Work Text:
[1:50am]
Something just didn’t feel right.
Slowly waking up from his bed, Link couldn’t help the feeling that something was off, but he couldn’t place it. It certainly didn’t feel like he needed to use the bathroom, or get something to eat. He knows he isn’t sick, either.
He moves to get out of bed, but a red large arm that was laying on his waist lightly wraps around him. The Hylian didn’t need to see who’s arm that belong to, but he still turned to look at his husband, King Sidon, who was still sleeping peacefully next to him. The poor guy had been so busy the last few days, but fortunately, the Zora didn’t have any more royal duties to tend to for at least the next day. If he wakes up early enough, Link will spoil his beloved with a nice three course breakfast in bed, personally cooked by himself.
A small laugh escapes Link’s mouth as he gently moved Sidon’s arms, slowly slipping out of his grasp. Setting the arm back on the bed, Link leaves their large bed and takes a few steps towards their room door. Perhaps he should just take a small midnight walk around their area of the palace. Link imagines that at least a few of the guards would be roaming the halls, so it’s not like he would be completely by himself out there.
Goodness, the floor was cold. The floor mats must still be getting cleaned. The Hylian turns to look at the open window, and the star-filled sky. Zora’s Domain always felt a little bit chilly, to the benefit of the Zora that live there, but he could tell that the cooler season was on its way. Link makes a mental note to get his thicker clothing and bedsheets out in the next couple of days.
He starts to walk past the large mirror that stood nearby, and stops in front of it. Looking at his reflection for a moment, his eyes narrow onto his white hair. It grew to the lowest part of his back, and he really needed to at least trim a few inches off it. It also looked a bit of a mess, but it was nothing that a comb and a temporary braid couldn’t fix. He’ll ask his husband in the morning about it – he knows that the Zora just loves to mess with his hair, and was quite fond of braiding it. It wouldn’t surprise him if he sneaks in a few flowers or gems into the braid. Again.
That was when he notices it. In his reflection, there is a faint glow around him. Green in color, and small glowing balls of light appear to drift away from him. They somewhat looked like the light that surrounded Urbosa, Daruk, Mipha, and Revali when he would see them inside the Divine Beasts. Similar to the Monks who waited for him at the Shrines, and after they give him the Orb for completing the shrine’s trail, they disappear as if they were d--
That’s when it hit him. And Link nearly stumbles in his moment of panic.
…He’s about to die. Or at least, it certainly looks like he is.
Link’s heartbeat speeds up as he tries to process this situation. He stares at his reflection, slowly rubs his eyes, and is still seeing the green aura around him. He’s awake, all right. This is not a dream. His hands start shaking as his mind began to race.
He’s not sure what to do at this point. Logically, it would make sense to wake Sidon up, but maybe he should try to hurry to the infirmary instead? Perhaps he is just imagining things and is still trying to wake up. For all he knows, he really could be sick. There has been a bit of a mild seasonal bug that’s been going through the kingdom, so it would be his luck that he catches it now.
Then, he hears a voice in the back of his head.
Make your last moments in this world count. There is not much time left…
…Not much time?
It feels like his heart was flying into his throat, and he could hear it pounding loudly into his ears. Link places an unsteady hand on the wall to keep himself balanced.
His eyes look at the room door, towards the bed where his husband was still sleeping, and back at the entrance. Something in his gut tells him not to leave the room. If being out in the wilds taught him anything, it’s good to trust your instincts. Perhaps it was a higher power influencing him in this case. Whatever the cause, it worked, because Link finds himself heading back to his bed.
It’s funny how despite being in this room for years, he didn’t quite realize just how nice and blue the walls and ceilings were. Sure, just about the entire Zora’s Domain was blue, thanks for the gems and rocks that were used to build the whole place. He’s lived here for a long time, and it becomes something that you get used to seeing. Tonight, however, they look brighter, more stunning than they already were… and this will be the last time he sees them like this.
The closer Link was to the bed, the more he “noticed” the contents of their room. The pearl white nightstands that rest on both sides of the bed, each having personal items of both him and Sidon on them. Various decorations, paintings, and tapestries that decorated the blue walls, a few were hand created by Sidon himself. The legendary Master Sword that is hanging on the wall nearby, intentionally placed out of Link’s reach. A five-row wooden bookshelf, filled with novels, biographies, recipe books, and a not-so-secret journal that Link wrote in during his travels. Even his steps seem to be getting heavier the closer he gets. Then again…these will be the last footsteps he’ll ever make. Finally reaching his side of the bed, 15 Hylian steps away from the mirror, his aged fingers gently rest on the blankets that laid on top.
