Bleach Fan Fiction ❯ Obsidian and Alabaster ❯ Moves: Basic and Complex ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Tite Kubo owns Bleach and the characters depicted therein. The characters in this story are not mine.
 
This story takes place some time after the current storyline of Different Circumstances, in case it's not obvious. The time difference will not be disclosed until later.
 
Moves: Basic and Complex.
 
For the first time since I'd married I had mixed feelings about returning home. I hung around my office waiting for everyone to leave, putting off the moment when I left and had to face what was waiting for me. I had something I wanted to do before I went home and didn't want any witnesses, or company. Yachiru was the last to leave, wanting to chat about things that had happened the previous night and I indulged her for a short while, until she got bored and decided to go and annoy Kuchiki.
 
The `surprise' party last night had been all right with no more than the normal number of domestics and damage. No one had died; those people who were in new relationships were oblivious to everyone else. I tried to be oblivious like the other couples and spend time with Matsumoto, but my wife was too busy organising things and wouldn't co-operate. She'd smile and kiss me, but then go and act like a hostess. I didn't like it. Yachiru kept me company, and kept trying to divert my attention elsewhere, but she loved parties, especially the food and the possibility of watching some fights.
 
Urahara kept well out my way. At least he was finally showing some sense and he'd supplied the drinks, free. Yoruichi had insisted, despite his protests, or so she whispered to me. If he so much as looked at my wife the wrong way, he'd be dead.
 
Matsumoto seemed to enjoy the festivities, but had been exhausted when we finally went to bed. Too tired for sex. That was one of the reasons I had delayed the party, and I wasn't happy about it. The night we spent in the human world had been too short and we hadn't slept much. That has been two nights ago, and since then I hadn't had a fuck.
 
During the party she'd insisted on showing me her present and I had to put up with all the reminders of what a lucky guy I was to have such a thoughtful and beautiful wife. After the first 3 people told me I began to growl subconsciously, under my breath, and some of the less dense jerks began to get the hint. I already knew my luck and I much preferred the present I'd had the night of my birthday: her. Still, maybe I could tempt her into the small bath house she'd had installed as a surprise and enjoy both presents together.
 
This morning, after the party, when I'd woken, horny as hell, I looked down at her sleeping face as it rested on my chest. The skin around her eyes was dark and she hardly noticed when I brushed the hair away from her forehead. She'd told me she was tired, but now it was becoming clear she was telling the truth. I wanted to wake her and take her, but that damned sentimentality persuaded me to let her sleep, so I didn't move, just held her tightly and watched her sleep. No nightmares had woken her and I wondered if the suggestion made by Retsu, to try to make her desperate for me to sublimate the guilt over the rape might have worked more effectively than Iemura's stupid pseudo psychological stunt. It had been great sex both times, but I preferred it when she was so obviously desperate for me. After she finally woke, my wife smiled at me sleepily and I got up after quickly kissing her without trying anything and though she had seen my rigid cock, she didn't say a word.
 
When I'd come home at lunchtime, she was lying naked and asleep in our bed, curled on her side, one hand pillowing her cheek, her hair spread over the pillow. One arm was over her breast, masking them from my sight. I'd thought of rousing her and had started to strip but remembered Retsu had pulled me aside at the party and insisted that Matsumoto needed her rest. In other words: less sex. I redressed and left after gently kissing her and ignoring my desire to hold her.
 
At a loss, I made a quick visit to Hitsugaya and told him Matsumoto was asleep and might not be back. He grimaced slightly but nodded in understanding. “She looked tired earlier. I hope you've been letting her sleep.”
 
“Yes, I fucking have. Thanks for asking,” I snarled at him.
 
“Just checking,” he said shaking his head.
 
I then talked to the Captain-General to extract an agreement from him. He owed me and he knew it so it wasn't hard to make him see my way. Bored with making arrangements I went back to my office. Yachiru, Ikkaku and Yumichika didn't say anything about my quick return and we spent lunch, telling off-colour jokes and snacking on some stuff that Ikkaku had bought. All the time I talked, my mind recreated the image of my sleeping wife and I had to keep dragging my attention back to the conversation. I didn't care what happened this evening, except that I was determined that we would fuck.
 
