Story Title: Forever Yours
Disclaimer: Still do not own Twilight Princess.
Author's Notes: Essentially hitting two story ideas with one stone here. As mentioned in the summary, this is a sequel of sorts to "Consider Yours Truly", though it really only calls back to points in that story so I don't believe it is necessary to read it first. Unless you want to. Never going to say no to that.
Tried not to make it too saccharine but I make no promises on any success with that. I figure that when I'm working on some of my darker fics, sometimes I just have to write something diabetes-inducing to counterbalance the hopelessness of another story.
Thanks for reading.
-o-
Story Title: Forever Yours
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Dare I say this is quite a conundrum, Shad wondered as he peered away from his book and up through the tree branches, boughs full with white blossoms. I have always prided myself on possessing an exceptional memory and retention, however I find myself at a loss with this.
He supposed it was not something that was supposed to be a bother and that most people would think little about and would move on from. However, Shad was different than most people—when a thought irked him, it stayed with him. If he had a problem, he worked it out. Diligently. Persistently. Obsessively.
And boy, was this a stubborn one.
It all started with a dream he had last night. Well, okay, he could have asked Link or any of his friends or any stranger in Castle Town and they would have pointed out his answer was right then and there, but if Shad believed that it had just been a dream, he would not be mulling over it halfway into the day still. Yes, it was technically a dream but it wasn't. Was it? That was the core of Shad's conundrum—had it been made-up or had it been a memory? It was too unclear for Shad to determine.
The scholar had what he knew to be healthy and normal dreams. Shad dreamed the sorts of dreams one knew were dreams but he also replayed memories. There were nights he relived whole conversations with his long since passed father or Link and also many of his childhood traumas and embarrassments. On the whole, they were trivial things, just everyday common occurrences, nothing special. At least, not until last night.
He had scoured his mind over and over trying to remember when it had happened but could not for the life of him track down this missing page from his mental archives. The memory simply did not exist and if it did not exist, it must have been a dream. Except it had been too vivid and real just to be a dream.
And a part of Shad did not wish it was nothing more than a mental fabrication.
But had it happened? Or was it just a fancy of his imagination? Perhaps if he reflected on it one more time, something would at last trigger his recall. He had to remember. He had to know which it was—a memory or a dream.
-o-
As soon as his mother set the comb down and left the room in a huff to get the hair scissors, Shad, with a thick book under his arm, climbed out his bedroom window and hastened down the alleyway, once again saving the stubborn curl on his forehead from an untimely snipping. Truthfully, Shad did not care much for the peculiar curl that refused all attempt to be handled or combed into compliance either but his father said that it was a mark of his individuality and refused to permit his mother to cut it and so Shad was not about to either.
He wandered his way over and through the busy southern road and its markets and, seeing a thick line blocking the southern gate, headed over to the western road where he knew the other Castle Town kids would be waiting. All the kids played together, except with Shad. One or two boys didn't like him and since they ran the young group, none of the kids liked him either. No, Shad's closest companion was the book nestled in his crossed arms, along with the many more back at home. He just happened to like following behind the other kids and imagining himself playing with them in between chapters.
Peeking around the street corner, Shad found the other kids, well, he heard them before he saw them. They were all smiling and chatting boisterously and asking a flurry of questions. Shad was curious as to why they were making such a fuss. For the longest time, he observed nothing wondrous that would elect such excitement until he at last received his chance glimpse inside the circle.
There was a boy. A Hylian boy, about the same age as Shad, and from the way he looked eagerly around had never seen another Hylian before. The boy wore simple but strange clothes, nothing like the proper fashions of Castle Town, and the knees of his pants were heavily patched from constant wear. And when asked why he wore no shoes, he smiled cheekily, wiggled his toes, and said he forgot them.
After only another question or two, a girl grabbed his hand and off the kids ran to play together, with Shad following in tow at a reasonable safe distance.
