Just a small oneshot. First DW story, and will probably prove to be historically incorrect. Its called fiction for a reason! Xiao/ZhouTai friendship. Xiao/Yu fluff too. Enjoy! x

"Thats when she said 'I don't hate you boy, I just want to save you while there's something left so save.'" Savior, Rise Against.

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Sometimes he couldn't help but worry about his little precious treasure.

Being married in the eyes of the law legally bonded you to your spouse for all eternity, was she not to understand that? Is that why she always kicked up an unnecessary fuss every single time he left for a campaign?

"You never let me come!"

"Da will be here with you, I'll only be gone for a couple of months at most Xiao. Its nothing worth worrying over."

Watching her little cute button nose scrunch up in anger, that besides her point she was trying to validate, in a way it felt like he didn't want her to have an argument, rather let him. Didn't she realize how many battle plans and strategies their lord expected him to have by tomorrow?

"But I can help! You know I can fight too! I'm a better fighter than Da!"

"I'm well aware of your fighting capabilities, but no means no Xiao. You're being immature now, you've never made it such a big deal til now."

"Fine!"

Xiao stomped her foot on the ground before she stormed off. If he wasn't going to listen to her, then she would refuse to be in the presence of someone who didn't respect her thoughts and requests, even if that someone was her spouse.

Zhou Yu watched her walk away once again. Why was she making such a big deal out of nothing? He would've thought she would be used to him leaving her from time to time, being the Wu strategist was a role he knew fully would occupy most of his time. Maybe I should go say sorry to her. I don't want to leave her on a negative note.

..

"I can't believe he can be so... so ignorant!"

Throwing her fans on the ground, she took to the park bench. Folding her hands, she just stared at the ground, sitting in her own thoughts. Was it obligation that made him say those things to make her stay? Hopefully it wasn't anything else, nothing too heart breaking.

Looking around the beautiful garden that was located in the heart of the Wu kingdom, she noticed not many people around here and she couldn't understand why. The blossoms and flowers were blooming to its peak of the year, people were so fixated on reuniting the land which in itself was never a bad thing, but it never harmed anyone to stop every once in a while to smell the roses. It was one of Xiaos luxuries in life! …

… However, it seemed like she wasn't the only one who enjoyed natures company.

"Zhou Tai?"

Wasn't he charging the front lines with Gan Ning? Being the wife of the Wu strategist did have its advantages.

"Aren't you meant to be getting ready?"

Inviting herself onto the bench where he sat, she looked at him like a little kid fascinated with the littlest thing. Looking at him, she never really noticed how radiant his golden skin was. Being so busy and caught up in the mist of battle, she expected him to have that little 'dirt' shadow that the other big scary officers had, but he looked so clean cut compared to everyone else.

"I am ready."

He couldn't help but look at the little beauty, her eyes looked like they were about to puff up with tears, he was puzzled.

"You look displeased."

Refusing to his her angst, she nodded her head, stubbornly folding her hands like she was that same little kid when she was 4 years of age.

"Lord Zhou Yu wont let me come on the conquest with you guys. Its no fair! You guys always get all the fun!" It was never a matter of fun, and it looked like she wasn't fooling the stoic warrior anytime soon.

Bowing his head, he knew already Lord Zhou Yu didn't want Xiao around any sort of danger, if harm were to fall onto something, someone so magnificent, he couldn't only scarcely begin to think of all the horror that would fall on the enemy. Anyway, this was a campaign that would prove to be a strategic point in their future movements, Zhou Yu couldn't afford to be constantly looking after his wife at an important time like this,

"... and I know he's just looking after me, but I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself!" It looked like she did understand her husbands worrying nature. Throwing her hands up in the air, she let out a yelp,

"I wish Da was here! She would let me plait her hair and let me whine as much as I'd like!" But both Wu followers knew where she would be right now, wrapped in the arms of their Lord. Their love was nothing less of a fairytale, even if an old magician predicted his fall in less than a year, a love like that was forever eternal.

Why couldn't she have that?

Then an idea flashed in her head, he watched as her eyes lit up with an amazing idea.

