Chapter 2-

The nurse walked into the medical room carrying with her a tray of food for the young patient. She turned to the bed and gained a small surprise. Pipit sat on the chair, eyes closed, snoring up a storm and drooling to the side. Link was cuddled up on his bed sleeping silently. In between them, Pipits hand was holding Links, almost slipping but never losing contact. The nurse looked at Pipit knowing that he had meant to leave and probably fell asleep in an instant.

"that pipit, always sleeping whenever he can" the nurse said with a shake of her head. Pipits face was peaceful and calm. He seemed to be in a deep sleep, already in a dream state.

The nurse walked up and gently called his name while patting his cheek to wake him up. After a considerable amount of time and a failed attempt at waking the dead unconscious boy, the nurse kicked his leg with some force. Finally waking him of his deep slumber.

"Ow! the Goddess, women! Are you trying to have me join Link in the medical room or somthing?"

" Well, if you actually wake up like a decent normal person, I won't have to make you join Link. You sleep like There is no tomorrow boy! Is this why you are always late for class heh?"

"Uhhh... Well, I wouldn't say late, more like temporarily stalled entrance to class." Pipit said in his charming avoiding getting in trouble voice. The nurse looked at him with the face of someone who had heard that about a thousand others times by him.

"Yea, yea just go on and get, i have to wake up Link and have him walk a bit outside to help his right leg. The whole town wants to see him walking up and healthy" The nurse said while starting the skoot the hesitant Pipit.

"Wait! How about I walk him?"

"I don't know Pipit, he-"

"Oh comon! I am responsible enough, and I will promise to be careful."

"I still don't know Pipit, if something happens, i'm the one liable for him"

"You have enough on your hands right now, let me lighten your load, i'm off flight duty today." Pipit said. The nurse thought for a moment.

"well it can't hurt, and he does have reason hiding behind that thick skull of his" The nurse thought contemplatively. "Oh all right. Just be careful and do not push him too hard, got it?"

"Academy's honor, I promise." Pipit said with a triumphant smile on his face. The nurse walked out grumbling something about untruthful youth before shutting the door and leaving Pipit alone with Link.

Pipit walked up to Link and saw that he was still peacefully sleeping. But in usual Pipit fashion he started to poke Link, making sure to avoid the injured spots. Link woke from the pokes and looked at Pipit with a murderer prone expression. Pipit laughed at the usual face given by Link when he was awoken and got up pulling Link's blanket with him. Link immediately blushed as he realized that he would be naked be it naught for a simple cloth undergarment covering his most private bodily areas. Pipit stared for a moment, he was stunned how much Link had changed since he had entered the surface. His chest was now stronger, firmer; a large difference from when he was exclusively only a scrawny boy. Now he seemed older, more mature, and not in the good way. His chest had scars and bruises as far up as his neck, down to his navel. Past his undergarment, his legs were as muscular as ever, but the scars and bruises continued there. Pipit hid his face from Link to hide the sadness in his eyes. Pipit had never wanted this for Link, he had matured in the worst possible way. And in that moment, Pipit decided he would make Links trip back up a memorable one. Where he could forgo the weight of the world for at least a week. Pipit realized he was still staring at Links body, and quickly shook his head and turned away.

"Get up you groundhog" Pipit said in his joking voice, it was still a bit shaky. "And get dressed to, you need your daily exercise. We are gonna go walk to the Goddess' statue" Pipit said, slowly gaining the confidence in his voice he had had only 1 minute ago. "We need to do a lot of other things too so get ready for a busy day!"

"uhhhhmmmmmggggggrrrrrrllllll fffffff" Link grumbled something but was muffled by the pillow he had stuffed his head in. Pipit quickly grabbed the pillow from under Link. "OW! That hurt my neck! Can't you see I am injured!"

"Aww, pwoor wittle thwing, are your wittle boo boos hwurting?" Pipit said in a mocking tone knowing it would work on Link.

"They are not boo boos! they are serious injuries, and I can handle them just fine!" With that Link got up and slowly got dressed, trying to avoid his cuts and bruises. "Hey, uhh Pipit. Normally i wouldn't ask this of you but, could you uhh, help me out? its really hard avoiding all these bruises." Link said awkwardly.

"uhh, I umm, I, Yea, I, Sure i can help." Pipit said, breaking with every word. He walked up to Link tentatively and started to pull Links shirt up and over him. As he started to drag the garment down, his fingers accidently stroked Links chest. He shuddered a bit, and quickly removed his hand from Link, his moment of surprise gone as soon as it was there. Link did not have time to see it in his eyes, but he was surprised himself. The touch was warm, and gentle. But it was quickly moved away, slightly disappointing Link. Link did a inner shake of his head to clear those strange thoughts and looked back at Pipit, the surprise also gone from his face in a matter of seconds. Like it had never happened.

Pipit finished aiding Link, and allowed him to do the parts he could do on his own. "You ready?" Pipit said, shrugging off the small awkward incidents they had had. "We need to start the day early if we are going to avoid all the towns folk and their questions!" Pipit reminded.

Link looked up in bewilderment at the sound of the townsfolk. He wanted to avoid them at all costs, he did not feel in the mood to be harassed by the very nice and well intended, but entirely stupid and exhaustive questions. "Link, how was the surface?!" "Link, do you have any souvenirs for us?" "Link, Where's Zelda!" "Link... Link... Link..." He had been through this once before, when he returned to the village for supplies. He had not returned since then. Link looked at Pipit and replied, "Lets go already!" Already hopping of the chair he was sitting on to put his boots on. Almost falling, Pipit caught him.

"don't get ahead of yourself there. Take it slowly. I'll hold on to you while we walk."

"that sounds like a good idea" Link said, a bit dizzy from rising so quickly.

Both boys walked out of the nurse's room and out into the hallway. "Ready to come back out into reality?" Pipit said with a grin.

"As i'll ever be" Link replied, before both opened the academy doors out onto the grass field in front of the entrance.