Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It began with just a cough. Something Legend just waved away, even as his throat sounded like it was trying to tear itself into pieces. Ravio could almost see where this was going from the very start.

But of course, Legend either didn’t see it or just didn’t care to acknowledge it.

Because what started as a cough quickly became a cold, complete with a fever and a scratchy throat that had everyone concerned.

Ravio had said that Legend should stay home today, but of course when he commits to something he stays committed. Regardless if the others would understand if he couldn't come because he was hacking up a lung .

At least Legend has the decency to look a little apologetic as he sits in the passenger seat of Ravio’s car. Or maybe that’s because Ravio is very clearly frustrated with his boyfriend’s lack of self-care.

Ravio sighs and parks as close to Goron City Coffee as he can. It’s not as close as he’d like, but this close to the holidays, Kakariko is bustling with people―friends spending the last precious moments together before they have to say goodbye for break, families window-shopping, teenagers relishing in a snow day―which means that Ravio has to park a street over from their usual hangout spot.

Legend begins coughing again (as he has this entire morning) when he gets out of the car, the cold no doubt irritating his throat.

“We can still go home,” Ravio says.

Legend shakes his head, tugging his red scarf over his nose and mouth. Even under the scarf, he’s visibly pale. “We’re already here. Might as well go.” The scratchy throat isn’t helping his cause, but Ravio knows Legend won’t take no for an answer.

So Ravio just sighs. “If you start sounding worse, I’m dragging your ass home.”

He probably wouldn’t be able to. They’re about the same size and Ravio wasn’t exactly a star in gym class (and apparently before the Accident, Legend had been. It's hard to imagine that, having only known Legend with the limp and ever-somber eyes). Ravio can only hope that Legend will be too sick to argue if it comes to dragging him to the car.

Ravio mentally shrugs. He’s sure he could get Twilight to do something if worse came to worse.

Legend waves one hand dismissively and begins walking, leaning more heavily on his cane thanks to the cold air. Ravio hurries after him, and only a few short minutes later, the two of them are wandering to the door of Goron City Coffee, the quaint little shop packed to the brim with students with computers.

Inside, it’s nice and warm, and Ravio tugs his scarf away from his face to breathe in the rich scent of coffee. It’s decorated for the holidays, holly and evergreen tangled about the rafters. It’s the perfect image of cozy, and if Ravio were here alone, he’d head right over to the large fireplace off to the right and spend a good few hours there.

But they’re meeting the others, which means they go to the large table to the left―the only table large enough to fit them all, and even then stragglers have to pull over chairs anyways.

Wild is already there, settled between his twin and Twilight, a computer open in front of him although he’s clearly talking with Hyrule across the table. Spirit seems to have been able to avoid socialization today, because Wind is there alone, sitting beside Hyrule and bent over a book, tongue peeking out of his mouth. Sky is there too, leaning back with a book in his hand, and next to him is Sun. Four’s bent over to the table, tinkering with something like always,

Ravio and Legend step toward the table and claim the last two free seats. Sky looks up from his book with one of his usual semi-sleepy smiles.

“Hey,” he says.

“Hi!” Ravio grins, tugging his coat off and beginning to unpack his bag. He doesn’t miss the way Age looks like he’s severely regretting coming. Well it’s not Age’s fault he’s the only other business major here!

He also doesn’t miss the stink eye that Four is sending to Legend from across the table. “You should be at home.”

Legend huffs. “I’m fine.”

Ravio almost feels bad for him for all of the unimpressed glances sent his way. Though, in a sense, Legend does also deserve it. His face is way too pale, his cheeks and nose are beat red, and he sounds like he swallows sandpaper for fun.

“You said that yesterday,” Four huffs. “And you sound worse than then.”

“It’s just a cold,” Legend insists.

Four grumbles. Ravio doesn’t miss the way Hyrule scoots away just a little bit.

“I’m fine,” Legend insists again, quieter this time. His voice sounds no better for it.

No one pushes it further, but the looks people give Legend every time he starts coughing are telling enough. Eventually, the coughing goes on so long that Twilight finally lets out a heavy sigh.

“Legend, you should go home. You sound horrible,” Twilight says.

Sky nods. “Yeah. We can hang out again once you’re feeling better.”

Legend coughs―again―into his fist. It looks like he’s done next to no work, his coughing too bad to do much more than wait for the next fit. Now that Ravio’s really listening, his breathing is tight, almost whistle-y.

That’s not good, is it?

“I’m―” Legend begins, then sucks in a breath that’s definitely wheezy. He goes quiet instantly, eyes wide and hand pressed against his chest.

“Link?” Ravio asks unsurely.

“Yeah,” Legend breathes. “Yeah, I think you guys are right.”

Immediately, all eyes are on him, wide and worried.

Legend isn’t one to immediately admit something’s wrong. Even when his leg is killing him, he’d rather die than admit it. If he’s sick enough to decide he ought to rest, he’s sick enough for there to be something wrong .

“Ledge?” Hyrule asks unsurely. “Do you need to go to the doctor?”

