AN: I get a week off of school and how do I spend it? Writing HitsuKarin! That's weird, isn't it? I swear, that's just odd. LOL I know some people didn't want a continuation, while others were unsatisfied with the ending. In the end, I just decided to run with the inspiration. You can't pick your muses, after all. Usually they just put you in a headlock and attack mercilessly. Or maybe that's just me. Who knows? =D
Summary: [TWO-SHOT] Sequel to "Kurosaki Karin's Holiday!" Eight years later, Karin and Toushirou find that some things never change, but that one very important thing has: their relationship.
Warning: Inspired by 316. Some OOC. What kind? Toushirou flirts and is forward. With Karin. You have been warned! Actually, I don't think it's too OOC just because I think that Toushirou will one day outgrow that mindset that girls are sisters/friends/gross and will one day learn the ability to flirt like a pro. Just saying. :)
The wind was relentless against the city, as the snow came down in a blizzard-like fashion. Staring outside at suburban Tokyo and its unpredictable weather, Kurosaki Karin let out a sigh befitting a someone distinctly older than her nineteen years, her chin tucked into her hand as she leaned across her desk. It was the last week of school before winter vacation so she was locked up on campus, either taking an exam or studying for the next one. But for some reason she couldn't seem to concentrate on the notes in front of her, as unbidden nostalgia filled her head with childhood memories of ice, soccer and an unexpected encounter with a woman who lived with spirits. It was one of the few memories she had of him, of Hitsugaya Toushirou, the boy who really wasn't one and the man who made her heart pound just at the thought of his attractive face.
Dropping her head to the table, she tossed it about and fisted her hair, grumbling in annoyance. It'd been six months since their last meeting in Soul Society, and all she could think about was that damn kiss he gave her. She wasn't even sure she could call it that, as she remembered the soft but sure tightening of his fingers on her shoulder, the sweet taste of his usually frowning lips and the softest emerald color she'd ever seen. It was enough to drive a woman to madness, and that was what this repetitive cycle truly was, madness. Because no one drove Karin out of sorts with a barely-there peck on the lips and walked away unscathed. Granted, she'd been the one to run from him but that part didn't matter. She swore that no shinigami captain was going to waltz around with the satisfaction that he'd left her with butterflies and just live happily ever after.
By the day's end, Karin knew her nerves were all types of frazzled, as two of her friends led the way out of their building, her hands stuffed in the pockets of her snow coat. With her scarf pulled up to her nose, she sighed noisily, feeling completely not like her usual upbeat self. Trying to distract herself from her thoughts, she adjusted the white beanie on her head, plucking at her dark hair that was falling around her shoulders. As soon as she got home, she was just going to make dinner, take a bath, and pretend she didn't see otherworldly spirits, much less have untamed feelings for one of them. Nodding her head decisively, she didn't notice her two friends stop, nearly colliding into their backs and slipping just the slightest bit against the newly fallen snow.
"Oi, you guys! What's up? Why'd you stop?" she asked, readjusting her bag on her shoulder and trying to see passed them. But she didn't have to, as they parted and her stare met baby blue.
"Oh, there you are, Karin-san," the boy known as Yamada Akio grinned, standing only two yards in front of her. Hearing her two girl friends titter helplessly, Karin had to hold back the immediate need to roll her eyes. As one of the crowned heartthrobs on campus, Akio was known for his pleasant disposition just as much as his pretty eyes and good-looking face. He might've been a year older, but he was famous for treating everyone with respect, even his juniors, as well as for having a strong sense of justice. The perfect guy, many of the girls would squeal, watching with delight as he walked by with a humble smile on his lips. But to Karin, he was a pretty boy that was nice and while not exactly an insult, she wasn't complimenting him either.
"What're you doing here, Akio-senpai?" she asked, still not outgrowing her habit of calling people by their first names. At least she stuck a '-senpai' on the end. Ichi-nii still went around calling a number of the captains by their first names, refusing to attach any sort of respectful title to them unless they looked closer to their father's age. It particularly annoyed Byakuya, but Karin couldn't remember a time when the Kuchiki wasn't irritated by a Kurosaki in one form or another. Her last outing to Seireitei was evidence enough.
