#zelda is so over link and revali being disaster gays

[starshineandbooks]

    This is for @b0nechewers as part of the Revalink exchange (@revalinkexchange ), I used a mix of the prompts they gave me.

Words: 2106

    Warnings: Implied and referenced abuse, homophobia (Brief)     If I missed anything please let me know!

    Relationship(s): Revali/Link,  Background/implied Saki/Teba

    Summary: After a less than ideal ending to not only their dance partnership but their dating each other, Link and Revali find themselves back together, but will there still be sparks?

Revali had always known he had messed up, leaving Link after a several year-long relationships and an even longer friendship, maybe they had their fights, and they certainly started off in a bad place, but seeing Link dance with someone else hurt more than Revali would care to admit.

    Link had become Ravli’s own dance rival again, he dances with a childhood friend of his, Mipha, Revali dances with his friend Teba, but there was a time that Link had been Revali’s dance partner. Revali’s partner in every way that mattered.

    The way things had ended left him colder than before, less trusting, less hopeful, and more egotistical, and missing Link with everything he was. It’s one thing for a relationship to end on its own, but Link and Revali’s hadn’t ended of its own accord.

    But Link hadn’t been ready to leave his father behind, his very homophobic, father and violent mother had made it clear that it was them and their support and money, or Revali and nothing.

    He doesn’t blame Link, it sucks that Link chose them, after everything, but it’s likely better for the man.

    But it’s when he was assigned the same hotel suite (A completely different disaster due to them technically going to the same dance place) that he truly realized how much he still mourns the loss of Link, and how- he loathes to admit this even in his own mind- he pines for and love the man still.

    Teba had claimed a separate room for himself and his family, so this suite was Mipha, Link, and Revali. And then came the who sleeps where and no you aren’t sleeping on the couch, well you aren’t either discussion.

    Revali simply claimed one room while Mipha and Link tried to out friend the other, each insisting they take the couch and the other the bed.

    He sighs, walking into the room, “Or someone could share a room, now will you stop bickering?”

    Link pauses, looking to his phone for a time check, nine in the evening, Revali’s meditation, his eyes twinkle as he smiles softly, “Sure.”

    Mipha hums, “Well, I mean, Link and I could share a bed, you and Link could too, your both boys.”

    Revali rolls his eyes, “And I should share with him because?”

    “I have been known to be a restless sleeper?” Mipha says, “I’m sure he would be better elsewhere.”

    “Fine, he can take my bed with me, or the couch, it hardly matters to me. Now could you please keep it down?”

    The other two agree, and Revali goes to the hotel room, settling on the bed to begin meditation. His breathing slows and he focuses his mind on where his weight is distributed, letting his mind clear.

    Link looks nice with the jeans and blue sweater today- not going there. Clear mind.

    He sighs softly, trying again, it works better for a little while, but then he’s thinking about Link’s smile, and how the man might share a bed with him tonight.

    Revali thought he was over this, better than this, better than hopelessly pining over someone who chose something else over him.

    Just great, Revali supposes, finishing his meditation slower than is typical of himself, exiting his room to find Mipha on her laptop, video calling Zelda.

    Link is Hylia knows where, and Zelda spots him, “Hello Revali!”

    He sighs, “Hello, Zelda.”

    “How have you been? It has been- a long time. I’m sorry about-”

    Revali walks away, grabbing his wallet and exiting the room to go and see Teba and his wife and child, deciding to brave that more than to see Zelda.

    As if Hylia herself planned it (She’s a bitch thank you), Link trips over something, and tackles Revali to the floor, both sprawling on the ground of the hotel, neither as a breath yet in their lungs. 

    Link squeaks, pulling his face off of Revali’s chest, “I am so sorry.”

    “You should watch where you are going.” Revali sniffs, and the disdain is there, but he’s forgotten, Link knows him better than likely anyone else, the chastesation would chill most people.

    But Link? He just smiles softly, “Thanks, Revali.” Pushing to his feet, he holds a hand out to help the man he knocked over up, just to have it smacked away as Revali stands on his own.

    “I don’t need your help.”

    Link just smirks softly up at Revali, “Okay.”

    “What? Do I have something on my face?”

    “No.”

    “Well then, what is it?”

    “You-” Link hesitates, and oh, there is that sweetly awkward boy Revali first met, “You look good. You’ve done well in your career I hear, and your dancing is as perfect as ever.”

    “Of course it is, of course, I am, do you take me for a second-place king of man?”

    “No, you never were.” Link says softly then, “I’m sure you’ll win, you always have.”

    “It will hardly change now.”

    “No, it won’t,” Link says then he sighs eyes flicking to the ceiling then back to Revali’s own, “Revali, I- ‘m glad you’re okay.”

    “Why wouldn’t I be?”

    Revali watches Link hesitate, good, he should hesitate. The way things ended was awful, but what Link’s mother did was worse, it was Link who saved him, but it was also Link to leave his life.

    “I know Carolina was awful to you that last night and I- well- I’m sorry. But- I’d also like to say thank you.”

    “Excuse me?”

    “Thank you, thank you for everything you said while I was still with you. I shouldn’t have chosen them, I was scared and young and stupid, and maybe we wouldn’t have worked out, but I’d have been happier if I’d cut them out sooner.”

    “You cut them out?”

    Link nods, shifting, “Zelda and Uncle Roahm did too, I don’t know, it’s just- what you said kept rattling in my head, it stuck.”

    Revali almost preens outwardly at that, Link has always been stubborn, reckless, and fairly carefree if a little overly protective of his loved ones, to get him to listen is a feat and a privilege few have.

