AN: In this chapter, Lee's appearance is described in greater detail. Keep in mind that when I think of zoras I think of the Twilight Princess zoras.
Also: This chapter is gonna be more about character development than real action.
Everything right now was so wonderful. The curtains were open just enough to allow a comfortable amount of light through. Betsy was lying in her own soft bed in her own nice, safe room; her face buried in a pillow. Her thick blankets were pulled up to her neck. The cool morning air nipped at the exposed part of her face, in contrast to the warmth beneath her blanket.
It had been several days since aforementioned misadventures in Clock Town. Betsy had traveled home to spend some time relaxing. It was Christmas break here, so she had no school and best of all she didn't have to worry about-
Wait, what is that sound? She could hear the dishwasher running in the kitchen. The shower was running so her dad was up. There were birds outside, and also… breathing? Yes, there was definitely breathing coming from somewhere next to her. Her stomach tied itself in knots. Who is that? Her first thought was maybe it's Kandace then she remembered Kandace lives with the zoras now! Oh my god- what kind of weirdo-?!
Betsy cried out as something she had assumed to be merely a part of her blanket began to groan and wrap around her. She twisted around until she was lying on her back and propped herself up on her elbows. The person was hiding under her covers. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the covers back.
"Lee!" She gasped, relieved.
The zoran boy propped himself up on his arm to look at her, "Good morning," He smiled innocently. It was almost like a nightmare she'd had once as a young child (except the zora in her nightmare had threatened to eat her). He looked so out of place here- his features were so alien. For a moment she only stared at him.
But- he's actually pretty handsome! She realized. Her face felt suddenly hot; she fell back onto her pillow breathing heavily.
"Uh- Betsy, are you alright?" He asked finally.
"I don't know," She felt like she had been struck with some sort of fever. She looked at Lee again; his skin seemed to absorb every color around him. Right now it had a sort of pale pink glow to it. It contrasted rather nicely with his eyes, which were a deep blue color.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
Her face suddenly broke into a smile- he was so pretty! "Oh, it's nothing,"
He looked at her strangely, then sat up and felt her face, "You're burning up! Are you getting sick?" He disappeared from the room and returned with a wet cloth, "The one time your best friend get to come visit and you're getting sick!" He said, in mock irritation, wiping her face.
"I can do it myself," She took the cloth from him, "Wait- how did you get here anyway?"
"Your sister was coming to visit and she said I could come along," He explained.
"Aha! So this is her fault!" She should have known her sister would be behind this, "Where is she? I need to hurt her. Now you can bother me here, too!"
"Oh, come on. Admit it, you like having me around!"
"What makes you say that?"
"Well, you haven't stopped me yet,"
"Huh?" It became apparent to her that he was about 5 inches from her face. He smirked when he saw her surprise. Then he leaned closer.
Her face grew really warm. Ah! This is too sudden! Betsy cried out and promptly slapped him before their lips could touch, "Stop it!"
He smiled rubbing the now painful area on his cheek, "Stop what?"
"Stop confusing me!"
"What's so confusing about a kiss?" He teased, and leaned close to her again. She managed to block him by grabbing his face and physically keeping it away from her own.
"Lee- stop it or I'll scream!"
He stopped and pouted playfully at her. Betsy found herself swooning and mentally slapped herself. What the hell am I thinking? It's not right…
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Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Kandace was busy making breakfast, while Japas slept at the kitchen table. Her dad entered the kitchen.
"Good morning, dad!" Kandace said brightly.
"Oh, good morning," Her father answered, surprised, "When did you get here?"
"Really early this morning," She answered, turning back to the stove, "I brought Japas and a friend of Betsy's over to visit, I hope that's okay,"
"Well, I don't see any problem with that. But where is Betsy's friend?" He asked, drying his hair with a towel.
"Get off!" A large crash was heard from the direction of Betsy's room.
"But, darling-!" There were sounds of a struggle.
Japas jerked awake, "What's all the noise?"
"That would be Lee," Kandace said, answering both her father's and Japas' questions.
They heard a door slam open. Betsy stomped out of her bedroom down the hall and came into the kitchen. Her lovely face was flushed and glistening with sweat. She was breathing heavily. There was a cut going across her cheek, no doubt from a close encounter with one of his fins.
"Wow, wild night?" Japas joked. Luckily the girls' dad missed the reference.
Betsy ignored him and instead walked up to her sister. For a moment she only glared, her sister's grin only making her angrier, "You're despicable,"
Just then Lee stumbled in, leaning against the door frame for support. He had a mark on his cheek in the shape of a hand and scratches all over his face and chest. His vision appeared off-focus. He was breathing hard, too. Somehow, he managed to stumble over to the kitchen table and sit next to Japas.
