It's been such a long time, hasn't it? My thanks goes out to any of my readers who found the patience to wait on a slowpoke like me. Seriously, I thank you. Here's the final piece to the story. Remember, constructive criticism is always welcomed. If you find any errors, please let me know. I hope you'll enjoy the conclusion. - -

Chapter Three "Freedom She Deserves"

The morning sun struggled to stretch over the horizon. Clouds blocked its way, giving the people of the earth a little more time before the shine of the sun would interrupt their peaceful slumber. However, there was one already awake. He stood on the rooftop of the Smash Bros Headquarters with his arms crossed. His dark brown hair blew with the wind, and his hazel eyes coolly stared into the land that stretched before him.

Despite the chill in the air, the man felt at ease. He only wore a pair of light blue pants and a white tank-top. It was easy to assume that this was his sleeping attire. The man scratched the underside of his beard before he let out a long yawn. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a lone cigarette. As he placed it in his mouth, he fumbled around in his other pocket for something, but try as he might, the man just could not find what he was searching for.

"Damn," he muttered. "It must be too early if I forgot to bring that stupid lighter." The gruff man let out a frustrated sigh as he placed both of his hands into his pockets to shield them from the cold. However, his demeanor changed when he heard someone opening the door behind him. Instead of turning around, he kept his back turned. "Shouldn't you be getting your beauty sleep, Princess?" the man asked calmly.

The door slowly pushed all the way open to reveal a beautiful young woman. Her royal blue eyes, normally wide and vibrant, were half-closed and lazy, clearly showing her exhaustion. Her long brown hair, normally braided into a ponytail, blew against the wind in its natural form. Much like her guest, she was clothed in her sleeping attire. She wore only a white gown, leaving her slender shoulders and legs exposed. He had a hard time openly admitting it, but the young woman's beauty took his breath away.

"I could say the same thing to you, Snake," she responded as she let out a soft yawn. "What brings you to the roof at this hour?"

The mercenary raised his brow at the question, but much to his surprise, he started to chuckle. "Wait. Before I answer that one, could you tell me how you knew I was not only up early but here on the rooftop as well?"

The brunette giggled as she slowly approached the solider, "Maybe I'm just as sneaky as you?" The wind blew a bit roughly, causing the woman to shiver involuntarily. To cancel out the wind's chill, the elf wrapped her arms around the man's torso and hugged him tightly.

Snake, known for his cool demeanor, felt his nerve slipping but somehow managed to keep his emotions in check. "I'm not too sure about that," he whispered as he ran his fingers across her exposed shoulders, earning himself a stifled giggle from the princess. "You are pretty clumsy sometimes, but I know you'd look great in tights," he smugly added.

The princess, slightly embarrassed from the comment, broke away from the man to hide the blush that had consumed her face. However, she instantly grew to regret doing so when the chill in the air brushed against her skin. Luckily, as if the Goddesses were melting away her troubles, something had been placed over her shoulders, blocking out the cold breeze that surrounded her. It didn't take long for the elf to recognize the dark blue cloth material and the masculine, yet wondrous, scent that enveloped her.

"You should really be careful. Your body's not used to the cold," Snake sternly stated. "Seriously though, how did you know I was out here?"

"Truth be told, Snake. I honestly didn't know," Zelda responded as she glanced at the sun on the horizon. "I wasn't expecting anyone to be up at such a time. Would you believe it if I said that I made it a habit to come up here before daybreak on a daily basis?"

The mercenary only watched, silently allowing the young woman to take center stage. Though only the gust of the wind could be heard between them, Zelda felt her heart through her chest as if it were speaking to her directly. Her emotions were steadily taking over, her eyes swelling with tears and her cheeks burning as greatly as the fires of Death Mountain. When she returned to gaze at the solider, much to her own surprise, she found a way to smile.

"Do you remember the talk we had in the forest a couple of weeks ago?" she asked as she tried to wipe her tears away.

How could he not remember? Though it may not seem like it, so much happened in that one day for Snake. He had gone out for a walk with a beautiful woman, and dare he admit it, had a good time even. The mercenary could not believe his own thoughts. Why was he thinking in such a manner? Sure, they had learned quite a bit about each other and there was obviously a spark between them, but that was the problem. Snake was a solider fighting a never-ending war, and Zelda was a princess destined to rule over a divine kingdom.

