Owned

Chapter Nine: Tender

He pressed his left palm to the bleeding wound at his side and took in long, even breaths. Before he processed how long it had been, the door to the boss room opened and Ghirahim walked out, although he had discarded his cloak. With a start Link realized that his arms had turned black, and various diamond markings had appeared on his face and chest, as well as up on one of his shoulders. He now carried two swords rather than just one, momentarily holding them in one hand.

"Are you okay?" Link asked, rising shakily to his feet - but then staggering and falling back down.

Ghirahim snapped and his swords disappeared, although his skin stayed the same. He crouched onto one knee and lightly tilted Link's chin up, kissing a pained tear off of his cheek. "The real question is whether you are, Linky. I'm fine. Just a little gash." He pulled his hair back a little to reveal a cut on his shoulder that had already half-sealed.

Link let out a breath of relief and sifted through his bag with his opposite hand to search clumsily for a potion or a roll of bandages, but stopped when Ghirahim took his wrist and pulled him back, then gently took his shirt off for him.

"Relax, I'll take care of it."

Link nodded, and it took the armored demon five minutes to clean and wrap the wound. Thankfully, although it was long and stretched halfway across his abdomen, it was shallow aside from the point of initial infliction, since the force of the impact had started to knock him away before the spider finished its attack.

Once everything was said and done, Link let out a breath, leaning his back against the cool wall in slight hopes that it would help with the aftereffects of the burning. Ghirahim sat down beside him, resting his head on his shoulder. Soft white hair tickled Link's ear, but he didn't mind. He actually leaned back into Ghirahim's touch without thinking. He was torn with exhaustion despite hardly participating in the battle, and sleep tugged at his eyelids. He was just drifting off when his master kissed his cheek.

"Stay awake for a little while longer. We must find a more suitable place to rest." Ghirahim gently pulled Link to his feet.

The golden-haired boy shrugged, turning to press his cheek against Ghirahim's chest. When he was asked why, he mumbled, "You're warm. Not too warm, but the comfortable kind of warm."

The demon smiled, took his hand and guided him through the temple, to where there was a section of rooms with beds.

"Out," he barked at a group of Stalchildren, who scurried away. He went in and draped his half-asleep servant onto the bed, and, upon silent begging, laid down beside him. Link shifted to nuzzle into him, his eyes shut and arms wrapped around the sword spirit's torso, enveloping him in warmth. It was just another moment before his breathing deepened, and he had fallen asleep.

Ghirahim brushed back a few locks of blonde hair, trailing ash-black fingers down his cheek. He planted a kiss on Link's nose before shutting his eyes - even though he was incapable of sleep - and pulling him a little closer.

~*~

"Which of us should be the boss?" Ghirahim asked halfheartedly, fiddling with the end of Link's scarf.

"I'm the best option," he replied.

"Why is that?"

"If Ganondorf is to escape from wherever he was sealed, he has less of an ability to defeat me than he does you, no offense - even if I no longer have the Triforce of Courage - and Princess Zelda is less likely to shoot me."

"Who did you give that to, anyway?"

"Agitha," Link admitted without hesitation.

Ghirahim hummed. "The bug princess. Not a bad choice. Whatever the case, let's see...there has to be something special about this. This isn't just another day of war." After his abrupt switch of topic, he looked around the room, then met Link's gaze, and a smirk crossed his face.

The blonde searched his eyes with a confused frown. He tilted his head slightly to the side, and so Ghirahim elaborated with an excited clap.

"A dual boss fight. After all, your princess is likely to bring in her servant, and Ganondorf is tough as it is." He slipped his arm through Link's. "We fight together."

Link paused, then nodded - unable to hide his uncertainty but unwilling to be punished again, even though he hoped that Ghirahim was past that point.

"What is it?"

"I don't...I don't want you to get hurt."

"I'm not a pretty little daisy, Linky. I won't be hurt so easily."

"I know, but...I try to always listen to my intuition, and it's saying all bad things."

Ghirahim tilted the blonde's chin upwards. "Fine. I'll try to stay as safe as possible, but Linky? If they so much as touch you, you can expect me to go fully rampant."

The blonde cracked a smile and leaned up to peck him gently on the cheek. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Their eyes met. It was a few seconds before they had drawn into a kiss - a slow, soft one that Ghirahim was proud of himself for. It took him almost all of his self-restraint not to speed it up, to press Link against the wall and kiss him until he couldn't stand. Thus, he was surprised when the Hero did it for him, albeit gently, drawing up to his full (minimal) height as he pinned the willing demon despite his injuries.

But it wasn't the same as the previous few sessions had been.

Link made sure that this was something else entirely, with gentle gestures and sweet motions. His kisses that tasted like cherries. They always did, but now moreso than before. Ghirahim was just the slightest bit confused at first, until he slowly fell into the rhythm and hesitantly responded, his fingers trembling and faltering. This wasn't what he was familiar with, he thought as their clothes slowly fell away. This was something else. Something new.

Was this what the Hylians called...love? Was that the burning, yet strangely fluttery feeling in the pit of his stomach? The tingling of his nerves at every caress? The strange patience that allowed him to treasure every second?

Ghirahim tried to react upon these emotions, giving his touches a strange softness and his kisses a new warmth while Link merely did...the simplest little things that filled the demon with what he imagined was happiness, although it seemed moreso bliss. This wasn't what he was created for, but...it was so simple. It was so easy to love someone so sweet and innocent as Link was.

Innocent, he thought even as Link proved his capabilities in the subject at hand, forcing out a ragged, gasping moan that he looked proud of.

"Thank you," Ghirahim murmured once they had finished, his breathing soft and shallow. Link ran his fingers through white locks and stayed silent, his eyes shut, even though a dreamy smile fluttered at his lips. "I didn't think... Thank you." He fell into silence as well, replaying the scene over and over in his mind, memorizing it.

The chirp of a bird interrupted the moment, diving in from the incredible tower that was the ceiling. Ghirahim sat up with a soft sigh, pulling Link's scarf over his bare shoulders as he accepted the message from the pigeon and a little chill swept into the tower.

Link watched with curiosity as the sword spirit skimmed over it then read it aloud. "'Princess Zelda and her servant are getting close. No sign of Ganondorf. All monsters have fled, Zant has perished. At the rate they are moving, you should expect the princess within another twelve hours, give or take.'" Ghirahim exchanged a glance with the former Hero and continued, "It would have taken a few hours for this bird to catch up to our previous location, then another two or so to find us. We don't have much time before she arrives."

Link nodded briskly, but raised his hand for permission to speak. When he received it, he asked, "What are we fighting for, Master?"

"All I know is that I'm fighting to keep you."