Drowning In Pain

by Fuzzybuni

Link is a normal high school teen that is constantly bothered by one of his peers, Dark. He and Dark are both going through hard times and they are really confused with what to do. Can they make the right choices in the end?

38. Epilogue

As Smoking Owl Bones said in their last review, I, too, abide by the dank meme of: *Rose voice* "It's been 84 years..."

No, but really, it's actually felt that long since I first began writing this fic about 10 years ago, starting it on lined paper in 2007 and posting its first chapter to FanFiction in the beginning of 2008. I can't believe this mf is actually finished. It seems surreal to me since it's one of the first fanfictions I've ever posted online. I've grown a lot as a person and as an author over the course of this time, and this fic could honestly be considered the backbone of my entire writing career as a writer on the Internet. It's basically was what started it all for me.

I began this story as a 13 year old finishing high school and completed it as a 22 year old finishing university. Life has certainly happened for me in this duration of time, that's for sure. I hope you can see my growth as a person and writer in this fic as well as the time that has passed since you've started reading it and have grown, too, whether that was 10 years ago, or even a week ago.

I want make some shoutouts in reference to a couple of my readers that inspired some of the great ideas found not only in this chapter, but in previous chapters too. I'll place those at the bottom of this page just because some of my responses will have spoilers in them. I will also include review replies at the bottom of this chapter to anonymous reviewers of previous chapters. It should be noted that I will update this chapter periodically in case you anonymously respond with any comments about this chapter itself as well. So if you're a leaving a guest review, check back in a week or so after you've written me and you'll see a response!

Anyway, I said that this fic was the backbone of my career, so in all honestly, you're are the backbone of my writing too. Without your kind words, criticism, and encouragement, I wouldn't be sitting here posting this chapter today!

Soz this chapter is such a beast, but it's over 14,000 words so I hope y'all enjoy the final chapter of Drowning In Pain!

Trigger warning: short flashback to previous rape scene in chapter 6

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Chapter 38 - Epilogue

As Link washed a plate over the sink, he looked out of his kitchen window without a care. It was a beautiful day. Link had enjoyed it when he had made his way out to his morning classes, but now he was catching up on chores, cleaning his dishes from last night and doing his laundry which was long overdue. Link had one remaining pair of clean pyjama bottoms on while waiting for his first load of laundry to be done, sockless and shirtless otherwise.

Some of the days in October were still warm, like this one, and Link pushed the windows open in the kitchen, letting the playful breeze pass through on any whim.

By this point, after being in school for at least a month and a half, they had gotten used to each other's schedules. Link knew that Dark would be home in a few minutes since his last class of the day was at 3:30 and it was almost four o'clock. He played music on his iPhone and left the device sitting to the side on the counter while he continued doing the dishes until Dark came home.

Link had gotten used to the noises of their apartment, but Dark was a true sleuth. He was always up to causing trouble, especially when sneaking in to spook Link if he were distracted.

Dark soon slid in through the front door and carefully closed it after himself, clicking the lock shut as quietly as possible. He could hear Link's music coming from the kitchen. So, he rested his school bag down at the front door and tip-toed his way through the living room, then meeting the entrance of the kitchen.

He paused in the arch of the wide doorframe and viewed Link from behind, astonished at how effortlessly beautiful Link was. His mouth fell open in an unknowing part. Dark raised a hand to lean against the doorframe as he continuously looked over Link's narrow silhouette.

Link's was lit up by the setting sun, orange hues glowing over the face of his body. His pyjama pants barely hung off his hips while he swung them back and forth to the beat of song. He hadn't heard Dark yet, that much was obvious, as the running water shadowed the noise that came about from Dark's footsteps. Link placed another dish in the tray and continued on with the next one, the moving muscles in his back enticing Dark to take another step forward. He did, mouth still open, hand falling back to his side when he released the doorway. He had never seen Link walk around the house half naked before. It was an absolute need for Dark to touch Link.

Dark swiftly stepped across the room the moment Link put the next plate in the dish tray. The second his fingertips reached the warmth of Link's back, Link's breath hitched and his back tensed in fright. Dark dragged his fingers from Link's upper back, around his waist, and then up his chest, fingers bumping the raised scar along the length of Link's collarbone.

"You scared me," Link breathed out hotly, leaning back into Dark's arms now.

Link raised his right hand to rest on top of Dark's on his chest while his other arm remained hanging at his side. Dark also touched Link's right side too, his hand cupping the warmth of Link's waist.

"And this time without me intending to," Dark smarted in return, pushing his nose to Link's shoulder. "I've just never seen you walk around the apartment like this."

"Well, I wouldn't have to if I did my laundry more often."

"Maybe you should do your laundry even less, then, huh? Then you could start walking around naked."

Link choked back on a chuckle at this and turned in Dark's arms, dropping his head and smiling up at Dark with brightened cheeks. "You would like that, wouldn't you?"

Dark brought a hand again up to Link's scar again, brushing his thumb along the thickened skin, and nodded, smirking.

"Yes. Because then…"

Dark trailed off, leaning forward to kiss the scar, but then wrapped his arms around Link's back and under his arms, creating leverage so he could lower his stance to a half kneel. He kissed Link's next scar, the one that rested on the line of his ribcage.

"Then, I could get you like this…"

He pressed his lips firmly to Link's last scar on his stomach.

"… all of the time."

Dark was kneeling entirely now, his face right in front of Link's groin. His fingers lingered where Link's skin met cloth. His left hand held onto Link's back yet, although he lowered it more, hand placed upon the curve beginning in Link's ass. Dark brought his gaze up, arching his neck and met Link's gaze, which was just as hungry as his own.

Link cupped the back of Dark's head. He swallowed before murmuring, "You know… I… I don't really mind you being like this… more often."

"So I take it I can take your pants off now?"

Link literally couldn't hold back his laughter, throwing his head back in utter amusement. "Oh, Goddesses, Dark, yes, of course you can. As long as you get your sweater off first."

Dark smirked and leaned back playfully, tugging off his sweater in one swift pull. He took his own shirt off right away as well, his lips quirking up even more in delight. Link cupped both of his hands on the nape of Dark's neck and Dark inched his fingers forward, taking down Link's pants in one tug. He moved himself right to Link's leg, pressing his teeth to the inside of Link's thigh. Link jerked back for just a second and breathed in sharply. Then, he giggled when Dark's lips met his skin once more, this time Dark suckling him softly.

Link was giggling yet, and he pulled away, dropping his head in embarrassment. "Dark, you know how ticklish I am there."

"And you know how I love seeing you squirm."

Right after these words fell from Dark's mouth, he reached up and cupped Link's length through his underwear. Link inhaled again at this and his breathing shallowed as Dark continued rubbing him. Link's form, trembling with need, weakly reached back with one hand to hold onto the counter. He stretched his free hand to Dark's hair after, flattening some of his locks behind his ear. Link let out a soft cry from between his lips the more fervently Dark touched him.

"Da-ark…" Link croaked, voice breaking.

Dark loved how good Link sounded like that, so he paused, and with eyes glistening, he brought his gaze back up to Link's. He whispered, "Yes?"

"I've had a long day, it's actually kind of hard for me to stand," Link said, just as quiet. "My legs are shaking."

"The bedroom's a place for rest, I'm sure?" Dark suggested, voice lilting with slight sensuality. He stood at this and pressed a hand to Link's arm.

A grin broke out across Link's face and he nodded vaguely. "I'm sure it is, slick. Let's go then."

When he stepped by Dark, he could tell that Dark had not followed so he spun around and gazed back at his boyfriend questionably. Dark was glued to the spot, staring at Link absolutely mesmerized.

Link laughed loudly, leaning forward and hugging his sides. "Y-you look like you've just seen a Goddess Herself! What is wrong with you?"

"You—you didn't notice what you just did?" Dark gaped in a barely manageable excitement.

"Okay, you're being so weird right now." Link smiled fondly and leaned his shoulder against the doorway, crossing his right foot over his left. "Can't you just tell me? Please, Dark?"

"Link, you gave me a literal nickname, like a pet name! You called me 'slick'!"

"So, what? You call me stuff all the time! I bet you if I made a list of all the things you called me I'd have enough material to complete a two-thousand word essay in full!"

Dark snorted. "All right, I can let you get away with being a snarky little shit, but I don't want you not to know that you haven't called me a single name other than 'Dark' in the last fifteen years we've known each other either."

"What—" Link gasped heavily. When he inhaled again, the air caught in his throat. He scrunched his face up too. "Really?"

"Yeah, I know I'd remember something like that if it happened before," Dark said firmly, a lovely smile upon his mouth.

"So… not even in the last two years?"

"Not even in the last two years, love, no."

"Oh. Wow. Well, I guess you make up for the amount of names I haven't given you."

Dark grinned madly and finally slid his way over to Link, wrapping his arms around his waist. "At least you've given me one now, babe."

"See, exactly what I mean! So, what have you called me? Let's see… we went from man to dick, then fucker, and later on kid. Then, I remember Linky-boy, princess, darling, and even a Mr. Stickler in there one time. You've also called me Little Linky, pansy, idiot, handsome man, snookems—babe…!" Link added pointedly. "And—"

"Love," Dark interrupted so softly that Link's face immediately went red at his tone.

