A New Family; Zelink, Modern Christmas (The Legend Of Zelda)

Seventeen

She was seventeen, exchanging gifts with the serving staff in a big white elephant party. Christmas was fun, but her parents weren't going to be there... again...

Link was there. He was always there when they weren't, ever since she was fourteen. He had become her close friend while she was pining for her family. He was the person that brightened up the depression when it tried to grab hold of her. He was the reason she didn't hate Christmas. He was the reason that every time she saw mistletoe her heart skipped a beat.

The day they had kissed had marked the beginning of the change in their friendship. They couldn't date, not officially... Not according to the rules of the staff. And certainly not according to her parents. She never told them about him. She was worried what they would do to him if they knew.

At home they had started to talk to her about marriage. She was only seventeen and the idea terrified her that someday in the next few years they were going to expect her to get married.

Zelda turned to look at Link, who was opening a mystery gift that turned out to be a jar of water labeled 'frosty the snowman.' She laughed, and the dark thoughts she was brooding on were swept away.

-_-_-

As the gift exchange ended, Link walked upstairs with Zelda to her room. She set the small snow globe she had gotten from the exchange on the nightstand, and then bent to pull something out from under her bed. She grabbed the present and then straightened up. She set it on her lap and then looked up at him.

"Present exchange time then?" Link asked.

Zelda nodded as she smiled slightly. There were presents piled up in the corner of her room already from her parents. She had known for awhile now that Link felt a little bad that his presents couldn't match her parents wealth, and she had reassured him that the cost didn't matter. That she would prefer something small. Sentimental maybe. "You first," she said as she held out the present to him.

He smiled. "Alright," he replied as he handed her a small, thin, square package.

She took it and then watched him open the box.

His eyes widened slightly as he reached inside and pulled out the box inside of the box. "Zel you... Thank you," he said.

"Now you have no excuse not to text me," she teased, happy at his reaction.

"But this is... phones are expensive aren't they?"

"Of course they are, but that doesn't matter to me. My parents are rich, I could have gotten you a car on my allowance, but that would raise too many questions... anyways, the point was that price doesn't matter. I want to talk with you when I'm gone. I miss you a lot over the year and..." she trailed off as Link hugged her tight.

"I miss you too," he said and then drew back. "Your turn," he said.

She smiled and then looked down at the box. "Kay," she said as she unwrapped it carefully. The box underneath the wrapping paper was gold. She slowly opened it and then brushed aside the tissue paper. A small smile spread across her face and then she giggled slightly. "Link, is this..." she said as she carefully drew out the small, flat, dried plant.

"Yeah... It's the mistletoe..."

"That we... "

"...kissed under."

She looked up at him and smiled. "I said sentimental and you did it so perfectly..."

"That's good..."

She rolled her eyes. "You were worried... " she said, and then she smirked slightly as she asked. "You've had this for a year?"

"It was special."

"Did you cut it down right after I left?"

"... Yes."

Zelda smiled. "That's cute," she said as she set the box aside and then walked over to the tree. She reached up to a high branch and hung the mistletoe on the tree by a small loop on the top of the stem.

She turned back to look at him and then beckoned him over.

He walked over quickly and grabbed the hand that was being held out to him.

"Thank you for the memory..." she said as she looked up at it.

Link smiled. "I'm glad you like it," he said.

She turned to glance at the door to make sure it was closed, and then she looked at him and she bit her lip, not sure how to say what she wanted.

Link didn't need her to ask, he leaned in and kissed her under that same mistletoe.