zelda fanfic || what after love, 1.2 (2/2);
title: What After Love
pairing: Sheik X Link X Zelda triangle: Sheik X Link and Zelda X Link
rating: PG-13
genre: romance / AU
chapter summary: Sheik and Link go party-hopping, and it's all good until the darker layers of Sheik's personality begin to reveal themselves.
a/n: second half!
Link grinned and laughed a little. "I don’t know," he said, turning back to the table. "I wasn’t gonna say anything anyway." A mild look of curiousity passed through the table subtly- getting the impression that they were hiding something as Sheik let out a small laugh.
"Hello Sheik," Shad greeted- something in his demeanor shifting- "How are you doing?"
Sheik looked over to Shad as though he were something funny; slipped his weight, one hand on his hip- looking rainy. "It wouldn’t matter either way. And yourself?"
"Oh, I’m fine, thank you," Shad answered, settling back in his chair.
Sheik didn’t bother with introductions; looked at Link in carnival red. "I’ve business to attend to," he said- and as though punctuating his statement, removed his hand from its place on the chair, held it tentatively at waist-length.
"Oh, okay," Link answered, visibly disappointed.
Sheik stepped back; "You can come if you’d like," he offered, in a tone that said that he probably shouldn’t.
Link paused, and then smiled; shook his head. "Nope, I’m fine. You gonna be around?"
Sheik half-nodded, half-smiled in his eyes, said, "I’ll see you later"; turned in that slim, economical way of moving that he had, and started off for whatever he had to do.
"Why didn’t you go with him?" Malon asked, taking a sip of her drink- something teasing in her eye. "He said you could."
Link stopped on the dot of a thought; then answered, "Nah- he didn’t mean it." There was an ushering pause. Link nodded solemnly, like some typa scholar. "If he’d meant it, he woulda said something like ‘It doesn’t make a difference to me’ afterwards."
Shad laughed- small and soft, but still a surprising sound coming from him. "Goodness," he let out, "You know him too well."
Link smiled and nodded; but was it even possible to know somebody like Sheik well? Either way, it didn’t matter to him- they had a pact, and they were friends, and that was all he really wanted.
Minutes dwindled and died away on gray- became hours quicker than proposed. Some time ago Link had decided he’d look for Sheik, but he didn’t see him anywhere. This place was sort of big, though, and he still had more places to look-
"Hoiiii! Link!"
Link whirled around, not immediately recognizing the voice; at some darkened table that looked as though it belonged in a murky corner sat an older guy, who looked like a soldier, the writer and Kamo. Oh, yeah- that was Auru, Shad’s friend who was part of some union, or something.
"Oh, hey guys- you’re Auru, right?" Link asked, approaching them.
"Yes. Where’s your friend?" Auru spoke with the collateral of knowledge; he wasn’t in your face about it, but you knew that what he said was backed by experience. He looked like a soldier in every possible way; then again in Hyrule lotsa things passed for being a soldier.
"My friend?" Link replied.
"That masked fellow- Sheik is his name?" Auru answered.
"Oh! Yeah, Sheik. I don’t know, I’m looking for him now," he answered, kicking his heel against the tiled floor.
"What? How’s that so hard?" Kamo asked, shooting up a skeptical eyebrow.
Link turned, confused. "Huh? What’s that mean? Do you know where he is?"
"No- the mask," the writer said, gesturing with an open palm covering the lower part of his face.
"Psh. With that thing he sticks out like a sore fucking thumb," Kamo said with distaste, moving to set his drink on the table (cluttered with papers and cursory ceramic conainters of bar nut-type snacks).
"Now, Kamo," Auru began, with a note of disapproval.
Kamo just waved his hand. "If he’s always wearing a mask, he should expect the attention," he said. There was this note of rebellion that had washed out the initial fear- but Link figured that it was just a cover-up, or maybe the alcohol.
"But you know he has his reasons," Auru mused.
Link paused, turning his gaze thoughtfully. "What is it, anyway? A Sheikah tradition?" he asked, hands clasped behind his back.
"As far as I know, it’s not," Kamo groaned ruefully.
"Then what?"
"Who knows? I’m telling you, stay away from him. He’s crazy," he replied with spite.
Link paused, then smiled cheerfully and shrugged as his feet began to step. "It doesn’t really matter anyway. See you guys later!" he said, turning and waving to them.
He probably left them with one impression or another, but what was good was good, and he moved on to other dreams. Some song was bopping over the radio speakers, and while people were playing drunken games that boredered on suicide, he was walking in rhthym, trying to find a friend in all this muk.
