A/N: Been wanting to come back to this pairing, but haven't really had much mind for them lately. Thanks to GrimGrave for motivation and Zanza Flux for inspiration! You two are like an unstoppable force of nature, I swear! These two have literally brought my fiction-writing career back from the brink of death. So please, check them out when you can! Now, I hope you readers enjoy this humor story!
PEEVED NINJA
The snowy mountain winds were finally dying down when the two friends had emerged from the sheet of white powder. Their horses tread on through the thick snowfall, carrying their quest-weary riders to the next place they'd camp at for that evening.
The blond haired, blue-eyed male gazed upon his companion's back briefly. In contrast to his green garb, she wore a crimson, one-piece skintight jumpsuit that was overladen with a very thick fur cloak. Her jet black hair was done up in a long ponytail that whipped to-and-fro in the calming winds.
He stared at her beauty so long, his horse came to an abrupt stop and he was flung from his saddle.
"WHA?!" He yelped, catching the attention of his alluring friend.
The brown-eyed ninja turned in her saddle in time to see her friend face-planting into the thick sheets at her horse's feet. She raised a cool eyebrow, not entirely sure how the long-eared warrior could end up in a more comical scenario. Currently, he was waving his legs about, most of his torso having been buried. She could hear his muffled protests, just barely catching her own name.
In most days, she found herself to be a "peeved ninja", and noted that half the blame for it was her companion. With a deep, frustrated sigh, she slid off the saddle of her ride and wrapped her arms around his waist. Having felt her embrace, the stranded warrior ceased his struggles but planted his feet to help pull himself out with her assistance. She took in a deep breath, despite the awkward embrace, she focused on pulling him from the ice as quickly as she could. Remaining in such an undignified position was not on her priorities.
With a heave, she was successfully able to retrieve her ally. However, the awkward embrace proved messy to her footwork, and she unintentionally fell back, taking the blond with her. When the weight of her companion landed on her stomach, she felt like she was being crushed.
"OOF!" She grunted, to which, he immediately rolled to the side as to alleviate her immediately. He was not light, despite his size. The equipment he carried numbered enough to qualify as an armory. She, having been used as a landing pad, was embedded in the snow in a perfectly shaped mold of her athletic body.
"Link..." She growled his name in an hushed tone.
The long-eared Hylian chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Sorry about that, Taki."
"Now what happened?" She enquired, steel bronze eyes glaring into his cool ocean blues. Link, again, chuckled.
"I, uh...was daydreaming about...something."
"You're a terrible liar..."
While the red-clad ninja grumbled to herself, Link reached down with his right rm and took her hand in his, and easily pulled her light-weight frame from the snow. Free of the powder, Taki took notice of Link's lingering grip of her hand, and in her frustrated state, she squeezed it.
She was determined to punish him for the scene. But knowing his resilience to pain, and his durable nature, she had to give her squeezing some extra pressure to actually affect the Hylian.
Link, being no stranger to the Fu-Ma ninja's strength, quickly relented. "Uncle, uncle!" He yelped comically, lowering himself to a knee. With his submission, Taki released his hand which throbbed, causing Link to cradle it with his left. She smirked slightly, walking back to her horse while dusting herself off.
She sighed, "Try not to get thrown next time." Was all she said as she climbed her horse. The beast mumbled gently as it felt something akin to a feather fasten long, slender legs around its back. With a flick of her reigns, the dark brown equine was walking off again.
Link, having recovered from his hand being crushed by a ninja woman capable of lifting full-grown men over her head, quickly climbed onto his lighter brown mare. The poor animal gave a snort, having attuned the sudden weight to that of a barn house being laid across her back.
Following suit, Link snapped his reigns and his mare took off after his friend.
They had set up a camp fire as the sun had set. With the moon coming out in full glow, the temperature was dropping. Link sat in his spot, being so close to the fire he nearly was alight in flames. Needless to say, he was still very cold. Raising his eyes from the dancing flames, he analyzed his stoic friend and noted, rather astutely, that she too was quite cold.
