Who We Are; Zelink, Modern (The Legend Of Zelda)

Out to Eat (5)

As she looked around she tried not to just smile like an idiot. He had warned her not to attract attention to herself, and if she looked like she was as excited as she truly was... it would be a problem. 

"What do you like to eat?" Link asked after a minute of allowing her to, again, just stare at everything. 

Zelda's gazing around didn't waver. "I like any type of meat but fish, love almost all candies equally, and will eat more chicken strips than three people."

His lip twitched into a smile. "A large order of chicken strips for you then."

She finally looked at him. "And for you?" she asked.

"I'll just get a burger," he replied.

When the waitress came to take their orders, Zelda let Link take over again. She paid close attention to everything he said, even though she maintained she wasn't really even listening. 

When she left, she looked over at Link and just stared at him for a moment. 

"What?"

"I'm just wondering how a seventeen-year-old could be a bodyguard with enough... credit to be hired by someone like my parents." 

"Long story."

"Wow, you're just an open book."

"And you're a ray of dazzling sarcasm."

"Dazzling?"

"Sure," he shrugged. "And as such, I'd much rather talk about you." 

She raised an eyebrow. "There's not much to talk about." 

"Are you kidding me? You sucker punched Groose in the throat," he said, leaning his chin on his clasped hands. "That was awesome." 

She smirked. Best moment of my life, she thought jokingly. "So I reacted a little... hastily," she said. "But a girl not allowed to leave her own house doesn't really have much to talk about."   

"There's got to be a lot to you," he insisted. "Besides, you were the one who got mad when I said I'd figured out who you are." He shook his head. "Trust me, you have a lot to talk about, even in just the times you've snuck off of school grounds-" 

"If you've followed me all those times, you'd know everything by now." 

"But not what's going on in your head," he replied.

That sent Zelda's mind back to the topic of the telepath. Her fingers curled into fists under the table. "My mind is my own," she replied. 

Unperturbed by her venomous words, he nodded. "Exactly; you're unique." 

She glanced away from him. "Are you in archery club or something?" she asked, changing the subject.

"I was for awhile, I was quitting since it took too much time out of my schedule when I should have been guarding you, and it was a good thing I did because that was the day Groose cornered you in the library." 

"... do you enjoy archery?" 

"I do," he shrugged. 

"And you quit to watch me? Why would you do that?"

"It's my job." 

"No, it's not... You should join again. I can take care of myself," she repeated. 

"After yesterday I know I have to take a more active role in defending you while you're doing your homework." 

She sighed. "Seriously? I'm fine. Bullies are no big deal." 

"It's not like schools are that hard to get into. Someone bigger could come after you," he said. 

Ugh. End of discussion I guess. "You're as paranoid as my parents."

"They told me to be this paranoid, and I agree with them." 

She swallowed her growl and leaned against one of her hands. "Unbelievable." 

The silence broke after a few minutes when the waitress brought out their food. 

Zelda's eyes lit up when the basket of chicken strips landed in front of her. "Thank you," she said and happily ate one in about thirty seconds. 

Link hadn't touched his burger and simply watched her enthusiasm with mild amusement. 

"What?" she asked, picking up the second one and dipping it in ranch. 

"Nothing," he replied with a smirk and started on his food. 

---

Zelda sat back, full and happy. Crap, I have to walk back... I've made a mistake. 

"...You really ate them all," Link said, his voice containing a barely withheld laugh. 

"I said I could," she replied, pulling her backpack along with her as she stood up. 

"Where are you going?"

"Bathroom." She rolled her eyes. "Need to come with me?"

He didn't reply. 

When she returned he was waiting by the front doors. 

"Time for home?" he asked.

"I suppose," she replied, starting out the doors at a leisurely pace... one that her very full tummy could stick to all the way home. 

"So what's that book you're reading about?" Link asked after several minutes of walking in silence.

"Ancient races," she replied. "Before they all died out." 

"What? There are books on them? I thought they were all lost in translation." 

"They were," she replied. 

"Then how are you reading it?" 

She stopped and pulled the book out of her backpack. "Look," she said, holding it open. 

He stepped closer and studied the page. "That's ancient Hylian." 

"Yep," she replied as she put it back into her back. 

"...You can read ancient Hylian?" 

"At about the speed of a snail," she replied, "but yes."

He looked even more shocked. "How?"

She shrugged. 

"Not going to tell me?" he asked with a sigh.

"Why should I?" 

"Fine..." he said. "At least tell me about what you're reading?"

"Interested?" she asked; intrigued.

"Obviously." 

Zelda laughed. "Fine, I'm reading about the Zora at the moment."

"What about them?" 

"How they developed their preferred spearing techniques for fishing." 

"...sounds riveting." 

She rolled her eyes. "It's interesting to me." 

"Me too," he replied. "Please go on."

---

Zelda turned towards Link at the start of her driveway. "Thank you for dinner." 

"No problem," he replied, tilting his head to the side. "See you tomorrow." 

She nodded absent-mindedly and pressed the com for the gate. "It's Zelda, let me in." 

There was no snarky comment about how late she was today, and the gate opened without any conversation. 

As she landed on her bed, exhausted from the walk home, she realized... Tomorrow is Saturday... why would I see Link tomorrow?