The crowds having receded, the children slipped through a much shorter line and pushed open the palace gates to the southern entrance. The southern gate was known for its enclosed spacious area, which made a perfect play area for the kids. Even the platform stone stairway was grander than functionally needed to be. The area was large and green and since its sole entranceway was notoriously always blocked off by one means or another, it was also safe, if no one fell through the off to the side, large gap to the river below and got washed away or angered the guay that is.
With the other kids at the bottom of the steps, Shad made his way unnoticed to his customary reading spot beneath one of the many young trees lining in trios along the sides of the platform steps. For the most part, the other kids left him alone, left him to read his 'stupid old books', though once in a while he was allowed to play a game, a game which usually resulted in bruises, a missing book, and broken spectacles when he was allowed to go home and not left hanging precariously by his shirt collar somewhere. Because he never knew when he would 'play' with them again, Shad chose the tree closest to the gate.
His situation set and his place recovered once more, Shad was settling himself into his imagined rendition of the Hero of Time's adventures when he overheard the children deciding on play hide and seek and that the new boy would be the seeker. Their choice did not surprise Shad—new kids were usually the first choice since it was the best way of integrating them to the group. Except in Shad's case. Being the first in any game equated to him being the fresh meat, the target.
And so the game started, the kids found their spots, and the boy proceeded with finding them. He was remarkably skilled at discerning his surroundings and determining the most logical places anyone would hide. Of course when kids hid behind the stone balcony railings, it was easy to see them through the gaps.
"Didn't know I had to find you," the boy said, a bit of confusion and questioning in his voice, as he walked up to Shad.
Shad hunched down lower against the tree and hid behind his large book, held up like a shield, wishing it was so large he could shelter underneath it. Most of his words died in his throat but he managed to squeak out, "Y-You w-weren't."
"I should've figured. You didn't hide well," he said with a light laugh. Normally any laughter at him was at his expense but the boy's laugh did not seem to be directed at him or was meant to ridicule. "Sorry if I bothered you."
And then with what Shad thought was a wave goodbye, the boy hurried off to go find someone he was supposed to. Shad tried to focus back on reading the alarming details of the original Kakariko Village's dark history, but as thrilling and downright chilling as the accounts were, Shad found his attention rising and holding more on the boy running eagerly about.
Aside from both being Hylian and about seven years old, the boy and Shad could not have been further dissimilar. The boy was friendly, lively, strong, and already well liked by the other kids. Shad was none of those. He was shy and at best was ignored by the others and was not strong enough to climb up the ivy vines, braving angry guay diving at him, as the boy was doing to reach a kid on the tall mossy rock. No, there wasn't any other kid so different from Shad than this boy.
A boy that the sun shined down luck upon every morning, that the wind personally greeted with a ruffle through his sandy blonde hair. A boy with blue eyes as bold and bright as his smile.
It had suddenly came to Shad's awareness that he had stopped trying to pretend any semblance of reading and simply sat with his book closed and pressed against his chest as he watched the boy. He watched him seek out child after child and even the puppy, which had always been the hardest to find but of course it had been the easiest for him—all he had to do to get it from its hiding spot was whistle for it, which oddly none of the other kids had ever thought about doing.
And when it had been determined he had found everyone, the kids immediately began deciding who would be next, a few chirping excitedly in wonder if the boy was as good a hider as he was a seeker.
"How about him?" the boy suggested and received a chorus of confused shouts. "The boy up there. Reading by the tree. Let him be the seeker."
"No, not him! He can't play with us. He's no fun," said one boy through the many shouts of protest and dissent.
Much as the boy tried to persuade the others, the kids firmly objected to the idea of Shad playing with them. In fact, the only thing that distracted them from their protestations was the puppy stealing a girl's doll and running off with it. The girl cried out and, along with the entire pack of children, raced after it up the platform steps.
The boy had been a part of the chase but as he reached the top and looked over at Shad, he stopped and let the other kids run past him. Book effectively placed between them, Shad tried to hide as he felt and knew the boy was still standing there, still watching him. His thoughts were a mystery to Shad, though it would have been a blessing if he knew what the boy was thinking, whether it was friendly or hostile. He began to shake as he heard the boy's bare footsteps approaching.
