Despite her lingering apprehension, Davina was in fairly high spirits as she began her venture over to the downtown district to rendezvous with Kazuma and his friends. With it being a Saturday, there were already a significant number of others out and about, many of whom were headed in the same direction as her. She kept to herself, her eyes gazing idly over the suburban landscape that surrounded her as she continued onward.
It was a drab fall day, punctuated by a brisk breeze and overshadowed by an ominously cloudy sky. Diminutive smatterings of sunlight attempted to poke through the thick gray haze, but with little success. In an effort to ward off the chill that raced through her as the icy wind whipped past, Davina zipped up the front of her lightweight black hoodie and slipped her hands into the pockets that hung at the sides. She found herself wondering if she would come to regret her outfit selection, as she had absentmindedly failed to check out the weather conditions before getting dressed for the day.
Due to the vagueness of the plans provided, she had opted to dress casual, selecting a pair of red tartan print leggings and a simple black wide-strap tank top, accompanied by the jacket she had almost decided against bringing along, but was now exceedingly grateful for. While she had eyed her favorite pair of suede boots, Davina had ultimately chosen her trusty black Converse—she knew without question that they were just the perfect amount of broken in to remain comfortable should she be on her feet walking around all day.
Once dressed, she had tamed her hair, allowing it to hang free rather than styling it, and applying her usual minimal standard of make-up. A quick examination in the full length mirror met with Davina's silent approval—she had been aiming for simplicity, and felt satisfied with her efforts. After brushing her teeth, she reached for her phone, curious to see if any further correspondence had appeared—there were updates within the group message, but all of it hailed from the collective of unknown numbers, and therefore, was rather inconsequential to Davina. Still, she scrolled through the responses, curious to see if Shuichi was among them. Disappointment followed when she realized that he was absent from the conversation, but she bit it back. If she recalled correctly, he had a morning shift to work before he was free to do as he pleased, and that could very well be the reason behind his lack of reply.
In spite of this, Davina suddenly felt compelled to message him outside of the group text, and, after a brief moment of hesitation, did just that. She kept the communication short and concise, not wanting to appear as if she were pathetically vying for his attention, but wanting to impart that she was indeed hopeful to see him in the very near future. 'Hope your mom is doing better today—maybe I'll see you later?' She sent it along without bothering to reread the contents. The ball was in his court, so to speak. She had made her play, and now all that was left to do was wait. Following a swift spray of her perfume, Davina grabbed her purse and hit the door running, not wanting to run the risk of showing up late to the destination in question.
For some strange, unexplainable reason, an odd cloud of distress welled up within Davina's chest when her gaze fell upon what served as the access to a local park en-route to downtown Kaiden. Said trepidation only worsened as she grew closer, a sudden tightness gripping her heart in a manner that was most unpleasant. The black iron arch hung above the entrance in a way that could only be described as foreboding, and etched into the dark metal sat the venue's name—Yureihana Park.
After a momentary struggle to decipher the translation, Davina found herself vaguely wondering why the park bore such a bizarre name—even more concerning was the unknown reason as to why something seemingly harmless had prompted such a wave of dread to seize her when she walked within close proximity. She hadn't yet visited the park, despite having entertained previous urges to explore it, so there truly was no reason for the inexplicable fear that gripped her in its presence.
While certainly a curious reaction, Davina found herself unwilling to focus on the perplexing notion—she already had far too much on her mind and her nerves were beginning to twang with anxiety as the time for impending social interaction with strangers grew closer and closer. She would have to brave Yureihana Park another day and see if she could devise a worthwhile explanation, but for the moment, she thought it best to focus on her current task.
Within less than five minutes, she breached the street that began the downtown district of Kaiden—several blocks later, her objective came into view, perched near the center of a busy strip. The wide sign that sat above the glass doors read Akaitsuru in vivid red neon, the faintly glowing kanji characters accompanied by a colorful backlit pizza slice. There was a sufficient crowd of people ambling leisurely to and from, amply enjoying the freedom afforded to them by their lack of obligations.
As Davina approached the restaurant, her attention was immediately drawn to the presence of a single female patron who stood alone just outside the entrance—it was the unique color of her hair that caught Davina's eye, a bright, powder blue hue. She couldn't help but quietly admire the odd shade, which somehow complimented the rose pink sweater dress the young woman was wearing. Since reaching her teenage years, Davina had entertained a quiet desire to dye her hair, at least in part, a crazy color, but had never followed through with such an urge—she knew her mother would disapprove, and it wasn't worth the heated argument that would inevitably follow. However, now with the distant that sat between them, perhaps she would revisit the idea.
