Author's Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Bros or any of the characters involved in it. I am earning no profit from this story, other than the enjoyment of writing it and sharing it with others! I hope you all enjoy reading it!
The next morning, Zelda woke up early. She thought about last night, and a small smile made its way onto her lips. She got out of bed, decidedly done sleeping. She threw on her clothes and opened her door. Link was waiting outside.
"L-Link! What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Waiting for you," he answered simply.
"Well, that's very kind," Zelda replied with a grin. "How long have you been waiting?"
"Not long," Link shrugged. "I thought...maybe I could show you my Hyrule."
"What do you mean?" Zelda questioned. "You know as well as I do we can't leave."
"I'm well aware," Link agreed. He unhooked the flat device he always kept on his belt. He called it the Sheikah Slate. "But I've got pictures of it on here. Would you like to see?"
"Link, it's so early-"
"You're already dressed. I don't believe you had any intention of going back to bed."
Zelda smiled. "I suppose not. But what about you?"
"I couldn't sleep either. Last night was...on my mind."
"Mine too."
Link smiled again, and Zelda felt her heart flutter. No wonder he didn't do it very often! If he did it all the time, every girl in the kingdom would want to marry him! "May I come in?" he asked.
"Of course! Here, we can sit on my bed." Zelda stepped aside and let the knight inside. Link sat down on her bed, and gestured for her to sit beside him. Once she was seated, Link absentmindedly wrapped an arm around her. With his free hand, he turned on the Sheikah Slate. He brushed past a map screen and opened up his photo album. He pointed to a picture of a stone monument. The picture had been taken from the middle of it, so Zelda couldn't see the whole thing. But what she could see was half of a stone circle as a floor, with symmetrical sets of stone spires set on both the right and left side of the circle. The middle of the circle opened to a path that led into a thin forest with luscious green trees and perfectly brown bark. Beyond the forest was what could only be Hyrule Castle. It was far off in the distance and silhouetted by the rising sun, so no color or specific details could be discerned. But Zelda could tell the architecture was beyond extraordinary. Tall towers and a majestic main building were visible on the horizon. "It's...it's beautiful," Zelda breathed.
"I'm glad you think so," Link said. "This is where I was appointed as the Hylian Champion and my queen's personal knight."
"This...this is how you remembered, isn't it?" Zelda concluded.
"It is," Link confirmed. "These first twelve pictures are all tied to one of my memories. Let me show you." He scrolled through the rest of his photographs, allowing Zelda as much time as she liked to study each one. He showed her lush, green forests and tall, imposing mountains. Ancient ruins and a magical, desert oasis. An old spring with a crumbled statue, sprawling with moss. It was all part of his Hyrule. And it was all wonderful.
Someone knocked on the closed door. Link powered off his device and hooked it to his belt. Young Link opened the door without waiting to be invited. He noticed Link's arm around Zelda's waist and gagged. "What did I walk into?"
Link and Zelda turned bright red, and quickly scooted away from each other.
"Don't bother pretending it didn't happen," Young Link snickered. "Trust me, everyone's going to be hearing about this. But I certainly didn't come up here to watch you two have cuddle time. Shulk sent me up here to tell you it's time for breakfast. Palutena's barely holding Pit off of the meager amount of food remaining for you both. I'd hurry up if I were you." With that, he turned around and walked back downstairs.
"We better get going if we don't want to starve," Zelda decided.
"Of course," Link agreed.
They both got up and began walking down the staircase towards the main room. And for the first time, Link walked beside Zelda, not behind her. They took the only two seats remaining at the long table and thanked Palutena for saving them some food.
"So," Cloud began once they were comfortable, "Young Link told us what you were doing."
"Is anyone surprised?" Palutena asked. "I mean, Zelda's had eyes for Link since he first got here!"
Zelda's face burned, and she suddenly found the food in front of her to be very interesting.
"Is that true?" Link questioned.
"...Yeah," Zelda admitted.
"Wow, not even going to deny it," Young Link laughed.
"You're just eating this up, aren't you?" Pit asked.
"You know it!" Young Link agreed.
"Well...I'm happy for them!" Pit decided.
"By the way you're going on about all this, you'd have thought they kissed!" Robin said. "It was just a little hand holding."
Link and Zelda locked eyes, then returned to silently eating their food.
