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“Gan…hey, Gan. Wake up.”
Dark eyes open slowly, the blurry image of blonde hair shining against the rays of sunlight the first sight Ganon is greeted with in the clear morning. Link looms over him, rubbing his tired eyes while the other grabs a shirt from his pile.
“Morning already?” Turning his upper body, Ganon wraps an arm around the boy’s naked waist to keep him from moving.
“Yes!” Link replies enthusiastically, pulling Ganon’s arm off. “I’m hungry, and I don’t want to leave you behind.”
Ah, of course. Link couldn’t leave him behind, not after the weeks they’ve spent together in this wasteland, alone.
Link had looked so scared to see another living person. They had an unlikely encounter, Link drawing his bow and aiming at him. They locked eyes and Ganon didn’t have to speak for Link to know he was like him. The noise of Ganon walking seemed to have made him aware of his presence, and the least he expected was to meet a man who spoke words he could understand and wasn’t a monster.
At least on the outside.
“What’s your name?” Link had asked, lowering his bow and his defenses. Bad idea, Ganon had thought in that instant even if he wouldn’t attack him. He let the boy speak.
Name…if the boy knew his real name he wonders how he would react. He looks identical to his past reincarnations, except Ganon would say he seems strangely softer. Something in how his hair cups his worried expression, cheeks red from the heat, hand holding to an arrow lowering.
He didn’t know who Ganon was.
Thinking for a while, Ganon decides to take a risk. “I’m Gan.” He ends up replying; dark skin hidden beneath his cloak, keeping his secrets, his markings, tattoos and ancestry from the boy. There was a chance the boy might recognize his name, but the look in his eyes said otherwise.
“Gan…” The boy muttered and Ganon would think his eyes were shining in curiosity. The hero had always been quite beautiful, much to his dismay, and now against the coursing sunlight and wind ruffling his hair he looked like an angel. Ganon would think this was a miracle. “I’m Link.”
I know, Ganon would answer. Instead he opts for a nod and turns his head away from him, looking at nowhere in particular. “Strange to find a young man like yourself around here.”
“I could say the same about you.” Ah, a cocky one wasn’t he? There was some curiosity and playfulness in the boy’s voice, only convincing Ganon more and more that he was merely a boy. So naïve.
Ganon stays silent, knowing Link was waiting in anticipation for him to act or speak. His action shocks Link, a low gasp escaping his lips that Ganon notices as he walks away.
Link steps before him. “There’s some monsters cooking something over there, can you see?” He points to the direction he means to go. “They make it obvious with the fire burning.”
Ganon smiles, knowing the hero would not let him pass without getting to know more about him. “You know your way around, boy.”
“I’m not…” Link begins to say but he stops, looking unsure of himself. He stands firm next to Ganon, clearly delaying Ganon’s leave; or more like, trying to stop Ganon from leaving. What a predictable little hero.
“Are you going somewhere?” Link asks him, turning his head up. There was something amusing at how Link had to look up at him, and Ganon had to look down so they could speak face to face.
Ganon shakes his head. “No, I am merely traveling. Do you want something from me?” He quirks an eyebrow up, knowing Link noticed how he asked that question. It wasn’t a threat; he had said it as calmly as he could.
Link doesn’t seem to understand, and how could he when the boy clearly hasn’t spoken, used words and coherent sentences for days. “I…since…” Ganon watches how his throat moves, swallowing his thirst and nervousness. Sweat trailed down his exposed neck, and Ganon looked away to keep his composure steady. Not yet…not yet.
Link’s eyebrows lower, confidence crossing his face. “I haven’t met another living creature who can speak like me around here. Since you said you were traveling, and we’re both alone…”
“You want us to team up.” Ganon cuts in, a genuine smile appearing over his face. Link blinks, not having expected that response.
“Yes…that’s it.” Link replies, nodding absentmindedly. “It’s safer if we stick together.”
He’s lonely, Ganon thinks. The boy had survived long enough on his own, he didn’t need Ganon to protect him. He wants company because he feels alone in this solitary world.
Ganon lets out a low laugh, Link looking at him quizzically. “Reasonable enough. I’m not much of a fighter, but I see from your equipment that you are.” He adjusts the robe over his body. “Will you protect this old man, boy?”