Link melted in Dark's hands and pressed his palms to Dark's chest.

"Yes," Link breathed back. His lashes fluttered as he looked over Dark. "You… you call me that too."

"Love. My love," Dark repeated, eyes darkening and his voice more possessive this time. He pushed his fingers firmly into the curve of Link's back.

Link brought his pelvis forward at the suggestion and moved himself right against Dark. "Yes?"

Dark flicked his head to the side, gesturing to the bedroom again which was just down the small hall. They sauntered off towards the bedroom after this, occasionally pausing to kiss or touch one another.

By the time Dark had thrown the duvet off the bed and pressed Link to the sheets, taking off his underwear and kissing his neck, Link was already crying for Dark.

"Please, I—I need you now."

"Maybe I should start by taking my pants off first," Dark chided, sliding back off the bed.

He whipped down his jeans and briefs so he could return to Link right away, attending his every need. As Dark pressed his mouth back to Link's eager lips, he caressed his own cock, length beginning to thicken in his palm.

Link pulled his lips away to murmur, "Here."

And, suddenly, Link brushed Dark's hand holding his cock with the back of his knuckles. Dark's fingers sprung back from his own member and Link's hand returned instead, rubbing Dark's cock with slow, tantalizing pulls. Dark panted and kept watching Link's face with absolute attention, so Link flushed too.

"Goddesses, how do you do that," Dark whispered heavily, shaking his head, sweat beginning to perspire on his forehead.

All Link could do was shake his head, aloof. He licked his lips.

Dark's cock was hard enough to penetrate Link already.

Link knew this too. He snapped his hand back from Dark's length to hold onto his neck instead, pulling Dark closer and raising his bottom underneath Dark.

Dark was aware Link wanted him as is, but he felt obligated to make things a little more comfortable for Link, so, in a rush, Dark leaned over to the bedside table to retrieve their lube from inside the drawer. He squirted some of the liquid into the palm of his hand and tossed the bottle to the side, not even clipping the cap shut.

The second Dark penetrated Link's body, stretching him at first, Link's eyes widened and lips parted unwittingly. And then he wrapped his arms even tighter around Dark's neck, pupils dilating in natural excitement. He couldn't help but squeak at Dark filling him further.

"Oh, Goddesses, Dark, you feel so good—" Link's voice broke off into a low moan.

"Love, you look even better," Dark returned surely, his eyes unmoved from Link's face as he suddenly thrust forward into Link's bottom, filling him up.

Link cried out and shoved his head hard into the pillow beneath him. Dark pushed in Link again and again, as far as he could, just to elicit those wanton moans from the back of Link's throat. When Dark relented a little, choosing to find pace rather than submit Link to an immediate orgasm, Link tugged Dark's head down for a kiss and he moaned softly on Dark's lips.

Dark released Link's mouth from his own, saliva beading between them, and he looked over Link who was utterly lost in the euphoria Dark was providing him. He moaned continuously, accepting Dark's cock, pushing himself back to Dark so eagerly. Link's face was flushed and his eyes were closed, lashes flitting in absolute pleasure.

"Look at me," Dark pressed suddenly, challenging Link's consistent cries.

Link's mouth was parted and his eyes soon flashed open too, his overwhelmed cerulean gaze looking about Dark's intense, ruby eyes. The blond's face blushed even further the longer he kept his gaze upon Dark's.

Dark's eyes couldn't stop flickering about Link's face, no longer in attentiveness, but in slight inquiry instead. It seemed as though he were searching for an answer he was never to get, especially if he didn't ask Link of it.

Link licked his lips and his mouth parted in wonder. His head, muddled with euphoria, could barely create a sentence of concern for Dark. He blinked and swallowed multiple times before licking his lips yet again. He finally questioned aloud, quietly, "What is it? Something wrong?"

"Huh?" Dark's eyes grew clearer at Link's words. He even paused from thrusting and shook his head, asking again, "What?"

"You're looking at me funny."

"No, I'm not."

"Um, yes, you are."

"I'm really not, Link."

"Dark, c'mon, I know when you're distracted, okay?"

Grumpily, Dark sighed and shut his eyes. "All right."

"All right… So…?" Link prompted.

"It's a rather inappropriate time, but I'm thinking about two summers ago."

Link merely narrowed his eyes at Dark now, wondering what Dark could have possibly been thinking about. Too many things to count happened that summer—both good and bad. Link remembered the newfound intimacy he found with Dark, but also recalled the trying times in his parents' marriage, Link and Dark's troubled interactions shared with both Zelda and Ganondorf, and finally… Dark's father. Oh, Goddesses.

Link eventually asked, "What about it?"

"Well, it's a lot, so I hope you're prepared to hear this," Dark said and he brushed a couple of delicate fingers back through Link's wispy hair. "I've been thinking about this for quite a while now actually."

"We should probably stop for a minute then," Link suggested, his mouth pulling up into an unexpected and crooked grin. "Because you're still, well—"

Dark lowered his head, gaze filled with purpose, and he smirked, responding with, "How about you let me…?"

And with a tantalizingly slow movement, Dark pulled himself from Link, Link squirming the entire time.

"Ohhh, Dark," Link huffed, face visibly redder when Dark's tip left his bottom.

"Yes, baby, I'm glad you like that," Dark agreed sensually at first, but continued leaning over Link as he spoke further, seriously, "But… about that summer. I was remembering that the first night we were forced to tolerate each other was one of the nights that my dad, you know, sexually assaulted me. After that, and I will be honest because we've never talked about it before, but I had some pretty fucked up feelings towards having anal sex myself… for-for like, fun, I mean. I wrote it off, basically never considered it again, not even with you. And because we also conveniently just sort of fell into the role of me fucking you and that was that.

"But right now, this whole month, I've been feeling really weird thinking how this time last year we were in the middle of the trial. All I could think about was my dad then… so I guess it makes sense that I've been thinking about him a lot right now. And how I thought he ruined something that I could probably enjoy, but now… I see how much you like having sex with me and… well, I want to switch things up."

"You want me to fuck you instead?" Link questioned strangely, unable to hold back the shock in his voice.

"Sure, yeah, whatever, I guess," Dark said quietly, furrowing his brow, waving off Link's absurd tone. "It's just—it makes me angry how much it… it hurt, but I can tell by looking at you… that it just doesn't. And I hate how he took something like that from me when I didn't say he could. And, like I said, I love seeing how you look when I fuck you and well, I—I want to feel like that too. At… least once."

It was rare that Dark took the time to talk about his vulnerabilities so Link almost cried upon hearing Dark's words so passionate and true. He couldn't help but curl his arms around Dark's neck, dragging Dark's body even closer than it was. Hushed, Link swiftly whispered back, "Of course, Dark! Of course I would do that for you!"

"Great. Okay, so, I'm glad you're enthusiastic and all but, I for one, now I'm fucking nervous," Dark laughed out meekly, shaking his head, eyes barely meeting Link's when saying this. "Because this is a thing that is happening now."

"Hey, it's all right," Link assured, face filled with such propensity while he looked over Dark closely. He had never seen Dark look this nervous with him before, so Link frowned and like Dark previously had, Link brushed Dark's hair off his face in a soothing manner. "Don't worry. I'll make you as comfortable as I can."

"Okay," Dark barely said, nodding and pulling back from Link to lie back in the bed, now nestled up against a couple of pillows.

"I'm just going to wipe you off, okay?" Then, Link snickered. "I guess the bedsheets will be our last load of laundry for today."

Dark barely managed a smirk and just nodded again.

Link reached down to the sheets close to Dark's hip. He took the cotton material and wrapped it around Dark's length, wiping him down once. Dark was still rock hard and Link's eyes, filled with pleasure upon noticing this, glanced up to Dark readily.

Link paused to breathe for a moment, although his throat constricted and his inhale was shaky. In that one moment that he breathed, Dark was already sitting up and pressing his lips to Link's yet again, cupping his hands around Link's neck, taking him closer.

At this, Link kissed Dark back, mouths slowly meshing together.

"The lube," Dark breathed once their lips parted.

Link leaned over to the side and flipped the sheets about a couple of times, soon finding the bottle within the mess of material.

"Want me to wear a condom too?"

"To be honest, I'd like you as you are," Dark said sincerely, collapsing back onto the bed. Dark, usually one to hold back his embarrassment, was unable to hide the red in his cheek as he spoke so honestly. This was really happening.

"Okay." Link grinned in excitement and nodded passionately, leaning forward to take Dark into one more quick kiss. "We'll do as you did our first time then."

"Sounds good," Dark agreed and he brought his bottom up a bit.

Link used the lube to coat just one finger. Link smiled again, although his expression was much more subdued, and he raised his finger to show it to Dark.

"Okay, I'm going to try now," Link warned and brought his hand down towards Dark's bottom.

Link only pressed the tip upon Dark's bottom, but he had been clenched so tightly that Link couldn't make any further step. Link frowned and raised his gaze once again, trying to catch Dark in a glance. Dark, however, had his eyes clenched shut, mouth pursed, and brow furrowed.

"Dark," Link called softly.

Dark slowly cracked open his eyes. His mouth fell while he nodded warily to Link.

