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Zelda sat in the common area of her dorm, sipping some tea and reading a book. Classes were out for the holidays, so she had an abundance of free time. Mipha slumped into the chair across from her and sighed.
“Still tired from exams?” Zelda asked.
“Just got out of my last one. I feel like I’m about to pass out.” Mipha answered, sinking lower. “I need a coffee.”
“I think Link’s in the kitchen if you want to ask him.” Zelda suggested. Mipha shook her head.
“I saw him fighting Revali as I came in, he’s not gonna drop that to make coffee.”
“They’re fighting again?” Zelda asked in disbelief.
“Did they stop?”
“Link made me tea about ten minutes ago.” She explained. “So they had to have.”
“Fair enough. I might just make some coffee myself though. Not as good as Link’s, but it’s still coffee.” Mipha said, slapping her knees and standing up like a grandpa.
“Don’t bother, I’ll get Link.” Zelda said, before turning to where she heard a distant crash and shouting.
“Link! Can you make Mipha coffee?!” She shouted.
“Sure thing- ack!” Link’s voice came from around the corner.
“Link, are you forfeiting to make coffee?!” Revali squawked.
“Can it, bird brain.” Link muttered as he rounded the corner, his hair sticking up in several places. He was wearing a fitted black t-shirt, despite the fact that it was well below freezing outside. Panting from the exercise, he combed through his hair with his hand. His left arm was slightly bruised from, no doubt, wrestling with Revali.
“Come on, princess, I had a bet going on them!” Daruk groaned as he rounded the corner.
“Don’t bet on our friends,” Mipha chided as she sat back down. “Especially not the only one who can make a decent cup of coffee around here.”
“Why do you people call me that?” Zelda asked, cheeks tinted pink at the nickname.
“You’re rich enough to be one!” Revali scowled as he strutted from the other room, his cheek sporting a slowly forming bruise. “Link, get me an ice pack. You hit me way too hard.”
He squawked as Link threw an ice pack at him from the kitchen, slapping into his face.
“Zel, you want anything? Daruk?” He asked as he began to make coffee.
“I’m good, thank you.” Zelda confirmed.
“Do we have any of those mini muffins left?” Daruk asked. Link nodded.
“Grab me some of that cider in the fridge as well, Twinkle toes.” Revali asked as he held the ice pack to his face, sitting down on the couch.
“Go to hell, featherhead.” Link shot back absentmindedly as he poured the coffee, and grabbed some milk from the fridge.
“Sometimes I wonder about those two…” Zelda muttered as she took a sip of her tea.
“You know, back in our first year, I thought they just had a deep, unresolved sexual tension between them.” Mipha replied, just as quiet and serious as usual. Clearly not quiet enough because literally everyone in the room heard it. Revali nearly screamed. Daruk nodded solemnly.
“It was really weird,” he commented.
“I would never sink so low as to date that- that heathen! ” Revali said indignantly.
“As much as I hate agreeing with him, there was no ‘sexual tension’ between us.” Link said with a slightly horrified look on his face, as he handed everyone their things. “But that doesn’t excuse his disrespect. I would be awesome to date.”
“The fact you’re describing yourself as ‘awesome to date’ is clearly evidence to the contrary,” Revali muttered as he sipped his drink.
Daruk finished the muffin in one bite, and nodded. “Sorry little guy, I wouldn’t date you. No offense. Love you like a brother.”
“Why does everyone call me little!” Link protested as he dropped onto the couch, pointedly as far away from Revali as possible.
“Daruk is almost seven feet.” Revali pointed out dryly. “He’s earned the right.”
“It’s not my fault you’re all abnormally tall! I’m the normal one here!” Link protested, crossing his arms.
“Zelda’s got four inches on you, little man.” Mipha pointed out with a giggle. Zelda had to hold back a snort at how insulted Link looked. Revali was near hysterical.
“Mipha. We’re the same damn height.”
“You’re five foot two, Link. That’s tiny for a guy.”
“This is targeted harassment.” Link said, pouting.
“Don’t worry, you’ll hit your growth spurt soon!” Revali said, before breaking into another laughing fit.
“One of these days I’m gonna break all your arrows.” Link said angrily. Revali merely patted his head placatingly. “Do that again and I’ll bite you.”
Revali did it again.
He swiftly needed another ice pack for the teeth shaped bruise on his hand, and now it was everyone except him who was laughing.
Once they had all calmed down, they settled into normal conversation with only minimal fighting between Link and Revali. Eventually, everyone filtered out due to boredom (Daruk), exhaustion (Mipha), or not being able to stay in the same room as Link (Revali). Thus, Link and Zelda settled into a comfortable little circle where Zelda was reading and drinking tea, and Link was knitting and occasionally making more tea for her.
They exchanged a few short conversations in between (“where’s Urbosa?” “She went home for the holidays already.” “Thought she would’ve gone with you again.” And “who would win between the sun or a billion Lynels” “Link, what the fuck?” Being the highlights of them) until finally Link got a call.
He went to stand up, then saw the scarf on his lap, and promptly lost the heart to. He looked up to Zelda. “Mind if I take the call?”
“Go ahead.” She nodded, and tried to not listen too intently.
He nodded in thanks, and picked up the call. “Hi Nana. Yes, I am talking. Wild concept, isn’t it? What’s up?” He paused for longer. Then he let out an emphatic “ shit. ” Then winced. “Nana, I’m in college, I can curse. You’re worse than me.”
Zelda could’ve sworn she heard an old lady cursing from across the coffee table, but it might’ve been her imagination.
“Yes, I’m coming over for the holidays. No, I’m not bringing anyone. I’ll tell you if I’m bringing anyone.” He paused, and wrinkled his nose. “God, no. Never Revali.” Another pause. “I don’t care if he lives nearby, if he wants to come over, he’s perfectly welcome to! I’m not gonna drag him kicking and screaming for the three hour drive up to Hebra. It’s only a fifteen minute drive from where he is, in the village.”
He paused, and his grandmother clearly said something embarrassing, because he turned nearly beet red, looked at her to check if she heard, and then turned his embarrassed ire to the phone. “Nana! I don’t- no, of course I don’t! What I told you that night was a product of alcohol and does not reflect how I feel!” He hissed. She clearly said something, because he turned even redder. “Please don’t, I’m not fifteen. That wouldn’t even be possible, you know why. What do you mean, ‘what if she is too’- ok, fair point, but I don’t think she is- she’s not even coming over, why am I arguing about this?! She has other plans, I’m not gonna ruin them because you want to meet her!” Zelda looked on, utterly bewildered.
She must’ve said something, because he looked a little sheepish. “Well- no, I haven’t asked her, but she was with her family last year! And I’m assuming this year too.”
Zelda could faintly hear an old lady yelling ‘ask her dammit!’ And he sighed. “Fine, just- give me five minutes.”
He muted the call, and took a deep breath. Zelda took that as her cue to butt in.
“She sounds lovely.” She said, only half joking.
“She’s great, just… overbearing sometimes.” He replied. “Please never tell the others about this. Ever. Or what I’m about to ask you.”
“Not a word.” She agreed.
“Ok, so- do not feel pressured to say yes at all , I know you have family,” he was turning redder by the word, “but doyouwannaspendtheholidaysatmynana’s?” He asked quickly.
