The past few days, at my insistence, we traveled relatively short distances and rested often. Link surely found it incredibly, soul-numbingly boring, but I didn't particularly care. His injuries were extensive, and I wasn't about to risk him pushing himself unnecessarily, which he undoubtedly would.

Further southwest we traveled at a comparatively leisurely pace, keeping the horses at comfortable trots and avoiding fights when and where we could. Monsters forced our hands, more than a couple of times. But each time, I ensured I took to the front, even if I'd have rather handled things from a further range. But with Link still so injured, while he tried to assure me he was more than able to fight like always, I wasn't so convinced so I made sure to do most of the heavy lifting.

And for several days, that's how we traveled. Slowly, his bruises started to clear, his cuts started to fade, and he started to regain some of his usual spark. With all the extra naps he was taking lately, he was reinvigorating himself and allowing his body to heal as it needed to - which I was grateful for.

Because we were heading south at Link's request, I figured I knew what our next destination was: the Gerudo Desert. Surely we'd stop at stables and villages and other places along the way, but our next real destination was there, and more specifically, Gerudo Village - for that was probably our surest bet for gathering information about the Divine Beast of the desert, piloted by the proud Gerudo women of old.

I was excited for such a stark change in scenery (a desert would be the most vastly different landscape I'd see thus far), but I was worried about what we could do to combat the heat. We'd need to stop for lighter clothes and do some really focused foraging for items we could make heat-resistance elixirs and refreshing meals, along with packing extra canteens and finding ways to keep them cooler longer...

I at least had plenty to think about as we progressed.

Just this morning, we crossed the Kolami Bridge. At this high elevation, far below us to our right we could see the still, perfectly clear waters of Strock Lake, and Link was more than happy to offer up the idea of leaping into the lake from the bridge directly, as though falling from that height into still water was a good idea.

It was pretty to look down upon, and there were some places to pull off and appreciate the view as the ridge we were on - the top of the canyon that bordered the Tanagar Canyon to our left - wound nearly all the way around it. We made use of the viewing areas incredibly often for snack breaks, for me to check his wound dressings, and for us to just relax. The lake was huge, and this canyon would eventually wind nearly all the way around it before curling southwest once more.

Maybe, if Link was feeling up to it tomorrow (which he certainly would, it was really more a question of how his injuries were doing), we could find one of the numerous trails that wound down the rocky crags, and we could hike down to the lake's edge for a day.

But for now, I slowed, pulling off the road as I took in the sight of a small campsite - one set up by travelers, for other travelers, and it would do perfectly well for what we needed for the afternoon. I could tell that Link was starting to get antsy and a little uncomfortable in the saddle, not that he would say as much.

"I think that's far enough for today," I chimed, guiding Sky into the campsite. It was a small little space cleared of brush but lined by trees and covered with leaf litter. Carved out here, overlooking Strock Lake and the horizon far beyond it... I couldn't have hoped for a better spot to spend the night. There was a small cooking pot in the center of the camp, and a few tents pitched up for general use.

We dismounted, and Link took their reins and led the horses a short distance away, to a small, fenced-in area. I looked around and stretched my arms over my head, knowing better than to try to talk Link out of at least walking the horses there. He liked to be useless just about as much as I did - which was to say, not at all. So injured be damned, he'd find ways to be helpful.

It was probably silly of me to not expect other travelers at this camp, considering it was exactly what it was for, but the camp had seemed empty at first glance... except for a few fresh logs placed beneath the cooking pot, logs that I was just about to go cut a tree down for, but now did not need to.

"There are others here, Link," I said when he returned to the main part of the campsite. "Look - fresh-cut logs."

"I could've told you that," Link said playfully, coming to a stop by my side. "There's a donkey over there. Sky was very interested in meeting him."

Oh.

"Well, at any rate," I said, even as an embarrassed blush rose up my neck and overflowed into my cheeks because my discovery was so easily overshadowed, "you'd better be on your best behavior."

"Yes, yes," he said, waving his hand flippantly. "No talk of who I am or what we're doing, blah, blah."

"I mean it," I pressed, turning to face him head-on and dropping my voice to a hush. "You kept it a secret from me for how long? I had to earn your trust first, so telling strangers is probably a bad idea and you know it, right? Knowing you're back would cause a stir - and I don't know that everyone would be so welcoming and-"

"(Y/n)? Is that you?!"

...

I knew that voice.

Oh, Hylia.

