#I’m so sick of it all being focused on Zelda

[linkbetweenlinksau]

What are each of the links relationships to their respective Zelda’s? Friends? Lovers? Strangers? Enemies? Family?

I hope you’re ready for an essay cuz that’s what you’re gonna get!

Sky: his Zelda is his lover! Idk how I’m gonna do their relationship… cuz the Sky arc that I’ve been working on is outdated and doesn’t match the new story of lbl so that’s super complicated lol. But he worries over her constantly and gets nervous when they’re apart. Separation anxiety am I right?? Groose is his best friend and they mean the world to me guys. They’re both himbos but groose is at least a smart himbo so he keeps Sky safe from doing super stupid things. He’s also really good friends with everyone in skyloft! Tho he had some rough patches with some of them after the events of skord for reasons, he’s doing fine now! And Sky is kinda awkward around strangers. He’s friendly and curious around them but compared to skyloft he’s never met them before so he says and does weird stuff, but he’s also chill so it doesn’t matter all that much. And Sky doesn’t have a family. Gaepora is an honorary father figure but overall his family is dead. So rip. His enemies are dead now but they were the only people he hated.

Minish: he and his Zelda are very very close! Best friends! Minish cares a lot about her and her well-being. Minish is good friends with all the Minish and with his Malon! Now… I’m kinda stuck on the lovers thing… cuz idk if it’s right to have Minish with someone? He’s the same size as an 8 year old and I’ve been trying to at least make his face look more 17ish, but I might make him a little bit more muscular since he’s a blacksmith and is very strong, but idk if I’d even be comfortable having him be a couple with someone else. Idk. I’ll see how you guys feel about it tho. Minish struggles with strangers, they think he’s kinda strange cuz he’s built like an 8 year old but is actually 17. He’s nice enough to them and he tries to be friendly but overall he keeps to himself. The major enemy that has affected him terribly was Vaati. He was 8 when he faced Vaati and he almost died (Hylia was the reason why he lived), and then he faced Vaati again during Four Swords (he was the first four swords guy, the one that takes place after MC). So Vaati is a bad subject for him.and then the only family that’s alive is his grandfather and while he is strict and scary, Minish loves his grandpa and they’re very close.

Time: his relationship with Zelda is complicated, cuz the Zelda in the adult timeline was someone he was super close with and was also in love with, however the Zelda in the child timeline is not the same person he loved. They barely know each other, and while the Zelda is nice, Time doesn’t know how to talk to her, plus when he told her about Ganondorf, he was more focused on finding Navi, so he didn’t stick around for that long. But he does care a lot about her, after all her influence helped him in Majoras Mask. Time doesn’t really have any friends, he never had the motivation to rekindle the friendships he had after what had happened. The only reason why he’s with Talon and Malon is cuz Talon was nice enough to take care of him when he was sick and alone. Aaaand cuz of that he fell in love with Malon and was able to accept that the timeline he is in is one he’s gonna be in for the rest of his life. He loves Malon a lot and he tells her everything, Talon doesn’t believe everything he says (but he will with my dumb crack au lol). Time is pretty intimidating around strangers but really he’s just as intimidated as they are. With enemies… the major one he’s looking out for is the FD, everyone else is either dead or suffering the consequences of their actions.

Legend: his relationship with Zelda is also pretty complicated. They are very close and have a lot in common, however, Tulip really loves Legend, but he doesn’t know how he feels since he hasn’t moved on from Marin. He’s confused around Tulip to say the least. I haven’t played enough of Legend’s games to think of anything for friends lol. Every enemy he has is dead, but he’s still upset about Ganondorf and Aghahim (idk how to spell his name bruh) since they killed his uncle. And last but not least, he has no family left, his uncle was murdered right in front of him

Hyrule: I’m taking a lot of creative liberties with him lol. He and Peony are super close and Peony has a HUGE crush on him. Hyrule respects Rose, and she is a lot older than him but she’s still a good friend to him. Hyrule is good friends with that secret Moblin, and he overall is a lovable himbo so a lot of people like him. The biggest enemies are the monsters trying to sacrifice him to Ganondorf, but luckily Ganon is dead so he doesn’t worry about him (or does he???) and he does have a living family! He just doesn’t know them or remember them! And he hasn’t met them in this au so he doesn’t know that exist! This is just a personal headcanon of mine so you can ask about his fam like… later or on my main blog.

Twilight: he and Zelda have a rooough relationship. They’re both so different from each other and Nebula comes off as cold and blunt which drives Twi crazy. They only really got along when they needed to and because Midna was a mutual friend, but overall they don’t like each other all that much. I’d say twilight has some good friendships, except he’s been isolating himself from everyone, but the resistance still talk to him and he’s still best buds with Fado, and Illia is still his best friend. For lovers, he still loves Midna and hasn’t really thought about anyone else. He kinda felt pressured to get with Illia so he doesn’t end up with her since she deserves someone who loves her the same way she loves him. Twi is pretty kind to strangers, all I can say. All his enemies are dead and the biggest enemy he’s facing rn is heartbreak. And family. Ah. I love his family more than life itself. His biological family is not alive but he was adopted by Rusl and Uli and they are such doting parents who try to help him feel better about what happened and stuff. And Colin adores him still and Rela (his new baby sister) is a baby and doesn’t know what’s going on but yeah. I love his family and Twi loves his family too. He’s just struggling with life rn so he hasn’t been with them a whole lot.

Four: ok, all the colors care a lot for Lily, Green has a crush on her however the others just see her as a really good friend. They grew up together since Four’s mom died when he was 3 months old, and the king was kind enough to let him be raised with Lily while his father was working, so they’re super close. Red has a BIG crush on Erune (from the manga), Blue is too focused on his teenage angst rn and Vio just does not care about love atm so it’s really only Green and Red with crushes lol. I suppose after lbl they’ll have their own friends except for Blue (who again is going through teenage angst rn) but ye. Green is polite and kind to strangers, Red is happy and joyful around strangers, Vio is rude but respectful enough towards strangers, and Blue is just pissed off all the time so strangers are scared of him. Their main enemy is gone now so they’re just kinda dealing with the affects of the four sword rn. And lastly family, their father. My absolute beloved. Their father is a very strict and serious man but he’s very worrisome and doting over his children (and Lily too. He kinda looked after her when he father died). They look up to him and want his approval, mostly Blue is struggling with the relationship tho (I just have a lotta thoughts on Blue ok??)

Windy: he wants to get maaaaaarrieeeeeddddd to tetra cuz he loves her so much and is such a loveable ray of sun shine around her while she looks pissed off all the time and I ADORE them. Telink is TOP tier. Windy is good friends with everyone since he’s just so sweet and mature but also very goofy and fun and strangers adore him cuz he’s polite around them. The biggest enemies rn are just dumb pirates and stuff, but Ganondorf really affected him negatively, so that’s a guy he hates. And family! I’m kinda basing his relationship with Aryll on my relationship with my older brother. Aryll looks up to him and Windy just looks out for her. His relationship with grandma is good and he adores her very much. Now for my favorite character friggin LINEBECK. He BASICALLY adopted Windy and Aryll, and Windy loves him very much cuz he’s a father figure who was able to stay, since his other father figures kept dying, but Linebeck is here to stay so he loves being around him. He’s also pretty anxious about his well-being cuz you know, father figures are always dying. Actually Windy is very happy on the surface but he’s EXTREMELY anxious about everyone’s wellbeing and feels responsible for them constantly. So oof

Spirit: he and phantom have such middle school crushes on each other and they’re very close and are best friends and they mean the world to me cuz they are so frigging cute and chaotic and yeah. I don’t think Spirit has too many friends except for Phantom, Niko and Alfonzo but they’re more like mentor figures than anything and Phantom is his Zelda but yeah. He’s kind and respectable around strangers except with his mutism it’s hard for him and others to communicate with him, and some rude people don’t have the patience for him to write everything down. He doesn’t have any major enemies and he doesn’t have any family so there’s that.

Age: he and Rune are good friends, tho they had an awkward moment since Rune had a one sided love for him, but now they’re close friends. Age is close with the champions and they’re all just vibing together, plus we can’t forget his friendship with Impa! They’re bffs! His lover is Mipha and they are engaaaaged and he loves her very much and it’s cute. Age is very proper and polite so strangers respect him enough. And then enemies are just random monsters or rogue yiga clan members and he’s mostly annoyed by them at this point. And he might have a living family, but Nintendo won’t explore him or his life so we’ll see when totk comes out with his family. If they still refuse to explore his life then I’ll just go with some headcanons. I do know that he def has a grandfather and a little sister, but it’s unknown if his father is alive, but I like to think he is.

Wild: Wild cares a lot for Poppy, it’s mostly just an instinct in him to care about and protect her even tho he doesn’t remember her all that well. Wild is kinda doing his own thing and vibing and he’s good friends with a lot people, like Beedle, Teba, Riju, Sidon, and Yunobo, so he’s not entirely friendless minus the champions that… you know… died. He doesn’t have any lovers, he would love Poppy but he can tell that there’s something there that’s keeping it from happening, that being him not being the same person he was 100 years ago, that guy being the person Poppy did Love, so he doesn’t dwell on it too much. He just vibes. Wild is fun with strangers cuz he’s sarcastic, punny, and weird and people like that fhdkdbjdbdkdb. Wild’s major enemies are yiga who are still trying to kill him and stuff, and tho they’re annoying they are still a threat to him. I’m not gonna go too much into it since totk needs to come out but yeah. And the family situation? Yeah they’re def dead by now. Kass is kind enough to invite him over for dinner from time to time tho so he greatly appreciates that.

Warriors: he and Queen Zelda are always pining after each other but they don’t actually do anything about it so they’re just super awkward and flirty and it drives everyone crazy like just KISS already. But Queen is really the only person he can comfortably open up to, and same thing with her. Around each other, they aren’t tied to any status or anything, they’re just people, friends hanging out, so they care deeply for each other. Warriors has a lot of good friends but he’s not super close with them, but he wants to be, he just doesn’t know how to. He actually used to have a stutter but with Proxi there to speak for him and with other help he’s able to talk normally, but he’s still very anxious around people. My warriors isn’t very smooth or confident he just looks pissed all the time but is socially anxious lol. He’s just like Time fr. He is good friends with Impa and Lana tho and he misses the people from different eras. His biggest enemies are dead however one major enemy that is still alive is Cia, who is really the only person he despises, but Cia doesn’t at all remember the details of what she did, so his hatred towards her is confusing for him cuz is it ok for him to hate her so much? She doesn’t remember anything and she’s good now so should he just move on? But yeaaah it’s a rough situation. And the only living family member is Linkle! His twin sister who he did not remember existing. They’re close enough, he gets annoyed with her sometimes but he still cares about her

[babamiasworld]

Are you sick of me yet?

Hyrule!Link x GN!Reader ✭

Synopsis: Link refuses to leave you alone after you lose to him

Content Warnings: cocky link, possessiveness if you squint, light cussing, a lil kithy kith, and uhhhh jealous zelda if that’s how u wanna see it 🧍

A/N: jesus link brain rot is getting to me rn, and i got the new loz themed nintendo switch cause i’m OBSESSED- pls it’s so pretty🥰

Word count 1 .4k

To everybody, Link was a man of few words, and to most, he was intense. Never speaking much, and when he did, his words were blunt, curt, and devoid of vulnerability. He didn’t care what others thought of him, only that he got paid fairly for his work. Though there was a side of him that he didn’t show all that much, a side of him that only reared it’s head depending on the situation. He wasn’t secretly a softie or anything, no no, he was worse.

“That was a tough loss.” Link said while inhaling through his teeth, mocking something close to sympathy. You had just finished a racing competition, which wasn’t something you usually engaged in, simply because you were one to get really competitive and you were a sore loser, but you’d never show it, nor ever confirm it out loud, but you were. it was a fact you couldn’t deny. So you ignored Link’s comment, simply ignoring him as you made your way to your steed, walking a bit faster in hopes Link wouldn’t catch up, because if you were being honest, if you had to look at the grin on his face…you’d probably punch it. Though Link wasn’t having it, taking your silence as a challenge.

You sharply turned a corner in hopes he’d just give up his attempts to get you to lash out at him. Moments from the race replaying in your mind, pissing you off more.  The reason he was so amused by your loss is because you’re known to be one of the most talented racers in the kingdom, and you had come second, and Link of course, was in first. He wasn’t going to let you live this down that much is for sure, not unless you were able to rub his ego into the mud…and then stomp on it multiple times…then maybe setting it on fire. If it was possible, you’d consider traveling across Hyrule to throw it into a volcano.

Lost in your thoughts, with your eyes fixated on the cobblestone path beneath you, you didn’t see the encroaching obstacle in front of you until you collided with it. Looking up at a very unpleasant face. Link didn’t say a word, just staring down at you with that stupid smug face, as if you were smaller than him. Physically yes. But in every other aspect absolutely not, but as much as you hated it, you couldn’t help but feel heat rising to your cheeks at the proximity between the two of you. You stepped to the side to leave him behind yet again, though he mirrored your actions holding his expression.

“Can I help you, asshole?” You spat, sounding like more of a demand rather than a question. But much to your displeasure, your comment only inflated his ego as he tilts his head playfully at you.

“Aw don’t be like that.” He teases, causing your scowl to intensify.

“Shut up. Don’t act like you’re not enjoying this.” You retort. Pushing past him.

“You know me well~” He chuckles. The sound making your stomach flutter.

“Piss off.” Eyes focused on the stable that your Loftwing resides in, sleeping peacefully.

“No. I don’t think I will~” He taunts. Unbeknownst to you, he picks up his pace, inching his face closer to yours, whispering into your ear. “I know you like it when I tease you.” Emitting a sharp gasp from you, whipping your head at him with a look of disbelief, holing a hand over your ear.

“No I don’t!” You retort, a little more enthusiastically than you intended, mentally cursing yourself as you see Link puffing out his chest; and by your red cheeks, it only confirms his statement.

“Yeah?” His tone was quiet, as if you’d both get in trouble if he was heard. But as he starts moving towards you, absent-mindedly stepping back as he did, until your back hits the cold stone wall, only then do you realize it’s just you that’s in trouble. “Then why are you so flustered then?” Asking a question he already knows the answer to.

“I’m not.” You stare at him through your eyelashes, trying to intimidate him, though you know it won’t work. This causes Link to tilt his head once more, but his expression is different this time. He’s looking at you like he wants something…needs something. You immediately pick up on this; his hungry gaze, half-lidded eyes analyzing every inch of your face causing your heart to beat rapidly.

You turn your head away from him to hide your red face. But Link wasn’t having it. He wanted you to squirm under him his gaze, lifting a hand to your chin and tilting it up so you’d look at him. He was surprisingly gentle with his movements, slowly pulling your chin upwards towards him but stopping before your lips could touch. The proximity of your faces causing your eyes to flicker to his lips, only for a moment before meeting his eyes again. Though this didn’t go unnoticed by the man in front of you, causing him to look down at you with a seductive glint in his eyes.

“See something you like?” Link teases, adoring how red you’ve gotten. He moves closer, lips ghosting over each other for a few seconds before you can’t take it anymore and finally kiss him, a hand snaking up his neck; fingers lacing between his soft blonde locks while your other hand lays against his ribcage for support. Your boldness causing Link to chuckle into the kiss, sending heat through your body like shockwaves which only intensifies when his hands find their place on your hips, using them as an anchor to push his body against yours, chests pressed against each other.

