(Hey guys! This is one of those rare times that I'm uploading from my phone, I hope the spacing and typos aren't too bad in this chapter.

I'm nactually in the hospital at the moment BUT I said I was going to upload on Wednesdays and Saturdays so I'll always try to keep that promise ❤️ love you guys and hope you have a good weekend! -Ace

PS: don't worry about me, I'm taken care of by some very attractive doctors hahaha and this is definitely the meds talking hahah)

———

After dinner, I sit outside on the patio sofa with a fleece blanket wrapped around my body as I wait for Father and Link to finish their business meeting. Just the thought of them together in one room, alone, taking about business is strange.

It's a new moon, so the sky is visually in an utter absence of celestial bodies. I've been a little anxious ever since they disappeared into Father's study. I wonder how it's going. Right now I'm just trying to keep my mind distracted by staring at the flames in the fire pit in front of me, a perfect luminal contract to the black sky. I like the crackling noise of the fire in combination with the chirping of crickets. Somehow it calms me.

"Hey," Link's voice startled me and my head turns to the glass door behind me. He walks up to the sofa and stops right in front of me.

"How'd it go?" I ask quietly.

"We made the payment for tuition so I'm definitely all set for next semester. Then he explained some of the stuff I'll have to do while I'm in Japan."

"Which is?"

I open the blanket, offering him to take a seat next to me. When he does, I lower the blanket onto his shoulder.

"Translating stuff mainly. It's really simple stuff and he said the hours aren't too bad. I can do a lot of it from home, which means we'll still be able to spend a ton of time together."

"Oh Link, that sounds fantastic!"

"Yeah. Today was a really good day."

"I agree. I really didn't expect it to go the way it did."

I'm relieved that this issue was resolved pretty quickly. But... this whole situation made me realize that... At some point... Link will leave. Does our relationship have a countdown? What will happen to us once he graduates?

With one arm around my waist, Link scoots closer and leans his head against mine. "This is really nice."

It really is. I wish this moment could last forever.

"Would you like to stay the night?" I ask abashedly.

"Wouldn't your dad mind?"

"I don't think he'd even notice."

"We should at least ask and make sure he doesn't mind. Don't want to risk him changing his mind about the job."

"There is a lock on my door. So he would have to knock before entering my room. And if he knocks, which rarely ever happens, you can just hide in the closet."

"Sounds a bit too much like one of those unrealistic teen romance movies you girls gush over. Want me to climb through the window too and sing a song about love at first sight?"

"I wouldn't mind," I jest.

He turns his head over his shoulder to look up at my window. "It's a bit high to climb up there."

"I thought you did parkour."

"Umm... Yeah, but that doesn't make me spiderman."

"Excuses, excuses," I shake my head, pretending to be deeply disappointed.

"Watch the attitude young lady or do you want me to throw you in the pool?"

"Let me think about it........ No."

"Yes?" He asks as he slides his arms under my back and knees to pick me up.

"I said no!" I laugh and hold on to the sofa.

"I'm sorry, did you just say you want me to throw you in with all your clothes on?"

"Definitely not! Get your ears checked!"

"So no clothes on?" He laughs.

"Link!" He lets go of me, laughing and grinning like a 4-year old. "This just sent me back to the day we started dating," I laugh breathlessly.

"Really?" He chuckles.

Oh right... He doesn't remember that day... "Yes, you... you picked me up and almost tossed me into the water," I mutter. Our laughter has perished so quickly, suddenly the crickets only emphasize how silent the night really is...

He must have noticed my sudden change of mood, for he is frowning too now. I can't control that it makes me a bit sad that he can't remember that night. But there is nothing we can do about it. Patients who suffered Link's level of head trauma often don't remember the day of the injury or even the week before. I know he still loves me and that's what matters. I give him a weak smile to take his frown away.

"I'll stay the night, okay?" He quietly replies.

"Really?" I grin and when he gives me a faint nod.