I turned, my jaw dropping and my eyes widening. "Leah!"

"Oh, my goddesses, it's you! (Y/n)!"

Leah, my best friend, who should still have been in Hateno, gasped aloud, and a wide smile stretched across her lips as soon as she locked eyes with me. She dropped her pack and I started to run, meeting her halfway and accepting her tight, nearly forceful hug.

"(Y/n)," Leah said happily, "I'm so happy to see you! Oh, Hylia! I just can't believe it! Is it really you?"

She pulled away and I stepped away from her, turning around myself just once as though to display myself to her. "It's me," I said with a laugh. I took in her own appearance - streaked with dirt, in traveling clothes, laden with packs and belts - and I began to grow a bit teary-eyed. "Leah," I said, "I missed you so much!"

I dove back into her hug, and she laughed giddily and hugged me back immediately. "I missed you too, (Y/n)," she said genuinely. "So, so much! Hateno was so boring without you! I mean, it was already kinda dull, but without you..."

"Wait," I said. "Your brothers. What about-"

"(Y/n)!"

Those were the simultaneous calls of the twins, Oliver and Caleb, and I pulled away from Leah just in time to be nearly knocked over by their own hugs. Leah was there to help hold me up, but did nothing to call off her brothers or otherwise protect me from this onslaught of affection.

"Look at you all," I said happily. "Traveling together like this..." I looked up at Leah. "I didn't realize you'd leave with them so soon. They're so young."

"We're not that young!"

"Yes, you are," I argued playfully in response to Oliver's words. "You are so young. Far too young to be adventuring!"

"Nuh uh!"

"Mm-hm," I hummed, trying to at least maintain the facade of seriousness, but it didn't work. Not at all. The boys burst into giggles and threw their arms around me again, and I hugged them in return eagerly, hefting them both up into my arms. "Oh, how I've missed you two! How've my two favorite guys been, hm? Having fun adventuring?"

"It's been great," Caleb said.

"Yeah," Oliver agreed. "Yesterday, I caught a frog!"

"And I put it back in the pond where it belonged," Caleb said to his brother, who only stuck his tongue out at him in response.

"A frog," I said, considering it teasingly. "Even I'm not fast enough to catch one."

"In truth," Leah said when I set her brothers down, "we left shortly after you did. I made the necessary arrangements - and don't worry, someone is caring for your chickens for you - and well, here we are! I figured that if you were ready to go on an adventure after telling me off about it, then I sure was!"

"And here you are," I said fondly. "God, I cannot believe you're here."

She had changed so much already - I could see the muscles evident in her arms and legs now, the dirt smearing her face, and the stains on her tunic and leggings, but it was still her; it was still Leah, completely and truly. Her bright eyes still shone with the same passion for everything she did, and her smile hadn't changed a bit. This was still my best friend, the same one I'd had from childhood and likely would keep for life - the best friend who was with me for all my best moments and my worst growing up, who knew of my dreams and had listened so intently to all my silly little theories.

And she looked me over, noting each change I had undergone as well. Not only was I dirty and muscled now, but my eyes showed her a certain happiness that she hadn't seen in them for a long time. She knew all along that I was meant to leave the village, that I was not meant to live in Hateno for the rest of my life.

When we were kids, my eyes had always shone a little brighter in those apparent "good old" days, than they did as we grew up, as the fun began to die down and we fell into our respective routines. Seeing them back to the way they were made Leah happy - very happy.

"So what made you decide to leave? I just saw you leave with that stranger, and you didn't even say goodbye!"

"Oh," I said, blushing a bit, "well, he offered to kill the monsters down at the beach, and began telling me about his adventures, but you knew that part already. I guess with that, and with the new tunic from Senna, and you and Thadd talking about my theories... I felt so restless. I was forced to really think about everything and... I don't know. That kind stranger gave me the perfect opportunity to leave, after saving my life so kindly and rescuing our village when I failed to." I paused, taking in a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Leah, I should've told you, but it was a last minute decision on my part."

"It's alright," she said with a grin, "I knew all along that you'd eventually leave the village. I just didn't think it would be this early, and with someone so handsome."

"And, speaking of," I said, drawing away from Leah and her brothers entirely. I backed away, pivoting so I could see Link. I gestured for him to join us, and he did, somewhat reluctantly. "Leah, boys... this is that stranger. His name is Link."

