#aeghina!!

(And yes, Zelda is crushing on Rowan's friend XD )

It was the perfect day to spend at the beach. It was just the beginning of summer, but already the long days of blazing hot sun were weighing on everyone. Rowan was content to sit under the shade of the umbrella and watch as Link and their friends played volleyball. Link had tried to get him to play as well, but they had an odd number of people. And besides, no matter how much sunscreen Rowan put on, he always burned. So he was content to spend most of his time here with an occasional break to cool off in the water. He closed the book he'd been attempting to read and set it aside. It looked like they were wrapping up their match, some heading back towards the water. Link flopped onto the towel beside him, his skin covered in a sheen of sweat and still breathing hard. His eyes were shut, but there was a small smile on his face. Rowan pulled the small cooler they’d brought with them closer and opened it. They’d packed some water and snacks, and at the very bottom, buried in the ice, a pack of popsicles. Luckily, they hadn’t melted yet. Link sat up and nudged Rowan with his elbow. Rowan rolled his eyes and passed over a popsicle — the red one — and Link grabbed it without hesitation. Rowan took a popsicle for himself and closed the cooler back up. They sat in silence for a few minutes, content to enjoy their treats. The air was filled with the sound of the ocean’s waves and their friends calling out to each other. Rowan looked over to Link, his lips stained red from the popsicle and cheeked tinged pink from the sun. Link smiled around the popsicle, and Rowan’s heart stuttered in his chest. How lucky he was.

“Can I open my eyes yet?” “Nope!” Link was guiding Rowan down the sidewalk, making sure he wouldn’t trip or run into anyone or anything. They’d decided to shake things up a bit and plan surprise dates for each other. Link had won the rock, paper, scissors game to determine who went first. It hadn’t taken long to decide what to do, especially after Rowan kept texting him pictures of cute cats. Link hadn’t realized how much of a cat person he was until the pictures started a few months ago, but it was endearing, really. Link stopped, tugging Rowan’s hand until he turned to face the building. “We’re here, open your eyes!” When Rowan caught sight of the sign on the door — Castle Town Cats & Cafe — he gasped. He turned to Link, eyes practically sparkling in delight. “You didn’t!” “I did! Come on!” Before Link could lead Rowan inside, Rowan tugged his hand and pulled him into a tight hug. “We’re not even inside yet,” he mumbled against Rowan’s chest. Rowan only leaned down to press a kiss in Link’s hair before stepping away. When Link gave his name to the host, they were led to a table by the window. They were given a rundown about how the cafe worked and where they could order food, and then were left alone. There was a bowl of tiny treats on the table, and Rowan immediately grabbed a few before heading to the nearest kittens. There was a trio of gray kittens playing on a cat tree against the wall, but when they saw Rowan, they immediately ran over. One of them started climbing up his legs before he could even bend down, and when it got to his shirt, Rowan grabbed it, holding it up beneath his chin. Rowan sat on the floor and the other two kittens climbed into his lap. They were sniffing at his hand where he still held the treats, and Rowan laughed. The other kitten crawled down and Rowan gave them each a treat. Link couldn’t help the smile on his face as he took a few treats of his own. There was a fluffy white cat watching him from the other side of the room that he had his eyes on.

Link pulled Rowan up the hill with one hand while his other hand clutched the handle of a picnic basket. Rowan was laughing behind him. “Slow down!” Link looked back and grinned. “No time for that!” When Link tugged his hand again, Rowan sped up to walk beside Link. Soon enough, they were at the top of the hill that overlooked Castle Town. Link set the basket down and pulled the blanket off the top. He shook it out and spread it on the ground, Rowan grabbing a corner to make sure it fell flat. Link flopped on the blanket and rolled onto his back before patting the space beside him. Rowan sat down beside him and smiled down at Link. He reached into the basket and pulled out the cookies he’d packed for them. Link took the offered cookie and bit into it. It was still warm and chewy, and the chocolate melted in his mouth. Rowan laid down beside him, eating his own cookie. In front of them, the sun was setting just to the side of Castle Town. The sky was a brilliant orange near the horizon where the sun was setting and darkened to purple above them. The moon was nearly full and bright above them, a few bright specks of light already visible around it. This was one of Link’s favorite places to be, and he was always happy to share it with Rowan. He turned slightly until he was facing Rowan. His boyfriend was watching the sunset, one arm folded behind his head. “It’s beautiful.” Link smiled. The setting sun shone on Rowan’s face, his freckles in sharp contrast to his pale skin. The light made the green in his eyes stand out. Link’s chest warmed and he leaned his head against Rowan’s shoulder. He didn’t care if he missed the sunset. He wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. “It really is.”