When Link and Sidon’s relationship had reached an “official” status, Link began to stay in Sidon’s room whenever he was in the Domain. He wasn’t surprised to see the huge pool when he first walked in, assuming that was where Sidon would usually sleep at. He did not expect to see an actual bed. A large water bed, at that. It looked new, and when questioned about it, Sidon bashfully mentioned that he was aware that Hylians don’t sleep in pools, so he had one made for Link to use. The Hylian playfully asked if Sidon meant to say, “for them to use”, and the Zora’s reaction of a fully blushed face, along with a head-tail wildly wagging back and forth, was one that would forever be burned in his memory.
Shortly after their engagement, Sidon insisted on getting a larger bed for their room, one big enough for a Lynel to sleep in. Link felt the request was a bit odd (apparently, despite having a lot of leg room, the current bed was “too small” for a Hylian and a Zora that’s twice his height to sleep in long-term), but did like the extra space that a Lynel-sized bed provided them. It gave the couple extra sleeping room, and more to… “work with on an intimate level”. Plus, Link did find it fun to occasionally jump onto the bed with a running start, slightly more so if there was a red Zora snoozing on it. Eventually, they went back to the smaller bed about 7 years ago – concern about Link having to crawl a long distance across the bed to get out at his age, from what his husband told him.
Now, Link is hesitating to even get back inside it. It went from being a simple place to relax and sleep, into his deathbed in a span of minutes.
Link quietly slips into the bed, moving closer to Sidon, and stares at his sleeping lover. His heart begins to speed up again, and Link tries hard to calm himself down. The Hylian feels the worry in his heart grow more in each passing second.
Of course, everyone will be upset and many tears will be shed all over the land. Link may be old, but he was still the Hero of Hyrule, even if he unofficially retired from the role quite some time ago. The inhabitants of the Zora Domain, his people, the ones he loved dearly, will equally be distraught. He was more than their ruler, or “queen” as a few of the kids jokingly refer to him as. Link was their friend, and basically was treated as a family member by all the Zora. To a few of them, he truly was their family.
But Sidon…
Out of everyone, he would be in the most pain.
His dear husband was always the more positive one out of their pair, a constant ball of confidence and encouragement that would get Link through many days and nights. It was one of the things that he loved the most about him.
But even now, especially of all the years that they’ve been together, Link knows that no number of false smiles and “I’m doing okay” ’s out in public will hide the grief that would envelop his heart.
It’s not Link’s fault, but he feels so guilty of the sadness that this will cause. Sidon had lost his mother and Mipha years ago, and he was very close to them both. Dorephan had passed less than 5 years back, and he still remembered Sidon crying his eyes out in his arms that night. It broke his heart to see the proud Zora king like that.
It really worried him how Sidon will react when he…
Link slowly reaches out a hand to touch Sidon’s face, but he stops an inch before. Part of him wants to wake Sidon up, and tell him he has a few hours left, if even that, to live. So they can have at least one final conversation, a few moments together before the end.
But he also wonders if it’s best to let Sidon sleep, so he doesn’t run the risk of seeing Sidon understandably panic at the news, and even crying.
Just that thought alone causes Link’s eyes to tear up. In a way, it’s cruel for him to even make this ‘decision’. A small part of him wished that he hadn’t woken up in the middle of the night so he could have passed away in his sleep. Would that make him selfish?
Before he could stop himself, his hand gently touches his soulmate’s cheek. It’s very warm, slightly moving with each breath Sidon takes. Link can see the small wrinkles that are beginning to form on Sidon’s face, and he sadly smiles as his thumb lightly brushes over one of them.
Sidon may appear to be younger than him, but his husband had a good 100+ year age difference, and is still in the ‘prime’ years of being a Zora. The noticeable age gap was a brief concern when they first started dating, but it really wasn’t until now that it really ‘hits’ Link.
