A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

A Pair of Time

Chapter 15- Reality Delusional

Death Mountain Trail; Night

After a not much deserved seeing off, our heroes decided to stop by Goron City for a bit. There, using their new Bombs, they found Medigoron, a giant Goron larger than the rolling one outside. Apparently, Medigoron is a blacksmith, and he's currently working on a 'cool' weapon. However, it wouldn't be available until five to six years from now. Seeing nothing else to do, Malon and Link turn their attention toward the summit of Death Mountain, where this supposed Great Fairy lives. Warned of frequent eruptions since it's an active volcano, they have to switch to their Hylian Shields. Bombing their way past the blocked cliff, they find a hole, a cow and some Rupees inside. Feeling that they should rest up until morning, they made camp.

"So… Link, this Great Fairy." Malon stretches. "This should be up your alley, right?"

"What?" Link doesn't get what she said.

"I mean, do you know what to talk to her about, the new power?"

"No, not really," Link replies as he searches through his pack. "Just because I'm from the forest doesn't mean I can talk to fairies that easily."

"I guess not." Malon grabs her pack. "What about Navi?"

"Well… I don't know exactly."

"No, I have no idea, Malon," Navi answers her question during her exit from Link. "Like Link, I may come from the forest, but… I'm really not the talking type, you see. I just keep to myself most of the time."

"Really?" Link eyes his fairy. "Then, what about all those times you kept screaming when a monster appears?"

"That was to help you."

"Okay, maybe that's the point, but you do seem to like to talk a lot."

"No, I don't."

"In my head?"

"If I recall correctly, you wanted to talk to me."

"You still talk a lot."

"No, I really don't. I just don't. Leave me alone."

Link takes off his green hat and catches Navi out of the air, immediately closing off her escape. The room fills with green light from the brightness of Navi. Clearly, Malon and Link can see the light shaking as Navi tries pummeling her way out.

"Hey! Link!" they hear her scream. "This isn't funny!"

"I know." Link shrugs.

"Let me out!"

"No."

"LET ME OUT!"

"No," Link repeats.

"Please! Let me go!"

"No."

"C'mon! Let me go, Link, please!"

"No."

"I don't want to be in here!" Navi's voice sounds like it's going to break. "Please, just let me go!"

"No," Link repeats for the fifth time.

"Please! Please! C'mon!" Navi sobs, if that's possible. "Let me go…"

"See?" Link shows. "Talking type."

"Um, not really, Link…" Malon corrects. "You're just making her beg. That's mean, you know."

"I…" Link realizes his mistake. "Yeah, I guess."

Opening up, the little white fairy flies out quickly and stops dead on the ground. They can see Navi shaking, and making tiny, audible sobs.

"Hey, now look what you've done here, Link!" Malon picks up Navi gently. "She's crying…"

"I… I…"

Malon scoffs. "You're mean when you like to be. Look, you just made your fairy friend cry."

"Well, I… I'm sorry…"

"You sure don't sound like apologizing." Malon huddles Navi close to her. The little fairy can still be heard sobbing, muffled against Malon.

"I… I didn't know she didn't like that… I mean, she… Navi, she…"

"Link, she's your fairy," Malon scolds slightly. "Navi's your little lifelong friend as a Kokiri, I think. Don't you think you should be nicer to her?"

How ashamed Link feels as he hits this line. If Navi is to be with him forever, he shouldn't tease her that much. No, he shouldn't tease at all. With a sigh, Link walks over to Malon, to see the shaking ball with wings and legs in her hands. This makes it worse, as he sees how hurt Navi is. He forces his eyes shut, then picks Navi with his hands from Malon. It feels like he's holding warm, solid air wrapped in a sphere in his hands. Warm, fuzzy light touching his skin. Link's hands tremble with Navi for a moment, then they stop. Opening his eyes, he finds that Navi's sobbing has ceased, and is looking up to Link.

"Hey… sorry about that, Navi," Link apologizes with a small smile.

He's not sure of it, but he thinks he hears an embarrassed gasp from Navi. Link sits down, then puts a hand over Navi, lightly patting her.

"You okay?" Link asks.

"… Uh… yeah," Navi replies with a small voice.

"Sorry for trapping you in the hat, and teasing you."

"That's okay."

"You're still my fairy, right?"

Navi flutters her wings, sending a tickling sensation to Link's hands. She hovers upwards to his face.

"Yeah," Navi answers. "I've got nowhere else to go, anyway."

Link pushes Navi back with a finger.

"Because you're my fairy, Navi," Link reminds. "I'm not going to let you be lonely out there."

Navi rushes in and rubs herself against his cheek. The same fuzzy feeling is causing a warm tickle on Link's cheek.

"Aw, now there you go!" Malon said. "A boy and his fairy."

"Hey, thanks, Malon!" Navi said. Too caught up in the moment, Navi flies over to Malon's cheek.

