Summary:

Link has began his quest for Hyrule and he's losing steam fast. Everything already sucks and he's taken on some of his first injuries. He doesn't know if he can trust Sheik, and he's feeling pretty unmotivated. What's a Sheikah warrior to do? Maybe light a fire under his ass and show some tough love? Or maybe be a sounding board for the poor guy?

Disclaimer:

This story is mine, the head canon of Sheik being male is prevalent in this story. I think we can all be mature enough to accept that. Characters, places, dialogue used in the series does not belong to me but is © of Nintendo and it's rightful creators.

Warnings:

I have heavily edited this story, and with that there are some additional scenes and scene's I've chosen to remove. This story is going on almost 3 years old and it's an evolution. I can't stand not constantly going over it and finding errors as I re-read my stories often. And as I write other stories in this universe, I have to make updates to fit things together. This story does include violence, adult language and male x male sexual themes.

Previously:

Link finds an incapacitated Sheik outside the Fire Temple, they decide to take a break in Darunia's throne room and cool off. However i't snot really the case when Link starts to confess how he feels about his role as a the Hero of Time.

Chapter 4

The Morning After

It was pretty early when Link woke up, finding himself as he figured he would be.

"Alone." He sighed, not letting it bother him too much. It wasn't surprising, so even before he faded off to sleep he expected the other to be gone by the time he opened his eyes again. He pulled on his white underclothes and tunic, collecting his equipment and setting Navi free. He ignored her slew of complaints towards him locking her away for hours.

Not like she ever cared about the healing fairies he would bottle up.

On his way out Link was stopped by Link, the Goron, who first went on about his adoration for the hero of his village before presenting Link with a letter.

It was from Sheik, of all people.

"Link,
I am sorry for things last night, and for slipping out without your knowledge. I do hope you rested well and forgive me. Please keep your quest in mind and continue. You will need to stock up on arrows and empty bottles for the ice caverns outside Zora's Domain.
I will see you soon..."

Link didn't read it aloud in case it said something that would probably tarnish his already unknown reputation. He didn't want to out the other, even if nothing had happened that night. His mind replayed the rejection over and over in his mind.

He sighed and figured he would go to Kakariko for the moment and get some hot soup before heading anywhere that said 'ice' in the name.

Link needed more than just a bowl of soup that he in the end had to pay for. He needed a beast or moblin lined coat. Something better than two layers of flimsy cotton fiber tunic and under clothes. Link trudged through each room, frozen a handful of times, clipped by frozen blades, frozen more by stupid keese, and finally defeated the wolf at the end. At least moving frozen blocks were easier on ice.

He watched as Sheik appeared after he found the boots. Something, however was a bit off about the ninja. Sheik had no reaction to Link and everything they had done the night before. Partially listening Link sighed figuring this was more about the quest than anything else again.

Sheik once again disappeared out of sight and Link grumbled about the lousy idea that came with iron boots as he slipped them on and took a deep breath. Reluctantly he jumped down into the water cringing with every fiber of his body as he sank to the bottom. This was a hundred times worse than the river. Navi pointed out that he was going to die under there if he didn't take them off soon. He lost the deep breath and quickly as he could ran and unlaced the boots to float back up.

He was quickly out of the water and trying to roll around, run frantically trying to get feeling back in his extremities, as he could hardly breathe outside the water from the shock his lungs experienced. He was definitely going to get sick from such a swim.

Finding his way out, he prayed to the goddesses that the Water Temple would be at least lukewarm water.

Link was able to free the king and nearly fell asleep hearing about what had happened, but the oversized fish man didn't have much to say this time like he had when Link was 10. After stopping and shopping at the price gouging Zora store he headed to Lake Hylia. He was glad that as soon as he was out of the domain he warmed up quickly, the sun had been close enough to the kingdom that in a matter of taking off his clothes and drying off he was back to feeling his fingers and other small, somewhat important extremities.

He was traumatized by the look of the once full lake, as well a bit discontented that he had to ride the entire way thanks to the still frozen over shortcut. Link found a semi-hidden area and changed into the new blue tunic, liking the feel and the odd sensation it gave him.

Once he slipped into the much warmer water, he pulled out his boots and switched them, putting the other pair into his pack. He was glad that it wasn't a lie that he could in fact breathe under water with the new tunic. Though in hindsight he knew he should have checked first as it was hard to switch boots underwater.

His mind traveled to Sheik as he slipped into the temple, content with its warmer, albeit musty atmosphere. He wondered why sometimes Sheik was a bit more talkative than other times. When meeting him between temples he was more social, but otherwise, formal and more to the point. He had to stop at one point and bang his head against the wall. Sheik's rejection playing over in his head started to depress him again.

These thoughts didn't last long when his eyes and ears laid upon the ever naked Ruto. Now Sheik was the last thing on his mind. Even though he wasn't sure if he could even do anything with her, she definitely looked good after seven long years.

He still didn't know what she meant by them getting married. Much to his disdain, she was gone as quickly as she came. He cursed through each level of the temple at his luck with people. Sheik had been the easiest to talk to, Malon was too vivacious for his somewhat shy demeanor, and two princess were now awol.

Link thought back as he made his way through the water temple, he had plenty of time to think as he constantly swam. Between back tracking and more swimming up and down, traipsing and hating this temple more than the last. He thought back to how Sheik rescued Ruto earlier, he wasn't sure if that was a way of telling Link. 'Let's be friends.' by releasing his to be wife.

Link groaned and wondered how awkward that felt for Sheik. Link knew it was because Ruto had to have been the sage, knowing the fat king would probably be second choice by the goddesses. So it was a necessary evil that Sheik had to endure releasing Ruto.

