The Legend of Zelda, its characters and locations are all property of Nintendo. Any and all OCs and original locations belong to me unless specifically stated to belong to someone else.
Yet another one-short set in the Daredevil AU started with "The Prince and the Daredevil". Takes place some time after Friday Interrupted
A Place to Belong
Link went through his mental checklist for what felt like the hundredth time (and probably was), comparing the items on it with the backpack on his couch, physically confirming there were no discrepancies. Anyone else would have been happy with one or two confirmations, but Link wasn't just anyone.
That wasn't really an arrogant thought on his end—he'd never met anyone who could work themselves into an anxious frenzy over nothing like himself.
Never going to be a Disney song about that, he thought, forcing himself to face the fact that he had, indeed, managed to pack everything necessary and zipping the backpack closed. The synthetic fabric was distended from the contents and would probably be uncomfortable as hell to wear, but that was okay—he wouldn't need to do so for long.
He checked his phone for the time, realising he'd actually managed to kill most of the time until he had to leave—instead of thirty-five minutes of nervous pacing around his apartment, he'd only have to suffer through ten—
His phone buzzed with an incoming text from a contact with the name Best Sis. He'd had no input in the decision and had been warned not to change it ever on the pain of...well, she'd never actually elaborated on what his punishment would be, but based on her previous penalties he'd rather not find out.
Stop pacing and just come over already!
Short and concise, and ever so forceful. Zelda in a nutshell, really, but given that Link was more liable to isolate himself in his room when given a choice, he found it something of a comfort to have her take that choice away, pushing and prodding him to do something until he gave in.
It had resulted in quite a few...interesting experiences over the years—most of them good, even. A few disasters, too, but she quickly learned how far he could be pushed before he collapsed in on himself like a neutron star.
To an outsider, his sister's pushiness would probably look aggressive and sometimes mean-spirited, but Link trusted her completely. She knew him almost better than he did himself, only she could view him without the filter of general anxiety and ever-threatening panic attacks that coloured his own outlook on things.
She also knew his habits, such as...well, nervously pacing around potentially for hours before he had appointments and such. This wasn't really an appointment, but it still made him nervous—though he considered a good kind of nervous.
Possibly.
Maybe.
Probably?
His phone buzzed again.
You coming, or what?
Link smiled a little to himself. It seemed he wasn't the only nervous one today. He wrote a quick reply saying he was on his way before grabbing the backpack (once more forcing himself not to go through the checklist again) and heading out of his apartment.
One of the advantages to his particular apartment complex (and reasons he'd chosen it to begin with) was that it had its own underground parking garage with a fairly robust security system, which made it very difficult for unauthorised people to get inside. He wouldn't trust anything else with his baby.
He went to the farthest corner of the garage, where his reserved spot was mostly taken up by something covered up with tarp. He checked the small pieces of transparent tape that kept the corners down, satisfied to see that they had not been disturbed. He was probably acting a bit paranoid, but there had been rumours of sabotage before...and he just didn't like the idea of anyone messing with her.
He removed the tarp, which hissed with friction, revealing Epona. He couldn't suppress a grin at the sight of her. She was finally back to her old self; he'd placed the finishing touches on her new body just a few days ago, having taken his time to get her fixed and polished up after his semi-voluntary crash at the last race.
"Wasn't really a crash, either," he muttered to himself as he gave her a quick look-over. "More like a cool-guy slide."
It was just about the one part of his life where the word cool could be applied. Too bad no one else had thought so—the road rash that had covered most of his side had even healed quickly, damn it!
Putting on his helmet, Link straddled Epona and hit the electric starter. The engine came to life with a roar, and then settled down to a deep purr, responding perfectly as he tried revving. Electronics were all right, fuel gauge was showing a full tank...he hadn't fucked up his preparations either, thank Hylia.
He took a deep breath, and slowly released the clutch.
Four minutes later, he was outside Zelda's apartment door, which was slightly ajar, allowing him to just walk inside. He still knocked first, though, because manners will never go out of style.
And because he wanted to preserve his sanity.
To his surprise, he found his sister unusually agitated, glaring down at what seemed to be two outfits she had laid out on her couch, hands on her hips, looking like she was facing the challenge of the century. He could even see her nostrils flaring, which was only something that happened when she was ready to start screaming.
For the sake of her neighbours' hearing, Link decided to get involved.
"Having trouble?" he asked, raising his voice so he could be heard over the music she had, as usual, blaring in her living room. It was an aggressive song, but for once the vocalist didn't sound like he was having his throat torn out. Whoever had mixed it was an idiot, though—the bass guitar was barely audible.
"I can't decide on what to wear!" Zelda exclaimed unhappily, pointing at the outfits, which turned out to be a selection of four T-shirts, all bearing the logos of various bands she liked, rather than complete outfits. Upon noticing Link's unimpressed stare, she held up her hands defensively. "They're all too cool, okay?! Plus, I don't know which Paya will like the most!" Her hand shot out and dragged him closer. "You pick!"
"I don't even listen to these bands," he protested, dismayed when the music in the background switched tracks to one of the really noisy ones. Was that even a person singing...er, screaming? "How should I know?!"
"I can't maintain an objective view; therefore, it must be you!" she said dramatically.
"Does Paya listen to any of these bands?" he asked, inwardly taking the shirt with the completely unreadable logo out of the running from the get-go. If you had to give yourself a migraine trying to decipher a band's name through their logo, it just wasn't a good one.
"I don't know," Zelda said with a pout. "We haven't really talked about that kind of stuff yet."
Link blinked and looked at her. "O-Okay, then...do you know if she likes...you know...dark stuff?"
"Er..."
"What do you even talk about when things get...quiet?" he asked, fearing the answer.
"Well...when we run out of things to talk about, we...er...we..." she trailed off, cheeks reddening a little, and that was all Link needed.
"Please don't finish that sentence," he said pleadingly, deciding on the band that looked the least threatening based on their name and logo. Three letters with very little stylising apart from being mirrored so it turned into a symmetrical palindrome. Pleasing from an aesthetic perspective, even.
"Oooh, good choice, didn't know you were into industrial," she said, happily wrenching off the sweater she was wearing and pulling the T-shirt on, paying no attention to her brother's embarrassed squeak and the way he turned around so quickly he almost gave himself whiplash. "Oh, don't be such a baby," she said. "You've already seen everything!"
"That's not a good thing," he moaned, slowly turning around until he was sure his sister was once again covered up. "Anyway...I'm not into industrial. I think. I've never even heard about that band—I just liked the logo."
"Oh, they're awesome," she said, unlocking her phone. "Here, I'll play you a track—"
"We're gonna be late," he told her, partly because they were actually going to be late, and also because he had no wish to be subjected to another one of Zelda's musical lectures. Zelda would never stop trying to convert him to the heavier side of rock and metal; she'd tried to do so since she'd first started listening to it all when they were fifteen.
"Aw," she said, pausing the playback and putting her phone away. "It's been a while since we had a music night, isn't it? We should get together next week—"
"Sure, sure," Link said, grabbing her leather jacket from its hanger and throwing it at her. "Now come on!"
"Someone's eager," she noted with amusement before looking him up and down. "Not wearing the suit today?"
"It's in the pack," he replied, gesturing to the distended backpack. "You'll have to wear it the rest of the way."
"No problem," she said, smiling. "What did Mipha say when you asked her?"
Link felt his cheeks heating up. "She cackled madly for about five minutes straight and then gave it to me—and threatened to kick my ass and then patch me up if something happened to it."
