Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda or any of its characters.
Title: Polarity
Summary: The Hero of Time and the Hero of Twilight were both more alike and different than they first thought.
Rating: K+
Warnings: Potentially disturbing imagery
Author's Notes: I couldn't resist writing about the relationship between Ocarina of Time!Link and Twilight Princess!Link. After all, they have such an interesting dynamic, with many parallels and similarities and I thought, why not make it even more interesting by having TP!Link meet the Young!Link? Of course, I'm too lazy to explain how that happened (let's just say magic and time travel).

In case of any confusion, the first voice is the OoT!Link while the second voice is TP!Link. Likewise depending on the perspective, TP!Link will be referred to as "the older boy" and OoT!Link will be referred to as "the younger boy". I also decided to try a different writing style in a drabble-like format. Hope you enjoy!

Impressions

He was just a child, he thought, staring at the older boy before him. The Hero of Twilight was not much older when he had been aged into an "adult". It seemed unfairly cruel that fate would choose him and his descendants to be so young and already have the weight of the world upon them.

He was just a child, he thought, staring at the younger boy before him. The Hero of Time had not reach the age to be his mentor, the Hero's Shade, not yet at least. It seemed cruelly unfair for the goddesses to choose such a young boy not much older than Colin to carry the fate of the world.

~.~.~

Helpless

" Watch out!" He barely had time to duck to avoid the blow that might have taken off his head before the older boy leaped forward and dealt the finishing blow. He inwardly cursed himself for dropping his guard and despite the older boy hurriedly asking if he was all right, he felt as if the older boy might judge him for being so careless.

" Watch out!" He barely had time to throw himself to the ground to avoid the jaws of a monster that might have snapped his neck in half before the younger boy jumped from behind and dealt the finishing blow. He inwardly cursed himself for missing that one enemy and despite the younger boy promptly asking if he was fine, he felt as if the younger boy would criticize him for making such a mistake.

~.~.~

Longing

He looked up at the moon (one without monstrous eyes and a large, snarling grimace) and he wondered if miles and miles away and perhaps in another world, she was looking at it too.

He looked up at the moon (one that was not eclipsed by the Twilight) and he wondered if miles and miles away and perhaps in another world, she was looking at it too.

~.~.~

Mistaken

" It's nice that you have an older brother to buy a gift for you," the shopkeeper said kindly, surprising him. He was about to explain that no, he and the older boy were not brothers (in fact, that was his descendant) but the words failed to come up as he watched the older boy intently examined the row of masks. He never had any siblings, even if he did have the other Kokiri children. He couldn't quite explain the instinctive smile that came to his face when the older boy pressed a Keaton mask into his hands, teasing him how cute he would look if he wore it and he wondered if this was what it was like to have an older brother.

" It's nice that you have a younger brother to keep you busy," the waitress said kindly, surprising him. He was about to explain that no, he and the younger boy were not brothers (in fact, that was his ancestor) but he swallowed the words as he watched the younger boy frown at the pile of vegetables waiting to be eaten. He never had any siblings, even if he did have the rest of the Ordon children. He couldn't quite explain his amusement when he caught the younger boy trying to sneak a few peas onto his plate and he wondered if this was what it was like to have a younger brother.

~.~.~

Praise

He had been taken back by the older boy's adoring words. For most of his life, he was hardly rewarded with any admiration, only criticism and disapproval. To think that the older boy whom he was already quite impressed with would give him such high commendation made him flustered.

He was surprised by the younger boy's easy compliment. While the Hero's Shade was quick to criticize his weaknesses and urged him to do better, the younger boy was not the Hero's Shade yet. Either way, the words of his future mentor made him flustered.

~.~.~

Nightmare

He woke up just before the ReDead's arms wrapped around his neck and its charred teeth began to inch towards his face, managing to stifle the scream that worked its way to his throat. He shivered, feeling the cold sweat against his skin. He turned over to see that the older boy was still asleep, his face basked in the fire light. He preferred it this way, not wanting to show weakness. After all, he was certain the older boy had seen far more grisly and nightmarish things on his journey.

