Link sat across from you, sharpening the edge of his sword. His eyes flicked to you now and then, watching as you paced along the edge of the clearing. The tension in your movements mirrored the storm brewing within you—a storm Link had come to recognize far too well.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, his voice calm but steady, the same tone he used when handling a skittish wild horse.

You didn’t answer, your shoulders tightening instead. He knew better than to push you. Still, he set the sword aside, leaning forward slightly.

The transformation always came without warning, though Link had started to notice the signs. The way your breathing grew shallow, the way your hands clenched and unclenched, and the way your eyes glinted with something raw and untamed. He wasn’t afraid of you, not even when the beast took hold. But he knew you were.

He stood and approached slowly, each step deliberate. “Hey,” he said, his voice softer now. “You’re not alone in this.”

You stopped pacing, your back to him, as if trying to shield him from whatever you feared might happen. “It’s better if I am,” you muttered, your voice low and strained. “If I lose control again…”

“You won’t,” he said firmly, stepping closer. When you turned, your eyes were full of doubt and guilt.

“And if I do?”

“Then I’ll be here,” he said without hesitation. “To stop you if I have to. To bring you back if you can’t. But you don’t have to fight this alone.”

Your gaze wavered, and for a moment, he thought he saw a glimmer of trust amidst the fear. That was enough.

As the night deepened, Link stayed close—not as a knight guarding a cursed being, but as a friend standing by someone who deserved more than the burden she carried. The road ahead would be long, full of uncertainty and danger, but Link was resolved. He’d protect you, not just from others but from the shadows within yourself.

Because where you saw a curse, he saw strength. And where you saw a monster, he saw someone worth fighting for.