Just a forewarning for content, there is a trigger warning for: homophobic slur.
Hope you enjoy. :)
Disclaimer: Nintendo owns Zelda.
Chapter 4 - Right of Passage
It was dawn. A bright yellow from the sun's rays entered through the thin curtains, hitting Link's face. From the inane heat, he stirred slightly in his sleep and rolled over, facing away from window.
Link was still inside the hospital. Navi the nurse occasionally stopped in his room just to see if he would need any help if he awoke.
He looks so peaceful, thought a smiling Navi.
She held her hand to her mouth as she eyed him carefully. In the visitor's chair beside the bed, she took a quick break and sat down at Link's bedside. Her knees were tucked in at her chest and she rested her arms on top of them. Navi was very fond of Link already as if she had had him as a friend for years. There was something different and spectacular about this boy; Navi felt that she just had to appreciate him unconditionally.
Link's hair shone a beautiful gold colour and it reflected onto Navi's face, making it glow. She stretched her arm out to touch his golden locks. Link stirred again and Navi quickly snapped her arm back. She sat there a moment more, watching Link.
Abruptly, Link's eyes fluttered open and he stared over at Navi.
"What are you—?" Link never finished and he tightly closed his eyes, body obviously curling up from pain. He felt worse than yesterday.
"What's the matter?" Navi asked in concern, tilting her head as she immediately stood.
"It hurts..." he wheezed out.
She nodded and answered, "Be right back..." She left the room in a jog.
He kept his eyes closed and stayed still, not wanting to further induce this pain.
Link heard Navi's footsteps come back into the room and he slightly opened his eyes to squint in her direction. In Navi's hand she held a clear, glass bottle that did not look like it was of hospital regulations. It had a weird substance inside that was a blood red colour. It looked like some kind of thick juice, but it was something unfamiliar to him.
"What... is that?" he barely made out.
"It's a healing potion. It was something the Hero of Time himself used to heal wounds or help control pain. They used to make these potions back in his time but its recipe had since been lost," she explained quietly.
That rang a bell to Link as he was a big fan of history. He hadn't ever heard of the colour of this potion though, so this was news to him.
"It was passed down from generation to generation in my family. I was supposed to use it for myself if something happened, but I suppose you could use it, Link! It should still work..."
"No, Navi, use it for... yourself." He winced, writhing slightly in bed as he hugged his stomach closely under the blankets. "I'm not w-worth it. Just give me some more medication in m-my IV."
"No, Link. I don't care. You can have it. I believe this is yours." She popped the cork off and handed him the bottle, making him sit up to hold it. "Drink," she advised.
He looked at Navi with sorrow, the bottle clutched tightly in his hands, and then shook his head. She nodded firmly, her face growing stern. Link looked down suspiciously at the bottle and soon began to drink it. It slightly burned his throat, but it felt good at the same time. He finished off the whole bottle in one chug, and wiped his mouth, letting out a loud breath for air.
Navi gave him a questioning look. Link shrugged painfully, feeling no different. She took the empty bottle from his hand, sighing loudly.
"I guess it didn't—"
"Wait." Link stuck out a hand at her. He felt different. His body tingled all over and it actually felt... good. He could feel his stamina rising quickly. Nothing hurt. Not a bone or anything.
"Link! Your face!" Navi pointed, voice full of surprise. She ran into the private bathroom in his room and came out with a mirror. Navi shoved it in his hand so he looked at his reflection.
He was handsome again. No more stitches, not a scratch in sight. It was as if the altercation between him and Dark never occurred. His face was once again bright like before.
"Thank you, Navi! Thank you so much!" He leapt easily out of the bed and hugged her tightly. She blushed and gingerly returned his hug. He laughed loudly. "Sorry. I'm a little over excited because this is just ridiculously awesome," he laughed out, then covering his face.
"It's okay!" She giggled along with him.
"How can I ever repay you?" he asked eagerly.
"You don't have to. Let's just say... it's your birthday gift!" She beamed.
"This is the best birthday gift I have ever received! Thank you!" He squeezed her again. Link inhaled madly and tried to professionally regain his composure. He smiled gratefully at her once more and she nodded.
"Am I allowed to go home now?" he asked after a couple moments of silence.
"Yes! Of course you can! Just let me call the doctor to get rid of your cast and IV in your arm!"
Navi pointed behind him and he had the IV line stretched all the way across the bed as he stood beside her. With wide eyes, he right away sat down and smiled sheepishly.
"Oops," was all he replied with breathlessly.
