Author's Note: Hey everyone, welcome back! This is a little idea I had a few weeks ago and finally sat down and spent time with it. It was a ton of fun to write too - short and extremely sweet, at least I think it is. This story will probably have a few chapters of fun little antics with Zel and Link. - I certainly have at least one more planned after this one that'll happen relatively soonish between updates of 'If Things Had Been Different' (which I haven't abandoned, just taking a break from it for now). This is definitely standalone, but as usual it's the same Zel and Link I've been writing for months now, so if I were to place it somewhere it'd be after my 'TotK Aftermath Collection' but before 'If Things Had Been Different.' You don't need to read anything else of mine at all to enjoy this one though!
This story is nothing but pure, unabashed fluff of the highest caliber I'm capable of writing. Feel good, warm, loving fluff with zero trauma or sadness or bad memories or anything else these two usually have to go through. So I hope you enjoy this cute little foray into their life in Hateno Village! Please enjoy and I'll see you again next time!
Chapter I - Snowfall Desserts
A satisfied sigh passed Zelda's lips as she closed her diary with a soft thud. Placing her pen atop the desk she rose to her feet, raising her arms over her head and stretching. She had been meaning to catch up on her diary entries for a few days and it was nice to finally manage it.
Zelda lowered her arms again, straightening her sapphire sweater. Hateno Village was in the throes of winter now and a light snowfall had even blanketed the quaint town earlier that day. The laughter of the children as they had snowball fights in front of the school had been truly delightful to listen to. She didn't even mind the frigid air; it gave her plenty of excuses to wear her rarely used warmer outfits, not to mention lots of opportunities to cuddle with Link.
The sound of knives being placed on the counter downstairs drew her attention and Zelda smiled to herself, starting to descend the stairs. One glance towards the kitchen area was all it took to know that Link had something particular planned for the evening.
He was dressed in a green sweater of his own, though not the same one she had once knitted for him – he was worried it might get damaged so he never wore that one while he cooked. Over top of it, a white apron that almost seemed to shimmer beneath the muted light was fastened around him, expertly tied and secured. He hadn't heard her approaching at all – he was thumbing through his cooking tools like a craftsman attempting to select the best mold for his latest weapon.
Watching Link work with food was something Zelda quite enjoyed. He had a few little idiosyncrasies when he cooked for them, too. At the very beginning of the process, he would select his tools – knives, ladles, bowls – and lay them out carefully, organizing them in the order he intended to use them. He would line them up on the counter from left to right, ensuring the base of each handle was perfectly even with the one next to it.
After that, he would prepare his ingredients for work, taking the left side of the counter and giving each piece its own space for preparation. Once all the parts were assembled, he would light the fire beneath the large cooking pot they had procured long ago and set about readying those ingredients for actual cooking. It was a methodical process that reminded Zelda of the way he readied his equipment and armor before an excursion. Careful. Precise. Meticulous.
Crossing the room on light feet, Zelda snuck up behind him and, after making sure he had nothing sharp in his hands, threw her arms around his midsection and nestled her head against his shoulder. Link tensed for just a moment, perhaps startled by the sudden contact he hadn't expected, but quickly relaxed and brought his hands up to her own. The warmth of his skin against her sent shivers down her back.
"Hey, Zel. Done with your journal already?" he asked, his voice warm and inviting.
"Yep! I just had a little catching up to do. Did you miss me?" Link nuzzled her, the surprisingly soft skin of his cheek rubbing against her face.
"I always miss you when you're not right beside me." A goofy little smile stole Zelda's lips and she squeezed him just a bit tighter.
"I missed you too. Hey, what are you making? We just had dinner a few hours ago." Link turned his head towards her and bumped her cheek with his nose. She turned to face him and felt his forehead press gently to hers.
"How does dessert sound? I was thinking I'd make your favorite fruitcake tonight." Zelda gasped in delight, her eyes sparkling as she rubbed her nose against his.
