Finding My Light | Zelink Modern AU|

Daddy Issues

LINKS POV-

"Wait," I called after her as I noticed she was leaving. I was being a dick to her for no reason. She came all the way over here because she was worried I would miss the assignment and I just brushed her off like it was nothing.

She turned back around and looked at me, concern all over her face. I walked up to her cupped her cheek with my right hand. I noticed she was blushing but she still waited for me to say something.

"I'm sorry for being a bitch, thank you coming all this way for me." I said, ashamed of how I treated her.

She gave me and small smile but then focused her attention on my eye. "It's no problem Link, but Goddesses what happened to your eye?"

She lightly touched the bruise around my eye, but I grabbed her hand gently and removed it from my face. "Nothing you have to worry about Zelda."

"Link," she started, looking saddened, "Who did this to you?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I said, trying not to look her in the eyes. One look at her saddened face and I might just break down in front of her. And I can't allow myself to be a burden to anyone else.

"Okay...." She said as she wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me.

This was a feeling I've never had before. I barely know this girl and she makes me feel like I'm on another planet. She nuzzled her head beneath my chin as she hugged me tighter. I gave in and wrapped by arms around her as well.

"If you ever need anyone to talk to," her voiced was muffled with her head being buried in my chest, "I'm here."

The response I gave was hugging her tighter. I never wanted to let go of her. Her hair smelled like lavender as I rested my face on top of hers.

We stayed like that for a moment until I finally forced myself to let go. I tried not to show how hurt I was. I didn't want her to see the real side of me. If she did, she'd leave in a heartbeat and never speak to me again. I couldn't open up to her even if I wanted to.

"I better get going to work on this project, if you need help on it please text me." Zelda told me.

"I will." I said.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

And with that she left out the doors and I broke down. I dropped to my knees and covered my face with my hands. Trying to silence my cries so Daruk didn't hear me.

Disappointment. Burden. Failure. All these words kept flowing through my thoughts as I bawled silently. I've kept myself from crying all day, but seeing Zelda and hugging her made me release everything.

Fuck my dad. I do everything to seek his approval. After my mom died he was all I had left. But he became a shell of who he once was. He turned to alcohol and let all his anger out on me.

He told me I was nothing but a disappointment, a failure of a son.

And yesterday he came home, drunk out of his mind, and we had an all out fight. He swung on me first and I had enough. I refused to keep letting him do this to me. As he had been doing for years.

I hit him over and over and over again. His face was bloodied and bruised when I was done. The last thing he said to me as I walked out the door was, "Your mother would be fucking despised to see what you've become."

I can't let Zelda see that man. I can't open up to her. I refuse to let her see that side of my life.

I finally got up and wiped the remaining tears off my face.

————————————————————————————

I spent the whole night finishing the assignment, with a little bit of help from Zelda. I was exhausted all day and slept through most of my classes. Until I got to 5th hour and saw Zelda smile at me as I walked into class.

"Somebody's tired" she teased.

"Yea, its almost like I stayed up all night doing this asshole's assignment." I replied with a chuckle.

She giggled and I sat collapsed down into my desk. Mr. Raryu came a picked up all of our assignments. He gave me a surprised look like he didn't expect me to do it. Which I definitely wouldn't have if it weren't for Zelda.

I fell asleep sometime during the middle of class and i felt somethin moving on my forearm. I opened my eyes to see Zelda drawing on it. She didn't realize that I caught her, so I just let her continue. She was drawing the Master Sword, which was something we were learning about in class, and it actually looked pretty good. 

Eventually, when she was finished, I moved slightly to let her know I caught her. 

She perked her head up to look at me and she turned away, looking embarrassed. 

"How long have you been awake?" she asked me, still avoiding my eyes.

"Long enough," I laughed, "Are  you an artist or something? This is really good." I told her.

"Um, n-not really I just doodle here and there." She replied with blush on her cheeks.

"Your cute when your flustered." I said with a slight grin pulling at the side of my lips. 

She looked up at me with surprise and smiled while playing with her hair. She mumbled something that I couldn't make out.

"What was tha-" I tried to get out before I was interrupted by Mr. Raryu.

"Link! Zelda! You two have something to say to the whole class?" He asked sarcastically. Zelda sank down into her desk and I just rolled my eyes at him. 

"Nah Mr. Raryu, Zelda's just flirting with more boys like she always does." Someone in the front of the class said. I knew that voice. That motherfucker.

Ganondorf? Really? How did I not notice he was at this school, let alone in this class? With everything he did at state last year and him saying shit about Zelda, it took me every ounce of self control to not get up from my desk and beat the shit out of him.

"How bout you shut the fuck up bitch before I come over there and beat your ass like I did last year?" I said to him, fuming with anger.

"Oh yeah? That's what happened? Because I seem to remember winning that match." He asaid smugly.

"Enough you two!" Mr. Raryu said. I started down Ganondorf until he turned around and focused his attention to the front of the class.

I was still pissed and my fingers were clenched into fists at my side until I felt something wrap around them. Zelda placed her hands on top of mine and mouthed, "thank you."

I gave her a nod and slowly unclenched my fists. She retracted the hand farthest from her but kept our fingers intertwined in one hand. I didn't mind one bit.