They were polar opposites from different worlds. It had absolutely no chance of working out. However, that was just Snake's hesitance talking and he knew it. That may explain why he's been ignoring it as of late.

Which brought him back to the talk they had. Despite having the rank of 'vast ruler,' Zelda had about as much freedom as a prisoner serving a life sentence because of her father's overprotective nature. It even came to a point where she could not even go out into her courtyard without the fear of an assassination attempt. To lead such a life and still have the will to carry a smile took true courage.

Snake finally snapped out of his trance and responded, "Of course. We talked about your isolated life in the castle."

Much to her dismay, Zelda could only nod her head. "That's right. Apparently, it was so bad that I had to sneak out of my room just to catch a glimpse of the sun every now and then."

Despite the many hardships he had endured throughout his life, even Snake was taken aback from the brunette's confession. His hazel eyes widened with shock.

"What?" he managed to mutter out.

"My father figured the safest way to protect me was to keep me within the castle walls. It got to a point where I would stay within my own room for weeks to come," she continued as the wind blew against her hair. She only let out a desolate sigh as the sun finally rose, shining its bright light across the land underneath its wing. "That's why I come out here every morning. Its such a beautiful sight to watch the sun rise. I only wish I could have seen it more when I was younger."

Throughout his entire life, Snake had always kept his emotions under control, perhaps a little too well at points. Even now, as Zelda told him her sad tale, the mercenary managed to hide his true feelings behind his stoical nature. However, despite being in complete control now, something was wrong.

"Zelda," he called out. What was he doing? His mind screamed at him to stop, but it seemed as if his body was on autopilot. "Sometime today, I'm going to take you out," he stated, knowing full well that he was going to regret it later. "I think it's about time you get the freedom you deserve."

Almost in an instant, Zelda's tears dried up and her eyes beamed as brightly as the sun that watched over her. "Really? Do you mean it, Snake?" she asked excitedly.

Much to his own surprise, Snake had almost returned her smile with one of his own. Luckily, he found a way to hide it by blankly responding, "Yes. Now make sure you meet me near the front of the headquarters at noon today."

He was actually going through with this? He must have lost his mind the last time he checked. Did he actually want to try to lead a normal life? Was he trying to fool himself? Or was this something he truly and honestly wanted from the start? Right now, he was going through with something that he wanted to do but was not willing to.

Fighting the likes of Metal Gear Rex seemed relatively simple compared to this.

"If you're even a minute late, I'll change my mind," the mercenary added as he slowly made his way to the door. "Now if you'll excuse me."

Unfortunately, before he could make his escape, Zelda ran up and hugged him as tightly as she possibly could. "Thank you, Snake! I won't be late. I swear!" the elf happily exclaimed just before she turned him around and planted a soft kiss on his cheek.

Snake could only watch in bewilderment as the princess left his side with a wide smile on her face and a bounce in her step. Hard to believe that the elegant, yet mature, princess of Hyrule could become as happy as a child in an instant.

However, before the mercenary could think about what he had done, one last gust of wind blew past him, giving him an unwanted realization in the process.

"I have got to stop giving that girl my coat," he grumbled, feeling his body shiver on its own. "I guess I better prepare myself for this."

A matter of a few hours had come and gone relatively quickly. Snake sat on the front doorstep, only thinking of the day ahead. Being a master technician, the mercenary had thoroughly planned out his strategy. However, for some strange reason, his spirit felt nothing but uneasiness. His demeanor seemed to be normal, but his heartbeat seemed to be a little more erratic than usual. Beads of sweat ran from his palms and his head felt oddly light.

"Stupid... Getting attached was not an option, but look at what you've done now. You're supposed to be leaving in a matter of weeks. Or have you forgotten?"

As much as he constantly tried to tune out his inner cynic, there was some form of truth in his own words. In his years, from Shadow Moses to the Subspace Emissary, Snake had rarely formed any unwanted alliances. Otacon, Meryl, and Raiden were vital in each mission's success, but his mission with the Super Smash Bros had long been passed. Tabuu had been sealed, the Master Hand was back in control of his powers, and peace had been returned to core.

But why was he still there?

