THE DANGER OF UNCONTROLLED FIELD STUDIES
Chapter 1: Experimentation

Summary: Link knew he should have refused her. It was a frog for the Gods sake. But she'd given him THOSE eyes, so he'd taken a chance and given the thing a lick… and look where that had gotten him. It would take a miracle to make it through the day with his dignity in tact. Tag to Memory #9 (the silent princess and hot-footed frog).

Genres: Romance, humor, slight hurt/comfort

Setting: Breath of the Wild ZeLink

A/N: So here's that other lemon fic I promised a few weeks ago. It's very different than The Virtues of Wisdom, Courage, Power, and Faith. For one it's a lot more humorous, something I'm trying to work more on. For another, it's written from mostly Link's perspective. As a result it was significantly more challenging, seeing as I am not, in fact, a male. They say the best writers are able to write from any gendered perspective, so let me know what you think! Did I at all come close?

Also worth noting, this is the censored version of this story. There are about 2,000 words worth of explicit sexy business cut out of here—the original version has 6 chapters instead of 5—and if you're interested in checking it out (which I, of course, highly recommend), then pop on over to my Tumblr - I'm SpicyChestnut123. This will probably be the last thing I post until I resume publication of my main story Love in a Time of Calamity (It was mostly done, and I was eager to complete it), so do enjoy!

Edit 3/13/18 9:24pm: It's up on Tumblr for realsies now, haha. Check out the "Short Fics" page. *thumbs up*

"There's one!"

She leaned forward, Sheikah slate in hand as she snapped a shot of a small yellow flower.

"Oh! And another!"

She twisted to the side, snapping two shots of a cluster of purple flowers that, to him, looked an awful lot like the yellow one.

"The flowers we have in Hyrule aren't just beautiful… They're also useful as ingredients for a variety of things."

She continued to twist and turn, photographing a group of tiny white daisies, then a patch of puffy white flowers that looked suspiciously like weeds. She stilled for a moment, eyes scrunching and smile widening as she considered her photographs on the slate.

He stopped to consider her. He loved her like this—carefree, happy, passionately engaged in her studies. So much of the time she was weighed down by her responsibilities—he felt as though her joyful, radiant smile was nothing more than a faraway dream.

It had only been recently he'd been treated to the pleasure of her smile. For months she had been cold and distant, ignoring him when she could and treating him with thinly-veiled disdain when she was forced to interact. She had even gone so far as to yell at him once. For the normally kind and polite Princess to go so far, he'd thought, truly, she must despise him.

And then one day, everything changed. They were traveling through the Gerudo Canyon Pass on their way to Gerudo Town, and had spent the night in the Gerudo Canyon Stable. He woke early in the stable the next morning only to find himself alone, her and her bags gone without a trace. He'd panicked, taking off in the only direction she could have possibly gone—towards the Kara Kara Bazaar; and thank the Goddess he'd found her when he had.

She was surrounded by Yiga who were slowly closing in on where she'd fallen to the ground. He'd acted on instinct, running at full-pelt up the rocky outcropping she was being coralled against and jumped off, beheading the one whose blade was on a downward swing towards her neck before landing in front of her, brandishing his sword.

Things slowly improved between them after that. Once they'd returned to the castle after their trip to Gerudo Town she pulled him aside and apologized for her behavior, expressing a desire to be friendly—to get to know one another. He'd been both relieved and thrilled by her words: relieved, because it made his job as her guardian all that much easier, and thrilled because, like many of the young men whom she graced with her company, he'd quickly become ensnared by her beauty.

It was hard not to. She was stunning, all tight, lithe curves and soft, golden tresses. In the right light, her green eyes sparkled like luminous stone, and she moved with grace befitting of a Goddess. And her smile… it was as radiant as the sun. He lived for her smile.

Despite her icy attitude at the start of his appointment, he'd been attracted to her even then—though it had been only skin-deep. However, since Kara Kara Bazaar—since getting to know her, his attraction had grown to somewhat alarming heights. She wasn't just beautiful, she was smart, and sweet, and thoughtful, and brave. She was passionate about learning, and threw her whole self into every research project. It had only been a few months since the incident with the Yiga, but he already felt himself falling hard for her.

And that was a problem. As her knight, he needed to stay vigilant—he couldn't afford to get distracted by her beaming smile or the way her eyes sparkled in the sunlight. As the Hylian champion and wielder of the sword that seals the darkness, he needed to stay focused on his training.

Were the situation different—were she just some noble girl he'd been hired to guard, he simply would have either given in or quit his post and moved on; but that was not the type of situation he was in.

Giving in was an explicit no-no: she was the Princess of Hyrule and High Priestess of Hylia—she was off-limits. Quiting his post was also an explicit no-no: they were bound together by destiny to protect the Kingdom, and none other than him could wield the Master Sword. And there would be no getting space from her to clear his head, or vacation time to pursue… other interests; he was bound to her constant company by his appointment as her knight.

