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She falls.
It's the first time she's let herself since the battle began. All through it she fought so hard, sometimes just to stay on her feet, even in the face of what felt like inevitable death after a long, hard struggle. But now the exhaustion, pain, and fear, coupled with the shock and relief that by some miracle that—that thing is dead, causes her legs to finally give out.
The ice is cold and hard, and she whimpers as her knees connect hard with it. Too hard. For a dizzying, awful moment Mipha thinks she'll crack her head against it next. Strong arms catch her, though, and lower her into a soft, warm lap.
Link.
Mipha closes her eyes as he gently cradles her, exhausted limbs relaxing even as tears start brimming over. As soon as that horrible Blight had appeared her first instinct had been to cry out for him, call for his help, despite how far away he was. She'd held back, though, held her head high until she couldn't anymore, when the futility of her fight became obvious. Yet still she'd hoped and prayed, even as she felt her chances of survival dwindling, for him to appear.
And then help had arrived after all. First in the form of her beloved brother, grown somehow to adulthood and appearing at the last second to save her from what almost certainly would've been the final blow. She still needs answers on how that could be possible, honestly; there hadn't been time to talk during the fight.
What might matter most, though, or at least more than the technicalities of it all, is that his arrival bought Link time to come for her. The tiny seed of doubt she'd started to feel had been extinguished the instant she saw his face. The desperate expression there that broke through his recent stoicism is burned into her mind; she still feels no small amount of shock over that alone.
Perhaps she shouldn't, though. They have always been good friends and have only grown closer lately, it's only natural that he would be frantic at the thought of her near-death. There's no sense reading anything else into it, as disappointing as it feels to acknowledge that reality. There's already been one miracle today—hoping for another is a fool's errand.
No matter how badly she wants one.
Everything is still so fuzzy that she can barely make out what her brother and Link are saying to each other, as if they're miles away. Something about going to go help Daruk. A pang goes through her. She doesn't begrudge him the aid, of course, she never would, but a selfish, shameful part of her doesn't want to be left alone after what's happened. Yet Link is needed alongside their other allies, so there's nothing that can be done about it.
Yes—there go Sidon's heavy footfalls, so it can't be long until Link helps her sit up and asks if she'll be okay by herself until he can come back to her. She'll lie and say yes of course, go on, I will be fine. She'll try to fake a smile for him, and if there are any cracks in the facade he'll either chalk it up to her exhaustion or be too polite to voice his doubts because he knows this isn't the time to argue with her. Any moment now this will happen. So she braces herself, tries to be ready for the white lie intended to cover up the breakdown she will almost certainly have once she's alone.
It doesn't happen, though. Seconds tick by, turning to minutes, and Link says nothing. Just keeps cradling her in his lap, stroking her head, her tail. His breathing seems a little odd, but then, he's just come out of a battle with that abomination too, and who knows what he faced on the way to get here. So she pushes her concern aside.
As the minutes stretch on, though, something gnaws at Mipha, and she opens her eyes, tries to raise her head. "Link?"
"Shh." His voice is so quiet, which isn't a surprise at this point, but—there's also something strange about it that she can't quite describe. "Just rest. You've—you've been through a lot." He takes a deep breath, as if to steady himself. "Don't strain yourself."
"But..." She tries again to lift her head, but he gently yet firmly presses it back down. "Daruk is... they all need you to help, don't they?"
"Sidon is going in my place." Link finds one of her hands where it rests on his leg and squeezes it. "They'll all be fine without me. I..." His voice seems to shake. "I'd rather stay here with you."
Mipha opens her mouth to reply, but what comes out instead is a sob as the floodgates burst and she has the breakdown she'd been prepared to have in solitude. Link's hand tightens on hers as she cries, burying her face in her other hand in an effort to muffle the noises. It's too much—in this moment it's all too much. The shock and horror of finding that monster here, corrupting her poor Ruta—the terror of having it overpower her and take her strengths away from her—the numbing knowledge that she was about to die—her fear for what the others must be facing too—Sidon's startling appearance in the nick of time—Link coming for her and rewarding her faith in him—and now his desire to stay with her in the aftermath instead of running off to the next battle—it's far too much for her weary heart to handle right now.
Link lets her cry, just holds her while she weeps, releasing everything she can't bottle up for one minute longer. Mipha loves him all the more for it, even if the mere thought of her true feelings for her dear friend makes her heart ache and her tears flow more freely. She can't have him, she knows it, but she can at least have this moment. It has to be good enough to carry her through to when she can get past this hopeless affection.
If she ever can.
Her breath catches and her crying stills for a crucial moment, though, as she feels something wet fall onto her from above. Opening her eyes again, Mipha turns her head just enough to look at Link, and what she sees is shocking enough to temporarily pull her out of her breakdown.
He is crying too.
His eyes are closed and his head bowed, his beautiful face screwed up in an attempt to keep the tears at bay as he bends over her, but he's failed. Link, her dear, wonderful, brave Link, who has been maintaining a silent, stoic front under the pressure of being the knight who seals the darkness, is clutching onto her, trying not to weep with her and failing. The mask he wears in front of the others hasn't just cracked, she's witnessing its shattering.
All because of her.
Mipha doesn't know what to make of it. Doesn't dare to try. Instead, she pulls herself shakily into a sitting position in front of him and puts her hand on his cheek. It's as wet as hers, and her eyes fill with fresh tears as she pulls him close. They bury their faces in each other's shoulders as they both break down all over again, clinging to one another as if they are the other's only tether to the ground. She almost lost her life today, and he almost lost her, and it's hard to say which one of them is more shaken. It's two separate kinds of terror, after all.
And neither is easily dealt with. Particularly not when it's so very fresh.
