"M-Master, please, stop!" Ghirahim screamed, twisting beneath the fury of Demise's whip, blood streaked over his nearly naked form, pooling on the stones beneath his suspended feet. "I'm s-sorry I failed you, I'll do better next time!"
"You're lucky if there even is a next time!" Demise bellowed, slashing the cat-o-nine tails down across his shoulders and back. "You're such a disappointment."
"Hey! Leave him alone."
Ghirahim sniffed, looking over his shoulder at the figure standing in the doorway of the darkened chamber. He couldn't make out much of the man's profile, but he could see a pair of familiar, sapphire blue eyes blazing with passion.
"Ghirahim has done nothing but serve you faithfully for centuries, and this is how you repay him?" the man accused, stepping out of the shadows.
"Link?" Ghirahim could feel the blood leaving his body, a child running down his spine as his body temperature plummeted.
The hero cast him a smile and then stepped forward, pointing a finger at Demise. "You're finished messing with him. I won't let it happen anymore. Get out of here."
Demise dissolved into black dust almost immediately, with no farewell or attempts at resistance, and then the chains around Ghirahim's wrists melted into cool, soothing water. Link caught him as he fell, smiling down at the young demon in his arms.
"L-Link… you look… different. You're… m-much older…"
Link chuckled. "This is a dream, Ghirahim. It's something you want to have someday, and someday means I'm going to be older."
Ghirahim nodded slowly, seeing the logic in those words. Then he frowned. "Wait, this is a dream? I'm dreaming?"
Link nodded, a sort of sadness in his eyes. "Yes. And it's time to wake up now."
"But…but…"
"Go on, wake up."
"Ghirahim, wake up!"
Ghirahim's eyes snapped open, and he shook his head vigorously, trying to shake the older hero's voice from his mind. "I'm awake."
"Come on." Link grinned, gesturing for the other to follow him out of the room. "I have the whole day planned for us, it's gonna be fabulous."
Ghirahim glared at him, throwing the sheets off and getting out of bed with a mild grunt of dissatisfaction. "Fabulous is my word." He winced as his backside came in contact with the mattress but quickly shook it off and got to his feet, stretching his arms over his head. "Alright. What have you made for breakfast?"
"Just bacon and eggs, but we have to eat fast. Come on!"
Ghirahim yelped as his hand was seized by the hero's and he was dragged to the kitchen.
What is he going to do now?
Ghirahim grabbed another tissue and blew his nose, watching as Link shuffled the deck of cards in his hands and going over the recent lecture in his mind.
"Do you think you understand now?"
Ghirahim nodded. "I think so. Let's try it."
Link dealt the cards, giving Ghirahim eleven and himself ten, and then pointing to the demon. "Now you discard one."
Ghirahim did so, and Link picked up and discarded, and Ghirahim copied him, and Link repeated, and on it went in utter silence until Ghirahim threw his hand down and shouted.
"Gin!"
Link blinked in surprised, leaning over and looking at his deck. He checked the cards, shaking his head slowly. "I can't believe it… you won already."
"Let's play again." Ghirahim gathered the cards, shuffling them in the same manner as the hero across from him.
"You're on."
The game recommenced, and in a matter of minutes, Ghirahim let loose another victory cry. Link demanded a rematch, but it was less than sixty seconds before Ghirahim called gin again. Over and over, Ghirahim won the game, though some hands ran longer than others.
"I think you need to teach me a new game, Link." He said, laying down his hand for the twelfth time. "I have obviously mastered this one."
Link frowned, albeit good-naturedly. "Fine. How about… 500 Rummy?"
Ghirahim nodded eagerly. "That sounds fabulous."
Unfortunately, that set of games turned out much like the first, as did Blackjack, Trump, and even Go Fish until finally Link threw his cards in the air.
"I give up!"
Ghirahim laughed, stroking the deck lovingly. "It seems the cards like me more than you, Link."
Link chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I'm gonna make some tea, do you want any?"
