"For someone who knows how to entertain a man, you do not speak much, do you?"

Gulf does not know what to do really. The Emperor had specifically told him not to talk because his voice is so whiny and high pitched for his liking. But Mew is right; Gulf barely talks. He never had anyone to talk much except his dad and the things he wanted to tell his husband after marriage had already evaporated a very long time ago.

"Do you sing?"

Gulf shakes his head.

"Ah... you must know how to dance then."

Gulf vehemently shakes his head that his three jewelled crown falls to his forehead, almost covering his eyes. He blushes when he notices his husband's eyes crinkle at the corners though the man does not smile.

"Why not?"

Gulf gulps at the baritone of Mew's voice. The King clears his throat and takes a sip of waterberry wine.

Gulf somehow manages to fix his crown but the thing is titled on his head and Mew cannot take his eyes of the little quirky feature topping an already quirky ado... ugly thing.

"You are bad at everything you do, aren't you? Good thing, you do not dance or sing. Will damage your... reputation."

Gulf takes a small gulp of bitterwood juice.

"Do you always stink this bad?"

The valets had changed the perfume concoctions this morning. Guess, it is not the perfume but Gulf's natural scent that is irking Mew.

"At least you cook good food... if only your face is not in front of me, I would feel like eating it."

Then why did Mew requested his presence in the...

"To make sure you have not poisoned or bewitched the food you have cooked. And there are people outside. They have to see the Emperor indeed has an Empress."

Gulf nods and the thing on his head shifts again. He again tries to fix it but it will not sit properly on his head. He takes a peek at Mew's head and that crown is actually a lot lighter with smaller gems. Is that why it sits still?"

"Oy..." The Emperor sighs and stands up from his seat with Gulf hiding his wrists inside his robe. "How did you manage to live this long without getting killed, Gulf... oh I know."

Mew takes the crown and checks the insides of the crown with his forefinger and notices the stupid boy has not adjusted the holders inside.

"You are so stupid; I really feel sorry for you." Mew frees the holders and gently places the crown back on the dimwit's head and presses down. The holders latch Gulf's head properly and he can feel it is fixed now.

Mew looks down and noticed that beautiful chest nut baby pink lips opened in surprise. The Emperor shakes his head when he understands he is staring for so long.

Gulf gently taps the side of his head and blinks his eyes in absolute wonder. Then he twitches his head genlty... then shakes a little bit harder but when the boy really tries to topple the crown down by shaking his head hard... Mew feels funny, like he had eaten something bad that he had to squirm on his seat to alleviate the tightness in his chest.

Mew clears his throat thrice but the boy is so busy... playing with the crown.

"IT SITS!" Gulf shouts looking at wonder at Mew; like he is a magician from the Four Worlds.

What the crook!

Mew pays this harlot ten gold coins a day for his services; a little staring can be allowed. So, he pops his head on his palm with elbows on the dining table. He is the Emperor he can get away with elbows on the dining table.

And stares...

and stares...

and stares...

at... this boy who does not look like he has a brain in him. It is cu... horrible.

Okay, that is... Mew covers his mouth when the boy starts shaking his head back and forth; in front of the Emperor no less.

Mew almost shouts at the boy when he graces his head on the edge of the wooden table. The dimwit does not notice, though.

"Please stop. You are already a clown." The boy squeaks at his voice and looks around. Good, looks like it is finally setting in where he is.

Gulf is mortified. He cannot believe he has been... Oh Goddess... Oh God... Oh Grenla. Mew is bristling with anger, Gulf thinks.

"I... ub... ba... bub... I uh... the crown sits!" Gulf points at his own head and Mew wipes his face to stop himself from snorting. "I... diddi... dddiid... did not know! Tha... that it will sit... on ME!"

Gulf sounds like he is not surprised that the crown has the ability to sit properly but cannot accept that it will sit on 'him'.

Dimwit!

"Figured." Mew's face is calm despite the storm in his chest. The witch might have added some poison. Knowing his job, maybe even aphrodisiac.

Holy Frekels! It explains everything so much. This Temptress has...

"Why are you so stupid, Gulf? Don't you know how the crown is fixed?"

Gulf shakes his head. "Sorry, my King... we do not have crowns back at home."

Mew feels the surge of irritation in his veins. "Are you mocking me?!"

