Riptide (Zelink|Modern AU)

Chapter Twenty-Three: Riptide

The rest of the night was catastrophic, to say the least that is. Ganondorf was taken into custody, while on the other hand Zelda was attempting to keep everything and everyone in order.

A lot of the party guests started to freak out and become irate at the news of Ganondorf planning to assassinate Zelda. Link's best guess was that they thought some thug would jump out of the shadows and finish what Ganondorf had started. Or tried to start anyways.

Many of the castle guards tried to lead Zelda away from from the party, but she wouldn't have it. All in all, the party ended on a sour note.

As the castle staff started to clean up the remains of the party, Zelda sat back in a chair and looked at her hands. She was clearly lost in thought about the sudden turn of events. Palutena and Lucina made their way over to where she sat and tried to get a conversation out of her with little success. So the two friends sat in silence by the sulking princess.

Marth sighed and turned to Link. "Well, that was...something."

"The worst party ever?" Link asked.

"You could say that, but I wouldn't want to tell that to Zelda," Marth said.

Link nodded. "She put a lot of energy and work into planning this party."

"Yeah."

Link and Marth stood in awkward silence for a few moments. Watching people clean up a party was the equivalent to watching paint dry.

"Zelda looks really sad, you know?" Marth finally stated.

Link sighed. "I wish I could do something to cheer her up."

"You can do something to cheer her up. Go talk to her!" Marth urged.

"She hates me."

"No she doesn't. She was just very disappointed in you."

"Hey, if I were her I'd hate me too."

Marth shook his head. "That's not how Zelda works. If you were Zelda and you were sad, you'd want your best friend to talk to you."

"So just put myself in Zelda's shoes?" Link clarified.

Marth nodded. "Yes. That's what I was going for."

Link thought for a moment. "Hmm. I'll keep that in mind."

***

After a quick trip to his room, Link returned to the ballroom to see that it was almost cleaned up. Although his friends stayed in the same spots where he left them.

Samus looked up and saw the guitar case Link was carrying. "Why are you packing so soon? You know that we don't leave until tomorrow."

Link opened the case and brought out his guitar. "I know. I just thought a song would cheer everyone up."

Pit's eyes lit up. "I've never heard you play before! Let's hear it!"

Link obliged and sat down on an empty chair. With the guitar on his lap he strummed a few chords, cleared his throat, then started to sing.

"I was scared of dentists and the dark," Link sang, his voice deep and crisp. "I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations. Oh, all my friends are turning green. You're the magician's assistant in their dreams. Oh, and they come unstuck...

"Lady running down to the riptide, taken away to the dark side. I wanna be your left hand man. I love you when you're singing that song and I got a lump in my throat because you're gonna sing the words wrong.

"There's this movie that I think you'd like. This guy decides to quit his job and heads to Hyrule Castle. This cowboy's running from himself and she's been living on the highest shelf. Oh, and they come unstuck.

"Lady running down to the riptide, taken away to the dark side. I wanna be you're left hand man. I love you when you're singing that song and I got a lump in my throat because you're gonna sing the words wrong.

"I just wanna, I just wanna know. If you're gonna, if you're gonna stay. I just gotta, I just gotta know. I can't have it, I can't have it any other way. I swear she's destined for the screen. Closest thing to Goddess Hylia that I've ever seen, oh.

"Lady running down to the riptide, taken away to the dark side. I wanna be you're left hand man. I love you when you're singing that song and I got a lump in my throat because you're gonna sing the words. Yeah, I got a lump in my throat because you're gonna sing the words wrong."

Silence followed Link's song. But where there is silence a noise will follow. And it was a loud one. Everyone in the ballroom, including the castle staff, applauded with vigor. Pit whistled an ear splitting tune, which earned him a glare from Palutena.

On the other hand, Zelda smiled warmly at Link, who smiled back. They were deaf to all the noise of the room and blind to the commotion that thrived about them. The only thing that existed in their own little world was a rancher, a princess, and the love they had for each other.

***

"It's a little cold out here," Zelda hugged her arms as she walked up to Link who stood on a balcony that was just outside the ballroom where people were still cleaning up the disaster of a party.

Link smiled at the Crown Princess. "I guess I didn't realize that. Sometimes I don't realize a lot of things."

"You and me both," Zelda laughed sadly. Her laugh was followed by a very awkward pause.

"Look," Link sighed, "I'm sorry I hurt you. There is no excuse for my actions, but I am truly sorry. Can we start over?"

"You already have," Zelda smiled, unable to contain her laughter.

Link blinked. "I have?"

"Hello," Zelda shook Link's hand. "My name is Princess Zelda, it is very nice to make your aquatence."

Link smiled and bowed clumsy. "The pleasure is all mine, Princess."

When Link stood up straight again he was pulled into a kiss. To Link the kiss felt like forgiveness, but to Zelda it felt like a new chance. A new page, a new day, but most importantly it was a new life. A life where she had a friend, in other words more than a friend.

Zelda pulled away and looked into Link's eyes. "Please," She smiled. "I have no interest in titles. Call me Zelda."

Link chuckled. "I could get used to that."

And that, my friends, is what happens when a rancher gets pulled into a riptide.

Author's Note

I don't own the song "Riptide", but I put the song above the title of the chapter. I just changed two words from the song to fit the story :)

Sorry for the late update!