I open the door but step aside to let Link enter first.

"Do you remember this room?" When he nods, I walk over to my nightstand where my mother's flower is glowing in the dark corner. Link takes a seat on my bed and leans back on his elbows.

"Hey, you still got my soccer ball," he notes, having spotted it sitting on my shelf.

"Yes and don't expect it back any time soon." It feels incredible to know that Link remembers my room and little things like the soccer ball. Excited, I show him the potted plant. "Do you remember this flower?"

"Yeah. It freaked me out when I saw it for the first time because I didn't know plants could glow."

"Yes, I remember the face you made that day," I giggle. "I'm glad you remember it. Seems like your memory has almost made a full recovery."

He doesn't look like a stranger to himself or others anymore. He may not like the burden of his celebrity, but I prefer this Link over the carefree, extroverted version of him. Not because I don't like seeing him happy, but because I believe all our battles shape us. The fact that he always kept going and chose everyone else over himself are few of the many reasons I fell for him.

I am positive that I wouldn't be the same if I didn't remember my struggles at home, the pressure Father and society put on me, or how hard I've worked for my goals. What is a scar when you can't remember how you got it?

Now that Link remembers, I can help him with his burdens. No matter the hardships, I will be there with him and lift him up the way he always did me.

"When I moved in with you last year, I was in such a rush to leave this house that I left the flower behind. The gardener took care of it for the time being but... When I returned home, the flower was dying. I tried saving it, but after a few weeks without improvement, I began losing hope. The day you woke up from your coma, the flower started to heal. And today it is blooming for the first time since my return. It's likely a coincidence but I can't help but think that the flower is mirroring us."

Link holds out his hand and pulls me onto the bed. His cheeks are flushed. He gazes at my eyes, his hand holding mine.

"Thanks for waiting for me while I was in a coma and being patient with me throughout the memory loss thing," he whispers.

"I'd wait an entire century if it brought me back to your arms."

I turn my head away from him, too shy to utter the words my heart so desperately wants me to say. He brings his hand to my cheek, gently guides my face back toward him, and kisses me. I'm taken aback by his sudden act of affection. I thought after escaping his lips earlier, he wouldn't try to kiss me again. I'm glad I was wrong.

I close my eyes and embrace his kiss. When he leans back to pull me on top of him my mind feels at ease. Every fiber of my soul treasures his silent endearment as my fingers trace his jawline. I'm so happy right now! I can't believe it took this long. Why was I holding back?

I can sense his undeniable love for me. I wonder... Can he feel it too? Perhaps those three overrated words don't have to be spoken for someone to feel loved. Maybe he already knows how much I care about him...

I cup his cheeks and break our kiss, only because I can't hold back my giant grin. No space between us and yet I want him closer. Link gives a peck on my cheek, then he smoothly flips us over and plants another kiss on the other cheek. The way he looks at me makes me fall in love with him all over again.

"You're beautiful, Zelda."

I look up at his bright blue eyes with nothing but adoration for him. Words could never express how deeply I've fallen for him.

"I think you're perfect," I say under my breath. "I know perfect is a lazy adjective and by definition a theoretical paradox that can't truly exist in the raw scheme of life but... I don't care about the probability or lack of logic... I don't care that it can't exist in a literal sense... I don't care. You're absolutely perfect to me. I'm so glad life led us here."

He answers with a most genuine smile but before he can say anything in return, my lips return to his. This smile... it's just for me. No one else. And my heart beats faster and faster.

This may be the longest we have ever kissed. Usually I would have found some lame excuse to stop by now, but this time I can't bring myself to break our kiss. Not after everything we've been through. We deserve to just enjoy each other's company without any fears or rules holding us back.

My fingers drive through his unruly mess of hair, tugging at it lightly. He brings his hand to my thigh, causing me to hold a keen breath. I don't mind it, I even find myself enjoying his touch. But when his hand moves up, and when his fingers find their way under my skirt, an overwhelming wave of anxiety overcomes me. He hasn't done that before so I don't know what to expect. I open my eyes, considering stopping him.

"Link," I breathe, lacking the words. Do I really want him to stop?

When his lips attach to my neck, I find myself trapped in a nightmare I always dreaded. Pain strikes my body at once. It is impossible not to picture Karusa on top of me, pinning me to my own bed. What's worse is the thought of voicing my discomfort; I fear it will anger him, potentially causing him to get violent just like Karusa!

