8-3-10
2:22am
Summary–AU From learning Sex Ed at age five to understanding the difference between being lonely and being alone, Link is taught more than one possibly should from his best friend – Zelda. Life's a classroom: always teaching and being taught. friendship/romance
Disclaimer–I do not own Legend of Zelda, which belongs to its respective owner(s) and is only being used in a fan-made, fictional story.
Still alternating POV's here. Shouldn't be confusing at all though.
xoxo
Title–Schooled
Epilogue
By–Moon Prynces
xoxo
Don't look into my eyes if you want to keep your free will
"Tada! I'm home," I announced, and then looked up to see Link pulling on his undershirt and holding onto the collared one with buttons waiting to be done up. "What's going on?" I asked, glancing down at my suitcase. I thought I knew how to make an entrance.
"Gonna be late," Link grumbled while fumbling with the buttons.
"Late? You're never late," I commented in surprise.
I moved out of the entryway and rolled my suitcase along with me.
He mumbled something that I couldn't hear and I couldn't help leaning forward curiously.
"What?" I questioned.
Then he just gave up with the buttons on the second shirt and looked at me, agitated.
"I couldn't get to sleep," he said, still with that slight pout.
"Why?" I blinked, moving forward to help with his misbuttoned shirt.
He looked away from me as he said, "I missed you."
My movements stopped abruptly as I stared at my hands on his clothes. Of course now we were both blushing. Dating for two years and still I blush with him!
"I was only gone for a week," I mumbled in slight protest.
"Yeah yeah, I know. You haven't seen your mom in ages. It's not like I was going to stop you. How was I supposed to know that I wouldn't get any sleep?" he replied, obviously a little annoyed at his own embarrassment.
Slowly my fingers started working again, only this time is reverse.
"Wha– Zelda, I have to go!" he looked down at my actions, startled.
I turned my eyes up at him with the most innocent smile I could muster.
"I only started there a few months! I can't be late!" he was panicking.
My smile got bigger.
"And Malon called to ask when you'd be..."
Come on Link, shut up already.
He stared at me a moment longer while leaving the sentence unfinished, and then moved closer and closer to me.
When he pulled back he said, "Damnit Zelda."
I grinned before pulling him back down with my grasp on his shirt still tight.
xoxo
You can't run and you can't hide
"Zel'!" I yelled in dismay. "Why? Why would you do this to me?" I asked while walking to the kitchen table.
She looked up from staring down at her notebooks with a pencil in hand. "What'd I do this time?"
My lips came together in a grim line while I glared. "No. Hot. Water," I said threateningly.
Zelda didn't look fazed as she went back to her books. "Sorry Link, I don't have time to join you for a shower," she said.
At which point my eyes bugged out so much they could fall out of their sockets.
"I've got a test to study for," she went on.
I stared at her in disbelief for a minute. So I caught the lip biting and nervous twitch.
And Zelda's not at the top of her class for nothing, so she knew I knew in that moment. She jumped up and ran for the front door to the apartment.
The same apartment I had lived in since I started college. The same apartment we shared after she moved in a year ago. The same apartment I was going to murder her in if she kept using all the hot water!
I was hot on her trail, shutting the door loudly in my wake. The neighbors would complain but it was always a great big joke to watch the two of us act like five year olds.
"Zel'!" I shouted as she took the emergency exit stairway, heading down. I followed right after.
"I didn't do it! I swear!" She was still trying to swear her innocence? Ha!
"Oh yeah? Who was it then? Sheik?" I asked, jumping the last few steps to the first floor just as she opened the door to the lobby-ish area with everyone's mailboxes.
"No, it was Ganon!" she laughed, finally getting ahead while going for another set of stairs and making her way back up.
I saw my chance and pushed myself to speed up so just as she began to open that door to the third floor I slammed it shut again with one hand.
Zelda turned around to look at me with wide eyes. I grinned.
"If you just admit it then I'll still cook dinner for both of us," I said while staring her down.
Her look didn't have the desired effect on me and finally she sighed in defeat.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," she mumbled, glancing away.
"And...?" I prompted, leaning closer with my hand still planted securely on the door to her escape.
She looked back up at me. "And..." She suddenly grinned. "And I promise next time I'll ask if you want to take a shower at the same time so I won't get in trouble for this!" she announced.
"Stupid," I shook my head and leaned in to shut her up from making any more smartass comments.
I pulled away, still tugging at her lower lip slightly before letting go.
