Zhou Yu lay curled up in a sleeping position, though he was not sleeping. His eyes and ears were wide open, but he was tired of standing. Tensions between himself and his other pack members had died away, much to his relief, and he smiled to see Jiang Wei pull teasingly on Zhao Yun's tail, 'Like a kid...'
He wondered, though, that after finding a cure, would they remain scarred like this? Would they remember... or would they forget? He worried for them, even for Zhang He, whom he guessed was cursed the longest out of these three.
'Then you guess wrong...'
Looking up at the jet-black werefox, he asked, "Excluding Xiahou Dun... but tell me, then, who was affected first?"
Zhang He jerked his head towards Zhao Yun, "He was, poor thing. I'm actually quite a recent addition..."
"You were closer to him... why were you not the first?"
"You would have to ask him, though I believe because I was not quite what he was looking for. I suspect my primary purpose is to get Sima Yi to search for a cure..." Zhang He said with a slight snarl, but he just lay onto his belly, looking towards the orange moon. "It's not SO bad... it's tolerable, I suppose..."
"Anything is... if you have to live through it..."
Watching the other werefoxes was entertaining, until Zhang He rose to his feet quickly, barking, "Alpha's here..."
The change over Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei was immediate, as both lost their good humor, and the elder of the two actually whimpered, hiding behind Zhang He. Soon enough, the one eyed werefox had arrived, receiving an immediate bow from Zhang He before noticing the partially eaten doe. "You've began without me... how rude of you..."
Zhou Yu sniffed, refusing to rise, "It was my doing, as you could probably guess..."
That immediately sent the Alpha snarling, preparing to strike him. "Then have you eaten at all, or did the others follow you?!"
"I didn't eat a thing; I gave it to them to eat..."
Hearing Zhao Yun's whimper, he immediately rose to intercept the strike, saving both Zhang He and Zhao Yun from his wrath. Jiang Wei was quick to disappear, not wishing to be involved in anyway.
"Leave them alone; they did NOTHING!" Zhou Yu snarled. "The one you want to punish is me..."
Xiahou Dun sneered, backing a bit to shakes his head. "Perhaps I SHOULD... you should be grateful, Zhou Yu... I've spared Lu Xun for tonight, but I don't know how long I will continue sparing him if you keep disobeying me..."
Zhou Yu's blood ran cold, and he growled, "You will not touch ANYONE to hurt me! If you have a problem to deal with, give it to me directly!"
"With pleasure..."
The speed with which the beast leapt at him was startling, but Zhou Yu was not to be bested a second time, sinking his teeth into Xiahou Dun's leg, howling as he tasted blood, "Take that demon!"
Almost the instant that they had started, the other members of the pack began to circle, and Zhou Yu had a feeling deep within his gut what was happening now. He had questioned orders, and defied the leader, which, to the animals of the pack, was considered a challenge for leadership. This was to be a fight to the death...
Or, not necessarily to the death. But he would definitely be pushed below into the lower ranks if he did not agree, and he snarled, "Fine then! If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get!"
He could see the spark in Xiahou Dun's eyes, though not as intimidating as that teethy grin. "I will enjoy this with much passion, fiend..."
"Not nearly as much as I..."
The two struck with the speed of lightning, and the fight had begun. The two foxes circled around them, one rather delighted to see the inevitable, and the other praying that it would haven't come so quickly. And Jiang Wei was still nowhere to be found... but that did not stop the fight.
Zhou Yu thought he was doing pretty well for himself, considering this was his first fight. His opponent was bleeding from many places where his teeth and claws had struck, while his own coat remained spotless, "Ha! This is hardly an interesting fight!"
Perhaps his own conceit got the better of him, as Xiahou Dun's second wind struck him like a hammer to the chest. Though he was quicker, he felt the Alpha's sheer strength, unable to combat that. Still, he fought on, fighting with all of his might and wits.
He did not know exactly when it struck him that he was going to lose this fight, but suddenly he knew. He was going to lose. Xiahou Dun had more experience, more raw strength, more stamina, and more energy. Still he did not give up, though he was now bleeding profusely, though he was not wounded severely, and his breath was in ragged pants, 'I... can't... give up...'
"Perhaps you should... then you can die and rid yourself of your own stupidity..."
Zhou Yu snarled, his fur bristling, "Death may be better... than this..."
He could see now, that Zhang He drew closer, and he dodged the beast before his teeth could seep into his throat. He snarled, "Can't fight me alone?! You have me beat... but you can't do your own work?!"
