A/N CONTENT WARNING: Lots of swearing in this one. It's Blue and Vio, y'all, haha!

IGNITIOUS! I've missed you, and I found you on wattpad, I think? It's so great to hear from you! Thanks for the votes, too, it means a LOT.

I try to go for realism, at least in the human aspect. It's been a real challenge in Young Leaves just because it's set in the real world, so now I'm finding I have to do a ton more research for things to match up. Eesh!


"This was a great idea, Vio!" Red said brightly, setting the picnic backpack on the truck hood. "It's nice to see you wanting to spend time with your family now."

Vio only slightly turned his ear toward Red, otherwise occupied staring up at Death Mountain. He didn't know why the Master Sword would be out here and not at the Temple of Time, but it was. He'd gone back to the museum a million times, reading ancient texts. Apparently, the last princess had put a spell on it so that it would travel from temple to temple every hundred years. This century it was in the Fire Temple.

Death Mountain wasn't as active as it used to be. In fact, most of the Gorons had moved to a more active volcano up north, chasing heat and non-spent resources. With the lack of lava, the mountain was now a tourist spot for other Hyruleans. Specifically, its caves were a popular travel point.

Vio wasn't interested in any of the popular caves, though. He wanted to go up to the crater, and spelunk into the Fire Temple.

Red had insisted on bringing lunch AND dinner, of course. He carried the picnic backpack, and it dwarfed him. He didn't seem to have any trouble carrying it, though, a smile on his face, cheeks red with happiness as he hummed some tune or other that had been on the radio on the way here.

Blue appeared behind Vio. "So where the hell we going?"

Vio pointed to the crest of the mountain.

Blue raised his eyebrows. "Wow." He grinned. "Well, better get started, then!" He jogged after Red.

Green was struggling to get his camel pack on properly. Vio gave a long suffering sigh. He grabbed the straps and helped Green get untangled. "I can't believe you're THIRTEEN."

Green giggled as Vio helped him put it on the right way. "Thank you!"

Vio shook his head.

Green sprinted after the two older boys.

Vio put his hands in his pockets, suddenly uneasy. He hadn't wanted to drag the others into this, especially Red and Green, but he couldn't drive on his own.

The other three stopped to look back at him.

He hurriedly grabbed his own backpack out of the truck bed and threw it across his shoulders. Then set off after the others.

He stopped twenty feet away. If they just went on ahead and he could have his own thoughts, that would be fine with him.

They stared. He lowered his eyes and kicked at the dirt, hoping they got the idea. He glanced back up.

Red reached out a hand to him, smiling.

Vio's cheeks reddened. Despite himself, he walked all the way to them, and only when he reached them did they all turn around and start walking up the path—together.

"What you got in the pack?!" Red asked cheerfully.

"Research equipment," Vio answered.

"Ooo!"

Vio scowled and rolled his eyes. Of course Red would have no idea.

Red laughed at him.

Somebody tried to unzip his pack. He jerked away and glared at Blue.

"What's in it?" Blue asked innocently. "What equipment?"

"Nothing! It's . . . Useless until we get to the top. Ask me then."

"Oh, ok." Blue shrugged. "You doing ok?"

Vio hunched his shoulders. Small talk. This was EXACTLY why he wanted to stick behind the group, not be part of it.

He wasn't even sure why he was here. Or why this idiots still put up with him, after everything. They'd seen his lab, seen the decaying animal carcases he hadn't had the wherewithal to clean up. After Shadow ditched him , he didn't go back to his lab. He couldn't do it. He suddenly hated it there, everything it represented.

And the smell had driven Red on a quest to find it that had led him straight to Vio's most secret, violent thoughts.

Then doctors, and therapists, and meds, meds, more meds . . . And for what? Was it helping? Did anything change?

Sometimes. But not without debilitating side effects.

Blue hadn't spoken to him for a full week. Green just looked confused and worried. Idiot. Red didn't even bat an eye.

Always Red. It was always Red.

He remembered being in the foster center, having successfully gotten out of yet another host family without revealing his secrets.

"Hey!"

And there was fucking Red, Mr. Goddamned Cheerful Applesauce Every Fucking Day. He wouldn't take no for an answer, and never let anything Vio said get to him. It was weird. Sometimes, Vio swore Red was just like him . . . Just instead of using perpetual "antisocial behavior" to get what he wanted, he used inhuman cheerfulness and determination.