"That sounds amazing, my love! I know it's not the hardest thing in the world to make, but is there a special occasion to celebrate?" Link shook his head the smallest amount; she could only feel the gesture because their foreheads and noses remained touching.
"Just that I'm really happy to have you at home with me."
"That sounds like a perfect reason to celebrate. After all, I'm really happy to be at home with you."
"Then it looks like we're making fruitcake." The warmth in his voice was more than enough to chase the cold winter air away.
"Can I help you? I'd feel bad if I just sat here and watched you work hard making dessert for me." Link moved back just enough to lock his gaze with her, his twinkling, azure eyes dancing with merriment.
"I'd love it if you would. I always enjoy cooking with you."
"Ooh, let me grab my apron then so we match!"
As Zelda released Link and began to hurry across the room, she felt his hand catch her wrist, his fingers closing around her with a gentleness that made her heart leap. Before she could even turn, she felt him pull her with just enough force that she spun right into his outstretched arms, a grin on is face as their eyes met again.
"You're leaving without your goodbye kiss?" Zelda felt heat well up in her cheeks but managed to raise an eyebrow all the same, an amused smirk crossing her lips.
"I'm only going across the room; you don't have to say goodbye just for that, do you?"
"And what if I want to?"
"Well then, I suppose I'd have no choice but to graciously and happily accept. Maybe we should call it an 'I'll miss you' kiss, though"
"Isn't that basically the same thing?"
"How about a 'be right back' kiss, then?"
"I like that."
"Then come here and give me my kiss so I can hurry back to your side."
Link lowered his arms and held her close, his hands coming to rest against the small of her back. As his soft lips pressed against hers, she felt chills of delight and satisfaction burst to life down her body. Without realizing it, she wrapped her own arms beneath his, gripping his shoulders and pulling him in. The electric feeling of his lips caressing hers made her heart skip several beats. They had shared embraces like this for years, but it never made her feel any less giddy no matter how many times it happened.
They kissed for…probably too long considering the distance between the kitchen and the wardrobe that housed their cooking aprons, but each second Zelda stood lost in his arms made the house around her melt away from her mind more and more. There was only Link now and all the wonderful sensations he graced her with – the gentle passion of his kiss and that oh-so-wonderful embrace he always held her in, warm and loving in a way she had once only dreamed could ever be hers.
Finally, Link pulled away again, bringing her back to reality. Now she was slightly disappointed that the moment was over. Sensing this, her partner gave her a warm smile and took her hand, squeezing lightly.
"I'll give you a 'welcome back' kiss too once you have your apron." Zelda giggled and placed her free hand against his cheek.
"I hope that's a promise."
"Of course. Maybe even two if you hurry back to me."
"I'll take that challenge. I wonder if I can earn three…"
"You can have as many as you want if we just forego the cooking entirely." Zelda felt a grin blooming to life on her face.
"As amazing as that sounds, you got my heart set on fruitcake, you know!" Link just chuckled.
"Then I'll have to make sure you get what you want!"
"Besides, I can always win those kisses from you later over dessert."
Zelda finally managed to pull herself away from Link despite her heart's protests. As she made her way across the kitchen towards the wardrobe, she heard his voice call softly after her, playful and warm.
"It's a date, my darling."
"I love the selection of fruits you picked for this," Zelda sang, eyeing the countertop with sparkling eyes.
Link had chosen a mixture of apple, wildberry, palm fruit, hydromelon, and mighty banana for their fruitcake that evening. Just looking at the bright collection of fresh ingredients caused her mouth to water in anticipation. It had been a long time since she'd indulged in her favorite dessert.
"Those are your very favorites, right? I was pretty sure I knew them by heart." Link was laying out the Tabantha wheat, cane sugar, and several eggs beside her, pondering which tool to select first from his lineup.
"You're exactly right," she assured him. "You know, these all remind me of you in some way."
"They do?"
"Mhm. The red of the apple reminds me of your courage. The mighty banana represents your strength as a warrior. The wildberry's soft pink color is for the soft, loving heart you possess beneath your powerful exterior." A silence fell between them for several moments before Link spoke, a small grin on his face.
