Summer Snow

Author: Atthla

See Disclaimer and Warning in chapter 1.

Notes: At last, the final installation. Luckily I'm in no mood for an unhappy ending, so be happy, people! On to the story!

"Ahh, nice weather, isn't it?"

Zhou Yu was not impressed. Oblivious to said nice weather and everything else but the subject in mind and the attempt of ignorance his companion so falsely displayed, he shot a glare to the weather connoisseur and reproached, "Do not try to change the subject, milord. This is a particularly serious matter and I shall not be misled by your petty efforts to distract me."

Sun Ce opened his mouth to protest but Zhou Yu had narrowed his eyes, discouraging any other sort of argument his lord might come up with. "I am steadfast in my opinion," he emphasized once more. "It is not a good idea."

A flicker of exasperation flashed across Sun Ce's face. "Gongjin, a war – which was the most unpredictable and despicable I have ever experienced in my whole life – has just ended. I am tired of it and sure that you are too, so why are we still discussing this?"

"Because I do not think that trading prisoners is a good idea," Zhou Yu stated matter-of-factly, his voice rising a little to prove that this really was no laughing mater. "In fact, it is a rather dangerous course to take in such situation as dire as ours," he went on. "Cao Cao is an exceedingly objective-centered leader with countless devious schemes under his sleeves, so unless there is a hidden intention lying underneath, I doubt he will waste his time to prosecute something as mundane as trading prisoners."

To his mounting annoyance, the Little Conqueror laughed. "Don't be so harsh a judge on him, my dear friend. Maybe he's just suddenly hit with a sudden desire to do something less self-centered. Talking about altruism."

"Has it ever occurred to you, milord, that he might be plotting of spying?" Zhou Yu said dryly.

"To attack us again so soon? Nah, even he is not that stupid."

"I must say that it is not entirely impossible," the longhaired general reminded.

"Nothing is impossible if we speak in your language, Yu," the Little Conqueror smiled affectionately, a gentle thumb brushing his cheek and the black curtain of long, sleek hair. Zhou Yu frowned, finding such public display of affection highly inappropriate while there were soldiers standing on guard in sight, but did not raise an argument over the matter when before long the hand fell from his face. He remained silent for a long moment, watching his lord's smile withering into something much more somber. Not at all something he wished to see and Sun Ce's voice was almost quiet, lacking the sheer willpower it usually contained when he spoke again, "Can we just drop this now? I've made my decision. This war has already claimed so many casualties that I can't help but to feel like I want to do something for my people. Having their family back is the least I can do for them."

Stubbornness. Zhou Yu could almost see the word staring back at him in a most glaring manner and while he could muster the same quality on a quite comparable level, he also knew when and where to draw the line. Sometimes responsibilities were just too much and his best friend was right. It was somewhat comforting to know that they were trying to do something good for those who had done so much for them.

He sighed in defeat and finally dropped the subject. "As you please, milord, but do bear in mind that I have warned you more than once."

"Deal," Sun Ce flashed him a small grin. "Cao Cao can plot and scheme as much as he wishes – and with a bit of luck on our side, he may fall from his chair and die in process or something – but for now I just don't want to go visiting Gan Ning bearing a topic as gloomy as war."

Zhou Yu nodded in agreement and they continued their delayed journey to the officers's quarters. The sun was bright, cheerful above them and he had to admit, though grudgingly, that it was indeed a nice weather, a fairly pleasant and much-needed diversion from continuous meetings and frowning faces he had to deal with since the break of dawn – or rather before the break of dawn six days ago. Reports of casualties seemed to be endless, messengers with strained faces traveled back and forth between them and the Wei's ruler who by now had taken refuge in one of his nearest strongholds, and his generals had been sporting grave looks like tomorrow would never come.

That was exactly why he had given Lu Xun a day off. The High Commander was not one to play favorites, but he did find the young strategist rather endearing in his eagerness to perform his duty as best as he could. And sometimes, things were just too much for a seventeen-years-old boy. He had seen it, the weariness painted so plainly on Lu Xun's face, and the poor boy had even tried to cover it with a brusque manner Zhou Yu felt unnatural and unbefitting for one of his nature.

