AN: Well, this chapter got done very fast. It hits close to home for me and i stayed up all night so i could get it done for you guys. I'm actually really proud of it and really wanted to see what everyone would say. So, that being all said, enjoy.

Vacation

Finally the Shadow Temple was finished and Dark had never been so happy to be on a horse. As Epona galloped off into Hyrule field, Dark took an almost childlike delight in turning around in the saddle to wave goodbye to the temple and the city of hatred and bigotry where it was settled. He even deigned to blow the shrinking village a kiss or two. It was his way of gloating over having survived his first temple. More then anything else, he was glad to be able to enjoy being next to his hero without worrying about being attacked. Actually, out in the field it was possible, even likely to get attacked, but it was nothing compared to the cold fear of the Shadow Temple.

Once Kakariko was completely out of sight, Dark occupied himself enjoying the scenery. Far off to the right he saw the ruins of what once was the Hyrule Castle Town; capital of the entire country. Now it wasn't even a smoldering ruin; the ashes from its fires had long since gone cold. Now it was just the cold, dead, empty shell of something that used to be a city. Now Ganondorf made his headquarters there in a twisted perversion of the old palace.

But Dark didn't know anything about any of that as he watched birds playing in the sky over the gently rolling hills that made up the central area of Hyrule. A light breeze blowing in the afternoon sun had such a restful effect.

Link on the other hand was still thinking about Impa's parting words. It made him anxious to talk to Saria, and while she would certainly welcome a visit, she'd think he was silly for running in to check up on her. One of the things he'd learned early on in his journey was how to compromise with himself. Once they arrived, he'd talk to her via the magic of the song she'd taught him. Then, both his viewpoints would be satisfied.

He was also thinking about the Castle Town. With the power of the Sun Song it should be possible to reclaim it. Link had only been eleven years old when he drew the Master Sword and became the Hero of Time. For seven years his body slept in a magical coma. When he left the Temple of Time, Hyrule Castle Town that had been a flourishing metropolis only a few minutes before was reduced to dark ruins infested by the living dead. At least fifteen of them just sat around the fountain in the center of the city. He almost hadn't made it out of the city.

Dark noticed the silence and tried to find out what was wrong but Link refused to talk about it. Changing the subject, Dark tried finding out where they were going but again the blond wouldn't say, only that they'd be there soon. Indeed, just moments later a large building appeared on the horizon and Link tapped against Epona's flanks to urge her faster and Dark felt the tension drain out of his partner as they approached.

High wooden walls surrounded a cluster of buildings up at the top of this hill. A single lone pine tree guarded the entrance of what an overhead sign declared to be 'Lon Lon Ranch.' They weren't even inside yet but Dark already decided that he liked the atmosphere. That might have had something to do with the tree, standing at the entrance like a single soldier standing diligently to protect the inhabitants of the ranch from the outside world. Dark grinned. Yeah, he liked the way that sounded.

As they trotted through the gates and around the bend a girl in a servicable white and purple dress was just coming out of the barn on the right. "Fairy boy!" she shouted, setting down the pails of milk she was carrying to run up to them. Link slid to the ground with a gentle smile and opened his arms to accept the hug she was obviously running up to throw at him. A few feet away though she stopped to sniff the air around him, wrinkling her nose. "Goddess of Courage help me if I'm gonna hug you. You smell terrible! Honestly, Fairy Boy, what have you been up to?" she chided teasingly. "No hugs for you 'til you've had a proper bath."

Link nodded thankfully. "Thank you Malon, a bath would be wonderful. Also, could you get some water ready later so I can do laundry? We haven't had the time. Its been…rather busy as of late."

The girl called Malon just shrugged it off, tossing her long auburn hair over her shoulder. "I'll take care of your laundry, don't worry about it. I can have your bath ready in a few minutes and start dinner after that. You'll be staying of course. Am I cooking for your friend too?" She asked, glancing at Dark who was climbing down from the saddle, albeit a little more awkwardly then Link had.

At the mention of 'dinner' Dark's ears perked up and he nodded vigorously in the background. "Yes, I'm sure he'll appreciate it. Oh, introductions. Malon, this is my partner Dark. Dark, Malon is an old friend from my childhood.

"Your childhood? You say that like it was such a long time ago," Dark whispered as he passed, earning him an elbow in the ribs. "Nice to meet you." Dark smiled, trotting up to shake her hand.

"Likewise, I'm Malon and if you need anything just ask me. Baths, laundry and dinner for two more, then, so I better get started. There's always so much to do you know. I'll get right on the water!" And with that she grabbed her buckets of milk and carried them inside. Since the barn was on the right, the house on the left must be where she lived.

Relieved of her passengers, Epona trotted off to the corral in the background. Aside from the two buildings the corral was the next major piece in the ranch. It held a herd of horses inside and a well-worn track for racing around the outside. The only other building was a kind of tower in the back and Dark had no idea what it might be for.

"Link…?" Dark asked after a minute of silence. "What's a bath?" he asked, wearing that look of wide eyed innocent curiosity. It made Link groan, for he knew that if he involved himself in the process at all that it would get twisted into a mess he'd rather not deal with. On the other hand, Dark was his responsibility and there was no getting around that.

