Author's Notes:

This is another one-shot I had agreed to write as a part of my special gift for my birthday.

This time it's a romance between Malon and Link, my favorite Legend of Zelda couple. I thought of this one-shot after listening to the song "Slow Jam", by Usher and Monica.

This one-shot is dedicated to Traiden!

Enjoy!

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Two Become One

Why am I here?

The question repeated over and over again in the redhead's mind. She stood alone outside on the balcony of the vast castle. She continued to keep her gaze at the view overlooking Hyrule Market and portion of Kakariko Village, refusing to turn and watch the commotion around her.

She felt uncomfortable in the gown she wore, not use to elegant clothing. A long light blue dress fell down to her feet, covering the white heels she wished to get rid of. Her red hair was pulled into a bun, with loose strands down in front. From the time of her arrival up until now, she was given mixed stares of bewilderment and amazement. Many people were use to her farm look, the usual purple shirt and white dress with the occasional hay sticking out of her hair. They didn't believe she could dress to impress.

Even now, she still wondered why she agreed to it.

She received the invitation, and couldn't turn it down. She had been invited to a formal ball, the King and Princess of Hyrule were holding. Of course Link was going to be there, which was probably the only reason why she agreed to come. She lost count of her hours at the ball, and had so far seen no sign of Link. She felt hopeless that maybe he wouldn't get to see her, and compliment on her looks.

She was trying to match up to Princess Zelda, even though she already knew there was no point. Zelda was the star of the ball, and wore an outfit that blew the entire guests away. It was obvious Zelda was getting attention, but she only cared about one particular person.

The Hero of Time.

Malon brushed away the strand of hair the fell in front of her face. The wind caressed her cheek, causing her to shiver from the slight cold. The night sky hung above her head, filled with millions of flickering stars. It was surely a beautiful night, and Malon enjoyed being outside than in the ballroom filled with dancing people.

She turned and rested her back against the railing. She spotted Zelda within the crowd, mingling with her guests. She wore a long pink and white dress with the straps hanging around her shoulders. The top of her blonde hair was pulled back into a bun, while the bottom fell to her mid-back. She wore Triforce earrings and rings, and jewelry that cast a bright shine when reflected in the light.

It was her ball, so Malon knew she had to have the appearance of a princess, but Malon felt the tiny bit of jealously within her. She tried hard to hide her emotions, but knew they were probably easily noticeable.

Why again did she get invited? Malon was unsure. At the moment, she surely felt like she didn't belong.

I should just head home.

Malon turned back around and returned to her gaze overlooking Hyrule. Just as she forced herself away from the ball, she felt an uneasy presence behind her. She refused to look back, and acted as if she was unaware of the figure behind her. Steady footsteps were heard approaching, causing Malon's heart to pick up pace.

She knew who it was. Only one person would come to check on her.

" What are you up to?"

Malon felt herself smile after recognizing the voice. Still, she continued to keep her gaze forward. " Spending some time alone."

" Why?"

" Because…it's so peaceful out here."

The footsteps were heard getting louder. Once they stopped, Malon was able to catch a glimpse of blonde hair from the corner of her eye.

" You're going to catch a cold, you know."

" Why are you here?"

" To check up on you." He replied.

Malon smirked. " Like always, fairy boy?"

Link chuckled. " Like always." He repeated. " You should be enjoying yourself." Link stepped forward, resting his elbows against the railing.

Malon turned and faced him. He was dressed in his usual attire, except this time his tunic was blue. His blonde hair was sticking out in the front of his hat, hanging down in front of his face. He held a strong warm smile as his blue eyes averted down to Malon.

" I am enjoying myself." Malon answered.

Link frowned. " Then why are you standing out here by yourself?"

" I just…" Malon sighed, playing with her hands. " I don't know…"

" You need to be enjoying yourself, Mal." Link explained as he stood up straight, facing her. " If you don't enjoy yourself, then I'll feel bad."

Malon frowned. She never intended to get Link upset. She wanted to enjoy herself, but felt left out. She was an ordinary farm girl at a royal ball, she was considered the one who stood out of the crowd.

Link was silent for a moment, as he continued to watch her. Malon searched for the right words to say, but found herself remaining quiet. The commotion in the ballroom began to calm down, and pretty soon the only thing heard was the music.

A smile formed in Link's lips. Malon noticed this. Her eyes widened as Link held his hand out toward her. Malon briefly looked down at his hand, before she returned to his gaze.

" Malon, would you like to dance?"

Malon found herself speechless. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words escaped. Surprisingly she found herself unable to think of an answer. Half of her cried out yes to his question while the other half declined the dance. Eventually Malon was able to answer, as she took his hand with a smile.

" I'd love to." She whispered.

Anxiously, she followed Link back to the ballroom. She refused to make eye contact with the many stares that appeared, once entering the room. Her heart pounded rapidly against her chest, as her mind told her to back out and leave. Why was she so nervous? She couldn't comprehend it. Ever since she was first invited to the dance, she dreamt of dancing with Link. Her dream was coming true, but with the unsteady stares of the audience, it made her want to hide.

They weren't the only ones dancing on the floor, but she still felt uneasy. Link seemed to have no problem being the center of attention. It was like he blocked out everyone surrounding him, and paid attention to her. She tried to do the same.

She placed one hand on his shoulder, while the other held onto his. She took a deep breath, as they began to slowly dance around the center of the room. Malon kept her gaze on Link, looking up at him. Her heart never seemed to return to a normal beat, and her grip on his hand tightened.

Link frowned. He noticed. " Mal, why are you so nervous?" He spoke softly.

" I-I don't know. Everyone is staring…" Malon replied.

Link smiled and chuckled. " Just block them away from your mind. Imagine yourself somewhere else."

Malon listened to the Hylian's words. She imagined them both dancing somewhere peaceful and beautiful. Lake Hylia. They were standing near the water's edge, dancing underneath the clear crystal midnight sky, and bright full moon. The water was still as glass, and cool light breeze brushes up against them. It was perfect.

She imagined this, and the audience vanished. Her anxiousness subsided, and she felt calm. Her grip loosened and her heart returned to normal. They continued to dance, like they had years of practice. Eyes continued to watch them in amazement and in the midst of the crowd were a pair of fragile blue eyes.

The dance had ended, and clapping developed in the room. Malon and Link both pulled away from each other, both astonished by the cheers they received. Malon laughed as she finally retreated from the center of the room and returned to her post on the balcony.

Link followed close behind.

" It worked…" Malon exclaimed.

Link crossed his arms, smirking. " You'd think I make something up?"

Malon chuckled and shook her head. " No…I believed you…" She stepped closer to Link and wrapped her arms around him, embracing him in a hug. " Thank you…"

Link returned the embrace, and warmly smiled kissing the top of her head. " Thank you for coming."

Malon smiled as she continued to keep her head against his tunic, enjoying the feeling of being within his arms. She loves his company, his scent, his charm, and his love. She loved everything about him, and everything about that night.

It was chemistry brought together without words, a connection made between two people.

And the two continued to embrace, with the calm music playing softly in the background.

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Author's Notes:

This one-shot took me a while to write, a couple of days, because it was during the middle of the week when I was having the most difficult time. I am content to finally get it done, and out of the way and I really hope you all enjoy it. I'm okay with the final outcome.

Once again, this is dedicated to Traiden, who is a fan of Malon/Link pairings like me. He's a great friend! Thank you! This is my gift to you!

Hope you all enjoyed it!

Until Next Time!