That was the million dollar question that Snake never bothered to answer. Was it that he wanted to escape from the cruelties that plagued his world? No. Though the world he lived in was practically covered in blood and the life of a Smasher seemed friendly in comparison, his life was that of a solider. Nothing more, nothing less, so it never bothered him.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Snake retrieved a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Given it was a horrible habit, but smoking proved to be an effective stress-reliever. Unfortunately, ever since he joined the Smash Bros Core, his daily smoking routine had been cut short significantly due to restrictions and regulations. Something about not wanting the children to pick up terrible traits or some crap like that. For Snake, it was just another rule to be ignored.

Sadly, Madame Misfortune would strike again when Zelda would arrive just to take his precious stress-relievers away. A low growl escaped from Snake's mouth, but the elf, strangely enough, seemed to have carried a stern expression on her face.

"I can't say that I've ever enjoyed your smoking," she blankly stated.

Sure enough, just as his lousy luck would have it, Zelda fell into the trap known as 'Straight-Edge.' He just couldn't win. Snake simply shrugged his shoulders and surrendered, not before muttering a few choice words under his breath.

"I won't be needing those anyway," he added before he glanced at his car. It slick design combined with its even black coat showed that while Snake had simple taste, it was still surprisingly refined. "We have a busy day ahead of us, and those would just slow me down. Now come on. I'd rather avoid traffic if I could."

Her royal blue eyes beamed at the older man's statement. "You mean we're driving? Just the two of us?" she asked, unaware of the blush rising on her cheeks. "Is this a date then?"

She was enjoying this a bit too much. Snake knew if his response was giddy in the slightest, the elf would never let him live it down. So he simply shrugged his shoulders and lowly replied, "Sure seems like it, huh?"

Despite such a blank response, Zelda could not help but giggle. He just couldn't make it easy, could he? Oh, well. It only fueled her infatuation with him even more. The princess gave the mercenary a playful wink before she simply teased, "Then shall we be going?"

The trip itself wasn't so bad. The closest city was within a hundred-mile radius, plus the traffic was pretty mild considering it was lunchtime. Even Zelda was quiet for the duration of the ride, given that she had fallen asleep the second they had gotten on the road. One would think someone who had come from a time where horses were the greatest means of transportation would have been more intrigued with the metal beast that was known as a car.

However, considering how this woman could cast fireballs from her hands and shoot screaming light arrows of death about at will, Snake was quick to understand her relaxed state. Ironically enough though, the very second they had arrived in the city, Zelda was so awestruck at the mere sight of a few shops that she came off as mature as a five-year-old child.

"Wow! So this is a city? It's even greater than I imagined!" the brunette exclaimed as she gawked through the car window.

"To be fair, this city's pretty small compared to one's such as Los Angeles or New York," Snake retorted, keeping his eyes on the road, "but I prefer a city like this. Too many people in one spot bother me a bit."

Zelda sat back up in her seat but kept her head turned away from the older man. "That explains why you're so anti-social sometimes," she said.

The desolate tone in her voice caught Snake's attention enough for him to give the woman a quick glance. However, much to her surprise, the solider began to chuckle. "You have a valid point, but I have more reasons to avoid everyone back at HQ," he replied before returning his gaze to the road.

"Why?" she eagerly asked, failing to notice that she was practically staring at the man.

A smile formed on his rugged face as he replied, "A pink ball of an alien that can consume anything in sight, a yellow mouse that carries enough electricity in its cheeks to power up a city block, and a giant walking, talking, hammer-wielding penguin are more than enough reason to be paranoid, right?"

It was easy to understand such a case. Zelda could only smile at the realization that Snake was just like her when she first joined a few years ago. When she first saw some of the members, it was easy to say that the princess was more than skeptical to join. However, it all changed once she saw how nice her future teammates were, except for Ganondorf that was.

"It'll take some time to get used to. If you stay long enough, I'm sure you'll warm up to everyone," she honestly responded, not before letting out a mildly irritated sigh. "Ganondorf, on the other hand, I can't really say he's likable."

For the second time, Snake let out a soft chuckle. "With a title like 'King of Evil,' that's no surprise," he muttered before he suddenly snapped his car into the nearest parking spot. "We're here by the way."