"I was actually looking for you," he said with a bright smile, clearing the distance between them. She could feel her friends' presences move off to the side. Not needing to look at their faces, Karin was well aware that they were grinning like Cheshire cats who were going to get a bowl of fresh milk. Silently, she cursed them and their romantic notions with a passion.
"Oh, is that so?" Karin drawled, trying to appear as uninterested in his forwardness as possible. However, his face didn't dim in the slightest and mentally she slapped her forehead. Along with his easy temperament, Yamada was known for being extremely dense, denser than Ichigo even, and that in itself was a feat she'd thought impossible before now.
"Yes. I was wondering if you were doing anything tonight." Two familiar high-pitched gasps could be heard, as she fought down the vein that was pulsing beneath her hairline. Damn them and damn him. It did make her feel better that she was cursing someone's existence that wasn't Toushirou's though, but that was besides the point.
"Ah, well, actually I—"
"She's completely free!" Yukari jumped in, moving to stand right behind Karin, her eyes positively sparkling at the moment. Their other friend, Haruko, was nodding in agreement, her own irises just as determined. In the back of Karin's mind, she wondered if she could draw in a Hollow and have it toss her female companions around a little. While morbid, she declared it wasn't her worst idea. It's not like she'd let them get eaten or anything, just thrown across school or off campus, completely harmless.
"That's great! I wanted to know if you'd be willing to go to dinner with me tonight," the cheerful man offered, watching her expression with eagerness that she couldn't seem to squash. She hated that well-trained conscience of hers, the one that picked fights with bullies and protected the weak without question. Right now, the latter was becoming progressively more irritating, as her refusal choked her airway and left her scrambling for words. Just shake your head, she commanded herself silently, but those puppy-esque eyes were so full of anticipation that she couldn't just—
"Karin has plans."
Four pairs of eyes went to the voice behind Akio, one specific pair large and shocked with her jaw dropping at the newcomer's arrival. In all his gigai's glory stood Hitsugaya Toushirou, hands shoved into his pockets and looking very much at home in light winter clothes, in spite of the freezing weather. Karin noticed that he looked older, perhaps twenty-two, and the thought made her frown. He'd looked younger than her when she'd left and yet he'd aged years in only a few months' time. Probably had something to do with the gigai, she concluded.
"Karin, who's that?" Yukari gestured excitedly at the white-haired man, eyes like hearts and with a smile about to split her face. With a frown, she turned back from her to glare at Toushirou, who seemed impervious to the blatant irritation she was trying to communicate with him. Instead, his gaze was focused on the human male, watching with veiled distaste and outright challenge, lips slightly upwards as if fighting off a sneer. She hoped she wasn't just reading too far into his emotions because his actions had her flushing, the warmness having nothing to do with deathly cold or setting of the winter sun.
"Toushirou, what're you doing here?" she asked, ignoring Yukari's question and walking over to him. His glance went to her, as he looked her over with an assessing eye. The gesture was much like the one a person would do when they were receiving a priceless valuable, careful but wary in nature. She couldn't say she hated it, not when he looked at her with such tenderness, deliberate and just for her.
"I'm on vacation," he shrugged, as if it was the most normal thing for him. Just the thought made her snort unkindly, knowing that he took a holiday once every decade and that was only because an overworked Matsumoto felt the need to fill it in and file it for his sake (and hers). But now, here he was, a duffle bag strewn over his shoulder and watching Karin with intent she wasn't entirely sure of.
"Is that so?" she asked, clearly uncomfortable having this conversation in front of her friends, a potential date (not really, but she had to be polite) and a few lingering passersby. The fact that the majority were female didn't escape the Kurosaki at all, as she met the death reaper's gaze. And as her heart sped up in her chest, Karin knew that there was no one in any of the three realms that drove her body into overdrive like this, as her senses prickled and her body came to attention. No, that honor was most definitely reserved for Toushirou.
Turning back to the other three, she smiled a bit guiltily while fighting back the growing heat in her face. "I'm sorry guys, I've gotta go. I didn't expect Toushirou to arrive so, um, early. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Karin-san, is that guy your boyfriend?" Akio asked, his face twisted in disapproval at the unconventional styling of the older man. For conservatives in Japanese culture, bleached white hair and eyes the color of the forest did nothing to ease one's worries, but instead seemed to tack them on in spades. Something akin to indignation boiled in her stomach at the negative implication, as she frowned angrily at the other boy. It must have showed in her reiatsu because Toushirou came to her side, face set in that uncaring but helplessly handsome nonchalance of his, as he wrapped a protective arm around the younger girl's waist.
