"Hey Purah, I—" the wooden door swung open.
Inside was the familiar scene but with a strange new addition that made me do a double take. There was a boy in here. I thought I was the only one who came to visit Symin and Purah...?
The boy had a hood on and thick traveling clothes. He faced Purah, but I could tell he was now looking at me under his hood.
I cleared my throat, pink tingeing my pointy ears. "Uh, should I come back later?"
Purah hopped off her chair. "Oh no, no! Stay! I see you brought me some cake! Ooh yummy! I was just sending Linky away anyways!" She waved away the boy who looked slightly confused. "Do the thing, Linky! Then we can that cute little slate working!"
The boy—Link—just shrugged and walked out, picking up the torch that rested by the wall on his way out.
Not even a second after the door closed, Purah was bouncing up and down, reaching for the monster cake.
I set it down on the table, not even bothering to clear the papers away. Purah hopped up on the chair once again and hastily slid the plate close to her. "Yummy! Did you just come to bring me a little treaty? Thank you! I must get back to work though, big things happening today!"
I quickly yanked the plate far away from Purah, who had frosting covered her fingers. She hadn't bothered to grab a fork.
I knew very well that I could have just unleashed Purah's rage but my curiosity was greater then my fear.
Fortunately, all she did was pout and slap her hands on the table. "Hey!"
"Not so fast, kid." I told her. "I have questions first."
"I"—slam—"am"—slam—"not"—slam—"a kid!"
Slam!
I rolled my eyes inwardly. "Right. Forgot you're over a hundred years old. Anyways, who was that? Family or something?"
Purah glared at me. "Only the most important person in Hyrule!"
This time I rolled my eyes obviously. "Right. And my parents were Gorons."
Purah pursed her lips. "That would not make sense, analyzing your physical features."
"Sarcasm, Purah!"
"Ohhh, okay. Yes. Sarcasm. Must remember that. But he is very important. The failure to defeat the calamity...our hero is the only one to fail...why? What did the others have in common?" Purah wondered out loud.
"Oh, Purah. That reminds me, I started reading The Ocarina of Time and it's really good! Link and Navi's journey is—"
Purah snapped her fingers and let out a shriek. "Navi! (Y/n) you're a genius! Yes, the hero always had someone to help him! Did ours? No! Maybe the goddesses made him one but only for the right time! After Ganon took control!"
Purah clapped and bounced up and down excitedly. "This is good! This is really good! The kids nowadays say totes awesomesauce!"
I narrowed my eyes. "Uh, Purah, hate to burst your bubble here but...our hero died. Remember?"
Purah rolled her eyes. "Sureee, he totally did."
"I don't know what you're getting at here, but he did. Every book about the calamity says—"
BAM.
Purah and I whirled around at the noise. The mystery boy was back.
Purah cried out. "You're back! Let's get this bad boy ready to go! After I eat my monster cake!" She turned to me with a glare. "Gimme."
I sighed and slid the cake back towards her. I wouldn't get anything else out of the hundred year old kid today.
Purah let out a squeal and grabbed fistfuls of the purple cake. Through a mouthful she gestured to me and the boy, "Linky, introduce yourself! Losing manners after all these years? Tut tut, shame on you."
The boy turned to me and pulled down the hood still obscuring his face.
I stifled a little gasp, my ears turning a little pink. He was, to put it simply, really handsome. With his fair skin, long, wavy blond hair, and brilliant blue eyes. He looked to be about seventeen or eighteen, and judging by his pointed years, Hylian.
Prima would have a field day if she saw me right now.
I would never live it down.
The boy, I'm assuming now he's the one Prima was talking about, was staring back at me. Why? I had absolutely no idea. I'm average, not particularly pretty in my opinion.
Purah watched our silent exchange, eyes wide and cheeks filled with cake. I decided to speak first.
"Um, hi. I'm (Y/n), I live down in Hateno. Nice to meet you?"
The boy cleared his throat, like he didn't talk a lot. His voice was so quiet it was almost a whisper. "Hi." He pointed to himself. "Link."
I took that to mean that was his name. I nodded and swallowed hard. This was so awkward.
"Uh, yeah. So, um, nice to meet you, like I said. I'm going to go now? Have fun with whatever you're doing and Link, Purah can be a little, ah, eccentric."
I hastily went out of the lab, feeling the boy's eyes on me and Purah calling behind me in a pouty voice "I am not eccentric! You get back here, (Y/n)! This instant!"
I called over my shoulder, "Bye, Purah! See you around Link!"
This day had definitely not gone how I wanted. I didn't mean to meet Prima's mystery boy in person. I just wanted to give Purah the cake and get out. Then go to the inn and have a little fun making up outlandish stories about Link. Maybe if I still had anger to burn then I'd sic Manny on Prima.
I did not mean to get curious about the boy, myself, and start asking questions.
But I could still carry out the last part of my plan. When I pulled the door open, I cried out, "Prima! I got stuff! Can I have my book now?"
