Link is the stong, silent type (![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} heroingreen) wrote in ![[info]](https://www.insanejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} valarlogs,@ 2013-04-11 13:58:00 |
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When: Thursday, 4/11
Where: DISNEYLAND
What: A date!!
Rating/Warnings: PG, For some vaguely non-G romantic thoughts
Status: Complete
Zelda called the car service to organize a pick up and drop off for her Disneyland adventure with Link. That was easier than having Link drive, or trying to drive herself. The car picked her up insanely early, and then drive her to Link’s place to get him. She had coffee in the car, ready to go, and hoped that he liked coffee. Though, she had cream and sugar, too.
Zelda didn’t go on a whole lot of dates. Not really. Most of the guys she met were interested in her for the wrong reasons, so she never returned their calls. On the other hand, with Yuka and Jerry and Link she’d been out more lately than normal. That didn’t make it any less exciting. She was dressed in her most stylish and cute, hair perfect and make-up flawless.
When the car stopped in front of Link’s farmhouse, Zelda bounced out. She rushed to the door to knock gently. It was super early. Hopefully Link was ready.
Link had quite a different image of Zelda’s day-to-day. It would take some time yet to amend it. But he lived a secluded life, how could he understand that fame came at such a price? He imagined it was like effortlessly bouncing from cloud to cloud. He had no concept of the sneaking around or the lengths one had to go to just to enjoy a simple pleasure, like Disneyland.
He opened the door with a smile and stepped onto the porch. His eyes were bright. Link was used to being up this time of day. “Good morning.” He was much more at ease than before. Knowing there was something really happening between them, that it wasn’t just in his mind, helped a lot.
“Morning!” Zelda was beaming brightly when she saw him. She was a little excited about going to Disneyland, a little excited about wearing her new, absolutely fantastic shoes, and even more excited about spending time with Link. It was a win-win-win situation today. She wanted to greet him with a hug, and for a moment hesitated. That might be awkward, right? Oh, well. She threw caution to the wind and reached forward to give him a big hug in greeting.
“I’m so excited!” She said, pulling back almost as quickly as she hugged him in the first place. “Disneyland!!”
The hug reawakened Link’s jitters a little bit. He felt his face warm up and knew he was blushing, even though it lasted only a second. Looking over her head, he eyed the super nice car she’d brought, and as Zelda led him to it, he cautiously eyed her, as well. Her little outfit was really cute. It was going to be difficult not staring at her all day.
She wouldn’t mind if he stared. She might not even notice. Though, Zelda would probably be looking at him a lot today, too. The driver climbed out of the car and opened the back door to admit Zelda and Link. She gave him a smile, and slipped into the car first, then scooted over for Link.
In just a moment, they were on the road, headed for Destiny! ...or Disneyland. One or the other. Zelda held out a coffee to Link. “I didn’t know how you took it. There’s cream and sugar here, too.”
“Oh, um both, please,” Link said politely as he settled into his seat. He took the cup and the car gently started up. “Thanks.”
He took the packets of cream and sugar and started stirring them into the cup. His eyes moved around the car, taking it all in. “This is nice. You look really nice, too.”
Zelda blushed. “Thanks.” She gave him a warm smile. It was kind of him to say so. The car was normal for her, old hat. She was used to this kind of extravagance. But she really liked being complimented. “You’re not too shabby yourself,” she teased. “Rather chipper for it being so early in the morning.” She added. “Do you have to get up early to tend to the farm?”
“Oh yeah. This is no big deal for me.” He sipped his coffee carefully. He didn’t want a repeat of last time, where he’d guzzled it down. “Today I had to get up early to make sure everyone else was tending the farm.”
Link had actually gotten up extra early to prepare with an extra long shower and groom his facial hair. He liked sporting a small goatee, but he needed to keep up on it to stay neat. It quickly got too scruffy.
It wasn't that long of a drive to Disneyland, but long enough that they had a while to talk and finish their coffee. "I hope it wasn't too much of an ordeal to take a day off. Next time... would a weekend be easier?" She asked. Though, weekends were a bit busier at the park. She was really glad that they were going on a weekday, and that she could get her favorite VIP guide to tour them around. It wasn't quite as private as going on their own, but they had extra protection.
After what happened last week with that strange woman and the camera, Zelda was thankful for a little extra assistance.
“No, there’s no such thing as a weekend for me,” Link chuckled. Everyday, the cows had to be milked and the artichoke fields had to be examined. Nature didn’t observe holidays.
The scenery around them quickly changed from rural farmland to suburban house farms to the city, as Southern California was want to do. A big sign marked their entrance into Anaheim. “So, when we get to the park... what happens? Do you have a special entrance?”
"Yes," Zelda responded with a nod. "We'll have a tour guide that will take us around the park. Both parks, actually. She'll go get our Fast Passes and make sure that no one bothers us. We get special seating at any shows we want to see, too. Ooh, she gave me these park maps and schedules." And she held them out to him. One for each park, with an insert with names and times of the parades and shows.
After a few more minutes in the car, the driver pulled off on the Disneyland ramp, and drive around behind the park. They were dropped off at a special entrance, and the driver opened Zelda's door for her. She climbed out first, then tossed her coffee cup into a trash can near the closest building. A woman with long red hair and a plaid vest came out to meet them. Zelda greeted the woman with a tight hug, then turned to introduce her to Link.
"This is Elaine. She's our guide for the day. Elaine, this is my friend Link."
Elaine was a warm-looking woman, properly polished, and in her mid thirties. She wore comfortable looking shoes under her uniform, and had a laid back attitude. "Hello, Link," she said, "Is this your first time to the Magic Kingdom?"
Link was in awe and his wide eyes showed it. He’d expected something like this, but it was still impressive. And a little overwhelming, but not necessarily in a bad way. “Er, no, but it’s been a while. Five years.” ...And three months and eleven days. He could remember the last time he’d come here with his parents, for his cousin’s birthday.
He brushed his hands on his jeans and held one out to greet Elaine politely.
"Ah, well, welcome back!" Elaine said, shaking Link's hand gently. Then she passed each of them their Park Hopper Passes, and complimentary lanyards to keep them in. Zelda put her pass in the little, plastic holder at the end of her lanyard and then beamed at Link.
"We can go to whichever park you'd like to start. It's early enough yet that there aren't long lines." Elaine said in her laid-back way. It seemed as if she didn't want to push them in any one direction.
