To See the Sun Smile: Part Six

[zeffyface]

DISCLAIMER: All of The Legend Of Zelda Characters and Places belong to Nintendo, and maybe some other equally important organizations/people. They are not, nor have ever been mine. I just write silly fics.

I'm working at a glacial pace, but we're still going along!
Hopefully this chapter will give at least a little tiny bit of satisfaction - slow moving boys that they are.

With much, much, much, much (muchmuch) love to Muse, who was there for pretty much the whole chapter and then was even more awesome to wade through the whole thing raw.

Right, on with the show!


Part Six

Overture



Outside of the Gerudo desert, Sheik considered himself more or less immune to the effects of his cowl. Besides the occasional nuisance of taking it down to eat or drink, it fit around his face like a second skin - forgotten in plain sight. Only in a land of blistering sun and wind did he understand how so much attention could be paid to a simple piece of cloth.

Sheik flinched, eyes closing instinctively as the light glared off the white fabric beneath his nose, and forced himself to take deep, regular breaths. The temperature change made the air feel thicker, and only by several severe mental reprimands could he convince his body that it was not suffocating. A breeze shifted his bangs, and he sighed, grateful of at least having protection against the blowing sands.

Then again... Finally opening his eyes, Sheik fought the urge to roll them. There, sitting innocently next to his foot on the warp pad, was the tray laden with food from Lon Lon Ranch. He stared down at it, almost daring it to move before sighing and shaking his head. Well, it was here now; it might as well not go to waste. He reached back, intending on tucking his lyre behind his tabard only to gain a reminder he currently had no tabard, no uniform, no wraps. He wondered for a moment how it was possible to be fully clothed and feel naked at the same time. Fortunately, he did not get to dwell on the thought very long.

“HEY! What song was that, I never heard it before, does that make this the last temple, wow it’s really hot here-”

Sheik corrected himself. There was, in fact, another being besides Impa who could sneak up on him enough to fray every nerve in his body. Almost in disbelief he watched the little orb bob around the warp pad, observing everything from the color of the sky to what Malon ate yesterday for breakfast. “...Navi?”

“Well yeah, who did you think it was?” Finished flying in circles, Navi folded her legs in a sitting position and hovered at eye level, looking somewhat smug.

“Why did you follow me?”

“Well I didn’t exactly mean to, I was sitting on the tray when you warped. I didn’t know you’d actually take it with you, kinda nice though, I mean Link already had to eat enough to feed-”

“Navi.” Sheik reached up and pulled his cowl higher, attempting to process this new information. “You cannot stay here, you’re needed with the Hero.”

“Yeah, cause I’m sure it’s me he’ll be worried about.” As soon as the words escaped her Navi slapped a tiny hand across her mouth, her blue light flickering almost purple. Sheik blinked and forcibly shoved anything that the phrase might mean into the deepest recesses of his mind, hoping it would never resurface. The recesses were getting a lot of use as of late, it seemed. Composing herself, Navi removed her hand. “I, uh, meant that, I don’t know how to get back from here, and if he’s worried, you know, about me, he’ll probably have left Lon Lon by the time I get there anyway, so if we don’t want him to worry about me I need a quicker mode of transportation that counters worry. About me. That’s what I meant.” She nodded resolutely, crossing her arms over her chest and hovering a bit higher, as if to confirm the statement through her own force of will.

Sheik raised an eyebrow, but was forced to admit that somewhere in the ramble was a valid point. Even if they warped to the Temple of Time, the closest location, it would take a fair amount of travel to reach the ranch. The hand holding his harp strayed, once again moving on instinct to hook it behind his back before he realized himself and suppressed a frustrated growl. He could not carry on unequipped and expect to retain his last thread of sanity. Bending down, he scooped up the tray of food in his free hand. “This way.”

“Where are we going?” Navi bobbed along beside him as he stepped lightly away from the Colossus, careful not to disturb any of the creatures beneath the sand. Not bothering with a reply, he walked the short distance to the nearby pair of palm trees, where a weakened section of rock wall stood. Or at least, used to stand, Sheik noted as he stared at the piles of rubble surrounding what was now a large cave entrance. “Oh yeah, Link blew that up a while ago. This is the Great Fairy’s place, right?”

Red eyes snapped back up to the fairy in disbelief. “You’ve been here?”

Navi nodded. “Yeah, after the Water Temple. We figured it was one of the temples, but we couldn’t get in because there was this giant block in the way.” She shrugged. “Anyway, Link found this after we wandered around the outside a while.”

Sheik looked at the entrance one last time before yielding and walking forward. Well, it made getting in easier, at least. Boots tapping lightly on the marble floors, he took a moment to appreciate the serenity of the fountain before walking to a nearby wall. The lyre and tray of food were laid to the side as he knelt to examine the tiles. One of the stones had a tiny Triforce etched in the corner, where it could pass as a trick of the shadows. Carefully, he slid his fingers in the crevice and pulled, revealing the whole stone to be a façade, barely an inch thick with a hollow in the wall. Navi flew closer, blue light illuminating the contents. “Wow, that’s cool, did you put that in here?”

