The Both Of Us | Zelink X The Last Of Us

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Zelda's pov

We left the road a couple days ago to walk through the wilderness. It keeps getting colder. It even snowed a little last night. Link took a blanket from the motel for me since he needs his jacket now.

We haven't talked much since Kansas City and our argument. I know it wasn't his fault for Sam and Henry's death, I only wanted someone to blame. The world is to blame. It takes what it wants and doesn't give anything back except broken hearts and crushed hopes. And I'm still alive because of him, because he said he refuses to lose me too. I haven't quite figured out what that means yet. All I know is I don't want to lose him either.

I help him collect wood for a fire after we find a small cave to sleep in. It snows a little as I collect smaller twigs and pieces of bark to get the fire started.

He arranges the kindling in a small pile and uses his lighter. He blows on the little flames and adds bigger pieces of wood when they get stronger. I sit across from him and hug the blanket around myself. The temp drops once the sun goes down.

Link opens a can of steak and potato soup and sets it directly next to the growing fire before taking out his flask and drinking some. I tried small of alcohol sometimes at father's dinner parties. It was always expensive champagne or wine.

"Can I try it?"

He takes another drink. "No."

"Why not?"

The corner of his lips twitches. "You're not of legal drinking age yet." A joke. Maybe he's not still upset with me after all.

"You mean to tell me you didn't drink before the age of twenty-one?" I highly doubt he did. Most people in my school were already drinking. He hands the flask over and I smell it, making my nose scrunch. It's a strong alcohol. I take a tentative sip and cough as it burns my throat. "What is this, rubbing alcohol?" I cough and hand it back.

"Vodka." He takes one more drink to prove his alcohol tolerance before putting it away and we fall back into silence.

He cups his hands over his mouth when the sun sets completely to warm his red fingers.

"You mind sharing?" he asks, referring to the blanket.

I make my way around the small fire with the intention of sitting next to him. He takes the blanket off of me, draping it around his shoulders and he pulls me to him by my waist. I sit stunned with my back against his front and he brings the blanket around to cover me. It feels wrong to be this close. But I like it. His warm breath against my neck gives me goosebumps and the closeness makes me feel safe.

When he leans forward to grab the can of soup, I have to lean forward with him. There's no space between our bodies except for the layers of fabric keeping me from feeling all his muscles against my back. I want to know how they feel under my fingertips if I traced my hands down his stomach while kissing him. It's an immature thought. One I shouldn't be having. He's only keeping me warm.

My mind wanders more despite trying to focus on my food. Link's hands on my body while he kisses me, the only question being where I'd let him touch. His hands are rough and calloused while the skin on my waist and hips is soft.

I purposely let my fingers brush his when I give him the can just to touch him even though my back is completely pressed against him. My mind is screaming no while my body and heart want to explore. I only know what lust is because of my books but I didn't think it'd be something I would feel personally. It's not hard to imagine us right now with his jeans unzipped and pulled down just enough, me cradled in his arms as he moves, breathing small huffs of pleasure in my ear so only I could hear and know I was the one making him feel that way.