#rib counting

B: Hehe heh r-rougehehfort

R: Coochie Coochie Coo~

B: Yo-You be quiehehet!

R: PTTTT

B: HAHAH R-ROUGHEHHEFORT!

R: You haven't pushed me away~

R [Counting Ribs]: Go on dear~!

B: oh nohoho!

R: Are your feet still sensitive~?

B: H-Haven't checked

B: HEHEEE!

R: oh, sure you're so not cute. This isn't the most adorable sound I have ever heard~

B: AHAHAH snort GAH snort snort AHA ROGUE! snort AHAH! Noooo not the snortinggg

R: PTTTT

It was the middle of winter, and Link and Zelda were sitting out on the snowy field under a tree. It was freezing out, and they were eating cream of mushroom soup in front of a campfire. 

“Goodness…It’s very cold out here…” She said, blowing some air out of her mouth and looking at the cold, visible steam that left her mouth. 

She looked at Link, and widened his eyes. Link was visibly shivering, his cream of mushroom soup shaking from his shivering hands. 

“Oh goodness, you’re freezing!” She grabbed the blanket from her own shoulders, and wrapped it around Link. “Here…” She adjusted it on him and smiled. “This should keep you warm.” 

Link wrapped the blanket around his front and held his right hand out with the bowl of soup. He sipped a bit more of the mushroom broth of the soup, before eating some more of his soup with his spoon in an attempt to get himself warm. 

Zelda grabbed the last bit of her soup in her spoon and ate it before placing the bowl onto the log beside her. 

Link slurped up the last of his soup, before placing the now-empty bowl of soup down onto his side of the log. With his hands free, Link bundled himself up more with the blanket. He could feel his energy coming back slowly, but his body was still quite cold. The soup was warming his belly, but not his entire body…sauteed peppers would greatly help him right now…but he didn’t have any on him. So he supposed he would just have to make due. 

“You’re still freezing…Did that mushroom soup not warm you up enough?” She asked. 

He shook his head. 

“Oh…I see.” She replied, not really offended but still disappointed. “What else could we do to warm you up further?” She asked. 

Link shrugged his shoulders. He knew what would warm him up, but neither had them on their person. So with that off the list, Link had no idea. 

Zelda sighed and looked at the campfire for a while. “The wintertime was a breathtaking season for me and my family.” She told him. “My mother used to take me on walks outside of Hyrule Castle. The winter was the hardest time to travel due to the endless snow that covered the ground.” Zelda explained. “The cobble around the castle was easier to walk on, and I always insisted that we walk there…” Zelda chuckled. “But my mother insisted that we walk in the snow to ‘strengthen our legs’. She told me that ‘the cold of the snow makes her feel better’. And I suppose the snow made me feel better too, even if I didn’t want to admit it.” She told him with a giggle. 

Link’s face showed a sense of calm and love as he listened. 

“My mother and father had many different ways of keeping me warm in the winter.” Zelda continued. “My mother used to cuddle with me whenever I was visibly chilled…Her body heat and her loving embrace always helped warm me up.” Zelda explained. 

Link smiled a bit at this. It sounded really sweet. He placed a hand on her shoulder to show his condolences for her dear mother. 

Zelda placed her own hand on Link’s, to reciprocate the appreciation. “What are your thoughts about cuddling?” She asked rhetorically. 

Link looked at Zelda with surprise at first. Was…was this a rhetorical question? Or a hint? Link’s facial expression turned soft as he wrapped his arms around her. 

Zelda was thrown off guard by this at first, but she let him hug her and eventually hugged him back. “I suppose that means you like cuddling too?” She asked aloud. 

Link nodded his head and closed his eyes as he felt his body warming up slightly. She was warm and cuddly…almost as if she had earned her mom’s ability to keep people warm with her body warmth. Perhaps this was what made her stay warm for a lot longer than him? He couldn’t be sure.

“It’s funny…I remember something else I used to do when I was cuddling her.” She admitted, before gently poking his left side. “I used to tell her jokes.” She admitted. 

Link looked at Zelda, almost with a curious expression. Tell jokes? Really? He tilted his head as he began wondering: What kind of jokes? 

“They were bad jokes, but they never failed to make her laugh.” She explained. “Do you want to hear one?” She asked. 

Link shrugged his shoulders before nodding his head with a smile. He wanted to know what kind of joke she was talking about. And now, he gets to hear one. 

