A Place in the City
Chapter One: Upon Arrival
The screen was a blur. Alongside the disoriented swatches of colour were obnoxious sounds of shuffles and muffled voices. The voices sounded familiar as two distinct women chatted amongst themselves and was masked by the overbearing static that came in and out.
Soon, green eyes cleared into view. The person to appear first on the screen sat back into her seat to reveal the baby sleeping peacefully on her bosom.
"Saira!" Zelda beamed at the green haired mother. In response to this, Saira also flashed a wide grin.
Just behind her, Zelda could see that Anju was busy with has her own baby. It seemed she was preoccupied on the corded phone – no doubt managing her business during maternity leave.
The very stark difference of their lives was distractingly apparent to Zelda. Instead, she sat alone in her bedroom surrounded by a sum of books and notes organized on her desk.
"Still getting used to this whole webcam chat thing." Saira commented and readjusted the babe on her shoulder. "Anyways," She let out a content sigh. "How's school been treating you so far?"
Zelda paused, reclined into her seat, propped both feet up and leaned her head against it. She figured she could hide her frown behind her knees.
"It's hard." She confessed before looking at her friends. "Not just learning all of the history, laws, politics but the process of which we handle order... there's such a fine balance between the 50 million people and the government." She pouted before she shrugged.
"Hey, Zel." Saira called out softly in her gentle motherly voice that had been unlocked since the birth of her child. "If politics doesn't make you happy, you don't have to be a politician."
"No, I know." Zelda reassured. "I do want this." Her voice wavered for a moment as if she were trying to convince herself. There was a pause as both girls heard the uncertainty. But Zelda chose not to bring more spotlights towards it.
After all, even when her voice failed to exude her confidence, she knew her convictions were strong and present. It burned inside of her, rallying her into a committed relationship to her country.
"Alright. As long as you can let your hair down once in a while." Saira dotted.
"That's a difficult thing to do in my situation. The profs love calling me out and the students are either too nervous to talk to me or are either too… creepy."
"Well that's to be expected seeing as a former musician-actress, current president's daughter and now a royal is attending university."
Psh." Zelda scoffed at the last title she was given. "Being royalty means nothing now, it's just fancy history."
"Besides," Saira ignored her friend's denial. "With Impa following you around relentlessly who wouldn't be nervous?"
"I love Impa but I wish she'd stop being so close sometimes… I don't know why I didn't mind it when I was a celebrity but now that I'm a student, I just want to be treated as any other citizen."
"You know that's not possible."
"I know… I just wish sometimes, you know?"
"Look on the bright side Zel. Who needs college parties when you got celebrity parties to attend to?" Saira winked and eased into laughter once Zelda had.
"It's kinda weird that I'm a little older then everyone… they all look like babies cause most of them came straight out of high school."
"Then imagine how the 40 year old mature students feel…"
"True." Zelda grinned. "I have so much homework and studying now that school is about to wrap up… " She raised a few notes and flipped through the thick textbooks to prove her ordeal. Although Zelda posed an exaggerated expression of dread, Saira could still see the corners of her friend's mouth tilt into a smile. "I haven't had time to go to the 'celebrity parties'." Now it was Zelda's turn to wink at her friend.
"Wish you'd taken more of an advantage of those days?"
"Yeah." Zelda snorted before she paused. "Any news on Link so far?" Zelda bit her lips and looked away from the screen. In actuality, it had been the first question she had wanted to ask but not wanting to be rude or appear too eager, she had postponed the question for now.
Saira tensed. "He's out with the guys… on the farm… working." The mother quipped.
"Man, it seems we can never get a hold of one another. He's busy, I'm busy." Zelda slowly hummed off before she stared back at Saira who relaxed once Zelda accepted her reason. "How's baby Caleb by the way? He's so big already… I wonder if he'll be as tall as dad or as short as mom."
"He'll be taller than mom for sure." She said, turning her baby around to present him to Zelda but had done it slowly as to not wake him up. "He's already outgrowing a lot of his baby clothes!"
Zelda leaned in closer to the screen and her eyes widened in adoration for the little one. She tried to picture herself with the mothers, also holding a baby while balancing work. Her stomach bubbled up in glee at the thought but was quenched by her desire to see Link.
Before her words could overtake her, Anju finally finished her phone call and popped into view.
"Zelda! How's my person doing over there?" Her loud voice sounded fuddled.
It was only when she sat down beside Saira did the sound restore to its full clarity. Unlike Saira's babe who was asleep, Anju's slightly older babe was awake albeit quiet like his father. And much like his father, his eyebrows knitted downwards as his eyes observed the strange and moving image of Zelda who was not physically present in the room.
It gurgled in distaste and he glanced at his mother with an expression of confusion as if demanding for an explanation. "Say hi to your godmother." Anju gently coaxed her child who went back to pouting at Zelda. All three females laughed before Zelda responded.
"I think I'm having a stroke over how cute your babies are." And at that, they all shared one last laugh before continuing on their conversation to the more 'pressing' matters.
123
Around that same time, somewhere on the road traveling far from Forest Haven, the sun was soon to set. The deep colours of cobalt blue began to engulf the pantone yellows of the evening.
It seemed the stars desired to shine earlier tonight. They watched a car speed along the long and empty highway.
The air was humid but thanks to the lowered windows Mido was able to receive the constant gush of cool air. Because he was the tallest, he insisted that he ought to sit in the back with all the space to himself. Or more rightly worded, he had the majority of the space since he was forced to share it a few luggages that couldn't fit in the trunk.
Kafei was currently driving and beside him sat Link.
Saira wasn't completely lying about a guy's day but they clearly weren't on the farmland. Instead they were on their way to downtown Hyrule. Partly to catch a breather from the monotony of life back in the rural plains of their small town and also to support Link's surprise visit for Zelda on their 3rd anniversary
A lot can happen in a year. In this case, a lot happened in two years.
Link also had thought long and hard as he considered the future.
First, he had decided to leave the farm business entirely up to Mido and Saira although they had managed to convince him to still be a shareholder so that he could, second, move to downtown. It was a big decision, his friends knew but he wasn't going to seal that decision until he got a firm confirmation from his "other half".
He slithered his hand within his jacket pocket and fiddled with the small suede box. His long fingers flipped the box open and close often enough that Kafei had to scold him over how he could hear the 'snaps' of the box.
"Sorry." Link grumbled, promptly pulling his hand from his pockets and onto his lap.
"It's alright. You're nervous I get it." Kafei grinned, his eyes still locked on the darkening road.
Aside from Link, there was much about Zelda that had changed as well. Firstly, she had made a public announcement that she would enter into early retirement from the entertainment business. So that she could pursue her studies at the University of Hyrule Downtown.
Link had been there while she had made her announcement in an interview with one of the more reputable news outlets. Link was sitting amongst the audience and he could still recall the memory clear.
Although he had known of her decision for a long time, perhaps it hadn't come into full awakening until then. The audience had let out an audible gasp while they gaped over the news. Instantly murmurs filled the room while the interviewer had nodded with the audience's reaction.
Together, they stayed to process the outcome of the news, even going so far as to bring about social media responses that had exploded since her announcement. Some of her extreme fans even commemorated that day as her funeral.
Although the dramatic change instilled initial panic, Zelda went on to do as she had said she would do – get her B.A. in Political Sciences and hopefully an M.D. in Political Economy. So far, she had managed to maintain her honours throughout her 1st year in her B.A. and is still in academic recognition through her 2nd year.
As proud as Link was for her, this meant that she hardly had time for friends… and in particular, had little time for her boyfriend. This made their infrequent visits all the more ardent and longed for. It was a miracle they were still together, more in love than when they first met.
"It feels good to get away from the kids a while." Mido exclaimed as his loud shuffling pulled Link from his thoughts.
"No more diapers to clean, no more interrupted sleep…" Kafei added with a faint grin but as he dwelt into further recollection, he could not help but frown. "No more baby fat to hug or cute noises to listen to." The sudden dread laced in his voice was matched by his tightening grip around the steering wheel. He sat closer to his wheel and moped about. "I miss my baby and my wifey."