A day off would do him good, he thought with a degree of satisfaction, but couldn't help but to wonder if it was just another do-something-altruistic deed his friend had just mentioned. Perhaps. Not that it really mattered now.

"That guy was crazy," suddenly Sun Ce's voice rose above their soft footsteps.

Zhou Yu turned a pair of curious eyes at him, noting the half-thoughtful, half-pleased look on his lord's face. "Who? General Gan?"

"Both of them," his tone of voice was nothing if not amused and the High Commander had to raise his eyebrows at the unmistakable grin on the other man's face. As if it wasn't enough to emphasize his point, he then repeated, almost sounding proud, "They were crazy. Utterly, brilliantly crazy."

"I fail to see what is so amusing about the mad feat they did," Zhou Yu remarked dryly. "If only General Lu Meng did not have the presence of mind to notify us at once and send every reinforcement available, we might very well have lost two even though infuriatingly daft, valuable officers nonetheless."

Sun Ce chuckled, a sound that reverberated in the still afternoon air and for some reasons, annoyed him to no end. The Wu lord slowed down his pace and attempted to plant a brief kiss on a white, porcelain cheek, like he had often tried to do solely for the sake of teasing and frustrating the High Commander. For once, he was successful and laughter soon followed at the indignation appearing on his dear friend's face. "You're really pissed off, aren't you, love?" his voice was dripping with amusement and Zhou Yu couldn't help but notice that his eyes twinkled at the term of endearment he gleefully used. "Not that I blame you. Even I was so close to strangling and feeding them to every creature in the Yellow River if not for their condition which was so bloody...well, bloody."

Casting a dark glare at a pair of grinning guards nearby, the longhaired general brushed off the hand which had settled comfortably around his waist and said sternly, "Somehow I am under the impression that you do not treat this matter seriously, milord. For all I know, they were jeopardizing the continuation of our kingdom and the lives of our people."

"Mm," the respond was careless, and Zhou Yu cast a dark look at the other man, reprimand hovering at the edge of his tongue when Sun Ce suddenly turned to face him and sighed happily. "But don't you think it was romantic?"

The High Commander could already feel his head spinning madly. "Romantic?"

"Yes," a grin was now evident on the lord's face. "What else can you call Ling Tong's bravery to go through fire and water only to save a comrade-in-arms he's supposed to hate? He doesn't have to, you know, if he really can't stand him as much as he constantly tries to make us believe." The grin widened and Zhou Yu felt his headache rapidly worsening. "But now we know for sure that Ling Tong doesn't hate Gan Ning, right?"

All he knew for sure now was that the world was at its end. Or rather the kingdom of Wu was at its end. There would be no future for Wu under a leader who obviously considered the performance of spectacular recklessness and stupidity as a romantic achievement.

The idea of an early retirement suddenly didn't sound so bad.

"And what kind of relevance does that...detail have with the continuation of our kingdom?" he finally said through gritted teeth.

Sun Ce looked at him with something close to reproach. "Try to look at something from the bright side, Yu. Now Gan Ning knows that Ling Tong loves him back. Isn't that a good thing?"

Zhou Yu decided that one of them had to remain sane and quickened his pace to the officers's quarters before he lost another shred of sanity.

---

There was a hidden power somewhere in the universe whose whole existence is devoted to make sure that certain people were to be made fun at in every possible way.

Ling Tong was fairly sure that he was one of the more unfortunate souls stalked by that power.

He was perching on the railing at the second floor just above the entrance to the western area of the castle, completely hidden from view owing to a massive, ancient tree which shelter he had always been glad to receive when he wanted to be alone. The quarters at this level were usually empty, the castle designed to accommodate a total of officers they had never been able to reach because more often than not, those who perished in battle numbered far greater than those who came to enlist.

Looking up to the blue cloudless sky, he sighed. The weather was nice and here lies his problem with the world in general.

Why did all, including the sun and the pair of guards he had passed on his way here, have to look bright and cheerful when the only thing he wanted was to kick every single thing in his sight if it wasn't for his still healing wounds? Here he was moping and sulking in silence while everyone – and everything – else looked as if they were having the best day of their life.

