My emotions were extremely mixed by the time I hopped over the waterfall. It had been over one hundred-years since I had last had any sort of sexual experience. Maybe even longer, since, well, the Hero eventually got old and his body couldn't quite work as well anymore. Kissing Link like I just did, brought back so many memories that I was glad that I was still soaked, so that my tears just looked like water running down my cheeks.

I heard Link jump into the water as I reached the shore. I then went straight to Renado's still-open house. I disappeared into the back room just as I heard Link's footsteps signal his entrance into the house. I closed the door behind me, and I heard Link close the front door as well.

I was in the middle of changing my soaked outfit, when I heard Link knock on the door. "Are you...okay?" He asked. When I didn't answer, he spoke again, "Can I come in?"

"No," I answered, trying my best to not let my sobs be heard in my voice, "I'm changing."

Link was quiet for a few moments. "Are you crying?"

Dammit. I heaved with a sob. "Maybe."

"Did I make you upset?"

I slipped on my dry dress and sat down on Renado's bed, burying my face in my hands. "No," I said.

I heard the door crack open for a brief moment, before I heard it open all of the way and I heard Link cross the room. I felt him sit next to me. "I'm sorry, I really am. I...don't know what overcame me..." He sighed, and I thought I heard a slight sob.

I moaned. I knew what was wrong; why he had felt so much lust toward me, and why he was crying with me. It was who, and what, I was. Being a goddess meant that the people closest to me, both physically and in relationships, felt what we felt. It was a lot like empathy. The reason for the whole lust deal? That was because of who I was; the goddess of love. That meant that any physical contact with me, if it was at all romantic, meant that any lust that person had toward me would increase greatly. So, no, it wasn't Link's fault. It was all mine.

It also hadn't helped that, when I was kissing Link, I had been thinking about the Hero and my first time... So, all of my sexual feelings had been transported to him.

"It's...not your fault," I said as I looked up at him. "It's mine."

"But...how? I was the one who kissed you..."

"Trust me... It's me, not you." I sighed. "And I'm not just saying that."

I then sobbed as I leaned over and buried my face into his chest, trying really hard not to think of the embrace as romantic. If I managed that much, then the pressure on him would lessen...

Link then, in a comforting way, pulled me close and held me as I cried.

It didn't take me long to start to read his emotions. He was struggling, like he had been in the Spring. I could also tell that he was because of his body language. He would, every once in awhile, pull me close, and then loosen his grip, as if he was physically debating with himself. After about five minutes, I finally felt his feelings drastically drop, and I felt him loosen his grip as he sighed in relief.

"That's much better," He mumbled.

"Really? What is?" I asked, pretending to be clueless. My voice was clear, since I had stopped crying a few seconds before.

"I don't know how to explain it... I guess my urge has gone away."

"Oh." I sighed.

"Why is it that you affect me like that?"

I was quiet for a few moments. "That's...something to be explained later."

"Oh. So, you were serious..."

"Yes, of course I was."

"I just thought that you were saying that to make me feel better, or something."

"No. I wouldn't lie to you... I wasn't lying when I said that it was me."

Link was quiet, and I heard him take in a deep breath. "You...wouldn't lie to me?"

"No," I said, dragging out the word slightly.

"Why not?"

I opened my mouth to answer, but nothing came out. Why did I say that? Why wouldn't I lie to him? He wasn't anything important to me...

Then, it hit me. I felt that way because he was something important to me. He was more than a hero, and even more than a friend. I loved him, even if it was just because he was so much like the Hero I had loved so long ago...

I heaved with a sob as reality hit me.

"What's wrong?" He asked, pulling me close to him. I instantly felt his emotions respond with the love that I was currently feeling, though I wasn't quite sure if he was responding that way because that's how I felt, or if it was because that was how he really felt...

Gosh, being a goddess could be so confusing sometimes...

"Nothing," I said, my voice surprisingly clear. "I just...realized something."

"What?"

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. "I love you."

I instantly felt his joy, telling me just how close we had become. It was never this easy for me to read emotions aside from lust and love, yet I was reading them like an open book. That had only happened once: with the Hero.

"You do?" He asked, his voice squeaking slightly with his excitement.

"I think so..."

Link reached down and pulled up my chin, so that I was looking into his face. I then was able to notice that his eyes were brimming with water that hadn't yet spilled over.

"Is that...a bad thing?"

"No," I answered without hesitation.

"Then, why did you sob?"

"Why are you almost crying?" I asked right back.

He started. "Because I'm happy..." I smiled at him. "Oh..." His eyes glassed over for a brief moment, before he smiled and pulled my chin up to lightly kiss me on my nose.

I laughed. "You don't have much experience with girls, do you?"

Link smiled and shook his head. "Very little. I've kissed before, but that's about it."

"Who?" I asked, letting my jealousy slip into the question.

"Ilia."

"The Mayor's daughter?"

Link nodded. "Yes. But that's as far as I had ever gone with a girl... You're the first person I've ever come so close to..." His voice trailed off. "Have you...?"

It was then I realized just how jealous and angry I was of Ilia, because I saw his eyes mirror my feelings. I instantly calmed myself, reminding myself that he had more reasons to be jealous of me and my love life...

"It's...hard to explain."

"It's okay. If you have, I won't think of you any different."

