Idea from Imagination that! Sorry... I've had this idea from you for a while, but I just kept changing stuff and never got around to posting it. I still think it isn't good enough, but it probably will never meet my standards. Oh well.

Enjoy!

"Say it, Sheik." Said Sheikah scowled at the blond poking his shoulder repeatedly. "Come on. You know it's true."

"Poke me one more time, Link. I fucking swear-"

Link grinned and stepped back as Sheik spun, his fist would have surely hit Link in the face had he not moved. "I'll stop bothering you when you say it."

"You want me to lie to you."

"No."

Irritated, Sheik turned to walk away from the dumb-arse Hylian he calls a friend. "Then I'm not going to say it."

"But it isn't a lie." Hot breath landed on the Sheikah's neck with Link's next words. "You love me."

Completely pissed, Sheik shoved Link away from himself. "Get off me, you goddess damned son of a Hylian bitch!"

"Why would you get so upset if it wasn't true, Sheik?"

"Because some people don't like to be accused of that kind of shit!" If the Hylians were to find out...

"Language, Sheik."

"Fuck off!"

"Not until you admit that you hold affection for me."

"I hold something for you, that's correction. But it sure as hell isn't love."

"Sheik-"

"Dammit, Link!" With a quick shove, Link was being pushed back into a wall, Sheik's chest pressed against his as the slightly younger man hissed. "Stop touching me! I don't like it. I don't like you. I don't like this fucking little town full of gods-damned fucks that couldn't give a fuck about anyone but themselves! Including you!"

"Hey-"

"No! You listen to me, you selfish arse-hole. You only want to knock your childhood friend off your lists of people you haven't slept with. I get it. Really. It's fun. A challenge enough for Link Courest, descendant of fucking heroes!" In what could be called a flourish, Sheik stepped back and threw his arms out before pointing at Link. "But I'm not a gullible piece of trash like everyone else in this shit hole. I'm not called a Sheikah for no reason. I can see past your deceit and your lies. I can see that you want to stake your claim on me and I fucking hate it!"

"Where do you get off, Sheik?!" The red-eyed boy backed up in surprise at Link's anger as the blond stalked forward and closed the small distance. "You think I don't see the shit you've done. I've seen you lie, cheat, steal. Your sorry arse has been bailed out by me too many times."

"And what has that gotten me! Nothing! What did I really have to lose? God-damned nothing! A Sheikah can't make it in a world full of hypocrites and fools like you!"

They both stiffened at the loud smack. Link gulped. "Sheik, you know I didn't mean it."

Tears threatened to break free, but Sheik contained them. "You think I don't know how worthless I am. You think for one fucking moment that I ever thought I was good enough. I know my place in this world."

He swallowed as the dam holding the flood broke. Link flinched at the amount of betrayal in those shining rubies. "And it seems you know yours."

"Wait, Sheik."

"Don't."

He choked as tears fell like rain, but refused to wipe them away. Sheik wasn't going to acknowledge them and they would go away in time.

Link stared down at his hands, slowly curling them into fist and releasing. What have I done?

The painting above his head thudded against the wall over and over as Sheik hit his head against it. There was no way one person should be able to cry this much. Surely, he could fill Gerudo Valley by now.

"Sheik, please pick up. I know you're home. I can see your light on."

One.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

Four.

"Forgive me, please."

Ten.

"Gods, I've been a fool. Please don't do this."

Twelve.

"Don't ignore me, Sheik. I beg of you, don't shut me out."

Seventeen.

"Tell me what to do and I'll do it a thousand times."

Twenty-six.

"I love you, you know."

Sheik had long ago lost count of how many voice mails were left on his phone. There were enough that they had started deleting themselves, because he couldn't bring himself to do that on his own. Link was his best friend, dammit. They should have been close until the day they died. But Link had begun the game of getting Sheik to fall in love with him. The red-eyed male wasn't sure it hadn't worked, but he would be damned to admit it. Sheik wouldn't give in, but he could hear how his actions were breaking him. Damn the gods for giving me this stubborn will.

"Get back!"

"No civilians!"

"Link, no!"

The fire was roaring as he rushed in. The frightened cries had been too much.

A week. It had been an entire week since the argument. Who knows how many more they would have like this, if the friendship survived, or had already had. Neither kept count.

It was like fire and ice. Link was the roaring flame constantly bringing warmth to Sheik's life, only to hurt himself and the Sheikah when he got too close. And Sheik was the ever growing block of ice. Contact with Link sent cracks through his exterior for a time, not ever truly healing, and forced Link to go cold until he was away from him. It was never meant to be.

Never mind the race issue. It was greatly looked down upon for a Hylian to be with a Sheikah. And for his people... You were lucky if no one, including fellow Sheikah, beat you within an inch of your life. The tongue lashing he had gotten when Link first showed up at his run-down house was harsh to say the least. The beating afterwards was even worse. That was the day his aunt instilled the fear of Hylians into him. She told him that the pain from her was nothing compared to them.

And she was right. But he learned that years later.

Run away with me, Link had said one day. Sheik couldn't have been more than fifteen then. If only they had escaped together. Away from this town full of bastard people and their strict ways. Would things have worked out between them then? Perhaps. Or maybe it would have been worse. Link could have found another to confide in. The time they shared... Things they'd done together... The laughs... Smiles...

