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Art by Genuerevuelta on Tumblr

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The world was spinning beneath my feet. We were back in the battle against Calamity Ganon all over again. That wretched creature pulsed grotesquely and lashed out at us as we weaved between its every strike.

Or, at least, I thought we did. My eyes shifted rapidly around the burning battlefield, searching for my partner amongst the bloodied ground as my feet carried me past the wreckage of Hyrule, but my beloved hero was no where to be seen. I dropped to my knees in anguish as the world around me turned to ash.

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I awoke to the gentle tickle of hair against my nose and the comfort of a hand resting along my lower back. It moved in circles slowly as I calmed my breathing and clung to my lover. His cheek pressed close to mine as I shivered in the cool morning air. "Are you feeling alright, (Y/n)?" Link asked, a hint of worry mixing with his gentle tone. I smiled, feeling as though it'd be months since I last heard his voice.

"I'll be alright," I said truthfully, already feeling much better now that his warm touch had brought me back to reality. He nodded in understanding, likely knowing exactly what I'd been dreaming of. The two of us had been having similar experiences after our battle for Hyrule, despite the weeks that had passed since that time.

Originally, we wanted to stay near Hyrule Castle, helping to rebuild the damage that one hundred years of monster infestation had caused. But, the haunting reminder of our toils was always on the back of our minds. Sometimes, all I could see in that healing landscape was the hellish fires of Ganon's wrath. It was eating away at the both of us no matter how hard we tried to wipe it away.

The Princess had caught onto this quickly. She supposed that the horrors we'd seen along our journey were weighing on us as we stayed there. Zelda asked that we travel away from the castle grounds and take some time to heal ourselves. I resisted at first, claiming that our work wasn't finished until Hyrule was restored, but the sleepless nights and the anxious days were too much to bear. It didn't take long for her to assure us that we'd done enough for this country, and it was time to take a break.

And oh, was she ever correct. Though nightmares still reared their ugly heads from time to time, they'd become less and less common occurrences. With Ganon gone and Hyrule in repair, Link and I could finally relax, simply enjoying the company of one another.

As if to remind me of what I was currently enjoying, Link placed a gentle kiss against my lips. I smiled and let my eyes meet his own. "Sorry. Was I spacing out?"

"A little bit. I don't blame you though. You were up late last night," he said as I elbowed him playfully. "And whose fault was that?" I asked. He lazily shrugged, as if to admit defeat. Yet, that stupid, lovely grin of his was still plastered on his face. I kissed his cheek as I pushed myself up into a different position.

I stared out over the vast landscape, reveling in the rolling hills and the wind gently blowing through my hair. I could feel Link's eyes on me all the way. Eventually, he propped himself up and followed my line of sight. We sat there in silence for a bit, simply appreciating the land we'd fought so hard for. His fingertips traced my lower back as a lingering question popped back into his mind.

"Where are we headed next?" he asked, turning his head to face me. We'd been traveling with no real direction ever since we'd taken off. It'd been wonderful, but sooner or later we'd need to find some sort of home. Until then, I supposed we'd keep wandering.

"Well, maybe we could visit Hateno village again? They're still building houses there, aren't they?" Link thought about this for a moment before smiling. "This is really happening, isn't it? Building a house, settling down, and who knows what else?" The hero was consumed with a bit of childlike wonder as he considered our future together. "There are so many possibilities... but I like your idea. Hateno's a nice, quiet town. Even if we don't spend too much time there, I'd love to have a place to call our home."

"Well then, we should be going." I stood up, grinning as I reached my hand out to him. I couldn't help but feel happy that he was so excited to live by my side, despite the fact that we'd been living together for months already. I pulled him to his feet and wrapped my arms around his back before plucking the Sheikah Slate from his hip and searching for Hateno village on the tiny screen. He laced his fingers through my own with a nod, allowing blue tendrils of light to lift us up from the ground below.

