Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I am incredibly happy he has gotten rid of the majority of our Lizal problem, yes, does he have to nearly kill himself and burn down half a forest doing it?” Muzu asked with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Sidon let out a quiet sigh at the question, looking over at his dear friend who was sitting proudly in front of the King and as many of the Elders as they could find for a quick, emergency meeting. He was only sitting because of the fact he had such a deep gash in one of his legs that even the healers couldn’t fully close it, and so they had to give him stitches. It would be a few days before he could comfortably run around. This wasn’t the first time something this serious had happened, and people were concerned. Those people were mostly just… Sidon.

“Link is a bit reckless sometimes, yes. I will admit it. I think he would, too. But, that does not mean he is doing any of this intentionally. As he has explained it to me, he sometimes just stumbles upon their outposts, and when they see him, he has no other choice but to fight. Our warriors have fared much worse fates than him before when trying to do the same task. We shouldn’t be sitting here berating him, it is lucky he is not more hurt,” Sidon said, starting off sounding rather dignified and collected, but honestly he was angry. This was his best friend they were talking about!

They were suggesting, to Link’s face, that he was getting hurt on purpose to waste their healer’s time, or something like that. Sidon had a feeling this was Muzu’s thought. Link, at least, didn’t seem bothered by this. He had his usual bored, carefree look on his face. Though, Sidon had a feeling that it took some effort to stay that calm.

“Now, Sidon, you don’t need to get upset,” Muzu started, sounding very condescending. It made Sidon’s blood boil.

“Muzu, that is enough,” his father said, silencing all of the Elders who were about to start speaking, likely going to join in with Muzu. “Link is no more careless than some of our very own warriors, except he has to consider and fight against all of the beasts and beings of Hyrule. It is incredibly rude to think he is doing any of this out of intent. We offered our help, in any way , as thanks for all of his help. This is included. Be glad he is not dead, for the Calamity would  then do much worse.”

Sidon stifled a grin. His father was always on his side, especially when it came to Link. The royal family had always had a soft spot for him, it seemed.

“However,” he continued. Uh oh. Sidon’s stomach dropped again. He spoke too soon. “I do agree that it is concerning. This is at least the fifth time this month alone that he has come in with a serious injury. I think if anything, I am concerned about why this is happening. Link, you are much better of a fighter than this. Is something hindering you from doing your best?”

That managed to break Link’s poker face. A frown came across his face, and he raised his hands as if he was going to sign something, but they quickly dropped down to his sides. All he did after that was simply shake his head. It wasn’t convincing.

“Well… Alright,” King Dorephan said with a sigh. “I am not upset with you in any sense. I cannot speak for the Elders, but I can assure you we are not going to punish you. You can come see our healers as much as you need to. Please, though… Be safe. And if you need to speak with anyone, I am sure that Sidon will listen.”

Link looked over at Sidon after that, giving him the smallest smile. Sidon smiled back, his heart fluttering slightly. He was so worried.

“Is it alright if we call this meeting to an end? I’m sure Link would like to rest,” Sidon suggested, a concerned look on his face. Muzu couldn’t be cruel to Sidon when he looked upset, and nodded instead of saying anything else.

“Alright. I want you remember what I said. Please use any of our resources that you may need,” King Dorephan agreed.

With that, the Elders started to head out of the throne room. Link began to get up, but before he could do too much Sidon was at his side, helping him up without waiting for him to ask. Not like Link would ask, but still.

‘Thank you,’ Link signed quicky, letting out a sigh as he held onto Sidon’s arm, keeping his weight off of the bad leg. ‘I probably would have been kicked out of the Domain otherwise. And, you know, for helping me walk .’

Sidon smiled softly and shook his head. “It’s none of my work, really. My father did most of the talking,” he said, helping Link down the steps of the palace. Link shook his head, giving Sidon a strange smile. As they stood above the Domain, Link looked away, out into the distance of Lanayru. For a moment, silence hung heavy between them. There was something he did not understand, Sidon realized. There was a lot that had yet to be said.

‘Dorephan shut them up, maybe. But you were defending my honor. It was nice,’ Link clarified without making eye contact. Sidon wanted to be able to say something to dismiss the compliment, not one to enjoy them without complaint, but Link had a look in his eyes that was a lot different than usual. Something was different. Link seemed so… Sad.

“It isn’t hard to defend you. You’ve done so much for us, so much for me ,” Sidon insisted instead of complaining.

Link looked up at him, giving him the strangest smile he’d seen come from the Hylian. It was quiet again. ‘I’m sorry I keep getting hurt. I don’t want to worry you or your father.’

“Don’t apologize. It isn’t your fault that monsters fight back. I am always worried, no matter what. You’re my best friend, Link. And yet, you have the most dangerous, daunting job in all of Hyrule. Even if we promise you all of our healers, even with my sister’s help… There’s risk in what your job is. So, I guess… Don’t worry about worrying me. I care too much to not.”

Link looked away again when Sidon was done speaking, rubbing at his arm. He brought his hands up again, his fingers twitching before he dropped them with a sigh. Then, he opened his mouth and said something softly, something that would come to consume Sidon for the next week,

“You shouldn't waste your time worrying about me.”

Sidon immediately went to deny that this was the case, but Link stopped him by raising his hand. A more familiar, determined look was on Link’s face. ‘We should see if the healers are ready to try fixing my leg again. These stitches suck.’

Sidon was in no position to deny Link. So, they went, Sidon helping Link walk the whole way, the silence thick enough to suffocate them both.

Chapter Text

Link left the domain the hour after he saw the healers, as they managed to fix his leg. He left without telling Sidon goodbye. It… Hurt. But, Sidon tried to understand. Link was going through something right now. That was all he managed to piece together from the strange looks and strange silence. Had he had a particularly terrible memory come back? That was Sidon’s leading idea, but he still wasn’t sure.

