AN: Hopefully the length of this chapter will make up for not updating as regularly as before. I think that may be more what I do now, longer updates but longer wait in between. I want the story to keep moving steadily, so I think this will help.
This is my first time using a Word document rather than just copy-pasting, so sorry if formatting is different/weird. I may have to update the same chapter to get it right, so heads up.
I am not an expert on gender dysphoria, please do not take my word for it. I did do some research and I have experience with people who have it, but that absolutely DOES NOT give me any real clout in what I'm saying. Hopefully this just inspires some of you to look it up yourselves and maybe more open to people who experience it ^^
ROFLCOPTER: ERMERGERD I know, right? Thanks for writing!
him: Thanks so much for commenting! I'm so glad you think the chapter worked well ^^ And HAHAHA I hope every day I'm not racist. I do my best to not have racist stereotypes for characters, but I'm not in any way perfect I don't think. Thanks for your feedback on the format of year 2, as well. I'll wait and see if anyone else has any more suggestions, but I'm kinda leaning towards what you're thinking, as well. And OMG, I'm so happy this is one of your favorite LoZ stories! That makes me soo happy :D I hope it continues to be so!
Ignitious gave me the glorious idea of having Midna's sexuality cause problems politically, and I thought that was an AMAZING idea, so I've adapted that idea and we'll see just how it plays out in the coming years, oh ho ho! Thanks Ignitious!
Thanks to everyone for reading, writing, reviewing, favoriting, following, etc.! Ya'll are the best! I love hearing from you!
Chapter 43
Everyone was sitting in the living room. Link, Nabooru, Shadow, and Vio on the couch, Blue in an easy chair, Sheik sitting on the coffee table, Midna and Malon on the ground, and Green hovering around everybody like a busy bee.
"Let me get this straight." Blue raised a hand, a puzzled look on his face as he tried to wrap his head around what he was being told. He'd slept through the whole discussion about the Triforce symbols appearing out of nowhere, but had been startled awake when Link, Midna, and Shadow all cried out at the same time. "You mean . . . Vio has a piece of the Triforce?"
"Don't sound so incredulous," Vio responded in a monotone, resting his temple on spindly fingers, his other arm wrapped around Shadow's shoulders. He appeared bored, eyes half lidded, but his incessant tapping on Shadow's arm betrayed his racing thoughts.
Shadow was watching Vio closely. "You alright, babe?"
Vio pulled him closer instinctively, but was too distracted to actually say anything.
Hesitatingly, Shadow nodded. "We can talk about it later." He got a nasal sound in response.
Sheik was doing his best to explain things to Blue. "That would seem to be the case, Blue. Vio has the Triforce of Courage."
Blue leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "You mean to tell me he's the mother-f***ing Hero of Time?!" His voice had an angry edge to it, the kind that a parent got when their child was put in a dangerous situation. While to most people Vio was a capable and terrifying nuisance, who didn't care about anyone else and therefore wasn't exactly hero material, to Blue, Vio was a younger brother. His foster brothers were everything to Blue, who didn't see Vio as dangerous, but as different from everyone else, and who had certain challenges socializing, challenges that might be even more difficult if Vio were expected to somehow save the world. How was Vio supposed to be the legendary hero without getting hurt or even dying? He knew the stories. Nobody knew what happened to the heroes after their destinies were fulfilled. Some people said they lived quiet lives, but others said they died of grief or drank themselves to death trying to get over the trauma. Blue was not up for that. Not for his little brother.
All of these thoughts were apparent to Sheik, who had jumped back at Blue's outburst, but now he leaned forward again, gesturing with his hands in a calming way, trying to keep his face gentle. "Now we can't go THAT far yet. He's simply a carrier. And the Hero of Time was just one person, it's not the official title of every holder of the Triforce of Courage. For all we know Vio will be the Hero of unreturned library books!"
Blue scoffed slightly at the amusing thought, not entirely comforted but more than before.