Still unaware of her location, the princess looked around aimlessly for a clue, but her eyes soon shot open with glee when she found a several packs of flowers in the nearest display window. Without so much a second thought, she ran out of her seat and through the double doors, leaving Snake both befuddled and amused at the same time. Zelda, on the other hand, felt her spirit uplifted in a way she hadn't felt before.

The intoxicating scents of the roses and tulips filled her senses, leaving her to feel a new sense of purity. The more she looked, the more flowers she found. From sunflowers to violets, it seemed as if she were in her own personal garden, and at this rate, she would never want to leave.

"My word," she whispered, the awe apparent in her voice. "What wonder of place is this?"

Snake placed his hand on the woman's slender shoulder, knocking her out of her trance, and chuckled softly. "It's a flower shop, princess. Try not to look so surprised."

A light gasp escaped from the small elf. Her large eyes continued to scan the entire shop, but after a few moments, she finally stopped and replied, "A flower shop? I've heard of those back in the kingdom, but I never thought I'd actually get to see one in person."

Never in his day did he think he'd hear such a thing. One would think a princess of Zelda's caliber could have had anything she wanted, but in a twisted way, Snake was grateful. If she had been raised like typical royalty, Zelda may not be the same humble and simple princess but a spoiled and egotistical brat. For the sake of his own patience, the mercenary was glad that was far from the case.

Finally, after realizing that he was daydreaming again, Snake turned around and folded his arms. "Well, it is a shop, after all. Pick whatever flower you like," he said, hoping to hide his mild embarrassment.

The young woman shook her head and sighed inwardly. "Sorry, but I don't have any money," she stated as she reached into her purse and retrieved a small red rupee. "Not for this world, I mean."

Just a small glimpse of the crimson jewel was more than enough to cause the clerk's mouth to drop. Luckily, before any ideas came to his mind, Snake waved the elf off and responded, "This is a date, right? I'll cover it."

Almost out of instinct, the brunette let out a high-pitched squeal at the wonderful news. She ran to the nearest set of roses but came back to a pot which held a sunflower larger than her own head. After minutes of debate, she turned around and closed in on a set of violets. To make such a decision was unfair to Zelda. Every flower was special in its own way, but she knew she had to make a choice.

She turned to ask Snake for advice, but the older man had his back turned, seemingly as if his attention was elsewhere. She steadily approached him, not wanting to disrupt his daze. It was her own curiosity taking over at the moment. What was holding his attention? Once she made it next to him, she couldn't help but be awed at the sight he was taking in.

There were at least six carefully, organized blossoms in one small pot, but there was something nostalgic about it. Every petal, as pale as the ghosts of Hyrule but as lively as the children of the Great Fairy, rose to give it a certain charm that she couldn't resist. Then, she finally remembered. When she went with Snake through the mountains, they had found a lone flower of the same descent.

"Magnolias, I presume?" she finally spoke, catching Snake's attention in the process.

He simply nodded to confirm her guess. "That's right. I see you remembered," he coolly responded before he noticed the deep stare the elf was giving the creamy white blossoms.

Snake had seen that look before. That glare, filled with want and desire but mixed carefully with plea, was a woman's secret weapon. It explained why most men were more than often helpless against it.

As a matter of fact, Mei Ling gave him the exact same look when she asked the mercenary to catch the Pokemon known as Pikachu. The smile on her face mixed with that awful glare in her eye would have broken a normal man. Luckily, this was Solid Snake. He was trained under the fine arts of mental discipline. He refused to fall for such trickery.

He closed his eyes and smiled before he placed his hand on the elf's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. This woman was softening him up and heaven forbid, but he was actually enjoying the change.

"Want the magnolias?" he simply asked.

"What happened to that mental discipline?"

The warmth from Snake's bare hand on her exposed shoulder sent chills down her spine. Her cheeks burned intensely, and yet she felt safe somehow. For such a scary guy, Zelda felt nothing but good things from him. After a brief moment, Zelda gave the older man a warm smile and simply nodded her head.

"That would be nice," she replied, unaware how low her voice was. Before the soldier could try anything, she wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him tightly. "Thank you so much."