"What about the palm fruit and hydromelon?"
"Um…you look good in green…?" Link broke into laughter and stepped closer, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Thank you, my love. I'm glad you like how I look in green so much that two fruits get to represent it." Zelda gave his shoulder a gentle chop with her open palm, a wide smile stealing her face even as she tried to feign exasperation.
"Okay fine, I didn't plan it all out before I spoke. But I'm not wrong either."
"I would never dream of saying you were. Too bad there's not a blue fruit over there for how good you look in that color."
"You're such a flatterer."
"Takes one to know one."
Gentle laughter descended over them, warmer than even the heat of the fire Link had lit beneath the cooking pot. Zelda never took moments like these for granted. Her life was in such a different place than it had ever been when she was trapped in the Castle growing up. She appreciated so much the simple moments she regularly experienced now, more so than she'd ever thought possible.
At last, the couple set about their cooking adventure. Link had assembled all the additional ingredients they would need, including the whipped cream frosting she so enjoyed from the Hateno General Store. Link selected his first tool, a large bowl for mixing the ingredients to form the base of the cake.
"Link, would you hand me the other two bowls please? I'll separate out the eggs." Link's deft hands plucked the dishes from the counter, placing them before her gracefully.
"Here you go, Zel."
"Thank you, my love."
As Link began to slice, crush, and combine his own ingredients, Zelda brought the eggs close to her. They were a bright white color, reflecting the lights above them almost as well as Link's pristine apron did. But as she reached out, she stopped short, a glint of light catching her eye as she did so.
Her engagement ring was still on her finger. Very carefully, Zelda removed the breathtaking Silent Princess replica from her left hand and placed it in her pocket, patting it once to make sure it was secure. Link, though his eyes never left his work, spoke with a warm voice.
"You always take such good care of your ring. I'm still so happy you like it."
Zelda reached over and placed her hand against his back, curling her fingers against him several times. His sweater was on the thicker side so she couldn't really give him the gentle back scratch she'd been trying to, but he still appreciated the gesture.
"I love my ring! I just never want it to get dirty or sticky or anything when we cook. But you know, my finger feels really lonely the few times I ever take it off."
"I'll hold that hand later after we eat our cake to make up for it." Zelda giggled before withdrawing her hand and picking up her first egg.
"I can't wait."
Zelda cracked the egg against the side of her bowl, pulling the shell in two and pouring the contents back and forth in an attempt to separate the yolk from the whites. This particular egg was being a bit stubborn but she kept at it until, at last, she had achieved her goal. She placed the neatly isolated yolk in its own bowl and nodded to herself before reaching for the second.
She hadn't grown up cooking, of course. Back when she had lived in the Castle, she never had to worry about her next meal. It would magically appear before her, created by hands far more adept in the culinary arts than she'd had the ability to appreciate. She had dabbled in experimenting with some recipes herself over the years, but it was never anything more than just play.
When she had moved in with Link, though, she started to realize just how much of an artform cooking really was. She had always envisioned the chefs at the Castle slapping their dishes together with tired eyes, relying on their exceptional muscle memory after being tasked with preparing the same meals over and over and over again. But after watching her partner work, she decided she had been entirely wrong. It was far more likely those cooks treated each and every dish with delicate care the same way her betrothed did, something they were proud to create and even more proud that she enjoyed it as much as she did.
Link liked to remind her that he wasn't really a chef. His abilities with food had simply come from a necessity for sustenance in a world where he was all but alone and an admittedly strong fascination with the culinary possibilities cooking presented him with. He saw the process as a puzzle – which ingredients could he combine and how could he combine them to achieve his desired result? And while most time this led to some truly delicious dinners, once in a rare while it also gave birth to something that could only be seen as an abomination…
Those rare instances notwithstanding, Link approached every meal he prepared them with love and care, a delicacy for the process that she hadn't taken him for when first they'd met. In that sense, he might as well be a chef. Zelda was so enthralled by the way he worked, in fact, that she had taken up learning to emulate him for the first year they'd shared their home in Hateno. She was a quick study but something about the cooking process evaded her in a frustrating manner. So she'd kept at it diligently each and every day until she could prepare him a tasty meal without needing him to come help her. The first time she had managed it, the smile on her face had been so uncontrollable her cheeks had ached for an hour afterwards.