Every atom was in action; every material was stirring beneath the artifical lights, every mouth was on the precipice of expressing some thought that was doomed to begin with. A six-foot girl was playing some kind of zoo flirtation with two guys, and Link dodged her as she stumbled over drunkenly, laughing. Here was a corridor he hadn’t seen...the plaster formed into an archway, through which there was a room with some tables and the long lacquered bar.
He felt certain Sheik would be here. He walked beneath the archway, approaching the polished tables; his blue sky eyes scanned the room deftly before settling on some commotion that was taking place under the thumping music. Not so much a commotion, really, as some kind of gathering- sequined people were crowding around a laughing girl and a lithe figure sitting at a table. Oh, so there Sheik was; with a smile Link pushed past more people and fell among the ranks of the group, but for certain, he was apart from it- standing on its margins.
Sheik was barely attentive to the girl who was sitting near him- she fidgeted, looking up at him with adoring, blinded eyes. He seemed to be weighing something somebody said, when, his radar picking up on the presence of another, his snake eyes moved serenly to where Link was standing. His gaze lifted, and he seemed to make a subtle gesture.
"Sheik! That’s where you were," Link smiled, breaking through some people with a quick mutter of "oh, sorry"; the girl looked at him a bit suspiciously. "You’re like a fox."
"Or maybe you’re the mole," Sheik answered- his eyes taking on that certain light.
"Mole? That’s so mean," Link replied with a short pout, sitting down in one of the chairs- the people around seemed to look at each other questioningly. Link was just spun up in thoughts of being an ugly ground-dweller who ate worms and had whiskers on its nose and, ew..."Why a mole though?"
"You’re too blind not to see, therein lies the problem," Sheik answered, leaning on the table, flashing a glance at Link that made him think twice.
"Maybe you hide too well," Link replied, dismissing the cautioned feeling.
Sheik’s eyes had the look of a smile- that was what made it fine. "And what would be the point of looking? The road would never come to an end," he continued, "Better to stay where you are- better to watch quick. They’ll tell you it’s right, after all."
"Keep on your feet, but then nobody’d go any place, right?" Link asked- eyes all sunshine and stars.
The balance of Sheik’s arm seemed to twitch- the shadow extensions of his body moved in harmony as he seemed to lean closer to Link. "Wherever people chose to die is their own choice. You may feel like you’re moving, but it may only be the scenery," Sheik answered. His voice like night slipped up on a note of levity, and Link laughed.
The girl, you could tell, was feelin’ defensive, was looking at Link with a well-veiled hostility. "I rec’nize you," she said, breaking through their riddles, "You were talking to Malon earlier."
"Oh, yeah, I was. Are you Sheik’s friend?" Link asked, tilting his head in curiousity.
She seemed to go over her options, you could tell by the movement of her eyes. Figuring that this kid was too stupid to prove an obstacle on her quest for detainment, her manner softened. "Yep, I’m his friend- right, Sheik?"
Sheik paused; his eyes glistened with a note of humor, a note of an idea- as though he was on the verge of some grand scheme, or maybe he was thinking of burning the place down. "Hmm- it’s your choice," he replied simply, turning his glance from her almost immediately.
"Why say something like that? You’re so difficult," she said, her mouth pursing cheekily. She seemed to look at him, for a moment, in that motherly way- that intrusive way that’s often confused for love.
Link paused, finding it hard to register that anybody would look at Sheik that way. Sheik didn’t seem like he was anybody’s child. There were some greetings exchanged, but the crowd seemed to dissapate- a few of the people said goodbye to Sheik, it was nice seeing him and that they’d catch up later.
It was just Sheik, Link, and the girl soon enough, and Link looked nervously at her. Sheik seemed to disregard her- seemed to throw her out of his attention as though she was an expendable prescence. Seemed to barely care about her. She’d jump into the conversation unexpectedly, throwing suggestions at Sheik with a tone that was barely controlled, touching his arm like it was the hem of his garment. Link felt bad for her, but it also made him uncomfortable and awkward to get in the middle of it...
"And what did you talk of with Shad?" Sheik asked, looking up toward Link- but then away, with a casualness that sent a strange signal.
"Oh- nothing much- we just talked about...uhm, some people at the party- there was, this was funny, Shad started tell me that I was talking wrong- but anyway, we just talked about stuff. We talked about you at one point. Also, I was hungry, so we were talking about food," Link replied, spinning coins on the table.