What was coming over him? His mind was yelling at him like there was no tomorrow. The mission with the Smash Bros had long passed, but he told the Colonel that he was going to stay for a while in case trouble reemerged. Right now, he sure as hell wasn't on a mission. Better yet, it seemed as if he wanted to stay, but for all the wrong reasons. The world would need him again sooner or later. Metal Gear Ray was still at large, his brother was bound to show back up soon, plus the fact that he was a wanted criminal. Could he really be willing to put Zelda in the line of fire just for the sake of his own happiness?

His mind was in shambles as it bitterly argued with his heart. The more he thought, the more frustrated he became. His eyes, normally calm and unmoving, were filled with rage. Luckily, a soft hand caressed the side of his face, quietly bringing him back to reality, but what he saw was the very worried expression bestowed on the young woman's face.

"Snake," her voice cracking slightly, "is something wrong?"

He knew the look on her eyes too well. It was something he was used to seeing on the battlefield. Fear. She saw something in his eyes that wasn't meant to be seen. He allowed his emotions to show for a second and this was the result. This had to end. He wouldn't dare scare the one woman who was willing to tolerate his behavior. Not again.

"No, I'm not. I've been running from the truth for too long now," he bluntly replied. Not long after, he took the pot of magnolias, reached into his pocket and left a bundle of cash with the clerk, not knowing nor caring that he actually paid enough for at least fifty magnolias. "We have to talk..."

What had come over him all of a sudden? Snake was normally so calm and cool about everything, but whatever was on his mind, it was clearly starting to take toll. Though it was only for a second, she saw something in his hazel eyes she had never seen before. His furrowed brow and somber frown only confirmed it...

Snake was... afraid.

Zelda's worry only grew as he she helplessly watched him hastily make his way for the door.

"Snake, wait," she called out, trying to slow the man down.

The mercenary heard the brunette's voice and stopped in his tracks. However, he made sure to keep his back turned to hide his face.

"There's something I want to talk to you about," he started, the blank tone back in his voice, "but it'd be better if we were alone."

If there was a time to protest, now was most certainly not the time to. Snake, shockingly enough, seemed even more serious than usual. Zelda let out a desolate sigh. She wanted to see what was wrong, but right now, it felt as if the best thing she could do was listen. He did it for her without hesitation, so it was the least she could do at this point. After a decision was made, Zelda simply nodded her head and followed the solider.

Little her say, her heart raced, eagerly anticipating what was going to happen next.

The next drive was rather brief compared to the first, lasting only a few minutes, but it felt as if it were so much more drawn out. Not a single word was said this time around. The tension in the air around the two was so thick that one could cut it with a knife. Zelda resisted the urge to start small talk, but her friendly nature made it rather difficult to do so.

Fortunately, before she could try anything, the car, like the last time, instantly snapped over into the nearest parking spot.

Snake let out a somber sigh before he opened his door. "Zelda... follow me..." he quietly requested.

The brunette followed, not questioning the mercenary for a second. Given, she was known for not being the type to be led around without reason, and Snake's suspicious behavior was not helping at all, Zelda felt it was appropriate to just hear the man out. He never made a request before, so her curiosity was actually getting the better of her. Then again, whenever it came to her and Snake, that was always the case.

Snake walked just a few steps ahead of her, leaving footprints in the sand for the princess to follow. It was then that Zelda finally took in her surroundings. Vast amounts of sand rested underneath her feet, soothing her soles greatly. Pure water washed against the shore, leaving only a tranquil sound behind. Most notably, the sunset slowly fell under the horizon, allowing the night stars to reveal themselves just enough to be seen.

She stopped, letting out a soft sigh as she showed her respects to Mother Nature's work.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" the mercenary stated, bringing the young woman back to reality. "It's called a beach. People come here to swim, enjoy the sights and mingle."

"Really? How come no one's here right now?" the elf asked, slightly confused about the empty feel the beach was giving.

The mercenary simply folded his arms as he finally turned to face the princess. "It closes after certain hours. That's why no one's around right now. Luckily, people are free to roam as long as they keep out of the water."

As much as she was enjoying the sight, her feelings were focused solely on the older man that stood before her. "Sorry, Snake. It is beautiful," she replied as she closed the distance between her and the mercenary, "but I'm worried about you. What was wrong with you earlier? Why did you bring me here?"

"To be completely honest with you for the first time," he said, keeping his arms crossed. "Remember when I first joined the core?"

"You can't do this. A solider has no room for love in his life."

