Chapter Text
VENCE’S POV
It was another fight to fend off incoming monsters from Tanagar Canyon.
Vence was one of the soldiers who volunteered to assist in pushing back enemy attacks whenever needed; it was the least he could do.
He’s normally pretty effective on the field, especially when fighting alongside Calamo and the KC. His speed and overall martial versatility made him good against bigger and slower enemies.
However, to anyone who has been paying attention, Vence’s performance has been gradually worsening.
It was the most telegraphed attack from a Boss Bokoblin. It went through all the motions of reeling its sword back, but Vence’s eyes were elsewhere when it let loose a heavy swing. He only snapped back to reality when the blade was already 2ft from his torso. Unfortunately, he was only able to partially avoid the strike, and searing pain exploded in Vence’s side as the sword sliced his midriff.
It knocked him over, and a cry of pain came from him as he staggered. He scrambled to put pressure on the wound with his free wing but was soon surrounded by a mob of monsters that accompanied the Boss Bokoblin.
Before he was cornered, the monsters suddenly shook and screamed from a burst of electricity behind him. The attack was quickly followed up by a large sweeping blow made by an elongated arm sporting a familiar shade of green.
He sat there in awe as the cries of freshly defeated bokoblins echoed in the air, but he was soon shaken from his semi-trance by an energetic voice.
“Vence!! Are ya okay, man? I saw ya take a real nasty blow just there!”
When Calamo rushed over, he had a visceral reaction to what he saw.
“Ouch… that does NOT look good.”
Vence looked down to see a concerning amount of blood leaking out despite his putting pressure on it. Lifting it up displayed his underwing completely soaked in deep, red blood. Calamo recoiled again.
“Oh Goddess! Put it back! Put it back!! Just stay here! My bud and I will take care of that big lug no pr-”
A deafening roar interrupted him. The Knight Construct brought a Stone Smasher about half his size down onto the Boss Bokoblin, and it went limp.
Without missing a beat, the Knight Construct turned to face the fallen Rito, already moving on from the dissolving monster behind him.
“Yeah! See? We gotcha! Ain’t nothin’ he can’t do that’s for sure! But anyway, we gotta getcha to the infirmary.”
Vence hummed absentmindedly and didn’t protest as the Knight Construct lifted him up and let him lean on his shoulder.
Thankfully, the battle was right outside the temple, so they didn’t have to walk too far. As they brought him in, Vence caught sight of a certain someone in a bird Zonai mask. He felt a pang in his chest, and he began to turn his body to face away from him. However, the sudden movement caught the Knight Construct off guard, and both of them stumbled. A string of apologies came from Vence, and a bout of alarm came from Calamo.
“Whoa whoa whoa! Vence! Slow it down a bit, will ya!? You’re gonna knock him clean over!”
“Sorry! I’m sorry! I-I think I’m a bit dizzy.”
“It’s fine, I guess. Just take it easy; I’ll go let Raphica know you’re alright-”
Vence panicked again and shook his head.
“No, no, no, PLEASE don’t tell Raphica I’m here. I-I’ll be fine. I- uh- Pinnec! Tell Pinnec instead.”
“What? Why not Raphica??”
“Well- Pinnec is- he’s more reliable. Yeah, he’ll know what to do.”
“Are you sayin’ we aren’t reliable too!?”
“No! No!! I’m not saying that- I- just trust me, okay? It’ll be better if you tell Pinnec instead. Please.”
Calamo sighed.
“Alright, if that’s really what ya want, we’ll tell Pinnec.”
The med team finally arrived, and they thanked the KC as they took Vence into their care, leaving the duo alone.
~~~~~~~~~~
CALAMO/KNIGHT CONSTRUCT POV
As Calamo watched the Rito get escorted away, he couldn’t help but feel slightly annoyed. He huffed as he and the Knight Construct turned away to go and look for Pinnec.
“Y’know, bud, I swear he’s been actin’ real weird lately. Is that just me?”
The other didn't respond, but he wasn’t expected to.
