Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ I've wanted you forever and tonight ❯ Puppyslapping. ( Chapter 18 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
~~
What about the war? Chapter eighteen of ‘I’ve wanted you forever and tonight’.
~By Sweetdeily.
~~
Deavous wrapped his prize in a sheet and tossed it over one shoulder. He was tired, and didn’t want to be in a war zone when he went to sleep.
The Japanese child of a vampire inside of him cried out in anger, despair, hatred and mostly-revulsion at what he has done. What Deavous has done. Raped the Fairy? Yes. But there can be no denying, the sick, horrified feeling that dwells in Seto’s soul… the feeling that comes from the fact that this… this act of betrayal and violation… didn’t feel good.
He is disgusted with himself that he could have felt such ecstasy at watching Jounouchi scream and writhe in pain and pleasure and helplessness. Seto had been a master to Jounouchi’s slave. He had been in such complete control, that he could have killed the Fairy at any moment.
And it scares him. Scares him, horrifies and causes him revulsion.
But Deavous, although weaker now, does not share these sentiments. For him this is a conquest. A battle won. His experience of Fairies has come from long ago, when they were always at full strength, and he was a weaker being. He thinks, almost truly, that Jounouchi –could- have done more to defend himself. This is a submission to him. A bearing of the throat. He does not realize that Jounouchi is not a particularly powerful Fairy, nor was the blonde’s survival a matter of split hairs.
The vampire exits the tent, dropping the spells surrounding it.
A crowd of Fairies and Luther dragons meet him outside. All anxious to find out what has been going on inside the tent for the past hour or so. None have been able to break the wards, or willing to do so. And now, as Deavous emerges, their unconscious Duke over his shoulder, they flinched away from his piercing gaze.
“He looks calmer…” Someone whispered in Fairy.
Seto ignored the throng and looked around for the teleport. He walked toward it, parting the crowd like a sea. He was the King of the Vampires; this kind of effect meant nothing to him. He even –expected- it of the ‘lower’ races.
“Where is he going?” The crowd whispered.
Deavous ignored them, approaching the teleporter and cocking his head to one side. He quickly reconfigured the magic to take him up.
One of the Luther Dragon’s gave a soft snort and he glanced at the creature. “Well? Stay here then. You were traded for this one.” He answered the beast, without having to hear its mental questions.
The Luther Dragon’s shifted, tossing their heads.
“Do as you are told! You will serve the Fairies in exchange for my new toy.”
One of them growled softly. It was implying that the exchange was not fair.
Deavous hissed, drawing his lips away from his fangs. “DO NOT DARE QUESTION ME! THE WORTH OF THIS ONE IS NOT DEBATABLE.”
The Luther whimpered and cowered away. Deavous hissed a little more at it, memorizing its markings so that he could tell its trainer to punish it appropriately.
The vampire stepped onto the teleporter, ignoring the few brave enough Fairies that called out to him, asking what he was up to.
The ground rushed away from him and he soared upward at break-neck speed.
~
Jounouchi woke to a cold, dark surrounding that he did not know. The room had a chill about it that seemed to set into the very stones, he shivered, even though he wasn’t particularly cold.
The blonde’s head was still a little fuzzy, and he shook it to clear the cobwebs away. He was laying on what he had first thought was a bed, but now realized was a rug. A beautiful, soft, furry brown rug, the fur was inches deep and the rug must have been six feet wide in both directions. It sat at the foot of a king-sized bed. The bed was carved out of wood, and Jou could see little demons looking at him from carvings in the dark wood. There was a black, silk canopy over the bed and it flickered with orange and red highlights from the fireplace. It was this flicker that drew Duke Katsuya’s attention to the roaring fire. The rug he was lying on was in front of the fire. And even though it was roaring and crackling like it was in full heat he only felt mildly warmed by it. It smacked of magic. The blonde looked back at the bed. The sheets were black and he couldn’t see much of what was on the bed.
He was pretty sure he didn’t –want- to see much of what was on the bed.
The blonde sat up and drew his legs to his chest. He felt strangely violated and vulernable. Funny, that. That the one thing he’d been aching for… for so long, wasn’t the way he’d imagined it to be.
