Where the Seas Meet the Sands

by a-salty-tol

While Ganondorf is busy as king of the Gerudo and Linebeck is often out at sea, they hardly manage to find time to spend together- but with the right timing and allowances, find time for a bit of desert exploration.

2. Linebeck

Chapter 2! Here we are.

I'm happy with how this turned out.

Like before, there's some bad language throughout, though this chapter has more blood and violence in it, as well as some mild sexual content.

Enjoy!

---

The hour hand slowly inched towards the one. Linebeck stared blearily at the clock, set into the lid of his compass, as he huddled by the fire, shivering. The moment it became one o'clock, he slammed the compass closed and shook one of Ganondorf's feet. The Gerudo king let out a sleepy grunt, and Linebeck more violently shook his foot until he started to sit up. As Ganondorf rubbed at his eyes, Linebeck stared owlishly at him and said, "It's one."

"...Mhm." Ganondorf let out a long yawn. Linebeck stared at him for a moment longer, then pocketed his compass and turned his gaze to the fire.

Throughout the night, he'd paced the oasis, an arrow nocked in his bow, taking breaks from his lonely patrol to keep the fire going or drink some water. It hadn't taken long for the nighttime chill to seep into his bones, and since starting his watch he had put on both his and Ganondorf's cloaks. Linebeck still shivered as he sat in front of the fire.

Ganondorf finally pulled himself out of the tent. He peered up into the starlit sky for a few moments, then gazed out at the desert. "...Any problems with monsters?"

"No."

"How about the cold?"

"I'm fine."

"Not too bored?"

"I'm fine." Linebeck hugged his knees to his chest.

His chest felt cold inside. Ganondorf peered at him curiously. Linebeck avoided his eyes. He'd unstrung his bow and set it back with his bag, done with his night watch. A few times he had spotted little groups of monsters trudging around the desert, but none of them approached the oasis. The night had been quiet, and it hadn't taken long for Linebeck to start missing the ambient noises of the ocean. There had been little more than the occasional whistling of the wind and the rustling of leaves, but it wasn't enough to calm his mind.

Ganondorf stared at him for a moment, longer, then ducked back into the tent. Linebeck didn't turn his head to watch him, but stared at the horizon. It wasn't uncommon for him to go a whole night without sleep, so he'd initially figured that a few hours of night watch wouldn't be a problem. Clearly, he'd forgotten that on his ship he had things to do. In the desert, he could do nothing more than pace around and watch the campfire.

Well, he could've read some of the books they'd brought or played with pretty much anything in their bags. But that would've required him to take a break from his job of keeping an eye out for monsters, and he couldn't convince himself that he would probably still be safe if he took a break. Ganondorf trusted him to keep them safe until it was his shift, so that was Linebeck's job for the night. He couldn't let him down now that he had a chance, even if the quiet allowed his more unpleasant thoughts to be more easily heard.

He finally turned and watched Ganondorf inside the tent. He was straightening out the blankets and gathering up his bag. Further into the tent, Linebeck spotted the little boar carving, set up next to where the bag had been used as a pillow. He watched Ganondorf consider it for a long moment. Then, Ganondorf picked it up with incredible care and found it a spot in his bag. Linebeck set his chin on his knees and looked away.

"No monsters came by. It was really quiet. I mean, you might not even need to do a second shift." Linebeck peered up at the sky. "Nothing happened."

"A second shift is wise," Ganondorf said. "We cannot be too careful in the middle of the desert. In past expeditions, monsters have been known to boldly attack groups at night."

"We're at an oasis. I thought you said we'd be safe."

"We'd be mostly safe. There are monsters who can use bows, you know."

Linebeck just shrugged. Ganondorf dropped his bag outside the makeshift tent, then sat at the fire next to Linebeck. Neither spoke for a moment.

"Hey."

Ganondorf glanced over at Linebeck. "Yeah?"

"Sorry for snapping at you yesterday. About the, uh, quicksand thing or whatever." Linebeck waved his hand, then reached into his bag. He stared off into the sky. "...I guess it was a bit much. I can handle myself but snapping at you was rude." He found a pack of cigarettes in his bag and offered one to Ganondorf.

"...No thanks," Ganondorf murmured. Linebeck just shrugged and took one for himself. He started to light it as Ganondorf spoke. "You don't need to apologize. I've been around you long enough to understand why that sort of thing might bother you. I was a bit rough pulling you aside, and you're the kind of person that, while enjoying having a protector, doesn't like being treated as stupid. Although, as I had said, you are rather fragile."

Linebeck rolled his eyes and put the cigarette in his mouth, holding it there for a moment before quickly removing it. Smoke exited his mouth as he talked. "Just tell me when you're gonna yank me to the side, I dunno. I'm used to being treated as stupid for mistakes or misunderstandings or lapses in judgment or whatever. I- do have moments of, uh, not thinking very hard or whatever. I get excited about what I guess are simple things and it comes off as stupid to other people, I think." He waved the cigarette around and watched the smoke trail.

"You've been through a lot, huh?" Ganondorf mused, now rather contemplative. "The first few years of my life, I was raised to be king, taught magic and martial skill and weapon usage and politics, writing and reading and history… I didn't have a whole lot of free time; my mothers kept me busy. I had the most time to make friends when I was young, but I was busy with my studies until I was a young teenager. Things were good while I was learning to be king and about the desert. I didn't see outside the desert until I was an adult; Nabooru took me to the top of the canyon, where you can get a glimpse of Hyrule beyond the desert."

Linebeck stared intently at Ganondorf. He recalled his speech from the night before. Ganondorf didn't seem to notice Linebeck's gaze, continuing after a short pause. "I remember that she talked about how beautiful she thought the rest of Hyrule is, but that, at the same time, she's grateful to live in the desert. She- like many of the Gerudo I live with- seem to have no issue living here. But I… I still can't help but feel frustrated when I see the rest of Hyrule. I can't leave the desert much, nor can many of my sisters without trouble."

"You wanna attack the Hylian kingdom 'cuz you'd rather have the rest of Hyrule be easily accessible to the Gerudo?" Linebeck asked. "I mean, yeah, the Hylians are the only ones you border, so you have to deal with them if you want to leave. They make things difficult whenever I try to leave or re-enter the kingdom when I explore. Pain in the ass. They're so fucking anal about protecting their kingdom or whatever. They cause problems for you guys? They aren't supposed to turn anyone away, just keep an eye out for monsters or whatever. It seems like some of them are uppity about keeping the kingdom safe from the other kingdoms, too." He frowned at the horizon, then sighed. "...Bah, not like any of that matters right now. Didn't you say something about bringing some stuff that'll help me sleep?"

"Ah! I had almost forgotten. I'll go get that… I was told that it worked on those with even the most severe insomnia, so this should ensure a restful night for you…" Linebeck just nodded, leaning closer to the fire. Ganondorf shifted away and rummaged through his bag. "I might have to try it for myself. We're meant to steep it in water like it is tea. Thankfully, the water at this oasis should be good to drink."

"We bathed in it yesterday. Just use the stuff we brought. Not worth the risk."

Ganondorf let out a short, nervous chuckle. "Of course, of course. I didn't think of that."

"Bit short on street smarts, eh, Gan? That sheltered, kingly upbringing rearing its head there?" Linebeck shot a catlike grin at a less-than-amused Ganondorf, letting some cigarette smoke leak out between his teeth before he dropped the expression. "Oh, whatever. Just. Steep it. You got something to boil or hold water in?" Ganondorf held up a small pot. "Cool. You have fun setting that up."

Ganondorf just gave a short huff, and Linebeck turned away from him. He busied himself with inspecting his bow, trying to ignore the unpleasant thoughts creeping up on him. In an attempt to silence them, Linebeck cleared his throat and asked without turning, "How did you sleep? You didn't stir or anything."

"I have been told that I'm a heavy sleeper," Ganondorf replied. "I cannot remember if I had any dreams."

"Good thing, I guess." Linebeck counted his arrows. He turned slightly, watching Ganondorf set the pot, now full of water, over the fire. "...You brought a whole little cooking setup, huh?"

"It is a good idea to be prepared when heading out into the desert. Is it similar when heading out to sea?"

"I live on my ship," Linebeck muttered. "When I head out to sea, I'm basically taking an entire kitchen with me, plus the other rooms 'n shit."

"Ah."

The conversation quickly fizzled out, and Linebeck made no effort to rekindle it. He yawned, stretched, and shrugged his coat off, put his bow and arrows back with the rest of his stuff, then returned to the fire and sat next to Ganondorf. Since starting his night shift, he'd put all of his clothes back on along with both cloaks. He pulled Ganondorf's cloak off and handed it off to him. "...Here. I used it 'cuz I got cold."

Ganondorf nodded and accepted it. Neither of them spoke until the water boiled, and Ganondorf tossed a small packet of herbs into it. "You seem unwell."

"I'm not the only one causing this new awkwardness," Linebeck mumbled.

"...I take it your mind wanders unpleasantly at times?" Linebeck just shrugged. "The same thing happens for me at times, but I can only assume that it's not the same as what you may have going on."

Linebeck rolled his eyes, and yawned. "When's this gonna be done?"

"In a few minutes, I would assume. It's tea, we ought to give it a few more minutes to completely steep."

"You make tea often?"

"It's calming." Ganondorf peered into the pot. "It helps me think. After meetings, I like to brew some tea and think as I wait for it to be ready. It forces me to slow down."

Ganondorf reached into his bag and withdrew a small cup after a moment. He held it out to Linebeck, who sighed and smiled faintly. "You're painfully prepared. I keep pegging you as some sheltered king, and half of the time I'm right, and half of the time you prove me wrong with shit like this." Linebeck took the cup, and barely seemed to register Ganondorf wrapping his arm around his shoulders. He stared at the pot, then muttered, "Sometimes you seem better at this stuff than I am."

"We're in a desert," Ganondorf simply replied. He pulled Linebeck closer to him, and the sailor didn't protest as he ended up embraced by Ganondorf, instead just feeling the growing warmth in his cheeks. "The desert is the place I know the best, while the ocean is what you know the best. I'm sure that when you take me out to sea on your ship, I'll be completely helpless as you keep everything running smoothly."

"When." The word fell, hollow, from Linebeck's mouth. He blinked, frowned, then spoke again. "When. When? When." He couldn't stop the grin from forming as he murmured the word one last time. "Oh, yeah. I'll blow your fuckin' mind out there. No way are you going to meet anyone who knows the sea better than I do- I'm going to show you so many different kinds of fish and- and shellfish, and I'll teach you how to fish…" He trailed off and Ganondorf removed the pot from the fire.

Linebeck held out the cup and kept his hands steady while Ganondorf carefully poured the tea. It was a faint orange color, with specks of the herbal mix floating at the surface. The warmth seeped out into his hands, and for a few moments he stared at the tea, transfixed by the warmth and the subtle, pleasant smell, dimly aware of Ganondorf's arm around his shoulders, tugging him gently into his embrace. The cold knot in his chest unraveled slightly when he took a sip.

"...How does it taste?" Ganondorf's question almost didn't register in Linebeck's mind. He just took another sip, the unpleasantness of the past few hours melting away, bit by bit. "The merchant apparently gathered it herself," Ganondorf mused. "I should ask her where she got them."

"I know a bit about plants," Linebeck mumbled. "Maybe I could find them on some islands." He took a long drink, already feeling a bit drowsy. "...Whoa, this stuff sure does work."

"Huh?" Ganondorf gave a low chuckle when Linebeck lethargically elbowed him. He sighed. "You should sleep, then, if you're feeling better."

"Mhm." Linebeck tipped his head back and gazed up at the stars. He looked over at Ganondorf. "Kill any… any bugs that come near me tonight." Ganondorf blinked at him, and then laughed quietly.

Linebeck reached up, hooking his arm around Ganondorf's neck, and deftly kissed him on the cheek. He practically fell back down, Ganondorf steadying him with a dazed look on his face. Linebeck downed the rest of the tea as he withdrew his arm. "I'm going to bed," he mumbled, yawning barely a moment afterwards. Ganondorf accepted the empty cup from him without a word.

A gust of wind gently blew through the oasis. It rustled the leaves on the bushes and trees. A shiver when down Linebeck's spine for a moment. He inched closer to the fire, then said, "I'm taking your cloak with me. To use as a blanket. Or else I'm…" He yawned. "...Or else I'm freezing to death." Ganondorf didn't respond. Linebeck had to wriggle out from under his arm. "Are you awake?"