"Alright boy's, its ready!" Malon called from the doorway and they filed in after her. The place was nice, though a little big for just two people. The main room housed most of the farm's chickens; a race that Dark had become rather fond of. They followed her up the stairs and down the hall, passing several rooms to the one on the end. "This room will be yours. I'll have your clothes waiting in here when I'm done." And with that she waited out in the hall as Link walked into the bathroom and started stripping his clothes off.

"For the love of the Goddesses Dark, just keep your mouth shut for now," Link muttered, taking his clothes off and passing them and his two spare outfits out the door. Nodding in understanding, Dark jogged down to their room to put his last Heart Piece in a safe place before running back to the bathroom and stripping also to hand his clothes, which were actually still Link's out the door to let Malon take them off to get cleaned.

Dark sat back and yawned, sitting on the cool wooden floor as Link climbed into the steaming water with a contented sigh, leaning back as the water soothed his aches away. He frowned, tilting his head to the side as Link submerged himself in the water, coming back up a moment later to grab the soap and start scrubbing.

"This is interesting. There sure is some weird stuff out here," Dark commented. Indeed, so interesting was it that he was watching a naked Link splash around in the water without getting turned on. It was this realization that made him frown. Why wasn't this turning him on?

"The Shadow Temple…I am glad we are finished with it. Just being there makes me feel dirty." Link murmured, rubbing absently at the black circle on his neck from where the Redead had bit him.

"Well yeah. No way in hell was that place sanitary. And be careful or we might lose you in there." Dark teased about the way Link was vigorously scrubbing himself, as if a bar of soap was enough to purge the Redead's taint from his soul. It wouldn't, but he couldn't be blamed for trying. Sighing, he Link eventually realized this fact himself and switched over to shampoo. It felt a bit odd for him to borrow a woman's shampoo but there was little choice. Nothing of her father's seemed present. Perhaps he had his own bathroom.

As much as he would have loved to soak, Link cut his relaxing bath short so the water would still be warm for Dark. So he climbed out, skin pink and shiny from scrubbing and of course now Dark was turned on, watching the water pour off his Hero's hard muscled body and how his wet hair hung down in a gold cage in front of those piercing blue eyes was definitely sexy.

That would get in in trouble though so before he rebellious body could give him away, Dark hopped into the water, wincing at the heat that was still present. In reality it wasn't all that hot, but coming from a cool climate, heat was something Dark was naturally sensitive to.

Only once he was in the water did Dark realize how dirty he truly was. He didn't pay it much mind before but having the coating of grave dirt, caked-on sweat, dried blood, putrefying monster bile and burnt skin from when Link accidentally lit him ablaze all melded together in a slimy ooze that coated his entire body.

He looked up at his partner who was drying himself off on a fluffy white towel with a look of absolute disgust. Dark knew exactly what was on his skin and thinking about all that stuff made him feel decidedly ill. Following Link's example, he grabbed the soap and started scrubbing like his life depended on it, determined to get the remaining taint of the Shadow Temple off his skin.

Link smirked, giving a sympathetic nod. He knew exactly what they boy was feeling. "Lean back," Link said, gently dunking his partner under the water then grabbing he shampoo bottle. He figured he could do something helpful since Dark was busy feverishly abrading the muck off his skin…

Ten minutes later Dark was climbing out of the tub to take a towel and start drying himself. The water that drained out of the tub definitely wasn't clear anymore. "Well…I think two more of those and we should be getting almost clean," Dark grumbled, wrapping his towel around his waist and following Link down the hall to their room. Link chuckled, nodding in agreement. He felt the same way too. The Shadow Temple just seemed to seep down and stain a person.

As soon as they were back in their room with the door shut, Dark hooked a finger on Link's towel and pushed it to the floor.

"What are you doing?" Link growled, his blush barely perceptible from how his entire body was glowing pink.

"Eye candy," Dark teased, sticking out his tongue as Link snatched his towel back, threw it over Dark's head and roughly rubbed it around. He knocked Dark on the ground and sat there, brutally rubbing it back and forth across his face so his gasping and sputtering partner had no chance to do anything. Finally Link stopped and pulled the towel away. He couldn't help a laugh as Dark glared fury at him, hair sticking up all over the place. "What was that!"

"Your hair was wet." Link chuckled again as his partner just stuttered incoherently.

"Wh…so…then…you…arghh! You are such an asshole!" Dark growled and pounced the blond but Link rolled deftly out of the way and pulled his breeches on causing his shadow to cross his arms and pout. "Now that's not fair at all," he grumbled, grabbing his own breeches and pulling them on.

"Oh Dark, I doubt it would be such a problem if you could learn to control your perverse tendencies," Link suggested, buttoning up his green Kokiri tunic. That also bothered Dark, though he didn't want to show it.

"Hey uhm… just curious, did my tunic feel tight on you?"

Link tilted his head in confusion as he rolled his shoulders around. "No, not particularly. Why?"

Dark blushed, not really wanting to bring the subject up but at the same time he found himself insanely curious about the mechanics behind it. "Its just… yours felt kind of loose on me. I wonder if you've got a larger body structure then I do. I mean it's possible; you're taller after all."