"I… I can't do anything if you're this uncomfortable."

"Shit, okay," Dark grumbled. He sat up a bit, making Link take away his hand yet again. Dark's eyes flickered over Link's face defensively and he sighed. "Okay. Well, you usually know how to calm me down. Maybe do some of those things and just warn me right before… you know… and then maybe this will work?"

"All right," Link mumbled in agreement.

He knew that his touch was one of the things that had calmed Dark the most. So, he used his clean hand in sweeping motions, combing his fingers back through Dark's hair, hand now caressing the back of his neck. Dark visibly deflated, eyes fluttering shut in abrupt relief. Link crooked a smile and brushed his palm over Dark's shoulder twice. He dragged the back of his hand down the front of Dark's chest, too. He then left his hand on Dark's shoulder and leaned forward to leave some chaste kisses on the side of Dark's face to which the skinnier boy laughed aloud at, eyes scrunched, but squinting now at Link anyway with a smirk on his lips. Link paused to grin at Dark and then continued kissing him, bringing his mouth down the side of Dark's jaw, then neck, and finally to his collarbone.

"I'm going to do it now, okay?" Link whispered softly, looking upon Dark readily.

Dark, a little flushed once more, had nodded surely in reply. He even breathed out a soft, "Yes."

Link had slipped in much easier this time, without much resistance, yet after his finger was halfway inside of Dark, Dark clenched tightly around Link's appendage. Link made sure to stay inside of Dark, but was unmoving, hoping that Dark would settle sometime soon.

"I-it doesn't hurt," Dark tried to convince. "I'm just not comfortable."

Link giggled. "That much is obvious."

Dark glared at Link.

So that made Link laugh harder. He even wiggled his finger around a little within Dark's bottom and this caused Dark to choke out for a large breath of air, face heating up even more.

"That feels… different," Dark muttered, shaking his head.

"Great. I just can't wait until you say that it feels better."

Dark merely responded with an indignant clearance of his throat. Link beamed yet again.

It was only when Link had not relented, not moving his finger a single inch that eventually Dark stopped clenching around Link. The longer his finger remained, the less foreign it seemed inside. Dark's breathing, once shallow, slowed. His chest, which visibly rose and fell at a comfortable pace, convinced Link to push his finger in up to the knuckle and he wiggled it consistently thereafter. Dark's eyes widened pleasurably at the feeling.

It took a while, but as Link kept up the pace, Dark's face was so hot now, he couldn't stop licking his lips as he looked over Link's heated expression. Dark moved himself down onto Link more, simply asking, "More?"

"A second one, okay?"

Dark nodded in his overwhelmed silence and he hadn't even squeezed himself around Link when his second finger slid in. He definitely felt the stretching now, but it wasn't too bad either. Honestly, Dark thought it was kind of hot.

"Link," Dark breathed out, voice thick in his throat.

"Yeah? Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah," Dark said back, eyes flashing over Link's keen expression many times. He didn't think he'd ever say the words, but they had slipped out with ease, "I like this."

Link cocked his head and smiled so genuinely he had leaned forward, careful in not moving Dark's bottom in any awkward way, and cupped his right hand to the back of Dark's neck. He brought Dark forward, who readily complied, and they kissed for a moment until Link's fingers had spread apart a bit in Dark's bottom. Dark parted from Link and a lusty moan left his lips.

"Shit."

"Can I do that again?"

"Yes, please."

Link brought his fingers out from Dark a little and spread them further. Dark's toes curled. He reached for Link's unoccupied arm and whimpered in need. Link had done this a few more times and Dark asked for more every time.

"L-Link…" Dark begged quietly. "Please, I—"

It wasn't until this point that Link had noticed Dark's absolutely straining cock, pre-cum beading on the top. He knew Dark was about to come if he spread his fingers out one more time. This had Link giggling, so he retracted his fingers from Dark's bottom altogether.

"Hey," Dark grunted, blinking in frustration up at Link.

"Dark, I don't want you to come just yet! I haven't even touched your prostate yet, it's pretty obvious."

"Oh, what makes you say that?" Dark said, even grumpier at that observation.

"Because I know it's gonna make you scream."

Dark literally let out a sharp laugh at that, looking over Link skeptically. "As if! You know I've never been that loud."

"Well," Link started, and smiled crookedly, bemused, "We won't know that until it happens. So, how would you like to do this? You know I've told you it's the easiest when you take me from behind."

And Dark couldn't even help it, but he immediately experienced a horrible flashback: Dark's father had smacked him so hard Dark had fallen face first onto the bed. A punch to the back rendered him breathless. Useless now, he was unable to retaliate in any way. And, suddenly, his pants and underwear had been torn off his bottom half, his father's manhood ripping right into his backside, relentless.

Dark didn't even have to say anything for Link to see that he was in distress. He had gone silent, red eyes wide and unseeing, a squeak escaping from between his lips.

"Oh, Dark, no, no, it's okay," Link whispered so very gently, wiping down his fingers before taking Dark's cheeks right into his hands. "Hey, hey, it's okay. It's okay. You're okay. I'm sorry. I didn't even think of what I was saying, Dark. I'm so sorry."

Dark hadn't responded yet, so Link removed his hands from Dark's face and began combing his fingers back through Dark's hair again, hoping the gentle caress of his nails on Dark's scalp would help soothe his worries. At the repetitive motion, Dark eventually did blink several times and finally, his eyes, seeing again, squinted up at Link apprehensively.

"Link," Dark croaked sadly, his lips then pressing together so tightly he felt his eyes burn at this. "… Sorry."

Link cupped Dark's face again, frowning. "Hey, you don't have to be sorry at all. I'm sorry. I was just thinking of what worked for me, and I didn't even think of your situation. I'm so, so sorry."

"It's… okay," Dark murmured awkwardly, shrugging. "I know you didn't mean anything by it, it's just—sometimes it's still… fresh? And certain things trigger my memories, and I get all—I get all fucked up by it."

"Well, I totally ruined the moment." Link sighed, defeated.

"No, you didn't!" Dark spat excitedly. He leaned forward and grasped onto Link's arms extended to the bed. "It's fine, I swear. I trust you. I just want you to face me when we do it. If that's okay."

"Of course that's okay! That's not a problem at all!" Link answered without pause, breathing a sigh of relief this time. He pressed his brow though. "You're sure though?"

"Yeah, yeah. I am." Dark chuckled and then gestured down to his cock, which was hard yet. "I don't even know how that's possible, but…"

Link was laughing again too. "You're just that good."

Dark, as well, smirked for the first time since before mentioning that he should be the one to receive. "Yeah, I am."

"Okay, well, I'm just going to add more lube to my fingers and help you out a little more before… well, yeah."

Link did so, reinserting his fingers into Dark's bottom, to which this time Dark had complied readily. Dark panted as Link stretched him out a couple of more times and he brought himself back from Dark once again, wiping his hand down on the dirty sheet.

Thereafter, he lubricated his length and his breath hitched in his throat upon realizing that this was about to happen for real.

"You ready?" Link's eyes flashed wider in excitement.

"As I'll ever be." Dark shrugged once more, smirking again. "C'mon, let's go."

Dark inhaled slowly one more time and upon the exhale, he was nodding up at Link, the first notion of real confidence appearing on his face. He hadn't seen Link's bottom half leaning towards him, focusing far too much on Link's face, but he did feel Link's tip press against his entrance, then sliding in with ease as Dark was unclenched. But, at having Link inside of him for the first time, he had sharply inhaled again and suddenly squeezed around Link. This caused Link to freeze and moan also.

"Sh-shit, sorry," Dark whispered, lungs searching for the breath that just wouldn't come. He gulped loudly for air again and his distressed gaze flickered erratically over Link's lust-filled face above. Not being in charge had Dark far more anxious than he originally thought. Thankfully, he spoke up and said so, "Tell me it's going to be okay."

Dark's eyes welled before Link even got a chance to open his mouth. Link shook his head profusely and held Dark's face with one hand, saying, "It is going to be okay. Take a deep breath and see that all of this is exactly what you want it to be. Look, I've stopped, Dark. Everything is up to you."

That was what Dark needed to hear. He had choked out a small chuckle and scrunched his eyes, which caused a tear to fall, so he raised a shaky hand and swiftly wiped it away.

"S-so, I guess I do have a say in this," Dark croaked, and tried to think of anything else but the stretching at his bottom.

"Yes, of course you do! I wouldn't do anything you don't want me to, Dark."

"It was just… that you looked so turned on, so I thought…"

Link cocked his head.

Dark rolled his eyes and honestly grinned at Link's innocent expression during their act so dirty. He continued, "I thought you wanted to keep going. Like, right away. And you looked so good, too, I didn't even want to stop you."

"Dark! My Goddesses!" Link called out loudly, rushing forward to rest his forehead right against Dark's. "It makes sense why you'd think I want to keep going because I did! You're so fucking hot and you've already made me feel so good! But, more than anything, I want you to stop me when you want me to stop. I swear everything is always better for me when you want me as much as I want you, and that's how I want it to be every time, I promise."

"So, that means… that you've never felt like you were… powerless? With me?"

Link literally scoffed as he pulled his face back from Dark's. He shook his head firmly. "Never."

