The house on the side of the mountain stood peaceful and quiet as the twilight began to shroud the land. Inside the house, standing in the corner facing a counter that was filled with ingredients, was Link. Humming a simple tune, he organized and inspected each of the organic foods in front of him. Setting aside what he didn't need, he opened a drawer and scanned the contents before his eyes landed upon his desired utensil. He reached in and pulled out a cutting knife. He brought the blade to eye level, inspecting its edge before nodding and setting it down on the counter. He crouched down and opened one of the counter cabinets, looking around before grabbing two large bowls to set on the counter as well.
Pushing the bowls aside, he took the knife back in his hand. Spinning it skillfully between his fingers, with his free hand he slid one of the ingredients—a pumpkin— in front of him before quickly chopping off the top. Instantly, the aroma of pumpkin filled the home as he placed the knife down and removed the thin top layer he had sliced. He looked up at the wall shelf that sat above the counter and took a large spoon that hung from the bottom off a hook. He scooped out the contents he needed from the inside of the pumpkin and placed them into one of the bowls. Setting aside the pumpkin shell and the bowl of its flesh, he grabbed a bundle of wheat.
Using the knife he had set aside, in a matter of seconds the wheat was chopped up as best as it could have been. Using the second bowl, he filled it with the wheat before using another spoon to ground it up even further. Taking a large bottle of fresh milk he had gotten from one of the village cows, he poured it into the wheat-filled bowl and began to stir. Once stirred to his liking, he reached over and took a stick of goat butter in hand. After cutting it into multiple pieces, he added that to the broth. After stirring even more, he took a few other small ingredients and minced them up, such as carrots and other spices along with a few small pieces of meat. After adding it all to the bowl, he took a step back to admire the two sets of bowls he had. With a nod, he reached out to take both bowls in hand before stopping. He looked up at the top shelf and eyed the bottles that sat in a row. With a raised eyebrow, he reached up and took one of them in hand before reading its label.
Is this… wine? He asked himself as he pulled out the cork and sniffed the top of the bottle, wincing ever so slightly at the scent. Yup, that's wine. When did we get this? In fact, it's been here since Bolson added all the furniture… Did he place these here and I never noticed?
With a shrug, Link replaced the cork on the bottle and placed it under his armpit. Taking the two bowls in hand, he walked towards the door.
"I'll be right outside!" Link called out as he pressed his shoulder against the door.
He heard a grunt come from under the stairs before he nodded and pushed his way into the snowy outdoors. Near the bridge stood another large tree, different from the one near the pond or the one behind the house. This was the eldest tree, which had a cooking pot stationed at its base. The fire under the pot had already been lit from an earlier cooking attempt that day. Setting down the two bowls of food and the bottle of wine gently onto the snow covered ground. He held his hand out over the pot, ensuring that it was warm enough before taking the two bowls back in hand and dumping their contents in. For a few minutes he watched as the broth, vegetables, and pumpkin pieces sloshed around before beginning to heat up. Once at a simmer, Link bent down, took the bottle of wine in hand, and poured a bit into the stew.
That'll enhance some of the flavor, Link said to himself, watching the stew come to a boil. And now we wait.
With a stretch, he walked back into the house. He looked over at the staircase where the grunt from earlier had come from. Curious, he made his way over before peeking his head into the space under the stairs. Before, this area had been filled with nothing but crates and barrels. Now, a desk was in place, filled with papers, books and a different set of considerably grotesque ingredients and plant-life. Seeing what looked to be failed potion ingredients made Link grateful that he had built a desk specifically for research purposes under the stairs instead of simply using the writing desk near the bed on the loft. And sitting at this desk, currently experimenting potions, was Zelda. Link raised an eyebrow.
"Dinner will be ready soon," he said.
"Thank you, Link," Zelda said without looking at him as she flipped through a few pages of a book. "I'm sure it'll taste wonderful. It always does."
The two sat in silence for a moment.
"Are you alright?" Link asked.
"I'm perfectly fine," Zelda responded, inspecting one of the potions she had in front of her.
Another moment of silence passed.
"You're upset, aren't you?" Link poked.
"I'm not upset," she answered in a sour tone.
"I can hear it in your voice," he continued. "You're totally upset."
"I'm not upset!" Zelda snapped.
"Come on, Zel," Link said, moving to stand behind her as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "It wasn't that bad. It tasted a bit more like food this time."
"But you didn't like it," she pouted, setting the bottle back onto the table. "I was sure I had it properly mixed this time around."
