AN – Hey everyone! This is my first LOZ story, so feel free to rip it apart in the reviews. I recently played Twilight Princess, and I got inspired to write this cute little one-shot between Link and Midna. It's amazing how, even though we never hear one of the characters speak, we see remarkable development of a relationship, whether you interpret it as romantic or not. Hope you enjoy!
Most of my day was spent hiding. Shadow beings never did too well in the light, and I was no different. Occasionally I would pop up from Link's shadow to give him a shove in the right direction, but I was never whole, only a fragment of my true being. When I had my bit I would disappear again, to travel along in his shadow before I was needed again.
Was he aware that I was completely manipulating him? A part of me felt he was. In times of solitude, when the guilt had a chance to seep in, I'd fight the jaws of regret that gnawed at the edges of my being with twisted thoughts of comfort that I wasn't the only one who'd done it before. I saw the way those people had him running around, doing their bidding. Didn't they know he wasn't invincible? Didn't they care?
What a tool…
Or maybe he didn't do it because they tricked him in to it. Maybe he did it out of the sheer goodness of his heart. It was something very foreign to me; the idea that someone would risk their life – everything they had – for the safety of others was mind-boggling; but with Link it was like second nature. You could see it in those eyes…feral, wild. And yet there was a calm sense of strength and selflessness that instantly made you trust him. A kind of selflessness I found so foolish. A kind of selflessness I found so admirable.
He was strong; the way he gripped his sword as he slashed away effortlessly at enemies was entrancing. I watched from his shadow as he ran along dark passages and skirted away from danger. Beasts mercilessly snapped at his flesh and when their fangs made contact he barely cried out as he fought back. When he reached sanctuary, he toppled against the stone wall, panting.
"Midna," he choked.
I dispersed from his shadow and appeared in front of him.
"What is it, Link?"
Dirt stained his face and his tunic was shredded across his chest. There were burn marks along the hem. I bit back the urge to hold him.
He shook his head wearily. "I can't do it. I've been through this room ten times, I'm just going in circles, I – "
"Listen, you want to find that mirror shard, don't you?" I said fiercely.
He nodded.
"Then we have to keep going, Link." He sighed and his head fell from exhaustion. I allowed myself to gently tip his face towards mine.
"We can do this, okay?" I said softly. "But we can't quit now."
After a moment he nodded, straightened, and said, "I'm ready."
I disappeared back in to his shadow and he took off again, a new spring in his step. I sat back, put my arms behind my head and closed my eyes. I hadn't possessed many shadows in my day, but I decided that if I had my pick, I'd take Link's shadow any day.
He wasn't half bad, for a little human. Not half bad at all.