If Zelda had been there on her own or with some girl friends, she would have wanted to go meet the characters. Mickey was her favorite. She loved taking pictures with the princesses, too, but... well, that was a bit childish, right? "What do you think, Link? Matterhorn first?"
Link did the same with his pass and the plastic sleeve. He put the lanyard over his head and down the front of his shirt. “Uh, sure. Yeah, that sounds fine.” He smiled. As long as they got to ride it at night, too. He really prefered the ride at night. But getting his arms around Zelda right away was too tempting. On the ride, he’d have a good excuse to touch her.
It was only an hour into their first real date and he was already hoping he’d get to kiss her by the end of it. It made his heart hammer against his ribs, but he couldn’t help but think about it. A lot. He hadn’t been with anyone since Cameron, and even then, they’d never officially been together. And before that... Well, Link was a good boy, but he was hopeful what was happening with Zelda would really turn into something.
"We can go to Fantasy land in the morning," Zelda suggested. "Maybe..." She reached for the map again, and drew a circle, starting with Fantasyland, moving through Tomorrowland, and then across to Adventureland, Frontierland, and New Orleans square. "I wonder how many rides we can hit before lunch. Maybe spend the afternoon in California Adventure?"
Elaine nodded, as if agreeing that that sounded like a good idea. "I can go ahead and get your fast passes." She said. "And if you want to do any shopping, I can clear the way for you there, too." Zelda had been out to Disneyland several times with Elaine, so she knew the drill. Most of the explanation was for Link's benefit.
“I definitely want to get back into Disneyland for the show. The Fantasmic show.” Zelda had already made dinner reservations so they could sit and get a fantastic view of the show over the waters of America. "Let's get started, then!" She said, bouncing on her heels.
Link definitely had fond memories of Fantasmic. Fireworks, fire on the water, a dragon at the end. It was a boy’s dream come true -- literally, considering the show was about dreams. He would happily follow Zelda wherever she wanted to go. There was something about him that made him feel... wide awake. And silly. And really nervous, but again not in a bad way.
Elaine led the way to the tram, and they had their own little car at the far end. The three of them went along, listening to the conductor, and climbed off. They had to go through the main entrance like all the rest of the patrons, but they could use the VIP entrance. It was still so early that the lines weren't ridiculous.
They moved quickly through the gate, showing their passes, then past the giant Mickey Mouse design in foliage in front of the train station. Zelda popped out her phone to start taking pictures. Most of them were candids of Link, honestly. It was a pleasant walk down Main Street toward Sleeping Beauty's Castle, then a quick diversion to the right to take them to the Matterhorn. Zelda fought back an urge to take hold of Link's hand as they walked.
"While you're on this one, I'll pop around and get your passes." Elaine said, dropping them off in the line. "And I'll come back and meet you here."
"Actually, we'll be in Fantasyland," Zelda said. "I want to get a picture of Link pulling the sword from the stone." She gave him a grin and a wink.
Elaine looked between them, gave some sort of knowing smirk, and nodded. "I'll meet you outside the Carousel, then. Zelda, you have my direct number, don't hesitate if you need anything." Then she turned to leave the two of them alone in the line for the Matterhorn.
A shudder went through him as Zelda mentioned the sword. It was anxiety of the bad sort. If she only knew. And soon, she probably would. His cheeks paled as they moved forward in line.
If she’d known she made him feel anxious in a bad way, she never would have said anything. A bit part of being in Disneyland for Zelda was the photo ops. She loved taking pictures, and then she had them to remember the day forever. Zelda had a feeling she was going to remember this day forever.
It was a very short ride. They only had a couple of minutes to wait. “...You don’t mind, do you?” Zelda asked, turning to him. “We don’t have to ride the carousel. We could go on Snow White’s Scary Adventure, or Mister Toad’s Wild Ride instead.”
“No, no,” said Link. The color returned to face. “This is good.”
He tried to trust what Navi had said, that it was possible Zelda would like her dreams and like him more because of them. After all, Link was a sword-swinging adventurer, bent on saving the world. That couldn’t be a bad thing. Right?
It was possible that Zelda wouldn't believe her dreams. Afterall, Link had dreamed about her before he met her. If she started to dream about him, it wouldn't feel magical or fantastic, just like her every day life bleeding into her fantastic dreams. It was possible that she might freak out and think that he was affecting her dreams in some way. It was possible she'd never dream at all.
She gave him a bright grin as they reached the front of the line, then climbed into the bobsled that would take them on this adventure. Zelda felt her heart jumping in her chest, and only part of it had to do with the prospect of the roller coaster. The other part had to do with Link sitting right behind her, close enough for her to feel the warmth coming from his body. “Here we go.” She said, looking over her shoulder at him with another bright grin.
Just as he’d planned, Link placed his hands on Zelda’s hips right away. Not too low, of course, but with enough pressure that it satisfied his urge to cuddle. Of course, now that he had his hands on her waist, he wanted to brush his cheek against her hair and kiss her neck. He leaned in a bit to smell her shampoo and perfume. Girls’ hair smelled so good.
But that was all he dared. The bobsled began its journey up the mountain. The caverns weren’t very dark in the daytime, but the ride looked as though it had been recently spruced up. Everything was shiny and new-looking, even the abominable snowman. The car whipped them around and Link found himself laughing like a kid almost immediately.
So, Zelda felt warmth rise within her at the feel of his hands on her hips. She didn’t dare lean back against him too much, though she wanted to. Then the ride started. She was whipped left and right, and ended up leaning back against him with the power of the dips and climbs.
He tried to work up the nerve to wrap his arms all the way around her, but before he could, the ride was over. Zelda’s giggles continued to ring in his ears. Link hopped up and helped her out. A small crowd had gathered by the exit, waiting with their cell phones and calling her name.
Zelda was still giggling, having laughed nearly the whole way through the ride herself. When they reached the exit, she went a little pink and realized she was still holding his hand from his help out of the bobsled. She dropped it quickly as they moved to the exit and she gave smiles and waves for some pictures.
It took several minutes for the crowd to disperse. Zelda grabbed Link’s arm and moved with him away from the Matterhorn quickly, trying to avoid another crowd massing for more pictures. “Sorry about that,” she mumbled, pulling him with her. She was honestly and genuinely embarrassed she’d been stopped. It would probably happen a few more times over the course of the day.
“No, it’s fine,” he found himself saying, while his palm tingled from holding her hand. The crowds were all new to him. It was almost exciting, being the center of attention, even though it didn’t sit quite right. He was okay with it so far. “We should go to the Carousel? Er, to the sword?”
