Hero and Shadow / Proximity [Draft Version]
Title: Proximity
Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Characters: Dark Link, Link
Prompt: 038 - touch
Word Count: 2296 words
Rating: R
Summary: Back where it all began and yet so faraway; take it slow. Or don't.
Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda is property of Nintendo.
Warnings: Vague Twilight Princess spoilers.
Notes: Sequel to Howl in the Night and Forward Motion. Revised version posted 20 March 2010.
Table Link
"Y'know, I've always wondered... why's your house out here away from the village?"
"It's not that far from the village," Link replies, easing the door closed behind us.
"Not that far? So? It's not in the village. Everyone else lives in Ordon. You live out here." It just seems odd to me. He's part of the village, but he's not part of the village.
Ah, well. At the same time, there are definite advantages to living up the hill. For one, there's no one living right next door, just trees and squirrels and lots of other things that don't care about what goes on in here. In the village, if someone gets loud for whatever reason, half the village hears it.
"Should we light a fire?" I ask. I'm not sure if he wants to risk people knowing he's here or not. I hope the answer's yes, though. A fire would be nice, especially since we've got more tools to cook with in here than we would out by a campfire.
"Not much point being inside if we don't."
He doesn't have to tell me twice. I get a fire started and then decide that I feel like trying to relax a bit. I kick off my boots and work off my gauntlets, tossing them all towards the wall I propped my sword and shield against earlier.
Link's not here; when did he leave? I sigh. His sword and shield are next to mine, so I know he's not going far, but... oh, whatever. He'll be back at some point, so I'll just do what I want until he decides to come back.
I start by shedding some of my clothing, mostly just so I can take off my chain shirt, and then I stretch, trying to work a couple of kinks out of my back. Wonder how long Link plans on staying. Yesterday, he didn't seem to want to come anywhere near here, but today... He can't make his mind up, can he?
Maybe it's less that he's having trouble making up his mind and more that he just doesn't know what to do. He has been pretty lost the last couple of days, not that I really have any room to talk there. I'm not sure if I should hit him again or just grab him and not let go.
Din, Nayru, and Farore, this isn't me. I growl.
What, exactly, was the reason I ended up here, anyway? It can't be to help the hero; Link got along just fine with Midna around. There hasn't really been a damned thing I've done myself that has any lasting importance.
I climb up to the little window high on the wall and peer out. I still don't see him.
"Dark?"
I turn around and peer down towards his voice. Link is over by the ladder to the cellar; he looks tired and confused, more than he should be.
"Up here."
"What are you doing up there?"
What does it look like, Link? "I was looking for you."
"Oh. I was just checking the cellar."
He's nervous; I can tell. "What are you so nervous about?"
"I don't know if I should be here. I don't..." He waves one hand in the air like he's trying to find the right word. "I don't know if I want anyone knowing that I'm here."
"Why not?" I climb down, mostly just so I don't have to keep raising my voice to talk to him.
Link sighs. "This doesn't feel like home anymore."
"Too much time chasing your dreams?"
"I didn't say that," he says, scowling. For a bit, that's all he says. He walks over to the fire and tends it, looking over our supplies like he's trying to decide what to cook.
I just watch him; there's something he wants to say, and I'm not going to force it out of him this time. He'll either tell me, or he won't. I climb back up to the little window and peer out; Epona and Rhiannon are contently grazing on the grass.
How long do we have until someone notices the horses and comes running to investigate? Maybe that's what his problem is. If that's such a terrible thing, though, why'd he come here in the first place? This was his idea, after all.
"Do you think I'm still welcome here?" Link finally asks.
"How would I know? I'm not from Ordon." I haven't even really been to the village; has he forgotten that?
He stares down at the flames. "I don't feel like I belong."
"Maybe you don't. Is that such a terrible thing?"
"Where am I supposed to go? I always thought... I never really thought about the future before. I was going to work the ranch, just like always, get married, eventually have children of my own. It's funny. I never really thought about the rest of the world until now. Does that make me selfish?"
I shrug. "You grew up here; how's it a bad thing to want to stay?"
"I'm not the same person I was then."
"Honestly, considering what all of you Ordon kids have seen, I doubt any of you are the kids who used to live here. You've all seen things that you never knew before." I give him a pointed look as I climb down and find a place to sit near the fire. "I mean, look. Colin wore a sword and shield back, remember? He actually stood guard, too. I bet he still does."
