The Flirt and the Introvert; Zelink Modern AU (Legend of Zelda)

Part 2

It wasn't until the following Monday, after the weekend, that Zelda saw him again. It was just before class, and she spotted him sitting at the desk several rows behind her usual spot.

She walked over and leaned against the desk. "Hello again."

He looked up and then turned the color of a strawberry.

"You look a lot more rested today."

"I... yes, I slept a lot more last night than... well..."

"Than the none you slept on test day."

He held his hand up behind his neck. "Yeah."

Zelda smiled. "I'm glad to see you survived the double caffeine abomination you thought was a good idea."

"... Perhaps a good idea at the time," he said and closed his eyes. "Didn't stop me from making a fool of myself."

She chuckled. "It wasn't so bad."

He looked like he wanted to melt his face into his arms again.

"I'm not here to embarrass you, Link."

"That's very nice of you..."

"You know... I don't think many people notice you all the way back here..." She brought up her hand and tapped a finger against her lips. "But I see you now. You're smart," she said, and then began to smirk, "and you're pretty."

He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again.

"Would you mind if I sat next to you?"

Link lifted his hand to his forehead for a moment, then ran it through his hair. "By all means, please do."

She put down her bag and sat beside him.

"... pretty?" he said quietly, as though to himself and not to her.

Chuckling, she was about to respond when the class started and she was forced to be silent.

~*~

After class was over, she turned to Link. "So," she began. "Would you like to go out to coffee?"

His eyes widened, and he froze as he put a book into his bag.

"No monsters, I'm afraid, it would insult the Café."

Eventually time restarted for him. "Like a date?"

"That would be the idea," she replied, tilting her head to the side.

"I-" He bit his lip and blinked a few times. "Of course. That would be-" He swallowed. "That would be great."

"Great, let's go," she said as she stood up and tossed her bag over her shoulder.

"Right now?" he asked.

"Yes, right now," she said with a smile. "Unless you have somewhere else to be."

He shook his head a few times. "Now is fine."

"Good," she said, and then held out her hand. "I know an amazing Café nearby."

He only stared at her hand for a moment before he took it.