couldn't help smiling. He couldn't see the future, yes, but he knew a new day would always dawn, no matter how miserable things might become, no matter how terrible the Calamity might get. He knew this world was full of things worth fighting for. Life, hope, dreams and love...and now that Revali'd found everything in the Hylian sitting next to him, he'd stop at nothing to secure it - The future he saw himself and Link in.
"Beautiful," Link breathed as he took in the scenery; his blue eyes focused on the vast landscape of Hyrule, which continued to expand beyond their vision.
_Yeah, yeah you'r_e, Revali thought, putting his arm around Link's back to draw the boy closer, "Come here. It's warmer this way."
It sure was. Link's cheeks turned into a pleasant shade of pink, but he didn't protest. Instead, the Hylian requested, "You still haven't told me what it is...the thing on your back."
"Ah, yes..." Revali nodded, hastily unstrapping the package, "Remember what I promised you at Hyrule castle?"
Link's jaw dropped as soon as his gift was unveiled: A flawless bow and a quiver full of arrows. The Hylian extended a shaky hand to touch the weapon, as if he was still working on believing that it was there, right before his very eyes.
"One of a kind, I guarantee you." Revali remarked, "I customized it to amplify your strength without sacrificing speed."
"It's amazing...Wait," Link piped up, looking at Revali in utter bewilderment, "You made it?"
"Of course I did. I promised you, remember?"
"I thought you were playing around." the wide-eyed Hylian replied.
Revali knew Link meant to ill, but at this point, teasing the boy had become second nature to him, "Oh Link...Link, Link, Link. Of all the gentlemanly things I'm capable of, you question my ability to make a bow and to keep my words. Me, the best archer in this world? You broke my heart, you know that?"
Link flushed deep scarlet and suddenly showed great interest in the bow. He traced his delicate finger on the surface, feeling the comforting weight; the tenderness and dedication engraved in every little detail...but there was more...more than just unparalleled craftsmanship or craving for perfection. There was the heartbeat of a certain Rito, earnest and passionate, and he knew within this bow, Revali'd entrusted a piece of his very own soul.
It took a while, but Link found his voice again, "What is it named, Revali?"
"I've yet to decide, but why don't you? It's yours, after all." Revali suggested.
"I think the maker is usually the one to do the honor." Link reasoned, "And I'm certain you will come up with something far better than whatever poor attempt of mine."
"Is that so?" Revali was struggling mightily to control himself. The Hylian was merely inches away from him, tempting him, inviting him...to extend his wings and cradle Link's face, to run his finger over Link's lush golden hair, to look into those beautiful blue eyes and whisper loving words. And yet, Revali's will was somehow still strong enough to remind him that this was the one thing he should not and must not rush. He'd been patient for weeks and months, what's the difference to wait just a little more.
"Eagle Bow? No, that'd be a blatant rip-off. Swallow Bow? Nah, already been used, and doesn't sound cool at all. Master Bow? No, definitely no! Bow of the Hylian Champion? Ugh, even worse. Let see..." Revali hummed thoughtfully, "Ah hah, how about Falcon Bow?"
"Falcon Bow?"
"Yes, the falcon - the embodiment of quickness, precision and nobility. What do you think?" Revali smirked to himself. It didn't take a genius to tell who those unrestrained praises of his were directed at, and sure enough, Link's reaction was nothing but a lovely shade of redness.
"How could I ever thank you, Revali?" Link asked.
Revali pondered. True to be told, he'd never made the bow with any intention of gaining something in return, yet here Link was, offering to repay him in earnest. It'd be a lie if Revali said he had no favor to ask from Link, but the Rito just wondered now was a good time to bring such matter up, especially since it seemed to be Link's sore sport. Then again, when had he ever any chances?
"Well, if you insist, then I want to know one thing." Revali started, his voice getting sterner, "Apologizes beforehand, now tell me: Why are you so silent all the time? What makes you hesitant to use your own voice?"
Link's face darkened, just as Revali feared - "It's fine if you don't want to tell me, really." - the Rito assured gently. It pained him to have the boy go through such unpleasantness, but he needed to know the source of Link's problem. Only then could Revali figure out a way to help his beloved knight.
Link pursed his lips, and Revali could almost see the struggle for decisions in his mind. The Rito would certainly respect any choice Link had to make, but he couldn't help praying to the Goddess that Link would trust their friendship enough to find Revali worthy of his confinement. Much to his relief, Link ultimately decided to share, "It started long ago."
Revali listened intensively as Link began his narration, "Remember what I said about my adoptive father? He was widowed, but he also had no children, so I grew up having almost no one to talk with. It didn't help that I spent most of my free time training instead of interacting with kids of my age."
