If it had been something as simple as just SEEING Ganondorf, he'd might have been okay with it. But no, he'd nearly been KILLED by the man! His mind was still in some form of shock over it. Sheik's feet were very sore, and his muscles felt stretched and torn; like an old fabric that wasn't up to date anymore. He wasn't out of shape -far from it- but even his body could take so much without becoming exhausted.
The blue fairy was inside his cowl, daintily petting the side of his face with a compassionate hand. She may not have been a healing fairy, but she knew Sheik was in more pain than he let on. Not just the slight physical pain his body was suffering from last night; but his mental health as well. She was a knowledge fairy, and was literally a living encyclopedia that could explain the difference between the power of the goddesses and quantum physics. She could be naive, but she most definitely was NOT stupid by any means.
Sheik was going to start suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder pretty soon. Not fun.
Navi couldn't help but wonder what Link was going to say, or even do! He was already upset with the sheikah leaving him; he was probably going to be ballistic when he returned!
"Don't say anything..."
Those three words stirred the fairy out of her thoughts. "What?" She asked, but then she understood. "Why!?"
Sheik flinched. She had a shrill voice, and was right next to his ear. "Link has enough to worry about."
Navi flew out of his cowl and into his face. "He sure DOES have a lot to worry about! Especially YOU!"
The blond shook his head. "Navi, I don't-"
"He needs you!" She shouted. "You are the only friend he has in this timeline! The reason Link cares about you, is because you are all he has!" She explained. "You are the island, and Link is out at sea in this future!"
Sheik scoffed. "I am merely a renegade trying to help in the downfall of Ganondorf; he is a hero destined for much more than even this lifetime. I fail to see my own importance in comparison." He couldn't help but roll his eyes at how the fairy was reacting to him not wanting Link to worry. Was this going to be a common re-occurrence?
Navi bounced in the air in frustration. She couldn't stand how he was suddenly acting. "He's still a kid under all that 'hero'. He's trying to act like a grown up now, but only because asking childish questions would make him look weird. But you understand! You're in the know. Out of everyone here, he can rely on you. Why do you want to leave him? He isn't even a Kokiri! The life he had in the Deku Forest? Gone! The comfort of a loving home? Gone! Friendships? None! He was gone for almost a decade! Either no one remembers him, or have moved on in their lives. You are the only comfort he has, and he will cling to you because of it. You caused him stress when you disappear! If you would just-"
"Essentially, I am the Hero of Time's teddy bear." He interrupted in a deadpan voice. He was starting to realize just how much of an impact he may have made with these two, offering his services in the Temples. 'They're terrified of the thought of being left alone with this responsibility.'
"Yes! No! I mean... sort of! But not really!" She tried to explain.
It was amusing, seeing her try to justify why he should stay around Link. It wasn't like he was going anywhere. But she was right nonetheless.
"So what do you claim I should do?" He asked, holding the nonchalant out of his voice. He was more bemused with these two than anything. If this is how they feel about him leaving temporarily, they must be rabid wolves if he was ever injured and bleeding to death in a bush somewhere.
"Go back to Link; support him; help him; be his friend." She said simply.
"Alright... I'll go back... on account that you promise not to tell him about Ganondorf attacking us. He doesn't need to worry about that." He crossed his arms.
Navi beamed. "I promise!"
Link was not a happy camper.
He woke up to the addictive smell of bacon and eggs. It was so rich and empowering in the air, that his mouth watered instantly upon waking up! He had looked at his side, about to wake up his fairy companion - only to find she wasn't there...
Not only was Sheik missing, but so was his fairy friend...
He went downstairs, in hope to find anyone! But only found Malon setting up the table for what looked to be a hearty breakfast. She had noticed him, and commanded that he go take a quick shower before eating! It was a courtesy after all.
"Stupid... stubborn... secretive... sheikah!" Link grounded out of his teeth as he vigorously clawed his scalp clean. The soap and body products were all flower scented, not that it mattered to him. This was, oddly enough, his very first bath in ages! As a Kokiri child, he bathed under the waterfall; but after leaving the forest and going on his journey, he didn't have the time to be fresh and clean. This... was his first bath in seven years, and his first time taking a hot shower in a bathroom, instead of in a lake.
Link always loved water. To be more precise, he loved baths. It was something that soothed him when he was being bullied as a child, or had some kind of problems. He would always bathe under the moonlight during hot nights; or during sunrise, just before the other Kokiri woke up. He just loved water!
As he expected, the weight of the world was being washed off his shoulders, if only for just this moment. No Ganon, no temple, no monsters, and most importantly, no stubborn Sheikah!
The red eyed warrior had pushed him last night. Link was getting tired of him always trying to be subservient to him! He didn't know Sheik for very long, but at the temple, Sheik showed his true feelings to him; he's not as stiff and uptight as he tries to make himself out to be. He just lets himself get swept up by his teachings so much, it sacrifices the person underneath the mask.
He was going to tear that damn mask off by the end of this journey, even if it killed the both of them!
Turning the shower head off and drying himself off, Link could very well hear the distant noises of another occupant. He wrapped the towel around his waist, then opened the door to see what the heck was going on.
