melodiesoflife | The Missing Link...

Entry tags:

The Missing Link...

Who: Zelda & OPEN
What: Link is gone. [ooc: Feel free to run into her wherever.]
When: Feb 7th: Return from Chocobo Trip and then onward.
Where: Home (A-16), Hospital & Finally Old observatory.
Warning: Just Tears.

At first everything was normal, Zelda walked into her home with her travel bag slung over her shoulder. She was tired and was looking forward to a bath and a bed but there was something she wanted to do first. With a soft thunk she placed the bag down and then worked to unlace her riding boots. Once they were off she slipped out of her jacket and then pulled off her muddy stockings. She stepped inside and wiggled her toes against the clean floor with a smile.

“Link?” She called his name lightly as she moved through the house, her fingers laced through her hair and began to pull the loose strands of blonde into a tight pony tail. “Link?” Her tone shifted from a light tone to a worried one. She stepped through the house peeking into his room and then hers. She checked the kitchen and then the family room before walking back towards the front of the house. He wasn’t home, except that she had told him the time and date she’d return. Link would be here.

---

Her heart pounded heavily in her chest as she pulled on a lose pair of brown work boots, leaving her jacket behind as she bolted from the house. Over and over again she heard like a round in her head.

He can’t be there. He can’t be.

The words repeated again and again becoming an ominous chant in her thoughts as she ran towards the hospital. Everything ached and she felt exhaustion creeping through her limbs as she ran. The cold air bit at her exposed arms and legs but she didn’t care, she couldn’t feel it. The only thing she felt was a sharp twist in her chest as she ran.

He can’t…

She didn’t stop at the hospital steps; she took them two at a time and then raced up to where the heroes were kept. She bolted passed those who guarded the door earning her dark glares from the men who now constantly patrolled the room where the heroes were kept.

Her feet skidded to a halt, her eyes fixed on the familiar crystal shape and she felt her heart tear apart at the sight. He’d wake up again, he had too. Just because he was here now didn’t mean he would be trapped forever. She felt the presence of the others trapped, like Link, in a veneer of stone. She felt herself crumble to the ground as warm tears spilled down her cheeks. She tried to stop them but she had been trying so hard not to cry that everything just spilled out all at once. She cried and cried until there was nothing left inside of her, her soul felt empty and drained. Then she slept, her body reaching its point of exhaustion as she lies at Link’s feet.

---

A few days later Zelda can be found in the Old Observatory. She had refused to go back to the empty house, unwilling to see the home she had created with Link. Kopula began doing more work and calling in a few of his friends insisting that Zelda rest.

Zelda didn’t want to be alone with her thoughts; she wanted to keep moving, to fight of her fears and nightmares with hard grueling work. Her work consisted mostly of physical labor, letting Kopula take care of matters of state using Zelda’s signature. She had washed the floors, cleaned the stables, scrubbed down the kitchen, shook out and washed the bedding and then rearranged a few of the rooms. She was never out of things to do because once something was clean she’d then clean it again.

She didn’t smile, her expression was blank as if content with the mindless tasks that she set herself to. He’d come back and it would be fine. She just had to believe that but losing your best friend, the closest person too you, was hard; even for what might be a short time.

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While Duster didn't consider Aqures Ixen to he his home, the city where a room especially reserved for him waited was something to look forward to after weeks exploring the Lost Continent. Apart from the housing district, he was unfamiliar with most of the buildings here and took these few days to finally explore the place he would be living. Zelda had mentioned this old observatory to be a gathering place for heroes, and if there was one place he had to visit, it was here.

The doors creaked open and his shadow covered the hallway. It was cleaner than he expected, not that it was a bad thing, but it looked like it was cleaned recently. Was there a gathering he wasn't notified of? He couldn't hear any voices, but...

He stepped in and closing the door with an arm as he looked around the entranceway. "Hello?" His uneven steps echoed through the building, and the rooms were getting darker as the day began to end. The sound of furniture being moved grabbed his attention, and he followed the sound to find Zelda, aggressively rearranging the furniture and focused on nothing else.

Duster leaned against the doorway, watching her hard at work for a minute before finding a moment to speak up. "Do you need help?"

Sweat dotted Zelda’s brow as she looked up from her work. She had actually moved the furniture in this room four times now and no iteration made her happy enough to stop. She was tired and the dark circles beneath her eyes suggest that she hadn’t been sleeping well. She released a puff of air as her water gaze landed on Duster. Her eyes had lost a little bit of their glow from when they met in the music shop.

“No, I’m fine.” She forced herself to smile. “Do you need anything?”

She remembered telling him to stop but if he had any questions or was in need of her. The furniture wasn’t very important since she’d most likely rearrange and clean it once more tomorrow.