"...Hm?" Ganondorf blinked, finally moving. "Oh, yes, yes. I hope any dreams you have are pleasant. Take my cloak if you want. I know the magic to keep myself warm."

Linebeck didn't bother getting to his feet; he half crawled, half dragged himself into the tent, taking his bag with him and setting it against the tree trunk. It wasn't a pleasant pillow, but he made it decent by bunching up his cloak and placing it on top. He worked his coat off and left it on the ground next to the bag. Ganondorf's cloak went between him and the ground, and he worked his boots off before wrapping himself in the blankets.

His eyelids were heavy, something he wasn't entirely used to. It was nice. He could hear Ganondorf moving about, and sat up ever so slightly. Ganondorf was tending to the fire, facing away from Linebeck.

Linebeck summoned what energy he had left in him to speak. "...What do you get out of this?"

"Hm?"

"Out of… dating me. What do I do for you? What… What makes me worth it?"

Linebeck braced himself for the usual answers; that Ganondorf just loved him, that he simply cared about him, that it was simply so selfless and unconditional and so… so much like a lie through his teeth, like Linebeck had so often heard from the people who had used him. Ganondorf hesitated, raised a hand to his chin.

Then, he simply replied, "You make me feel free."

…Good enough. Linebeck sighed and collapsed onto the makeshift pillow. The new warmth in his chest remained, and it seemed to grow warmer as he aimlessly mulled over Ganondorf's answer before finally slipping into sleep.

---

The following morning, when he woke, Linebeck stared at the ground. He didn't move. He considered going back to sleep. He felt good, pleasantly warm, and still a bit sleepy. It was dim in the tent. Only a small bit of morning light streamed in from the entrance.

It wasn't as comfortable as waking up on his ship. He much preferred the gentle sway of the ship and the sounds of the waves outside. Linebeck also happened to prefer having an actual bed and pillows, so he eventually lifted his head off of his lumpy pack, wincing at the ache in his neck. He groaned and sat up. At least he felt well-rested.

Linebeck sat up and peered out of the tent. He sat with his legs still under the blankets, his clothes rumpled. He slowly smoothed out some of the wrinkles in his shirt. He could see the oasis waters. Sunlight glittered on the water's surface, and from what he could tell, the leaves of the bushes were just barely rustling. A calm morning, then. While he let himself properly wake up, he listened in to any sounds he could pick up on.

The water, the rustling leaves, some bugs he couldn't name. Linebeck ran a hand through his hair and finally dragged himself out of the tent. The air around him was hot and dry, but he still put his coat and boots back on, peering around the oasis. Ganondorf was nowhere to be seen, but their fire was safely put out.

He was alone at the oasis. Linebeck pulled his compass out from his coat. It was late in the morning, later than he usually woke up. Uneasiness wormed into his mind. The desert beyond the oasis looked empty and peaceful, just a few animals roaming around. Linebeck slid his compass back into his coat and got to work taking the tent down. The canvas was heavier than it looked, and it took him a few minutes to just fold it up.

Linebeck left the folded-up canvas next to Ganondorf's bag, then hesitantly peered into it. There were a pair of notebooks and some old-looking textbooks. In a small pocket was the little boar carving. Linebeck hesitated when he saw it. His hand shook as he reached for it, but he quickly pulled his hand away. He could feel himself blushing slightly, and his heart fluttered as he quietly stared at the statuette he'd made, separate- safe- from the other items that might damage it, easy to reach, treated with genuine care…

Linebeck shut Ganondorf's bag. Behind him, he heard loud rustling. Linebeck whipped around, already reaching back for the knife he kept clipped to his belt. Even if he had his bow, he wouldn't have time to nock an arrow if a monster was coming at him- and Linebeck relaxed when he saw Ganondorf. They both stared at each other for a moment. Ganondorf smiled. "Hey, good morning-"

"Where the fuck did you go?!" The words spilled out a bit too fast for Linebeck to process them, and he flinched inwardly. "I-I… sorry." He relaxed and let his hands drop to his sides. "G-good morning. How- how was your half of the night watch?"

"Peaceful." Ganondorf held up a dead bird, a patch of blackened feathers in its chest suggesting that it was killed with magic. "I found breakfast."

"More bird meat," Linebeck flatly said. "Lots of birds around here?"

"They are not hard for me to find out here," Ganondorf replied with a shrug. "I'll start getting it ready. How did you sleep?"

"Alright." Linebeck straightened up and put his hands in his pockets. "You could've left a note or something."

Ganondorf walked past him and crouched down in front of the remains of their fire. "I had thought that you would sleep for a bit longer. You'd been out for what I will say was about nine hours. You don't seem like you get much sleep, so I figured you would be out for a while, and I wanted you to get all the rest you need."

"...Thanks," Linebeck mumbled. He shuffled over and crouched down next to Ganondorf. He watched Ganondorf carefully pluck the bird, then looked over at Ganondorf himself. His eyes were gold- it was the first thing Linebeck had really ever noticed about him. Hard to remember exactly why they were the first thing, considering that Ganondorf was also easily one of the largest men he'd met and had a fiery red mane of hair (which was, unfortunately, in a ponytail), but, then again, Linebeck was always attracted to gold.

Fantastic foreshadowing, he knew.

Of course, this golden-eyed man also happened to be a king, and Linebeck sat there now feeling a little bit guilty about his motivations behind getting to know Ganondorf. As he sat there now, he looked at the king of the Gerudo and thought of him as his boyfriend, he was certainly extremely happy to hang out with him, but there were still those little, nagging thoughts. Suggesting that this wasn't likely to last, not for him, that he might as well take what he had access to and leave before things inevitably fell apart.

We're not doing this right now.

"Mind if I play with your hair?"

"...What?"

Linebeck felt his face redden. "While you finish… getting that bird ready, could I play with your hair?"

"Oh. Of course, go ahead."

Linebeck's hands shook, and he hesitated a moment. He needed to get his mind off of things, and this wasn't a bad idea; now he just felt embarrassed. Ganondorf was back to plucking the bird- he didn't need to re-start the fire with his magic. He'd given permission. Linebeck shifted closer to him, and Ganondorf briefly glanced at him and smiled. Linebeck felt his cheeks burn more furiously than before.

He ran his fingers through Ganondorf's hair, pulled back in a ponytail. There were a few tangles that his fingers caught on, but Ganondorf's hair was otherwise smooth and well-taken care of. Linebeck couldn't help but be a little envious. Ganondorf's appearance- almost everything about it- was so well taken care of, so meticulously attended to. His hair, his clothing, what little jewelry he wore, his face… Linebeck shivered and reached up with his other hand, hesitating just a short few inches from the ponytail holder.

"You have nice hair."

"I know. Thank you."

Linebeck chuckled. He carefully pinched the ponytail holder and gingerly began to pull it down. He tugged the ponytail holder out of the hair, letting it spread across Ganondorf's broad back, and Linebeck ran his fingers through it again. "...Has anyone ever braided your hair?"

"Some of my sisters did, when I was a child." Ganondorf set the fully-plucked bird on the remains of the fire. "It's been a while since anyone touched my hair like this…" He sighed, then leaned back, prompting Linebeck to wrap his arms around his shoulders to hold him, practically hugging him to his chest. "It's nice. You do and say things with me that no one at home would dare to. It's freeing."

Linebeck frowned down at him. "H-huh."

"Mhm." Ganondorf gazed up at the sky. "...What do I do for you?"

"I-I'm not sure, beyond- beyond the usual stuff."

"The usual stuff?"

Linebeck felt that blush creep back onto his face. "You know, partnership, friendship, romance, u-uh, stuff… I don't know if it's anything like how I make you feel free. I'm already free, and I guess you make me feel safe? You let me have access to some cool books. I get to see magic up close with you."

"Ah, right, you're interested in magic!" Ganondorf suddenly sat up, his forehead briefly colliding with Linebeck's chin. Linebeck bit his tongue and let out a muffled yelp. "Sorry, sorry."

Ganondorf leaned over the plucked bird, and Linebeck peered at it with skepticism. He'd only seen Ganondorf use magic a handful of times. He'd seen him briefly enhance his strength or cast lightning or some kind of fire at monsters when they'd come across them, but Linebeck didn't know to what extent Ganondorf's magic was useful outside of combat. He didn't doubt Ganondorf, and he was curious to see magic up close, but… he wasn't sure if magic was the way to go when cooking a bird.

"Have you tried this before?"

"I have, learned it from Koume. It works, and is pretty useful out in the middle of the desert, when we have no wood." Linebeck maintained his skepticism, even as dark red energy slowly appeared and gathered around Ganondorf's outstretched hand. There was a long moment, and then the energy around Ganondorf's hand flashed and formed into a ball and shot onto the bird.

Linebeck flinched away, and the plucked bird suddenly caught fire. "You're sure that… setting the thing on fire cooks it correctly?! I don't wanna get sick!"

"Trust me, it's magical fire," Ganondorf replied, his chin held high. "The fire isn't merely on the outside, it's burning throughout the entire chicken, as though the fire is uninterrupted from the base."

"...Huh?"

"Just- Don't worry about it."

"Sure." Linebeck returned to running his fingers through Ganondorf's hair. "You have to try it first, though."

The fire on (in?) the bird burned for a few minutes, and Ganondorf dismissed it with a wave of his hand. Linebeck continued to play with his hair while he carefully prepared the now-cooked bird. It took Ganondorf only a few minutes, all the while Linebeck slowly meticulously untangling his hair.

It was almost the same as last night- cooked slices of bird, Ganondorf watching Linebeck like a hawk as he nibbled on his food. There were some assorted spices on the meat- it actually sweetened it a bit, so Linebeck made a note to ask Ganondorf about his tastes- and it wasn't half bad. Ganondorf finished his in only a few minutes and began preparing to leave.

"You can have the rest of this," Linebeck mumbled as Ganondorf walked by him, holding out what remained of his share of the bird. "I'm not hungry."

Ganondorf sat down next to him and, to Linebeck's surprise, accepted the food. "Did you not like the spices?"

"No, they're fine. The same as last night?"

Ganondorf nodded.

"I take it you… like sweet food?"

Another nod.

"I bet you'd like seafood."

"I imagine I would, if it tends to be sweet. I've only had a fish a few times, in the middle of my travels or while visiting other kingdoms."

"You'll have a chance to try plenty of fish when I take you sailing. I'm probably the best person to go with if that's what you want to do," Linebeck declared. Ganondorf gave him an amused smile, and Linebeck scowled. "What? There's a lot of stuff to be found out at sea, and I know how to cook all of it, and my ship's great."

"Oh, I believe you, don't worry. You'll have all the time in the world to tell me more once we get going, of course. Come on, if you are no longer sitting around eating breakfast, you might as well get ready to go."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, I was just about to," Linebeck muttered, pushing himself onto his feet. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and Ganondorf had already donned his cloak. "Did you come up with any new anti-Hylian kingdom plans during your shift?"

Ganondorf just rolled his eyes at him.

---

Thirty minutes after they left the oasis, Linebeck was back to removing his coat, vest, and scarf. Ganondorf stood off to the side, shielding his eyes from the sun as he scanned the horizon. "I had assumed that you learned from yesterday," he called. "But better now than not at all, I suppose."

"Takes more than once for it to stick, I guess," Linebeck grumbled. "I keep equating this to sailing, somehow. The desert somehow reminds me of the sea. You ever thought of that?"

Ganondorf, arm crossed, just shrugged. "I've never seen the sea. Is it a wasteland, too?"

"Nah, the sea isn't a wasteland if you know what to do, and it seems like the same can be said about the desert." Linebeck waved a hand at the horizon. "Kinda like fishing and figuring out what to do with seawater. You have to know what to do in order to survive, otherwise you're screwed."

He spotted a wry smile on Ganondorf's smile out of the corner of his eye, but it disappeared when Linebeck properly looked up. "I suppose."

"You guys have made it this far." Linebeck hesitated, putting his discarded clothes away. "I mean, still go ahead and invade the Hylian kingdom- it would… what was it that assholes would tell me what I was a kid… it would build character for 'em or something. But the desert seems like it's a lot like the sea, to me, just dry and covered in sand."