Davina was only several yards away when a trio of other females appeared, approaching from the opposing side and walking in tandem towards the entrance. Among them was another girl with distinctively colored hair, a vivid seafoam green that immediately grabbed Davina's eye, if only for a moment. All were wielding an impressive collection of shopping bags, their arms weighing heavy with the effort of carrying their purchases. It was obvious from their mannerisms that they were familiar with the blue-haired girl, with whom they shared a warm greeting, exchanging words and friendly smiles as they walked up alongside her.
Not wanting to interrupt their conversation, Davina decided to halt her stride and stepped off to perch in front of a nearby store window as to avoid disrupting the flow of foot traffic on the sidewalk. After freeing her phone from the confines of her purse, she realized that it was still a good fifteen minutes until noon, and wondered how she should proceed. But her thought process was swiftly interrupted when she realized that there were new messages waiting within her inbox—upon further scrutiny, she learned that Shuichi had replied to both the group correspondence and her personal inquiry. He had indeed confirmed his intentions of attending, and the message he had responded with to her individual query prompted a small smile to unwittingly form upon the corners of her lips.
'She's doing much better, thank you. You will definitely be seeing me. Hopefully, you're looking forward to it—I know I am.'
A rush of relief flooded Davina as her eyes trailed over the text, accompanied by a quick burst of happy anticipation. Knowing that Shuichi would definitely be making an appearance immediately invigorated her—her mood swiftly altered from fair to nearly giddy, causing the smile she was entertaining to grow considerably.
By the time she looked up from her phone, the group of females that had been camping near the restaurant's entrance had disappeared from sight—now that the path was clear, Davina decided to head on inside and find a table to wait at until a familiar face wandered in.
The interior of Akaitsuru was deceptively spacious, something she would not have guessed given the diminutive presence of the entrance. There was plenty of seating available, despite the considerable number of patrons already present within. A collection of delicious smells filled her nose as she made her way past the counter, the distinct aroma of freshly baking bread and the heady scent of potent garlic prompting her mouth to salivate. She hadn't realized until that moment that she was actually hungry.
Carefully weaving her way through the throng, Davina claimed a single seat at a tiny table meant for two near the back corner of the pizzeria, the position affording her an open view of the entrance to keep an eye out for Kazuma or Shuichi. Shortly after perching down on the chair, she scanned the expanse of the dining room with mild curiosity, her gaze eventually coming to rest on the collective of girls she had first seen waiting by the entrance. There was something about the one with the lengthy dark hair and doe-like brown eyes that was somehow vaguely familiar to Davina—she had seen her somewhere before, she was certain of it. But for the moment, she failed to place where, which only served to further intrigue her. She withdrew her stare for fear of gaining unwanted attention from the group, but her curiosity was far from quelled.
The subtle vibration of an incoming text claimed Davina's attention—it hailed from the group message, originating from one of the unknown numbers.
'Yukina, Shizuru, Keiko, and I are here. Where r u guys?'
A soft gasp caught in Davina's throat as she read the contents, swiftly putting two and two together. She was quick to recognize the name Yukina from her previous conversations with Kazuma, and Keiko, as she recalled, worked over at that noodle shop she had visited one evening several weeks prior. If Davina remembered correctly, she was involved with Kazuma's friend, the guy with the heavily gelled black hair. She had first encountered him while shopping for her green sundress, and although their interaction had been brief, it had lingered in the back of her mind, both awkward and amusing at turns. Davina felt her ears grow warm, recalling the way Keiko and her partner, whose name she either did not know or couldn't remember overhearing, had openly fought over planning for a wedding during her visit to the ramen shop. It had been such an uncomfortable interlude that she had gotten out of there the moment she could manage such a thing.
A dull sensation of deeply seated dread washed over her in that moment—she had no desire to get involved in drama, and was starting to wonder if she had made a mistake by agreeing to come. It was far too late to back out, however, and she was determined to see Shuichi, so she gathered her wits and took a deep breath to calm herself.
