Chapter 17 (Age 17)
Their date didn't happen that night.
Link felt the wind rush through his hair as he rode beside Pipit and Karane. Already, little more than a week after he'd first flown with Zelda, he was mastering the art of flying, as if something about him had done it before. He was practically kneeling on his Loftwing, arms out as he felt the fabric of his sleeves whip around wildly. He was glad he wasn't wearing a hat like Pipit and Karane were. He wasn't sure how they kept their uniform hats on.
Link couldn't stop his racing heart after he'd gotten back from their late-night flying lesson. It took him forever to finally manage to fall asleep. So where there was a light knock on his door, he didn't quite wake up immediately. It took hearing Zelda's voice to pry his tired eyes open. "Hey," she said, opening the door.
Link sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. With a quick glance out his window, and still seeing the night sky with only the barest hint of light, he felt a quick surge of panic.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. Nothing bad, anyway. But I needed to talk to you."
Link snorted. "It can't wait a few hours?" He double checked the window. Nope, still dark.
Zelda sat at the foot of Link's bed. "Instructor Owlan woke me this morning. He's going to one of the outer islands. One of their pre-Academy instructors is really sick. So… he wanted me to come with him. He was going to treat the instructor's illness, and I'd take over his class until he's better."
Link beamed through his grogginess. "Your first teaching gig?"
She tried to hide her giddy excitement, but she couldn't contain it. "I had to come tell you. We're leaving this morning in about an hour, which is definitely before you'll get up, and he's thinking we'll be there for maybe a week."
"You'll do fine. You were teaching me that stuff before we even got into the Academy."
She nodded, strangely confident in her abilities. "I know. I had to tell you so you wouldn't just wake up and find me gone. Fair warning, if you did that to me, I'd kill you. But we'll... have to postpone something that was meant to happen later today."
Link nodded, his tired brain finally catching up. "I get it. This is a great opportunity. I'm proud for you, Zel. And about postponing, do you want me to give you the serious response, or the cheesy one?"
She stood and crossed her arms with a challenging grin. "Give me the best piece of cheese you can manage, sleepyhead."
He cleared his throat. "I'd wait a thousand lifetimes to be with you, Princess."
She laughed and shook her head. "Very nice. Go back to bed, Link. Dream of a better line; try one that doesn't involve me dying a thousand times to be romantic."
"Get out of my room if you're going to insult me!" he laughed, throwing his head back. "You're going to kill it over there. They'll come off that island as genuises. You don't even need me to wish you luck."
With a fond smile, Zelda leaned against the doorframe and watched his eyes almost immediately shut. "Wings crossed," she muttered to herself, closing the door.
Pipit rode close to Link, hitting him with his own Loftwing's air from it's strong wings. Karane swooped down dangerously close to Pipit, but that was only because she knew he'd move in time.
It hadn't even been a day since Zelda had been gone, and Link was already bored and lonely. He had Fledge, but Fledge had been picking up extra tasks around the Academy that kept him busy. While Link helped him with some of them, he'd gone to the Sparring Hall for the rest of the day and then picked up an extra patrol for the next morning.
Eagus was writing notes in a booklet, and let Link hack at a few training logs before getting around to the burning question in his mind. "So… you flew last night."
Link grinned, but he didn't stop hitting the log. "I flew."
"Should I sign you up for a practice Loftwing today?"
Link shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. Zelda had been right. His mother would have wanted this feeling for him.
Eagus beamed. "Should I change your future assignment to the Outer Sky, or is that too soon?"
Still without a word, Link put down the sword and grinned. Eagus was satisfied with that answer.
Walking over to the Goddess Statue for a bit of head-clearing, Link took the steps two at a time, like there was some need to get there quickly. And when he arrived, he knew what it had been.
The Crimson Loftwing was standing there, waiting for him.
"You again?" Link asked, moving closer. "I thought you'd go with Zelda."
The bird cawed in Link's face, making him flinch.
"Okay, okay."
The Loftwing nudged Link's face, moving closer and closer, forcing Link to stumble backwards out of the way. And when Link was cornered, the Loftwing sat down triumphantly, waiting for Link to get on.