"Hi Link!"
"Gah!" Link reeled back, shocked by the expanse of blue that invaded his sense of sight. "Navi!?"
The fairy giggled. "Hey! What's up?"
Link gaped. "Wh-where have you been?! I didn't see you..."
The fairy bounced about in the air. "Oh, no where important." She sang chipperly. "Just following Sheik around, making sure he doesn't go running off somewhere he's not supposed to, again. Teehee!"
His jaw slacked. "Sheik is... here?" He asked unsurely. He didn't permanently vanish?
"In the bed room! You better go check on him, before he runs off agai-"
Link was already bolting towards the room, ready to give that ninja a piece of his mind!
"Link! Wait!" She chased after him. "Put some clothes on first!"
BAM!
The door opened with so much force, it collided with the wall violently. The Sheikah that laid on the bed, resting, was jolted savagely out of his peaceful state of mind and was looking around wildly for the threat. Then he saw an irate looking hero at the doorway; armored with a towel to cover his modesty, and wielding a fierce look in his eyes. Though he hid his lips beneath the cowl, he smiled sheepishly. "Uh... good morning, Link. I trust you slept well."
Link started walking towards him. Each step held so much purpose, it was intimidating.
Sheik pounced off the bed and jumped on top of the tall china cabinet. While he was sure Link wouldn't hurt him, he did not feel safe within his arms reach at the moment.
"Where the hell have you been!?"
Sheik winced. "Well, you see, hero-"
"Link!"
"Link, I was... out... checking on things, and I-"
Navi fluttered next to Link. She couldn't help how funny the scene looked; Link was only in a towel, yet was capable of scaring Sheik, like a cat up a tree. "Hey Sheik! Explain to Link, how you were chased by Ganondorf!"
"What!?"
Sheik's eyes went wide. "Tra-traitor! You weren't supposed to say that!"
"Have fun!" She giggled, leaving him to the hero's mercy. 'Oh, how I love to stir the pot!'
-o-o-o-
Malon sat at the table, eating her pancakes in peace. She was quite surprised to see a cute little fairy come down and eat bacon of all things! But there was no sight of Link it seemed. He was so eager to eat before, what happened?
"Enjoying yourself?" She asked Navi.
"Oh, yes! This is delicious!" Navi responded, her mouth full of the crunchy meat. Being so small, she only had half a strip of bacon, one egg, and a small chunk of pancake. For a creature so small, it surprised Malon of how good an appetite she had!
Abruptly, Link, in his forest green attire, ambled down the stairs, with a tattered-looking Sheikah right on his tail.
"Morning!" He said chipperly. He fixed himself a plate and started scarfing down the food. He'd need the energy for the next temple, and this might be his last home-cooked meal for a while! He was going to enjoy it while it lasted.
Sheik also took a seat, but was very quiet and awkward in such a social presence. Link had given him the verbal beating of the day back in the room. First it was Navi, now it was the hero himself. 'I'm surrounded by Impas...'
"So, where to next?"
Link's voice knocked him out of his thoughts. "Pardon?"
His mouth was stuffed with eggs and bacon. "Ganondorf cursed the Zora Domain. Where do we have to go to fix it?" He swallowed his food. "You would know more than I do."
Fixing a strand of wayward hair on his face, Sheik thought over his words carefully. He really needed to make a new bandage cap, his hair was getting all over the place now... "The evil source of his magic is beneath Lake Hylia, but-"
"Are you kidding me!?" Link cut him off. "I can't breathe under water!"
Sheik gave him a pointed look, cuing him to shut up. "I wasn't done yet!" He hissed. "But... you need an item that was hidden behind the Zora Domain. With that item, you will be able to enter the Temple beneath the lake. Defeat the monster Ganondorf summoned, and free the Zora from their ill fate." He was silent. "Any questions?"
Navi flew in front of his plate. "You going to eat that?"
Link swatted at her. "No, Navi! You are not going to eat his food!" He then looked at Sheik. "Eat."
The warrior couldn't help but notice how that had came off as a command and not a request. "You know I can't."
"Malon spent her time cooking this, and you aren't going to appreciate it?"
The woman in question looked up from her plate. She had kept herself out of all the 'how-are-we-going-to-save-the-world' discussion, but now the attention seemed to slightly be on her. "H-he doesn't have too!" She said.
Link and Sheik stared each other down.
"Hoo boy." Navi muttered. "We better go." She told Malon. "Don't want to get caught in this snare."
"Much agreed!" The ranch owner said, putting her plate in the sink and walking out.
The two males were alone.
"You know, I don't care about how you look, right?"
Sheik narrowed his eyes. "By law, I cannot eat in front of a non Sheikan."
"And how are you supposed to help me if you have no energy?" He challenged.
"I can go weeks without eating."
"You were starving after the Forest Temple."
"That apple was my first meal in four weeks. I'll be fine, Link-"
"What!?" Link was appalled. "I don't understand... how can your tribe do this to yourselves?!"
"We do not expect people to understand, just to accept." He mumbled.
