Archive of Our Own ^beta

Link walked into the room with the lake again. The tree in the center still stood silently, the water under his boots clear and reflective. The last time he was here, he fought and defeated his shadow. But now the fight was over, he'd relived his childhood and adolescence and somehow, now that he was an adult and he was given time to think about things, curiosity made him go search for answers. 

So he was back here. He wasn't sure if the creature that took the form of his shadow was even alive, he'd beaten it soundly, but he wanted to know why it took his form. How . 

The temples were quieter now that most of the monsters had gone away or perished, some of them looked rather worn down after being filled with them. The water temple was no exception. 

Link walked towards the tree, the feeling of familiarity and nostalgia filling him, even though he'd been around this age when he fought his shadow the first time. Time was a strange thing. 

It was still and silent. Link reached up to touch the tree gently but the back of his neck prickled and he turned around. There he was, dark, red-eyed, and translucent. He did not attack. Link wanted to ask him what he was, why he took on his shape. He could ask with his hands, but there was no saying that the shadow would even understand. 

He tries anyway. The shadow's red eyes stare back at him blankly. Then he raises his own hands. Link does notice that the shadow has his sword sheathed, like Link does. The shadow says he is a manifestation of shadow magic. He takes on the form of the hero and their descendants. He will until the magic is used up or he is truly destroyed. 

Link was amazed. He even spoke the way Link did. He was really a mirror image. Link moved his hands and asked why he hasn't attacked him. 

The shadow replied that there was no need. He isn't protecting anything anymore. 

Link asked what his name was. The shadow stared at him. 

I have none. He says. I am merely the reverse of the hero. 

Link doesn't really know what to say to that. He obviously needs a name. Can I call you 'Dark'? He asks. The shadow shrugs. 

Call me as you like. You're the hero. 

After this, Link decides he likes Dark. He sits by the tree and talks with him for hours. It must be getting late because he's getting sleepy. He leans against the tree and yawns, stretching his back. Dark tells him he should go home but Link insists that he should stay a bit longer. 

Link falls asleep, far too easily for one who lived one life in constant danger. But this one had been peaceful. He didn't have need to keep his guard up. 

In front of a former enemy, maybe he should have. 

Link wakes slowly. He tries to stretch, but his limbs feel heavy. He blinks awake and his heart starts racing as he realizes that he's tied to the tree. Long tendrils of shadow matter wrapped around his torso have him stuck tight to this tree. The water around him is dark and the little waves that crash against the island seem hectic. He can't see himself. 

He's scared. It isn't like he can call for Dark, ask him why everything is like this, why he's tied to this tree, where Dark even is. He looks around best he can, but as he twists underneath the shadows trapping him, they tighten around him. 

And then he sees something. It's bubbling beneath the water, something black, but not at all translucent. He sees the clawed arm of a dark monster rise out and grab hold of the ground under the tumultuous water and drag itself up and out, another arm following the first. Link can see a head, flat and spade shaped, with multiple red eyes lining the sides. There's tentacles under its chin and along its back. As it pulls the rest of its body out, Link can't breathe, he wishes he could scream, yell, something, but he had no voice. The monster sat on its hind legs like a dog and let out a screech that chilled Link to the bone. The tentacles on its back led down to many tentacles as tails, squirming around as if they had minds of their own. 

The monster met his eyes with it's own and suddenly Link knew; this was Dark. Somehow, this was Dark. The monster flickered, his body corporeal and then not, and back again. He roared and charged at Link, the waves beneath his feet catching him and trying to make him sink. As Dark reached him, Link tensed and closed his eyes, expecting a swift death. He'd lived two lives, it would be okay if he died now. 

But he didn't. Dark slashed and the shadow tendrils faded from Link, freeing him. It still scared him, but he stayed frozen to the spot. Dark slashed again and Link's clothes were ripped to shreds, falling from him, hanging off his shoulders in an effort to stay together. Link covered himself, flushing, terrified. He couldn't find it in himself to plead, he could just hope Dark wouldn't kill him. 

Dark stopped with his claws. He stared at the blushing and scared Link, holding his ruined clothes together in an effort to keep himself covered. He moved closer, his tentacles reaching for Link. He met his eyes as the tentacles curled around wrists and lifted him to his feet, tendrils tearing the rest of his clothes to let them slide off him. Link shakes, blushing and embarrassed. He pleads with his eyes, he's scared. 

He expects to be bitten, to be torn apart, but Dark comes in close and stares down at Link before leaning in to let the tendrils under his chin curl gently around Links face, push into his mouth in some sort of kiss. Link relaxes just a little, but only a little. This is his first kiss and it's been taken so tenderly by a monster, a former enemy. The tendrils play with his tongue and the feeling makes something twist in his stomach. 

