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Link was up before Zelda, the next morning. He tended to wake when it just began to be light out; though down here in Gerudo Canyon, it was a strange distant light that filtered in from the sky high above them, beyond the sheer cliffs. Still, it was enough to wake him, dim and indirect as it was.
He looked over at Zelda, assuring himself that she was still sound asleep. He got up quietly and thought of the tasks for the day... they would be at Gerudo Town by mid-morning. Not quite late enough for it to be terribly hot, he thought, but it was still worth changing into Gerudo garb, especially because he might be called upon to exert himself on the way there or afterwards. And of course there was the matter of entering the town, as well.
He began sorting through his clothes, pausing when he got to Mipha's gift. He hadn't worn it much in the last few months, usually just when he needed the abilities it afforded him. It felt like he was pretending Mipha was still alive, like he was still hoping for some future with her, if he wore it too often. Instead, feeling Mipha's grace when he was gravely injured... that felt much more honest. It was how she was still with him: in spirit, when it mattered. He kissed the turquoise stones at the neck of the armor, stroked the fabric briefly, sighed, carefully put it away, and continued through his inventory. It would probably never go away, that feeling of missing an important part of himself... but he found that he could get on with life just the same.
Eventually he found the Gerudo clothing, and, with a quick glance at the sleeping Princess, he changed into the flowing, loose pants and midriff- and shoulder-baring top. The fabric covering his mouth might have been a Gerudo style, but it was very practical when a sandstorm kicked up, making it easier to breathe, and he admitted that the veil over his hair was more comfortable in keeping the sun off and sand out. Every time he came back from the desert, he had to spend some time shaking sand out of his clothes and washing it out of his hair, and when he wore this outfit it was much easier. And of course, it was much more comfortable in the heat. He was quick enough in battle that he didn't necessarily need thick armor all the time (though it depended on the enemy); and in the desert, the heat exhaustion from fighting in heavy armor was much more dangerous for his health and fighting ability, in the end.
And... actually, the clothes felt good to wear. Not just physically, but mentally, too, somehow. Like it was a blessing to assume a different role for a change. He'd been a little uncomfortable with it, at first. So much skin bared... though it felt good in the heat, it also felt like everyone was looking at his body. Especially voe, as it turned out. He wasn't sure he liked the attention, though it depended on who was doing the looking, and how. And he did feel a bit duplicitous -- after all, the Gerudo had reasons for forbidding men from entering their town. Relationships with voe weren't prohibited... just their presence inside the city walls was. And he broke rules all the time, in life, of course. Especially in the cause of saving Zelda and Hyrule from the Calamity. But between the strangeness of being treated differently, and the stringency of their law... he'd definitely felt at first like he was wearing the clothes only for a specific purpose, and only as necessary.
But after a while, he'd gotten used to it. Both the sensation of bared skin, and the way people treated him... and, actually, the way he found himself acting. At first he'd just been trying to pass as female, but as he did it for longer, he found some part of himself that was just as comfortable acting that way, and maybe thinking a little differently, too. Coming from a family of knights of the Royal Guard, he hadn't been encouraged to behave or think this way very much as a child. He'd always wanted to play with swords and train in physical combat, and in Hylian society that pushed you a certain direction. But of course the Gerudo were formidable warriors. Here, he could still be a warrior, but he could feel and act differently than he usually could.
And... in the end, he wasn't the only man dressing as a woman in order to be there, and he knew some of the Gerudo knew it. So it seemed like their law was more about being required to take on a particular role rather than something inherent in your nature... and he didn't mind that role, as it turned out. Imagining a world in which you were allowed to take on whatever role made the most sense for you in a given situation... it was a liberating thought.
He finished adjusting all the accoutrements of the garb, and as he turned back to Zelda, he realized that the light was brighter than he'd thought. He'd dawdled a little too long, thinking about things, he realized. Though he'd be fine in these clothes in the desert, Zelda wouldn't be so lucky in her padded traveling clothing. He had the stray thought that they ought to get her some Gerudo garb as well -- it would make her more comfortable in the heat, especially if they stayed for any length of time. Then he had to try to squash a whole round of mental images of her wearing the minimal clothing, of seeing that much of her skin... and the daydreams that followed the images, which became increasingly intimate. He shook his head, cleared his throat. He didn't want to be one of *those* voe, the ones who ogled him when he dressed as a vai.