"Oh," Dark simply said. He even mumbled a complacent, "Cool."

Link grinned at this, looking over Dark thoroughly. "Look at you…" he whispered so sweetly.

"Okay, I'll try," Dark joked and crossed his eyes over to 'see' himself. He then uncrossed them and smirked up at Link, waiting for Link's response. He further mused, "I didn't see much of anything."

Link did laugh again at Dark and smiled widely. "No, I mean, after talking, you look so comfortable with me now. I really like it," Link finished bashfully.

When Link pointed this out, Dark did notice that his comfort level had grown manageable at this moment. Link was resting snugly inside, still half out, yet no longer foreign feeling to Dark. He swallowed at noticing that they'd probably begin now, but it was Dark who persisted Link anyway.

"Hey, can I see what it feels like with you all the way inside me?"

"Sure," Link replied immediately, his mouth wet and eyes shiny. "I just have to angle you up a little more, okay?"

"Okay," Dark said and soon enough, Link had pulled back so he could hoist Dark's bottom up more on his thighs.

As Link did so, Dark felt Link slide in a bit further and he huffed out a small breath, cheeks suddenly a bright red. Then, Link pushed himself gently, but all the way in, filling the rest of Dark's bottom until his head hit Dark's prostate directly.

Dark jerked upwards, mouth parting as he gasped out a thick, "Ohhhh, shhhit."

A feeling of infinite pleasure had erupted from Dark's bottom and spread throughout his whole body, his cock trembling and face red with absolute need.

"What? Are you okay?" Link relented at his own words.

"Fuck me, Link," was all Dark could manage, shaking his head aloofly.

"What, what?"

"You didn't tell me it felt like that."

"Oh, shit!" Link had mimicked Dark's previously used words, but joyfully so. "I hit your prostate, didn't I?!"

"Well, maybe," Dark breathed out, eyes wide and staring at the ceiling.

"Oh, no, I definitely did! I've never seen you look like that in my life before!" Link shared in elation.

Link wasn't wrong, Dark had never felt like that before. The corner of his lip curved in amusement and he smirked up at Link, agreeing with a crude, "Even my cock was throbbing for you."

"Mine is too," Link whispered through bated breath.

"Can I sit up on you?"

God, that sounded so absolutely sexy. Link had never imagined Dark sitting in his lap the first time Link was to penetrate Dark. Imagining Dark, sitting right over him, pulling the majority of the weight in the reins was all Link ever hoped for. Link loved Dark being over top of him period. And, right now, that sounded even hotter.

"Sure," Link murmured, flustered, but he leaned forward anyway to clutch his hands under the curve in Dark's back, prying him from the sheets below.

Dark sat up, Link's cock sliding another half inch inside, and he rested down over top of Link's locked knees.

Dark moaned out softly as Link entered him further and when he reached his prostate again, Link's cock now in constant contact with it, he let out a long, thick groan. Dark's head fell back as his mind was losing control, body melting into Link's. Once he felt Link's rough hands clutch his perspired waist and neck, Dark lolled his head forward and swung his hands up, taking both Link's cheeks into his sweating palms.

With a gentle smirk, he bounced twice on Link's lap. Link dropped his head and moaned between the two of their bodies, so Dark too, cried out, and pressed his forehead to the top of Link's head as he pushed himself down onto Link a few more times.

"You're-you're the best," Link mumbled loosely, shaking his head against Dark's. Link then backed away, gaze feral and needing to see Dark's as well, so he dragged his hand up Dark's neck to nudge his chin, causing Dark to look back into Link's eyes. "You feel so good."

Once more, Dark rested down on Link all the way and rotated his bottom, moving Link over his spot again and again. He nodded, many times, and breathed out, heavily so, every time the tip of Link's cock caressed Dark's prostate. Dark's eyes sparked in the deepest passion at every moan. Soon, he eagerly brought his face to Link's own, kissing him suddenly.

Link's mouth met Dark's just as readily. They kissed one another slowly, and deeply, without any intention of unlocking their lips any time soon. Dark then bounced on Link many times and after that Dark's lips departed from Link's as the blond's mouth released a low groan.

"Ke-keep going," Link murmured, his lashes fluttering shut, his fingers jittering and sliding about on Dark's back.

Dark was smirking, so excited that Link was beginning to lose himself, as Dark was too. He knew that he couldn't keep Link's cock pressing into his prostate for too long now or else he'd come far sooner than Link would. He kept a brusque, but heavy up and down motion over Link's lap, taking him in as far as he'd go every time. They were crying out in sync now, Dark calling for more even louder than Link was.

"Pl-please, Link, I want you, I want you," Dark cried for him, shaking his head madly. His neck reclined over his shoulders, head lolling carelessly.

Link was kissing Dark's neck and chest now, sucking at his shining skin. The bruise Link then left on Dark's shoulder made Dark bring his head back forward, eyes glazed over, but soon he was searching Link with pure adoration in his gaze.

"Love," Dark cooed, hands back to Link's neck. "Love."

"Dark, I-I…" The sweat was falling into Link's eyes, but he blinked through it, and then he scrunched his flushed face at Dark, whispering, "I'm—Your—If-if you don't stop, I'm gonna come, uhn—"

"Yes, yes," Dark begged, shaking his head madly. "I want that." He did not delay in his bouncing at all. He licked his lips and stared right back into Link's eyes, then imploring, "Come for me. Please come inside of me. I want you. I want all of you, Link."

"Good Goddesses, Dark," Link challenged thickly, but soon was incoherent with his words, reaching the point of no return. "You're so-so fucking… aaa-amazing, please, yes, I love you, Dark, I love you!"

Still bouncing over Link, Dark raced forward, taking Link's lips into his own one last time. Link suckled at Dark's bottom lip and then howled against his chin, curling right against Dark as he came. His come shot out into Dark's bottom, coating his insides with the milky liquid, and Link curled further into Dark, quivering in his much needed release.

As Link's hot breath hit against Dark's chin, Dark rested down on Link for good, waiting for the pressure of Link's cock to send Dark into oblivion. With the head of Link's manhood pressing continuously against Dark's spot, Dark let out one loud, guttural wail, throwing his head back as he hit his peak. Link's teeth had scraped against Dark's chin then and that set him off, Dark coming between the two of them. His semen proudly coated the lower half of Link's heaving stomach.

Laughing so very softly, Link brought Dark down to the bed, keeping his cock nestled deep within Dark's bottom. Neither of them wanted to depart from each other just yet. They looked over one another in a conflicted sensual exasperation, but soon each of them were grinning, eyes flickering less fervently, gazes steadying into a loving and purely fascinated contest.

When they had finished this game of their shared, overly-interested silence, Dark swore he could have kissed Link for years. Overall, the sex had hurt at first, but it was obvious that Link did everything in his power to make it comfortable and good for Dark. Link let Dark make his own decisions, too, never once allowing Dark to feel powerless. Link even warned Dark that he was pulling out now, but the movement felt amazing, not constricting, and when Link left him, he felt emptier than he was an hour before.

Dark already wanted more… again.

So, like he had thought, Dark decided to kiss Link as thanks, laughing maniacally at first, but then he cupped Link's face right to his and smooched him through his continuing laughter. Link didn't know for what reason Dark was laughing, but Link was laughing too and clasping right back onto Dark just as tightly, his fingers pressing into Dark's wrists.

And then Dark rolled away from Link, arms wrapping around himself and he was laughing harder, deeper, and even squirming around in the messy bedsheets. Link's face was lit up yet in constant amusement, unable to understand Dark's laughter but it was still contagious anyway. He started laughing again too.

"Dark? Dark? Have I made you crazy?"

Dark kept laughing, but shook his head fervently through his sporadic movements in laughter. Now tears were rolling down his cheeks and he tried to stump his laughter by rolling right over on the bed, pressing his face hard into the pillow below. He hit the pillow a few times and he felt Link rest his palm dead centre on his back, so Dark raised his head, laughter finally dying down to soft chuckles, and he was shaking his head again.

"I-I'm sorry—"

"For what?!" Link teased right back, crooked smile on his face. "You don't have to be sorry! Honestly, I love seeing you laugh this much. Keep laughing if you'd like."

Dark rolled on his side and, with a silly smirk upon his face, he propped himself up on an elbow, looking over Link in fascination. "Nah, I'm good. I just… I can't believe what I've been missing. I'm a changed man."

"It felt that good? Enough for you to laugh for five minutes straight?"

"I swear to fuck, Link, yes!" Dark pleaded in exasperation. He reached out to Link and pushed back his messy bangs from his face. "It was amazing."

"Thank the Goddesses, I should be saying then," Link refuted with a snicker. "I didn't think I could make you feel that way."

"Well, you did, and maybe if you'd like you can again," Dark said with pure confidence. He moved to lie on his back and inhaled sharply at the pressure on his bottom, so he rolled on his side to face Link again. He added shortly, "I can tell I'm going to be sore though." And he raised a hand, rubbing at his backside.

"For a good reason," Link chided softly, edging closer to Dark on the bed. They were face to face, and although their bodies weren't touching, they could feel the heat radiating off one another. So Link couldn't help but touching Dark again anyway, pushing a warm hand up through Dark's sweaty locks stuck to the back of his neck. "Remember our first time?"

