I'm a sucker for ZeLink friendships, what else is new? Just a headcanon that I felt like writing down. Set not too long before Skyward Sword. Maybe about one year or two. I own nothing.
Starry Firefly Lit Nights
Chapter 1: Keep Dreaming
The sky is truly a beautiful place. It is especially apparent at night. When the sun begins to set, the sky is painted with vibrant colors. The vast blue is mixed with the sun's soft orange glow, and it is complemented with the clouds swirling all around it. It is then completed when the stars slowly start to appear as the sky descends into twilight. This isn't a sight that is normally appreciated by the ones of Skyloft. The lively village is not the same when dusk falls, although it is not surprising. Nocturnal beasts go about the town, forcing the villagers under a curfew: when the sun goes down, the villagers are urged to stay in their homes until daybreak when it's safe. This makes the knights the only ones capable of seeing the sky in all its glory, since they are the only ones qualified to roam Skyloft and the skies at night. But even still, they are blinded with the duty to patrol and protect the people.
Zelda wanted to experience true beauty. Every day she would talk to Link about how big and beautiful the sky is. Riding on her Loftwing is a favorite hobby of hers, but it's just not enough. Every night she'd gaze outside her window, seeing only a snapshot of what the vast sky has in store for her. Knowing that certified knights are able to explore through the starry sky only added her motivation to graduate.
Link was fully aware of her ambitions. How could he not? He has to put up with his best friend rambling on about "the sky is this" or "the sky is that" on a daily basis. There hasn't been a day where Zelda hasn't mentioned how "beautiful the sky is" or "wouldn't it be great to see all of this at night?" Link would usually try to tell her that she shouldn't get her hopes too high, much to Zelda's dismay.
"Come on Zelda, give it a rest. You and I have a long way until we graduate."
"Maybe you've got a long way, lazy head! But not me. Just watch, you're going to be so jealous when you see me from your window living it under the stars!"
Anyone else would get annoyed with the constant conversations, to say the least. Link really didn't mind though. In fact, he secretly admired her for being so passionate about wanting to see the night sky. He was actually a tad curious himself. Of course, he didn't let Zelda know that. If Zelda knew that they both shared the same wish, she wouldn't let him hear the end of it. In addition, she would most likely pressure him into doing something that would get them both in huge trouble, such as sneaking out after curfew, or worse, flying their Loftwings after curfew.
Zelda herself has attempted these, and has gotten herself in quite the trouble because of it. Link has almost gotten himself in trouble for trying to cover her up, and the last thing he wants is for Zelda to try to get him to actually sneak out with her. He knew she wasn't going to stop. He knew how much she wanted to see the night sky. It genuinely pained her that the only way to see the night sky is if she looked out her small window, and he was well aware of this. Link knew that if Zelda could do anything, she would want to explore the beautiful sky at night, and to run around and bask in the moonlight. But for the time being, it was something that just wasn't possible, giving Zelda a sense of incompletion. Link knew what he had to do. He wanted her to be happy.