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A/N: At this point, I'm just going through my folder going "What can I post"? at three in the morning. Hahaaa...
I wrote this sometime last year, I think. It's just a lil oneshot I wrote during a write-off. Our prompt was 'Zora Armor' and we had exactly one hour to write it all out. I haven't edited it, but I thought you might enjoy reading it regardless. So please enjoy. Lots of angst in this one. :3
Laughter echoed around the clearing as Wild checked on their lunch. Normally, he’d make something a bit lighter, but since Time decided they’d just stop and set up camp for the day, he opted for something a tad more filling. It also meant he’d have less work to do come dinnertime.
“Aw, man!” Twilight complained, looking at one of his armor sets. “You’d think an armor worn exclusively underwater would… I dunno… stink less?”
“With your BO?” Legend smirked.
“It’s not that bad!” Twilight flushed a bit as the cook snickered.
“You’re just as bad, Wild.” Warriors grinned.
“Yeah, but I was essentially raised out in the forest. I didn’t know what soap was until three months after I woke up. What’s your excuse?” He grinned, and Warriors flopped back on the log in mock horror.
“Wild! You were supposed to be pure !”
“In what universe?” Hyrule muttered, causing Time to let out a quiet snort.
“Either way, I need to wash this.” Twilight held up the blue armor set.
“That looks pretty cool.” Legend admitted, looking at the armor a bit closer, though he scrunched his nose at the smell. “Does that cover your mouth, too?”
“Yeah.” Twilight nodded. “I can breathe underwater in my Zora Armor.”
“Wait, you can?!” Hyrule’s eyes widened. “Damn, I seriously needed that during my journey.”
“Didn’t we all?” Four groaned. “I couldn’t swim for most of mine—I was just a kid at the time, and spent most of my time around forges and fires. I had to find an item to help me not drown.”
“At least you had an item.” Hyrule huffed. “Hey, Wind. Your Hyrule’s covered in water… did you ever get an item that helped you explore below the surface?”
“Mmm… nothing like Twilight’s armor. If I was bigger, I’d ask to borrow it.” He grinned. “Come to think of it, don’t you have Zora Armor too, Wild?”
Wild looked up from where he was seated, cutting some mushrooms. “Yeah. But mine just lets me swim faster and climb waterfalls.”
“You can climb waterfalls ?!” Legend stared. “How does that work?”
Wild just shrugged. “No clue, really. Maybe it’s got something to do with how it’s made?”
“Can I take a look?” Four asked, curious. “Maybe I can replicate it somehow.”
Wild hesitated a moment before setting the knife down, switching it out for his slate. A moment later, a bright red set of armor appeared on his lap. “Just… be careful . This armor means a lot to me.”
Four took it with all the care he could muster, looking it over with a critical eye. “It looks like it’s made almost entirely with Zora scales.” He hummed. “They’re woven in with the chainmail like armor. That’s incredible. It looks entirely handwoven, too. Must’ve been expensive.” He handed it back, and Wild relaxed a bit when he had it safely in his arms again.
He stared at it somewhat sadly. “I suppose you could say that.”
“It’s so pretty!!” Wind grinned. “Hold it up to the light! I bet the scales shine under the sun!”
Wild tilted his head, but saw no harm in the action. He held the armor up into a beam of sunlight, and the light refracted off the scales in shimmering rays of red. The glittering scales were reminiscent of rubies as the light danced on the ground around them.
“It looks like gemstones! So pretty!” Wind grinned.
Like gemstones … Wild staggered a moment before the memory hit him.
“They’re so pretty, Mipha!” Link grinned as he held up a handful of red scales. “Like gemstones.”
“You’ve always said that, Link.” She smiled softly. “Even as a boy, you thought so.”
“It’s true.” He grinned. They sat on the trunk of Vah Ruta together, watching the morning sun peak above the horizon. The sky was lightening from its dusty purple hue, but Link was only half paying attention to the sky. “I missed this.” He said softly. “Talking with you.”