The only other thing Sidon knew was that his father expected him to be working, and not worrying about his favorite Hylian. It wasn’t that easy, though! As he walked around the domain, trying to keep an eye out for any issues that might arise, all he could think about was the look Link had on his face when he said that he shouldn’t worry about him. It looked like it had hurt him to say that.

It took four days of worrying and stressing over Link before his father called him into the throne room. The talk they had was a familiar one. It sounded like the first time he told his father he had feelings for Link, feelings that were clearly more than friendly. Except, back then his father was busy laughing at how nervous Sidon had been to confess his preferences. It was a good day. He could remember it clearly. Link had been in the Domain for a week, and it had been such a good week. They would go for a swim on the daily, and Link would talk his ear off while they floated along the river. It seemed so long ago, though it was not even more than a month ago. Link seemed so different now… And his father seemed to be worried, too.

“I understand why you’ve been distracted. Don’t think this is me blaming you for anything, Sidon. I just… I am not sure that worrying is a good solution. I think it would be better for you to see if he is still in the Domain, and then try and speak with him,” he suggested.

Sidon let out a little sigh. “I don’t know if he wants to see me. I don’t think I upset him, but I think he would be upset by seeing me nonetheless. He told me I shouldn’t care so much about him. Why would he think that’s an option?” he asked, rubbing his chin as he tried to piece together what had Link acting so unusual. It had his chest aching something terrible. It was hard to know the person he most admired did not appreciate himself. Link deserved to feel only happy things, and yet Sidon could not change that.

“He has a lot of guilt within him, I believe,” his father offered. “I know he cared for Mipha. He must have cared deeply for them all. Even if he did not, to wake up a hundred years later with no recollection of the friends you lost in battle… I could not imagine it.”

Sidon nodded slowly. That was what he understood from the little Link told him about that part of his life. “So… You would give me permission to leave and find him?” he asked instead of continuing the subject. Hearing of Link’s saddest moments always made him sad, too.

His father nodded. After that, Sidon went to grab a few of his weapons to prepare for any ‘what if’ situations, and then he found himself leaping down a waterfall to take a long swim through the Domain and the area nearby.  

It took Sidon two long hours to find Link. His worry only increased the longer it took him to find him, most because he was concerned that the Hylian had left to go to another place in Hyrule. When he found Link, he was nearly exhausted from the worry and how fast he was swimming, but he was very glad he had found him. He caught the Hylian as he was spying on a Lizal outpost, most of them with black backs and red stomachs, hinting that they were pretty strong. He could barely make out what weapons they had, but they looked strong. Goddess... What was Link thinking? He was not healed enough to be taking on an outpost of the strongest enemies in the area! Was he really going to attack them? There was so many!

Sidon let out a sigh from under the water, slowly swimming over to where Link was hiding. He was far enough were Sidon could get out and talk to him without them being spotted. He wasn’t going to let Link go after them right now. Not when he was this upset and already had been hurt several times this month. When he popped out of the water, he let out a sigh to get Link’s attention so he wouldn’t scare him. Link glared at him the second he saw Sidon, even after a look of recognition came over his face. It made a sharp pang of pain spike through Sidon’s chest, but he didn’t stop. He crawled onto land and kneeled next to him in a few fluid motions, whispering,

“What in Hylia do you think you’re doing? The healers told you that even if they could fix your leg, you shouldn’t strain yourself like this.”

Link let out a scoff. ‘And what are you doing here? This is none of your business! It isn’t safe for you to be out this far,’ he signed angrily, a frown deep enough to be called a scowl set on his face. Sidon did not understand why he was so angry, but he had a feeling it had to do with why Link left so quickly. He was trying to achieve something by fighting all of these beasts, wasn’t he? Was it happiness? He wanted to grab Link by the shoulders and tell him that no matter how many Lizal he fought, it wasn’t going to change anything. The blood moon would come again no matter what.

“My father sent me to look for you. We’re worried about you, Link. You’ve been incredibly reckless! It isn’t safe for you to be doing this, either. You could hurt yourself,” Sidon scolded, trying his hardest to not sound like Muzu. But, if he let too much emotion into his voice, he was worried something would come out that he couldn’t take back. At least if he was cautious and preachy, he wasn’t saying something too stupid. Link wasn’t having it, letting out a huff.

‘I can take care of myself! It doesn’t matter if I’m reckless. These monsters need to die. They’re a danger to me and the Zora. You should be thankful,’ Link insisted, taking a few steps away from Sidon, as if he was going to flee. Sidon’s gut twisted at that idea. Why did he have to love such a difficult person? He hated that thought, but a part of him knew it was true. It wasn’t fair. His first love was one of the most complicated people in Hyrule.

“I am thankful, but I would be much happier with a few Lizal alive and you safe. I know you can take care of yourself, but I’m worried you are choosing not to,” Sidon reasoned, trying to keep his voice calm. Link didn’t need to see him get emotional over this. It would feel like he was manipulating him. That’s not what either of them needed.

‘So what?’ Link signed, his frown twisting lower. His hands had been shaking. ‘I’m here to fight things. It doesn’t matter if I get hurt.’

“It matters to me.”

Sidon hadn’t meant to say that, but it came out right away and with it came all the emotions he’d been trying to keep down. Sidon could feel himself frowning suddenly. Link paused when he heard it, too, stopping in his tracks and looking away. He looked at the Lizalfos first, then the ground, then the sky. It looked briefly like he was praying. Sidon couldn’t recognize the emotion on his face, but with how hard he was frowning, it seemed like he was trying to hold something back. Finally, he raised his hands again.

‘I know it does.’

...That was it? Sidon expected more, but Link was known to choke up at the worst of moments. The tension was still there. It felt like Sidon was frozen in place, and it felt like his anxiety might actually choke him out any moment.

“Come back to the Domain. You need to rest.”

