#legend of zelda fanfic

[manias-wordcount]

um !! so ive totally been using ur page as my nightly routine teehee and like. sorry in advance if ur requests r clsoed , im new to tumblr so i seriously have no idea how to check😭😭

but i was thinking ;; could you please write a smut for totk link and fem reader ? in whichhh u both hide in a closet together in like the castle or smth.. and to calm u down he like lets u ride him HAJHAH

so embarrassed, but imagining the shakey breaths and sounds of his armour clanking against the wall as he thrusts upwar ds .....

i know im a slut but im only a girl !! i cant help it..!

- r 🍒

Hero's Duty (BOTW Link x Reader)

𝗔/𝗡: 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼!

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘃𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗲𝘅, 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝘀𝘆 𝗟𝗠𝗔𝗢

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

He shouldn’t be doing this. He shouldn’t be giving in like this. He should be stronger than this. He shouldn’t be thinking like this. He shouldn’t be  wanting  this. He shouldn’t. He shouldn’t.  He shouldn’t. 

  But fate is a cruel mistress. And he can’t stand it when you squeeze your thighs together and look at him like he’s the only thing you’ll ever need.  He can’t stand it.

  Still, He’s supposed to be a knight. He’s supposed to be a hero. Disciplined and proper. Courageous and strong. Polite. Gallant. Respect. Dignified.  Honorable.  He’s supposed to be  all those things.  And he is! He swears, deep down inside he is. He knows he is.  Everyone  knows he is. He’s been congratulated by the king directly before. Called upon by him to take up arms and join the fight. And He serves Princess. He serves the people. He serves the kingdom. Hell, he’s even wearing some of his royal armor right now. He’s supposed to be a knight. He’s supposed to be a hero. He’s supposed to be  protecting you  right now.

  Not lifting up your dress and gripping your hips as he bounces your needy little hole down onto his cock over and over and over and over again. 

  It’s not what he should be doing. He has a mission. He has orders. He has a task to complete. Duty to fulfill. People to  protect.  People who  need  him. But your pussy feels so tight and so warm and so  wet  around his cock it’s amazing how he managed to last this long. But now that he started, he knows he can’t stop. He  won’t  stop. Not until he’s finished. Not until you’re  both  finished. 

  “ Ah….um, Link- Ah~”

  However long it takes. 

  “You like that, princess?” He murmurs lowly, blue eyes narrowing in on your face as your eyes cross and your mouth falls open into a lewd expression. You don’t respond- at least, you don’t respond with words to his question. But at this point, he’s not even sure if you would have been able to hear him over the sounds of your cute little whimpers and moans as he thursts his hips into you. Or maybe it’s the dirty sounds of your  soaking  wet little cunt taking in every single inch of his dick that keeps you from hearing the sound of your lover’s voice. He doesn’t know for certain, but the selfish,  selfish  part of him likes to think it’s a combination of the two. And the rational part of him? “You’re taking me so well pretty girl.  So well. ”

  The rational part of him  knows  it’s a little bit of both. Plus the fact that you always manage to get a little dick drunk when someone fucks you good and proper. And luckily for you, Link’s happy to play knight in shining armor to his needy little princess and her  perfectly tight little holes -

  Fuck,  you bring out the worst in him. But you know that don’t you? He swears it. He swears you do. He swears you  have to .  Goddesses,  he doesn’t even remember what he’s supposed to be doing right now. He knows it was supposed to be something important. Something only he could do. But then you started getting anxious. After every battle, after every fight- you still manage to worry about him. You still manage to fear that your powers and your efforts as his support won’t be good enough. 

  It’s cute how you worry. It’s cute how you care. But he had a job to do. And he needed you in good shape to do it. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t quell your nerves. Your silent shaking. Your quiet whimpers. And worst of all? Every promise that he’ll protect was starting to fall flat in your ears. Every comforting touch didn’t seem like it worked. Didn’t seem like it was  enough . But he had a job to do. A job that included your safekeeping and your safe return. So he did what any good knight would do. 

  He pulled you into the nearest closet he could find and got you nice and relaxed on his fingers before stuffing you nice and full with his cock. 

  Now your moans bounce off the walls like hymns in a church. Now his name falls off of your lips like deities in a prayer. Now you can be protected. Nurtured. Cared for. All by him. All for you. 

  And maybe there were better ways of taking care of you and your fears. Maybe an orgasm and a good dicking down isn’t exactly what you need in this moment. But your precious little pussy is taking his cock so effortlessly that he’s starting to feel less of a knight and more like a man. A man who can’t help but have wants. A man who can’t help but feel lust. A man who can’t help but need to  fuck  a pretty girl when he’s not supposed to and make excuses about it.

  And he’ll do it again the next chance he gets. He’ll do it all over again. 

  “ Mmm, Link I’m…I’m close…”

  Your whimper is quiet, but within the four walls of this closet, it could be the loudest thing in the world right now. Louder than the loud slap of his pelvis hitting against your skin. Louder than his armor groaning and creaking under all this movement. Louder than the sound of you get exactly what you asked for when you look at your hero to distract you- to  save you - from this moment of fear. 

  “ Oh, yeah baby? You’re getting close? ”

  But that’s the thing… he knows. He knows because you’ve been getting louder. He knows because you’ve been getting  tighter . He knows because every single time his gaze falls back to the spot where your bodies join, and his dick gets swallowed up by your  perfect little cunt  time after time, he feels his own core tightening up in a way he can only assume will leave you nice and full and  messy  until he gets the chance to clean you up later on. He  knows  you’re close. He  knows .

  “ Well, that’s too bad, princess.”  He grinds out, eyes narrowing into slits as his hands tighten his grip on your hips. And  goddesses,  how you whimper. Goddesses, how you  whine . But no matter how many times you beg him and you cry to him he doesn’t change up like he knows you want him to. He doesn’t shift his angle to hit deeper. He doesn’t speed up his thrusts to hit faster. He doesn’t cater to your every whim. He doesn’t listen to your heavenly cries when you beg him to let you reach euphoria with every single breath you take. At least, not this time. At least, not yet. 

  But fuck,  you bring out the worst in him. You bring out the absolute worst in him. You bring out the  man  in him. So it’s only fair. It’s only fair that he takes what’s his. It’s only fair that he calls the shots. That he makes the orders on this battlefield. That he fucks you how he wants to. That he fucks you how he needs to. 

  That he fucks you like he absolutely should.

  Because deep down in his mind, he’s still a knight. He’s still disciplined and proper. Courageous and strong. Polite. Gallant. Respect. Dignified.  Honorable.  He can learn to say no to you. He can learn not to give into your every want. To your every need. He can learn. He can do it. He’s your knight in shining armor. He’s your one and only hero. Your one and only  everything . So he can do it. He can do it. He can. 

  Can’t he?

[athena-theunicorn]

Who wants to bet Link has an intense fear of robots after the guardians and has a mini heart attack every time a construct moves because they make similar machine noises.

[heyitsmechuey]

Splash Fruit - Sidon x Reader

Just a quick drabble regarding our favourite fish boy! Trying to include other characters in my stories besides just Rauru brain rot, and Sidon is just the cutest sometimes >_< I did proof read, but I have been drinking so please forgive that lmao Also shameless plug for my LoZ fanfiction/art/ fandom server! Feel free to stop by~ https://discord.gg/H8Y4R4fTBj Enjoy!

Word Count: 520 words -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Like this?”

You were uncertain as you inquired, thumb pressing into the bottom half of the blue-speckled fruit. Sidon chuckled softly when you struggled to apply enough pressure to complete the action, his own splash fruit nestled between his thumb and fore finger. “Minnow, you have to really push, or else it won’t work properly!”

He was oddly enthusiastic for what was akin to a child’s water toy as he explained to you, but you followed his instructions anyways, determined to at least prove you can do it. Your effects paid off when your thumb and the fruit’s peel effectively caved in, and an echoic *pop* coming from the top of the fruit; you jumped, not expecting it to be so loud. Basking in the glory of accomplishment, you smiled from ear to ear. After a moment of silence, your gaze followed the supposed trajectory of the watery liquid that splashed from the top but when your sight levelled, you were left staring at your boyfriend, hands up to his face, wiping and letting out a sputtered breath. There was a moment of panic, as you dropped the fruit and rushed over, frantically apologizing. “Sidon! I’m sorry! I-I didn’t realize it was going to-”;

Cold and wet made contact with you before you even got to finish, and your hands went up in defence, although not proving effective as the top half of your outfit became damp, all the while you were patting at your eyes to clear the blurry vision. Sidon raised the back of his hand to his mouth as he laughed with a juvenile arrogance and once you recovered, you gave him a look of loving annoyance, which then only amplified his laughter, nearly doubling over in front of you. You placed a soft, teasing slap to his arm, one that he ignored completely as you told him that he could have at least waited until you were prepared. He wiped a tear form his eye, struggling to breathe properly as he spoke, “P-Please! It was just the perfect opportunity for payback! The look on your face- it was cute!”

Another small swat made contact with his arm, only this time out of embarrassment. He reassured you it was a harmless retaliation, bringing his hand up to your face, wiping the remnants of sweet, sticky juice from your cheek; he gave a playful smile as he brought his thumb to his lips, giving a soft lick to the pad.

“Sweeter than ever~”, he teased, leaning down to place a kiss on your forehead, before leaning further to catch your lips - you pulled away from him, popping your untouched lips together with a grin.

If he wanted to play games, then he would get games, you thought as you flashed him another fruit tight in your grasp, the playful glint in your eye making him look at you with confused rejection. “If the prince wants a kiss, he’ll have to catch me first~”, and you were off.

He let out a stunned groan as he watched you run down the stairs of the domain. He followed you though.

[pinkalmondcake]

Fierce Deity AU

I'm not sure if I'm going to keep the same colour scheme and make it closer to his original colours but I enjoyed trying something more simple again!

Fierce Warrior is a bit older than Time, ranging from mid thirties to early forties and is even more strict than Time but more laid back😩✨💖

Did I also mention in the lu branch in my au that his wife his pregnant and she wants to name her baby Link if they're a boy, even though that child will be the start of the name Link even though he won't be a hero...but it'll be the beginning of the name Link after his father Fierce for linking people together to help defeat Majora...so she wants to name the baby Link to honour him and their love 👀👀💓

I won't reveal anymore in this post!! Qowjoqkw

The original and the slightly coloured altered one on the right! 💖🥰✨

Also, did you notice that he wields two swords? 👀👀💞 it has something to do with his og one, but I won't spoil😩💫

[mishwanders]

• Fierce Deity • Mine •

Summary: The Fierce Deity finds himself completely enamored with you and wants a taste of what it would be like to have you.

Warnings: Sacreligious smut on the altar of an old temple because, yes. Minors DNI with this one.

Author’s Notes: He’s rotting my brain y’all - do not help me, I want to be here lmao. Written by Mishwanders. Do not take or repost it anywhere as your own.

There was an ache that the Fierce Deity felt, an open wound in him that only eternity could make and see. Love for someone other than the good of the people was not anything he thought he’d ever get to experience, considering his curse and constantly being forgotten to the passage of time after he’d done his job for whoever possessed his mask. But you were a different creature entirely. When you came into possession of him, he found that you actually enjoyed his presence versus the others that would turn and run in fear of the absolute divine power that radiated off of him like a furnace. You always took his opinions into consideration before action, unlike those who threw themselves into battle without giving it a second thought. You showed him absolute care when you tended to his wounds or the chipped paint of his mask. He knew you were special from the beginning, someone he knew that he would only meet once in a lifetime. He wanted to protect that, cherish it as much as he could.

But there were other things that the deity wanted.

Craved, even.