Oh, Jou had imagined sex between himself and Kaiba would be a little rough. But he’d always thought that if they ever did do it… Kaiba would stop when Jou begged him to. That Kaiba wouldn’t look at him with those brown eyes… those eyes that weren’t Seto Kaiba’s…. no…
Jounouchi knew he was crying. Crying like some silly little five hundred year old girl! But he was naked, cold and… and Queens knew… he was scared. This new Seto wasn’t anything that he liked. He was a monster! Cruel, and harsh and… not the magic-retarded, dark-but-still-humane Seto that Jounouchi –did- like.
Jounouchi didn’t understand what the hell was going on either! One minute, he’d be awake. The next he’d be in either intense pain, or unconscious.
Why was everything concerning Seto Kaiba going bad? Couldn’t something just –work- for once?
And –why- was he naked?
The blonde wiped his face hurriedly. His silent tears making him feel ashamed. He rubbed his cheeks until they were red, and it was –obvious- he had been crying. Why was he naked? Well, not completely naked, he was wearing a slave collar around his neck. The Fairy could feel the engravings. They felt like magical runes, but he wasn’t sure.
The collar had a thin chain attached to it that lead off, around the side of the bed, where he couldn’t see.
Curious, Jou stealthily crawled around the bed, not paying attention to what was on top of the bed. He followed the chain to the side of the bed, and then realized that it actually led up, onto the bed. Sitting up, he came face to face with a beautiful, naked woman.
Brown eyes blinked doe-like at him and Jounouchi almost choked on a scream and fell onto the floor. There was a woman on the bed! A naked one!
She had that classic ‘vampiress’ look to her. Black, long, beautiful hair, deep, sensual lips, and soft, delicate bone structure. European skin, and brown eyes.
The woman blinked at him a few times, she was looking at him upside down and gradually, she rolled over.
“He-hello.” Jounouchi choked out in Japanese.
She was still just looking at him. Jounouchi placed her expression somewhere between really pissed off, and curious.
“Hello?” He said in English this time.
She smiled at him. It was a sinister curving of those thick, red lips.
Jounouchi didn’t like that smile.
“Good evening.” She said in English. She had the purr of a voice that Jounouchi was expecting. Would anything else be –more- cliché about her?
“Where am I?” He asked. He was worried she was going to say ‘castle doommmm’.
“The Master’s bedroom.” She hissed.
“I see… which would be where?” He didn’t want to be –too- impolite, so he spoke in formal language.
“The Master’s lands.” She was getting off the bed now, standing tall in her naked glory.
“Which are… where?” Jounouchi was getting tired of playing twenty questions.
“You ask a lot of questions for a slave.”
“I’m not a-”
“You have a slave collar on. You are a slave. I am Barisha.” She touched one of her breasts, her eyes darkening as though to invite Jou closer.
Jounouchi didn’t want to go closer. “I’m not a slave. I am Duke Jounouchi Katsuya, of the Fairy Court.” He wanted to pronounce his rank. He felt it was important somehow.
She waved a hand. “Lesser race. You are a slave in my Master’s domain.”
Jounouchi wondered if she wasn’t the smartest cookie in the box, but didn’t say anything. “Like I asked. Where is that?”
Barisha tossed her head, moving closer to him. “I don’t like slaves who don’t know their place. You will kiss my toes.”
Jounouchi glanced at her feet. Certainly not the most horrible of demands, but he –was- royalty. And he really didn’t want to play this game with some clichéd vampire chick. “I don’t think so. Where is Evil Seto? I need to talk to him.”
Yes. ‘talk’. Talk was often an acronym for kill. In this case; yes. He needed to kill Evil Seto. And free Seto. And then they could go and defeat the Elves… and maybe… maybe talk about their relationship. Because he was getting tired of Seto screwing his life up.
“Seto… there are none among us with that name.” She tossed her head again.
Very suddenly the vampires was pinning Jounouchi to the floor with her clawed hand. Jounouchi had seen the movement and tried to evade, but she was fast. She hissed in his face, spraying him with spittle and baring her long fangs. “You think you can take the master from me? I have been his queen for over a millennia! I will not let some little child take my place!”
Jounouchi sensed some hostility in that. He spat out a word of magic into her face, sending her flying back into the frame of the bed. She landed in a crouching position on the ground, glaring at him with slitted eyes.
