A/N: heyo I'm not dead, just figuring out this life thing ︎

You might see the description change a bit as I work on this. Mostly, I don't know whether to classify this character as Linkle or FemLink. Her name is Linkle but I'm modeling her character on Link's traits and the (immortal) connection between Link and Zelda; whereas Link and Linkle are distinctly separate characters that I'm aware of. Vote now lol

Ugh keeping style consistent... is hard... Especially with long breaks between writing... Also since this is based off real life, some of it seems boring to me, so I hope it's not coming across as boring to you guys...! Critiques MUCH welcome!

Missing You

She steps into line and the sight of her, so sudden in my vision, constricts my throat so that I couldn't talk even if I wanted to. Which I don't.

I'm trying to pacify a customer but I think my lack of reassuring words is only causing her to get more frustrated as I struggle to interpret the woman's order to "separate the sandwich and wrap them – no they go into two bags – no just remake it, it's a mess now." I set the sandwich down in defeat as Groose swoops in to rescue me. "Thank you," the lady crows, "he didn't understand a word I was saying!"

So I'm left standing mortified in front of The Girl (that's what Groose has been calling her, and it's become stuck in my head as the name for my unknown golden-haired crush). She isn't laughing at me, is she? I can't look up, can't risk seeing her blue eyes sharp with criticism or, worse, soft with pity. I'm waiting for her to order, hands tapping the counter.

She doesn't order, though, not yet. She asks, "How is your day going?"

My mouth twitches into a nervous smile. "Good," I manage. It's not. I want to run away.

"Well, at least until that lady came in, right?"

I glance up, and she's giving me a smile. Empathetic, amused, kind. "Customers can be... interesting," she adds with a certain emphasis. A whole different nervousness rushes through me at that smile and statement. She's on my side, she doesn't think I'm strange or just another bad worker. I'm practically glowing with warmth when she gives me a farewell, "I hope you don't have any more bad customers!" and a wave just for me.

"Bro, that customer was ridiculous," Groose relates to me later as we store away the breads. "She ended up ordering a totally different sandwich, and then she wanted the first one too. Old lady needs to find a hobby, man."

I suddenly drop my fist down onto the counter, his story making me remember something horrible. Groose looks down at me in concern. "That lady called me 'he'..."

"Yeah? Not the first time that's happened: I thought you didn't care?"

I'm definitely used to it, with my boyish haircut and tomboy style. But I turn mournful eyes on my friend. "She was there."

Groose nods very slowly in understanding. "Okay yeah that could be a problem. Hey, maybe she swings both ways and you'll be lucky no matter who she thinks you are!"

I go home with my mind in knots, just now hitting the reality that this Goddess of mine, the very manifestation of the girl I've always dreamed of finding, may not ever dream of girls herself.