Link blink, trying to comprehend what was actually going on. "I am taller? Hmm. I never noticed," he answered, completely ignoring how Dark grit his teeth at that. Or maybe he simply didn't notice. Of course, now that it was brought up, Link just had to go stand in front of Dark and compare to see if it was true. "Huh. I suppose I am taller. Though, I don't see why it matters."

"Just forget it," Dark muttered, grabbing his tunic and running outside. He always liked being outside. It was out in the fresh air that he made most all of his life-changing revelations so on the side of the main house he sat with his back against a wooden crate. He'd grabbed his shirt but didn't really feel like putting it on and left it sitting in his lap. The late afternoon breeze felt good against his skin as he sat back, watching the sky light up in a canvas of golds and oranges.

It was nice, being able to relax outside, so he didn't turn around when he heard the soft crunch of a heavy footstep behind him. If Link had something to say then he could say it first, but instead of saying anything the blond sat on the box behind Dark and dropped something shiny and blue down in his lap.

"Rupee for your thoughts?" He asked as Dark looked down at the five rupee crystal nestled in the folds of his tunic. It really was odd to see his normally rambunctious partner looking so thoughtful and it made him worry that perhaps Dark was upset about something. Truthfully, it was Dark himself who inspired that move in the first place; a way to ask a question without really asking and keeping the mood light at the same time.

Smiling a little, Dark handed the rupee back over his shoulder. "Sorry, I'm still not that cheap. You want what I'm thinking then you'll have to up the offer." he said, still staring straight ahead. A second later Link's entire wallet dropped into his lap.

"Will that do?"

Dark grinned in spite of himself and handed it back. "You're such a dork. And I mean that in the best way possible of course. No though. I'm not interested in money."

"Then what would you like? You will have to help me out; I do not know what interests you. I'd offer you a Heart Piece but I'm sure you have no shortage of those," Link teased, moving on the box so that Dark was sitting between his legs and from there he took the comb he'd borrowed from the bathroom and started running it carefully through Dark's hair. In spite of his rough treatment of it, his hair was still a little on the damp side.

"What are you doing?" Dark asked curiously.

"If you wait until it dries then you will have a horrible mess to deal with in the morning. Trust me on this," Link answered with a knowing smile. Indeed, his own hair could be as fierce a battle to fight as any of Ganon's creatures and harder to tame then all the Romani horses. Dark's seemed to be much the same way, though glossy black compared to gold. Link also noticed that it was longer then it seemed originally. Apparently Dark had never combed his hair before and it was a tangled mess that could take quite some time to undo.

"I'm sorry," Link said, noting the numerous times the boy winced. He was trying to be gentle, he really was but this was a big job and making it painless simply wouldn't be possible. Though he'd wince often, Dark never complained about it, instead answering the original question.

"I told you something once that you never responded to. I want a response but…I guess I can wait. It's not the sort of thing I'd want to hear unless it was true, y'know?"

Link nodded slowly, wondering what Dark could be referring to. It wasn't like him to be vague like this. "And to what am I supposed to give a response?" he asked.

"I love you," Dark stated and as expected, the tugging on his hair stopped abruptly. After waiting several minutes, he shrugged and said simply, "You asked and I answered you. Like I said, I can wait but don't blame me for answering your question." He sighed, staring off into the setting sun regretfully. Being here at this ranch had thrown a very real and very painful possibility at him. What if Link liked Malon? The thought of it wasn't unbearable but it was close. The only way it sat alright with him was that if she made Link happy then Dark would do his best to be happy too. Forced happiness couldn't be all that hard, after all. Much of his sword training back in the Water Temple involved the principle of mind over matter. No one would ever know the difference.

"Dark, I… I am sorry. It's…there are many things that are just hard for me to accept. There are so many concepts with you that are completely alien to me and I simply have no idea how to react." Link sighed, taking a deep breath, knowing that a more detailed explanation would be required. "I was raised in the Kokiri Forest up until right before I left. I always thought that I was Kokiri until the Deku Tree told me that my mother was actually Hylian who'd taken shelter in the forest during the war ten years ago. She died shortly after getting there, so the Deku Tree brought me up."

Dark frowned but said nothing. He'd never had anything remotely resembling a parent so he had no idea what it would be like to have or lose one. Link started back up with combing the mop of dark hair before him as he continued his story. "The Kokiri are born the children of the Deku Tree and children they stay for their entire lives. Each of them has their own fairy partner but I never had one. Since I had no fairy, they all saw me as an outcast and I was the only one who was ever lonely. I had friends, yes. I had people to talk to but no one I could truly connect with."

He was amazed. He'd had no idea what kind of life Link had had to lead. The blond spoke of his travels and the hardships of being a Hero but the way Dark saw it, there were really two different personas to deal with. He knew all about the trials that befell Link the Hero, but this was the first time he'd heard anything about the hand Fate had dealt to Link the person. For once, Dark had nothing to say. He was just a shadow; a mere imitation and these revelations made it clear that Link had an inner strength that he could never hope to match.