‘Okay. ’

Sidon was expecting that fight to be more difficult, too, but he was lucky. Or maybe they were putting things on pause. There was dangerous monsters just a few feet away, and they couldn’t afford to startle them because of an argument… When he got closer to Link, wanting to take the shrine back instead of swimming, he realized Link had his regular, neutral expression stuck on his face.

‘Can we swim back? I know it’ll take a while, but… I don’t want to see anyone else just yet.’

Sidon wasn’t sure what that meant, but he wasn’t in the position to tell Link no. Even if he was exhausted, angry, and worried as hell, he wouldn’t tell Link no. He brought him over to the edge of the water, then let Link climb on before he started swimming. This time, the silence wasn’t nearly as thick, but Link still didn’t say anything.

Sidon had a feeling they would have a talk when they got back. He was trying to ready himself for that. He doubted he ever would be.

Chapter Text

Link grabbed Sidon’s hand the second they entered the Domain again. Sidon was confused, especially when Link started heading to his bedroom , of all places. It took Sidon a little too long to realize it was because Link wanted to talk in private, and then his stomach twisted yet again. Why would Link want to talk in private? The last time this had happened, it was when Link confessed his fears about fighting the Calamity. It had been a long night, but he learned a lot about the Hylian. Link had also fallen asleep with his head on Sidon’s shoulder. It had been a blessed night, even with the emotions they both felt.

Now, he had a sense that things would not be so soft and sweet. Link was angry, he was pretty sure. Then again, he wasn’t sure at all that that was right. All he knew was that he had never seen Link frown so much and it felt awful to think it was his fault. What had happened? Why was everything so bad all of a sudden?

The second they were in the Prince’s private chambers, and the door was closed and everything was quiet, Link let out a sigh.

“I’m sorry for being such a disaster,” he said, not facing Sidon as he spoke. “I know I must seem crazy. Just a week ago I was fine, but… Truth be told, things aren’t going well.”

Sidon didn’t speak at first, confused by Link suddenly speaking and sounding so soft. Was he wrong entirely? Was Link not even close to angry? What had caused this? The beast that was his worry finally settled down, as curiosity took over. Link turned to him slowly, but he still didn’t make eye contact. He had that look on his face that he had on his face when he said not to worry about him for the first time.

“I haven’t been able to sleep well for over a month. When I do sleep, it’s full of nightmares. It’s… Horrible. They’re all terrible things.”

“Nightmares?” Sidon echoed, almost in disbelief. It was strange to think that that was all it was, but then he immediately scolded himself for playing it down. They were nightmares so bad that Link had not slept peacefully for a month. A whole month! Sidon was irritable after one bad night of sleep. “That sounds troublesome. Why haven’t you told me before?”

“Because… It’s stupid. I’m the last champion, and nightmares have managed to fuck me up more than any monster in Hyrule,” Link said, suddenly crossing his arms over his chest. He looked like he was trying to curl in on himself. Sidon ached to just pull Link into his arms and comfort him, but that wasn’t the right thing to do.

“It’s not stupid. We all have nightmares. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, Link. You’re allowed to have a bad day, or even a bad month. You have such a burden to carry, and yet you haven’t let out more than a few complaints. You barely seek out healers, and you have already done so much to bring peace. People get excited to see you, no matter if you’re just there to get some materials and leave. You’re the brightest, best thing that has happened to us in a long time,” Sidon rambled on, finding it so easy to fall into an endless cycle of complimenting Link. There was so much to love. He wished Link understood.

But, Link only shook his head. With how Link was looking down, Sidon couldn’t see his eyes or any other bits of his face. He didn’t say anything for a long moment, until he raise his hands enough to sign, ‘You act like I haven’t disappointed everyone already.’

Link let out a sound that seemed like it hurt to make with that. Sidon frowned, shaking his head even if Link wasn’t looking up enough to see. “You haven’t disappointed anyone, my dear friend. You were not the reason that they failed a hundred years ago. Just like you have said in your stories, it seemed as if everyone had been ambushed in ways they could simply not predict. There was a lot of things that were not seen. No one was ready for the fight. It wasn’t you.”

‘It feels like it was,’ Link signed back without a bit of hesitation, but then drew his hands away to wipe at his face. Was he crying? Goodness, no… He felt horrible for Link. It wasn’t pity in any sense, it was… It was just pain. Why couldn’t Link see himself at at all like Sidon saw him? It wasn’t fair for a person to be so great and still see themselves in such a distorted, terrible way…

“You are a hero, Link. Even if the Elders blame you, even if history thinks of it in other ways… You are a hero to me, and to my father, and to everyone who you helped save by taming the Divine Beasts. You’re gearing up to save the entire world, even! It amazes me that you think you aren’t amazing,” Sidon spoke in the softest voice he could manage, slowly stepping closer to Link. When the Hylian didn’t flinch, he knelt down so he could gently take one of his hands. “Trust me, my dearest friend. I don’t put my faith into just anyone, but I believe in you wholeheartedly.”

Link finally looked at Sidon, and he could see that he was holding back tears. He looked like he’d been hurt somewhere, and Sidon wondered briefly if he did something wrong. Then, Link looked away once again, pulling his hand back. ‘How can you say that when I… I couldn’t even save your sister?’

Sidon paused. He wasn’t expecting that. Briefly, he thought back to when he found out that his sister was leaving to fight the Calamity. She had given him the tightest hug he’d gotten in his life, and promised that no matter what, she would be there to look over him and love him. When she did not come home, he saw his father cry for the first time. He didn’t understand it at the time, but the second he realized the fight against the Calamity had failed, he felt a sadness so strong he couldn’t leave his room for the day. But… It wasn’t Link’s fault he felt that sadness. It was Ganon’s. He was the enemy. Had Link forgotten that?

“She wouldn’t be angry with you. You saw her when you fought Ruta, didn’t you…? She would never blame you. I wouldn’t, either. The world hates the Calamity, not you . You are the shining light that will save us all, and I truly believe that legend most of all,” Sidon told him quietly.

