6. Good Old Platonic Brotherly Love

Months passed and a new year began. Mido got two or three more followers, then ran out of natural toadies to recruit. Sheik had a bit of a growth spurt and was suddenly taller than all the other boys his age. He had managed to catch Mikau and explain away the misunderstanding, and thing were now back to normal.

Except that Mikau was leaving.

It was a good thing, no matter how bad his friends felt. Mikau was happy to be getting out, and Link and Sheik were happy for him. But they couldn't be completely happy. Their little family was breaking up even more and they didn't know what they were going to do.

zzz

In a dark corner of the complex, Sheik met with a potential customer.

"Did you bring it?" the shadowed figure asked.

"Depends, did you bring what I asked for?"

"Right here," he held up a large brown bag. "But you know, if anyone finds out I took these they'll-"

"That's why you're getting the shiv, right?"

"Right." The other boy came forward and handed Sheik the bag

Sheik checked in the bag, removed the contents and examined them for a moment, then nodded. He handed over the makeshift knife.

"Remember," he said. "This never happened."

"Believe me," the unnamed boy said. "I know."

zzz

"Soon we're going to be all alone," Link sighed.

"We have each other," Sheik said. "We'll always have each other."

"I know, and I'm glad, but..."

"Yeah, I know. I'll miss him too."

Both boys sighed.

"One week," Link said.

"Seven days," Sheik added.

"This."

"Sucks."

"You know what else sucks?"

"Hm?"

"Mido."

"Be quiet Link."

"Sorry."

"'S'okay. I still love you."

Link blinked and looked at Sheik sharply, surprised by the way that offhand comment had made the blood rise to his cheeks. Sheik looked completely unperturbed, as thoughwhat he'd saidhad been just as offhand as it had sounded. Link shook his head and decided to say nothing.

zzz

The week passed far too fast, and before they knew it Link, Sheik, and Mikau were gathered in the front hall to say goodbye. Mikau's mother, sister, and another girl that he didn't introduce but was probably a cousin or something, were there. Mikau made a very nice speech about how much he'd learned and how sorry he was to his mother, but when he said goodbye to his friends he promised to bring them firecrackers.

And then he was gone.

"I'm going to cry," Sheik announced.

Link started to laugh, then noticed the quaver of Sheik's voice. "Sheik, man, no. Suck it up."

"I can't." Sheik sniffed hard. "I- I- Oh, dammit." He pulled the collar of his vest up around his nose and mouth, something he still did from time to time, and started back toward their room. "Cover me?" he asked, voice thick with suppressed tears.

"Yeah...sure..."

"Sorry 'bout this, it's just... I- I think I'm coming down with something."

"Oh, of course."

"You- you don't believe me do you?"

"Sorry, but no."

Sheik nodded and wiped his eyes. "Whatever. Just don't tell anyone."

"Don't worry, I wouldn't."

Sheik disappeared into the hallway, leaving Link completely alone.

"I care far too much about you to do that to you," he said to the empty room.

Then he shoved his hands in his pockets and went back into the main complex.

zzz

Gardening. If there was anything that could get Link's mind off Mikau's leaving and Sheik's periodic descent into sissiness (it happened about once a month) it was gardening.

Unfortunately, someone had to intrude on that. Fortunately, it was not Mido.

It was a girl.

A Zora girl, to be specific, Link's age or a little older. Link thought is was the same girl he had seen with Mikau's mother and sister earlier. "Psst!" she hissed at him from the other side of the fence. "Psst!"

Link sighed and glanced around. No one was watching. He straightened up and moved closer to the fence.

"What?" he asked the girl.

"You a prisoner here?"

Link looked at her for a moment. "You an idiot?"

"What? No!"

"Then why do you think I'm wearing an orange jumpsuit?"

"I...um... So is that a yes?"

Link shook his head. "Wow, I am truly impressed by the magnitude of your stupidity. I almost wish you were a Hylian so I could make the obligatory 'blonde' joke."

"Wha?"

"Never mind. What was it you wanted?"

"Do you know if they hire girls as peer councilors here?"

"Uh, no. I have no idea. Whenever I go to the peer councilor I just zone out, I'm not even sure if they have genders."

"That's not very encouraging," the girl frowned.

"It wasn't supposed to be. Now can I go? If anyone sees me talking to you I'll get in big trouble."

"But- but- How am I supposed to find out if I can be a councilor!"

The girl was getting loud so Link shushed her and told her to wait. He worked his way across the garden to Sheik, who had recovered himself.

"Hey Sheik, you know if they hire girls as peer councilors?"

"Well, the councilors are volunteers, so no. But they do have girl peer councilors. I guess to give us perspective. Why?"

"That girl wants to know."

"Girl?" Sheik perked up. "Where?"

Link pointed.

"Oh, a Zora." Sheik looked disappointed. "Oh well, maybe she'll bring some Hylian friends next time."

"You have a problem Sheik."

"I'm a healthy young man. Ask her if she has any hot Hylian friends who want to be peer councilors too."

"I'm not asking her that."

"Pussy."

"Okay, considering our previous topic of conversation that was just... I'm walking away now."

"Good plan"

Link went back over to the Zora girl. "Peer councilors are volunteers. And yes, they take girls."