He pushes his tongue into your mouth, his hand dragging up your body as it settles on your jaw, pulling you even closer. His kiss is heated, rough, and possessive, as if this was his way of claiming you as his, and deep down, you didn’t mind as much as you said you did, indulging yourself in him. Both of you were growing desperate, frantic even, as if you’ll die if you separate, but sadly breathing is a necessity.

You break the kiss to breathe, but before you can even take a full breath, Links lips find yours again, groaning into your mouth.

“Ahem!” A distant voice echoed. Causing you both to freeze, Link pulling away from your lips to turn his head towards the voice, a trail of saliva connecting the two of you. As Link moved his head, you were mortified to see Zelda standing a few meters away with her arms crossed over her chest, looking at you two clearly unimpressed with what she walked in on. “Link, my father wants to speak with you. He insists you meet with him as soon as…” She trails off, eyes flickering to you for a moment, then back to link. “…you’re done with your little rendezvous.” Zelda finished, turning on her heel and taking her leave.

Link looks back at you with a that same stupid smirk, and your just absolutely traumatized that the princess caught you making out with her knight, but Link has a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“Wanna keep goin?” Link said with optimism. Which pissed you off considering you’re probably not the princess’ favorite person after that; the thought far from pleasant as you pushed him away and stormed off.

“Argh- you’re so stupid! Don’t ever pull that again.” A frustrated hand running through your hair, trying to find something to help you forget about the whole ordeal.

This causes Link to let out a low chuckle, watching the way your hips sway as you fade into the distance.

“That’s what you said last time.���

[jxsterr]

bro your account is literally perfect. one of the best zelink ones i’ve ever seen and i think your interpretation of them is perfect!! what’s your opinion on t4t zelink?

YOURE SO SWEET WHAT THE HELL 😭😭😭😭 thank you omg that’s the sweetest ask ive ever gotten

as for opinions?? my opinion is yes. why wouldn’t they. it’s the most delicious hc out there and it does wonders at weeding out the weird fans

i haven’t honestly thought about it much because i enjoy it in passing but i’m definitely for ftm link with his funky new zonai post transition scars bc that’s SICK and he deserves at least one scar that isn’t the worst thing ever. zelda?? honest to god with all of the trauma she’s been through and all of the disconnect within herself i’d say like a nonbinary she/her if ygm?? an occasional she/they if she feels like it?? like the pronouns are just the equivalent of cosplaying a girl bc zelda’s been jumbled up so violently from everything that’s happened to her—from everything pre calamity with her father and her powers, her lack of self identity because she wasn’t allowed to present herself how she pleased when everything rested on her shoulders, trying to find herself Post calamity and figure out what she’s meant to do or even Be now that her one true purpose had been completed, and then the whole thing of being turned into a DRAGON and back—you cannot tell me she isn’t like scrambled egg on the inside.

link feels like the kinda guy to be like “idk i had tits and now i don’t” shrug whereas zelda has this 5 paged essay on everything that lead up to her identity LMFAO

because she’s so interesting to me right. i feel like she’d just kinda leave herself alone bc she’s been through enough without anything else on top, but i feel if she was to get anything done it’d just be top surgery so she could feel more In Control of her appearance?? and that’d be it?? bc dresses with boobs would have her a little :/ because they’re Okay she supposes but the dress Could look nicer without them, so link would sit there and help her bandage them down to see how she’d feel about it (also because he has an ungodly supply of bandages) and then watching something Click inside of her and who better to do such a task than purah???

(link stresses about it for the next 3-5 business days)

cuz i’m still big on zelda wearing a lot more neutral clothing purely bc we saw that her preferred way of dressing was her travel clothes right, and she’s always seemed more of a trousers gal than anything, so i can’t get into the idea of her purely wearing dresses post calam and totk like some people have bc every dress she’s worn. right. has had an air of Ambiguity around it. i think especially her prayer dress and zonai dress but i think that’s because of the total absence of straps or sleeves to them, so i feel like she’d wear dresses like that just for comfort but for any others?? boobs gotta go im sorry it’s just how it is

i’m also a huge fan of link being the more like. Seasoned of the two about transitioning and whatnot because obviously he would’ve had a lot more room to explore this sort of thing (esp with how little she could do w rhoam lord have mercy). so every question she’d have she’d go running to him for once instead of the books and Then him

“pardon me if i’m being intrusive, but was the surgery.. painful?”

“nah. not too bad. purah numbed me”

“you let.. purah..????”

she’d be stood in front of a mirror in their house and squinting at her own reflection, asking, “something feels wrong. i can’t tell what it is, but something feels misplaced on me.” and link peers over to have a look and he’s absolutely mystified because she’s literally gorgeous there isn’t a damn thing wrong with her—and then she starts focusing on her chest, looking at it from the side, squishing it down with scrutinising eyes to see if they’d look better flat and ah. it makes sense now. so, as i said earlier, he helps her bind, makes sure it isn’t too tight and always keeps an eye on how long she’s been wearing it (she is horribly forgetful after all), lets her comb through his ridiculously extensive wardrobe to see what pieces fit where and how to figure out how she wants her clothes to fit, then taking her down to sayge to retailor some old clothes he doesn’t mind her having once they figure it out, helping her figure out the terms and pronouns she’s comfortable with, just the most useful and best supporter you could ever ask for in the beginning of your transition.

I REALISE IVE RAMBLED OOPS but hey maybe when i get through the ridiculous backlog of fics i have i’ll do a little oneshot about this cuz it’s CUTE and so full of zelink potential

tldr. zelda’s this fuckin. she/they ass nb with a complex relationship with gender and her presentation and then link is just. a Guy. in the least straight way possible. he’s simple

i appreciate u sm for making me think about this more……: my little blorbos…

[silvfyre-writings]

Je ne suis qu'un être sans importance (BSD Fanfic)

A birthday gift for @llyfrannoddach~ Happy birthday, friend, I bring you some Fitzpoe that I hope you enjoy!

Title from: Dernière danse

Edgar was unlovable.

There were no if’s, but’s, or maybe’s about it, he just knew it with his whole heart that it was the truth. There was nothing desirable about him after all; boring gray eyes, a mop of a hairdo, and just well… everything about his body in general. No one smart enough would ever look at him and think him attractive, and honestly, Edgar was fine with it.

He was more than accustomed to it at this point.

But then he met Fitzgerald, and suddenly he began to doubt himself.

Fitzgerald was an anomaly, an enigma; he was the richest person that Edgar had ever met, with a wife and child of his own, and yet recently, his attention was focused on Edgar for some strange reason. A reason that he couldn’t decipher which was enough to leave him unnerved. And led to him avoiding the man as much as possible.

Until now.

The yearly Guild ball was in full swing, an event that none of them could get out of, and that every acquaintance or business partner of Fitzgerald’s attended, no matter what excuse you used, and yes, Edgar had most certainly tried. Balls were not his thing—he was a writer for crying out loud, not a dancer. He’d tried faking sick, telling his boss that he had other commitments, things like that. But no, Fitzgerald wouldn’t hear a word of it and demanded that Edgar be there.

So here he was.

Was he tucked into the corner of the room, nursing a glass of wine? Yes, but he was there and that was the main thing. Fitzgerald hadn’t said that he had to interact with anyone

“Edgar, my boy, what are you doing, hiding all the way over here?”

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.

“Observing the crowd, sir.” It was half a truth, because admitting to his boss that he’d much rather be in his room, working on a novel, was just asking a lecture that he very much did not want to deal with. “It’s an impressive turnout.”

Fitzgerald let out a booming laugh that turned a few heads. “I’m glad you think so, old sport. Even I have to admit that I outdid myself this time. They’ll be talking about this gala for the years to come!”

Edgar hummed, and sipped at his wine.

“Now, instead of hiding out in the corner and avoiding everyone here, come and dance with me.”

Edgar proceeded to choke on his wine.

“W—What?” Him? Dancing? That was the last thing that Edgar had expected his boss to do. The next being the hand that smacked him on the back while he coughed. Once he’d stopped choking, he cleared his throat. “Wouldn’t you rather dance with Ms Zelda, sir? Or Scottie, even?”

There was an amused look on Fitzgerald’s face. “I can dance with them whenever I wish. Right now, I want to dance with you.”

Fitzgerald turned to face him and bowed slightly, extending his hand; a formal invitation that would be rude of Edgar to refuse.

“So may I have this dance?”

Edgar sucked in a breath before he nodded and took the offered hand. He allowed Fitzgerald to guide him from his sanctuary, the elder’s hand warm where his own was clammy. As if sensing his nerves, Fitzgerald squeezed his hand, before spinning to face him. Edgar’s heart almost stopped as his boss rested his other hand on his waist. It was the appropriate position for the dance, but it was an unfamiliar touch to him.

His mind swirled, and not from the wine. He couldn’t remember the last time that he’d been touched in such a manner—didn’t think there ever was another time to begin with. And yet, here was Fitzgerald, his boss, willingly touching him, willingly engaging with him instead of one of the countless other rich and extroverted people that had attended. Edgar didn’t know what to make of it.

“Breathe, Edgar.” Came the order, and he found himself following. “Now come on, follow my lead.”

“I’m no good at dancing, Mr Fitzgerald, sir.”

“Call me Francis tonight. And trust me, you’ll be fine.”

“F—Francis, sir—” The name felt foreign on his tongue as Edgar stumbled over it. “I really think you should—”

Fitzger—no, Francis—let out a huff and tugged Edgar closer. “Just shut up and dance with me, Edgar. Stop thinking so hard for once in your life.”

And that was precisely what Edgar did, or tried to do at least. He let out all the air in his lungs, and focused on following Francis’ footsteps. The older man moved with a level of care that he’d never seen before, stepping slow at first so that Edgar could follow along before picking up the pace until they were dancing at the normal tempo.

Edgar had always prided himself on being a fast learner, and dancing was no different, for he soon found himself comfortable in the repetitive motions. It was a slow dance, with just a few steps, accompanied by the small orchestra that Francis had hired for the event—supposedly, Zelda had talked him down from hiring a full one. He could see her now, at the snack table with her and Francis’ daughter, watching the two of them with a smile on her face.

Suddenly, Edgar felt self-conscious, and tried to pull away. He was making a fool of himself here. He never should have accepted the dance in the first place. People would talk, and assume, and that would only damage Francis’ reputation, and bring misery to his wife and child. He needed to leave before people started to take notice of what was actually happening.

But the moment he loosened his grip, Francis tightened his.

“You’re doing fine, Edgar.” He said. “Just enjoy yourself.”

“I’m dancing a slow dance with my boss, sir. People are going to assume—”

“Then let them.”

What? “But—But Zelda—”

“She knows, and does not care.” Francis tugged him closer, one hand coming to cup Edgar’s cheek. “You are not the first man I have taken an interest in, but you could be the last. If your morals don’t get in the way, of course.”

Edgar should say no, should say that he’s not interested, but the words wouldn’t come, leaving him floundering like a fish in the sky, face burning because he was interested, and there was no way he could deny it.

But perhaps he shouldn’t.

If Francis’ own wife knew and didn’t care, then maybe Edgar could indulge himself, could accept what he was being offered.

Maybe he could be loved for once.

“They won’t.” Edgar said after a minute or two had passed.

“Then let us dance.” Francis said, leaning in to brush his lips against Edgar’s. “And afterwards, we can enjoy the rest of the night… privately.”

Edgar smiled against Francis’ lips, finding himself looking forward to what could be.

[thetoaddaddy]

Get to know me better tag

tagged by: @valtiels-darkness and @thatsneakymedic

uwu thank you

Last song: 

Toxic Gossip Train

Less weird? The AI Zelda cover of The Real Slim Shady (yes its really funny her weird English accent rapping killed me)

Currently watching:

YouTube stuff. Caught up on the dramas. Oompville getting scammed by his friend. Illumanaughti being so disingenuous and manipulative I got Creepshow flashbacks. Colleen killin it with that denying it and playing down the actual crimes she did as fake is wild. Edp thinking he’s slick he aint. Weird tiktok shit. Idk it fascinates me how buck wild internet celebrities are.

Less dramatic and more positive I’ve been catching up on the new args and unfiction/analog horror series being made and the theory videos on it. I love that kind of horror stuff.

Between that T9 or PointCrow or Dougdoug for a good gamer content that makes me laugh.

Currently reading: 

Mostly posts on here. I got some fic recs to read but I just don’t have the attention span to read them rn. Plus I’m still sick and it’s not as much fun to read spicy things when ur half dead.

Book wise I’m trying to read House of Leaves again. But again I’m ill and don’t have the comprehension skills to wrap my head around it 😂

Current obsession: 

Jiraiya things. Love my old man. Getting into my OC Setsumia again and developing her as well as shipping her shamelessly with the old man. Also focusing on this blog for the most part. Love putting him in all the cool situations my rp partners have weaved with me its so much fun and inspires me!

Other than that? Mostly just the spooky stuff. Idk I’m obsessed at seeing people’s amazing creativity and skills.

Tagging: I only know like 4 of y’all personally so theres too many to tag. Everyone yes everyone. You. You reading this.

Play the game rn.

[thetrueshan-blog]

My long winded thoughts on BOTW before TOTK

So TOTK (The legend of Zelda: Tears of the kingdom) comes out next friday. I am 100% going to get it. It’s a zelda game after all. In fact a rare time nintendo ever does a direct sequel in the zelda franchise. I believe Majora’s Mask was the only ever direct sequel to a game (I mean at least in the sense of continuing pretty close to the previous game anyways). There is also Spirit Tracks.

Full spoilers for BOTW btw.

So, I’ve been thinking about BOTW a lot these last few weeks. I’ve enjoyed the game for the most part when it first came out but I slowly grew to resent certain parts of it. This culminated until I could only remember the parts I hated, versus the parts that I liked.

So, to see if my feeling of hate for BOTW were true or just false memories, over the last 2 weeks I played through BOTW again. Not a 100% playthrough (I’m not that insane) but just enough to finish the 4 guardians, get the master sword, and beat gannon. It took me around 28 hours. And overall I would say I enjoyed my time with the game. Though I will say at the end of my playtime I was starting to feel done with the game again. I was ready for it to be over. My first play through took around 80 or so hours. And I recall being even more sick and tired of BOTW back then, then I do now.

I’ll be honest here. I have a lot of gripes with BOTW. It feels like a tech demo to me in a lot of ways. But still I come out of the experience having enjoyed it for the most part. I don’t like to give numbered reviews, but I would say it’s a solid game. Game play is great but story was a bit lacking. Though there were some parts that could have been better refined.

That was the short summary. What follows is some of my more in depth ramblings(?) of BOTW.

0. My background with the game

BOTW came out as the first nintendo switch game in march of 2017. If you were getting a switch on launch, you were basically getting it to play BOTW. In fact I can even tell you the exact time I picked up my copy of BOTW since I still have my receipt. March 3rd, 2017 at 12:08 pm from a cashier named Joseph apparently. Thanks Joseph. March of 2017 was an interesting time for me. I was a senior in high school. Wrapping on my high school studies while also taking some college classes at the nearby community college. It was a transition period for me. For that I will always remember BOTW as a part of that transition period. It was the time for my hopes for college after high school and hopes for better stuff from nintendo after the WiiU era (Though I was a little more focused on the college part). Since then it’s actually been just over 6 years. I now have finished college and work full time. So it’s been interesting watching the switch transition from the “BOTW console” to the switch we now know in early 2023. For better or worse. There’s been rumors for years now about the switch Pro. But I doubt that will happen anytime time soon.

Anyways enough about my self. Back to my gripes about BOTW.

