Chapter Seven
I was never a very introspective person. But when you make a career out of fighting evil, it's only a matter of time before enough brushes with death cause you to wonder what life might be like on the other side of its door.
I was fairly certain I wasn't dead.
But a heavy unconsciousness seemed to have smothered me, and my grasps on anything approaching awareness were fleeting; I was never quite sure whether I was dreaming or half-awake. I knew my body ached - not a dull throb like when you overexert a muscle, but a deep, exhausted ache, one that comes from a long period of insufficient rest and sustenance in high-stress situations.
There were moments where my coma-like state seemed to relax its grip; I thought I felt myself being propped up, swore I tasted cool water, and a liquid with a flavor reminiscent of heart and stamina potions. If I concentrate hard, I can even remember the feeling of a cool compress being pressed on my forehead, and of a soft touch, gently smoothing back my hair, and massaging the area around the wound in my chest for circulation.
I didn't dream of Ghirahim, during this time. My dreams were varied, however, and very, very vivid. Half the time, I relived flashes of my life in Skyloft, before any of this, destiny, fate, had interrupted my carefree days. I saw my early teenage years with Zelda, laying on the crisp green grass and feeling the warm sunshine playing over my skin.
I also had nightmares, mainly of memories from my quests. I recalled harrowing episodes of my adventures while on the Goddess's quest, but more often, of the horrible journey I had just taken through Shadow.
The worst were the nightmares of those shrieking, paralyzing corpses. That was the one time I thought I heard Ghirahim's voice during this period of slippery unconsciousness. I was reliving my first encounter with those monsters, vividly drowning in the terror I had realized when the creatures were moving harrowingly towards me, while I remained incapable of moving even a single muscle in self-defense. In the dream, I swore I heard the sound of a man screaming, from far away, even while I thrashed desperately against my subconscious monsters.
The terrible dream was suddenly dissolved when I felt my shoulders and arms pressed firmly down into a soft, almost luxurious surface. I stopped thrashing. The man stopped screaming.
I heard Ghirahim's voice then, tranquil, soothing, whispering words I couldn't quite discern.
But I recognized one word from his comforting ameliorations:
"Link." I heard him say my name. Not "Hero", not "Skychild" but Link.
A hand placed a cold dressing on my forehead, and I felt the strands of hair brushed from my face. My breathing alleviated, and I settled into a peaceful, untroubled sleep.
My eyes flickered open, feeling unconsciousness just at bay, threatening to swoop in once more with its black velvet curtain. im, grayish light crept through the arched Palladian windows in the quarters I was in. The first thing I noticed was that I was laying on a very soft bed, fitted with crimson and silvery sheets. I tried to sit up, but an immediate pain erupted in my chest, and I collapsed into the pillows. Breathing a little faster, I rose cautiously this time, finally letting my body ease backward against the pillows, in a sort of half-sitting position against the bedframe.
My eyes warred against my endeavors to keep them open, and it was difficult to examine the room. In the grayish light, however, I was able to determine that I was laying in a four poster bed, in a room that was much more expansive and stylishly furnished than my dormitory in Skyloft. An elegant wardrobe rested open against the wall directly across my bed. Inside, I saw clothing resembling my tunic and chain mail (among other sets) and resting on the shelves were objects I determined to be the items I had carried.
I didn't see my sword. Or my bow and arrows. Or other weapons, for that matter. Before I could reflect on this, a wave of fatigue racked my body and my eyes sagged closed for a moment. Struggling to take in more of my surroundings, I willed them open once again. With a great deal of effort, I swiveled my head slightly to the right, but couldn't quite focus on the white figure that approached so fluidly toward my bedside, prowling so close to my shuddering body before I let unconsciousness reclaim me once more.
I couldn't tell how much time had passed. It could have been hours, but more likely it was a couple of days. But the next thing I was aware of was a firm hand lifting my neck, and I opened my eyes to see a glass of water being tipped into my mouth. Still somehow exhausted, I tilted my head back cooperatively, swallowing the cool liquid. Unconsciousness cursed silently, yanked away by my period of healing, remedial rest.