There was a time when you once dawned on his mask and he was able to take in all of the details of you. It was the way your brows furrowed in line with his, the way you swung the sword with him, the way your heart hammered in your chest with the thrill of the fight. It was as if for a second his immortal soul was intertwined with yours, as if you were made for each other. It was something he had yet to experience with any wielder of his power up until that point.

It was from then on that he began to pay even closer attention to the details of you. Between the way your body moved, to the way you said his name, the way you smelled, even to the way you looked at him, he couldn’t help but crave every inch of you, wanting to experience that feeling of his soul dancing with yours again, but without the threat of losing yourself in his curse.

There were a variety of ways that he knew how to do this, but one he was more apt to consider, to think about, to allow his mind to wander to. He wanted you carnally, wholly, to be his.

He knew he shouldn’t be allowing the thoughts to invade his mind so often, but goddesses, there were times where he couldn’t fight it. He never acted on them, but he could help but think about having you in his arms in the quiet intimate moments or having you pressed flush against a surface as he ravaged you with so much desire that he knew he could easily have you screaming his name in a matter of seconds.

This little tango of courtship didn’t help in that endeavor either, it was a vicious reminder of his place next to you and continued to spur more ideas, more thoughts he found himself pondering over. He thought about how your skin would feel against his, how your voice would tip low in pleasure, how your lips would taste on his. He wanted to know what it would be like to have you in such a state that the two of you felt as if you were the only ones in existence, the only ones that mattered for such a small period of time.

And to his surprise, he would get that wish fulfilled in the most unlikely of ways.

When you’d finally decided to make your move in, you decided that you wouldn’t have him like any old lover, bound to a bed in a room that would so quickly be forgotten. No, you would have him some place where the holy met the earth, intertwined like lovers lost to time.

“Will you be mine?” You asked, so innocently as your voice echoed through the old stone temple walls.

The Fierce Deity looked at you as if he’d been waiting for you to speak those words for all of the eternity he had lived. He stepped closer to you, and you found yourself backed into the altar, your hands gently pinned to the surface by his own as leaned in close and said, “You will be mine.”

You wouldn’t shy away from his lustful gaze, but would proudly be laid before him, like a willing sacrifice to his fierce love on an altar in a temple forgotten by all except for nature and the divine. Your heart would beat like a drum in your ears while your voice bounced off of the old stone walls, like a chorus of angels reaching his ears as he knelt before you, raveging the space between your thighs, giving into the desires, the hunger, the carnal need to taste you, to savor every last second of this moment and every last drop of you on his tongue.

And he would have you over and over again until he knew you were satisfied, drunk on the pleasure he could provide. The fact that you were so willing to allow him to succumb to his own desires as well was just the tipping point for him.

From the taste of your release on his tongue, to the touch of your hands entangled and pulling at his hair, to your nails dragging across his scared back and adding more to his mixture of pain and pleasure, to the delightfully warm sensation of you wrapped around his cock, taking him so willingly as he had your legs pressed to your burning chest, your bare back against the cold stone - he found himself so completely enamored. He watched as you became so drunk on bliss and pleasure, so lost in it and in his eyes that he couldn’t help but find himself crashing into the feeling too and becoming so utterly lost in the pleasure as well.

But he didn’t mind being lost, for he knew you would always guide him back. He knew you would keep him from drowning in it alone, whether that be by the sound of his name mixed with moans spilling out past your lips or by the taste of a hungry kiss. He loved the feeling of your body against his, the way you intertwined in so many different ways with his, how nicely his cock slid inside of you, the sound of his hips colliding with your body, the way you shuddered in response, the grip of your nails in his biceps, the sting of your teeth on his lip, every gasp and moan, every cry of pleasure as you road the waves of pure ecstasy from him again and again.

It was more than enough to push him over the edge again, more than enough to keep him there as he released inside of you, feeling overwhelmed by everything that was you. Only then did he realize he’d crashed into you, his forehead having settled on yours as he tried to regain himself from the waves of pleasure. You looked up at him, your eyes filled with more adoration than he ever felt worthy of. You then smiled and said -

“You are mine.”

[queenofhyruleee]

Knight in Shining Armor Chapter 2

I did it!!

I continued the story!!

____________________________________________________________

Thud. Thud. 

The sudden noise kickstarted your heart, and your mind raced with all of the possibilities as to who could be at the door. Wrapping yourself up in your blanket for a bit more decency, you crept slowly down the stairs. 

The shop was bathed in moonlight, and through a window you could just barely make out a tall silhouette standing outside. It was not bright enough that you could make out who it was, but you could tell that it was definitely a man. 

A feeling of annoyance bloomed in your chest. Was it Elis? You had absolutely no desire to talk to or see him at the moment. The sadness you felt earlier had gradually faded into anger and you were afraid that if you had to look at his face in your current state of mind you would say something you would come to regret. 

Wrapping the blanket tighter around you, you stopped right in front of the door. 

“Go away, Elis. I don’t want to see you right now. If you wanted to talk to me you should have bothered to show up to Telma’s this evening like you were supposed to.” Your voice was clear and devoid of any emotion. You didn’t want him to know how hurt you were. 

“Well, then I might have some good news for you.”

Your eyebrows shot up, surprised to hear the voice on the other side. You immediately fumbled with the locks and pulled the door open. 

“Link?” 

Said man was leaning comfortably against a wooden beam that stood just a few meters away from the door. He was dressed in his casual civilian clothing, his fancy Royal Guard uniform swapped out for a loose fitting green tunic and tan pants. His blonde hair was partially pulled back into a half ponytail and the rest of his shoulder-length locks framed his face in a way that gave him a very ruggedly handsome appearance. He looked up as the door opened and gave you a soft smile. 

“Hey. Can I come in? I bring gifts.” He patted the bag that hung at his side. Still working through your feelings of surprise, you simply nodded and stepped to the side so that he could pass by you. 

After putting the locks back into place, you turned around and suddenly felt very self-conscious about your clothing.. or lack thereof. Underneath your blanket you were only wearing a large nightshirt that hardly covered your butt. You cursed yourself mentally for not having the foresight to put on some pants. 

“What are you doing here?” You asked, squinting up at your friend. Afraid that your tone was a bit too harsh, you immediately rushed to add, “N-not that I’m unhappy you’re here! It’s just late and you’ve had a long day, I’m surprised you’re not already asleep.” 

You certainly were not unhappy that he was here. In fact, you made a point to not acknowledge the relief (and maybe a bit of happiness) that had immediately washed over you when you saw that it was him at the door instead of Elis. His presence brought nothing but comfort, which you knew would not have been the case for anyone else. The only thing that made you nervous was the fact that he had seen you so upset earlier. You weren’t sure you were feeling up to rehashing the day’s shitty events and how worthless you were. 

Link just shrugged. “Even if I wasn’t here, I wouldn’t be sleeping. There’s a fancy party taking place up at the castle right now. I should be working, but I called in a favor with Zelda and managed to get out of it.” He grinned mischievously, clearly proud of his actions. 

You were surprised to feel a pang of jealousy at hearing how casually Link referred to the Princess. It was another reminder of just how close he was to the royal. You didn’t know everything about their relationship, but you did know that whatever connection they did have with each other was unlike any other. You’ve heard whispers and rumors about the true nature of their relationship, but Link had never confirmed or denied them to you and you never brought them up. 

But it would make sense if they were together. I mean, that is the kind of woman that Link deserves. Truthfully, she’s probably the only person worthy of him. 

“Well, I’m flattered that you chose to spend your night off here… but again, that begs the question: why?” You weren’t meaning to sound so skeptical and negative, but surely he had better ways to fill his time. 

Link cocked an eyebrow. “Is it not enough to just want to come and see you?” He asked. 

The effortless way he said that, as if it were the most obvious answer in the whole word, made your heart flutter. He intentionally made time to come see you? He wanted to come see you in the first place? 

You opened your mouth, struggling to find words. 

“Do you have any clean forks?” He asked suddenly, changing the subject. His random question seemed to snap you out of the stupor you had found yourself in. 

“What?” 

“Forks. We need some forks.” He turned then, making his way upstairs to where the living area and small kitchen were. You followed behind, still feeling very much confused. 

Link rummaged through the kitchen drawers as if he lived there, taking no longer than a few seconds to produce two forks, one of which he gave you. Then, he pulled a small container out of his satchel. You frowned at it, trying to figure out what it was. 

“I managed to snag a piece for us before I left the castle,” he grinned, setting the container down on the counter. He took off the lid, revealing a gorgeous slice of white cake. It was topped with thick white frosting and decorated with blue and gold flowers. It looked delicious. You stared at it with wide eyes, then looked up at Link. He waved his hand at it. 

“Well, ladies first.” 

You didn’t even pretend to be polite and deny the offer. Instead, you happily dug in. You tried and failed to hold in the moan that came from the back of your throat as you took the first bite. It was absolutely delicious, practically melting in your mouth. 

“Lingk, dish ish amazin’!” Your voice was muffled, but happiness outweighed the shame of forgetting your manners. 

He nodded, taking a bite of the cake for himself. But unlike you, he waited until he was finished swallowing to speak. 

“I know how much you love sweets, so I figured that if I brought you a piece you wouldn’t be so angry with me for potentially waking you up. A peace offering, if you will.”  

You shook your head. “You could murder my family and I’d still forgive you if you gave me a piece of this cake.” 

Link laughed, the warm sound almost as satisfying as the food. “Alright, noted.” 

The two of you finished the treat in a comfortable silence, and Link insisted on cleaning the forks himself once you were done. You sat on the counter next to him as he scrubbed the utensils with a rag and some water. Watching from the corner of your eye, you were amused at how concentrated he was. He carefully inspected each fork, rescrubbing when he found even the smallest fleck of cake or frosting left behind. 

“Slayer of monsters and dirty dishes. What can’t you do?” You joked. 

He hummed, considering the question. “I’m not really a fan of laundry.” 

“Oh ho, so the great Link does have a mortal enemy then.” 

“The very sight of a pile of dirty clothing strikes fear right into my very soul!” He exclaimed dramatically, turning to give you a look of exaggerated fear. He paused suddenly, frowning as he looked at your face. He took a step towards you and leaned in. “Hold still..” 

You froze as he reached out towards you, unsure of what was happening. His warm hand cupped your cheek gently, and your heart started to pound so loud you were positive he could hear it. Before you could ask him what he was doing, he brushed his thumb over the corner of your mouth a few times. 

“There,” he said quietly, a look of concentration on his face. “All gone.” 

You just looked at him with wide eyes, and he met your gaze with a soft smile. Your cheeks burned underneath his palm. Both his touch and his proximity made your heart race and clouded your mind.

What is going on? Why am I reacting like this?

He held your gaze for what felt like forever, and you weren’t sure but you could swear you felt his thumb softly brushing over your cheek slowly. His touch was so light, however, that you could have just been imagining it. 

You found yourself feeling a small sting of disappointment when he seemed to snap out of whatever trance he was in and pulled his hand back quickly. Your cheek suddenly felt ice cold and you almost wished he would put his hand back where it was. 

“Sorry,” he said, clearing his throat. “You had some frosting on your cheek.” 

You let out a nervous laugh, and the quiet that enveloped the room as Link finished cleaning the dishes was awkward and not as comfortable as before. When he finished, he turned to face you and leaned up against the counter. You scrambled for anything to say, hoping to break whatever weird tension had built up between the two of you

“Thank you for bringing me the cake. It was so good, I might have to break in to the castle sometime to get some more.” 

Your joke seemed to do the trick, and Link visibly relaxed a bit. “Well, good thing you know one of the Royal Guards. I’m sure he could be persuaded to help you on your mission.” 

You grinned. “Maybe I could offer to do his laundry for him, think that would work?” 

The tension in the air was shattered by the sound of both yours and Link’s laughter. Whatever that awkward moment was, it was gone now. Though you could still feel the ghost of his hand resting gently on your cheek. 

