The Legend of Zelda, its characters and locations are all property of Nintendo. Any and all OCs and original locations belong to me unless specifically stated to belong to someone else.
The Voice
Chapter 36 - Same as Always: Loud and Annoying!
Somewhere in the back of his mind, buried beneath mountains of guilt, anxiety, and embarrassment, Link imagined his arrival at the Domain to be a grand one. The return of the Hero of Hyrule, back from the field where he'd done battle with enemies the likes of which the bards could not even imagine, making a stop to take a little rest, eat a little food, and then go back out there to fight the Ultimate Evil that has plagued the land for so long. He'd materialise out of thin air, arriving on a beam of the purest, shimmering blue light, looking formidable, stoic, calm, and collected, every bit the Hero he was supposed to be.
However, reality seemed to pick up on his well-hidden hubris, and decided to punish him for his arrogance.
Sheik's math may have been good enough to prevent him from hurling his guts into the nice pool the Zora had built around the Shrine in the middle of their city, but his partner's math was not good enough to eliminate the dizziness the act of being reconstituted from millions of tiny particles induced in the subject.
Which meant that, as soon as Link was back to his old (or new, depending on how you viewed the transportation process, which was a whole new avenue of existential horror he had no wish to experience) self, the world seemed to be the right way...and then it tilted about ninety degrees to the left. Too late did he realise that it was, in fact, he who was tilting, by which the equipment on his back had given itself over to gravity and, in turn, dragged him down.
The end result was that, instead of the triumphant return to the Domain he'd envisioned, Link's arrival ended with him doing an involuntary dive into the pool—head first.
Which would have been fine, had there been no witnesses.
Problem was, he and luck really weren't on speaking terms these days.
Which was why a few dozen people—an eclectic mix of Zora, Hylians, Gorons, and even a Sheikah—were treated to the not-so-rare opportunity to watch the Hero of Hyrule make an absolute fool of himself, gasping for air when he resurfaced, desperately trying to keep his head above the water.
For a moment, all that could be heard was the gurgling of the waterways and fountains that continually emptied and filled the pool, as well as the Hero's coughing and sputtering. Many sets of eyes were fastened to the sodden lump of clothing bristling with weaponry that was trying to climb out of the pool and...well, failing quite miserably.
Then there was an immense flurry of activity as they all tried to help Link at the same time, which was appreciated, but also not at all helpful in any way as it really just resulted in a lot of people bumping into each other, talking—that is, screaming—at each other and hands closing around just about every part of the Hero and pulling him in every direction, which had convinced that he was going to ripped apart.
As far as ways to die went, getting accidentally quartered by a well-meaning mob was at least fairly unique.
And the noise. A dozen voices all screaming at each other to let go, or to help him, or trying to talk to Link directly was liable to leave him deaf at this rate.
"Link, are you all—"
"—right, Master Link?!"
"—the Hero of Hyrule, aren't you?! Let me—"
"—give you a hand!"
Too many voices, too many faces, too many hands. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move—the hands were holding him down, pulling at him. Why couldn't they leave him alone?!
Then a voice broke through the din:
"What is going on here?! Make way!"
It was familiar, but through the muddled haze of vertigo he couldn't quite place it. Something long and sharp was bobbing above the heads of the crowd, and wherever it went they parted, allowing the passage of a Zora whose black scales caught the lamplight in a rather mesmerising way. His name appeared in Link's mind, bright as a beacon.
"B-Bazz?" his warbling, treacherous voice spoke.
Bazz's reaction was immediate. His eyes widened, and he rushed forwards, pushing the well-meaning crowd away.
"All right, all right, stand aside, give him some room to breathe, for pity's sake!" the captain commanded in a firm voice, and the group reluctantly did so. He then turned to one of the guards who'd been with him, barking: "You, fetch Prince Sidon. He'll want to know about this!"
Personal space had never felt so liberating, and Link already felt his panicked breathing calming down, even more so when a hand—Bazz's, definitely—took him by the arm and pulled him out of the water, though infinitely more careful than the ones from before.
"Where on earth did you come from?" Bazz asked. "How did you get—"
Of course, pulling Link out of the water also pulled Sheik out from beneath the waterline...and the boy in the slate wasted no time in letting everyone know exactly what he thought of their attempted rescue.
"You incompetent idiots! What the hell were you thinking?! Oh, sure, let's crowd around the guy who just nearly drowned, and play a friendly game of tug of war, that's bound to help, isn't it?! And don't think I didn't notice that leer, Mister Perv..."
Link decided to take a moment to himself right then, focusing on getting the world to stop spinning, and calming his breathing back into something that resembled normality, all the while trying to ignore the twinge of worry at the stinging sensation in his side, wondering if he'd torn the stitches beneath his ribs. That'd be a new record for him, probably.
For once, Sheik's screeching was a sound of comfort, because if there was one thing the Sheikah could handle, it was crowd control. A physical presence is entirely unnecessary when you have a voice that Link was convinced—if Sheik put enough effort into it—could burst eardrums. Not that he would resort to such a thing except as a last resort, of course. Sheik's vocabulary and sheer anger was enough to give even the most rabid of crowds a pause.