"Dude," Japas said, looking him over, "You really need to pick on someone your own size,"
After the morning's events and after her dad had given her a stern talking to about boys and responsible decisions and anger management, Betsy was finally allowed to sit down for breakfast. She was forced to sit next to Lee because all the other seats were taken. But it was all right because soon she was lost in her breakfast. Kandace had made chocolate chip pancakes and they were heavenly! Betsy felt all her troubles melting away with the chocolate. She was in good spirits again after the meal and so was everyone else.
Sensing that everyone was distracted, she quickly put her plate in the sink and made a beeline for her room, locking the door behind her. Finally, I'm alone! She looked around at her room. The mask stared, eyeless, from her nightstand. She picked it up and slipped it over her face again. It felt just as strange as before, except maybe worse because now it was getting really tight on her face. She reached up to pull it off but it wouldn't budge. Grasping the edge of the mask, she finally managed to rip it off.
It's changed again! The mask had more color in its face now. It was taking on a peach color and the lips were now turning a soft pink. The outline of her eyebrows was appearing now, too. And it was even taking on the smooth, soft texture of her skin.
There was a knock on her door. She answered it and her sister pushed her way in followed by Lee and Japas, "Sorry, sis. You won't escape us that easily," They all piled onto Betsy's bed.
"Okay, what do you guys want?" Betsy asked.
"I just wanna see my little sister," Kandace said innocently.
"Really, Kandace?" Betsy was unconvinced.
"Dang, Betsy!" Japas exclaimed, "Your room is so… normal. I thought there would be at least one wrestling poster,"
"No way, I don't watch stupid stuff like that!" She climbed up on the bed and found an empty spot on the bed next to Lee.
"Are you sure?" Lee asked. He rubbed the top of his head, "Then where'd you learn how to piledrive?"
"Hey!" Kandace interrupted, picking the mask up off of the bedside table, "Is that the same mask that Romani gave you? It's different!"
"Yeah, every time I put it on it gets more color in it," Betsy told her, "By the time the carnival comes around it's not even gonna look like a mask,"
"How weird…" Kandace put it back down, "Oh, yeah! Speaking of the carnival, what are you gonna wear?"
"Oh, I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it,"
"Well it's only a couple of days away so you gotta hurry," They shooed the boys out of the room and spent a few hours talking and looking through all of Betsy's clothes.
It was going really well until... "Kandace…" Kandace looked up, startled by Betsy's suddenly serious tone; they had been having fun just a moment earlier.
"What is it?" Kandace came and sat next to her on the bed.
Betsy didn't answer immediately, "Well… it's just that…" She didn't even really know what she wanted to ask.
Kandace only smiled knowingly, "Is this about Lee?"
"Huh? How did you know?"
"Just a guess," Kandace smiled.
"Well… you know he likes me, right?"
Kandace nodded.
"And you know how I feel about… people like him, right?"
She nodded again, "So tell him you really seriously don't like him that way,"
"Uh… that's not it…" Betsy blushed and looked down at her lap. Her sister was silent for a moment. Curious, she looked up. Kandace was grinning at her- an amused, delighted grin.
Betsy was beginning feel creeped out, "What?"
"Oh, Betsy, I'm so happy! You're finally growing up and getting over your stupid prejudice!" She put her arms around her, "Listen, if you do like him it's not a big deal- at least not in the way you think it is. I mean, even if he is a different species, he's a person just like you! It's not like you're falling in love with a cat or a horse or something,"
"Well, maybe you're right," Betsy felt a little better. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad for me and him…
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In the end, Betsy decided to wear a pink, lacy shirt; pastel yellow mini jacket; and a teal miniskirt with pink lace (And of course what she was now referring to as the Death Mask).
Kandace called their dad and Japas in to see, but kept Lee out in the hall.
"Hey, you look nice," Their father said, and Japas nodded in agreement.
"How come I can't see it?" Lee complained when he was finally aloud to come in.
Betsy sat next to him on the bed, "I have to make an entrance, ya know,"
"But everyone else got to see!" He whined.
"But you're my date to the carnival, aren't you? You have to be surprised," He perked up at the mention of the word "date."
"Betsy- really?" He looked genuinely surprised.
"Well- yeah, I mean if you still want to," She looked down at her lap, blushing.
Lee took her hands. When she looked up at him he was smiling. It wasn't a smirk like usual, though. It was an open and honest smile. Her breath caught in her throat.
"You know I do," He told her, and kissed one of her hands. She blushed even darker.
They were snapped out of their romantic moment when a sob sounded from across the room. They turned to look and it turned out to be Kandace. She was watching them with tears in her eyes while clutching to Japas.
She said in a rather high-pitched voice, "My baby sister is growing up!"
"Oh- sorry. She has a thing about love stories," Japas explained and led her out of the room closing the door behind him.
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