I am alive... And I feel so horrible for being away for so long. The truth of the matter is that I have really hit a rough patch in my life. Keeps going up and down, and I'm trying really hard to overcome all of this. I do have my ideas for Running To You and I am hoping that when I am on break from school and can finally upload the long awaited chapter. I know it's horrible of me to say this, but please, bear with me a little longer. I can only hope that the wait in the end will be worth it. I'm just really struggling with life and motivation right now...

Today, I actually had a snow day from university so I happened to complete two out of five essays that are due within the next week and a half or so, and I thought, this would be a great chance for me to get some creative juices flowing. I worked on this for over 4 hours, so I'd like to think I worked hard on it. I kinda skimmed it over to check for mistakes, I'll probably look it over in the next couple of days and fix anything major if need be. The truth of the matter is, I'm just so damn excited to post this update! So please, enjoy and don't be too mad with me.

I love all my wonderful reviewers and fans!

Hot Chocolate

"Zelda!"

I groaned, placing the open book I was holding on an empty space on my bed as I turned my body and buried my face into my pillow in a poor attempt to hide from my best friend's voice.

"Zelda!" The voice was a little louder this time.

"Oh," came my muffled reply. Any second now, any second and my bedroom door is about to burst open courtesy of my best friend. Three... two... one...

Boom!

"Zelda! Get up, get up!" Suddenly I'm grabbed by my shoulder and shaken. "I know you're not sleeping, you were studying a mere five minutes ago."

I groaned once more. "Okay, okay," I muttered, rolling over so I was on my back. "I'm up, Link, I'm up, so quit acting like a five year old," I mentioned, slowly sitting up in my bed.

Yes, my best friend is a boy. No, he's not five years old. Yes, he has easy access to my bedroom. No, he's not my boyfriend. Sadly, I whispered in the back of my mind. Link has such easy access to my bedroom because him and I are roommates. We are both studying at Hyrule University in our third year. Link studies in the field of Ancient History. Don't ask why, I find history to be rather boring for the most part. I on the other hand prefer the Arts, like Literature studies. There is less stuff to memorize and more room to be creative with what I do. Anyways, Link and I go way back to seventh grade. He stood up to a bunch of bullies for me one day at recess and we've been friends ever since. Cliché, I know, but just because you've thought that now, I won't let you know if Link got his butt whooped or did the butt whooping. And here you thought a girl is always nice. Oh well. I smiled, looking up at my handsome best friend. Just because we're friends doesn't me that I'm not allowed to think of him as super gorgeous. He has this luscious blond hair, long but not long, you know what I mean? Long enough to grip it passionately if we were in a lip lock. Oops, did I just think that? How embarrassing. I can't help it. He has deep blue eyes that just seem to read your soul every time he looks at you. His body is well toned and muscular. Let's just say I wouldn't want to get into a fight with him. And his personality is just awesome. We can talk about anything, and he'll always smile and know exactly what to say. He's never made me feel stupid. He's always there for me. Now that I think about it, maybe we should just date. Oh, who am I kidding, we're best friends, he'd never like me that way. I frown.

"Why are you frowning, Zel?"

Zel. How I love that nickname he gave me years ago. A smile went on my lips almost instantaneously.

"It's a snow day today," he said happily. He grabbed my forearms and lifted me off of my bed. He dragged me to the window and pointed excitedly outside as if a five year old had just discovered Santa walking nonchalantly down the street.

Minus the Santa, the outside world looked exactly like the North Pole. There was snow everywhere! And it was still lightly coming down. I suppressed a giggle as a noticed a couple of cars completely engulfed in snow. They won't be going anywhere for a while, I thought. The sounds of children's laughter filled my ears as I also noticed some of the neighbourhood kids playing out in the snow, making snow forts, and snow angels, and having snowball fights. I felt Link nudge me in the shoulder. I turned my head and raised my eyes up at him. "What?" I questioned , trying not to smile at the sly smirk that played at his lips.

"Let's go outside and play," he whispered as he moved dangerously close to my ear.

I laughed and turned my body fully towards him. "Link," I began, "we're 20, soon to be 21, I don't think we should go out and play in the snow as if we're children."

"It'll be fun," he smiled. "Besides you know you want to. All you ever do is study, study, study. Playing in the snow will be therapeutic for you."

"Thank you, Dr. Link," I stated rolling my eyes.

"Please Zel," he pleaded, grabbing my hand and I instantly felt my whole body heat up. "I promise you won't regret it," he reasoned, slowly guiding me out of my room.

The yellow coloured walls and floral paintings were all a blur to me as suddenly I was down the oak stairs and in the foyer in front of the wooden door with Link putting on his green winter jacket and fancy, slightly oversize green tuque that somehow fit him just right. "Zel, get dressed," Link spoke, breaking me out of my trance as I was watching him put on his boots.

