After adventure, exploration and peril, I think these two need some down time... and that they're sweet so I wanted to do a cute chapter, so please enjoy a chapter of two silly kids being just that.

Chapter 21: Tender

Zelda sunk into the carriages bench, the velvet soft on her skin as it wrapped around her. Her muscles unfurled and she gave a sharp hiss as the towel dug into her freshly cleaned wound. She pushed the feeling down, distracting herself by watching the steam evaporate from the tub she'd just left behind.

It twisted in the air around her, performing an elegant dance as it floated over the lone lantern that lit the carriage – the soft light giving it an orange misty glow as it settled against the rain covered window.

"Sorry this is the best I've got," Link said, yanking her attention back to the carriage as a blur flew around the screen besides her, landing at her side. Truthfully, that was an exaggeration - it was less a screen and more a large blue blanket, hanging off the overhead storage in some attempt at giving her privacy.

She pushed herself up, shifting her weight onto one leg. While it dulled the pain, a soft gasp still managed to slip by.

"Does it still hurt? Wait a moment," Link said, the pop of the opened carriage door echoing before she could respond.

Silence hung around the carriage as he left her alone and her mind fell to the bundle of cloth. It was green, a very vibrant and familiar one at that. A flutter ran through her stomach. It was Link's trainee uniform, a little worn and with thin stitch marks where several parts had been reattached, but still well-kept and clean. She dropped her towel to the bench, slipping the clean tunic overhead.

It wrapped around her like a hug, warm and soft, but still loose enough to not irritate her wound. She finished changing, adding shorts and cap to complete the outfit. Inspecting her reflection in the water covered window, she swayed so the tunic flowed around her. The sleeves were a little long, hanging over her hands like blankets, but it'd been the same for Link hadn't it? With that thought in mind, she brushed over the tunic, smoothing away faint creases; finishing just as the door slammed shut. Moments later the thump of Link dropping something heavy shook the floor. Curiosity captured, she skimmed around the blanket-screen to investigate.

Link was rummaging through a rough looking - yet seemingly sturdy - wooden box, a small but growing pile of items by his side. He'd apparently heard her coming, as he held up a bottle of red potion in one hand before she'd even spoke.

"This'll help," he said, shaking it in the air.

"You're making me drink more? I thought I was the mean one?"

He chuckled as she plucked it from his grasp, "this's different, I just don't want you bleeding on my benches is all."

She scoffed, forcing herself to take a sip. The sweetness stung her throat, sticky as she swallowed it down, and she couldn't hide a blech.

Link laughed again and stood, hugging the items to his chest, "It isn't that bad, you make it sound like poison." He spun to her, taking a moment to let his eyes to run down, then back up her figure, a somewhat bemused look on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, that just suites you surprisingly well."

Her face tingled with warmth, her stomach leaping as Link dodged past her.

He spilt his collection onto the bench; bandages, scissors, and tape toppling around. She met his gaze for a second before his eyes jumped around the room, barely focusing on an object before jumping to the next.

"I'll need to…can I check your side – to make sure it's ok I mean?" He asked, eyes continually landing on hers for just a moment before getting distracted and flying off somewhere else.

Her mind caught his meaning, and she could feel the heat in her face grow tenfold. Although, judging by Link's actions, at least she wasn't alone with the implications.

"Of-of course, take as long as you need," she said, sitting next to her old ruined clothes on the bench.

Her fingers played with the edge of the tunic. The tunic that covered her wound. The one he wanted to see. That she'd have to expose… But this was fine, right? She'd held her nerve against far worse today; there was no need to be nervous, right?

"Zelda, I need to…" Link started gesturing to her side.

Swallowing the storm of nerves back into her stomach, she yanked up her top, leaving her midriff tingling in the cool air. Link took a knee by her side, almost knightly if not for the circumstance. The lantern's light skimmed his face, giving his features a light glow as he lifted a hand and, hesitating for just moment, placed it on her skin.

A tingle ran from her stomach and she took a sharp breath. His touch was soft, almost like cloth as his hand gently ran around her wound. Her stomach's storm began to rumble and her ears burn. But that was fleeting, the warmth instead spreading from her head to coat her body as his hand skimmed around her side.

"Seems alright, it's definitely not getting worse," he said, unfurling the roll of bandage. She must have given him a look as he added, "just to be safe."

He went to work, the bandage gradually tightening around her waist. His hand landed on her hip, holding the dressing in place as he wrapped it round and round, her thoughts too becoming a swirl. Despite their lightness, his movements were strong and confident, flowing smoothly from years of practice.

"Still, clearly this could've gone better," he said, popping her thoughts, "we should stick together next time."

Words. Those she could focus on.

