It was an hour after dawn when Sheik felt himself awaken. It was a strange feeling, waking of his own accord simply because he had slept enough, swaddled in thick blankets and so utterly at peace. The room was quiet and cool above the covers, outside he could hear birdsong and the faint, distant noises of farmers at work. There was the sound of moving water near by, a river or such. Suddenly he was incredibly thirsty.
Sheik stood from the covers, still dressed simply in the thin cottons, shivering as the cold air graced his warm skin. He was still stiff and sore, the majority of his bones had mostly healed. It was always bones that were first to heal, if you could call it that. It was convenience. Sheik could still work and fight if he was gutted, missing a kidney or disembowelled (he shuddered, neither of those experiences had been pleasant) but broken bones were cumbersome and in some cases debilitating. That, he theorised, was why they so quickly and violently knitted back into place. But it was painful, even more so sometimes than the initial injury. Today, he was still tender. His back felt better, as did his face, he was sure that if he looked in a mirror he would find some of the swelling would have disappeared. Good. It was annoying.
A loud snore startled the Yiga, before he was aware of his reactions he found himself arming himself - he had picked up the first object he could reach. Sheik's heart took twenty full, furious beats before it resumed its normal rhythm, and suddenly he felt stupid, standing in the middle of a bedroom armed with only a hair brush.
Link was in the next room. Link snored. For some reason Sheik found that amusing, and he smiled to himself as he placed his chosen weapon back down on the bedside table.
He was still thirsty, and now that he was awake he was restless.
Why he chose to exit through the window, he didn't really know. All Sheik knew was that he wasn't up for speaking to the Hylian just yet. He had had quite enough of them lately, and now he wanted to be on his own. Even just for a moment. He wanted to choose to be on his own, and so he did.
Sheik found himself climbing, carefully, down the embankment beneath the bridge. He had spotted a small outcrop into the water that he wanted to sit down on. The path became steep quickly, and Sheik found himself sliding rather than climbing down to the water. Successful, he knelt down on his knees, hissing as his once shattered knee screamed in protest. It didn't matter, from this position he could dip his head close to the fresh, clean water and drink to his hearts content. It was bliss.
Once he had drank his fill, he spent the next short while washing. He had bathed the night before, but he still felt grimy and disgusting. He couldn't remember the last time in the hideout he had been allowed to bathe properly. His personal hygiene was never the clan's concern. His hair was a stringy, overgrown mess. Although he was always thankful that, just like his nails, his hair only ever grew to a certain length and stopped. He shuddered to think what he would look like, if his hair and nails grew at a normal rate. He decided a quick rebraid would suffice for now, wetting and combing the hair as best as he could, until he was able to properly trim and cut it.
Once he was finished, Sheik considered climbing back up to the house, but the sun was starting move onto his rock, and the peace and quiet lulled him to stay put.
It was here, some hours later, that Link found him.
"Breakfast?" Link called from the bridge, grinning in his good natured way as Sheik startled from his stupor and looked up. He was pleased when the Yiga nodded and he watched in awe as Sheik scaled the cliff with ease, his movements as light and surefooted as a cat's.
Link wasn't going to let on that he had spent the last twenty five minutes searching for his once-prisoner-now-guest. He had woken in a panic, realising he couldn't hear anything from the next room, and had been thoroughly convinced that Sheik had left for good. He wouldn't have even been able to blame him, as poor treated as he was. His heart had sored when by chance, he had spotted him by the water, the sun reflecting brilliantly off of his white blonde hair.
Link gave the other man an appreciative look, humming in satisfaction as he noted the bruising had almost all gone. Sheik still looked wild, with the dark rings around his eyes and the one eyeball that's red iris was still haloed with a thick ring of blood. The whites of both his eyes were still blood shot, giving him a manic, menacing vibe. In all, he looked better. In fact, he almost looked good. Sheik's face was angular, sharp and handsome. Link hadn't really noticed it before, hadn't really looked past the murderous assassin part, but now that he actually looked Link could imagine that at one point, Sheik had been (dare he say it?) pretty damn good looking. Now, however, his eyes were hard and untrusting, his mouth set in a tight, permanent grimace and although he looked no older physically than his early twenties, his persona was ancient.
