Eternity [Link x Reader]

XVIII || A Smiling Sun

【 P R E S E N T L Y 】

As soon as you stepped outside, you were blinded by the bright sun.

"Whoa!" You exclaimed in surprise.

You squeezed your eyes shut, desperately hoping you didn't just fry your corneas.

"Hey! [Y/N]! Come on over here!"

You automatically opened your eyes at the call of your name. Despite the annoying little dots dancing around in your vision, you managed to spot the owner of the voice. He was a familiar one, though you couldn't quite match a name with his face. He was standing amongst a small crowd of people not too far away, waving you over with a sense of urgency.

Of course. You were the last person to show up.

"[Y/N]!"

"Coming!" You called back before scurrying over.

You quickly spotted Shad standing near the back of the crowd. He turned around just as you reached him, and you automatically went to his side. A somewhat relieved look appeared across his face. Ever since last night, you had been weighing on his mind. He had tried to chase after you, only to be stopped by Link. The blonde suggested it was best to leave you alone to sort out your thoughts. Although it took some persuading, Shad eventually relented and spent the rest of the night worrying about your wellbeing.

However, one look at your refreshed and energetic face made him realize that Link was right to give you your space. The scholar's eyes flickered over briefly to the side, spotting the hero making small talk with Auru. Then the strangest thing happened. An ugly little emotion known as envy latched onto his heart.

Shad was jealous. He was jealous of Link.

Why was he jealous? The redhead wondered.

Sure, Link was the hero of Hyrule, attractive, and loved by all... But Shad never really cared about any of that stuff. That must mean...

"Good morning!" You suddenly appeared beside Shad, smiling up at him happily. 

You. It was you. Shad was jealous of Link because of the history he shared with you.

Despite how close he's grown to you in just the past month, he realized he was nowhere close to understanding the many layers of your personality compared to Link. Heck, he didn't even know the details of your childhood!

Trying to quell the aching of his heart, Shad instead focused all his attention on you and mustered a smile. "Good morning, [Y/N]. I'm glad to see you in high spirits today."

"Thanks!" You replied while adjusting the straps of your pack. "Are we heading off soon?"

"I think so. We're just waiting for the Gorons. They'll be accompanying us to their village."

"Hmm." You hummed in reply. You tilted your head back, this time being careful of the harsh sunlight. "I hope they show up soon. Once it hits noon, it'll be ridiculously hot."

Shad followed your gaze, shielding his eyes with his dominant hand as he did so. "You're right. There doesn't seem to be any clouds today either."

"Oh, wait! No, I see one!"

You raised your free arm with your index finger pointed at the sun. There was a small wisp of a cloud floating by. It actually looked more like a puff of smoke than a cloud.

"But I guess that won't really help... Huh."

Shad chuckled in amusement.

"It's too bad, though," you sighed, shoulders dropping in disappointment. "It's such a nice day, and we have to climb that giant mountain."