A/N: Alright so I'm a dork for admitting this, but I like Neil Diamond. I was raised listening to him, anyways this is a songfic based on his song "Sweet Caroline." Not sure why I decided to write this but hey I think it's sweet, pure fluff and a yummy lemon near the end. Enjoy!

He could not tell you when he had fallen for the hero, all he really knew was that he had fallen, and he had fallen hard. The love they had was the kind that people wrote about in sappy romance novels, not that the assassin had ever read anything like that. At first he had denied it, saying it was just an odd infatuation because the only two people he had seen for the last seven years were the princess and his aunt. After the first two months of meeting him however, he knew the feelings were not going away, they just kept getting stronger.

He remembered that fateful day when he had laid eyes on the prophesized hero after seven long years. It had been the spring; of course, the way the evil king had changed the once beautiful land you would not have guessed it. He had hidden in the shadows and waited, his beloved princess, and best friend, having told him when he needed to be at said temple.

After five hours of waiting he wondered if years of solitude had messed up his friends mind enough that she was reading her dreams wrong when a bright light filled the room, and there he was in all his forest garbed glory. His first few steps had been shaky, well after seven years of no movement suddenly having his previous body grow seven years had to be hard to adjust.

The shadow warrior had almost stepped out at that time but a small exceedingly annoying voice had stopped him. He had forgotten about that damned fairy. At the moment, she had been regaling the hero about his sudden physical changes. Before the high-pitched voice had driven him to insanity, he stepped from the shadows to deliver his piece. It was his eyes that had made him fall he had decided later on. That deep blue that held both the innocence of a young boy, and the knowledge of a great warrior, they had cut through his very soul. Before the hero could say anything he delivered his message and got out of there as fast as his blue spandex legs would carry him. As soon as he was alone, he pulled his mask down feeling the blush that had crept over his cheeks, wondering why his heart was hammering so fast.

The Sheikah teleported himself back to the place Zelda had been hidden away for the last seven years. She had noticed something was up right away, you don't live with someone for almost your entire life without being able to read them like an open book. Thankfully, Impa, his aunt, had distracted the princess long enough for the guide to get some peace.

He knew that the hero would head straight to Lon Lon Ranch after seeing the state of castle town. You didn't sit around doing nothing for seven years, he had read up on all of the young boys-now a man-adventures. Although the run from the castle to the ranch wasn't horribly far it would take half a day. However, with the aid of Epona, he was sure the hero would reach Kakariko village by nightfall. Getting the required item to get to the forest temple might take some time. With all of the calculations, the young Sheikah figured he had at least a day or two's worth of rest and reprieve before he had to head to the Sacred Meadow.

After a day and a half, the shadow warrior had decided to be better safe than sorry and head to the meadow early to make sure he could head off the hero. In retrospect, he was glad he did. Upon arriving at said meadow he could hear the tell tale signs of Link mowing down the moblins that had taken over the maze leading to the meadow.

He prepared himself, not quiet sure about the odd feeling he had in his stomach, he would have had to describe it as if butterflies had flown down his throat and were fluttering about in his stomach. After a particularly loud bout of crashes ending with an even louder one, the hero stepped into the meadow looking a bit ruffled but no worse for wear. As soon as the hero ran over to the lonely stump in the middle of the meadow, the warrior turned guide made his presence known to the slightly older young man.

After teaching him the Minuet of Forest, he prepared to teleport away with a deku nut, but a shout for him to wait stalled him. He wasn't sure if it was the look in the hero's eyes or the surprise at hearing his voice that made him stop, but either way he was now transfixed to the spot.

"Sheik right? I never gave you my name." He had said to him. Sheik looked at him expectantly wondering where he was going with this.

"Link, my name is Link," the hero said with a warm smile. For the second time in his life, Sheik blushed and was exceedingly glad for the cloth covering the lower part of his face. Before 'Link' could say anything else, he threw the nut down and transported himself to, his aunt's house in Kakariko. He stared down at the little town trying to understand the blush that stained his cheeks and nose. A single word escaped his lips.

"Link…"

It wasn't until after the water Temple feelings started to deepen. Sheik had decided after their brief conversation and how star struck he was, that he needed to put some distance between himself and the hero. After teaching Link the Bolero of Fire he quickly teleported away trying to ignore the hurt look in the hero's eyes. The night had been the loneliest night he had ever had. It didn't help that he didn't feel up to seeing the princess knowing that she would be able to weasel out of him whatever it was that was bothering him. He had stayed in his aunt's old house in Kakariko, trying to ignore the ache in his chest. He went four days without seeing the hero, somehow finding himself in the Temple of Time. He had nearly put a dagger through Link's throat when the hero startled him with a hand on his shoulder. He was again thankful for his mask when he blushed under the intense gaze the hero gave him.