Bazz's hand was grounding. He didn't do anything, just kept it there, resting it lightly on Link's back, assuring. For a moment, Link wondered if Bazz knew someone else with his kind of...issue...but then he remembered that Bazz had known him a hundred years ago, and based on the memories from back then his younger self was no stranger to anxiety either—the captain had probably been there for an attack or two.
I am the worst friend of all time, Link thought. How could I have forgotten him?
"Sheesh, he's got a lip on him, doesn't he?" Bazz murmured close to Link's ear, audible even under Sheik's high-pitched shouting.
"He d-does," Link agreed weakly, blinking as the world swam back into view, finding golden eyes staring at him, taking in every detail.
"You're back," Bazz said. "Right?"
"Mhm," Link nodded. He didn't trust his voice right now. He ran a hand over his face, pushing his sodden locks out of his eyes, suddenly wishing Saki had braided all of it rather than just the bit that held the Snowquill headdress in place.
The Zora sighed in relief, smiling. "Good, it's been so long...I wasn't sure if I was doing it right..."
"It's been a hundred years, Cap, I'm sure you can be forgiven for forgetting a few things," Sheik said in a regular voice before continuing his tirade against the crowd, which had begun to disperse rather abruptly, preferring to get away from the slate that was trying to verbally eviscerate them all. "Will you stop leering?! Yeah, I'm talking to you, Mister Long-Ears-Shifty-Eyes! I don't care if it's a medical issue, just avert your fucking gaze!"
Link couldn't help but chuckle at the sheer bafflement on Bazz's face at being addressed by Sheik with something approaching courtesy and—dare he say it—teasing friendliness. There was even a nickname, and it wasn't even insulting! He supposed Bazz had just earned himself some major points in Sheik's book for being able to help Link calm down.
"You d-did g-great," Link told him honestly. "Th-Thank you, Bazz."
The captain grinned, bumping Link's shoulder with his own. "Gotta look out for my brigade members, right?"
"Right," Link replied, looking up just in time to catch sight of Sidon...and nearly gasp at the warm sensation that immediately flooded his chest. He felt his mouth open in what was probably the biggest, dumbest smile anyone around them had ever seen, but right at that moment Link couldn't possibly care less.
The Prince was so...tall. He'd nearly forgotten how Sidon dwarfed just about anyone and anything around him—he was even taller than the biggest Goron in the crowd. His red scales were vivid, even in the dark of the night, and his eyes almost shone. He wasn't wearing his royal raiments—instead he wore what appeared to be version of the guards' uniform, albeit slightly more ornate to make it stand out—not that he needed anything to help stand out. The sword at his hip looked far more practical than the ceremonial one he usually had, and the prongs of a silver trident were visible just behind his shoulder. He wasn't just the Prince right now; he was also a Soldier.
Their eyes met, and while Sidon looked worried, a big grin still covered the prince's face, and his steps appeared to hasten just a little.
"Late as usual," Bazz said jokingly with a click of his tongue, standing up to salute his prince. "Your Majesty, we have visitors!"
"So I can see, captain," Sidon said as a he stopped a few paces away, hands curled tightly into fists. His eyes were locked with Link's, refusing to look away for even a second to address Bazz properly. It would have made Link feel a little weak in the knees if he weren't already on the ground. "Would you kindly disperse this crowd? I am sure they all have duties to perform."
"Right you are, my prince," the captain said, turning to the gathered people. "You heard him, back to work, people! This army isn't going to equip and train itself, step to it!"
Sidon crouched down next to Link, fists now clenching and unclenching, raising and lowering his hands, as if unsure of where to start. Truth be told, Link wasn't sure either. All he knew was that he was very happy to see Sidon again...and that he was extremely tired, the momentary adrenaline shock of nearly drowning leaving him even more fatigued than before.
They stared at each other for an embarrassingly long time, unsure of how to start the conversation.
"...yeah, that's right! Back to work with you, you worthless, no good—oh, hey Sharky! Looking good!"
Sidon looked down at the slate, grinning. "And hello to you too, Sheik. I must say, I have missed the sweet sound of your voice."
"...aw, look at you, lying to make me feel good," Sheik said with a snort. "Pretty sure all you heard was me yelling at a bunch of layabouts who were making eyes towards the Hero here."
Sidon chuckled. "I am not lying, I genuinely enjoy your voice...though more, perhaps, when you speak like this than before. I say, I heard you all the way to the throne room."
"If nothing else, I can make myself heard," the slate stated proudly. "Link, how are you?"
"G-Good," Link lied immediately—he didn't want his first act back in the Domain to be worrying Sidon. Of course, Sheik saw through that right away, clearing his throat in a very pointed manner that had the Hylian looking down at his lap. "Better," he corrected.
"The crowd?" Sidon asked knowingly, finally placing a hand on Link's shoulders.