“Can you… repeat that?” Zelda asked, kind of sheepish. He looked at her funnily, face nearly entirely red.
“Uh, d-do you want to spend the holidays at my Nana’s? I know you normally spend time with your family around the holidays, but the offer’s there.”
Zelda thought about it. Thought about the politic-filled feud that was her family’s holiday dinners, the shame fest that it was whenever she was asked ‘ are you still playing around with those toys?’ And her answer was sealed.
“If you’ll have me, I’d be glad.” She said. Link sighed.
“Yeah, that’s what I expecte- wait what?” He blinked at her, totally bewildered when he processed her words. “Wha- why? My grandmother, bless her soul, lives in a cabin in the mountains and the closest civilization is Revali who’s a fifteen minute drive. It’s a wonder she has house heating out there, let alone cell service. You’ve gotta have better options.”
“My only other option is my family, and I’d rather not be put down for pursuing biotech for another year in a row.” Zelda snorted in spite of the situation.
“What you’re doing is important,” Link defended. “Besides, it makes you happy, and that’s all that matters.”
Zelda smiled at him. He turned a little pink and smiled back at her. He was so sweet. If not a dumbass sometimes.
“Answer your grandmother, Link.” She reminded him. He yelped and nearly dropped the phone, narrowly avoiding getting tangled in the thing he was knitting as he tried to grab it.
Definitely a dumbass.
“Hi Nana, I’m back. She said yes. What do you mean, you knew it, you’ve never met her!” A pause. “I could’ve mischaracterized her.” Another pause, and he turned slightly red. “It was one time, I was drunk! Do not hold that against me!”
She smiled as she heard the old woman cackling on the other side of the phone.
After a long call, Link told her that he loved her, pointedly told her that no, he wouldn’t listen to her yapping more, and quickly hung up before she could get out more than the words ‘ah, young love.’
Whatever that meant.
He looked at her, a stupid grin on his face. “Ok, so we’re gonna be there for about four days, and we leave in a week.”
Zelda nodded, then frowned. “Not staying for new years?”
“I- I mean, I assumed-“
“You assumed wrong. I said I’m going to your family’s for the holidays, so as long as they’ll have me, I’m staying for new years.”
“R-Right.” Link muttered, face red for whatever reason.
“Now, Link, tomorrow, you’re helping me shop for your grandmother. Anyone else I need presents for?”
“You really don’t have to-“
“I want to.” Zelda interrupted. Link rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
“Right, uh… my sister, Aryll. She should be coming.”
Zelda frowned. “Is that all?”
“Why wouldn’t it be?” Link asked, his head tilted to the side.
“Getting you to tell me things is like pulling teeth, Link.” Zelda told him. “No cousins or parents?”
“No cousins, both my parents were only children. And they’re both out of the picture.” Link said. Zelda suddenly felt bad for pushing it.
“Oh. My condolences.” She said, feeling awkward. Link huffed out a laugh as he began knitting again.
“Don’t be, they were assholes. Left me and my sister with Nana when I was eight, and I’ve never seen them since.” He said, knitting angrily. “Best thing they ever did for us.”
“Link…” Zelda said, frowning. She stood up and sat next to him, carefully moving the knitting project out of the way. Then she gave him a side hug that he was definitely not expecting. “You wanna talk about it?”
“No.” Link admitted.
“We don’t have to, then.” Zelda replied, forcefully suppressing her curiosity to just comfort Link.
She pretended not to notice how he failed to hold in a few tears, and just hugged him harder.
__________
In the week leading up to the holidays, Zelda learned several things.
Link’s Nana, who would most likely demand that Zelda call her Nana as well, loved to cook. That’s where Link got the love for it too. She also liked Sake, but mainly for cooking. Also where Link got it from, which explained the abundance of it in the cooking cabinet.
Which was kind of hard to explain to Urbosa when she found it at two in the morning some time last year, but that’s a different story.
Apparently also, Aryll loved her telescope and anything she could see with it. Stars, birds, trains, whatever.
Zelda also learned that Link was not very discreet when wanting things, as he would sometimes run ahead and drag Zelda along whenever he saw something interesting. Granted, Zelda did that too, but that was for robot things. Link did it… for clothes. And cooking utensils.
What an odd man, Zelda thought. At least she knew generally what to get for him.
She also found out that he had a lot of scars.
Granted she found this out because she followed him into a changing room because he wanted her opinion on some shirts, and they couldn’t be worn outside the changing rooms for security purposes. And because he didn’t realize that there was a mirror on the wall behind Zelda, so whenever she turned around, she would sometimes accidentally see part of him shirtless. Only arms up to his shoulders and once his stomach, but still many scars. Some very large, others small.
Later, in the common room, found out that Revali was dumb enough to take the obvious bait, and that’s how she found herself in the middle of the stupidest argument she’s ever heard in her life.
“God, Link, there is no conceivable way of that happening. You’re just fucking with me.” Revali said, pinching the bridge of his nose.
“You just know when you’re beat,” Link said, goading him in the most obvious trap laid in the history of the world. Revali, of course, took the bait.
“How am I beat?! There’s no conceivable way for a billion Lynels to beat the sun! You can’t beat the sun in a fight!” Revali argued.
“It’s a lotta Lynels though. If it was anyone, it would be them.” Link argued back.
“You know,” Daruk said without a hint of irony, “I’m actually with Link on this one.”
“Not you too!” Revali despaired. Link laughed.
“Come on, a billion Lynels is a lot of Lynels.” Daruk pointed out. Link was nearly in tears, rolling on the ground at the way Revali was nearly red with anger.
“I- Wha- you- it’s the fucking sun! ” Revali sputtered. It just made Link laugh harder. Even Zelda had begun to giggle.
“Y-you know, Revali…” she began through laughter. She couldn’t even finish her sentence.
Revali looked at her with raw despair in his eyes. He looked like he was about to have a breakdown. He probably was, to be honest.
“What the hell are you guys even talking about?” Mipha asked as she walked in.
“Who would win; the sun or a billion Lynels?” Revali asked instantly.
“Billion Lynels.” Mipha deadpanned without hesitation. Revali let out a wail and crumpled to the floor.
_________
The morning of their departure eventually came. Revali had nearly punched Link when he offered the man an invitation to his Nana’s holiday party, which was actually rather normal.
Then, as they loaded into the car, Link looked at Zelda. A nice, blue dress with leggings.
“You’re gonna need a coat.” He said.
“I’ll be fine,” Zelda argued. “I have a coat in my luggage.”
“I suggest you wear it, we won’t be able to get it out until we’re in Nana’s house.” Link said, more warning than argumentative.
“I’ll be fine, Link. I can handle a little chill.”
He looked at her like she was insane, before shrugging and beginning to drive. And thus began the long, three hour drive.
Some highlights of the drive: Zelda got to look at Link. He looked nice. There were lots of cool sights to see along the way. A deer stared straight at her. She sang along to a few songs, before realizing that she wasn’t in the car alone. Every time she stopped singing, Link encouraged her to do it again. It made her feel weird. In a good way though.
After about two hours of driving, they pulled into a diner, with Link’s explanation being “I’m tired of driving and hungry.”
