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

A Pair of Time

Chapter 29- Pitter Patter Goes My Heart

Lon Lon Ranch; Day

In a compressed, person-to-person teaching, Malon gives Link the whole insight on the romantic and sexual world of adults. All of this to explain the intimate world of adults book Malon has just finished reading. It is situations like this that everyday makes the world go 'round.

Sitting side by side inside the corral, with Epona behind them, Malon lists everything she knows from the book. Link listens very closely, so Malon knows he's paying attention. But, he's not showing any expression, which makes Malon wonder if this is much more of a shock to her than it is to Link. When it's mid-afternoon, she finishes off with,

"And… that's the adult thing on love, Link. That's that."

"Ugh!" Navi said as she flies out. "You Hylians are wrong! Sick! Disgusting! Doing all this for pleasure!"

NEIGH! (I agree with the annoying, shiny ball!) Epona just happens to hear in on Malon's teaching.

"Well, some… do it for love, Navi," Malon reminds. "Apparently, sex is the peak of love, right after marriage."

"I'm glad I'm a fairy." Navi shudders. "But, this is going to replace the Lord Jabu-Jabu nightmare in my sleep…"

"Link…?" Malon looks at his face, still without any expression. "Do… Do you get all of this?"

It takes a while before Link could respond with a, "Yeah… I… I get it all, Mal."

"And… you're okay with what you know?"

"… Well…"

"Look, it's okay. You don't have to hold it in."

Link stands up, an expression of grimace this time. He then begins to suck in the air around him, filling his lungs to the fullest capacity.

Ganon's Tower

Off in a corner of the world, Ganondorf sits on his throne high above in his tower. His physical appearance and power hasn't changed during his seven-year reign. All that signifies that he's done something to his appearance is that he now has longer, crimson hair, uncut; and he dons a cape. His room, empty except for him and his throne, is filled with stained glass windows on every wall. They shine light in despite the eternal darkness he has set around his castle.

Tapping his fingers on an arm of his throne, he goes over his… um, evil schedule. Like a… true villain… Yeah…

"First, today, I will terrorize the Gerudos in thought that they should ever change their minds and work harder next time," Ganondorf recounts. "Then, tomorrow, threaten the mayor of Kakariko to either dilate the revenues even more or I can burn his jolly old village into the ground. Then, I'll see if those Moblins have found Zelda yet and not some cursed, mutated-looking monkey in a tutu…"

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"

This scream startles the oh so great Ganondorf. The manly yell comes out of nowhere. Ganondorf stands up quickly, looking around. The air whirls with each of his movement.

Hmm… Wherever that scream came from, it sure was a loud one…

Lon Lon Ranch

Link's scream sure did echo to the farthest corner of Hyrule. Everybody, not just here at Lon Lon Ranch, shakes at this outburst.

"Okay…" Link takes another deep breath. "Now, I'm fine with what I know."

"Oh, thank Goddess!" Malon lets go of her ears in relief.

"You're loud when you want to be, Link," Navi comments.

"Well, we got that over with…" Malon said, recounting the whole day. It all points to the brown book she was searching for earlier. "Now, I just need to find my diary."

"Your diary?" Link repeats, sitting back down. "You dropped it next to the barn's door."

"Oh…"

Again, Link pulls out Malon's diary, handing it back. "You're going to have a problem with this diary if you don't keep track of it."

"Well, whatever." Malon then realizes what could be absolute dread if Link ever read the latest entry. "Say, fairy boy… did you happen to read the latest entry of mine?" she asks with what calmness she has left.

"Uh… No. 11th?"

"Oh, then I guess you haven't read it, then…"

"Why? What's in it?"

"Nothing, nothing… Just nothing…"

What 'nothing' is, is making Malon blush in front of Link.

"Hey, you're kind of going red there, Mal."

"It's nothing!" Malon states. Oh, it's so hard to keep a secret.

"Okay, then…" Link backs off the subject.

Malon opens her diary up, deciding to spend the rest of the day reading over her entries. But, she has forgotten Link so quickly, though.