Link looked behind him through the arch that led down to the rest of Skyloft. "You know how much of a fuss this would cause? They'll corner me like riding off is a crime."
The Loftwing whacked Link's leg with its beak.
"Ow! Fine," Link conceded, hopping onto the bird with an ease he hadn't expected before taking off into the Sky.
After a week straight of flying almost every hour of the day, Link had no problem barrel rolling his Loftwing into Karane's. She scoffed at him and flew higher before plunging below the two of them, only to rise up with a brutal gust of wind that had both Link and Pipit ducking for cover.
If Pipit hadn't ridden in closer to see who was riding the rare Crimson Loftwing, he would never have believed that Link was the rider without seeing it for himself.
Pipit's first long solo-tour had ended. He'd told his mother he'd be back three days later so he could surprise her. But seeing Link on a Loftwing… alone… enjoying himself… he forgot all about his plans and flew over.
"Hey! What in the Goddess's name is happening right now?"
"Pip!" Link shouted, veering off to the nearest landing platform. He waited for Pipit to get off his bird before grabbing him excitedly, dying to hear every moment of his first solo patrol. "How was it?"
"No way am I answering that until you answer this," Pipit said, though he was eager to jump into his story. There was one story he wanted to hear more. "You're on a Loftwing?"
Link grinned. "It's actually not just a Loftwing, it's my Loftwing."
"You're kidding! How did you learn? When did you even get on?"
"I had… private lessons a few days ago."
"So Zelda took you flying."
Link scoffed but didn't bother to deny that, "Fine. Yes."
"Where is she? I know someone else who's coming back today who will want to see her. And where's Fledge?"
"Fledge went to visit his family, and Zelda's on her own mission, actually," he said before they both eagerly jumped into their stories.
Link flipped his Loftwing, making a hard reversal to avoid Karane a second time. He had to hold on tightly to the leather belt on his Loftwing to keep from falling. Karane rode side-by-side with Pipit, and Link gritted his teeth, needing to make up some lost ground.
He pushed hard and ducked right into his Loftwing's feathers as he split straight between Karane and Pipit's birds through the narrowest space between their wings.
And he passed the finish rock just before the other two.
"Woo!" he called, falling backwards off his Loftwing.
He wasn't worried. The Loftwing squacked excitedly and dove, catching him almost immediately as Pipit and Karane passed him. Something about this bird was far more familiar than it should have been. He'd felt like it knew him on a much deeper level than the usual connection between a Loftwing and its rider. It felt like they'd known each other for a whole lifetime.
"Are you showing off for me?" a voice called.
Link's Loftwing noticed who it was first. It flapped its wings happily and let out an excited cry before rushing upwards.
Link fought back a huge smile when he could see Zelda, though the sun obscured most of her face and his Loftwing's excitement at seeing its own friend after so long had him sliding across its back.
"Hang on," Zelda called, flying just above Link and pulling her feet over, prepared to jump to his Loftwing. "Yeah?"
"Sure," he called, holding out a hand and readying his Loftwing for a sudden jolt.
She jumped and caught Link's hand just before she landed on the Crimson Loftwing, holding on to Link's shoulders as she settled in behind him. "This is your Loftwing now?" she asked, ruffling some of the feathers affectionately.
"Came back the first day you left and practically assaulted me until I got on."
Zelda whacked his arm for good measure. "Good! Someone has to keep you in line." Her arms were light around him, hesitant even. It had been a week, after all. "Wait, is that Karane?"
"And Pipit."
She tapped Link's arm excitedly. "Fly! Fly!"
He curved them down toward Skyloft while Karane and Pipit followed.
"Karane!" Zelda yelled, running for her other best friend and being scooped into a hug.
Link could hear them chattering over each other, unsure how they could even follow the conversation. Pipit adjusted his yellow tunic and hat.
"Hey," Link asked, "How do you keep that thing on?"
Pipit grinned. "Magic."
"Ha."
Zelda came running over and grabbed Pipit as well.