She didn't look fine at all, and that wasn't just how tired she must be from moving desks and tables around. Duster walked to the opposite end of the table Zelda was moving and slid his fingers underneath its top.

He looked up at her with an unsmiling face. "Let me help you finish this first." Once the room was reorganized, he planned to sit down with Zelda and talk.

He shifted his weight onto his right leg and pulled his end of the table higher. Thankfully, the Monk job allowed him to retain some of his strength, but the balance issues with his bad leg remained. The table was not too heavy, however, and Duster was fine with dragging it across the room.

"Where do you need it?" He grunted between steps.

Zelda reached out to try and stop him. "You don't have to. I haven't decided yet besides I could use a break."

She nodded towards another room that was off to the right, the door currently was hung open. "We can sit in the meeting room if you want to talk." She didn't want to pull him on her random moving furniture escapades.

He stopped his journey and looked up from the table. Well, if Zelda hadn't decided yet, it wouldn't be fair to move it somewhere right now. Duster lowered his arms, then let go of the table, which landed on the cleaned wooden floors with a loud thunk.

"That's fine." He rubbed his hands on his dusty bright red pants. The silky texture made for a poor wiping cloth, though Duster had nothing on his fingers after touching the underside of the table. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and reminded himself to have these pants cleaned sometime soon.

Duster followed Zelda's lead into the meeting room. He had never been inside, and the number of chairs and tables was astounding. "Everyone fits into this room?" He hoped he didn't missed any important meetings while he was gone.

"Ah, sorry. Let's sit by that couch." It was close enough to a window that they could view the sunset while sitting.

Zelda just smiled at him. "Well when this room was first used there were less heroes, not everyone fits in here anymore." Though not every hero comes to the meetings they have so it really wasn't ever a problem.

"Okay."

She moved with Duster taking a seat with her legs crossed at her ankles. She sat up straight, her hands folded in her lap. Her expression was calm and neutral. It was the happiest she could be considering her current circumstance.

Duster dropped himself onto a chair, leaning into the back. His arms hung from his sides, and he stretched his left leg out. One minute passed as he focused on the silence of the empty building. Though nothing stirred inside, there was a background hum that emerged from the existence of the observatory that mixed with the sounds of distant daily life coming through the window.

He turned his gaze onto the floor and moved his arms onto his lap. "You've been busy lately." That was a fact. Zelda wouldn't say anything if he only stated the obvious. "Is something bothering you?"

Zelda's lips part for a moment as if to assure him that she's fine but she knew it would be a lie. She shook her head a wistful smile pulling at her lips.

"I have been busy. Someone who's very important to me... my best friend. Turned to stasis." She looked over at Duster then, her eyes reflecting the pain she felt. "He'd been here with me for the last year. It hurt to see him go. It was only a few days ago."

There was no excuse, she should be stronger than this.

Duster looked up at Zelda and studied her face. Here was a young woman who had lost someone she loved, and all he could do was sit and listen. He folded his hands while letting his face relax into a frown. He had consoled Flint after Hinawa's funeral when no other Tazmilian would talk to a man who had assaulted his neighbors the previous night, and he was sure to be there when Lucas was reminiscing the times when his mother was alive. It was Duster's job to offer comfort in this world as well.

"I'm sorry," he said softly. "It's alright to cry, or to feel weak when someone close to you...is gone. I can't say I understand what you're feeling right now, but if there's something I could do..." He moved his head up, hoping to catch Zelda's eye.

Zelda shook her head feeling a small smile tug at her lips. "No, it isn't your fault. I've had plenty of time to cry. It's time I move forward." There was always a chance he'd come back and Zelda would never lose that hope even with the pain twisting in her chest.

She looked up at Duster.

"You needed something. I don't want you to worry about me."

"No, I wanted to visit this place before it was too late. I don't need anything." If he had any questions before arriving, those were put aside for Zelda's grief.

"But just remember...you don't have to do this alone. Not just me, but I'm sure there are other people here you can talk to."

Zelda's expression softened. "I know. Thank you." She can tell that he's concerned and she's thankful that he's so caring.

"Are you sure you don't need anything?" She felt herself smiling a little more earnestly. It wasn't her usual bright smile but it was a start.

"Oh, no. Not at all." If Zelda were in a better mood, he would ask her for a tour, but it feels so wrong to do that now. "I'll tell you if I need anything."

He looked out the door, checking if now was a good time to leave. "Are you going to be okay?"

Zelda nodded her head. "Yes, thank you." She noticed that he was looking towards the door and stood. She didn't want to force him to stand on ceremony or anything as rigid as set hello's and goodbyes.

"You are welcome here anytime."

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The Missing Link...

Old Observatory

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Old Observatory

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