Story Title: My and Your Hands, a Guide to Romance Languages

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight Princess.

Author's Notes: TP Link, funny enough, is the one Link I don't write as a mute, but this idea was just so cute to not pass on. I tried to use accurate sign language in this story, though I admit that I'm not fluent in ASL so the grammar and my hand descriptions might be very wonky. I tried my best to be accurate rather than make things up like I usually do for HW Link and BotW Link and just have their respective partners just happen to know how to read them really well. That and I feel like Shad would be interested in learning sign language anyway.

I have to admit the title is probably the weirdest one I've ever written and it started as a placeholder that I never changed because it does fit the story. And it makes me smile like an idiot. It's dumb but I love it. This entire story can be summarized as "Shad and Link fall in love with how each other communicates to the other", lol.

-o-

Story Title: My and Your Hands, a Guide to Romance Languages

-o-

The young fellow in a Hero's tunic wandered into the Group's meeting room partitioned off in the back away from the rest of Telma's bar. Shad was not sure if the chap was Telma's new recruit or was simply curious about their discussion. From the unsure expression on his face, the fellow didn't seem confident as to why he was here either. The fellow looked around at everyone at the table in attendance and hesitated to speak. He raised his hand in greeting and mouthed "Hello". Or something like that. Shad wasn't sure if he had heard the fellow speak at all.

"Come on in," Rusl said, waving at the chap to come closer. "Don't worry. You'll be heard."

The lad was even less talkative than Shad in a group of strangers—however, among friends and colleagues, Shad was far from the quiet one. He found it curious that the chap had yet to introduce himself or had offered a properly audible greeting. Telma's description said nothing about the young man being terribly timid. Nothing more than a curious stranger, Shad surmised.

Rusl removed his helmet and the young man's face lit up. Visible relief washed over the young man as he realized that he had friends among the Group's unfamiliar faces. It was then Shad realized something unexpected about the stranger—that he communicated in sign language.

"Everyone, this is Link," Rusl said and introduced each member of the Group to Link, signing each letter of their names to him. Well, the scholar assumed that it was letters that Rusl was signing. Of the many languages and regional variations Shad knew, sign language was not one of them. He had always meant to look into learning sign language, as the concept of a nonverbal language did fascinate the scholar, but locating instructors in Castle Town had been more of an endeavor than he had expected it to be.

"A deaf Hero? Bet that's one for the record books, yeah?" Ashei said, nudging Shad in the shoulder. The scholar had to admit that this little detail was a rarity. He felt a tinge of embarrassment that he had mistaken the fellow's silence for simple nervousness.

As far as the historical accounts stated, the previous Heroes did tend to be fellows of few words, but none were specifically known to be deaf. Mute, yes, but not deaf. It is possible that the Hylians of the past did not fully understand their Hero's voiceless state and did not accurately record the truth, Shad considered. How many Heroes had truly taken a vow of silence until their journey's end, I cannot say. The truth is lost to time, after all.

"Oh, Link isn't deaf," Rusl said, finding their wrong assumption mildly amusing. "The boy can hear an Ordon catfish snatch a bug off the water's surface downstream. He just can't talk."

Link nodded yes, affirming that Rusl's words were true.

Curiouser and curiouser, this young man, Shad thought, or rather dare I say, the Hero of our age…Shad didn't think his assumption was too far a stretch. From Telma's account of her escort mission to Kakariko, tales floating throughout the kingdom of a young man that assuaged the Gorons' wrath and rescued the Zora from their frozen domain, and Rusl's plentiful anecdotes of Link's feats of strength and valor back home, Link had the makings of a Hero. He was quite fascinating.

And Link seemed to regard the same of Shad. The scholar was telling Link about the sky beings and he noticed that his eyes were absolutely transfixed on Shad in an odd manner. Shad struggled to find the proper word for the dreamlike look in Link's eyes, having never once applied the word in regards to himself before. Entranced, that was it.