Link trailed off, playing with the Falcon Bow's string, "It got worse after I was chosen by the Master Sword. In order to obtain knighthood, I must train even harder than I already did, and over time, I became silent. I practiced with the sword instead of socializing, I communicated with gestures instead of voice. I thought that if I became a strong and silent knight, I could bear this burden, but I..."
The blue-eyed knight trembled, and Revali couldn't hold back anymore. With immense gentleness, the Rito wrapped his wings around Link's back, speaking in the most soothing tone he could muster, "Link..."
"I'm scared, Revali. I was twelve when I faced the prospect of war, when the Master Sword cast this world upon my shoulder, when people began to look at me as if everything I do must be perfect, but even if I do well, I can't satisfy anyone!" Link choked; tears welling on the corner of his eyes, "Even Zelda, the one I'm supposed to protect and face the Calamity with...even she resents me for doing my duty. What am I supposed to do? Was the Master Sword right for choosing me?"
"Yes, it was," Revali started softly, using one hand to lift the Hylian's chin and the other to brush the tears away, "Hear me out, Link. I, too, used to question your worthiness as a champion. When I first met you, I saw nothing but a plain Hylian. I resented your status as the Chosen One. I felt cheated, robbed of my glory and hard work. But now, I finally understand..."
Link's nose wrinkled, "Plain?"
"Details," Revali said quickly, "Even with the heavy burden on your shoulder, you remain selfless, courageous and compassionate. Even when shallow folks see you as nothing but an avatar of their so-called ideal savior, you still risk your life to protect them, and if that doesn't speak hero, I don't know what does. How ironic, but I think we both realize that the humble ones who never think or speak of themselves as heroes...always turn out to be the greatest heroes."
Link smiled, warmer than the morning haze.
Revali took the Hylian's hand and examined it gently, "The Master Sword chose you because of who you are, not who you suppose to be, so don't beat yourself over what isn't your fault and don't try to take responsibility for everything. You're not alone. You have the support of every righteous soul in Hyrule, you have Zelda, you have the other champions - Mipha, Daruk, Urbosa, and..."
"And?"
"And you have me." Revali finished; his cheek feathers threatened to set themselves aflame. Link, too, seem to have a similar case of overheat, though his ear-to-ear grin made it clear that he was enjoying himself.
"Besides, my absence made you the only candidate available, so the sword obviously had to choose you." Revali shrugged as he made the cheeky remark, earning himself a laugh and a hard nudge from Link, "Don't ruin the moment, you ass."
"Oh my, that's hardly a proper way to address a champion, master Link." Revali made dramatic show of rolling his eyes, "And here I was kind enough to consider mourning you after the war."
"Would you really, master Revali?" Link questioned sarcastically.
"Ah, well, I guess it's worth a shot. At least I can motivate myself by recalling how your annoying presence has significantly altered my life."
"I don't actually have that kind of impact on you, do I?" Link pondered, tapping his chin.
"You do. Right now, for instance, I'm in love with you."
He said it! How in the Calamity had he got it out so easily, Revali had no idea, but for now, he'd take his time enjoying the look on Link's face. Given how often the Hylian had caught Revali off-guard, it was a welcoming change to see Link get the short end of the stick once in a while.
Still, after a long wait, Revali figured he could use a reply, "Hey, don't space out on me, say something."
"Something..." Link parroted, seemingly in a trance.
The Rito knew this probably wasn't the most romantic reminder, but he recited his confession, emphasizing on each single word, "I'm. In. Love. With. You. I know it kinda came out of nowhere, but you need not to be so surprised."
"I-I'm not sure what to say." Link stuttered.
Revali's heart sank. Having spent years observing people around him, the Rito could tell hesitation was a sign of rejection...most of the time.
Yet...oddly, amazingly, even with the throbbing pain in his chest, Revali couldn't bring himself to hate Link.
Once, Revali might've made jokes about the term 'unconditional love' whenever he could, but now, he finally understood why some folks just couldn't seem to shut up about it. The absolute willingness to love a person without requiring reciprocation, to accept and respect any decision they had to make - was truly indescribable. One must simply experience it to understand it, just like Revali was right now.
"I see." the Rito sighed. His first ever attempt at courting had turned out to be one of his most tragic defeats, just great, but at least he'd go out with his dignity intact.
"No, you've got it wrong. I was thinking about how to tell you the same thing...I just didn't expect you to be the faster one." A pink-cheeked Link admitted sheepishly
"I'm sorry?" Revali wasn't sure if he'd heard that right, but if this was a trick his mind played on him, the Rito still wouldn't mind.
"I'm supposed to say it to you, not the other way around, and you claimed you're not an ass?" Link smirked, inching closer to Revali; his hand slowly entwined with the Rito's.
