A hand grasping his shoulder had Link's fight or flight instincts surging to life. He rolled away, reaching for his sword to find air, his fingers slipping through the imaginary handle. He found himself staring at Zelda, Impa and Urbosa, all with looks of shock and concern. His hand lowered to his side, breaking his defensive stance.
Zelda approached him cautiously. "Link? That's your name, right?" He nodded his head in confirmation, still trying to seperate his memories from hundreds of years ago till now.
"Are you okay? Do you need to lie down? Would water hel-" Link held up his hand to stop Zelda's rambling before it went out of control. He put his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently to let her know he was okay now.
Impa's grandmother cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "So is the calamity afoot or not? I need to know if I should be getting ready for war or for bed."
Urbosa checked the time on her slate, muttering to herself that it was only five in the evening.
Link shook his head, recalling the fight before his final moments. "I think the Goddess Hylia told me to seal Ganon and myself in the blade. Even if he's survived this long under the power of the blade, he's still sealed. The only one who can pull the blade is me." He shrugged, believing that should be enough to calm their worries.
The elder absorbed the information then clapped her hands. "Impa! Can you put my show on? I want to hear how things have been for you at school." Impa looked at her friends sheepishly, helping her grandmother to her feet and up the stairs to her room.
Urbosa looked between Link and Zelda. The thought of her surrogate daughter somehow being Hylia herself reborn being a nearly impossible pill to swallow. Then there was Link, the one she thought was a demon was actually the soul of the man who singlehandedly prevented the destruction of Hyrule? She needed a drink or a smoke, or both.
Zelda turned back around, pulling Link to the side. She looked anxious, wringing her hands and occasionally looking over his shoulder to glance at Urbosa. "Was the elder right? Am I really a mortal descendent of Hylia? I'm just a highschooler, I don't even what socks to wear, I just grab two from my dresser at random!" She received a raised eyebrow from Link, amusement across his features before finally shrugging his shoulders. "I can't tell you, even if you're not, it still wouldn't change my mind on being here for you."
Zelda bit her lip, sighing softly and looking away. "What if your actual Zelda is out there? What if I'm really just a random girl? You're Hylia's chosen one.. If she were to really be reborn, wouldn't you just choose her? Your fates are intertwined and all that jazz.."
Link watched her silently. He never thought about the possibility of there being other women named after the legend. He enjoyed being around her, and she was ridiculously cute. He made up his mind, the perfect solution to calm her doubts.
He held her hand, intertwining their fingers. Zelda blushed and looked up at him questioningly, till he leaned forward. Her heart fluttered, wondering if she remembered to brush her teeth today when she felt a warm pair on lips on her forehead. Link pulled back and smiled at her, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. "You're the Zelda I want. There is no other for me." If her heart fluttered before, now she felt like it had stopped. She gaped at him, Urbosa growling from the other side of the room.
"Just kiss him already! Goddess damn it."
Zelda jumped, looking back and glaring at her for interrupting their moment.
When Impa was done assisting her grandmother and catching her up on all her adventures outside of Kakariko, she was rightfully confused when outside a blushing Zelda was bickering with a smirking Urbosa. Link was standing a few feet away quietly watched, she slipped next to his side. "What I miss, hero?" He glanced at her, the nickname used to mean when he saved Zelda, but apparently a lifetime ago he had saved the entire world. He cleared his throat. "Urbosa believes she should've raised Zelda with proper Gerudo dating advice."
Impa snorted, looking back at their arguing, which had started to draw the attention of other villagers. "Don't they just like, find a man they like and take them? She does realize Zelda has the courage of a cucco right?" Link exhaled before chuckling, rolling his eyes. "Yeah, but she's a cute one." Impa hummed in agreement, both of them watching a couple guards rushing over to stop their bickering.
Word quickly spread around the village of the supposed reincarnation of Hylia walking around in the form of a petite blonde. Zelda was quickly overwhelmed when villagers started treating her incredibly different than what she was used to. Children stared and pointed in awe and many adults bowed or knelt when she approached them or passed by. It made her nervous and almost disgusted. She wasn't a Goddess, she never felt like one or wanted to be one. Once Link noticed her discomfort, he immediately began taking the attention off her, politely dissuading people from overwhelming her. Impa had flat out threatened to shank several people who had approached Zelda after that. Urbosa talked to her to distract her, telling her a story about a sand seal that caused havoc in Gerudo Town.
Once they made their way back to the gate, Impa of course waving goodbye to the one Sheikah woman with two middle fingers, they fell into silence, each deep in their own thoughts. Everyone but Zelda shot glances at eachother, silently communicating and eventually agreeing to take her mind off the prophecy and legend business. Urbosa spoke up once they got into the car.
"I believe I saw a fair not too far from here. We have plenty of time if you would like to check it out." Before Zelda could politely decline, Impa spoke up.
"That sounds great, right, Link?"
He nodded from the backseat, putting his hand on Zelda's and squeezing it. Zelda eyed the three suspiciously but they refused to even look at her, minding their own business. Impa was nonchalantly whistling.
