InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Autumn: Fairytale ❯ My Own ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
Lime Warning:
You've been warned, this chapter contains a lime scene and there is no clean version.

Chapter 4:
My Own

Jubilee dipped her French fry in a load of ketchup. She chewed slowly trying to get the rich taste. She began pouring the ketchup onto her fries. They were in a deluge of ketchup. "What's wrong with you? You've been staring at your soda for fifteen minutes."

Ayame sighed. "I got my laptop back. But all of my data was erased. I don't have a full chapter on it."

"Didn't you back up?"

"So now is when everyone tells me about back up?"

"Jeezum sweetie, I thought you were smarter. Everyone knows to back up their work."

"Does any of this look familure?" Asked a man behind his desk. He turned Ayame’s laptop to face her.

Ayame's faced shifted to that of a sad Jewish puppy. Her screen was nothing but html and random words. It made Ayame's heart drop. All of her work was gone. Years of writing and night of staying up late and pulling all nighters. "What exactly is all this?"

"This was al we found. That and only of few of incomplete written chapters. Here's you're check. I recommend a better zip drive."

"Well I didn't." Ayame took a French fry off Jubilee's and shoved it in her mouth. "Where are you heading after this?"

"I have to get back to the office. Why?"

Ayame shrugged. "No reason." But that wasn't true. Jubilee had seemed busy all week and she was desperate to find out why. "You seem a little distracted."

"Let's just say I have a new toy."

"Please tell me it's an actual human being."

"No, it's that dog across the hall from me. Of course it's a guy."

Ayame stole another fry. "When can I meet him?" She pressed.

"Sorry mom . . . but you don't."

"Now that's cruel Jubie."

"So is stealing a hungry girl's French fries."

She rolled her eyes and looked at her watch. "I'll leave you with the check. I promise to pay next time. If I don't get back to the Sukie she'll tan my face."

"Leave your car keys. I have to get my car today from the shop. Besides, if you start running now I'm sure you'll get to work at a good time."

"Now that's not fair Jubilee, these are my good shoes and kind of pinch."

"No one told you to wear heels."

"But they looked so lonely in the back of my closet. Plus, these aren’t just heels . . . these are Isabel Manolo Blahniks! Do you know how much these were?"

.xXx.

"Will you hurry with those plates? Those people aren’t very patient. Don't stand there like a stick; get that cake in the fridge."

"Don't you think you're going a little over board?"

"Nonsense. In fact, you should be ordering around as well. Why are you just standing there?"

"Well, I finished my part of this."

Sukie pushed a clipboard towards Ayame. "Then you can check the rest of this shit off. I'm going out for a smoke." She pulled a cigarette out of her pocket.

Ayame stared down at the list. It was a to-do-list for the party. She looked out at the crowd of people. There were a lot of drunken men. Now was she going out there to mauled or groped? She stepped back into the back room and took a few looks around. She began checking stuff off Sukie's list before it was snatched from her.

"Did you check it all off?"

"Basically,"

"Basically, isn't all Ayame? And I'd expect more from you." Sukie began to check off the rest. "Well what are you standing there for now child?"

"What should I do? You haven't assigned me anything."

"Check on the party, make sure nothing breaks."

"I can't maim."

"And why the hell not Ookami?" Sukie gave her a sour face that would make a lemon cry.

"The last time I went out there one of the guys tried to lift the skirt of my dress."

Sukie rolled her eyes in response. "What am I paying you for?"

"Look Sukie, I really don't appreciate being yelled at. I do my job, and I believe it do it damn right well enough for Takahasi-sensie to hire me, and if I'm not good enough for this job than that is your problem. I do what I'm told, but I'm not in the mood to be sexually harassed by fifty drunk me in the room next door. And I'm sorry if I'm not quick enough for you, but maybe if you just give me a chance, a fair chance, I can prove I'm ready to take this job on with you. And now I have no idea what Takahasi-sensei was thinking when she stuck me with you."

.xXx.

"Go home and get some rest, and the next time you snap at me, it'll be your last Ookami!" Sukie warned before locking the door behind her.

Ayame scoffed and went for the door handle with no luck. The door would not budge. She ha poured her feelings into that speech she'd given Sukie, and this was how she was repaid. She was locked out and only got little credit for her work. She huffed, picked her bagget up off the ground and began walking up the city streets. She struggled to get her cell phone out and speed-dialed Jubilee's number.