Jounouchi swallowed, sitting up. “Don’t fight me, Barisha. I assure you, I have no interest in your position. I want to leave. If we work together, you win anyway. No blood needs to be spilt.” Besides, he wasn’t a ‘child’. Then again, who knew with a vampire. They –never- aged.
“I think I want to spill some blood.” she hissed. Jou watched as her nails grew another inch or so, becoming deadly talons.
Before the vampiress could attack again, a voice spoke from the doorway. “Every mark you make on his body is a layer of skin I strip from your limbs, Barisha.”
The vampiress looked up, hissing at whatever was behind Jounouchi’s head. The Fairy didn’t take his eyes off the vampire. She was more a worry than something he couldn’t see.
“No!” The voice commanded.
The vampiress twisted her body and hissed some more. It was almost as if she were talking that way.
“Get out! Get out now! I told you not to wait for me, and yet you did! You disobey me with your presence! Get out before I have half a mind to destroy you!”
Barisha’s fangs and claws vanished and she hurried past Jounouchi without a second glance. Jounouchi whipped around to watch her go, and caught sight of Evil Seto standing in the doorway.
Barisha quickly bowed past him and fled, naked into the corridor beyond.
Jounouchi’s russet eyes focused on the figure in the doorway. The door closed behind the vampire.
“Awake.” Evil Seto spoke. It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
Jounouchi didn’t speak and watched the vampire as he walked into the room. What was the game?
“Hop up onto the bed, puppy.” This was spoken in japanese. As if he didn’t think Jounouchi understood enough English to understand the command.
Jounouchi stayed where he was. He didn’t move even an inch. “Where the hell am I? And what do you want with me?” The blonde finally asked.
Evil Seto smiled cruelly. “In my bedroom. And I think you can tell.”
The brunette walked around the other side of the bed and began undressing. He was wearing a simple black shirt and a pair of black jeans. Jou hadn’t noticed any footwear.
The Fairy scooted to the end of the chain and closed his legs. “If you don’t release me, it will lead to war.”
“I don’t think it will, actually.” Evil Seto said, crawling up onto the bed.
Jounouchi was looking around the room for a quick escape. “Oh, I do. You might not understand this, but a Duke is still a valuable member of the Queen’s court.”
“I have no doubt… but let me just say, I have settled these matters. You are not a hostage here.”
“So I am free to leave?” Jounouchi’s eyebrows shot up.
“No.” Seto was tugging on the chain, playfully, like a cat with a mouse.
Jounouchi coughed and grabbed a hold of the links near his neck, trying to keep some slack to the chain. “Then what do you mean?”
“You are an exchange. My Luther Dragons, for you. The Luther’s argue that it is not entirely fair, as they are priceless beings. But…” Evil Seto shrugged, “I am King here, and my fancy is law.”
He tugged particularly hard on the chain, and Jounouchi found himself on his stomach, pulled violently forward. It was obvious which one of them was going to win a tug-of-war. “And I fancy you.”
“You can’t do that. I’m not an object…”
“No. you’re not.” Evil Seto was still smiling that little smirk of his, he tugged on the rope again, dragging Jounouchi highly ungraciously closer. “You’re a slave.”
“I’m not a slave!” Jounouchi growled. Seto or not… he was getting pissed off.
“Oh?” Evil Seto asked. He gave another harsh tug.
Jounouchi peeled himself off the freezing stone and threw a bolt of fire at the vampire very suddenly.
Evil Seto just chuckled and spoke a word. The bolt fizzled and died mid-air. “Tsch. That’s not very sporting.”
Jounouchi growled. “I’m going to kill you.”
Evil Seto smiled, infuriatingly. “No. I don’t think you are. Activate spell. Come and sit on the bed, puppy.”
A jolt of magic rushed through the Fairy from the collar, and Jounouchi felt it warm up. it kept getting warmer, like it was going to explode. He gasped, and grabbed at the collar, prying at it like a madman. “Son of a bitch!”
“It’ll only get hotter until you do as I commanded.” Evil Seto was laughing almost full-out by this stage. “So you see. I think you’re going to be doing what I tell you to, now.”
~To be continued.
Sweet notes: Well, I –do- have a good reason for the bad English in this chapter. It’s 2 at night and my brain is still a little fried from nanowrimo. Which I will post eventually.
Anyway! Reviews are always welcome! I am –very- sorry about the long… long… long delay!
