Chapter Text
Golden eyes stared up above, hopeful and encouraging.
“Finish the job, Link.”
Then the Champion was gone, rising atop Vah Ruta with the intent to tame the gargantuan Divine Beast. Prince Sidon on the other hand, remained in the water-- Quickly flipping backwards and withdrawing to Zora’s Domain, hoping that Link did not worry over the trails of blood following his retreating form.
Link didn’t blame the Zora for not wanting to follow him inside Vah Ruta. After all, the corruption inside this machine had felled his sister a hundred years ago. It didn’t take a keen eye to see how Sidon and his people still mourned for their champion.
However, it was slightly worrisome that the bright eyed and overly enthusiastic man was nowhere in sight upon his exit. He had expected Sidon to watch Vah Ruta and show his support just as he had done through his journey up to Zora’s Domain-- Not that he had requested it, or even needed it (although it did feel nice), it simply seemed like something the prince would do. Nevertheless, Link emerged from the Divine Beast intact and only slightly worse for wear.
He would need some healing. And a rest, definitely. Rather than bother with the walk and climb, Link drew his Sheikah Slate from its holder and instructed it to whisk him away to the Ne’ez Yohma shrine. After rematerializing, he shook out his arms and legs, speeding the return of feeling to his buzzing fingers and toes. There were a few shallow tears and patches of skin that had turned raw from prolonged contact with ice, but overall, Link felt that he didn’t need too much medical attention. Just a few days to recuperate with the ache and cold that had sept into his bones. The simple action of lifting himself up the stairs from the shrine strained on his waning energy reserves-- As soon as he informed Sidon and King Dorephan of his success with Vah Ruta, he’d be renting a bed at the inn and spending a few extra rupees for that water bed. Feeling weightless would be a Goddess sent luxury.
But obviously, the Goddess wanted to test his patience at every turn.
“Champion Link!” a Zora called, racing up to him. Link bit back a soft groan. He would be making his way to King Dorephan momentarily-- There wasn’t any need to send a messenger. “Champion Link! I have orders to send you to the infirmary the moment you arrived!” The Hylian raised a brow, gesturing for the Zora to explain himself further. They surely had expected him to get injured, of course, but he could get himself to a healer if he really needed it.
“King Dorephan has requested that you go to see Prince Sidon, sir, he has been in the infirmary since he returned--” His sentence was cut off by the pounding of Link’s boots against stone. When they had parted ways, Sidon had seemed fine… What had happened? Was he going to be alright? His mind raced with fears and worries, hoping and praying to the Goddess he had only just cursed that he wouldn’t lose anything more than he already had.
Zelda was gone. His memories of her and her spirit had been stolen away. Mipha, Urbosa, Revali, Daruk...they were all lost to him. He had only flashes and scraps of recollections that only served to twist the knife deeper into those wounds. Link had traveled through many regions of Hyrule attempting to remember who he once was, to the wastes of the Gerudo desert, volatile mountains of Eldin, and wind bitten mountains of Tabantha.
It was only in Zora’s Domain that he found any semblance of peace, any solace alongside those memories.
Agonizing over the possible things that had befallen Sidon made the fairly short trip to the infirmary seem like its halls stretched on and on and on. His legs ached of course, but that pain was secondary to the panic consuming the Hylian. After an eternity Link finally reached the familiar area of the infirmary, bursting into the room and boldly grabbing the first Zora he saw. He didn’t have the patience to deal with the off chance that the Zora might not understand him at first, so he mouthed the words as his frantic hands signed ‘Prince Sidon’.
“A-Ah,” the medical attendant stumbled, unused to seeing the Hylian so riled up. “Prince Sidon is resting in the third room down the hall.” And the Champion was off with the speed of a flying bolt. Screams of protest came from his calves and feet and every aching muscle in his body but Link continued on until he burst into the room, immediately steering towards the bedside. His abrupt appearance had startled Sidon. Before he could speak, question, give false placations, Link held up a hand to quiet the Zora and searched for the reason that had brought the Prince here. Blue eyes scanned quickly over worryingly dull red scales before they locked onto the Prince’s leg and the small fin there. Both bore signs of tears, the fin having been ripped nearly in two by a large hole in the middle. Sidon’s thigh, however, brandished a puncture wound at what appeared to be the beginning of the split in his skin.
Link stared at the injuries. His hands had gripped the edge of the cot with a white grip as he assessed the damage. The fin wasn’t bleeding, although it showed traces of blood shed fairly recently. On his thigh the hole wasn’t terribly deep-- It did, however, look painful and was not the Prince’s usual shade of crimson at the surface, raw and terrible.
“Link? My friend, are you quite alright?” Sidon asked quietly, extending an arm towards the Hylian.
Of course he would worry about Link while lying in the infirmary.
But the soft voice snapped him from his frenzied alarm and allowed him to relax, seeing that Sidon was in no mortal danger. The crushing worry weighing on him had been expelled and allowed for a breath of relief. Link pulled a small stool over towards the bedside, collapsing onto the seat before taking the outstretched hand between his and pressing his forehead to it.
“My dear friend, I have full faith that you have succeeded. So please, I am sure you need healing of your own, do you not?” Sidon pushed again, waiting for any reaction. “I cannot in good conscience allow you to fret over me while you--”
“You are safe. I am fine,” Link cut him off in a whisper. It was low, but firm, and certainly enough to startle Sidon into silence for a moment. The Hylian Champion was not ordinarily a man of many spoken words. He released another shaky breath and squeezed Sidon’s hand again, eyes falling shut. The prince was right, of course, he would need minor healing, but for now he needed a moment to rest. Fighting Vah Ruta had been physically exhausting, and the hysteria that had completely consumed him with Sidon in danger? It took a toll on every part of his already drained person.