1. The English Voice Acting

The very first thing you hear in this game is Zelda telling link to “Open your eyes”. This is one of the few if ever zelda games to incorporate voice acting into a Zelda game. And boy do I wish they hadn’t. Oh geez the voice acting in this game. It’s not necessarily bad. But I just can’t get behind it. The english voice acting varies wildly. It’s either really forced or actually pretty good. Unfortunately most of the voice acting sounds so forced and rigid. The main issue I have is with Zelda’s voiced lines. She sounds like she’s forcing herself to be British so badly. I wouldn’t mind this except Zelda’s voice is the one you will most likely hear for the majority of the game. I know others have issues with the voice acting as well so I won’t linger on this point too much, but the voice acting being as jarring for me as it is might explain a bit for my disdain for Zelda’s character.

Speaking of -

2. Zelda and her one character trait (Aka the story of BOTW)

I never really go into a Zelda game expecting the best story. There are games with some highlights of course. Majora’s Mask and dealing with the impossible, Skyward Sword’s hints of Romance, Wind Waker’s story of old grudges and Twighlight Princess with Midna to name a few. But I wouldn’t put BOTW’s story in that list.

BOTW’s story is fine. It’s serviceable really. However it could be told instantly in 20 minutes. For those that haven’t played BOTW. The main way to get story in BOTW is through flashback sequences. What’s bad about this kind of story telling is the fact that the player has to hunt these out themselves. But the player could find these in any order. Which means the flashbacks have to have a constant retelling of events from other flashbacks. This leads to a lot of the flashbacks feeling boring or just overall disjointed. I remember watching so many of them and thinking “Didn’t I already see something like this?” Only to see that it’s something just slightly different but with all the same story beats.

The main crux of the story in BOTW is how Zelda fails to live up to her legendary purpose. She’s supposed to be a decedent from the goddess Hylia and have the power to seal “the calamity” away. But Zelda never really understood how to control or even feel these powers. As the one and only mentor she had, her mother, died when she was young. So as Zelda feels she can’t rely on these powers she seeks other methods to potentially help prevent the calamity in the forms of the guardians and shiekah technology dating back 10,000 years ago (BTW keep an eye on this fact of 10,000 years ago, I think TOTK is going to be about this, maybe with some time travel shenanigans). Ultimately this backfires on everyone though when the calamity takes over all the shiekah technology and wreaks havoc on everything. Including killing all 4 of the guardians, nearly killing Link, and damages the master sword greatly. This is a tragic tale about how a girl couldn’t live up to the literal god like expectation thrown onto her.

But... as I mentioned before, you get all that info I just gave in a paragraph over something like 15-16 flashbacks that are scattered throughout the game. If this was given out as a main linear story I don’t think I would be as harsh on it. But it’s so hard to relate to a character’s tragedy when I 1) can’t stand the voice acting, 2) can’t tell when events were supposed to happen and 3) grow sick and tired about hearing how Zelda couldn’t fulfill her end of the legend. I get that’s the point of the game. Zelda finally has her powers and has been holding gannon back for like 100 years just in time for Link to be resurrected again. (Which BTW I kinda hate the fact that Zelda is still alive. I would have much preferred if she was a ghost like the other guardians.) But the end resolve of the story is the fact that Zelda now has her powers and seals gannon away (to the sacred realm?) at the end of the game. However you don’t even get that as a satisfying conclusion because -

3. The worst timing for an ending

The game just ends after you beat the final boss. You do not get to enjoy the world in peace. You do not get to hear people being thankful to you. You do not get to pass Go. You do not get to collect $200.

I understand that most Zelda games don’t have a post-game. Heck I can’t even think of one that does. Most of the time, Zelda games end when there is no more evil to conquer over. Makes sense in a lot of ways. However, the end beat to what little of a story we get in BOTW is the fact that Zelda now can use her powers and stops Gannon with Link. And we get that for like a minnute or two? It just didn’t feel satisfying to me. Like imagine there’s an post game content where Link guides Zelda to kakoriko village and Zelda then sleeps till TOTK because she must be exhausted and never really slept for like 100 years. Bam! Now you have the rest of the game to still explore as post-game content. Instead the game just reverts you back to your last save before going into the final boss arena but gives you a little star sticker on your save file for doing your best. What?! That’s it?!

With BOTW being a giant open world game I think Nintendo dropped the ball a bit by having no post game. Which now seeing that TOTK is going to be a direct sequel I can kinda understand why BOTW has no post game content. But I wonder if TOTK is just going to make BOTW feel like a prelude story. Like something that can be skipped with a quick summary on a fan wiki page or something.

But I’m getting side tracked. See, this is the pure reason I wanted to write this before TOTK came out. My opinion is already changing on BOTW because I know TOTK might *MIGHT* fix some of the story issues I had with BOTW.

4. Quick List of complaints I had in some way of the Game Play

Alright now with most of the complaints I had with the story out of the way I will now quick fire my complaints I had with the game play I noted while replaying:

Durability system is wack. I get what they were going for, but it does seem weird that weapons can break so easily and fast.

Rain stops all exploring if you need to climb. It’s just not fun.

Combat feels slow and clunky. Never really got a hang of it.

No passive upgrades to anything except to health and stamina.

Dungeons are neat. But way too small and I wish the guardians didn’t speak during them. Just let me bask in a cool place nintendo. Stop talking my ear off.

Shrines all feel the same. Also randomly the walls aren’t climbable in shrines? Just put barriers to stop link from climbing on them.

No themes in shrines or dungeons. They all look the same. At least the music is different in the dungeons at least.

There is no way to see the durability of weapons until it is about to break.

You cannot get a full set of hearts and stamina. You will always be missing one. (this might have been fixed in the DLC?)

If an enemy can guard your attack then you can’t damage it until you break their stance. Even if they are facing away from you.

Koroks... so many koroks... but eh kind of a pro/con situation. Don’t need to worry about getting them all, but at the same time feels so boring getting them.

Blood moons. Freaking blood moons. They appear at the worst times.

Thunder blight fight. I have no idea why this one fight is so hard compared to the rest. Each blight and including the final boss I beat all on the first try. With thunder blight I died like 15-20 times on. It’s just tough as nails. You need to dodge instantly otherwise you get hit so badly. Like here’s a link to me beating it: click here. It’s by far the hardest boss in the game for me.

If something needs to re-charge (master sword, or guardian powers) it needs to fully deplete before re-charging. Which is a bit annoying.

It’s the tiny things that bug me about BOTW’s gameplay. Overall I love it. It has some great moments to it. When you get in the zone and just start wandering around is the best time in BOTW. Until it starts raining anyways lol.

5. Cartoony Nature (no not the artstyle)

Yeah not the artstyle. I actually really like the art style in BOTW. What I don’t like are the random bits of cartoony or goofy bits, practically everywhere in the game. Of course I don’t mean literally everywhere, but it starts to become such an issue that I start expecting there to be a non-serious moment or gag everywhere I go. Like the biggest example I can recall of this is the Yiga clan leader. When you're doing the guerdo divine beast quests. You have to steal back the thunder helm from the yiga clan. Which is a decent stealth mission where if you are caught and hit you die instantly no matter your stats. But it turns out the yiga clan is crazy for bananas. So you can use those to lure guards in certain directions. A bit goofy but also works mechanically. So you're going through through all of it. And finally get to the end. Where you have to face against the yiga clan leader. Are they a huge brute that leads with power? Or are they a smart quiet like assassin? Nope. He's just a dude with a big pot belly and goofy antics. You don't even do the final blow on him. He summons a giant metal ball that pushes him into a pit and kills him.

Like that's a memorable interaction. And is pretty funny. But it's also like a giant let down? Like what was the joke? The leader is so incompetent that he ends up ending the fight by himself, even though his followers are so good that they stole the thunder helm without the geurdo guards noticing? I think I would have preferred if the fight was a legit serious one but you could still distract him with throwing bananas around. And then eventually ending the fight by something weird like accidentally blowing a hole in a wall revealing a giant horde of bananas that you can then trap him in forever or something.

Again this is fine mostly. It's just most of the game's tone is like this. Unless it's talking about the calamity. Everything else is some weird goofy thing that happens. It's not bad just gets dull after putting in a lot of hours into the game. I'd prefer if the goofier moments were more sparse.

6. The Unneeded DLC

I know some will disagree with me on this but I thought the DLC was neat. But really felt like something that should've been included with the base game and not extra dlc. The rewards weren't that great as well. Just lower times on the champion's powers and the mastercycle (which controls really badly. The turn radius is so bad and slow). But what really didn't help was at the end of the dlc zelda still yaps to link about how he's the only one who can defeat the calamity and has shown that he can. And it's not like I already did that or anything.

So overall the dlc was neat and a bit challenging, but yeah not really something I would say people need to do or finish. All it does is give some flashbacks of the champions. But not even like new developments but scenes you can pretty much guess that happened from knowing other stuff.

7. The Romance I Don’t See And Memories Forgotten

I see a lot of people talk about the romance between Zelda and Link in this game... and I just don’t see it. And yes, before you ask I have read the entries in Zelda’s Diary. But I don’t see that as a sign of them having feelings for each other. I see that as a sign that Zelda had feelings for Link. Whether Link had feelings for Zelda or not is not something I can tell. The main factor for me is Mipha. I always saw that Mipha and Link shared a bond together. I would agree that Zelda has feelings for Link, but I always thought Link had feelings for Mipha not Zelda.

But beyond that lies a question of whether or not the Link we play as in BOTW could be considered the return of the Link that Zelda and Mipha knew. He lost his memories after all. He does recall a good amount. But even if he recalls events happening it could be argued that Link is a different person now. Which might be possible to get a good answer from it if Link wasn’t mute the whole game. Wait... he does speak. Just not to us the player. Hell we even choose some dialogue options for him. What the heck Link? Just tell us what’s on your mind man.

Eh, whatever. I sure in TOTK we will get a definitive answer to if Link X Zelda in BOTW is real or not. I’m sure the game is just going to go that way anyways. To my dismay. Also the real ship is Paya X Link. Since the feesh is now dead I guess >:(. Thanks Nintendo. Always removing the fish love from the Zelda games.

8. Conclusion

So there’s my long winded thoughts. Some of these might look familiar to my friends as some I took some of the text directly from my discussions with them.

I might have had a lot of negative stuff to say about BOTW. But I still had fun with it. The biggest gripes I had were with the story and some unrefined moments in the game play. Hopefully TOTK will improve on this a bit. But I’m still expecting pretty much the same. An overall fun time, but with some gripes.

[skyward-floored]

Skyward Sword - oneshot

Crossposted from ao3! I’m pretty sure this is truly the fluffiest fic I have ever written and I do not regret it in the least <3 I adore sksw zelink

————————————————————

Link felt a little bit like he was going to throw up.

Or faint. Possibly both.

Facing down hordes of bloodthirsty monsters, even Demise himself was nothing compared to this. It felt like there were thousands of eyes on him as he stood up at the altar next to Zelda, her hands in his as her father no doubt gave a wonderful speech about love and respect that he couldn’t manage to listen to a bit of.

He felt his stomach heave with nervousness as he considered again what exactly he was doing here, and his hands began to shake.

He was marrying Zelda.

He was getting married.

He’d waited for this moment for so long, dreamed of this day for years, and now that it was here all he could think about were the millions of ways he might mess it all up.

Zelda obviously picked up on his anxiety and gave his hands a reassuring squeeze, and Link met her eyes, soft and blue and full of love for him. He felt his nervousness fade a bit, and she gave him a warm smile, a flicker of her own nervousness showing in how bright it was.

The clearing around them went abruptly quiet, and Link startled as Zelda’s father stared intently at him.

“H-huh?”

Gaepora raised an eyebrow and several titters ran through the audience.

“I said, do you take Zelda, in sickness and in health, in bad times and good, to be your wife. Do you?” Gaepora repeated, and Link felt his cheeks redden as he nodded. He’d really been spacing out.

“I do,” he managed to say clearly, heart thudding.

Gaepora repeated the question for Zelda, and she responded with her own “I do” full of equal excitement and nerves.

Link found himself staring into her eyes again as her father continued with his speech, her irises a blue brighter than even her loftwing’s feathers, more beautiful then the sky itself, the shade incomparable to anything he could even think of.

His nervousness was finally shuffled to the background as he looked at her, and despite the sweat he could feel dripping down his neck, a sense of rightness settled into his heart.

He was exactly where he was meant to be.

“...by the power entrusted to me, and by the will of the goddess Hylia...”

Link was barely focusing on the words Zelda’s father was saying anymore, but his ears sharpened on that part, for he knew what was coming next.

Gaepora smiled. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

Zelda surged forward the same time as Link, and they pressed their lips together, his hand gently cupping her cheek.

Faintly Link registered Groose cheering at the top of his lungs as well as the rest of Skyloft, but he was mostly focused on the soft lips against his and the absolute flood of emotions pouring through him at the moment.

They’d fought so hard to get to this point. Through when their lives had changed forever, discovering their destinies as hero and goddess, being torn apart from each other than reunited then separated again in what seemed like an endless loop. They’d both almost died dozens of times, and lost friends along the way, somehow managing to come through it all alive.

And even after their lives were flipped upside down they still had to figure out how to live after everything, from working out how to move from Skyloft to the surface, to scars both visible and invisible plaguing them both sometimes endlessly.

Sometimes it had seemed impossible.

But they’d made it, through all the sleepless nights, the sobbed confessions, arguments and stress over things both pointless and not, and countless other trials they’d faced in their lives and relationship over the past few years.

They’d made it.

A single tear dripped down Link’s cheek as he and Zelda finally broke apart, and he wasn’t surprised to see a couple on her face as well, her blue eyes shiny as she looked at him.

He gently brushed his thumb across her cheek, and she smiled at him as he wiped her tears away, leaning into the touch. They simply looked at each other for a moment, blue against blue, the two communicating more with that gaze then most people could with an entire conversation.

Then they turned to face their friends and family, grinning at the applause and cheers still echoing up to the sky.

They began to walk past them all then, hands still clasped, and they’d barely made it back down the aisle before a loud joyful call caught Link’s attention. He looked up to see both his and Zelda’s loftwings streaming across the sky together, twisting in excited loops and flips as they drew near.

He smiled at the display, and Zelda laughed as their birds landed and immediately began to chirp ecstatically at their other halves, nibbling at their clothes and completely ruining their neatly done hair.

“Alright Crimson, alright!” Link laughed as his bird nearly knocked him over with excitement.

Zelda laughed as well, and Link was about to say something but was interrupted by a crushing grip suddenly squeezing the air out of him.

“Congratulations you two!” Groose cheered, suddenly materializing by Link and Zelda’s side and pulling them into a bone-crushing hug. “Ah, this has been a day long coming. The first marriage in Grooseland! What say we get some cake to celebrate huh?”

“Cake isn’t until later, Groose,” Zelda said with a fond eye roll, sounding a bit pressed for air. “And I’ve told you a dozen times we’re not calling the Surface Grooseland.”

Groose pouted, his arms still slung around their shoulders. “Well you still haven’t suggested anything supposedly “superior” I’d point out.”

“I don’t know why. Literally anything would be better then Grooseland,” Link commented cheekily, and Groose gasped in offense.

“I’ll give you a pass on that only because it’s your wedding day.”

Link just grinned at him, and Zelda laughed again, especially when Crimson gave Groose a firm rap on the head. Link turned to his wife, and on a whim pulled her into another kiss, this one shorter but no less sweet. The other guests had begun to filter towards where he and Zelda were sheltered a bit by their loftwings, but Link decided they could be ignored for the moment.

Groose, showing remarkable tact for once in his life, realized his presence was no longer being paid any attention to and slid off in the direction of the dessert table, Crimson watching him suspiciously.

