More hurt/comfort than romance, but hey, Ilia's hard to write.

By the way, there will be a song listed at the bottom of each chapter, that is the song that inspired the chapter.

I'm not sure whether I remembered to say it in the first chapter, so I'll say it now and that will have to do for all chapters. I do not own Legend of Zelda!

Link and Ilia

Starlight

Ilia tiptoed past her father's room and down the stairs. The front door shut quietly behind her and she padded, catlike, through the sleeping town of Ordon. She went past the shop, through the gate and stopped dead at the sight before her.

Link was standing in front of his house, wearing that green tunic and adjusting the saddle on Epona. Her foot brushed a twig and it cracked loudly in the still night.

In a motion too fast for her to follow, Link pulled out his sword and crossed the clearing in one fluid move, placing the sword at her neck. When he saw who it was, his eyes widened and he stepped back hurriedly, sheathing the blade.

"Ilia," his voice carried a taint of resignation, "What are you doing up?"

"I felt I needed to come down here," the girl replied, crossing her arms, "And I guess it was right. What are you doing?"

"Leaving," Link replied simply, turning back to Epona and finishing the adjustments.

"Without saying goodbye?" she snapped.

Link only grunted, and that made Ilia mad. He had been off on some journey that he refused to talk about, and now he was leaving again. "Without saying goodbye?" she repeated.

"Yes," he answered, picking up a shield lying on the ground.

"Why?" she demanded. When he made no reply, she crossed the clearing and put her hands on his shoulders. He turned his head, but she placed a hand on his cheek and forced him to look at her. "Why are you leaving?" she asked, "Why don't you talk to me anymore, Link? What happened to you?"

Link broke out of her grip effortlessly and slung the shield on his back. "It's better this way," he mumbled.

"Why?" Ilia demanded, "Are we just not good enough for you anymore?"

Link spun around and clamped his hands on her shoulders. "Never think that, Ilia" he insisted, "Never think that you are not good enough."

In the starlight, his eyes seemed to shine out of black pits. If you just saw his eyes, you might mistake him for a beast. Link seemed to realize what he was doing and released her, taking a step back to put distance between them. Ilia rolled her shoulders, Link's grip was tight.

He noticed the motion and emitted a bark-like sound. It took her an instant to realize it was a laugh. "Look at me, Ilia, I'm a monster," he said. When she started to protest, he held up a hand to stop her and met her eyes squarely for the first time that night. "I hurt you, don't deny it. I have killed more than I can count."

"They were monsters, Link," she protested, "Dumb beasts."

He made the bark-like sound again. "They aren't dumb, Ilia, they just follow the strongest. I have heard them speak." He sat down on the ground. "There was this one place I had to get into, in the desert, but there was a bokoblin camp in my way. Do you know what I did, Ilia?"

The girl shook her head.

"I hunted them down and tore them apart. I didn't even attempt to be stealthy; I searched them out and murdered them. I even have a form to match what I am." Before she could question him, he had reached into a pouch and pulled out a black and orange crystal. She just had time to glimpse it before his form rippled.

When it cleared, a massive wolf sat there. He bared his teeth at her and growled, crouching to the ground. She got down on her knees and placed a hand on his head.

"I don't know what you see," she told him, "but I see a proud, dignified creature who wouldn't hurt me. And if he did, he would never forgive himself. That is the difference between you and a monster, Link. A monster wouldn't care if he hurt someone, you were about to leave so you didn't put any of us in danger. Yes, you've killed, but you mourn each and every death. That is what makes you a hero."

The wolf looked at her, before rippling back into Link. He threw his arms around her neck and didn't say anything for the longest time, just holding onto her as if he was afraid she would disappear. Ilia put her arms around him and rocked gently back and forth, letting him know she wasn't going anywhere. Finally, he pulled back.

"Thank you Ilia," he whispered.

"I'll always be here for you," she told him, "no matter what."

She rose and turned to go back to her house, but he latched onto her wrist. "Stay with me," he pleaded, "to make sure I don't go anywhere."

Ilia nodded, waited patiently while he unsaddled Epona, and followed him into his house. She climbed under the blankets with him and fell asleep to the sound of his breathing.

Ilia's Song: "Look after you" by The Fray