"Ah, Kafei. Shut up! You're making me miss my family too and we haven't even gotten a few drinks in yet!" Mido grumbled out loud. This topic of argument between the two struck Link as odd and he burst out into laughter.
"I've never imagined you both to get so soft on me."
"Aw, watch it Link." Mido scolded in his gentle yet affirming father-like voice (that he had obtained recently). "When you and Zelda start popping out babies, you're going to be the one gushing over your squishy bundles of love."
"And then you're going to wish you were off work just so you could hold your baby." Kafei cooed and Mido could not help but enthusiastically nod in agreement. "You know… it felt so weird not packing a baby bag today." Kafei commented.
"Arg. Guys. It's guys day." Mido reminded them with an exasperated grunt. "Let's just listen to some music." And with the help of his long arms, he easily reached for the button on the stereo and pressed play. The sound that immediately followed was a rendition of itsy bitsy spider.
"Woops, that's Hiji's CD." Kafei informed and bit his lip from bursting in laughter. In the mean time, it was Link who had laughed for the both of them.
With a shallow grumble, Mido kept resisted a laugh while he swiftly changed the channel from CD to radio. And for once, after a seemingly long time, he was finally glad to hear the abhorrently loud strumming of the guitar as it led them through the song: Born to be Wild.
1
"This looks like the right place." Kafei informed when he pulled into a parking spot near the sports bar. It was wedged between two tall buildings, almost invisible compared to the franchised burger joint: Tingle. However, despite it appearing to be a place that should be avoided, the parking lot was brimming with cars.
The bright neon lights declared that it was, indeed, "The Mirage". There were people outside in small circles gathered in various points outside of the store. Through the brightly lit windows, they could see that it was full of chattering people. They dressed completely different from what Kafei and Mido were used to.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" Mido managed to say after a loud gulp.
The people standing in their group of friends wore black leather, ripped jeans, wore sizes too large or in some cases, sizes too small. They tattooed their bodies, shamelessly smoked their cigars despite their seemingly young age.
"Yeah. Pretty sure." Kafei said once he found a spot to stop the car.
"This looks kind of dangerous."
"Come on Mido, everything outside of the country looks dangerous." He flashed him one of his 'trust-me-I'm-the-mayor' smile.
"And why are you the scared one? You're tall and strong." Link rolled his eyes when he hopped out of the car to stretch.
Kafei stayed inside and turned off the ignition once he heard the ringing in his cellphone. "Hey Grog." Kafei greeted once his brother-in-law finally picked up. "It looks like we're here." After a few more nods, he flipped his phone to a close and went out to join Link.
When Mido saw that no one even paid attention to their appearance, he also got out of the car and called his wife. Kafei joined and called his wife as well.
Link watched with envy before directing his gaze towards the entrance of The Mirage. As Mido had loudly observed from earlier, Link couldn't help but agree that it was dirty. There was graffiti on either walls and it looked as if The Mirage had commissioned it. At the same time, it didn't strike him as odd to see Grog working here.
Eventually, the familiar shadow approached them: broad shoulders that were emphasized by his thin tall frame. The certain swagger in the shadow's walk was a clear trademark of Grog and they excitedly greeted him when he approached.
"Hey guys." Grog said with a large smile. His presence forced Mido and Kafei to end their calls early. They all greeted him with quick hugs.
"No more Mohawk?" Mido teased when they made their way to the restaurant.
"I still got it, it's just not gelled up." He responded with a growing grin and motioned towards his head. Rather than how it was, the Mohawk was slicked back, away from his face.
"It looks good, you look less rebellious." Kafei said.
"Yah, I wish I listened to dad when he told me about my hair. It was tough finding a job. I'm just grateful that Landon decided to give me a chance and some pointers." And it was then when they entered, that the sounds of buzzing chatter, clinks of cutlery, the soothing commentators voice that fled from the TV all overwhelmed their ears.
Alongside that, their noses were no longer filled with faint cigarette from the outside but of sizzling steak bubbling with grease, nacho's doused in cheese, and sugary drinks – either alcoholic or not.
The place was crowded and Mido was thankful that this place was air conditioned rather than the expected humid mesh of body warmth all around. It was packed as expected since there was a home game for the Hyrule Warriors.
Their all black attire and short white aprons distinguished the workers from the crowd. Each one that had passed by the group had eagerly greeted them. The restaurant was evenly divided into two sections: the bar area with stools and small tables and the dining area that was more laid-back with booth seating.
Grog led them through the crowd, at a table closest the bar. He picked up the paper that said "reserved" on it before ushering them to sit around.
"Looks like they made it here in once piece." A burly man with a thick beard and head of hair was wiping glasses. He had taken a step back from the ones he was currently talking to, to address the boys that Grog was around.
"Thankfully." Kafei was the one to continue the conversation.
Landon took this as an invite to leave his place and walked up to the table. He greeted the folks with a firm handshake; it was then that they realized that he was fairly short – perhaps just a bit shorter than Kafei.
"Nice to meet you all, I'm Landon, owner of this place. Grog told me about the country side and his friends there." With each handshake, they could see the tattoos sprawled across both arms that moved with each flex of his bicep. They've never seen anyone with that many markings on his body before. "Which one of you here is the in-law?"
"That'd be me." Kafei had to clear his throat when his eyes followed the dragon that swirled around Landon's arm all the way to the side of his neck before meeting him eye to eye.
"Ah, so you're the mayor?" Landon grinned. When he spoke, they all saw the slight sparkle of a piercing within his tongue.
"I guess you can say so." Kafei said with a shrug before matching his grin.
"And the rest of you are farmers?" Landon looked at the other two who jolted from the sudden address. They both nodded quickly.
"Drinks are on the house for this table." Although Mido would have cheered, his eyes were too enticed by the bead-sized hole on Landon's lobe.
"You're too kind." Kafei responded.
"It's a thanks from my wife and I for taking care of Grog. He tells me how much of a brat he was towards you guys." Landon beamed and placed an arm over Grog's shoulders to lower him low enough to mess his hair. "Maria and I don't have any kids of our own but we consider anyone working for us as our family. So thanks for taking care of him and getting him out of trouble."
"Aw geez, Landon." Grog groaned but did little to hide his growing smile.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's get these men eatin', I'm sure they're starved!"
1
Grog volunteered to be the designated driver since it was his apartment that they had to hunker down into. Though none of the boys were truly drunk, perhaps - except Mido, they all agreed that it would be the safest to have someone without any alcohol in their system drive.
Soon enough, they all arrived safely behind a storefront without any physical bruises. The only damage received was Link from Mido, who was getting sloppy and rude in his quest to find adequate space in the back of the car. Although tired and drunk Link tolerated it while Kafei became uncharacteristically angry that Mido would not stop singing a popular children's song.
Nevertheless, they all made it.
While Grog opened the door and Kafei got the luggages, Link had to swing Mido's arm over his shoulder to guide the staggering man up the metal stairs.
"Julie!" Mido shouted in a slur, causing Kafei and Grog to both cringe.
"Shh!" Link shushed the giant adult who was acting like a baby. "People are sleeping." As if to confirm that, they could hear a faint 'shut up' from across the street.
"Woops!" Mido hiccupped before apologizing even louder. While Link urged his best friend to stay quiet, Kafei and Grog brought about a hushed topic.
"How're you taking it?" Kafei asked Grog when they both walked into the apartment. Grog switched the light open to reveal his humble abode. The living room, kitchen and dining room all shared a space in the long rectangle area while there were three doors that led to a bathroom, the master bedroom and a spare bedroom.
"I guess it still stings but 5 months is 5 months." Grog whispered under his breath when he led Kafei to the spare bedroom. "I think I'm over her… I just hadn't expected to."
"That's good to hear." Kafei said with a faint and reassuring smile. He could recall the time when Grog confined the secret to him. At first he could hear the heavy breathing of a caller he assumed had the wrong number but after the sniffles and croaky voice, he could hear the faint traces of what sounded like Grog.
