Now I'm sure you're wondering, "Hey, Justan, what's this? Aren't you supposed to be working on Shattering the Stars?" Yes, I am, but I had a really cute idea involving Link and Romani, and with a friend allowing me to use her artwork as a cover, I figured, why not?

So this story takes place in between The Fierce God Given Life and A Terminian and the Twilight of Danger, showing Link adjusting more to his new life away from all the fighting. This is purely a little passion project, and I assure you, Shattering the Stars is still being worked on! Besides, I'm experimenting with a slightly different writing style. Anyways, please enjoy!
-Joost

Life In Termina
Chapter 1: No Rest for the Living

The lobby of the Stock Pot Inn was completely still, not a soul in sight. It was one of those rare days that the Inn was closed, and fortunately, it lined up perfectly with a certain event that transpired just a day ago. The Battle of Ikana Canyon. There, a boy in green and his friends had managed to finally best that horrid, robed tyrant known as The Garo Master. However, now, he felt like he had been born again, a new dawn shining down on his tired soul.

"I'm gonna get you!" A woman's voice echoed through the stairwell. The sound came from the room on the top floor known as the 'Knife Chamber', the door wide open. A fit of giggles came from both her voice and two others, both boys. Together, all three of their voices rang out in a familial harmony.

"AH! No, please!" Link almost squealed, trying to resist the urge to burst out into laughter at the sensation of being tickled. Anju was covering his left side, Kafei his right, and he was rendered more helpless than he had been against any foe.

"Nope, you know how much we love that laugh," Kafei smirked as he poked and prodded Link's hips, that being the most sensitive part of his body. The twelve-year-old's resolve to power through the tickle attack finally shattered, and he chuckled heartily.

"There we go," Anju sat up on Link's bed, smiling, "Now was that so hard, honey?"

"N-No…" Link said slowly, catching his breath.

Then there was a small knock, faint, but still audible. Link's face lit up as he realized who it must be. Quickly he hopped off his bed and bolted out the room. Anju and Kafei could hear him practically running down the stairs to get to the lobby. The two parents just looked at each other and chuckled, Link's eagerness meaning only one thing.

"Grasshopper!" A heavenly sound called out as soon as the front door to the Inn opened. Before Link stood one of his closest friends, Romani, alongside her older sister, Cremia. A wave of warmth enveloped his heart as he watched her enter, smiling at him, her crystal blue eyes sparkling.

"R-Romani!" Link said bashfully. Cremia stifled her own laughter, knowing exactly how Link felt every time he saw Romani. It was no secret that they were more than friends, those two tweens.

"How are you? Are you doing well? You didn't send a letter last night!" Romani was so used to getting Link's letters every night, and she always made sure to write so that he'd get one from her the next morning.

"Y-Yeah, sorry about that, I was just… really tired," Link rubbed the back of his neck and sat down on the green bench that faced the lobby's reception desk. Romani plopped herself right next to him, scooting close.

"No worries! Romani was pretty tired too…" Romani hated to admit that she was exhausted, but it was true for everyone. Her, Link, Jim, Skull Kid, and the Clock Town Guard, all suffered a few, or in some cases, large wounds after the battle with the Garo. "But she wasn't going to forget our sleepover we planned!"

"Now make sure you get to bed on time, alright, young lady?" Cremia wasn't fond of the whole prospect of battling the Garo, but Romani was persistent. They had made a deal, the ranch sisters, and it was up to Romani to follow her sisters orders for the next month.

"YES, Sister…" Stubbornness was easily detected in Romani's expression, but she kicked her feet absentmindedly and tried not to think about it. While she was young, she made sure to follow her sister's requests. Cremia was her only family, after all. As independent as Romani wanted to be, and already was, she respected her sister and adored her more than anything.

A few footsteps were heard coming down the stairs, and finally the red-headed innkeeper and the purple-haired Kafei made their appearance for the ranch sisters. Smiles were exchanged as Cremia, Anju, and Kafei greeted each other.

"So, does Romani have everything she needs for the night?" Kafei asked, looking at the wicker basket in Cremia's arms. Its lid was slightly open, a few loose threads of a blanket peeking out.

