Eternity [Link x Reader]

XVIII || A Smiling Sun

Shad felt his heart flutter when he turned back to you. Even though your face was currently scrunched up in annoyance, he couldn't help but find you irresistibly cute. And then, when your large [e/c] eyes met his gaze, he could've sworn his heart stopped for just a second before resuming.

"Shad?" You called out, your voice laced with worry.

You couldn't quite place your finger on it, but something seemed off about the scholar this morning. He wasn't the usual awkward, kind and easily flustered person you had come to know. He seemed... Troubled? And maybe a little distant?

A rush of fear seized you. Was he mad at you? For what happened last night?

Shad, as if sensing your discomfort, seemed to snap out of it.

"U-Um... Oh! That's right! You've climbed Death Mountain before, right? Got any tips?"

You gave him a calculating look, trying to figure out what had just happened.

"Yeah... Stay alert because sometimes Gorons will roll at you, and it'll rain fire."

The male's eyes grew wide, and his mouth dropped open in shock. Suddenly realizing what you had just done, you quickly continued in hopes of undoing the damage. "Oh, but that was back then! You know, with the Twilight and everything? I'm sure it's fine now."

"Y-Yeah...?"

"Yeah!" You echoed back energetically. "Plus, don't worry. If anything happens, I'll be here to protect you!"

The troubled expression from earlier appeared across Shad's features once more. He looked like he wanted to say something to you, only to be cut off when the earth began to shake.

Everyone immediately braced themselves, trying to maintain their balance as the ground rumbled.

"Hey, hey! What's going on?"

"I thought the eruption problem was solved!"

Their uncertainty and concern, thankfully, didn't last long. A large boulder came rolling down the path, stopping right in front of the crowd. The rumbling, too, immediately ceased. From where you stood, you could barely make out the rocky 'crust' on top of the boulder. Suddenly, a set of limbs spouted from the rock, and a face appeared!

"Ah, sorry, I'm late!" The rock-like creature apologized before rising to his feet. "I was looking for some tasty rocks and lost track of time!"

Wait a second. You recognized that voice!

It was Yunobo! [1]

You remembered this Goron so vividly as if you had just met the other day. Yunobo was incredibly sweet, though somewhat of a scatterbrain. His role within the tribe was going around and searching for sources of food. That was how you met. When you, Link, and Midna first attempted to scale the mountain, Yunobo rolled at you guys. Without any means to defend yourselves, you were tossed from the mountain. Then after the whole ordeal with the Fused Shadow, you somehow ended up as friends.

"Yunobo!" Both you and Link exclaimed simultaneously, with the latter making his way to the front of the crowd.

"Link!" The Goron greeted the hero happily while opening his arms for a hug. "It's good to see you, my dear friend!"

"Ah, that's okay..." Link laughed nervously, trying to decline the hug politely. "It's good to see you too."

"And is that [Y/N] I see over there?" Yunobo looked over, instantly spotting you thanks to his massive height.

You smiled and waved but hesitated on heading over. Because if you were over there, that meant you had to be near Link.

"Go on," Shad found himself saying, much to his own surprise.