Hey guys! Let's see if I can get things up faster from now on…

Disclaimer: I don't own Zelda, so don't sue me.

*Arden*

Link and I walked out into the hallway, or whatever you'd call it, panting. I wondered what else I could change in Hyrule, what other rules I could break. I had already dressed like and carried weapons like a guy, introduced new music, and showed people how to get their groove on.

"Arden, you are the weirdest girl I've ever known," Link said to me as we slowly began ascending the stairs.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

"Would you like it to be?" I thought a minute, then shrugged.

"I'm not weird, I'm just different than all of you here," I stated. Our arms kept rubbing against eachother, and I could feel his warmth radiating onto me.

"That's for sure," Link said, pushing me up the stairs faster. I didn't bother retaliating. I was too tired. "So, uh, Arden," Link said, somewhat slowly.

"Huh?"

"Oh, nothing." There was a moment of awkward silence. Only our footsteps could be heard echoing throughout the hall. "Arden?"

"What?"

"Would you…uh…I mean do you…oh, nevermind," he said, sauntering a bit slower.

"Okay." There was another moment of silence.

"You look really…um," Link paused. I smiled, awaiting my compliment.

"Yes?"

"You look tired. Maybe we should go to bed now." I sighed.

"Yeah, okay," I said, quietly, playing with the folds in my dress.

More silence.

"Arden?" Now I was pissed.

"What, Link, What?!"

"I had fun tonight."

"Me too." Why was he all of a sudden at a lack of words? Suddenly, it clicked. He was trying to get rid of me! I should have known. 'Arden, you look tired,' 'Arden, you should go to bed.' That bastard! He wanted to get rid of me so he could go spend time with Zelda. I sighed again. We reached our doors, and I turned to Link.

*Link*

How could I tell her how I really felt? And why was she so quiet? Did Sheik talk to her? Is she pretending to be tired so I'll go to bed and then she can go and fool around with him? No, it couldn't be, could it? Then what would be the point of me telling her what I really think of her?

"Goodnight, Link," she said with a smile. I watched her disappear into her room and shut the door. I wandered into my room, and collapsed on the bed. Jeez, just when you think you know someone, this happens. Oh well. I don't think I should lose sleep over it. I closed the door to the bathroom connecting our rooms, and shut the glass doors to the balcony. After closing the curtains and undressing, I got into bed, and shut my eyes. It seemed no sooner than when my head hit the pillow, I was woken up by the sounds of laughter and talking. I sat up in the darkness, and listened carefully. There were two people talking, and they were both female. I could tell one was Arden's voice, and the other had a strange accent. Must be Helga…or Hilda, whatever that lady's name is. So that means that she wasn't with Sheik, and that she wasn't trying to get rid of me! I should have known.

 I got up and quietly crept to the door. The light that was shining from underneath the door was my guiding path. I carefully put my ear to the door, and I could hear what they were saying.

"Don't burn yourself on zee water, dear," I heard Hilda say.

"Yeah yeah, now turn around." That was Arden. I heard someone leave the room, then the sound of clothing hitting the floor. A searing wave of excitement flowed throughout my body and out through my extremities. I didn't want to be a pervert, but I couldn't get the thoughts of Arden alone in a tub out of my mind. It grew silent again, so I slowly pushed the door open. There were candles lit around the massive tub, and I could see Arden's dress on the floor, but I didn't see Arden.

"Here is a towel for you child." Shit, Hilda was back! She saw me before I had a chance to run. "OH MY GODDESSES! AAH! HELP! HELP! PEEPING TOM! PEEPING…"

"Lady, calm yourself!" I screamed, rushing to her. I covered her big mouth, and then Arden's head popped out from under the bubbles.

"Link?!" she cried. I turned a nice shade of lobster red.

"Arden…I…uh…"

"What are you doing here?"

"Uh…I…uh…"

"He vas looking at you, dear! Call zee guards!" Arden looked at me, then at Hilda, and then cracked up.

"You…and…she thought!!!" she gleefully shrieked.

"Child, do you know ziz pig?" Hilda asked, shooting me a horrible look.

"Yeah, yeah, don't worry, you can leave now, g'night, Hilda," she said, waving her out. She left with a puzzled expression on her mug. "Close that please?" she asked me. I obeyed, and then stood in front of the tub. I couldn't see anything because of the bubbles, but I don't think it mattered, anyway.

"I'm sorry about this," I said meekly, looking away from her hypnotizing stare.

"Don't worry, but, why did you come here in the first place?" Oh shit. Need an excuse. Fast.

"I…uh…had to go to the bathroom."

"Like hell you did," she said with a smirk on her face.

"Alright then, I wanted to take a bath." There. That should do it.

"In the middle of the night?" Maybe not.

"Well, aren't you?" She was quiet a minute.

"Good point."

"Well, why are you taking a bath right now?" I asked, leaning up against the wall. It was cold. I had forgotten that I wasn't wearing a shirt.

"Cause I felt like it? I dunno. Pass me that bottle?" she asked, nodding towards a bottle at the end of the sink. I handed it to her.

"What would you do without me?" I said playfully.

