Shadow Shrouded Guardian

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

If Sheik had not asked – or ordered, actually – Link was not sure if he would have managed to make a solid effort to reach the bed. This was fine, he had the man he wanted right there in his arms and he would have him against the door, if need be. Anything was fine, really, as long as Sheik did not stop kissing him back. He was beautiful, the taste of his lips intoxicating, the feel of his lithe body pressed against his addicting.

       When his calves hit the bed, Link put a stop to his drunken inward rambling and sank down, knees brushing against Sheik’s legs to maintain their contact as he grinned up at him. For a passing moment all he did was gaze up at this wonderful man right in front of him, lower lip caught between his own as he took in the Sheikah’s thoroughly rumpled state.

       They both moved at the same time, tunic hurriedly tugged over his head and hands already reaching for Sheik, pulling him closer by his hips until he stood between his parted thighs. Fingertips found bare skin, their pace once again slowed as they stared at each other. Sheik did not feel any different, despite how his looks changed when they were in the Twilight, but Link hadn’t know what to expect anyway. Either was he was glad that nothing was off, that this was still Sheik. His Sheik.

       Ruby eyes dropped then and widened slightly and it was enough to pique Link’s curiosity, so he risked a brief glance at himself. The radiant golden skin was not a surprise, he’d seen that before, but as far as he could see, he was unmarred. No scar, not even a scratch – nothing. Nothing told the story of a hero and war veteran. In here, it was just them.

       When Sheik climbed on top of him, Link’s broad hands slid up his thighs to settle on his waist. He tilted his head back, awaiting a kiss but what he got instead, was even better. Bit by bit, the Sheikah unravelled, literally let down his hair and uncovered parts of his body Link could not wait to explore. A hand found those ginger locks, helped untangle the waves and curls and if Sheik had not seen earlier how turned on he was, he could surely feel it when Link dragged him closer by the waist.

       There were lips and teeth on his collar and a most welcome pressure at where most of his blood had pooled, drawing another moan from him. “If they don’t”, he breathlessly responded, running his hands upwards, fingers caressing skin and muscles and flesh until his thumbs found Sheik’s nipples. “You’ll just have to renew them.”

       A tremble went through him when he felt lips on his sensitive ears and he enjoyed the attention with his eyes closed and humming softly. After a moment, he pulled him back with a hand tangled in those long curls, once more tilting his head up to reclaim kiss-swollen lips. Muffling any sort of noise the Sheikah might have made at the way he was pinching and caressing a nipple.

 The sensation of hands running up his torso tingled just on the verge of being too much. It was wonderful right up until Link got to his chest. It wasn't uncomfortable exactly. For a moment he indulged the blond, but when he mistook the whimper from having his hair pulled as a different kind of encouragement Sheik decided this was not for him. He batted away the errant hand and hummed a simple umt-unh without breaking their kiss.

  Teeth came for his lip again and he pulled away only to come back and nip at Link's instead. It was playful and teasing before he went for it again, this time harder, sucking it before letting it go and soothing over the bite with his tongue. "Hey, Link?" Hands held his hips still as the Hylian ground hard up against him and the rest of his sentence was forgotten as a moan left his throat and his head hung. Sheik pressed his forehead against Link's, orange locks hanging around their faces like a curtain. He wrapped his arms around the hero's shoulders when he repeated the action, this time grinding back against him. His lips were still half parted in mid-sentence as they found a slow steady rhythm, soft moans, and short gasps spilling off them. It wasn't until a kiss fell to his adam's apple that Sheik remembered he had been speaking.

  "Link," a hum of acknowledgment resonated behind the lips at his throat. At this rate, he would never get the words out. "Two things," a pleased whine left him. He was so hard and Link was making it increasingly difficult to speak the common tongue the way he was moving against him-- not that Sheik wasn't moving back, and kissing his neck. Finally, he had to pull himself away and brought his hands up to cup the other's face. "We are not doing this with shoes on." A laugh rumbled behind the smirk on his face. However, the look in his eyes held something more devious as he pulled loose the laces that ran up the back of his calves. Everything covering his feet fell to the floor in a swift motion to join the growing scattered pile of their clothes. And then he just kept going, hooking his feet behind Link's knees as he bent back effortlessly. Buckles clicked and string protested as dexterous fingers pulled them straight through the eyelets with haste. He came back up gracefully; knees, then hips, his muscles flexing as he righted himself. Sheik wore a crooked grin when a crimson eye winked at the knight.

   "The second thing," Sheik continued once back in his place pressed close against the other and trying to get his mouth to form more words instead of lewd noises. "mmm, the..." He was hopeless. "If you wanted to..." Or maybe helpless. “Link,” When that attempt failed Sheik pushed Link down against the bed, one hand against the Hylian's chest, another holding his weight so he could loom over the man. His breath was heavy when he spoke, "Shove me back up against that wall."

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

 Reflexively sucking in his stomach at the light touch of nails on his stomach, Link hissed, though it was clear that it was not because of pain. They were both fumbling with the need to touch as much skin as possible, to make up for the time lost when they had not been alone and in Link’s case, trying to memorize every detail. Neither knew what the morning would bring, how their diverse duties and assignments might keep them busy and apart. Link was more than willing to take what Sheik had to offer.

        A chuckle rose in his throat and he paused to take the Sheikah’s face in both hands, thumbs brushing over his cheeks and the corner of his mouth. He smiled as he held his gaze for a moment, then leaned forward to place a kiss on his forehead. “No need to worry.” Another kiss on the tip of his nose. “The last thing I want right now” A chaste one on his mouth. “is to let go of you.”

        Whatever Sheik meant to reply was swallowed as he once more brought their lips together, sucking Sheik’s lower lip between his own. Every time they parted, he pushed forward once more, tongue begging for entry with a wet swipe to the other blond’s mouth. With each passing second he grew more desperate for contact, lining his body up with Sheik’s and basking in the way the seemed to fit perfectly together.

        A gentle nudge of his nose to Sheik’s chin had him tilting his head just right and lips and tongue alike danced across the side of his throat all the way to his neck. The Sheikah tasted like he remembered, soap, salty sweat and the smell that hit Link’s nostrils had him bury his nose in the nape of his neck. Some sort of spices that would always remind him of the Sheikah, smoke from the fire earlier and ..just Sheik. He could not help the quiet moan that escaped him.

   It was so easy to lose himself in Link. To let everything fall away and only focus on the way  Link's lips felt against his, the hungry desperate way they clung to each other, the feeling of skin against skin that there wasn't nearly enough of. He wasn't sure when exactly Link had untied his cowl, but he didn't think too deeply on it. Instead he relished in the sensations that crept over sensitive skin. A particular spot had him squirming against the other, which only earned his neck more attention.  

   When Link came to rest his head in the crook of his neck, Sheik ran his fingers through blonde locks, brushing them back before raking his nails up. He could feel the small sharp intake of air and the way it sent shivers down his spine. He did this a few more times, both hands now running over the man's scalp in a mesmerizing way before coming to a stop at Link's jaw and pulling him in for another kiss that quickly became rough again. 

  "Bed," Sheik managed to voice. He pushed them away from the door and found the world unsteady. A small laugh escaped him as he clung to the other who he imagined was probably not much better on his feet. Somehow they made it there. With a shove Sheik persuaded Link to sit back on the edge of the bed. There was simply far to much fabric between them and he was going to fix that, but Link seemed to already be a step ahead of him. Instead he watched with anticipation, and when the tunic finally was pulled off, Sheik snatched it up and sent it to the floor. 

   For a moment he could do nothing but stand there and stare. The scars of war wiped clean from the hero's skin that gave off such a strange golden glow around the edges. Sheik wondered for a moment if Link did have a form here for whatever reason. He was simply so present, so solid, but Sheik wasn't about to take that chance. Instead he ran his finger tips lightly over Link's jaw and climbed on top of him.

   First went the head wrappings and the tie that held back his hair. They were banished to the floor and forgotten as Sheik pulled the braid loose and shook out his hair. It came down just passed his shoulders in soft waves from being braided back most of the time. His shirt, if you could even truly call it a shirt, met with the floor soon after. 

   Link was warm again his bare skin. A feeling Sheik had never in his wildest dreams had hoped to have. Something he knew he would never have again outside of this place. Time passed strangely here. Perhaps it would be kind to them. Maybe it would let him have Link just a little bit longer. Hands pulled his hips close as he left kisses across the man's collar, turning the last one into a bite as Sheik grinded back against him. He ran his tongue over the mark before making another. "I wonder if these will leave this place with you." He gave the Hylian little time to respond before running his tongue along Link's neck, a detour before getting at those ears.

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

   To anyone watching, they might have looked like drunken teens chasing each other through the area, but it was not only due to intoxication that Link barely paid attention to anything but the retreating lithe figure of the Sheikah. And was it not all right to feel young once more? To leave the worries and doubts for the next day, to let their future selfs handle it while they enjoyed the moment and just embraced the fact that they were alive and breathing? Link would gladly act like a child for a night, if it meant he got to see Sheik smiling some more.

       His blood was still pumping from their earlier brawl, adrenaline singing in his veins and heart pounding from excitement, as he chased after him. The laughter he let escape him was breathless, carefree, but the way he watched Sheik was anything but childish. It was more like a hawk, like a hunter would watch their prey and his frenzied stumbling showed how he could not wait to get his hands on him.

       The brief kiss had been nothing but a slight brush of lips against lips, not nearly enough to sate his want and being close enough to the other to catch a waft of his unique scent did nothing to calm the ache.

       Sheik turned on his heels, met his gaze with a smirk and a cocked eyebrow. But before Link could even think about pulling him close and wiping that expression off of his face with lips and tongue, he was dragged along through the temple. He really had not paid any attention to where Sheik had led him, but he realized it was presumably the most secluded place during the festivities. There were no people talking or sudden laughter to interrupt them as it would most likely do in their room at the inn, even the music was dulled to a distant thrumming as soon as Sheik pushed him inside a room and closed the door behind them.

       This time, the blond did not wait for an invitation or assent; Sheik bringing him here was consent enough to know that he wanted to be alone with him. No Isha smirking or Raza teasing, not even Kafei silently watching them – this time it was just them.

