So this is definitely different from what I usually do, as I'm really not one for "shipping" and all that, but I this idea just kinda popped into my mind one day and I couldn't help but find it rather endearing, and I HAVE noticed stories focused on couples seem to be the ones in high demand on this site, since those with romantic pairings in them always get several times more followers than those that don't (regardless of the actual quality of the story), so I decided to do this one-shot as a Valentine's Day special. If you don't care for it, you don't have to read it. But if this is what floats your boat, just sit back and enjoy the read!

Just As You Are

The Hylian groom waits at the altar. He watches longingly as his bride is slowly escorted up the aisle to be received by him.

Very slowly.

Her loving but obese father gradually scoots his way inch by inch up the aisle on his large caboose, proudly escorting his beloved daughter to the altar with determination and joy. Each budge is accompanied by an audible grunting sound;

"Ooweep... Ooweep... Ooweep..."

This has been going on for awhile now...

The bride has grown visibly dulled by the pace. All who are attending the wedding feel likewise. But it is tradition for the father of the bride to escort her at her wedding so he may give her personally to the groom, and he insisted on upholding such tradition.

The groom sighs quietly to himself and shakes his head. His bride is but a few strides away and could reach him in seconds if allowed to approach at a more typical walking pace, but it will likely be at least another two or three minutes before he receives her at this speed.

His eyes gaze lovingly upon his bride as she gradually grows nearer. He can still hardly believe she actually is about to become his wife.

It has been so long ago since the day they first met. They were mere children at the time and did not immediately start off on the right foot. He never imagined then that this is where that fateful day would eventually lead them.

What all began as just a simple quest assigned to him by Princess Zelda to retrieve the two remaining Spiritual Stones from the respective allied tribes that guarded them turned into a daring mission when he had stumbled across a meaningless piece of trash awash in the waters of Lake Hylia; an empty bottle that had been carried by the river's currents to the larger body of water downstream.

But the bottle was neither empty nor a meaningless piece of trash. It was, in fact, a vessel carrying a letter within...

A letter from a girl in a predicament who was thought to have gone missing.

What was written was vague but clear;

"Help me. I'm waiting for you inside Lord Jabu-Jabu's belly. -Ruto
PS: Don't tell my father!"

He answered the plea hastily, journeying into the belly of the great guardian of the Zora tribe. It was there that he found her: the lost Ruto De Bon.

Though he came to her rescue, she initially proved difficult. Her attitude towards him was ungrateful and demanding. But beneath her seemingly insufferable exterior, he soon realized was but a lonely little girl who misses her departed mother. His heart was moved with pity for her.

Once danger had struck, he hesitated not to come to her rescue. Even at the risk of his own life. Recognizing his valor and more flowing with gratitude than she was initially willing to admit, she came to respect him and offered him a reward of his choice for his aid.

The reward he had asked for was the Zora's Sapphire: the very Spiritual Stone he was initially sent to retrieve. She was surprisingly pleased by this request, for giving the precious stone held more significance than he was then aware...

The Spiritual Stone of Water was none other than her dowry: her most prized possession that she had inherited from her mother with the instruction to give only to the man who is to be her husband. Having it asked of her; she believed his request was for her hand in marriage, to which she was happy to comply.

It was not until much later that he became aware of the misunderstanding. Once he realized it, he knew not what to do. He dared not break her heart but he could not go through with this unintended engagement...

Or could he..?

She may have had her flaws, just as everyone does, but she still had a beloved side and cared deeply about those dear to her. Her childish tendencies were merely a passing thing to be expected from someone so young, and it did not take long for her to outgrow them as she matured into a proper young lady.

A beautiful and benevolent young lady whom he could be proud to call his beloved.

He may not have intended to capture her heart back when he rescued her, but capture it he did. And as time passed, he came to find his own heart in her possession as well.

And he would have it no other way.

...Well, perhaps ONE other way. Admittedly, there is one thing about her that has always left him in doubt about this relationship. Something that has troubled his mind and made him feel out of place around her since the day they met.

She is a Zora.

And not just any Zora; she is the very Princess of the Zoras.