"Dark. I am confused and, as much as I hate to admit it, I am afraid. I do not know how to deal with any of this. I knew I had a duty to fulfill and I'd resigned myself to being alone. Then you showed up and happy as I am to have you around, it still isn't easy to fit you into my plans. You make things so difficult with how you always try to get my clothes off. I was raised in a race that never grows up. Think Dark. Culturally how I was raised, the things you want from me just don't happen. That is to say nothing of how once I got out into the world and learned what little I know about things like that, we're both male. The whole world doesn't hate something for no good reason. And yet, in spite of all that you say you love me. You are…the first and only person to ever say that to me."

That was all the all the drama poor Dark could take. "Link, I-"

"Boys! Dinner is ready!" Malon called from the doorway around the corner and Link climbed to his feet and walked off, beckoning for Dark to follow. Dark however was to busy punching his frustration into the box. Of all the times for this to happen! He was finally getting Link to open up and Fate was just determined to keep him from making any progress. It was very discouraging. With a sigh he pulled his tunic over his head and trudged inside.

Instead of going upstairs, a door in the back wall of the main room was opened that lead into a small kitchen with a table and four chairs. "Daddy's out with the horses but I bet he fell asleep!" Malon giggled, setting a big roast chicken in the center of the table. Instantly Dark's mouth was watering. "Now then, before we eat I have one last thing to do." With that, she stepped up and threw her arms around Link and pulled him into a tight hug. "Welcome back, Fairy boy."

To Dark's dismay, Link hugged back. Trying to ignore the stab of jealousy in his heart, Dark turned to occupy himself with the spread of food laid out in a row along the counter. A pitcher of milk waited next to vegetables of every kind. Corn, carrots and green beans and roasted sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes with gravy. Malon handed them plates and said the magic words. "Help yourselves."

Link sighed as Dark started piling on the food, eager to get eating. He hadn't been a hero for all that long but he at least knew enough to never pass up a good meal. "Wow, he's got a healthy appetite," Malon laughed, nudging Link's ribs. "C'mon Fairy Boy, don't look so down, there's plenty of food." In a conspiratorial whisper she added, "He may eat a lot but your brother sure does clean up nice." She watched Dark as he took his spot at the table with an appraising eye.

Link just snorted. "We cannot say until he actually is clean, which I doubt either of us will be for quite some time to come. Not to mention the mess his hair is in."

Dark gave his partner a dark look but said nothing since his mouth was full of mashed potatoes.

"And what do you mean by that?" Malon asked curiously. Link just shook his head. All in all it was a pretty casual event; Malon asked about how their travels were going and got to hear about the Song of Storms and raiding the Gerudo Fortress, and Link asked about how things were going on the ranch and got to hear about how a new horse was just born and how Talon, the ranch owner, was working on training a few new farmhands. Link was interested to hear about that.

Dark stared sadly down at his empty plate. "Help yourself to seconds, we've got plenty," she said and Dark jumped to his feet, beaming like he'd just won the lottery. That got another giggle from Malon. "I like him, he's funny."

"I like her, she feeds me!" Dark called over his shoulder and the Link just smiled before asking about these farmhands.

"Yeah, Kyle and Liam have been helping Daddy out with the horses. When Epona came running home in the middle of the night carrying two kids, I figured you'd be by to explain soon. What's the deal with them? They work well enough but whenever me or Daddy asks anything about why they left home, they get all pale and clam up."

Link sighed, scrubbing a hand through his hair. "Kakariko is the location of the Shadow Temple. I don't know what is going on there now but the villagers were engaged in some shady practices. Those boys were almost sacrificed to a phantom shadow beast. I didn't think it would be wise to leave them in the village that tried to have them killed. I apologize for imposing but I know I can trust you."

Malon gasped and covered her mouth. "Those poor boys! Oh don't worry about it at all, I'm sure Daddy will let them stay here and work on the ranch if they want to."

Sighing, Link bit his lip hesitantly. "Are you sure? We would have been here sooner but the Temple couldn't wait and I do hate to impose on you. If you'll at least let me pay for-"

"Fairy Boy. I said don't worry about it. They can stay here as long as they need and you aren't gonna pay for anything. After all, you're the Hero of Time. You've got the hardest job out of all of us but you still find time to help us normal folk. Me and Daddy are happy to do whatever we can to help. Our ranch is your ranch," she stated proudly.

"Thanks Malon. We're actually here because Dark insisted that I take a break and I was hoping you wouldn't mind. We will of course be more then happy to help out with chores around the ranch and you know I won't allow you to say no to that." Link smiled gently. He had his values after all, and he'd stick to them.

Sighing, Malong held up her hands in mock defeat. "Alright Fairy Boy, you win. You can have chores if you absolutely insist. But, that can wait 'til tomorrow."

"Fine by me, but you were wrong about something. I've got the hardest job. I've gotta keep Fairy Boy here from running himself half to death trying to save the country," Dark cut in, grinning.

Malon flashed a grin back and shook her head. "Aww, you poor thing. Well, make sure you get some rest. I bet you'll need it."

Link nodded. "First though, I'd like to go speak to your father. I would feel rude otherwise."

"Of course, he's out in the corral with the horses. And would you tell him not to forget to come and eat?"

They nodded and headed for the door as Malon collected their dishes, whistling Epona's Song under her breath. The sun was still barely visible on the horizon and the temperature cooled further as they trotted towards the large wooden horse corral where they saw a balding man with a thick beard and an easy smile. Just the way Link remembered him. He stood against the fence and called pointers to the two boys from Kakariko who were swaying in the saddles of their own horses.