Link doesn't answer at first, but then he nods slowly. "He'll be a good swordsman. Rusl will teach him."
"He grew up." It's the truth. Granted, I didn't know the kid before all this happened, but just from what Link's said about him, Colin's grown. Then again, so has Link. "You should show him your techniques."
He frowns at that. "I can't. The shade said that they... they don't leave our bloodline. It wouldn't be right."
"You've shown them to me."
"You say that you're my shadow. I think that means you count as kin. I don't think he'd mind."
"Probably not." I wish I'd been able to meet this shade, but no. Link was the one the golden wolf always leapt at, the one the spirit wanted to talk to. Never me.
I shake my head. It's not like it would be him, anyway. "All right, if you aren't who you used to be, who are you now?"
"I don't know. I'm not sure what to think. I saw two worlds, one I didn't even know existed, defeated two evil kings, saw things no one should ever have to see... And I lost her." He takes a long, slow breath and blows it out. "Dark, what does it mean?"
"What does what mean?"
He sighs and sits down next to me. "Did I really love either of them, or was it just me being stupid and mistaking something else for love?"
I sigh; of course, he has to ask the hard questions. "If you think you loved them, then you loved them. Whether you still do or not, well, only you can answer that."
"I didn't..." He stops, biting his lip and looking away. "I never felt like this for Ilia..."
"Did you feel like this for Midna?"
He blushes; well, there's my answer, and it's also a pretty good indicator of what he means by "like this". "A little, I think."
"Then who do you feel 'like this' for, if not them?"
Link blushes more, hanging his head so his hair shields his face. "You," he finally says, his voice low.
I don't know if I should like the sound of that or not. "And just what is 'like this'?"
"I don't really know..." He turns towards me and then leans in and kisses me. "How do I describe it? I - I want something."
"Something?" I have to grin. He knows what he wants; he's just not willing to say it. Unfortunately for you, Link, I think, I've got practice dealing with this kind of thing.
He bites his lip again and nods.
"What kind of something?"
He rests his head on my shoulder, pulling himself in close, but doesn't say anything. His breath is hot against my neck, and I can feel his heart pounding in his chest. He takes another deep breath, a shaky one, and then he reaches up and puts one hand on my other shoulder.
"Dark, I..."
"You what?"
Link makes a soft noise that sounds almost like a whimper and then moves, climbing onto my lap, his head still on my shoulder.
"What's the matter?" I have to ask. "Can't find the words?"
"I can't say it," he mumbles; I barely hear him.
"I can't read your mind, Link. If you want me to do something, you have to ask me." No, I know what he wants; it's kind of obvious. Still, I can't shake that nagging little doubt that says I'm just her replacement. If he wants me, he's going to have to admit it.
He makes another almost-whimper and shifts against me. "I don't know what to --"
"What do you want?"
He looks up at me, and I can see exactly what he's feeling reflected in his eyes: he's nervous and confused and proud and hungry all at once.
"Well?"
"I want... I want us, Dark. You and me."
"Isn't that what you have?" I ask, wrapping my arms around his back.
He apparently has to think about that. Or maybe I just caught him off guard; it's hard to tell. When he finally speaks, his voice is so soft I can barely make out the words. "I want more than that, though."
"Aren't we being selfish?" I say, grinning.
He glares at me for that and moves in, resting his forehead against mine. "I think I... You want me to take care of myself, right? To worry about myself for once? I think that means I can be a little selfish for once."
I smirk. "All right, then, if you're being selfish, what do you want?"
"Why do you keep asking me that?"
"Sooner or later, you have to answer."
He meets my gaze; he still has that feral gleam in his eyes, though I bet he'll never lose it. "Why do you keep trying to get an answer out of me?" he growls.
"Because I know you won't admit it to yourself if I don't drag it out of you." It's a bit of an exaggeration, but I don't think I care. "Come on, it's easy. What do you want?"
Link growls again and then starts kissing me. It's a rough kiss, wild and hungry. I can't hold back a soft, quick chuckle as I give in. No, that wild streak is still here, all right.
"What do you want?" I ask when he pulls back.
"I already said... I want us."
