Zelda POV. It's kind of like a stream of consciousness thing. Young Link doesn't exist for the purpose of Link's sanity. One swear word and some offensive terms.

Disclaimer: SSBM and all characters contained therein don't belong to me. Constructive critism is always welcome as this is only my second fic. Please no flames on the pairing, even though there technically isn't one.


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We're best friends.

Link and I, I mean.

I suppose it probably has to do with us being the only ones to remember what really happened during those seven years. We both had to grow up so fast, and we were both set to tasks no children should have to go through. We understand each other, and we can talk to each other about anything. If either of us is feeling upset or worried, then we just sit talk about it until we feel better.

We've gotten to know each other very well.

Sometimes, I feel like I know Link better than he knows himself.


~*~


Shortly after we joined this tournament, I noticed that something had been bothering him. I asked him what was wrong, but he just smiled and told me not to worry about him. It's the first time he's ever tried to keep a secret from me.

So I watch him.

I observe his moods, I take note of who he talks to, I check the records to see how he's doing in his matches. I'm very careful, and I doubt he's found out about it yet. Peach joked that I was stalking him, waiting for the right time to "make a move." I told her I wasn't interested in him like that, but she didn't believe me. I'm not, of course. I'm just worried about him. I'm his best friend, and I have to take care of him. He doesn't have anyone else to do it for him.


~*~


I've discovered some things that never came up in our conversations before. Some are interesting. Some just worry me more.

Link often seems perpetually happy. It's a common misconception since he smiles so much and never seems to get angry, but I'm his best friend and I have learned to tell how he really feels. I don't know why I've never noticed before how much time Link spends just sitting by the window of the room he shares with Marth, watching the forest surrounding the mansion. He sometimes plays his ocarina while he does this, but he mostly just sits and stares out the window with a thoughtful, and slightly sad expression on his face. It makes me sad, that even when living with twenty four other people, he doesn't feel like he can spend time with them, get closer to them.

Actually, that's not all true.

He likes to play with Pikachu and Pichu.

If he's not by himself, then he's usually with them. They like to listen to him play the ocarina, or play with his hood, putting it over their heads or hiding inside.

They like his hair too. It goes past his shoulders but most people don't know this because he always wears his hood or a cap. They like to sit on his shoulders play with it or swing from the ends or just sit on his head and burrow in to it.

I asked him about that, and he said they liked it because it was yellow like theirs. But then, I have blonde hair also, as do Peach and Samus. He said they liked playing with him better because he could understand them. I asked him what there was to understand. He said that was exactly the point. What?

He just smiled and told me not to worry about it.

That's the second time he's not told me something.

And there's one other person...


~*~


I have noticed that Link has taken to wearing the more modern styles of clothes. Sweaters, jeans, khakis, t-shirts, fleeces, and always a baseball cap to hide his hair under. I didn't ask him why.

I already know the answer to my question.

I've been watching his conversations with people, trying to find out what has been bothering him.

Despite the amount of time Link spends alone, he is in not a loner. After meals and during matches, he will often stay in the recreation room to watch others' matches, to talk, to listen. Actually, that's what he does most.

Listen.

Hylians have excellent hearing, much better than a human's, and we often accidentally hear things not meant for our ears.

It happened one night after a particularly long and intense Team Battle. It had been Link and Samus against Captain Falcon and Mewtwo. After the match, Mewtwo had drifted off to talk with Ness and Samus with Fox and Falco. Link was just heading towards the screen to watch the next match when Falcon said something under his breath.

"Stupid little cheating punk. Goddamn fairy, prancing around in a skirt and earrings. Even Samus is manlier than him."

Mario and Luigi were standing close enough to hear him. They didn't do anything. I hoped Link hadn't heard, since he was standing farther away from Falcon than I was.

He changed direction and walked back to his room.

Hylians have excellent hearing.


~*~


There's one other person Link can really talk to. I knew they were good friends, but now I wonder if Link might want something more. Not that he's been doing much about it. I can only tell because I've known him for so long. I'm sure the others don't have any idea who Link likes.

He's very subtle, he doesn't really act different around his friend. Sometimes, when he's just looking around the room, his eyes will linger on his crush a little longer, on the unique hair and strong body. We're the first people he looks for when he enters the room.

And it is only around us that he truly smiles.

But he never tries to bring their relationship to the next level, and I know why.

That person is Marth.

~*~

Link hasn't had much of a chance to be truly happy in his life. He was always being ridiculed by the children of the forest, or being sent on impossible and life-threatening missions without any explanation as to why he should do them. He always went through with them too, whatever he might have been doing at the time. He never complained about it, even when he was so tired he could barely stand and in pain from so many injuries. I feel that if there is anyone that deserves happiness, it is him.

And Link's finally found someone who could possibly make him happy. Marth is a fairly open-minded person, and he has professed himself to be bisexual. They could be happy together. But Link hasn't done anything, and I'm willing to bet it has to do with the remarks Captain Falcon always throws at him, even if he doesn't want Link to actually hear them. Poor Link, who's been left out of everything all his life. It's hard to gain his trust.

But he trusts Marth.

Marth would take care of him, I know he would.

But Link, I'm still worried about you...


-----------------------The End-----------------------


If enough people complain I'll put up a shounen-ai warning. It just kind of defeats the whole purpose of the story if I tell people about it before hand though, and it's not like it's actually acted out. Tell me what you think. R/R appreciated.

Oh, yes, and this *is* revenge on all those Marth/Zelda ficsXD. Ever since Marth and Roy joined everybody's been ignoring Link (My favorite) so I decided he needed some love too.