"Well, tarnation, if it isn't Link! How ya been, son?" he called with a merry wave as the two strolled up to the gates.

"Hello Talon. Life is rough but we're getting by. Actually we were hoping to stay with you for a few days as a kind of vacation. We also wanted to see how our young friends are doing. I do apologize for the unexpected delivery but there was little time and few options. Oh, and Malon says that dinner is ready," Link tried explain. Talon just laughed.

"Naw, after everything you done to help this ol' man out I'm happy to repay the favor. Alright boys, time to call it a day!" he yelled, going over to help them out of their saddles. Liam walked over first, a boy of about fifteen with light brown hair and chocolate eyes. Kyle, a redhead with a light dusting of freckles was right behind him. "Alright boys, supper's ready so hurry on in," Talon said, leaving them alone to talk.

The two boys stood close together, and it was Liam who spoke first. "You're…the ones who saved us. Uhm, thanks…I guess we really owe you," he said quietly.

Link shook his head "Don't worry about that. But, if you know I'd like you to tell me why they would try to do something so horrible to you. What could you possibly have done to deserve that?" Link asked, specifically being vague. He knew they understood what he was asking without him having to bring up too many painful details like the monsters that had almost turned the teen's souls into an afternoon snack.

Sighing, Liam nodded and jerked his head over his shoulder at the boy who was awkwardly scuffing his shoe against the dirt but Link tilted his head, not understanding what he was trying to tell him.

"Oh for Din's sake, will you spit it out already," Dark said, sitting up on the fence. He hadn't really been paying attention at first but now that he looked, Liam's body language was saying along. He had his head hung, fists balled and was trembling all.

"M-my dad…saw me…k-kissing my best friend." Liam finally choked out, voice thick with emotion as if he was fighting back tears. Then, with a meaningful look at the shy redhead behind him, it finally clicked for both Link and Dark.

Link was stunned, staring in shocked silence at Liam who flinched under his gaze as though he expected to get hit. Then, from somewhere in the back, a low growl pulled Link's attention and he turned to see Dark up on the fence. He'd just been sitting up there, kicking his heels against the wooden barricade but now he was perched on it like a gargoyle, his red eyes glowing coals of fury. He pounced off the fence, lips peeling back in a snarl. "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!" he roared, ripping his sword from his sheath.

A moment later Kyle, who'd barely made a move this entire time ran in front of the cowering Liam and held his arms out to shield the boy. "No…don't hurt him."

Dark looked back and forth between the two boys, growling. "No, I don't mean you!" he snarled, ramming his blade back in his sheath. "I'm going to find he bastard who thought that a kiss qualifies as a capital offense, chop him into bite sized pieces and feed him to a dodongo!"

"Dark!" Link snapped. "You will do no such thing," he commanded, staring down the furious snarling beast that was his partner with an icy calm.

"But…but…that bastard deserves it! You saw what was going on! You know they all deserve exactly what's coming to them." He growled until Link stomped his foot.

"I said no. You are here for me so we do things my way. We must have a set of standards to follow. Failing to follow those standards will make us as bad as the very enemy we hope to defeat. I will not tolerate the death of a living person. We may be killers but we are not murderers," Link said, keeping his eyes locked on Dark's in a contest of will.

Dark was the one to look away first, stomping off to pace back and forth as a way to vent some of his frustration. When he could talk normally, he sat on the ground in front of Kyle. "Mind if I ask you something?" Kyle nodded hesitantly. "Why did it happen? You said his dad caught you. Why were you kissing in the first place, was it just a curiosity thing or what?" he asked. He had a hunch and hopefully the answer he'd receive would get a certain someone to think a little harder about how the world works.

They all wondered what Dark was doing asking so personal a question, but having only been in civilization for less then a month, proper social etiquette wasn't something he knew very well. so, blushing to the roots of his hair, Kyle waited for a nod of permission from Liam before he said, " I…don't have any family. They were all killed in the war so everyone looked down on me but Liam. He was the only one who cared."

That was when Liam stepped up. "My dad never liked me much. He thinks I'm worthless and beats me when I don't do something right. Kyle's my best friend and…we've gotta stick together."

Dark sighed. Here his jealousy was rearing its head again but what was worse was their tones. They sounded like they were confessing to a crime and that made his heart ache. "Hey now, get rid of those looks. You guys haven't done anything wrong. When you've got a tough life to deal with and only one person you can count on for anything, these things happen. Nothing wrong with it at all. You do what you gotta do ok? Take care of each other and you'll be fine."

They looked a little dubious of the attempted encouragement. It was a good attempt, but not enough to overcome having been raised on prejudice. "Dad said we're…unforgivable sinners and need to appease the gods."

"That is ridiculous. The Golden Goddesses would never ask for such a thing," Link gasped, appalled at the very suggestion.

"I dunno what gods they're worrying about," Dark muttered as he had a sudden idea. "I know! You've heard of the Hero of Time, right? Guy whose gonna come save us all?" Kyle and Liam nodded as Dark pointed back to Link with a flourish. "Well there he is! He is pretty impressive, right? Master Sword on his back, brand of the Triforce on his hand…"

What are you doing? Link mouthed when Dark was facing him.