       Grabbing Sheik around the shoulder he turned the smaller male around and pushed him into the very door he had just locked. Back colliding with it, Sheik gasped and red eyes snapped up at him, though the sound was quickly muffled as Link’s lips finally claimed their price. There was nothing gentle about the way he ravaged Sheik’s mouth, as if he could not get enough of the taste. Letting go of his shoulder to cup his face, he rumbled a quiet “You’re such a tease.”against swollen lips, punctuating his words with a nip at his lower lip. His other hand was around Sheik’s waist, squeezing inbetween the door and his back to pull him flush against himself.

  His gasp quickly melted into a pleased hum. For a moment he forgot his hands, too drunk and too taken with the rough way Link was kissing him to focus on much else. When he did recall their existence his movements were desperate, his hand running up Link's side until it reached his shoulder blade and fingers dug into the fabric of his tunic.  

Sheik's eyes had fallen shut and were still closed when Link broke their kiss to speak and pull him even closer than they already were. His other hand now free, he immediately brought it up to rest at the crook of the blond's jaw, fingers just barely brushing Link's hairline.  The things that voice did to him. Compared to how they had been going at it a moment ago, the way Sheik captured his lips was gentle, though only by those standards. "Not when you talk like that, I'm not," there was an airiness to his voice as if he were out of breath. "Although," a laugh was muffled by another kiss, "Not to eat my own words, but remember," His hands had left Link to make quick work of his belt, dropping it carelessly to the floor in favor of running his hands up under the newly freed tunic. Nails skittered over skin before Sheik brought his hands to rest at Link's hips, as half-lidded eyes met the knight's gaze. "don't stop touching me."

[shadowshroudedguardian]

headcanon drabble

  The world was vaguely coming back into focus. The pain didn't hit immediately, but when it did, it was extraordinary. Sheik tried to cry out, but found that anything beyond a shallow breath sent sharp shooting pain up his side and across his chest. Footsteps echoed. He was in a chamber of some sort and someone was carrying him. Sheik tried to move to see where he was or who it was taking him wherever it was they were going. "Don't," It was the Hero. The Hero he was supposed to be protecting. He was right in warning him not to move; his body was a mess of breaks and minor lacerations. It started flooding back to him; the attack on the village, the well, that monster. He had been battered and exhausted when the seal broke. Link had been there. He had been next to him in an instant after the monster attacked, or perhaps he had simply blacked out long enough for it to seem that way. Being thrown thirty some feet will do that to a person.

  A gasp left him as he was laid gently into the water. It drew him from his thoughts as the strange tingling sensation came over him. It was however, short lived. A stifled scream through grit teeth escaped him as his bones snapped back into place with sickening cracks and pops. It left him gasping and did nothing to help how disoriented he was. The tingling sensation returned, soothing his pain as it finished mending his wounds. His breath calmed and Sheik opened his eyes, only realizing now how they had been screwed shut. A fairy was floating above him. They must be at a fountain. 

  A light tug brought his cowl down and he turned to lay on his side so he could wash the drying blood from his face. He didn't bother to pull it back up afterword; it was soaked with water and blood anyway. Sheik finally took a moment to take in his surroundings and spotted the Hero sitting next to him on the steps that lead into the shallow pool. He was better off it seemed. Sheik could see cuts and scrapes quickly closing up. Two fairies fluttered around him, one a pink healing fairy, and another a blue one that was presumably Navi. "You brought me all the way here?" Sheik asked, though it was clear that was the case. He figured they were in the fountain hidden in Zora's domain, the one closest to the village. "Yeah, I was worried the song wouldn't take both of us, but..." Ah, not Zora's domain. They were by Death Mountain crater. That made more sense. 

"Thank you, Hero." Sheik said as he pushed himself to sit up. When he turned his head to address the other again he found the boy starring wide eyed at him. Worry momentarily gripped him before he remembered he hadn't put his cowl back up. Link had never seen his face before. A hand reached up to touch it before quickly withdrawing when Sheik began to back away. "Sorry," Link turned away to hide his face that was being overcome by a blush that crept to his ears. "It is alright. Warriors are permitted to reveal their face when among comrades or...friends." Sheik didn't have friends, not anymore, not under the circumstances. The Hero, Link, he had become the closest thing he had to a friend now Sheik supposed. Even if the Sheikah had done his best to keep a distance, rather literally in the beginning-- the boy had caught him stalking him in the field on the way to the water temple and insisted they might as well travel together if only to sleep in shifts, despite all that, they had developed a unique sort of friendship. He could see the other smile even as his face was turned away. When Link turned back to him and dared take another look, there was a small smile on Sheik's face as well for the first time since their quest had begun.  

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

Years ago, Link had not been the competitive type. He still recalled growing up among the Kokiri, defending himself against Mido’s teasing by reluctantly agreeing to childish competitions such as racing or who could climb a tree fastest to reach the prettiest apple. Besides that, afterthat, when the first war came, he hadn’t had much time to even consider contests. Sure, it had been fun to agree to Malon’s little horse racing game, trying to break her record, but the joy only lasted so long until reality caught up with him again.

       All of that had changed when the timeline had been reset. He’d grown up together with Sheik, lived with other Hylians his age and as soon as he had enlisted with the knights, he’d learned what friendly rivalry felt like. And more than once he’d been dragged right into it. With Sheik, this was not their first brawl, but it was definitely the first time that the amused look on his friend’s face sent a spark of heat through his abdomen.

       The show they put up was anything but graceful and more than once Link had to blink a couple of times to get himself to focus, mentally chiding himself while still displaying a grin that gave away how much he enjoyed this. It was the first time he fought since he’d lost his right eye, archery and those secretive sword lessons when he was alone did not count. He did not have to pay attention to a moving subject then, the inanimate targets did not duck into his blind side and if he were sober, he would have been embarrassed at how often he stumbled more than tactically placed himself.

       Sheik was not off any better, but the more time passed, the more they put their hearts into it and before he knew it, Link was breathing heavily from slight exhaustion. He was still grinning, though, and when Sheik scored a point, he gave a huff of a laugh before reaching behind him to grab the Sheikah’s wrist.

       The blond impressed him, displaying a move he hadn’t seen before and one he would definitely ask him about later, but for now he tugged and tried to pull the lithe man over his shoulder in an attempt to slam him to the ground. Sheik rolled off of his shoulder instead, landing on his feet in what appeared to be grace before diving down to kick out Link’s feet from under him. Grace did not go hand in hand with intoxication, however, so the movement made him lose his balance and had Link crashing on top of him.

       The crowd howled at them, a loud and constant noise in the background and Link could feel the breath leave Sheik’s chest as he crushed him. Groaning softly himself at the elbow he’d received into his stomach, Link cursed under his breath, eye screwed shut as he fought the urge to empty the contents of his stomach right next to them. Everything was spinning, no doubt due to inebriation and moving too quickly, but the blond did not have much time to recover, because suddenly there were hands pushing at his shoulders and hips brushing against his own as Sheik braced himself against the ground to push him over.

          Before Link registered it, he was staring up at a pair of ruby eyes, crinkling in a way that told him that Sheik was hiding a smirk beneath that cowl, pleased at how easily he had pushed Link off of him. “Don’t get cocky.”, Link growled at him before the Sheikah could even utter a word and flipped them over once more.

    They tussled back and forth, first on the ground, then on their feet again, before falling back into the dirt. Every moment of it becoming progressively too close, too much contact for where his mind was wandering. Link was strong, but Sheik was wiry and flexible, and kept twisting out of Link's holds. For a moment Sheik thought he had the edge. They were back on their feet, legs tangled as Sheik slipped from the Hylians grasp once more. Mid turn just as he was moving to kick out Link's knees and flip the man over his hip his concentration was thrown by suggestive words only loud enough for him to hear. There was just something about Link's voice when he let it drop low and soft, the way it resonated like a growl that left him at the knight's mercy. Before he could recollect himself he found his back hitting the ground, wrists pinned, and Link kneeling above him. For a fleeting moment he looked up at him with eyes filled with want.

  Sheik took his defeat well and accepted the hand that was offered to help him up, but the motion made Link stumble, nearly knocking them both over. Together they managed to get to their feet somehow. An arm over his shoulder, his own slung around Link's waist they made their way out of the ring to the hoots and cheers of people. Perhaps it was a good thing he lost. Judging by the sound of it he might have caused an upset if he won. Or maybe they had just been that entertaining. He could only imagine what they must have looked like. 

  When they got to the edge of the crowd they made a b-line to a small refreshment stand. It was then when Link let go of him to get at the water that that warm fluttery feeling returned in full force. He was staring at him terribly distracted by the state their fight had left the blonde in. So distracted that he took the cup offered to him by the attendant and drank it without realizing what exactly he had just done. Thoughts of their fight ran through Sheik's mind as they continued to walk in no particular direction. He had been only a breath away from suggesting they go someplace more secluded before they’d been interrupted. Now after rolling around on the ground, trying to pin each other, being pinned to the ground; a shiver ran down Sheik’s spine. 

"Who would have thought, The hero of time fights dirty," Abruptly he stopped and turned to face the other with no regard for personal space. "I can play dirty too, Link," he hummed as he tugged down his cowl. Lips just barely brushed Link's before they turned up into a smirk and pulled away just enough to deny the kiss, but still be teasingly close. "Catch me." With that he took a few steps back, readying to run, but making sure the Hylian had a moment to process it. He was quick and his balance only faltered here and there; mostly when he looked back to make sure Link was still in sight. The idea had come to him only a moment ago. It was impulsive and only half thought through. Was the running making him dizzy, or was that was just the buzz of excitement and the heated feeling in his stomach? He neither knew nor cared.

  When Link caught up with him, finding him waiting at the temple steps Sheik grabbed him by the hand and pulled him through without giving him a chance to claim his prize. Through the hall, up a twisted flight of stares, a sharp right and four doors down. It was a room to rest in.  A bed catty-corner on the far wall. Another against the wall opposite it. A small dresser. A place to sit. Things you would expect to be in a room meant for temporary refuge. However what Sheik mostly cared about was it's distance from everyone, and that this door had a lock. Not a second after it clicked shut did Sheik find his back pressed up against it.