"Oh, right," I whispered, grabbing my purple scarf that was hanging off of the coat hooks beside my own black winter coat. I was in the process of zipping up my coat when I felt a sudden pressure up top my head. I looked up only to see Link with that goofy grin on his face.

"I got your hat for you," he said, still smiling childishly. He adjusted my tuque accordingly and brushed a few strands of blond hair away from my face with his seemingly warm brown gloves.

"Thank you," I smiled at him, quickly slipping on my boots and lacing them up. "Ready to go then?" I asked, standing straight and looking at him.

"Indeed," he grinned, opening the door for me like the gentleman that his is. My hands reached inside my coat pockets and pulled out my purple gloves. And yes, if you haven't guess by now, my tuque was purple well. I started to put them on as Link walked outside behind me and lightly shut the door.

Link and I, needless to say, had a blast outside in the snow. We built a whole snowman family out in front of the house. I ran inside the house to grab some decorations for our new family, while he finished shaping them up. I managed to find a bag a mixed buttons I happened to have on my for the times I feel like doing odd crafts, or even sewing. I grabbed some carrots for the nose and rushed back outside to find Link sticking some twigs, which I'm sure he pulled off of some nearby trees, into the snowmen's bodies to make arms. We couldn't hold in out laughter as we fooled around with the buttons and carrots and eventually made the most perfect looking snowman family that ever existed on Hylia Lane. Eventually we had moved on other snow activities.

There was a light, cool wind outside. It would gently blow snowflakes towards me and they would either land in my hair or on my tuque. At least, it was gentle until Link would grab a handful of the fluffy powder and just toss it up in the air. I think he had made it his own personal goal to just cover me in snow. So I grabbed a bunch of snow and balled it within my hands, giving it a nice circular shape. I smiled devilishly and while Link was in the middle of tossing another round of snow into the air, I took aim and fired my manmade snowball. I burst out laughing as the snowball made contact with the side of his face and looked at me with his mouth wide open and his eyes the size of saucers. "Ha ha, Link," I giggled as I attempted to hide my laughter by politely covering my mouth.

"You're in trouble now," he growled playfully, completely ignoring the snow that covered his face and took my distracted moment of me laughing at him to his advantage. He ran at me and encircled his arms around my waist. I let out a high pitched screech as he laughed and spun me around. And before we both knew it, Link had lost his footing in the snow and we had crashed into the soft ground. Normally I wouldn't be bothered with fall, people fall all the time; I fall all the time. But this time, this time was different because I feel with Link, and Link fell on top of me.

The snow started to settle as we both took a moment to catch our breaths. I can just imagine what we must look like right now to the little children wandering about, I thought carelessly to myself. Two members of the snowman family getting ready to consummate their feelings with one another. Nice thoughts there, Zelda girl, I chided myself. Link himself didn't seem to be wondering nor paying attention to the scenery around us, his eyes were solely fixed upon mine. Remember how I told you his eyes have these magical powers where they can see into your soul and just mesmerize you... well it's true! And I felt the heat rise into my cheeks as I couldn't help but stare back at him.

"Zel," he whispered, his hands supporting himself up on either side of my arms. He leaned in a little closer so that his forehead was nearly touching my own. I started to panic. Sure this is every girl's winter fantasy come true, and I want it bad, but really... out here in public?

"Link," I whispered back up to him.

He must have noticed the shakiness in my voice that I didn't even realize was there because the next thing I knew he was gently helping off of the ground and dusting himself off. "Shall we go inside and make ourselves so nice glasses of hot chocolate?" he asked quietly.

"That sounds lovely," I told him. I reached for his hand and took hold of it as we walked back to our house in silence.

I had wrapped myself up in blankets and sat quietly on the couch while Link worked away in the kitchen making our glasses of hot chocolate. When we came inside, we quickly stripped ourselves of our outdoor gear and hung it all to dry. It was then that I noticed that we had been outside for more than three hours. Link told me to go start warming up in the family room and to put on the gad fireplace. I told him I'd turn the fireplace on, but then I'd come help out with our drinks. He insisted that he'd worry about the hot chocolate and that I should go make myself comfortable, put a movie on and warm up. We bickered for a little bit, until I decided it was silly to argue over who was going to make two glasses of hot chocolate; hot chocolate that required boiling water and a pack of hot chocolate mix, and a splash of milk for creaminess. I shook my head, letting him win this little battle, as I made my way upstairs to quickly throw on some warm sweatpants and a baggy t-shirt. I made my way downstairs and Link was still working away in the kitchen. Trying to make me the most perfect hot chocolate I've ever had, I chuckled to myself. So I made my way into the family room, turned on the fireplace and popped in the DVD Made of Honor. I know, sappy film of best friend falling in love with best friend, but hey, maybe Link will take a hint. He sure seemed to want to do something outside. The clanking sound of stirring spoons had brought me out of my thoughts and back to the warm, comfy couch I was on while waiting for Link for the past five minutes or so.