"Zelda, you're trying to mix food with monster organs and whatever else you have stored in here," Link said. "It's not gonna be… easy, to say the least. What's up with you anyway? It's not like you to get frustrated after only a few attempts. Maybe after a few more tries, but this soon?"
"Well, that's because this is important," Zelda explained, choosing to ignore the slight jab Link had thrown at her. "I really wanted you to… like it."
"I ate the whole thing," Link said, however she shook her head.
"I don't want you to force it down just to make me happy," she said. "I want you to enjoy it, while also giving you some special ability boosts."
"Well, you're fighting an uphill battle," Link chuckled. "But, if anyone can do it, it's you. Besides, you can take pride in knowing your regular cooking isn't near as bad as that."
"Link!"
"I'm kidding, I'm kidding," Link laughed, massaging her shoulders as she turned her head to give him a dejected look. "Look, to make it up to you, I added a little something special to today's meal."
"Something special?" Zelda asked curiously. Link nodded.
"Those bottles up on that shelf happen to be wine," he said. "Must've been a housewarming gift from Bolson when I got the place. It should enhance today's meal: Pumpkin Stew, with a few extra ingredients."
"Oh, you put wine in the broth?" Zelda exclaimed playfully. "My, how fancy of you. I wouldn't have guessed someone like you had a touch of elegance."
"Well, when it comes to food, I have it all," Link said with a smile. "Now cheer up, our food's gonna be ready soon. Don't get too caught up in your studies; you'll ruin your appetite looking at all that."
"As if," Zelda said, closing the book she had open. "You just don't want to smell them while we eat."
"The slightest smells can alter the taste!" Link said.
"Please, aren't you the person who can eat anything?" she asked.
"I can, but that doesn't mean I don't have preferences," he explained. "And a meal such as this shouldn't be tainted by the smell of rotting flesh… Ugh, I sound like you."
"No, keep going," Zelda teased. "Maybe now you'll understand why I want the bed prepared every morning."
"That still doesn't make sense," Link said, rolling his eyes. "It'll just get messed up at night."
"But coming home to a perfectly made bed makes falling asleep so much better!" Zelda argued, standing from the desk as the two walked out from under the stairs. "It's the same thing as your food."
"Trust me, Zelda, I know what a good sleep is. I slept for one-hundred years," Link said as he grabbed two smaller bowls from under the cabinets. "The way the blankets look before you lay down doesn't change how comfortable you are. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a wonderful meal to get us."
"Do what you must," Zelda giggled, as she sat down at the table.
She watched as Link disappeared out the front door, only to reappear only a few seconds later with two steaming bowls of food. She felt her mouth water at the aroma as he came forward and placed the food in front of her.
"Your meal, Princess," Link said as professionally as he could, receiving a glare from Zelda.
"You know I don't like being called that," she scolded as he sat down on the other side of the table. "I am not the Princess of Hyrule anymore."
"No, you're not," Link said as he stirred his food, only glancing up for a brief moment to say, "but, you'll always be my princess."
Zelda blushed before beginning to stir her own food.
"S-Stop that," she said.
"Stop what?" Link asked before taking a bite of his stew, but his question only received a light shake of her head. Disregarding his question, he decided to ask another. "So, how did this morning go?"
"T-This morning?" Zelda repeated. Link raised his eyebrow.
"Yeah?" he said. "You've been going job hunting every morning. I figured that's what you did today, too."
"Y-Yes! Yes, of course," she confirmed. "It went just as the last few times. No one will hire me because of my status."
"Yeah, I kinda figured," Link said, taking another bite of his food. "You know, you don't need to get a job. If I could just-"
"Link, we've talked about this," Zelda said sternly. "You can't go fighting monsters. Your life cannot consist of just battle. You've been fighting your whole life—for me no less— and it's time you rested, especially after your encounter with Maz Koshia. The same way you know me, I know you, as well. You're not over what happened."
"I'm fine, Zelda," Link groaned. "I doubt taking on a few bokoblins and maybe a hinox or two would be so hard. I actually enjoy the thrill. I always come up with fun and interesting ways to beat them."
"I wasn't seeing you get very creative when we traveled to each of the Divine Beasts," Zelda argued. "You were always so serious."
"In my defense, there was a reason to be serious," Link replied. "You were with me; I needed to be. But even then, we had fun battles! The Molduga was fun, especially with what happened… that… night…"
The two blushed, thinking back to their time at the oasis. They sat in silence, taking bites of their food before Zelda cleared her throat.
"I-In any case," she began with red cheeks. "That doesn't change the fact that while fighting, you'd possibly go to the forest or try and hunt down that Yiga."