In the end, no matter how much he might want such a thing, there was no possibility of a romantic relationship developing between them. Princesses did not cavort with knights, not even those chosen by destiny.

Suddenly she gasped, lowering the Sheikah slate as she fell to all fours and crawled slowly across the grass. Shaking loose his troubling thoughts, Link followed suit, curious as to what had caught her gaze this time and trying hard to be a gentleman and not stare at her backside as she shuffled forward. She stopped before a flower that towered over the rest. Long stamens stretched out from its center surrounded by five broad petals extending outward, sky blue near the center and fading to white along its edges.

"This one here is called the silent princess. It's a rare, endangered species." She turned to him as he crawled nearer. "Despite our efforts, we can't get them to grow domestically yet."

She turned back to the flower, reaching out a hand as a somber look flitted across her delicate features. "The silent princess can only thrive out here, in the wild." She gazed at it a moment before leaning back on her heels, pulling her outstretched hand against her heart. Her eyes seemed conflicted. "All that we can hope… is that the species will be strong enough to prosper, on its own."

He stopped barely a foot behind her, sitting on his knees as he contemplated whether or not to say something. He knew she cared deeply for such things, and seemed almost… upset by the flower's struggle for survival; there seemed something more at play, but he didn't know what. However, before he could think too deeply on the matter, she lurched forwards past the flower, her voice regaining its prior excitement.

"Is this what I think it is?! Look at this!"

Reaching forwards, she captured something on the ground between her fingers, turning swiftly towards him with her hands held before her. Excitement gleamed in her eyes as she shuffled forward quickly on her knees. He stifled a fond chuckle at the ridiculous motion.

"I don't believe it, but I actually caught one!"

Her eyes were bright and she practically bobbed up and down with excitement. Link found he couldn't completely suppress his smile.

"This delicacy is known to have very, very potent effects under the proper circumstances." Opening her hands and extending them towards him, she grinned. "Ta-da!" Looking down, she held a green frog with orange feet in her cupped hands. She scooted closer, in full researcher mode as spoke quickly and with fervor. He could practically hear the gears turning in her head.

"Research from the castle shows ingesting one of these can actually augment certain abilities. We wouldn't be in a controlled environment out here, but with your level of physical fitness you'd be a perfect candidate for the study!"

Link blinked. Did she… what? As his brain struggled to process all she had just said, she continued to eye him excitedly, almost expectantly. Suddenly she shoved the frog in front of his face, and he leaned back instinctively to avoid it, gasping out in alarm.

"Go on! Taste it!"

She scooted forward eagerly, oblivious to his aversion to the creature, and shoved it in front of his face once more. He fell back on his hands as she stared at him expectantly, the frog merely observing him with large, round, disinterested eyes. She couldn't possibly… what did she expect him to do, swallow it whole?!

When she showed no signs of backing down, Link cleared his throat as calmly as possible, taking another small scoot back. "Um, Princess, I'm not sure that's a very good idea…" He could feel heat rising to his cheeks as she continued to bore into him with her wide, hopeful eyes.

"I'm quite sure it's perfectly safe. Please, Link, these are very fast little creatures, and I've never been able to catch one before! Think of what we could learn!"

Link glanced between the frog's bored gaze and her large, excitable eyes, feeling his resistance waning. "Well… what exactly is it supposed to… augment?" At his reluctant engagement in the subject, she scooted closer, the excited bobbing beginning once again.

"There haven't been many studies done as most of our resources have gone towards guardian research, but what research exists suggests the oily secretions on its skin may enhance physiological traits such as stamina, cardiovascular capacity, and strength—a variety of things, really! But there have never been any human trials…" Once more, she extended the frog towards him, adding, "Until today!"

Her turquoise irises brimmed with excitement and she practically quivered with the thrill of latent discovery. Gazing warily into her eyes, Link felt the last of his resistance dissipate. It seemed… harmless enough. With a sigh, he leaned forward. "So… what am I supposed to do? Cook it and eat it?" At his inquiry she vigorously shook her head, "No, no, I wouldn't want you to overdo it. Just a lick should do."

Link quirked a skeptical eyebrow at her, but reached forward to cup her hands in his and lean in nonetheless. Closing his eyes, he attempted to suppress his grimace as he pulled her hands towards his mouth and stuck out his tongue, allowing it to slide across the frog's slimy back. Quickly releasing her hands and pulling back, his face scrunched up in disgust as the frog's stale, slimy, odors filled his mouth. Forcing his mouth to remain shut, he plugged his nose and attempted to swallow several times to get the taste out of his mouth. Zelda laughed, turning and releasing the frog back to the plain and making to stand. She extended her hand and he took it, rising up beside her. She grinned.

"While we're here, I'd like a chance to observe the frog's natural habitat. There's a small marsh down the hill I believe this little guy calls home—perhaps we can learn about what gives it its unique properties!" Link nodded, following behind her as she headed determinedly north down the slope of the hill.

