Work Text:
Fourth quarter. Game on the line. The Lakers trail the Timberwolves 119-121 with 20 seconds to play. Crypto Arena is abuzz with hype - the fans need their Lakers to win, and they want one man taking the last shot.
LeBron James. The GOAT. The king of basketball, in his 23rd NBA season, still putting up monster numbers. Tonight was no different - 39 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists. A good night for the legendary athlete. But none of that matters - yet. The Lakers needed to win.
“‘Ight Luka. You ready?” LeBron yelled to Luka Doncic on the bench as coach JJ Reddick drew up the final play.
“Yes, LeBron.” Luka shouted in his Slovenian accent as the buzzer sounded and the Lakers five took the floor.
LeBron received the inbounding pass and the final possession begun. All the Lakers needed was a three to win. All the Wolves needed was a stop. Anthony Edwards, the star guard for Minnesota, stood before LeBron, his signature cocky grin plastered on his face.
“Think you’ve had enough tonight, unc. Let the young kids play now.” Anthony said to LeBron as he dribbled before him. LeBron respected that - but he wasn’t giving up now. He passed the ball inside to Austin Reaves - whirled toward the corner, and Reaves looked to pass back to him.
LeBron caught the ball.
The whole arena stood up, holding three fingers.
LeBron got in position to shoot the three.
Savannah James, LeBron’s wife, yelled - “Make it for me baby!”
LeBron let the ball go - and blacked out.
~ ~ ~
Hateno Village was peacefully rolling into another spring. Link and Zelda awoke huddled into each other in their shared bed as the sunlight cast onto them.
“Good morning, Link-“ Princess Zelda said with a loving smile, kissing his forehead, his arms rubbing along her back. She was wearing his old Champion Tunic.
“Hi, Zelda-“ Link whispered groggily as he nuzzled her, smiling.
The two would spend more time cuddling together in the morning, but something caught their attention.
THUD.
“What was that?” Zelda stopped, wide eyed, just before kissing Link. “It sounded like it came from outside.
“Uh, I don’t know. Think a cow tipped over?” Link joked.
“Uff.” Zelda scoffed, trying not to laugh. “Link, you shouldn’t joke. Maybe someone got hurt?” She sat up, pulling the covers off to Link’s dismay. The two stood up and quickly dressed themselves before running outside to see what happened. Hateno was still quiet, nobody out in the streets this early in the morning yet. Link and Zelda, hands intertwined, jogged to where they heard the noise.
Before them, a very tall man, much taller than what they’d ever seen, clad in very strange clothing - a yellow, sleeveless tunic? Short, similarly yellow trousers? And what did…Lakers mean?
The figure was collapsed on the ground, unconscious - for a moment. He opened his eyes in a panic to see a couple (much shorter than him) stand above him.
“Oh, thank Hylia! Are you hurt?” Zelda asked, serious concern in her voice as the man awoke.
“No…I’m good…where am I?” LeBron asked, looking around in a land unlike anything he’d ever seen. “Who are you?” He inquired as he stood up with Link’s help.
“I am Zelda, princess of Hyrule. This is my knight and lover Link.” Zelda introduced herself and Link, Link offering a smile as he admired LeBron’s tremendous height. “And you are?”
“My name is LeBron. LeBron James. Surely you’ve heard of me? I play for the Lakers?”
Link and Zelda looked at each other.
“Ah, the what?” Link asked, breaking the awkward silence.
“We are terribly sorry. We do not know who you are.” Zelda said, a sympathetic look on her face.
“That’s okay, don’t worry. Where did you say we are?” LeBron asked, trying to stay calm, wondering if he made the game winning shot.
“Hyrule? The kingdom of Hyrule? Well, it’s not much of a kingdom right now—“ Zelda started, before cutting herself off. “Say, hm, LeBron, right? Would you like to join us for breakfast? Surely we can help you. And Link is a great cook!” Link smiled.
LeBron thought for a moment. The couple seemed trustworthy, and very kind. But most of all, if anyone could help him figure out his situation, the Princess of Wherever-He-Is can help him.
“You’re very kind. I would love to.”
————————
The three sat at the table, enjoying their breakfast (LeBron declined to eat, because he doesn’t eat breakfast. Link couldn’t believe it!) But he spoke anyway, introducing himself to the couple.
“This place is very different from where I’m from. I’ve never even heard of Hyrule. I live in Los Angeles.” LeBron spoke, trying to clarify his confusion.
Zelda blinked. “Los Angeles? Doesn’t ring a bell…hmm, perhaps you travelled in time? Like I did, right Link?” She suggested, to a nod from Link.