"No problem!" Malon rubs her hand over Navi. "Hee hee! You sure do feel nice! I want a fairy!"

Link rolls his eyes. "Well, you're not a Kokiri, Malon…" then, Link's stomach steps into the scene. "Oh… We should eat now…"

All Link manages to scrap up for food is a small piece of bread, while on Malon's side she has a loaf and a cube block of cheese.

"Great…" Link reminisces. "I forgot about buying some more food for myself…"

"Well, then… Too bad for you," Malon declares.

"Aren't you gonna…" Link stares hungrily at her food, "share?"

"Well, no, if you don't have manners, I won't."

"What…?" Link stretches the word.

"C'mon. Just say 'please.' Then, I'll share."

"You want me to be cute, right?"

"Well, that's mostly the reason." Malon gives a small smile.

Forced to humiliation, Link inhales sharply. "Okay, okay." Link takes a moment to prepare. "Would you share your food…?"

"What's the magic word, fairy boy?"

"… Please?"

Malon breaks off half of her loaf and a chunk from the block of cheese. She extends them to Link, but withdraws them as Link starts to connect his hand with the food.

"And?" Malon asks.

"… Thank you… Malon," Link shows his gratitude with a bit of struggling.

"You welcome." Malon hands over the food. "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

"Actually, I think it-"

"Oh, come on! You really need some manners!"

"Why?"

"It makes you look better and more polite. And it's…" Malon pauses to bite her bread, "… prezzy cuetz."

"Uh, wasn't not talking while you're eating one of the manners?"

"Whazzevar, farry voy." the words come through her mouth.

After a wash down with milk from the cow nearby, they clean themselves with the cave water. Then, they lay down for their sleep. But, with the inside of the cave and pools of water around them, it is cold.

"Brr…" Malon shivers. "Shoulda brought a blanket…"

"Yeah… Shoulda… Too late for that now."

"It's too cold to sleep." Malon sits up.

She sees Link all comfortable despite the temperature.

"Aren't you cold?"

"Yeah, but I'm used to it." Link shrugs. "I can sleep fine."

"Oh, boy…"

An insane thought jumps into her mind. Too insane, actually…

"I wish I have someone to snuggle up against…" Malon whispers to herself.

"What?"

"Um, nothing."

"No, I heard you. You want to snuggle up with somebody?"

"Uh, no. Even if I did, I think this cow here would do…"

Malon walks over to the cow and sits against its stomach. The cow doesn't seem to mind; it just keeps munching the grass in front of it.

"Well, cow," Malon smiles to herself, "I'm always glad animals are there for me."

The cow moos. It continues grazing.

"But… you're so cold, too." Malon puts a hand to its side. "It's a wonder you don't catch something."

Malon feels her bones shaking. She just can't sleep with the cold in here. Either she will have to stay awake until morning, or sleep with-

NO! I will not sleep with him!

She gazes at Link, who's already drifted off.

Just stay awake until morning… You can do it. You did it before. It may have nearly killed your eyes and body, but you did it. Then, when you get off this mountain, you can sleep all you want at that woman's place.

The body screams in agony to this thought. She is considerably tired, from the Dodongo's Cavern clearing, to running around a mountain. Her body begs for sleep. Then, another thought, clearer than the last one, occurs.

Link's your best friend. He would make sure you're okay. He wouldn't mind if you slept with him. Then, in the morning, you can shake it off and just say thanks. Nothing has to happen. That's what best friends are for.

Malon highly doubts this, but it seems the most reasonable way to go, with the tiniest of risks, greatest of comforts. She sighs, deciding whether or not to regret this. She slowly walks over to Link, then kneels down and shakes him.

"Hey, fairy boy…"

"Mmm… Huh?" Link squints his eyes. "What… Malon? What's wrong?"

"I… I can't sleep in the cold."

"Oh… Sorry, then. I promise we'll camp somewhere warmer next time."

"I… I… I was wondering…"

Malon hesitates, breathing a bit rapidly.

"Yeah?" Link said.

"I… was… I was… hoping… I was hoping that since… since you're my best friend…" Malon has to turn her face away to assure herself she won't be seen all red, "can I… can I sleep… with… with… you?"

Link blinks, seeing how it would be tough to say all this. But, since she mentioned best friend…

"Uh… sure. Um…"

It takes a moment before Malon forces her body to lie down next to Link, and then get close enough to touch him, sucking in the warmth like mad. They both turn around, leaving their backs to touch each other. They don't have to see each other, just get close enough to share the heat.

"So, um… 'Night, Malon."

"Good night, Link."

Malon closes her eyes and lets the easy sleep come. No horror, no wild thing in her dreams, just a patch of flowers. Nothing more. But, it is strange, because dreaming of flowers is not usually Malon's thing. She dreams of the old ranch days with both of her parents, playing and having fun. A bunch of flowers is for the girls down at Hyrule Castle Town. So, why is she dreaming this?

