Okay, okay, I really don't mean to just kinda forget about this story so often. Shattering the Stars is taking up a lot of my time. But hey, update, I've graduated high school! It was like almost two months ago now, but hey! I'm free! Anyhoo, please enjoy!
-Joost

Life in Termina
Chapter 3: Surrender

The lush, summer breeze ran through Link's bangs like a sword, elegantly cleaving through the partitions of his hair. It was an empowering feeling to have the warm, but not too warm air dance around him so beautifully. As he walked down the Milk Road, heading towards the ranch, the fifteen-year-old thought about his girlfriend. That word, girlfriend, echoed throughout his head repeatedly. It was hard to really believe that he had such an honor.

Thankfully, Romani had the week off from the Clock Town guard, a blessing. She so rarely had time off, especially during the summer when things were most chaotic. Just a month prior, she somehow managed to learn magic. Link had fun teaching her the ins and outs, but her newfound ability oddly went away after just a week.

Fiddling with his nervous hands, Link went from thinking about Romani's job to just Romani. That warm, fuzzy feeling that always came up when he saw her started to fester, making him sigh. Walking through the archway that read 'Romani Ranch', the former hero now in beige neared the house, his heart starting to race.

The door was just a few feet away now, and when Link raised his hand in preparation to knock, his ears picked up a faint sound coming from inside. Refraining from disturbing the noise, he carefully put his head against the door, listening in.

"Is that… Guru-Guru's phonograph?" Link wondered to himself. It was that tune, the Song of Storms, that Guru-Guru always played on his hefty musical instrument.

Link never figured out how that fellow knew the Song of Storms, but he pushed the thought away as he moved his head away from the door. Bringing his hand up and rapping against it, he heard the music quickly stop, then some shuffling before the knob turned.

"Hi Grasshopper!" Romani greeted her boyfriend, smiling cheekily and keeping a suspiciously innocent expression across her face.

"Hey Romani!" Link felt the warm feeling again as he laid eyes on the beautiful ranch girl. He stood up on his toes to peer over Romani's shoulder and inside, but it was strangely dark. "May I come in? I heard some music."

"Music? Silly Grasshopper, why would there be music?" Romani glanced to the left briefly, wearing a smile that almost convinced Link. However, her posture gave away that something was up. She had her hands behind her back, wiggling her hips in an attempt to distract Link, which he saw right through.

Raising an eyebrow, Link stepped closer, asking, "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely! Come on, let's relax outside!" Romani slid herself out the door in a quick manner, closing it the moment her body set foot on the grass.

Now normally, Link would've inquired further, insisting on seeing what was being hidden from him. However, it was Romani, so he had a good deal of trust in her. Perhaps she had some sort of surprise in store, though he hadn't a clue as to what. Besides, Anju always mentioned how proud she was of him loosening up over these past few years. When he was twelve and pursuing the mystery of the Garo, he was almost like a little detective, though much more reckless.

"Alright," Link shrugged, deciding to forget about his worries and join Romani in the field right next to the house. Finding a place on the peak of the meager hill, the couple enjoyed the breeze rushing through the valley and the sunlight, just the right amount of clouds present in the sky.

Link and Romani rested underneath the shade of a tree. When a slightly stronger gust of wind blew through the ranch, a few leaves were taken from the branches, dancing around in the air before drifting onto the ground. Link didn't even acknowledge the leaves, but Romani was taken back to a fond memory of years ago when she saw them.

A deep inhale and exhale was shared between the lovers, sighing contently while in each other's presence. For Link, it all felt too good to be true, but then logic would need to twist itself in order to construe how the past few years of his life had been an elaborate dream. Fear that none of this happiness was real had been short lived, the former hero accepting that life was being kind to him. In Romani's eyes, it was better than anything she could've wanted. Before meeting Link, love wasn't something she thought about, as she had her sister. That was all Romani needed for a time, but the lack of friends on the ranch had been starting to get to her. Then, the boy in green arrived, and she finally found a friend. Afterwards, she discovered something else in both her and Link.

"Grasshopper?" Romani gently put her hand on top of Link's, her fingers intertwined with his. He looked at her right away, his crystal-blue eyes gazing into hers dreamily. "Whatcha' thinking about?"

A sly smirk appeared along Link's face. "You, of course…" He leaned in, his eyelids lowering halfway, giving off a sultry look.

"Oh you-" Romani blushed, but didn't turn away. In fact, she got closer, the tips of her and Link's noses practically touching. They were so close, they could almost feel each other's breath against their cheeks, even against the light breeze. "Tell Romani, how much do you think about her?"

Link matched Romani's playful tone with his own, chuckling, "Almost every minute. It makes me feel like I had a glass of Chateau Romani, as much as mom and Ms. Cremia don't want me to…" The intoxicating feeling that the blonde boy felt every time he saw Romani couldn't be explained, but it made him beyond happy. "Are you sure you can't use magic anymore? You must've put a spell on me."

"Romani was about to ask the same, Grasshopper," Romani reached up and parted Link's bangs slightly, letting his face be on full display. Now she could clearly gaze at his complexion, ignoring his scars and admiring the cuteness right in front of her. "You're too adorable," she said, placing a hand on Link's cheek.

