Moar fluff!
Disclaimer: Thanks, GrimGrave. You're fab. Smash Bros belongs to Nintendo.
lll
The sun peered down at Temple, the Smash Brothers' battlefield that consisted of a huge, ancient, partially-ruined stone structure spread across three floating land masses of varying sizes, warming the mid-morning air and causing it to twist and warp like a mirage. Four Brawlers—two teams of two—clashed beneath its intense gaze, the fierceness of their combat only adding to the incredible heat.
Zelda, Princess of Hyrule and bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, hit the cold, hard ground with a grunt, her ears ringing with the force of her opponent's—a yellow, mouse-like creature with long ears and rosy cheeks by the name of Pikachu—attack, electricity crackling across her slender frame. From somewhere high above she heard shouting and the sharp sound of metal clashing with stone and the elfin brunette struggled to stand, her eyebrows drawing together determinedly. She couldn't lose—not when her ally was counting on her.
When the Pokémon leaped at her again, dark eyes glittered and she waved her hand, summoning Naryu's Love, a wall of magical energy, to halt his advance and gathered up the long hem of her dress to leap skyward, onto a ledge high above. By the time the electric mouse had recovered, the princess was already half-way across the stage, her target an innocuous-looking red flower with beady black eyes. She almost made it; her fingers were closing around the item's green stem when electricity ricocheted off of the stones, forcing her to recoil as to avoid being electrocuted a second time. Zelda swore quietly when she saw that the Pokémon had picked up the Hammer, a gigantic sledgehammer with the ability to knock the enemy off of the stage to their instantaneous demise, her heart dropping when she recalled the rules for their current match.
This was her last 'life,' so to speak.
Shaking off the heavy feeling of dread, the Hylian closed her eyes, her body heating as magic flowed through it and, when she opened them, she was standing behind the creature and its wildly swinging weapon—a position she took advantage of by stooping and retrieving an object that closely resembled the rotund little star-creatures known as Luma that wandered around Rosalina's Observatory. In the next instant, the Starman disappeared, granting her complete immunity to damage and she ran at her opponent, catching the hammer by the handle, just under its blunt head as it was swung, picking up Pikachu and sending him flying with a magical blast.
He went sailing across the uneven terrain and bounced until he had fallen over the edge where he hung on for dear life, whimpering faintly, and she released a sigh of relief as the warmth of the item's special effect bled out, leaving her feeling worn and weary.
The princess had managed to avoid certain death for the time being, but the electric mouse's ally, a bipedal, blue-furred, jackal-like Pokémon by the name of Lucario leaped down from the battlefield's upper levels to stand before her, blocking her path.
Lucario nodded his head almost apologetically as his right paw lit up with blue energy that resembled flames, drawing his arm back to strike, and the young woman snapped her eyes shut, bracing herself for a blow—
… That never came.
When she dared to open blue orbs, the princess gasped, her heart racing beneath her breast: a blonde man dressed in a green tunic and a pointed cap of the same colour stood over her, a shield with a regal crest emblazoned across its curved surface preventing Lucario's strike from landing.
Are you okay?
He didn't have to say it; the concern shining in bright blue orbs was enough.
She nodded, clutching his arm, and he turned his attention back to the Pokémon, releasing a shrill battle cry as he knocked his opponent backwards and lashed out horizontally with his Master Sword, following up the initial slash with a flurry of swift jabs that forced the aura user to flip backwards, feinting so as to avoid being gored. His ally squeaked, racing to his aid, but the Hylian duo made short work of the Lucario with sword and spell and soon he was a distant twinkle on the horizon.
Then, they rounded on Pikachu and the Pokémon went stock-still, his eyes wide. Voices cheered from everywhere around them, though there was no sign of an audience and, together, the Brawlers hailing from Hyrule dashed forward; Link spun wildly, his sword singing as it sliced through the air, and Zelda snatched up their opponent with a wave of magic, making him vulnerable to the shredding attack.
With one, strong thrust of the Master Sword, the yellow-furred creature joined his ally in the distance, twinkling brightly, and the princess released a sigh she didn't realize she had been holding, lifting a hand to tuck an errant lock of rich chocolate brown behind her ear.
They had won.
Link returned his gaze to her, smiling warmly, and even with her hair mussed, sweat beading her brow, and the fabric of her dress charred in places, Zelda felt like the most beautiful woman in the world—this one and their own.
You did wonderfully.
She accepted the gloved hand the hero offered with a demure smile, her cheeks warming happily, and the blonde gave the appendage a squeeze, his expression softening as he pulled her to his broad chest, the warmth of his embrace warming her and making her feel safe. She nuzzled into Link's tunic, taking in the clean, earthy smell of his body, and wrapped her arms around his waist, the fear and concern she had felt only moments before fading entirely with the adoration that blossomed beneath her breast at the gentle contact.
With him, she felt safe.
A soft chuckle made the young woman look up and she pouted at the sight of mirth in endless blue orbs, humming happily a moment later when he kissed the tip of her nose to erase the admittedly adorable expression.
I love you…
He always had—since that first fateful meeting in her castle worlds away. And she had, too. Their lips met briefly, sweetly, and the princess's heart beat in time with the hero's, a fact that was brought to her attention only because they were just that close.
He was a good person—so rare nowadays—and she knew that no matter what clever plan the ruthless Ganondorf came up with and no matter how utterly impossible the task of saving the world from certain peril, he would be there for her. Even if that meant holding her hand while everything they knew was reduced to ash.
Zelda threaded her fingers through Link's as a brilliant beam of energy came from the heavens to return them to Hyrule now that the match had reached its conclusion. He would go back to the verdant wilds and she would be confined to the castle, but just the knowledge that he would be fighting for justice—for a safe world for the both of them—made their time apart much more bearable.
She tightened her grip as everything went white and the last thing Hero looked at her questioningly as he squeezed back. Theirs was a relationship that didn't require conversation—a bond that transcended time and space.
Because, sometimes, words just weren't enough.