He sighed, silently wishing that he brought with him a mound of pebbles to throw carelessly to the ground below. At least with his arm working on something – no matter how pointless – time would not pass in this agonizingly slow way. He had been tittering in this mood since the physician had officially allowed him to leave the bed, his mind drifting aimlessly with nothing but unpleasantness ahead and discomfort shadowing every step he took. More often than not, he would end up being irritated with himself and start to look for someone – or something – to vent his anger on.

The source of his problems had never really changed. They all were centered around a certain pirate who had the guts to kill his father and then to kiss him in front of their young strategist friend and only a week before, to lie bleeding and be thisclose to plummeting straight into hell before his very eyes. Ling Tong wasn't sure that there was enough compassion in his heart to forgive the other general for what he had done, not then, not now, and most likely not ever.

And yet something kept him thinking about the unruly pirate, like a loose knot tied to one end of his awareness. Perhaps brushing with death did it to him, but then again, it hadn't been the first time he had taunted the inevitable to come and fetch him even though the many previous rendezvous had been triggered by much less stupid causes.

He hadn't seen Gan Ning since that night, content to remain ignorant as far as the definition goes. If only Lu Xun hadn't visited him often with news concerning their fellow officer, his recuperation would be as smooth as their High Commander's hair. Even after he had recovered, Ling Tong kept avoiding the former pirate's room although it was only two doors down the hall from his.

There were things that better remained untouched. Undisturbed.

Ling Tong was wondering idly which branch would be able support his weight when colliding voices reached his ear. Coming from the direction of the officers's quarters were several of his comrades, led by the lord himself who seemed to be holding a debate with his second-in-command. He might be amused to see that Zhou Yu's eloquence could be decimated so utterly and completely by a simple kiss in the cheek or something like that if not for a small voice hinting to him that he – along with a certain pirate – were the subject of their so-called debate.

"He looks sad, you can't deny that."

"I was not about to. And can you please put some distances between your hands and any part of my body for once, milord?"

"Am I not allowed to do things I like in my own kingdom? Anyway, get Ling Tong to see him. I have the hunch that we will lose one, and then two, of our bravest officers if you don't do it soon."

"And how am I supposed to execute your order, Sir?"

"I don't know. You're the High Commander, you should be able to think of something. Threaten him with a demotion or death penalty or something like that should do the trick."

"I do not take the authority trusted upon me so lightly as to do anything such–"

"I'm going to kiss you if you don't say yes."

Ling Tong was so close to laughing out loud that he almost lost his balance and fall over. His hands gripped the railing just in time and he watched the group pass by in silence, not quite eager to let them know of his whereabouts. Zhou Yu would do what Sun Ce ordered him to, that much he was certain.

And of course, when he had just thought that no one would notice him perching there in total silence, Lu Xun had to turn around and notice him.

Damn perceptive schoolboy.

The young strategist opened his mouth, but Ling Tong sent him a glare which made him close it again. Lu Xun frowned, which he responded in kind, and yet the younger man refused to be defeated this once and continued frowning at him as well as pointing at the direction he had just come from with his eyes and a slight tilting of his head persistently.

Fully aware what the message was, Ling Tong glared at the young strategist, refusing point blank, which only got him a cold smirk which promised countless evil things in return. Lu Xun turned around and followed the rest who still seemed oblivious of his short absence, leaving the other man to stew alone in his own anger.

There was no real harm, Ling Tong told himself consolingly once he had finished cursing Lu Xun in every degrading way he could think of, to visit the pirate just once. After all, he had gone through the trouble of saving him. There was nothing wrong with making sure that his hard work didn't go to waste – and perhaps, also to gloat a little. After all, it wasn't just an everyday happening that someone had saved the murderer of his father.

Finally reaching a conclusion, he jumped down from the second story and landed with less grace than usual, his ribs protesting against the abuse. The door to Gan Ning's room was half ajar when he arrived and the former pirate could be seen in the middle of a struggle of getting himself out of bed in order to reach for his sword, which was inconveniently put on top of the drawer. The groans and curses he was creating plainly suggested that it was not an easy feat for the injured man.