"You have to find your own place in this pack..."
Zhao Yun barked, "Surely we can come to SOME sort of agreement here... we are too small to lose anymore..."
"Don't worry, sweetness," Xiahou Dun almost purred. "This one does not get death..."
Hearing those words made the poor man shudder, backing away with his tail between his legs to join Jiang Wei in hiding.
Zhou Yu looked at Zhang He, and he shook his head, "Don't fight me. I don't care if you keep your Beta position..."
He only got a laugh from the jet-black werefox, but he backed down. "You might become even lower than Zhao Yun then... how embarrassing for you..."
Zhou Yu snarled, "If I have to fight them, I will... though I'd rather not... at least for now. Although I will stay higher than Jiang Wei and Zhao Yun, if only to protect them..."
"How sickeningly noble of you... however, I find it admirable..." Xiahou Dun licked away the blood, glancing towards the fading moon. "If that is how you feel, then so be it... but remember, I can simply kill you and then who would be there to protect them, or soon to be Lu Xun?"
The Wu strategist growled, "You bastard... you knew I'd protect the three of them and used it against me! I hate you..."
He was merely laughed at, as Xiahou Dun now stand up, as if to mock him some more. "That's done you in quick... no matter. It will be dawn soon, and if you wish to return to your day home, be my guest... consider yourself lucky to have a place to stay for awhile."
Zhou Yu snarled, turning to walk away, his voice dripping sarcasm, "Oh yes, my eternal master. I am SO lucky..."
"You won't be for long... after I claim my newest member, we shall continue on our way..."
"What do you mean by that?!" Zhou Yu demanded.
Xiahou Dun explained, scratching behind his bloody ear. "We move as a pack... how ELSE do you think we got here?"
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Zhou Yu almost roared, his brown eyes exploding into angry flame, "I'm not leaving my clan to travel with you!"
"You have no choice... and neither will Lu Xun, unless you want them to track you down and kill you for what you've become..."
"I refuse!"
As sunlight began to brighten the sky, Xiahou Dun disappeared into the woods. "So be it..."
Zhou Yu stared up at the sun, waiting for it's warming rays, 'Heal me...'
At least that gave him what he wanted, and this time he was conscious as the peaceful conversion took place. His nerves felt tingly, as the fur slowly died away until he was human once again. Now, he stood, naked once again, but this time, with a small reassurance of getting back home. He wondered, though, if his wounds from the past fight would still be there...
It did not take long for him to see that they did not, as he was no longer bleeding nor had wounds. 'That's a relief...'
It left him a little less explaining to do, as he headed back home. "Hopefully Lu Xun will have the clothes waiting for me..."
~*~*~*~
"WHERE IS ZHOU YU?!"
The problems left for Lu Xun had piled up so much in the past few hours, as Sun Ce returned from the unsuccessful hunt. The minute Lu Xun saw his troops entering the gates, he knew he was in deep trouble, but he did not fear it, standing perfectly still as Sun Ce was held down by the equally tired pirate and Lu Meng. He answered quickly, as he had just returned from dropping off Zhou Yu's clothing at the edge of the woods unguarded. "I do not know my lord... I was in the library most of the night!"
"I want to see him NOW! Find him!"
Lu Meng answered for Lu Xun, "We'll start now, my lord... but you need to rest before you over extend yourself..."
Lu Xun quickly seconded it, "Yes, my lord Sun Ce. You have not had a decent sleep in days!"
"How can I sleep when Zhou Yu's missing?! Are you THAT heartless?" Sun Ce sneered, almost breaking from their hold.
"Please calm down my lord; I am never far from you," Zhou Yu said, walking upon the scene after dressing himself. He'd never seen so many relieved faces, especially that on his friends. He asked, "I'm sorry if I've worried you my lord, but I was bathing..."
"DON'T YOU EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!" Sun Ce was on him in a heartbeat, trying his best not to plow him over with the embrace. "You had me worried, dammit!"
Zhou Yu only returned the embrace, stroking his lord's hair gently, "I am sorry..."
Giving a sigh, Gan Ning laughed, not liking how Lu Xun took a seat in the closest chair so quickly. "See, all worked up over nothing!"
"Indeed," Lu Meng hesitated to do so, but he tapped his lord on the shoulder, "Sir... you really should rest..."
Sun Ce snapped, "I will in a second..."
Zhou Yu murmured, "Would you like me to accompany you, sir? I did not sleep well during the night; a nap would suit me well..."