But Zelda was so dear to him, and he had been more and more aware of how attracted he was to her, in the last few weeks. Maybe it was seeing how she was coming into her own as a leader, as she was assembling the Council. The way she was enthusiastic, accommodating, forceful, and smart about speaking with the other leaders. She was kind to them, she wasn't pushy, but she was asserting her opinions as their equal, based on a century of thinking about how their world could be stronger, how their peoples could work together. She'd told him she wasn't sure she wanted to be Queen, exactly, and definitely not Queen over everyone in Hyrule. She'd said she couldn't know what was best for Rito or Zora, not better than their own leaders. She'd decreed that she would be crowned when Hyrule castle and the town surrounding it was rebuilt. That gave her time to adjust what she thought being Queen meant, and the Council would ideally be in place already.
He had a great deal of faith in her. He hadn't been so sure of her, back when she was so focused on her own failure to access her power. He'd had a responsibility to her, of course, when he'd taken the sword from the forest, even before he'd been appointed as her protector. And it had been hard, trying to follow her when she clearly hated him so much. Following Mipha persistently had worked out well for him, but following Zelda... not so much.
She'd been trying so hard... but not in the right way, he thought. He had grown to love her then, even, as he'd seen how she did what was asked of her but still couldn't seem to succeed -- and yet she tried again, every time. He had that same kind of perseverance, determination... well, maybe it was stubbornness, in the end. And she'd tried desperately to work around it, to find other ways to use her skills and gifts to help serve her people and all of Hyrule. Her study of ancient technology and natural history brought about many benefits for everyone. Even if the technology had been turned against them, at the worst possible moment.
But, even then... when he'd fallen, she'd gone back into the castle to face the Calamity. Even then she'd been determined. Though he realized some of that must have been driven by hope, knowing that he might survive. And even though he'd not remembered her when he awoke, a hundred years later... her voice, calling out to him, was always familiar. He'd trusted it, known it, and behind all that, loved it.
So... seeing her come into her own now only made him appreciate her more. And the idea of holding her close, touching her, bringing her pleasure... it became harder and harder to ignore these thoughts.
He sat, crosslegged, across from her. He watched her -- still sleeping, though he could tell she would wake soon, as she made the little sounds and motions she often did when she was coming out of sleep. Even if they could be intimate, what would that mean? Would that make him King of Hyrule, someday? That wasn't a role he wanted. Zelda was the leader. The one who spoke to people so eloquently and passionately. The one who had all the good ideas. He almost had a flash of panic, contemplating the pressure of having to stand in front of so many people and be their representative, their focus, their voice. He could lead small groups, of course... but the whole country? Or even just all the Hylians in the country, as Zelda imagined? He simply pushed the thought away. It couldn't happen. He may be strong in the face of many things, but he feared that under that pressure, he might break. And besides all that, it was a cheat. That wasn't his destiny, it was Zelda's. And not only was she prepared for that future, she was suited to it.
Just the same, as she stirred and her eyes fluttered open, and she saw him looking at her, there was a moment while she was half-awake where their gaze met, and he felt connected to her, and he wanted nothing more in the world than to put his arms around her and pull her close and taste and touch her... and it was much more than a physical desire.
Then she came fully awake and a look of shock settled into her face. For a moment he didn't know why; but as she sat up and her cheeks pinked attractively, he realized it must be the clothing. She half-smirked, and then tried to control her expression.
"Y-you look... lovely," she said. She didn't sound sarcastic, but there was definitely a mix of things behind the statement. He chuckled and thanked her, and then explained about the heat and the Gerudo law.
She sighed, tearing her gaze from him, and looked down at her hands. "Of course, of course. How else could you have gone to speak with Riju, during the war?" She paused for a moment, thinking. "How devious of you." She darted a surprisingly sly glance at him before setting about putting away her bedroll and getting ready to leave. Link wasn't sure what to make of that, but did the same.
After a few minutes, they stood together, ready to go, and headed out along the road to Gerudo Town.