"Lord Zhou Tai..." Almost in a sing son voice, a vibrant electrifying smile came upon her face. It was in an instant he knew what she was thinking, and naturally, he didn't like it.

"No."

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Zhou Yu. You owe me.

Xiao Qiao never knew that his hair colour was nearly the same as hers. It was a dusty dark cinnamon, longer than Lord Sun Ce's but it was sleeked back so it could fit under his war helmet.

"Of course I understand why he doesn't want me to go, but I don't think he sees that I'm perfectly capable of looking after myself!"

And with that, Xiao Qiao had finished her fourth perfect plait in his hair along the crown, topped off with one of her many pink bows she was given as a gift. Zhou Tai sat there looking emotionless, but deep down he knew he brought eternal shame to his forefathers and ancestors. This would be the reason why the Wu soldiers will never take him seriously again and doom him to an embarrassing nickname like 'The Pretty Pink Princess of the battlefield.'

It was like drinking back in his younger days. Zhou Tai would be waking up with an unbearable headache, he would then literally drag himself to the water pool to mentally wash off the shame of the night before.

He knew he would have to do the same thing after this.

"Why doesn't he understand that Tai?"

Still overcoming the shame he would soon have to endure, he stared at the butterfly that flew past his vision, sitting on a small dandelion.

"Lord Zhou Yu cares deeply for you, Little Xiao."

He felt her starting on a new braid on the centre of his crown. It had been a while since he had washed his hair considering it barely sees the light of day, but she didn't seem to mind.

"I know he does, or else he wouldn't have married me! But I want to show him that I can be just as useful as anyone else. I can do stuff as well, and..." There was always an 'and.'

"I get really lonely without him here, especially when he leaves on these long conquests, ya know?" She shamefully poured her little golden heart out onto the stoic warrior, stopping mid braid to stop herself from being too emotionally shaken.

"When he's not with me, I don't like coming out of my room, and I don't eat. It's like hes my sun, and its just a constant night without him. I can't even sleep without him Tai, I get scared waiting for an enemy ambush and think how hes not here to make everything better. He cuddles me to sleep, I can't sleep any other way and he knows that." A small little pout came on her porcelain face, she didn't actually realise how much his absence filled her heart with sorrow.

Giving a small sigh, Zhou Tai mentally slapped himself for ever thinking of taking a break from preparing for war. If his periodic absence was going to get him into this situation... Besides, he was never ever girl talk material.

"I suppose that... even when I recognize him as a very talented and skilled fighter, there was always be that chance that he will get hurt, and I don't want him to..." Die? Even Xiao Qiao couldn't say something so forsaken about her loved one. Zhou Tai listened to what she was saying, and sometimes it felt like she wasn't listening to her own problems and advice.

"He cares for you, Little Xiao."

"I know he does! Thats-..."

"...Thats why he doesn't want you there. He too couldn't stay in a world without you here."

Ohh... She slowly began to understand, he was feeling exactly the way she was. Xiao Qiao stopped braiding the stoic mans hair and once more sat down on the garden bench with him, trying to fully comprehend the situation.

But all she could do was look at his face.

His beady eyes were looking down at a blossom that had as if on queue fell from the tree where he sat below. She noticed him leaning on his infamous katana sword, fixated with thought in his scenic viewing. Xiao had seen him a rare amount of times she was allowed out on the battlefield, every swipe he made was with such sharp speed and accuracy that many could not keep up with his movement, as if he were a blur in war.

Turning his head, she always secretly admired his scar on left (in her vision, right) eye. It drew down straight, stopping mid cheek.

"Ouch Lord Zhou Tai." She was unsure, but resisted the urge to run her finger down the scar. "How did you get that?"

He couldn't let out a grumble in the presence of someone so beautiful, he looked her dead in the eye so she could have a proper look at his scar.

"I fought to protect my wife from bandits."

Xiao could see him trying to shield the pain and anguish in his eyes. Feeling ever so rude, Xiao bowed her head, refusing to let a stray tear fall in the presence of such a sweetheart.