Just play along, he mouthed back and pounced, knocking the blond flat on his back to capture his lips in a gentle but needy kiss. The Hero's lips were an almost forbidden territory that he desperately wanted to learn, grasping at any excuse to taste him. It was wonderful and thrilling and dangerous…and educational. Pulling back from the kiss, Dark glanced over at the two teens who were staring in wide-eyed shock and licked his lips.

"You see that? Link, Hero of Time, chosen warrior and beloved of the Goddesses is my partner. I understand how you feel, I really do, but trust me. There's nothing wrong with you. The problem is with this world and its hateful people to can't accept what they don't understand."

"Now, go get cleaned up for supper and be sure to thank Malon for all her hard work cooking," Link cut in. "I'm sure you've had a long and have a lot to think about." Link kept up his tolerant smile as Liam and Kyle both nodded, bowed and trotted of towards the house. Half way there, Liam reached down and slipped his hand into the other boy's.

As soon as they were gone though, Link's smile fell off like a mask and he gave a flat glare to Dark, "Do you care to explain exactly what you thought you were doing?" he growled.

Dark blinked, tilting his head to the side in confusion. "What are you so mad about? I know it was unexpected but look how much it helped," he pointed out. Normally Dark was good at making arguments but today Link wasn't buying it.

"That is not the point. You lied to them and you know I do not condone-"

"I didn't lie to anybody! I just-" he interrupted only to get interrupted himself.

"You just withheld information, twisted the truth and implied the existence of something that isn't there! Dark, you and I do not have that kind of relationship in spite of what you may hope and I am very upset that you would slander my reputation like this!"

Slander his reputation? Dark's anger smoldered at what was being implied of him. "Listen, you. I was just doing what I thought was best. You're the one who told me that we had to always be the righteous warriors. I was just following your instructions!" he yelled.

"And in what way does that involve deceiving people? How is that connected to you ignoring what I told you before dinner. How many times have I told you no? How many times have you pressed me anyways? I am trying to be reasonable with you and take your claims seriously but the way you constantly try to take advantage of ever situation that comes up and every concession I make for you is starting to wear on my nerves!"

Dark grit his teeth, physically shaking he was so angry. "My claims? Where the hell do you get off, you self-centered jerk! This has nothing to do with you, but if you don't think I'm telling the truth then why are you still here with me huh? You think it's some great cataclysmic sin like the rest of the idiots in this country! I guess that means you're condoning their actions then!" Dark screamed.

Link opened his mouth to reply but Dark cut him off, taking one step at a time towards the blond and for each step he took, Link took one back; so great was the heat of anger glowing in Dark's eyes. "Hypocrite! I don't wanna hear it! If you agree with the rest of the world then lets just take 'em back and toss 'em to the Redeads, they'll be better off that way right? Shame on me, trying to spread a little hope to the people who have none. I guess I was wrong. I mean, when your father beats you and everyone you know is convinced that your very existence is a crime against nature, you don't need stupid little things like reassurance or understanding, you just need to die quickly," he snarled, his voice thick with contempt and scathing sarcasm.

Again Link opened his mouth to try to get some defense but Dark lunged forward, gripping his shoulder like a vice and leaning in to stare into the sapphire pools of Link's eyes. "You tell me that your…reputation is worth more then the gift of a little self-confidence to two boys who don't have enough self esteem between them to fill a glass bottle. You tell me that you'd rather keep your pride and let those kids go on believing that their lives are worthless? If that's the case, then a fine hero you turned out to be," Dark growled. His forehead was pressed right up against Link's and his words quiet and venomous. When Link had no answer, Dark spun on his heel and stalked off in disgust.

Back upstairs Dark sat in bed, more upset then ever so he decided to do something he'd never done before. "Oh Great Goddesses, please help me keep myself together. It's so frustrating having to deal with this. Everything I want is just out of grasp. Seeing those kids, I'm honestly jealous for something like that. I want a partner with no boundaries…I wish he'd stop holding himself back. Help me get through to him…"

For almost an hour Link waited outside, thinking hard about Dark's words. He lay on his back, staring up into the sky as one by one the stars came out. Was he really that bad? He just didn't know anymore. What Dark had said to him hurt all the more because put like that he could see exactly where the boy was coming from. It forced him to see a side of himself that he'd rather not have been made aware of, but now that he was, he couldn't just ignore it. "Damn it Dark…why must you make everything so difficult?" he sighed.

Now Link was more confused then ever but he couldn't fault Dark for trying. He'd seen the small glimmer of hope that lit up in the two teen's eyes, thinking that the savior of the world was just like them. Indeed, in a lot of ways they were similar if Dark were thrown into the equation. Who else could he really call his best friend? Immediately Saria came to mind and close on it's heels were Dark's words.

They aren't the ones who gave me a life and a reason to live it. They aren't the ones who fought by my side and they sure as hell never lifted a finger to help you out.

