It would have been extremely easy to blame Sun Ce. Extremely. Not hate, of course. Zhou Yu could never bring himself to hate his sworn brother. Even over a woman. But it wasn't really Sun Ce's fault. At least, the marriage hadn't been. Lord Sun Jian and Lord Xuan Qiao, they were to blame for the marriage. They were the ones that brought the two beautiful ladies into the lives of those in Wu. Something everybody was grateful for. The girls were outstanding and all around perfect.
But Sun Ce was the one who, in the end, won her heart.
His chest tightens when he thinks that. It becomes hard to breath, when he thinks about it too much. He can't decide if it's because he fell that hard for her, or if it's because he's ashamed. Ashamed that he tried to woo Da Qiao away from his sworn brother. That he pines for the wife of another. It was shameful. Though, he wasn't the only one to watch the dark haired beauty. Many a men dreamed about her. There was no doubt about that.
But he was Sun Ce's sworn brother.
That made all the difference, Zhou Yu thought, leaning his head against the cool wood of his desk. He could still remember the first time seeing them. He had been with Sun Ce, the two discussing the impending wedding arrangements.
"The fairer sex is going to cry the summer night I am wed," Sun Ce said with a laugh. Though he was not overly pleased to be married off, he was not one to complain. "Though, if they are right, none of them is as fair as my wife."
"Fiancé," he had corrected, glancing over at him with a smirk.
"She isn't even that yet, is she?" the young man said, shrugging. Zhou Yu had shaken his head, letting out a chuckle. "Yours though, is said to be almost as lovely."
"Yes. Of course. That is important. To know where yours stands beside mine."
"Of course," Sun Ce said, mocking his tone and posture. They both laughed at how foolish he had sounded. In the garden of the Qiao estate the two had been walking. Sun Ce had his arms behind his head, strutting with that cocksure attitude and matching smirk, as he usually did. Zhou Yu following with his own hands clasped behind his back, taking in the foliage. It was colorful to be sure.
"I'm stuck!" they heard, the shrill voice catching both their attention.
"Shush Xiao!" another voice said. "You were the one to insist we do this. Be quiet while I try to…" she stopped mid sentence to see them running over. She leaned against the tree, her dark hair pulled back in braids and twists, the bangs framing her perfectly oval face. Large doe brown eyes stared at them, a rosy blush spreading across her pale cheeks.
"What is it?" the one stuck in the tree said. Her blonde brown hair pulled in a ponytail, dressed in boyish shorts with skinned knees.
"We have been caught," the dark haired one said, straightening to face them.
"Already?" the other pouted.
"Shush, Xiao," she said, glaring up at her for just a moment before turning back to them with a somewhat forced smile. "Milords."
"Can I ask what she's doing in a tree?" Sun Ce asked, walking forward languidly to stare up at her. The Xiao girl now blushed as well, trying to hide in the leaves.
"You may," the dark one said, and Sun Ce let out a laugh.
"What's she doing in the tree?"
"Getting stuck, milord." She met Sun Ce's stare evenly from under her thick lashes. It was an enticing look considering her rosy blush. Sun Ce noticed that as well.
"Sis. Can we protect our… whatever it is you're trying to protect after one of them plays my hero and gets me down? My legs are cramping." Zhou Yu could have sworn she wanted to disappear by the way her face went horribly red.
Sun Ce let another laugh, turning back up to the blonde one. "Do you care who plays hero, milady?"
"Not at all."
"Xiao, manners!"
"Right. Of course not milord." Sun Ce grinned and hoisted himself up into the tree. Zhou Yu shook his head, walking over to stand beside the beauty. It was obvious who they were. But neither had announced themselves, so it wouldn't have been polite to simply call them on it. From between her fingers, since she was hiding her face in her hands, Da Qiao watched Sun Ce climb up and help Xiao Qiao maneuver her legs to another branch, the blonde clinging to Sun Ce the whole time.
"He is good at this," Da Qiao mumbled.
"He should be," Zhou Yu said. "He has two younger siblings that have done this more times than I care to remember."
"He is Sun Ce, is he not," she said, her voice full of regret.
"Yes, my lady." She gave the smallest, quietest of groans. Zhou Yu had almost missed it. "I am sure you have done nothing but impress him as of yet, my lady." She didn't even look at him, much to his dismay. Instead she watched Xiao Qiao's landing with a flinch as her younger sister flailed her hands and stumbled forward. She rushed to steady her. Sun Ce landing beside them, pushing his hair back with that smile.
The one that said he was looking to impress and prove how gorgeous he could be.