"...I'll have to see the sea for myself, then." Ganondorf waited for Linebeck to shoulder his pack again, then continued walking with him. "We've certainly carved out a stable lifestyle here in the desert, and some days I forget that we live in a rather hostile place. Actually… I believe we do run the risk of running into some hunting parties out here. Actually… see those ruins over there?" Ganondorf pointed off to the east, at a collection of ruins.

Even as far away as they were, Linebeck could see old, faded murals on the crumbling stone, and quickly identified it as an old temple of sorts. It looked similar to some ruins and still-standing structures he'd seen overseas. His hand drifted up to his chin while he looked at it. With a few moments of inspection, he figured he'd spotted what might've been the original entrance, and could've likely surmised what the original perimeter was when Ganondorf cleared his throat. Linebeck blinked and peered nonchalantly up at him. "...Hm? Yeah, I see 'em."

"Yes, clearly," Ganondorf sighed, grinning. "Anyways, molduga seem to enjoy living around old ruins. Those specifically are popular hunting grounds, and I believe there is a hunting party over there anyways. If so, it might be safe to cross through. If not, we'll have to take a bit of a longer route."

Linebeck sniffed. "I'll take a longer route, that's fine. Don't really want to waste time with something like that." He had to take a few long strides to catch back up with Ganondorf, then fiddled with his hood. "Takin' a break in the shade sounds nice, though," he mumbled.

A small flock of birds flew overhead as they neared the ruins. Along the way, Ganondorf dug through his pack, slowing down and allowing Linebeck to jog ahead. He kept his eyes on the ruins. They were on the path to give it a wide berth, but Linebeck checked for any movement in the ruins every few seconds. Molduga presence would be given away by the large mounds of sand that cover them as they move, and he was probably bound to spot any people- especially mounted people- moving about on the sands.

The pair of them slowly drifted closer to the ruins as everything seemed peaceful. Ganondorf remained a few paces behind Linebeck for a good while, digging around in his bag, eventually withdrawing the swords he'd brought and holding them in a hand as he closed up his bag and slinging it back over his shoulder. Linebeck gave him a nervous over-the-shoulder smile. "Look, I know we might have to deal with some molduga in some way, and I trust you're damn good with those, but I don't think we could handle one on our own-"

"Oh, are you saying you would help me if I tried to take one on?" Ganondorf laughed at Linebeck's flinch, then subsequent scowl. "Truthfully, arrows won't do much against a molduga, provided they are not explosive or charged with electricity. How much reading have you done on moldugas?"

"Not much. Don't really expect to see them ever. This is my first time in the desert, remember?"

Ganondorf nodded, and with his free hand, stroked his beard. "Fair. Well, molduga are stunned by explosive force, and are extremely vulnerable to electricity of any kind- a helpful weakness, considering what lightning magic is the most common magic among us Gerudo." Ganondorf quickly unsheathed one of his swords and swung it through the air, the blade cracking with yellow lightning. He held it out in front of him, letting the lightning persist a moment. "I myself spent quite a lot of time mastering my magic as a child, so, in truth, with the right strategy, I could kill a molduga on my own. My odds would be the best on horseback, but I am mobile enough on my feet."

Ganondorf returned his sword to its scabbard with a satisfied smile. Linebeck stared at him. "Oh. So… I imagine hunting moldugas isn't… that hard for you guys."

"It's a challenge, but we have long since figured it out. Many Gerudo have access to magic, most commonly lightning magic, as I said, but even hunting patrols made up of those of my sisters who cannot use magic are often successful in their hunts. At the very least, I could stun an attacking molduga to give us time to escape its territory. Want to risk going right through the ruins?"

"M-maybe." Linebeck stuffed his hands in his pockets, trying to act like the idea didn't make him weak in the knees. "I can run fast, you've got the magic… there might be a hunting patrol to bail us out-"

"There will be a hunting patrol," Ganondorf suddenly and brightly announced. He pointed into the ruins, and Linebeck surveyed them for a moment before spotting it- a group of Gerudo on horseback, slowly advancing deeper within. "Seems we can safely head through!"

Linebeck just smiled thinly. "Oh. Cool. It's fine for me to meet them?"

"Of course. Tensions with the Hylian kingdom aside, you're a friend of the king of the Gerudo, and you might as well make yourself known to a few Gerudo if you intend to be accepted."

"Y-yeah." Linebeck wiped his hands on his shirt. "Should I… let them know that I can speak and understand the Gerudo language? I mean, clearly, no indication of the fact that we're dating…"

"No suggestion of kissing me right in front of them?" Ganondorf humorously proposed. Linebeck just chuckled and elbowed him in the side. "Of course, that's something we should be quiet about for a long while. But perhaps you can be introduced as my friend, and someone that the rest of the Gerudo can trust. Come on, let's not hesitate with this. Either way, it will be helpful to meet with them along this path."

"I guess it'll be easier if you're there with me from the start," Linebeck mumbled, trailing after Ganondorf. "I mean… out in the desert, clearly I've been with you for a while… 'course they'd trust someone that their king trusted." He narrowed his eyes at the ruins. "Do you have any problems? Being king? With people… not trusting you or not feeling like you live up to that role?"

"Not quite," Ganondorf confidently replied. "I am admittedly still young, but as I cannot afford to fail, I am doing what I can. My magic has been cultivated since I was a child and I've been taught to use a variety of weapons. While most male Gerudo have a chance to become king, I myself was primarily chosen because both of my parents were Gerudo. We think it best for our king to be purely Gerudo, especially with the Hylians' attitude towards us and our heritage."

"So there's a predetermined aspect to it?"

"Of course. And I still have a lot of work ahead of me as I continue to prove myself worthy of being king. As I said before, I'm still young… though considering what I've dealt with over in the Hylian kingdom, I certainly don't feel young."

"You don't look too young, either," Linebeck added.

"Neither do you!"

"I- th-that's what livin' on the sea does, y'know! And-and trauma fucks you up, too-"

"And living in the desert tends to do the same thing," Ganondorf cheerily replied, giving Linebeck a playful shove.

Linebeck stumbled away, then ran up to Ganondorf and shoved him back, barely pushing him off of his path. He felt a blush rise in his cheeks when Ganondorf just laughed fondly. "I don't- let's just keep going! We've spent enough time on our own out here."

"You don't enjoy my presence?"

"We haven't really… been around other people on these dates," Linebeck mumbled.

The meetings following the first had often been in public places, starting with the tavern where they first played chess, then into markets, towns, and roads when they planned or happened to meet up. When they'd actually started dating- something they rather stumbled into, Linebeck recalled being a stuttering mess when he tried admitting that he had more intimate feelings for Ganondorf- they'd quickly moved to meeting in more secluded places. Or, at least, those secluded places were reserved for when they were more openly romantic with each other. It was within an inn room, one Linebeck had snuck into through the window to avoid leaving a trail, where they had first kissed.

They'd… spoken with others, interacted with people on their dates before, but always with an air of disinterest in one another. At the most, Ganondorf would refer to Linebeck as a friend. Too wary of the possible consequences of the fact that he, the king of the Gerudo, was dating Linebeck, of all people, getting out and becoming public knowledge. Just talking with Urbosa and Nabooru at the bazaar had set Linebeck on edge. He wasn't sure what they'd do with this Gerudo patrol- wasn't sure what Ganondorf would tell them.

Linebeck felt a nervous itch growing on the back of his neck while he and Ganondorf approached the Gerudo patrol. He lingered behind Ganondorf, the two of them striding across the desert and into the ruins, the sand turning from hard-packed and fairly easy to walk on, too loose and much more difficult for Linebeck to keep his balance on. The ruins, half-sunken stone walls and collapsed ceilings, offered some merciful shade.

The small Gerudo hunting group were all mounted, with large saddlebags suggesting that they'd had a successful outing so far. There were five of them, and as Linebeck and Ganondorf neared them, they spotted the pair of them and gently got their horses to stop, one of them approaching the newcomers. She stopped her horse and slid off the saddle and onto the sand, briefly dipping her head to Ganondorf, greeting him politely in Gerudo.

Linebeck stayed a good distance away. He shifted his weight, waiting, periodically deciding to listen in, mentally translating what he could. They were talking cordially, discussing what they'd been doing. The patrol was searching the ruins for a molduga, and were… curious about Ganondorf's companion. Linebeck felt his face redden a bit. His Gerudo was a bit rusty, half learned from his mother, half from studying, but at this distance he could hear Ganondorf describe him as a trusted friend. Someone he knew well, who he knew would be helpful when they reached their destination…

The tips of Linebeck's ears burned. When the Gerudo woman replied, she didn't sound too impressed, but trusted her king. She called over to the rest of the patrol- consisting of three other women and, to Linebeck's surprise, another male Gerudo- and they all joined Ganondorf, all talking to him, catching up and asking how things were outside the desert- things Linebeck didn't particularly care about.

He was out in the desert to check out some ruins and spend time with the boyfriend, not get caught up with some random hunters. At least he didn't have to be a part of the conversation-

Ganondorf turned and gestured at Linebeck to join them.

Linebeck muttered a very long and very explicit string of expletives under his breath. He weighed his options, then realized that everything but walking over there would very clearly read as rude. Probably. So, he trudged over to Ganondorf, and positioned himself just a bit behind him. He… was not in the mood to put up any kind of mask, so he studied the sand while Ganondorf introduced him.

"He speaks and understands very little Gerudo," Ganondorf explained, putting a hand on Linebeck's shoulder. He tensed up and felt his cheeks burn, and desperately hoped that his hood was hiding his expression. "...We must be going soon, but I wish you good hunting. I take it you may know a safe route through these ruins today?"

The tightness in Linebeck's chest eased. The hunters murmured amongst each other, and their leader nodded. "If you'd like, we could escort you through. And, though I have little worry for you, my king, we have encountered some hostile groups of lizalfos in the area, so I must recommend caution."

"We had to deal with some earlier," the young man added, nodding at his leader. Linebeck studied him, the first Gerudo man he'd seen asides from Ganondorf. While Ganondorf was a large, almost bulky man, this Gerudo man was slimmer and a tad bit shorter, appearing more built like a runner; Linebeck spied the bow he had with him, and figured he specialized in archery.

Every member of the Gerudo patrol either had short hair, or longer hair pulled up and out of the way. The leader had her hair in a singular braid down her back, and the young man's hair was just long enough for him to have put it in a small bun. They were all dressed in loose garb covering nearly every inch of their skin, some metal and leather armor protecting their arms, legs, and chest. Linebeck kept his head down, but took the time to inspect everyone around him when the view of the sand got too boring.

"Thank you, both of you," Ganondorf nodded to the leader, then to the young man in turn once the conversation had ended.

If Linebeck hadn't felt so out of place and anxious, he would've grabbed and held onto one of Ganondorf's hands as they followed the Gerudo patrol out of the ruins. Instead, he remained in his shadow, relieved that they were at least back on track.

It only took a few minutes to reach the other side of the ruins, and Linebeck just silently shuffled away while Ganondorf turned back and bid the Gerudo patrol farewell and good luck.

"...You know them?" Linebeck asked when Ganondorf met back up with him. "I mean- well, yeah, you're their king, you seem like a good king…"

"Of course I know them," Ganondorf sighed, falling into step next to Linebeck. "They are roughly the same age as me, as few of them I practically grew up with."

"Oh. That's why you talked to them so much."

"Well, of course. They are close friends, and I don't often get to see them." Ganondorf lifted his head and studied the sky. "...If we were not in a hurry to reach those ruins, I would have liked to talk to them a bit longer."

"O-oh." Linebeck scowled to himself and kept studying the sand. "Makes… sense. I don't-" He sighed, and could tell that Ganondorf could tell that something was off. "Sorry for uh. Being rude? I just wanted to get the hell out of there and stop wasting time, but they're your friends."

"...Don't worry about it." Linebeck jerked his head up to meet Ganondorf's curiously nonchalant expression. "I can speak with them at any time. There are times when my goals may be more important than catching up with people such as them."

Linebeck blinked. Narrowed his eyes.

Ganondorf drew in a breath. "...Of course, my goals would never detract from the time I spend with you, my beloved captain, the man I have chosen as a lover, the one I want at my side-"

"Okay, yeah, stop before I start fucking gagging or something, fuckin' Farore."

Ganondorf just chuckled good-naturedly.