“Both.” Zelda said. She was glad that he was so understanding. Her arm looped through his now, elbows together, and she led him around the Alice in Wonderland ride and the teacups to head to the Carousel. It was turning into a beautiful day; what very few clouds had been there in the very early morning were starting to burn off.
“The sword’s right over here.” Her face brightened as they reached the Carousel. She was less embarrassed now, even though heads were still turning. Thankfully people were more interested in their own activities and for the most part weren’t watching her.
Many times before, Link had tried to pulled the sword from the stone for the amusement of his parents. What would they think now, if they could see him actually wielding the Master Sword? What would Zelda think? Letting go of her arm, Link walked up behind a clearing group of children testing their strength, and wrapped his hand around the golden hilt. “Ready?”
It took a man who was absolutely sure of himself--of his maturity, of his masculinity--to pretend to draw the sword from the stone for a girl to take a picture. Zelda was beaming as she pulled out her phone to take a picture. “Ready!” She quickly maneuvered into position, and decided that she really, really liked this picture. It was going to be her desktop.
Of course, King Arthur's blade didn’t budge -- it was bolted in, but he’d been practicing with the Master Sword so much that Link knew how to give this pose an extra something. His somewhat elusive smile returned as he looked into the lens, stopping just short of hamming it up. He sensed he was winning points with Zelda by the way she grinned back.
He was definitely winning points. He wasn’t wrong there. She beamed at him, then came around to show him the picture. He looked rather dashing, rather handsome--then again, that wasn’t because of the sword or the camera. He looked rather handsome in real life, even more so than the photo.
They stepped aside to let some other people have their turn, and Zelda was surprised to see Elaine come walking over. She was puffing just a little, having walked incredibly fast around the park and back to get them their fast passes.
“Hi!” Zelda said to her, giving her a bright grin. She turned the camera so that the Park Employee could see the photo of Link.
“What a great snap!” Elaine responded, nodding and smiling to both of them. “Where to next? I’ve got passes for you both.”
Link was pleased by the photo. Even he had to admit, he looked damn good. He was almost surprised to see how good he looked, but that was probably because he wasn’t the sort to look in the mirror very often.
He looked at Zelda as Elaine held out the passes. There wasn’t a fast pass available for the Haunted Mansion, but that was the next ride on Link’s mind. Maybe they could do Splash Mountain first. He didn’t want all of Elaine’s work to be for nothing. And then they wouldn’t be too far from New Orleans’s Square.
“Think it’s warm enough to get a little wet?” he asked. “Or... can you get wet, in those clothes?”
“Oooh, Splash Mountain?” Zelda said, breaking into a bright smile. “I think we can do that. Or... Indiana Jones is fun. And Pirates, too, if you want to head to that side of the park.” She was thinking about the Haunted Mansion, too. She pulled out her map and unfolded it to take a look.
“Well, I have Space Mountain here,” Elaine said, pointing. It was a little out of the way if they were headed for New Orleans Square, though. “Indiana Jones is on the way, and Pirates of the Caribbean.”
Zelda nodded. “Maybe we can just head over there and take a look?” She hadn’t noticed, but there was another group of girls--possibly on a High School Field Trip--who were all gawking at her and pulling out cameras.
Elaine noticed, though. “Yes, let’s keep moving.”
A protective instinct began to awaken in Link. It wasn’t that he saw the girls as a threat, but he was beginning to understand how awkward it was for a celebrity to navigate through places an average person never thought twice about. He hooked his arm around her as they started to walk and kept a watchful eye.
The number gawkers lessened as they passed through the heart of Fantasy Land, where parents of small children were clustered together. They had more important things to focus on. Moving onto Adventure Land and New Orleans square, the peering eyes returned, and more than ever. “Hey... we could do Pirates on the way? Want to duck inside?”
“I love Pirates.” Zelda responded. She couldn’t help that her heartbeat quickened at the feel of his arm around her. Her face broke into a deep blush and a shy smile as she felt the warmth from his body so close to hers again. It made her feel... excited and shy all at the same time. Apparently, Elaine noticed, too, by the smirk on her face.
“Pirates it is.” Elaine proclaimed, leading the way there. She fed the two of them a few facts about the park as they walked, pointing out the architecture and the foliage. Hey, that was her job, right? There weren’t Fast Passes for Pirates, but the line was fairly short, anyway, since it was still so early.
Soon they were boarding and their boat left the dock. Whether they had their own boat by chance or because of Elaine’s doing, Link wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he was going to keep his arm around Zelda for the rest of the ride.
Having a little privacy was nice. Zelda leaned back against the chair a little, her shoulder brushing up under his arm. He was warm, and it was surprisingly chilly underground. Dead Men Tell No Tales had her heart racing (or was that being so close to Link again?), and then the ride started.
...was it corny that she sang along to the Pirates song? Maybe a little. Her voice wasn’t great, but she was working on it. Besides, she sounded a little better than the sixty year old recording.
Holding on to Zelda still had the same affect on Link’s pulse as the first time she touched his hand. His skin was tingly, sitting beside her in the dark while she giggled and sang. Memories of his childhood flooded him, but Link couldn’t say he felt like a little boy. He was thinking too much about kissing her.
Again, all the ride elements were shiny and new looking. Link wondered how often they cleaned the rides. Pirates of the Caribbean was decades-old, but it looked like it could have been built only yesterday. The new Captain Jack Sparrow robots helped.
It was a little bit more difficult to get to the exit of this ride, compared to the Matterhorn, so there wasn't a crowd gathered this time. Only Elaine waiting for them as they climbed out of the boat.
"I love the gift shop!" Zelda exclaimed, as they headed through the building and came out into the Pirates Gift Shop. "I could get you a sword, Link. You know, since you were so kind as to pose with the Sword in the Stone for me." She gave him a flirtatious smile, having no idea that he already had a sword of his own.
Link didn’t get out to shop too often, but he did have a love of trinkets and nicknacks. He wasn’t so sure about Zelda buying him something this early in the day, though. If anything about being out with her made him anxious in a bad way, it was the disparity in their wallets, but he tried not to think about it.
He picked up a hook -- ala Captain Hook -- and slashed the air with it. “Arrr...” he laughed, sort of letting the question pass unanswered.
Of course, Zelda was too distracted by the gift shop to notice that the question went unanswered. Once they were inside, she had too many things to look at, too many treasures to inspect. She loved the toys and hats, she loved the books and dvds, but most especially she loved the t-shirts. She would wear t-shirts with pirates on them any day of the week. As they wandered through the shop, she grabbed a shirt and held it up to herself. She absolutely felt like a Pirate Princess, like the logo on the shirt said.