Zelda huffed in exasperation. "Ugh! Alright, fine, we can go to the fair."
The ride hadn't taken that long at all. Everyone stepped out the car to stretch a bit regardless, except for Link, who made a jab at Impa for having bad posture. Her response was to flip him off, which he returned.
Urbosa had texted Rhoam they were going to be a bit longer but everything was alright. He thanked her for the heads up, offering to make her a plate at dinner for her helping Zelda today. She smiled at her slate, appreciating the gesture. Ahead of her Impa was practically dragging Zelda and Link around like a dog handler, bringing them to games and attractions to help distract them. Urbosa decided that, for now, Impa would be on her good graces. She didn't expect it to last.
Zelda was having a lot of fun, all things considered. Impa was running her around to try every game and ride, although it was easy to see the attractions were mainly designed for children. Zelda had tried to sit in one of the seats at Impa's behest and gotten stuck. Thankfully there weren't too many witnesses to see Impa and Link trying to pull her free. What Zelda found the most fun was watching Impa get more and more annoyed trying to beat Link at every game, any time either of them won they'd give her the prize. She had three stuffed animals in her hands, and a spinner hat by this point.
"Alright, asshole, you may have bested me in the rigged ass ring toss, but you won't beat me at knife throwing. Sheikah are trained with blades since we're children!" He raised an eyebrow at what was obviously a concerning statement.
The game master did his usual grand gestures and flourishing to act like the game was difficult and only the best would succeed. Impa quickly picked up three blades at once, like the main character did in her ninja anime a determined fire in her eyes. "Prepare to lose, bitch!" With surprising accuracy and speed, she threw the knives perfectly into the center of each target. The game master stood shocked, giving her a massive plush frog.
Impa smirked and crossed her arms as best she could with a three foot frog in her grasp. "Punk bitch."
Link rolled his eyes. While he couldn't remember ever throwing knives, it couldn't be that hard. He picked up the first one, testing it's weight before pulling his arm back and throwing it. A loud ping of metal was heard, his knife having split Impa's in two, the halved remains laying on the floor below the target. Impa silently stared, before glaring at him. "I swear to Hylia if I find a video game around here, your ass is grass." He feigned an intimidated look, pointing to a wolf plush that the game master shakily handed him, flinching when Link grabbed it. Neither of them noticed, too busy shooting jabs at eachother while looking for Zelda to give her their spoils of war.
They found her staring at the petting zoo from the fence, watching a Rito child try to feed a goat. She turned around to find them both holding out their respective plushies.
"I didn't even have room for the other ones you guys got me.. I can't possibly carry those as well."
Urbosa walked up, rubbing the back of her neck shyly.
"Well you won't get anymore, these two idiots just got us all banned from any more games. They keep breaking the equipment."
Impa and Link glanced at eachother then shook their heads, pretending to be innocent. "We have no clue what you're talking about." Link grunted in agreement.
Zelda giggled and smiled at them both. She handed her plushies to a Urbosa. "Can you please take these to the car? Carrying a bunch of these is starting to get tiring."
Urbosa scowled and walked off, muttering about needing a smoke, struggling to hold all the cute plush animals. Zelda returned her attention to the petting zoo. Impa and Link taking up their usual positions on either side of her, silently observing. They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Link surprisingly spoke up.
"Why don't you pet an animal, princess?"
Zelda blushed at the nickname, about to speak up when Impa answered for her.
"She's scared of them. A cat will hiss if you're making it angry, and a dog will bark or growl. But a goat? He'll headbutt you into next week just for existing near him."
Link hummed, before whistling. One of the baby goats raising his head then walking over to the fence. Zelda squealed and Impa scowled at his supposed animal whispering. Zelda crouched down to tentatively pet the goat, and Impa crossed her arms. "You think you're better than me, hero?"
He silently considered it before speaking. "Losersayswhat."
"What?" Impa paused. "Fuck. You."
Below them, Zelda was mumbling baby talk to the goat, stroking his fur as if he was a dog. A piglet walked up, an ominous glare from Link sent it walking back in the opposite direction. An announcement came over the speaker, informing guests that the ferris wheel was doing it's last few rides before they closed for the day. Zelda bolted upright, eyes shining.
"A ferris wheel!? We must go!" She put a bunch of hand sanitizer on after petting the goat before grasping their hands and dragging them to the line for the wheel. Zelda's slate rang, picking up the call from Urbosa.
"Where are you little bird? I went to the petting zoo and don't see any of you. Its not burnt to the ground so I assume it went fine."
Zelda giggled, looking between the two who tensed up at her observation.
"Yes it was lovely, I even got to pet a goat. We're waiting in line for the ferris wheel then we can head out before it gets too late."
Urbosa sincerely hoped they didn't somehow blow up the damn thing. Pinching the bridge of her nose and already imagining the news report.
"Very well, keep an eye on them. I'll be waiting in the car. Remember, we parked by the light with the red flags on it."