Zhou Yu at that point realized Sun Ce was doing as bad as he was. Because his sworn brothers brown eyes were on Da Qiao. Just like his. Which made it easy enough to figure out the ending to this story. Da Qiao was the eldest. She would be given to Sun Ce, and the young man was in no mood to argue for Xiao Qiao instead. Which he could of, and his father would have complied. Probably. Zhou Yu's mood plummeted.
Not that there was anything wrong with Xiao Qiao, he quickly had amended to himself, glancing to the younger Qiao. She was unorthodox. Free spirited by the looks of it. But just a beautiful. In different way from her sister, but beautiful. It was easy to see how together the girls were considered the prettiest in the land. Separate they were awe inspiring. But together they covered all the bases of beauty. Da Qiao was the traditional dark beauty. Poised, elegant, and graceful. Xiao Qiao was pretty, cute, and enthralling in her personality. Her looks resembled her sister. But her smile, her laughter was what allowed her to truly compete, and complete, her sister.
"Thank you, my lord," Da Qiao had said, glancing back to Sun Ce. Xiao Qiao had turned, nodding as well.
"I always enjoy playing the hero."
Da Qiao went to say something more, but they heard the low rumble of others approaching. Her look was one of slight panic as she strained her neck to look down the trail before spinning around with the grace of a dancer and dusting Xiao Qiao off. "Father and Lord Sun Jian are coming," she hissed when Xiao Qiao tried to fight her off. The blonde quickly straightened, letting Da Qiao take care of her. Pulling leaves out of her hair and spit cleaning the dust off of her face. "Do I have any?" Da Qiao then asked, stepping back and dusting off her skirt.
Zhou Yu, without much thought, reached to get a twig that was in one of her twists. Sun Ce beat him to it, making her glance up with a deep blush, Xiao Qiao leaning on her sister to stare at him as well, giggling. Zhou Yu felt the anger, jealous anger, swell. But quickly hid it away. The Qiao's jumped though when the sound of their fathers drew near, stepping back. Da Qiao slapping Xiao Qiao's wrist, and the blonde stood with better posture.
"And that's when he… Girls," Lord Qiao said, raising an eyebrow when he saw them all next to the tree that just happened to be next to Xiao Qiao's window.
"Father," they said together, bowing.
"I had not expected you up and about. And with the men of Wu as well. I had wanted to present you formally."
"We apologize profusely, Father," Da Qiao said, Xiao Qiao keeping her head bowed. "We had thought we could hide away and still have a morning walk. It would seem the men from Wu had similar thoughts."
"They are drawn to each other. That is a good sign, Xuan," Sun Jian said, grinning. Da Qiao couldn't help but smile in return. Very few could. Lord Sun Jian was amazing. It was easy to see where Sun Ce got it from.
"I suppose so. Though I had hoped to introduce them to the boys. A proud moment for a father."
"You still can, my lord," Sun Ce said, stepping around to stand beside his father, Zhou Yu having to follow. "They have yet to give us their names."
Da Qiao flinched, Xiao Qiao going even stiffer. But Xuan Qiao laughed, stepping to stand beside them. "Then allow me to introduce to you my eldest, Da Qiao, and youngest, Xiao Qiao." He motioned to each, dropping a hand on Xiao Qiao's head. She instantly loosened, smiling up at them.
"A pleasure, my lords," Da Qiao had said, bowing a second time.
"And an honor," Xiao Qiao recited, grinning ear to ear.
From that moment on, Sun Ce and himself had to be forcibly removed from the girls sides. Since the two girls were often together, it was easy enough for Zhou Yu to follow Da Qiao. Though he tried to give Xiao Qiao his attention, to try and feel for her what he had instantly felt for Da Qiao, his eyes would always stray to her. And the jealousy would rage.
Sun Ce was of course wooing her. Of course it wouldn't have been hard for a man like Sun Ce to woo a woman. She followed him, easily falling for his attempts to show off. Or laughing at him, which worked just as well for Sun Ce. Her laughter was enough that Sun Ce didn't mind playing the fool. She tried not to laugh often; tried to play the perfect demure woman. Sun Ce was easily able to break apart that façade. Something else that made Zhou Yu silently rage.
And yet, somehow, her eyes would, at times, stray to meet his own. Zhou Yu had at first been so happy he had felt his heart would burst the first time he caught it. She had been standing in the garden, Sun Ce trying to fly the kite without much success. She had been giving him hints, though he still was failing at the task. Her eyes had strayed to him.
