Link shot up over the cliffside, landing rather awkwardly as he folded his paraglider.

"Are you okay?" Sidon, despite his youth and competitive edge, was still concerned for the Hylian. Surprisingly enough, he actually approached Link, walking around with a tilted head as he tried to asses the condition of Link's leg.

"I'm good," Link replied as he tried to smile like a normal person. Of course, years of hiding behind a blank expression wasn't conducive to an ordinary upturn of the lips. He was quite certain that whatever expression he had made was disturbing, especially when Sidon finally looked up to meet his gaze.

A pained grimace crossed the young Prince's face before he looked away quickly.

Link dropped his pitiful attempt to smile and force friendliness. "Want to go again?" Challenging the boy to another race was the only thing he could think of to do. The first had been enough to help lower his brother-to-be's defenses.

"… I don't know…" Sidon mumbled as he shuffled his feet.

"Scared?"

"No!"

Link walked to the edge of the falls, knowing that it was rather generous to refer to what was about to happen as a competition. Calling it a competition implied that he stood a chance of winning. Sidon, even in his preadolescent years, outclassed him as a swimmer in every way. Really, Link was hoping that a few victories would help the young Prince warm up to him.

And Hylia forbid he and Mipha spent their first years as husband and wife with not only Muzu but their brother against the union as well. He could only thank Hylia that King Dorephan not only approved of his and Mipha's engagement but had expressed fondness for him as well.

Link dove off the edge with Sidon, keeping an eye on the boy during their entire descent. The Zora was probably safer than he but he had spent years keeping an eye on fellow soldiers and a Princess. Such habits were not easily forgotten.

Link broke through the surface of the cool, blue surface of the water and took the shock to reset himself. He wasn't a skilled socialite so it would take all of his focus and mental acuity to bond with his future brother-in-law.

"Ready?" Sidon asked as the Hylian finally broke the surface.

"Yep."

"Three… two… one…" Sidon dashed forward; however, Link made no complaint or rush of his own, "… go!"

As soon as the last word left Sidon's mouth, Link barreled toward the waterfall. It was still unnatural to him, being able to swim up a cascading body of water. Even so, he managed his smoothest transition upwards yet.

The Hylian kept his eyes glued to the Prince's back, watching as the young Zora not only increased the gap between them but did so with incredible elegance.

Again, the Prince beat Link by a sizable margin.

"Good job," the Hylian stated as he landed. "Don't think I could beat you."

"Thanks!" Sidon seemed to forget himself for a moment as he flashed Link a toothy smile. "You're not bad for a Hylian."

"Thanks. Take a break?"

"Yeah."

The former knight sat on the edge of the falls, looking down below at the Domain. Among his favorite memories, the glimmering Zora city held a special place. During his years as a knight, the view was enough to help alleviate much of the burdens he had silently bore for so long. Even if things had not worked out between he and Mipha, he was certain that he would have chosen to live very close to the Domain, if not within the city itself.

Thankfully, it was enough to help bolster his courage to try and connect with Sidon yet again.

"How are your studies."

"...Fine." Sidon had settled several feet away and was looking down at his feet as they dangled over the edge.

"Do you like them?"

"… I guess."

Link held back a sigh as he turned back toward the Domain. Obviously, he wasn't going to get anywhere with something like that. He'd have to put a bit more effort in to have the boy engage in conversation.

Searching back over the past few days, a conversation he'd overheard came back to him.

"Did you ever try out for the Bazz Brigade?"

"What?!" Suddenly, the Prince's entire demeanor changed. "You know about that?!"

"I promise I won't -"

"You can't tell Mipha!"

"I won't."

Sidon climbed to his feet and marched over to the Hylian and stuck his hand out. "Promise?"

Link tilted his head, raising a brow as he met the Prince's glare.

"My father once told me that this is how you Hylians seal an agreement."

Link, after a moment of thought, shrugged and took the boy's hand. They shook, maintaining eye contact until both let go.

"So, how did it go?"

"It's dumb," Sidon complained. "Bazz said I technically passed, but Gaddison talked him into making me wait a few years."

"Hmm." Link was secretly relieved that the Brigade's own heroine had had enough sense to talk Bazz into postponing Sidon's recruitment. In his youth, he had spent a considerable time with the Brigade. He could definitively say that he was surprised that none of them had gotten seriously injured.

Mipha was also privy to many of their exploits.

There would be no end to the lecture they'd receive if she found out about this.

"I passed all of Bazz's tests and I still can't join. How's that fair?"

"That sucks."

"Yeah…" Sidon looked back up at him with renewed interest. "You were in the Brigade, weren't you?"

"Still am."

"That's so cool!" This was the most excited Sidon had ever been in a conversation with him. "Tell me everything!"

The Hylian searched his memories before finding a particularly harrowing adventure. Speaking as shortly as ever, he recounted the tale. It was amusing to watch the Prince hanging on his every word as he leaned closer and closer.

"That's awesome! I wish I could join…"

"Thanks."

Sidon grimaced again. "What are you doing?"

Link finally noticed that the muscles in his face were contorting in an unnatural fashion again. "…"

"… Is something wrong?"

"No… just trying to smile."

The expression on Sidon's face was priceless, even if it did come at the expense of his own dignity. After a moment, the Prince began laughing. The boy clutched his sides as he struggled to breathe. "… It's… it's not that hard."

"…"

"Here," he said as he climbed to his feet again, "let me help." Sidon reached out, placing his tiny hands on Link's face. Link sat silently, allowing the Prince to squish and pull at his face for a few seconds. Finally, he placed his thumbs at the corners of Link's mouth and forced them upwards. "See?" Both were silent for a few seconds before a very unprincely sound forced it's way of Sidon's mouth. "You… you look so funny!"

His hands fell away as he shrieked with laughter once again. Link allowed himself to smile in his own awkward way as he watched the Prince carry on. It was nice to see this side of his younger brother. A side that, up until right then, he had never gotten to see.

Perhaps, if he were lucky, he'd be able to see that side more often.

A/N: If you're stuck in Lipha hell then check out EchoGekkos works. Do it, cowards