((Sorry for how late this is. If you checked this over the past week or so, you would have noticed a note on the summary stating that this fic was put on brief hiatus, so hopefully no one thought I just stopped updating for no warning. Life has been hectic but I managed to find some time between projects and classes and migraines to finish this. So, enjoy chapter twenty-one!))
Within the remaining week's worth of travel to Solen, Sheik and Link had plenty of time to fall back into their old routines. However, though they had started to spar regularly again—a good thing, too, as the circles under Link's eyes had started to reappear—there was still a distance between them.
It wasn't a rift anymore, but there was still space.
And try as Sheik might, she couldn't understand why. More than that, she couldn't understand Link—not completely. She didn't blame him, of course—and she knew if it were her, she probably would have reacted far worse than he had. But this was Link, and Link had always been the more forgiving one between them.
She just wished she knew what he was still upset about so she could fix it.
But though Sheik had managed to take that first step in remedying the problems between them, she wasn't sure she could duplicate it. After being alone for so long, she knew she wasn't the best with handling people. She was stubborn, and prideful, and blunt, and far too prone to unforgiveness. Tact was something she needed to relearn, and it probably wasn't the best idea to try to figure it out while Link was still distant.
Perhaps he just needed to spend some time in Solen, Sheik wondered. No matter how close she and Link had become, she couldn't compare to the constant presence his friends and family had had in his life.
Sheik just hoped that they'd be able to actually help him. She wasn't sure if she could stand being held at arms' length any longer.
Soon, they reached the two-week mark of their journey and found themselves just hours from Solen but too tired to press on through the night. And so they settled camp early, Sheik taking advantage of the early-evening light. After checking a few times that Link wasn't going to pry—how could he, when he was across the camp-site and getting some well-deserved rest?—Sheik carefully pulled out the book Malon had given her.
It was with a somewhat giddy pleasure that she opened up the front cover and looked through the pages. The handwriting was somewhat messy, but legible, though it was written in an older dialect of Hylian. It'd take some deciphering, she realized as she came across phrases that had long fallen out of use. There were stains, too, and scribbled out marks with question marks near them. Sheik could only assume it was the work of the person copying it—perhaps the original words had been illegible. Still, no matter the difficulties, Sheik couldn't stop a smile from spreading across her face.
Ever since she'd gotten the journal from Malon, she hadn't had time to read it. Though she would have loved to read it while on horseback, Epona's galloping made for difficult reading. Besides, the last thing she wanted was for Link to peer over her shoulder and find Sheik's name written in the book.
So now that she finally, finally, had the chance to read, Sheik wasted no time in curling up against the base of the tree their camp was centered on. Time to actually relax was a dream come true, and Sheik was determined to enjoy it as much as she possibly could for the time being.
It was nearly too dark to see when Sheik finally set the book down. Having been distracted with reading, she'd nearly forgotten where she was—even who she was.
Though the story was from the Hero of Time's perspective, Sheik felt a strong kinship with his Sheikah guide. She supposed it was for good reason—she'd felt a connection from the first time Impa had ever told her the story.
Many a time, Impa had refused to tell her more when she asked. Sheik could still remember Impa's voice, gently chastising her for insisting on hearing it again.
"Zelda," she'd said. "Come now—the other princesses are plenty interesting, don't you think?"
"But Sheik actually did stuff!"
At the time. Impa's disapproving frown had made her quiet down a little, but not by much. "Other princesses did things too, dear one. No one else was personally in as dire of a situation, that's all. They didn't have to dress up as a Sheikah to stay alive."
Sheik bit her lip. The memory was enough to put her book in her knapsack for the time being, not wanting to get overly emotional while reading. After all, the last thing she wanted was for Link to ask why she was so upset. Sheik wasn't sure if she'd be able to find a good enough lie, or bend the truth to fit the situation.
Though most princesses never did take up a Sheikah disguise, Sheik knew better than to think none of them were ever in great personal danger. Had the original Sheik just had prior warning? There was so much about the story of the Hero of Time that no one knew. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Hyrule in those seven years when the Hero of Time wasn't present. What had Zelda (Sheik) been up to for all those years? What had become of the people?
Lost in thought, she didn't notice Link approach her.
"Finally done reading?" he asked, a small smile on his face as he sat down beside her. Sheik startled at his arrival, then carefully edged the knapsack away from him, lest he reach for it.
"For the time being, yes." Still somewhat on edge, Sheik pushed her mask back up above her nose. "It's quite difficult to follow at times—when I was first told the story, it had seemed much more straightforward."
Link looked genuinely curious, then scooted a little closer. Sheik wasn't sure if he was trying to be friendly, or trying to come back to the closeness they'd been a few weeks ago. Sometimes, it was hard to believe they'd ever been that close, even if it had been such a short time ago. Had they really slept next to each other? "Where'd you first hear it?"
"Impa," Sheik said, forcing herself out of her thoughts. "She… didn't like telling me, much. I think she didn't like how much I preferred that story to other stories."
"And… Impa was your teacher?" Link looked at her, something unreadable in his eyes. "Yours and Zelda's?"
Sheik faintly nodded her head, mentally reviewing her lie so she wouldn't get anything mixed up. "Yes."
"Why didn't she like telling you that story?"
Sheik let out a slow sigh, leaning back to rest on the heels of her hands. "I guess I always just loved the idea of a Sheikah aiding the legendary hero. I… wanted to be able to help save the world, not just—" She cut herself off before she could say something like 'not just get captured and need the hero to save me,' lest she tip him off about her identity. "—Not just be fated to protect the princess."
Link looked at her for a while, a slight frown on his face. "And… that's what Impa wanted you to do?"
Though Link couldn't see it behind her mask, Sheik bit the inside of her cheek, lips twisting into a grimace. Though she knew Impa had wanted her to go back to the castle, if Sheik had truly been a bodyguard, then she knew Impa would have wanted her to protect the princess. "I guess so, yeah. Never said it outright, I think, to spare my feelings, but… I think she had wanted me to just be a bodyguard. Just like the Sheikah have been for centuries." She looked away, trying to hide the pain of lying to his face. "Not that I mind—I mean, I'm glad to be looking for her. But… I want to help everyone. Not just Zelda." Sheik was quiet for a while, then finally shook her head. "I guess Impa didn't want to encourage me to—to go out and do something other than… my destiny. So she wanted to tell me stories of how great the princesses were, so I'd want to only focus on keeping Zelda safe. …Lot of good that did, huh?"
To her surprise, Link shifted closer, resting on the heels of his hands, too. The hand closest to her, however, reached out to rest over hers. "I'm sure Impa meant the best," he said. "I met one of her daughters, you know. Paz spoke very highly of Impa."
Sheik's heart stopped dead in her throat.
"Daughters?"