"We can hold purchases for you at VIP Services," Elaine said to Zelda, who nodded.
"I think I'll take this shirt." She gave Link a grin. "Think it suits me?” It wasn’t all that expensive, either. Well, few things were to Zelda.
Link tossed the hook back into its bin. He did like the shirt she was holding up, though it made part of him clench up. Pirate Princess? Oh, if she only knew!
“Yeah, definitely,” he said, nodding. “You definitely need to get that.”
Zelda beamed. She nodded, then stepped over to the cash register with Elaine to make the purchase. It was a quick transition, and Zelda didn’t even have to carry around a bag all day! Wonderful!
“Okay, let’s go to Splash Mountain, then Haunted Mansion, then...oooh! We should get a Mint Julep from the Mint Julep bar! Are you thirsty?” Zelda started to babble as she and Link exited the shop, with Elaine in tow.
“I love them, have you had one? Every time I come to Disneyland I have to get one. That and an ice cream bar shaped like Mickey Mouse’s head.” Her cheeks went a little pink, but she grinned brightly. “I like to bite off his ears.”
“I’ve never had a Mint Julip... what’s a Mint Julip?” Link laughed as he scratched his head and followed Zelda outside. It assumed it was something to drink.
"Mint Juleps are amazing." Zelda said. "You get them just behind the restaurant over in New Orleans Square. They’re sweet and refreshing... almost like limeade. I'll buy you one."
The walk from Pirates toward Splash Mountain led them by the restaurant, so she pointed where the tiny Mint Julep stand was. It was pretty buried, on the train station side. They couldn’t see it well from where they were walking on the path.
Elaine fended off some more onlookers who might have been fans wanting an autograph or picture as they passed by the Haunted Mansion. It was a short walk from there to Splash Mountain.
"Here are your passes," she said, holding them out. The Fast Pass line was only a couple of minutes long, rather than how long they would have had to wait in the regular one.
The Fast Pass for Splash Mountain was probably the best deal in the park. Even in the early morning, the regular line was already an hour long. Ugh. So as Link and Zelda were climbing that final hill, there were no doubt people watching who had only moved forward a few feet.
And decent was smooth as silk, like flying. Like wrapped his arms around Zelda and yelled as he posed for the camera. The photo came out really well because of it. “I’m going to buy this one.”
Zelda loved the rides where there were animatronics and dips and turns, and the huge rush she got from the big splash on this one was amazing. Her face wasn’t as great as Link’s in the photo, but it was still pretty amazing. She nodded, laughing and pink in her cheeks. “I hope that’ll go up on your fridge for weeks to come.” She’d have to snap a picture of it on her phone. either that or buy a copy for herself.
((I imagine she looks something like this: http://www.insanejournal.com/userpic/25
A few minutes later and they both had photos. Elaine graciously offered to hold their photos while they went on rides for the day, and Zelda accepted. She wanted her hands free for what was coming up next; Haunted Mansion. Her heart sped up as they walked together to the line entrance, and were able to skip ahead a little bit by taking the handicap shortcut. (Oh, the joys of being with a Plaid Vest!)
Zelda turned to Link with a huge grin on. “I might get a little scared,” she said, flirting. “I hope you don’t mind if I cling to you.”
It was already dark inside and Link’s hands found their way back to Zelda’s hips. She felt so tiny and delicate in his hands -- even though he knew her dream-self was capable of great magic and agility. He ducked his head close to her ear. “I don’t mind at all,” he murmured.
The door was shut behind them and the lights became dimmer and dimmer as they were taken down the trick elevator to the loading bay. In the final line, it was almost impossible to see anything at all, as the Doom Buggies floated past.
Wow. Just... wow. Zelda blushed deeply at his voice so close to her ear, his warm, strong hands on her hips. Her heart was thundering with excitement. She gave a nervous laugh when the lights went out, one hand coming to hold his against her body, then led the way out of the elevator, down the hall, and toward the rest of the ride. Her hand was still holding his as they reached the moving sidewalk and the doom buggies.
Navigating the moving sidewalk was often a bit of a challenge, but they managed. Zelda dropped Link's hand and climbed into the buggie first, then grinned brightly at him as he came in beside her. "Think we'll see all thousand and one spooks?"
The lap bar closed over them and their journey down the Mansion’s first dark hallway began. Link wasn’t scared or anything remotely close, but he couldn’t help but remember the little ghost girl and the havoc she had caused. “That’s counting us, right?” He could vaguely remember that there was some kind of twist ending to the ride. Either you joined the ghosts or the ghosts followed you outside, something like that.
He swung his arm back around Zelda’s shoulders. “You’ll protect me, right?” he joked.
Zelda laughed. She was probably going to get spooked--no pun intended--by the things that popped up from behind gravestones and whatnot. Scared? No. Startled? Surprised? Sure. She seemed to be every time she rode this ride.
And then Link’s arm was around her, pulling those thoughts straight out of her head. She blushed and leaned in against him, warm and cuddled close. An almost overwhelming feeling of safety washed through her, though she wasn’t really sure why. Like Link was safe. Everything about him made her feel secure.
“I’ll do my best,” she teased back. “Though, I already warned you I was going to get scared, remember? You might have to save me.”
Link spent most of the ride with his eyes on Zelda, trying to make out her eyes and lips in the very dim lighting. Every time she jumped and clung to him, his smile grew a little more wide, his gaze a little more intense. It would have been so easy to kiss her so many times. He hoped she’d give him a very clear cue. He tended to need those.
Though he was drifting closer and closer to her. His mouth grazed her temple, as the buggy made a sharp turn.
Zelda was really, really torn. Being this close to Link was making her think naughty, blush-inducing thoughts. But the ride was a bit of a distraction, too. Every time she turned to look up at him in the darkness, and realized how close he was to her, something would pop out from behind something else and startle her. She’d jump, inhale sharply at the surprise, and then laugh. But she’d never move away. Only closer and closer. By the end of the ride, where the ugly, head-shaped vases were singing at the end of the graveyard, she was so very close to him.
They picked up a spook hitch-hiker, but Zelda wasn’t paying any attention to the ride anymore. She was looking up at Link. She’d felt his face against her temple, could still feel his breath against her skin. Her heart was thundering, but she decided now was a pretty good time. She leaned up and in and planted a kiss on his cheek. It was brief--had to be--as the buggie was bathed in the light signaling the end of the ride. The lap bar lifted, and an employee (walking backward on the moving sidewalk) was signaling for them to leave the ride.