Link’s laughter died down, and his face slowly morphed into something a bit more serious. He crossed his arms and his eyes bore into yours. “So.. do you want to talk about it?” 

You froze, and your smile slowly dropped as your brain took a second to register what exactly it was that he was talking about. 

Of course he wasn’t going to let you pretend that he didn’t see you crying like a baby in the midst of a large and happy crowd. 

You bit your lip and suddenly found a very interesting piece of fuzz on the blanket that was sitting in your lap. As you picked at it, you tried to fight off the tears that had begun to prick at the corner of your eyes. 

“There’s nothing to talk about.” You worked hard to keep your voice steady. 

“Where was he?” It was a simple question, but it cut through you like a knife. What hurt the most is that you couldn’t even answer it because you didn’t even know where he was. 

You ignored the tears as they began to slowly slip down your cheek. You kept your head down, continuing to focus on the blanket, but soon the piece of fuzz was joined by small water marks as the tears dropped down around it. 

“I don’t know.” You muttered. 

“What do you mean?” 

You sniffed, feeling slightly embarrassed to admit the truth. “He never showed up. I don’t know where he was.” 

The silence that followed spoke volumes. Looking up through your lashes, Link’s face was difficult to read. The muscles in his face flexed beneath smooth skin as he clenched his jaw. 

You laughed weakly. “Pathetic, right?”

“Something is pathetic, that’s for sure,” he muttered darkly. 

“This keeps happening. I don’t know what I did but obviously,” your lip started to quiver violently and your voice shook as you struggled to speak, “I’m not good enough for some reason.” The last word came out as a sob, and you slapped your hand over your mouth to try and keep the rest from coming out. It didn’t help. 

There was a long pause where the only sound in the shop was the sound of your crying. Then, “Get dressed.” 

You hiccuped, trying to catch your breath and calm yourself down. You looked up in confusion, wiping your nose in case any snot had started to make its exit from your nose. “What?” 

“Get dressed,” Link repeated, a serious look on his face. “We’re going out.” 

It took a few seconds for his words to register, and you shook your head vigorously. “No, Link, I don’t-”

His warm skin was once again on your cheek, the back of his hand softly brushing away the tears that sat there. 

He leaned in suddenly, his face just centimeters from yours, and there was a sparkle of something almost mischievous in his blue eyes. A stark contrast from the stoic expression he had been wearing moments before. 

“Last one to the castle entrance is a rotten cucco egg.” His voice was a soft whisper, nearly inaudible. You stared up at him, a dumb look on your face. 

“Wha..?” 

But before you could ask any more questions, he gave you a delishly grin and took off, running out of the room and clunking down the stairs loudly. 

“I - what? Link! Hey, wait!” You shouted after him, but got no response. “Oh fuck me,” you muttered. But you couldn’t deny the childlike giddiness that was bubbling up inside you as you ran to your room and pulled on some decent clothes as quickly as you could, determined to catch up with your friend. He had challenged you, and he knew that you weren’t one to back down from a challenge. 

As you exited the shop, you saw Link standing a few doors down, obviously waiting for you. He didn’t let you catch up, however, and with a quick grin he was off again, running through the streets of Castle Town. 

“This isn’t fair!” You shouted as you sprinted after him. “You got a head start!” 

He looked back as he ran. “Don’t blame me because you’re slow!”

You stuck your tongue out at him, and then watched in horror as an unsuspecting couple walked right into the path of an inattentive Link who was charging like a bull. You opened your mouth to warn him, but luckily he turned back at just the right moment. He managed to jump out of the way, mostly avoiding them. But he still tripped over the man’s shoes, stumbling forward wildly. You didn’t even bother holding back the laughter as you followed behind, watching as he struggled to regain his balance. 

“Sorry!” Link shouted, not even bothering to stop as he apologized. The couple gave him a nasty glare, then made to keep walking. However, they were once again abruptly stopped as you ran right into their path. You didn’t even need to look to know they were also giving you a dirty glare as well.

“Sorry!” You copied Link, also not even bothering to look back. 

You couldn’t stop the laughter that was spilling out as you ran. The sadness from earlier seemed to melt away with each stride you took. All you were focused on now was keeping an eye on Link and trying to catch up. He kept glancing back to check on you as well, and the smile on his face as he did so gave you butterflies. 

“Is that the best you got?” He shouted over his shoulder. 

“You know, it’s amazing you can run so fast with a head that big!” You shot back. His laughter carried down, filling your ears. 

“It’s part of the Royal Guard training!” 

Big head aside, by the time you got to the castle entrance out of breath and sweaty, he was already there waiting, looking completely unfazed. Not even a drop of sweat on his brow. 

He pretended to yawn as you dragged yourself up to him. “Well, it’s about time.” 

You glared at him as you leaned down and placed your hands on your knees to try and catch your breath. He just smiled innocently. 

“How does it feel?” He asked. 

“What, the stabbing pain in my side? The sweet embrace of death herself?” You panted. 

“Being a rotten cucco’s egg, I mean.” 

You couldn’t even pretend to be mad, a loud laugh escaping your lips. He joined in, and next thing you knew, the both of you were in tears and struggling for air. 

Once you two gained your composures, Link straightened up and gestured to the paved road that led up to the castle. 

“There? Link, we can’t just walk into the castle!” You looked nervously at the very large guards that stood on either side of the entrance. They looked straight ahead, their faces completely blank. But you knew that they weren’t zoned out and would not hesitate to use the very sharp looking swords they had strapped to their hips if need be. 

“C’mon, it’ll be fine. I promise.” He held out his arm to you. Hesitantly, you linked your arm with his and let him lead you. As you walked up to the guards, Link simply nodded to them. They returned the nod, and let you walk by without any issue. 

“Wow, must be nice to be the Hero of Hyrule,” you muttered sarcastically. He shrugged. 

“I guess putting my life on the line to save Princess Zelda and all of the people of Hyrule, yourself included, comes with the added perk of being able to enter and exit the castle freely. I mean really, that’s what makes it all worth it if I’m being honest.” 

You rolled your eyes at him and gently smacked his arm. He rarely ever made jokes or even talked about the events that led to him being hailed as a hero, so it was strange to hear him acknowledge it, even if he was just joking around. He just smiled down at you, and the two of you continued the walk in a comfortable silence. 

You weren’t exactly sure where he was taking you but as you approached the grand steps leading up to the front door of the castle, he quickly whisked you to the side and instead led you down a small path that disappeared around the side of the castle. 

“Where are we going?” You finally asked. He glanced down. 

“You’ll see. We’re almost there.” 

After a few more minutes, you ended up in front of a small arched gate. Thick green vines covered most of the silver metal, and you wondered if it would even open at all. But without any effort Link pushed one side and it swung open easily. He held out his hand, which you took, and led you through. 

The air grew thick with the sweet scent of blooming flowers. Crickets sang from their hiding places, competing with the sound of the leaves on the trees gently rustling in the soft breeze. The garden you had stepped into was filled with lush greenery, more vines climbing up the castle walls in a race to get to the top. The small area was dimly lit by the light of several small fairies, much to your wonderment. Some floated through the air, their tiny wings shimmering in the moonlight. Others sat perched on flowers or the trees, beautifully twinkling in the dark. 

The sound of water trickling drew your attention to a small pond that sat in the corner of the garden. The water was calm, the reflection of the bright moon and stars dancing on the surface. Small ripples danced throughout as water traveled down a small waterfall made naturally by large rocks. You saw other sporadic ripples in the water further out, hinting at tiny creatures who have made the pond their home. 

You truly had no words as you stood and absorbed the sight before you. The garden was small and magical, a sense of peace and serenity washing over you as you took in the beautiful sights and sounds under the lights of the moon and the fairies. From the corner of your eye, you could see Link looking down at you with a strange look on his 

face. 

After a few minutes of stunned silence, you finally found your voice. “What is this place?” You whispered. 

Link gently grabbed your arm again, guiding you to take steps forward. “Come on, let's sit.” 

A small bench sat at the edge of the pond, and the two of you took a seat and looked out at the water before you. You felt almost hypnotized watching the small stream trickle down the rocks and listening to the soft bubbling that accompanied it. 

“After.. everything,” Link started, his quiet voice pulling you out of your trance, “I spent a lot of time here.” 

You looked up and saw that he wasn’t looking at you, but rather looking out at the pond with a faraway expression on his face. You decided to stay silent to see if he would continue. He did. 

“It was really difficult at first. Well, it still is honestly. But those first few weeks, months, after Zelda was back and we were picking up the pieces left behind after so long of turmoil and destruction.. I really struggled.

The transition from being constantly on the road, constantly fighting, constantly throwing myself into the face of danger and being unsure if I would live to see another day, another hour even..” 

Your heart ached as you listened. You had only ever known Link to be courageous and brave. Hearing him talk about his struggles was difficult, and you didn’t want to think of him in any pain - emotional or otherwise. 

He sighed, shaking his head. “When nobody knew who I was, it was easy. I mean obviously what I was doing wasn’t easy, but before I felt like I was only responsible for myself and…” his voice trailed off, and you sensed there was something painful in the word that was supposed to come after “and”. But it never came. 

“I had pressure to succeed of course, knowing what fate would await Hyrule if I didn’t. But I didn’t have much time to stop and consider things. I just did what I had to do to get through each day.”

He nibbled anxiously on his bottom lip. A rare display of doubt and worry. “Now everyone looks up to me. They put me on such a high pedestal and for so long all I could think about was how much it was going to hurt when I fell. Because nobody really knows what I did. They don’t know the choices I had to make. The mistakes I made. How could I possibly be deserving of their love, their unwavering trust, with how many things I’ve done wrong?” 

Gingerly, you placed your hand on his knee. You weren’t sure what to say, or if he even wanted you to say anything. But you wanted to comfort him somehow. For him to know that you were listening and there for him. 

“I used to come out here almost every night. I had.. I had trouble sleeping for a while. And when I did, it was mostly nightmares. So I would come here and think about the questions I was too scared to ask out loud. What could I have done differently? Did I save everyone I could have saved?” 

You could feel your heart breaking with that final sentence. The look on his face and the pain in his voice. You had no idea how he could doubt himself when he had saved so many people, but you also couldn’t pretend to understand what he had gone through either. 

He turned to you, and you could see the vulnerability written on his face. “Luckily my nights out here have been becoming fewer and fewer in recent months. I don’t think I will ever be able to fully feel like I deserve any of the praise I get, but I am coming to terms with it. Learning to live with it. The voices in the back of my head will always be there, but they’re getting quieter and quieter with time.” 

Silence once again fell between the two of you, and you waited to see if he was going to continue. He did not. So you focused on the sounds of the night while you tried to think of the best way to respond to him. 

Link was one of your closest friends, but he had never been so open and honest and.. raw with his feelings before. While it hurt you to think of him struggling through all of those emotions alone, part of you - the selfish part - was over the moon that he had chosen to share these things with you. This was a whole new side of Link you were experiencing, but you decided that this was the most important one. This was the side that showed you the real Link. And he trusted you with that. That was no small thing. 

“Link, I’m so sorry.. I had no idea you were dealing with all of that.” Your eyes searched his, hoping he could hear and see the sincerity in your words. He gave you a small smile and shrugged. 

“I didn’t tell anyone. With all of the eyes on me, I didn’t want anyone to think I was ungrateful. Everyone believes me to be a strong and heroic person, so that’s what I’m going to show them.”

You shook your head. “But Link, I don’t think there’s a single person out there that would blame you for feeling the way you did. I mean, none of us know what it was like for you and you’re right. As soon as the dust settled, you were thrust into the spotlight and given all those fancy titles and promotions. There wasn’t much of an adjustment period, which I’m sure would be hard for anyone.” 

He was quiet for a minute before laughing softly, which confused you immensely. Had you said something funny? 