"You mean..."
Revali never got to finish. With a sharp yank on the Rito's tunic, Link closed whatever distance left between them, and whatever surprised squawk he was going to let out was instantly silenced as Link's mouth was pressed against his beak in a fierce kiss. The contact rendered Revali's brain numb, yet the desire governing his body knew exactly what he needed. It took only a few seconds before Revali started kissing back with equal vigor. With one hand still holding Link's, Revali wrapped his other wing firmly around the Hylian's back and pulled him closer to deepen the kiss. All became lost to Revali as he darted his tongue around Link's lips, asking for entrance, to which the blue-eyed champion gladly obliged, and before long, their tangled tongues were dancing atop each other in a symphony of passion and affection.
Such warmth and intimacy, Revali swore to the Goddess he could've lived this moment even if he got picked up and thrown into Death Mountain, but in the end, the urgent need for air finally separated them. Scarlet-faced and gasping like fish out of water, the two paused and just stared at each other until Revali decided to break the silence, "So, does this mean you...find me, uhm...amendable too?"
Link snorted, "I'm amazed you're capable of asking a question that dumb after what we just did. Are you sure you're not an idiot?"
"Whoa! Slow down, pretty boy, first ass and now idiot? Is this merely stream-of-consciousness abuse or are you trying to make a point?" Revali shot back, though he was, indeed, grinning like an idiot.
"Mmm, a lil' bit of both, I guess, but really, you haven't the slightest idea how long I've been waiting for this," Link stroked Revali's cheek lovingly, humming as he did, "Amazing, how things have changed since our first encounter, though I actually liked the way you didn't act like I was perfect and pointed out my shortcomings. You showed me honesty, and I'm thankful for that."
"Ha ha..." Revali tried to laugh it off, but almost choked on a lump of shame in his throat. Back then, the only thing in Revali's petty mind had been to vent his jealousy and frustration at, yet Link still interpreted his words in such an innocent way, "Well then, shall I remind you that everything I've said so far was entirely sincere?"
"You needn't. I trust you." Link smiled and leaned in to kiss his new lover on the cheek.
"Oh Link...I'll go soft from your cuteness at this rate." Revali murmured softly as he pulled Link closer and inhaled the Hylian's scent.
"Already with the flattering, I see." Link chuckled, snuggling against the Rito's warm embrace and comforting heartbeat, "Hey, Revali."
"Yeah?"
"I love you too."
...
Revali and Link spent the rest of that day indulging in various forms of entertainment. The two champions took a long stroll around the village again, and sure enough, they immediately became the center of attention. This time though, the Rito champion was hardly irked, even as Link greeted the pitiful hens with his charming smile, for Revali knew Link's heart had completely and securely belonged to him. They then paid a late visit to the Elder, who gave Revali a mischievous wink as if he knew Revali's courting was a success, which he probably did. Normally, this would have Revali's feathers ruffled and lead to a healthy dose of family argument between the two Ritos, but Revali found his time with Link way too valuable to be wasted on such nonsense.
Link was having the time of his life. Given Link's uninterested look when Revali explained Vah Medoh to princess Zelda, Revali was quite surprised when his lover practically jumped up and down in excitement as the Rito offered to fly them aboard Vah Medoh. In fact, as soon as they landed on Vah Medoh, Link began to roam the airborne fortress as he explored every little mechanism with childlike enthusiasm. Utterly ignored, Revali still tried to scream his lungs out about safety, and it took him a while to get the frisky Hylian under control.
After a quick lunch, the two wrapped up their day with an archery training session as Revali helped Link work on his speed and get accustomed to the Falcon Bow. To Revali's joy, Link was an extremely quick learner, capable of grasping everything he was taught after a few repetitions. As such, they made tremendous progress on that afternoon, though when he stood behind Link to adjust his stance, Revali just had to nip the Hylian's earlobe, eliciting a yelp from Link and causing him to involuntarily let loose his arrow, no harm done thankfully.
"We could've hurt or even killed someone. What in the Calamity was you thinking?" Link chided.
"My apologies. Couldn't resist," Revali giggled, "Who knows ears are your weak spot? I wonder if your, mmm, other parts are just as sensitive."
The Hylian yelped as Revali gave his rear a firm squeeze, "You pervert! We've yet to date for a day and already you started groping my ass?"
"Isn't that the point of courting? You know, to get intimate and lose myself within the one I love?" the Rito whispered huskily; his warm breath spread across Link's ear, making the Hylian shiver.
"Wait, Revali...Please, we're still in public." Link pleaded; knees getting weak from the stimulation and the implication of unity.