"Sorry..." She shook her head with stupidity, no wonder he was the way he was. Sitting down right next to him, she grabbed his arm and leaned against his muscular bicep, slowly and shamefully letting a tear fall. She could only imagine the pain the lone warrior had gone through, never did one deserve to be stripped from their loved ones in this life.

"She could not wield a sword, but she tried to help." Xiao Qiao couldn't understand, Zhou Tai was the type of fighter everyone enemy would tremble in fear of, if the battlefield was loitered with enemies, the sight of this lone wolf would make enemies run in sight. He could kill hundreds without being touched. Xiao knew what his wife would be feeling, she wanted to keep Tai said from the bandits, but next to him, she would've been nothing but dead weight. So why did she fight?

"I understand now."

Zhou Tai looked down at her, watching her nuzzle into his arm to wipe away the tears.

"She loved you so much that she wanted nothing to happen to you. Though now it seems like you could've easily fought for both, she thought with her heart. That is so sweet..." Xiao couldn't even look at him anymore.

"Do you see now, Little Xiao?"

She was so selfish, Zhou Yu needed to do this for the better future. If she was there, he would stray from the mission objective with her being a major distraction, therefore making him prone to making easy mistakes which could cost him countless and innocent lives.

Xiao Qiao nodded her head. "Yes. But I don't know how I'm going to tell my Lord."

But Zhou Tai gave a small chuckle.

"He's knows already." He felt her tilt her head in confusion, "Whaa-..."

...

Pointing over his shoulder, she saw the sturdy blossom tree they had been sitting under all this time, What is this crazy old guy on about?

Looking behind, she saw her husband folding his hands, leaning back on the tree with one leg raised, bent and pressed against the trunk. Xiao stomped in anger, placing her small hands on her hips. How could he be so sneaky!

"And how long have you been there? Didn't your mother tell you its rude to eavesdrop?" Xiao Qiao let anger fuel her once again, pointing her little index finger, the little beauty was ready to give the lecture of a lifetime!...

That was until Zhou Yu pulled her into the safety of broad muscular arms, comforting himself, mentally cursing himself for ever letting their love get so stray. Never had he wanted her to feel how he constantly did.

"I apologize, my beautiful butterfly. I never wanted you to feel that same loneliness I felt being away from you. It was comforting to leave you in guarded doors, I ignored how you felt when I wasn't here." She looked up at her husband with a beaming smile,

"Silly baby. You were just being that same protective guy I married. I now understand that you can fight for the Kingdom of Wu, the innocents and our marriage without hurting yourself! You don't need me there, I would be just one more thing to worry about." She gave a small wink, but Zhou Yu found himself playing with her cinnamon strands.

"Yes, but there was one thing that kind of made me think..." She tilted her head, just like she did every time she was confused.

"I can't sleep without my Xiao in my arms either, so I think I may have to drag you with me-..." Before he could finish his sentence, Xiao pounced in the air with that same vibrant happy smile, throwing her weight around still contained in her loves arms.

"Are you serious? Hah! Da is going to be soooooo jealous!" She quickly grabbed a hold of Zhou Yu's hand, "Come on! You have to help me pack!"

Zhou Tai heard Xiao Qiao drag a now regretful Zhou Yu on trail to help her pack. He couldn't help but give a smile, looking at the grass on the ground and began to reminisce at the sight of his Lord and Lady. Young love, it never changes.

...

"Hah! Zhou Tai! Whats with the new hair do?"

As if on queue, the stoic man stared at the Wu soldiers emerging from the sparring grounds, and who should be there but the other pirate himself, Gan Ning. Seeing him in this state, Zhou Tai was now dreading fighting the front lines with him.

"Love your new pink bows! They bring out your eyes! I didn't know the Qiao's had a third sister!" Cracking up in between stares, Zhou Tai stood up with a grimace. Gan Ning didn't stop with the ridicules. "... and where are you off to Little Qiao?"

The lone wolf looked at his hands and his body, dirty and scarred with mental shame.

"I'm going to wash myself."

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