"Hey…" Link goes to a kneel and leans over her shoulder, "you're rereading your diary?"

"Oh… uh… yeah."

"Heh. I remember this." Link smiles, pointing to a line. "Here, on the 2nd entry, 'my favorite breakfast, blueberry pancakes.' I wonder, is it that good?"

"Yep." Malon giggles. "Tastes sweet, but a little tart. I love it like that. Nice, but exciting, that's what I want."

"Let's see…" Link turns the page. "3rd entry. Four years since you've written after the second."

"Well, like it says, I found it in the bed."

"You seem like the person to do that. Shoving whatever into your bed."

"That just happens to be my way, okay, Link?"

"Ha ha…" Link chuckles, shaking his head. He eyes another line in the diary. "'I'm knowing all this weird stuff of love from them, and somehow from myself. Boys, well, instead of thinking of them as the beholders of cooties, I feel a bit more… embarrassed whenever I see a boy,'" Link reads out of the entry. "Hah hah hah!"

"Hey!" Malon really feels embarrassed. "I was a little girl, okay? I was learning all that mushy stuff. And I did feel embarrassed whenever I did see a boy."

"Like me?"

"… You were an exception," Malon answers hastily.

"Is that so…? I think you're lying there, Mal."

"What? No, I… I don't lie."

"Well, what you said earlier sounded like a lie."

Link could feel Malon stiffen, then relax back into her original state. "O… Okay, fine. Maybe I was embarrassed when I saw you."

"Really? I feel so heartbroken hearing that from you," Link jokes.

"You're not supposed to make fun of a little girl's thoughts, you know."

"I know, but hearing this from you is… well, as you say it, funny."

"Oh, I could just lie down and die while you laugh all day."

"But, I would rather laugh with you."

A giggle answers, "Thanks. I would, too."

"Here's you mentioning me." Link points at a line in the fourth entry. "You know, could it be…"

"Could it be what?"

"Fate's doing?"

"Maybe." Malon shrugs. "Sometimes I wish I could ask Fate to change some things."

"What do you want to change?"

"Oh, some private things. Personal, very personal things," Malon answers, with a slight blush. She turns to the next page quickly. "Okay, here's where I really met you. You remember, don't you?"

"Oh, yeah. One of my favorite moments. Me asking around and you laughing at my misery."

"Okay, that was funny. But, fairy boy, I'm talking about when you went up to me to ask where the Princess was."

"Yes. I remember that you felt good when we talked. And I also remember, and I quote, 'His lack of knowledge.'"

"Hey, you were on the not so bright side. I had to teach you a lot of common things."

"And then…" Link fakes a grimace, "you horribly bestowed upon me that name, fairy boy."

"Oh, come on! It's not so bad." Malon points at a line. "See? Look, I wrote that the name was really cute and that you really didn't mind me calling you that."

"Well… I sort of liked it, I guess. But, only coming from you, that's all."

"Oh! So, my voice is the perfect tone for that name just so you won't get annoyed." Malon turns to sarcasm. "Nice thinkin'… fairy boy."

"See? Better coming from you."

"Well, you certainly were better than all those other kids I know of. Like right here, I wrote that you were my friend, and I trusted you. Then, you became my best friend. You promised to come over and play…" Malon then beams at Link, "and you did… like you promised."

"Uh, well… Like I said, I don't break promises."

"Yeah, I know. But, I liked it when you didn't break that promise, our first promise together. You were so nice to do that, Link. Just because you're my best friend. Not breaking that promise of ours."

"Uh… um, hey… don't flatter me, okay? I'm a humble person."

"That's right, you are. You can't stand people being proud of you."

"And you're the opposite. You like all the attention."

"Now, that's not true. I don't like all the attention."

"I could remind you, but what's the fun in that?"

"Oh, shut up…" Malon then looks over the 6th entry. "Look! Here it is! Remember this, Link?"

"Uh, yeah, sure. I remember the hideout."

"No, not that. I taught you Epona's Song, dummy!"

"Oh, oh, right."