"I jested," the Rito chuckled and moved his hand up to wrap it around his lover's shoulder, "Surely you know I'm not that desperate and vulgar to attempt such an act here. Besides, if we're going to do it then I want you to be comfortable, so the only things in your mind will be my name and the pleasure I allow you."
Face blossoming scarlet; Link rolled his eyes so hard they threatened to get stuck in his skull, "You're impossible. How in the Goddess' name did I ever fall in love with a shameless showoff like you?"
"Audacity is by far my most remarkable trait, darling." Revali said matter-of-factly, and the two guffawed their way home.
...
Revali's romantic night almost got ruined when the Rito realized he'd been too carried away by his blissful time with Link and forgot to get anything for dinner. Luckily, a basket full of ingredients was waiting for him in the kitchen, plus a note that read, In case you're late from your date. Revali smirked as he mentally thanked a certain Elder, and in the end, he and Link still ended up with two servings of his gourmet meat stew with rice.
"So, guess we achieved a lot today." Revali started, setting his empty plate aside.
"Yeah, I can't believe we've come this far in such a short time." Link replied happily.
"Like you said, I'm a shameless guy, and shameless people don't stop until they get what they want. In fact, as contented as I find our relationship right now, why don't we take it a little...ah, further?" Revali offered suggestively, inching closer to Link as he did.
"Why do I have the feeling you're up to something naughty?" Link gave Revali a sarcastic look, but nestled in his Rito lover's chest.
"Well, the night is still young, and I think maybe we could do a lot more than, you know, sit and talk." Revali murmured softly, "Only if you agree to it, of course."
"Do you...really desire me like that?" Link asked gingerly.
"If by 'that' you mean...bodily, then yeah, I find you irresistible, but more importantly, I want to connect with you, so our souls can truly bond with each other." Revali knew he sounded rather seductive and pretentious, but he meant each and every single word. Link's presence had been tantalizing him, teasing him, making him ache to be united with his Hylian lover, both physically and spiritually.
Even when Link's head lowered, the redness on the tip of his ears was still visible. The Hylian considered it for a moment, then suddenly stood up and walked to the front door, where he untied the curtain's cord. The thick piece of cloth unrolled freely and brushed against the floor, where it essentially functioned as a closed door.
Revali almost had a seizure as he watched Link move around the roost and repeated his action until the two were completely separated from the outside world, save for just enough moonlight to illuminate them. When it was all set and done, the Hylian made his way back to the bed and stood in front of Revali, who for the first time, had to crane his neck up to meet his lover's eyes. Link's intent was obvious, and it cleared away every bit of Revali's guilt. His hand moved up to stroke Link's soft cheek, then tugged at the Hylian's shoulder and guided him into an intense kiss.
The Rito made his move as soon as they parted from the oral contact. With a swift spin, Revali reversed their position, effectively pinning Link onto the mattress. Eyeing his lover lustfully, Revali slid a hand under Link's tunic and caressed the bare flesh, sending shivers down the Hylian's back. He traced his fingers along the soft skin, feeling Link's numerous battle scars, some of which were very recent, but Revali didn't mind. To him, their meanings expanded beyond being the reminder of a brutal war. These wounds told the story of a single Hylian who carried with him the weight of the world yet chose to silently endure it all, of unyielding selflessness that could only be found within the noblest soul, of courage that would never be forgotten even in the face of eternity - of the gallant hero that was Link.
Both champions exchanged soft kisses as they bathed in one another's warmth, but Revali eventually decided he wanted more, "Do you mind if I, uhm, remove these?" - the Rito asked, gesturing at Link's attire.
"How considerate of you, but I thought I made myself clear the moment I agreed to this." Link teased and raised his hand to tap Revali's beak, "Don't hesitate, I'm with you to the end."
Revali chuckled and began to undress Link with gentleness akin to that of a father had for his hatching. The Hylian's champion tunic was quickly rolled up and carefully set aside, followed by his boots, trousers and undergarment. Finally, Link laid there in front of him - moonlit, bare, gorgeous to the smallest detail and properly virgin, judging from his feverish blush and futile attempt to cover his private. Oddly enough, Revali too, was feeling his heart pounding against his chest, hard, even though he should've been the calm and experienced one, having bedded a few Ritos before. Aroused wasn't even the appropriate word for this. He felt elated, enraptured. He wasn't about to have a one-night stand with some random hen or cock to relieve himself. He and Link were going to consummate their love for one another. He was going to form an unbreakable bond with his loved one, both body and soul.
"I showed you all of me, how about you do the same?" the Hylian suggested.
"Fair enough." Revali nodded and began to disrobe, almost in a trance as those alluring blue eyes captivated him. One by one, his clothes came off, and he could hear Link's gulp when he unclasped his belt, which would normally allow his pants to slide down his legs effortlessly hadn't it been for something holding the piece of clothes in place. The Rito chuckled and gave a soft tug, revealing what he had in store for his lover.
