[ Whether it had been an intentional slip or not, Zelda's smile grows as he bursts into laughter. Nothing he says or does has ever been twinged with unkindness, in her experience, and so no poking fun at what might (or might not) have been a slip could bother her. Naturally, though, she's always eager to play their little games, to tease each other in turn, and so she upturns her nose in an exaggerated gesture and lets out a haughty "hmph!" ]
Well, I must be thinking of an item at another bar, then. The Dignified Chase is known throughout Hyrule, after all, and I couldn't possibly be mistaken.
[ With a half-glance in his direction, and the eruption of another, now-mischievous smile, she allows him to lead them inside.
Immediately, her eyes wander. She takes in the locals who sit on cushioned seats under a canopied roof, quickly reads through the recipe for a risotto that someone has hung on the wall. When Link speaks to introduce her, she turns to the proprietor and inclines her head. ]
It's very nice to meet you. I've heard a lot of wonderful things about this place.
[ Including praise for the titular drink, of course. As they take their places at the counter, the princess leans forward slightly, watching with interest as Furosa mixes them and sets the two glasses down on the counter.
"He may have told you, but this is a very strong drink." The bartender looks at her meaningfully. ]
I understand. [ Zelda replies, holding the older woman's gaze. Seemingly satisfied with the reply, Furosa then glances to Link briefly before sliding the two tall glasses across the bar to them.
It's...pretty to look at, she thinks, curling her fingers around it. Very appealing. A color like the desert sunset, with pops of green - is that mint? - and a wedge of melon hanging from the side.
Well, it's a drink, isn't it? Not a painting. Zelda doesn't hesitate before taking a long sip, savoring all of the flavors that pass her tongue. Sweet, of course, but not sickly so. Light, like a refreshing juice. And...tingly, almost cooling, as it goes down.
Her face lights up with delight and surprise. ]
This is delicious! [ She announces, green eyes wide and bright. She wants to ask if there is, in fact, any alcohol in it, but doesn't. It certainly doesn't taste that way, no matter what Furosa had said.
The enthused Hylian vai looks to her companion, beaming, before going for another taste. ]
[ everything must have started going downhill (uphill) and into teasing at every chance, into games (when they could) after she shoved a frog in his face and told him to taste it...
haughty harrumphs remind him of sixteen-year-old zelda demanding him to stop following her. one of his clearer, older memories is an upturned nose and hands on hips and the agitation coming in waves off of her. back then, he couldn't say her brand of indignation was all that intimidating. confusing? yes, since he was only following orders. (cute, too.)
then again, he didn't say much of anything.
how things change.
link doesn't argue about her being mistaken. sometimes, he's smart too. he gets the feeling zelda isn't serious though, especially with her playful smile.
watching furosa concoct her signature drinks never gets old and link does so with his own muted interest, studying the confident movement of her hands. they're wrinkled and he can see the veins through the leathery, thin skin but it's as if the motions are second nature. he doesn't think much of the glance he's given, already grabbing the skinny stem of the glass and pulling it closer. anticipating the sweet and tart flavor makes him salivate while zelda admires how pretty it is. he will do his best to enjoy this with zelda, however, and not swallow the entire thing in one gulp like some modern frat boy.
there's enough patience in him to behold zelda's happiness. always. instantly, he's smiling back at her and reflecting on her joy. such excitement is always infectious. he hasn't taken one sip. ]
Right! [ that's about to change. his gulp is, predictably, bigger but it's not the entire thing. furosa is watchful but even from here, he can see her faint, amused smile at the two blond hylian. link clears his throat and nods his head to the adjoining room. ]
Do you want to sit down?
[ standing around at the entrance feels weird. awkward. someone could come in and run into them. ]
[ Zelda resurfaces from her sip as he poses the question, golden brows lifted before she nods, looking across the space to the area he indicates. ]
Let's. [ She, at least, is planning to stay for a while. Especially if there are more of these in their future. The princess offers another smile for Furosa before she starts to move, carefully transporting the tropical drink to the other room, settling down on one of its fabric-covered seats.
This is all...divine. Like a dream. The way the gentle warmth of the shade wraps around her like a cozy blanket, the comforting chatter of the other customers. The refreshing Noble Pursuit, of course, sweet just to her taste, and somehow proving to be cool to drink and warm in the pit of her belly. Zelda looks over to her companion, hands wrapped around the base of her glass, jewelry tinkling as she turns her head. ]
So: this is their signature, but is it your favorite thing you've ever had here? [ Are there any secret menu items, perhaps?
This is the other piece that makes it all dream-like: she's here, with Link. Zelda has gotten much better at not dwelling on the many, many trials of their shared past, but that doesn't mean she's completely unshackled by it all. Imagining what he had gone through after they were separated, learning what had become of her and seeing those memories, facing the Demon King... All of that, and then managing to restore her, in the end. To bring her home.
All the while, she'd never technically left Hyrule, but hadn't been able to go home until he'd wrapped her up in his arms and carried her from the water.
Her smile, which hasn't left her face, softens into something deeper. Glancing away again, she takes another sip, humming appreciatively. ]
I didn't want to ask - it seemed rude - but...this is, um - alcoholic?
[ You know, better to know for sure. If it's just a particularly scrumptious sugar bomb, that's also fine in her book. ]
[ the usual three gerudo don't occupy their usual drinking corner today for some reason, but the space isn't utterly empty either. it couldn't be. they all do their best to be discreet in how they watch link and zelda cross over from the bar area to the sitting room to park themselves on plush cushions in another corner, noble pursuits in hand. a couple of vai lift their drinks at the princess and the knight before tucking back into their conversations.
link, as ever, is always at zelda's side and takes his place next to her in a graceless plop. he leans against the cushion behind him, mismatched with the one under his butt, and closes his eyes to keep from drinking too quickly. the tiniest breeze ruffles his bangs and coaxes a peaceful smile out of him. one eye peeks open and glances sidelong at zelda's questions. both open and raise to the fabric over them, granting them much-needed shade while he, obviously, mulls over how to answer. ]
It's really good but my favorite?
[ is it? that's like asking what his favorite food is, princess. how can he possibly choose? particularly when there are drinks on the menu to be tasted. the noble pursuit is the most popular and makes any sweet tooth happy. hence why he chose it for her, for both of them. he's not picky.
is it alcoholic? that's easier. he opens his mouth. ] ...
[ closes it. come to think of it, he's feeling warm. not the warmth that comes with being in the sun all day. they're well-acquainted with that warmth. this warm settles pleasant and low in his belly. his brow furrows as he lifts his drink to look at it more closely. is this why furosa gave him such a meaningful glance?
oh.
his first impulse is to grab the drink from zelda and take it back to the bar because they shouldn't be drinking?! another voice in his head argues why not? they're of age. furosa clearly isn't the type to serve alcohol to minors, either. that was a point she made when he met her for the very first time. despite him being well over one hundred years old... at the time...
he can't protect her under the influence. the second voice reminds him he's already destroyed two ganons. hyrule is peaceful beside a monster here and there, but the monster control crew can handle that much. right? hoz, toren, flaxel: he's counting on you guys! ]
I don't know if it is. [ honest and unsure and nervous, link answers. ] Is it okay if it is?
[ best to leave it up to the princess after all. if she says it's okay, then it's okay.
Oh! [ She looks surprised, then a little sheepish at the reaction, one hand slipping from her glass to rest on her lap. ] I thought Riju...
[ Hmm. Now that she says it, it had been while the Sage had taken her aside to provide clothing options that the subject had come up. Like Furosa, the Gerudo leader had mentioned its strength, though she'd said it with a smile rather than a warning tone. ]
I'm sorry, I didn't realize-... It's all right with me, but if you'd prefer we didn't, I don't mind.
[ Truly! They're here to relax, to avoid worrying as much as possible. If he'd be more comfortable without both of them...some level of intoxicated, then she would certainly understand. If, though, both of them understand the situation, and he would be able to relax more if they imbibed? Also fine.
Zelda offers him a little, reassuring smile. One complimented by tiny blooms of a rosy blush in the apples of her cheeks. She's drunk before. She's been drunk before. Not often, mind, and maybe not advisably so. This is the first time that feels...well, safe. Not because Link is at her side (because he always is), but because they exist now in a Hyrule she'd always believed was possible, but which they'd had to fight, and lose, so much to achieve. A bright, safe world for everyone. One where they could let their guard down and enjoy a day and night spent laughing and drinking in Gerudo Town.
She reaches out to take his hand again and squeezes. ]
But, you know, I think we've earned a break. You most of all.
[ He may have been able to come to the Noble Canteen before, to chat with its owner, its regulars, and enjoy the offerings, but she imagines there was a weight on his shoulders all the while. Now, maybe, he can set that down. Let himself fully enjoy the hard-won fruits of their efforts. Especially fruits this delicious! ]
[ it's alright with her, she says. there's his answer then. truthfully, he isn't sure what his preference is with regard to this. just like he's unsure about his food and drink preferences. the inner voices continue to argue against each other when it becomes apparent she's leaving the choice up to him.
in the end, the answer is obvious. it's how he always deals with her requests. how can he say no? link exhales a breath before he returns to her a surrender of his own smile and a nod, squeezing her hand back. if this makes her happy, then he will gladly imbibe. they have earned a break, a thousand thousand breaks, she's right. the older soldiers at the barracks in castle town would relax like this with their own spirits so it's not peculiar. obviously, the gerudo are of the same mind. link was too young at the time, but the soldiers invited him to join in with raised glasses and flushed faces regardless of his age. inebriated, unaware they were sentencing themselves to penalties if anyone found out.
nobody did.
he, too, has been drunk before; the inexplicable pleasure which rides with being in your cups. a noble pursuit tastes much better than ale or wine. those tend to be bitter. if there's anywhere they could let loose, if there is anyone he could do it with, then it has to be zelda.
