A/N: Hello everyone! I wanted to update quickly, especially since this chapter was so much fun to write. Thank you everyone for you reviews (and correcting my spelling mistakes, man, I always miss some!). Personally, I think music is seriously important when writing, but it also creates an awesome mood when reading as well! I've put a list of songs that inspired certain chapters of this story on my profile, but the music that accompanies this chapter is the most important. If you care, check it out. If not, please enjoy anyway!
Just so you know, NuRave is a new musical trend over here. I don't know if anyone outside the UK is into it. Hmm, think loud indie music with a rave beat and loads of people wearing skinny fit jeans and loud coloured tees. Got that? That, my friend, is NuRave.
Silverpistola
Chapter 7 - Babysitters
"Where's Marx?" Zelda enquired, glancing around for any sign of their "son".
A smile flickered across Link's mouth. "With a babysitter."
"A babysitter?" Zelda repeated, incredulously, trying to ignore how that brief smile had made her feel.
"Yep."
Once she'd taken this information on board she noticed that Link wasn't exactly dressed for a study session. His black leather jacket betrayed an ulterior motive.
"I don't understand," she lied, feeling a strange anxiety in the pit of her stomach.
"You and me deserve a break from parenting. And after what you told me last night, I decided we should go out."
On a date? She burned to ask.
"Out where?"
This time he did smile, no doubt about it. "Somewhere I know you've never been before."
Zelda wasn't sure how he convinced her. It may have been skipping school the other day. Or that crazy dream the previous night. Or that leather jacket.
But most likely it was that smile, that smile that slid across his lips, coupled with a quirk of his brow that just dared her to take another risk.
The Deku Grotto was located on the outskirts of Woodside. The building resembled an old warehouse, which it might once have been. The bouncer on the door had too many tattoos and wasn't bothering to stop anyone as they wandered through the door.
The sun was sinking beneath the horizon. Link grinned.
"Don't look so scared. You might just like it."
She glanced around, speculatively, biting her lip. "It's not impossible, I guess."
He rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the door.
"Hey Link," The bouncer growled, nodding. Zelda stared at him wide-eyed. The bouncer stared back before nodding at her too. "Link's friend."
The first thing that Zelda saw was smoke. Clouds of cigarette smoke hung in the air like sweet, choking mist. As the smoke cleared she saw a dimly lit bar with leather couches scattered around. Further in the distance there was a large stage that was currently empty as the speakers pumped out Nu-Rave. The occupants of the couches were either smoking or chatting lazily. But what perturbed Zelda most was how, well, cool they all looked. Not cool like the magazines dictated, but rather haughty and rebellious.
She glanced down at her outfit and realised, with a sinking feeling, she stuck out like a sore thumb.
"Link!" A beautiful girl was gesturing to Link from one of the couches were she sat with a three guys of various heights and hair lengths. Link, who was still holding onto Zelda's hand, pulled her over to the group.
"Hey guys," Link greeted. Zelda had time to register the group all looked oddly exotic before her eyes were drawn to the girl. Goddesses, she was gorgeous; beautiful in the most defiant manner Zelda had ever seen. Her long hair was inky blue and her skin was pale like milky opals. A blue stud twinkled in her button nose and her dark blue eyes flashed like magic.
"Hey there," she aimed her greeting directly at Zelda this time.
"Um, hi," Zelda answered, cautiously.
"Oh, Zelda this is Lulu," Link introduced, quickly, "Evan, Japas and Tijo."
Another guy sidled over and dropped down next to Lulu. Like Japas and Tijo he had ink black hair and dark eyes, with the same ethereal white blue skin. He winked at Zelda.
"And that's Mikau," Link added.
The guys nodded at Zelda, but Lulu was looking at her with sudden interest.
"You guys playing tonight?" Link asked, still holding onto Zelda's hand. Lulu seemed to have noticed this as well.
"Aha," Lulu answered, not taking her eyes off Zelda. "In fact, I need to get ready."
Evan glanced at his watch, meaningfully, but Lulu ignored him
She stood up and reached for Zelda's other hand. "Hows about you come backstage and help me, huh?"
Link looked as if he were about to object, but Lulu tugged Zelda away before he had chance to argue.
"You look familiar," Lulu decided.
They were in a tiny dressing room, stood in front of a wide mirror. Lulu had pulled a make-up bag from inside one of the empty guitar cases and was applying dark lipstick to her full, pouted lips.