"Let's go upstairs though, it's a bit chilly."

"Okay, sure!" I'm relieved that the mood hasn't been completely ruined by my thoughtless remark. "I'll text Father that you are staying. He probably won't see the message until the morning but I doubt he minds. He likes you a lot, I can tell. And last time you stayed over, he seemed okay with it."

Link takes me by the hand to lead me to my room. Last time he was given one of the guest bedrooms which was a failed attempt at keeping us apart for the night. Less than an hour after we said goodnight, I was lying in his bed, clinging to his body with so much love that no surgery could have separated us.

"You'll sleep in my bed tonight," I decide, knowing fair well we wouldn't last the whole night apart.
"What if your dad walks in?"

"He won't."

"But what if he does?"

"But he won't," I playfully roll my eyes and lock the door to my room.

"You're cute when you're stubborn."

Why does he always call me cute? I rarely think of him as cute. Pets are cute. Plants are cute. Link is handsome, he is... well, his body is...

"I've missed your guys' beds," he says right before plunging face down on my mattress "I swear to god they're like clouds."

"Your bed isn't bad either," I argue.

"Are you kidding me? Compared to yours it's like sleeping on rocks."

"Yes but it has you in it which makes it more heavenly than my bed could ever be."

He sits up and gives me a loving smile. "Aww. Why are you so freaking adorable?"

On one hand, I blush and smile when he gives me such compliments, one the other hand I feel slightly disappointed that I'm more cute than hot in his eyes. I don't know why but I really enjoyed seeing a different side of him when I drank at the party.

Maybe it was just a distortion of my perception or he was a little intoxicated himself but he seemed to be attracted to me in a more... mature way? Or maybe that was just an exception because I was acting so differently. He did seem to like it though...

"I'm so exhausted." Link leans back and stretches his limbs out on the bed.

"We can go to bed now if you wish."

"Sounds like a dream," he chuckles at his own wordplay. "Pun unintended."

"Very witty," I feed his ego and join him on the bed.

"Before we go to sleep, there's something I wanted to talk about," he says and sits up.

"Sure what is it?"

"I'm a little nervous to be honest."

"Oh-oh." Now I'm getting nervous too. I'm not ready for more problems. "Go on then."

He takes my hands into his own and meets my skittish eyes with a calm exterior.

"We've been friends for a really long time now and—"

"Friends?" I interrupt with furrowed brows. What the heck?

"Let me finish," he requests. "We've known each other for a whole school year and have gotten much closer lately. We've had our ups and downs but overall it's always been amazing with you."

Why is he talking in the past participle? And why is he labeling us as friends? What's happening?!
I withdraw my hands in a heartbeat. "Are you breaking up with me?"

"What? No! Let me finish for Farore's sake," he laughs. "Over the past months, I started having feelings for you. I didn't know how to tell you, I didn't want to make things awkward or ruin the friendship we had but I just had to finally tell you how I feel and I wanted to ask you to be my girlfriend."

"I am your girlfriend!"

"Shush! I know you are! Can you just go along with it? Since I can't remember the day we became official I wanted to ask you out again, and this time I plan on remembering it forever."

"What? Should have just said so! You're the biggest jerk on the planet!" I scold, blinking away the tears! "You can't shock me like this!"

"It's not my fault! You kept interrupting me!"

"You can't just—for the sake of the seven sages, you—I almost had a heart attack!"

"You didn't answer! Yes or no? Wanna be my girlfriend?"

"Yes! You insensible dork!" He hastily cups my cheeks and presses his lips against mine before I can hurl any more well-deserved insults at him. 

"I hate you," I mumble against his lips, trying not to kiss him back.

"Love you too," he grins and kisses me again without giving me a chance to react to those words. I can't take a decent breath without the butterflies crashing against the insides of my stomach like drunk drivers. He said "too"...

Link backs away and pulls his t-shirt over his head, then drops back down onto the mattress and tucks on the blanket I'm sitting on. I get up so he can cover himself with the bedding.