"Let's put it like this: I may not be now, but tomorrow's another day."
With the slightest bit of pressure, he escorted her off the grounds as she sputtered her objections at his declaration.
Once her university was out of sight, Karin had given the older man a tongue lashing that included not showing up unannounced, not coming to her school, and most especially not insinuating any kind of relationship between the two of them. The last one wasn't all that clear as she'd stuttered through it, face set aflame with her characteristic emotion and bumbling eloquence while being angry at his faintly amused expression. Forget the fact that the slight upturn of his lips were sexy as hell, and that he had been very, very warm pressed to her side. He was in the Living World now, which meant he was going to play by her rules and those rules included not being such a smug bastard.
With reluctance, she showed him how to get to her apartment, which was only two blocks from her university. She'd stomped the entire way, ignoring the odd glances people shot her as she swore up and down each street. Hitsugaya followed at an easier pace, long legs keeping up with her angry treading easily. But he was also smart enough to know that now wasn't the time to tease the overexcited Kurosaki, as they climbed the stairs to the third floor and he sauntered in behind her.
Taking in her dorm, he noticed that it was a small but cozy looking place, as he noticed the living room and connected kitchen adjacent to it. While his place in the Tenth Squad's barracks could devour her small living space, it was quaint and homey, something he hadn't expected of the tomboyish girl. The tables were made of medium brown-colored wood, matching the living room floor and setting off the dark blue rug beneath the coffee table. There was also a large couch that was an off-white shade and her walls were painted in a pale yellow that somehow brightened up the atmosphere.
Placing his things on the floor and taking a seat at the small dining table, he waited as Karin huffed noisily as she made tea, her anger mostly for show now. Her reiatsu wasn't nearly as irritated, falling within a normal Plus's range, though still impossibly more saturated than a normal human's. Luckily she'd been talented enough to suffocate it rather than let it run rampant. If he remembered correctly, Ichigo was still having trouble with that and it only caused trouble once he was back in his world. Kuchiki Rukia had become his unofficial bodyguard because of it, against her older brother's wishes and despite her responsibilities to the Thirteenth Division. Vaguely Hitsugaya couldn't help but wonder if those two had crossed that invisible line between work and pleasure, or if they were just that close. Most likely some strange in-between, knowing the royal and her human savior.
As a tea cup was placed in front of him, Toushirou met the distrustful look of the raven-haired Kurosaki and bit back his own sigh. Somehow, he'd never considered himself a kindred spirit with Ichigo before now, but when he thought of the usually polite Kuchiki's explosive temper he couldn't help but think it was true. Maybe it was retribution for being a prodigy. He had been able to slay nearly anyone and protect all he cared for at a precociously young age, but his largest weakness would be a wisp of a girl living in a completely separate domain. But as he took in the adorably annoyed woman before him, he decided he didn't really mind this punishment all that much.
"I can't believe you came here without telling me," she started, voice an octave lower and her eyes narrowed in leftover anger. He just met her gaze with his own, that even lack of emotion getting to her more than any sarcastic ploy he could've used. "Seriously, Toushirou, what were you thinking?"
"You said to go on vacation, so I did," he said with a shrug of his shoulders, head tilting with the gesture. He couldn't quite hold back his smirk as her eyes flickered in response, her spirit pressure rising just barely above normal. He really did enjoy getting to her, almost as much as she enjoyed getting to him.
"Yes, but with proper warning and not at my school," she spit back, not believing this uncharacteristic display of behavior. He could've waited outside the gates or even at her apartment (she didn't believe she had any secrets from Soul Society), but no. He just had to show up on campus, in front of her friends who she knew would have an earful for her the next day.
"You looked like you needed help. I only did what you could not accomplish on your own."
"I was just about to reject his offer, thank you very much. I was doing just fine without you." At the mention of the impromptu confession, Karin blushed at the memory, more out of embarrassment than flattery. She never wanted something like that to fall into her lap again, and certainly not in front of so many people. She was no good at letting people down gently.
"Oh really?" He snorted, arms crossing over his chest. His eyes took in the redness spreading across her cheeks, narrowing while the edges of his irises darkened. "You looked at a loss for words to me."
