Chapter no. : 9
Chapter title: Homoeroticism at it's Best
Story rating: T (for now)
BETAed: Very Excellent Now-Knowing Seal (of approval) from Venks
Disclaimer: Me no own Zelda. I mean, come on - how stupid are you? If I did own Zelda , it would contain much swearing, blood, sex and rock'n'roll. And Yaoi. Don't forget the luffly yaoi. But since I don't own it, I have to settle for entertaining you guys with my stories and OCs - which is fine by me.
Warnings: Not any at the moment. Apart from that this is a yaoi story and contains spoilers from TP.
Thanks for the reviews...
Devlish Child
Soriku-video-gamer
Lil' Miss Spookiness
saeble
Akatsuki Seal
Mahoakitti
Celestial
JtheChosen1
Notes: -Le gasp!- Can it be?! An... early update? Me? Updating early? Watch out people; pigs may fly over head and four horsemen may gallop past for it must be the end of the world... if you're over-dramatic like me, that is. Well, I did promise I'd update early if I got many reviews, and I'm one to hold onto my promises if possible. Celestial pointed out that holding work back for reviews is frustrating and asked why I don't post everything I've written if I've got up to chapter 20. First, I understand that it is unfair to demand reviews; it's very selfish of me. But to be honest, reviews really kick me up to arse to write. It usually falls to my Phoenix, who betas my other stories, but since she doesn't know Link from Zelda, I can't crawl to her to help me. And the reason why I don't post everything is because that's not how I work. I like to keep people on edge so that they do read on and keep with it. I'll make sure to be quick about updates from now on, kay?
I didn't put a quote for last update? -gasp-
Totally irrelevant quote of the update:
Just remember... if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall off.

"Shit…"

"'Shit'? Is that the first thing I hear when you see me, Link?"

"Ilia-"

"Don't 'Ilia' me!" She shrieked, hands on her hips. I perched on the rock behind me, watching the drama unfold with amused crimson orbs. "A year, Link – a year you've been gone! You could have at least sent a letter! Everyone was worried sick! And the less said about me the best! We knew you were alive, yes, thanks to Rusl going to see Telma every so often, but no acknowledgement at all from you!"

Hero stayed silent and I could tell his eyes were downcast.

"Link, if Epona's hurt in anyway, I swear I'll-"

"She isn't." I decided to end Hero's misery; time for him to be the damsel in distress. Ilia turned to me with surprise, almost as if she hadn't noticed me there. Hero, too, looked at me with astonishment. "Epona is fine. Hero has been making sure that no injury has happened to her and has kept her in the best of shape… even lectured me on the state of my steed," I lied.

Hero blinked in amazement, but with a swift glare from me, he gulped and nodded, not speaking.

"And you would be…?" Her facial expression was moulded into suspicion, but her eyes showed interest; curiosity and fascination too.

"I am Shadow, the Princess' advisor and messenger," I replied, furthermore surprising Hero. "I was told to accompany Hero on his current quest by Her Highness, and, I must warn you, if you harm him in anyway, I'm afraid I'll have to intervene; Hyrule's fate rests on his shoulders once again."

She switched her gaze from me back to him. "I'll be inspecting Epona whilst you speak to father." She turned away. "I'm going to warn the village."

And she stalked away. Hero visibly relaxed, sighing and rubbing his eyes, glancing back at me.

"Thanks?"

"Welcome," I told him with an amused smirk. "Think of that as a token of partnership." I stood and walked out of the ankle-deep waters. "Now, dealing with Mayor Bo on the other hand - that will need to be repaid."

Hero nodded numbly. The thought of the Mayor obviously did that to him; not only was the Mayor the leader of Ordon, he was Ilia's father and a very large man. Pairing the three together meant a very bad situation for Hero, since he did leave both Ordon and Ilia.

With a sharp whistle, I brought back Nyx, Raisa perched on his back. She was smiling broadly, a lantern held in her grip, full of oil, as well as a bottle of the sweet smelling fire-fuel.

"Are we going to the village now?" She asked, as I got on behind her, watching Hero lead Epona out of the deep waters, mounting too after re-buckling the mare's saddle.

I nodded, smirking as Hero paled even more.

I have to say - watching a fat man explode in fury is a sight to see; but certainly not one to see if the man's rage is directed at you.

Luckily, it wasn't focussed on me; unluckily for Hero, it was concentrated on him.

