Breath of the Wild College AU fanfic │Thinking About You

Family

I close the door behind me and wait for Link to take a seat on his bed. I'm not sure if I want to sit next to him, across from him, or remain standing. Maybe I should sit on his chair? No, too formal. 

He looks up at me, making me feel just awkward enough to take a seat next to him on the bed. I turn my torso toward him and grab one of his pillows to hug while I find a way to open this conversation.

"So," I begin. I had 24 hours to figure out how to tell him and yet here I am at a loss for words.

His eyes are on me but he doesn't speak or rush me in any way. I wish I had his calm.

"Last night, when I got into a fight with Father..." I scratch off some of my nail polish as I gather the words. "We didn't just fight."

His expression remains patient and I realize that he isn't going to interrupt me until I've said what I need to say. This helps me to calm down slightly.

"When I got home, Father was very angry at me for things I didn't do. He said some horrible things to me that I don't really want to repeat." This is going okay. Link's listening to every word, frowning as I tell him about the fight. "I found out that he had been stalking me and he went through my closet. It shouldn't really surprise me. But I was still in shock when he told me. He crossed a line and I may have overreacted, but at that moment I was sure I would suffocate if I stayed a second longer in that house. Literally suffocate."

I feel the air getting cut off from my lungs again just by the mention of last night. 

"So I left. I didn't tell Father that I left, I just ran away without a plan and without taking much with me."

The surprise on Link's face was expected. Still, he's waiting for me to finish. Even when I need a few seconds to build the sentence and think about what to say next, he's always patient.

"I drove to the beach, not knowing where else to go. I wanted to come back to you so badly but I didn't know if it was appropriate or if it would be weird..." I don't want to tell him the real reason, that I didn't want to come back because he was hurt. I'm afraid he'd begin to hide his pain if I said such things.

"I didn't even have water on me. I only packed what's most important to me in a sentimental way rather than packing essentials. But Impa and I went shopping today so now I at least have some new clothes and toiletries," I try to chuckle to lighten the mood. I didn't come here to whine about my life, I came to tell Link why I wasn't by his side when he needed me.

My heart is thudding so heavily again and I'm not really sure why. Telling him about this wasn't too bad. But it's only half the story. Where I'm going to stay, that part I'm still figuring out myself.

"That's pretty much it," I say. I push the guilt I feel for leaving out Karusa under an imaginary carpet in my headspace.

I chew on my lip, waiting for Link to say something. His eyes roam the blanket as he thinks about his response.

"I think that's pretty brave," he says and looks back at me.

"What?" I tear up.

"You made a big decision last night and you're sticking to it even though it's a challenge. That's brave."

I throw my arms around his neck and plunge back onto the mattress with him. His words always hit me as a surprise but somehow they are always what I need to hear. I tighten my arms and press my cheek against his neck.

"I think it was stupid but I'll take brave," I laugh and sniffle at the same time.

"It wasn't stupid. But there are some things you'll have to master on your own now. I'll support you any way I can," he places his hands on my back.