an unexpected savior

It was Thursday night, and unlike the days prior to that one, things had been hectic. The four of them were seated at the kitchen table together, eating takeout from Din's Garden, courtesy of Link. He still hadn't told Shad and Pipit about what happened, but only because he knew that the guilt was eating Zelda alive. He stole a glance at her, seeing her stuff her mouth with rice and vegetables. She noticed that he was looking at her and squirmed in her seat.

Good, he thought to himself bitterly. She felt awful and he was loving every second of it. In his mind, she deserved to feel bad about what she did.

Overall, their relationship with each other hadn't been good. After their argument in the closet they mainly avoided each other. He gave her a 'pass' to come into his room to use his shower, other than getting his permission to go inside and use the bathroom they never spoke to each other. He found her presence rather irritating, and it didn't help that his friends treated her like some goddess.

Zelda sighed, looking back up at Link to see that he was glaring at her once more. He didn't even bother looking away this time. Zelda decided to look over at Pipit and Shad. If they noticed any sort of tension between Link and Zelda, they didn't show it. With his eyes firmly planted on Zelda, he spoke up again.

"If you guys don't eat every bite of this, you're all dead."

Pipit chuckled, munching on some cucco flesh.

"Of course we'll cherish every bite Link. You rarely ever use your employee discount on this food, and I don't understand why. It's delicious."

Link narrowed his eyes at Zelda, whose face was completely red.

"It's even more expensive when you don't use your discount."

Shad, who had snuck his textbook to the dinner table, looked up at Link, who was still glaring daggers at Zelda.

"What? You didn't use your discount?"

Link broke off the staring contest to look at Shad.

"I was fired."

Shad frowned, "…Oh."

"I'm sorry." Zelda murmured, trying to ignore the stinging sensation in her eyes as she said it. He nodded, keeping up the façade that she hadn't been the reason he was fired.

Pipit, to Zelda's surprise, simply shrugged it off.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Link was less than pleased with his reaction.

"It is a bad thing. All the work I did there was in vain. And now I can't even list it down as a reference for my next job."

Pipit looked at Link. There was no animosity or annoyance in his gaze, only concern for his friend.

"You have two other jobs, Link. This isn't the end of the world. Working three jobs at once while maintaining your grades at a university isn't easy, or necessary. If you need to be compensated for something, you know that we're here to help."

He shook his head, finishing his food off hastily and standing up, taking his plate to the sink and washing it. Zelda watched him as he angrily scrubbed at his plate. Now, she wasn't feeling as bad as she did before. He had 2 other jobs. So why did it matter if he lost this one? Zelda found herself stressed merely at the workload she had to manage at Hyrule University. Trying to balance several jobs outside of that seemed like insanity. And yet, at the same time, it made her feel for him. No wonder he was so grumpy at the restaurant that night. He was probably exhausted and pissed off. She should have just kept her mouth shut.

"As I said before, I'm sending in more applications. I have a relatively clean record, aside from Din's Garden. I know that there's something better out there for me. But in the meantime, you guys can't be pieces of shit." He finished rinsing his plate off, taking the towel and wiping it clean before using the same towel to dry his hands. He turned around, staring directly at Zelda as he continued to speak.

"If you really are bummed about me losing my job, you need to work hard. Harder than you ever have before." He turned to Pipit this time. "You know what I'm going through right now. There's too much at stake for me."

Pipit nodded, flashing his friend a sympathetic smile as he trudged off to his room.

"Hurry up and finish eating, Zelda." Shad said with a somewhat timid smile on his face while he finished his food off too. "We're having a study session in my room after this, okay?" He got up and washed his plate off too, then went to the room that he shared with Pipit.

Pipit looked over at Zelda, who was picking at her food silently.

"Am I going to have to wait out here while you two have your 'study session'?" He asked teasingly.

"Stop." Zelda shoved him playfully, smiling to herself.

He chuckled, and they continued to finish their food in amiable silence.

