Just another cute LinkxIlia one-shot. It takes place when they were much younger; Ilia is 6 and Link is 7.
"Come and get me!" Six-year old Ilia cried, running away and giggling. Link grinned and chased her down the dirt path. Ilia turned into the Ordon spring and quickly slammed the gate shut, locking Link out.
"Hey, no fair!" Link said, shaking the gate and trying to open it. Ilia giggled and replied, "You have to say the password."
"Hmm...Epona?"
"Nope."
"Goats?"
"Nu-uh."
"Ordon? Faron?"
"Not even close."
"I give up!" Link yelled, throwing his hands up in the air. "What is the password?" he asked. "It's cucco, silly! Don't you remember, from yesterday?" Ilia replied. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that!" Link said, laughing. Ilia grinned as she opened up the gate and let him inside. The two children plopped onto the warm sand and began chatting aimlessly about the previous day's adventures.
After a while, Ilia leaned back and sighed. "Whew, it's really hot out today!" she said, fanning her face with her hand.
"Yeah, it is…" Link said distractedly, looking out at the cool water. He stood up and waded into in, then turned to look at Ilia.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Ilia asked, eyeing him suspiciously. Link grinned and splashed Ilia, soaking her from head to toe. She shrieked and jumped up.
"You're gonna pay for that!" she screamed, laughing, as Link ran away. She ran after him, splashing him in return. Within seconds, a splash war of epic proportions had begun.
"I'll get you!"
"Hey! Come back here!"
"Don't run away from me, you scaredy-cat!"
"Who are you calling a scaredy-cat, you cucco?"
Epona, now only a foal, neighed happily as the shouts and laughs of the young children filled the air. She pranced around, looking as if she was trying to help, but couldn't decide whose side she was on.
Finally, after much debating over who won, two very tired and utterly drenched children lay on the sand.
"I think," Link said, panting heavily, "it was a tie."
"Me too." Ilia panted in response. The two giggled, then laid their heads back and stared through the leaves above their heads at the fluffy white clouds. They were silent for a few minutes as they caught their breath and enjoyed the serenity of the moment.
"Link, have you ever wondered about love?" Ilia asked suddenly, turning towards him and propping her head up with her hand.
"Not really…I never really thought about it, actually." Link responded, turning towards her in the same manner. "What do you suppose it means?" he wondered.
"I don't know. I think it has something to do with how you feel about people, or a particular person. It's definitely how you feel in a good way, I know that much." Ilia replied. Link nodded in response.
"Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason, I was just thinking about it the other day. It's very weird." She said, sitting up and pulling her knees in.
"Yes, it is." Link agreed, sitting up as well. The two gazed into the reflective surface of the spring, both appeared deep in thought.
"I think it's when you care about a person a lot. My mother…" Link trailed off, looking down. "My mother used to tell me that she loved me." He said quietly. Ilia nodded.
"Mine too." She whispered.
Another silence took place, and Ilia turned to look at Link. She didn't say anything, just studied his face. Link looked at her questioningly. She leaned forward and quickly kissed him on the cheek, then jumped up and ran off.
Link put a hand to the cheek Ilia had just kissed.
It suddenly occurred to him what love might be.
The end. A little cheesy, but hey, I like cheese. Review please. :)