"I'm going to change," I announce awkwardly.

"Okay."

I enter the closet to find something to wear for the night. After finding some comfortable shorts to sleep in and the t-shirt he gave me for Christmas, I take off my top and toss it to the laundry bin.

"Can I turn off the big lights?" Link asks from the other room.

"Yes, but turn on the light strings around my headboard so I don't trip on my way back to the bed," I answer.

"How would you trip? Your room is clean, not like mine."

I look at myself in the mirror, still holding Link's t-shirt in my hands. I can't believe I changed in front of him when I was intoxicated. But then again, I can't believe I'm still not able to change in front of him. Even after having lived with him for months and having seen most of his body exposed, I still find it difficult to show my body to him.

I step out of the closet. The bedroom is dim, only the little lights around my bed give light to our features. When I shut the door to the closet, Link look up from his phone. His eyes go wide and he can't decide if he's supposed to look or cover his eyes.

"I want to start changing in front of you," I mutter quietly.

"O—okay," he nods, unsure what to do.

"You once said underwear is almost the same as swimwear and... I agree. So... from now on, you'll be seeing me in my underwear."

"Okay," he nods again. I'm making this so awkward, aren't I?

"Is that okay?"

"Um, yeah of course. Been telling you for months that that's okay."

"Okay, good."

I slip into his t-shirt while he aims his eyes back at his phone. I somehow expect him to look at me again but he doesn't. Am I just not that attractive to him? Is my body not what he expected it to be? Or am I just being insecure for no reason? He does often call me pretty or cute but...

"I don't want to be cute," I whisper to myself.
"Huh?" He looks back up at me.

"I want to be... do you think I'm... Do you like it when other girls are..." I have no idea how to continue this conversation.

"What? Just say it."

"Am I a snack?" I ask without making eye contact.

Link falls into laughter and sits up against the headboard. "Babe, you're a whole goddamn meal."

"Oookay Hannnibal, let's turn down the cannibalism. You know what I mean."

"Not really. All I got from this is that somehow changing in front of me made you want to not be cute?"

"It's not that I don't want to be cute, it's just that... you always call me cute but you never say that I'm... I'm..."

"You got this."

"Don't make me say it."

"Oh I'm making you say it," he laughs.

"You already know what I'm trying to say. Stop teasing me."

"You deserve to be teased for this. You're basically saying that me thinking you're cute automatically means that you're not sexy. You can be both cute and hot, you know that right?"

"But you never say that to me."

"Bullshit! I've called you hot in the past."

"On rare occasions. Mostly as a joke."

"Want me to say it more often? At school and when your dad's around?"

"Er...."

"'Cause I can call you hot if you want me to. Day and night, babe. 24/7."

"What's with the 'babe'? That's the second time you've called me that tonight."

"It's a package deal with the 'hot'."

"Okay whatever, don't take me serious then..."

"Awe, come on, I'm just messing with you."

With hot cheeks, I remain standing uncomfortably in the center of my room, arms crossed. Link sighs and tilts his head.

"Come here," he bids.

Hesitantly, I walk up to the bed and sit down without looking at him. He lifts the blanket for me but I keep my arms crossed, pouting a bit longer. Out of nowhere, he suddenly grabs me by the waist and pulls me down into a tight hug. He's holding me from behind and before I get a chance to escape from his arms, he wraps the blanket around my body and leaves a playfully big kiss on my cheek.

"I just didn't think you're the type of girl that wants to be called sexy. Me calling you cute has absolutely nothing to do with me not finding you attractive. I can't believe I have to spell it out for you but you are sexy. I feel like it's obvious that I think that but sometimes your even more dense than me, so yeah. Zelda Hyrule, you're extremely attractive. Your body is very very hot."

I press my lips together, cowering in his grip like the prey of a copra. My heart is racing. I don't know how to respond to any of this!

