When I opened my eyes again, the sun was still very much asleep; as well as everything else.

The surrounding area was much darker now, the fire reduced to a few smoldering pits within the wood and ashes around it.

Sighing, I rolled over, my head meeting someone's chest as I felt an arm weigh even heavier over me.

I nearly jumped out of my skin and panicked, before my mind quickly reminded me it was only Link.

Link.

'Shit.'

The numbness from my thoughts that sleep had provided to me quickly was erased by an onslaught of nervous and angry emotions.

Nervous, because we hadn't fallen asleep like this, and if he were to wake up right now I'd have no idea how he nor I would react.

Anger, because of the actions that lead up to this.

Though, I would be telling a lie if I said that I wasn't enjoying the outcome, at least for now.
I felt myself blush at that thought, because I really was happy like this. I was happy when we were squished into that saddle.

I was...

What was that feeling, anyways? When I...

I kissed him.

It finally hit me, what it was that I did. It wasn't as if he had to explain it to me; I knew what a kiss was. But it was almost like it didn't register until now; I kissed him.

Of course he reacted like that! He's a man!

Though, so am I. And he kissed me back.

I felt my face heat even more, and I buried my face in the fabric of his undershirt, nearly shivering from his scent.

Thinking on it, I don't know why the fact we're two men matters.
I really didn't. Where did that concept come from?

I realized that a lot of my understanding from the world comes from absolutely no where.

'Is it... from Link?'

I'd pondered the fact that I'd viewed what had become clear to me were his memories; and it seemed pretty reasonable that a lot of my logic must stem from him as well.

So, he's not okay with that?

Why?

I sighed, confused.

'Well, whatever. Even if he wouldn't have enjoyed this, I might as well.'

At that, I relaxed, trying to fall back asleep.

The sounds of his deep, relaxed breathing was lulling me to sleep, and I nearly did fall into sleep again, if it weren't for an attack on my shoulder by one of those stupid bugs.

It's light was blaring in the darkness against my eyelids, and was a rather heavy weight on my shoulder.

I shook slightly, trying to get it away.

It did lift up for a moment, then settled back down again, and must have been trying to crawl to my face.

'Damnable bug!'

I shook harder, and I heard Link make a soft noise.

But then, I nearly jumped from my skin for the second time tonight.

"Dark Link! Stop that! You'll wake him!" I heard, a harsh whisper in the night air.

I opened my eyes, glaring at the little blue faerie that stood on my shoulder.

Her face was a mixture of annoyance and worry as she flicked her gaze between he and I, waiting for a response.

"What do you want?" I asked, louder than I'd planned it.

She huffed, keeping an eye on Link.
"Shh!"

She then shook her head, the braid near her groin swishing from the harsh motion.

"Be quiet, and follow me," she whispered. "Carefully!"

She then flew off into the distance to a lonely little tree with droopy branches and leaves.

I sighed, frustrated. Can I not sleep?

Though, curiosity got the better of me and I gently laid Link's arm where I had been as I rose up and away from him, pulling the blanket up after he shivered from loosing my warmth.

His brows furrowed, and I thought I'd woken him, but he only sighed and slept deeply once again.

'A light sleeper?'

Wasn't unthinkable, considering his lifestyle. You'd have to be.

That saddened me, though I pulled on my undershirt to protect me from the cool night air and stalked over to the droopy tree.

I saw a soft blue light from the depths of the leaves, and parted them, stepping inside.
Underneath the leaves, it was like a small dome inside, the branches arcing in nearly the same directions in a big circle.

Awed, I looked around.

"It's called a weeping willow."

Navi's voice brought me back down to earth, and I immediately glared up to her.

"That's great."
She sighed.
"No, really." I muttered, loosing my sarcasm, though it picked right back up after that. "Is this why you woke me up?"

She shook her head, though fell silent. She had a troubled expression, as if she'd been thinking about something a little too much.

She sat down then onto the small branch she stood on, eye level with me. She nervously stoked her braid, her troubled expression remaining.

We stood there for quite a while, and I became increasingly frustrated.