"Yes, it's all here. Fresh change of clothes, two blankets, and a book for Link to read to her," Cremia looked over at her little sister once she mentioned the book. Romani swung her head around to glare at Cremia, her face totally flushed with a shade of red comparable to her own hair.

"Sister!" Romani cried, "D-Don't just…! Uhm…" Cremia couldn't help but laugh. It was Romani's idea to bring along a book. She often remembered when she and Link read books together in his room, on the day when Link first found out about the Garo. She remembered it for several reasons, like how she and Link crashed into and fell on each other while she was pushing open the Inn door as he was pulling it, or when they went out into the north side of Clock Town and formally met Jim, and she became a member of the Bombers. But besides joining the Secret Bombers Society of Justice, she always thought about when Link read off the words of a map of Termina, an atlas, and even a dictionary.

"You want me… to read you a book?" Link tilted his head, looking almost like Romani's puppy when confused. The little ranch girl stuttered, trying to explain herself. She couldn't recall most of the contents he had read that day, but only his voice. How confidently he talked while reading off the words and even adding his own details just mesmerized her. It was so unlike his normal voice.

"W-Well, uh…" Romani mumbled, twiddling her fingers, averting her eyes. It was rare for her to become the shy one, as Link's own humble personality made him the meek one. "Y-Yes, Grasshopper…"

"Alright!" Link said cheerily, thinking nothing of it.

"Aww…" Anju and Kafei cooed. They always found how obviously the two kids held affection for one another adorable.

"Well, I think that's everything. I expect her to be back home tomorrow morning, alright, Link?" Cremia bent down towards Link and Romani, eyeing them sternly. A part of her wanted to see just how responsible the boy in green was.

"Yes, Ms. Cremia!" Link said, smiling. Cremia removed her serious stare and softened. Link's albeit simple response satisfied her, and she gave a knowing look to Anju and Kafei. She would need to commend them later for having raised Link so well, even though he had only been in their care for a couple of months.

"Alright then, it seems like I'm off," Cremia glanced at the clock, seeing that it was almost about to strike four. "Goodbye Anju, goodbye Kafei," She shook the innkeepers hands and turned to leave. "Oh, and I'll send you a letter later tonight!"

"We'll be on the lookout!" Anju replied, waving her friend away.

Right as Cremia opened the front door to the Inn, a boy screeched to a halt from the corner, turning and racing towards her. The ranch owner froze, at first inspecting the boy before she nearly tripped, trying to get out of the way.

"Oop! 'Scuse me!"

"Huh?!" Cremia stepped back, bumping into the door as the boy zoomed through. It was Jim, the little boy with the distinct, red bandana and a ginger comma of hair curled on his forehead. He, along with Link, Romani, that Skull Kid fellow, and a bunch of other boys had helped to fix her cart some time ago, after a squad of Garo had stolen its wheels.

"Hey! Sorry I'm late!" Jim panted as he leaned against the edge of the reception desk, trying to look suave in front of his friends. Link, Romani, Anju, and Kafei looked worriedly at Cremia as she steadied herself. After a slightly mean glare at Jim, she left with a huff, Anju mouthing 'sorry'.

As it would turn out, Jim had been invited to the sleepover, which Link planned to hold in the room Tatl, Tael, and Skull Kid were staying in. He figured it was the least he could do to repay his closest friends for helping him take down the Garo. He knew it was no small task, as they were risking their own lives for him, so he wanted to do something he had never done before, even if it was a sleepover. In fact, aside from Link staying over at Romani Ranch just twice, this was his first proper sleepover, and he was the host.

"Is that everyone, kiddo?" Kafei asked Link, carefully examining each of their guests.

"Uh…" Link also looked around. Romani and Jim were here, Skull Kid was in the other room upstairs, and so were Tatl and Tael. "Yep, it is!"

"Alright, good. Now, you can go upstairs and set everything up, okay sweetie?" Anju spoke punctually, knowing that the kids would want to settle down for a little while before she would start making dinner.

"Okay, mom," Link gestured for the others to follow him.