Zelda blinked a moment. Then she said, "You know, I've never met someone with lips as intense as their eyes."
I stared in surprise, my eyebrows disappearing under my bangs.
She turned, pulled open the door and made a run for it.
I grinned before going after her again.
xoxo
You stopped watching my back, because you're watching me
I hate when it's so quiet. But it was really late and I should have been sleeping.
Not to mention dark. You know how much I hate the dark?
I turned over from lying on my stomach to my back, and stared at the ceiling.
Link was already asleep and there wasn't any point in bothering him. He had to get up for work and I had to get up for class.
I thought I saw something move out of the corner of my eye and quickly turned to stare hard in that direction.
I got up to use the bathroom, turning on almost every light I could on my way – even if the bathroom was right across the hall.
Then I systematically turned them off and got back into bed before turning off the bedside lamp.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
I tried really hard to clear my mind or think of trivial things and when I peeked open an eye half an hour had passed and I still wasn't tired.
So I rolled back over onto my stomach, propping my chin on folded arms and started staring at Link.
"Zelda," he groaned, and I thought he was dreaming or something.
But then one blue eye popped open to gaze at me lazily and I froze.
"You're...awake," I said guiltily.
"Yeah, and so are you," he mumbled.
"I couldn't sleep," I admitted.
"I know."
"I...don't like the dark," I said quietly.
"I know."
My brows came together. "You know?"
"I've known for almost as long as I've known you," he said, opening both eyes and moving up to rest on his elbows.
"I don't tell anyone that," I frowned.
Link threw the covers aside and got out of bed. "I got you a night light for a reason," he said while walking out of the room.
I turned around and sat up. "What?"
Then he walked back in holding the object in his hand.
"No, you didn't," I accused. "That was always just in the guest bedroom."
He rolled his eyes and moved to the nearest outlet. "No it wasn't. I got it just for you."
I stared at him as he plugged it in and flicked it on.
"And I thought you would have just brought it into this bedroom," he said and settled back under the covers.
While he was getting comfortable again I still sat there, staring at it.
"You got me that night light?" I asked myself.
"Mmhmm," he went. "I know you Zel'."
I stared at it a bit more before lying down and tucking into him.
"Yeah, I guess you do."
I closed my eyes and I felt him twirl my hair between his fingers.
"Okay, but if you tell anyone I'll kill you," I said softly.
xoxo
A few wrong words can be swept away with the right ones
"Zel' you're being paranoid," I said tiredly as we walked into the apartment.
"Of course I get to be paranoid! I was already dumped by my last boyfriend like dead weight!" she shouted in her anger, and headed straight for the bathroom.
I threw myself on the sofa while she was yanking out her hair and jewelry. Then she came back to the living room.
"It's just a job," I said, rolling my eyes.
"Yeah, and I'm still struggling through a major I'm not sure is even going to lead to a job I actually want!" she yelled, mostly at herself I could tell. "And then my dad is gonna disown me and adopt you because he's always liked you and I won't be able to take care of my half of rent so you'll kick me out of the apartment and get a new roommate and I'll have to beg Malon to stay at her dad's ranch where I'll be forced to sleep in the stables with hay and horses an–"
I sighed during her rambling. "Shut up, Zel'. You're overreacting."
She blinked, coming back to the real world.
"And your dad has always liked me. But I'm pretty sure he wasn't implying anything at dinner," I said as she walked closer so I could pull her into my lap.
She curled up like a cat and put her face in the crook of my neck, her hair tickling me a bit.
"And I thought you loved your major. Why are you complaining all of a sudden?" I asked with my arms encircling her.
"Cuz I'm stressed. And worried. And that internship is gonna make me lose all my hair. I hate that guy so much," Zelda fumed. "I hate being an adult," she sighed. "Can't we just go back to high school?"
"Oh yeah, cuz being twenty-four and in high school isn't weird at all," I joked.
Zelda lifted her head to glare. "I didn't mean like that!" she scowled.
I raised a brow. "So then you want to go back to being oblivious to certain things and not having learned all the things you have in the past few years and also," I paused, "Not having me as a 'roommate'?"
I was appalled to notice her thinking this over.
"Well...maybe not the roommate part." She twisted around to properly sit in my lap.
And then someone was pounding on the door before I could start making out with my girlfriend. I groaned and my head fell back as she got up to answer it.
"Hey," I heard Zelda greet whoever it was.
I closed my eyes, hoping they'd be gone soon.
"Hey Link," Sheik said. I didn't need to open my eyes to know. And if I did I'd be glaring.