Link gasped. Shape wise, Revali's penis was similar to his - smooth and round-headed, but that was about it for what they had in common. Blue colored and darker around the base, the Rito's erection was easily 11 inches in length, as thick as Link's upper arm and enclosed in supple skin that only exposed the glans, glistening with translucent pre cum. Resting underneath were two apple-sized orbs, slight covered in feather and undoubted filled to the brim with Rito seed.
Revali was obviously well-aware of the attention Link was giving him. Smirking, the Rito walked towards his awaiting lover; his nuts swayed pleasantly from side to side as he did. He then took Link's hand in his own and guided it to his manhood, murmuring in encouragement, "Touch me. I want you to feel it before you take it."
Link shuddered. The Hero of Hyrule always considered himself a resilient individual, having survived countless deadly battles and overcome any foe he came across, so never in his widest dream had Link thought he'd be utterly defeated by something as simple as a whisper, though it should be noted that Revali's potent musk had already rendered him extremely light-headed. Link knew he was being conquered, but for once the Hylian knight couldn't find his strength to fight back, nor did he want to anyway.
A clean and tonal coo escaped Revali's beak when Link's fingers came in contact and quickly wrapped around his arousal. The Rito had expected a certain roughness from the hands wielding the Master Sword and striking down monsters, but Link's were delightfully soft and warm. One adventurous hand roamed the underside of his cock while the other made good work of his tip, causing it to throb and release a hefty patch of precum. Link's movements were akin to that of a child playing with what he saw for the first time, which was probably the case, but Revali was in a super sensitive situation. He'd, after all, denied himself the luxury of intimacy with someone else ever since he got smitten with a certain Hylian.
Link certainly didn't disappoint. The Hylian quickly picked up his pace from slow, careful touches to exciting, confident strokes. Revali was in heaven; no Rito he known had ever been able to give him such pleasure. Those soft, flexible Hylian hands kept a firm hold on him, magical fingers applying all kind of curious tricks Link had for his twitching cock. Revali found it particularly erotic when Link pulled his foreskin all the way over his tip, only to pelt it back and exposed the sensitive glans again. As Revali's coos grew into full-fledged moans, he finally understood why some Ritos left the village to find their mate. If a first-timer like Link could already offer him such bliss, Revali couldn't begin to imagine what an experienced Hylian would be able to do. Then again, Revali knew all too well who the only Hylian he ever desired was.
"How do you like it?" Revali asked. The Rito didn't like the fact that Link's handjob was pushing him over the edge any more than admitting it.
"Big, warm," Link stuttered; hand cupping the Rito's testicles as if he was trying to measure how much they weighted, "And heavy." - He added with a blush
"Feel it well. Soon, you'll feel it with more than just your hand." Revali murmured, nibbling at the tip of Link's ear. The lewd remark sent chills down Link's spines, leaving him with nothing but unbearable lust, until it eventually overwhelmed him, "Then shut up and give it to me."
"Hush now. Since this is your first time and I'm a gentleman, I think it'd be better if we have some preparation." The Rito chuckled, then process to produce a bottle containing viscous, blue liquid from his wardrobe.
"What's that stuff?" Link inquired.
"A potion," Revali shrugged, "Nothing unfamiliar to you, right? They're commonly known to enhance strength, speed, endurance and all...but this curious one here is slightly different. It works as pain relief and stimulator, so the recipient won't feel any pain from penetration and can enjoy intensified pleasure."
"Sounds like you have a lot of experience. Did you purchase that for one of your sexual conquests?"
"Don't be silly! This potion's so rare and expensive; you think I can just pick it up at any stable, much less share it with anyone but my most beloved?"
"I'm sorry..." Link muttered dejectedly, and Revali realized he might've raised his voice a bit too high. Sighing, the Rito fished a finger under Link's chin and lifted the Hylian's head to meet his eyes, "I should be the one to apologize. You were right, I've been with others before you, but none of those times gave me the sense of fulfillment like this moment," - Revali paused and pressed Link's hand gently against his feathered chest, "Can you feel how fast my heart is beating? Do you know who it beats for?"
Link beamed with such infectious joy it brought a smile to Revali's face. Leaning in, he planted a soft kiss on his lover's pretty lips, then handed Link the potion while whispering reassuringly, "Drink. The potion might leave you with a strange feeling, but it won't hurt, I promise."
The blue-eyed Hylian nodded and chugged down the potion. Upon entering his body, the liquid began to spread a cooling sensation from his chest down to his stomach and finally his rear. At the same time, Link realized his sense of smell had been magnified and as he caught a whiff of Revali's musk - now tenfold stronger due to his enhanced smelling - his cock and hole began to twitch in an inexplicable urge. It set his desire aflame, clouding his mind with unprecedented lust. He wanted to be claimed by the mighty Rito. He needed Revali in him.