His fingers are so long, Link found himself thinking, still fascinated by the prince's size.
Their eyes met once more, and the Hero realised he wanted nothing more than to lean forward and...no, not here, not in public. There were many things he could handle, he was sure, but the political fallout of such an affair being made known to the general populace was just...no, absolutely not.
"Oh my, you're positively soaked! Link, you must be freezing!" Sidon exclaimed, as if realising it just now...as if looking like a drowned rat wasn't enough of a hint. Then he was suddenly on his feet, Sidon curling a protective arm (so damn long!) around his shoulders, leading him from the Shrine pool. "Come, we must get you inside immediately, and into something dry. What on earth could have possessed you to take a bath at this time of night? And wearing clothes, at that!"
"N-Not my f-fault," Link said, glaring down at the slate. Sheik's screen flashed dangerously.
"Okay, so there were a few mistakes in my calculations that resulted in a mild case of vertigo, but it's hardly my fault you can't keep your balance, is it?"
"M-Mild?" Link asked. "I n-nearly drowned!"
"In a pool that comes up to your waist!"
"Calculations?" Sidon asked. "The guard said you arrived on a beam of light...how is such a thing possible?"
"I'll tell you later, Sharky," Sheik promised. "I hope you're good at physics, 'cause it'll be a doozy of an explanation."
"Y-Your math w-was off," Link said, adding another barb.
"Watch it, or I'll bombard you with so much algebra you'll be begging for mercy!"
Link was mortified. They finally get back to the Domain after weeks and weeks and weeks of being away, and the first thing they do is start fighting...and in front of Sidon, no less! It was mere luck that had the prince appear to be more amused than anything by their antics. Maybe it's because he realised there wasn't really any heat behind Link and Sheik's words...even though Link was still quite annoyed at having his entrance ruined by Sheik's so-called perfect calculations.
Perfect my arse, he thought, turning his attention outwards, realising that the Domain had changed quite a bit since they'd left.
For one thing, there were people everywhere, of every race. Hylians, Gorons, Zora, Sheikah...they milled about the walkways like busy ants, carrying supplies or equipment, weapons and armour back and forth. Many were wearing what appeared to be improvised uniforms underneath various types of leather or plate armour. The forges beneath the throne room were also anthills of activity, the sound of hammers against metal echoing through the night. Not only was the city itself a mess of activity, but Link could spot the lights of hundreds of campfires dotting the hills around the city itself. Just how many people had come to the Domain since they'd left?
"We are using the Domain as a staging area for our armies," Sidon explained, realising what had Link so distracted. "We couldn't fit everyone into the city itself, so most of them have made their camps in the hills. They come into the city to get outfitted and trained on a rotating basis."
"Th-There's so m-many," Link said, in awe.
"Freeing Vah Ruta and Vah Rudania had an impressive effect on the people of Hyrule," Sidon said, pulling Link a little closer to him. "They realise that we still have a chance of defeating Ganon now, and once we sent out messengers asking for volunteers and supplies, they came in droves. The Gorons are offering their forging expertise, and the Zora are doing what we can to train those who are not used to fighting. The bulk of our forces will be Hylians, it would seem, since they are far more numerous than the rest of us."
"The Sheikah are helping too?" Sheik asked as they passed by a pair of the red-eyed warriors in full armour and equipment, studying a map together with a group of Hylians.
"Indeed," Sidon said proudly. "Mistress Impa sent us word soon after you left, offering to have her spies gather information and pass it on to us. If there is one thing we will need out there, it's intelligence on enemy movements, and your people have rather a knack for gathering it, I must say."
"It's what we do," Sheik said, sounding a little smug.
"Speaking of the Divine Beasts," Sidon said as he looked down at Link, "I understand that Vah Medoh is once more under our control?"
"R-Right," Link said, nodding. "J-Just yesterday, actually."
"Absolutely fantastic!" Sidon exclaimed. "That takes us one step closer! Soon there will be nothing to stop us from putting an end to Ganon once and for all!"
The exclamation drew the attention of everyone around them, and Link felt like he was shrinking under their gaze. Sidon, however, seemed perfectly comfortable under all their attention, waving at them cheerily.
"Forgive me, I was just informed that the third Divine Beast is indeed back under our control and I felt a little exuberant. Please, do not let me interrupt you in your duties!"
How the hell could he be so light and breezy under the weight of so many eyes? Link would never understand it...
"Are there any other Sheikah here?" Sheik asked as they resumed walking.
"Oh, yes," Sidon said, clearing his throat. "A pair of scientists have set up some sort of laboratory in one of the dungeons beneath the city. An interesting pair, certainly—One's a child named Purah and the other's a—"
"Grotesquely old man the size of a thumb with a superiority complex visible from the moon called Robbie," Sheik said, injecting as much loathing as he possibly could into the name.
Sidon paused, staring down at the slate with wide eyes. "Ah, that's right, they did mention having met the both of you already, and...that is an amazingly accurate description of him, Sheik," he said slowly. "Not the most diplomatic, but very apt."