Sheik’s eyes seemed to be marked with- well, not so much interest, as something darkly amused when Link mentioned they’d spoken of him, but whatever it was he disregarded it. "Ah. If you’re still hungry, there’s-"
"Sheik’s always hard to find, isn’t he?" the girl broke through, reaching forward to touch Sheik’s hand lightly.
A look marked Sheik’s eyes that Link knew meant nothing good- it was a spark of irritation, maybe, but it was too acidic to just be irritation. It seemed to be the look that preceded an immediate action- Link’s eyes went into alert mode for a moment, but thankfully the vitriol passed back into amusement just as quickly. "He’s always here or there- he’s good at hiding," she continued.
"Mmm," Link agreed with a nod and a weak smile.
"You wouldn’t hide too long from me, would you, Sheik?" she asked, with a smile that made Link’s gut wrench in concern for her safety.
Sheik spared her a slim glance. "It would depend upon my mood," he replied, shortly, looking toward Link again.
Link breathed relievedly- maybe Sheik was more patient than he’d thought? As long as she didn’t cry, it would be fine, he guessed, even though he knew it was worse to cry on the inside..."Uhm, what were you saying about food?" Link cut in, almost too quickly- the fugitive resentment in the girl’s eyes whiplashed out again, the beast from the cage..."Actually, forget it, I’m not hungry anymore. What kinds of foods do you like?"
Sheik paused; then let out a small laugh, tilted his head back a little- he usually did that when he laughed. Link smiled, but the girl’s defenses were falling apart and she was trying for a comeback strategy. "Such a consistency of thought," Sheik said, looking toward Link again. "You’re like the character from the song- the King of Punctuality."
Link paused, wondering what that meant, but laughed anyway, that airy laugh that cut like sunlight through silver. Or what would be a better metaphor? Sheik looked at him thoughtfully.
Link was about to say something again, eyes excited, but the girl jumped through his thoughts; she leaned forward in her seat, kicking her heels back and forth beneath the table. "What character would I be, Sheik?" she asked, looking at him with that smile of certainty.
Sheik didn’t miss a beat; he turned to her slightly- and the look of sheer enjoyment in his eyes, Link found, was just as bad as that viper look of irritation he’d seen before- it had this manic sheen that Link knew too well was not good news for the girl. He seemed to pause for effect; then, with a small laugh, said, "You? Fat Charlie the Archangel, maybe." Link winced in his mind-
There wasn’t even time enough to notice the change in atmosphere- as disorienting as sudden violence, the electricity snapped from its delicate hold, and just as suddenly she had risen from her seat. Reckless, yelling something incoherent with her fists slamming on the table- the drinks rattled, a hot and cold feeling alternated in Link’s nerves. He froze physically, his mind rushing to put the pieces together to see what he should do. Peace was a deserter, the light flashed off her nouveau-riche rings and black beaded bracelets and the look in her eyes was straight-up poison hate. "You! What the Hell is your problem, anyway!" she barked.
Some people at the bar looked over and shared a laugh; Link’s eyes darted to Sheik. His balance hadn’t shifted in the slightest- his posture was leaning and casual, poised just so...and his eyes still had that bright, laughing look. "Perhaps I’m a master illusionist," he answered, the words easy with the edge of iodine. "Or else a thief, swapping hearts for darkness;" he paused, looking at her with his head tilted up dangerously, in that way that lit the shadows and the hunger in his face- "You can choose."
"I put up with you- your fucking- your riddles and your fucking- you can’t let anybody in! That’s your problem! I knew it, I knew it-" she paused- you could tell behind her lips her teeth were gritting together, grinding down to fury stars. Link was about to cut in, about to say something, but she continued- "You fucking asshole! You must hate women or something! Are you with Zelda?! To think I was about to fuck you!" Her hand jerked against a Collins on the table, and Link shuffled clumsily to get it; but thankfully she stopped just short of knocking it over.
The amusement had passed out of Sheik’s eyes by now; in its place, a look that shadowed the red darkly, something forbidding. "You say it ’s though you’d be doing me a favor," he said- Link’s eyes closed- the crowning blow. He knew Sheik would do that...
The words hit her like a stun gun, like darts in the dark; she paused, and her mouth quivered. In that moment Link knew what her intentions really were, and his heart softened to look at her. Her eyes meanwhile hardened, but he knew it was only a flimsy defense. "You- fucking---" she began, but seemed not to be able to find the words to frame her wretched black anger; her courage gathered temporarily. "What are you, a fucking queer?!" Heads turned nearby; Link wished she’d just calm down...