"Hi!" the boy said brightly as he crouched down in front of him.
Shad peeked shyly over his book, "H-Hello."
"What you reading?" the boy asked and to Shad's wonder actually looked interested in hearing the answer.
"Umm…" The full, expansive title of the book ran through Shad's mind but his lips managed only to say, "History."
In curiosity, the boy placed his hands on the top of the book and, as Shad reluctantly relented his resistance and allowed him, bent down the book so it lay flat on his lap and looked. And his sharp eyes actually darted across the pages. Shad was surprised. The boy wasn't taking his book away or ripping its pages. He actually just wanted to look.
Peering back up at him, the boy said, "Huh. No pictures?"
Shad shook his head no, far too timid to speak much yet. He was still rather amazed at how nice this boy was being to him. He waited for that to change.
"Hey, would you like to play?" the boy asked.
"Y-You wish to play with me?" His impulse was to decline, recalling and fearing the other times the other kids asked him to play. Even if this boy had been nothing but kind so far, it was hard for him to disagree with his previous experiences.
"Well, unless you're busy, then I'll go find the others." The boy had such a genuine smile. "But yea, how 'bout it?"
He wanted to play with him. Shad felt a flutter through his heart and a tremble rush through him but it was not out of nervousness (well, maybe a little of it) but out of anticipation and joy. He felt a blush across his cheeks and his smile brightened up his whole timid demeanor.
"I would delight in that very much," Shad said.
"All right!" the boy shouted as he leapt up. "You're first!" he added, shoving Shad as he stood up.
Tottering backwards into the tree, Shad was confused as to why the boy shoved him, though as he watched the excited boy run off, he realized the boy hadn't meant it out of malice. The boy had just been over-exuberant and a little too free with his strength.
"What do I do?" Shad shouted.
"Just catch me!" the boy replied back.
Well, that logically seemed simple enough to Shad. In practice, however, proved to be another story. The boy was faster than Shad. Stronger, faster, he was in every physical way his better. Every time he thought he had him, say on top of the stairs, for instance, the spry boy would merely commit a dangerous hasty stunt, like leaping off the top the balcony railing, to elude him and prolong their chase.
But there were only so many times Shad could race up and down the same flight of stairs or circle around the field and dodge guay before his physical limitations reached their inevitable peak. The boy did not seem to have any limits—he was busy walking along the top of the balcony railing humming a carefree tune, clearly unafraid and unconcerned with falling.
Shad was tired. As he made a final charge up the stairs, the boy hopped off the balcony, laughing and grinning, as he dashed past him. Shad groaned and slumped his shoulders in defeat. There is no end to the boy, he thought. I say, I might as well take up chasing a monkey or chipmunks. Dare I say I would possess about the same prospects in catching them as I do him.
Shad headed back down the stairs, a bit slower than he usually would. He wasn't feeling so good, never having exerted himself like this before. His face was blazing red, his heart thumped, and his breath came out fast and never seemed to be enough. He was sweaty and his mind was awfully fuzzy.
I do not believe I wish to play this game any longer, he thought, as he tried to hurry, managing only a jogging sort of pace. Shad's eyelids felt heavy and for a second, his eyes shut. And then he ran into something and fell to the ground.
"You got me!" the boy shouted.
"I certainly did not!" Shad said, rather annoyed and quite woozily. "I say, you stopped!"
"What's the difference?" the boy asked.
Shad sat up, catching his breath as he tried to get his mind to produce a reasonable answer. "I…I do not know."
"You okay?" The boy sat down beside him.
"I believe so. Just require a breather is all," Shad said. "…I am not a very good playmate, aren't I?"
The boy shrugged his shoulders, neither confirming nor denying. He kept an eye on Shad as he rested. Granted he had no control over the boy but he thought the boy did not have to look so concerned or smile at him as much as he was. Still Shad would have gladly paid much more than the proverbial green rupee for the boy's thoughts. Any sort of insight would have been much welcomed. The boy's less-talkative nature made him rather mysterious. He was quite open and honest in any other aspect but his thoughts were far less knowable.