---

As the sun dragged across the sky, Linebeck and Ganondorf got closer to the ruins, even spotting a town in the distance. Ganondorf pointed it out, quietly explaining it to Linebeck. He'd spent a few weeks there as a child, first discovering his interest in history as he studied there. It was a small town, with high, thick walls to defend against monsters. Asides from history, Ganondorf had primarily been taught some fighting whilst there, even being brought along by some patrols to fight monsters.

Linebeck kept his hands on his pockets, and frowned to himself. Ganondorf had spent most of his childhood in the desert, and had only explored the rest of Hyrule as an adult on political business, or rare leisurely outings. He and Ganondorf had gone on dates in other sections of Hyrule before, but mostly during the king's travels to or from the desert.

He curiously peered over at Ganondorf. Linebeck himself had yet to see the appeal of the desert, but Ganondorf looked rather enamored with his surroundings. Despite his desire to take Hyrule for himself and his seeming dissatisfaction with life in the desert, he seemed to truly love it at times. Just like the way Linebeck felt about the sea, he supposed. Just… Linebeck didn't really want to take some other place instead of the sea.

Linebeck sighed quietly to himself. His shoulders ached. They were still far from their destination, and he hated wasting time, but was starting to wish for a break. He pulled out his pocket watch and stared at it, then showed it to Ganondorf. "Do you think we're making good time?"

"I believe so- wouldn't you be better at judging that, though, captain?"

With a glance at the pocket watch, Linebeck pursed his lips. "...I'd have to check the map; you'll need to help me pinpoint where we are."

Without stopping or even slowing, the two of them inspected the desert map, Ganondorf pointing out the locations of other ruins he'd been to. He tapped their destination, marked with a thin circle. "Based on the ruins we passed through earlier, the positioning of the sun now, and how much time has passed…" Ganondorf drew his finger across the map, and Linebeck confidently tapped a spot in the desert. "Yes, we're right about there," Ganondorf murmured. "We've got a few more miles to walk, and we're at the risk of coming across lizalfos groups."

Linebeck scowled. "We probably are going to run into some. You can handle that, though."

"Alone?"

"What, you think I'd be of any help? Come on, king of the Gerudo, you'd be fine."

"Your confidence in me is appreciated, at least."

Linebeck just shrugged. "Gotta be confident in you. I mean." He raised his hand and pointed at the dip in the sand he'd noticed just a minute ago. "Isn't that a lizalfos camp?"

Ganondorf frowned and squinted, and he and Linebeck stared across the sands at the barely-visible lizalfos. Ganondorf sighed. "We'll have to keep an eye on them. Confident as you are in my abilities, I'm sure you don't want to be slowed down by a lizalfos attack. Definitely keep an eye out for more of those camps, they can be easy to miss, especially since desert lizalfos have been known to be capable of camouflage."

"Oh, they're the… uh. Gecko ones? I think the only ones who don't have any issue spotting them are the land Rito."

"Of course, their eyes are unparalleled- 'land' Rito?"

Linebeck waved a hand dismissively. "Land Rito are the kinds of Rito you know, taller, extremely birdlike, love their colorful thread and live up in cold mountains. I'm more familiar with sea Rito, they're more humanoid and only have wings when… when they want, I guess, they run the mail system, their biggest settlement is on an island with an active volcano. It's interesting. You ever heard of Quill? Best guy in the mail system? He's a sea Rito. It's like how there are different kinds of Zora, it's not- It's not important."

"I ought to leave the desert more often," Ganondorf grumbled, and Linebeck gave a thoughtful nod. "I know these sands and the surrounding highlands extremely well, but I hardly know what lies beyond the roads I take to the other kingdoms and the towns I stop in along the way." He sighed and crossed his arms, shaking his head. "I… hope that if we can finally smooth things over with the Hylian kingdom, that I'll have the time to explore more than what I've already seen. And, if things don't get smoothed over, then, I suppose I will get to see more of the world while waging war."

"Oh, fun." Linebeck took a careful step closer to Ganondorf and playfully elbowed him in the side. "Or, I could whisk you away on my ship, and we could explore beyond Hyrule and away from all of this bullshit with the Hylian kingdom and your responsibilities!"

Ganondorf rolled his eyes, struggling to hide his smile. He stopped in his tracks, letting out a short chuckle. Linebeck peered up at him with his own crooked smile. "What? My offer sounds good?" He reached up and grabbed Ganondorf's cloak, playing with the fabric between his fingers. "I dunno, the Hylian Kingdom pushes their luck too much, you get sick enough of their shit, you can wage war and I'd be willing to get you far away from all of this if it goes bad enough. Hell, you just wanna get away from all of this, I can take you wherever you want. I can go to places the Hylian Kingdom's probably never heard of."

Ganondorf shut his eyes. "I'm sure you can." Linebeck scowled, and Ganondorf opened his eyes and peered sternly at him. He began to speak, but paused, his gaze fixed on something behind Linebeck. "Hm." Linebeck glanced over his shoulder, squinting at the sands around them, and spotted them just as Ganondorf muttered, "Lizalfos. Seems like they've seen us." He gently pulled Linebeck's hands off his cloak.

It was a group of five Lizalfos, slowly crawling towards the two of them. Their camouflage helped them blend into the sand, but once they were spotted, they were easy to keep track of. Ganondorf withdrew his swords from his bag, and Linebeck began stringing his bow. "I can handle them," Ganondorf declared, rushing off to meet the monsters halfway.

Before the closest Lizalfos even had a chance to lunge at him, Ganondorf sent electricity coursing through his right sword and swung it at them. The electricity shot off the sword and slammed into the closest lizalfos, causing it to seize up and fall back with a pained screech. Smoothly sliding into an attack at the next lizalfos, Ganondorf sliced its throat open- not enough to put down the monster, but enough to make it back off.

Linebeck tore his attention from the fighting and back to stringing his bow. He grasped for a small bundle of arrows and fumbled to drop his bag and get into a good position. Ganondorf clearly had things handled. He fought smoothly on the sands, deftly and forcefully pushing the lizalfos back. He jumped back and sent a ball of magical lightning flying at a lizalfos that was struggling to its feet, killing it so soon after the fight had begun.

With a short huff, Linebeck lowered his bow. Ganondorf didn't need his help. The desert was his domain, the first place he'd learned to fight in, and he'd been trained in swordplay, magic, and every other available fighting style. Plus, the lizalfos darted around too quickly for Linebeck to get a clear shot. Drawing their attention to the weaker target with a missed arrow wasn't the best idea. He kept an arrow ready anyways.

Ganondorf swung his swords in large arcs, not missing once, each attack, though rather graceful, doing grievous damage to the monsters. The lizalfos themselves had crude swords, and let out squawks and hisses while they attempted an attack. A second lizalfos was killed with a blow to the top of its skull, and the other three began to catch on to how dangerous Ganondorf was. Lizalfos were clearly nothing to him. Especially considering his interest in monster studies- Ganondorf probably understood the way lizalfos tended to fight better than anyone Linebeck had ever met.

A third lizalfos was killed with a lightning magic-enhanced sword swing- but not before getting in close enough to score a slash across Ganondorf's chest. At first, Linebeck figured it was little more than a flesh wound- then Ganondorf winced and backed up from the remaining lizalfos, blood seeping into his shirt. The last two lizalfos rushed in and managed to catch him off-guard, both of them successfully striking him.

Ganondorf was an excellent fighter, and had, at his own admission, spent a majority of his childhood and adolescence learning to handle different weapons and magics. Linebeck had figured he could handle any fight- clearly, there were limits to what he was capable of, and Ganondorf was still young.

Well, they both were young, and Linebeck was a considerably worse fighter, but he straightened his back and aimed his bow as the pair of lizalfos continued to get lucky hits in.

Linebeck felt himself trembling. He had to hit one of the lizalfos- missing would be a mess, and accidentally hitting Ganondorf would be disastrous. He drew in a long, nervous breath and focused. He let the arrow fly and it embedded itself into one of the lizalfos' eyes. It shrieked and stumbled back. The injured lizalfos was entirely at Ganondorf's mercy, and he swiftly moved to kill it.

Linebeck reached for another arrow, planning to take out the last lizalfos while it was still distracted- but it turned away from Ganondorf and spotted him. It didn't even make a sound, just bolted towards him as Linebeck frantically began nocking another arrow. The monster hurried over the sands and lunged at Linebeck just as he steadied the arrow, but he stumbled and fell back, narrowly avoiding the lizalfos' attack. He collapsed onto the sand, and the lizalfos let out a frustrated screech.

Linebeck tried scrambling to his feet. The sand was far too uneven, and what sand that did spill into his clothes scraped against his skin and the sheer unpleasantness of the feeling made him flinch and lose his footing. The lizalfos squawked at him again and swung its jagged sword at him. Linebeck managed to shove himself just out of the way, but the tip of the blade sliced through his boot and opened a gash in his ankle.

Despite the brief agony that shot up his leg, Linebeck managed to nock his arrow again. Hiss hands shook and pain burned in his ankle. The lizalfos opened its mouth and started to screech, and Linebeck quickly pulled the arrow back and shot it into the monster's throat. It fell back and let out a gurgling cough, twitching. It dropped its sword. Linebeck scrambled to his feet and snatched the sword up and plunged it into the lizalfos' chest. It thrashed and Linebeck easily pushed away its weakly flailing arms, and he pushed the sword deeper and deeper until the lizalfos stopped struggling.

With a disgusted huff, Linebeck tossed the sword away. His ankle ached and he could feel blood soaking into his sock. It took him a few moments to hear Ganondorf approaching him. Linebeck turned and faced Ganondorf, coldly noting each of his injuries. A cut across his chest, one deep in his shoulder, another across his left arm, a stab in his leg, a jagged gash in his hip. "Let's find a spot to patch you up," he said, starting off and limping towards his bag.

"You're hurt, too," Ganondorf pointed out.

"Yeah. So let's find a place to rest and get the hell away from that nest."

There was a short, humorless laugh from Ganondorf. Linebeck gathered up his bag, put away his arrows, and limped over to the first arrow he'd shot.

"I should watch you use that bow more often," Ganondorf mused. "That was an impressive shot. Lizalfos are hard to hit, especially for those who have not been trained."

"I spent some time in Rito village and mostly just… figured it out." Linebeck shook the sand off the arrow and put it with the rest. "You guys specialize in horseback archery, right? You any good at that?"

"Of course I am good at it. I cannot be the king of the Gerudo if I am not skilled at horseback archery- When we return to Gerudo Town, I'll be able to show you."

Linebeck gave Ganondorf a crooked smile. "We're going back to Gerudo Town? I can't even go in, right? I don't have the token or anything."

Ganondorf placed a firm hand on Linebeck's shoulder while they walked. "Well, you have to go into town to get the token. It's a matter of meeting with our leaders and getting their opinion of you, and you've certainly proven yourself to be worthy."

"What does it usually take, outside of… dating the king?"

"It often takes proof that the person will be trustworthy enough to be allowed within our walls, as well as some kind of proof of skill. In the past, when we were even more secluded, allies who fought with us would be allowed in if we trusted them. There have always been exceptions, such as those seeking asylum or hoping to meet with family."

"So can't I just get in because of our relationship-" Linebeck then made a face. "Oh, right. You don't wanna tell people about that. So what'd your argument be?" He started to lean against Ganondorf in order to lessen the pain on his ankle. "I'm a good thief, a good sailor, I killed a lizalfos… Shouldn't be hard."

After walking a fair bit away from the scene of the fight, they found an outcropping of rocks to make camp between. There was a good bit of shade, and it would hide them from any creatures that passed by. They deposited their stuff on the sand, and Linebeck collapsed in the shade with a long sigh. "I hate the desert."

"Too much sand?"

"Makes the limp worse, too." Linebeck sat up and began going through his bag. "Okay, take off your cloak. I'll take a look at you first." Ganondorf did as he said and more, removing all of his leather armor, and Linebeck carefully laid his medical supplies out. "Hope you don't need stitches. I don't have the right stuff for that."

"Most of these are just flesh wounds," Ganondorf murmured.

"Let me take a look." Linebeck dragged himself over to Ganondorf with his bag of supplies. He didn't want to stand; just dragging his foot across the sand sent shots of pain up his leg. "Which one hurts the most?"