Red had dragged him over to his table with three other boys, enticing him with books. The boys were from different backgrounds, different places in Hyrule, but somehow they'd stuck together. They'd even come up with their own names, after their respective favorite colors.

Then Blue aged out. Blue sucked at paperwork, but Red? Somehow he convinced everyone at the center to make Blue their legal guardian, and allow them all to move in together—even Vio. The only reason Vio agreed to the whole arrangement was because he was sick of the center.

No, that was a lie.

He saw how hard Red had to work to convince the councilors that Vio would be ok with them, considering his gross behavior in the past—skipping school, disrespecting adults.

It was honestly impressive, how the guy's brain worked.

So then they ended up living together.

And then they formed a band.

And then he met Sheik.

Then Shadow.

He huffed, looking at the mountain peak for the hundredth time, to see if it was any closer.

"GREEN, GET DOWN FROM THERE!"

Vio looked to the side. Green, grinning like a maniac, had scaled a cliffside, laughing all the way, getting higher and higher. That kid knows no fear.

Blue was at the base of the cliff, screaming at him. He had tried to climb after Green, but the tiny ledges only afforded room for a tiny human. "GET THE FUCK DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!" Blue was jumping up and down in frightening worry.

Green laughed, looking down at Blue as if he weren't dozens of feet up. Vio could barely hear him anymore. He grinned shakily, amused. "Climb higher, Green! Make Blue burst a vein!"

"Ooookaaay!" Green said happily and kept climbing.

Blue spun around. "Don't encourage him, you moron!"

Vio wasn't listening. He was watching Green intently, bouncing on his toes, whispering to himself, "Fall down, fall down, fall down, down, fall down."

"Vio?"

He shut up and looked to his side. Red was staring at him. Vio clamped his mouth together. Red looked up at Green's ever shrinking figure. He put a hand to the side of his mouth and called. "Don't fall!"

"Okaaaaaaaaaay!"

Red walked up to Blue, leaving Vio feeling exposed, but not embarrassed at being caught.

"You too?!" Blue said.

"You're not gonna stop Green from being Green," Red said with a cute shrug. "So why try? Besides, I didn't encourage him, I just told him to be careful."

"Uuuuuuugh!" Blue grabbed at his own hair, staring up at Green.

Vio figured it was a good time to sit down and rest.

Red pointed around the bend. "I think this road goes to the top of the cliff. We can meet Green at the top!"

"I'M NOT LOOKING AWAY UNTIL I KNOW HE'S SAFE," Blue stated.

"If we aren't at the top to stop him, you KNOW he's just going to find another cliff to climb."

"Damn it, you're right, Red . . ." With apparent effort, he tore his eyes away from the cliff.

Red called up, "Hey, Green! We'll meet you up there, ok? Wait for us!"

"Race ya!" He was far enough that they could barely see him, but still close enough for them to hear his bubbly laughter.

"What, tired already?" Blue asked Vio.

"Well, if you MUST ask . . . Yes."

"And you want to go all the way to the top?" Blue grinned, his whole body a glaring, pompous epitome of muscle and strength.

"Hey! I don't work in a warehouse!"

"That's not really an excuse, we're not even a quarter of the way up."

"It's my bag," Vio said. "It's heavy."

"Oh? What's in it, books? Tell me it isn't books."

"Yes."

Blue slapped a palm on his face. "Oh my GOSH, Vio!" He chuckled with mirth. "That was not a very good plan."

I thought I might need them. Vio flushed scarlet. Although, thinking on it now . . . I probably don't.

Blue sighed and held out a hand. "Well, come on, we'd better catch up to Green before he does something stupid."

Vio stayed put.

"What?"

"I just . . . I want to rest a little bit." And see Green fall. He forced himself to stand up. "Ugh."

Why did he have to bring the others?

Suddenly Blue collided into him.

"OOF! What the crap, Blue?!" He felt manhandled into the air, and suddenly found himself wrapped around Blue's shoulders. He beat Blue with his fists. "LET ME DOWN!"

"Nope! You said you wanted to get to the top, we're going to the top!"

Blue never would back out of a challenge—or let anyone else do it, either.

"FINE!" Vio screamed. "BUT, LET ME—JUST!"

Eventually he was situated on Blue's back, piggyback style. Blue wasn't even sweating. He enjoyed a good challenge, and walking up a mountain wasn't as great as carting your foster brother while wearing a backpack full of books up a mountain.

They did indeed meet up with Green, who had made it first, but surprisingly, had waited for them to catch up.

"Green! You waited up!" Red said happily.

