Zelda sighed as she took his temperature. He shouldn't have gone out when there was an epidemic out. Due to his strong immune system, he didn't have all the symptoms of the illness, namely death.
Thank the goddesses he was blessed with the Triforce of courage.
Geez, he'd have to be superhuman to withstand such a high temperature. Zelda rubbed his face tenderly before placing the thermometer back into the cabinet.
Link had been taking care of the elderly who had gotten the disease; but he wasn't invincible. He was trying to help them with the things they couldn't do anymore; he was even brave enough to take out an old man's dentures! But of course, however strong his immunity system was, he spent too much time with them, leading to an impossibly high fever.
The royal family had been trying to find a cure for said illness, but none bore fruit. Zelda sighed, thinking of all the afternoons wasted testing on the bacteria, which seemed to laugh at their faces.
She gently took a cloth and dipped it into cold water. Zelda's committee had strongly advised her against taking care of Link.
'He was doomed to die' her foot.
So there she was, taking care of the unconscious hero.
She placed the cloth onto his forehead, and a shiver passed through his body. She bit her lip. He had never looked so pale.
So vulnerable.
His tired eyes creaked open and weakly smiled at her.
"Hey." His hoarse voice called out. Zelda rubbed her forehead.
"Hi." She said tightly.
Link had been completely delirious the past few days; and Impa had warned her not to believe anything that came out of his mouth.
He had called her fat the day before.
He had called her mommy the day before that.
She wondered what he'd say today.
"Hey Zel…" He whispered. Good, he knew her name.
"Mhhm?" She said gently, wondering what kind of thing he would say today.
"Do you know how much I love you?" He rasped, smiling gently. Zelda's face heated up.
Did- did she hear him correctly?
"I-I…" Zelda stuttered.
"You're very pretty, and nice…you're gentle…" He smiled, before breaking into a coughing fit.
Like there wasn't any better timing to save her from embarrassment, Impa, my nursemaid, opened the door, smiling widely.
"Princess! We have found a cure!" She announced, and gestured for Zelda to follow her.
She readily obliged, and stood up to walk towards Impa.
Impa raised a brow when she saw my quick strides and flustered face.
"Something wrong princess?" Zelda shook her head, her face as red as ever. Impa smirked. She would tease her later on.
They went into the room, and Zelda put oh some disposable gloves. She took a sample of the potion meant to cure the epidemic. She gently squeezed a drop onto the plate containing some of the bacteria, and smirked as they disappeared as the potion hit them; no more will they laugh at them. She grinned as she imagined them screaming in pain… that was one morbid thought.
"I think its best if we let the Hero drink it first." Impa suggested.
"Then we could find out if he was being delirious or not…" Impa smirked and Zelda's face turned red once more.
"I-I don't know what you're talking about." She said, trying to keep a straight face. Impa smirked as she and Zelda worked their ways back to Link's room.
"You don't have to tell me." Impa simply said, and Zelda's already red face turned scarlet red.
Impa opened the door, and Zelda stepped inside the room. Impa than slowly closed the door, but made sure there was a small creak, too small for Zelda to notice, big enough for Impa to see through.
Who was she kidding? She wasn't going to miss any of the action.
Zelda looked down on the hero. He seemed to have fallen asleep. She gently pressed the bottle to his lips, the continents of the potion slowly disappearing into his mouth.
The Hero's eyes snapped open and he gasped for air, the colour of his skin returning. She was startled by how fast he had gotten up; that was the fastest recoveries she had ever seen.
His gaze fell on her and he blushed, scratching the back of his head.
"Eh…" He muttered after a few awkward moments.
"Zel… Er… I-I didn't mean to call you fat…or my mom…" He said sheepishly. Zelda raised her brow. He was aware he said that?
Then suddenly she realised something.
He hadn't apologised for saying he loved her.
"Then… did you mean it when you said you liked me?" Zelda whispered.
She could only hope.
Link blinked once or twice before his face turned pink.
"…Uh… Y-yes?" He stammered before hiding his face under the covers.
Zelda smiled at him. He could be so cute sometimes.
She pulled the covers down and kissed him on the forehead. She realised he still had a slight fever.
Guess there was no such thing as a miracle medicine.
Link gasped in surprise and his face turned red.
"Get some sleep. When you get better, I'll give you a real kiss." She smiled, and giggled at his flustered face.
She left the room, fumbling with her thumbs.
Then she noticed her nursemaid standing at the side, and she let out a startled gasp.
Impa smirked.
"What? You gotta let an old girl have her fun!"