Sidon allowed Link to process for a moment. The Hylian’s voice appearing for even the briefest of moments and in such a tone begged Sidon to let him take his sweet time with the relief and apparent victory. But by the time Sidon made a move to try and inspect Link, try and assess what had happened, the Champion had fallen asleep. Right there on a stool. A weary and fond smile graced his lips as he called out for an attendant. Link would surely need a proper rest if he was already passing out in such an uncomfortable position.
A young Zora woman entered, starting slightly at the sight of the unconscious Hylian at his bedside. Her inner healer instincts no doubt called for her to inspect the boy, but Sidon spoke first.
“Please, I ask that you bring the Champion a more suitable surface to rest upon. I would like to keep watch over him myself.”
“Yes, my prince. I recommend that you allow us to examine Master Link as well,” she advised, giving a polite nod of the head before she left to carry out his request.
Sidon carefully watched over the Hylian. The inspection had already been done hours earlier and to his relief and delight, Link was relatively unscathed. Scrapes and abrasions littered his body, with a few appendages having been slightly damaged with cold and the exhaustion evident in the boy-- But it was nothing a few days rest wouldn’t fix. That no longer worried him.
What was concerning, however, was the way that Link had burst in and disregarded himself just to check on the Zora. He knew of Link’s slightly reckless tendencies, but this was an entirely separate matter.
Sidon himself would have to rest for a few days as well and apply salve to his thigh. He was advised against swimming until the fin had sealed itself up. His leg ached, and as such, he had Link’s cot placed close to his own bedside in order to keep a close eye on the Hylian. While Link slept, Sidon studied his features in the vain hope that they would give him some sort of clue.
Would he be presumptuous to think there was perhaps more to their friendship? As of now, it was impossible to tell.
Of the two of them, Sidon had always been the more outwardly affectionate and generous with said affections. It was just his way. When Link had returned from his hunt for shock arrows, he had taken the little Hylian in his arms without a second thought. He felt it appropriate, and although Link was vastly more reserved, he had not told Sidon off.
He understood that Link had been distressed, of course. Anxiety, fear-- It was amazing what it would make a person do. The depths of that worry and the root that lay at the bottom of it was what spiked his curiosity.
Sidon was happy to be relieved of his internal and incessant questioning by the sound of Link’s soft groan beside him. He was finally coming to. It had been hours since he’d passed out beside him, and the prince was eager to ask after his well being-- As well as a few other matters.
“Link? Link, my dear, I would so appreciate if you were to wake up,” Sidon coaxed softly, reaching for the Hylian. “I’ve been quite worried about you.” His large hand settled over Link’s arm, tracing in rhythmic strokes along the skin there to bring him closer to waking. Blue eyes opened, unfocused and hazy for a moment until awareness sunk in and suddenly, Link was up with a jolt and suppressed a wince as he looked around frantically for Sidon. The prince squeezed gently, urging Link back down to rest.
“It’s alright, it’s alright,” he soothed, “Just lay back. Everything is quite alright, I assure you.” Sidon saw the champion hesitate before he surrendered and let himself sink back on the cot. Link let out a breath, eyes closed as he sluggishly lifted his arms to begin talking.
“Tell me what happened, please,” Link requested. Sidon hummed softly as he pondered exactly what the Hylian wanted to know, finally settling on informing him of what had happened while he slept.
“A few hours have passed since you fell unconscious. Our healers have looked you over, and I’m happy to report that--” A hand waving back and forth cut him off as Link sat up, matching the prince’s gaze.
“What happened to you.” The distinction was clear, and although he wished to spare Link from the story, from any further worry, Sidon was also aware and acquainted enough with the man to realize that Link wouldn’t be letting it go so easily.
“One of the spiked balls of ice crashed into us, do you recall? It happened a few times, I believe, but only once did it cause real damage.” He gestured to his own injuries, the thigh and fin, as he spoke. “The ball’s barbs caught their marks. And the tear, I feel as though that was my own fault for continuing to swim once it had hit-- It dug into me, if you will.” Golden eyes scrutinized the Hylian after he had given a full description, hoping that he wouldn’t hold himself accountable for these wounds. “And what of you? I left you alone with Vah Ruta, after all… And for that, I cannot apologize enough, my dear friend.”
“How long was it between you getting injured and taking me to Vah Ruta?” Link pressed, completely brushing off Sidon’s question.
“Link, I really--”
“How long?”
“Link,” the Zora said firmly, his brow pulling. Reaching for the other’s hand, he continued with a tight and insisting squeeze. “Enough. You mustn’t dwell on this. We’ve both escaped alive and Vah Ruta has been appeased, is that not what we intended?” Sidon murmured gently. “Just rest. Please, my friend.” Silence passed between them for a few moments, the Zora simply watching, waiting, stroking over the smaller hands between his own. Finally Link sighed.
“I’m sorry. For reacting like this.” A brief pause. “For other things too, but also this.” The messy apology earned a small chuckle from the prince as he shook his head, finally withdrawing his hands.
“It’s quite alright. For now, I am merely glad you’ve returned to us,” Sidon murmured. “The healers assured me your injuries were minor, but I was still inclined to worry when you fainted in the position you did.”
They shared a small smile with each other and enjoyed the moment of peace.