The reason I didn't want to return home even though it meant sex? Before I'd left that morning my wife had reminded me that we would commence dancing lessons. Tonight. This was the reason I was hesitating. I knew she wanted to get me into some fancy clothes that would be uncomfortable and then we'd dance instead of my preferred horizontal activities. I didn't want to frigging dance!
 
“Got to keep my woman happy,” I said under my breath, finally outside the door. I entered my quarters and saw a note on top of a pile of clothes.
 
“Wear these,” it instructed and I looked at them. As I expected, they looked uncomfortable and tight.
 
“Why do I let her do this to me,” I wondered and then remembered. The rewards for co-operation were great and she had mentioned that dancing was like foreplay. Dancing might lead to sex and that was the only reason I'd agreed, aside from the fact I'd wanted her to smile at me.
 
The shirt was black as were the pants and I disliked the black boots on sight. They all looked too bloody tight and too fucking fancy. As I looked at them, I knew the boots would be too small and the pointy toes looked dumb. I removed the bells and brushed my hair the way she preferred it.
 
I didn't look in the mirror once I'd struggled into the clothes. The pants were close fitting, but the material had some stretch. The shirt buttoned half way up exposing my chest. If these were my clothes, I wondered what hers were like. After I decisively won the struggle with the boots, I knocked on the bedroom door. I was sure my wife was waiting inside, ready to make her appearance.
 
I heard some music start up and Matsumoto opened the door, looking uncertain and slightly sad. I wondered why and then looked at what she was wearing and lost my concentration. She was wearing a low cut mauve shirt that buttoned up the front with a frill around the collar. She also wore a tight black skirt that skimmed just below her knee and was slit up to thigh level on both sides. To complete the outfit she was wearing black stocking and high heeled shoes. When I saw her my dick hardened immediately and I decided I would dance with her if it meant getting close to her. I hoped she wasn't wearing anything under the skirt.
 
Seeing my expression and casting a quick look at my groin where my cock was clearly outlined by the pants she seemed to gain a little confidence. “You can close you mouth now, darling Zaraki,” she smiled at me. “I was hoping to achieve that effect.”
 
“You're not wearing those clothes outside the house,” I directed her. They would cause a riot and I didn't think she'd be safe, even in my Division.
 
She pouted prettily, but didn't contradict me. “They're just practise clothes,” she explained, “so we can see each other move.”
 
“We could practice, nude,” I suggested hoping she would agree, but guessing she wouldn't like my idea. Why hadn't I thought of it before?
 
“No, because you wouldn't concentrate. Now I'll teach you how to tango,” she told me, her eyes unamused by my suggestion.
 
“What's with the music?” I'd never heard it before and it sounded different.
 
“You dance to music and this is tango music. It's called the `Jealousy Tango'. Somehow I thought it was appropriate,” her small smile provided the hint.
 
“I'm not jealous of anyone,” I lied. I hadn't done anything bad the night before. Just told a couple of men to stop hovering around her and then showed them what would happen if they didn't. I threw Ichigo out when he brushed closely against my wife. He kept saying it was an accident, but why believe him? I hadn't hurt the kid, even after he refused to fight. To make it fair I'd even told him he could use bankai and I wouldn't use kendo, but he kept backing away saying he didn't want to fight me because it was a party. This began to confirm my suspicion that he was a spineless wimp, especially when he refused to fight Yachiru. As soon as my back was turned, he and his date scurried away and I didn't miss them.
 
Hitsugaya distracted my attention after that, talking about general matters. The boy was good at making me calm down and I respected him, not least for the number of times he'd helped me out.
 
Then he suggested that we go outside and spar, just so we could stretch our muscles. Yachiru got excited because she loved it when I fought another captain and Hitsugaya was one of the few people who understood my need to fight and would scrap with me at least once a week. He said it was because I kept him at the top of his form, but I think he enjoyed the battles as much as I. For all his ice, he had a slow burning fire that made him a worthy adversary. Yachiru was watching intently, her eyes gleaming at the prospect of one of her favourite kinds of entertainment. We were getting into the fight, I'd made him go shikai and I'd cut off some of his hair, when my wife stopped us. She said something about it being a party, not an excuse for a brawl. If she hadn't looked so worried I would have told her that it was my party and I could fight if I wanted to. Yachiru began to sulk until Matsumoto told her that I could fight the 10th Division Captain later. It wasn't quite enough so my wife laughed and then gave her a very large piece of chocolate cake. Even though I wasn't happy about giving up a fight, it was good to see my two favourite women getting on so well.
 