He told himself it was just a fluke. She had just been turning for her sister, and her eyes had met his. But then it happened again… and again. Zhou Yu had a chance. He had a chance, he kept telling himself. Deluded himself. Convinced himself to try and woo Da Qiao away from his sworn brother. He found, forced, or made situations where he would catch her alone.
She seemed to encourage it. She didn't discourage it at any rate. And that was enough for his desperate mind to convince himself to continue. She was intelligent, mostly keeping up with anything he had to talk about. She tried to understand strategies that he spoke of. Her wide eyes watching him in awe. She was too good for Sun Ce, he'd tell himself while in bed. Too intelligent, to good. Not that he was worthy of her. But he matched her better, didn't he? He wasn't a goof like Sun Ce. He was calm, quiet. He wasn't her opposite. That made him… more worthy? Was that the term he wanted? He didn't know. But he fell asleep with a smile on his face.
But slowly, she had closed the door. Maybe reluctantly. Zhou Yu hadn't ever been able to decide how reluctantly. But when it finally shut everything had come to light. And his heart had broke. Splintered and shattered. She hadn't been turning to him to get away from Sun Ce. She had been unable to choose. She had felt something for him. Enough to make her wonder if it was stronger than what she felt for Sun Ce. That made Zhou Yu happy, if nothing else. It gave him room to dream.
But somehow Sun Ce had won. It shouldn't have been surprising. Sun Ce always won at whatever he applied himself to. He was just… a winner. A strong, amazing man who could do anything. An immeasurable amount of confidence, and more luck then a man with his skill should have had. Zhou Yu was just the amazingly intelligent sworn brother who always stood a step behind him. Always had the second best.
He opened his eyes and stared at the dark wood. With a sigh and a groan, he pushed himself up and fixed the ponytail. He really shouldn't have thrown himself a pity party, he thought with a frown. He was behind in his work, and Sun Ce relied on him. Just because Sun Ce was currently out on an impromptu picnic with Da Qiao did not give Zhou Yu the right to fall behind. Xiao Qiao was the one that told him to anyway. He had no reason to blame Sun Ce.
But it was so easy.
Sorting the papers that covered his desk, he tried to figure out what to read first. He jumped when somebody knocked on the door. Glancing in the mirror he had in his drawer he made sure he looked normal and called for them to enter. Xiao Qiao peaked her head in, smiling. "Hi honey," she said. Zhou Yu always wondered how much she knew. He tried to hide it from her. To show her love. Because she loved him. That was… easy to see.
"Xiao," he said, giving her a smile in return. She walked in, a bounce in her step, the tray with tea giving a small clatter of protest. She set it on his desk and then clasped her hands behind her, swaying. "This is unusual."
"I know," she said, rushed, losing her smile. "I know you don't like to be interrupted. And you've told me before. I know you got important work to do. Sun Ce needs you. I know that. But, well," she fidgeted with her hands, "I just… I brought you tea." She gave a forced smile and moved to retreat.
He stood and grabbed her wrist. She blushed three shades of red and stared at him through her bangs. "Thank you, Xiao. Will you join me? It is time I took a break from… all of this."
Her smile was enough to make his heart hurt that he couldn't love her the way she deserved. She quickly poured him his tea. She was graceful in most aspects. But it was easy to forget because she did trip. Those events stuck in the mind more then when she was able to dance as lovely as her sister. Because women weren't supposed to trip and giggle about it. He moved to sit by the window. She sat across from him, nearly bouncing in her seat when he picked up the sanxian.
Either she was more a strategist than he gave her credit for with her plan for Da Qiao's date with Sun Ce, he thought, or Da Qiao had played a hand in this. Which was rather tricky of the eldest Qiao to stage this by making it look like Xiao Qiao's idea. The problem was, he couldn't decide which was the truth. But the look in Xiao Qiao's hazel eyes as she watched his fingers, starting to sing along, he decided that for once it didn't matter. He would play his part. And for at least this evening, he would give her what she deserved. His full attention and heart. As much as he could give.
So, this is only in Zhou Yu's perspective. Just a reminder. You have to guess Da and Xiao Qiao's perspectives out of what he has given you. I just say this because I sort of wanted to just give you guys enough to try and figure them out, because Zhou Yu isn't always right. I know what I think they are doing in this story... but that's me. Maybe I'll do a second one in Xiao's perspective in this story. Just to take a different route. I don't know. We'll see. I still have to do a Zhou Yu x Sun Shang Xiang story for Aquatic-Idealist. Technically this one could have been for him (sort of is...) but I'm not terribly fond of it, and it has no real plot. Something I was hoping to give for the challenge thing on my profile.
Anyway, reviews appreciated.