Oh, but that couldn't be. No one was ever that drawn in by Shad's research. His eyes half-lidded, Link gazed at Shad while his mind was clearly gone in a dream. Shad doubted that he had been listening for some time now.

"Pardon me, old boy, am I speaking too much? I say, if I am boring you, do let me know." It was not his intention to call out Link for his inattention, he merely was providing a door for which Link could end his charade. While it would be a pleasant change to actually have an eager, fresh audience for his theories, the scholar had never held anyone's rapt attention for so long—he was used to people casting him aside not long after he opened his mouth. Link was polite for pretending to listen. Shad appreciated his civility.

Link touched his chin and circled his open hand over his face. Rusl made a funny snort and then immediately started smoothing down his mustache in an unsuccessful effort to hide his smile. Blinking in confusion, Shad wondered what in Nayru's grace Link had said.

"Something about my face?" Shad asked and swiftly brought a hand up by his cheek. "What is it? Where?"

Was there a smear of ink on his cheek? If not his cheek, then his forehead? Shad was usually so careful with his ink. He tried very hard not to touch his face at all when writing and always washed up after his work was done or if he needed to leave, but there was always the possibility that he had missed a smudge or two. Having thick splotches or washy streaks of black ink on his face was such an embarrassment and not at all a charming introduction.

Rusl waved a hand to assuage the scholar's worry. "No, Shad, there's nothing on your face. Link is saying that you're good-looking," he said. "Link tends to be quite direct." Rusl tossed a knowing look at Link and the young Hylian simply grinned back at him.

"Oh...um...thank you. That's so nice of you," Shad managed to stammer out. He didn't actually know what else to say in response. Compliments were strange and foreign to him. Like hearing an instrument played in the wrong way but still producing a beautiful sound.

Link touched his chin with his index finger, then pointed to himself, and lastly tapped the tips of his pressed together fingers together several times. The only part Shad somewhat understood was what that Link was saying something involving himself in some way.

"Please, continue on about the Oocca. Link wants to know more," Rusl said.

He had been listening? Shad's eyes widened. So what the scholar had interpreted as daydreaming had actually been genuine rapt attention?

"Yes, of course!" Shad replied, as a well of happiness pooled in his chest. People so rarely asked to hear more. Words failed to express how overjoyed the scholar was to have an interested ear to his lifelong works. "Well, you see old boy, the Oocca..."

-o-

There was nothing wrong with having Rusl present as a translator, but Shad wished he was able to understand Link without the assistance. It was matter of pride as a scholar and a linguist. Being able to understand what everyone in the room was saying at any given time was something Shad was accustomed to. Only a small population of Hylians knew sign language, a fact that only motivated Shad to learn it even more.

Soon after the Group's meeting ended, Auru left to travel to Lake Hylia to do some reconnaissance on the Gerudo Desert. When he said his farewell, he also signed goodbye. Shad never knew that Auru or Rusl knew sign language. Telma apparently also knew the basics to tend to her deaf customers. Now if Ashei also secretly knew, the scholar who considered himself well versed in languages would be the only member of the Resistance that didn't know any sign language at all.

Shad excused himself from the bar while Link and Ashei had a drink, milk and whiskey respectively, and chatted. Telma helped along with translating, though Ashei was quite good at guessing Link's signs. Rather remarkably given that she rarely approached customers, Telma's cat, Louise, came over and sat by Link's arm. Even more remarkable was how she allowed him to scratch her underneath her chin. Heavens, it took more than a year before Louise stopped disappearing when Shad came in and bid good afternoon to Telma.

"Rusl, may I ask a favor of you?" Shad asked, as the older swordsman looked over the map of Hyrule and quietly enjoyed a cup of black coffee.

"Of course!" Rusl said, setting aside his cup, as the scholar scooted a chair closer to Rusl for a more private conversation. "How can I help?"