That made Gan Ning and Lu Meng stare at them, and he instantly blushed, knowing that they took that the wrong way. But he saw Lu Xun, sitting with his forehead in his hand, and sighed. "If you don't mind, of course..."
"No... I don't mind at all..."
The tension finally broke, and Zhou Yu nodded, wondering if he was going to have to carry his lord and friend to his chambers.
The answer was apparent when he heard Sun Ce snore lightly, and he sighed, "Well... I suppose I shall see all of you later..."
"I suppose so... I'll help you with him..." Lu Meng offered his service, going to Sun Ce's other side and putting his arm over his shoulders. He gave Gan Ning a look, hinting him to console Lu Xun as they were to be left alone in the room.
Gan Ning took the hint, wrapping an arm around Lu Xun's shoulders, "What's wrong?"
They were alone now, and he could see the tears streaming down Lu Xun's tried face, his hand not covering much. And what was worse was that he was almost convulsing, trying to hold the tears back. "Lu Xun, tell me what's wrong, will you? Why are you crying?"
"N-no reason..."
Now that was a lie, and even Gan Ning, the dense pirate, could tell. "Don't say that; you HAVE a reason..."
How could Lu Xun resist the man to whom he had given his heart? "Sun Ce... he hates me now, for not being able to find the cure or the way to destroy a werefox, I'M frustrated because I can't find the information, and... and..."
"And what? You shouldn't let what Sun Ce says get to you... you KNOW he's worried about Zhou Yu, just as I'm worried about you!"
The strategist's voice dropped, "The... the werefox came back for me..."
The tears wouldn't stop, and Gan Ning's shout didn't help. "What?! Why in heaven's name would that thing be after you?!"
"BECAUSE HE KNOWS! HE KNOWS WHAT POSITION I KEEP!" Lu Xun cried, his golden eyes sparkling with tears. He hid his face from Gan Ning's look, unable to counter it. "That's what he's after... he's Alpha and wishes to stay that way, so he 'recruits' ones that are lower than him..."
"Oh HELL no!" Gan Ning drew his love close, "Don't you worry! I'm NOT going to let him have you!"
Even his touch could not soothe him, "But I shouldn't have TOLD you that... God, I'm so STUPID! How could I just say it so easily, without regards to anyone else?! Dammit!"
"Listen to me! You are FAR from stupid! And I will protect you..."
"No, then he'll make the SAME mistake as he did before..." Lu Xun never felt so defeated in his life, as he looked away, unable to believe himself. "Look at me now... how can I let him get the better of me? While I'm wasting time, pitying myself, I should be finding that CURE!"
"What IS it with you and finding this cure?!"
He was pushed away, and the pirate had trouble keeping up with him. Lu Xun sneered, "You know too much already... please understand that for the safety of you and others that you CANNOT know!"
"So now we're keeping secrets from one another?"
"Gan Ning..." Lu Xun stopped so suddenly that Gan Ning nearly plowed him over, but it was only a mere bump. His fists were clenched and his knuckles were white, as he seethed, "If I tell you... then I would feel as if I was betraying someone in dire need of help right now."
"So in short, you feel you HAVE to keep secrets from me; that I cannot be trusted..."
That seemed to be the last blow to his nerves, and Gan Ning barely caught the fist that was aimed for his bare chest. He could see the raw pain in the youth's bright golden eyes, but his words were like needles, hinting nothing but anger. "It's not YOU I don't trust! I DON'T TRUST MYSELF! There, are you SATISFIED?!"
The pirate's response was to draw him close, "Look, calm down. If it's that important, then I don't want to know, alright? But I want you to be happy again..."
"How can I be happy... when that beast is roaming free?" Again, he was pushed away, trying to hard to recollect himself. "When the creature comes for me... don't try to save me. I do not wish for you to be harmed, like that poor maiden, or worse..."
His answer was a kiss, and in his troubled state, he found it hard to resist, though he broke it, "Stop! This is NOT the time for that!"
"Then when?" Gan Ning asked, not impatient, but worried, beyond worried for his love.
"I... I don't know," Lu Xun whispered, feeling the tears begin to start once more, and bearing his head into the pirate's chest. "I don't know..."
'Poor guy...' Gan Ning could almost feel tears rising himself, but as he went to embrace his love, two small hands pushed into his chest, and Lu Xun freed himself. "I must get to work now... if you need me, I shall be in the library..."
"When was the last time you slept?"
"It does not matter... if I sleep, then I am wasting valuable time..."
