Pairing: Link x Zelda

Timeline: Modern AU

Warnings: Swearing, Sexual Language, Drama

Disclaimer: I don't own The Legend of Zelda or these characters.

Chapter 14: Link

.x.

Oct 29th

Two Months Later

The cold autumn air whipped around my face and occasionally blew my bangs into my eyes. I sat on a bench that over looked Lake Hylia. It had been two months since the wreck that took Lyra's life. Since then I had been in and out of investigations, as well as psychiatric offices. Police often questioned my involvement with her death, but my answer was always the same. She was threatening me and blackmailing me to be involved in situations I had no desire to be in, and it turned into her stalking me, and in my desperate attempts to escape, she died. After a while, they gave up and shut her case down, however, my therapist(s) didn't give up.

Every Monday afternoon, I'd sit in an office with a different person, attempting to help me after the traumatic experience. They would always try to get me to talk about my feelings, and nightmares, or if I was sleeping and eating. Some were luckier with getting answers than others were. Most of them advised me to move in with someone else, so I wouldn't be alone. I didn't have the will to move all the way out to Outset Island with my sister, so Zelda's family prompted that I move in with them; I accepted.

Daphnes was surprisingly kind during my time of need. He often told me to take a break from work and to figure out my mental state before trying to move forward with my life. Amelia was often at the house with me, and the two of us spent a lot of time talking about things. She often showed me a lot of comfort regarding the events that had happened. She was usually the person I opened up to the most about it, and she had suggested I tried therapy.

After a few sessions, I had been diagnosed with PTSD, however, some of the therapists believe I had been living with an undiagnosed case for some time now. Growing up was honestly rough for my sister and I. We lived with our elderly grandma when we were younger, however she passed when I was about 8 years old and my younger sister Aryll, was about 5 years old. Both of our parents were lost at sea shortly after Aryll turned two years old, and we lived with our grandma, until her passing. Shortly after that, Aryll and I were brought to the main land of Hyrule, where we lived in and out of foster homes. When I turned 18, I was lucky enough to receive the opportunity to attend Hyrule University and successfully get a bachelor's degree in Business. Aryll and I shared a one bedroom apartment, up until I graduated college, and she turned 19. I had secured my job with Daphnes and sent her back to Outset Island, like she had wanted.

Shortly after the accident, Aryll came to visit me to make sure that I was doing alright, which was sweet of her. Sometimes I think she blames herself for not being totally there for me when she should have been. I always tell her not to worry because it isn't her fault.

As far as thing with Zelda go, they have changed dramatically since I had first met her. That fateful April morning when we bumped into one another in the elevator was life changing. At first, I hated having to be around her, but overtime she began to grow quite dear to me. When she wasn't in her private lessons, she was usually right by my side helping me through things. We had many late nights where she would just stay up and talk to me or try to distract me from my nightmares or keep me company when I couldn't sleep.

Sometime after the accident Romani even tried to contact me to apologize and fix things with me. 'Oh Link, I heard about the accident on the news! I'm so sorry to have heard what happened and I'm so sorry that I didn't trust you. It just seemed too real at the time.' I could still hear her voice ringing in my ears. She had tried to contact me numerous times throughout the past few weeks, however, I never got back to her. It didn't feel right to continue to see Romani. In fact, I don't think it ever felt right seeing her or being with her.

I heard a branch snap from behind, snapping me out of my thoughts immediately. I glanced behind my shoulder, a little jumpy at the sudden noise.

"Link?" I heard a female voice say, almost in disbelief that it was me. I turned around completely, and of course out of every one who could have been wandering around the park on this day, it was Romani. "I've been trying to get a hold of you for weeks? Where in the hell have you even been?!" She sounded baffled and hurt.

I wasn't really sure what to tell her.

"I know." I muffled out. "I've just have had a lot on my mind and a lot on my plate and I'm not sure what to even say to you now." I slightly coughed, trying to mask the fact that I was feeling awkward.

"Well, maybe a simple explanation? I think I deserve at least that much." She tracked herself right over to the bench I was seated on, and sat down right next to me. "What has even been going on?" I could see the hurt and confusion in her eyes.