I sighed. "Well...yes."

"With who?" This time, the jealousy in his voice and eyes were his own. I could also feel his disappointment. It wasn't exactly customary for a couple to have sex out of marriage, although it did happen every once in a while. I could feel his disappointment in me for not keeping my purity.

"Well, technically, we were married."

"WHAT?!" He pulled my head up so that I was looking at him. Then, his eyes glassed over. "Wait... What do you mean were?"

"He died," I answered.

"When?" I felt him slightly relax, as if knowing his only competition was dead was a relief.

I know I had said that I wouldn't lie to him, but there was no way I could tell him the truth without telling him the rest of my story. "Last year."

"Oh... I'm sorry." I felt the truth of his words, and his disappointment in himself, telling me that what I had guessed he was feeling was the truth.

"It's okay. I didn't..." I stopped. I wasn't going to lie to him that much by telling him that I had never really loved my husband...

Then, I thought better of it. I had, technically, already lied. The Hero and I had never actually gotten married, although the thought was there for both of us. He had proposed, but we never got passed that point.

"Didn't what?" He asked.

"I didn't love him that much," I finally lied. It was for my own good...and his.

"Then why make love to him?"

"He was my husband. It's...part of the job description, so to speak."

I felt Link chuckle. He then abruptly stopped, as though he was suddenly thinking of something serious. "Is it...you know...as good as people say?"

This time, I laughed out loud (literally) and Link laughed with me, although his cheeks turned pink. "I'm not laughing at you," I said, once my laughing had stopped. "I was just laughing." I sighed. "Yes, and no."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, on your part, yes, it is." He raised his eyebrows, so I kept going, not wanting to reveal that I could read emotions, meaning that I could feel exactly what the Hero had felt every time. "But for girls, not always..."

"Why?"

I laughed again. "Think about it." I saw his eyes glass over again, and he did slightly grimace. "It is...painful, the very first time, and a few after that. But...it gets better, although it can be painful even after you're used to it."

Link smiled and shook his head. "Let's change the subject, shall we?" I just gave him a questioning look. "I don't like picturing you doing...that."

I smiled as I buried my face in his chest again. "I love you," I said, surprised at how easy it was for me to say it.

"I love you, too," He said as he squeezed me. "One more question?" I felt the embarrassment roll off of him.

"What?"

"Well, would you ever..." I heard him take in a deep breath. "Make love...to me?" He said in one, quick breath, so that the words slightly rolled together.

I smiled. "Actually, if I wasn't such an emotional wreck... I would now."

I felt his lust almost immediately. "Really?" His voice was slightly breathless.

"Yes. I love you, remember? It is, no matter what people say, an act of love. It's not as enjoyable without realizing that."

Link responded by pulling up my chin and kissing me, gently, lovingly, on my lips.

Goddess! Link thought his heart was going to literally burst out of his chest and fly away! She loved him!

Link couldn't even begin to describe what he was feeling! There were not enough words in the Hylian language to even get close to describing how he felt!

All Link could think about was how sweet she smelled, how soft her skin was under his hands. Her dress had a low back, so Link couldn't stop himself from playing with the muscles in between her shoulder blades. She was just so perfect, and, as of right that moment, she was all his!

"How's your wound?" He asked, when it was quiet for a few moments.

"Better, see?" She sat up straight, and (he gasped) she completely pulled up her dress to show him her no-longer-bandaged wound.

Nothing was there. Just her smooth, soft skin...

Link shook his head and smiled. "Amazing!" He reached over and pulled her back to him.

Link felt something slither out from underneath him. It had seemed a lifetime since Midna last spoke to them, so it took him a moment to realize that Midna had appeared in front of them.

"Aw, how sweet! Eee hee! However, I hate to break up this romantic moment, but there is a Fused Shadow that we need to get!" She said as she rolled her eyes.

Maple stiffened under Link's grasp. "The Fused Shadow won't go anywhere. You need not worry." Link literally felt her anger, and he almost yelled at Midna in response.

"Oh, shut up...Leah. Eee hee!" Midna said with a smirk.

Maple jumped from Link's arms and tackled the floating shadow. Link half expected her to just hit the ground alone, since Midna was just a shadow at the moment. However, Link felt an odd sensation as he felt his shadow stretch as Maple managed to pull Midna to the ground, a murderous look in her eye.

Instantly, Link pulled Maple off of Midna, who was gasping and grabbing her throat. Link purposefully avoided Maple's gaze, since he knew how powerful her gaze was when she was angry.

Midna coughed and glared as she slithered back into Link's shadow.

Link just sat and held Maple as she shook with her anger. Link finally pushed her down on the bed and held her there until her shaking body calmed. After that, they just laid in each other's arms.

"I...don't want to make you upset, but who's Leah?"

Link felt her stiffen, although she answered calmly. "I'll explain everything to you when we get the Fused Shadows, alright?"

Link was slightly disappointed, but he nodded. Why didn't she trust him to know whatever it was that she didn't want to tell him? She said she loved him, but why wouldn't she tell him now?

"I trust you," She said, seeming to read his mind, "I'm just not ready to explain everything yet."

"Okay." Link pulled her up and helped her stand. "But we should get going."

Maple nodded. "Alright, let's go."

They walked out of the house hand-in-hand.