Just Like Old Times: A Legend of Zelda AU

Friends Again

For you, MysticWolfFire :D

Link's POV

I set down the phone, which felt incredibly awkward in my hands. I looked down at them. My hands were incredibly rough and calloused because of chores and helping my father. He's a blacksmith, so we make swords and other things out of metal.

I was nervous. I hadn't seen Zelda for over four years. How would she react to how I've grown up? Would she still like the same things? So many questions were racing through my mind. To clear it, I walked to my dad in the shop. Work always helped to clear my mind.

He saw me approaching and began, "How did the call go?"

"Pretty well." I paused for a second. "Dad? Could I make something for her? It has been a while since I have seen her and I want to be her friend again."

"I think that's a wonderful idea. You know, your mother was always quite fond of flowers. Zelda probably is too."

I thought for a moment. Maybe, but I was unsure. What if I made something to remind her of one of our adventures?

In my reflection, I remembered one of the times we got in trouble. We had just concocted a grand scheme as young kids. We had this great idea to get the cookie jar. It involved a lot of sneaking around, which she was much better at.

Zelda's mom was in the kitchen, where the jar was housed. Zelda would drag her mom out of the room while I sneaked in. Unfortunately, it seems that Zelda's mom knew we were going to try something like that, and quickly discovered us before we could take a bite of the cookies.

Those were good times. Thinking of Zelda made me a bit sad. It had been devastating to move away from her, but it had been necessary. Dad hadn't been able to get many orders in Hyrule, making it so that we could barely get by. My siblings, Aryll and Ryan, had barely been able to go to public school.

Upon finding out the many opportunities in Gerudo Valley, we quickly moved over to that area, still staying in the more rural areas. The Gerudo women were all very fond of swords and rapiers, making it a perfect place for my dad.

I sighed. Zelda was always there for me, and I couldn't be there for her. I wrung my hands in frustration. I was 17 now, but I had never stopped thinking about her. The way she swayed when she walked. Her signature eyebrow raise. The way she smiled at the ground or the way she laughed at my jokes that weren't even funny.

I shook my head clear of the train of thought. I looked at my watch, realizing that I had spent a whole hour thinking about her. I was excited about our meeting on Saturday, but I needed to get to work. It would take a while to make.

I was going to make her a rose and a cookie jar, but I needed my dad's help. He was the expert after all. We worked on it for a while and needed to let it cool, so I left to see how my siblings were doing.

Aryll, 10, and Ryan, 13, were shooting arrows at targets attached to trees. Aryll was still young, so she couldn't really aim well, but she did have several arrows sticking out at random angles like a pincushion.

"Good job, Aryll," Ryan commented. "You're doing great!"

Ryan himself was doing well too. He had two arrows in the ring closest to the bull's eye circle and one bull's eye. He had been practicing for a few years now and he was getting a lot better.

"Hey, Link. How did your date with Zelda go?" Ryan's eye brows fluttered, emphasizing the word date.

I groaned. "It wasn't a date. I called her. For a minute."

"I think you like her still."

I blushed a bit. I did still like her. I hadn't ever stopped liking her. I wish I could have just told her how I felt right before I left.

"I do, but we're meeting up on Saturday as the first time we've seen each other in 4 years. To be friends again. Just friends."

Ryan eyed me. "Sure," he said.