"We really don't know what's going on, Blue. We can't panic yet. That's the last thing we need. As for me . . ." Sheik held his wrist, staring at the Triforce of Wisdom emblazoned on the back of his hand. "I guess I could be the princess of trans rights, or . . . I mean prince." With a sudden conflicted look, he stood up. "Excuse me." He left to the bathroom.
Vio glanced at Shadow, who was examining his own Triforce mark. If what Sheik said was true, then their marks could mean anything, really. Perhaps Shadow would want to raise awareness about heart-related birth defects. He turned to Shadow. "So does that make you the prince of heart attacks?" Nope. That was NOT how he meant that to come out.
Shadow glanced up sharply, slightly in consternation. "What do you mean?"
Vio's heart skipped a beat at Shadow's offense. He looked away quickly to hide his blush. "Nothing. I—it was stupid."
To his surprise, Shadow chuckled. "You're so obvious, Vio."
He felt a hand on his chest as Shadow snuggled himself closer to him. Realizing he couldn't hide his feelings from Shadow any more than he could hide his heartbeat, Vio chanced a look. Shadow's smile was reaching its breaking point, eyes crinkled happily. Vio had no idea what he'd done right, but he felt his face lowering to Shadow's.
A high-pitched voice interrupted them. "OOOOOOOOoooOOOOOOoo!"
Shadow and Vio leapt apart as Green suddenly appeared between them, grinning prankily like only an early teen can. "Vi-o and Sha-dow, sittin' in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N—!"
"Get out of here you little bastard!" Vio's clawed hand shot at him, but Green slipped from his grasp with giggles.
"Cock block, cock block!" Green sang as he ran across the room and to the stairs. "Vio's been cock blocked!"
"THAT'S NOTHING TO BE PROUD OF, YOU BRAT!" Vio got up from the couch, shaking his fist and chasing after Green, who blew a raspberry before charging upstairs. Shadow was too busy laughing his ass off to follow them.
As everyone calmed down, Blue rubbed his face. "Oh GODDESSES, I gotta be at work early tomorrow." He paused and glanced at the clock. "Today."
Red, looking perplexed, walked over and took Blue's arm. "Come on, Blue, it's time for bed. I'll make you some tea that will send you to sleep right away!"
Guided by Red, Blue slowly got to his feet and made his way to the stairs as well. "What I need is a Master Sword to take me back in time a couple of hours. Or a week. Sleeping for a week would be good."
"There's that holiday coming up!" Red said with a strained smile. "You don't have to work then, do you?"
"I guess not."
"Then don't worry! You'll get all rested then." Red released him at the stairs and then turned to the others. "I guess it is pretty late. You're all past curfew—Castle Town has those, yes?"
The others nodded.
Red grinned. "Well, you're welcome to sleep here!"
Most politely declined. Link didn't want to make Granny worry, and he and Nabooru had a ride anyway. "You coming, Shadow?" Link asked as they were out the door. Shadow had been staring up the stairs. He shook his head. "No. I want to make sure Vio's alright with all of this hero business."
Link was puzzled by that, simply because to him Vio seemed perfectly fine, but he figured Shadow knew him better. "I'll let Granny know." And maybe Shadow was worried about the hero business, he suddenly thought. Either way, he obviously felt better being with Vio than at home. Without thinking, Link took Nabooru's hand and they went outside.
Midna and Malon left next. Midna hadn't said a word this entire time, and Malon promised to get her home safe.
Red left to the kitchen, and Shadow remained staring up the stairs. He could hear Vio and Green bickering. He said goodbye to the last stragglers, but something felt missing.
Sheik was still in the bathroom.
Sobbing. He couldn't stop sobbing, hand over his mouth to mask the noise. He was so afraid, but couldn't bring himself to turn the light on, because then he'd see himself in the mirror.
"What if I've led everyone down this false path?" He spoke breathlessly into his phone, his sweating fingers barely able to hold onto it. "What if I've caused my family all this shame for nothing?"