Link leaned forward and flicked her hair with a single finger. "You did it. I like it."
She pulled away from Pipit and ran her hair through her new straight-bangs. "I had a brave moment before my first class and I just cut them off. It was so ugly, I had to get someone to help me fix them."
"Zelda!" came another voice from further up the hill.
"Oh Goddess, guess I'm back," she muttered as Groose came plowing towards her. He stopped to give everyone else a dirty look before turning to her. "You look beautiful, Zelda! You look like a true instructor. I'll bet they learned so much!"
Zelda bit her lip to try not to laugh and turned to Link for help getting out of this conversation. He just watched with an amused expression.
"Thanks Groose. I hope they did."
"Want to go celebrate with some food tonight? Just you and me. And Cawlin. And Stritch. But I'll kick them out so it can just be us."
Zelda shook her head, still biting back her laugh. "No, I think I'll pass, Groose."
But Groose wasn't done.
"Why not? I'll bet it's because you're going to go eat with Smink though."
Well, there's my cue. Link casually walked between Zelda and Groose. "Yeah. Haven't you heard?" His tone turned mocking. No one would believe a word that he said, no matter what it was. "Zelda and I are together now, and one day, we're going to get married and wreak havoc on Skyloft like two angry Remlits. Maybe we'll invite you to the ceremony. The plan is to give you a stroke first, then her father. How's that going so far?"
"Link!" Zelda scolded, hitting his arm and rolling her eyes. Not only did her face heat up at his words, but she knew provoking Groose usually led to a fight. Provoking Groose and using Zelda as the bait? Now it would be impossible for him to resist the fight. And she was right.
Groose swung out with his large fist faster than anyone could blink. But this time, Link moved his head off to the side, pushing Groose far away from the others before quickly bringing some space between them, trying to avoid the fight if he could.
Groose came at him, prepared to grab Link, but Link ducked under his arms, and Groose's momentum sent him stumbling into Pipit.
Link had his hands in his pockets. Though it looked like a taunting, overconfident move, it truly was the only thing Link could think of to not fight back. Not this time. One day, he'd manage to brush Groose off without a second glance, but that wasn't today. Today took willpower and a little thing called pockets.
"You think you're all that?" Groose taunted, taking Pipit's sword from its sheath in a swift motion.
"Groose!" Zelda called, trying to move between them. "That's not a training sword!"
Karane caught Zelda and pushed her towards Pipit before taking out her own sword. "Put it down, Groose. Don't get in trouble over something this stupid."
Link had his hands out defensively, watching Groose carefully. The way he stood, the way he moved…
"Let him have one good shot, Karane. Trust me."
Karane hesitated as she looked at Link, but she knew that he was a better fighter than her and Pipit, and she took a step back, still ready to move if need be.
Groose burst out laughing as the sword in his hand wobbled in time with his raucous guffawing. "You still think you're the best? I'm a great fighter! You'll regret insulting me!"
He reared back for a heavy swing. Link didn't believe Groose would actually cleave him in two if it came to it. He figured Groose would move it just to the side and try to scare him. Losing a toe might be an unfortunate misstep if Groose missed, but not his intention. Link didn't want to give that scenario even a remote possibility of failing.
As the sword came down, Link moved into Groose, his shoulder creating a barrier between the two before catching Groose's wrist and twisting under his arm. Groose's fingers loosened from the angle and the sword was in Link's hand in an instant. He spun it around, holding it back out to Pipit.
The four of them stared at Link in surprise.
"Wha-" Groose muttered, barely realizing the sword was gone. Link had moved so fast.
"When did you learn that?" Pipit asked, taking the sword back.
Link shrugged. "I don't keep track." He turned to Groose. "Sad thing is, you could be good."
"I don't want your opinion, loser!"
"Okay," Link said, moving back, happy to oblige a moment of silence.
Groose looked between Link and Zelda. "I am good! And when it comes to our Knight ceremonies, you'd better watch out!"
"Looking forward to it," Link said coolly, more surprised than anything when Groose simply backed away.