The wind played with the leaves of the tree, sending a soft rattling-hissing sound in the otherwise dead silent air. I shivered.

"Are you just going to sit pretty or are you going to tell me why you drug me out to this tree in the cold?"

She huffed then, though her face was nervous and frustrated.

"No, I..." she looked to me. "I just don't know how to say this."

"Just say it."

"It isn't that easy, Dark Link!"

"Yeah, it is. Just say it. I have no problems. And stop calling me that- I told you, it's Dark."

"Alright Dark, mayhap it's easy for you to be a babbling brook, but not I, nor Link!"

I scoffed.

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

She wrung her hands, her wings fluttered.

"It means what I've already said; I don't know how to talk about this. Especially with a stranger.."

My brow furrowed in confusion.

"About what!"

"About what you two did!"

My eyes widened a bit.

"Oh, what, you gonna lecture me? I already feel bad enough, trust me, there's no need."

She seemed a bit surprised, then, and shut her mouth from a retort.

"Why?" she asked, softly.
I was in no mood for her bipolar sympathy.

"Well, if you know so much about emotions, you should tell me!"

Her face twisted then, but she continued on.

"Wha-... Do you truly not understand emotion?"

I glared at her, feeling embarrassed. Embarrassed that I couldn't grasp something so simple as emotion.

"No." I muttered, feeling my face heat. "Rather, I don't have a very good grasp on it. I only understand a few things."

She gave me a look of sympathy.

I was completely irritated by this point, and thoroughly embarrassed.

"Save your sympathy," I muttered, turning to leave. "I don't want it."

"Dark, wait, please.."

I turned, simply looking at her with what I meant as a glare, though I know it was a mixture of sadness and exhaustion.

"I.. I'm not mad or anything. I-I want to help."

"Help with what?" I asked, genuinely confused.

She blushed.

"Ah, well.. with, um.."

Again, curiosity pushed aside exhaustion, and I returned my attention to her.

"Well, with this budding emotion I sense from Link."

Again, I felt a little shocked.

"That you..?"

"Oh, ah," she chuckled, waving her hand. "It's a fey thing. Whomever we're connected to, we can sense their emotions. Well, mostly. Sometimes they make it difficult."

"Like right now." she grumbled under her breath, her face glaring in the direction of Link.

And then, she exploded with emotion.

"And he's doing it on purpose, too!" she exclaimed, standing up in a flutter of faerie dust. "He's blocking me out! He doesn't want me to know something!"

Her hand was on her hip, the other one pointing furiously.

"Ever since the temple!"

Her finger began to accuse me, then.

"Something about you is making him hide his emotions from me! And now that you two did that.." she trailed, crossing her arms.

"Though..." she sighed then, loosing vigor. "He's... unsure, I guess."

She looked at me then, a huge look of sympathy on her face.

I guess she was expecting some sort of reaction out of me other than the utterly confused look that I was giving her.

"What in the hell are you talking about?" I exclaimed, laughing breathlessly.

She stared at me for a few moments, before her face lit up in a huge blush.

"O-Oh, I-"

She glanced around, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"I-I thought that you-"
"That I what?" I asked, seriously confused.
Is she talking about my emotions, now?

"That you are...were..."

I looked, expectantly.

She closed her eyes, her wings fluttering nervously.

"Well," she exclamed, opening her eyes.

"That-That you were in love with him or something!" she sputtered, turning her back to me.

In love?

With..

Link?

I'll have to admit, I nearly laughed.

But something stopped me from laughing.

The heat that lit up my face, my entire body.

And that same feeling returning from when I kissed him, making my heart skip around like a captive bird.

She turned around then, expecting to find me furious, or laughing, probably.
I instead stood there like a scared deer, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

I finally exhaled, closing my eyes and placing a hand to my chest in an attempt to calm my self.

When I finally looked up, I saw Navi with her hands pressed to her face, eyes wide.

"So I was right!" she whispered, excitedly.

Love?

Is that what this is?

No.

"I.."

I mumbled.

"I don't know..what..."

I looked up to her, my face clouded in confusion.

Her expression dulled.

"I don't know what love is."

She gasped, shocked.