"Robbie wouldn't know diplomatic if it bit him in the arse, so why should I bother?"
Hypocrisy, thy name is Sheik, Link thought, but kept it to himself, too busy fighting fatigue to bother...as well as a little worried about Sheik actually making good on his threats about bombarding him with math problems. He had no problems admitting to himself that the subject wasn't his strongest, but he didn't want Sidon to know that!
"Sounds like there is a story there," the prince said, looking to Link for clarification when Sheik did not elaborate.
"L-Long one," was all Link could offer with a shrug before yawning. "S-Sorry."
"Oh, no, I'm sorry!" Sidon said, quickly leading them on. "Here I am, blabbering on and on like a fool when you're dead on your feet—and still freezing! Oh, what must you think of me?!"
That you're incredible, kind, and absolutely adorable, Link thought, cheeks warming a little as Sidon pulled him along.
It came as no surprise that Sidon took them to his private chambers. "The inn is all full up," was the explanation he offered to the various guards they passed along the way. How effective the excuse was could be debated for ages, especially with Sidon's crooked grin and the way he practically vibrated with excitement, but Link appreciated the attempt at deception all the same. If the relationship was to become public knowledge, he'd prefer to stave that off for as long as possible.
There had been little change in the prince's rooms since the last time Link had seen them. The bookcases appeared to be a little more cluttered and disorganised, and the prince's desk was covered in letters, maps, and other papers related to the building of an army. A training dummy resembling a moblin had been placed in the corner of the large central room, looking a bit worse for wear.
"I am used to fighting in the water, against aquatic enemies," Sidon explained when he caught Link looking at it. "I need to familiarise myself with fighting on land as well."
"And how's that going?" Sheik asked.
"Well enough, according to my instructors."
"You don't strike me as someone who'd need instructors, Sharky," Sheik noted.
"I am not helpless on land by any definition of the word," Sidon said matter-of-factly, absolutely confident in his own abilities, "but it never hurts to get others' perspectives on your fighting style in case there are gaps to fill."
Link saw it coming a mile away, which was why he was already hiding his face in his hands when Sheik spoke next, groaning loudly in the hopes of drowning the Sheikah out.
A futile hope, of course, but still...
"Speaking of filling in gaps..." Sheik said suggestively, though the effect was ruined by his own snickering.
The wonders that dry towels and clothes could do would never cease to amaze him. Link almost wanted to cry in appreciation as he slid into the Champion's Tunic after drying off. The soft fabric was already warming him up (a welcome change to the absolute nothing it had done in the Rito Village) when he stepped out of the adjoining restroom.
His bare feet barely made a noise as he padded across the stone floor. The tunic was the only piece of dry clothing he had left, somehow spared the torrent of water that had filled his pack after his impromptu dive into the pool. Sidon had offered to ask some of the visiting Hylians if they had any clothes to spare, but Link had waved him down. It wouldn't do to bother people for something as trivial as that.
The rest of his clothes would be dry by morning anyway, hanging in front of the fireplace, where a roaring fire was doing its best.
He did feel a little embarrassed, though, since the tunic was the only thing he was wearing right now, and he thanked Hylia for the fact that it was long enough to cover his...valuables, as it were. Not that Sidon or Sheik hadn't seen those before (and a great deal more besides), but he still wasn't comfortable with being on display.
Unfortunately, wearing the tunic couldn't stop Link's face from erupting with heat when his entering the chambers again made the prince, who'd been demonstrating a few sword moves for Sheik, stop dead in his tracks, his mouth falling open at the sight of him.
"S-Sorry," he said, looking down at his bare feet. The skin was still pruney from the oceans that had filled his boots. Had his legs always been so skinny and full of scars? How'd he even managed to get those?
"For what, Link?" Sidon asked, removing his sword belt and leaning his weapon against the wall, along with the trident.
"J-Just...everything?" Link suggested.
Sidon shook his head.
"As far as I'm concerned, you have nothing to apologise for." He held up a hand. "And before you start listing everything you perceive that you've done wrong, let me just say that, even if you did somehow make any mistakes, I do not care. You are doing the best you can, and that is all anyone can ever ask of you. You've performed admirably in the face of great opposition, and I am nothing but proud of you." He came closer, stopping just in front of him, looking down at Link with a wide grin. "And on a personal note, if it's about only having the tunic to wear...I do not mind that at all."
He reached out and ran a finger along Link's collarbone, careful not to accidentally scratch him. Link couldn't help but shiver at the touch, looking up at the prince.
"And now, if I may," Sidon said quietly, bending down. "I would like to do something I've been wanting to since the moment I saw you tonight."
Link leaned in, letting Sidon's lips touch his gently. For a moment, the world around him disappeared, and Link was freed of the weight on his shoulders. It was just him, and Sidon, and Sheik. Alone in a sanctuary.
The kiss was just that—a kiss. Innocent, with no demands or suggestions behind it. But Link could feel the longing Sidon put into it, how much he'd missed Link. The Hero could only hope he was able to convey his own longing right back.