"Remember that you couldn't get the song right the first time you tried to play it?"

"Oh, yes… That was humiliating."

"But, oh, so cute! You got it eventually, right?"

"Eventually."

"And then Epona came charging at you because she likes you!"

Epona lets out a snort to this (No, I don't. I just… trusted him, that's all).

"That was cute, too," Malon comments.

"And then, we made that Cucco's nest our hideout." Link remembers. "I supposed that's cute, too?"

"Mmm-hmm. What two best friends, especially us, can have a hideout like that?"

"Or…" Link lets his eyes wander, "what best friend lets the other best friend win at a shooting contest?"

"Aww…" Malon puts a hand on Link's cheek, "you remember that, too? That was so sweet of you, to do that for me. Even though I could have beaten you without you holding back."

"No, you wouldn't."

"Yes, I would."

"No, you wouldn't."

"Oh, yes, I would, fairy boy."

"Okay…" Link said with a voice of resignation, "I'm going to let you win that argument, because I'm going to lose anyhow," he finishes with a small smile.

"Oh, but it's more fun when we argue like that. Especially when I win… which is most of the time."

"Well, yeah…" Link sighs, then continues the reading. "Here it is. That decision that changed my adventure forever."

"Me joining?"

"Of course. What else?"

"Well, adventure certainly made a bad impression when I almost got myself killed on the first day."

"I saved you, didn't I?"

"Yes… You did. Thanks for that."

"But… here's something that we haven't talked about yet. That dream of yours when you were unconscious."

"Oh, that…?" Malon blushes again. "I… Um, let's not."

"Hey, I read it, you know…"

"… And?"

Could this be the moment that Malon has long waited for? The starting point of their-

"You're married to a green man," Link responds.

Malon blinks for a while. "Are you that dense?"

"Maybe," Link answers. "But, well… Mal… I haven't completely read that entry…"

"Wha… You… didn't finish…?"

"No… But… maybe… I have a good idea who… that man is…"

Malon's heart leaps again, a feeling she hasn't felt for a long time. "Aw, shucks… Who is it, then?"

"Mido."

"What!"

"Ha ha! Just kidding! Ha ha!"

"Oh… but, Link…" Malon's voice hits serious, "you… you have to understand… that… that I… I… I believed that dream… I believed it… I believed who I was married to… That man… I… I thought… No… I know… I… I… I know that… I know that the man was…"

Link puts a finger to Malon's lips.

"Shh…" Link quiets her. "Don't… Don't… Don't answer… Don't answer that."

"But…" Malon takes the finger away, determined to say who it is. "But… Link… I… I…"

"Don't."

"Fairy boy… Fairy boy, are you… are you afraid…?"

"Maybe."

"Oh… The hero who is courageous is afraid to know who the green man is…"

"Well… don't tell me who he is. I rather take that… insult of a title."

"Fairy boy… Link, please…"

"Let's… Let's just skip on…"

Malon lets out an inaudible sigh. She came so close, so close to admitting her true feelings. What a let down…

The whole day moves on as the two talk over things that Malon wrote down in her diary. Link would lean over her shoulder and happily point out things in each entry. Malon would giggle to a funny scene, or a cute moment. All the while Epona grazes behind them, and Navi rests on the horse's back.

Ah, I'm no Hylian, like always, Navi thought, but I knew something would happen here between the two.

--

Talon himself notices the two enjoying themselves in the corral from the inside of his house. Looking through a nearby window, he smiles at this little thing going on between Malon and Link. Maybe it was a good idea to let her go with him. Maybe he hadn't made a bad choice of letting his daughter go with her best friend. This comes out, a bond between his daughter and the forest boy. This happy bond. This close tie. This positive relationship. It certainly makes Malon happy, from the day she met with Link, to where she went with him, to this moment. Of course, this lets Talon be merry to have his daughter feel like that, with Link back then and right now.