"It's all right. I'll be right back!" she announced and rush out of the room.
She assisted him in the removal of his cast by calling for a doctor and almost instantly got it removed, along with the IV needle. Link escaped into the bathroom to change as Navi waited for him within his bedroom. He came out in regular jeans, t-shirt, and sweater and smiled crookedly at Navi on the bed.
"So, how do I look?" he asked jokingly, giving Navi an entire 360 spin.
She laughed at his playfulness. "You look fantastic, Link! Let's head out now!"
Together they walked down the hall and as they stopped in front of the main doors, Navi turned to Link to speak before his departure.
"I hope you have a fun birthday," Navi said thoughtfully, arms behind her back.
"I will. Thanks so much again." He rested his hand on the door's bar to push it open.
"Wait!" Navi grabbed his shoulder to stop him before going outside.
"Hmm?"
"You look just like him..." She looked hard at his cerulean blue eyes.
"Who?"
"... The Hero of Time," she answered quietly, soon blushing, but not entirely knowing why.
"Thanks! I've heard that one before," he replied, and then smiled. "You know what?"
"What?" Navi asked playfully.
"You look just like her. His partner, the fairy," he stated, nodding as he gazed along her face. "From as far as history depictions go of her description, she looks a lot like how you do if she were human!"
She couldn't help the abrupt tears forming in her deep blue eyes. Link realized this must have been a big compliment for her. "Thanks. I-I've never heard that from anyone before," she sniffed at him. "They don't really ever pay attention to the fairy, so thank you."
He smiled hugely and gave her a little salute at that. He walked out the door, nodding his good-bye over his shoulder. The glass door thumped close behind him so he glanced back again, noticing tears falling down Navi's face as she waved excitedly at him. Now alone, and walking just fine, he exhaled loudly from this extremely weird turn of events.
You've got to love a girl like that.
He smirked at that thought. He put his earphones in his ears, then turning his iPod on full blast to prepare for the venture home. It'd be a bit of a walk, but he knew his parents weren't going to be home and he felt as alive as ever. He sucked in a huge breath of air, happy to be outside again. It felt like an eternity, but he was only in the hospital for two days.
Link was so thankful for Navi. He would have never healed properly if it weren't for her. He beamed again, walking down the road, heading back to his house.
0o0o0o0o0o0
"I'm home!" Link announced quietly and sarcastically to himself, walking into his house. He turned off his iPod and hung up his sweater. He paused, waiting for a reply and didn't get one. Thought so. Nobody's home to greet me like I thought, he thought gruffly. Link walked through the hallway and into the kitchen.
To Link's surprise, his scruffy, blond haired dad was sitting at the table on his laptop with earphones plugged into it. At the movement from Link in the room in the corner of his eye, Link's dad glanced up and immediately ripped his earphones out, slamming his laptop shut.
"Oh my Gods and Goddesses, Link, you're home! And looking fine!" his father announced madly, standing from the table. He rushed across the room to take Link into a surprise bear hug, in which Link almost cried because he hadn't received a hug from his dad in ages. "Honey!" his dad shouted a bit louder.
There was a quick movement of feet coming down the stairs and Link's mother abruptly was hugging Link from behind, crying softly. Link was frozen and his eyes were wide as he was stuck in a parent sandwich.
"You're home?" he squeaked out finally.
"Yes, Link. We're terribly sorry for all of your other birthdays," his mother replied right away, knowing exactly what her son meant by his question. "We were just... so busy. Goodness, we were just coming up to visit you in the hospital for your special day!"
At these words from Link's mother, both of his parents stood back and eyed their son in awe.
"But that has to wait! Sit down, you have to explain!" his father jested and rushed back to his spot at the table.
Link and his mom also soon were seated; Link laughed as they really didn't have to seat themselves for his quick explanation. His mom eyed him elatedly with her watery blue eyes and she madly rushed her hands back through her long red hair.
"Navi, my nurse, I'm assuming you guys saw her... she had a healing position from the Hero of Time himself and decided to give it to me. It worked and now I'm all better."
"Incredible!" his father shouted, hands firmly pressed on the table. "Wow, I can't believe it worked after all this time!"
Link laughed. "Actually, I was surprised it wasn't expired."
Both of his parents laughed at that.
"So, since you're all better, and it's your birthday, we can get this all done like I originally planned," Link's dad explained in a elated manner, hands together. Link's mother also looked very happy, but Link was confused.
"You've planned something for me?"
"You should know, Link, that this birthday is no ordinary birthday," his father explained. Link was still dumbfounded by what he meant. "This is the year of when you become a man. You need to receive your Right of Passage."