"Call Hilda," she said, and began to wash her hair.

"Figures. Uh…can I join?" I joked. She laughed, then stopped abruptly.

"No."

"Okay. Well then, good night," I said, slowly heading towards the exit.

"Wait! You can stay and talk, if you want, of course." Of course I wanted to stay. But I had to play it cool, though, so I just shrugged. It was quiet.

"So…uh…" I said, shifting my weight back and forth. I continued to watch her as she bathed. She was so beautiful, and I couldn't even see anything…

"Don't worry, I'm almost done," she said, starting to rinse off. Damnit, I didn't want her to be.

"Alright." Why was I all of a sudden at a lack of words when I was around her? I though about yesterday, when we were just outside of Gerudo Valley. She almost kissed me then, didn't she? Does she feel the same as I do? I highly doubt it. No. Definitely not.

"Mind handing me that towel?" I snapped back into reality.

"Huh?" She pointed to a folded towel on the floor. "Oh, yeah," I said, and handed it to her.

"Turn around?" she asked sweetly, and I did. I looked around the room, and noticed that there was a mirror on the wall. So tempting…must…not…look…damnit, Link, you're awful. I saw only her back before she wrapped a towel around her slender body. I watched her grab another towel and squeeze out her hair, then turn around. "Alright," she said. I turned around, and she was smiling.

"What?" Her look had me puzzled.

"Oh, nothing," she said, then walked into her room. "I'll be right out!" I heard her shout. I walked back into my room, and lit some candles. I was up this late, mind as well stay up.

*Arden*

I put on some clothes, grabbed a hairbrush, and walked into Link's room. I didn't see him in the room, so I checked the balcony. Sure enough, he was sitting on the ledge, looking off into the horizon. Should I flirt? Eh, what the heck, mind as well.

"Hey sexy," I said, growing a bit more daring. He looked at me, smiled, and then looked away again. "What's 'a matter?" I asked, twirling a wet lock of hair around my finger. I heard him sigh.

"Nothing," he said.

"There's got to be something bugging you," I reasoned. He didn't say anything. What did I do this time?

"Don't worry, Arden, it's not you. It's me." I thought a minute, then walked up besides him.

"You're never sad, buddy, what's wrong?" I asked. Now I was concerned.

"Nothing," he said, standing. I had forgotten how tall he was. He towered over me, flashing that cocky, irresistible smile. I almost melted into a puddle on the floor right there.

"You sure?" I asked, pulling him closer to me. Although he had his shirt off, he was still warm, and his heat radiated onto me.

"Positive," he said, pulling me into a hug. I got that familiar smell of deep woods again, closed my eyes, and took it all in. I felt safe, for once, in his arms. At that point I realized how sleepy I actually was.

"Let's go in. I'm cold," I said, although it was a lie. We walked inside, and he shut the doors. The room seemed cozy, as cozy as a castle could get. It hurt me so bad inside knowing that I felt so much affection for him, but he loved Zelda. I sat down on his bed with a sigh. He sat next to me. Well, this was it. It was either now or never. "Link?"

"Hmm?" he replied.

"I…uh, well do you…uhm…"

"What is it?"

"If you love Zelda, tell me, and I'll stay out of your way. Because I don't want to ruin anything that you had, y'know, I don't want to crash your party, so…"

"Love Zelda?"

"Yeah, and I won't get in your way," I said, getting up. "Goodnight, Link," I said hastily. He grasped my arm and pulled me back down next to him.

"I don't love Zelda!" he exclaimed, laughing. I think I turned six different shades of red then. Good thing the room was dim so he didn't see it happening.

"You…you don't?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Hell no!"

"But…I saw you two kissing today! You can't hide something like that from me!" I cried, jumping up. Link made a really weird face.

"Ohh," he said slowly, stroking his chin. Then he shook his head.

"What?!" I exclaimed, ready to flip my lid. He started laughing again.

"No, I don't love Zelda at all! She kissed me today because she can't grasp the fact that it's over between us. Whatever I felt for her in the past is over. So don't worry about getting in "our way," because there is no "our way." Actually, if she ever gets close like that again," he said, shuddering, "I want you to get in the way." I smiled, and jumped on him.

"Oh, praise the Lord!" I exclaimed. He didn't love Zelda!

"Oof!" he exclaimed, pushing me up a bit. "Why did you care? Do you like me or something? Huh? Huh?!" he teased. I blushed a bit.

"No!" I cried, sitting up on his stomach.

"Yeah you do! You love me you want to hug me you want to kiss me," he yelled, squirming underneath me.

"No I don't!" I exclaimed, slugging him across the jaw.

"Ow! Yes you do!" he screeched, flipping me under him.

"NO I DON'T!" I yelled, flailing my arms and legs. We fought, yeah, I know, again. But it was what we were good at. This time it included ass grabbing, biting, the whole nine yards! He, of course, had the upper hand, but I didn't care. We finally stopped after a while, and collapsed into a heap on his bed. I remember falling asleep to the rough, manly sound of his breathing.

Woo! Two chapters in two days! I'm on a roll! Review and tell me whatcha think. Thanks!