And once in the diner, over their food, they began to chat about stupid things over again.
“What did you do for fun as a kid?” She asked. He raised an eyebrow.
“Hike, hunt, cut down trees with an old sword, work-“
“I’m sorry huh? ” Zelda interrupted. “Run those by me in detail again, please?”
Link shrugged. “I liked to hike, Nana lives at the base of a cool mountain. I have a favorite spot that I used to go out to all the time, I’ll show you when we get there. Hunting was a simple, easy way to save money, and good exercise. What else…”
“The… sword wood chopping thing?” She asked. He snapped his fingers.
“Right! We live in a cabin, obviously, and we needed wood back then to heat the house. Now Nana’s got gas heating, but before it was all fireplace heated. And we couldn’t afford an axe, so I used an old sword I found on the mantle.” He explained.
Zelda pinched the bridge of her nose. “Link, that was probably an antique.”
Link shook his head. “Nuh-uh! Antiques aren’t sharp, our sword is. See, normally, if you have an antique sword, it would be dull. That way it doesn’t injure someone. But if it’s sharpened, then it’s clear that…”
Zelda stopped listening as he went on about swords for a while. She was just watching him, being the happiest she’d ever seen him be, yapping about swords and antiques. She smiled.
“…you don’t really see sharp swords as antiques, not from anyone who’s smart- hey, why’re you smiling at me?” He asked, looking at her weird.
“I like when you go on rants about stuff like that.” Zelda replied. Link looked at her. Slowly turned red. Then buried his face in his hands and groaned.
“You can’t just say thaaaaaat,” he mumbled as he sank lower into his seat.
“I just did, didn’t I?” She replied as she finished her soda. He was about to say something, but a waitress came by and left the bill.
“Whenever you’re ready.” She said, before leaving. Link sighed, slightly recovered from what she said. He was reaching for his wallet, when Zelda threw a straw at him.
“Ow!” He yelped, probably on instinct. “What was that for?”
“Let me pay.” She insisted.
“I’m dragging you out here.” He argued.
“I’m staying with your Nana for over a week, it’s the least I can do.” She said, and he sighed.
“I’m not winning this, am I?”
“No. No you’re not. Let me treat you.”
“One of these days I’ll treat you to food. Maybe a nice candlelit dinner somewhere.” He said, probably joking.
“That actually sounds rather nice,” she said. “But I’ll still pay for it because those things are expensive and I have this thing called a ‘credit card I’m trying to max out of spite for my father’, so I’m going to keep paying.” She placed the card with the receipt and signed it. A waitress quickly took it away for a moment.
“Guess I’ll just keep taking you out to dinner until you let me pay.” He said smoothly. The only thing giving him away was his cherry red face.
“Sounds fun,” she said as she hid her face in her glass. There was no soda left to drink, but he wouldn’t notice-
“Do you want more soda?” He asked. Of course he noticed.
“No thank you,” she said, trying to be polite.
She got more soda. He tried to pay. She smacked his hand away every time he reached for his wallet. Eventually he gave up and let her pay for it.
Then finally, they were back on the road. And one question came back to bug her.
“Earlier when I asked about your hobbies, you said you worked? That doesn’t seem like a hobby.” She said. Link shrugged as he merged onto the highway.
“We were poor, and there were three of us. Nana’s retirement only really paid for her and enough for half another person, so I worked to make the rest of it.” He answered. Zelda frowned.
“How long?”
“Until she forced me out of the house for college.” Link answered again.
“You started when you started living with her?” She asked.
“About a month after. Nobody’ll hire an eight year old, but they’ll buy from one alright.” He supplied. Zelda pieced it together.
“The hunting-“
“Food and money, yeah. That was until I looked old enough to get a job at a grocery store, they let me go after three months cause some dumb birdbrain came in and picked a fight with me.”
“Revali?” She asked, surprised.
“Regrettably.” He answered. “He lives in the local village. We went to the same high school, actually. Only about a hundred kids total.”
“Wow, that’s small.” Zelda said, stunned.
“Tell me about it.” He laughed. “Nana technically doesn’t even live in the village, just in a cabin on the mountain. Says she 'loves nature too much.’ I just think she lost it years ago,” he said goodnaturedly. “It’s home though.”
“It sounds nice,” she said. “Sounds like a lot of fond memories.”
“If you ignore the poverty? Peak childhood.” Link agreed. “What was your home like?”
“Cramped.” She answered. “Spacious house, but I always felt claustrophobic around my parents. They always expected more of me because of how well I performed in elementary school.”
Link hissed in sympathy. “There’s some perks to being stupid. Low expectations is one of ‘em.” Then he yelped as Zelda smacked him on the head.
“You’re not stupid.” She scolded.
“Fine,” he agreed. “Back to you, though.”
“They never let me do anything. This is the first time I’ve had a sleepover apart from college dorms, honestly.” She confessed.
“It’s a wonder they agreed to this then.” Link said, smiling wryly. Then his face dropped upon seeing Zelda, who was going through the five stages of grief all at once.
“I didn’t tell them.” She whispered in horror.
“Fuck. Call them.” Link cursed, focusing on driving.
“Ok, uh- apologies if I have to lie to them about something, trust that it’ll make it run smoother in the long run.” She said as she dialed her father.
“Of course,” Link responded.
Eventually, her father picked up.
“Hi father!” Zelda said in a false cheery voice. Link immediately raised an eyebrow at that, and she glared at him.
“Hello Zelda, what are you calling about?” He asked.
“Um, so, I realized that I forgot to tell you that I had holiday plans this year and won’t make it for our family dinner.” She said, bracing herself. All he replied with was a hum.
“What are these plans?” He asked, and Zelda panicked. Would he accept that she went to go room with a friend for over a week out of the blue and forgot to call him? No, he wouldn’t. What would he accept- shit, she hadn’t responded yet, he was probably wondering-
“Um, my boyfriend’s family!” She squeaked out the first plausible thing that came to mind. Link damn near crashed the car at the jolt of confusion that slammed into him at that sentence. Gotta run with it. “I’m going to stay with my boyfriend’s family.”
Her father hummed, before responding. “I want to see him at the next family dinner. I’m intrigued. You’ve never dated before.”
Zelda let out a silent sigh before responding. “Yes, well, he’s special.”
More silence. Then- “Zelda, be honest. Is it a girl?”
Not what she was expecting.
“I can assure you I’m not a girl, sir.” Link said loud enough for the phone to pick it up. He seemed slightly annoyed.
“Good to know,” her father answered. “Well Zelda, I expect to see you soon with this… boyfriend. Have fun at his house.”
“Of course father.” She said.
“Don’t forget to use prot-“ she hung up before he could finish that sentence, face bright red. Then she turned to Link.
“I am so sorry.” She said immediately. “It- it was the first thing that came to mind, I wasn’t sure if he’d be ok with it otherwise-“
“It’s fine, Zelda.” Link reassured her. “If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have gone along with it. We just need to fake break up before… whenever I would have to go over to your parent’s house.”
For some reason, the idea of a fake break up hurt more than it should. Instead of voicing that, however, what came out was; “this is the worst fake dating AU ever.”
Link laughed hard at that, smiling brightly.