Zelda grabbed Karane, while Pipit clapped Link on the back. "You won a fight against Groose!" Pipit laughed. "I didn't think it would ever happen!"
"Impressive, Link," Karane said.
But Zelda stepped forward, her arms crossed. "Why do you still indulge him? Were you just showing off? You could get hurt."
Link made a face. "That's nothing new." His eyes narrowed and he took the smallest step into Zelda's space. "Hrm, twice now. Would you like if I was showing off?"
To a passer by, it sounded like a normal, joking conversation, but Karane and Pipit's eyebrows raised at once at the blatant change in Link's voice… his obvious flirting.
"Did… did we miss something while we were gone?" Pipit asked.
"N-no," Zelda said, turning her head away from Link's gaze. "No, he's just being a jerk."
Karane didn't buy it for a second, but she could see Zelda's discomfort at being questioned and quickly changed the subject. "Hey, come tell us everything that happened this week on the island."
Relieved at the topic change, Zelda grabbed Karane and Link, wrapping her arms through theirs. "No, you tell me everything! You've both been gone longer! And you," she said to Link with narrowed eyes, "have changed since I left."
Zelda let Karane go to walk ahead while she held Link back and pulled him into a close hug. "I missed you, Link. I think this is the longest all of us have ever been apart." And when she pulled away, she lowered her voice so Karane or Pipit couldn't hear. "And I think there's something we postponed that I was kind of looking forward to… can't remember what it was though."
Link grinned. Goddess, everything she said made him smile, no matter what it was. "I don't know." He glanced around. Pipit and Karane were up walking away, and no one was around. He leaned closer to Zelda and ran the backs of his fingers along her cheek, his eyes flickering from hers to her lips. "Maybe we can get something to eat at Piper's and try to remember whatever it was?"
Zelda realized she'd stopped breathing for a moment when she felt the tight hold of air in her lungs. When she managed to speak, it was a low whisper. "They're going to turn around to look for us, and then see this, Link."
He dropped his hand but didn't move away. The look on his face said that he didn't really care who was looking at them. "They probably already have. They're nosey."
Zelda stepped away, feeling the relief of breathing air that wasn't overwhelmingly Link- his breath, his scent… he made it hard to breathe.
"Piper's later, then," she promised. "But we have to figure out who's buying this time."
"Maybe this time we'll just split the bill."
As it turned out, neither of them needed to buy because Pipit had insisted they all go to eat together, his treat, to catch up. Without wanting to arouse suspicions, they agreed and everyone brought Piper's food out to eat just outside the Bazaar. And it wasn't for an hour later that Zelda managed to convince Karane to leave and take Pipit with her. She was almost sure Karane had figured out why, though Pipit seemed more oblivious in the long run.
Zelda led Link around the back of the Bazaar and down to their usual spot. It was always private and secluded. Almost no one else came down except to tend the pumpkin patch in the early morning. They stood around in silence before Zelda found herself giggling with giddy nerves.
"I don't know what to do. Or what to say. This is so strange."
Link had his hands in his pockets, watching her. "Yeah. I feel like we're supposed to talk about our favorite colors or something. You know, get to know one another."
Zelda jumped up onto the rock over the water and began to walk along the edge. "Yours is green. Next."
"I don't know what to do. What did you do with Corbett?"
"Talked. Flew. Left. You and Robyn?"
Link shrugged. "I didn't know her well, so we asked stupid questions... like favorite color. This is useless."
"Data collection failed," Zelda laughed as she spun around to walk the other way.
"Swim?" Link tried, looking around for ideas.
Zelda stopped to give him an exasperated look. "It's freezing at this time. Feel the water. You don't want to swim."
He obliged and flinched back when he felt how cold it was. "Right." He sat on the rock she was balancing on and stared up at her, feeling so incredibly nervous and unsure of himself. When he caught her eye, he had to look away, afraid she'd see just how desperately unsure he was. He could still feel her staring at him as they both tried to figure this new territory out.
"Whoa!" Zelda yelped, falling backwards.
Link was up and caught her before she could hit the water, carrying her away from the rocks. He looked at her suspiciously. She was too happy.