Shad stared down at his boots and the blades of grass curling around them, "The other kids prefer more physical activity, however I do not possess the stamina, I am afraid, to persevere alongside the rest. That is why, along with other characteristics of mine they deem worthy of ridicule, I am often excluded from play."
The boy stared at Shad and blinked, "Wow. You use big words."
Shad bowed his head and twiddled with his fingers. "Ah, pardon me. The others consider my broad vocabulary stupid. Ironic, is that not? I have attempted to correct my speech patterns to more favorable levels, however I find it arduous to downgrade my language constantly before them. My father understands me well but the other children are not as impressed." He glanced over to see that the boy most likely had not understood half of what he had said, making him blush deeper in embarrassment. "Ah, sorry… I say, I would not be offended if you opted to play with someone else now instead."
"Nah," the boy said. "I like you."
Shad could hardly believe what he had heard. "I say, if you do not disapprove of my inquiring, may I ask why?"
Ever honest, the boy said, "'Cause there's no one else like you I've met before."
"Ah, I see," Shad said, solemnly nodding in understanding. "You are drawn to the truth that I am eccentric, I am abnormal, I am awkward and out of place. I am a freak."
"I didn't mean it like that. I meant it like…" And then the boy didn't know what to say and it clearly frustrated him. "Like…well, I can't think of how to say it right. But I'm sure you could. See? That's part of what I'm trying to say. You're different from me and I like that. I wanted to play with you. I thought we could have a lot of fun together."
Shad's last residual fears washed away in an unbreakable tide of joy, "Then, pray tell, what shall we play next?"
"Are there any fishies in the water over there?" the boy asked, pointing to the horseshoe-shaped pond of water situated between the spilt sides of the bottom platform stairs.
"I am afraid not," Shad said. "Why ever would you ask that?"
"'Cause I wanted to show you how to catch one with your bare hands."
"You can do that?" Shad said, impressed.
"No, but I'd try," the boy said and grinned.
Shad matched his grin, "I am under the impression that all you would wind up creating would be a sopping mess."
"That'd be fun too, wouldn't it?" the boy said, so sincerely and enthusiastically Shad couldn't help but laugh and soon after the boy joined in. It was sometime before their laughter at last died down.
"Hey," the boy said, "What's that sound?"
Shad listened. "Sounds like a golden bug is nearby," he replied.
Both boys looked around, Shad taking a slower, more exact manner in his search while the boy preferred to dart his stare wildly about as he hunted out possible locations.
"Is that it?" the boy asked, pointing at the golden ladybug, and Shad nodded in affirmation. "Let's go catch it."
"You most likely will not," Shad said. "They fly away too fast or they will simply vanish. We have all attempted but no one has captured one."
"Bet I can," the boy said, hurrying onto his feet and running toward it. About halfway, he slowed and snuck toward the golden ladybug, hovering about a cluster of white flowers.
For all the boy's confidence, verified previous knowledge told Shad it was highly unlikely that the boy was going to catch it. The boy did not know of course. He had not seen the hundreds of failed attempts Shad had seen. He did not know it was fool's venture but he would put his try and find out soon enough what a waste it was.
The boy was mere steps away from the golden ladybug and with one more step in the gap closed between the bug and the boy, the ladybug finally sensed his presence and hurried away. It was a try, Shad admitted, as the boy leapt up, arms up, hands cupped.
And caught the golden ladybug.
Shad sat wide-eyed in shock as the boy came running back.
"Told you I could," the boy grinned, as bold as brass. "Want to see?"
The boys sat for the longest time inspecting the golden ladybug. Shad theorized aloud for the reason for its peculiar golden glow, using words and phrases like 'bio-luminescence', 'defense mechanism', and 'plausible ultimatum to predatory species'. The boy did not add much to the discussion, mostly he just listened to Shad and let the ladybug crawl all over him. Shad found two things odd—one, that the ladybug seemed content around the boy and gave no fight to escape and two, that the boy seemed perfectly happy just listening to Shad speak, no matter what he said, even if he didn't really understand it all.