Link glanced over at her, surprised. "She had a life before she took on you and Zelda, you know," he said. "Two daughters. She never mentioned them?"
Sheik racked her brain for any mention of Impa's family, but came up short. "She never mentioned them—not to me or Zelda, or else I'm sure Zelda would have gone to them. And I—I would have probably gone to them to finish my training."
Link frowned a little. "Strange," he said. "But then, Paz never mentioned you, so… I guess Impa kept secrets on both sides."
Though those words felt strangely foreboding, Sheik forced herself to stay calm. She couldn't fish for information if she didn't seem casual, after all—Link would never believe that she was just curious if she made it seem like her entire life depended on it. "Who was Paz, exactly?" Sheik finally asked, keeping her tone as neutral as she could. "And—the other daughter. Did you meet her at all?"
"Well, I can't speak for the other daughter," Link said. "She died about… fifteen? Twenty years ago?" Link shrugged. "Paz only mentioned her once, so I can't remember exact dates. But Paz… Paz was pretty interesting. Took one look at me and told me I was destined for something."
Sheik furrowed her brows. "Destined?"
Link scratched the back of his neck, an embarrassed smile playing on his lips. "She's a Seer. A Sheikah one—some kind of magic, I guess. Took one look at me and outed me for having the Triforce of Courage. 'Course, she's also the one who concealed it, so I guess I have to thank her for that."
"And Impa didn't—she didn't think to send Zelda and me to Paz?" Sheik bit her lip, trying to suppress the confusion and hurt setting in. "If—if Impa had daughters, then…"
"Paz lives up in the mountains. Only came down to the castle at all 'cause she was a seer and knew I'd be coming," Link said, cutting her off before she could think too deeply on it. "All I know is she's something of a hermit. Talks your ear off if you'll listen, but otherwise keeps to herself."
Sheik didn't feel much better. "Impa should've told me," she said, closing her eyes. "I—instead of… spending all those years on my own, I…"
Her hands clenched into fists, but she forced the anger back down.
The last thing she needed was to blow up at Link for something he'd only been the messenger for.
Still, he noticed her anger, try as she might to suppress it. "Sheik?" he asked, voice soft and soothing. "Hey. It's alright. You made it, didn't you?"
"That doesn't make it right," she said. "I could've completed my training. I could've learned how to do everything, I could've—I could've avoided having to steal to get by. All those years—I could've… Why didn't she tell me?" Sheik's throat became tight for a moment, but she forced the emotion down as far as it'd go. She hadn't cried since she was a child—and she sure as hell wouldn't cry now. "All these years, and I could've—I had to become this," she said, referring mostly to her name as 'Sheik,' though Link wouldn't know it. "Just to stay alive—and if she'd just told me, I…"
Trying her hardest not to lose control and say something that'd give her away, Sheik forced her mouth shut. Though her mask was on, she knew the angry slant to her eyes was enough to give her away—but then, she supposed her tone alone could've told him that.
Despite her frustration though, Link reached for her hand.
Sheik nearly flinched away, having grown unused to the contact in its absence. But Link held on, unabashed by the lack of reciprocation.
"Well," he said, neither pulling away nor letting go. "Even if she should've told you, I…" He hesitated, unable to make eye-contact. "…I don't mind the person you became, Sheik. You might not—and I'm—I'm probably not the best person to talk about a good track record, but… I think you could've become a whole lot worse."
"You don't know what I did before I met you." Sheik looked away, feeling entirely too exposed. No matter what masks she wore, somehow it felt as if Link was staring through all of them. Suddenly self-conscious, Sheik adjusted her mask, pulling the cowl higher over her face.
Link was quiet for a moment. But when he spoke again, there was something so soft in his voice that Sheik couldn't help but feel her heart beat faster. "Maybe not," he said. "But I'd like to."
He was close, now—too close, and Sheik knew if she didn't have her mask on, she might have leaned even closer, too.
But her mask reminded her of all she had to lose.
They'd gotten so close before—and Sheik found herself thinking back to those stolen moments. His hand felt right in hers, his broad fingers fitting perfectly between her own. And every time his lips met her skin, even if it was just against the back of her hand, Sheik knew she was falling deeper and deeper into something.
And, as he stayed so still and calm next to her, she knew Link was giving her a choice.
Whether they stayed partners and friends or moved into something different and terrifying, he was leaving it up to her. And for once in her life, Sheik wasn't sure if she could take the selfish option.
Just a few weeks ago, it would have been easy to refuse him. Refusing him meant she could keep her identity a secret without any extra guilt—and there was a much smaller chance of him ever finding out. But could she do that to him?
If it was just refusing him because she felt nothing, Sheik would have been able to do it.
But this was something she didn't want to lie about—didn't have to lie about.
Sheik's heart was lodged firmly in her throat.
After a long moment, Link finally looked away, turning his face away from her even though he kept his hand in hers.
"It's getting late," he said, looking up at the sky. "I—I can start on the fire, if you'd like."
Sheik stayed still and silent for another moment, till finally Link stood, ready to pull away. He almost succeeded, too—and he would have, if not for Sheik's sudden grip.
"Wait," she said, voice so small and uncertain that it hardly sounded like her own. "…I…"
Link stilled in front of her, either unable or unwilling to move.
"If it's alright with you," Sheik finally managed, "I'd… like to know more about you, too."
It wasn't a kiss—it didn't even acknowledge her feelings. But as she looked up at Link, she knew she'd at least taken a step in the right direction.
Link smiled, eyes crinkling as he looked at her. "I'd like that," he said. But feeling the chill of the night, he shivered, glancing down at the circular pit he'd dug for that night's fire. "We should probably save it for another night, though."
Sheik nodded. "I'll get some more firewood," she said. "Get some sleep. I can take it from here." As she got up though, she felt Link's hand tighten around her own. And before she could pull away to get busy collecting firewood, Link had pulled her hand to his lips and pressed a sweet, gentle kiss against it.
Finally, finally, it seemed they'd come back to where they'd left off.
She just prayed nothing would prompt her to pull away again.
After all, Link deserved better than that. And because she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to give him a proper explanation… Perhaps it was best, for now, that they took things slow. The last thing she wanted was to pull away after they'd come even closer.
When they arrived in Solen the next day, Sheik was more than ready for a long bath and some rest. As luck would have it, they returned to the bar in the early evening—just in time for dinner. After so long on the road, Sheik wished they could stay in Solen for a few nights, but…
Even as she considered it, her conscience wouldn't allow her.
They had to go to Sarin and Ise next, and free the young women waiting there.
Still, it wasn't as if they could go out without supplies, and the markets were already closed for the evening. There was no shame in enjoying the time they had. So Sheik ran a hot—almost too hot—bath and brought her book along with her. No matter how much Link prompted her, she wouldn't give up her bath for all the food in the world.