He is lucky to have lived this long, likely a side-effect of completing all the shrines that were scattered across the land. His aging slowed down quite a bit, and he didn’t realize it until he was 35 years old, but still looked the same as he did when he woke from the 100-year slumber. Most Hylians are blessed if they live to be 100. Link was almost 50 years beyond that, and looked a few years into being an elderly. If only the reward included the ability for Link to speak longer than a few seconds at a time without his throat severely aching if he talked louder than a whisper. Sign language was quite the necessity for him.
The aging situation had its advantages. It gave him more time to help protect Hyrule, and certainly allowed him to be with loved ones for a longer time. When he got wind of a rumor that he was now an immortal god that chose to live among mortals, Link had to find it amusing. Sidon especially did and playfully teased Link about it for the longest. He even liked seeing how the world has been rebuilding since he defeated Ganon. In some ways, it was like he’s catching up on the 100 years he lost.
However, it was still only him that had his life extended, so naturally some people he became friends with since he woke up have died over the years. Despite him being grateful that Sidon was obviously still alive, and he didn’t have to worry (much) if the Zora would die before him, he did have the small thought in the back of his mind if Sidon had been stressed out about Link’s lifespan as much as the Hylian suspected.
They had briefly talked about it a few years ago after an incident where Link was put under ‘unintentional house arrest’ for a week due to a minor (as he still believes it to be) injury. Link did find it very sweet when Sidon admitted that he still wanted to grow old with him, despite the huge lifespan gap between them. He would be lying if he hadn’t hoped for the same thing. Link’s eventual death wasn’t a subject that was brought up again, and in hindsight, perhaps that was a terrible thing.
It really would have made something like tonight much easier to prepare for.
Link tries to hold back from crying as he whispers, mainly to himself.
“Oh, Sidon… I’m so sorry.”
A few moments later, he sees the red Zora begin to stir in-front of him. Link’s eyes widen at this, blinking away a few tears. Hopefully, Sidon didn’t hear him just now…
The shark king’s eyes slowly open and tries to focus on the Hylian looking right at him. He gives a sleepy smile, and leans a bit into Link’s hand.
“…Can’t sleep?”
After hesitating for a moment, Link responds to Sidon’s question with a small smile.
"…Yeah.”
After a brief yawn and stretching his arms, Sidon gently takes the hand that was on his cheek and slowly kisses Link’s knuckles.
“That’s not good. Is there something that’s bothering you?”
Link thinks for a moment, and instead begins to sign with his hands.
"Not anymore. I am fine now.”
He feels bad for lying to Sidon like this, but he can’t bring himself to tell Sidon the truth about the current situation. He briefly wonders if Sidon believed him, but he gets that answer by hearing his beloved chuckle, a kiss on his forehead, and feels a clawed hand slowly push Link’s body closer to him.
“Is that so? Would it because I am awake now?”
Sidon then gives him a grin, and he is pretty sure from the soft “thud” sounds that is coming from behind Sidon, it’s the king’s head-tail hitting the bed with each wag. Link smiles in return, and it’s an honest one. Link gently hums as he wraps his arms around the Zora’s neck, kissing his husband’s nose. They stare at each other for a few moments, and Sidon’s face turns from relaxed happiness to one of concern. Link eyes widen at this – can Sidon sees the ‘glow’ that is coming from his body?
“Link, your eyes look a little red. Were you crying?”
The Hylian quickly shakes his head.
“Rubbed my eyes a bit too much.”
Sidon didn’t look entirely convinced, but the answer seemed to satisfy him.
“Perhaps you should go back to sleep, dear. It is pretty late, after all.”
Link frowns for a moment, and speaks again.
“I can stay up for a least a while longer.”
“I’m not sure about that, dear… but if you insist.”
Sidon moves Link down a bit so the Hylian’s head is under his chin. Link lets out a sigh and relaxes, feeling a hand gently trail up and down his back.
“Maybe in the afternoon, if you’re feeling up to it, we could go for a little swim at Toto Lake. It’s been a while.”
For Link’s sake, it was a good thing that Sidon couldn’t see his face, because his eyes were starting to water all over again. He quickly blinked the tears away, and curled into his husband’s arms.
“That sounds really nice.”
“I’m glad. I feel horrible that my meetings have caused you to stay in the Domain so much, and I want to make it up to you. We could always just float around, with you on my back, of course. It can be like when we were first dating. “
The Zora king laughs fondly at this, and Link can’t help but smile, either. As simple as the date itself was, it was a favorite memory of his.
“Sorry for being late, Link!”