Maybe, maybe… Maybe Talon found the one… found the person… that would take care of his daughter… and let her live in great joy. Maybe he found him…

Maybe… Talon shakes his head. Oh, but… now that Malon is out there with the forest boy, I'll hafta do all of her work that I asked of her today… But, I gosh darn think it's worth it. If it's to make Malon happy, with that forest boy…

Talon sighs, more work on his shoulders. But, this sigh has the content of being glad, covering up his frustration easily.

--

"And how you pushed me into the Fishing Pond? Remember that?" Malon asks, letting a memory out for discussion.

"I didn't push you," Link answers slowly. "I… wasn't paying attention."

"Hee hee. Well, you scared those fish away. Luckily, I was good enough to find another good fishing spot."

"Oh, but I beat you, didn't I? My killer 10 pound to your 7 pound."

"You were lucky. I would have defeated you anytime."

"Maybe. Or maybe I'm just better at fishing."

"Well, it took the two of us to pull in that 10 pound. So, technically, we caught it."

"Yeah, but it was my skill that got it to hook onto my rod."

"Oh, whatever…" Malon rereads the 11th entry over. "… This is one of my favorite entries."

"Really?"

"Yep. It has one of my favorite moments. And I think it's one of yours, too."

"Uh… Heh, yeah."

"Remember? We talked about how close our friendship is."

"How you will be my best friend forever even if I'm a Kokiri."

"Which you aren't. You grew up like I did."

"But, you still would be my best friend if I wasn't a Hylian, right?"

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be? You're the closest person I have."

"Not as close… as that night."

"Oh… that." Malon then has that feminine, dreamy look on her. "I remember that clearly like I'm there right now. I'll never forget that night. You… remember what we told each other?"

"I… Well, I'm a little too embarrassed to say it."

"We're here, Link… out here alone… in the corral…" Malon's eyes stare into Link's. "You can say it."

"We're… not exactly alone."

"Oh, but Navi is a fairy. She wouldn't mind. I'm pretty sure Epona wouldn't mind, either."

"I… I… I can't. It's… It's just too embarrassing."

"'I like you, Link'… That's what I said…" Malon does the honor. "And you… you, fairy boy… you answered me back the same way…"

"Well… I…" Link shows a rare blush. Malon giggles to this moment.

"I know it was a little childish," Malon smiles, with what looks like intimate affection showing, "but… we still have this feeling, no?"

"I… I… Uh…"

"Because, fairy boy…" Malon lowers her diary, turning her full attention to Link, "I still feel… the same way I felt about you that night… and those days before… and those days after…"

"Malon…" Link has no clue how to answer.

Malon flips to the last entry of the diary, the one she wrote the night before.

"Here, Link… read this." Malon lifts the diary a little for Link to read.

"Read… Read this one?"

"The last entry, yes… Link… after I wrote this one, I… I tried to… I tried to tell you last night, when I went up to the loft… I tried to… tell you my true feelings when I climbed up to the loft to talk to you… But, I… I couldn't… I was too afraid…"

"Afraid of what?"

"Just… read this."

In the setting sun, it's a little hard for him to see the writing. But he can still read it easily.

'13th entry,

Lon Lon Ranch is going to be just fine! Once Mr. Ingo got back to normal, or as normal as he looks like he can go, peace is starting to return to the ranch. I just know it's going to be a good day tomorrow, my home being out of Ganondorf's grip. Well, today was certainly a good day.

I taught Link how to ride a horse. Embarrassing, yes, not only because I'm a girl teaching a guy, but Link had his own set of mistakes that I soon won't forget. But, he did it. And he did it with Epona! I'm so happy for the both of them. But, oh, fairy boy wanted to try to beat the record that I set seven years ago on that obstacle course. It was just so darn funny to see him attempt it for goddess knows how many times. He finally, finally broke my record by one second, ONE second, for a total of 49 seconds. He was so tired he just slid off Epona, and I thought he would really sleep there. That's no problem. On this ranch, you can sleep pretty much anywhere you like. But, you know me. I couldn't resist the urge to sit on him. I hope he doesn't think I'm too heavy. But, if he does, I would have to slap him.