“No!” Legend snaps, then starts coughing again. He sucks in a deep, labored breath once he’s done. Legend’s shaking a little, and Ravio can’t quite attribute all of it to Legend’s fear of hospitals. “I just―Let’s go home, Ravs. Unless you don’t want to go yet, someone else can…”

Ravio shakes his head, putting a hand on Link’s. “No, I’ll drive. I’d rather be with you if you feel this bad.”

Legend just nods, but he’s still shaking a little, clearly distracted. Even so, when Ravio urges him, he stands easily, and doesn’t need help pulling on his coat or wrapping his scarf around his face, even if Ravio can hear him breathing a little too hard.

The problem comes when he moves to walk. Immediately, Legend’s stumbling and it’s just pure luck Ravio had already started moving, and thus was right behind him to catch him before he toppled to the floor.

Twi’s immediately on his feet and rushing over. Ravio’s hand is on Legend’s forehead in an instant, his boyfriend leaning most of his weight against Ravio. And he is burning up, way too hot and breathing still way too wheezy. He begins coughing again, sounding like he’s truly hacking up a lung.

“Link, Link I think Hyrule’s right,” Ravio tells him and Legend shakes his head.

“No. No doctors,” Legend murmurs.

“I think we have to,” Ravio answers.

Legend whines.

“I’ll drive,” Twilight offers. “My truck’s right outside.”

“Okay.”

Ravio and Twilight do manage to get Legend hoisted between them and help him walk out of the coffee shop, and then hoist him up into Twilight’s truck. Ravio climbs in after him, tugging Legend as close to him as possible. Twilight hurries into the front and wastes no time in beginning to drive.

“Hylia’s office okay?”

“That’s perfect,” Ravio answers.

Twilight nods.

The drive is both way too long and way too short. Way too quiet, with not a word shared between any of them, yet the wheels thrumming against the road seems impossibly loud . Legend stays curled up beside Ravio, still wheezing, his hands clutched tight around Ravio’s arm. Ravio can’t decide if Legend’s nervous about how sick he is, or if it’s simply the fact that he’s in the car.

Ravio runs a hand through Legend’s hair. Somehow, he should have seen this coming. Alfon had once said Legend had always gotten sick easier than other kids. They’d never been able to figure out why, even to this day.

Kakariko’s hospital isn’t gargantuan, though it is a decent sized place, and Twilight parks in the visitor parking before deciding to just carry Legend to the doors since Legend doesn’t seem keen on making going inside any easier for them, whining the moment Ravio tries to get him to leave the truck and clinging tighter to Ravio’s arm.

Maybe it’s the fact that he’s getting carried that gets Legend seeing a doctor even faster than it normally would, leaving Ravio and Twilight to do nothing more than wait. Ravio flutters nervously, tugging at his own scarf as he waits. He hates hospitals. They’re always so noisy and bright.

He hates them even more when someone he loves is inside of them.

Suddenly, a thought occurs to him: “Shit. We forgot Legend’s cane.” He doesn’t know why it’s this thought that comes to him but it is. The mundanity of it almost makes him want to laugh.

“I’ll text the others,” Twilight says. Not even two minutes after sending said text, Twilight reports, “Sky’s bringing it.”

Ravio nods, and goes back to fiddling. He remembers he ought to text Alfon, so he does, and of course the man is ready to drop everything once he learns Legend’s in the hospital. Ravio wishes it weren’t so common, between doctors appointments, surgeries, sicknesses, and mental breakdowns.

Ravio sighs, watching the clock.

“He’ll be okay,” Twilight assures, patting Ravio’s shoulder.

Ravio whines a little. “I’ve never seen him this bad.”

“He’ll get through it. He always does,” Twilight reassures.

Ravio breathes out a sigh. “Yeah.” Legend is a fighter. It’s one of the things Ravio admires about him.

Except for when that turns to stubbornness and gets Legend put in the hospital.

But Ravio decides not to think about their current circumstances. He can’t do that very well when a doctor is walking up to them, though.

He’s immediately sitting up straighter as the doctor introduces himself. Ravio’s a little disappointed it isn’t Hylia—she’s probably the only one who could keep Legend calm in a hospital, and only because they usually bring Legend to her whenever he needs professional help. Familiar faces help, and Legend and Sky are particularly close, which means Legend and Hylia are close by proxy.

“He’s doing well for his condition,” the doctor explains. “It’s pneumonia. You boys did the right thing by bringing him here.”

“Can you tell us anything more?” Ravio asks.

The doctor sighs. “I’d rather we keep him overnight, because of his fever and his condition. He’s still having some trouble breathing. We have him on antibiotics now, though.”

Ravio nods. “… can I see him?”

“Yes.”

Something loosens in Ravio’s chest, and he gladly follows the doctor through the door and winding halls of the hospital. It feels like forever that they’re walking before the doctor brings Ravio to a patient room, where Legend’s sleeping on the bed in the center of the room.

Like always, it’s painfully stale, with the usual cool blues and grays of hospital rooms. Legend’s hooked up to a variety of machines, a mask on his face to help him breathe. Even still, he coughs in his sleep.