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We touched down at a shrine just behind the village itself. The model homes we'd once tracked mud through were directly to our left. I smiled gently at the thought of our younger selves, stumbling awkwardly through the beginning of our quest, as Link and I walked into town for the first time in quite a while.

Nothing much had changed since we'd last set foot in Hateno. Green grass and fragile daisies still coated the ground, threatening to grow over the paths crisscrossing through town. The wind still blew against the towering oaks and tattered brown flag, making them shiver in the cool morning air. Birds chirped merrily as we took our first steps from the Sheikah Shrine, relishing on the peace that'd settled in this world now that Ganon was no more.

We didn't have to walk far to find the construction workers we were looking for. They were standing behind a home just across a wooden bridge in the corner of town. I felt a bit of déjà vu as I caught sight of one of the men's bright pink clothing. He'd been quite upset last time we'd come here. I prayed silently that he'd never found out who'd ruined his flooring.

Link greeted him as we approached. He wore a troubled look as he stared at us, his bright pink headband shifting slightly as he turned. "In case it's not obvious, we're a bit busy demolishing this vacant house right now. I'm afraid we haven't found any buyers for this old thing." He sighed and rested an arm on the walls of the little home. "Better to just tear it down, y'know?"

Link smiled. "Actually, we were hoping to buy this from you. What price did you have in mind?"

"You?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Well, well, well. If you can afford the five thousand rupees, I'm sure we could strike up a deal!" My smile faded. In our rush to become homeowners, it seemed we'd forgotten quite an important part of the process. We'd been living lightly for so long, I hadn't even thought about the lack of rupees in our wallets.

"Um... well we can't afford that just yet but I'm sure we could figure something out..." I said trailing off. Link narrowed his eyes. "Yeah! And that price is pretty ridiculous for something you were just gonna tear down anyway." The construction worker crossed his arms and faked a yawn, as though completely unfazed by our comments. It may've ended there if one of his workers hadn't cut in.

A man with a strange, brown, cone-like haircut and thick mustache tapped the pink-clad man on the shoulder. "U-Uh Bolson?"

"Yes, Hudson?"

"These two seem like they could help us out," the man, who I assumed was Hudson, said as he hurriedly whispered a request to his boss. It seemed to peak Bolson's interest, as his eyes widened and his head shot up, causing the pink earring he wore to jingle wildly. He turned back to us with a newfound warmth and extended his arms.

"Hmm, I do believe we could strike a deal here after all! You see, our little company has been planning on expanding our efforts and setting up shop in a new town that's all our own. Business just isn't booming here in quiet Hateno, so we've found a plot of land that's just perfect for our newest business venture." Link and I exchanged a strange look, wondering where he was going with this news. "It's a peninsula along lake Akkala that could use a bit of work and some materials. Not to mention customers~" he said, almost singing with excitement. "If you two can help provide those things, we could cut down this price immensely!"

Bolson placed his hands down on his hips and grinned. "So~! What do you say? Willing to help a man out in the construction world?" Link glanced down at me in curiosity. I nodded in response. Though I wasn't sure exactly what we were getting ourselves into, I wanted this home badly, and I was more than willing to work for it. Besides, it couldn't be any tougher than what we'd already endured.

Link turned back to Bolson and nodded. "We'll help you. But, you'd better keep your promise on the price." Bolson held up a hand, as though to file his nails. "Please, I'm no liar! Now, you two can either follow my dear friend Hudson here, or you can meet him there. Your choice!"

With that, he turned on his heel and walked off with the third member of the company, who'd stayed silent throughout this exchange. The kind looking Hudson sent us a smile, nearly invisible beneath his mustache, and asked us which way we planned to travel.

"We could meet you there, Hudson," I responded, knowing he very well may be disturbed if we simply teleported right before his eyes. He nodded in understanding. "I'll be on my way then. Thank you both for your help, I've been trying to convince the Boss to start on this plan for so long..." Link smiled and assured him that we were happy to help. Hudson seemed satisfied as he waved goodbye and took off towards Akkala lake, construction gear in hand.

