Zelda's eyes started to well up as goosebumps prickled her skin. She was slightly confused, but was more shocked than anyone else in the room. Link tried to hide his smirk, but it didn't quite work out. Most people's faces had the same expression. They looked like they'd been pranked.

It was then when Link realised a little something; he didn't really mind all of that attention. Zelda was staring with admiration and Link swore he felt something... More. He just couldn't quite put a finger on it. He felt if she wasn't in that room, he'd never be able to stay stable in that situation.

He started to wonder if he relied on her too much. It was weird, like she was his coping mechanism.

Even so, he was glad that out of all people, it was her.

------------------------------

When Link got home, his heart was still racing. He remembered the look on Zelda's face, the pride that she was expressing. He giggled to himself, running his hands through his hair. He knew how complicated things could be from then on, considering that people still didn't know about his... 'Condition'.

He immediately started on his English project. He was struggling at first, but managed to get a basic structure and topic. He could think about scripting and stuff later - right then he was just focusing whilst he could contain the mindset.

After a few hours, his mother came home. She wasn't really surprised to hear Link jamming out to his favourite album. How in Hyrule is he so introverted in public? She thought.

She took her jacket and shoes off, placing her bag around the banister at the bottom of the stairs. She tried to be quiet, as not to interrupt with what Link was doing. However, as she was looking into the kitchen, something caught her eye.

It was only natural for her to go and look, but she almost felt like she was getting herself too high hoped. So as she stared down the corridor, alternatives started to litter her mind.

Before she could even move though, Link was hopping down the stairs right behind her. It understandably made her jump, but it was rather pleasant of her.

"Hi, Link" She spoke, smiling at Link's seemingly lit up face.

"Okay, guess what?!" He was being loud and ecstatic. His mother just nodded, really not knowing what he was on about. "I spoke today, in school, to my entire English class!" With his tone and his expression, he was acting like an actual child.

"Y-you spoke?" She answered, not sure if she was dreaming or hearing things wrong.

"Yeah! It was really scary, but I didn't freeze. I haven't even had my meds today-"

"You haven't taken your meds?!" His mother cut him off, slight anger in her voice.

"Well, no. I set my my own doses any way, so I didn't think it would really matter..." His face dropped with his tone of voice.

"Its not a problem, but... Do you really feel okay enough to stop altogether?" She asked, concern littering behind her eyes.

"Right now... I feel okay with how everything is going" A little smirk appeared as he thought about his current standing.

"Okay then. Don't hesitate if you feel the need to take them again though"

"I won't"

"Promise?"

"I promise"

She pulled him into an embrace, which Link happily accepted as he hugged back.

----------------------

The next morning, Link did feel anxious on the way to school. People in his English surprisingly didn't make an effort to talk to him after class. What would they say anyway?

But this was the start of something, something brilliant. He didn't really have a reason to hide anymore. He just had to go slowly, and not push himself too much. He felt rather stable, and even if his tummy was turning, he knew it was all in his head.

He made his way to the diner, as he knew that Zelda would definitely be there. Unsurprisingly, when he saw her slightly pink face, the moths in his stomach turned to fluttery butterflies.

Zelda turned her head as the door opened, an immediate grin creeping up her face. She jumped out of the seat she was sat in as she made her way over to Link, speeding up with every step.

"Hi!" She beamed, he ecstatic tone matching her expression.

"Morning" Link managed to reply as he tried to grin too wide that his face started hurting. "I have to go right now, but come to mine after school... If you can" He awkwardly laughed.

"Sure! I'll see you there!" She replied, quickly pulling him into a hug. She didn't say anything after that, but after Link walked away (blushing like an idiot) she whispered 'yes!' to herself as she danced around a bit.

Thank goddess no one else was in there at the time.

----------------------

Zelda had made it over to Link's house, being let in immediately by Link. They both sat down on the couch, which gave Zelda an opportunity to ask something she'd been curious about for a while.

"So... You're one of my mother's patients?" Zelda asked, trying to make it seem as casual as possible.