Unlike all the other times, his words were laboured with lengthy pauses and he apologized and slurred. No doubt drunk. "I'm sorry." Grog had said with a loud intake of breath. "I didn't know who else to call."
Kafei, who had finally recognized who called him, sat up from his bed and reassured his stirring wife that she should keep sleeping. He took the call to his office and it was there that Grog told him the bitter news. "J-Julie… Jules. She b-broke up with me." And after that, the sniffling grew louder and repeated in a sad patterned.
Kafei didn't say much to his brother-in-law then but he reassured him that he was there. It was the first time that Grog finally allowed his walls down and invited someone to see his vulnerable side he hated showing.
It had been a year or so since Julie and Grog had moved in the city together. Apparently she insisted that they should both explore the world before settling down.
She felt caged and she needed Grog to set her free. Because of that, Grog became depressed – after all, he was in love with Julie long before she had loved him. And he was a firm believer that the city would be a positive step for both for them.
"Where does she live now?" Kafei eventually asked once he finished settling everything down.
"She's bunking up with one of her co-workers."
"You still in contact with her?"
"Yeah, sometimes but I get all mopey when we do happen to message each other so I try not to. She's still a receptionist for the big movie company. She meets a lot of celebrities, and bumps into Malon quit a bit." Grog had now gone back into the kitchen to get some water for all of them but decided 3 would work now that Mido was sound asleep on the couch.
"That's cool." Link jumped into the conversation after hearing the last two sentences. "Tell her we're sorry for causing all the noise." He added innocently, completely unaware of the breakup.
"Don't worry about it." Grog said and tossed him a water bottle.
"She better watch out though, I noticed that one of the waitresses had a thing for you." Link commented before taking a hefty mouthful of water. At that, Grog nearly spit out his water and he blushed furiously.
"Oh really?" Kafei raised a curious brow. "The cute one with the short brown hair and big blue eyes?"
"And heavy eye makeup." Mido managed to comment – barely awake. It was then that Link encouraged him to sit up so he could drink some water.
"You're all just drunk." Grog passed the comment by.
"She cute though." Kafei nudged. "Obviously not as cute as my wife but she's cute."
"Enough…" Grog murmured. "I'm going to go take a shower. You guys can use the other washroom." He said and left the kitchen, but before he entered his bedroom, Link asked him one final question.
"Mind if I talk to Jules after?"
Grog stopped at his door. "You'll have to catch her at work tomorrow. I can give you directions in the morning." He said, entering his room and closed the door behind him.
Link just paused but being slightly buzzed, he doesn't process why everything seemed so inconvenient. Instead he just shrugged and waited for his turn after Kafei for the shower. It wasn't long before all the boys decided to sleep – Kafei and Link shared a bed while Mido was tucked on the couch.
1
Early the next day when Link woke up, he was thankful that he did not have a migraine. Mido on the other hand clearly did, as he announced it with groans and moans that could be heard through the thin walls. The blonde sat up, still a little drowsy and noticed that Kafei was still sleeping – which was no surprise considering that him and Grog stayed up talking last night.
After his morning routine, he figured it'd be best to help his best friend with the hangover. He dragged the giant towards the washroom and forced him inside the shower. Paying no mind to the boxers and socks that Mido still wore, Link turned on waters on to fully awaken the tall one who had to bend over to get his hair wet.
Once Link was certain that Mido could take care of himself, Link went over to the kitchen to explore for a meal. It was there that he found a note from Grog on the counter, attached to a cereal box. He pulled it off and it read:
"Milk's in the fridge, other cereal around as well. I live on top of a convenient store – feel free to buy more. Eggs and bacon are there too, pans are on the right side of the cabinet sink."
When Link went on to check, and unsurprisingly everything was exactly where it was. Despite the option for eggs and bacon, he opted for cereal – something he often craved after a night of drinks.
As he headed to the small dining table with his bowl of cereal in hand, he noticed the map spread over it. He sat down and observed the notes made across the map – Grog was detailed in his instructions. There were arrows, lines drawn, titles highlighted that was meant to guide Link from the apartment towards Jules's workplace.
He was grateful. The city was an overwhelming place to be and this was a friendly introduction to the public transit, if he planned on working here.
Not too long, while Link was washing up his dishes, Mido entered shirtless with a new pair of briefs. "Wow, never doing that again." He grumbled while he also poured some milk into a bowl. "It's just been so long since I had some booze… it always feels weird drinking it in a home with babies." He commented.
"Maybe you're an alcoholic." Link shrugged with a raised eyebrow. Mido opens his mouth wide to object. At first he was offended by that statement but didn't bother to defend himself.
"I was one. Not now." Mido insisted.
"Well, I'm heading out." Link informed. "I won't be taking the car, so you can still roam around."
"Nah." Mido said, shaking his head. "I'd just walk around or... I can stay and play video games or watch movies."
"Cool, I'll be back before 2. Oh and put a pair of shorts on at least!"
1
Although the travel was smooth, Link couldn't help but feel uncomfortable over the multiple eyes watching him.
"There's no toilet paper stuck on me is there?" He wondered while he looked over to make sure none where hanging from his pants. Seeing that there was nothing, he observed the dark window and observed his reflection so that he was certain there was nothing odd on his face.
Eventually he concluded that it was probably the map in his hand that drew the attention – which was vastly different from the others who were on their smart phones.
However, those no longer concerned him when he easily slipped through security and approached the tall glass building. He entered through the spinning doors which led to the grand foyer that opened up it's ceiling to view the other floors.
The slick design of the building showed cased the importance and the money of the entertainment business.
It was a long empty walk before he reached the receptionist and only halfway through when he was able to distinguish Julie's green hair. At first she hadn't noticed him because she was so preoccupied with taking her call so the other receptionist initiated instead.
"Heya stranger." The other introduced. "If you ever need help practising your lines, I'm good on and off camera." She made sure to add a wink. Despite her risqué gesture, Link's eyebrows only knitted downward into confusion.
"Are you assuming that I'm an actor?" Link questioned before he shook his head slowly. "Because I'm not." Immediately, Julie interrupted them with a burst of laughter.
"Oh my gosh Elka, this is Link. He was one of the people from my hometown… the one who is with Zelda." She emphasized Zelda's name the most and hoped to draw her co-worker's memory of their previous conversation.
Elka's smile immediately sunk upon recalling the memory. Her pout grew with each passing second and eventually was glad to be distracted by an incoming call.
"Sorry about that Link, but how have you been? I haven't seen you in so long!" She stood and managed to lean in for a hug despite the huge counter in the way.
"It has, I see you're making a name for yourself here." He commented.
"It's a pretty good job! It's a good thing I've got prior experience as the mayor's receptionist. I swear I wouldn't have gotten this job if it weren't for that. Plus, you wouldn't believe the people I've met! Although they prefer not to talk to me and let their manager deal with all that... it's still an interaction!" she giggled. "Well anyways, I know you aren't here to see me. So what's up?" Her eyes were still bright and excited from his presence.
"Actually, I was hoping if you're still in contact with Malon. I need to pick something up from her."
"Mal? Oh yeah sure. Uhm, would you like to call her now?" She asked and dug into her purse.
"Sure." And at that, she handed him her slim phone. Malon's name was already on display; all he had to do was tap the green button to dial her. As he had, he stepped away from the desk to give space for an actual client.
The phone rung loudly against his ear and the image of the familiar face of Julie comforted his sudden anxiety. Soon the ringing cut abruptly with a shuffle of a loud static before he heard the very distinct voice of his ex-lover.
"Hey Jules! What's up?" She chirped.
"Uhm, hey Mal." Link said slowly.
He could feel the awkwardness as soon as she realized who it was she was now speaking to. It penetrated through time and space – in between the thin metal in his hand.
"Oh wow, Link. It's been so long. How're you?" Her voice finally carried through albeit shy at first. "You must be around DT for you to be using Jules's phone."