Zelda cleared her throat. “Someone in Clock Town told me about a map maker who had grown tired of making maps and riding around Termina on a balloon.” She started to tell him. 

Link raised an eyebrow. A story joke? Where is this story going? 

Zelda smiled. “Word is, the reason he took a break was because his feet started to Tingle.” She told him happily with a few laughs. 

Link closed his eyes with a grimace on his face. He looked very unimpressed. Of all the types of jokes to enjoy…

Zelda’s laughter doubled upon seeing Link’s facial expression. “Wahahas ihit that bad?!” Zelda asked. 

Link looked away, showing slight guilt for having given Zelda such a disappointed look. 

“What about this one:” She let go of Link and looked at him. “Why doesn’t Hestu cook anymore?” She asked next. 

Link thought for a moment, attempting to come up with an answer. But he didn’t know, so he shrugged his shoulders. 

“He lost too many seeds.” Zelda replied with a giggle. 

Link blinked and sighed. He looked down, and visibly tried not to chuckle out of pure pity. 

Zelda saw this, and smirked. “I know you want to laugh.” She teased. “I can see your breath hitching.” She told him. 

Link widened his eyes and looked at Zelda, before looking away almost desperately. 

This reaction alone only made Zelda giggle. “You’re not going to laugh at my joke?” She asked. 

Link raised an eyebrow, before looking away as if saying ‘no, why would I?’.  

“Don’t make me tickle you.” She warned with a smirk, poking his belly. “I know you’re ticklish.” She reminded him. 

Link widened his eyes and jumped a bit, trying not to let any giggles out at first.

“Come on, Link…” She switched her finger tactic to skittering all over his belly and sides. “Laugh for me!” She told him. 

Despite his ability to stop himself from laughing, Link could still feel his lips morphing into a wobbly smile. He could feel the giggles filling his lungs little by little. His lungs needed to let it out, but he was refusing to let it happen. He didn’t want to laugh at her bad jokes. But he had to admit…the tickles were working on him. 

“Laugh, Link, laugh!” She said before squeezing his belly. 

These squeezes were enough to make his laughter finally free itself and take over his entire being. “HahahahAHAHAHA!” He wiggled around in her grasp, unsure if he should push her away, or let her tickle him. 

“Tickle tickle tickle tickle tickle~” She teased. “There’s your wonderful laugh.” She said. 

“HAHAhahaha- Heehehehehe!” Link let go of Zelda and hugged himself to stop her. But she just kept following right behind him and sneaking tickles everywhere she could reach. Soon, Link got up and ran several steps backwards in an attempt to get away from her. He had his arms up in a defensive position with a visible smile on his face. 

This told Zelda he was fine with her continuing her rampage. “Trying to get away, huh?” Zelda teased, wiggling her fingers. “You can’t escape the tickle monster for long, Link.” She said to him with more excitement building in her body. 

Link gasped and did a full 180, taking off running from her. 

Zelda gasped. “GET BACK HERE!” She reacted, taking off running after him. 

Link attempted to run up the field as far as he could go, but he had only so much endurance until he inevitably had to slow down. And not only that, but Zelda wasn’t very far behind him. 

Unfortunately (or fortunately) for Link, Zelda was a lot faster than she looked. All those years of walking in the snow with her mother had clearly paid off…And within a matter of minutes, Link was tackled right into the snow. “I got you! Now fear the wrath of the tickle monster!” She declared as she tickled all over his sides.

“BAHAhahahahaha! Hahahaha-HAHAHA!” Link laughed loudly almost immediately. 

“Goodness, what a reaction!” She reacted with a giggle of her own. “Ihit makes me want to tickle you more!” She added. 

Hahahahahahahahaha! HAHAhahahaHAHAHA!” He reacted, his laugh moving up and down octaves depending on where she tickled. 

“Now let’s see…” She poked in his lower rib, which earned her a little giggle. “If my knowledge on Hylian anatomy is correct…” She started to count up his ribs. “There should be 12 ribs on each side.” Zelda explained. 

“HahahahAHAHA! HAHAHAHAAAHAHA!” He covered his mouth in an attempt to muffle his laughter. 

“1…2…3…4- Link, please!” She held on a little tighter. “In the name of scientific discovery, can you please sit still?” She asked him. 