Link didn’t respond for a moment, but when he did, it was a sudden hug and Sidon had not been prepared for it. He almost fell over, but once he was balanced again, he held Link close to his chest and hugged him tight. It wasn’t until then that he realized that Link had started crying, and Sidon panicked. Had he done that? ...Yes, probably, but then it clicked that Link finally believed him. He listened enough to understand that no one hated him, even if his dreams said otherwise. Sidon let out a shaky sigh, realizing suddenly that he was near tears himself.

‘Thank you,’ he felt Link sign against his chest, and his only response was a gentle squeeze. It was the truth. It took a while, but with enough gentle back rubs and whispers of reassurance, the Hylian eventually cried himself out and fully relaxed. No more sobs, no more trembling. Sidon pulled back gently when he felt it was right, and wiped the last of the tears away.

“I’m glad… I’m glad you finally spoke with me, Link,” he decided to say, unsure of what else to do. Link smiled tiredly, but it looked much more like the smiles he’d seen before.

“I’m glad you stopped me from fighting those Lizal…” Link admitted, resting his hands on Sidon’s shoulders and studying the other’s armor instead of looking at his face. Sidon studied him for a moment, finding this particular look on his face incredibly sweet and soft. Maybe he had been wrong. This conversation had gone from dark to sweet very fast.

Just as Sidon was about to say something, Link looked up at him and gently brought his hands up to the other’s face. Sidon jumped, heat rising to his cheeks. Link had never really caressed him like he was now, and he wasn't sure what to make of it. It felt intimate, and he didn’t think that was right to jump into after Link had just cried his eyes and heart out.

“Link, perhaps you should go rest for a while? I can have the cooks make you something nice for dinner,” he offered, but Link just stared at him.

Sidon felt himself getting antsy again, pulling back slightly, nervous under the Hylian’s intense stare, but before he could pull back fully, Link leaned in and suddenly pressed their lips together. Sidon froze. It felt like his brain short circuited. Link was… Kissing him? Wasn’t that incredibly personal and romantic to Hylians? Oh, goddess, this wasn’t supposed to be happening, was it? Even if he loved Link, which he absolutely did, he did not want something romantic happening like this. Link was tired, emotional, and not in the state to be kissing anyone!  

Sidon pulled back, a worried look on his face. Link frowned when he did, blushing up to the tips of his ears. Neither of them said anything at first, but then Link stepped back, a look that seemed like embarrassment, horror, and the same painful sadness mixed together on his face. Oh no…

Just as Sidon thought it was all fine, too.

Chapter Text

Sidon panicked the second Link started pull back. This was not how things like this were meant to go. He had wanted to kiss Link for such a long time, but he thought if he was ever going to kiss him, it would be after a romantic dinner and not after Link just cried his eyes and soul out. This was all wrong.

“Link…” Sidon mumbled, bringing a hand up to touch his lips in a state of near disbelief.

‘I’m sorry. That was stupid of me. I should have known you would not want to kiss someone like me.’

Sidon blinked. Link’s signing was almost hard to read, his hands were shaking that hard. No, no… That’s not what it was about at all! Link was misunderstanding the situation in the worst way possible. Sidon took a deep breath, trying to figure out what to say. He needed to hurry. Link’s chest was heaving in a way that didn’t seem healthy.

“You shouldn’t… You shouldn’t feel obligated to kiss me, Link,” Sidon said quietly. Link looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, clearly confused now as well. “I can’t be certain of why you kissed me, but to me it felt incredibly impulsive. It felt like you were doing it as a thanks for me being kind instead of you kissing me because you wanted to. It didn’t feel right. And, well. It surprised me. So, that’s why I pulled away. I… Under normal circumstances, would probably love to kiss you. Just… Not like this.”

Link looked to the ground slowly and let out a little sigh, wiping at his eyes again. As Sidon spoke, he could tell Link was calming down some. It wasn’t an outright rejection, after all. He shook his head before looking at Sidon, a stern frown on his face. ‘That isn’t why I kissed you,’ he signed. Sidon paused. That was… Good, he decided. But, then, why had Link kissed him?

‘I kissed you because… Every time I looked at you while you were trying to cheer me up, you had this look of determination on your face. You looked like you believed every word you said, without a doubt. It looked like it was so easy for you to say that stuff about me, and I guess I realized that… I like it when you say things like that about me. I like that you care about me. I like you.’

Sidon was silent as Link signed, surprised by just how much the Hylian was saying. Even when he signed, he tended to only say a few words at most. It finally clicked, though, and Sidon realized that this was very like a confession of sorts. It made it feel even more so like a confession when he realized Link was blushing again, refusing to make eye contact.

“You kissed me because I believe in you?” Sidon asked, knowing he sounded dumb, but this was still a confusing situation even if Sidon labelled it as a confession. He knew Link liked him. They were friends , after all. Why was this making Link so shy?

‘You’re the only person I have met who cares about me enough to come find me and stop me from fighting things I shouldn’t. You treat me like I’m a part of your family, or something. You always make me feel good about myself no matter how bad it is. Sidon, I…’

Link trailed off, his hands stuck on the last sign they made as he tried to force himself to sign something. Sidon was left on the edge of his seat, realizing suddenly that Link was hinting that he might like Sidon in a way that was more than friendly. His feelings were returned? Oh. Goddess! That was why Link had kissed him! The Hylian finally realized that they both had feelings for one another, and he had deemed it the right time to kiss him. Sidon had messed it up! Not Link!

‘Seeing you look at me with all that worry just a few minutes ago made me certain. Sidon, I think I might be in love with you. So. That’s why I kissed you. I probably should have asked first, though, and… I understand if you don’t return the feelings.’