"Yah, you could say that." A faint laugh through his nose drew out a smile from him. "Listen, I was wonder if we could grab coffee and talk. I'd like to ask you for something. I hope you don't mind."
"Nah, it's no problem. I just finished a meeting with the manager; I'll head over to where you are. I'm guessing you're at the Famous Players Corps?"
"Yes I am."
"Cool, I'll be there in 30 minutes. See you soon."
"See yeah." There was a faint click that signalled Link that the call was disconnected. For some odd reason, he couldn't help but let out an exasperated sigh of relief upon the end of the conversation.
A weight in his chest finally left him.
He walked back to Julie and handed over her phone. "Thanks for letting me borrow your phone. Grog doesn't talk to Mal at all so I couldn't use him."
"No problem." She said when she took it from his hand and slipped it back into her purse.
"Hey were you out yesterday because I didn't see you in the apartment? I figured you'd shout at us for being too noisy."
"Noisy? Oh…" Her eyes lowered upon realizing what it was that he had referred to. "Didn't Grog tell you…?" She said slowly and watched his expression falter into confusion. She tried to find the right words. "We broke up."
Link's eyes widened at the news he had received. He could not help but stare blankly ahead as his body tensed. In contrast, his heart went on to beat quickly and loudly. As the news further settled, he could feel his stomach start to churn.
"No." Link finally said, licking his dry lips. "He didn't tell me."
"Oh," Was all that Julie could say. Her eyes averted his when it fell onto her computer screen. "Well, it's been a few months now but we decided it would be best to separate and expand our wings now that we're in the city." She explained briefly before picking up a phone call. After that particular phone call, she picked up a few folders and stood. "Sorry Link, I have to work now." She told him, leaving him behind with Elka who ogled him.
There was a shiver that traveled down his spine when he walked away from the desk. Instead he settled on a comfortable white chair in the lobby.
While he waited for Malon, his thoughts over Grog and Jules's break up began to sift in. Partly because it very much reflected his own relationship with Malon and now he began to fret over his current relationship.
The darkness that was his unknown future concerning Zelda would soon be revealed under the light a few days from now. An unknown type of fear gripped his heart but the echoing encouragements from his closest friends soothed them away.
He was reminded of his strong love for Zelda and he too was grounded in the firm knowledge that he was loved also. "It will be okay. This is different." He convinced himself.
The minutes allotted to his wait where shortened by the long reel in his brain of his moments with Zelda. Before he would allow the thoughts to envelope him, Malon walked through the front doors and he stood to greet her.
She was more beautiful than when he had last seen her. Her style clearly reflected her long life in the city, with her chic yet sweet dress paired with colourful heels.
"Link! You look great!" She reached in to hug him and without hesitation, he reciprocates her act.
"You too." He commented and motioned at her once orange hair now dyed to a strong red. It was ridiculously long and was maintained in trendy a high ponytail.
"Thank you, thank you." She curtsied from his compliment before they laughed. "Come, let's get coffee. There's a cozy lounge here away from paparazzi in this building. Let me take you." He followed her confident steps towards the elevator and also acknowledged Elka albeit less energetic than Malon.
The floor that he was taken to was above 20 floors and the view from above was spectacular yet terrifying. Never in his life had he ever found the scenario where he'd be at such a height. He wasn't sure if he should be amazed or nauseous.
Before he could ponder any longer, Malon motioned him towards one restaurant. The colours were dim and muted, sticking to the neutral browns and blacks. It was near empty except for the few others and the barman cleaning glasses.
Despite it's elegant and strictly reserved space for celebrities, Link felt comfortable. They had opted to sit by the tall windows but Link preferred to sit closer to the edge of the booth where his feet where firmly planted on the floor.
The food they order was simple. Link had settled on a sandwich and water while Malon only ordered tea.
"So, what're you doing around the city without Zelda?" She asked.
"I want to surprise her for our anniversary."
"Isn't that in a few months?" She asked, taking a sip of tea. Link's eyes widened for a moment. "The moments I get to speak with Zelda – which by the way, I miss her as my manager not that I'm saying the current one is bad – she always coos about you and how she can't wait to see you again." She told him while he went on to eat.
"Haha, our anniversary is in 2 months actually. She's been so busy with school and I with the farm." He told her once he had swallowed.
"Soon, she'll be busy with the country."
"When hasn't she been?" He asked with a cheeky smirk.
"That's true – whether as a performer or a politician. She's always managed to captivate the country… So tell me Link, did you so happen to plan on surprising her with this?" Malon pulled out a ring. It was silver and encrusted with tiny diamonds.
"Thank you! I thought you wouldn't have it anymore."
"Well, yeah. I kept it around. Its not like I'm gonna throw away one of the only things you have to remember your mother by! I'm not that evil." She placed it in his open palm.
Once it was securely wrapped within his fingers, he reached in his jacket pocket for the small suede box. He opened it without much force and smoothly slipped the ring within the cushion before tucking it away.
"So. When do you plan on proposing?" She asked after another sip.
"A few days from now. Jeff was able to grab hold of her schedule and was able to secure a spot with her. Kafei and Mido drove me here for support but they can't stay too long. After all, Kafei being the mayor and Mido focused on the farm and family."
"Wow, it's been so long since I've seen them." She muttered quietly. "A lot has changed." She paused, looking out the window. Her wide blue eyes wandered over the skyline.
"How about you though? How have you been?" Link asked.
"I've been good." Her eyes found his again. "Lots of concerts and few possibilities in movies. Lulaki Manso, if you've heard of him, he's an actor. We're seeing each other. I think I like him."
"You think?" Link asked with curious brow.
"Yeah, he's cute and really caring but I'm afraid he might be a bit too clingy…"
"Clingy?"
"Yeah, he's always comes to my shows, visits me at the studio… Like, doesn't he have movies to shoot or something?" At her description, Link fell into a fit of laughter.
"I don't think you like him as much as he like's you. Otherwise you'd be happy that he's taken the time to visit you often." Malon pouted. "But give him a chance, trust me, you'll start warming up to him. I know you."
"Maybe you're right." She giggled.
Link couldn't believe that he had been worried over their interaction. Her laughter relaxed the slightly stale atmosphere around them. Instead, it brought about an air of friendship that occurred before the two had dated and far before they broke up.
After their lengthy conversation, Malon had received a text. While she read it, Link took the time to take note of the time.
"It looks like it's almost 1 o'clock," Link stated and removed his attention from his watch. "I should head back to the apartment."
"Back to Grog's?" She asked, taking that as a queue to ask for the check. "I can drop you off." She offered while taking the black slip book from their waiter.
"I didn't know you drive."
"I learned but I don't drive. I have a chaperon." She paid for her bill and passed it to Link so he can pay for his share.
"Whoa a chaperon huh?"
"Yup."
"And he just waits there while you're out?"
"Kind of… but he's allowed to roam around." She laughed. "He get's paid to do that stuff."
"Wow, getting paid to drive celebrities around. What a life."
"He's not just a chaperon. He's also my bodyguard." They both stand once the bill is paid and a good amount of tip is left – though most of the tip that was given was from Malon.
After a silent comfortable car ride, through the slow descent of building architecture, they arrived at Grog's apartment.
"Do you think I'm allowed in?" Malon asked.
"Sure, why not?" Link responded and stepped out.
He offered her a hand before he led her up the stairs. He knocked on the door and from the outside; he could hear the faint sounds of overshadowed gunshots and music. Without a doubt, they were either playing a video game or watching a movie.
It was revealed that they were watching a movie once Mido opened the door. The tall man welcomed Link in a grin but has his mouth open in bewilderment when Malon poked her head from behind Link.
"Malon…. you look different!" He exclaimed in amusement. He stepped aside to greet them in and his puppy type of excitement brought a giggle from Malon. As a short woman, Mido had to nearly bend his back just to hug her.
Kafei looked over his shoulder and stood to greet the two. For Link he nodded, for Malon, he hugged. Once he offered them a seat on the couch, he sat near the edge of the couch.
"It's good to see you again Malon. Mido and I just came from grocery shopping, can I get anything for you?" Kafei asked, leaning over to stare at her.
