Three weeks later, nothing had happened. The silent glares Zelda received from Revali, Ravio, and Ruto were a promise of something to come, but they had been mostly silent, only commenting briefly and snidely when Zelda would be near—or more specifically kiss—Link anywhere in their presence.

Rehearsals were tense. Mr. Ezlo had called both Revali and Zelda's parents to let them know about the near fight, but Zelda's mom had simply said she knew they were having a rough patch and that Zelda assured her it would pass.

Link no longer attended rehearsals, the set having been finished later the same week as the fight. It was strange not to see Link anywhere around during those hours. She was used to him either being in the wings, or in the foyer. And though she could have a few casual conversations with some of the others in the show, she didn't have her friends, and that was what hurt the most. Rehearsals became quite lonely, a tedious task more than anything fun, like they used to be. Darunia would make an effort sometimes, but cliques were tight, and Zelda was no longer part of that one.

She couldn't wait for opening night in a few weeks, for this show to finally be over. She was seriously going to have to consider being in the Spring play.

But with Link, things had been good. More than good. They spent weekends taking a full day to hang out together. Sometimes, they'd spend a few hours together between school and rehearsals, which had gotten more frequent for Zelda. She had been at rehearsals nearly every day as the show began to come together as a whole. Everyone had come over her house last weekend again, though no one stayed over this time. She and Link hadn't had much more time together than that, though. They'd primarily been relegated to the phone.

Link's morning job had shut down after receiving notification that the owners were about to be investigated. Link had quit before he could go down with the ship, especially since he was working illegal hours as a minor. Aryll had asked him to hold off on getting another job until at least his birthday, so it wasn't quite so dangerous. Gabe did his best to provide Link with extra legal hours in the meantime.

It was getting colder, and Zelda hadn't felt her phone slip out of her hand before she backed her car up over it, which kept Link as busy as possible.

But Zelda found herself driving to Link's work… again… and not as a social call.

She leaned against the counter, watching Link as he examined her phone. He was on the electronics side of the shop today, so he was less disheveled than when she saw him last time when he'd worn coveralls and a hat, sweating with his face in the hood of a running car, grease all over his hands as he carefully avoided touching her while she brought his wallet he'd dropped in her car that day when they'd gone for a quick coffee before work.

Now, he was simply in a shirt with the garage's logo on it, and cargo pants, a cap on backwards that kept his hair from his eyes.

"Damn, Zel, what the fuck did you do to this poor thing?"

She resisted the urge to casually toss his hat aside, run her fingers through his hair, pull him to her and…

"I ran over it," she said, clearing her throat and keeping her thoughts in the actual present.

"You…" he looked up at her and scoffed. His eyes drifted to her hand. "Should I not hand you my phone all winter?"

She glanced at her thumb to see a smear of red and a piece of the screen embedded in her thumb. "You have an old, indestructible brick of a phone. It should be safe with me."

"Go ahead through the back. There's a sink," he muttered, turning the shattered phone over in his hand and letting the loose glass fall onto the counter. "And don't hate me if there's no saving this."

"I won't," she said, kissing his cheek as she passed by him to the center room.

Gabe was on the couch with a magazine in his hand. He looked up at Zelda and smiled as she ran her bloody thumb under the water. "Happy almost-birthday, Zelda."

"You know?" she asked, grabbing soap.

"Link's been… talking."

Zelda narrowed her eyes and lowered her voice. "I asked him not to get me anything. Did he listen?"

Gabe just shrugged, though it was very obvious he knew the answer. "All I know is that I gave him the day off because the kid's been working too hard and I hope he can hear me about needing to take more days off!"

"I can!" Link called back before heading around the corner, shaking his head. "You're a murderer, Princess. Sorry. Unless Gabe sees something I can't."

Gabe sat up and stretched. "I heard you ran it over?"

"Yes."

He chuckled and went to the counter, leaving Link and Zelda in the back.

"You talk about me at work?" Zelda asked, leaning into Link. He pointedly refused to answer that one. It made her smile triumphantly. "So, what did you get me for my birthday? Did you write me a song on your guitar?"

He raised an eyebrow as he looked over at her. "Is that what you want?"

She hit his arm excitedly. "Is that what you got me? Because I told you not to buy anything."

"I haven't played in a while, but I will write you a whole fucking ballad tonight if that's what you want for your birthday."