(Admittedly from the sounds of it, they were practically having a feast downstairs. But Sheik was content in the water, and all she wanted to do was read and relax.)
It wasn't till a few hours later that the water had cooled too much to enjoy anymore, and Sheik reluctantly rested the book on a shelf nearby. It was times like these that she wished, more than ever before, that she knew how to use the power of fire. Useful as ice was, it couldn't reheat water. So Sheik sighed and finished washing before the water got too cold, nevertheless refreshed from the length of her soak.
It wasn't till she was dried and half-dressed that she realized Link had returned. Unbothered by her visible skin, Sheik didn't attempt to dry her suit after washing it. She let it air dry, happy enough to stay in her training clothes for the meanwhile. Her hair resisted drying, though, and she resorted to letting a towel rest around her shoulders so she wouldn't soak her underthings.
As she walked through the door, though, she was immediately greeted by the smell of a well-cooked meal. It took a moment to spot what was giving off that beautiful smell, but finally Sheik spotted it—a plate resting on a shelf half across the room.
"…Saving some for later?" Sheik asked, raising a brow at Link, who already looked half-asleep on top of the bed. At her entrance though, he sat up, looking perplexed. "…The food, I mean."
Somehow, Link still seemed confused. "Oh," he finally said, shaking his head. "It's yours. Figured you'd rather stay up here 'stead of having to head down to grab something."
The thoughtfulness surprised Sheik more than she was willing to let on. Though Link was certainly kind, actions like those managed to catch her off guard more than even physical affection. "…I see," she finally managed. Deciding not to let it go to waste, she walked over to it, hyper-aware of Link's eyes on her. It wasn't till she'd turned back towards him that she had any idea of what she was supposed to say to him. "Thank you, I think?"
A small smile appeared on his face. "You think?"
"You didn't have to do it," Sheik said, praying that her face wasn't as warm as it felt. "I just—…thanks."
Link nodded, an amused smile still on his face. But he stayed quiet, choosing to spare her any further embarrassment.
Sheik ate in silence, occasionally glancing up at her companion. Though the room was quiet, it was peaceful—the tension from the last few weeks gone completely. Occasionally, Link met her eyes, but he never lingered, always glancing away after a moment.
For the life of her, Sheik couldn't understand what he was looking at her for—but then, she was half to blame if she was looking up at him, too.
"You going to take a bath before bed?" Sheik asked, finally addressing him. "It's getting late, and we have to spend most of tomorrow looking for supplies."
Link merely nodded, scratching the back of his head. "Yeah—I—probably a good idea." He hesitated a moment, something strange in his tone when he spoke again. "Which bed are you going to take?"
Sheik glanced at the one he was sitting on, figuring he'd be taking that one. Not wanting to be rude, she gestured to the other. "That one, I guess, but I don't really have a preference. So long as I can get some decent sleep, I'm happy anywhere."
There was a long pause before Link spoke again. "Right," he finally said. "I—yeah, probably a good idea."
For the life of her, Sheik didn't know what he was trying to get at. But not wanting to embarrass him, she just shrugged a shoulder and started for the bed she'd claimed as her own. "You can take whichever, you know. I mean—it really doesn't matter to me where you sleep—so long as it's in a bed while we're here."
There was almost palpable relief in his face.
Sheik couldn't help but wonder if that meant he wanted to sleep somewhere else.
Still, she didn't press the issue, instead just slipping under the covers. "Just don't be loud when you're coming out of the bath," she said. "I'm a light sleeper."
"I know," he said, a small smile on his face. It was almost fond; Sheik couldn't wrap her head around it. Abruptly, Link stood, then headed for the bathroom.
Soon, Sheik heard running water, and between the white noise and her full stomach, she easily slipped off to sleep.
She woke to the sound of the door opening. As light of a sleeper as she was, she knew it wasn't Link's fault he'd woken her, so she kept her eyes closed, unwilling to admit she'd woken so easily. However, despite her closed eyes, Link approached her.
For a moment, Sheik wondered if he was approaching her because he knew he'd woken her. An apology was just on her lips till she felt a soft, warm touch across her hairline.
Sheik froze.
More than anything, she prayed that he couldn't feel her rapid heart rate, lest he know she'd woken. But she stayed perfectly still, careful not to let faster breathing give her away.
He didn't touch her directly again, but Sheik did feel the covers being pulled higher over her, till they reached her shoulders once more.
Despite the extra warmth, Sheik felt a shiver run down her spine.
Link lingered nearby for a while longer, not saying a word. But finally he seemed to decide on something, and he went back to his own bed. A few minutes passed till his breathing evened and deepened, and Sheik was sure he was asleep.
It was only then that she turned to face him, eyes bright in the darkness.
Her partner didn't stir, so Sheik was left alone with her thoughts. And goddesses, she couldn't stop them from running through her mind.
For a moment, she wondered if that was what Link had been getting at earlier, with how nervous he'd been about which bed she had wanted. Had all that standing around been Link wondering if he was welcome in her bed?
But no matter his wondering, he'd ended up in his own.
Something like disappointment settled onto Sheik. For the life of her, she didn't know why.
Sheik ended up staring at the ceiling for a long while before sleep finally found her again.
When morning came, she'd nearly forgotten the incident. But then she woke up and dressed, and when she looked over at Link, she couldn't ignore him. He was impossibly tangled in his sheets; almost comically so. Though his feet and legs were covered—and twisted up within the sheets—his whole upper torso exposed to the chilly morning air, belly rising and falling with each breath. Though she knew he was about to wake, Sheik narrowly stopped herself from covering him and pressing a kiss to his forehead.
Sheik supposed she couldn't blame him for his actions when she had been so close to doing the same. But then, she had more of a right to, didn't she? Link's face was far sweeter. And though she'd never seen her own face while she slept, she knew she couldn't have had as gentle of an expression as Link had.
But before she could dwell on it—and before Link could wake to find her staring at him—Sheik shook off her sentimentality. Between shopping for supplies and making sure Epona was well enough to travel—two more weeks on the road was hardly easy for her—Sheik had no time to dwell on the innocence of Link's face.
No matter how distracting he was, she resolved to avoid the temptation.
So as she finished getting ready, she sat with her back to him. Fortunately her braid was the last thing she needed to do, and as soon as she finished, she could slip out.
Even if it was just for a few minutes more, she supposed he could get a little more sleep—if just a little.
So Sheik crossed to the door and closed it softly, making sure not to wake him with any sudden noises. From there, she went down to breakfast, reacquainting herself to the quiet little tavern. It had been noisy last night when they'd returned, which suited Link just fine. As for her, Sheik was grateful for the quiet.
Loud taverns had been easier to deal with while she was young. In times when her identity was most in question, she'd always felt safest in crowds. After all, in crowds, she could disappear. She could trail behind adults and appear as someone's daughter—or look like a lost child, or a child tasked with bringing someone their drink. In crowds, she could be anyone, so her identity didn't matter.