I smiled warmly, looking right at Link and gauging his reaction as he was ogled by Leah and openly stared at by the boys. He stood at my side uncertainly, hesitantly, somewhat shyly. He stepped a little closer, and I felt one of his hands grab my tunic, up on the small of my back - almost like a lifeline.

"This is the stranger," Leah gasped out. "Really?"

"Really," I affirmed. "He's the one who saved our beach. Not only that, but he was kind enough to allow me to travel with him." I cleared my throat, smiling up at him - the handsome stranger that had captivated me from the moment he saved me and, consequently and evidently, only continued to do so; the stranger that Leah so loved to look at. "This is Link," I said. "My hero."

I wondered, for a moment, if I should have maybe confessed that he was the hero, but decided against it. It was probably for the best that they didn't know - it wasn't widespread knowledge that the Hylian Champion was just up and walking around. That kind of thing might spread a panic but besides all of that, I hadn't asked Link. He could introduce himself and provide his title if he wanted. It wasn't up to me.

If it was up to me, I'd probably decide against it. She was a gossip, after all. Word would very quickly spread through the land, far passing us and reaching the furthest reaches of Hyrule... which would mean reaching his enemies.

I wasn't sure if Ganon was exactly present, or conscious, where Zelda held him within Hyrule Castle - but on the off-chance that he was, then he could hear news. And if he could hear news... he could conjure up any number of horrors to track down - and kill - Link.

Link, awkward, merely nodded down at Leah, who unabashedly smiled at him, probably very happy that she was finally able to see his face. "And Link, this is Leah, my best friend since we were babies. And... these are her brothers, Oliver and Caleb."

"Caleb and Oliver," Caleb corrected. "I'm older by a whole minute!"

"Right, sorry," I said, laughing. "Sorry, buddy."

"It's nice to meet you," Leah said to him.

"Likewise," he replied, his voice quiet.

Leah, not one to slow down despite someone being of a quieter disposition, continued to be the overly-friendly, excitable girl that she was, prattling on. "Oh, is this your horse? Oh, how pretty," Leah said, walking up to Sky and holding her hand out to her.

"That's Sky, my mare," you answered simply. Sky snorted happily and nudged Lea with her muzzle. "She was not easy to tame, let me tell you that. She put up a good fight."

"Aw, really? But she seems like such a sweetheart!"

"She is," I affirmed, reaching up to pat her neck. Link, still a bit on-edge, stuck close to my side, one hand still clinging to me - though now he wrapped two of his fingers through one of my belt loops as he watched Leah, still curious about her, clearly. "I love her, really." I looked at Leah, my eyes meeting her profile as she looked up at Sky happily. "Where are you three heading?"

"We're heading south," she answered. "Not sure how far, but we're not going anywhere near the desert or anything. We'll probably head east and cross over to the southern coasts. From there... I think we'll loop back up to Hateno and rest."

"Oh," I said, surprised by her answer. The boys got busy hopping along after some grasshoppers - and I watched as they did for a moment, before looking back at Leah. "That's quite a journey. We're headed south, too - but we're heading to the desert."

"Really? What are you going to do in the desert? I know you, and you do not like the heat."

"I don't, but Link has some business to take care of," I answered, "and I heard that the bazaar is truly a sight to see." I hoped it was a convincing enough answer, and it must've been, as Leah nodded, considering it and not pressing the issue.

"Well, can we travel with you for a few days, then?"

"As long as Link is alright with it, then sure," I said, looking to him. To see him, I had to turn slightly, away from Leah - and as such, we had a modicum of privacy. Using it, I whispered up to him, "Don't feel pressured to agree, Link. Whatever makes you comfortable, we'll do. Ok?"

"I'm... I'm alright with it," he said simply after taking a moment to think about it. It wasn't the most reassuring answer, but I figured I'd ask him about it later. If he was in fact feeling pressured to agree, I'd ask Leah to go our separate ways. Leah and I could catch up back at Hateno whenever I felt like going back - for now, I was on this journey with Link, and I wanted him to be comfortable. That was most important to me.

He returned my smile, only to clear his throat and look away almost bashfully. As I followed Leah back towards the main part of the campsite, I peeked over at Link to see pink dusting his cheeks. What was he blushing about?

—

With us girls catching up, the boys were left to... hang out, pretending to care about what we were talking about. It was easier for Oliver and Caleb - sorry, Caleb and Oliver - because they were, of course, brothers, and young boys at that. They were able to find fun anywhere. As Leah and I chatted, sitting on the ground beside each other, they were nearby, finding fun in climbing trees and chucking rocks and around and... I don't know, running around.

