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A Man's Duty	By : galassia Category: Zelda > General Views: 5393 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Nintendo in any way. All non original characters belong to Nintendo and not to me. All parts of the story that are in the game Ocarina of Time belong to Nintendo. I make no money nor do I get any monetary like gain from the story.

Chapter List
- 16
- 17
- 18
Special Note: Some liberties have been taken with the original storyline. In this story Sheik is his own person and not Zelda. I do realize that Sheik in game canon is actually Zelda and I have no problem with that canon. However, for this story Sheik is a man and his own person. It includes or will include sexual themes between two men, cross-dressing, death, violence, angst and possibly more. If either the themes of this story or the fact that Sheik is not Zelda and a man bothers you, don't read it. You've been warned and I really don't care if you get pissed off for reading something you don't like and were warned about in the first place.

Link took a deep breath in through his nose before letting it escape slowly through his mouth. He smiled and carefully lifted Sheik's hand from his chest, slipping silently from the bed. As he stood at the edge of the bed, he smiled down at the Sheikah's face. It was odd to sleep in the same bed with the man this time, though he supposed that was likely because he was aware of the older man being nude. He blushed, fighting back a giddy little giggle as he looked away from Sheik's face to see Navi curled up on the man's stomach. He bit his lip, swallowing back the happy noise that wanted to escape from lips at the cuteness of the sight.
Frowning, Link picked up the small bag that had been a gift from Sheik and sighed. He had the feeling that Navi had seen the... being the previous day. But, if she did, why didn't the fairy seem shocked by it? Did she know something? He sighed and was about to reach over and wake her when his body was filled with a sudden icy chill. He jumped back and looked around, blinking when he saw nothing.
"There's no point waking her to ask about me, she cannot tell you anything she knows."
Link jumped again at the sound of a whispering voice and swallowed hard as he dug into his bag to pull out the Eye of Truth. Holding it to his face he looked around, stopping when the sight of the being he'd seen the previous day came into view. "W...what? Who?"
Sheia laughed softly and moved towards the the room's bathing chamber. She motioned for Link to follow her as she passed through the door and slipped into the room on the other side.
Link swallowed hard and looked once more at Sheik and Navi's sleeping forms before following the being into the bathing chamber. When he closed the door behind him, he looked around the room, stopping once more when the translucent being came into view, "W...what are you? Who are you?"
"I am Sheia... no, that's not really right. I am a ghost, I suppose. A spirit." Sheia said, laughing faintly as she shrugged her shoulders, "In life, I was Sheia, and, Sheik... he was my brother. My twin."
Link slumped forward and shook his head as he moved to take a seat on the bench beside the bathing pool. He shook his head, "A... ghost? Sheik's twin? And... and what'd y'mean Navi can't tell me what she knows?"
"Do you remember asking Navi if she heard Sheik talking to someone? She told you that she didn't, but she did in fact." Sheia shook her head, "She knows what and who I am, but she cannot tell you because Sheik swore her to secrecy. Not about me really... but, in a way I was included in the 'secret'. However, I am under no such restrictions."
"So, what is the secret then?" Link asked softly, rubbing his head as he took the Eye of Truth down from his face, slipping it into the bag once more. It felt odd to be talking to someone he could not see with just his own eyes, but he felt stupid continuously holding the Eye of Truth to his face.
"Two years ago, I died... and, two years ago, Sheik began living his life as though he were me."
Link's eyes went wide and he shook his head, "What? But, he's been Sheik t'me! And, why would he pretend t'be y'anyway?"
"With you, this is the first time in two years he's been able to just be Sheik." Sheia sighed, shaking her head, "To understand it... I'd have to tell you more than just why."
Link frowned, nodding slowly as he sighed, "Then... tell me."
"When we were fourteen, Lady Impa told us that, under Princess Zelda's orders, we were to train to be your Guide and Guardian. Sheik was to be your Guide and I was to be your Guardian." Sheia laughed and shook her head, "That's what she was told and relayed to us anyway. But that wasn't the truth. In secrecy, the Princess met with me and told me of her visions."
Sheia sighed and held out her hand, looking sadly at the distorted image of Link through her extremity. She lowered her hand and moved to sit beside the Hero, "I was never meant to be your Guardian, Link. The Princess, her visions... were of my death."
"Y...your death? Y'mean y'knew y'were gonna die before it happened?" Link exclaimed, pulling his hand to his mouth at his outburst.
Sheia laughed sadly, "Yes, I knew, everyone dies eventually, Link. I just knew more about the when and how."
