Link's POV
Anju tosses the bouquet over her shoulder and Zelda almost catches it. But some brunette gets it instead and celebrates as if she just won the Super Bowl.
Zelda's walking back to our table now. She gives me a sad smile and a shrug. Awe, she looked like she really wanted to catch it too. Maybe I'll buy her some flowers before we go to Japan as a little replacement for the bouquet. Still don't know how to break it to her that my plane ticket might only be one way.
"I'm so bad at catching things," Zelda says, now standing in front of me.
If I tell her that I lost my scholarship during my expulsion, she'll want to pay my tuition for me. She's so sweet but $200,000 to her is not the same as to me. I could never come up with that much money... Not without being a pro athlete.
But if I leave the US for good, she'll be heartbroken.... Shit... I don't know what to do. I need some air.
"Hey, where are you going?" She asks while I get up.
"Bathroom."
"Oh okay. I was going to ask you to dance," she says with red cheeks and a cute smile on her face. It almost makes me smile too.
"Really? You?"
"Don't assume I don't dance," she says pretending to be sassy.
"Do you though?"
"Well—no, but don't assume I don't." She's so goddamn cute. "But hey, if you're too chicken to dance in front of people," she shrugs with a child-like smile.
"Just not feeling it right now," I say.
"Oh... Oh, okay. I just thought..." She tilts her head and her smile turns from cute to embarrassed. "Never mind, forget I asked."
Shit. I messed that up. Didn't mean to make her sad.
"Maybe when I'm back, okay?"
"Sure. But only if you want to."
She's giving me that look. That sorta sad and worried look. She's noticing it. I hope she doesn't ask me what's wrong, I hate lying to her.
"Everything okay?"
Damn it...
"Mhm," I nod and give her a quick smile before leaving the table.
I walk out the big door and down the hall, trying to find the bathroom. There are so many doors left and right but none of them are labeled. Who designed this place? It's like a freaking maze.
I open a random door and my jaw drops! Ravioli is standing really close behind Mipha and both look at me in shock!
Mipha quickly takes a huge step away from Ravioli while his eyes look at me as if they're trying to strangle me. Shit! I basically slam the door shut again!
I've barely talked to Mipha this whole year. I didn't know she was so close to him... I don't know how I feel about that... Good for Ravioli, but...
The door opens and Ravioli steps out into the hallway. His face has turned even redder than Mipha's. She's still in that tiny room but I can't get a good look at her before he shuts the door behind him. Now we're alone in the hallway and I have a feeling I'm about to get hit in the face.
"What—the—fuck!" Ravioli whisper-yells at me.
"I didn't mean to interrupt," I say, hands in the air. I'm not going to fight him over this.
"Did you follow us? Is making my life a living hell your sick source of entertainment?"
I clench my wists and take a calm breath. I'm not going to ruin Kafei's wedding by getting in a fight with Ravioli.
"Sorry," is all I say. Anything else will trigger him.
"Sorry?" He yells at me as quiet as possible. "5 months you haven't talked to her and the second I ask her to be my girlfriend you just so happen to randomly walk in? Do you think I'm that gullible?"
"You asked her to be your girlfriend?"
"None of your business!"
"You literally brought it up," I say confused.
"Sometimes I miss the Link that would just shut up and ignore everyone around him. Mipha and I had the perfect moment and you had to ruin it!"
I just look at the floor. Maybe if I wasn't already in a bad mood I'd hold his angry stare but I just want to get away from people for a second and not think about my shitty situation! I'm not even mad at him for blaming me for something I didn't do on purpose. Heck, if there was someone I could blame for my problems I would do the same thing Ravioli is doing right now but there is no one else to blame but myself. And yelling at myself won't solve my problems.
Ravioli's posture changes. His shoulders and fists relax. "What's up with you? You look like someone died."
Maybe he can give me some advice on how to pay for school. As far as I know he's not rich enough to pay tuition out of his own pocket. But he's really smart so he probably has a scholarship or something.
"Talk or I'm going back inside."
On the other hand, he'd probably be happy to see me go.
"I... well, um..."
"Full sentences if possible."
Dick. "I have a problem."
"You'll have more than one if you don't get to the point," he says annoyed, crossing his arms.
"I can't afford—" I start but Zelda walks into the hallway with a worried expression.
"Link? The bathroom is the other way," she says. I can see how bad she feels for interrupting us.
"Right, um, thanks. I got kinda lost," I say.
I turn my back on Ravioli but he grips my arm when I start walking away. I stop to look at him, confused about what he's doing.
"It was unintentional?" He asks, glaring at the carpet.
"Yeah. I swear."
For a moment, he doesn't speak. He looks up from the floor and holds eye contact with me.