The time passed quietly for a bit, as they just shared the comfortable silence.
Then, after about ten minutes, Link broke the silence. “I’m sorry, I’ve been dying to ask, is your dad homophobic or something?”
Zelda blinked at him. “Huh? No? Why?”
“When he asked if I was- if you were dating a girl. When I answered, he replied with ‘good to know.’ I wanna know if my fake in-laws are homophobic.”
Zelda looked at him, puzzled. “I mean, I don’t think they are? My dad might be, he’s old fashioned in general. And my mom definitely wasn’t.”
“Good to know,” Link muttered.
Zelda couldn’t decipher the meaning behind that.
__________
As it turned out, Zelda did need a coat.
Slight blunder on her part, seeing as there was nearly a foot of snow. She cursed as she stepped out, already regretting not getting a jacket.
Link looked at her and sighed, before he took his winter jacket off.
“What’re you doing?” She asked as he wrapped it around her.
He looked at her as if she grew a second head. “I’m more dressed for the occasion and more used to the cold. You need the jacket more.”
“I don’t-“ she started.
“You do.” He interrupted as he put it on her. Then went to the back of the car. “Come on, help me grab your stuff from the back.”
She tried to protest, but anything she tried to say died in her throat.
Sighing, she grabbed the luggage and pulled it out. Two suitcases and a backpack, which he was wearing. They each took one suitcase.
“Alright, now it’s about a minute walk that way.” He said, pointing to a winding hill. At the top was a small wooden cabin.
“It looks… homey.” She said, still shivering. Link just laughed and began the trek up, Zelda close behind.
At least she had the foresight to listen to him about the boots.
Finally, getting to the top of the hill, Link raised his hand to knock. Before he could, though, the door swung inward and a blonde girl tackled him into a snowbank.
“Link! It’s been forever!” She said from the snowbank, before being pushed out by a laughing Link. His hair was covered in snow, and so was his sweater.
“Hi, Aryll.” He said with a wide grin on his face. He ruffled her hair.
She looked up to Link with a shit eating grin. “So, where’s the girlfri-ack!” She fell backwards as Link slammed a snowball into her face. He then put her in a headlock and ruffled her hair aggressively.
“You’re a little shit, you know that?” He ground out, his face red from the cold. Zelda laughed at the scene. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
“You took her here for the holidays, that’s totally platonic,” Aryll said with a laugh. Before Link could retort, there was a chuckling from inside.
“Link! Your Nana has missed you! Where’s the girl, also?” An old lady waddled out with a walker very slowly. She was in a poorly hand knit sweater, and looked to be just under five feet tall. She then looked at Zelda, up and down, and turned to shout at Link.
“You dolt, did you not tell her it’s in the bloody mountains?!”
“I did, she just didn’t listen!”
“She’s wearing a dress for god’s sake, Link!”
“She wanted to impress you! And I think she looks good in it.” Link pouted. Zelda smiled warmly.
“It’s the bloody mountains, boy! Only an idiot would wear a dress!” She then turned to Zelda. “No offense, dear. It is a bit silly though.”
“Rude.” Link muttered angrily.
“Be quiet you!” The old lady said to him as she slowly moved over there, before hugging him. “I’ve missed you, boy.”
“I’ve missed you too Nana,” he said into her shoulder. She patted his back and they broke the hug, as she waddled back in.
“Now that’s out of the way, get your asses inside, we’re wasting heat!” She yapped. “And Link, get that girl of yours better clothes for a mountain! Don’t think I didn’t recognize that as your jacket!”
Zelda looked kind of sheepish as Link turned far redder than the cold could ever plausibly explain. “She’s not my girl!” He shouted after her, jogging in after her.
Aryll dusted the snow off her pants, gave Zelda a look, and walked inside. Zelda followed suit immediately after, closing the door after her.
“I’m making bread,” Zelda heard the old lady shout from a room deeper into the house. “Link, go get that girl better clothes.”
“She has a name,” Link called over his shoulder as he walked out of the kitchen.
“Tell it to me once she’s in better clothes for the mountain!” She shouted, and he sighed.
“Come on, I’ll show you my room. We, uh, don’t have a spare.” Link said as he picked up a suitcase.
“You mentioned,” Zelda nodded, picking up her suitcase as well. They walked up the stairs, and turned into the first room on the left.
“The room across from here is the bathroom, the other two rooms are my sister’s and my grandmother’s. Downstairs there’s the mud room, where we came in, a kitchen, and a living room. All in all, it’s a cozy place.” Link explained, setting his suitcase down.
His room was small. It had a bed, a closet, and some things on the walls. Most of it had been cleared out, though.
“Most of my stuff I took to college,” he explained as he pulled out some spare clothes. “I have some spare winter clothes if you wanna go hiking later, but they’re a hassle to put on and too hot to wear around the house.”
“Good to know,” she murmured as she took it in. “Anything in the closet?”
She could’ve sworn he murmured something then snorted at it before answering. “Uh, nothing, just some old clothes.”
“Do you mind if I hang my dress in there after I change?” She asked. He stilled, clearly considering options. “What’s wrong?”
“Uh- ok, uh, shit, I remembered what’s in the closet and it’s… weird?”
“That sounded more like a question than an answer,” she pointed out.
“It’s, uh, it looks weird, but I promise it’s not anything weird, and it-“ he took a deep breath. “It’s really hard to explain.”
“You wanna try and explain it?” Zelda asked. He sat down on his bed.
“You’ll think it’s weird.”
“Link, we’re both weird.”
“There’s- stuff in there, old stuff I didn’t throw out. If you saw it, you’d realize what I am, and you’d hate me.”
“I’m sure I won’t hate you, Link.” She assured him.
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Alright. I, uh. I’m. I.” He huffed, and rested his head in his hands. “Can’t say it.”
“Can you, like, show it? Charades?”
“Charades would be the worst option right now.” Link said miserably. I can say it. I’m-“ he mouthed something. Then he groaned and fell back on the bed. Zelda patted his leg sympathetically.
“You don’t have to tell me right now.” She said, closing her eyes. “We have all week- Link?!” Zelda squeaked as she looked at him.
He was currently taking off about three layers at the same time, being a sweater, a normal shirt, and a tank top, all at once. The only question was why?
That was answered after he got it off, and was sitting there shirtless. His body was littered with smaller scars, probably from being a reckless kid. But the two most prominent were two equally jagged cuts, both right below his nipples.
“Oh.” She said as everything came together. Oh. She thought. He was trans.
“Yeah.” Link murmured as he pulled the tank top back on. “Why do you think I’m never shirtless?”
“I always just assumed that having half the school thirst over you would be quite the inconvenience, so you avoided it.” She said without thinking.
Link turned completely red, his tank top halfway on as he stared at Zelda incredulously.
Which was probably the worst conceivable time for the door to open, Link’s younger sister walking in.
“Nana says it’s time for dinner- oh my god!” She yelped, dramatically covering her eyes. “Have some decency! My innocent child eyes!”
Link turned beet red as he yanked his shirt down. “It’s not- nothing was happening!”
“Is it too much to ask you to wait to get all intimate until after you introduce her to Nana?” She asked, frowning.