Dinner was great. Mr. Ingo cooked, again. But, his cooking is magnificent. Maybe he should consider becoming a cook instead of working as a ranch hand. Well, then again, Dad would have to cook if he's gone. Which makes me think I should learn a thing or two from Mr. Ingo on cooking. I told Dad and Mr. Ingo everything, the whole quest, the whole adventure I had. Even though it is MOST important, they acted like it's more of a vacation or something than being all worried. I guess not having too much excitement around here can affect their judgment. Oh, well, Link went off to bed early. I don't know about him, but he must have been really tired after riding Epona around all day.

He's a nice guy, Link. Not too nice to where he's just weird, but nice enough to be friends with. For my sake, my best friend. Forever, yeah. I love that. Being best friends forever. Or maybe… Well, fairy boy… I know he's the perfect friend. The most perfect I'll ever have, even though he's my first. Even when we broke up our friendship, we still got back together again, because… we're best friends. And I certainly don't want to be alone again. So nice is he, Link. Even when I punched him in the face and told him to go away, he came back… because… I really need him. I really need Link. And… he really needs me, too. We're two best friends that need each other. Wow, I think this is silly. Writing like this. But, sometimes, I think… me and Link are the closest best friends in the world. Best of best friends. A little immature, yes, but, when I think of other people, I really can see the difference. Maybe… there is a point… a limit, before… before such friendship goes into something else… Maybe there are no others like us because… because I think they moved onward… Onward towards… towards something even closer than best friends…

Anyway, during my retelling of my quest to Dad and Mr. Ingo, I left out all those private moments between me and fairy boy. Those… are just mine and his to keep. But, now that I remembered them when I headed up to my room, I can't… I can't seem to stop thinking about them. I don't know why… All these memories. With Link. Like… he's… my… husband, from that dream… I don't know if that was a dream, or… a vision of the future… My heart… My heart tells me it should be the latter part… the second choice… I find that silly. But, somehow, I can't deny it… Link… being my husband… Was it a dream?

And then, when I… when I almost kissed him, kissed fairy boy in the Graveyard. I felt so relieved, so affectionate when I told him of Mom, but then, when I was on top of him, I… I almost couldn't control myself. He's a best friend. He's my best friend. We're best friends. But… do I… wish to differ?

Maybe. There are things that made me think of that. Then, there are things that I, or we, made to differ. Like on Death Mountain. I clearly remember the hole incident. But, should I call it an 'incident'? Or… should I call it… I don't know. We… We… Link and I… we kissed… each other. Truly, we did. But, it was all in a dream. I wanted to kiss him, and he wanted to kiss me. It was so great, us covered in mud, not having a care in the world, or what we thought of each other previously. But, the Goddesses… I don't know what they did. I woke up, and found out… we ARE kissing each other… Oh… my first kiss. My first kiss with a boy. My first, desired kiss. With Link. With fairy boy. That's it. That's who I ever wanted to kiss. I bet… he had the same thought as I did back in there. Is this his first kiss? Is this the kiss he wanted, too…? Did he… wanted to kiss… me…? I hope so. But… still, we were little kids back then. So, naturally, embarrassment came first, and then we didn't talk about it. But… I felt it. I felt it greatly. I felt it when Link's lips connected with mine… Love…

Oh, but, sometimes, we did go by love steadily. Like when we told each other, 'I like you,' in the Fishing Pond. We were friendly, then we said we were cute, which, I had to admit, was embarrassing, too. But, Link's more… handsome now that we've grown up. And… I look more beautiful, Dad said, like Mom, who looked beautiful, too. Should I think of this? No, I shouldn't judge things on beauty. Well, I remember I certainly didn't. Saying 'cute' in that Fishing Pond back then wasn't really about looks, was it? Sure, Link was the cutest boy ever, the cutest I've ever seen. But… saying to each other that we were cute… It… It was to bring me… and him closer together. Then, those words… those three little words that a child has a hard time to say… to another. 'I like you, Link.' Oh, so tender was my little child heart when I said that. I felt like it could be crushed by anything. But, if it were, I would rather have it crushed by Link's answer back to me. 'I like you, too, Malon.' And I almost did feel like being crushed by those words. No, not in a bad way, of course, duh! But, a warm, much more enjoyable crush. Like… like a real… crush… Like a crush when… like when somebody has a crush on someone… But, me… this went beyond that crush… I felt beyond that crush…