"Oh, erm... Yeah" Link answered, his cheeks slightly blushing crimson as he was slightly nervous about answering. It was obvious that she new anyway. "She's probably told you why I go there, huh?" He really assumed that she did, as Zelda had constantly stuck up for him and was on his side. In his mind, there was no way that anyone would do that without knowing the story behind it.

"She didn't actually. I'm not gonna lie, I did ask, but she told me that it's not her place to say and that it's none of my business, and I respect that" She answered, staring at Link's profile the entire time.

"Wha- really?!" He jumped away, not expecting that answer at all. He was in pure shock.

"Yeah, really" Zelda chuckled.

"Then... why?" He asked, looking at Zelda, confusion littering his facial expression.

"Why what?"

"Why were you so adamant on sticking up for me, if you didn't even know why?" He stood up, more shocked than he should've been. It was then that he realised, he didn't care if she knew. If anything he was more at ease when he thought that she did know.

"Because I like to think that I'm a good person. I don't care why you are how you are" She made sure to make eye contact. She wanted what she said to get through to Link. "Wait, did you think I knew this whole time?" Zelda asked.

"Honestly... Yeah" He laughed, sitting down.

"Wow" Zelda sat down as well, laughing in the exact same pitch.

They sat in silence for a minute, until Link spoke up.

"Do you want to know?" He asked, not moving his head at all.

"I mean, sure... Only if you want me too though!" She panicked a bit. She didn't want to pressure Link into telling her anything.

"Of course I do" He replied.

"O-Okay. I'm all ears" Zelda sat back into the sofa cushion.

"Since I was quite little, like 6 or 7, I had trouble communicating in the school environment, and with new people. Everyone just thought that I was a late bloomer. That continued on for a while, but nothing changed. I was told time and time again that I needed to grow up and get out of that stupid phase" Zelda was paying attention to Link's every word and taking in every last syllable. "But I couldn't. I told my parents how I really couldn't do it, I couldn't physically... Talk. They took me to the doctor, and it turned out there really was something wrong with me. There really is something wrong with me" Zelda had noticed that he'd started to tear up, it was rather obvious he hadn't had a friend to tell this story too.

"Hey, you can stop there" Zelda told him, resting her arm on his back.

"No" He took a deep breath. "The doctor told me that I have some sort of anxiety disorder. But it's not just social anxiety, it's not just that I'm just scared to talk in front of a crowd, it's that I can't..." He sighed. "And I'm not exaggerating. My body goes into some sort of freeze response. Even if I want to, I physically can't mutter a word, I can't even nod or shake my head sometimes" He started to slightly shake.

"Link-"

"Have you ever heard of selective mutism?" He asked, cupping his hands together.

"Yeah" Zelda had heard of that before. Since her mother was a therapist, she had a lot of psychology books that Zelda had picked up and read, but she never once thought that that's what Link was facing.

"It's an ironic name isn't it? It implies that I can control it and select when it happens. Goddess, I wish. My 'triggers' seemed to be the school environment and the pressure of making friends. I didn't want to seem two faced, and I didn't want it to look like I was friends with someone but then ignoring them... So I decided that I just wouldn't have friends... That I'd just isolate myself. I thought that'd be easier. Don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm always frozen at school, It's just easier to try and be invisible" Link's story had brought tears to Zelda's eyes that were trying to escape.

"Oh Link... I never knew you went through anything like that" She sat up completely upright and pulled him into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry"

"Sorry? What for?" He asked, not rejecting her and hugging her back, closing his eyes.

"For not doing this sooner" She held him tighter, making Link's heart beat so much faster.

"Don't worry. I noticed you, y'know. I saw you watching out for me and you always had my back, although we never talked" Link pulled away and smiled, his eyes still tearing up as his hands rested on her shoulders. "It was like you were some sort of guardian angel" He added, breathing deeply.

A single tear made its way out of Zelda's eye, but it didn't get very far as Zelda rested her head against his shoulder.

"A-Are you okay?" He asked, getting worried that her being upset was his fault.

"Yeah. Just... Let me stay like this for a while"

How..? How did I open up to her so easily? Maybe this is good. Maybe this means I'm finally getting better. I've only been going to booked appointments for around a month now, and I really feel like I'm getting better.

Because of her.

By goddess, I think I fancy her.

.