I grin at that. "Then aren't you forgetting something?" I reach down and start toying with the ties to his breeches. "Unless I'm misunderstanding you..."
He blushes, putting his hands on mine. He's going to tell me to stop, yell that I'm going too far, all of that. Yeah, I can take it.
But then he starts gently massaging my hands. "You... don't mind?"
"Do I look like I mind?"
He bites his lip again, glancing down and blushing slightly. Then he looks back up at me with that half-wild look in his eyes, and he lunges at me.
I start laughing before my back even hits the floor.
---
This is nice. A crackling fire, some privacy, and Link as a pillow; there's not much else I need.
"Dark?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For, well... for everything."
I raise one eyebrow, though I know he can't see. "Okay, then. I guess you're welcome."
Link sighs contently. For a bit, the only sound besides our breathing is the gentle crackle of the fire.
I feel almost bad breaking the quiet. "So, what now?"
"Huh?"
I chuckle and move, propping myself up so I can actually look at him. "Are we going to stay here, or have you decided yet?"
He shrugs. "I was thinking of maybe staying here a day or two. I don't know. I just want a chance to figure things out."
"Oh?" Well, then he can consider one thing figured out, can't he? "Is that why you came back here?"
"It's somewhere safe. I mean, yes, everyone got kidnapped from here, but that was it. The monsters never got Ordon the way they got everywhere else." He sighs and looks up at me. "I just don't know if I belong here."
"Maybe you do, maybe you don't; does it really matter either way? You've got years to decide where you belong. Nothing says you have to do it all today." I lean in and nip at the tip of his nose. "Take it easy for once."
He growls softly. "That's easy for you to say."
I growl back. "Which one of us has dealt with this before? Besides, are you happy right now?" He blushes a bit; that's enough of an answer for me. "See?" I ease myself down next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist.
"Not really, but... okay. Is it all right if we just stay here a while?"
"It's your house, isn't it?"
"That's not what I mean. I mean here, like this. Please?"
"I'm not moving, am I? We can stay here as long as you want."
He smiles and shifts, making himself more comfortable against me. "I want to be selfish some more."
I have to laugh at that. "All right, then, just tell me what you want."
Fandom: The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Characters: Dark Link, Link
Prompt: 038 - touch
Word Count: 2296 words
Rating: R
Summary: Back where it all began and yet so faraway; take it slow. Or don't.
Disclaimer: The Legend of Zelda is property of Nintendo.
Warnings: Vague Twilight Princess spoilers.
Notes: Sequel to Howl in the Night and Forward Motion. Revised version posted 20 March 2010.
Table Link
"Y'know, I've always wondered... why's your house out here away from the village?"
"It's not that far from the village," Link replies, easing the door closed behind us.
"Not that far? So? It's not in the village. Everyone else lives in Ordon. You live out here." It just seems odd to me. He's part of the village, but he's not part of the village.
Ah, well. At the same time, there are definite advantages to living up the hill. For one, there's no one living right next door, just trees and squirrels and lots of other things that don't care about what goes on in here. In the village, if someone gets loud for whatever reason, half the village hears it.
"Should we light a fire?" I ask. I'm not sure if he wants to risk people knowing he's here or not. I hope the answer's yes, though. A fire would be nice, especially since we've got more tools to cook with in here than we would out by a campfire.
"Not much point being inside if we don't."
He doesn't have to tell me twice. I get a fire started and then decide that I feel like trying to relax a bit. I kick off my boots and work off my gauntlets, tossing them all towards the wall I propped my sword and shield against earlier.
Link's not here; when did he leave? I sigh. His sword and shield are next to mine, so I know he's not going far, but... oh, whatever. He'll be back at some point, so I'll just do what I want until he decides to come back.
I start by shedding some of my clothing, mostly just so I can take off my chain shirt, and then I stretch, trying to work a couple of kinks out of my back. Wonder how long Link plans on staying. Yesterday, he didn't seem to want to come anywhere near here, but today... He can't make his mind up, can he?
Maybe it's less that he's having trouble making up his mind and more that he just doesn't know what to do. He has been pretty lost the last couple of days, not that I really have any room to talk there. I'm not sure if I should hit him again or just grab him and not let go.
Din, Nayru, and Farore, this isn't me. I growl.