Because the buggies didn’t stop, getting out at the right time was imperative. Link looked up at the last minute and was startled by the glare on the employee’s face. “Hey, lovebirds,” the kid said, trying to be as nice about it as possible. “C’mon. Get.”
“Oh. Oh yeah.” Link hopped out and thrust out his hand to grab Zelda before she went into the tunnel alone. “Sorry about that.” He nodded apologetically, almost bowing. He looked back to Zelda and mock-grimace. “That was close.” ...Although not close enough.
Zelda slipped her hand into his and let him tug her out of the buggie before it was too late. She knew that the employees could stop the thing to let her out, but she didn’t want to do that to the other patrons. Also, she didn’t want to cause any undue attention! That would surely make every head in the room turn. “Sorry!” She called out to the employee. He did a double-take, but went back to work quickly.
“That was a close one,” Zelda said, giving Link’s hand a squeeze. The two proceeded out of the ride together, and Zelda kept hold of his large, warm, weathered hand. It felt strong and safe wrapped around her own.
Elaine was waiting for them at the exit. She was holding two mint juleps from the beignets stand. Her eyes flicked from their hands twined together up to each of their faces in turn. ’...my friend Link,’ eh? The little smirk on her features spoke volumes about her depth of understanding that this wasn’t just friends hanging around in the park. This was a date. And a pretty good one, she thought.
“I have fast passes for the Indiana Jones ride.” Elaine said, her smile brightening.
Zelda didn’t release Link’s hand as she reached for one of the mint juleps. “Oooh, that’s fun! Then we should go to California Adventure and try some of the rides over there?” She asked, turning to look at Link. Her cheeks were still rather pink.
Link reluctantly let go of Zelda’s hand in exchange for the drinks Elaine had brought. He pushed the straw into his mouth and look a long sip. It was icy, sweet, minty and delicious. “Mm,” he hummed, sounding impressed. It hadn’t been sure what to expect from a drink with mint in it, but he could say he was sold on the idea now.
“Yeah, I want to see the new Cars Land,” he said, swallowing. And ride Tower of Terror. And California Screamin’.
“We can absolutely do that.” Elaine said, giving a nod to them both. She turned to lead the way to the Indiana Jones ride. It was getting warmer in the day, the sun was rising, and the park was starting to fill with patrons.
Zelda sipped as she walked, thinking for a few minutes about the kiss to Link’s cheek on the Haunted Mansion ride. Her lips were still a little tingly.
The queue for Indiana Jones had a lot of things to play with, setup like boobytraps from the movies. Ropes to pull and pillars to move. It would trigger funny reactions, with sounds of things falling and blinking lights. Link was giddy from the sugar and from Zelda, and he played with all of them. ...Not to mention his love of caverns and temples.
Once he was on the actual ride, Link remembered why it had always stuck out in his mind as something special. There really wasn’t anything like it: part-roller coaster, part-dark ride; there were plumes of fire and enormous snakes, mummies that came to life! It was like something right out of his dreams.
Zelda took more pictures on the way in. They had a fun time tugging on ropes and triggering the interactive parts of the ride’s line. It was fun to laugh and pretend they were going into an actual ancient temple. The ride was tons of fun! It was just as much roller coaster as it was ride with puppets that sang. At least, in Zelda’s mind. It reminded her of the Indiana Jones movies, too, which reminded her of spending time with her older brother.
She was laughing as the ride came to a close and they were able to climb out. “That ride gets more fun every time.”
“I swear, the first time I saw that boulder, I thought it was real.” Link grabbed her hand again, to help her out. “Of course, I was nine.” But even now, it still tricked him for a split second.
Outside, it was decidedly hot now. The sun was very bright and Link blinked to clear his eyes as they emerged from the tunnel. Elaine was waiting for them by the Jungle Cruise entrance, which was right next door. “So, are we ready for California Adventure?”
Link nodded. “I think so. Yeah.”
She’d been pretty young, too, when she’d first been on the ride. Actually, she and her brother had ridden it five times in a row once. Very exciting stuff, though now she was thinking that her absolute favorite ride was the Haunted Mansion. After cuddle times with Link, how could she not?
Zelda nodded, too, once they reached Elaine. “I think so. We can have some lunch, hit the big rides, do Cars Land, then come back here in time for Fantasmic.” She was pretty excited about the night-time production over the Rivers of America.
“Let’s get to it, then!” Elaine said, and turned to lead them out of Disneyland and across to the other park. Along the walk she gave them little facts about Walt Disney, and his life, and how he planned and built the parks. It was interesting, and made the walk seem a lot shorter than it was.
Link typically did a lot more walking and work than this on any given day, so this was no sweat. He was getting pretty hungry, though. He typically ate more than this, too. Lunch sounded like a really good idea. “I’ll admit, I’m starving.”
The entrance to California Adventure had been recently renovated, styled to look like classic Hollywood, with trolley cars and movie studio facade. It certainly hadn’t been like this the last time Link was here. It was pretty cool, he thought.
Zelda had been here recently, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise to her. Though, the Disneyland magic was strong, and she couldn’t help but get swept up in it. An old-fashioned car with a Jazz band drove by, and the woman singing waved to Zelda. Zelda lifted her hand and waved back, then gave a laugh. “I love this place!”
Elaine smiled. “What would you like to eat? There are some really good bread bowl soups at the wharf.”
That sounded fine to Link. Anything to eat sounded good, really. But the less talking and spending time trying to decide, the better. “Yeah. Zelda?” Hopefully she said yes.
“Sure! That sounds great!” Zelda gave them both a smile, as they headed across the park. Honestly, whatever Link wanted would be fine with her. She was sure hungry, but would she be able to eat through the nerves and excitement? She wasn’t sure.
Elaine was full of little tidbits of information. She told them all about the design and creation of the California Adventure park, and about the recent renovations that made the park even more magical. They walked past the Little Mermaid ride, and Zelda made a mental note that they had to come back there soon. There was a Phineas and Ferb parade coming down the way as they crossed to the wharf, and Zelda couldn’t help but dance. That theme song was catchy!
“You two sit, I’ll go get your food and bring it to you.” Elaine said, motioning toward a table with a little privacy but a fantastic view of the huge ferris wheel.
The ferris wheel easily caught Link’s eye again and again. He didn’t typically think of ferris wheels as thrill rides, but this one had cars that rolled back and forth and swung precariously. He imagined it was a little nerve racking to ride, despite Micky’s smiling face in the center.