(tulin is too young. yunobo doesn't drink. sidon can't drink. riju... does she get drunk? purah?
"linky!"
ah. nope.) ]
Alright, princess. You win. But we should toast to something first. That's a tradition across all regions. [ what though? having her back is cheer-worthy and his first thought. drinking to the defeat of the demon king has merit but that doesn't feel right either. ganondorf doesn't deserve either of them drinking to him in any way.
lifting their glasses to friends, new and old, maybe -- yeah.
link stands and raises his noble pursuit into the air. everyone turns to look. furosa chuckles at the bar. ]
To friends! [ everyone could understand that joy. everyone could be grateful for that. quieter, for zelda, ]
To never being alone. Sarqso!
[ the gerudo around them also raise full, half-full, near-empty drinks, as long as they have something in the glass it's up high. a cheer echoes the sentiment and everyone is tossing back their own favorite spirits. decisions made, link throws every last drop of his down his throat in one, huge gulp. ]
[ Zelda is often compared with the sun, but it's Link who shines now. Rising to toast the room, beaming around at the other customers with the Noble Pursuit in hand, cheering out in honor of all of them.
"To never being alone." Her heart surges. He's...the sun, all right. Blazing brilliantly above the desert, or peaking out after a storm to lift your spirits. Her lips part, awed, as she watches him, so much so that she nearly forgets her own part in the toast. Hastily, without giving it much thought, the princess downs the rest of her own cocktail, albeit not in a single gulp. She barely tastes it, because she's still watching him, feeling fully the emotion that wells up in the center of her chest. Burning, always burning, and carefully tended to.
I missed you. I missed you...so much.
She remembers herself eventually, face settling into something a little softer, though she keeps her eyes on him. Too many times they'd been separated for ages without warning, slipping out of each other's grasp. After all that, she's more liberal with her stares, less careful to guard the emotions in her face. What would be the point? If she can't now be honest with herself, and with him, then...when would that change? ]
Sarqso! [ Zelda repeats more quietly as he sits back down, teeth peeking out in a grin. ] Mm, I may ask you to teach me more Gerudo. I studied once, but...
[ You know. That was before the passing of the century, and then again before the time as a dragon. ]
There's so much I've forgotten. [ She continues, but it's more of a frustrated pout than a solemn lament. ] So many of my journals have been lost, but...well, at least I have some. That's a start. [ A quick turn, and she's looking at him again, and cheerfully. ] And, I have you...and time.
[ Her own time. Not time spent holding off the Calamity, or restoring the Master Sword. Time to start living a life spent in pursuit of happiness.
And other things.
She blinks. ]
...Oh. [ Their glasses are empty. That was fast. ] Should I get us two more? It really was delicious.
[ Not to mention the way it's made her feel: a light, happy buzz.
...Decisive action! Without waiting for an answer, the princess gets to her feet, only swaying the teeny-tiniest bit. ]
I'll be right back. [ She informs him, now sporting an expression twinged with mischief, before walking over to the bar.
One conversation later, in which she'd surprised and somewhat alarmed Furosa, Zelda returns with two new drinks. A sip seems to be missing from each of them. ]
[ she's gone before he can get a word in edgewise and link huffs, smile on his lips. maybe it's the alcohol, maybe it's the honest way she stares at him, but his eyes are drawn farther down her body than usual as she totters off, watching that sway of her h--
a gerudo is grinning at him in his peripheral and he quickly looks away, his face going a bright red. if he thought he could get away with it, then he would bury his face in one of those cushions.
that's what zelda comes back to. a knee bounces restlessly and he makes a point to keep his wandering gaze above her neckline as she rejoins him in their corner. link's sharp gaze doesn't miss how the surface of the drink is lower than how they got it the first time and he shoots her a knowing look. fruit cake and noble pursuits, huh, princess? ]
Yeah. I can see that. [ he's still red in the cheeks but he's looking amused as she sits down, face splitting in a grin as he takes his new drink with another "sarqso" for good measure. what did she ask him before she left? about gerudo, right. he'll start there. ]
I don't remember much Gerudo. Only the basic phrases like "good day!" Sav'aaq! And, um, "good evening!" Sav'saaba. I heard those two a lot when I was shopping in the market. But sa'oten is like saying "ah!"
[ while he explains, link speaks with his hands. with the one not currently holding his noble pursuit, anyway.
I have you. ]
U-Uh. The younger vai have been picking up slang, too. Instead of sarqso, sarq is like "thanks."
[ she does have him. always. why is that now suddenly making his heart beat faster? it must be the alcohol. he scratches beneath his high ponytail, bumping large hoop earrings along the way. ]
[ Ever the student, Zelda nods, listening thoughtfully as he speaks. ]
It's interesting, isn't it? "Ah" is so quick - barely a word - and "sa'oten" less so. You have more to do before you can express the surprise.
[ She chuckles, smiling, and takes another sip of her drink. Mm... It's warm in the bar, but not overly so. Nice - like floating in a pleasant bath. ]
"Sarq." [ Zelda repeats, nodding. ] And the slang is new? Or you've just recently learned about it? [ Every generation has their own unique vernacular, don't they? It wouldn't be so surprising for this one to have come up with their own quick turns of phrase. Zelda wonders vaguely what the older Gerudo think about it; people in other generations can often be condescending about those sorts of things... ]
I do know. [ He's the only voe in town, unless there are any other invited guests, or...well, prisoners. The princess glances back to Link, gaze sticking a bit as she glances across his outfit. ]
Handsome.
[ ...What? Was that out loud? Zelda blinks, growing more red, but also starts laughing, holding a hand up over her mouth. ]
Ah, I meant - it's "man," "man" and "woman." I don't know why I... [ She continues to laugh, now covering a burning face with both hands.
It would be a lie to say she doesn't know what brought that on, and she's not going to lie to him, but she also isn't going to come out with it. So, she just dissolves into more laughter, eventually removing her hands and curling them around the icy glass, staring determinedly down at the drink. ]
More words. Please. [ Biting her lower lip does not stop the impish grin. ]
[ link didn't have that thought (he doesn't have much) but zelda never fails to consider everything more deeply and more profoundly than he does. it's more her chuckle and smile that has his lips tugging up than any intricacy of a dialect he uses because he thinks it's fun and the other gerudo seem to like when he does it. no other reason. he doesn't watch her mouth pucker around the edge of her glass as she takes her sip either.
though he doesn't, he needs a sip of his own too. the dry air must be making him more parched, more quickly, or furosa put something in these noble pursuits that isn't quenching his thirst. what would? a bead of sweat travels down zelda's neck and it must be just as wrong to stare at it as it was to watch her hips move while she went to get them two more drinks.
reasons like this are probably why voe aren't allowed in gerudo town. link tears his eyes away from zelda to focus intently at his drink. he nods, at his drink. yes, the slang is newer. yes, he's just recently learned about it. both, princess. both.
zelda's laugh is the only thing that manages to coax his eyes back on her. although hearing her say 'handsome' while feeling the weight of her gaze on him had nearly broken him, too. he's already been getting more red. after a pause where his lips have parted, link smiles quietly with her laughter and her covering her face. just a little, only by the smallest amount, he moves his cushion closer to her.
they're not alone, he has to remind himself. furosa is at the bar and the other gerudo who raised their glasses surround them. why then? why does it feel as if they exist in their own bubble? why does his grin feel so dumb on his face as he scoots another inch closer? he ducks his head, leaning forward into her line of sight. ]
Sorry. I can't remember the ones I've already taught you. [ link admits, close to laughing himself. his tone is breathless with it. ] Can you repeat the ones you know?
[ The grin on his face is - well, adorable as he scoots closer, and her heart leaps. ...Is he moving closer? Or had they been that close to begin with? Does it matter? He's close now, and that's what matters. Too close? Not close enough? ]
Mm... [ Remember, repeat? Surely she can do that, and without scrambling, too. Probably. ] Well... Sav'...orr, is good night. [ Hmm. Was that one of the phrases he'd already said? ] And vasaaq: welcome. [ Which, er, they'd heard multiple times today. She gives her head a little shake, pulling it together for the last: ] And vure: bird.
[ "Little bird" floats through her mind. Urbosa's voice, warm and comforting. Her smile softens. ]
That may be all... It's difficult to remember. [ At the moment. What with the delicious, strong drinks, and the...heat, and the...er, heat. Speaking of: she looks back at Link, who is very close. ] I obviously need to spend more time here.
[ Listening, studying, exploring. With him, of course. They could practice together.
Her lips part, just a little. ]
Do you know..."please?" [ It's slow, curious. Her head tilts slightly, the metallic elements of her upper dress clinking as she does. ] I know "thank you," but...it seems useful.
[ Another round, "please." A room for two, "please." - Oh, but they wouldn't need that, would they? Riju had provided space for them already, no need to ask after it. Well, the first application would still be useful, as her second drink is already somehow half-gone. And there are so many other appropriate opportunities to ask for things.
Or inappropriate opportunities. Or appropriate, inappropriate opportunities. Her face reddens again with the hot desert air, with some amount of fluster, with warmth entirely unrelated to the temperature. ]
I like the style here. [ She finds herself saying, gaze dropping slightly to his bare shoulder, where one of her hands seems to have moved, grasping it with a distracted firmness. ] It's very... [ quick, choose a word that makes sense and isn't weird ] suitable...for the weather.