"Sounds like her," Zelda said with a snort, reaching into the proffered backpack to pull out Link's spare helmet before slinging the pack onto her shoulder. "Shall we?"
Locking the door behind them, the two chatted about their day so far, talking about their classes and such. Neither of them really understood what the other was talking about—Link had never had much of an interest in business (to his foster father's eternal sorrow), and Zelda didn't have the patience for psychology...which was weird since she could study rows and rows of numbers for hours on end with perfect calm.
If Link had to do that, he'd be walking on the walls within minutes.
"What kind of music does he listen to, anyway?" she asked suddenly as they stepped onto the curb, finding Epona parked exactly where Link had left her.
"Mostly electronic stuff, I think," Link replied. "Some classic rock. His neighbour is apparently terrible about ruining classics with misheard lyrics."
"That's the worst," Zelda said, shaking her head. Her eyes landed on Epona, and they lit up. "Oh, she looks good! Is she finally finished?"
"Pretty much," Link said, feeling a little proud of the repair job he'd done...even if it had been mostly superficial damage like scrapes to the body and a few dented plates here and there. "This is the maiden ride. Ish. Maiden-ish ride."
"Should've saved it for Sheik, then," she said, putting on the spare helmet and climbing onto Epona's frame behind Link. "Oh, I'd forgotten how small this seat is," her voice said, slightly muffled by the helmet's padding. "Then again, I guess you won't mind that when it's him, eh?"
Link couldn't see her face, but he knew she was waggling her eyebrows suggestively as she wrapped her arms around his middle to secure herself.
"I'll be too busy making sure we don't crash to focus on that," he said.
"If you say so," she said in a sing-song tone.
"Keep that going, and you can take the bus," he growled.
"No, not the bus!" she said with a theatrical gasp. "How will I ever survive such an ordeal—travelling with the plebs?!"
Link didn't dignify his ridiculous sister with a response, starting up Epona. Making sure Zelda was holding on tight, her legs were on the passenger stirrups, and that their weight was somewhat correctly distributed on the frame, he took them back out on the road, and headed for their ultimate destination.
"Huh," Link said, staring up at the fancy-looking townhouse that was, ostensibly, Kafei and Elenwe's domicile. "Are you sure this is the place?" he asked.
There was a distinct lack of the disaster zone he'd expected in whatever spot Kafei had chosen to live. Based on Kafei's stories—both his own and those told him by Sheik—he'd half-expected to find the house burned down, or just a smoking crater, but it looked suspiciously well-kept and...well, nice.
Kafei's van was a bit of an eyesore, but it was mostly hidden in the attached garage, its door halfway open.
"That's the address Paya gave me," Zelda said, looking at the GPS app on her phone to confirm. "I mean, I knew they lived in a house, but...maybe not in this part of town? That is his car, though, so..."
"Their roommate must be rich," Link noted as he locked the heavy chain around Epona's wheel and the lamppost. They were in a very fancy part of town that probably had a negative crime rate, but there was no point in taking chances, right?
He took the backpack from Zelda and followed her up the stairs to the townhouse's front door, feeling very out of place in his jeans and sweatshirt when juxtaposed against the wrought iron fence and fancy stonework. There were carved lions, for Hylia's sake! The stairs were also stone, and he really hoped it was fake marble, otherwise he was literally wearing away money by stepping on it.
The doorbell was loud—and deep, almost like a church bell. The sound of it seemed to reverberate throughout the house, and it took at least a minute before the oak door (with golden handles) opened, revealing Kafei himself...dressed in a worn-looking T-shirt and sweatpants (the same kind Sheik had worn when he'd fixed Link's laptop, in fact).
"Oh, hey, you're here," the purple-haired Sheikah said, grinning at them. "You find the place okay?"
"No problem," Zelda replied with a smile as Kafei waved them inside.
If the outside of the townhouse looked fancy, the inside looked downright opulent. A crystal chandelier grabbed Link's attention immediately, absolutely dominating the entry hall, with a staircase (more marble!) spiralling upwards around it, leading to the second and third floors. Between the paintings that covered the walls and fancy furniture, Link could scarcely imagine anyone being able to afford to live here.
Well, Zelda's father was certainly rich enough, but he was never this showy about it.
Zelda, apparently, had similar thoughts as she began to speak again.
"We were...uh...kinda surprised at the address, because...well..." She trailed off, realising what she was about to say was quite rude.
"It's okay," the older man said, waving his hand dismissively. "You can say it: you didn't expect someone like me to live in a place like this, right?"
"Uh... yeah," she replied, blushing a little. "Sorry—"
"Oh, don't be," Kafei assured her with another grin. "It's a complete fluke that I ended up here anyway. Ayla's mother owns the place, and we're just squatting it in, really...with her permission, of course," he added hastily.
"Ayla?" Link asked, trying not feel too bothered by how truly out of place he was in this house, following Kafei as he led them deeper into it.
"Elenwe's roommate," Kafei answered. "They've known each other for years—I just took advantage of their friendship to get myself a nice crib."
"Huh," Zelda hummed.
They wound up in an absolutely huge kitchen, with multiple islands (multiple!) and more workspace than you'd need for a restaurant. The appliances alone were probably worth in the thousands, if not hundreds of thousands. From one of the islands, Elenwe waved at them cheerfully.
"Hey, you made it," she said. "I'd come over and hug you both, but I've got chicken all over my hands." She held up her hands for emphasis, which were indeed covered in what appeared to be chicken guts. The bowl in front of her was presumably the source. "Kinda rude to give your guests salmonella, you know?"
"Good point," Link said, giving her a wave in return, averting his eyes when Kafei walked over to Elenwe and kissed her soundly.
"You were gone for a minute at most," she told him, accepting it with a happy sigh.
"Felt like an eternity," he replied.
"Well, that's gross," Zelda muttered under her breath.
"Hypocrite," Link whispered. "You're just as bad."
"I have no idea what you're talking about," his sister protested, but he could see her eyes flitting back and forth, clearly trying to locate a certain someone. "So, uh...where's—"
"H-Hi, Zelda..."
Link would treasure the sight of his sister nearly jumping out of her own skin at the sudden sound of Paya's timid voice right behind them for the rest of his life. Of course, her shock only lasted a moment before she latched on to Paya for dear life and promptly decided to stick her tongue down the poor girl's throat.
Not that Paya seemed to mind, judging by the way she immediately wrapped her arms around Zelda and lifted her slightly off the floor, making a beeline for the door to their right, which seemed to lead into a parlour of sorts.
"And that's them occupied for the next couple of hours, I guess," Kafei said drily, watching the spectacle for a moment giving Link a leery look. "Your sister doesn't mess about, does she?"
"Sorry," Link said, bowing his head in shame on Zelda's behalf.
"Nah, I'm sorry for Paya being rude and not even greeting you." Kafei waved him over. "Come on, have a seat."
"I think it's cute," Elenwe said as she lifted a large piece of chicken out of the bowl and splaying it out on the chopping board next to it. A wicked-looking knife that seemed more at home in a doomsday-prepper's bunker laid next to it on the counter, gleaming in the kitchen light. "I have never seen Paya so smitten with anyone before—she was so excited about Zelda coming over, she kept messing up during yoga."
"She wasn't the only one," Kafei chuckled, winking at Link.
Feeling supremely awkward in his seat on the barstool, Link looked around the kitchen. "Wh-Where's Sheik?" he asked.
"Upstairs, preening himself," Kafei said immediately, fixing Link with a predatory gaze. "He'll deny it to heaven and back, but he wouldn't dream of meeting up with you without looking his absolute best."
That's just not true, Link thought. I doubt he'll be wearing the big T-shirt and ducky boxers, so...
