disclaimer: ooohoh boy guess who back its me not much of a tw this time? a little more death but other than that i dont own zelda

I'm curled up, still shivering due to something other than the cold, when the baby Gohmas start withering away. They shrivel, turn brown, and collapse into a pile of wrinkled, screeching carcasses. I can barely process anything that's happening and my sword sits limply in my hand.

It's a strange feeling, to die. I didn't think I'd get to experience what it felt like until much later. Maybe some part of me thought that I wouldn't.

Something's leaking out of my eyes and my mouth, and I register vaguely that I taste iron.

I don't want to die.

I don't want to die yet.

I'm scared and I don't want to die yet.

I want to say sorry to Navi. I want to say sorry to Saria. I want to tell Mido that I'm sorry and that I do actually love him, tell the Know-it-all Brothers that I'm sorry I stole their shiny rocks without their permission. I want to tell Fado that I've always wanted to hang out with her and play with each other's' hair, I want to tell Yerbal that I really appreciate everything he does, I want-

I realize that I'm not breathing.

Something's pulsing in my chest and I wonder if it's my heart.

It's not.

Blue erupts from my core, the light carving a circle around me. Runes tie themselves together underneath me and before I know it, a teleportation circle is activated around me and my vision fades to afterimages of clouds and streaks of gold, iridescent rings and soft voices.

Wake up, sleepyhead.

When I wake up, all I hear are the birds singing. Grass presses into my cheek and it smells good, so good, wind blows through my hair and it's all I can do to keep from wailing.

I'm out. I'm outside.

I breathe in deeply, several times, just to fill myself with the fragrance of nature; the earthy smell of dirt and the subtle sweetness in the air. I'm still crying.

I open my eyes.

Blades of grass drift quietly in front of me, and I can see-

It's the Great Deku Tree. His roots are spread out around me, and I'm safe. I'm going to be okay. Everything's over.

I push myself up with aching arms into an upright position. My head spins but all I care is that there's a flower in front of me, a bluebell-

Navi.

I try to stand up but I crash to the ground without grace, skinning my knees on the ground.

It hurts.

I blink, once, twice, sprawled out uncomfortably on the grass in the Great Deku Tree's clearing. I slowly turn around to look at my legs-

My knees are red and raw but that's it- the skin is stretched over my leg like it had never been torn off in the first place, with nothing left but an outline of where the injury once was.

Injury- The Deku Tree! Is he okay?

I stand up, ignoring how weak my legs feel and how my knees sting, turning and looking at the Great Deku Tree.

The wind whistles through his leaves, and his branches creak and groan.

Is he alive?

"Ah. Good morning, young Seven." I almost burst into tears again from the calm rumble of the Deku Tree's voice, cracking and pitching at all the right places.

"Great Deku Tree!" I shout, and I run over and press myself against his bark. It's rough and drags against my skin, but it feels so nice. He's alive. He's alive and I'm alive, and everything is going to be alright.

He laughs, and it's a deep throaty sound that I can feel through my feet.

"I did it, Great Deku Tree." I whisper against him. "I beat Gohma. I did it."

"Thank you so much, my child."

I did it.

The Great Deku Tree lets me sob against him for a while, and once I'm done, he starts speaking again.

"You traveled deep into Gohma's lair and faced her, even when you were scared. For that, dear Link, I cannot thank you enough." The Great Deku Tree praises and my cheeks flush.

"I cannot emphasize just how thankful I am, Seven. I wish that I had a way to thank you aside from healing your wounds, but as I am a spirit of nature, there is not much else I can do."

"I-It's- I'm-," I stumble over my words, "I'm honored that you would- that you'd even want to do something for me, Great Deku Tree."

He chuckles, the sound warm and deep, "It is my honor, courageous little one. I cannot express how deep my gratitude runs. You've saved my children."

I blink. His children? The Kokiri?

"What about y-,"

He cuts me off. "Well done, Link." I smile and scratch the back of my head.

"I-I didn't do much. It was- It was mostly…" It clicks. "Navi." I look up, and I can still feel Navi's screaming raking through my ears. "Where's Navi!? Is she okay!? Is she…" I bite my lip. "Is she still mad?"

The Great Deku Tree looks at me with his warm brown eyes, sighing before responding. "Navi… Navi is fine. In fact, I think she has something she wants to say to you."

A small blue light hesitantly flutters out from behind the Great Deku Tree, each flap of her wings leaving trails of fairy dust behind her.

It's her.

I didn't actually want to put up with you.

She's getting closer, and I can see her turquoise turn darker, sinking almost into navy blue.

Have fun, Seven.

"L-Link?" She says, and just hearing her voice makes me want to-

She launches herself into my cheek, latching on as best she can with her small arms and sobbing. "I'm- I'm so-, I'm so so sorry, Link, I'm so sorry-,"

Some part of me is still angry, still hurt, telling me to refuse her, to push her away- She hurt me and that's something she'll never be able to take back.

"I'm so sorry. I'm- I'm-,"

It's slowly, but I lift my arms, cup her in my hands, and cradle her against my face while she cries and I tell her that I forgive her.

a/n: yall i know ive been dead but. its finals week school and i stlil pulled through i literally have no excuse for why i havent written in so long other than having zero motivation but its almost summer! so hopefully well be back to regular-ish updates

thanks to everyone who's followed and reviewed and favorited so far!

pls review and also i love all of u mwah