Work Text:
There are days you feel broken.
Incomplete. As if you could have been so much more. As if you should have been so much more. Those are the days you can hardly stand to look at yourself. The days you find yourself staring at nothing but empty walls with a blank expression on your face. The days you feel lost and so very alone. The days you try to sleep away, hoping for a better tomorrow. The days where you can’t help but try to hold yourself tighter and tighter and tighter . Just to find out it was not enough. That it was never enough.
But that’s where he comes in.
Link . It’s the name of the man who will first notice the signs. He’ll catch onto it quickly. Quicker than anyone else. And perhaps he may have seen it even faster than you did yourself. But the timing doesn’t matter. It’s the fact that he does care. More than anyone you’ve ever met. More than anyone who has loved you. That’s the part that matters. That’s the part that’ll get you every time.
It’ll start with little touches. A hand on your shoulder. Or maybe, it’s to your lower back. It could perhaps be brushing against your fingers. Or it could be reaching out to twirl a lock of your hair. But little touches grow bigger. Stronger. Bolder too. So much so that it’s no longer a hand on your shoulder, but an arm around your waist. Pulling you into a warm body and holding you until you hold him back. And fingers? They no longer brush against each other. They no longer gingerly touch as if he’s shy and afraid. No, he’ll reach for them. He’ll reach for your hands and he’ll hold them in his own. He’ll lace his fingers between yours, and he’ll squeeze. He’ll give you some of his warmth. His courage. His heart. And every single time. Without falter. Without fail. He’ll take your joined hands and he’ll bring them to his lips. And he’ll kiss the back of your hand. Over and over and over again.
“ I don’t deserve you .” The words are whispered to you. A quiet, quiet voice says them. So quiet that you wouldn’t have been able to hear them if they weren’t spoken against your skin. And yet, it’s a voice full of raw emotion. A voice genuine. A voice true. The voice of your Link. The voice of the man who will stop at nothing to convince you that he’d do absolutely anything for you. “ I don’t deserve you. I never did.”
You’ll take a sharp breath. Or maybe you’ll take two. And you’ll hold him. Hold him so tight that he won’t let go. That he couldn’t let go. Even if he wanted to. But that’s the thing. He wouldn’t let you go. He couldn’t let you go. For both his sake and for yours. It’s told without words. It’s told without sound. But it’s told in the way he holds onto you even tighter than you hold onto him. It’s told in the way he surrounds you with himself. His scent, his touch, his warmth, his everything. And he’ll do it all for you.
“ I don’t deserve you .” He’ll tell you again because he means every word. “ But I can’t help but want you. ”
It’s by then that you notice that the tears have started to well up in your eyes. They’re quiet tears. The ones that flow like silent streams rather than roaring rivers. They’ll make their way down your cheeks in big, big droplets before falling onto a shirt or two. And you may try to hide them. You may let them flow free. But whatever you decide, it does not matter. Because it’s not long before he finds out. It’s not long before Link sets his eyes on his next target.
“I can’t help but need you.”
A kiss for every tear you shed. That's what you get. A kiss for every single little tear that falls from your eyes. Over and over and over again, soft lips make contact with your skin. Your lips and then your cheeks. Your temple and just above your brow. On both eyelids and behind both ears. Upon your nose. Across your jaw. And back to your lips once more. Over and over and over again. And even when the tears slow down and start to dry up, he’ll give you one more. And another. And perhaps, even another. For good measure. Though he doesn’t dwell long on the kisses that’ll wipe away your tears. Because there’s something new for him to tackle next.
“You’re so beautiful.” He’ll tell you suddenly. As if hoping to catch you off guard with a truth you did not realize. A truth that had always been there. Even if you didn’t see it. Even if you didn’t believe it. “So talented.”
Words of affirmation. Of praise. Of candor. Spoken only when you look him in the eyes. Spoken only when you’re able to see the determination that stands proud within his eyes. Spoken when you’re able to see the devotion that floods his gaze.
“You’re so smart. So special.” He’ll murmur as blue eyes meet yours and a forehead covered by blonde hair comes to rest against your own. His arms will hold you tighter in a moment like this. His hands will squeeze yours tighter in a moment like this. And you’ll melt. Your heart, your body, your everything . You’ll melt into him. From a few pretty words. From a few kind touches. From a few loving kissing. Because it is what you needed. “So…so important to me.”
What you always needed.
“So, please.” He’ll tell you as the tears start back up again and you all but collapse in his arms. But it’s okay if you do that. It’s okay if that happened. Because it’s been one of those days. He knows it’s been one of those days. “Please…”
Those days where you may have felt broken or incomplete. Those days when you felt like you weren’t enough. Or were ever enough. The days where you feel like you’re at the worst of your worst. The days where you feel like you’re at the lowest of your lows. It’s been one of those days. Where you can’t help but try to convince yourself of all of the bad things that linger in your ears. Of all the bad things that linger in your head. But he won’t let you. He’ll never let you.
Because as long as he still stands. As long as he still breaths. As long as he still lives .
“Please… just see all that I see within you.”
He’ll be there. He’ll always be there.
“And try to love yourself. As I have always loved you.”
Just to love you.