Running (FOUR SWORDS FANFICTION!)

Vio's Point of View

I was running.

I wasn't sure what from or why--of course it was from something, me and the others were constantly running from things, we spent half of our journey running from monsters that even the most arrogant and headstrong of the group--Blue--knew we didn't stand a chance. At least it made me a good runner, and I didn't have to worry about whatever it was chasing me actually getting to me, so long as nothing blocked my path or I stopped for too long.

I was in the middle of the forest too, the one that I recognized just by glancing at that one tree, the one that haunted all my dreams and nightmares alike, the one I constantly read about, and drew, and saw everytime I closed my eyelids.

The one I was so stupidly obsessed with.

I slowed, coming to a halt beneath giant tree branches over my head. 

I looked up and looked into his eyes.

It occurred to me that, maybe I hadn't been running from something. I had been running to something.

I scolded myself. This was no "something" this was "someone," he deserved to be treated as such.

"Vio." His tone was deadpan and that worried me. I wanted to know how he was, if this was another nightmare or if this...

He jumped down from the tree he was in and my heart--racing from the run--practically stopped.

I thought he would say something, anything. "I want you dead, Vio."

"You betrayed me, Vio."

"Rutabega."

It would have been better to hear his voice--even if his words could potentially be angry and violent, then just have him staring at me with eyes that held pieces of the sky, filled with pain and sorrow like he was still dying.

No, he stopped dying when he stopped breathing.

I had watched him fade away in front of me and yet here he was, standing when the last time I had seen him, it looked like he couldn't stand, it didn't feel real. It wasn't real.

It wasn't real,

"Shadow." That was all I responded with? Not with "I thought you were dead," or "I'm sorry I tried to smash that mirror, my love, I didn't really have that much of a choice if I wanted to protect Hyrule," or even a "I still love you but understand if you hate me right now." That was what I wanted to say.

But goddesses, I also wanted to say his name. I wanted to repeat it over and over again until all I knew was his name, that one word.

There was just silence between us. What did I do? I wanted to apologize, didn't I...?

He took a step forward an then just tackled me to the ground, arms around my waist and his face in my shoulder. I exhaled a breath I didn't know I had been holding and I wrapped my arms around him too.

He stiffened and his arms around me tightened, as if instead of returning the gesture, I had started to pry him off of me. I could feel fallen tree branches and rocks press into my back through my tunic, but I didn't move, didn't want to.

"I'm still angry at you," he said. "I've yet to forgive you..."

"You hugged me," I pointed out. "But I don't blame you."

"I was so scared, Vio...I'm pissed, but...I'm really glad to see you."

I took a deep breath. "I am too."