With the bulk of their inspection over with, Shad watched the golden ladybug take flight, only to land on the boy's head and stay there, looking about with ladybug head movements and having ladybug thoughts, its brilliant gold glow contrasting the darker gold of the boy's sandy blonde hair. And then Shad noticed the boy was clearly thinking about something and yet again he was left guessing as to what that might be.
The boy made a contemplative sigh, "But that can't be it. Just 'cause you aren't as strong and talk differently doesn't mean they shouldn't let you play with them."
Shad did not realize until now how apparently interested…well, perhaps, interested was not quite the word and perhaps, he was more concerned by how the other kids treated him. By the sound of his voice, the whole thought of it seemed confusing to the boy. Like he saw nothing wrong with Shad and did not understand why no one else liked to play with him. Shad tipped his head down to obscure his small pink blush as he shyly fiddled with his fingers.
"It is a culmination of factors," Shad explained. "My physical lackings, the academic manner in which I talk and dress, the fact I am quite timid and find it difficult to approach others, much less deduce something to relate with them, and then also because they overhear things from their parents, they tease me over my father's research."
"Why would they make fun of you over your father?"
"While my father's occupation is a butler for the royal palace, my father's true life's work is his research on a race of sky beings living in their own city high in the heavens. He is very adamant about it and is quite willing to inform anyone about them, which I suppose is a fault of his since most people do not believe him. They say awful things about him but I believe him and I have been assisting him. I say, how ever long it takes we will prove the sky beings' existence."
"I hope you do," the boy said, lifting the golden ladybug out of his hair and onto his finger. "It's too amazing not to be true."
"Wait…" Shad blinked in disbelief. "You believe me? You do not think it is stupid?"
"No, not at all. If we've got golden bugs, why not sky people?" He gently blew on the ladybug's back and off it flew. For a moment, they sat, watching its gold glow meld into the blue afternoon sky. "I'm sure there's lots of stuff no one's ever found. Hyrule is a big place. I hope you find it." The boy flashed another of his honest but somewhat cheeky grins. "I want to explore it."
Shad was in awe. Father, I believe I have discovered a kindred soul, Shad thought, as his small, shy smile slowly spread out. You told me once only kindred souls, those who possess the spirit of adventure and wonder of the infinite possibilities our magnificent world has to offer us, would ever understand us dream-chasers. Well, Father… He understands.
"Hey, there's something I've been meaning to tell you," the boy said.
"I say, what might that be?"
"You should smile more," the boy said. "You have a really nice smile. If only you'd show it."
"Well, when I'm with you," Shad said, lifting his head and giving a true smile, "I do not think that is an impossible request."
"All right!" the boy shouted, "Let's get in the water, how 'bout it?"
Shad's dress shirt and trousers were thoroughly soaked as he followed the boy, his clothes just as wet, out of the manufactured pond and walked barefoot out into the grass. He knew that if his mother saw him now, she would have a fit over his still clean but sodden clothes—his father would have laughed and told him to go roll in the dirt next—but at least he had the courtesy to his mother to remove his boots and socks before he entered the water.
The boys lay down beside one another on the grass and stared up at the sky, full of differently shaped clouds, as they waited for their clothes to dry in the afternoon sun.
The boy pointed up at a cloud, "That one looks like an Ordon goat."
"That one appears to be a dodongo."
"Dodongo?"
"It is a large, fire-breathing lizard that typically inhabits volcanic regions," Shad explained, "such as in Eldin Province, though it can occasionally be located in general mountainous terrain such as that is characteristic of Lanayru Province."
The boy casually turned over on his side and propped himself up by his elbow, "You're really smart, you know that?"
Shad blushed, "I read about them in a book once."
The boy looked back up at the sky, "That one looks like a sky being."
Shad sat up immediately, madly searching the sky, "Huh? Where?" he faced the boy. "How do you know that?"
"I don't," the boy laughed as he fell over onto his back and stretched out his arms and legs. "But it could be. You never know, right?"