"Take me, Revali..." Link said breathily.
"Have you any idea how much you've just turned me on?" the Rito cooed in response, enjoying the crimson patch he'd affectively spread across Link's cheek. Hoisting Link's legs over his shoulder, Revali aligned his shaft to his lover's entrance and slowly pressed forward. The penetration took quite the effort from both lovers, but Revali's potion helped a great deal as it reduced any discomfort Link might have to a dismissive sting. A few seconds later, Revali let loose a huff as Link's pucker finally gave in and swallowed his tip. The Rito then paused for a moment to let Link get used to his massive glans.
"Does it hurt?" Revali asked, stroking Link's cheek soothingly.
"Just a little. I think your potion works." The Hylian breathed.
"Good. I hate to hurt you or shoot any poor merchant that dared to scam me." Revali grinned.
"I think you can do with less shooting threats." Link retorted.
"I'll consider that later. Right now, my only target is to make this night unforgettable for us both." Revali smiled and resumed pushing into the smaller male. Things were getting much easier now as Link became considerably more relaxed. Revali shivered in pleasure, feeling the delightfully warm and soft flesh snug around his erection as his tip paved the way for the rest of his cock to invade Link's forbidden passage. The Hylian too was quivering; the tingling of his no longer-virgin hole being forced open was slowly met by the intense fullness of his inside being filled and explored, which Link found oddly satisfying. The heat from Revali's shaft also provided the perfect balance to the potion's coolness.
It seemed like eternity, but the Hylian at last felt the touch of feather against his butt cheeks. The sensation was nothing sort of surreal, being able to contain such thickness inside him without any pain but only faint numbness and gentle bliss. He'd indeed sneered at Revali's potion, but by the Goddess was Link so glad he'd taken it.
"How are you holding up?" Revali asked caringly, like the gentleman he was.
"Incredible. I've never felt so full."
"Well, aren't you glad we fit each other perfectly?" Revali quipped, nuzzling his beak against Link's golden hair.
"Has anyone told you those puns aren't that funny?" the Hylian sighed, shaking his head in annoyance.
"Before you...Not really." Revali said, winking at his lover, "Now then, shall we get moving?"
Link barely had time to react as he let out a sharp cry when Revali suddenly pulled out; the flaring friction adding to the heat that was already lacing his inner walls; the stretched passage gripping and expelling the Rito's enormous breeding tool simultaneously. When he was half way out, Revali immediately rammed back in, hilting himself in the Hylian once again. Link gasped; air leaving his lungs as the huge shaft stretched and jabbed his rectal walls, instantly chasing away empty feeling and refilling him with an otherworldly sense of scorching bliss and fullness.
Revali was gentle but relentless as he relished in his mate's sublime, freshly-deflowered ass, which - unlike that of anyone he'd been with - somehow remained soft yet still provided an impossibly tight grip around his erection. He gradually built a steady rhythm; with each thrust he applied a touch more pressure, sinking even deeper into Link's warm, velvety grip. Even without the pleasure though, the sight of Link lying there, bare, leg-spread and completely submitted to him was enough to make him unload glob after glob of thick precum into the Hylian's wondrous depths while his hands fondly caressed the Hylian's naked body all over. A smile graced his beak as the Rito was overjoyed to find Link eagerly pushed back to meet his thrusts. He wanted Link. He wanted him, not only for pleasure but also for love, by making sure Link enjoyed their consummation as much as he did. Revali might've joked about their compatibility earlier, but it could well be true: They seemed to be born for each other.
Amidst his lover's constant poundings, the hero of Hyrule was basically reduced to a moaning mess. Revali was absolutely on point about the effectiveness of his potion. Not only did Link feel no pain, even the slightest discomfort, as his passage loosened to accommodate his lover, the Hylian could feel every inch of Revali's glorious erection deep within him, thick, alive and pulsing with vigor. His mind went dizzy from overwhelming ecstasy; his ears heard but the music that were huffs and moans from the feathered male; his eyes drunk on the mixture of Revali's handsomeness and lust. But there was more to his pleasure. Never in his wildest had Link thought his virginity would be taken so quickly, yet that didn't stop his heart from fluttering with joy. Even now, Link could hardly comprehend how lucky he was to have such a magnificent Rito specimen as his lover. Just like how the potion dispersed his pain, Revali's presence swept away his worries. The hero's burden, the impending war, the face of Death - none of them mattered now. Here, within the Rito's warm embrace, Link could finally find peace to ease his troubled mind and freedom to be his true self in this turbulent world.