Sidon ran towards the Hylian that was sitting by the river, holding a few bags in his arms. Link sensed him, stood up, and signed at his direction.
“It’s okay. You were only a few minutes late, if that.”
“Still, it’s not good to be late on a first date. I had feared you would assume I stood you up.”
The shark Zora leaned over a bit to catch his breath. Link eyed the bags and softly spoke to him.
"What are in the bags?”
Sidon paused for a moment, and then grinned.
“Well, it wouldn’t be proper if a date didn’t have at least some type of food and or drinks, so I had gone and obtained some. It’s why I was running late to meet you here.”
Link smiled and signed to him.
“I understand. Would you like for me to hold the bags for you?”
"That would be great, actually. I was thinking of a lovely place where we could start our date at, but it’s a bit upstream from here. If you don’t mind we travel there for a short bit?”
Seeing Link hold out his hands, Sidon carefully gave him the bags. He took a few steps towards the river. Link watched Sidon, a confused expression on his face, and asked him.
"We would have to swim there?”
"We don’t have to, but I thought that it would be a nice scenic route to take. Since you are holding the bags, I was thinking maybe you would want to stay on my back, and I will take us there.”
Link smiled at this, and then a small idea formed in his mind. He set down the bag on the ground and signed.
"I think it would be a bit more fun if I stayed on your chest, and you float on your back in the water.”
Sidon began to open his mouth, but slowly closed it. He seemed to be in thought for a few moments, and he replied to Link, a small blush forming on his cheeks.
“I don’t know…It would be a bit more comfortable if I was laying on my back, and admittedly a much better view, but…”
The blush on Sidon’s cheek grew darker in color, and his head-tail quickly moved back and forth. The Zora prince looked away in embarrassment.
“I’m not sure if that would be proper to have you on top of me like that on a first date.”
A small hand grabbed Sidon’s, and the Zora looked at Link. The Hylian had a sweet smile on his face, and lightly tightened his grip.
If you’d rather me be on your back, it’s fine.”
With a grin, Sidon moved further onto the river and lowered himself. Link climbed onto his back, and he waited for Link to stop moving. When Link was secure, Sidon turned to look back at him.
“Are you ready?”
A soft pat on his head confirmed that Link was, and Sidon lowered his body more into the water. As Sidon began to swim upstream, he felt Link leaning forward and heard the Hylian whisper something into his ear.
“…Would it still be improper on a second date?”
The prince’s swimming was unsteady for a moment after hearing that comment, but he managed to regain control. He couldn’t control the blush that grew on his face, or the soft laughter that he heard behind him.
“Sidon…”
“Yes?”
The shark looked down at him, waiting for Link to respond. One of Link’s hands slowly moves up and down Sidon’s head-tail, and gazes in Sidon’s eyes.
“…I love you.”
Sidon appears to be surprised for a moment, even though it’s hardly the first time Link had even said those three words to him. A small grin appears on his face, and he chuckles.
“Oh? Is there any reason for saying that to me? Not that I am complaining or anything of the sort, my dear.”
Link watches as Sidon gently moves one of his arms to where he can plant a few kisses on it. He also feels sharp teeth lightly biting his arm as well, and he quietly laughed. Sidon’s teeth didn’t pierce his skin, which was not a surprise to Link. Biting was something that made the Zora king nervous when it came to intimacy. Some Zora bite their mates as a sign of affection, and despite being married for over a century, Sidon still felt uncomfortable doing anymore more than a ‘small nibble’. Link suspected that Sidon’s hesitation involved the fear of hurting him, but the hero really didn’t mind. His husband was sweet and considerate like that, and small nibbles like this was a nice sign of affection, no matter how many times Sidon’s done it to him.
He may not know if such thing as an 'afterlife’ applies to him, but he knows that even in death, Link will miss moments like this.
Link uses his free hand to cup Sidon’s cheek, lightly guiding his husband to look at him. Their eyes meet, and the hero smiles. Blue eyes begin to water, and Link is thankful that he could keep any more tears from falling out of them. He was also happy that his throat was cooperating with him tonight. He needed it.
“I just…wanted to say that.”
Link’s ears pick up the sound of a purring Zora, and observes that same Zora leaning into his hand.
