Breath of the Wild College AU fanfic │Thinking About You

Believe Me

Only a couple of cars are left in the lot where my car is parked. One of them being Father's. It's late and there's a good chance that he'll be here any moment. I look over to the building where he would be coming from but I can't spot a single person, which tells me that we have a few minutes to say our goodbyes. 

We stop to look at one another. Link's bruises are not as prominent anymore and his lip has almost fully recovered too. Those lips... I would love to kiss them, but I can't. Not now, not here. 

"You look much better than you did on Monday," I say, looking at the cut beneath his eyebrow.

"Unacceptable," Father's voice startles us.

Link and I jump apart and look around but find no one. 

"No, no, no, you listen," Father says, bringing my eyes to his car. He is sitting in the driver's seat, mostly hidden in the dark, scowling at the speakers. His window is turned down to a small gap, allowing us to listen to his phone conversation. 

"Would the first week of October work then?" He asks and rubs his temples while the other person answers in an indistinct but surely grumpy voice. "Just send me an email with the details," Father sighs and ends the call. 

The moment Father hangs up, he notices Link and I standing next to my car. His door opens before either of us can react and out steps a tall, bearded man with a dazzled face.

"E...evening Father;" I stammer and hide the soccer ball behind my back.

"Why aren't you home?" He asks me and peers at Link.

"I... I was... We were watching the soccer game. Not Link and I, Link was playing, I was watching with I...Impa," I say honestly. I'm so nervous, I'm sweating. "That's the truth, Father," my shaking voice pleads for mercy.

"Impa?" Father questions and takes a look around.

There's no one in sight but the three of us. Why did I park my car so close to his? I'm an idiot. Granted, I didn't know I was going to have company when I'd return and this parking spot is very close to the library.

"She left," I explain. I wouldn't believe me either if I was Father. But I must convince him. "I swear, she was here.... Just a minute ago she was here, b... but she left and I'm about to go... to drive home. We can call her, she'll confirm it!"

Link remains silent even when Father glares at him full of disappointment.

"What were you doing with that boy, Zelda?" He pinches the bridge of his nose and exhales dramatically. "Link..." he starts but I am too nervous to let him finish. I won't allow Link to be yelled at again.

"Nothing!" I nearly shout at him but there's nothing but fear behind my voice. "You have to believe me, he was just--"

"Zelda, we have an agreement. No lies," he reminds me.

I inhale a broken chunk of air but fail to speak. I desperately need to act normal right now and protect Link and our... whatever it is we have. I utterly resent how my body behaves in panic. For the love of Hylia, just this once, give me the confidence I demand. 

Link bows his head to Father with his arms aligned to his sides. He speaks calmly.

"I escorted your daughter, Sir."

"Did you now?"

"Yes, Sir," he says, his head still bowed.

"Shouldn't you be home? The game ended nearly an hour ago."

"A woman should not have to walk alone at night," he says.

I hate how much of myself I see in Father right now.