"Whoa, whoa!" Groose's voice was the only thing keeping Sheik from losing control. "Keep talking. Don't hang up on me, dude."
Sheik got a firmer grip on the phone. "Don't you get it?"
"Tell me what's wrong."
"There's never ever ever ever been a 'prince' of destiny. Not even once! I can't be a man, I'm the freaking princess of destiny, right? Isn't that right?"
"Well . . . I can hear you're really upset."
"My dad was right! What if I'm just sick in the head? What if I'm just a liar, an attention whore, what kind of person does that make me?"
"You've never been that way to me."
Sheik's body forced him to take a huge breath in before he suffocated. "The stress, it has to be the stress—but I have nothing to stress about! I've CAUSED my own stress! I'm the princess, for the sake of Nayru! I have it easy, so why did I do this? Why did I fake my own gender, why would I lie?" He dropped his forehead onto the sink. "Why would I . . ."
"You don't seem crazy to me. You're the most level-headed person I know—"
"But that's just it! What if I've gone crazy?! I wouldn't BE myself if I were crazy, would I? What if I've lost myself? What if I'm GONE?"
"Z. I'm coming over."
"But I'm not at home . . ."
"Where, then?"
Sheik told him.
"Okay. Don't move. And don't . . . don't do anything stupid until I get there."
"Stupid . . . what do you mean . . . stupid?"
"I'm almost to the car, keep talking. What are you feeling?"
"I don't know! Confused, alone, afraid . . . filthy . . ."
"You feel filthy? Why? You're not—why? Why do you feel filthy?"
"I feel numb all the time because my body doesn't feel right, and if I don't shut it out, it feels so gross and—and, but, what, I'm, I'm a girl and s-s-s-so I-I-I should feel okay, right? Cuz I hav-ve a girl's . . . body. I should feel fine. In my body. It's a good body, there's nothing wrong with it! Tell me I should be happy with this body, tell me . . . tell me . . . Oh Gods."
"What?"
"I think I'm going to be sick." Sheik spun and went to his knees, his phone dropping to the ground. He grabbed the toilet seat and hurled.
There was a knock on the door. "Sheik! You alright?" It was Shadow.
"Probably food poisoning!" Sheik yelled back. "I'll be alright."
"Can I get you anything?"
"No, I'm good. Just gimme a minute."
His phone had magically remained on despite the tumble. "Sheik? Sheik!"
Sheik wiped his mouth. Instead of picking the phone up, he turned it on speaker. "Here," he said miserably. "You . . . you called me Sheik."
"Are you okay? You should maybe lie down."
Sheik didn't want to maneuver to the ground, and he felt he might throw up again, so he just stayed leaning against the damn toilet. "I'm good."
"Okay, I'm glad."
"Oh God . . . I feel . . . so sick . . ."
"So the stars look really nice tonight. Have you seen them? They're like little bomb sparks waiting to blow up."
"Why are you talking about stars?"
"Distracting you."
"Oh."
Groose kept up the light talk for fifteen minutes, occasionally breaking off if he heard Sheik beginning to sob again to ask him what was wrong.
Eventually he heard the voice on the phone match the voice outside. The front door opened, and there were footsteps and finally, "Hey! It's me!"
Relief washed through Sheik as he forced himself to stand and unlock the door. He about fell right into Groose's arms once the door was open enough for him to slip through. Groose held onto him with strong arms. Shadow stood nearby, asking nervous questions that Sheik didn't have the energy to answer. He felt so ugly. He'd just thrown up for goodness sake. He couldn't look at anybody, least of all Groose, whose shirt he was currently filthying up real good. "Get me out of here," he begged quietly.
"I'll drive him home," Groose said confidently to Shadow. "Don't worry!"
Shadow felt useless. Deep inside he knew this wasn't just food poisoning. "Sheik, you know you can talk to me . . ." He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Not now, Shadow," Sheik said, his voice muffled.