Link grinned boyishly. “I just have to say... I’m having a great time today. This is the most fun I’ve had in... years.”
Zelda beamed. She was having a wonderful time, too. It was the most fun she'd had in ages. "Good! I mean, me too, of course." She added shyly. "Not bad for a first date," her cheeks went pink. "Or does coffee count?"
“I’m fine with calling this our second date,” Link said, lowering his tone and sounding more intimate. He moved his hand across the table to touch Zelda’s.
The flush crept further along her cheeks as his hand found hers. She couldn't wipe the shy smile from her cheeks. "Second date it is." She said, leaning in a little, too. It'd been a while since she'd been on a second date with someone she liked as much as she liked Link. This was a good change. "Though, I have no idea how we'll top this one for date number three." She grinned mischievously. "It might be all downhill from here."
Link chuckled. Elaine reappeared with their food, once again forcing him to let go of Zelda’s hand. Eating was something he usually did without talking, as he found himself eating alone most of the time, but he commented on the decorations and the occasional passing character. His mind was working, really considering the challenge of a third date. He knew he wouldn’t have to keep topping himself, but if this was the start of a relationship, what could that bring?
He felt very nervous again. She was a celebrity and he was a farmer. Was he being an simple-minded, thinking this could turn into more than anything casual?
Link swallowed hard against the anxiety rising in his throat. He forced a smile and tried to push everything aside. “So... where to next?”
The reappearance of Elaine cut that part of their conversation short. Zelda asked Elaine a few questions about California Adventure while they ate, mostly about the planning and building of the second park. It was fascinating to her how much research they’d done on the history and geography of California in order to build the park, but really she was trying to get her mind off of the change in the conversation. It’d gone nearly silent after she’d mentioned a third date. Was she jumping the gun? She assumed there would be one, though this one hadn’t ended yet. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything.
She didn’t finish the whole meal. Her tummy was twisting with nerves and excitement. “Well...” Zelda pulled out the new map--the California Adventure one--and looked at it. “It looks like the Tower of Terror is the farthest over that way. We could do that one, then hit Cars Land, then come over here for the Calfornia Screamin’ roller coaster.”
“Toy Story Midway Mania is a really wonderful ride, too,” Elaine suggested, pointing to the map. “It’s located here, behind the Mickey’s Fun Wheel.”
Link had done a lot of agreeing with Zelda when it came to what ride to do next, but he was just that easy-going. He nodded quickly and stood up, gathering everything on the table and noting that Zelda hadn’t finished her soup. Then again, she didn’t spend all day working in a field, burning off excessive calories. He brushed the food into the garbage can, trying to picture Zelda milking cows on a daily basis. Then, he once again reminded himself that he was thinking way too far down the line. Stop it.
“The walk will be good after eating,” he said, going back and forth over whether or not he should offer Zelda his hand right in front of Elaine. He looked silly for a moment, flexing his fingers in the air.
Zelda was so used to being served that she didn't even notice, really, when Link popped up and cleared the plates. Elaine jumped up, though, giving a gentle "I could have done that." She noticed Link's hand in the air, too, where Zelda was oblivious.
"Very good," Zelda agreed. She smiled as she joined him. "Maybe we can visit some more shops later, too," she added with a sheepish, playful grin. You can take the girl out of the mall, but you can't take the mall out of the girl?
"Of course," Elaine smiled, then led the way across the docks and of toward Tower of Terror.
The ride was situated in its own little corner with not much else around. Elaine filled them in along the way about how Tower’s computer system had been updated over the years. Now the drops were randomized, which meant you could never be sure that anything wasn’t about to happen.
Link wasn’t scared, but he still held on for dear life anyway. Watching Zelda’s hair fly up was enough to clear his mind. He was laughing like a kid again by the end of it, brushing down all her fly-aways with his palm.
Zelda laughed almost like a mad woman. The excitement of the day, the thrill of the ride, it was all enough to make her giddy and cackle. Very unsophisticated. She was very pink in her face, and her hair was a mess when the ride was over. “Oh my God!” she laughed, blushing further at the feel of him petting her hair. “...this one may be my new favorite in California Adventure.”
“I really wasn’t expecting the first drop to happen so suddenly.” Link helped her out of her seat. On the way to the door, they passed by another station to buy photos. Seeing Zelda’s hair standing straight up got him laughing all over again. “That. I need that.”
So he purchased his second photo of the day.
Zelda stopped with him, going very pink at the sight of herself in the picture. It was... hilarious, but embarrassing a little. “...I look like I’m upside down!” She laughed, “or touching one of those... electricity... static electricity things.” She said, embarrassment and joy throwing words out of her mind.
Elaine was waiting for them outside the photo area. She offered to take the photo from Link and carry it for them. She already had the ones from Splash Mountain.
“Cars Land?” Zelda said, excitedly. “I’m excited to go to Radiator Springs. Think Lightning McQueen will be there?” She grinned.
Link didn’t have any idea what those electric ball things were, either. He had very vague memories of science programs for children that he used to watch, but he’d never been especially interested in them.
“Yes, Cars Land,” he grinned. He passed the photo to Elaine, who was waiting for them. He still felt funny having her carry all their things, even if it was her job. He was the kind of guy who actually enjoyed lugging things around for people, if it meant making their lives easier. “I’ve only been talking about it all day.”
It was like a boyhood dream come true, seeing Radiator Springs as close to real life as it could possibly be. Link felt as close to emotional as he tended to get, staring quietly and smiling, trying to take everything in. He was surprised by how big the expansion was. And how detailed. Every store had been built, every string of lights accounted for. It probably looked amazing at night.
Perhaps a night-time date at Radiator Springs was necessary. Zelda had seen it before, but never through the eyes of someone taking it in like this. She spent more time watching Link’s reactions than anything else. And, of course, she was a girl. She wasn’t as in to cars and things as boys were. Put her in Sleeping Beauty’s Castle, and that’s when she got all glossy eyed and emotional.
“I’ll get your Fast Passes for Radiator Springs Racers.” Elaine said, softly. “I hear Luigi’s Flying Tires can’t be missed.” She added, pointing.
Zelda turned to Link. “What do you think? The Tires ride, then the Racers?” But even as she ‘asked’ him, she was taking his hand and pulling him into the line.
Link followed it a little like a rag doll. At the very least, he was just as eager to ride the ride as she seemed to be. The way the tires floated was a little beyond belief. It boggled Link’s mind that it was possible, even after all the inventive, magical things he’d already seen that day.
