Twenty-one Questions: A Zelink story

Chapter nine

That night, Link was didn't stay out until late. Instead, he was back straight after training finished. I was already sat at my desk reading when he burst through the door and collapsed face-first onto the bed.

"Training was difficult?" I assumed, not looking up from my book.

All I got in return was a groan of complete and utter exhaustion. I heard him get up to go take a shower as I remained in my seat.

"Bring your clothes this time," I reminded him, as I heard him pause and sigh before doing as I asked.

As he was occupying the bathroom, I came to the realization that this was the perfect time to commence the twenty-one-questions plan, or so the girls called it, (They had convinced me to go ahead with it once I had returned to the library that morning), as Link was too tired to be his usual spiteful, rude self.

When he came out of the bathroom, he instantly got into bed, as I shut my book and did the same. I turned off the lights and took a couple deep breaths.

I turned around to face Link's back .

"What's your favourite colour?" I began. 

"Hm?" He asked, sounding half asleep.

"Your favourite colour. What is it?"

He turned around so that he was facing the ceiling. "What? Why?"

"It's twenty-one questions, you have to answer it."

"I don't want to play that right now." He groaned.

"Please?"

He exhaled and closed his eyes in annoyance for a moment. "Green."

"Okay, now ask me." I said.

"What? Why?" He protested.

"You just have to."

"Fine. What's your favourite colour?" 

"Blue." I responded innocently. "Favourite animal?"

"Why are you doing this?" Link complained, fatigue plaguing his voice.

"My maids thought I should try to get to know you better." I said, trying to keep my tone calm. "So, that's what I'm doing."

Link's eyebrows furrowed as he bit his bottom lip. "That's stupid. We could never be friends,"

"We could try though, right?" I asked him.

He looked at me for a moment before sighing and looking back at the ceiling. "Probably a horse."

"Typical." I critisized. "Mine's a whale. They're tranquil."

"Sissy," Link said, turning back to his side to try and sleep again.

"No, wait, stay awake. Please?"

"Do I have to?"

"Yes."

He lay on his back once more. 

"What's your mother's name?" I asked.

"Loretta." Link responded. He paused before asking me the same question. "Didn't your mum-"

"Yes. That was a stupid question for me to ask, actually."

"Okay." Link said. "What's your favourite food?"

"I don't know. I don't usually get to pick what I eat, I'm just served whatever keeps me skinny."

"Damn." Link uttered. "Really?"

"Yep."

"oh." He hesitated. "I really like cake, if that's any consolation."

I smiled at this, but made sure to conceal it. I couldn't live with myself if Link had caught me smiling at him.

"What's it like..." I trailed off, unsure of whether or not I should ask this one. "What's it like having a mother?"

Link breathed in deeply; I could tell he was thinking of an aproppriate response. "um," He stumbled over his words. "Nice, I guess?" He looked at me once more, but I was looking at the ceiling. "What's it like...Not having a mother?"

I thought long and hard about this.

Well, to start off, there were lots of sleepless nights, blaming yourself for what happened. Lots of guilt, too.

There were sorry faces and letters on her death day, and sometimes you could hear people crying and weeping; but you never did. Why didn't you feel upset? Why did you feel so different, so separated from everyone else? Was there something wrong with you?

There was a lot of strength involved- strength not to marvel or be envious of those with mothers, strength to hold it all together, strength to do what she wanted, do what she couldn't.

And a lot of pain. Oh yes, a lot of that. And that never went away, not really.

Despite all of this, I managed to sum it all up into one word.

"Lonely."

I saw Link look back at the ceiling through my peripheral vision. "Oh." 

"Barely have a father, either." I added. I knew it wasn't necessary, more for dramatic effect. But it rang true, either way.

"Me neither. My dad's been sick for a long time." Link confessed.

That wasn't a question, I thought. Was he opening up to me?

"Is he alright?"

Link shook his head gingerly. "Not really."

"Oh." I murmured. "I'm sorry."

Link's brows furrowed as his body language suddenly grew defensive, his voice seeming more tense and even a little angry. "Stop keeping me up, for fuck's sake. Can you let me sleep now? I want to go to sleep."

"What?" I asked, a little startled. "Yes, okay."

Link turned around as I faced his back once more.