Holy crap, the return of the suicidal redhead.

Most of you will remember my old fanfic Gentle Rain. While most people enjoyed it, I was personally disappointed after realizing how much better I could have done.

So I posted the first chapter of a remake. But I deleted it. I don't remember why...

So now It's back for you to enjoy. It's my first real stab at serious 3rd person writing since the original version, so it may be a tad bit slow at first. Just be patient.

Also, this story WILL contain lime... and possibly... lemon... probably not but...

Gentle Rain
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~




"Look, I was different back then."
Sure, Felix looked good, and he had been trying to get with her for years, but it wasn't the same for Malon anymore. She walked away, leaving him alone in the middle of the ranch.
She stepped through the door of the corral, taking time to stroke the gentle manes of the horses as she walked. She traveled over to the chicken coop, and walked upstairs and plopped down on the bed. She sighed and looked up at the roof, wondering what she was still doing alive.
Malon had always led a happy life.
But not anymore. Nothing was the same anymore.
As a little girl, Malon didn't really need any close knitted friends. She was the cute ranch girl that everyone loved, that everyone wanted to be near, just to brighten their day a little.
What a prick.
The truth was that as an adult, she was terribly lonely.
She had always had friends. Especially Princess Zelda. Zelda was exactly like her, a tomboy who just wanted fun. When they were younger, the two girls would meet every once in a while at the castle, while Talon delivered his milk, and play together in the garden. They would run around until they got tired, and then rest under the big tree in the southern yard. A cherry blossom, Zelda called it. The tree had big, pink leaves, which in the springtime would bloom into pink flowers, filling the entire castle with its scent. Malon loved that tree; it was so mysterious.
The girls would sit and talk, to tired to do anything else. Zelda talked about her boring life, lonely, running around the castle with no one to play with, while Malon talked about her perfect one.
The two sort of . . . switched positions as they got older.
Then there was Felix, a random guy who she had met at market. They fell in love, but soon Malon lost her cheery nature, and Felix wouldn't quit hounding her for attention, finally admitting his feelings to her.
But there was that one person who meant more than anything to her.
Fairy Boy.
But he was gone now.
Why think about someone who was gone?
But Malon couldn't stop thinking about him . . . so there was no reason to ask why.
Fairy Boy was just some kid she'd met on the street one day. He was apparently some sort of traveler, searching for a way to get into the castle, even though it was virtually impossible. But, Malon helped him, anyways, simply because she was a nice person.
One day, Fairy Boy's travels brought him to the ranch. Malon hadn't seen Zelda in a while, so decided to play with him.
The two hit it off great.
But, when she was about 14, he disappeared without warning. He left her forever to slave away in loneliness.
Life was all so complicated after that.
Now she lived in this world.
Winter was coming, and that meant the fever would be spread around. It would be unavoidable to walk into town without hearing about how many children had died that day. It was really sad, when you think about it. Although a lot of these kids would grow up to be miserable like Malon, a few actually had a chance in life.
Malon wished the fever had killed her when she had gotten it.
Maybe she would get lucky and catch it again.
But then again . . . why wait for the fever? Why not just bleed herself and get it over with?
It would be the end of her troubles, and if it caused troubles for anybody else . . . well; she wouldn't have to worry about it.
Malon's melochany thoughts were interrupted suddenly by her father.
"Malon, I need you to go to the market. Were out of feed again."
That was why she couldn't bleed herself. Her daddy.
She got up and put her hat on, preparing to go out and face the town, to face all the lonely people.

~
~Gentle Rain~
~




"Welcome home, my friend."
"Up yours, Eseau!"
Link laughed merrily as he caught the cigarette that his friend threw to him. He struck a match across the grain of the table and lit it. The two young men sat in the dimly lit solder's cabin, with their feet propped up on the small wooden table. They laughed and drank and enjoyed themselves at the return of Link to his home country.
"So," Eseau asked, "When are you going to talk to Zelda?"
"I was hoping tonight."
Eseau laughed at the comment, and Link punched him hard on the shoulder. They laughed and laughed and laughed harder throughout the night until the early hours of the morning, when they finally retired.





Malon woke the next morning feeling slightly less melancholy. She got out of bed and walked over to a large mirror, taking a small comb and pulling it through her long, red hair. She examined herself for a moment, breathing in the brisk morning air in the dim sunlight. Then she walked back towards her bed and picked up her clothes where she had left them the night before.