"I wasn't!" Karin denied, frown settling into her pretty face while her fists balled along the edge of the table. "Not only that, but what you said to Akio before we left! The hell? Couldn't you be a little more subtle? We're not even dating!"
"Not yet anyway…" he muttered darkly, glowering at her from beneath a row of thick, dark lashes. Karin could feel herself growing warmer beneath his stare, as it turned overtly possessive in nature when he recalled the other boy's attempt to claim what was so rightfully his. And while Hitsugaya had never considered himself a jealous person before, there was certainly no other word for this feeling coursing through him. Just the thought of them dining together, of Karin's pretty laughter or a well-timed quip from her had the knot in his stomach tightening, as he reached for his back only to find that his zanpakuto wasn't there. Tsk-ing at himself, he wished he wasn't in a gigai at the moment, needing a little bit of solace in his inner world before he did something he might truly regret.
"Look, it's been a long day. Why don't you shower and then we'll work out what you're going to do while you're here after." Karin offered the olive branch, pouting a little at the fact that they were at an impasse. But they needed a few moments to themselves, regroup their thoughts and work this entire thing out before they ended up fighting about something stupid. While it was fine to be that way when one was eleven, it didn't really solve any problems at nineteen, she'd learned.
Leading him to the bathroom, she showed him where to put any of his toiletries and the like, suddenly feeling very shy in her own home. He just nodded, taking the towel she gave him before she scampered back into the safety of her main room. There was space to breathe and room to think, two things that didn't seem to exist whenever she stood too close to him. No, not even that. Just knowing he was within reach stole away her common sense, replacing it with her uncharacteristic clumsiness and that rushing of her vital signs, heart bounding while her breath came out in pants.
Looking at the digital clock on the wall, Karin cursed at the time. It was nearly six o'clock and she hadn't even started getting dinner ready. Not only that, but she was cooking for two and she wasn't sure how much she had on hand at the moment. Knowing this particular soul reaper's appetite, she needed to make enough that would sustain him until her next grocery trip tomorrow. Luckily she was heading to Karakura for break in two days, so living with him in her place shouldn't be a problem. She could survive with Toushirou nearby for a little while longer, right?
… Oh God, she hoped so.
Stepping out of the bathroom with the towel draped across his shoulders, Hitsugaya was greeted with the smells of a home-cooked meal. He could almost feel his stomach growling, the pleasant images of his childhood home coming to meet him as he stepped into the living room. Taking in Karin's form, he was surprised to find that she fit the role of housewife better than he'd imagined, as he noticed the apron along her front as she stir fried what smelled like mixed vegetables and beef. Her hair was up in a high ponytail, looking much like a pretty, young homemaker, as she hummed a tune he wasn't familiar with. Not that he knew much about contemporary human music, but it seemed to be a dance number, as her hips swayed and her shoulders moved to the quiet beat. Inwardly he decided he rather liked it, especially if it meant she was going to wear that smile of hers for the rest of the night. He was tired of her scowling at him. That didn't scream of vacation at all.
Leaning against the wall along his side, he wondered how long it was going to take her to acknowledge him. He had no doubt she knew he was there since she'd always had a sixth sense about creatures with auras much stronger than her own. But she didn't turn to look at him, opting to finish seasoning something that smelled like fish and stirring the sauce for the vegetables.
"Hey, can you get some bowls and chopsticks?" she asked, plating it all very carefully, meticulous so as not to drop a single piece or let one droplet escape. He chuckled amusedly at her concentration, moving towards the cupboards and finding what they needed. He set the table, taking the food from her even as she tried to protest his help. Nudging her hip with his own, he tossed his head in the direction of the table, telling her to take a seat. When everything was placed between them, he thanked her for the meal, not noticing that she'd pinked at the words while she bit into a piece of the fillet.
"I didn't know you could cook," he said offhandedly, scooping up a bit of the stir fry and mixing it with a bit of his rice. His miso soup had already been desecrated while a good amount of the fish was gone as well, both his doing. And while it would've annoyed Karin if anyone else tore through her food so quickly, the fluttering in her chest told her that she didn't mind it this time, not if it was Toushirou. And she knew that she was sliding into dangerous territory if that was what was going through her head.