"Say, Link? Where's Skull Kid?" Jim asked, noticing a significant lack of their fourth number. Skull Kid, after having rejoined the Bombers just about two months ago, helped make the trio of Link, Romani, and Jim an inseparable quartet.

"He's up here," Link said as he made it up the stairs, "He's been resting all day." All the fighting from the day before tired the imp out, even more than Link himself, ironically. Both he and the fairies had been getting their beauty sleep for hours, but the hero in green didn't blame them one bit.

"Ah, gotcha," Jim smiled as he followed Link and Romani down the hall.

Once Link reached the door where Skull Kid and the fairies resided, he opened it slowly. Right away, the trademark sounds of Tatl ringing were heard. She and her brother, Tael, flew straight to the door to see their visitors. Upon seeing Link, Romani, and Jim, the glow from both the fairy siblings grew stronger.

"Hey Tatl! Hey Ta-" Link began to say.

"Shhh, Link!" Tatl interrupted, whispering harshly. She and Tael peered back at Skull Kid, who only stirred in his sleep. "Ugh, phew…" The fairies eased up, keeping their voices to a whisper. "He was barely able to sleep last night, and he finally just passed out like two hours ago."

"What's wrong with him?" Jim asked, peeking over Link's shoulder to see his colorfully dressed friend. It wasn't like Skull Kid to be under the weather. If fact, come to think of it, he rarely got sick.

"We don't really know, he just… wasn't able to sleep. It was really strange," Tael sounded glum as he explained what he and his sister knew. "Maybe it'd be best if we weren't to wake him- huh? Hey, wait!"

Jim trotted over to Skull Kid's bunk and poked him in the side.

"WAH! H-Hey! That tic- ow!" Skull Kid shot up and bonked his head on the bottom of the top bunk, falling back down onto the pillow. "Ouch… That kind of smarts," The imp rubbed his head and got his bearings. "Oh, hey guys! What're you doing here?"

"We're here for the sleepover, remember?" Jim said proudly while the others thought it was inconsiderate for him to just wake Skull Kid like that. However, it seemed like the imp was just fine, all except for the new sore spot on his forehead.

"Oh right! I almost forgot!" Skull Kid threw his blanket off and left the bunk, grabbing his staff and putting on the orangish-yellow mask Link had carved for him a while back. Now the team was complete, even if the fairies thought Skull Kid still needed some rest. "Alright, what are we doing first?"

"Mrs. Anju told us to set up here first, right Grasshopper?" Romani turned and smiled wide at Link, and he returned the expression.

The wicker basket in hand, Link set it on the floor and opened it, where he and Romani took all the supplies out and spread them out. One of the blankets inside was bigger than the other, just the right size to be both comfy enough and big enough to sit on for all of them. Over the course of an hour, the group gathered the pillows and blanket from the other bedroom to further expand their spot, scooted the large table back into the corner so it wasn't in the way, and used Skull Kid's staff and some of Link's gear to prop up one of the blankets to have a makeshift roof over their heads.

As the kids worked, Anju and Kafei were downstairs, prepping for dinner. Every few minutes they heard their surrogate son, and his friends work to set up for their sleepover. Grins were ever-present on their faces as they heated up the oven and chopped vegetables, knowing that the boy they had adopted was finally having a normal life. After he had come home covered in wounds the day before, he was almost a totally different person, but that wasn't a bad thing. They were glad that they were getting to see the more easygoing side of himself.

When it was only ten minutes to six, Kafei went to the foot of the stairs and hollered, "Hey everyone, dinner's ready!"

"Here, Grasshopper, Romani read about this in a book!" Romani held her fork of steamed carrots out, "Open up!" But Link wasn't prepared to receive the food, accidentally poking his cheek instead.

"Oh, s-sorry, Romani…" Link blushed before he opened his mouth, letting Romani put the fork in properly. Anju and Kafei giggled at how adorable the little couple was being, while the others just rolled their eyes dramatically. "Want me to do that too?" Link held up his spoon of soup. "For… For you?"

