The Both Of Us | Zelink X The Last Of Us

Chapter Seven

Zelda's pov

I don't climb back into the truck with Link. I stay with Impa and hold her hand. She doesn't deserve to be alone.

We drive for what feels like an eternity. The buildings thin out and I watch as the shattered skyline fades fades into the distance. The broken city that held my broken pieces. I don't know what's ahead. Impa's death showed me truly how unpredictable my new life is going to be.

Link pulls off near a field and gets out without a word. I don't want to talk anyway. My eyes and throat burn from the tears I don't bother to hide. He may be heartless but I'm not.

He hops into the truck bed and thrusts a shovel into my hands, the one I'd been staring at during the drive. Then he bends down and picks up Impa's limp body. The hand I'd been holding falls to her side and her head rolls back. She really is gone.

I follow silently as he carries her out into the field. I watch as her feet dangle and head sways with each painful step. He keeps his gaze forward, never wavering but he cradles her close.

He sets her down gently on the ground and turns to me for the shovel. Silent tears roll down his hard face. Impa said he doesn't get close to people. He didn't follow his own rule. He's feeling the pain of her death like I am but his pain goes deeper than he's letting it seem. I see the hurt in his eyes as the tears fall.

I hand him the shovel and kneel next to her body as he begins to dig her grave. I take off her backpack. I want her to rest comfortably and we could still use her supplies. I brush stray hair off her face. Her skin is cold and pale. I wish this wasn't happening.

Link drops the shovel and I know it's time to put her to rest. I kiss her forehead as a final goodbye and Link picks her up again, gently lowering her into her grave. I pick up her shotgun and place it in her arms. She went out as a fighter and deserves to be buried as one.

He shovels dirt over her and I help by pushing dirt in with my hands. My palms are covered in soil and her dried blood. It's still sticky in some spots. After her grave is filled, Link pulls on of his many knives and stabs it into the ground, marking her resting place before going back to the truck.

We don't speak as we drive. Too much happened to put into words anyway. I stare out the window and let the tears fall. My arm is starting to burn where I felt something graze it earlier. I don't look at it. It's insignificant to the hurt inside. The sense of comfort was once again wrenched from my heart and now I'm alone with someone I'm scared of.

He stops at a decrepit gas station when the sun begins to set. There's a few broken down cars in the overgrown parking lot. It looks worse than the buildings in the city.

Something rustles in the pile of garbage near the door as we walk close to it. I jump back behind Link as he pulls a gun faster than I could comprehend. A ratty looking cat lunges out of the garbage and runs away.

"Jesus Christ," Link mutters as he shoves the gun back in his holster. That cat scared the crap out of me and I put my hand over my racing heart. Adrenaline is becoming an all too familiar feeling.

The shelves inside the gas station are completely picked over but I check under the shelves anyway. All I find is a pack of cigarettes. If I learned anything from the zone, it's that these can be used as currency. I pocket them and join Link behind the counter, staying as far away from him as possible. Impa isn't here to keep him in check anymore.

"Your arm," he says after minutes of silence. I still haven't gotten used to hearing him talk.

"What?"

"Your arm. You got shot." He says it so casually I don't register what he's saying. What does he mean I got shot. I look down at my arm where the burning was coming from and sure enough, there's a gash through the sleeve and my skin. Brown blood stains my sleeve and the cut is still oozing in the center. It doesn't look that bad but it definitely starts to hurt more now that I know about it.

"Come here." He motions for me to come closer with his fingers as he grabs his backpack. I scooch closer slowly, not wanting to be near him. He pulls out a flask and a cloth. "Take that off." I hesitantly pull my arm out of the sleeve, exposing my arm and shoulder. I'm only wearing a tank top under the flannel.

He unscrews the flask and grabs my arm before dumping a little of the clear liquid on the gash. I suck in a sharp breath and instinctively try to pull my arm back from the burning sensation. That's definitely not water. He holds my arm steady and takes a drink from the flask before setting it down. Then he takes the cloth and wraps it around the gash. He's surprisingly gentle for how rough he usually is. I wouldn't have wrapped it so differently myself.

I study his face as he focuses on my arm. I wonder if he ever doesn't look angry. Aside from his expression, he has a sharp jawline and well defined features but he also has a little bit of a baby face at the same time. He has a long scar on his cheek and one right under his slightly crooked nose that adds to his rough appearance. He's actually...handsome. I can't believe I'm thinking about how how looks right now. He's not a good person and it doesn't matter.

He looks at me through his eyelashes as he secures the bandage. My gaze lingers for a moment before I avert my attention to my wound. He did well treating it. I'll just have to keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get infected.

"Thank you," I say quietly. It feels strange talking to him like it's something I shouldn't be doing. Maybe I shouldn't be.

"Just keeping you alive," he says as he leans back against the counter. My heart stings. He couldn't keep Impa alive. I can't imagine how he feels right now. They were partners for three years and she died so suddenly. 

"Link?" He looks at me without turning his head. "About Impa-"

"Here's what's going to happen," He interrupts angrily. "You don't bring up Impa. Ever."

"But she was your friend. How can you not-"

"I suggest you shut up before you say something you'll regret." I shut my mouth. That was a blatant threat and I'd rather not find out what will happen if I don't heed it. Instead, I turn away from him and lay down to go to sleep. You don't mess with wounded animals.