Like that was an option… Sidon let out a soft chuckle, which got Link to finally look at him. Link’s lips drew up into a hopeful smile as he set his hands down, but his eyebrows were furrowed in a way that let Sidon know he was still nervous. Link, who fought off hordes of monsters, was nervous and emotional about Sidon not being in love with him. It was a silly idea.

“Link, why would I bother to look for you if I did not love you? Why would I fight the Elders on a weekly basis to keep your name in good standing? Earlier I said under normal circumstances, I would kiss you at any moment. I was wrong about your intention to kiss me. You thought it was the right time. It was a romantic gesture, and I messed it up. I apologize. I made you worry. I made you think I do not return your feelings, when in reality,” Sidon paused as he stepped closer, grabbing one of Link’s hand and pressing a soft kiss to it, all for theatrical effect, “I love you just as dearly, Link.”

Link laughed at him. Normally, Sidon might be a little offended, but it was such a soft, bright little sound and Link looked so happy. This conversation had been a mess of emotions, but it had been incredibly productive.

“Can I kiss you now?” Link asked quietly, his voice soft and a bit hoarse from crying. Sidon would cherish hearing it, he wanted to burn that question into his mind for forever.

“Of course,” Sidon said, deciding to forgo the fact that he had no idea how Hylian kissing worked (or really why it was so important to them? It felt nice, sure, but why was it such an emotional thing??? It obviously meant a lot to Link, so…), and instead, he readied himself.

Link pulled Sidon down some so he could stand on his tiptoes and reach Sidon’s mouth, and in response, Sidon gently rested his hands on Link’s waist. He closed his eyes, leaned in slowly, and soon their lips pressed together. Link seemed to know what to do, so Sidon let Link lead it. It was soft. It made Sidon feel warm deep down. He suddenly understood why Hylians liked this so much… It was so… Amazing.

Sidon started to press back, which made Link smile. He could feel him smile. Astounding. He soon lifted Link off the ground somewhat, so he wasn’t in such a bent position. Link gasped, but responded by simply wrapping his legs around Sidon. They kissed for at least a few minutes, Link letting out soft sounds and running his fingers along Sidon’s chest and fins. Sidon was amazed enough by the kiss to be satisfied just holding Link while kissing him, but when they pulled away, he did tuck a strand of Link’s hair behind his ear.

“That was… Stunning!” Sidon commented happily. Link was pink all over again, but managed to laugh again. ‘It really was,’ he signed back, looking into Sidon’s eyes with the most content smile he’d seen in awhile. For a moment, they stayed like that, looking into each other’s eyes as they fell deeper into what might be a new side of their relationship.

Then, Link yawned. Sidon laughed softly and set his best friend down on his feet again, but only for now. “I still think you should get some sleep, my pearl. You’ve had a hard few days, it seems. You can tell me about them over dinner,” Sidon suggested quietly, and to his surprise, Link nodded.

‘...Do you mind if I steal the waterbed in your room?’ Link asked with another blush, surprising Sidon all over again and getting him rather flustered. Sharing a bed, already? Well, not really sharing a bed. Sidon would need to run off and see his father, tell him he found Link safe and sound and that… Things had happened. Link had slept in his bed before, actually, quite often. It was free, and Link had said it was cozy and they were in there most of the time they were hanging out. It was no different now, right?

“Sure. I won’t be able to stay right now, since I did sort of leave my post to find you,” Sidon admitted, making Link laugh again.

‘That’s alright. Go, do your princely duties.’

And, Sidon did leave eventually, but not before he helped Link get into his bed and tuck him in. He had to help fight the nightmares that plagued Link somehow, and even if all he could give Link before he left was a kiss on the forehead, he had a feeling it would help.

When he left his room, he had a goofy grin on his face. The last standing champion was in love with him, had kissed him, and was sound asleep in his bedroom. He sighed to himself, a happy sigh, and then quickly ran to go tell his father.

Chapter Text

Link woke up in fear and panic, clutching the ends of the blanket in his shaky hands as he shifted from the horrors that were his nightmare to the calmness of Sidon’s bedroom. He let out a sigh when he realized he’s okay, there were no monsters, and that everyone was alive. As his breathing evened out, he laid back down in the biggest bed he’d ever been in, closing his eyes. He’d slept, but clearly not  for long and not decently. A part of him had hoped that Sidon would stay by his side while he slept, but he understood. The prince had other things to do than comfort him. But… They had kissed and all. Confessed their feelings. Sidon had seen him cry… So maybe it wasn’t entirely selfish to ask for him to comfort him. Link would have to start thinking that way someday. He knew he couldn’t keep denying praise and love for forever.

Suddenly, he realized he had no idea what time it was. With a bit of panic, he sat up and scrambled for the Sheikah slate, checking and sighing softly when he realized it was just barely dinner. He’d really only slept for an hour, then. An hour, and that bad of a dream? Things were really getting rough.

Then, the door opened just as Link was getting comfortable and nearly scared the living daylights out of him, but it turned out to just be Sidon. He let out a rather loud sigh at the Prince, sitting up once more and giving him quite the intense pout. At first, Sidon had walked in with a big grin on his face, but it faded some when he noticed the pout and he tilted his head curiously.

“Is something wrong, my pearl?” Sidon asked in one of the sweetest voices ever, and Link almost forgot to keep pouting.

‘You scared me,’ Link signed at him before he flopped onto the bed again and hid his face. He could hear Sidon padding over to the bed, and then one of those big, strong hands gently rested on his back. Link huffed, turning to look at his favorite Zora. He was always grumpy after he woke up, especially nowadays that he couldn’t sleep peacefully. It wasn’t Sidon’s fault, but he had scared him a little.

“My bad,” Sidon said quietly, finally, sitting next to him with an incredibly gentle look on his face. “I didn’t mean to. I thought you were still sleeping. Did you sleep peacefully?”