But then she'd grown into the Sheikah ensemble Impa had left her, and she found that she stuck out far too often. And yet, she wouldn't wear anything else.
Between her height, her outfit, and her long blonde braid, crowds were no longer half as safe as they once were. But Sheikahs carried an authority with them. And once crowds were no longer safe, presenting herself as a figure of importance worked to keep her safe better than she ever could have imagined.
Not to mention when she really needed to hide, the suit was flexible and allowed her to walk quietly and contort herself into any position to stay hidden.
And yet, sometimes, it was nice not to do any of those things. Sometimes, Sheik liked not having to disappear into crowds, or claim authority where she had none, or twist herself into the shadows.
Sometimes she liked being able to enjoy a quiet morning, exactly how she wished.
So that morning, Sheik elected not to put up her mask. She'd need to eat later, anyways, and… Was it so wrong for her to show her face?
No one knew what the princess looked like, after all. No one had seen the princess in years. Plenty of girls probably looked more like the peoples' idea of the princess than Sheik. Between her height and her dark skin, she looked more Sheikah than Hylian—and that wasn't even counting her red eyes.
She knew, though, that she couldn't release her eye glamour, no matter how irritating it was to apply it every morning. It had been her morning routine for years now—ever since she was quite young. But that didn't mean she enjoyed it.
For the first time in her life, she wondered if she could really keep up the charade forever.
She was Sheik now, as far as she was concerned. But just because she was Sheik didn't mean she didn't have blood of the royal family flowing through her veins. Just because she was Sheik didn't mean she didn't have the Triforce of Wisdom, wherever it might be hiding within her. Just because she was Sheik didn't mean she didn't have hundreds of monsters searching for her.
And just because she was Sheik didn't mean she had any right to keep lying to Link.
Sheik closed her eyes, frustration setting in. No matter what she had been thinking about these past few weeks, somehow, it all came back to Link.
"Having trouble there, miss?"
Telma's voice startled Sheik, and she nearly toppled backwards. She'd been so lost in thought that she'd almost forgotten she was in public. And without a mask to conceal her expressions, who knows what faces she'd been making in the interim. Sheik's cheeks burned, but fortunately Telma didn't hold it against her.
Sheik gulped. "I—I didn't realize anyone else was up yet," she said, sitting upright once more. "I thought everyone else was still asleep."
"Well, it is barely after dawn," Telma said. She put a hand on her hip, a slight smile on her face. "What're you so lost in thought about so early, hm?"
Sheik instinctively glanced up at the stairs, where Link was still sleeping in their shared room. She only looked for a moment, but she knew Telma had caught her gaze. In an instant, Sheik looked down at the countertop instead, praying she wasn't being as obvious as she felt. "…I—the trip coming up. And supplies. The supplies are up with Link, but he's still asleep. I'd—I'd go up and check again to see what all we have, but I'm—it's, I don't want to wake him."
Never before had she felt so out of sorts. But one way or another, she felt caught.
The stuttering alone gave her away, and she knew it. Unwilling to look Telma in the eye, she kept her eyes trained on the countertop, praying that the tavern owner wouldn't press the issue.
But it seemed the goddesses weren't looking favorably upon her that day, because she felt Telma's fingertip under her chin. Soon, Sheik's face was drawn up, forced to look her in the eye.
"Tell me," she said. "Do you have feelings for Link or not?"
If Sheik's face had been warm after her stuttering, it was fiery after being asked such a pointed question. And yet for all the directness Telma had asked with, Sheik couldn't find an answer.
Panic set in, and Sheik quickly pulled the woman's hand away. "I—what kind of a question… What does it matter, if—?"
"Have you told him?" Telma put both hands on her hips, eyes narrowing as she tried to read Sheik's expression. "Whether you do or don't, he deserves some honesty with your feelings, honey."
Seeing there was no escaping the conversation save for physically getting up and walking away, Sheik visibly deflated. She leaned her elbows on the counter, resting her head in her hands. Voice so soft she could hardly believe it was coming from her own lips, she finally managed to speak. "We're—we're just taking it slow," she said. "I—I don't want to rush into anything with him. I've never… there's never been anyone else I've… And the last thing I'd want is to ruin things by going too fast… Especially with him."
To her surprise, when she trailed off, Telma didn't prompt her to continue. "So, you do care for him, then," she said, voice far gentler than it had been. "I'm glad to hear it."
Sheik let out a long sigh. "I've never wanted—I've never been interested in that sort of relationship before. Never been able to have one, either," she said. Though she meant it because of her life on the run, she knew Telma would take it as a mark of her Sheikah servitude to the King. After all, Sheikah were known to never start relationships, as per order of the king. Their service was always and only to the Royal Family.
So unless a Sheikah fell in love with their royal charge, and that royal reciprocated, they were forbidden from ever taking a lover.
Telma hummed, leaning forward to pat her hand. "Well, honey, taking it slow is probably a good idea, then. Figure out whether you'll be good for each other or not."
Sheik bit her lip. "I think we are. We…" she hesitated a moment, unsure how to put it into words. "We balance each other out."
To her surprise, Telma smiled. She glanced up in the direction of Link's room, just a hint of amusement in her eyes. "I think these past weeks have been good for him. Believe it not, he's prone to…" She paused, as if debating something with herself, then continued, "…Well, I shouldn't be the one to tell you about that. If he tells you, be honored, honey. But," she said, voice just a bit sharper, "If you abandon him—or lie to him, or manipulate him… I'm warning you, Sheikah. I won't forgive you any more than he will."
Never before had Sheik been threatened over a relationship. But, if things were as bad as Telma said—and Sheik wondered just how many secrets Link was hiding—she wouldn't protest.
No matter how far she pushed back her own feelings, Sheik didn't want to trample on Link's. He was many things—and part of her still hadn't forgiven her for how he'd shoe-horned his way into her life—but he didn't deserve to be hurt.
Sheik nodded at Telma, pressing her right palm against her left shoulder, the Sheikah stance for an oath. "I won't," she promised. "You have my word. No matter how things end, I will do my best to never hurt him."
Seemingly satisfied with that answer, Telma smiled, though her warning still lingered in the air, and in the corners of her smile. "Just remember that, honey."
Appetite gone, Sheik pushed away from the counter. Somehow, she didn't think she'd be forgetting that threat anytime soon. Still… as sick as Sheik felt from it, she couldn't really blame Telma for being protective. So as she started towards the stairs, she lingered, turning her head to say one last thing to the woman. "I may not know him as well as I'd like yet, but… From what I know, I'm glad he had you to look out for him."
With that, she headed up to the room she and Link shared.
Despite her care not to wake him, just a few minutes into the room, and Sheik heard Link stirring. It was half an hour past dawn, though, which certainly counted as sleeping in compared to the last several weeks.
