βyou donβt believe that sex is the most intimate thing that two can do together?β you repeat sukunaβs previous words with a raised eyebrow, skepticism lacing every word you spoke.
βi had concubines before i was devoted to you. do you really think i see intercourse as something significant?β he doesnβt even spare you a glance, all four of his eyes focused on carefully peeling the fruits resting in the bowl in front of him (mangoes, to be specific. a special order he put in with uraume for you). your eyes narrow at his words.
βso you donβt see intercourse with me as something significant?β that earns you a roll of his eyes.
βi donβt recall those words leaving my lips, woman.β he glances at you with a bored look, already much too used to your antics and the nonsensical conclusions you often pulled from his words (βitβs called reading in between the lines, ryo.β you had insisted. he chose not to debate you on it).
he sighs when you go silent, seemingly waiting for an explanation from him that would fix the small pout gracing your lips. he wouldβve let you sulk if you were anybody else, but you werenβt.
βi realize the significance humans place on it now that i am yours, but i partook in the act purely for pleasure before you. it was simply to fulfill my fleshly desires.β he doesnβt need to look at you to know that the frown on your face still hasnβt faltered. in fact, the displeased look on your face probably only deepened upon the mention of him being intimate with other women.
βhuman customs are foolish, that will never change.β his hand lifts to your lips, a cube of mango held delicately between his fingers. he continues speaking only after feeding you the fruit.
βbut if my stubborn little wife sees it as something of importance, then it shall be so.β he says the last part with a sense of finality, as if it was a part of his life that he accepted a long, long time ago.
you contemplate his words for a moment, your posture easing against the lavish pillows of your shared bed. you stall on swallowing the piece of fruit on your tongue, considering a question in that ever curious mind of yours.
βwhatβs significant to you, ryo?β
he pauses for a brief moment but doesnβt answer, simply bringing another piece of fruit up to your lips (whether the action was out of care or to keep your mouth occupied was unclear).
his lack of an answer was as good of an answer as any, though.
this was significant to him. the way he cut and fed you soft fruit with hands that had slaughtered armies, handling you as if you were made of fine china. never yelling, never arguing.
the king of curses devoted himself to you because deep in his heart he acknowledged his subservience to you.
that is whatβs significant to him.