Ling Tong put a careless hand on the door and remarked, his voice containing more sarcasm than every person in the three kingdoms combined. "You know, you can just shout for someone rather than trying to reopen your wounds and kill yourself in the stupidest way possible."

Surprised and almost falling out of the bed because of it but obviously far from willing to admit so, Gan Ning only grumbled, "Now that you're here, why don't you give that to me?"

Ling Tong snorted. "Ungrateful bastard."

The other man scowled at him. "Look who's talking,"

Ignoring the rebuttal, he invited himself into the room and tossed the 'Sea Master' to the injured general, who despite the gravity of his wounds, still managed to raise a hand and catch it. He maintained a stony silence while Gan Ning examined his sword, taking in the white cloths that wrapped around the pirate's torso and a collection of bruises and scratches which decorated his arms.

He wasn't trying to sympathize. He had his own share of injuries and if anything, it was the reckless pirate's own fault that he was wounded so badly.

But maybe, just maybe, he didn't want the other general to die just yet. Perhaps it was one of those things. He should be the one who killed Gan Ning and he couldn't let anyone take that privilege from him.

"I was very stupid, wasn't I?"

The former pirate sounded oddly self-conscious and it took Ling Tong a long moment to compile a suitably scathing respond. "To the farthest point of extreme," he said at last. "And just the night before I thought you couldn't be more stupid."

Quite surprisingly, Gan Ning laughed at that. "Exceeding expectations, that's me."

Ling Tong refused to deign the self-praise with a reply, not even a rolling of eyes, and settled on glaring at the assortment of medicine set on the table. He could feel the other man's eyes boring to the side of his head but he didn't rise to the challenge. Now if he looked at the former pirate, there was only uneasiness. For some reasons he hardly tried to interpret, his stock of anger and revulsion had disappeared without a trace. That uneasiness would eventually breed more hatred, yes, but still he didn't like feeling that uncomfortable.

Perhaps he was playing with death too much.

"They said you're the one who brought me back." Once again, it was Gan Ning who broke the silence.

"Yeah, kinda," he replied carefully, all of a sudden feeling a lot more uncomfortable than before. "As much as I love to see you dead, I also find satisfaction in letting those I despise to be in my debt. By the way, how does it feel to owe something as big as your life to me?"

"For a reason, that sounds really stupid," the other pointed out dryly.

Ling tong shrugged, finally looking back at his companion. "Well, we both know that you are the one I hate the most and to have you no longer be able to feel guilty for your sin of killing my father is unsatisfying at some points and–"

It shouldn't be possible, Ling Tong found himself arguing as his sentence was cut by an intrusion he would not rather describe. Gan Ning was injured – heavily, severely injured, as a matter of fact – which should make the full exploit of his muscles rather impossible, which in turn should result in a rather restricted choice of movement. The power he was able to exert should be also limited, and yet Ling Tong saw none of these symptoms once the pirate pulled him by the wrist hard that he lost his balance, placed the other hand on his shoulder to stop the fall and kissed him right on the mouth, all done with an agility a badly injured man shouldn't be capable of.

An extremely slow reaction, he finally deduced when a wince and a groan forced Gan Ning to break the contact. He watched the other general hissing and cursing at his wounds with some amusement – and no little satisfaction.

"I guess this is where the phrase 'serves you right' should make its glorious entrance."

"Shut up," the other man growled.

Ling Tong only smirked lazily. "Serves you right. That's what you get from being incredibly stupid and impatient."

Instead of the desired effect, a smirk appeared on Gan Ning's face. "Does that mean you're gonna let me to do that again later? When I'm able to give you, let's say, a proper treatment?"

"You keep looking from the wrong point," he mumbled sourly.

"It's no fun looking from your point."

"Asshole."

The irritating smirk only grew wider. "Believe me, I'm a really great kisser. Don't you wanna know what heaven feels like?"

A wince passed across Ling Tong's face. "How is it possible that your way of thinking always manage to aggravate me?"

"The problem lies on your side, you know," the other man generously pointed out.

"Of course. It's kinda impossible to make you admit your own mistake, isn't it?" he said sarcastically.

