Chapter Text
Everybody falls in love with Link.
Mipha was the first. It made sense, in a way. Mipha had never been one to do anything halfway, after all—always the kindest, always the first to extend a helping hand. So when she met Link, she leapt at the chance to break him out of his shell, and it didn’t take long before she leapt headfirst into love, either.
Sidon came second. He had always aspired to be like Mipha in all things, and it appeared romantic attachment was no exception. Ebullient and outgoing where Mipha was more reserved, he was no less stubborn than his sister, and he clung to the possibility of a relationship with Link with the same reckless abandon he did everything.
Zelda came after that. She denied it for a long time, and actually disliked him for a good while before that. They were childhood friends—wherein ‘friends’ is perhaps an overstatement—and her strict parents did their relationship no favors by constantly comparing her to Link. It took time, and it took a lot of soul-searching, but once she stopped viewing Link as an obstacle to overcome and saw him for who he really was, they began to get along much better. Or she got along with him better, anyway; it quickly became clear Link had never really held the same resentment she had. He wasn’t that type of person. The more she saw of him, the more she realized that she loved him, and eventually the evidence was so overwhelming even she couldn’t deny it anymore.
Urbosa and Daruk were not in love with Link, thank goodness, and neither was Revali. He honestly didn’t get the appeal. What’s so attractive about a quiet guy with no discernible personality and all the talent of a wooden block, anyway? So no, he wasn’t in love with Link.
Until he heard him sing.
And that is where this story begins.
More accurately, this story begins when Revali meets Link. Daruk holds a game night every Wednesday. (He’s really into hardcore strategy games, but sometimes he can be plead down to Settlers. When he’s drunk, they can even get him to accept Cards Against Humanity, which is why there’s always alcohol at game nights.) Mipha, Sidon, Urbosa, and Revali faithfully arrive at 7:00 on the dot every Wednesday, because Daruk may not care about punctuality but Revali does, and that’s how it’s always been. Just them and nobody else.
It’s a humid day in August when that changes. Everyone arrives as per normal, but Mipha and Sidon arrive with two blonde kids in tow as well.
“This is Link, and this one is Zelda,” Mipha introduces. “They’re in my Theatre History class.”
“Hello,” says Zelda, and Revali can already tell he’ll like her. She holds herself well. “It’s lovely to meet you all. I’m so sorry to intrude.”
“No worries,” booms Daruk. “A lot of the best games require more than four players.”
Link doesn’t say anything, but he does smile and wave. Revali chalks it up to being shy and writes him off. He has bad posture, anyway.
Urbosa pats the seat next to hers and invites Zelda to sit, while Mipha makes space in between herself and Sidon. Revali ends up across from Link. Daruk gets an entire chair to himself because he’s so big.
“So, how did you all get to talking?” Urbosa asks as she rolls the dice to begin her turn.
“Group project,” Zelda says, rolling her eyes and managing to make it look graceful somehow. “A semester-long thing.”
“Our teacher is having us act out portions of historical plays in groups,” Mipha provides. “We’re doing Mother Courage.”
Everyone nods knowingly. They’re all theatre majors, after all, (except for Zelda, who’s in engineering) and it’s a pretty common production at their school.
“Who are you playing, Link?” Urbosa asks, ever-inclusive, and Link blanches, looking at Zelda desperately. Revali raises an eyebrow.
“Link has selective mutism,” Zelda says, with the air of someone who’s said it a thousand times and is tired of doing so. “He’s playing Swiss Cheese, though.”
Link nods, looking relieved.
“Sorry, but how are you playing anything if you can’t talk?” Revali interrupts, knowing he’s being rude but unable to stop himself. He refuses to shrink at the horrified looks he’s getting from everyone. “Just asking.”
“Link can talk, just not in certain situations,” Zelda explains, then smiles with a grim politeness. “And not to rude blowhards like you.”
Okay, he probably deserved that.
Link is looking down at his lap now, obviously embarrassed. Mipha puts an arm around him. “Sorry about him, Link. He’s just sort of like that.”
“We’re all actually quite nice,” Sidon interjects hopefully. “Promise.”
The atmosphere is sort of awkward, until Daruk interjects gently, “Let’s get to playing, shall we?”
They resume playing, and while Link still has a tint of red on his cheeks, he does resume smiling at everyone.
Except for Revali. But Revali doesn’t care about that, so.
Link and Zelda become a fixture at game night from that day forward, and then they start to show up everywhere else, too. Revali sees Link’s name on audition signup sheets; he sees him walking between classes in the arts building. He watches as Mipha begins to blush more when she sees Link, he watches as Sidon starts to touch Link more—on the shoulders, on the back. He watches as Zelda stops frowning whenever Link’s accomplishments are brought up and starts smiling fondly. The last one pisses him off more than the others, really. He’s not in love with Zelda or anything, but he did think she had more class than that.
All the while, he wonders what exactly it is they see in Link. Sure, he’s nice enough, in a generic way. Maybe that’s what irritates Revali so much about him, actually. He keeps needling Link in hopes that the boy will do anything, anything interesting—but instead, Link just flushes and looks away. On a good day, he’ll frown, but that’s about it. Revali just doesn’t get it.
But then, one day, Revali walks into one of the many practice rooms littered across the arts building. You don’t really reserve them, just get there and hope somebody else is finishing up. He pauses outside the door, listening. Somebody’s in there, which means he’ll have to ask them if they’ll be done soon.
He opens the door as quietly as he can, and a clear voice rings out.
What happens when the music stops?
In the silence will he stay?
One day he'll realize that these feelings
aren't going away.
So we drive ourselves insane
Spinning circles in our souls,
As we dance around and play pretend.
And once again,
Reprise our roles.
Revali listens in amazement, eyes closed. This guy, whoever he is, has the voice of an angel.
So, of course, when he opens his eyes, he sees Link.