Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Legend of Zelda or its characters. Only the original characters (Zafir included) and the storyline belong to me.

When Link woke up the next morning, he ached, but in the best of ways. A smile curved his lips lazily as he opened his eyes to look at Zafir's face right in front of his. The Sheikah was breathing softly, eyes closed, his face peaceful. Link glanced at the curtained window, noting the sunlight filtering through it and sighing.

"Look at what you've done to me." He mumbled fondly, kissing Zafir's forehead as he carefully untangled himself and stood. If he had been alone, like he usually was, he would have been up when the first cucco had crowed and already halfway up Death Mountain by now.

A knock sounded on the room door as he finished getting dressed, making him frown. He glanced at Zafir's motionless form, making sure the noise hadn't disturbed the Sheikah, before crossing the room and opening the door slightly.

"Impa?" Link's brows furrowed, "Zafir is still sleeping. I could wake him up for you."

The Sheikah woman shook her head, smiling slightly, "No, that is fine. I just came by to give him these." She held out a bundle of folded blue and white clothes and Link's eyes widened as he recognised them. "While the princess will not have need of these in this timeline, my nephew might find them useful. I noticed the garb he wore did not offer much by way of protection against the elements."

Link nodded, swallowing as he carefully took the clothes from her. "Thank you."

Impa inclined her head in acknowledgement and made to leave but hesitated. Red eyes met blue as she said sombrely, "I know you do not need more responsibility on your shoulders, Hero, but please, do watch over him."

Link smiled, "I would have done that even if you hadn't told me. He is very important to me."

Impa's lips twitched now and her eyes lit with knowing amusement, "Yes, I am aware. I wish you both success on your journey, and I will convey your position to the princess."

Impa was already walking away when Link asked, "Will you tell her about Zafir?" An almost fearful note entered his voice.

Impa met his gaze once more, "She would want to know of his existence so yes, I shall tell her. But do not worry, Link. I will not allow him to be forced into serving the royal family. I stand with you in that regard. It is what I owe my brother."

A sigh of relief escaped Link as he nodded. He closed the door and turned to find Zafir sitting up in bed, red eyes watching him sleepily.

"Who was that?" He asked, yawning.

"Impa. She brought you more adventure-appropriate clothing." Link said with a grin, holding out the blue exoskeleton, the white tabard with the red Sheikah mark on it and the bandages.

Zafir eyed the articles of clothing, "Sheik's clothing, I presume?"

"It was, in the time that had never come to pass. Now, it's yours." Link bent down to kiss the Sheikah warmly, smiling when Zafir returned the kiss and tried to deepen it. He whined when Link pulled away. "Get dressed. We have a mountain to climb."

Zafir managed to slip into the exoskeleton and the tabard easily enough. He pulled on his own knee-high black boots and then glanced at the bandages, flummoxed. "What am I supposed to do with those?"

Chuckling, Link picked up one roll and carefully covered Zafir's right forearm, before taking another roll and doing the same to his left one. When he was done, he stepped back, staring at Zafir with a small smile playing on his lips.

"What?" The Sheikah asked, unnerved.

"I never noticed when Sheik wore it, but that outfit leaves absolutely nothing to imagination." The hero said, grinning.

Zafir laughed, walking forward and wrapping his arms around Link's waist, nuzzling his cheek. "You don't need to imagine."

Link smiled happily, "True."

Zafir reluctantly pulled away, standing back, "Am I ready?"

"One more thing." Link said, moving to Zafir's bag, rooting through it. He made a small sound of triumph before pulling something out of the bag. When Zafir saw what it was, his brows raised. "My cowl?"

"Yes." Link said, as handed it to the Sheikah, his face serious, "If, for whatever reason, we need to enter the Fire Temple, you'll need that. The lava fumes can get a bit bad."

"What about you?" Zafir asked, frowning as he put on his cowl, adjusting it so it just fell around his neck for now.

"I'm wearing my Goron tunic. It will protect me." Link said, gesturing to his red tunic, "Don't worry."

