"It's too early," Zelda whined as she drove down the dark road to her new job. The world was bathed in shades of darkness around her, the streetlights providing very little help on her journey. She wasn't happy about this whole situation, but when her parents insisted she find a job during the semester... there had been few places hiring that even remotely worked with her college classes.

The early morning air was unseasonably warm when she hopped out of her car, the neon lights of the store's sign casting the world in a greenish glow. There was a small group huddled around the front door, with a few others just arriving like she was. Putting on her friendliest smile, Zelda walked over to them. "Are you new?" a way too chipper for five minutes until four in the morning young man asked.

"Yeah, just got hired on Monday," she said and he beamed at her, his dark blue hair hanging low over his eyes looking almost black in the lack of light.

"Awesome! I hope they have you training with me! I'm Marth," he held out a hand and Zelda shook it.

"You know that she's probably going to train in HBA," a blonde woman said as she approached them. "Hi I'm Samus."

"Zelda," she introduced herself and looked at the other gathered faces. Everyone seemed to be a few years older than her, and a few were still showing up. "What's HBA?" she asked curiously.

"I'm not clocked in," Samus said with a laugh. "Don't worry, you'll probably be over there with us."

"We're kinda full there," Marth said and then shrugged. "That means someone's going to get stuck in groceries." Samus laughed at that.

"I pity that person. Groceries means Ike."

"What's Ike?" Zelda asked curiously and the two shared a look.

"Ike's a who, and what he is is a dick," Marth supplied helpfully and Zelda nodded once.

"Yeah, that's putting it mildly," Samus said with a laugh. Just as Zelda was about to ask more the door opened and they began to file inside.

"New girl right?" a gruff voice called out and Zelda turned to see a grizzled older man standing there. His brown hair and facial hair was peppered with gray, his face seemingly set in a permanent scowl, but Zelda got the vibe that despite the rough exterior he was actually nice.

"Yes that's me."

"Good I'm Snake, I'm the overnight manager," he introduced himself and nodded his head. "Clock in and then head over to groceries for training. Make sure to tell Ike I said so." Zelda paled slightly.

"Oh... Okay." She moved to the time clock and Marth gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Ike's hot at least," he offered her in consolation and she shook her head.

XxX

The store was eerily quiet as she walked from the front doors to the grocery section, the only sounds that of the other employees making their way to their sections. She moved past a few aisles of groceries, her eyes hunting for anyone in the section. Finding no one, she turned around to see if she missed this Ike person, only to bump into a solid body.

"You lost?" a deep baritone voice asked and she stepped back before looking up. Zelda's eyes widened in shock at the sight. Clad in the uniform dark green shirt, though his was long sleeved, khaki pants, and the store ordered name tag, was easily the hottest guy she'd ever seen.

"You must be Ike," she said with a happy smile as he looked down at her disapprovingly.

"That's what the name tag says," he said gruffly. "What section are you supposed to be in new hire?"

"The name's Zelda," she corrected politely, "and Snake told me to come to groceries."

"I don't train people," he said with a furrowed brow Zelda found cute.

"Well I guess you do now!" she said with a smile and his scowl somehow deepened. "So, where do we start?" He stared at her for a long silent moment, and she began to wonder if she should ask again.

"We wait for them to bring out a pallet of goods," he finally answered.

"Okay," she nodded and looked around her curiously. "So Ike," she turned back to face him only to see him turning away. He paused, let out a heavy sigh that made her smirk, and turned back to face her.

"What?" his tone was still gruff and for some reason it just made Zelda smile.

"Tell me about yourself," she said as she took another step towards him. His brow furrowed again and she tried to not smile wider.

"Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"Because I'm trying to be friendly?" she offered and he shook his head.

"Don't waste your time kid," he told her and she snorted.

"You can't be that much older than me," she pointed out and he shrugged. "I'm nineteen, twenty in a few weeks." He turned to go and she sighed. "What about you?" she asked as she moved closer to him and heard his grunt of annoyance.

"Here comes a pallet," he said instead of answering her and she sighed as someone came into view, pushing the pallet jack piled high with products.

"Who's this?" the man pushing the jack gave Zelda a warm and welcoming smile as he released the pallet and it settled on the floor. "Name's Nick, sorry you're over here."

"Zelda," she said and glanced at Ike who stood there looking annoyed.

"Well don't worry," Nick said in a conspiratorial whisper, "Snake will take pity on you after break I bet." Zelda stared at him in shock as he walked off with the pallet jack, surprised he had been so blunt in front of Ike.

"Alright," Ike said in his gruff tone, seemingly unfazed by the rather rude words, "all you need to learn is read this... and the job's easy." She walked over to him, stepped right against him to see where he was pointing on the box, only to find him taking a step away from her. "Look for this sticker, it tells you aisle, section, shelf, and spot." He tapped the sticker and she looked at it. "The price tag on the shelf will have a matching set."