Still, Zelda felt a flicker of curiosity coursing through her being as she thought about Link, and what he said to her in the closet…

"You think all I need to pay for is the rent?" He stepped close to her, way past the imaginary shield of her personal bubble. She backed up, her back pressed against the wall as she tried not to focus on his infuriatingly captivating sapphire eyes.

"That money was supposed to help me pay my way through school too. And for my family…"

Zelda sighed, putting her fork down, even though she still had some bean sprouts and rice on her plate.

"Link's going to kill you if you don't finish that." Pipit warned, taking a sip of his drink.

"About him." Zelda said, looking to Pipit. "Why… why does he have so many jobs?"

Pipit shifted uncomfortably. Zelda wondered, for a moment, if it was a bad question to ask. She knew that if it wasn't, Pipit wouldn't be hesitant to tell her. He liked her, and would tell her anything. This was personal. It had to be.

"If it's too personal –"

"No," Pipit waved his hand around. "You have a right to know."

"Okay." She said gently, waiting for him to speak again.

"Link… His family isn't… He's really poor." Pipit said finally, letting out a sigh as he did. "I'm pretty sure you had a stellar academic record, which is how you were able to get into this school. Right?"

Zelda nodded sheepishly.

"Valedictorian?"

"Salutatorian."

Pipit arched an eyebrow.

"I got a B+ in AP Chem, sophomore year." She explained.

Pipit laughed.

"Damn. Anyways, the point of me bringing that up is, Link… He's a bit different. I go to HU on a sports scholarship. Shad got in for his grades of course. He was valedictorian for his graduating class. It's not that Link's grades were bad or anything… It's just that he was the caricature of the type of student that a college is looking for. He was accepted to Ordon Tech on a full ride, but that school isn't nearly as good as Hyrule University. His parents convinced him to go to HU instead, because they knew it would give him the best education." Pipit looked down all of a sudden, as they treaded into the more intimate details of the story. "His story is what got him into so many schools. He grew up poor and worked hard, earning good grades and rupees for his family. His dad died and his mom is sick. His sister stays at home with a caretaker while he attends classes here. One job is to pay for school, the other is to pay rent, and the other…"

"…Was to send money home to his family." Zelda finished for him.

Pipit nodded sadly, but broke her heart even more because he couldn't leave it at just that.

"He sends rupees for his mother too. He made lots of rupees at Din's Garden, and the majority of it went to her treatment. I guess that's why he's so angry."

Zelda ran her fingers through her hair.

"I should apologize." She said, standing up.

"For what?" Pipit asked, standing up with her and grabbing her arm. "You can't!" He said frantically.

Zelda bit her lip and closed her eyes. He didn't know. And if Link had wanted him to know, he would have said something.

"I… I didn't know why he was in such a bad mood. So I said some rude things to him, and I shouldn't have." It wasn't a lie. Just not the whole truth. She figured that that was between her and Link. Pipit and Shad didn't need to know.

"It's okay." Pipit reassured her, feeling even more startled when tears started streaming down her face.

She knew she wasn't the only one at fault, and that she was somewhat innocent, but she was also a sucker for sad stories and she felt like she knew Link on a much deeper level than she had before. Saying nothing else, Pipit simply pulled her to him, wrapping her up in his embrace.

She relished his affection, wrapping her arms around him as well.

»°«

Friday night came just as quickly as Thursday night had. The sky was dimming and it was finally time for Zelda's anticipated date with Pipit. She had meant to try to reconcile with Link but he still continued to avoid her, and eventually she stopped trying to catch him and let him go on sulking. He was the only one at the apartment when she was getting ready for her date, but he refused to talk to her or even acknowledge her existence, so instead she just stayed in the living room and did her make up while he kept himself locked up in his room filling out job applications.

Pipit was finishing up football practice and was going to pick her up from the bookstore for their date. Meanwhile, Shad was at an academic competition in Kakariko. He wouldn't be home until well past midnight. Zelda simply smiled, humming to herself while she put her special earrings on.