The girl squealed and Link jumped back, startled. "Thanks so much!" she said. "I didn't want to ask without knowing, I'd look like an idiot!"

"Yeah..." Link stared at her. "Wouldn't want to be doing that."

"See ya!" She ran off.

Link stared after her for a moment, then shook his head. "Women."

zzz

"Hey," Sheik plopped down on the bed beside Link. "What was up with that girl earlier?"

"I dunno," Link shrugged, which was not easy in the position he was in. "She was nuts. I think."

"You think?"

"Well, I don't know many girls. For all I know she was a brilliant example of her species."

"What about Saria?"

"Oh yeah... And your friend Bonanza's not dumb, is she?"

"Far from it."

"So maybe that girl was just completely frickin' insane."

Sheik leaned over and looked Link in the eyes. "Says the boy who's standing on his head, on his bed, leaning on the wall for support."

"You have no right to judge me!" Link shouted. Unfortunately that caused him to lose his balance and topple over, sending Sheik into peals of laughter.

Link flopped down on Sheik's bed and waited for his friend to stop laughing. It took awhile, but when he did he apologized and Link forgave him.

"You know, I just wish I could meet a nice, normal girl, preferably good-looking, who isn't my surrogate sister, insane, or yours."

"Mmm," Sheik muttered. "Girls like that do exist, I know, but you're not likely to meet one here... Wait, what was that last one?"

"Last what?"

"You said 'yours.' Who's mine?"

"Well, that Bonanza girl. Isn't she..."

"No! What? No! She's- She's not... I mean..."

"It's okay man," Link laughed at how flustered Sheik had gotten. "But why not?"

"Well...for starters...I like blondes."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

"Me too!"

"Really?"

"Yup. No reason why, but I do."

"Cool."

"So what's the other reason?"

"Huh?"

"You said 'for starters.'"

"Oh. Yeah. Well if you must know..."

"I must."

"There's, uh, someone else."

"Someone?" Link sat up abruptly. "What do you mean? Who?"

"Just- just someone."

"Anyone I know?"

"No...not really..."

"But...who do you know that I don't? And you've been here since you were ten, how could you have a girlfriend?"

"I don't exactly. More of a...a guaranteed lay."

Link stared at his friend, an arc of green fire racing through his heart. "A...what?" he said slowly.

"A- a guaranteed lay. There's someone that I am sure, completely positive, will sleep with me the day I get out of here."

Link clenched his fists, hard, digging his fingernails into his palms. "And you didn't feel it necessary to tell me this?"

"Well, no, not really. You did?"

"It would have been nice to know," Link said through clenched teeth.

"You okay Link?"

"Fine!"

"Don't sound fine."

"I'm just..." He sighed and tried to calm down. He unclenched his fists and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm kinda jealous."

Sheik laughed. "Trust me Link, you don't need to be jealous."

"Oh no? I doubt very much I'm going to lose my virginity before I'm thirty."

Sheik laughed even louder. "Link, when's the last time you looked in a mirror?"

"Uh, a couple weeks ago, why?"

"Just trust me on this, you do not need to worry about getting women. Or men for that matter."

"Sheik!"

Sheik just laughed.

"Come on, you know I'm not...not..."

"Yeah, I know. In fact...reach under my mattress."

"Huh?"

"I'm willing to share, as long as you don't get 'em all sticky."

"Get...what...all sticky?"

"Check under the mattress."

Link leaned over and rooted around under there, and soon pulled out...

"Cosmo?"

"Three issues of Cosmo, two of Playboy, and one of Maxim."

"Wh-where did you get these?" Link stared at the half-dressed Hollywood hottie on the cover.

"Traded my shiv for 'em."

"But- but that was your pride and joy!"

"Meh, I can always make another one."

Quickly, Link glanced at Sheik's bedposts. There was another one missing. "You did already."

"Well..."

"You gave him the new one."

"The crappier one," Sheik corrected with a grin.

Link laughed. "I love you Sheik."

Sheik smiled a little. "I know."

zzz

Link reported to peer counciling, just like always. There was a Zora girl there, not like always.

"Oh hey, it's you!" she said cheerfully. She glanced at her notes. "You're Link?"

"Dammit!" Link exclaimed.

"That's rude!" the girl sniffed.

"Sorry, it's just...crap."

The girl patted the seat in front of her. "Sit, talk, tell me about the crap."

Link sighed resignedly and sat. "It's really none of your business. And isn't this peer-counciling stuff normally done in groups?"

"Oh, well, I mentioned that it seemed like some of the guys could just zone out during the sessions, so..."

Link glared at her.

"Um, sorry?" She smiled disarmingly.

Link slumped in his chair. "So now what? I've never paid attention at one of these things before."

"Uh, well, I think we just talk about your problems."

Link waved a hand, as though brushing that aside. "I worked out all my problems years ago."

"Then what about the crap?"

Link opened his mouth to reply, then closed it abruptly.

"Well?"

"It's nothing you need to know about."

"But I'm your peer!"

"You're a Zora chick. How are you anything like me?"

"I ran away from home."

Link stared at her for a moment, then rearranged himself in his chair, settling in for the long haul. "On my first day here in juvie I met this guy named Sheik. He was really nice and really funny and over the years I think I've come to depend on him..."