A hill comes into sight, and a figure, in green.

Oh, no… It can't be… Wake up, Malon, wake up! This is NOT good for you!

Too late. Her feet starts running toward the green figure, seeing it run towards her, too. There, she sees Link running up to her, up the hill, like she is. With just a yard between them, they both jump, Malon's heart feeling the warm pressure. Maybe she would like to reach him, to embrace him, to let him carry her with the wind, to- SPLOSH!

Malon jumps too early and lands in a mud puddle. Link flies over her into the sky…

"Yeah, I'm flying!" he yells out.

Well, at least it didn't turn out like I thought it would. A relaxing thought settles in Malon's mind.

"Whoo!" Link stretches his arms out like Superman. "Yeah!"

Malon sits up, mud all over herself.

Hey, at least I'm used to mud. Something girls I know of don't like.

The comfort of mud, she figures, is sometimes a greater feeling than knowing that she has to bathe after being covered in it. The thick liquid feels cool against the sun. She doesn't mind being covered in the brown, gooey stuff. It just feels so good. Just so as long as Link is not her-

SPLOSH! Link lands right next to her in the mud puddle, too.

"Note to self," Link said as he sits up and looks at himself. "Kokiris cannot fly easily."

Malon giggles. Now, this is what it should be. Not the two of them jumping over a hill and embracing each other, but sitting here just mucking in mud, going over what just happen. This is best friends stuff. And she likes it. This is how it should be when she… when she…

"Mud." Link picks up a handful. "Always like this kind of thing in the forest."

"You do, too?"

"Yeah. And I always like…" Link throws the handful at her, "mud fights!"

"OH!" Malon wipes off the excess mud. "Too bad. I'm the queen of mud fights. You're dead!"

She grabs two handfuls and smacks them into Link's face, blocking his vision. He swipes them off, grabs a handful, and pummels her.

"Well, Malon. I'm about to be the king of mud fights, then! Ha ha!"

Link runs off, laughing with the wind. Malon picks up more mud, and starts to chase after him.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Malon shouts out. "You're not gonna get away from me so easily, fairy boy!"

She tosses one, sending him down to the ground. He flips around, seeing the queen of mud fights coming in with the final handful. Malon is about to bash him with this handful with she slips on the mud underneath her, and, coincidentally, lands on top of him. The two of them, covered in mud, one on the other. The same situation as before. Link is trapped underneath, Malon on top.

And this time, no one is nearby, because this is Malon's dream. Her emotions send an injection of love to Malon. It's… just too good to waste it on nothing. She can't. She won't, like last time. Malon plunges in, feeling mud on Link's lips, but not having a care. They're ten, but she does not care. They're best friends, but she does not care. It is just too wonderful to miss again… The blue eyes of theirs close, dropping them in the world of happiness.

Malon feels like she should be stabbed while having this dream, to have it forever. It's too wonderful. The feeling she sends through her lips to Link, the same backwards as Link embraces it.

Link feels the same way, Malon figures. He should, because of what… we're doing…

It seems perfect from every perspective; the two dirty from mud kissing, the flowers closing them, the smell of the air, the gentle wind caressing, birds chirping as they fly over them.

The only thing that just went wrong is that funny taste of mud. Mud is definitely not chocolate.

A sound echoes through the flower patch. A sound familiar to Malon and Link. The sound of-

MOO!

Huh? Malon wakes up, but with a suppressed gasp. HUH? WHAT IN FARORE'S NAME…!

Malon and Link really are kissing, right here in the cave. Link wakes up simultaneously with Malon, the same thought kicking his brain. The two are in the same position as in the dream; Malon on top of Link, and there, right there, their lips are connected. Ten seconds, then Malon quickly dashes behind the cow, finding the embarrassment coming at her like a Deku Seed. Link has the deep red on his face, deeper than when Malon found his book. He stands up, rubbing his neck for no reason.

Next time, I AM going to keep that promise of a warmer place to camp, Link thought.

"Fairy boy," Link hears Malon's voice. "Did you… by any chance… had that dream?"

Link connects his dream with hers, a stunning shock. What in the world are the Goddesses doing to us!

"Mud fight?" Link said.

"Yeah."

"Great."

How… bizarre can this be?

Too much, way too much, Link self-answers as he puts on his green, pointy hat.

"Say, look…" Malon's voice speaks up again, "let's just… not bring it up… okay, fairy boy?"

"You just read my mind."

Day; Cucco crow

"Okay…" Malon said.

"Okay, then… I'll… I'll be outside."

No sooner said than done, Link teleports himself out of the hole. Malon sits against the cow, recalling that dream, and then, that scene…

"Cow, what you saw is private, okay?" Malon pats it. "It's just between us three. Shoot, I should have just slept with you, then… Kissing cows is fine…"