As she put the finishing touches on to her makeup, Link opened the door to his room, walking to the kitchen to get a glass of water.

She looked back at him, noticing that he was staring at her… again.

"Look at you. All dolled up. I thought your date with Shad was tomorrow." He said, walking over to her.

"…It is. I'm having a girl's night out with my friends." Zelda lied, closing her makeup pouch and grabbing her purse.

"Hmm." He said, standing up. She was already beautiful, but the addition of makeup made her even more captivating. He didn't want to look away, but he did. He was still angry with her.

"Are you going somewhere?" She inquired, watching him grab his own bag and head towards the door.

"What, are we friends now?" He snapped, "I don't have to tell you my whereabouts."

Zelda flinched, grabbing her high heels and putting them on.

"Okay, never mind then…" She said. "But, I wanted to tell you something."

He turned a bit to look at her.

"What is it?"

"I'm… I'm sorry Link. I feel horrible about what happened at your job. I know that you work hard, a-and that you –"

"You know nothing." He corrected her, cutting her off. "And if you're sorry, don't tell me. Show me. Show me that you're an asset to this apartment and to my friends. That you're worth more than a booty call. Otherwise, I'm not impressed." He snarled, opening the door and slamming it shut, leaving her to her own thoughts.

She sighed, standing up and looking down at her outfit.

The guilt was gone, replaced by frustration. It would be easier to feel sorry for him if he wasn't such an asshole. She smoothed her dress out and grabbed her purse, waiting until she heard his car engine and watched him carefully until he had driven out of her sight. Once she was certain that he was gone, she walked outside, her heels clicking against the floor as she walked downstairs and to her destination: the bookstore. It wasn't as close to the complex as Zelda hoped it would be. It took her nearly half an hour to walk there – which was mainly because she was walking in heels and it wasn't long before her calves started to burn and her feet started to ache. It was a couple of blocks away, but once she got there she saw a nice, bright green bench to sit and get cozy on. She looked at the time, it was 6:45pm. She smiled to herself, feeling overly excited for her date.

As she sat there with her legs crossed in her sultry red dress, she got a few stares and catcalls, but of course she ignored all of them. A few cars that drove by slowed down at the sight of her, and much to her disappointment, Pipit wasn't in any of them.

"Perverts…" She growled, pulling her dress down a bit to cover up her legs, which of course gave more exposure to her chest, and she got more perverted comments and stares.

Fifteen minutes passed by, and Pipit still wasn't here. Zelda wasn't mad, she understood that he was busy at football practice. She didn't suspect that anything had happened, not even when ten minutes went by, because there was no way that he wouldn't show up, especially since he had begged her to go out with him in the first place.

A breeze passed by, causing Zelda to shiver. She considered going into the bookstore and looking around, but Pipit was going to be here any minute. She didn't want to miss him.

After forty five minutes, Zelda began to have her doubts. It was almost eight o'clock, and Pipit hadn't called or texted her. She finally decided to give him a call.

He didn't pick up.

Sighing, she called again.

And again. And again.

Nothing.

Around eight thirty she was pacing back and forth outside of the bookstore, trying to calm her nerves. But she couldn't. He had left her hanging. How could he do this to her?

Still, she tried to rationalize. He wouldn't stand her up, not when they live together. How awkward would that be? If she had still lived in her dorm and they went out then, she would be less surprised at this turn of events. He would be able to play with her heart and then leave her out in the cold without any regrets. He would be able to walk around campus, avoiding her at all costs. He wouldn't have to see her, ever again.

But that wasn't the case.

The case was that she was his roommate and that they would see each other after this, every day. Unless he had a plausible explanation for being nearly two hours late to their date, he had pretty much crushed her hopes of being with him.

Taking a deep breath and trying her hardest not to cry (though she was coping horribly), she decided to walk back home. As she walked it seemed like the sky was getting darker and darker, and not only because it was evening. Then she felt it.

A raindrop.