Link left his hung over friend where he lay, on the floor and snoring, and departed toward the main part of the castle. He walked through the outer courtyard in the morning sun, his boots dampened by the dew and his long, pointed ears filled with the soft chirping of the birds, as he walked towards the wall towards Zelda's window.



Zelda lay in her bed, stomach down, with one arm stretched out towards the headboard, and the other gently tucked at her side. Her legs were bent at the knees, with only the toes of her left foot sticking out from under the sheets. Her hair was tied back into a long blonde ponytail with a white ribbon, the illuminated in the sun, along with the sheets, draperies, and wallpaper of the room. She stirred and gave a short sigh when suddenly; Link pulled himself up over her windowpane.
She snapped up suddenly and stared at him for a few seconds, wide eyed and open mouthed. He smiled at her and slowly walked up to her bed and put his hand on hers.
"Oh my God," she whispered as she pulled him into a tight embrace and buried her face into his chest, breathing in his soft cologne.






Felix sat in his home, confused and saddened over the events that had happened the previous day. Never, in his entire life, had he felt so rejected. What had happened? He and Malon had used to be so close... but the cheery girl he fell in love with was completely gone. He couldn't stand it. He leaned forward in his chair and shifted his fingers through his dark bangs, before he beat his fist down on the table and burst into tears.





Eseau finally woke up, lying on the floor and unsure of how he got there. He couldn't really remember much from last night... make that anything from last night. Or... he remembered laughing... and Link... was Link there last night? He ground and sat up scratching his head, which hurt like hell, and wondering what was going on...




Malon hoisted up the large bag chicken feed with a grunt and somehow managed to throw it into the corner. She tossed the hair away from her face with her hand and sat down on a stool by the cows. She could hear the rain pelting down onto the roof of the shed above her. In only a few short minutes, the weather had turned for the worse. She sighed and leaned forwards, putting her elbows on her knees and her chin on her hands. After a few minutes, she got up and walked towards the door, ready to run back to the main house. She took a step out side and stopped. She looked at Link, who stood in front of her, soaked down to the bone. He smiled at her.
She gaped at him, covering her mouth with her hand. Her shirt stuck to her back, and her hair closed tightly around her head, straggling down her shoulders and dripping off the ends as the rain beat down on them. After nearly two years, she saw in front of her the Fairy Boy of her past.
"It's been a while, hasn't it?" He asked.
Malon didn't respond. She didn't even know what to think. Slowly she walked towards him and stopped a few feet in front of him.
"I this real?" she finally asked.
"As real as you want it to be."
Malon sniffled loudly as a few tears mingled with the rainwater that trickled down her face. She ran up to him and threw her arms around his shoulders, and started sobbing with joy.
"Let's go somewhere dry," Link said.
Malon let go and nodded. She shivered and gripped her elbows as they walked together towards the house. Link slowly slid his arm around her waist.
"I'm sorry I never said goodbye to you before I left," he said.
"That's okay. As long as your here now."
They walked Link opened the door for her, and led her in, and they stepped over the chickens and climbed the stairs.
"Where's your dad?" Link asked, tossing a blanket over to Malon, who wrapped it around her shoulders.
"He's probably in the stables."
She sat down on the bed and looked up at him, still wiping tears from her eyes.
"I haven't seen you in over two years," she said.
"I know, I haven't seen you either."
Malon didn't look amused.
"I'm sorry," Link said as he sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulder. "I didn't mean to." He sighed.
"What happened?" Malon asked.
"Not important. All you should know is that I'm here now."
Malon smiled and laid her head on his shoulder calmly.

++++++++++
+Gentle Rain+
++++++++++



"How should we tell him?"
"Do we have to tell him at all?"
"Of course we do. He'll just find out anyway..."
"He really loves you..."
Zelda and Eseau lay in bed together, gently clasping each other. Zelda sighed and stirred a little. It was a dark, early winter night, cold and moonless, providing almost an omen that there would be many nights like these to come.
"It's not our fault," Eseau said finally. "We thought he was dead..."
"Don't worry. We'll get through it somehow."
"I hope so..."
Zelda gently pulled herself away from her partner, and rolled over on top of him. She stared into his eyes for a moment or two then brought her lips down to his...