It isn’t right, seeing Legend laid low like this, confined to a hospital bed.

But it’s what they needed to do.

Ravio sighs and settles on the chair near Legend’s bed. Now all that’s left to do is wait until Legend wakes up.

Chapter Text

Legend doesn’t wake up before the hospital staff decide that Ravio and Alfon have overstayed their welcome, and that visiting hours are over. And while Ravio insists more than anything that they need to be there when Legend wakes up, the nurse is persistent. So, they leave together with a walk of shame through the hospital doors.

“How did you get here?” Alfon asks.

“Twi drove.” Ravio’s heart stutters. “ Oh no .” He buries his face in his hands. “I bet my car got towed.”

The very last thing he needs is his father yelling at him over the car or worse, holding Ravio’s quote-unquote irresponsibility over Ravio’s head and just taking the car.

Ravio moans into his hands, only looking up when Alfon puts a hand on his shoulder.

“I’ll drive you downtown,” Alfon says. “Maybe we’ll be lucky.”

Luck is rarely ever on Ravio’s side, but he climbs into Alfon’s truck nonetheless, curling up on the passenger seat and staring listlessly out the window. Alfon doesn’t speak, letting the soft jazz play through the radio and cut through the silence. But it’s like when your knife is dull, so instead of just slicing through what it needs to, it also slices into you too.

Ravio directs Alfon to the street he’d parked on, and maybe for once luck was on his side, because his car is still there, even if there are three parking tickets tucked underneath his windshield wipers.

But he can deal with those on his own, even if the sheer thought of the amount makes Ravio cringe.

“I’ll go back to the hospital as soon as I can tomorrow,” Ravio promises. Which means as soon as visitor hours open again.

Alfon’s face turns soft. “I’ll see you there.”

Alfon waits until Ravio is safely in his own car before backing up and driving the ten or so minutes it takes to get to his orchard. Ravio starts his car, shivering from the cold, and drives off the other direction, the five or so minutes to his, Legend, and Warriors’ shared apartment feeling like forever.

Warriors is still up when Ravio walks in, shoulders slumped. Ravio kicks off his shoes, and is well on his way to holing himself up in his bedroom for the rest of the night.

“I made pasta,” Wars remarks from where he’s sewing at the counter. “Twi told me what happened earlier.”

Ravio hums, but does turn around and get some of the pasta left on the stove. Wars always overcooks it—Ravio swears, if he wasn’t here Wars and Legend would survive off desserts and takeout alone—but at this point Ravio’s tired and just wants to get back to Legend. He scoops a copious amount of pasta into his bowl and settles, exhausted, next to Warriors.

“How’s Legend?” Wars asks.

Ravio sighs. “He was asleep. I’m worried he’s going to wake up. If I’m not there—or Alfon isn’t—he’s going to panic and I don’t know if they know he’s scared of hospitals and…”

Warriors pats Ravio’s back. “Don’t work yourself up.”

“ I’m not !” Ravio insists, huffing and punctuating his point with a bite of pasta. “I’m reacting perfectly normally for a guy whose boyfriend is in the hospital.”

Wars snorts. “Finish eating. Get some sleep.” He pats Ravio’s back. “Legend will be fine.”

Ravio sighs. He knows Warriors is right. Legend has been to the doctors and hospital enough times since the Accident, but with how upset he was earlier, worry can’t help but worm its way through Ravio’s stomach. He finishes eating, though, and says a quiet goodnight to Warriors.

“Hey,” Wars calls before Ravio closes his door. “If you need anything, I’m here.”

Ravio hums. “Thanks, Wars.”

He stalks into his room, curling on the bed. It’s not normal for Legend to be gone. It’s worse with him being in the hospital, all alone .

Ravio tugs the red hoodie Legend particularly likes from the corner of the bed. He’d left it when they headed out this morning (was it really just this morning?), having dressed in an even thicker hoodie than normal. Ravio’s glad for it now, pulling it on and curling up on his side. Legend isn’t here now, but at least the hoodie smells like him.

Ravio falls asleep, and dreams of Legend.

Ravio is waiting in his car right before visiting hours starts. As soon as seven hits, he’s entering the hospital, Legend’s clothes bundled in a bag underneath his arm. Just in case they let Legend come home today.

Alfon is in the waiting room already, and they meet eyes for a second before heading up to see Legend together. The nurse shows them to the room, and thankfully Legend is still asleep.

“Did he wake up at all?” Alfon asks while Ravio hurries into the room. The nurse says something, but Ravio is too busy looking at Legend, making sure everything is still just fine.

Legend doesn’t look right, laid low like this with a breathing mask over his face. His cheeks are still red, the rest of his face pale as death. Not for the first time, Ravio remembers how small Legend really is.

Alfon steps in a few minutes later, the nurse leaving them to stay with Legend.

“He didn’t wake up,” Alfon tells Ravio. “I’m sure he needed the rest though.”

He settles onto the chair on the other side of Legend’s bed.

And now it’s time to play the waiting game.