"There's one in my right leg, it has certainly been aggravated by the walking- the one in my hip, too, just above it." Ganondorf rolled his pants leg up past the wound, a messy-looking stab. "Lizalfos are erratic, not the hardest to kill, but they seem to be the best at getting lucky hits in."

"Gotta dodge better," Linebeck chirped, peering at the wound.

While Linebeck prepared some bandages, Ganondorf snorted. "Like you did earlier, hm? Falling over yourself?" Linebeck's face twitched as he pulled out a pair of tweezers. "That cut on your ankle looks messy. I'd like to see what it looks like when you properly dodge."

Linebeck jabbed the tweezers into the stab wound, causing Ganondorf to hiss. He inspected the wound, picking out any bits of sand he could find, then reached for a small bottle. Ganondorf eyed it nervously, and Linebeck muttered, "Disinfectant."

"You carry disinfectant around-" Ganondorf hissed again as Linebeck poured a little bit into the stab wound. "I-I suppose you are remarkably resourceful."

"You 'suppose'? Carrying this shit around all of the time could save my- or your- life at some point." Linebeck covered the wound with a bandage and carefully tied it off. It required more bandage than he expected to wrap all the way around Ganondorf's muscular thigh. Linebeck felt his mind wander for a second, then focused again and spoke. "How are you with medical supplies and all that?"

"I know the basics." Ganondorf paused and covered his leg back up. "Less than you, probably. Hip wound next?" Linebeck's eyes flicked over to Ganondorf's midsection, then shrugged. "Not yet?"

"How about your arm instead?" Ganondorf nodded and started rolling up his sleeve. "That looks worse," Linebeck mused, peering at the cut. It bled a little when Ganondorf flexed, and Linebeck slapped him on the knee. "Don't move too much! Wait until I get it covered up."

Linebeck repeated the same procedure with the arm wound, and murmured, "Flexing will just make it bleed more. Show off later."

Ganondorf just smiled and hooked a finger under Linebeck's chin to tilt his head back. Linebeck blinked, then took Ganondorf's head in his hands and leaned in to kiss him. Ganondorf wrapped his arms around Linebeck's waist. When they broke the kiss, Linebeck stared at Ganondorf's lips. The moment Ganondorf opened his mouth to speak, Linebeck stuck his fingers into his mouth to keep it open.

"H-hey, wha-" Ganondorf suppressed a laugh as Linebeck hushed him.

"I'm looking at your teeth." Linebeck pressed the pads of his thumbs against the lower canines. "Your bottom teeth here are long."

"Uh-huh."

"Sharper than the top ones- all of my canine teeth are a bit long." He bared his own teeth at Ganondorf, who laughed and pulled his head away. Linebeck set his hands on Ganondorf's shoulders. "I haven't gotten a good chance to look at your teeth. I kept getting glimpses and wondered about it."

"You're strange. That makes you fun, I suppose."

Linebeck blushed. "Thanks, I guess. You… uh… Aren't strange, but…" He felt his face burn. "You were kinda hot fighting those lizalfos. It's… e-exciting to watch you fight. A-and t-to… to watch you bleed, too."

At that, Ganondorf raised an eyebrow. "Are you the best person to be tending to my wounds if the sight of my blood is enough to excite you?"

"That's not-" Linebeck shook his head. "It's a… a specific situation kind of thing, I mean, you're fighting stuff, using magic skillfully, it's the whole display, the blood is just… part of it!" His hands shot back up to Ganondorf's cheeks, and Linebeck leaned in so they were mere inches away from each other. "And we're resting here, anyways. That was a short fight, and I'm still in the mood for stimulation."

"I've certainly heard worse ways to ask for sex."

Linebeck scoffed, muttered, "I don't want to have sex," but leaned in to kiss Ganondorf. He slipped his hands down to rest on Ganondorf's chest as he was pulled closer with arms around his waist, the two of them making out in the shadow of the rocks.

Despite being in the shade, Linebeck felt himself growing warmer. Ganondorf's hands traveled up and down his back. He was moving slowly; Linebeck mostly reacted to anything Ganondorf did, slightly opening his mouth for just a moment, shifting or arching his back. Ganondorf would quickly flick his tongue into Linebeck's mouth, then switch to gently biting his lip, then finally moved to kissing him down his neck, pushing aside his shirt collar. Linebeck raised his chin and ran his hands through Ganondorf's hair, his fingers catching on tangles.

They lowered themselves onto the ground, Linebeck propping himself up on his elbows. He shuddered at the sensation of sand against his clothed skin. He half lay under Ganondorf, who'd moved his hands from Linebeck's back onto the ground next to him- giving him fair space while he returned to making out with him. Ganondorf was positioned with both knees on either side of Linebeck's ankles, clearly favoring his left side.

They closed the space between them in a mere few seconds, until their upper legs were pressed together. Then, their hips connected- and Linebeck instinctively jerked away upon contact, breaking the kiss and quickly backing away. "N-no."

He shut his eyes tight and shook his head. "No. L-like, like I said- we're not… we're not fucking out here." He shook his head again and opened his eyes, staring down at the sand. "N-no, no, not that…" Linebeck slowly dragged his gaze up to Ganondorf, who was now sitting a few feet from him, a concerned look on his face. Linebeck cringed inwardly, and took a long, long, deep breath.

Ganondorf held his hands up. "Are you alright?"

Linebeck stared at him. He opened his mouth, then clamped it shut. He shuddered. "I'm- I'm sorry!"

"Don't be," Ganondorf hastily replied. "I apologize for scaring you- however I did it." His words were stiff but his expression showed clear worry.

"You didn't do anything wrong!" Linebeck shouted back, still too high-strung to wince at the volume of his voice. "It's- I-" With a great, great deal of practiced self-control, Linebeck ground his words to a halt and took a deep breath that burned and rattled in his chest. "I-I'm not… W-we aren't fucking out here."

"I understand that." Ganondorf murmured. "Take your time."

Linebeck nodded shakily. He drew his trembling hands close to his chest.

They looked at each other for a long moment. Ganondorf's expression was unreadable. Linebeck felt his hands slowly stop shaking, and he carefully surveyed the desert around him. Ganondorf was the only other person around. Just them. "…I'm fine," Linebeck whispered.

"I- here." Ganondorf took his cloak off and laid it on the sand. "You should get off the sand for now if it will cause issues. Add your cloak, too, if you want- we're going to be staying right here for a bit anyways."

Linebeck wriggled out of his cloak and thrust it at Ganondorf, and once it was taken from his hand he got to work removing sand from under his fingernails.

With the cloaks draped over a good portion of sand and his fingernails free of grit, Linebeck moved onto the cloaks. "Thanks. Sorry."

Ganondorf just shook his head. He sat down on the cloaks next to him. "…Would you like me to take a look at your ankle?"

"Not right now," Linebeck stretched his legs out. "I just… want a moment." Ganondorf nodded, and they silently sat side-by-side

Problem was, Linebeck still felt that excited warmth in his body, sending shocks up his spine when he changed the way he was sitting.

"You didn't do anything wrong," he quietly said, just as the silence became uncomfortable. "I'm just… not… interested? Ready for… anything like that." He clasped his hands in his lap and leaned in closer to Ganondorf. "I still want to do… something, though."

Ganondorf just blinked, curiously tilting his head.

"If you're fine with me picking."

"…Pick what sort of… thing you want to do with me?"

"Yeah! Yeah." Linebeck pursed his lips. "I just want to be in control of what happens. W-won't screw around too much, though." He let out a short, nervous laugh, and felt his nerves ease when Ganondorf smiled. "...You haven't had sex before, right?"

"I have not, "Ganondorf replied. "I've been involved with others, though, and I am aware of the things people do." He paused, then chuckled. "I suppose you can do whatever you'd like."

"Okay." Linebeck sat up, then gently kissed Ganondorf on the cheek. "Th-thanks. Lay down." Ganondorf did as he asked, and Linebeck shifted onto his knees and drummed his fingers on his legs. "You've dated other people."

"I have," Ganondorf admitted, leaning back. "A few girlfriends and boyfriends in my teenage and young adult years. It all stopped when I properly became king, though. All of the travel, my new position and power, I suppose it makes sense."

"You are a king," Linebeck mumbled. "So that's certainly… been something. But I'm not a part of the nation you rule- not really a part of any nation." Then, he grinned. "It's fun. Dating a king. I can be in charge sometimes."

The words left his mouth and Linebeck felt himself blush. He felt painfully self-conscious when he climbed onto Ganondorf, positioning himself on his waist, mentally fumbling with what he'd say next. "I'm not really interested in topping." Ganondorf just laughed. "Just…" Linebeck sighed and scratched the back of his head. "It's complicated."

Ganondorf began to speak, but quickly shut his mouth. He nodded. Linebeck shifted, the two of them watched each other, half curious, half awkward, and he figured that his own inexperience shone through much more than Ganondorf's did. He let out a long sigh, then leaned in close to Ganondorf's face, then turned his attention to his left shoulder. Absent-mindedly, he tugged at Ganondorf's shirt. Ganondorf gently pushed his hands away and unbuttoned his shirt for him.

Face burning, Linebeck hesitated, then slowly drew back the cloth that covered Ganondorf's shoulder. Ganondorf watched him closely, almost flinching when Linebeck's finger ghosted over his bare left shoulder. "…Well?"

Linebeck stared at his shoulder. Ganondorf's dark skin contrasted with the pale, sandy-colored cloak, and Linebeck took another moment to think, now dragging his fingernails over the shoulder. "Um." Linebeck's face felt warm. He shifted, momentarily painfully aware of the way he was straddling Ganondorf's waist. The heat from the sun and the air around him seemed to pale in comparison to the fires that burned under his skin; in his cheeks, in his stomach, between his legs.

Linebeck was snapped out of his vacant musings by Ganondorf setting a hand on his upper thigh. Linebeck stared at his hand, then grinned, chuckling dryly. He slapped the hand away and Ganondorf laughed shortly; Linebeck tilted his head at him, "We're in the middle of the desert, remember?"

Linebeck then slapped his hand down on the ground next to Ganondorf's head, earning himself an interested eyebrow-raise. "Have you made up your mind yet?"

Linebeck turned his gaze back to Ganondorf's exposed shoulder. "Yeah. Could I bite you?"

"Took you lo- excuse me?" Ganondorf blinked. Linebeck took in his confused expression. "…Bite me?"

Linebeck nodded. "On the shoulder." He tapped the bare skin.

"That's- that's your choice?" Ganondorf looked confused, thoroughly knocked from his previously flirtatious mood. "That's fine, I…" He frowned. "I've never met anyone who wanted to… bite me. Sexually. Go ahead."

Linebeck waited for anything more from Ganondorf, then allowed his right hand to slide off of his shoulder. He felt a shiver run down his spine, staring at the muscular shoulder, his dark skin tone contrasting so strongly with the sand. Linebeck shuddered, and Ganondorf laughed. "The suspension is killing me, captain, are you getting cold feet?"

Linebeck gave him one more dirty look and leaned in over his shoulder. He'd never bitten anyone- just testing bites on himself- and he wasn't sure how much it would hurt, how much pressure would need to be applied-

He quit stalling and bit down on Ganondorf's shoulder, momentarily surprised by how firm it was- but hey, he's one of the most muscular men Linebeck had met. Ganondorf's skin was warm, slightly damp from sweat. Linebeck felt his heartbeat quicken, and he bit down harder, relishing the resistance of Ganondorf's skin and muscle, feeling him tense and shift under his teeth. His teeth slid on the sweaty skin, and he licked some of it up, earning a surprised gasp from Ganondorf. Linebeck bit harder, tension building in the corners of his jaw and then he broke skin; blood suddenly flowed into his mouth, and his teeth sank into Ganondorf's flesh. Linebeck clutched at the cloak and Ganondorf grunted. He felt his teeth sink into the shoulder, up to the gums, blood washing over his tongue.

Linebeck absentmindedly started rubbing himself against Ganondorf's waist, getting used to having his teeth imbedded in flesh. Ganondorf let out another grunt, and Linebeck could feel him looking around. He briefly opened his eyes and drew back, sitting up and peering at the bite mark. Blood ran down Ganondorf's skin, and Linebeck felt it around his own lips. Ganondorf stared at him. Linebeck leaned back in to the bite mark, his left hand drifting into Ganondorf's hair, and he let out a short hum. The bite mark wasn't particularly deep- probably for the best- and still bled. Linebeck fit his teeth back in and bit down a bit harder. This time, Ganondorf gasped, and growled, "Tell me you know what you're doing."