“Did I ever tell you what my life was like before? Back when I was just an average person who had never even been in a physical fight, nevermind battled monsters and evil rulers.” When you shook your head, he continued, a hint of longing in his voice. “I was a cattle ranch hand. I spent my days on my horse, rounding up the goats, cleaning stalls, and working on random projects around the ranch. Occasionally had to go and wrangle a goat or two that had gotten loose and tried to make its way down to the village.” 

You couldn’t stop the giggle that escaped your lips as you tried to imagine Link wrestling with an angry bleating goat. He raised an eyebrow and pretended to look offended. “Don’t you laugh, it was serious business. To this day I think I’d rather take on Ganondorf than a pissed off goat charging at me.” 

You nodded furiously and closed your lips together tightly, pretending to zip them up, lock them, and throw away the key. Link rolled his eyes but grinned at your foolishness. 

“Anyways, I just never would have imagined what my future would hold. And don’t get me wrong, I am immensely grateful for Zelda and the people of Hyrule and everything they have done for and given me. But a part of me I think will always mourn the life I could have had. Simple but pleasant. With the freedom to exist without the weight of all this pressure.” He sighed wistfully, looking once again back out across the pond. 

“Well, for what it’s worth, you are deserving.” He turned away from the pond to look back at you, and you continued. “You’re deserving not only because of what you did, but because of who you are. You are kind, you are caring, and you have the biggest heart of anyone I know. You intentionally go out of your way to help strangers, you play with the city’s kids during your free time, you visit other villages around Hyrule to make sure they have everything they need and if they don’t you make sure they get it, you share your food with starving potion makers.. I could go on, but I think you get the point.” 

Link pursed his lips and tapped a finger on his chin as if he were thinking hard about something. “No, no I think I’d like you to continue.” 

You scoffed loudly. “Fine. You also have the biggest head of anyone I know. That’s quite an impressive feat.” 

His laugh was loud and genuine, and you didn’t even mind that it disrupted the peaceful quiet of the garden. You shoved his shoulder with yours, and he gladly returned the gesture. The two of you battled it out for a minute or two before Link put up his hands in surrender. With a triumphant smile you leaned back on your hands and looked up at the sky. 

“Thank you.” He said after a few moments of comfortable silence. “For listening to all of that. It was nice to get it off my chest finally.” 

You sat up straight and gave him a serious look. “Anytime Link. I’m more than happy to listen when you need it. That’s what friends are for.” 

He stared at you for a few seconds before nodding and smiling, though for some reason it didn’t quite reach his eyes. It almost looked.. sad. Before you could ask him about it, he looked away and changed the topic. 

“Well, this is my special place to come and think about my life and whether I’m deserving of love and kindness. So I brought you here because I want you to do the same.” 

You took a sharp breath, suddenly being reminded about the situation with Elis and why you were even out of your bed in the first place. Since stepping into the garden you hadn’t thought once about it all. 

“What do you mean?” You asked. 

“I mean,” his voice was stern, “That you need to realize that you are also deserving. And to accept anything less is just cheating yourself.” When he looked at you, his gaze was intense and it seemed to cut right through to your very soul. 

Listening to Link talk about his feelings had been easy, but now that the attention was turned on to you, you suddenly felt very uncomfortable. You didn’t want to sit and list out all of the reasons why you were certainly not deserving and make yourself look even more pathetic than you already were. 

“It's hardly the same,” You said quietly. “You’re.. you. And I’m.. me.” 

He shook his head. “Our situations are unique, sure, but that does not mean that you are any less deserving of happiness.” 

“I am happy.” You knew it was a pathetic lie, and you knew that Link would absolutely not believe you. And by the look on his face, you could tell he certainly did not. But before he could lecture you any further, you suddenly stood up. 

“It’s getting late, and I’m very tired. Walk me home?” 

He looked like he wanted to protest, but eventually he nodded. Once again he held out his arm, and you took it, welcoming the sense of comfort and security being close to him brought. You did feel guilty that he had been so open and vulnerable with you tonight, only for you to immediately shut down when he tried to get you to do the same. But you hoped that he would realize that it wasn’t worth the discussion and would give it up. 

The walk back to your home was silent, neither of you knowing what to say. It wasn’t an uncomfortable silence per se, but the journey to the garden had certainly been more fun. You kept stealing glances at Link from the corner of your eye as you walked, but his face was unreadable. You had no idea what was going on in that mind of his. 

When you reached your shop, you were both relieved and disappointed. You dropped Link’s arm and unlocked the shop door. When you turned around to say goodbye, you were surprised to find that Link was much closer than you expected. 

Your heart began to beat rapidly at the proximity, which was silly because you had just spent the whole walk home arm-in-arm with him. But something about the way that he was standing, looking down at you just a step away, felt different. More intimate. 

You looked up at him - goddesses, he was tall - with wide eyes. He said nothing as he brought his hand up to your face. With a gentle touch, he caught hold of a lock of your hair and tucked it back behind your ear. His fingertips brushed your neck softly, sending tingles down your spine and butterflies erupting in your stomach. 

“Please just think about what I said,” he murmured, his voice so soft you almost had to strain to hear what he said. His hand was still holding the side of your neck, however, and really that’s all you could focus. Link probably could have shouted his words directly into your ear and you still wouldn’t have heard him properly. 

You nodded, unable to form words or even a single coherent thought. His thumb delicately stroked the sensitive skin behind your ear, triggering another wave of tingles and butterflies. 

“Promise?” His blue eyes were pleading and sincere. 

You nodded again, not even able to imagine how you could possibly say no to him in this moment. 

He stared for a moment longer before nodding, seeming to accept your answer. You expected him to pull his hand away, but instead he pulled you into his chest, catching you completely off guard. His one hand stayed placed at the base of your neck while the other snaked around your back, pressing you to him.

You momentarily forgot how to breathe. 

Had he ever hugged you before? 

Why was he hugging you? 

WHY did he smell so good?? 

You felt brief pressure on the top of your head, and then he released you and stepped back. As he did so, you finally took the breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. 

“Sleep well.” His smile was warm and damn it, when did his smiles start to make your stomach flip so violently? 

Ever so smooth with words, you replied “Uhh okay.” 

Link gave a final wave goodbye and you stood there like an idiot, watching as he walked down the road until he turned and was out of sight. 

Then, as if a switch had been flipped in your brain, a million thoughts and emotions slammed into you at once. Giddiness, guilt, sadness, confusion, admiration - you felt it all. You had no idea how to even begin to process anything that had happened that night or the emotions that you were feeling. You were like a zombie as you wandered upstairs to your room and changed back into your sleep clothes, your head swimming with so many things. 

When you laid down finally, you decided to just push all of the thoughts and emotions away and shut your brain off. You would think about it later. Put off sorting out your feelings for later as you always did. 

But there was one feeling you couldn’t push out of your head no matter how much you tried. The feeling of Link’s touch. His hand on your cheek wiping away the tears. His thumb stroking your neck softly. His arms wrapped around you as he pulled you close. And how utterly empty you felt when he pulled away. 

Groaning, you smashed your face into your pillow and pulled the covers up over your head until you were enveloped in total darkness. 

“Sleep well.” 

“Fuck off,” you muttered to yourself, knowing that the very person who said those words would be the exact reason why you would not.

[musical-chan]

Remainder of the Sky

He couldn't get over the miracle of a tree. 

They were so tall here, vast and mighty. Their canopy of leaves were enough to protect one from the rain. 

And the rain! He had seen rain but not like the rain here. It fell in sheets. It misted through the trees. It was cold and warm and refreshing, not like the stinging sleet of home.  His old home.  This was probably his home now. He marvelled at the path of his life to bring him here, laying on his back under a tree that was bigger than any house he had ever known. His hands behind his head, his eyes piercing the blanket of leaves to the brilliant blue patches of sky beyond.  He missed the sky. Missed the open air and freedom but could not escape the wonder of the land either. Forever caught in the between spaces of his heart, he supposed. 

A sound tickled his ears but he ignored it. 

They were still going up there, for now.  People needed to be brought down.  Family heirlooms needed to be retrieved. The Loftwings were always happier in the air so they flew them frequently, in and out of clouds, through the brilliant expanse of sky.

It just wasn’t the same though.

The dappled sunlight danced on his closed eyes as he considered that nothing was the same anymore and it shouldn't be because they all move on eventually.  Even if none of it had happened and they made their lives on Skyloft, everything would have changed anyway.  Graduating from school, becoming a Knight, beginning a family; they were all things he had never done before but always imagined he would.  Was this really so different? 

His ear twitched at another sound but he was too deep in his own thoughts to consider it now. 

Sure, the surface was different and vast and there were all sorts of friendly people to meet. Life was busier than it had ever been at home and every day was full. There were still threats to deal with;  killing the demon king did not remove everything that god had created. His eyes slipped open, narrowed in fury, his face a mask of pain and anger. No, it hadn't really ended anything, did it.  Rage burned through him like fire.

Someone might have been calling his name. It was unimportant. 

Calm thoughts. Calm eyes. Deep breath. Remember, he is gone. Din's anger did not have to burn through him anymore. It was fine. 

Everything was fine. 

A miracle of a tree. 

The flow of the river. 

Fine. 

A flower, a bee. 

Fine.

(Read the rest on AO3)

This one is probably one of the more beautiful things I think I've written. It feels very poetic, in a way.

[novantinuum]

Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Rating: G Words: 1.9K~ Summary: heart•song (n.): An expression of our most inner being, identity, and reason for existence – what twists and turns of life have led us here, to this dangerous place? And by what strength do we keep enduring? - Or: For a sage to give one their vow, first there must be vulnerability. (A collection of shorts exploring the bond between each sage and Link.)

Yunobo is my OTHER little scrunkly rock boy ;w;

If you enjoy, I’d heartily appreciate your support via reblogs here and/or comments/kudos on AO3! Thanks

____

The blunt reality of the sweltering, hellish place he finds himself in this afternoon still brings him pause.

A volcano.

He— Yunobo— jumped straight into the actively erupting maw of a freakin’ volcano. What in Darunia’s cliff-splitting name was he thinking, goro?

It’s not that he doubts he can handle whatever Death Mountain can throw at him— he’s been really practicing with his swings lately, and of course the fiery roll attack he developed will be a huge boon to their offensive arsenal— it’s that he took the leap without sparing even a single thought towards all the potential consequences first. The old him… the cowering but practical him… wouldn’t be caught half molten making such impulsive decisions. The old him would’ve waited on the rim, would’ve watched Link paraglide down into the Depths with a solid wall of anxiety clawing at his core, chained to the surface by the fears of his own timidity and inexperience. Yet somehow, this time, not a single one of those thoughts even briefly skimmed across his consciousness. Instead all he could think about were the faces of his fellow brothers. His people’s plight… hijacked by their bottomless craving for marbled rock roast, wholly uncaring of all the pressing needs of their youth and elders. Oh, this is a mess, all right… and one that his own foolishness caused.

So this time, with the wellbeing of his city at stake, not only did he take the leap; he leapt first.

And isn’t that what courage is supposed to be? Shouldn’t this be a good change? It probably is, but if so, then… why does he still feel so icky inside?

Yunobo continues to pace across the course sands scattered in concentric circles beneath the lightroot his companion activated just now. He wishes he could find it within him to relax like Link is— sitting cross legged under the root’s regenerating aura as he works to tighten one of the strings on his bow— but instead his mind keeps returning to that damn mask… to the glamor he escaped from under the thumb of only hours ago. At this point, he can barely remember anything from his time under its sway. But with the way young Slergo and Offrack looked to him with such worried relief when he came to, and what little context he gleaned from them and his Hylian friend… plus the distant glimpse he caught of his city while riding up the side of the mountain… things must have been bad. Really, really bad.

