Linked AU One-Shots

27. To See Yourself the Way I Do (Joyful June 5)

Prompt: I wish you could see yourself the way I do

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

"I'm just a humble traveller." Those were the words that Hyrule had once used. It had just been a dismissive comment, but it was one that Legend kept heavy in his chest for some reason. That day, when Roolie had said it, it made him so inexplicably angry for some reason. 

At the time, he couldn't figure out exactly why, especially since he had called himself an average nobody. His own comment was almost a tease to himself; anyone else may have described him as such as a child, but he had made a name for himself. Perhaps the Hero of Legend was a bit overselling it, but he was proud of himself and his accomplishments. He was a Hero, and although he wouldn't admit it to anyone else, he wouldn't have it any other way. 

Hadn't that been what Hyrule was doing too? Wasn't that what everyone was doing? So then why did anger boil over whenever he thought of the so-called 'humble traveller?'

Days and weeks passed. That one line still echoed in his brain like an annoying little bug that refused to go away no matter how many times he swatted at it. He found himself paying special attention to every word that Hyrule said about himself and the facial expressions he made when saying it. Dare he say, it was almost obsessive, but for some reason, his chest would not ease until he had heard enough. To prove to himself that he was being overdramatic, that the one comment really was meaningless.

But instead, the tightness only grew stronger as he compiled the evidence that the opposite was true. It was subtle, but what little Hyrule spoke of himself in particular was down to the world at best. He never seemed to speak himself as a Hero; the way he spoke made it seem like he just-so-happened to be there, nothing more. It could have been anyone doing the rather remarkable things that he had done. 

And that brought Legend to this night, where the thousands upon thousands of stars sparkled in the sky. They shined and gave a light glow to the land in a way that Hyrule did. It was a light that Legend feared he didn't realize. 

He shivered under the cool night air, drawing his arms in close to himself as he walked to the outskirts of the camp. It was the air, and... nerves, admittedly. He wasn't very good at these things. And so, when he spotted the figure sitting on an old log, he silently sat beside them.

"What are you doing up? It's not your night for watch." Hyrule asked quietly after a few moments. On such a quiet night, anything more than a whisper seemed criminal. 

"Couldn't sleep." He lied. Whether or not the other believed him, Roolie didn't respond. Legend couldn't quite read his facial expressions in the darkness, but what he could read of his body language seemed calm. 

He didn't look over at Legend either, but that wasn't surprising considering he was supposed to be watching. Neither of them spoke for quite some time, silently enjoying one another's company and staring off into the distance. One watched for shadows, one took the time to admire the mountains from afar. But as much as Legend wanted things to stay like that for the rest of the night, he knew that wasn't what he hadn't come here for. 

"Roolie," He whispered as he felt anxiety run down his spine, even more so when the so-called "traveller" turned to meet his gaze. A few moments passed, his throat closing on him.

"What is it?" Hyrule asked just as soft as he had. 

"You're..." Everything in Legend wanted to be prickly to contain his emotions, but he took a few moments to try and keep his uncaring persona out of the way. He may not be good at being touchy-feely, but he couldn't approach this in his usual sarcastic tone. "Amazing, you know that?"

Even in the shadows, Legend could read the surprise that ran through his successor in that moment. "Do you really...?"

"Yes, Roolie. There's really no one who can do the things you've done. And..." He found a blush heating his cheeks, making himself glad for the cover of the night to hide behind. "You just... glow, or-- or something." 

Perhaps if it had come from anyone else, Hyrule wouldn't have been so quick to trust the words. But coming from the veteran, who avoided mushy gooey emotional sap like nothing else, he believed him immediately. He lept right in for a hug, giggling to himself at how Legend let out a surprised sound. 

"Thank you, Ledge." It may take time to fully convince himself, not just in this moment, but even his lowest of lows. But if Legend of people had gone out of his way to tell him this, then he wanted to believe it with his whole heart.