"Hello,"

"Jubie, Jubie, come and get me."

"Aya," She questioned. "Where are you?"

"I'm walking around. Sukie kicked me out of the party."

"That sucks."

"Yeah, it does. Now, come get me."

"I'm a . . . kind of busy."

"Jubie! I'm your sister. This isn't right!"

"Don't worry. I won't leave you stranded. Look I'll see if I can--"

The line was being cut off. "Hello, hello?" Ayame dropped her phone. The battery instantly fell out and the phone broke in pieces. She gasped and picked up the ruckus of a phone. "Oh, no." She kicked the ground angrily and shoved the bits of her useless phone in her bagget and held it under her arm. Ayame had no choice. She'd have to walk home.

The walk would be at least 3 miles, not including the long distance it would take her to get past the big gate, leading to her and Kouga's mansion. She had no idea what she was getting into.

.xXx.

Kouga closed the door behind him only to be welcomed by darkness. He turned the lights on and set his tuff down. He'd been pummeled with work since the morning and still had more work to take home. He sighed heavily. "Ayame," He called. But got nothing in reply, and shrugged it off.

Just in time, Ayame struggled with the door and slammed it shut. She was breathing hard, asif she had just gone for a jog. It took her a slow minute to process where she was. "Oh kami," She awkwardly walked her way to the fridge and took out a large bowl which had 'mixed rice' in it. Every time she had a hard or bad day she would always make mixed rice. This was just the perfect moment. Ayame stuck the large bowl in the microwave and set it two minutes.

"You look like hell, and why are you walking like a penguin?" Kouga commented.

Ayame glared at him. "You would do the same if you walked all the way from the city, back here in very expensive shoes, not to mention that they pinch my feet. Remind me to thank your father for the house."

"Why'd you walk?"

"I gave Sukie a piece of my mind . . . then she kicked me out of the party room and locked me out. I went to call Jubie but we were cut off. I would have called you but . . . “She took her broken phone out of her bag and set it on the table.”Would you be able to call on this?" The microwave rung and Ayame set herself at the table with her fork.

"At least you kept the warrantee."

"Warrantee?"

He rolled his eyes. "You're a ticking bomb for bad luck."

"Don't I know it? So . . . how was your day?"

He went to the fridge for a glass of water and pressed the glass under the hole, getting some water out. "Not as great as yours." He turned back at Ayame, but she had fallen asleep with her fork in her hand and her head next to the large bowl. 'There really is no use with her.' Kouga thought. He set the glass in the sink and took a good look at the sleeping girl.

.xXx.

"Wait a minute."

"What?"

"Hand,"

"Excuse me?"

"Give me your hand."

"I'll never become senior partner if I'm late because you wanted to see my hand."

"Give me your hand, now."

Kouga rolled his eyes at Ayame's nonsense, but he let her take his hand

"Where is it?"

"I don't even know what you're talking about. Make some sense."

"Where's your ring?"

"Up stairs."

"Well go get it." Ayame blocked his way to the door. "Or you're not leaving. Your grandmother and father always scold me. Not to mention my own grandfather. And I'm tired of it. So go back up stairs and put it on." She ordered. Ayame crossed her arms over her chest and stood her ground.

"You have to be the most annoying female I've ever met in my life."

"And you live with me, now that sucks. Go get your ring, because if I’m scolded for your mistake one more time, kami help you!" She shook her head at all the nonsense and waited for Kouga to come down with his ring on his ring finger. She took his hand again and examined it making sure he had his ring. She sighed and stepped out of Kouga's way. "Wait,"

"What now, I'm late."

"I need a ride. Jubilee never gave me my car back."

.xXx.

"Really?"

"I said it didn't I?"

"But you're not that honest."

"I swear on sex."

"Then it's big. Alright I believe you."

"Good. So tell me, have you had sex yet?"

"I don't even know what kind of lawyer he is. What makes you think we had sex?"

"Oh, Aya. You have that glow."

"I never knew a human could glow."

"Shut up and stop switching topics. I know you had sex."

