Chapter 2

Zelda

The second Zelda saw that symbol, she knew it was going to be an awful day.

Shouts and conversation erupted, creating an echoing cacophony in the gym. A couple of the worse kids she knew grinned darkly. She glanced over at Link. He was clearly trying to hide how afraid he was, clenching his jaw and hands to keep them from trembling. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched, his pale face turning to her, tapered ears twitching down. "Do you... want to leave? Call your grandmother? Or something?" He didn't respond. Instead, Link turned and strode purposefully towards the doors. Zelda followed after him, concerned. Don't do anything rash...

Following him quickly ended with them at Principal Impa's office. She could see Link trying to will himself to move, to knock on the door. "Do you want me to do it, Link?" He nodded, looking a bit ashamed. She grasped his hand gently, squeezed and let go, then knocked with her other hand.

The Sheikah opened the door. "Zelda? Link? What are you-"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's a... situation in the gym," Zelda interrupted.

"Would you care to explain?" Impa asked.

Before Zelda could even try and find words, Link managed to speak up. "Y...Y-yiga eye..." Raspy noises escaped from his throat, but he said no more. Zelda squeezed his hand. He was trembling terribly, perhaps in rage, fear, or both.

Impa's lips thinned. She was Sheikah, the people from which the Yiga originated. Each one of them bore a special hatred for each other. Their principal began marching out, before pausing and turning. "Zelda, you may stay with him for the time being. Link, if you need anything, do not hesitate to call for the councilor or leave. Whatever you need." Zelda nodded in response before gently leading a trembling Link to a chair.

A few minutes passed, with Zelda trying her best to comfort Link, tracing circles on his back, though she was wary; he didn't much like being touched. "Why," he whispered, "would s-someone do this?"

She couldn't respond. What could she even say? Zelda knew nothing of the pain he had endured those seven years ago. How in Hyrule can I comfort him? I can't tell him how much I care for him, that I always want to be there for him in these dark moments. He'll be embarrassed and that's not even really comforting him, it's me... oh, not now, Zelda. THINK!

"Um, Link. Is there anything I can do? I mean, I want to help you but I don't really know how and-"

He gave her a wane smile. "J-just being here - it's enough. You... you're a g-good friend."

Zelda tried to come up with something else to say. "Do you want t- hold up, you look exhausted." She remembered the pallor to his cheeks even before the gym, as well as dark shadows beneath bloodshot eyes. "Did you get any rest? You know you have that competition today, right!?"

Link sighed, then fidgeted, ears twitching again. "I d-didn't get much sle-sleep. I we-ent to bed late, and woke up early t-too."

Zelda slapped her forehead. "Honestly, when are you going to start taking proper care of yourself?! You ought to go home right now! In fact, I will take you there myself if I must! Plus, you definitely don't need to be here right now."

Link just stared at her for a couple of seconds before grinning. "What?" she demanded.

"I just some-sometimes forget how i-intensely overbearing and pr-protective you can be-e."

"Li-i-i-ink," she whined, "I'm not that bad." She frowned as he laughed quietly, but quickly joined him as she knew she sort of was. Plus, she wanted to give him a bit of levity.

"Do you need me to drive you?" she asked.

"Yeah, I don't w-want grandma to ha-ave to come aft-er me."

"Okay then, let's head out."

Before they left, Link insisted on writing a note to Impa to let her know that they'd left. Once at Link's home, he invited her inside, which she accepted. Just... going to make sure he ACTUALLY takes care of himself... No other reason... I'm not here to hang out with him, even if I am trying to figure out how to tell him that I lo...

Link's grandmother, Arista, opened the door. "Link? Zelda? Oh, dear, what's happened?"

"Uh, hi, ma'am. There were some... problems at school. Some idiot went and painted the Yiga symbol on the wall in the gym. And, well..."

"Oh, oh my! Oh, Link, sit yourself down. I'll be just a moment. I have cookies in the oven!" Arista hobbled to the kitchen, while Zelda dragged Link - who had a tired glaze to his eyes - to the living room.

He stared blankly at the wall. "She's b-burned them again," he said softly. Zelda gave him a strange look.

"What?" she asked.

"The smell. I-I'm not... stupid," he said, a faint frown etching itself on his face.

"I... I know."

An awkward silence persisted for a few seconds. "Um," she said, ever so gracefully, "do you want some chocolate? It's your favorite, that spicy stuff from Faron. Be better than burned cookies."

He hesitated. Then, a loud grumble sounded from his stomach, and with an embarrassed chuckle, he held out his hand. "Always hungry, aren't you?" she teased.

"Oh you don't know the half of it, dear!" With the arrival of Link's grandmother, Zelda realized how close she had scooted to him, and flushed lightly. Please don't say anything...

The old woman paused. "Though maybe you do. You seem aw-w-w-ful close right now..." she said with a smirk.

Her cheeks pinkened further, and Link's face and ears turned a bright shade of red, before he glanced away from the both of them.

"W-well!" she said, much too loudly. "I should get back to school before my father calls me. Link," she glared at him, mock-threateningly, "you better get some sleep before your game tonight."

He smiled softly and gave a sarcastic salute. Though visibly shaken, he seemed a bit better. "W-will do, ma'am." She smiled back.

"Lovebirds," Arista said.

_/|||\_

Zelda sat in her car in the school parking lot. She had just gotten kicked from class and sent to Impa for stabbing Bellum's hand with a pencil. But that donkey-faced imbecile had openly mocked Link for his reaction in the gym that morning. All three of them had the first two periods together, and she unfortunately sat at the same table as him in history. Luckily, Impa was distracted with the Yiga problem and simply told her to take a breather. 'But Zelda, you really, should work on those anger issues of yours.' She scoffed. That'll be the day. Then she sighed. Poor Link. And there's nothing I can really do to help him.

He didn't get much sleep... Are the nightmares... back? I hope they aren't as... intense... as last time. Right after the... situation, Link had frequently woken up in the middle of the night, screaming or crying - sometimes both. Or... he had unconsciously hurt himself, grasping at his throat as though making sure he could not say what they wished him to. He didn't speak at all for almost two years, only barely regaining speech before junior high started up. Even then, he said few words at a time, always with a stutter, which still persisted at the end of three years into high school.

She sighed again, and could not help but to reflect on what had happened seven years ago, that fateful, terrifying day...