In response to my assurance that I was not jealous she hid a smile. She knew I was. I'd told her often enough.
 
“No?” she raised her eyebrows at me. “Not of Hisagi or Kira or Renji?”
 
I pulled her close and kissed her mouth to keep her quiet. I could pretend I wasn't jealous; as long as she loved me I didn't care a damn about anyone else. After a few minutes she pulled away.
 
“We're meant to be dancing,” she reminded me.
 
“Yeah, yeah. Let's get this over with,” I mumbled. “What do I have to do?”
 
“First you hold me,” she began and then gasped as I embraced her pulling her close against my body, feeling her breast press against me. I inhaled that slight lemon tang to her perfume and wanted to bury my face in her skin to taste it more fully.
 
“Not like that. I have to be able to move. Put your hand on my waist and hold my hand with yours,” as she spoke she demonstrated what she meant.
 
It was an odd way to hold someone, but I decided to humour her. “Okay, I hold you like this. Can I hold you closer?”
 
“Not until you've learnt the basic moves and by that I mean the basic dance moves, beloved Zaraki. I'm aware you know other basic moves.”
 
I grinned down at her. “And some more complex ones. Care for me to demonstrate?”
 
She smiled back, lazily. “Maybe later; when you've learnt some steps. Now this is what you do.”
 
She showed me some moves and I nodded. Taking her in my arms we moved together until she tripped over my foot. Bending down she rubbed her foot and complained, “You're feet are too big, they keep getting in my way.”
 
“You chose the boots and I hate the damned things but I can't do anything to change their size, or the size of my feet,” I stared at her cleavage as she bent down, the shirt gaping more the further she bent. “Can we finish this now? I'm hungry.”
 
Standing she looked at me. “Hungry? We'll have dinner after we finish.”
 
Grabbing her I pulled her close while undoing the top two buttons of her shirt. “For you.”
 
“No, not until you've learnt some steps. Stop undoing my blouse, Zaraki. We can have sex later, but I want to concentrate on dancing.” She was now holding my hands in hers.
 
Bending down I kissed her at length, pushing my tongue between her lips. Maybe she would yield to me now. For too short a time she responded and then drew away, her eyes twinkling slightly. “All in good time.” I noticed she did not redo the buttons I had unfastened.
 
Again I held her in the approved manner and followed her instructions. My eyes kept straying downward, looking at the exposed skin and accidentally I tripped her again. This time she swore as she hopped, one hand holding onto my shoulder as she rubbed her toe. Taking advantage of her distraction I undid a few more buttons on her shirt. It was now more than half undone and I could see the curve of her breast properly. I slipped my hand inside, cupping one in my palm.
 
“If I thought you could dance, I'd think you did that deliberately, Zaraki,” she accused me once the pain in her toe had eased.
 
“Who? Me? Dance? Would I trip you on purpose?” I raised my eyebrows innocently at her.
 
“Yes, if you wanted to undress me and fuck me, you'd do anything,” her hands snaked out and she undid half the buttons on my shirt, her hands lingering on my chest as she traced some muscles. Smiling at her I flexed them, hoping she'd get interested but she abruptly pulled away and removed my hand. “There we're even now. Stop undressing me. You're meant to be learning, not being lecherous.”
 
“It's more fun this way,” I said discontented that she'd stopped handling me. “How long does this lesson go for?”
 
“At least an hour,” she said, looking at the clock. We've only spent 5 minutes actually dancing. Most of the time I've spent coping with the damage done by your feet.”
 
Again I took her into my arms, feeling her shirt brushing my chest as we moved together. For a few minutes I followed her lead until she stopped.
 
“Is it over?” I asked, knowing that I was being optimistic.
 
“No, of course not. We've come to a part where you have to dip me,” she explained, a small furrow between her brows.
 
Giving into temptation I kissed the small furrow and then licked it gently. The crease disappeared as she looked at me and laughed. “Any excuse, darling Zaraki?”
 
“Why not?” Then I thought about what she'd said and decided to tease her. “Dip you? In honey so I get to lick it off? Funny sort of thing to do in a dance, but I'm game,” I said as I imagined licking her slowly all over, lingering over her skin and then taking her in the bath as I washed off any remainders.
 