The extra rest seemed to have put him in a better mood than usual, too. When Sheik looked over her shoulder at the sound of rustling sheets, she found Link sitting up and looking at her with a smile.
"Morning," he said, leaning back on his palms. "Been up for a while?"
Sheik nodded. "Long enough. We have a lot to get done today, and not enough time to do it all. Food, supplies, winter gear—and all the rope we lost in Tal from fighting that dragon."
"We left a lot of the winter gear here before we set out to Marr," Link reminded her, still not getting up yet. "Though we'll probably have to find more blankets and extra cloaks… I don't really have any, and you could use some extra." When Sheik just quirked her lips into a frown as she thought it over, Link added, "Those clothes don't look like they keep you very warm, Sheik. And autumn's turning to winter anyways—even when we get back, it'll be colder on the road."
Though she would have liked to protest it, she knew there was no denying it. All the strength in the world wouldn't help them if they froze to death. And, unfortunately, her gift with ice wouldn't help much when it was cold to begin with.
"Fine," she said. "We'll get more cloaks. But we need to replace the money as soon as we can, or we might not be able to keep this up."
Link nodded, finally standing up when Sheik went back to sorting through their supplies. He knelt beside her, still mostly undressed, though it didn't seem to bother him as he helped her catalogue the gear.
He often sparred in such clothes, of course, but somehow in the light of the morning it felt different. Sheik forced herself not to acknowledge the heat in her cheeks.
Though Telma's conversation had made her wary of starting anything she couldn't handle, at the same time, it had forced her to reexamine her relationship with her partner. And she knew without a doubt, now, that there was more to it than she'd been willing to admit.
Half of her wanted to reach over and kiss him right then, but she had enough restraint to hold herself back. Sheik wasn't sure how long that self-restraint would last, though. It was only a matter of time before one of them breached that wall between them.
Already she'd seen what it was like to push him away and to live her life with him at arm's length. And more than ever before, she knew that she didn't want to live that way.
Still, she'd gotten too close, and there was no denying that it had been a mistake as far as her past self was concerned.
Her priorities were supposed to lie with her identity, and with keeping herself safe above all else.
…But then, she knew that seeking out the missing girls wasn't exactly keeping her safe, either.
And if letting Link get too close was a mistake…
Well, no one was perfect.
Still, as she glanced back over at him, he seemed somehow unattainable. It would have been easy—too easy—to reach out and take his hand. She knew she could pull him close and kiss him if she so chose. But she'd been honest when she'd told Telma she wanted to take things slow.
The last thing she wanted was to get too close and, abruptly, find herself alone again.
After years of being alone and then meeting Link—warm, vibrant, sweet, worrier Link—she wasn't sure she could handle it.
So she held her hand back, kept it from taking his into her own.
Next time, she told herself. Maybe next time.
And so, avoiding Link's curious look, she abruptly stood and crossed the room. "I'm getting breakfast," she decided. "Is there anything you want?"
"To join you," Link replied, standing up and turning to face her. "Hold on just long enough for me to get dressed, okay? You might be used to this," he said, gesturing mildly to his bare middle, "But I don't think Telma or Ilia are. It's probably for the best if, um. I don't go out looking like this."
Sheik suppressed a smile. Even though she'd been so intent on going downstairs alone to take a break before she did anything she might regret…
Somehow, Link knew exactly what to say to convince her otherwise.
"You have five minutes," she said, leaning against the doorframe. "I won't wait up for you past that."
Though Link rolled his eyes, he played along anyways, hurrying to get re-dressed and tie his hair up. It was getting longer, Sheik noted—much longer than it had been when they first met. But then, she supposed neither of them had really had time for a haircut with how busy they'd been on the road.
As if afraid Sheik meant it when she said she'd leave without him, Link was still tugging on one of his boots as he hurried over to her. Because of his distraction, though, he nearly tripped over a satchel lying on the ground.
Sheik reacted on instinct, catching hold of his shoulder and propping him back up.
"Sorry," Link said, attempting unsuccessfully to hide his smile. "I, uh. Was just trying to hurry."
Sheik huffed, not even dignifying it with a real response. Instead, she let him lean on her while he tugged his boot on all the way. "C'mon," she said once he was ready. "I think Telma's starting breakfast."
Once Sheik had a decent breakfast in her stomach for the first time in weeks, she felt much more ready to face the markets. Though supply-hunting had never been something she enjoyed, it was much easier to deal with when she wasn't starving.
And, perhaps more than that, it was easier to shop for supplies with Link beside her.
While they tended to cover more ground separate, the markets were starting to look more and more like Ecchar and Marr. Fewer girls were out in public, and Sheik had a faint feeling of being watched. Though she couldn't feel magical energy nearby, the bartender at Ecchar hadn't been magical, either, and he'd still been willing to kidnap innocent young woman.
So instead of splitting up this time, Link stayed with Sheik, and they simply upped their pace to get everything before sunset.
In all, it wasn't a particularly eventful day, but after so much chaos happening in Hyrule, Sheik appreciated the calm. It was a relief to not have to worry about her safety or the safety of others, even for just a few hours.
But then the sun started to set and they headed back to Telma's to set everything down, and Sheik couldn't help but let her worries sink in again. They had a job so much more important than her own needs—it wasn't fair for her to spend a whole day just taking it easy when they could be looking for clues.
"We should see Ravio," she said as she set her bags down in their room. (She didn't envy Epona in the least for the load she'd be carrying to Ise.) "He might have some more information, you know?"
Though Link looked a bit surprised at the suggestion, he nodded. "It'd be nice to see him before we set out again," he said. "At least his business has been going well… With all the soldiers away to the desert, people trade freely with him. So there's a good chance he's got information, yeah."
Sheik sat down by the supplies, already starting to rearrange them for how they needed to be tomorrow. Still, upon remembering the information she'd heard last time, she found herself too distracted to get much done. "He… might even have some more information on Kakariko, too," she said. Sheik pressed her lips together, expression hidden behind her mask. "I still can't believe it's just…"
Link's expression softened immediately, and he sat beside her. "We won't know for sure 'til we're there for ourselves," Link said, trying to reassure her. "Maybe it's just invisible, yeah? If they could make that jewelry box at Tal invisible, then maybe they can do the same with Kakariko."
"Invisibility spells are incredibly strong, though…" Sheik shook her head, something about the explanation not sitting right with her. "Kakariko is where Zelda was hidden, too. So for someone to single Kakariko out and do something so different to it… I—I don't know what it means, exactly, but… I feel like their intention is… Different. Especially since… I—I don't know, I just get the feeling that it's not like the others."
Link didn't say anything for a while, simply sitting beside her in silence. But finally, he took hold of her hand, pressing a quick kiss to the back of it. "We'll figure it out, okay?"