Link now knew exactly what he meant. When male Hylians turned the age of eighteen, they usually had their ears pierced to show their manhood. It wasn't necessary, but a cool thing to do to show off a male's newly acquired maturity.
"I'll do it," Link agreed, grinning at his father.
"That's my boy!" His dad raced from his spot and patted Link on his back, urging him to also stand. "So, how about those earrings right now?"
"Now?!" Link laughed out at his dad's excitement. "Sure!"
"Bye, honey." His father rushed to Link's mother and pecked her on the lips. "Be back soon."
Quickly, Link and his father grabbed their sweaters from the coat rack in the front hallway and left to the piercing store in the mall.
0o0o0o0o0o0
Link and his father spent a long time at the store.
Link couldn't decide on what colour of earrings to get. He eventually picked out two small hoops which matched his eyes wonderfully.
"Perfect choice, son!" his dad encouraged.
After they were chosen, Link got his ears pierced. It was painful, but he did make out all right.
"Have a look." The man that did his ears offered him a mirror.
Link took the mirror from his hands and he looked into it. His ears were a little swollen, but he liked the earrings very much. They suited him very well.
"Thank you so much," Link said thankfully.
The guy nodded and gestured a hand back at the cash register across the room. Link's father went over, paid him, and thanked him again.
Link and his father put their sweaters back on and after walking through the mall a bit more, they left the building. A north wind fiercely blew both of the blond men's hair around.
"Such nice manners," his father joked.
He rubbed the back of his messy hair bashfully. "Well, I meant it. Ever since I met that girl in the hospital... Dad, she was supposed to use that potion for herself," Link addressed suddenly. His dad cocked an eyebrow. They continued to walk through the parking lot as Link further explained, "If she were to get into trouble, she was supposed to use it on herself. She was kindhearted enough to use it on me. She may never find anything like it again! I would have eventually healed! But something fatal could happen to her and there would be nothing to help! And she would die! All thanks to me!" Link's nose began to sting and he felt tears rising to his eyes; with much effort, he tried to hold them back.
"Now, now. It's okay." His father grabbed Link and hugged him tightly to his chest. Link looked at his dad's glowing, emerald green eyes and smiled. "And besides, you can't cry now. You're a man!" he whispered jokingly. The two men hugged each other for quite a long time in the middle of the parking lot.
"Move out of the way, fags!" yelled the driver of a car behind them. Suddenly, he honked his car horn repeatedly, telling them to move.
"We're not gay!" Link yelled back. Link's dad grabbed Link and moved him out of the way onto the nearby island. The car drove quickly by, still honking. His father looked at Link, then at the driving car, and at Link again. He smiled hugely and burst out laughing.
Link looked at his disorientated father and thought, What is wrong with him? He couldn't figure out what was so funny. Link was thinking the driver was indeed correct. They probably did look gay.
Link's father was only thirty-three; he was fifteen years older than Link. His dad looked exactly like him, though. Link was almost his dad's twin except for the green eyes and longer hair. He was a thirty-three year old trapped in what looked like a teenager's body.
His father pushed his long, golden hair out of his face and wiped his eyes from the tears.
"Wow, that was funny!" his dad laughed out.
"I don't see how..." Link said in a monotone volume.
"He called us 'fags'. I was hugging you and you're my son!"
"But we did look gay!" Link exclaimed, shoving his hands into his sweater's pockets.
"No, I don't see how," said his confused father.
"Dad, you look like a teenager! You look my age and you're thirty-three! Your hair is like, past your shoulders! You look like my twin in age or something!"
"Then that's good, eh?" His father smirked and winked at Link.
"Wow." Link rolled his eyes.
They neared their car and his dad pulled out his keys. The men both got into the car and his father turned on the engine. They pulled out of the busy parking lot and drove towards home.
On the drive home, more often than not, Link was looking out the window watching all the passing cars. He hated the new, awkward silence between him and his father since the parking lot incident, so he felt he had to start a conversation.
"So? How did you get your job as a lawyer?" Link asked nonchalantly.
"Going to school for education, Link," his father joked in return. "You know that."
"No, I mean by your looks," he replied sharply and shot a look at his driving father.
Link's father laughed. "Now that was a big fuss! They almost didn't let me work there! The firm said I had to cut my hair but I wouldn't let them touch it!" Link snorted as his father ran a hand through his long hair. "So, I put it up."
"Put it up? Like, in a hair tie?" Link asked, chuckling.