"Please teach me sign language," Shad said, keeping his voice low. He wasn't sure why. There wasn't exactly a great need for Link to not overhear him. Perhaps the scholar was embarrassed at his ignorance and wished to not appear any more foolish in front of Link. Or perhaps he liked the thought of surprising Link with his secret endeavor, especially since the young Hero was the spark that had spurred Shad to finally learn.

Rusl appeared baffled. "Link can hear you. He just can't talk."

"Yes, and I want to be able to understand his responses."

Rusl had an expression across his face that read that he had already figured that. "Let me rephrase myself," he said, leaning in closer to Shad. ""You don't have to ask me. You can ask Link. He'd be delighted to teach you."

"But how can I learn from him if I cannot communicate with him?"

Rusl grinned. "You have a head for languages and Link is patient. The two of you will get along swimmingly."

Before Shad could say another word in protest, Rusl had waved Link over and the young man was standing between them.

"Seems Shad here is interested in learning sign language. You mind teaching him?" Rusl said.

The sunshine joy that rushed across Link's face both perplexed Shad and sent a flutter through his heart and tied a knot in his stomach. Link nodded enthusiastically to Rusl, and then grabbed Shad by the wrist, pulled him out of his seat, and dragged him out of the bar—Link did wave goodbye to Ashei and Telma while ignoring the scholar's plentiful protests and questions.

It wasn't until they were halfway up the south road that Shad's feet finally caught up and he stopped stumbling behind Link. He was still holding his wrist as they made their way through the crowds, with Shad apologizing for Link's haste and gentle jostling through, and headed onwards to Farore-knew-where. Shad wished that he knew where they were going.

It was kind of Link to agree to teach him sign language, but his wave of excitement confused Shad. The look on his face… It had been brighter than when he had seen Rusl and all his concerns about being understood by a room full of strangers had disappeared. There was being happy to do something and then there was really being happy to do something, and Link was firmly in the latter camp and that just left question marks popping up all around Shad.

The scholar had to admit that Link had quite a nice smile.

Heading up the east road, they finally arrived at their apparent destination—the bookshop. Link continued on through leading Shad up and down aisles in search for a book the young man had in mind. Shad offered to assist him in directing him to the proper section if he only told him what kind of book he was looking for, but the young man stubbornly refused to give so much as the first letter of the subject matter.

At long last, Link located what he wanted and, with a hop, he reached the second-to-top shelf and pulled off a moderately-thick guide on Hylian Sign Language, as the title on the spine spelled out. Link handed the book to Shad and pointed at the book and then at Shad. There was no translation needed for that.

"Ah, yes, thank you. Do you recommend any others or shall this alone suffice?" Shad asked.

Link shrugged his shoulders in reply. He then began signing and, unfortunately Shad did not have Ashei's keen eye and luck at guessing what Link was trying to convey. Link could be giving him a lesson right now or telling him to sod off and Shad would never know the difference.

From Shad's silence and apologetic, hangdog expression, it was clear that he wasn't understanding and Link's frustration was growing obvious. The young Hero started looking around for help, wishing that Rusl was with them as did Shad.

And then the scholar had a brilliant idea. Placing the sign language book aside underneath his arm, Shad unbound his field journal, a small inkwell, and a simple quill from his belt.

"Here, write in this," he said, offering the open journal and quill to an extremely grateful Link. Shad held the inkwell for him as he wrote.

His head tilted down and eyes on the empty pages, Link concentrated very hard on printing his letters very clearly and neatly. There was something about the way Link slowly mouthed each word as he wrote them out that was highly endearing. Shad stood mesmerized by the movement and shapes formed by Link's full lips.

Shad loved languages. He loved everything about them. He found their history and evolution from one mother language that diverged over eons into the current Hylian, Termina, Holo-Labrynna, and Twili, and then further branched outward into all the variegating regional dialects and accents positively, endlessly riveting (and that was only the Hylian languages—the Goron, Zora, and other races all had their own equally rich and fascinating linguistic tapestries). The dry, technical aspects of grammar and syntax were never a chore to learn. He loved poetry and speculative fiction for the author's colorful artistry and musicality of their word choice and sentence flow. Watching Link's language process captivated Shad. The sight sent a quiver of delight throughout the scholar's chest.