Then another one.

And another one.

And then, it was raining.

Because the universe hated her, of course.

Not only was it too late to turn back and go to the bookstore - she was too far away now - but now her hair, makeup, and outfit were now ruined. She couldn't hold her tears back anymore, and she didn't want to. They gave her warmth as she shivered in the cold.

And so she continued to walk back to the complex with a broken heart.

Meanwhile…

Pipit was in the locker room, buttoning up his dress shirt. He had finally gotten out of his sweaty uniform and was ready for his date with Zelda. He looked at the clock; it was 6:45pm. Time for him to meet his girl.

"Damn Pipit," Keet said, taking in Pipit's fancy attire. "Who are you trying to impress?"

"Can't say just yet," Pipit responded with a smirk. "But you'll see. Don't worry."

Keet laughed, patting his friend on the back.

"Damn, well you have fun out there. But not too much fun, okay man?"

Pipit laughed, heading out after giving his friend a warm smile.

"Whatever you say."

He took his keys out of his pocket, speedwalking towards his car. Even though Link was going to work a shift at his job and Shad was at Kakariko, he still felt a sense of urgency, as though either of them might see him and Zelda together and catch them trying to sneak around. But also, the forecast predicted that it was going to rain later on that night, and Pipit was certain that Zelda didn't have an umbrella to keep her dry. As he was walking to his car however, he noticed someone sprawled across the concrete, with a tiny pool of blood forming around her body. His eyes widened at the sight, and he immediately ran towards them. His breath nearly caught in his breath when he saw who it was.

Karane.

His ex-girlfriend and first love. They had doted on each other in their childhood years dated throughout middle school and for the majority of high school until she cheated on him with Groose. He was devastated when he found out, she kept denying that it was true and he was so in love with her that he believed it, until the redheaded bully showed him a photo of her wrapped up in his arms. After that, he left her without another word, and they hadn't spoken to each other ever since. Now she was lying here unconscious, with all sorts of bruises all over her body. The blood that had surrounded her mainly came from her nose. He shuddered at the sight. It was easy for him to forget about what she had done to him in this one moment. No matter how many times he tried to tell himself that he didn't, he still cared about her deeply. And seeing her in this physical state was absolutely heartbreaking for him.

He picked her up, carrying her to his car, momentarily forgetting about Zelda and their date. Going to the nurse wasn't going to be enough to help her; she had to get treated at the hospital. He held her gently, reminiscing about all the times they had shared together, all the things they had been through with each other. She was an important person in his life, right on par with Shad and Link. Even if she broke his heart, she also made him who he was today. He vowed to himself that he would never hurt anyone the way she hurt him. He started his car, speeding off towards the nearest hospital to get her checked out.

Her eyes fluttered open half an hour later. She was in a hospital bed, her injuries were patched up with band-aids. The first person the girl saw was the nurse that was taking care of her. She was an older Sheikah woman with a warm smile.

"Are you feeling okay, my dear?"

Karane gulped and nodded, brushing her hair – which was a hot mess – out of her face.

"We patched up all of your injuries, so you should be good to go. You can stay overnight, if you wish. Or you can go back home with the fine gentleman that brought you here." She gestured over to her right and Karane followed the motion, her eyes landing on Pipit, who was staring at her with genuine concern.

"P-Pipit!" She said, startled at the presence of her ex-boyfriend. Never in a million years did she think he would save her, or even give her a second glance after what happened before their senior year of high school.

"Hi Karane." He said, a hint of sadness in his voice as he looked at her. "Are you okay?" He asked worriedly.

"Would you mind telling me about what happened?" The nurse asked, breaking off their special 'moment.' "This young man told me that he found you knocked out near the football field of your campus. There are regulations for school related incidents. We can punish anyone that caused you any physical harm."

Karane shivered involuntarily, as the horrible memories started to flood back to her.

"I… I can't…" She stammered, grasping onto her head fretfully.

Both Pipit and the nurse reached out towards her, concerned for her wellbeing.