Sighing, Link rolled over and tried to fall asleep. The weather was still nice even at night in the warmer part of the year. He and Dark slept outside often so it wasn't the temperature that kept him awake. Finally, with his tail between his legs, Link slunk into the dark house and slipped upstairs to the room he and Dark were supposed to be sharing to slide into bed next to his partner. He'd gotten used to Dark's presence and it didn't feel right to fall asleep without another heartbeat next to him.

In spite of that, he still wasn't sure whether he could admit to being wrong, so he got up early the next morning so he wouldn't have to discuss it. When Dark awoke two hours later he knew what had happened, could still feel the lingering warmth of a body no longer there. With a frown, he got out of bed to get his last Heart Piece out of its hiding spot to stare at it regretfully. "Stupid, overly dense idiot. How many times do I have to give you my heart before you get what I'm trying to say?" Knowing he'd not get an answer from the empty room, he placed it back in the drawer and left to go find everyone.

Downstairs, he found Talon sitting against a low wall, spreading feed out to the chickens he'd gathered and brought inside. "Well g'morning there. I don't think I ever introduced myself. I'm Talon, owner of this here ranch. Any friend of Link's is welcome here," he said with a hearty laugh.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Dark and I'm supposed to help out with chores or something."

Talon just chuckled and pointed down into the gaggle of chickens spread out across the room. "I'm about to let the chickens out but I got three special ones that I don't wanna let out. Think you can find em for me?"

Dark nodded and waded out into the writhing sea of feathers, gently picking one of the chickens up to avoid startling it but as soon as he picked it up it started crowing and flapping its wings all over the place in an attempt to escape. "C'mon now son, you don't gotta be so gentle with em. Show them Cuckoos who's in charge!"

Well, he'd been given permission to be rough so why not enjoy it? He'd grab a chicken, hold it over his head and if he didn't hear anything, toss it to the side. Each one he picked up flailed and scratched until he tossed it away. "That's one!" Talon shouted from his bench and Dark chucked the chicken off behind the bench where Talon sat.

By now the chickens were starting to get a little upset at their manhandling and would peck at him if he tried to pick them up but Dark was determined not to lose to a stupid bird. So with numerous cuts and scratches on his arms he found the second and tossed it behind the bench. The gaggle of chickens was in an uproar and Dark was hot and covered in sweat and blood and wading through the clouds of feathers with a grim determination before he found the last one. As soon as he had it, Talon opened the door and they all flooded outside, leaving the room empty off all but the three special chickens.

"Good work son, you're a natural. You'd make a mighty fine ranch hand just like your partner. Have some milk; you look plum tuckered out," he said, handing Dark a bottle of milk which he drank greedily.

"Now what in tarnation are you doing up there!" Talon yelled. Sure enough, one last chicken had somehow made it up to the rafters where it seemed to have no intention of getting down.

"Don't worry, I've got this." Dark offered, handing back the empty bottle and heading upstairs. Malon chose that moment to walk in and see Dark take a flying leap off the top of the stairs and grab the closest rafter, swinging up to hook his legs on the next rafter and haul himself up. Carefully, he stepped along the rafters as Malon watched from below.

"Ain't he something?" Talon asked with a chuckle as Dark reached the chicken. "He caught all the Super Cuckoos in record time. You still wanna marry Link?"

Before she could answer, Dark's eyes widened and he fell out of the rafters with a cry to land on his back, groaning. Seconds later the cuckoo drifted down from the rafters to land on top of him. Malon ran over to help him up. "Ohmigosh, are you ok?" she asked worriedly.

Dark just flashed his best grin and nodded, staggering towards the door. "Yeah, fine. Its just really hot in here. I'mma get some…fresh air"

Malon watched him stagger out of the house blinking until Talon asked how the barn was coming along. "Oh um, it's going good. It was really hot in there too so I had to step out also," she answered with a secret little smile to herself. Sure the barn was stuffy but Link, who was up in the loft without his shirt on to pitch down bales of hay was what made it too hot to handle. She knew full well she had work to do but she kept finding herself staring at him, watching his muscles flex as he picked up those heavy hay bales. He was definitely an eyeful…

As for Link, he finished pitching all the hay bales down and dropped to the ground to head outside just in time to see Dark striding purposefully around the side of the house. Frowning, he went after him. This time Dark was actually sitting on the box with a chicken pecking at his feet and looking thoroughly depressed.

"Rupee for your thoughts?" Link asked, sitting on the box next to him. Dark scooted to the side so Link had enough room to sit and snatched the red rupee from his hand with a smirk. He tucked it into his pocket then pushed the chicken away.

"Alright, I'll humor you. Do you like Malon?" Link nodded. "Do you like Malon enough to marry her?" he asked petulantly.

Link blinked, taken slightly aback. "You heard about that? That was…something Talon told me when I was a child but it was just a joke. To answer you, no. Malon is one of my close friends but…I would not be happy with so simple a life. I was born for adventure…so I doubt I will ever truly settle down."

Dark sighed, pushing the chicken away with his foot again. "Is there anyone who you like like that? Is there anyone who's important enough that you'd want to stick with them?

Sighing, Link bit back his instinctive answer. Yes there was, it was the boy sitting next to him but he couldn't say that! On the other hand, he did feel that he owed his partner an honest answer. "Yes…I enjoy having you around Dark. I like having someone to talk to. I like having someone to watch my back in battle…I just wish our relationship could involve being naked less often."