[ Nope. Ah, well, she'd sort of tried. And, can she be blamed for what she says, when he's somehow so especially transfixing, and her thoughts are a little muddled? ]
[ his gaze raises back up from her mouth, where he was watching her talk, and to her eyes.
please.
tension squeezes in his gut. he doesn't know the word for it, which seems like an oversight. with all the buying and selling he does in the markets, a "please" should have come along with a "thank you." that's not what the pressure comes from though. it intensifies when he follows her attention to his bare shoulder and to the hand she leaves there, holding it.
his throat is so dry but he can't seem to lift his drink to take another sip. if he doesn't move, then maybe she'll keep her hand there forever. ]
Y, yeah. [ there's a crack in his voice he's immediately flustered by. which is funny because normally he would be much more flustered by the princess's casual touch on him. he reaches for one of those metallic elements on the upper part of her dress, the ones that clinked earlier, and rubs his thumb across the smooth, glittering gold and the jewels seated there. sapphires meant to keep the body cool with its magical properties.
not like it's helping much. ]
I mean, uh, no. No, I don't know the word for "please." Princess. [ thinking is more of a struggle than usual. there's a sweet lingering taste on his tongue but that bead of sweat on her neck has traveled past her neckline now and --
he hasn't even had two drinks! ]
I like the style too. Very suitable. [ the fabric on her arms is see-through and more airy. breathable. his vai disguise was like that, too. he could use it right now for how hot it is. the sapphires seated in his voe armor don't do much either. the noise of the canteen becomes muffled like he's underwater and link's touch roams from the gold to the bottom edge of her top. knuckles brush lightly at the skin over her ribcage.
[ Here they are: sitting together, one hand clutching something of the other's, the world around them melting into near-non-existence. As if not having a physical reassurance of the might mean it's all a dream, soon to dissolve. More often, these days, she finds she needs those reassurances.
But - the light of day is strong and real. It feels good, and solid, to have her hand on his skin. ]
We'll have to ask. [ Someone. There are people around, and Furosa would be happy to answer, she imagines, but the idea of moving is somehow...unpleasant. And she certainly couldn't strike up a conversation with the women around them as they are, staring slack-jawed. Nearly in each other's laps.
A fresh pink blooms in her cheeks and she finally releases him, withdrawing slightly. Only slightly. Zelda is less concerned with keeping up appearances these days, true, but also isn't at the point where she's completely disregarded the Gerudo women around them, if only out of respect for their very public place of business and leisure. The princess glances past Link for the first time in a while and meets the eyes of one of the other customers, who raises two red eyebrows, smirking with...approval?
Delicately, she clears her throat. ]
Practical and beautiful. I wonder how much it's changed over time, if-...any...
[ His hand brushes the bare skin of her midriff and she's stunned clear out of her line of thinking. The contact is like an icy shock, more so than any sip of their frozen beverages, and her breath catches for a while as the air seems to leave the room. ]
...Daughter. [ Back to parroting, and to looking at him, then. Her lips part, and she adopts another smile. ] Hmm. There's a lot to learn, then. [ There's another thoughtful pause, and it takes absolutely all her willpower not to reach her hand back out, to touch him again, but her fingers twitch longingly. ] And - what about "yes?"
[ point in any direction, follow it, and they would run into a gerudo who could translate "please" for them. zelda won't see link making any moves to do so. not even to lift his finger.
a few more cracks appear in the spell with them finding an increment of their personal space again. link blinks rapidly and reaches up to rub his shoulder, where her hand rested, and rolls it experimentally. he looks at the ground as if it's given him a ridiculously complicated riddle to solve. you know, he wouldn't be too shocked if it did.
while the buzz of alcohol lingers, without zelda touching him and without the smell of her right under his nose, he can... think. sort of. when he looks at her, he's lost the completely lost expression on his face. in fact, he seems happy about the new question. that one! that one he has a word for!
his hand hasn't drifted away from her bare midriff. it's even making slow back and forth, light and barely there, motions against the skin. link smiles back at her, scoots in closer to obliterate that increment of personal space they got back, and is utterly oblivious to his mindless touching of her. ]
Ahah! That's sha. Sha is "yes!" [ or "sa'oten! that's sha." if he would recognize and use any of the things he's teaching her. ] I knew that one.
[ ... what are they learning gerudo for? it's fun and he likes sharing any and all of his knowledge with zelda but -- he finishes off his noble pursuit and finally draws his hand back from her body to wipe at his mouth with the back of his hand. ]
Mine's empty. These are even better than I remember. [ when he's not chugging them while fleeing from a molduga, for sure. ] Would you like another one too, Princess?
"Sha." Easy enough. [ Except she's forgotten one or two of the other ones she'd just learned from him. Hmm...and she'd been so sure that she'd been paying attention and committing them all to memory. Zelda hums unhappily at the loss of knowledge, trying to summon the words again, but it's like trying to catch smoke with her hands. Easier to focus on the present, really, and especially since the present is so lovely. ]
Another...? Mm, no, I still have-... [ Zelda looks to the glass in her hand and blinks. When had she finished that one? The princess lifts her gaze to the rest of the room, and, with a little start, notices the quality of light has changed slightly. There's at least one additional patron in the bar, too...or, one she hadn't noticed when they'd first entered.
Interesting. Troubling? Not exactly. They're safe. She's safe, always safe, with Link. So, she smiles again, turning back to him and nodding firmly. ]
Yes, please. ...Oh! "Sha." [ Zelda laughs like the tinkling of bells and bounces her ankles against the bottom of the bench. ] You know, we...really should have eaten before this.
[ Lunch had been some time ago, though she can't say how long with any precision. What they'd had then has clearly done nothing to absorb the alcohol now. ]
[ her laugh squeezes on his heart and is a thief to all the air around him, humid and heavy as it is. he experienced it with his own eyes, these newer eyes, for the first time after the calamity. on a grassy hill with the petals of the, no longer endangered, silent princess floating around them. truthfully, zelda was a stranger but even so? hearing the chime of her laugh roused an emotion in him he thought he had forgotten too.
it rouses again, it's been roused for years now, but is stronger without inhibitions. thank you, alcohol. it's harder to ignore or bury or say it's the remains of a knight's devotion to his princess or a friend's loyalty to someone they care deeply about. would do anything for.
getting another drink for her is easy. he smiles through this lovely pain in his chest. ]
I can make something if you're hungry. [ he offers as he stands on -- those are his feet, right? the floor is uneven, not him. he makes a point to plant himself, looking down at the ground in consternation. this is leaps and bounds beyond how he felt after having a couple of pints of ale. what's in these, furosa?
more important, is zelda. if he's feeling such a way, then she must surely -- be bouncing her ankles against the bench.
that's cute. she's cute. she's everything.
he wants to kiss her.
-- like a friend! on the cheek. yes, exactly. ] Be right back!
[ he calls, in a rush, and jogs back to the bar area. he only swerves a little to the side as he goes. the gerudo laugh at the spectacle of a tottering hero. while furosa looks hesitant about giving the two hylian another two noble pursuits, they are safe within gerudo walls just as zelda believes. they've earned some time to let loose and have others watch over them. it's better to do it here than anywhere else.
link comes back with another two drinks. he's staring at them with deep concentration to not spill as he takes a much slower pace to get back. not jogging. ]
For Her Highness. [ their third drink for the afternoon is offered before he seats himself beside her and takes a long drink for his perpetually parched throat. ]
[ In response, the princess lifts both hands, waving as if to dismiss the offer. ]
No, no - I only meant it would have been better foresight. It's-... We're okay.
[ Better than okay! Happy as she's been lately, this is the most...floaty(?)...she's felt. And that's reason to celebrate. The world is awash in a gold glow, and she smiles, rolling her head to one side to drink it all up.
...Drink! Link. Link has gone to get drinks. He's gone, though, and her smile fades a touch until she spots him at the bar, doing exactly what he'd just said. With her transient disappointment evaporating again, Zelda shifts so she's sitting with her legs tucked under, and to one side, shoes sitting empty on the ground beneath her.
The hero returns, drinks in hand. She accepts one as it's offered, perking up happily before going for a sip. Mm, same as before: still quite good. Sweet, fruity, cold. There's a contented sigh as the princess settles in against him, her head squarely resting on Link's shoulder. ]
Thank you. I think this may be my new favorite. [ The drink, the bar, or both? Maybe the entire town?
Zelda rolls her head to gaze up at him, her heart swelling fit to burst. He's so close, and he...smells really good, actually. Not like any particular scent, really, but so solidly like Link that she breathes deep, oddly comforted. Doesn't hesitate or blush much before lifting herself just a little to leave a little kiss - a peck, really - on his jaw (the closest thing to her) before snuggling back in. ]
- Oh! [ And she sits bolt upright suddenly, hand snapping out and latching onto the closest thing to it (his thigh). ] I almost forgot...Riju said we absolutely needed to see the sunset tonight. From somewhere high up, of course.
[ Link has maybe seen this, whether in Gerudo Town specifically or the area around it, but the princess does not look as if she'll be swayed. Her eyes are sparkling with purpose, expression alight with excitement and urgency.
She'd seen it, too. Many times, from above. The memory is grainy, and she hastily brushes it aside from her mind's eye. However grand a sight, the vantage point of a dragon is lonely. ]
Though - later. [ Zelda presses. Later: after they'd finished their drinks, and when it's time. She's certainly not in any rush to leave at the moment, not in a place as nice as this, with-...oh, her hand is on his leg. She considers this, looking down at it, and decides to leave it there. The solid reassurance of him stokes the pleasant warmth in her belly, the pinpricks of something in her chest. ]
[ zelda never needs to express her gratitude to him, but he basks in her happiness like she did a moment ago in an aura of gold. it's enough to have her lean against him to use him as her pillow. he shares her sentiment about the drink being her new favorite, though, and is inclined to agree. favorites don't exist with him. link doesn't do favorites. not before sampling the entire menu.
he's left staring at his glass after the peck to his jaw as she cuddles up. link barely turns his head in her direction as she settles into a comfortable position. perhaps one millimeter. from the corner of his eye, just enough to catch a glimpse of her face. although not that noticeable, her legs are.
should he give her a kiss on the jaw in return? those thighs look quite soft, though. what if he dug his face in and -- ]
Wah!