Within the very next minute, the infamous male party appeared in the foyer, dressed in worn blue jeans and a loose fit green t-shirt, his dark hair carefully styled and a small smirk playing across his lips. He had barely stepped through the door way when the blue-haired girl stood up from the table to wave him over, smiling as she did so. Two of the remaining three girls all wore similar smiles on their faces, but Keiko's was a façade all its own, not quite a scowl nor a wince, but some unpleasant amalgamation of the two. One thing was for certain: she wasn't happy to see him. He seemed entirely unfazed by her sour glare, overlooking it with considerable ease that could only hail from years of practice.
Keiko's significant other had barely claimed a seat when Kazuma appeared, grinning from ear to ear as he approached the table. He had barely finished his hellos to everyone when his gaze flittered over to where Davina sat alone, and his brow immediately quirked in confusion.
"Hey, Davi!" he hollered from across the dining room, waving over at her with an eager hand. "Why are you hiding in the corner? Come over here and meet the gang!"
Davina fought the urge to sigh, forcing herself to smile instead as she attempted to keep her cheeks from flushing with embarrassment. She had hoped Kazuma wouldn't put her on the spot in such a way, but alas. She rose to her feet and made her way over to their table, hyper aware of the sudden close inspection she was under. Her throat grew tight and her belly did an uncomfortable flip, but she swallowed back her discomfort and attempted to willfully ignore their inquisitive stares.
"Guys, this is my friend, Davina," Kuwabara announced with an unwarranted flourish, holding his hand out in her direction as if he were presenting her in front of a studio audience. "Davi, this is Yukina, my girlfriend," he offered proudly, pointing to the demure girl with the soft green hair—Davina met her gaze, internally shocked to discover that her eyes were a shade of deep crimson. It was a striking color, but despite the stark contrast with her pastel hair, the strange combination worked well for her. She had never before seen red contacts that appeared so natural. She fixed Yukina with a small but friendly smile, but before she could say anything, Kazuma was onto the next person. "This is Keiko, her fiancé, Yusuke, and Botan," he continued, pointing to each party with a quick gesture of his finger. Davina glanced quickly from person to person, nodding her head in silent greeting.
"Aren't you forgetting someone, little brother?" the one girl who Kazuma had failed to place a name to spoke up, her voice tinged with a combination of mild amusement and slight annoyance as she fixed him with a mild glare. She appeared older, but not by much, and had a calm affect to her tone that Davina immediately found herself appreciating.
"Oh, yeah…that's my sister, Shizuru," he tacked on offhandedly, waving his hand in dismissal.
"It's nice to meet you, Davina," Botan quickly perked up, smiling warmly over at her. "Why don't you come sit here?" She pulled out a vacant chair alongside her, and Davina fixed her with an appreciative smile before slipping down into the seat.
"Thank you," she offered quietly, grateful for the kind gesture. "I…uhh…really love that hair color on you." It was an attempt to be friendly, and while it was far from an impressive conversation starter, it caused Botan's grin to widen considerably. Her eyes, which were not a pale shade of brown like Davina first thought, but an unusual hue of dark magenta, seemed to light up at the simple compliment. She opened her mouth to reply, only to be interrupted by Shizuru before the words she intended to speak could leave her lips.
"We should figure out what we want to eat so we can get this show on the road," she announced, gesturing towards the counter with a thumb.
Her comment had everyone nodding in agreement, and the next several minutes were spent perusing the small laminated menu cards that perched within a catch-all basket near the center of the table in relative quiet. Once decisions had been made, Shizuru offered to head up to place the large order, announcing that lunch was her treat for the outing.
"We're still waiting on Shuichi," Kazuma offered, prior to glancing down at his phone to ascertain the current time. "He should be here soon—just order an A-4 for him, that's what he always gets when we come here." Shizuru nodded her head in agreement, then rose to her feet, pausing for a brief moment as her gaze trailed across the table and met Davina's.
"Hey Davina, would you mind coming up there with me?" she asked casually, accompanying her request with a small smile. "I'll need help carrying the drinks over."
"O-of course," she replied, mildly surprised by the unexpected invitation, but eager to please as she rose up from her chair. Together, the pair made their way up to the counter, with Shizuru in the lead. They claimed the last space in the short line that had formed, and began the wait for their turn to be serviced.
"Sorry if I sort of put you on the spot back there," Shizuru offered softly. "You looked a little overwhelmed, so I thought a breather away from the crowd of new people couldn't hurt."
