Link had barely gotten used to his taller frame and the weight of the Master Sword at his back when he started noticing... things. It was strange—since leaving Kokiri Forest, the world seemed bigger, louder, and, frankly, a lot more complicated. And the women? They were... different.

They stared at him in ways he couldn’t quite figure out. It wasn’t like how Saria or Zelda looked at him—it was more intense, with smiles that lingered and eyes that sparkled a little too much. At first, he thought maybe he had dirt on his face, but then there were the giggles. The whispers. And the fathers.

Oh, the fathers.

“Fine young man like you,” one grizzled farmer had said, slapping Link hard enough on the back to nearly knock him over. “What do ya need for the hand of my daughter, eh? She’s got good hips for childbearin’, strong arms for milkin’ cows—”

Childbearing?! Hips?! Link had stammered out some vague apology and bolted faster than he had from a pack of Stalfos. It didn’t make sense. Marrying? What even was that? He vaguely remembered something about kissing and hugging, which only made his ears burn hotter. Kissing? He couldn’t even think about it without his face turning red.

And yet, it kept happening.

Every town he passed through seemed to have someone—girls who waved at him from windows, women who blushed when he walked by. Sure, they were all gorgeous in their own ways, but none of them... clicked. He didn’t know what “clicked” meant, but he was pretty sure he’d know it when it happened.

And then he met you.

It was a simple enough day. The sun was high, the fields around Lon Lon Ranch golden and lush, and the air smelled of hay and sunshine. Link had only stopped by to check on Epona and maybe grab a bottle of milk.

He wasn’t expecting you.