Ayame rolled her eyes. The first and last topic of Jubilee’s days was about sex. Details included. Ayame never really took interest in that topic, she'd let Jubilee go on and on. "Interesting. Well, you’ve been tapping ass, and apparently she's been tapping ass . . . that leaves me." Ayame sighed and was dieing to change the subject. "Did you have a date last night?"

Jubilee rolled her eyes, knowing Ayame's 'change the subject' tactics. "It's not a date if I don't have at least a cocktail and an hour of mind blowing sex."

"So it wasn't an hour of mind blowing sex?"

"What kind of question is that? It was one hour and a half of mind blowing sex. We just missed cocktails."

"You still don't consider that a date?"

"Believe what you want little sister, it really doesn't matter to me. Oh, grandpa wants you to visit him tomorrow. Let me warn you, he's going to give you a long talk about babies, and how basically he wants his first grandchild before he croaks. Of course Sakura and me left that all to you and Kouga."

"Don't make the old man suffer!"

"It's not my fault you're not putting out . . . or he's not putting out--"

"Jubie!" Ayame yelped. "We refuse to even sleep in the same room! Great, now I'm in for a speech tomorrow, and it's only going to make me feel worse!" Ayame banged her head against the table of the restaurant and let it lay there.

"Oh, you drama queen. You didn't have to get married you know. Sure Kouga wouldn't have gotten his part of the family fortune, and it was mom's will, but I'm sure mom would've understood. You can't just live life so miserable. It's been so long since you've had sex, not to mention good sex--"

"Jubilee! If you don't stop talking about sex, I swear on Kami that I'll--"

"Ayame?" Called a voice.

"Eh?" Ayame turned her head. She felt Jubilee's head turn under her hand also. Ayame couldn't believe her eyes. It was him . . . the man she truly once loved at the time of pure innocence; before she found out she had had to marry Kouga. She unconsciously took her hand off Jubilee's mouth. "Kai?"

The handsome man known as Kai smirked. "It's been too long. How've you been?"

.xXx.

"No fair,"

"What?"

"You cheated!"

"I did not. Besides, aren’t you a little too old to argue like a kid?"

"I am not; I'm simply accusing you of cheating . . . because you did."

"Prove it then."

" . . . Well, I can't now. But you have like really super speed."

Minoru rolled his eyes. "I didn't cheat. Now As I recall, you owe me."

Jubilee sighed. "Alright, but I still say you cheated."

"I want . . . sex on the washer-machine. Right now." He demanded.

Jubilee raised her eyebrows. "Wow, okay well I'm in a rush, so how about a quickie in the elevator right now, and meet me here later today and we'll do it on the washer then."

"Fine," Minoru agreed.

She leaned over and kissed him hard on the mouth. "I'm just going to get my cell." She got up off the floor and rushed to her room, picking her purse off the night stand and leaning over the bed as she detached her cell phone from the charger. She pressed down and on the power button and waited to be connected as she exited her apartment and locked the door with her key. She stared at the panel and pressed on her speed dial for Ayame.

Minoru got her from behind, dragging Jubilee into the elevator. She giggled as she dropped her purse. She pulled on his belt and unbuckled it; she pulled hard on his jeans till she got hold of his zipper. She pressed the phone to her ear with her shoulder.

"Hello," Ayame answered. She could hear the commotion of giggling and metal clashing. "Jubilee?"

Jubilee dropped the phone as Minoru pressed against her and crushed her into the buttons of the elevator. He boosted her up so she could reach his height, her legs straddled his hips. He reached up her dress skirt and pulled her panties down. Jubilee broke their kiss with her need to breathe. Minoru quickly slid a condom on and entered her. She arched her back, causing Minoru to go deeper. She moaned loudly.

"Ew!" Ayame squealed as the call was lost.

Jubilee held on to the railing on each side of the elevator walls. Minoru began to move at a faster pace. She struggled to breath. They were both dazed, stuck in a fusion of nothingness and the real world, both lost in their orgasms. There was nothing but them, and that elevator. They hadn't even noticed when they reached a floor, and an old lady had gasped at the scene as she rushed away.

Jubilee leaned her face into his so fast, their teeth crashed as they kissed. Minoru gave one last thrust and they both had come to their point. They were both panting. Jubilee unwrapped her legs from around him, pulled up her panties, slipped into her shoes and picked her phone and her purse. "Kami, that was good."