He winced through it all, blue eyes pleading for Mayor Bo to stop shouting before his eardrums burst. I leant back against the support beam of the man's house, eyebrow quirked, wondering when the mayor would run out of air or if his lungs were so big that he could hold his breath longer than a Yeti in a snow storm… hm, a befitting epithet…

Finally, the yelling stopped and everything went silent…

"So, what do you have to say for yourself, Link?"

Hero grimaced. "I'm sorry and it won't ever happen again?"

"It better not, Link," Bo sighed. "You have no idea what I've had to put up with all the time you've been gone. I'm surprised I haven't gone deaf…"

He's surprised he hasn't gone deaf? I'm surprised Hero hasn't either; or drowned in spit or shrivelled up from the glares he received from Bo…

"But welcome back, Link," the mayor said, squashing Hero in a bone-crushing hug. "And who would your friend be?"

"Oh, that's Sh-" He broke off. "…Shadow"

I nodded in greeting.

"And what brings you here?"

"I came with Hero - we must go to the Sacred Grove," I replied, arms crossed over my plain tabard; part of me missed the large symbol that emblazoned my soul with pride.

"But surely you could stay for a feast?" The man asked. "Just for tonight. Then tomorrow, you can go - on one condition, and you can bet what that's going to be, Link."

"That I either return every so often or at least write?" The blond suggested.

"Good boy."

I watched the feast from the grassy cliff top near the ranch. Many colourful lanterns were lit and strung from connected poles, but all illuminated the long table that was situated in the large field that was usually filled with the goats. Laughter echoed over, along with murmurs of mixed conversations.

My crimson orbs were set on Hero, who was sat opposite Mayor Bo, at the middle of the table, in between Ilia and an empty seat that was supposed to be taken by me. I never had the intention of going. Harsh, I know it is, but I don't do crowds; especially ones filled with gossiping, nosy farmers' wives.

Nearby, there was a smaller table. Around it were the children of Ordon, along with Raisa; Kiska, now a yearling, was still with her mother, naturally. The Gerudo girl sat by Colin, shying away from Beth's dirty and jealous glares. The little blond boy defended her from the other girl's jibes, as I could tell from his facial expressions; it seemed the blacksmith's son had taken a liking to the princess.

Hero appeared detached from the feast. He would reply to questions asked and laugh at jokes, but the smiles were fake; I could tell. His eyes kept straying to my chair and I sighed.

'Is it really that bad that he worries of you?'

I froze; it was that voice again.

'Who are you?' I asked the voice.

'Me? Oh, well…' Listening to that silky, seductive tone made me slowly relax, despite myself. 'I'm not your conscience…' It continued. 'But you're not schizophrenic, so don't worry. Just think of me as a friend.'

'Friends don't go snooping in other's heads and talk to them telepathically,' I retorted. 'I'll ask again – who are you?'

'Hm… I don't actually have a name, you see. If you would like to create one for me-'

'What are you doing in my mind?'

There was a sigh. 'Sheik, think of me as a wandering spirit, just as lost as you; yet, unlike you, I do not own a body. No, I do not seek to overtake your body… though I do say, it is one hell of a gorgeous one, Sheik; why do you hide yourself so?'

I blushed slightly, eyes hardening in a glare as if the person (or soul, whatever) was in front of me.

'You turned me into a monster.'

Another sigh. 'No I didn't.'

'You let that monster out. Where did it come from? And if you call yourself a friend, then why let it consume me?'

'Sheik, listen – stop calling it a monster. Anything you turn into is beautiful.'

Thank the goddesses this voice wasn't my conscience or anything actually part of me – otherwise this would be past being called "vain".

'Remember you were hit by a magical bolt from the strange Twilit creature in the Sacred Grove? That is the reason and that is where the dark energy came from. Twilit powers never affected you before, as you know, because of Impaz's old magic. But the reason why you were changed then – and after so long after the injury – was because it was new magic, yet a magic you are strangely connected with. The darkness was simply fighting with your soul. If I hadn't have convinced you to let it out, it would have consumed you and you would be forevermore stuck as a…' A sigh. 'Monster; and the Great Hero would have had to kill you.'

I stayed silent, trying to absorb this new information. In the distance of my foggy mind, I barely registered the sound of Mayor Bo's drunken laughter. So there was new magic in Twilight? I wondered if Midna knew of it…

'Princess Midna knows that there is rising power in Twilight, but not that it is powerfully new… er, old, I mean… yet without the Mirror of Twilight, she is not able to contact Princess Zelda, meaning, all she can do is investigate and wait…'

I sighed, looking up. A clear night once again. Damn goddesses and their obsession with playing with mortals' minds…

'… You say you are a lost spirit… but who are you?'