“You’re always so silent around the others.” Mipha sighed quietly. “You were such a chatterbox when you were a child. What changed?”
“When I pulled the sword, my father told me that it was best to remain quiet.” Link answered after a moment. “And with all the rumors flying around, I found that advice to be sound. They don’t want a swordsman, they want a hero. I’m… just the wielder of the sword. Nothing more.”
“Don’t you ever say that.” Mipha shot him a glare, startling the young knight. “You are Link . You are important and…” She flushed a bit. “You matter. You’re more than just a sword.”
He smiled at her. “Hey, Mipha?” He glanced over towards the domain. The waters sparkled in the golden rays of the rising sun.
“Yes?”
“Have you… ever thought about…” He flushed a bit. Words had never come easily for him, but it was especially difficult when he was flustered. “I mean, have you noticed that I’ve been…” He found himself starting to match Mipha’s coloration.
“You mean have I noticed that you’ve been courting me?” She sent him a knowing smirk.
He wanted to melt into a puddle. He flushed all the way to his eartips, and his silent curse had him opening and closing his mouth before he just settled for an embarrassed nod.
Mipha laughed, voice sounding like chimes on the wind. “How could I not? Subtlety is not your forte.”
“I… I was wondering… if you… erm… how you felt… about me courting you?” He swallowed thickly, and he hoped the princess beside him wouldn’t comment on the way his voice cracked.
Mipha put a cool hand on his burning cheek. It was a delicate touch, full of love. “I actually wanted to ask you something, Link.” She flushed a bit. “Would you like me… to make you some armor?”
His heart skipped several beats. “Isn’t that…?” His crystal blue eyes were blown wide. “Are you… To me ?”
“I am.” She smiled coyly. “I have loved you for a very long time. I’ve been collecting my scales for years. And I would very much like to use them to make you armor.”
“I…” Link blinked back the sudden tears. “Y-yes! Yes, I—” His words were cut off when Mipha leaned in close, brushing her lips against his.
It was soft, gentle, and very much like the princess he’d given his heart to. “Then we’ll keep this between us.” She laughed. “Father will approve—he loves you. I’ll present the armor to you when we emerge victorious over the Calamity.”
“Yes.” He agreed. “And then, we’ll be together. Nothing will tear us apart.” He leaned in and stole another kiss. It was cool and refreshing, like a sip of cold water on a hot summer’s day. The moment of peace lingered upon his tingling lips as he pulled away.
“And I’ll always be here for you.” She smiled as she leaned against him. “It would be my pleasure.”
Wild blinked abruptly, vision clearing abruptly to show the eight heroes staring at him, and he knew what he’d seen was a memory.
A memory . Because Mipha was gone . His fianceé was dead .
His heart clenched painfully. He’d wondered for years if he’d felt anything towards Mipha. And now that the memory of her–her proposal had returned, so too had his feelings. And now he suddenly wished they hadn’t. Because this was torture .
“Wild?” Wind asked carefully, and he realized that tears had started running down his face. But at the moment, he didn’t have the strength to care.
His knees buckled on him and he fell back against the log in a sitting position. “Pup?!” Twilight was by his side instantly, and the others had looks of fierce concern and worry etched onto their faces. “Are you okay?”
Wild opened and closed his mouth, unable to produce sound as the pain in his heart locked his voice away. He was not okay. How could he be, when…
“Mi...pha.” He whispered out in the most broken tone he’d ever heard. And then, like a broken dam, a scream ripped itself free of his throat.
It was guttural and raw, soaked in an agony that was beyond words. Even after the air had gone from his lungs, the scream still attempted to push forth, robbing him of the ability to breathe.
He was doubled over, tears flowing thickly from his eyes as images flashed through his mind. He’d met her when they were four. Well… when he was four. They’d done everything together. Memories flowed one into another like a mocking stream. What should’ve been happy became an endless reel of torture.
Gone. Gone. Gone.