Matsumoto burst out laughing. “At a wedding, the men dip their partners in honey? You do have an imagination, Zaraki. No you hold me in such a way that I lean against your arm. Here, I'll show you, but don't drop me.”
 
“I'm more likely to pick you up and have you against the wall, wife,” I growled at her.
 
“Now is not the time. Put one hand here, and the other here. Not on my breast! Oh” she was silent for a moment as my fingers slid under her shirt and covered one of the curves I'd been observing, rubbing her skin and lingering over her nipples. A few seconds later she cleared her throat and removed my hand. “We're meant to be …”
 
“Dancing, I know,” I interrupted and put my hand where she instructed but the memory of the feeling of her breast in my hand was distracting me.
 
“Now, dip me,” she instructed and as I did so I noticed her mound was tight against my groin. Was she trying to provoke me?
 
As she rose to a stand I made an offer. “Want me to dip you again?”
 
She flushed slightly. “Not yet.”
 
I released her. `That's it then. I'm done.”
 
Her eyes widened and she looked like she might cry. “You promised.”
 
“I promised to learn to dance. Didn't say how long the lessons would be or how often and I never agreed to an hour,” I took off the bloody boots and threw them into the corner of the room. I'd never wear the frigging things again. They were too frigging small and damn well hurt.
 
“Please Zaraki,” she said, hugging me from behind, her breasts pressing into my back. One shapely hand slipped under my shirt and across my stomach, stroking the muscles and then moving slightly south. “You promised.”
 
“Let's make this more interesting,” I suggested. “Take those stupid shoes off. You're not supposed to be wearing high heels are you?” Caressing her stomach, I looked down at her. “If we don't wear shoes maybe it will make it easier to learn and I might try harder.”
 
“Take off my shoes? That's a request I didn't expect. I thought men liked high heels,” she responded, a small disbelieving smile on her face.
 
“I don't like them. Had a heel land on my foot once and it pierced the flesh. Stupid idea dancing with those things on. Ikkaku told me what happened to him once when his girl kept the shoes on when they fucked. Heel marks all over his back and when she got a little enthusiastic she accidentally dug them in. Nearly took out a kidney. Too kinky for my tastes.”
 
“I don't think I want to hear any more,” Matsumoto said as she leant on me to remove her shoes. She placed then carefully at the side of the room. “But don't they make my legs look better?”
 
That was a stupid question, or was it about reassurance? “Your legs are exceptional but I prefer them to be wrapped around my thighs.”
 
She came close and rested her head on my chest and wrapped her arms around me, moulding her body against mine. I liked it when she did that. My eyes shut I pulled her close against me and bent down to rest my chin on her head, happy to hold her close.
 
“Will you let me teach you a little more, please dearest husband?” her voice was quiet as she spoke and, as usual when she used a term of endearment, I was almost ready to agree.
 
But why give in too easily? I wanted to make something I wanted; less of the dancing, more of the fucking. “You've got to make it more interesting, Matsumoto. Give me some incentives.”
 
She continued to snuggle close, which was definitely something I wanted, as she thought. “We could try the bath out after we finish,' was her first suggestion.
 
“That gives you five minutes starting now,” I said kissing her on the forehead.
 
Smiling slightly she walked me through the steps again a few times, omitting the dip. She kept her distance as my eyes moved from her face to her breasts and back again. Watching her move was getting me harder, if that was possible. At the same time I was watching the time and when it was up I stood completely still.
 
“One more dip, Zaraki?”
 
In answer I undid the rest of the buttons of her shirt and pulled it off her shoulders. Seeing her in just the skirt and stockings was the turn on I thought it would be. “If you dance with me like that I'll try for another 10 minutes,” was my offer.
 
She bit her lip, shrugged and then smiled at me. Watching her shrug while topless was always an enjoyable experience. “10 minutes. I think we need to practice the dip again.”
 
I gathered her close and allowed one hand to caress the recently covered flesh, touching her the way I knew she liked and then dipped her, following her form with my mouth. She bent back and my mouth was arousing her nipple as her mound was tight against my groin. I licked and sucked, hearing her breath quicken. She didn't protest or even struggle. Why was she making us both wait? I sucked on her nipple more strongly and she groaned as she closed her eyes.
 
