Note: This was sitting on my flash drive for two years half finished. Figured I'd finish it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Super Smash Brothers Brawl, Fire Emblem, Legend of Zelda, and associated characters/plot events.
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"I like you, Link, romantically."
Link went through many challenges in his life. He fought monsters. He rescued his childhood friends from kidnappers. He ventured into the twilight to save both realms. He helped Ilia recovered her memory. He got crushed when Midna left forever. Link probably experienced many more trials in past lives as the hero of Hyrule. However, this he had no idea how to handle.
"Would you be interested in a relationship?"
It was such a simple task really; all he had to do was answer a question. It should have been simple enough. Sadly, it wasn't.
Zelda, Hyrule's princess, was there for him after Midna had left for the Twilight Realm and broken the path between the two worlds. She was there for him as he went back to his dreary existence as a rancher's aid. She was even there for him when he admitted he might be interested in males as well as females. He wasn't sure if that deep sense of understanding and comfort came from the connection they had as the current reincarnations of those who represent wisdom and courage, but it was there, and in all those cases it was a fantastic feeling. Thing it, it wasn't always the greatest when Zelda could read your emotions as if they were handed to her on a silver platter. She knew what the answer to this question would be. She would have shouted it two minutes ago.
"I understand if you say no, this is probably unexpected."
He could tell Ike was more nervous compared to his usual demeanor. Apparently, he left his continent and everyone on it and went on a journey by himself. Nobody was sure why he left, but Zelda thought he might have wanted a new start on things. Perhaps he was leaving that stress behind and giving himself a clean slate, which might have been why he entered the smash tournament. Zelda also doubted he had any experience with romantic dealings, hence the change in demeanor. Ike asked bluntly, with the intense look his eyes he always had before a fight. In a way, Link guessed this probably was a fight, with a completely different set of stakes and Ike did not want to lose.
Link didn't delude himself. He knew his answer to the question, and while he is a man of few words he could at least give Ike the courtesy to say enough to answer the question. Perhaps it was just the shock of the moment. He respected Ike, both on and off the battlefield. He liked Ike. Zelda already knew that, but she knew everything about him. It shouldn't be that hard to let Ike know that, but it was.
Then again, he didn't need to talk much on his journey. All his goals were accomplished through action, whether it involve nodding his head at a bystander's question, pointing to what he needed in shops, or slashing away at monsters.
"Link?"
Ike seemed to have lost whatever determination he had gathered up for this, along with his patience, and turned to walk away. Link grabbed Ike's hand, prompting Ike to turn around. Link gave Ike's hand a gentle squeeze and smiled. Ike returned the squeeze smiled back.
Neither of them focused on words all too much. They focused on actions, both on and off the battlefield, and that suited them just fine.