A/N: My first RavioLi fanfic and it's this. I'm so, so sorry. Still, probably not as sorry I as I should be, but sorry. (And… please don't kill me… thanks.) Also. I'm very sorry about the ending. Cruel irony, you know… ha… I just wanted to break hearts even more. Although as I said in my tags for this fic on tumblr, you can perceive it one of 2 ways. Either it worked or it didn't because it was too late or whatever.

"I promise I'll be back soon."

It was 2 days ago Link had said that with a grin and left. It never took longer than 24 hours, usually, but now it's going on 3 days he's been gone. Ravio can't help but be worried. "Do ya think he's okay, Sheerow?" He asks his little friend. "He's gotta be okay. He's a hero…"

Sheerow gives a little concerned chirping noise and nuzzles up to Ravio. He holds the bird-like creature close and chokes back a sob. "He promised he'd be back soon. But he's still not here… he still hasn't come back…"

Sheerow chirped at him again. He sniffled. "I'm just… I'm worried about him," He muttered. "He might be in trouble, an' if he is, who's gonna save him? He's the only hero around here…"

Sheerow chirped louder and flew around in circles a few times before flying over to the table, picking up the fire rod, and dropping it on Ravio's lap. Ravio understood.

"What? Me? Sheerow, ya really think I should go look for him? No… no, I couldn't go out there and try to find him, much less save him! I'm not a hero like he is." He shook his head. "I'm just a coward. I'm useless. Link's out there right now, maybe hurt o-or worse, and I can't do anything…"

Sheerow chirped again, nudging Ravio. Well, it wasn't like anyone else would go looking for him, and Link might be in big trouble… Ravio sighed, stood up, and started shoving his items into a bag. He then strapped the bag to his back and opened the door. "Come on, Sheerow. We're going to go look for Link."

—

The sound of footsteps and heavy breathing echoed throughout the dungeon. In the dim light, movement could be seen. Most of it from monsters. But there was also a boy.

The green-clad boy sank to the floor, clutching at the heavily bleeding wound in his side. His clothes were soaked red, and he was struggling to stay conscious. He was losing a lot of blood, fairly fast, and he didn't have any fairies or healing items on him. He'd been stupid enough to come into this dungeon without them. Unprepared.

"D-damn it," he gasped. "I was… so close, too. I can't—they're all counting on me…"

Zelda. Gulley. Seres. Everyone else in both Hyrule and Lorule. They were all looking to him to save their kingdoms and save them. And he was failing them. Some hero he turned out to be. He closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. He was going to die here, wasn't he? What a pathetic end, dying here, alone, where nobody would even find his body.

Then he heard footsteps, loud and fast. Maybe someone come to hunt treasure. Those footsteps didn't sound like any of the monsters here. Then the person screamed, Link heard a loud 'fwoosh' noise, the crackle of fire, and the dying screeches of monsters. This person had a fire rod, by the sound of it.

"I-it's no use," The person panted. Link guessed it was a boy, by the voice. A familiar voice, but he was only half conscious and couldn't seem to place it. "We'll never find him. We'll die trying before we even get close! I knew this was a bad idea, I'm s-so awful at this, I've never done this before, it's a miracle I'm still alive in here!"

Through the haze, Link wondered who this person was, who he was talking to, and who they were looking for. And how they'd managed to make it this far. This was a dangerous place, and the boy had just said this was his first time in a dungeon. But he did have a fire rod, that would be useful in a place like this, and maybe they had healing items.

"Hey, wait, is that a person over there? Hey! HEY! You over there! Can you hear me?!" The person called out.

Link was too weak to move or call back. He was putting all his strength into staying awake. He felt something poke him, and the young man's voice asked, "Is he alive?"

Yeah, but barely, Link thought, groaning.

Then the person walked close, gasped, and shook him. Gently, yet still urgently. "Mr. Her—Link! Link, open your eyes!"

He managed to do that much, and was met with the sight of a frantic, very worried-looking Ravio. The merchant wasn't wearing his hood. Most likely it had fallen off, but Link realized that this was the first time he'd really seen Ravio without it on.

"Say something… anything!" Ravio said.

"Rav… you…" Link muttered. There was so much he wanted to say to Ravio, so many questions, but he could barely even muster up enough energy to say that much.

"Hold on, I… I'll get you to a Fairy Fountain," Ravio said, picking him up. He took out a Scoot Fruit and bit into it, then took off running. Link closed his eyes again, fighting the urge to black out.

He didn't know how long Ravio had been running until the other boy slowed down and started to sob. "I c-can't find it," he mumbled. "I can't—every cave I find is empty or full of monsters… and we're running out of time… aren't we?"

Link hesitated, then nodded. He could nearly feel his life slowly slipping away from him. "I knew it… oh, we'll never find one in time, I'm so sorry… I tried…" Ravio muttered.

"…stop…" Link whispered.

Ravio sat down, the hero in his lap. "I'm so sorry, Link," He muttered. "I really did try…"

"Nn… 's okay," Link forced a smile. "G-guess it's true what they say… heroes just die slow, p-painful deaths in the middle o' nowhere… and end up being forgotten…"

"I won't forget you, Link. I won't let you be forgotten!"

"Well… that's one person, then…"

"I'm sure I won't be the only person," Ravio said, trying to sound optimistic.

"…hope not," Link sighed. "Hey, Rav…? Thanks… for… for trying."

The sudden change of tone in his voice shocked Ravio. He knew where this was going. "No. No. Link, don't start… don't start talking to me like that," he said. "You're not gonna die… you can't die…"

"Ravio, we can't find… a Fairy Fountain, and I can't stay awake m-much longer. And I'm pretty sure… once I pass out… I'm not gonna wake up. So I'm just… gonna say my goodbye now."

Taking a deep breath, Ravio nodded and replied, "Goodbye."

Link reached up and wiped a tear from Ravio's eye, then struggled to sit up, and pressed his lips to Ravio's cheek. "You promised not to forget me… so please, don't."

"I won't." Ravio said, his voice quiet.

"Good." Link nodded and closed his eyes again.

For a while he was quiet, but Ravio could see his chest moving as he breathed. He didn't say a word… until that stopped, as well. That was when he burst into tears. He'd lost the only friend he'd ever had. Because he was such a coward and waited too long to go look for him. If he'd gotten there sooner, maybe… maybe things wouldn't have been this way.

Frustrated, he tossed his item bag aside. Items were no use to him now. They couldn't save Link. Items spilled out of it everywhere, but only one caught his eye.

A fairy in a bottle.