Dark breathed out heavily, lips parting, and he nodded weakly.

"And remember how sore I was the next morning?"

Dark nodded yet again, brow tightening in question.

"That was the sorest I had ever been with you. Every time got better after that."

"Better?!" Dark spat right back, actually sitting up in the bed. When he was seated, he could feel the warmth of Link's semen trickling down in his bottom. It made him so horny all over again. His eyes grazed over Link ruthlessly and his pupils dilated, gaze directly on Link's. He breathed out, "Better than this?"

Link couldn't help but blush under Dark's penetrating stare and he nodded meekly, raising his hands to rest them under his head.

Dark dragged his eyes from Link, looking vaguely across the way of the room. He muttered, mostly to himself, "Shit, I'm not ready, Link—How could I…?"

"How about we take it as we did with me? One day at a time?" Link reminded gently.

At this, Dark glanced at the blond again and saw the courageous light that was shining through Link's cerulean blues. The sureness of Link's expression could probably satisfy any question that Dark ever had now. Link's expression alone told him that eventually they would figure things out, no matter the circumstance.

"Link…" Dark started and he inhaled sharply before he continued, "… without you, I'd be fucked."

"Oh, come on, you really do tear yourself down, Dark."

"No, it's true. Right now, I couldn't even imagine being here, and I don't even mean with you, I mean, like being in school and getting a degree. With the way I was heading in high school… with me fighting everyone and being with Zelda and everything, I actually hated myself. I wasn't even thinking of a future beyond high school and it was because at that point I didn't even feel I had one.

"But, now, I'm here, in my second year of college and it's only because you were there for me in our last year of high school together. That we sat and did homework together, and when you asked me why I wasn't considering post-secondary schooling in the first place… it made me think that I was capable, that I could continue my studies and actually like it.

"And now, that I am here, and that we're here together, if anything goes wrong or if I have any stupid fears, you support me too. If I was still the same as I was back then, I would have yelled or fought someone or even tried to fuck somebody. But, Link, I can just look at you and tell that everything is going to be all right."

"Dark, you're going to make me cry," Link said thickly, brushing a hand against his nose, to which he sniffled at. "Hey, I hope you know you make me feel this way too. So you can't just think that I'm the one always supporting you."

"Yeah, but—"

"No 'buts,' Dark," Link argued right away, firm smile upon his face. "You just help me differently than I help you. Your humour is so therapeutic and you care for me like no one has before. If I've had a bad day, coming home to you is the best thing I could ever do if I want to feel better. The only reason why it seems like I always know things are going to work out is because I'm with you, Dark."

"Fuck, I'd say we're a pretty good pair then," Dark muttered sort of argumentatively, mainly trying to avoid the sudden escape of tears from his eyes.

"Yeah, I'd say we are too," Link breathed back, eyes shutting gently as he rested back again in the mattress. He smiled, widely now, and cracked his eyes open again to catch Dark in a momentary gaze. "I mean, we made it through first year living away from each other in two completely different residences."

"And I still don't think there was a day that went by that we didn't talk to each other somehow," Dark added surely, lowering himself back down on the bed to lie right beside Link. He rolled his head to the side and his gaze flickered up and down Link's face in attentiveness. "Love, I remember how amazing your rez was… your shower."

Link grinned, tilting his head in likeness. He reached forward and touched Dark's face again, carefully curling his fingers along the length of Dark's jawline. "All I can think about is the placement of that shelf."

"That shelf…" Dark did recall softly, nudging his chin down against Link's touch. "I still do prefer the fact that we have our own shower now, especially that it has a tub too," Dark added further. He brought his arm around Link's shoulder, bringing him closer too.

"This is true," Link weighed carefully, but then his lips pulled up into a creepy smile. His eyes flashed over Dark's face in amusement. "However, not so risky."

"You liked bothering your roommates, didn't you?"

Link smiled crookedly and shrugged fairly innocently. "I don't know what you're talking about, Dark."

"Oh, come on, Link. I think my favourite thing about first year was learning how sly you really are."

"I think that was my favourite thing about first year too," Link agreed, a mischievous smile overcoming his features. "Thanks to you—"

Through the middle of Link's speech, they heard a knock come from their front door.

"Oh, shit, what day is it?" Link whispered fervently, sitting up from Dark's hold.

"Uh, Thursday, right?"

"Dark!" He turned back, gazing at Dark worriedly over his shoulder. "Good Goddesses, we made dinner plans with Saria and Sheik for tonight! It's six, isn't it?!"

Dark rolled back and glanced at the clock on their bedside table, which read 6:17. "Fuck."

Another knock sounded and they heard Saria's voice from beyond the door, "Guys? Hello? You home?"

"Okay, okay," Link muttered swiftly, standing right up from the bed. "Um, Dark—you go. You get changed. I'll—I'll put on some clean clothes and… and flip the load over. Oh, shit, and the bedding, right. I'll come join you soon, okay?"

"Love, it's all right. Take your time!" Dark grinned and leapt up from the bed. He did grumble at his bottom for one second though, placing his hand to his butt cheek to comfort himself. He slipped over to the dresser against the back wall and tugged open a drawer. Dark, dressing himself in some of his classic dark and newly clean clothes, turned to wink over his shoulder at Link. As Dark then darted from the room, tugging on his other sock, he assured, "I'll distract them."

Link shared a half grin and began to strip the mattress. He was so very thankful that they had thrown the duvet off the bed first, so now Link did not have to clean that. Link rolled the sheets into a small ball and rested them on the corner of the mattress while he heard the water running in their bathroom.

Just as Link moved towards the dresser as well, he swore internally as he completely forgot all of his clothes were still in the basket and dryer in the hallway. So, he swerved back around and suddenly, Dark had appeared back in front of him again. They had almost collided, but thanks to Dark's swift reflexes his hands flew up and he clasped onto Link's forearms, halting him immediately.

They viewed each other in momentary fright until Dark whispered, "I just came back for a kiss."

Link cocked his head, smiling crookedly, and readily pressed his lips to Dark's. Dark held both of Link's cheeks at this and smiled below the kiss. Dark paused to bring his eyes over Link's face many times before he could even convince himself to remove his hands.

"I'll see you in a minute, love," Dark murmured, cocking his head surely, a smirk upon his lips.

Link smiled too and Dark dashed from the room.

As Link made it to washer and dryer between their bathroom and bedroom door, he heard the front door close. He had almost forgotten but he was still dirty from having sex, so he stepped to the bathroom first and washed himself down, leaving a washcloth in the sink. Link then worked as swiftly as he could.

He came to the dryer and pulled his things out, emptying everything into the basket. He lugged the basket into his room and changed at this moment from his pile of clothes while glancing to the ball of linen on his bed. Before Link returned to the washer, he dumped the remaining basket of clothes on the stripped bed, and filled the basket with their soiled linen instead. He returned to the washer and set the basket on the ground, first flipping the load into the dryer, then starting the machine. Afterwards, he threw the sheets in from the basket and ran the wash. He'd have to return in about forty five minutes to change the loads a final time.

Good thing Sheik and Saria lived right across the hall from them.

Link didn't even wear shoes as he left the apartment, locking up after themselves with his key, and then pushing right onto the door on the other side of the hall.

Dark must have told Saria and Sheik he'd be right over, because, like Dark and Link, they didn't often leave their apartment door unlocked but Link entered with ease.

Upon entering he hadn't seen Sheik, but Link did see Dark and Saria leaning against the kitchen counter all the way across the room, talking amongst themselves.

Dark's eyes lit up when he caught Link's gaze at the front door, so with a beam appearing on his face, Link announced loudly, "Honey, I'm home!"

"It's been ages, love. Wonderful to have you again," Dark jested in return, shrugging once nonchalantly.

Saria was laughing loudly at the banter between those two.

"'Love'? As in, our love is here?!" Sheik called from around the corner and he too poked his head out from the doorway of the kitchen.

Saria was giggling even harder and Link brought back, "I think I prefer being just Dark's love only, Sheik. You can, however, love me as a person."

At this, Link jokingly spread out his arms and smiled crookedly.

"Aw, whatever!" Sheik cried out dramatically and he raced over, sweeping Link into his arms. He spun him around and Link laughed so hard that he grasped back onto Sheik just to stabilize himself. "Feels like I haven't seen you in forever, dude!"

"Same here, man," Link murmured in return and they left from their hug, although Sheik brought his arm around Link's shoulder as they faced the other two across the room. "How long's it been, Dark?"

Dark looked up for a moment until he levelled his gaze again, gesturing a lax hand up from resting on the counter. "It's been about two weeks, I'd say."

"Two weeks?! My Goddesses, no wonder why I've been so sad! Tell them how sad I've been, Saria!"

Saria concealed her mouth under another laugh and then rolled her eyes, looking to Dark before viewing Sheik and Link again. "He's right, he's been pretty melancholic recently! I think he ate a whole box of wheat thins in one sitting yesterday."

"Well, even though that's pretty impressive, I'm glad we could please your with our presence, Sheik," Link shared lightheartedly, cocking his head to gaze right at Sheik resting over his shoulder. "I've just had a midterm and an essay due this week and Dark's had a pretty heavy course load this year so far too."

