Link woke up to his best friend of a mattress moving and muttering apologies for disturbing his rest. He groaned and pressed his face closer to the scaly skin. He didn't want apologies, or to get up, he wanted to lay on Sidon forever, thank you very much. In his drowsy state he even said as much, but most of it became indecipherable, seeing how it was sleepily mumbled against the crook of Sidon's neck.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't quite catch that", Sidon said, sounding way more sorry about it than the situation warranted. "Could you repeat it? I'd be aghast to miss any of your beautiful words."
That certainly woke Link up, if only to feel guilty about not vocalizing to Sidon more often. If his words were being described as beautiful, it was a sign that Sidon heard his voice way too seldom and as such managed to glorify it in its absence. His voice was rough and sometimes gave out mid-sentence and was definitely not beautiful at all. Now that Link thought about it, perhaps he ought to speak out loud to Sidon during this trip, seeing how they were alone in the middle of nowhere for the most part. No chance of someone overhearing him and making him anxious for weeks. He could probably do it.
"I said-" he croaked, then cleared his throat and started over while also turning his head so that his face was no longer smooshed against Sidon's neck and he could sort of see him, too. "I said that you're comfy and I don't want your apologies."
Well, it wasn't exactly what he said, but close enough.
Sidon looked ridiculously happy and gave Link's hair a thorough nuzzling. "Thank you! You make a superb blanket, yourself. Alas, I do still need to get up. I'm parched, and I noticed that there's morning dew on the nearby leaves of grass that I could help myself to."
Two things. A superb blanket, really? Link would bet good rupee on Sidon being mostly uncomfortable with Link sleeping on him, since usually the Zora would sleep while being submerged in water and definitely not weighed down by anything, and Link's body temperature was probably a bit much as well. Secondly, morning dew. Link could have slapped himself for not thinking of that. Granted, as a big person morning dew wasn't something he used as a resource, so it was maybe understandable that he hadn't considered it now.
Actually, third thing, how long had Sidon been up, holding Link and admiring the morning dew? The thought simultaneously made Link self-conscious and turned his stomach into butterflies.
He felt Sidon shift underneath him and finally took that as his cue to sit up, straddling Sidon's stomach, and stretched his arms above his head. He felt Sidon's eyes on him the whole time, and when he looked down he saw that the scales just under his friend's jaw were sticking up and his eyes were glued to… oh, his shirt was bunched up and exposing his stomach a little. Link coughed awkwardly and smoothed the shirt down before climbing off of Sidon, blushing considerably. Now, he didn't mind Sidon looking, quite the opposite in fact, especially if he let himself imagine his own preferred reasons for it, but there was a time and a place for everything and this was probably neither? Or maybe he was just an awkward young man with a huge crush and didn't know how to deal.
Sidon sat up and stretched as well, then massaged the back of his neck with one hand, a grimace on his face. "Ugh, I believe I slept on a rather awkward position."
Link's hands immediately started a string of apologies, before Sidon interrupted him.
"It's not your fault", he said with a fond smile, "At least, not completely. I do admit it was your presence that made me unconsciously stay very still and not relax completely, but that's on me. Now that I could see you sleeping like a log, I think I can be more at ease tonight."
...Tonight? Was Sidon expecting them to sleep like that tonight as well? Possibly every night from now on? Link's mind felt completely blank for a moment, just not processing information properly.
'Tonight?' his hands asked without much conscious effort on his part.
"Yes, why- Do you not want to?" Sidon asked, looking worried. He stood up, towering over Link once more.
'No! I mean yes!' Link signed, then abruptly remembered his earlier thought about speaking more to Sidon, and decided to continue with spoken words. "I want to. I just… didn't expect that."
Sidon grinned at him, all worries melting away. "Good. It wouldn't do to lose the progress made last night."
Wait, what?
"What progress?" he asked, but Sidon simply beamed at him like an infuriatingly mysterious hot shark jerk he was.
"We'll find out about the particulars of that in due time, my friend", he said, which wasn't any less cryptic or clear anything out. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll help myself to the water Hylia has seen fit to bestow upon us."
Link screamed internally.
ooooo
Sidon looked healthy today, compared to yesterday. Despite another night of less than stellar rest, he seemed chipper and didn't look particularly tired. His scales gleamed after what amounted to a nice shower under the dewy leaves of grass, and Link had to assume that getting fish for every meal was doing Sidon wonders, despite it not being fresh or particularly tasty. All in all, Link felt a lot less worried about this trip now, at least for the time being.
As such, he could dwell on Sidon's mysterious words without distractions as they walked. Progress, and finding particulars out later, what was that supposed to mean? Link knew what he hoped it to mean, and that was their relationship growing closer without him having to blatantly put himself out there, but it was wishful thinking to take that to be Sidon's view, too. Maybe it had to do with Link speaking? Perhaps Sidon figured that the more comfortable and happy Link was, the more likely he was to speak out loud? He wouldn't be half wrong. If that was what Sidon thought, then it certainly added up that he would want to… snuggle each night, since it obviously made Link happy.