"It's pretty challenging..."
"I'll try it anyways..."
"Alright. Get on the horse and get ready."
Malon watched as Link galloped around the corral, jumping over the numerous fences. With superb control, he quickly leaped each one, while conserving the horse's energy. As he neared a particularly tall fence, he started to stall a bit, then, with a sudden burst of speed, leaped over it perfectly.
Malon was impressed. At this point, he might just beat her record. He and Epona were a perfect team. This was strange, as Epona was such a wild horse, that it seemed almost impossible to tame her. It was clear that Link had skill on horseback to rival her own.
"Augg!"
Maybe not.
Malon walked over to Link and squatted down, gently nudging his shoulder. Link didn't respond. He was laying stomach down, with his arm bent in strange fashions... Malon nudged him again a bit harder, and he finally rolled over and opened his eyes.
"There's something different about you..."
Malon jumped back a bit in surprise... Link was catching on to her that quickly? Was it really that obvious that her life was completely miserable?
She looked at him for a moment before getting up and walking away.
"I think you should leave now," she said as she glanced behind her.
Link sat up looking stupefied.






Malon leaned out the window and held her arm out to the tree. All she had to do was reach just a little... bit... and it would be ready.
She couldn't believe the way she had acted in front of Link. Why should she pretend everything was all right? It wasn't. He disappears for two years, then comes back and expects to make perfect amends? He didn't even tell he where he went for God's sake! Malon gritted her teeth in anger as she... reached... there! She hung the rope. Now she just needed to tie the knot around the branch... there. She leaned back into the window and took a deep breath. She sat down on the bed, untied her bandana and took off her boots, then looped the other end of the rope around her neck.
She opened the window, and sat down on the windowpane. Then, she took a deep breath, then pushed herself off.
Malon gave a short scream as she fell, but she was cut short as the rope tightened.
Her eyes bugged out as she grabbed for her neck. She tugged at it, trying desperately to loosen it, immediately regretting what she did. A short groan escaped from her throat as her eyes winced in pain from the rope cutting into her. She kicked her legs around as tears dripped down her eyes... she couldn't breathe, and she could feel her head seeming to compress...
She desperately gasped for air... but to no avail... she didn't make a sound... she couldn't... her eyes slowly closed as she felt an odd chill pass over her... Her legs went limp, her grip on the rope around her neck weakened... and shoulders relaxed and slouched over...
But suddenly, she heard a loud snapping sound, and she could breath again, but she could feel herself falling... She gasped for air, and screamed as she smacked against the ground with a sickening crack.
She groaned in pain and tried to move her arm... she could, but it hurt, and she could only budge it a little bit. She looked to her right, and saw the tree branch she had been hanging from... She look up at the tree and realized that the branch had snapped under her weight...
Damnit! She was still alive, and now she had this on her record. What would her daddy think if he found out? But he wouldn't, she would simply keep to herself for a while and lick her wounds.
Malon slowly tried to pick herself up, and limped over to the door, leaning against the wall for support.





"Link, we've got a problem!"
Eseau, along with another guard, stood in Link's doorway.
"There's been a dead body found in the river."
Link leaned back in his chair, with his feet propped up on table, as usual. It was like his own little position, almost like a meditative state. He stared up at the ceiling.
"Any idea who it is?" he asked dully...
"Not... really," Eseau replied. "The lady that found him says that he lives in town, but she didn't know his name."
"What part of the river is he in?"
"Just outside the castle moat. The filter caught him."
"We've gotten him out, right?"
"I think so."
The third man finally said something.
"I heard that it's a real young guy. They say that he's got internal bleeding, you know, blood coming out of his mouth and nose... but there's not a wound anywhere on him."
"I guess it's worth a look."
Link got out of his chair and walked out the door, followed by Eseau and the guard.
"It sounds like he's been poisoned."
The guard ran up beside Link.
"Poisoned? As in somebody poisoned him?"
"Your fascinated by this, aren't you?" Link asked dully. The guard stopped in his tracks.
"Who is this guy anyways?"
Eseau shrugged.
"Dunno. He just started following me."
Another guard opened the castle gates for them, only giving a slight nod of acknowledgement. They continued up the trail, until finally crossing the drawbridge into Hyrule Castle.
The main entrance of the Castle was a long hallway, with large red draperies hanging from the stone walls. Guards stood everywhere, along with the occasional statue, as the hall continued into the shadows.
Link however, took a turn to the side and forcefully opened a heavy metal door, which squeaked loudly.
They were now in a dark room with a solitary table in the middle, and on it lay a young man, with short dark, hair, neatly framing his face. He wore normal peasant clothes, which were soaked and bloody. A single Zora holding a small bag stood hunched over him.
"What we've got here is a suicide," the Zora said, in a tone that might have sounded grim if it weren't for his thick Zora accent.
"We've identified him. His name is Felix. We spoke to some of his family and friends. They all said that he seemed happy enough. But there was one guy who mentioned his involvement with a woman named Malon."
Link raised an eyebrow in shock.
"I know this woman personally," Link said. "Should I question her?"
"No," the Zora said. "Since it was a suicide, there's no kind of investigation."
"Oh... alright then..."
There were a few moments of silence.
"Then if I'm not needed, I'm going home."
"Very well then."
Link looked around him and realized that both Eseau and the guard were gone. So, he started off for his home in the back alleys alone, carefully pondering what had happened that day.