As soon as he was out of sight, Link linked his arm with mine, racing across the nearby field and stopping just next to a pond laden with lily pads. "Woah!" I laughed in surprise. "What's with the running?" He took my hands in his, grinning wildly. "This little place is going to be perfect! All we have to do is work a bit and it's ours!" I chuckled. "You'd think it'd be free after the whole saving the world thing," I said. Link put his arms down, still lacing his fingers through my own. He rested his forehead against mine as he spoke, clearly excited. "I don't mind. It feels nice to be on a quest again! Just the two of us..."

I hummed in agreement and closed my eyes, running my thumb carefully against the back of his hand. When he was least expecting it, I shot forward and pressed a kiss to his lips. I could feel him grinning against me as he attempted to take a step back to look me in the eyes. Unfortunately, he was a bit too close to the edge of the water. His foot slipped in the muddy bank as he brought me tumbling after him.

We landed with a loud splash, no doubt alerting the construction men that'd we'd just fallen. I peeled the wet hair from my eyes and shook my head. "Still clumsy huh?" Link wiped the mud from his cheek and flicked my forehead. "As if you haven't fallen down before." I rolled my eyes with a smirk before taking his Sheikah Slate from him. We needed to take off soon before Bolson and his friend came to investigate. I selected a shrine as close to Akkala lake as possible and allowed the Sheikah tech to whisk us away yet again.

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This particular shrine rested atop a cliffside. It overlooked a large field of trees with reddish leaves. As I surveyed the land, I caught sight of the fairy fountain I'd once visited to heal my wounds. I absentmindedly tapped my fingers against that golden scar, knowing that I'd been here alone before. Upon turning my head, I could spot the peninsula Bolson had mentioned. I figured we could utilize Revali's Gale to drift to the other side.

Link seemed to have the same idea, as he'd already readied his paraglider. I concentrated and knelt down, feeling a familiar spiritual energy surge through my very core. A tornado, tinged with the green flame of a friendly spirit, took form and lifted the two of us up high. It dried off our clothing and provided safe passage across the land. I made sure to wave to Revali as we drifted over the woods below.

We were up plenty high enough to make it to the entrance of the peninsula. As I glanced down, I noticed it was covered in rocks of all sizes. I became a bit worried about the workload we'd taken on as we touched down on the soft, green turf.

The only signs of civilization so far were a Bolson-Construction-style home and a small statue of the goddess. I looked upwards to find a sign dangling just above my head. Upon taking a step back, I was able to read the name of this quaint little settlement.

"Tarrey Town..." Link said beside me, clearly having the same idea as I did. "I guess it isn't much yet... but that's what we're here for." I nodded in agreement as we heard a voice calling our name from behind. Hudson had come jogging up the path, clearly a bit tired from the long trip.

"H-Hey! How did you both get here so fast?" he asked, stopping down to take deep breaths. "I guess that doesn't matter. We're in need of some materials. Would you mind gathering ten bundles of wood for me?" I tilted my head. Only ten bundles? How much of a town could be built on that?

"Are you sure that's all we'll be needing?" I asked curiously. "It seems like a town would need a lot more throughout its construction." Hudson nodded knowingly, finally finding the strength to stand up straight with his hands resting on his back. "O-Oh... Well yes. I was just a bit worried you'd run off on me if I gave you the full amount right away."

"Don't hold back," Link said. "We might as well get it all done in one go."

"In that case..." Hudson muttered, slowly gaining a bit of confidence. "The true number I'll be needing is one-hundred and ten!"

"Ack-" Link made a choked noise and stared off into space. "Maybe you should've held back just a little bit..." he said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. I clapped him on the shoulder. "C'mon, you aren't that worried about a couple dozen bundles are you?" I asked, trying to cover up my own dismay with confidence. "That's fifty-five for each of us... If you can carry that many," I added with a devious grin, knowing he'd accept the challenge. Like clockwork, he fell into line, narrowing his eyes with the spirit of playful competition.

