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"You idiot, what are you here for?" Revali scoffed, landing only a few feet in front of Link.
He had learned early on that Link wouldn't stop immediately if someone were to appear in front of him- giving a few feet of distance was best. Besides, the distance gave the impression that Revali wasn't desperate to wrap Link's small, cold body up in his wings.
"I was just passing through, thought I'd spend the night here." Link signed, letting his shoulders slump and his face relax from the initial startle.
Revali put his wing over his chest. "So you didn't come to see me? I'm so offended. How dare you."
Link chuckled, and moved to walk around him.
Revali stuck out his wing, forcing Link to stop. "Wait- do you actually not know what today is?"
He shrugged.
"Of course you don't- idiot, how are you possibly so... Ignorant? It's the night before the solstice. No inn in the entire village is going to be open tonight!"
Link backed up. "Ummm... Why?"
"You actually don't know. I cannot believe you. It's not like it's the largest festival the Rito celebrate, definitely not." Revali rolled his eyes, crossing his arms.
"What... Should I do then?"
"Just... Follow me." Revali sighed in annoyance. "And don't make any trouble. You can help me with something."
"What kind of something?" Link grimaced.
"Just follow me."
***
"So... You want me to bake for you."
Revali huffed, pushing his braids back from his shoulder. "That is absolutely not what I said. I asked- very clearly- if you would assist me. It would be quicker, after all."
"Revali."
The way that Link signed his name always got to him, the softness on his face, the gentle motion with his hands. It was mesmerizing- but it wasn't going to take away from the matter at hand. No matter how much Revali just wanted to hold him, to press their foreheads together.
"What?" Revali rolled his eyes.
Link smiled. "I know that you can't cook."
"Fine." Revali turned his head away from that adorable smile. "Then help me out at least- while you're here."
Snickering at that, Link took a step closer and pressed a kiss to Revali's beak.
"All you had to do was ask."
Revali huffed again, now thoroughly ruffled and embarrassed. "Fine then- let's get started."
***
"You're sure they turned out alright?" Link crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow.
He was clearly not convinced, despite the excellent job he had done on the small, ceremonial cakes. Revali was actually quite impressed- though he wouldn't say so.
It was fairly impossible make sense of the traditional recipe, anyway. It only specified things like ingredients, size, and how you were not supposed to put too many berries in.
"They'll do- besides, no one expects them to taste good." Revali fiddled with the end of one of his braids. "The cakes are mostly just tradition, anyway."
Link raised his eyebrow again, leaning against one of the house's beams.
Revali rolled his eyes. "You truly know nothing of the solstice, do you?"
Link shrugged. "It's the darkest day of the year, and you mentioned earlier that it's the biggest Rito celebration, right?"
Revali chuckled, actually impressed with his retention of knowledge- but he wasn't about to say that. "Oh, so you were listening."
It was Link's turn to roll his eyes now, batting Revali on the shoulder.
"If I were doing it," Link furrowed his brow. "I'd add powdered sugar- and some more berries, but..."
He shot an awkward, questioning glance at the recipe book.
"Well, you know about the berries- but..." Revali raised his eyebrows, shifting from foot to foot. "Nothing written against powdered sugar. If it makes them taste better- anything."
At that Link smiled- and got to work.
***
"So, you said they're not really expected to taste good. What are we supposed to do with them?" Link asked, after tucking his now-cleaned sieve back into his bag.
Revali would never know the bounds of that bag, he was sure. It had to be enchanted, or cursed, or something.
"We wait."
"What?" Link clasped the bag.
"Well, I'm not typically done nearly this early- but we wait." Revali explained, sitting down on one of the rocks near the little small pond they were at.
Link rolled his eyes and shot him a look. "What are we waiting for?"
"Nightfall. We leave them out for the spirits then."
"I guess I'll just ask. Why?" Link sat down as well, looking expectantly up at Revali.
"It's not a short explanation."
Link snorted. "We're just waiting- and you know I love to listen to your voice."