That was fine with Link. They’d have to go talk to all their guests eventually, but a few moments more alone certainly couldn’t hurt.

He gently broke off the kiss and they grinned at each other, Zelda’s cheeks flushed with happiness. Link was sure his were the same, and he knew he had an absolutely ridiculous grin on his face, but he really didn’t care.

This was one of the happiest moments of his life. He figured he was entitled to a stupid facial expression.

“Can you believe it Zel?” he whispered, “we’re married. We’re actually married.”

Zelda laughed, the sound choked a bit with emotion as she pressed her forehead to his. “It almost doesn’t seem real.”

Link looked into her eyes for what must have been the hundredth time today, bright blue still wavering with emotion, and he toned his grin down to a more gentle smile.

“But it is. And now nothing can come between us, we’re stuck with each other,” he teased, and Zelda shook her head as she laughed again.

“You’re ridiculous Link.”

“And I’m all yours,” he grinned, and Zelda squeezed his hands, her smile as bright as the sun on her face.

“And so am I,” she whispered.

And they kissed again, arms wrapped tightly around each other.

[lize-the-prophet]

Already one year was over. One year after Calamity Ganon’s resurrection. The kingdom was slowly rebuilding and the danger had finally disappeared. After all of the unfortunate events that fate gave them, Zelda and Astor could finally be in a ‘’normal’’ relationship, not being star-crossed lovers anymore. The two young lovers got married a few months ago and never lived a better life.

The night was starting to fall, projecting a soft light on Hyrule’s castle, and colouring the sky with a deep pink colour with some shades of orange.

Zelda was writting in her diary like every evening. She was so focused that she didn’t notice Astor coming into the room:

‘‘Want to go for a walk ?’‘

‘‘Ah !?’‘

Astor smiled and wrapped his arms around her shoulders:

‘‘Oh come on ! You’re still scared of me ?’‘

‘‘O-Of course I’m not !’‘ the young woman laughed. She closed her diary and took a black coat.

‘‘Where are you taking me tonight ?’’

‘‘Oh, you’ll see...’‘ answered the young man with his enigmatic tone that Zelda knew too well.

The couple headed to the south-east of Hyrule. They took a small break to the Highland stable and continued their little journey, under the light of the moon which was starting to rise in the infinite dark sky.

The path they took seemed familiar to Zelda, but she said nothing. They left the path and arrived among the majestic Zonai Ruins and continued their way in the dense and dark tropical woods.

‘‘The way to the Srping of Courage...’‘ thought Zelda. ‘‘But... Why ?...’‘

They finally reached the Dracozus lake, dimly perceiving the Goddess’ statue at the bottom of the stone dragon’s mouth.

Astor took Zelda’s hand a bit  abruptly and started to walk faster and Zelda almost tripped several times on the irregular stone ground. They stopped in front of the Goddess’ statue. Zelda stared at him, surprise reflecting in her green eyes.

‘‘W-Why are we here ?’‘

He suddenly grabbed her bythe soulders and she soon felt the hard stone against her back.

He embraced her and put his head in the crook of her neck.

‘‘Oh Zelda...’‘

She could feel his breath against her ear.

‘‘What are you-’‘

He took her chin in his hand and looked at her straight in the eyes.

‘‘I’ve always hated you.’‘

Zelda’s heart missed a beat.

‘‘W-what ?’‘

‘‘I said that I’ve always hated you.’‘

‘‘No... This... This gotta be a joke... Yes... Some kind of sick joke...’‘ she whispered while looking away.

But the young man wasn’t laughing. He forced her to look at him once again.

‘‘Take at look at me wretched girl. Do I loo like I’ve just made humour ?’‘ he asked coldly.

The Princess felt tears coming at her eyes and her lips shiver.

‘‘But...’‘ he continued, totally ignoring Zelda slowly breaking down. ‘‘I owe you an explaination... Calamity Ganon. Does it sound familiar to you ? Well you see, I’ve never stopped loving and worshiping him.’‘

‘‘But... Why did you decide to stick with me ? Why did you decide to MARRY me ?! Why in the name of Hylia am I still alive yet ?!’‘ she screamed, her voice oscillating between anger and despair.

‘‘Oh about that...’‘ Astor said with a mischievous smile.

Zelda noticed a little silver glimpse in the darkness and noticed with horror that it was a dagger.

She looked around her, trying to find a way to run away, but she was stuck, tied by the red strings of fate.

Astor maintained her against the statue.

The young woman looked at him straight in the eyes, her vision totally blured by tears.

‘‘Why do you do this just now ? You had so many occasions to do it... Why now that Ganon is sealed away and that we nearly start a new life together ?...

Astor stayed silent a moment.

‘‘I must admit that it’s a bit stupid...’‘ he muttured. ‘‘Actually, it’s for my personal satisfaction.’‘ He stopped, his smile becoming bigger and bigger, and finally bursed out laughing. ‘‘Just the thought of your pathetic little face soaked in tears and your trust forever broken... It’s just worth a hundred rupees..’‘

‘‘You’re disgusting...’‘ she spat. ‘‘Why did I trusted you ? Why did I fall in love with you ?...’‘

‘‘But also...’‘ he continued thoughtfully, ignoring her. ‘‘The reaction of all your loved ones... Ha ! When I think that Rhoam was the only one smart enough to not fully trust me ! Who would’ve thought !?’‘

‘‘And you really think they’ll keep you alive ? They’ll torture you until your death...’‘

Astor rolled his eyes.

‘‘And you think I’m enclined to care ? I will finally die in peace... Which won’t be your case...’‘

He raised the dagger in the air, the pale light of the moon reflecting on its silver blade.

He tighten his grip, Zelda trying to get away, in vain.

‘‘All hail Calamity Ganon !’‘

The young woman begged him to stop but it was already too late. The blade had already torn her flesh apart three times, making her blood splash on the cold stone of the statue.

Astor finally released his grip, making Zelda’s body slowly fall on the ground, letting a red trail of blood against the statue.

When she finally hit the ground, Astor crouched down, took her by the chin and stared right into her green lifeless eyes, smiling:

‘‘Sleep well, my lovely.’‘

And he finally left the Spring of Courage, letting the Princess’ corpse behind him.

Goddess Hylia always watches. She knows the past, the present and the future. She knows every person living on Hyrule’s ground. Therefore, She witnessed Princess Zelda’s murder on the sacred ground of the Spring of Courage, by the only man that the young woman had ever loved. By the man that She chose to trust.

The Goddess never felt such feeling. Her heart was twisted with pure rage and desire of revenge. But She chose to ignore this feeling, knowing that Astor won’t last for a long time.

[triforceangel13]

Love Across Time Ch. 15 (A SidLink Story)

Chapter 15: On Lock Down

“Sidon....Sidon,” came a weak voice. Sidon lifted his head up a bit from the pillow he laid on. He felt sick and he felt tired.

Wht had happened to him?

They had gone to find the princess in the Yiga hide out. They had gone through hallways here and here and then...and then...

The memory of seeing Link pinned to the ceiling had his stomach churn and he grasped at the waste basket next to him.

He got sick into it, shivering from the feel.

Link...Link was possibly...he didn't know...He had felt so cold in his arms. He was so pale and there had been so much....

Another wave hit him and he got sick into the can once again. He didn't know what happened...and who had been calling him before.

Sitting up from his bed slowly he wiped his mouth with a spare towel he assumed was used to wipe him down to keep his scales wet.

The room was dimly lit with a few torches, the walls smooth and made of sand stone. The architecture of the the room showed that he was ineed within the walls of Gerudo town.

He was sure no doubt  is sister had insisted to make sure he got rest after what he had witnessed...possibly again.

What worried him though there was a section of the room closed off by bars. A cell for a prisoner if he had to guess.

But why in the world was he down there with it?

And had someone been calling his name before? Was there someone in there?

He peered into the darkness. The sun had gone down before he had woken up and he had a little bit of a hard time focusing his eyes in the dark.

“Sidon,” came the voice again. The prince nearly staggered back and he peered into the darkness with a small frown.

Familiar blonde hair and blue eyes gazed back at him. Link! He was alive!

“Link,” Sidon gasped, kneeling down next to the cell and reached in. Link's smaller clammy hands gripped at his finger.

With grunts of effort Link shifted closer into the light and that was when Sidon saw the full extent of him.

He was in fresh clothes but bandages littered over his chest, hands, and head. There was the faint smell of blood there as well meaning that they still hadn't healed compeltely yet.

Though Sidon had no idea how long he had been out.

“You're alive,” Sidon said softly, resting his hand against his cheek. Even with the hurt that Link had given him he knew he couldn't hold it over him. His relief was ruling out his anger and sadness right now.

He had not seen Link die again like that.

“I'm surprised I am,” Link said and he sighed, rubbing Sidon's hand and he felt the cold feel of steel against his palm.

Link was chained by the wrist to the wall. Thankfully it was a long chain so he could move about. But was this really necessary?

Who had even done this? Why was he chained up and why was Sidon in the room with him? These were things he wanted answers to right away.

“Why are you in here?” Sidon asekd. Maybe he would know. Link sighed and looked at the chain that was around his wrist.

“All I know is that we're in Gerudo town and....they kept me in here from going solo again,” Link told him.

Sidon closed his eyes a bit and let out a sigh. He understood their meaning behind it but was this really necessary to lock Link up like this? It seemed cruel to him. He was injured as it was but now he was being treated as if he was a prisoner?

“I'm not sure how to feel about this,” Sidon said with a frown. “It's not like you can go anywhere when injured.”

Link hesitated and rubbed the back of his neck, nodding his head a little.

Deep down Sidon knew this was wrong but the selfish part of him made his stomach roll around at the guilt creeping in.

If he was in this cell chained up Link wouldn't think about leaving him again.

These were dark thoughts and Sidon hated them the moment that they had crossed his mind and he wanted to bury them right back in his deep subconcious.

“I guess I deserved everything after what I did,” Link said with a sigh. “I failed to save Zelda, I failed to stop the Yiga and ended up on death's door and hurt.”

“Link, don't say that. You know that's not true,” he said with a frown.

“Sidon I hurt you as well,” Link added. “You can't sit there and tell me that you're alright with the fact that I had hurt you.”

“I'm just grateful that you aren't gone again,” Sidon said to him, tears threatening to spill from his cheeks. He sat down heavily on the small stool next to the cell and shook his head. “Seeing you like that brought back so many horrible memories...”

Link softened a bit and reached out with his hand again to take Sidon's. “You aren't angry at me for that?”

“I was angry,” Sidon said. “But I'm just happy you're alive.”

He couldn't say about the rest of the crew to save Zelda but right now Link had at least one ally on his side.

Sidon didn't approve him leaving again on his own and he was going to make sure that he stayed with the group instead.

Link sighed, slowly pullingh is knees to his chest  and he grunted softly from the pain that went through his body.

“Try not to move too mch,” Sidon said to him. “I don't want you straining or pulling something that is healing.”

“I won't,” Link said. “Kind of stuck here anyway even if I was feeling good.”

Sidon was silent a moment and squeezed his hand.

“And if you weren't...you wouldn't be leaving again would you?” Sidon asked him.

“I...”

“Link,” Sidon said, a look of anger crossing it briefly but it was quickly replaced by something of sadness. “I can't bare to lose you again. Please...don't do this on your own.”

“It's my fault Zelda is gone. I need to take responsibilty Sidon,” Link retorted.

“By getting yourself killed?” Sidon snapped at him. Link wilted at his words.“You nearly lost your life in the hide out. How is that taking responsibility to finding the princess?”

“It's not...” Link finally said defeated. “I just...To think that I could have done something on my own. Where the others wouldn't look down on me again because I let one thing happen.”

Sidon sighed heavily and he rose to his feet, letting Link's hand drop. He wanted to hold him, help mend his wounds and keep him safe. But in order to do that he needed to figure out how to get into that cell.

“Where are you going?” Link asked softly.

“I'm going to go look for the key. I'm getting you out of there,” Sidon told him, reaching in to cup his cheek again. Link leaned into his palm.

“Rest Link.”

Link gave a small nod and crawled towards the makeshift bed.

Sidon's gold eyes looked to him a moment. He was afriad that if he left Link would be gone again, something he had felt in the past. He inhaled slowly, hesitating going to the door.

“I won't go anywhere. Promise,” Link said to him.

That seemed to ease the prince a bit and he sighed.

“I'll be back momentarily,” he promised.

Sidon stepped down the hall, stepping into the main hall of the chieftess' home. Guards were stationed around and Sidon felt very out of place.

Right now he seemed like he was the only male in the place right about now.

That wasn't what really bothered him. Seeing the guards there, Uborsa sitting in the center of the room at a table with the other ladies over their group, making out a plan.

Though further inspection showed that the other male champions were bundled up to look like the female version of the species.

Revali looked espectially out of place.

He held in a laugh as he approached and Mipha was the first to greet him, her small hand resting on him as she led him to a chair.

“Thank goodness you're awake,” she said. “How do you feel?”

“I feel fine,” he lied. “I was looking actually to ask what is going on in that room in there? The champion is behind bars?”

“It was to prevent him from leaving on his own again,” Urbosa said simply and Sidon crossed his arms as he leaned back in his chair, scales scraping a little against the hard stone.

“He's injured. How far would he even get?” Sidon asked. “And you put me in there with him? I don't understand.”

“We thought that it would be in of the best interest to have you there to keep him relaxed. And when you woke up to see that he was still alive,” Riju said.

The Zora's eyes softened at the young chieftess but he sighed.

“While I do appreiciate being able to see him to ease my mind, I find that it is really un called for to have him locked in one of the cells.” Sidon finally said.

The table was quiet until Urbosa finally rose up from her seat.

“He betrayed us by leaving on his own and then getting himself in such a situation that we had to call off our search for the princess,” Urbosa snapped.

“Betrayed you?” Sidon asked, his voice getting angry. “I am upset myself for him running away but in no way had he betrayed us. He was doing exactly what we were but on a smaller scale. Hs is our ally and deserved to be treated as such.”

The table was silent again and Urbosa made a gesute with her hand to one of the guards. The tall woman came to him, pressing a key into his palm.

“By all means then release him. I just dont want to hear it if he suddenly disappeas again to help us,” she said, making air quotes with her fingers when she said the word help.

Sidon scowled, opening his mouth to speak but Mipha grasped his hand and shook her head in a silent no.

They were all tense and upset as it was. Fighting among themselves was not the brightest idea right now. People were uspet and uncomfortable from Zelda's disappearance, their failed rescue, Link's status, and from even the men having to dress up aside from Sidon.

He gently rest his hand on hers, nodding his head and he left the table without another word, Right now he didn't want to hear about the supposed new plan that they were coming up with.

He followed the hallway right back to where the room was. Link perked up a bit when Sidon came in and unlocked the door to the cell, soon steppnig closer to unshackle the harsh chain that sat heavily around his wrist.

“Come on,” he said. “You can rest with me in the bed. No need to be in the cell anymore,” Sidon said to him.

“But Urbosa said-”

“I don't care what she said. You're not a criminal,” sidon said, holding his hand out to Link. The blonde rest his palm in it and struggled to get to his feet. Sidon was right there to hold him up.

He would treat Link the way he was meant to be treated, as an ally. Though in Sidon's case he would treat him as his love.

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[awkwardspontaneity]

A Special Favour

Part 9 of Memories of You

BOTW!Link x GN!Sheikah!Reader

Prev | Next

AN: I got hit with writers block so this took me soo long to finish but i’ve finally got it. This is tha last chapter before the finale so enjoy the happy vibes while they last :’) 

Summary:  The ceremony for a group of heroes unites the diverse group as the Champions of Hyrule and, later they unite in the best cure for the crushing weight of destiny. Laughter.