"And if I were to say ‘no,’" Sheik began, eyes cutting, "Where would that leave you?"
Her eyes widened and the light passed into them, showed how flimsy they really were. Her expression distorted for a moment, as though attempting anger- her head dipped down, and there was an awful sound that Link recognized. Her lips quivered, and she looked back up to the two of them like they were criminals already proven guilty. She hiccuped through tears, and then tried fiercly to wipe them away. "You’re such a shitty person-" she started to say, but Link got up from his chair and started toward her.
"Hey, Miss," he began, his voice soft, touching her shoulder briefly.
She slapped his hand away, her mouth wrenching. "Don’t fuckin’ touch me! You’re worse!" she snapped, looking at him like a hurt child, and with that turned on her black heels and hurried off in the direction Link had come- presumably to go to the ladies’ room...
People were looking over now- some in vague concern, some in self-effronting mockery- but neither Sheik nor Link paid much attention. Link paused, then looked over to Sheik. Sheik looked up at him with a strange look- as though he expected Link to act similarly, to start lecturing him. The silence was small, filled up with the clattering of glasses. "I’m, like, so confused," Link finally said, with a small laugh that hid worry.
Sheik’s eyes turned a shade, mildly; it wasn’t that he was unaffected- you could tell that something was different, more tense, in his demeanor- but he just seemed not to hold it in high importance, as though it was something that happened every day in the most inane of places. His general’s eyes flickered to Link, and as though in compliance Link took his seat again. "What is there to say? Every need has an ego to feed," Sheik said, his colors brightening once again, receding from that darkness that had overtaken him; the way he moved was warm once again, and Link leaned on his palm, listening interestedly.
"But I don’t know- why do things like that have to happen?" Link asked, eyes turned up toward the ceiling.
Sheik looked at him interestedly. Two kids gambling on tomorrow- sitting at this nowhere table, looking over the same world- one the shadow, the other the hero. "Who knows? Sometimes, it is as though time itself directs life- as though events happen at the correct moments, falling into rapid succession."
Link smiled. "You believe in fate, Sheik?"
Sheik’s eyes didn’t pause on that thought. "I believe in time," he said, rearranging the glasses on the table to form a triangle, "and in spirits; I believe in blood and dirt, and masks. What could there be to believe in? Life is a game."
Link nodded; crossing his arms on the table, laid his head down like a resting dog. "I feel bad, though," he mused.
Sheik looked over to him- you could tell in Link’s eyes that he was genuine; the light in them was softer, a little older. Sheik looked at him; that vague comfort slipped back into his voice. "Don’t feel bad," he said- snake charmer’s eyes, voice like honey and ginger- "Other people’s feelings are not your cross to bear."
Sometimes you had to weave through Sheik’s speech, to see which wisdom was false and which was real- but there wasn’t any need for that now. Link smiled and nodded, gathering back the confidence in his eyes. He lifted his head, most likely thinking of something exciting to do- but then his eyes widened, and he winced- he clutched his stomach, and leaning his head back like a wolf howling at the moon, exclaimed, "Oh my God, I’m so hungry!" After a moment or two of comedic whining his eyes snapped back to Sheik, who was regarding him with mild interest. "What time is it anyway?"
"Twelve-thirty," Sheik answered, seemingly without looking at a clock.
"Twelve-thirty? Hmm." Link paused, blonde falling over his eyes as he balanced the chair on its two back legs. He eyed Sheik with a smile, fixing his shirt a bit. "Wanna go eat?"
Sheik seemed to hum something as his manner shrugged. "I’m not opposed to it," he said, and with faultless ease rose from his seat, leaving the residues of the table to some other mind.
They started off past the memory murals and under the shadow of the archway, Link leading in a happy beat and Sheik following small and dusky behind. There were some laughs, some observations made as they left the wreckage behind, but nothing really but the forward glance- looking ahead to the rest of the night.
Link thought for a moment that he should say goodbye to Shad- but if he didn’t see him, he’d just say it next time they met. They were walking along the margins, by the paintings (painted in that style that was to art as muzak was to music), when through the dim noises of chattering and dancing, they heard:
"Hey! You!"
The girl’s voice cut through the noises, aggressive and prideful. Link’s shoulders sank a little and he turned on his heel, wondering, "What now?" Sheik paused tentatively, hand on his hip as he watched the girl approach.