“Aww Link, I love yo— “
Sidon was interrupted by Link’s lips touching his, and the Hylian wraps his arms around Sidon’s neck again. Caught off guard for a moment, Sidon recovers and kisses his lover in return. The kiss is broken a few seconds later, and Link kisses all over Sidon’s face. The Zora king laughs softly at the gesture, holds Link tightly to him, and rolls them over on their bed.
Link senses that they were repositioned to where he was laying on Sidon’s chest, and he feels Sidon resting one of his hands on his lower back. He stops kissing his face, and looks at his soulmate. A pair of amber eyes wink at him, and Sidon’s other hand combs through his aged hair. It wasn’t long before claws slowly scratch at his scalp in a soothing manner, which caused Link to let out a small yawn.
A small part of Link wished that their initial kiss went further, but he was content that it ended at that point. Even before this night, Link knows that Sidon still believes that he is the most gorgeous thing in the entire world, and that makes him happy. The Hylian didn’t have any difficulty with the fact that he didn’t look as young as he did all those years ago, but he would be lying if there were at least a few moments where he didn’t feel…attractive. His husband wouldn’t let those moments last for long, be it frequent compliments of whatever Link decided to wear or style his hair that day… or even loud declarations of “You are so handsome that even the gods are jealous! You’ve aged beautifully, my love!” that causes him to blush for the next half hour.
But that is what makes Sidon so loveable, not only to him, but to their entire kingdom. He was, as some of their friends put it, “everyone’s cheerleader” because he refused to let anyone feel hopeless or sad. Whenever Link would take a ‘shortcut’ through Zora’s Domain to his next destination, especially when he had to deal with the other three Divine Beasts, it was Sidon that made sure that Link didn’t leave the kingdom without a pep talk of positive words, a needed restock of food and supplies…and multiple displays of affection and love.
It was that love, Link knew, that helped to give him the confidence to face Calamity Ganon many years ago.
“Oh dear Link, I am pretty sure that you have everything.”
Link paused as he checked his inventory. He had lost count how many times he checked all his arrows. He had to make sure he had the Master Sword and Hylian Shield on him, as well as any potions he might need. There were many things on his list of items to take. The hero raised his hands and signed, a nervous smile on his face.
“I’m sorry. I’m just so nervous.”
“Of course, you would be.”
Sidon slowly moved to Link and held him close.
“To be honest, darling, I would be concerned if you weren’t. Even if it’s a little bit.”
Link closed his eyes and tightly hugged Sidon. His boyfriend chuckled as he ran his hands through Link’s hair, gently caressing in a soothing manner.
“I wish you would let me go with you, Link, but I completely understand your reasoning. One less thing for you to worry about in the castle. As concerned as I will be for you, naturally, I also know that you will be victorious and defeat Ganon.”
Link lifted his head to look at Sidon. Sidon noticed that Link seemed to be shaking. The Zora felt small fingers grip his sides, and watched as Link nervously whispered to him.
“…Are you sure?”
Sidon knelt down to be as close to Link’s level as he was able to.
“My darling, it was you that freed all four of the Divine Beasts, and have protected so many across the land! Along with saving my Domain and its people, you’ve crossed to so many regions, endured through extreme heat and cold, to help defend others. Not even an army of Guardians have stopped you from doing the right thing!”
The Zora prince placed a hand on Link’s face. Leaning forward, he gently touched their foreheads together.
“You have done so many remarkable things since you’ve returned to Hyrule. In-between freeing the Beasts, you’ve helped many others. Word travels surprisingly fast in our world, so I am aware of the things that the ‘Legendary Hero Link’ has done.”
Sidon smiled at his boyfriend.
“I had heard about a stable that was having lightning problems, and you found that the axe was a source of it.
The Zora’s smile grew, showing off his sharp teeth.
“There was also a couple that you helped them get together at Lover’s Pond. That gang of Bokoblins and Lizalfos that you defeated so the fishermen of Lurelin Town could provide for their families.”
He raised his free hand and closes it into a fist. His teeth shined as he grinned with encouragement.
“And I don’t care how much you try to downplay it, Tarrey Town wouldn’t have existed without your help.”
Sidon grabbed one of Link’s hands and held it, linking their fingers together.
“Perhaps to some, doing those things may not seem ‘important’, but I bet to everyone that you helped, it meant the universe for them. Link, you are amazing. It’s because of you that everyone has begun to truly believe in a brighter future. This entire world would be lost without you. You are not only the hero of my heart, you are also the Hero of Hyrule. You are destined for this moment. I am confident that you will defeat Calamity Ganon, and save us all. And I would hope that you would return here to Zora’s Domain afterwards, so we can give you a glorious celebration of your victory.”