"Yeah? What's so funny?"
All Link could see right now was his father's hair up in a bright pink and fuzzy hair tie.
"Pfft... it's funnier than being called a fag!" Link laughed loudly.
"My hair doesn't look that bad when it's up!" his dad argued defensively.
Link burst out laughing.
"Hey, hey, hey!"
Link just laughed even more.
"Yeah, okay, okay. I'll show you when we get home." The father sighed loudly.
Link nodded and turned to look out the window. "Greatest birthday ever," he whispered softly.
Link and his dad were now comfortably silent for the rest of the ride home.
0o0o0o0o0o0
"Happy birthday, Link!" his mother greeted them at the front door as they returned home.
In her hands, she held a beautifully made cake; it was a round cake covered in a thick layer of white icing with 'Happy 18th Birthday, Link!' written across the top of it in blue icing.
"Made it myself," she shared eagerly, "Just for you, sweety." Link's mom pecked her son on the cheek, and the three of them walked into the house together. "I've also made us a nice lunch," she said, bringing the cake into the kitchen. The men hung up their jackets and followed the mother in.
The meal Link's mother made looked absolutely delicious. It looked like Thanksgiving dinner except it was just for Link's birthday. Link grinned widely, but then looked at his mother in shock.
"All this? For me?" he gasped.
"Hey, what about me? I'm hungry too!" exclaimed his father.
Link's mother laughed at the two of them. "Let's eat before it gets cold."
Link rolled his eyes, smiling. His father and mother sat down at the table with Link. At the same time, they all began to eat the delicious lunch.
0o0o0o0o0o0
After Zelda had visited Link at the hospital on Saturday she was worried Dark was going to find out. With Link on her mind all day, it was inevitable that Dark was going to find out sooner or later. He was good at snooping around and guilting Zelda into speaking her mind anyway.
"Zelda?" asked a male voice.
Her train of thoughts broke as the voice interrupted. She widened her eyes. "Y-yeah?" Zelda found herself back in Dark's room once again, sitting on his bed. Dark was absentmindedly caressing her hair. "Yeah?" she repeated more firmly.
"What are you thinking about?" Dark asked, playing yet with her golden locks.
"Oh, it-it was nothing," she said a little too quickly.
"Mhmm?" Dark cocked an eyebrow.
She giggled like a little girl. "You." She smiled softly. He smirked back and kissed her on the neck.
"Where did you go yesterday, Zel?" he asked, bringing his hands to her body instead. She loved the feeling of his rough hands holding her figure. However, she had not been ready to answer Dark's question.
"Oh. I just—uh—went home. I had a lot of homework to do..." she said with a little tone of nervousness. She had gotten uncomfortable now with him asking so many odd questions.
Dark stared at Zelda suspiciously. "Uh huh. Are you sure about that?"
Zelda didn't answer. You have to keep your mouth shut, Zel!
"Come on, babe! Tell me!" he said, starting to get irritated. She opened her mouth to say something; nothing came out. "Zelda Harkinian, where the Hell were you?" he yelled, standing up from his bed. He raised a hand to slap her. Shocked that he'd do such a thing, she flinched and closed her eyes. "Where were you?" he growled again, hand still raised.
"I-I was at the hospital!" she squeaked out.
Dark stayed in the same position. "Doing what?"
"Visiting..." She stalled and cracked open her cautious violet eyes to peek at Dark. He raised his hand higher and she flinched again. "... Link," she whispered.
SMACK!
Dark slapped Zelda right across the cheek. The movement was so abrupt that Zelda hadn't realized it occurred until her face started stinging. She raised a trembling hand to her red face and started to cry.
"Zelda! Oh, Goddesses, I'm so sorry," Dark apologized quickly, realizing his mistake. His stomach swam with a new and inexplicable nausea.
"How dare you!" she bellowed out, tears pouring madly down her face.
"Zel, I—" He went to hold her, but she pushed away.
"Don't touch me!" she cried out. Zelda got off the bed and ran out of his bedroom.
"Zelda! Wait, I can explain!" he whimpered. Before even getting to the top of his landing, he could already hear her car pulling out of his driveway. "I can explain..." he repeated to himself.
Defeated, he slumped back into his bedroom and collapsed on his bed, breathing hard.
How could I slap my girlfriend? I'm such an asshole. I shouldn't have taken my anger out on her! he thought. I should have taken it out on a certain someone! He began cracking his knuckles. A certain someone named Link!
Ooooooooooooohhh! Link's in trouble now! I wonder what's in store for him!
Please R&R.