Legend wakes up later in the morning, groaning and body fighting it for a few minutes. Ravio bends forwards, grabbing Legend’s hand  before Legend is even entirely awake.

“Hey, hey,” Ravio whispers. “It’s okay.”

Legend moans, eyebrows creasing together. His other hand reaches automatically for the breathing mask, and only when his fingers make contact with the clear plastic do his eyes open entirely. He sucks in a breath and Ravio can hear the heart rate monitor speeding up in time with his breathing. Panic fills Legend's eyes, and Alfon is grabbing his other hand before he pulls off the mask in terror.

“It’s alright, Link,” Alfon assures Legend. “It’s okay.” He rubs Legend’s hair away from his face. “You got very sick, remember? Remember, Link?”

Legend whines, grip tightening around Ravio’s fingers. The heart rate monitor doesn’t slow, and now a familiar long-haired figure is striding in through the door.

Sky’s sister-in-law is one of the tallest women Ravio has met, and her bright blonde hair reaches past her waist, though it’s pulled back into a ponytail right now. She’s dressed in white and blue scrubs, a doctor’s coat over all of it. She smiles sweetly, her eyes serene despite being here for most of her time.

“Hi Link,” she says gently, her voice soft like a flute. She scoots around Alfon, graceful as a lamb as she stands over him. “It’s alright. Breathe with me, okay. In for one… out for two… in for one…”

She keeps counting, and slowly Legend begins breathing with her. The heart rate monitor slows, and Legend eventually lets out a heavy breath.

“Thanks, Hylia,” Ravio says.

Alfon nods. “Yes, thank you Dr. Loft.”

Hylia smiles. “It’s no problem.” She smiles down at Legend too. “Well, now that you’re calmed down, do you want to see if you can take that mask off?”

Legend nods quickly.

“Okay,” Hylia says. “We needed to get your breathing stable. You caught pneumonia, I’m afraid.”

Legend nods, eyes following Hylia as she maneuvers around the bed, fixing equipment, working with the oxygen machine. She props the bed up so she can reach better.

“Alright,” Hylia announces a few minutes later. “I’m going to take it off.”

She unhooks it from Legend’s face gently, pulling it away. Once it’s off, she puts on her stethoscope, pressing the end against Legend’s back and instructing him to breathe.

His breathing sounds better now, thankfully. Hylia releases a breath too. “ Alright . You’re sounding alright, but we’re going to keep you overnight again to make sure your breathing is stable, okay?”

“Okay,” Legend rasps, though his frown is deep.

Hylia smiles. “I’ll bring you some water.”

Legend hums, leaning heavily against his pillows. His bed is propped up at least. He closes his eyes, letting out a heavy sigh. Unfortunately, his cough isn’t gone yet, and it still sounds particularly bad.

He sighs once the fit is over, groaning.

Alfon squeezes Legend’s hand. “How are you feeling, son?”

Legend sniffs. “ Bad ,” he rasps. “When can I go home?”

Alfon rubs his arm. “Hopefully tomorrow. Do you want to come home with me, or with Ravio?”

Legend looks between them, almost looking like the decision is impossible. In the end, he nods toward Ravio. “Ravs,” he says miserably.

Alfon nods, squeezing Legend’s hand. “Alright.”

Hylia comes back, a bottle of water in hand, and she hands it over to Legend. He drinks greedily, like he hasn’t drank anything before in his life. By the time he’s done, nearly the entire bottle is gone.

“So I have to stay here all day ?” Legend groans.

“It’s for the best,” Alfon answers. “We’ll be here all day.”

“M’kay.” Legend nods, slumping down a little.

Like promised, Alfon and Ravio stay until visiting hours end. Aside from regular check-ins from the nurses and Hylia―and then the evening doctor, once Hylia’s shift ends―no one bothers them. For the most part, Legend spends his time sleeping, no doubt drowsy from whatever antibiotics he’s being fed, but neither Alfon nor Ravio leave him alone at all. One or both of them are in the room at all times.

But then eight-thirty hits, and the nurse is reminding them they need to be out soon. Legend doesn’t look at all like he wants to be alone tonight, but he accepts the rule with little more than resignation, and worry hidden deep in his eyes.

Before he leaves, Ravio reaches into the bag of clothes he’d brought for Legend, pulling out a purple hoodie. He hands it, balled-up, to Legend.

Legend stares at it as he unfurls it. “It’s your jacket.”

Ravio shrugs. “I missed you last night, so I slept in yours. It helped.” He sits on the edge of the bed, careful not to disturb all the tubes and wires. “I figured having mine might help. You can’t put it on but…” Ravio shrugs. “You can at least hold it.”

“You wore my clothes?” Legend asks.

“Your fault for buying them too sizes too big,” Ravio chuffs.

Legend huffs, leaning hard against Ravio’s shoulder. His forehead is still too hot, but it’s not as bad as it was when Legend was nearly passed out on the floor of Goron City Coffee. “They’re comfy though.”

Ravio smiles, leaning against Legend. “ They are .”

Legend smiles too.

