First Meetings (Hero’s Shadow backstory!)
The highlands were particularly chilly today as Link looked out into the dunes of Gerudo territory. It was strange how he could be so close to barren heat while also freezing his butt off.
Trilling his lips, the half-Sheikah warrior stretched lazily, gaze drifting from spot to the next. He had been transferred to guard duty along the Hyrulian-Gerudo border for his new assignment. It was his first time truly far from home, and it was honestly pretty thrilling. Link loved to see and learn new things, and the Gerudo Highlands were so vastly different from the lush, wet valleys and mountains of home. Kakariko Village was tucked away near Lake Hylia, and Link had spent most of his youth swimming and rushing to the large Cracked Mountain - legend said an earthquake had caused the large split along its center, and it held mystical treasures within its belly, but all Link had managed to do as a child was get stuck halfway through and give his elders a heart attack.
Either way, he loved exploring, and this place was all entirely new. The Highlands were visible from the capital on the Royal Plateau, but he’d never really known what to expect of any of it. Now that he was assigned here, he wanted nothing more than to explore every inch of the place.
But at the moment he was on duty, and so he stayed in his position.
It wasn’t as if the Gerudo were particularly hostile. They were not part of the kingdom and needed to be watched, and they were a warrior people, making them more threatening than others, but still… they hadn’t really caused problems for Hyrule, nor vice versa. There was definitely a wariness between the factions, though, and it created tension.
Movement caught Link’s eye, and he turned, wondering if maybe it was another lizard (he had already collected three), when he realized it was a person. Small, far in the distance, but someone nonetheless. Curious and a little wary, Link crept closer, hand slowly resting atop his katana, and then he got a closer look.
It was a Gerudo. A teenager, from the looks of it - maybe even around his age. She had twin scimitars, and she was practicing with them, slicing hydromelons with ease. Link watched her a little while, watched the way she moved so fluidly, the way her muscles rippled with each twist and turn, the way her hair reflected the sun far more than the sands did. He felt himself staring a little too long, his heart fluttering a little, and he stepped back, a little overwhelmed. The girl seemed to sense his scrutiny, stopping and looking around before glancing upward at him. Link swallowed, throat dry.
She—she was—she was beautiful.
Link heard a sandal on stone, and his adrenaline immediately spiked, every nerve on high alert, just in time to see a shadow cast over him. He looked up and saw a large figure seemingly falling out of the sky towards him, large mace in hand, and Link gasped a little, rolling out of the way as the weapon slammed into the earth.
Grabbing the hilt of his katana with his left hand, the thirteen-year-old immediately went into action. The initial removal from the scabbard was a wide slash, pushing the figure—a man who bore Gerudo traits (but weren’t all the Gerudo women? That’s what he’d heard)—back a little to avoid getting eviscerated. The sun shone behind the man, blinding Link a little, and he changed his position, breaking the kata in order to get a better view. It gave his opponent an opening, and he took a large step forward, swinging the mace horizontally. Link ducked, thankful for his small stature, and jabbed his blade directly forward. His enemy twisted to the side to dodge, and Link’s flank was wide open, giving the man an opportunity to do a one-handed swing with his weapon.
It hit true, slamming Link in the ribs.
The young warrior went flying, hitting the cliffside and falling to the ground, trying desperately to catch his breath. He heard the person walk towards him, and then heard under his breath, in a bemused tone, “A child?”
Link gasped life back into himself, ignoring how his ribs protested, and he sprang back to his feet, gripping his blade with both hands as he did another sweeping cut to drive his enemy back. He jerked a little at the end of the fluid motion, hissing in pain. His ribs were definitely broken.
Did he have a fairy? An elixir? He didn’t remember packing anything, but—
Link’s eyes widened as the man strode forward purposefully, both hands around the leather handle of the enormous mace, and he swept it right where Link’s head was. Clapping his hands together, the teenager channeled his magic, feeling the air sucked out of his lungs as he disappeared before the weapon could land a hit.
Ganondorf stared, blinking at the blank space where the child had just been. Despite being caught off guard by the Hylian’s age, he was still armed and he’d still been watching his daughter, which merited a swift response. The Gerudo king looked around a moment, confused, before hearing clothes fluttering. He turned around wildly, still seeing nothing, and then the sun reflected off something bright just above him, and he looked up and—
The child was about to stab him in the head.
Hissing, Ganondorf pushed hard with his right leg, jerking his body to the side just in time for the Hylian to slice his blade across his shoulder and part of his chest. Ganondorf bit back a yell, his blood pumping faster than it had in ages, and when he’d finished dodging, he’d almost had to laugh.
He didn’t know how this child was actually managing to put up a fight, but this was actually kind of invigorating. The boy had even landed a blow!