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

The fight itself was hilarious and had Link gripping the bannister not only for support after their hurried jog over to the ring. His mind had a little trouble catching up, but apparently he had made his way over without tripping over anything or running into people aside from the usual shoving to get a closer look. The blond remembered his own incidents with the cuccos, gloating as he watched the fool getting chased around quite similar to the way he remembered his own escapes.

       “Those little bastards are vicious.” , he snickered and elbowed Sheik and a small, guilty part of him considered if that this was why he liked chicken meals best.

       “It’s fun. I can see why people agree on settling matters here. There’s no harm done except a bruise or two.”, he commented as he watched the two fighters circle around each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Eventually it came and Link found himself mesmerized, taking in their stances and the way they swung the wooden swords. Calculating, despite his inebriated mind, a habit he would probably never fully outgrow.

      “We used to do that a lot.”, Link mused, a small smile tugging at his lips and he shot the shorter male a glance. “Back then.” It had been different times then, when they used to train and spar together. While Link  could easily take him with brute strength and was better with a shield and sword, Sheik always had a couple of tricks up his sleeve, his lithe form providing advantage numerous times. The blond liked to think they were equals, though he was not sure if that still applied today. Clearly he was at a disadvantage with his blind side, but the Sheikah was not in such a good shape either. He tired easier than he used to and had lost some of that muscle mass, had grown thinner altogether.

Link hummed at that, fingertips of his fore and middle finger tapping at his lower lip.

        “Think you could still take me?”

  Sheik felt his heart flutter. Maybe it was just the way it was said, low and resonating and close, but it came off terribly suggestive to him. He blinked away the thought, convinced he'd imagined it. Link never gave himself enough credit in their fights. Maybe in the beginning he had out classed the Hylian, but Link had quickly become far stronger than him. He wasn't nearly as fast, but he was better with a sword and shield. Sheik relied on stealth, and when that failed he dual wielded short swords not unlike  scimitars. It had it's pros and cons, but it weighed him down the least while still giving him better odds than just daggers. At the present more than half his mana was occupied holding the barrier and while he had recovered significantly, weeks of malnourishment and confinement takes it's toll on the body. He was also very very drunk. So of course his answer was "Any day, hero."

  The referee was resistant to Sheik's request, but was quickly bent to the spy's charisma. Sure they were intoxicated and there was a line, but imagine how they would draw a crowd. More people, more bets, and who wouldn't want to bet on the Legendary Hero and a Sheikah warrior? And wouldn't that make such a good story for the tavern? Surely a story to one up the men, the time you refereed a match such as that. It did not take very long to persuade him. However there was a stipulation, he refused to give either of them weapons. Hand to hand only for their safety and the safety of the crowd. Sheik could respect that.

  The match before them ended to as many cheers as grumbles and the two fighters shook hands before leaving the ring. The referee began to announce them and it pulled an unexpected laugh from Sheik. He cleared his throat to regain his composure and explain that they had been ratted out. The crowd was now fully aware that while they were highly skilled and accomplished fighters, they had been barred from weaponry "on this most festive of occasions".  Sheik assured him that it was commonplace. Some people got drunk and danced on tables, some people got drunk and let their fists do the dancing.

  Sheik made the first move not a second after the match started. Link had easily blocked it as Sheik knew he would, but the fight had to start somewhere. It was a bit of a struggle with his balance not entirely intact, but he still operated on the strategy that Link couldn't hit what he couldn't catch. It worked for a time until the man nearly clotheslined him. It sent him skidding to the ground to avoid it and when he sprung back up they became locked in a fight to see who would break through the others blocking first. Sheik was sure that their form was less than stellar. Link landed the first point. 

  The crowd was getting more riled now. Some people yelled out in common and other's not. Taunts of "fight dirty", "catch him", and "your right" could be heard. Sheik snickered as he ducked into Link's blind side. He wasn't abusing it terribly, but how could he completely avoid it? He wasn't sure if it actually helped Link any, but it was good to hear the crowd cheer for him and try to give him an edge. They had been toying with each other for a bit when Sheik decided another point needed to be earned. It was a move generally done with a sword, but he worked around that. Strafe, roll, spring up, keep the momentum, and... Sheik had no idea how he managed to do it without falling over hilariously. But there he was, behind the other, a hand a hair's breath away from Link's neck. He made a light little chopping tap. "Point." It was then that he knew that, like many "festive" fights, this one was about to devolve into a wrestling match.

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

The gentle caressing made him hum in contentment and his own hands found Sheik’s waist to pull him close against his side. It was comfortable where they sat, faces warm from the fire in front of them and with the cooler night air nipping at their ears and backs. Sheik’s fingers had grown cold and he shuddered lightly, welcoming the cool touch against his heated skin. It was not only the fire that kept him warm, but also the constant buzz of alcohol in his blood that left him feeling slow and lazy.

        Link smiled, eyes falling shut. He brought a hand up to cup the Sheikah’s face, cradling it like it was something delicate and thumb finding the corner of his mouth. They were safe here, probably safer than they had been in a long time and at least for tonight, his friend had managed to unwind and relax. He was more like himself tonight. More like the young man who had once told him old lores, reciting them both in common and in his mother-tongue, until the Hero managed to fall asleep to the sound of his voice.

        “That last story”, he murmured, only loud enough for Sheik to catch his words over the rising chatter of the people around them. “I remember there was a song to accompany it. I also remember you singing it to me that first night after the Shadow Temple.” A brush of his nose against Sheik’s, a tender touch, like the ghost of a kiss. And oh, how he wanted to kiss him. How he wanted to mesmerise the taste of his lips, the smell of his skin when he buried his face in the crook of his neck.

  Sheik felt his ears growing hot at the mention of the song. He wasn't one to sing in front of people, but he had made an exception because Link had needed him to. He could feel the tension between them, how the had drifted closer, the heat that had nothing to do with the fire, how his cowl was probably the only thing stopping Link from kissing him. That and maybe the fact that they were very much in public and he doubted they could stop at just kissing. They were already treading the line of decency as it were. "Link, maybe we should--"

"Link! Sheik!" the sudden sound had Sheik jumping away from the other and scanning the crowd for its source. Raza, of course. "You guys have to see this! Some guy is facing off a cucco." She grabbed Sheik by the hand without regard to whatever she had interrupted and started toward the mass of people crowded around the ring. Sheik gave Link a helpless sort of disappointed look, but proceeded to indulge his cousin.

She pulled him through the crowd and he dragged Link along with him. Raza leaned on the railing, barely containing her excitement as she watched the man try to fend off the bird without inciting it wrath. Sheik had to admit, it was an amusing sight. The bird chased him around the ring but he doubled back and snatched it up by it's feet; not an easy task. Not easy at all. When the man flung the bird from the ring he turned to take a bow, only to be barreled over when the bird circled back at him. It sat on his back seemingly content that it had defeated the man, now face down in the dirt, and puffed up it feathers before hopping down and strutting away. Sheik had the distinct feeling it was an act, but said nothing so as to not ruin the fun. It was pretty funny even if it had been staged. 

The next fight was starting up and the sound of people placing bets both formally and under the table could be heard. "It's a rival match," Sheik explained, leaning close to Link so he could hear him over the crowd. "There are a few kinds of matches. You can not bet on the ones purely for entertainment; but the ones for sport, rivalry, honor, and petty disagreement are fair game. "

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

   Sheik was not the only one to fall quiet, Link followed his example at some point though he was listening just as closely. Part of him worried for the future, for the safety of the people he loved and for his own, because the news were anything but reassuring. But, the point was, they had found some clues and could develop a plan. At least now they had some directions and did not wander blindly in the dark and while the prophecy did not speak of a triumph, it also did not mention a downfall of the world. It was ..something.

       After the meeting, Link found himself staring at Isha and wishing to speak with her. She looked troubled but stubborn, strong in the way that he had always admired in the Gerudo he’d had the pleasure of meeting. In this timeline, before he was executed, Ganondorf had had yet to turn into a tyrant. He had meddled with dark magic, had committed his fair share of crimes,  some that could not have been prevented even after Link had been sent back in time, but to his people the Gerudo was still their king. Their hero, who strived for a better life for all of them. Even if Isha knew the legend of the Hero of Time and what had occurred in the time that never was, she had no evidence. And yet she had decided to betray her tribe for the greater good of most of Hyrule.

       Link wanted to tell her that he respected her for that choice. That he still hoped for some kind of truce between the races instead of some kind of genocide. But since he still had to hold on to Sheik in order to walk the Twilight and she was stuck with Kafei, he opted for merely shooting her a wry smile when their eyes met. Another time, perhaps.

       By the time they got back to the village, the blond was feeling way too sober and he turned to his friend with a pained smirk. “That is one of the best suggestions I’ve heard tonight.”, he grinned. “I say.. we enjoy the festival. The rest can wait until tomorrow.” The rest being the prophecy. Link had no doubt they would end up discussing key points on their own, throwing in ideas and suggestions as they wrote their reports. At some point Link would receive orders from the Queen and nobody could tell, if their respective duties would keep them apart for a longer period of time. It had happened before and it would happen again and he wanted to spend as much time with Sheik as he could, exploring their– whatever it was, that was between them.

   Sheik was glad they had put some food in their stomach first, because now as they sat watching the fire swirl with colors he could feel the comfortable haze hindering his ability to translate the stories. He was leaning comfortably into the Hylian’s side paraphrasing the words of tales he had heard before. He smiled when Link recognized one he had told him long ago. There was a break as one story ended and another had yet to begin. Sheik straightened up and stretched a bit, letting his arms fall around the other's neck instead of back to his sides. A gentle pull to bring him closer to his height and again he rested his forehead against Link's. Fingers toyed with the shaggy locks at the nape of his neck. Link needed a haircut. Or maybe he was growing it out? Sheik would ask him later.

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

Grinding his teeth together in an attempt to bite back some more of those snarky words, Link met Impa’s gaze without faltering. He did, however, stick out his chin a bit, a small gesture like a stubborn child. They had invited him for a reason and that reason was not to sit back and put most of his energy into being respectful. No, they cared for his intel, even if it wasn’t hidden behind pretty words.

