This New Found Feeling_LxDL_3

Link blinked in surprise.  "Huh?  Tag along?"  Dark Link's face had mischief all over it as a more sly smile replaced his earlier smirk.  He rested his elbow on Link's shoulder and leaned in close, so their faces were merely inches apart.  "That's right, Link."

Link pushed him away, feeling an ever-so-slight blush appear on his face.  "Why would you come along?"  

"Why not?" Dark Link shot right back.

"I don't know..."  Link looked down and scuffed his feet a little bit, thinking about Dark Link's question.  He still didn't trust the hylian 100% of course, but he would never be able to trust him if he didn't give him a chance, right?  Besides, if he acted up, he could just defeat him again.

However, the thought of that resulted in a deep sinking feeling in his stomach.  Link couldn't really explain how it felt, he just knew that he didn't really like it.

The more Link thought about it though, the more Link kind of liked the idea of having him come along.  Link had always ventured out by himself (if you don't count Navi--and you really can't), and to have someone by his side--and Dark Link, of all people--made him a little excited.  Wait, why did it matter to him if it was Dark Link instead of, say, one of the guards?  He couldn't understand why, but he got happy when he thought of having Dark Link by his side.  He smiled a bit, thinking about it more.

"LINK!"  Link flinched.  Navi had snapped him out of his own little world, and he turned his head back up to look at her.  "I don't care who's going with you, Link--you just need to hurry!"  Link nodded firmly.  "Right.  I will being preparations immediately, and I will leave shortly."  Navi flew away, satisfied.  She started to get the guards prepared, as they would be searching for the Princess, too.  One might think it weird for a small blue fairy to be instructing a bunch of grown muscular men.  Let's face it--they weren't the smartest beings in the kingdom.  Most knights were quite dumb, for lack of better words, as they spent their childhood training to be a night instead of going to school.  They were geniuses at what they did though--that is, at least in the swordsmanship area.  Okay, maybe just the strength area.

Link walked back into his room, Dark Link following behind and shutting the door again.  Link sat on the ground and started to give his sword a quick last-minute sharpening with a rock he kept on his bedside table, solely for that purpose.

"So?" Dark Link asked, still standing in front of the shut door.  Link stopped sharpening and looked up at him.  He guessed he did kind of owe it to him, just to make up for all the guilty feelings he'd been having...

He focused his eyes on the floor beside Dark Link's feet, as he quietly said "O-ok, you can come."  Dark Link walked over and sat in front of Link on his knees.  When Link looked at him, he noticed that he had a smile on his face.  A big one at that, and it actually looked... genuine.  He'd never seen such a smile on Dark Link's face before (though he hasn't spent much time with him).  He guessed that it was probably the first real smile to ever cross his face, with him being under Ganon's power for so long, and only just recently being free.

"Really?  You mean it?"  Dark Link's voice sounded really excited, resembling that of a child's, as they received a new toy on Christmas morning.  Link was surprised by this.  "Y-yea..." he nodded, voice still quiet.

His smile grew even wider and he wrapped his arms around Link and pulled him into a tight embrace.  Link, shocked by this, let go of his sword and the rock, the sound of them hitting the floor ringing in the still air for a second.  He felt a rapid and hard thumping against his chest, and he was surprised when he realized that it was coming from Dark Link, not him.

"Thank you Link, truly, thank you--thank you for this chance!" he exclaimed beside Link's head, as if he knew that this would be the deciding point for Link on whether he trusts him or not.  Perhaps that was it?  Or maybe there was another reason that he was so excited.

Link slowly wrapped his arms around Dark Link as well, still not sure what to make of this.  Though, might I add, he didn't just place them slightly on his back as he did the Princess', he actually hugged Dark Link back.