Minoru chuckled as she sat down, waiting to get to the remaining floor. "Quickies are supposedly the best."

The elevator doors opened to reveal the 1st floor.

"We should do this every morning. Fuck coffee. I rather fuck you." Jubilee giggled as she walked out of the elevator.

He took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles. "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"I am too." She smiled at him and kissed his cheek. "And now thanks to you I'm late. I'll call you later okay?" She rushed away. He phone began to ring and she snatched it out of her bag with looking at the caller ID. "Hello,"

"You're disgusting. If you're gonna call me, don't do it while you're having sex." Ayame snapped.

"Sorry, I guess I forgot. Any ways, I wanted to know if you got home okay."

"No thanks to you. I walked all the way."

"Bummer, well, I'm off." Before disconnecting she looked through her bag for her car keys. She forgot she slipped them into Minoru's coat pocket last night. "Minoru," Jubilee called after him. She closed her flip phone ending her call.

"Minoru?" Ayame asked to herself as she hung up.

.xXx.

"Gosh, now I know why you're so happy."

"Excuse me?"

"You know why. I didn't hitting it off with Minoru. Personally, I'd never go with a younger guy."

"Whoa, where the hell get an idea like that?"

"I heard you on the phone. You called his name, as if it wasn't obvious enough."

"You're wrong. He just helped me out with my car."

"Didn't you just get it from the shop?"

"Well . . . I wanted to make sure the dudes did a good job. Look, nothing's happening."

"You can lie to Sakura, but we grew up sharing the same bedroom. In fact, I had to listen to you moaning during sex, even head phones on blast couldn't get rid of your noises."

Jubilee rolled her eyes at her little sister. "Look, I already told you, I didn't know you were in there. And you could have just left."

"I was afraid of seeing something I wasn't supposed to."

"But you weren't afraid of hearing it?"

Ayame shrugged. "Look I promise not to say anything."

"Nothing's going on."

"Swear on God."

"I . . .” Jubilee hesitated.

"I knew it!"

"Shut up, you know nothing."

Ayame held up her hand. "Scout's honor, I won't tell anyone."

"Will you shut up; you were a brownie in the third grade. Big whoop."

"Don't change subjects. Jubie, I know you better than you know yourself . . . so . . . how did you and Minoru happen? I always thought you would be that last to date someone younger."

“. . . We aren’t dating; it's just a booty call. Plus . . . he's really good. I remember him from the engagement party and we had coffee together. I guess you could call it fate, but man, if God wanted me to have such great sex, he should have introduced us a long time ago." Jubilee sucked the strawberry-banana smoothie from her straw. She began fitting around with it.

"Wow. I'm surprised. Well at least you both aren’t like attached. I should have sex buddy." Ayame droned away in her strawberry smoothie for a minute. "Notice anything different? Like Sakura not here anymore."

"Well . . . actually yeah. We used to have those weekly sex battles, on who got the more asses. Of course I had to lie to win."

"Why's it always sex with you two?"

"'Cause we didn't choose to live up to the positions we set for our selves when we were eight." She teased.

Ayame rolled her eyes. "I better get going. I have to see grandfather and then Kouga's dad." She stood up and gave her sister a peck on the cheek before leaving. Minoru and Jubilee? Very interesting, she thought before speeding off.

.xXx.

"Oh, and who's this?" Ayame giggled as she pointed to a picture in the photo album of a small boy crying.

The old man laughed. "That's Kouga. He was upset because he couldn't blow out the candles."

"Poor baby." Ayame cooed as she flipped through a few more pages. "Is that . . . my mother? It looks just like her."

"Why . . . it is. Yes, I remember. Your mother and Kouga's mother were very good friends . . . since kindergarten. In fact, I believe that was the last picture they took together. For some reason, after the eleventh grade they drifted apart."

"What are you doing here?" Came Kouga from behind.

"I was invited." She looked at a few more pictures. "You were an adorable kid."

"I know," He agreed.

Ayame rolled her eyes. Her hand went for her neck to grab her locket, but she realized it wasn't there.

"Ayame you're staying for dinner right, dear?" Asked Kouga's father.

"I can't, I have to--"

"Great, I'll get Yumi to set another plate."