"How can you work if you do not take care of yourself?!" The pirate asked, but when Lu Xun had turned away, he caught his hand, accidentally squeezing the one that was twisted last night. Hearing Lu Xun's cry, Gan Ning quickly apologized, "I'm sorry!"
"I-It's not your fault," Lu Xun whimpered, cradling his hand. "It's just a little tender..."
He could see the small gash there, left from when he cut himself two nights before, but he thought nothing of it, dodging Gan Ning's touch again. "I must go now... please, just let me go!"
"Look at yourself! This is tearing you apart!"
"Then let it... then perhaps he would not want me anymore!" Lu Xun cried. "Can't you see THAT is what I fear?!"
Their voices carried, and it was not long before they brought attention, unwanted attention, to themselves. Gan Ning's temper snapped, something that was not wished upon as he slapped the young strategist across the face, knocking him into the wall violently. "Control yourself!"
Lu Xun sobbed, "GO AHEAD! STRIKE ME! Everyone else does; does that make you feel like you have some kind of power over me?!"
It was a stalemate, and as Gan Ning stood, in complete and utter shock of what he had just done, Lu Xun took the opportunity to flee, quickly rising and running down the hallway. If Gan Ning would have had his nerves about him, he would have followed, or called out his name, or something. But no... he just sighed, shaking his head. "Man... I really messed up today..."
Lu Xun ran to the library, slamming the door shut and locking it before his sobs renewed, gaining vigor, "Why did you do it, Gan Ning? I trusted you..."
No one was there to answer him, and evidence of the struggle remained there. Of course it did... only he was the fool who would go to the library! His heart and pride was shattered, and the pieces were far too small to pick up.
So he did the only thing he could do, as the golden rays of sunshine shined through his window; he cried.
He knew he had work to do, but he didn't care anymore. Surely Zhou Yu would understand if he took this little bit of time to cry. He promised that after his tears finally stopped, he would get back to work, but not now... let the tears come. Maybe he would feel better once they'd fallen...
~*~*~*~
Zhou Yu drew the blanket up to Sun Ce's neck, "Comfortable, sir?"
It was almost too cute for words, and as Sun Ce gave a small nod, he smiled, looking at his friend warmly, "You had me worried... and I know you know how much I hate to worry..."
"There was no need to worry, my lord. I would never leave you..." Zhou Yu winced, realizing how much like a come on it sounded, but he did not take the words back. They were the truth... So he put on the smile, getting on his knees and resting his chin upon the blankets. "Now you need to rest... you've overworked yourself..."
"No I haven't! I still haven't beaten the beast; that means I haven't worked hard enough..."
Zhou Yu's smile was rare, "Don't worry about him now, my lord... I shall join Lu Xun in searching for ways of destroying that beast."
"You will NOT!" Sun Ce shook his head, "You said you wanted to take a nap!"
"I will... though after my nap, may I join Lu Xun in research?"
"Yes... and apologize for me..." Seeing Zhou Yu's look, Sun Ce decided to explain, sighing as he dug deeper into the warm blankets. "I was so worried about you... I guessed I was a bit harsh on him, and I think I pressured him a bit, too..."
"That was wrong of you, my lord."
Feeling ashamed, the Little Conqueror agreed. "I know, I know... just make sure you apologize to him for me... okay?"
"Of course." Giving him his smile for reassurance, Zhou Yu wished him rest. "Sleep well, my lord..."
"Stay with me..."
"What?"
Sun Ce swallowed the knot in his throat, repeating himself, "Stay with me..."
How could Zhou Yu disobey? He smiled, nodding. "Of course... I'll set up a bed..."
"You can share mine..." When Sun Ce said this, Zhou Yu laughed, thinking he was merely joking. He was not. "I'm serious... there's more than enough room..."
Did his lord have any idea how he was playing with his heart? Zhou Yu doubted it, so he simply asked softly, "Is that what you wish of me?"
Sadly, Sun Ce could almost see his hesitation, but he was firm to the idea. "Yeah... don't make me make it an order..."
"Alright," The strategist nodded, trying to calm his beating heart. He laid down beside his lord, on top of the covers, and rested his head on a pillow. He could feel himself blushing, and he wished for nothing more than for Sun Ce to fall into sleep. But, no, his friend only looked at him, with that devilish grin upon his face.
"Is there something you need, my lord?"
Snickering, Sun Ce shook his head, deciding now would not be the best time to spill his heart out. Not just yet, anyway. "Just making sure you're going to sleep, that's all..."