They parted after an eternity, and it still didn't feel enough. Link assumed this was a moment where the lovers were supposed to stare into each other's eyes for a long moment...but the magic was broken as another yawn seized him, his body deciding to remind him just how tired he was after all.
He didn't have time to feel horrified, however, as he heard Sidon chuckle and felt the prince take his hand, gently leading him towards the bed.
"It is late," the prince said, pulling back the covers and, after a moment of contemplation, picking Link up and depositing him on the mattress, laughing a little at the squeaking sound the Hylian made. "Go to sleep, Link. I'll still be here when you wake up."
Link wanted to protest, wanted to claim he was anything but tired...but it was useless. His brain had decided it was time to sleep and it was going to happen now. He'd barely put his head on the pillow by the time his vision went all blurry, and he couldn't keep his eyes open. By the time Sidon kissed his forehead, he was dead to the world.
"I'm not sure if I should be impressed or terrified at your ability to put him to sleep with a single kiss," Sheik said drily from his place on Sidon's desk, watching the Zora carefully tuck the slumbering Link into bed. "Seems like an ability we could put to use against Ganon."
"I'd rather kiss an octorok," Sidon said, shaking his head as he ran his fingers through Link's hair. "Poor thing is exhausted."
"Not surprising, given what he's been through lately," Sheik said. He was surprised when Sidon didn't get into bed with Link, but simply made sure the Hylian was comfortable and warm before he sat down at the desk, pulling Sheik a little closer. "Er..." he trailed off.
"You can tell me more about it later," Sidon said, touching the edge of the slate. "How are you, Sheik?"
"I'm...normal?" Sheik replied, keeping his voice down a little so he wouldn't wake Link. "Same as always: loud and annoying."
Sidon smiled at his effort. "Loud, definitely. Annoying? Not at all."
"That's because there's something wrong with you, clearly," he said, still not fully understanding how he'd ended up in this situation. It was one thing for the Hero and the prince to end up together, but for them to willingly let Sheik into it? He still hadn't been able to figure out how the thing hadn't collapsed within minutes.
Not that he didn't appreciate it, of course. He just wished he could do more than just annoy them with his antics.
"If this is wrong, then I don't want to be right," Sidon said, picking the slate up carefully and holding it closer to his face. "But back to my question...how are you?"
"Like I said, I'm fine—"
"I have spoken with Robbie, you know."
"Have you, now? And what did the garden gnome have to say?"
Sidon snorted in a most un-princely manner at the nickname. "He...heh...he said that he had some interesting information about the nature of your...existence, but he wouldn't say anything more, claiming the information was yours...though he also let slip that what you found was...upsetting."
He rubbed his thumb along the side of the slate, and Sheik found it difficult to ignore the sensation. It was difficult to describe, even to himself, but his sensors told him about the touch, the feeling of it, and his mind interpreted the action as affectionate and caring. It felt...nice.
Too bad Sidon brought up the one subject he wasn't keen on talking about right then. Frankly, he'd be happy if they never talked about it ever...but he supposed Sidon had a right to know as well, especially since Link was already privy to the subject. But...just not...
"Can we discuss this later?" he asked, refusing to admit that his tone was a little pleading. "I'd rather not...right now, you know?"
"Of course," Sidon said, nodding. "I just want you to know that whatever you've found out about yourself, it doesn't change this." He touched his forehead to Sheik's screen. "And nothing ever could."
Oh, if only you knew, Sheik thought, thinking about the encrypted block of data he'd decided to take a stab at decrypting soon after his little subservient phase with Link at the tower. Some of the data he was finding was...unsettling, though he wasn't sure why yet, and needed to find more context...but that was such slow going.
"Thanks, Sharky," he said breezily. "And the feeling is mutual."
Sidon blinked. "You've changed," he said.
"Hard not to, given what we've been doing," Sheik said. Then he inquired hesitantly: "Is...is it a good change?"
"I think so," Sidon said, nodding firmly. "You seem a bit more...open, if that makes sense."
"That's because I'm talking to you," he pointed out. "One of the few people who don't annoy me on principle."
"High praise indeed," the prince said, amused. He placed Sheik back on the desk, propping him up against pile of books and leaned forward so that his arms were resting on the desk surface, his face inches away from Sheik's screen. His expression was eager and reminded Sheik a bit of Tulin when he'd asked for stories.
"You must have experienced so much since you left the Domain," the prince said. "Tell me about it?"
"Where do I even start? This adventuring thing is absolutely exhausting, and I'm not the one who's walking everywhere," Sheik said.
"Anything is fine," Sidon said, leaning forward until his face was practically touching the slate. "Tell me!"
Just like Tulin, Sheik thought, trying to ignore how cute the prince was being right now. "Well, how about the Rito? I could tell you about them?"
"Please do!"
