New Home - BotW Link x Reader (Undergoing Revisions)

Chapter 15 - Swapping Stories With Stableboys

"You know," Link said, still seated behind me on my newfound mare and with his arms wrapped securely around me as we made our way towards the stable, "back in Hateno, before we actually met, I thought you seemed kinda boring."

"..."

"I mean, obviously I didn't know you, but you hadn't reached out to me like the others there, not like the guy standing guard and the innkeeper did."

"..."

"And I know it's bad to judge a book by its cover, but I really didn't think the person who seemed so offended by my barging into their home would be the one journeying with me today."

"..."

"To think, you tamed your own horse," he continued. "It's incredible, really! I didn't have you pegged as that sort of person at all!"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"(Y/n)," he said slyly, leaning to one side to peer at me mischievously, "you know I'm being sarcastic, right?"

I certainly hadn't, but I wouldn't let him know that.

"I still can't believe you thought it was normal to just barge into someone's home," I muttered rather defensively, a fierce blush rising forth in my cheeks with the thought that he really had been being sarcastic and not completely genuine as I had been beginning to think. Link, more perceptive than he seemed, picked up on this right away.

"Oh," he said, "I'm sorry, (Y/n). I thought you'd be able to pick it up, that's all..."

"Normally I can," I said defensively. "I just wasn't expecting it from you."

"For the record," he said, smiling genuinely now as I caught his gaze sidelong, "I don't judge people like that right away anyway."

"Well, I'm glad to know that looks aren't what you judge a person first on."

"Let's just say that I've met plenty of people around Hyrule, and a lot of them are... interesting characters, shall I say?"

"Right," I said, still getting over my embarrassment. "And where do I stack up?"

"Honestly? I thought you were pretty amazing, (Y/n)."

"What? Really?"

"You were fighting a monster with clearly no experience," Link said, and though the words were kind-hearted at their core, I couldn't help but feel embarrassed once more at the thought that my inexperience was really as easy to catch as he seemed to suggest.

Was it just because he had a trained eye to see that kind of thing? Did being a fighter himself- well-versed and well-fought, mean that he could pick out when someone wasn't? Or was my body language and clear fright in that moment indicative enough of my inexperience?

"All that aside, it was obvious you were scared but you braved through it all," he said, almost reverently. "And all for your village, for your friends and family. That's real courage, (Y/n)."

I smiled a little sheepishly. "So, your courage then? Real?"

"Oh, of course," he said, downright beaming at me, his eyes glittering with pride. "All-natural courage, that's what I've got!"

"Mm-hm," I hummed indulgently, and by then, we neared the stable, and so the conversation died down a bit. Or at least, on my end it did. Link though, well, he prattled on and on in a terribly endearing way.

"You know, the way you reacted before, it makes me think you really did think I judged people on looks."

"Oh, Hylia... Can't we drop this? I didn't pick up on your sarcasm, so what?"