"You really are amazing," she murmured, almost unaware she was speaking aloud. She had finished separating her third egg and moved on to the fourth now.
"I am?" Link asked as his hands smartly mixed several ingredients in a bowl. The base for the cake was starting to come together; all that was missing from the concoction were the eggs she was nearly finished with.
"You are. You've introduced me to so many worlds that exist outside of my old Castle walls. I'm so much happier with who I am because I have you."
"The same goes for me, you know. I'm much happier with who I am when you're by my side." Zelda felt her heart flutter and a smile steal her lips, placing the last eggshell aside.
"Would you pass me the mixing spoon, my darling?" Without missing a beat, Link's left hand crossed beneath his occupied right, grabbing the large wooden utensil and bringing it in front of her.
"Here you go."
"Thank you!" Zelda set about mixing the egg yolks before continuing. "Honestly though, I think I'm a much more well-rounded person because of all the wonderful things I've experienced with you. I never got to cook for myself at the Castle. I never taught children, never had to worry about tidying up after myself, never walked to the general store and purchased frosting for my favorite dessert." Link chuckled from beside her.
"When you say it like that, those do sound like pretty menial tasks for the 'Princess of Hyrule' to be taking on, don't they?"
"They do. Which is why I'm even more glad that I get to do them all with you now. I'm glad I get to just be myself. Sure, I know people think of me as Royalty still. But the best thing that's ever happened for the sake of my being happy with who I am was leaving all that behind and moving in here with you. I got to become a normal girl and I got to fall in love with you."
"Well I'm certainly glad you wanted to stay with me after everything with Ganon was done. This house was way too big and lonely for me all by myself. Plus I would've missed you terribly." Zelda giggled and stepped a little closer, dragging her bowl with her. Her shoulder now brushed against Link's.
"I was already madly in love with you by the time you rescued me, Link. There was no chance I'd be anywhere but by your side after everything we'd gone through together." He laughed next to her, his shoulders rising and falling rapidly.
"And yet it still took us so long to confess, not that I blame you for that."
"We still had fun though! There's something really special about thinking back to those early days of us living together and how even the tiniest little gestures were enough to overwhelm me – the way I'd blush when I woke up and found myself covered with a blanket that hadn't been there before, the way you'd teach me how to cook a little bit more every day, the way we'd share meals across from each other."
"I remember how flustered we'd get when we would sit next to each other at dinner, pouring over that old map of Hyrule while we planned the rebuilding. Especially at first, I felt like my heart would burst." Zelda giggled at the memory.
"Me too. You know, sometimes I would deliberately let my hand brush against yours and pretend it was an accident. I wanted to see if you pulled away from me or not."
"I don't remember drawing back when that happened. Did I ever do it though?" Zelda shook her head.
"You didn't. You tensed up really noticeably, though," she teased, nudging him softly. Link laughed again; she could hear the smile in his voice when he spoke again.
"Can you blame me? What if the most beautiful girl in the world suddenly started touching your hand when you didn't expect it?" Zelda felt her cheeks flush as a bright smile bloomed to life on her face.
"Don't think I didn't realize how very handsome you were, my love. My heart was pounding out of my chest any time I accidentally saw you without a shirt on after your bath at night. I'm amazed you never noticed how red I got."
"Of course I noticed; I just never said anything. I felt like I shouldn't embarrass you."
"Oh? Where did that go? You have all sorts of fun teasing me these days!" Mirth dripped from her tone despite her words.
"What can I say? Just one of the many great things about being your partner."
"I can think of plenty myself, too. Here you go; the eggs are ready." Link finally tore his eyes away from his ingredients and smiled at her.