The bounced around, bumping into floating cars and throwing beach balls at each other. Link had fun making their tire spin in circles. It reminded him of the spin attack he could do in his dreams.
The ride was fun. A lot like bumper cars, only without all the machinery. Zelda and Link had to work together, to lean side to side and make the car go where they wanted it to--but really, it was fun to just make it spin around in circles.
By this time in the day, Zelda’s hair was a bit of a mess. She was sure her make-up was fading, and she honestly couldn’t remember where her sunglasses had gone. (Hopefully Elaine picked them up for her?) None of that mattered, though. Because she was having the time of her life with Link.
Elaine was waiting for them again, at the ride’s exit. She’d just shoo’d off some teenage girls who were poking their heads around, trying to get pictures of Zelda. “I’ve got your passes for Radiator Springs Racers,” she said, holding them out.
“Here, here,” Zelda said, holding out her phone to Elaine. “Can you take our picture?” She asked, then stepped up beside Link, running her hands over her hair. “I’d like to have one picture today of me where I’m smiling, not screaming. And where my hair’s not standing on end.” She gave Link a grin.
Elaine lifted the camera and snapped a picture of the two of them with the flying tires in the background.
Link flushed pink for some reason, as though Zelda had caught him off-guard. Somehow, she had. He couldn’t put his finger on it exactly, but there was something very special about that moment.
He took the passes and retrieved Zelda’s camera. His heart fluttered as they waited in line. And even the Fast Pass line was longer than it should have been. The ride was brand new and extremely popular.
Zelda waited with him in line, flipping through the pictures that Elaine had just taken. “This is my favorite,” she said, turning the phone so that he could see the picture on her screen. They were both smiling, both looking into the camera, and Zelda’s hair looked neater than the rest. It wasn’t particularly windy, but after going on so many rides her hair needed a brush.
“I think I’m going to email it to my father. He likes to know what I’m up to.” Zelda’s father was a fairly intimidating man in the public eye. At home, though, he was wrapped around his little girl’s finger. Maybe more so than her brother, as her father was training him to take over the company one day, and had to make sure he grew up with a backbone.
Link gulped. He wasn’t sure if he should have been nervous, since he didn’t know Zelda’s father, but he was about to see who his daughter was spending the day with. He got the impression that daughters never really grew up, in their father’s eyes. “Make sure to tell him what I nice guy I am,” Link joked.
Zelda gave a little laugh as she swiped her fingers over the screen of her phone. “Oh, I will. I think he’d like you.” She said, grinning. And that part was likely true. Link was, as far as appearances went, a very nice young man. He seemed hard working, polite and well groomed. Zelda figured that her father would rather she was dating someone like Link, rather than end up with some drugged up musician or worse.
The email sent, the two of them made their way to the front of the line. It was still a few minutes, but the ride was worth it. They were zooming up and down hills, over the track. Zelda found herself laughing again, and let Link help her out of the car once they were finished. “Do you want to go look in the gift shop?” She asked. She could imagine him wearing a t-shirt with Radiator Springs across it.
Since she’d mentioned wanting to do some more shopping, Link nodded, and it wasn’t long before he found himself purchasing a t-shirt Zelda picked out for him.
By the time they were outside again, the light had started to change. It wasn’t getting dark, but the shadows were getting longer and the air was more humid. Dusk seemed far too close. A ride on California Screamin’ and the color of the sky was turning pinkish.
Another roller coaster in which Zelda’s hair went insane. She thought about what it would be like to have short hair, and not have to worry about it going all over the place, but then realized it would probably make her look either far too mature for her age, or far too old for her age. She liked her long hair the way it was, really. And she’d signed a contract not to alter her appearance until the movie was finished shooting, anyway.
“Should we get back over to Disneyland for our dinner reservations?” She asked, turning to both Link and Elaine once they were off the ride. There were some clouds moving in overhead, and for the first time Zelda worried that she might get cold later.
It was a long walk from California Screamin’ to the RIvers of America. If Link wasn’t hungry yet, he would be by the time they got there. Of course, he was always hungry. But having dinner meant the day really was coming to an end, which made him sad. It was like some magic spell was wearing thin.
Without overthinking it, Link held out his hand to Zelda, just because he wanted to hold it.
Zelda's hand slipped into his, naturally and thoughtlessly. So much so that she was making up words about it. It felt so natural and casual that her heart didn't even start racing at the feel of his skin against hers.
They went straight to the restaurant, fighting the crowds. Zelda said goodbye to Elaine, relieving her after a long day of work. There would be a huge tip in it for her, as there was every time the Hyrules used her services.
Once seated at the table, Zelda gave a little sigh, deflating. Her feet hurt a little from all the walking. She gave Link a grin, though. "Hungry?" She was staring at him and not the fantastic view they had of the Rivers of America.
“Always,” Link said casually, taking up his menu. He smiled at her before disappearing behind it, though he caught himself peeking at her every few seconds, almost like he was making sure she was still there. After the dreams he had about her, it wasn’t so far fetched to worry about her vanishing in a puff of smoke.
The sun continued to dip and an announcer chimed in over the speaker system to announce that Fantasmic would be starting at some point in the near future. Link was too distracted by hunger and his company to catch when.
Zelda picked out what she wanted to eat and set her menu down. She managed to catch his eye once or twice over his menu, but then turned to look out at the Rivers of America. The announcer made her heart start to pound a bit. “Ooh, I’m so excited.” She said, almost breathlessly, bouncing a bit in her seat. Now Link was hidden behind a menu, she could admire the view.
He decided on what he wanted, too. Once again, he reached for her hand. “Can I treat you for dinner?” He knew a meal in Disneyland was probably pocket change to her, but he wanted to buy it anyway.
It was pocket change, but she understood the sentiment and appreciated the gesture. Her hand slipped into his once more. She couldn’t help it, she liked touching him. Mental note: Touch Link More. With a nod and a smile, she responded. “Okay. I’d like that.” It felt chivalrous. He was sweet. She squeezed his hand.
The waitress came over and took their dinner orders, delivering some water to the table. She disappeared again. Thankfully, this was one of those places where the food would be out in a few minutes, rather than half-way through the show.
Dinner. The show. Link was sure time was speeding up. It was going to fast, as perfect days tend to do as they draw to a close. Soon Mickey was battling an enormous, fire-breathing dragon. Link watched dreamily, thinking about the monsters he cut down in his sleep, all for the sake of Princess Zelda.
