[ There would have been some sort of retort here, but the words die in Link's throat, because all along, something that may have, or perhaps, should have become obvious the moment Zelda spoke about the topic...
Has only just now reached the obvious conclusion in their mind.
... Zelda was Sheik. So all this time, that boy who, really, Link had just wanted to properly talk to, to know him and thank him--it had been her.
Suddenly... the so-called hero feels more like an ass than anything else. Here Zelda was, revealing secrets, trusting them, and yet all this time, for all their encounters... Link had never stopped to be truthful? Even now, upon seeing her again after what they had thought to be a long time, it turns out it wasn't long at all. Even so, Link cannot find the proper words to say. It felt wrong, but if she didn't ask... if she did not ask, were they being expected to reveal things back?
Part of it is fear, perhaps (as strange as it is to say, even the wielder of the Triforce of Courage has their own inner skeletons in the closet), it was just the concern of rejection. But either way, the normally quiet Hero of Time falls back into silence, stunned. ]
...
[ If... if Sheik had been a girl (like Zelda, all along--), then did that make them the same? The silence lingers, as Link's brain struggles to think of something for them to say. ]
Meanwhile Link's brain is broken and inner turmoil ensues HOORAY
Has only just now reached the obvious conclusion in their mind.
... Zelda was Sheik. So all this time, that boy who, really, Link had just wanted to properly talk to, to know him and thank him--it had been her.
Suddenly... the so-called hero feels more like an ass than anything else. Here Zelda was, revealing secrets, trusting them, and yet all this time, for all their encounters... Link had never stopped to be truthful? Even now, upon seeing her again after what they had thought to be a long time, it turns out it wasn't long at all. Even so, Link cannot find the proper words to say. It felt wrong, but if she didn't ask... if she did not ask, were they being expected to reveal things back?
Part of it is fear, perhaps (as strange as it is to say, even the wielder of the Triforce of Courage has their own inner skeletons in the closet), it was just the concern of rejection. But either way, the normally quiet Hero of Time falls back into silence, stunned. ]
...
[ If... if Sheik had been a girl (like Zelda, all along--), then did that make them the same? The silence lingers, as Link's brain struggles to think of something for them to say. ]