Prima was behind the desk, as per usual. She giggled and came out from behind it, linking arms with me. "Come on! I'll get Manny to cover at the desk for me! Let's go to your house and you can tell me all about him!"
When we left, Prima called out to Manny, who followed her like a love-sick puppy. I stifled a laugh when Prima had to repeat her instructions because Manny was to busy staring at her.
Finally, she tugged my arm and practically dragged me to my house.
When we settled down, Prima shouted at me to explain everything.
"You want me to tell you about him breathing too?" I said sarcastically.
Prima vigorously nodded her head. Oh goddesses. I was joking.
I took a breath. This was going to be hilarious. "Well, where to start? He's the legendary hero from a hundred years ago, and he came back to save Hyrule! He loves shield surfing and hide and seek...goodness, he's quite incredible!"
Prima's eyes widened and I choked back an evil cackle. Don't ever take my book.
Prima looked like she had a million questions. Finally she settled on, "what does he look like?"
I couldn't lie about this. She sees him in town so if I got his skin color wrong she'll know I'm lying. "He has the most golden blond hair and fair skin. He's Hylian—he has pointed ears. And crystal blue eyes."
Prima wiggled her eyebrows. "Someone like him?"
I blushed crimson. "N-no, I—"
Knock, knock, knock.
I jumped up. Purah is the only one I was friendly enough with to visit, but she never did. And Prima was with me so who was this?
I rushed to the door, smoothing down my tunic. Prima followed close behind me. My heart beat fast as I turned the knob and opened the door.
Standing there was Link, an empty plate in hand. His hood was pulled back over his head and he looked almost nervous.
I stared at him for a couple seconds before shaking it off and clearing my throat. "Um, hello? Again?"
I cringed at Prima's tiny giggle from behind me.
"Should I come back later?" He asked quietly, but I could hear teasing in his voice.
I opened the door to let him come in, being the polite Hateno citizen I was. "Oh ha ha. Very funny." I responded sarcastically but added in a much friendlier voice I said, "come in!"
Link looked hesitant to come in, but finally did. Prima let out a little shriek that was cut short when my foot collided with her shin.
"Uh, Link, this is Prima. Prima, Link."
Link nodded. "Some guy is stalking you. He, uh, told me he would pay me to collect crickets or something to give you?"
I burst out laughing. "Manny!" I cackled , wiping imaginary tears from my eyes. "Goddesses, that's funny!"
Now it was Prima's turn to kick me. "It is not funny!"
"It kinda is, Prima!" I laughed. "Crickets? He really loves you!"
Prima's glare could wither flowers.
I wiped a real tear from my eye. "Anyways, what brings you to my house, Linky?"
Link pushed past me. "Don't. Don't you dare. Only Purah. That ancient child is honestly" he sighed, "nope. Words can't describe."
He set the plate he was carrying on my table. "Purah made me bring this to you. Apparently she can't do it herself because she can't come outside. Some boys saw her and now they're crushing on her or something?"
I collapsed in another fit of laughter. "Only her!" I scoffed.
Link chuckled with me, it was a pretty noise. Deep and quiet.
Prima just looked at us in utter confusion. Which made me laugh harder.
When I regained some composure, I asked the boy, "you want to stay for dinner? Do you have anything to eat?"
He scratched the back of his neck and mumbled. "Was just going to pick an apple..."
I tutted. "Nope. You will have a really, home cooked meal. Sit."
His ears turned a little red. "N-no it's okay. I'm fine. I don't mean to be a burden or anything—"
I shushed him. "I'm making soup. And biscuits."
"That's really okay, I don't need anyth—"
I placed my hands on my hips. "This is nonnegotiable. But," I tapped my chin, "if you really want to be helpful, you can go outside and gather eggs from my cuccos and pick some apples for me to slice."
Link sighed, knowing there was no changing my mind. "Fine."
Prima jumped up. "I'll help!"
I rolled my eyes and went into the kitchen to gather some ingredients.
A short time later, the back door slammed open and an angry Prima came in. "You lied! I asked him if it was true, that he was the hero, and all he said was 'uhhh' before going silent! You liar!"
I shrugged, expecting this to happen eventually. "Sorry, you stole my book and I was getting revenge."
Prima huffed and went back outside. I turned back to my now boiling stew and biscuits in the oven. When the door banged for the second time, I assumed it was Prima again but turned to Link, who was holding five or six plump apples.
"You can put them here. You good with a knife?"
He dropped the apples on the table. "Sword, yes. Knife, I don't know?"
I handed him a cutting knife, blade down, and he took it carefully. He cut one apple up with ease. Then another. On the fourth one, I watched with wide eyes as he tossed it in the air and sliced it in half before it hit the table. Link turned to me, grinning. "I'm okay with a knife."
I grumbled, "show off." And put out three bowls.
He noticed and said quickly, "your friend told me to tell you she can't make it for dinner. Said something about leaving her post to long."
I grumpily put one bowl back. She doesn't care about her job in the inn, she would leave Manny there for days if she could. She's just mad that I lied to her.