"Why did you run away from me?" He had asked him. Sheik didn't know how to respond, what could he tell him? I ran because I'm in love with you and nothing can come of it. Instead, he pulled out his lyre and taught the hero, the Prelude of Light. He really wasn't supposed to teach Link this until later in the quest but he needed something to distract him from those gorgeous eyes. He decided to keep the little secret of the pedestal, saving it for another time.

Sheik didn't return to the Temple of Time after that, worried that Link would find him again. Weeks went by and although he kept his promise by keeping his distance, he was never far away. He was still the hero's guide, and he had to know to show up when needed, it was hard to do that when he didn't know where the hero was. Sheik of course had to take a quick detour after getting startling news referring to Zora's Domain. He had gotten there just in time to get the Zora princess out before it totally froze over. She immediately ran off to the Water Temple to see what exactly had happened.

Sheik immediately found himself slightly trapped. The way to Lake Hylia was blocked by ice, and the hero was slipping and sliding his way up the other entrance. He quickly moved to where Jabbu-Jabbu had once stayed finding it just as frozen. Thankfully, a cavern had appeared, using the shadows, Sheik slipped into the back of the cavern realizing that the hero would be coming through here soon. He didn't have to wait very long, a few hours and the hero was killing the White Wolfos and retrieving the iron boots. Sheik had planned to stay hidden but that damned fairy seemed to be able to sense him. Under the guise of teaching the hero the Serenade of Water, he revealed himself only to be stopped by strong hands on his shoulders.

"Stop running away from me." The hero had demanded of him. His tone was harsh, but his eyes held this pleading look that made his stomach do back-flips.

"I…I'm sorry." He twisted out of the strong grip and used a deku nut to teleport himself to the island in the middle of Lake Hylia. Link would want to follow, he knew that, but he also knew the hero would not leave the Zora's stuck in the red ice. Sheik found a perch on the tall dead tree giving himself a good view of his surroundings.

It was another day before Link showed up to the lake sporting a blue tunic that made his eyes glow. Sheik worried that his presence would be known to the young man, but Link never glanced his way. Sheik stayed in his tree waiting for the hero to emerge from the temple. By the second day, Sheik started to worry, and by the fourth, he was nearly frantic. He was about to teleport into the temple when a bright funnel of light burst from the sky. Link stumbled out of the tower looking disheveled and bone tired. Sheik readied himself to jump only to stumble slightly when Link collapsed. The shadow warrior was at his side in an instant. Navi was fluttering around the two young men giving Sheik the impression of a very squeaky bee.

"Link! Link wake up, you've got to wake up!" Sheik found himself growling slightly at the annoying bug.

'Navi, if you don't stop panicking I won't be able to help," Sheik said with a lot more patience than he felt. The fairy promptly shut her mouth but kept flitting back and forth. Sheik examined Link's body from head to toe. He found many scars, and a few bad burns that must have been remnants from the Fire Temple.

"Doesn't bother to heal before running off to the next temple…" he muttered to himself. Nothing looked to be a mortal wound, so he was at a loss as to what caused the hero to pass out.

"Navi, how much has he been sleeping?" he asked noticing the dark circled under the hero's eyes.

"Not very much, ever since the fire temple he barley sleeps. I don't think he slept once while we were in the water temple," she said sadly. Sheik wasn't sure if fairies could cry, but Navi sounded like she would if she could.

"He isn't going to die, but he's exhausted. His injuries are superficial, but his body is forcing him to sleep," Sheik said taking a moment to admire the sleeping man's face. A soft clopping sound reached the shadow warriors ears and he glanced up to see Epona making her way slowly to the island. Sheik gingerly approached the skittish animal, when she allowed him to pet her, he made up his mind to take Link to Impa's house. With the help of Epona and the nervous twittering of Navi, Sheik made his way to Kakariko.

Night had fallen by the time he made it into the village, which he was thankful for. Sheik cared for Link for the next week, the hero only waking up long enough to eat, drink, or relieve himself. The first few days he didn't seem to know who or where he was. Sheik had preferred it this way, he wouldn't have to explain to the hero what exactly his supposed guide was doing. It didn't last, Link became aware of who was caring for him, but he didn't say much about it. Just gave Sheik warm smiles that cause the young man's heart to beat wildly in his chest.