------

“Lead our Champions, Princess. And together, protect our kingdom from the threat of Calamity Ganon.”

Y/n stood with their fellow Champions in a small pavilion outside the castle. The ceremony had been the longest hours the Sheikah had ever spent standing around, and they had once spent 6 hours meditating over the sacred temple deep beneath the shrine of resurrection. It was to unify their spirit with the great elders that now resided in a secret shrine of the hero. Apparently it would only open when the time was right. Guess the impending doom of the rising calamity wasn’t enough to wake the monk from their sleep to oversee the trials.

Moving on from their painful memories of meditations, the Sheikah now stood watching Daruk stretch out his arms. He was moaning about how exhausting fancy events were- something Y/n could definitely agree with. They were more of an outdoors person. Nonetheless, the Sheikah Champion stood with their pinky linked through Links as they played with the new scarf they had received.

“Y’know, as boring as these uppity ceremonies are,” This drew the attention of the other Champions and the Princess to their white-haired friend. Revali scoffed at the dismissal of the ceremony, naturally being a fan of the boost such high praise gave his ego. “I do have to say I’m a fan of these tokens you made for us Princess.”

The mentioned princess bowed her head with a soft smile. “It was nothing, truly. I am merely showing my gratitude towards you as the Champions that will protect Hyrule from the calamity.”

Y/n grinned back, dragging Link over with them to the bashful princess. That poor girl needed to get used to praise and up her confidence. Good thing she had her loyal friends beside here- yes, even Revali. “Now now Princess, don’t forget that you’re one of those Champions that will protect Hyrule. Why I’d even say you and Mr. Hero over here have the biggest roles of us all. And before you get down on yourself for not unlocking that power of yours don’t forget that, with or without the sealing power, you are just as much a hero as us. We have the utmost faith that when the time is right, you’ll blast good ol’ bacon-breath away and free us all!”

“Y/n is right.” Urbosa stepped between the Hylian and Sheikah, lacing a warm hand on their heads. Y/n grinned as they received head pats from the tall woman, sticking their tongue out as the princess giggled at the sight. “You are just as valuable to us as we are to you. Don’t you ever forget that we have faith in your abilities whether that power shows itself or not.”

Zelda looked between her friends with a soft smile. Perhaps she could do even a fraction of what was expected of her as long as she had her Champions standing beside her. She allowed her eyes to fall upon the Sheikah who was now teasing Link with the same praise. Zelda giggled as she watched red paint the boys cheeks from Y/n holding his hand to their chest as they sung his praises. He was just as bad at taking the compliments as her. Especially when it was from Y/n. The Sheikah had a way of making people feel like they could do anything with their infectious energy and confidence.

Mipha was the one to change the topic, having been given the Sheikah slate from Revali. “Is it true that this device can create true-to-life images?”

“Yes!” Zelda made her way over to the Zora Princess to explain the use of the rune she spoke of. While they had not unlocked all the functions of the device yet, they had focused their efforts on mastering the ones available to them. As such, they were quite good at capturing these images for their compendium.

Mipha stared at the tablet in awed thought. “Princess… may I ask a special favour of you?”

------

And that was how the group of Champions stood on the grass in front of an excited Purah and Robbie who was waving his arms around as a form of direction. As per Mipha’s request, they were about to take a photo together to commemorate the day they were officially named the Champions of Hyrule.

“Daruk can you crouch down? You’re as big as death mountain.” With a hearty laugh, the Goron Champion leaned closer to the group. Y/n meanwhile, was too busy teasing their bird-friend after they had caught him changing his stance upon seeing it matched Urbosa. Revali was swatting away their hands as they poked at him, ignoring Purah directing the rest of the group to fit into the picture. “Y/n, you’re gonna need to leave him alone or we’ll never get this done!”

The mentioned Sheikah gave one last poke at the Rito, snorting at his huff when arms wrapped around their waist. Link had grabbed his partner, bringing them to his side instead of Revali’s then closing their hand in his grasp. Y/n looked at him with wide eyes as they felt heat crawl up their neck. They offered a sheepish grin at the boy, something he matched with his own flushed grin. The two seemed so lost in their moment that they missed the click of the camera. Purah cackled as she stared at the zoomed in picture she had taken of the pair locked in a love-sick stare.

“Stay just like that!” Y/n grabbed her friend and boyfriend by the hands grinning widely at the Sheikah Slate. They felt a squeeze from LInk, catching his soft gaze again. THey were drawn out of it by Purah calling for them again. “Now, Smiiile!”

Just as the shutter clicked the group was knocked forward by the giant Goron behind them. Revali let out a squawk as he was thrown into the Gerudo beside him. Urbosa smiled down at Mipha who was matching Revali in her shock. Y/n laughed as they were knocked into Link who was staring at them in surprise, an arm out to steady them.

As the group stumbled to regain their balance (and dignity for Revali) Purah and Robbie cackled at the image on the slate. Revali was the first to recover, spinning to face Daruk in indignation. His glare however, had the opposite result he had hoped for seeing as the Goron let out a booming guffaw. Y/n was the next to react, letting out a snort as they watched Revali’s feathers literally get ruffled by Urbosa and Daruk. Watching the chaos unfold amongst the diverse group, they became unified- not only in their roles- but in their bonds.

And together they laughed.

[raeynbowboi]

How to Play as Link in DnD 5e (2.0)

With the release of both Mythic Odysseys of Theros and now the new big expansion in Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, I figured now would be a good time to reexamine Link with the context of new subclasses, class features, and game mechanics that weren’t around the last time that I built him. While I won’t do this for every character I’ve built before, characters who have new options made available with these updates will get a new rebuild for 2021. If you want to compare and contrast this build to the original, I will link that build right [here].

The Spirit of the Hero

Link’s a Hylian and that’s just a fancy way of saying elf. His best racial options are either the High Elf, the Wood Elf, or the Half-Elf. Half-elf’s extra skills are tempting, but as Link is never given any parents or an ancestral family tree, we can’t really justify him as a half-elf. We’ll call him a Wood Elf for the extra +2 to his Dexterity and the +1 to his Wisdom as well as that woodsy vibe. But if you wanna go for a Half-Elf for the power build, I won’t tell anyone.

Link’s alignment is tricky. On the one hand, he is shown kneeling before the monarchy, defeating the forces of evil and darkness, and doing odd jobs to help the common people he comes across. However, he can also start forest fires, break into people’s houses, smash pots, steal people’s life savings or personal belongings, and attack the chicken population until they attack back. I’d wager he’s Neutral Good if for no other reason than his morality is highly dependent on the player.

My first choice for Link’s background would be the Folk Hero for Animal Handling and Survival. However, Link’s background is so inconsistent, it’s easier to just list out the skills he tends to have and tell you to pick a background that has those skills, or create your own: Animal Handling, Athletics, Investigation, Nature, Perception, or Survival. There’s a case to be made for other skills as well. Acrobatics works a little and his jumps did involve sick flips in Majora’s Mask, but Link doesn’t tend to balance or platform jump very often. Link can play instruments fine and danced in the Subrosian Dance Hall in Oracle of Seasons for Performance proficiency, but he’s usually playing instruments to activate effects, not to actually perform for a crowd. Link shows some Stealth skills in Breath of the Wild, but this hasn’t been a longstanding skill of his, so I didn’t lump it in with his main skill list.

Becoming a Hero

When it comes to his build, Link has made some use of spells in the past, but he’s nowhere near the spellcaster that Zelda and Ganondorf are. Link is definitely more of a martial fighter who augments himself with a wide arsenal of magical items. So when it comes to picking Link’s class, we have a few things to keep in mind.

BARD

Link is a talented young man, and he has had magical instruments in a few games over the years, as well as dancing in Subrosia, among other things. While I don’t subscribe to the idea of Link being a bard myself, I understand why people would come to this conclusion, as Link isn’t really bad at anything... except talking. And lying. And looking threatening. Or haggling. Yeah kind of hard to depict Link as a CHA caster who isn’t proficient in any CHA skill checks. 

Spirits (UA) This doesn’t fit for every Link, but especially for Breath of the Wild where Link gets help from the spirits of his fallen comrades, the flavor of calling on the dead works for Link. For a non-BotW example, maybe Link can tell stories of his past lives, and the memories he shares with each of them.

Valor This college has the downside of being built as a cheerleader, while Link really should be built for solo-combat since that’s how he approaches most fights. But Valor is better than Swords and also gives Link proficiency with martial weapons and shields, while Swords does not.

FIGHTER

While there are many martial classes, the Fighter differentiates itself by being the most down-to-earth option. It’s not beholden to rage, or smites, hunting, or sneaking. It is the simple skill of the blade, and this is a skill Link has in spades. From the earliest games, Link has been a master of the sword, the shield, and the bow.

Battle Master Link is a strategic fighter. He looks for weak spots, and he exploits them the best he can. Of all the fighter subclasses, none is more clever than the Battle Master. Its many maneuvers resembles the numerous sword techniques Link has learned especially in the later games. Even in Smash, Link showcases how clever he is by being able to combine his arrows with his bombs and shoot a bomb arrow. To my knowledge, none of the other characters can combine their abilities like this in Smash.

Cavalier The subclass is poorly named, and was better in its initial name as the Knight, as that is really what this subclass is. It is the idea of the knight in shining armor. They can also be flavored as bodyguards, a traveling sellsword, or castle guards. So Link does not have to be glued to Epona to make use of this subclass. The main reason to want this subclass is the Warding Maneuver, as giving Link the chance to either block or reduce all damage he takes is going to seriously improve how well he can tank a hit, and help keep him in a fight longer.

PALADIN

More than any other class, the Paladin actually stands for something. They fight for a value or a belief. They swear their life to a cause and are prepared to die fighting for it. Link works on a lore level as a Paladin. Especially when he’s dedicated multiple lifetimes to the same cause. Across every timeline and game over screen, Link has always returned and stood in defiance against whatever evil may come. 

Ancients This oath makes Link sworn to the forces of nature, such as the Great Fairy, and protecting the balance and harmony of the light, life, and love against death, decay, and darkness. The Ancients Paladin is all about protecting the balance in the world and valiantly opposing evil wherever it might arise. It also has a druidic or fey aspect, which kind of works for Link.

Crown With this vow, Link serves the Hyrulian Royal Family. This makes Link the princess’ personal knight, and an agent of lawfulness, order, and peacekeeping in the land. While 5e has backed away from typecasting Paladins as Lawful Good, this is probably the most Lawful subclass one could pick, as it places the authority of the royal family above all else.

Glory Instead of being sworn to the light or the law, the Glory Paladin is the harbinger of the goddesses. They are flavored as legendary heroes of destiny, possibly being demigods or the personal errand boys of the setting’s pantheon. This subclass is clearly focused on being a frontline warrior, and the features make Link a true force on the battlefield.

RANGER

Anyone who’s played Legend of Zelda knows that Link is very good at surviving. The games don’t tell you how to navigate the wilderness, Link just has to figure it out for himself. What’s more, Link may be willing to venture into the wilderness, but he’ll be hard-pressed to find many NPCs that far outside of settlements or cities. Yet what they fear, he thrives in. And it’s no wonder that this is the class most peole would assume for Link.

Hunter This conclave is the slayer of all things that threaten civilization. They can choose to be better at chipping away at one enemy, counter attack bigger monsters, or mow through hordes of minions with more ease by taking out multiple at a time. Especially at higher levels, this conclave excels at ripping apart Ganon’s forces with nary a golden curl out of place.

ROGUE

The rogue doesn’t need to be a wanted criminal on the lamb. They can be a clever fighter with a variety of skills and a knack for evasion. That speaks a lot more to Link’s skill set than one might assume at first glance. It’s not a perfect fit for Link, but it’s really not that inaccurate either.

Inquisitive This roguish archetype is defined by being clever in combat, looking for weak points to exploit. They’re also much more observant, making them better at discovering clues or secret passages, or telling when they’re being misled. At higher levels, their ability to look for weaknesses can even increase their sneak attack damage. This especially fits some of the older games where boss fights were focused on using items to exploit the dungeon boss’ weaknesses, rather than hacking away at their health bar. In these older titles, Link was less of a straight up warrior and more of a clever trickster pulling off strategic victories.

Scout The Scout Rogue has heavy Ranger vibes, as they get free expertise in Nature and Survival, enhanced mobility, the ability to disengage from fights more easily, and at higher levels become masters of ambushes. This fits well with Link’s sneakier sniper playstyle that can be done in Breath of the Wild, as Link can take out entire camps without ever being seen.

Thief While Link is not a standard cutpurse, Link is a treasure hunter, a dungeon delver, and the jokes about him robbing the people of Hyrule and breaking into people’s homes doesn’t exactly help. The thief also gets to use more magical items, allowing Link to use things such as enchanted instruments without being a bard.

WARLOCK

Link usually isn’t the hero of his own volition. He often starts his journey with Triforce of Courage, a source of power gifted by his patrons. It’s honestly a weak connection, but it loosely works, so I’m including it. 

Celestial While this subclass is geared toward serving something other than a god, I don’t see any reason why a Celestial Warlock couldn’t serve the Triple Goddesses of Hyrule or even Hylia/Zelda directly.

Hexblade The most obviously martial warlock option, this is a good choice if you want to incorporate Fi into your character.

Link’s Toy Chest

Hero’s Sword - Longsword (+1-3) Mirror Shield - Repulsion Shield Hero’s Bow - Oathbow Gale Boomerang - Storm Boomerang Fire Rod - Wand of Fireballs (requires spellcasting) Mastersword - Sword of Zariel, Holy Avenger Longsword* Hylian Shield - Shield of the Hidden Lord  Goddess Bow - Ephixis, Bow of Nylea Golden Gauntlets - Gauntlets of Ogre Power Zora Tunic - Cloak of the Manta Ray Pegasus Boots - Boots of Speed Hover Boots - Boots of Levitation Hook Shot - Rope of Climbing

SIDEKICKS

Sidekicks are a new edition from Tasha’s that let Link bring allies on his hero’s journey. Experts are skill monkeys who focus on Help actions, Spellcasters dip into the INT, WIS, or CHA spell lists, and Warriors are trained to fight and don’t have to talk, so they can be animals.

Epona - Defender Warrior Riding Horse Navi - Expert or Healer Spellcaster Sprite Sidon - Attacker Warrior Merfolk Sheik - Expert Noble (Elf) Wolf Link - Attacker Warrior Wolf

Theros Piety

The Piety System from Theros lets us be devout to a god and earn features from worshiping them. As far as I’m aware, this is an optional feature, and not every DM will make use of these, but if you’re able to, here’s a handy guide. These gods really stood out as the clear choices for Link to go with.