Ganondorf knew he’d won, though, based on how the boy struggled to breathe, so he paused before continuing the fight. “Who are you, child?”
The boy immediately hesitated, clearly caught off guard by his change in tone, and he stood hesitantly in a ready stance. “My name is Link.”
“Link,” Ganondorf repeated, humming and putting the mace on a strap on his back. The Hylian hesitated, red eyes curious and hopeful and far too trusting. In an instant, Ganondorf pulled out his spear, slamming the boy’s abdomen with the blunt end. The child gasped, falling to his back, and the fight was over. Ganondorf approached him slowly, watching his chest heave as he struggled to breathe. He pulled out a red potion, plopping it on the ground next to the boy, and dug the sharp end of his spear into the earth beside the child’s light blonde hair. “Don’t watch my daughter again.”
With that, the Gerudo king walked away, wondering what in the world Hyrule Kingdom was doing sending children to its borders anyway. But he had to admit… he was impressed by the boy’s fighting prowess.
Link grimaced, turning enough to grab the potion and chug it, wondering what in the world just happened.
Despite reporting the incident to his superiors, not much was really done. Apparently, there was concern that this was the actual King of the Gerudo himself, and no one would dare cause problems by claiming the king had attacked a lowly Hyrulian guard. Link wasn’t important enough to merit a war. He also felt immensely guilty he’d even managed to bring about any concern for one.
Sighing, the teenager resumed his post the next day, a little more wary and more than a little put out.
When he heard a foot scuff on stone, he immediately drew his blade, wondering what kind of insanity he was going to deal with now.
Instead, he saw the girl he recognized from yesterday, carrying a basket and looking apologetic.
“Hey,” she said softly, holding her hands up to appease him. “I don’t mean any harm.”
“This is the Hyrule border,” Link warned, not moving.
“Yeah. I know.” The teenager replied dully, as if it were obvious. Well… it was, but still. What else was he going to say?
“That means you can’t be here,” he explained, though there was less force in his voice.
“Yeah, yeah,” the girl replied dismissively. “Technically I can’t cross the line. That’s somewhere between you and me. I’m still in Gerudo territory.”
Link lowered his sword, growing confused. “Yeah, but… what do you want?”
“I wanted to say sorry,” the girl replied, lowering her arms and gripping the basket with both hands. “My dad is… overly protective. But… yeah. You want food?”
Link blinked. Blinked again. “Uh… sure?”
The girl smiled, trotting over and grabbing a stick. She traced a line in the dry earth, easily creating a division between them. “There. There’s the border. I won’t cross this line. But we can have a picnic in the meantime.”
Link stared at her, then at the line, then back at her. And then he giggled. “A picnic sounds nice.”
The two sat across from each other, the center of the basket placed directly over the line, and slowly they started to eat and chat. And if they stayed there for hours until the sun started to set, neither really commented on it.
And if they saw each other the next day for another picnic, neither complained.
And if a King and Queen of the Gerudo stood exasperatedly at the bottom of the cliff the tenth time it happened, neither of them noticed.
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they are gay
UPDATE: I fixed it, apologies, today is filled with a lot of pain meds. Anyways. I wrote the oneshot finally. Ghirabeck crackfic, written as seriously as possible to produce silly fluff, in...
The Real Treasure Was The Unlikely Romantic Bond We Developed Along The Way
Rated:T
Word count: 2,024
Pairing: Ghirahim/Linebeck
No content warnings
If there were an onlooker to observe, they might have thought that the Famed Adventurer Captain Linebeck had gone entirely mad.
The man was prowling through the old wreckage of a capsized ship run aground. The broken vessel bridged the rocky intertidal, its stern having lodged itself in a sandy berm where the shore blended from sea to land. He balanced across half-submerged masts and algae-slick rocks as the tide came in, speaking aloud as though having a full conversation with no one in sight.
The captain's presence lent a colorful splash to an otherwise dull shore. He was obviously a man of fame and wealth, and one who took great care to look the part. He wore his signature blue mariner's coat, its brass buckles gleaming under a recent shine job, while his bright red neckerchief adorned the space under his chin. Right above, a trimmed goatee and mustache gave him just the right dash of roguishly-handsome flair. The style was intentional, portraying a proper gentleman while still entrancing the imagination with hints of adventure. Of curious note, however, was the large sword strapped to his back. A man like Linebeck was more suited to a thin rapier, perhaps a scimitar at the very most; an obsidian, spiked greatsword was not his style, nor should he have even been capable of lifting it. The weapon's incongruity was more than a little noticeable.
"First Mate, a report please! Where did you say you got that treasure map from, exactly?" Linebeck asked aloud.