Unfortunately, the nurse is back not that much later, telling Alfon and Ravio they need to leave. Only then does Legend’s smile fade.

“See you tomorrow?” he asks, though his voice betrays his anxiety.

“Yeah,” Ravio promises. “As soon as we can. Promise.”

Legend nods, and holds onto Ravio as long as he can until he can’t reach anymore. Ravio says one last goodbye to Link before he’s out the door again.

He cannot wait until tomorrow, when Legend is back home where he belongs.

Chapter Text

Of course. Of course the day Legend is getting released from the hospital, Ravio is late .

He’s sure he looks like a cucco with its head cut off, running about the apartment as he gets dressed, shoves some burnt toast in his mouth (courtesy of Warriors), and grabs whatever else he needs. He already brought Legend clothes―but would he need something else? A blanket for the car ride home? He’s stepped in and out of his room twenty times making sure he hasn’t forgotten anything. He checks his pockets (technically, they’re the pockets in Legend’s hoodie but who’s asking), heart stuttering as he fumbles for his keys, but there’s a much bigger concern― where is his phone?

“ Ravio ,” Warriors hisses. His project from last night is still spread across the counter, and the man had woken up about ten minutes into Ravio’s mad dash across the apartment. He’s perched by it now, holding up Ravio’s purple clad phone. “Your dad’s called you three times.”

And now Ravio really, really wishes he’d actually lost his phone. “Oh.” He hurries over, grabbing it. “I’ll answer him in the car. I need to go. Sorry for making so much noise this morning!”

And he’s out. His phone finally stops vibrating for all of thirty seconds before it starts again. Damn, dad really wants his attention today.

Unfortunately, Legend is getting all of Ravio’s attention this weekend.

Ravio slams the car door as soon as he’s in, hooks up his phone, and backs out of his parking space. Soon, he’s on the road, listening to the sound of his phone trying to dial his dad’s.

Yuga wastes no time in picking up. “You could be more punctual.”

“Love you too, dad,” Ravio grumbles. “Look, dad, I’m really busy. I don’t have a lot of time. What do you want?”

“I wanted to remind you that I’m hosting a reception tonight, considering you forgot about my gallery showing last night,” Yuga responds, with that same disdain he talks to Ravio with whenever Ravio does something he doesn’t particularly like.

Ravio had completely forgotten about that. To be fair, he had bigger things to worry about than some art exhibit. “I didn’t know I had to go to that,” he lies.

It’s a big unspoken rule in the Lorule household that you show up to everything , especially when it’s one of Yuga’s events. Ravio has tried to skip them before, and had woken up to his bank account locked for a month. Legend had just about marched up to Yuga’s door to give him a piece of his mind when that happened, and it had only been the combined forces of Ravio, Warriors, and Sky stopping him from doing something that would have intensified the entire situation.

Yuga huffs. “Don’t miss the reception.”

Ravio’s hands tighten around his steering wheel. “But my friend’s in the hospital. I promised to keep an eye on him when he gets out.”

“Your friend’s an adult, perfectly capable of taking care of himself.”

Except Legend has shown multiple times he’s perfectly incapable of taking care of himself when it really matters.

Ravio grinds his teeth. “I can’t just―”

“It was quite embarrassing, you know. Everyone asked about you, and imagine what I had to say when I said you couldn’t make it,” Yuga continues. Ravio practically has this speech memorized by now. “Honestly, if you can’t be responsible enough to show up to your father’s gallery opening, how are you ever managing in school? I ought to just rescind my payments to the school now.”

Ravio nearly crushes the brakes. “You wouldn’t dare!”

“Don’t come to the reception, and we’ll see what I dare,” Yuga answers. “I’ll see you there.”

He disconnects then and there, not even bothering with a goodbye. Ravio spends the rest of the drive trying (and failing) to control his breathing.

If he’s an hour late to being in Legend’s hospital room because of the subsequent panic attack, no one has to know.

Alfon still looks like he knows something happened, and Ravio doesn’t meet his eyes for the entire time they’re there in the morning, waiting for Legend to finally get released.

It isn’t until Legend’s been wheeled out and helped into the car that anyone talks about how quiet Ravio is.

“What’s wrong?” Legend asks tiredly. He’s leaned heavily against the door, looking half-asleep. He’d said he hadn’t slept well during the night, complaining about nurses coming in and out of the room, and he looks the part, nearly overridden by Ravio’s purple hoodie and his blonde hair more unkempt than Ravio has ever seen.

Ravio sighs. “I’m not going to be able to be with you tonight.”

Legend’s eyebrows furrow. “Your dad?”

Ravio nods. “Forgot he had this reception thing tonight.” Ravio decides to not mention the gallery he’d missed―it’ll just make Legend feel guilty. “If I don’t go, he’ll stop paying for my school.”

“He’s a dick,” Legend grumbles, shifting so he’s glaring out the windshield like a toddler having a tantrum.

He coughs into his elbow for a minute, slumping in his seat. He’s still not looking great, but Ravio knows he’ll be better off now that he’s home . As necessary as the hospital was, Ravio knows it’s the last place Legend wants to be, ever .