"Thank you… I think you're even more adorable…" Link admitted, his grammar a little poor due to his heightened feelings overpowering his usual line of thinking. The feeling of Romani cupping his face sent his mind into a wild, appreciative frenzy, but he kept it to himself as he hummed lightly.

"Grasshopper, have you ever wondered about fate?"

"Hm? Why?"

Romani tilted her head, a little surprised that Link hadn't given fate much thought. "Because a little while ago, Romani read a book about a hero, and fate was real! Do you think fate is real, Grasshopper?"

"I guess so, I've never really given it much time to think about… Although, I do hope fate is real. It must've brought me here and helped me meet you, right?" Link giggled softly, holding the hand Romani had on his face. Turning slightly, he brought Romani's palm to his lips and kissed it tenderly, all while eyeing the ranch girl lovingly.

Romani was brimming with foreign, unusual emotions. She equally hoped that fate was real, and that it had led to her and Link meeting the way they did. Maybe fate was also making her feel this way towards her best friend and boyfriend. Cremia had talked about fate before, but she talked even more about how much her little sister was growing lately. Romani, with her chest starting to grow warm and her breathing becoming sharp, a part of her didn't know what to do. In her mind, something was asking, begging, for her to explore in some unknown way. As Link gave Romani's palm one last kiss, she reached down and tugged at his free hand, guiding it over to her hips.

"What're you…" Link stifled a small gasp, unsure on what Romani was up to.

"Shhh, Grasshopper," Romani chuckled at Link's nervousness. While he had grown bolder over time in terms of how he expressed his love, the red-headed ranch girl would always be one step ahead of that progress.

Without any words, Link melted into Romani, one hand around her hip firmly, the other on the ground propping himself up. He nuzzled his cheek against his girlfriend's for a moment before bringing his lips forward to meet Romani's. They united together in a passionate embrace of adoration, the heat from their mouths taking their breath away.

Cremia was resting against the kitchen counter, watching the clock and tapping her fingers against the wooden surface impatiently. Romani had said that she wouldn't be long, her main goal being to distract Link as her sister got things ready. Well, everything was set, and it had been that way for almost ten minutes now! Crossing her arms, the ranch owner sighed, hints of boredom in her slightly frustrated exhale.

"C'mon, Romani, candles don't last forever…" Cremia glanced at the dozens of candles set up around the main room of the house.

The window had been covered, letting the flickering flames of the fireplace and the candles light everything up. It made the place extraordinarily hot, but with bedroom door upstairs opened, the heat rose and didn't linger for too long. Still, Cremia was starting to build up a sweat, and she knew it'd become unbearable after a while. With a huff, she walked over and opened the front door a crack, not only to let the house vent, but also to try and figure out what her little sister was up to.

"Wha-?!" Cremia saw her sister lying underneath the distant tree, her boyfriend almost on top of her, the pair sharing a rather intimate kiss. Instantly, Cremia's maternal instincts went into overdrive, thinking it inappropriate for Link, despite his nobleness, to have such freedom with Romani.

"Romani! Link!" Cremia shouted, leaving the door open and trotting out to confront the two teens. "What're you doing?! Stop that!"

"Huh?! S-Sister!" Romani rose to her Cremia's authoritative voice right away, accidentally pushing Link off her and sending him tumbling onto the grass. Her mind finally raced back to why she was even outside, how silly of her! "Oh! Right! The plan!"

"I'm not mad about the plan, what on earth was Link doing to you?!" Cremia demanded, standing above the two fifteen-year-olds, hands on her hips.

"G-Grasshopper? He wasn't doing anything!"

Cremia frowned, raising an eyebrow and glaring at her little sister. That piercing stare could get the truth out of anyone, and it worked like a charm against Romani. Suddenly, the ranch girl's feigned innocence washed away, causing her to blush and look down in hindered shame.

"N-No, Ms. Cremia! I promise, I wasn't doing anything bad!" Link protested, bypassing Cremia's judging stare without problem. For a moment, the owner of the land considered if she really was getting mad about nothing, but she knew what she saw. However, Link's gaze was truly innocent, proving that he had no other intentions.

"Tch…" Cremia softened her look, shaking her head in disappointment. Letting the whole matter be for now, she made a mental note to discuss the limits of desire with Romani later. "Alright, honey, I think you should come inside. The air is getting dry out here."

"It is?" Link asked, taking a breath just to check.

"Yes, it is. Why? Because I said it is. Now come," Cremia wasn't in the mood for debate. Romani stood up first and followed her sister, Link right behind them. Half of her was still embarrassed at being chewed out by her older sister, but the other half was eager now that she remembered her plan that was waiting inside.

Cremia, deciding to take things casually, slowed her pace down so that Link went ahead of her. Then, right as they approached the house, she wrapped her hands around Link's face and covered his eyes.

"AH! M-Ms. Cremia?! What're you doing?" Link asked, staggering to the side before trying to reorient himself. He put his arms out in an effort to grab onto something, but Cremia simply guided him around slowly so that he didn't lose his balance.