He woke up just before the ghost rats sunk their teeth into his face and neck, digging deeper and deeper until all he could hear was the crunch of his own bones, managing to bite down on his tongue to stop the scream. He rubbed his eyes, his hands trembling in the dim light. He turned to the side to see that the younger boy was still asleep, curled up into a tight ball. He preferred it this way, not wanting to show fear. After all, he was certain the younger boy had seen far more frightening and terrible things on his journey.

~.~.~

Companionship

A part of him felt envious of the older boy who grew up in a village where family and friends would greet him warmly after a long day and hot meals would be prepared for him. For most days, he only had Epona for company and the loneliness struck him hardest during the nights. He wondered what it would be like to be surrounded by people waiting for him to come home.

A part of him felt envious of the younger boy for having time to be away from the busyness of people. While he appreciated the Ordon villagers, at times he felt too confined and overstimulated from the village children asking him to teach them this and the adults requesting him to do that. He wondered what it would be like to simply have time to be alone and collect his thoughts.

~.~.~

Skill

It amazed him how strong the older boy was, able to easily carry iron and steel with ease. The older boy had explained he was a goat herder before he had spent his days prior to becoming a hero, wrestling goats on a daily basis.

It amazed him how the younger boy moved like lightning, quick with deadly precision. The younger boy had explained that after he returned to his younger body, he had to rely on speed and accuracy to take his opponents down.

~.~.~

Touch

He became very still when the older boy unexpectedly hugged him, an action prompted by the narrow escape from death he had earlier. He could not remember the last time someone had held him like this. The warmth emitting from the older boy was oddly comforting and he found that he did not dislike it.

He had not expected the younger boy to freeze in his arms. He initiated the hug, naturally relieved that the younger boy was safe. Perhaps the younger boy was not fond of physical contact? He was about to pull away and apologize for his actions when the younger boy slowly, slowly returned the embrace.

~.~.~

Belonging

Ever since he travelled back in time to revert back to his younger self, it had been hard to find someone who he could talk to. He did not relate to the for children his age (was he a seventeen year old? Or a ten year old?) and the adults thought of him strange and nonsensical when he tried to explain things to them. The older boy understood and it was more than enough to fill the hole inside his chest.

Ever since he completed his mission to save his world from Twilight, it was difficult for him to speak to someone about what he went through. Rusl was willing to listen but he had not experienced the horrors that he had seen or done what he had done to survive. The younger boy understood and it was as if a heavy burden was lifted from his chest.

~.~.~

Peace

He had not realize how tired the older boy must have been, to fall asleep on his bed without taking off his boots. He covered the older boy with a blanket and took notice of how the fine lines across the older boy's brow had disappeared. The older boy had lost the normality of living a quiet life for the rest of his days and it ached his heart to know this was partially his fault.

He had not realize how exhausted the younger boy must have been, to fall asleep by the fire right after their meal. He covered the younger boy with a blanket and took notice how young the younger boy truly looked. The younger boy had lost his childhood of growing up in a worry-free world and it ached his heart to know the younger boy still had a long way to go before he could finally rest.

~.~.~

Future

He knew it was dangerous asking about it (he knew firsthand the complications of time travel) but he couldn't help but ask the older boy if he knew what happened to him, what became of him. The older boy said he didn't know but something made him feel the older boy wasn't being entirely truthful.

He knew it would be dangerous telling the younger boy what his mentor had told him before, how lonely and heavy the burden he carried as the Hero of Time. He averted his eyes and said he didn't know but he knew that the younger boy didn't believe his words entirely.

~.~.~

Women

With a devious tone, he couldn't resist teasing the older boy about his childhood friend, as well as his companion Midna, the princess of Hyrule and a hoard of fangirls. It must have been his big, strong muscles, he teased, causing the older boy to blush.

With a sly grin, he couldn't resist teasing the younger boy about his childhood friend, the princess of the Zoras, the Lon Lon Ranch girl and the princess of Hyrule. It must have been his sweet, innocent face, he teased, causing the younger boy to blush.

