Raising the Stakes; Zelink Coffee Shop AU (The Legend Of Zelda)

Chapter Thirty Nine

Purple light muddled the room when I finally woke. I had to blink a couple of times to wash away my dream. To realize where I was. To accept the flood of memories from the day before.

Goddess, what a day.

What a long... long... incredible day. A part of me wondered if it had actually happened.

I sat up and stretched. The room was empty; even Seagull was gone from his cage.

I looked at the clock and squinted against the red light. After nine... which was pretty early for me, but Link said his family were early risers. Compared to them I had probably majorly overslept.

You aren't expected to change your sleep schedule.

I squished those feelings and tried to move on. It was pointless to roll over and let it stress me out now. It wasn't like it was eleven or anything. Nine was good for me.

I stood up and made my bed, then started to stretch. If I didn't, and often, I feared I would just stop moving. The tightness had always been there and I was used to it, but stretching helped to ease it.

Once I finished I grabbed my bag and went to the door. I hesitated a moment then slowly peeked around the frame. I wasn't wearing my makeup and having slept on a frizz-inducing pillow aided in my monster-of-old appearance. I didn't see anyone and I got across the hall to the bathroom without incident. I didn't look in the mirror and promptly took out the towel Aryll had shown me.

My shower thoughts melded from subject to subject - from plotting my story to overthinking conversation topics from my sleepover, and then I wondered about Urbosa. She had said she would see me today, but I didn't know when. Should I text her before she got here? Let her know what had happened or just let her see for herself?

After I dressed for the day and brushed my teeth, I started my makeup. As I worked, I kept wondering. How would I even start that conversation?

Hey, guess who's officially dating your cousin?

Yeah, no. I started to chuckle as I applied mascara. It was after ten by the time I sat back on my bed and pulled out my phone.

Hey Bosa... sorry I didn't text yesterday, it was pretty busy. I had sort of a sleepover with Link's sisters, and by bedtime, I was too tired to talk... But um... I don't even know how I'm supposed to say this...

You were right.

I hesitated as I typed.

Last night... we were out talking in the gazebo and...

I frowned as I looked at it. No... I didn't need to send all that. She didn't need an over-the-text explanation. If I was going to see her today, I could tell her the details later. I deleted all but 'You were right' and sent the text.

What would she reply? I told you so? I knew it? Would she send me questions or no reply at all?

"Don't stress over it," I told myself, then got up and left the room. As I walked down the staircase, the only person I saw was Impa.

"Ah, good morning Zelda," she said when she saw me at the bottom of the stairs. "Come, come, I've got breakfast for you."

I smiled and walked over. "Thank you. I'm sorry for being up so late."

"I'm sure you were exhausted after such a long day."

I nodded. "I'm not used to so many people," I replied with a light chuckle. Well, I was, but not so many people who were nice.

"You did very well," Grandma replied with a nod.

I shrugged, embarrassed. "I just went with the flow, I suppose..."

"Don't sell yourself short, dear."

I looked up. "I try not to..." I climbed up into the chair, and Impa slid me a plate of what I'd eaten yesterday morning and a tall glass of coffee. "Oh..." I said, my eyes almost glazing over. "Thank you very much."

"You are most welcome, dear."

After I took a sip of the coffee, I looked around. "Where is everyone?"

"They're either outside or in the game room, I imagine."

"Game room?" I asked, looking toward Link's room.

"It's over there," Grandma replied, gesturing toward a door I hadn't noticed the day before. It was open, showing a staircase down. My eyes widened - how had I missed that door?

"You'll get used to the layout by the end," she reassured.

"So there's a floor below?" I asked.

"Several rooms," Impa replied with a nod. "I'm sure you'll go down there one of these days.

I looked down to realize I was absent-mindedly turning over my food on the plate. I focused back on it and ate every bite, enjoying it immensely. Especially the coffee.

With my plate and cup regretfully empty, but my stomach full, I returned both to Impa and leaned back in the chair. "Thank you, that was excellent."

She nodded. "How did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you." I paused to wonder when I had fallen asleep. With all that thinking I had done, I couldn't pinpoint the time.

"Aryll didn't keep you up till dawn?" Her youthful eyes twinkled with humor.

I smiled. "No, Paya saved me. She noticed I was about to drop when I didn't even realize I was tired."

"They're both good girls," she said with a nod. "Almost opposites, but somehow they get along better than I'd hoped."

As I examined the kind, only marginally old, face, I thought about what Aryll had said. She's been adopting for so long she's even got grandkids. Rusl, Uli, and Colin... did she take in the entire family? Or did she take in one and as the family grew she welcomed everyone?

Nayru protect her.

"Ah, listen to me talk." Impa waved a hand. "I expect you'll be wondering where Link is." She turned and jabbed her thumb over her shoulder. "He's outside."

I cleared away my thoughts. "Thank you," I said with a smile, then dropped off the chair and made my way to the front door.

I took a scarf as I walked out. As cold as it was outside, it wasn't really unbearable. This was probably fifty degrees. Last night had been worse.

I took a deep breath and stepped down from the porch. I glanced around and decided to head to the right since that area was at least one I'd already been to.

My brain sent me back to the night before, when I'd had my first kiss and went from acting as a girlfriend to... Well to being one. I have a boyfriend. I have... Link is my boyfriend.

I wiped away my haze by pressing my cold fingers to my smoldering face. Then I heard yelling and that helped to snap me out of the daze. I walked to the edge of the house and peered around the side. I spotted Colin first, holding a small wooden sword as he shouted a battle cry and ran towards Link. Even with his shoulders squared away from me, I could still tell it was him. That boy from the coffee shop who may be well on the way to changing my life for good. If I even let myself hope...

Link sidled to the right to dodge Colin's blow, then tried to tap the child with his own fake sword. Colin dropped and rolled. A valiant effort, to be sure, but all it did was slow him down.

Link didn't take advantage of his mistake, instead, he crouched and dropped his sword. Then he grabbed Colin and began a round of roughhousing. At first, it made me smile. It illuminated a part of him that I imagined he had but hadn't seen. Then I winced as Colin swung his sword and caught Link on the knuckles.

I had to hand it to the little guy, he had quite a strong arm. While he did hiss in pain, Link didn't reprimand the smaller fighter. Instead, once the pain subsided, he started laughing. "You're just trying to make sure I can't beat your dad tomorrow," he said, grabbing Colin and giving him an affectionate ruffle of his hair.

"I didn't mean to hit you there," Colin said in a forlorn, yet still excited voice. "I'm sorry, can we go again?"

I took that as a good time to stop spying, so I stepped around the side of the house and made my way to a bench.