"Don't worry, Link, just keep going forward…" Cremia explained, helping him keep steady as he continued walking.

Giggling to herself, Romani opened the door and checked inside. The candles were thankfully still burning, despite how long they'd been lit for. With a quick sigh of relief, she pushed the door open wider so that Link could enter without risk of bumping into the frame. Carefully, Cremia led him inside, where the first thing he picked up was the smell of burning wax. The sisters were unable to afford the scented candles, but it wasn't of concern, as the mood of the room eased Link into a welcome sense of tranquility.

Then, the sound of music filled the heavy air, Romani placing a vinyl record onto the turntable and placing the needle onto the primary groove. The sisters' puppy, having been trained thoroughly in turning the hand crank, used his little paws and manipulated the handle, allowing the music to start as Cremia removed her hands from Link's face. Quickly, she rushed over to the dog and took over the job of turning the crank, giving him a treat for his good work.

The song being played wasn't the Song of Storms, instead, it was the same song that the Indigo-Go's played during the a very, very special Carnival of Time. The one that took place just after the moon was supposed to fall. Somehow, Romani managed to get a recording of that specific performance, but Link didn't dare question it right now. A slight wave of emotion hit as memories flooded back, his face donning a dopey smile that Tatl would definitely make fun of if she were here.

"R-Romani, how did you-" Link was shushed by a finger being placed along his lips, his girlfriend smiling, her grin visible even in the dim candlelight.

"Grasshopper," Romani took Link's hands into hers, holding them gently. "Every year, when we go to the carnival together, Romani realized that we never got to dance…" Curling her bangs along her ears, she blinked a few times, fluttering her eyelashes. "With Romani working as a guard, or your work as the carpenter's apprentice, or your birthday, most of our songs were already over…"

"Oh, Romani…" Link stammered, his face flushing furiously as Cremia held back from chuckling at the couple. Even though she was still a little peeved at them for earlier, she couldn't resist smiling at two nervous teenagers expressing themselves.

"What do you say, Grasshopper? Would you dance with me?" Romani asked.

Link answered by placing his hands on Romani's hips, and she returned the favor by putting hers on his shoulders. They were clumsy, never being taught how to dance except for the folks they saw slow dancing during the carnivals of the past. Cremia finally broke and laughed, knowing that a slow dance wasn't fitted for a brisk, yet still smooth song like the one that was playing. She kept from intervening, wanting her little sister to relish the moment without interruption. Besides, someone needed to turn the hand crank to keep the music going.

The couple were remarkably good at dancing together, Link only stepping on Romani's feet twice, far less than Cremia had anticipated he would. Perhaps his old sword training came in handy when it came to any kind of footwork. He didn't think about it for long, getting continuously lost in his girlfriend's eyes.

Once the highest note of Lulu's singing came through the phonograph speaker, Link twirled Romani around like how he saw the older men did with their wives at the carnival. He remembered he saw Kafei do it with Anju once, on the rare occasion where they joined in on the festivities.

Their wedding anniversary was also on the date of the carnival, as was Link's own birthday, after all. Such a cluttered day, but it was for good reason. No one knew of Link's true day of birth, not even Link himself, so it felt fitting to place it on the day where his new life in Termina properly began. Anju and Kafei had planned for years to have their wedding during the carnival, the pair making a promise when they were kids. Time, the subject of the celebration, seemed just as bound to Link and his family as it was to the event.

By the time the song died out, the phonograph speaking delving into the white noise of the rest of the record, Link and Romani were sweating. Not only was it because of the heat, but the sensations going on inside their bodies. They had become lost in the intimacy of the dance, their hearts racing for seemingly no reason and their hands trembling.

"I love you, Romani…" Link said absentmindedly, bringing his best friend in for a hug.

"I love you too, Grasshopper," Romani gasped slightly at the hug, able to feel Link's heartbeat against hers.

"By the way, how… how'd you get that phonograph? I don't remember seeing any on sale around Clock Town," Link asked, his own curiosity too strong to refrain from wondering.

"Oh, Romani- uh… borrowed it!" Romani explained cheekily.

"Wait- You what?" Link parted from the hug and looked at his girlfriend seriously.

"Don't worry, I put in a note that I was borrowing it from Guru-Guru for guard duty!" Romani smiled, turning to her sister and nodding. Cremia just facepalmed.

"Romani… You have the week off…" Link said.

The ranch girl went silent. In her haste to acquire the phonograph, she completely forgot about the newfound time she had on her hands and why exactly she had it. The excuse of 'borrowing' Guru-Guru's property for 'guard duty' definitely wouldn't fly if she wasn't on duty. Romani immediately groaned, slouching her head over her shoulders frustratingly.

"Okay… Well, I'm kind of friends with the Troupe Leader, I'll talk to him next time I can, alright?" Link assured Romani, although he was rather unconfident in his ability to construe a way to explain it all. "But I still do appreciate all this, it was… it was nice…" Another blush formed on his cheeks, the effort his girlfriend went through just to do this for him being greatly admirable.

"You're very welcome, Grasshopper," Romani said sweetly, kissing her boyfriend on the cheek.