"Do you want me to come with you and Groose?"
"No. Please . . . no. He's just driving me home."
Shadow looked at Groose, who minutely shook his head at Shadow. There was no way he'd be leaving Sheik alone. "Call me if anything changes."
"I will," Sheik said, but Shadow was looking at Groose. Groose nodded, again minutely.
Shadow was conflicted about whether he should go with them or not until the front door shut behind them, and then until he heard the car rev up and drive away.
He sighed. Everyone was a mess. He'd noticed Midna's silence. She'd never been silent for longer than a minute the entire time Shadow'd known her. Then there was Vio, who pretended to be fine and had likely forgotten about it for now, but Shadow knew as soon as the house was quiet that Vio would obsess over it. Then there was Blue, who didn't want Vio to be in danger, and Sheik was beaten down about something . . . what was happening to them all? And then there was Link. What was Link thinking about all of this? They'd inherited the power of Lorule. He'd never thought about it, but it could be possible that their dad had been from Lorule. It was impossible to tell unless they went to the foster care facility where their dad spent most of his life. Maybe the people there would know where their dad came from.
He stared at the back of his hand. What was this crap?
The stairs creaked. Shadow looked up. Vio was paused halfway up the stairs. Shadow sent him a questioning look. Vio smiled slightly and lightly descended the steps. "I have someone to show you." He led Shadow to the hidden door in the back of the stairs that led to the basement lab.
When they reached the bottom of the steps, Vio jaunted over to a basket in a corner that was filled with blankets. He lifted a tiny furball from it. "I removed his cast today. He's completely better now."
Shadow broke into a grin and knelt down next to the basket. The kitten mewed softly as Vio handed him to Shadow. "Oh my gosh! You did it, Vio! Aaaw, he's so cute!" Shadow giggled as the kitten kept bumping his wet nose against Shadow's chin, trying to reach his nose.
Vio smiled, a real smile. He was happy that Shadow was happy, though he still didn't understand why anyone should care about a kitten. "I was thinking we could call him Murphy. Like Murphy's law."
"Murphy. I like it. What up, Murf?" Murphy responded with a short mew. Shadow giggled again.
Vio felt himself longing for the ability to feel in the way Shadow did. He looked and sounded so happy, the kitten cuddling against him curiously. Why couldn't Vio feel like that? And why couldn't it be something that wasn't cutting up animals or tricking people, which really only made him feel less bored? Was he doomed to never feel happy?
He caught Shadow looking at him with concern, and put on his stoic mask.
"Are you okay?" Shadow asked.
Vio gave a small nod.
". . . It's that you're not happy, isn't it?"
The mask cracked.
"I know it makes you angry when you can't hide from me, but there's nothing to be scared of. I'm not going to stop caring about you."
He didn't move, but a tear fell from behind his glasses.
"Babe . . ." Shadow got up, the kitten still in his arms, and he walked over to Vio, kneeling back down when he was beside him. He bent down trying to look up into Vio's face, and waited for Vio to look at him. "It's going to be okay, Vio."
The kitten leaned out from Shadow's arms, nose twitching, and tried to reach Vio's face. He mewed.
Vio looked at the kitten, who wriggled himself so quickly that he was now extending himself far too much out of Shadow's arms and either Shadow had to grab him or Vio did because he was about to fall to the cement ground.
Vio got to him first. The kitten snuggled himself into Vio's shirt, looking up at him with one blue, one brown eye, both large and curious. He used his baby claws to climb up his shirt before Vio could stop him, and he arched his back under Vio's chin.
"I think Murphy likes you, too," Shadow said.
"Is that what this means?" Vio asked with slight, half-hearted irritation.
Murphy mewed.
Shadow scratched the kitten's ears as Vio kept having to adjust his arms to the kitten's newfound energy. "Sooo . . . how are you on this whole Triforce thing?"