"You did that on purpose."
Zelda wrapped her arms around Link's neck with a victorious smile. "Of course I did."
He grinned and shifted her in his arms so he had a better grip. "Oh? I don't know if you remember this, but I'm actually just a bit stronger than you."
"And?"
He wriggled his eyebrows and headed back to the water with a mischievous look on his face.
"No!" Zelda cried, laughing at the same time when she realized what he was doing. She gripped Link's neck tighter as he neared the water.
"After that stunt, you're at my mercy, Princess." He stepped up onto the stone and held her in both arms over the freezing water.
"That still is not a real word," she laughed, regretting her remark almost immediately when Link let go of her legs, though he kept a tight grip around her waist with his other arm. He let her swing tauntingly over the water. "Whoa!" she squeaked, nearly choking him.
"Going to make fun of my made up word again?" he asked casually. Though he only had her with one arm, his grip on her was so firm that he wasn't remotely worried about her accidentally slipping into the cold water.
Zelda squirmed to try to get a foothold, but Link was smugly holding her too high above the water for her to reach the rock with her foot. "Yeah, I probably will, actually."
"That's fair, I guess." He swung her over a bit so he could hold her around the waist with both arms rather than one. It was just indulgence on his part, and Zelda knew it.
"Going to let me down yet?" she asked with a laugh. She was finally feeling herself again, nervousness completely washed away by their antics. She could see that her pretending to fall had worked on Link, and he was feeling confident again, his lazy grin and shimmering eyes replacing the anxious expression he'd worn when they first came around the bend.
"Probably not. This is kind of fun."
She felt a few of her muscles spasm when Link's fingers gripped her tighter. Well, if he could indulge in holding her for absolutely no good reason, she could have some fun herself as well. She loosened her near vise grip around him and slid her hands down to rest against his chest. She could feel him shiver when her nails passed lightly over the skin of his neck.
Zelda watched him devilishly and smiled. "Don't be so confident, Link. I can get down. I still have a trick up my sleeve."
"Oh?" he asked, eyebrow raising. He'd like to see her get out of this.
She watched his eyes shimmer in the reflection of the setting sun that bounced off the water. They were intense, but soft at the same time. She wondered how he managed that. His hold on her was still solid, and she didn't worry that he'd let her fall into the water as she squirmed lower in his arms.
And she pressed her lips to his.
Shocked, Link took an immediate step back away from the edge, bringing Zelda with him. His brain had entirely shut off, and finally his body reacted, kissing her back rather than freezing up in his surprise. When his subconscious mind knew she wasn't dangling over the water anymore, his arms loosened his grip to let Zelda touch the ground, though he never moved his head away from her.
Well, that trick up her sleeve worked.
They pulled apart only far enough apart to breathe, both opening their eyes to meet the other.
Zelda's eyes were glinting with absolute elation and even humor as she stared at this still shocked ones, wide and unseeing, catching up to everything in front of him.
He opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out.
Zelda breathed heavily, her mouth open, stunned that she'd actually found the courage to do that.
"I need to get off this rock, Link," she finally managed, feeling more than lightheaded and unsafe on the small rock. Her legs felt like they could give out any second, despite still being pressed up against Link. He nodded and let go completely. She barely made the small gap between the rock and the grass without stumbling. Link followed, nearly crashing into her in his utterly dazed state.
But he regained his bearings after a few steps and caught her wrist, gently tugging her back toward him when they weren't perilously close to the water.
He hesitated only long enough for her to pull away, to somehow say that she'd accidentally fallen onto his lips before and he'd misread everything. When that didn't happen and she instead leaned closer to him, he captured her lips in his, feeling years of anxiety about this moment crashing to the ground, forgotten as he entirely lost himself in the feeling of her.
He could feel her shaking, and he was more than positive that he was, too. It was surreal in so many ways: when her hand ran through his hair, when her fingers lightly brushed his earlobes as they trailed down his throat to rest on his chest. His body lit up like it was on fire, despite the chills that every touch sent through him.