"I am, sir... I am..."
"Good... sleep well... and DON'T worry me again..."
"Never..."
He wondered, though, that after finding a cure, would they remain scarred like this? Would they remember... or would they forget? He worried for them, even for Zhang He, whom he guessed was cursed the longest out of these three.
'Then you guess wrong...'
Looking up at the jet-black werefox, he asked, "Excluding Xiahou Dun... but tell me, then, who was affected first?"
Zhang He jerked his head towards Zhao Yun, "He was, poor thing. I'm actually quite a recent addition..."
"You were closer to him... why were you not the first?"
"You would have to ask him, though I believe because I was not quite what he was looking for. I suspect my primary purpose is to get Sima Yi to search for a cure..." Zhang He said with a slight snarl, but he just lay onto his belly, looking towards the orange moon. "It's not SO bad... it's tolerable, I suppose..."
"Anything is... if you have to live through it..."
Watching the other werefoxes was entertaining, until Zhang He rose to his feet quickly, barking, "Alpha's here..."
The change over Zhao Yun and Jiang Wei was immediate, as both lost their good humor, and the elder of the two actually whimpered, hiding behind Zhang He. Soon enough, the one eyed werefox had arrived, receiving an immediate bow from Zhang He before noticing the partially eaten doe. "You've began without me... how rude of you..."
Zhou Yu sniffed, refusing to rise, "It was my doing, as you could probably guess..."
That immediately sent the Alpha snarling, preparing to strike him. "Then have you eaten at all, or did the others follow you?!"
"I didn't eat a thing; I gave it to them to eat..."
Hearing Zhao Yun's whimper, he immediately rose to intercept the strike, saving both Zhang He and Zhao Yun from his wrath. Jiang Wei was quick to disappear, not wishing to be involved in anyway.
"Leave them alone; they did NOTHING!" Zhou Yu snarled. "The one you want to punish is me..."
Xiahou Dun sneered, backing a bit to shakes his head. "Perhaps I SHOULD... you should be grateful, Zhou Yu... I've spared Lu Xun for tonight, but I don't know how long I will continue sparing him if you keep disobeying me..."
Zhou Yu's blood ran cold, and he growled, "You will not touch ANYONE to hurt me! If you have a problem to deal with, give it to me directly!"
"With pleasure..."
The speed with which the beast leapt at him was startling, but Zhou Yu was not to be bested a second time, sinking his teeth into Xiahou Dun's leg, howling as he tasted blood, "Take that demon!"
Almost the instant that they had started, the other members of the pack began to circle, and Zhou Yu had a feeling deep within his gut what was happening now. He had questioned orders, and defied the leader, which, to the animals of the pack, was considered a challenge for leadership. This was to be a fight to the death...
Or, not necessarily to the death. But he would definitely be pushed below into the lower ranks if he did not agree, and he snarled, "Fine then! If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get!"
He could see the spark in Xiahou Dun's eyes, though not as intimidating as that teethy grin. "I will enjoy this with much passion, fiend..."
"Not nearly as much as I..."
The two struck with the speed of lightning, and the fight had begun. The two foxes circled around them, one rather delighted to see the inevitable, and the other praying that it would haven't come so quickly. And Jiang Wei was still nowhere to be found... but that did not stop the fight.
Zhou Yu thought he was doing pretty well for himself, considering this was his first fight. His opponent was bleeding from many places where his teeth and claws had struck, while his own coat remained spotless, "Ha! This is hardly an interesting fight!"
Perhaps his own conceit got the better of him, as Xiahou Dun's second wind struck him like a hammer to the chest. Though he was quicker, he felt the Alpha's sheer strength, unable to combat that. Still, he fought on, fighting with all of his might and wits.
He did not know exactly when it struck him that he was going to lose this fight, but suddenly he knew. He was going to lose. Xiahou Dun had more experience, more raw strength, more stamina, and more energy. Still he did not give up, though he was now bleeding profusely, though he was not wounded severely, and his breath was in ragged pants, 'I... can't... give up...'
"Perhaps you should... then you can die and rid yourself of your own stupidity..."
Zhou Yu snarled, his fur bristling, "Death may be better... than this..."
He could see now, that Zhang He drew closer, and he dodged the beast before his teeth could seep into his throat. He snarled, "Can't fight me alone?! You have me beat... but you can't do your own work?!"
"You have to find your own place in this pack..."
Zhao Yun barked, "Surely we can come to SOME sort of agreement here... we are too small to lose anymore..."