Link stayed near, doing some routine maintenance on the tools, the weapons, our saddles and gear for the horses. I had intended to help - but Leah's excitement, and my own, were too enthralling, and I kept getting pulled back into the gossip, the stories, the catching-up.

After a while though, Leah got up to check on her brothers, and I took the chance to go to Link. I approached him with a smile, not that I had to go far. He was just a few yards away, sitting on a log, his sword resting across his lap.

"Link," I greeted quietly, smiling at him. I linked my fingers behind my back, and his eyes found mine right away. "Can I sit with you?"

"Yeah," he answered, sliding over to make some room despite there being plenty of room anyway. "Yeah, of course, firefly."

I sat beside him, in the space he specifically cleared for me, and he sat up straight as I smoothed my tunic out over me. Link looked around, his eyes finding Leah and the boys quickly, and he seemed to relax a little, finding that they were preoccupied. I looked at her too, then back at Link.

"You didn't have to agree, you know," I said softly. "You could've told me you weren't comfortable with it. She'd have understood."

"I didn't want to get in the way of your fun," he replied stiffly. "I just... it's not really that I mind it, I just don't... Just don't know how to talk to a lot of people. Them included."

I smiled. "You speak to me pretty easily, I think."

"Yeah but, you're different," Link pressed, and I giggled lightly, I couldn't help it, and Link became defensive, and I couldn't ignore the way a furious blush rose up on his cheeks: "What?! What are you laughing for?"

"How am I different?"

"I don't know," he muttered defensively, pouting. "You just are! I'm just awkward around new people!"

"I get it," I said. "Trust me, I get it. But try to relax, hero. They're rather open-minded, so they'll love you. Leah is a bit much, but the boys are so, so sweet. Besides all of that, even if it's still difficult for you... just tell me. Ok? I'll save you, whenever you need me to."

"You mean that?"

"Of course," I said certainly, my voice soft. I took his hand in my own. "Of course I mean it. You spent a century alone, and a lifetime before that as a knight - I'm sure it's strange to be around so many people, and especially a bold personality like hers."

"Thank you," he said softly, genuinely appreciating it.

"Whenever you need me," I said, "just... we need a word that just means something to us, like a safe word. Something you can work into a conversation or just say and I'll save you."

"Firefly," he said quickly, without missing a beat and yet contrastingly, it seemed like he put a lot of thought into it.

"No, I mean something you wouldn't accidentally say normally," I started to say. "You call me firefly more than you do by my name, Link."

"Maybe, but it means something to us, and only us, which is what you said, right?"

"Right, but-"

"Firefly it is," he said, smiling, and I knew right away that I had lost.

"Alright, alright," I conceded. "Firefly, then." And then, Leah was running to me, taking my hands into her own - not even realizing that she had taken my hand right from Link's - or if she had noticed, she didn't say anything about it... which I was grateful for.

"(Y/n), (Y/n), (Y/n)," she said excitedly, "I just remembered something! Thadd - you know how he had a crush on you?! Oh, it's so cute, he's been so worried and..."

It seemed as though I'd lost twice, in a matter of moments. I lost the firefly conversation and now, lost immediately to Leah's whims. As she pulled me away, Link watched, a smile on his face, and I looked over my shoulder apologetically.

—

Link, strangely, didn't seem to understand the whole firefly-being-a-safe-word-thing. Or at least, if he did, he was deliberately misusing it. At every instance he could, he seemed to say it, and I was starting to worry that Leah might catch on. If she didn't, her brothers certainly would. They were pretty perceptive, all things considered.

He'd call me firefly at any given opportunity, so it seemed, and he seemed to be enjoying it - especially because I caught on quickly to his abuse of the system, but did nothing to keep him from doing it because I kept going and saving him whenever he needed me.

When Leah and I had been talking about how monotonous it was getting to cook for the men in our lives all the time, he'd called, "Firefly, come see!"

"Firefly," Leah had echoed. "What's that mean? That a nickname or something?"

"Something like that," I had said, already rising to my feet. I'd gone to him, only for it to be nothing - he'd asked me what was for dinner.

That was only the most recent instance, and it occurred after a long string of others. I'd told him I didn't know what was for dinner, that I hadn't gotten that far yet - until Leah suggested the boys go looking for some fresh firewood, and we two girls could go fishing. It was a good idea, if not for the whole part about leaving Link with the two rowdiest boys I'd ever met.