“We were having a heartfelt moment!” Link hissed at her, somehow managing to blush more.
“What heartfelt moment involves you stripping-“ Aryll started before getting an eraser pelted at her. “Ow! Fine, fine. Just be down there for dinner soon.” She closed the door and left, and Link sighed.
“I’m so sorry. They’re going to make a lot of jokes like that.” Link said.
“It’s fine,” Zelda admitted. “I like them. They care a lot about you.”
“…thanks, Zel. Now get changed into something that’s not a dress, it’s still cold in here.”
________
Zelda had just about the most fun dinner in her life that night. Between the nice conversations, the light and joyful bickering about stupid things between Link and his family, to finally having an adult think she was in the right about majoring in what she was.
Nana’s exact words were “those rich assholes can stick it where the sun don’t shine, if it makes you happy then it’s worth it!”
That was nice. The food was also phenomenal, and she could see where Link got it from.
It was amazing. Zelda felt more like a person with her friend’s grandmother not three hours after meeting her than she ever did with her own father.
Afterwards, they watched a movie. It was based on an old fairy tale involving the sea, a talking ship, a legendary hero, and pirates. Apparently Aryll was named after the hero’s sister in the movie, something she was very proud of.
Link later whispered to her that he changed his name to be that of the hero because Aryll loved it so much. That had nearly made her heart burst.
The movie, in Zelda’s humble opinion, was amazing. And the fact she had never seen it was apparently a cardinal sin, and after watching it, she understands why they think that.
(Her favorite character was Tetra. How free she was, how she was burdened with destiny but conquered it so she could be free.)
As the credits rolled, Zelda turned to talk to Link about it. Only to find that he was asleep on her shoulder, with Aryll cuddled to his side, also asleep. She heard Nana laugh.
“They’re devils, both of them. Once they latch on, they won’t let go.” She said, a massive smile on her face.
“They’re both sweet. Thank you for inviting me for the holidays.” She said with a nod. Nana gave a sweet smile only an elderly woman could give.
“You know, I’ve never seen him do that with someone other than me or Aryll,” she said as she gestured to Link’s sleeping form. “And it took him four years for it to happen to me.”
“Really?” Zelda asked, absentmindedly combing fingers through his hair. The old woman nodded.
“He also started talking more ever since going to college and, presumably meeting you.” She said with a content smile, her eyes closed shut. After a few moments of content silence, she spoke again. “You know, about what Aryll saw when she called you down for dinner…”
Zelda winced. “It was- nothing happened, Link was just showing me-“
“He tried to do that himself, you know.” She said, her face turning serious. “That’s why they’re such bad cuts. I stopped him before he could do too much damage, and took him to a hospital where they finished it.”
“Is he…” the words died on her tongue. Nana nodded.
“He is now. He has people to care about him.” She said with a small smile. “He used to not talk. Up until he went to college, he said maybe three sentences a day, tops. He’s never told me why he used to be so silent, and Aryll doesn’t remember a time before he was like that. But he’s talking more now, so that’s a good thing.”
Zelda frowned slightly. “Why are you telling me all this? Not that I’m ungrateful for telling me, I want to be the best friend for him as I can, but… I don’t think I did anything to deserve that knowledge.”
Nana sat up straighter and looked Zelda dead in the eye. “Listen to me. You’re very dear to him, and you’re also the reason he’s talking again. So let me make something clear: if he ever stops talking because of you, there will be hell to pay.”
Zelda looked at her, frowning. “I’d never do something like that.”
“See, lots of people say that. Not all of them tell the truth. I hope I can trust you.” She leaned back into her chair. The clock ticked over to midnight. “You three should get to bed soon.”
She stood up, slowly walked over to Aryll, and smacked her on the head lightly. She mumbled and sat up.
“…Nana?”
“Go to bed dear. It’s past midnight.” She said sweetly.
“Can’t. Link.” She murmured. Zelda looked down to see that he had wrapped an arm around her. Nana sighed, and poked Link in the face.
His nose scrunched up, and he blinked his eyes open slowly. “Nana? ‘s that you?”
“You’re trapping Zelda and Aryll.” She deadpanned. He took in his surroundings, yawned, and sat up just enough to let them both free. Then he lay back down on the couch and fell back asleep. Nana sighed and poked him in the face again. He had the same reaction as before, until he was tugged off the couch by Aryll.
“No sleeping on the couch! Not on the first night after your girlfriend gets here!”
“Not my girlfriend,” he protested sleepily. Zelda took that as her cue to grab his wrist and drag him out of the room, whispering out hushed ‘good night’s before dragging him over and up the stairs to his room.
He looked at her, only half awake. Zelda looked at him, amused. Then he hugged her. And didn’t let go.
“Link, you need to let go. I need to go to sleep.”
“You’re warm though,” he mumbled into her shoulder. She felt her face heating up for some reason. “Like a big teddy bear.”
“You’re a very cuddly person when sleepy,” she noted.
“Mhm,” he murmured, before falling asleep in her arms. She sighed; no use trying to get him off her.
Same bed it is.
Friends sleep in the same bed all the time, right?
She dragged them both into the bed, lay down, and promptly fell asleep.
(The next morning she woke up to find him curled up in a corner, screaming into a pillow. His ears stuck out from behind the pillow, and were bright red from embarrassment.)
(They slept in the same bed every night afterwards.)
_____________
On the night of Nayru’s Eve, Zelda sat in Link’s room with him as he rifled through his closet. She sat on the bed, watching him murmur and dig through clothes while a candy cane sat in her mouth. Finally, she caved and asked.
“What are you doing?”
“Looking for stuff to wear out.” He said, throwing a snow suit over his shoulder.
“What? Why?” She asked, standing. “It’s freezing out.”
“I wanna show you my favorite spot.” He said, turning around with a wide smile. “This is the day to do it.”
“Link, it’s late, and-“ she looked at him. He was doing that look. Zelda didn’t think he knew he had a look that made her do anything he said, but he definitely had one, and he was doing it right now.
“Please?” He asked.
“…fine.” She caved.
“Thanks Zel!” He chirped, grabbing another pair of the snow suits. “Just pull that on over your normal clothes, and we’ll climb out the window.”
“Why not just… leave normally?” She asked. Link shrugged.
“Nana would be pissed.”
“Fair enough,” Zelda said as she pulled on the winter clothes.
They were pretty comfy, she thought as she hiked up the snowy mountain. The horizon was dark and foggy as she looked out onto it.
“Are you sure we’ll be fine?” She asked. He laughed and grabbed her hand. Even through the thick gloves, she could feel the warmth of his hand.
“Come on, just hold on! It’s a pretty winter night, just soak in the beauty!” He said with a laugh. She smiled and kept going, letting him drag her along the mountain.
“Where are we going?” She asked after a little bit longer.
“Just trust me!” He said back. “I’ve done this tons of times!”
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“Ok, maybe only like, once a year, but ever since I was really young! It’ll be fine, okay? Nothing’ll go wrong!” He dragged her along for a few more steps, before turning around to look at her. “Unless you want it to,” he said with a wink.
She groaned. “You’re the worst,” She complained.
“Aren’t I?” He said with a doting tone. Zelda rolled her eyes, before yelping before he tugged her forward.