Link furrows his eyebrows, hand grasping tightly to his bow. “You don’t look like an old man.” He tells him after a while. Ganon laughs, and he touches his face. Fair enough, he had no traces of a beard or wrinkles, even if he hadn’t seen a reflection of himself in so long.
“I’m still older than you, boy.” Ganon says, walking pass him. He hears Link’s footsteps as he follows him, the loud noises of his equipment against his body making Link unable to be inconspicuous. He was lucky he hadn’t been attacked yet.
“Call me Link.” He tells Ganon, a strange quirkiness in his voice. Ganon smiles to himself against the cloak, chin held high and forward, only his eyes trailing to look at the young hunter besides him.
Link stands in front of him, motioning for Ganon to follow him. Ganon gets a clear view of his thin back and lower backside against his beige drabs. He follows the boy, and admires his body by himself, Link occasionally looking back to see if Ganon was still with him.
“Are you paying attention to what I’m saying?” Link asks him, a hand going back to grab an arrow from his quiver.
I am paying attention to something, Ganon thinks but he doesn’t voice it, instead he shows him a reassuring smile. “Yes, don’t worry. I shall follow you to where you wish, hero.”
“I’m not a hero.” Link says quickly, eyes showing he wasn’t sure why that left his lips.
“You promised to protect me, no? That makes you my hero.”
Link looks at him in confusion, then turns his head back down and continues walking towards the monsters.
“We’re getting close.” He tells Ganon, ignoring the statement from before. Ganon stays quiet, letting the boy do as he pleases. They arrive at the location and Link crouches behind a bush, eyes focused on the enemies. Ganon leans against a tree and glances at Link, interested in seeing how the hero fared as a hunter. Link licks his lips as he pulls the arrow over the bow.
Ganon watches as Link aims and fires the arrow, hitting a fiend below his chest. The red creatures scream and run over to Link when they notice where the arrow came from. The boy takes out a cheap-looking sword from his sheathe and fights the monsters in close combat. Blood splatters over his body as he strikes them, slashes that leave the monsters unable to hit him.
There’s something exhilarating Ganon gains from watching Link, a boy who looks like an angel killing as if his life depended on it, which it did. Crimson reaches the boy’s cheeks and golden hair, and Ganon lets out a growl of pleasure from the image he receives. Link doesn’t notice, to busy wiping his eyes as he defeats the last foe.
When he is finished and the monster falls to the ground, Link turns his head to Ganon. If his heart wasn’t stone cold, Ganon would say it lighted a fire in his being; that determined gaze covered in blood.
Ganon wants to see more.
Link throws the sword down and moves over to the fire, Ganon finally deciding to step closer. He notices Link’s harsh breathing, fatigued from having to partake in such killings by himself every day. Ganon could help him, but if he did he wouldn’t be able to admire Link. The hero could handle himself.
“Here,” He extends his hand to Ganon. “meat.”
Ganon gives him a grateful smile, grabbing the bone. “Thank you.”
They sit down in some rocks besides the fire, watching it grow in the afternoon heat. Ganon takes a tentative bite of the meat, chewing it loudly without remorse. Link is quieter, and he takes out a couple of ingredients he has gathered to cook something for himself.
After a while of a delicious aroma filling the air, Ganon watching the boy smile as he cooks something with mushrooms, he sits besides Ganon. The larger male quirks an eyebrow, looking around at the other rocks he could sit in.
He notices how Link’s cheeks redden, not attributed to the heat of cooking. “It…feels nice to eat with somebody else.”
Ganon blinks, then smiles at the skittish boy eating his skewer. “Yes, it does.” Soft, what a soft little creature. Ganon could grab his thin neck and choke him.
They stay silent, enjoying each other’s company as they admire the scenery in front of them. When they’re done, Link picks his things and tells Ganon they should find shelter, or hunt to pass the time.
“Hunt.” Ganon answers, amusement prevalent in his voice. “Sounds fun.”
“It is.” Link says as they walk side by side. “At least when I’m doing it out of my own volition, and not because I’m starving.”
Some spaces in front of them a horde of boar stand and Link’s attention turns to them. He grabs his bow and an arrow, passing by Ganon. The larger male decides to lean against a tree and watch the boy.