Shad gave an agreeing smile and then lay back down beside the boy. As their hunt across the sky for more pictures resumed, Shad felt the boy take his hand. Startled at first, he quickly accepted the warmth and assurance the touch offered and held his hand back. They laid hand in hand in the cozy sunlight, not really minding if all the clouds were breaking apart.
They played into late into the afternoon, heading into the early evening. As the boy's wonder and questions about Castle Town continued, their games expanded beyond the southern gate and into town. Once the other kids came by and called the boy to come with them but he shook his head, thanked them but said that he'd rather play with Shad. The kids stared at him as if he were a bulblin that had spoken perfect Queen's Hylian at them but the boy just smiled at them, put his arm around Shad's shoulders and walked onward up the cobblestone street.
They sat together on the stone barrier surrounding the fountain in the central square, the boy watching the many Hylian townsfolk walk by as Shad answered his latest question.
"—and up the North Road, once you get pass the nobles' homes and the Knights' Academy, is the palace. The royal family occupies the most labor and since Hyrule is at peace, many of the graduated knights are employed as guards for the palace so it is well-protected. The King of Hyrule is very fair and wise. He and my father sometimes have afternoon tea together. My father has told me the King sometimes solicits his opinion on matters before he even presents it before the council. And then, there is Princess Zelda—"
Shad spoke on and on about anything and everything he thought the boy might find interesting about Castle Town. And the boy drank in his words, both for their information and for the joy of their sound, and held his hand and never let go. Shad felt absolutely giddyheaded with joy. This was quite possibly the best day ever, even better than birthdays or secret research expeditions with his father. He had found someone he could truly call his friend.
Nothing could ever make this day better. Except, perhaps, discovering the sky beings and vindicating his father and discrediting his supposed madness. Ah, yes, that would be a perfect day. However, since he was not about to become greedy and request more of the Goddesses' favor, Shad gladly accepted the absolute wonderfulness already bequeathed to him.
Through the roar of the busy street, the boy managed to perceive a man calling his name. Hopping off the stone, the boy promised he would be right back, reluctantly separated their hands, and headed quickly in the direction of the man's voice. Shad looked and looked through the crowd but saw no one that could have known the boy. He hadn't heard the boy's name either through the clashing, garbling voices but the boy had assured him that he had.
Shad waited. He waited and hoped it would not be long before the boy returned. Without the sunlight-like presence of the boy, the cold shadow of loneliness crept quickly back over him.
Making his way back, weaving around and jostling his way between the crowds, the boy at last broke through the townsfolk and then seeing Shad, his sadness giving way to a smile, the boy hung his head and slowly trudged back over to him. Instantly realizing there was something wrong, Shad lost his smile and slid down from his seat.
"Umm," the boy hesitated, whether out of uncertainty of how to word himself properly or out of sheer unwillingness to say what he had to say, Shad did not know.
After kicking an imaginary rock, the boy finally said, "I have to go now. It's a long trip back."
"Oh, I see…" His stare joining the boy's on the street, Shad was sad but wanted to remain hopeful. "But we will play again sometime, will we not? I will be permitted to see you again. …Right?"
The boy shrugged his shoulders, "Don't know. Probably not. If we do, it won't be for a long time. We've got lots of supplies this time."
Shad did not want to cry but his bottom lip and jaw trembled and heavy tears welled in his eyes without his permission. He had thought... He had been his first… They were friends but he had to go away. Shad did not want him to leave. He wanted to take him home, so they could be friends forever. Shad did not want to be lonely again. Having had a friend now, he never wanted to go back.
"Hey, hey, remember this," the boy said, his voice surprisingly soft and gentle, and laid a hand on Shad's shoulder reassuringly. "Even if we never see each other again, I'm still your friend. I promise." And then the boy offered his pinky to swear the unbreakable vow of children.
Shad hastily wiped away his tears and clasped his pinky with his.
"Okay, I'll remember."
-o-
Except he had not remembered. He had forgotten or the memory had never happened for him to remember. He had never even asked the boy his name, which seemed so strange to Shad since even as a young boy his father had already instilled in him the importance of introducing oneself. If it had happened, he knew he would have given a proper introduction but he had not.