"Oh, darling. I'll give you a moment to collect your thoughts. I'm sorry for startling you. Would you feel more comfortable talking to your friend instead?"

She nodded shamefully.

"Very well then." She said good-naturedly, and left Karane to be alone with her former lover.

"You saved me." She said, rubbing her swollen cheek.

He pulled his chair closer to her, grabbing her hand.

"I was always the one that was faithful to you. There for you."

She closed her eyes as she felt overcome with shame.

"I'm so…"

"Don't be." He said dismissively. "The past is the past. And you were beaten until you were unconscious. So I don't care to listen to your apologies."

"Pipit, I want you to know that I was faithful to you too. What Groose said was a lie. I never cheated on you. Why would I? I love you."

Pipit looked down. Was it right for his heart to soar at those three words?

Even if a part of him still loved her too, he resented her for what happened. She tried to tell him many times that Groose lied, but he simply had too much evidence against her. She was guilty as sin. And when he confronted her about what happened, she got too emotional to even speak, and always ended up crying and begging for him to just forgive her. But he couldn't.

"Like I said before, the past is the past. What happened? Who did this to you?"

She sighed, her hand trembling in his.

"Cawlin and Strich. Groose's fucking henchmen. I'm telling you Pipit, he's scum. And he hates me. He wants to make my life miserable. It's what he's wanted all along."

Pipit stared at her for a moment, seizing the opportunity to just look at her face. She still had her boyish features from when they were kids, though she certainly grew into an elegant-looking young lady. He still remembered when he took her to junior prom. How beautiful she looked, how perfect she was. He remembered the detour they took instead of going straight home. They went to Ordon Spring and had a special picnic. And under the midnight sky they made love until far past their curfew. She wasn't just his first love. She was his first kiss, and his first time. Being in such close proximity almost made him want to go back to those days. When everything was easier.

On the other hand, she mistook his silence for skepticism.

"You… don't believe me, do you?"

"I do Karane. Goddesses, yes, I do. And I still care about you deeply. I want you to be safe, always. I'm just still in shock from seeing you out there unconscious. I'm glad you're fine now." He smiled at her sincerely.

"I'm only fine because you brought me here." She said.

"Would you mind if I stayed until you feel better?" He asked courteously.

She smiled at him, scooting over a little bit to make room for him.

"Only if we cuddle." She said, winking at him.

He bit his lip, but got into the bed with her, deciding that it wouldn't hurt to hold onto her, like old times. They had done much more intimate things than just cuddle. Still, holding onto her like this resurfaced some serious emotions he had tried to keep down after their break up.

She nuzzled her head into his chest.

"Pipit?" She asked, sounding worried.

"Hmm?" He said absentmindedly, stroking her hair affectionately.

"I… I want you to take me back."

He sighed.

"Karane…"

"Please. I know we haven't spoken in a long time, but I love you. So much. And I want you back."

"It isn't that easy."

"Why not?"

"You won't tell me why you did it. Why you cheated on me with Groose."

"I didn't cheat!" She wailed, looking back at him desperately. "You're the one for me, the only one for me! I'd never cheat on you with that idiot! He reeks of cheap cologne and hair gel!"

"Then why can't you tell me what really happened between you two?"

She was shaking now, looking down dejectedly and trying her hardest not to lose it.

"I… I can't."

"Why not, Karane?"

"Because… Because you won't look at me the same way if I do."

"But –"

"Just forgive me, baby." She said softly, pressing her forehead to his. Even with her bruises and scars she looked perfect to him.

"I forgive you. But I can't take you back." He exhaled, pushing her back as gently as he could.

Her shoulders slumped.

"It's that important to you?"

"No." He shook his head, "It's actually… I… I met someone else." He said, blushing when he thought of his special blonde friend.

"Oh." She said, looking down with an unreadable expression.

"Her name is Zelda. She's… She's amazing." He continued, not wanting to babble on about her, but not quite able to stop. "You'd like her if you met her. She's very sweet. We actually live together."