The prince was a rapt listener, hanging on to Sheik's every word...but he had so! Many! Questions! Infinite curiosity was something to be commended, and it certainly fit Sidon to a tee, but it was still exhausting to have to answer them all. Sheik still did, though. Because it was Sidon who asked them. His...his lover, if such a word was even applicable to this odd relationship they had.
As he spoke, Sheik took the opportunity to do as thorough a scan of Sidon as he possibly could, trying to gauge the Zora's general wellbeing. Sidon looked...good. His vitals were excellent, and a visual scan showed no signs of sickness, fatigue (other than normal sleepiness), or hunger, which meant that the prince was actually taking care of himself in addition to trying to organise an army consisting of what appeared to be a bunch of squabbling children.
That was a relief, at least. He had to make sure both Link and Sidon were all right. Link was more challenging in that aspect, but that was not the Hylian's fault. The stress was definitely starting to get to Link, both physically and mentally, and that was why Sheik had decided to take Link back to the Domain for a few days. Risky, when Ganon was still so very much a threat, but damn it, Sheik wanted Link to be comfortable for just a little bit...and who better to ensure that than Sidon?
Pleasant as the conversation was, Sheik still felt a bit relieved when, in the early hours of the morning, just before dawn, Sidon began to yawn as well, blinking his tired eyes in an effort to remain alert.
"It's almost morning, Sharky," Sheik said. "Don't you think it's time to go to bed?"
"But there is still so much more for you to tell," Sidon protested, though he did cast a longing glance towards the bed, where Link was still asleep, completely dead to the world. Based on his readings, the Hero wasn't even dreaming—just sleeping the dead sleep of the completely exhausted.
"And there will be time for that later," Sheik said. "We're staying here for a few days, after all. Now be a good prince and get some sleep."
"I resent being condescended to," Sidon said, pouting like a child.
"Then stop being irresponsible and go to sleep. I'll still be here when you wake up."
Good grief, he was just like Link when he didn't want to go to bed!
"Fiiiiine," the prince said as he stood up and went to pick up Sheik.
"Wait," Sheik said quickly. "Could you leave me by the window, so I can get the morning sun? I need to recharge."
"Of course," Sidon said, clearly disappointed that Sheik wouldn't be joining them in bed (or on the nightstand, at least—Sheik didn't want to be accidentally crushed if one of them rolled over in their sleep). "I'm sorry to keep you up," he said regretfully as he placed Sheik on the windowsill, in perfect position to catch the morning sunlight.
"I don't sleep, Sharky. You know that, so don't worry about it" Sheik assured him. "Off you go now, shoo!"
The prince had clearly been more tired than he let on. He, too, was gone like a light the moment he laid down, subconsciously curling protectively around Link under the blankets. Sheik took a moment to appreciate the sight (and take a photograph) before focusing on the task at hand.
He didn't need to recharge—he'd done plenty of that at the Rito Village and could probably go a whole week without direct sunlight at this point. He did need a little distance from people, though, if only because he had no idea how he'd react to the data he was slowly, but surely, managing to decrypt.
It had been cleverly hidden, he had to give them that; buried beneath layer after layer of subroutines and abstract, obfuscated programming that had, for all intents and purposes, looked like the digital equivalent of a garbage heap. The sort that doesn't really look like it's doing anything useful, but for some reason the rest of the system is entirely dependent on some obscure function in there, and trying to extract or move it just broke the entire thing.
It was the sort of programming slag Sheik had had no interest in trying to delve through, both for fear of accidentally breaking something vital, and because it was just such a tedious task he'd been putting it off.
But then he'd caught sight of something that was encrypted, and then discovered he did not have the keys to decrypt the data. And it was a sizeable amount, too, all of it lying dormant, waiting for him to wake it up, and yet refusing to yield to his root access. The timestamps revealed that whatever it was had been there for a long time, so long his system wasn't able to parse the dates properly. That could have been because of corruption in the metadata, of course, but chances were it wasn't.
All these things made it impossible for Sheik to resist trying to find out what the hell it contained. It could just be garbage data left behind from a memory test, or just an old version of the slate's operating system, or even a deprecated version of Sheik's own core. It could be completely worthless, for all he knew, but he still had to know.
With only his own processing power in the slate it would take hundreds of years to break the encryption with brute force...but with the tower network almost fully active at this point, he had a lot of hardware and computing power he could throw at the problem, which he did with wild abandon.
What are you, he wondered. What are you trying to hide from me?
Link woke up, which wasn't out of the ordinary. The soft mattress under him, however, along with the arms wrapped around his middle, and the very solid chest against his back, was. It took him a few seconds to remember where he was and what had happened, but when he did a big smile immediately came to his face. Carefully, so as to not jostle his injury or accidentally wake Sidon, he turned around so he was facing the Zora, still in awe at the size of the prince.
Sidon looked so peaceful in his slumber, and Link took a moment to memorise every detail about him. The slightly open mouth, displaying a row of wickedly sharp teeth that could easily tear him to pieces, the slight twitch of his head tail, which Link had come to learn meant Sidon was dreaming, the vivid red of his outer scales against cream of the inner ones...