[ with her sudden movement to sit up straight (and grab his thigh), link shouts and bolts up too. until she explains, every muscle in his body is tensed. if only this irrational restlessness would bleed out with the tension as it leaves. he exhales. he smiles.
sunsets are stunning in the gerudo desert. riju's idea isn't a bad one. temperatures are just right as the sun starts to hide behind a flat horizon and all the effort it put into making the dunes a heat haze disappears. with the rise of the moon, the sands are quick to cool. from there, the desert transforms into a canvas of color with no mountains or buildings to obscure the panorama. gradients of the softest pink to the warmest and deepest reds as far as the eye could see and flecked with stars like tiny glittering diamonds. ]
Okay. I know a spot. [ an easy promise. taken as he is with those same diamonds in her eyes, he doesn't hesitate. anything she wants. even the hand that doesn't leave his thigh doesn't keep him from making it. he couldn't return her kiss but he lays his hand over hers on his thigh. ]
We'll have to string travel to get to it, though.
Edited (MY FUCKIN TRIGGER FINGER HIT POST REPLY WITHOUT BEING DONE!!!!) 2023-08-09 06:08 (UTC)
Sorry! [ She's quick to apologize when she makes him jump, but is also half-laughing. ] I didn't want to forget...
[ Since it is, apparently, getting later. Time's march is unrelenting, even on a beautiful day where you wish for all the world that things could stay the same forever.
Of course, 'forever' is more complicated for Zelda. ]
You do? [ His words nourish the smile, keeping it bright and on her face, and she sighs in anticipation of the imagined sight to come. ] Mm, well, we'll manage it.
[ Though traveling anywhere right now seems challenging. She's very comfortable, after all, and can guess that walking on solid ground might end up feeling similar to trying to walk during an earthquake, based on the two (going on three) drinks that are warming and befuddling her system. Still, nothing to worry about. There's very little to worry about in general, at least as far as her boozy, happy mind can supply.
Link lays his hand over hers and she squeezes, thumbing idly. ]
I had a glass of wine in the castle, once, that was...truly awful. [ It hadn't been intended for her, but there was always wine around, of course, and she'd been bad and snuck a single glass into her study after a particularly grueling day. That was what adults did, it seemed: nurse a drink when there was need to relax, and forget. Well, she'd tried, but had only made it a few sips before abandoning the attempt, making disgusted faces before dumping the vile liquid into a plant.
Sorry, plant! ]
Was something very dry, and bitter. [ Zelda makes a similar face now, nose scrunching up. ] I don't remember the exact type. My point is that these are much better.
[ Nearby, one or two of the Gerudo women are absolutely peeking over at the Hylian princess and hero, sitting nearly in each other's laps, hands together in one of their laps. Zelda is blissfully unaware; she reaches out to secure her Noble Pursuit, downing a long, sweet sip to wash away the old memory.]
[ he does, but he has no immediate plans to reveal the location. let her continue to imagine. his sole wish is that it's everything she wants and more. that it preserves the smile on her face.
since she consistently knocks the breath of him with the sight of it and what she does with her hand. link is resolute in keeping still; not so much as a twitch results from her squeeze and thumbing. what he does need to do is exhale very, very slowly and discipline himself to listen. quite a challenge given the booze in his own system. everything is kind of... complicated.
from the most instinctual of things like breathing to the most complex like thinking.
like not kissing her when her nose scrunches up. what is she saying? something about wine. yeah, he's not a fan either. ]
Ale isn't much better than wine. [ link attempts to carry the conversation on. giving himself something else to focus on other than her hand or dropping his head the final few inches to feel the touch of her lips on his. to taste a noble pursuit from those same lips instead of a glass. ]
The soldiers at the garrisons would drink sometimes, and they let me have a pint or two. Bitter, yeah, hmm.
[ definitely bitter.
typically, link would be conscious of the eyes upon them too. self-conscious, if anything, but he's in a deep concentration on the princess leaning against him and sipping at her drink. when she lowers it again, he sees some juice clinging to her upper lip. electricity runs through his fingers but he disregards it in favor of guiding her face up by caressing her jaw. the liquid is wiped away with his thumb and lowered lids.
not one to let any food go to waste, he sticks it in his mouth. ]
That sounds - unpleasant. [ The bitter ale, that is. Drinking with soldiers at the garrison could have been fun, maybe. She wants to ask, to hear all about his life: what he remembers from before the Calamity, and what sorts of things he's done and drunk since. She wants to, but her tongue is lead, and it's difficult to knit thoughts together through the rising tides of Noble Pursuit.
Zelda tries anyway, as she always does. ]
I don't think we'll get the recipe, but maybe we can come up with something new. Similar. [ How hard could it be to mix up a sweet drink? One with or without alcohol, though she's certainly enjoying the pleasant, fuzzy feeling that the "with alcohol" option has provided. Zelda curls and uncurls her fingers from around his hand, lost in the simplicity of the gesture. The novelty of holding his hand whenever she desires. The weight of it, which has always made her feel safe. ]
- Hmm? [ Did he say something? Emerald eyes blink, puzzled, but he hasn't spoken. Instead, he's nudged her head up slightly, thumbing something from her lip, and then moving it to his own mouth. Entranced, she looks slowly from where his thumb disappeared behind his lips up to his eyes.
It feels like time is gummy around them. Zelda is suddenly very aware of her own breathing, her own heartbeat. ]
Give it back. [ The princess says softly, almost wonderingly. She's looking at his mouth again, and even moves a fraction closer. It isn't that she doesn't want to kiss him: she very badly does want to, to steal back that taste he'd taken from her, and to taste him, too. But something in the back of her head says this isn't the time or place for that, no matter what she may want to do.
It might have something to do with the fact that now almost everyone else has noticed the princess and the hero, fairly drunk, and extremely close to making out in the middle of the bar. Maybe they're all so surprised that they're completely stunned, or maybe they're waiting with bated breath to see what happens next. Zelda, not paying them any mind, has no idea what the surrounding Gerudo women think of their - frankly - scandalous choices. ]
Mine. [ Comes the small addition, insistent and almost pouty. There's still a smile behind it, though, as she finds room to be both amused and spellbound. ]
[  drinking songs, bar games, and bawdy jokes? yeah, it was fun—for the men, especially. what he recalls is that it was a time to unwind. harsh regulations dogged hyrule's soldiers every day. as the sun set, so did those rules. memories were a bit strange in his head. it's easier to recall the broader aspects of his past than specific details. he couldn't tell you any of the soldier's names, despite the fact they all knew his.
maybe this is why he now makes it a point to remember every name that is given to him.
moments in his past aren't the only things that are odd in his thoughts. such as a recipe? easy. it should be, yet his attention is always drawn back to her hands and the flavors sitting on his tongue he identified were lost again. they pale in comparison to the green he gets lost in. the color of a dense forest. the master sword could be hidden in those eyes.
link's initial reaction might be a playful 'no', forgetting it's his princess. he does what she says.
his thumb finds her lips again to "give it back."
for the record, the gerudo are both shocked and waiting with bated breath. their voe 101 classes appear to be coming to life in front of their very eyes. it resembles a dirty romance novel perda read once late at night. now played out in real time. none of them rush to stop the two. deltan is staring so intently that she completely misses her mouth as she tries to sip from her glass and spills on herself. ]
Yours. [ link agrees, pleasant if not a bit dopey. touching her pouting lips is very fun. it's so luxurious, like a soft pillow, under his callouses.
the rest of her is probably like that too.
from her mouth, he makes a trail down her chin. under her jaw. along her neck. all the while, his eyes follow behind that path his thumb takes until his palm rests at her collar.
... has his head always felt so heavy? he can barely keep it up anymore. noble pursuit in his hand, he wraps that arm connected that hand around to her back and really does drag her partway into his lap. only to lay his head on her shoulder. he nearly spills his drink as he sags into her. ]
[ A rough, battle-worn hand touches her lips. She continues to watch him through wide eyes, as if listening to an engrossing story and waiting to hear the end. The story continues as his finger drifts downward, and then the hero reaches over to tug her down, leaning in. Zelda laughs lightly, nuzzling into him and breathing deep again in a contented sigh. ]
I love when you say my name. [ A simple, heartfelt confession. She's heard "Princess" and "Your Highness" and other titles for so long that the hearing the name on its own is a rarity. She can still hear her father's voice using it, and Rauru and Sonia, too. Mentally, she commits Link's iteration to memory, eyes closing.
...Hmm. Probably better to not drift off here. Not for reasons of safety, but because it's a...place of business, and not one that deals in lodging. After an unknown amount of time, she shifts slightly, tongue darting out to wet her lips, now a little more dry with the desert air and the lack of drinking. Zelda's eyes flutter open again as she draws a long inhale, careful to not disturb Link as much as possible. Her (third) Noble Pursuit, half-drunk, has largely melted down on the table.
Whoops. Hazily, the princess looks out across the bar, but only to try and assess the time by the quality of light. It doesn't seem to have been very long, she guesses, and not long enough that they'd missed the sunset...she hopes.
Link has either also dozed, or he's been keeping very still so as not to disturb her. Gently, she reaches up to cup the side of his face, thumbing over one of the small scars on his cheek before pressing a small kiss to it. ]
Link. [ The words come almost automatically, though she spoke them so long ago. ] Wake up, Link.