What, exactly, was the reason I ended up here, anyway? It can't be to help the hero; Link got along just fine with Midna around. There hasn't really been a damned thing I've done myself that has any lasting importance.
I climb up to the little window high on the wall and peer out. I still don't see him.
"Dark?"
I turn around and peer down towards his voice. Link is over by the ladder to the cellar; he looks tired and confused, more than he should be.
"Up here."
"What are you doing up there?"
What does it look like, Link? "I was looking for you."
"Oh. I was just checking the cellar."
He's nervous; I can tell. "What are you so nervous about?"
"I don't know if I should be here. I don't..." He waves one hand in the air like he's trying to find the right word. "I don't know if I want anyone knowing that I'm here."
"Why not?" I climb down, mostly just so I don't have to keep raising my voice to talk to him.
Link sighs. "This doesn't feel like home anymore."
"Too much time chasing your dreams?"
"I didn't say that," he says, scowling. For a bit, that's all he says. He walks over to the fire and tends it, looking over our supplies like he's trying to decide what to cook.
I just watch him; there's something he wants to say, and I'm not going to force it out of him this time. He'll either tell me, or he won't. I climb back up to the little window and peer out; Epona and Rhiannon are contently grazing on the grass.
How long do we have until someone notices the horses and comes running to investigate? Maybe that's what his problem is. If that's such a terrible thing, though, why'd he come here in the first place? This was his idea, after all.
"Do you think I'm still welcome here?" Link finally asks.
"How would I know? I'm not from Ordon." I haven't even really been to the village; has he forgotten that?
He stares down at the flames. "I don't feel like I belong."
"Maybe you don't. Is that such a terrible thing?"
"Where am I supposed to go? I always thought... I never really thought about the future before. I was going to work the ranch, just like always, get married, eventually have children of my own. It's funny. I never really thought about the rest of the world until now. Does that make me selfish?"
I shrug. "You grew up here; how's it a bad thing to want to stay?"
"I'm not the same person I was then."
"Honestly, considering what all of you Ordon kids have seen, I doubt any of you are the kids who used to live here. You've all seen things that you never knew before." I give him a pointed look as I climb down and find a place to sit near the fire. "I mean, look. Colin wore a sword and shield back, remember? He actually stood guard, too. I bet he still does."
Link doesn't answer at first, but then he nods slowly. "He'll be a good swordsman. Rusl will teach him."
"He grew up." It's the truth. Granted, I didn't know the kid before all this happened, but just from what Link's said about him, Colin's grown. Then again, so has Link. "You should show him your techniques."
He frowns at that. "I can't. The shade said that they... they don't leave our bloodline. It wouldn't be right."
"You've shown them to me."
"You say that you're my shadow. I think that means you count as kin. I don't think he'd mind."
"Probably not." I wish I'd been able to meet this shade, but no. Link was the one the golden wolf always leapt at, the one the spirit wanted to talk to. Never me.
I shake my head. It's not like it would be him, anyway. "All right, if you aren't who you used to be, who are you now?"
"I don't know. I'm not sure what to think. I saw two worlds, one I didn't even know existed, defeated two evil kings, saw things no one should ever have to see... And I lost her." He takes a long, slow breath and blows it out. "Dark, what does it mean?"
"What does what mean?"
He sighs and sits down next to me. "Did I really love either of them, or was it just me being stupid and mistaking something else for love?"
I sigh; of course, he has to ask the hard questions. "If you think you loved them, then you loved them. Whether you still do or not, well, only you can answer that."
"I didn't..." He stops, biting his lip and looking away. "I never felt like this for Ilia..."
"Did you feel like this for Midna?"
He blushes; well, there's my answer, and it's also a pretty good indicator of what he means by "like this". "A little, I think."
"Then who do you feel 'like this' for, if not them?"
Link blushes more, hanging his head so his hair shields his face. "You," he finally says, his voice low.
I don't know if I should like the sound of that or not. "And just what is 'like this'?"
"I don't really know..." He turns towards me and then leans in and kisses me. "How do I describe it? I - I want something."
"Something?" I have to grin. He knows what he wants; he's just not willing to say it. Unfortunately for you, Link, I think, I've got practice dealing with this kind of thing.
He bites his lip again and nods.
"What kind of something?"