"My Dad's the President," Zelda mumbled, reluctantly.
Lulu snapped her fingers, smiling at Zelda's reflection. "Aha! I knew you looked familiar. Goddesses, imagine Link not mentioning that."
When Lulu spoke, she addressed Zelda's reflection.
"Gods, if my Dad knew I was hanging with the President's daughter, he'd freak," Lulu sighed. "No offence," she added, quickly.
Zelda nodded. The Zora's hadn't trusted her Father since the civil war had ended. She had been forbidden from going anywhere near the docks, for her own safety.
Zelda looked down at her shoes. Her excitement at being out with Link had quickly evaporated since they'd entered the grotto.
"He said he might bring you by here tonight. Although, I must admit," she turned to her, leaning in as though they were discussing something confidential despite the dressing room being empty, "you're not quite what I expected."
"What you expected?" Zelda repeated, slowly, as Lulu returned to applying her make-up.
"Yeah, no offence. You're just not his usual type."
"Uh, we're not together."
Lulu smiled. "Could've fooled me, honey."
Zelda blushed.
"Well, if you're not together, how come?" Lulu asked, now sweeping glittering blue eye shadow across her lids. "I mean, you look pretty cosy. And Link seems to really like you."
Zelda's hope suddenly returned, though not in the same measure as before.
"He does?"
Lulu giggled. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're kind of clueless considering you go to that brainiac school and all." She ripped a tissue from her make-up bag and slowly pressed her lips against it. "He wouldn't have brought you here if he didn't," she continued, discarding the tissue and turning to regard Zelda with one hand on her hip. "You mind if I give you some friendly advice?"
Zelda wasn't sure how to answer. In her experience girls as beautiful as Lulu were dangerous. Still, it made no sense to alienate her. Especially since she was somehow trapped in a dressing room with her.
"No."
"Your outfit is a little disastrous," Lulu said, directly, as Zelda was learning was her method. "And if, as I suspect, you'd love nothing more than to make him gag for you, you need a little expert…" She searched for the most delicate expression, "alteration."
Zelda swallowed, nervously. "I suppose a bit of alteration couldn't hurt," she admitted.
Lulu grinned. "Put yourself in my hands, honey. After all," she began, slowly un-weaving Zelda's hair from it's usual braid, "us girls have to stick together."
Link leaned against the bar in the downstairs area of the grotto. The space in front of the stage was already packed with people waiting to see the Indigo-go's. And Zelda had disappeared with Lulu over half an hour ago. What could they be doing?
Just as he let out an impatient growl, he heard a familiar laugh from behind him and turned to see Lulu standing with…
Zelda.
His eyes widened. There was no mistaking that it was Zelda standing next to Lulu but… not the Zelda Link had come to know. This Zelda was most certainly not the clean-cut, perfect Princess he tried so hard to loathe.
Lulu smiled at the stunned expression on Link's face. "What it's important to remember is that Zelda, here, had massive potential already. I just unleashed the rebel within."
And with that, she sauntered away. Leaving Link to gawp at the girl she'd left behind.
Zelda smiled, sheepishly. "She can be pretty persuasive," she explained.
"Uh, yeah, yeah she can," Link gabbled, trying to regain his composure. "but you look great."
Zelda's smile grew brighter. "It's not really me," she said, quickly.
"It could be," Link argued.
Before she had a chance to question that cryptic comment, Lulu's sensual voice flowed across the room.
"Hey everyone," she sang, "we are the Indigo-Go's and we are here to entertain you tonight."
Her introduction was met with many cheers as the band kicked into their first song.
"Do you want a drink?" Link asked.
Zelda hopped up on a stool beside him, allowing him a particularly nice view of her knees that were just visible beneath the end of her dress. Not only had Lulu let her hair loose, she had also loaned her an outfit from the wardrobe in their tiny dressing room. Zelda did feel more than slightly uncomfortable in the short, red check dress and boots, but it was worth it for Link's reaction.
"Uh, I-" She dared to look at Link, who was looking at her as though she were some sort of stranger. Albeit a wholly welcome stranger. "Sure, why not?"
Link nodded to a guy behind the counter and leaned over to request their drinks. Zelda bit her lip, nervously brushing her wavy hair behind her ears. Link fixed her with one of his intense gazes as he passed her her drink; an amber liquid in a plastic cup with a few chocks of ice.