"No, it's alright. Link and I already ate. Thanks anyways though." She smiled. "How's everything been though? Between you and the kids, and the town? Congratulations for being the mayor by the way."
"Ahaha." Kafei laughed while he scratched the back of his head. "Not sure if this is a good time to pause the movie." He glanced at Mido who plopped down beside Link.
The tallest in the room shrugged while he reached for the potato chips on top of the coffee table. Along side the sounds of the movie that Link and Mido focused on, Kafei and Malon had a good chat that would often be interrupted by the two other males who was keen on their movie.
Halfway through however, they all stopped chatting to watch in anticipation over what would happen to the main character. Drake guided his wife, Elena, and their children, one played by Zelda, through an apartment that just so happened to be infiltrated by aliens.
The mood was anxious filled while the audience anticipated the worst. High-pitched string instruments poured in the room, stirring an ominous atmosphere. But faithfully, all four kept their eyes glued to the screen.
Lights from Drake's flashlight blinded the audience before it switched to another angle of the family marching through the pitch-black hallway of apartment. The father in lead held tightly to his bat and on his gun belt, a flashlight was securely strapped in.
Just behind him, his wife clutched tightly to the oldest daughter, Zelda, and their young son. As they continued to walk down, there was a distant noise of clutter that caught the family by surprise. The mother bit her lips down from gasping while her hands immediately shot down to cover her children's mouth to stop them from alerting any more aliens.
The four of them tensed on the couch, Mido leaned to hide behind Link's back while Malon hid under a pillow, still peaking to see what would happen next. Kafei stay seated back; clutching to the arm of the couch and slightly wished that his wife was beside him so they could cuddle over the current scene.
"Dude…" Mido whispered when the scene changed the angle from behind a desk. In front of the desk was the open door where the family could be seen walking through.
A high and sudden pitch played when a shadow from the desk moved.
At that, Link reclined back into his seat, forcing Mido to push himself back. Malon cowered under the pillow but refused to keep her eyes off the screen.
"Mom…" Zelda whispered and tugged on her mother's shirt.
The family turned to Zelda who raised a slow and shaking hand to point in an open room. Inside was a family laid dead with trails of blood and brain scattered behind their heads. The deceased father had a gun loosely tangled around his fingers.
Elena had to swallow her rising bile that fought its way to come up while she covered her children's eyes.
"Don't look." She told them and ushered her children forward.
The family walked off screen but the camera angle did not leave the fallen family. For a few frozen seconds, a long, scaly, sharp tail erupted from the dead mother's stomach. The introduced creature slithered onward behind Zelda and her family.
There was a sigh of relief when Drake reached the staircase exit but the moment of peace was stilled when Zelda's character struggled to move forward. Her eyes widened in panic and she slowly turned back to stare at the scaly tail that wrapped it's length around her ankle. As the camera panned up the tail, it revealed that it was not a tail but a tongue connected to a terrifyingly tall predator.
Mido and Malon let out a scream while Kafei and Link felt their body tighten and heart nearly push through their chest.
"Daddy!" Zelda screamed. Immediately Drake jumped in between the monster and his daughter. He swung his bat at the creature while Elena clung to Zelda's to prevent her from being pulled in. The youngest in the family assisted his mother the best way he could.
"Let go. Of my. Daughter. You. Bastard!" He roared. The metal bat in his hand the creature would just flinch in reaction, leaving the bat dented and mangled.
Seeing this, Drake shifted to his gun and shot the creature in its open mouth. The bullet managed to stun the alien long enough to uncoil his tongue from Zelda. Despite the alien's slight setback, it screeched loudly, signalling to all it's other comrades where they were.
"Go, go go!" Drake screamed to his wife, commanding them to run towards the staircase. "Whatever you do, leave the door closed."
"But-"
"Don't argue with me!"
Elena wanted so badly to do just that but she bit her lip, gritted her teeth and didn't wait any longer to question her husband. Instead she grabbed her traumatized children and bolted towards the door.
They could see the door just a meter ahead but an alien jumped into view, scaling along the wall. It appeared to be a different breed, due to its preference for the wall as its floors. It was about to barge through but they barely made it through the doors and all three pushed against it.
Elena whipped the door open, shoved her children in and ran in after them. The walled alien jumped onto the door, slamming it open for a moment before Elena pressed her body against it and pushed. Likewise, her children jumped in to help.
The door rattled often, displaying in the crack between the door and wall, its slimy long tongue, glassy dark eyes pressed into its bumpy wet skin.
While they fended off the alien, there was a clatter of sounds. Gunfire, struggles and shrieks invaded their ears, sparking their wild imaginations until the sound cut into dead silence.
All was still except the heavy breathing of Elena and her children.
"Is daddy okay?" The son whispered after some time.
"I don't know…" Elena answered before opening the door slowly to peak through. The loud creaking jarringly punched through the quiet hallway.
"Aww, hell no." Mido gritted his teeth. "Why are you putting your life and kids in danger!" Kafei nodded. "Besides, he the main character, he ain't gonna die!" Kafei nodded again, too engrossed in the film to say anything while Link laughed.
"Cause she's in love and she needs her hunky husband to survive." Malon argued back and giggled at Mido.
While the stillness fitted through, Link appreciated their early memories when he and Malon were still together. Back when they would gather at home or the drive-in to watch a movie. Sometimes too preoccupied with their ranting to truly watch the film.
As Elena pulled the door open, a bloody hand shot through the opening accompanied by a burst of music. The following seconds, the entrance to Grog's apartment swung open causing the four in their seats to scream. Once the initial fear had sifted away, they all turned around and burst into laughter.
"What are you guys doing?" Grog questioned, sounding a little out of air. Most likely disturbed by his surprising welcome home.
"We're watching End of the World." Mido informed him while she watched him settle the bag of groceries at the kitchen.
"Aw yeah? That movie. I picked it up when I realized that Zelda played in it." While he spoke, the four relaxed once they realized the bloodied hand belonged to Drake and the family continued on their journey to find a safer place. "Oh, hey Mal." Grog greeted. "I was just about to ask who the Limo belonged to."
"It's good to see you! Julie told me you're doing well." Malon stood and reached out to hug him when he approached.
"Yup. Been doing well." He only responded with, avoiding Link's glance.
"It was really nice hanging with you guys again but I should head out. I have a few things I need to manage. It was so nice hanging with you all. I hadn't realized how much I missed this until now." Upon hearing her exit, they all stood to impart a hug as their goodbye. "You guys should tell me when you're around and we should all do something."
"We should." Kafai said. "It'd be nice to catch up."
"It would be. Anyways, see you guys around!" She said before closing the door behind her.
Mido stretched, let out a yawn and waited a few seconds before asking Link, "So you got the ring from her?" He sat back down, his eyes focused on the T.V. but his ear's attentive for his best friend's answer.
"Yeah." Link responded.
"You excited?" Kafei asked with a grin.
"Nervous but ready. I just gotta confirm everything with Jeff so I can sneak her a visit either tomorrow or the next day after that."
"Better sooner than later if you want us to be there." Mido reminded him. After all, he had a farm to manage and Kafei had a town to take care of on top of their families.
"Yeah, for sure." Link reassured.
"Heyy, and if we aren't there…It's not like you need us there. It's not gonna be a Kafei pulled proposal." Mido rolls his eyes.
"Oh no." Their soon to be engaged friend agreed. "That took a lot more creativity and people managing skills… I'm more of a solo kinda guy with a small tight knit circle of friends…"
Soon the movie captivated their attention as it introduced another tense filled scene. This time, Grog took the place of Malon.
123
Later that day, Jeff had made it to the apartment as soon as he heard Link's phone call explaining that he had retrieved the ring from Malon. Grog opened the door, expecting Zelda's brother but had not expected the entourage behind Jeff: Jennifer his wife, and their two kids.
"I am not prepared for this." Grog told him out loud; nonchalant over the fact that Jennifer and the kids can hear.