And while there were far too many similarities and all evidence pointed to yes, Shad still had trouble believing the boy and Link had been one in the same. For one reason was the fact Shad never would have forgotten a moment this important to him.
And, if for some inexplicable reason he indeed had, Link would have mentioned it at some point. Their relationship was going on ten years now and not once had he alluded to a chance boyhood meet. And if it had happened, Link most definitely would have said something about it. But he hadn't. And neither one of them had shown a flash of recognition during their first proper introduction at Telma's.
Though he still held his doubts, logic leaned Shad toward believing it was nothing more than a wishful dream, a spark of goodness in an otherwise bleak boyhood. A goodness that Shad could only wish had really happened.
In retrospect, I say, it was a rather bittersweet dream, Shad peered back down at his book, noted his place and then set it aside. …However, it was nonetheless just a dream.
A gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of the flowering tree and made a small flurry of its snow-white petals flutter about as the chime of a golden bug tinkled nearby. Shad slid into the serenity of his surroundings as he watched Telma and Renado's eight-year-old daughter play happily among the other Castle Town children.
Until he felt Link, head resting in his lap, at last stir awake.
The Hero of Twilight, now in his thirties, as was Shad, sat up languidly, deeply yawning as he stretched and tried to reenergize his tired body. He was still very much a Hero, still strong and ready as ever to fight for Hyrule in an instant, though one would be hard pressed to believe that at the moment, especially since he was groggily batting at a golden butterfly that was trying to return to its resting spot on his head and the butterfly was winning.
Of course, he was handsome as ever, his good looks as a boy having only sharpened and firmed to that of the good looks worthy of a man. Those looks and his smile still charmed the ladies, who all fruitlessly vied for Link's affections. Shad found them annoying—especially those that offered themselves for marriage when as of yet Hyrule society did not permit him and Link to formalize their relationship—but he helped Link politely decline each and every one of them.
But boy, did he wish to inform in his most stern and cold tone a few of the more persistent ones, the fangirls, that Link was his and to kindly back off. Not that they would cease in their absurdity. One could not reason with crazy, after all.
At last, dazed but certainly more aware of things, Link turned to Shad and said, "Hi," and then, clearly as an afterthought, asked, "Oh, how's Amada?"
"Frolicking among her peers without a care in the world," Shad said. "You would know that if you were watching her properly."
Drawing back his shaggy, shoulder-length hair—Shad was going to get him to his barber's appointment if he had to have Queen Zelda mandate it into law—away from his face, Link grinned sheepishly.
Shad continued on with his mild teasing, "I say, when you told Telma we would watch her, I truly believed that meant the pair of us would share the responsibility. Funny how I seem to be keeping the most watch…"
"You should have woken me up."
"Forgive me, old boy, however upon realizing you had fallen asleep and observing you for a moment or two, I discovered I did not possess the heart to disturb you."
"Sounds to me like you chose to keep the most watch," Link said, grinning as he leaned over and gently blew a petal out of Shad's hair, much to the scholar's surprise.
It is such a little thing, Shad thought. However for all our years together, the old boy still knows how to make my heart jump. Delightful.
"Ah, she's a good kid," Link said, drawing closer, laying himself in Shad's arms and cradling his head in the crook of the scholar's shoulder and neck. "She'll be fine. We're not that out of reach anyway. Come on, when we were kids, there was never an adult around."
When we were kids…
"Besides, anything happens, I'll swoop in and save her and you'll smooth things over with Telma and Renado. Nothing to worry about."
With a smile and a little wiggling, Link made himself comfortable against Shad.
The scholar shook with a suppressed laugh, "I say, I do hope the reason you give me this year will not be a comment on my convenience and efficiency as a pillow."
"Nah," Link said, "but you are pretty comfortable." As if to prove his point, he nuzzled his neck.
A sharp shout drew their attention back on the children but seeing it was just a girl partly yelling, partly laughing as a boy chased her around, their sudden alarm quickly faded and gave way to amusement watching the children's antics. The boy on all fours was supposed to be Ganondorf in his Ganon form, the girl was Zelda, and of course, their darling little rambunctious tomboy Amada insisted she be Link. The other boys argued that one of them should be Link first but Amada was adamant otherwise.