“I haven’t heard of Los Angeles either. Maybe he’s from across the ocean?” Link added.
“I doubt that. There’s no place called Hyrule where I come from.” LeBron said, concerned. What if he couldn’t get back home? What would Savannah do? How would Bronny react? Right about now, he was missing his son. Did he make the game winner?
“Well, Link and I will do our best to get you home,” Zelda promised. “Now, tell us more about this…basketball?”
_____________________
The three decided that Purah would be able to give the best answer, but she was all the way over in Lookout Landing. It would certainly be a trek. They started for Central Hyrule at noon. As they did, Zelda spoke more and more about Link, and recent events in Hyrule history.
“More than 100 years ago, the kingdom of Hyrule was a bustling nation of prosperity and peace, until a prophecy came that a great evil would destroy the land.” Zelda began, with the full attention of LeBron.
“All we could do was prepare and hope to defeat the great evil. Link, blessed with the favor of the Master Sword, and I, blessed with the power of the goddess Hylia.”
LeBron couldn’t believe any of this. It was like a fantasy world he just stumbled into! He listened attentively as Zelda recounted the tragedy of the Calamity - Link’s resurrection, and the defeat of Ganon.
“Hm. So Hyrule is kind of like Cleveland before I came there…” LeBron said.
“What was that, mister LeBron?” Zelda asked.
“Oh, nothing.” The three continued their journey before a band of Moblins ran up on the road to them.
“Ah! What the hell are those?” LeBron shouted, in fear.
“Moblins! Oh dear, Link, can you protect us?” Zelda shouted, eagerly as she brought LeBron behind a rock.
“Leave it to me, my love.” Link drew the gleaming Master Sword, leaving LeBron in awe as he watched from behind. He expertly cut the Moblins into a thousand pieces as the all fell to the ground.
Zelda and LeBron were just about to stand up when an arrow narrowly missed Link’s head.
“Link!” Zelda yelled in fear as Link reached behind his back for his…bow? It wasn’t there. No matter, he reached in his satchel of bomb flowers…nope. He dropped that too, in the chaos. “Link! Your bomb flowers!”
As Link dodged more arrows, LeBron spotted the Bokoblin archer. About a full court shot away. Link’s satchel of bomb flowers right before him. Hmmm…
“LeBron, surely you’re not thinking about using one of those? You’ll need to be very precise with your throw…” Zelda warned, doubting LeBron.
LeBron James was no stranger to doubters.
“Don’t worry, princess. I’ve got this.”
LeBron took a bomb flower. He palmed it, like a basketball. He got in shooting position, and shot the flower. It was precise. How many shots has he hit in his life? LeBron lost count. He knew he wouldn’t miss this one.
BANG!
The Bokoblin exploded. “Swish.” Is what Zelda swore he could hear LeBron say under his breath. Link stared at him in awe.
“What a shot, LeBron! You’ve gotta teach me how to do that!” Link yelled excitedly as he ran over to them. “Are you okay, Zelda?” He asked, concerningly getting on one knee to check on his princess, kissing her cheek.
“I’m unharmed, my love. Thank you.”
Their affection reminded LeBron of him and Savannah, and suddenly he was worried about his wife. He looked up at the sky, a sad look on his face.
“And thank you, LeBron. Are you okay?” Zelda asked, looking up at him.
“You really helped me out there, thanks.” Link added.
“I’m fine. I’m just glad you guys are okay. Ready to go?” LeBron said, full of pride.
—————
“Yep, totally different DNA than any of us.” Purah, friend to Link and Zelda and genius of all subjects said after acquiring LeBron’s blood sample. “What are you, anyway?”
LeBron sat nervously in a chair as his new friends looked at him, concerned.
“Well, I’ve always been an outlier, even in my own world. I guess you could say I got that dog in me.”
Link, Zelda, and Purah, blinked in a moment of awkward silence before bursting into laughter. “What does that even mean?” LeBron laughed too.
“But anyways, let’s focus on getting you home. What happened right before you warped here?” Purah inquired, writing something down.
“Uhm, let’s see- I was…” LeBron started before realizing they couldn’t understand a word he would say about basketball. “I was in a very tense moment, and when it was all about to come together, I blacked out, and woke up here.”
“I…see. Very specific.” Purah joked. “But, it could have something to do with Zelda.” Zelda’s eyes widened as everyone’s gaze fixed on her. “Her powers have exceptional limits, maybe even surpassing the multi universal level.”
“But when LeBron came here, I was asleep! I wasn’t even using my powers!” Zelda stated firmly. Purah paused, clearly stuck in thought.