"I get it, I get it!" Sheik bit back playfully. "But, yeah, I can tell it's been hitting you pretty hard, Link, because you stink."

Link's mouth dropped at Sheik's observation and now he did regret coming over without showering first, but he didn't exactly have a choice.

"It's because Link just fucked me! For the first time!" Dark suddenly spat out, absolutely flustered.

Both Saria's and Sheik's heads whipped to Link in shock.

"DARK!" Link bellowed and he covered his face immediately. More muffled, he cursed, "I SWEAR!"

"Oh, come on! You knew we actually had to tell them this time!"

"Yeah, but last time you screamed about us having sex, they knew we just 'fucked.' Now they know we—" Link cut himself off instead, groaning loudly into his palms.

"Gods and Goddesses alike, it makes me so happy that you two are still trying new things," Sheik announced so happily that he pretended to wipe a false tear from his eye.

"Was he any good, Dark?" Saria asked excitedly, turning to Dark and grasping onto his arm.

"Please don't answer that," Link cried softly, peeking between his fingers now, but his voice went unheard of as Sheik was clapping, excitedly waiting for the details. He sped off and away from Link, moving right to Saria's side, his hands now clasped together.

Dark glanced to Link far away in the living room and questioned gently, cautious, "Can I just say one thing, Link? It's nothing too personal."

It was as if he heard Link anyway. Because it was only their two best friends and that Dark seemed so soft in asking that in the first place, Link relented. He visibly sagged, grimaced, and shrugged his shoulders at Dark across the way, soon to join them as well.

Once Link entered the kitchen, he did stand near Dark and Dark reached out to Link's waist, coaxing Link closer, while saying, "It was like doing it all over again for the first time. He was the best I've ever had."

"Awwww!" Saria and Sheik released simultaneously, grasping onto each other as well.

"Really?" Link asked without bated breath, his voice but a whisper, tone so endearing as he crooked his head in Dark's direction.

"Love, of course," Dark whispered so firmly. He withheld his hand from Link's waist just so he could rub his hand up and down the curve in Link's back. "I wouldn't say that if I didn't mean it."

"Wow, you two really are still so into each other, aren't you?"

It wasn't until he had heard the sound of that statement that Link ripped his eyes away from Dark and they flew back to his friends, weighing them with a careful gaze. He was so enamoured with Dark's soft presence that he didn't even hear who had said that. So, he asked a simple, "What?"

Sheik obnoxiously snorted in reply, covering the bottom half of his face while Saria leaned into his shoulder, crying laughing.

"Yeah, we're pretty gross," Dark answered rather proudly despite his choice in words.

But, Link had felt Dark puff out his chest on his side, and Link managed a weak smile now, looking between Saria and Sheik happily.

"So, you guys must keep it interesting too," Link commented firmly, a surer smile appearing on his face. Dark glanced to Link and then had looked at their friends with a smirk on his lips as well.

"One time, I dressed up for roleplay and called Saria into the room, and she legit left screaming," Sheik recalled the story, laughing so hard.

Saria was honestly laughing too, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. "He was dressed as an actor, I actually thought he was another guy!"

"And another time I bought Saria edible underwear to wear, but she said she'd probably get a yeast infection, so I ate them for a snack before classes the next day. Then, I got a yeast infection in my mouth! Coincidence or not, Saria literally said, 'Told you so!' and I couldn't stop laughing that whole day!"

Now Link was absolutely losing it, leaning his forehead into Dark's shoulder as he cried through his laughter. This made Dark laugh even harder as well.

"I'm sorry I seem so boring, come to think of it," Saria moaned sadly, growing tinier at Sheik's much larger height.

"Oh, God, no, Saria, you're absolutely hilarious! I think I'm going to keep doing these bizarre things just to see your reactions!" Sheik announced elatedly, using his hand to press against the side of Saria's head, bringing her to lean against his chest.

"Thanks, Sheik." She grinned widely and nuzzled her head back against Sheik's shoulder. She then tapped him once on the chest and moved away, walking along the counter space to the oven. "Well, the food should almost be done. I've made garlic bread and homemade lasagna."

"She's amazing," Sheik raved, sinking heavily against the counter behind him. "I will never go hungry with Saria around."

"Actually, Sheik's not so bad either. I mean, we never really got to cook in first year, being in rez and all, but he's gotten a lot better over the summer," Saria complimented, then leaning over to crack open the oven. "Okay, we're ready!"

"Here," Dark answered softly. He moved away from Link's side to assist Saria. "Where's your oven mitts?"

Saria gestured to the drawer beside Dark's hip. As they worked to fish the food from the stove, Link nudged Sheik and suggested that they set the table. So, they collected the plates and forks and knives, soon moving across the linoleum to the square wooden table Saria and Sheik had in the corner of their kitchen. They then grabbed glasses and even a couple of pot holders so that Dark and Saria could move the hot food to the kitchen table instead.

Sheik cut the lasagna pieces and the garlic bread for everyone and then divvied up the food so that their plates were filled.

Together, they all dug in.

"Thanks again for having us, guys," Link said, food in the side of his cheek. "This is delicious. Dark and I don't really cook."

"Yeah, neither of us are that good," Dark agreed ruefully. "And usually we're too tired from classes so we're always just eating a weird variety of foods that never really make much sense anyway."

"It's true," Link chided, chuckling after that.

Saria tilted her head and smiled. "Well, I can give you the recipes I have, as well as some of the websites I use. A lot of the stuff is pretty easy to make and all of the ingredients are usually cheap as well."

"Hey, thanks, that sounds great," Link said with a smile on his face too. He took another bite of the lasagna. "Although…" He chewed again and swallowed, pleasurably so. "I would never assume my stuff would taste as good as yours, Saria."

She giggled and shook her head. "No way! That's not true! If you just follow the recipe, I promise your food will be just as good as mine."

"All right," Link gave in, shrugging. "I'll give it a try."

Suddenly, Sheik cleared his throat extraordinarily loud. That collected everyone's irate attention. Especially due to the fact that Sheik looked so honestly nervous out of nowhere.

He opened his mouth, took in a deep breath, and then said, "So, you guys must know, I love you to death and I obviously never want to make you feel uncomfortable, plus this probably seems way too random, but I just need to say that I think one thing that's making me feel so badly is… the time of year? Like, in reference to the trial and all?"

Link's mouth fell open and his head instantly swivelled to Dark. Dark, on the other hand, had his brows pinched as he carefully scrutinized Sheik across the way. He hadn't answered, only pressing a hand to his chin and squinting at Sheik instead, so Link's head shot back in Sheik's direction and he spoke on their behalf.

"That's funny, me and Dark were talking about this today. I think it is this time of year."

Sheik nodded thoroughly, glancing at Link to register his words before he dragged his gaze back to Dark's challenging one.

"I'm sorry, I just know I'd feel better about some things if I talked about it once and for all," Sheik said, ashamed, mainly directing this at Dark. "And it sucks because I know it's not exactly fair to you guys who experienced all of it firsthand."

Dark finally cleared his throat and relented in his piercing gaze, crossing his arms instead. "It's okay. I get it."

"It's just—" For the first time ever, Sheik shrunk in size in front of all of his friends. He had always been so loud, aloof, and playful that it was odd seeing him look so vulnerable in this moment. "Saria… actually, can you start me off? Please? I'm sorry."

Saria smiled sympathetically in his direction and then turned to Dark and Link across the way, saying, "He's never told either of you, but he feels partly responsible for some of what happened on... that day."

"What?! That's absurd, Sheik!" Link literally shouted and stood up from his chair, gripping the table top with firm hands. "There was nothing that could have been done to protect either of us that day!"

"That's not true," Sheik grumbled bitterly. "You know how I can fight."

"He had a knife, Sheik," Link bit back in exasperation.

"But I'm so quick. He would have never even—"

"That's bullshit, you could have gotten hurt too! Or even worse, one of us could have died! You're my best friend, Sheik! I didn't want either of you involved at all! When I told you guys to hide, that's exactly what you had to do. I thank the Goddesses every day that none of you got hurt. It was me who needed to protect as many of you as I could!"

"No one had any role they were expected to follow that day," Dark interjected firmly, disagreeing with Link a little. His arms were crossed still, but his head low, unable to make eye contact with anyone right then. "Not even you, Link. It just happened as it did."

"I feel bad anyway," Sheik moaned out, lolling back in his chair.

"That's why he didn't come to some of the trial dates," Saria added sorely. "He couldn't bare it."

Link collapsed back into his chair and brought his eyes to Dark. Flatly, he pressed, "Dark, tell him none of it was his fault."

With his head lowered yet, Dark's eyes flickered to Link before he raised his head again. He pressed his lips firmly. Once he uncrossed his arms and his mouth parted, Dark said, "Sheik, he is right. Nothing that happened that day was linked to what you could have done. Not even what Link, or me, or the police could have done. There are no what ifs, just what is. My dad is a bloodthirsty psychopath with no sense of empathy for anyone. He probably would have killed you, Link, and maybe even me, at that point.

"The only person who had any control of the situation was my dad. He was the one who decided to come to the house with a knife. He was the one who was going to try and take me away no matter what happened. And… he's the one who stabbed Link three times in the chest and stomach.