“When we first met him, he was a great fighter! I mean, you’ve seen how he wields that ol’ Feathered Edge of his or whatever it’s called. He’s got some crazy acrobatics.”
Calamo climbed onto the KC’s shoulders to get a vantage point as he continued to rant.
“I tell ya, he’s the only guy I’ve seen that’d still be able to slice ya in two even if he had both his arms cut off! Or wings. You oughta see him sparrin’ with Raphica, too, bud. I don’t know how he keeps up with the guy! Now he’s been gettin’ done in by the slowest monsters in Hyrule! Did I also mention he's been way less chatty than usual? WHAT is goin’ on with him!?”
The two of them made their way to the designated area where food was stored and served; it was the closest thing to a cafeteria they had there in the canyon. Mineru was able to create plenty of portable pots to go around, so people could prepare food for both themselves and the general army. King Rauru set up a system of keeping half of the supplies for rations and the other half for the people. He wanted to give them some sense of normalcy while making sure supplies didn’t run too low. It also helped boost morale!
The dish being served today was a nice Tomato Soup. A Hylian volunteer smiled as they saw the pair approach.
“Afternoon, Calamo and Knight Construct! Is there something you need? I’m pretty sure neither of you needs to really eat.”
“We don’t, but it's not for us. A friend of ours is injured, so he can’t exactly get it himself. Would ya mind if we snagged a bowl?”
The volunteer nodded.
“Of course, no problem!”
They took out an empty bowl made from zonai tech and poured a hearty portion from a nearby pot before handing it to the KC.
“I hope your friend is doing alright. This will definitely cheer him up.”
Calamo huffed.
“Yeah, I sure hope so. Anyway, thanks a lot.”
The KC turned and began to walk away. Before they could get five steps, Calamo suddenly gasped and pointed over to the left.
“Oh! Oh! That’s him, right? There’s Pinnec!”
Not too far to their northeast was a Rito with cool grey feathers facing away from them. Even though they couldn't see his face, the two long, indigo feathers coming off the top of his head made him easily identifiable. He was currently sitting down on the floor, polishing his Feathered Spear.
Calamo meandered over to him with the Knight Construct carrying the bowl of soup in tow.
“Hey there, Pinnec ol’ buddy ol’ pal!”
Pinnec looked up from his weapon upon hearing his name.
“Ah, good afternoon, Calamo and Sir Knight Construct. Have you a need for me?”
The old man greeted them with a nod. He wasn’t much for smiles, but he had great projection. He spoke with reverence and grandness that illustrated a firm personality, but not stuck-up pride.
Calamo strode up to him.
“Eyup! Sure do! Vence sent for ya! He got injured keepin’ monsters at bay, and he wanted to let ya know he’s alright.”
Pinnec hummed, his tone slightly losing its reverence.
“Again? And he decided to tell me over Raphica? How odd.”
The last portion was definitely sarcastic.
“Yep. We were GOIN’ to tell Raphica ‘cuz, y'know, they always meet with each other after a fight, and he’d obviously want to know if Vence is okay. The second we turned around, though, the guy freaked out and said to tell ya instead. Did somethin’ happen between ‘em? I’ve NEVER seen him reject an opportunity to spend time with his BEST FRIEND of all people.”
The Knight Construct watched as Pinnec’s face gradually turned into one of utter exhaustion with each sentence. Once Calamo was done rambling, the Rito’s voice was now flat and had a tint of irritation to it that the korok didn’t pick up on.
“Is that so?”
“Yessiree, Mister Pinnec. Exactly what he wanted.”
Pinnec put down his Feathered Spear and stood up.
“As a matter of fact, I do know what happened between them. Would you mind showing me to his cot?”
Calamo nodded.
“Sure! It's not too far.”
~~~~~~~~~~
VENCE’S POV
Calamo and the KC, who was still carrying the soup, led Pinnec to the medical bay where Vence was temporarily staying. When they handed him the meal, he happily took it and thanked them for getting it. However, his mood changed when he saw the older Rito approaching.
He swallowed a lump in his throat and looked away, but Pinnec was having none of it. He spoke to him with a complete deadpan.
