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[hylian_courage]

[Locked to Zelda (OoT) // 10% unhackable]

Hey... Zelda.

[There's a nervous smile in his voice, emphasis on nervous.]

Um... how are you? How've you been?

Comments

[Locked // 30% Unhackable]

[oblique_wisdom]

[She's a little solemn, but she's happy to hear from you, Link.]

I... thought something had happened to you.

[After all, she knows Midna has left. Well, she doesn't know-know, but she has that suspicion, that feeling.]

...I'm so happy you haven't gone.

[oblique_wisdom]

[Well, there's Ganondorf, but she's only seen him twice since he's been aboard. Other than that, she really has sought her own solitude aside from the date with Sal.

Her expression contorts a little at the mention of Jak. That's such a sore subject. Her head inclines.]

I do not really speak with Her Majesty often. She seems to have enough people looking after her. Sometimes it is a little strange to be around her. It feels strange for me.

[hylian_courage]

[Link turns a bit more towards her in concern, frowning at her initial reaction to the question.]

...I see. I guess it would be pretty weird... [Pauses, trying to think of something to say.] ...mmm, but, still, she's from Hyrule, so we have a lot in common with her.

[oblique_wisdom]

[She reddens. He's focusing all of his attention on her now, and of all things in the world, she doesn't want to be a burden to him. Not the way she is or has been to other people.]

We do... She's a really wonderful person. She's very wise, very pretty, worthy of all the praise she has and will continue to get.

[Midna said it once. Zelda has a bit of envy, mostly due to insecurities she holds.]

Have you done anything interesting as of late...?

[hylian_courage]

[Link bites his lip. Is that... jealousy? Just what is going on with Zelda...?

Detecting her desire to change the subject, he faces forward again and leans back, letting out a sigh.]

Mmm, well. I've just been thinking. And trying not to get too worked up over things.

[oblique_wisdom]

[Worked up over things. Like Ganondorf, she's sure. Where she even stands with that Gerudo king, she doesn't even know anymore.

She taps her fingertips together as she watches him for a moment and smiles vaguely.]

Just thinking. Anything particular on your mind? We should be able to talk to each other about anything, right...? So you can tell me. I'm just happy you're here.

[hylian_courage]

[She's just happy he's here. Zelda... is such a sweet friend.]

Mmh, well...

[He looks down at his lap thoughtfully.]

...I mean, I'm sure you know this, but Ganondorf still bothers me, for one...

[oblique_wisdom]

[So she's right. At least the intuition hasn't left her. Her blonde eyebrows furrow and she tips her head to the side.]

He is difficult to trust, but not difficult for me to tolerate. He is as frightening as I always remember him, although he is not the same man you and I knew from Hyrule. Like Her Majesty, he's a descendant of the one we knew.

What do you think he will do?

[hylian_courage]

I... don't know. [Bites his lip and keeps his eyes on his knees.] I don't want to know.

[With that, he gives her an uneasy sidelong glance.]

Zelda... um.... would it be wrong to... deal with him... preemptively?

[oblique_wisdom]

[She eyes him for a moment. She doesn't like that question. She doesn't want him to ask her things like that. Of course she thinks it's wrong because Ganondorf hasn't done anything yet. But... Surely he will. Right? Right?]

Captain Redd will do something to you...

[She looks worried. She doesn't want anything to happen to him.]

If... if we do something, we should do it together. You and me. You're the only one I can depend on...

[hylian_courage]

[His expression hardens a little.]

Mm. I don't know. I'd be doing it because I didn't want you to get hurt.

[Is that unfair to her? Maybe. But he feared for her life the first time they banished him, too. That time, things worked out, but who knows about this time?]

[oblique_wisdom]

I... I don't want to have to stand aside for these things anymore. I've already had to watch bad things happen because someone didn't want me involved. Every time someone tells me they want to protect me, it ends up becoming that I'm just not good enough.

...I don't want to feel like that anymore. You have to let me help. I'll be okay if you're with me, Link.

[Can you sense that? It's pure desperation, Hero.]

[hylian_courage]

[It's hard for his staunch desire to keep her safe to be swayed even a little, but he just can't resist Zelda when she looks so unhappy like that.

Link places his hand over hers and sighs.]

Alright. Yeah... if we have to, we should do it together, like last time.

[oblique_wisdom]

[She seems so relieved. Maybe it's because it means she can be in his company. Maybe it's for an entirely different reason. She squeezes his hand, inclines her head, and presses it to his chest. It's the first time in a while that she's really felt like weeping. Is that so uncharacteristic, though? Maybe it's bound to happen.]

Thank you.

[hylian_courage]

[When she suddenly presses herself to him, he just blinks, and is caught between wanting to comfort her and just feeling... awkward. But if there's one girl Link isn't completely oblivious about, it's Zelda. He gently wraps his arm around her shoulders and gives her a slight squeeze.]

Y-You're welcome.

...Did something happen? I mean... you said that's happened before... having to watch bad things happen, because people didn't want you to get involved in stuff.

[oblique_wisdom]

[Her fingertips idly tug on his tunic. It's not an attempt to do anything. It's not even for the attention. It's the idea that she's close enough to someone she's comfortable with that she can be a little more raw and not so guarded.

Her tone softens. She hasn't talked about it with anyone. The most she even said to Razer was to stop giving her possessive nouns with subjects that weren't hers. She's thought many times of what she would say if she was going to discuss it.]

...I was very foolish, to think that I could be anything but what I am, to think that in spite of who I am, it would be acceptable. Instead, he--

[Zelda shakes her head, forcing herself to straighten up. She rests her chin upon Link's shoulder.]

It's not even really his fault. Princesses and rogues don't go together. I knew it all along and still I persisted. I deserve every moment of the aftermath.