Karane's head shot up.

"You do!? I guess you two are pretty serious."

"Yeah we do, oh, but it's not like that! We're actually still getting to know each other. She was a friend of Shad's, that's how I know her."

"Shad…" Karane said, nodding. "So she must be pretty nerdy?"

"She's one of the most intelligent girls I've ever met." He said.

Karane nodded, trying to force down the searing sensation in her stomach.

"I see." She said sadly.

Pipit saw her distraught expression and came back to his senses quickly.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all of that, especially after you told me how you feel about me."

"It's okay, Pipit. I screwed up. Not much else I can do. I hope you're happy with her."

He nodded, frowning.

"You can tell me more about her if you'd like. Is she your girlfriend?"

"No." He shook his head, "I wish she was, but no. We haven't even had our first date yet. In fact…" He paused for a moment, his eyes widening.

Oh no.

"Fuck," he said, getting off of the bed and glancing at his phone. It was a quarter past nine, and he had several missed calls and text messages, all from Zelda.

Has that much time really passed by!?

"Pipit!?" She asked.

He said nothing, running out of the door without giving Karane a proper goodbye.

She huffed, lying back down on her bed.

"So much for being my knight in shining armor…" She mumbled to herself.

»°«

Zelda continued crying as she walked home, not even bothering to take out her phone and see if she got any calls or texts. It would easily get ruined in the stormy weather, just like she did. She got a few stares as she walked down the street, but didn't look at anybody, too mortified and heartbroken to acknowledge the people surrounding her. She still had a couple more blocks to go before she got back home, and she didn't feel like she could walk any further. Her feet ached and she was too busy thinking about what Pipit could be doing that was more important than being with her. She still saw good in him, and wanted to believe that whatever sprung up was crucial and required his immediate attention. But on the flipside, she was worried that he had played her. That she was just a pawn in his little game.

Her thoughts were cut off when a car pulled up next to her. She was certain that it was another group of fuckboys trying to make a snide or derogatory comment about her, but she didn't have the energy to tell them off.

Instead, the occupant rolled their window down and called her name.

"Zelda?"

The voice was harsh, but held a hint of concern.

Zelda looked up, hoping that maybe it was Pipit coming back to get her. But instead…

It was Link.

She stared at him, her mouth agape.

"What the hell are you doing out here in the rain!?" He scolded her, "Do you have a deathwish?"

She bit her tongue, too solemn to make a snappy comeback. He then noticed how sad she looked, and his voice softened.

"Are… you okay?" He asked, feeling a bit awkward at the idea of acting nice to her.

She shook her head, covering her face with her hands as she cried.

He scratched his head. Even though he wasn't fond of her, he didn't like the sound of her crying. Mainly because it was annoying. He reached over and opened the door to the passenger's seat of the car.

"Get in." He commanded.

She took her hands away from her face to look at him again.

"…What?"

"Get in." He repeated, frowning at her. "Hurry, before the inside of my car gets wet."

She said nothing else, simply getting into the car. He noticed how soaked she was, and rolled his eyes when he realized telling her to get in before the car got wet was pointless. She brought in more water than the excess rain would have brought into his car anyways.

He then veered back onto the street, driving them both back to the apartment. He remained silent, the only sound being the pitter patter of the raindrops against his car and the ground, and her soft sobs and sniffles. He stole a couple of glances at her. Her hair was drenched in water and her mascara was running down her nose.

He sighed heavily, pulling into the driveway and getting out of the car immediately. He opened her door for her before she could do it for herself and pulled her out of the car.

She bowed her head down, refusing to look him in the eyes.

"So it's like that?" He asked, irritated at her stubbornness. "Whatever."

He took her to an area of the building with a roof that would protect them from the rain.

She still didn't want to look at him, either because she was too ashamed or thought he was going to mock her and her sadness.

"Zelda." He said sternly, "Look at me."

She sniffled.