Rusl and I learned to talk with this book. It's a good start, Link wrote in Shad's journal.

"I say, then it will more than suffice," Shad said and then offered a quick, polite bow. "Again, my sincerest thanks, old boy. With all the tasks and trials before you, you certainly did not have take on my request."

Not a problem.

Shad followed the vertical line of dots leading to Link's continued thought on down the page.

Outside of my village, there are so few that understand me, so they do not listen to me. I get pushed aside and dealt with later, if people even come back to me at all. Away from home, I have no voice.

The more people around me that read signs, the more I will be heard. Over time and practice, you'll be my voice. If you want to be, that is...

"Yes, of course!" Shad said with an emphatic nod. "Truth be told, it's why I want to learn. You can understand me, but I can't understand you. That's unbalanced communication. And what if you wanted to talk to me? You couldn't. Not without a constant flow of ink and stocked supply of quill nibs and plain journals and, I say, that will rise up to steep amounts in no time."

Link's smile was tight-lipped as his shoulder shook from stifled laughter. Heavens, he did have quite the radiant smile.

Let's start with the basics. Which do you like better, the water fountain or the south entrance?

Link went through the alphabet and the numbers one through ten with Shad out on the south entrance steps, since it was quieter and private—the last thing either Shad or Link needed was gawking onlookers interrupting their lessons because they thought their hand gestures were rude or annoying. They practiced the alphabet over and over, trying to commit it quickly to the scholar's memory. Because once he had the alphabet and numbers down, Link could fingerspell everything out to him, even if Shad didn't know the proper sign.

Link started giving him random words to spell, short words at first like, "cute", "dear", and "honey" and leading up to longer words like, "pumpkin", "sweetheart", and "handsome". He had him spell out many, many words, anything and everything that came to Link's mind. Before long, Shad realized that the sun was very low on the horizon and Link's face was awash in a striking dark golden twilight. Out of gratitude and hospitality, he offered Link to have dinner and stay at his apartment for the night.

"Boots by the door, please. Otherwise, make yourself at home, old boy," Shad said, as he and Link made their way inside Shad's apartment. "Allow me to put away my bag and I will begin preparation on dinner. Beef and potatoes all right with you?"

Link nodded an emphatic yes. Shad swore he saw stars flash in the Hero's eyes at hearing their dinner menu. Shad smiled in amusement and made his way down the short hall to his bedroom. On his way out of his room, he caught sight of himself in the mirror above his washbasin and pitcher. Silly as it was and after making sure that Link was nowhere in sight, Shad touched his chin and circled his open hand over his face just like Link had done. A light blush rapidly tinted his cheeks. Shad wasn't sure if "good-looking" actually fit him, but he felt positively giddy nonetheless.

What a wonderful, fascinating fellow, Shad thought to himself and then swiftly made his way back to Link. After all, there were only so many hours and minutes left before the two of them would have to turn in for the night, and Shad was eager to not waste a waking moment getting to know and learning how to understand Link better.

-o-

In the weeks that followed, Shad committed his every free moment to reading and memorizing his sign language textbook while learning new signs and attempting to string together basic sentences. Telma helped him as best she could and enlisted the assistance of several of her deaf customers. Link visited Shad often, spending day and night with him. Their lessons were practically constant.

However, there were also moments of blissful silence between the two of them. Moments of sitting outside the cafe at their table after dinner sipping drinks and watching time and passersby move along, star-gazing on an observation balcony overlooking the central square, and relaxing together at home. Oftentimes Shad read while Link napped beside him on the sofa, and one afternoon a weary and sleep-drunk Link slid over and nestled himself right against Shad. Bewildered by the sudden intimacy, the scholar sat frozen, unsure of what to make of matters, conflicted about whether or not he should delight in his affection, and unable to move lest he wake up Link. He would have gotten him a blanket if he had simply asked, though.

