A tedious stack of papers dropped on his desk. Link turned his gaze over to them casually, then up to the woman that stood over him.
“Special delivery,” Sera said cheerfully. “One stack of papers for a Mr. Hero.” She winked playfully at him and casually blew her sidebang out of her face.
Link turned his gaze back to his computer. He tapped his pen against his desk. It was just another day for him. Five years at that office, and each day simply blended into the next. He understood why people had midlife crises. Doing the same thing day in and day out was mind numbingly tedious. But it was a job, and he needed the money if he wanted to live in a house another month.
“For someone who faked his entire resume, you do surprisingly well,” she continued with a grin. “Can you get all this done by five like last week?”
Link shrugged lazily with one shoulder. “Sure.”
She sat on the edge of his desk, still grinning. “How do you do it?”
“Well, you see,” Link started, rolling back in his chair. He pressed his fingertips together. “It's all bullshit, Mr. Watson.”
Sera laughed. “Sounds about right. I mean, who cares about expense reports, anyway? Certainly not this company.”
“It takes years of practice to do what I do,” Link said with a smug grin.
“At this rate, you'll be at the top of the corporate ladder.”
“And all my dreams will come true,” Link said dryly.
“I could get used to the perks,” she said with a shrug. “Those company cars look nice.”
Link scoffed. “Suits. Not my style.”
“That's so Superman of you. Corporate slave by day, hero by night. Why isn't that on your resume?”
Link turned back to his computer. “Unfortunately, we're not exactly in an age of heroes. No one gives a shit.”
“They ought to.” She was quiet for a moment. She tapped a finger on the stack of paper she dropped on his desk. “This is no place for a hero.”
“Well, hero work doesn't pay the bills.”
“Hm. Touche.” She stood. “Up for another drink tonight?”
Link turned his attention to his phone as it vibrated against the desk. He sighed when he recognized the number of the high school. “Doesn't look like I'll be able to,” he said as he answered the phone. He turned his gaze to Sera as she walked away, waving over her shoulder.
“Link. I have Aryll in my office. Can you come by?”
“Again?” Link turned his gaze to the papers on his desk. They would have to wait until tomorrow.
“Yes,” the principal said dryly.
“Sure,” Link said. “Let me just take another personal day. I don't get tired of using those up.”
“I'm in no mood for your attitude, Link.”
Link sighed. “I'll be down in a bit.” Without another word, he hung up the call. He got up abruptly, leaving his chair spinning in his wake, and passed Sera's desk as he made his way out. She looked up from her computer screen as he passed.
“Aryll causing trouble again?”
“Cover for me?”
She saluted him. “Aye, aye, Mr. Hero.”
Link rolled his eyes at her before leaving the office. It wasn’t the first time he had gotten a call from the school about Aryll, but it was the first year she had really started to act out. He didn’t know shit about parenting, and as far as he knew, there was no how-to book on the subject. It may have been ten years ago, but he was sixteen once, too, and he never went through any sort of rebellious phase. Of course, he was a little preoccupied in his chosen destiny to stop Ganondorf and save Hyrule. So, it was very possible he missed out on the inductions into the rebellion club. He was convinced that such a thing existed, and it was all just a big plan to make his life even more miserable.
Regardless of why Aryll was acting out, she was, and Link had found himself at the high school on a more regular basis than he wanted to be. Fortunately, it was mostly for petty high school crimes. Aryll was found skipping class. Or skipping the day entirely. Or she was caught cheating on her test. A couple of times, she had apparently gotten into some fights, which left her suspended for the next couple of days. These were the worst, mainly because Link knew that being unsupervised at home would only allow her to get into more trouble. By the grace of Hylia, he had managed to sweet talk his way out of that with the principal, though he wasn’t sure how long that would last if she kept up.
He was bending over backwards for his sister, and she didn’t seem to give a damn. It apparently wasn’t enough that he dropped out of college to be with her when his father was discharged. Or that he had taken over everything when he died, including the unfortunate role of being some sort of father figure in her life. The two jobs he was working just to keep a roof over her head? Well, who needed that? Surely not him. She was going to get kicked out of school at this rate and never graduate, so why did he bother sticking around in the city? There was nothing there for him, anyway, and there would be nothing for Aryll if she wasn’t going to graduate high school.
So, really, who was it all for, then? What did any of it matter? How he wished he could go to the bar after picking up Aryll.
It would have felt odd to be back at the school if he hadn’t been such a regular appearance there. Every time, he would find himself looking at the corner of the building from his car where his friends used to hang out before and after classes. Sometimes, he would wander the hallways before making his way to the office, looking out into the courtyard where they once gathered for lunch. On one of the picnic tables, Revali had lovingly carved “Link sux” into the wood. Ten years was a long time, but it seemed a lifetime ago. He hated everything about high school, but in those recent years, he wanted nothing more than to go back and attempt to make a better future for himself.