Though Sheik didn't look completely convinced, she didn't let go of his hand. Instead, she nodded and sat closer, willing her heart to beat slower. "I just need them to be alright," she said. "I haven't seen any of them in years, but… I did live there. It was my home. For them to just suddenly vanish… I—The last time I was there, I'd…"
When Sheik hesitated, Link turned to look at her, surprised to find just how guarded she looked as she cut herself off.
But she supposed if he'd told her his past, she might as well share what she could of her own. "I'd… The last time I was there, I'd just stolen a small fortune from Castle Town and was hiding there because it was close." She pressed her lips into a thin line, avoiding eye contact. "That—that was why I was in Solen in the first place, the day I met you. I'd just pawned them off to Ravio."
Several seconds of silence passed. Sheik found she couldn't look him in the eye. But despite that, she could practically feel Link's stare boring into her. No matter what she'd been expecting, though—harsh words? irritation? anger?—she had in no way been expecting him to smile. It was small, of course—and still fit the tone of the conversation—but it surprised Sheik more than she could say.
Link quickly shook his head when she met his gaze. "No—no, sorry, I know you're being serious. But—I was so convinced you were one of the King's Sheikah when I first met you. But you were only there because of… and that's how you knew Ravio, and… Goddesses, it's hard to believe that of all things, that's the reason we met in the first place."
Though she was grateful he hadn't been angry, Sheik wasn't entirely sure what to feel. Maybe a few months ago—even just a few weeks, even—she might have been worried or confused, but… To see a smile on her partner's face, and to know she caused it…
It set her at peace, and she welcomed the distraction from dwelling on Kakariko.
"You were being attacked by a group of Soldiers," Sheik reminded him. "No matter what I'd just been doing, I would've been glad to help you." Before he could look too giddy, she continued, "Less because I wanted to help you specifically, and more because I'm not fond of the soldiers."
Link's lips twitched, and she could tell he was suppressing a laugh. "I'm pretty sure they thought you were working for the king and could get them exiled."
Sheik rolled her eyes, leaning just a bit against his shoulder. "Laugh all you like, but you fell for it, too."
Link just grinned. "Yeah, alright, maybe I deserved that." As his laughter died down, he moved a little closer to her. "It's pretty amazing how we even crossed paths, though… And that you can get people to believe you're an agent of the king just because of how you look." A curious expression passed his face, and he looked up at her, brows slightly furrowed. "I'm curious, though… How'd you get the idea to continue to do that? Looking like a King's Sheikah, I mean. There are plenty of dark-skinned Hylians… and you've changed your eyes to green before, haven't you? You could probably pretend to be anyone… Isn't it a lot of work to keep the appearances of a Sheikah?"
The question was a little too close to home for Sheik's liking. She shrugged a shoulder, trying to look impassive. It helped that she was wearing her mask, though she had to work to hide the panic in her eyes. "I… This is one of the few things I had left of Impa," Sheik admitted, gesturing to the outfit. "…I didn't want to part with it. If that meant having to struggle a little more, then so be it. But…" She shrugged a shoulder. "It's not as tough as you might think. People don't like to give Sheikahs trouble." And, remembering that she was supposed to actually be a full blooded Sheikah, she added, "Besides, it's… it's my culture. I'm not just going to set it aside if it's tough sometimes."
Link looked at her a moment, as if debating something. But he seemed to think better of it and nodded instead. "Makes sense. I don't think I'd handle it very well if I was raised a Hylian and had to pretend to be a Gerudo or something."
The image of Link in the traditional Gerudo clothes made Sheik smile unbidden. "The outfit would look nice on you."
"The Gerudo King's armor?" Link blinked, clearly confused by the word 'nice.' "I dunno, all we have of that is portraits of the final battle for Hyrule, and it always looked—"
"The Gerudo women's clothes. The pants, anyways," Sheik interrupted, just a hint of a smirk on her face. "I think their actual armor was more practical, anyways. History books always say that the Iron Knuckles were fierce warriors."
For a moment, Link looked mollified—but then he caught onto what she'd said. "But you meant their casual clothes when you said that." Link's voice was deadpanned, as if he couldn't quite believe her. "I'm not—Sheik, the idea of wearing… that—"
Sheik rolled her eyes. "Link. Relax. I'm not going to buy you an outfit and expect you to wear it. It was just a…" She was about to say 'joke,' but then realized she quite meant it. Maybe not the extravagant bead-work, but the exposed midriff, and the loose pants… "Just a thought," she finally said. "No need to get so defensive."
"A thought," Link repeated. He looked at her for a moment before a small smile worked his way across his face. "…So you were thinking about it, then."
Sheik abruptly stood and started for the door. "We should get to Ravio's before it gets late," she said. "Wouldn't want to keep him up."
Link seemed to be having trouble keeping the grin off of his face. But to Sheik's relief, he didn't say anything more about the Gerudo-style outfit. Still… A part of her felt as if she'd shared too much—and the rest of her was grateful because of it.
It was getting too easy to relax around him. The most frightening part, Sheik thought, was that she didn't mind it at all.
At night, Solen was somewhat more intimidating than before. She could never remember the streets being so empty… or the constant feeling of being watched. Worse, now that there weren't people milling around the streets, she swore she could feel a low presence of magical energy within the city—but it was too weak and too distant for her to place it.
She stuck closer to Link as they walked to Ravio's.
When they arrived, Ravio looked more than pleased to see them. No sooner than they'd been invited inside—with the door swiftly shut behind them—did Ravio sweep Link into a huge, hard hug.
"It's been weeks, buddy, did you even think to write?" Ravio asked, though from how hard he was squeezing the shorter male, it was a wonder he expected him to speak.
Once he finally let Link go, Link laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Missed you, too," he said. "Didn't have much time to write, though. We, uh…" He gestured to Sheik. "We've had a busy past few weeks. Went all the way to Marr, and Tal, too. We, um. Well. We did what we came there to do. The girls were set free and moved elsewhere, where they'll be safe."
"Hold on a minute—you really did it?" Despite the alarm on Ravio's face, there was a tinge of pride, too. "You saved them?"
"Well, I mean," Link started. "Sheik did a lot of it. She took down an entire dragon at Tal—"
"And would have gotten myself killed if he hadn't stepped in," Sheik said, cutting him off before he could downplay his own bravery. "And again at Marr, actually. I couldn't have done any of it without him."
Ravio looked between them, eyes lingering on Sheik in particular. Something like recognition flickered in his eyes, but whatever it was he was thinking, he kept to himself. Instead, he merely patted Link on the shoulder and took a few steps back. "So, any reason the two of you came back to visit me? Somehow, I'm not getting the feeling you'll be in the city for long."
"Information," Sheik said. Looking at Link's wince at her curt words, she added, "Though I wouldn't be opposed to staying for longer, if you'd permit it."
