Disclaimer - I do not own Naruto!
"Are you sure I can't convince you both to stay longer?" The leader of Kirigakure sighed sadly while looking at the two shinobi before her.
Naruto and Sasuke were a huge help to her in the past month. Naruto's presence in the village attracted many, and his positive energy relieved her daily stress. Maintaining a village brought on a mountain load of anxiety after all. On the other hand, Sasuke completed missions at an unreal pace. From capturing rogue shinobi, to something simple like recovering stolen items, she did it all.
'She certainly seems less tense after their little date.' Mei glanced at the blank faced Uchiha. Usually a tiny frown or some form disgust would be situated on her face, so the emotionless expression was an improvement in Mei's opinion.
"I wish we could." Naruto stuck right by Sasuke's side, they were practically attached at the hip. "But... this is also Sasuke's journey. She wants to see the world with her own eyes, and I can't wait to see the other Kage again."
Sasuke could try to hide the smile behind that ridiculous cloak of hers, but Mei saw it clear as day.
"I'm just saddened that my little Hokage to be is leaving me." Dramatically holding a hand to her forehead, Mei tried baiting a reaction out of Sasuke.
She received nothing.
'Interesting. She doesn't see me as a threat anymore.' It was comedic how Sasuke believed an older woman could be a threat to her relationship with Naruto. Mei's heard plenty of stories about how Naruto made helping the girl his goal for years, prioritizing it over his dream of becoming Hokage. There was little to no chance of any other female catching his attention.
"Sorry, Mei-chan. How could I ever thank you for allowing me to work with you?" Naruto's genuine words made her smile.
"Oh, I can think of a few ways."
The playful teasing caused Sasuke's deadly Uchiha blood activate. Mei found it adorable when a Mangekyō Sharingan glared at her.
Naruto merely scratched the back of his head and laughed. Mei never ceased with her teasing.
"Naruto-kun? Could you be a dear and wait outside for a moment. I'd like to speak with Sasuke alone." Mei's tone was sweet as she asked Naruto.
Naruto and Sasuke locked eyes and a completely silent conversation played out between them. Mei noticed the way Naruto's eyebrows rose and he smiled in amusement while Sasuke's nose twitched. He nodded happily and gave the Mizukage a wave before proceeding to exit the room.
Once the door clicked shut, Mei giggled to herself. "You know Sasuke, you remind me of myself." Mei's words left Sasuke confused. They were not alike in the slightest.
"You don't know anything about me." Sasuke uttered those words with no hesitation. She never planned on opening up to the Mizukage.
"Maybe so but seeing how you act around your teammate certainly brings back memories." Mei's smile was strained when recalling the past. "You see, there was once a man I admired greatly and I never received the chance to be at his side like you are with Naruto-kun. Our shinobi duties always kept up separated…"
Sasuke's never seen this side to the usual flirty Mizukage. Her somber words and downcast expression revealed a side of herself to the person who would have struck her down in the past.
"By the time a relationship or something more could bloom… he never returned from his mission. He's nothing more than a distant memory now and a regret that I've had for years." Mei snapped her gaze up and stared intently at Sasuke. "Let me tell you something as a woman, not as a shinobi. Don't keep yourself from pursuing the one you care about. Shinobi go on and on about being emotionless tools, but nothing is better than experiencing love. Plus, we are all striving for a better future, so why don't you do the same?"
Sasuke eyes may have focused on Mei, but her mind was elsewhere. A better future… could that truly be possible with these villages? She planned to execute the Kage, fully believing they wouldn't be able to cooperate like Naruto naively hoped for. It seems she really was wrong, and that ate away at her.
When Sasuke went to retrieve Naruto from the hallway, her body was on autopilot and Naruto could only wonder what they talked about in that office.
"Well, where to next?" Naruto questioned his partner while keeping his hands behind his head. Signing autograph after autograph and taking pictures in Kirigakure actually became tiring after the thousandth time. Walking with Sasuke was the most relaxing thing he could ask for right now.