Finally, everything connected in his brain. As he felt his lips move against hers, needing her like air, there was no world around them: no water, no grass, no trees, no village or villagers. This moment with her was all-consuming. It was the rush of soaring on a Loftwing, or the fear and excitement while falling through the Sky. It was the debilitating nerves of staring out at an audience for the first time, and the joy of seeing someone in the back row, cheering louder than any other voice in the room.
Zelda was the one to pull away, smiling as she felt Link's lips chase hers for one more kiss before he moved back slightly, his hand still where it had found purchase on the back of her neck.
"I made you put me down," she said breathlessly, unsure of anything else she could possibly say in that moment.
He laughed, though in his breathlessness, it was little more than just air. His fingers traced the skin on the back of her neck absently, and she arched forward as a shiver raced down her spine. Well, something he'd never known about her.
"Did that just happen? Are we in a dream?" he asked with a laugh, only half joking.
"Why? Do you dream about kissing me often?" she teased in a tone that felt so familiar to her, though the meaning behind the words was so foreign. If she'd said this to him a week ago, he'd have rolled his eyes and probably bumped into her as a non-response. She'd be left to interpret it however she wanted and then they'd move on.
But he didn't bump her. And he didn't bother leaving her to imagine the answer... not when it was obvious.
"More often than you know," he said, kissing her again. It was addicting, and they were both happy to indulge.
"I think I might have some idea," she said, responding to him with a mildly embarrassed giggle. Goddess, if he wasn't the only thing she dreamt about these days...
He grinned cheekily and looked around, realizing that they were standing in plain view of any passers by. He pulled her with him as he walked backwards and leaned against the wall. Zelda threaded her fingers through both his hands and leaned into him. Link chuckled, still feeling like nothing was real. Like there was no way this could possibly be happening. Testing that theory, he kissed her again.
Zelda found herself laughing, and Link was quick to join in. She needed to pull away when her teeth banged against his, which only made them laugh harder.
"I feel like we should have been doing this for the past few years..." Link muttered, feeling light for the first time in years. It was like he'd been carrying some weight that he was finally able to cast off.
Zelda looked at him with a teasing glint in her eye. "Years? What makes you think I liked you that long ago?"
Link made a face, crossing his arms as he got comfortable against the wall. "You literally asked me to be your first kiss, remember?"
"Because you were the person I trusted most."
"Okay," Link laughed, watching her move beside him with a defensive set to her mouth. "I won't assume years then."
Zelda rolled her eyes and nudged his arm with hers. "I didn't say you were wrong."
Grinning more than he thought he could, he put his arm around her like nothing between them had changed, like this conversation was happening with different words. It was always an instinct- to hold her close. Now, Link just knew why.
He looked over at her, wishing time didn't have to move. But Skyloft was getting cold with the approaching night chill, and they'd have to end this long stretch of a moment at some point. "Where do we go from here? Do we pretend this never happened and try to go back to a week ago? Or do we... I don't know... give this thing with us a try?"
Zelda let out a harsh sigh. "I know what I want to do, but my father can't find out. He'll have us followed everywhere. If we want to have something to eat at Piper's for a normal breakfast, he'll be there to make sure we don't hold hands. I don't know, it's like he can't stand that I'm growing up. He's not ready. I'm not like his students where he feels pride when they graduate. I'm the only person that he'd rather hold back. We can't let anyone know about us. Maybe Karane and Pipit, but even they might slip and tell someone. Definitely not Fledge. He can't know. He'll crack if someone were to ask him. And then my father would find out, and then I'll lose you because he'll stop us from ever speaking again, even as friends."
"Well, you won't lose me, and it won't be that bad," Link said, trying to cheer her up. He had a feeling that she was fairly close, though.
When Gaepora had even suspected that Zelda might have been seeing Corbett, he tried to get Link to be the one to spy on her. Because there was 'no one he trusted more.' How about what Gaepora would say if he found out she was seeing Link? He wouldn't call him 'trustworthy' after that.
"We're already close. He won't even notice if we keep it from him," she said, ignoring Link's comment.