Link thought it was funny, considering how thick her cloak was. He barely had any protection from the elements, as his tunic, hat and leggings did not do much to ward off this extreme weather.
It occurred to him that, for their ensured survival, a new plan had to be enacted. He glanced around, hoping to add to the fire and maybe draw out some more heat.
…
After a few moments, Link had thrown most of his wood supply onto the embers. He heard his mare neigh happily, knowing she wouldn't be shouldering as much weight the next time he climbed onto her back. Link gave the intelligent beast a knowing look, with a sheepish rub of his arm.
Taki was watching him silently, never being one for words. She had known of him for some time now, of his odd appearance and deeds. Though, initially she had set out to hunt him, thinking he was a malefested, she quickly learned that he was far from such a grievous condition. Link was, in-fact, empowered by diving beings. Their aura festered on him like a heavenly scent.
It wasn't long after meeting him that she was able to safely decide he would not bring harm to innocents. And that he was not a demon. However, she found him to be a bit awkward, especially in her own company. Stiffling a sigh, she knew why. Her attire, while excellent for flexible mobility and light for speed and maneuverability in combat, showcased her "gifted" feminine figure a bit too well.
And it was constantly the factor to blame for Link's clumsiness. Seeing as he operated just normal when she was out of sight.
He even once slipped the comment that she might find wearing a thin cloak to conceal her battle suit from prying eyes to be useful. Sighting with respect to her, that she could of passed as naked. This was confirmed by the small nose bleed he experienced the first time meeting her.
The thought brought a small smile on her thin lips. He sometimes annoyed her, but it wasn't his intentions. She even felt that he could be sweet at times, though, she'd never admit that to anyone.
A pang of pity formed on her heart when she saw how he shook like a leaf. The poor fool was not able to procure an adequate piece of clothing to suffice him in these mountains. She watched him throw most of his wood supply into the fire in an attempt to beckon more warmth for their benefit. While it helped, it didn't feel to be sufficient. Link knew this, as she witnessed a troubled frown fester on his features.
Seeing this, she was reminded of his youth, and charm. Link was scratching his adult years, shy of her age by three. He didn't seem to mind, and let her lead, citing she had "seniority". Something that would always earn him an evil glare, or a smack across his noggin, something he'd always laugh at.
To her, he had a bright look on things. Link would go out of his way to make a joke if it would make someone else laugh, or at least smile. It was a charming piece of his personality. However, she felt his usual silence tended to erase the good natured look he carried. Like she, Link was much more of a silent person around those he didn't know well.
Sharing such traits had allowed their union as allies to last as long as it had. They were a team, through and through. Whilst Link carried the heavy artillery and strength with a well-rounded arsenal - Taki was light, fast, and deadly accurate. She was also silent as a shadow when the need was there. Together, they were a great team. Apart... The risk of their weaknesses were much more open.
Yes, having Link at her side in battle to tank most of the heavier opponents while she harassed their defenses had proven to be efficient and a welcomed strategy to the red ninja.
Fortunately, their need for battle was over. Soul Edge and Nightmare were defeated, and Link was setting off for his homeland. Having been his partner for neigh a year, Taki decided to see him off, and to guide him where he needed to be.
Unbeknownst to her, her heart became heavy at the idea of losing her only companion. Elsewhere, she had no home or family to call her own. But, like her, Link was very much in the same boat.
He cleared his throat, breaking her from her thoughts of sorrow.
"Erhm...Taki, I'd like to ask you a favor." His tone was uneasy. And it made Taki roll her eyes, as he was no doubt, once again, flustered by her presence in general.
"What is it?"
"I, um...Don't have any extra clothes..." She raised an eyebrow when she noticed him swallow before continuing, "I can tell you're not faring much better..."
"I'm not. What's your point?"