When I finally pulled her to her feet she gazed at me, dazed. “You're not meant to do that.”
 
“You didn't like it?”
 
She shook her head emphatically. “No. Like doesn't cover it. But I'm trying to teach you to dance. Take your shirt off.”
 
I smiled, noticing her confusion. She meant she had liked it but was still insisting on training me to dance and she was becoming increasingly aroused. It wouldn't be long before she focused on fucking rather than teaching.
 
“You can take it off if you let me do this,” I said as I ran my hand up under her skirt. As I'd hoped she wasn't wearing any knickers and I could feel how damp she was between her thighs.
 
“Okay,” she said huskily as she removed my shirt, her lips kissing my chest with fervour and then her hands stole down and undid my pants, caressing my cock Maybe this dancing lark was a good idea. She was nearly as horny as when I'd taken her out for dinner.
 
Clearing her throat again, she tried to regain control of the situation. “Now, let's go through all the moves again.”
 
Being careful of her feet I moved her through the steps until we came to the dip. Quickly I pulled up the front of her skirt as she wrapped one leg around my thigh. As I leant into the dip, I plunged my cock into her wet, hot cunt as my mouth sucked at her breast. I slid in easily and feeling her cunt close around me made me want to continue this. She wanted it as much as I did but I remained still, worried we'd overbalance if I tried to move too much.
 
“Yes,” she sighed loudly.
 
The 10 minutes weren't up. Reluctantly I withdrew and pulled her to her feet. Her eyes opened and she looked disorientated. “What? Oh, yeah we're dancing.”
 
I kissed her gently and guided her through the steps again. She kept acting like she wanted me to dip her again and I did once more, again thrusting into her as I kissed her other breast. She groaned loudly as I entered her and sighed unhappily when I withdrew.
 
After that I waited until the time was up, keeping the distance between our bodies. As soon as 10 minutes had finished, I dipped her again, while slipping into her hot centre. This time she put her arms around my neck and wrapped both legs around my thighs. Taking this as a sign the lesson was over, I carried her into the bedroom still impaled on my cock. We were going to fuck, forget dancing. She was moving on me as much as she could, eager for me, but I wanted to make her comfortable while I took her. I pulled her off my dick and lay her on the bed as I ripped off the stupid pants I was wearing. A quick jerk removed the skirt, leaving the stocking on, but I had all the access I required. Getting onto the bed, I wrapped her legs around my thighs and slowly, enjoyably, eased into her.
 
“I'll pay attention to your breasts later, Matsumoto, but now I think you need a good hard fuck,” I told her once I'd managed to get my cock all the way inside her. Her cunt was tight around me and she was moving her hips, rocking her body against me.
 
“Less talk, more,” she said quickening her movements.
 
“More fucking?” I questioned as I began to thrust into her steadily. I had to stop talking as I wanted to just feel how good she was. It didn't mean I slowed, but increased my speed as she began to moan loudly.
 
I bent down to kiss her and she grabbed my head kissing me passionately as she continued to screw me in return. While we kissed I felt her body tense and she climaxed shuddering violently, almost biting my tongue. I continued fucking her, highly turned on by how quickly she'd come.
 
A few seconds later she stirred under me. “Make me come again,” she said with determination in her voice.
 
I stopped and leant on my arms, looking down at her. “Horny, are you beloved?”
 
“Can't you tell?”
 
I could. She was almost as hot for me as when I had carried her into the bedroom. Licking her neck, feeling her squirm under me so wantonly made me thrust into her faster. This time as she came she yelled my name loudly and I came at the same time, gasping for air. God, I loved having such a hot wife.
 
I withdrew, knowing I'd be hard for her in a few minutes, but I wanted to kiss her and play with those amazing breasts. That might make her even more eager for me, but she stopped me.
 
Looking at her, I saw an expression I didn't like on her face. She seemed worried about something. What could she be worried about? Hadn't she enjoyed the sex? Was there something wrong that she hadn't told me? “Talk, beloved. What's bothering you?”
 
“You didn't fuck me this morning. You didn't come home at lunch. You were half an hour late tonight. Why Zaraki? Is there someone else?” she asked, surprising me. I heard a tearful quaver behind her words.
 