"What it means, or-" she stammered.

"Is that what this feeling is?"
I interrupted, dead serious.

If this is love, it is serious.
Even I know that.

I might not understand these happy emotions;

All I've known is sadness, loneliness.

But even I had a tiny glimmer of what love meant.
And the thought of me being capable of such a thing...

I felt a tear fall down my face for the second time tonight.

Navi sighed, her face mother-like.

She flew to me, a tiny hand wiping it away.

"You really are an emotional wreck, aren't you?"

"Shut up."

She laughed.

"This isn't something to cry about."
"Yes it is!"

"Why?"

"I didn't think I could..."

"Why not?"

I opened my eyes.

"I-I don't know, I just.."
"You're just as human as he is."

"You're just as alive as he is."

She sighed, placing one hand on her bicep.

"And I do apologize for treating you as a monster."
I shook my head.
"No, it's.. fine."
I said, smiling a little. My heart was still going nuts.

"So, I'm in love, then?" I asked.

She laughed.
"Well, it certainly seems like it. I can't tell you that, though."
I looked up to her, confused.

She placed two tiny hands on both of my cheeks.

"It seems like it. But you have to decide that for yourself. I can't tell you to be in love, the sages can't, the goddesses themselves can't. Link can't."
She smiled a little.
"Isn't that why you kissed him?"

I sighed.
"I actually don't really know why I did that. But I mean,"
I shrugged.
"Probably. I just.. couldn't stay away. I just felt like I had to. Just like I felt the need to reach out to him in the temple. Just like I felt like... well, I don't know what I felt, but I knew it wasn't to fight."

She sighed, letting one hand drop.

"I really do believe you. I really do believe you're in love with him. In such a short time, as well..." she giggled.

"Your soul is pure, new. That's why."

I chuckled.

"I'm older than him, though."

Her brows furrowed.

"I.." I struggled with my words. "I drifted in darkness for a long, long time. And now that I have a better grasp on it, I believe I'm older than him, though. So I'm not sure that it's because my soul is pure or whatever," I laughed. "But rather, I'm ignorant. I don't know how the world works. I don't know how people work," I sighed, glancing away to the dying fire.

I shook my head.
"But enough about me."
She looked surprised, but returned to listening.
"You said... you could sense his feelings?"

Now that I realized it was love, every part of me wanted it requited. It was silly; how quickly my thoughts could change. Am I really that ignorant? That naïve?

She sighed, frustrated once more.
"Yes, but he's blocking me out. He doesn't want me to know something. Or, know how he's feeling at least."

She looked to me with a smile.

"That's why I say this isn't all for naught."

I opened my mouth, but shut it, looking away.
"What?" she asked.

I groaned, trying to phrase this right.
"I.. think I get a lot of my logic and understanding of things from him- I actually think he.."
I shook my head.
That isn't important right now.

"Anyway, I was thinking about it a while ago, and I got the notion of something like, 'Well, of course he acted like that, we're men!' or something.." I shook my head.

Her expression darkened.

"But, I don't get it." I said, looking at her with a child's innocence. "Why does that matter?"

I don't think I've ever seen an expression like the one on her face then.
Sad, mostly. Anger, sympathy. Hope.

"Well, you see... Hylians... unlike us fey, two men..."
she mumbled, unsure.

"It's.. taboo."

I was shocked, really.
"Why?" I asked, dumbfounded.
"Your guess is as good as mine."
I shook my head.
"I though he was raised as a Kokiri? Why would the ways of Hylians matter to him?"

She laughed.
"Well, children don't exactly worry about stuff like that, do they?"
I scoffed, smirking.
"And he is a Hylian- he's slowly taken on their beliefs, their ways. It's probably just his way of accepting it."

She shook her head, then.

"But he... he himself questions it. I know he does. He acts as if he accepts all of their ways, but he questions everything. He doesn't blindly follow anything."

I smiled then, fondly.

I parted the leaves, looking over to him, his light hair gleaming slightly in the moonlight.

"Go. Think on this. I can't promise anything, but..."

"I've got a chance." I finished, walking away.

-end chapter-