"So aisle ten, section fifteen, shelf three-"

"Spot six," he nodded and held the box out to her. "Do you have a box cutter?" She shook her head and he sighed as he dug in his pocket. "Here," he held out a small metal one and she took it. "Do me a favor and don't cut yourself or the products in the box."

"You're a warm and cuddly person," she said sarcastically and he stared at her for a second before grabbing his own box.

"You know about first in first out?" She shook her head and he sighed. "Put the new stock behind what's on the shelf, keep an eye out for dates on packages, and overstock goes in that cart," he nodded to an empty cart he must've brought over.

"And if I have questions I just find your bright smiling face?" she asked with a smile and he snorted.

"Sure." With that he walked off down a different aisle, leaving Zelda standing there with a slight blush. Sure he was rude but Marth was right, he was hot.

XxX

She got the idea quickly, and was quite proud of herself for how fast she was stocking the shelves. Of course, she was nothing compared to the lightning speed of Ike, who seemed to be moving ridiculously fast. After several hours of stocking she heard Snake's voice over the intercom. "Break time stockers."

"Now what?" she asked Ike as she found him crouched in an aisle surrounded by jars of spaghetti sauce.

"Go up to the break room, sit for a few, then finish up hopefully before the store opens." He stood up and Zelda would've been blind to miss the wince.

"You okay?" she asked, genuinely concerned.

"Fine," he almost snapped at her as he started walking off. Zelda watched him, worried about the pronounced limp as he moved.

XxX

"Has Ike scared you off yet?" Marth asked with a smile as she walked into the break room.

"He's mostly left me alone," she admitted as she sat at the table with him and Samus.

"Wow," Samus said as she opened up her water bottle, "that's Ike being downright nice."

"What's his deal?" Zelda asked and they both shrugged. "You don't know?"

"No one except maybe Snake knows," Marth said in a whisper.

"He was limping," Zelda responded in the same quiet whisper, "right before I came up here."

"He usually does," Samus joined in. "I don't know why."

"Old injury?" Marth mused and Zelda pursed her lips.

"How long has he been working here?"

"Longer than me," Marth said and Samus nodded.

"Same here, and I've been here two years." Zelda looked around her suddenly, worried that they were gossiping about Ike and he would be right there. "He doesn't come up here," Samus said with a smirk.

"Where does he go?" Zelda asked curiously.

"Outside with Snake," Marth answered as he took a sip of his own water. "Snake smokes and I don't know if Ike does but he at least stands outside with him."

"Huh," Zelda tried piece together the minimal information about Ike she had gathered, wondering how people who had been working with him for so long could know so little. Yes this was her first job ever, but she knew things about the people that worked for her dad, things that came up in natural conversations, things someone couldn't help but find out.

"He's hot though right?" Marth's voice cut her thoughts off and she looked up at him. "Ike, he's hot right?" he asked again and she nodded with a blush.

"He's definitely easy on the eyes," she answered and Samus snorted.

"Don't get your hopes up," she warned.

"She's speaking from experience," Marth said in a singsong tone that made Samus shoot a glare his way. "What? I tried too, he's not interested in anyone."

XxX

Break time was over and Zelda couldn't help but ponder the enigma that was Ike. She walked back to groceries to see him already there, scowling at the two pallets that had been dropped off during their break. "Hi again," she called as she walked up to him and he grunted. "I see a break did wonders on your disposition."

"Can you finish up the spaghetti sauce I was doing before break?" he asked instead of responding to her words. "I'll get the cases of water stocked."

"Sure," she nodded and he walked over to the other pallet, Zelda noting the way he favored his left leg. "Do you want me to help with those?" she offered quickly, worried about him lifting the heavy cases.

"I want you to get the sauce," he said firmly as he picked up two cases. "Are you incapable of handling that?"

"No I've got it," she sneered as she walked off, slightly annoyed. All she wanted to do was help. Why did he have to be so rude about it? "Sorry I tried to help you out," she muttered grumpily to herself as she made it to where he had been before. She crouched down and stared at the smiling chef printed on the label. "At least you're happy."

XxX

"Time to go," Ike's voice pulled Zelda out of staring intently at a bag of chocolates, wondering how they tasted.

"We finished everything?" she asked, her exhaustion leaking into her tone.

"Yeah," he nodded, his eyes on the shelf to his right. "Clock out and go home before customers show up."

"You're antisocial aren't you?" she asked as she walked over to him, wondering if he'd walk with her to clock out.

"Something like that," he answered as he turned, a soft hiss leaving his lips. Zelda didn't want to be rude, but she looked down at his left leg, as if she could determine what was wrong with it.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, her concern heavy in her voice. Ike stared at her for a moment, as if taken aback by the question. Then he snorted.

