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Intellectually, Link knew he’d had a life before the current one. He hadn’t always lived with Rusl and Uli, hadn’t always called Ordon Village his home. Sometimes he even caught brief memories of the time before it, of what he thought might have been his original parents, but it was nothing but glimpses at something that might have as well happened to someone else.
It probably was for the best, he decided at some point. Whatever had happened that left him alone, crying and spattered with blood in the woods was probably not something he needed to remember. Clearly he forgot it to protect himself. It wasn’t like he could have told anyone anyway, since he hadn’t been able to speak after whatever had happened. It had taken him years and plenty of loving care from Rusl and Uli to be able to speak again, at which point it had faded from his mind.
As a child his unknown past hadn’t really mattered, not beyond being the reason how he ended up with his new family. Sure, he’d known he was different from the other people in the village. Nobody else had pointy ears, or kept sniffing for scents that weren’t quite there, or made weird sounds when he got overly emotional. However, his parents never made him feel bad about it, and certainly didn’t allow anyone else to give him trouble, either. From the very few travellers coming through Ordon Village they managed to find out that Link was most likely Hylian, but that never mattered once they established he had nobody looking for him.
Then puberty hit, and everything went sideways.
Link didn’t mean to act out, really he didn’t. He just couldn’t help the way his instincts made him itch for something he was missing but didn’t know he needed. He was desperate to be close to his family but also needed to be away from them, running off into the woods more than anyone would have liked. His parents kept telling him he could talk to them about anything, but honestly, he didn’t know what was happening. All he knew was that he didn’t feel safe, nothing and nowhere felt safe and he needed to do something about it but didn’t know what.
The only thing he did know for a fact was that there was something weird going on with his… bits. Which would have been too mortifying to talk about anyway, but with all the tension already in the air due to his outbursts there was absolutely no way he could ever bring it up. How would he ever?
Oh, hey Rusl, I know I’ve been pacing between the door and every window all day and it’s driving everyone crazy, and I growl at anyone who gets too close but also try to headbutt you like I’m turning into a goat, but also there’s this weird kind of growth at the base of my dick. No it doesn’t hurt or anything, but I can feel it throbbing when I get turned on, and also when I touch it I feel the urge to bite something.
No, there was absolutely no way he could talk about it. He just had to bury it deep in his heart with all the other weird things that were stressing him out and leaving him constantly on the edge.
He was lurking around the village after yet another completely pointless fight. Uli had asked him to stop hovering around her, he had snapped at her, and all too soon there had been raised voices and Link storming out. It had been stupid, he knew that now, but he couldn’t help it. In that moment he had felt like leaving her side was the worst thing he could do, and yet that was exactly what he’d done moments later. Now he couldn’t go back because he felt like an idiot and he’d yelled at her and she was probably so sick of him by now.
Why couldn’t he just be human? None of the other young people in the village acted like this. How could he ever really be a member of the village if he kept being such a nuisance?
A familiar voice caught his ear, and he froze. Rusl. Was he looking for him to drag him back to apologize to Uli? He should be, except it didn’t sound like he was asking for Link, he was —
“Is it true there’s a Hylian traveller passing through?”
Whatever else was said after that, it was lost in the sound of blood rushing through Link’s ears. He couldn’t speak, couldn’t move, couldn’t even blink.
This was it. They’d had enough of him being wrong and weird and dangerous, and they were getting rid of him. He couldn’t blame them, either. Who would want a stupid hothead who growled and bared his teeth like an animal? Honestly, it was a miracle they’d let him stick around so long. What if he tried to bite Colin or one of the other kids? Really, it was best for everyone if they sent him away with someone who knew how to deal with whatever was wrong with him.
Link wasn’t entirely sure what he did next, except that he ran. It was much easier to just let his body move without thinking. At some point he must have stumbled through the woods, judging by the sticks and leaves stuck in his hair. In the end his instincts had led him back to the village, though, and he found himself staring at his front door. It must have taken him a while to return, because it was already dark.
Maybe he should just go away. It might hurt a little less than getting thrown away.
Link was still hesitating, hand half raised to knock, when the door was opened. Uli took one look at him and drew him into a tight hug.
“Oh, Link, we were so worried,” she murmured. “I know you need your space sometimes, but you’ve been away all day.” She stepped back, running a hand through his hair. He leaned his head into the touch on instinct. “You’ve been in the woods again.”
“I’m sorry.” He swallowed. “I — if you want me to leave, I completely understand.”
“Leave?” Uli stared at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Just — I’m being so stupid and difficult and weird,” he murmured, hanging his head. “And I heard Rusl ask about a Hylian traveller, and I thought maybe you’re sending me away to someone who could handle me.”
“Oh, Link, no.” She drew him into another hug. “We’d never give you up. It’s true we’re feeling a bit lost, but that’s not your fault. You can’t help that you’re a bit different from us.”
He couldn’t help the whine escaping his throat. “But, then why…”
“Because, like I said, we’re feeling lost. We want to do everything we can to help you, but we have no idea what’s going on. Rusl wanted to ask the traveler if they’d speak with us — both of us, and also you — about what’s going on with you. Not because you’re too difficult, but so we can all understand.”
At that, Link couldn’t help but burst into tears.