Fanfiction, Headcannons, and Procrastination Galore!

A somebody who couldn’t even remember his own life, he wasn’t sure how he was expected to save the kingdom from a threat he had already failed to defeat. Even now, a hundred years in the future, he walked amongst the results of his shortcomings. Ruined buildings, roaming guardians, and desperate people all reminded him of everything he failed to do. As time went on, he struggled to keep his head above the water.

How come nobody else could see that he wasn’t enough? He wasn’t strong enough, wasn’t fast enough, wasn’t brave enough, and it was Zelda who paid the price. Yet, she was the one who had Link revived, and as he looked out across the world that was supposed to be familiar to him, he wondered why. The current was strong and the weights around his ankles were dragging him down.

He honestly didn’t believe he deserved Sidon. All that positivity seemed wasted on him. As much as the zora encouraged him, he couldn’t seem to keep up with his happiness for long. And yet, Sidon never gave up on him. As he looked up and the divine best he just barely defeated, he realized that if he weren’t currently on Sidon’s back, he really would be drowning.

As he laid in bed that night, he found himself unable to sleep, haunted by all the things he could be doing right now. How could he be resting when Zelda was waiting for him? After defeating Vah Ruta, King Dorephan had insisted he stay and gave him a guestroom that was far too nice for him. He sighed as his fingers brushed against the sheets. He no longer noticed it when he started crying, and this time was no different. What was another drop of water in the raging river he was constantly being sucked into?

He jumped when a gentle, uncertain knock rapped on his door. After waiting to see if the visitor said anything, he quickly shuffled to his feet and rubbed the tears from his eyes, glancing in the mirror. His looked gross; his hair was tangled and his eyes were bloodshot, but it would have to do.

He wasn’t sure why it surprised him to see Prince Sidon, especially since he was the only zora he knew well at this point, but it did. Sidon offered a trademark smile and began another rant about the hylian’s greatness before quickly trailing off as he glanced at the hero. Link shuffled in the uncomfortable silence, as he was unable to break it himself. He settled for tapping Sidon’s arm.

“Ah, forgive me,” Sidon stuttered, snapping out of his own thought. “But are you quite all right, my friend? You don’t look well.”

Link wasn’t entirely sure how to respond to that, but he quickly found he didn’t need to. His failed attempts at steadying his uneven breaths spoke for itself. Before he could understand what was happening, he was wrapped in Sidon’s arms. It wasn’t like the quick, bone-crushing hug he had been given before, but more like being held.

“I can’t even imagine the stress you’re under. I understand you may not want to share your emotions with the world, but please, confide in me. I want to help you.”

Water was something the zora were used to, but the constant stream the divine beast was generating began to threaten the lives of other races nearby. It was for the sake of those lives that Sidon had convinced the elders, especially Muzu, to begin to look for outside help.

When he had first met Link, it was still raining. At first, he didn’t call out to him as he had to the other few hylians that had come down this road. He was momentarily fascinated with the way Link’s hair was shimmering, drizzled with rain. He pushed it aside as mere curiosity of the hylian race, which he wasn’t completely familiar with. He conveniently ignored the fact that the other hylians he had seen never sparked such a reaction.

When he finally found his voice again, the first thing he noticed about the boy was his bright blue eyes. Sidon soon became so caught up with Link’s appearance that he didn’t even make the connection between Link’s name and the Link that his sister had loved one hundred years ago. How could he be so clumsy?

When he first brought the hero to his father and he found out about Link’s ambitions, he was floored by his bravery and selflessness. Here Link was, having woken up in an unfamiliar place, having to rely on the words of others on where he was and who he was, and yet he strove onwards, determined to save the princess and the champions. Sidon immediately blurted out that he wanted to help him. Everyone else in the room assumed he meant with fighting Vah Ruta, but in reality, Sidon meant he wanted to help Link with the entirety of his quest. Even if all he could do was offer emotional support, he wanted the assist Link.

He felt relieved as Link approached him at the East Reservoir Lake, completely unharmed from the Lynel. He assumed this relief came because Link would need to be in top shape to defeat Vah Ruta and whatever lied inside it, but he also cringed at the thought of the knight baring even a single wound. When Link had climbed on top of his back, the zora’s first thought was how light he felt. Worried Link could be thrown across the lake easily, Sidon found himself being far more cautious and protective than he needed to be.

As Link climbed on top of the platform, he turned and their eyes met. Link mouthed a silent “thank you”, never glancing away even as the platform began to raise. Sidon swam backwards, attempting to keep his eyes locked on the hero for as long as possible. Once Link had finally left his line of sight, Sidon swam a safe distance away from Vah Ruta before looking up at the overcast sky, praying for the safety of the hylian.