Ayame sighed and smiled. Keiji was always persistent on getting Ayame and Kouga together. But not as bad as Ayame's Grandfather. Kouga's father had yet to nag the two about children. Although, Ayame and Kouga had been waiting for it to start.

Every sat at the table, of course Ayame was forced to sit next to Kouga. Yume took the first bit at the couple. "When will you have a baby?"

"Yumi, we talked about this." Kouga growled.

"Well, daddy and I are waiting." Yumi scolded.

"I suggest you give up hope." He chuckled under his breath. He received a kick from Ayame. "What was that for?" He whispered.

"Don't talk to her like that."

"What, are you gonna put out then?"

Ayame kicked him again, harder. "Contain yourself." She warned.

"Enough kids," Keiji stepped in. “. . . Yumi has a point. When will i get my grandchild?"

"I knew this was coming." Kouga snarled. "I wish everyone would stop asking that. Look, it's not happening--"

"You don't want a baby? You don't wanna be a daddy?" Yumi asked giving her brother her puppy eyes.

"It's not that it's just . . . not the right time."

"Why?"

"Because it isn't."

"Why?"

"Because,"

"Yumi, eat your meal." Keiji pointed out. "Leave this to the adults. Now, it’s been what . . . two years since the wedding? I have not scene one sign of a grandchild. Now, I’m not getting any younger believe it or not, and I want to actually live to see that day."

"Father," Ayame butted in, using the term father because she hadn't grown up with one, and Kouga's father told her to call him that. "I really don't mean to disappoint you but--"

"What's a lesbian?" Yumi's little voice came in.

Keiji's eyes widened like saucer plates. "Go to your room." He demanded.

Yumi did as she was told.

"Someone's gotta tell her about sex," Kouga blurted.

"Kouga!" Keiji came in again. "Is it too much to ask. I want a grandchild. Even if you adopt!"

"That can be arranged."

Ayame cleared her throat loudly. "May I be excused? I'm not really that hungry." She bowed to Keiji and left the dining room.

"Kill the mood dad. I was gonna work my way with tonight." Kouga teased.

Keiji however did not find it funny. He and Kouga both knew there were two things Kouga had to do to get his inheritance. He had to marry Ayame. And he also had to have a son with her. Both requests were really too much. No one could really see that happening anytime soon. "Have you even tried? Even once? It isn't that hard. Ayame is a lovely girl and she isn't hard to like."

"Why don't you try getting her in bed and give me a call." He joked once again.

"This isn't a joke."

"Sorry, I guess that's how I deal with things." Kouga heaved a heavy sigh. "It's not easy dad. We don't even sleep in the same room .I'm surprised we live together. I can't promise you anything."

.xXx.

Ayame walked to the secretary's desk. She handed the secretary her clip board. "I need you to file these, and print me out a copy of the guest list. I'll need it on my desk tomorrow, okay? Well, I'm out for the day. I'll be back later." She informed. She walked into her office and grabbed her things. She walked to her car when her phone started ringing. "Hello,"

"Hey, it's Kouga, be ready by eight."

"What?"

"Just be ready by eight tonight, my dad's doing this dinner with some clients. I'm guessing it another set up. Just be ready by eight."

"Fine."

"Bye."

"Bye."

It was her 4th gin-martini of the night. Ayame desperately needed to get drunk. She swallowed down the rest of her drink and set her glass on the table. There were two other women on each side of her babbling to each other. Ayame could hear every word. She pretended to zone out though. They had talked on and on about how she was lucky to have a married a man like Kouga, Then when they asked about her chosen profession, they sort of mocked it. She felt so tiny.

" . . . You should try smiling some more. Kouga loves his woman to smile." One woman commented.

"Let her be, maybe she likes being gloomy," commented the other. Their ramblings continued.

"Mind if I borrow your victim." Came a male voice from behind.

"Kai!" One of the girls shouted.

"Well, it was nice meeting you . . . um . . . Ayame." Said one of the girls before leaving.

Ayame turned her head to face Kai, a little to late. "Thank god! I thought they'd criticize my hair next."

Kai laughed. "Let's go to the deck." He suggested.

Ayame nodded and followed him outside. She watched Kai as he pulled two cigarettes of his pocket, lit them both at the same time and offered Ayame it. She took it without thinking. It had been a while since she had a cigarette. It was an old, bad writing habit she had tried to quit forever. She unable to though. She took a long, relieving drag from her cigarette. "I hope you know you're my hero for the rest of the night." She teased.