"Sure, Grasshopper!" On the inside, Romani was positively joyous. She had read about couples sharing food so many times, it had become something of a dream for her to do it herself.

Jim made a gagging face, leading to Skull Kid and the fairies to chuckle. Link and Romani were their friends, but sometimes even their unending affection grew tiresome, at least to them. The hero and the ranch girl paid them no mind, too affixed on each other to really care if they were annoyed. For his age, Romani found Link's eyes laden with knowledge granted from years of experience in many fields, while Link saw so much curiosity and compassion in Romani's, an amount he had never thought possible.

After dinner, Anju and Kafei bid the kids goodnight and retired to their room, but not without explaining that they should all head to bed soon as well. While walking up the stairs, Jim and Skull Kid joked about the food, Tatl and Tael's wings fluttered a little tiredly, and Link and Romani held hands. Peculiarly though, Link's grip was a bit tight, which the ranch girl noticed. She glanced at Link and inspected his face. He seemed fine.

"Is Grasshopper okay?" Romani felt the need to ask.

"Hm? Yeah, why?" Link replied innocently.

"Romani's just making sure!"

Link just smiled. Once the squad got to the bedroom, they were met with a layer of shadow. Striking a match, Link lit the candle and set it on the floor, right in the middle of the blanket which the group sat down on. Of course, the responsible boy he was placed a dish below the candle so that it would keep steady.

"So like… We aren't actually going to be going to bed just yet, right?" Jim looked inquisitively at his friends.

"Bah! Of course not!" Tatl chirped snarkily, "We're going to be telling…" She flew down to the candle and dimmed her own natural light. Then she lowered her voice and struck a threatening pose, the silhouette of her shadow projecting onto the blanket strung up behind her, "Scary stories!"

Skull Kid and Tael gulped.

"Well, actually, Tatl," Link began, "Romani brought a book for me to read. I thought that might be fun…" The boy reached over onto the adjacent bunk and grabbed the book that used to be in the basket.

"What?!" Tatl accidentally yelled. Tael zipped over and covered his sister's mouth, hoping nobody heard her. "Sorry, but… But I wanted to do…"

"We can do scary stories another time, Tatl, don't worry," Link promised.

"Besides, it's hardly the season for spookiness, right guys?" Jim got a couple of nods from his friends. It was only summer, after all, so it felt somewhat inappropriate for scary stories on a calm night like this.

"Come on, Grasshopper!" Romani's eagerness was unmatched, "Start the story!"

"Alright," Link said, taking the book and examining the cover. It presented a faint engraving along the leather front, shaped in the image of a knight and a horse, the steed standing behind them, head down. "'Our Knight's Silent Requiem'" Link cleared his throat and then read the title aloud before opening the book up. It wasn't a very thick novel, and some pages had illustrations, but the others still gathered around as Link set the book in his lap and started to read.

Enchantment poured from Link's voice as he read the story. It told of a knight from a distant land, stuck down in battle and forever cursed to wander the land he protected, watching over the ones who still held onto his memory. Over time, however, his form became shaded, muddled, and cracks started to form. As the years went on, the ones who remembered him from life slowly passed away, and the new generations grew with a warped image of who the knight once was. Unfortunately, the knight was forced to take on that mangled form.

That was except for one boy who had been born, many, many years after the last remnants of the knight's true presence departed from that thinning string. The boy was exceptional and gifted with talents on par with the deceased warrior. He strived to be what he knew to be true justice, and yet he knew nothing of the knight he so embodied. Not a lick of knowledge of who the knight was had been given to him.

One day, that boy unwittingly walked down the very same path where the knight fell, and suddenly, the defeated warrior appeared before him. Yet in this instance, the knight didn't take on the twisted shape forced upon him by his dwindling impact. Instead, he appeared just as he was in life, his glory intact.

"Thank you," Link said, quoting the hero. Romani was completely entranced by the tale and how Link conveyed it. A slight hint of emotion in his voice could be sensed as he both read and processed the story.

The tale ended with the knight being able to move on peacefully, the boy taking up his mantle and spreading the untainted word of the knight to all he could. Parts of it resonated with each of the listers and even the reader as Link finished.

