"This… is your home?"
She stopped to look behind her, catching his almost shy nod and she smiled in encouragement before moving forward again, walking past the sign that stated the small building as his own.
For some reason it had never entered her mind that he would find somewhere to live, to settle down and rest after a demanding mission or a hard-fought battle. Before, when they had been travelling with each other, he had always just rested in their temporary accommodations- but she supposed that whilst he was by himself, there was nothing to stop him from finding a more permanent residence.
It seemed weird that between all of the fighting he had been doing, he would have found time to both purchase and personalise a house- albeit a small one. It wasn't that she was criticising his methods or commitment, only finding it… amusing that he had the time and energy to spend on something that wasn't fighting.
It gave her peace of mind that he had found small wonders to keep himself grounded, alive, whilst being pressured by the weight of saving the world.
She paused, waiting for him to take the lead and show her around the small orchids and trees or perhaps straight to the interior but he clearly wasn't ready to offer a hand, perhaps still shy in showing what was probably the first person his personal abode, and so she smiled and took his hand- leading him to the side and to the orchids.
Despite the fact that he wouldn't have had time to maintain them, the flowers were beautifully well kept and shining with life.
"These are beautiful," she said, releasing his hand to crouch down and gently sort through the flowers on the ground. "They're wonderfully looked after. How did you…?"
"I paid someone." he said, quietly, smiling down at her when she looked up and she thought that this was the look that he should have always had, the passive and kind smile that was becoming much more frequent now that they had both achieved their destiny.
She looked away, back to the flowers, and took a few more steps into the fenced orchid before gasping and crouching down again, reaching out to gently caress the flowers that she had only recently spotted as the most frequent within the area, despite what she had thought.
"Silent Princess," she whispered, awed. "I'd have thought they'd die out after all these years… they were already endangered to begin with."
She looked up at him, for an explanation, but he was still just smiling, his hands by his side and a gentle twinkle in his eye as the sun illuminated the field.
"Did you…?"
"They're your favourite," he said, simply, smile still in place. "I found a few of them and… I didn't want them to die out before you had the chance to see them again."
She blinked, in shock or awe she didn't know but looked back down again, at the abundance of the beautiful flower that she had been working to protect before the calamity, before they had been forced into a destiny neither had wanted.
The flowers were beautiful and she was immensely thankful that he had worked to protect them but… the sheer meaning of the action meant so much more- that he would take time out of his fighting to make sure that something as ultimately insignificant as a flower was kept safe- just because they were her favourite- meant so much more than she thought it would.
She had been worried that he'd remember nothing, that it'd be like meeting a new person- and that was why she had created the photos of the memories to begin with- and while her worries hadn't been unwarranted it had turned out so much better than she thought it would.
She'd been worried about losing not only her friend, but her lifeline, but she still had him and he still remembered everything from before- and so much more.
"Thank you, Link," she said, standing up, keeping her voice steady but moving to catch his eyes and convey just how much the action had meant to her.
She scanned the orchid one more time, studying the trees that had been planted around them and the way the sun was setting in the background before moving back towards the house, carefully making sure not to step on any of the carefully planted flowers.
He followed her silently as she stepped through the front door, focusing on the way the warm, roomy air hit her and the creak of the wood beneath her feet, all the signs of a well-lived, well-loved house.
It was immensely refreshing compared to the structured towers and buildings of Hyrule Castle and while it pained her to see her home in the state that it was now, she couldn't help but feel excitement in the renovations if this architecture was anything to go off.
There had always been an appeal to the older, more wooden style of housing for her, whether it be in the individual huts of Kakariko Village or the more open rooms of Rito Village. She had always pushed her father to include more residential areas within the vicinity of Hyrule Castle- and now breathing in the environment around her, she could only thrum in anticipation for what was to come next, what they could build and achieve for the future.
The door shut behind her and she breathed in as she looked around, taking note of the fact that in reality, the house was only one large room, but happily acknowledging that it just made the place feel more like a home, a small alcove of solace and warmth that Link could call his own.
Most notably, weapons, shields and bows lined the walls, one's that she could tell from an immediate glance were extremely powerful and durable despite being an absolute novice in traditional combat. Despite that, and the reminder that Link was indeed a Knight and had shouldered the hope of the entire world, it didn't take away from the warmth of the house and instead only reminded her of his more noble traits, the fact that he enjoyed being a knight despite having been forced to hold the occupation.