"If it's any consolation, I enjoyed this," she said, the tenseness in her shoulders lifting more and more with each word, "it was nice to get out for a bit at least."

"Is that what's happened to us? We think nearly dying is 'getting out' now?"

Their laughter echoed around and her breath became steadier, the atmosphere growing a little more comfortable.

"To be honest, I did too. Although, I definitely have more questions now," Link said, lifting the gem still hanging around his neck, "I still don't really get these, think they're an heirloom or something?"

Her gaze left him, landing on the window and following raindrops as they slipped down the cool glass, waiting for one to reach the bottom before flicking to the next. He had a fair point; the idea had been dancing around the edges of her mind since they first entered.

"Honestly I'm not sure what to think of them, or the whole place really. It seems too coincidental that they were there, given its exactly what we needed."

From the corner of her eye she saw him lean in, followed by a slightly rougher pull on the bandage as he spoke, "compared to the temples? They all had something like that too."

She spun back to him. "That's what I mean, it made sense in them; I know they were designed to protect their force gems, but you're supposed to be able to get in somehow," she sighed, playing with her own blue gem sat atop her pile of ruined clothes, "but the Keep was clearly for living in before, and it seemed like that glob was sealed in, why would these be left there?"

"Maybe it was on purpose? If it belonged to your family, maybe someone was supposed to come back and kill that thing?"

"In which case we did an excellent job doing the opposite."

"It was only the size of a Chuchu when it left, I doubt it'll be too threatening - I can go look for it after I've re-stocked though, it can't have gone too far," Link stood, dusting off his overalls, "that should be enough for now, you won't need that for long, a couple of days at most," he stretched, trying to quell a hiss as he did.

She furrowed her brow but he dodged her gaze, coincidently finding something fascinating just outside the window.

"It's just a twisted ankle," he muttered, "I landed on it funny is all."

He was sweet. Daft - promising to run off and fight that thing again before he'd even healed was reckless after all - but sweet.

"Have you had anything for it?"

He didn't answer, both hands playing with the fingers on the other. She'd also bet he'd given her all the potion they had too.

She pressed the bottle into his chest, "Link, drink some." He opened his mouth, but she cut off his words before they formed, "I'm fine, you said so yourself."

He relented, a small smirk on his face as he took a swig, closing his eyes and sighing as the potion got to work.

"You're really stupid sometimes, you know?" Zelda said, leaning towards him and cocking her head so she was in his gaze, "did you really think I'd just let you run off and fight that thing when you can't even walk normally?"

"I had to offer," he said, placing the half-empty potion next to her bench, "if I didn't you'd probably have tried to do it yourself," he turned to the blanket, giving it a quick tug so it fell off the shelf into his waiting hands.

The idea had crossed her mind, but… "don't be silly, I have a perfectly good hero to do that for me," she placed a finger on her lips as he spun back, throwing him a wink, "although I suppose you aren't too great at the moment, and since this outfit suits me so much, maybe I should take over for you."

Something soft smacked into her face, and the blanket fell from it into her lap.

"Maybe I'd consider it if you'd dodged that," Link said, hopping onto the opposite bench, "now I'm gonna to head off, we're starting early tomorrow so no sleeping in."

She threw the blanket around her shoulders, bathing in its warmth, "Oh please, early for you is 9am at best, I think I'll be fine."

Link rolled his eyes as he folded his cap into a pillow, then stretched his arm, swiping for the lantern just out of reach.

"Wait, are you just sleeping like that? You're cold aren't you?"

The wind howled outside, shuddering the windows as Link hesitated. "Well yeah, but we only have the one blanket."

He really was daft. "Come here, after all that's happened today I'm not letting you freeze."

He pulled himself back up the bench, propping himself up on an elbow, "honestly Zelda I'm fine, don't worry about it."

"Well, in that case I'm not," she lied, opening the blanket for him to join, "I'm cold, come help me warm up."

Link froze for a moment, looking at her like a Moink on the tracks, before getting up and stiffly walking over.

He sat on the bench, looking at her like a lost puppy. She grabbed him, arms around his waist as she pulled him down and into a cuddle, throwing the blanket so it covered them both.

He stiffened, but slowly let his outstretched arms fall to her back, tightening as he pulled her into his chest. He was soft, comfy like a pillow. She sighed into him and his arms loosened, not moving away but now relaxed against her.

"You're scarily manipulative when you want to be you know." Link said, his thumb rubbing gently along her back.

He'd pulled another smile out of her, "I don't know what you mean, all I did was ask you to help me."

"Of course. In that case I'll keep helping till morning."

"Good, now get some sleep, we have an early start tomorrow so no sleeping in."

She felt his chuckle run through her, tingling her toes. She captured the feeling, letting it mix with the warmth of his body and lull her to sleep.