"That was amazing!" Romani was sprawled out on the blanket, laying on her stomach and kicking her feet up behind her. "Romani's so glad she brought that one! Wasn't Grasshopper's voice just so… awesome?"

"It was pretty cool," Skull Kid lifted up his mask, wearing a big smile along his beak. "Th-The story, I mean…"

"Agreed. I liked that boy the most, how he helped the knight and stuff," Jim laid back and folded his arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling. A piece of him saw Link in the role of the boy, but strangely, also in the role of the knight.

"Meh, it was alright," Tatl said with her usual disinterest. Tael just elbowed her.

"Well, I think we should go to sleep now," Link guessed it was nearing nine, judging from the darkness just outside the window. The boy crawled over and blew out the candle, letting the room bask in the faint moonlight. He got comfortable on the blanket and had a pillow beneath his head. "Goodnight, everyone."

"Goodnight!" Skull Kid replied.

"'Night!" Jim and Tatl said, one after the other.

"Goodnight, Link," Tael followed.

"Goodnight, Grasshopper," Romani was the last. A bit of silence descended on the group as they got accustomed to the floor, and Romani even scooted her way over to sleep right next to Link. The two looked at each other and blushed, knowing this was the second time they had slept very, very close together. A faint memory returned to Link and Romani of that night at the ranch.

The distant chime of the Clock Tower told Link it was midnight. He still sat wide awake, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep, but he didn't rightly know why. The night prior he slept just fine, and for the whole day he didn't hide anything. Inwardly he asked himself why, why was he awake? His eyelids were heavy, but they just refused to stay closed.

Link could hear his friends snoring and stirring close by. Jim snored the loudest, Skull Kid just rattled occasionally, and Romani appeared to be having some kind of dream.

"Uhm… H-Hey, Romani?" Link leaned over to face the ranch girl. He felt unbelievably guilty for trying to wake her up, but he was desperate for someone to talk to. "Romani?" He whispered again. When he got no response, he tapped her shoulder gently, repeating himself. "Romaniiii…?"

"Hm? Huh?" Romani lifted herself out of her dream and blinked thrice, her vision taking some time to adjust to the darkness. "Oh, Grasshopper! What is it?" The little ranch girl spoke in soft whispers as well.

"I- uh…" Link was embarrassed. "I can't sleep…"

"Oh, Romani's sorry…" She scooted closer, "Is there anything Romani can do to help?" She was so close that they could practically feel each other's breath bouncing off them. Link didn't respond, though, not able to think of a good way that Romani could help. Truthfully, he didn't want to wake her, but now that he did, there was no going back. During Link's silence, an idea popped into Romani's head.

"Want to cuddle?" Romani asked.

"C-Cuddle?" Link was confused, never having heard the word before. He didn't even know that he and Romani had cuddled before, but as tired as he was, it wasn't much of a problem.

"Yeah, Sister always cuddles with Romani when she's feeling down," Romani held her arms out towards Link. "Maybe Grasshopper will feel the same!"

"A-Alright…" Link edged closer to Romani, and her arms wrapped around him.

Instantly, a wave of warmth surrounded the two kids as Romani held Link. The boy nearly melted in the ranch girl's arms, a comforting bliss making all other worries fade away. He sighed, closing his eyes and letting his very close friend give him what he needed. Romani guided Link's head and rested it on her chest, and he was able to hear her heartbeat. Such an act always soothed her whenever Cremia did it, so she guessed it'd work the same for the boy she was excited to call her boyfriend.

For a while the couple lay there, keeping each other company. Link's heart skipped a beat as he thought about how close he and Romani were at that moment, but he didn't dare object to it. He simply rested his eyes and wrapped his own arms around Romani's back, bringing his body closer to hers.

"Is Grasshopper feeling better?" Romani asked, looking down at Link. A minute passed until she got her response, a light snore from the boy's lips. She chuckled softly and carefully lifted his head up, where she kissed him on the forehead, as Cremia often did.

"Goodnight, Grasshopper," Romani said again, slowly drifting off to sleep.