AN: So this was inspired partly by Memories pt 2. being released, but also I finally started master mode at the start of this year whenever I've gotten some spare time, and seeing Mipha's grace in action got me going down the rabbit hole of plot ideas. This is not Beta read and also the first time I'm actually writing for this fandom, so I hope they seem in character. I've also read so much fanfiction around the Linked Universe lately I honestly struggle to remember what is and is not canon with how they act, so…

This is set in the middle of the champion's ballad quest. Link has re-defeated Vah Ruta and is working on defeating Vah Rudania again when we start, leading in to some post-calamity scenes. Also cross-posted on archive of our own.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Legend of Zelda. If I did you would be able to use the centre of Tarrey town as a teleport mark after you complete it. I know Dan Hesho shrine is right there and you can glide over but like... I've been lightning shot out of the sky one too many times :(

It was my pleasure.

Her voice always made him feel safe. So soft but with an unwavering conviction to it, much like how she seemed in his memories. With each new moment in time that came flooding back his fondness for his departed friend only grew. Some days he wished that he never remembered anything about his pre-calamity self, with each memory only serving as a spotlight on the consequences of his failure. He always took it personally, but there was something different about the way he saw his final moments when the people he failed weren't just revered members of their communities but close friends he would have trusted with his life, the same way they trusted him. They shouldn't have trusted him. Maybe then…

His newest memory of Mipha returned in the most unlikely place. He had taken a quick detour to the Goron hot springs to recuperate before challenging the Igneo Talus. His toe had just tipped the water when he was taken back to 100 years earlier.

It was obviously difficult for Mipha to come with them to Death Mountain to see how Daruk's training had been going. She didn't need to come with them, but she had taken it upon herself to try help Daruk master Vah Rudania as she had connected with Vah Ruta so naturally. He had been vehemently against the whole idea. Mipha always seemed more benevolent than even the Goddess Hylia to him, with the way she automatically took the wellbeing of others to be her personal mission. It had fallen to him to make sure she didn't do anything stupid – like try and climb Death Mountain – almost like repaying her for all the care she had put in over the years healing him from his more stupid injuries. He loaned her his full set of fireproof armour. It didn't quite fit but somehow, they made it fit because she would not be allowed to do something so reckless without at least trying to stay safe. Then, she was loaded up with at least six of the strongest fireproof elixirs he could make. Constant prodding reminders about the cooking pots scattered along the way were the only way Zelda and Mipha could convince him to let them start off instead of staying an extra day to brew more elixirs. After all his excuses were shot down, he begrudgingly allowed them to set off, his watch for the first time since becoming Zelda's personal knight glued on Mipha the whole journey, with only fleeting glances to ensure the Hylian Princess was still with them.

Zelda had seemed amused at his odd behaviour. It was the first real show of emotional attachment she had seen from him, and his focus on something other than her allowed her to covertly observe.

Mipha was intrigued by the idea of the hot springs. He didn't have time to form his thoughts on a visit before Zelda was dragging Mipha and Daruk off towards the hot springs. He was left scrambling to catch up, the notion of a moment to relax spurring Zelda to speeds he had previously only seen with the boost of a speed elixir. When he caught them, they were already seated around in the pool, each with their eyes closed and a serene look on their faces. Deciding that Mipha deserved a little bit of a startle for all the worry she had put him through in deciding to come to Death Mountain, he creeped up until he was three steps away. He launched himself at the pool, tucking into a flip as he whooped into the steaming water. Daruk joined him in his laughter as Mipha and Zelda fumed at him. The feeling soon dissipated as they soaked in the hot water, the stress of the impending calamity momentarily forgotten as the champions of the realm enjoyed a normal moment together.

Jolted back into the present, Link slipped into the pool from accidentally putting his weight onto his foot hovering above the water before he was fully aware of his standing in this world. His hair flopped down around his face as he surfaced, resembling the dogs he often saw at the stables after a heavy rain. He glided to the edge of the pool, where he let his emotions from his latest forgotten memory work themselves out. As his memories with Mipha began to increase in number, he found he wasn't just remembering how he felt about his friend, but he was becoming attached to her all over again. He must be cursed to be doomed to continue to fall in love with someone through old memories that he would never again have the chance to spend time with.

