AN: I wish I could say this chapter will be cheerier than last week, buuuuut . . . if you want to know what happens next Saturday: SPOILERshadowisgoingtobefine/SPOILER
Suggested Soundtrack: I dunno, the saddest violin sad ever. Youtube it! Next week will have a suggested soundtrack for sure!
Thank you for the reviews! I'll reply to them as soon as I can! :)
Chapter le everybody has a mental breakdown
"Shadow has suffered acute heart failure."
The quiet but clear announcement woke Link from slumber. He, Sheik, and their families (minus Aryll and Romani) were in the hospital waiting room. They'd been there all night while the doctors worked to save Shadow's life.
Link sat up immediately, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Sheik had done the same. They were still wearing the same clothes from the party, which were now rumpled and wrinkled.
The doctor continued, "At the moment we have Shadow hooked up to machines that are breathing and pumping blood for him. We won't know the extent of the damage until he's stable enough for an MRI . . . or else wakes up. It's lucky you got him here so quickly."
Ganondorf stood out in the hall, leaning against the wall with a fist hovering next to his mouth. Link figured the doctor had told him first, then come out here to tell the rest of them.
"But he WILL wake up?" Sheik asked.
The doctor visibly took a breath in, as if preparing himself. "We're not sure. You should be aware, even if he DOES wake up, there may be . . . changes in his ability to function. He may not be able to speak, and he may have lost motor function in parts of his body. These effects may be temporary, or they may be permanent. We'll only know with time."
Link stood and walked to the nearest wastebasket, throwing up into it. Granny hurried over to pat him on the back and pull his hair away from his face.
Sheik had dark circles under his eyes, which had somehow forgotten how to blink. He just stared at the doctor with a blank expression. His mother sat next to him and put her arms about his shoulders comfortingly.
Across the room, Vaati sat next to a tall, older boy with gray skin, white hair, and purple eye shadow. Vaati had called him "Ghiri." Vaati's face was hidden behind his hands and hair, as it had been since he sat down hours ago, his upper body crunched down on itself with his elbows on his knees. Ghiri flipped boredly through a magazine, mouth set in a straight, impatient line.
"Doctor," asked Senator Harkinian, "How soon will we be able to see Shadow?"
The doctor shook his head. "We won't be allowing visitors for a few days at the very least." He then excused himself and left the waiting room.
Senator Harkinian walked into the hall and said a few words to Ganondorf, who nodded tersely. Then the senator walked back to his wife and Sheik. "There's nothing to do but wait, my dear. It's time we went home to our own beds."
"But—" Sheik protested.
"No buts," his father interrupted gently. "I'm sure Mr. Dragmire will contact us if there are any changes. Come now."
Sheik tried to protest again, but was obviously too exhausted to protest hard with his parents on both sides of him corralling him out of the hospital. "Goodbye, Link!" he said quickly before they went out the door.
Link had finished throwing up, but he was still crumpled on the floor, whimpering. Granny did her best to hold him up and comfort him.
Ghiri had shot up from his seat, stretched, and announced, much too eagerly, "Welp! That's that. Time to go, Vaati." After which there was some whispered bickering, and then suddenly,
"—HALF! COMMITTED! TWAT!"
Link raised his head at the commotion in time to watch Vaati sputter in shock, and then run out the door after a very irritated Ghiri and say, "Why are you being like this, Ghiri?!"
He felt Granny combing his hair with her fingers. "My, I wonder what that was about. Sweetheart, you would like to stay, wouldn't you?"
Link nodded weakly.
"Okay. We'll stay as long as you like."
Of course, Granny was old. There was only so long she could help Link before she fell asleep. Link found a cushion to place behind her head and settled her as comfortably as possible on a hospital chair, then took a seat nearby. Alone again, Link dropped his face into his hands as he was wracked with sobs.
From the hallway, golden eyes studied the crying youth with a rare look of sympathy. Heavy footsteps slowly made their way across the waiting room as Ganondorf sat himself next to Link.