"You never asked," she replied, less interested in eating and more content with watching his expressions. If her family saw her, they'd swear she was sick, sit her in the clinic for a check-up and then probably force feed her the rest of her dinner. Because Kurosaki Karin had an appetite that could compete with a grown man's, and everyone who knew her acknowledged it. It wasn't a bragging point, but it wasn't something she was ashamed of either. But somehow, watching that content and gleeful look on the other's face made her feel a little more sated than she'd originally thought.
"Thanks for dinner," he said, as collected the dishes and walked over to the sink.
"No problem," Karin shot back, as she gathered up her own and the remaining ones to follow him. When he pushed up the sleeves to his shirt, she raised her voice to stop him. "You don't have to wash dishes, you know. You're my guest."
"But you cooked. This is the least I can do," he countered, taking the last of the dishware from her hands as he began to soap up the sponge and scrub. Although she continued to tell him otherwise, Hitsuagaya didn't listen as he went through the process methodically, getting rid of each speck of food before rinsing and placing it on the drying rack. It was a surreal experience, watching as a shinigami captain cleaned the last of her plates and utensils before wiping his hands on the nearby towel.
"It's getting late. Don't you have more tests tomorrow?" Toushirou inquired, as he watched Karin rearrange the newly cleaned silverware. He'd never have striked the young woman as someone with OCD when it came to her things, but then again he'd never really paid attention before.
"Yeah, but it's okay. I've already studied for them," she tossed over her shoulder, absentmindedly fixing the utensils as she did so. "You take the bed, alright? I'll just sleep on the couch."
"I'm not taking your bed, Karin," the man growled, as if mad that she'd even suggest it.
Rolling her eyes heavenward, she snorted at his obvious disdain. "Look, you might have come here without telling me and washed the dishes even after I told you not to, but you're still a guest. Just take the bed. It's not like there's anything wrong with it."
Turning back to berate him for his overly polite manners, Karin didn't know he'd crossed the distance between them until she saw that he was looming over her. Somehow his hands had ended up on each side of her body, caging her against the counter as he stared her down. She knew that it was meant to intimidate her, force her to agree just because he was some big, bad taichou from another world that enjoyed protecting others more than himself. But right now, as she tilted her head up to him and noticed that there was almost no space between them, she couldn't help but feel nervous with him so close. But there was no fear. Toushirou could never inspire something as dark as that in her, not even if he tried. Her mind brought forth their last goodbye, just the slightest press of lips before she ran back to her own world, a safety zone away from him and the perplexing and conflicting emotions he gave her. But that was then and this was now, as she saw him lean down towards her, eyes falling to half-mast in response. As the anticipation grew in her, she bit back a whine, her own eyelids closing as she waited for his lips to meet hers, just like before.
But then the chirping of her cell phone went off.
Both of them jumped at the noise, as some high-toned tune began going off and vibrating to the beat. Apologizing to him, Karin watched as he removed himself from her space, as she answered it in a slightly strained voice. "Hello? Oh, hi Yuzu… Yeah, I'll be coming home on Saturday… Um, probably around noon? Depends on when I leave here… Hey, can you do me a favor? I'm bringing someone home for a few days, so tell Beardy to set up an extra bed in Ichi-nii's room… Yes, he's a boy. Yes, you know him… No, we're not dating! Just tell the old man, please! ... Okay, bye."
"It was just Yuzu checking up on me," Karin offered, face still bright in spite of the silence. It wasn't as if he needed the explanation, especially since he'd just heard half of the self-explanatory conversation. But the shyness still hadn't left her, as she realized just how far she was willing to give up to this man. Not even a full day into his stay and she was practically at his beck and call. The thought was sobering as she straightened herself out and stood at attention, forcing her composure back together.
"Take the bed, Karin," he said a moment later, face turned determinedly away. She wanted to say no, object and tell him that he was in her house and thus playing by her rules. But she couldn't, not as she caught the storm in his eyes, a barely-there leash on his emotions that were fighting to come to the surface.