"No need to be sorry," Davina immediately replied, fairly impressed by her level of intuition. "You're entirely right—I am a bit overwhelmed. Honestly, I've been pretty much on my own for a good while now, and meeting new people is always sort of stressful."
"Trust me, I get it. I'm not a super social butterfly myself," Shizuru admitted with a mild smirk. "But it's a good group, and my little brother thinks you'll fit in just fine—he may be a pain in the ass sometimes, but he's a damn good judge of character."
A soft chuckle escaped Davina—the way Shizuru spoke of her sibling was reminiscent of her relationships with her own brothers, and she couldn't help but feel a small push of nostalgia.
"Kazuma has been very kind to me," she offered agreeably. "It certainly was sweet of him to invite me to join you guys today—I hope I'm not intruding."
"Not at all—in fact, he was all excited that you agreed to come. He said you and Shuichi hit it off pretty well after he introduced you two, so he was looking forward to you meeting everybody else," she responded firmly. The line ahead of them relocated forward, prompting them to do the same.
Shizuru's comment about Shuichi had Davina's cheeks flushing slightly with heat—she was curious just how much Kazuma was privy to about her and his companion. Shuichi certainly didn't seem like the type to gossip, or so it seemed. But thankfully, Shizuru either didn't seem to notice the reddening of her face or she was nice enough to not call any attention to it. The line moved onward once again, leaving only one person remaining between them and the counter.
"So, are you liking it here in Kaiden?" Shizuru inquired curiously. Davina was grateful for the change in subject, and once again, impressed by her perception—it was almost as if she could sense Davina's unease with the direction the conversation was currently heading in and had actively sought to avoid causing more.
"Very much—it's very different from my home in the states, but now that I've lived here for a while, it's definitely grown on me," she admitted, a small smile coming to perch at the corners of her lips. She couldn't help but pictured Shuichi's face in her mind's eye when she spoke the words out loud—she hoped he would be arriving soon.
Before Shizuru could respond, the patron that was standing in front of them took his leave, and it was their turn to approach the counter and place their orders. Following a quick verbal exchange, the order was placed and the pair were handed a collection of beverages to bring back to their table and distribute. Utilizing a pair of small trays, the girls carefully carried the drinks back to their destination—all the while, Davina was praying to any higher power that would listen to keep her arms steady and to keep her awkward clumsiness at bay, if only for a few short seconds.
The venture was a success, and they made their triumphant return to their group without any spills—what was almost better than not making an ass of herself by spilling everything everywhere was the sight of Shuichi's softly smiling face now present at the table. Their eyes met briefly as Davina placed the heavy tray down on the surface, and she couldn't help the smile that formed across her own lips, or the mild shiver of anticipation that raced its way down the length of her spine at the very sight of him.
'Finally…'
. . .
Shuichi was quick to spot his friends upon his arrival to Akaitsuru—he hadn't even stepped inside of the restaurant yet, spying their familiarity through the large plate glass windows that offered an internal view to bypassing eyes. Almost immediately, he noticed two missing parties—Shizuru was absent, as well as Davina. The lack of her presence suddenly prompted a rush of disappointment to flood through him—perhaps she had cancelled at the last minute? That would certainly put a significant damper on his day.
But his impedingly poor mood altered the moment he walked through the entrance doors and caught wind of her aura lingering nearby, accompanied by that of the missing Kuwabara sibling—Shuichi followed the pulse, his gaze swiftly falling upon the recognizable figure of the person he was eager to see. She stood alongside Shizuru as they waited their turn within the line to place orders, both of their backs turned to his curious stare. He couldn't help himself as his gaze dipped low, coming to linger on the ample curve of Davina's luscious backside. The red plaid printed leggings she wore only seemed to delightfully accentuate her already considerable curves, and he drank in the sight in silent appreciation as he quickly slipped past.
He approached the table hosting his companions, amused at the fact that none of them noticed his casual advance due to being distracted by their own lively conversation. With a swift grace, Shuichi slipped into one of the empty chairs that sat beside Botan and softly cleared his throat to announce his presence. The Grim Reaper's attention turned towards him in that instant, and she let out a happy squeal at the sight of him—of course, her reaction caught the notice of the others, and almost instantly, Shuichi was the focus of all of his friends.