"What it is, boy?"
"E-everyone around me . . ." Link said between sobs, "keeps dying!"
"Shadow tells me your parents passed away earlier this year."
Link nodded. "I miss them so much. And now Sh-Shadow . . . I can't take it anymore, I can't!""
Ganondorf sighed. Link felt a large, warm hand on his back. He looked up into Ganondorf's face, and the large man said, "Those we love never really leave us, Link. They're there, always watching."
"It doesn't feel like it," Link said bitterly.
"Haven't you seen their faces in the people around you?"
Link considered. Sometimes, he thought he saw his mother, or father, but later found out it was someone else. It was always crushing. He responded, "Yes."
"That's how you know they're watching. They can't be here in the same way as before, but they are there. I know my wife is watching every time I see Shadow. There is no way his kindness is because of MY parenting, and he looks just like her. In him, she is still alive, and in you, your parents still live."
Link thought about this for several minutes, then said, "I still hate it. I hate death."
"I do, too. Let us hope that is not what's in store for Shadow."
"Yeah."
"Speaking of. When Shadow returns home, he's going to need help to recover."
Link gasped. "I'd love to! I can be there every day, every hour!"
Ganondorf held up his other hand. Link stopped immediately. So obedient, Ganondorf thought. So UNLIKE Shadow. The realization brought a familiar exasperation . . . but also pain. What if Shadow didn't— "I mean to say, I will be taking care of Shadow. However, I will need someone to manage my office and other basic affairs while I do so. Would you be willing to work for me?"
Link's jaw dropped. He rubbed his eyes and crossed his forehead. "Um . . . yeah, I guess so."
"Good. I . . ." here Ganondorf's voice wobbled just a bit. He gave Link's gave a final, firm pat. "I'll call you in the next few days." He stood, and then he, too, exited the hospital.
Sheik arranged his hair one more time in the mirror, making sure it was all satisfactorily tucked into his hipster cap. He adjusted the fit of his chest binder and his blue button-up shirt. He patted down Link's pair of baggy jeans, which he had decided to wear. His heart raced, and his thoughts raced, but he was resolved.
He had to. He had to tell his parents that he was male. Life was too short, and if Shadow died . . . He pushed open his bedroom door and walked resolutely down the stairs, feeling the blood drain from his face in perpetual terror.
Senator and Mrs. Harkinian were still awake, talking about the night's tragic events on the living room couch. The senator had his arm around his wife, and they both quieted when Sheik stood in front of them, staring at the couch between their shoes because he was too scared to look them in the eye. "I have something to say," he began. His parents gave him confused expressions as they glanced over his outfit.
"What is it, Zelda?" Harkinian asked steadily.
Here goes everything, Sheik thought. "I'm a boy. I've always been a boy, and I don't want to pretend to be a girl anymore, and I want you to understand that."
Expressions of shock answered him. His mother recovered first, "Zelda, why are you saying this?"
"Because! I don't want there to be lies anymore! I wanna be who I am before . . ." he choked and had to force the rest out, "before it's too late!"
His father stood then, holding out a hand. "Zelda, you've had a long night, you're confused—"
"I am NOT confused!" Sheik shouted, wringing his shirt hem in his hands. "I am NOT a girl and I'VE NEVER BEEN one!"
A tinge of anger crossed his father's features as he took Sheik's shoulders, "Now young lady—"
"Dad," Sheik pleaded, "Please believe me!"
"I am your FATHER, I will not be interrupted!"
"Just listen!"
His mother put a hand on his father's arm, and guided his arms away from Sheik. "Dear, I think we should take a minute."
"No! This charade has gone on long enough, Grizzelda." He turned to Sheik. "Don't think I haven't noticed your male clothing and your demonic music choices. You are putting this family to shame!"
"Dear, I really think you should think about what you are doing."
"I WILL NOT HAVE A TRANSVESTITE DEMON WORSHIPPER UNDER MY ROOF!"