“Besides,” Legend says, his voice sounding distinctly raspy. “Wars is there, isn’t he?”

Ravio blinks at Legend. “You want Wars to take care of you?”

Legend shrugs. “It’s just a few hours.”

“You yourself said he’s a drama queen,” Ravio remarks.

“Well, he’ll just have to behave himself,” Link answers, with a disturbingly smug look on his face.

Ravio sighs, leaning his head back. He knows he doesn’t have a choice if he wants to stay in school. “ You’d better behave too, Link.”

Ravio is running around again .

Wars thought he’d calm down once Legend was home (he’d passed right out on the couch as soon as they’d walked in, and had only woken up about twenty minutes ago to the sound of Ravio running around), but Wars guesses he’d forgotten just how panicked Ravio’s father can make the usually reserved business student get.

“Are you sure?” Ravio asks again. “I-I’m sure I can figure out something else or―”

“It’s no problem,” Warriors assures him, patting his shoulders. Ravio smells like some sort of fancy cologne―Wars can’t quite name the smell, there’s a reason he’s a fashion student and not a perfume maker―and is dressed to the literal nines , all of his usual purple gone. It looks wrong to see Ravio without anything purple at all. Not even a spec of it on his tie. “You made soup―”

“Not like I’d eat your disgusting ass soup anyways,” Legend grumbles.

Warriors decides to ignore him. “―so we don’t need to worry about food. Besides, I’m sure Legend will just fall asleep. I’ll be out here the whole time working on my project.” He shoves Ravio toward the door. “Now go before you’re late. I don’t trust your dad to not take your car.”

Ravio grimaces. “He would too.” He continues toward the door, pausing by Legend for them to kiss. Warriors is very proud of himself for not making any sort of comment when it lasts too long, but can’t quite stop himself from snorting when Ravio tells Legend, “Be good.”

“ Be good ?” Legend asks, voice raised. “He’s the one who’s a drama queen!”

And of course, because he yelled, Legend begins coughing.

“Says the guy who can’t say a whole sentence without dying,” Warriors answers. “Honestly, whatever will we do with you?”

Legend looks very much like he’s plotting murder. As if to accentuate his point, he throws a pillow in Wars’ general direction. It doesn’t get far, but the threat is there.

“I’m going to go,” Ravio announces, stepping toward the door. “Don’t kill each other.”

“No promises,” both Legend and Warriors call out to him, but the door is already shut and locked behind Ravio.

Legend sighs heavily, tugging his blanket up to his chin and putting his head back down. He curls up, looking very much like a roley-poley. “This is awful.”

“Wow, Ravio hasn’t even been gone a whole minute,” Warriors remarks.

Legend glares again. “I wasn’t talking about Ravio being gone, though that also sucks, for your information.” He takes a moment to cough again. “I’m talking about being sick, dumbass.”

“Don’t you have medicine?” Warriors asks.

Legend groans. “Gotta take it with food.”

“Ravio put some soup by you.”

Legend rolls onto his side, eyeing the bowl like it had personally wronged him. “M’ throat hurts,” he grumbles like a kid, lying his head down. He groans again, lifting one arm up. “Can you grab that pillow?”

Warriors eyes the pillows he’d thrown earlier. “What, and give you more ammunition?”

Legend glares again, waiting expectantly.

Warriors gives him the pillow. “Eat, then take your medicine.” He turns around, sighing. “And you say I’m the drama queen.”

Warriors is satisfied to hear the sound of a spoon clinking against a bowl as he sits back down, going back to his fabrics and needles and thread. This project had been sitting on his shelf for so long―and now it’s nearly due and he needs to get it done by next week. He sighs, and resigns himself to another all-nighter working on this thing.

Legend goes back to lying quietly beneath his blankets, which Ravio had dragged out of their bedroom when Legend fell asleep, curled up. Warriors can hear him sniffling nearly constantly in the background, the sound of it only broken up by the sound of coughing.

Which wouldn’t be a problem―if Warriors wasn’t trying to focus . “Can you be quieter?”

“Sorry I’m sick ,” Legend huffs, and Warriors sees him rub his nose with his sleeve. Gross .

“Use a tissue, you heathen,” Warriors huffs, throwing the box at Legend.

“I’m drowning in them already,” Legend groans. “Think of the environment.”

“Think of the environment in here first and use a damn tissue,” Warriors huffs, tossing the tissue box at Legend. He doesn’t mean for it to hit the communications student in the head, but it does.

“The fuck , Wars?” Legend snaps, but grabs the box where it fell anyways. He still glares at Warriors as he takes one out and blows his nose. He flops back down, letting out a shout as his head hits the arm of the couch instead of his pillow.

“Ooh, did someone say karma?” Warriors asks, turning back to his project.

“I really wish I could kill you,” Legend grumbles.

Blissfully, Legend falls asleep. Unfortunately, it doesn’t last long.

An hour after he falls asleep, Legend wakes with a loud moan, throwing an arm over his face. “Am I dying?”

