!Just to let you all know, I'm working on publishing my debut novel. Unlike my fanfiction stories, I've actually invested into a professional editor and have rewritten it several times. It's a beauty, let me tell you. Not perfect, because that's impossible, but it's the best I've made yet. When it comes out, I'll keep it at a really low price so, if you all are interested, you can have it for pocket change, really. ^.^ Because I want you guys to enjoy it as much as I have in writing it. I'll have a synopsis of it on my profile, and when it's published, I'll also let you all know on my updates as well as my profile where to find it.

And I'll also have a few free hard copies to mail out to anyone willing to help me spread the word. ^.^ Because, really, who doesn't hate marketing? Blegh.

Anyways, I'll stop blabbing now. Enjoy your long awaited update!

Shadow

Before leaving the barn that next butt-crack of dawn, I took my discovery and all it's nauseating feelings and tied them up tight. Then, I stuffed them into an iron chest, which I locked, then kicked into a visual pit of lava. When I stepped out and saw her, foggy eyed and with a bagel held in her mouth, I thought myself successful. My stomach didn't leap once. At least, not like it had with Kara.

She handed me a bagel, reminded me of the job today, then sent me over to some godforsaken corner to start hauling over the posts we'd be using. She met me with the weird-hole maker thingy that I could never remember the name to, yawning, with one of the horses following after her like a lost puppy.

For some reason, that made the iron chest float back up to the surface of the lava, not quite to the point of melted for good.

We started a good rhythm without having to talk much. She made the holes, I stuck the big-ass pole in (yay super strength), and then helped her fill in the hole with a mixture of some sort of brick mortar. By the time we had all the main poles in place, the sun had risen high enough in the sky to start burning through my tunic to my back. Malon groaned and wiped at the sweat on the back of her neck, which was exposed by the way she tied up her hair in a high ponytail.

"Goddesses, I hate the summer," she said. "I wish it would stay away longer."

I grunted in agreement, fidgeting. I could feel my sweat starting to make the tunic stick to me. I hated that feeling. Maybe it had something to do with having spent a majority of my time in a constantly cool water temple.

"I'm going to go get us a drink. You want some?"

"Yes, please."

"Kay. Bring over some of the posts while I do so, will you?"

"'Course, boss."

"That's Ms. Boss to you."

"Yeah yeah."

She gave me a brief smile, which made the lave pit seem less hot, for some reason, and left me to my itchy devices.

By the time I had gotten to the side of the barn where the long boards waited, I couldn't imagine surviving any longer under this stupid sun, especially with noon not even here yet. Deciding I'd risk the sunburn, I reached over my head and yanked off my top. The feel of fresh air on sweaty skin felt so marvelous, I sighed out loud. Then, it was back to the boards.

I had just finished my second trip and was leaning back to stretch my lower back when Malon finally returned, lemonade in hand. I didn't look at her as I accepted it, determined to push that stupid iron chest back down to the bottom of the volcano where it belonged.

The lemonade helped. Goddesses, she made it good. Maybe I could just rebound on lemonade. Nah, that'd get too weird.

"Uh, Shadow?"

I almost choked. Malon did not say 'uh.'

"Yeah?" Play it cool. Why was I panicking anyways?

"Could you put your shirt back on?"

I finally allowed myself to look at her to find her staring at her feet, face flushed with something a bit more than just heat.

As was my habit, I smirked without thinking.

"No." I said, just as I cursed myself. "It's hot, and this feels nice."

"You'll get sunburned."

"You don't care, you just like what you see."

This made her eyes flash back to their usual hardness and she yanked her hands, which had been gripping each other, apart.

There we go. There was my butch Malon, who was unaffected by men.

"I won't stand for your teasing, ass," she said.

"What?"

"You know what I mean. I'll have you know I don't want you to put on a shirt just because you remind me of Link."

Oh...that thought should have occurred to me. Why hadn't it? Had I really already changed that much?

"I don't know what you're talking about. This is my body, not his. Besides, he's wussier than me. Being a houseman will do that to you."

"You make it sound like he's wearing an apron and cooking pies."

"For all I know, he is. He's so wrapped around that girl's finger, it's pathetic."

She dropped my shirt thing at that and we were able to find some shade to collapse in and enjoy our lemonade under a nearby tree. A pair of horses watched us nearby, munching on some of the many dandelions that infested the place. Malon had a second jug of lemonade ready for me when I finished my first.

"What was she like?"

I lowered my bottle. "Who?"

"That girl. The one Link married."

"Kara?"

"Yeah."