Link stared at him, unmoving. Sidon paused for a moment, and began to look away.
“Oh dear, maybe I am putting too much pressure on you by saying all of thi— “
Sidon felt a pair of lips touch his own. Link held his lips there for a few moments before pulling away, leaning into Sidon’s hand that still rested on his cheek. The Hylian gazed into Sidon’s amber eyes with a smile.
“Thank you.”
Sidon grinned.
“But of course. I want you to know that no matter what happens inside that castle, Link.”
The Zora prince quickly kissed Link. He gently rubbed his thumb under Link’s eye.
“…I will always be proud of you.”
Tears fell from Link’s eyes. The hero smiled and placed his hand on top of Sidon’s. He nodded his head and leaned into the huge red hand on his cheek.
“And Link…”
Sidon looked nervous, as if debating something. Link raised an eyebrow and gently tightened his grip on Sidon’s hand. Sidon took a deep breath, and gazed deeply into Link’s eyes.
“I had wanted to… give you something last night. But now, …I feel it would be best if I wait until you return, after you defeat Calamity Ganon. I want to properly give it to you.”
A deep blush spread rapidly on Sidon’s face. Link quietly laughed while he used his other hand to touch Sidon’s cheek.
“…Then I guess I have to come back.”
Link touches the ornate jewelry that wrapped around his neck, his fingers resting on three large sapphires that were decorated on the left side. He likes to pretend that it was his “true” reward for defeating Ganon, but it was much more than that. It was a visible sign that he was Sidon’s. Forever.
Realizing that his scalp wasn’t being scratched anymore, he looks at Sidon to see if he had fallen back to sleep. His husband had a habit of doing so most times Link would allow his clawed fingers to mess with his hair. It was a cute habit, to him at least.
Thankfully, he was still awake. Sidon appeared to be lost in his own thoughts, but noticed Link staring at him. Sidon smiles at his spouse, twirling long silver hair with his claws.
“Hmmm?”
“You’re always so supportive of me.”
“Of course.”
Sidon lifts Link up to eye level, and rubs their cheeks together.
“My dear husband, haven’t I told you how incredible you are?”
He turns his head so he can place a kiss on Link’s cheek.
“…And how thankful I am?”
Link sighs as he touches their noses together, a tired smile on his face.
“My number one fan.”
Link rests his head on Sidon’s chest, and feels his eyes start to close. He quickly forces them open, but couldn’t stop himself from another yawn. He can’t risk falling sleep right now. Not yet. Please Hylia, just a little bit more time…
Link wants to spend as much time with Sidon as possible. It’s a shame, but inevitable, that he couldn’t at least see two other important people in Link’s life right now. The other parts of their family.
“…I’m so proud of our daughters.”
Sidon hums as he rubs Link’s back, gently scratching in a few tender spots.
“As am I. They’ve grown into amazing women. I know Suha still hasn’t decided yet, but regardless if she chooses to take over ruling the Domain or continue to work with the soldiers, I just want her to be happy. “
A chuckle escapes Sidon’s lips as he holds Link closer to him. Link snuggles into his husband’s arms the best he can.
“Although, I do think that she would be a great ruler. Her or Tweedia. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dia ends up taking over, but Suha would assist from the background, making sure Tweedia doesn’t stray too far off the correct path.”
Link giggled as he ran a finger up and down Sidon's broad chest.
“That sounds like Suhanan, alright.”
“I admit that for a brief time, I was worried if they would get along properly, but I am happy that they are close to each other. Heh, even if they can be quite the handful when they are working together.”
Sidon lets out a tiny laugh, and Link starts to think back on their daughters. Despite the many times that both girls have caused trouble for him and Sidon, there was one time that stood out to him. They must have been children when it happened.
Taking a deep breath, Link slowly signed to his daughters, trying to stay as calm as possible. As relieved as he was that they were safe, the Hylian was not in a good mood. Thankfully, the girls’ injuries weren’t life-threatening, and could be taken care of with bandages.
“Okay, explain to me why the both of you thought it was a clever idea to attack that group of Bokoblins?”
“Yes, I would like to hear this as well.”