Link frowned deeply, "Why would she tell y'that? Why would she make y'know somethin' like that?"
Sheia sighed softly, "Because I had a choice to make... but that's not what's important. What is important is that my 'training' was different than Sheik's, many times we were separate. He trained to be what he has become and I pushed him towards that in life and with my death. But me, my 'training', was to accept my coming death."
Link shook his head, "What happened?"
"I drowned in Lake Hylia and Sheik... he tried so hard to save me, even though I couldn't be saved. In the end, we didn't know it would happen, but our mother, she thought that he'd died instead of me." Sheia frowned, staring hard at the floor, "She told everyone that I lived and he died. Zelda had never seen this in her visions, it was fuzzy, but at Zelda's behest he began live as though he were me."
"W...what? Why?"
"To keep him safe, our family safe. Sheik was 'dead', having a 'dead' person guiding the Hero of Time... well, it causes confusion."
Link sighed and shook his head, "But, why would y'just lay down and accept death t'begin with? Why didn't y'fight it? Maybe we all die, but that doesn't mean y'can't fight t'live!"
"It was already foretold, it was absolute. What reason would I have to fight against that?"
"Rauru, when I was in the Sacred Realm, he told me that there's always more than one path. That Ganondorf... he only came t'power because I opened the path that allowed him t'enter the Sacred Realm and lay his hands on the Triforce. He said we coulda stopped it, if we'd just kept the Spiritual Stones safe, kept them away from him, none of this woulda happened. So... so maybe y'didn't have t'die, maybe if y'had fought it, y'coulda lived..."
Sheia chuckled, and sighed shaking her head, "You, you're wrong, but you sound just like Sheik..."
"He knew? And he let y'go to your death willingly?"
"No, it was secret. Only Zelda and myself knew. Not even Impa knew, she never saw a vision of my death. She was surprised by my death. But, when Sheik learned about Zelda's vision that led you to retrieve the Master Sword, he fought with her. The only fight they've ever had, and oh how they fought. He said it was a 'self fulfilling prophecy', that her adherence to what she saw caused it to happen."
Link frowned and stood up forcefully, "Well, did y'ever think that maybe it's true? Maybe Impa didn't see your death because it coulda been avoided? That maybe, if y'fought t'live, Sheik wouldn't have t'be afraid and sad... have t'give up his life for you? Y'may be dead... but y'killed him too!" He shook his head, squeezing the bag in his hand tightly as he stormed out of the bathing chamber. He shook his head forcefully, stopping suddenly when he saw Sheik sitting up on the bed, talking to Navi as she hovered before the Sheikah's face.
Sheik looked over to Link and frowned, tilting his head, "Link, are you alright? What's wrong?"
Link ran to the bed, plopping down beside Sheik. He pulled the older man into a tight hug, shaking his head, "I like y'Sheik... I don't care who y'have t'pretend t'be... I like you."
Sheik blinked, looking at Navi with wide eyes as he swallowed hard. He cleared his throat and pushed Link back softly, "I... I like you too, Link. I've told you this already." He gave a harsh sigh, closing his eyes tightly, "You talked to Sheia, didn't you?"
"Yeah and she told me, told me what y'had t'do." Link placed his hands on Sheik's face, cupping his cheeks, "But she told me somethin' y'don't know... but I think y'probably suspect..."
Shaking his head Sheik opened his eyes to stare at Link, "...What?" He frowned and brought his fist down against the bed, "No... for Din's sake no! Stupid! She didn't even fight it, just got my attention... dammit! Damn her!"
Link slipped his arm around Sheik's neck and pulled the man close, letting him rant and cry against his chest, "I... I know I can't say nothin' t'make it better, but it's not your fault Sheik."
Sheik gave a weak and rueful laugh, nodding as he pressed his face into Link's chest. He stayed still against the Hero's chest for a moment before pulling himself away. Standing from the bed he grabbed his bag and pulled small clothes and a pair of loose pants from its confines, dressing himself forcefully, "No, it's not, you can't save someone who won't let themselves be saved... but, it doesn't make it hurt any less. In fact, it hurts more. Din, I'm glad she didn't tell me that, I'd have said some things that can't be taken back."
"You would have said no worse than he did, and if he hadn't run out as he had, perhaps you would both know the full story."
Sheik turned and glared at his sister's spirit, a vile taste rising in his throat as he spat words of anger at the spirit, "And just what is the full story, hm? What? That Zelda had another of her visions and decided to run head long into it again, not caring about the consequences?"