"We could..." Suspicions began to rise in her at his hesitation.
"We could what?" She inquired, heavily eying him now. Link took a deep breath before looking her in the eyes. She briefly softened her features when his jaw chattered in the cold.
"Can we cuddle for warmth?" He asked so desperately, she was almost stupified by his boldness. But...As awkward as he had always been, she sort of suspected it.
She stared at him blankly, waiting for him to call it off as a joke. Oh, how she hoped it was one of his harmless pranks. But the longer she stared at his puppy eyed look, how he was practically pleading with his chattering jaw and twinkling eyes, she realized he was dead serious.
"Ugh..." Was all she could muster, planting her face into both of her gloved hands.
A Little While Later
To say she was uncomfortable, was to outright do injustice to her pride. Taki was very uncomfortable. She was beyond that. Some would even argue, she was borderline livid.
However, she had to reluctantly admit, this was better than freezing to death after having survived Nightmare's carnage. Link was snuggled up to her, his head resting on her rib-cage as if she was a pillow. Both arms were intwined around her abdomen, and she actually felt pleasantly warm.
Though, whether it was from being flushed redder than an apple or from Link's body heat seeping into her own, she wasn't willing to say. If it was the former, likely she'd never admit it.
Link, of course, was beyond comfortable. He was nearly snoozing already as she watched his head rising and falling with her breathing patterns. How had she become so relaxed with the otherworldly swordsman to tolerate this compromising position?
Her own hands had been wrapped around his torso to help fend off the cold to her digits. She noted, despite being the perpetrator to instigate this bold notion, Link had remained respectful in not having tried to steal a cheap touch. But, she knew he was better. If anything, she would say he was stupidly innocent.
Even if he was completely incapable of speaking coherently to a woman with her figure. Something which constantly confused her.
In essence, she had always seen Link as a manchild, his bright outlook being too naïve for an adult of his standing. In that light, she had to admit going out of her way to protect that innocence. What was left of it, that was.
"Comfortable, are we?" She grunted, feeling him worm his way north of her body. Link nodded a bit.
"Very. Thanks, Taki. You're a great friend." She grunted to herself, but said nothing else. Instead, she fought the heat in her cheeks. Unknown to her, Link was doing the same, and not because he was getting too warm from the body heat.
She felt him wiggle a bit further north, and it made her jaw harden.
"You know..." He started. Alarms went off in her head, alerting her of incoming Link-related shenanigans.
"If you say what I think you're about to..." She warningly interrupted him hastily. Link, without her seeing it, gave a childish smirk.
"You make a great pillow! So warm and cozy, it's better than sleeping on a bed. Especially in your stomach."
Taki growled in warning, but despite her desperate attempts to thwart the inevitable...
"But, can you get those mountains off my neck? It's very distracting!" Link struggled to say through his subdued laughter.
SMACK!
"Ow!" The Hylian whined, moving his hand to rub the sore spot on his head. Taki was officially livid. As she usually was when Link teased.
"Why do you have to make things so awkward?!" She hissed, genuinely flustered. One would not be able to tell the difference between her skin and the suit at that moment.
Link thought for a second, not realizing the question was rhetorical.
"...It's my nature?" He innocently offered.
"Ughhhh..." The still red Fu-Ma ninja sighed.
However, she found herself suppressing her own laugh. Link was fun to be around, even if he was a pain in her backside, she still held him in high regard. Knowing peace was afoot for a time, she allowed herself to indulge in his humor. Having come to enjoy his company as long as she had, she thought, perhaps, she would leave with him to his world.
Who knows, she may find life in Hyrule more fulfilling as a demon huntress.
...Even if he made her a peeved ninja.
A/N: Woo! Hope you guys got a chuckle or two from this!
This pairing is severely underrated. In that light, this will be a 2 chaptered story, as I still have some ideas left to explore with this setup. 'Till next time, buh-bye!