Never Without You │ BOTW modern AU fanfic

I Kissed You

Link's POV

By the time we finish dinner, Impa, Kiroh, and Zelda are already tipsy. Some more than others. The food wasn't that great, but the beer's alright. Even though beer always kinda tastes like shit, no matter how good or bad it is.

Zelda takes care of the bill and suggests staying longer. No objections from anyone. Impa seems especially keen on staying till closing.

To decide who has to get the next round, we all place our phones on the table with their screens facing up. Whoever gets a notification first, is buying. I'd bet $100 that it's me, because I get spammed with Instagram and Twitter notifications all day long, but surprisingly, it's Zelda's phone that lights up first.

I pick up her buzzing phone and show her the screen. "Hey, your dad's calling."

Distracted by Impa, Zelda stops giggling for a moment to take a look. "Who? No way!"

"Answer it!" Impa cackles.

Revali shakes his head. "Don't."

Zelda looks back and forth between the two as if the fate of the entire world depended on her decision. She looks at Mipha for advice, who shrugs her shoulders indecisively, and then she looks at me, who tells her truthfully, "If you answer it, he's gonna know you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk," she claims and looks at each of us one more time, more hesitant and unsure than before. "Right?"

Impa nods, Revali shakes his head, Mipha shrugs, and I answer truthfully, "You're a lightweight with two beers in your system. You're tipsy at the very least."

While Zelda weighs her options, Kiroh volunteers to get the next round. He crawls out of the booth as Zelda's eyes return to her phone.

"Father doesn't usually call, so it must be important," she tells us, the fate of the world decided. Despite the noise in the bar and the faint but noticeable slur in her speech, she picks up the phone. "H—hello?"

"Zelda," I hear her dad's voice. "Why is it so noisy! Where are you?"

"Who, me? Just—you know, celebrating Thanksgiving with my friends!"

Even though she tries to say each word slow and clear, it doesn't take her dad long to make an assumption. "Have you been consuming alcohol?" He asks.

"No," she lies casually even though the truth is pretty obvious. "Why are you calling so late? Is something the matter?"

As if rehearsed, Impa and I lean closer at the same exact time. We're both trying to hear what her dad is saying on the other end of the line because it's true, he doesn't call all that often, so maybe it really is important.

"I simply wanted to wish you a happy Thanksgiving," her dad says.

Zelda's eyes widen. "Really?"

"Yes. I missed you today."

"That's a first," Impa laughs and sways, nearly pumping heads with Zelda.

"Pardon?" Her dad grunts.

Impa clutches her heart dramatically, "He's known me for 20 som'thin' years but doesn't recognize ma-voice?"

"I recognize your voice, Impa. Are you two intoxicated?"

"Busted!" Impa gasps. "Wait, did I say 20? That makes no sense," she mumbles to herself, counting her fingers with strain.

"Unbelievable," her dad sighs.

"Is it though?" Zelda questions, apparently unaffected by his words. "You've been handing me alcohol since I was six. Sooner or later I had to become an alcoholic," she somewhat laughs at that.