Chapter Text
"C'mon Revali..." You murmured in a hushed voice watching him skillfully move about flight range.
Very arrow nocked with quick precision, every shot perfectly timed. This had been his best ever run of the course, body and bow one. The way he moved was like he was made to be doing it, made to be in this moment right now. So you watched from the platform with baited breath as each arrow snapped into the targets, sending the pieces upward with the winds of the updraft.
As he nocked the last arrow, aiming at the final target. He drew the string backwards, taking aim-- Before the bow snapped under this grip sending the arrow sputtering pathetically down. With a cry of anger he tossed the remnants of the falcon bow down Revali landed hard on the catwalk.
"Great Hylia! I have never seen any of the guards struggle with these bows in the same way I have!" The blue bird yelled at the pathetic shards of the bow on the ground, before he kicked them into the fire below the cook pot simmering your meal away.
"The falcon bow lasted longer than the sparrow at least." You pointed out watching as he dropped down sitting beside the cook pot.
You joined him sitting neatly beside him with a sigh, you reached up and carefully pulled some loose feathers out as he continued to rant about the bows. Your touch was gentle as you rifled though his feathers, preening your friend up. His feathers really had filled out nicely, he looked more adult despite his short stature.
"If I can't figure out this bow situation I don't think I will be successful in the guard scouting..." Revali grumbled shaking his head a little, "Who wants a guard that breaks every bow he shoots?"
A small frown pulled on your lips as your brows furrowing slightly as you leaned against him, "Hey c'mon now. They've let in folks who can't shoot half as good as you. You'll get in no problem."
"What what if they don't?" He asked his head turning slightly towards you, gazing at you down the slim shape of his beak, "What if all of this really is for nothing? All this work and they don't want some mangy runt?"
Your gaze softened a little hearing his concern, he put up an incredibly brave front, a grandiose facade. A display to show others around the village that he is more than just that poor fledgling kicked out of the rest to early. It really was an honor to get to see this side of him, offer care and comfort.
"You're over thinking it, Revali, it's not like the guards haven't seen you practicing during the day. Heh, I've heard murmurs that they're excited to get you on the squad." You assured gently nudging his hand with your beak as he reached out to preen a couple of your feathers.
He paused gazing at you for a long quiet moment, his hand cupping your cheek gently, stroking just under your eye with a thumb.
"I can't just be on the squad (y/n). I have to be the best." He said his voice low, heavy with implication. Weighed down by something he wasn't quite ready to admit yet, "I have to show them that I am the best. That I am not the worthless baggage they assumed."
"You were never baggage, Revali." You corrected eyes narrowing slightly at the statement
Revali simply chuckled faintly, the sound gentle, amused. His eyes moved from you towards the path leaving the Flight Range as he spoke.
"I want a home in the highest place in the village. Where I could see everything, sorta like being in the air all the time." He said his expression a little wistful as he talked about future things like that.
You tilted your head slightly at the topic change, brows lifting a little at the statement, "That would be neat, seeing the rest of the village like we do when flying... It would be a good way to get any chicks you have used to being up so high."
Revali chuckled faintly as you pointed that out, "Yeah, I guess it would... What about you? What kind of home do you want?"
That was an excellent question, one you weren't really sure how to answer you never really had a preference. Despite your lineage you never had a taste for opulence.
"I dunno... I really like the carvings on the entrance of the chieftain's home... So something with carvings I suppose." You chuckled softly tilting your head back as you thought, "I guess I would just hope my partner had stronger preferences." You added with a small shrug
Revali hummed in acknowledgment nodding slightly to himself.
"What are you gonna do about the Winter Solstice performance? After that it'll be pretty hard to do anything else." Revali commented giving you a sidelong look.
You sighed and closed your eyes shrugging slightly, "I'm not really sure... It's not like I have many other applicable skills. Heh. I could try being a chef."
The Prussian blue bird beside you scoffed, "And poison the whole village with your cooking? maybe something else."
"My cooking is not that bad you ass!" You laughed smacking him on the shoulder for the comment, Revali of course released a loud laugh at your reaction.
Chuckling slightly you shook your head and reclined back slightly looking out over the snowy visage of the land, "But I don't know what I'm going to do Revali... I don't want to be a Sky Dancer, but my options are pretty narrow. And it's not like I wouldn't be good at it... I just wouldn't be happy."
Revali hummed in acknowledgment heaving a heavy sigh. He too was working hard for the slim chance of grabbing at that slippy thing known as happiness. It really was ridiculous the amount of effort needed to be put in for just a glimpse of that joy.
"Well I'll be here for you no matter what happens, be that cheering during a performance... Or sampling your food." Revali said with a dramatic shudder at the thought of your cooking, it made you roll your eyes and smack his shoulder again. He could be a dick.
"Well I'll be here for you even if you aren't the best guard that wows the village with his sheer presence." That got you a playful punch in the shoulder which made you laugh and shake your head, "Anyways I should get going. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yeah.." Revali said sounding almost longing.
The trip from the Flight Range back to the village was a short flight, even shorter back to your home. Though as you entered you paused seeing both of your parents still up clearly waiting for you.
"Mother... Father." You greeted awkwardly
"(y/n). It's time we talk about the company you're keeping... The quality of said company."