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"Ah, hello, young Link…"
Link grinned as he made his way into the Great Deku Tree's clearing, lifting his gaze to look up through the branches, watching the leaves rustle as the wind blew. He reached up briefly to catch one, but it brushed across his fingertips just barely out of reach and continued to spiral and fall a few feet away from him, among a few others. Undeterred, however, he pressed forward calmly to stand in front of the Deku Tree himself, lifting his gaze up to the worn, hollow bark and the tree's old, gentle face. His mouth didn't move as he spoke, although he had one - Link wasn't sure he'd ever seen it open before. He also didn't appear to quite have eyes, either; if he did, they were shut tight, but considering that he seemed to see everything, Link wasn't sure. Regardless, his face was a sight for sore eyes as always; his presence was comforting, calming. The Deku Tree had raised him, after all. The Deku Tree had raised all of them.
"Come hither, young one," the old tree rumbled warmly, and Link grinned as he made his way forward again, coming closer. "And tell me, how did thou manage to sneak past Mido this time?"
Link stifled a giggle and spared a glance over his shoulder. "He fell asleep."
"Ah." The Deku Tree chuckled fondly. "Well, it's certainly about time."
Link settled down in the grass after a moment, just in front of the tree, and sank back, soaking in the stream of sunlight that flooded into the clearing through the Deku Tree's leaves. He wrapped his arms around himself, stretching out on his back, and heaved out a gentle, content sigh.
"Of course," the Deku Tree murmured, "I know someone else who has a tendency to fall asleep wherever they can…" Link rolled his head to the side and peered up at him at that through half-lidded eyes, causing the old tree to let out another rumbling laugh. "Yes, I know, child. The rest is well deserved." His voice quieted a little then, but only for a moment. "You're welcome to sleep here… until Mido awakens and drags thee out kicking and screaming," the tree teased.
Link pouted mockingly as he responded, "and thou would allow Mido to do such a thing?"
"What would thou have me do, young one?" The Deku Tree countered. "I am but a tree, hardly a match for even the smallest child within the village… and he also has the advantage of hands."
Link couldn't bite back a smirk then, dissolving into quiet laughter as he let his arms spread out in the grass beside him, brushing his hands across the ground with a smile and letting his eyes drift shut again. "Ah, alas, the burden of being a tree… I assume it… wood be very difficult…"
"Oh, dear," the tree sighed. "I've really done it now. Thou will be barking puns at me all day…"
Link giggled. "Quite a shame thou can't leaf!"
"Indeed," came the Deku Tree's solemn reply. "I'm quite stumped."
"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say thou doesn't appreciate my puns…"
"Oh, enough, little shrub," the Deku Tree scolded with a laugh, and Link burst into giggles, stretching his arms up slightly as one of the branches dipped low to the ground, until it rested mere inches above him. He reached up to curl his fingers around it with one hand, a soft smile tugging at his lips, and the branch seemed to curl a bit around his tiny hand. "Silly boy," the tree murmured affectionately. "Thou truly has quite a way with words… even in the form of puns."
"Well," Link replied lightly, "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
The Deku Tree was silent for a little while, before suddenly exhaling a soft, gentle sigh. The branch moved lower, curling around him and tugging him closer to the tree. "I suppose not."
Link allowed the tree to tug him closer until he was curled up against one of the roots, a large, gnarled one that curled up out of the ground and looped around in a circle, with a small space in the center that only a child could fit in. Link wasted no time climbing inside, sinking back and resting his head over the side of the root with a hum while the branch curled overtop of him.
"Close thine eyes, young Link," the tree crooned. "Get some rest."
Link rested a hand over the branch and closed his eyes, offering a soft smile. "Goodnight."
"Goodnight, my child."