There was a scar on his left fin. Link had noticed it when they first met, too, but hadn't given it much thought afterwards. Now he wondered how Sidon had gotten it. Fighting the octorok, perhaps? Or in some other battle? He reached out and ran his fingers lightly along the edge of the scar, feeling the curious difference in texture between the scarred skin and adjacent scales. The skin was so soft...
Sidon's eyelids twitched at Link's touch. The Hylian withdrew his hand, but it was too late. The prince's eyes slid open slowly, unfocused and glassy with sleep, blinking slowly as gold searched curiously until they met Link's blue. A silent moment of recognition, and then the gold lit up, a giant, pleased grin coming to Sidon's face, showing off a very impressive number of teeth.
"S-Sorry I w-woke you," Link whispered, blushing when Sidon stroked his cheek gently with his thumb.
"How could I possibly be upset about waking up to this?" Sidon replied, his voice rough with sleep but still so relentlessly enthusiastic. Pulling Link closer, he kissed the Hylian just as gently as the night before, pulling back to whisper, "Good morning, Link."
Link smiled back. "G-Good morning," he replied.
"Morning? It's past noon! You've slept through the morning and a number of visitors!" Sheik said loudly from his place on the windowsill. "I was about to sound an alarm."
"And a very good morning to you too, Sheik," Sidon said, smoothly ignoring the rest of what Sheik had said, pulling Link even closer when the Hylian began fidgeting. "Who were the visitors?"
"Pancake head, for one, but Bazz intercepted him before he could actually barge in here. If he hadn't, I would have...reacted."
"Ah, then I suppose I should thank Bazz for preventing a diplomatic incident," Sidon said gravely, nodding. "Muzu can be...stubborn."
"No shit," Sheik said with a snort.
"L-Language," Link told him, feeling guilty for having slept in so late, but also very reluctant to leave the bed...and Sidon's embrace, which was so warm and comfortable he had trouble imagining himself without it.
"No kidding," Sheik corrected himself, though his tone was anything but genuine.
"And the others?" Sidon inquired.
"Various servants and some officers—they were sent on their way and told to wait until you left your chambers. Apparently, you were having a very long discussion with the Hero of Hyrule about strategy and tactics." Sheik chuckled. "Bazz isn't a very good liar."
Link groaned, hiding his face in Sidon's chest.
"I'm sure Father has handled the things that could not wait," Sidon said, carefully fiddling with one of the rings in Link's ear. "He was probably informed of your impromptu visit, Link. Speaking of, we should go see him later, if only to officially announce your return."
Link wasn't sure if he could face King Dorephan at the moment, especially not after what he and Sidon had gotten up to after freeing Vah Ruta. He could only hope no one had noticed the bite marks...
"In the meantime, better keep the biting to a minimum," Sheik snickered, as if he'd read Link's thoughts.
"Sh-Shut up, y-you!"
If the king suspected anything, he didn't show any signs of it. He only seemed pleased to see Link again, smiling brightly and boisterously welcoming him back...in full view of a throne room that was entirely too crowded. Luckily, Dorephan knew exactly how Link felt in large crowds, and had shooed most of the gathered people out, insisting he wanted a private audience with the Hero of Hyrule.
"It's good to see you again, my boy," the king said as Link approached the throne and kneeled. "And none of that, please," he added. "We're beyond the point of ceremony here, are we not?"
"If only he knew how much you enjoy kneeling when the situation's right," Sheik whispered.
"Q-Quiet," Link hissed back, looking at the king. "It's g-good to b-be b-back," he told the king. "S-Sorry for the s-sudden arrival."
"Hah, what a thing to apologise for," Dorephan said with a guffaw. "My only regret in this situation is that I could not arrange a more appropriate welcome for you." He shifted in his seat, gesturing to his advisor. "Now, Muzu, do you not have something to say to Link as well?"
"Ah...er...welcome back, Hero," Muzu said shortly, inclining his head just barely. It was better than the animosity from last time, Link supposed, but still... "I was going to take the liberty of preparing guest rooms for you, but from what I understand you have established camp in Prince Sidon's chambers?"
Dorephan cleared his throat loudly, and Muzu looked somewhat chastened, but not entirely.
Damn it, Link thought, biting back his groan of frustration. They know!
"Ah, so much for subtlety," Sheik lamented quietly.
"Oh, I am being terribly rude, aren't I?" Dorephan said, his eyes zeroing in on the slate. "Master Sheik, you are also, of course, very much welcome here. I hope you've been well?"
"Very well, Your Grace, thank you," Sheik replied in a surprisingly respectful tone. "I've been keeping a close eye on him."
"Excellent, excellent," Dorephan said, nodding approvingly. "It would not do for Link to face the wilderness alone."
"Things are certainly wild out there, but Link is handling them all admirably."
"I have no doubt," Dorephan said, looking to Link once more. "It has been some time, but I do believe I recognise that sword on your back, Link," he said with wonder. "I thought it had been lost."