“It has been a decade. I will not be subjected to watching any more of your nonsense. I assure you with every bone in my body and every feather on my skin that it will not go wrong. Tell him.”
Vence shrank back and sputtered.
“W-well, it’s not THAT-”
Calamo was immediately confused.
“Wait, huh, what? What’s gonna go wrong?”
Vence opened his mouth to respond, but Pinnec was quicker.
“Vence has had affections for Elder Raphica for the past decade and has foolishly permitted it to build to the point of affecting his battle performance. Tell him.”
Vence’s face went hot as a burst of adrenaline shot through his veins. He frantically looked around to see if anyone else was nearby.
“I WILL I WILL- just- you don’t need to say it so LOUD- geez, really ripping off the bandage here-”
Calamo gasped.
“Is that true, Vence? Are you really in love with Raphica??”
Pinnec answered, which only served to get the other Rito worked up again.
“Deeply.”
“PINNEC”
Vence put his head in his hands.
“OKAY OKAY FINE- Yes. I… I am in love with my best friend. Goddess, this is embarrassing.”
He let out a long sigh. When he lifted his face up, it was clear he was MISERABLE.
“Trust me, I WANT to tell him! I really do, but-!”
His breath hitched in his throat as he suddenly spotted something from above the rest of the party. A brief gust of wind came down, and a familiar white-and-brown-feathered Rito landed from above. Raphica rushed to his side.
“Thank Hylia. There you are, Vence. I didn’t see you come back with the rest of the resistance group, so I was afraid you were here again. Looks like I was right.”
Vence’s face and demeanor shifted the second Raphica arrived on scene. He was now perked up with a much brighter smile rather than the drained and empty expression he had not a minute before.
“Ah, sorry about that. Hope I didn’t scare you too much.”
“You kind of did, if I’m gonna be honest. This is the third time you’ve been in the infirmary in the past week. Are you feeling alright? It’s okay if you need to take a break.”
Raphica sat down on the cot next to him, and he finally saw the other three standing there.
“Oh, hey, Calamo. Knight Construct. Pinnec. I’m guessing you guys brought him here?”
Calamo gave him a short wave.
“Hey, Raphica! We sure did! Or at least my bud here did. We were just tellin’ him the same thing before ya flew on down.”
Pinnec nodded and corroborated his claim. He, too, had shifted his attitude along with Vence. He no longer had a look of annoyance and was back to his normal self. Raphica leaned against Vence and gave him a playful nudge.
“See? I’m not the only one who’s noticed.”
The other opened his mouth to speak, but changed his mind and waved his hand dismissively.
“No, I’m fine. I’ll just train harder. It’s no big deal. No one’s perfect, right?”
Raphica turned his whole body to face him and looked him up and down incredulously. That was all Vence needed to get the message, but he was still concerned.
“But what about the training grounds? Who’s going to run it while I’m out?”
Pinnec stepped forward.
“I will gladly be your substitute. I have done my own fair share of coaching in my day, and I remain plenty capable.”
Raphica looked up and tilted his head at the veteran as a sign of thanks.
“You hear that? You’ve got nothing to worry about."
He gave Vence a small smile and rubbed his back to comfort him.
"C’mon, Venny, just take some time for yourself. You deserve it.”
Vence held himself back from leaning into the touch as he let out a defeated sigh.
“Alright, if you insist. Just don’t do anything stupid while I’m here.”
Raphica got up from the cot and pivoted on his talons to face him as he walked away. He shrugged sarcastically and spoke in a teasing, singsongy tone.
“No promises~”
“Oh, shut up, you smug bastard.”
Vence playfully quipped back at him, earning a chuckle from the other and lightening the mood. Once Raphica was a few feet away, he turned to include the other three.
“Well, I’m off to go grab some lunch. I’ll see you guys around. You take care of yourself, Vence.”
And with that, he lifted himself into the air and took off.
The second he was out of sight, the color drained from Vence’s face once more, returning him to his previous mood. Calamo, who had stayed quiet and witnessed everything, now spoke with a much lower volume.
“Ooooo ouchie… you’ve got it BAD, huh?”