He rests his head on my shoulder, pulling himself in close, but doesn't say anything. His breath is hot against my neck, and I can feel his heart pounding in his chest. He takes another deep breath, a shaky one, and then he reaches up and puts one hand on my other shoulder.
"Dark, I..."
"You what?"
Link makes a soft noise that sounds almost like a whimper and then moves, climbing onto my lap, his head still on my shoulder.
"What's the matter?" I have to ask. "Can't find the words?"
"I can't say it," he mumbles; I barely hear him.
"I can't read your mind, Link. If you want me to do something, you have to ask me." No, I know what he wants; it's kind of obvious. Still, I can't shake that nagging little doubt that says I'm just her replacement. If he wants me, he's going to have to admit it.
He makes another almost-whimper and shifts against me. "I don't know what to --"
"What do you want?"
He looks up at me, and I can see exactly what he's feeling reflected in his eyes: he's nervous and confused and proud and hungry all at once.
"Well?"
"I want... I want us, Dark. You and me."
"Isn't that what you have?" I ask, wrapping my arms around his back.
He apparently has to think about that. Or maybe I just caught him off guard; it's hard to tell. When he finally speaks, his voice is so soft I can barely make out the words. "I want more than that, though."
"Aren't we being selfish?" I say, grinning.
He glares at me for that and moves in, resting his forehead against mine. "I think I... You want me to take care of myself, right? To worry about myself for once? I think that means I can be a little selfish for once."
I smirk. "All right, then, if you're being selfish, what do you want?"
"Why do you keep asking me that?"
"Sooner or later, you have to answer."
He meets my gaze; he still has that feral gleam in his eyes, though I bet he'll never lose it. "Why do you keep trying to get an answer out of me?" he growls.
"Because I know you won't admit it to yourself if I don't drag it out of you." It's a bit of an exaggeration, but I don't think I care. "Come on, it's easy. What do you want?"
Link growls again and then starts kissing me. It's a rough kiss, wild and hungry. I can't hold back a soft, quick chuckle as I give in. No, that wild streak is still here, all right.
"What do you want?" I ask when he pulls back.
"I already said... I want us."
I grin at that. "Then aren't you forgetting something?" I reach down and start toying with the ties to his breeches. "Unless I'm misunderstanding you..."
He blushes, putting his hands on mine. He's going to tell me to stop, yell that I'm going too far, all of that. Yeah, I can take it.
But then he starts gently massaging my hands. "You... don't mind?"
"Do I look like I mind?"
He bites his lip again, glancing down and blushing slightly. Then he looks back up at me with that half-wild look in his eyes, and he lunges at me.
I start laughing before my back even hits the floor.
---
This is nice. A crackling fire, some privacy, and Link as a pillow; there's not much else I need.
"Dark?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you."
"For what?"
"For, well... for everything."
I raise one eyebrow, though I know he can't see. "Okay, then. I guess you're welcome."
Link sighs contently. For a bit, the only sound besides our breathing is the gentle crackle of the fire.
I feel almost bad breaking the quiet. "So, what now?"
"Huh?"
I chuckle and move, propping myself up so I can actually look at him. "Are we going to stay here, or have you decided yet?"
He shrugs. "I was thinking of maybe staying here a day or two. I don't know. I just want a chance to figure things out."
"Oh?" Well, then he can consider one thing figured out, can't he? "Is that why you came back here?"
"It's somewhere safe. I mean, yes, everyone got kidnapped from here, but that was it. The monsters never got Ordon the way they got everywhere else." He sighs and looks up at me. "I just don't know if I belong here."
"Maybe you do, maybe you don't; does it really matter either way? You've got years to decide where you belong. Nothing says you have to do it all today." I lean in and nip at the tip of his nose. "Take it easy for once."
He growls softly. "That's easy for you to say."
I growl back. "Which one of us has dealt with this before? Besides, are you happy right now?" He blushes a bit; that's enough of an answer for me. "See?" I ease myself down next to him, wrapping an arm around his waist.
"Not really, but... okay. Is it all right if we just stay here a while?"
"It's your house, isn't it?"
"That's not what I mean. I mean here, like this. Please?"
"I'm not moving, am I? We can stay here as long as you want."
He smiles and shifts, making himself more comfortable against me. "I want to be selfish some more."
I have to laugh at that. "All right, then, just tell me what you want."