"We can take the horses a little bit down the trail," Leah suggested happily.

"Link," I'd said, still standing by his side, "is that alright with you?" Then, quieter, so quiet it was nearly silent: "And be honest, Link."

His eyes softened at my words, and he smiled. "I think we'll be ok," he said surely. With a wave of his hand, he and the boys were off running into the woods, and Leah and I watched them go.

"They'll be alright, right?" Leah asked, a bit wary, the tips of her ears drooping slightly.

"It was your idea," I reminded her with a laugh, taking one of the fishing poles from her. Seemed she'd brought them with her from home, then. It was clever, and probably far easier than what I had to do when we wanted fish... which was to send Link for a dip and hope he caught something. "They'll be fine," I decided to say. "Come on, let's prepare the horses."

I got on Epona, and Leah got on Sky. I patted Epona's neck as I kicked gently into her sides, leaning over to look into her pretty brown eyes. "Thank you for letting me ride you, pretty girl," I said to her. She bobbed her head as though to reply as I brought her up into a trot, and I smiled, looking back at Leah as she brought Sky in line with Epona.

"Sky seems to like you," I noted.

"I'd be lying if I said I was sorry about it," Leah said. "She's such a pretty horse!"

"I know she is, that's why I chose to tame her," I said with a laugh. We rode on in a rather peaceful calm, riding towards the sound of rushing water. Soon, we happened upon a calmly babbling brook, and sooner still, we found a calm pocket of water.

We dismounted, tethered the horses nearby, grabbed the fishing poles, and settled down on the bank of the body of water.

"You know," Leah began when we both had cast our lines and got comfortable to wait, "I'm really proud of you for going on this journey with him." She looked at me, her smile soft and her eyes sparkling. "I just wish you hadn't blown me off for dinner that day."

"As I said, it was a last minute decision," I said sheepishly. "I'm making up for it now, aren't I? I can even make your favorite tonight, if we catch the right fish."

"I suppose so, though it's a bit overdue." she said. "What are you two, anyway?"

Uh.

Hm.

Cool.

I bit the inside of my cheek as I considered my words carefully, trying to pick the words to say. Leah, intrigued by my continued silence, leaned in close. "Oh, my goddesses - you're together, aren't you?!"

"Not so loud," I hissed, my cheeks burning. "And no, we're not. As a matter of fact," I said, tipping my chin up a bit, "we're partners."

She blinked. "There's a difference?"

"Yes," I pressed. "We're traveling partners, fighting partners, and-"

"Fighting partners? Sorry to interrupt... but what?"

I snorted, unable to keep from doing so. "Yeah, he taught me how to use a few weapons."

"A few? What's a few?!"

"Sword, spear, bow and arrows, um... oh, there's different kinds of swords, like one-handed and two, and-"

"Alright, I get it," she said with a laugh. "You can fight now. Bet you don't need Link rescuing you anymore, right?"

I chuckled a little. "We take turns saving each other, I think."

"Oh, good," Leah said teasingly. "Every good relationship has give and take like that. Very good, (Y/n)."

"Shut..." I sighed, closing my eyes for a moment. "We're not dating or... or anything like that, Leah."

"Strange," she said. "You say that, but I don't believe you. Not for a damn second. I saw the way you look at him... and you had these stars in your eyes. And he... he has hearts in his eyes whenever he looks at you. You haven't noticed?"

"I..."

"There's something more to it," she said. "There's gotta be."

"No," I denied right away, refusing to look at her. "We fight together, and are complete equals in everything we do. We're just partners."

And he kissed me. And I kissed him.

Right.

"I still think that you're lying," Leah said surely, settling in to get comfortable with her back to a tree. "You smiled at him in a way I'd never seen you smile before."

I looked at her. If anyone would know my smile, it would be her - her and Link. "I still have the same smile, Leah," I tried."

"I know," she said softly, meeting my gaze, "but in your eyes...there's something new there. I think I know what it is."

You're lying.

"Well, can you tell me what it is? Because I have no idea what you're talking about."

There's no way.

"No, no," she said. "You're a smart girl; you can figure it out eventually."

I looked back to the river, refusing to believe that there was any truth to her words, because if what she was hinting at was true, then I was in some trouble.

No, actually. I was in a lot of trouble.