Out of nervous habit, he grinds his molars together unnecessarily hard as he continues to chew over this puzzling quandary. How could he let any of this happen? He genuinely thought he was becoming a better leader. A positive role model actually worthy of all the affection and encouragement his two little tagalongs constantly supply. Maybe, though, he hasn’t grown as much as he hoped. Maybe he’s always destined to be a bumbling screw-up. Maybe he’s—

“Yunobo.”

His friend’s voice cuts through all the murk and mire like it’s little more than the thin, newly hardened crust of a cooling lava flow. Humming in idle curiosity and ceasing his paces, his attention snaps towards the Hylian’s face.

“What’s eating at you?” Link manages to coherently sign through the thick glove of his volcano-proof armor, his expression blown wide with palpable concern. His weapon lays momentarily forgotten at his side.

“I—“ he scratches at one of the patches of hardened stone jutting out form the back of his neck— “I guess I’m just thinking about what I can’t remember. Which… means I’m thinking about nothing? Or everything. Gah, I don’t know. It’s… all so confusing.”

Heaving a large sigh, he finally resolves to park himself on the ground. Just for a few minutes. Just until Link’s had enough time to recover from that last camp of lizalfos they had to take care of and fix his bow.

“But if you really wanna know,” he continues, “then I guess what’s actually bothering me is just… that mask. And the fact it could control me like that so easily. Am I…” he pauses, his brows scrunching inwards amidst the thick coils of shame he suddenly feels brimming within, “really that weak-willed, goro?”

“You were tricked,” Link responds in a few swift motions, his expression softening with empathy. “Your agency was stolen from you. That’s never the victim’s fault.”

“But I shouldn’t have been a victim in the first place!” Yunobo blurts out, throwing his arms in the air. “I’m Daruk’s descendant, so everyone’s always counting on me to be the strong one, and I—“

His voice cuts.

There’s a thousand clamorous words piling up behind the face of all this self-directed anger, but no easy way to vent them out. No way to truly make sense of them all unless he digs deep within himself and starts asking the big questions:

What is he really ashamed about?

He sinks into himself, his volume dropping lower. Meeker.

“…and I just hate always feeling so helpless,” he admits, truly feeling the weight of such a statement as he droops his head low. “My brothers need me right now, and I’ve been letting them down. I’ve been letting them down for a really long time…”

Link purses his lips, thinking for a moment.

“Do you wanna know something?” he eventually signs.

“Yeah, goro?”

“Even I feel helpless at times.”

“Wha— really? You??” Yunobo says, his tone unbelieving. “But you’re Link! You’re the hero of all of Hyrule! You never give up for anything!”

He shrugs. “Trying your best to do the right thing doesn’t mean you never feel helpless.”

“Huh. That’s… actually a good point.”

“When I…” his friend inhales deeply, taking a quick moment to center himself before continuing. “When I lost Zelda, and lost my sword, and woke up alone in the sky, it was hard to not feel that way. But—“ he gazes out towards the vast ruins looming in the distance, nestled against the side of a cliff beyond a cluster of bokoblin encampments and a rather majestic lava fall— “life moves on. Sometimes all we can do is move on. Our enemy is powerful— ungodly powerful. So how is it fair to blame ourselves for falling victim to its influence? How is it fair to assume we need to fight this alone, when the enemy is backed up by an entire army of monsters?“

The faint glimmer of fire in the ruins up ahead easily draws his attention as he churns over what Link is saying. This forgotten fortress— forged of igneous stone that looks to have been mined directly out of the heart of Death Mountain herself— is unquestionably of Goron make, and unquestionably ancient. And given its locality, resting this far beneath the familiar slopes of Eldin, the only historic setting he can possibly connect with it is—

Gorondia.

It has to be.

Even thinking the name fills his soul with a swell of unspeakable awe, like a succulent bite of half molten rock roast warming his body from the inside out.

It’s the lost city of an era long past. The crown jewel of endless centuries of Goron artistry. A place so steeped in legend that it was only ever mentioned in the context of make-believe and fairytales. And yet he managed to find it anyways! Him! Cowardly ol’ him! Despite all the odds stacked against this quest (a two person quest all the way through, far different than last time), Yunobo succeeded where generations of Goron scholars failed, and he wasn’t even trying to unearth old history. All he wanted to do was make up for the damage he caused, but then— following in Link’s courageous footsteps— one thing led to another, and now they’ve fought their way through all the terrors of the depths right to Gorondia’s doorstep, vying to liberate his people from gloom’s control altogether. It really goes to show just how much one can accomplish with a friend by their side.

Link, for the record, seems to agree.

“This war is not one man’s fight, and I’m done with pretending otherwise,” he continues, briefly pausing as he uses his hands to push himself back up to his feet. “It’s teamwork and goodwill between regions that aided me in ending the Calamity, and it’s that same kind of companionship that will save us now. I helped you, and now you’ll help me, and if we work together with the rest of Hyrule, I truly believe we can stop this calamity too.”

He clasps his hands together, large rocky nails scraping along his inner palm.

“I… I think that’s the most words I’ve ever seen you say at once, goro,” he says with a soft chuckle. “You’re really passionate about this, aren’t you?”

Link bobs his head in an affirmative.

“Well—“ he picks himself off the ground and trundles to his feet as well— “even if I do still feel out of place, it’s pretty amazing that we’ve made it this far, huh?”

The barest corner of his mouth tilts upwards. “I couldn’t have made it here without your support.”

“And I still would’ve been dealing marbled rock roast to all my brothers if it weren’t for you showing up! I guess we have a lot to thank each other for, huh?”

A rush of emboldened warmth surging all the way from his dense, molten heart to his furthest extremities, Yunobo glances at the road behind, at the winding path they took from the chasm’s opening all the way up to this very lightroot at the highest rim of Death Mountain’s lake. Link’s right. It truly is a wonder, how far they’ve journeyed together. Companionship… all the connections he’s nurtured with folks of all shapes and sizes these past few years… they’ve forged him into the dependable, occasionally courageous (he’s still working on that) Goron he is today. Connection makes them all stronger. Knowing Link has made him stronger. Not too long ago, back when he still hid idly behind his ancestor’s protection, he wouldn’t have been caught dead leaping into the maw of a volcano, let alone working to infiltrate a whole ancient Goron city overflowing with monsters.

But things have changed. He’s changed. He doesn’t need Daruk to shield him anymore, because he’s got his own fire stirring within. That fire is what drove him towards a position of leadership in his city, and— in both a figurative and a literal sense— it’s what’s led him here into the deepest caverns of the Depths today.

So he can’t let himself give up after coming so far, no how, no way! His brothers need him right now. And he needs them. His fault or not, his earlier influence tipped his home into complete disarray, but by Din’s eternal light he swears he’ll be the one to fix it.

Together… hand in hand with his most loyal friend.

Freeing the remainder of his stressors within a deep, sonorous sigh, he bends down to grab the leather wrapped hilt of his most cherished weapon, a Boulder Breaker Link himself passed on to him that used to belong to the great Daruk.

“I’m ready when you are, goro,” he says, hefting the sledge over his shoulder and clenching his opposing palm into an assured fist.

He’ll see this quest through to the end this time, he swears it.

[sokkas-first-fangirl]

Rhoam had called him a knight. Then he called him Your Highness. But what was Link a prince of? (Assuming he even was, assuming Rhoam wasn’t screwing with his head for Link’s disrespect). He wasn’t Prince of Hyrule, surely. Was he…not from Hyrule?

It all made his head ache.

“Zelda?” he asked aloud. “Was he serious?”

There was no answer. Just the wind.

Link grabbed the paraglider. He wouldn’t get any answers in these ruins. He needed to get off this plateau at last.

He’d follow the slate. He’d find Impa.

And then he’d find whoever gave him his locket.

*

100 years ago, the Great Calamity ravaged Hyrule. In the chaos, Princess Mipha and her husband, Prince Link, lost their lives. Until Link rose from the Shrine of Resurrection that is. Needless to say, the Zora aren't too happy about their amnesiac prince wandering the country alone. It looks like he'll need a guard...

OR: Link and Mipha were married. He's joined by some over-protective friends on his quest to save Hyrule.

(Also known as Sidon, Bazz and Rivan being the best hype men and bodyguards ever. No, Sidon absolutely does not have Dorephan's permission to be here.)

[sparklyhyperbole]

Happy Birthday, @mistresslrigtar!!

So thrilled to have you rocketing around on this small blue planet. You're a treasure. So here's your birthday drabble; in which we crack Link's brain open for a small moment post TotK.

She works the garden and all I can think is Please Stay.

A smudge of dirt on her nose, and all the glistening treasures of my love in green, green eyes. Knees in the soil, fingers working and worming like roots of her very own.

All I can think is Please Stay.

Stay down here and twine your roots with me among the helianthus you planted, and then never—never!—return to the skies. Let's wear soil instead of scales. Let's trickle down laughter into the earth instead of tears.

All I can think is Please Stay with me, Zelda.

[manias-wordcount]

Wedding Night (Ganondorf)

Kinktober 2023 Day Twenty-One: Size Difference

𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁: 𝗼𝗻𝗲 || 𝘁𝘄𝗼 

𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚? ⇒ 𝙈𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩

𝙟𝙤𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚𝙧?

𝙗𝙪𝙮 𝙢𝙚 𝙖 𝙘𝙤𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙚?

Your mother said that the night of your wedding might be scary. But she also said that if your husband was kind to you- if he was good to you, you would have nothing to worry about. You didn’t believe those words that she said to you when it was first announced that you were to be married into the Dragmire Family. But now that you’re here with your newly anointed husband right in front of you?

You don’t think the words could have rang any more true for another man.

Right now, you’re on your back. Your wedding attire was carefully discarded by your husband’s large hands all so gently, that you would have thought that the man was handling glass and diamonds and other precious jewels. By the time you were completely bare of everything, the nervousness must have been showing on your face. Because he was so quiet, so soft when he helped you lay down on the bed of consummation. So sweet as he helped you part your legs so, so slowly for him. 

And so kind as he took one finger and pressed it to your lower lips, watching carefully as the most private part of your body welcomes in a stranger so easily.

Oh, how you gasped, and oh, how you moaned at the intrusion. You’re no stranger to your own body. You have touched and toyed and played with yourself before. But his fingers? They were so much larger. They were so much thicker. Somehow they managed to accomplish the same feat that not even three or four of your fingers could accomplish so easily- filling you up so easily. So smoothly. So- so perfectly. It almost set you running- racing out of the bed. But a large, firm hand being placed on your stomach stopped you. It keeps you in your place with just enough weight for the message to get to you loud and clear.

So you stay. You don’t run. You don’t cry. You stay. And maybe, just maybe…

…you open your legs just a teensy bit wider at the sight of the small, encouraging smile the King of Gerudo flashes at you for listening to him so readily.

“I forget just how small you are compared to me.” Ganondorf murmurs before looking back down at your body, eyebrows knitting together as a look of deep concentration spreads across his face. You could only whine in response as you felt the finger move further and further in. A loud, pitiful sound that makes your skin turn warm and your blood running hot beneath your skin. Yet the man in front of you- your husband seems to only relish in the sounds you make. Because they’re all made because of him. Because they’re all for him. Your dear, dear husband. Your dear, dear Ganondorf. “I’ve been at this for so long, and yet, you’re still so tight for me. I wonder why that is, my dear. Hmm?”

He with a lifted brow at a quick glance at your blissful expression, he throws the question in your direction. But you don’t answer. You can’t answer. It’s far too embarrassing for you to use your voice right now. Or is it that’s impossible to use your voice right now? You’re not quite sure, but this has you feeling all sortings of things that make it hard to think about anything except for what’s doing to you. And just how good he makes you feel.