"Zelda-"
"Link, could you honestly tell me that you wouldn't go and attempt doing either one of those tasks?" she asked sternly. Once she saw Link furrow his eyes and look away, she continued. "Exactly, Link, that's the issue."
"But what's so wrong with that?" he asked. "I can find the Yiga and make sure he doesn't try to hurt you again. Then I can deal with the trials-"
"Link, you're not mentally okay enough to take on those tasks," Zelda said. "Maz Koshia's trials showed you our painful past with our friends. It's affected you. Yes, it taught you valuable lessons, and even opened the pathway forward for us, but that doesn't mean you're just okay now. Link, do you remember what happened back in Rito Village?"
Link didn't answer.
"You almost killed that Yiga," Zelda said quietly. "You could have very well beaten him without killing him. If I wasn't there to calm you down, you would have finished him. You were like that because of what you saw in those trials."
"He hurt you-"
"He did, but you would have been more hurt if you had taken his life," she said. "Link, you would have never forgiven yourself if you had finished him for a reason like that, not if you had the chance to end it without ending his life. That's my point, Link. You need to rest and heal before taking on more tasks of that caliber. You need to clear your head."
"It's been a week," Link grunted.
"Wounds as deep as yours won't heal in just a week. Please, Link," Zelda pleaded.
Link looked up, catching her gaze. He smiled.
"I understand," he said, staring at her questioning eyes. "I do! Really, I do. You're right. Still, back to the original topic, I think I could possibly find a job here instead of you."
"I don't want to be taken care of by you," she said. "I want to help. We're a couple. I won't just let you handle everything on your own like you've been doing. Besides, if I can somehow get a job, then maybe my relationship with the villagers will improve."
"I'm sure there are other ways," Link mumbled. "But… I understand. It would actually be good to get some real commoner experience in. I guess I'm just-"
"Adjusting?" Zelda asked with a smile.
"Adjusting," Link chuckled.
The two continued talking, enjoying the rest of their meal before noticing the light of twilight had disappeared from the windows.
"Looks like the moon has risen," Zelda said, sitting in front of her empty bowl. "I believe it's time for me to get some rest myself. I've got another day of job hunting to look forward to."
"I believe in you, Zel," Link said, standing from the table as he reached for their empty bowls. "Don't lose hope."
"I won't," she answered. "Shall I help you with the cleaning? You did cook."
"Nah, I've got it," Link answered, walking over to the counter. "Take it as an apology for teasing you earlier."
"That I'll accept," Zelda said, standing from the table. "I'll be getting ready upstairs then. Don't take long, okay?"
"I won't, I'll meet you up there in a few minutes," he answered, looking back with a smile before yelling, "Mess the bed up for me!"
He watched as Zelda disappeared up the stairs. The moment she was out of sight, the smile from his lips vanished. With a sigh, he placed down the bowls and leaned his hands against the counter edge. With a deep breath, he looked over at the weapons sitting on the wall. After taking a glance up at the loft—ensuring Zelda was busy— he walked around the table and took the Great Eagle Bow from the wall. He held it, feeling its weight before raising it and drawing its string back. The events of Rito Village flashed in his mind before he lowered the bow and placed it back on the wall.
"Link? Are you alright down there?" Zelda called from the loft. "It got quiet."
"I'm fine!" he called back, heading back to the counter. "I'm fine…"
He went back over to the counter and finished cleaning up the bowls and the utensils before putting away whatever leftover ingredients he hadn't used. Deciding best to use the emptied pumpkin skin for dinner tomorrow, he took that in his arms before heading up the stairs.
"Are you dressed?" he asked, stopping halfway up.
"I am," Zelda answered.
Nodding, he continued up the stairs to find her sitting at the writing desk brushing her now unbraided hair. What caught Link off guard was what she was wearing. She had changed out of the tight black pants and sweater she had on earlier, opting to wear nothing but what looked to be an old Hylian tunic, one with its corners noticeably faded.
"That's the tunic you wore during our travels to the beasts, right?" Link asked once he was able to swallow the lump in his throat.
"It is. How could you tell?" Zelda asked, looking at him as she continued to brush her hair.
"The corners," Link said, setting the pumpkin shell down on the desk. "You rubbed away all the dye from your fidgeting."
"I don't fidget."
"You do it when you're nervous," Link said, unable to keep his eyes off her thighs, which hadn't gone unnoticed by Zelda.
"L-Link, you're staring," Zelda said, blushing a bit as she pushed her thighs together.
"S-Sorry," Link said, looking away. "It's just… it's new. What happened to your usual sleepwear?"
