SidLink Lemons

You're A Girl?!

Word Count: 2398.
I just had the idea to make a transgender Link for a story to, you know, switch it up a bit! Nothing too daring so enjoy the chapter!
Also sorry I'm late for this one.

He should have known bathing out in such an exposed place was a bad idea.

Now neck deep in the river he had been attempting to clean himself in, Link watched the two children, one boy and one girl, on the shore apprehensively, a growing sense of dread squeezing his chest. They were staring back at him with wide, curious eyes, making him feel like an animal in a petting zoo. Neither of them were that young, most likely around 11 or so but it seemed as though they had been raised by barbarians as they continued to stare and dumbly stare at him, despite his obvious discomfort. He recognized both of them from the village he had just passed through. One, the girl, had even offered him an apple, which he had quietly but pleasantly turned down.

By one of the feet of the boy lay his clothes and towel, neatly folded and mocking him from a distance. He had foolishly wandered too far from the shore, making it impossible to quickly dart back to safety and cover himself. Now, he was stuck in the middle of the river, buck naked and incredibly uncomfortable, with two brats staring at him with that damnable question obviously right on the tips of their tongues.

“You’re a girl?!” The boy finally exclaimed the question he knew was coming.

Flinching, Link pulled in a deep breath through his nose, held it for a moment before letting it out slowly. Despite wanting to just sink below the surface of the water and quickly escape from the situation, he knew there was nowhere for him to go. Along with his clothing, his pack and weapons were on that shore as well. He was certain that if he swam to the other side of the river, they would just follow him, their pointed and unnecessary questions dogging him. Even though he was uncomfortable to the point of frustration, his skin crawling with unease and embarrassment, there was no way for him to escape.

Instead of answering the question, he called out in the calmest voice he could manage, “Could you please leave so I can get dressed?”

He wasn’t going to have this kind of conversation whilst completely nude and submerged in water. Once he was able to get dressed, with his sword safely on his back, he would be able to think rationally, calmly again. Then, he would address it. He would help them understand and move on.

“Why do you dress like a boy?” The girl called back, her voice unbearably prissy and bossy, “Girls aren’t supposed to dress like that, you know!”

“I would like to get dressed now so please leave.” He responded, his voice harder now. It was a struggle to keep his frustration out of his voice. Was it not obvious that he wanted to get out of the water? Even if his gender wasn’t being called into question, what kind of inconsiderate blockheads stood around while someone was calmly asking you to leave so they could get dressed?!

“Yeah, you’re a girl, aren’t you?” The boy yelled, his voice conveying more confusion than aggression, as though he couldn’t wrap his mind around the whole thing or find some sort of logical reason, “Why are you acting like a boy?”

“I am a boy!” Link yelled back, his frustration causing him to snap. Both of the children flinched away, as though they weren’t expecting anger in response. While he did feel a little guilty for raising his voice, a majority of him felt justified. Mostly because they hadn’t had the common sense to turn around and walk away after he had asked them twice.

“You aren’t a boy!” The young girl replied derisively, a know-it-all, prideful expression on her scrunched up face, “Momma says that boys have wieners but girls have vaginas, and boobs! You have those so you have to be a girl.”