Vence grimaced and nodded quietly. Pinnec began to step back, clearly planning on going elsewhere.
“I hope you will excuse me, but I, too, must go. I need to prepare for the training grounds.”
He looked back at Vence one last time.
“You have my good wishes and my UTMOST encouragement.”
And with a curt nod, Pinnec, too, flew off, leaving the three of them alone.
Vence remained silent. He hadn’t touched his bowl of soup that had long since gone cold. Calamo approached him, speaking with a voice that was a bit gentler than his usual one.
“Hey, you doin’ alright there, buddy?”
Vence drew in a shaky breath.
“Yeah, I just… I had no idea it could get this bad. I WANT to tell him, I promise, but this- this has to be the worst possible time for it! We’re in the middle of a WAR for crying out loud, and Raphica’s one of the major players! I can’t be out here distracting him with that kind of nonsense. He’s got SO much bigger fish to fry.”
Vence sighed and rested his head on his fist.
“I want to wait until the war is over. Once all of this is back to normal, THEN I’ll tell him. I… I can tough it out until it ends. I’ll be out of here soon. I’ll just need to focus on training harder, and I’ll be fine.”
When he finished venting, there was a small moment of silence between the three of them. The other two turned to look at each other and then back at Vence before Calamo spoke up.
“Hey, so… I dunno how to tell ya this, pal, but I think ya might need to fess up.”
Vence winced.
“I mean, it’s makin’ ya forget ya skills, and right when things’re heatin’ up, too. You’ve been doin’ ya best to try and hide it, but it’s puttin’ ya in danger! If ya ask me, I’d be waaaay more stressed and distracted if my bud here kept comin’ back from every fight all wounded like that. I get you’re tryin’ to help Raphica, and that’s great! But if there’s one thing that’s NOT gonna help him, it’s YOU DYIN’!!”
This did little to soothe Vence’s worries, but he didn’t push back against it; he knew he was right. Calamo approached the Rito and placed a branch on his leg.
“Look, I get you’re nervous. Anybody would be! Except maybe me. But I think it’d be better for everyone if ya just shoot your shot.”
Vence’s face was still clearly one of discomfort, but he knew Calamo was right. If it were the other way around and Raphica died, he wasn’t sure if he’d have the strength to lift up a blade again. Honestly, he’s embarrassed that he hadn’t realized it earlier.
“I… I assumed as much. My biggest hurdle is knowing HOW to tell him. I’ve… never done this kind of thing before.”
Calamo was taken aback by that.
“Really? Ya haven’t? But you’re so charismatic! If ya told me you’d had multiple girlfriends-or boyfriends-before, I’d believe ya in a heartbeat!”
Vence shook his head.
“I’ve never felt this way about anyone else before, and women don’t really appeal to me. It’s only been Raphica.”
The korok hummed, making a clicking sound while thinking.
“Huh… I wish I could help ya, pal. I sympathize with ya, but us koroks don’t really deal with this kind of thing. It’s like knowin’ how to read, but not knowin’ how to write. I doubt my bud over here has any experience either.”
Vence shrugged.
“It’s alright. I’ll think of something.”
“Well, if you’re sure, I guess I’ll leave ya to it. Make sure ya get some rest, though. My bud and I are gonna go do some trainin’ before the next time he starts runnin’ off.”
Calamo gave him a wave before he and the construct both began to walk away.
“Wish ya luck!”
~~~~~~~~~~
And then there was one.
Vence stayed there quietly for a while, internally scolding himself while eating his soup. He couldn't believe he let things get to this point. It was entirely his fault for stalling for so long, and now look where it’s gotten him. He sighed as Calamo's voice echoed in his mind:
'...I'd be waaaay more stressed and distracted if my bud here kept comin' back from every fight all wounded like that...'
Well, if he was gonna do this, he didn’t want to mess it up. Sure, he might be overthinking this, but you can never be too safe. He’s met so many friends and acquaintances during this whole ordeal. There had to be SOMEONE he could turn to…
After a few moments of silence, Vence’s eyebrows suddenly shot up.
He knew exactly who he could ask.