Sheia scoffed, "Shut up Sheik, before you make more of an ass out of yourself." Shaking her head, she approached Sheik and smiled sadly at him, "Zelda learned her lesson after unwittingly putting into motion the events that would lead to Ganondorf seizing power. And when she had her first vision, she was devastated. She saw our deaths Sheik, yours and mine. She saw herself taking up your role, your image and guiding the Hero in between hiding because there was no one else. She saw herself living through the torture of pretending to be her best friend, saw the heartbreak of the Hero when he learned that the Guide he'd fallen for was Zelda. She knew that this was the future we were heading toward, but she also knew there had to be another way."
Sheia ghosted a translucent hand over Sheik's cheek, frowning when he pulled back, "You remember how she locked herself away? Would not see us for months and months before we were told of what we would do? She was searching for that other way and when she found it, it was something barely within the realm of possibility. It was just my death, with you living your life as the Hero's Guide. It was faint, barely there and after we were told by Impa what our duty was, I met with Zelda and she told me of both visions. There wasn't a doubt in my mind Sheik. I didn't think of Zelda's torture as she pretended to be you, I didn't give a whit about the heartbreak of some Hero I'd never met. In the end it all came down to you, as long as you survived, that was all that mattered."
"My pain, my suffering... didn't matter? The torture of being you didn't matter?" Sheik said weakly, closing his eyes tight.
"Zelda couldn't see that Sheik, she couldn't, the vision was so fuzzy, so close to being unattainable. But, she saw that you would live... and your pain, your suffering, they do matter Sheik, they prove that you're alive. If I knew then what I know now, I'd have still done it Sheik. Better just me than both of us." Sheia shook her head, letting her arms hang lifeless at her sides, "Even if Zelda's torture and Link's heartbreak didn't... doesn't, matter to me, can you say they don't matter to you? Can you honestly say you would wish the pain you've felt, on Zelda? That you could handle Link's broken heart when his love for a false image was thrown in his face?"
Sheia sighed sadly when she saw the anger in Sheik's eyes, watched his body shake with rage, "If you want to be angry fine. If you need to hate me, that's fine too. I can take that pain when it means you live."
When Sheia faded from his view Sheik screamed and plunged a hand deep within the bag he was clutching, "Dammit! Dammit! DAMMIT!" He screamed, pulling and throwing a bottle of blue potion at the wall with every curse and every scream until finally there were none left and he slumped to the floor. Throwing his head back he sighed and the last bit of rage left his body with his breath and he shook his head.
"I can't be angry. I can't hate you for this," Sheik said softly, breathing slowly, knowing full well that even if he couldn't see her, Sheia could hear him, "But, please, just... stay away for a while." Sheik stood up slowly, shaking faintly as he turned to Link. He was surprised to see a smile on the Hero's face rather than the fear, derision or pity he'd expected. He laughed weakly and shook his head, "Sorry you had to see that."
Link stood from the bed and walked over to Sheik, wrapping the man up in a hug, "No reason that y'need t'be sorry." Link said softly as he pulled back from Sheik, fidgeting faintly, "Uh, this might not be th'best time but... last night, I wanted t'ask y'somethin' and we fell asleep before I could..."
Sheik laughed again, a bit stronger this time and nodded his head, "Ask away, Link."
"D'ya... still love him?" Link asked softly, blushing faintly.
Sheik blinked, raising an eyebrow in confusion, "What?"
Link grumbled faintly, blushing more, "Arathal... are y'still in love with him?"
Sheik laughed softly, putting a hand to his mouth as he cleared his throat and shook his head, "Those are... well, they are two very different questions. Which on would you like me to answer?" When Link merely glared at him, Sheik raised his hands in defeat and laughed again, "Alright, alright. I'll answer both."
"Oh yes, do tell." Navi rang out as she landed on Link's shoulder, getting herself comfortable for Sheik's answers.
Link glared at Navi, shaking his head before turning his attention to Sheik once more, coughing softly as he muttered, "What she said..."
Sheik sighed and waited for a moment before beginning, "To the first, do I still love him? Yes. He is my friend and I care for him, if I didn't I'd have let him suffer thinking me to be Sheia." At the look of defeat on Link's face, Sheik hurried to answer the second question, "As for the second, am I still in love with him... there's no true answer to that. The closest would be no, I am not. But, I was never in love with him Link, not even for a moment and that is why I ended things between us."