"If it's about food, I have that settled." Jen reassured with a wide smile. To prove her point, she lifted her hands and showcased a large plating of food while her children showed the cake and pie.
In response Grog just sighed and let them in.
Jeff greeted Link with a big hug and a handshake to the other boys before moving his attention to the T.V. where a behind the scenes look of End of the World was playing. A young Zelda was currently being interviewed.
"Oh my gosh… this is so old!" Jeff chuckled at the sight of his little sister.
"She was so cute!" Jen commented while she placed the food down onto the dining table.
"She is." Link said in agreement.
"Aww, the widdle Wink is sho in wove." Mido cooed as he reaches down to pinch his best friend's cheek. Link remained silent but he playfully swatted his best friend's hand away.
"Alrighty Link. So what did you have in mind for the proposal?" Jeff eventually asked.
"I was thinking that it could go something like this…"
1
Everything was set.
Link sighed at the thought while his eyes trailed over the buildings through the windows. If he really looked, he could see families and people wandering in their apartment early in the morning. Despite his frequent visits to the city, he could not believe how closely everyone was. It was unsettling.
But aside from that, his thoughts wandered back to the proposal.
All he had left to do was trust that Jeff had the contacts to make sure his plan would go accordingly to how he had envisioned. He was also grateful that Jen was willing to tune up and "fluff" the proposal with recommendations that she insisted she'd handle.
Surprisingly he felt calm. He had nerves but overall, he was confident that it would go well considering the people who were with him.
He reached for his smart phone, one that Zelda helped him pick out, and called her. There was just one ring before he heard her breathy voice, knowing full well that she must have scrambled in order to quickly answer.
"Link?" She asked despite knowing that it was him.
"Hey Zel, how've you been?" He smiled softly, his cheeks already turning red at the thought of her.
"Zelda!" Mido shouted near the phone, which garnered a giggle from the girl.
"Hi Mido." She answered before redirecting her attention to Link. "I've been busy. I figured you must be as well… I miss you." She told him softly. His heart tugged at her sweet words.
"I miss you too." He hoped she could hear the sincerity in his voice even though she could not see his expression.
"How's guy's hang out day?"
"It's been good, we watched a few movies. One of them was End of the World." He chuckled upon hearing her gasp. "You were so cute as a kid."
"That's sweet of you to say but I was not as cute as you." She teased back. "Uhm, Link…" She asked softly.
"Hmm?"
"Can I see your face?" Her voice wavered at the end due to, no doubt, embarrassment. Link could only laugh at how endearing her request was.
"If I get to see yours." He asked and made quick and quiet steps towards the guest bedroom against the open window.
He postponed her request, feigning his lack of knowledge over technology to ensure that she didn't see anything that resembled the city. He made sure the camera had most of his face in while the background was the open morning sky. When everything was set, he accepted the video request and was pleased to see her face.
"You're beautiful." He smiled. His words were true despite her 'unruly' appearance. She wore no makeup, her hair was tied into a messy ponytail, she wore her glasses but her skin still glowed, her eyes were still as blue as he last remembered them to be.
They found their conversations stretching far and wide; expanding over any topic they found interest in. However they could not talk too long since Zelda's next exam for socio-economic was to begin shortly.
"Bye," She animatedly said. "Love you!"
"I love you too." He told her.
"Oh, and I can't wait to see you for our anniversary." She quickly added before hanging up.
Just before she had, he heard a female voice call out to her, no doubt a friend of hers. He was glad she had one at the university. Initially he had been concerned that everyone treated her differently and the last time they had a serious conversation, she expressed her struggles in making genuine friends.
He sighed, exiting the room and entered in the living room with his phone now in his pockets.
"It's a go." Link told Mido. "She has no idea we're here."
"Perfect." Mido says. "Kafei and Grog are in the car."
1
"Ya nervous?" Kafei asked him before handing him a bouquet of flowers. Link took it with thanks before responding to his initial question with a yes.
"And I don't know why I'm nervous." Link said. "I'm not even going to ask her to marry me until our dinner tonight… I'm just there to pop in and surprise her." He gulped, stretching his leg up and down.
"Stop that." Mido scolded. "It's cause you're excited to see her, you'll be fine."
"I hope so." Link said after a groan. "Guys…" He whined, catching all three's attention. "Do you think she'll say yes?"
"Yes!" Mido and Kafei shouted with confidence while Grog, who currently drove, laughed.
"Now quit worrying. You're not even gonna ask her the question until later tonight." Mido rolled his eyes while he reminded him.
Despite the traffic and distance of the university, they made it to the downtown campus on time. They had planned to meet Jeff at the parking lot.
Jeff was alone while his wife was fixing up phase two of Zelda and Link's date. Their kids were at school.
"Hey boys." Jeff greeted, opening his trunk to reveal the large sum of flowers.
"Oh geez." Link said. "We're actually doing this."
"Relax future brother-in-law." Jeff comforted and placed a hand on Link's shoulder. "You're not even planning on asking her until tonight. Now let's set everything up."
123
Zelda had finally finished her exam and this one felt a lot faster than her first, which was history. She owed it to the phone call she received before class.
Now that she knew Link was free for phone calls, she wanted to go straight home and contact him immediately. She missed him so much. A silly grin appeared on her face while she thought of him.
Until the campus speakers began to play the very nostalgic and famous notes of A Thousand Miles. A song she listened to growing up. Zelda chuckled, wondering why this song was being played. She glanced around, listening to the many other students who chatted among themselves over what was happening.
Once she was out of the building, she could still hear the song pour from the outdoor speakers. As it added a skip to gait, she walked towards the parking lot but was stopped by some guy who handed her a rose.
She didn't even have time to reject or understand what just happened. Before she could give it back, he's already sped away. So onward, she went and another gifts her a rose. Ever so often, others would come, handing her roses. By the expression on some them, they were just as confused as she was while others excitedly gave her smiles.
And for a long while, no one had approached her until she reached a campus pathway where the streets were lined with petals. Beside the benches where flowers tucked in gorgeous vases and the trees that lined the pathway only emphasized the Mother Nature's beauty.
But she felt confused. It was like she had walked in on a movie scene and was unaware of the filming taking place. But those uncertain feelings disappeared when she saw a familiar blonde. It suddenly made sense.
She gasped, covered her mouth and suppressed the weight crawling up her throat. The very familiar man had his back facing her and with that, she sprinted.
She held back from calling his name in case it wasn't him but she didn't have to worry about that when he turned around with a bouquet in hand. Her smile widened when his arms opened ready to catch her. She leaped into his arms. Without a grunt or show of struggle, he easily lifted her from the ground and spun her once before placing her safely down onto the cement.
"What are you doing here?" Her clogged throat had made it hard for her words to be heard but her close proximity to Link allowed him to understand.
"To spend the entire summer with you."
"What about the farm?"
"It'll manage." He told her, giving her the bouquet she gladly accepted. Once it was securely in her hands he leaned in to steal a kiss from her. "Care to spend dinner with me?"
"Yes! Obviously." She rolled her eyes, anxious for another kiss but instead leaned in to hug him again.
She allowed herself to fall into his strong frame. She weaved her arms around his torso and leaned into the crook of his neck. Like always, he still smelled like the wheat and earth.
"How are the exams?"
"I just have one more… tomorrow I've got nothing." She looked up into his eyes while her chin rested against his chest. He takes that as an opportunity to press his lips against her head.
"Perfect then." He told her, pushing her hair behind her ear. "Is it alright if we have dinner at your house? I could cook something up."
"Yeah, my parents are away in another country so the house is good for us."
"Where's Impa?" He threw in, noticing just now, that her bodyguard was nowhere in sight.
"She's accompanying my parents to the political event. It's in her home country so they thought it would lower the tension seeing her there… Are we going to hang out during lunch?" Zelda asked, quickly changing the conversation. She knew how concerned Link would be but she didn't want to discuss that now.
"Yeah but it won't just be us. Mido, Kafei and Grog are with me actually." He grinned.
"Oh, it's been forever! Where we off too?
"Grog's apartment." He informed her.