"I'm fucking limping do you think I'm alright?" he said with a snarl but Zelda was almost certain it was forced.

"What happened?" she asked and he stopped in his tracks, whirling on her with a glare.

"I don't have to share my life story with you," he said through gritted teeth. "You're a rich college kid getting a part time job because mommy and daddy threatened to limit your spending or some shit like that. You won't be here a month, so what is the point of having any sort of conversation with you? What is the point of talking and learning to care when the inevitable is that you'll be gone?" He took a shaky breath and Zelda felt her heart break for the man before her. His words were spoken in anger directed not at her but at some past event. Whatever he had been through made him like this, of that she was certain.

"I just..." she trailed off and looked down at the tile between them, "sorry." She moved away from him then, unsure why she felt a confusing mix of sadness for and wanting to comfort the man before her. She reached the time clock and punched out, hearing Ike limp over behind her. She didn't glance back at him as she moved to the front doors, even as the beeps from the clock signaled he had clocked out.

Zelda made it to her car and sat in the driver's seat, staring blankly out of the windshield. Ike's words stung, but they were alarmingly true. Not the quitting part, she was now more than ever determined to keep this job, but everything else he said was true. And what he didn't say was heartbreaking. The whole thing about not wanting to learn or care about her... it rang of a very serious and tragic history.

Blue spiked hair moved past her windshield and Zelda jumped to see Ike moving past her car, his eyes set forward as he popped earbuds in his ears. His limp was bad now as he moved, and Zelda almost rolled down her window to ask if he wanted a ride. Almost.

XxX

The next day came and Zelda was at work even earlier, determined to show that limping ass exactly what kind of person she was. She was determined, fiercely so, to make him realize she wasn't some lazy rich girl. With that thought in her mind she marched up to the front door, only to realize that he wasn't there. A scoff left her lips and caught the attention of Marth.

"Hey Zelda what's up?" he asked and she shrugged.

"Nothing, just wanting to make Ike eat his words yesterday," she said and Marth chuckled.

"What did the infamous ass say?"

"Just that I'm a spoiled brat basically... and that I'm going to quit," she said and Marth raised both eyebrows in surprise. "So I'm here to show him what's up, where is he?"

"Behind you," Ike's baritone startled Zelda and she whirled to see Ike standing right behind her, a dangerous but incredibly sexy gleam in his eyes.

"How'd you sneak up on me?" she asked and he raised an eyebrow as he stepped back a half step, putting more distance between them.

"I'm light on my feet when I'm not limping," he answered as he turned his eyes from her to the door. Zelda took the moment to just stare at him, letting herself absorb all the tiny details. The unshaven blue scruff poking out along his jawline, the dark circles under his blue eyes, and the way he held himself seemed very militaristic.

"Hi Ike," Marth sang out in a shamelessly flirty tone and Ike gave him a little wave. "You look tired. Did you have a busy night?"

"Something like that," Ike responded ambiguously and Zelda couldn't help but blush at that. Ike looked down at her and raised an eyebrow, but before he or she could say anything more the front door opened.

XxX

The pallets came out quicker that morning, and Zelda found herself wishing she would grab a box that would put her in the same aisle as Ike. They both moved quickly, Zelda silently watching Ike any time she could to see if he started limping. Sure enough, she saw him falter right as Snake's voice boomed out over the intercom about break.

"Hey," she called out to him and he paused, "how am I doing?"

"I've seen worse," he responded as he kept walking.

"So I'm doing good?" she prompted and he shrugged. "You're a wellspring of information aren't you?" He snorted at that and Zelda smiled up at him, wondering if she could ever get those scowling lips to smile.

"Zelda!" Marth called her name and Ike moved away from her towards the front door where Snake stood, a pack of cigarettes in hand.

"Hey," she greeted, her eyes on Ike as he slipped out the front door with Snake. "Are they friends?"

"Ike doesn't have friends, at least none that I've ever seen," Marth said with a shrug. "I think he has a sister, but I don't think they talk much."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I was eavesdropping on a phone call and he promised he'd call their mom but he didn't do it then so I'm not sure if he ever did."

"Huh," Zelda mused over that little tidbit and followed Marth into the break room.

XxX

"Do you walk to work?" Zelda asked as Ike came back inside. He nodded as they moved back towards the grocery section, the smell of cigarettes hanging heavily around him. "Do you smoke?"

"Sometimes," he told her as they rounded the corner and saw a small pallet waiting on them.

"It's bad for you," she commented and he snorted.

"Everything is bad for you," he said as they made it to the pallet. "Every single day your body is rotting as you breathe."

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine?" Zelda grumbled and he shrugged once more. "Do you ever smile?"

"I can't tell you the last time I did," he said as he grabbed a box.