“You’re not dying,” Warriors sighs, trying his hardest to bite his tongue.

“Feels like I am,” Legend groans. “I think the lights are roasting me alive.”

“They’re not,” Warriors says.

“They hurt though,” Legend says.

Warriors glances Legend’s way. He has his arm thrown across his face, looking like some over dramatic character from a period drama. All he needs is a floofy dress and he’d be playing the role perfectly.

Warriors can’t help it when he says, “Aww, does the princess want the lights off?”

Legend raises a middle finger. “If it was so hard for you to take care of me, I should have asked Hyrule to come over. He cares about me.”

Warriors rolls his eyes. He turns off as many lights as he can, and brings out his task lamp from his room to keep working.

Eventually, Legend turns on the TV, evidently getting bored of staring at the wall trying to sleep. Which would be fine―if it weren’t ridiculously loud .

“Can you turn that down?” Warriors asks. “You’re going to burst my eardrums.”

“I’m not the TV,” Legend answers.

“You know what I mean,” Warriors huffs.

“Sorry you’re such an old man,” Legend responds, and when Warriors looks, he can tell Legend is riling him up on purpose . The cheeky smirk says it all.

Well if he wants to play that game. “And I’m sorry you’re so deaf you need the TV all the way up to hear.”

Legend grumbles. “My ears are clogged.”

“You got pneumonia, not an ear infection,” Warriors says.

“ You try having your heartbeat piercing your ear for two days straight,” Legend huffs. “My ears are still ringing.”

“Might want to get that checked then,” Warriors remarks. “Won’t want you going deaf. You won’t be able to hear my beautiful voice then.”

Legend huffs, reaching for the remote. “I think that’d be a blessing.”

Legend turns down the TV.

Three hours after Ravio leaves, Warriors decides it’s finally time to get Legend off the couch. He’s been sleeping on and off for the past few hours, and it’s about time Legend actually gets a full night of sleep.

Unfortunately, upon being told he has to get up, Legend lets out a huge groan. “But I feel like shit.”

“And you’ll feel less like shit if you sleep,” Warriors answers.

“I’ve been sleeping.”

“You know what I mean.”

Legend gives Warriors a long look, and then hides his face under his blanket. Honestly, he’s such a pain when he’s sick.

“Ledge, get up,” Warriors snaps.

Legend doesn’t answer.

“Legend,” Warriors huffs, and drags Legend off the couch.

Legend lets out a startled yelp, scrambling to grab hold to stop himself from being dragged away, but unfortunately it’s too late, and he ends up skewed haphazardly between the couch, the floor, and the coffee table.

“You’re trying to kill me. You’re actually trying to kill me,” Legend gasps.

“Oh dear, I didn’t realize your bed meant death,” Warriors answers sarcastically. He sighs when Legend doesn’t answer, watching as he maneuvers so he’s sitting on the floor instead, head leaned back against the couch. “Come on. You’re already halfway there.”

Legend groans. “One minute. My head’s actually spinning.”

Warriors sighs, and holds out a hand. “Honestly, can’t make you do anything on your own.” He shakes his head, rolling his eyes.

Legend glowers, but lets Warriors help him up and to his room.

11:48 PM. LEGEND: Do we have popsicles?

11:48 PM. WARRIORS: No.

11:49 PM. LEGEND: … can you get some?

11:49 PM. WARRIORS: I’m not your butler

11:49 PM. LEGEND: 🥺

11:59 PM. WARRIORS: Fuck you which kind do you want?

12:02 AM. LEGEND: Red 🙂

12:02 AM. WARRIORS: Fuck you I’m getting blue

12:22 AM. LEGEND: Thanks for the red popsicles you asshole

12:26 AM. LEGEND: You can have one too if you want btw

12:26 AM. WARRIORS: WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN HAVE ONE TOO??? I BOUGHT THEM

It’s nearly one in the morning when Warriors hears Legend calling. The communications student sounds just as horrible as he had earlier, voice so croaky it’s a miracle Legend isn’t ribbit ing yet.

Warriors sighs and gets up, daring to cross the threshold into Legend and Ravio’s room. He’s pleasantly surprised to find it neater than his own, but he knows that’s only because Ravio is a stress-cleaner.

Legend is lying curled up on his bed in a mountain of blankets, popsicle wrapper in his hand.

Warriors stares. “You were yelling for me. Over a popsicle wrapper ?”

“I didn’t want to get up,” Legend answers.

Warriors groans loudly, hitting his head against the doorframe. “I should leave now. Let you die.”

“You would never,” Legend goads.

Warriors grumbles, but Legend’s right. He sighs and stomps over to him, grabbing the wrapper.

“It’s. Sticky ,” Warriors snaps, takes two steps toward where Legend’s and Ravio’s desks are lined up against the wall, and pointedly lets go of the wrapper, letting it flutter down into their trash can. “ Better , your highness?”

“ Very ,” Legend huffs. Then, with a twinkle in his eye, adds, “ Mr. Court Jester .”

“I am not―” Wars begins, then sighs heavily. “If I’m the court jester, you’re a bastard prince.”