Sheik shrank back in fright.
"Johannes!" Mrs. Harkinian scolded, and she stepped between Sheik and his father. "You will not speak to your daughter—" slight confusion crossed her features, then cleared and she continued firmly, "your child that way!"
"I will speak how I want! This is my house!"
"You will not! You will leave!"
"Grizzelda, I—"
"Leave." The word was final.
Mr. Harkinian stormed out, and in the distance they heard the door shut.
Sheik melted into his mother's arms, hiccuping. No matter what he did, he couldn't stop shaking. His father had never yelled at him like that before, nor said such horrible things. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked in a broken voice.
"No, sweetie," his mother assured him, holding him close, "You did nothing wrong."
"Why is he so mad at me?"
"He's just . . . leave your father to me."
"But you love me, right?"
His mother pulled him even closer. "Of course I do! Nothing will EVER change that, I swear it by the names of the goddesses."
Sheik cried into his mother's shoulder until the sobs and shaking subsided slightly.
"Now," his mother said, holding Sheik at arm's length. "We're going to sit down, and we're going to talk about your feelings, and about you being a boy, alright?"
Sheik became worried again.
"I'm not going to get angry, love," his mother reassured him. "I just want to understand how you feel. Do you really feel you're a boy?"
Sheik nodded plaintively. "Yes, mommy."
His mother pulled him into another hug.
Something settled over Link's shoulders, and he awoke. A nurse stood over him. She had a kind face, and chin-length red hair. She straightened quickly when she saw he was awake. "I'm sorry," she said quietly. "You looked cold."
Link looked at himself and found he was covered in a hospital blanket. "Oh . . . thank you." He was pretty much awake, and sunlight was coming in through the hospital windows, so he sat up, holding the blanket around him.
The nurse smiled. "Let me know if there's anything else you need. My name's Anju."
"Thank you, Anju."
She nodded and walked away.
The hospital doors opened. A familiar pair of khakis and argyle socks came through. It was Shad, his hair combed nicely and wearing a striped t-shirt. In his hands he held two cups with straws in them.
"Hey, Shad," Link said, sounding just a little cheerier.
Shad sat down next to him and held one of the cups out to him. "Brought you breakfast."
Link uttered his thanks and took the cup gratefully. It was some kind of smoothie.
"So . . . how are you doing?" Shad asked, his thumb tapping his smoothie nervously.
Link let his silence answer. He really didn't know what to say anymore.
"I see," Shad responded. "Look . . . if there's anything I can do to help, you'll let me know."
"Of course."
"I'm really glad you're in the research program. It's been good working with you."
"Oh. Yeah. So . . . I might have to take a break from that."
"Hm? Why?"
"Well . . . Ganondorf offered me a job."
Shad looked about ready to scoff.
"I know, I know, he's the last person I would EVER want to work for. It's for Shadow, though, you know?"
Shad seemed a little tense. "I see. You like Shadow, don't you?"
"Yeah, he's like a brother to me."
Suddenly Shad relaxed. "Oh, is that all?" Then his eyes widened. "I'm so sorry, that sounded terrible . . ."
Link just stared at Shad in a bit of confusion.
Shad was blushing a bit. "The thing is . . . I like you. A lot. And . . . I know this is probably the worst time to say so, but I'd really like to spend more time with you. What do you . . . think about that?"
Now it was Link's turn to flush red. He smiled slightly. "Really? You like me? Why?" Nobody'd ever said they liked him before, not like that. Especially not somebody who was two years older and as interesting and attractive as Shad. Did that mean HE was interesting and attractive?
Shad ducked his head shyly. "I like the way you smile, and the way you're so interested in everything. Also . . . you're really cute when you're working."
Link felt something between embarrassment and pleasure. "Well I like you, too, Shad!" he said, quite brightly.
"Yeah . . . I know."
AN: I don't even know how boys act when they have crushes