'She's been quieter than usual today…' Extremely quiet Sasuke meant something was up. Somewhat quiet Sasuke was the norm, and talkative Sasuke was the annoyed Sasuke. Naruto felt that he was the only one to understand the Uchiha's behavior.
Sasuke spared him a glance before quickly unsealing a small black book from her wrist. Scanning her eyes over the text, she wasn't sure why she was drawn to the issue in Oni no Kuni. Truthfully, she knew very little about the area and had to rely on what information Orochimaru included. Apparently there was a mission request from the nation sent out to multiple villages months ago. The mission itself pertained to strange apparitions. Ghosts… how funny.
"Oi, stop ignoring me." Naruto wasted no time to get close to her. Looking up from the book, she posed a single question.
"What do you know about Oni no Kuni?" She remembered his strange reaction after they left Suna.
Naruto paled instantly and she noticed his widening eyes. She knew… oh she knew… he was nervous. He was hiding something from her. She thought she saw everything during their previous fight, even some of his private moments, but apparently there was a lot she was left in the dark about. For the so called "Land of Demons" to leave him like this, it had to be big.
"Um… nothing! I really don't know anything about it. Do they have shinobi? Maybe some Uzumaki moved there. Hey, isn't Karin an Uzumaki? I should definitely talk to her, ya know. That would be cool, I should have done it more in the past." Sasuke checked more points off in her mental checklist, he was definitely nervous. He went right on to rambling pointlessly and proceeded to change the topic.
"You are lying to me. We are going." Sasuke walked towards the large map outside the docks of Kirigakure. She ignored Naruto's persistent begging as she read the departure times and destinations of ships. Unfortunately there was no ship that would take them directly to their location, but it would get them close enough. They'd have to pass through swamp land apparently, which was annoying. Luckily, she had other ways to clear large stretches of land in no time.
'I'm screwed…' Naruto lamented with his head down. He watched Sasuke nod to herself before walking towards one of the ships in the area.
Feeling himself being drawn into the seal, he didn't have to wait long before a long sharp claw was tapping him roughly on the back of the head.
'Didn't you promise to impregnate the priestess?' Kurama's question set Naruto off immediately.
'I had no idea! Sakura-chan explained it to me afterwards.' Naruto glared at his tailed friend.
'Eh? You didn't know about sexual intercourse? You spent years with that pervert. I know you're an idiot, but really?' Kurama continued to poke at his head.
'I obviously know what it is. She just worded it weirdly!'
'She asked you to help pass down her abilities to the next generation. Naturally, you agreed without thinking.'
'That doesn't even sound like she asked me to have sex! That could mean anything.' Naruto tried to downplay his asinine promise.
'You are a moron. She obviously liked you, as did many of the females you met. Just admit that you didn't know anything about sexual intercourse and move on.'
"I know all about sex!" Naruto's shout echoed through the seal and into the real world.
"… What?" Sasuke's dry question snapped him back to reality. Whiskered cheeks lit up in a furious blush and he did his best to ignore the roaring laughter in his head.
"Nothing... it was just Kurama being an ass." He'd really rather not talk about that with Sasuke. Even if he couldn't forget how she looked in that tight black dress. He vividly recalled it hugging every developed curve of her body that she hid under her baggy clothes. The muscle she toned from years of training…
'You're thinking vile things about the Uchiha. You killed my mood, so now I'll kill yours...' Kurama cut off his appreciation of his best friends form.
"Naruto, There's only one captain available to take us if we leave right now. We have fifteen minutes..." Sasuke paused and observed his face which almost looked disgusted now. 'Sex. Why was the Kyuubi talking about that with him? I wonder what he's thinking about right now...'
'Fuck you!'
'Shitty brat!'
'Why would you talk about my mother and... and...! Ah!' Naruto couldn't say those words mentally. He felt bile rising in his throat when Kurama mentioned things that should remain hidden.
'I was sealed inside two women for years. I've seen a lot.' Kurama wasn't proud of that fact.
"Sasuke?" Naruto stared at his favorite person in defeat. "Can you use your eyes to wipe my memories?"