"Don't worry, sweetness," Xiahou Dun almost purred. "This one does not get death..."
Hearing those words made the poor man shudder, backing away with his tail between his legs to join Jiang Wei in hiding.
Zhou Yu looked at Zhang He, and he shook his head, "Don't fight me. I don't care if you keep your Beta position..."
He only got a laugh from the jet-black werefox, but he backed down. "You might become even lower than Zhao Yun then... how embarrassing for you..."
Zhou Yu snarled, "If I have to fight them, I will... though I'd rather not... at least for now. Although I will stay higher than Jiang Wei and Zhao Yun, if only to protect them..."
"How sickeningly noble of you... however, I find it admirable..." Xiahou Dun licked away the blood, glancing towards the fading moon. "If that is how you feel, then so be it... but remember, I can simply kill you and then who would be there to protect them, or soon to be Lu Xun?"
The Wu strategist growled, "You bastard... you knew I'd protect the three of them and used it against me! I hate you..."
He was merely laughed at, as Xiahou Dun now stand up, as if to mock him some more. "That's done you in quick... no matter. It will be dawn soon, and if you wish to return to your day home, be my guest... consider yourself lucky to have a place to stay for awhile."
Zhou Yu snarled, turning to walk away, his voice dripping sarcasm, "Oh yes, my eternal master. I am SO lucky..."
"You won't be for long... after I claim my newest member, we shall continue on our way..."
"What do you mean by that?!" Zhou Yu demanded.
Xiahou Dun explained, scratching behind his bloody ear. "We move as a pack... how ELSE do you think we got here?"
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Zhou Yu almost roared, his brown eyes exploding into angry flame, "I'm not leaving my clan to travel with you!"
"You have no choice... and neither will Lu Xun, unless you want them to track you down and kill you for what you've become..."
"I refuse!"
As sunlight began to brighten the sky, Xiahou Dun disappeared into the woods. "So be it..."
Zhou Yu stared up at the sun, waiting for it's warming rays, 'Heal me...'
At least that gave him what he wanted, and this time he was conscious as the peaceful conversion took place. His nerves felt tingly, as the fur slowly died away until he was human once again. Now, he stood, naked once again, but this time, with a small reassurance of getting back home. He wondered, though, if his wounds from the past fight would still be there...
It did not take long for him to see that they did not, as he was no longer bleeding nor had wounds. 'That's a relief...'
It left him a little less explaining to do, as he headed back home. "Hopefully Lu Xun will have the clothes waiting for me..."
~*~*~*~
"WHERE IS ZHOU YU?!"
The problems left for Lu Xun had piled up so much in the past few hours, as Sun Ce returned from the unsuccessful hunt. The minute Lu Xun saw his troops entering the gates, he knew he was in deep trouble, but he did not fear it, standing perfectly still as Sun Ce was held down by the equally tired pirate and Lu Meng. He answered quickly, as he had just returned from dropping off Zhou Yu's clothing at the edge of the woods unguarded. "I do not know my lord... I was in the library most of the night!"
"I want to see him NOW! Find him!"
Lu Meng answered for Lu Xun, "We'll start now, my lord... but you need to rest before you over extend yourself..."
Lu Xun quickly seconded it, "Yes, my lord Sun Ce. You have not had a decent sleep in days!"
"How can I sleep when Zhou Yu's missing?! Are you THAT heartless?" Sun Ce sneered, almost breaking from their hold.
"Please calm down my lord; I am never far from you," Zhou Yu said, walking upon the scene after dressing himself. He'd never seen so many relieved faces, especially that on his friends. He asked, "I'm sorry if I've worried you my lord, but I was bathing..."
"DON'T YOU EVER SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN!" Sun Ce was on him in a heartbeat, trying his best not to plow him over with the embrace. "You had me worried, dammit!"
Zhou Yu only returned the embrace, stroking his lord's hair gently, "I am sorry..."
Giving a sigh, Gan Ning laughed, not liking how Lu Xun took a seat in the closest chair so quickly. "See, all worked up over nothing!"
"Indeed," Lu Meng hesitated to do so, but he tapped his lord on the shoulder, "Sir... you really should rest..."
Sun Ce snapped, "I will in a second..."
Zhou Yu murmured, "Would you like me to accompany you, sir? I did not sleep well during the night; a nap would suit me well..."
That made Gan Ning and Lu Meng stare at them, and he instantly blushed, knowing that they took that the wrong way. But he saw Lu Xun, sitting with his forehead in his hand, and sighed. "If you don't mind, of course..."
