Link stumbled first, but then pulled away from a grumbling Ghirahim to fall at Fi's feet. She cocked her head at him, taking him in, and then said, "Master Link." She sounded happy, if that was possible. Link started at her feet and worked his way up, trying to convince himself it was true, but he realized that she was standing on the ground. Not floating. He asked, "Fi?" Zelda, however, was standing right by her, and softly explained, "She's basically a human now. She's not a sword spirit anymore, really, so she functions like a human. This is why you have to be gentle with her- she tires much easier than you would and is not familiar with the human world. Take care of her. Ghirahim?" Zelda turned toward Ghirahim, who was sulking on the steps. "Yeah, yeah..." he grumbled, flipping his hair.
Link slowly stood up and grabbed both of Fi's hands, sighing. "I'll be careful," he said to Zelda. She nodded and smiled, then glanced at Ghirahim. He had his arms crossed and was sitting on the steps that led to Fi's pedestal. She could tell by the scowl on his lips that he was not pleased that Fi was back- clearly he felt like he would not get enough attention.
Zelda bowed ever so slightly and then walked out to leave Fi and Link, and Ghirahim, alone. As she left she heard Link say, "How are you, Fi?" and heard Ghirahim grumble, and knew that these visits might no go so well.
Link held both of Fi's hands as he walked backward and led Fi over the bridge in Skyloft. She was not used to walking- she had floated everywhere before- and could only take three steps before stumbling. Ghirahim walked impatiently behind them, lolling his head back and sighing to show he was frustrated. Link paid no attention to him and instead focused his attention on answering Fi's questions.
"Why is the ground so cold, Master Link?" Fi asked in monotone. Link expected her to go on and say something like, "My analysis indicates that the ground should not be cold here- Skyloft is a very warm climate." But she didn't. She focused on her feet and waited for Link to answer her. He quickly looked up and saw that her pale blue tongue was slightly poking out of the corner of her mouth, but then grabbed around her waist when she stumbled. "Oh!"
He quickly righted her and said with a small laugh in his voice, "Oh, you're just not used to it. Your shoes don't help?" She shook her head no and Link picked her up and led her to a bench. He couldn't help but notice how curvy she was...
Ghirhaim trailed behind them and blew his hair out of his face. He picked at his nails and sighed again, hoping Link would give him some attention. He was a Demond Lord- The Demon Lord- and needed to be acknowledged! Link ignored him and leaned back against the bench that faced the bazaar. "Are you okay, Fi?" Link asked quietly.
Fi stared straight ahead and nodded once, "Yes, Master. I am fine. Why do you ask?" Link tried to smile, but failed. He grabbed one of her hands. "What," he started, and had to force himself to finish. "What's it like in there? Is it scary?" Fi awkwardly wrapped her fingers back into Link's, and he used his other hand to straighten her blue fingers. "It is quiet, Master. When I am not... visiting, I am asleep. Like a human." A small smile graced her mouth and she blinked, her wide eyes unusually bright. "Human..." she said.
Ghirahim rolled his eyes and huffed, "Yes, yes, we know she feels like a human now, thank you Hylia, blah, blah, blah. Can we go home now, Link?" Link didn't pay attention to Ghirahim, which upset him further. He huffed and paced while Link and Fi talked. Fi told Link, who eagerly listened, about the things she could feel and hear and smell, and when she mentioned smell, Link stopped her. "Fi! We've got to go see Piper! She has the best soup ever!" He stood up and held his hand out. She braced her hands on the bench and pushed herself up, then grabbed Link's hand.
"I am sorry to be such a burden, Master-" Link sliced the air, ending her sentence. He said fiercely, "You are not a burden, Fi. I love you, and you are not a burden."
Ghirahim froze at the word 'love' when it was coming from Link and not addressed to him. He knew it. He knew the boy didn't love him. He was playing with him and had lied when he said he loved him. Well, Ghirahim could play that way, too. He decided he did not want Link's attention anymore. He trailed silently behind them and sat opposite form Link, not next to him, when they finally made it to Piper's cafe.
