Hey all. I've been a long, longtime fan of Zelda, but this is my first fic for that world. It's not as well-written and clean cut as I would have hoped, but feel free to leave constructive criticism and enjoy :)

She liked to watch him sleep.

It was a hobby that had crept up on her unexpectedly; she hadn't set out to be a stalker or anything. But it was something that she enjoyed.

As twilight fell, a different side of him came to light. A sort of darkness without malice came over his eyes, and yet it seemed to make them radiant too. But the first night, she'd only caught a glimpse of these golden blue eyes before he quickly collapsed into silent slumber, exhausted by his first day playing hero. She smirked to herself. Some hero of destiny.

For a human, she had to admit he was quite good looking. Golden. That's how you'd describe him. Blonde hair, fair skin, a handsome jaw line and nose. While he slept, he looked so serene, while his lean muscles were relaxed and unprepared for battle. This... boy who held the fate of the world in his hands... so capable and strong, and yet so fragile as well... Sleeping in his human form, he was vulnerable; monsters would catch his foreign scent easily, while the moonlight caused his fair complexion and metallic weapons to shine. He didn't realise, but while he slept, defenceless as a babe, she came out from his shadow and stood guard. She couldn't afford for the answer to all their prayers to fall prey to a mere Stalhound.

Usually, her own aura she emitted in solid form was enough to repel them; she was foreign, yes, but also with the scent of danger and unknown. It would take a brave fiend to attack her. So with the lack of any immediate danger, what else was there to do but observe the hero? And well, he was nice to look at. The whole night was hers to gaze at him, falling asleep in the hour or two between sunrise and his awakening. Soon enough, nightfall was her favourite time of day. It gave her a chance to drink in his beauty without disturbance, and there was a sort of calm that came over the two of them while they rested; the ordeals of that day and the days to come lay forgotten for a few brief hours.

After a while, however, he began to take responsibility. He didn't like the idea of lying asleep so long, leaving her to stay awake all night. It wasn't fair. That was the reason he gave her anyway; she could see the wary fear in his eyes. Fighting fearsome monsters was nothing for the fearless boy, but to be ambushed before he could even draw his sword... It seemed that he didn't trust her with being able to defend them if the situation arose. She resented that somewhat. Deep down, he was well-meaning though. Their conflict was borne of his selflessness and desire to protect them both.

Of course, his chivalry didn't suit her at all. It was completely interfering with her favourite pastime. And besides, she didn't care if he was destined to save the world, he was useless if he was sleep-deprived. His idea of keeping watch every second night was utterly ridiculous. Already, she could see the weariness in his eyes. He was too adamant to leave things as they were, but also too weak-willed to assert his opinion fully. Her own stubbornness was more than he could handle. Eventually, they came to a compromise; they'd take shifts each night. She saw that it was a stupid idea, but she humoured him.

The first night, she offered the first shift. And exactly as she predicted, his exhaustion kept him from waking until morning, just the way she liked it. This would work out fine. She could stare at him in peace.

Except that she didn't account for his embarrassment come morning, once he realised his failure to keep his duty. From then on, he offered to take the first shift. No matter what she said, he wouldn't listen. So she let him do what he wanted. She'd be semi-awake while he stood watch though. Through half closed eyes, she could see that her quiet chatter helped him relax and occasionally laugh. He looked nice when he smiled. She preferred staying awake to keep him company rather than his becoming paranoid at the sounds of the night. She convinced him to take only a two hour shift, explaining that she could take a nap while he was running around Hyrule. He was foolish and trusting; as if she could catch any shut eye with his jolty stride and constant need for advice. Weariness was taking a toll on her, but it was the price she was willing to pay in order to bask in his beauty. Gazing at him gave her a sense of sadness mingled with the pleasure though; it reminded her of what she once possessed.

Eventually they came to a better solution. Once they'd acquired the Master Sword, he'd decided himself that he'd sleep as a wolf. She was impressed; he had become much wiser than when he started as just an Ordon farm boy. His animal scent was less noticeable and he could find more comfortable and sheltered places to rest as a wolf. He was less vulnerable, with his keen senses still alert while he slept, and she noticed that he seemed less sensitive to the cold wind when he was covered in fur. There was no need to take shifts now. Yes, this plan suited her fine. Even as a wolf, he was beautiful. He was a handsome beast, with a thick soft pelt that glowed in the moonlight.

Resting her head against his sleek, muscular frame, she sighed and buried her face in his glorious fur. It was strange, but she kinda liked him better this way. Well, while he slept anyway. As a wolf, she had a better excuse to stroke his face, something she had been longing to do for a long time. She trailed her fingers through his fur, tracing his jaw and the gleaming marks on his forehead. It was so wonderful... she would spend many a night watching and caressing his furry shoulders before falling asleep with her arms wrapped around his fuzzy neck...

Unbeknownst to her, he would also spend many a night watching her fall asleep through one striking blue eye before curling his tail over her cold, pale body and falling asleep himself.