"Also cute," Elenwe said, using the knife to carefully separate the meat from the bone. "He ran upstairs so fast when you rang the doorbell I swear his shadow was lagging behind."
"My little cousin is always cute," Kafei intoned. "Right, Link?"
"Uh...r-right," Link agreed, not really liking the way Kafei was staring at him...and he wasn't really all that comfortable discussing Sheik's cuteness (which was at goddamn lethal levels) with him. Even so, it was rude to ignore a host, so...
"And so innocent," Kafei continued, still staring. "The kind that makes all sorts of people want to take advantage, wouldn't you say?"
Link's brow furrowed. Is he...?
Next to him, Elenwe continued working at preparing the chicken, rolling her eyes quietly.
"Uh...I wouldn't know," Link said, not sure if the question had any sort of correct answer, but deciding to go with the safest one. Sheik was definitely cute...and a little innocent, but he wouldn't dream of taking any sort of advantage of that. "Where are you going with this?" he asked.
"I'm just curious about your intentions towards him," the purple-haired Sheikah said, his face losing all semblance of cheer and morphing into a cold mask as he folded his hands on the table in front of him, leaning forward. "I mean, he is pretty much my little brother in all but blood—"
"He's your cousin," Elenwe reminded him, absently dicing a breast into little cubes. The knife looked incredibly sharp.
"—in all but blood," he insisted, eyes narrowing to slits. "And therefore, it is only natural that I'd want to make sure that his boyfriend is going to treat him right, and understand the consequences of not doing so." He tilted his head slightly. "Hm?"
"I...guess?" Link said, mirroring the movement. He had a feeling that Kafei was trying to come off as threatening and dangerous, but at the moment all Link could do was to imagine Kafei wearing the corset-getup from that musical Sheik liked—and claimed Kafei had ruined with his cosplaying. That alone pretty much ruined the effect.
"Because I have a great deal of experience in souring the lives of those who hurt my family," Kafei continued, the corner of his eye twitching a little when he realised Link wasn't quivering in his boots, but just staring back at him passively instead. "You get me?" he said, the tone of his voice positively icy.
"I understand," Link answered, the corner of his mouth lifting a little as he suppressed a smile. In his imagination, Kafei was even wearing makeup. "I like him a lot—I wouldn't dream of hurting him; accidentally or otherwise."
Kafei blinked, leaning back a little. "Ah..." he said, trailing off. "That's...that's good! Yeah. Let that serve as a warning, got it?"
"Understood," Link said, fighting down a chuckle at how put-out Kafei looked.
"Goddess," he heard Elenwe mutter under her breath. "Give me strength."
"Does Zelda get one of these warnings too?" Link asked, realising he was bordering on being cheeky now.
"No," Kafei said, sinking into his seat with disappointment. "Paya can look after herself—she can turn any of us into pretzels if she wanted."
That, Link did not doubt. He was pretty sure Paya's biceps were bigger than his thighs. He had no desire whatsoever to pick a fight with her, no matter how timid she seemed.
Then again, Link didn't want to pick fights with anyone.
"She doesn't have anything to worry about with Zelda," Link said firmly. His sister could be a pain, but she was also the kindest, most loyal person he knew.
"Good," Kafei said, bumping the island surface with his fist. "As long as that's settled."
Clearing his throat and relieved that the supremely awkward moment was over, he opened his backpack and pulled out the neatly pile of leather clothing kindly lent to him by Mipha. "Could you give these to Sheik?" he asked.
"Aren't these—?"
"Yeah, just in case, you know? No sense in taking risks," Link said.
"Hm, good idea," Kafei said, standing up and leaving the kitchen. "I'll make sure he puts 'em on."
"You planning on having Sheik go skidding across the asphalt any time soon?" Elenwe asked, her attention focused entirely on the food preparation.
"No, but better safe than sorry, right?" Link said, freezing in place when Elenwe's golden gaze met his...and made his stomach plunge. There was a placid smile on her face, but it was completely devoid of warmth, and those eyes...if looks could kill.
"Kafei's not very good at getting his meaning across," she said, taking the knife and neatly cutting more meat into bits. "Thinks that everything needs to be as overt as possible." She hit a snag near a bit of bone and frowned. "Hm, a little tough...nothing a little effort can't fix, though." She adjusted her grip on the knife and gave it another go.
It cut through both flesh and bone with no trouble.
Link choked on his breath.
"Cool, huh?" Elenwe asked with a grin, nodding at the knife. "It was a gift from my dad on my sixteenth birthday. All Gerudo get one when they're recognised as adults—and we're expected to take care of it for the rest of our lives. Usually they're meant for ceremonial purposes and fancy dress, but my family has always been a bit...practical. I mean, what's the point in having a knife if you're not going to use it, right? So, I take care of mine, and sharpen it regularly." She paused, chuckling lightly, as if at a pleasant memory. "Remarkably useful for cooking, as you can see," she said, cutting through another chicken bone. "Could probably cut through a femur with enough determination, even," she added, before staring directly at him again. "Hopefully, we won't have to find out, eh?"
It took Link a moment to convince his tongue to start moving again, the prickling feeling of cold sweat on his neck. "Er...n-no, h-hopefully n-not," he stuttered out.
She held his gaze for a moment before smiling brilliantly. "Good," she said, and it was as if a spell had been lifted, and the warmth returned to her face. "So, dinner's at seven—will you be back before then?"
"Th-That's the plan," he confirmed with a nod.
She opened her mouth to say something else, but was interrupted by two pairs of footsteps entering the kitchen. Link turned around in his seat, jaw dropping a little at the sight of Sheik in motorcycle leathers.
They hugged his body very nicely, his physique quite similar to Mipha's. He didn't have much in the way of muscles, but his proportions were...Link found it impossible to describe them as something other than perfect...and all he wanted to do was to unzip and pull the leathers off him—
"How's it look?" Sheik asked, his arms crossed, fingernails nervously digging into the white-coloured leather of the jacket. His cheeks were growing redder by the second, especially when Link had to take another moment to take the sight in.
Hylia help me, he's fucking gorgeous, Link's mind told him, with which a different part of him was definitely agreeing.
"He's stunned speechless, little brother," Kafei said, sweeping past him and planting himself next to Elenwe again. "If that's not flattering, I don't know what is."
That only made Sheik's cheeks go even redder, and cross and uncross his arms repeatedly, fingers clearly desperate to fiddle with something.
"I..er...you...you look good," Link said after kickstarting his brain, scratching his neck awkwardly. "How d-does it fit?"
"A little tight around the shoulders, and loose around the chest," Sheik said, rolling his shoulders for emphasis. "Fine otherwise."
"Around the chest?" Elenwe murmured to Kafei. "She looked like a plank—"
"Shh," Kafei hissed.
If Mipha heard you say that you'd need that knife of yours, Link thought.
"So...why am I wearing this?" Sheik asked, turning to the big fridge and pulling out a can of soda, the back of his neck tingling uncomfortably from being stared at by all three of them. It gave his hands something to do, too.
He was wearing Mipha's suit, he knew. He recognised the colour (and fit) from the night he'd met them all, and while he wasn't sure if he was happy with the knowledge that he was almost the same size as her, he also couldn't help but feel a little...thrilled, at the way Link couldn't seem to stop looking at him.
That was a good thing, right? That your boyfriend couldn't stop staring at you with big eyes?
"Uh...for s-safety," Link finally said once Sheik turned back around, feeling a little excited when he realised Link had been staring at his backside. The Hylian hesitated. "Just in case, you know?"