“How did you learn to use a bow?” Ganon asks curiously, stopping the hunter in his tracks. The boy furrows his eyebrows.
“I…didn’t. I just picked one up and it came naturally, like…everything else.”
Ganon nods, pushing himself away from the tree and walking to the boy. “Aim.”
There was a sudden panic in Link’s eyes, Ganon feeling his body temperature rise as he stands behind him. It was from their closeness, from Ganon telling him this in such an assertive tone. Link had done as he said, and as he did, standing firm in anticipation for Ganon to act, the older man smiled, taking a hold of Link’s hands on the bow.
The boy shivered and Ganon felt it, from the cold wind and from his touch.
“Always aim high and for their weak spot.” Ganon tells him, pulling the arrow back as Link pushes against his chest. His golden hair tickled below his chin and Ganon tried to hide the smile on his face, even if Link couldn’t see him.
“Understand?” He asks, and Link nods after a while. Blue eyes stared at the moving target, concentrating himself on Ganon’s words instead to ignore how his hands trembled within Ganon’s warm touch.
Ganon lets go, feeling the relief in the boy’s tense body leave while a disappointed, maybe longing look crosses his face. He wanted Ganon to continue, it was obvious in his pools of blue.
Link couldn’t resist him.
Link fires and kills the boar within a second, the others running in fear. Ganon notices the large excited smile that appears in his boyish face, and Link turns his head to check if Ganon had watched.
Ganon helps him gather mushrooms and twigs, anything the boy says he needs. He wouldn’t tell him why he needed every single thing he found but Ganon didn’t ask, enjoying every second he has of being with the hero.
“Boy,” Ganon tells him suddenly, Link turning his head to him at the nickname. He steps closer and before Link can react, Ganon wipes his thumb over the boy’s cheek. The boy flinches but nonetheless, doesn’t step away from his touch.
“You’re dirty and covered in blood.” He examines the dirt over his hair and fingernails, how splashes of dried blood laid on his face. “We should find a lake to get you clean.”
“Ah,” Link replies, nodding. “You’re right, thanks for reminding me. I must stink too.” He laughs. “I just never noticed seeing as I was by myself.”
“Then I’ll be the one to tell you.” Ganon says, putting the apples he gathered inside Link’s bag. “Where do you usually go?”
Link escorts him to a large waterfall he found a few days ago, saying the water was the cleanest he had tasted and where he took baths now. He puts his gear down, and Ganon notices how he stays still for a while, looking at his reflection in the water.
“I’ll leave you to it.” Ganon announces and it wakes Link up, an embarrassed expression in his face. “Your privacy is important. I’ll be back when you’re done.”
“R-Right…” Link says, waiting for Ganon to leave. As much as Ganon wanted to stay and watch the boy naked in the water, he decides gaining his trust is more important.
Some time later, Ganon returns to find the boy in full gear, hair still wet as he dries it with a discarded shirt.
“I see you’re done.” Ganon greets, Link finally noticing his presence. Link smiles, then his eyes trail off to the clothes in Ganon’s arm.
“I found this for you.” He gives Link a blue shirt.
“A clean shirt? That’s…great.” Link gives him a genuine smile from ear to ear. “Thanks, Gan.”
“Anything for my hero.” Ganon replies, the boy’s eyebrows twitching as they always did when he called him that. One of the many habits he noticed from the boy.
“I’ll try it on now.” Link announces, putting his quiver and weapons down. Ganon’s breath hitches when the boy grabs his shirt and starts pulling it up, revealing his bare abdomen.
Soft, pale, clean…Ganon wants to feel his skin beneath his calloused fingertips, touch and trail his hands down and over his small belly, to the small pectorals naked against the breeze…
"Hey, um..." Ganondorf blinks at the boy's sudden nervous tone of voice, waking him up from his trance. There was a flush in his cheeks as he held the shirt over his shoulders.
"Don't stare please..."
He tries to keep a smile of amusement from appearing in his lips. "Of course. Forgive me." Ganon turns his head away, hearing the boy sigh in relief and the rustle of clothing against skin. It had been enough for Ganon to see his toned abdomen, tanned with a hint of red, of the cold and embarrassment. It called for his large hands to roam over his belly and wrap around with only one arm, so thin and small Ganon would think the boy was barely alive.
