Closed to [miphasgrace]

[gluttonforpunishment]

The Champions are alive. Their souls freed from the Divine Beasts, their bodies from the Calamity. Link's injured, bleeding freely from a gouge along his ribs - and several of those are broken besides, but he's still on his feet, sword in his hand still alight with energy. He looks them over: Revali, Urbossa, Zelda, Daruk... Mipha.

He's exhausted. Even with their help, Ganon had not gone down easy. It had been hours of fighting and then so long on horseback with broken ribs, every draw of the Bow of Light excruciating. He's exhausted physically, and mentally, and he's not sure what's keeping him on his feet. Maybe just the stubborn refusal to collapse.

He's shed his helmet already, and he wants to sheathe his sword, but just the idea of lifting his arm makes him more tired - his arm feels like lead, he might have broken his arm as well...

Link smiles weakly. His voice is gone - dry and hoarse, so instead he just smiles and bobs his head. He's glad they're alright, he's glad Ganon is gone, but if they'll excuse him, he needs to sit down. Or maybe collapse.

His legs start to go, and it's Daruk who gets to him first, lowering him gently to the thick grass, trampled and scorched and muddy. "Easy, buddy," he says, bracing Link semi-upright.

"Are you alright, Link?" That's Zelda, hurrying to him. He's glad to see she's unhurt after her ordeal. Her dress is clean, though her sandals and feet are muddied. He nods, though he really definitely isn't alright. But he's alive, and they're alive, and Ganon is dead - or at least gone.

He looks up, past Daruk and Zelda, to Mipha. She's fine as well. He finally takes his hand off the hilt of his sword and signs - his arms are jelly, but they're stronger than his voice, "I'm really tired." He sags against Daruk. The Goron is warm even if he's a bit too hard to be comfortable to lean against. His hands fall into his lap and he blinks tiredly. He's not sure even Mipha - if she's even strong enough yet - will be able to heal all this, but he doesn't care. He has time to recover.

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[miphasgrace]

Nodding, her fingertips press ever so slightly into his chest before she pulls away and bends down. "Hold on, Link," she murmurs, having caught sight of his current discomfort and knowing it has to get worse before it gets better again.

She moves in tandem with the others, readily taking hold and swinging his legs up as Otoh and Dorian handle the rest of him. There's really no way to do it gingerly, and even the most careful movements they're making are surely causing him great pain. Mipha takes care to keep his broken ankle steady in addition to holding the weight of his legs.

It's worse for him than it is for them, but hopefully back in the wagon he stays. The last thing his recovery needs to be is one step forward and two steps back.

The way they're positioned, lifting and backing Link into the carriage, Mipha's tall enough to hold his legs up and inside but too short to simultaneously climb up and join them.

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By the time LInk is back in the wagoon and laying down, he's sweaty and pale from the pain, but he hasn't made a noise or complained at all. This is on him, on his mind, it's his fault.

He lets Otoh rest her hand on his chest lightly, then explore his ribs, wincing as she hits a particularly painful spot - on the right side of his chest, one of the ones that had been broken during the fight. Whatever Mipha or the fairy tonic had done for the pain was gone now, it felt like he was being stabbed with each breath he took - but aside form the pain, there was no labor to his breathing.

She checks him, hands gentle - his head, his ankle, his arm, then says, "You're alright. Thankfully. How's your pain?"

"Worse than before I fell asleep, better than right after the fight." It was a five, maybe, on his pain scale, but he had a much higher tolerance than most.

[miphasgrace]

Otoh's already got him set when Mipha joins them, quick and efficient. She fusses with the pillows and blankets and comfort around Link while she lets the Sheikah doctor check him over, knowing if she interferes now it wouldn't be accurate.

"I can still help with that," she says after his pain assessment, the familiar blue glow bubbling up again. She doesn't expect Link to lie, per se, but he does have a lifelong habit of downplaying his own problems for the sake of others.

And he's probably thinking he's embarrassed himself enough in the past 24 hours.

Still, while it's a relief to see and hear that he hasn't re-injured himself, she knows it's not a problem that will just go away anytime soon. At least when they arrive in Kakariko, the worst thing he'll have to fall out of is a bed as opposed to a wagon.

Mipha looks at him with apologetic eyes, working her magic but unable to help but notice his paleness. "I'm sorry," she says, but with a smile, "I should have been able to stop you."

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Link's already shaking his head when she's starting to apologize and makes sure to meet her eyes when he signs, "It's not your fault. Not the first bad dream I've had recently." It was just bad luck that it happened in the back of a wagon - he usually slept on the ground (and rarely in an actual bed in an inn or at a stable) so there had never been much of a distance for him to fall.

Still, when she presses a hand lit blue with her healing magic to his ribs, he lets out a quiet sigh of relief and closes his eyes, chin tipping up. The pain eases instantly, and his breathing evens out a bit. He's still pale and sweaty, but he looks a bit less distressed.