As the tears start to slow, they both make efforts to comfort each other; Link rubs her back, and Mipha strokes his hair. Their hands, like the rest of their bodies, are trembling, but it helps nevertheless. At least, it does for her. Mipha gradually begins to calm, enough to stop crying and catch her breath as they continue to hold each other tightly. Eventually she feels and hears Link relaxing slightly too, his breathing becoming less erratic and his tears ceasing. He hiccups into her shoulder. Mipha strokes his hair some more, and waits. For what, she's not sure. She simply waits.
When Link finally lifts his head to look at her, it's with an expression on his face she doesn't recognize. She can see his lingering grief and fear there, but there's something else she can't name. There isn't much time to wonder, though, as he cups her face in a still-shaking hand and, after taking a gulping breath to try and stabilize his voice, says the last thing she expects to hear.
"I love you."
Mipha can't breathe. Can't move. Can't think. A second miracle after all? Can it be real? "What... you..."
"I thought... I..." Link’s breath hitches. "I've been so afraid to tell you, but... when I saw you fighting that thing... realizing I almost lost you, I..." He pauses; he's trying so hard not to break down again, and her heart hurts for him. "I'm sorry if—if this is unwelcome, or—"
Mipha kisses him. She barely has the energy for it, but frankly, holding back any longer from what she's yearned to do since he reentered her life that night at the Domain would tax her more than giving in. So she gives in.
It isn't at all what she'd imagined a first kiss with him would be like; the circumstances certainly aren't ideal, for one thing. But that doesn't mean it's bad, either. Link is initially stunned, but he recovers quickly and begins to kiss her back. He pulls her closer, holding her tightly but carefully as he gives her the tenderest of kisses, his deep feelings for her achingly obvious with each press of his lips. Mipha clings to him all over again, as much for support as out of desire, and she can barely breathe when they pull apart, their gasps for air echoing within Ruta's walls. When she finally finds the strength to speak, she says the only thing she can say, the only thing she should say right now.
“I love you too.”
The words taste sweet on her tongue, relief mingling with joy that she can say this to him at long last without fear. Link's smile as he hears it is even sweeter, her heart fluttering at having such a rare sight directed at her. Only at her. Her head is spinning from more than just the ordeal she's been through, but Link's arms around her, the soft second kiss he leans in to give her, anchor her firmly to the ground. This is real. This is happening. She's survived what seemed like an impossible foe, and come out the other side with her life intact and the knowledge that the one she adores, who ran straight to her in her hour of need, returns her feelings. It's exactly the sort of thing that ought to be too good to be true, but it's not. Against all odds, she finally has what she wants.
"I've been afraid to tell you too," she says after the second kiss ends, her voice catching. "I didn't want to make you uncomfortable, or..." Mipha shakes her head. "I never imagined you might feel the same..."
"I do." Link leans in again, but only to rest his forehead against hers as he holds her. "I—"
He cuts himself off, falling silent as they hear it: Sidon's voice, from the control panel, asking them to use Vah Ruta's water to douse something hindering Daruk's rescue. Mipha finds Link's hand again and grips it tight. “Help me?”
Link nods, and helps her rise to her feet. She still feels unsteady on them, but with him to support her she finds the strength. They're not far from the control panel, but it seems like such a long distance in her wearied state. She makes it there, though, and does what Sidon asks. Only when he cuts off the communication does she sink again, too tired to stand any longer. Link goes down with her, and they sit with their backs against the control unit. He slips his arm around her, and she leans into him, settling her head on him. She almost wants to cry again, but this time out of happiness.
“What were you saying?” Mipha murmurs drowsily. “Before you were interrupted.”
“Hm? Oh, right...” Link moves his hand over her tail in long, gentle strokes. “I was going to tell you that I always had a crush on you when we were kids. So... when we reunited during all this, it didn't take long for it to come rushing back. And then turn into more.”
"I never realized," Mipha whispers, her face warming. "Then or now. I thought you just... looked up to me. That you've only been seeing me as a friend, still... that the feelings that have grown in me since you came back that night were one-sided."
“No.” He kisses the top of her head. "I mean, yeah, you're my friend—my best friend, honestly. But that isn't all there is to it. I'm sorry.” His voice shakes again. “I should've told you sooner. If—if the worst had happened today, and you didn't know...”
“Shh.” It's her turn to shush him, lifting her head and turning his face towards hers. There's a haunted look in his eyes that pains her heart to see. “It didn't. It didn't happen that way.”
“It could have.” Link swallows, audibly. “You could've died thinking I didn't love you. I can't forgive myself for letting that almost happen.”
“Oh, Link...” Mipha sighs and kisses him again, letting her lips linger on his, seeing his eyes close just before hers do. “You must. Please. The last thing I want is for you to burden yourself with guilt over what might have happened. I am fine. Exhausted, but fine. We still have a chance.”
“I'm not letting you out of my sight anymore,” he mumbles as he presses his face to the crook of her neck. “Not after this.”
Somehow, Mipha finds it in herself to laugh softly. “You will have to at some point.”
“... I know.” Link breathes shakily against her. “Just let me pretend for a while. At least until we have to go rejoin everybody.”
She rubs his back and nods, half to herself. “That I can do.”
They both stop talking after that, just holding each other and waiting. Waiting for good news, waiting for this brief moment to come to an end, despite their desire for it to last longer. When she first entered Vah Ruta today, the silence that greeted her was so cold and strange, pressing down around her claustrophobically just before the attack. This silence is different, though; there is comfort and love and restfulness in it. It can't last, but at least for now they can take quiet solace in each other.
The war is far from over. They are still in so much danger. But even so, Mipha can't help but feel like whatever is yet to be thrown at them, they can face.
Together.