"Does that make you uncomfortable?" He asks, ready to gloat.

I turn my head to look at him. His cheeks are flaming red but probably still pale in comparison to mine.

"No," I answer as if I didn't care at all and kiss him passionately.

It makes him loosens his arms just enough for me to turn my body to face him. Like a puzzle piece, our bodies fit in perfect harmony. His hand finds my leg under the blanket and pulls it up to rest on his waist. I scoot closer but he breaks our kiss at the same time.

"Don't you want to take off your bra?" He smirks.

"Don't push it," I hiss, slightly intrigued by his boldness.

"You're the one who said bra's are uncomfortable to sleep in," he counters with smug expression.
He always carries so much confidence with those words. But those are just jokes. He doesn't actually treat me like that. He doesn't actually see me like that. Does he? He's so confusing sometimes. I suppose we both are. But I've come to learn that communication makes it all a little less confusing.

"Link? Why didn't you watch as I was changing just now?"

"Because I didn't think you'd want me to."

"Did you watch last time?"

"I tried not to. I looked away."

"Why?"

"You usually get a bit uncomfortable with that stuff and I didn't want to make a big deal out of you changing in front of me so I just acted like it was normal."

"You're allowed to look."

"Really?" A tiny smile is playing on his lips.

"You are my boyfriend. It is one of your privileges," I tease.

"What other benefits come with the position?"
He makes it sound like a joke again but instead of dismissing his question, I actually take a moment to think about it. Maybe talking about this stuff isn't as bad as I thought.

"You can put your hand on my butt," I whisper embarrassed. "You've done it before and I didn't really mind."

"You remember that, huh?"

"Just don't do it in public."

"What about now?"

My cheeks feel so hot... "We are not in public right now, are we?"

He bites his lips and slowly moves his hand up my thigh. "It really doesn't bother you?"

"It's nice," I mumble, drowning in timidity.

"You can put your hand on my butt too," he chuckles quietly. I roll my eyes at him, unable to hide my own smile. "What other privileges are there?" He asks.

I'm not sure if I like where this is going. But I definitely don't want him to stop.

I shake my head and whisper with a tiny growth of confidence. "I think it's your turn."

"You want me to tell you your privileges?" He whispers back, scooting even closer while simultaneously moving his hand further up my leg.

"Mhm." Can he hear my heart drumming against my ribcage?

"If I were to propose a steaming shower with yours truly, would that be the worst timing or would it be exactly the right timing?" He smirks. "I'm kidding."

"Funny."

"You love my humor."

"You wish."

We are so close that he doesn't even have to lean in to kiss me, yet I still try to get closer to him. His hand drives calmly up and down my thigh, it even wander to my lower back and over the curves of my hips.

He stops and opens his eyes to give me a smile. "We should play golf more often," he breathes against my lips.

"That's what you're interrupting our kiss for?"

"Yes because watching you play sports is so damn hot..."

"W–well, er, golf, golf is actually not good for the environment. Just say–just saying." The way he said that just now makes my heart scream.

"How come?" How is he acting so casual? I'm freaking out on the inside! I don't know how to handle this flirty side of him.

"Colf gourses—golf courses require defor-deforestation, which has a negative impact on nature and animals and–and an outrageously wasteful use of water and pesticides is used to keep the grass green."

"Is it weird that I think it's hot when you're saying smart stuff?" I try to answer but words fail me and all I can give him in return is an odd assembly of vowels. "Why so quiet all of a sudden? Don't you like it when I call you hot?" He smirks.

"You are overcompensating," I manage to say.

"Is that a no?"

"It's not... I... It's f—okay."

"Fokay?" He smiles.

"It's fine."

"How about tennis?"

"W–what?"

"Is tennis bad for the environment? You guys have your own court in the backyard. Would you be down to play sometime?"

"We can play tennis tomorrow," I nod. "If you're physically able to that is."

"Yes please! But wear that skirt you wore today."