Sheik nodded. That made sense. The leather would prevent road rash if they went sliding across the asphalt...at least at low speeds. He couldn't imagine Link going fast enough for that to be an issue, either. There was something missing, though, he thought as he looked at his boyfriend.
"What about you?" he asked. "Aren't you wearing any?"
"In the bag," Link said, nodding at the backpack at his feet. "Speaking of...can I borrow your restroom, so I can change?"
"Which one?" Kafei asked with a snort. "We've got four."
That threw Link off. "I...er..."
"Up the stairs, first door on your right," Elenwe said, grimacing at her fiancé.
"Thanks," Link said. "I'll be right back."
"Take your time," Sheik said, smiling at Link until he was out of view before rounding his best glare at his idiot cousin. "What did you say to him?"
"Me?" Kafei contrived to look innocent. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Uh-huh," Sheik said, his tone drier than a desert. "So, the fact that he looked like he was seriously contemplating going through the nearest wall had nothing to do with you? Din above, you're the worst!"
"Hey, look, I was just doing a big brother's duty—"Kafei began, but was interrupted by Elenwe, who slammed her knife into the cutting board, where it stood vibrating for a moment. It was an effective way of shutting them both up.
"Kafei, you couldn't intimidate a toddler in a haunted house," she said shortly, ignoring the stricken expression on her fiancé's face. "I've never been so embarrassed in my life, having to listen to that rigmarole."
The older Sheikah looked ready to cry, and Sheik was about to point this out when the Gerudo turned her eyes to him...which immediately rooted him to the spot. It was like Impa's glare, only a thousand times worse. It was a look that promised pain and suffering unimaginable to whoever didn't heed her words.
"And as for you," she said slowly, "we're just looking out for you. You didn't have the smoothest start to your relationship, and we'd be remiss if we didn't make sure Link doesn't have any...untoward intentions."
Sheik bristled. "He doesn't—"
"Or that being in a relationship with him is going to put you at further risk," she forged on, heedless of his protests.
"Further risk?" Sheik asked.
"You were in a fight that night," Kafei reminded him.
Sheik flushed, anger still flaring up in his gut whenever he thought about that bastard Ghira and the trouble he'd caused. First, he'd almost gotten Revali killed by deliberately kicking his bike during their race, and then he'd come after Link during the after-party while they were celebrating the Divine Beasts' win. Sheik had tried to fight him off, and had actually been doing pretty well at it, but the skinny fuck had gotten in a lucky shot.
The bruise hadn't even been that bad, but it had definitely triggered some sort of bodyguard instinct in both Paya and Kafei, which in turn had infected Elenwe, because none of them had let him out of their sight for days after that (well, save for the brief moment Sheik had stolen for himself and Link, that is).
"That wasn't Link's fault," he said, clenching his jaw. "Besides, we walked away from it just fine."
"Thanks to that Ganon guy, yeah," Elenwe said, standing up and walking over to one of the sinks (Sheik still couldn't wrap his head around the enormity of Ayla's damn kitchen), where she washed her hands of the chicken gunk. "If he hadn't come along, do you still think you and Link would have walked away with as few injuries?"
"I don't know, but there's also no point in debating the hypotheticals of that since the situation is over and done with," Sheik said, leaning against the counter, breathing evenly to keep himself calm. There had to be a point to this, he told himself. He just wished Elenwe would get to it already. "So what are you trying to get at?"
"The fight may not have been Link's fault," Kafei chimed in. "But in his line of...daredevilry?" He glanced at Elenwe for confirmation, and was given a nod. "Given what he does, with the races and such, chances are he's gonna piss off more opponents in the future, which in turn may prompt them to try and settle the score like Ghira, you know? And we can't count on Ganon being there to lay 'em out for you every time."
"And that doesn't mean we're belittling your fighting ability," Elenwe smoothly took over as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel before hanging it to dry, slowly making her way over to Sheik until she was standing in front of him. "We know what you can do...in a spar. Real fights are different."
"I know," Sheik said, wishing she wasn't right.
"You may be able to fight off one or two people...but what if the entire team comes for you?" she said, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing a little. "What if Link can't keep up and gets overwhelmed? What happens then?"
"Again with the hypotheticals," he muttered, looking away. There was no way in hell he and Link would have been able to stand up to the entire Usurper team if they'd decided to come gunning for them, even with a bruiser like Ganon there to help. "You keep saying it like it's bound to happen..."
"That's not my point," she said sharply, forcing him to look her in the eye. "Link seems like a good guy, but he's also a trouble magnet. I just want you to be safe, and he might not be the best partner with that in mind."
"Link would never hurt me," Sheik said. That was one of the few things he knew with a hundred percent certainty.
"Oh, I know that," she said with a slight grin. "I confirmed that just before you came downstairs."
Sheik blinked, and then his eyes narrowed to slits. "You did the knife thing, didn't you?"
"It's a fabulous lie detector, no?" she asked, pecking his cheek and stepping away, grabbing the bowlful of sliced chicken and bringing it to the counter, where she started fishing out various spices and vegetables for the dish she was going to make. "Sheik, just be careful, okay?"
"As long as you don't harass my boyfriend, sure," he replied, not even sure if he could be angry at his future cousin-slash-sister-in-law for looking out for him to such a degree. It was annoying, sure, but also...nice. It was more than he'd ever gotten from the elders, that was for damn sure.
"I won't, as long as he behaves," she promised. "Right, K?"
"I shall make no such promise—ow! Okay, okay, I promise, I promise!"
Wow, Sheik thought.
He watched his cousin dance around the room, holding his foot like it'd just been impaled.
She's not even wearing heels...
"And stay away from the stove, you lazy bum!"
Kafei growled, the effect somewhat diminished by his weird impersonation of a flamingo. "You don't get to call me lazy while also banishing me from doing anything!"
"I wouldn't have to if you weren't liable to burn down the house every time you try your hand at cooking!"
"It's not my fault I'm useless at it! And it's not nice to make fun of your future husband!"
Elenwe chuckled. "Oh, my beloved, you have so much to learn about domesticity..."
"Sheik," Kafei said, desperation in his eyes as he turned to him, "don't make my mistake! Don't propose to Link—you don't want to end up in this sort of hell of your own making!"
"P-Propose?"
Three pairs of eyes slowly slid to Link, who was standing in the doorway, now clad in his blue-and-green leathers. He looked hesitant, fingers clenched around the doorframe.
"Did I miss something?" the Hylian asked carefully, the leather of the suit creaking slightly as he moved.
It was the same suit he'd worn the night they'd met; the signs of repair on his side, which he'd scraped for a good distance across the road, were still visible. He wouldn't be able to get a new one for a while, apparently, as it was a custom piece and quite expensive.
"More than you want to know," Sheik said, taking the opportunity the distraction provided to march over and drag Link back into the hall. "We're going now!" he called back to the kitchen, where Elenwe had collapsed into cackling laughter.
"Okay, be back by dinner!" Kafei replied before saying, in a quieter voice, "You all right, E?"
All he got in reply was a wheeze.
"Zelda, we're leaving!" Link called out, allowing Sheik to bodily pull him along.
From somewhere within the house, there was the popping sound of one Hylian girl coming up for air and cheerily replying, "Okay, have fun!"
Link tried not to focus too much on the tail end of the conversation he'd clearly missed the context of as he checked the passenger stirrups and made sure that everything was in order for their ride. It was difficult, though, and he couldn't help but wonder who was proposing to whom.
Satisfied that everything was in order, Link stood up and handed Sheik the spare helmet. "You ready?" he asked, smiling at the apprehensive look on Sheik's face. He was clearly nervous about this, and if it hadn't been for the fact that Sheik himself had asked for it, Link would probably cancel the trip.