"Fine. I'm not angry at you. It's just—You don't understand how bad it hurts that she backed away from me the second she saw you. It's like every time she sees you, she's reminded that she still hasn't gotten over you."
"Give her time..."
"I've been patient..!" He says through his teeth.
"Be more patient then! Don't push her."
"She still has feelings for you!"
"That doesn't mean she doesn't have feelings for you."
He looks surprised by my words. When he lets go of my arm, I smooth out the crease in my sleeve and walk back to the door where Zelda is waiting. Without a word, we return to the big room with all the people.
"What was that about?" She asks concerned.
"I walked in on Mipha and Ravioli."
"Doing what?" She squeaks. "Wait, I don't want to know."
"He asked her out," I tell her anyways.
"Oh," she sighs. I totally knew she was thinking of something else. I smirk at her to mock her a little.
"What?" She asks like the most British Britain.
"When did your mind become so dirty?"
"You made it sound dirty!"
"Mhm, sure, always putting the blame on me." I smile for like a second but then I remember that after summer break I won't be able to tease her like this anymore...
Zelda steps closer and fixes my tie. "Have I told you how incredibly ravishing you look in a suit?"
Oh my god I'm gonna miss her... "You look good too..."
"Hey...? Something is clearly wrong, what is it, Link? Are you not feeling well?"
I take a second to think this over. If I tell her now, she's going to be sad all day... I just want her to have a good time at this wedding.
I take a small step back, just enough to hold my hand out for her. "Would Your Highness honor me with a dance?"
"Oh," she blushes and takes my hand with some hesitation. "I thought you had to go to the bathroom."
"I just needed some air I guess."
"The bathroom is definitely not the proper place for air," she jokes, actually making me laugh a little.
I lead her to the dance floor. Thank god it's a slow song. Lights are dimmed too. I put my hands on her waist and she puts her arms around my neck. This isn't so bad.
"Is this what prom is like in the US?" I ask for some small talk.
"Possibly. I didn't attend prom, so I can't say for sure."
"Why didn't you go?"
"Father," she says and that's honestly enough for me to understand.
"Did you get asked out though?"
"I was. There was a banner, sweets, and a balloon even. It was quite the prom proposal. Even the teachers were impressed. I said yes at first, but then, obviously, Father forbid it. Too bad I couldn't go, it would have been fun. Especially since I was extremely fond of the one who asked me out." I didn't know she had a High School crush. I'm kinda surprised. "She was so upset, she didn't talk to my father for over a month."
Ah. "Impa?"
"Yes. I noticed the brief surprise on your face. That was cute," she smiles. I don't. "You really don't want to talk about it?"
"Hm? Talk about what?"
"Whatever it is that is bothering you."
"Nothing's bothering me."
"Nothing at all?"
I don't answer. I really don't want to lie to her. She lets out a nervous breath and looks down at our feet while we're just kinda swaying back and forth to the music.
"Did I do something?" She whispers.
"No, of course not."
"Are you sure? Because if it has something to do with last night..."
"I promise, you didn't do anything wrong."
"Are you worried about your career as an athlete?"
"That too. But that's not it..."
"So there is something," she nods. "Are you bothered by Mipha and Revali?"
"What? No."
"It's okay if you are. You guys were so close all your life, and now..."
"She has Ravioli now," I shrug.
"He's not your replacement."
"He's going to help her move on though."
"I don't believe Mipha is that 2-dimensional. She has emotions like any of us and whatever she's going through, she may just need time to deal with it in her own way. And while Revali may be part of that process, that doesn't mean that you've been replaced. Once you're in her heart, you're in her heart forever. At least that's what I think."
"I think you're pretty smart," I say and lean in to make our foreheads touch.
Somehow she made me feel better about something I didn't even know was bothering me. She's always there for me, why the hell am I pushing her away? If roles were reversed, I'd want her to tell me what's up even if it ruined my mood.
The song ends and the next one starts playing. It's a more upbeat song, not something either of us is really in the mood for.
"Let's talk somewhere private," I say and she nods.
Revali's POV
"Ravioli!" Kafei throws his arm around my shoulders, acting as if he was taller than me. "Have a glass of champagne with me!"
"Since when do you like champagne?" I growl.
"Since I'm a married man!"
"Since when are you a man?" I roll my eyes.
"Wow, somebody is extra salty today. Not to play the it's-my-big-day card but it's kind of my big day, so how about you turn that frown upside down?"
His enthusiasm makes me want to push two fingers down my throat.
"Kafei, I sort of like you, so I'm willing to drink champagne with you, but I just got rejected by Mipha so don't expect me to smile."
"Huh? Come again?" He looks across the dance floor to find Mipha sitting by my table. "You finally asked her? And she rejected you? Why?"