"Why? So you can make fun of me?"

"No."

"Then why should I?"

"Because I told you to."

She shook her head.

"I look ugly right now."

He decided it wouldn't be wise to make a remark on that, so instead, he cupped her face and forced her to look at him. Tears were streaming down her face along with the raindrops she was covered in and she looked absolutely devastated.

"Cherish this moment." He said.

"What?"

"I'm going to play the good guy, so cherish it while you can." He whispered, using his thumb to wipe away her tears. She said nothing, keeping her eyes on his as he also wiped off her ruined makeup. Once he was done, he took another look at her face. New tears were welling up in her eyes and she still had dark smudges here and there, but it didn't detract from her beauty.

She still looked perfect, like she did earlier on that evening.

Why did she have to look so nice? Why couldn't he look away?

"Link…"

He looked down at her dress. He began to feel a bit of remorse of his own when he noticed how her dress clung to her body. He could see practically everything now. How shapely and long her legs were, all of her curves. Her figure was heavenly. In fact she was very developed for her age, and seeing her here and now made Link realize how wrong he had been for what he said. That sweatshirt and pair of jeans hadn't done her justice. She was a woman, not some prepubescent child.

Moving his hands slowly from her cheeks to her back, he pulled her to him and held onto her protectively.

He's… he's hugging me. Link's hugging me. She thought to herself, unsure of how to react to his body against hers. She didn't find as much comfort in the action as she had by Pipit, but now Pipit was the one who let her down. Instead of pushing him away she simply cried harder into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck as he held her close.

She couldn't contain her emotions, or stop the words from spilling out of her mouth. She knew he would ask about it later, and didn't want him asking when Shad was around.

"He stood me up. P-Pipit stood me up." She sniveled, her body shaking as she cried on his shoulder.

He opted to not say anything, and she was grateful for it. The last thing she wanted was to have to explain why she was going on a date with Pipit in the first place. He simply rubbed her back soothingly and waited patiently for her to calm down.

He remembered her saying something about a girls' night out with her friends, but apparently it was a poorly constructed lie for her and Pipit to run off together. He knew that Shad was going to take her out on Saturday and didn't think it was wise of her to try and go out with two guys at once, especially her best friends, but she was just stood up. The scolding could wait.

"Stop crying." He said, once he had enough of her whimpering. He pulled her back, his arms still wrapped around her waist and her arms still wrapped around his neck. He looked at her again, just wanting another moment to ogle her face.

"…Damn." He murmured.

Zelda's eyes widened and she blushed.

"What?"

He sighed, his grip on her waist tightening in anger.

"I… You…" He stammered over his words before deciding 'fuck it.'

"You're beautiful!" He snapped, startling her. "Way too beautiful to cry over him. He fucked up, that's his fault, not yours."

She was at a loss for words at his outburst.

He found himself looking at her body once more. He hadn't seen it completely before, but he sure did now. Perhaps Pipit and Shad weren't complete idiots after all for being so eager about her staying. But he refused to think with what was between his legs. He still had to remain rational.

"So stop crying. It's getting annoying." He removed his arms from her waist and broke free of her grip on his neck, turning to walk up to their apartment room.

She stared at him, completely in shock at what he had said to her.

"You coming, or would you rather stay here and gawk at me like an idiot?" He asked challengingly.

She bit her lip and looked down again, running after him to enter the apartment.

A/N: Muah, another quick update for you guys. This chapter was longer than usual. Almost 6,000 words. Heh. Hope you guys enjoyed the ZeLink moment towards the end of the chapter. And of course, there's more hints towards backstories, one for Link and one for Pipit, regarding his old lover, Karane. Gee, I sure hope she doesn't become a problem for him and Zelda *hint hint wink wink*

LOL and I had a total DJ Khaled moment when I was writing the scene where it started to rain on Zelda (#ANOTHER ONE)

Anyways, please wish me luck because my AP Language exam is tomorrow and honestly, I'm not emotionally ready, hahaha.