"That's the enthusiasm I'm looking for!" Zelda laughed, letting go of him.

Link picked something up and turned it over before grabbing a screwdriver off the wall. "What time are your parents leaving tomorrow?"

"Oh," Zelda cooed. "That's the kind of gift you got me."

He scoffed, chuckling. "I gather that means I should come after they leave."

Gabe returned, shaking his head. "Your phone is dead. Now please tell me I'm not hearing this conversation."

Link started to laugh to himself. "I would never talk to my girlfriend about salacious activities, Gabe. Relax."

"'Salacious?'" Zelda chuckled before returning her attention to Gabe's mortified face. "We have nothing planned that you should be concerned about. Link is stressing you out for fun."

Gabe motioned for Zelda to move aside for him as he made his way closer to Link, clapping him on the shoulder. "Do we need to have a chat, Link?"

Link nearly dropped the screwdriver in his hands. "Fuck no," he choked out.

"Have you both… had a chat with each other then?"

Link glared at Zelda, her face as red as his. "This is entirely your fault."

"Only partially my fault," she corrected in her agreement.

"Have you?" Gabe prodded. "You need to."

"Gods," Link muttered, wrapping his hands behind his head. "No, Gabe."

Gabe crossed his arms and looked between them both. "Don't do anything stupid. I feel responsible for you, and you will not be stupid on my watch. When Zelda leaves, you and I are talking."

"Hylia, save me," Link groaned.

"If you can't talk about it, kid…"

"Okay! Okay, just stop," Link said, putting the screwdriver down. "Later, if it makes you happy."

"It absolutely doesn't," Gabe admitted before handing Zelda her broken phone in a sealed bag and heading back to his couch.

Zelda showed up at school the next day and hurried over to Link's locker. "My mom went to get me a new phone last night and she gave it to me this morning! You can text me again!"

Link pulled Zelda to him and kissed her, playfully swaying side to side. "Happy birthday."

"Thank you!"

"I'm dying to know how your awkward talk with Gabe was when I left?"

Link made a face and shook his head, looking around for any listening ears. But they were early, and the hall was fairly empty. "Listen, I had this talk with my father years ago and it wasn't nearly as awkward."

"It's nice that Gabe was looking out for you though."

Link was already turning red. "I appreciate it, but he could have been more subtle. I don't remember how I got home, that's how scarred I was from that conversation."

"How could it have been that bad?" Zelda laughed.

Link cleared his throat and grabbed her hand, a serious expression over his face. "I want you to remember a joke you once made to me when we first started talking. And then I want you to open the front pocket of my backpack, but keep it in my locker."

Zelda made a face but did as he said, and Link knew it when she gasped, returning her eyes to him, wide and in genuine shock.

"Link! Why in the good hell did you bring these to school?"

"Apparently, I left the shop without my bag last night, so I had to pick it up this morning. And I don't have a car to shove them in, so here they are."

Zelda was burning, red, awkward, and stomach rolling. "I had you pegged as a guy with condoms in his pocket from like, day three when you lent me your jacket!" She laughed, letting some of her now nervous energy out. "I just… this isn't the plan for tonight, right? I'm not… and it's not you, I'm just not ready for that yet…"

Link shook his head, running a hand through his hair, wide eyed at the implication. It had been all fun and games until he actually thought about the message it sent. "No, gods, that's fine. That's... we're just eating and watching a movie, right? Gabe just heard us joking yesterday and now... here we are."

"Yeah, that's the plan. Just checking." She started to laugh again, playfully hitting his backpack, back to their easy way of being around each other. They were so comfortable with each other at this point, and it was just easy. "Good to know you're so prepared for another day though, Mr. Confident."

He turned red again and pressed his face into the cool locker at the thought of another day. But he was determined to keep his mind off that and keep it in a less appealing direction. They were at school, after all. "Fucking hell, Zelda. I mean, it was bad enough knowing Gabe had a handful at the shop ready to go."

"Oh gods, that's true…" she muttered.

"Yeah."

"Zelda!" they heard as the hallway shook with Makeela's loud footsteps racing through the hall, waving paper in the air.

"Oh gods," Zelda whispered again, excitedly bracing herself just in time for Makeela to crash hard into her.