Oh, Link recognized her- the red hair and the fiery eyes, the compactness of her body- that was Malon, who was sitting at Shad’s table. She walked toward them like a woman on a mission. Link looked over at Sheik, but Sheik was watching her intently as she approached. "Oh, hi, Malon," Link began, but the spark in her posture was directed toward Sheik. Great...
"Hey asshole!" she yelled, pushing past some people; but even the fire in her country blue eyes recoiled at Sheik’s desert glance. Her manner ebbed, but her words still came in full force. "Just who do you think you are?" she asked, hands on her hips.
"It would depend on the time of day," Sheik responded, shifting his weight.
"Yeah, well, it’s time for an ass-kicking. What does that make you?"
Sheik paused, then the fearless amusement came back into the red. "The victor."
"Ha-ha," Malon answered, wryly, settling back. "You’re a real piece of work! You made my friend cry!" She flicked her hair past her shoulder. "You could have just told her you weren’t into her, you know!"
"It would have been the same," Sheik replied, calmly. Link watched for the signs of danger- none yet...Malon was a nice person, but he really didn’t want to step between Sheik and whoever he was arguing with...
"It doesn’t matter- you embarrassed her in front of all those people," she answered, the corners of her rose mouth pulling down in scorn. "You didn’t have to do that." She paused, her eyes softened. "You just can’t treat people however you want."
Sheik’s head tilted curiously. "You should tell your friend that."
Malon paused again- her fists whitened at her sides, her fingers spreading out as if by nervous twitch, her frustration physical. Her eyes looked at him as though she was- looking down. "It’s no use talking to someone like you," she said, her gaze shifting to the rest of the guests. "You’re not sorry, I can tell. I can see that you don’t know what love is, or how you’d even treat people if you turned out to suddenly have feelings."
Sheik’s body seemed to spark- his balance seemed to react to some hidden electricity, and the look in his eyes was immediately like fire. Link was about to step forward, call it off, but Sheik’s voice already cut through the conversation without even a semblance of the comfort it had previously held (instead only acid); "Love? That little girl doesn’t know a thing about love- what in that resembles love? To push your displaced emotions upon another person, to try and resurrect your self-esteem through vanity, through empty relationships? I have nothing to do with her- if she’s looking for a therapist she can pay hard money."
Silence was thick, spread over the scene, and the circuitry was suddenly breaking, sending shocks through the air like nervous twitches. Link looked toward Sheik, wide-eyed, his mouth parted as if on the corner of some expression; Malon’s expression was shook. Her eyes turned empty, and her mouth tightened like a berated child’s. She seemed to collect herself quickly, set her gaze on Link, eyes strong. "I’ll see you later, Link," she said- as though trying to determine whose side he was on.
Link could feel himself swallowing. He gave a limp wave, and even though his eyes looked sorry, he wouldn’t follow behind her. "Uhm, bye," he answered, glancing tentatively back at Sheik.
They watched her back down, retreat, back to her own battlefield; they looked small and lonely, waiting hesitantly on the coin drop. Link felt spun out of his head- but cutting through vague feelings, Sheik’s hoarse laugh sounded like a drum, small and dark. Link looked over to Sheik in surprise- he seemed to have shaken the situation off immediately. He pulled at the cloth a little, and the graffiti art along his limbs seemed to pulsate with life. "I don’t know anything about love," he said- eyes secret and smiling- "It’s twelve-forty five, and I emerge the victor."
"Oh my goodness," Link’s mind warned in awe, "Run now, little boy-" but he didn’t say anything- just hid a half-laugh behind his nervous hands. Sheik turned on his heel, and began to walk again, his strong, soft way of moving. "Aren’t you hungry? Let’s be off."
Link nodded and quickly fell into step next to him. The party died behind them as they stepped past the art deco doors, into the city silence of the marble lobby; the secretary at the front was falling asleep behind her fashion magazine, and beyond the glass doors and the echo of their footsteps there was the street, painted vivid, savage colors, screaming into eternity. Sheik opened the door, Link made a flimsy comment about what a fine gentleman he was and Sheik said something about English tea; police sirens wailed on by and the cold surrounded them.
But as that fall crispness entered his senses and the streetlights were glowing lonely, Link was struck by this feeling. He suddenly felt as if he couldn’t keep walking. His heart felt rainy; he bit his lip in semi-frustration and somebody blustered past them.