"I still feel bad..."
Sheik spun his chair around to face Link, who was sitting on his bed, the Pear laptop cradled protectively in his arms. "Why?" he asked. "It's not like you held a gun to my head."
"I ruined your night," the Hylian said with a pout. "Didn't mean to. I wish there was something I could do to repay you, but I don't think there's anything I can—"
"Take me out on a ride!"
They stared at each other for a moment, Sheik's cheeks growing redder by the second.
"What?" Link asked.
"Take me out on a ride?" Sheik repeated, shoulders rising a little, as if embarrassed by his request. "I've...I want to know what it's like. To ride." He paused, then his face grew even redder. "A bike, I mean!"
"O-Oh!" Link exclaimed, mind returning from the lewd and...frankly, lovely mental images Sheik's awkward wording had prompted. "Sure! Absolutely! I'll need to finish fixing Epona first, but after that we can definitely go!"
"It's a date!"
"Y-Yeah," Sheik said, taking the helmet, fingers twitching a little more than usual. Reading him was far from difficult, Link thought. He fumbled awkwardly with the strap but managed to clip it into place after a few tries.
"We can cancel or postpone, you know," Link told him. "If you want to wait, I mean."
"No, I want to do this!" Sheik protested, his voice muffled by the helmet as his posture grew stubborn. "We're going. Now!"
"Okay, okay," Link said soothingly, holding his hands up in surrender. "Just asking, that's all." Sheik really did look lovely in bike leathers, even if they were only borrowed. Maybe Link could get him a set of his own...
Straddling Epona, he turned the key and hit the ignition, that thrill of excitement running through him at the sound and vibration of the engine. "All right," he said, twisting his torso and patting the small seat behind him. "You sit here, put your feet on those. Put your arms around me and hold on tight. I'll be doing the turning and such—you just sit still, all right? If the weight suddenly shifts we're gonna go skidding all over the place."
"Got it," Sheik replied affirmatively. "How do I...?"
"The stirrups," Link said, gesturing to the small metal bars.
"Ah, right."
Link planted his legs firmly on the ground as Sheik climbed onto the bike behind him, waiting until he felt the other's arms firmly wrapping around his middle, Sheik's chest resting against his back.
"You good?" he asked.
"Yeah!"
"Here we go, then!"
He slowly released the clutch and turned the accelerator, causing Epona to lurch forward slowly, and Link turned her onto the street, which was blessedly free of traffic. He felt Sheik's arms tighten around him at every movement, which was understandable. To him, it would seem like every slight shift in balance was liable to tip them over. Link, however, was in full control. Granted, the added weight of a passenger wasn't nearly as easy to control as when it was only him riding the bike, but he'd driven Zelda around often enough for it to be of little consequence.
Hell, Sheik probably weighed less than Zelda, so really there was no issue at all.
"Where are we going?" Sheik asked when they reached an intersection, waiting for the green light, his voice a little strained.
"You'll see," Link told him, looking at him in the side mirror. "Also, you should lower your visor. Wind'll dry your eyes out."
"Right!"
Link felt a little guilty when they hit the highway and finally picked up what could actually be called speed. He didn't go above the limit, of course, but it was still enough for Sheik's grip on him to reach vice-like levels.
At least Sheik wasn't screaming.
Link tried to make the ride as uneventful as possible. He didn't overtake anyone, nor did he weave through the traffic as he usually did. It was all very...law-abiding. It was the sort of ride he would consider dull, if it wasn't for the fact that his boyfriend was at his back, putting his trust in him.
It actually made the ride the scariest one he'd had so far...but also infinitely thrilling. Behind his visor, he knew he was grinning like a maniac, like he had when racing Ganon through the Gates. It was a challenge unlike any he'd faced before—all he wanted was to make Sheik happy.
And after a while, it seemed to work. They were still going quite fast, easily keeping up with the traffic around them, but Sheik's grip was slowly but surely easing up, his helmet turning this way and that as he took in the sights around them...
...which pretty much amounted to a freeway—concrete and metal. However, that in itself was an exciting sight for a first-timer on a bike.
And then he heard Sheik's muffled voice, barely audible over the sound of the wind, the engine, and the traffic.
"Faster!"
The world sped past in a blur. Sheik felt like he was going to burst with excitement. He'd been afraid at first, felt like he was going to fall off whenever Link made a turn or accelerated, but as the ride continued and Link kept them steady, he felt less like he was going to die and more...excitement.
The freeway had brought another burst of speed, and that had him holding on to Link a little tighter (not clinging, thankyouverymuch), but even that urge abated after a while, and soon enough the scenery flashing by was just a thrilling sight, and the sensation of the world speeding past became a feeling of...utter freedom.
Was this what Link felt like every time he was driving? Every time he raced?
It was no wonder he kept doing it, then.
But...it wasn't enough. He wanted more.
"Faster!"
He'd barely realised he'd said it before he felt Link stiffen slightly before him, their eyes meeting in the reflection of the side mirror, the golden arc of an eyebrow raising in a gesture Sheik knew Link had stolen from him. He saw Link's jaw moving, but he couldn't hear the words—they weren't hard to guess, though.
"You sure?"
Sheik nodded, patting Link's side with his open hand. "Yeah!"
Link wasn't sure what to make of Sheik's sudden need for speed (hah, he'd never thought he'd get to use that phrase). He hadn't expected the quiet Sheikah to get a taste for it so quickly, or to start demanding that they go faster—not after he'd spent the first twenty minutes of the ride clinging to Link's back like a koala.
It was a bit disappointing, actually, that Sheik wasn't clinging to him as tight anymore. Unlike Zelda, Sheik wasn't fidgety or prone to zone out—he stayed calm and just...sat there, holding on. Link had...enjoyed the feeling. Sheik's arms around him just felt...right. It was like he belonged on Epona, at Link's back.
Is this what being a lovestruck idiot is like? he wondered, confirming that he'd actually heard Sheik right by looking in the mirror, receiving vigorous nods and a hand patting his side.
Well, who was he to deny his cute boyfriend anything?
He geared up, letting Epona pick up more speed gradually rather than going for a burst—Sheik wouldn't expect that and might fall off, or unbalance them to the point where they'd go skidding across the road. They were going above the limit now, but not so fast that they were blazing past the cars and other traffic. Not enough to provoke any patrols into pulling them over, at least.
Link had developed a fine sense for that, over the years. Just how far he could push the limit before the cops took notice. He'd never gotten pulled over, luckily, but he'd been close to it a few times.
He kept it at seventy miles per hour—ten above the limit. He didn't dare go faster than that, mostly out of concern for Sheik's safety. It had the desired effect on the Sheikah, though. A quick glance back, and Link could see the corners of Sheik's eyes wrinkling from the big grin that was hidden by his helmet.
Link found himself grinning as well, happy he could make Sheik's first bike ride a good one. Maybe he could persuade his boyfriend to get a bike of his own, and then they could...
Eh, better not get ahead of himself. He'd burned himself on that more times than he could count. Maybe wait until they'd both returned from the trip alive, at least.
For now, he was happy to give Sheik a thrilling trip along the freeway.
Around forty minutes after they'd left Kafei and Elenwe's place, Link slowed Epona down and took an exit near the edge of town. The wide concrete road was replaced by a smaller asphalt one, which was in dire need of some maintenance. It led them upwards, towards the hills that lined the eastern limits of the city.