~.~.~

Fever

He placed another damp cloth on the older boy's forehead, replacing the one that had already been thrown off at the older boy's tossing and turning. He now regretted taking the path up the snowy hills, even if they managed to get to their destination faster. Right now however, all he could do was play the ocarina to soothe the incoherent mumbles of the older boy and wait for the fever to break.

He tipped the waterskin into the younger boy's mouth, coaxing him to drink and dampen his cracked lips. He now regretted suggesting for the two of them to continue their path despite the hail of rain that came upon them suddenly, even if they managed to reach shelter sooner. Right now however, all he could do was shift into the wolf, curl around the shivering boy and wait for the fever to break.

~.~.~

Irony

He was amazed by the finishing blow the older boy struck the dummy, at such precision and timing needed for such a blow. He immediately asked the older boy where he had learned it and if he could teach him too. The older boy flushed with embarrassment before explaining it had been his mentor who taught him.

He was surprised that the younger boy asked him to teach him how to do the finishing blow. After all, it had been the younger boy – at least, his future self – who taught him how to do so. He grinned, finding some amusement in the whole situation. The younger boy, not quite understanding why he was smiling, frowned suspiciously.

~.~.~

Transformation

He watched the older boy shift and morph into a wolf. He could not help but flinch at the sound of skin stretching and bones snapping, as the human vanished and a wolf remained. He remembered his own forceful transformation the first time and remembered how much it hurt to lose his body to means beyond his control. " Are you all right?" he childishly asked and the wolf could only turn his head in confusion at his words.

He watched the younger boy place a mask over his face and changed into a Deku Scrub. He could not help but shudder at the sound of the wood cracking and blending into flesh, as the boy screamed out before contorting into the Deku Scrub. He remembered his own forceful transformation the first time and remembered how much it hurt to lose his body to means beyond his control. " Are you all right?" he childishly asked and the Deku Scrub could only blink in confusion at his words.

~.~.~

Frightening

He saw how the older boy's eyes flashed in fury when someone had made an unsavoury comment about him and how children like him would get kidnapped by Moblins and for a moment, he was not looking at the older boy but at a wild and dangerous beast.

He saw how the younger' boy's eyes grew heavy with dark memories when they passed by a graveyard and an ominous well loomed nearby and for a moment, he was not looking at the younger boy but at a weary and burdened warrior.

~.~.~

Injury

He pulled his injured arm away from the older boy's touch, waving aside the older boy's question. While he could tell that the older boy had experience handling wounds for children, he was no child and did not needed to be coddled and mothered.

He could not help but feel confounded by the way the younger boy jerked away from him as if burned, casually brushing aside his concerns. While he knew the younger boy was hardy and strong-willed, he deserved someone to watch over him once in a while.

~.~.~

Bond

He did not know his family. Saria was the closest he had to a mother and the Deku Tree for a father and yet, to him, there was something missing. But looking at the older boy, knowing that he was his descendant, there was a warmth in his chest and he couldn't help but glance fondly at the older boy who was someone he could call family.

He did not remember his family. Rusl had told him many stories of his parents, how kind and gentle they were, but to him, they felt like distant strangers. But looking at the younger boy, knowing that he was his ancestor, there was a joy settling in his skin and he couldn't help but smile fondly at the younger boy who was someone he could call family.

~.~.~

Circle

It had been many many years but it was worth the wait as he met the wide-eyed boy who was to be the Hero of Twilight. This was not the same boy he had became close with and even as he raised his sword to initiate the fight, it would be some time before the boy would be ready. It wasn't the end, he thought as the boy narrowed his eyes and prepared to attack. But the beginning.

It took many weeks of futile searching and hours of restless searching but he found the Hero of Time's grave. He could not help but try to look for some semblance of familiarity in the old dusty bones for that younger boy he had bonded with. The younger boy could now rest in peace as he now bore the mantle of the Hero Spirit. It wasn't the end, he thought as he paid his respects. But the beginning.