Revali's movements grew frantic as weeks' worth of unattended need finally took over his mind, and Link was simply the perfect remedy to his sexual and emotional starve. The Hylian's body was just pure flesh and fire, hungrily consuming everything he had to offer. Revali could feel it all - the softness of his lover's skin, the combined heat from their bodies pushing one another toward the finish, the abundant friction as he slid in and out Link's exquisite tunnel. Most of all, more than anything physical, was their emotional attachment, for even if Revali's lust managed to best him, their union would still be far from a mindless course of carnal desire and bodily pleasure. They kissed; they caressed, sometimes gently, sometimes wantonly, yet none of those touches felt out of place. Instead, they seemed just absolutely right, like an array of wordless expressions that were only possible between two individuals who had wholeheartedly and unconditionally committed themselves to loving each other.
"Revali..." Link panted, each syllable brimming with adoration, "I love you."
Indescribable giddiness boomed in the Rito's chest. He wondered if people felt the same way when they had something like "drunk in love" in mind, but for all Revali knew, he was utterly intoxicated. Burying his beak in Link's hair, Revali inhaled the flavor of the sun in his lover's scent as he picked up his pace; reaming the hero with the virility of a Rito in his prime. His hips ground against Link's, his balls slapped against the smaller male's set; his glans smashed against Link's prostate mercilessly - All together took the breath away from the Hylian and drowned him in endless pleasure. Just like what Revali'd said earlier, right now, Link's euphoria-dosed mind had completely gone blank and refused to receive any signal but the immense rapture coming from his rear, while the only audible sounds escaping his lips were gasps, moans and a certain Rito's name. Revali responded to the Hylian's reactions by going even faster, practically impaling Link with his shaft now as each of his thrusts forced a glob of pre-cum out of Link's every own twitching cock, driving him closer to his peak.
It wasn't long until Revali felt his lover quiver beneath him, and the Rito took the hint to lean down and make out with his lover passionately. Link accepted the gesture, moaning into Revali's mouth as he succumbed to a heart-stopping climax; penis pulsing and discharging rope after rope of milky white semen, some stuck to Revali's belly's belly while the rest landed on his smooth skin.
Link's orgasm affected his muscles, making them spasm and clench round Revali's shaft mercilessly. The Rito only managed a squawk as the sudden tightness enclosed his cock before he too, reached his inevitable peak; his balls churned and emptied their content in his lover's willing hole, flooding Link's core with his essence. Revali was certainly pent-up, for each of his spurts carried a shocking amount of sperm-enriched semen and before long, the Hylian found himself excessively stuffed with thick, potent Rito cum, which soon started to leak and run down his thighs. The hero welcomed the viscous warmth, letting it soothe his battered innards and indulge him with unbelievable pleasure of being filled. It took a while before Revali was spent, and by that time, Link's belly was visibly distended, gurgling and squishing with creamy fluid.
There, it was done! They were now truly and wholly bonded. Two champions. One united heart. Both had nothing to regret, for they'd never been more certain about anything in their life.
"Link, promise me: No matter what happens, stay with me, and after the war, become my Promised." Revali whispered, gently tucking the Hylian's head under his chin.
"I will." Link replied, hugging his lover's feathered chest tightly, "What about you? Do I have your words?"
"I promise. Till death do us part."
Till death do us part...right?
Even now, the Rito champion could hardly believe he went down so easily. Year after year of rigorous training, all for nothing; for his skills, his strength, his Great Eagle Bow, none was enough to defeat this Windblight Ganon beast.
And yet, Revali's pride didn't bleed as much as he'd expected. Instead, the moment his adversary was about to strike him down, an immense surge of fear arose in the Rito's chest - the fear of death. Not out of cowardice, no. Revali never feared death for what it was, otherwise he wouldn't have become a champion in the first place, but right now, he dreaded death for what it meant.
The mission to protect this world and all important to him, failed. The promises he'd made, broken. The future with Link, gone. Worse still, his demise also meant he'd left Link to face Calamity Ganon alone, and that, for Revali, was the ultimate disgrace. He was disgusted, not only by Windblight Ganon, but also his own uselessness. The title 'champion' or Link, he deserved neither of them.
"Forgive me, Link..."
"Well, I'll be plucked, you defeated him, eh? Who would've thought..."
As he made that compliment, it took Revali all of his willpower to appear calm and nonchalant. One hundred years he remained imprisoned aboard Vah Medoh, accepted his fate as a pitiful ghost to contain Windblight's corruption and prevent Medoh from destroying Rito village, even if that meant he had to witness his father and friends pass away - all were for this day, when he could finally meet Link again, yet somehow, the moment he'd been longing for a century was also the moment he dreaded most.