“No, I was told of their whereabouts by my elder.” Hands already working as he talked, he started pulling out items from the small store and stacking them. “Fairy fountains are protected from the monsters of the realm, and so the Sheikah created stores for innocents in need.” Finishing with his selection, he picked up the spare tabard from the top of the pile and examined it for defects. Navi made a soft noise of understanding before taking great interest in the cave entrance, flying away to give the other privacy.

Sheik smiled a bit despite himself, then made short work of changing back into a uniform. Sighing in relief at the feel of the familiar fabric, he stored the borrowed shirt and pants. The food had still refused to leave in the process, so he relented long enough to force the most perishable items in his unwilling system. Lack of appetite was a sign of needing to eat, anyway. The nonperishable went in the wall with the tray before the compartment was sealed, once again imperceptible. Next, he picked up the waiting roll of white wraps from the floor, winding his torso with a practiced ease. Halfway through he noticed he could no longer see blue light in the tunnel. “Navi, don’t wander too far.”

Several long seconds passed with no answer. “Navi?” Tying off the bandages at his chest, he walked to the tunnel to find the fairy’s whereabouts.

He was not expecting to hear familiar bootfalls paired with the soft clanking of heavy equipment. Or to see a flash of blonde hair framed in green a few moments later, when his feet stubbornly refused to carry him from his spot.

Link paused halfway into the room and offered a small smile. “Well, I couldn’t let both of you run off, you’d do everything without me.”

Were this a different, protocol-following interaction, a respectful and somewhat vague reply would occur followed by a swift exit. Unfortunately, a mixture of emotional strain, surprise, and general confusion had somehow impaired the filter between Sheik’s reflexes and his mouth, resulting in the much less eloquent “How did you get here?” He immediately winced and adjusted his mask higher, making note to berate himself later.

Link, for his part, rubbed a glove discretely over his mouth, not quite concealing a grin. “I warped.” He pulled out the Ocarina and held it up for inspection. “It took a few tries to get it right, but I heard enough of the song and knew where the pad was, so…” He shrugged, blue eyes practically radiating his contained smile. “I’m used to learning the songs from you anyway, even though I missed the speech this time.”

Navi chose this point to make her re-entry, saving Sheik a reply by swirling around Link’s head. “Oh good, you’re dressed already, sorry I didn’t come in to warn you about him but I’m a girl and Link’s a guy so I figured if one of us was gonna see you half naked-“

“Navi!”

It took half a second for Sheik to register that both he and Link had spoken at the same time. Fighting down the heat creeping up his face, he watched Navi hide a giggle and zip from the room again. Link had, at this point, turned away slightly, blond bangs hiding his profile, although the tips of his ears had stained a dark shade of pink. If anything, Sheik felt himself flush more. He heard Link mutter something involving ‘kill’ and ‘nosy fairies’ and quietly cleared his throat, hoping his composure would hold. “I apologize for the inconvenience; it was not my intention to remove Navi from your presence.” He paused, searching for something more to say, when Link sighed, his posture drooping the slightest bit. It was as if he had just remembered something unpleasant, or perhaps found an answer he wasn’t hoping for.

“…But it was your intention to leave again.” Despite himself, Sheik felt his eyes widen at the change in Link’s normally bright voice. His tone was quiet, flat, and the Sheikah found himself unable to reply. Link turned back just long enough to glance at him. “Since this is the last temple, I’ll just wait outside if you want to give me instructions.” The monotone in the hero’s voice remained, with a hint of something underneath. It took a moment, long enough for Link to turn and start walking, for Sheik to identify it. Defeat.

Something snapped painfully in his chest, something very important that kept the foundations from collapsing. “No! Wait, please…” He bit his tongue as Link paused, wondering how much blood could reach his face before he passed out. The twang in his ribcage sounded again, and he forged ahead in an attempt to relieve the pressure. “I… will not take long, and this area is secure from the elements and creatures of the desert...” At this point Link had turned, fixing him with a searching blue gaze that he forced himself to match. “…should you be so kind as to stay a moment, we could leave together.”

Filter be dammed, when this was over Sheik was cutting his entire tongue out. The pain would be well spent if it saved him this mortification.

Nonetheless, he couldn’t help but feel something piece itself back together when a small amount of light returned to the pools of blue. “…All right.” With slow, measured steps Link finally entered the fountain, the soft illumination dancing off his pale skin. Nodding curtly, Sheik knelt again by his supplies and took a second roll of bandages, intending to make good on his promise of speed.

Wrapping his wrist guards was a well-practiced activity, and he could almost pretend he did not have another set of eyes watching him as he worked, or a hundred phrases hanging in the air that needed to be said. As if catching the thought process, Link spoke, tone carefully casual. “You know, I always wondered what all the bandages were for.”

