Love-Hate [COMPLETE]

Chapter Twenty-Three

After Link was a bit ways through the opening, I fell back to my hands and knees, entering the small hole. I crawled through the tight tunnel, looking up through a small canopy of leaves and vines, a bit of sunlight brightening our way.

"You doing alright?" Link called back to me.

"Mhm!" I responded. I suddenly touched a large beetle, squishing it beneath my hand. It's guts sprayed onto my hand, and a bit onto my forearm. I squealed, wiping my hand against the side of the tunnel.

Link stopped, unable to turn around. "What's wrong?!" He said quickly. "Zelda? Are you alright?!"

I sighed. "I'm fine, I'm sorry for making you worry."

"What happened?" Link asked.

"I squashed a beetle, and it got all over my hand."

"Well, we're almost out. I can help you after we exit safely."

I smiled. "Okay."

Just as Link had said, we soon made it out of the tunnel. He held his hand out to me, and I took it with my left hand. He pulled me up, and he laughed. "Here, sit down over on that rock. I can go get some water from the spring, and I can help clean it." Link turned, walking back towards the small opening.

I nodded, then shook my head quickly. "Wait!"

Link turned back around. "What is it?"

Again, I blushed, just a bit this time. "I, uh, don't want to be left alone. You know, considering you said this place was full of monsters."

Link nodded. "I guess you're right." He sat onto the ground, crossing his legs. "Well, then, what do you want to do about it?"

I lifted my hand up to my face, inspecting any of the leftover guts on my hand. "Yuck!"

Link smiled. "What?"

I held my hand far away from my face, as far as I could extend my arm. "It smells awful."

Link laughed.

I frowned. "What? What's so funny?"

Link stood up. "You. You're funny."

I rolled my eyes. "Ha ha." I smirked, running over to Link, holding my hand in his face. "So, how does it smell? Like peaches, right?"

Link grabbed my wrist. "Ew, no!"

I laughed maniacally. "Ha! Smell my wrath!"

Link began to laugh as well. "Never!" He yelled, tousling my hair after her threw my arm away from him.

"Like it's not already messed up enough," I stuck out my tongue, straightening my hair.

Link looked at me, smiling.

"What?" I asked. "Is there something on me? Oh, I bet it's my shirt, isn't it? There must be dirt on if, or something..."

Link shook his head, saying simply, "No, you're just cute."

I could already tell my face was a deep shade of red. "D-Don't call me that," I said, walking over to his side. I punched his arm. "Jerk."

Link chuckled. "Whatever you say."

I turned around, holding my hands behind my back. I looked over my shoulder, my face still a pink color. I smiled softly. "Alrighty then, Mr. Hero, lead the way through the dangerous forest."

"My pleasure, Ms. Damsel in Distress," Link mocked.

I furrowed my eyebrows, spinning on my heels. "You can call me anything, but I am not some damsel, and I am definitely not in distress. Got it?"