I still felt slightly feverish. I was a little delirious, and I was overcome with the persistent sensation that I was without possession of recollections of something important, some crucial events that transpired during the end of my Shadowed journey.
My cognition struggled to recapture my last chapter in Shadow, but a dull fog hid the memories from my mind's eye. The hand guided my head back to the pillows, and I turned my head a miniscule amount, opening my eyes to focus on the slim pale figure reclining comfortably next to me on the bed, torso propped up on his elbow next to me, looking quite poised. "You..." my voice was quiet, slightly hoarse, and I licked my lips, expecting them to be chapped and dry, but noting with surprise that they appeared nourished. The white sword spirit only raised an entertained eyebrow in response.
That persistent sensation again, of some critical fact just outside my memory's grasp...
But I took inventory of my bodily condition, and I realized I felt pleasantly clean, and I noted that while my torso was bare but for the bandages, I was dressed in what appeared to be very comfortable silk nightpants. I didn't know how I got here, or what exactly happened to me in the Shadow Realm that I came to lay in such a critical state of health. My mind began wandering, and I wondered if perhaps I was just dreaming all this again, despite the all-too-lucid aches in my body.
I turned my attention back to my lounging pale companion. Ghirahim appeared to be taking an assessment of my physical condition, raking me with a studied glance that gave me the immediate impression he'd been monitoring my health for some time now.
I stared at him, quite openly, this corporeal personification of the entity that had haunted me for so long, this ghost I had (evidently successfully) dragged from Shadow only after enduring an abominable world of suffering, shrieks, and darkness. There were so many things I wanted to ask him, so many beautiful, torturous dreams and visions of him I remembered, the actuality of which I yearned to learn.
Appearing quite pleased with his examination, he turned his gaze back to mine.
I felt an incredible energy between us, a palpable weight of unspoken tensions, swirling in the abbreviated space that separated us.
I locked onto his brown eyes, and I inhaled, feeling suddenly self-conscious under the patient, anticipating hunger I saw in them.
He looked like a man who had long restrained himself, denying himself the pleasure of taking something he so longed to possess. I wondered how long I had been here with him, how long he had spent watching me slowly heal and recover in this bed.
A slow, possessive smile crept over the demon's aristocratic features as he swept an elegant hand toward me, allowing it to rest on my flat stomach, fingertips brushing gently against my abdominal muscles. I shivered, unsure of whether my trembling was a result of his actions or the intense expression on his face at his touch.
He spoke finally, his words heavy with something I couldn't identify. "I do hope we're feeling better..." he murmured. "It's obvious the Shadow Realm wasn't particularly charitable with you."
My eyes closed at his words, memories rushing through, too rapidly for me to focus on any of them. He had his hand on my chest, and I realized my breathing was still under the heavy weight of anticipation.
I locked eyes with the demon lord, and witnessed patience begin draining rapidly out of his brown irises. I felt a heavy significance hanging in the air between us, a electric energy, flickering in the abbreviated space between us.
Something flashed in his eyes.
He continued touch drew me out of these inquiries into my subconscious.
I realized I was waiting for something; waiting for him.
In the very next breath, the demon pressed the same hand to my shoulder, and he rolled above my body smoothly, straddling me with some amount of care, pinning my wrists against the bedframe with a firm, but gentle grip.
This has to be a dream... I thought, my blue eyes staring up to meet his, startled at the storm of competing tempers I detected in his gaze: Delight; hesitation; concern; and backdropping all of these, want. My throat went dry, and I tested his grip, but it remained fast.
I watched these tempers battle with one another in his gaze, and something, some defensive instinct flared up at me in warning, grasping at the edges of my memory, hunting for its basis. But everything was so confused, and the memories I did recall of my last week of full consciousness in Shadow were so horribly unpleasant; I pushed them out of mind, focusing instead on Ghirahim's purple gaze, noting the chocolate brown color of his irises that now seemed aflame.