There was the slightest shimmering sound in response, quiet enough to make the captain seem as if he answered his own question moments later.
"The merchant from the shop ship? Ohh, I don't trust that, not one bit, you know!"
He paused, and in the silence came another breezy shimmer before he continued.
"It's not to be rude, I just don't think that he can verify the integrity of a ware like that. He doesn't have the treasure-hunting know-how, the hands-on experience, the keen-eyed passion! Not like us! I don't think he ever even leaves his ship. For all we know, he could have been sold a fake, and then we look like fools for buying it…"
There was a titter like the rustle of leaves. Linebeck rubbed at tired eyes with the heel of his palm.
"Oh, darling, won't you just come out and help me, then?"
In a flash of golden diamonds, another man suddenly appeared from inside the sword. This newcomer was gray-skinned and white-haired, and he was tall enough to tower over the captain. His garb was just as meticulously coordinated as the captain's. He wore a billowy, crimson blouse with ruffled cuffs, and a single, diamond-shaped earring dangled from his right ear. When he spoke, his voice was lilting and haughty.
"As you wish, Captain," this new entity chuckled. "Though, I had hoped a simple hunt like this would be no match for such a man of the sea as yourself…"
"Alright, alright, no need for that now, Ghirahim! Besides, I'm only having trouble searching because…well, because…" Linebeck quietly glanced around for an easy excuse. He frowned up at the sky through holes in the ruined ship's overturned hull. "Why, it's because the weather is just so dour! It's giving me a headache. Barometric pressure and all that, you know."
"Current barometric pressure shows no indication of a coming storm," Ghirahim remarked, casually cleaning his nails. "Nary a cloud in the sky, too."
Linebeck simply fell back on stubborn confidence, his pretense of choice.
"Right, well, I just know these things by instinct even before a storm blows in. You see, I'd been out sailing while you were stuck in your sword in that temple after all. I have fresher experience with these seas and her stormy temperaments."
"Oh. He just knows these things, he says," the sword spirit scoffed melodramatically. "I suppose that makes me mistaken then, and you don't need any of my other wisdom. I'll just have to pack my little rucksack and take my leave from this scavenger hunt then, for Captain Linebeck just knows these things far better than a sword spirit..."
"Now, now, I didn't mean it like that! No need to be like that!" the captain backtracked. Ghirahim's threat had no teeth whatsoever, and it was obvious he just wanted to be paid his fee of compliments. "Let's just forget about it and focus, darling? Why, I think you're quite wonderful at, uh…forecasting the weather! And countless other things! Really, you're perfect in so many ways."
That resulted in an approving hum from the playful demon. "Hmmm…fine, it's all water under the bridge. I just think you're funny when you put your foot in your mouth."
Ghirahim twirled his hair in a finger with a long, thoughtful look. Then, he turned on his heel, moving towards the upside-down cabin towards the stern.
"Why don't we check over here again?" he said abruptly.
"Certainly, I was just thinking that."
"Great minds think alike, then."
Linebeck eagerly trailed behind him. His eyes darted over the area with renewed vigor now that he had his exploring buddy fully present.
"Do you imagine it could've been buried in the sand during the wreck?" he suggested. "I was wondering, but I've no shovels on hand."
"Perhaps! Orrr… maybe it was stowed securely enough as to stay aboard while the wreck drifted," Ghirahim returned. He offered a knowing smirk before directing Linebeck to the ceiling - or rather, the ceiling that used to be the deck floor. The sand here sloped steeply upwards, bringing them within such easy reach of it that Ghirahim had to crouch to avoid bumping his head. "Did you know that pirates often use secret compartments to hide their stolen goods and jewels? Now that's a good start."
Linebeck's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Oh, yes, you're quite right!" he smacked a hand to his forehead and laughed a little, then proceeded to check each of the planks above their heads. "Of course! There could be a secret trapdoor on the floor of this very cabin! I'm sure I would have thought of that, had it not been for this dreadful headache…"
With his morale boosted, Linebeck analyzed the old floorboards attentively. He didn't notice Ghirahim wasn't actually looking very hard, instead only smugly observing. Eventually, the demon subtly shepherded them to a space where Linebeck pointed out a hidden, rusty lock that caught his eye.
"A-ha!! Ghirahim, look there! I think I've found something promising!" he sang.
"I'm looking! Good eye, Captain, well done."
"Let's hope the reward will be well worth the splinters…"
Linebeck produced a lockpick and fiddled with the old mechanism briefly. It clunked and scraped in protest before it yielded, allowing the trapdoor to fall open with a creaking groan. He stepped handily out of the way just as a large chest tumbled free from above. But instead of landing still like well-behaved loot, it bounced and rolled down the sandy slope in a bid for escape, headed towards the rising tide.
