Chapter Text
You spend all morning looking for the damn bird. You swear to God this better not be his fault. You’ve talked about this before. Thank Grooseness Link found his Loftwing before the tournament started. If the tournament weren’t about to start, you’d be giving him an earful and a half.
“Well, well, if it isn’t Link! Word around the plaza is, you found that dumb bird of yours,” you hear as you approach the plaza. “Well, that’s just great. Because you and your dumb bird can’t tell time, all the pre-race warm-ups me and the guys did were for nothing. Now I’m all stiff. We’ve been waiting forever for the race to start, and they delayed it for you? I don’t get it. The big flake gets special treatment?”
You’re already fed up with Groose’s dumb bullshit, but before you can start telling him off, Owlin shouts, “The Wing Ceremony will now begin! Participating students, please assemble!”
All the participants get ready to run off the deck, and before you know it, they’ve gone off the ledge. What follows is a riveting competition with some suspicious foul play, but thankfully Link comes out on top. Even though you’re happy for him, you know your best friend must be devastated by his loss.
As you approach your best friend’s back, you catch sight of Zelda jumping off the ledge to surprise Link. They fly off together. You were right. Groose is upset; he just watches them soar away toward the goddess statue.
“Groose, you did really well. You were right there!” you say. He sniffles, his back still facing you. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I still didn’t win. He did, as always.” His voice wobbles, and you don’t know what to say to help him. When Groose sinks into his feelings, there’s not much anyone can say to pull him out of his funk, so instead you walk up and hug him from behind. You hear his sharp intake of breath, and then he turns and returns the embrace.
“Thanks, (y/n)…”
“Of course, anytime.” You breathe out softly. “Let’s head back to the academy so you can rest.”
Still half hugging him, you lead him back to the dorms. Going straight to his room, he humphs as he sits down on his bed. You sit gently next to him, leaning your head against him as you stroke his back.
“I don’t get it. Why doesn’t she ever notice me?” His voice is muffled under his hands.
“I don’t know, Groose. I don’t get it either. You’re truly amazing to me.” You tilt your head to look up at him. “Someday she’ll learn to see what I see.”
You sit there for what feels like hours until a ruckus around the academy interrupts you. Slowly, you both rise to investigate.
Just then, one of Groose’s goons barges in and shouts,
“Zelda is missing!”
We then sit there for what feels like hours. Until we are interrupted by a ruckus around the academy, we slowly stand to investigate the source.
Just then, one of Groose's goons barges in and shouts,
"Zelda is missing!"