Another retort was ready to be hurled but then Gan Ning's face twisted and a moment later he had already laughed hard, as hard as his injuries allowed him. Ling Tong looked away, unwilling to let the former pirate see that he too was having trouble keeping a smile at bay. It was childish, really, but strangely he didn't mind. Having an argument and laughing at it was somehow better than feeling uncomfortable when he was near the other man.

"Hey, listen," Gan Ning spoke up again and Ling Tong felt slightly uneasy to hear the seriousness in his voice. "I don't wanna sound like I'm putting some false hope or anything but, you know, you saved me and all, and I can't help but to think that you don't hate me as much as I thought."

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, Ling Tong replied, "And your point is?"

"I know you're going to be difficult," the other general glowered at him. "You like me, don't you? More than you're willing to admit?"

"I prefer the word 'loath' actually, it sounds better," he said, careful to maintain his voice as nonchalant as possible. He knew that discussion would come, but surely not this soon.

No tact at all.

A new grin found its way to Gan Ning's face, brightening it in a manner which absolutely irritated Ling Tong somehow. "But we both also know that there is a fine line between love and hate. Or loath. Whatever you call it."

"I'm not sure you know on which side I am," he countered, challenging.

The grin did not falter. "Maybe not, but I have a very good guess about it."

Ling Tong fell silent, every fraction of his body numb with cold and the argument forgotten. Gan Ning was still grinning but the fiery brown eyes held his gaze like a pair of wolfhounds, fixed, unrelenting. It wasn't supposed to come to this, that little game of theirs. It was what kept his balance in check, the one thing which allowed him to live his life without too much regret and self-blaming that he had not been able to save his father that day. It was the only reason he could give to himself to keep living his days in the former pirate's company, the only proof he could present to others – and himself – that he still hated the other man.

He wasn't sure if he could still live on if that one mask fell and shattered.

But Gan Ning never understood that. If he did, then he obviously didn't care. Whatever Ling Tong did to sow animosity between them, he would always return. Not always in a good mood, but he would always return. Perhaps the pirate thought that it was funny to toy with him like this.

Or perhaps all this time, Gan Ning had apologized and tried to make amends with always coming back. He could never put an apology into words, Ling Tong knew, especially not to him. The chance was very slight, but if that was the case...

If that was the case, then maybe it was his time to grow up and deal with it.

His mouth was dry and everything else seemed wrong, but Gan Ning was still looking at him steadily and he heard himself said in a voice oddly quiet, "I still hate you."

"Nothing new to me," the former pirate shrugged, his smile long since vanishing from his face. "It's your decision, really."

Ling Tong almost snorted. The decision was his, yes, and yet he couldn't help but to feel that Gan Ning would – deliberately or not – always interfere regardless what his decision was.

The stupid pirate. So intolerably stupid that almost certainly he didn't realize that he had claimed a spot in Ling Tong's life and could not be removed no matter what.

The longhaired general inhaled a deep breath and stated acidly, "I can be very difficult. Much more difficult than every degree of difficulty I may have displayed before."

It was an impossibly wide grin that brightened up Gan Ning's face. "I think I can handle that."

Ling Tong looked away and murmured, "We'll see."

Gan Ning didn't reply, but he knew that the former pirate was still sporting that stupid grin on his face and if he turned to look now probably he would suddenly have an irresistible urge to punch the other man square in the face, and so he didn't and stared resolutely at the open window instead. The day was bright, beautiful, the sunlight merry but not too hot, and there were muted voices carried by the wind, softly and steadily caressing his ears.

It was peace. And at this moment, the thought made him feel contented. Free.

He had forgiven himself.

--The End--

Ramblings: Well, nothing conclusive but...yeah, that's the ending. Now that I think of it, this fic has nothing to do with summer and certainly not with snow. The title just a little whim of mine, really, forgive me. I know the ending leaves so many holes but I think Ling Tong needs a little more time to come to terms with whatever happens above and I simply cannot rush things to happen. I may write another fic to conclude this one but I really have no idea how so I can't promise anything. Anyway, thanks for everyone who has supported me in this short journey. I hope you enjoy reading this fic as much as I writing it. If someone still feels dissatisfied or even angry in the way I write them, I apologize. Thanks everyone!