vatheon | (no subject)

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Who: Shizuo, Dark Link, and potentially Zelda.
Where: Around the middle district.
When: After this.
Style: Starting with prose, but we can change to action.
Status: Closed

Shizuo was in a better mood than he had been since his encounter with Izaya. Talking things out with Zelda had helped quite a bit, even if Shizuo still wanted to do his best to avoid Izaya as much as possible. Not that he planned on hiding away - that would have been stupid. He had already spent too much time cooped up and thinking. Zelda had mentioned doing some research now that the fairies had met their end, and Shizuo had said he'd look around a little himself, though he wasn't exactly sure what to look for. It gave him a reason to go for a walk, though, and that was exactly how he was spending the evening. Walking around and smoking.

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A small bunch of flowers in hand, Dark Link found himself walking towards the entrance to middle district. Or not. Or... maybe yes. Really he just kept pacing away from and then back towards the path over and over, unable to summon the courage to go see Zelda.

If I was Link, I wouldn't be afraid...

He knew she would end up yelling again, he expected it no matter what anyone else told him, and now he felt he deserved it. It must be hard, him wearing the face of her most important person but being altogether a phony. Maybe it would be better for everyone if he just faded away like he should have before coming here.

But he didn't want to. He had friends like Johnny and Ion, and people he looked up to like Izaya and Signless. And... maybe it was selfish, but he wanted to keep being their friend. He enjoyed talking to them. It was easy to forget he was just a shadow when they showed him such deference.

But how long could that last, if he wasn't real? What was the point? His brain just kept going around and around in circles as his feet paced to and fro from the steps, completely oblivious to Shizuo's passing until he bumped right into him, scattering the flowers in surprise.

"Ah!"

Being bumped into pissed Shizuo off. Back in Ikebukuro, most people knew to avoid doing that, at all cost. In fact, they knew to avoid Shizuo in general, lest they piss him off. Needless to say, Shizuo's first reaction to being bumped into was break his cigarette into two and stomp it out on the ground, raising one into the air with only the slightly grumble of, "Watch out," -

But no. He was supposed to be working on controlling his temper. He needed to do that now more than ever, if he was going to successfully work on stifling that so-called need that Izaya had mentioned. Shizuo tried to take a breath, but then he realized who had bumped into him.

"You," he said, narrowing his eyes behind his glasses. Not-Link. The guy who caused Zelda so much trouble. Shizuo didn't even notice the flowers. "I should pound you into the ground."

...But Zelda wouldn't want that. And Shizuo wanted control. He was trying. Hard.

"What are you doing?"

He stumbles back several steps and instinctively goes for his sword. Which isn't there, he remembers as he grabs at air over his back. Zelda has it. And what's the point of defending himself anyway? He shouldn't exist.

All of the fight went out of him, shoulders slumped as if under a great weight. "You can, if you want."

Well that certainly helped to take some of the fight out of Shizuo. Not that he trusted the guy for a moment, but beating up on someone who acted like that wasn't exactly fair. Shizuo's temper didn't really adhere to that kind of logic, but it did help make his resistance a little stronger.

"What's your deal?" Finally, he noticed the flowers, which of course made him suspicious. "I asked you what you're doing."

"I just wanted to apologize."

He stepped back a pace; Shizuo baring down on him might be what he felt he deserved for trying to take someone else's identity, but it was still very frightening.

"I made her mad. I just wanted to give her those and tell her I wouldn't bother her anymore."

That was his intention, anyway. He'd been afraid it might go differently. That she wouldn't hear it, or that maybe she'd want to talk about it and all he wanted to do right now was...

He didn't even know. Did it matter anyway? I'm not Link, I can't help anyone, so the best I can do is just stay out of the way.

"Apologize?" Shizuo repeated, still glaring, but a little more subdued. Beating up someone for trying to do a good thing for Zelda really wasn't something he wanted to do. He wasn't quite ready to clear the path yet, though, so he busied himself by taking out and lighting another cigarette.

