peach-stained lips

"It's fine now." —Judar x Kougyoku, drabble

"I know that fruits are healthy, but is this really all you're having for dinner?"

He throws the red-haired girl a dry glare. "You're the one who begged to let you eat with me."

Kougyoku purses her lips and furrows her brows, a small crease forming on her forehead as she stares flatly at the tray of fruit in front of her.

He proceeds with his dinner as he has always done.

"Ah, Princess, here, let me have someone slice that for you." Ka Koubun gestures towards one of the servants waiting on them, but Kougyoku holds up a hand.

"No, it's fine. Eating like this is also fun once in a while. It's a nice change of pace," she says with a smile, and extends a hand toward the tray, pulling her huge sleeves back a bit.

His red eyes catch the strip of smooth skin on the inside of her wrist, veins pink against her pale complexion.

She nibbles on the fruit. Her bites are small and dainty and proper, and a thin film of juice is left on her lips, natural sugar crystals sparkling and giving them a gossamer shine, and—

He looks at the peach in his hand.

Fucking fruit had never looked more appetizing.

He practically throws it whole in his mouth, ravishing it with his tongue. At the other end of the table, Kougyoku simply blinks and stares while her prissy attendant throws him a particularly nasty dirty eye, covering his grimace with his fan.

Dinner proceeds without further hitch, surprisingly enough. Ka Koubun gets some servants to cut up the fruit into pretty displays, and the little princess is appropriately amused.

She stands up when she's had her fill, smiling and bowing to thank him for the food.

"Come here a sec," he gestures from his seat, and she walks toward him without the slightest bit of hesitation or suspicion.

"Is something the matter?" she asks as she steps up to his side.

"It's been bothering me for a while now," he starts and reaches up to her face.

"What is—"

He cups her cheek, sliding his thumb along her bottom lip. She freezes at his touch.

He sticks his thumb into his mouth, sliding it out with pop.

He flashes her a grin and her face flares.

"It's fine now."

A/N: Dug this out from ideas purgatory and finally decided on an ending. Technically, I ship Kougyoku with everyone, but this particular pairing is slowly and delicately killing me, in case you're not yet aware. (Writing for SG is going well, so it might land on a monthly update schedule, btw.)