[ It does make her think of some of the grief of the past, of being so close to his fallen form, and then parting for a hundred years, hoping - no, knowing that he would return. Zelda snuggles into the crook of his neck, just taking in the press of him, listening to his pulse. ]
We should go. [ Where? Does it matter? Maybe they can even still find their way to this secret spot of his to watch the day's end over the sandy expanse. ]
[ he won't admit it (at least not right now), but he loves saying it. if he wasn't so sleepy? maybe.
it's a little of both, dozing and not moving. breaking the bubble that is this perfect world be a shame. although he nearly does it anyway when zelda kisses his cheek. his fingers curl against her back so he makes a fist. whatever leftover restraint he has left tenuously holds on like a spider's web. he would like nothing more than to return that kiss.
waking up in the shrine of resurrection was not this blissful. had he known back then that the voice belonged to the princess, would he feel any different? maybe he would feel as he does now. or maybe he wouldn't because there's no way the princess could have buried her nose into his neck as she does now.
his pulse thrums, a quick rhythm.
he tugs her into him more tightly at the mention of leaving the bubble. ]
M'wake. [ he grumbles and turns his head to peer at her from the corner of a blue eye. his cheek lifts with his smile. most of his bangs cover it even with the higher ponytail. ]
You kissed me. That's the second time, Zelda.
[ she loves it, so he says her name again. sure, the kisses were under his jaw and his cheek and not his mouth, but still. good places. feeling her lips on him anywhere is a good place. ]
I love when you kiss me.
[ his confession is out of his mouth before he can stop it. it's as simple and heartfelt as hers before he turns back to bury his face into her shoulder. ]
[ On second thought, does she really need to go see the sunset? How could it possibly be more beautiful, more wonderful than this? She can't help it: Zelda lifts a hand to pass through his hair, fingers threading through his bangs, nails gently scratching across his scalp. His eyes are clear waters, vast skies, and she understands in this moment the cliche of 'getting lost in someone's eyes.' It does feel like she might tumble into them and free fall through the air, not unlike when she'd returned to human form and he'd safely cradled her back down to earth.
He speaks her name again and she exhales, chest tight with adoration. ]
I did. [ Twice, and those wouldn't be the last. Not for today, not for the rest of their days. If he'll keep saying 'Zelda,' she'll kiss him endlessly.
'I love when you kiss me.' Love. Her eyes lower, her smile softening. The hand that had been on his head moves to her lap, but only briefly, before she reaches out to wrap it around his forearm instead.
Love. ]
And I love...you. [ Can it be a confession if it feels this simple, this easy? It doesn't come as a surprise to the princess who speaks it, at least. She may be drunk, warm and woozy, but the words are as honest as anything. More so, really.
Would this be such a revelation, really, to anyone who had seen Link and Zelda interact, or even just heard one speak of the other: that she loves him more deeply than could ever be put to words? Oh, but she'll try. She loves a challenge and will happily undertake this one. To articulate feelings that have depths and heights reaching below the chasms and beyond the sky islands. Feelings that stretch back to the founding of Hyrule, to the goddess Hylia and her chosen hero, and past the present, too, into their own futures, to the distant futures of Links and Zeldas, courage and wisdom.
A small pool of water collects at the base of her forgotten drink. Outside, locusts hum with life. ]
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Re: SMOULDER.....
Well, I must be thinking of an item at another bar, then. The Dignified Chase is known throughout Hyrule, after all, and I couldn't possibly be mistaken.
[ With a half-glance in his direction, and the eruption of another, now-mischievous smile, she allows him to lead them inside.
Immediately, her eyes wander. She takes in the locals who sit on cushioned seats under a canopied roof, quickly reads through the recipe for a risotto that someone has hung on the wall. When Link speaks to introduce her, she turns to the proprietor and inclines her head. ]
It's very nice to meet you. I've heard a lot of wonderful things about this place.
[ Including praise for the titular drink, of course. As they take their places at the counter, the princess leans forward slightly, watching with interest as Furosa mixes them and sets the two glasses down on the counter.
"He may have told you, but this is a very strong drink." The bartender looks at her meaningfully. ]
I understand. [ Zelda replies, holding the older woman's gaze. Seemingly satisfied with the reply, Furosa then glances to Link briefly before sliding the two tall glasses across the bar to them.
It's...pretty to look at, she thinks, curling her fingers around it. Very appealing. A color like the desert sunset, with pops of green - is that mint? - and a wedge of melon hanging from the side.
Well, it's a drink, isn't it? Not a painting. Zelda doesn't hesitate before taking a long sip, savoring all of the flavors that pass her tongue. Sweet, of course, but not sickly so. Light, like a refreshing juice. And...tingly, almost cooling, as it goes down.
Her face lights up with delight and surprise. ]
This is delicious! [ She announces, green eyes wide and bright. She wants to ask if there is, in fact, any alcohol in it, but doesn't. It certainly doesn't taste that way, no matter what Furosa had said.
The enthused Hylian vai looks to her companion, beaming, before going for another taste. ]
Re: SMOULDER.....
haughty harrumphs remind him of sixteen-year-old zelda demanding him to stop following her. one of his clearer, older memories is an upturned nose and hands on hips and the agitation coming in waves off of her. back then, he couldn't say her brand of indignation was all that intimidating. confusing? yes, since he was only following orders. (cute, too.)
then again, he didn't say much of anything.
how things change.
link doesn't argue about her being mistaken. sometimes, he's smart too. he gets the feeling zelda isn't serious though, especially with her playful smile.
watching furosa concoct her signature drinks never gets old and link does so with his own muted interest, studying the confident movement of her hands. they're wrinkled and he can see the veins through the leathery, thin skin but it's as if the motions are second nature. he doesn't think much of the glance he's given, already grabbing the skinny stem of the glass and pulling it closer. anticipating the sweet and tart flavor makes him salivate while zelda admires how pretty it is. he will do his best to enjoy this with zelda, however, and not swallow the entire thing in one gulp like some modern frat boy.
there's enough patience in him to behold zelda's happiness. always. instantly, he's smiling back at her and reflecting on her joy. such excitement is always infectious. he hasn't taken one sip. ]
Right! [ that's about to change. his gulp is, predictably, bigger but it's not the entire thing. furosa is watchful but even from here, he can see her faint, amused smile at the two blond hylian. link clears his throat and nods his head to the adjoining room. ]
Do you want to sit down?
[ standing around at the entrance feels weird. awkward. someone could come in and run into them. ]
no subject
Let's. [ She, at least, is planning to stay for a while. Especially if there are more of these in their future. The princess offers another smile for Furosa before she starts to move, carefully transporting the tropical drink to the other room, settling down on one of its fabric-covered seats.
This is all...divine. Like a dream. The way the gentle warmth of the shade wraps around her like a cozy blanket, the comforting chatter of the other customers. The refreshing Noble Pursuit, of course, sweet just to her taste, and somehow proving to be cool to drink and warm in the pit of her belly. Zelda looks over to her companion, hands wrapped around the base of her glass, jewelry tinkling as she turns her head. ]
So: this is their signature, but is it your favorite thing you've ever had here? [ Are there any secret menu items, perhaps?
This is the other piece that makes it all dream-like: she's here, with Link. Zelda has gotten much better at not dwelling on the many, many trials of their shared past, but that doesn't mean she's completely unshackled by it all. Imagining what he had gone through after they were separated, learning what had become of her and seeing those memories, facing the Demon King... All of that, and then managing to restore her, in the end. To bring her home.
All the while, she'd never technically left Hyrule, but hadn't been able to go home until he'd wrapped her up in his arms and carried her from the water.
Her smile, which hasn't left her face, softens into something deeper. Glancing away again, she takes another sip, humming appreciatively. ]
I didn't want to ask - it seemed rude - but...this is, um - alcoholic?
[ You know, better to know for sure. If it's just a particularly scrumptious sugar bomb, that's also fine in her book. ]
no subject
link, as ever, is always at zelda's side and takes his place next to her in a graceless plop. he leans against the cushion behind him, mismatched with the one under his butt, and closes his eyes to keep from drinking too quickly. the tiniest breeze ruffles his bangs and coaxes a peaceful smile out of him. one eye peeks open and glances sidelong at zelda's questions. both open and raise to the fabric over them, granting them much-needed shade while he, obviously, mulls over how to answer. ]
It's really good but my favorite?
[ is it? that's like asking what his favorite food is, princess. how can he possibly choose? particularly when there are drinks on the menu to be tasted. the noble pursuit is the most popular and makes any sweet tooth happy. hence why he chose it for her, for both of them. he's not picky.
is it alcoholic? that's easier. he opens his mouth. ] ...
[ closes it. come to think of it, he's feeling warm. not the warmth that comes with being in the sun all day. they're well-acquainted with that warmth. this warm settles pleasant and low in his belly. his brow furrows as he lifts his drink to look at it more closely. is this why furosa gave him such a meaningful glance?
oh.
his first impulse is to grab the drink from zelda and take it back to the bar because they shouldn't be drinking?! another voice in his head argues why not? they're of age. furosa clearly isn't the type to serve alcohol to minors, either. that was a point she made when he met her for the very first time. despite him being well over one hundred years old... at the time...
he can't protect her under the influence. the second voice reminds him he's already destroyed two ganons. hyrule is peaceful beside a monster here and there, but the monster control crew can handle that much. right? hoz, toren, flaxel: he's counting on you guys! ]
I don't know if it is. [ honest and unsure and nervous, link answers. ] Is it okay if it is?
[ best to leave it up to the princess after all. if she says it's okay, then it's okay.
it's okay. ]
no subject
[ Hmm. Now that she says it, it had been while the Sage had taken her aside to provide clothing options that the subject had come up. Like Furosa, the Gerudo leader had mentioned its strength, though she'd said it with a smile rather than a warning tone. ]
I'm sorry, I didn't realize-... It's all right with me, but if you'd prefer we didn't, I don't mind.
[ Truly! They're here to relax, to avoid worrying as much as possible. If he'd be more comfortable without both of them...some level of intoxicated, then she would certainly understand. If, though, both of them understand the situation, and he would be able to relax more if they imbibed? Also fine.