I hesitated, swishing around the lemon pulp at the bottom of the glass bottle as I searched for the right words. My stomach had done an unpleasant little twist at the mention of her. Iron chest bobbing in the lava or not, the feelings Kara inspired I doubt would ever leave.

I took another drink before trying out my first answer.

"She was kind. Silly, naïve, too-easy to blame herself for everyone's suffering, arrogant enough to believe she has some part in every strife, stupid beyond belief, way to quick to believe anything she hears, but...kind. Almost too kind."

Malon leaned forward as she listened to me. She had her lemonade between her knees.

"Was she beautiful?" she asked.

"You saw her, didn't you?"

"Yes, but I'm not a guy."

"I thought it would be obvious."

"...You're right. Forget I asked."

We drank in silence for a bit. I watched some of the clouds pass and thought longingly of rain and how it would feel upon my bare, sweaty back. I wondered, faintly, if Kara had gained the confidence enough to do something like that, summon rain. The idea filled me with a renewed longing to see her, but the memory of her terrified face squashed it immediately. No. I couldn't see her. Probably never again.

I took another swig.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?"

I nearly choked. Somehow, I managed to get the lemonade down the right tube in time to give her an appropriate stare to that. She had her eyes to the sky, like me, her expression blank.

"Did the butch really just ask that?"

"Just answer the damn question."

"Oh no, I won't. I'm not that stupid. If I say no, you'll slap me silly, if I say yes, you'll think I'm in love with you. There's not good way out for me."

She sighed in exasperation. "This butch won't slap you or think you're in love with me, so just tell me."

"Why do you want to know anyways?"

"Because I just want to."

"It's not important."

"It is to me."

I just grunted at that. "Still not saying. Go ask Mr. Horse-face guitar player from last night, or whatever his name is."

"He doesn't count."

"Why? Is he a cross dresser?"

She snorted. "Know. Because he's been in love with me since I was ten. Not to mention the only girls he hangs out with roll around in the mud and don't see a bath for weeks on end."

I gave her a look. She glanced at me, blinked, then, as expected, scowled heavily.

"I don't roll around in the mud and I take a bath every day, thank you!"

"I wasn't saying you didn't." I said.

"Ugh! Whatever. Just forget I said anything."

"Dully noted."

With that, we finished our lemonade and went back to putting up the boards. Mostly I held them up while Malon hammered them in to the posts. Half way up one of the walls of what would soon be an eastward shelter for the horses, a cloud passed over the sun, cutting off the feeling of being baked alive. Both of us looked up with little cheers before returning to our work.

When the first raindrop fell, I couldn't believe it. Wish granted. I was delighted. I even went as far as to drop the board I was suppose to be holding for her to stare up in anticipation for the next, cold drop. She gave a shout, started to protest, but then stopped. When I glanced over to her she had her face to the sky as well, her eyes closed, gold lashes spread across her cheeks, and red ponytail reaching down to her thighs.

She still wore that stupid pink skirt. I was starting to think it was her work skirt. But, past that, I allowed my eyes to linger, just for a moment, her question from before floating back like a ghost. Rather than see just how different she was from Kara, I just looked. The baggy top of her dress didn't hide ample breasts. Her lips were full, wet from constant wetting in the hot air. She had freckles, but not so many as to be overwhelming. Just enough to look like someone had dusted acros her nose and arms, which held up her sky blue eyes when they were open.

And then the memory of her from the night before came back to me. Dancing like the flames herself, red-gold hair out and about her like a veil, eyes bright and large like a deers.

"Yeah."

Another drop fell. Then another.

She dropped her chin and opened her eyes to look at me.

"What was that, peon?"

"You're beautiful, Ms. Boss. Now don't let it get to your head and don't stupidly flirt with guys who look like horses from now on, kay? I'm dreading the day I have to help you watch children, might as well not make it any worse by making ugly ones."

She laughed one of her laughs where she threw back her head and the balls of her cheeks forced her eyes closed. More raindrops were falling now and I tipped back my head to relish in the sweet coolness. Someone liked me today. Gods, this felt good.

"Fine, then, you're beautiful too, Shadow. Don't let it get to your head either."

I scowled at the sky. "Excuse me? Don't go calling men beautiful, I'm damn handsome."

"Whatever."

"Hey!"

But she just laughed, at what, I didn't quite know until I found myself laughing too. The rain was falling faster now, and horses all across the field were trotting quickly to a roof, while a few lazy ones just flicked their tails and continued to munch.

I had completely forgotten about my lava pit. The metal chest I had locked away the stupid emotions sat unopened, but not locked either, somewhere on the sides of my mind, waiting to be opened.

Maybe...maybe it wasn't rebound.

"You know this rain's going to make the wood swell and the nails rust, right?"

"Shit."