"Y-you're welcome, Dark Link."  His voice was still quiet, and his face reddened, heart beat quickening, as Dark Link still didn't let go after he said that.  He was really close to him, part of their bodies pressed up against each other (mainly the upper chest area).  In fact, Link felt he was too close to the darker hylian, as he was getting really nervous, and he didn't want the other to sense it.

"Please--" Dark Link started, pulling his arms back and looking at Link, "Call me Dark."  Link nodded at this, though when Dark Link noticed that Link's face was flushed, it suddenly occurred to him how different he was acting, and how long he had been holding on to Link.

He let go and stood up, taking a few steps back.  Crossing his arms, he looked away and said quietly, "None of this ever happened and if anybody asks you, I never once smiled."  He finished his sentence with a stubborn expression on, and a tint of pink on his cheeks.  Link, confused, piped up.  "Huh?"

Dark Link, annoyed and embarrassed from having to explain himself further, crossed one foot over the other.  "You know--that happy bouncy attitude I just had--you never saw that.  And I never hugged you for that long either, and that's that."

Link let out a small giggle, almost, and replied with "What never happened?"  Dark Link uncrossed his arms and stomped closer to him, about to yell at him.  He stopped himself in his tracks when he realized that Link was smiling at him.  "Oh..." he said, catching on.  "You're right."  Dark Link shrugged as he threw his hands up in the air shaking his head, changing from a angrily embarrassed attitude to a mock 'whatever, doesn't matter' attitude.  "I don't remember, either."  And with that, he walked over and plopped down on the bed sitting up, watching Link continue to sharpen his sword as he stifled another small giggle.

After a few minutes, Link was just about finished sharpening his sword.  Dark Link had been thinking over the circumstances again, when a problem occurred to him.  "Wait a second, Link."  Link turned around to look up at him.  "Is this really a good idea, for you to be going out?"  Link, confused, gave a questioning look.  "Why wouldn't it be?"  

"Well, when was the last time you got sleep?"  Link looked back at his sword, pondering the question.  Dark Link was right.  After a moment of thought, he replied with "About 24 hours ago."  Since he didn't get any sleep last night, and he woke up around this time yesterday... yea, it would've been about a full day.

Dark Link was shocked.  "What?!  How are you not tired?!"  

"Well, I have a lot more energy then the average person, seeing as I would've had to be up a lot during my earlier quest to defeat Ganondorf.  Though, I was trying my best not to think about it,  as I probably will get tired once I start to think about how long it's been since I had sleep."  'Oops,' Dark Link thought.  "Sorry.  But you really should get sleep."

Link's shoulders slumped.  "I know, but I don't really have a choice, we have to find her before the King finds out she's missing."  Dark Link thinks about this for a second.  "Can't you travel through time or something?"  Link shakes his head.  "I don't have the Ocarina of Time anymore, Zelda took it away when I defeated Ganondorf.  Besides, it shouldn't be used for such a small thing!  I'll be fine."  He was about to end there, when he turned around and added "Why does it matter to you anyway?  It's not like you're the one without sleep."  Dark Link was taken back by the question.  "True, but... well, I never said it mattered to me.  It really doesn't.  Why should I care how tired you are?"  

"That's... what I asked you."  Dark Link looked away.  "That's right, and I don't care because I don't care about your well being or anything!  Remember that I'm only here in the first place to ask for a favour, and the sooner you find the Princess then the sooner I can ask, and that's the only reason I'm coming with!"  Dark Link's voice sounded of nothing more then a stubborn child, trying to hide something.

Link didn't think it was true that Dark Link was only coming along solely for that purpose, as he had looked really happy earlier--however, he had promised not to bring it up again.

He turned around and looked down.  'That's right...' he thought.  'Dark is only here for the favour, I had forgotten.'  He got sad at the thought that Dark Link didn't actually care--he was just here for himself.  And for a second there, it seemed as if they were actually having a normal conversation, as if they were friends, or comfortable with each other, even.

