Chapter Text
“Zel, I need you here.”
“How urgent? Class starts in five–”
“Zelda. Flora.” Link chokes out, staring at the air that’s just slightly darker than it ought to be. “I think a portal is forming in my back garden.”
The stream of creative cursing coming from the tinny speakers is expected. Link did the same.
From the safety of the doorway, Link watches as Zelda paces around the area. She’s scowling at it fiercely. The fury is wonderful. It means Link can focus on being sad and petrified and elated and vaguely nauseous and… it means Link can focus on feeling a lot without the need to add anger into the mix. Their almost-sister’s taken over that job. In the midday sun her hair glitters, remnants of the light dragon. Link’s does the same. Malia’s many magpie and crow friends regularly try to steal some for nesting. They’re currently eyeing up Zelda’s braids quite intently.
“I think we can delay it until tomorrow.” Zelda says tentatively, drawing them out of their head. “It’s forming slowly, so the stabilisation would probably take a few hours anyway. Hylia, well I wouldn’t put it past Her to just kidnap you without warning if we cancel it entirely. I-it’s not much longer, I know, but–”
“It’s something. It’s, it’s something.”
The words ring hollow to even their own ears. Zelda turns away from the portal, expression devastated. Anger has left them both. Her mouth opens but Link’s most pressing concern slip out into the air before they can stop it.
“What am I going to tell Malia?” They ask, hopelessly lost. “What do I say to her? How do I tell my baby that I’m leaving her again?”
“You tell her that you don’t want to go, but you have to.” Zelda tells them firmly, walking toward them on urgent feet. “You tell her you’re going to do everything to stay safe, to come home to her, and then you tell her that the next time you do, her daddy will be with you.”
Link can’t do anything but stare at their now entwined hands. It’s the only thing tethering them to reality. That sentiment is something they hadn’t even dared to put into thought yet. Zelda shakes their hands gently, making them look at her. She looks as conflicted as they are. Muted joy still shines through the words she says next.
“You’re getting him back, Link. You and Malia are getting him back.”
Blinking away tears, a laugh leaves their lips to reach the sky. It’s slightly hysterical sounding. Link is self-aware enough to realise they probably are halfway to hysterical. Link is… Link is also very, very tired.
Without looking back at Zelda, Link tries to choke out a response without bawling their eyes out. It’s not overly successful.
“And what do I tell him? What,” they press their lips together, using the sharp sting of teeth to push back the tears still trying to build, “what am I meant to say? He doesn’t know and she’s five now! I-I have to leave her, again, in order to get him back and I don’t know if… it’s not even been two years. It’s not even been two years. She’s only just started school, Zel! H-how am I meant to do this? I have to leave her–”
Their words cut off on a suppressed sob. When they look at Zelda, she’s looking back. Rainbow eyes gleam like jewels under brewing tears. Hers or just theirs, Link can’t tell. The world is swimming. They feel rather adrift. Her mouth moves, points of teeth flashing, as she searches for an answer neither of them have.
The air continues to darken.