Smile

"No. Just, no."

Link stared at himself in the mirror. It wasn't like it was an unfamiliar sight; he spent more time looking at himself than he did anyone else, pretty much. At the moment, he appraised the way his mouth was set, and had to admit it was hideous. He tried again.

"Did you step on something?"

Again.

"Uh, vaguely creepy."

Again.

"Careful, the mirror might break."

Again.

"Come on, Link," Corny sighed despondently from behind him. "There's got to be something that makes you genuinely smile. Amber? Dancing? I don't know, hairspray fumes?!" Link's eyes set themselves on the mirror as he tried to assess every part of his life, but none of it made him feel particularly cheerful. Or enticing. Or sexy. And the first name just made him want to wince. "It's not hard. Just think about something and let it show on your face." Corny demonstrated, his mouth stretching into an easy smile which did something strange to Link's heartbeat. "There!" the other shouted suddenly, making Link almost shoot out of his chair.

"Where?" he gabbled, looking around frantically.

"You just did it, Link. So I know you can." Link thought long and hard, before he let his eyes drift up from where he was in the mirror to the man standing behind him, ever so slightly to his right, and he smiled.

"There," Corny said softly at last. "That wasn't so hard, was it?"