       “Why would I not be disturbed at the mentioning of-” He threw a glance at the child.“Lots of death? A ‘marked end’?” He shifted where he sat and sighed softly. “This is not only a war between races, not only bad blood spilled, but there seem to be higher powers at work. Or those at work which seek higher powers.” All of this wasn’t exactly news, each side always fought to win, after all. Sometimes seeking greater means, meddling with dark powers just to gain an advantage. Hyrule’s very history was written in blood after all.

       “I do not know if I play a bigger part in this and if I had it my way, I would gladly refuse to. I’ve had my lifetime- two lifetimes playing a bigger role.” The alcohol had loosened his tongue and his voice trembled with the hint of anger. He had accepted the Goddesses fate for him, had fought in their names, but speaking of it had those darker nights where he would lie awake by Sheik’s side after a nightmare had ripped him from his restless slumber coming back to him. How often had he lain awake, during and after the war, asking his friend “Why me?”

       Kafei hummed at that and crossed his arms. “We all have a role to play in this. The point is, where do we start and where does it all end? Is all of this yet to come or has it already begun?”

       At that Link swallowed and his eye found Isha. If anything, she seemed even more pale, more see-through. Did her emotions influence her presence in the Twilight, perhaps? Either way, he was careful as he voiced his next proposal. “A betrayal in the sands. I believe it is safe to assume that this is about the Gerudo. But who betrays whom? Do they have any allies left? Will the betrayal happen amongst their own ranks?” In a way it had already happened, Isha was the living proof for that. But could the actions of a double agent hold so much weight against.. what had they said, some sacred rock?

       “Something grave will come from this. Grave enough for the goddesses or- your gods- to send us a warning.” Link winced softly as he realized he knew little to nothing about any Sheikah deities, but his point still stood. And if he had learned anything from his time in Termina, it was that sometimes the most obvious of enemies was not the only enemy. Skull Kid had merely been a tool to Majora’s Mask then. The prophecy suggested that there was more to this war as well.

  Sheik listened as the other's talked. His eyes drifting to the ground where he could stare at the circle's reflections instead. He could feel the increasing instability in the room. When Link's voice wavered, it wasn't terribly noticeable, but he had caught it and gave the blonde's hand a gentle squeeze of reassurance.  

  When Kafei spoke Sheik glanced up for a moment before returning his gaze to the mirror like floor. He had been jumping to conclusions and missed that very fine point; what if none of this had even happened yet? Maybe it wasn't related to them at all. Well, he doubted that. The were tangled in fate and more than likely had some kind of role in all this. Link especially so. 

"The Gerudo are allied with the Garo. The alliance is kept largely by our sister tribe in Termina's bay. While the Garo do live in a wasteland, I would not call it a desert." Isha chimed in. Her voice was flat as she informed the room of her doubt. It unfortunately presented more questions, namely if Isha was in fact a catalyst to this prophecy. But if the small network of defecting Gerudo she had assembled could be this betrayal, so could Sheik's betrayal be the catalyst. The blonde was snapped from his thoughts when Link mentioned his gods. Oh, they better pray it wasn't a Sheikah deity sending them warnings. "Link, the last time our god sent us a prophecy half our race was exterminated. Our god is a reaper of souls." it was said quietly aside to him.

The other's continued to theorize, but Sheik remained quiet. The meeting was quickly becoming an exceptional downer. Eventually they declared the meeting was adjourned much to his relief. Assignments were handed out. Posts were to be assigned. They had a direction to go. No longer were they blindly scavenging for information on what was to come other than a vague 'something'. Now there was a reference to gauge what was relevant. On their way out of the temple a voice called Sheik's rank title. It felt pleasantly normalizing to turn his head to it again. It was his executive officer. She gave him a hard look in the eye and clasped a hand to his shoulder. "<<I will keep you informed. I know you are still listening. Do return the favor.>>" With those few words she left presumably to prepare reports. It was what Sheik aught to be doing and it had guilt gnawing at him. He could never remove himself entirely from his work, but he couldn't bare to return as if nothing had happened either. 

The sun was setting by the time they returned to the village. The lights strung throughout were even more impressive in the fading light. The bonfire now long since lit danced with colors and shapes. Two people worked to bend the colors into crude shapes as an ancient looking man told stories to both those young an old.  "Shall we go finish that drink?" Sheik said with a sign. "It would seem that this may be our last opportunity in some time to get thoroughly plastered." A small laugh left him. An attempt to make the suggestion a bit more humorous and hide his own self consciousness about wanting to forget for a while.

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

Link had grown awfully quiet on their little journey and to anyone watching him, he might have seemed serious and pensive, even. Truth was, most of his concentration went into setting one foot in front of the other without dragging his feet or stumbling. Judging by the look Sheik had sent his way, he wasn’t off that much better, but they were doing well upon hiding that from everyone. Well, mostly everyone. Kafei had definitely caught the way he’d had to hold on to the table for a moment upon standing, previously unaware just how much the alcohol had affected his system. The fresh air helped a little, but he was also glad about having to hold on to Sheik when they returned to the temple. Upon discovering that Kafei’s appearance was also altered as soon as they sat foot inside the building, he almost tripped because he was too distracted by staring at him.

       It was only thanks to his best friend that they made it somewhat safely, although the Hero had to admit that he had to force himself not to stare at his changed appearance as well. It was peculiar and fascinating to watch the change happen, but on the other hand he always thought him beautiful.

       Distraction was provided by their company, because not only did the Sheikahs look different, but the Gerudo travelling with them also somewhat.. faded. She was holding on to Kafei and taking in her surroundings, either having yet to realize that she had turned somewhat see-through, or it had happened before. Perhaps this was not her first trip to the Twilight. Link remembered Sheik’s surprise on their first trip and only then did he fully understand it. Blessed by the Goddesses, indeed. He was no typical Hylian after all.

       The moment they entered the chamber, Link’s steps faltered and his grip on Sheik’s wrist tightened. The place seemed awfully familiar, tugged at a memory from years long since passed and he couldn’t help but scoff into the quiet. “Could those mystics be any more mystical?”, he muttered only loud enough for Sheik to hear, though judging by the snort that came from Isha, she had caught it as well.

       When he felt Sheik’s eyes on him, he glanced down to meet them. “Seriously though, if the shadows try to attack me, I’m out. Prophecies be damned, just tell me what I missed later.” His words weren’t slurred per se, but he was mumbling with such uncommon snark, that it was obvious something (aka alcohol) had lowered his guard. And ever since the almost panic attack, his patience had worn thin.

       The assembled people were mostly unfamiliar ones, but Link nodded at the ones he knew – namely Impa and the poe collector. They hadn’t met in this timeline, but there was a moment in which they stared at each other quietly and just as Link was about to write it off as another person in the inner circle being aware of prophecies and legendaries, a laugh erupted from the cloaked figure. “Such a strapping young man you have grown into, Hero of Time.” It had the blond frown and murmur a quiet “Thank you”, before Sheik ushered him to take a seat. It weren’t the exact same words, but they were familiar to another conversation he’d had with the collector in the time that never was.

       Once they had settled, the mystics each took their turn in reciting the words they had discussed over for the past hours. Link’s shoulders tensed, the more he listened and tried to make any sense of what they were saying. He also could not help the quiet quoting of “The flow of time is always cruel” from falling from his lips, feeling Sheik sit up a little straighter at that, recognizing the words as his own. It put a bitter-sweet smile to Link’s face.

       Eventually, silence fell over the small chamber as they all took a moment to process those words. Finally, Link let out a sigh loud enough to be heard by everyone and dropped his head back, gaze rising to the ceiling. “I wish I had finished that drink.”, he said into the quiet, very much ignoring the mixed looks thrown his way. It was disrespectful, at best. Outrageous, more likely.  But as someone who had been thrown into two wars, guided (or cursed) by the Goddesses will, submitted to his ill fate and once more preparing to fight for Hyrule and Termine combined this time, he could give less of a fuck what those mystics thought of him. As long as he picked up his sword like a good soldier, it did not matter.

       “So there really is more behind this than just the Gerudo claiming land and seeking revenge.”, he finally said. His voice painted the picture of someone who was exhausted in more ways than one, but refusing to give up without a fight. “Now it’s our turn to pick this apart and try to make preparations.” There was no way to fight a prophecy, those things would come to pass. “Damage control.”

  Sheik's palm met his face and he lightly shook his head. No tact, none what so ever. Sheik let his fingers slide down and through them he could see Raza trying to keep a straight face. And then Link continued. Sheik slowly turned to look at him, his head slightly tilted and eyes wide. It was the bare minimum of subtle without outright telling him he was speaking very much out of turn. Nearby there was a muffled giggle a few seats over that cut short upon the mention of the Gerudo. Isha really did care about her people. She crossed them for their own good she would sometimes say. 

 Impa stared him down as she waited for him to finish and then for a beat after as well before clearing her throat. Sheik's attention shifted in an instant. "If you're done...Yes, some of those are fair assumptions." She hadn't entirely agreed with him, but hadn't disagreed either. "You seem disturbed and reluctant, Link. Do you think the prophecy speaks of you?  We would gladly listen if you think you have information not yet gathered." Even after all these years Impa still emanated an intimidating strength. Her comment was condescending, meant to keep the hero's ego in check, but also had an edge to it that Sheik recognized as a taunt. When Impa looked to him, he could see the invitation's extension to him. However there was no way he was going to speak for fear that once more he might not be able to stop.

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

 The last thing Link needed was for someone to pester him about his state of mind. To anyone watching him, he might have seemed like a drunk fool stumbling through the mass of people to catch some fresh air, which was mostly why his barely avoided panic attack hadn’t roused suspicions from too nosy eyes. Kafei did not ask either. He simply followed him back inside and out of his peripheral view, Link could see that he was being watched. There was no pity laced in those ruby eyes, only professional curiosity, which made it easier not to feel uncomfortable.

       Instead of sitting back down with their comrades, Link headed straight for the bar. The sight of the Gerudo conversing with his friend did nothing to relax him and he was sure he could not handle it without putting his mind and body at ease. Which called for another drink.