"You'll like it," he murmured, with a reassuring smile
She took a sip and discovered he was right. The drink was sweet and cold, but warmed her from the inside.
"Why did you bring me here?" she asked, trying to sound casual, but feeling more afraid of his response than was rational.
Link looked thoughtful for a moment. "I like it here. I thought you might as well. I guess I thought I had you all figured out, but you keep proving me wrong." His brow furrowed. "Plus, all work and no play, you know?"
What did that mean? Was he interested in her?
Link stood up, suddenly. "If we don't dance to this song, Lulu might kill me later," Link told her, taking her hand again and pulling her onto the floor.
The song was upbeat and frenzied and Lulu was crooning breathlessly about, or at least what sounded like, an aphrodisiac. The crowd had gone crazy and were dancing, wildly. Zelda glanced at Link, nervously, looking around at the crowd like a startled fawn.
"Just sway," Link instructed her, as Lulu spotted them and nodded at Evan.
Link took Zelda's hands and placed them on his shoulders before putting his own on her waist, just above her hips. After what felt like a few moments, the crazy aphrodisiac song melted smoothly into a slower song.
"I didn't think you were the dancing type," Zelda spoke up, trying to distract herself from the sudden flurry of butterflies in her stomach.
Link snorted. "Even communists can dance," he quipped, thinking of Kafei. "I didn't think I'd ever be here with you."
Zelda blushed, looking anywhere away from his hypnotic gaze. "I know."
Lulu was singing, almost in a hushed whisper, but Zelda could barely concentrate on her words. She moved her hands so they curled around Link's neck, her fingertips brushing his hair. His gaze suddenly became razor sharp, boring into her eyes with a sudden seriousness and intensity. The corner of his lips edged into a small smile as he moved his arms to circle her waist, drawing her slowly closer to him.
On stage Lulu bit back a smile, inclining her head towards the two of them. The rest of the band took notice and grinned.
"The project is over in a few days," Zelda murmured.
"Yeah."
"What… then?" Zelda whispered.
Link stopped moving and just stood, looking down at her. "I don't know."
The song would end soon, just like their time together. Zelda tried desperately to decipher what that look could mean. Did he feel these strange but wonderful sensations too? Was she imagining the way he was looking at her?
"Maybe Sheik will have finally got Cremia to take notice of him," Link chuckled, starting to sway with her once again.
Ah, a safe middle ground topic.
"She's crazy about him, you know?"
Link's eyes widened. "She is?"
Zelda sighed. "Totally. But Cremia's frightened he might break her heart."
"Maybe," Link murmured, leaning over her so that his voice came from just above her ear, "she should give him a chance."
His cool breath upon her skin sent shivers speeding across her arms. They were even closer now, so close that a slight shift would make their bodies collide. And both of them were very aware of this. Link pulled away from her so that he could look into her eyes again. His fingers caught hold of a curl of her soft hair. Goddesses, she smelt so good.
"Maybe she doesn't know what he's thinking. What his intentions are," Zelda argued, breathlessly.
"She knows."
He leaned in to her and she moved to meet him halfway. As he touched his lips to hers, Zelda knew she had lost all control. How else could she explain the way she was pressing her body against his? Or why her hands had moved up from his neck and into his hair? Though nothing but the inevitable could explain how Link was making her feel. Goddesses, it was a good thing he was holding her so tightly or she felt sure she would have collapsed; her body had gone so limp. And yet he was far from limp, taking a firm hold of her and pulling her against him in an exhilaratingly commanding manner.
One thing was for sure. Communists could most certainly kiss.
Reluctantly, Link released her and she stumbled slightly as they parted.
"Easy," he murmured, softly, taking both her hands to steady her.
She looked up at him, blinking those baby blues.
"What are we doing?" Zelda asked.
For once, he didn't smirk. In fact, he looked deadly serious.
"We were kissing. I kissed you. Because, Zelda, I've got to know you. The real you. And you're awesome."
She felt so helpless. Her heart was racing and her lips still clamoured for his.
And there was that smirk. Gods, he knew exactly what he'd done to her. And he knew that she was powerless; she just wanted more.
"I'm going to kiss you again now," he told her, his eyes twinkling.
"Okay," she answered, breathlessly.
Gods, what was she doing? This was crazy. This was a bad, bad idea.
How strange, but how wonderful, that doing something so bad could feel so good.