Ghirahim nodded. "Sure."
He watched as Link moved about the kitchen, smiling to himself as he thought about the wonderful day he had spent with Link. They had gone swimming, watched a little play the Kikwis put on for them, played board games, climbed the massive tree in the center of Faron, and now they were going to sit down to tea and maybe read a book. Many times throughout the day, the demon lord thought back to his dream and contemplated how nice it would have been to have Link for a master instead of… wait. That wasn't right.
What am I doing? Demise is my master, and he always will be! I was forced here against my will, and I only stayed because I was sick and my magic was gone. I am Demon Lord Ghirahim, and I have to revive my master, Demise, not traipse around with some bratty skychild!
Ghirahim slowly got up and began moving towards the bedroom as silently as possible, the familiar thrill of battle sending his adrenaline through the roof.
"Where are you going?"
Ghirahim turned towards the kitchen, giving Link a wide smile. "Just using the bathroom."
"Oh, okay." Link turned back to his tea and stirred in some honey, humming contently to himself. "Do you want cream in your tea?"
"No, no, just honey is fine," the demon replied, waving it off.
He continued walking, certain that all suspicion was gone, and eventually made his way into the bedroom. Once inside, he locked the door and leaned back against it, holding his fingers out in front of himself. Bringing them together in a quick snap, he felt the cotton on his body dissolve into his usual skin-tight garments. He reached up and found his hair returned to its former style. His earring and make-up was back as well.
With another snap, his fingers curled around the hilt of a pitch black rapier, a smirk twisting his lips upward. Whistling, he sauntered out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen where Link was standing with his back to the demon lord.
"Link, I have some terrible news."
"And what's that?" Link didn't sound too interested, and he didn't look over his shoulder.
"I'm afraid I can no longer stay with you."
"And why not?" Again, Link remained focused on what he was doing.
"Your screams are too delicious."
Ghirahim jumped up and lunged at Link, driving his blade down, only to hear the sound of steel against steel, the True Master's Sword clashing with his own saber. Shock registered and he backed away, eyes wide.
"I'm not quite that stupid, Ghirahim."
Shock melted into a twisted but delighted grin, and the demon raised his blade high and swung it down as Link jumped back onto the countertop. Ghirahim struggled to block the attacks from above, and he quickly teleported to Link's level. The two battled as equals, Ghirahim slashing low towards the boy's chest and stomach while Link continued to drive continually towards his throat.
Ghirahim stepped back and ducked under a thrust, swinging his arm forwards and knocking Link to the ground in one fell swoop. Gripping his sword in both hands, he jumped from the counter and aimed his sword for Link's heart.
"AH-CHOO!"
Ghirahim stopped, crinkling his brow at the noise from Link's mouth.
Link sneezed twice more, wiping his face on his sleeve as a congested tone began to sink into his voice. "I… I guess the long day we had knocked out my immune system…"
Ghirahim watched him, confused as to what he was supposed to do. Did he leave the boy? Kill him in his weakness? Interrogate him? Then again, maybe he didn't want to. Maybe he liked the Link. Maybe he was a good friend, a good boy in general. Maybe he was just trying to save his girlfriend and didn't really care about Demise, and maybe Ghirahim just didn't want to kill him today.
Ghirahim's sword dissolved into diamonds, a devilish grin parting his lips. "I suppose I can't kill you just yet, can I?"
Link just sniffed, his eyes growing very tired, very quickly. "I… would appreciate it if you wouldn't…" He sneezed again.
"Bless you." Ghirahim clapped his hands together. "Well! There is a simple solution to this problem. Off to bed with you, Skychild!" Ghirahim reclaimed his pet name for the boy, lifting him from the ground and starting back the hall.
"Ghirahim, do you even know how to care for a sick person?" Link asked wearily, his head falling against the demon's chest.
"I'll figure it out, I'm sure." He grinned, a giddy little spring to his step.
Link groaned, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose.
"Now, whatever did you do with that collar?"
