Chapter Text
5 months later
"Hey, grandma and everyone are here."
Paya's voice rings out from the doorway. Zelda comes out of the bedroom to find Impa standing there along with Dorian and several other people she recognizes.
"This is Cado–" A man with a long, three-pointed silver beard nods at Link. "Dorian's wife, Dina–" A tall, stately-looking woman; Dorian stands next to her, looking at her with adoring eyes. "And Claree and Lasli."
Link greets everyone in turn as Paya introduces them, as Zelda had met all of them over winter break. "I hope it's not a burden, taking a day off from your shop," Zelda says to Claree as she gives her a hug.
"Not at all," Claree assures her, waving it off. "Besides, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to meet the famous Link."
"Famous?" Link gives Paya a curious Look. Paya's face goes red as a beet.
"Yeah," Lasli interjects. "She couldn't stop talking about you--"
"Alright!" Paya shouts, clapping her hands. "Lots of stuff to do, so let's get to it!"
Link's parents arrive a half hour later, Aryll in tow. As soon as she spies Paya and Zelda she hides behind Link's mother's legs.
"Come on, now, Aryll," she says, kneeling down to bring the girl forward. "No need to be scared. Say hi."
Zelda squats down to eye-level with Aryll and holds a hand out. "I'm Zelda. It's very nice to meet you, Aryll."
Aryll takes her hand, staring with eyes like saucers.
"You're really pretty!"
"Why, thank you!" Zelda laughs. "So are you. I love your dress."
Aryll puffs her chest out proudly. "I made it. Mom and dad only helped a little."
"Did you!" Zelda beams at her. "You're clearly very talented. Maybe I should commission you to make me a dress sometime."
Paya peeks around the corner, holding a box of dishware. Link taps Aryll on the shoulder, directing her attention. "This is Paya, Aryll."
Paya puts the box down and comes over to squat down next to Zelda.
"Both of my big sisters are so pretty ," Aryll breathes in wonder, taking Paya's hand.
"I think so too," Link adds, with a wink to both Zelda and Paya. Zelda sticks her tongue out at him, and Paya goes red again.
—
With so many people, it takes less time than they'd feared to empty the entire apartment. Very helpfully, Impa had rented two moving trucks to bring along. With everyone's help, both trucks and Paya, Link, and Zelda's cars are loaded in only a couple of hours. After that they take another hour to clean up the place, and at 1pm, Zelda turns in the keys at the front desk
—
The goodbyes take a while, especially since Aryll keeps coming back to hug Paya and Zelda again. Finally Link's dad picks her up and sets her on his shoulders and things go quicker after that.
"Thank you again for letting me stay with you," Zelda tells Link's mom, hugging her. "I really appreciate it."
"Oh, it's not a problem at all," she replies. "Honestly, Dodson and I were worried Link wouldn't make any friends with how quiet he is."
"Actually," Zelda laughs, "that's one of the things that drew me to him in the first place. You would not believe what the guys here are like."
Everyone else gets hugs too, even Impa, despite her grumbling. Finally, Link, Zelda, and Paya are left together.
"You're definitely going to visit?" Zelda asks, releasing Paya so Link can also give her a hug and a kiss. " Yes ," Paya sighs, fondly. "Like I've told you three times already, I've already worked it out with Grandma. Two weeks in July."
"That's so far away though," Zelda pouts.
"You'll survive," Link says, patting her on the back. "Sure, I'll survive," Zelda agrees. "But I won't enjoy it. I'll be counting down the days, Paya."
Once again she pulls Paya into a tight embrace. "Love you."
"Love you too," Paya says, kissing her on the cheek. "Love you, Link. See you both in Hateno."
"Love you too," Link nods, accepting a kiss from Paya as well. "See you there."
With one last wave, Paya climbs into her car, Link gets into his, but when Zelda reaches own car she finds Link's mom standing there, holding Aryll's hand.
"She wanted to ride with you. Is that okay?"
"Of course it is," Zelda says, surprised but touched. Aryll looks nearly apoplectic with happiness as Zelda helps buckle the car seat in. "We're going to spend all summer together, why not start now?"
Aryll gasps, and immediately begins regaling Zelda with the intricate and surprisingly cut-throat lore regarding the lives and adventures of her numerous dolls.
Link's mom takes the passenger seat and they join the line of cars and trucks as it leaves the lot. But as they turn onto the road, Zelda looks back one last time at the apartment where everything changed for her. What the future holds, she still doesn't know, but with Link and Paya at her side, she knows she can face anything.