Link ordered for all three of them, and Ghirahim felt surprised when he realized Link actually remembered him. Link took a spoon, filled it with soup, and held it in front of Fi's mouth, and Ghirahim scowled. Link had never fed him like that. Fi opened her mouth and Link pushed the spoon in, and she swallowed. She waited for a moment, coughed a little, and then choked out, "It's good... and... hot." Link laughed and dipped his spoon in again, and fed Fi. Ghirahim did not eat anything.
Link could not convince Fi to go on his Loftwing this time, and for that Ghirahim was grateful- he knew it would be extremely awkward being the third wheel, and that's exactly what he felt like- but she promised she'd go next time. Ghirahim was still angry that Link had said 'I love you' to Fi but not him. He'd said it once, but Ghirahim would say it a thousand times if he knew the boy meant it back. Ghirahim tried not to be jealous because he knew the visit was almost over, as the sun was setting, so he did not complain as Link took her to his room in the academy to meet Hylia, who would take Fi back to the Sealed Grounds. By the time Link opened the front door to the academy, Fi was panting.
"I'm... feeling something new, Master... I think it's called... fatigue." She leaned over slightly, her delicate arms emerging form under her shawl to hang by her sides. Link put one hand on her shoulder and the other around her and led her to his room. He sat her down in the bed and she flopped back. Ghirahim leaned against the doorframe as Link flopped back down next to Fi, who tipped her head to the side.
"Do not look so sad, Master Link," she said. Her normally monotone voice sounded upset. "I'll come back next month." Neither of them talked for a moment, as they laid there next to each other, staring. Ghirahim felt he was about to come to his wit's end when they clasped hands, and Link's pointed ear twitched. "I hear Zelda," he whispered. He sat up and pulled Fi up with him. He looked at her sadly. "I'll miss you, Fi." Zelda knocked at the door and then peeked in. She smiled sadly and then said, "Fi?"
She walked, on her own, though she stumbled a bit, to the door and stopped. She looked up at Ghirahim, who was picking at his perfectly rounded nails, and smiled. It was a small smile that just barely tugged at the corners of her blue lips, but she smiled. Ghirahim stared at her coldly. She did not recognize the emotion. She turned around to Link standing behind her. They faced each other awkwardly and Link leaned forward and pecked Fi's cheek. She smiled, bigger than she had for Ghirahim, and then turned around and walked out of the room with Zelda.
The door closed with a note of finality, like Link would never see Fi again, and he leaned his head against it. Ghirahim ghosted over to the bed and sat on it, then laid back on his elbows, still picking at his nails.
"You don't love me."
Link sighed and turned around. He kept his head on the wooden door and slid onto the floor, then sighed, "What?" Ghirahim said it again, coldly, "You don't love me. You lied." Link sighed again and turned his head toward the window where Zelda was walking with Fi. He didn't want to see them disappear in a golden flash. "Even now," Ghirahim said, whipping his head toward the window, "you can't look at me. You love her more than me. It's fine. But I don't appreciate being led on, Link." He looked back at Link, who was smirking. Ghirahim said in disbelief, "You think this is funny?"
Link chuckled again, then blinked tiredly. He said simply, "You're jealous." Ghirahim's mouth popped open in shock. "What?" he asked quietly. Furious. Link said it again, with more vigor. "Jealous!" Ghirahim jumped up off the bed and in a flash was leaning over Link, is white hair tipping forward. "I'm not jealous," Ghirahim whispered. He would've looked terrifying to anyone else, but Link knew he wouldn't hurt him. He faced him, unafraid, and then smiled. Ghirahim snarled, "Stop it. Stop that. I'm not jealous of that dumb blue girl." He spun on his heel and walked back toward the bed, fuming.
Link laughed again and stood up off the floor, walking toward Ghirahim. He kept his back to Link even when Link used his index finger to trace his name into the back of Ghirahim's neck. He could feel him shivering. He huffed through his nose and then turned around. Link saw he was on the verge of tears.
