"What's one more blood stain on my hands?"
Jia Chong's words haunted Sima Zhao. How could the other man kill so much….and not seem to care? How could anyone have such an icy heart?
"Hey, Jia How are you today?" The youngest member of the Sima clan greeted his friend with the usual laid back smile.
"Fine," Jia Chong replied dismissively, returning to cleaning the blood of his latest victim from his axes.
"Can I talk to you?"
"I suppose."
Sima Zhao hesitated, scratching the back of his neck. "I was…just wondering…why you're always so cold. I mean…it's as if you don't feel at all…"
The silence that followed hung heavily in the air. His friend tensed at the question, keeping his gaze steadily locked on the ground.
"Why the sudden curiosity, hm?"
"…I guess I just…you know…worry about you," Zhao mumbled. "Just making sure nothing will get in the way of your job," he added hastily. "That's all."
"Indeed?" Jia Chong turned to face him, staring him down. "Do you honestly want to know why? Or are you just trying to make conversation?"
"Yes, I really want to know!"
"Mm…I suppose I will tell you, my lord," the smaller man reluctantly nodded, averting his eyes. "I try not to let things bother me. So I block it all out. That's all. It protects me, in a way. Everyone I care about…leaves me in the end. So I don't get close to people," he shrugged and bowed his head. "Pardon, my lord. I'm going to retire for the evening."
Zhao blinked and slowly nodded, watching his friend walk back to his chambers in the palace. He frowned, sighing and shaking his head. "Jia…I don't understand why you don't just talk to someone…"
Jia sat at the desk in his room, running a hand through his hair. He took a few deep breaths, closing his eyes. "What have I become…?" He sighed and stood, taking off his coat and laying down on his cot. "Just forget about it," he chided himself. "It's stupid to dwell. I have a battle to fight in tomorrow…"
In just minutes, the Jin officer fell asleep.
However, on the other side of the palace, Sima Zhao couldn't fall asleep. He couldn't stop thinking about the conversation he had shared with his officer…
"Is it Zhuge Dan's death that is bothering him?" He bit his lip, beginning to idly wander around the palace. "Or something else? Surely something is wrong. He's acting so strangely. His explanation wasn't good enough…"
Eventually, the Jin officer neared the room of the very person who was worrying him. Curiously, he peeked inside. His advisor was already fast asleep. "He looks much younger when he sleeps…" Zhao smiled almost fondly. "And he looks a lot less troubled. I guess the war takes its toll on everyone…" He turned and walked back to his own room, looking a bit more relaxed. "I'm glad he's okay…" He laid down on his bed and closed his eyes, drifting off quickly.
A/N: I do not own Dynasty Warriors. It belongs to Koei.
sorry this chapter is so short. The next chapter should be longer, I think. And I'm sorry if the characters seem a bit OOC. I just find the relationship between Jia Chong and Sima Zhao fascinating, so I decided to right about it. Plus I just love Jia Chong and I felt like expanding upon his character. I've only played Dynasty Warriors 5, 6, and 8...so I guess I'm not too qualified to write this but, I hope I'm doing okay. The only story mode I've fully completed, hypothetical and all, is Jin, so that's the kingdom I know most about.
Sidenote...I know it's been forever since I've updated a bunch of stories. I'm sorry. I've just lost most of my inspiration. This story is being written because I got Dynasty Warriors 8 the week it came out and I just love it, so...I'm writing about it!
Hope you've enjoyed the first little chapter and thanks for reading!