Link frowned as he looked at Sheik, brow furrowed in confusion, "But, he said y'left because y'had t'do your duty."
Sheik laughed weakly, a little too unsurprised that Arathal would let that slip. He sighed and shook his head, "Because that's what he thought. When we were first 'together' we were just friends, two people who enjoyed each others company... in a, ah, number of different ways." Rubbing his chin, he coughed, blushing faintly, "But as time passed I began to notice he treated me differently, acted differently. At first I pushed it away because I couldn't figure it out, but eventually I realized he loved me in a way I didn't love him."
Sheik hung his head and sighed, "And again, I pushed it away and ignored it. All the while hoping that, knowing his feelings, I could love him as he deserved, as he loved me. But I couldn't, I tried and tried and knew that it would be cruel to both of us to continue... but, I was weak and I was selfish. I wanted to remain his friend because he was my only real friend outside of Zelda and Malon... and Sheia I suppose. So, rather than tell him the truth that would drive him away I lied and told him that I would be stuck between him and my duty. That when a choice came between the two, if I were with him, I'd fail in my duty."
Navi blinked at Sheik and shook her head with a laugh, grinning at the man, "See, here I was thinking that the end of your 'relationship' with him proved you to be adult... now I know it proves you to be a devious bastard. Not only did you lie, but you knew just the lie to tell and how to use it to get exactly what you wanted. You're good, devious, but good."
Link frowned, "So y'lied t'him? Why? Why didn't y'just tell him th'truth? He said he wanted t'keep bein' your friend too!"
Sheik chuckled weakly and shrugged, "Like I said I was selfish and didn't want to lose him as a friend. Because he wanted to keep being mine, that lie maintained our friendship. It was shaky at first but still intact. If I'd have told him the truth though, well, how would you react to being told by the person you love that they do not and will not ever love you as you want? Poorly I imagine, so yes I lied, but I saved our friendship, spared his feelings and it's all worked out as thankfully he's moved on."
"That kiss he gave you yesterday didn't look like a moved on kiss." Navi said with a laugh.
Sheik glared at the fairy and shook his head, "That was an 'Oh Goddesses, my former lover I thought was dead is alive' kiss, and I punched him for that if you'll recall. But, I spotted him just before he came to scream at me, because he thought I was Sheia, he was with a lover by the way they were holding one another." He frowned lightly, "Hope that kiss didn't cause too much of a problem for them."
Link nodded slowly at Sheik, smiling softly as he looked at the man. He was glad that things ended up like this. That Sheik's sister would not allow him to die, that he had left his former lover. The Sheikah had said he was selfish, but so was Link. "Are y'okay?"
Sheik tilted his head and nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine."
Link shook his head slowly, "I mean, about your... about Sheia."
Sheik blinked, giving a heavy sigh as he nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. I... I really can't be angry about it, because if the situation were reversed, if I had been in her place, I'd have done the same thing."
Link frowned and nodded slowly, "W...why d'ya think they never told y'about what they were doin'?"
Navi laughed and snuggled into Link's neck, "That's easy Link, they knew what Sheik would do. You don't have to see a vision to know that if he'd have known what they were up to, he'd have made sure that he died with Sheia."
At Link's deeper frown, Sheik nodded slowly, a sad smile playing at his lips, "I would have. The me now would struggle on what to do, but the me of then? I'd have died with her in a heartbeat. I love Zelda, she is like a sister to me, but I love Sheia more and she is my sister. Never would I have let her go into death alone if I'd known it was coming."
Link rushed forward and hugged Sheik tightly. The Hero was selfish, he was glad things turned out like this, glad that the past Sheik didn't know what would come. Because of that he was able to get to know him, to care about him. But, knowing what Sheik would have done, would have wanted, made Link care for him even more. As much as Link was glad it didn't happen, knowing Sheik would have gladly given up life to keep his sister company when she went into death was... beautiful.
Sheik kissed Link's forehead softly and smiled as the teen hugged him tightly, "Let's get dressed Link, today we're going to have fun."
Link pulled back and raised an eyebrow, "Fun? Aren't we going to the Water Temple?"
Sheik laughed and shook his head, "Today we relax, today we have fun. If you want I'll wake up early tomorrow morning, do what I need to do and meet you outside the Water Temple, but not today."
Link nodded slowly, frowning at Sheik when the man mentioned doing what he needed to do. He was going to argue, tell Sheik not to go, but he knew that there was nothing he could do to stop him. He smiled softly and nodded again, "T'fun then."
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A Man's Duty