[miphasgrace]

Mipha can't help but grin a little wider when she hears that sigh and his body language eases a little bit. It's the least she can do, in her mind, regardless of his reassurance. Though even if he looks more relaxed, she wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to go back to sleep.

"At least there was no lasting damage done..." she says, almost a whisper, glancing over him and widening out the span of her hands to cover more. If there was anything she could do to quell his mind as well as his wounds, she wishes she could do so. "It was certainly a wake-up call..."

Remembering all the other wagons' lights, and those who came out to see the commotion, she looks over at Otoh after Link's eyes close and can tell the doctor was awoken just as hurriedly. The sun had barely begun to rise, after all. "I did not know when we were to set out again... I assume it was not close to this early."

[gluttonforpunishment]

"No, not for a few more hours. We'll probably not delay to eat breakfast here but travel straight to the village." The rest of the jounrey was the trip up the mountain pass that, while winding and bumpy, wasn't all that long, all things considered. They'd get there before lunchtime, with enough time to get Link into her house to rest and the other champions settled down while they all tried to decide what to do next.

Otoh could only be glad that she only had one patient and not six. The fight with the Calamity could have gone so much worse. Thank Hylia for Mipha stabilizing Link immediately - what if she hadn't been there? Would Otoh have been able to reach him in time?

The thought of losing Link sends a shiver up her spine. Sure he's laying peacefully in her wagon, golden skin lit blue with Mipha's magic, but just the day before he'd been on death's door.

"The guards will have to gather up the horses and saddle them, and the scouts make sure the way is clear of monsters, but we'll leave fairly shortly here."

[miphasgrace]

She nods, slowly, taking in their plan and allowing thoughts to drift to setting up in Kakariko, with Link in a warm and comfortable bed. Safer and more stable with plenty of opportunity to heal and be healed. Impa, no doubt waiting to see Princess Zelda and Link return safely and surprising her with the rest of the Champions in tow.

After a scare like this, Mipha can't believe what a world of difference it'll make.

"I'll see if I can't keep him comfortable for the trip." As if that would be a problem - she smiles at Otoh knowingly - but it also means keeping with him on the chance he falls asleep again. "But, do let me know if anyone else needs assistance."

Just a little bit more, and everything will be stable. And everything won't be having just escaped the claws of death anymore.

[gluttonforpunishment]

Otoh nods but makes no move to leave the wagon. Instead, she starts making sure everything is secure again, rechecking the supplied they'd used the night before. She settles back down near Link's legs, the jar of bruise balm in hand. "I'm going to rub more balm into your legs, Link." They had been dark the day before, but the thick bands of bruises across his thighs were warm to the touch and even at the gentlest of touches, he winces, eyes opening a little.

Otoh works carefully, taking breaks from the bruises to also work the balm into his knees and calves - it will work to soothe some of the lingering aches.

Link soothes every time she moves her hands down, but when she works her way up, gingerly touching the bruises, he tenses, toes curling in anticipation.

Otoh shakes her head a little. "Link, you know you just have to say you're in pain. I can give you something."

"It's fine," he signs, shaking his head. "It's just tender."

"These are some pretty deep bruises, and I'm barely touching you." Otoh gets up and makes her way back to her cabinets and again finds the bottle of painkiller tonic. Again, she wets a tiny bit of cloth with it. "Here, let me."

He opens his mouth without a protest, though, and lets her rub the liquid into his gums. Almost instantly, he sighs in relief and relaxes, the tension finally going out of his shoulders and hips.

[miphasgrace]

There's a sigh of her own during Link's weak arguement, but the amusement only settles in after he's felt the relief. Most people wouldn't object against such measures, but then again, most people have a habit of mischaracterizing Link in the first place. He takes the word 'stubborn' and amplifies it a thousandfold, mixing in a huge dose of keeping his problems to himself. It's almost as if he wants to be in pain sometimes.

Really, Mipha's just glad Otoh knows how to deal with him by now.

"Relaxing will help your body to heal better," she says almost off-hand, knowing that's completely obvious but saying so out loud to make a point to Link. "...And perhaps sleep deeper, as well..."

While the last part is said in a vaguely unsure tone, it's not entirely impossible. Resting with a potent painkiller like that might induce a heavier sleep, blanketing the nightmares and normal dreams alike. He probably hasn't had a good, restful, deep sleep in...

...Well.

The blue glimmer of light flickers underneath her webbed hands, and she allows it to fade and draw back for the moment as his pain is freshly lessened. Best to save it until the wagons start moving; even she's not back at full strength yet. She looks around the wagon, catching a glance outside through the curtain, and turns back to Link's resting form again with a warm smile.

"Of course, that might become easier once we reach Kakariko."

[gluttonforpunishment]

[Turns out I'm? the worst??]