"No... I don't mind at all..."
The tension finally broke, and Zhou Yu nodded, wondering if he was going to have to carry his lord and friend to his chambers.
The answer was apparent when he heard Sun Ce snore lightly, and he sighed, "Well... I suppose I shall see all of you later..."
"I suppose so... I'll help you with him..." Lu Meng offered his service, going to Sun Ce's other side and putting his arm over his shoulders. He gave Gan Ning a look, hinting him to console Lu Xun as they were to be left alone in the room.
Gan Ning took the hint, wrapping an arm around Lu Xun's shoulders, "What's wrong?"
They were alone now, and he could see the tears streaming down Lu Xun's tried face, his hand not covering much. And what was worse was that he was almost convulsing, trying to hold the tears back. "Lu Xun, tell me what's wrong, will you? Why are you crying?"
"N-no reason..."
Now that was a lie, and even Gan Ning, the dense pirate, could tell. "Don't say that; you HAVE a reason..."
How could Lu Xun resist the man to whom he had given his heart? "Sun Ce... he hates me now, for not being able to find the cure or the way to destroy a werefox, I'M frustrated because I can't find the information, and... and..."
"And what? You shouldn't let what Sun Ce says get to you... you KNOW he's worried about Zhou Yu, just as I'm worried about you!"
The strategist's voice dropped, "The... the werefox came back for me..."
The tears wouldn't stop, and Gan Ning's shout didn't help. "What?! Why in heaven's name would that thing be after you?!"
"BECAUSE HE KNOWS! HE KNOWS WHAT POSITION I KEEP!" Lu Xun cried, his golden eyes sparkling with tears. He hid his face from Gan Ning's look, unable to counter it. "That's what he's after... he's Alpha and wishes to stay that way, so he 'recruits' ones that are lower than him..."
"Oh HELL no!" Gan Ning drew his love close, "Don't you worry! I'm NOT going to let him have you!"
Even his touch could not soothe him, "But I shouldn't have TOLD you that... God, I'm so STUPID! How could I just say it so easily, without regards to anyone else?! Dammit!"
"Listen to me! You are FAR from stupid! And I will protect you..."
"No, then he'll make the SAME mistake as he did before..." Lu Xun never felt so defeated in his life, as he looked away, unable to believe himself. "Look at me now... how can I let him get the better of me? While I'm wasting time, pitying myself, I should be finding that CURE!"
"What IS it with you and finding this cure?!"
He was pushed away, and the pirate had trouble keeping up with him. Lu Xun sneered, "You know too much already... please understand that for the safety of you and others that you CANNOT know!"
"So now we're keeping secrets from one another?"
"Gan Ning..." Lu Xun stopped so suddenly that Gan Ning nearly plowed him over, but it was only a mere bump. His fists were clenched and his knuckles were white, as he seethed, "If I tell you... then I would feel as if I was betraying someone in dire need of help right now."
"So in short, you feel you HAVE to keep secrets from me; that I cannot be trusted..."
That seemed to be the last blow to his nerves, and Gan Ning barely caught the fist that was aimed for his bare chest. He could see the raw pain in the youth's bright golden eyes, but his words were like needles, hinting nothing but anger. "It's not YOU I don't trust! I DON'T TRUST MYSELF! There, are you SATISFIED?!"
The pirate's response was to draw him close, "Look, calm down. If it's that important, then I don't want to know, alright? But I want you to be happy again..."
"How can I be happy... when that beast is roaming free?" Again, he was pushed away, trying to hard to recollect himself. "When the creature comes for me... don't try to save me. I do not wish for you to be harmed, like that poor maiden, or worse..."
His answer was a kiss, and in his troubled state, he found it hard to resist, though he broke it, "Stop! This is NOT the time for that!"
"Then when?" Gan Ning asked, not impatient, but worried, beyond worried for his love.
"I... I don't know," Lu Xun whispered, feeling the tears begin to start once more, and bearing his head into the pirate's chest. "I don't know..."
'Poor guy...' Gan Ning could almost feel tears rising himself, but as he went to embrace his love, two small hands pushed into his chest, and Lu Xun freed himself. "I must get to work now... if you need me, I shall be in the library..."
"When was the last time you slept?"
"It does not matter... if I sleep, then I am wasting valuable time..."