"Oh yea, D-dark... what was the favour?  You still haven't told me."  Link felt weird calling him just Dark, and his cheeks got a little pink.  It felt too in-formal almost.

"Oh, right."  Dark Link looked back at Link, a mischievous smile flying across his face as he jokingly yanked off Link's hat and twirled it around his finger in the air.  "H-hey!"  Link turned around with his hands on his head, embarrassed.  "Now isn't the right time to tell you," Dark Link teased in a cheery voice.  "What?  Would you at least tell me after we get the Princess back?"  "Of course!"  Link grabbed for his hat.  "Then give my hat back!"

Dark Link burst out laughing at this, tears almost springing to his eyes.  "Ahaha, Link!  You sound like a grade schooler!"  Link's face burned a bright red, embarrassed by Dark Link's taunting and teasing.  "I... I do not!"  This only made Dark Link laugh more, so Link decided to just keep trying to grab it until he got it (without talking).  He stood up and reached for the hat, but even being now taller then Dark Link (as Dark Link was still sitting on the bed, legs over the edge) he still couldn't reach it.  Every time he went to reach for it, Dark Link would lean farther and farther back so it was still out of Link's reach.  Link was starting to get really frustrated, and he started to pant slightly from lunging for his hat so much, as he was getting tired.

He decided he'd try one last time before giving up, he didn't have time for this.  He reached forward once more, not noticing that his foot had caught on the edge of the bed.  He lost balance, and fell--right on top of Dark Link.

They both immediately froze, staring at each other's faces which were practically touching.  The air was still, and for both of them, uncomfortably sticky.  Now both their faces were red, and their heartbeats sped up to an incredible speed--even more so, as they could feel each other's pounding in their chests.  Link's small panting didn't help, either.

They just kept staring into each other's eyes, a look of surprise and embarrassment on both of their faces.  Neither of them were able to break the eye contact.

"Link..." Dark Link whispered, in a barely-audible whisper.  Link flushed more at the feeling of the other's breath on his own lips.  He kept his mouth shut as to not have the other feel the same sensation.

Just then, the door slammed open.  It was immediately shut again though, as the guard that had opened saw the situation, and thought that 'other' things were going on.  Navi managed to fly through the door before it shut though, oblivious to the situation until she appeared beside Link, staring at them in shock.  Link saw Navi, and started to panic.  He rushed to get off of Dark Link, but he lost his footing again, and ended up falling on the cold stone floor, landing on his butt.  "Ow..." he said, rubbing his lower back (as rubbing your butt would look awkward).

When he looked up he was greeted by his hat hitting his face.  He removed it to see Dark Link sitting up, looking away.  Link silently spent a few seconds fixing his embarrassing hathair, and putting the cap back on.

"What's going on here?!" Navi asked, demanding an explanation.  "N-nothing!" Link replied, flustered.  

"Don't lie to me!"  Navi flew in front of his face and started to buzz around him.  "I just know something was going on, now what was it??  And Dark Link of all people!  When I saw him come out of your room, I was skeptical at first, but I trusted your decision, and I figured that if he was ok with you then he was ok with me!  BUT TO BE DOING THIS!  OF ALL THINGS!"  Link, annoyed and flustered (especially at her judging of Dark Link, for some reason), swatted Navi, sending her flying.  "You know I love you, Navi, but sometimes you can be really, really annoying."  She crashes against the stone wall, temporarily unconscious as she falls to the floor.  'Maybe that was too hard...' Link thought, not having realized how hard he hit her.  

He went over and picked her up, cradling her carefully in his hands.  He then proceeded to place her on his bedside table, and pick up the necessary items he would need.  He adjusted them, putting his sword belt over his shoulder so it trailed over and across his chest, and attaching his item sack to the belt of his tunic.  He put the necessary items in the sack that he might need, sheathed his sword, and put his shield on his back.  He turned to Dark Link (intending to ignore what just happened).

"Let's be off, then."

-END OF CHAPTER 3-