A/N: Oh my Goddesses I am SO sorry about such a long hiatus! ;n; People kept dragging me away for trips or work or other mindless, menial things. I spent half my trips looking out the window and daydreaming about how to continue my stories and the other half being rudely yanked from said daydreams. On one such trip is when I got the whole shrubbery idea! If I make Ghirahim TOO OoC by accident, it's all Dante's fault for altering my perception/beliefs/whatever else about demons! (Even though he's a halfbreed) But, I'll still try my best to stay IC, so thanks for all your help and support!

A firm hand found its way onto Link's shoulder, making the boy jump, dropping his hands from his face. The hand hesitantly moved from his shoulder to his chin as though reluctant to do what it must, tilting his head to allow him to stare into the warm brown eyes of the other being, face wrought with concern. With bated breath, the hero nonchalantly gazed at the other's appearance, not caring about anything besides his own sorrow and the figure's presence, mildly comforting in his solitude. Carefully, the white-clad hand wiped a tear from the boy's cheek, allowing him to sniffle and bury his head again. Uncertainly, the demon reached forward and held him close, rubbing his back as he was cradled. Finally distraught beyond caring about pride, Link clung to the slim figure, fists lost in the material, sobbing ceaselessly into the grey shoulder as his hair was stroked and petted. When he finally looked up, the neat garden had vanished, replaced by short, spiky shrubbery as far as the eye could see. "Where are we?" His face held confusion, with a small underlay of contempt and… fear? The demon unintentionally licked his lips, although he was learning of feelings he never expected to have – sympathy… compassion… a 'heart'! "Do you not like it, Link?" The hero shook his head slowly, tense but staying in place, unsure of whether to let go and run or stay with him. As though sensing his thoughts, Ghirahim sighed heavily, raising his arms in defeat. "If you wish to leave, you wont be trapped here." Still slowly, the green-clad hero nodded, eyes darting here and there, looking for a point where he could run to. Seeing little point, he just held onto the demon tighter, wrapping his arms around his waist and tiredly leaning his head against his chest. "Just… take me home. Take me to your castle, do whatever you want to me! Just get me away from here… please…" Grey shoulders shifted uncomfortably, the demon shocked with his arms raised, still unsure how to react. This… warmth? It's so soft… so gentle… What is this? Wrapping his rough grey arms around the younger male, they stayed in each other's embrace until the boy fell asleep.

He woke with a start, staring at his blue and white ceiling. In… my bed? Moving to get up, he gasped and groaned, clutching his ribs beneath his right arm. What the-? Link pulled his bare hand away from clean bandages, but the pain still remained. Wait, why is my hand bare? Link paled in horror, throwing an arm off him in shocked retaliation. Did last night really happen? No, surely not! It couldn't have, could it? He bolted upright, immediately regretting it as he winced, tightly gripping his abdomen with both bloodstained arms, teeth clenched in pain as he gasped and hissed. The wounds only confirmed his assumptions, the pain rippling a fresh wave of fear over him as the presence of them cemented his reality, sealing his fate; he felt subjected to a fate worse than death, and in many ways it could have been. Why? Why?! How did it happen? I was… this whole thing is his fault! If he hadn't been in the picture, I wouldn't have had to do this to make sure he doesn't get to Zelda! …Is that really all? Can I really just return to her like nothing happened? Like… like I'm inexperienced again? Link shuddered violently, caught somewhere between disgust and bitterness. If he was out of the picture… He soon realised he wouldn't get a better opportunity anytime in the near future. Eyes darting to the shadows of the room, he gauged the distance between himself and his sword, trying to determine how quickly he could reach it and dispose of the demon without said being waking up. Flexing his shoulders, the boy winced again as something in his chest twinged, objecting to the movement. The real question is, how fast can I go with these injuries?

After a few moments quiet breathing as Link steeled himself, he hurtled towards his sword, ignoring his body's protests as he lunged, wrapping his fingers firmly around the hilt, not slowing his pace as he pirouetted and hurled his sword across the room, aiming for the sleeping demon's head. His breathed caught in his throat as he watched it seemingly in slow motion, his eyes trained on his target the entire time. Ghirahim didn't move, appeared to be barely breathing, but the boy couldn't be certain he was asleep, not in this state. When what felt to Link like an eternity was about to end, instead of impaling the demon through the skull, the figure vanished in a swirl of diamonds, reappearing in the same position shortly after the blade had embedded itself up to the hilt in a black pillow etched with ruby diamonds in fabric.

"No…" Link breathed, desperately glancing about for something else he could use, could try. Where did my beltpack land? Suddenly remembering through his fading adrenaline that he was wearing nothing save for a roll of bandages around his middle and a skimpy piece of black clothing the demon had handed him the previous night, the boy shivered violently, furiously rubbing his hands over the shallow wounds and dried blood coating his arms to warm them up. Licking his dry lips in a nervous effort, the hero suppressed a shudder as he tasted the blood that swamped his senses. Some hero… all I did was get myself hurt… No! I have to stop thinking like this. My actions saved Zelda from this same fate! Even without me there, with Impa's help she can save the Surface and return home. We won! In the end, we win… "Come back." The demon ordered dismissively, patting the space beside him without opening his eyes. Link opened his mouth to protest, but thought the better of it. If I make this worse for myself, I make things worse for Zelda. Nodding once, the boy slowly made his way towards the bed, gulping once as he neared it and Ghirahim rolled over.

A/N: Sorry it's not the greatest, and I've not had all that many ideas for how to work with this one ;A; HOWEVER! I will be writing a special chapter as a new story, detailing what happened between this chapter and the last one, to commemorate 3000+ views. Thank you all SO much for your continued support!