The Legend of Zelda – Café AU
Written for Hylianshadow86's birthday! Happy birthday! I tried some light Link x Sheik, just for you! Café AU's are cliché, but they're so much fun! I wish my life could be one sometimes~
Termina Street Café opened at eight o'clock, Monday through Saturday. The shop's owner, Anju, never bothered to open on Sunday. She believed having at least one day off was necessary for everyone to take. She spent most of her time cooking in the café's kitchen, until eight p.m., when it was time to close.
"Good morning, Link," Anju said, peering out from the kitchen, as the blonde-haired teenager stepped through the back door.
"Hello, miss," Link called. "It smells so nice in here." Anju was baking fresh bread.
Link had been working at Termina Street Café since he was fifteen. His mother was ill, so he helped her out where he could. His father worked and lived abroad for most of the year. Since Link's mother was friends with Anju, the boy readily took the job he was offered.
Although Link didn't mind spending his afternoons and Saturdays working throughout high school, having a full schedule prevented him from making friends. He relied on talking to customers when he could for a means of socializing.
Link put on his apron and began setting up the tables in the front of the café. He had a feeling it was going to be a busy day, based on the amount of traffic that had built up on the road. All of the curbside parking spaces were already taken, too.
When the clock struck eight, Anju appeared from the kitchen with her set of keys. She unlocked the front door and flipped the little white sign to "open". Within seconds, a line of customers accumulated in front of the register. Bells that were attached to the door jingled each time someone entered or exited.
After Link had gotten caught up, someone else walked in. He straightened out his apron and fixed his posture. A handsome guy around his age, with long, light hair walked up to the counter.
"Good morning! What can I get for you?" Link asked.
"Hi, I was actually wondering if I could have a job application," the boy answered. He spoke quietly, but not weakly.
"Oh, yes. Let me go get one for you," Link said, taken by surprise. He vanished behind a door leading to the kitchen for a couple of minutes
When he came back, he had a blank application in his hand. "Thank you," said the boy, as Link handed him the sheet of paper.
The boy sat down at a table near one of the windows and filled out the application.
"All finished?" Link asked, as the boy stood up.
"Yes, here you go," he answered, handing Link the paper.
Glancing down at it to make sure everything was completed, Link said, "It's nice to meet you, Sheik."
Sheik put out his hand to shake Link's. "It's a pleasure to meet you too, Link," the boy said, as he read the nametag on the employee's uniform.
Link told Sheik to wait a moment while he got Anju. They both came back a few seconds later.
"I heard you're applying for a job here, Sheik. I could use an extra set of hands in the kitchen! I'm Anju, by the way." Anju's way of greeting people was warm and cheerful.
Sheik's face lit up quickly after hearing that Anju wanted to hire him. "Really? Thank you so much!"
Anju and Sheik chatted about the job's responsibilities over tea while Link took care of the customers that trickled in. The traffic was clearing up along with the Saturday morning breakfast rush.
Link liked Sheik, even though he hardly knew him yet. To him, Sheik was adorable. He was slight but not scrawny. He had long hair that flared out over his ears and the back of his neck.
Hours after Sheik had left, it was finally time to close the café. Link was excited to have a new co-worker come Monday.
When he got home, Link's mother had made him dinner. "Why did you do this?" The blonde boy asked. "You should be resting."
"Link, I'm okay. I'm feeling better today," his mother said.
Link looked at her questionably. She didn't look any different than she usually did. He thanked her for dinner, because in truth, he really enjoyed it when she cooked.
Monday was Sheik's first day of training at the café. He arrived seconds before Link.
"Hey, Sheik. Ready for your first day?" Link said, cheerfully.
"Yeah! Anju said you'll be training me."
"That's correct. Let's get you a uniform," Link said, motioning for Sheik to follow him into a large walk-in closet behind the kitchen.
Link handed the boy a collared shirt that read "Termina Street Café". "Try this on to make sure it fits."
Sheik pulled off the shirt he was wearing and put on the uniform, tucking it into his khakis. Link couldn't help but peak at the new employee while he had his shirt off. Sheik had a tight, slender body.
"This fits just right," said the boy.
Trying not to look flustered, Link said, "Good!" He quickly turned around, hiding his blush and dug through a pile of new aprons. "What color apron would you like?"
Sheik stepped over to the pile on the shelf, seeing that he had three choices: yellow, orange, or red. He picked up a red one.
Although it was just a simple apron for work, it did match the boy's ruby-colored eyes. "Link, are you alright? Your face keeps flushing." Sheik felt Link's forehead, only making the taller boy's blush deepen. "It doesn't feel like you have a fever."
"I'm fine! I think it's just getting a little stuffy in here," Link said, stepping out of the walk-in closet.
"Good morning, Sheik," Anju said, noticing him in his new uniform.
"Morning, Anju," he replied, smiling.
Anju winked at Link while Sheik wasn't looking. He had no idea what she meant by that. Anju wasn't usually the type of person to be making playful jokes.
Link and Sheik worked behind the counter for most of the day. They worked on making coffees and dessert case displays. When the sun started glaring through the westerly-facing windows late in the afternoon, Sheik squinted. He pulled out a pair of glasses that turned dark when he put them on.
"You wear glasses, Sheik?" Link asked, curiously. He wondered why the boy hadn't put them on before.
"I only wear them if it's bright. I was born with red eyes and white hair, and soon after declared to be albino."
"Oh my gosh. That's incredible...I mean, that's really cool!" Link exclaimed.
Eventually, the sun had finished going down. Anju told the boys they could go home early. Mondays usually never got busy.
As Link was getting ready to leave, Sheik thanked him for training him. "Link, what are you doing after this?" The boy asked.
"Me? Going home. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to go get something to eat. You don't have to say yes," Sheik said, looking down at his feet.
Link's face turned red while he answered. "You mean...like a date?"
"Yes, Link. A date!"