"Hungry?" Link asked, nodding his head towards the village. "The tavern does a good breakfast - I don't have much in to cook. And anyway, I think we deserve a lazy day."
Sheik regarded Link quietly, his brows knitting together as he contemplated the question. Finally, he nodded, deciding that he was indeed hungry. He was perpetually hungry, he had simply learned to ignore the pangs of hunger.
Pleased with the answer, Link hummed happily and made his way back into the house with Sheik following closely. They dressed, Link throwing Sheik his boots and he himself pulling on his blue Champions tunic. He felt strangely giddy as they made there way into Hateno.
The Tavern was quiet, breakfast was almost over. The delicious aroma of sausage and ham filled the small room as Sheik and Link found a table. They were approached by Madam Madrid, the middle aged busty barkeep. She scowled when she recognised Link. Her lips tensed, her eyes growing dark. Link coughed uncomfortably.
"What can I get you boys." She finally asked, crossing her arms sternly.
"Ma'am -" Link greeted, smiling, suddenly shy.
"Don't ma'am me." She snapped, "Lily was broken hearted for weeks. You didn't say goodbye, you didn't write."
"Ah - sorry -"
"And then you've been bumping with her cousin and -"
"Two breakfasts!" Link interrupted, his voice high pitched. "And two apple ciders."
Madrid scowled at the interruption, but huffed and left with their order.
Sheik sat back in his chair, fixing Link with a disapproving gaze.
"Yeah..." Link admitted, rubbing the back of his head guiltily. "Long story."
Breakfast was, thankfully, uneventful - but it left Sheik feeling satisfied and full. Link had kept up a one sided conversation, commenting on the food, the weather, the drink or the people that visited the Tavern while they ate. Although Link did all the talking, he didn't mind. The silence wasn't awkward, and he was aware that although a silent participant, Sheik was listening to every word. They left Madrid a sizable tip, ambling out of the Tavern and into the midmorning street where residents of the small town tipped their hats to their hero and gave enthusiastic greetings as the two men made their way back towards Link's house.
"What do you want to do?" Link asked, kicking off his boots at the door and turning to Sheik expectantly. Sheik's eyes widened, bewildered. What did he want to do? What did he want to do.
He didn't know, and so he shrugged apologetically. Link nodded in understanding.
"You should take it easy. Have a nap. I'm always sleepy after a good meal." He yawned as if to prove his point.
Sleeping sounded to Sheik like a waste of time. But it was at least his time to waste. Despite his reservations, he found himself nodding, backing away from the Champion towards the safety of the bedroom once again.
"Sheik? You've barely said a word today. Are you alright?" He heard Link ask, just as he crossed the threshold into the other room. Sheik paused, not sure how to answer.
"I'm not sure." He finally replied, after far too long a pause. His voice was hoarse, and he frowned at how weak it sounded. He heard movement behind him, and suddenly Link was close by, just out of arms reach. Sheik startled, taking a step back at the sudden intrusion. He instantly regretted his action, as Link's face went from worried to guilty in less than a heartbeat. The sudden deflation in his demeanour made Sheik uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry." Link said, sounding miserable. "I didn't mean to frighten you." He paused, his brow knitting together in thought - and then like a sudden ray of sunshine his face brightened and Sheik felt as if the world had just became a little lighter.
"I have an idea." Link announced slyly, seeming to grow a foot taller. "We had a shitty start, you know - with you stalking me and then trying to kill me, me besting you twice and then you know - other stuff." Sheik snorted, folding his arms dubiously.
"You got lucky, and then you cheated." He found himself replying, taking himself aback with the amount of injustice he was suddenly feeling.
