*thump thump* *thump thump* *thump thump*

No matter what she tried, Link's heart couldn't stop pounding out of her chest. Just 8 hours ago, she had told her best friend about her "gender feelings," and it actually went well! Never in a million years could she have imagined actually being accepted for who she was, much less being called cute. It felt like the butterflies in her stomach could carry her for miles.

She never thought that she could have a life like this.

Back when she had begun her quest, Link decided that it was best to dedicate her whole life to stopping Calamity Ganon and saving Hyrule. Every shrine discovered was a discovery made for Hyrule's sake. Every enemy slain was a death in the name of Hyrule. Every errand, every conversation, every meal, every thought – it was all for Hyrule's sake.

Unfortunately, all quests have to end eventually, and with the end of Link's quest came a newfound feeling of confusion. Before, Link had lived her entire life with a sense of purpose and identity – she was the Hero of Hyrule, after all. Once Ganon was gone, however, she had nothing to work towards. She was once a brave warrior, and now she was no one.

In all honesty, this was for the best. Link had spent almost all of her life repressing her feelings about her gender. She was only able to do this by burying herself in her duty. Now, she had no distractions; she had no choice but to confront these feelings head-on.

And it was terrifying.

Link was too scared to tell anyone about what she was going through, since she "knew" that her friends would think less of her if she told them about her feelings. This was harmful for two reasons:

Firstly, Link had no one to help her deal with her anxieties. She had always had a beastly problem of catastrophizing bad situations. In the past, she always had someone who could tame her crippling fears. Now, Link was on her own, meaning that nothing was stopping her worst nightmares from roaming throughout her mind and ravaging her emotionally.

Second, Link didn't have any guide to help her navigate her femininity. She knew almost nothing about women's fashion, makeup, manners, or anything else for that matter. As a result, her attempts to explore her gender presentation were limited, to say the least.

In spite of these roadblocks, however, Link was able to figure out one thing for sure – she was a she. She didn't know how, and she didn't know why, but the thought of not just dressing like a girl, but being a girl, just felt right to her.

Fortunately, self-imposed isolation never truly lasts forever, and in Link's case, it was ended by someone who would always be supportive.

But with that excitement, came a new question: Where do I go from here?

Link never really figured out a plan for coming out to anyone. Part of it was because she wanted to live free from the burden of other people's thoughts. It was also because she was bad at talking to people. Had it not been for Zelda's natural curiosity, Link probably would've stayed in the closet forever. However, coming out to Zelda made her come to a profound realization: having supportive friends mattered to her. As silly as it sounded, her fear of rejection made her forget just how much she craved companionship.

Sidon was probably safe for Link to come out to. Sidon had nothing but faith in her after her 100-year slumber. There's no way that he would turn on Link simply because she was a girl. He was a safe candidate for "first person to intentionally come out to."

Teba would be a much more difficult target. He was already miffed at Link for humiliating him during the battle with Vah Medoh. It would probably make him feel worse about himself if he found out the man who emasculated him wasn't even a man at all.

Link had no idea what to expect from Yunobo and Bludo. All the gorons Link had seen were men, and quite masculine ones at that. Were there even any female gorons? What would "female" even look like to them?

Riju and Buliara were easily the most concerning, seeing the Gerudo's views on gender. Worst case scenario, she could be permanently exiled from Gerudo Town. It would probably be best to avoid coming out to them, at least in the immediate future.

That was another thing – what was "the future?" The next few weeks? Months? Years? She didn't want to disappoint any of her friends, but the idea of living as a man for any longer gave her visceral distress. Was it "right" for her to keep staying in the closet if it meant keeping her friends happy?

It was moments like this that made Link miss the Champions. When Link arose from her slumber, the spirits of the Champions of Hyrule were the only ones that actually seemed to understand her. Even if they weren't there for much of her adventure, they helped give her a sense of belonging and community. Now that they were gone, Link felt the most alone she had ever felt in her life.

Suddenly, her thoughts drifted back to Zelda's words.

"You're beautiful," she said.

Not handsome. Not dapper.

"Beautiful."

"No," she thought. "I'm not alone."

Suddenly, A smile started to scrawl itself across Link's face.

"If Zelda can believe in me, maybe… maybe I can believe in me, too."

A rush of endorphins shot through her veins, soothing her unsteady heart.

"I think I can do this."