A Couple of Trials (ZeLink)

Chapter 47: Betting on Hope

Darkness. Losing the sense of feeling as everything faded away. He felt a pain in his chest. It hurt— being the only sensation that remained— yet, that wasn't the most painful. He had watched them fall one by one—including the one he loved— by the hand of someone he had fought before. Right at the front door of the inn. The masked man was there; the Yiga himself. He hurt them all. He had to move. He had to do something. He had to get up. He had to wake up. Wake up. Wake up.

"Link, wake up."

Link's eyes snapped open. His breathing was heavy and it felt as though his chest could split in two. Pain coursed through his body, sore from a day's worth of fighting and being covered in half-healed wounds. But, after not even a second of being awake, a calming pleasure covered his body. He was on his knees, resting his head on something warm and soft. It was her, and that alone put him at ease. Zelda was there and alive, and he couldn't help but admit to himself that her legs were far better than his pillow at home.

"Sorry," he said calmly. "I must've fallen asleep."

"I can't blame you," Zelda giggled. "I apologize for waking you. I almost wish I hadn't—I haven't watched you sleep in some time— but it looked as though you were struggling. Are you alright?"

"Yeah... Yeah, I'm okay," Link said with a deep sigh, choosing to bury his head deeper into her thighs.

"Was it another nightmare?" she asked, allowing her face to fall as she looked down at him. "You told me about them before..."

"Mhm," Link replied simply. "But, that's all it was: just a dream. It just seemed so real... Then again, I guess they all do."

"I'm so sorry," Zelda said sadly, choosing to run her fingers through his hair. "I hadn't been paying much mind to how they affected you, even after you told me you were having them. You were struggling so much..."

"It's alright," Link said, placing his hand on her thigh to give it a light squeeze. "I shouldn't have let them take over as much as I did. I really let them get to me."

"Still..." Zelda mumbled, but Link had begun lightly chuckling.

"You used to watch me sleep?" he asked, causing his lover's cheeks to glow a pale red.

"Y-you're cute when you're sleeping," she admitted. "Please don't tease me about it."

"I won't, I won't," Link promised. "I watch you sleep too."

"You do?" Zelda asked in horror. "I'm probably a horrendous sleeper!"

"You know, you used to sleep very elegantly," Link claimed, "but, it got a little sloppy as time went on after you were freed."

"Link—!"

"It's cute," he cut in with a smile. "I prefer it."

"Oh, you..." Zelda murmured, though she was unable to keep the smile from growing on her face. After giving a light sigh, she giggled before leaning over his ear to whisper, "how do you feel?"

It hadn't taken long for his energy to finally give out after their discussion with the others before they left to cook. Only after a few minutes and a quick talk with Zelda, Link had fallen to his knees, allowing his head to rest on Zelda's lap before apparently knocking out in her comfort. Even now, it took everything in him not to fall asleep again, right then and there. As he rested, his lover gently caressed his dirty blonde locks. He could feel her slender fingers traveling lightly along the threads of his hair as he calmly breathed. After a few moments though, Zelda gently glanced over at the body that lay under the sheets behind them.

"It feels wrong to be acting as such in front of her," she said guiltily. "Especially in the state she's in..."

"I guess so, isn't it," Link replied, opening his eyes slightly to look at Jules. "It's because of me she's like that. Not you."