The way he stands above you at the end of the bed makes him feel even taller- even bigger than before. Your eyelids flutter every now and then as you fight the urge to just lay there with your eyes closed and ride the singular finger buried inside you until you reach that peak you’re both searching for. It’s hard though. It’s hard fighting that feeling. Especially now that he’s listening to all the dumb little noises that pass through your parted lips. And the chuckle he lets out as he leans into you a little bit more- it makes you feel so, so very small in comparison. So, so very small. 

“You're taking my finger very well, little one.” He compliments you, and you can’t help but coo at the words he says to you. “Ah, what a noisy little thing you are.”

He lets out another laugh at your lewd reactions and expressions to all that he’s giving you, and you can’t help but feel a wave of shame try to wash over you once more. But it’s quickly replaced by the tanned finger buried in your insides pulling back out and pumping itself in again at a pace that’s steadily starting to gain speed and intensity. It’s never too fast for you. It’s never too hard either. But it’s starting to curl and move like it knows what it’s doing. It’s starting to press and prod at places that make you gasp and whimper and moan clamp down on the offending appendage. But more than anything? It’s making you feel good. It’s making you feel warm and pleasured and a little bit dizzy. 

But your mother said that if your husband was good to you- if your husband was kind to you- that he would make your world go soft and your mind grow fuzzy before he even enters you. Though she never said that he could make you feel like a cloud floating among the stars with just one finger and the beautiful purr of his gentle voice. She never said that at all.

“You’re so perfect for me. So receptive. So sweet.”

Ganondorf continues on with his praises. Voice warm as it hits you low, low, low in your body where it matters the most. You whine again at it all, unable to hold it in as the feeling of being called perfect while he takes such good care of you and your body. Every single thing he says- every little word he speaks to you- only manages to make you slip further and further into this headspace. It makes it harder and harder to focus on multiple things- anything at once. So much so that you’re starting to forget your own name and can only remember his. So much so that all you can see when you close your eyes is his olive-colored skin and kind, amber eyes as he touches you in places where no one else has touched you before. So much so that you don’t even know that you’re jerking and shifting and moving your hips in a way that is very unlike the blushing bride you’re supposed to be.

“Ah, But I do wonder…”

Or that the big, and heavy thing now pressing up against your inner thigh…

“If I’ll even be able to fit inside my wife’s precious little pussy without splitting her into two.”

…is supposed to be inside of you before the night is done and over with. 

[athena-theunicorn]

I'm screaming y'all.

I just got my first ever fanart for my fic and I-

STFU ITS INCREDIBLE? I'M IN LOVE WITH THEM ACTUALLY. ITS EXACTLY HOW I PICTURED IT BUT BETTER? AND SHES WEARING THE RINGGGGG I CANT BELIEVE THEY REMEMBERED AHHHH. i HAVEN'T STOPPED SMILING IM SO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL. I CANTTTTTTT TAKE IT AHHHHHHHH

The wonderful Chihua_draws made if for me on Twitter! Go follow them! Show them all the love they deserve!

Oh, and go read the most recent chapter of Between Them if you want context for this beautiful drawing :)

[hyrulesketcher]

early falling in love Zelink AU anyone? Pre-calamity? ✨

[pinkalmondcake]

"I am just a man who lost his world" - Fierce Warrior from my Fierce Deity AU

Last post of the day and I swear I'll catch up with my comments and asks soon!! 💖

I just quickly drew this to make it the last post for the weekend!! I was craving some Fierce Warrior drawing moment conveying a quote that represents who he is as a person before he became a deity!

He was just a man in love who held no bounds to his tribe or to the King until the threat of Majora seeped into Hyrule, turning his world upside down and turning him into something he never was...a person who had to wear a mask he never chose.

I suck at side profiles-

[luimagines]

Time and Spell (900 follower raffle)

Masterlist

Our first place winner was @linkedhearts

They asked for Time and an OC of theirs. I hope I did I decent job ^.^*

Content under the cut!

“I thought I’d find you here.”

“And I thought you’d be home later.”

“I got out early.” The younger man sat on the dock. “Thought I could come see you.”

Time kept his face neutral. He was used to this and he wasn’t sure why. Spell, the man next to him, was different from him. He was smaller than Time. The top of his head came up to his chest. But they shared similar blond hair and icy blue eyes.

Spell, however, had longer hair and kept it a braid down his back while Time had a hard time letting it grow past his shoulders. 

Time had lost his eye by this point but there was no missing the way the younger man seemed to brighten the space around him. Maybe it was his cynicism, and perhaps it was because he was jaded beyond his years, but Time knew he was soft on him.

“A pleasure as always.” Time leans back, letting his fishing pole rest on top of his legs. “A real honor.”

Spell chuckles quietly. He shifts his weight and lets his leg dangle off of the edge of the dock. It’s a small lake and there’s few visitors. Except for one. Who happens to come back to this particular spot every time he was having a bad day.

They sit in silence for a moment. Neither of them want to acknowledge the sincere ritual they’ve both cultivated for themselves.

The wind blows- twinkling faint chimes in the distance. They sound like wood and bells and the laughter of fairies. The leaves whisper in return- the song of the leaves chanting quietly all around them.

Spell looks over to the hero next to him. There was a certain stiffness in the way he sat that he couldn’t quite place where he got it from. He calls himself Link but many have referred to him as “The Hero”, “The Prophet”, “The One Eyed Wonder”. 

He hated those names.

“What was it?” Spell looks over the quiet lake.

Something pulls on the line, saving Time (the name he sometimes refers to himself when he’s feeling untethered) a precious moment to think of his response.

Time reels in a smaller fish than the fight would have assumed. Not feeling particularly willing to use his voice, Time lets it go, buying himself some more time. He tosses his line into the lake again and Spell waits.

He waits and he waits. He’s half tempted to reword his question when Time finally takes a deep breath. “Why do you talk to me?”

That’s not what Spell was expecting.

But Time isn’t sure what the matter is. He hopes to dissuade the other by deflecting the issue. He means no harm in this change of question, but there’s an underlying sense of self rejection. He can hardly stand to be himself sometimes- he doesn’t quite see the appeal of actively seeking him out.

Spell on the other hand, is sent reeling. “Did someone say something? Who did it? Just say the word and they won’t annoy you any more!”

Spell finds himself on his feet. How dare they. They looked at this peaceful, yet burdened man, and decided to make him question his value. Did he think he was undeserving? That he was less than any other person in town? The very thought boils his blood. Steam would be coming out of his ears if he was capable of such an act.

Time looks over, hardly bothered by the outburst. “Sit down. No one said anything. It was just a question.”

Spell is unconvinced, but he sits back down. “I talk to you because I want to. Because I like you. Because I like your company. Is that so hard to believe?”

“Forgive me for my honesty but yes.” Time tugs on his line, teasing the fish under the water, hoping to get another bite but with a bigger fish on the other end. “I’m not exactly a good conversationalist. We both know this.”

Spell pouts, still adjusting to the levels of anger in his system- although now the feeling has no one to be directed at. “I don’t care about that. What do I have to do to get you to believe me? Surely I can make myself be more convincing.”

Time snots, reeling his line back in. He didn’t catch anything but he throws it further into the lake. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Now I’m lost.” Spell brings his knees to his chest. “I would have thought that after everything we’ve been through together that it would have been quite obvious that I enjoy your company.”

“I’m not doubting that.” Time leans back again. “I’m asking why.”

Spell takes the moment to let the rest of his anger die down. It’s a moment to think. The wind and the chimes continue in their song and dance, but they’re mere afterthoughts. His head feels as if he’s swimming through all the words he’s ever known. He wants to seem genuine and sincere but not over complicate everything by talking too much. The silence stretches on but he can’t seem to come to a reasonable answer without making a fool out of himself in the process.

“I don’t know.” He settles with. “I just do. We can either both accept that as the truth or you’ll be forced to sit there for the next three hours as I sing your praises- but I don’t think you’d like that option.”

Time smiles. It’s small- invisible and subtle. But Spell sees it. It’s the kind of smile where he knows that Time is biting his lip from the inside. The one where the corners of his eyes crinkle ever so slightly. The one where he feels giddy and boyish but tries to hide it under all the time he’s spent trying to appear untouchable to defend himself against criticism. The one that only Spell gets to see in his vulnerability.

It lets Spell know that Time is feeling better.

“See?” Spell pushes Time’s shoulder. “I knew you’d like the easy option. Just accept the facts and let it be. You’re not getting rid of me any time soon.”

Time lets the smile move a little more to the other side of his face and shakes his head with mirth. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

Another moment passes and Spell huffs to break it once more. “I was trying to think of a way to say something like ‘oh, so you dream of me?’ or ‘I’m in your dreams?’ but I couldn’t figure it out fast enough for it to stick.”

Time laughs a little more openly, nearly dropping his fishing pole into the lake and he takes a playful swing at his companion. “I can’t believe you. Be serious.”

Spell dodges it easily and leans back onto the small dock, crossing his arm under Time’s to invade his personal space. “I would if you didn’t make everything so serious the second you enter a room. You take all the seriousness for a n entire group, thank you very much. Besides, I like it when you smile. My work here is done.”

“Is that all you came here for, then?” Time raises an eyebrow and looks away from the lake, poking Spell’s forehead. “Mission complete?”

“Well….yes and no.” Spell shrugs. “You only ever come here when you’re feeling upset.”

Time tenses.

“I wanted to make you feel better. But I don’t really want to leave.”

“I don’t want you to leave either.” Time admits. “...But yes, today… has been a little more difficult than I’d like to admit out loud.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.”

Spell hums, taking the answer for what it is. “...Did you eat anything yet?”

As if to snitch on the bigger man, his traitorous stomach growls loudly in reply. Both of them freeze, neither of them wanting to look at each other. Time in particular doesn’t want to face Spell.

“...”

“...”

“....That’s a no.” 

Time winces. The disappointment in Spell’s voice is palpable. With a minor cough to clear his throat, he tries to play it off. “I mean… I was working on getting some food.”

He gestures to the fishing pole.

Spell isn’t amused. “I’ll be back.”

“I thought you said you weren’t going to leave.”

“That was before you admitted to not taking care of yourself either. I’ll be back with food and maybe some water.”

“There’s water right in front of us.” Time tries to deflect. The familiar feeling of shame begins to creep up his neck. He feels like a boy with his hand caught in a cookie jar.

“And none of it is drinkable.” Spell knocks Time on the side of his head. “Honestly… The things I do for you.”

Time looks away, hoping that his ever growing grin (despite his embarrassment) is invisible. “I’ll catch you a fish.”

“You better.”

“A big one!”

“Good.” Spell rolls his eyes affectionately. “I’ll be back soon.”

“Alright.”

[queenofhyruleee]

Knight in Shining Armor Chapter 3

hehe thank you so much for all of the likes and support :) I can't believe people are actually enjoying the ideas that come from my brain!!! hopefully you enjoy this chapter!

When you heard a knock on the door the next day, a day when the shop was closed, your heart leapt. Was it Link again? Master Shido had told you that he was most likely going to be gone for a fortnight at the earliest, so you knew it wasn’t him.

You intentionally ignored the butterflies in your stomach as you jumped out of bed and rushed down to answer the door. Before opening it, you paused and took a second to fix your hair and straighten out your rumpled clothes. 

What am I doing? Stop being ridiculous. 

Taking a deep breath, you opened the door and prepared to say hello to your friend. 

“Hello, beautiful.�� 

Your face faltered, the smile on your lips dropping as you looked up at Elis. He was holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers, but for some reason it didn’t excite you as much as it might have had previously. Instead, the feelings of anger and sadness began to build up once more. 

He didn’t even wait for you to invite him in before he stepped inside, slightly pushing you out of the way as he did so. “I wanted to come see you and apologize for missing last night.” 