"The old brown tunic and pants?" Zelda asked.
"Yeah, those," he answered, thinking back to the set she used to wear to bed. They were similar to the clothes he had found in a chest after waking up inside the Shrine of Resurrection. "Where did those go?"
"W-Well, I've been wearing them so much recently that they need to be washed…" Zelda said quietly. "I can't wear my usual clothes to bed, so I chose this… It's embarrassing, but you don't mind, do you?"
"N-No, not at all," Link assured her. "Just a bit caught off guard."
"Sorry," Zelda said sincerely. "I'll be back in my normal sleepwear tomorrow after laundry."
"I wouldn't mind you staying in that," Link mumbled.
"What was that?" Zelda asked.
"I said—um— that you look… cute," he said with a slight blush.
"O-Oh," Zelda said, beginning to blush furiously. "T-Thank you. Y-you don't have to keep looking away… I was just embarrassed. I'm not used to being looked at like… that."
"I don't want to make you uncomfortable," Link replied.
"I-I'm not truly uncomfortable," Zelda said. "Not if it's you… Otherwise I wouldn't have done so…"
"Well… When you put it that way," Link said, glancing back over at a now furiously red Zelda, who had started brushing her hair a bit faster. "Y-You know, I think I commented on it before but, your hair…"
"My hair?" Zelda asked. "What about it?"
"It looks good short," he said. "I really like it."
"You do? I was thinking of growing it back out again, at least during my time here in Hateno," she said. "But… I'm glad to hear you think so."
Zelda looked away, unable to control the smile that was forming on her lips.
"When did you comment on it before?" she asked.
"When you were… Well…" Link began before clearing his throat. "Wasted."
"O-Oh," Zelda stuttered. "Well… that would explain why I don't remember it."
"Yeah… I see you made the bed," Link commented, looking over at the neatly made sheets. "What a way to listen to my request."
"I came upstairs first, therefore, my preference has taken priority," Zelda said, placing the brush down in order to tie the long strands of hair from her braid into a ponytail.
"Then by that logic, this should be fair," Link said with a grin as he began to take off his shirt.
"What are you-?" she began to ask, turning only to find Link dashing and jumping into the bed. "Link! That's not fair! I just made that!"
"I got into the bed first, therefore, my preference has taken priority," Link said, mimicking her accent.
"I stated that I would be going up first," Zelda said. "I was being fair. I didn't dash up and launch myself like a child!"
"You've loosened up so much since your days in the castle, and yet you still can be so proper," Link teased with a grin.
"That's rich coming from you," Zelda said, furrowing her eyes as she watched Link destroy her handiwork. "The person so dedicated to their role as my appointed knight even after being told I wasn't going by my title."
"Two very different things," Link said. "Are you just jealous I know how to have fun and you don't?"
"Wha- I know how to have fun!" Zelda said, standing from the desk. "We've had loads of fun during our travels!"
"Okay then," Link said with a grin. "Jump."
"Jump?" Zelda repeated. Link nodded.
"You know how to have fun, right?" he teased. "Come on, show me. Jump… unless you aren't fun."
"Why you-" Zelda began, balling up her hands.
To Link's surprise, she jogged forward and jumped up. He held out his arms and caught her as his back slammed against the mattress. The two bounced before the bed stilled.
"H-How was that?" Zelda asked, blushing as she felt Link's arms around her.
"You know, I'll give you that," he said. "I didn't think you'd actually do it."
"See? I can be fun," she said with a smile.
The two laughed before Link released one of the arms he had around Zelda. He took the sheets in hand and pulled it over them as Zelda snuggled closer to him with a deepening red face.
"I know it's been a bit hard after what happened with Maz Koshia," Zelda said softly. "But… This is nice."
"Yeah… It is," Link said, beginning to stroke her hair.
"You're… not mad at me, are you?" Zelda asked slowly.
"What? No. Why would I be?" he asked.
"Because I want you to stay here and rest," she answered. "I can tell how badly you want to go out there. I'm sorry for not letting you."
"It's fine, Zel," Link said quietly. "I… I told you. I understand…"
Zelda yawned, something that filled Link's chest with warmth.
"I love you, Link."
"I love you too, Zelda," Link said with a smile. "Good night."
"Good… night."
He could feel Zelda's breaths grow slower and deeper as she fell asleep. Link smiled, briefly, before frowning as he looked out the frosty, moonlit window. He furrowed his eyes.
I'm going to keep you safe, he said internally. Nothing will hurt you like that again, and I won't lose anyone to any more surprises. I refuse.