Epona's engine was still purring too loud for them to communicate clearly, but Link could tell Sheik was confused and curious about where they were going by the way his head kept swivelling around, taking in their surroundings, which were quickly going from urban to suburban to...well, not directly rural, but not city-like either.
Said confusion only seemed to increase when Link took yet another exit that turned into a narrow dirt road that wound itself into the hills. Here, Link had to slow down considerably. The dirt road was painfully neglected, and going too fast would send them hurtling down the steep slope below.
They entered a slightly wooded area that was primarily used as a hiking area by the inhabitants of the city. Link continued following the road until they hit a white-and-red barrier in front a section where the road could no longer be considered one—more of a footpath, really.
Link pulled Epona off to the side and stopped, turning off her engine.
"We're here," he said when Sheik made no move to get off, after which the Sheikah scrambled to do so. He didn't think to take his gloves off before starting to fiddle with the strap of his helmet, and Link took pity on him and opened it for him. "You okay?" he asked when he realised Sheik had a slightly dazed look on his face.
"Yeah, yeah," his boyfriend said a little unsteadily. "Just...er...still taking it in, I guess."
Link smiled, taking off his own helmet and hanging them both on Epona's handlebars. "So? Do you like it so far?"
"Yeah!" Sheik replied immediately. "I mean...it was kinda scary at first, but when we got to the freeway, and you went a little faster...it was...it was fun!"
"That's great!" Link exclaimed just as loudly back, not really sure why he was so excited about it. He'd definitely hoped that Sheik would like it, but for him to be so enthusiastic...well, it only pumped Link up further. He looked at his watch, realising they were a little behind schedule. "Come on, we're gonna be late."
"Late? For what?"
"You'll see."
"I wasn't aware we were going on a hike," Sheik remarked as Link led him past the barrier and further along the footpath, which took a steeper turn upwards. "I don't think I'm wearing the right shoes for it." He pointed down at his sneakers.
"It's not a long one," Link assured him, noticing that Sheik's hand—the one closest to Link—was fidgeting awkwardly, the other firmly buried in his pocket. Did he...was Link supposed to...?
He took a breath and reached out, taking Sheik's hand in his, lacing their fingers together.
The reaction was immediate—Sheik's face turned the colour of a tomato, and his next step was a little unsteady.
"Is this okay?" Link asked. He really was out of his depth, here, but so was Sheik, and one of them had to take the initiative or they'd never get anywhere.
"Y-Yeah," Sheik replied, a pleased smile on his lips despite the heavy blush colouring his skin. "Sorry...wasn't sure how p-public you want to be..."
"We'll be as public as you're comfortable with," Link said, squeezing his hand gently.
"That goes both ways, though," Sheik said, squeezing back. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable with this either. If there's something you don't want...just tell me?"
"Only if you do the same."
"Deal."
It took about ten minutes to reach Link's target, and he thanked Hylia for having his back that day, because the bench was unoccupied. Hell, the entire area was. Perfect, really.
The footpath continued through and past the wooded area, leading them to the edge of one of the steeper hills that overlooked the city. Here, the path continued along the edge, and benches had been placed along it every fifty feet or so. The benches were nice, but those weren't the important bit.
The view, however, was.
"Wow..."
If Sheik's surprised gasp was anything to judge by, he agreed.
From here, the entire city could be seen below, from the industrial section to the west, the commercial district downtown, and the finer residential areas and suburbs to the east...and directly in front, the harbour, from which the sea extended a seemingly infinite distance before disappearing below the horizon...which the sun was rapidly approaching as well, colouring the sky a stunningly vivid mix of yellow and red.
"Come on," Link said, leading Sheik to the nearest bench, sitting down. "I was worried we weren't going to make it. This is the best place in town to watch sunsets."
"I believe you...this is...absolutely lovely," Sheik said, a big grin splitting his face.
"Glad you like it."
Link squeezed his hand again, a little thrilled when Sheik squeezed back. They were probably the slowest-moving couple of all time (glacial pace, according to Zelda), but...he wanted to do this right, and rushing things were just going to make them both nervous and anxious and set off panic attacks, so...no, this was a good speed, in his opinion.
They sat together in silence and watched the sun go down, the light gradually giving way to darkness. That only enhanced the view, however, as the city came to life below them, the streetlights flickering on, and windows started to light up. Neon signs in the commercial district became more and more vivid, giving off a spectrum of differently coloured hues.
Only when the lone, flickering bulb of the lamppost above them came to life did they realise quite a bit of time had passed, bringing them back to the real world.
"Thank you for taking me here," Sheik said. Link turned his head to look at him, finding the Sheikah staring right back at him. "I had no idea this place even existed."
"I don't think it's all that well-known unless you're a big hiker," he replied, unable to keep his eyes from sliding down to Sheik's lips, which looked perfect for kissing right now.
Sheik must have had similar thoughts, because he was the first to lean forward, bringing them together with Link's. Nothing more than a peck, but it was probably one of their best kisses yet.
"Hm, but you're a gearhead," Sheik said teasingly, leaning back when Link tried to kiss him back. "And a daredevil. Far as I know, you don't hike, so how do you know about it?"
"Guilty as charged," Link conceded. "Hiking is not really my thing. I go with Zelda whenever she wants to work out some frustration, but otherwise...nah."
"So...?"
Link shifted a little, partly because of the hard wood of the bench, but also because he wasn't sure if the story behind it would ruin the mood. He honestly had no idea.
"Well...it's actually because of Zelda's dad," he said, unlacing their fingers, only to bring his arm around Sheik's shoulder and pulling him close. He couldn't handle that pout on his boyfriend's lips—it was lethal levels of cute. Sheik easily allowed the action, leaning into his side. "Remember what I told you about my childhood? Going from foster home to foster home because no one was able to deal with my anxiety?"
"Yeah," Sheik said, shuffling even closer.
"Well, it didn't exactly go away when he took me in. Zelda helped a lot, of course, but every now and then I'd go through some sort of...episode? I never figured out what the trigger was, but there were several days in which I became a nervous wreck. I wouldn't eat, I wouldn't sleep, I wouldn't even talk. Rhoam—that's his name—took me to a doctor, but they couldn't find anything physically wrong with me, and the therapist assigned to me was...well, she wasn't the best in her field, to put it mildly. They couldn't prescribe me anything, so her suggestion was to basically find something I could focus on—something calming, soothing."
Link grinned a little at the memory of Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule, CEO of Hyrule Motors and probably the richest man in this part of the country, ignoring everything to do with his business in his attempt to find something that would help this impossible-to-deal-with foster kid, throwing himself into the task with wild abandon.
They tried all sorts of things for Link to focus his attention on, to help him take his mind off the bad thought spirals he was so vulnerable to when he was stressed. Games, movies, activities, sports... Few of them worked, none of them to a very good degree. It was a frustrating experience for all three of them (Zelda had thrown herself wholeheartedly into the challenge as well), and it had come to a head when Link had broken down completely in the middle of a game of Monopoly, crying and withdrawing into himself.
Rhoam had been desperate, and in that desperation, he decided to try something else. Instead of a specific activity, maybe Link had just needed a change of environment.
So, he'd loaded up his car with his daughter and foster son and headed to the hills, bringing them to a spot that had always meant a lot to him—it had been where he took Zelda's mother on their first date. He hadn't been back there since she had passed away, but...what did he have to lose?
To his immense relief, it had worked. He'd made sure they'd arrive just before sunset, so they could enjoy that same view...and it had worked. Link seemed to respond well to not only being out of the city, but also the view itself, calming down considerably, to the point where he could focus on Rhoam and answer his questions, if somewhat muted.