Linebeck shrugged. He pulled back so that his teeth were no longer in the flesh; he licked the wounds, tracing the outline and lapping up blood. He grabbed a fistful of Ganondorf's hair and stuck his tongue in the outline of each tooth-mark, feeling the specific shape and relishing the slick warmth, the slight tang of salty sweat mixed in with metallic blood. He felt Ganondorf grab at his hair. He grinned to himself, and bit back down on the wound, more blood leaking into his mouth.

Everything felt hot; the air around him, his own body, Ganondorf's skin under his teeth and his blood in his mouth. Linebeck sat with his teeth in the wound for a few moments longer, taking in the sensations of skin against his tongue and a hand in his hair and Ganondorf's body between his legs. He let out a few short pants, then withdrew from the bite mark. He let out a long breath. It took Linebeck a few moments to recompose himself, forcibly slowing his breathing and peering down at Ganondorf, who stared up at him with wide eyes. "...How was that?"

"U-uhm." Ganondorf carefully began to massage the area around the bite wound. "I'm… not quite sure."

"I can tell it wasn't a turn-on."

"Oh! Oh, no, I enjoyed it!" Ganondorf started to sit up, wincing as he put weight on his left arm. Linebeck shifted onto his lap. "It was… it was new. I have yet to figure out just what I like, but that was…" He trailed off. "...It was new."

"And that's a good thing?"

"It is a good thing. I just wasn't expecting… that." To Linebeck's surprise, Ganondorf looked rather flustered, more so than he had while being bitten. "Not from you, either. I-I don't know. Like I said last night, you make me feel free and… unburdened by my responsibilities, but I suppose I either neglected to mention or had not yet realized just how unpredictable you can be- it's refreshing."

"I'm sure you'll be able to predict me eventually," Linebeck scoffed, but he felt himself blushing once again.

"Perhaps, but you are a far enough cry from my own people, from any Hylian men I have spoken with, from any Zora, Rito, Goron, Sheikah…" Ganondorf trailed off and shook his head. "I doubt anyone else I have dated or may date would have bitten me to the point of breaking skin and shedding blood- without having had sex or any… more conventional sexual activity." He took Linebeck's head in his hands, studying his features as he continued. "You don't treat me like a king, I suppose. Not that first time we met and played chess, not in any of the letters you have sent… If I were a different man, it may be offensive to me, but with how others look at me and treat me, it's, well… rather intoxicating."

Linebeck found himself speechless. He felt as though some wires were crossed in his mind, sitting on Ganondorf's lap and staring into his eyes, taking in what he'd just said while he had blood on his face. Ganondorf kissed him, and Linebeck kissed him back, bewildered but happy. When they separated, there was a slight bit of blood staining Ganondorf's lips. Linebeck stared at him, then said, "I need to disinfect and tend to your shoulder."

"A-ah. Of course." Ganondorf laid back down, Linebeck clambered off of him, and recollected his medical supplies with unsteady hands, pausing a moment to clean the blood off of his face.

Linebeck poured the disinfectant right onto Ganondorf's shoulder. Some of it pooled in the wound, and Ganondorf let out a sharp hiss. Linebeck pat at the shoulder with a rag to clean up much of the disinfectant. "So. What's your story about this going to be?"

Ganondorf furrowed his eyebrows. "I will say it was a redead. They are not uncommon in the area we are heading to, and prone to biting. I believe the only discrepancy may be the fact that redead bites are very likely to cause infection, though the story would match up well with you disinfecting it now."

Linebeck nodded in agreement, and got to placing a bandage over the wound. "I mean, human bites can cause infection, too. Try to keep the bandage on. I can replace it if needed, but I don't want to be buying more so soon." For added emphasis, he tapped firmly on the bandage, causing Ganondorf to wince. "Right, I'll get to the rest of your wounds."

Ganondorf removed his shirt to let Linebeck easily tend to the last two cuts. The one on his right shoulder was easy for Linebeck to handle and wrap a bandage around, muttering to himself about possibly needing stitches. The cut across his chest was the shallowest cut yet, barely needing the bandage that he wrapped over it. He moved swiftly to tending to the cut in Ganondorf's hip, carefully tugging his waistband down to get a full view of the wound. "Hold that down for me."

Linebeck worked quickly on that last wound, warmth in his cheeks but nowhere else. "Honestly, you're lucky none of these go down to bone. I was expecting worse." After spending half an hour doing it, his hands moved quickly and precisely as he fixed up the last cut. "You're better at that whole battle thing that I am, though."

"I have been trained." Ganondorf readjusted his clothes and put his shirt back on. "Lizalfos are rather opportunistic, and aren't the most attentive of how much damage they truly do; I leaned away as I dodged, and they didn't pursue me in order to make it worse." He licked his lips, and stretched slightly. "I've fought lizalfos a lot. I know how they work. They remain unpredictable, even if I know how to avoid major injury."

"Wish I was better at dodging, you'd think that I was better with how jumpy and quick I can be," Linebeck sighed. He sat back and peered at the cut in his ankle, and started working his boot off. "Anyways. Your turn."

Ganondorf carefully began gathering up the medical supplies, and waited until Linebeck had removed his boot and sock and rolled the leg of his pants up. Ganondorf watched his hands, and he looked up at his face once he leaned back. "I'd be willing to teach you how to dodge better."

"I might take you up on your offer."

"You're fun to watch. You move differently than the people I live with." Linebeck raised an eyebrow as Ganondorf started to get to work on his injury. "You're a bit clumsy, but it's a little mesmerizing with how steady on your feet you manage to be." He paused, carefully applying disinfectant. "Another way you remind me of a cat, I suppose."

"I take it you like cats?"

"There are many clutters of sand cats around our settlements," Ganondorf explained. "I ought to show them to you, I imagine you have not seen many sand cats." He gently tended to the cut, and chuckled to himself. "You get to show me a lot outside the desert, and I yearn to show you more of what the desert has to offer. I have not had much chance to do so. I like the way your face brightens when you talk about something you like, or when you discover something you find fascinating." He shot a smile up at Linebeck, who meekly smiled back.

"I love the way you work with your hands, as well. You remind me of Gerudo artists, with a bit of especially roguish flair. I rather enjoy how disarming you can be; I feel as though you are capable of undoing the chains that my role binds me with, as easily as I imagine you pick locks."

"Sounds a whole lot like you're begging me to whisk you away from the desert," Linebeck mumbled.

"Oh, no, of course not! I just need a break every so often- and you are good at giving me an opportunity, I just need to find time to accept them." Halfway through bandaging his ankle, Ganondorf reached up and hooked a finger under Linebeck's chin. "I believe that while I aim to leave my own post to meet with you, I would like to invite you to periodically pause your own adventures to stay with me in the desert. For a day, for a week, two weeks, however long you feel comfortable leaving your ship unattended."

Once again, in the shade of the unassuming desert rocks, Linebeck felt his face flush and words slip through his grasp. He just gave a lopsided smile. "I'll think about it."

Ganondorf quickly finished tending to Linebeck's ankle. The bandage was a bit tight, but tied-off well and didn't impede his movement- plus, it being so tight would keep sand from getting into the cut. Linebeck stretched; once certain his ankle was fine, he started packing his medical supplies back up. Ganondorf already looked ready to go, and he eventually asked, "How long did it take you to carve that boar?"

Linebeck paused. "Ages. Like I said."

"How many days? For both the carving and the paint?"

With a long sigh, Linebeck muttered, "About two weeks. Once I got the right knife and the paints. And when I found some good references. Why?"

"I want to understand the effort you put in," Ganondorf murmured. "It adds even more value. Others have made things for me, but always with a… distance between the artist and I. This has none of that distance. I… truly appreciate it. Have I said that before?"

"I think so." Linebeck slowly closed his bag. "I'm really happy that you like it." He couldn't have hidden his smile if he tried, and he didn't try.

---

They trudged through the desert for the next few hours as the sun slowly set. They passed some cacti that Linebeck hadn't seen before. They stopped briefly, and Ganondorf plucked some fruit from a bunch of flowering cacti. Linebeck considered asking about the cacti, but decided against it, and they carried on like normal.

Ganondorf held up well with his injuries, but Linebeck's ankle began to burn only an hour into the walk, and he began to noticeably limp when they were only a few miles from their destination. He caught Ganondorf glancing over at him and scowled. "I'm fine. We're almost there."

"And I don't need you collapsing while we are there. We ought to take a look at that when we stop." Ganondorf crossed his arms, slowing his pace. "I could carry you the rest of the way."

Tantalizing.

Linebeck shook his head. "And I'd rather not have you wear yourself out before we get there; you're the one who's going to be doing a lot of the exploring and studyin'."

"Oh, please. Carrying you would hardly wear me out. I doubt you weigh any more than all of the equipment I have with me now."

Linebeck scowled, but then just shrugged. He eyed Ganondorf's equipment and clothes, and turned his eyes front once again. "You're probably right. Still! Holding me makes it impossible for you to use your arms 'til we're there, so we'd be vulnerable to more attacks-"

"And not all of the magic I know requires such flourishes as what you've seen today. Yesterday, you did say something about how enjoyable it is to be swept off your feet."

"...So I did," Linebeck mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets with a forced scowl.

"Then I assume you would not mind it? It would speed things up, after all."

"I guess-" Linebeck let out a long sigh and scratched at the back of his head. "I mean, go ahead, I suppose…" He trailed off, and let out a sharp squawk when Ganondorf took him up on his word and hoisted him up into his arms.

As soon as he had Linebeck comfortably in his arms, Ganondorf picked up the pace. Linebeck let out a sigh that was somewhere between irritated and content. He crossed his arms and shut his eyes, silently glad that all pressure had been removed from his ankle, and he finally mumbled, "Thanks."

Ganondorf nodded. "Of course. You can rest once we reach the ruins. I may need your help when it comes to drawing conclusions about the location's history, but there is no need for you to strain yourself."

"Strain myself?" Linebeck laughed. "I've dragged myself through dungeons with worse injuries. Well." He forced himself to stop speaking, and considered his next words. "...I've dragged myself out of dungeons with worse."

"You must tell me more about your adventures, then. I am very curious about what lies beyond the desert and the paths I have walked, and you really must tell me more about what you have seen."

"Ah, well, you'd have to give me some time to organize my thoughts on what to tell you." He tilted his head and squinted at the horizon. "Give me a list of what you want to know about."

Ganondorf chuckled. He said nothing, and Linebeck shut his eyes again and relaxed. They were silent for the next few minutes, Ganondorf trudging along with Linebeck in his arms, occasionally stretching his injured ankle. Ganondorf seemed to have no issue carrying Linebeck- and he wasn't particularly surprised. At his own admission, Linebeck was underweight, and Ganondorf's combat training and general lifestyle (that he knew of) clearly enabled him to carry him for a good while. And Linebeck didn't know how to feel about the worry he felt.

Ganondorf was the one to eventually break the silence. "I imagine you could walk the rest of the way."

Linebeck opened his eyes. "How close are we- ah." He spotted the ruins in the distance, built into the side of an outcropping of rocks. "...I think I'll be fine." Ganondorf stopped, and helped Linebeck steady himself back on his feet. His ankle still burned, but being carried had significantly lowered the amount of pain he felt. He shifted his weight a few times, and gave a satisfactory nod, and they were off towards the ruins.

Ganondorf's gaze was fixed on the ruins while they walked; Linebeck's was fixed on Ganondorf's expression. He stumbled over a few unexpected sand piles, but stared for as long as he was unnoticed. He looked… peaceful? There was serenity on Ganondorf's features, a slight smile on his face, and Linebeck couldn't help but feel it was an expression he hadn't seen often. The worry in his mind persisted. He despised it.

It was worry now over how Ganondorf felt; he was clearly happy to study these ruins, but wasn't he already happy with Linebeck? On their trip to the ruins, during their short dates over the past few months, those rare times they'd had the chance to spend more than an hour or two together? A tiny part of Linebeck's mind piped up and snapped that he was overreacting, but he frowned. He almost certainly was overreacting. And he still kept worrying.

Linebeck did nothing to restrain his more selfish thoughts. He wanted to be important to Ganondorf, his favorite person and someone he truly loved to be around. He wanted more out of Ganondorf's reaction to the carved boar, more out of their conversations, he wanted to feel important and irreplaceable.