“HAhahahaha-hehehehe!” He giggled.

“Let’s try this again.” She started counting again. “1…2…3…4…5…” She adjusted herself. “I know it’s hard, but try to keep still.” She encouraged. “This is number 5…so this is 6…and 7…8…9…” She kept going. 

“HAHAHAHA- BAAAHAHAHAHAHA!” Link’s laughter, as well as his wiggles, had almost doubled. It seemed like the higher that she went up, the more ticklish he was. 

“Okay-Link!” She grunted and moved her fingers back down. “Great…Now I must start all over again.” She told him, giggling a bit. 

Link giggled and shook his head with a wide smile on his face. Come on…How is that fair?! 

“Listen-” Even Zelda couldn’t stop her own laughter from leaving her mouth. “Ihif you cannot sit still, then my scientific evidence will be futile.” Zelda told him, attempting to be serious, but failing miserably. 

“HAHAhahahahaha!” The man was still laughing, even though he wasn’t even being tickled! He couldn’t help it! He couldn’t tell what was making him laugh more: Her teases? Or the phantom tickles? 

She giggled a couple more times before resuming. “1…2, 3, 4, 5…” She smirked and wiggled her finger on the next rib. “6! That’s the halfway point.” She declared. 

“HAHAhahahaHAHAhaHA!” Link cackled. 

Zelda giggled at his laughter before resuming her counting. “7, 8, 9, 10…11…” She wiggled her finger on the very last rib, cheerfully saying the word “12!”. 

Link’s laughter doubled and turned hissy the moment his last rib, and therefore his armpit, was dug into with strong, ticklish intent. 

Zelda smiled brightly. “It looks like the anatomy books are correct! All the Hylians of this generation appear to have 12 ribs on each side!” She declared. “That also means…” She stopped her fingers. “-That the Hylians’ anatomy has not changed in over a hundred years!” She added. 

Link went completely limp on the ground, visibly tired from the tickles. 

Zelda just giggled with a smirk. “I didn’t kill you, did I?” Zelda asked. 

Link huffed slightly and shook his head. 

Zelda smirked and crossed her arms. “This is he?” Zelda asked, before walking up and tickling his sides, making Link guffaw in surprise. “This is the man who is destined to protect me from the dangers of this world?” She asked, moving her fingers down to squeeze his hip. “This is the Hero of Time who saved the Kingdom of Hyrule from the wrath of Calamity Ganon?” She asked next. 

“BAHAHAhahaha- HAHAHAAhahahaHAHA!” He cackled, attempting and failing to stop her hands a multitude of times. “I must say, my protector is much too ticklish to be given such a profound responsibility.” Zelda teased before moving her fingers to the inner hollow of his right hip. 

“Hahahaha-HEHEEEHEEHEHEE!” Link fell onto his back and turned to his side, kicking his feet rapidly. 

“Ooooh, is the legend true? Does the Hero of Time have a special sweet spot?” She asked with an evil smirk, digging into the spot a slight bit more. “HEEHEEEHEEEHEHEEHEEE! HAAAHAHAHAA!” Link shouted with laughter, still kicking his feet like a hyper little child. 

“I’ll lessen the tickles a little bit. I wouldn’t want to kill my protector, after all.” Zelda told him. She moved her fingers away from his hips, and started to gently drag her fingers against his belly once again. Only, she used her one index finger rather than all 5 of her fingers. “Is this a little easier for you to handle?” She asked. 

Link’s laughter managed to die down to just giggles in only a couple minutes. His kicking had lessened, and it felt easier for him to breathe again. 

“Link, can you feel my finger?” She asked, tracing her finger up and down. 

Link giggled and squeaked as he nodded his head. He certainly could feel it! And though it wasn’t as ticklish as his hip, it did leave him feeling vulnerable and extra giddy. 

“Okay, good. Do you recognize these symbols?” She asked, drawing out symbols against the right side of his belly. 

Link giggled as he felt them, and nodded his head. He recognized them as letters from the Hylian alphabet. “Good. Can you understand what I am writing?” She asked. 

Link continued to giggle as he attempted to understand the letters she was writing out on his belly. To say it was ‘difficult’, was a massive understatement. 

…T…i…c? T? No, N…No, K? What was that le- Okay, E…What was the word? He hadn’t figured it out yet. And she was already done. 