"Happy birthday!" she squealed, picking Zelda up before pushing her out of the way so that she could decorate Zelda's locker, spinning the combo so she could get inside. "I made one for the outside too, but I figured it was totally possible that Ruto would be a bitch and draw something stupid on it, so we're decorating the inside."

She turned around. "Link! Sign her birthday poster! Where's Ilia? Is she here yet? We need her, too!"

"She's not here yet," Link said, pulling a pen out of his back pocket.

Zelda noted the abnormally chewed cap as he signed it 'Lonk.' She snorted and earned an annoyed look from Makeela. "One day, fifty years from now she's going to say 'Who's Lonk'?"

"One day, fifty years from now, I will not remember this piece of paper, but I will remember my beautiful bestie who threw me a locker party. So thank you."

"I'm sorry I have to work today, but we're still hanging out tomorrow?" she asked.

Zelda nodded excitedly. "Of course. I can't wait. You and me all day! You're going to be so sick of me!"

"Great! I'm so ready! Link, I need you to go borrow tape from Mr. Auru, please."

"Okay," he laughed, heading off down the hall.

The day went slowly, most of it spent with Zelda anxiously staring at the clock, waiting for the day to just end. She'd received a few sarcastic comments from Ruto, who was quickly devolving into a follower of Revali, whatever he said. Though, he'd pointedly ignored Zelda all day, opting to hang out more obviously with Rav. Still, no one uttered anything to her. No rumors, no comments. Nothing.

But when the final bell rang, Zelda all but sprinted to her car, nearly beating Link to his motorcycle as they both drove to Link's house. He dropped his motorcycle off, ran inside to change out of his uniform, and got into Zelda's car, chatting together mindlessly about their day before stopping at Malo Mart. Zelda's mom had given her the credit card to buy herself whatever she wanted to eat for her birthday meal, despite needing to be the one to make it herself.

They went up and down a few aisles, plucking two steaks from the shelf, a new container of rock salt, and a pre-made cake before grabbing a few random trinkets off the shelf at the register that neither of them needed but couldn't resist. Like how Link grabbed a magnetized, breakable pot he just couldn't resist, and Zelda bought a small figurine of a cucco for her desk.

Part of Link's gift to her, he claimed, was him carrying the bags into the house, because it was free labor, and he'd promised not to buy her anything. He had both their backpacks on his shoulders, and two bags in his hand.

Zelda rolled her eyes, but quickly took a picture before locking up the door and heading upstairs to change into something more comfortable as well.

It was still early, and begrudgingly, they did some homework together, none too pleased that Zelda's birthday fell on a Thursday, and not a weekend.

They were both curled into each other on the couch. Link had Zelda's math textbook balancing on one leg, his own notebook on the other. He glanced at her notebook as she erased the same problem for the third time.

"Need help?"

She scowled when she saw he was a full fifteen problems ahead of her. "Maybe… but first, how do you do that so fast?"

He set the book down and moved closer to her. "Math brain. I don't know."

"Talent," she said, watching him scribble the problem in her notebook and walk her through the equation.

And the door opened.

Zelda gasped, nearly knocking their books over. "Shit!"

Link chuckled to himself as he watched her mother walk through the door, followed shortly by her father.

"Oh," Arina said, noticing Link. "Hello. What are you two doing?"

Zelda grabbed her pencil. "Homework."

Ramus put his briefcase down, slowly unbuttoning his jacket. "We're just here for our break to say happy birthday. We can't stay long, unfortunately."

Arina sat across from them, leaving Ramus in the other room. "I'm glad you have company over. No Makeela though?"

"She's working. This is Link. He was at that watch party I had when you met my friends."

"Oh, of course," Arina said, though it was a practiced line that almost sounded convincing. "It's good to see you again, Link."

Link smiled a winning smile. "It's good to see you again, too, Mrs. Harkinian, Mr. Harkinian." He nodded at both of them as he said their names.

"He's staying for dinner. We bought something to make, and a cake. Your card is on the counter, thank you," Zelda said quickly.

Ramus stood behind his wife, leaning against her chair. "How's the homework?"

Zelda could feel herself starting to freeze up. Her parents were absent, not unobservant. They'd seen how close they'd been sitting, despite the distance between them now. And they had to recognize their own daughter's panic was not something reserved for simple friends. "Link's helping me with math."