"Lucky I was here then, huh? Oh, I got a tattoo."

She gasped. "Really, how big is it?"

"See for yourself." He smirked and began pulling down his pants.

"Haven't we finished playing doctor?" Ayame joked as she knelt down on her knees and grabbed on to his hips, observing the tattoo. She bent her head to the side. "Wow," She exclaimed. "It's really nice."

A woman saw the two in their position, which looked very wrong. She cleared her throat loudly, causing Ayame to rush to her feet, her cheeks a rosy red. She leaned against the railing and scratched her head as she shuffled her feet. The woman lifted her nose on the two and went back inside to the dinner party.

The both began laughing. "Believe it or not, I think she'll tell your husband what just happened."

Ayame rolled her eyes. "He doesn't think that low of me to believe that. But I love the tattoo."

"Yeah, well, I got drunk and woke up with it."

Ayame laughed. "Well you make lovely choices when you're drunk."

"I always make lovely choices." He sighed. "I miss you." He blurted, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles.

Ayame couldn't look into his eyes. "I know, but, I already told you Kai . . . we can't do this--"

"Because of your promise? To your mother? You gave up us for that. But what do you get out of it?"

"It's not what I get out of it! It's . . . It's--"

"You don't know what it is. I can't stand not being with you. Not since we were sixteen and not now."

"You have to get over the past Kai. Please, I beg you . . . move on."

"Like you have? You were forced to move on, but what's gonna make me?"

Ayame sighed. "Because the girl you fell in love with is gone. I'm . . . not . . . yours anymore."

Kai leaned over her, his forehead resting on hers. "Says who?" He pressed his lips against her, licking her lips.

She allowed him entry, loosing her mind. Their tongues collided in a weak illusion. She pushed him away gently, knowing what she was doing. "We can't." She breathed. "We can't . . . we can't!" She repeated to herself. She rushed into the dinner party, looking for Kouga. She took a deep breath before walking toward him. She pulled on his sleeve, clenching her stomach. "I feel really sick, can we leave?"

Kouga nodded. "I'll meet you outside."

Ayame agreed and walked outside the restaurant. She held on to the railing of the small stair out before sitting sown. She took a few deep breaths. You're crazy, you know that right, Ayame thought to herself. Breathe. Kai is only the past . . . he's only my past. She leaned her fore head on her knees thinking to herself, more like arguing. I need to stop this. I can't keep doing this.

Doing what, admitting love?
Her other side stepped in. It was like the little devil on her shoulder, except in her head.

I don't love Kai anymore. I can't love him. This has to stop.

Then stop it.

. . . I . . . can't.

"What’s wrong with you?" Kouga's voice came.

Ayame gasped and jumped up. "I'm just . . . not feeling so good."

"I heard you were servicing the help. Tell me it wasn't true."

Ayame gawked at him feeling offended. So much for him not thinking about her in such a low way. "First: he wasn't the help, he was an old friend, second: I was only looking at his tattoo, it only looked wrong because I was in front of him, and third: how could you even think that way about me?"

Kouga shrugged. "To be honest, we've lived together for two years and I don't even know if you're like that."

Ayame clenched her stomach, almost bending over, and wincing. She was definitely gonna do something. Something really bad.

Kouga scratched his head. "Hey . . . are you okay. You kind of look woozy."

"Oh no," Ayame knew what was coming. She ran to a bush next to the building wall and let it all out. She blew out chunks. More had come out than she had taken in. It splattered over the side of the building and the bush, have clear and the rest chunky. She whimpered softly as she finished up. She gasped for air. Perfect.

A/N:Sorry about every delay on each of my stories. I'm getting to them. And yes, I know you hate me now. And having you yell at me to finish them isn't gonna get me to write them any faster. I'm getting there, be patient with Allizaya's unpatient self.

This is a disclaimer which applies to An Autumn Fairytale and for that matter, the rest of my Autumn series. I do not own original characters of Inuyasha that are included in the Anime/Manga series. I simply own every character not created by R. Takahashi. She just inspired me to write fan fiction and manipulate the beautiful lives of her interesting character. This applies to every chapter.