       By the time they settled back at their table, the Hylian was still feeling sort of raw, like some weight had settled in his chest that even the fresh and cooler night air hadn’t managed to chase away. But as wine-coloured eyes turned soft on him, Link did not have to force the small smile he sent the other back. Sheik looked as exhausted as Link felt, no doubt the conversation he’d had with Isha hadn’t been a pleasant one. Their serious expressions and the tension visible in Sheik’s shoulders even from across the room were a dead giveaway, after all. Perhaps sometime later he would dare to ask and perhaps he was lucky enough to receive an answer.

       Fingers found his and Link held on, feeling himself sort of deflate and relax into his chair. Sipping on his drink also helped, if the heat and haziness in his head were anything to go by, but it was mostly Sheik’s presence that put him at ease. He basked in it as he listened to the others passively, only speaking up once in a while to press them further into sharing bits and pieces of their joined history.

       At some point, Link realized he’d been staring at Sheik for at least a couple of minutes and when a delicate blond eyebrow was cocked at him, he offered a sheeping grin in return before his gaze dropped to the necklace still on display where Isha had placed it after her examination. With a deft movement he couldn’t stop even if he tried, Link reached out to fiddle with the neckline of Sheik’s shirt until the gem was safely hidden and tucked away once more. His fingers lingered over the fabrics for a moment longer, faintly remembering the welt of scars he’d felt under his fingertips only a couple of weeks ago.

       As their gazes met, at least for a long moment, they were alone. Sheik had fallen very still at the contact and his palm felt a little sweaty in Link’s, though perhaps that was only the room temperature’s doing. Lips parted, but the words the Hero wanted to utter were cut short when amused laughter reached his ears and a chair was dragged across the floor, so that a fifth person could sit with them. Raza had somehow managed to spot them and she was grinning at the two of them with mirth. “You are both so sweet I might actually throw up.”, she greeted them with forced a chortled laugh out of Isha and a “Sweet is not the word I would go for, when it comes to those two.” as response.

  The ease they were finding had Sheik thinking they should drink together more often. It lowered his guard a bit, but here he was safe; quite possibly the safest he had been in a long time. The only time he could have been safer was long long ago hidden away in the desert. Here now he was in a village that existed on no map and was hidden with wards, with two of the best spies within their two kingdoms (although calling Termina a kingdom was really more polite than accurate), and sitting so close to Link that their knees often brushed. The magic tingle at this realization and he wondered if Link had ever sensed the shift in energy around him. It was different than when it pushed him to react. This was soothing, a reward of sorts. It wasn't the heat of the alcohol, more like the feeling of sunshine at his back in the early spring. 

  Link was staring at him. He had been staring at him periodically ever since he had lowered the hood of his cloak, but now his gaze lingered longer. He turned to catch his eyes and silently asked if there was a reason. No, a sheepish grin said he had just been caught looking at him. However, then he moved. It wasn't sudden, but it felt that way. 

Hands at his neck, leather against his skin, the coolness of a gemstone on his throat, the click of a lock, magic siphoned from his body.

Sheik pushed the intruding thought away as quickly as it had come, but his body had gone tense and still as the other gently hid the necklace from view like a fragile secret meant only for them. Blue eyes held him captive and slowly the tension began to leave him. 

  The moment didn't last very long. Sheik nearly jumped at the sound of wood against wood, turning quickly to find his cousin joining them. He could feel his face going red. The drink really did lower his inhibitions if he was being so intimate in public view. Sheik let go of Link's hand and straightened up a bit. "Come to call us in?" He asked, trying to play down the extent to which he was intoxicated. He wasn't plastered, but he was certainly a bit more than buzzed. "You betcha." she tossed her head back childishly and groaned "And they were so stubborn about it. We argued for hours. Then out of nowhere The Collector finally decides to grace us with his presence," she hunched her shoulders and stole a sip of Sheik's drink, her eyebrows raising in surprise before a mischievous smile crept across her face. She knew. Now she knew he was drunk and was relishing in the thought of him having to be formal and at least appear sober. "That guy thinks he's such hot shit." 

  The first time Kafei had set foot in the temple he had been surprised that he didn't need an escort. He had been more surprised by the form he took there. His purple hair, a rare color to begin with, turned a soft green. Where Sheik's tan skin turned blue, Kafei's was so pale it was nearly stark white. Now he appeared very similar, except for the lightning pattern that marred his face. Sheik had been uncertain before, but now he knew that the marks had been caused by magic; only physical scars disappeared in the shadow. They made their way to the older portion of the temple. To Shiek it was uneventful, but when he caught the look on Link's face he watched with an endearing smile. Finally to the chamber they were let in by two guards to a room cloudy with incense. It seemed to have no walls, endless fog stretching into the distance, and the floor a shiny surface that looked much like water, but made no splash as their feet move through it. The mystics sat in a circle on cushions along with some faces he recognized-- despite their cowls and in one instance a mask, such as his executive officer and current stand in during his absence, as well as many he did not know. They appeared to be the last to the meeting; only four seats remain. 

  An older woman sat at the head of the circle directly across from them and the door. She was draped in a robe that hid most of her face, but after a moment He recognized her to be Impa. She was not a mystic, but as the sage-to-be she lead the convening. Sheik tugged Link's hand down as he bowed so as to hint that the other should do the same before they took the seats in front of them. "After much debate and in light of our late arrivals input," Sheik could feel the bite in her words. She made it no secret that she was less than fond of the shady poe collector. "We've assembled the premonitions and clairvoyant dreams of our remaining see'ers into something resembling coherent prophecy." With a nod Impa motioned to a woman Sheik did not know. "What is to come cannot be stopped. A change that is inevitable. A marked end. The flow of time cannot be halted." Her words seemed to be not quite a whole phrase, but more so a collection of similar way the concepts had been interpreted. Impa motioned to another who in turn tapped the shoulder of the masked Sheikah that Sheik presumed was likely to be blind. "A great betrayal in the sands, a trust broken in a foreign land." It put a knot in Sheik's stomach, it grew tighter when nothing more followed. It was a point they all agreed on. Another spoke "Stone, hard and bright gone by a violent hand. Precious rock lost to memory and hidden by secrets. Sacred to the shadow and in the wrong hands." Finally it was Raza's turn to speak. "The duty of a guide, forced to sacrifice his light, and wander in the shadows. A light pained by the dark, but bound by duty. The sacrifice of light binds the shadow to the darkness, and burdens the light with guidance." Sheik wasn't fond of that one either, nor the quick glance Raza gave him. One last Sheikah spoke. It was a child. They looked around a little nervously before taking a deep breath. "Lots of death." Well that was blunt. Sheik thought. The prophetic fragments didn't sit well with him. He told himself that he was being paranoid, that he was projecting his insecurities, but the look Raza gave him had him worrying his lip. It was pity.

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

Link was still bristling by the time time he made his way through the crowd, lips tightened in an attempt to smother the displeased expression on his face. He wasn’t angry per se, Isha had a point and she had been rather polite about asking him to leave.. but she had asked him to leave. No matter the words, it had been obvious she wanted to speak with Sheik alone. Not even Kafei stayed, as a quick glance over his shoulder confirmed.

       The blond clutched his mug tighter and paused momentarily, fighting down a wave of- what, jealousy? It had him scoffing at himself over such ridiculous behaviour. There was still a chance that the woman had actual business to speak to Sheik about and even she didn’t have, even if their talk was personal, it was none of his business. Sheik had friends of his own. Even if they rarely hesitated to share stories or opinions, they both had their secrets. A life of their own.

       Still, he couldn’t help the slight unease at leaving Sheik alone with the Gerudo.

       Trying to dismiss the feeling, the Hylian made his way through the crowd, drawing closer to the off side of the stage and watched the band for a bit. Eventually he managed to catch the vocalist’s attention and after a few minutes, she climbed down the stage to speak with him while the rest of the band continued to play. Lulu did not immediately recognize him and even as she did, she still maintained a polite distance. It was to be expected, as she did not know about Link’s role in what had happened years ago in Termina. To her, he was merely a visitor, a fan of the band and someone who had been described as ‘an inspiration’ by the guitarist. She was, however, excited to speak about her children and how they had grown up, further along confirming the rumours of having married Japas a few years ago.

       Life had been kind to her, despite the war and despite what had been happening at Zora bay.

       They conversed for a while and at some point Japas joined them to slip an arm around his wife’s waist. The look they shot each other brought a smile to Link’s face and had his own gaze travel across the room, towards where his friend sat. What he found there put an immediate stop to the warmth blossoming in his chest.

       Sheik and Isha were in deep conversation and given any other situation, Link would have frowned at his tense shoulders. He didn’t, however, see any of this happening. What he did see, was, that Isha was leaning across the table to take a closer look at the trinket he’d only just returned to the Sheikah not too long ago. Tanned fingers slid across the green gem and by the time Link came to, he had made his way halfway across the room. Left shoulder aching, he blinked in confusion, only then realizing that he’d run into someone. Apologies spilled from his lips at such blind impulse and the next moment, Link couldn’t breathe. Logically, he was in a room filled with oxygen but as a blue eye darted across the room, all he could see was the mass of people surrounding him. Closing in on him. Once more his gaze found the two spies sitting by the table, but at sharp pain at his left temple forced him to squint as the lights were suddenly just a little too bright. The tunes played by the band just a little too loud.

       How he managed to make his way outside, Link didn’t know, but he found himself clutching the hem of his shirt and leaning heavily against the side of the building. The fresh air across his face was a welcome distraction and it wasn’t until a shiver went through him, that the Hylian became aware of the thin sheen of sweat beneath his shirt. He wiped at his forehead with a trembling hand, eye closed and fighting the dizziness.

       He wasn’t a stranger to panic attacks. He also had become quite familiar with the eerie and sudden headaches he would occasionally get.. but they still left him sick to the stomach in the aftermath. A few minutes passed as Link focused on breathing and when he opened his eye again, he became aware of a presence by his side.

       Kafei did not speak up, but Link could see that the blunette was watching him closely and suddenly it did not matter that the other man had just witnessed Link freaking out over- over what, exactly? What had happened in there?