Iroas - God of Victory

Domains: War Virtues: Achieve a great victory, Overcome slim odds honorably, Defeat a foe in single combat, Perform a great feat of strength or skill Sins: Being a coward in battle, Beat an honorable foe through deceit, harm innocents Piety Bonus: +3 Learn Compelled Duel spell +10 Learn Crusader’s Mantle spell +25 For 1 minute, creatures cannot gain advantage on you +50 Increase STR or CHA by 2 to a max of 22

Keranos - God of Storms

Domains: Knowledge, Tempest Virtues: Solve a riddle or puzzle, defeat an unwise enemy, plan ahead for an upcoming challenge, build or restore a temple to Keranos Sins: Jeopardize others through foolishness, ignore a wise course of action, fail to plan for a challenge, give in to anger or self-destruction

Piety Bonus: +3 Add 1d6 lightning damage to melee attack up to INT mod turns. +10 Reroll a failed INT or WIS saving throw +25 Advantage on Initiative rolls +50 Increase INT or WIS by 2 to a max of 22

Nylea - Goddess of the Wild

Domains: Nature Virtues: Help any wild animal, stop those who hunt for sport or profit, win an archery competition, slay an aberration, fiend, or undead Sins: Kill an animal without reason, Dedicate a building to or make a sacrifice for any god (including Nylea), protect a city from a natural disaster

Piety Bonus: +3 Learn Hunter’s Mark +10 Learn Speak with Animals +25 Attacking creatures must pass DC 15 WIS save or change targets. +50 Increase DEX or WIS by 2 to a max of 22

Cunning Tactician

Battle Master Fighter (12) Inquisitive Rogue (8) Fighting Style: Dueling Maneuvers: Brace, Disarming Strike, Feinting Attack, Parry, Precision Attack, Riposte, Sweeping Attack Tools: Thieves’ Tools, Mason’s Tools

While Link is brave and strong, he is most defined by his clever mind and unorthodox solutions to boss fights. With this class split, Link has prioritized strategy and tactics over everything else. While it leaves him a little squishier, Link is still a very capable warrior. As a Battle Master, he got a free tool proficiency. Mason’s Tools allows Link to find secret passageways in stone walls, which most dungeons tend to be made of. On top of that, with his Feinting Attack, Link can give himself advantage, meaning he can use Sneak Attack even in a 1v1 fight, which fits his solo adventurer playstyle.

One-Man Army

Battle Master Fighter (12) Hunter Ranger (8) Fighting Style: Dueling, Archery Maneuvers: Brace, Disarming Strike, Feinting Attack, Parry, Precision Attack, Riposte, Sweeping Attack Hunter’s Prey: Colossus Slayer, Multiattack Defense Tools: Mason’s Tools

I used this build once in a level 10 campaign. 6 levels of Fighter, 4 levels of Ranger with a +2 Longsword, and let me tell you something. This build creamed the competition, which was the other PCs at the table, who were also built as level 10 characters. Link nearly defeated his first opponent in a single round, dealing around 70 damage between his four attacks. When I say this is Link’s “power” build, I mean it. I didn’t even sweat when an adult blue dragon showed up after the tournament ended, that’s how much faith I had in Link’s ability to fight. I honestly forgot to even use Link’s battle maneuvers, he was just dealing so much damage that it slipped my mind. You could swap Battle Master for Cavalier, but for me, the Battle Master is more accurate to Link’s favor of techniques over basic hack-and-slash.

RANGER SPELLS

1 Absorb Elements, Ensnaring Strike, Hunter’s Mark 2 Cordon of Arrows, Healing Spirit

The Hero of Hyrule

Battle Master Fighter (12) Glory Paladin (8) Fighting Style: Archery, Dueling Maneuvers: Brace, Disarming Strike, Feinting Attack, Parry, Precision Attack, Riposte, Sweeping Attack Tools: Mason’s Tools

As a Glory Paladin, Link is driven by a desire to be a legendary hero, and at least in the UA version, the Glory Paladin served the gods, as Link does. Like the two builds above, Link balances the brute might of the Glory Paladin with the tactile diversity of the Battle Master.

PALADIN SPELLS

1 Cure Wounds, Divine Favor, Guiding Bolt, Heroism, Protection from Evil and Good, Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite 2 Branding Smite, Enhance Ability, Find Steed, Magic Weapon, Warding Bond

Oaths and Promises

Glory Paladin (12) Celestial Warlock (8) Fighting Style: Dueling Pact: Blade Invocations: Eldritch Smite, Improved Pact Weapon, Maddening Hex, Relentless Hex

The builds from here on are more for the flavor than necessarily Link’s character. As a Blade Pact Paladock, Link becomes a CHA-focused martial with some extra spell slots that turn his smiting sword strikes into a bokoblin slurry machine. This build focuses Link more as a servant of the gods than anything else. Just make sure he has the Hex spell, but you can replace Maddening Hex with Agonizing Blast if you want to use the Master Sword laser beam at full potential.

PALADIN SPELLS

1 Divine Favor, Guiding Bolt, Heroism, Protection from Evil and Good, Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite 2 Branding Smite, Enhance Ability, Find Steed, Magic Weapon, Warding Bond 3 Blinding Smite, Crusader’s Mantle, Elemental Weapon, Haste, Protection from Energy

WARLOCK SPELLS

C Blade Ward, Booming Blade, Sword Burst 1 Armor of Agathys, Cure Wounds, Hex 2 Lesser Restoration, Misty Step, Shatter 3 Spirit Shroud, Summon Fey 4 Galder’s Speedy Courier

To Serve and Protect

Battle Master Fighter (12) Crown Paladin (8) Fighting Style: Dueling, Interception Maneuvers:  Bait and Switch, Brace, Disarming Strike, Goading Strike, Parry, Riposte, Sweeping Attack Tools: Mason’s Tools

Link is Zelda’s knight, bodyguard, and servant. So this build prioritizes features that makes Link the loyal emissary of the Princess of Hyrule. As such, this build changes Link’s role to be more of a defender to the princess than a solo hero. This build assumes that the princess or someone else who needs to be protected is joining Link on his adventure.

PALADIN SPELLS

1 Command, Cure Wounds, Divine Favor, Heroism, Compelled Duel, Searing Smite, Thunderous Smite, Wrathful Smite 2 Branding Smite, Find Steed, Warding Bond, Zone of Truth

After all is said and done, I hope I gave everyone a lot to work with. Of course my suggestions are not law, and if nothing else, I hope it gives you an idea of how you want to build him. Last time I built Link, I gave one set build for him, but I still laid out other options. Recently though, I’ve been trying to show multiple builds at the end of my build posts to offer a wider idea of what building a character can look like. Happy 2021 everyone, and let’s hope this year goes smoother.

[mirandalinotto]

Why I hate the CAOS video essay that came out a week ago

Did anyone else get extremely angry at the way Friendly Space Ninja discussed all of the female characters in CAOS? like, don't get me wrong... I understand most of the points he's making, and agree with a lot of what he says in the video essay (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: A Frustrating Waste of Potential), but when he speaks about Zelda, Lilith, Prudence, and Rosalind, I don't know... i just get a bad vibe. It's like he's doing a "bad faith” analysis, and it bothers me, because CAOS has so many parts to validly criticize, and yet he missed the mark more often than he hit it, in my humble opinion.

He basically says the same thing over and over again: that the actors were good, but the characters were bad, because they were all boring, shallow, and one-note, or whatever... and it's like... dude? of all the things you could say (especially about Zelda and Lilith in particular), the characters being “boring" isn't really the biggest criticism one ought to have of this show...?!? and it isn't even accurate?

Like why aren't you criticizing the trauma porn? Why aren't you criticizing the butchering of Lilith's mythology? Why are you ignoring all of the character development that does happen (particularly with regard to Zelda, whom he actively seems to hate) in favor of insisting none of these characters have an arc? It’s not beneficial to anyone if you’re going to criticize a show’s characters by actively misrepresenting them!

Which brings me to my next point: one of the things that bothered me the most was just how surface-level his analysis was. You could tell he hadn’t watched the show in a while, and clearly wasn’t interested in celebrating any part of it—which is okay, if you just want to roast Roberto for an hour, be my guest—but why does it feel like this video essay was the YouTube video equivalent of writing a book report on a novel you only skimmed…? He made a lot of generalizations that made it seem like he only watched the first season, and then paid no attention to the rest.

For example, some of his arguments are just so random and insignificant? Like why does he make shallow observations the basis of whole arguments about characters, such as when he goes on about how Zelda says 'Praise Satan' too much and “it got old"...?!?! Like what kind of bullshit analysis is that...? How is that even close to being something worthy of talking about in a video essay that is an hour and twenty minutes long...? Why are you taking such a trivial aspect of her character and making it a talking point in a video that is already much longer than it needs to be?

And while I agree with what he said about Lilith's motivations being inconsistent/unclear at times, and that Zelda's character growth wasn't as linear or developed as it could be, it really feels like he didn't even try to understand these characters at all. I realize I'm biased, because all I do is try to understand them and explain their motivations... but still! If you're making a video about the wasted potential of CAOS, why do you immediately dismiss almost the entire female cast, pretty much out of hand, when they're the foundation of the show...? They ARE the potential?! The good parts about them ought to have been given some credit? Like why does he fail to acknowledge all of the trauma these female characters went through that very much informs their decisions, and instead makes it sound like nothing the characters do make sense? While I might not always agree with every choice these characters made, there usually is something driving them to do whatever it is they’re doing, and particularly in the case of Lilith and Zelda, it’s not that hard to understand why they make irrational decisions sometimes, when they’re literally surrounded by abusers and everything is constantly blowing up in their faces.

Also, something smaller that really pisses me off is that he includes Zelda sending Blackwood out of the room during the birth of the twins as an example of the show's misandry and "bad feminism," but that's literally not what that moment is about? If he stopped to think about it for a moment, the moment is perfectly logical. Zelda is a midwife, who was most likely trained in the 1800s, when men literally weren't meant to be around when the the birth happened, so how is she being a misandrist just by doing what she’s been taught, especially when they’re all in a crisis situation? Men not being allowed in the room is an established part of the history of women’s health/childbirth, and it isn’t exactly obscure knowledge! Men used to be forced/asked to sit in the waiting room during labor, and before that, when home births were the status quo, midwives definitely wouldn’t allow men in the room as a matter of course. In fact, it wasn't until the 1970s that men being in the delivery room became a more normalized practice. So, men being present/witnessing a birth is a far more "modern" thing than I think people realize, and the exclusion of them from the delivery room has absolutely NOTHING to do with women hating men...? like fuck off with that “misandry” argument, in this instance. do some research before you start reaching that far, so as to act like Zelda was being hateful for simply following “industry standards,” if you want to call it that. There are medical articles that still come out to this very day that argue that no one should be in the delivery room besides the person giving birth and the doctors and nurses, because the husband/partner often gets in the way and distracts the medical team at critical moments. (Also men tend to faint or get sick at the sight of the birth, which then forces the team to split their focus in order to see to the unconscious man on the floor.)

And don't get me started on the anti-Zelda rant he goes on towards the end!! While I agree very much that Zelda is a flawed character, he uses an example of her degrading Hilda that isn't even something she actually did?! It's from a dream sequence!?!?!? like dude, did you even watch these episodes/scenes before you talked about them?!? He uses the example of dream-Zelda criticizing Hilda's appearance as a reason why Zelda is such a bitch, and I'm like... seriously? that literally wasn't her? just because Zelda said it in Hilda's nightmare, doesn't mean Zelda said it in real life, and should be criticized for it...?!

But yes, Zelda is abusive to her sister, and classist, and rude, and many of the things that he says--but when he tries to argue that because she's a woman, nobody cares that she's like that, and it’s a problem, because that’s evidence of more misandry… that’s where he loses me. He sees it as yet another issue with Roberto's writing—that he gives qualities that would be condemned in a male character to a female character, and allows that woman to be one of the "good guys" ...but yet again, dude... you're completely missing the point?!? Women are allowed to be flawed, without you seeing it as some gross failure of feminism?

He also at one point claims that Zelda resents Ambrose, and hates having him around, when I would argue Zelda actually really values Ambrose and has a close relationship to him...? Like did we even watch the same show?

I didn't expect to get this heated about a video essay that made a lot of other points that I agreed with (mainly the dragging of Roberto parts). But in my opinion, this guy got really offended by Roberto's fake feminism (which is valid), but then proceeded to tear down all of the female characters for an hour and twenty minutes straight...?! All he did was talk about how they're all misandrists and shallow characters and therefore the show isn't worth watching? like okay... but here's the thing... plenty of women have made it through shows that have misogyny at their very core, and have still managed to find the good points...? Game of Thrones is like the most popular show of all time, even though there's misogyny in every aspect of it, for historical “realism" purposes (*rolls eyes*). Zelda and Lilith's defining qualities aren't solely related to hating men, so it really pisses me off that he made it seem like that's all that shapes them, and that every time they insult or manipulate a man, it’s completely unjustified.

idk. I feel like I just watched an 83-minute roast on a show I love despite it's flaws, and that roast wasn’t mostly focused on all of the biggest flaws that I would’ve brought up, but rather on how all of the female characters are terrible and their misandry makes the show unwatchable.

So let me get this straight: you're hating on the female characters... in order to show how much of a feminist YOU are, as opposed to Roberto...?

Wow. Much feminism. Very enlightened analysis.

[durotoswrites]

For the writing meme thingy: 🍄how do you get yourself in the mood to write? 🍑 do you/would you write smut? 📒 any fics planned?

🍄 How do you get yourself in the mood to write?

Getting in the mood to write and actually wanting to sit down and start writing are two very different things, but they're connected, so I'll explain both.

To set into “creative mode” it helps me to do these things:

Listen to music that makes me think of a character/situation in my story/stories. I've got playlists separated by character and pairing. Sometimes I also just work on curating those playlists for fun and get my brain going.

Bounce overall ideas off of my friends and husband/editor (but he's my best friend, too 💗)

Reread old chapters or recent ones and future snippets based on what I want to do.

Once I actually want to put words down, I get a little more strict with myself. I get distracted verrrry easily sometimes and I have to fight the urge to open a million more tabs when researching a small detail.

I move to instrumental music (I have playlists for different moods like “emotional”, “soft”, “sad”, etc. I usually listen to “soft” as a general soothing background sound, as I can get pretty dang emotional when I write, especially with the stuff I've been churning out lately.

So, yeah, I need tissues within reach if I get upset. (Wow, I'm not making this sound fun at all, lmao)

After sound has been established, I like to eat a snack (something with protein) because I can be under for hours, lol. Eat it and finish it. Otherwise, I get distracted.

I also like to have drinks available. I always have a bottle of water, but I also like having a hot cup of tea. I think it's the time of year for me to switch to cold barley tea.

I write while seated on a recliner with my feet up. I have my laptop on a lap desk and it's a pretty cozy setup.

I basically try to remove any excuse I have to get up once I start writing, because I am the worst procrastinator I know.

🍑Do you/would you write smut?

Heheh... heck yeah, I do. Waaaaay more than most people realize. Stuff I've actually posted? It's pretty limited. I posted a couple pieces (Let Me Love You and You're Like the Sunshine) a few years ago, but I've been practicing ever since. One of my planned stories literally has what I refer to as a “smut dump” in the draft where I've been experimenting with writing different moods. I like the intimate scenes to play a role in the overall plot or have it be a bonding experience.

Despite that, I do have a shameless Gray x Mary story I should just get out there that has zero plot, just two cuties in love. In my mind it's so naughty and kinky and I get flustered thinking about it (Mary is hot, okay?), but it's probably hella vanilla, lmao. I really am grateful that people have been really supportive about my writing smut despite what I usually write, and they've been so encouraging, too! I honestly feel like the smut I've posted is really stilted because I was so self-conscious about it. I don't feel like they are terrible for first attempts, but I have definitely grown more comfortable writing it.

Will The Shy Newcomer become explicit? I kinda really want it to, but I might separate the chapters for those who don't care for that content. Overall, I'd like to write more and post more, and I want to write more than just male x female smut as well. I have some of those in my planned pieces (more about them later).

📒 Any Fics Planned?

Firstly, I'm super tickled more than one person was interested in this. I copied the answer I wrote earlier.

Short answer: Yes. I also plan to bring more of my stories over from ffn to Ao3.

Long answer under the cut, heheh. I rambled quite a bit.

Ask me about my writing processes and stories!

