Chapter Text
Link slammed his hands on the table, “You didn’t tell me about your brother.”
“I rather think I did. Sidon, bio major, starting this year..?” Mipha calmly picked up the papers her friend and fellow classmate had knocked to the floor. Link gave her an apologetic look, but Mipha shook her head and told him, “They’re numbered.”
Deftly she sorted her notes back into their proper order, each sheet filled to the margin with her neat black script with important sections carefully highlighted – colour coded as well, with a key on the first page ‘just in case’. Each time he saw them Link was reminded of his own messy scrawl; it was something of a joke between them that it was a guard against cheating, since nobody else would be able to decipher his writing.
Link pulled up a chair, spun it around and sat on it so that he could rest his chin over his folded arms. “Clarification: you told me about your baby brother. You always called him your baby brother.”
“He’s younger than me.” Mipha glanced at Link’s expression. She sighed and typed another query into the library search engine. “By four whole years. Anyway, I helped change his diapers, that gives me the indisputable right to call him my baby brother.”
“With reasoning like that I wonder why you’re not doing law,” Link muttered. “He’s head and shoulders above me. His arm is thicker than my thigh. That’s not a… you can’t call a man like that a baby.”
Mipha smirked and continued to skim through the results. This seemed like a solid one; she’d have to check whether the book was on loan. “I believe it depends on your relationship with said man.”
With the shelf number and section noted in her phone, Mipha pushed her chair back. They were running out of groceries, so she should pick some up on her way back…
She looked at Link to ask him if he needed anything and saw that the man was frozen, his expression one of shock and horror, cheeks tomato-red and mouth agape. Even his ears are pink, Mipha thought. Sweetly, she asked, “Did I say something wrong?”
“No!”
“Thank you for your honesty,” Mipha answered gravely. “I’m going out. Need anything?”
“Nothing money can buy,” Link muttered.
“Sorry?”
“Nothing! Absolutely nothing.”
Mipha laughed. She had a sneaking suspicion about Link’s troubles, but she wasn’t going to pry. “I’ll see if they have that in stock. If they don’t, will 50% Nothing suffice?”
She ducked out the door of their dorm before Link could reply. This year was starting out… interesting.
Link stretched as he joined the rush of people leaving the lecture theatre. His pace was unhurried, but he kept a steady rhythm, knowing that he’d arrive at the quadrangle with minutes to spare. So he let the crowd carry him, a human tide that flowed out of the building and trickled away down walkways and stairs under the bright afternoon sunshine.
A girl slipped out of the crowd, waving to him. “Link!”
“Zelda,” he greeted. She wore a white top today, a light, airy thing that left her arms and shoulders bare. It seemed more practical than his own outfit; while his t-shirt was breathable enough, the jacket was becoming stifling.
His friend noticed. She read the slogan on his shirt, and quirked a brow. “Really? ‘Business in the streets’. I dread to think what’s written on the back. Aren’t you helping the international students committee at their welcome barbeque today?”
“Yes,” Link muttered. Hence, the jacket.
“I hope you didn’t assume they’d be unable to read Hylian.”
“I know most people can read Hylian. My flatmate’s a Zora.”
“Yes, the Zora princess, right? I’ve heard rumours about her.” Zelda grinned. Zelda heard rumours everywhere. It was a skill she put to good use.
“You hear rumours about everyone.”
Zelda checked her fingers for imaginary dirt, every bit as aloof as a spoiled princess. “It’s a talent of mine.”
Link laughed. “Fine, you got me. What kind of rumours did you hear now?”
“She has a brother.”
“He’s not exactly a secret. There’s a page on him on Sheikipedia.” A page that he had definitely not visited the previous night. And, well, it wasn’t nosing around. Not if you scrolled past all the text and just flicked through the pictures.
“Her brother’s starting here this year.”
“Again, old news. Sorry, I’m not interested in rumours from a century ago.”
“You’re a hard customer, Farore,” Zelda said. She reached down into her bag and pulled out a card. Link took it. “I have it on good faith that he’s signed up for that gym. Chances are he’s got a regular schedule going. You get me that schedule from his sister, and there’ll be something in it for the both of us. This prince is hot real estate right now and I intend to grab the deeds.”
“I’m your informant now.”
“No!” Zelda waved her hands as if to wipe away the accusation. “You’re my friend, Link. We’re friends. Friends help each other out.”
With that, she faded back into the crowd. Link tucked the card into his jacket pocket, resolving to forget about it – considering what he’d said to Mipha yesterday, trying to get her brother’s gym schedule out of her would result in a yet unprecedented amount of teasing.
The quadrangle was crowded, students new and old alike drawn by the prospect of free food. The barbeque smelled delicious, but Link had no sooner stepped towards one of the large tents that had been erected on the green when harried-looking committee member handed him a stack of forms, a clipboard and a much-chewed pen. Staring at him with the crazed eyes of one whose tenuous grasp on consciousness was owed entirely to strong coffee, she said, “Names. Country. Degree. Mother tongue and their level of confidence in Hylian. Any hobbies. Thanks.”