Zafir frowned, but nodded, turning to help Link pack their things. They had decided to leave a majority of their stuff at Impa's home. They would carry only their weapons, Link's ocarina and his pack which was filled with odds and ends he'd collected on his journey as well as a few fairies and some potion.

Just before they left the room, Zafir pressed Link up against a wall, kissing him roughly as he fit himself against the hero. Link whimpered when he finally pulled away, blue eyes dazed as they looked up at him.

"Promise me you'll be careful."

Those eyes grew serious as the hero nodded, his grip on Zafir's waist tightening, "Remember our deal."

Zafir grimaced, but he nodded. They both stared at one another for another long moment before breaking apart and picking up their bags. Death Mountain awaited them.

Zafir looked around the cavern from where he stood on a small platform at the centre, held up by ropes. Link, who was pacing the top floor, looked at him expectantly.

"I don't see anyone, Link." He said, apologetically, knowing that this wasn't good news. Where had all the Gorons gone?

Link rubbed his hands against his temple, dislodging the adorable cap he always wore, "I don't understand. They should be here." He was mumbling repeatedly as Zafir stepped off the ropes onto solid ground once more.

The Sheikah wrapped an arm around the hero's shoulder, "Even if something came in here and attacked them or forced them to flee, I'm sure one of them will still be here. Like last time, when Darunia's son was left behind, remember?"

"Link." The hero recalled, nodding, "You're right." Determined, he looked up at Zafir, shaking off his melancholy and worry. "Let's split up. Can you make the jump to the ground floor from up here?"

Zafir smirked, "Easily."

Link's lips twitched as he fought a smile, "Great. You start from down there, I'll start from here. We'll meet in the middle. If anyone is left to be found, we'll find them."

Zafir leaped off the edge and landed lightly on the final floor, crouched so the impact of the fall didn't jar him. Straightening slowly, he looked around the floor, moving towards the closed door first. He remembered it from Link's story, the door that opened with a song from the ocarina. Deciding to leave that to Link, he checked next room thoroughly before heading up the stairs, feeling the walls for any hidden traps or doors that might lead them to the Gorons. By the time he had finished searching his half of the middle floor, Link was walking towards him, frowning. "Nothing?"

Zafir shook his head, "There is that one door which you said led to Darunia's room. It's closed and there doesn't seem to be a way in. Maybe you could play your ocarina?"

Link frowned, "That didn't work the second time I tried it. Link had to open the door for me."

"It's the only option we have." Zafir pointed out bluntly, "If it doesn't work, we'll go back out and climb up to the mouth of the volcano from the outside."

Link nodded, quickly making his way down to the ground floor. He stood above the symbol of the triforce and played Zelda's Lullaby. The sound of rock moving sounded, startling both of them for a moment, and then the door slowly rolled up.

A Lizalfo was waiting for them on the other side, and both men immediately reached for their weapons. Zafir's eyes narrowed at the creature, noting that it seemed to carry itself differently from the Lizalfos he had encountered before. This one stood straighter and was dressed neater, it's eyes looked intelligent as they alighted upon him and Link.

"Oh good. You've arrived then. Those Gorons mentioned that you would come. My master was beginning to doubt them." The creature said crisply, an impatient air about it.

Zafir and Link exchanged dumbfounded looks, their weapons still aimed warily at the Lizalfo. Noticing this, the Lizalfo rolled its eyes, "You can put those away now. I'm not going to attack you. I've merely been asked to act as a doorman of sorts."

"Your kind killed my family, so forgive me if I don't take you at your word." Zafir said stiffly, scowling at the creature.

It sighed, "I see how you might be mistaken, but please, do not equate me with those uncultured monsters that live in your land here. I met a few of them; conversation was simply impossible!"

Link frowned, "You aren't from Hyrule?"

The creature shook its head, "No! Of course not! I hail from Raza, the land belonging to the dragons."

"Dragons?!" Zafir repeated, eyes widening, "Is that what you're supposed to be?"