How could he ever hope to be a truly adequate consort for her? For he is but a Hylian commoner! As an orphan who spent his youth brought up as a Kokiri in the forbidden forests isolated from civilization, he lacks any sort of proper education, nor was he ever privileged enough to own a formal set of clothing. Even now, he has nothing better presentable to wear to his own wedding than the humble green garb he has always donned; surely this must be an embarrassment to his royal bride!

Though she has reassured him more than once that he is the only man for her, he cannot help but believe she deserves better. A princess destined to one day rule her people deserves a prince as her consort; not a peasant.

And the Zora tribe deserves a fellow Zora as their future-king; not a Hylian.

That is why he brought a special item to his wedding this day. He has a surprise in store that he will soon reveal...

At last his bride has drawn close enough to the altar that he can receive her. She wears no gown, as Zoras prefer to be without clothing, and she sees no reason why she should have to dress up if even her groom had no formal outfit of his own to don this day.

With much love in his eyes and gentle tenderness in his grip, he takes her hand into his. The wedding soon commences after King Zora De Bon XVI eventually makes his way to his seat after giving the bride away.

As the young couple exchanges their vows, the Hylian groom reaches behind his back for the magical item he acquired in Termina; a mask bearing the likeness of a Zora.

The bride stares with awe as her groom places the magical mask upon his face. What follows truly shocks both her and the guests alike.

A minute ago, her groom stood before her a Hylian...

Now he stands as a Zora; completely transformed with scales silver-blue and fins tinted green. His once blue eyes now black as coal, they gaze into hers with delightful expectation as he awaits her reaction.

At last he is a Zora like her! At last he can bring her joy!

She gazes upon her groom's transformed face, stunned speechless by the sudden change. He has gone through great lengths to please her.

She smiles.

Her hands reach out to touch his new face. It is beaming with joy to know he is at last a suitable consort for his bride. Her palms gently caress his smiling cheeks...

As she grips the sides of the mask to remove it.

Shocked and dumbfounded, the groom is struck speechless as he immediately reverts from Zora to Hylian once again. Was his transformation not good enough to please her?

She holds the mask between her hands and continues to gaze upon his familiar face. Her smile has not faded in the slightest.

"Silly man..." she giggles to him. "If marrying another Zora was important to me, don't you think I would have married one? But if you really want to be the perfect man for me, then the man you should be is the man I chose to love...and that man happens to be a Hylian..."

Holding the mask aside, she pulls him closer by the shirt. A breath of warm air passes from her lips as they draw near to his with a smile. His heart is warmed with bliss in her close presence.

"I grant my eternal love to you..." her words whisper tenderly as the gap between the newlyweds' lips draws to a close. "Just as you are."

Thanks for reading! As stated in the shorter Author's Note up top; this isn't the kind of thing I usually write, but I'm not entirely opposed to doing it either. I have seen a lot of comics and memes about Ruto fangirling over Link's Zora Mask from Majora's Mask and wanting him to don it permanently, but I got to thinking of another possible reaction she could have instead, which I found much more endearing and decided to make a comic off of it to post to DeviantArt (you can find it there if you search the title; "Just As You Are" by Silent-N). After drawing the comic, I also decided to write it out into a short story to post here as well, and so that's how this came to be.

If you are fond of this pairing, you might also be interested in my other ongoing fanfic here; The Legend of Zelda: TriSpirit. It is not exactly a romantic fanfic like this one but it does have its share of tender moments between Link and Ruto. Granted, they are entirely separate incarnations of the two, and they don't actually get together like this, but Ruto does fall for Link in that story eventually (although he is unaware and remains forever oblivious. LOL). And if you do prefer more romantic stories -specifically those that pair Link with a Zora princess- you may also like my ongoing Breath of the Wild fanfic; Mipha's Beloved.

Aright, I have rambled way more than necessary here. Feel free to fav and/or review if you wish, but I do respectfully ask that you please refrain from posting personal hate, using profanity, and/or making any other sort of inappropriate remarks. The Legend of Zelda is a family-friendly franchise; let's keep it that way. Thank you.