Link's Perspective:
It was sweet of Daruk to allow us some free time. The sun had already set and the sky had already turned indigo, illuminating the bright stars and moon. Even without the sun shining overhead, the air was humid and clinging to our skin. Zelda's face was flushed from the sweltering heat, beads of sweat dripping down her face. Her riding clothes were thin, meant for summer days, but even with her light outfit, the scorching heat still made her uncomfortable, causing her to shift from foot to foot.
Daruk noticed how uncomfortable we both were, and laughed joyously, almost nervously. "I'm sorry!" he chuckled. "As a goron, I usually forget how hot it is for... well, non-gorons. I'll let you guys relax." He clapped a giant hand in my shoulder, grinning down at me. "You know where I live, yeah?"I nearly stumbled under the weight of his hand alone. He was a good guy, but amazingly oblivious to his strength and weight.
"Yeah," I responded, smiling, trying to shrug off his weighty hands. He grinned down at me, shaking my shoulder warmly before wandering off. Zelda turned to me, grinning sheepishly, pressing a pale hand to her forehead.
"Hylia, it's hot," she laughed. I nodded, shifting from foot to foot. "We should take a dip in the springs." I raised my eyebrows in confusion.
"We just went swimming," I protested. I didn't think I could handle jumping into a pool of boiling spring water.
"Just trust me," she murmured, moving closer to me, grinning as a slight blush crossed her cheek. She looked at me with wide pouting eyes, pouting exaggeratedly. I could help but relent, sighing heavily.
"Alright, alright..." I murmured. She jumped in excitement, taking my hand (before I could protest and change my mind) and dragging me to the edge of the springs. She peeled off her clothes quickly, the thin fabrics clinging to her skin due to the sweat. She gestured at me as I couldn't stop myself from watching her excited, fluid movements.
I rolled my eyes, following suit. Zelda pushed her dark hair over her shoulder, letting the back of her neck feel the breeze, before dipping her toes into the very edges of the water. She noticed my nervousness, my arms crossed over my torso, glancing around worriedly for any unwelcome eyes. Her hand on my bicep startled me.
"Come on," she whispered, gently pulling me to the pool. To my surprise, it was lukewarm, without the sun heating it. It was refreshing, as well, despite its temperature. The princess waded into the water from the shore, the water lapping at her knees, then her hips, before she submerged her upper half in the water. I followed her, choosing to dive into the water instead. I bent my knees, springing myself forward, feeling the water part as I dove into it, gasping at the surface and pushing my dark hair from my eyes. The water was weirdly rejuvenating.
Before my eyes could readjust, I felt Zelda's hands on my shoulders. Her voice was quiet, barely detectable to even me. "You know," she said softly, wrapping her arms around my neck, "we haven't kissed since we... well... became a thing."
"Is that what this is about?" I asked, just as quiet as her. I could feel the blush on her skin as she buried her face into the crook of my neck, humming in agreement. I couldn't help myself...
I gently took her chin and pulled it away from my shoulder, before leaning forward and connecting our lips. The world fell away. It was better than the first time we kissed, no precarious standing on tree limbs. Instead, we let the water guide us, her body against mine, pushing her legs around my hips as we kissed.
I wasn't sure how long we were there. It was just lips at first, kisses growing more passionate, deeper, taking less time to breathe as we grew desperate. Then, it was hands. I only cupped her cheek as we kissed, holding her steady as she gasped for breath. But then her legs wrapped around my hips, pulling her body against mine, her hand interlocking with mine as she guided it to her hip.
I circled my thumb on her perfect skin, feeling the curvature of her body. Then it was her, guiding my hands, the water lapping at her ribs as she pulled away, cheeks stained pink, brushing her hair back as she guided my hand to her breast. She could tell I was nervous, choosing to place her smaller hand over mine, guiding my slow steady movements, softly massaging her, lips pressed together. I didn't feel any room between us, before she buried her face in my neck, taking long, deep breaths. I paused my movement, holding her waist.
"Zelda?" I asked quietly. She whined into my neck and I felt her teeth graze against the muscles along my shoulder before she sat up, looking at me with heavy-lidded eyes.
"I'm tired..." she murmured. I couldn't help but laugh breathlessly. Of all the times to suddenly get tired... I held her close as I waded to the shore, lying her down as I slowly redressed her. She protested the entire time, whining about how she didn't want to leave. I chuckled, helping her to her feet, partially carrying her to her room. Thankfully, it was late enough that there was nobody else around. I found Zelda's room, or at least the one Daruk left for her.
As per usual, it was gorgeous. Even though I didn't want to leave her, I had to. I lay her on the bed, pulling the blanket over her shoulders. She whined again. "Link..." she whined. I shook my head, fluffing the pillows. She was already partially asleep when I brushed the damp hair from her face.
"See you tomorrow, Zelda," I whispered, closing the door gently behind me as I left.
~~~
I'm tired so I can't tell if this chapter is well-written or not. I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say it's written fine, and I will believe that until somebody calls me out.
In other news, thanks for all the congratulations I've been getting. I haven't even graduated yet and you guys are already hyping up, lol. I don't have much to say, to be honest. Quarantine is killing me, but who isn't it killing, to be honest?
Whatever, I hope you guys stay safe and healthy.
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Free to Love - A Zelda x Link Fanfiction
RomanceBefore the rise of Calamity Ganon, Princess Zelda of Hyrule was appointed to travel across the lands. She was to learn about the technologies of the ancient civilizations before her kingdom rose and speak to the leaders of each nation. And along the...