One shot. I don't own Legend of Zelda. Enjoy and review!

Link actually was pretty dense not to know it from the start. Behind his shy, easy smile, the truth was- well, he actually didn't like people all that much. They were loud, and rude, and arrogant. Usually.

One thing he hated about people in general- since he doesn't talk- like ever- he must be stupid. At least that was what people assumed. They would make remarks about him, right in front of him, as if he didn't have two ears. How could you miss a Hylian's ears? They were long and thin, in plain sight. Especially the males. So, there was really no excuse for their behavior toward him and his quiet nature.

'I just should've known.'

How else could he explain it to himself? Maybe he was actually stupid. At least sometimes.

Because Zelda was really the only person he had ever liked. He had loved lots of people. His mother, for example. He had never even known her, but Saria had told him that he had cried for his mother every day and night as a small child. So he must've loved her for the brief time he cried for his dead mother.

Now, as an adult, he felt no attachment. It wasn't that he couldn't love her, if he wanted to, he just chooses not to. She died, there was no use missing her. Link had things he had to do- like, oh, saving the world. Or just Hyrule and Zelda. And sometimes, other annoying princesses. *RutocoughRUTO.*

Which brought him to this point- he needed to be less trusting, or he needed to learn to like other people. The latter choice made his nose crinkle in distaste. How could he make himself like other people? Other people didn't just suit him. They made him angry. Or just annoyed. Or maybe bored.

Saria had explained it once- that it wasn't him who objected to other people- it was the object on his left hand. The Triforce. It longed to be joined with the other two pieces of itself, to be made whole again.

Though Link would never admit it to anyone, he liked Ganondorf. Of course, it wouldn't bother him to see Ganon dead- for good. And it hadn't stopped him from killing the King of Evil over and over… but the fact held true. Link liked Ganon. He liked the resolve Ganon had, the determination. He admired his strength and persistence. The admiration mixed in with the hatred made a strange combination.

But, as Saria pointed out, that might've just been the Triforce talking. Ganon and Link were too powerful to both be alive at the same time. But Zelda- that was another matter altogether for him.

Zelda was the only person who made Link feel like she understood every single thing he did. She was smart that way. She knew what he needed before he even knew it himself. As children, she had dragged him everywhere with her, exploring every inch of Castle Town. She knew he liked the outdoors, so she never went inside. She knew he missed his mother, so she didn't discuss hers with him. She also knew he longed for the love a parent gives a child, so she would often touch him in little ways- sweeping his hair out of his eyes, patting his shoulder, kissing his temple gently. These things made him love her.

There was something else about Zelda, though. She had a strange presence to her. Link didn't know how to explain it. Every time she was anywhere close to him, he knew it. His body was always mindful of Zelda, even if his mind wasn't. He had never been attracted to any of the girls constantly throwing themselves at him, but Zelda was different. He wanted to touch her. It was like he was in pain, but didn't know it. And when Zelda touched him, ever slightly, it took that pain away. Even if for a second.

It was strange, longing for her like that. It made him feel guilty, like he was being possessive. That was part of it, honestly. The thought of anyone touching Zelda made him see red. She was so delicate; he didn't trust anyone to take care of her but himself. It was the possessiveness, along with the attraction to every single part of her, which made him feel as if she were a magnet- impossible to resist.

So, when he met Tetra, he should've known she was Zelda, even if she didn't know it herself. Tetra wasn't exactly like the Zelda he knew from his childhood, it was like someone had drawn out certain characteristics from Zelda and made a person from them. Link should've known when he felt that familiar feeling of deranged need to protect- he needed to protect her. Or he would die painfully.

Tetra had all the rougher things of Zelda's personality. Her honesty, her compassion, her cunning and wit. Link had immediately liked her, even if she did boss him around a bit more then he would've liked her to. She was brave and daring, arrogant- yes, but still, she was perfect. Just the way he remembered.

Sheik was the same. Saving him again and again, she was just as Link remembered. "Link, get away from there! Those Zoras might not be nice!" "Link, don't go so high up that tree! You might fall!" In a different way, Sheik was just The Zelda from his childhood, guiding him from danger when he got too reckless. Or when he wandered too far up the apple tree, finally clutching the red treat, tossing it to her outstretched hand, smiling when she bit into it, still mumbling for him to come down right this second…

So, all in all, Link should've known.

For now, he would just wait for Zelda to come back to him. She always did. In the meantime, he would just have to analyze every person carefully… feeling a pang of disappointment as they proved themselves annoying, or rude, or just not Zelda. He was constantly looking for her in every girl he met.

But he would wait.

I know this story has some, ahem; timeline faults, but ignore them and enjoy the story. I am well aware that Tetra and Sheik are not in the same game, or even the same people. (Most likely.) Curse you Miyamoto for not telling us the timeline! But thanks for amazing characters. Enjoy and review!