"So, I can't sit here and tell you what to think or how to feel, but I can tell you what I think. Sheik, it was him. It wasn't you, it was all him. People don't just receive the luxury of rotting in jail for the rest of their lives for attempting murder. Unless you're finally admitting after all this time you're his co-conspirator or something," Dark finished with a teasing smirk on his face.

Genuinely shocked, Sheik perked up at this, and shook his head and hands profusely. "No way! Oh my God! Dark! What?! No! I can't believe—! No!"

Saria was giggling at this and shaking her head. "He's kidding, Sheik."

"I know! But, no! Oh my good God! No!"

Sheik was so flabbergasted he couldn't even accept a joke so morbid at this moment. He covered his face in utter embarrassment.

"Sorry my sense of humour is a little fucked. It tends to make its rounds at times most inappropriate," Dark snorted out in reply, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the table, arms crossed over again. He was smirking wider now. "See how absurd that sounds though? So stop giving yourself a hard time."

"Okay, okay, I will!" Sheik whipping his hands from his face, shaking them at Dark. "Thank you, Dark!"

Link laughed softly at this and leaned forward in his chair to rest his hand along Dark's back. Dark didn't look to Link, but his form and expression softened just a little under Link's touch. This made Link grin at Dark's side.

Now Sheik was snorting and shaking his head at the two of them, gesturing exaggeratedly. "Man, you guys look the same as you did then, in a good way, of course. It makes me so happy."

Dark turned to Link in slight inquiry and Link pressed his brow at Dark before furthering questioning, "What do you mean?"

"I mean like what you guys were like during the trial. You both looked and acted so certain about everything. It blows my mind! Like you were never going to lose if your lives depended on it!"

Link bowed his head and chuckled out a soft, "Thanks."

"We weren't. You're right," Dark agreed, a sure smirk upon his lips.

"And do you guys remember the last day of the trial?!" Sheik started excitedly. "Remember when Dark went up to the stand a final time?"

Dark leaned his head back to let out one bark of a laugh before he nodded at Sheik with his eyes crinkled in amusement. "Yes, of course. Link called me back over and brought my face right to his. We kissed, but for barely a second. Our lawyer at one point even suggested we play up our relationship, but I never thought that we'd ever kiss in front of most of Hyrule. That was all Link."

"You've probably heard this from me too many times and I know I always hype it up, but I wish you would have seen Ganondorf's and Zelda's faces!" Sheik cackled aloud after this.

Saria was giggling as well, nodding and agreeing. "He's not wrong, it was pretty funny. Zelda literally whipped her head at Ganondorf with the most shocked expression on her face I've ever seen on anyone ever," she recounted in amusement, waving one hand through the air, eyes distant.

"And then Ganondorf legitimately stood up so fast he looked lightheaded," Sheik added. "We saw his face when he came back down the aisle and he stormed right out of the court room. He… was… pissed!"

"So impressed that we managed to piss those two off months after last speaking to them, love," Dark joked as he cocked his head in Link's direction.

"I wonder why they both had such strong reactions to us kissing," Link mused as well. "Both of them basically found out we were dating on our graduation day."

"I think they just couldn't handle the fact that they finally saw us romantically involved for the first time. I guess believing it and actually seeing it was two completely different things for them."

"I bet you're right, Dark," Saria agreed with much certainty in her tone, a crooked smile across her features. "Everyone else loved it though. Dark, your dad's team instantly knew they lost. And the court room and jury just melted. The whole world melted! I remember seeing that image of you two around the news for weeks! Link, that was some impressive quick thinking!"

"Thanks, Saria," Link said. He tossed his head forward, shadowing his eyes with his bangs as he further recounted, "To be honest, it was kind of first nature to me. I hadn't even thought of anyone else but Dark and how proud I was of him. I kinda knew it was over anyway, so I thought I'd kick off the celebration with a kiss."

"Even though Link and I made out for a whole hour before the final trial date anyway," Dark added naughtily.

"Did not!" Link argued with a smile on his face. He leaned into Dark's space to give him a small shove. "All right, well, maybe not a whole hour, but close to it."

"Yuck, okay, Link, you and Dark really are too grossly cute!" Sheik elatedly announced, covering his face.

Saria snorted and then leaned over, too, grabbing onto Sheik to give him a little shake as well. "Sheik!"

Link was honestly cackling at this while Dark slid right in with his comment of, "Yep. 'Grossly cute.' Sounds about right."

"Aw, man!" Sheik was laughing yet, hands pressed to his chest. Soon, he was wiping a real tear from his eye. "I love you guys!"

"Hey, I love you too, Sheik," Dark snorted back in return, his voice amused, but certainly sincere.

Link could never have imagined Dark saying he loved any of his friends two years ago, that was for sure. Like Sheik, it almost brought a tear to Link's eye.

"So, do you guys have any homework due tomorrow?" Saria asked suddenly.

They both shook their heads at Saria.

"Good! After we're done eating, hopefully you guys want to stay for a couple of hours? We really do have a lot to catch up on!"

"For sure!" Link grinned and looked to Dark for further confirmation.

Dark playfully frowned and shrugged, adding, "Yeah, sure. Sounds good to me."

They continued fluid chatter over their long meal. Finally, when they had each finished eating, the four friends put the remaining food away, Link then even insisting that they could help with dishes before heading to the living room. With the four of them working together, they finished the dishes within a few minutes. As a group, they headed into the living room, collapsing onto the couches comfortably, bodies tired, but mouths and ears eager for more conversation.

They had talked about everything, from how classes went over the last two weeks, to relationships with each other and then other classmates, and then even extending into random topics like sharing new songs they heard recently to opinions they had over their favourite television shows.

When it hit about 9:30, Link glanced to his watch and muttered a short, "Oh, shit."

"What is it, Link?" Saria spoke up.

"I completely forgot about our laundry."

Dark quirked his brow at Link and pulled Link even closer at this, shaking his head, smiling. "Hey, that's all right. We'll just flip the loads when we get back."

"Okay, but, it is getting pretty late. I have class at eight-thirty in the morning. I should be getting to bed."

"Eight-thirtyyyyyyy?" Sheik groaned so very loudly that Dark and Saria were grinning. "On a Friday? Ughhh. I can't even imagine!"

Link's brow flattened, unimpressed, in agreement. "Yeah, tell me about it."

"Well, if Linky-boy says it's time to go, it's time to go," Dark groaned out and released Link's shoulders so he could lug himself up from the couch cushion. Link pressed his hands to his knees as he watched Dark rise and blinked tiredly at Dark's behind. Smoothly, Dark spun on the spot and reached his hand down to help Link up. "Well?"

Link nodded and took Dark's hand gratefully.

Link smiled sleepily when he turned back to thank Sheik and Saria. "That was some great food, with even better conversation, guys. Thanks for having us over."

"It's not a problem at all, we're glad to have you any time!" Saria said eagerly in return.

Sheik nodded several times and leaned into Saria, comically pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. "We've been blessed with the presence of Link and Dark. That's for sure. Please come again and forever."

Dark chuckled, bringing his arm back around Link's shoulder as the pair rounded the couch, heading to the front door.

"Thanks again," Dark murmured, nodding his head curtly.

"No worries!" Saria said. "We'll text and meet up again sometime this weekend."

"Awesome! I can't wait!" Sheik added excitedly at Saria's ear, to which she cringed but giggled at anyway.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"So, you said you had to go to bed early to actually come home and stay up with me for a bit longer, right?" Dark teased as they walked back into their apartment, grinning widely at Link's side.

Link snorted, but shook his head. "Sadly, no, Dark. I meant it. I really should be getting to bed."

"Aw, come on, Link!" Dark moaned, moving right in front of Link, holding onto Link's forearms as well. "Maybe just for once you might consider skipping and staying home with me? It is Friday, and you only have the one class."

"Dark!" Link legitimately giggled this out, shaking his head again. He then tilted his head in kindness, smiling crookedly. "I can't do that! What excuse would I even give my prof?"

"Tell him you're sick in an e-mail. He wouldn't know if you were sick to begin with because you wouldn't be going back to his class until next Wednesday."

"You're not wrong, but—"

"And you've never missed this class yet."

"True, but, Dark…"

"You have friends in your class too. You can get the notes from them later."

Link began to smile again, lip curling in utmost amusement, and he cocked his head once more at Dark. Dark rushed his hands up Link's arms and to his neck, holding him firmly.

"I won't ask you to do it again, I swear," Dark even assured, and winked shortly afterwards.

"Dark…" Link whispered softly. Then, he sighed and closed his eyes, a tinier smile still on his face.

"What?" Dark finally asked in response, shrugging as if he had no clue what he was doing. "It would just be nice to have you all to myself for as long as we want and this would make our weekend a day longer."

"Hmm, you are making some good points," Link mused gently. However, he rolled his eyes and his neck, causing Dark's hands to move down to his shoulders instead. He raised a hand to bump one of Dark's elbows away and then he departed from Dark's grasp, continuing to move by him and through the apartment.

"You were always late in high school! Remember?" Dark called after him. "And your teachers still loved you! The amount of times you'd been late, you didn't care then, and I bet the amount of time you missed in high school classes from being late would have been even more minutes than just this one class."