There was a chimney, which was dark and sooty as it was now but she imagined that it would heat up the room quite nicely, and despite the fact that she was almost definitely the first visitor that Link had ever had, there was a large table meant to house many in the centre of the room.
To the right were a set of stairs that led to an attic, almost visible from the entrance alone, and there was carefully placed belongings and materials within the alcoves of the wood that lined the walls, mostly functional rather than personal mementos.
There was a large painting on the wall to the left, of a beautiful fountain overlooking Hyrule Field, but she could tell that it was a commissioned piece rather than holding any personal meaning.
"I wouldn't have thought you'd have so much experience in decorating," she said, distracted as she walked around and assessed the house, gliding her hand over some of the chairs and furniture as Link followed behind her.
"I had some help," he admitted, as short as ever, and she turned to smile at him- noting that his expression from before hadn't changed at all.
"Did Purah come down from the Lab to help you with any of this?"
He grinned sheepishly at that, moving a hand to scratch at the back of his head and look away and she giggled at the almost child-like mischief on his face, so different from what she had seen previously.
"She offered… but I declined. I thought that if I were to give her free reign of the house, I'd have more notebooks and Sheikah technology than actual furniture."
She laughed, nodding her head.
"That's probably true, but I certainly wouldn't have minded that."
"I suppose you wouldn't have," he smiled, but he looked away and towards the ground and she noted that something she must have said had distracted him, that had made him think about something not quite as positive as the situation they were currently in.
It took her a few seconds to realise that he must have been thinking about the fact that she had still been captured and fighting Ganon while he had furnished his house, and that he had been partaking in idle pastimes rather than spending every waking minute attempting to save her- despite the fact that he had practically done just that with only a few interruptions- such as this.
It was both frustrating and heartbreaking to see him beat himself up over something that warranted no discipline at all. He had worked so hard, had been pressured so completely, that she was almost frustrated that he hadn't taken more pleasant detours during his journey.
Ultimately, they both couldn't escape their predetermined destiny, but she would have much rather preferred he didn't need to sacrifice so much to achieve what he had to- and then think that he hadn't sacrificed enough.
"Where did you get the painting from?" she asked, hoping to distract him from his thoughts.
He blinked, moving to follow her as she slowly made her way to the stairs, eyes refocusing and head moving back to look at the painting as they ascended up the creaky wooden steps.
"A vendor at Outskirt Stable. It reminded me of when I taught you how to ride a horse."
She paused on the steps, looking back to the painting on the opposite wall, blinking harshly and cursing herself for not recognising the painting sooner.
It was indeed where he had taught her about the intricacies of horse-riding, of how to properly treat your mount with respect and affection. It had been one of the memories that she had captured with the Sheikah Slate and yet she had almost forgotten it.
"It's beautiful," she spoke, once again overwhelmed by the fact that all of the belongings in the house, and out of it, had been collected in purpose of reminders of his journeys with her- before the calamity.
She hadn't known that he treasured their times together as much as he had- as was apparent with both the catering of the Silent Princess and the reminders of their memories.
He merely nodded his head and smiled as she turned back to him, and she turned to carry on back up the stairs, coming to a stop on the even attic.
There was an incredibly comfy rug in the centre with a bookcase to the right, holding a mantle for a collection of photographs she couldn't see from where she was, and a desk to the left with some written journals that were probably too personal for her to comb through.
His bed was to the back and against the wall but from the way it was furnished, she could tell that he had only likely slept in it one or two times, despite the lived-in aesthetic of the rest of the house.
It made her frown.
He had obviously worked to make the house appealing, something worthy to be lived in, and yet she didn't know how many times he had taken rest and actually applied the house for what it was for rather than sleeping on the floor by a campfire.
She was painfully aware of what his journey had required but she had hoped he'd have rested peacefully more than he apparently had.
She shook her head and moved forward, before he could notice her short change in mood, and gently took one of the photos that was resting on the knee-height bookcase.
Her heart both sunk and thrummed when she realised what it was- a cheery photo of all of the Champions and Link, their arms around each other and smiles wide, uncaring.
