Getting to Know You~BotW ZeLink post-Calamity Fanfiction

Pt. One Sect. Six: Fear of Loss for Meaningless Cause-Zelda

Zelda had only a flash of the next events that transpired. She remembered Link throwing her over his shoulder and the sounds of his huffing breath and pounding feet. And it was cold, very cold. Then Zelda became aware of her surroundings once again. She was floating, in water. In water? She gasped, her lungs inflating with air. Clutching at her beating chest Zelda sat up, coughing violently. She felt hand's on her pull away as she got to her feet. The warm water helped to stabilize her shaking legs.

"I told you to stay low!" He said furiously. Link's chest rose and fell, small puffs of air exiting him that dissipated into nothing. The tips of his ears pink along with his nose and cheeks. Zelda now realized that they were in Hebra. She felt the cold invade her upper half. He looked so enraged with her. His eyes were wild, and he was tense. Her head was light, and her body ached but both feelings were fading.

"That Moblin had a bomb arrow! I couldn't stand by and watch idly without helping!" She shouted back. Link looked at her angrily, his nose flaring and his jaw tightening, but he turned without another word. "I didn't want you to die Link!" She exclaimed. He waved her off.

"I would have been fine." He answered, his voice void of any emotion. His head was down, and she could see how his shoulders rose and fell as he breathed.

She followed the knight down the mountain, steaming and her clothes already freezing to her body. Link looked at her, tossing her something.

"Put this on." He said bluntly, turning away. Zelda looked down at what he gave her. A simple pull over jacket. and a pair of pants. She looked back up at Link, who had his back to her, but she still felt uncomfortable. Zelda went behind a rock and started taking off the wet clothes. She quickly pulled on the jacket and pants, the boots on last because she didn't want her feet in the snow. She held the sopping clothes, ringing them out as much as possible, but they were frozen by now. Zelda turned the corner seeing Link, putting a tunic on and over his head. She stopped. Scar upon scar covered what seemed like every inch of him. Gnarled, misshapen, large and small. Some looked small compared to the deep ones and others looked as if he had sown the once existent injury together himself. He pulled the tunic down and looked over at her. "Let's go." Link took her to a shrine and put his hand on her shoulder. His touch wasn't like last time though. It was hard, and cold, different from the gentle soft touch he gave her in the past. They went back to his house in Hateno. He didn't look at Zelda, not once that whole evening. He just stared at his knees as he leaned against the tree.

That night she stared at the ceiling. The events that occurred earlier that day ran over and over in her head. Giving up on the prospect of sleep, Zelda got out of the bed and pulled on her boots. She put on the cloak and walked down the stairs, being careful not to awaken the creaky floorboards. She opened the door and closed it softly, looking over at the dozing Link laying against the tree. He had his hand on the grip of his sword, but he was fast asleep. She turned the other direction and started walking. A small pond next to his house glimmered in the moonlight and restless crickets chirped in the night. Zelda trekked next to the rocky slope, being wary of the fall. One misstep could be her demise. She thought back to that moment, where link rescued her, brought her back to that hot spring and helped her. But he was so mad at her. Well, Zelda did do the direct opposite of the one thing he told her to do. She felt sad. She didn't want their relationship to go back to what it once was. No talking and her constantly blowing up at him. She had never seen Link that mad before. He wasn't even that mad at enemies. So why at her? It almost scared Zelda. His emotion was so strong about it and she guessed she understood slightly. She did put herself in jeopardy, so he had the right to be angry at her for getting in the way. Zelda was so deep in her thoughts she didn't even notice the steep drop she was about to walk off of until a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. She turned. Link stood there. His hair slightly messy and his eyes filled with sleep.

"Link! I-I didn't even hear you." She stuttered.

"Why are you out here?" He said, ignoring her initial statement and letting go of her wrist which he still grasped.
"I couldn't sleep." She snapped pulling her wrist to her chest. Link looked confused at her tone. But didn't say a word. She felt her heart soften. "Link, I-I'm sorry." Zelda sighed. "I just didn't want to see you get hurt." She said sadly, looking down at the tips of her muddied boots. Link stepped closer to her.

"Listen Zelda." She looked up to meet his gaze. "I would have been fine. Daruks protection would have saved me. It defends me from any blow a certain amount of times." He said. "And I should apologize aswell. I was a bit harsh towards you. I just-" Link looked off into the distance, letting out a small sigh. "I don't like seeing the people I care about hurt." He said. "I also wasn't mad at you; I was mad at myself. I could have protected you, but I didn't." Zelda opened her mouth to reply but suddenly a boney arm popped out of the ground, clawing and feeling around. She gasped and Link turned. She watched as three skeletons rose from the ground. What looked to be remains of what used to be Moblin's. She looked over at link. He didn't even have the sheikah slate. Links hand traveled to his back, and he looked down at it in shock when his hand didn't withdraw a sword.
"Where's the-"
I left it at the house, along with the sheikah slate." Link said. As if he was mad at himself.

"Link look out!" She shouted, pointing. Link turned and jumped back before a boney arm could strike him. He looked around. Then his eyes brightened. He snapped his fingers, and a strike of lightening came down from the sky striking the Moblin's electrifying them and turning them into dust. Link looked back at Zelda. She stared at him in pure shock.

"Urbosa's Fury."

Zelda Yawned, feeling a cool wind on her face, she opened her eyes and lifted her head. She was outside under that tree. Feeling something tighten around her waist, Zelda looked down seeing a calloused, scarred hand. Zelda felt her heart skip a beat. She pulled away from Link, scrambling up. Looking at him in shock, Zelda felt a blush creeping in. No! She was blushing!? What did this mean? She did not have feelings for him! Did she? If she did she would have thought that they would have shown by now. No, she was being silly, Zelda was just flustered because she just woke up. She wasn't thinking straight. Link opened his eyes and blinked, looking around. He looked up at her. She gave him a very fake smile she perfected over the years of royal gatherings.

"Hello." She said. Link got to his feet and scratched his head, making his already messy hair even more disheveled than it was before.

"I was thinking about yesterday." He started. "Your right, you need to learn how to wield a sword proficiently and to shoot a bow. If any situations were to arise. Its best you learn how to defend yourself if I'm not there to protect you." Zelda nodded. "So today you're going to raid a Bokoblin camp." Her eyes widened.
"By myself?" She asked, still slightly flustered. He nodded.

"I'll be there if things get too out of hand but you're going to raid an easy one." He paused "I just wanted to say. I apologize for the way I acted yesterday. I know you were just trying to help and I shouldn't have spoken so harshly. But please-" His eyes met hers. "Please don't put yourself in harms way." Zelda looked back at the knight.

"Thank you. And I'm sorry too."