       Either way, the blond reminded himself that they were both survivors of war and that there was no need to excuses. No need to address the matter, even. Instead he pushed away from the wall and gestured for the Sheikah to follow him back inside. “I need a stronger drink.”

   Sheik pulled the cloak tight around himself. He had resisted the offer at first, but Isha insisted that she needed a new one anyway and it might do Sheik some good in the future to have an authentic Gerudo traveling cloak. Eventually Sheik had relented and accepted the gift. It was plain on one side, but turning it inside-out revealed traditional Gerudo markings and ornate stitching. For now Sheik kept the plain side in view. In the back of his mind he knew it was a shock blanket. It was a gift of guilt, but it felt too nice, too safe wrapped up and hidden beneath the hood, for him to care too deeply about that right now. 

Between the cloak and the alcohol hitting his system, Sheik was feeling comfortably buzzed by the time Link returned. Judging by the new drink in the blonde's hand and the energy radiating off him, Link wasn't quite there yet and something was most certainly bothering him. He looked up at him with soft eyes as he took the seat beside him. Normally he probably would have been a bit more reserved around people he knew professionally, but today was different. There was a certain urgency to it. A need to forget and make at least one day okay. With only an initial hesitance Sheik pushed aside the fabric of the cloak and found Link's hand. He could feel some of the tension leaving the other as he gently ran his thumb over the skin there, grazing his wrist now and then.

Isha had taken to prattling on about some better times in the past. Some of which Sheik was involved in and he would roll his eyes or shake his head when she embellished the events too much. He was content to let the others carry the conversation. Not to mention it was always entertaining the way she and Kafei bickered. Kafei wasn't exactly what Sheik would call conservative, but Isha was outrageous in his eyes and with no ill will harbored between them it made for some fun moments.

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

Perhaps it was something that Link should have expected. Considering how many years had passed since he’d been to Termina, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Kafei had fathered at least one child. But when did anything ever occur around Link that could be considered normal? Mentally recovering from a war that had happened in a different time, he had been thrown into the fate of saving yet another country soon after. Years had passed after that and peace never quite settled over Hyrule after Ganondorf’s execution.

       The blond found himself smiling at Kafei’s words and wondering if he would ever see the little ones. “I’m glad to hear that you managed to work it out somehow. Times are dark, but it’s lo– those kind of things that are like a beacon in the night. They give you hope for a life after war.” Perhaps once all of this was over, there would come a time in which Kafei and Anju would return to Termina and they could visit them. They. Link’s gaze flickered up to Sheik’s face when the man returned, feeling heat blossom in his chest. They’d spent so much time together, being apart for a longer period of time didn’t feel right. Besides, he was sure the Sheikah would want to tag along.

       But those were dreams for another time.

       Link’s attention was steered back to the present and he watched with mild amusement as Sheik grimaced over his drink and then switched their mugs. It wasn’t like him to confuse them, but perhaps that was a sign that the Sheikah was letting down his guard a bit and actually had managed to relax around the people he was comfortable with. Perhaps he was also just exhausted and that brought another silly grin and a blush to his face.

       One hand curled around his drink, he took a few sips as he listened to their conversation. There was that nagging feeling at the back of his mind once more, the one that reminded him that he had forgotten something important. The Gerudo had gotten to Sheik and there was more to the story than he was letting on, but it also sounded like they had known exactly just which Sheikah they had gotten their hands on. It confirmed his fears that there had been more happening  than just a fight and a Sheikah left in the desert to die.

       Link searched for Sheik’s eyes, found them fixed on the only woman at their table and it was only than that he noticed the blond’s fingers twitching by his side as if he couldn’t decide where he wanted to put them. A small sign that he wasn’t nearly as comfortable as he was pretending to be.

      “Well.”, he offered then, raising his voice as he lifted his mug to the middle of the table. “To Sheik’s life then. May he grace us with his presence for a little while longer.” He winked, which probably looked a little off with only one eye intact and the other hidden behind the eye patch, but he kept the grin on his face until the others raised their mugs as well. It was a lighthearted toast to the Sheikah’s life, but it also pulled at his heartstrings, played with the fear of losing him– a thought Link could barely endure.

       The band started playing then and the Hylian was immediately distracted by the familiar tunes and he found himself humming along while nursing his drink. “It has been years since I’ve seen them.”, he conversed lightly, catching Kafei’s attention. “Probably around the time that I last saw you. I wonder if Lulu brought her children as well..” He trailed off, frowning for a moment before determination flickered across his face. “I’ll talk to them later.”

       Kafei nodded at that. “I think she’s with the guitarist now. I was never much for gossip but Anju is a fan of their music.” A smile broke the stoic look on the blunette’s face at the mentioning of his wife and Link couldn’t help but return it.

It was a strange sort of segway, but none the less a segway. Already he was feeling a bit better knowing the conversation would shift-- and had Link really just tried to wink at him? It had a soft smile easing away the tension in his jaw. The band started to warm up, playing bits and pieces of songs and tuning their instruments. Over the years he had made several stops at Kafei's inn, but the Indigo go's were never playing at the tavern across from it when he was in town. He was always a day late or a day early. Sheik was content to simply observe the conversation and sip at his drink, but when Kafei said he wasn't one for gossip a 'tch' sound escaped him. "Kafei," he said, pausing for emphasis. "You gossip professionally." The Terminian canted his head and tossed a look in Sheik direction. "If anything I eavesdrop professionally." Sheik was about to counter in their battle of semantics, but Isha cut him off.

"Link, why don’t you go catch up with the band while they're still warming up." Sheik had been aware of the suspicion Link had for the Gerudo woman, but now it seemed to flare as she rather obviously tried to get him to leave. He had though it was a reaction to warring with them for so long that had the other bristly, but maybe it was more than that. Maybe Link could feel how looking at Isha, despite knowing she was fighting on the same side as he was, put him ill at ease. Although he did acknowledge that it was more than likely good for him to see a friendly face before that of the enemy. Assuming he would ever get back into the field that is. "We may not be here when they are done with their set. I  imagine the mystics will be finished soon and that you are more than likely one of the people they will want there to share their findings with."

Momentarily pink eyes flitted to meet Sheik's own. A request for a moment alone with him. "She makes a fair point," He put a hand gently to the Hylian's shoulder in reassurance. "I'm sure they would be glad to see you."

Once Link was out of earshot Kafei had taken the hint and excused himself to go get some air, leaving Sheik alone with the Gerudo double agent. She moved her chair a bit closer to him and spoke much more softly than she had before. "Thank you for that. There is something I wanted to speak to you more privately about." Sheik simply stared and waited for her to continue. "I have a fair idea of what was done to you." Again Sheik could feel his heart begin to race. He clenched his jaw as he tried to brace for the coming conversation, and gently reminded himself that if anyone had information on this outside of those he told directly, it would be her. "and" A hand reached out to comfort him. Before the blonde knew what he was doing, he had her wrist in a painfully tight grasp, fingers only barely out of reach of his shoulder. He let go immediately and was about to apologize, but she beat him to it with one of her own. "As I was saying, I have connections, Sheik. I will find those who wronged you and see that their crimes don't go unpunished one way or another. If I am lucky, it could even be by your own hand." A ruthless sort of smile, all teeth, came over her face. 

His eyes had dropped from hers and he now stared somewhere off to the side. "Lengths of that extent will not be necessary, it is enough to know they will be dealt with." Isha seemed satisfied with the response, glad to see Sheik still had some fight in him even if his revenge was not direct. 

"Excellent," she nearly cackled "I do need a few things from you however." Sheik brought his gaze back up to her, eyes narrowing with uncertainty. "I need something to go on. I can't just up and ask them now can I? It's only a few things. How many? What uniforms? and anything even vaguely relevant you can recall." 

For a long moment Sheik was silent. He had yet to speak of this with anyone. Even the queen had only the most crucial of details. The specifics he had kept to himself. Aside from when he had been initially caught it was..."Four," it was a start "A captain and three subordinates," it came a little easier now that he had begun, "and... a nurse. She seemed...unwillingly there." Unwilling may have been putting it mildly. The poor thing shook like a leaf and kept her head down, literally tucked to her chest whenever he saw her come and go. She was terrified. There were more details, so many more. What roles each of them had, guard shift cycles, voices, accents, habits, weapons; in the beginning he had tried to escape, but none of this dared leave his lips. A hand crossed his line of sight and he looked up from where his gaze had drifted in thought. 

"That isn't much, but I can work with it. You're sure there is nothing else? No distinguishable features? Markings? Adornments?" The way Sheik's eyes went wide, Isha knew she had struck a nerve. "What was it?"

Sheik's tongue refused to cooperate and his mind wasn't sure where to start anyway. Instead he placed his fingers over the small gem that hung around his neck, running his thumb over the smooth stone until the words finally came to him. "It was mine before they took it." Isha made a slow movement toward it, meeting Sheik's eyes to wait for permission before touching it. He gave a short nod and leaned closer. "By the three, how did you manage to get it back?" She asked as she turned over the pendant in her hand, committing it to memory before letting it fall back against the Sheikah's chest.

"I didn't" Sheik half wished he hadn't offered details. His blood was pounding in his ears at this point. But it was back again; that tingle at the base of his skull that urged him forward compulsively. He wanted to stop, but couldn't. That itself was horrifying. "Link did." Sheik could see the questions forming on the woman's lips and quickly continued. "Neither of us know. Link is missing large portions of his memory surrounding the time he sustained his injuries. For all we know it may not have even been he who found it." Sheik had entertained this thought. The pendant very much resembled the Kokiri emerald. Anyone could have made the leap of logic and put it with his belongings. It wasn't until Isha thanked him that the blonde realized he had gone silent again. She moved back to where she had been reclining, although now her eyes scanned the room casually, but almost protectively as if knowing  the other may be a bit distracted from her line of questions. Sheik downed the rest of his drink. Isha flagged down a waitress to bring him another, something “with kick”.

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

It had been years, another lifetime even, when Link had first met a Sheikah. Impa, the princess’s nanny and bodyguard, had frightened him as a little boy even though she had been nothing but courteous. The sight of those ruby eyes reminded him of the colour of blood. Blood, freshly dripping and pouring from open wounds his younger self had barely had time to learn how to fix. Back then, he’d felt dizzy and vulnerable under her piercing stare.

