Author's note: minor spoilers follow in this fic. So, don't say I didn't warn you if you want absolutely nothing spoiled (which I can't blame you, this was a great game for me to play!). This was just an idea I had based on actual in-game mechanics. I think it'd do better in comic form, but personally I don't have the artistic skill to make it happen, so I wrote it into a small fic instead. Also, this fic makes reference to a romantic relationship between Link and Zelda – consider yourself warned.
Link was exhausted.
It was night-time in Skyloft. Weary from a hard day of fighting, running and puzzle solving on the Surface had him hunting for a bed. It was customary in Skyloft to loan one's own bed out to another should they require it (of course, due to the humdrum existence of those in Skyloft, this rarely occurred, and Link suspected Gaepora would have a word with him about his borrowing of beds before long, lest he scare the townsfolk). This is what usually led to Link waking up in an unfamiliar place, typically with no one available to enlighten him as to where he was. Naturally, after a few minutes the memories of what had happened would come flooding back, and Link would groan, throw an arm across his eyes, wishing.
He wished that things were different. He wished this entire ordeal was done, complete, over.
Unfortunately, wishing did nothing to solve the problem, and so Link would have to wake up, hastily scribble a note of thanks in his hosts' house, thanking them for their patronage and even leaving a few rupees if he had some spare, before leaving and descending to the Surface once again for another day of fighting, running and puzzle solving.
It wasn't that Link meant to steal the beds of his Skyloft friends, of course – once, he had woken up when Gondo had tried to move him from the kitchen table to his bed, the kind engineer insisting the floor was a great place for him to sleep the night. But tonight, Link couldn't afford raising suspicion anymore than he undoubtedly already had done. Gaepora was on edge after the disappearance of his daughter though he maintained an air of serenity around others; and his wrath was inevitably about to bubble over at any time, with Link being the likely if unfortunate recipient.
So, he was making his way towards the academy.
He made short work of the stray kees that endeavoured to pull out his hair and bite his face, narrowly avoiding the wrath of a remlett in the process. He made his way to the open door of the academy, and threw himself inside, his feet dragging him towards his bedroom. Today had been especially trying on Link. Not only had he caught a glimpse of Zelda, his first in what felt like months, but a mysterious rake of a woman had prevented him from following her to – well, wherever it was she had vanished off to. As was the norm of late, it all amounted to something Link couldn't quite understand.
In short, Link was emotionally and physically drained. He was looking forward to the solace of sleeping in his own bed, and actually smiled as he entered his own bedroom, finding it exactly as he had left it. His eyes swept over his desk as he began to tug off his sword and shield, when the carvings he enjoyed making in his spare time caught his eye. He paused, walking over to the piece he had been working on before that very fateful day but a few weeks ago.
It was still only in the early stages of production, but that was taking much longer than usual, given that it was to be the third gift of its kind to Zelda. Link smiled as he remembered Zelda's face as she received the gifts. Her face positively beamed at him, praise gushing from her lips as she marvelled the exact likeness of her Loftwing. She had rushed towards him and given him a hug, a quick kiss to his cheek as thanks (Link had turned his face to hide his blush). Even as she placed the gifts on her desk, she stood and admired them for a long time, forgetting for a while that Link was still there, watching, beaming at her appreciation.
That day, Link thought to himself, had been a good day. In fact, he'd had many good days with Zelda. There had been that time they'd talked until the very early hours, and Link hadn't dared leave Zelda's room at such an hour – so he'd slept on the floor, watching the blonde beauty sleep when he just couldn't. It hadn't been very comfortable, but to have slept so closely to his very dear friend was an experience he kept close to his heart.
Then there had been that time she'd had a bad day, and had physically pushed Groose aside and came to Link with her problems (recalling the sour look on Groose's face couldn't help but raise a smile from the would-be Knight). Granted, it had been awful seeing Zelda upset about something – particularly given her ability to shrug off most worries that would debilitate most other girls their age. But what a feeling, to have been the one to lift her out of that horrid mood! And, again, she had rewarded him with an illuminating smile, and a hug of gratitude.