Link could only nod, and the ghastly apparition of stress and caffeine disappeared back into the throng of people under the canvas.
The next half an hour was spent walking up to people who looked lost or nervous, and coaxing the required information out of them. He was just finishing up with a new Goron first year, Yunobo, when he heard a woman say, “Ah, you must be Link Farore!”
Link thanked Yunobo for his cooperation and turned to face the woman who’d called to him. She was tall. That was the first thing he noticed – she towered above him like a goddess of war, and her thick red hair was pulled up into a ponytail that only added to her height. Her crop top showed off her muscular arms and toned abs. Link wondered if ‘must be ripped’ had recently become a criterion for entrance into Hylia U. Yunobo had been no slacker in that department, either.
The woman laughed, maybe due to his dumbfounded expression. “Never seen a Gerudo before? Or maybe you have, in some movie? Don’t worry, we’re not actually warmongering thieves.”
“Statistically, it would have been impossible for a civilisation to progress as far as yours if every individual adhered to the stereotype in Hylian films,” Link answered with a shrug. “Not many people believe in those stereotypes anymore. I’m more surprised that you knew my name.”
“Quite a few people know your name.”
“Quite a few Hylians. You’re a Gerudo.”
That made the woman laugh again. She laughed easily, a rich belly laugh that made her toss back her head in mirth. “A sharp one, I see! No wonder Zelda took a liking to you. My name is Urbosa, and as you guessed, I haven’t been in Hylia long. This will be my first year studying here.”
Link tried to hide his surprise. He’d guessed Urbosa to be near in age to his own parents. Unthinkingly, he blurted: “How do you know Zelda?”
“Her mother was… my best friend,” Urbosa answered.
Link chewed his lip. He knew little enough of Zelda’s mother, who had died before Zelda was sent to Skyloft. He’d found it appalling that her father would pack her off to a boarding school so soon after such a devastating event, but it hadn’t been his place to pry. And it still wasn’t. “I’m sorry. I heard she as a wonderful person.”
“That she was.” Urbosa fell silent, then seemed to snap out of whatever reverie she’d slipped into. “Well, I can see that you’re busy. I’ve already registered; I just couldn’t resist the chance to talk to you. Give Zelda my regards, will you?”
Link nodded, watching Urbosa glide effortlessly through the crowd. He glanced at his phone screen. It was almost time for his next lecture. He looked around, hoping to see someone he could hand his clipboard to.
And then he saw him.
Luscious flowing crimson locks. Jawline strong enough to break rocks. White sleeveless top complimenting his dark skin, low cut enough to show off his collarbone in all its well-defined glory. Tight black pants, by the three Goddesses, what Link wouldn’t have given to have him turn around…
“Link! Fancy meeting you here.” The man waved, smiling, oblivious to how the action showed off the gleaming muscles in his arm, the sun-kissed healthy glow of his skin. “ Thank you for giving me the tour of the campus yesterday!”
“Oh tour had like lots of people,” Link garbled, his brain having short-circuited. “But I remember you! Haha. Yes, you were there! In my group!”
“Yes, everyone agreed that you were a most skilful guide,” Sidon said in his dulcet tones, through his plump, soft lips. “I see that you’re working hard today as well. Are you a member of the welcoming committee?”
Like his sister, Sidon had golden eyes flecked with green. His seemed to shine with an inner brilliance. It was dazzling, mesmerising. Link could stare at them for hours. Days, even. With a great force of effort he wrenched his thoughts back to the conversation. “No. I just help out. Why are you here?”
“As an international student myself, I felt that I should do my best to help my fellows. It isn’t easy getting accustomed to living in another country; I’m quite fortunate, seeing as my sister and her good friend are close at hand to help me!”
“Her good friend?”
“A Hylian… blond, blue eyes, he seems to be wearing a green jacket and a blue shirt today…” Sidon grinned mischievously. The way his eyes looked half-lidded, sweet Goddess. Link needed a cold shower. Sidon’s gaze slowly dragged downwards, and Link swore he could feel it raking across his skin, leaving a tingling trail of warmth as it went. “He seems to have a humorous phrase written on his shirt. Are you studying business?”
“Haaaa- noooooo….”
“Forgive my assumption, then. But please, make no mistake, I truly am grateful that you are here with me. It brings me great joy to know that you will be by my side as I pursue my studies!”
Link swallowed. If Sidon was doing this on purpose, he was leagues above Mipha when it came to teasing.
“Ah? Yes. I’ve got great joy as well. I mean- uh, I have to go now, can you take these?” Link shoved the clipboard into Sidon’s hands – and wow, they were big hands – then all but ran from the tent. Once safely outside he gulped huge breaths of fresh air. His cheeks burned with heat.
Something else was burning with heat, too.
Link hid his face in his hands and groaned. He could afford to miss one lecture, he decided, for the sake of propriety. He shrugged off his jacked, and tied it around his waist to give himself a bit more concealment. Then he headed back to the dorms, praying fervently that Mipha wasn’t around to tease him.
This… was going to be an interesting year.