"Right…" I paused, looking for the right words to say to her. "Romani, when we met Lyra that night in August, I know what she had seemed bad, hell it was bad. I am 100% sure I did sleep with her, but I was drugged, so I don't remember it. However, I do know she wasn't pregnant and it was all a crazy scheme to get back at me, or back with me. I probably don't have answers to questions you have, like how did she even know I was here and why did she even come back, or why now of all times. I don't know. We met shortly before I turned 18, when I was still living in foster care with my younger sister." I choked out. I could see confusion twisting on Romani's face.

"You were in foster care?" She whispered.

"Yea. From the time I was 8, till I was 18. I got lucky enough to receive a scholarship to attend University. I met Lyra one day when she was leaving class from the high school she attended. It was shortly after I had turned 18 and moved my sister and me into our own place. Lyra was 17, turning 18 and graduating that summer, and meeting her was like meeting the person I had been waiting to meet my whole life. We accidently bumped into one another, and after a few hours of chatting and her questions, we decided to see one another again, and again and again, and soon enough, we were together. We dated for 2 years, and it was probably the best, but the worst two years of my life…" I paused, trying to recollect my thoughts.

"We had a very rocky relationship. We fought quite a lot. She came from a very successful family, and was spoiled to the core, and if she wanted something, she got it. At the time when we met, I was the new and exciting thing to date since I wasn't in high school and none of her friends would even know me. I was star struck simply because I didn't think anyone would ever actually take an interest in me. She was always demanding I take her out places or buy her the things she wanted, even though I didn't really have the money for it trying to provide for my sister and me. When she graduated high school we were both planning on going to college, different schools too. I went to Hyrule University and she was planning on attending school at The University of Termina. We both finished out freshman years, and were together that entire summer, then went back for our sophomore years, and one weekend I wanted to surprise her by visiting her, and it turns out she had been cheating on me.

"I have no idea how long the affair had been going on for, but the second I saw what was happening, I backed out of the relationship, and cut all contact with her. And three years passed, and that's when one night she showed up in my apartment, and that's when all these games started. And when she died, that's when they ended." I let out a huge sigh. I glanced over at Romani was looked like she was about to start crying at any given moment. "Hey, don't cry." I nudged her. She shook her head and glanced away.

"I just never knew that you had so much stuff happen before we met. I mean, I know when we had met you were very set on not being involved in any relationships, but I had no idea as to why that was. It all kind of makes sense now." I nodded at her comments. "Link, I am sorry I couldn't be there for you, but I would like to be there if you would give me the chance to." She said firmly, but sincerely.

While the idea of it sounded appealing, deep down in my heart I knew that it wasn't meant to be for the two of us.

"Romani. You are a great and wonderful person, however, I just don't think you were meant to be great and wonderful for me." I paused, scratching the back of my head while thinking of how to let her down. "You didn't do anything wrong, however, I think there is someone else who I am meant to be with, and it's not anything you did. It's just something I realized these past few months…" I trailed off.

"It's Zelda, isn't it?" I snapped my attention to her. I personally wasn't even thinking of anyone in particular, just more of a generalization.

"Zelda? Like, Zelda and me dating?" I questioned, almost baffled by her thought. After letting it soak in for a second, I realized how sweet the thought had tasted, and when I spoke it, it was like a Christmas candy treat. "Oh my god." I sat in shock and the realization of my own feelings. "It's Zelda…" I heard Romani let out a sigh that sounded like a laugh of self-pity.

"I always had a feeling." Romani laughed to herself. "I hope the two of you are very happy, Link. See you around." She said with tears bubbling in her eyes. I watched as she stood up and walked away from me, shaking her head. I stood up and began to walk to other way, back towards my car.

"I have to tell her how I feel."

AN: I wanted a less dramatic chapter since the last one was so action packed. I also felt now was the perfect time to kind of reveal Link's past with him growing up, as well as him and Lyra's dealio. I also felt like Link and Romani needed some sort of closure, just due to the fact that it was so abrupt and confusing when they did originally split. Also I bet you all are going to be excited to know what happens next as far as the story goes.

Till next time…

Queen Hylia