"Take a guess," I hiss, giving an obvious glance at Link and Zelda leaving the dance floor while holding hands.
"Our boy Link? Nah, he's with Zelda," Kafei states the freakin obvious.
"Thank you, Watson. Your deduction skills are tremendous in the most dissatisfying way. I know he's with Zelda! But he still manages to mess things up with Mipha and me."
"What'd she say when you asked her?"
"Nothing! Fucking Link walked in before she could answer!"
"You're telling me he walked in on you guys and then you just came back here without asking her for an answer?"
"She gave me an answer. Just not verbally."
"She's sitting all alone at the table, looking at us!" He harshly scolds me through a fabricated smile, giving a friendly wave at my table. Mipha waves back, looking disappointed and slightly uncomfortable. "Go talk to her."
"Kafei—"
"Go! Or else I'll play the it's-my-big-day card!"
"Shit, fine!" I scoff and start walking back to the table.
Mipha's back straightens as she looks up at me, so stiff and rigid that it makes me nervous all the more. That necklace looks amazing on her but I can't help but feel like it's mocking me!
"I'm sorry for walking away," I sigh.
"It's okay," she says.
"When Link entered the room, you backed away as if my touch was on fire... Ironically, I'm the one who got burned."
"I'm sorry about that..."
"Don't apologize for your feelings," I huff frustrated. She looks down at her hands and her posture shrinks. I instantly feel like the biggest asshole at this wedding. Second biggest asshole. I pull out the chair next to hers and sit down facing her.
"Look..." I say quietly. I interlock my fingers while my elbows rest on my legs and lean closer so she's the only one who can hear me. "I'm sorry if I overreacted but it's a sensitive spot. I know it's hard to let go of someone you love but this thing with you and Link has always stood between you and me and it feels like it still does sometimes. I'm not saying you have to stop loving him, but I need to be sure that you're no longer in love with him before we start dating--I mean... if you even want to date me."
Her eyes suddenly shift to look at me and it knocks the breath right out of my lungs. Our heads are so close, maybe I should lean back, give her some space and--
She leans in, making our lips touch!
My lungs are striking completely now, my heart is in my throat! My eyes are wide open, yet this feels like a dream! She's back to her previous position before I can process what just happened.
"I do," she simply answers, not making eye contact.
"Huh?" I breathe, unable to blink.
"I do want to date you."
"But... but... Link?"
"I'm not in love with him."
"You just kissed me," I mutter, finally able to catch my breath.
"I'm sorry. Apparently, I have a tendency to kiss people without their consent."
"You've had my consent ever since you bumped into me at Vah Rudania last summer," I quickly reassure her.
"Oh. Well then... There is that, I suppose."
"I suppose," I nod, jaw agape. I want to slap myself awake. I'm behaving like a primate. I shut my jaw and pull myself together. "I'm sorry if I appear just a tad confused. I wasn't expecting you to kiss me."
"I'm sorry."
"If you apologize one more time..." I smile.
Abashedly, she covers her face with her dainty hands to cover a massive smile. "Now I really feel the urge to say it," she giggles.
I can't think. I'm too overwhelmed. She kissed me! Even if it was barely a brush of the lips, she did kiss me!
"Just to clarify... We're girlfriend and boyfriend now?" Somehow the two seconds between my question and her nod feel like an eternity but there it is; her very distinct and perspicuous answer!
This gives me permission to kiss her properly! When she finally looks up at me, I cup her cheeks, gaining a quiet gasp from her but she doesn't flinch. Her eyes hold my gaze, mirroring my excitement and—I hate to admit it—shyness.
My eyes dart aside and land on Kafei, who has both thumbs up and a smug grin on his face. Has that creep been watching us the entire time? I clench my jaw and feel every ounce of confidence escape my body.
Great... Mipha is waiting for me to do something and I'm too uncomfortable to kiss her while Kafei is watching! Just kiss her, I demand of myself but the tension is gone.
This could have gone a whole lot smoother but for once I won't complain. I won't ever complain again for as long as she's by my side. I won't even complain about weddings anymore. They're not half bad, I guess. Mainly because I have to accept that a wedding will forever be the place of our first kiss. But... for the next wedding we attend, I want her to be more than my plus-one.
The band moves on to their next song, undoubtedly pursuing the goal of making all our ears bleed! The singer is lacking in every aspect of talent, even the lead guitarist is cringing at him. But what can you expect from a cheap band like this?
I roll my eyes at the thing they call music. Only when Mipha covers her mouth as she giggles at my reaction do I notice what I just did. I slap my incompetent self mentally. Okay, that was my last complaint though.
Maybe.
...At least for tonight.
But seriously, this music sucks.