"Aha - yeah. Whatever, you sore loser." Link's grin gave away the fact he was talking in jest, Sheik found it impossible to stay outraged. "The point is - we're here now. So let's start again."
Perplexed, Sheik watched as Link inhaled deeply - watched as the tall and strapping Hylian made a decision and sealed it with a smile. Sheik raised his brow in question as Link extended a mammoth sized hand in his direction, thrusting the appendage towards Sheik with such enthusiasm that Sheik was surprised he hadn't torn a ligament.
"Hello. Nice to meet you, my name is Link!" He cried, grinning from ear to ear.
Sheik felt his jaw drop, he tried to school the look of disbelief and bewilderment but he was too late and his heart sank as he saw Link's delighted gaze start to fall, saw the bright blue eyes start to sadden as he was left standing with his hand extended. It was a surprise to Sheik when he, seemingly involuntarily, extended his own slender hand. Link's hand was warm, and firm and strong and Sheik felt his cheeks redden.
"My name is... Sheik." He replied, feeling his heart return to beat at it's usual vigour as the Hylian Champion's eyes lit up once again and Link's smile return to its full ferocity. Link laughed, the sound seeming to fill the room like birdsong.
"Enjoy your nap - Sheik." The Hylian said, releasing the hostage hand and returning with a spring in his step back into the main room of the house, leaving Sheik standing, still stunned.
The Yiga (ex) blinked, looking down at his hand that had been just a moment before enveloped in that warm grip. His fingers, bruised still, tingled - but surprisingly not from pain. It was perplexing, and far too much for Sheik to fathom. So instead he did as was suggested, and perhaps even more surprisingly - found himself slipping into sleep far more easily than he could ever have imagined.
A simple nap turned into a five hour deep sleep, and Sheik awoke feeling groggy but better. A quick inspection found the skin on his back nicely healed, and he no longer looked quite like a racoon as the black rings around his eyes were fading quickly. His knee was still painful, but it was no longer jarring.
Link was sitting at the table when Sheik emerged, and he greeted his guest with his usual good natured smile.
They ate, and Link continued with his one sided conversation. Maureen had visited to check on Sheik, and had kindly left him some of her brother's clothes to wear, clothes that were more hardwearing and suitable for travelling.
"Speaking of such." Link began, placing down his utensils nervously. "Will you come with me?"
"Come.. With you?" Sheik repeated.
"I'm heading out tomorrow. I need to finish what I've started. I wouldn't mind some company, if you'd be willing."
Sheik considered it for a moment, and the found himself nodding. "Okay."
The answer pleased Link, if the impossible brightening of his smile was of any indication.
"Great. I'm glad."
It was past midnight, and Sheik found himself once again outside - his head whirring with the days events. He felt strange. Everything felt strange, like he had just woken from a vivid dream and he was trying to distinguish reality from his imagination - as if he was trying to piece together the story of a life that wasn't his, and made no sense.
Sheik was snapped from his thoughts by a familiar cracking sound. He stood, his shoulders tense. He was unarmed, but that didn't mean he was defenceless.
He recognised instantly the short, rotund figure at the other side of the pond. Dumpry.
So, the Clan knew where he was - they had followed but hadn't intervened. Sheik felt a slow anger boil at the base of his stomach.
"Our Master is pleased you are still alive." Dumpry announced, his tone was to the point. "Your mission has changed. You are to befriend the Champion, and lead him to us for capture."
No.
Sheik turned his back to the red clad Yiga, taking a step towards the house.
"Our Master has said you are welcome back with open arms, he never liked Yano anyway. No one did. You did him a favour." Sheik paused, mildly disgusted Dumpry was still talking to him. "Don't fail us again."
The door closed quietly, shutting out the cool night air and cancelling out any of the outside noise like a vacuum. The main room was silent, save the gentle snores of the blonde Hylian who was still relegated to a bedroll by the hearth. Sheik paused and regarded the other man silently, willing his heart to return to a steady rhythm.
Confused and conflicted, Sheik didn't sleep that night.