His resolve was breaking, but it would only end up like this again with time. Link just wasn't something he could have and it would hold him back to be with Sheik. He didn't want those hatred-fueled glares directed at the single ray of sunshine in his life.

The phone went off once more and he was about to ignore it, but a different name popped up on the screen. Odd... Isn't that...?

It rang for the last time and Sheik finally hit the button. "Hello?"

"Holy mother of the skies! Thank the gods you picked up."

"I don't have time for-"

"Shut up, dammit!" His eyes widened. Since when did Link's sister curse. "You will get your sorry arse to the hospital right now, Sheik Shadiah, or I swear I will castrate you!"

"Zel-"

"No, Sheik! I'm serious! He could die!"

His heart skipped a beat. "Who?"

"Link, you moron! Why else would I call you?! Now hurry up, please!"

"It's that bad?"

"He might not make it."

Eyes hardened, Sheik grabbed his keys from the side table of his bed. "I'm on my way."

Sheik...

"He's losing too much blood."

I...

'Everything is so fuzzy.'

Why was I so blind?

"Then go get more."

How...

'Did I save those people?'

I know...

"We've run out."

I hurt you...

'What is that light?

But I...

"Search the whole damn hospital if you have to!"

Never would I have...

'It feels so good."

You should know...

"Come to me, my chosen."

I love you...

Ending 1: (Sad)

I screamed and clawed and cried and screamed some more. I screamed until one of the nurses got out a syringe and Link's family held me down as she plunged it into my arm. It couldn't be. It couldn't. He wasn't... But he was. They let me see him. But he couldn't have been... Yet he is. I know it. And I still deny.

He couldn't... Shouldn't...

My throat was raw and blood was mingling with my spit. How could someone so full of life and happiness, love and kindness, be so cold. He didn't deserve to be this cold. The Three were wrong to take him. It should have been me. Not him. I'm the worthless one. And he is a prized jewel.

I clutched his hand to my chest and sobbed. "I'm sorry, Link. I'm so sorry. I never told you. I shouldn't have denied. I love you. Please, come back to me. I love you. I love you so much. You're my everything. Please."

But I knew he would never hear me.

Ending 2: (Happy)

The doors burst open and a ragged Sheik suddenly had all eyes on him.

A golden-haired woman stood up and walked over to take him into her arms. Tears were in her eyes and he feared the worst until she smiled. "He's going to pull through. They were able to stop the bleeding, but... the doctor thinks he won't be able to see anymore. There was damage..."

Sheik nodded, silently telling Zelda she didn't have to finish. "He'll be fine. Link won't let let that stop him and he will find new ways to annoy the shit out of us in no time."

She weakly laughed.

The Sheikah was numb as his adrenaline ran out and let Zelda guide him to a chair.

And they waited.

Seconds... Minutes... Hours...

Most of the people were gone. It was just Zelda, Link and Zelda's father, and himself left. The doctor came back in to tell them Link was coherent. Sheik wasn't allowed back because he isn't family. Zelda promised to tell Link he was here the whole time.

There was a commotion down the hall and the Sheikah could hear Link's father start to yell until the doctor's voice rose as well. Nothing could be made out through the door, but then it opened and his best friend's dad stormed out of the room, Zelda right on his heels. He threw a glare Sheik's way before heading towards the cafeteria. Link's sister just looked confused.

A small, green-haired nurse exited the room and Sheik relaxed at her smile. She was like a calm summer breeze on a warm day. "Mr. Shadiah?"

Sheik nodded and allowed the woman to lead him to the room. She dipped her head before closing the door behind him. He guessed she had somewhere else to be.

"My apologize, sir. I had no idea you were engaged to the Mr. Courest or I would have let you in right away." Rubies widened for a moment before picking up on what Link had done.

The red-eyed male shrugged. "I hold no grudge, doctor. But could I... Have a moment with him?"

"Of course. You know what to do if his condition should worsen." The older man smiled as Sheik went to Link's side. It was nice to see such strong, young love.

"Sheik." Link croaked as his hand came up to where he must have thought Sheik was.

He quickly captured the tan hand and brought it to his chest. "Link." Sheik hiccuped as tears fell anew from his eyes.

"Don't cry."

"I was such a fool... such a fool." He breathed in deeply and clenched Link's hand harder.

"Shush. Please. This was not your fault."

"But if I hadn't avoided you-"

"Then the people I saved today would be dead."

"But you almost died, Link!"

"And still here I am."

"How could you do this to me? I thought you loved me, Link. How could you betray my trust in you by risking your life?"

"I did what was right."

"You would choose what is right over me?"

"Sheik-"

"Answer me, please."

"I... I don't know."

"You can't not know, Link." Sheik clenched his jaw, knowing that what he was about to ask was selfish but needing to know anyways. "If you knew you would die and that I loved you, would you do it all over again? Would you put me through the pain of your death?"

"As much as I love you, Sheik, I could not avoid the situation. Those people would have died."

"And they mean more to you than I do?!"

"That is not what I said."

"It may as well have been."

"Sheik?"

"I was terrified, Link. I thought I'd lost you. I thought I would never get to tell you that I... love you." He wiped furiously at the tears stubbornly flowing. "I love you, Link, and it took me years... Hell, your almost death... to realize that I don't care what anyone thinks. Let them come and break me. I'll run to you each and every time."

"And I will catch you time after time."

This one really pulls at my heartstrings. Anyone else? No... Just me. Hmm...

Bye!

~Shorty