"It w-was entrusted t-to a...a f-friend," Link said, ignoring Sheik's snort and drawing the Master Sword. He did so slowly, so he wouldn't make the guards lining the room nervous. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Sidon's eyes practically shining with glee as he studied the legendary blade, fingers twitching with a clear need to touch. "It is n-now b-back in m-my hand."
"Where it belongs," Dorephan said, nodding firmly. "I remember watching you spar with some of my soldiers back then—you trounced them all with barely any effort. I'm glad you were able to find it."
"M-Me too," Link said, hoping the king didn't detect the slight displeasure in his voice as he glared slightly at the sword, which radiated smugness. Clearly, they had some things to work on. He still wasn't near the level of being able to trounce the elite guard of the Zora king.
"A fine weapon," Sidon said, looking ready to reach out.
"The f-finest," Link agreed, sheathing it quickly, feeling bad for the disappointment that flashed across Sidon's face. He couldn't take the chance on letting the Zora touch it, though. Not after what had happened to his father. There was no telling how the sword would take to the hands of a stranger, even after re-establishing the contract between them.
"And with Vah Medoh freed, we are drawing ever closer to the final battle," Muzu said, looking reverent for once. Whatever doubts he had about Link as a Champion must have been settled by seeing the Master Sword again, though there was clearly some resentment buried there still...though Link hoped that was for his past actions rather than his...connection with Sidon.
"I've been meaning to ask about that," Sheik piped up. "The army—what's the status?"
"I'm, er, afraid you will have to narrow down that question, Master Sheik," Muzu said, glancing at his king, who simply shrugged. "I am unsure of what you are asking."
Sheik sighed loudly. "I want to know everything about it," he elaborated. "Numbers, composition, arsenal, supplies, supply routes, strategies, commanders, battle plans, planned marching routes. Tactics, especially those for handling Guardians and other Sheikah-developed tech. Everything, Pancake. I want to know everything!"
"P-P-Pancake?!" Muzu spluttered. "How dare you—!"
"Pfft!"
The advisor looked up at his king with betrayal in his eyes, horrified that Dorephan had been unable to suppress his amusement at the nickname. Link was just about ready to throw himself off the nearest balcony, but the Zora king (and prince) simply found Sheik's outburst amusing.
"Come on, old man, make with the numbers so I can crunch them and tell you how badly you're screwing all this up! Chop-chop!"
"Come now, Muzu," Dorephan said, chuckling in so deep a voice that Link felt the reverberations in the floor through his boots (which were still regrettably damp). "Master Sheik has offered his thinking power and tactical expertise—surely we can indulge his somewhat...unorthodox behaviour?"
"There is a difference between unorthodox and rude!" Muzu snapped at the king...and then his eyes nearly popped out of his head, and he bowed deeply. "Your Majesty, I am deeply sorry for my behaviour—"
That seemed to be the last straw for Dorephan, whose chuckle turned into an outright guffaw at the sight of Muzu's immediate regret, and Link found himself grinning like an idiot at the sight as well. He looked up at Sidon when the prince came to stand beside him, blinking in confusion when Sidon removed the slate from his belt and walked up to his father, handing Sheik over to him.
Link braced himself, expecting Sheik to rage at being handed over to a (relative) stranger, but the Sheikah did anything but, especially not after Dorephan handled the slate with the utmost care, as if afraid he would accidentally break it...which was very possible given the king's size.
"Well, this looks like a promising start to what will surely be a very fruitful meeting," Sidon announced as he returned to Link's side and placing a hand on the Hylian's shoulder, gently steering him around. "I'm certain Master Sheik's unique insights will make our army even stronger. In the meantime, I will show Master Link around the Domain—I'm certain he would like to reacquaint himself with his home." He nodded to them. "Father, Muzu, Sheik. We will return in a few hours."
"Take your time, boys," Dorephan said, eyes focused on the tiny slate in his hand. "So, what exactly is a pancake, Master Sheik?"
"Well, the shape should be obvious, when you look at Pancake-head over there—"
"Your Majesty!"
"Wh-Where are we g-going?" Link asked, trying to look back, wondering how long it would take for Sheik to provoke Muzu into actual violence. The old man looked fragile enough to break at a small gust of wind, but Sheik did have a way of bringing out hidden strength in those he annoyed...
"Like I said, I will be showing you around the Domain," Sidon said simply. "A lot has changed since you were here last, and I thought perhaps you would like to see some...secret spots of mine. Places where I have sought refuge in the past."
"Oh," Link said, ignoring the voice in the back of his head that told him that they were, technically, wasting valuable time that could be used for planning, training, and travelling. He couldn't find it in him to care about that right now, though; not with Sidon's warm hand still resting on his shoulder.
"B-But wh-what about Sh-Sheik?" he asked.
"This was his idea, actually," Sidon said, looking fond at the mention of the Sheikah. "He said you might need some peace and quiet...and some privacy."
"Oh..."
Then his brain caught up with what Sidon had just said, and his face grew warm.
Oh!
More fluff in the next chapter!