"There you are! It took you long enough to get here!" Botan exclaimed, grabbing his arm and fixing it with a short squeeze as she smiled over at him.
"Hey buddy! Glad you could make it!" Kazuma offered with a wide grin that reached from ear to ear.
Yusuke simply fixed him with a quick nod, and Keiko attempted a brief smile in greeting, but it did not reach her eyes, which were quietly smoldering with obvious discontentment.
"It's nice to see you after so long, Shuichi!" Yukina said with a sweet smile, which he eagerly returned.
"My apologies for being late," he offered softly. "I got here as quickly as I could."
"It's all good—Shizuru and Davi are placing our orders, so I asked them to get you your usual. They should be back over here soon," Kazuma explained, gesturing towards the front counter. "We'll eat up and then head over to the arcade."
Before Shuichi could respond with his agreement, Davina and Shizuru were en-route back the table, carrying an impressive collective of disposal cups on circular plastic trays. It was obvious that Davina was concentrating on the task as hand, and the amount of focus she was putting into making sure her balance of the tray was maintained was almost enough to make him chuckle at the sight—he smiled instead, not wanting her to think the wrong thing if she caught him staring. It was just as well, for she noticed his presence just as she placed the tray down atop the table, meeting his eyes almost immediately. An endearing smile swiftly bloomed across her lips, which lit up her entire face in an instant, causing her hazel eyes to shine with a hypnotic glow that was almost ethereal to witness.
One thing was absolutely for sure—she was happy to see him.
Realizing that they were exactly one chair short, Shuichi rose from his current seat, gesturing for Davina to sit in his stead. She hesitated, if only for a brief second, before approaching his side and accepting the offered seat. As she relocated, he caught a whiff of her perfume, and found himself wishing he could be close enough to her to afford more than just a mere hint of that saccharine fragrance that clung to her skin. Quickly, he ventured over to a nearby table that was vacant and claimed one of the chairs that stood there. He returned with the seat in tow and placed it at the head of the table, which positioned him opposite of Yusuke, with Davina to his right and Kazuma off to his left. Shuichi found contentment with this arrangement, seeing as it permitted him to remain fairly close in proximity to her—he hoped that in doing so, it would ease her trepidation at being primarily surrounded by people she was not yet familiar with.
But much to Shuichi's surprise and silent pleasure, Davina seemed to be adjusting rather well to this group setting—as they awaited the arrival of their pizza, conversation among the group erupted, and she proved to be an active participant. It was obvious that his friends had taken a liking to her—even Yusuke cracked a smile at a joke she made. Keiko was the only one among them who remained stoic, saying very little. She occasionally shot a nasty glare in Yusuke's direction when she believed that no one was paying attention, but Shuichi was quick to notice her obvious disdain towards her fiancée. Given how much he was aware of as far as the situation between the pair was concerned, he hoped Yusuke decided to come clean to her sooner rather than later—while time was believed to better most things, this particular set of circumstances was not one of them.
Once the food arrived, the conversation came to a brief halt as everyone turned the bulk of their attention to their plates and began to eat. Shuichi eagerly devoured his margherita pizza, which was one of the pies that the Akaitsuru was best known for due to the unique flavor provided by the smoked mozzarella used in its creation. He hadn't realized just how hungry he was until the pizza was placed before him, and that first bite was heavenly. Davina, who had ordered the same, seemed to be thoroughly enjoying her meal just as he was. It didn't take long for the group to eat their fill, leaving behind a collective of barren, sauce smeared plates and empty cups housing only half melted ice within their plastic confinements.
"So, what did ya think, Yukina?" Kazuma asked, leaning back in his chair and covering his mouth to suppress a small burp of satisfaction. "Pretty good, huh?"
"It was delicious," the ice apparition replied with a charming smile over at her significant other. "I'm so happy I finally got a chance to try pizza—thank you for taking me here."
"You're welcome, my sweet," he replied, beaming over at her with a wide grin, obviously proud of himself upon the reception of her accolade.
"Thanks for lunch, Shizuru," Davina chimed in softly, fixing the older Kuwabara sibling with a small nod of appreciation. Her statement prompted a similar display of gratitude from the others, including Shuichi. Shizuru smiled mildly at the acknowledgement, but was quick to alter the subject to their next destination.
