Disclaimer: I don't own any of these Nintendo characters!

Internal Wounds

Princess Peach hobbled away from the Arena, clutching her abdomen in pain. She had just finished her fight, and she lost miserably. And to add insult to the injury, she was now sporting a busted lip and long gash across her abdomen, courtesy of Zelda's final attack.

The cheers from the crowd weren't for her; rather, it was for her opponent who beat her to a pulp. Princess Zelda finished Peach in a fashion. Seriously, who could stand up to her powerful magic? And besides that, when she transforms into Sheik, it would mean double trouble for her opponent. While Zelda had all those at her disposal, what did Peach have? Vegetables, Tennis Rackets and Frying Pans, that's what.

Peach flopped to the clinic bed and Doctor Mario hurried over to fix her up. "You gotta pretty bad scratch." Doctor Mario commented with his heavy Italian accent.

"I know," Peach gritted her teeth as Doctor Mario applied antiseptic to the wound.

"I think it'll need stitches." The doctor commented.

"Just fix it up, will you?" Peach growled.

But as luck would have it, Doctor Mario was called next to fight.

"I'ma sorry, Princess Peach. I'll go do it later, bye bye!" Doctor Mario said, grabbing his medicine bag and heading out the hall.

Peach frowned and wondered if the thin bandage he placed would even staunch the flow of blood in her wound.

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The cheers long died down, and the stadium was emptied of people. The night shadows enveloped the arena, and the stadium lights had been dimmed.

All the fighters headed to their rooms, all except Zelda. She was walking down the hall, heading towards the clinic. "I shouldn't have used that Pokéball on her," the Hylian mused, "that Staryu gave her a pretty bad cut. I hope Doctor Mario was able to help her."

Arriving at her destination, Zelda knocked on the clinic door, waiting for permission to enter. Finally, she heard a weak, "Come in."

Zelda walked to Peach's bed, and asked, "How are you feeling, Princess?"

Peach grunted and rolled over to her side.

"I'm really sorry about that wound I gave you." Zelda apologized.

"You won anyway, so what price is too high to pay for that?" Peach retorted.

"I didn't mean to hurt you that bad," Zelda continued, trying to soothe Peach's attitude.

"You busted my lip and almost let my guts spill out." Peach snapped. "You call that, 'didn't want to hurt you that bad'? Your actions speak otherwise."

"I shouldn't have used that Pokéball on you, my aim was bad." Zelda admitted.

"…" Peach didn't respond, and there was silence for a few moments.

"I think I need to change your bandages," Zelda announced, getting up. "Doctor Mario looked like he didn't do a good job this time."

"You might kill me." Peach snapped. "Besides, why should you?"

Zelda pointed at the floor, where a puddle of blood was forming. It stained the sheets, as well. "Apparently when you shifted positions, it tore the wound open. Didn't Doctor Mario give you stitches?"

Peach shook her head, feeling woozy from the lack of blood.

"Forgive me, Princess Peach, but I'll have to open your hospital gown." Zelda apologized, and quickly opened the robe without waiting for consent.

Zelda skillfully unwound Doctor Mario's haphazardly placed bandages and used Farore's Wind to stop the bleeding. After that, she took some medical thread and a needle and got to work stitching. "This may hurt a bit, princess." Zelda warned, "But I'll try to be as gentle as I can."

Peach said nothing and bore the pain bravely, just hoping that this wound can heal quickly. She had another fight in two days, and she didn't want to be beaten again.

Zelda finished her task, and asked, "Where else does it hurt?"

"You sound like a doctor," Peach said, gingerly feeling the newly sutured wound, "thanks, by the way. You saved my life."

"No problem." Zelda responded. "Oh, you've got a little blood here too." She tenderly rubbed Peach's lip, and smiled. "So, where else does it hurt?" she repeated.

Peach placed her hand over her heart. "I think feel something here."

Zelda frowned, and asked worriedly, "I don't remember hitting you there. I hope I didn't hit your heart."

"Are you going to check it, or not?" Peach asked.

Zelda hesitated, and said, "I may have to open up your gown, again."

"Are you going to let me die of a broken heart, or what?" Peach asked again.

"…" Zelda blushed as she opened checked Peach's chest area, trying oh so hard to ignore her bra and what it concealed.

"There's nothing here," Zelda announced as she examined Peach's chest. "No wound, nothing."

"No, silly," Peach said, placing Zelda's hands over her heart, "of course there's nothing there. It's an internal wound."

"You're not bleeding inside, are you?!" Zelda asked worriedly.

"Zelda, I'm talking about an emotional wound." Peach explained. "I've been carrying this secret for so long, I think my heart would literally break if I didn't tell you this before this competition is over."

Zelda relaxed, and asked, "Go on, I'm listening."

"Uhm…I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier."

"That's nothing, I mean, I know that feeling. I hate losing, too."

"Yes, uh…what I mean is, it's because I hate losing to you, you know." Peach mumbled, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Why?" Zelda asked, interested.

"Because—I didn't want to look weak. Especially in front of you." Peach said.

"Why?" Zelda pressed on.

"I wanted to impress you. But who would be impressed with vegetables and frying pans?" Peach chuckled weakly. "My point is…I admired you, Zelda. But I didn't know how tell you this. So I thought that by winning against you in a competition, you'd give me a second look in the hallways, or something."

Peach paused, and said, "Well, you've got your Hero of Time, so what else do you need?"

"I need someone to protect." Zelda stated simply.

"Pardon me?" Peach asked.

Zelda walked over to the head of Peach's bed and gathered the mushroom princess in her arms. "Don't you ever wonder why I would transform into Sheik?"

"I thought you were a boy, uh, before Link told me that you and Sheik were one and the same. I actually had a crush on him." Peach blushed. "But when I heard you were a girl, I wasn't disappointed with your look, just disappointed that you wouldn't like me."

"Nonsense," Zelda responded, "I'm happy you told me, Princess Peach."

"Please, just 'Peach' will do." Peach corrected her.

"Alright, then." Zelda said, kissing her on the forehead. "I'll see you in the morning."

Peach stared sadly as Zelda slid off her bed, not wishing to push her luck any further. After all, she already admitted that she liked her, right? Wouldn't it be too much to ask if she would stay? But the feeling of loneliness swept over her again, and she grabbed Zelda's wrist.

"Stay?" she begged, looking deep into Zelda's eyes. "What if…what if I need someone to protect me?"

Zelda's mouth curved into a smile. "You got me, princess."

Zelda took a chair and laid her head on Peach's lap. "Goodnight, my princess Peach."

"I love you, Zelda." Peach whispered, stroking Zelda's abundant golden hair.

"I love you too, Peach." Zelda said, leaning up and capturing Peach's lips into a kiss.

End notes: Hope you enjoyed my first Zelda/Peach oneshot! There aren't enough stories of this couple to satisfy me, so I thought I'd make one for fans such like me. I hope I haven't disappointed you! I plan to make one with more plot and depth in the near future, when I complete several present fictions out of the way.

Future thank you to all those who would read and review!