"That's sad," she commented and he shook his head.

"Life is shit sometimes," he told her as he popped open the box and looked inside. "Huh, these go to HBA, wanna walk them over there?" He held out the box and she raised an eyebrow.

"Why can't you?"

"Because they seem to like you and my leg is starting to hurt."

"What-"

"Don't ask about the leg," he told her in a tone that left no room for argument and she sighed.

"I'll crack your shell Ike," she warned with a smile as she took the box.

"Yes, next we'll have slumber parties and braid each other's hair," he added sarcastically and she laughed.

XxX

"Zelda!" Marth beamed as she walked over to the shampoo and body wash aisle. "What brings you to this lovely corner of the kingdom?"

"We got a wrong box on our pallet," she explained with a smile and Marth sighed.

"So no declarations of love from Ike?"

"Give him time, he'll come around," she said with an amused smile.

"How's it going over there?"

"Actually not too bad," Zelda admitted with a little smile. "He's rude, very rude, but-"

"Totally hot and makes you forget about all that the second he looks you in the eye?" Marth asked with a knowing smirk and Zelda blushed.

"I need to get back, otherwise he'll think I left him forever." Zelda gave Marth a little wave and moved on, trying to think of other things to try to talk to Ike about. He was such an enigma, a lonely, grumpy enigma that she couldn't help but like.

"Hey Grumpy," she called out as she made it back to the pallet.

"Hi Dopey," he fired back and she laughed.

"How am I Dopey?" she asked as she picked up a box and casually watched him limp his way over to her.

"Naïve view of the world, dopey smile-"

"Now I know you're just being mean," she said as she opened the box, "my smile can light up a room." She looked up at him, feeling very exposed under his stare. "I bet yours could light up a room too," she said as she began to walk off with the box of packaged dried fruits. As she placed them on the shelf she heard Ike's shuffle and looked up to see him move to the shelving next to her.

"I think you're a grumpy old man," she commented and he looked over at her.

"I'm older than you, but not that old," he grumbled as he ripped open the box.

"Well, since I don't know how old you are, you're officially my grumpy old man," she teased and he snorted.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," he muttered and she smiled at the shelf in front of her.

"What does a grumpy old man do after work?"

"Sit on my balcony and yell at the whippersnappers to get off my lawn," he told her dryly and she laughed.

"I'm serious Ike!"

"Oh so am I," he said sarcastically. "They keep messing up my flower beds." Zelda laughed again, wondering how he could keep such a straight face.

"I bet your girlfriend makes you smile," she said after a moment and he shrugged.

"Don't have one."

"Boyfriend?"

"Much to Marth's chagrin I don't swing that way... though I have no problem with it," he added after a moment and Zelda looked at him curiously.

"You know he thinks you're hot right?" she asked and he snorted.

"He's not the only one that thinks I'm hot," he said with such an uncaring tone it couldn't be mistaken for cockiness.

"Most guys I've met get weirded out by that," she admitted and he snorted.

"I served with a few gay guys, they're nothing to get weirded out over."

"I knew you were in the military!" she cried out excitedly and he tensed.

"You-"

"Are a sneaky boots?" she asked innocently and he glared at her.

"Not the b word I want to use," he said with a sigh and she gasped in feigned shock.

"Sneaky babe? Ike I had no idea-"

"Whatever," he grumbled and limped away from her quickly. She sighed but felt better about her newly gathered information. Military service could explain quite a few things about him. The limp, the attitude, the secrecy... it all fit with a traumatic experience overseas. She'd have to call her dad later, ask him some questions about the damage done to someone who had most likely been through hell like that, but she was almost certain that his entire attitude could be explained by that. For the first time in her life she was thankful her dad was a psychiatrist that had helped some soldiers suffering from severe post traumatic stress disorder.

"Ike?" she called his name as she left the aisle, finding him grimacing by the pallet. "Hey, are you okay?" she asked gently as she walked up to him and he nodded curtly.

"Fine, let's finish this pallet so we can leave," he told her through gritted teeth. Zelda grabbed the box he tried to grab and he glared at her.

"Rest your leg a minute alright?" she explained gently and he shook his head as he grabbed another box.

"I don't need a break, and I don't need to get used to you providing one," he told her pointedly before he stalked off.

"I'm just trying to help!" she called after him, hoping he'd acknowledge it. When he kept moving she sighed and went about her shift, mind on whether or not she could crack his shell. She found herself wondering more whether or not she really wanted to.

XXX

Yes I'm back with more Zike! I don't know how long this'll be, but I'm hoping for a decent length... I've got this whole story written out in a notebook so updates will be frequent! I'll also be posting a long one shot soon that I'm excited for, and doing the story rewrites I've been talking about. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this first chapter and please let me know what you think. Much love, Leigh