"Perfect timing, as usual. We make a great team."
"Always have!"
Zelda handed him the bowl she had prepared and watched as he poured it together before mixing again, a thicker substance forming beneath his spoon. She went about preparing the whites of the eggs herself and, before long, they had combined everything to make the perfect blend of ingredients for the base of their cake. Link placed it within the cooking pot being careful to shape it properly.
"Now just half an hour till it's ready," he announced, brushing his hands and placing them on his hips as he smiled at their handiwork.
"Would you like to prepare the fruit and I'll get the whipped cream ready? You've always been better with a knife than I am." Link smiled at her.
"Hey, you've gotten pretty good yourself. But that sounds fine to me. Here, let's trade spots."
As Zelda moved to slip around him, Link caught her in his arms and kissed her softly. Her heart fluttered away as the bliss of his embrace washed over her. It only took one small kiss for her to just melt against him. It felt like he had put some sort of magic spell on her all those years ago, one she only wanted to grow stronger with each passing day.
He pulled back at last, leaving a very flushed Zelda to gaze after him with sparkling eyes. The heat had even spread to her ears now. It didn't matter that they were betrothed at all; he could still make her blush like she'd never experienced in all her life.
Zelda set about placing the whipped cream into yet another bowl before mixing it lightly, delighting as the fluffy cloudlike texture swirled beneath her spoon. Nearby, Link was cutting apples and bananas with expert precision, each slice even in size. He even had this fascinating little scooping tool that he used on the inside of the hydromelon to create perfectly round melon balls. The sight of them made her mouth water in anticipation.
By the time Link had finished with the fruits, the cake only had another ten minutes left to cook for. Zelda looked over at him and smiled – he was admiring his work. She couldn't help but do the same. He had prepared beautiful banana slices in the shape of adorable little hearts, thin apple slices completely devoid of skin and seeds, and palm fruit wedges that would act as accents atop the cake. The wildberries had been picked apart so he could place each one deliberately later and the melon balls all but sparkled. Zelda had to stop herself from reaching for them, the temptation to try them almost too great.
A playful little thought occurred to her, though, one that derailed all other thoughts running around in her head. They had a lot of whipped cream…perhaps a bit too much. She very subtly reached forward, running her index finger through the frosting and positioning it just to the side of her partner's face.
"Link?"
"Yeah, Zel?"
He moved his head before his eyes – perfect. Link turned towards her to answer her question but was instead greeted with a finger full of cool frosting against his nose. As his eyes widened, Zelda felt her smile grow almost uncontrollably. Not only had her silly little plan worked, she had taken him completely by surprise too.
"Nothing, just thought you might like some whipped cream." A grin began to creep across Link's face as she tried her best not to burst into laughter; it was all she could do not to break.
"You know, I like it but I've never liked it as much as you do."
"Oh?" Link's eyes narrowed as his grin widened.
"Maybe you should try some too!"
Zelda yelped and ducked beneath his arms, evading his sudden attempt to catch her. Laughing outwardly now, she turned and ran from the kitchen into the other room, watching as her partner looked after her with shimmering eyes.
"That was a pretty good move, Zel. I'll catch you anyway though!"
"No you won't!"
Link chased after her, his own laughter washing over her ears. It was truly one of her favorite sounds in the entire world. But she couldn't dwell on that just now lest he catch her. Hurrying around the couch, she glanced over her shoulder and saw him sliding across the floor onto the same side she was. Gasping in surprise, Zelda hurried towards the other side again. Each time she looked back, though, a determined Link, enormous smile on his face, was closing in even more.
By the time she reached the front side of the couch a second time, she was already planning to duck underneath him again and get away; he was far too close to keep outrunning. But he moved too fast this time, his arms catching her around the waist and pulling her close. Zelda let out a squeal of merriment and surprise, laughing all the while. Link, his own infectious laughter mixing with hers, pulled her down onto the couch with him.