Well, I like Link. And so does him back to me. We're best friends… but, that night, in that Fishing Pond… we said something… those three little words… that could say that we could be… closer. And… I… I… I want to be closer… I… I want to be more than best friends. I… I… I… want to be closer than that… Link… Are we… more than best friends…? Link… Link, are we closer than what we think we are…? Link, I want to be closer to you… closer than your best friend… Link, do you feel the same way…? Link, do you… do you want to be closer to me than… closer than my best friend, too…? Mom said that I should follow my heart… I should stay true to myself… And… my heart… It… For you, Link… Pitter patter goes my heart… for you, Link… I… I… I…

I love you, Link… I love you, fairy boy… I love you, my knight in shining armor… I hope… I hope I hear the same words from you… I hope… we can… be more than best friends… I hope… we can… love each other… Do you love me, Link…? I hope that… you can sweep me off my feet, my green, fairy knight… Do you love me, Link…? That same question back in the forest that you've never answered… Do you love me, Link…? Do you…? Because…

I love you… Link.'

Whoa.

Malon… You… You love… You love me? Link finds the affectionate words in his mind speaking.

Now, Link really doesn't know what to say. He turns his head around to Malon. Her face is of worry, but warm joy seems to break through, all over her. In her blue eyes, Link could see a tender emotion reflecting her heart, this one emotion that Malon just revealed to him.

"Malon… I… I…"

Slowly, Malon leans in towards Link. It's going to be right this time. This moment. This very moment where all of her feelings are here, poured out for Link. She can't go back. No, she can't. She… loves him too dearly to go back. She can't…

With her eyes closed, her lips embrace Link's again, the second time in their life. But, now, she kisses him, not in a dream, but in reality, where her passion is real. And she wants it. Her wistful feelings ache for Link. And…

Link kisses back, returning Malon's long-awaited embrace of true happiness.

Malon lets the world spin her away towards bliss, towards happiness, towards the end of her world. Oh, the wonders of joy when it is set free from her heart. When she sets it free to let it fly towards Link. Oh, the happiness that is surrounding her like a warm, comfortable blanket. Oh, her happiness, her joy, her love, in front of her, with a green hat. Oh, the love… the passionate love…

She loves Link. Malon loves him now, and forever.

Does Link feel the same way? Even though he's not Malon, he sure thinks that he feels like it. His love is set free, too. The restraints of the harsh life eases down to this, this love he's now sharing. Whatever that had stopped him from ever letting this feeling being liberated is now a small bug. Why did he not ever do this before? It makes him feel light, like on a cloud. Why did he ever cage up his emotions like that? It's better being open… Better being open, to Malon. Why did he ever waited for this moment to come and not sooner? He loves her, too. Why has he not loved her before? Why?

Then, the cold reality slaps him… It's… too much… Too much for him… He… can't… He…

"No…" Link lets go of their heavenly osculate. He pulls back, his feelings hurt, despite this decision. But, he can't do it.

This horribly surprises Malon. "Link…?"

"I… I… I can't, Malon… I can't…"

"Fairy boy? What… what can't… what can't what…?"

"I can't. I can't love you…"

"… What…?" These aren't the words she expected.

It's just too much. "I'm… I'm… sorry… but… but, I can't, Mal…"

"Wh… Why, Link…?"

"I can't love you, Malon. I just…"

Her heart breaks like a mirror to these words. It's… It's going wrong. Everything… Everything she expected is going wrong. It's all going dreadfully wrong.

"Link… but… I… I… I love you. I…"

"I… I know… but… I can't… I can't love you back…"

"Why…?" Malon's voice breaks. "Why, Link?"

