Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Graduation

Two Link POVs in a row! What is this wonderful madness!
Also these are the only two in Link's POV so enjoy!

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Steam curled around the floor of the bathroom and slipped through the crack under the door. Link grabbed a towel and wiped away the remaining fog from the mirror. Resting his hands on the sink he stared at his reflection.

After today everything would change. He felt like he was standing on the edge of a cliff, looking down at an abyss of unknown. The last six years he had learned how to deal with the world from the safety of a school. Now he wasn't sure what the future would look like. There was college but it wasn't the same and he couldn't help feeling like he was falling without knowing where he would land.

Forcing the thoughts aside, he grabbed a comb and ran it through his damp hair. Without thinking about it, he parted it on one side and swept it over to the other. He froze, realizing what he had done. It was how his father wore his hair.

He snapped himself out of his daze and corrected his hair, erasing the tie to his parentage. He got dressed, trying not to think about his father but thinking all the same. He left the bathroom. In the living room, he found Donovan stretched out on the couch, his head resting on the back, a coffee mug balancing on the armrest. He wore a dark blue button-down and slacks. There wasn't a wrinkle in sight even though he was slouched, his ankles crossed.

A part of Link was annoyed that no matter what Donovan did he looked good and was at ease. The future wasn't terrifying to Donovan, it was something he would take by storm cause that was just who he was. Link did not share the same confidence. He wondered if that level of confidence was embodied in a person or whether it could be learned.

Knowing there was no point in dwelling on it, Link approached Donovan and nudged his foot with his shoe. Blinking, Donovan raised his head and took a sip of his coffee.

"Why are you so tired?" Link asked.

Leaning forward, Donovan rubbed his eyes.

"Late night. That's all."

Though Link knew he missed a lot of things that Donovan and Carter usually saw, he wasn't dense enough to miss this one. When Donovan said 'late night', Link knew that it meant Donovan had been up talking to Carter on the phone. Sometimes he thought they were worse than Maddy and him. Knowing Donovan though, Link wasn't going to mention this knowing it would be denied.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked, instead. "It's a big day!"

Donovan drained the rest of the cup's contents.

"For you," he said. "You forget I've already graduated high school. My ceremony was a handshake from my father, a hug from my mom and a piece of paper. I'm guessing it's the best graduation there ever was."

"Okay, we all can't be you, but let's get moving cause I still want that slip of paper."

Giving a tired smile, Donovan stood up and dropped the coffee cup off in the sink. As they were making their way towards the door, Link's mother hurried out of her room still in a dressing robe though her makeup was done.

"Wait!" she said. "You can't leave without saying goodbye."

"You're coming to graduation, right?" Link asked.

His mother cupped his face. "Of course. I just wanted to say something first." An affectionate smile overtook her face. "I am so proud of you."

Link flushed under the weight of her admiration.

"It's only high school, mom. It's not like I won Nobel."

"I'm not talking about you graduating, I'm talking about watching you grow up and deal with life and how amazingly you've handled everything that has come your way. When you could have hated me or your father for these past years, you didn't. You forgave us and I'm so so happy that you are my son."