"Yeah, I got lonely," he whined. He walked over and grabbed Blue's hand. "Blue, my turn!"

Vio clambered off Blue's back. "It's ok. I'm fine."

"Alright," said Blue. "But I'm keeping your backpack."

"Fine with me, you masochist!"

Walking up the mountain without his backpack was so much easier.

"Did you have fun?" Red asked Green.

"Yes!"

"You know you almost killed Blue, though, right?"

Green hugged Blue around the neck. "I'm sorry."

"Pffft," Blue said, face reddening. "I wasn't worried!"

Green giggled.

"Woof!" Red sighed. "Let's find somewhere to eat. I'm starving!"

"Already?" Blue smirked. "We're not even halfway."

"But I have macarons . . ."

Blue sped up. "No stopping until the halfway point! As long as we get there, eh, quickly. Haha!"

Vio kept pace with them. He was actually having a good time.

He forced himself to frown. Then stopped. He snuck up on Red and stole some crescents out of the top pocket.

"Hey!" Red yelled with a laugh.

"Thief alerrrrrt!" Green yelled.

Vio sped away from Red laughing, stuffing the crescent in his mouth. There was no way for the tiny Red to keep up. When Red gave up, huffing and puffing, Vio stopped and came back, running behind blue to hand Green his other crescent.

"Mmmm!" Green said.

"What, none for me?!" Blue asked, mock offended.

Vio made an ugly face at him and stuffed the rest of the bread in his mouth. "It's really good," he said to Red as he passed.

Red had his hands on his hips, and he shook his head. "You could have just asked, you know."

"Where would the fun be in that?"

Giggling, Red reached up and ruffled Vio's hair. Not an unimpressive feat for the shorter dude.


"WOW!" Blue exclaimed. "This is incredible!" He lightly punched Vio's shoulder. "Great idea, bro."

The inside of the crater had long since cooled, and greenery had grown over seemingly every stone surface, vines and bushes, even a few short, thin trees.

Vio felt alright here. It was strange, but he really did. Standing here made him feel more normal than any medication ever did. He wondered for a moment if it had anything to do with being the Hero.

Did any other heroes end up like me? He wondered. Did they . . . End up alone? He glanced at his brothers. Not alone. So why do I always feel like I don't belong?

"Hey, Blue, I need my backpack, now."

"Whoa! Hold up, there! We just got here, you're not burying your nose in a book yet."

Vio scowled. That's not what he needed his pack for!

But reading a book here sounded like a great idea.

"Let's eat first," Red said. "Then exploring, climbing, whatever—that means you, too, Green!"

"Awwww!" The Green menace had already started climbing down into the crater hole.

Vio spent the time eating glancing around, looking for the entrance to the temple.

A bundle of energy plopped down next to him. He found Green staring up at him, cuddling next to him with a grin.

Vio brought his sandwich up to his mouth. Then paused.

Green did the same with his own sandwich.

Vio slowly bit down, and Green followed his movements exactly, fighting off giggles unsuccessfully. He ended up giggling so hard he was unable to chew, just sitting there with his sandwich in his mouth. Vio grinned and ruffled his hair, uncharacteristically affectionate.

Red seemed to notice, blinking at him oddly.

"Vio," said Green with a full mouth, when he finally managed to take a bite.

"Yes?"

"I'm glad you're my brother."

"Um . . . Why are you saying this now?"

Green crossed his brows at him. "Is there ever a bad time to say it?" He leaned against Vio. "I miss you. You've been sleeping a lot. Do you think when we get home you can help me with my homework? I have a big project."

Missed him? It was a weird sentiment. Vio hadn't realized Green liked working on his homework together. Vio hadn't realized that he didn't mind doing it with Green, even if the subjects were way beneath him.

He hadn't realized he and Green had bonded over schoolwork.

"Are you glad I'm your brother?" Green asked.

Vio stopped chewing suddenly, looking guiltily down at Green. He didn't know what words to use.

Green put a hand next to Vio's ear and whispered into it. Vio leaned down so he could hear.

"I know you can't say it," Green whispered. "Red said so. But I believe you will someday." He pulled away and smiled.

What was in his eyes? Vio wiped them and stood up. "Okay! Enough of that. Time to work." He went to his pack.

"Vio, we're not done eating," Red said.

"Then hurry up! You guys take forever. Besides, I gotta get ready."

Blue, who had already scarfed down all of his food, had been napping with his hands behind his head, but he looked up at those words. "Ready?" He sat up quickly. "For what? I thought we were already here."