“Give a woman a warning, you’re going to make me fall!” She scolded him. He grinned at her.
“Come on, as if anything bad could happen tonight! It’s Nayru’s Eve!”
She hated how weak she was to that smile.
They trudged up the snow hill for another twenty minutes, before getting to what looked like an abandoned windmill.
“What’s this?” She asked. Link smiled at her.
“My spot!” He ran ahead and opened the door to the run down windmill. She followed him slowly, taking in the area. “It’s been forever since I was here!”
Zelda watched as he plopped down on some moth-eaten bedding. There were some burned candles, a wind chime hanging from the ceiling.
“It’s not as good as my Nana’s, we don’t have any movies here. Or heating. That’s why I had candles in here for a while.” Link said. “But- this empty place is somewhere I called my home for a few years.”
Zelda looked at him skeptically.
“I didn’t trust Nana for a while after she took us in, so I made a second home here.” Link explained. “I couldn’t sleep here without her getting suspicious, but if I was ever overwhelmed, I’d make the trek up here to take a while to myself. I guess- I just wanted to share it with you. I hope you’re having fun.”
“I am.” Zelda confirmed. “It’s a nice place.”
They were silent for a bit, the only sound being the wind outside and the wind chime inside. Then, after a bit of comfortable silence, Link stood up.
“I wanna show you something else.” He said, dragging her outside again. The snow was coming down hard, and he led her to the edge of a cliff. They sat down in the snow, and Link pointed her attention to the sky.
The moon rising in the clear sky was beautiful.
“I’m so glad it’s a nice night out. It’s so clear.” He said. He pointed to the sky. “That’s my favorite constellation.”
Zelda had no clue where he was pointing, but said nothing. Then the sky started to glow. Zelda looked at it, concerned, while Link looked excited. “Link, what is that?” She asked him. He looked at her, surprise and excitement mixing.
“Zel, is this the first time you’ve seen Aurora Borealis?” He asked.
She blinked. She’s heard about it, seen pictures, but… as she looked at the sky, it was a beautiful light show.
“It appears every Nayru’s Day this high on the mountain. Apparently, there used to be three dragons. Naydra was the name of the cold one, and this is apparently it flying through the sky.” Link explained as he looked into the sky. A flurry of snowflakes poured down on them.
“I know the legend. You’re terrible at explaining it though,” Zelda said. She was transfixed by the lights. Link laughed.
“I’ve never had to explain it to anyone. I’m glad I get to share this with you.” He said, sitting up and turning to Zelda. She sat up as well, and turned to him. His cheeks were rosy, and his nose was red from the cold. He had some snow in his eye lashes. After a moment, he reached forward and brushed some snow out of her hair, and smiled. “You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”
Everything came crashing down at once in her mind, as wild winds whipped at them on the mountain. The way he smiled at her. The way he talked. The way he looked at her. The way he’d somehow manage to be the most skilled person ever at any task you handed him, yet also be a bumbling, clumsy dork, especially when trying to impress her. The way he had asked her to come to his Nana’s house for Nayru’s Day. The way he’d get stuck in revolving doors sometimes like an absolutely adorable loser. The way he’d jokingly flirt with her. The way he bit his ice cream like an absolute heathen, just to annoy her. The way he’d play with his hair. The way he’d turn red whenever she complimented him.
Every little endearing quirk of his all slammed into her at once, and made her come to one conclusion.
“I’m in love with you.” She murmured. The world seemed to still for just a moment, the snowflakes slowed to a stand still in the air, as all that existed was her and Link, staring into each other's eyes. And as time began to move again, the winds began to pick up, he opened his mouth to say something-
“What?” He asked. “Gust of wind, I didn’t hear you.”
Zelda stared at him incredulously. She just had an emotional revelation and he didn’t even hear it. She grabbed some snow and threw it at him, and he yelped in surprise. Then she stood up, and grabbed his hand. Then began to drag him along.
“Hey!” He said, scrambling to stand. “What’re you doing?” She kept dragging him along, and he stopped. As her hand slipped from his, she turned around to look at him.
“I- look, I get it if you wanna leave, but- I just. I wanted to share this with you. I’m sorry if what I said was out of line-“
He was interrupted by her tackling him in a hug into the snow. She pushed herself up, to see his head between her gloved hands. His hair was sprawled out on the snow, mouth slightly ajar as his face turned even more red. She could see their breath mixing in the cold.
I love you, her mind screamed.
“I loved it.” Her mouth said, out of breath.
Can we stay up here, where we can pretend like nothing else matters, for just a little longer?
“We should start going back down the mountain though.”
Link nodded. “Whenever you’re ready, princess.”
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, before realizing that she was still practically pinning him down.
At least the cold masked her blush.
She rolled off of him, and began to laugh breathily. Then he started to laugh as well. Eventually, they were both laughing and freezing and laughing some more.
Finally, after taking an hour for a twenty minute walk, they made it back to the house. Around one in the morning, but still made it.
As they entered the mud room, they took off the heavy winter clothes. Link dragged her into the kitchen, and turned on a light. “Hot chocolate?”
“Yes please,” Zelda replied. She slumped into a chair, too hot and too cold and too enamored with the boy making hot chocolate across the room.
“…Did you like the spot-“
“I loved it so much!” Zelda gushed. “It was beautiful. You need to take me again.”
“Sorry princess, it only happens on Nayru's Eve, once a year.”
“I’m coming here next year then.” She decided.
“Don’t you need to go to your family’s Nayru’s Day and New years celebrations?” Link asked, serving her the hot chocolate. She took a sip.
“Not if I’m dating you,” she pointed out as she placed her cup down. Then, upon seeing Link’s utterly bewildered face, realized how the words sounded. She turned red. “I-I mean, my father already thinks we’re dating so it’s not out of the question that-“
Link dropped his face on the table as quietly as one can while having an existential crisis. “You. You’re going to be the death of me. One of these days, you will kill me.”
Zelda looked at him, and smiled. Then she started to laugh lightly. Link picked his head off the table. She took a sip of her hot chocolate, before placing it back on the table. She then grabbed his hand with both of hers. “It was beautiful though. Thank you.”
Link looked at her blankly, his cheeks still tinted pink. “Yeah, of course.” He said dumbly.
After that, they finished their hot chocolate in peace, an occasional conversation side tracking them. After finishing, Link stood up with a stretch.
“I’m gonna take a shower before going to bed. You don’t have to wait for me, I’ll be quick.”
“Shower sounds nice actually,” Zelda commented.
“You wanna go first?” Link offered. “I don’t desperately need one, just wanted one cause I forgot yesterday.”
“…sure, thanks.” Zelda accepted.
About twenty minutes later, when Zelda came back to the room, she saw Link sleeping peacefully, sprawled out across the bed like a starfish. He took up most of the bed.
Zelda poked him in the chest to try and wake him, but it instead caused him to latch onto her arm and pull her down onto him with a yelp of shock.
It inadvertently woke Link up, and he blinked awake slowly. Then he processed the situation, in which he was using Zelda’s arm as a teddy bear. And he dropped it like it burned him.
“You’re very cuddly when asleep.” She pointed out. Link blinked owlishly, sitting up and looking her up and down.