"Dark, that doesn't make me feel any less guilty now," Link chortled out. "And that was on accident because I slept over my alarm clock a lot of the times. And I used to waste a lot of time sitting around in the mornings too. I don't really do that anymore!"

"Okay, okay." Dark relented, raising his hands in defeat, but following after Link anyway. "Can we at least put our laundry away tonight so I can spend more time with you before we go to bed?"

Goddesses, everything that Dark was saying made Link want to melt.

He stopped midway down the hallway in front of their washer and dryer, swivelling to face Dark and pressing his shoulder to the wall. He even dropped his head, bashfully so.

"Dark, of course," Link murmured, shaking his head. He raised it again, his eyes flashing over Dark with an admirable gleam. "Also, you don't have to go to bed with me if you're not tired. You don't even have class tomorrow. You should stay up if you want to."

Dark smirked at this and slid right in front of Link, resting his arm up and against the wall over Link's shoulder. With a cool glint of his own in his eye, Dark smoothly assured, "I'd much rather go to bed with you."

A literal 'aww' escaped Link's mouth without pause.

Trying to be cool yet, Dark turned his head to the side in frustration, muttering, "I clearly meant in a sexy way."

He then stepped by Link, bending over to the dryer to scoop all of their dry clothes into the basket.

"Sure you did," Link teased softly.

Dark never looked back and made his way down the hallway, basket in hand, scoffing in denial. Link smiled crookedly at that, and moved forward to place the bedding in the dryer at the highest heat. He followed Dark into their bedroom shortly afterwards. Together, they put the laundry away, folding and hanging everything. Eventually, they retrieved the last load of their bedding as well, remaking the bed.

After going to the bathroom and brushing their teeth, they collapsed on their clean bed at the same time. Both Dark and Link immediately curled on their sides to face one another, Link bringing his hands up to rest under his pillow while Dark hooked his hand over Link's bottom, sliding him closer. Link couldn't help but let out a soft laugh. He brought his face down in the bed, pushing the crown of his head against Dark's chest.

"Thank you so much for helping me with all of that laundry," Link sighed out, exhausted. "I'm sorry that most of it was mine."

He moved again, sliding even closer to Dark, but instead choosing to press his forehead to the centre of Dark's breast. He could feel Dark's heartbeat against his skin.

"Hey, no problem. Now you can spend less time doing chores and more time with me doing nothing."

"That is true," Link conceded, nodding against Dark.

Dark's right his hand curled over Link's bottom, but then he used his other hand that was originally under his head to dance his fingers through Link's scattered locks. He loved the way Link's hair always shifted in colour depending on the lighting of the room. In the dim light from one of their side table lamps, Link's hair was a dark golden hue. Dark continuously, but barely so, ran his nails back through Link's hair along his scalp, eventually causing Link to lazily raise his head.

"Sometimes I can't believe how gentle you are with me." He blinked tiredly, an enormous smile breaking out across his face.

"I guess after all those years of terrorizing everyone, you really did change me for the better. It's not like I feel like I have to be 'delicate' with you or anything… but it's—it's just how I feel about you. I want to take care of you. Fuck, I'd never thought I'd go soft."

"You're not soft." Link snorted. "You just looove me."

"Yeah, yeah, I looove you," Dark mocked playfully, rolling his eyes.

"I love you too, Dark," Link said, far softer and more genuinely, craning his neck back so he could press his lips under Dark's chin.

Dark breathed out through his nose at this, closing his eyes, enjoying the feeling of Link's mouth against his skin. He continued to entangle his fingers through Link's hair. Link, too, sighed gently and brought some chaste kisses down Dark's neck now.

"You want to turn off the light?"

"Yeah."

Link pried himself from Dark's grasp, but Dark's hand remained on Link's hip while Link reached back and tugged the cord on his side table lamp. With only the light of the moon peeking through the sides of their curtains, Link shifted back to Dark, who then hooked his arm under Link's, hugging his arm up the length of Link's back. Carefully so, they had brought their faces to each other's, brushing noses in the dark.

"Mmmh," Dark murmured, pushing his nose against Link's cheek. He couldn't see Link's face yet, as his eyes had not adjusted to the dark, but he grinned anyway whether or not Link could see him.

"Hmm?"

"MmmMMH," Dark moaned much louder, which made Link laugh on his cheek.

"MM MM MMMH," Link mimicked, even louder than Dark had been.

This caused Dark to burst out laughing, Link joining him soon after.

"There's not one other person in the world that I'd rather be groaning exaggeratedly with in bed on an early Thursday evening than you, Link."

"That's grossly cute," Link taunted Dark, recounting Sheik's words about the two of them from earlier.

"Damn right it is. Sheik knows, you know…"

"But, to be honest, I feel the exact same way, Dark."

Dark moved back from Link's face a little bit just so he could cock his head in likeness. Then, so sweetly, Dark breathed out the softest, "Good."

"Okay, fine, I'll skip tomorrow," Link announced so suddenly that he saw Dark jerk his head back even further in surprise. "Just this once. Only because I like you so much."

Dark, trying not to show Link his utter elation, cheered flatly so, "Woo."

That made Link spit up in laughter.

Their voices carried on into the darkness of the room for at least an hour more, but Link's eyes were shortly failing him, his lashes fluttering shut. He snuggled up close to Dark and listened to Dark's tender tone rumble gently against the pillow until he dozed off.

It didn't feel like much time had passed in their sleep, but Link's pre-set alarm didn't care as it soon aroused the boys to consciousness.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

"Shit," Link cursed through a thick inhale, jerking awake at the piercing sound.

Dark groaned at Link's side, rolling away from the sound in his sleepy state.

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Tiredly, and with his eyes still closed, Link leaned to the bedside table and reached around in the dark until finally slapping his hand on the alarm button.

"Damn clock."

When Link rolled back over, he faced Dark, and pried open his eyes to view him in their dimly lit bedroom. Dark was facing the other way, clearly shifting his body again to get comfortable, but his voice had startled Link anyway.

"You still goin' then?"

Link smiled, sleepily so, and shook his head down into his pillow, snorting softly. "Goddesses, no, Dark."

"The alarm though?" Dark barely grumbled back, raising his head to glance over his shoulder at Link, disgruntled.

At this, Link decided to shuffle closer, moving his heat right behind Dark's. He rested one arm around Dark's head like a halo while he brought the other over Dark's side. He pulled himself closer and inhaled Dark's scent through his t-shirt.

"Forgot about it," Link chuckled out daftly. He planted his lips to the back of Dark's neck. "Sorry."

This made Dark groan even louder.

So Link's chuckles turned into thick laughter and he nuzzled his face down into the nape of Dark's neck. Dark then hummed, pleasurably so, and held onto Link's hand near his chest.

"Are you mad?"

Link hadn't meant to wake Dark up so early in the morning.

"No, not at all," Dark lowly replied. "I just thought you were going to leave me, love."

"Not after I've promised to stay."

Dark raised his head at this, and glanced back lazily in Link's direction, smirking.

Link felt the movement. He smiled crookedly himself, and without looking up, he whispered a teasing, "What?"

"I don't know. You're cute, Link. I love you. That's all."

Link snorted, grinning madly, and shared a small, but true, "I love you too."

Then, Link snuggled as close as he possibly could to Dark. Because of this, Dark relented in facing away and he turned over, bringing Link right into his arms. He wrapped them around Link's shoulders just so that he could rake his hands up and through Link's shiny golden hair. Returning the favour in touch, Link brought one arm up to press along Dark's back.

Within the sea of blankets, they soon drifted back off, comforted by a warm slumber only the two of them could share together.

---

So, for shoutouts: tb to that lil' Guest from November 17, 2015 that said: "tbh now all i can do is imagine dark bottoming. sign me right the fuck up" LIKE, SAME, ANON! So I legit wrote this chapter with your suggestion in mind, lmaoooooooooo. WE ALL KNOW THAT LINK AND DARK SHARE THE LOAD ANYWAY, C'MON! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) I further want to thank angelboy009 who pointed out my inconsistencies within the timeline considering Link's and Dark's ages. I returned to previous chapters of the fic and fixed that right up too! I also appreciate Yami no Nokutan's suggestion to have Zelda and Ganon react to Dark and Link kissing at graduation, but considering when I wrote it I entirely forgot to add it (I'm sooooorry), I instead added it as a short recollection to the Avalon v. Link trial because I thought that'd be oh-so-amusing to actually see a reaction come from Zelda and Ganon!

After everything, I shouldn't need to remind y'all, but you're beautiful and wonderful and, again, your support over these last ten years has meant the world to me. I was honestly just re-reading all of your reviews you've ever given me and you all are the best readers an author could ever ask for!

Maybe someday, we'll meet again~

Review Replies to…
Guest (November 25, 2016): MY DUDE! I am sosososo happy you love my fic, but sorry to see that my update was 1892478912741892 days later instead of "soon." HAHAHA. Apologies for the wait!
Guest (February 19, 2017): GDI ANON YOU ARE SO DAMN RIGHT! Dark and Link lovin' one another is the only kink I need in my life, skjfhakjhfkjas.
Pidge09: Omgggg I am so glad you caught that! It was ~definitely~ my intention. )