What about the war? Chapter eighteen of ‘I’ve wanted you forever and tonight’.
~By Sweetdeily.
~~
Deavous wrapped his prize in a sheet and tossed it over one shoulder. He was tired, and didn’t want to be in a war zone when he went to sleep.
The Japanese child of a vampire inside of him cried out in anger, despair, hatred and mostly-revulsion at what he has done. What Deavous has done. Raped the Fairy? Yes. But there can be no denying, the sick, horrified feeling that dwells in Seto’s soul… the feeling that comes from the fact that this… this act of betrayal and violation… didn’t feel good.
He is disgusted with himself that he could have felt such ecstasy at watching Jounouchi scream and writhe in pain and pleasure and helplessness. Seto had been a master to Jounouchi’s slave. He had been in such complete control, that he could have killed the Fairy at any moment.
And it scares him. Scares him, horrifies and causes him revulsion.
But Deavous, although weaker now, does not share these sentiments. For him this is a conquest. A battle won. His experience of Fairies has come from long ago, when they were always at full strength, and he was a weaker being. He thinks, almost truly, that Jounouchi –could- have done more to defend himself. This is a submission to him. A bearing of the throat. He does not realize that Jounouchi is not a particularly powerful Fairy, nor was the blonde’s survival a matter of split hairs.
The vampire exits the tent, dropping the spells surrounding it.
A crowd of Fairies and Luther dragons meet him outside. All anxious to find out what has been going on inside the tent for the past hour or so. None have been able to break the wards, or willing to do so. And now, as Deavous emerges, their unconscious Duke over his shoulder, they flinched away from his piercing gaze.
“He looks calmer…” Someone whispered in Fairy.
Seto ignored the throng and looked around for the teleport. He walked toward it, parting the crowd like a sea. He was the King of the Vampires; this kind of effect meant nothing to him. He even –expected- it of the ‘lower’ races.
“Where is he going?” The crowd whispered.
Deavous ignored them, approaching the teleporter and cocking his head to one side. He quickly reconfigured the magic to take him up.
One of the Luther Dragon’s gave a soft snort and he glanced at the creature. “Well? Stay here then. You were traded for this one.” He answered the beast, without having to hear its mental questions.
The Luther Dragon’s shifted, tossing their heads.
“Do as you are told! You will serve the Fairies in exchange for my new toy.”
One of them growled softly. It was implying that the exchange was not fair.
Deavous hissed, drawing his lips away from his fangs. “DO NOT DARE QUESTION ME! THE WORTH OF THIS ONE IS NOT DEBATABLE.”
The Luther whimpered and cowered away. Deavous hissed a little more at it, memorizing its markings so that he could tell its trainer to punish it appropriately.
The vampire stepped onto the teleporter, ignoring the few brave enough Fairies that called out to him, asking what he was up to.
The ground rushed away from him and he soared upward at break-neck speed.
~
Jounouchi woke to a cold, dark surrounding that he did not know. The room had a chill about it that seemed to set into the very stones, he shivered, even though he wasn’t particularly cold.
The blonde’s head was still a little fuzzy, and he shook it to clear the cobwebs away. He was laying on what he had first thought was a bed, but now realized was a rug. A beautiful, soft, furry brown rug, the fur was inches deep and the rug must have been six feet wide in both directions. It sat at the foot of a king-sized bed. The bed was carved out of wood, and Jou could see little demons looking at him from carvings in the dark wood. There was a black, silk canopy over the bed and it flickered with orange and red highlights from the fireplace. It was this flicker that drew Duke Katsuya’s attention to the roaring fire. The rug he was lying on was in front of the fire. And even though it was roaring and crackling like it was in full heat he only felt mildly warmed by it. It smacked of magic. The blonde looked back at the bed. The sheets were black and he couldn’t see much of what was on the bed.
He was pretty sure he didn’t –want- to see much of what was on the bed.
The blonde sat up and drew his legs to his chest. He felt strangely violated and vulernable. Funny, that. That the one thing he’d been aching for… for so long, wasn’t the way he’d imagined it to be.