She was wearing a baggy t-shirt she stole from Urbosa that went halfway down her thighs, and shorts that were completely obscured by them.
He rubbed his eyes and stood up. “I’m gonna go take that shower now.” He then went to leave, but stopped in the doorway. He turned back around and looked at Zelda, who was still laying in the bed. “You look adorable in that.”
Then he left.
Zelda spent five minutes screaming into his pillow and kicking her feet over that comment. She felt like a lovesick schoolgirl.
Eventually, before Link returned, she fell asleep in his bed.
____________
She woke up the next day, upright, and still latched onto Link. He was humming lightly as he doodled in a notebook, probably waiting for her to wake up. She was practically glued to his front, her face resting in the center of his chest. Before she could process it, she groaned into his chest at being woken up.
“Morning Princess,” Link hummed as he kept drawing, his arms semi-wrapped around her to get to the notebook. He then closed it and smirked at her. “Who’s cuddly when sleepy now?”
She took in the situation fully. She was practically sitting half on his lap, waking up from sleeping on his chest.
She shot out of bed, face scarlet as she stammered incoherently. He just laughed, like the dick he is.
“You drool in your sleep, by the way.” He informed her as he took his shirt off, before grabbing a new one and pulling it on.
It took her twelve and a half minutes and a very unhelpful Link’s coaxing (read; flirting) to get her to stop hiding her face from raw embarrassment.
____________
“Merry Nayru Day!” Aryll cheered as the two came down the stairs. They had gone down after Zelda finally calmed down from that morning’s debacle. “We’re opening gifts before we have breakfast!”
Link poked his head from around the stack of presents he was carrying, both from Zelda and from himself. “Sounds good!”
Aryll raised an eyebrow at him, then sighed. “She’s using you as a pack mule.”
“I am doing her a favor, what do you mean?!” Link squawked.
“Pack. Mule.” Aryll stated dryly, before strolling into the living room. Zelda followed her, in which she saw Nana stomping a box into the fireplace.
“Don’t mind me dearies, just disposing of the mail!” She said cheerily, before returning to stamping the flaming box until it was destroyed. Link ignored it to go and put the boxes with the others.
“She only does that whenever our ‘dad’ remembers to send a gift to her,” Aryll explained in a whisper to Zelda. She nodded in understanding, before Aryll took off to the presents.
“Alright, alright, we can open presents now, Aryll.” Nana sighed, a fond smile on her face. The girl nearly exploded with glee, running off towards them.
There were quite a few highlights of the gift giving session. One was when Aryll opened Zelda’s gift, a star chart, and tackle hugged her. Nana also really enjoyed the countless cooking utensils, hugging her very tightly.
Another was Aryll getting Link a custom keychain of the sword he loved so much (Zelda recognized it instantly just based on Link’s descriptions).
Zelda had gotten Link a necklace with a little robot she was working on in it. It doubled as a blue laser pointer. He loved it.
Link had gotten his grandmother a white knitted sweater that she loved. She remembers watching him knit it when he got the call to invite Zelda over.
Then Link pulled out a gift bag from god knows where, because it wasn’t there before so he must’ve hidden it the night before, and pushed it towards her. She looked inside, and pulled out a blue scarf that matched the champion garments she had given out the year prior. Because according to him she ‘forgot to make one for herself, so he did it.’
She teared up a little and hugged him. Aryll had to pry them apart for breakfast.
______ __
The holidays passed by in a blur after that. Zelda had come to love Aryll and Nana like a family of her own, and they had her. Link was extremely proud of this fact, always grinning wide whenever she brought up that she liked them.
Proud as he should be, they were amazing and he should flaunt them.
Eventually though, as the days passed, and memories were made, Zelda sat there in the kitchen. Watching Link cook with about ten minutes until New Years. Aryll sat next to her, watching with bated breath at the incoming masterpiece.
Zelda was content to just watch Link cook, watch him do something he loved.
Aryll was evidently not .
“Soooo….” She whispered as she leaned over to Zelda. “You gonna kiss him tonight?”
At some point Zelda must’ve gotten used to their teasing, because the thought only tinted her cheeks pink. “Maybe.”
“Come oooon, I’ve seen how you look at each other. There is no platonic explanation for that.” She muttered next to her. They both stayed watching him cook and hum to himself. “I’ve never seen him this happy,” she admitted.
“I’m glad I can inspire this level of happiness in him,” Zelda admitted with a smile. “He makes me happy too.”
“Good, feelings sorted out now, now kiss ‘im.” Aryll said simply. Zelda flushed.
“It- It’s not that simple. I- I don’t know if he likes me back.”
Aryll actually looked at her like she was an idiot.
“He’s not shown anybody his spot on the mountain. Ever.” She deadpanned. “Him showing you that, is Link language for a proposal.”
Zelda wanted to curl up and scream into a pillow. Instead, as she is a functioning adult, she just nearly screamed.
“You two alright?” Link called from across the kitchen?
“Fine!” They both said, with varying degrees of worry in their voices.
Link frowned. “Aryll, stop teasing her.”
“Forgot that’s your job.” The girl rolled her eyes.
“Yeah, it is, you little shit.” Link said with a wry grin.
“Why is everything at my expense,” Zelda groaned with a hand covering her very red face.
“It’s cute.” Link admitted, turning back to the food and away from them.
“You’re blushing.” Aryll called him out. Zelda could see the tips of his ears turn red.
“I would throw something if I had something to throw!” He yelped back at her. She just laughed at him. Link took the food off the pan, and put it on a plate. He then brought that plate to the table, and set it down. Aryll stretched.
“I’m gonna go watch the ball drop with Nana.” She said, before leaning to Zelda’s ear.
“If I see you in that room with an unkissed boy, so help me god I will raise hell. This pining has gone on long enough.” She whispered, then patted her on the shoulder. “I’ll keep Nana out of here too.”
“Stop scheming!” Link yelped at her. Aryll giggled and dashed out of the room. He sighed. “I am so sorry for anything she may have said to you, and am begging you to forget you heard any of it.”
“Nope,” Zelda said as she approached the table, sitting next to Link and pressing into his side. He raised an eyebrow.
“I know for a fact you’re not tired enough to be cuddling me like a teddy bear right now, what’s up?” He asked. Zelda pouted.
“You’re just as bad.”
“Princess, every night on this trip, we’ve been latched together.”
Zelda fought the blush at the nickname. “Yeah, well you started it. Remember the first night?”
He groaned. “Don’t remind me.”
“It was cuuute,” she teased. Link groaned louder and dragged his hands down his face. In the background, she could hear the television talking about the New Year's ball drop happening soon.
“You’ll be the death of me.” He complained.
“Poor you, death by pretty girl.” Zelda retorted.
“Death by the prettiest girl,” he corrected. Zelda laughed.
“Imagine that headline. Prettiest boy found dead, killed by prettiest girl. ”
Link’s grinned. “Not the worst way to die. Up there with suffocation and or crushed to death via hug.”
Zelda just admired his face for a moment. His grin. She could confess later. For now, he just wanted to memorize his face.
“What’s up?” He asked, grin falling slightly. The television in the background was counting down from thirty seconds to the New Year. He was about to say something else, but Zelda shushed him.