But he was alive, so very much alive and breathing. There’s a small “done” that escapes his lips and Ganon turns his head, daring to cross his eyes over to his sudden companion. The heave of his chest beneath the blue shirt Ganon had gifted him with, inching over his body perfectly tight in an embrace of silk…
It made Ganon hungry.
“You look good.” Ganon tells him genuinely. The blush creeping over his cheeks gets deeper.
“T-Thanks.” Link replies after some seconds and the sight is so adorable, Ganon thinks this day has been too good to be true.
“Let’s get a move on.” Link tells him, hands behind his head as he tightens his ponytail. Ganon can’t help the smile that appears over his face, adjusting his own equipment and extending a hand.
“After you, hero.”
There’s a furrow of his eyebrows when he mutters that but nonetheless, Link passes by him and grabs an arrow from his quiver and his bow.
“Let’s go, Gan.”
Cue back to present time, weeks after they had first met that on faithful day. Ganon stands up from his sleeping position, missing the boy’s body besides him and insides his arms. As the boy dresses he grabs his own robe, throwing it over his shoulders and pulling the cloak over his head. Link had asked him why he insisted on hiding himself when they were always alone, they had yet to meet anyone else and Ganon merely tells him the sun endangers him. Being the naïve boy he is, Link believed him without question.
They get up, Link’s stomach growling. Ganon teases him and the boy gives him a weak punch, a cute pout present in his face.
“If you’d woken up earlier this wouldn’t have happened.”
“Ah but, I wanted to hold you longer.”
Link crosses his arms, walking away from the male to hide his blush. He’s not sure when he started letting Ganon sleep with him bare, or when they decided to take baths together. Link was perfectly fine with it, he…really liked Ganon’s company and how he made him feel secure when Link had nightmares throughout the night. Somehow the thought of losing Ganon, someone he has become depended of, the only person he trusts in this world…it makes him sick.
Ganon notices how Link’s blush disappears for a scowl, taking large steps so he’s farther from Ganon.
“You look worried, boy.”
“I’m just…thinking.” He turns to Ganon, eyes strangely sad. It’s as if he realized everything about himself and who he was. “…You have somewhere to go, don’t you? You won’t stay with me forever?”
Forever…that’s a hard word to say. What counted as forever for Link, a boy so disconnected from the world, living his days hunting and sleeping beneath trees. Did he even know how much time has passed since he and Ganon first met, how much time he has spent with him traveling this vast world?
“I told you I have nowhere to go to.” Ganon reassures him, stepping besides the boy and placing a hand on his shoulder. “I’m not thinking of leaving you anytime soon.”
“But…” Link’s eyes don’t dare look up at Ganon. “This…this feels unreal. I feel like I’m relieving a dream every day…”
Ganon’s hand clenches tightly over his shoulder. Was he becoming aware of something? What a shame…Ganon had enjoyed his moments with the young hero who didn’t know who he was.
“But it’s not bad.” Ganon turns his head back to Link. “It’s amazing…too perfect and that’s what I fear, that you’re going to leave me and…I’m going to miss you so much.”
“There’s nowhere for me to go, I have told you this multiple times.” Link doesn’t seem convinced, as always, so Ganon steps in front of him and puts his hands over his cheeks.
“Link.” The boy blinks, noticing this was the first time Ganon had said his name. “I won’t ever leave you. You and me…we both have nowhere to go, no home and no future, past or present.” He strokes his cheek with his thumb. “Think of the now, and don’t worry about what will happen.”
He says it to Link, but those words also apply to himself. The hero rubs his still tired eyes, then gives Ganon a smile, standing on his toes to give Ganon a kiss on the chin.
“Come on, I’ve been wanting to visit this snowy mountain for a while.”
Ganon smiles back at the optimistic expression and takes Link’s hand.
Who knows how long this dream will last, how long until Link finds his first shrine and civilization, when he learns who Ganon is.
But Ganon doesn’t care about the future. He’s fine living in a momentary peaceful bliss with the unaware hero smiling and holding the hand of his greatest enemy.