"Is that where you've been?"
He nodded in response, grabbed her hand and led her back to the parking lot. This left the students watching while some decided to video tape the entire thing. Whether that was to share with friends, with the Internet or to share with the paparazzi, the two lovebirds didn't care at the moment. Instead they were too focused on each other that they weren't aware of what was happening around them.
The three boys were waiting as expected while Jeff was nowhere in sight. They knew that if Zelda saw Jeff, there was something more than just a reunion between the two.
"Zelda!" Mido grinned, hugging the girl and lifted her off her feet.
"Ahh, I missed you too bear." She giggled, and went to hug both Kafei and Grog. "I'm guessing you were part of this?"
They nod.
"We were the ones telling the people to give the rose to the blonde." Kafei said with a wide smile.
"Aw, but how'd you get the song on the campus speakers?" The four boys froze, not knowing what to say as they glanced at each other awkwardly.
That was Jeff's idea and he was the one that carried it out since he had the connections. Thankfully during those exchanges, Zelda was too busy admiring her flowers. It was the bouquet Link had given her earlier and was filled with different colours of carnations. It recalled a memory of a time when he first tried to give her flowers but she had mistaken it as a gift for her grandmother instead.
"I know people here." Grog told her quickly before motioning them in the car.
"I've got my own car but I'll follow you there." Zelda responded, half heartedly listening to his answer, deeming that it wasn't suspicious. She jingled her keys and caused the green Voltswagen beetle to flash its lights.
"Ah, I miss this car." Link told her as they approached it. "Where's your BMW though?" He asked. They entered in and he took hold of her bouquet while she focused on driving.
"At home, in the garage. I prefer to use the smaller one because it draws less attention."
"I'm not sure about that… it's a green car." He laughed out. "It sure caught Mido's attention when he noticed it that night."
She laughed at the recollection. On their way to, they both ignored the ambience of the radio, as they were too engrossed on their physical touch. They played with each other's hands and eventually settled to clasp it over one another. No words were needed between the other, as long as they had each other.
They followed the Grog's car into an alleyway beside the storefront where the boys parked by the staircase.
"Can we check the convenient store first to see if there are vases for your flowers?" Zelda asked.
"Yeah." He said, exiting the car. "We'll be with you in a few minutes." Link told the guys. "We just want to grab a few things first."
1
When the couple entered the apartment, there was pizza on the dining table and Jenga set on the coffee table. It was the perfect setting for a casual thrill while they eagerly updated each other on their lives.
Once the night began to fall, Mido insisted that the two leave to go about their dinner. "Why the rush Mido? Usually you're always insisting that I should stay." Zelda commented, her attention at the blocks.
Mido's eyes widened as he looked at the boys for an answer. Kafei shook his head in disapproval; Grog rolled his eyes and Link looked slightly panicked.
"Ugh. We traveled out her for so long that I'm sure Link's just being nice, you know? Like, he actually wants you for himself but-"
"I was just messing around." Zelda said, her eyes never leaving the block in her hand until it was successfully laid onto the top layer "Link had said he'd like to cook me dinner tonight anyways."
"Oh." Mido said as a breath of relief left him.
"Should we head out now babe?" Zelda asked.
"Yeah, let's." He said, standing up and offering her a hand.
"By the way, did you wanna pack your things now and move in for the summer?"
"Oh. Uhm." Link paused, glancing at Kafei and Mido. "Maybe we can worry about that tomorrow." His answer was partly due to his nerves but also his conservative views.
Zelda shrugged. "Alright, if you say so."
"I don't want to move my luggage to your house tonight, specially not in your tiny beetle." He quickly explained, hoping that would suffice. With that, she smiled.
"I'll bring Benny tomorrow then." She told him with enthusiasm referring to her BMW.
123
The Nohansen Household currently lived inside The Hyrulian Castle. It was easy to distinguish from the rest of the neighbours. Tall metal fences, cameras and heavy guards posted by the gates, surrounded its massive property.
It was nearly impossible to sneak in with the bright lights in constant pour over the open field. If by chance anyone manages to sneak in and hide in the dense forest, they wouldn't survive the guard dogs that were tame until taunted.
When they approached the gates, the usually stoic guards in their black suits lightened up at the sight of Zelda and Link. Even going so far for a short conversation.
"How was our guards this time, my lady?" One had asked Zelda.
"Really good! I hardly noticed them."
"We had taken your advise with dressing them as normal civilians but it's quite difficult to hide them in an area of young looking students."
"They did well!" She continued her praise. "Did you notice them?" She asked Link who glanced at her curiously.
"No… I don't think I did."
"See." Zelda winked. "Thanks for the effort. I really appreciate it."
"Well I shouldn't hold you both off. I'm sure you have better plans than talking to me." Link raised an eyebrow at his words. Had the gossip spread out to all the workers?
Most likely.
He had hoped to keep it small and private.
"What? Talking to you whenever I leave and come home is a highlight of mine!" She told him as they both shared a quick laugh. They both waved, sending one another with a smile before Zelda drove along the long path that winded down to the large mansion by the bottom of the hill. The closer they got to the mansion, Link could already smell the salt of the sea as their property housed a small private beach.
Once they parked the car inside the garage, they entered through the side where they were greeted by a few bodyguards and more maids. It seemed that all the maids appeared giddy. They all greeted them with excited and sheepish smiles.
"Everyone must be so happy to see you huh?" She winked at Link, only causing him to blush. "Well, I can't complain. My boyfriend is hot." She giggled behind her bouquet of flowers. "Anyway I'm going to put these away." Zelda said, motioning at her flowers before approaching her stairs.
"I'll set everything up." Link told her.
Once she was gone, he nodded at Maria and her group of maids. The signal ushered them to scurry off and prepare the flowers, candles and cutlery in the dining table. Link had already informed them that he would be the one to cook, so after settling in the kitchen, he looked through the fridge to make sure that the ingredients were set. He peaked into the dining room and was taken aback by the beauty of it.
The architecture of the building had always been beautiful but the dining room was far more spectacular that usual. The fireplace was lit; the candles were glowing brightly on the center cloth. On the cloth, a variety of flowers, leaves and branches were specifically placed patterned to compliment the delicate cutlery.
"Great job ladies." He praised, earning a giggle from all of them.
"How are things on your side ?" Maria asked.
"I feel like I'm forgetting something." Link confessed low enough so in the case that Zelda was around, they were the only ones who could hear. They all look around the room, trying to figure it out. The fireplace was lit, the champagne was currently iced and each vase had perfectly new flowers.
Maria pointed at the small recorder and the classical vinyl discs ready to be played, suggesting it's that something was wrong there.
Link shook his head. "No not that…" He pouted and patted his clothing when he realized that he left his jacket at Grogs. In his light jacket was the ring box. "I left the ring at Grog's!" The maids gasped at the news. "Oh shoot! I was too focused on all this that I forgot the one thing I needed!"
"Don't worry Mr. Link. Perhaps we can call someone to pick it up?" Link nodded while his brain was clouded with thoughts that clamoured down on him. Once one of them offered their phone, he realized that he didn't know Grog's number.
"Shit." He said, rarely a man to swear. "I don't know Grog's number."
"What about Master Jeff?" The owner of the phone suggested, leaning over him and pulling it from her contacts. He sighed in relief.
"Thank you." Link said while he waited for Jeff to pick up.
"Hello?" Jeff answered after the raining stopped. His voice sounded confused and curious.
"Hey Jeff, it's Link."
"Oh, what's up? You sound scared. You're not backing out are you? Do you need me to give you a prep speech?"
"No, it's not that." Link felt his throat tighten up as he sat with the gravity of what he had done. "I left the ring at Grog's place." There was a tsk from Jeff's and Link could hear a muffled dialogue exchange between Jeff and Jenn.
"Really?" Jeff asked in unbelief.
"Yeah, it's in my jacket. Ya mind grabbing it or calling Grog?"
"Yeah yeah, sit tight. I'll be there as soon as I can." Jeff hung up without waiting for a goodbye. He handed the phone back to the maid before he placed a heavy palm over his forehead.