When the sun had begun to set, he'd decided to tell the story of how he'd met Zelda's mother, to which his daughter had listened with rapt attention. Link had drifted in and out at first, but slowly he came out of his shell, paying just as much attention to it as Zelda, laughing at the man's disastrous attempts at impressing his future wife.
Rhoam had told Link years later that revealing his humiliating ineptness at romance had been completely worth it, just to see Link smiling again, and hear his laugh.
Even though Zelda would never let him forget that his first date somehow ended with his car on fire, and her mother rolling on the ground, laughing her ass off while he screamed and tried to put said fire out.
Sheik's eyes were a little wet towards the end; Link wasn't sure if it was from the laughter at the disastrous date or something else. "He sounds like a good man," he said.
"The best," Link affirmed.
"I'm glad he was able to help you; I can't imagine what it must have been like, going in and out of homes like that..." He leaned up and gave Link's cheek a small peck.
Link's cheek heated up a little. "It...it's not a good situation to be in," he said. "You end up feeling abandoned and unwanted, because no one really knows how to deal with you or this sort of disorder in the long term." He cleared his throat, his heart already sinking in his chest. He never liked thinking about the time before he'd come into Rhoam's household. "But, I was lucky. I ended up in good place, and now I'm a perfectly semi-functional person."
"You got the perfect part right, at least," Sheik said with a snort, kissing Link on the lips again. "I should thank Mr. Hyrule if I ever meet him."
Link paused.
Oh...
Oh god!
"Something wrong?" Sheik asked, noticing his sudden change in posture.
"I just realised something," Link replied slowly, eyes wide. "Zelda and I are having dinner with him next week—it's a semi-monthly thing we do...and Zel's going to open her big fat mouth and tell him about you and me."
"Is...is that a bad thing?" Sheik said, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, Zelda doesn't seem like the malicious type. Does he not approve of you being...?"
"What? No, no!" Link exclaimed, shaking his head. "I told him years ago and he was just happy that he wouldn't have to worry about me getting a girl pregnant by accident." He chuckled. "It's just...he's been really keen on me getting together with someone, just so he can play the role of big, scary foster father...and then be all doting. He's done it with every one of Zelda's girlfriends, so Paya can expect one of those as well."
Sheik's face seemed to pale a little in the streetlight. "Oh...w-well, I w-wish you luck with that."
Link groaned. "I gotta have a talk with Zelda beforehand, to make sure she doesn't just vomit forth everything. He's gonna freak out..."
"At least he'll be happy, right?" Sheik said, apparently trying not to focus on the shovel talk that loomed on the horizon. "I mean, it could be worse—he could disapprove."
"That's true," Link admitted, sighing. "Still, gotta find a way to make the old man focus more on Zelda and Paya—use them like shields, of a sort."
"If I didn't know you were just anxious, I'd feel a little insulted that you're so against him knowing," Sheik said, punching Link's shoulder lightly.
"Eheh, sorry," the Hylian said, rubbing his neck. "Just...never been in the situation before, and the unknown's probably the scariest thing to me."
"Same here," Sheik said, taking Link's hand on his own initiative this time, squeezing it. "Hey...can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Based on what you and Zelda have told me about Mr. Hyrule, he seems like a good man, and must love you dearly..."
"Hm, yeah," Link said, unable to deny that. No one would jump through the hoops Rhoam had if he didn't deeply care for the person on whose behalf he was doing it.
"So...how come he hasn't adopted you?"
Link stilled, and Sheik immediately tried to pull back, afraid he'd said something wrong. Link kept him in place, though. It was a fair question—a bit personal, but then again, their relationship had started with quite a bit of personal sharing anyway, so...
"I-I'm sorry, that wasn't my place to ask, I—"
"It's not that he hasn't offered," Link said, silencing his boyfriend's apologies with another squeeze of his hand. "He got the papers as soon as he could, after making sure that I was actually settling in. Asked me when I turned...fourteen, I think?"
"But...?"
"I said no," Link said, chuckling. "Politely, of course. Thanked him profusely, but...still said no."
"Oh." Sheik coughed. "Er..."
"I didn't know why, back then, but after some time and a great deal of thinking, I realised that I said no...out of guilt." He bit his lip, taking a moment to remember those long nights he'd spent awake in his bed, staring up at the ceiling, wondering why the hell he'd turned down the offer. His conclusions had not been good. "I never knew my parents—I'd been in an orphanage since I was a baby. Left on their doorstep, not even a name to my...er...name."
He stumbled over the sentence, chuckling bitterly.
"When I was old enough I was transferred into the foster system, and then I started being bumped from family to family. When no one could stand being around me for more than a few weeks, I started feeling...well, like I said, I felt worthless. I was a burden, and that was only confirmed when Rhoam took me in and went to such lengths to help me. I loved him, I really did, but for him to adopt me...that felt like I would be taking advantage. He was already fostering me—I was fine with that. I didn't want to add even more legal burdens on him."
"But—"Sheik began, but Link interrupted him, not sure if he could start talking again if he stopped now.
"Dumb, huh?" he said, chuckling again. "But you know what's even dumber? It wasn't just towards him I felt guilty, but also my...my parents! The people who left me, who hadn't even bothered to give me a name! I felt like I would be betraying them by letting Rhoam adopt me!"
He was crying now. He felt the tears running down his cheeks. When had that started? Stupid...so stupid...
"I don't even want to know who they are," he said. "Don't want to see them...but I just...I can't become part of Rhoam's family..." he trailed off. "It's so fucking stupid, but I just can't stop feeling that way either!"
His breath came in hitches, and his vision was blurry with tears. Fuck, he was pathetic!
There was a shift of weight beside him, and then Sheik was suddenly in his lap, knees on either side of Link's hips. Then Sheik's arms were around him, pulling him to his chest. He couldn't stop the sobs then, the emotions just pouring out of him as he let Sheik hold him tightly.
"It's all right...shh..."
Words of comfort were whispered into his ear, but he couldn't decipher them...but Sheik's voice alone was soothing, as was his embrace. In the back his mind, it occurred to Link that this was just the sort of situation Sheik would absolutely hate to be in in public, but he was clearly pushing through some boundaries here, in order to sit on Link like this...
My boyfriend is the best, he thought, letting himself ride out the crying.
It took a shamefully long time for him to calm down and finally get his face out of Sheik's neck. Sheik didn't even comment on the moisture and—oh gods—snot left behind.
"Feel better?" Sheik asked, remaining in Link's lap.
"Y-Yeah," he replied hoarsely. "Thanks...sorry..."
"For what?"
Link snorted. "Here I wanted to take you out on a nice trip, and then I decide to ruin it with a breakdown about the dumbest fucking problem—"
"It's not dumb, Link," Sheik said firmly. "It's not. I'm not a psychologist or a psych major, but I know about trauma, and what it can do to you for years. Getting abandoned like that...it leaves wounds, and the scars left behind by them can affect us for years, if not our whole lives." He wiped away the wetness beneath Link's eyes with his thumbs. "Don't apologise for it, please."
"But...my parents—"
"Didn't deserve you in the first place," Sheik said. "That may just be my opinion, but I think you'll find that Zelda and Mr. Hyrule agree with me on that point. And if you even dare to think of disagreeing, remember that you're outnumbered three to one."
"Not good odds," Link said, choking a little on his own breath.
"The worst odds," Sheik agreed. "And...well, I don't dare to presume to tell you what to do, but...perhaps you should talk to Mr. Hyrule about it all, if you haven't. I don't think offering to adopt you was a lightly made decision on his part, especially if he never rescinded it...he didn't, did he?"
"No, he never did," Link said.