Sheik glanced up momentarily, finding the other’s gaze on his wrists. Nodding, he slid a throwing knife under each guard and began to wrap his hands, more slowly so as to demonstrate. “A Sheikah’s wrappings are designed to protect from the elements, but also to aid when that protection fails.” Link took a few steps closer and crouched down next to him, watching the fighter work. “Injuries are inevitable on a battlefield, and it is necessary to both treat and disguise the weakness before a foe can exploit it. Dressed wounds are an easy target. Wear extra wrappings and an enemy cannot know what ailment is real and what is illusion.”

“Hiding in plain sight.”

“Precisely. Cut one leg, wrap both.” Securing his hand binds, he flexed his arms experimentally and picked up the fresh pouch of deku nuts, stowing them under the front of his tabard. Link turned, setting the Ocarina he was still holding on the floor to stretch backwards and grab Sheik’s lyre. On reflex, Sheik picked up the blue instrument, his ingrained protocol not allowing him to leave such an emblem on the ground. The faint buzz of magic within was soothing, and he automatically shifted his hand to hold it properly although he had never so much as touched the clay instrument before.

Link turned back to offer the lyre and stopped, taking note of the situation with a half-smile. “Well, I guess we could trade, but you’d have to pull down your mask to play, you know.” Blinking, Sheik quickly offered the ocarina back, trying to not pay attention to the way their hands brushed, then brushed again when he reclaimed his lyre. He was fairly certain both objects were large enough to avoid contact.

It was a relief to finally tuck his harp away behind his tabard and stand, feeling completely equipped and healthy for the first time in several days. Link rose as well, stretching his arms over his head to remove the kinks in his back. “So I suppose that means it’s time to start risking our lives again?”

Sheik looked to the tunnel entrance to avoid watching the way Link’s stomach muscles shifted. “The Spirit Temple awaits, Hero.”

“My name is Link, you know.” Red eyes flicked back, the half-smile on Link’s face leaving no doubt that they were both recalling the same memory. Link put a hand on his hip in a mock-chiding stance. “I’ve heard you say it, so I know you can.”

It was going against all of his common sense, but something inwardly selfish refrained Sheik from breaking the light mood. He shifted a hip out to the side and turned to face the mischievous blue eyes, keeping his voice perfectly calm. “You must be mistaken Hero, I would never say such a thing. Perhaps I was referring to something else.”

The addressed raised both eyebrows, a grin sneaking across his face before being replaced with a challenging expression, both arms crossing over his chest. “Really? I only know one other Link, and I don’t exactly see you playing with a seven-year old Goron in your spare time.”

“Actually-”

“Hey guys? It’s boiling out here, can you stop being mad at me long enough to make it rain or something?”

Sheik cut off his words, and both warriors looked to the tunnel entrance. Link glanced back for half a second, an understanding passing through the shared look as they dropped to normal stances. The moment had left. “Sorry Navi, we’re coming.”

Halfway back into the desert light, Link stopped in his tracks, eyes fixed on the cavern floor. Sheik stopped, waiting silently to discover the problem, when the hero spoke, slow and deliberate. “I know how to get into the temple; I need to go back in time again. One of the Gerudos mentioned an artifact, so hopefully finding it will help when I enter as an adult.” He took a deep breath and looked up, startling Sheik with the determination in his gaze. “So we don’t really have to talk again until I have the last medallion.”

This time Sheik’s silence was simply for a lack of things to say, or how to say them even if they were there. Link had made an excellent point, although he could not tell if he was relieved or disappointed. A sinking feeling told him the latter.

In the moments it took to realize this, however, Link had taken another, calmer breath and spoken. “I would, however, like to talk to you before then. Like this.” He waved a hand behind him at the fountain, his eyes still holding Sheik firmly in place.

Unable to discern his emotions, Sheik fell back on logic to handle his response. “Hero, you have just informed me of your capability, and I am certain you will not need my guidance through the temple itself. What are we to talk about?”

He had expected a response with words, something along the lines of ‘Anything’ or ‘My name is Link’. Perhaps a smile and a shrug.

He was not expecting the hero to nod, and then take a careful step forward until they were a mere six inches apart. Or when Link finally broke eye contact long enough to lean closer, blurring in Sheik’s field of vision and wafting a soft scent of forest and spice through his cowl.

Or the soft, barely-there pressure on the cloth of his right cheek that was gone before he could properly register it.

Link stepped back, the tips of his ears red. “That.” Without leaving any time for even an attempt at a reply, he turned and walked from the tunnel, his bootsteps noticeably quicker than usual.

Sheik stood, simply staring at the spot the hero had vacated, his ears vaguely registering the Prelude of Light playing in the distance. His entire world had just ground to a halt, and he could feel the proverbial thunderclouds rolling in to the future. Something had been set in motion, something had begun, and there was no avoiding it or stopping it now. And somehow, despite it all, the only thing he seemed to care about was the tiny little tingling sensation remaining on his cheekbone.

With a small sigh, he checked his dirks and knife guards, then slowly set out across the sands. No Colossus was foolproof, there were always ways in. Besides, he had an awful lot that he didn’t need to think about, and fighting for one’s life made a wonderful distraction. A gap in the roof cordially provided access, and the first wolfos dropped like a stone.

But I Can Clear The Way.