Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was evening, the sunset painting the street in rich golden hues, and casting dark blue shadows.

"Let me do this for you," Link pleaded, as he stood face to face with his best friend outside the forge. Orville looked at him with those sweet brown eyes of his, having just locked the gate. He huffed, rolled his eyes, and folded his arms.

"Alright, fine. But just this once! My family isn't a charity, you can't pay our bills all the time," Orville protested.

"Just until your sister gets back on her feet. Then she can help my favorite blacksmith keep raking in the coin," Link promised, smiling brightly. Orville's cheeks darkened to a crimson.

"Flatterer," Orville snorted, giving Link a playful shove.

The two of them wandered down the city street towards Orville's house, which at that point in time had been stuffed full of his extended family. It was getting difficult for Orville to be the only breadwinner, so Link had offered some of his pay, as a knight of the realm.

It was mid-morning, but the sky was overcast, diffusing the light so that everything in the training pavilion looked a muted sort of gray.

"Let me do this for you," Orville begged, his fists clenched as he stood just beyond the fence that separated the sparring grounds from the rest of the pavilion.

"There's nothing to be done," Link said flatly.

"If you won't speak up, let me ," Orville insisted. "They can't send you away now! All you've done is try to warn them!"

"Orville, if I don't head out there, people could die. I love this land with my whole being. I can't let even this slip past my guard," Link argued.

"They'll try to kill you out there," Orville protested.

"They're welcome to try," Link said. Orville's soft brown eyes squeezed shut. Link reached out to grab his hand, but Orville rushed out of the pavilion then.

It was late after midnight, the sky a pitch dark with pale moonlight bathing the streets in gray light and long shadows, the evening torches long burnt out.

"Let me do this for you," Link whispered, his hands linked with Orville's in a small alley behind Orville's house. He kept his voice low, so as not to disturb his family any further. "A gift from me to you. So you know I'll come back to you in one piece."

"What kind of gift?" Orville whispered back. Link pulled his red scarf off of his shoulders. Orville's eyes went wide. The red fabric settled on Orville's shoulders.

"Would this convince you that I plan to return?" Link asked.

"You've never gone on a mission without it," Orville said softly.

"Is it enough?" Link prodded.

"More than," Orville swore, and he leapt at Link, wrapping his arms around his neck. "More than enough, Link. It's everything ."

The dark of the dungeons was brightened by the presence of several torches, bringing a sense of passing time to an otherwise timeless hell.

"Let me do this for you," Orville offered, carrying a clean wet rag and a small bucket. Link trembled, his arms buzzing now that he'd been released from his bonds.

"Please," Link consented easily. Besides, Orville had done so much for him already, repairing his sword and caring for it these long years. And, apparently, caring for his scarf. Link sighed as immedaitely the wet rag came up to his forehead. "I've missed your gentle touch, Orville."

"Link…" Orville's sweet brown eyes were teary and full. Link closed his eyes, leaning into Orville's hand as the rag passed over his face. "These past years have been hard, haven't they?"

"They must have been hard for you, too," Link deflected, opening his eyes again. Orville swallowed thickly, and for a moment they just stared into one another's eyes, like they could pull thousands of days of life out from each other that way. Link hoped Orville couldn't sense the days he spent screaming in rage and despair.

"I missed you. My family missed you," Orville murmured, his gaze dropping to focus on his current duty. Link hummed, closing his eyes again, basking in Orville's gentle washing as the wet rag scrubbed over his neck.

The sky was red with the blood of the fallen, all except a clear blue window that Link had cut open with the light of his divine blade. The earth floated up through this window, taking with it all the people of the kingdom. Taking with it Orville and his sweet, soft, enormous brown eyes.

"Link!" Orville screamed, looking over the side of the island, his arms outstretched. "Link, jump into the light!"

Link wanted to listen. He wanted to join Orville and his friends and their families upon the floating island and escape to the skies like the goddess herself had promised to them.

But he'd known from the beginning of this war that he would not be making it out the other end alive. Link had done this for the people of the kingdom. Link had done this for Orville .

As the island floated into the air, the adrenaline began to fade. And while Orville screamed for him to join them, Link found himself staggering back against crumbled debris. He was heavy. He was cold. He was sticky. He was dying.

Sorry, Orville. But just let me do this for you… one last time.