And here he was, feeling jealous of some old ruins. Overreacting. Linebeck stopped himself in his tracks and shut his eyes. He tried to force those more selfish thoughts back and just be happy that Ganondorf seemed so happy. He was overreacting. Not everything could be about him. Of course Ganondorf had other people in his life, they'd known each other for just over a year. Ganondorf was subdued until his feelings overwhelmed him, he was a king, he knew how to be restrained and careful with his feelings, if the fact that the Hylian King still drew breath meant anything.

"Are you alright?"

Linebeck's eyes snapped open, and he hoped the turmoil wasn't clear in his eyes. The happiness in Ganondorf's expression was gone, replaced with a worry that was considerably less acidic than the worry that boiled in Linebeck's veins.

Linebeck nodded shortly and jogged to catch up. "Sorry. Got a bit lost in my thoughts."

Ganondorf walked beside him, nodding slowly. "Once again?"

Linebeck shrugged. "Once again. Look, when we get there, tell me everything you know about the ruins, you don't talk much about anything but your time at home. At, uh- Gerudo Town, I guess."

To his relief, Ganondorf chuckled. "Because I do not often leave my home, as much as I wish to. I know every inch of that city, its history, its different names. There is a lot I still have yet to tell you- though I do have a lot I could say about these ruins as well."

"Alright. Give me some quick information about these ruins, then? All I know is that… they're old, and used to be for worship."

"Ah, well, they are the oldest religious ruins in this area, and a few desert animals use it as their home." Ganondorf crossed his arms as he spoke. The prior happiness returned to his face. "In fact, I believe we may come across a nest of Gerudo cobras within. You like snakes?"

"Oh, of course! They're great. I almost like them as much as cats, I guess they have similar mouths. I haven't seen a, uh… Gerudo cobra, but they just live in the desert, right?"

"Yes, they are native to this desert, and in our histories, it is said that our ancestors learned to survive their first days in the desert through watching the Gerudo cobra. We then took the markings on its back and use it as our emblem. We hold this snake in high regard, it's a creature we do not kill or eat, so long as it is possible. It is permissible in times of famine, or if a cobra must be killed out of mercy. They are resourceful, hardy snakes. Venomous, but not dangerous when you're careful and respectful of them and their nests."

"Could I pick one up?"

"You would likely get bitten."

"Damn. Are any kept in… in captivity?"

"In a sense. There is a large nest at the edge of our city, and a few trained keepers keep an eye on and take care of them, and we harvest their venom on occasion. It is very useful for potions and antidotes." Ganondorf paused, then gestured at the ruins, which they had now nearly reached. "Asides from historical value, we also believe that these ruins may be another good Gerudo cobra nest to protect and study."

There were no snakes to be seen outside the ruins; the most in terms of living beings were some scraggly bushes hiding in the shadows at the foot of the structure, and some birds atop the entrance archway. The ruin, a crumbling temple, was built into a tall, sheer outcropping of rocks. The outward structure seemed to be crafted from sandstone bricks, while from what he could see of the inner building, it appeared to be carved into the rock itself. Linebeck stood a pace behind Ganondorf, who had his arms crossed as he studied the ruins.

"…You said this was a place of worship, right?" Linebeck asked, suddenly uncomfortable with the silence. He couldn't see very far in the building. There was no way to know how safe it was. His ankle ached. "You, uh… have a good idea of the layout?"

"We have theories, but it is mostly unknown. There are apparently windows and holes in the rocks meant to be windows. Some past groups have noted this, but none recently have gone inside. Did you bring a lantern?"

"A small one. You?"

"I have one myself. Shall we head in?" Ganondorf glanced back at Linebeck for a long moment, and after receiving a nod in response, walked into the ruins. Linebeck followed after a heartbeat. This wasn't much different than his overseas explorations, and he trusted Ganondorf.

As they walked down the corridor into the deeper structure, Ganondorf took out his lantern and Linebeck handed him his pack of matches. Ganondorf lit his lantern, and Linebeck took out his and lit it when the matches were handed back to him. The two lanterns gave off a warm glow, the little flames flickering within, lighting a sufficient amount of the building around them. Linebeck kept close to Ganondorf, peering nervously into the darkness beyond the corridor.

"Now then," Ganondorf began, his low voice echoing into the darkness. Linebeck flinched as he heard a distant rustling. "I imagine this may be something you are used to?"

"S-somewhat. Well… I… I've never explored a d-desert ruin, s-soooo…" Linebeck gestured vaguely and shakily. "Th-there's probably some stuff I'm not used to." He patted Ganondorf on the shoulder. "If I can be… if I can be a bit vulnerable, it'd be appreciated if you went first, Gan."

Ganondorf smiled faintly. They stopped at the end of the corridor. There were thin cracks in the larger room's walls and ceiling, so small, weak beams of light dotted the dim floor. Ganondorf strode further into the room alone, and Linebeck shuffled closer to the nearest wall. Once in the middle of the room, Ganondorf paused and snapped his fingers; from his hand blazed a flickering flame, that shot out and split into smaller flames, each finding their way to decrepit lanterns on the walls.

With the new light gently illuminating the space, Ganondorf and Linebeck could finally get a look at their destination; on the walls were faded murals, and from the look on Ganondorf's face, Linebeck could guess they depicted Gerudo history or mythology. He was dimly familiar with some Gerudo history- a bit less than he probably ought to, really, considering his heritage- but most of the images depicted on the walls, faded and fragmented by time, didn't ring any bells for him.

Ganondorf set his lantern down and drifted over to one of the far walls, walking past what looked to be an old table. Linebeck kept still, slowly taking in the room. He was mostly just glad to see that there was no sign of monsters. While Ganondorf was engrossed in inspecting the walls, Linebeck trudged into the middle of the room and picked a spot where some outside light shown in through a thin crack in the wall. He settled down onto the floor, set his bag down, and sighed. He sat for a long moment, resting his ankle, then loudly said, "So… what do you need me to do again?"

"…I would just like your perspective on this place. You are someone from outside the Gerudo desert, and someone who has seen much more of the world than I. And I suppose I just wanted you here. This is something of a romantic outing, too, right?"

"Yes, a date. And you want my input. So. I think… this place is old." Ganondorf let out a bark of laughter. Linebeck grinned. "It's structurally sound and kinda unimpressive. I don't know much about Gerudo history, honestly."

"Then you could learn today."

"I could."

It took Ganondorf a few minutes to fully take in the murals. He then drifted to the far end of the room, to a doorway, which he peered into and shown his lantern through, shook his head, and strode over to Linebeck. "It appears that is merely a storeroom. This may be all there is to these ruins."

Linebeck frowned. "Well, that's a letdown, huh? Small ruins. Nothing that looks worth taking and selling."

Ignoring the last thing Linebeck said, Ganondorf mused, "No one lived in these ruins. My guess is that they were simply a meeting place, perhaps an outpost, perhaps a site for religious events and stories. Back when we had less stable settlements, I imagine places like these were important." Ganondorf sat down next to Linebeck with a contemplative tilt of his head. "I believe the murals tell a few old Gerudo stories still told today, but I think some may also be a version of the tale of the Eight Heroines."

"…I think I've heard of that one," Linebeck murmured. "What's that one about?"

"It's one of our oldest stories, and may be a legitimate piece of our history," Ganondorf began. "We have several monuments built in the image of the heroines in the story, peppered around the desert as statues or carvings, with many old records of the story, with a healthy amount of variety between accounts. Many people believe it to be a simple story due to that inconsistency, while others believe it to be a part of our true history due to the sheer number and age of the monuments, and fragments and details from the stories appearing in accounts of our own history."

Linebeck sat up and tilted his head, hoping that his interest was apparent. "A lot of stories tend to be twists on history, I think; a lot of stories I hear overseas tend to be versions of real events."

"I believe there is truth to these stories," Ganondorf murmured. "It is simply too important of a story and one the crops up too often in the desert for it simply to be an old myth."

"Alright, then!" Linebeck clapped his hands together, grinning wildly when he saw Ganondorf flinch. "Tell me some of those stories! I've told you enough stories about my travels, so it's your turn."

Ganondorf gave him a surprisingly nervous-looking side-eye. "…I suppose the one I like the most includes the eighth heroine being ostracized for engaging with monsters."

"Engaging?"

"Engaging, studying, attempting to befriend… it is said that she wrote the earliest monster studies." Ganondorf sat up straight, eyes shut and arms crossed. Linebeck leaned forward to peer at his concentrated expression. "I believe that hearing of this particular story is what sparked my interest in monsters."

"Oooh."

Ganondorf eyed him momentarily. He shrugged off his cloak, and folded it neatly, taking his time as Linebeck watched. Linebeck watched him wince as pressure was applied to his injured shoulder, and he moved gingerly to keep from worsening any of his other wounds. "We have books that collect the many versions of the heroine tales. If you are interested, I could lend you one of those books when we return to town." As Ganondorf spoke, he bought his arm up, then gave a sharp hiss of pain. He clutched at his left shoulder and scowled.

Linebeck elbowed Ganondorf. "Alright, take off your cloak, let me take a look at your wounds. Can't be opening those back up." Ganondorf gave a short huff, leaning away from Linebeck's hands, but Linebeck grabbed his cloak and tugged it off his shoulder. "Let me take a look," he tersely muttered. "Lay down."

Ganondorf laid down, his face slightly flushed as Linebeck started setting out his medical supplies and rolled up his sleeves. Linebeck began unwrapping Ganondorf's shoulder bandages, and shot him a stern glare when he flinched away. "Come on, it can't hurt that much. Hold still."

"O-of course, of course." Ganondorf licked his lips, hesitating as Linebeck moved around him to unwrap every bandage, twitching when he paused over his leg. Linebeck raised an eyebrow at Ganondorf, who stiffly pulled down his waistband to show the bandage around his thigh. Linebeck grinned at his cooperation and the furious blush on his face.

Linebeck gingerly inspected his wounds with tweezers and fresh bandages. The one on his leg was fine; he pulled up Ganondorf's shirt without warning to check the cut in his hip. Ganondorf started to sit up, and Linebeck pushed him back down with a firm hand on his chest. "Quit it. At this rate, I think I'd like to see the way you handle medical care after something like training."

"Tch! It's hardly the same," Ganondorf muttered, twitching in reaction to Linebeck's touch. He gave a great sigh that turned into a hitched breath as Linebeck poked the edge of his wound.

"I should hope so," Linebeck muttered. He quickly replaced the bandage and shuffled over to sit by Ganondorf's side. "Take off your shirt."

Ganondorf complied without hesitation. Neither spoke while Linebeck double-checked the wound on his chest and wrapped it back up. "You pulled this one a bit. It's bleeding a little. I imagine you irritated your shoulders as well," Linebeck mused, eyeing the remaining injuries.

Ganondorf tugged his shirt back on for his own modesty before Linebeck moved to his arm. "Yes, yes. Be gentler with my shoulders. They are a bit sore." Linebeck rolled his eyes.

The wounds on Ganondorf's left arm and shoulder were bleeding a bit when he removed the bandages. He carefully picked at them with his tweezers, then wrapped clean bandages around them. Blood quickly stained both bandages, but stopped spreading as Linebeck watched. He slowly touched the wound on Ganondorf's shoulder, and muttered, "We'll keep an eye on this one." Ganondorf nodded.

"…Alright, your other shoulder. Gotta make sure that one's not infected or anything."

"Despite the disinfectant? From hardly a few hours ago."

"Can't be too careful," Linebeck sheepishly explained. "I-I mean I'm not fully certain what to be worried about, it's not like I have rabies or anything, just… I dunno, I smoke a bit, no way to really check just how clean my mouth is…" He felt himself blush, and Ganondorf smiled fondly.

"If it truly does become infected, we have healers back in town. We have the cover story, so you do not have much to worry about."

"Yeah, but you have stuff to worry about. It'll hurt to move your arm n' shit."

"Then we ought to head straight back to town in the morning." Ganondorf sat up and winced.

Linebeck narrowed his eyes at his shoulder, then carefully unwrapped the wound, sighing with relief as he saw the wound, looking relatively normal and free of infection. About as healthy as a fresh wound could look. "You've got healers, huh?"