You turned back to him after closing the door, an unamused look on your face. “You could have at least given me a heads up before I sat at Telma’s for two hours looking like an absolute idiot. Again.” 

He gave you a guilty smile. “I’m sorry, honey pie. Something came up with my father’s job and he needed my help to get it all sorted out. I couldn’t get away to come find you.” 

You raised your eyebrow, secretly questioning the validity of his story. That isn’t the first time he’s come up with almost that exact excuse. 

“Your father has been having quite a lot of problems lately, it seems. Hopefully everything is okay with his business.” You sounded a bit more snarky than you intended, but you couldn’t help it. 

“Well anyways!” He waved his hand in the air, clearly trying to move on from the topic, “I wanted to take you out. I thought maybe we could have lunch by the river today.” He wiggled his eyebrows, clearly trying to entice you with his offer. 

You chewed on your bottom lip, considering his offer. He had apologized, brought flowers, and was trying to make it up to you. Being angry was exhausting. So even though you weren’t feeling completely won over, you decided that it was easier to just move on. Giving him a half-hearted smile, you nodded. “Yeah, okay. That sounds nice.” 

“Great! It’s a beautiful day out, perfect for a picnic.” He did seem genuinely excited, which made the dark cloud surrounding your heart lift ever-so-slightly. 

You eyed his empty hands. “Did you already set it up? Is the food there waiting for us?” 

He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, about that.. I don’t have any money at the moment, so I wasn’t able to get any food on my way here. Got anything good?” Before you could even answer, he headed up the stairs, the floorboards creaking as he made his way into the kitchen. You sighed and followed him. 

When you walked in, he was already raiding the cupboards. You walked him next to him, and looked up suspiciously. 

“Your dad didn’t pay you for your help yesterday?” 

“Hm? What help?” He said absentmindedly, not even pausing his rummaging to look at you. 

You crossed your arms. “The work. Yesterday. Why you stood me up.” 

That seemed to set off a bell in his head, and he immediately froze for a moment before turning to you. “No, he didn’t pay me. Downside of being his son, I guess. Free labor is cheap labor!” 

You couldn’t help but feel like there was something he wasn’t telling you. But you didn’t have the energy to press for more information, so you reluctantly accepted his explanation. 

The feeling only persisted though as you walked through Castle Town, a basket of sandwiches (that you made) ready to go. You couldn’t help but notice that Elis kept glancing around, almost nervously, as if he were on the lookout for someone. At one point, he even insisted that you not stop at a fruit stall to pick up some enticing looking apples. When you expressed your annoyance, he had only given you a sheepish smile and said that he was “just so hungry!” 

He didn’t seem to relax until you reached the river, where he led you to a cozy spot right on the bank… that was conveniently hidden away from the rest of the world by a row of thick bushes and trees. 

“Okay, what’s the deal?” You asked, unable to hold it back any longer. He looked up from where he was sitting on the ground, busy grabbing a sandwich from the basket. 

“What do you mean?” 

You crossed your arms and huffed. “Are you ashamed to be seen with me or something? You refuse to let me stop, you keep looking over your shoulder every few seconds, and the only living creatures who can see us in this spot are the fish. Why are you acting like this?” You were so angry at yourself when your voice cracked on the last word, and your eyes began to fill with tears. 

Panicking, Elis jumped up and took your hands in his. “No, no, no. Honey pie. Absolutely not!” 

You glared at him through your tears, and he seemed flustered as he continued. “The truth is… my father and I had to make some tough decisions to deal with the problem yesterday, and in the process we made quite a few people angry. I’m just.. being careful.” 

Immediately, you stood up straight and your eyes widened. “Do you think people would try to hurt you?” 

He sighed and shrugged, shaking his head slowly. “Possibly, honey pie. But that’s the way that it is I guess. But don’t worry,” his face changed and he beamed down at you, “I would never let them stop me from spending time with you.” To emphasize his point, he poked you gently on the tip of your nose. 

Your anger and suspicion melted away into a feeling of guilt. You had been so quick to think the worst about him and what he had been doing. Sure, he stood you up but it sounded like he had a good reason and it wasn’t fair to hold that against him. 

You gave him a smile, a genuine one this time, and let him guide you down to the ground where the food was waiting. You pushed any negative feelings you were still having out of your head, and attempted to forgive and forget. 

The lunch went a lot better than you were expecting. Elis dropped all of the weird behavior, and you felt like he was actually going above and beyond to be affectionate and make you feel loved. The two of you spent a good chunk of the afternoon lounging by the calm river, telling stories and enjoying the feeling of the sun on your skin. 

Eventually, it was time to head back to town. As you approached the bridge leading to the entrance of Castle Town, you felt significantly more content and comfortable than you had on the way out. So much so, that you decided to reach out and grab Elis’ hand. He jumped, surprised at the contact, and pulled his hand away quickly. 

You tried not to look as hurt as you felt, and you immediately felt that suspicion flood back into your gut. He gave you a sheepish smile. 

“Sorry, honey pie. My hands are super sweaty right now.” 

You narrowed your eyes and opened your mouth to say something, but the sound of loud hoof beats drew your attention away. Looking over your shoulder at the entrance of the city, you watched as a small party of soldiers dressed in their armor rode atop powerful horses and out of Castle Town. 

What immediately caught your eye, however, was the flash of familiar blonde hair towards the front of the group. Even from a distance, piercing blue eyes seemed to immediately meet yours, and before you realized what you were doing, you were sprinting towards the commotion. He seemed to understand what you were doing and, after shouting something to the soldiers around him who nodded and kept riding, Link peeled away from the group and began making his way over to you. 

It only took a few moments for him to meet you, and you watched in awe as he gracefully slid off his horse in a fluid motion that made it look way too easy. You rushed up to him, but noticed that his eyes were not focused on you. Rather, they were staring hard at something behind you. Looking over your shoulder, you saw Elis walking up, looking equally as unamused. 

You turned back to Link, and his eyes dragged away from the man behind you and back to your face. 

“What’s going on? Has something happened?” Lately it wasn’t often that Link was out running business that didn’t have to do with the Princess. He was in the Royal Guard after all, so his job was mostly confined to doing.. Royal Guard things. 

Link ran a hand through his hair, which he hadn’t bothered to tie up so it fell messy and windswept around his face. 

“Someone reported a group of monsters wandering around the north of Faron Province.” After seeing the look of fear that filled your face, he held out his hands in reassurance. “Not the ones like before. Just some Bokoblins.” 

That eased your anxiety, but not by much. “But still - monsters? It’s been awhile since anyone has seen any as far as I know. They mostly stay confined to the forest, right? Why are they appearing now?” 

“I’m not sure. That’s why I’m joining the crew dispatched to take care of them. I want to do some investigating and see if anything unusual is going on, or if these ones just happened to stray too far from home.”

You felt Elis’ presence as he caught up to you and took a place by your side. “Is Hyrule’s favorite pretty boy off to save us once again?” His voice was anything but friendly. You whipped your head over to glare at him before turning back to your friend and giving him an apologetic look. Link chose to ignore the snide comment, but you could see the muscles in his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth together in what you could only assume was annoyance. 

“Anyways,” he was straining to keep his tone calm and neutral, “I recommend heading back to the city. Nothing has been reported in this area, but the guards are going to close the gates this evening just to be careful. Once I get back and can report my findings, we’ll go from there.” 

“Oh boy, whatever would we do without you, Sir Link?” The sarcasm was dripping from Elis’ voice. You whipped your head over again, completely thrown off by how he was acting. Why was he being so nasty? 

Link said nothing, but this time stared the other man down with a look that had faced monsters more powerful than anything you could ever imagine. You shuddered, thinking that Elis could not be comfortable being on the receiving end of such a glare. And you could tell you were at least partially correct, if the nervous shifting happening next to you was any indicator. 

He tore his glare away from Elis and glanced over his shoulder. “I need to head out.” The look he gave you when his gaze once again met yours was much softer. “Promise me you’ll head back home?” 

Your mind immediately flashed back to the night before. 

“Please just think about what I said.” 

“Promise?” 

His eyes were filled with the same intensity as they had been then, making your heart flutter. Thinking about the previous also brought back the memory of his hand gently brushing the back of your neck, and the feeling of his arms wrapped tightly around you. 

You suddenly realized that Link was so concerned about your safety, but the safest place you’ve ever felt was with him. And he would be going right into the danger. 

“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. We promise.” Elis’ snarky voice brought you out of your thoughts. You didn’t even have time to reply to Link before he nodded firmly and turned around. 

Before he could take a step, you reached out and grabbed his wrist. He paused and looked over his shoulder at you. 

“Be safe, please?” 

It wasn’t supposed to be a question, but you were suddenly so filled with worry that your voice squeaked slightly and made it sound like one. 

You knew it was silly. He was the Hero of Hyrule for crying out loud. He had faced dangers a hundred times more powerful than a group of Bokoblins. But you couldn’t help the anxiety that was gnawing at your stomach as you thought about him rushing off to take care of them. 

A boyish grin lit up Link’s face and he almost laughed. “Of course. Always am.” 

But the worry didn’t disappear from your face. It was almost frustrating how concerned he had been for your safety, but when it came to his own, he was so nonchalant.

“Promise?” 

It was your turn to ask, and there seemed to be something powerful about that one word. Something unspoken between you and the hero before you. He seemed to feel it too, and his grin slowly faded. His expression softened, and his eyes widened. His lips parted slightly, and you could swear that his cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink - but that could have been just a trick of the light. 

“I promise.” His voice was soft, but reassuring. You could tell that he was being honest and that he took your concern seriously. 

“Good.” You gave his wrist a gentle squeeze, and then dropped it. He held your gaze silently for just a few moments longer, his expression unreadable, before he turned quickly and mounted his horse almost as fluidly as he had dismounted. 

He gave you one last soft smile, and nodded his head in goodbye. You waved as he clicked his tongue loudly, digging his heels into the horse. There was a loud snort and it reacted almost immediately, taking off in a slow trot that Link quickly escalated into a canter, and then a gallop. You watched as he rode off, and continued to watch until he became just a small speck in the distance. 

A scoff behind you got your attention. You turned around and faced a very unhappy looking Elis. 

“What the fuck was all that?” His tone was accusatory and rude. You immediately went on the defense. 

“What?” 

“You may as well have just stripped right here and offered yourself up to fuck him.”

Your jaw dropped, completely surprised. Anger boiled inside of you, and your face turned red with emotion. “Where do you find it?” 

“Find what?” He sounded fed up. 

“The audacity!” You threw your hands up in the air, unable to keep your voice calm. 

He rolled his eyes. “Oh please. Where do I find the audacity? You’re the one over here practically throwing yourself at another man while your boyfriend stands back and watches.” 

“He is my friend and I care about him. Excuse me for being a decent person?” 

He put his hands up to his face and widened his eyes in a dramatic display of worry. When he spoke, his voice was high pitched and fake. He was obviously mocking you. “Oh Link, promise me you’ll be safe! Then when you get back please come find me and I can spend the night riding your co-”

You refused to listen any longer. You turned and started walking as fast as you could towards the Castle Town entrance. You needed to get away from Elis before you said something you would regret. Though you didn’t think there were a lot of things you would regret saying right now. 

“Where are you going?” He shouted after you. You just ignored him and kept going, trying to put as much distance between the two of you as possible. 

“Whatever. Have fun whoring around!” 

That did it. You spun around, shaking from the anger. His temper was nothing new to you, and he never worked to hide his dislike of Link. But this was too much. He had never resorted to such filthy name-calling before. 

“Why are you like this? I do nothing wrong and in turn all I get is being treated like dirt!” 

His laugh was short and cruel. “Treat you like dirt? Yeah, okay. We both know I’m the best someone like you is ever going to get.” 