Zelda offers him a little, reassuring smile. One complimented by tiny blooms of a rosy blush in the apples of her cheeks. She's drunk before. She's been drunk before. Not often, mind, and maybe not advisably so. This is the first time that feels...well, safe. Not because Link is at her side (because he always is), but because they exist now in a Hyrule she'd always believed was possible, but which they'd had to fight, and lose, so much to achieve. A bright, safe world for everyone. One where they could let their guard down and enjoy a day and night spent laughing and drinking in Gerudo Town.
She reaches out to take his hand again and squeezes. ]
But, you know, I think we've earned a break. You most of all.
[ He may have been able to come to the Noble Canteen before, to chat with its owner, its regulars, and enjoy the offerings, but she imagines there was a weight on his shoulders all the while. Now, maybe, he can set that down. Let himself fully enjoy the hard-won fruits of their efforts. Especially fruits this delicious! ]
no subject
in the end, the answer is obvious. it's how he always deals with her requests. how can he say no? link exhales a breath before he returns to her a surrender of his own smile and a nod, squeezing her hand back. if this makes her happy, then he will gladly imbibe. they have earned a break, a thousand thousand breaks, she's right. the older soldiers at the barracks in castle town would relax like this with their own spirits so it's not peculiar. obviously, the gerudo are of the same mind. link was too young at the time, but the soldiers invited him to join in with raised glasses and flushed faces regardless of his age. inebriated, unaware they were sentencing themselves to penalties if anyone found out.
nobody did.
he, too, has been drunk before; the inexplicable pleasure which rides with being in your cups. a noble pursuit tastes much better than ale or wine. those tend to be bitter. if there's anywhere they could let loose, if there is anyone he could do it with, then it has to be zelda.
(tulin is too young. yunobo doesn't drink. sidon can't drink. riju... does she get drunk? purah?
"linky!"
ah. nope.) ]
Alright, princess. You win. But we should toast to something first. That's a tradition across all regions. [ what though? having her back is cheer-worthy and his first thought. drinking to the defeat of the demon king has merit but that doesn't feel right either. ganondorf doesn't deserve either of them drinking to him in any way.
lifting their glasses to friends, new and old, maybe -- yeah.
link stands and raises his noble pursuit into the air. everyone turns to look. furosa chuckles at the bar. ]
To friends! [ everyone could understand that joy. everyone could be grateful for that. quieter, for zelda, ]
To never being alone. Sarqso!
[ the gerudo around them also raise full, half-full, near-empty drinks, as long as they have something in the glass it's up high. a cheer echoes the sentiment and everyone is tossing back their own favorite spirits. decisions made, link throws every last drop of his down his throat in one, huge gulp. ]
no subject
"To never being alone." Her heart surges. He's...the sun, all right. Blazing brilliantly above the desert, or peaking out after a storm to lift your spirits. Her lips part, awed, as she watches him, so much so that she nearly forgets her own part in the toast. Hastily, without giving it much thought, the princess downs the rest of her own cocktail, albeit not in a single gulp. She barely tastes it, because she's still watching him, feeling fully the emotion that wells up in the center of her chest. Burning, always burning, and carefully tended to.
I missed you. I missed you...so much.
She remembers herself eventually, face settling into something a little softer, though she keeps her eyes on him. Too many times they'd been separated for ages without warning, slipping out of each other's grasp. After all that, she's more liberal with her stares, less careful to guard the emotions in her face. What would be the point? If she can't now be honest with herself, and with him, then...when would that change? ]
Sarqso! [ Zelda repeats more quietly as he sits back down, teeth peeking out in a grin. ] Mm, I may ask you to teach me more Gerudo. I studied once, but...
[ You know. That was before the passing of the century, and then again before the time as a dragon. ]
There's so much I've forgotten. [ She continues, but it's more of a frustrated pout than a solemn lament. ] So many of my journals have been lost, but...well, at least I have some. That's a start. [ A quick turn, and she's looking at him again, and cheerfully. ] And, I have you...and time.
[ Her own time. Not time spent holding off the Calamity, or restoring the Master Sword. Time to start living a life spent in pursuit of happiness.
And other things.
She blinks. ]
...Oh. [ Their glasses are empty. That was fast. ] Should I get us two more? It really was delicious.
[ Not to mention the way it's made her feel: a light, happy buzz.
...Decisive action! Without waiting for an answer, the princess gets to her feet, only swaying the teeny-tiniest bit. ]
I'll be right back. [ She informs him, now sporting an expression twinged with mischief, before walking over to the bar.
One conversation later, in which she'd surprised and somewhat alarmed Furosa, Zelda returns with two new drinks. A sip seems to be missing from each of them. ]
They're both very good: I checked.
no subject
a gerudo is grinning at him in his peripheral and he quickly looks away, his face going a bright red. if he thought he could get away with it, then he would bury his face in one of those cushions.
that's what zelda comes back to. a knee bounces restlessly and he makes a point to keep his wandering gaze above her neckline as she rejoins him in their corner. link's sharp gaze doesn't miss how the surface of the drink is lower than how they got it the first time and he shoots her a knowing look. fruit cake and noble pursuits, huh, princess? ]
Yeah. I can see that. [ he's still red in the cheeks but he's looking amused as she sits down, face splitting in a grin as he takes his new drink with another "sarqso" for good measure. what did she ask him before she left? about gerudo, right. he'll start there. ]
I don't remember much Gerudo. Only the basic phrases like "good day!" Sav'aaq! And, um, "good evening!" Sav'saaba. I heard those two a lot when I was shopping in the market. But sa'oten is like saying "ah!"
[ while he explains, link speaks with his hands. with the one not currently holding his noble pursuit, anyway.
I have you. ]
U-Uh. The younger vai have been picking up slang, too. Instead of sarqso, sarq is like "thanks."
[ she does have him. always. why is that now suddenly making his heart beat faster? it must be the alcohol. he scratches beneath his high ponytail, bumping large hoop earrings along the way. ]
You know voe and vai.
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It's interesting, isn't it? "Ah" is so quick - barely a word - and "sa'oten" less so. You have more to do before you can express the surprise.
[ She chuckles, smiling, and takes another sip of her drink. Mm... It's warm in the bar, but not overly so. Nice - like floating in a pleasant bath. ]
"Sarq." [ Zelda repeats, nodding. ] And the slang is new? Or you've just recently learned about it? [ Every generation has their own unique vernacular, don't they? It wouldn't be so surprising for this one to have come up with their own quick turns of phrase. Zelda wonders vaguely what the older Gerudo think about it; people in other generations can often be condescending about those sorts of things... ]
I do know. [ He's the only voe in town, unless there are any other invited guests, or...well, prisoners. The princess glances back to Link, gaze sticking a bit as she glances across his outfit. ]
Handsome.
[ ...What? Was that out loud? Zelda blinks, growing more red, but also starts laughing, holding a hand up over her mouth. ]
Ah, I meant - it's "man," "man" and "woman." I don't know why I... [ She continues to laugh, now covering a burning face with both hands.
It would be a lie to say she doesn't know what brought that on, and she's not going to lie to him, but she also isn't going to come out with it. So, she just dissolves into more laughter, eventually removing her hands and curling them around the icy glass, staring determinedly down at the drink. ]
More words. Please. [ Biting her lower lip does not stop the impish grin. ]
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though he doesn't, he needs a sip of his own too. the dry air must be making him more parched, more quickly, or furosa put something in these noble pursuits that isn't quenching his thirst. what would? a bead of sweat travels down zelda's neck and it must be just as wrong to stare at it as it was to watch her hips move while she went to get them two more drinks.
reasons like this are probably why voe aren't allowed in gerudo town. link tears his eyes away from zelda to focus intently at his drink. he nods, at his drink. yes, the slang is newer. yes, he's just recently learned about it. both, princess. both.
zelda's laugh is the only thing that manages to coax his eyes back on her. although hearing her say 'handsome' while feeling the weight of her gaze on him had nearly broken him, too. he's already been getting more red. after a pause where his lips have parted, link smiles quietly with her laughter and her covering her face. just a little, only by the smallest amount, he moves his cushion closer to her.
they're not alone, he has to remind himself. furosa is at the bar and the other gerudo who raised their glasses surround them. why then? why does it feel as if they exist in their own bubble? why does his grin feel so dumb on his face as he scoots another inch closer? he ducks his head, leaning forward into her line of sight. ]
Sorry. I can't remember the ones I've already taught you. [ link admits, close to laughing himself. his tone is breathless with it. ] Can you repeat the ones you know?
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Mm... [ Remember, repeat? Surely she can do that, and without scrambling, too. Probably. ] Well... Sav'...orr, is good night. [ Hmm. Was that one of the phrases he'd already said? ] And vasaaq: welcome. [ Which, er, they'd heard multiple times today. She gives her head a little shake, pulling it together for the last: ] And vure: bird.
[ "Little bird" floats through her mind. Urbosa's voice, warm and comforting. Her smile softens. ]
That may be all... It's difficult to remember. [ At the moment. What with the delicious, strong drinks, and the...heat, and the...er, heat. Speaking of: she looks back at Link, who is very close. ] I obviously need to spend more time here.
[ Listening, studying, exploring. With him, of course. They could practice together.
Her lips part, just a little. ]
Do you know..."please?" [ It's slow, curious. Her head tilts slightly, the metallic elements of her upper dress clinking as she does. ] I know "thank you," but...it seems useful.
[ Another round, "please." A room for two, "please." - Oh, but they wouldn't need that, would they? Riju had provided space for them already, no need to ask after it. Well, the first application would still be useful, as her second drink is already somehow half-gone. And there are so many other appropriate opportunities to ask for things.
Or inappropriate opportunities. Or appropriate, inappropriate opportunities. Her face reddens again with the hot desert air, with some amount of fluster, with warmth entirely unrelated to the temperature. ]
I like the style here. [ She finds herself saying, gaze dropping slightly to his bare shoulder, where one of her hands seems to have moved, grasping it with a distracted firmness. ] It's very... [ quick, choose a word that makes sense and isn't weird ] suitable...for the weather.
