Btw Bc I Realized I Did Not Specify! My Link Uses He/him Mostly But They/them Is Also [thumbs Up Emoji] - Tumblr Posts

unsettling was never the right word to him. ━ unsettling implies something shifted, something afraid, something external made internal and how that scares you, absorbed like dust in water, water in wood, wood in fire ; but what he's unsettled by is something already in him. something that keeps getting taken out.

Scared of himself. Scared of something else. Scared of something he can't name, but knows isn't Toba. The castle looms like a threat of something that does not exist. The castle looms and it exists anyway. He has to go, eventually. The knight's sword like a reminder on his knee.

you can see his hands twitch in their faltering when the offer is laid flat, a consequence of asking, he knows. It's not as if he didn't expect a response ━ it would've been worse without one ━ but he still finds himself taken aback, the words he has never enough to articulate something the way other people can, the way he's not the same as other people at all.

the fogging heat of the simmering broth laying into his bare hand is a comfort, here, as the other hand holds the spoon ━ a tentative thing around the smooth wood.

like ghosts, like something else between his fingers.

"I..." the quiet bubbling, creaking, crackle of the pot fills the quiet "I don't know." ━━━ statement too hollow to be taken as answer, he knows, so he keeps going. ( what is there to be unsure about? )

"It's just... I'm not..." Link struggles to find the words, the confliction of which to use abundant on the tense edges of his face. "I'm good with a sword, sure, but I don't get why you'd trust me with it. I don't know if I could... Do something like that...? I have, but with you it's almost like its... different. ━ not in a bad way! just..."

"... I don't know. I'm not used to this. ( um... ) the... saving people thing. the ones who aren't strangers."

he doesn't know Toba, and yet, and yet, he still more resembles a friend than a blank face to him.

( ... quiet enough to almost be missed, like an insult hidden with no insult at all; "I... I guess it's kind of... inherent, since I was the one asking, and all... that you'd say..." )

"I- uh..." he remembers the curiosity of the start of this at all like a snap of a trap on his leg ━ metaphorical, but still jarring. ".. I was just curious, you know? At night there's a lot of dangerous things out, so my mind kind of... wandered?"

Despite the hero fidgeting and taking quite a bit to respond, the Gerudo says nothing. Toba may not have been in this variation of the world for long, but it's plain to see he somewhat unsettles the other. He must have never met any Ganondorf, seeing his kind disposition (and the hesitancy).

He shifts a little on the log as Link continues. They're glad he's able to trust them? It's a sweet thought, but he focuses on how the hero can't finish his sentence. There's more to it than simple trust, but trust him with what exactly? Again, Toba notes how he's trying to divert his attention, watching as they stir and add ingredients. It's almost enough for the Gerudo not to hear him speak, yet he can't help but glance at Link now. He can only imagine how the thoughts must be racing in his head; time seems to catch up to him as he apologizes. It's a heartwarming sentiment, but Toba's curiosity demands an explanation. (That, and he knows it's better to explain oneself than let it fester.)

Now he turns his head to face the hero, a faint smile on his lips. "Please, do not hesitate to speak your mind to me. I take no offense. In truth, I am curious as to why you asked me that question, but if you truly cannot say, that is alright as well."