The care didn't last forever however, after Link had regained almost all of his sleep and his wounds had healed leaving behind some wicked scars, a disturbance in the well ended the short week of bliss. Sheik had been surprised by the way Link yelled when the shadow from the well grabbed the shadow warrior and threw him. He hadn't been wounded too badly, just a bad bruise, but the hero had fretted. Link wouldn't leave his side until Sheik told him that if Link didn't get to the Shadow Temple more people would be killed by the creature.

What the hero had done after Sheik had taught him the Nocturne of Shadows caused him to blush whenever he thought about it. Link had kissed him. Not a peck, a deep passionate kiss that left him weak in the knees. After that kiss, he had tried to keep his distance ever more, but found it to be impossible.

He didn't find out about his aunt ascending to be the Sage of Shadow until after the hero had gotten through the temple. He was saddened because he didn't get to see her before she ascended, but Link told him that they had spoken. Impa had told Link to tell him that he was aware of his feelings and supported whatever he decided. Link didn't know what her message for Sheik meant, but the young shadow warrior understood and couldn't help the happiness that followed him wherever he went.

He still kept his distance from Link a bit, keeping watch. Link seemed to know that Sheik was there watching him through almost everything. He couldn't enter the temples however, so he would sit near the entrance and fret until the hero emerged. Sheik hadn't been there when Zelda was taken, the guilt had nearly killed him even though she assured him that it had to happen.

Link of course had saved Hyrule, although both he and the princess had started acting a bit strangely after the defeat of Ganandorf. Sheik had watched the final showdown between Ganon and Link, not being able to offer any physical support, but Link knew he was there, and swore up and down that it had helped. The shadow warrior had nearly had a heart attack when Zelda and Link both disappeared in a blast of light. They had returned, Zelda looked slightly confused, but when Link ran to Sheik and embraced him understanding had dawned on her. After that hug nothing had happened between them, Sheik's nights were as lonely as they had ever been even though he stayed in the castle with the princess.

It was the summer, the heat wasn't bad, but enough to want to escape to Lake Hylia and swim. Link spent his days riding the countryside, riding Epona. Sheik joined him every so often. At the moment, however Sheik was sitting in Zelda's study keeping her company while she lunched. She kept shooting him quizzical looks and he was about to blow a gasket.

"Is there something you wanted to say Princess?" He asked finally keeping his tone even. She studied him a bit before setting her silverware down seeming to prepare herself for a long-winded speech.

"Why haven't you told Link how you feel?" To say he was surprised would be an understatement.

"What?" It had left his mouth before he had time to think about what he said.

"You're in love with Link, why haven't you told him?" She asked looking inquisitive.

"I…" he knew that he couldn't lie to the princess. "I'm scared." The last part was so quiet she didn't hear him, but she already knew the answer.

"Don't be, you might be surprised." Sheik didn't believe her, but with time, he wished he had.

Sheik was sitting on the edge of Lake Hylia, it was one of those rare moments where he felt comfortable enough to take his head wrap and mask off. It was a warm day, so warm he considered taking his bandages and shirt off and going for a swim. Just as he was about to talk himself into swimming, a whinny startled him out of his comfort. He didn't have time to put his head wrap back on, he barely had time to grab his mask and cover the lower part of his face, he had forgotten how fast Epona was.

"Sheik!" A happy shout carried over the hot air. The shadow warrior was in disbelief, of all the time the hero could show up now would have to be the worst.

"Hello, hero," Sheik responded. His voice even more muffles by the hand holding the cloth in place. He got a good look at the hero and felt his heart stutter. Link had taken off his green tunic, chainmail, and matching hat. His arms were only covered by the tight white undershirt which barely reached past his hips to cover his scarcely clothed muscular buttocks. Sheik thought he didn't look anything like the hero of time, but more godlike and amazing. The only thing that disrupted this image was a small frown that creased his brow and caused a small dimple to the right of his chin where his mouth curved down.

"I told you not to call me that." Sheik now understood the frown.

"I apologize h-Link." He corrected himself before he caused the adorable frown to deepen. Although he thought Link attractive with a frown, the blinding smile he gave him when he called him by his name was worth the slight loutishness.

"Did you swim?" Link asked glancing at the cool glistening waters of Lake Hylia. Sheik shook his head and took the hero's slight distraction to get a better look at his well-toned body. He could feel certain parts of his anatomy twitch in response and silently cursed the tight clothing he wore.

"Well, you should join me then!" Link said with the enthusiasm of a young boy. Before Sheik could respond Link was peeling off the sinfully tight undershirt and leather boots. He felt his cheeks redden when Link started to pull off his white tights leaving him in only his underclothes.