Zelda moved her chair around the table a little so she could sit closer to Link. Both because she was starting to feel a little chilly, and because, well, she wanted to sit closer to Link. The show was wonderful. Mickey’s imagination was taken over by bad guys, and soon there was a dragon! Her face lit up, not just because of the fire the dragon was spouting, and she cheered when Mickey won the fight, saved the day, and regained control. As soon as it was over, there was a huge mass of people that stood and started to make their way toward the exits. The fireworks show was starting, people were trying to get to both.
Link breathed in the smell of her shampoo or perfume, whatever it was that made Zelda’s hair smell so nice. He’d been smelling it all day, but she somehow seemed closer now. He wanted to press his nose and lips against it. He wanted to touch his mouth to the hollow of her cheek.
He swallowed and stood up. “Do you want to stay for... more fireworks?” he asked, referring to the ones they had just seen over the water. Anything to make the date last a few minutes longer.
“Sure,” Zelda said, giving him a smile. She stood, too, and her hand found his this time. “So long as you don’t mind fighting the crowds.” It was true, there were hundreds (thousands?) of people now milling toward Main Street, which was optimal viewing for the fireworks. Zelda didn’t mind, though. It was dark enough that she wasn’t likely to be recognized anymore.
True, the people had been waiting in their spots for hours, as if they’d set up camp. But that didn’t mean there was absolutely nowhere to stand. The thing about fireworks was that you could see them from every angle, from any point in the part. Link found them two empty chairs on a porch in Frontier Land. He scooted them together, so that they could sit close.
It felt bizarrely domestic to sit next to him on the porch, leaning back against him a little, and watch the fireworks. It was a great show. If Disneyland did one thing better than anything else, it was put on a good show. The day was almost over, the date almost completed. It made Zelda a little sad, to be honest. But one of the best and most exciting parts was coming up. Would there be a goodnight kiss?
It was the early Fantasmic show, and the fireworks came immediately afterward, so there was still a little time left before the park officially closed. Half an hour or so. Zelda turned to look up into his face, enjoying the look of his facial hair, his handsome features. “...we could hang around for a few more minutes.” There was a terrible rush of people moving toward Main Street and down to the exit, anyway. Taking a few minutes to wait it out might be best. “...We could ride Pirates one more time. I bet there’s no line.”
Link smiled. She was looking for an excuse to stay, wasn’t she? He hoped. He was so bad at reading signals. Maybe she was just trying to humor him and hoped he’d suggest heading home.
But he really wasn’t ready to go home. “Want to do the Matterhorn one more time, now that it’s dark?” he asked.
“Oh! Yes! I was hoping we could do that one one more time.” Zelda said. There was more chance for arms wrapped around her on the Matterhorn. And they’d talked about riding it at night. She stood from their spot on the porch in Frontierland and took hold of his hand with her free one. She had the pictures and other things that Elaine had been carrying for them now.
While they walked through the thick crowds, she stayed close to him and spoke loudly, so he could hear. “I love it here. It’s magical. I’ve got a year-long pass, you know? Though, I don’t use it as much as I wish I could.” It was difficult to pull all the strings she needed to pull to have a good experience in the parks.
“You don’t get bored, coming here so often?” He navigated through the crowd, trying to keep his big feet away from small children. They cut across Fantasy Land, which was close to empty since just about everyone had been watching the fireworks from the front of the castle.
“I wish I could come here more often,” she said again. “It’s hard to get all my ducks in a row. There have been days where all I’ve wanted to do was meet the characters. Follow Goofy around Toon Town like a little kid, or bump into Flick over in the Bugs Life area in California Adventure.” How could she get bored coming here? There was always something new to see or to do. “And I watch the parades, and the shows. And at Christmas and Halloween it’s all dressed up for the holiday.” They were passing through, past the Teacups, and swinging back around to the Matterhorn. There was almost no line for the mountain ride.
Riding it in the dark was everything Link had remembered from his childhood and somehow more. Perhaps being an adult made it the beauty of the park all lit up more meaningful. No doubt holding on to a beautiful woman made everything seem like perfection.
The swooped in and out of glittering caves, dipping and diving.. The crystals were brighter than they’d been a few hours ago. The white snow looked whiter. It was like someone had turned up the volume on everything visual.
There was a little less manic laughter from Zelda this time around. Her heart was still thundering, but that was more from her body bumping back against his with the dips and dives, the feel of his hands on her hips that made her feel so excited, so alive. It was a very different experience during the day and at night, and Zelda was glad they’d had the chance to experience both today.
She gave a slow, gentle laugh and a sigh when the ride was over. A part of her wanted it to go on forever.
Of course, unless they were planning to hide out in the park and risk getting arrested, they had to leave. Zelda probably would have made the news for it, the wrong kind of attention for a woman about to be in her first feature film.
He held her hand all the way down main Street and through the special entrance, which he supposed was now the special exit.
Zelda sorely wished she could take off her shoes now. She moved with him to the VIP entrance (they didn’t have to take the trolly, or even walk through too much of Downtown Disney) and to the lot where her hired car was waiting for them. The driver pulled open the door and Zelda climbed in, starting to feel like a tired zombie. Okay, a still excited-and-tired zombie.
Link flopped into his seat beside her. Even for him, the day had been work-out. Walking around an amusement park apparently used a different set of muscles. As a farmer, there was a lot of starting and stopping, either to milk a cow or pull up an artichoke; there wasn’t as lot of extensive travelling.
He smiled a tired, happy smile. “I may pass out on the way home.”
“You and me both.” Zelda said. She gave a little grown as she pulled her shoes off and let them clunk to the floor. “Thankfully, I’m prepared for such an event.” She tugged a little blanket out of a bag that was sitting on the floor. “So long as you don’t mind sharing.”
Link chuckled. It really amused him, the way she sort of made the blanket appear out of thin air. “As long as you don’t mind getting under the covers with me on the first date,” he said, tugging the blanket up to his chest. “I mean, second.”
“Well, normally I don’t let men steal the covers from me until the third date,” Zelda was absolutely kidding now. “But I suppose tonight I’ll make an exception.” She cuddled close against him, tucking up under his arm and resting her head against his shoulder. He was so comfortable, so warm. The blanket really helped.
Link rested his head on top of hers as the car started to roll away. His eyes narrowed and slowly closed altogether. It didn’t take him long at all to actually fall asleep. With his arm around Zelda, he was quite cozy and comfortable. He would have blushed if he knew how the driver glanced at them through the rear-view mirror and smiled.