"Did you mean it, when you said you loved me the first time?" Ghirahim whispered. His lip was twitching like he wanted to cry. Link squinted. "Yes. Of course. Why would you say that?" Ghirahim looked down. "You ignored me all day today. You said you loved Fi, but you didn't tell me you loved me once today. Why?"
Link sighed and looked toward the window. "It's just... I miss Fi. She was always with me whenever I needed her." Ghirahim recoiled in the slightest, then mumbled, "I'll always be here for you." Link nodded. "I know." They stood there, quiet, for a while, and then Link stood up on his tiptoes. He pressed his nose against Ghirahim's, who smiled tiredly. "She won't be back for another month," Link whispered. Ghirahim's smile turned into a full-blown grin when he said this. He wrapped his arms around him and Link closed his eyes. Ghirahim lightly kissed him. "I love you Link," he whispered against his mouth. "I love you, too," Link whispered back.
They stood, by the edge of his bed, kissing. Eventually Ghirahim's cloak fell to the floor and Link's hat was thrown in the corner. Just as Ghirahim leaned back for a breath, someone knocked at the door. Ghirahim cussed, not worried about who was on the other side, and Link rushed to put his hat on. Gaepora stood in the doorway, and gave a polite wave to Ghirahim, who was straightening his hair. "Hey," Link said, his voice shaking. Ghirahim was pleased to see his knees trembling.
"Link," Gaepora said. "How are you?" Link nodded and smiled, knowing he couldn't force anymore words out. Gaepora smiled and continued, "Good to hear it. Anyway, you know we have a training session tomorrow, and all the townspeople will be there." He warily eyed a smudge of dirt on Link's neck and said, "We don't want you looking dirty for the town- you are our hero. The bath is open, you've got twenty minutes. You'd best get in there." Gaepora nodded and then turned and left to give the same message to the other kids.
Link closed his door and sighed, facing Ghirahim. He was standing there with Link's bag of toiletries, smiling. It wasn't angry or anyting negative, just a nice smile that put little crinkles in the corner of his eyes. He handed Link the bag and then took three steps forward. He whispered in Link's ear, "Hurry."
Link hurried.
He was in and out of the bath and in his nightclothes, just a pair of tan shorts and a white tank top, and back in his room in ten minutes. He said a quick 'goodnight' to anyone who happened to be in the hallway and then shut the door tightly behind him. "Ghira-" Link saw that Ghirahim was laying flat on his back on Link's bed, asleep. His chest expanded with each breath he took, and Link slumped. He put the bag back in his cupboard and crept toward the bed. Ghirahim had claimed the spot on the outside, so Link stood on his toes and lifted a foot over Ghirahim, getting ready to take a step. In an instant Ghirahim's eyes flew opened, he yelled "Ha!" and locked his slim fingers around Link's ankle. Link didn't have time to yell before he was on his side next to Ghirahim in the bed. Ghirahim smiled and then covered Link up, then closed his eyes like nothing had happened. Link got his heart to slow down to a normal rate only to have it speed up again when Ghirahim kissed him. "It is okay if I stay here tonight, right?" Ghirahim asked in a whisper. Link nodded, his mouth open, when Ghirahim kissed him again, deeper this time.
Ghirahim told Link how much he loved him and Link did the same and then they kissed more. The room was silent except for the occasional sigh, and it stayed that way for about an hour. Then Link realized he had a training session in front of the entire town the next day and regreatfully decided he needed some sleep. Ghirahim gave him one more kiss and then tucked the blankets around Link's chin, and fell asleep with his head on Link's shoulder.
Alrighty! I hope that is okay! I worked for a while on this, plus I started a Hunger Games fic. I'll be alternating on this, Safe, and the Hunger Games thing, so... probably less updates. Sorry. :( I've also got PSSA's coming up. (That's Pennsylvania State Student Asessments... Ick.) Lots of studying coming up! Lol. I hope this chapter was good, review and let me know! Much love!
~Paige