Vio unzipped his backpack and started pulling out cords and thick carabiners.

"Vio," Red said suspiciously. "What is that?"

"I thought you said you were carrying books?!" Blue exclaimed.

"I was," Vio responded, "but that was only half of the backpack. The other half?"

"CLIMBING GEAR?" Blue jumped up in excitement, grinning from ear to ear and running over to Vio.

"Yeah," Vio said, surprised at Blue's excitement. "I want to descend into the Fire Temple. That's why I wanted to come up here."

Red set his food on the ground and stood. "No! That's way too dangerous, Vio!"

Vio glowered. "It's not THAT dangerous," he grumbled. "People do it all the time."

"Yeah, with a whole TEAM. What if you get hurt? We don't have phone service up here!"

Blue clapped Red on the arm. "What happened to letting Green run around on cliffs? Vio wants to climb down, let him!"

"This is different," Red replied, looking ill. "If you get trapped down there . . ."

"We won't," Blue said.

"We?" Vio stopped getting his gear together to stare at his older foster brother. "We?"

Blue grinned. "Did you think I'd let you go alone?" He started fishing through the pack. "Naaah, this is way too awesome!"

Vio hadn't expected Blue to want to come along . . . He considered. Having Blue along would actually help a lot. And it would be a lot safer.

Surprisingly, Vio, the master of death and doom, did not like the idea of dying buried alive in a cave.

"Okay," he said, shrugging, making Red gape at how easy he was to convince.


Funnily enough, the pack he'd bought had come with two harnesses—almost as if climbing were typically a two-person activity.

It worked out well.

He and Blue were rappelling down the abandoned shaft Vio had discovered while eating. Turns out, it wasn't that hard to find. When they reached the part of the shaft that was pitch black, Vio turned on his headlight. Next to him, Blue did the same.

"Damn!" Blue said as they reached the bottom and the room expanded beneath them. Their lights shone on old statues and aged stone steps. "Holy smokes . . ."

Vio pulled a map out of the pocket of his cargo pants and unfolded it.

"Is that a map?" Blue asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Obviously." Vio rolled his eyes.

Blue pointed at all of the colored lines and notes Vio had written in. They were obviously additions, a modern scab on the ancient-looking style of the printed out old map. "What are these?" He seemed struck with a sudden realization. "What are you looking for?"

Vio folded the map in half and started up the stone stairs. "Something important."

Blue was having a great time. He'd never thought he'd be doing something like this with Vio. Not in a million years! They worked as a team, climbing across bottomless pits that would make Red freak out, scaling ledges, spotting each other as they went deeper into the temple. Vio didn't complain or freak out. He was actually . . . Cool. Okay, he was always cool, but this was a kind of cool Blue could understand. If this was the kind of research Vio had in mind, Blue was all over it!

Eventually they reached the giant doors that led to the largest chamber in the temple—where the legendary Hero of Time had defeated Volvagia, the dragon.

"Wow," said Blue. "Another big door. Nah, this one's bigger than the others." The big guy was starting to actually sound winded.

As for Vio, he was too concentrated to notice how tired he was.

"You know going up is going to be harder than coming down, right?" Blue noted.

No, Vio hadn't thought about that.

Turns out, he wasn't really good at planning.

Schemes? Yes, maybe. Sometimes. If they were immediate and obvious. Like trapping Krad. Or getting Shadow to date him. Or . . .

Whatever, Shadow dated me because he WANTED to. Freaking weirdo.

"So what ARE we hoping to find down here?" Blue asked.

Stepping up to the door, Vio raised his hand. It had been burning slightly more and more the closer they got to this area. He removed his fingerless climbing glove, revealing the Triforce birthmark on the back of his hand.

It was glowing.

"Vio?"

He looked back. Blue was staring at the mark with dread. Vio turned away and placed his hand on the doors.

Lines of gold magic spread from it in swirling patterns, a high pitched hum growing louder and louder until a large bang sent pebbles and dirt falling from the ceiling all around them. The door began to rise into the ceiling to the sound of grinding rock.

Blue grabbed Vio's shirt as they both struggled to keep their feet in the rumbling cavern.

With a final, sharp sound, the door rose completely, opening to a darkened chamber.

Vio carefully pushed Blue's hand off of him and walked carefully into the room.

As he did, more magic lines appeared around him, spreading out to fill the entire chamber, every wall above and below glowing with them. In the center of the chamber was a raised platform, and light rose from it like steam. Blue stayed behind as Vio walked across the suspended path to the platform. A spectral pedestal appeared in the center of the platform, and in it was a ghostly sword.