"I don't like being controlled," Vio answered through a mouth full of fur. "Puh! Get out of my face you little fuzz ball!" Shadow laughed. "And I don't like things being decided for me. Why don't I get to decide whether I WANT to be this stupid hero?"
"Sheik said you can get rid of the piece, I think. Give it to somebody else."
"Why would I do that? PUH! Okay. Seriously. Murphy." Vio grabbed the kitten in both hands and pulled him away from his face. "Calm down! The Triforce is full of power. It MUST be studied. I just wish I had gotten it myself and not through some sort of birth right. Don't they keep a record of the hero's bloodline? I must have been born under a bus."
"I dunno, but . . . we'll get through it together. Right?"
"Yeah . . . but we have to escape Murphy first."
Midna stared into her milkshake, watching the chocolate chips slowly descend into the disintegrating whipped cream and into the melting ice cream.
"Still no better?" The melodic voice belonged to Malon. After leaving Vio's apartment, Midna was in no mind to go to her home, which Malon didn't question, just brought her to her workplace, the Milk Bar. Malon had given her a nice, quiet corner (as quiet as could be expected in a bar devoted to music), ordered her some food, which Midna picked at, and then a milkshake, in between working the bar.
Midna shook her head. "I'm sorry about this."
Malon shrugged. "Don't worry about it. We've all got days when we don't want to go home. I know I don't like going home."
Midna looked up. "Why's that?"
"My uncle, the big-nose that's running the bar right now? He's a jerk. And he's always drunk, and when he's not drunk, he's a menace. Plus my dad's in jail, so except for my crazy uncle, nobody's ever home. It's always empty. Usually I sleep in the barn with the horses more than I sleep in my bed."
"Jeez."
Malon sat down. "So now you. Why don't you want to go home?"
Midna felt a fear-induced flush on her cheeks. She scratched at the Triforce symbol on her hand. "Most people don't know this . . . but you remember how I said I'm the Twilight Princess?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, my status in the Twilit Kingdom is pretty shaky right now."
"What'cha mean?"
"I've been in Hyrule since I was a kid. Because of that, the Twilight Council had to rule for me until I come of age. They council hates me. When I take control, they lose their power in Hyrule. They've failed in brainwashing me to their views, so the last few years they've been bad mouthing me to my people, trying to make me look bad to justify dethroning me. Too many of my people liked me, though. They liked my politics, they liked my friendly relationship with the Royal Family of Hyrule, they liked that I got into a prestigious school renowned for its courses in politics. Everything was fine and I was set to become the princess by popular vote, if nothing else." She sighed and sank down further in her seat. "But then Sheik came out as transgender. The Twili are afraid of anything controversial. I mean most of them couldn't care less that Sheik is transgender, what they don't like is that Sheik is being attacked by the press and by his own people, and afraid that I chose to be friends with him rather than be on his father's side. My people are scared that my friendship with Sheik will put them in jeopardy . . . and they may be right, if things end badly for Sheik. We're a minority, and nobody trusts us because of our background as children of criminals who were banished from Hyrule ages ago."
"And so now a lot of people are saying you shouldn't be princess because you're friends with Sheik?"
Midna nodded. "Yeah. I still thought I'd be fine . . . but then the council changed their game. Instead of outright dethroning me, they've decided they'll let me ascend, but only if I marry one of their members. This guy named Zant."
Malon did a double take. "WHAT?! You mean . . . an ARRANGED MARRIAGE?!"
"Yep."
"OF ALL THE MEDIEVAL CRABTRAP!"
"It's a powerful move, though," Midna said, her voice betraying hopelessness. "A large percentage of my people still love me, but enough of them are unsure about me being princess that the idea of me marrying a council member would put them at ease. At least I wouldn't be TOTALLY unaccountable, right? And it would show I still considered being their princess as my top priority, rather than my friendship with Sheik. At the same time the Twili who hate me would be appeased because they would feel that the council had control of me."