Already Dark was getting frustrated. "Why can't you just give me a chance? You like kissing me, I know you do. Why don't you find out of you like anything else?" he asked.

"Why do you insist I try?" Link shot back and Dark took a deep breath.

"Because…you're my best friend. I think a best friend should be someone you can go to with anything, say anything, do anything, be anything…but there are parts of you that you're always holding back. Parts of you that you won't let anyone see. I told you that I'm here to help, that I won't leave you for anything so it hurts when you insist on taking things on alone."

Again, Dark was making a little too much sense to argue with. Why was his point of view always coming from such an awkward position? According to Dark, Link was being a stubborn jerk by refusing to even try anything. On the other hand, he shouldn't have to …

And then a sudden thought occurred to him. I am afraid. I admitted as much last night. The bearer of the Triforce of Courage should have no fear. Damn you Dark, now I have no choice. This is something I must confront now. But, I will do so on my own terms. Still… at the very least I can…

Link laid his hand on Dark's cheek and slowly leaned in, parting his soft pink lips as his eyes narrowed to shutting. Dark's mind was racing from this, practically singing in exaltation, I can't believe I finally got through to him! And now he's going to kiss me. Yes!

Sadly though, it was not to be. The front door of the house slammed and Malon came out, calling, "Link? Dark? Where are you?" and Link pulled back just before they met to answer and she poked her head around the corner. "Oh, there you are. I was just wondering if you guys might want the race track set up after breakfast.

"No thank you. I'm more worried what we can do to help out around her." Link answered calmly, in no way indicating what had been about to happen.

"Alright, suit yourselves. Breakfast in twenty." With that she was gone and Link stood up, apparently not willing to pick up where he had left off. That left Dark, knuckles bone white from clenching his fists so tightly. Outwardly he looked calm, but inside he was screaming and now fully convinced that Fate was going to get in his way however possible.

Stupid cock-blocking little… Arrgh! "Stupid bird, get off" he yelled, punting the chicken that wouldn't quit pecking at his boots several feet away. When in landed it turned to look murderously at the offender.

"CUCKOOOOO!" it called and from the other side of the yard at least twenty other chickens gave an answering call.

"Dark. Run."

He didn't need to be told twice and half a second later they were sprinting as fast as possible down the dirt horse track as an angry horde of chickens chased along behind, clucking and crowing. They certainly didn't want to get caught in that mess of murderous beaks. The only place to take shelter was the tall building in the back. Dark ran towards it, praying that the door wasn't locked. It wasn't and they waited out the horde of chickens in the storage shed until it was safe.

Dark of course was laughing hysterically and even Link was wearing a small smile. "You did pretty good out there y'know? Thanks for coming with to keep me company," Dark teased and Link chuckled.

"Believe it or not, being chased by hordes of angry chickens was quite common in my younger days."

"I wonder if Meggy was out there." Dark said curiously to himself as he glanced around. There was one single solitary cow sitting there and other then that it seemed to hold extra or out of season farm tools. Also in the back there were seven crates of milk arranged haphazardly. For some reason that bothered Dark's sense of aesthetics when he jumped up to sit on the box in the middle.

"Alright Dark, the coast looks clear," Link said, poking his head out the door

"I'll be right out, I wanna make this look organized."

Link just raised an eyebrow and strolled out without another word and once he was safely alone, Dark was free to explore what he was really interested in. The milk crates sat in the back corner but there were not enough crates to make a perfect square and sitting in the middle, Dark felt a draft coming from the wall behind him. So, after several minutes of grunting and pulling boxes, he finally had a space clear in the back corner but the boxers were high enough that he could only see the missing box in the back if he was on top of it and set into the wall was a small tunnel so low he'd need to crawl through it. Down on his hands and knees he looked into the tunnel to see way back in the back the familiar clear blue of a Heart Piece.

Several minutes later he was jogging around the racetrack with another Heart Piece in his possession. Honestly, anyone with a decent sense of curiosity could find the things with no problem. Regardless though, he ran back to everyone else and the rest of the day they spent helping Talon, Kyle and Liam with the horses.

"We have to be getting back to work," Link said and Dark nodded. Sure, it was nice to be able to relax, but he had to admit that they did have an important job to do. Not to mention that much as he liked Malon, seeing her around Link made him decidedly nervous and he was anxious to get back to where it was just the two of them again.

Malon didn't look pleased with this arrangement but she nodded understandingly. "Alright Fairy Boy, I know you've got work to do. Just make sure to be careful so you come back in one piece alright?" she asked, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I will. And please take care of Kyle and Liam," he answered returning her hug.

"Don't worry, we planned to anyways. Daddy said they can stay on as ranch hands. We can sure use the help around here."

"Alright. Thank you again for the hospitality," Link said to Malon and Talon and then to Kyle and Liam, "You two work hard to earn your keep, alright?"

They stared back with solemn nods as Link vaulted up into the saddle with Dark right behind him and on a quick whim, Link turned Epona, galloping back into the towards the racetrack but instead of taking the track, they turned left and Epona leapt over the walls that surrounded the ranch, leaving them riding off through the fields towards their next destination; back to Gerudo's Fortress.