Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda or any of the characters in the Zelda series (if I did, I wouldn't waste my time here). I'm not making any money of this and if I forgot anything else in this disclaimer I did or didn't do that as well.
Chapter 7 - The return of the things from the outer world
The rest of the day they trained in archery and fought with Deku sticks. Romani was quite good to Link's surprise. Her joy of life reminded him of his own when he first started this hero gig as he started to call it. In fact, now that he thought of it, he only felt burned out after defeating Ganondorf. When he saved Din and Nayru, he felt alive again. Guess he wasn't tired of fighting, he was just tired of reliving the same thing.
"Aw."
Link dropped the Deku stick to shake off the hurt in his fingers.
"Is that the best you can do, Hero of Time? Guess Ganondorf wasn't that hard."
"Don't say that. It's not a laughing matter."
Romani apologised.
"That's okay, but that madman almost killed me, several times!"
"I'm sorry, I know what you've been through, I mean, you've told me, Romani doesn't really know..."
"It's okay, really," Link reassured her, "and what's with that talking in third person anyway?"
"I did it as a joke when I was about four or five, but... I wouldn't say it stuck, but every time I'm nervous or excited, I talk about myself in third person."
"So eight years ago, you were excited to see someone new?"
"No, not really."
Romani looked away with a gentle smile on her lips. Link noticed (as he had already done several times that day) she had nice lips.
"I was kinda nervous."
"Why?" Link asked, half and half knowing the answer but he couldn't resist to tease.
"Such a handsome boy running to my aid? I had a crush on you the moment you entered the ranch."
Link smiled. When he returned to Romani ranch he was also excited to see Romani again. He didn't think of her when he was in Hyrule but that was because Ganondorf was his main concern.
"You know, I never told this to anyone," Link said, looking also the other way, "but when I was in the timeloop in Termina, I hated to come here on the third day..."
"The day the moon was gonna fall? Why? Was I that troublesome? I know I was ranting on a bit..."
"No, it's just, when I wasn't there on the first night to fight off those things from outer space, you were completely..." Link shuddered when he thought of the few times he saw Romani like that, "...you had lost your joy, you were completely inert. I hated that."
Romani put her hand on his cheek.
"I... I didn't know. You cared that much for me?"
Link nodded.
"There were days I didn't want to do anything, just relax and kick back for three days, but almost every time, I blew up that big boulder and saved your cows, so I could play with you the rest of the time."
"I don't really remember that playing part."
"Of course not," Link said, pretending to be outraged, "the final time, right before I defeated Majora, I also had to save the swamps, the mountains, the ocean and the canyon, get Kafei his adult body back so he could get married with Anju, save your cows, stop the moon from falling down and, oh yeah, get toilet paper to some creep living in the toilet."
Romani tried to keep herself seriously but now laughed out loud.
"You had to get some creep toilet paper?"
"You've never been on the toilet without toilet paper? That's not a laughing matter!" Link did his best not to start laughing himself, but failed.
Romani slowly stopped laughing.
"But seriously now," she said while whiping a tear from her eye, trying to stop snickering, "this training session isn't really what I wanted to ask of you."
"What is it?" Link got quickly serious.
"The day after tomorrow is the Festival of Time, so tonight those things from out of this world return."
Link touched Romani's arm.
"You know I will help you."
Romani nodded and raised her Deku stick.
"But now, let's continue."
Cremia had cooked a wonderful meal for Link and Romani but they both ate it too fast to really appreciate it to the fullest. Link was nervous, he would spend the whole night in the barn with this gorgeous woman. Luckily those ghost things would come, so they would be distracted in a way, so to speak. Romani got up and took out two bows.
"Where are you going?" Cremia asked.
"To the barn." Romani said with a look on her face, saying 'if you ask any more I'm gonna use you for practice shooting, so back off, sis, please?'.
Link got up and followed Romani.
Link felt uncomfortable climbing up the ladder after Romani to the attic of the barn. That perfect ass, just an armlength away. Link shook his head and tried to think of something else. Link sat down next to Romani in the hay. An awkward silence fell. Link tried to break it.
"So, what did you do all these years, I mean, I told you what I did."
"Yeah, nothing." Romani laughed.
"Yeah well, we're not talking about me."
"What I did?" Romani lied down, looking at the ceiling, "I trained with my bow, obviously, and I wandered around Termina, looking for, I don't know, some say thrills, but I think it was you I was looking for."
"Some say? Who?"
"I've had boyfriends," Romani laughed, "but none stayed. Guess I was too adventurous for them. I travelled to Woodfall swamps, Zora's bay, Goron Mountains, I even went to Ikana canyon. I fought off many enemies with my bow and Deku sticks."
"So you spent all that time beating up innocent monsters? Ow!"
Romani hit him in the ribs again.
"Something like that."
Link checked his bow, just to do something.
"You know, I've only had this much fun with Saria."
"Oh, great, now I'm compared with a fairy child."
Link laughed.
"No, I mean, I'm having fun with you. I like spending time with you."
Romani turned towards Link. He was completely lost in those blue eyes.
"I have to tell you something."
"Hm?" Link mumbled when he drew closer to Romani.
"The ghost things?" Romani whispered while she came closer, "They don't come tonight."
Link and Romani lost themselves in a passionate kiss.