"But you'd be in a horrible marriage ya don't want. Do ya even know this Zant person?"
"Guy."
Malon sputtered. "But—but—but!"
"I know. Worse? He's the whiniest, most repulsive control freak I've ever known. We grew up together."
"Sounds like a real charmer," Malon said sarcastically, putting her forehead in a hand. "But why do you gotta marry him? What happens if you don't?"
Again, Midna sighed. "I didn't think I'd have to. I figured I'd refuse and just wait to see what happened and hope for the best, but now . . ." She glanced at the Triforce symbol on her hand. "Now they'll really think I've betrayed them."
"Shoot . . . because that's a symbol from the Light World, right? That's what you were saying before."
Midna nodded. "It doesn't matter that I didn't choose this, that I have idea what it is or that I'd do ANYTHING to get it off me! They're going to see it as me being a traitor, as abandoning my people. I HAVE to do something to make them see that isn't it."
"Holy crap on a cow!" Malon had her forehead in both of her hands now. "And I don't suppose ya could, ya know, marry a lady Twili?"
Midna smiled in a melancholy way. "Homosexuality isn't accepted in Hyrulean culture very widely yet. There's no way that would be accepted as an act of good faith."
Malon felt her eyes tearing up. "What about someone who isn't Zant?"
"I . . . I MIGHT be able to pull that off. The trouble is whether I can fend off both the council and the Twili that want me off the throne, because they'll only be happy if I marry Zant or someone else who's in the council's pocket."
"Where there ya go! You know in Hyrulean culture we used to do these things called balls. Where you dress up and dance and go meet other people to date and stuff. Maybe you could stall everybody. Maybe you could say, 'hey, I'm willing to marry a Twili, I'm really looking, look, I'm going to all these Twili balls and stuff,' and maybe you'll be able to find a Twili guy you can . . . you can work with. Or at least be compatible. Maybe even one that's asexual so you don't have to worry about . . . that. Someone you can trust. One who's on your side."
Now Midna was started to tear up. "I . . . I really hope so, Malon!" She started to cry.
"It's called gender dysphoria," Groose was saying. He was laying on Sheik's bed, with Sheik laying against him feeling and looking miserable. They were both staring at a laptop Groose had in his lap, using it to look up Sheik's feelings on different websites devoted to transgender issues. "When you feel like you're not a girl even though your body is shaped like a girl's. That's what it says here."
"I had no idea other people felt the same way as me," Sheik said in wonder. All of the symptoms were there: stress, anxiety, depression, fear of puberty, wanting a body of the preferred gender, not wanting to look at themselves in the mirror, feeling disgusted with their body parts that don't match their gender. "So it doesn't mean I'm crazy. It just means I . . . I really am transgender. I really am a boy!" The relief Sheik felt made tears fall down his face again. He sat up and crossed his legs. "I'm not crazy. I really am a boy . . ."
Groose smiled. "I'm glad you're feeling better about that, Z—I mean Sheik."
Sheik glanced at him with a curious expression. "Why did it take you so long to call me Sheik, anyway? I mean it's never seemed an issue with you before."
Groose blushed and sat up as well, setting the laptop aside. "Well . . . it's kind of complicated, actually."
"Tell me."
"I guess I never called you Sheik because I never really understood that names could be . . . well . . . gendered." He shrugged, an obvious blush on his cheeks.
"Not gendered?" Sheik couldn't help but laugh. "But of course they are, nobody names a boy Zelda or a girl Groose!"
Groose shrugged again, smaller. Sheik forced himself to stop laughing. "I don't know," Groose said, completely serious. "I just never understood why that is. Names don't have . . . parts. They're not even people, so how can they have a gender? And also, clothes, and hair, and colors . . . why do those things get gendered?"
Now it was Sheik's turn to shrug. "I guess it makes things and people easier to label? It makes it so people can relate to each other, girls to other girls with similar hairstyles, maybe?"