"How could I not?" she replied, remembering that very day. Suspended in the air, locked like a bird in a cage, she could only watch as her doppelganger fought a tall, dark man. His skill was phenomenal. Every time the copy tried to attack, whether it was with magic or brute force, the man found ways to either dodge or parry with relative ease.

Once it all said and done, she had been rescued. The bearded man helped both her and Princess Peach out of their cells. Whilst the Mushroom Princess thanked him extensively, Zelda couldn't help but stare, failing to notice the blush that rose on her cheeks. She wanted to say something, but the horribly placed lump in her throat prevented her from doing so.

To make matters worse, the second she finally regain her senses, he man left, signaling both women to stay behind. Fortunately, both princesses weren't the type to just stay put when trouble was brewing. Using her magic to transform into her alter-ego, Sheik, she was able to join the man and her other allies to continue their fight against Tabuu.

A warm smile formed on elf's face as she finally stated, "I never had the chance to thank you for saving me that day."

"You don't have to," the mercenary responded, closing his eyes as the winds of the beach brushed against his face. "Your friendship is all the thanks I need."

"That's right. Friends. Nothing more. Nothing less."

Once the breeze subsided, Snake reopened his eyes to gaze upon the beautiful brunette that stood before him. Despite the mental screams that were dominating his train of thought, the mere sight of the princess sent him careening further into the depths of madness.

A brief scoff escaped from his mouth. It felt as if every part of his being was doing everything possible to keep him from speaking his mind. Violent throbs ran through his skull, causing the solider to place his hand over his forehead. Great. His own mental argument gave him a migraine. Why did he have to be so stubborn?

"No... Don't do this."

Zelda, feeling something was amiss, reached out and stroked his face. "You can talk to me about anything, Snake. What's on your mind?"

"Don't say it. Once you do, there's no turning back. Are you truly prepared to face the consequences of your actions?"

He gazed down, unsure of his own actions at this point. After an extra second passed, Snake finally removed the woman's hand from his face, but much to Zelda's surprise, he held on to it, giving it a gentle squeeze.

She seemed surprised by the gesture, but her body didn't protest in the slightest, remaining still yet completely relaxed. When he finally brought his eyes back up, what he saw sent a new wave of emotions coursing through his body.

She smiled.

Even now as he lost his way, Zelda stood with him, lending him her strength. He was afraid of the change that was overtaking him, but it was something that he wanted... no... needed deep down. If there was ever a time to tell the truth, now was the time.

"Zelda," he finally called out, leaving the last of his doubt behind. "I was originally sent to the Smash Bros Core to help deal with Tabuu. The mission was a success, and the enemy had been sealed away, never to return. At that point, I was supposed to leave and return to my home-world immediately."

Before the young woman could even think to respond, Snake relinquished his grip on her hand and replaced it on her exposed shoulder instead.

"I declined to return right away. I wasn't sure if Tabuu was really gone or not, so I decided to stay for several months just in case," he continued, feeling his voice fade. "Tabuu's not coming back. Any blind fool could tell this, but why am I still here?"

Even Zelda, in all of her wisdom, could not answer his immediate question. More so, she was amazed at the sight that was befalling before her. Snake, during his time with the core, never displayed such emotions. Like a rock, he always stood, cold and unmoving. Ironically, like the venomous snake, he kept everyone at arms length, threatening to strike anyone who got to close.

Yet, that never stopped her from staying within his vicinity. At first glance he came off as a heartless and uncaring individual, but the princess saw something much deeper. If he truly didn't care, why did he save her that day on the Halberd? Why did he tolerate her presence? Why did he always offer her helpful advice?

There was so much more to this man. Even now, Zelda felt his uncertainty and wanted nothing more than to comfort him in his time of need. The brunette moved forward and wrapped her arms around the man's waist, feeling his body tense up at the hint of contact.

"It's because you wanted to stay," she suggested while her sensitive ears listened to his quickening heartbeat.

With every passing second, Snake felt his protective barriers dropping, and yet he felt okay with it. Was this truly worthwhile? As he returned her gesture, wrapping his arms around her petite frame with great care, he felt the elf let out a blissful sigh into his chest.

"Yes," he finally replied, almost losing himself to his own desires, "but there's something else keeping me here, too..."