Revali's feathers ruffled, and he opened and closed his beak several times before speaking. "The solstice is the darkest night of the year- you know that. And up here, where we are in Rito Village we barely get any daylight. We take this opportunity to celebrate and remember balance."
Revali's brows furrowed as he spoke- practically hearing the elders voice along with his own.
"Legend goes that each star is a soul- one of our ancestors watching from above, in the sky. It's like... The barrier between the worlds is thinner, in a way. The lack of daylight means that the stars and the moon are out for much longer- we have more time to spend together with those we've lost."
Shifting on his place of the rock, Revali took another deep breath.
"The cakes are an offering of sorts- but also an invitation to come close. To come be with... To be near their family. Just for that night."
He swallowed, hard. He didn't want to look at Link- it was just too close of a topic. They were close, but he still couldn't trust him with everything.
"Anyway-" Revali cleared his throat. "All of the lights are turned off so that you can see the stars more clearly, and... It's a weird tradition- a strange festival, really. Everyone sits together and eats cakes with the dead."
"That... Doesn't sound so weird." Link added.
"Maybe." Revali sighed. "Adults typically drink some form of alcohol as well- wildberry wine, or something like that- after they send their kids to bed, that is. Probably to wash down the taste of those awful cakes."
Link laughed at that. "I don't think they'll be too bad."
Revali scoffed. "Typically speaking, the cakes are bland and dry- too full of nuts. The joke is that the dead like them like that."
"Then they might not like ours." Link shrugged with a smile.
"Nonsense." Revali got up from his seat. "Of course, that would be if the dead ate them." He added quickly. "Which they don't."
Link raised a teasing eyebrow. "Who says they don't?"
"Well," Revali rolled his eyes. "None ever disappear- which makes it fairly obvious."
"Okay, okay."
"Would you stop that?" Revali face scrunched in displeasure.
"Stop what?" Link signed in that same, odd way.
"It's like you're pretending to know something that I don't." Revali huffed, crossing his wings.
"Okay, fine." Link got up from his spot on the grass. "But we've still got time to wait, don't we?"
It was in the way Link leaned forward a bit- tongue darting out to wet his lips. The way he leaned a bit more on one leg than the other, the sun catching on his golden hair...
"And what- might I ask," Revali swallowed, leaned in. "Are you suggesting?"
Link leaned in to match, closing the distance so he forehead was almost against Revali's beak. "What do you think?"
Revali let his eyes drift close, but Link stepped away.
"Archery practice?" Link smirked.
Revali- thoroughly embarrassed, ruffled, and a bit disappointed- nodded quickly in agreement.
***
"So..."
Revali blew out the last candle, and Link prepared for them to be plunged into darkness. What he wasn't expecting, however, was how quickly his eyes adjusted to just the light of the stars and the moon. The light was incredible- stirring something in Link that he couldn't quite place.
It was almost a sad feeling, but not quite. More like... Longing. He and Revali both had lost people that they loved. It was strange, but comforting in a way to imagine them up above- watching and waiting in the sky. It was an unexpected end to their day together- after all the baking and teasing- Link had expected something less serious.
Revali exhaled, his breath turning to vapor as soon as it left his beak.
Link couldn't keep his eyes off of him now- the way the moon glinted off of his feathers, his beak... Something about the light was enchanting. He could feel a flush rising in his cheeks, and not just from the cold.
"As strange as it is, it does feel like... It does feel like they're close, almost." Revali breathed into the night.
His voice lacked it's usual grandeur- leaving them just... Together. Just the two of them, no ceremony, or unnecessary theatrics. Link was the one who moved closer, until he was almost tucked under Revali's wing.
Revali ruffled at that, but quickly adjusted his position so Link could sit comfortably but still be so close.
It was just them and the stars- alone, but somehow... Not lonely. The still night air brought an element of peace and calm, the stars dim light gave a sense of being- like all that mattered was the present.
Link moved his face closer, until he was leaning into Revali's chest. Balance indeed- the darkness, but offset by light. Cold, and warmth. Everything, and its match.