"I guess I've just never seen it that way."
"Well how DO you see it?"
"Basically, you were always Zelda. That didn't mean boy or girl to me. It just meant . . . Zelda. That's you. That's who you are. It doesn't matter to me whether you are a girl or a boy, just as long as you are you, and growing up that was always Zelda—no, not Princess Zelda, not Zelda the GIRL or even Zelda the BOY. Just Zelda."
It took several minutes for Sheik to process all of this. "So when you call me Zelda, it's not calling me a girl, or remembering the girl you grew up with. You're just calling me Zelda because that's the name you got to know me by."
"Yeah, exactly. It doesn't matter that you identify as a man now, because I never connected your name to your gender in the first place."
"Wow." Sheik was blown away. All this time he thought Groose was just not ready to accept transgenderism and that was why he called him Zelda, and the truth was Groose just didn't view gender the same way as everyone else did. "So how do you identify, Groose? Boy, girl, or something else?"
Groose blinked at him with confusion. "I'm Groose."
"Well, yeah, but . . . genderwise?"
Groose still looked completely lost. "I don't know. I'm Groose. I don't know what gender people would put on me."
"Everybody acts like you're a boy."
"Okay, but what does that mean?"
Sheik chuckled. "Well it means you . . . you know . . ." he gestured at Groose's pants.
Groose also glanced at them, then glanced up. "Yeah, but you got girl parts and you're not a girl, so why would that make me a boy?"
Sheik was still chuckling. "Oh my gosh, you're right . . . that's really confusing."
"Look, I'll show you." He picked up the laptop again and navigated to a website that had something called the 'genderbread human.' It had a gradient, and on one side it said male, and the other side it said female. "This is kinda how it is for me. Gender is a spectrum. Nobody's completely male or female—whatever that is. Okay, maybe SOME people are completely male or female, but most of us are in the middle. It's like . . . there's white and black, but there's TONS of grey in between. Most people are grey. And everybody is so different it seems silly to me to label everyone only 'boy' or 'girl' when there are so many variations between them. It would be like saying all people with boobs must be named Mary, and all people with a dick must be named Henry. That's stupid. Or saying that all diseases are the same and don't require different diagnoses—"
"HAHAHAHA gender isn't a disease!"
"—but you get what I mean? What's with this limited labeling nonsense. Why do I have to be JUST a boy or JUST a girl, why can't I be both? Or neither?"
"I get what you're saying. That's very interesting. And I guess . . . I guess, if I really knew what gender was, I'm sure there would be female parts of me, my brain, or something that I wouldn't mind keeping. I mean I'm all over that pink stuff."
Groose grinned. "Right?! Pink is a great color!"
"But color is a really simplified example. We as a society don't really understand what gender is, do we?"
Groose shook his head cheerfully. Then he said, seriously, "But I respect that gender is a BIG deal to you, and obviously you know that you are a boy."
Sheik shrugged. "I've got no problem with that. I can know I'm a boy while not really understanding entirely what that is. Nobody knows who they are entirely. We don't even know how the body works but we still know we're alive and that we're Hylians!"
"I failed SOOOO hard in anatomy . . ."
Sheik shuddered. "That class was so hard . . . So . . . I know to you it doesn't matter, but to most everyone else it does, and it really does matter to me, so—"
"I'll call you Sheik from now on. Don't worry."
"Well I mean . . ." Sheik considered. Suddenly it didn't bother him so much, all the times Groose had called him Zelda. "I guess when we're alone I don't mind."
Groose grinned. "That would mean a lot. Just to know it's still you and you're not changing into someone else. I know it's stupid—"
"It's not stupid! You told me you identify as Groose. Names are very important to you. And I kinda like it now that I know why you call me Zelda."
Groose was hunkered down, arms folded, a shy grin on his face. "Thanks . . . Zelda."
"A boy named Zelda. Gee, if everybody thought like you I wouldn't have to legally change my name!"