"How can you work if you do not take care of yourself?!" The pirate asked, but when Lu Xun had turned away, he caught his hand, accidentally squeezing the one that was twisted last night. Hearing Lu Xun's cry, Gan Ning quickly apologized, "I'm sorry!"
"I-It's not your fault," Lu Xun whimpered, cradling his hand. "It's just a little tender..."
He could see the small gash there, left from when he cut himself two nights before, but he thought nothing of it, dodging Gan Ning's touch again. "I must go now... please, just let me go!"
"Look at yourself! This is tearing you apart!"
"Then let it... then perhaps he would not want me anymore!" Lu Xun cried. "Can't you see THAT is what I fear?!"
Their voices carried, and it was not long before they brought attention, unwanted attention, to themselves. Gan Ning's temper snapped, something that was not wished upon as he slapped the young strategist across the face, knocking him into the wall violently. "Control yourself!"
Lu Xun sobbed, "GO AHEAD! STRIKE ME! Everyone else does; does that make you feel like you have some kind of power over me?!"
It was a stalemate, and as Gan Ning stood, in complete and utter shock of what he had just done, Lu Xun took the opportunity to flee, quickly rising and running down the hallway. If Gan Ning would have had his nerves about him, he would have followed, or called out his name, or something. But no... he just sighed, shaking his head. "Man... I really messed up today..."
Lu Xun ran to the library, slamming the door shut and locking it before his sobs renewed, gaining vigor, "Why did you do it, Gan Ning? I trusted you..."
No one was there to answer him, and evidence of the struggle remained there. Of course it did... only he was the fool who would go to the library! His heart and pride was shattered, and the pieces were far too small to pick up.
So he did the only thing he could do, as the golden rays of sunshine shined through his window; he cried.
He knew he had work to do, but he didn't care anymore. Surely Zhou Yu would understand if he took this little bit of time to cry. He promised that after his tears finally stopped, he would get back to work, but not now... let the tears come. Maybe he would feel better once they'd fallen...
~*~*~*~
Zhou Yu drew the blanket up to Sun Ce's neck, "Comfortable, sir?"
It was almost too cute for words, and as Sun Ce gave a small nod, he smiled, looking at his friend warmly, "You had me worried... and I know you know how much I hate to worry..."
"There was no need to worry, my lord. I would never leave you..." Zhou Yu winced, realizing how much like a come on it sounded, but he did not take the words back. They were the truth... So he put on the smile, getting on his knees and resting his chin upon the blankets. "Now you need to rest... you've overworked yourself..."
"No I haven't! I still haven't beaten the beast; that means I haven't worked hard enough..."
Zhou Yu's smile was rare, "Don't worry about him now, my lord... I shall join Lu Xun in searching for ways of destroying that beast."
"You will NOT!" Sun Ce shook his head, "You said you wanted to take a nap!"
"I will... though after my nap, may I join Lu Xun in research?"
"Yes... and apologize for me..." Seeing Zhou Yu's look, Sun Ce decided to explain, sighing as he dug deeper into the warm blankets. "I was so worried about you... I guessed I was a bit harsh on him, and I think I pressured him a bit, too..."
"That was wrong of you, my lord."
Feeling ashamed, the Little Conqueror agreed. "I know, I know... just make sure you apologize to him for me... okay?"
"Of course." Giving him his smile for reassurance, Zhou Yu wished him rest. "Sleep well, my lord..."
"Stay with me..."
"What?"
Sun Ce swallowed the knot in his throat, repeating himself, "Stay with me..."
How could Zhou Yu disobey? He smiled, nodding. "Of course... I'll set up a bed..."
"You can share mine..." When Sun Ce said this, Zhou Yu laughed, thinking he was merely joking. He was not. "I'm serious... there's more than enough room..."
Did his lord have any idea how he was playing with his heart? Zhou Yu doubted it, so he simply asked softly, "Is that what you wish of me?"
Sadly, Sun Ce could almost see his hesitation, but he was firm to the idea. "Yeah... don't make me make it an order..."
"Alright," The strategist nodded, trying to calm his beating heart. He laid down beside his lord, on top of the covers, and rested his head on a pillow. He could feel himself blushing, and he wished for nothing more than for Sun Ce to fall into sleep. But, no, his friend only looked at him, with that devilish grin upon his face.
"Is there something you need, my lord?"
Snickering, Sun Ce shook his head, deciding now would not be the best time to spill his heart out. Not just yet, anyway. "Just making sure you're going to sleep, that's all..."
"I am, sir... I am..."
"Good... sleep well... and DON'T worry me again..."
"Never..."