Playing With Knives- LoZ

scene 70- guilty

His diary gave her an idea. She had written a diary before. Maybe she should do it again. First, she had to get a notebook.

●●●

He sighed and looked up. He should be getting back. Zelda would be worrying about him.

He didn't get up, and instead, he sat there for a minute. Once he found the energy and motivation, he stood up and started to head back. He kept his head low, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone.

When he got back to the stable, he found Zelda asleep in her bed and the Sheikah slate lying on his bed. He picked it up, wondering why it was there. He hadn't left it there.

He turned it on and found that the journal was open, and there was a new entry.

Dear Link,
I read some of your diary. Is that okay? Sorry. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that you can tell me if something's wrong. I can help you. Hiding things won't help. I know from experience. I won't ask you a ton of questions, I just want to know if something's bothering you.
Also, can you tell me more about your friends? They seem interesting.
Sincerely, Zelda.

P.s. Do you know where to find a notebook? I saw a recipe book in your bag a while ago. I wasn't looking through your things, I promise.

Looking through his things? She was already doing that by reading his journal. And he hated that name. Stupid name. It felt like it wasn't even his. For all he knew, she could be talking to someone completely different.

He added a little note to the end of Zelda's note.

Don't call me that name.
Sincerely, your knight.

He set the slate next to Zelda and went outside to sit next to the fire.

●●●

"Li- I mean, I saw your note. I'm sorry. That was stupid of me to say, since you already got upset about that."

He opened his eyes and looked up. Zelda had sat down next to him.
"It's fine. I don't mind. Honestly."
"If you didn't mind, you wouldn't have left that note."
He didn't reply, and instead looked away.

"Have you been out here all night?"
No reply.
"Your bed wasn't slept in."
No reply.
"I'll take that as a yes."
No reply.
"So, um, how did you sleep?"
No reply.
"Okay, then... well, uh, are you still mad at me?"
No reply.
"Li- I mean, hello? Are you there?"
She reached over and waved her hand in front of his face.
No reply.
"Link?"
No reply.
"Are you okay?"
No reply.
"Did-did I upset you? I'm sorry, i didn't mean to-"
"It's not your fault." He looked at her with tears in his eyes, smiling. "None of this is." He stood up. "I'm sorry. I need to go."

He walked into the stable and came out with his things. He stopped in front of Zelda and stood there for a moment. They awkwardly looked at each other before he patted her on the shoulder and walked away.

He didn't even get his horse.

●●●

He pulled his sword up and flopped to the ground, sitting with his legs crisscrossed. He was still smiling. It wasn't one if those weird, too-big smiles, either. This one was genuine and sad.

"Oh, hey Wild. What's up?"
"I'm fine. Just a little... I dunno." He looked down, his smile shrinking. "Zelda's too nice."
Twilight looked at him quizzically.
"What do you mean?"
"She knows me too well."
Twilight just looked more confused. Wild stood up and looked back at him.
"I'm being pretty clear. She's too helpful. I don't want help. I can deal with this myself."

He walked past Twilight and Time, looking down and dragging his sword on the ground.

Twilight looked at Time.
"D'ya think I should do the wolf thing?"
Time nodded and looked over at Wild, who was now leaning against a tree, looking miserable.

●●●

"Borf!"
He looked behind him and saw the wolf. He bent down to pet it, and when it sat on his feet, he smiled and sat down with it.

"Berf?"
It tilted its head.
"I dunno. She just keeps offering to help, even though she doesn't know what's wrong. Here, she wrote this for me."

He knew full well that the world probably couldn't read, but he still showed it the note that Zelda wrote.
"See? She's just so nice. And I just keep refusing her help. She's genuinely concerned, and I just keep pushing her away. I yelled at her because she called me by my name."
He rested his forehead on his knees, not bothering to stop himself from crying.
"I'm so mean to her... she just wants to help..."

He swallowed back more tears and looked at the wolf.
"Is this how she felt before?"
He looked back down.
"Oh, who am I kidding? She's not this miserable. Anyway, you can't understand me. You're just a wolf. A f**kin wolf."

He picked up the Sheikah slate and started typing.

Entry 9-
I nearly froze to death. I went to Hebra to get away from people. That was a bad idea. I ended up falling into a river and Zelda had to fish me out.

She has such a nice smile.

I feel terrible because I yelled at her for using my name. I hate that name. She wrote a note to me, as you can see. She used my name. But she apologized. I would have preferred it if she didn't apologize, because it just made me feel worse.

In the note, she asked me about Twilight and the others. How would I tell her? She'd think I'm crazy. Maybe i am. Maybe none of this is real. Maybe this while Calamity Ganon thing isn't real and it's just a bad dream. I wish that were true. Then I could get away from this shit. I wouldn't be like this.
It wouldn't be like this.