       Now, seeing the common trait among all those other Sheikahs they passed, brought a sense of familiarity with it. Link grinned at his friend as they wandered the village, experiencing a whole different kind of dizziness whenever their gazes met and he found that amused twinkle in Sheik’s eyes. Perhaps a little too much, because he had to remind himself to actually pay attention to where they were going and what they were seeing instead of acting like a lovestruck fool.

       At some point they ended up at a tavern that was so packed with people, that the blond was close to giving up hope upon searching for a place for them to sit. Just as he was about to suggest taking their drinks outside, he spotted a set of empty chairs at the far end of the bar, face lighting up with relief before he gestured for his friend to follow him. They didn’t get very far, however, as someone called for Sheik. The sight of the woman approaching made the hairs at Link’s neck stand and his breathing quicken with a boost of adrenaline. It took him a second or two until the rational part of his brain reminded him that no one would let a Gerudo come anywhere near close to the village without reason.

       Brows furrowed, he watched their little exchange, gathering that they were acquaintances of some sort, although parts of their conversation went over his head due to not understanding a single word that wasn’t spoken in common. He was still a little tense around the shoulders by the time they were guided to a table at the far off back of the tavern, barely visible from the entrance. It did help that Sheik seemed to be familiar with the people they approached, yet he couldn’t help but lightly squeeze the man’s shoulder as he sat down. As soon as three sets of eyes turned to him, he offered a small polite smile in return. “Good evening.”, he greeted them evenly, being aware that he was going to be the centre of their attention for the time being.

       He’d rarely met any of Sheik’s friends or even associates over the past years, so he could only imagine that the others were in the same boat. They were bound to be as curious about him as he was about them. Especially since there was a Gerudo among them. Part of his curiosity was sated once he learned how they had met. “I’ve always wondered what kind of people Sheik worked with.”, he admitted and leaned on his elbows firmly planted on the table. Anything else he was about to say was interrupted when Sheik got up to get them drinks. Link watched him go, unaware of the soft smile on his face until his gaze landed back on Isha’s knowing smirk, to which he responded with a boyish grin.

       “Well, I’m glad to hear he does not entertain the people with the most hilarious stories about me he can come up with. I’m sure he has a few to tell.” Shaking his head with a chuckle, he put an elbow on the table and placed his face in his hand to gaze at the two and the way they interacted with each other. It was obvious they had known each other for a long time and Sheik probably too, so he listened closely to every word they said, hoping for a glimpse of a past of his beloved that he hadn’t heard of before.

       “It’s an interesting term..”, he wondered, playful smirk sliding into place. “Sheik has always been better at words than me. I think I’m better at speaking through actions.” At that, he winked at the woman who responded with a soft ‘ooh’, a delighted grin and an elbow to the third party’s side. The disgruntled response had Link stifle a laugh into the palm of his hand as he watched with interest as the stranger pulled off his hood to reveal a familiar face.

       Link had trouble immediately placing it, though the red eyes and purple hair rang a bell and after a moment of blinking at him in confusion, his eye finally went wide and mouth dropped open. “Kafei? Wow– it really has been .. wow.”, he muttered in disbelief at the revelation. “It must have been- what, fourteen, fifteen years perhaps since I’ve been to Termina?” Back then he’d only ever seen Kafei’s cursed self, an adult stuck in a child’s body, but his remarkable features were recognizable even after so much time.

       A smile flickered across the Sheikah’s face and they both reached out at the same time to shake hands, Link grasping it with both of his own. Realizing the position Kafei was in, there was a good chance that by now he knew there was more to the story than a simple Hylian boy visiting another land. Especially if he knew of his role as the Hero of Time. It felt good, in a way, to know that there was another soul out there understanding without Link having to tell them and for a long moment, the blond could do nothing but sit back and stare at the other with a small smile playing on his lips.

       The moment of quiet awe was interrupted by Isha putting her hands behind her head. “So you’ve met before?”, she asked, pink eyes alight with curiosity and despite Link’s earlier caution, he felt comfortable in  her presence. Back then, in the time that never was, he’d been friends with the Gerudo women. Mutual respect, a couple of nights over shared drinks as he listened to their stories or let them teach him their ways of fighting.. the fond memory came with a pang of sadness. Those times were long gone now.

       “It has been a couple of years, yes.”, Link replied, wondering just how old Kafei actually was. “I assisted him with a.. hardship concerning his engagement.” At that, his gaze flickered towards Kafei once more. “How is Anju? Is she in Hyrule, too?”

Sheik watched as the others spoke with Link. A smiled pulled at his face when Kafei came out from hiding and the blonde's face lit up with excitement. The scars however were new since last he had seen the man, though he had a good idea of where they had come from. It was probably why Kafei was here. His last correspondence spoke of, among other things, the increasing hostility in Termina and Kafei's fears that working out of the Inn would soon be too risky. It had been sent shortly after Sheik left for the desert, but he had not received it until months later while still in the infirmary. The Terminian’s concerns were clearly warranted. 

"Anju is...somewhere safe. Our little ones as well. I may no longer be next in line for the throne, but that has not stopped Termina's enemies. Anju has been taking it surprisingly well," A long sigh escaped the man and he shook his head before looking into the distance as if recalling memories. "But she will never forgive me for having our youngest born outside of Termina. The mid-wife was a Goron." His eyes snapped back to Link and he smiled as he spoke. "I had to gently remind her that I too was not born on Terminian soil."  A glass came down in front of the bluenette and he looked up to find the silent footed Sheikah behind him. 

Sheik handed Isha's drink directly to her as she did not appear to intend to move from her reclined state, and then set his and Link's drink down between them. "I am so certain that was her biggest complaint," Sheik said with a dry sarcasm as he took a sip of his drink. Immediately he pressed the back of his hand over where his mouth would be and convinced his body to swallow what was clearly not his drink. A light chuckle left the Gerudo as Sheik switched his and Link's mugs. "I assume at least one of you is here for more than just the festivities."

"Partly. I'm tailing the entertainment, but I had wanted to speak with your order personally. And also give them my condolences, though I don't think the latter will be necessary any longer. You look very much alive." This was news to Sheik and he swiveled his view to Isha who made a clicking noise behind her teeth and a pointing gesture at him. "Same in the sand," she confirmed before taking a generous swig, clearly enjoying the safety of the village. "You're a dead man." Isha's rant was quickly becoming much much clearer to the Sheikah. His training told him this was a tactical advantage, but his body wasn't quite cooperating and he could feel his heart rate going up. Beneath the table tentative fingers felt for Link's, but didn't find them. "I see. I'm sure they would be as intrigued as myself to know what other rumors might be going around." It was satisfying to see that he could still hold a facade of calmness. Even as his heart raced he kept an even breath. His mind reeled at the thought that his captors thought they had succeed. Not that many people would figure out it was specifically him, they covered their faces for more than just tradition, but it still unnerved him that anyone had pieced together any part of what had occurred. With the current band now exiting the stage and another setting up it had become not quiet, but less loud and Sheik prayed that something might steer the conversation elsewhere. 

[shadowshroudedguardian]

did i mention i’ve re-formatted the kafei x sheik rp and this current one, and uploaded them to my Ao3? cuz i did 

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[shadowshroudedguardian]

couragewielder

   They hadn’t put a name to.. whatever it was, that was going on between them, but actions had shown that there was more to it than a thrilling adventure or momentarily relief. Still, he wanted Sheik to be okay and not regret anything come morning, so when they wandered back downstairs, Link didn’t react to the comments thrown his way except for a sharp but amused glare into the direction of his men. His initial hesitance did not last long, in fact it disappeared the moment he realized that Sheik was at ease with him and comfortable walking along his side through the tavern. Also, being reminded that the other man was perfectly capable of handling those men was not only a relief but actually made him proud. And maybe a little turned on.

        Once outside, he eyed his friend, grin tugging at the corner of his lips. “Of course. The entertainment on your side is only a welcome side effect.”, he agreed and shook his head, clearly amused. “Come on now, I am starving.”

        Leading the other back through the festivities, it didn’t take them long to fetch something to eat and soon Link was munching away at various dishes. Some he would have never tried, if not for Sheik prompting him – or daring him, even. Sheikah obviously liked their food spicy and at some point he was tearing up while trying to swallow the bite he’d stolen from his friend. Definitely some dish he was not going to ever give another try.

        “Goddesses–”, he hissed, blinking rapidly and wiping at his eye with his knuckles to clear the tears sliding out of it. “That’s it. Keep your food to yourself, this is just– how can you eat that?”

There was a brief attempt to stop the other before Sheik let him figure it out the hard way. "Link you need to-- no don't do that you will make it worse," he said as the blonde reached for water. He shook his head in amusement as he grabbed a chunk of bread and dipped it in the creamy sauce that was supposed to accompany the spicy chunks of meat and vegetables. "Here, it is better to eat them together, but this should help." Neither of them ever seemed to learn from this particular mistake. Sheik had shown Link desert food before with the same results, and Sheik was still amazed at how Link could eat anything with that icing stuff on it (not matter how good it looked) or worse those sweet forest berries.

The festivities were in full swing now. Kakariko was a buzz with music and food, and for now a more relaxed relationship with their visiting and resident Sheikah. Two garishly dressed brothers had taken up space in the square doing parlor tricks, simple illusions and slight of hand made more mesmerizing by just a touch of shadow magic. Their audience was mostly children, but a few adults stood near by in wonder. Much like the brother's magic, the festival on this side of the mountain was a cheap imitation.  The food was great, and the company good, but it was very alike to any other festival in Kakariko.