"I do own a tennis skirt. Would that work too?"

"Even better," he gives me a confident smile and returns to my lips.

Today was such a great day from start to finish. Even confronting Link about my insecurities and attempting to be more comfortable when it comes to intimacy wasn't bad at all. I'd almost say... it was good. I needed to address my thoughts before falling into my overthinker mode. Or before I'd start assuming something completely inaccurate. Link's frivolous reaction was perhaps just what I needed to calm my nerves. He really is the perfect puzzle piece to my chaotic personality. Not too silly, not too serious. Patient and honest. I can trust him blindfolded...

Which makes me want to try something...

"Link," I breathe.

"Who's interrupting our kiss now?" He chuckles, eyes closed.

My breath is fleeting and my heart even more so. I study his face with a racing mind. When he slowly opens his eyes, he instantly notices the nervousness that has suddenly overcome my features.

"What's wrong? What did I do?" He asks worried, removing his hand from my body.

"Kiss my neck," I whisper.

"What? Why?"

"Don't you want to?"

"Not necessarily. I mean–yes, no. Not if it makes you uncomfortable."

"I want to give it a try."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

"But... I thought..." He looks just as nervous as me now.

"Please."

Link gives me a faint nod and moves my hair out of the way. That gesture alone strews little waves of goosebumps all over my body.

His eyes leave my gaze to take a look at my neck. He looks so thoughtful, so cautious. I must seem pretty calm on the outside but in reality, it takes every bit of strength inside of me not to start shaking.

He leans in just a tad and leaves a gentle kiss on my neck. I hold my breath involuntarily but not an ounce of fear is threatening to freeze my veins. Even though an image of Karusa sits in the back of my mind, this kiss was nothing like the others.

Link backs away slightly to read my facial
expression. "Are you okay?" I nod and watch as he lets go of the same breath I was holding.

"Do it again."

Link obliges and gives another soft kiss to my neck. It's... bearable... It's not as bad as I feared it would be. Not as enjoyable as it would be to others but... I can accept that.

"Again..." I bid.

"Promise me you'll say stop if you want me to stop."

"I promise."

He moves closer, now stealing even the last inches of space that lay between us. His lips connect with my neck anew, his nose strokes my skin, his hands hold me dearly. My pulse begins to numb my senses but I keep my eyes shut, picturing none other but Link.
I can't help but compare this kiss to... the previous ones. Link doesn't put any pressure on the spots he kisses. He doesn't even keep his lips attached to my skin. He leaves tiny, soft pecks between my jaw and collarbone.

My hands guide his face back up to mine. Without a word, I kiss him tenderly. I'm ready to stop and the way he kisses me so gently back tells me that he understands. His lips stay with mine, his hands move to my waist, keeping me close but never hostile.

"Would it be weird if I said I'm proud of you?" Link asks with an alluring trace of shyness in his tone.

"That would be perfectly fine," I smile with the same amount of shyness.

"You know... You're much stronger than you realize," he whispers and closes his eyes, looking ready to drift into sleep.

"At least half of that strength comes from you," I return and close my eyes as well. Without him, I wouldn't be able to overcome my fears or step over my own shadow. Now I finally understand why people use the phrase 'you are my better half'. That's what he is to me. I feel incomplete without him. "Even if it sounds like a cliche, you make me better. You make me stronger. Braver..."

"Hotter," he adds.

I open my eyes to glower at him in disagreement but his eyes are still closed and he's smiling so innocently that any negativity left in my mind melts away in the blink of an eye.

"Cutie," I whisper as I turn the flip of the light strings.

"I don't want to be cute," his high pitched voice mocks through the darkness.

"Deal with it."

"You're a bully."

"You're a crybaby."

"Ohh, calling me baby already! We just started dating, this is all moving so fast."

"Go to sleep," I laugh.

He aligns his nose with mine and I swear I can feel the smile growing on his face. "Good night, babe."