Trigger

Chapter Nine

A/N: I know it's a really short chapter (at precisely 666 words counting this), but dipping into Link's point of view was necessary.

"You're toying with him," the Hero proclaimed, crossing his arms angrily, manifesting himself into a flickery, ghost-like form.

Link sat back against an outcrop of rock. "I'm not going to deny it, but what am I supposed to do?"

"Tell him you don't feel the same. Tell him you don't care about anything more than his body. Don't string him along like this and lead him to hope."

"It won't crush him as badly as you think - "

"Trust me, it will." His former self sat cross-legged in front of him, bearing a scowl that lit his entire face in frustration. "Villains don't look to hope for their answers - "

"He's not a - "

"He used to be! He still has those memories! Listen - if you let him start to hope, if you lead him on for any longer than you already have - it will destroy everything. For a while, he knew you don't care about him, but that kiss didn't help matters."

Link growled. "It was the only way to - "

"I know, but the moments leading up to it - your words, your gestures, the kiss itself - they instilled an inkling that you may actually care. They inspired his mind into believing that maybe, just maybe, it was sincere. That it was possible."

"How do you know all of this?"

"Because I went in there. Even if I was preoccupied, I felt his emotions. He's confused, okay? Just...promise me to let him know. Promise me that you'll tell him what you feel - well, don't feel - before it's too late to turn back."

Link shut his eyes, leaning his head back. "But how? How is there possibly an easy way to tell somehow who's fallen head-over-heels that I don't feel anything at all?"

"It doesn't matter if it's easy. I should hope it won't be. What matters is that it spares him as much as possible." The other Link drew tiny designs in the sand, sighing heavily. "It's better to be gradual, I think, than all at once. I don't know... Close yourself up more - he's noticed that you've been more expressive lately. Contribute less. Goddesses, I never thought I'd be telling someone to stop being kind to another person." The Hero ran his hands through his hair anxiously. "This is the worst thing I've ever done."

"If this is the worst, you've led an incredible life."

"This isn't about me, this is about Ghirahim." He took a deep breath, and his face hardened in determination. "Listen, so long as you make it just a tad easier for him to let you go knowing you just don't return his feelings, everything will be fine. Just don't make him feel like you've been trying to hurt him. It will hurt - Goddesses know it will hurt him to know that you'll never feel the same - but it's better than making him think that you intentionally led him on just to crush him in the end. That is how villains are born."

Link nodded shallowly. "Okay. I'll try."

"Promise."

"You and your issues with promises - "

"We're the same person, Link."

He rolled his eyes. "I promise. Better?"

"Better." The spirit started to fizzle out, his words and thoughts growing faint. "I'm serious. If I'm going to leave I want to know that Hyrule will be safe."

"You already made me promise on that. You can go. Don't worry."

"I trust you."

"I know."

With no more presences in his mind, Link rose to his feet and wiped the dust off of his trousers, looking towards the battle. He caught a flash of red and white among the blue of the Hyrulean army that had to be Ghirahim. Sighing, the blond turned away and started down the slope behind him, drawing the Master Sword from its sheath.

"How do I do this," he asked himself, "without forcing him to resort to evil as a last method of defense?"