Link seemed to like holding Shad's hand a lot. Shad didn't mind. On nights that Link was away, he missed the warm leather pressed against his bare, ungloved hand and the rough callouses brushing against his soft fingers. Shad typically buried himself in his work or in his reading. Sometimes, the distraction was successful, and other times Shad was all too aware of the missing weight on the sofa and the lack of a second heartbeat and another set of gentle breaths against his chest and side. Those nights Shad turned into bed early. He had discovered that the pillow on Link's side of the bed smelled of him, and the scent typically lasted until his return.

Shad was not entirely sure when Link went from just a friend to potential boyfriend in his mind. Perhaps the idea had been there from the beginning and the scholar was now just seeing the initial seed of attraction on the verge of blossoming. As of yet, Shad had not asked Link out. Despite there being more proof that his affections would be reciprocated rather than rejected, the scholar wished to bridge that conversation delicately.

Continuing his research in Kakariko, Shad was pleasantly surprised by a visit from Link, who surprised him further with an ancient book filled with Sky Writing. In his research, the scholar had been fortunate to find fragments of Sky Writing. Never had he uncovered anything close to an entire book written in Sky Writing. Having this book in his hands was absolutely, positively outstanding!

"Wherever did you find this, old boy?" Shad said, a quiver of excitement in his voice and in his hands as he signed alongside his spoken words. It had become habit and a part of his education to do so. "I say, it's in remarkable condition for its considerably advance age."

From an old cat lady, Link replied.

Shad shook his head in astonishment. "The places and people you find on your journey..."

Shad began flipping through the Ancient Sky book and almost immediately began translating passages in his head. He had no idea how long or how far he had wandered off until he felt a tap on his shoulder.

I missed you, Link signed.

Shad had missed Link terribly as well. Link had spent nearly a week on Snowpeak investigating a not-abandoned mansion and several more days helping his dear friend Ilia recover her memory—thankfully the young lady seemed to be on the mend and her memories were restored. In the Hero's absence, Shad had fostered his resolve to tell Link just how he felt about him.

"There's something I want to show you," he told Link. "Something I learned to sign to you."

Shad pointed to himself and then laid a hand on his heart. Bringing his thumb and middle finger together, he made a plucking motion and then pointed at Link. He touched his fingertips together and formed a ball shape with his outstretched hands and then finally opened out his hands very wide. All together it meant, "I like you very much", at least it did according to the chap that had taught it to him.

Link softly gasped in awe and clapped for Shad. All was well and good and he understood the Hero until Link pressed his hand to his lips—his fingers were all pressed together, making his hand resemble a claw or a duck's head—and then brought that hand to his other hand, also formed into a duck's head. Link tapped his pressed fingers together. Shad didn't know that sign. It sort of resembled the sign for "more", he knew that couldn't be right. Shad knew enough from his lessons that Link was asking for permission to do something. He just didn't know what that something was.

"Pardon me, old boy, but what does this sign mean?" Shad asked while simultaneously signing his question and then repeated Link's sign.

Before the scholar had any inkling about what he had just signed, Link hopped up, leaned Shad forward down to his level, and smashed their lips together in a fierce kiss.

Shad's face flushed red instantly. He swore he felt puffs of steam vent from his glowing neck and face. When their lips finally parted, they separated with an audible pop.

"You tricked me! How dare you!" There was no real anger in Shad's voice. If anything, he was shocked and overcome with disbelief at Link's boldness.

You did ask! Link replied with a terribly cheeky smile.

"You are a wicked, wicked fellow," Shad said, with a smile, as he cupped Link's cheeks and pressed his forehead against his. Link swept his hands up from the scholar's wrists and laid his hands over Shad's.

Shad didn't yet know what the sign for "I love you" was, but this was close enough.