I have so many WIPs that haven’t been touched in years that I’d like to finish, so new planned fics aren’t posted yet. Some of them have more adult themes than most of the stuff I’ve been writing, so I get flustered sharing them. I’ve been at a crossroads, as I feel that you can’t have growth without changing things up. On the other hand, I feel like a lot of my readers associate my works with a specific “wholesome” feel-good mood. It’s kinda nice to be known for something, although that might just be my ego talking, thinking that people recognize my work as a “type���.

Regardless, in the end, I feel growth is necessary.

I don’t want to leave a lot of unfinished WIPs waiting because they stress me out and I have too many of them already, so I’d like to have a bulk of my new stories with a good chunk written before I decide to post them.

Among those include:

A longfic featuring Pete’s farm in Forget-Me-Not Valley (A blend of HMDS with the FoMT plugin and AWL). It takes place in the same universe as The Shy Newcomer (Claire in Mineral Town) and there are a few overlapping moments, although Pete’s story starts first. Pete’s personality is verrry different from Claire’s, and his story was kind of supposed to be the yang to TSN’s yin. Pete’s best friends in his story are Ruby (not sure if I’m adding Tim yet), Nami, and Rock. Readers will be treated to a poorly-socialized pre-Mineral Town Cliff (if you think he was bad at the beginning of TSN, well… heh… he’s a wreck here).

Another planned unpublished story is a crossover of Harvest Moon and the movie “In This Corner of the World”, based on a manga of the same name by Fumiyo Kouno. It was written as a gift for a friend. I have the entire outline figured out and have slowly been filling it in. My friend asked for an AU where Claire and Cliff have an arranged marriage and live with his family in Akiyama, the hometown I had created for Cliff in The Shy Newcomer. I took the opportunity to expand the characters in his family. I have it written during the same time period and society as “In This Corner of the World”, but had decided to write a spreading disease as an allegory for war, but then COVID happened and some parts of it just got really hard to write. There are also a lot of sexually explicit content as Claire slowly grows and learns from her spouse that it’s okay to express what she wants despite sex being a taboo issue. If there’s enough interest in the story, I’ll post it, but I worry it’s a little too niche for there to be many people into it.

Pastor Carter and Doctor Trent are one of my favorite rare pair ships. I’ve had a partial draft for a story about them for a few years now, especially focusing on Trent growing up and acknowledging that he has an unhealthy addiction for things that he knows he can’t have. There are some more adult/sexual themes in this piece, too, including the main character lusting after a married woman (who also happens to be his patient) and some lemons. (Does anyone call it that anymore or is it just referred to as “smut” nowadays? Haha) I always feel so bad for neglecting the folks at the clinic in-game and wanted to write a piece that focused more on them, Trent specifically. It’s a multi-chap fic, but I don’t think I’m going to let it get as long as some of my other pieces.

I also really want to write a short romantic oneshot for every marriage candidate in Mineral Town, around 1,000 words each. So far, I have one for Cliff and one for Gray. I want to write Claire with everyone, because I think it would be fun to explore all the different personalities.

I have more installments planned for A Single Day, including a day in the life of the following characters, all with drafts in varying degrees of progress:

Anna

Doug

Nora (yes, I’m writing from the point of view of the cat living at the inn)

More to come – I think Lillia and Thomas would be especially interesting to explore

I do still have that Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask piece I’ve been pondering where Link befriends the soul of the deku scrub child while possessed by the mask. I don’t have much written about it, but I really love the world of Majora’s Mask. Such a fun game.

I also think about the lead carpenter’s son in Ocarina of Time and that weird side quest involving the blue chicken and the son being lost to the forest. Then that unique-looking kokiri girl explaining that all who get taken in the lost woods become stalfos. Like, did the guy die? Was he sick? Did he want to die? There’s just so much going on there that would be fun to explore.

I also have played OMORI recently and have like… A LOT of feelings about it. I don’t know what I’d write, but I’m still damn impressed at how well the characters are developed in such a short game.

Other games I’ve had vague ideas about writing for include the following:

The Flame in the Flood: I’m thinking a survivalist/action story fleshing out Scout’s backstory a bit more and her thoughts as she’s traveling. I feel like she’s a very lonely person, but isn’t given the chance to really dwell on it.

Night In the Woods: I’d love to write more about Mae’s dreams and what they mean to her. She doesn’t really talk to anyone about them openly, so it’s really hard to tell her feelings about them in some regards. We know that she’s distressed about them, but I’d like to dive a little deeper. Do the nightmares end after the games does? What about Bea’s new nightmares?

Hades (Supergiant Games): I think it would be fun to write more about the events that take place before the game starts, like Zagreus’s duties in the house of Hades, and expand on the strained relationship with his father.

[lorelylantana]

Unconventional Observation Chapter 2; Gamble

Chapter Rating: M Overall Rating: E

First-Next

The first step of any reputable scientific inquiry was to establish a control group. This proved a tad difficult, as there was only one Link. But such a small setback didn’t deter Zelda for long, as she resolved to begin with recording the everyday behaviors of her knight. After all, you can’t identify deviations without first knowing the standard.

It was largely uneventful, in all honesty. Her knight’s trademark stoicism meant that any visual mannerisms were hard to come by, harder still to record with the consistency required for scientific revelation. The flip side of this bland undertaking was its simplicity. His countenance was so stable, so predictable, that she didn’t need nearly as much time putting it to paper as she anticipated.That wasn’t to say there weren’t roadblocks. One such aggravation came from the realization that Link reacted to her differently. Granted, this should be obvious, as she was his charge. What she didn’t expect was a discrepancy in how he reacted to her gaze.

Zelda had spent a lot more time staring at her knight than she had in the past, and he had noticed. He couldn’t meet her stare all the time, having to focus on their surroundings as her guard. Yet there was an undeniable tension in him, he stood straighter, and she noticed a light pink on the tips of his ears. 

Zelda had a list of potential causes, though, narrowing them down should be simple enough. The first possibility was the obvious. Zelda thought that this was how he reacted to being looked at in general. It made sense, if his lack of spoken word was an indication of bashfulness. This conclusion was shattered with the discovery that he endured the brazen stares of smitten maids giggling as they passed with barely a blink. She knew they weren’t unnoticed, as the giggles started after he made eye contact with them, which sent her back to the drawing board.

Her second guess was Link’s reaction being a byproduct of her rank. He may be the Hero of Hyrule, but Zelda was still his princess, and he was still a soldier. Even the freshest recruit knew any special attention from a superior while on duty was negative. Certain instincts were tough to crack, even after his ascension to Champion.

 In the end, all she needed was a week to get feel confident that she could effectively identify any differences he might exhibit during trials, where she knew her questions would be answered.

Then it was time for a gamble. Confident in her baseline recordings, Zelda set out to craft her experiment. Detestable as he was, he was still a person, and experimenting on him without his knowledge or consent was unethical. Thus, she approached him on a trek to the Dueling Peaks. Her studies suggested that his favorite meal was a prime meat and rice bowl, so she had some packed for their journey. 

“I have a proposition, sir knight,” she said as they made camp. He didn’t answer, only stared. She felt a thrill flick at the bottom of her stomach at the look in his eye. A gambler’s high, perhaps. He gave no reply save for the tilt of his head, which she took as a sign to continue.

“I would like to ask for your assistance in a new line of scientific study,” she began, voice quivering slightly. He raised a brow but said nothing, so she continued,  “I’m sure you know of my father’s insistence that my research is fruitless, however I firmly believe that my current subject of study could add to my efforts to gain Hylia’s power. If I can map out how energy flows through the body the knowledge might help me find the sealing power,” she said

“It’s not a waste of time,” he insisted, quietly but with conviction. It took only those few words to fill Zelda with optimism.

“You’ll help me then?”

He nodded. She clapped her hands in triumph. 

“Excellent! Let’s get started right away,” she said, reaching for her notes and a measuring tape, “I have some experiments in mind, but for now I’d like to get some baseline measurements down so any changes will be apparent immediately.”

Link nodded, though he didn’t say anything, Zelda felt her cheeks flush a bit. She was no stranger to her knight’s gaze, but this interaction was foriegn to her. Unlike the obligated glance he threw her way as her guard, now Link was engaging in conversation. Undoubtedly one sided, but existent nonetheless. She continued, blush burning even brighter at her next request, “In order to have a comprehensive foundation to build off of, I’ll have to take a close examination of your physique, and how it reacts to certain stimuli.” 

Link tilted his head again, only instead of a silent question, Zelda swore she saw a smirk grow on his face. Zelda needed a breath before she continued, the fluttering in her stomach knocking her off her stroke.

“Before we begin, I would like to remind you that you may bow out at any time without fear of repercussions,” she said, “I wouldn’t want my knight to break.”

Now that was most certainly a smirk. He looked her in the eye again, a rarity quickly becoming common, challenge burning in his eye.

Well, Zelda was never one to back down, and certainly not from the likes of him.

He sat on the desk in her study a few days later, pliant beneath her gaze. She’d emptied one of the tables to use as a makeshift examination table and dragged it out so he could sit on it without hitting his head. He’d shed his tunic and she’d locked the door, having no desire to explain this to any passing maid.

She put a hand on Link’s chest, gently pushing him down until he lay still beneath her on the wood. Zelda sucked in a breath, drunk on the quiet power of his compliance. She ran her hands over his stomach, blushing when the muscles clenched under her fingertips. She felt her face heat, but then her eyes flicked to his face. His jaw was set, and he stared at the ceiling.

She withdrew her hand, cursing herself for already making him uncomfortable.

“Sir knight,” she said, he looked at her, “I meant what I said, you can leave if you’re uncomfortable.”

“That’s not-” his voice broke, unprepared to be used so forcefully after his time he spent silent. He paused, trying to word his thoughts. Zelda waited, half in shock to have heard his voice at all. He took a breath, “I don’t get touched very often. When I do, it’s because I broke something, and fixing it’s going to hurt.”

Zelda felt sick. She’d imagined time and time again what his first words to her might be, if they ever happened. She’d imagined his patience snapping, his ire finally been let loose as he spewed a toxic deluge of hate and contempt.

Somehow, this was worse. It shattered her because it was the antithesis of the concept of him Zelda had crafted. She had wasted so much time focusing on how high his pedestal was. She spared no thought to how much it hurt him when he fell down.

She brought out a set of paints and a thin brush and brought it over to him. He’d stated his intent to stay, and she didn’t want to betray his vulnerability by shying away now. She ran the brush along his bicep. To her relief, although one that was painful, he didn’t flinch.

“How does that feel?”

He nodded, “Fine.”

“Okay.” Zelda dipped her brush into the jar of paint. “I found this recipe in the library. Apparently it’s supposed to augment your combative capabilities.” She rattled off the ingredients, anxious now that the man in front of her was made of flesh and bone instead of myth and steel. 

She dipped the brush into her jar, tapping it out before dragging the brush down his arm. She had a chart of standard Hylian muscleclature that she used as a reference, tracing each major muscle with her paint. It started off strangely tranquil, as she worked, Zelda noticed him relax. His breathing slowed, and another glance at his face revealed him dozing off. Zelda’s heart fluttered, an unfamiliar, affectionate warmth growing in her stomach. 

Things changed when Zelda finished with his arms and shoulders and moved to his chest.  When she drew the brush under his collarbone and down towards his sternum he jumped. She looked at him, worried that he was uncomfortable, but his eyes were still closed and she continued. She began to circle each of his abs individually, going lower and lower.

Then she noticed that the bulge in his pants had shifted. Not that she’d spent much time looking. Link must have realized why she stopped, because he really did tense up, his abdomen crunching as he sat up.

“I’ll- uh- go down and do some drills,” he said, swinging down to stand on the floor. “I’ll let you know if the paint does anything.”

And then he was gone, leaving the door open behind him and Zelda standing flustered and confused.

[mallowstep]

i hit two hundred followers so here take this series of scenes set in the misty au's version of shattered sky

"The wounded stay with me," Darktail says.

Violetpaw watches as Mistystar bares her teeth, her claws extended. Minnowtail presses her nose against Mistystar's shoulder. "Mistystar," she starts, looking back over the gathered cats, "we can't..."

Feathertail struggles to sit up. "It's alright, Mistystar," she says. "We'll be okay. It's not worth it." Her ear pivots, and she blinks affectionately, despite the tremble in her voice.

"Feathertail," Mistystar says, filled with a pain that makes Violetpaw's heart twist, but she closes her eyes. "Very well. But — we'll come back for all of you. I promise." Her fur bristles, and Minnowtail brushes against her shoulder.

"You should at least let us take our fallen," Minnowtail says.

"That carrion? Forget it, flea-pelt."

Minnowtail growls, bristling, and Mistystar's eyes shine with rage, but she steps past her deputy. "We can't leave them here," Minnowtail says, but she looks at the injured RiverClan cats.

"We don't have a choice," Mistystar snaps. "Fine, Darktail. But we will be back."

"I'm sure you will," Darktail mocks, as RiverClan turns towards the lake. "Feel free to cross my territory on your way to ThunderClan. They're weak and tenderhearted; they're bound to take you in."

Stormheart is the last RiverClan cat to leave. He's only a heartbeat behind the rest, but Violetpaw sees his ears twitch towards Feathertail, dipping his head slightly. He hurries to keep pace with the rest of his Clan, and Violetpaw looks away.

* * *

"I've brought you some more food," Violetpaw says. "And I'm careful. Darktail won't find out. Come on, eat."

Needletail blinks at her, and snatches the vole, but doesn't eat it. She carries it to the RiverClan prisoners, placing it between them. "Violetpaw's here again. She's brought you some food."

"Thank StarClan," Brackenpelt breathes. Violetpaw watches as they devour the vole, with only a few mouthfuls between them.

"We can't hang on like this," Mintfur says. "Darktail is the cruelest cat I've ever known."

Feathertail snorts. "It could be worse."

Brackenpelt spins her head to stare at Feathertail, open-mouthed. "How could—" Feathertail flicks her ear, and Brackenpelt cuts herself off. "Well — still, he shouldn't speak like that. Violetpaw is one of Darktail's cats."

"I'm sure Darktail's cats are in the habit of sneaking us extra prey," Feathertail says. Needletail dips her head approvingly towards her.

"I made a mistake," Violetpaw agrees. "But I'm trying to find a way to help you."

"Don't do anything stupid," Needletail says. "It won't do any of us good if—"

Violetpaw flicks her tail urgently at Zelda and Yarrowleaf's approach, and Needletail sinks down, as Violetpaw slinks back into the open.

* * *

"Violetpaw?" Needletail blinks softly at her. She crouches beside Needletail, her paws thrumming with energy, with hope, from finally having a plan. Having a way out.

"I had to talk to you. I've been to ThunderClan and spoken to Alderheart."

"I told you not to do anything stupid," Needletail whispers, and Violetpaw flicks her tail impatiently.

"We have a plan to get you and the prisoners out! I promise, all of you are going to be fine."

Needletail's eyes close, and Violetpaw hesitates, trying to figure out if she had fallen asleep again. But her eyes open a slit. "All of this that's happening to me...It's not your fault, Violetpaw. All the mistakes we made were mine."

She purrs, weakly, and Violetpaw presses her face against Needletail. "That doesn't matter now. Don't worry about anything. I'm going to get you out of here."

Needletail shakes her head. "Don't take risks for me, Violetpaw. You have to survive, anyway you can." Her eyes close, and Violetpaw listens to her breathing slow.

She didn't care what Needletail said — she would get them out of here.

* * *

Alderheart turns his gaze to the RiverClan prisoners. Feathertail is lying against Mistystar, and the others aren't far from her, all four of them panting and exhausted. Mistystar watches him anxiously.