"But Toushirou…"
"Go to bed now, Karin, or we might end up doing something we'll regret in the morning." She held in a swift inhale, knowing that the deepening of his voice had nothing to do with annoyance or anger. Quite the contrary, it was actually a tiny stroke of lust, an attraction that had awakened when she'd grown up and he'd begun to take notice. And it was with unwillingness that he allowed himself to be controlled by it, but Karin had looked so small and defenseless, so unlike the self-sufficient girl he'd known his entire life. Matsumoto had always claimed he had a soft spot for damsels in distress, but he knew he hadn't fallen for one, not by any measure. So in the one moment she looked like one, he'd let himself be led by the nose, turning infatuated and completely unlike himself by her previously unknown gentleness. While she looked at him with confused but caring eyes, he let his own soften, willing away the bit of temptation, before placing a hand on her cheek and petting the prominent cheekbone that sat beneath his thumb. It pleased him to know she was still untried, the heat crossing her face in record time, as he smirked down at her with a teasing promise in his eye.
"It's time for bed, Karin. Just remember to dream of me before you go."
Stupid, fucking Toushirou...
Yawning widely as she came out of her classroom, Karin hadn't found the strength to take her exam all that seriously, not when pretty emerald eyes appeared before her on the page and glittered with… something. She'd most closely liken it to sin, but just the thought of Toushirou and her together already made her uncomfortably hot all over. But there was something adulterous in his eyes when he looked at her, like he wanted to strip her of her innocence, though she wasn't sure if it was a literal or figurative meaning. She pretended she didn't already have an answer.
As she made her way out of the building, she paid careful attention to not cross paths with any of her friends or that adamant admirer she learned of yesterday. There was no way she was going to try and break down nearly a decade's worth of history to a bunch of people she was going to have to lie to anyway. Besides, it wasn't as if there was anything to tell. Maybe if she kept telling herself that the thought might actually become true.
Her eyes stopped on the large, formerly grassy field covered in snow, not a person in sight on it or near it other than herself. But just looking at it made her excited for spring, since she'd be playing on the newly grown green and running drills with her teammates. While she'd changed dramatically over the years, this was one aspect of her that hadn't, her love for soccer burning smaller than when she was a kid but just as brightly.
"Wanna play a game?" an easily recognizable voice asked, the slightest bit of amusement heard because of her longing-filled stare.
"Toushirou!" She whirled about to see the handsome man, still dressed in clothing much too thin for the snowy environment. Then again, he probably wouldn't have felt it even if he was stark naked, as Hyourinmaru adored his master and thus would never let anything happen to him.
"C'mon," he said, moving to stand before her and offering his hand expectantly, waiting for her to take it. He wasn't wearing gloves, though she was, and yet she could feel the heat of his fingers just as well as she could sense the tightening of his hold on her. The ball was tucked into the side of the goal; she guessed that he'd put it there much earlier since the snowfall had nearly obstructed it from view.
"Don't you think it's a little dangerous to be playing out here in the snow?" Karin asked, dribbling the black-and-white sphere between her feet while the other man defended against her. Frowning in concentration, she moved side to side to see if she could outpace him.
"It never stopped us before." Jerking the ball from her, Toushirou whizzed past Karin and headed for the opposite end. Gathering herself, she cursed him and his lightning fast reflexes as she chased him down. If she'd trained years and years to destroy hollows and save souls, she'd be just as quick and twice as sneaky, she declared silently to herself. And as they played with a fresh storm blowing overhead, they lost track of time as the rally continued between them. It was competitive, just like the two of them, but lighter, freer in a way that turned back the world to his last vacation, a time when ended up bailing her and her old soccer buddies out of another mishap, substituting even when he didn't have to. After all, there weren't many shinigami who would jump into a false body and help out a small girl in need. And yet he had, tossing away that oversized pride of his and acting as her friend, the best friend she'd ever had in this world and the next.
But just like how the seasons changed, it felt as if he was becoming so much more.
AN: So, love it? Hate it? Still unsure? I'm not trying to match the prequel because that story was just all sorts of nonsense mixed with just a bit of HitsuKarin. But, I've given this story a plot and I do intend on bringing these two together officially. As hopeless as I am though, I can't not thrown in a little drama. Not angst this time, but I do have to make them work for it a little. :D
And in case anyone was wondering, the next chapter for "Going Against the Grain" is done! Will post that this weekend. And, since I have so much time on my hands, I'm gonna write an IchiRuki that has been attacking my brain for the longest time. A one-shot that's kinda been staring at the walls of my head and wondering when I was gonna get to it. So, yeah. Look forward to those and the second part throughout the next few days.
Please read and review/favorite/alert! I'm always excited to hear your guys' thoughts. Until next time!