Link soon discovered that the only good thing that came out of the pain of remembering was being able to share his pain with those that also remembered. A week later on a trip to Zora's Domain, Link mentioned to Sidon that he finally remembered all the good things about his time with Mipha when it was too late. He was quickly wrapped into a firm, fishy embrace. He felt a few drops on the top of his head as he heard Sidon whisper that he missed her too. It was strange at first, to grieve with someone else, but it quickly became a habit to seek him out whenever he needed a reminder that this Hyrule was where he needed to be. Someone solid to hug, to ground him in the reality that he was still here, still alive. He would take a few deep breaths while wrapped up in Sidon's strong hold. Close his eyes and take in the sound of the waterfalls and the music that was always floating through Zora's Domain. With each breath, he could smell the water surrounding them – and, he had realised the third time he had found solace in the arms of his friend, he smelled similar to Mipha, his scent similarly sending waves of calm washing over him the same way her voice always would.

(He continued doing this even after the defeat of the Calamity, and Zelda found it a bit ridiculous that he would always travel to Sidon in Zora's domain, no matter where they currently were in Hyrule. While Zelda was more than willing to be open with him, Link found an odd comfort in the way the Zora Prince dwarfed him with his height. His hugs always completely enveloped him, reminding him of a time he didn't have the fate of the kingdom on his shoulders.)

Link had always brushed aside Purah and Zelda's suggestions that maybe he had survivor's guilt, until he found that one morning he was able to admit that maybe trying to face a lynel with only a tree branch was actually a stupid idea that would pretty much guarantee his death. His admission had shocked him, sending him again into a state of self-reflection. Maybe purposely raiding an obvious base filled with enemies for fun wasn't just because he wanted a challenge. In his efforts to suppress his feelings bubbling up from recovering some of his lost memories he had let himself become consumed by the feeling of loss. He had been completely wild, uncaring of his own state of being until he began to develop real connections with the descendants and friends of the fallen champions. But it wasn't until he finally confronted and shared his grief that he finally understood the words Mipha would always impart to him each time he took it to far.

It was my pleasure.

It wasn't just because she always gave too much of herself. It wasn't out of duty to help the one remaining champion in the fight for Hyrule. It was because she always wanted him live. She never blamed him for her downfall when Ganon unleashed the surprise attack on them all. It wasn't fair that he was the one who survived when all his family were already gone but hers were still living with their sorrow over her death. But that wasn't his fault. If he did die now, unceremoniously lobbed through the air by a blow from a lynel he really wasn't prepared to fight she'd be disappointed. Her voice was rarely raised but when she did it held power that made him tremble. She died protecting the people she loved, and even in death she continued to shield him, lending him her strength. Goddess knew he didn't deserve it.

It was his honour to carry on protecting the lands and people she loved so much. It was his honour to be able to play tag with the young Zora, imparting them with the tales he held dear about their champion princess. It was his honour to love and be loved in return by the Zora Princess, loved by all her people and she chose him. She chose him, even in her death, to be the one she protected with everything she had. The memory of her and the sorrow over her passing would always be carried with him, but it was his pleasure.

AN: I did a lot of research on the wiki as to whether Zora would have any side affects from hot springs, as the water they are usually seen in is cold and they are humanoid amphibians. I didn't want to accidentally cook Mipha. And as luck would have it, Zora have been canonically to the Goron hot springs in Twilight Princess. So, while you now know the random fact the Zora do enjoy hot springs, I still believe the journey to the hot springs would be more dangerous for them than Hylians or Gerudo. But that's just a theory… a game theory, thanks for reading.
I've left it a bit ambiguous as to whether Link and Mipha are romantically involved or just close friends with a bond similar to siblings. I personally like the idea of Link loving her romantically and then being like a widow and coming to terms with that but it's open to interpretation 😊