“Huh? I did come home at lunch but you were asleep. I didn't wake you because you looked comfortable. How could there be anyone one else?” The woman was crazy.
 
“Don't I excite you anymore?” she sounded so uncertain, her eyes welling with tears.
 
Pulling her close to me I tried to work out how I could provide her the comfort she needed. I was hard again and pressed my cock against her, trying to indicate how much she excited me.
 
“Wasn't I trying to screw you all the time you were teaching me to dance? Before we danced I suggested we have sex instead.”
 
“You only asked me. Usually you just pick me up and carry me into the bedroom and fuck me,” she said, sounding fearful and sad. “And you didn't even try to have me this morning. You just kissed me.”
 
I shook my head, unable to believe she had got it so wrong. “Because you looked so freaking tired, beloved, both this morning and at lunch. Retsu told me I have to let you sleep. And I'd promised to let you teach me to dance. We've just screwed and I want to take you again. I want to spend the whole night inside you.”
 
“You're just saying that,” my wife said in a sad and small voice. “You don't find me attractive anymore because I'm….”
 
I kissed her, stopping her words. Pulling her tight against me I caressed her back as my tongue roved in her mouth, finding those places that made her gasp and become needy. She didn't let me kiss her for long and pulled away from me.
 
“You don't have to pretend Zaraki.”
 
I don't get hard when I'm pretending, damn you.”
 
“You might be thinking about the other woman. Please, be honest with me. Don't try to be kind.”
 
“I'm not bloody pretending woman! I was late because I was jacking off in the office so I wouldn't nail you as soon as I saw you. I hate wanking, but I did it so you could have the dumb dance lesson! No other person could get me to wear those crappy clothes and dance.”
 
She nodded slightly, but still looked worried.
 
“You could be humouring me so I don't suspect,” was her next suggestion.
 
My temper was rising and taking my face close to hers I was forceful in my words and voice. “Don't say such fucking stupid things, woman! You're really starting to shit me. There isn't anyone else. Hell! Who'd come near me? All your buddies would destroy anyone dumb enough to try and why would I want someone else? I have you. No other woman gets to me like you.” Didn't she grasp it? I kissed her lips trying to stop her from uttering another ridiculous fear.
 
At first she didn't want to kiss me, her body had gone stiff when I yelled at her but as I held her tightly against me I tried to gentle the kiss, make it reassuring. After too long her arms encircled me and she kissed me back properly. I wanted to take her but decided to distract her by something before she began to get worried again.
 
“I was going to tell you later, but I'll tell you now seeing you're being unreasonable. Tomorrow we're going to the human world for our delayed honeymoon. I want you all to myself with no distractions. We'll be back in time for the wedding.”
 
“I thought you'd forgotten that promise,” she said, looking at me in astonishment and a small amount of hope.
 
“Nope. We've got a week, and maybe we'll forget to return for a few days more. We'll stay in some expensive hotel and all you'll have to do is eat and sleep if you want. I'll even let you continue the dance classes as long as I get to dip you,” I told her and brushed my mouth against her cheek.
 
“No making love?” She sounded sad.
 
Hearing her use that term again made me laugh. “Yeah, lots of that too, but only when you ask for it. You need a break from the Seireitei. The Captain-General has agreed. Now can we fuck? You won't mind if we don't sleep much tonight. That's the last time I wank. From now on, I'll fuck you even if you are tired. I'll just have to make certain you get enough sleep.”
 
Her face still wore the vestiges of worry and then I realised I hadn't told her what she wanted to hear. “I love you Matsumoto. There can never be anyone else.”
 
Finally she smiled at me, the sad emotions chased away. “Why didn't you say that earlier? Okay, we'll have sex, but only because you want it so bad.”
 
I bent my head and placed my lips on her breast knowing how she'd react. “Yeah. You don't want it at all,” I said as her hand encircled my cock. I licked her nipple and she arched underneath me.
 
“Maybe a little,” she said as she pushed me on my back and straddled me. “Maybe, just a little.”
 
A.N.
 
For some reason I stared working on another chapter of O&A and another one is planned. I had a particularly kinky idea, but that's for later.
 
Soundtrack
`Jealousy Tango' Jacob Gade
`Diago 45 Tango' (Bleach Soundtrack 2)
`Slide In' Goldfrapp
 
Review. I like reviews. Thank you to Bastion for the review.