Link bit his lip nervously. "I don't know what I'd say, but do you want me to try talking to him? We can't sneak around Skyloft forever. Maybe we can wait to tell him until we're in our fifties, but that might be pushing it."
Zelda looked over at him, bemused. "You want to talk to him?"
"Absolutely not. Your father scares me, but I will try something if you want. He doesn't hate me yet, so I have the element of surprise."
Zelda laughed. "Thank you, but it should be me."
Link snorted. "Really, it should be both of us."
She turned to him, horrified at the thought of facing her father with her hand in Link's. Her father would look at her like she'd betrayed him. He'd think that their entire life had been some affair and that he'd failed as a father to protect her. She'd get curfews, people would show up to watch her, she'd lose her freedom. She'd drag Link down with her, and he was too good of a guy to let her fall alone.
Link leaned his head against hers. "It was just a thought. We don't have to tell anyone. I think it'll be kind of fun, actually. You know, part-time."
"Part-time," she repeated. "Hey wait," she said, turning to him with a devious smile. "Did you say we can wait until we're in our fifties? You think we'll be together that long? After one date, you're that confident?"
Link felt all the blood rush to his face and he looked away, biting his lip as his words sunk in, though he turned back to her, unwilling to let her be the only one who could tease the other. "Technically, this is our third. And we've known each other for ten years now, so I think that might bump this to at least the fifth date, since I do already know your favorite color and everything. I'm allowed to accidentally make an embarrassing statement like that."
Zelda bit her lip when she watched the color flood to his face. It was endearing to see him flustered. She figured she'd cut him some slack. She didn't hate his assumption, after all. "I'll give us forty-five, then we'll tell my father. Is that too soon for you?"
He reached for Zelda's hand and moved her in front of him, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin playfully on her head, despite the stretch. "It might be. Forty eight is my final offer."
"Deal," she said, leaning back against him.
He moved his chin off her and leaned back. Her fingers ran absently along his arms where he held her, causing the hairs to stick up as she brushed over them. He closed his eyes, reveling in her light caress. Every weight that he'd ever carried was gone. It felt like he'd found all the happiness he'd ever lost along the way to this moment.
Zelda felt the same. Like her spirit had been searching for something that had once been ripped away, finally feeling the soothing peace of being whole once again, though she'd never known the feeling until now.
And they knew that nothing, not her father, the suns above, or the cloud barrier below could keep them apart now.
A/N: How do you keep drama in a peaceful world after the two characters finally get together? A parent. Hahaha!I don't think I've ever written a calm Zelink relationship! It was very interesting to get to write genuinely happy characters for once! Also, unintentional but how fun that they kissed on chapter 17 at age 17! I'm amused by small things, sorry.
Reviews: Draegor: Thanks! I'm a sucker for slow burn pacing. Bladeofthebookworms: I'm glad this fic is a bright spot during this time! It certainly has been mine! I'm glad the fluff is on point so far! Queen Emily the Diligent: WOO! Cosmo14: I don't usually read fics that are on the same lines of what I'm writing while I'm writing so I don't subconsciously steal something, but I'll definitely check out that Tumblr because this fic didn't even make it past 10 years, so I doubt I could age them up that far in the next one. I am taking a slight SS break and working on a different Zelda fic on AO3 right now, so if that can hit 5 chapters, I might consider bringing that over here to Fanfic and finish it before moving back to this sequel, so I'll have some time to think up a plot that isn't half-baked. But about this fic, yeah, Link's definitely *not* distracted in his classes at all! Poor thing is the most oblivious guy! Besides BOTW and TP Link, I feel like this one has to be one of the stronger ones and best fighters. He has multiple sword fights against a sword! And Demise! I don't know that he gets enough credit for being epic-ly skilled, mostly because untalented ones like myself were the wielders of the Wii mote! Hahaha! But yes, his dancing was *definitely* intended to be ancient hahaha! And then to the second review response, thank you for spotting that rogue phrase there! I fixed it and I added that the hall was dark. Them "playing" the lyre was one of my favorites for last chapter because it's mirrored in this one with her fall. I consider laughing out loud a big deal so all I can say is yassss!