"...Unless it wasn't," Cloud sneered. "Was there a kiss?"
"Perhaps," Link replied.
Toon Link squealed. "You two love each other!"
"Oh, Cloud," Young Link said. "You know what we've got to do."
"Please don't sing that song," Zelda begged.
"How could we not?" Cloud demanded.
"Link and Zelda, sitting in a tree!" Young Link sang. Really, really loudly. Everyone still in the main room looked to the young Hylian.
"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Cloud finished, equally as loud.
Completely horrible, awkward silence followed that announcement. Samus made her way over to their end of the table. Link and Zelda both wished they could crawl into a hole and hide. Together, of course.
"Is that really true?" she asked finally, after staring at their red faces for several moments. "Or are Young Link and Cloud just being annoying?"
"Well, the whole tree part's not true," Link said truthfully.
"Of course it's not," Samus scoffed. "There's not a tree for you to hide in here if you wanted to! Did you kiss?" Everyone in the room waited for their response. Things like this never happened in the mansion.
"Yes. Yes we did," Zelda sighed, burying her face in her hands, trying to hide her smile.
The sound of breaking glass ruined the moment. Everyone whirled towards the source of the sound. Queen Zelda was standing, frozen, in the middle of the room. A broken cup lay at her feet. Tears rimmed her eyes, but she quickly blinked them away. She seemed to realize what she had done and quickly bent down to pick up her mess.
Link jumped out of his seat. "My queen. I'll clean it up."
Queen Zelda stood up, shaking slightly and breathing hard. Without so much as a word of thanks, she turned and ran back up the stairs. Link began cleaning up the broken glass. Zelda joined him. They finished and dumped the shards in the trash can, then sat back down.
"I don't understand," Link muttered. "What did I do? Why is she so upset?"
Young Link shook his head. "That's not it. It's not what you did. It's what you didn't do, that's made her upset."
"When did you get so wise?" Palutena asked.
Young Link shrugged. "Personal experience."
"And what is it I didn't do?" Link demanded.
"I'm afraid that's something you'll have to figure out on your own," Young Link sighed.
Link nodded slowly, still confused.
"Well, anyway," Shulk began, "Robin and I were hoping you could meet us in my room, Zelda. We were hoping to advance our plan further. Finalize some details."
"Unless you're going to be busy later," Cloud added helpfully.
"No, I'll be there," Zelda promised. "But perhaps we should invite Queen Zelda? Perhaps she has the Triforce of Wisdom as well."
Young Link coughed, and Link swore he muttered, "Bad idea," under his breath. But no one else seemed to notice.
"Yes, I think that's brilliant," Shulk agreed. "We'll go talk to her after breakfast."
"And...you're welcome to come, Link," Zelda said sheepishly. "It's not like these meetings are super secret or anything."
"I think I've given Young Link and Cloud enough fuel for their teasing," Link answered. "Besides, I'd like to be outside today. I hear the robots are setting up tennis."
"Your favorite sport," Zelda said.
"Indeed," Link said.
"You know each other so well," Cloud laughed.
"Alright, that one's not fair," Zelda protested. "We all know each other so well. I could tell you anything about your adventure I've heard it so many times!"
"Fine, fine. I'll give you that one," Cloud decided.
The rest of the day progressed as usual. Link played tennis until lunchtime. He was fairly good. Most of the fighters who wielded swords tended to do well. The most fearsome competitor was definitely Ike, who was used to hitting things with a thick blade. They all enjoyed the friendly competition, even if Ike always won. By lunchtime, Young Link and Cloud had gotten over Link and Zelda's kiss, and didn't tease them any further. Queen Zelda was nowhere to be found. Zelda explained that she hadn't seemed interested in helping her, Robin, or Shulk. Link promised himself he'd go find her after lunch and make sure she was alright.
But after lunch, before Link could go searching, the alarm bells began ringing. Everyone bowed. Queen Zelda appeared on the edge of the stairwell, also hurrying to kneel. Master Hand appeared. "I heard from the robots that there's a new couple in this mansion. Link and Zelda."
The couple in question shared a nervous look.
"And, I approve," Master Hand decided.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Let me give you my congratulations. By way of a fight. How about this? Today's fight is Link versus Zelda. You all are dismissed."