"That would be helpful."
Sheik punched Groose in the arm. "You're a good . . . a good person, Groose." He had been going to say 'friend,' but . . . that didn't sound right. And then he'd been going to say 'guy,' but obviously that didn't exactly fit.
Groose grinned. "Finally! Maybe I'm making up for all those stalkery middle school love letters?"
"Hmmmm . . . maaaaaybe." Then in a serious voice, Sheik said, "Thanks for coming to get me. You didn't have to do that."
"Sure I didn't, but I care about you. A lot. Anybody who cares about you would have done that. You deserve to be treated right."
"Well . . . thanks. And you can stay here, if you want. I don't want you to get caught by the police on the drive back."
"Alright then, I think I will." Groose put the laptop away and lay back on the bed.
Sheik lay on the bed next to him, putting his head on Groose's chest. He felt Groose wrap an arm around him, and with their bodies so close, he felt he had to ask, "You really don't care if I'm shaped like a boy or a girl?"
Groose grinned confidently. "Nope!"
"You . . . you still think I'm attractive?"
"Yep! You're the one I like, Zelda."
Sheik gave a tiny smile to himself. "Good. I . . . I like you, too."
Nabooru's grannies dropped Link off at his home, and he gave Nabooru a kiss on the cheek before he left. Ever the gentleman. He made his way through the front yard and to the door, which he opened and went inside.
He yawned.
"Link, is that you?" A soft voice said from the kitchen. Link walked in and saw granny looking very tired.
"Yeah," he said. "Sorry, Grandma. I didn't mean to be out so late."
She smiled. "It's alright, dear. I'm glad you're spending time with your friends. Do you remember when you didn't want to leave the house at all, on your first day of school? You were so worried about Aryll."
Link thought back. "You're right." He grinned. "Aryll's been doing so good, though!"
"I'll bet she can't wait to hear about your adventures."
"Yeah . . ." He knew he had to keep working, to raise money so they could pay for Aryll's care worker to keep coming. He didn't mind. Not one bit! Anything for his little sister.
"But where's Shadow?" Granny interrupted his thoughts.
"Oh! He staying over at Vio's."
"I worry about that boy. I know he's not used to living here yet, and he misses his father, but I'm afraid he's going to get into trouble."
Link walked around the counter to the fridge to get something to eat. "I think Shadow knows what he's doing. I mean, he's smart, so even if he gets into a little trouble he's smart enough to know how to come out. And who to ask for help. Don't worry, Grandma." When Granny didn't respond, Link looked around the fridge door at her. And realized the hand on the handle was the one with the Lorulean Triforce on it, and she could see it. He remembered how religious and smart his grandmother was. She knew what the symbol meant. She also probably knew it was Lorulean, and not Hyrulean. He went back to looking at food, pulled out a plate of leftovers Granny had made for him, and then closed the fridge door and put the food in the microwave as if nothing had occurred.
"Oh . . ." he heard Granny whisper. "My sweet, brave boy . . ." She knew everything. He didn't have to explain. Still, he didn't want to look at her and see the sorrow he knew would be there. Like when Blue heard that Vio was the hero, only a million times worse because it was Granny, not Blue. Bad things happened when the Triforce pieces appeared. He pulled the food from the microwave, sat at the counter, and began to fork as much food into his mouth as possible, partly out of nerves but mostly out of hunger.
He felt Granny's tiny hand squeeze his arm. He finally looked at her, and not a hint of worry was betrayed on her face. She smiled. "I will be brave as well, my dear. I love you."
Link grinned gratefully. "I love you, too, Grandma. You're the best grandma anyone could ever ask for!" He put down his fork so he could hug her.
"Oooh," Granny cooed, and patted his back. "There's more leftovers in the fridge if you're still hungry."
"Thanks, Grandma."
"Don't be shy. Eat them up!"
"I will, don't worry."
AN: Phew! Heavy chapter. Congrats on making it to the end!