One giant tentacle fight later, and we don't mean the one with Link fighting his self. Link gently landed on the warp pad on top of the lake. Slowly he jogged over to Sheik, feeling more mentally tired than physically he laughed lightly. "Women..."

Sheik's head turned, eyes smiling lightly. "Did Ruto want to thank me?"

"Yeah... along with a hundred reasons why I shouldn't be with anyone else because we are married."

"I see... We have to return peace to Hyrule for her sake, too. Don't we?" Sheik gave Link a slight downward glance. "Look at that, Link... Together, you and Princess Ruto destroyed the evil monster. Once again, the lake is filled with pure water. All is as it was here."

Link nodded knowing it was more him that got rid of it but he wasn't going to be selfish. Link had taken a step forward, and heard a sound rustle behind him. When he turned, of course, Sheik was gone.

Grumbling lightly he headed out, not even hearing the body dive into the water behind him.

Link knew he had to get a start on the next to last temple, but decided to prep after he got a good night sleep in the Inn in Kakariko. Since it was going to be the step into the graveyard, he wanted to post pone that as much as possible. He had collected quite a bit of money in the last temple, which meant a nice room and a good bowl of soup was in his future.

Epona gave him a look when he came back and refused to move till he fed her, and when his stomach growled he decided they both needed a good meal.

It was nearly nightfall when he got to the stone steps that lead up to Kakariko, something fell on his face, and at first he thought snow. He could smell smoke and knew what it really was. "Ash.." He looked up to see smoke coming from the town and raced up the stairs.

It was like a scene from a nightmare. Link could only imagine that this was how the Castle town fell. Everything was burning and he had to help. Feeling charged with adrenaline he ran forward. He caught a glimpse of blue as he charged through clouds of smoke.

"Sheik!"

Sheik was broken from the mental trance as he tried to keep the spirit at bay inside the well. "Link!" He yelled. "Get back!"

Everything went quiet for a moment, the wooden archway that once held a bucket shot up from the ground. For only three seconds everything seemed still again. Without warning Sheik was picked up, flung around like a rag doll and thrown a hundred feet away behind Link who just stared in shock for several seconds before racing over. "Sheik!" he yelled and watched as almost a swarm of dark magic raced around the village and towards them.

Link got down in front of Sheik and held his shield up to hopefully deflect it from the monster again. However, like the Sheikah before him he was picked up like a feather and swung about and slammed to the ground. All the wind was knocked from his chest, and suddenly he couldn't breathe. His vision was patched in black and white as his eyes rolled back, succumbing to unconsciousness.

He felt hands all over him picking him up and laying him down slowly onto a smooth cushioned bed. Link slowly opened his eyes and everything was double. He groaned and smiled at the wrapped up face that came into view.. "Great... there are two Sheiks... just what I need.." he said and passed out again.

It was morning when Link woke up, his torso bandaged and his head was throbbing from the spill earlier. "Wha.."

"Looks like you're coming around.." Came a soft voice. Sitting next to him on a stool was Sheik with content eyes. "Link... A terrible thing has happened. The evil shadow spirit has been released. Impa had sealed it in the bottom of the well..."

Link knew that if this was enough to put him in bandages that he was not really ready for it, especially since he couldn't see it at all.

"But the force of the evil spirit got so strong, the seal of the well broke, and it escaped into the world." Sheik looked down, continuing the grave news.

Link listened and felt the motivation to get this done now, because the longer he was going to wait the worse it could be. Link listened and learned the song that was going to bring him back when he needed, plus get him in the door since it was inaccessible any other way.

"Let me take care of the village, I'm counting on you, Link.." Sheik said standing from the seat and headed outside to help the residents more.

Link was pushed back down to rest by the inn lady when he tried to get up. She gave him another bowl of soup on the house and started to tend to another young blonde man with a broken arm a couple beds away.

When he was allowed to leave Link did a quick survey of the graveyard and his pouch, making sure he had what he needed. He was forced to make several trips out, having been completely taken by surprise of it's complexity. Thankfully he had Kakariko close by so it wasn't going to be too much of an issue to get them quickly, just more tedious, and expensive.

This temple was what underworld must have been like. The return of the wallmasters, torturous chambers with spikes that fell down like rain and the onslaught of redeads. He knew that Impa had been the sage, which made him wonder about the race of Sheikah. Had they built this accursed place? It was the most frightening. With the constant back and forth loss of magic, and the few blind jumps he had to make. He nearly got lost so many times, having to use the Eye of Truth very sparingly. He wondered if he could use it on Sheik, to see what he really looked like. Then worried what he'd really see. The boat ride was enough to make him sick, however the Stalfos fight was enough to distract him from motion sickness. The worst was at the end, which was the real reason he had to make so many trips out. He refused to take a nap inside the temple, more content with leaving to sleep in the rain.

He was happy when, and only when he stumbled off the platform and over the railing of the entrance into the shadow temple. Impa's words ringing in his head, she'd seemed proud of him, which meant a lot from someone he admired. He hit the ground hard and had to just lay there for a bit. This was too much. That boss was the harshest, even dangling off the side of an island surrounded in magma or getting whipped around by water was better than being smashed, squeezed, bounced and punched by a pair of hands more than three times his size. He experienced near death twice and thankfully the fairies he had brought with him were enough. Groaning lightly he got up, knees and ankles sore from bouncing up and down. He was sure this time he had more than one cracked rib but thankfully nothing broken. If Ganondorf was anything like or beyond that thing then he had really no chance at all succeeding in his journey.

Next time:

Link began to laugh and shake his head. "I need to get rid of that cow..." He said as he choked out some coughs.

Sheik chuckled lightly behind the muffler and sighed. "The fates spoke... I guess we should call it a night... you seem to be doing just fine..." He said as he stood up.

(Thanks for reading! Let me know how I did!)