Finally, he surveyed not-Link. "I don't really trust you," he informed him. "But I'll tell you...I don't think Zelda hates you." When they had talked about him, Zelda had said she was relieved that Dark Link seemed peaceful. He was reluctant to encourage Dark Link's visit, but at the same time, it was a nice gesture. "I guess apologizing is a good idea."

As soon as Dark Link took in a breath to answer he began coughing. It seemed exaggerated but he'd never breathed smoke like that before. From torches, yes, but tobacco smoke had a tang to it he was wholly unfamiliar with. The fit subsided shortly and he eyed the cigarette warily as he spoke.

"It's okay if she does." He cleared his throat and started to pick up the scattered flowers, mere weeds that happened to have pretty blossoms on the ends. They had been haphazardly yanked from the ground if the roots still attached to some was any indication. "I'm not real, so it does't matter."

Well, damn. That was irritating. Shizuo didn't want to put his cigarette out and waste another, considering his former one wound up the victim of his anger - especially not for him. Dark Link was really trying his patience...but Shizuo decided it wasn't that big of an inconvenience to at least step to the side so the smoke wasn't in Dark Link's face. It gave him the opportunity to lean against a building, anyway.

"What do you mean you're not real?" Shizuo asked, not really following. He knew that Dark Link wasn't Link, but that didn't make him fake. He was standing right there. That seemed pretty real to Shizuo.

"I'm not." He said it so simply. The sky is blue, the grass is green, and I'm not a real boy. "I'm just a shadow, so it doesn't matter what happens to me. I just don't want her to feel bad. She's... important."

He finished gathering the last of his weeds and cautiously stepped past Shizuo, one foot in the middle district. "Can I go?"

Shizuo didn't really get it. So the guy was confused about who he was. Fine, that sucked. But how did that make him fake - a "shadow," as he put it? "You seem real to me," he said, though it wasn't necessarily meant to be comforting.

At least they agreed on one thing. Shizuo didn't want Zelda to feel bad, either. Which is exactly why he didn't trust Dark Link to pay her a visit by himself. "I'll come," he decided out loud. "I won't beat you up unless you do something stupid," he added, figuring that might make his company a little more bearable.

"Gee, thanks." Maybe that was better, though. Even if he wasn't doing anything he seemed to upset her anyway. Maybe Shizuo would temper that.

Weeds crumpled but back in hand, Dark Link marched his way into the middle district and to where he'd looked up Zelda's house to be. No turning back now, not when he had a chaperone.

He paused in front of her door, hesitating and his hand so tightly around the flower stems that it shook and caused some of them to droop. He gives Shizuo a backwards glance. "You'll let me say what I need to, right?"

He was afraid if he didn't get it out in one go, he's never be able to.

During the brief walk, Shizuo finished and abandoned his cigarette, more or less ignoring Dark Link as they made their way to Zelda's. Once there, he looked at Dark Link, who seemed genuinely nervous, judging by his tight, shaky grip.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll let you talk," Shizuo replied. "Just be nice. And...don't worry so much." Dark Link seemed pretty harmless and pathetic, now that Shizuo had the opportunity to really observe him.

Shizuo received a stiff nod in return for his advice and Dark Link mechanically turned back towards the door and knocked three times, once barely audible then twice, loudly, in quick succession. A part of him wanted to take off running right then but he stood his ground admirably as he waited for Zelda to open the door.

Zelda was occupied with taking notes. Extremely occupied. She didn't even sense Dark Link approaching, in fact. When she answered the door, her hair was down, a very unusual state for her to allow herself to be seen in. Her eyes widened slightly when she saw exactly who her visitor was and she set her notebook aside, biting down on her lip.

"Hello."

Shizuo stood off to the side and somewhat behind link, keeping an eye on him just in case he managed to upset Zelda or pull some sort of stunt. He could tell that Zelda was surprised to see Dark Link, but true to his word, Shizuo didn't say anything, giving Dark Link the opportunity to say his full.

Only Dark Link was struck momentarily mute on Zelda's doorstep, the hand holding the decrepit flowers shaking. Now that he was here with her staring down at him, what should he say? All words fled from his head and his tongue felt like cotton in his mouth. what had he...?