“We might just need to wait this out. His warp came at random, maybe he’ll return at random, too.” Purah said. “Maybe - I did find something in your blood sample, LeBron… a substance, unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
“You mean that ice in my veins?” LeBron said.
“Uhm, sure. Is that what that is? Well, LeBron, this ‘ice’ may have reached such a high level that it caused you to warp to a new world.”
LeBron smiled to himself. He definitely made that shot.
“It has a nearly identical chemical makeup as adrenaline, perhaps if we could emulate a…what’s the word…” Purah began.
“A clutch moment?” LeBron finished her sentence.
“Sure. If we could spike the ice in your veins again, you might get back home. But how?”
“I might have a plan.” LeBron said, a smirk on his face.
———————
Hours later, the entirety of Lookout Landing was filled in on the rules of a game unlike anything they had ever heard of. What the hell is a basketball?
A makeshift court, complete with two hoops and a net was set up, and a whole roster of players to challenge LeBron. Challengers from across the kingdom came - Sidon of the Zora, Yunobo of the Gorons, even Impa (who just came to watch, of course.)
They all came to challenge LeBron, by his request. After every match, Purah would sample his blood - to see if the ice in his veins would spike. This would work for sure!
The first challenger was Zelda. She knew she stood no chance, but she wanted to help her new friend.
LeBron got first possession in the 1 on 1 match, and Link had to watch as the love of his life, the prettiest girl in Hyrule, got absolutely dunked on by LeBron James. After consoling his smiling Zelda, who wasn’t one for competition anyway, he watched by her side as more challengers took on LeBron.
Purah and LeBron were right. His “ice” WAS spiking! Every challenger fell almost instantly to his skills. Be it a driving poster dunk, a tough fadeaway, a clutch three point shot - LeBron did it all. Impa kept an overall score - 67 - 0 - nobody had scored on LeBron yet.
His ice levels were through the roof, certainly the threshold would break soon.
—————-
Nobody offered LeBron a challenge. But standing on the sidelines, Link, one of the most skilled men in Hyrule, watched. Not his opponents, but LeBron, all of his moves, and figured out his game.
As LeBron confidently waited for his next challenger, he smirked as Link tossed the ball to him and said - “Check.”
“You next, little guy?” LeBron jeered playfully, all in good fun.
“Hey. I’m a force to be reckoned with, alright?” Link responded, getting into a guarding position.
LeBron drived.
Link stayed close.
LeBron leaped.
Impa, who was announcing the match, was shocked to yell out -
“James, driving, lays it up and it’s - BLOCKED BY LINK???”
The crowd gasped as he leaped into the air and swatted LeBron’s shot. LeBron gasped. This guy? Blocked HIS shot? He had a good foot and a half on him. Link must be a serious athlete.
“Yes, Link!” Zelda cheered excitedly, clapping and jumping as her (admittedly very short lover) blocked the shot of a much taller, much more skilled player.
Link wasn’t done. He took the ball, dribbled, crossed LeBron over, and sunk a deep three. The crowd went NUTS. LeBron couldn’t shake it.
“This isn’t good - his ice levels must be tanking.” Purah said to Impa, concerned.
“Don’t be silly. It’s only a matter of time for Link.” Impa laughed, poking fun at her friend.
The match was close throughout, eventually tied at 10-10. First to 11 wins. LeBron with possession.
He dribbled toward the corner. Same spot as back in Crypto Arena.
He jumped.
Link tried to contest. He tried too hard, and fouled, pushing him over.
No way LeBron makes it, right?
…
Swish.
A portal formed under LeBron’s feet. Well, where LeBron’s feet was.Everybody gasped. Surely this was the culprit. Surely they succeeded, and LeBron could go home now! The crowd cheered.
“LeBron’s got ice in his veins!” Purah yelled, cheering with the crowd. Even Link, who was noticeably disappointed at the loss, congratulated him.
“Hell of a game, LeBron. That was fun.” Link said, smiling and helping him to his feet.
“Hey, you play with crazy hustle. How about you come play for the Lakers? We need someone like you.” LeBron said, dapping Link up.
“You know I can’t do that, pal-“ Link said, laughing and smiling as Zelda came up next to him.
“Well then, I guess this is goodbye.” LeBron said, reluctant to leave his new friends.
“We suppose it is.” Zelda said, smiling. “We’re very glad we could help you get home, LeBron.”
“Me too. I’m glad to have met you guys. Good luck restoring Hyrule.” He said , shaking the couples hands.
“Hey LeBron? Promise me you’ll win one more ring?” Link said as LeBron stepped toward the portal.
LeBron looked back.
“I promise, Link. I got one more in me.”
He stepped into the portal.
Swish.
*What I’ve Done by Linkin Park starts playing*