"You're on!"

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I exhaled heavily and wiped the sweat from my eyes. Though I'd tied a bandana around my forehead, the effects of hard work were still dripping down my face. I rested my arm on the stump of a felled tree and absentmindedly scattered new seeds around so this clearing would heal. I heard Link grunt with effort as he swung his own axe against a nearby oak and turned to watch. He'd taken his shirt off to cool down, allowing me to enjoy the view with a cocky smirk on my face. I'd made it to fifty-five bundles first, after all.

I whistled as the tree he was working on crashed to the ground. "Tsk," he smiled and tied up his final few bundles of wood before scooping them into his arms and returning to my side. "You're awfully happy," he said, blowing a bit of his blonde hair from his eyes. "That's because I won," I responded with a wink.

His eyes widened in alarm. "T-That's not... Seriously? How?"

"You day dream too much." He shrugged. "You look too good." I shook my head and kissed his cheek yet again, yearning for the moments we'd spend together once this project was complete. Link tilted his head towards the slate on his belt. "Let's drop this last load off then, I'm sure Hudson will have more for us to do. I nodded in agreement and lifted a bundle up under my arm. I tapped on the same shrine we'd visited before and waited for us to be carried away. Once we made it there, it was a good walk down to the townsite, seeing as we couldn't carry these things while gliding.

Hudson was waiting there for us, diligently mining away at one of the boulders. "Ah, you're back with the last of this stuff! I can't thank you enough. Though, I do wish someone would move here to help me move these rocks..."

I pressed my hand to my chin in thought, pondering his request. An idea popped into Link's head before it did mine. "Well, what about a Goron? They've got plenty of manpower and rocks are their specialty." Hudson smiled and leaned on his pickaxe. "Y'know, that idea's not half bad! There's just one condition."

"What's that?" I asked, wondering what conditions could possibly apply to such a good idea. "Their name will have to end in -son... It's company policy!" he added quickly upon seeing our incredulous looks. "I can't guarantee anything but... we'll try." Hudson's smile grew as wide as could be under that giant mustache of his. "Thank you so much! The two of you are lifesavers!"

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Oh, how I hated Goron city. To be back in that clunky armor again, searching the city with the ridiculous -son restriction in mind, seemed to me like a special sort of hell. Still, I trudged on, remembering how excited Link had been to settle down with me. It would mean the world to him if we could get this house, and we'd already put in quite a bit of work.

I kept that in mind throughout our search. We asked the names of each Goron we'd encountered. Unfortunately, no one seemed to have the suffix we were looking for. I was feeling discouraged when I felt my stomach begin to rumble. We hadn't eaten much at all on this quest, and it was about time we took a break. I tugged Link over to a cooking pot within town and dug through my bag for any sort of ingredients. It was just about empty.

We ended up resorting to buying steak off a vendor in town and seating ourselves next to the cook pot we'd mentioned. As we went to bite into our food, a figure nearby sighed heavily. I glanced up, seeing a miner Goron looking totally dejected. After chewing thoughtfully, I decided to call out to him.

"Hello..." I offered lightly. He sighed again and waved, his eyelids drooping pitifully. "Hi... Sorry about me. I'm just feelin' a bit down."

"Why's that?" Link asked, taking interest in our conversation. "Well, I just feel like there's nothin' here for me. I'd like to be a part of somethin' bigger... and, well..." he trailed off. "I probably just sound silly now."

"Not at all," I responded, readying myself to ask the big question. "So... what's your name?" He frowned. "It's Greyson. Nice to meet you."

Link and I stared at each other as though the stars had aligned. He began to scarf down his food as I hurried to invite Greyson to Tarrey Town. He'd stood up and was ready to lumber away until I cried out in alarm. "HEY! Wait! We have a job for you!!"