Damn. It's been a hella long time since I've posted on lmao, and I'm greatly sorry to anybody who expected me to update things like What You Don't Know and In the Fray lmfao :/ the writing juices have been flowing a lot lately, so hopefully I'll have the motivation to get on updatin' again!

In the meantime, this is a lil motivational minific for Kirk, who I only wish I could express how much I love the dude in any existing language (although Vastayan has some pretty thicc words :0) Plus, Bad Suns references uwu

This fic uses the mute!Link headcanon, throws a huge middle finger at Navi and omits her existence for the time being, and follows Ocarina of Time Sheik, for my homeboys out there who don't want to be confused to hell and back lmao

also this is like. quite possibly one of the tamest things I've ever written? smh this is what lack of posting does to a man

As always (god do we even need to do this anymore under the current copyright laws siufhduihfusihiudh) LOZ belongs to Nintendo uwu!

Enjoy!

-mono

"Link. Link. Wake up." Link stirred as the Sheik rapped a knuckle against his shoulder gently. "Get up," he murmured.

The acclaimed Hero blinked up at his companion blearily, tilting his head in confusion. It was still dark; as far as he recalled, he and the Sheik agreed to cook some of the raw meats they had salvaged and get back on the road by midday. The Sheik nudged his side with a foot before turning away, leaving Link to follow the brief image of his silhouette disappearing over a rock formation. Link lay still before throwing the wool blanket off him, snatching his shortsword as he sat up reluctantly.

His nerves stilled for a moment as he came to process his surroundings. The Sheik didn't seem urgent; whatever it was couldn't have been threatening to them. A passing caravan looking to trade, perhaps? But the Sheik was a surprisingly crafty salesman who Link trusted not to make stupid transactions, and wouldn't need to wake him up to ask where the rupees were...

But the Sheikah's words kept reverberating like a constantly chanting voice in his thought process. If you believe the legend, you have no choice.

Link shook the alarming thoughts out of his head. Whatever it was, he trusted his friend.

"Hurry, Link! It's starting soon."

Goddesses, his voice was always so disconcerting to listen to. Disconcerting in a way that pulled at Link's mind, like a fading echo of something that he could never quite put his finger on, but was at the tip of his tongue. Disconcerting like he was forgetting something every time he looked into the Sheik's scarlet eyes.

We have to return peace to Hyrule for her sake, too. Don't we?

Don't we?

Didn't they?

His brows furrowed as he chased cynical thoughts away once more. Link could trust the Sheik. Link could trust him.

"If you don't get up, you might miss one of the Golden Goddesses' greatest gifts, Hero."

No need to tell me twice, Link thought, eager to occupy himself with something to distract his swirling contemplations. Following the Sheik's squeeze through the craggles in the rock formations ahead of them, what awaited him was a clearing that had a striking amount of barrenness to it. It almost filled Link with a sense of hollowness at its lack of...anything, besides sand and grit.

The Sheik sat, arms around his knees, on a stone slab pointing out of the sand, jabbing a finger towards the east. "Watch," he said. "Watch the world wake."

Link settled down next to the warrior, legs crossed. Wind howled around them with the chills they ever so always brought, but Link kept his eyes set on the empty space that the Sheik pointed out. The minutes seemed to elongate into hours. Years. Centuries.

The flow of time is always cruel... Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it.

Like a lurking sparrow emerging slowly from its nest, a soft light sparked in the distance. The yellow glow ever-so-steadily crept forward, patiently stealing ground inch-by-inch. Inches became greedily eaten feet; feet became yards; yards of yellow began to become a deep persimmon as it illuminated the Desert Colossus into a blinding streaks of warm colors. Yellows, oranges, reds, pink veins spread throughout the sands and the skies like a paintbrush to the canvas of the world. The breath caught in Link's throat as he watched the sun swirl and encompass anything and everything in its path, driving away the shadows like a ferocious lion defending its pride.

And it was beautiful.

Link was only barely able to tear his eyes away from the sight to glance at his friend, who peered upon the dawn with a salient sort of fondness to his gaze. After a moment, the Sheik felt Link's presence slip away from his side quietly.

He lowered his head into his chest with a sigh. There had been no expectation that Link would have an interest in the small beauties that Hyrule granted them. He just thought that...maybe. Perhaps Link would have enjoyed it, even for a moment.

A heavy warmth suddenly hit the Sheik's back and he jumped in surprise, whipping around to see what was behind him when-

Plush. A slightly dusty wool blanket was draped snugly over his shoulders; the Sheik looked up to see Link smiling heartily down at him, hands triumphantly on hips as he dropped the ends of the blanket onto the slab. "For me?" the Sheik asked hesitantly.

Link nodded earnestly. The wind makes you cold, he signed, sitting down next to him again and wrapping a share of the blanket for himself.

Sheik, he started. Said Sheik's eyes slowly rolled to Link's hands.

I keep having these thoughts, Link continued, weighing me down. An anchor, you could say.

"What are those thoughts about?" the Sheik said softly.

Things that you've mentioned before. This...time displacement. The people I left behind, and those with me now that I don't know if I can trust. Link looked up at the Sheik as he signed this; the smallest glint of fear was visible for a moment. And I just keep hoping that you're one of the people who I know will help in case I fail in saving...There was a brief pause as Link fought to think of the sign for the upcoming word.

The Sheik fought the urge to grin at his frustration. "Zelda?"

When it took too long, Link threw his hands in the air in annoyance and signed, -the princess. Yes. I don't know how to say that.

"Don't worry, she's the only princess that matters to the world at large at the moment."

Link nodded and curled up in the blanket. And?

"And?"

Putting my trust in you. Is it right?

The Sheik let the wind fill the gap between responses for a minute. "The knowledge I speak to you is trustworthy. The tools I give you to aid you in your journey are trustworthy. The wisdom I tell you to guide you to your destiny is trustworthy. Now, I believe that trusting in me as a person is not a decision that I can make for you, but one that you must decide for yourself."

Sunlight continued spilling into the lifted plateaus of the Desert Colossus and poured into every nook and cranny. Link lifted his gaze to meet the Sheik's. I think I trust you.

"You think so? Or you know so?" the Sheik challenged.

I know so. Link paused. Because you've always been there for me, even when I never asked for your help.

"As any companion would."

As any friend would.

Stoic silence passed between them once again. Slowly, Link saw the faint outline of a smile form underneath the Sheik's mask; and so, he smiled too.

Contentedly, the travelers watched the sun awaken the world one brushstroke of light at a time.