The creature stared at him uncomprehendingly for a moment before laughing, or what passed for laughing in its case, "Oh! That's funny! You people here have a good sense of humour! I almost believed you were being serious for a moment!"

Zafir and Link glanced at one another, befuddled, their weapons finally lowering. Whatever this creature was, it didn't seem to want to harm them.

Link cleared his throat, getting the creature's attention, "Where are all the Gorons?"

Still chortling, it straightened, meeting Link's gaze, "Your friends were asked to accept my master peacefully, but they refused. It was convenient that the place they call the 'Fire Temple' had built in prisons for all of them."

Zafir saw Link's jaw tighten in anger, "And who is your master?"

"Prince Firebrand. He is my lord and liege, a member of the royal family of Raza." The creature said proudly, puffing out its chest.

"So, this Firebrand is a dragon then." Zafir deduced, frowning.

The creature gave him a sharp look, "I would ask that you address my master with more respect! Prince Firebrand is the greatest dragon of fire Raza has seen in centuries!"

Zafir's brows shot up at the amount of valuable information this creature was throwing at them. A dragon of fire. That was their opponent. "Right. Okay, more respect it is. What's your name?"

The creature puffed out its chest once more, "I am Thalin, Prince Firebrand's right hand. I deal with all his matters. I simply insisted on coming along when our queen assigned him the task of conquering more land. I was appalled that his brothers' attenders did not follow them!"

Link's eyes widened, "His brothers?"

Thalin looked vaguely annoyed, "I digress. Now, I have been asked to escort you to the Fire Temple. The Gorons' stories of you have amused him and he wishes to fight you for his claim to this land." He looked from Zafir to Link, "The Gorons only mentioned one boy though."

Again, both men readied their weapons, but Thalin waved them away. "Oh, don't bother. I doubt another one of you would pose any kind of threat to Prince Firebrand. Come, you may both enter."

Thalin walked them to the entrance behind the stone statue in Darunia's room. "Farewell. I doubt I shall see either of you alive again. Have a pleasant trip through the temple!"

Zafir and Link glanced at him once more before entering the passage that led to the temple. Zafir walked close behind Link, his lips at the hero's ears, "That was strange, right?"

"Very. I've never met a talking Lizalfo before." Link murmured, snorting.

"What do you think he meant, about the brothers?" Zafir asked, keeping his voice low so it wouldn't carry back to Thalin.

Link shrugged, "I imagine we'll find out. First, we deal with Firebrand."

"Dragon of fire." Zafir mumbled, sighing, "Well, I did ask for an adventure."

Link turned back, laughing softly, "You did. And see, it's just the two of us, like you wanted."

Zafir closed the distance between them, pressing a quick kiss to Link's smiling lips. Link's smile grew wider as he raised a single brow, "What was that for?"

"For luck. Seems like we'll need it." Zafir said as they exited the tunnel into the mouth of the volcano. The Fire Temple's entrance was visible from where they stood, as was the huge platform with the symbol of the triforce on it. "It must have been convenient to be able to teleport there." Zafir mused, following Link as he made his way down to the platform. The wooden bridge, while shaky, was whole, though there were signs that indicated that wasn't always the case.

"It was." Link admitted, "Zelda took back the Ocarina of Time, though. Playing the 'Bolero of Fire' on my own ocarina doesn't allow me to teleport."

Zafir hummed thoughtfully, stopping beside Link, facing the temple entrance. They glanced at one another and exchanged encouraging smiles. Link drew his weapon, shifting his shield so he carried it in his other hand. "Ready?"

Zafir held his double-edged pole-sword diagonally so it didn't touch the ground, ready to attack with either end. He moved one hand to pull his cowl up to cover the lower half of his face. "Ready."

Link nodded, "Let's go then."

I know it's been ages. I'm sorry!

I've noticed a whole bunch of people are favouriting and following this story. I'm so glad you all like it so far! I'd love to hear from you, so please leave a review :)

~Living to Laugh and Love