Zelda hung up the call before her stomach rumbled. Impa and Link looking at eachother and playing rock paper scissors to determine who would get her a snack, neither bothering to listen to her insist she was fine. Impa ended up winning the tiebreaker, pumping her fist up in victory, until Link held out his palm to give him money to pay, since he was dead and had no earthly possessions. She scowled, handing him her card. He walked away into a passing crowd, vanishing from sight.
"Even when I win, I lose.." Impa quietly lamented. Zelda laughed and patted her back comfortingly.
"Next time don't make a bet against someone who has no money."
"No promises."
Zelda snorted. "Your funeral, or, well, your wallet's funeral."
Thet both stood silently, Zelda glancing at the top of the ferris wheel nervously. Impa decided to break the ice with the most careful way she knew how, a sledgehammer. "So, are you two going to kiss at the top of that thing? I assume that's why you're so fidgety. I can sit this one out."
It took Zelda a second to fully register the words, her cheeks changing from a light pink to an almost scarlet shade. "N-no!" She paused. "Unless he wants to? Oh my Hylia, I mean, me, er, I don't know! Its not like anything will happen.."
Impa shot her a teasing smirk. "Well don't get too disappointed."
A voice spoke up behind them.
"Too disappointed about what?" Impa managed to keep her cool, but Zelda jumped, turning around and stammering. "A-about nothing! No need to concern yourself!" Link smirked then handed her a bag of popcorn. Impa was about to complain that he didn't get anything else till he pulled out a cotton candy from behind his back.
She acted as if it might be poisoned, giving it an experimental sniff. Link tore a chunk off and popped it into his mouth. "See? Perfectly edible." Impa scowled.
"You're dead, idiot."
He countered back without missing a beat. "I can eat the rest then."
"Gimme my cotton candy, asshole."
A woman behind them covered her child's ears, shooting Impa a dirty look. Zelda munched on her popcorn, admittedly getting a bit hungry. It was, nice, to be cared for like this. They were spoiling her and trying to take her mind of things when they should be checking on Link.
Before they knew it, they were at the front of the line. Impa shot Zelda a questioning look, but Zelda smiled and nodded her head. Link watched their exchange with a raised eyebrow. The person in charge of the ferris wheel controls, a teenage Gerudo, raised an eyebrow as they approached.
"Long as you guys don't exceed the weight limit, I don't give a fuck if you all want to fit in there. They don't pay me enough to not fall asleep in the safety briefings." She deadpanned, clearly wishing the fair would leave already.
Impa slid into the left side and Zelda went to the right. Link sat in the middle since he knew he didn't weigh anything, if he didn't want to. The teen checked the balance, surprised and confused when it weighed much less than expected. "Well.. fuck it." She pulled the handle bar down so it helped hold them in place.
At the top, they all looked around in wonder at the sea of trees and faint lights from nearby towns and far off cities. Link was the most in awe, never thinking Hyrule would look like this. His hand went to grip the bar, instead finding Zelda's. She turned her head to smile at him. He thought to himself that the most beautiful view here was her. They quietly held hands, Link's thumb rubbing her knuckles gently. Zelda muttered his name quietly.
"Link?.."
He looked at her again, noticing the blush on her cheeks.
"Yes, princ-"
She pecked his lips, quickly looking away in embarrassement. Link froze, his face heating up as he immediately became flustered. He reached over and cupped her chin, turning her head to face him. Zelda refused to look him in the eye, but he didn't need her to. Link leaned forward, kissing her deeply. Her green eyes widened in shock then closed, his following suit. They both let their instincts guide them, quickly getting lost into the kiss as they pushed forward eagerly. Link's hand moved from her hand to the back of her head. It started out innocently enough, until they leaned their heads to the side, Zelda moaning quietly into the kiss before both remembered there was a third party. They pulled away slowly, panting for breath.
Impa whistled, leaning her head on her elbow. "Well don't stop on my account. Although I am kinda jealous I didn't pick the middle seat." Zelda groaned and looked away in embarrassement, Link smirked and patted Zelda's back comfortingly.
"There's still the middle seat on the ride back."
"Haha- oh.." Impa's already prominent blush intensified.
When they got off the ferris wheel and got back to the car, none of them answered Urbosa's question of why they all looked so red. Ironically enough, she didn't have enough room for all the plush toys, so she put the wolf and frog in the passenger seat, forcing all three to sit in the back. Halfway through the ride, Impa and Zelda had fallen asleep, both resting their heads on Link's shoulders while he sat in the middle. He didn't need to sleep but he had his eyes closed, staying still for them.
Urbosa noticed his hand intertwined with Zelda's, rolling her eyes. "I'm signing them up for Voe and You classes, this is ridiculous.."
If y'all have any questions or concerns, don't be afraid to DM me. Also, people who leave me guest reviews, I don't know how to reply to those. I did check out the subreddit, but I didn't understand the purpose, lot of the memes kinda sucked too.