“I’m trying to memorize your face.” She informed him. He took that information in, and slowly his grin turned to complete embarrassment. He let out a tiny wail of emotion.
“I hate this. How the hell am I supposed to not fall for you?” He asked himself. Then upon seeing Zelda’s face, whatever look was on it, he realized what he said out loud. “U-Uh, c-can you f-forget about that, by any chance?”
Zelda just stared at him. He liked her too. It was too surreal coming from his own mouth. She could faintly hear the countdown for the last few seconds until the New Year in the other room.
Link was starting to look anxious. “Z-Zelda, this- this doesn’t have to change anything,” five seconds until New Years, “I-I can sleep somewhere else-“ four seconds.
“Shut the hell up,” she murmured. Three seconds. She moved forward and grabbed his burning cheeks in her hands. Two seconds.
“Zel-“ one second.
“ Shut up and kiss me,” she whispered breathily, before pressing her lips to his.
Zero, was the first thought that came to Zelda’s mind in the next moment. The second thought was, holy shit I’m kissing Link.
After the initial shock, she ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him flush to her. He reciprocated a bit too eagerly, leaning into her too fast, and they fell off the chair that both of their weight had shifted to, and onto the kitchen floor with a clatter.
“Ow,” Link murmured into Zelda’s neck.
“I swear to Goddess if you two are banging in my kitchen-“ Nana started yelling.
“Let them have their moment!” Aryll shouted, voice strained and no doubt restraining the eighty year old woman.
“Not what’s happening!” Link squeaked out. “We just fell off a chair!”
“ We?! Link, for all that’s holy, if you aren’t using protection-“
“Nana!” He shouted, voice hitting a pitch never before discovered. His face was completely scarlet, as hers likely was too.
“I’m not old enough to be a great grandmother!”
_______________
The next morning, Zelda woke up sluggishly. She slowly tried to roll over, only to be restrained by a hug. Link?
She blinked slowly.
Link kissed the top of her head. “Morning Princess,” he mumbled tiredly.
She was no longer sluggish.
“…huh?” She whispered out. Then the memories of the night prior hit her like a freight train.
Oh god they made out in his grandmother’s kitchen. Wait- scratch that, she made out with Link!
She spun around as fast as possible with how tight Link’s hold was, an ordeal that took much longer than it should as he was not keen on loosening his grip to help her. Finally, she turned to look at him.
“Last night wasn’t a dream, right?” She asked faintly.
“If so, it was a shared fever dream between us, likely induced by the cold.”
“Can that even happen?” She asked, frowning.
“It can with heatstroke.” He answered.
“Are you suggesting that cold stroke is a thing?” She asked.
“Either that or we’re both delirious from how hot you are.” He said nonchalantly. Zelda smacked him with a pillow. He yelped. “Sorry, sorry, the opportunity was too good!”
“Good to know that hasn’t changed about our dynamic…” she muttered in thought. Link ran a hand through her hair.
“Nothing has to change if you don’t want it to. It can just be how we normally act, except now we can actually kiss instead of just endlessly yearn at close range for each other.” He said, before punctuating it with a kiss to the crown of her head.
“Coward, kiss me like you mean it.” Zelda muttered on instinct. Link decided that he would, moved her up on the bed slightly, and kissed her on the lips. She pushed back and deepened the kiss, and Link rolled over so she was underneath him.
As they broke the kiss, Zelda looked up at him. His hands were at the side of her head, and her hair was probably splayed out on the bed. He looked down at her, slightly out of breath and looking at her longingly.
“Goddess, is this how you felt on the mountain?” She breathed out. He nodded. “I’ll never understand how you didn’t kiss me then and there.”
“Unfathomable self control and doubt. Unrelated, did you say you loved me up on that mountain?” He asked. She nodded. “Thought so, I just didn’t want to be wrong.”
“You mean we could’ve been doing this since Nayru’s Eve and we didn’t even realize?” She said with a chuckle.
“Tell me about it,” Link muttered with a wry smile. Before either of them could say anything, there was a knock on the door.
“I’m not making the mistake of walking in unannounced, now that you two are actually a thing.” Aryll’s voice came from the hall. “But I’m leaving pretty soon and I think you guys are too!”
“Why does everyone think we’re doing that constantly? ” Link asked desperately. Zelda laughed as he rolled off her, disgruntled. “We’ll be out in a minute, we just woke up.” He stood up, pulling on his sweater, and Zelda did the same on the other side of the bed.
“How late were you guys up last night?” She asked through the door.
“No later than you, we just sleep better.” Link argued as he grabbed their suitcase and opened the door. Thank god they had the foresight to finish packing the night before.
“Wow, you guys have clothes on.” Aryll said, acting surprised.
“We were never naked!” Link protested.
“Heavily debatable. Come see Nana before you guys leave.” She said, skipping down the stairs. Link sighed, rolling his eyes, before turning back to Zelda.
She quickly bent down a little bit to be at eye level with him, gave him a quick peck on the lips, and kept walking. Link groaned in embarrassment, dragging the suitcase along.
“I hate that you can do that.” He said, pouting.
“I love that I can do it. It’s cute.” She chirped, heading down the stairs.
Once she was at the bottom, she felt a tap on the shoulder. Turning around, she saw Link standing on the step above her. He leaned down and kissed her, smiling against her lips.
She stepped up to his level and deepened the kiss for a moment, before pulling away. He was pouting.
“This is bullying.” He complained. “Why are you taller than me. It’s not fair.”
“As much as I’d like to continue, we‘ve gotta leave soon if we wanna make it back to the college before lunch.” She reminded him, stepping back down and heading into the living room. He followed, suitcase in tow.
“Link, give me a hug before you go!” His grandmother yapped, slowly moving towards him before engulfing him in a hug. He patted her on the back a few times before wiggling out. He was promptly tackle-hugged by Aryll. He just barely managed to stay upright.
“I’m gonna miss you, Link.” She said into his shirt. He laughed and ruffled her hair.
“You’ll be fine, Aryll.”
Link’s Nana walked slowly over to Zelda, a warm smile on her face. “Care for a hug, dearie?” Zelda nodded and hugged her tightly. Nana patted her on the back. “It was a pleasure having you over here, come back whenever.”
“Wow, almost like you love her more than you do me,” Link muttered as he rolled his eyes.
“Young man, you know I love you very much!” Nana scowled.
“Yeah, yeah.” He said, smiling brightly. Not a care in the world. A smile that could melt Zelda’s heart and turn it to mush in an instant. “We should get going soon, though.”
“Remember to call!” She yapped at him as he opened the door.
“I will!” He shouted back as he left, Zelda close behind him as they stepped into the light snowfall.
“Keep that girl close, she’s good for you!” She yelled at him, a wide grin on her face. Both of them turned bright red.
“I’m not an idiot!” Link shouted back. Zelda gave him a peck on the cheek that somehow turned him even redder.
“Love you, stay safe both of you!” She shouted to them, her head half out the door. They were halfway down the path to the car.
“You too Nana!” Link shouted, dragging Zelda along to the car. He loaded the suitcase into the trunk as she got in the front seat, before he hopped in the driver’s seat next to her.
“Ready?” He asked.
“Yeah.” She decided, beneath the snowflakes falling from above.