"'If I'd permit it,'" Ravio said. "Listen, Miss Sheikah, I'm more than happy for the two of you to pop on by for a visit whenever you can. Been lots of times I thought both of you were goners."
An embarrassed blush spread across Link's face. "We'll try not to worry you next time," he said quickly. "I'm sorry for not thinking about how it must feel for you—"
Sheik, however, was having none of it. "Our priority is the safety of the girls being kidnapped," she said. "We don't have time to write letters and we have no place to mail them from. Don't expect us to send anything to you while we're on the road." When she saw the look on Link's face, though, she sighed and added, "But we tend to pass through Solen every few weeks. We only took so long away from here recently because it's more than a two week journey just to get to Marr."
"So I should only worry if you're gone for more than a month, then," Ravio said. He bit the inside of his cheek, but though he looked conflicted, he shrugged his assent. "Well. I can't stop you. Wouldn't want to, either—I just wish it wasn't people I knew that were saving Hyrule."
"I don't know about saving it," Link said. "We're mostly supposed to be looking for the Princess, that's all."
Sheik didn't contradict him. As Ravio pulled up a table and chairs for them to sit at, she took a seat, though her posture was stiff despite the calm atmosphere. Information, she reminded herself. They'd come for information. "Do you have anything new to tell us?" Sheik prompted once everyone was seated. "About the King's Daughter or otherwise?"
Ravio sighed. "Not sure how much of it'll be new," he said. "Still got some weird news from Ise and Marr, mostly, though I'll expect that Marr's doing better now since the two of you went there?"
Link shook his head. "I don't know if it's actually better," he admitted. "Only a few girls were actually from Marr. The rest were from other cities. We hardly did anything about the actual kidnappers in Marr."
"We took out an entire warehouse," Sheik said. "I think that counts as 'doing something.'"
"An entire warehouse?" Sheik and Link both looked at Ravio, who was staring at the two of them with wide eyes. "You mean to tell me you went into a warehouse and killed everyone inside?"
"Most of them were monsters, not Hylians," Sheik said. Defenses immediately raised on behalf of her conscience, and she continued, "They were holding girls captive. I don't feel sorry for the Hylians that were there, either."
Link leaned over to whisper in Sheik's ear. "I think he was impressed, not judging you."
The defensive look on Sheik's face lingered anyways.
Ravio, however, sat back heavily in his chair. "Dear goddesses above, I wish you hadn't told me that, honestly. Do you usually take down entire warehouses?"
The pair looked at each other for a moment, neither willing to confirm or deny. Because, truth be told, though they hadn't taken down more than one, it wasn't as if they'd hesitate to do it again.
"We came for information," Sheik finally said. "You should tell us what you know."
Ravio nodded, not protesting her abrupt subject change. "Right, right. Alright, like I said, not a whole lot of it's new. But I figure you guys might like to know about what happened to Ecchar."
Link sat forward in his seat. "There's been word?"
"Buddy, it's a three day trip and you've been gone from there for more than a month. 'Course there's been word." At Link's urgent look, Ravio smiled a little. "Alright, alright—it's good news for the most part, I'll tell you that. The people were livid hearin' what had happened to their girls, and once they knew about the hidden tunnels under the city, it was all over for the whole business."
"…And, what about—what about the higher-ups?" Link asked. "And… You know. –Have you… gotten any word from her?"
Ravio shook his head. "Haven't heard from her in years, buddy, you know that. She's not gonna get back on speaking terms with me just because her organization crashed."
"…But she's going to think you told people about the tunnels," Link said. "She could come for you any day and try to get revenge."
"If she does, I have plenty of alibis. Lots of customers, lots of receipts. I haven't left this city in years, buddy—and I don't pass on word to customers." He glanced at the two of them, then quickly added, "Well. Most customers, anyways."
"We're very lucky," Sheik deadpanned. "Have the citizens of Ecchar fully retaken their city, then?"
Ravio nodded. "For the most part. There's rumors of tunnels being sealed from the inside and members of Lorule escaping."
"…Lorule?" Sheik furrowed her brows. "Is that what they call themselves?"
Link and Ravio exchanged a look. "It's mostly because it was below ground," Link said. "And also because they—we—were the lowest part of society and we wanted to make it to the top… where we could take charge of everything. Rule the world like it was our own."
"Mostly Hilda's ideas," Ravio said. "She was a good leader and knew how to get things done. But most of us were just in it for the money." When Link averted his gaze, he added, voice a little softer, "And some of us were pushed into it before we really knew what was going on."
"Did you hear of any casualties in Ecchar?" Link said quickly, still not looking all the way up at Ravio. "Injuries or deaths—I just—I'd like to know if everyone's alright."
Though Ravio didn't seem to mind Link's abrupt subject change, Sheik certainly did. But she kept quiet, just listening to the two of them for now.
"No one died, I don't think," Ravio said. "But lots of people got injured. It was a battle, buddy—you can't beat yourself too much over it. When you have people fighting in small enclosed spaces like that, people are bound to get hurt."
"But no one died?"
"No one died."
Link let out a relieved sigh, visibly less tense than before.
"Any news from other cities, then?" Sheik asked. Now that both men seemed more relaxed, Sheik was willing to redirect the conversation, if just for a moment. "Sarin, maybe?" She hesitated, then added, "…Anything on Kakariko?"
"Nothing from Kakariko," Ravio said, shaking his head. "Sorry. No one's come out of there. No one that was living in Kakariko when it vanished has reappeared anywhere. The only people we've found weren't anywhere near Kakariko when it got magicked. People've checked if it's just invisible, but you can touch where the buildings are supposed to be—they're not there."
Sheik tried not to look as crestfallen as she felt. With the mask, she could hide it slightly, but there was no disguising the hurt in her voice. "I see," she said. Staring a bit too hard at the table in front of her, she forced some strength back into her voice till it sounded like steel. "We'll have to find a way to fix it, then. What about Ise? Anything?"
"Now, Ise I can help you with, I think," Ravio said. "Not a whole lot of news, but I have heard of a small resistance up north."
Sheik sat up a little straighter, looking intensely at Link. "Resistance?"
Ravio nodded. "No news of the leader, which is probably for the best. But apparently it's well known where the girls are being kept. There was a settlement in the mountains, once. Not a big one, and the fanciest of them was a tourist-trap for a few years after the Hero of Twilight fought through it. Snowpeak, I think they called it. But the girls are being held in a more fortress-like one, just a bit further down the mountain."
Though the information was useful, Sheik couldn't help but be wary. If people were starting to talk about people who were going around and trying to help the missing girls, and fix the magicked cities, then what was to stop someone from interfering? What was to stop someone from trying to trap them? "And you received this information… how?"
"I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth, but… I agree. How did you hear about this?" Link bit the inside of his cheek, brows drawing together in that worried look Sheik had become so accustomed to.