[ Nope. Ah, well, she'd sort of tried. And, can she be blamed for what she says, when he's somehow so especially transfixing, and her thoughts are a little muddled? ]
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please.
tension squeezes in his gut. he doesn't know the word for it, which seems like an oversight. with all the buying and selling he does in the markets, a "please" should have come along with a "thank you." that's not what the pressure comes from though. it intensifies when he follows her attention to his bare shoulder and to the hand she leaves there, holding it.
his throat is so dry but he can't seem to lift his drink to take another sip. if he doesn't move, then maybe she'll keep her hand there forever. ]
Y, yeah. [ there's a crack in his voice he's immediately flustered by. which is funny because normally he would be much more flustered by the princess's casual touch on him. he reaches for one of those metallic elements on the upper part of her dress, the ones that clinked earlier, and rubs his thumb across the smooth, glittering gold and the jewels seated there. sapphires meant to keep the body cool with its magical properties.
not like it's helping much. ]
I mean, uh, no. No, I don't know the word for "please." Princess. [ thinking is more of a struggle than usual. there's a sweet lingering taste on his tongue but that bead of sweat on her neck has traveled past her neckline now and --
he hasn't even had two drinks! ]
I like the style too. Very suitable. [ the fabric on her arms is see-through and more airy. breathable. his vai disguise was like that, too. he could use it right now for how hot it is. the sapphires seated in his voe armor don't do much either. the noise of the canteen becomes muffled like he's underwater and link's touch roams from the gold to the bottom edge of her top. knuckles brush lightly at the skin over her ribcage.
what were they talking about? gerudo words. ]
Vehvi is "daughter".
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But - the light of day is strong and real. It feels good, and solid, to have her hand on his skin. ]
We'll have to ask. [ Someone. There are people around, and Furosa would be happy to answer, she imagines, but the idea of moving is somehow...unpleasant. And she certainly couldn't strike up a conversation with the women around them as they are, staring slack-jawed. Nearly in each other's laps.
A fresh pink blooms in her cheeks and she finally releases him, withdrawing slightly. Only slightly. Zelda is less concerned with keeping up appearances these days, true, but also isn't at the point where she's completely disregarded the Gerudo women around them, if only out of respect for their very public place of business and leisure. The princess glances past Link for the first time in a while and meets the eyes of one of the other customers, who raises two red eyebrows, smirking with...approval?
Delicately, she clears her throat. ]
Practical and beautiful. I wonder how much it's changed over time, if-...any...
[ His hand brushes the bare skin of her midriff and she's stunned clear out of her line of thinking. The contact is like an icy shock, more so than any sip of their frozen beverages, and her breath catches for a while as the air seems to leave the room. ]
...Daughter. [ Back to parroting, and to looking at him, then. Her lips part, and she adopts another smile. ] Hmm. There's a lot to learn, then. [ There's another thoughtful pause, and it takes absolutely all her willpower not to reach her hand back out, to touch him again, but her fingers twitch longingly. ] And - what about "yes?"
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a few more cracks appear in the spell with them finding an increment of their personal space again. link blinks rapidly and reaches up to rub his shoulder, where her hand rested, and rolls it experimentally. he looks at the ground as if it's given him a ridiculously complicated riddle to solve. you know, he wouldn't be too shocked if it did.
while the buzz of alcohol lingers, without zelda touching him and without the smell of her right under his nose, he can... think. sort of. when he looks at her, he's lost the completely lost expression on his face. in fact, he seems happy about the new question. that one! that one he has a word for!
his hand hasn't drifted away from her bare midriff. it's even making slow back and forth, light and barely there, motions against the skin. link smiles back at her, scoots in closer to obliterate that increment of personal space they got back, and is utterly oblivious to his mindless touching of her. ]
Ahah! That's sha. Sha is "yes!" [ or "sa'oten! that's sha." if he would recognize and use any of the things he's teaching her. ] I knew that one.
[ ... what are they learning gerudo for? it's fun and he likes sharing any and all of his knowledge with zelda but -- he finishes off his noble pursuit and finally draws his hand back from her body to wipe at his mouth with the back of his hand. ]
Mine's empty. These are even better than I remember. [ when he's not chugging them while fleeing from a molduga, for sure. ] Would you like another one too, Princess?
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Another...? Mm, no, I still have-... [ Zelda looks to the glass in her hand and blinks. When had she finished that one? The princess lifts her gaze to the rest of the room, and, with a little start, notices the quality of light has changed slightly. There's at least one additional patron in the bar, too...or, one she hadn't noticed when they'd first entered.
Interesting. Troubling? Not exactly. They're safe. She's safe, always safe, with Link. So, she smiles again, turning back to him and nodding firmly. ]
Yes, please. ...Oh! "Sha." [ Zelda laughs like the tinkling of bells and bounces her ankles against the bottom of the bench. ] You know, we...really should have eaten before this.
[ Lunch had been some time ago, though she can't say how long with any precision. What they'd had then has clearly done nothing to absorb the alcohol now. ]
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it rouses again, it's been roused for years now, but is stronger without inhibitions. thank you, alcohol. it's harder to ignore or bury or say it's the remains of a knight's devotion to his princess or a friend's loyalty to someone they care deeply about. would do anything for.
getting another drink for her is easy. he smiles through this lovely pain in his chest. ]
I can make something if you're hungry. [ he offers as he stands on -- those are his feet, right? the floor is uneven, not him. he makes a point to plant himself, looking down at the ground in consternation. this is leaps and bounds beyond how he felt after having a couple of pints of ale. what's in these, furosa?
more important, is zelda. if he's feeling such a way, then she must surely -- be bouncing her ankles against the bench.
that's cute. she's cute. she's everything.
he wants to kiss her.
-- like a friend! on the cheek. yes, exactly. ] Be right back!
[ he calls, in a rush, and jogs back to the bar area. he only swerves a little to the side as he goes. the gerudo laugh at the spectacle of a tottering hero. while furosa looks hesitant about giving the two hylian another two noble pursuits, they are safe within gerudo walls just as zelda believes. they've earned some time to let loose and have others watch over them. it's better to do it here than anywhere else.
link comes back with another two drinks. he's staring at them with deep concentration to not spill as he takes a much slower pace to get back. not jogging. ]
For Her Highness. [ their third drink for the afternoon is offered before he seats himself beside her and takes a long drink for his perpetually parched throat. ]
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No, no - I only meant it would have been better foresight. It's-... We're okay.
[ Better than okay! Happy as she's been lately, this is the most...floaty(?)...she's felt. And that's reason to celebrate. The world is awash in a gold glow, and she smiles, rolling her head to one side to drink it all up.
...Drink! Link. Link has gone to get drinks. He's gone, though, and her smile fades a touch until she spots him at the bar, doing exactly what he'd just said. With her transient disappointment evaporating again, Zelda shifts so she's sitting with her legs tucked under, and to one side, shoes sitting empty on the ground beneath her.
The hero returns, drinks in hand. She accepts one as it's offered, perking up happily before going for a sip. Mm, same as before: still quite good. Sweet, fruity, cold. There's a contented sigh as the princess settles in against him, her head squarely resting on Link's shoulder. ]
Thank you. I think this may be my new favorite. [ The drink, the bar, or both? Maybe the entire town?
Zelda rolls her head to gaze up at him, her heart swelling fit to burst. He's so close, and he...smells really good, actually. Not like any particular scent, really, but so solidly like Link that she breathes deep, oddly comforted. Doesn't hesitate or blush much before lifting herself just a little to leave a little kiss - a peck, really - on his jaw (the closest thing to her) before snuggling back in. ]
- Oh! [ And she sits bolt upright suddenly, hand snapping out and latching onto the closest thing to it (his thigh). ] I almost forgot...Riju said we absolutely needed to see the sunset tonight. From somewhere high up, of course.
[ Link has maybe seen this, whether in Gerudo Town specifically or the area around it, but the princess does not look as if she'll be swayed. Her eyes are sparkling with purpose, expression alight with excitement and urgency.
She'd seen it, too. Many times, from above. The memory is grainy, and she hastily brushes it aside from her mind's eye. However grand a sight, the vantage point of a dragon is lonely. ]
Though - later. [ Zelda presses. Later: after they'd finished their drinks, and when it's time. She's certainly not in any rush to leave at the moment, not in a place as nice as this, with-...oh, her hand is on his leg. She considers this, looking down at it, and decides to leave it there. The solid reassurance of him stokes the pleasant warmth in her belly, the pinpricks of something in her chest. ]
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he's left staring at his glass after the peck to his jaw as she cuddles up. link barely turns his head in her direction as she settles into a comfortable position. perhaps one millimeter. from the corner of his eye, just enough to catch a glimpse of her face. although not that noticeable, her legs are.
should he give her a kiss on the jaw in return? those thighs look quite soft, though. what if he dug his face in and -- ]
Wah!
[ with her sudden movement to sit up straight (and grab his thigh), link shouts and bolts up too. until she explains, every muscle in his body is tensed. if only this irrational restlessness would bleed out with the tension as it leaves. he exhales. he smiles.
sunsets are stunning in the gerudo desert. riju's idea isn't a bad one. temperatures are just right as the sun starts to hide behind a flat horizon and all the effort it put into making the dunes a heat haze disappears. with the rise of the moon, the sands are quick to cool. from there, the desert transforms into a canvas of color with no mountains or buildings to obscure the panorama. gradients of the softest pink to the warmest and deepest reds as far as the eye could see and flecked with stars like tiny glittering diamonds. ]
Okay. I know a spot. [ an easy promise. taken as he is with those same diamonds in her eyes, he doesn't hesitate. anything she wants. even the hand that doesn't leave his thigh doesn't keep him from making it. he couldn't return her kiss but he lays his hand over hers on his thigh. ]
We'll have to string travel to get to it, though.