-:-:-:-:-:-:-

Fifteen minutes later, after sharing a quick snack of fresh, crispy apples from a nearby apple tree, the two of them waded into the marshy pond the frogs called home. Zelda delicately licked the last of the juice from her fingers as she turned over her shoulder to glance at him.

"So do you feel anything, yet?"

Rinsing her fingers in the water, she wiped her hands on her pants before unhooking the Sheikah slate and snapping photos of the plant life growing within the pond. So far he didn't feel any different, and thankfully the sour taste of the mystery frog had been successfully washed down with the sweet tangy flavor of apple.

"Not yet."

Zelda straightened, taking one last lingering glance at the Sheikah slate as she examined her latest photograph before hooking it into her belt. Turning, she eyed him with vexation, her lips forming a small pout. Link felt a small flutter in his chest and tried very hard not to stare at her mouth. He was such a sucker for her pout.

"Well, I suppose that means the substance must have a slower onset," she mused, clearly dissatisfied at her lack of results, "I wonder if in turn it has a longer-lasting effect?" She stared thoughtfully at him, and he felt distinctly like a specimen under a microscope. Unsure of how to respond, he shrugged.

Her gaze did not turn from him as he expected, however, instead becoming increasingly curious as she slowly approached, water sloshing at her movements. She circled him like some strange research-predator, her eyes roving up and down his figure critically. Though he forced himself still, he felt his body heat under her pointed gaze. She stopped in front of him, hands resting on her hips as she eyed him with thoughtful appraisal.

"Well, I don't see any external changes. Admittedly I thought its effects would begin to show by now, but perhaps I'm being too hasty." She took a tentative step forward. "Would you mind if I examined your mouth? I'm curious if direct contact with the more sensitive lingual tissue has had any noticeable surface effect."

The heat which had manifested earlier under her scrutinizing gaze flared to life at her words. Lingual tissue… unbidden the image of her tongue darting out between her teeth flashed through his mind, causing something to stir within him. Blinking several times, he forced the mental image away, trying his best to ignore the heat just under his skin.

He nodded his assent, not trusting his voice, and she moved to stand directly in front of him. He opened his mouth wide and stuck out his tongue, feeling distinctly awkward as she gently gripped his chin and tilted his head this way and that, humming to herself.

Though he'd been relatively unperturbed by her nearness earlier in the day, he became suddenly acutely aware of just how close she was, and the warmth of her hand where it gripped his face. Closing his eyes, he could almost bodily feel her presence barely a foot in front of him. The sensation left his body tingling and he his lungs almost breathless, and without thinking his hand reached up to wrap around her wrist. Her skin felt warm and soft beneath his fingers, and he could feel her pulse just beneath his thumb, spiking at his touch. It sent a thrill through him, and the desire to pull her wrist to his lips momentarily overwhelmed him.

"Link?"

Her concerned voice sounded through the fog of his mind, and his eyes suddenly snapped open and he released her hand, taking a startled step back. Worried eyes gazed at him, and she reached out a hand for him.

"Link, are you—"

As he took another step back, he felt his food slide on an algae-covered rock and went tumbling backwards, reaching forward blindly for purchase. His grasping hand found hers and before he realized what had happened she was tumbling forward after him. He landed with a splash in the water, head submerging briefly as she landed on top of him with a startled cry.

He sat quickly upright, gasping for air as she rolled off of him and into the water at his sudden movement. He raised a hand to his forehead, gazing wide-eyed into the waters surface and breathing deeply. The sensation was fading—the shock of the water had helped—but it had unnerved him. Her presence had never had such an effect on him before, and he felt almost blindsided by it; he was usually pretty good about keeping his attraction to her, and his overeager arousal, at bay. Where had this come from?

The Princess rose to her knees, wiping water from her face as she stared at him with confusion and concern, wading a bit closer as she looked him over. "Link, are you okay? What happened?"

He didn't look at her—wasn't sure he should. Dumbly, he nodded his head, running his fingers through his hair. "I… think I'm okay. Just a bit… dizzy, for a moment."

She stood, turning her head to wring the water out of her hair before extending a hand to him once more. This time, however, he did not accept it, pushing up on his own hands and standing beside her. He chanced a brief glance at her—like him she was soaked head to toe, her white blouse now faintly transparent, with rivulets of water dripping down her cheeks and hanging from her eyelashes. She looked at him with worry, her brows faintly creased and a small purse to her lips. He felt a stirring low in his gut and turned from her abruptly, walking towards their horses with purposeful strides. Goddesses, what had gotten in to him?

He called over his shoulder without turning around, making for their horses stationed along the bank.

"The Royal Lab is nearby, let's head over to dry off. I'm sure there's a spare change of clothes or some towels there somewhere, so you can—" he stopped himself. He'd been about to say 'get out of your wet clothes', but the image it had conjured in his mind sent a flush through him. He quickly changed tact. "…warm up before nightfall."

She didn't answer, but he heard the water slosh as she followed after him. Goddesses help him if he didn't get this under control by the time they arrived.

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