I scooped the soup into our bowls and placed them at my plain wood table. The same wood table everyone in Hateno had. Ordinary. Standard. Boring. But at my table sat someone new. Exciting. Different.
The second I placed the apples, biscuits, and soup on the table, Link started digging in. It was almost comical how fast he ate.
I sat down and ate too, but significantly slower.
My curiosity surpassed my hunger, leading me to set down my spoon and stare at the boy across from me. "So. Link. Where are you from? Why are you in Hateno?"
Link swallowed his bite and frowned slightly. "I'm from...a lot of places. All around Hyrule, really. I came here because I was sent to see Purah so she can fix my sheikah slate."
I perked up when he said sheikah slate. Wasn't that the thing Purah and Symin had been talking about for months? "What is it? What can it do?"
Link shifted. "It can do a couple different things. I mostly just the map of Hyrule that's on it."
I had become interested in all ancient technology in the recent years so this was fascinating. Questions flew in and out of my brain like birds, so fast I couldn't focus on one. "Do you know the history of it? How detailed is the map? How old is it? Where did you find it?"
Link laughed and scraped the edges of his bowl to get whatever remained of his soup. His biscuit was long gone and the apple slices were few.
He ate a lot.
"I don't really know the history of it. The slate was made by the sheikah, obviously. The map is pretty detailed like a normal, paper map."
I noticed he carefully avoided my last question, but I didn't push it. Instead, I changed topics. "Where are you headed after you leave Hateno?"
Link took a minute to think of an answer. "Kakariko village. Then, I'll see."
"When do you leave?"
His answer caused my stomach to flop in a strange way. "Tomorrow."
Maybe he saw that I was a little sad that the only thing not boring and normal and routine was leaving so soon. "Do you ever travel?" He asked.
I shook my head sadly. "I've never left Hateno village. I've been as far as the woods on one side and the beach on the other. I've always wanted to, though. Here is just so...structured. So routine. I've always wanted to leave and study the ruins and the sheikah's ancient technology. But I'm just...scared." I blushed.
"Scared?" Link echoed.
If it was even possible, my cheeks turned even darker when I mumbled, "the monsters...I, uh, don't know how to fight them."
Link nodded and I relaxed a little when I saw his understanding expression. "That makes sense. Monsters can be scary."
I let out a little laugh. "Aren't you a traveler? You've probably killed thousands of monsters!"
Something in his expression deepened in concentration before he snapped out of it to answer. "Maybe once."
What was that supposed to mean? I hesitantly decided to leave it alone. For now.
I cleared my throat. "So, um, do you have a place to stay tonight? Before you leave, tomorrow?" There was a little wrench in my heart but I pushed it aside. Why was I getting upset over a stranger I barely knew leaving?
Link looked at me thoughtfully. "I think Purah has an extra room she wants me to stay in."
I nodded. "Good luck sleeping tonight! She makes noise you can hear from down the hill in her lab until the wee hours of the morning!"
Link let out a laugh. I decided in the back of my mind that I liked his laugh. I wouldn't mind hearing it again.
I found myself talking to Link about anything and everything until late in the night. He was good company and his fresh perspective on everything was...refreshing. It was new. Different. Unordinary.
After a couple minutes of comfortable silence, Link slipped out of the peacefulness by saying, "I should probably go. Purah is probably waiting for me." Was there a hint of regret in his brilliant eyes? Maybe I was just imagining it.
I nodded, trying to bury my sadness. I'd probably never see this boy again. With a forced smile, I waved at him and called, "bye, Linky! Maybe I'll see you around some day?"
The only response was the soft thud of my front door swinging closed. I sighed. Back to routine. Link would disappear and fade into distant memory, and this would all seem like a dream in a couple days. Like it never happened.
The thought made my stomach twist. But I wanted to remember. To know Link. To even...go on an adventure with him. Escape the town Hateno that started to feel more like a prison every day.
That's a nice dream, (Y/n), I thought as I crawled into bed, but only a dream.
I sank into a restless and fitful sleep.
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The next morning I awoke and the last day's events were already hazy.
Get up. Get ready. Eat. Cuccos. Garden. Clean.
Back to the routine I'd done every day for years. As I trudged up the hill to the lab, my thoughts were solely on the blue eyed boy and whatever adventure he had left Hateno to continue. He was probably already on his way to Kakariko Village, returning to whatever—or whoever—awaited him there.
My mood sank the higher up I got. By the time I reached for the doorknob, I wasn't even sure if I wanted to see Purah anymore.
I forced myself to open it. I had to move on, I chided myself. He was just another passing stranger that came in went quickly. But I felt he was different. He had a different goal then to travel Hyrule.
When the wooden door creaked open, my stomach swooped. Link was still here. He was talking to Purah—they seemed to be arguing?—when the squeak of the door drew his eyes to me.
A strange emotion, or mix of emotions, was in his eyes as he stared at me. I struggled to try and read how he was feeling, to no avail.
This boy was a mystery...
...And I wanted to solve it.
A/N
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