"Gah! An escape artist, eh?" Linebeck called, scrambling after it through loose sand. "Come back here, you slippery eel!"
Linebeck slid and sprang forward, catching the rogue chest just as it leapt from a rock towards the waves. Far from his earlier frustration, he laughed aloud in the triumph and fun of it all. The chest was surprisingly lightweight, but it didn't dampen the success. Regardless, treasure was treasure. He dragged it safely back to dry land and waved up to Ghirahim.
"Got it!" he cheered.
"A stunning display of dexterity, Captain," the demon yelled back. "Now what's inside?"
Linebeck's fingers searched for the chest's latch. With no lock in sight, he wrenched the lid open and peered inside…
…only to tilt his head in bewildered confusion.
"Huh? What's this?" he blurted. "Did some ruffian get to most of it first? There's just this paper hat and note left...oh, hold on, Ghirahim come look. There's some jewelry that looks exactly like your earring…"
Ghirahim appeared beside him suddenly in another shower of diamonds. The demon tapped his chin, trying very hard to look puzzled.
"How curious! 'Tis almost like … a matching piece to mine," he said innocently. "That's a paper crown, by the way."
Linebeck narrowed his eyes at Ghirahim in suspicion.
"Curious indeed," he said. A smile began to tug at the whiskered corners of his lips as understanding quickly dawned on him.
"Well? What other plunder is there? Does the note share any fanciful tales, Captain?"
Captain Linebeck did his best to fight off that growing smile and look serious.
"Ahem. Let's not get too hasty! We'll do this properly, shall we?" He began pulling each item out to appraise it, standard practice for the record-keeping of his hauls. Ghirahim summoned up quill and parchment to complete the scene.
"First Mate, if you'd please log Item #1 as Suspiciously Familiar Earring Which Certainly Wasn't Left By Anyone I Know." He hooked it into his left ear, opposite the one worn by the demon.
"Mhm, yes, counted and logged. What luck! Blue is definitely your color."
"Item #2: Paper Crown Belonging To A… " –Linebeck stifled a snicker as he read the cursive script across it– "...To A 'King Sexyman'. A historic find and a valuable artifact, I'd say."
"Logged with amendment: Well-Folded Paper Crown. Fine craftsmanship."
"Where did you even get this?"
"Who, me?" Ghirahim feigned ignorance poorly. "Why, I've never seen this treasure before, Captain, on my honor, cross my gem."
"You're not very good at lying…"
"That makes two of us. What's next?"
"Other than the note, there's more jewelry." Linebeck showed off a few other gifted trinkets one by one. Then, he came to two additional golden rings inlaid with sapphires. "You're giving me quite a few earrings, darling."
"Those aren't for ears. But worry about that later, handsome." Ghirahim shot him a wink. "Anyways, I'm simply dying to know what that note could possibly say, aren't you?"
Linebeck sighed, having already given up his play in favor of flushed cheeks and his persistent grin. He unfurled the parchment scroll to read aloud. Its writing was calligraphy of gaudy flourishes typical to a certain sword spirit.
"To My Dearest Captain Linebeck:
I hope you don't find the contents of this chest disappointing, for it was already empty when I got here. It seems our friend Beedle sold us a useless map. But fear not: I procured some other baubles to place inside for your enrichment and amusement! Besides, should you choose to look again, you may find that the real treasure was in front of you all along..."
Linebeck snorted. "Did you draw a winking face at the bottom here–?"
He turned to look at his companion, but the demon wasn't by his side anymore. So expectedly, he returned his attention to the emptied and open chest.
Ghirahim was now sat inside it, fluttering his eyelashes prettily with a hand under his chin.
Seemingly at a loss for words, the captain buried his reddened face in his hands.
"This is…wow…" His shoulders shook with muffled laughter. "Oh, how in the world did I end up finding someone who is so … well, so …"
"So clever? Beautiful? Creative? Excellent at designing surprise bonding activities? Please, take your time."
Bending forward, Linebeck merely captured the demon's lips with his own. His companion's mischief briefly melted into something softer, quieter. When he pulled away, he found that his had, too.
"...so perfect, actually," he finished. "Quite wonderful at many things, really, including surprise bonding activities."
Ghirahim grinned widely, but his voice was only a whisper. His fingers found Linebeck's to intertwine in.
"Speak for yourself. I dare say, you're the one with a new crown to boast of your perfection." He snapped the silly craft into existence and placed it atop Linebeck's wispy olive hair. That earned another shared snicker and the captain nuzzled his nose into the sword spirit's cheek.
"You know, in truth," Linebeck admitted. "I do believe you're my favorite treasure to have found."
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