Link sighed quietly and relaxed while listening to Sidon’s soothing voice. It made no sense to stay angry, especially when Sidon was so close and being so gentle. At the last question, he frowned a little and shook his head. To speak, he did need to sit up and sign to him, and once he sat up Sidon began to gently run his fingers through his hair. Ah. Well, that was distracting… And… Really really nice. He hoped Sidon decided to keep it up. ‘Another nightmare. It wasn’t as bad as usual, but it was still a nightmare,’ he explained.

“Ah? I thought maybe sleeping somewhere more comfortable might help… Perhaps later, when you try to sleep tonight, we should see a healer beforehand to get you something to aid in sleep,” Sidon suggested. Link smiled, but shook his head.

‘I’ll be fine. Just need to… Get over it, really.’

“Why? Do you think it is something to be ashamed of, Link? We all have nightmares. You have much more haunting you than most of us, so I would not blame you for any guilt you feel,” Sidon said. The question almost shocked Link. Why? Well, having nightmares was hindering how well he could fight, and it made him angry, and people were concerned! Especially with how much more time it meant he was taking…

But, just as his thoughts began to spiral, he paused. Sidon had nightmares, too?

‘What do you have nightmares about?’ Link asked, looking at Sidon pensively. He was strong, powerful, and the sweetest man to walk the Earth. What would scare him.

“Yes. Mostly about what will happen when I become king. It worries me to no end, even if my people and my father are confident in me. I stress over it a lot, and sometimes it follows me. But, it always helps me to talk about them… So, maybe you could tell me about yours?” Sidon offered. Link blinked at the request. Talk about his dreams? Well, alright… It wouldn’t be that bad to at least talk about them…

‘They’re mostly about the failure. I have these vivid memories of fighting against things, mostly Guardians, and they are all winning. I can’t feel the pain of it, usually, but there’s always something that makes me feel like… A failure. It mocks me. Tells me that I was destined to fail, anyway. Sometimes I have dreams about the other Champion's last fights… I saw what defeated them in their Beasts, and I guess that was enough for my mind to jump to imagine how they… Died. Those are the worst. Some of them are mixed with things I know that happened, like… Revali saying that he should have been the chosen one, Mipha’s confidence in what I could do, Urbosa’s strange optimism about it all, and Daruk… He always liked to show off. Sometimes he would punch rocks for fun, to show off. But, ultimately, those words all got turned on them. Because… Because I failed. I don’t remember what made it go so wrong, but… I think it was me. I don’t know if I can believe anymore that it wasn’t me,’ he signed, his hands almost a bit sore by the end of it. That, and… He was already almost in tears. Why was he crying again? Sidon didn’t need to deal with him having so many of these breakdowns.

The smooth brush of nails against his scalp shut up his thoughts. It was so constant, so warm, so nice… He was sure Sidon was doing it on purpose now.

“I understand. Those all make sense, Link. You must feel so much guilt, yes?” Sidon asked gently. Goddess, yes . He felt awful! A few tears slipped as he nodded, pressing himself closer to Sidon. “But… You must believe me, my pearl, when I tell you no one blames you for their deaths. Ganon is the most evil thing I have heard of. He should have lost. History writes that battle as a victory come from trickery. Ganon had to find your weaknesses. He was the coward. You… You, Link, were the brave knight who nearly died to save him.”

Link almost opened his mouth to protest, but any voice he had died in his throat as he started to let the tears fall fully. “...No one blames me?” he asked quietly instead, shaking his head. “What about the elders? They clearly dislike me…”

“They are upset they were not the ones to defeat Vah Ruta. The older Zora hold themselves to high standards. Accepting help from strangers, especially outsiders, seems very foreign and embarrassing to them.  They only dislike you because you do everything they wish they could,” Sidon explained. Link wasn’t sure if that was true, because how in the world would Sidon know that? But, he said it was such certainty and calmness that it still comforted him.

He let out a soft sigh as he nuzzled into Sidon even farther,  tired of crying and of being so sad all the time. One of Sidon’s hands gently cupped his face and he looked up to him once more, before closing his eyes as Sidon wiped away his tears. It felt incredible, the coolness of Sidon’s hand against his warm, puffy skin. “Those dreams you have make sense, Link. But they aren’t who you are. They aren’t true. You are a hero. You are my hero,” Sidon said softly, and Link opened his eyes once more to just stare at that soft, sweet look on his face. Maybe Sidon was right. Those dreams weren’t true. Even Revali wasn’t that angry with him once he had defeated Windblight Ganon… And, it was true. All the stories had written Link as the one who saved them from darkness. He was the hero. He was good .

“I love you so much, Sidon,” Link murmured quietly, nuzzling Sidon’s hand and pressing a few soft kisses to his palm. “...You should stay with me when I sleep tonight. Some company might keep the nightmares away.”

Sidon nodded with a toothy grin, pressing a gentle kiss to Link’s forehead. “I love you, too. And, of course, though beware, I tend to cling on and never let go when I sleep.” Link let out a little laugh, shrugging to show he didn’t mind the idea, and then pulled away slightly. “...Is it near dinner time yet?” he asked suddenly. Sidon laughed a quick, hearty laugh and nodded. “Yes, it is, my pearl. Would you like to wash your face, then we can eat?”

Link grinned and nodded quickly, getting off of the water bed with a bit of difficulty before he made his way over to to the nearest pool of water. His hair was a mess, and so was his face, he realized, but Sidon didn’t seem to have minded…

He really was the lucky one here. While Link might be the Hero of Hyrule and most people would say anyone who was able to get close to him was in luck, Sidon was the sweetest, kindest man to exist, with a knack for adventure and yet proper enough to reasonably be the one to take the throne. They were a perfect match.

...That thought alone was enough to make him feel warm and fuzzy inside. Goddess, he had it bad.