"I'm sure it will all turn out alright." Maria encouraged. "If anything, you could bind a ring out of string and Zelda would still say yes."
"She'd probably be a little disappointed that the ring isn't at least sterling silver." One of the maids's pointed out but received a glare from all the others once Link fell into deeper despair. Before he had the time to respond, he could hear Zelda's voice call out to him form beyond the door.
He hurried outside and made sure to keep the door as closed as possible so she wouldn't see what was inside. Zelda was on top of the stairs, changed into more comfortable clothing.
"Hello mister." Zelda grinned as she leaned against the railing. "You look exhausted. What'cha planning behind those doors?"
"A special dinner for the both of us." He smiled nervously.
"Hopefully that's a little later because I'm still full from the pizza and junk food." She told him. "Come up, let's watch a movie or something."
"Alright. I'll be there." He sighed in relief over her suggested. "I'll be right after."
"Kay, I'll be in my room."
Once she was out of sight, Link turned around and poked his head through the door.
"Maria." He called out. The maids stopped their chatter as they diverted their attention at him. "Either Jeff or Grog will come by to drop my jacket off – which contains the ring. I'd appreciate if you can get that into my hands before we have dinner together."
"Certainly mister." Maria winked. "Now go off to your lady."
"Thanks, I owe you one."
"You owe me lots actually but they can easily be replaced every time you make Ms. Zelda happy." He parted them with a sweet and sincere smile before he left to join Zelda in her bedroom. Although he had the full right to enter without knocking, he had anyways.
"No, you can't come in." He heard her stern voice. "I'm joking. Come in." And he does.
Link noticed her bedside table carried his flowers and the large teddy bear he won her a long time ago was seated in the corner of the room. Around the teddy bear, there was a small sanctuary of a fluffy carpet, beanbag chairs, pillows and some books.
"Come boyfriend and snuggle with me." She called out, opening one side of her blanket. He grinned, eagerly joining her side on the couch. He noticed that the T.V. already had a movie set for them.
"What movie have you decied girlfriend?"
"An action drama with a little romance."
"A little romance huh?"
She shrugged and eventually giggled. Not that he necessarily carried because he'd be more focused on her anyways.
1
When the movie ended the peace came from the entertainment's distraction disintegrated before Link. Instead reality came barrelling through his stomach, churning it uncomfortably as Link was forced to admit that the ring was still not in his hand. However, despite his minor panic attack, he forced himself to remain calm by trusting Jeff.
"Are you actually crying?" He teased but helped her wiped her tears away.
"Daddy daughter relationships always get me going." She chuckled through her mucus filled throat before she leaned her head against his shoulder. No one bothered the conversation. The joy they felt from one another's touch easily appeased a wanting they had stored up. It was a powerful force that transcended the need for words.
However that was interrupted by Link's growling stomach. They both paused, shared a glance before they laughed.
"Okay then, let's go and eat now." Zelda said, standing from the couch and stretched.
"I'm cooking tonight." He reminded and joined her side.
"Oh, I like your cooking. It gets better every time."
"Good. I wouldn't want you to force something you didn't want to eat." He sheepishly grinned.
"Aww." She grabbed his arm and guided it over her shoulder. "Well trust me. I love your cooking."
1
When he opened the double doors, her mouth opened wide and was quickly followed by a big smile. "I'm so under dressed." She told him, motioning towards her short shorts and sweater.
"No, you look great." He insisted and took her by her hand.
He led her to one end of the table, pulled her seat open for her before pushing her chair in for her. While she settled down, Link started the anagram and began to play sweet classical music. He later escaped into the kitchen where he found his jacket neatly folded on the counter with the ring box on top of it.
He ran to it, pulled the box open and was instantly relieved when he saw the ring.
"Alright." He whispered to himself. "Off we go." And thanks to Anju's lessons, he was able to create and enjoy the delicious appetizer, main course and desert with his beloved.
"That was delicious. Thank you." Zelda commented after she finished the last bite of her flan. "You're so far though." She told him, looking from across the dining table.
"Hey, it's your house." He laughed.
"My parents house actually." She said behind her glass of water before she took a sip. "I really appreciate this Link. You even got us champagne for our anniversary! This is incredible." She continued to smile while Link, in all his effort, tried to remain calm. Yet his palm sweated around the suede ring box.
"This is a very special time for us after all but I wanted it to be extra special." At the mention of his words, he stood. His heart drummed loudly against his chest and deafened the sounds from his surroundings. The only thing that hadn't kept him from toppling over was his fierce concentration on Zelda. She looked confused, even more so as he approached her.
Each step felt melodic to Link as it took his entire willpower not to faint from his ever-beating heart. From his ever-sweaty hand, he only hoped that his forehead wasn't sweating either.
The whole image of Zelda was a constant reminder of why he was doing this and he was breathless when he finally reached her.
"Oh my gosh." Zelda said breathlessly when Link grabbed her hand and knelt on one knee. This famous or for some, infamous, gesture of the ultimate question posed in a relationship signalled Zelda what would be said after.
"Zelda Nohansen." His words spilled out of his lips without thought. His eyes remained locked onto Zelda's wide eyes that were attentive to the next following words. "You are the love of my life… Will you marry me?" He asked and fiddled to open the ring box with one hand. Once it cracked open to reveal the beautiful yet simple ring, Zelda felt herself become overwhelmed with emotions.
"Yes!" She answered quickly, holding back her excitement when he slipped the ring on her finger.
She impatiently waited for him to rise so she could smother him in her hug. They held each other for a long time, only pulling from each other to grab hurried kisses. In between, they'd murmur sweet words before Zelda finally stopped to look at her ring.
"It's not a big diamond." He stated out loud, feeling embarrassed that he'd give the President's Celebrity Daughter something so small.
"No, I love it." She told him, looking back into his eyes and pecked his lips again.
"It was my mothers." At that information, Zelda's eyes widened.
"Link…"
"I could have gotten you a new ring with a bigger diamond but this one means a lot to me… I do have the money to go buy another simply because I didn't expect Malon to still-" His babbles were stopped by her kiss. Except this time, it was far more passionately intense than all the other's they had shared.
It was foreign but so good.
Their lack of proper words made that clear.
Both were clearly overwhelmed with emotion, love and the very idea of them reuniting.
She nibbled at his lower lip, forcing a moan out of him. From his opened and vulnerable mouth, Zelda snuck her tongue through. Link jolted but didn't recoil. Instead he leaned in for more an electricity came crashing through him.
He melted at her touch much like she had with his.
"Wait, Zelda." He pulled back, gasping for air. She too was breathlessly ingesting as much air as she could before her eyes lustfully rested on his.
"Sorry." Zelda snapped out of it. "I-I know we're waiting till marriage… I uhm." She looked down at the ground and fiddled with her new ring. Seeing her so small and ashamed caused Link's heart to stir uncomfortably in his chest. He raised her head and forced her to look at him.
"I really want to Zelda." He reassured. "Believe me. As much as girls like to say you crave it, it's so much more intense for guys. I just want this time to be… sweet." He blushed. It was now his turn to look at the ground. A soft familiar hand rested on his cheek.
"I understand." She said and pecked his lips.
"How about that champagne?" Link asked after clearing up his throat.
"Let's have it up in my room. Don't worry, we'll reframe from doing anything like that." She giggled, giving him a smile. And she kept her word as he did with his. They spent the night talking about everything they didn't talk about and filling in every detail they missed out about each other through the two years leading up to three years. When they felt tired, they realized it to be 3 o'clock in the morning. Zelda and Link both slipped into bed, both too tired to make advances at each other – not like they were planning to anyways.
Tomorrow was going to be a new day where they would wake up to one another being fiancée and fiancé. The thought made both of them smile as they fell asleep within each other's arms.
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LOL. EDITED VERSION. Sorry you guys had to read the mess, even going through this again, I had to take breaks because it was too hard to read. Ughh and the original ending thoooo omgg I was such a lewd child