"It's… too much for me… I can't take it…"

"But… I… You… You love me…"

"I… I love you, yes… but…" Link looks away, "I'm not… ready… I'm not ready… I'm not ready to love, Malon… I'm not…"

"Link…! I… Yes, you can! You can love me back!"

"I'm not… I'm not ready. It's just too much for me… Us, saving Hyrule… Then, all those times we went through… I… I can't risk it… I can't risk our friendship… You… Me… Us."

"But… fairy boy…" Malon puts a hand on one of his.

"I'm sorry… I'm… I'm so sorry…"

Link forces himself to stand up, his head low. He couldn't. He couldn't look at her. He starts to walk away, away from his… from his love…

"Link!" he hears her broken voice behind him. "Link! Please! Please, come back! Come back! Please! Don't leave me! Please, I… I… I love you! I love you, Link!"

"I'm sorry… Malon…" his voice carries on, away from the sun, away from Malon.

Malon starts to stand up and run after him, but Fate, a cruel word, makes her trip on her foot. With no Link to land on, she falls, painfully, from the landing and from her broken heart.

"Why…!" Malon cries. She kneels up, to try to see Link through her wet vision. When he doesn't turn back, she lets even more tears cascade down from her eyes. She covers them, too deep in her own woe to let her eyes see anymore.

"Why…?" Malon asks again through her dejected voice. "Why… Why, Link…? Why can't you love me, Link…? Fairy boy, why don't you love me…? Please, come back… I love you… Please, don't leave me… Why don't you love me…? Link… please… don't leave me… I love you… Please… love me back… "

Tears again meet the ground. She can't hold them in. No, not with her heart like this. Nobody likes a crying person, but Malon doesn't care. Her heart is too torn to even care.

Love… She loves him… Malon loves Link… But… he can't… love back… Love… Malon is betrayed by love…

Malon cries and cries, but Link doesn't even turn around to look at her. He continues, heartbroken too, to the loft in the barn.

Love… He can't love her… Link can't love Malon… He… has a duty to Hyrule… He can't risk what he and Malon already have…

Love… It's too much for Link… Love… It… could lead to other things… Like… what Link has just learned today, sex… And that's something that he's very sure he's not going to be ready for…

Link can't love Malon…

Love…

It's just too much for the Hero of Time… to love the Heroine of Time…

Then, what could have been the first time in Link's life, a tear drops from his eye and silently splashes into the ground. A tear of despair, of rejecting love, of the overwhelming sadness that Malon is in. He still continues on, on to the loft.

Love…

Link can't love Malon…

He just can't…

Night; Wolf cry

The moon above shines its dim light on Lon Lon Ranch. It shines its gloomy glow on Link as he opens the barn door slowly and enters. It shines its sad light on Malon, sobbing in all her grief on the ground. It shines on Epona and Navi, confused as to what has happened. It shines the world of sorrow upon the land of Hyrule.

But, especially, it shines upon the broken love that tried to make its warm appearance in the hearts of two best friends.

A/N: Again, I can't leave songs anymore in the profile. So, I'll leave them here from now on.

1. 'Secret Heart' by Feist. Suits Malon and Link's hidden feelings for each other. Well, in this chapter, mostly Malon, I guess.

2. 'Bizarre Love Triangle' by Frente. I found it useful for describing Link's feelings of not loving Malon back in the end. All because of… his duty, his risk of losing his friendship with Malon, his greater risk of losing… her.

3. 'Chocolate' by Snow Patrol. Same thing as 'Bizarre Love Triangle,' but has the question at the end of whether Malon would ever take Link back.

4. 'Temptation' by Moby. Like the two songs previous, but that's only half of it. The other half lets Link simmer in his choice. And then, Link remembers his time with Malon. He tries to love back in this song. He questions his choice. He then… thinks of Malon, of her with him, of her personality, of the things they share.

5. 'Pitter Patter Goes My Heart' by Broken Social Scene. Yes, it's not only the title, but a song, too. Instrumental only, but you can imagine the moment when Malon and Link read the diary with the song (or, any other scene outside Ch. 29).