The shadow warrior didn't have time to admire the view for long however, Link was off like a light towards to water his gleeful laughter following him. Sheik watched for a moment then nodded when Link motioned him to join. He had a bit more modesty than the older teen, only removing his shirt and shoes, leaving his face-mask and leggings on. Right when he jumped in the water, he felt hands on his mask and jerked away from the contact, moving so only he was waist down were in the water.

"Why do you wear that thing?" Link asked frowning slightly. Sheik almost didn't respond, he was too distracted by the object of his affection, dripping wet.

"It's a tradition of my people-." Link cut him off with a wave.

"I know the tradition, I'm wondering why you still wear it around me. We're friends aren't we?" He asked cocking his head to the side much like a young child. Sheik felt his stomach flutter and drop at the same time, only friends.

"Yes, we are friends," he responded hoping that his slight despondency didn't carry over into his voice.

"Then take off the mask, you can trust me," the hero said with such passion Sheik was compelled to give him what he wanted. With slightly shaky hands, he removed the mask slowly, wrapping the cloth around his hand for safe keeping. He couldn't look Link in the eye, he was too worried about what he might see. The gasp however caused him to look up just in time for Link's calloused hand to touch his cheek. His skin burned pleasantly from the contact and almost let his eyes flutter closed in satisfaction.

"You shouldn't cover up your face, you're beautiful." She wished his still had the mask on to hide his blush. Link only chuckled at the now apparent show of embarrassment.

"I've never seen you blush before." Link was moving far too close to him. "I like it." The hero's dry but soft lips pressed against Sheiks smoother ones in a quick kiss. Link pulled back a blush dusting his cheeks.

"Sorry, I've always wanted to do that." The Sheikah was in shock. Had the hero just kissed him? Link took his silence as something bad and pulled away. Before he could get very far Sheik grabbed Link and pulled his mouth to his own. Link's eyes widened in surprise but closed quickly as he wrapped his arms around the smaller man's waist.

They weren't prepared when Sheik pulled him closer loosing their balance slightly. Link's quick reflexes saved them, spinning around and picking the Sheikah up out of the water a bit more. Tongues fought for dominance until they pulled away for air. Both panting slightly, gazing into each others eyes. Link's delicious mouth broke into a contagious smile. Sheik could only respond with a small warm smile of his own.

"Do you have any idea how long I have wanted to do that?" Link asked catching his breath. From the hard bulge that was pressing against Sheik's thigh, he could only guess that it has been awhile. Instead of voicing this thought, he just shook his head his light blond hair swishing in the warm summer air.

"Ever since I saw you in the Temple of Time after I woke up." He was surprised to hear this, he thought the hero would still be too young to feel those kinds of things. Link seemed to read his mind. "I wasn't sure what I was feeling, all I knew is that I wanted to spend more time with you. I guess while I was awake my brain caught up with my body. I gotta say going through seven years of mental maturity in about a month is really weird." Sheik couldn't help but laugh slightly, which awarded him a grin from the man holding him. Link's smile dropped slightly and his eyes burned with something Sheik had never seen before in those beautiful blue eyes.

"It's wasn't until a week after that that I realized how much I wanted you." His voice had gone husky with lust causing a shiver of anticipation run down Sheik's spine causing his already throbbing member to harden even more. "And from what I feel pressing against me, you want me just as much." Sheik could only nod his mouth watering.

Link grabbed his lips in a desperate passionate kiss. Sheik wasn't aware they were moving until Link pulled them to the ground Sheik lying on top of him. Link was slowly peeling what little clothes they had off when a whinny from Epona jolted them out of their passionate encounter. The two young men glanced in the horses direction and saw her being pestered by a couple of Tektite's.

Link whined slightly as Sheik pushed himself of the hero and started over to rescue the horse from the annoying creatures. He took a startled step back when three arrows in rapid succession flew by him and hit the creature with perfect accuracy. Sheik turned around and saw Link glaring at the bugs remains before that lusty feral look took over and he was stalking towards his new prey.

The commotion from the bugs bothering Epona had ruined the mood for Sheik but the way Link was walking towards him caused a shiver to run down his spin and his member to twitch in excitement. Moments after Sheik realized her was getting excited by being stalked the hero was crushing his lips to his own pressing their bodies together. Sheik returned the kiss with a little less fervor than before, painfully aware of how exposed they were.

"Link…" he gasped when the hero relinquished his mouth to lick and kiss his exposed throat. Link grunted in response not really caring that he was trying to seduce the shadow warrior out in the open. Sheik pushed him away slightly and Link stopped suddenly worried that he was pushing him too far.

"I'm sorry, if you're not ready…" he trailed off breaking eye contact. Sheik couldn't help but feel warmed by his concern.