Chapter Text

Link spent the next few days in the Zora’s Domain. He had expected his visit to be much shorter, but with how things had gone, it was probably best for him to stay and recuperate somewhere where people appreciated him. Sidon was obviously excited to have him stay, but little did Link know, there was more than one reason for his excitement. Sidon had a long talk with his father one afternoon while Link was out searching for fish, and had decided it was about time he start officially courting him. Normally, he would have asked Link’s parents for permission as well, but that was obviously not something that could happen. So, instead, he figured he would just ask Link instead, and the Elders agreed. All he had to do was make sure he got a yes, and then things could get even more exciting.

He knew he was going to get a yes. After all, Link had admitted to loving him, and if his feelings were true, he should want this as well, no? Sidon could only hope so. Still, even though he assumed that that the Hero would say yes, he wanted it to be a big and fancy setup anyway. Though, planning it out was a lot harder than he thought it would be…

Did Link like yellow or blue flowers more? Or was he more of a fan of gems? Where would he even start in terms of getting Link proper gifts? He would like swords more than any fancy  gems, but there was no way he could safely get them… Ah, it was troubling! His father had laughed when Sidon came in later that day asking for advice on how to ask him, and simply told him not to overthink it. It was obvious what Link would like. Sidon decided that he was right, and then asked Link to meet up for a special dinner later.

Still, Sidon was incredibly nervous when the time came around. He had one of Link’s favorite meals cooked up and kept the gift in his lap as he waited. When the Hylian walked in, he had a curious look on his face. Sidon had given this a lot of hype beforehand, saying that this would be one of the best dinners Link had here, so it made sense that he looked so curious.

“Hello! Come sit,” Sidon asked happily, gesturing to the seat he’d set out for Link. A soft smile came to the blonde’s face, especially when he noticed the meal. ‘Why is this all so fancy? Thank you, but I did not do anything to earn this…’ Link asked. Sidon shook his head simply, taking one of his dear friend’s hands.

“You do deserve this. Besides, you said yourself that you are thinking of heading out again soon, so I wanted to make you feel special and appreciated as much as I could,” Sidon offered simply. It wasn’t a lie in any sense. This would, hopefully, make Link feel pretty special.

‘Alright… This food does look really good,’ Link said with a little hum, settling in his seat now and grabbing for a fork. He looked briefly at Sidon, who had been too busy excitedly waiting for Link to try something that he hadn’t even grabbed his fork, and let out another chuckle. Sidon blushed when he was caught and grabbed a fork as well, beginning to politely eat. It was a bit quiet during their meal, but Sidon was used to that. Link had a love for food that was stronger than anything he’d seen in his life, and he wasn’t going to break that up. Also, Link already had enough trouble speaking when he did, so food did not help.

Still, the light conversation they ended up having was rather nice. The food only lasted a half hour at most, and then they were tasked with talking to one another. Or, rather, Sidon was tasked with figuring out how to finally ask Link to be his.

“My father is trying to work out trade agreements with the Gorons, but it is rather difficult. We can travel there, but it takes a lot of potions and is still a very tiring journey. I think I will try and go alone this next trip, or maybe just take Bazz and Gaddison,” Sidon found himself rambling on about. Link always liked to listen to his politic talks, he was pretty sure, but when he paused he realized this was not the kind of conversation they should have before he asked him out.

“But, uh. You likely don’t care about that. Even if you do, I wanted to talk about something a bit more dear to me,” Sidon quickly changed the subject. Link tilted his head curiously, signing a quick, ‘What do you mean?’

“...I wanted to talk about you,” Sidon said, his cheeks flaring up. Link blushed faintly as well, his ears drooping a little. “You and I have made our feelings rather clear. I like you a lot, and you like me. When Zora folk have feelings like these, they typically court one another, which is basically a series of gift giving and some other things until they get to rings… So, Link,” Sidon paused to grab the gift and gently set it on the table. “It is expected of me that I will properly and thoroughly court anyone who I claim to love. I… I want you to be mine, Link, and it all starts with this gift. Do you accept?”

Sidon was watching Link’s face as he spoke and watched the little smile on the other’s face turn to a much wider smile. A good sign. Link let out a laugh, a delicate yet so, so warm sounding thing, and nodded. “I do,” he murmured. “I would love to be yours, Sidon.”

It took almost all of Sidon’s energy for him to not giggle excitedly, but a soft, chirpy noise left him that normally only came out when he was underwater. It seemed to only egg on Link’s excitement and happiness. ‘Can I open the gift?’

Sidon nodded eagerly, his head tail flicking slightly. “Of course. I hope you like it,” he said happily. “It was hard to find a gift you might like. It’s hard to figure out what the Hero of Hyrule might like without going too far, you know? I can’t go out and find a sword, but...” he forced himself to stop rambling when Link pulled off the wrappings.

When Link opened it, his smile fell into something softer and his eyes widened. He was pretty sure that was good. It was a simpler version of a sapphire circlet, glistening in silver and blue tones. Link let out a happy little sigh. “Sidon… I love it,” he mumbled, which made Sidon relax very visibly, moving to set it properly on his head. Sidon was surprised but thankful that Link hadn’t tried to deny the gift as he had worried. It was quite a bit, even by his own standards, but Link deserved it. And… He really did look nice with it on. ‘How does it look?’ he signed when his hands were free. Sidon smiled his brightest smile at him.

“You look stunning, my dear Link.”

Chapter Text

The day after Sidon started publicly courting Link, the Hylian left for Rito Village with a few pocketful of warming elixirs and one of the best spears made in a while. Oh, and after he kissed Sidon a wistful goodbye. Of course, for the next few days Sidon was worried that the shrine in the center of the Domain will light up and there will be his hero, bloodied and cut up from the battles he’s been involved in, but eventually he managed to relax. It wasn’t like worrying did any good, after all.

Sidon did not end up hearing from Link for about a month, which was both worrying and promising. It was a good sign in the sense that Link was out there, getting things done, but it was worrying for more obvious reasons. Sidon did not know if he would ever hear from him again. When a third light joined in the sky, however, he knew that he was incorrect. It was difficult to see from the Domain, but a few guards had reported on it and eventually Sidon saw for himself; Medoh had been captured. It was really reassuring, and also incredibly exciting. He did not know when Link would next return, but the other had promised it would be soon after defeating Vah Medoh. He was incredibly excited.