Sidon looked down at their daughters with an angry expression, despite his words being calmer than Link’s. The two girls in-front of them had guilty looks on their faces. Tweedia nervously played with her red hair. Her eyes began to water, and she began to open her mouth -
“One of them beat up and stole Dia’s money. I wasn’t going to let them get away with it.”
Tweedia stared at her elder sister, and Suhanan faced their parents without any fear. Link’s eyes narrowed as he resumed signing.
“So, you thought it was a clever idea to fight that group of Bokoblins on your own, just the two of you? What if your father and I hadn’t made it in time? Suha, you and your sister could have been killed out there!”
“We were handling them just fine!”
A low growl came from Sidon’s direction, and Suha turned to look at her father.
“That’s not how we found you two. Eight Bokoblins, including two silver ones, surrounding the both of you. Dia on the ground, using a tree branch to shield herself. A huge bleeding gash on your arm, Suha! Why didn’t you think to come tell us?!”
“You were in a meeting, and I know Dad was still resting from his long trip to Hateno. By the time you two would be ready, the Bokoblins would have been long gone!”
“And taking the Master Sword was the better option?”
“Yeah, because how else was I going to kill them? They hurt Dia!”
Link stepped forward as he continued to sign.
“You don’t get into battles with the intent to kill. Even at that, it was very foolish what you two did.”
Suha growled as she glared at him, her gills puffing out.
“I don’t get why we are in so much trouble. Dad, if you found out that a Hinox or a Lynel beat up Father, wouldn’t you want to kill it too?!”
Link began to open his mouth to respond, but his ears catch a light chuckle from Sidon’s direction. He gave his husband an exasperated expression, and the large Zora offered a half-nervous smile in return.
“Suha has a point, love. Can’t really argue with that.”
Link glared at Sidon with a look that said, “You aren’t helping.”. The tall Zora looked the other way. Letting out a deep sigh, the Hylian faced his eldest child.
“In either case, it’s still a foolish thing that you did, Suha. You are the elder sister, and the future queen of the Zora Domain. I would have expected you to act better than thi-”
“P-Please don’t be mad at Suha. It’s my fault.”
Tweedia loudly sniffled as a few tears rolled down her face. Both parents and Suha watched her carefully. Her sister appeared to be disappointed. More tears fell from the young Gerudo’s eyes as she looked at both of their fathers.
“Suha had told me not to stray too far from her in the woods, but…I just wanted to gather more plants and flowers for tonight. That was when the Bokoblin attacked me. He took the Rupees that I had, and I managed to get away and found Suha. I…I told her what happened, and after discovering where they lived, we came back to get the Master Sword.”
Sidon walked towards Dia and then kneeled in front of her. He wiped away the tears from her eyes and turned to face Suha.
“…Were you trying to cover for her?”
The eldest child turned away for a moment, before nodding. Link took a few steps towards her, and placed a hand on Suha’s head. He quietly spoke to her.
“Perhaps you have been around me a little too much.”
A smile slowly formed on his face as he knelt to her level. Suha smiled back at him and noticed that Sidon was still looking at her. She braced herself for another scolding, but was surprised when Sidon spoke to her in a pleasant toned voice.
“It’s not bad that you wanted to defend your sister, Suha. It’s a good trait to have for a future ruler.”
The shark turned to his younger daughter and lightly ruffled her red hair.
“And it is very sweet that you wanted to gather more flowers and plants, Dia. The flowers especially will be a nice gift for our guest tonight.”
At that moment, Sidon’s expression changed into a serious one.
“…But, the both of you really shouldn’t have tracked the Bokoblins down for a fight. It’s not worth a bag of rupees if you two got hurt, or worse, because of it. “
Sidon placed a hand on both of his daughters’ shoulders, smiling at them.
“How about this: should this ever happen again, come get me or your dad. I don’t care what it is that we are doing, or what time of day it is. Tell us, and we will take care of it.”
Link reached out and wrapped his arms around Suha and Dia. He gently spoke to the girls as he held them close.
“We love you both dearly. So please, let us get hurt instead.”
Suha and Dia nodded in agreement as they hugged Link. Sidon wrapped his arms around his family, and then stepped back, smiling to them.
“Now, the four of us should be off. We kept your grandfather waiting long enough for our dinner date. You know how he looks forward to these.”
Link joined him and they left the room. The husbands noticed their daughters hadn't moved. Sidon tilted his head to the side.
