XXV: Infatuation

Before the Calamity

Link's POV:

Her lips were soft, as usual. But it wasn't passion that drew me in, it was something more. I craved the brief intersection of souls I felt when I was near her. She was gorgeous, but she was so much more than that. She infatuated me.

My despair faded as I pressed my lips against hers. How did she make everything bad turn good? 

Zelda pulled away and cupped my face in her hands. My eyelids lowered as I looked down on her with a zealous glow. She smiled at me before a giggle passed her lips and she turned away, her cheeks a bright pink. 

"Some hero you are," she said to me, smirking. Then, she laughed and pulled me back in. She ran her tender fingers through my hair, then I could feel her hands dance from my neck down the sides of my back. Her hands sent shivers through my whole body.

"Zelda," I mumbled between a kiss. She pulled away barely enough for me to look in her eyes.

"When I say that I will always be here," I whispered, "that's something I-I genuinely mean."

Zelda smiled gently and looked down, her long eyelashes batting against her soft skin. I felt like there wasn't much we needed to say—we knew exactly what we were feeling. I slid her body up next to mine and kissed her, intense emotion pulsing through my body. I never wanted to let her go. The world ending would be okay if this was the last thing I did. 

I moved my mouth away from hers and pulled her into my chest, hugging her and squeezing my eyes closed.

"Can we stay like this forever?" I heard her mumble into my chest. That sounded good to me.

I tilted her head up and looked in her green eyes. "A princess's wish is a knight's command," I said with a wink.

Zelda laughed and buried her head in my chest. She squeezed me harder to the point where I couldn't breathe.

"My father can't know," Zelda whispered. 

Believe me, I know. I would like to live too.

"But we're not going back to our foolish behavior where we would always get mad at each other, right?"

"I didn't get-" I stammered. "Nevermind. You're right."

The biggest smile grew on her face as she grabbed my hand and stood up. Her beaming smile lit up my heart and we started running back to the horses.