As Dawn Rises (Link x Reader)

Chapter 2: Lavender and Leather

        Link opened the door to his home, letting out a soft breath at the reprieve it offered him from the cold morning air. Having just finished the morning routine at the ranch, the sun was setting itself higher in the sky, although it was still early in the day. Closing the door behind him, Link was surprised to hear a soft groan come from the sofa, followed by light shuffling.

        While the sound of the door had disturbed her, she was still sound asleep, clutching and curled around a pillow as if her life depended on it. The sight puzzled Link; she never usually slept this late. By the time he was back home from the ranch in the mornings, she was happily tittering about with a cup of lavender tea, offering a 'welcome back' as he shuffled out of his mud ridden boots. It was something the two of them had gotten used to.

        But now, she was completely off in her dreams upon the sofa which she claimed as her place of rest every night. Link certainly had no room in his home for an extra bed, so he had originally opted to sleep on the floor as she took his. They had that arrangement only for a night or two, although she was certainly keen on expressing her guilt over robbing him from comfort, despite the fact he offered it. When the sofa came in, however, she was perfectly happy sleeping on it instead, saying "You deserve your comfort. Besides, your bed smells like a pine forest." With such a large smile on her face, he couldn't tell if it was a complaint or a compliment.

        Taking extra care to be quiet, Link switched from his boots to a simple pair of indoor slippers, stepping over to the kitchen and grabbing out a small steel pot. He filled it with water from a bucket freshly fetched at dawn and hung it in the furnace, trying his best not to make too much noise as he started up the fire. After retrieving a jar of dried lavender from atop a shelf, he paused, opting to grab some mint as well. Placing them on the table near the furnace, Link took a seat to wait for the water to boil.

        Link leaned back in his seat, listening to the fire crackle as he let himself get lost in his own thoughts. Perhaps he would go for a ride on Epona today. Its been too long since the two of them simply rode around, not having to worry about herding goats or jumping over obstacles. Maybe he should do the laundry. The sooner it gets done the better. Maybe, before returning to the ranch to complete the evening routine, he could try to collect some honey from a nearby beehive. He remembered they were running a bit low.

        The sound of a light whistling coming from the pot had brought Link back to reality, stepping out of his chair to remove the freshly-boiled water from the heat. Placing it on top of a rag on the table, he reached inside a small cupboard for two ceramic mugs, one plain and one with a floral design. He had been given that cup by Sera, Beth's mother, on one of his birthdays, though his new roommate had taken quite a liking to it. Link didn't mind; he wasn't particularly attached to that cup anyway.

        As soon as the cups had been placed on the table, Link heard more shuffling come from the sofa. Looking up, he saw her sit upright slowly, a soft yawn escaping her as she stretched. Her hair was pointing in all directions, tussled by what must've been a very deep sleep. The sight was a little funny, he thought, feeling a slight smile tug at his lips. Walking over to her, he placed a hand on her head, tilting his own when she looked up at him with tired eyes.

        "Good morning," she greeted, earning a nod from Link. "Sorry for sleeping in late again. I've just been feeling a little tired lately."