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Grass billows around them like a sea of watercolor sunlight, turning the sprawling meadows to a shard of heaven.
For the first time in millennia uncountable, Zelda remembers what it feels like to have the sun hit skin instead of scales. For the first time in what feels like just as long, Link sees her smile again. The world rights itself at last, after so long of spinning ever so slightly off. Zelda turns, exhausted and out of breath, and meets Link's eyes, equally worn out yet full of warmth.
It's over, it's over, it's over. The realization dawns gently on Zelda's face as she beholds the unblighted skies, the relief on Link's face. There's foggy, fading memories of a body that tried to be hers, with claws and teeth flashing against dark scales and a vivid blood moon, and she finally lets herself believe. They've done it this time, really done it this time; there's no 100 years of grief and ruined homes and races of Hyrule mourning the champions that were ripped from them.
This is her home to keep, this time. She gets to have a future after all. Relief bursts in Zelda's heart. "Oh, Link, I'm home!" Exhausted laughter finally escapes her involuntarily, turning to sunlight as it leaves her lips, and she falls forward into the embrace she missed so much. Link stumbles against the sudden movement, but he pulls his arms tightly around her like she's still falling through the air. Zelda grips fistfuls of the back of his shirt, still laughing, thousands of years of worry leaving her in bright joy. To her delight, she hears a rare and beautiful song fill the air- Link's laughing with her too, his less-used voice rasping wonderfully as his laughter drums against her chest.
Two fallen stars glow against each other, becoming beauty itself against the terror they faced apart for so long. Hylia above, she- she thought she'd never get this again. She let go of all this in the moment between stone and dragon, and here it is, it's all back in her arms, the one person she'd pull through myrienniums to save. Hot tears fall down Zelda's face, and she can feel Link's tears bleeding into her sleeve.
She's never losing this again. She's never losing him again- she can't. Resolve steadies her muscles as she pulls away, still laughing with him, then throws her arms around his neck. Their faces practically mash together, her hands quickly finding their way to cup Link's face. Link makes a startled noise as he's practically shoved backward onto the grass, taking her with him, but by the time they meet the ground Link is pressing deeper into the kiss and they're smiling against the other's lips.
As soon as they're kissing, Zelda can hardly believe she didn't do this sooner. It feels perfect, like she's suddenly fit into her place in the universe. She tilts Link's head toward her with her hands, and in return Link's hands thread through her hair. They're like two people in the desert, finding endless water after years of drought. And she's still crying, and he's still crying, and-
"I love you!" Zelda breathes when they finally part for air, burying her tearstained face in Link's neck. The words finally fall out of her in an endless stream after so long of waiting to be said. "I love you, I love you, I love you-"
"I love you too." Link says so softly into her hair, and for a voice so habitually quiet and seldom used, his words are warm and steady and rumble through their bones with the weight they carry.
"I never want to lose you again."
"I was so scared I would again."
They sit up again, but they're still clinging together, as if terrified that letting so much as a draft between them might pull them apart into different eras again. "I promise, I'm here to stay this time." Zelda murmurs into his chest. "I want to be here. I want to be with you. I never want to leave again."
Link's breath shudders, and he curls his arms tight around her again with a heavy sigh. As usual, his actions alone speak for him, a softness in them no words could reflect so well. Zelda sighed, letting comfort fold around the two of them.
Gently, the sun haloes them, two lovers inlaid with gold as they hold onto their futures. The meadows and forests of Hyrule sing with a happier song at last- of a hero's rest and a princess' relief, of safety and of bliss.
They're okay. Oh, Goddess, they're okay.