I' am a shadow, like you. Sheik, we want something that is far from our reach, we are controlled by supposed higher powers and we know nothing of our true pasts – we are perfect for each other. Think about it… I will return…'

I felt him go; that tingle in the back of my mind, like someone brushing a feather against the back of my skull – I would have to remember that sensation, to warn me of his arrival next time.

I rubbed my tired eyes and stood, slinking back down the slope. My destination was Nyx; I would take him to a distant part of the woods to meditate – that might help my mind. Perhaps not, but it would give me some time alone to gather my thoughts. I dearly hoped I wouldn't be bothered; not for my sense, but the safety of the disturber.

"I didn't see you last night," Hero observed, pulling on his boots, before staring into the burning flames in his fireplace that was cooking our breakfast.

I glanced at him. "I was meditating."

"All night?"

"I had a lot to think about."

"What exactly?"

I didn't reply.

Hero sighed. "You really frustrate me at times, Sheik, y'know?" He stood and began to stir the cauldron's contents. "So many things I want to know about you," he added in a murmur, that I barely heard.

"Well, what do you want to know?"

He froze, whirling around to look me in the eye. I don't think he had realised I had heard his mutter before; he blushed.

"Well… why do you wear a mask?" He asked, turning around to the soup.

"It is… was custom in Sheikah traditions," I explained. "Warriors were to be separated from normal civilians; they were to have no emotional ties – no relationships, no love for another; nothing but comradeship for their fellow fighters, and even that was to be limited."

"But why?" Hero came and sat before me on the floor, in the centre of his small house.

"It made missions and such easier. Nothing to hold back fighting. No worries that loved ones were dead. Nothing but survival in their minds…" I looked away. "I am merely trying to honour my ancestors…"

"Yet, you have loved ones, Sheik," Hero replied with a smile, resting his cheek on his fist. "That's what makes you a good warrior. You may not know it now, but when you fight, you gain power from worrying your ass off about me because I tend to get in some serious shit someway or another and it'll have to be you that comes and rescues me."

"Who said I'd ever rescue you?"

Hero feigned injury. "Why, Sheik, I'm… offended! That hurt!" He laughed, and I allowed a smile behind my cowl. "You'd have to save me, though, because without me, Hyrule will be destroyed."

"I suppose," I answered with a dramatic sigh.

He chuckled. "See?" He reached over and tugged lightly on my mask. "You should take it off more often, though; you're cute."

I thanked all the deities up there that that I had said scarf to hide this blush the compliment brought on. All he saw was a raised eyebrow and hardened crimson irises.

"Cute?" I repeated.

He smiled slyly. "Yup."

"…I don't do cute."

"Yes you do! And you do it so well!"

"Hero…" I growled warningly.

"Yes?" He replied innocently. But he was far from innocent; his eyes told me so.

"I do not do cute. I do not do it well. And anymore say on the matter and you will regret it."

"Oh really?"

I raised my eyebrow once again. "I'll tell your village you were molested by Gerudo women."

"Eh, I'd be even more of a hero around the guys, even though it didn't happen."

"I'll tell them you asked a Zora if they could drown."

"Hey, that was research purpose only. And still, that wouldn't stop me calling you cute."

An idea popped into my head and I leant forward, a cruel and crafty smirk curling my lips. Hero gulped. "I'll tell them you're as virginal as the day you were born."

He blushed bright red, and tried to glare at me. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh really?" I mimicked his earlier words.

Snarling with a wolf-like growl, he jumped at me, knocking me back against the floor. He towered over me, hands pinning my shoulders to the rug and legs either side of me. His face was millimetres from mine and I suddenly felt a bout of déjà vu – only, in the dream, his touch was softer and he was without the furrowed brow.

"Truce?" He asked. "I won't call you cute ever again and you won't tell the whole of Ordon that I'm, as you so kindly put it, as virginal as the day I was born; deal?"

I nodded. "Deal." I sighed. "Do you want to get off me? If someone were to walk in, they might take our position in a very wrong direction; this is a very suggesting arrangement and a little homoerotic."

He blinked in confusion, head cocked to the side cutely. "What do you mean?"

Just then, as if on cue, the door burst open and Beth stumbled in. "Link! That Gerudo girl is-" She broke off. Her eyes widened and she ran out of the house as quickly as she came, screaming for her mother.

"Oh… now I get what you mean…"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him.

Demi: please make my life easier and review. They're like cookies for me; and I'm a major cookie fiend.