"Now that everyone has stuffed their faces, let's get our asses down to the arcade," she announced with an authorities air as she rose to her feet. Everyone was quick to follow suit, and they left the restaurant in an odd sort of line, with Davina and Shuichi bringing up the rear.
Just as they crossed the threshold to the outside, Shuichi tapped her on the shoulder, quickly catching her attention and prompting her to pause in her stride forward. She turned to look at him, her eyes growing slightly wide with surprise at the unanticipated contact.
"Everything okay?" Davina asked immediately, her entire visage swiftly molding into one of concern.
"Yes, of course," he replied, fixing her with a reassuring smile. "I just felt as if I owed you an apology for the other evening."
"You've already apologized. You don't have to do so again," she replied, meeting his stare and holding it steady.
"Regardless, I'm sorry for disappointing you. I have every intention of making it up to you," he responded—on impulse, he reached out to grab her hand in his own. Her appendage was so demure and seemingly fragile within his, her skin warm and soft against the calloused flesh of his large palms. A small shudder appeared to race throughout her body at this simple touch, and her cheeks quickly flushed a soft shade of pink when he fixed her hand with a firm squeeze.
"And how are you planning on doing that?" she asked quietly, trying to suppress the smile that tugged at the edges of her lips. The touch that connected them lingered for another moment, disbanding when Shuichi released her hand from his firm grip.
Encouraged by her playful tone, Shuichi decided to toy with her a bit—it was an urge he couldn't resist, and one he was almost painfully keen to indulge, especially in light of their missed opportunity. Moving slowly, he stepped closer to her, leaning in just enough in proximity so that his lips hovered fairly close to her ear. The delectable scent of her perfume surrounded him then, and he inhaled the aroma deeply into his lungs, relishing its sweetness. He could hear the faint echo of her heartbeat as it grew mildly faster, and the soft, almost indistinguishable sound of her breathing catching ever so slightly in her throat in reaction to his approach. Shuichi fought to hold back a knowing smirk, rather enjoying the affect he was currently having upon her.
"I could tell you, but I much rather show you," he offered, his voice barely above a whisper, but heavy with not so innocent implications. Despite not touching her, he could sense the vibrations in the air that accompanied the subtle tremble that rocked her entire person in that instant.
"I'd like that," Davina replied softly, an obvious hitch in her tone despite her best efforts to keep her voice steady. Warmth radiated forth from her, accompanied by a new level to the unique scent of her skin, one that was heady and filled with want.
It was with great restraint that Shuichi pulled him away from her, wanting to continue their little lecherous exchange but not wanting to fall behind from the group or call unnecessary attention to their interaction. They locked stares once more as he returned to Davina's line of sight, and he fixed her with a knowing smirk, purposely dragging his eyes down upon the curve of her lips and lingering there for a brief second before reclaiming her gaze. It was a simple movement, but one that had the desired effect, making her sigh quietly.
Shuichi could hardly wait to make good on his words. He would certainly not be disappointing her this time around.
*Author's Note: Again, my apologies. Life has been beyond hectic since the posting of my last chapter back in mid December. Apart from having very little free time over the past month and a half, this chapter fought me like none of the others before it. Perhaps it was writer's block, a lack of inspiration, or my brain was just not willing to cooperate, but I had to re-write this particular chapter several times before creating a version I approved of. So again, I'm sorry for the insane wait, but I did not wish to half-ass a chapter and be unsatisfied with it. I've already started the next chapter, and if life permits, I'll try to have it posted by the end of next week. Since the holidays are over, there is little to no OT left at work starting this week, so I should have considerably more time to work on this. Again, I will not be quitting this story. It's a personal goal of mine to complete this damn thing, and I'm determined to make that happen. Please bear with me; I hate to make you guys wait for more, but I do appreciate those of you who hang in there and bear with me. A thank you goes out to CreamPuffnStuff, cezarina, SashaPayne56, LadyClassical, . 24601, Nightrode0, redrosesandfullmoons, and . for the add to favorites/following this story. And thank you to the lovely guest who left an encouraging review, your kindness is very much appreciated. I'm grateful to you guys for continuing to stick with me. I was also considering doing a series of drabbles/ficlets/short stories with the Shuichi/Davina pairing as a side project to this story, and the more I think about it, the more I like the idea. I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday season, and that the new year is treating you all well. As always, feedback is welcomed and appreciated!