Of course nobody has crowns at home. Only the Emperor and Empress have it. Even their territory Kings only receive jewelled war helmets, not crowns.

How dare this good for nothing, little thing mocks him in his palace!

"No, my liege... we do not have crowns there." Mew grinds his teeth in anger. "We have hats. And when it falls down to the floor, I pick up and put it on my head again. Dad..." Gulf trails off and Mew notices how he stops talking with a painful gulp. "We have no crowns; only hats." Gulf stops and looks for his approval.

Seems like Gulf received one. Mew does not know what he looks like but Gulf does not look worried anymore.

"You are lying." Mew states.

"I am not, my King. I..." Gulf stops again and just sighs.

Either he or his immediate relation by blood has to be in Royal Court to wear hats. Hats are a luxury commodity even in aristocratic households. There is no way this harlot has access to them.

"Sorry." Gulf ducks his head and pokes at his Jeroplat bread balls. Mew is so scary and Gulf wishes he gets excused, so he can run back to his room. He is not hungry anyways.

"Eat. I cannot be held responsible if you end up dying by not eating food."

Gulf nods and blink back tears of mortification. He cannot believe he was bobbing his head in front of his husband.

How shameful!

"EAT!"

Gulf jumps and stuffs the whole Jeroplat ball in his mouth in one go. Mew covers his face with both his palms and let the boy figure out how he is going to chew now.

That baby mouth is not so big enough to fit and gulp... at the same time.

The Emperor shakes his head again. The Temptress had done something or he will not feel this way.

Mew sighs when the boy is still staring at him with that filled cheeks and scared big eyes. He also notices a tiny bit of drool peeking out with the white cream in the bread and Mew gets frustrated.

Frustrated, yes! It is frustration.

"Shhh!" Mew intimidates Gulf from speaking. How did this boy manage to live, again? Gulf is gonna choke and...

Mew drinks the poured drink in one gulp and fixes another one before thrusting it gently to the baby pink mouth. Mew's hand accidently starts brushing that back which is tightened in panic.

"You are fine. The drink will soak the soft bread. Just wait a bit." Mew keeps on holding the glass and Gulf lets the drink to take the obstruction in his mouth away, slowly and gently. "Don't speak. The bread crumps will make you cough and it will be a hassle."

Gulf's eyes shift to Mew's stoic ones and he squeezes his eyes shut. He just wants to die.

Oh Grenla. Why? Why? Why?

"Better?" Mew's voice is oddly soft and... Gulf rubs his tiny ears trying to keep it from turning red. It will never work and actually draws attention to that feature. Mew smiles at how hot that tiny ears look.

Mew's hand pulls on one before he could stop myself and as expected they were flaming hot.

Poor boy!

Gulf nods and takes the fan from the table and effectively hides his face from the too close Emperor. He chews with his mouth open, ensuring to get all the sticky stuff and cream from around his mouth. He then takes the glass from the Emperor's hand and wash everything down.

He will not touch Jeroplat ever again.

"Tha... thank you, my liege. I... I..." Gulf peeks from behind the hand fan in his hands and blinks at the Emperor with his wet eyes. "I am... sorry..."

Mew stares and stares at the pink mouth that has a bit of white cream just on the corner. Gulf feels the coldness of the Royal Ring on his husbands' thumb when the man touches gently to the side of his mouth.

The Temptress is really good at what he does.

The smooth skin feels soft under his finger.

No eyes should look beautiful with tears in them but Gulf, for some reason has very alluring pairs of chocolate pools... and the little water droplets on his lashes make them seem so ethereal.

White looks so tempting on that pink lips too.

Before getting hold of his wayward thoughts the Emperor wipes the cream of the Empress' mouth.

Gulf gasps and tries to scurry away. He cannot explain this restlessness. He has to get to his room and analyse what he is feeling and what his husband is doing.

'It will taste so good.' Whatever aphrodisiac this Temptress has added to his wine is taking effect.

Mew's hand tightens on Gulf's nape, pulls the flustered squirming boy close and swallowed that pink wet tempting petals that have been taunting him for long.

Gulf cannot believe the Emperor just... this is no kiss. Kiss is when you press lips together. This is...

Ooooh...

It feels a bit weird but Gulf cannot think of pulling away. Wet tongue is roaming all over his mouth and then the Emperor pulls away angrily.