"Well, then perhaps it would help to truly discuss it with him, to lay it all on the table," Sheik said, running his fingers through Link's hair. "I don't know why your parents would leave you like that, with not even a name to make you part of their family, but...well, Mr. Hyrule is offering you a place in his."
"I know," Link said, nodding, enjoying the feeling of Sheik's playing with his hair. "But...I dunno...I'm an adult, now..."
"And? You think only children can be adopted?"
"Well, no—"
"I have always been surrounded by family, Link," the Sheikah said, his eyes meeting Link's. "After my parents died, I still had my aunt, my cousins...just having a place to belong helps a lot, whenever things hurt too much. I just...I hate the thought that you would deny yourself a good thing out of misplaced guilt that you have no reason to feel in the first place."
He leaned forward and kissed Link on the forehead. "And now I'm going to stop talking because I realised I just got way too familiar with y—mmph!"
Link didn't let him retreat, capturing Sheik's lips in another kiss, which quickly grew heated as he coaxed Sheik into opening his mouth with his tongue.
When they separated, they were both panting for air. Sheik's eyes looked a little glassy, a dopy smile shining down on Link.
"Awkward and shy, huh?" Link asked with a wry grin, placing his hands on Sheik's hips, causing the other boy to give a little squeak. "Somehow, I don't believe you."
"I...I...er..." Sheik shifted uncomfortably, looking anywhere but at Link. "That is...I didn't mean to...I mean, I was just trying to help..."
Link took pity on him and allowed Sheik to climb out of his lap. "I know, and I appreciate that," he said, sighing. "Eugh, this really wasn't how this date was supposed to go." He glanced at his watch. "And we're gonna be late for dinner if we don't start heading back."
"Shall we, then?" Sheik asked, offering Link his hand, which the Hylian took, letting the Sheikah pull him off the bench.
They took it slow, heading back to the barrier. Neither of them spoke. Sheik, presumably out of feeling awkward, while Link had...well, he had a lot on his mind.
Sheik had a point. Perhaps not very eloquently conveyed, but it had certainly struck a note in him. He'd gone over those same points over and over inside his own mind, but somehow hearing it all from Sheik had...been different. Had sounded different.
His guilt was misplaced. He'd known that from the start, of course, but he'd never truly realised why it was. Until Sheik had mentioned having a place to belong. He supposed, in a way, he had never really let go of the idea that he really belonged with his parents, wherever the fuck they were. That he had a place there, and that while he may never actually meet them or actually take that place, it was still there...
...and by accepting Rhoam's adoption, he was giving up that place. Maybe that was what he felt guilty about? But why should he feel guilty when that place wasn't really there? Had never been there?
Them leaving him at the orphanage...that was pretty much his parents telling him that he'd never belonged with them in the first place, wasn't it?
So why the fuck should he feel guilty, then?
Something shifted, his chest suddenly felt less restricted. Something slid into place in his head, thoughts aligning in a new way that suddenly...made a lot more sense.
Hylia above, he was a fucking idiot!
"Link?"
Sheik's voice brought him out his thoughts, and he realised they'd reached Epona. Link hugged Sheik tightly, and then kissed his cheek.
"Thank you," he said.
"For what?" Sheik asked, blushing. "Invading your privacy and making a nuisance of myself?"
"For giving me a new perspective," Link corrected, kissing him again for emphasis. "I'm in your debt, yet again."
"Well, I know what I want in exchange," Sheik said, grinning a little and looking at Epona. "Can we go even faster on the way back?"
Well, he'd earned it, hadn't he?"
"I'll see what I can do," Link said, putting on his helmet.
"You're late!"
Unfortunately, Sheik's request for a speedier return to Kafei's place was impossible to fulfil because of traffic. A semi had tipped over on the freeway, causing a major slowdown. It was easier to make headway on a bike, of course, but given the near gridlock that was the city roads at the time, speed just wasn't in the cards.
"Only by...fifty-three minutes," Link said, trailing off when he saw just how late they were. He gave Kafei, who was standing in the doorway, a sheepish look. "Traffic was terrible."
"Right, traffic," the purple-haired Sheikah said, lowering his voice so Sheik wouldn't hear, "if you've touched so much as a single hair on his head..."
"Sorry we're late!" Sheik chirped, sounding positively bubbly. He'd still enjoyed the ride, even if it was slow as hell. Turns out he enjoyed weaving through cars as well. If Link wasn't careful, he'd have a future daredevil on his hands, and then Elenwe would definitely follow through on her threats with that knife of hers. "We got caught up in traffic!"
Kafei's face softened immediately upon seeing his cousin so happy, the big softy, and he waved them inside.
"Eh, what can you do?" he said. "You're lucky we decided to wait and kept dinner warm."
"Ah, sorry to keep you waiting," Link said. "We really didn't mean to—"
"'s fine, 's fine," Kafei repeated. "But you'd better get changed quickly because I'm fucking ravenous right now, and so is Paya, and you know what happens when we interfere with her gains."
Sheik shuddered. "Good point, we'd better get changed, Link."
"Right!"
Dinner was a lively affair, the people gathered around the—frankly—gigantic dining room table absolutely throwing themselves into the meal with gusto. Link was briefly introduced to Ayla, Kafei and Elenwe's roommate, who'd returned while Link and Sheik were gone. He could definitely see why Ayla and Elenwe were friends—they were equally insane.
He'd needed a moment to process the fact that Ayla's mother—and therefore, herself—was royalty, though.
"Mom's just like...two-hundredth in line to the throne, though, and I'm even further down the line, so it's not like we're important," she'd said. "But yeah, I'm a princess." Then she'd started wrestling Elenwe for the last dinner roll.
No one dared to fight Paya for the last piece of chicken, half of which she lovingly shared with Zelda.
"What?" Zelda asked after taking Link aside before dessert, having noticed Link staring at her ever since they'd returned.
"I'm just amazed you're still alive," Link said, grinning at her. "Thought you'd have suffocated by now. Glad to see you still remember coming up for air."
Zelda's jaw dropped a bit before her eyes narrowed. "Oh, you want to tussle, do you? You sure about that?"
"Mmm, maybe later," Link said, lowering his voice, even though they were standing in the hallway.
The dining room was unbelievably loud, an apparently good-natured argument having broken out between Paya and Kafei, which had slipped into their native tongue...and man, did their voices carry... It was worth it, though, if only to hear Sheik speak the same language, apparently having the time of his life commenting on the argument.
"I wanted to ask you something."
"Oh?" Zelda said. "What's up?"
"Where're we having dinner with your dad, again?"
"Café Navi," she said, giving him a strange look. "You know that—we eat the same place every month. Why?"
"Oh, nothing big, I just...wanted to talk to him about something, and I wasn't sure if it'd be appropriate..."
"We have a private room," Zelda said monotonously. "We could talk about treason if we wanted, what are you even...?" she stopped talking, her eyes widening. "Wait, you're not thinking of...that, are you?"
Stupid adopted big slash little sisters who could read him like a book.
"I just...I want to revisit the topic, that's all," he said defensively, backing away when Zelda's smile turned dazzling, her eyes shimmering.
"Finally!" she shrieked happily, throwing herself at him...and dragging him to the floor when his balance failed. "Took you long enough, ya doofus!"
The others must have heard the commotion, because several voices joined them in the hall, the loudest of which said,
"More wrestling? Awesome, I got dibs on the winner!"
It was while Ayla was trying to turn Link into a pretzel that his eyes happened to meet Sheik's, and he found himself smiling stupidly.
The smile he got in return was just as stupid, and he couldn't be happier about it.
The End