"Link," I pant nervously.

He doesn't stop. My emotions are jumbled all over the place. I don't know what to feel right now! I'm so confused and frightened at the thought of Link ignoring and pushing past my comfort zone. I'm not used to him doing so. I don't like this horrifying uncertainty. It's making it hard for me to breathe!

"Wait," I beg. His lips embrace mine but I'm done kissing him! I almost bite his lip in an attempt to push him off. "Get off!" I shout in despair.

Link sits up across from me. Immediately, I shuffle away from him, toward the headboard, trying to create as much distance between us as possible. He looks lost. Utterly startled.

"I told you not to go near my neck!" I cry, covering the spot he kissed.

"What?"

A cold shiver zaps down my spine. "Don't you remember? I told you I don't like it!"

He shakes his head, looking more apologetic by the second. "I'm sorry."

I don't know what to do or say. Is this even real? It can't be. Link is my safe place... Isn't he?

"I didn't know—I thought... I..." He doesn't know what to say either. Am I in the wrong here? Am I getting angry for no good reason again?

"I told you to stop," I whimper embarrassed.

"I didn't hear you say that! I'm sorry..."

I definitely told him to stop, didn't I? Even if I didn't, he must have known that I was in pain... Or was he really clueless? Am I antagonizing him because I saw a brief resemblance to Karusa? More importantly... Does he not remember what Karusa did to me?

"Sorry, I kinda thought with you inviting me over when your dad is gone and taking me up to your room and all..." He begins but pauses to allow his eyes to roam the room as if in desperate search for another piece of memory. When it becomes evident that I am not going to speak, he continues in a timorous voice. "We haven't done this before?"

"No!" I gasp ashamed. "I invited you because I wanted to spend time with you without having to worry about reporters stalking us! That's it!"

"Okay, I'm sorry. I kinda misread the whole thing. But only because I felt like we already did this sorta thing."

"Why would you think that? I thought you remembered our past!"

"I do! No listen, I promise, I do remember! I don't know why I thought that. I just kinda... knew this was normal for us? Or at least I thought I knew. I don't know! I can't really explain it. I kinda remembered something. Like at the lodge and... and... when you offered to shower with me, it seemed like... um... Shit, I really thought we've done this before but now that I think about it, I don't actually have any memory of it..."

I don't know whether to believe him or not. I don't think Link would lie about something this serious. If it's true what he's saying, then his head trauma may take partial blame. Nevertheless... "I said wait. When I say wait, or stop, or when I'm clearly in pain, don't just keep going!" I say in an assertive tone.

"I had no idea you were in pain, I'm sorry! I would never purposefully hurt you, please believe me. I really thought everything was fine..."

"I won't allow someone to do things to my body that I'm not comfortable with." Not again! And I hate that the first person I have the guts to stand up to is Link...But right now, being near him terrifies me. I can't be with someone I'm scared of... "If you ever neglect my dissent again, we're done."

"Okay," he nods with creased brows. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I swear, I thought we... Never mind... I messed up again! I'm really sorry..."

I wasn't opposed to his touch. But the moment he put his lips on my neck I felt glass cutting through my skin. My throat tightened and my stomach flipped. I think I was suffering a panic attack right under him...

If only he had remembered not to touch my neck... The fact that he didn't stop when I asked him to scares me to death. Maybe he really didn't hear the panic in my voice. Maybe calling out his name while he kissed me gave him the wrong impression. That's on me... I really should have said stop...

His head drops into his hands. "I'm so fucked up."

I feel horrible. I didn't want him to blame himself. I just needed him to understand what was going through my mind just now... I scoot closer and place my hand on his back.

"It's not your fault..." I tell him. "I'm sorry for yelling."

"You had every right to yell..."

"I almost didn't say anything at all... I was scared..."

"Of me?" He asks alarmed.

"Guys can get aggressive when they get rejected..."

"I would never hit you! I promise... I'll never do that to you..."

"I know... I... I trust you."

Link shakes his head with a look of disgust aimed at himself. "I remember at the lodge... I made you promise to instantly tell me if I ever made you uncomfortable. I'm glad you said something before I..." he stops himself and clenches his jaw. "Shit, I never wanted to hurt you..."