"Of course. With how precarious some aspects of our lives can be, healers are greatly respected. You could come with, of course, and let them know what you've done so far!"

Linebeck frowned. "…Still not sold on be being allowed in, token or no… How many people actually know about… y'know, us, yet?"

Ganondorf shrugged. "Just Nabooru, I believe, and she is good at keeping secrets. There may be some rumors circulating, as I do mention a Hylian friend on occasion, but we should be fine. Gerudo Town is safe and the rules you may have to follow are simple."

"Rules."

"Simple, as I said. There are some areas that would be off-limits to you."

"What kinds of areas?"

"Areas where Gerudo sisters would be more vulnerable, of course. Not to mention a few that are more important to our culture. Otherwise, as long as it is clear that you have been officially allowed in, you will be fine."

"Huh." Linebeck started wrapping Ganondorf's shoulder in a new bandage. "Pretty different than Hyrule Castle Town. Similar naming convention, I suppose. Not the most creative- though it's a capital, so…" He shook his head. "Well, more mention of magic-users, I guess. Most that are aligned with the Hylian king are part of the soldiery and whatnot. Not really there for public use, I hear some healers who make their services freely accessible in the city get bothered to work for royalty and whatever. Guess they're trying to keep their chokehold on the accessibility of magic, even though everyone knows they can do it nowadays. Speaking of!" Linebeck tied off the bandage and leaned in front of Ganondorf. "You owe me some basic magic lessons at some point."

Ganondorf scowled. "Ah, don't remind me. And do not expect a high caliber of teaching. I can teach others to fight, but magic is another matter. My mothers would be better teachers." He trailed off, then narrowed his eyes. "Don't go to them. At least not without me."

"I'll trust you on that one." Linebeck scooted properly in front of Ganondorf and sighed. "Weeeeell… we stayin' here for the night?"

"Seems likely. Seems safe, we have shelter- we could block off the entrance, if we want to be especially certain of our safety and not have to worry about sleeping in shifts."

"Is it safe to block off the entrance?" Linebeck peered over at the entrance hall. "I mean… don't want to get stuck and then have to damage the place."

"Hm. Fair point."

Ganondorf started to stand, but Linebeck tugged him back down. "We can check later, we just got here." Linebeck paused, then leaned away. "You're… good to put your clothes back on, everything looks fine. I-I'll check the entrance, you checked everything else."

"Very well, don't take too long. I will be setting up camp here, then." Linebeck nodded and shoved himself to his feet. Ganondorf gave him a playful little wave as he walked off.

Linebeck limped back to the entryway. Each step was painful, but he refused to make any noise. Orange light spilled in from the desert outside, and Linebeck stepped outside to gaze at the evening sky. He lowered himself onto the ground and leaned against the doorway. He crossed his legs and idly rubbed at his injured ankle. When they'd first found the ruins, there'd been no monsters nearby. Despite his own frequent anxieties, Linebeck didn't feel inclined to thoroughly check the surrounding desert. He sat still for a few minutes, spotting some birds on the horizon and taking note of every little plant he could see.

"I'm done with camp; does it look safe out there?" Ganondorf shouted from within the ruins. With a small sigh, Linebeck leaned against the doorway and dragged himself up onto his feet. He paused a moment while pain shot through his leg, and he limped back into the interior room. Ganondorf was sitting by a small fire, and lifted his eyebrows when Linebeck shuffled back in. "Seems that little cut's giving you more trouble than we figured."

"I'm bad with pain," Linebeck mumbled. "But I'll manage. Just… need some rest." He peered at the bedrolls on the ground. "I want the one further from the door."

"It's yours, then. Probably going to use some of our rations for tonight. I presume you are not up to any hunting?"

Linebeck grunted, dragging his feet over to the bedrolls. "Saw some birds, but yeah, not really. What… rations do we have?" He kicked at the 'bedroll', finally recognizing it as just some blankets, and a pillow made of more bunched up blankets. "…'least we don't need to worry about making some shitty little tent."

"That tent I made was practical and did its job well, thank you," Ganondorf huffed. Linebeck just grinned to himself and gingerly lowered himself onto the ground. "Are you hungry?"

Linebeck shrugged.

"Well, you will eat something, yes?"

Another shrug. Then, "Yeah." Linebeck sat on top of the blankets, leaning towards the fire. It had been a bit cool in the ruins, so the fire felt nice. "At least save some stuff for the morning."

Ganondorf just nodded as he laid out what rations they had; a small pile of dried fruits and vegetables, a pile of newer fruits, and what remained of the dried and salted meat and fish. The meat and fish was placed near the fire. Linebeck reached over and grabbed a fruit he didn't quite recognize, and held it up. "What's this?"

"Saguaro. From those flowering cacti earlier. Give it a try. It is the season where they ripen, so it should be fine."

Linebeck frowned at it. "I don't… know how to eat this."

"Let me show you…" Linebeck handed the fruit over to Ganondorf, who turned it over in his hands. With clear experience, he split it open, the green outside concealing a bright red pulp and seeds. Linebeck stared at it, and Ganondorf grinned. "These do not typically leave the desert, I imagine." He handed it back to Linebeck, who mumbled a thanks. "These are only found on cacti closer to the highlands. I believe we're only a few miles away from those highlands now… I have not been there in quite some time."

"Well, we aren't taking a detour to go see them, got it?"

Ganondorf smiled. "Of course not. I have business I must attend to back in town. And, well, I suppose the town is close enough to the highlands. The Gerudo canyon contains most of the easiest paths up to the highlands, so perhaps if I have a break during all of that business...?"

"What's this about business? I thought you'd be free these next few days!"

"I am the king, even if I don't do everything. It shouldn't be too much… If I get to work as soon as I return home, I may be free for the next week, and you would be free to whisk me out of this desert to the seas if you would like."

"…Fine, fine. Where in town do you live? I've… never actually seen the town, what's it look like?"

"Hm. Gerudo Town… It is our largest settlement with the least creative name. Not unlike Hyrule Castle Town or Zora's Domain." Linebeck chuckled at that, and Ganondorf grinned before continuing. "It is under an overhang at the northeastern end of the desert, by the route into Gerudo Valley and towards where the Rito live. The overhang keeps much of the town in shadow during much of the day, and a lot of the oldest buildings were built into the cliff face. Now, there is a wall built from that cliff face and around most of the town, but more recently there are some small buildings- often shops for trading- built outside of those walls. We have underground sections, buildings built on top of others, waterways running through the streets and across rooftops and some planets thriving near that water, not to mention agricultural districts. It is a larger town than most outsiders seem to expect."

"Definitely sounds different than most towns I've been to," Linebeck mumbled.

"Of course it is, it is suited for this desert environment, and has survived the desert just about as long as us Gerudo have." Ganondorf crossed his arms with clear pride. "I'm rather excited to show you around."

"Providing I get let in." Ganondorf just laughed shortly, and Linebeck failed to hide his smile. He finally poked at the saguaro, and Ganondorf moved closer to him to show him how to eat it.

They were quiet as they ate, and Linebeck took his time with the saguaro fruit. Through the holes in the ceiling, they could see the sky darken and the stars become more and more visible. Ganondorf took it upon himself to clean up, and Linebeck slowly messed with his makeshift bedroll, tugging on the blankets and flattening them out. He didn't feel tired, but the disquieting discomfort from the night before was absent.

"No dramatic speeches tonight? …Oh, no. Tonight's dramatic speech was about Gerudo Town." Linebeck grinned brightly at Ganondorf, who rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Y'know, you make a good king. I've never really seen you be king, but you sure do talk like one."

"I was raised as king, so I had to learn," Ganondorf sighed. He took any food scraps and gathered them up in one of their empty bags, tying it off and putting it in his own. Linebeck tugged his boots off and started getting ready to lay down, and Ganondorf asked, "How's your opinion on the desert now?"

Linebeck scoffed, and mulled over an answer while gingerly feeling the gash in his ankle. "…Sand sucks. Sucks on beaches, sucks in deserts. Heat's fine, I guess, not a fan of it being so dry, the sun's worse here than overseas, but I guess it reminds me enough of the ocean. Not great, not bad, I'd say I wish it was more wet but then I might as well just admit I'd rather be on my ship." He sat back, hesitated, then added, "I mean, I'm happy to be here with you and everything, not like I've hated this or… you get it."

"I get it. You make more and more curious about the sea the more you talk about it- and comparing to the desert." Ganondorf finished organizing his stuff, and stood and stretched his arms above his head. "…I have only seen the sea from afar."

"What, that day we met is the closest you've been to the sea?"

"I believe so."

"Oh." Linebeck sat with his legs held close to his chest, and he frowned. "Really?"

"Yes. This is your first time to the desert, yes?"

"I- well- fair point." Linebeck set his chin on his knees. "I figure you checking out the sea will be a harsher shift. You gotta deal with any seasickness, sea legs, storms and bad weather… stuff I only figured out as quickly as I did because I spent so much of my childhood on boats." Ganondorf walked over and sat down next to Linebeck as he continued. "I mean, seeing… how you are, I wouldn't be surprised if it only takes you a few days to at least get used to the experience of being on the sea.

"Honestly, when we find time for you to come sailing with me, you'd need a good bit of time so I can help you get used to it, and then showing you around my ship, explaining the routine, showing you fishing and maintenance, maybe getting to an island… lots of time."

Linebeck went quiet. He stared off at the far wall, then glanced over at Ganondorf. They stared at each other, Ganondorf clearly waiting for Linebeck to keep talking.

He suddenly felt self-conscious and moved closer to Ganondorf. He rested the side of his head against his shoulder and mumbled, "I mean… I don't wanna go over my ship now, it's easier on the ship, but… hm. Let me think."

"You have some time tomorrow if you can't think of anything tonight."

"Hm." Linebeck scowled. "Then I'll just brainstorm tonight."

"A good plan. And you ought to get some sleep, too."

Linebeck shot Ganondorf a dirty look, but struggled to hide his smile and was already aware of the drowsiness tugging at his senses. He stared back at the wall and gave a short laugh. He and Ganondorf sat close, and Linebeck quickly shifted onto his knees. He drew himself up and shuffled around to Ganondorf, taking his face in his hands. They gazed at each other, and Linebeck kissed him. Ganondorf gently leaned into him, and Linebeck's hands dropped down onto his shoulders, and then he started running his fingers through his hair. They parted after a few moments, and Linebeck just wrapped his arms around Ganondorf's shoulders and rested his head on his shoulder, holding him close, feeling peaceful.

"I've had a good time," he mumbled. Ganondorf hummed. "I'll happily go with you to town, if I'm allowed in and all that."

Linebeck yawned. It surprised him, and he sat up. Ganondorf chuckled. Linebeck felt himself blush, and he sat back on his knees, rubbing at his eyes. "I- I think I'm going to lay down."

"Sleep well, then," Ganondorf murmured, gently cupping Linebeck's cheek in a hand and giving him a brief kiss on the forehead. They gazed at each other once more, and Ganondorf stood and left Linebeck with his blankets.

Linebeck tugged at his shirtsleeves and yawned again. The drowsiness was something he wasn't used to, but it felt good. And he felt safe with Ganondorf just a few feet away. He'd felt safe at the oasis, but now they weren't out in the open. He laid down and slid under the blankets and thought about his room on his ship and puzzled out where Ganondorf would be able to sleep. There was room for two people on that ship- room for perhaps up to four people- but he wanted Ganondorf to be comfortable, and so he had to begin planning it now.

He rolled onto his side and watched Ganondorf. He was cleaning up the little camp again, and then got up to walk around the room. Ganondorf checked every corner, walking quietly, checking every crack in the wall and making sure the door in the back was closed and would stay closed. Safe. Linebeck felt safe. Ganondorf put him ease. He was falling asleep on the floor of some old ruins in the middle of the desert in the same room as a king, and that king made him feel so incredibly safe.

"Good night," Linebeck called out when Ganondorf returned to the camp, and Ganondorf gently repeated the words back to him. Linebeck smiled. He felt vulnerable and it felt good.

As exhaustion set in and Linebeck struggled to stay awake, he watched Ganondorf prepare to sleep, admiring him, feeling content and excited for the morning. He would have time to talk about the sea once they were there; as he dozed off, he found himself looking forward to what else Ganondorf would tell him about the desert. When he got truly passionate in his speech, it was breathtaking, and Linebeck doubted he would ever get tired of seeing it.