It took only two and a half days for the shrine in the Domain to come to life, and Sidon had to admit that he might have ran there, just a little. As he saw the familiar Hylian form back into shape, he grinned. "Link!" he called out right away, hurrying over to greet him. "It's been quite some time, hasn't it?”

His words were met with a big smile and Link opening up his arms to accept the big hug coming his way, and for a little while, all they did was hold one another. It was an emotional moment, both of them saying quietly to one another that it was a beautiful thing that Link made it out alive and completely okay. When Sidon set Link down, Link pulled his hands away to sign something quickly.

‘I got you a gift,’ he signed, looking like he might be a bit embarrassed. Sidon tilted his head. He had explained to Link it wasn’t his duty to give as many gifts, as being the Hero of Hyrule outranked even Prince Sidon’s social status. In other words, it was Sidon’s duty to prove he was worth Link’s hand in marriage, even if Link protested otherwise. Still, Sidon wasn’t going to reject a gift from Link.

“Oh?” Sidon asked curiously, kneeling down some so he could be more eye to eye with Link. “What is it, my pearl?”

Sidon grinned at the handmade box Link pulled out, carefully undoing the string that kept it together. The gift already implied that Link made it all himself, which made his heart swell. When he opened it, he gasped at what he saw. It was a handcrafted jewel for his cravat, which was made obvious by the jagged edges and slight clumsiness the design had, but in the center was a cut of a diamond. To be given one of the most precious jewels in Hyrule… It was so flattering. It said love in a thousand and one ways. The soft look in Link’s eyes suggested that he knew what he was doing with a gift like that.

“Link… This means a lot to me… Thank you so much,” Sidon said and moved to take off the pin on his cravat, pinning the newly made one on instead. “I will wear this proudly until the end of my days. I also got you gifts… They’re all in the room you like to stay in.”

Link grinned at that and pointed at the exit of the shrine, and Sidon nodded. They should probably get out of this water, it was likely uncomfortable for Link. So, off they went to the room the Hylian had stayed in. It was enough to get Sidon’s heart racing that they were headed off to his private chambers, even if they had already slept together (in the literal sense!). Each gift Sidon had given was some kind of jewelry, and it felt incredibly simple compared to the gift he was just given, but he knew Link would like it nonetheless.

It was an interesting thing, their relationship. Both of them always seemed to think that the other wouldn’t love something about them. Perhaps it wasn’t that, but maybe that he always thought Link deserved the best, so when he gave him something slightly less it pained him? That felt more correct. He had never felt so devoted to a person as he did Link, and he had no shame in admitting that. They had made a good choice in being together.

“Was Vah Medoh difficult?” Sidon asked. Link let out a soft hum then nodded briefly.

‘It was cold up there. I think that was the most difficult part. A friend I made had to bring me into the sky and I had to bomb the Beast to pacify it. It was a little scary,’ Link explained. ‘It’s nice to be back here. Much warmer, too.’

“I understand. I don’t mind the cold as much as the heat, but I’ve heard that it’s rather extreme up in that corner of the world. I’m glad you managed to stay safe, my dear,” he agreed.

Soon, they were stepping into the guest room within the palace that had been mostly claimed as Link’s. On the bed was a small pile of the gifts Sidon had made, and when Link caught sight of them, he let out a soft laugh. “So many,” he commented happily. It was a nice reaction. The Hylian headed over to the bed and began to open a few. His smile only got bigger as he opened them and found more and more pieces of jewelry, but Sidon was more excited for Link to get to the bigger gifts. As he waited for his love to get to them, Sidon planted himself on the floor next to the bed, the tail on his head flicking slowly.

When Link opened one of the bigger gifts on the bed, he was surprised to find an impressively made short sword, one that looked very durable and was super shiny! He looked over at Sidon with excitement and curiosity in his eyes, then stood to flick it around a couple times as if he were using it in combat. “It feels nice!” Link excitedly told Sidon, which earned him a soft laugh. The last of the gifts were different weapons and a shield, all of which Link seemed to appreciate even more than the last.

Once everything was opened, Link cleared off all the leftover wrappings off of the bed, then climbed into the waterbed before waving over Sidon, who climbed in after him. ‘Where did you get all those weapons?’ Link asked curiously. He knew that there was a man who made weapons, but those seemed unlike anything a Zora would craft by hand.

“I went out adventuring a few times on my own. There are an impressive number of chests underwater,” Sidon explained simply, pulling the smaller man into his arms and gently combing his fingers through his hair. “I know you like the jewelry, but I wanted to give you gifts that had purpose.”

‘I understand… Thank you. So… Where does this put us in terms of courting??’

Sidon laughed softly at Links apparent excitement during that question. “Well, there’s no name for any of the milestones in courting, but I would say it would be acceptable for us to go out into the Domain and be affectionate. We’ve made a lot of progress.”

Link grinned and then nuzzled his face into Sidon’s neck. He seemed a lot more cheerful today than he had been for a long time. Sidon wondered if he had finally sleeping well again, or if he was just that happy to have tamed another Divine Beast. It was hard to guess what was causing him so much joy, but Sidon decided after a few more moments of wondering that if Link was happy, it didn’t matter. He just wanted to keep it this way.

But, little did Sidon know that Link was just truly this happy to see him again. Sure, his sleep schedule was a lot better and he was feeling better than he had in a while, but for the longest time Sidon had been one of his favorite things in Hyrule. And now, he was his. Being showered in gifts and affection by his favorite person? Then getting the hugs and comfort he could not get anywhere else? It brought a warmth to Link that he had never felt since waking up, and if that is what love was…

Well, he just hoped he could feel this warmth for the rest of his days.