People were actually turning him down.

Link had started to be sought out after a while - as soon as people realized he was actually strong and experienced. There had been a list going around the soldiers to keep track of turns. But now they looked away, the list was nowhere to be found and Link had to be relegated to watch and find mistakes.

"You are terrifying when you're overexcited and when you're angry, did you know that?"

Link shouted at a man who had been felled thanks to a wrong stance. Link would have liked to ignore Robert - shit-eating grin and all - because there was no way the man came in peace, but either the soldiers were overzealous of their own movements or Link had been doing a really good job because for almost five seconds nothing was amiss. And Link had no reason to ignore the man next to him. "Yeah? Had no idea," Link feigned disinterest.

"Hmm," Robert balanced himself on the ball of his feet, "you look really happy, you know?"

Link cleared up his throat and made a surprised sound, "That so?" Link's hand had been tingling from the moment he left Zelda's bedroom.

"Yeah, weirdly so." Robert glanced at Link, the blond had a faint blush spreading through his cheeks. "You know, I went yesterday to check on you, near midnight," Robert stressed, "and you weren't there."

"I was sleeping soundly, then."

Robert made a face. "That so?" Link shouted again and a man bowed in excuse. "Because I called for you, you know?"

Link shuffled on the spot, "I slept like a log, I suppose."

"You think so?" Link sideglanced Robert and Robert felt a chill run down his back, "I even knocked on your door, though, I was sure that would wake you up."

Link looked up for a second, wondering why he was putting up with this, "You know what? You are free, I'm free, what is keeping us from sparring?"

Robert pulled his lips down, as if giving Link's statement a thought, "Well, for one you are overly beastly now-"

"Nothing you would mind, I'm sure."

"-and for two," a man walked past them and gave Robert a pat on the head, "I already have a partner, see?"

Robert walked backwards and winked to Link, "I'll make sure not to bother you tonight, Link, go and have fun."

No one was watching them, Robert's partner was busy adjusting his sword's grip and everyone else was focused on their own fight.

The rock hit Robert on his stomach. "Ouch!" A few quick glances that left Robert in a second, "That hurts!" he hissed, looking hurt.

Link tilted his head and raised his eyebrows, "Try me again, Robert."

Robert only made those types of remarks with him. Link had been tense and his head snapped every time he heard any reference to Zelda. None were about him, none were about her and a man, none were dangerous.

Robert had kept his mouth shut.

Or maybe he just didn't have enough proof.

Link was sitting on his bed, a crumpled paper sat on his hand. Her eyes were slightly sharper, softer, Link couldn't draw them right.

Link was starting to realize how much he was awaiting to see Zelda again.

Not like he hadn't wanted to see her before... just, now...

Did she feel the same?

Did it matter?

It wasn't like he was expecting something more. This was fine. Totally fine.

If he got to hold her hand one more time things would be better, but he wouldn't hope for it.

Why was the sun still up?

Zelda eyed the papers in front of her and slouched her shoulders. She wanted to ask for help, she really did. Zelda bit her lower lip, felt her back straighten. No, not help. Guidance.

Did he know?

Did she...?

He didn't seem to mind.

Zelda looked out to the sun, slowly retreating behind the mountains. He was a boy and she was destroying everything he ever was.

It was one thing to save Hyrule. It was one thing to save their world because they were chosen to do so, because they had no choice in the matter. Because she didn't have to ask for herself, it had been for others and Hyrule and she had even managed to sacrifice her life.

And then she had been brought back, to face the outcome of all of her choices and to keep on making more. She wasn't alone, though. She had someone with her, someone who understood. Someone who understood everything with such clarity it was frightening, someone who gave himself so wholly it was shocking, someone who trusted so easily her every nerve stood on end.

It hurt so much to have him there.

When Link stepped on the balcony, a second after the guard turned on the corner, before Link could even get in a breath, Zelda opened her window and smiled in a way that made Link forget about the cold and the weird thoughts he was having. Zelda made things clearer. Worringly so.

This time Zelda had prepared and her floor had a couple of cushions for them to use. She had even brought fruits she had cut beforehand and Link gobbled down a couple of pieces.

And Link didn't talk about the papers. He was too happy listening to Zelda's story about the missing pin who had found a new home with a couple of birds to bother about things she had clearly not wanted to share. Link had been too warm to wonder why Zelda would stop and look at her feet for a few seconds at a time. Too mesmerized to notice the way she would linger on his face.

Till Zelda rested her head on her knees and sighed, "I owe you about the papers."

Link shook his head, he would not bother, he would not pry, "You really don't have to tell me."

But she wanted to, to see, to find, to scare, "The council is worrying about the Gorons. They are coming down in greater numbers."

Link thought about the gorons who sold things in Castle Town, about the ones who helped Malo fix the eastern bridge, "They are pretty nice, though."

"Not the issue. The council wants them on their mountain."

Link felt the venom on Zelda's tongue, "What about you?" Zelda looked back at him, a question on her face. "What do you want?"

"I am the voice of the Council."

Link clicked his tongue, "So I've been hearing, but the way I see it you should have your own voice and the council could give you, like, advice."

Zelda hid a laugh, he was right of course, "That would be pretty tyrannical, don't you think?"

"There's nothing tyrannical about you."

