Crow bowed to the floor and backed out on his knees, as was right. The fusuma ground shut behind him.<br/><br/>Taiga touched his chin, watching him. "He seems talented," he said, and unlike most in his social station, it didn't seem to be a barb or double entendre. More a thought he spoke aloud.<br/><br/>He stood from the floor, Crow having been dismissed before finding a way to delicately move Taiga's wedding kimono out from under his feet and into a closet or appropriate space.<br/><br/>Taiga walked to the edge of the room, footfalls soft on the tatami, and pulled apart a fusuma to look out over the water.<br/><br/>"If there's a tsunami we'll be right in its path," he mentioned. The echo of danger sent a tingle up his spine and made his husband's presence suddenly desired.<br/><br/>"It seems prudent to tell you," Taiga said, looking out over the glittering water, the sun setting behind them on the other side of the house, "I don't come to the marriage bed a virgin."<br/><br/>The dusk light played on his features, on the curves of his body. He had a lithe body that many lovers had commented with some truth was the most beautiful they'd ever seen. His face, he thought, was too long, and his smile robbed him of gravitas to the point that he'd taught himself a new smile in an attempt to keep his svelte, mysterious persona. But over his body, he had control, and in low light like this a painting was a poor substitute for his delicate flesh.<br/><br/>He moved to the right to begin lighting the lamp himself, since Crow had been dismissed before doing the job, which he'd surely intended.