Oh, Jou had imagined sex between himself and Kaiba would be a little rough. But he’d always thought that if they ever did do it… Kaiba would stop when Jou begged him to. That Kaiba wouldn’t look at him with those brown eyes… those eyes that weren’t Seto Kaiba’s…. no…
Jounouchi knew he was crying. Crying like some silly little five hundred year old girl! But he was naked, cold and… and Queens knew… he was scared. This new Seto wasn’t anything that he liked. He was a monster! Cruel, and harsh and… not the magic-retarded, dark-but-still-humane Seto that Jounouchi –did- like.
Jounouchi didn’t understand what the hell was going on either! One minute, he’d be awake. The next he’d be in either intense pain, or unconscious.
Why was everything concerning Seto Kaiba going bad? Couldn’t something just –work- for once?
And –why- was he naked?
The blonde wiped his face hurriedly. His silent tears making him feel ashamed. He rubbed his cheeks until they were red, and it was –obvious- he had been crying. Why was he naked? Well, not completely naked, he was wearing a slave collar around his neck. The Fairy could feel the engravings. They felt like magical runes, but he wasn’t sure.
The collar had a thin chain attached to it that lead off, around the side of the bed, where he couldn’t see.
Curious, Jou stealthily crawled around the bed, not paying attention to what was on top of the bed. He followed the chain to the side of the bed, and then realized that it actually led up, onto the bed. Sitting up, he came face to face with a beautiful, naked woman.
Brown eyes blinked doe-like at him and Jounouchi almost choked on a scream and fell onto the floor. There was a woman on the bed! A naked one!
She had that classic ‘vampiress’ look to her. Black, long, beautiful hair, deep, sensual lips, and soft, delicate bone structure. European skin, and brown eyes.
The woman blinked at him a few times, she was looking at him upside down and gradually, she rolled over.
“He-hello.” Jounouchi choked out in Japanese.
She was still just looking at him. Jounouchi placed her expression somewhere between really pissed off, and curious.
“Hello?” He said in English this time.
She smiled at him. It was a sinister curving of those thick, red lips.
Jounouchi didn’t like that smile.
“Good evening.” She said in English. She had the purr of a voice that Jounouchi was expecting. Would anything else be –more- cliché about her?
“Where am I?” He asked. He was worried she was going to say ‘castle doommmm’.
“The Master’s bedroom.” She hissed.
“I see… which would be where?” He didn’t want to be –too- impolite, so he spoke in formal language.
“The Master’s lands.” She was getting off the bed now, standing tall in her naked glory.
“Which are… where?” Jounouchi was getting tired of playing twenty questions.
“You ask a lot of questions for a slave.”
“I’m not a-”
“You have a slave collar on. You are a slave. I am Barisha.” She touched one of her breasts, her eyes darkening as though to invite Jou closer.
Jounouchi didn’t want to go closer. “I’m not a slave. I am Duke Jounouchi Katsuya, of the Fairy Court.” He wanted to pronounce his rank. He felt it was important somehow.
She waved a hand. “Lesser race. You are a slave in my Master’s domain.”
Jounouchi wondered if she wasn’t the smartest cookie in the box, but didn’t say anything. “Like I asked. Where is that?”
Barisha tossed her head, moving closer to him. “I don’t like slaves who don’t know their place. You will kiss my toes.”
Jounouchi glanced at her feet. Certainly not the most horrible of demands, but he –was- royalty. And he really didn’t want to play this game with some clichéd vampire chick. “I don’t think so. Where is Evil Seto? I need to talk to him.”
Yes. ‘talk’. Talk was often an acronym for kill. In this case; yes. He needed to kill Evil Seto. And free Seto. And then they could go and defeat the Elves… and maybe… maybe talk about their relationship. Because he was getting tired of Seto screwing his life up.
“Seto… there are none among us with that name.” She tossed her head again.
Very suddenly the vampires was pinning Jounouchi to the floor with her clawed hand. Jounouchi had seen the movement and tried to evade, but she was fast. She hissed in his face, spraying him with spittle and baring her long fangs. “You think you can take the master from me? I have been his queen for over a millennia! I will not let some little child take my place!”
Jounouchi sensed some hostility in that. He spat out a word of magic into her face, sending her flying back into the frame of the bed. She landed in a crouching position on the ground, glaring at him with slitted eyes.
