Work Text:
A cup of hot tea, the handle of the mug thin ceramic, knuckles brushing against the hot bowl. Feet in warm socks on a cold floor, and swishing fabric of a long cardigan against sweatpants. Zelda pulled out one of the tall stools that lived under the island in her kitchen and sat down next to the still, silent form of her husband.
“Hey love. Do you want some coffee?” She leaned forwards, resting her head on her folded arms, and he turned his head just enough to see her. Nothing crossed his face, only the same stern sadness that he had worn since last night.
“Did you sleep?” She slid her stool over and ran her hand up and down his spine, splaying her fingers and closing them. The fabric of his heavy canvas jacket scrunched and spread with them. He had his hair tied back messily, and he hadn’t shaved in a few days. Zelda put her hand on his far shoulder and hooked her chin over the other. “I’m going to go to work soon. Are you gonna say goodbye?”
He didn’t move.
“Okay hon. I’m going to make you coffee and call Jacobs, let him know you won’t be in. Is that alright?” No response. “Alright.” She walked to the counter and set about making coffee, all the while checking over her shoulder for movement.
“You know, Link,” she said as she brought him a cup of coffee a few minutes later, “there’s a new guy in our apartment who’s a vet? You could swap stories, it might be good for you.” He stirred at this, shifting his weight in the chair. Zelda took his cold, motionless hand in hers. “Why don’t you take Wolf down to the Common and run with him today? He’s been restless.”
Suddenly, Link moved, very sharply. He seemed to catch a punch to the gut and even as Zelda cried out and moved to catch him, he righted himself. His breathing got heavy and strained, and he stood up, clutching his side. Zelda stood as well, holding him as best she could. He fell to his knees, breathing heavily and gripping her hand tightly. She could feel his grip tightening beyond anything safe, and wrenched her hand free. He grasped for something to hold and found a cabinet handle. The metal tube bent ever so slightly as he gripped it.
Link flipped over, sitting on the floor and leaning against the cabinets, still breathing heavily. Zelda scooted to his side and held him, the chilling sound of his labored breathing heavy in her ears. “Shhh-sh-sh-sh-shhh. You’re going to be alright, okay hon? C’mon. Breathe.” She rubbed his back, and slowly his breathing calmed.
“I’m sorry,” he said laboriously.
“You’ve nothing to be sorry for love,” Zelda started, but he shook his head.
“Your hand. Crushed it. I’m sorry.” He looked down at her, and she smiled back at him. He had a worried look on his face. “Can I see?”
A pained smile crossed her face, and she held out her hand. “It’s all good, nothing broken. I forgive you. Now can we deal with the much more important fact that my husband stopped moving for twelve hours and then couldn’t breathe?”
Link closed his eyes and nodded. “I could use that cup of coffee.”
“Of course.” Zelda picked herself up and swished over to the island, picking up the coffee mug and handing it to Link.
He took a long, deep sip of it. “It was in Hebra.”
Zelda sat down next to him and tucked herself under his arm. “What was?”
“The first time we saw a guardian. Ben Treli and I were on watch, and this big mechanical spider came out of the woods, beat up and rusty. We thought it was ancient stuff from before the war, so I took a few pictures and walked up to it. It tried to kill me.” He took another sip. Zelda snuggled in. She felt his arm around her get tighter, not squeezing but just a secure grip. She was confident he could pick her up like this. “I managed to get back and unload a few rounds from my sidearm into it, but Ben got too close and one of the big metal legs came and hit him from the side. He was dead before he hit the snow.”
Zelda looked up at him. His face was hard to read, distant. Not guilty, not angry, just sad and distant. “Any idea why you froze up?”
“Something about how a shadow was shaped when I got home last night. Reminded me of the funeral, got me thinking.”
Zelda nodded affirmation, pressing herself against him. He was still wearing his jacket and boots from the job site, and she could smell the melted snow and ice on him. “Do you want to go in today?”
He lay his head on hers. “I don’t want to go anywhere. I want to sit here with you all day long.”
Zelda laughed. “Could we maybe move a little bit? And can you change?”
She felt his lips pull into a smile. “So needy.”
“I know. I’m such a clinger.”
He stood up, lifting her and then scooping her legs up with his other arm. “I’m going to make you breakfast.”
“I already had breakfast, stupid.”
Link stopped and leaned back from her, feigning an inquisitive look. “Really? I could’ve sworn you hadn’t eaten any real food yet today.”
“You’re going to get me fat, darling.”
“I’ll just let you come with me when I take Wolf out for a run tonight.” He set her down on the island and walked to the fridge, pulling out a package of bacon. “Try and say no.”
“You know, Link, I should really be the one cooking for you, given the situation.” She rocked back and forth as he set about cooking breakfast. He moved with incredible precision. One thing she loved to do was watch him and try to catch when he slipped up, catch him being clumsy. It was not common.
“Broken or whole yolk?”
“Broken.” She always said broken. He tossed an egg in the air and cut it in half on the edge of a spatula, letting the egg spill into a pan and leaving the shell behind on the metal edge. She always said broken.
Link made a large plate of food and set it down on the island, sliding onto his stool beside her. “It’s a good morning.”
“It is.”
“I’m going to call Jacobs now. Do you want to tell the ladies you won’t be in today, or just let them figure it out?”
Zelda raised her eyebrows. Swallowing her fried spinach, she put her hands on the island and stood up. “Unlike you, dearest, I have a real job.”
“Construction is a real job.”
“It is, for the people who get paid to do it.”
“Fair enough.”
“Why don’t you use your mad construction skills and fix the door frame in the bathroom today?” Zelda kissed him on the forehead and walked off towards their bedroom.
“I’m going to come in to get a suit tailored today, Zelda,” he called after her.
“Draining the government of funds sounds good to me. I’ll have Papaya take your measurements and questionnaire, she adores you.”
“I was going to have the blonde do it.”
“She’s much too busy for riff raff like you, love.” Zelda emerged from the doorway, wearing a black button down shirt and blue jeans. She pulled a long coat over it as her husband finished her breakfast.
“I love you, Zelda.”
She walked up to him and hugged him tightly. “I love you too, Link. If you need anything today, call me. And do come see me on my lunch break, I’ll take you out.”
“Yes ma’am.”
She opened the door and stepped halfway out. “And fix my doorframe!”