Watching over Link from Vah Medoh, Revali knew too well Link had lost his memory. He had no idea what would happen if he forced Link to remember something from so long ago, and that's why he tried to be as blatant, or even condescending when instructing Link through Vah Medoh's interior - to help the hero stay focused during his deadly task. However, even if he'd expected a blank look on his lover's face when they finally confronted each other, it didn't stop his heart from throbbing in pain, even if his current form consisted of nothing but spectral blue flame.
"Well done, I suppose I should thank you now that my spirit is free. This returns Medoh back to its rightful owner. Hmm, don't preen yourself just for doing your job...but I do suppose you've proven your value as a warrior - a warrior worthy of my unique ability, the sacred skill that I have dubbed Revali's Gale!" Revali said hastily, struggling to not let his voice shake. Link couldn't remember him after all, so he might as well get this over with. The Rito doubted ghosts could cry, but the more this one-sided talk prolonged, the better chance it could actually happen to him. Focusing the last bit of power into a spiraling energy sphere, Revali aimed for Link's chest and threw.
Perhaps Link's memories of him were gone, but Revali's feelings always remained the same. And now, he entrusted them, together with his gale, to the hero. His heart might've been broken, but Link's and all that in Hyrule could still be mended.
"It's now time to move on and start making preparations for Medoh's strike on Ganon, but only if you think you'll still need my help while you're fighting inside Hyrule Castle. Feel free to thank me now." the Rito champion continued, now on the verge of collapsing as Link continued to give him that alien look, "Oh, never mind, just go. Your job is far from finish, you know..." - Revali concluded, but as he was about to turn his back to Link, came the Hylian's voice.
"Revali..."
Revali froze. He knew this voice.
"Revali!"
The Rito finally brought himself to meet Link's eyes. They were so big, so blue, so endearing, just like they had been one hundred years ago...just like how he'd always remembered. Revali could almost see the memories make their way back into Link's head as the hero stared as him with those beautiful eyes. This kid...Link, he looked as if he could burst into tears any moment now, must be quite overwhelming. Not that Revali wasn't feeling the same way, but he chose to smile and open his arms invitingly, "Well, come here, then."
Link's tackle had him on the floor quicker than dubious food, but Revali had already wrapped his arms around the hero as he stroke his lover's back soothingly, "I've been waiting for you." - he said, his voice choked with emotions.
"I'm sorry. I failed you. I failed Hyrule." Link sobbed into his lover's chest.
"Hey, no...don't cry." Revali mused, "Even with my current condition, we could do without making it more depressing. Besides, you have nothing to apologize for. Didn't I tell you to never take responsibility for everything by yourself? I couldn't be more proud of you, Link, and I'm sure everyone feels the same."
"But..."
"Don't cry." Revali gently brushed the tears away from his lover's eyes, "Let's not taint this final memory of ours with sadness. Light up this world with your smile, my beautiful one."
"I need you, Revali. I don't know if I can continue like this without you." Link trembled, as if he was about to cry again, "I need you..."
"And you have me." Revali pat the hero's golden hair and lifted his chin to look into Link's eyes, "You've always had me, since the day we first met, since a hundred years ago, just like you have me now, and always. Every time my gale lifts you to the sky, every time the wind caresses you hair, I shall be there with you." He gently placed his hand on Link's chest, "As long as this heart beats for me, as long as you carry this memory, I'll never die."
Slowly, the two untangled, and Revali helped Link to his feet before pulling him to a quick embrace, and the Hylian at last smiled.
"I love you, Revali."
"I love you too, Link. Now go, save this world and rescue the princess. She's been waiting for an awfully long time..."
Separation always hurt, but as Revali witnessed the gold light enclosed Link and teleported him back to Rito village, he felt strangely at peace. What's the point of crying when his tears had dried up after a hundred years? For now, all he could, and would do was to wait patiently until the day good and evil collided, when he and Medoh would use all of their might to help his love - the hero of time and courage,to vanquish the terrible beast that had terrorized Hyrule castle and the land for a century.
"I hope that luck holds out, Link." Revali smiled fondly as he looked over his home from Vah Medoh, "For everyone's sake."
...
I've spent my life drifting across the skies, but not until this very moment that I finally realized you are the only sky I ever want to lose myself in.
(The End)
...And cue Revali's theme!
What do you think? Not many people ship Link and Revali, but Revali has been my favorite character in BoTW, not just because his name sounds like a type of pasta. He's an asshole, yes, but he clearly has what it takes to boast. He's the kind of jerk that I'll want on my side. And his theme is the best among the game's OST, hands down.
P/S: I took some liberty with Revali's backgrounds and cutscenes, since the game didn't provide enough. I hope you don't mind.