Never Without You │ BOTW modern AU fanfic

Never Without You

Zelda's POV

As I gradually awaken from my slumber, I find myself nestled in Link's arms. Our skin is covered in a thin layer of sweat, gluing our bodies together. With the soft, gentle rays of sunlight pouring into the room, I can now see all the traces of dirt and grime on our skin that we failed to rinse off last night.

Feeling the need to freshen up, I attempt to remove myself from Link's hug but he refuses to let me go.

"Don't," he protests in a mumble.

"Honey, I have dried mud on my elbow," I argue. "And you have some on your right hand."

He moves his hand from my thigh to my chest and gives me a sleepy smirk. "Now you have some on your right boob."

I playfully roll my eyes at his childish remark, unable to suppress a small smile that tugs at the corners of my lips. In this fleeting exchange, I'm reminded of the simple joy of being with someone who knows how to make me smile.

I stay put and enjoy Link's presence until he's ready to start the day two hours later. After everything that happened yesterday, a profound transformation has taken hold within me, allowing me to shed my insecurities and abandon the need to hide my body from Link.

I don't know what I was scared of before, but it's a relief to know that nothing has changed between us since yesterday. If anything, I feel closer to him than ever before. I might even be ready to take the next step with him. But I know there's no rush.

I'm in a new state of mind. It's liberating to be my true self with someone, free of the fear of judgment. All the cards are on the table and we have both come to accept each other the way we are.

If his family wasn't around, perhaps I would have shared today's bath with him. But just the thought of his uncle, or worse, his father walking in on us in such an intimate moment ignites a flush of embarrassment on my cheeks. It makes me imagine the potential consequence of such actions, which is exactly why Link and I didn't take it further last night.

He claims his father wouldn't care, but I do. I don't want his family to think less of me. I respect them, and want them to respect me. And to convey my good intentions with Link and their family, I will not act immature or irrationally.

After Link served breakfast to all of us as part of his apology for neglecting the laundry, his father allowed him to take off with me to embark on yet another adventure. I'm sure that he would have been a little more strict if I hadn't been present and if this wasn't our last day here. Of course we had to wash and hang the clothes from yesterday first, but once that was done, we set off under the scorching sun.

A delightful aroma of rain-kissed earth fills my senses. The ground around us is parched and still bearing traces of mud. I'm excited to see where Link is taking me, and throughout our horseback ride, which takes about three hours, I beg him to tell me where we are going but he is determined to keep it a surprise.

"Just wait and see," he keeps telling me.

The passing landscapes captivate my gaze as we venture across the mountain. Finally, we reach the pinnacle of a large hill, which allows me to get an unrestricted view of the breathtaking vistas.

I gasp in astonishment! Spread out before us, as far as the eye can see, lies a sea of sunflowers, their vibrant yellow petals turned towards the sun.

"Tada," Link hums. "They bloom every year," he says with a wide grin on his face. "And the best part is, nobody picks them because not many people know about this place. It's too far from the village."

"How... How did you even find this place?" I ask astonished, unable to take my eyes off the fields of yellow and brown hues.

Link nonchalantly shrugs, his eyes attached to me and me only. "I like to explore."