“I’m already a bastard, thanks,” Legend answers with a cheeky grin.

Warriors makes a point to shove him on the way out.

“ Ah! He’s tried to assassinate me. For the second time tonight!” Legend gasps overdramatically, rolling onto his back and throwing an arm over his face.

“And I’ll try again if you keep pulling this shit,” Warriors grumbles.

Warriors hears Legend before he sees him.

“Go back to bed,” Warriors says, sending Legend a glare out of the corner of his eye.

“No,” Legend huffs, and flops onto the couch again. He spends a moment coughing miserably, one arm flopped over his brow.

“Are you trying to infect everyone in this apartment?” Warriors asks.

“Come over here and I’ll cough on you,” Legend snaps, and curls on his side.

It’s extremely telling that he doesn’t bother instigating further. Legend absolutely could, and usually would go further. It’s how he and Warriors are .

“Hey,” Wars says, abandoning his project and sitting on the end of the couch. Legend moves his feet up for him to sit. “Are you okay?”

Legend doesn’t say anything, staring listlessly at the back of the couch.

“Ledge?” Wars asks.

Legend sighs, and pulls the blanket up over his face, curling up tighter. Slowly, Warriors reaches out and rubs one of his legs.

“Nightmare?” Warriors guesses.

Legend hums an affirmative.

“... was it about her ?” Warriors asks softly.

Legend peeks out from the edge of his blanket, blonde and pink hair frizzy from being underneath it. He shrugs, not looking at Warriors.

“What was it about, then?” Warriors asks.

Legend curls tighter. “‘M worried ‘bout Ravio,” he says instead. “It’s late. What if― it’s a fancy party. He was drinking―what if he―” He breaks off with a cough for a minute. “―what if he doesn’t come back?”

“He’ll be fine.” When Legend doesn’t look particularly convinced, Warriors sighs, and lifts his arm. “Come here. We’ll wait for him together.”

Legend wastes no time in laying his head on Warriors’ lap instead, letting Warriors run a hand through his hair. Warriors quietly turns on the TV. He sees Legend’s eyes flitting between the movie and the clock.

“Sorry for ‘bein a pain,” Legend says suddenly, his voice small.

“You’re not a pain,” Warriors answers, rubbing his shoulder. “If anything, I am. Sorry for giving you shit.”

Legend tugs his blanket closer to his chin until only his head is visible. “You had your project you had to work on.” He presses his face into Wars’ leg. “What a horribly timed cold. Ravs had that stupid party, you have your project―”

“Hey,” Wars says. “The project is my fault. I was putting it off for a while. And you know the party is Yuga’s fault.”

Legend grunts. “Wish I could punch that asshole.”

“I know you do.”

“I hope I killed him in another life.”

Warriors sighs. “I’m sure you did.”

Legend looks particularly proud of that. The expression doesn’t last, however, because very quickly exhaustion settles across his features, and he slowly falls asleep on Warriors’ lap.

Warriors sighs, leaning back to enjoy the movie, one hand staying on Legend’s arm. His project can wait another day.

Ravio sighs heavily, running a hand through his hair. It had of course begun snowing on the way home and of course, no one ever knew how to drive in the snow and had gone five under the entire half an hour drive.

He didn’t mean to be gone this long. He hopes desperately that Legend’s okay.

He hurries to the front door, fumbling with his keys and stepping in, kicking off his shoes and throwing his jacket off to the side. He’ll pick them up in the morning―Legend is more important now.

“Hey,” a voice says through the darkness and Ravio jumps.

A lamp turns on a second later, and Ravio sees Warriors rubbing sleep from his eyes.

“Is everything okay?” Ravio asks automatically, heart fluttering. If Legend got more sick again…

“Wow. Where’s the hello, how are you, Wars, after dealing with my boyfriend for the past few hours ?” Warriors teases. He shakes his head. “You’re fine,” he assures, then nods to the space next to him. “He just fell asleep. Trapped me here.”

Ravio hums, stepping around the couch and, oh . Legend is curled up, head resting on Warriors’ lap. He’s starting to stir thanks to the light, and blinks tiredly for a moment.

And then he jumps up. “Ravs!”

Ravio smiles gently. “Hey. Sorry I’m late. It started to snow and―”

And Legend is hugging him now, grabbing him tight around the shoulders. Legend’s still warm, not as warm as a few days ago thank goodness, but Ravio has a feeling this isn’t from his fever.

“Missed you,’ Legend says softly. “I was worried.”

Ravio hugs back. He can worry later. “Missed you too.” He draws away, though Legend follows by a half-step. “How about we go to bed?”

Legend rubs his face, gathering his blanket from the couch. “Sure.”

Ravio grins, and as he and Legend head to their bedroom together, he smiles back at Warriors. “Thanks, Wars.”

“You’re welcome,” Warriors calls. “And fuck you, Legend.”

Legend sticks his tongue out, and Ravio tugs on his arm to get him into the bedroom. Legend comes, snorting at whatever face Warriors had made.

Yeah, Legend’s going to be just fine.