It was something that you had thought to yourself plenty of times, but hearing him say it out loud - and hearing him use it as something to hold over your head - really cut deep. You had no control over the sudden sob that wracked your body, the tears following suit. With nothing else left to say, you turned back around and ran the rest of the way to Castle Town. 

Elis did not call out or follow you. 

You spent the rest of the day cocooned in your bed, the curtains pulled shut and the blanket wrapped tight around you. You cried until you felt like there was no way you could possibly produce any more tears, and then you cried some more. 

You couldn’t understand why Elis had to be so nasty to you. There was nothing wrong with showing concern for your close friend that was going to be riding right into danger for the first time in who knows how long. Yes he was a hero, but it had been a moment since he had to do any real fighting. What if he had gotten rusty? 

You would feel the same way if Elis was the one going to fight monsters. Right? Wouldn’t you? 

It was even more frustrating that his behavior had gotten so bad after what had been objectively a pretty good day. Considering the fact that he was supposed to be making up for standing you up the night before. 

It just felt like that, with Elis, it was always one step forward, and two steps back. For every good day you had with him, there were two bad ones where his attitude ruined it. You would say something wrong without even realizing it, and next thing you knew you would be getting lectured about how inconsiderate you are. 

Is this how it was supposed to be? Is this what love was supposed to be like? 

Deep down, you knew that it was not. You knew that love did not look like not following through on your promises. Not following through on your commitments. Not taking the time to talk through your emotions instead of just blowing up. Not caring about the way your actions made them feel. 

No, that wasn’t love. Maybe, you realized with a pang of sadness, that you had no idea what love was supposed to feel like after all. 

But if you had to guess, you would think that love is much different. That it was bringing them food after they’ve had a long day. Making sure they’re taking care of themselves instead of running themselves down taking care of others. Cheering them up when they’re feeling sad. Making them laugh effortlessly. Genuinely worrying about their happiness and doing whatever it takes to make them feel it. 

But Elis was right. He was the best you could hope to get. You knew it was true, but it still hurt to accept. Did Elis love you? Would he ever love you? 

All the while, Link’s words from the previous night kept floating around the back of your head like a persistent mosquito that kept coming back no matter how many times you swatted it away. 

“You need to realize that you are also deserving. To accept anything less would just be cheating yourself. 

You shook your head. “You’re wrong,” you whispered out loud to yourself. “I’m not deserving.” 

There was a sudden pounding on your door, and you nearly levitated off of the bed with fright. The pounding was loud and persistent. You nearly got up to go answer the door, but then remembered the monsters that Link was currently out fighting. Were there more? Was it them pounding on the door? Monsters didn’t typically knock before entering but hey - there was a first for everything. 

But soon, a voice accompanied the thuds. The fear was immediately replaced by annoyance. 

“Please, I’m sorry!” 

You got out of bed and walked carefully to the edge of the stairs. You knew that there was no way he’d be able to hear the creaking of the floorboards, but you wanted to stay silent regardless. 

“Honey pie, I didn’t mean what I said. I was just angry! You know how I get when you make me angry, I can’t help it! Please, let me in. Can we talk?” 

Despite your anger, you felt conflicted. Part of you wanted to scream at him to leave you alone, and the other part wanted to open the door. Because surely he had a good explanation for his behavior. 

But before you could make your decision, he made it for you. 

“Alright. Whatever. I don’t give a fuck.” 

And then silence. 

Your heart beating quickly, you crept downstairs, careful to stay in the shadows in case anyone was looking through the window. You pressed your ear up to the door but were met with silence. He was gone. 

Letting out a shaky sigh, you pressed your back up to the door and slid down, resting your head against the hard wood. 

Why was this all happening? It felt like everything in your life was just constantly fighting you. Happiness seemed to be just outside your reach, taunting you but never making its way into your waiting hands. 

You sat there for so long your butt became numb. But you couldn’t find the energy to get up and move back upstairs. So the floor it was. 

But despite the emotional exhaustion you felt, your mind still raced a million miles a minute. Some of it was about your relationship and the behavior of Elis, but as the night continued and you heard the loud bell from the clocktower signaling the shutting of the city gates for the night (something that hadn’t happened since Link had gotten rid of most of the monsters and pushed the rest back into the woods), you found yourself becoming increasingly worried for your friend outside. 

Faron Province wasn’t too far of a ride from Castle Town, so if all went well, Link and his team had no reason to be gone for too long. And you weren’t sure how you would know when he returned, but the stress of not knowing was starting to eat you up. You finally stood up and began to pace the shop, the worst scenarios running through your head. 

Another hour ticked by, and you felt so overwhelmed that you knew you needed to leave. A walk would help clear your head, so you decided to pay Telma a visit. Surely her bar was nice and crowded right now, with the residents of Castle Town being cooped up in the city for the night. 

The cool night air was a welcome feeling on your heated face. It seemed to help your mind slow down and clear up, and you no longer felt like you were going to crawl out of your own skin with anxiety and worry. 

You were halfway to Telma’s when you heard something that instantly made you freeze. 

“I know, baby. I’m sorry.” 

You knew that voice. That was Elis’ voice. 

It was coming from around the corner, down a small alleyway, where the speaker was hidden from view. You used this to your advantage and crept up as close as you could without revealing yourself to listen. 

“You promised you were going to take me out today.” A girl’s voice whined. One that you didn’t recognize.

“I know, I know. Something came up today with my father’s work this morning and I had to help him out.” 

You swore that your heart actually stopped in your chest. That sounded way too familiar. 

”But I missed you.” 

“I missed you too. But I’m here now.” 

Your mind began swimming, the blood rushing in your ears loudly as you realized what was going - he was cheating on you. 

That fucker. That absolute ass. 

“You know I love you baby.” 

“Yeah, I know..” 

“Let me make it up to you somehow.” 

There was a soft giggle, followed by soft smacking noises that sounded too similar to lips pressing up against each other. You waited until you heard the first soft moan before you couldn’t take it anymore and walked out from your hiding spot. 

His back was turned to you, not that he would have seen you anyways with his face buried in her neck. The girl’s head was thrown back, her eyes closed but pleasure written all over her face. He had her pushed up against the wall, and one of her legs was hoisted up around his waist. Her hands gripped his hair tightly, holding him in place as he kissed up and down her neck. 

The sight made you feel nauseous and part of you worried that you were going to throw up right there. But you held strong, and managed to stand tall. 

You cleared your throat, and the girl’s eyes opened. Right away her eyes widened and she immediately pushed an unaware Elis off of her as quickly as she could. 

“Baby, what’s wrong? Why-” He followed her point in your direction, and spun around. His eyes met yours, and it was almost funny how you could see the color absolutely drain from his face. 

You ignored him though, and looked at the girl. “Just so you know, he was with me today. We were at the river having a romantic picnic on the shore. It’s funny though,” and you tapped your chin for dramatic effect, looking back at Elis, “you told me today that the reason you stood me up last night was because something came up with your father and you had to help him out.. Geez, he really does seem to be having a lot of problems lately, doesn’t he?” 

The girl’s mouth opened slightly, a look of anger flashing on her face. Whether it was geared towards you or Elis, you weren’t sure. But you quickly learned as she took a step towards you and put her hands on her hips. 

“I’m sorry, who are you?” Her voice was snarky and rude, and she sounded anything but sorry. You tried to remind yourself that maybe she had no idea that he was in a relationship, so of course a random girl trying to cause a scene could look bad. 

“I’m his girlfriend. We’ve been dating for almost a year now.” As you said that, reality seemed to smack her in the face. Her hands dropped from her hips, and she looked almost lost as she turned back to Elis, who was standing there frozen, like he had no idea how to handle the situation unfolding before him. 

“Let me take a wild guess - last night you were with her, not your father.” 

He didn’t answer, because the girl answered for him. “Yeah.. he was with me all day yesterday.” 

Hearing it - the truth - stung. It probably hurt worse than watching him kiss her. You weren’t sure what to say, and tears began to well up in your eyes as you nodded your head slowly. 

“Look, I can explain.” Elis took a step towards you, his arm out. You stepped back quickly, a look of disgust on your face. 

“I don’t want to hear it,” you scoffed. “You’ve yelled at me so many times, accused me of cheating so many times. You called me a whore just today! And this whole time I have been nothing but faithful to you. I should have known you were just projecting your own shitty behavior onto me.” 

He shook his head, his eyes looking pleading and desperate. “I’m sorry, honey pie. I swear I never meant for anything to happen. It just hurt me so bad to see how much you care about that stupid hero.” 

“Link? Don’t bring him into this! He has absolutely nothing to do with this.” 

Elis’ panicked look dropped then, turning into a cool, almost cruel, look. You were almost taken aback at how quickly his expression changed. “Really? Nothing to do with this? He’s the whole reason any of this happened in the first place. This is his fault, and yours.” 

You couldn’t believe it. He was cheating, and trying to blame you for it? “I.. what?”

“I knew it was only a matter of time until he finally managed to convince you to sleep with him. He walks around, toting himself as some big, mighty hero, used to getting whatever it is that he asks for.” 

A new wave of anger washed over you, now feeling incredibly protective of your friend. “You know nothing about him,” you sneered. Elis rolled his eyes.

“Oh please. He’s a guy. And he’s a guy with fame and fortune. We’re all the same.”

You shook your head. “You know what? I think you’re just jealous. Link is kind and considerate, and I think you’re scared that once I realize I deserve to be treated better than the way you treat me, I’ll walk away.” 

He almost seemed to flinch, and you knew your words likely hit home. The panic appeared on his face once more. 

“Just choose me.” 

“What?” 

He took a step forward. “Choose me. Promise me that you’ll stop talking to Link, and I swear that I’ll be better.” 

“Promise?”

You realized something then, as Elis looked at you with begging eyes.

 When Link asked you that question, he was asking in your best interest. When Elis asked, he was asking in his. 

The pathetic thing is, a small part of your brain was willing to go along with what he was saying. To cut off Link and continue the relationship that would probably only continue to cause you pain. Painful, yes, but at least you knew what to expect. And that was partly better than the fear of the unknown. 

But the promise you had made to Link the night before echoed loudly in your brain. You had promised him that you would consider what he had told you. That you deserved better. 

And you decided that you weren’t going to break any promises to the one person who actually cared about you. 

You crossed your arms, your face becoming hard. “Asking me to pick between you and Link is like asking me to choose if I’d rather go for a stroll through Hyrule Field or throw myself into the fiery pits of Death Mountain. I’m going to choose what’s best for me. Every single time.” 

You finally turned back to the girl, who was standing silently, watching the scene unfold before her with wide eyes. “He’s all yours. Have fun.” 

And with that, you turned and walked out of the alley. 

You weren’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing you hurt this time, so you forced yourself to walk calmly and slowly through the town, even if your head and heart were anything but. You weren’t sure if you wanted to throw up, cry, breath something, or scream until you lost your voice. The feelings were overwhelming, and your brain could hardly begin processing everything that had happened. 

You felt yourself reaching the tipping point just as you turned the corner to the street where your shop stood. But you had no time to celebrate finally being able to release your emotions, because you immediately noticed a small crowd that had gathered at your door. 

In the dark, it was hard to make out exactly who was standing there, huddled up together in front of the shop. But then, someone turned and saw you, and they rushed out of the shadow of the store and into the moonlight. It was Telma. 

Her face was filled with worry, but upon meeting your eyes, you could see some relief come flooding back into it. “Oh thank Goddesses, you’re here.”

You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion. “Telma? What’s going on? Who are all of these people?” 

Behind Telma, a tall, widely-built figure also stepped out of the shadows and into the moonlight. Your heart dropped as you noticed that he was carrying something large in his arms - a limp body. A limp body with a mop of messy blonde hair glowing softly even in the dark. 

Telma looked back at the man, then back at you, the worry filling her eyes once more. 

“It’s Link. He’s been hurt.”