    Revali suspects he knows what was ‘rattling; about Link’s head too, the exact phrasing. 

‘They are bad people, Link, awful, vile creatures who berate you, withhold food, lock you in a small room without food, water, or a bathroom for up to two days giving you a trash can instead of a toilet then. Your father is neglecting at best and your mother physically beats you why you would choose them is beyond not just me.’

Quite the phrase, Revali supposes, but Link has always needed reality checks, not sugar-coated bullshit.

“Hm, well, I’m glad you finally made a decent choice about them.”

    Link laughs and Revali finds that even though he wanted to hurt Link (The way Link hurt him just a little, maybe revenge will help him heal) that the laugh he receives instead is sweeter and welcome.

    “Well, Revali, I had to eventually, statistically at least.”

    Revali snorts at that, he regrets it and doesn’t at the same time, letting lInk see him anything but annoyed at his presence is dangerous, but the way his eyes light up at the taller’s mistake is enough to soften the blow, even if his pride is bruised.

    “I suppose so.”

    “I was just coming back from my run to see if you wanted dinner, Mipha and I were thinking Subway.”

    “I do enjoy Subway,” Revali says noncommittally.

    “Want to come with me to get it?”

    “I suppose that would ensure my order is relayed properly, yes.” Revali nods, letting Link lead him through the halls, into and then out of an elevator, and down a street once they exit the hotel.

    They walk in silence, not awkward but not quite comfortable. Heavy, perhaps, but neither expected different, honestly they expected worse. The men walk along, in step, and each graceful after years of dance.

    The ordering and retrieving and even paying off their walk-in uneventful, though it is raining when they leave the place, Link seems pleased though it is a nice light rain on a hot night it does present the issue of memories.

    (‘C’mon, Rev, not even one kiss?’ It had been raining then, and they had just been reunited after a road trip.)

    He firmly shuts the memories off, he is better off this way, pining and hurting but free on a relationship that ended poorly. He’s better off not letting himself get wrapped up in Link and what that boy does to him.

    ---

    So, that was easier thought than done. The night before the competition’s final Teba’s son got injured and they have to spend at least two days in the hospital, and Teba won’t leave his wife or child, so he’s out of the competition. Mipha sprained her ankle the day before.

    Link grains, looking to Revali, “I talked to the competition judges; they said we can either partner up together or accept that we’re out.”

    “Why?”

    “They said because we’re from the same initial program and emergency issues came up we aren’t cut off. We can find a replacement, ie, team up ourselves, or, we can go home.”

    “I have never gone home empty-handed.”

    “I know.”

    “You are willing to be my dance partner?”

    “Of course I am,” Link says, that glint in his eyes that Revali has missed dearly.

    The night is spent in a choreographing and routine learning frenzy, and they know it’s sloppier than their usual standards, but they also still have the connection they used to. They sleep some, not as much as they should but not as little as no sleep. All in all, not too bad.

    The day of said competition is a mess of coffee, last-minute practicing, and pining from our resident useless gay dance team. And it isn’t until they end the dance, the crowd cheering that the two realize just how badly they messed up, doing this together, being kind.

    Revali drags Link off the stage, glowering at the blonde, “What are you playing at? You were too fast! I had to match your pace, my heart is moving entirely too fast.”

    “I wasn’t.”

    “Excuse me?”

    “I wasn’t.”

    Revali scoffs, but Link is right, he wasn’t.

    “My heart’s fast too,” Link tries.

    “Good.”

    Link shifts then, “I thought I was over this, you.”

    “Oh?”

    “I worried for you, but I figured that was to be expected when I found you bloody and almost dead on the ground of my kitchen with my mother over you.”

    Revali scoffs, “I hardly was on the brink of death.”

    “It felt like it, in the moment.”

    “Well, I suppose so, you always were overly emotional.”

    “Still am.”

    Revali sighs, “Well, surprisingly, I am not over you either.”

    “What?”

    “You heard me.”

    “I did- I just- Not what I was expecting.”

    “Nor I.”

    Link hums, “I don’t suppose you’re free tonight?”

    Revali cuffs the back of the blonde’s head when he smirks knowingly up at the taller, “I am.”

    “And I don’t suppose you’d want to give us another chance?”

    Revali hums, low, soft, unintentional, thinking. Link did choose his parents (His awful, abusive, toxic parents) Over Revali, but he’s moved on, he apologized, he was scared. And he’s here now, no less enchanting and no less Link.

    “One more chance, but if this does not work out, I am not giving you so much as a glance.”

    “Understandable.”

    Revali sighs, pulling Link into an embrace, startling the younger though the blonde hugs back tightly.

    “Just-” Revali sighs, kissing the top of Link’s head, “Don’t make a choice between me and someone like them that ends in the bad one.”

    “Never.”

    “Okay.”

    “You do know I’m not letting you go again.”

    “Sap.”

    Link snorts and Revali knows very well what that means, yes, Link is a sap, his sap. Link is his sap, oh Hylia, Link is his.

    (Maybe Hylia isn’t such a bitch. After all, these two certainly have a wonderful future ahead of them, and even if it is a spoiler for these two, they manage to make the relationship work this time, going so far as to get married and adopt a daughter they name Naru.)

    Link smiles softly, “I don’t think we won.”

    “I think we did, just not the competition.”

    Link snorts, shaking his head. And the world seems brighter, neither had realized how dark it had been. And if they end up curled up in the bed at the hotel that night, third place overall, watching old reruns of some show or other lost in each other, well, that’s their business. Isn’t it?

#ssb writes #legend of zelda #revalink #exchange #fluff #hurt/comfort