Jounouchi swallowed, sitting up. “Don’t fight me, Barisha. I assure you, I have no interest in your position. I want to leave. If we work together, you win anyway. No blood needs to be spilt.” Besides, he wasn’t a ‘child’. Then again, who knew with a vampire. They –never- aged.
“I think I want to spill some blood.” she hissed. Jou watched as her nails grew another inch or so, becoming deadly talons.
Before the vampiress could attack again, a voice spoke from the doorway. “Every mark you make on his body is a layer of skin I strip from your limbs, Barisha.”
The vampiress looked up, hissing at whatever was behind Jounouchi’s head. The Fairy didn’t take his eyes off the vampire. She was more a worry than something he couldn’t see.
“No!” The voice commanded.
The vampiress twisted her body and hissed some more. It was almost as if she were talking that way.
“Get out! Get out now! I told you not to wait for me, and yet you did! You disobey me with your presence! Get out before I have half a mind to destroy you!”
Barisha’s fangs and claws vanished and she hurried past Jounouchi without a second glance. Jounouchi whipped around to watch her go, and caught sight of Evil Seto standing in the doorway.
Barisha quickly bowed past him and fled, naked into the corridor beyond.
Jounouchi’s russet eyes focused on the figure in the doorway. The door closed behind the vampire.
“Awake.” Evil Seto spoke. It wasn’t a question. It was a statement.
Jounouchi didn’t speak and watched the vampire as he walked into the room. What was the game?
“Hop up onto the bed, puppy.” This was spoken in japanese. As if he didn’t think Jounouchi understood enough English to understand the command.
Jounouchi stayed where he was. He didn’t move even an inch. “Where the hell am I? And what do you want with me?” The blonde finally asked.
Evil Seto smiled cruelly. “In my bedroom. And I think you can tell.”
The brunette walked around the other side of the bed and began undressing. He was wearing a simple black shirt and a pair of black jeans. Jou hadn’t noticed any footwear.
The Fairy scooted to the end of the chain and closed his legs. “If you don’t release me, it will lead to war.”
“I don’t think it will, actually.” Evil Seto said, crawling up onto the bed.
Jounouchi was looking around the room for a quick escape. “Oh, I do. You might not understand this, but a Duke is still a valuable member of the Queen’s court.”
“I have no doubt… but let me just say, I have settled these matters. You are not a hostage here.”
“So I am free to leave?” Jounouchi’s eyebrows shot up.
“No.” Seto was tugging on the chain, playfully, like a cat with a mouse.
Jounouchi coughed and grabbed a hold of the links near his neck, trying to keep some slack to the chain. “Then what do you mean?”
“You are an exchange. My Luther Dragons, for you. The Luther’s argue that it is not entirely fair, as they are priceless beings. But…” Evil Seto shrugged, “I am King here, and my fancy is law.”
He tugged particularly hard on the chain, and Jounouchi found himself on his stomach, pulled violently forward. It was obvious which one of them was going to win a tug-of-war. “And I fancy you.”
“You can’t do that. I’m not an object…”
“No. you’re not.” Evil Seto was still smiling that little smirk of his, he tugged on the rope again, dragging Jounouchi highly ungraciously closer. “You’re a slave.”
“I’m not a slave!” Jounouchi growled. Seto or not… he was getting pissed off.
“Oh?” Evil Seto asked. He gave another harsh tug.
Jounouchi peeled himself off the freezing stone and threw a bolt of fire at the vampire very suddenly.
Evil Seto just chuckled and spoke a word. The bolt fizzled and died mid-air. “Tsch. That’s not very sporting.”
Jounouchi growled. “I’m going to kill you.”
Evil Seto smiled, infuriatingly. “No. I don’t think you are. Activate spell. Come and sit on the bed, puppy.”
A jolt of magic rushed through the Fairy from the collar, and Jounouchi felt it warm up. it kept getting warmer, like it was going to explode. He gasped, and grabbed at the collar, prying at it like a madman. “Son of a bitch!”
“It’ll only get hotter until you do as I commanded.” Evil Seto was laughing almost full-out by this stage. “So you see. I think you’re going to be doing what I tell you to, now.”
~To be continued.
Sweet notes: Well, I –do- have a good reason for the bad English in this chapter. It’s 2 at night and my brain is still a little fried from nanowrimo. Which I will post eventually.
Anyway! Reviews are always welcome! I am –very- sorry about the long… long… long delay!