“I take it you cannot understand my writing yet?” She asked with a giggle. 

Link nodded his head. He couldn’t decipher the word yet. He was very lost. “Very well. I will spell it out for you again. Focus on my finger.” Zelda spelled out the letters a lot slower this time. Link’s giggles started up again as he attempted to decipher her spelling. 

T…I…C…okay, K…Oh! L…and E. Okay! He got it! It spells tickle-

...Oh…

Link widened his eyes and let out a high-pitched whine as a blush formed on his face. 

“HAhahaha! Do you understand now?” She asked. 

Link squeezed his eyes shut and hesitantly nodded his head. 

“Good! Now decipher this one.” Zelda declared before starting right away. 

C…o…o…c…h…f? No, y. C…Coochy?

“There’s word one.” She said. “Do you understand?” She asked. 

Link nodded his head. “Okay good. Here’s the next one.” She said before spelling out the next word. He felt the giggles bubble up in his lungs and flow out almost immediately. 

C…o…o…c-h-y? She spelled out the same word! Why?! Coochy coochy- Wait…There was no way she was- 

“And here’s the last one!” She declared. 

Link giggled as he felt it. 

C…O…O…Is she spel-nope…She’s done. C-o-o…Coo- 

Link gasped and turned to look at Zelda the moment he got it. She had really spelled out ‘coochy coochy coo’! 

Zelda, why?! 

This darkening blush mixed with his sheepish facial expression, had told Zelda everything she needed to know. “You understand?!” She asked with a laugh, clapping her hands excitedly. “Yay!!” She cheered, before taking one better glance at his face. Zelda gasped and howled with surprise. “Oh my goodness, your face!” She hugged her own belly and absolutely laughed her heart out. Zelda hadn’t focused on his face the first time! And when she did see Link’s once-in-a-lifetime reaction, she had quickly lost herself in the sea of her own laughter. She was almost tempted to pull out her Purah pad and take a picture of his face, so she could never  forget it again. 

Link’s blush only deepened as he watched Zelda laugh beside him. Her laugh was really adorable to listen to…he could only imagine how fun it would be to tickle Zelda back…but, he didn’t dare try it, especially now when they were laying in the middle of the snow field. 

But on the other hand…The snow had never stopped Zelda from tickling him…

Zelda started to calm herself down as she rolled back over to look at him. “How long has it been since you have heard those childish words?” Zelda asked. 

Link blinked once at her…and slowly looked down as his blush deepened a little bit. 

This made Zelda laugh all over again. “Your flustered face has got to be the best thing I have ever seen on you!” She reacted. She bit her lip and looked at Link for a moment, before bringing her hand up and booping his nose with her mitted index finger. “Boop!” She added for extra effect. 

Link went cross-eyed as the blush spread out on his face. By this point, his blush was coating all his cheeks, and had spread out to the tops of his pointy Hylian ears! It was super adorable to see, and Zelda was grateful to be one of the only people in his life to experience such a reaction out of him. 

She scooted herself closer and danced her thin fingers all over his belly and sides. “Your reactions alone are encouraging me to keep tickling you.” She admitted. 

Link squealed and doubled over, attempting to cover up his belly again. 

“Don’t make me tickle your hips again, Link. I know just how outrageously ticklish they are, and I will use it to my advantage.” She teased. 

Though he knew his hips were worse, Link refused to uncover his belly…so, Zelda ended up throwing him into endless hysterics. 

Link shook his head as he laughed and cackled helplessly. Though the tickles and laughter were super embarrassing for him, he had to admit…the laughter was making him feel amazing. Not only that, but the tickles were warming him up as well! And best of all? Zelda looked like she was having a blast just toying with him! So that only made him feel even better! 

But alas, he did need to properly breathe again. So he reached for her hands and pulled them off himself to tell her ‘PLEASE STOP! IT’S TOO MUCH!’. And Zelda seemed to understand that sign right away. She moved her fingers up and gently felt his cheeks. “Oh! Your cheeks are warm! Are you no longer chilled?” Zelda asked. 

Link chuckled and nodded his head. He felt warmer now, and he had Zelda to thank. 

“Oh, that’s wonderful news!” She declared. “Are you okay to walk back to the castle?” Zelda asked. 

Link nodded his head and got back up onto his feet. He felt a lot better now, and was ready to take on the cold weather once again.