She could even tell that Link was exceptionally happy, with the uncharacteristically large smile on his face.
She placed the photo down, after studying for a few more seconds and attempting to keep the tears at bay, before realising that the other small amount of photos were probably just as personal and touching.
There was one of all of the Champions again, this time at a ceremony at Hyrule Field and she spotted herself, in regal garb, and although it was a much more formal occasion she could remember it like it was yesterday, the easy hope that they had all maintained.
She moved forward and picked up another one, smiling as she saw her, Urbosa and Link resting together in one of the chambers of Vah Naboris, herself curled up and lying on Urbosa while Link, supposedly standing sentinel behind them but still subtly smiling down at the sight.
She placed it down and moved forward again, gliding over to the bedside table this time and if she caught the catch of Link's breath behind her, she said nothing, and reached out to pick out the only photograph he had deemed worthy of waking up to, of keeping next to his bed.
It was a picture of her and Link, smiling at the camera of the Sheikah Slate and much more informal than any of the ones she had seen before it. She remembered it as one of the moments that she had got him to open up, rather than keep his emotionless facade, and after a good few hours of tender conversation around a campfire she had suggested a photograph together.
She had been forced to convince him, and she was still certain to this day he had only agreed because he was tired from the conversation, but they had taken a photograph together, his arm slung over her and a tired, but warm smile on his face.
She had thought that he hated it, given the fact that he had woken the next morning and had returned to keeping a polite but stalwart mask, for much longer than what was necessary.
But now… she was left wondering- wondering if he had just felt vulnerable after talking to her so intimately for hours the night before, vulnerable after letting her see him so openly rather than angry at being forced to take a photo with her.
And it was apparent now that he obviously treasured the photo, if he kept it by his bedside.
She placed it down, slowly, the silence in the house much more apparent now and she turned to catch Link's eyes, only to see him looking away and towards the exit, his face vulnerable and obviously inconclusive.
"Link…?" she asked, and when he didn't turn to look at her, still too embarrassed or shy to look her in the eye, she tugged at the sleeve closest to her and forced him too.
He caught her eye, an awkward smile tugging at his lips, and she saw the slight hope that was gleaming in the blue of his eyes.
There had been so much evidence in this house, around this house, that he held her and their friends in a much higher and personal regard than she had originally thought, and now that he had willingly shared it all with her, no matter how unsafe and vulnerable he had felt about it…
It pained her, to know that she was the only one left who knew Link this intimately, who could understand his suffering and silence to a degree that meant she understood her, and there was so much tragedy seeming through both his life and the pictures around them that it made her want to cry about their situation, of what had been, all over again.
And she felt that she was, with the warm liquid that was seeping down her cheeks.
But she had to make sure, before Link grew worried of her crying and attempted to console her, that she was not upset about the pictures or his house, but rather upset that he had been forced to live a life like the one he had, and that he had suffered alone for so long.
So she reached forward and looped her arms around his chest, forcing them both into a hug that consoled the other just as much as themselves, and while he was stiff for a second, surprised and unused to such an action, she felt the tension and awkwardness leave his body as he lightly placed his arms around her shoulders.
"Thank you, Link." she whispered, against his chest, unwilling to let go of him and look up into his eyes for a reaction.
"What for?" he asked, after a small silence, and his voice was so quiet and so gentle that she wouldn't have heard it if it wasn't for the fact that he had spoken directly into her ear, the hot air pleasant against her skin.
"For showing me this, for letting me be this close to you."
He apparently didn't know what to say to that, his arms absent over her shoulders, before he tightened their hug at his own request and buried his head into the nook of her neck.
AN: I don't know how to feel about this one.
I think the start is much better than the middle and the ending, and that I was writing with much better quality during the moments outside of Link's house (for some reason), but I don't really have the time or patience to go through and rewrite it all.
There is so little Link x Zelda from BOTW that it's absolutely criminal, and I just had to immediately rectify this issue, so here is a small fluffy one shot that I just couldn't get off my mind :)
I know I just started some HP oneshots, and I had been writing Naruto before that, but these pairings are just too good for me to ignore and I'm on a roll when it comes to writing what's on my mind.
Either way I don't know what's next but I hope I can continue to write as much as I am currently :)
- Luerio