Zelda felt warmth fill her stomach. Trust. Unearned trust. "So you say because you know me, to anyone else such an approach could make them worry."

Link raised a shoulder, mock disdain on his face. "Let them."

Zelda could feel the tip of ther tongue burning, she needed to let this out or she would blame herself for whatever outcome would come. "Things will always be like this, you know?"

Link put a grape on his mouth.

"I am bound to my duties, I am bound to the Council, I am bound to Hyrule." Link was looking up front, to the dark room ahead. "And I really enjoy our time together, I really enjoy this." What was this? "But I can't have you lurking in shadows to see me, I can't have you bearing my responsibilities and-"

"Why not?"

Zelda had her mouth open, mid movement to end her sentence, mid movement for her to blame herself and try - again - let him go.

And as she didn't say anything, Link repeated, "Why can't you do those things?"

"You saw what happened when we were friendly with each other in public."

Link sighed, he did remember. So how could he help? Link turned to Zelda, "What is it you want for the Gorons?"

Zelda blinked, taking a moment to remember the issue with the Gorons, "I would gladly welcome them down here, I know for a fact they only come to the valleys for short periods of time. It's just..."

"Just?"

"Their leader is really stubborn and if he does not ask for permission it could be treated as an offense... or worse."

Link remembered the fire monstrosity Darbus had been and let himself snicker, "Okay, that's fine, I can take care of it."

Zelda opened her mouth to tell Link how it wasn't okay, how it wasn't fine, and how he would not, most certainly, be able to take care of Darbus, leader of the Gorons and power of nature. She had to tell him first that this wasn't his issue to begin with, how this was a matter of her with her council, how much shame it could bring her for him to resolve this, how much he should stay out of trouble, how he had to think more about himself and not others, how he had done plenty for her and how she could not, for the love of Hylia, accept more, "Link, don't." Zelda was too flustered to scorn her ability of speech when it mattered most.

"Go back to your Council and tell them that you'll have this matter settled in two days from now, I'll talk to General Glop."

"Link."

"Yes?"

"Stop this."

"Zelda, who told you you have to do things alone?"

Zelda was beginning to feel anger pooling at her stomach, a feeling so foreign to be felt in Link's presence she double checked.

"Was it the Council? Your father?"

"Link."

"You know, I saved the world, but so far you're the only one who has acknowledged it, the only one who seems affected by my lack of rewards. The Gorons owe me, you know? But even though I try to think about it, I can't see how I can have them repay me anytime soon. But they can help you."

"Link. I must take care of my own business."

"Who said that? Who said you had to do it alone?"

"I will be Queen, Link, how do you think people will feel when their Queen won't be able to solve things on her own?"

"Why can't the Queen ask for help?"

"Link, I-"

"You really don't get it, do you?"

"- forbid you to go talk to the Gorons."

They were standing now. Zelda had been the first to do so, flustered and flushed, she had been pointing a finger at Link for a while.

Link was looking up at her, he wanted to laugh, "You have no idea how my head just jumbles thoughts together, it's crazy." Link shook his head. He had to tell her about it, "You've been wondering for a while now how is it that I can 'read your mind'," Link air quoted, "and its quite simple, we basically think alike. Desperate to help, desperate to be sufficient, desperate to show how well we are, desperate to make people feel fine. It's disgusting."

Zelda felt her stomach tight, the anger was leaving her body with every word Link uttered. "Link."

"I don't even know if I want to help you because I think it's the right thing to do or because I need to help you so you can look at how useful I am."

"Link, please."

"The only thing I know for sure is that helping you helps me. So maybe this is only a way for me to feel better about myself."

"Link."

"I know you're scared about how I just gave myself a thousand percent, it scares me, too. But frankly," Link shrugged, "I've given up trying to rationalize it. It helps me and it makes me happy, it's enough for me."

Zelda felt her chest tight, tighter than when she had had to let go of William, tighter than when her mother died. Tight. Like the times she had fought with her father. Tight. Like back when she had to watch her father be put on a coffin the Council had forbid tears. Tight. Like the time she had called for her troops to fight back and all she received where their backs runing away. Tight. Like the time she realized the only way to save Midna was to give away her light.

Link breathed out, scared but confident, sure of himself but terrified, wanting to take the clawshot and jump out the window but wanting to stay and stare at Zelda's eyes, awaiting for an answer.

Zelda shuddered, her chin trembled, "I can't have you bear more of my responsibilities."

And Link softened, "Why not?"

Zelda could her the beating of her heart, and her mind was replaying again and again her father and Dotour's words. Hyrule needs a strong leader, a strong queen, a strong princess. Strenght always came down to being able to fix things on her own. They had congratulated her. She had done right. She was right.

But Link's eyes were bright and blue and Zelda was having trouble trying to articulate how her upbringing had made her this way. But he knew. Zelda could feel it. He was asking her to toss away those shackles, he was asking for trust, the same way he had given it.

But it was hard.

But this was Link.

It was Link. Link. Her Link.

Zelda didn't cry, and the tightness in her chest never left, but she felt the need to hold Link's hand and say something. Something reassuring, or witty, something that could make the air feel lighter and easier to breath. But her mind was numb and the only thing she could say was, "Okay." Relief. "Okay." Trust. "Okay."

... Love.