The Master Sword.

Vio reached it and stared down at it. He heard a different voice, and at first he fought it, like he fought the others. But he recognized it as the sword's voice.

Maybe me and the other heroes aren't so different after all.

Of course, they probably had the wherewithal to respect the sword. Then again, who knew? He'd never seen a Hero pull the sword for real. Without much ceremony, he put the hand with the Triforce around the hilt and pulled the sword.

It came easily, like it was waiting for him.

Because it was. The sword's ghostly quality faded as it became a true blade, heavy in his hand, but not so heavy he couldn't carry it easily. It was balanced perfectly to him. Magic. He had no idea how to use a sword. He held it out in front of him, looking it over curiously. His heart began to beat rapidly as the blade glowed blue.

He removed a large piece of leather from one of his other pockets and wrapped it around the sword, dampening its light, and tied it in place with twine. With it in his hand, he turned back down the pathway and returned to Blue, wondering what his foster brother would think of this. He would never admit that he liked it, but climbing down here with Blue, he'd noticed how impressed Blue'd been with him. But not in an awe or idolizing sort of way, just a camaraderie sort of way. He could tell how much Blue liked this. And him. It was a weird feeling, something he figured never would have happened between them if they hadn't found some common activity to do together.

Blue wasn't impressed. Or was he? It was hard to tell. He had a weird look on his face, emotional, like, more emotional than Vio had ever seen him.

I mean, Blue is always emotional. But that emotion is always aggression, and anger. This Blue is afraid. But not of me. Why is he afraid?

Had he ever seen Blue afraid?

"Okay," Vio said, choosing to ignore it and file it away for later, "I've got what I came for. It's time to go back."

He made to walk past Blue, but Blue caught him by both shoulders. Vio looked up at his weird expression once more.

"Tell me," said Blue, in an uncharacteristically quiet voice. "That's not what I think it is."

"The Master Sword," Vio said bluntly, refusing to be mindful of Blue's feelings.

Blue looked like he already knew. "Why the hell would you go after that thing?" His voice was still deathly quiet. It was honestly terrifying to Vio, and he'd never been scared because of Blue before.

Vio didn't know how to answer. Because I have the Triforce of Courage? Because I'm supposed to?

Blue's frame crumbled before him, but his hands remained firm on his shoulders. "God damn it. If I'd known . . . I never would have helped you do this."

Vio tried to smirk, and found he was unable to. "What are you babbling about? The hero always wins."

Blue shook his head, not so easily fooled.

What, did he actually do research? Vio wiped the smug off his face.

"No, they don't." Blue raised his head to look Vio in the eye. "And even when they do, what happens to them then?" His voice was regaining its intensity. It was a relief. "What happens to them then, Vio?!"

Vio smiled best he could. "The Hero of Wind went on to sail to a new Hyrule, the original Skyloft hero lived his life out with his girlfriend, the princess, and . . ." He didn't have anything else.

"And the others?" Blue's gripped tightened. "What happened to the others?"

"They descended into obscurity, or . . . Madness."

Blue lunged forward and pulled Vio to him tightly. "Don't you DARE tell me not to worry. Don't you FUCKING dare!"

"Okay. Okay, I wouldn't tell you not to anyway," Vio grumbled distastefully.

"Hug me back, damn you!"

Vio obliged. His heart pounded. He was scared again, and he hated that. He hated being out of control of his emotions, and Blue was making him. If Blue was this serious, what did that mean?

Blue finally let him go, but placed his hands on either side of his face and bumped their foreheads together. "I know it doesn't mean fuckall shit to you," said Blue. "But I care about you. If I could throw that sword and the Triforce and everything related to it into fucking Mordor, I would. Do you hear me?"

"Uh—"

"I said DO YOU HEAR ME?!" He shook Vio. "THAT'S HOW MUCH I CARE, ALRIGHT!?" He dropped his head onto Vio's shoulder and hugged him again. "Don't do anything stupid, Vio."

"Jesus fucking Christ," said Vio, attempting to appear nonchalant, but he wasn't. "Get off! GET OFF!" Blue let him go, and Vio jumped a few feet away to collect himself. He pulled his glasses off to pretend to clean them. "Are you done?!" He put his glasses back on and glanced back at Blue.

Blue looked grim, and nodded. He walked past Vio, punching his arm on the way. "Let's go, little bro."