"...would don a mustache if it suits you," Sheik was continuing, walking like he could raise the dead; but he paused and half-looked over his shoulder, where Link had halted to a stop behind him. Sheik turned, curious, his weight shifting- his posture seeming to sigh like a cat. "And what’s wrong?"
Link paused, scratching his head with his eyes puzzled. "Something’s not right," he said, making a movement as though wiping sweat from his brow. His glance turned toward the street- the passing lights made summer colors on his pale skin, and Sheik watched as the blue turned to purple under neon red. "I don’t know why..."
Sheik stood, waited, feline; moved back toward him as Link sat down on the curb, looking like a lonesome angel. "What is it?" he asked, leaning back into the city air, looking toward the street.
Link placed his hands on his knees, posture straight like a schoolkid, and watched the wheels passing by. "I don’t know. Just. Why would she say something like that to you?"
"Like what?"
"That you don’t know what love is," he answered, eyes lidded as he spotted an alleycat slinking by. Sheik looked down at him curiously; Link’s mouth began on a sentence, but he hesitated for a moment. "Why would anybody say that to anybody? It doesn’t seem it, but that’s a cruel thing to say. And why would you hold something like that against somebody anyway? If somebody didn’t know what love was, I would feel bad for them- I’d try to help them..."
The words sparked and flashed into Sheik’s mind- left a low hum buzzing through his limbs. Help them? Help them learn what love was? He looked down at Link; he obviously hadn’t caught the implication in it, but Sheik watched him intently. "Nobody’s right, and nobody’s wrong- it’s not anybody’s fault, you just have to- repair what damage is done- or something," Link continued, with a heavy exhalation.
This feeling was still hitting him; Sheik was lulled, almost- or was it lulled? Link looked up at him, and there was silence for a moment. Then Sheik’s eyes were suddenly shaded and heavy- the red flashing and cutting through with heat that made Link fidget. "And what is love to you?" he asked, and the words struck Link as uncomfortably incisive, burning straight through- were asked with such a startling conviction that it was hard to muster an answer. "Possession? Devotion? Two bodies, in the blissful loss of singularity? Something that lasts forever?"
The words lingered; even as they died off on the air, their echoes pulsed through the street sounds that whispered by. It was amazing, how the world could be so still and yet so unbelievably tense- how the shifting of feelings could create an electricity too opaque to see clearly through. Link turned his gaze from Sheik’s eyes; he tapped a rhthym on the tar like a nursery rhyme. His eyes had that particular strength, that partcular determination, that they took on when he had finally mastered an obstacle. "If I loved somebody," he began, mouth and eyes soft, "I would try my best to take good care of them. I would try to help them however I could. And I would try to make them feel like they had someplace to go. It’s not your fault if you don’t feel the same way about somebody that they feel about you. The only thing is, you can’t hurt them- that’s key. It’s the worst to hurt people like that."
A car blasting hip hop blues flurried by onto the scene, and left with a whirl of air breezing through the sound. Sheik looked over Link’s features carefully- the lights playing stories onto his skin, the soda blonde covering parts of his eyes, the concern in his expression. He really did seem to be sincere- he seemed to care what was actually right. Sheik’s eyes smiled, and you could tell from his expression that he was impressed with his answer. "Then there’s no need to worry," he said, the warmth in his voice subtle and sweet; "As long as you keep thinking that way, it’ll be fine." He reached his hand out. Link looked up at him and grasped it, Sheik pulled him up from the curb with a fluid motion. Link smiled; Sheik’s eyes were knowing. "How long have you gone without eating?" Sheik asked as they started off again.
"Jeez, I have no idea," Link answered, going cross-eyed out of hunger craze; he smiled at Sheik like an accomplice, and put his arm around his shoulders. "Thank you," he said, with confidence.
"Any time," Sheik answered back evenly, the words like shadow and liquid. Link laughed a little, slipping his arm away- kicked a soda can that was clattering in the wayward wind. Sheik’s mind went up a dark alley that he didn’t even know about; some girls passed them by- "They’re both cute, but I like the short one;" "Really? The tall one is good! I like him better!;" "Go and talk to them, I dare you!;" "Oh God no!"- but their conversation slipped by into a giggle and a sanitation truck.
There was a place on the corner, facing the street at bold angles; glass windows and doors, and a cheap awning- a kebab place that was open all night, made its business off the party scene. The rain was shaking through the trees, and some drunken girls were arm-in-arm, singing, "I get the blues for ya baby when I look up at the sun..." The midnight lights struck into the sounds, and the rest of the night receded into memory.
a/n: Thanks for reading! Come back for more ;)