/Gentle Rain/



Talon scratched his head in confusion as he looked at the tree. Why would the branch just fall off like that? It seemed as though something had snapped it.
He sighed as he picked up the broken branch and hauled it away.
As he walked back towards the chicken coop, he noticed someone standing at the ranch entrance... it was a man, dressed in all green... what odd clothing.
"'Scuse me, sir," he said, "Is there something you need help with?"
"No," the man replied, "I can help myself."
Talon frowned on that.
"Now, I don't mean to be rude, but this here is my ranch, and I don't want you snoopin' around without me knowin' why!"
The man threw up his hands in submission.
"Don't worry," he said, "I come here all the time. I'm friends with you're daughter and I help take care of her horse!"
"You mean Epona?"
"Yes. Malon let me keep her as long as I take care of her."
Talon looked carefully at him, and took his story and his garments into consideration.
"Your that Forest Kid, ain't you?"
"That I am," he said, in a 'you got it' kind of tone.
"Well, I'll be darned! I haven't seen you in a good few years!"
"Well, I'm here now."
Talon gave Link a hearty slap on the back, and a big grin.
"I suppose you're here to see Malon," he said. "She's sick in bed, has been for a few days. But she's up in her room if you want to talk to her. Be sure to drop on by sometime, maybe I can fix you up with that job I promised you back when you were a kid."
"Well... I'll consider it."

Link opened up the door to the chicken coop, and climbed up the stairs. Was this Malon's room? He wasn't exactly sure, but he knocked on the door and called her name.
"Go away!" she yelled from inside.
Link pressed his ear up against the door... was she crying? He couldn't tell...
"Malon, what's wrong with you! First what happened the other day, then this!"
"Then take a hint and leave!"
He tried to open it... but it was locked...
"Malon, please!" I just wanna talk!"
Link heard soft footsteps... didn't he? He couldn't really tell, the door was so thick...
The door suddenly swung open, and Link fell in surprise. He quickly snapped back up, and looked down at Malon... her face was dry, so she probably hadn't been crying. She was wearing a white nightgown that dropped down a bit below her knee's... she was barefoot... that's why her footsteps were so quiet.
"What do you want?" she asked quietly.
Link looked intently at her face... for the first time realizing how short she was...
"I just wanna talk..."
Malon sighed and opened the door wider, inviting him in.
"I'm sorry," she said solemnly.
She went and sat down on the foot of her bed, while Link pulled up a chair and plopped down lazily.
"Listen," he said, "something's happened and I... what's that?"
He got up and walked over to Malon, grabbing her chin sharply and lifting her head. Malon realized that he had noticed the scar, and she grabbed his wrist and forced his hand away as she leapt up from the bed.
"It's nothing," she declared angrily.
"That doesn't look like nothing!" Link yelled, yanking his hand out of her grasp. "That looks like a serious cut!"
Malon began to feel the familiar inevitable sadness. When she had woken up that morning, she had limped over to the mirror and realized that the rope had left a shallow scar across the front of her neck.
She knew she was about to cry. She tried to resist it, but she couldn't.
Link gently grasped her shoulders, realizing that he had been a little rash.
"What's wrong? Please tell me..."
Malon looked up at him with shaky eyes, then burst in to tears and threw her arms around him and buried her face into his chest.
"I tried to kill myself yesterday!!" she screamed.
Link felt a lump rising in his chest and lightly pulled away from her as she sobbed loudly.
"Shhhh!" he whispered. "You don't want your dad to hear you! Does he know about this?"
"No," Malon sobbed, "I did it last night, and he hasn't seen me since then. I told him I was sick."
Link pulled her up to him and tightly hugged her for a minute.
"Come sit down," he said, as he eased her down onto the bed. She sniffled as she wiped the tears away from her face.
"Shhhh..." Link said soothingly. "That's a good girl. Don't cry."
Malon let out a short cough before lightly nodding.
"Why would you try to kill yourself?"
"I don't know. I'm just..." She shrugged her shoulders and trailed off.
"Just what?"
"Sad..."
"Why?"
Malon closed her eyes and shook her head as she twiddled her thumbs. Link placed a hand on her thigh, not really realizing what he was doing. Malon gave him an odd look, but she didn't really object...
"Listen, everything will be alright ok?"
"Um..." Malon stated... she could feel her spine beginning to tingle.
"What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" He started rubbing...
"Please don't touch my leg like that..." Malon piped in a high-pitched voice.
"Crap!" Link yelled, snapping his arm up in surprise. Malon burst out laughing. Link ran his hand through his bangs in embarrassment.
"That's funny," Malon said cheerily.
Link looked into her eyes, and the smile cleared her face.
"That's the Malon I remember," he said.
Malon sighed, and looked down at the floor.
"You bring it out in me."
She smiled.
Link grabbed her right hand and she looked back up at him.
"Listen," Link said, "I'm going to go now, but I'll be back later. Can I trust you not to die till then?"
"Yes."
"Alright then. Listen, over the next few weeks, we'll be seeing a lot of each other. Whether you want to pour all your emotions out to me, or whether you keep it all bottled in, I want to help you out, ok?"
Malon looked at him in bewilderment...
"Uh... Ok."
"Alright then."