Right. Apologize. Then it would be over and she could get back to her life and he could... well, she could get back to her life anyway.

"I-I'm really sorry for saying I was Link before I know I'm not now and I'm sorry I was made and I bother you and make you feel bad so I'll leave you alone forever now here's some flowers I'm sorry!"

He spoke in a complete rush, words he didn't even know where waiting to be said tumbling from his mouth. He finished the train wreck by shoving the handful of weeds at her as he turned his face away, as if expecting to be punished.

She stared down at him wildly, then looked up at Shizuo. Did he convince Dark Link to do this, somehow? What was going on? She didn't take the weeds, not yet.

"I was... I wasn't... I didn't mean to be so harsh with you," she replied, swallowing. Goddesses, this was hard. "You wanted to take the place of someone very dear to me, and that frightened me. But..."

Her vision blurred and she lowered her head. "I didn't mean to hurt you!" Even she wasn't sure which Link she was really talking to, anymore.

Shizuo shrugged slightly when Zelda looked at him. Once she reacted, however, he took a step forward, wanting to comfort her. "Don't get upset," he said softly, because he didn't want to see Zelda that way. And apparently getting angry at Dark Link wasn't going to be the best choice, since Zelda was apologizing herself. He glanced between them, feeling kind of out of place.

No, this was all wrong. Why was she apologizing? Were those tears? No, she shouldn't be crying, that wasn't right, she shouldn't feel bad just for telling him the truth.

"Zelda... Hey, don't cry, it's okay." Before he knew it he had gathered her up in his arms, cradling the back of her head with one hand and placing his other gently across her shoulders. Real or not, Link or not, he couldn't stand to see Zelda cry.

"Shh, it's okay." Cheek resting lightly against the side of her head and voice so soft it barely carried past their own ears, Dark Link swallowed back tears of his own. He really shouldn't exist if it made her feel like this.

"It isn't okay." She pulled back enough that she could look at him. "I was cruel to you. I should have been more careful. You're barely a year old..."

Zelda smiled at him, or did her best to at least. "I'm glad, though. That you're becoming your own person now. I wanted that for you, but I didn't know how to say it."

Shizuo awkwardly watched the emotional display, relieved that Dark Link was being kind to Zelda, and that both of them seemed to have come to an understanding. At the same time, this didn't really involve him. Really, all he needed was to make sure Dark Link didn't cause Zelda any trouble. And it seemed that everything was - more or less - fine, so he decided to back off and leave them to their moment.

A smile creeps up on Dark Link's face too, but it's small and doesn't reach his eyes at all. "It's fine. It's hard, isn't it? Because I have his face? But you don't have to worry about it anymore, I won't bother you, I promise."

That should be it, he decided. He'll just fade into the background, another unnoticeable shadow she doesn't have to give a second thought. It's better that way.

With a quiet exhale, he let her go, taking a step back onto the porch. His expression was peaceful, if a bit sad, but this wasn't his place, this was the hero's place. And he's no hero. He's not even a person.

"You do not bother me. Stay here for a moment, alright?"

Zelda ducked back into the house. When she returned, she was holding his sword and shield. "These are yours. I... studied them, to make sure that Ganondorf wasn't planning something. Things are quite possibly going to get dangerous here in Vatheon, and I don't want you to be without protection."

"Zelda-" His protest was silenced as she reappeared with his armaments. He let out another sigh and put his hand on top of the bundle of his things. "You keep them. I don't think I'll need them."

A pause.

"What do you mean things are going to get dangerous?"

"There was an implication that the medical clinic here in Vatheon would be getting 'lively'. I haven't been present for any attacks myself, but this city has been under siege in the past. What will you do if there are monsters and you are unarmed?"

Zelda shook her head, pushing the sword and shield into his arms. "Take them. It may turn out to be nothing, but if something does happen... not everyone in this city can defend themselves. Those of us that can fight should."

I like prose. Prose and I go way back.

Same here!

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Feel free to have Shizuo follow, we can get Zelda on up in this thread

K!

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post order from here on should prolly be DL -> Zelda -> Shizuo, yeah?

Sure thing~

Works for me

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