As they headed toward the shadow temple for once in a very long time Sheik found himself almost excited, or at the very least he was looking forward to something. He hadn't celebrated the equinox in a good few years, and hadn't celebrated it in a village for even longer. Mostly however, he was excited that Link might enjoy himself and he'd be there to witness it. When they came to the edge of the village it was alive with people, mostly Sheikah, but also a few Hylians and a handful of Zora. In the village square lights of various shapes and colors were strung up all around between the buildings. It was there that many people were congregating as they had just started preparing to light the bonfire-- for storytelling Sheik explained. Spreading out from there were various merchant shops with brightly colored banners, a tavern that from the sound of it was hosting performances, a place Sheik referred to only as a smoking tent and advised Link to stay out of, hot springs higher up the cliff face that appeared to have banned a group of mischievous children, and of course an area designated for fighting of various sorts. The area for fighting even had a betting table off to the side and a small hand written paper sign stuck in the ground that read ‘bar brawls settled here’. "It is like many festivals for the changing of a season, but with more focus on balance." Sheik said as they leisurely walked through the village built into the lush cliff sides and hidden by trees. He was certain he had mentioned this before, but continuing anyway. "Morning meditations, offerings, or duties followed by much...louder activities in the evening." That was the short version at least.

 "It's going to take them some time to light the bonfire." he said as they passed by it and continued in the direction of the Tavern. It was lively even from the outside, and when they pushed passed the curtained doorway it was clear why. The place was fairly small, but packed with people. Nearly every chair was filled as was the balcony above, which had cushion seating and low tables. Sheik began making his way toward to stools at the bar that Link had pointed out, but stopped suddenly when he heard his name.

“Sheik!” A tall strong looking woman-- of Gerudo decent by the looks of it, was making her way over toward them. She wore a veil much like Sheik’s cowl, but green that made her pale pink eyes stand out. It matched the sash around the waist of a loose fitting purple tunic. Grabbing Sheik by the arms she looked him up and down with a smile. “You’re alright,” it was said with relief, before her features tightened and she gave him a light smack. The rant that followed was peppered with common, but mostly in Gerudo and so fast spoken that Sheik appeared to only just barely be keeping up with her at best. He put his hands up to gently still hers “Isha.” Tilting his head Sheik spoke a few words in her native tongue. His accent was so awful it was as if she forgot her outburst entirely. “Tch, you never could get that Sheikah tongue around those sounds” She said with a laugh and a sigh. “What am I gonna do with you?”  She shook her head and moved on from chiding the man. “Come, there is room at our table.”

It was toward the back in the corner; a favored spot. Only one other person sat there. They wore a hooded cloak that obscured their face with the help of purple curls that reached their shoulders. Isha took her seat and motioned for the two of them to do the same.  “So” she said, gesturing with her chin toward Link. Sheik made a soft ‘ah’ sound. “This is Link, my...” he thought for moment visibly searching his head for the word in common, but came up empty handed and replaced it with a Sheikah one. The figures slowly nodded, a somewhat intrigued look now on Isha. Sheik leaned close to Link so as to speak more quietly. “These are ‘associates’ of mine. We hold similar positions.” It was his subtle way of informing the other that they were all spymasters for their respective territories and thus there were more secrets at the table than hairs on his head. Straightening up Sheik looked at the two empty glasses at the table and volunteered to fetch the next round. Perhaps maybe purposefully leaving Link at the other two spies’ mercy.

“So, Link is it? You are the hero of legend I presume? Sheik has spoken highly of you.” “And fondly.” interrupted a familiar voice from the hooded spy. “I’m glad he has a...” The figure turned to Isha to consult on how to translate the word (which was met with equally poor suggestions and a non-committal hand gesture) and for a brief moment a glimpse of face scarred by lightening or magic was visible. “ I’m glad Sheik has a beloved-fighter at his back.” A huff came from the Gerudo woman as she leaned back precariously in her chair to put up her feet. “It makes much more sense now. I’ve never know him to take more than ah.. a ‘casual interest’ in anyone.” She was being cheeky and delighted in the other’s reaction as he hissed her name at her. It only had her chuckling and telling him off for being a prude. With an mildly exasperated sigh that said this was a regular occurrence, the other finally brought down his hood. “Anyway,” Kafei said, casting a glance in her direction. “It is good to see you again, Link. It has been too long.”

[couragewielder]

Recovery

[couragewielder]

shadowshroudedguardian:

  Compliments, again he never knew what to do with them but blush. However when Link agreed with him it brought a smirk and to his lips that washed away the slight embarrassment. There was a quick straightening of clothes and Sheik did up his cowl well enough to hide his face. He would entirely redo his coverings when they returned to their room. It became something of game to get back without being seen. Sheik led Link by the hand, sneaking around the back alleyways and keeping out of sight. Kakariko wasn’t especially large so it didn’t take long, though Sheik may have taken a longer rout than entirely necessary. When they arrived at the tavern inn Sheik let his hand linger on Link’s shoulder momentarily before coming to rest at his side. “You go on ahead. I’ll meet you there.” he said, punctuating the sentence with a wink. When Link turned his attention briefly toward the inn there was a snap and Sheik was gone.

  Sheik was glad no one was there to watch him crash land in the room. Grace took too much effort for the time being, but he still had pride enough not to walk through a tavern full of Hylian soldiers looking like their idea of a harlot. He dusted himself off before heading to the bathroom. He had another motive for arriving before the other. It gave him a few precious moments to be alone. He undid the wrappings from his head and set them aside on his bed with the thin borrowed cowl. A quick look in the light revealed that thankfully his clothes were fine. All that remained was to freshen up.

  The water was cold. He rung the cloth out and shaky hands brought it to his face. No matter how many times he had done it, it still bothered him. He had gotten better at it, but the memory still lingered fresh in his mind. It was terribly inconvenient. The sound of water alone made his heart race, but it was the damp fabric that made his hands shake. At the same time, he couldn’t bare to truly get his face wet. There was no winning.  For a moment he stood there gripping at the edges of the sink until the click of the lock turning snapped him from his thoughts, and Sheik moved on to fixing his mussed hair. For once he sat on his own bed, giving Link the privacy of the small bathroom, as he undid the frayed braid and combed out the wavy locks with his fingers. 

  “We may have missed Raza by now, but she will be back come nightfall. In the meanwhile, the vendors should have the skewered cucco out by now.” Sheik said as the memory of the first time they had the dish together– if you could have called it that really, came to mind. It had been in Kakariko. Link had been watching over him after Bongo Bongo had thrown him a good thirty feet. He had already been fairly battered from the ambush that left the village in flames as Link had come to find out while patching him up. The memory was a little hazy, but it was a fond one that brought a smile to his face now. Fingers that had paused resumed their braiding and in no time Sheik’s face was once again hidden away, only a silhouette beneath the sheer purple fabric.  

         The sound as the deku nut hit the ground was a familiar one, as well as the brief flash of light he only caught a glimpse of, because he had already turned away. It threw his mind back to different times, worse times. If anyone had told him back then that he would one day find himself snogging the Sheikah in a back alley, he would have looked at them as if they had gone mad. And blushed, probably, because even back then he’d been spouting a terrible crush on him. In the time that never was he would have also been saddened by the sound, because it usually meant that his guide and ally had disappeared until Goddesses knew when.

        It was different this time around.

        The Hero flexed his fingers where he’d held on to Sheik on their way back to the inn, only to bring both hands up and rub them over his face in a weak attempt to wipe the silly grin off of his face. It was futile, of course, because the more he thought about his reason to smile, the less he managed to stop himself.

        Unlike Sheik, he entered the tavern inn through the door and while lost in thought, he didn’t notice the heads turning his way for a quick glance and lingering once someone recognized him. The festival was a popular one and a couple of soldiers who were off duty attended as well. Some also had families in Kakariko, so meeting a face he knew from the barracks was not something unusual. Old habit had him scanning the room, eye contact was made and he nodded at them in greeting. He had meant to pass by quickly and go up to their room, but passing the bar he was within earshot and one of the soldiers grinned up at him.

        “Oi, someone’s in a good mood today. Sit with us, Sir?” More heads turned his way, but Link declined with the shake of his head, waving at them in laughter. “Not today. In case you haven’t noticed, there’s a festival happening outside. I have places to be.”

        Cue another round of laughter and one of the men elbowing the one who had spoken up first. “The Knight-Captain’s obviously been enjoying the Sheikah specialities the festival offers, if his grin is anything to go by.” Another piped up, face flushed from the alcohol he had consumed. “Yeah, let ‘im go. He’s probably got some pretty girl he has to go back to.”

        Link snorted at that and paused, hand resting on the banister at the foot of the stairs that led up to his room, grin turning more playful and amused. “If you boys stopped meeting in here to avoid your wives at home, you’d probably get to see some of those exotic beauties yourself.”, he retorted. He didn’t wait for another reply, but the laughter followed him up to the room he shared with his own 'exotic beauty’.

        It didn’t take him long to get cleaned up and with Sheik’s face once more hidden, he settled for a brief kiss to his temple, nose brushing over the other’s ear as he pulled away. “Food sounds good.”, he agreed. “I’m starving.”

[shadowshroudedguardian]

The gentle kiss brought a smile to his face. He tried to return the affection, but Link was already pulling away so it turned into more of a suggestion of a nuzzle. For a moment he stared up at the other, truly looking at him and all he had become. A far cry from the kid in the forest he had be tasked with keeping alive. Sheik wasn't sure when his feelings had become less platonic, sometime toward the end of their adventure perhaps. Maybe it was in that cell when he knew Zelda was erasing his existence in an attempt to spare Link the knowledge of his death that she thought he had surely succumb to. Or maybe it was the first time he had seen him when time was reset. The look of uncertainty followed by overwhelming relief that had been on Link's face . He wondered how long Link had felt this way, but kept his distance. As they made their way down the stairs into the tavern Sheik felt a hesitance from the other. However it was needless concern. Now that he was more put together he was fine walking among the recruits hooting at their commander. He even let his hand linger at Link's back just to spite them. It was the more vulgar and personal comment that flew Sheik's way that had him allowing himself to stoop a little lower and show off.

A flick of his wrist, a small movement almost to quick to catch, had three needles sinking into the wooden mug at the man's lips. Sheik casted a sharp glare of warning-- a look Impa would be proud of, before the needles vanished in a small plume of purple smoke and returned to his hand. When they got outside he could feel the look Link was giving him. "It was just an illusion. A good lesson in manners," he said with a laugh. "and possibly for my own entertainment, but only slightly."