"Uncle Link," Amada shouted, "I can play you, right?"
Without moving from his comfy position, Link tossed her a thumb's up.
Since it was hard to argue anymore after the real Hero gave her the go-ahead, Amada won out. The fighting ceased and the pretend battle for the safety of Hyrule commenced.
After a while, Link said, "I guess I could give you this year's reason now," and then he smirked, "Or I could keep you waiting."
Shad brushed Link's hair away from his eyes and face over and over, relishing in the soft feel and reminder that he would have his neatly-trimmed boyfriend soon again.
"Truthfully, old boy," he said, "I do not believe hearing your reasons are as necessary as they once were. After all, it has been ten years and to learn what I already know and cherish is rather redundant, don't you consider? Perhaps our tradition should come to an end."
"But I told you every year you're with me, I'll give you a reason. And it's another year and you're still with me and I have many other reasons to tell you," Link said. "And even if you already know them, isn't it nice just to hear it once? Like you know I love you but I bet you don't want me to stop saying it."
"Point made, old boy," Shad said, stalling his hand and leaving it rested on Link's head. "Very well then, what reason is it for this year?"
Link was quiet for a long time, so long the scholar thought he had fallen asleep again, until he at last said, "I love you, because there's no one else like you."
The words, so similar to what the boy had said, shocked Shad. He had been so certain it had been a dream but now… Perhaps it had just been coincidence. Yes, coincidence.
No, I say, it is not coincidence. Link is the boy. He is still the boy blessed by the sun and greeted by the wind. He still smiles as bold and bright as sunlight. He has brought me warmth and cast aside my loneliness. When no one else considered me, when all others ignored me, he approached me first. He loves me, eccentricities and all.
It no longer matters to me if it had been a dream or a memory, because we found each other again. And everyday is the best day because I am with him.
His stare and smile brimming with reverence, Shad said softly, "Then may I ask something of you, old boy?"
"Sorry, Shad. You're not getting another reason."
"No, nothing like that," the scholar said, waving his hand. His words were curious enough for Link to convince him to sit up and pay attention. "I want to ask you to promise you will always be my friend."
Link laughed, "All right, Shad. I promise to always be your friend…" and then the scholar felt the cool ring slide smoothly down his left ring finger, "…to have and to hold for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish always. From now and evermore. How 'bout that for a promise?"
"Excellent, old boy," Shad said breathlessly, as he admired the new silvery adornment. The ring itself was plain, with no gemstones or engravings, but it was all as well perfect to Shad. Their love, after all, was as pure and true.
A little wave of his hand to draw the scholar from his sweet reverie, Link held up the matching ring for Shad to offer to him and, with a little playful urging that he repeat the vows, Shad agreed and did so and their lips met and so it was done.
"I'm sorry I can't give you a big official celebration yet."
"Actually, old boy, I believe our private ceremony was just as sufficient and meaningful. After all, it is the vow of commitment that matters most, not the pomp and circumstance."
"So…" Link grinned suggestively, as he leaned toward him, "Tonight's our honeymoon."
Before Shad could speak, Link weaved a short trail of light kisses up the scholar's neck before his intentions switched from affection to lust as he licked the side of his neck all the way up to his ear and then captured his earlobe between his lips. In that moment, blushing and shuddering and stifling moans underneath Link's oral attentions, Shad was so grateful the children were preoccupied in their games.
And then the wind picked up and grabbed in its powerful gust a fistful of Link's hair and whipped it into Shad's face.
Spluttering nonsense and wildly sweeping his face, Shad hastened to free himself from the infernal locks that dared to cling to his nose and mouth and slipped even underneath his spectacles to invade his eyes. He hated, absolutely hated, his longer hair. Much as Link attempted to placate him and smile innocently through his irritation, Shad would have none of his charms.
"You can expect nothing from me tonight if you do not have that blasted hair trimmed, I will assure you of that, old boy!"