Tears of the Twink

Open Your Eyes Link

The water temple puzzles were not intuitive. 

After hours of agony and hitting all but one of the water wheels, Link stood in front of a wall of fire, staring impatiently at it.

He turned to his companion. "Ima need your water shield."

"Coming right up!" Sidon exclaimed, and just as the name suggested, Link was now surrounded by a liquid prison.

He stepped harmlessly through the flames. Yawning, he spotted the last water wheel and thanked Hyla this would be over soon. He didn't know how much more awkward silence he could take. 

Neither had said a word since first entering the water temple.

The sooner they finished this puzzle and fought the obligatory temple boss, the sooner Link could go home to his cube house and cook himself a pizza with those damn good ancient truffles. He deserved his little treat after everything he'd been through.

"This is it. Ready your water, Sidon... Sidon?" He turned to see the Zora hadn't followed through the fire after him. "Hey. You coming?"

He shook his head. "I cannot."

"Huh? Why not?"

"I can't get over there." He folded his arms, shaking his head slightly with a laugh. "One does not simply walk through fire, Link." 

"What do you mean?" Blond brows furrowed. "I literally just did. You put a water shield around me—"

"That was for you."

"Then put it around yourself, damnit."

"I'm afraid that is outside my abilities."

"Outside of your—Sidon." He gave a short exhale. "Dude. Just walk through with some water."

"I am unable to."

"Use the shield—"

"Physically impossible."

"Oh my gods—Fine, fine. I'll find a fucking switch or some shit," he turned from him, storming around the little room in a huff, "since the sage of water doesn't have any fucking water to put around himself. No, no. It's fine. This makes total sense." Finally finding a way to turn off the flames, Link folded his arms grumpily as Sidon walked confidently through.

Coming right up to him, the Zora looked down at him in concern. "Hm. I'm sensing some tension—"

"You think?" he snapped, and Sidon flinched. Link took a deep breath, then let it go. "Come on. Let's get this shit over with."

Link checked the time on his Pura Pad as the water temple boss started up its dramatic entrance sequence. 

When he looked up, he was surprised to see not a giant monster of unfathomable horror, but instead a... baby squid? Oh, and it turned into a little mud shark. If he didn't know any better, he'd say it was kind of cute. Reminded him of a different shark companion...

"Let's do this, Link!" Sidon shouted, drawing his trident. "Zora's domain is counting on us to slay this beast!"

Looking over, he couldn't help but admire the intense look in the prince's eyes and the confident stance he'd taken. Giving a firm nod, Link drew his own sword—well, it was actually a spear with a farmer's hoe attached to the end of it. Might as well use it until the abomination broke to make room for better weapons...

The two men worked fluidly together. This was way different than facing the other bosses at the other temples. Link wasn't cursing Hylia for once, actually kind of content to be fighting alongside his friend. He glanced over at the bulging red muscles and Sidon's chiseled jawline. Things could be worse.