"You can't get away from me forever, my love," he chided gently. Zelda smirked at him before licking the last of the whipped cream off her own finger.
"But you didn't bring any frosting with you! So I still win!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
"Unless you have some hidden whipped cream behind your back somewhere."
"Who said I needed my own? I'll just use yours!"
Zelda was overcome by a fit of giggles as Link pressed his nose against hers, the cool frosting she had stuck to him squishing between them now. He rubbed his nose back and forth for good measure as she playfully tried to push him away. She was in heaven right now. Nothing in the world was more perfect than moments like these.
Link wasn't happy with just returning the favor, though. He peppered little kisses all over her face – her cheeks, her chin, her forehead, her lips – and everywhere he went, little traces of frosting from his nose followed. Zelda could hardly catch her breath through the delighted giggling that continued to overwhelm her. It didn't help that his nose tickled her as it deposited more and more whipped cream onto her skin.
"Okay, okay, I lose! I give up!" she cried out, hugging him tight. Link was laughing just as hard, tears of mirth having formed in the corners of his eyes. He pulled back and met her gaze.
"Let's call it a draw, though; you got me first after all. The way you dodged was impressive too."
"Thanks! You're faster though; I'll always be at a disadvantage in that regard."
"That's okay; you're the only person in the world who consistently manages to take me by surprise. That's worth a lot for how careful I've had to be over the years."
"I love you so much, Link," she murmured, the enormous smile on her lips never once faltering. Link's own somehow seemed to grow further.
"And I love you, Zel. Here, this can be our 'end in a draw' kiss."
"Ooh I get another?"
"Of course you do."
"My night just keeps getting better and better."
As Link's lips met Zelda's once more, she felt a flurry of elation explode through her body. Everything was so perfect with him. She didn't know what she'd done to be so lucky, but she would count her blessings every day for the rest of her life that Link loved her.
She giggled as he pressed his nose against hers one more time just for good measure.
After the couple had cleaned their faces and returned to the cooking pot, the cake was all but ready. Together, they waited for it to cool before frosting it generously with the whipped cream and adding all the pristinely prepared fruits, courtesy of Link's skillful knife. At long last, their dessert was complete.
"I haven't had fruitcake in so long and this one looks like the best we've ever made!"
"I think so too. It sure helps that we got really fresh ingredients."
"What do you say we sit down and enjoy it then?"
"I'd love that."
Zelda removed her apron and placed it into Link's waiting hand. As he went over to the wardrobe, she placed the cake on the table, taking a large knife and carefully slicing pieces of it for both of them. It looked so marvelous she almost felt it a shame to eat it. But then she once again caught sight of the glistening melon balls and the heart-shaped banana slices and couldn't resist any longer.
Link met her at the couch where they sat down by the roaring fire, Zelda taking a moment to carefully return her engagement ring to it's rightful place on her finger. There, now everything was as it should be. They each took a plate in their hand and nestled into the cushions together. Zelda scooted up against Link who kissed her cheek before lifting his fork a slicing off a piece of the fluffy cake. He had taken the front corner, complete with melon ball. Zelda was about to do the same thing when he turned his fork towards her.
"Would you like the first bite? I've seen you eyeing the hydromelon all night." Zelda giggled.
"I really have been. Thank you, my love."
She parted her lips and let him bring the bite of fruitcake near before closing her mouth around it. Her eyes lit up as the sweet flavor and aroma of her favorite dessert splashed across her senses. Slowly, she moved away, Link's fork slipping from between her lips as she began to chew the cake.
"Mm!" A shiver of satisfaction scurried down her arms as she savored the tartness of the fruit. It combined so perfectly with the sweet whipped cream and the rich cake. It was better than when she'd had it at the Castle, certainly.
"You like it?"
"I love it!" she sang, finishing her bite at last. Link smiled at her.
"I'm so glad."
"Your turn," she insisted, neatly slicing the front corner of her own cake, making sure the melon ball came with it. She could always have more later if she really wanted. Besides, it would be far too unfair to deprive Link of this magnificent flavor.