Link nods. It probably will be easier to sleep inside Kakariko. Inside a village that, while noisier than in the open, was also better-defended, with guards and a narrow mountain pass that was easy to defend.

He starts to close his eyes, then jumps when he remembers that it's not only the calm of the village waiting for them all, but... Paya. He's been focused only on his task and Zelda these past few months, but it's impossible to not have noticed that she seemed to like him. To want to be with him.

He glances to Mipha. Would she be upset, that Paya had feelings for him? Probably not, after all they'd been through together. But it would be awkward, for sure.

He flinches his leg out of Otoh's grasp as she finishes with rubbing the balm in, then looks to Mipha. He'd just have to tell her that Paya had a crush on him, right? Better for her to find out now than later...

Link opens his mouth, closes it, then fumbles his hands made heavy and clumsy by the painkiller.

[miphasgrace]

[?? you're good, dw!]

The little jump he makes catches her attention once turning to Otoh after it looked like he was ready to rest again, but she takes it as part of the discomfort of having his sore legs touched.

But then the fidgeting starts, and Mipha tilts her head slightly to the side with mild confusion. Her smile wanes as his sluggish hands fail to produce a comprehensible sign.

"Hmm? Is something the matter, Link?" She straightens her posture a bit and concern starts seeping back into her expression. He looks troubled, and that might mean a deeper pain he's hesitant to point out again. Despite having just cut off her own form of treatment, the hands that lay folded in her lap look just as ready to spring to help again. "Has the tonic not taken full effect somewhere?"

[gluttonforpunishment]

"No, it's not that!" Link hesitates, shrugs his shoulders a bit. He takes a deep breath then lets it out. "Just, I'm... not sure....." He stops again, not sure how to say what he should say. "A girl, in the village... likes me." He loks up at Mipha, hoping she'll understand. Hoping she knows that even when he thought her gone forever, he still loved her, and nothing could change or affect that.

sorry! it was my turn to reread our thread

[miphasgrace]

"...O-oh..." Mipha blinks a few times owlishly, a hand coming to rest on her chest in surprise. Even though it was his confession, she's the one who blushes in embarassment. She doesn't know why - it's not jealousy, something she did have toward Zelda for a time. Maybe it's...understanding.

The look on his face reads troubled to her, as though he's worried about her reaction? "I see..." She ducks her head, cheeks flushed. "Well, I...I can certainly see why."

[gluttonforpunishment]

"Paya's not the only young sheikah in the village to have a crush on Link," Otoh says, and she's smiling. She rests her hand on Link's knee to steady him, but her attention is more on Mipha. "She's Lady Impa's granddaughter, and has quite the infatuation.

"But it's nothing to worry about, Princess. Link's only had his heart on you this whole time, even before he remembered you."

[miphasgrace]

Though she listens everything Otoh says, the latter part stuns her a little bit. Before he even remembered me...? Her embarassed smile widens with warmth, still looking at Link even though her head was tilted downward. Her other hand, the one not resting above her chest, reaches out for Link's nearest and gently holds it.

"Were-- ...Are you... afraid of what I might think...?" But even without an answer, her smile is already reassuring.

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"Uh, maybe," he starts, then pauses again. "She's um. Very young, too..." His hand is slightly sweaty but still warm in hers, and his fingers twitch against her palm - his hands are callused and strong, but not rough. There are scratches and cuts a day or two old on his forearms, gotten from scraps with the castle's monstrous denizens, but nothing to worry about.

[miphasgrace]

Mipha glances down, thumb lightly brushing back and forth against his hand. His had looked like for nearly as long as she'd known him, the only exception being when they first met and Link was a little tyke. Hers are the polar opposite, smooth even if a little bit cold and clammy. She hopes they provide comfort even as the healing aura is absent.

Her mind tries to imagine this girl, resulting in many different images, though she assumes they'd meet soon enough. "So are you," she says with a tilt of her head to the side. Did he mention that because of their obvious age gap? Even so, it's hard not to feel a tinge of jealousy in the back of her mind just as she did with Zelda years ago, although now...now things are quite, quite different.

"You know...that I could never be angry with something such as this......don't you?"

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"It's not...like that..." Link squirms. "I know you won't, but I'm... Not interested in her."

"He doesn't know how to let her down without hurting her," Otoh says quietly. "She's smart, though, I imagine she'll understand without having tiny be told." There were few other ways to interpret the way Mipha and Link acted around each other.

[miphasgrace]

A quiet sound escapes her, one of somewhat pained understanding. For a long time, Mipha struggled with the thought of unrequited feelings, due in large part to her inability to spit out her own, too frightened of what the consequences might be.

"Ending up hurt is...inevitable, I am afraid..." Hopefully not toward Link, but then again she doesn't even know what kind of person this is. Otoh's words don't fall flat to her, though. "Is talking to her something...something that you would like to do?"