Note: This fanfic is somewhat based on DW personalities for the Qiaos… Don't worry, this fic isn't meant to glorify "Xiao Qiao" at all. Quite the opposite, in fact.

Watching Over Him

Bofu is ill.

And though I know it is wrong, I am spending time with her without him near.

She is his wife. It is her duty to care for him…

I am married to her sister. I shouldn't be talking to her like this.

We sit, facing each other. She tells me how worried she is for him, yet she also puts her hands on mine and tells me how she wonders about their rocky marriage in these kinds of times.

Yes, she admits to me, of all people, that their marriage was rocky.

But I can easily see why she'd say that.

My sworn brother was a reckless man. He might not have been stupid, or impulsive, but he was reckless. He might not make an idea on a whim and go for it, but he was foolish enough to, when he did come up with an idea after some time, decide to move forward even if there were flaws in the plan. He was a doer, not a strategist, and for that he got himself into plenty of trouble.

And his wife always stood there in the background, worrying about him, knowing that he'd likely not come home after the next mission.

It's funny. Da Qiao is so calm, collected, and wise, and she has to constantly worry about her husband.

Xiao Qiao, in sharp contrast, is loud, obnoxious, and tends to consider me her polar opposite…

Or maybe that's just me…

At any rate, she turns to me with a frown.

"Gongjin…" She murmurs my name.

I blink.

"Who… Who was the one who thought that you marrying Xiao and me marrying Bofu would be of any benefit? Had I been betrothed to you I wouldn't need to be going through this!" She screams at the wall behind me.

I stare at her for a few seconds, and place my hands on her shoulders.

"Da… Don't… Don't be like this. It is your duty to care for him… Stop saying such things." I say gently. But for me to be touching her is already a betrayal of our brotherhood… I'm touching Sun Ce's wife and speaking to her about such issues without considering Bofu's wishes.

She looks into my eyes. "Zhou Yu… Tell me… Do you truly love my sister?"

Her eyes stab my heart, and I look away.

"Tell me."

"I'm sorry, Da."

"I knew it… This was all a stupid move… She… My little sister can't do anything for you, and I… I can't stand sitting at home, knowing that my husband's as good as dead every time he goes out for a fight… We were arranged to the wrong people…"

"Da…" I mutter, unable to speak anymore. I can't bear seeing her like this, and yet to proceed further would betray everything I stand for. I'm no lech. I'm no villain.

"Fools… We're fools."

"Da…"

She gives me a smile. A pained one… One a mother gives to her dying child. One a sister gives to her dying brother… She gives me a smile that brings no joy to the world.

"Zhou Yu, if only fate were kinder." She stands up and looks away from me.

"Da…" I mumble again, moving to grab her wrist, but she pulls her arm away from me.

I watch as she leaves the room with tears in her eyes.

And, somehow, I find myself crying too.