"It's not that, it's just, we could get attacked out here," he responded cupping the hero's face in his hand. Link's eye glistened with happiness before the two quickly gathered their clothing and mounted Epona in search of a more secluded spot.

They decided on Impa's old house, which was now Sheik's even though he rarely ever stayed there. It almost seemed like Link didn't even wait for the front door to close before he was attacking Sheik with his mouth. Sheik was getting impatient with the amount of space between them and sought to remedy this by wrapping his legs around Link's waist, pressing their erections tightly together. Link groaned at the contact and pushed Sheik into the wall almost pressing too hard.

When the hero broke the kiss to bite at Sheik's neck, said young man gasped for the bed. He can never really remember how they got to the bed, but one moment they were clothes and grinding against the wall. The next Sheik was lying naked on the bed, watching as the man of his affections quickly stripped before him. As soon as they were both naked, Link's large erection twitching at the sight of his exposed lover, his previous boldness seemed to ebb away.

"Sheik, are you sure?" He asked sounding ever to much like the child he was before seven years of his life was taken from him.

"Link, I've never been more sure of anything in my life," he said reaching for the hero. He didn't need to be told twice, their heated skin was soon pressed together creating a glorious friction that had Sheik squirming in anticipation. Link used on calloused hand to grasp his painfully throbbing cock while the other gripped almost painfully at his hair. Sheik gasped when Link gave a small experimental tug, grinning at the reaction he got out of the man beneath him. It felt glorious to have someone else touching him, but it wasn't enough.

"Link, I want you…inside me now." Link shivered at the desire filled demand and quickly positioned himself to grant his request. Sheik held his breath in anticipation, knowing it would hurt but not caring as much as he thought he would. With barely held restrain Link slowly sheathed himself in the impossibly tight young man, biting his lower lip at the pleasure shooting up and down his spin. It hurt, Sheik could admit that, but right before he thought he couldn't take it anymore, Link hit something deep inside him that caused hi back to arch.

"Again," he gasped. Link pulled out slightly before pushing back in quickly eliciting a long moan of pleasure. He repeated the move again and again until Sheik was seeing stars.

"Goddess Sheik, you feel so good," Link gasped into his lovers neck before biting him. Sheik could only groan in response, the pleasure clouding his mind past the point of coherent thoughts. He could only feel Link large member striking that spot over and over again, then feel the way Link's own calloused hand felt around his dripping member.

"L-Link, I-I'm…" he couldn't even finish his sentence. Link seemed to know what he was trying to say nodded his response. Something was building inside him, he thought he knew what it felt like to cum, but this was totally different. His breathing got faster, moaning gasps getting louder as he reached the edge. Link's breathing started to match his own as his thrusts got faster and harder. With a strangled shout of the hero's' name he toppled over the edge barely aware of the man on top of him shouting his own name as he reached his blissful end. They were both covered in sweat and cum but neither cared. Link pulled back slightly and gazed into the tired red eyes before smiling.

"I love you." Sheik's breath hitched at the confession, partly because he couldn't believe that Link felt that way even after they had made love. Sheik responded with a desperate kiss, praying to the Three that this wasn't a dream, that the man he loved really was lying on top of him telling him he loved him.

"I love you too, Link." With a lazy smile Link slid out and off of Sheik, rolling onto his back pulling the younger man close to his side. Sheik drifted off into a peaceful sleep. He was awoken a few hours later by a dreaming Link. Sheik didn't know what the hero was dreaming about but it wasn't pleasant. He was mumbling 'no' over and over again his head thrashing from side to side.

"Link, wake up," Sheik pleaded shaking the hero. With a strangled yell Link sat up eyes jolting open. He was shaking slightly and looked around quickly before spotting Sheik. Before the shadow warrior could say anything Link had hi a tight embrace mumbling something about fire and the dark.

"I'm here, it's okay," Sheik whispered holding the hero just as tightly, trying to scare away the demons. After a few minutes Link had calmed down and pulled away slightly. He noticed the red marks he mad on Sheiks ribs and immediately felt guilty.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," he said lightly rubbing the red marks.

"You didn't hurt me, I can' hurt when I'm in your arms." The two shared a tender kiss before curling around each other to go back to sleep. The rest of the summer went by as usual, Link being called on to defend someone or something. Sheik would occasionally go along, depending on how long it would take.

However, no matter where Link went, he always returned to the man he loved. Sheik realized that his nights were no longer lonely, even when he slept alone. He could have never believed that anything would make him so happy, but Link had always been the one to prove him wrong.

AN: Alright, tell me what ya think!