"I know you didn't mean to. It's okay." If I had never met Karusa, maybe none of this would have bothered me...

"Zelda, I never want to hurt you again."

"That's impossible. I'll get hurt again, but that's okay... I'll always forgive you. Because I'll hurt you too... and you'll forgive me too. We are in a relationship, and as much as I wished it could be, no relationship is ever as perfect as those found in books. But if a healthy relationship is based on the ability to compromise and forgive, and to communicate and care for each other, then I think we've got a good chance."

I hug Link's stiff body. His head remains in his hands until, a few moments later, he finally hugs me back. He says he's messed up but I believe it's the other way around... Everyone else likes to be kissed on the neck... Something is wrong with me... I don't want to panic every time Link puts his hands on me. I don't want to stay quiet out of fear... I just want to make him happy and make our relationship work...

Link backs away slowly, not making eye contact. "I'm gonna go."

What?... "You don't have to leave. Please stay."

"I just feel like shit right now..."

"So let me make you feel better," I bid.

When he gets up, my eyes fill with tears. What have I done? I don't want him to go...

"Please don't leave," I beg. "We can still have a good night..." I jump off the bed and grab his arm but he jerks away. I felt that in my heart... "I don't know what to do," I try to hide the panic behind my eyes but even I can hear the quiver in my voice. "What can I say to make you stay? Why do you want to leave?"

"Because I feel like an asshole, Zelda!"

"And your solution is to just leave? I used to do that. I'd leave when I didn't know how to handle a situation. I'd run from all my problems and hope they would fix themselves somehow. But that rarely works."

"It's not the same! I hurt you!"

"Unintentionally! And I forgave you! But if you walk out of these doors right now you'll hurt me far worse. And this time it'll be intentional..." Link sighs and turns his body toward me. "Let's talk about it. Or not. We can just sit here until you're okay enough to look at me." His eyes meet mine briefly. "Just don't leave..."

I wait a couple of seconds to see if he would like to say something in return. But he doesn't... And I don't know what else I can do. What's going on in his head that he can't say to me?

"What are you thinking about?"

He shakes his head and claws his hair. "Everything's so fucked up..."

"Everything?" Is he referring to our relationship?

"My mind is not right... I have really vivid dreams lately and wake up thinking they're real memories. So much stuff has just not been right lately! When I woke up from the coma without any memories, people kept telling me 'this is your favorite food', 'your favorite color', 'your favorite song' and now I don't know if I actually like those things or if I just accepted that I'm supposed to like them. And my body just..... Fuck, I hate it! I hate it so much! I have numb spots on my back and my leg... There's just no feeling... And I know it doesn't really make a difference if I have numb spots but it's just another thing that's broken about me! I hate complaining because I know how much worse it could have been but I was supposed to take my team to the nationals! Everyone counted on me! I look around and see all these people running and jumping around like it's nothing–it's not fair! I'm supposed to be an athlete but I have to literally learn how to walk again!"

He's out of breath by the time he's done. He swallows and lowers his eyes in embarrassment.

"You've been doing really well though..." I try to cheer him up. "Look at how far you've made it in only a couple of weeks. You recovered almost all your memories and are able to walk after being in a coma and undergoing major surgeries. You'll make it through and get back to where you were."

"Get back to where I was? I used to run twenty miles without breaking a sweat, now I walk twenty feet and want to break down from exhaustion! Look at me, do you really think I'll be that strong ever again? Do you really think I will ever wear a jersey again? Every single day of my life I sacrificed everything I had to get to where I was... Now I don't even know if I'll ever be able to run again!"

"Link–"

"And I don't even know why I'm telling you any of this! I don't really care about running right now! I hurt you! I hurt you because I'm broken, and I don't want that to happen again! So just let me go home until my fucked up brain is fixed..."

I gently shake my head and take a small step toward him. "You don't have to go through this alone. If you are afraid of hurting me, please stay and talk to me. I can tell you what will hurt me and what won't. And why."

---

(Hey guys!!!! :) Thank you so much for 10K reads already!! I quickly wanted to address Muzu and Mipha because some of you were worried something had happened to her. Mipha is not dead. I only included Muzu for comedic purposes, to reference the game, and to show that not everybody is supportive of Link. Hope you're enjoying the book so far! Love you all so much! xoxo)