She would never return, because he wasn’t strong enough . She would never lecture him for his carelessness again. Never stay up to watch the stars together. No more midnight swims or catching tadpoles. No silent whispers to the sound of gently lapping water. He’d never get the chance to show her the fireflies like he’d promised, or sneak her out of the Domain to explore. They’d never… he’d never have that again.
And it was killing him inside.
“...eathe…” Was someone talking to him? Where even was this? Did it matter? Mipha was gone.
Gone. Gone. Gone.
Their promise was broken. He would never get the chance to call Dorephan father, or win his bet with Bazz about if he could catch a date with Mipha. Hell, he’d never even had the chance to take her out on a proper hylian dinner date. Hadn’t he made her a gift just before the Calamity? Something to give her because he knew she was making him that armor? Had he ever had the chance to show her what it was?
“...ild!” Someone was trying to talk to him. But… who?
“...up? You....”
For a moment, he caught sight of greyish multicolored eyes. Four. That was Four, right? Four was… a friend.
“...eathe… ld…. Breathe .”
Wasn’t he already breathing? Or maybe he couldn’t. That pain was stealing his breath just like….
“ Wild. ” Legend’s voice cut through the haze like a sharp blade. It was enough to startle him into taking a gasping breath.
Suddenly, everything snapped into unbearably clear focus. Things were too loud and too real and he wanted the floatiness back. Because as bad as the pain was before, it felt even worse now.
Legend had taken his hand and put it to his own chest. He breathed in deeply, and Wild found himself automatically copying the actions. After a few moments of this, his thoughts started to sort themselves out, and he was able to put memories to the faces that surrounded him.
“I…” He croaked, as another sob bubbled up. A pair of large, warm arms wrapped around him. “Dad?” he whispered on reflex, still confused by the echo of the memories. He looked up to see Time’s pained face.
“It’s okay, Wild. Just let it out.” He soothed, rubbing Wild’s back gently.
“I… I remember her.” He whispered brokenly, having hit a moment of clarity between sobs. He looked at the armor clenched tightly in his arms. Armor that held an entirely new weight. “I… I remember her .”
Twilight winced. Even though he didn't know the meaning of the armor, he knew it was made by Mipha—who was gone .
“I’m sorry.” Time held him closer.
“I… I knew she was making this armor for me.” He choked, new sobs threatening to strangle his voice once more. “She… I said yes . And now I know why .”
A few of them traded looks of confusion, but more than anything they were concerned about him. Normally, he’d avoid doing something like this and making them all worry, but he was in far too much pain to care about that. His mind and heart were both a splintered, bleeding mess. All he really cared about was the gaping hole in his soul and the armor in his arms.
“She was important to you.” Twilight soothed. “It’s okay to miss her.”
“No, you–you don’t understand !” Wild cried out, heart still raw from the whirlwind of emotions accosting him. Part of him was angry at Twilight for saying something like that so flippantly . “In my Hyrule, Zora Armor is given as a—as a proposal! ” A desperate half-sob, half-scream tore itself from his throat. “She was my fianceé.” The whisper was almost silent, but everyone heard it. “And now she’s gone .”
Nobody had anything to say to that. Time held him a little closer, a little tighter. And Wild was sure that the warm wet spot that was forming on the top of his head, and the slight tremble to the shoulders he leaned against was just his imagination.
Wild melted into the hero’s arms as Time started humming softly. It was a quiet tune. One that he could’ve sworn he’d heard once before. It carried a memory of rain and thunder, and before he knew it, his sobs were starting to taper off into sniffles as his eyelids grew heavy.
Mipha was gone . And he wasn’t. And that pain would never go away. But some distant part of his mind said that maybe… maybe these heroes could help him learn to live with that pain. Even if for a little while.
And perhaps it was his imagination, but as he slipped into the realm of sleep, he swore he heard Mipha humming alongside Time. Her words echoed around him, warm with love and laden with grief.
“It was… my pleasure.”