And there was Aryll, all too happy to throw it all away. Everything he had done for her.
Needless to say, Link was in a less than stellar mood when he entered the office. The secretary behind the desk did not look up as he entered, but offered him her usual, monotone greeting. “Hello again, Link.”
“Did you miss me?” he said with a grin. The woman looked up slowly, meeting his gaze with a raised brow and otherwise emotionless face, and his grin quickly disappeared.
“He’s expecting you,” she said with a sigh, pulling her gaze away and back onto her computer screen.
“Right,” Link said. “Of course he is.” He walked around the desk and into the office without knocking, taking the seat in front of the desk. He stretched his legs out in front of him, settling in to hear of Aryll’s latest adventures.
The principal smiled to Link as he sat in the empty seat in front of the desk, but Link did not return the greeting. He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for him to speak.
“Nice to see you, Link.”
“Wish I could say the same.”
“Aryll told me not to call. She said you were busy at work.”
“Well, if she cares so much, maybe she'll stop causing trouble.”
“She's a good kid. She gets good grades.”
“So, what is it this time?”
He folded his hands on his desk. “She knocked a kid out cold.”
Link grinned. “Nice.”
The principal narrowed his gaze. “Do you really think that's appropriate?”
Link shrugged. “Depends. Did he deserve it?”
He sighed and pressed his fingers against his temple.
“He must have done something to piss her off,” Link continued. “What was it?”
He looked down at the papers on his desk and scooped them up. He flipped through them until he found what he was looking for. “Apparently there was a disagreement between them.” He adjusted the glasses on his nose as he read the report. “'He said that the legends of Hylia were nothing but bullshit and scare tactics that the government uses and if Ganondorf was ever a real threat, he would have been eliminated. I told the stupid bastard that if he paid attention to the world at all, he'd know that Ganondorf cannot simply be killed as long as he holds a piece of the Triforce, and the fucking prick said that the Triforce was made up by the royal family to keep themselves in control of Hyrule. He said Zelda and Link were frauds.'” He stopped and looked over his glasses, meeting Link's gaze.
“That's a good one,” he said. “I haven't heard that one yet.”
The principal placed the papers back on his desk and removed his glasses. “It seems Aryll has quite a temper.”
“Guess the kid shouldn't be talking shit. Sounds like he got what he deserved.” He smiled smugly. “Next time -” He snapped his mouth shut, thinking better of what he was going to say. Aryll could get away with throwing punches, but he was sure he couldn't make such threats lightly.
The principal raised a brow. “Next time?”
“Next time maybe he'll show a little respect.”
He leaned back in his large, leather chair, turning slightly from side to side in a rocking motion. “Is everything okay at home?”
Link groaned loudly and rolled his eyes. “Don't give me this shit.”
“I know things haven't been easy for the two of you these last few years, but you are responsible for her and her actions.”
“She's sixteen years old,” Link said. “And I'm not her father. I don't control her. She's old enough to know right and wrong and make her own decisions.”
“She needs guidance, Link.”
“Guidance with what?” Link snapped. “She's standing up for herself. I'm sorry if my little sister has a better punch than that asshole conspiracy theorist. Maybe he should grow a pair.”
He sighed and rubbed at his temple. “I've given her quite a few chances already,” he warned him. “I can't keep doing this. You need to do something about it. You need to talk to her.”
Link got to his feet. “Are we done, or are you going to keep lecturing me about how to raise a teenage girl?”
“I just want what's best for both of you. I don't want to see Aryll go down the wrong path. She has a lot of potential. You should be grateful she doesn't have the same work ethic you did in school.”
Link shrugged. “Just busy saving the world.”
“Mhm.” He turned his gaze away from Link and onto his computer screen. “If it keeps up, I will have to suspend her. Please don't let it come down to that.”
Link said nothing further. He made his way out of the office, closing the door behind him. In the main office, Aryll was sitting in one of the chairs against the wall, her hands behind her head. She stood when Link came out and without a word to her brother, she left the main office and made her way outside. There was still an hour left of school, but Link was too tired to fight with her. He nodded to the woman behind the desk as he walked after Aryll.
“See you next week, Link,” she said disinterestedly.
Outside the school, Link jogged after Aryll as she made her way toward the car. “What the hell was that about?” he said when he reached her side.
“What was what about?” Aryll kept walking, not meeting his gaze.
“You can't go around punching people.”