Link stood up. "Well, I refuse to accept it! You're my friend and unlike everyone else, I care about what happens to you!"
Once again, Link was surprising him. "F-friend..." He considered him a friend? In the Sheikah tribe, there was no such thing as 'friends'; just allies, and war buddies to pass the time. But Link saw him as a friend? "Y-you don't even know me that well! Don't say things you don't mean, Hero."
Link couldn't help but grin. There it was, the tone of voice he preferred. The lovely crack in the stubborn Sheikah's armor. "You're trying to spite me again." He said softly.
Sheik realized he messed up, showing his emotions instead of hiding them. He bowed his head in defeat. "I will eat... but only if I'm alone..."
Link smiled. "Promise you wont run off in secret?"
"Promise..."
"Good!" Link beamed, happy with this progression. "I'll be outside saddling up Epona and packing up some lunch! Don't take too long!"
With a quick turn, he was gone. Sheik looked down at his cold breakfast. He picked up the fork and poked at it. "Yup... surrounded by Impas."
-o-o-o-
The ride to The Zora's Domain wasn't a particularly long one, but it was a stressful one. Link tried his best to keep Sheik entertained with mindless chatter, but he knew the reason he was so quiet; because he was mentally reliving what happened here not to long ago.
The Hero of Time could not imagine what that must have felt like. Being told your race was wiped out, and made an effort to kill him? Nightmare fuel for sure! Sheik, was literally, the last Sheikah. Or at least, the last MALE Sheikah. While he never asked, he had a gut feeling Impa was alive and well. If Impa was dead, he doubted Sheik would be here. Someone would have had to raise him and teach him his tribal ways.
But what was it like, being the last of your kind?
"Terrible."
Link cringed. He had forgotten Sheik could do that. "Do I get any privacy around you?"
"No."
Link smiled ruefully at that. He noticed, instead of leaning on him with perfect balance like he did the other day, he was actually hugging him. His hands were around his hips, nice and tight. His head, however, was lodged near the crook of his neck like he was a pillow.
Sheik didn't seem to notice it was time to get off the horse.
Link didn't want to move, and let him sleep as much as he wanted. But, they had work to do.
"Hey, don't fall asleep on me now! We gotta go!" He shook him slightly.
The shadow folk tensed. "I-I'm sorry Link. I don't think I can make it farther than this right now." He mumbled. Eating was a mistake. It made him more tired than he already was. Being chased by Ganondorf already exhausted his energy reserves, but now he was ready to pass out in Link's arms.
Link's very... very... warm... bed-like... aaaaaarrrrmmmmssssss... zzzzzzz...
Arms?
"I guess I'll just have to carry you there, won't I?" Link flashed him a pearly grin.
Sheik's left eye twitched. If Impa even saw half of the things that has happened between them so far... she'd denounce him as a Sheikah! Taking food? Being so close to the hero as 'friends'? And now, letting him carry him around in his arms like some child? She'd skin him for sure...
Link noticed Sheik's very long, and very loose hair. He's been without the head wrappings since he saw him earlier. His hair was not in the usual braid, but just flowing everywhere in golden heaps. He wondered if he could downgrade Sheik further to no cowl.
"Not happening." Came the mumbled response.
"Stop doing that!"
Sheik smiled lazily in his half-victory.
Until he was dumped into the freezing, cold river.
"LINK!"
"Did that wake you up!" Link snickered mischievously.
Navi giggled from atop Link's hat. The whole scene was just too funny! "Good one!" She cackled.
Sheik crawled out of the water desperately, hissing like a wet cat ready to bite. "I'm going to kill you, Hero!"
Link waved him off. "You'd never hurt - meep!" A dagger flew past him.
Red eyes grinned viciously. "Wanna bet on that."
"No, not really!" He started to run.
"Go ahead! Run, Hero! But I'll always catch up!" The soaked Sheikah shouted, then chased after him.
Been a while since I last updated this little thing! I want to thank all my reviewers and followers on this story. You guys are the real push behind this! I really DO want to complete this story, especially now that Majora's Mask 3DS is on the way! I actually never got the chance to play that game, and gives me the big opportunity to pick it up and play it. I've been very busy, since why I haven't updated, but lets hope my next post will be soon. Being an adult sucks! DX I miss the days I was a high schooler and had more free time. Bleh... college sucks...
Till next chapter, fellow Zelda Yaoi Fans! And I know the wait for Dark Link is killer, but don't worry, I plan on spoiling him rotten when the time comes. A lot of stories I read tend to leave Sheik in the dust, and have him be a pseudo antagonist to Dark. I... hate that, hence why I give Sheik more love here. In THIS fanfic, Sheik and Dark will be equals! At least in a story-writing ethic. No, jealousy turns someone so bad they try to 'dispose' of the other, or making Link hate one of them and pick the other out of morality, or 'just because' reasonings. No worries on either of them getting that kind of shaft at the end of the story.
Review and tell me what you like, and even what you don't like! I take critique like a champ and I'll try to improve... iiiiif I can catch my mistakes. We all know how good we are at catching our errors by ourselves. ^.^;