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[ Since it is, apparently, getting later. Time's march is unrelenting, even on a beautiful day where you wish for all the world that things could stay the same forever.
Of course, 'forever' is more complicated for Zelda. ]
You do? [ His words nourish the smile, keeping it bright and on her face, and she sighs in anticipation of the imagined sight to come. ] Mm, well, we'll manage it.
[ Though traveling anywhere right now seems challenging. She's very comfortable, after all, and can guess that walking on solid ground might end up feeling similar to trying to walk during an earthquake, based on the two (going on three) drinks that are warming and befuddling her system. Still, nothing to worry about. There's very little to worry about in general, at least as far as her boozy, happy mind can supply.
Link lays his hand over hers and she squeezes, thumbing idly. ]
I had a glass of wine in the castle, once, that was...truly awful. [ It hadn't been intended for her, but there was always wine around, of course, and she'd been bad and snuck a single glass into her study after a particularly grueling day. That was what adults did, it seemed: nurse a drink when there was need to relax, and forget. Well, she'd tried, but had only made it a few sips before abandoning the attempt, making disgusted faces before dumping the vile liquid into a plant.
Sorry, plant! ]
Was something very dry, and bitter. [ Zelda makes a similar face now, nose scrunching up. ] I don't remember the exact type. My point is that these are much better.
[ Nearby, one or two of the Gerudo women are absolutely peeking over at the Hylian princess and hero, sitting nearly in each other's laps, hands together in one of their laps. Zelda is blissfully unaware; she reaches out to secure her Noble Pursuit, downing a long, sweet sip to wash away the old memory.]
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since she consistently knocks the breath of him with the sight of it and what she does with her hand. link is resolute in keeping still; not so much as a twitch results from her squeeze and thumbing. what he does need to do is exhale very, very slowly and discipline himself to listen. quite a challenge given the booze in his own system. everything is kind of... complicated.
from the most instinctual of things like breathing to the most complex like thinking.
like not kissing her when her nose scrunches up. what is she saying? something about wine. yeah, he's not a fan either. ]
Ale isn't much better than wine. [ link attempts to carry the conversation on. giving himself something else to focus on other than her hand or dropping his head the final few inches to feel the touch of her lips on his. to taste a noble pursuit from those same lips instead of a glass. ]
The soldiers at the garrisons would drink sometimes, and they let me have a pint or two. Bitter, yeah, hmm.
[ definitely bitter.
typically, link would be conscious of the eyes upon them too. self-conscious, if anything, but he's in a deep concentration on the princess leaning against him and sipping at her drink. when she lowers it again, he sees some juice clinging to her upper lip. electricity runs through his fingers but he disregards it in favor of guiding her face up by caressing her jaw. the liquid is wiped away with his thumb and lowered lids.
not one to let any food go to waste, he sticks it in his mouth. ]
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Zelda tries anyway, as she always does. ]
I don't think we'll get the recipe, but maybe we can come up with something new. Similar. [ How hard could it be to mix up a sweet drink? One with or without alcohol, though she's certainly enjoying the pleasant, fuzzy feeling that the "with alcohol" option has provided. Zelda curls and uncurls her fingers from around his hand, lost in the simplicity of the gesture. The novelty of holding his hand whenever she desires. The weight of it, which has always made her feel safe. ]
- Hmm? [ Did he say something? Emerald eyes blink, puzzled, but he hasn't spoken. Instead, he's nudged her head up slightly, thumbing something from her lip, and then moving it to his own mouth. Entranced, she looks slowly from where his thumb disappeared behind his lips up to his eyes.
It feels like time is gummy around them. Zelda is suddenly very aware of her own breathing, her own heartbeat. ]
Give it back. [ The princess says softly, almost wonderingly. She's looking at his mouth again, and even moves a fraction closer. It isn't that she doesn't want to kiss him: she very badly does want to, to steal back that taste he'd taken from her, and to taste him, too. But something in the back of her head says this isn't the time or place for that, no matter what she may want to do.
It might have something to do with the fact that now almost everyone else has noticed the princess and the hero, fairly drunk, and extremely close to making out in the middle of the bar. Maybe they're all so surprised that they're completely stunned, or maybe they're waiting with bated breath to see what happens next. Zelda, not paying them any mind, has no idea what the surrounding Gerudo women think of their - frankly - scandalous choices. ]
Mine. [ Comes the small addition, insistent and almost pouty. There's still a smile behind it, though, as she finds room to be both amused and spellbound. ]
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maybe this is why he now makes it a point to remember every name that is given to him.
moments in his past aren't the only things that are odd in his thoughts. such as a recipe? easy. it should be, yet his attention is always drawn back to her hands and the flavors sitting on his tongue he identified were lost again. they pale in comparison to the green he gets lost in. the color of a dense forest. the master sword could be hidden in those eyes.
link's initial reaction might be a playful 'no', forgetting it's his princess. he does what she says.
his thumb finds her lips again to "give it back."
for the record, the gerudo are both shocked and waiting with bated breath. their voe 101 classes appear to be coming to life in front of their very eyes. it resembles a dirty romance novel perda read once late at night. now played out in real time. none of them rush to stop the two. deltan is staring so intently that she completely misses her mouth as she tries to sip from her glass and spills on herself. ]
Yours. [ link agrees, pleasant if not a bit dopey. touching her pouting lips is very fun. it's so luxurious, like a soft pillow, under his callouses.
the rest of her is probably like that too.
from her mouth, he makes a trail down her chin. under her jaw. along her neck. all the while, his eyes follow behind that path his thumb takes until his palm rests at her collar.
... has his head always felt so heavy? he can barely keep it up anymore. noble pursuit in his hand, he wraps that arm connected that hand around to her back and really does drag her partway into his lap. only to lay his head on her shoulder. he nearly spills his drink as he sags into her. ]
Zelda. Sleepy. Can I take a nap on you?
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I love when you say my name. [ A simple, heartfelt confession. She's heard "Princess" and "Your Highness" and other titles for so long that the hearing the name on its own is a rarity. She can still hear her father's voice using it, and Rauru and Sonia, too. Mentally, she commits Link's iteration to memory, eyes closing.
...Hmm. Probably better to not drift off here. Not for reasons of safety, but because it's a...place of business, and not one that deals in lodging. After an unknown amount of time, she shifts slightly, tongue darting out to wet her lips, now a little more dry with the desert air and the lack of drinking. Zelda's eyes flutter open again as she draws a long inhale, careful to not disturb Link as much as possible. Her (third) Noble Pursuit, half-drunk, has largely melted down on the table.
Whoops. Hazily, the princess looks out across the bar, but only to try and assess the time by the quality of light. It doesn't seem to have been very long, she guesses, and not long enough that they'd missed the sunset...she hopes.
Link has either also dozed, or he's been keeping very still so as not to disturb her. Gently, she reaches up to cup the side of his face, thumbing over one of the small scars on his cheek before pressing a small kiss to it. ]
Link. [ The words come almost automatically, though she spoke them so long ago. ] Wake up, Link.
[ It does make her think of some of the grief of the past, of being so close to his fallen form, and then parting for a hundred years, hoping - no, knowing that he would return. Zelda snuggles into the crook of his neck, just taking in the press of him, listening to his pulse. ]
We should go. [ Where? Does it matter? Maybe they can even still find their way to this secret spot of his to watch the day's end over the sandy expanse. ]
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it's a little of both, dozing and not moving. breaking the bubble that is this perfect world be a shame. although he nearly does it anyway when zelda kisses his cheek. his fingers curl against her back so he makes a fist. whatever leftover restraint he has left tenuously holds on like a spider's web. he would like nothing more than to return that kiss.
waking up in the shrine of resurrection was not this blissful. had he known back then that the voice belonged to the princess, would he feel any different? maybe he would feel as he does now. or maybe he wouldn't because there's no way the princess could have buried her nose into his neck as she does now.
his pulse thrums, a quick rhythm.
he tugs her into him more tightly at the mention of leaving the bubble. ]
M'wake. [ he grumbles and turns his head to peer at her from the corner of a blue eye. his cheek lifts with his smile. most of his bangs cover it even with the higher ponytail. ]
You kissed me. That's the second time, Zelda.
[ she loves it, so he says her name again. sure, the kisses were under his jaw and his cheek and not his mouth, but still. good places. feeling her lips on him anywhere is a good place. ]
I love when you kiss me.
[ his confession is out of his mouth before he can stop it. it's as simple and heartfelt as hers before he turns back to bury his face into her shoulder. ]
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He speaks her name again and she exhales, chest tight with adoration. ]
I did. [ Twice, and those wouldn't be the last. Not for today, not for the rest of their days. If he'll keep saying 'Zelda,' she'll kiss him endlessly.
'I love when you kiss me.' Love. Her eyes lower, her smile softening. The hand that had been on his head moves to her lap, but only briefly, before she reaches out to wrap it around his forearm instead.
Love. ]
And I love...you. [ Can it be a confession if it feels this simple, this easy? It doesn't come as a surprise to the princess who speaks it, at least. She may be drunk, warm and woozy, but the words are as honest as anything. More so, really.
Would this be such a revelation, really, to anyone who had seen Link and Zelda interact, or even just heard one speak of the other: that she loves him more deeply than could ever be put to words? Oh, but she'll try. She loves a challenge and will happily undertake this one. To articulate feelings that have depths and heights reaching below the chasms and beyond the sky islands. Feelings that stretch back to the founding of Hyrule, to the goddess Hylia and her chosen hero, and past the present, too, into their own futures, to the distant futures of Links and Zeldas, courage and wisdom.
A small pool of water collects at the base of her forgotten drink. Outside, locusts hum with life. ]
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it finally happened... i wrote "adurable" instead of "adorable"
just as keikaku
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when you have a paid but used the same icon twice that's an oof lmao
unforgivable crimes
put me back in jail
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