Triforce Shards

A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda

A.N. This drabble won the zeldadrabble community's Favourite Pairing contest, so I don't need to say I'm chuffed with it.

5. Love

"She is flirting, Din damnit!"

"It's not flirting. It's schmoozing."

Link pouted and folded his arms, the most thunderous of expressions playing itself out across his features.

"I don't care whether you call it schmoozing, socially interacting or working the crowd. The fact is, she's smiling at that greaseball who is staring so openly at her breasts that I'm surprised he hasn't lost his nose in her cleavage."

Impa rolled her eyes and followed Link's gaze in the direction of the princess and the group of noblemen she was entertaining. Indeed, one of the elder ones was paying particular attention to Zelda's chest and it was a miracle that Link's self-control had been able to hold out as long as it was proving to do. Zelda happened to glance across at Impa, offered her the faintest of perceptible shrugs and then smiled sympathetically at her.

"She could hardly slap him in front of a crowded room, could she?"

"She doesn't have to. If he doesn't stop staring I'm going to slap him."

At that point, the lady in question laughed merrily and Impa had to physically restrain him.

"Would you kindly calm down or please go outside. I won't have you causing a scene."

"A scene? Would I ever cause a scene?"

He offered the Sheikah his best innocent grin, which slipped away as soon as she glared in its direction.

"OK, so perhaps I wouldn't handle it as delicately as you'd like me to, but my lady's honour is at stake and I must defend it!"

My honour is quite safe, thank you. Will you please try to look less murderous, it's making the guests nervous.

Zelda's voice echoed in his head and once again he remembered the curse/blessing of being intimately involved with a telepath.

He's staring at your chest.

Zelda's eyebrows rose, just slightly, before she put her arms behind her back and...

Now you're practically shoving them in his face!

Impa looked slightly surprised at the sound that Link had begun to make.

"Are you... grinding your teeth?"

"No," he replied through bared teeth, when it was plain that he was. "She's doing this on purpose."

"I hardly think that the Queen of all Hyrule would possibly deign it important to make you jealous on purpose."

"I am not jealous!"

"Really?" She arched an eyebrow. "You're doing a very good impression of it."

Zelda's laughter, as clear and sonorous as a golden bell, rang around the reception hall as she responded to an anecdote one of her companions had just relayed. Link momentarily entertained a particularly gruesome fantasy anecdote that involved him bludgeoning that particular noble to death with a candelabra.

You're sulking.

I am not.

I suppose I ought to be flattered that you are so very protective of me. I can take care of myself, you know.

I know you can. It's only certain parts of you that I'm worried about, particularly when I'm the only male in the room who is entitled to enjoy them.

He tried not to laugh when he saw the frown on her face. Really he did. Only she looked so adorable when she frowned, and he couldn't help but chuckle. Impa raised her eyes to the heavens and made some excuse about wanting to talk to Nabooru, therefore leaving the 'not-jealous' Hero of Time to contemplate the mysteries of life, the universe and his exclusive rights to the Queen of Hyrule's personage.

You're such a pig.

But you love me.

He didn't need to look at her to see the enormous, despairing sigh that was sure to follow.

Against all my better judgement and the Triforce of Wisdom I suppose I do, yes.