"Customers," Ravio said. Seeing that they weren't going to take that for an answer, he sighed, scratching the back of his neck. "…Alright, so maybe sometimes old business partners drop by. And maybe some of 'em are good people nowadays. But they value their privacy just as much as you do, so I'm not droppin' any names."
Sheik's lips twisted into a frown behind her mask. Though she had no room to talk, she wasn't overly fond of people that seemed to have something to hide. "And we ought to trust them just on your word?"
"I didn't say to trust them," he said. "But you asked for information, and I'm giving it to you." With that, he got up, gesturing for them to rise, too. "I have some things for you to take with you, too. Might help you get where you're going."
Though Sheik wanted to protest, Link spoke up first, and rose to his feet. "We'll take whatever you want to give us," he said. "But… be careful, Ravio. I don't want to think about what someone'd do to you if they found out you were helping us."
"No worries there, buddy," Ravio said, shaking his head. He walked a few steps towards Link, a reassuring smile on his face. "I'll be just fine. Don't you worry about a thing, okay?"
Link didn't look quite like he believed him, but he took a breath and nodded anyways. "Alright," he said. "Now, what's this about 'stuff to take with us'?"
Sheik rose as Ravio started to lead them to the back room, following at a short distance behind them. Not for the first time, she felt a bit like a third wheel to the pair of them, but… It was nice, seeing Link with people who made him happy. So Sheik followed them into the back room, listening closely for the front door, just in case.
As Sheik leaned against the doorframe, Ravio rummaged in a small drawer while Link waited close by.
"Ah, here it is," Ravio finally said, pulling out a small parchment. "It's a map. Not entirely sure what of, but… Someone slipped it to me, saying they were part of the resistance. Not super familiar with the fella myself, and he didn't look thrilled to be in the store, but… I trust him, I think. He seemed like a good enough guy."
Sheik frowned, but didn't say a word.
"We'll figure it out," Link said, offering a small smile as he took the map and put it in a small satchel at his hip. "Thanks, Ravio."
"Yeah, yeah," the merchant said. "I shouldn't keep you guys too long, though. It's getting late, and I'm willing to bet that you're heading out bright 'n early tomorrow morning, huh?"
"That's the plan."
Sheik left the room as Link made for the door, with Ravio just a few steps behind him. But even if she was in the lead, she didn't miss the way the pair stopped halfway to the exit.
"Stay safe, kid," Ravio said, pulling Link into a brief hug.
And though Sheik had never really taken into account whether or not Link was a particularly affectionate guy, she couldn't help but notice how relaxed and content he looked, even if the touch was brief.
"I'll do my best," Link replied once he'd pulled away. There was something a little bittersweet in his expression, but Sheik supposed it was to be expected.
Not for the first time, she wondered what, exactly, had gone on between the two of them. Maybe someday Link would tell her everything, but until then, she'd just have to be patient and figure out what she could from what she'd already seen and heard.
"Ready to go?" Link asked, looking at Sheik.
Sheik nodded. "If you are." Glancing up at Ravio, she hesitated for just a brief moment, before she found the right words to say. "I'll do my best to take care of him," she said. "So don't worry so much."
With that, she bowed her head and took a step backwards. Too embarrassed to even listen to what Ravio might have said in reply, Sheik opened the door and slipped outside, Link close behind her after a final goodbye.
They walked mostly in silence for a few minutes, Link having to quicken his pace to keep up with Sheik's longer strides. As they walked closer to the rougher parts of town though, he reached for her hand.
"Take care of me, huh," Link said softly, something like amusement in his voice. When Sheik's ears only reddened in reply, he grinned. "We're a team though, y'know. It's my job to look out for you, too."
"I know that," Sheik said. "But Ravio needed to hear it. Else he'd worry."
To Sheik's surprise, Link's fingers slipped between hers, their loose hold becoming something a little bit stronger. "So you do care about what people feel," he said. "Y'know, a couple weeks ago, I would've thought—"
"A couple weeks ago I would've clocked you for that," Sheik cut in, unwilling to hear the end of that sentence. A little less gruff, she added, "And I don't think you have any right to complain that I don't act how I did a few weeks back."
Link got quiet for a moment, and Sheik hoped she hadn't actually upset him. But when she looked over at him, there was a sweet expression on his face.
It was suddenly a bit more difficult to breathe, and Sheik looked away, her pulse suddenly increasing.
Link seemed to notice, because he gave her hand a quick squeeze. "I won't ever complain about that, Sheik," he finally said. "Sorry for teasing you."
And, as if he had some kind of vendetta against letting her have a calm pulse, he gently lifted her hand to his face. But instead of the back of her hand, Sheik felt those soft, warm lips against her wrist instead. But she wouldn't be one-upped this time, she decided. Though she was grateful she didn't usually have to make any first moves on her own… Maybe it would be nice, just this once, to reciprocate with more than Link expected.
So for once, she wouldn't just match his pace.
In the beat after Link lowered her hand, Sheik slowed her pace and pulled him closer, turning to face him. Before Link could ask why she'd slowed down or what she thought she was doing, Sheik allowed her emotions, just this once, to make her decisions for her.
Using her height to her advantage, she pressed a quick but gentle kiss against his brow. Her mask was still on, so she knew her kiss was nowhere near as warm and sweet as his had been, late last night. Just the memory of that kiss made her smile beneath her mask. Though it had startled her then, it was a sweet memory now, and she regretted not giving him a similar kiss earlier that morning.
More than anything though, she hoped that maybe someday, she'd be able to give him the same level of affection he gave her so easily.
But all too soon Sheik pulled away, continuing to walk forward as if nothing had happened. Still, she didn't miss the way his hand held hers tighter, or the brightness to his cheeks.
There was a warmth to his smile that hadn't been there before, and Sheik knew she'd done the right thing.
Maybe someday, she thought, she'd have the courage to be more open and affectionate with him, and take off her mask around him—both figuratively and literally. But until then, it was nice to know that she could make him happy even from actions as small as these.
Sheik hid a smile underneath her mask for the rest of the trip to Telma's. No matter the low hum of a magical presence throughout Solen, or the stress of the upcoming journey, or all of her questions about her identity and possible Triforce, she felt at peace next to Link.
And for now, that was enough.
((Well, on one hand, this is absurdly late, but on the other, it's the longer chapter to date by a long shot. And also, I mean, you've got a lot of good moments between Sheik and Link. …Still, I do want to apologize for how absurdly late this is. Hopefully future updates won't be so late, but… it's getting towards finals week, and I'll have a summer job that'll likely take up a lot of time, so I can't promise I'll update quickly when it starts.
Until next time though, thank you for reading. If you liked this chapter or not, I'd love to hear your thoughts! Reviews mean the world to me, and I hold each of them close to my heart.))