"What?" The man rasps.

Gulf tucks his bottom lip under his top teeth, making the upper lip so... alluring and Mew literally wants to bit that tempting soft flesh. His eyebrows are scrunched and the eyes are wide with wonder and confused but he keeps on blinking up at Mew with slow steady baby bird beats that Mew can feel on his chest.

The upper lip though...

This boy is so fucking good at what he does. Mew growls and he really really wants to do... something really satisfying to this fake innocence reeking Temptress.

All a play.

"Kiss me!" Mew shouts and the boy jumps in his arms but squeezes his eyes shut. When he does not feel wet tongue on top of his lips again he slowly opens one lid up.

"What are you doing?" What kind of exotic creature is this? His actions are messing up Mew's mind. If only the buzzing on his head stops, then only the Emperor can have his wits back.

"K... Kissing?" Gulf squeaks.

"You really love to mock me, don't you?" Gulf can find no trace of anger in his husband's voice who is oddly hugging him still. Yet, his heart pains when Mew says he is mocking him.

"I... I..." It is just the only time he had kissed anyone was on his wedding day and it was not like this. Gulf quickly squeezes his eyes shut again and smacks his closed lips on Mew's quickly. "I kiss?"

Mew gulps and Gulf wonders if he has offended his Emperor again.

This marriage stuff seems like more trouble than it is worth; Gulf pouts unknowingly. He has no idea what to do. Mom had only taught him about cooking, being patient and willing...

Being patient and willing for what?

Oh!

Ooooh!

Oooooooh!

Mew stares at bewilderment when Gulf opens that mouth again. Why does the harlot has to pretend everything is so new to him?

Okay... Gulf can be patient and... willing.

Gulp.

He hears a growl and the hand on his nape slowly drags to his waist and pulls him closer.

Okaay... no big deal. Wives have been doing with their husbands for the time long forgotten. He can do this too.

"Keep that mouth open..." Mew orders and Gulf promptly does so. "You have to do this, haven't you? You must..." The rest of the words are literally shoved into him as Gulf gets his mouthful of his husband's tongue. "What trick have you pulled on me, Temptress?"

The touches on his body is... unusual. He does not know why people do this so often. Weird.

His eyes slip to the head currently on his chest as the man is untying the knots that keep his shirt together.

Love, perhaps? Duty, perhaps?

Gulf does not know where to keep his hands. Mew hates his touches that Gulf knows. So he fists his palm and keep on his either sides until he feels lips leaving imprints on his body.

That... does not really feel good either. Like ants on his body and he wants to shrug them off badly.

"I..." Gulf gently pushes Mew's chest and the man stops to stare at him.

"Don't be so shy now." Gulf wishes the man at least talk to him with a bit of sentiment. He feels weird and the poor boy does not know how to tell his husband. Gulf pushes on that chest once again when the man leans in again. "What?"

Gulf keeps staring at Mew's chest, trying to understand what is going on.

"I will give you what you want after this." Mew is losing patience but he cannot just do it... if the boys pushes him away.

"Really?" Gulf asks hopefully.

Mew tries to understand but he does not want to do it anymore. "Oh second thought, leave. I have somewhere else to be."

"No!" Gulf clutches that hand. "I just... just... don't leave, please. I... I just..." He takes Mew's hand and places on his naked chest. "It is just..."

"You are the one who claims to be the wife and all that." Mew is angry, he admits. This boy is just so self-centred but he must know Mew is the Emperor and he will give whatever... after. "If you push me away, that is it. You leave. Get that?"

Gulf nods.

But if the Emperor will finally accept his love and be the husband he has promised to be, Gulf will... will...

And a good wife has to be willing and patient.

Gulf can do this. It is not like...

Gulf is pushed to a bed and he gulps. This is his husband and he knows his wifely duties. He has to make his husband happy and satisfied.

He unclenches his fist and cautiously places a hand on Mew's shoulder. The man's eyes freeze his heart and takes it back immediately.

"So... sorry."

Mew grunts and Gulf just squeezes his eyes shut to ignore the ants all over his body.

'Anything for you my husband, if you promise to stay by my side forever. I love you, P'Mew. I hope now you understand my love for you now. I will be a good wife to you because you are my...'

"HA!" Gulf gasps as tears fill his eyes again.

'... everything.'