"They're — these wounds are shallow," he reassures her. "They should all be alright."

"We're fine," Feathertail says. "I got one of them, Mistystar. Was gonna claw their ear off."

Mistystar purrs. "You're safe now," she says. "Mothwing and Willowshine will be here soon, and..."

Alderheart turns away, focusing on the surrounding discussion. His heart aches for Violetpaw and Needletail — Darktail must have killed them. But Squirrelflight is right. Even if he did look for them, what hope did he have?

"We have to get these cats to ThunderClan, to let the medicine cats treat them properly."

"Excuse me?" Mistystar draws herself up, her tail wrapping around Feathertail. "This is RiverClan territory. There's no way we're going to leave it for Darktail to take over again."

Bramblestar starts to justify leaving, and Alderheart sees RiverClan reunite with the prisoners.

"Besides," he concludes, "your cats need more care than you can give them here, and your medicine cats are still in our camp."

"He's right," Feathertail says. "We've got a lot of rebuilding to do." She presses her temple against Mistystar's shoulder. "It's not — our camp yet."

As RiverClan prepares to leave, Alderheart watches a warrior greet Icewing eagerly. Mistystar sits with Feathertail, and Frogheart and Hawkfrost surround her.

"I know it's hard," Squirrelflight says, "but — you should be proud. Your plan helped a lot of cats."

At the cost of Needletail and Violetpaw's lives, Alderheart adds.

* * *

Mistystar's heart stops when she sees the fighting.

Feathertail bristles with rage, but Mistystar can't see from here if she's been hurt. Minnowtail follows her gaze, silently folding her ears. RiverClan warriors burst into their own camp, and although Mistystar loses track of Feathertail, she can see the determination in all of RiverClan.

ThunderClan and ShadowClan are fighting for their sake, for justice, for fear of what will happen if they fail to drive Darktail out. But RiverClan is fighting for home and kin. There is one ending to this battle, and it is the one where they win.

When Darktail calls a retreat, it is a vicious thing that snarls with joy inside Mistystar. She wants to chase after him, but that will come with time. For now, she ducks through ShadowClan warriors picking over the details of their own treason.

Feathertail is lying on the ground, next to the other prisoners. Brackenpelt is the only one with her eyes open, and Mistystar tilts her ears softly. They're all alive, if weak. Brackenpelt nudges Feathertail softly, and she blinks, her eyes focusing in on Mistystar.

"You're here!" she chirps, pushing to her feet.

Mistystar purrs, bunting her temple against Feathertail. "I told you we were coming back for you, minnow."

"What about the rest of us?" Mintfur says, but he purrs. "We knew you wouldn't leave us."

Feathertail presses into Mistystar, and she lies down, running her tongue over Feathertail's pelt. "I'd be a terrible leader if I left you," she says, pressing her nose into Feathertail's neck. She smells sick, but she doesn't feel hot.

Icewing licks Mintfur's shoulder. "They never stood a chance. Cowards and traitors, the lot of them." She blinks softly. "Wish I got more strikes in."

Mistystar hears pawsteps, and she pulls away from Feathertail. Alderheart's whiskers twitch, looking over her cats.

"They're...these wounds are shallow. They should be alright."

Mistystar looks back at them. Their pelts are pulled taut over their ribs, and she doubts any of them could stand without much assistance. She's not sure what standard ThunderClan trains its medicine cats up to, but it's clearly not high enough.

As if she can read Mistystar's thoughts, Feathertail lifts her head slightly. "We're fine." She lowers her head again, and continues, softer, "I got one of them, Mistystar. Was gonna claw their ear off."

Mistystar purrs, part in surprise and part in pride. Feathertail's eyes close, and Mistystar presses her temple against Feathertail's head. "You're safe now. Mothwing and Willowshine will be here soon, and we'll rebuild the dens..."

Feathertail purrs, and Mistystar lets her eyes close. If she is showing favoritism, she trusts RiverClan will understand. Still, she listens to the discussion, and when she hears Squirrelflight say, "We have to get these cats to ThunderClan, to let the medicine cats treat them properly," she sits up as fast as she can without jolting Feathertail.

"Excuse me?" They have fought a battle for RiverClan's home, and Squirrelflight thinks they will simply leave? "This is RiverClan territory. There's no way we're going to leave it for Darktail to take over again."

Bramblestar starts to babble about Darktail's goals and territory, as RiverClan begins to surround the rescued cats. Beetlewhisker lies next to his parents, and Owlnose and Jayclaw have put aside their bickering to reunite with their sister.

When Bramblestar finishes, Feathertail presses her temple against Mistystar's shoulder. It is a familiar gesture, but an old one, and Mistystar is not surprised at the fury that rises in her. "He's right," she says. "We've got a lot of rebuilding to do. It's not — our camp yet."

Mistystar takes a breath. She knows why. Truthfully, she has as much interest as being in camp as she has interest in inviting Darktail back to her territory. It smells of rot, their dens have been destroyed or desecrated, and there is a pile of refuse that is far too familiar for Mistystar's liking.

So she dips her head. ThunderClan, RiverClan, what matters is that they are together.

Like cracking ice, whatever invisible force had held the other warriors back dissipates. All four of the cats will need help getting back, and it's sure to take them the rest of the night, if not much of the morning. Frogheart and Hawkfrost press against Feathertail, and she purrs.

"They didn't hurt you, did they?" Frogheart asks, nuzzling her shoulder.

"I'll have you know I attacked them," she says. Frogheart purrs.

"Mothwing told us to tell you the only reason she's not here is because Mistystar ordered her to stay home," Hawkfrost adds, and Mistystar snorts.

"And a good thing I did. The three of you would crush her."

Feathertail leans her head against Hawkfrost. Her eyes flutter, and Mistystar sees her start to shiver.

"Let's start heading back," she says. She raises her voice slightly, looking to Brackenpelt, Icewing, and Mintfur. "All of you need food and a warm nest. There's no need to delay if we're not staying here."

She nods, and RiverClan stands. Frogheart looks nervously at Feathertail, but she licks his shoulder, rising to her feet and pressing against Mistystar.

"We're leaving together again," she mutters. "Well. I doubt I'll make it the whole way to ThunderClan, but I might as well try."

[labelleofbelfastcity]

fig and gorgug’s excellent adventure

word count: 1.7k

read on ao3 here!

“Bill, my most esteemed colleague…”

Fig looks over at a quietly snoring Gorgug, his face softly lit by the shadows of Bill and Ted on her crystal. Even after a year of knowing each other, a few months of which were spent in a cramped cell together, she hadn’t known he snores. It had never been quiet enough, she had never been quiet enough, to notice that about him.

If Fig focuses, she can feel the rumble of the tour bus against her back, and, if she leans her head against the metal wall by her shoulder, the vibrations of tires over asphalt rattle around in her skull. They’ve only been on the road for a week, with just two concerts under their belts, and Fig is already kind of exhausted.

It’s a lot. The managers and the calls home and the makeup assignments for missed schoolwork. She probably wouldn’t even be doing the latter, but Gorgug spends his allotted midmorning time sitting at their extremely tiny table, with papers of Barbarian Theory and Engineering 1 scattered around him, and she’d feel like an asshole to just watch.

Fig hasn’t been sleeping well, either. The little bunk seems to press in around her, shoving her into an even smaller version of herself. Which feels stupid to complain about, because Gorgug is over a foot taller than her, since his growth spurt over the summer, and he’s sleeping just fine.

As if to prove her point, Gorgug shifts in his sleep, curling closer into Fig’s side. It’s just past one in the morning, and they have a gig tomorrow so Fig should really be sleeping too, but she’d felt like crying, for some reason, alone in her bunk. She’d crawled into Gorgug’s, instead, and pulled up Bill and Ted while he blinked blearily at her. It didn’t take him much longer to fall back asleep—now with his arm tucked around Fig’s shoulders—and Fig continues to hide from her emotions by watching Ted philosophize.

“Hey, Gorgug,” Fig hisses, burrowing her head into his chest in a way she knows will stick him with her horns. “Gorgug.”

“Hrmgh,” he grumbles, shifting more so that Fig can’t really poke him anymore. “Go to sleep.”

“No. Gorgug, hey. Come on, dude, I have an idea.” She doesn’t, really, more the idea of an idea, just like how Bill and Ted only operate on negative brian power and a pretty homoerotic bromance.

Homoerotic. She must’ve texted Kristen too much yesterday.

“Sleep is my idea,” Gorgug says, but it’s more of a sigh and a yawn wrapped up together and stretched like a yawning cat.

Fig’s brain unhelpfully supplies an image of sleepy Riz—ears cocked all funny and pupils absolutely giant. She shoves it back into the little chest lovingly marked “Bad Kids” that she’d constructed the second they drove away from Elmville because Fig is great at compartmentalizing and hiding her feelings. Totally.

“I’m bored, I want to do my idea.”

“You’re watching Bill and Ted.”

“No, I’m not. I’m talking to you.”

“Then stop talking to me and go to sleep.”

Fig huffs, about to say something just into the realm of mean, but then she feels Gorgug smile against the top of her head, and she relaxes a little.

“What’s your idea?” He asks, still sleepy, but also endearing in that goofy and sweet Gorgug way.

There’s a pause, while Fig tries to come up with her idea. The bus trundles along and Bill and Ted continue to kidnap historical figures. Finally, she says, much quieter than is warranted, like it’s some big secret she’s been holding close to her heart, “I’m gonna find a chronomancer so we can go back in time.”

“Like Augefort?” Gorgug yawns again.

“Absolutely not, Augefort doesn’t have Rufus energy.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Maybe not a chronomancer, then, but like, someone who’s fucked with time, ya know. It would be cool to hang out with someone who’s fucked with time.”

“Like Augefort?” Gorgug says, before amending, “No. Wait. Rufus.”

“Yeah, Rufus,” Fig agrees. “Except if Rufus were hot, I think it would be more fun if our Rufus was hot.”

“Rufus is already hot. He’s got… sunglasses.”

Fig giggles and Gorgug snorts too. “You need your eyes checked, dude.”

“We watched the,” he yawns, “the Matrix last month. That’s what you said about Neo.”

“Uh. Neo is Keanu Reeves so just, automatically hot. Which. Speaking of. Bill and Ted are right there, dude.”

Gorgug laughs, quietly, voice still gummy with sleep, as he pokes her gently in the side, “I thought you liked older men.”

Fig makes a face that is very scandalized and very affronted. “That doesn’t mean I like Rufus.”

Gorgug shrugs, as best he can while in cuddle-mode. “I don’t know…”

Fig huffs and whacks him on the arm. “Maybe we should go to sleep.”

“Works for me,” he says, and settles back down.

“Hey. Hey! Don’t go back to bed, Gorgug. I’m still talking.”

He grumbles and turns his head even further into hers, trying to shield his eyes from the crystal’s light. “Watch your movie.”

“This is our movie, Gorgug. It’s ours.”

“It’s too late for it to be ‘our’ anything.”

“You’re no fun, you know that? No fun.”

“I’m sorry,” Gorgug says, way too sincerely for her to continue down that line of teasing.

“Hey, no, it’s fine. You’re tired, I should let you rest.”

Gorgug’s hand moves where it’s on her shoulder, rubbing over her sleep shirt, and then pausing, “Hey, is this mine?”

“Um,” Fig says, because it is, in fact, his. He’d left one of his Owlbears t-shirts on a chair, right after they unpacked all their stuff onto the tour bus, and she’d thought about it for approximately three seconds before snatching it and chucking it at her pile of clothes.

That first night, neither her nor Gorgug had gotten any sleep, sitting on the floor of the bus between their bunks, anxiously going over lyric and style choices for the next night’s show. So the shirt had waited until after their first concert, when both of them had been too tired to do much more than change out of sweaty, smoke-filled clothes and fall into their respective beds. It had smelled comfortingly of the Thistlesprings’ homemade fabric softener, but Fig’s varying states of cleanliness have not helped the smell stick around.

Now, though, cuddled up against Gorgug’s chest, she doesn’t miss the shirt’s smell. It’s nothing compared to the real thing.

“It’s okay if you took it,” Gorgug says, cracking a small smile. “It looks better on you anyway.”

“Since when do you have an eye for fashion, Mr. Hoodies-In-Summer?”

He reaches around and pokes her on the cheek, “Hey, my hoodies are a catch for women ages thirteen to twenty-eight.”

“We did sell, like, a literal ton last night,” Fig says, snorting.

There’s a lull in the conversation. Bill and Ted shred some sick air guitar.

“...It’s a little weird,” Gorgug says, eventually, in that introspective tone of his that promises paternal questioning.

“What is?”

“That we’re sophomores in high school and have so many people, like, caring about us. Or, I mean, watching us. Like, I guess we’re famous, or something? That’s weird.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“I guess I never thought about it like that.” Fig’s been too caught up in the whole being famous thing to think about what it means for her, a fifteen year old, to be famous. She isn’t a fan of thinking about it, actually, and decides to put it off even further. This is why Gorgug’s the thoughtful, considerate one.

“That’s probably why you’re better at songwriting than I am,” Gorgug muses. “You just do what feels right.”

Fig shifts a little, so she can look at him better, his features cast in the shifting colors of the crystal. “Dude, that’s like all drumming is. Like, just playing your emotions and not overthinking it. And you’re literally the world’s best drummer.”

“Oh,” Gorgug laughs, “I wouldn’t say that.”

“You are. What other teenager gets to go on a tour while they’re still in high school?”

“Um. The Jonas Brothers?”

“I mean this in the nicest way possible, but if you compare our music to the Jonas Brothers again I will stab you with my horns.”

“I really don't think they’re poky enough to do that—”

“Stab, Gorgug. With force. You wouldn’t like it.”

“Okay, fine. I’ll take your word for it.”

“Wo-ah,” Ted says, on the crystal.

“Wicked,” Bill chimes in.

“What if we talked like them at our next concert?” Fig asks, “Just come out with full Bill and Ted voices and keep them up the whole show.”

“That sounds… hard.”

“No, it would be fun! Like, um,” Fig switches into the voice, drawing out her vowels and smiling dumbly, “we’ll totally get babes like this, dude.”

“You can get princess babes,” Gorgug says. “I’ve got Zelda. That’s basically the same thing.”

“Oh my god, you’re too cute,” Fig burrows closer to him, back in her usual voice.

She can tell Gorgug’s blushing by the bashful tone of his silence. “Um, thanks. I should probably call her tomorrow.”

“Do you mind if I join too? I really like her, she’s nice. And sick as hell.”

“Yeah, that would be fun! We can show her our set, maybe.”

“Totally! If school wasn’t on right now we could’ve brought her along.”

“I don’t know, wouldn’t that, like, Beatles us?”

“Did you seriously just mention another boy band? Also, beyond that, did you use the Beatles as a verb?”

“Er.”

“Sometimes, I wonder how you ever made it into the punk-rock scene. And then I remember that I invited you.”

“Thanks for doing that,” Gorgug says, wrapping his other arm around Fig’s shoulders. “I never really said it before, but, thank you. This has, um, it’s meant a lot to me.”

“Oh, it’s nothing, dude.”

“It’s, like, kind of everything right now, Fig.”

“Oh.”

“So, I guess, um, thank you. For inviting me to join a band with you and taking me on tour.”

“I, uh… Of course. Thanks for being my drummer, Gorgug. I’ll always take you on my adventures.”

“And I’ll always go with you.”

Bill says, “Excellent,” on the crystal screen, smiling at Ted with big eyes.

Yeah, Fig thinks, as Gorgug sighs and smiles into the top of her head. Excellent.