Later that night, Malon wrapped her bandana around her neck, put her boots on, and walked outside, where her father noticed her immediately.
"You're out of bed," Talon said.
"Yeah, I feel a lot better."
"You look a lot better."
"I guess I just needed some rest," Malon said.
She walked over to the horse corral to lead the horses into the stables. She softly sang as she walked:


"When you left, I lost a part of me,
Is that so hard to believe?
Come back to me, please,
For We Belong Together."

***gentlerain***

Link quickly ducked behind an unknowing guard.
It was another dark, cold night....
He was infiltrating the castle....
He was going to tell her....
Tonight....
Was the night....
He was going to tell Zelda that he loved her....



Meanwhile, Malon lay in her bed, cold, but still feeling unusually peaceful.
She was thinking warmly about Link... The last time she had seen him before his unusual disappearance.
Malon was 15, she was thin, and surprisingly somewhat tall for her age (of course, she apparently stopped growing since then, as she was now strangely short). It was summer, and while the daytimes were unbelievably hot, as soon as the sun set, nights were cool and refreshing. It was at this time, that Link himself had lived at the Lon Lon Ranch. He had outgrown his home in the Kokiri Forest, and while searching for a new house, he slept in the hay alongside the chickens. Link and Malon saw each other every day.
While neither of them really realized it, they were both madly in love with each other. They were at ease together, they were happy together, and they were passionate together.

One particular night, they had the ranch all to themselves... Talon and Ingo were gone on business.
Link wiped a bit of sweat from his brow as he set down a large bag of cuckoo feed.
"I think I'm going to have to go to bed soon," he said tiredly.
"Aw, so you're just going to leave me alone the rest of the night?"
"I'll just be in the cuckoo shed."
"I know, but still..."
Link and Malon both stepped into the shed, and Link plopped down into his corner.
"I guess I'll see you in the morning," Malon said. Link sighed a little.
"Nah... I guess we can sit here and talk for a little bit."
"About what?"
Link laughed. "I don't know."
Malon sat down next to him for a second, then let her head fall onto his shoulder as he slid an arm under her. She heard him inhale deeply.
"Did you just smell my hair?" she asked.
"No, I didn't."
"You know, before she died, my mom told me that a guy who smells your hair then pretends not to is a sweet guy."
"I didn't smell your hair!"
"Whatever you say..."
Link grabbed her hand.
"Why do you never take off your gloves?" she asked.
"I don't know, I just like my gloves."
"Don't you ever at least think of taking them off?"
"Not really."
After that, their dialogue trailed off, and they fell asleep together on the hay.

Malon realized something in bed that night: In her childhood, she never really did have any friends... just Zelda... and once she became too old to play anymore... there was Link.
So she asked herself something. If she had never met Link, would her childhood be so miserable? And now that he came back, would she be happy again?

But what puzzled her most off all...

What happened that night in the chicken shack... what did that mean to their relationship? Ever since Link had gotten back, he had hugged her, and held her shoulders, and things like that, which he had never done before.

Malon fell asleep pondering such matters.