They part and Link flushes as he sees how shiny with spit those tentacles are now. Dark keeps him pinned up against the tree with one arm while he presses his.. mouth? To Link's skin; his neck, his shoulder, his chest. Dark's tentacles were gentle and curious, feeling and tasting and touching such sensitive spots that had Link gasping and shivering in his grasp. 

Dark curls long clawed fingers around his waist, holding him still as he summons shadow tentacles that coil themselves around Link's legs, sliding up his thighs and making him gasp, tossing his head back. The tentacles feel cool against his heated skin as they move higher, poking and prodding him, curling themselves around his half-hard cock and dragging a choked hitch of breath from him, his whole body shuddering and sensitive to the touch. 

Dark was watching him as his shadows brought Link to silent sobs, tentacles slipping past familiar territory and tentatively pushing against Link's entrance. He goes wide-eyed and his breath hitches, struggling a little only because his face burns when Dark stares at him so openly and it's too intense already, too embarrassing, he's never so much as kissed another and to have this as his first time… it was alot. 

The tentacle feels wet as it pushes in, but it still burns when it starts to stretch him. He clenches around it subconsciously and Dark lets out a hiss. Link blinks blearily, realizing with a shock that Dark can feel it , he can feel what his shadows are doing to Link and that makes Link's body flare up, makes him squirm as he's stuffed full, stretched open for whatever Dark has planned next. He's panting and shivering and he can't believe this is even happening, but goddess, he doesn't want it to stop. 

Whatever the tentacle is doing in there, it feels fantastic . It's rubbing up against this spot that makes him jerk and shudder and his cock is leaking so much, making such a mess. He feels like he's stretched too wide, but Dark doesn't stop with just one tentacle, there's another poking at him, trying to slip in next to the first, and Link is already overwhelmed but all he can do is shiver and open his mouth like noise will come out. 

The second tentacle pushes in and it hurts, but the stretch leaves him breathless. He's so full. Dark leans in to give him more pseudo-kisses, and this time Link sucks on the tendrils entering his mouth, he licks at them, tastes them, can't believe it when Dark growls and tightens his grip on him like Link is the one turning him on. It all feels so good. 

The shadows disappear, leaving him feeling empty, all of a sudden. Link wants to whine, protest, but his mouth is full and he never had a voice. He's dropped from where he was pinned to the tree and he sags into Dark, his legs not holding him up. That's when he feels something poking his thigh and his heart races when he looks down to see the hard, leaking cock poking him that definitely did not look human. Dark stares at him, wraps his hands around Links arms to lift him up and settle him where he wants him. Link has to steady himself on shaky legs as he's placed down, facing the tree. Dark holds his hands and pushes them to the tree, as if telling him to keep them there. He does. 

Dark drags his cock along Link's crack, right over his ready entrance and Link shakes, wanting so much, even if he wasn't sure what it was that he wanted. What it entailed. Dark lines up and pushes in, hissing at how tight Link feels around his cock. Link tries to grip onto the tree, tries to ground himself, but he's slipping fast. It's too much and his legs feel like they're about to give out. Dark slides a hand around his waist to help hold him up and pushes deeper. Link holds onto the tree and pants open-mouthed, trembling as Dark fucks him, as he's taken apart by his shadow, tears pricking his eyes as he gets rougher. Dark grabs his hands again and pins them to the tree, holding him in place as he thrusts in, lowering his head to Link's shoulder, the soft feeling of his tendrils tickling his neck before Dark bites him, sharp teeth drawing blood. 

Link's tears slide down his cheeks, it's all so intense, Dark keeps thrusting, he gets so deep inside, and Link is so close already. His own cock is throbbing between his trembling thighs, leaking all over him. Dark fucks in hard, so deep, and Link comes in a silent, gasping sob, his whole body shaking. 

Dark doesn't stop and his nerves feel raw as he's pushed further, so oversensitive he's crying again, but it feels good, feels so good, and Dark is making these feral noises over him as he chases his own orgasm. He thrusts in deep and comes inside, filling Link up more than he ever dreamed of. 

For a few moments, they stay like that and Link just savors the feeling of feeling this full while his mind goes hazy. Dark slides out and lowers Link to the ground. Link goes easily, his body too exhausted to move. He lets his eyes close. He's so tired. He feels so sated. He's a little sore. Maybe he could sleep. He wants to see Dark first, so he drags himself up to look for him. 

He's there, no longer a monster, but a mirror image of Link again. His red eyes stare at him. Link smiles at him. He comes closer. Link reaches up and Dark kneels before him so he can wrap his arms around Dark's neck, give him a soft kiss. He doesn't say anything, but Dark understands. Dark touches him gently as he makes Link lay back down. He sits by him, at the base of the tree. They don't say anything, but they don't need to. Dark understands what Link wants to say. That's all he needs.