I could feel him, the weight of his body, balanced so cautiously on top of mine; I realized with some surprise that he was exerting care so as to not put too much pressure on my damaged body.
My breath caught in my throat as his expression shifted, tempers warring with one another, and my pulse quickened as I finally saw lust triumph and overcome the demon's gaze, sifting forward to eclipse its affectional contenders.
A/N: I had a pretty popular lemony scene here, but FF revamped it's policies, and I had to take it out for fear of having the whole story deleted. I'll figure out if I can post it onto another site, and once I do, I'll link it onto my profile. Contact me if you have questions or want more details of the plot points that occurred in this scene. (Yes, there were important plot points)
...LEMONY STUFF, followed by:
A firm, pale arm draped itself over my body hugging me tightly, soothing words spoken into my ear.
"Link..." he whispered. "You are mine."
A/N: *coughs* Please read and review.
So... Link is not dead! Yay! I have a couple more chapters, hopefully I'll be able to edit them and get
them up. Sidenote, I was making salmon for dinner last week, and I tasted it and thought, "This needs
more lemon..." The voice of an evil muse in my head whispered, "Just like your GhiraLink Story." True
story.
Breaking-Benjamin-Rules: Your review made me smile. I hope Fang wasn't too alarmed.
ButteflyBabyBlue: I was sad about the shadow beast, too... I was pleasantly surprised he was so
popular. I'm glad I was able to incite some emotions!
sun-flavour: Okay, your review totally gave me an idea to expand a short scene in the next chapter. I
wrote it up furiously this morning. I'm excited. :D
Yeah, I wondered whether I should put the warning in... I think I'll go back and take it out, anyone
still reading by that part should know this is kind of dark. o.O Thank you so much about the comment
on the possession. I'm glad it stood out enough to strike people. Also, I thought it was interesting
you thought Link would be more wary. I tried to give the impression that he had a lot of built up,
Thank you for your reviews!
unfulfilled desire, and really did think death was imminent in the chamber, so it was kind of an, enjoy
last moment of life attitude; there'll be a time after finals when I go back over this, and maybe I'll add
some supporting paragraphs. Thank you so much for your thoughtful reviews! :)
Lilyrose225: YES! The quote was from Ocarina, in a description of the Shadow Temple from one of the
paintings. Thank you for the compliments.
Bunnylali: Definitely not over! I'm really glad you liked the reunion! ..Well, before Ghirahim got all
stabby. *cough* Oh, Ghirahim...why are you so delightfully cruel...
Torakoh: Thank you! I laughed at your "Thank Hylia" comment. Glad you also liked the reunion.
Teapot-Sama: Link's very much alive! I had *way* too much invested in him to kill him off during that
part...
Trolly's Bara-chan: See...he didn't die in Shadow after all. Dark Link should breathe a sigh of relief. :)
Vembra Isles: Okay, seriously, I am so touched that you took the time to read this in the early
morning! That fills my heart with happy, happy rainbows. It's a pleasure spending the time and
energy to do this when you know people seem to genuinely enjoy it. 3 3 3 Thank you for the
comments!
fairylover: Thank you for the comments on the shadow realm! I hope uh..you weren't too horrified at
the last chapter.
Grin Evilly: I'm glad you liked Bongo Bongo! That temple was seriously creepy.
Ghirahim: Hope this chap answers your question! :)
Tapix: :D
arrowriver and sarah: I hope you both enjoyed the last couple of chaps!
A/N: Plotpoints from explicit parts:
-Link still doesn't remember what happened in the chamber, being all disoriented.
-Full on slashy sex happens (after appropriately tantalizing build up, which required significant effort
from the author not to just plunge in).
- During some slightly S&My parts, Link has flashbacks of the chamber, realizing Ghirahim nearly
killed him.
-Link freaks out in the middle of all the slashy smex, eventually passing out.
-Ghirahim tells him in no uncertain way that Link belongs to him.
-Rihanna's background singers appear, singing "S&M" (not really).
-Gratuitous uses of "skychild" peppered in (really).
That about covers it.