"What's going on?" Zelda asked.
"Sheik suggested poker and we came to see if your place was open," someone else piped in. Malon.
Finally I stood up to look at the two. "Actually, I've got to get up early for work and all so–"
"Oh," Malon said with a worried look.
Sheik just smirked and looked at her. "He's lying. Link just wants us to leave so him and Zelda can–"
Zelda slapped a hand over his mouth before he could finish that statement with whatever colorful euphemism he was going to use.
"Oh," Malon said again with a better understanding. "Alright. I'll call Mido and Saria and tell them it's a go then." She smirked as well and pulled out her phone.
I groaned again and slapped a hand to my face before looking at Zelda desperately.
"What? They're your friends too," was all she could say with a shrug.
xoxo
To get the right answer, you need to ask the right question
"No," I said.
"No?" he repeated in disbelief.
I didn't say anything else as I moved to wash the dishes.
Link was standing there, gaping at me. I wanted to ask if he was okay but that would probably be like pouring salt in the wound.
"So..." he tried to start off. "Wait." He shook his head. "No?" was all he could say.
"No," I said simply.
"What the– Ar-are we breaking up?" he asked in confusion.
"Of course not," I said, though I was getting that nervous kind of heat and soon I'd get upset and teary-eyed.
"You don't want to marry me?" Link asked incredulously.
"No, that's not it!" I said, turning to him in shock. "I mean, yes I want to marry you."
"Then why 'no'?" he asked again.
"Because," I replied, biting my lip. And I realized water was all over the countertop and even on my shirt. "Oh sh–"
He moved over quickly to turn off the faucet while I stupidly tried to wipe up the excess water with a dish towel.
"Ah..." I said, looking down at my shirt. "What were you saying?" I looked back up at him.
He took hold of my shoulders and sat me down at the kitchen table.
"Okay, let me get this straight," Link paced a bit in front of me. "You do want to marry me?"
I nodded but he still waited for verbal confirmation. "Yes."
"But you just said no?"
"Yeah..."
"So then...what I'm gathering is...not right now?" he asked.
"Um...well, yeah." I bit my lip for the nth time.
Link stood there thoughtfully. "Okay, maybe I'm not asking the right question."
I stared at him.
He turned to me and said, "Will you marry me...when the right time comes?"
There was this unearthly silence and I could tell that as soon as he said it he started getting nervous. Hey, I was nervous too.
Slowly, I started a nod. "Yes."
"But not right now?" he tried to confirm.
"Exactly," I nodded again with more confidence.
And before I could blink he grinned and pulled me up into the air. I had to throw my arms around him so he wouldn't drop me.
Then he stopped spinning around happily and looked at me.
"So does this mean you don't want to wear a ring yet?" he asked suspiciously.
"Did you buy one?" I asked back with the same tone.
"No."
"Good," I sighed in relief. And I hugged back tight this time because I was so completely love with this idiot.
"So when do you think you'll be ready exactly?" he still asked even though I was afraid my grip was choking him.
He put me down to stand on my own feet.
"Why does it matter? I'm not goin' anywhere," I smiled up at him.
Link narrowed his eyes, looking for something in my expression.
"Good. Neither am I," he replied before moving his head onto my shoulder and placing his lips on my neck softly.
"Good," I said with a shudder.
In-between the foreplay and before the bedroom I was thinking, I'm glad we had this talk.
I wasn't ready, and he wasn't ready.
There was still a lot more to learn.
xo end xo
I'm done. I got inspired to just get started on this Epilogue already. I didn't want to put it off and forget about it.
Okay here's the thing, I'm not good at the sappy kind of endings. And another thing is that...marriage doesn't sit well with me. I can read it, watch it on TV and whatever. I can maybe even write it but I probably wouldn't. So I'm sorry that a lot of you felt a proposal/engagement/wedding/being married had to be the inevitable ending.
Well, if you like the Epilogue or not, go ahead and tell me.
Just to clear up: If you still don't know, this entire chapter takes place two years after the last one where they got together. It means Link and Zelda have been dating for two years. It was also mentioned that she moved in with him a year after they started dating. Current age throughout the epilogue is 24. And if you didn't get these things while reading you gotta pay attention more, it was only mentioned in subtle sentences.
Well now I can dust off my hands with this one. I'm happy and satisfied with it. I feel a little bad that most of you will still be disappointed but I can't/won't change it now.
Thanks for reading and all your support!
8-3-10
8:49pm