This was the moment of truth. His heart threatened to jump out of his chest. To make matters worse, his mind screamed, pleading with him to stop.

"You're a solider! You're not even a normal man to begin with! You're a clone, created for the sole purpose of war! Do you really a princess will accept a cold-blooded killer like you into her life?"

"...it's you, Zelda," he calmly finished, causing the elf's head to shoot up instantly.

The wind whipped her hair around as her cheeks became a dewy pink. Her breath left her, leaving her at a near lost of words. "What?" was the only response she could try to mutter.

"I've felt this way for quite from time," he said, not relinquishing his grip on the woman at all, "I never wanted to admit myself to such pitiful emotions. I was destined to a life of blood, destined to live the life of a mercenary for now and forever. I'm not supposed to feel this way and yet..."

Seconds passed but it felt as if years were just passing him by. His brilliant mind dissolved with disordered emotions. Why was this so hard? Zelda, in the midst of Snake's growing emotion, used her hand to pull his face closer to her own. She could only give him an encouraging smile, letting him know that no matter what happened, she'd be there to support him.

This act of kindness was the final push Snake needed. He returned her smile with one of his own before he whispered into her ear, "I guess even a guy like me can fall in love."

A single tear ran down the young woman's cheek. Even the hardest of hearts are soft in their own right. As she faded into his gaze, her lips slowly approached his. However, much to Zelda's surprise, Snake broke away from their embrace. He turned around, trying to hide his flushed expression. The princess, in response, furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Snake?" she called out, hoping to find an explanation for his behavior. "Did I do something to offend you?"

No response. What had gotten into him now? Snake could only scratch the back on his head as he desperately tried to sort his thoughts out. However, his mind started to run from him when he felt the stern glare of the elf behind him. How could he tell her? Sure, revealing his true feeling was hard, but this was too much. How could he admit to something so trivial? He couldn't! He absolutely would not! Unfortunately, his migraine returned full force once he mental argument resumed.

After what seemed like an eternity, Snake finally turned around, his hand rightfully placed over his forehead. "Sorry, Princess," he muttered, keeping his eyes away from her own. "I'm just not good when it comes to..."

Zelda placed her finger on his lips, feeling where he was going with his statement.. "Then allow me," she replied, her voice deep with want and desire.

Before he could speak any further, she brought her lips to his. Snake, known for his cool demeanor, was at odds with himself like never before. His body stiffened, unable to move from the woman's grip. His mind raced trying to figure a way out of the situation. His eyes remained wide, still in shock over the developing situation.

However, even his cynical mind started to melt into the moment of passion. His arms eased across the elf's waist, slowly tightening the embrace. He closed his eyes, leaving the last of his doubt behind, and finally returned the kiss. There they stood for several moments, neither wanting to go, and if they had their way, they wouldn't have. Snake broke off, much to Zelda's disappointment, and even more to his own. Oddly, his mind finally caved in, admitting to liking... no, loving what had just transpired, wishing it could relive it again.

A smile, though not as wide as hers but enough to show his sincerity, formed on his face. Seeing this, the princess couldn't help but giggle. Feeling a slight chill in the air, she instinctively hugged the mercenary a bit tighter, causing his face to flush even further.

"You're a better kisser than you let on," she cooed, enjoying the heat his body was giving.

"That was a first," he slyly replied, leaving his eyes to gaze at the sunset forming before. It was fitting. With the end of an old, a new day would soon be starting. "I think you'll make my stay rather interesting, Princess..."

For the first time in her life, Princess Zelda was finally free to live outside of the castle. Gone was her sheltered childhood and ahead was a world just waiting to be explored. With Snake by her side, she was ready to see everything it had to offer.

Life was a never-ending battle, always changing when people least expect it. Everyone around him feared his very presence, but Zelda didn't seem to be afraid at all. A new life was ahead of him now. No longer was he the lonely solider. Whether or not he'd grow to regret this choice later didn't matter. What mattered was the here and now. He was afraid of the change, but that was okay. She was there to walk him through it.

She was... fearless, after all.

Thanks for reading, folks. This chapter was long, but I'm glad I had a couple of great proofreaders to help me through it (Heather and Skyward). I have a few one-shots planned as follow-ups to this story. Lemme know if you guys would like that. Reviews are welcomed, too.

Love and Peace.