Then, there had been their first kiss, under the stars by the statue of the Goddess. She looked stunning, bathed in moonlight and smiling up at him, and Link couldn't contain himself any longer. He crushed her close, bringing her to him by the waist, kissing long and hard, trying to convey in the simple gesture how much she meant to him. He remembered the jolt of surprise and relief and love as she returned the kiss with as much fervour and passion as he did, the feeling of her hands gripping into his tunic with a fierceness that meant she never, ever wanted to let him go.
A frown graced Link's features. He rarely ever used to frown. Now, it was all he seemed capable of. He frowned when he was fighting, struggling to overcome enemies that towered above him. He frowned as he entered new, unfamiliar places; his head racing, wondering what could possibly attack him this time. He was even beginning to frown when he thought of Zelda.
It really wasn't a problem for Link that he loved Zelda. He had supposed it would be a problem for Gaepora, who after the death of Zelda's mother had vowed to protect his daughter from the sorrows of life – an impossible promise to uphold, it had recently transpired. As such, Gaepora was incredibly selective about the boys Zelda chatted to. Groose, Gaepora could tolerate. Pipit was no threat. But Link... Link was something else entirely. It was obvious to Gaepora from how they behaved around one another that Link occupied a very different space in Zelda's heart from the other boys at the Academy. And as much as Gaepora wanted his daughter to have an enjoyable life, he struggled to reconcile this desire with the other, which wanted her to have a sorrow-free one. So, the two had decided to keep their relationship quiet. In fact, if Link won the Wing Ceremony, they had arranged to tell Gaepora.
But things were very, very different now.
Link sighed, taking his hat off and running a hand through his hair before crushing it back onto his head. He missed Zelda. He needed some physical reminder of her, as she had of him in her bedroom. And he needed that, now.
He was only halfway through replacing the sword and shield on his back when Fi materialised before him.
"Master Link, I must ask what you are doing?" Link stared into the empty, unmoving gaze of his assistant. Oftentimes, it would unnerve him, so much so he only requested her help when absolutely necessary. Tonight was no different. He averted her gaze, if it could really be called that. He didn't really want to tell her his plan – he knew it would sound silly. And once he realised that, he'd start thinking about it and start abandoning his plan.
"I'm going to break into Zelda's bedroom," Link replied, in a very small voice.
Link highly suspected that if Fi could laugh, she would. She did not, however, and simply continued in her clinical, logical manner. "Master, I must report a 60% possibility of getting caught by Headmaster Gaepora, with a 100% chance of him becoming very angry with you." Link smiled, though it hadn't meant to sound like a joke. He knew Fi was being serious. "With this in mind, I strongly advise against this endeavour."
Link nodded. "I know. Thanks!" And with that, he waved her out of the way, heart set on doing as he wished. He hoped she would understand, and know not warn him about this matter again. Steeling his heart against the wrath of Gaepora if he got caught, Link left his room and began making his way out of the Academy.
It didn't take Link long to find an alternative way into Zelda's bedroom (how he had shuddered in horror at the sight of Gaepora bathing!). He lowered himself in as quietly as he possibly could, and looked around.
If he had come in expecting something to jump out at him and explain just what was happening and why, Link had come to the wrong place. Everything was just as he remembered it – organised and clean. The only thing that suggested something was amiss was the slight gathering of dust that had accumulated on the surfaces around the room, which could tell Link nothing.
But Link hadn't gone to Zelda's room to think about what was really going on – it had been an attempt to escape all of those things. He hadn't wanted to consider the fact that the dust meant she was no longer there, that she wasn't going to suddenly materialise in her room with a wide smile and open arms. But, there he was.
Link frowned, again, and sighed. This wouldn't do. He would simply have to get some rest and dwell on these things tomorrow. Link cast an eye over to his girlfriend's bed as he tugged his sword and shield off his body, his shoulders winging a little in protest. He was stiff all over.
As Link was about to – quite literally, as he did with every other bed he came across in Skyloft – jump into bed, he paused for a moment. He knew that as soon as he did that, he'd be unable to appreciate that he was actually in Zelda's bed. With a smile, he for once did the appropriate thing and tugged off his boots before sliding into bed, under the covers. As he felt his eyes closing, sleep beckoning him, Link crushed the sheets against his face to deeply inhale the beautiful scent of his Zelda. His smile widened, wrapping himself in the sheets as best he could to try and capture more of that aroma, hopeful that he would dream pleasant dreams tonight.