Aryll rolled her eyes. “I told him not to call you.”
“Who else is he going to call?” Link sneered.
Aryll stopped short and faced him. “Right, because I have no one else. No fucking family.”
Link's expression softened. “You have me.”
“Do I? You're never around!”
“I'm working two fucking jobs for you. What more do you want from me?”
Aryll stormed away from him, away from the car, and towards the road.
“Where are you going?” Link shouted after her.
“Home!”
“Get in the car!”
“No!”
Fuming, Link got into the vehicle. He pulled out of the lot and followed Aryll onto the road. He rolled down the window as he slowed to her pace. “Get in!”
Aryll crossed her arms. “No.”
“Get in the fucking car, Aryll!”
Aryll stopped walking and glared at him. She opened her mouth to speak, but thought better of it. Instead, she yanked the door open, slid into the seat, and slammed it closed. She folded her arms over her chest and turned to look out the window, ignoring her brother.
“What the fuck has gotten into you?” Link hissed as he pulled out into traffic.
Aryll shrugged with one shoulder and kept her gaze out the window. “I’m going through my rebellious phase,” she said. “I’ll probably dye my hair black or something. Get a lip ring.” She grinned to herself. “Fuck it. I’ll go all out and get my nipples pierced.”
“You’re not funny,” Link muttered.
“I’m actually hilarious,” she said. “But you have no sense of humor anymore, so you wouldn’t know.”
“You’re going to get expelled,” Link warned her.
“So what?” She glanced over to her brother. “What are you going to do about it? Ground me?” She rolled her eyes and turned her gaze back out the window.
“Sure,” he mumbled. “That’s what people do, right?”
“That’s what parents do,” she said. “And we’re sad little orphans.”
Link’s brows furrowed, but he didn’t respond to her.
Aryll took it upon herself to put an end to the silence that fell between them. “So, since you’re not my father, you don’t have that power.”
“No,” Link said slowly. “But I’m the adult. The only adult you’ve got. So that power transfers to me.”
Aryll shifted in her seat. “Right,” she muttered. “Let me know when you decide to act like an adult.”
Link stopped at a light, slamming harder on the breaks than he needed to. “When you stop acting like a bratty little twat, then we can talk,” he hissed at her.
“Fuck you,” she sneered at him.
“Get out and walk home.”
“No,” she said sternly. “And you can’t make me.”
“Wanna bet?”
“Fine,” she said. “Be a terrible guardian and they’ll take me away and stick me in an orphanage and we’ll never have to see each other again.”
“Stop being so dramatic,” he said. “You won’t go to an orphanage. Even they wouldn’t want you. You’ll just be a homeless little troll under a bridge.”
“You’re a fucking dick!”
The light had turned green, but Link hadn’t moved. The cars behind them started to honk in annoyance.
“Yup, that’s me,” he said. “The biggest asshole this world has ever seen.” He flipped a motorist the bird as he finally moved through the intersection.
“Being a hero doesn’t mean you get to act like a dick to everyone.”
“Thanks for letting me know,” he said. His knuckles whitened as he gripped the steering wheel. “I guess I misunderstood what being a dick was. Apparently giving up everything for you makes me a terrible person.”
“Right, go head,” Aryll said, rolling her eyes. “Play the fucking victim card again.”
“I can’t win with you, can I?” he barked at her. “Nothing I do is good enough!” They stopped at another light and Link turned to his sister. “What do you want from me, Ary? What the fuck do you want?”
Aryll stared at her brother, her face whitening. When the cars began to honk behind them once more, she pulled her gaze away and slunk into her seat. She pulled her knees to her chest and held her breath in an attempt to steady herself, but the tears rolled down her face, anyway. They didn’t speak again until they pulled into the driveway and Link cut the engine. Neither of them moved to get out.
“Can you just talk to me?” Link said softly. “Tell me what you need. Tell me what I can do.”
Aryll glanced over at her brother, but he was staring out the windshield at nothing in particular. She pulled her gaze away and bit her lip to keep her sobs at bay.
“I’m sorry,” she said softly, though her voice broke. “I’m sorry I’m just a burden to you.” And with that, she opened the door, stumbled out, and slammed the car door behind her.
Link watched as she ran into the house. He punched the steering wheel angrily, and the car honked in response.
FEM! ROHAN ( rowan ) 'RO' NANDA AND ABHIMANYU ( abhisha ) 'ABHI' SINGH ?!?! YES‼️‼️ignore my shitty camera quality 💔
@rohanandaaa @abhiiiisingh what’s your opinion on your female versions js by appearance and info ?? i need to ask the models for constructive criticism, dawg 🙏🥀