"Is he? But you're so good."

"He's better."

Link could feel himself getting red. "I'm not," he said, clearing his throat as he looked at Zelda. "I'm fast. That's not better."

Zelda went to argue, but her father cleared his throat.

"Well-said," Ramus agreed, making his way over to Link. "Forgive me, I believe I've forgotten if we were formally introduced. I'm Ramus." His voice held the same practiced cordiality as her mother's had. He remembered Link, but instead, held out his hand.

Link stood and took it, feeling Zelda's panicked eyes on him. "Link."

"Rough hands of a tradesman," Ramus said. Zelda buried her face into her palms as he continued. "What do you do for work?"

"Auto and electronics repair."

"Dexterity. I like that," Ramus said, finally letting go. "Are you any good?"

Link glanced back at Zelda, trying to hold back an endeared smile at her discomfort. "I believe I am."

"I have a key fob that won't work. I haven't had time to get it into the shop. Can you fix it?"

"If you have tools, I can try."

"Good," Ramus said, clapping Link on the back. "Zelda, I'm borrowing your friend."

Ramus led Link towards the garage, leaving Zelda alone with her mother.

"So, you like him?" Arina asked when they were out of sight.

"Yes," Zelda said casually. "He's great."

"Zelda, darling, please. I'm just interested."

"Yes, I like him," Zelda was willing to admit. It was a little too obvious for her to deny at this point, and she knew it.

"Does he know?"

Zelda could feel her insides contracting. "Yes. He knows."

"Oh. So…"

"We're kind of dating. Please don't make a big deal. Please, I'm begging you."

Arina looked almost scandalized. "I would never!"

"You would too!"

Link came back in and stood near the couch, politely nodding to her mom before looking at Zelda. "Your dad says you know where the alcohol is."

"Alcohol? Are you two getting drunk together?"

Link scoffed. "Not that kind. Like… if you were going to use it to clean something… like an electronic."

Making a face, Zelda shrugged. "The first-floor bathroom. Check the cabinet and under the sink."

"Zelda," her mother whispered when Link headed out. "Go with him. I don't want him in the cabinets without someone watching. You may know him, but I don't."

Zelda rolled her eyes. "He's not going to take your vitamins, but fine."

She made her way into the bathroom, leaning against the doorway with her arms crossed. "So, I'm meant to watch you, and also my mom knows we're 'kind of dating,' was my exact wording. That means she's running to tell my dad right now."

Link pulled out a bottle and waved it at her. "Well, now I really need to fix that key fob. Do you have Q-Tips?"

Zelda motioned to the cabinet. "Are you that calm?"

"Focused. Got to fix the fob." Link pulled two Q-Tips out and headed back with Zelda, unsurprised to find Arina in the garage, and Ramus' eyes watching just a little closer.

Link worked fast and had the key fob clean and back together in no time, hitting a button and hearing a responding beep. If he'd lost any points for simply existing as a creature dating their daughter, he earned them back.

Ramus admittedly looked impressed. "Oh, wow. That was easier than I thought it would be."

Link capped the bottle and nodded. "Often, dust and dirt can just get inside the cracks and settle on the sensors, preventing them from making a connection. Cleaning them will usually do it."

"Thank you, Link," her father said carefully. "I'd love if we could meet you more formally next time. You should join us all for dinner someday soon."

Link glanced back at Zelda before returning his gaze. "That would be nice. I appreciate the invitation. Thank you."

There wasn't much more time for discussion, as both of them headed back out the door, her father incessantly unlocking his door so it would beep several times. But he too went back to work.

Zelda was left beside Link, practically shaking from nerves. "Oh gods, that was awful."

Link chuckled and ran his hands along her arms. "It wasn't bad. It'll be bad when they want to meet me 'formally' and then ask any questions about my family or my past. That is when it'll get bad."

Groaning, Zelda face-planted his chest.

"They're not going to go easy on you, just so you're prepared."

Link laughed again, pulling her closer, determined as hell not to let his own nerves show too. They knew all too well that one of them being freaked out was enough.

"Well, Zelda, you're worth it."

A/N: I feel like my goal this chapter was: how many awkward scenarios can happen with parental figures all at once? Hahahhaha! The next chapter is going to pick up where this one left off. It was just getting to be a long chapter, so I broke it up!