"Link's famous hot chocolate is ready to be served, ma dear," he sung happily, entering the room and placing the mugs down onto the coffee table.

Thank the goddesses he did that, otherwise I would have dropped hot chocolate all over the floor in shock. He was wearing normal grey sweatpants, but that was it, just the sweatpants, no shirt. "Uh, Link," I had to control myself from stuttering, not to mention drooling over his well toned six-pack. "Isn't it a little cold to just be wearing pants?"

"Naw," he smiled, swiftly sitting down beside me and getting under the same blankets that I had taken comfort in.

"Link!" I gasped.

"What?"

"Nothing," I chuckled nervously, slowly inching closer towards him.

He reached his arms around me, managing to grab the DVD remote from the side table and then pull me closer to him at the same time. "Made of Honor I see," he mentioned, finally clicking play and making the annoying menu screen finally disappear. I had only been watching it for the past five minutes.

"Yes, I like this movie," came my rebuttal.

"I know you do," Link smiled.

"Good, now stop complaining, shut up, and drink your hot chocolate," I laughed, taking my arms out of the tangle of blankets momentarily to grab the two mugs of the delicious chocolate liquid. "Mmm, marshmallows," I whispered, noticing the many white, puffy marshmallows that Link had stuffed into both of our glasses. I moved back towards his chest and handed him his drink as he seemed to move around to make us both more comfortable on the couch. The credits had finally rolled away and the movie had officially begun when I took my first sip of my steaming hot drink. The taste was like an explosion of, well... goodness, for lack of a better term, in my mouth. "Link, this is delicious," I told him as I licked my lips, savouring every last bit of chocolate that I could.

"It is, is it?" he asked, looking down at me.

I nodded my head as I moved in to take another sip.

"I'm glad you like it, Zel," he smiled. "The best hot chocolate in the world for the greatest girl in the world."

"Link?" I questioned, looking up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You know what I mean, Zel," he spoke with a serious tone in his voice. He shifted us upward as he took my not even half finished drink that I was reluctant to part with from my hands and placed it on the coffee table once more. He was quick to entrap me within his arms once again.

"Link, what are you doing?" My nerves were back as I tried not to fall victim to his lovely eyes.

"You know," he whispered. He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear as it had obscured his vision of me from him. "You're lovely, beautiful even," he chuckled lightly, moving his head downward and planting a kiss on my cheek. Kisses on my cheek were a normal thing from him. But this time, this kiss was different. This one held so much more emotion behind it. Breaking me out of my thoughts once more, Link had placed his forehead on top of mine. "I had so much fun playing out in the snow with you today. You just know how to live, how to make me happy," he grinned. "You complete such a childish boy like me."

His lips were soft against mine. They were gentle and afraid at first, but I was quick to wrap my arms around his neck. I hungrily kissed him back, taking the sweet taste of chocolate and marshmallows from his lips. Goddesses this was a wonderful feeling, don't let it stop. To my slight surprise and mostly great pleasure, he held me closer to him as he tried to awkwardly keep the blankets on top of us as well. We shifted on the couch in our lip lock and I gently, slowly pulled away from him as I pushed his back into the seat of the couch. I took great pleasure in pushing him down slowly and getting a wonderful feel of his toned and bare chest.

"All done already?" he questioned with a frown. Both of his hands had grabbed my thighs and held them steady. I'd be lying if I said he didn't also give them a nice rub. Revenge for me feeling his chest probably? Most likely.

"Not at all," I whispered, lowering myself cautiously on top of him with a seductive smile on my lips. I felt his little friend become aroused at my delaying of certain events to come. I chuckled, "That was just to get the taste of chocolate off of your lips, now I go for the real thing." I lowered my head and caught his lips in a heated kiss. He wrapped his arms around me exploring my body and I only gladly responded by giving him the same treatment. And before we knew it this fun filled snow day full of snow, laughter, movies, blankets and hot chocolate had left us as a very passionate couple upon a comfy couch; movies and blankets discarded. And again, before we knew it, one of our foots had managed to leave the safety of the couch and knocked over our mugs of hot chocolate with a light crash onto the ground.

"Link!" My head shot up.

"What?" he asked in bewilderment.

"I never got to finish my delicious hot chocolate," I said with a frown.

"What?" he stated rather confusedly. He shook his head. "I'll make you some more later, beside we have a much better way to keep warm besides hot chocolate," he smirked, tangling his fingers in my hair and pulling me down for another wonderful, mind blowing kiss.