“…Is something wrong, girls?”
After glancing at each other, Dia spoke to her dads hesitantly.
“So…are we still in trouble?”
Both parents answered at the same time.
“Yes.”
“No.”
Link and Sidon looked at each other for a moment, and smiled. Link turned to his daughters and gave them both soft pats on the head.
“…We’ll think about it.”
Link lets out a long sigh as his eyes start to close. Truth be told, Link was worried about his daughters as much as Sidon concerning his upcoming absence. They’ll certainly have to help each other through this rough time, along with their father. Knowing his eldest, Suha would try to handle all royal duties during this heartbreak, so Sidon would have less to worry about. Dia would certainly spend as much time with him as possible, which Link is sincerely grateful for. Hopefully, Sidon won’t mourn his death to the point where he neglects to take care of himse—
“Oh goodness Link, I shouldn’t be keeping you awake like this. Let’s go back to sleep.”
While Link was lost in his own thoughts, Sidon had turned to look at his husband. He catches the Hylian's seemingly thoughtful, tired eyes. Startled, Link widens his eyes, trying to shake the exhaustion away. Unfortunately, he yawns, unable to hide it.
“No…Not yet.”
“Honey, you’ve been yawning off and on for the last couple of minutes. Come, we should get some rest for tomorrow. “
He truly yearns to stay awake, but his husband was right. It was getting harder to keep his eyes open, and he can feel his strength slowly fading. It must have only been an hour, at the most, since he woke up. Link feels Sidon set him gently on his side. He watches as Sidon pulls the blanket up higher so that it covers Link’s shoulder.
Despite being comfortable in Sidon’s arms, and feeling extremely drained at this point, Link just can’t bring himself to relax. Death was slowing coming for him. Thankfully, the Zora hadn’t noticed that his hands were shaking.
“…Sidon?”
“…Hmm?”
“I…I can’t get to sleep.”
A pair of lips touch Link’s forehead, as large arms hold him close.
“Perhaps a lullaby is in order?”
Curling up into Sidon’s embrace, Link lets out another yawn.
“…That would be perfect.”
“Any requests?”
After pondering for a few moments, Link slowly trails a finger up and down his beloved’s large chest, resting his cheek over Sidon’s rhythmic heartbeat.
“Surprise me?”
Sidon chuckles as he gently massages Link’s head.
“Well, I don’t know the lyrics to the melody, but…”
The Zora king begins to hum a song. It a familiar one to Link, and it takes him a few moments to remember it. The tune was a popular one, especially when the Queen of Hyrule was still on the throne. It was even named after her.
“…It’s been so long since I heard this.”
It really had been some time, and if his memory wasn’t failing him, the last time he heard the famous lullaby, it was when he was with Zelda shortly before she…
Link realizes his husband had quieted the tune. He listens to Sidon’s soft voice as he speaks.
“Before I accidently sat on it, I loved when you played this song on your ocarina.”
Before he could stop himself, Link lets out a small laugh. On that day, Sidon had convinced himself that Link was going to divorce him for breaking it. The blue instrument was a treasured wedding gift from Zelda, and Link would play it often. It just felt natural to him, like he was born to play melodies from it. The hero even created a song with the ocarina, and named it after his husband. Link had barely finished playing the song before he was drowning in kisses from Sidon.
The Hylian places a soft kiss over Sidon’s heart, resting his head back on top of it.
“Please…keep humming it for me?”
“…Of course, my hero.”
The humming resumes and Link snuggles himself more into Sidon’s arms. Feeling his husband’s large hand rub up and down his back, a sense of calm and peace fills him. Despite being scared, a smile slowly forms on his lips.
Link dying will hurt Sidon immensely for a long time, but he will be okay. With their daughters and everyone that lives in the Zora Domain, he won’t be alone. He will heal, and continue to live. If there is a way for him to do so after he leaves this world, Link will make sure of that.
As he closes his eyes, tears flowing down his face, Link again wonders if not telling Sidon about ‘this’ was the right thing to do. Honestly, he isn’t sure if it was or not. What he does know, is that in case there was no afterlife for him, if this was the last time he would ever feel or see again, being with his beloved like this would be his ‘final wish’.
It was a wish that was granted, and he internally thanks the heavens for that.
-
Sidon,
…Thank you.
For everything.
-
[3:03am]