Link sighed quietly, slightly disappointed at finding out a reasonable explanation so quickly, and thus having to discard the wistful alternative. But he was still more than happy with the thought of nightly cuddling. Perhaps he, too, could count that as progress on his chosen avenue.
"Link", Sidon suddenly said with a hushed voice, instantly making Link wary.
Link looked forward, then upon finding nothing of note looked at Sidon. Sidon was looking to their left, towards the tall grass, and then glanced at Link with an excited smile. It put Link's mind back at ease.
"A grasshopper", Sidon said quietly, and looked towards the grass again, now unhooking his Sheikah Slate from his belt and preparing the camera rune.
Link got excited as well, though for different reasons. He had lamented not hunting the other bugs down yesterday, so now that he was presented with this change he was definitely going to grab it with both hands. He wanted to eat the thing. He already knew the legs to be delicious, so maybe some other parts would be as well. If not, then at least he would still get the legs.
He waited with Sidon until they saw it jump again, making Link aware of its whereabouts. Sidon took a picture, and Link touched his arm to catch his attention.
'I'll hunt it', he signed enthusiastically, and while Sidon looked surprised, he neither did or said anything to stop him. Link took that as a permission, even if he didn't really need one.
Link slowly and quietly approached the critter, which was now making cheerful music by rubbing its legs against its wings. Link knew that to mean his approach went unnoticed and the hopper was off-guard for now. Once he was within shooting distance, he took out his bow and nocked an arrow on it. Would shooting at its head work, like it did with everything else? It was a reasonable approach, so he he might as well try it. He aimed… and then paused.
Yes, he wanted to eat it. But another thought entered his head as he watched the powerful legs and its quadruped stance. The grasshopper was about the size of a pony, relatively speaking. Could he ride it? He had ridden all the different horses he had come across, he had given a go to deer and bears, he had calmed the Lord of the Mountain, he had mounted lynels, he had even gotten a ride from Sidon and Teba. Why wouldn't he add a grasshopper to that list now that he was small enough for it?
He put his arrow and bow away and went directly behind the grasshopper to get closer without it noticing him. It stopped making sound at one point, and Link stayed completely still until it resumed. At least this thing was alone and as such didn't have a herd to warn it of Link's approach; it made this a lot easier than sneaking on horses typically was.
Finally he was close enough to make a mad jump and lock his arms around what passed for the critter's neck, and his legs around its body and wings. Immediately after, the grasshopper jumped forward in fright before Link had any time to feel smug and accomplished about his catch.
…Link had not accounted for how high the thing could jump, even without the use of its wings. Because it was damn high.
He heard Sidon shout something, probably his name, but all he could do was hold on tightly so he wouldn't drop and die. Now, the height was nowhere near Vah Medoh, but it was still considerable and likely fatal.
The grasshopper landed on a leaf and immediately jumped again. Link's heart hammered in his chest and he squeezed tighter. However, scary as it was, the fluttery sensation in his stomach, the air on his face, and the threat of plunging into his death, not even from Vah Medoh but from riding a damn grasshopper, made him feel ridiculously exhilarated and before he even knew what was happening, he was laughing like a madman.
He closed his eyes, held on to his dear life, and laughed like this was the best ride he had ever experienced.
He had no idea how long this went on, other than the knowledge that his throat and stomach hurt from laughing and holding on was getting very difficult, but when he finally stopped being hysterical he heard Sidon shouting.
"-n't move and brace yourself!"
Wait, what?
He instinctively took a better grip again and opened his eyes in an attempt to get a clue on what Sidon was up to, but the world was an uncontrollable and fast moving blur. The grasshopper landed once more, and for a second Link could see the red spot that was Sidon, who was holding something that glittered in the sun.
There was a whistling sound, a crunch right ahead of him, the grasshopper convulsed, and then they were dropping heavily instead of leaping back into the air. Link had the presence of mind to tuck his head flush against the grasshopper before his back was slapped repeatedly by leaves of grass as he fell past, and finally he landed painfully on the ground with the grasshopper carcass. His left leg and arm stung from taking the brunt of the hit from the landing, but at least he was alive and no longer bouncing around.
"Are you alright?" he heard, along with frantic footsteps.
He groaned and attempted to push the grasshopper's carcass away, but didn't get very far with that before Sidon was already helping him with it and peering at him worriedly. Link gave him a hesitant thumbs up, and slowly sat up. Moving hurt in a lot of different places, but he was reasonably sure nothing was broken. Jarred and banged up, sure, but not broken.
Sidon kneeled down next to him, hands hovering around like he wanted to do something but didn't know what that something should be.
"Are you hurt? Is anything broken?"
Link shook his head, which made him feel slightly faint. His throat felt raw after the forceful laughter, so signing was his only option.
'Nothing broken. Hurts a bit, but I'll be fine. Could use water.'
Sidon produced his water skin almost instantly, and Link gratefully took a drink. It seemed Sidon had topped it off with the morning dew, as the water tasted pleasantly leafy and felt particularly soothing in his throat.
'Thank you', Link signed after handing the water back.
Sidon nodded, and they stayed in silence for a bit, letting their heart rates calm, and in Link's case waiting until he hurt a little less. Then Sidon frowned at him.
"That was possibly the most moronic thing I've ever witnessed someone do."