"You're giving me your melon ball? You can have it; I don't mind." He was always so quick to put her first. Zelda shook her head, though, her eyes shining.
"I want you to have it. It's so good; you have to try it! Besides, we can always just make some more."
"I'd love to try it then."
"Say 'ahh.'"
Link blushed a bit as he opened his mouth, earning a delighted little giggle from Zelda. She fed him the bite much the same way he had done moments before and she watched as his eyes lit up.
"Wow, this is good!" he managed through the mouthful of cake. Zelda snorted even as her smile grew.
"It's a good thing I've gotten so much practice listening to you talk with your mouth full, otherwise I might've missed that entirely." Link finished his bite and gave her a sheepish smile.
"Sorry, it's still such a bad habit of mine."
"Don't be. It's just another thing that makes you impossibly adorable."
"You always know how to make me feel good about myself, you know that?"
"I'm glad! You have every reason to, after all."
A comfortable silence fell between the couple as they continued eating their fruitcake. Occasionally, Link would feed Zelda another bite and she'd delight in doing the same for him in turn. And finally, once they had finished and placed their plates on the nearby table, Zelda snuggled up against Link, wrapping her arms fully around him and hugging him close.
She relished the way his own arms tightened around her. She basked in the feeling of his palm resting atop her left hand, intent on fulfilling his promise from earlier in the night. She lost herself in the blissful sensation of his warmth enveloping her. She savored the sound of his heartbeat beneath her ear, the feeling of his chest rising and falling. Everything about the moment was perfect in the truest sense of the word.
"You know, I really love winter," Zelda murmured, tucked underneath her partner's chin.
"Me too. What's your favorite part?"
"Cuddling by the fire with you like this. It's always so tender and cozy."
"I love it too, Zel." His voice was easily warmer than that fire.
"What about you? What's your favorite part?"
"Snuggling with you in bed in the mornings. It's always so cold outside our blankets, but you're just so warm and loving. It makes me wish we never had to get out of bed at all and we could just cuddle like that all day." Zelda's heart fluttered at the thought.
"We can certainly do that on one of our days off. We have lots more of those now and I love the idea of spending one just snuggling as close to you as possible." Link kissed the top of her head.
"I'd say let's give it a try tomorrow but we already promised the kids we'd have another snowball fight with them." Zelda giggled.
"They were so excited I couldn't have turned them down even if I wanted to. Link? You're not gonna let them hit me with snowballs are you?" Link chuckled, the subtle whine in her voice not lost on him.
"I'd sooner figure out how to fasten a shield made of snow to my arm and deflect every single one that comes at you myself."
"I'd be far more worried for the kids if you managed to pull that off. But if anyone could do it, it is you."
The couple broke into a little fit of laughter, a bright smile stretching across Zelda's face again. Just like the first time she had successfully prepared Link a meal, her cheeks ached from smiling so much throughout the night.
"Have I told you how much I love you?" Zelda asked, her voice a soft murmur. Link nuzzled her.
"You have, so many wonderful times."
"Have I shown you how much I love you?"
"Every single day, Zel"
"Have I shown you tonight how much I love you?"
"If our little chase around the couch earlier wasn't proof enough of that, then I don't know what is."
Zelda giggled again, squeezing him a bit closer. Ever since she had embraced enjoying her life more often with Link, nights like these were more common than ever. And never once did they lose their luster or their magic.
"I think you're right. You know what I haven't done yet though?"
"What's that?"
"Earned my three extra kisses." Link laughed lightly above her, shifting so he could bring her face up to his.
"You can have a lot more than that, my love."
"Mm, that almost sounds better than the fruitcake."
"'Almost,' huh?" An amused grin crept across her lips.
"Well, I suppose it could be even better. Guess you'll just have to show me."
"Come here and I'd be happy to."
"I was hoping you'd say that."
As Link's lips pressed to Zelda's once more, her heart fluttered and skipped several beats. It only took seconds for the room around her to melt away again.
7/2/2023