'That won't save you. Accept your punishment for thinking about the Uchiha spawn naked. I don't want to ever hear about her stupid breasts or ass again.'
'Cut our damn connection then!'
Sasuke was completely confused at the idiotic behavior. She figured it was best to ignore it, there were bigger things to worry about.
'What the hell would cause him to lie to me?'
"We should have waited for a bigger boat."
"Shut up." Sasuke's cheeks were flushed when she realized that Naruto was right.
The ship that the captain graciously allowed them to step foot on, mostly due to Naruto's foolish tendency to overpay, was extremely tiny. Below the deck was only two rooms. One room belonged to the captain, and the other basically resembled a closet with barely enough room to lay down.
"Get your foot out of my face, dumbass." Sasuke shoved the bare foot away roughly.
"I'm not complaining about your gross feet." Naruto grumbled and tried to get comfortable in the cramped space.
"Hmph."
"Don't "hmph" me, Sasuke. You're the reason we are stuck in a closet." Naruto called her out on the hasty decision.
"Fine, I'm sorry." Her sudden apology left him stunned. Pushing himself up and leaning on his elbows, he stared at her like she was an alien.
"Did you just apologize to me?"
"I can admit when I'm wrong, unlike you."
Naruto huffed and dropped his head onto the floor of the ship. He felt the ship gently rocking beneath his body and frowned. He hated sleeping on boats. Naruto had no fond memories of his forced voyage when the war broke out.
"Sasuke? What are we going to Oni no Kuni for anyway?" Naruto was curious. He still didn't plan to reveal anything about Shion.
"Apparitions were spotted around the capital of the region. The leader is some priestess who requested help with getting rid of them." It all sounded like a fairytale to Sasuke. A land ruled by a priestess that happened to be haunted by ghosts? Ridiculous.
Naruto gulped quietly at the mention of a priestess, but he was confused about one thing. "Apparitions? Is that the name of a group or animal?"
"No. They are basically ghosts."
Naruto's body locked up. He at the ceiling of their small room in shock. 'Ghosts?! No, no, no, no…' That was his childhood fear.
"Naruto?" Sasuke looked at her companion and saw him break out into a cold sweat.
"I-It can't be real ghosts, right? Maybe it's some jutsu, or a reanimation? Tell me I'm right!" Naruto gripped her leg as he panicked.
"I'm pretty sure it's ghosts." Sasuke confirmed. She wasn't worried about the mission. There were far weirder things in the shinobi world. Orochimaru existed for example.
"Can we not do this?" Naruto almost pleaded with her. Sasuke knew him too well, she easily picked up on his fear.
"Naruto, are you scared of ghosts?" Her lips quirked upwards, although not for a malicious reason.
"No way! I'm not some weak kid afraid of spooky ghosts."
'How cute.' Sasuke was amused when discovering the shinobi who could go up against world ending threats with confidence was afraid of "spooky ghosts". "Don't worry, I'll protect you from the apparitions." She hid her smile well behind her hand.
Naruto glared weakly at his partner, not knowing if she was truly mocking him. "What about you… what are you afraid of?"
'Too many things.' Sasuke admitted internally. Her face and attitude completely betrayed the emotions she bottled up on a daily basis. She needed to give him an answer that didn't hold much weight to it. They were talking about childish fears, not the crippling fears she buried within herself. "Dolls. I'm scared of dolls."
Naruto couldn't help himself, he laughed at the unique answer. It was so bizarre to picture Sasuke afraid of something like that. "You're afraid of toys?" His gigantic grin was almost contagious.
"The humanoid looking dolls that have those big soulless eyes." Sasuke explained before narrowing her gaze at his face. "I didn't make fun of your fear, don't make fun of mine."
"Sure, sure. I'll be sure to destroy any dolls we come across, Sasu-chan."
"Loser..."
They both stared at each other before a laugh escaped her mouth. She made a habit out of lying to herself, but moments like these she cherished.
"Do you think the dolls are going to come to life and attack you?" Naruto questioned in between his own chuckles.
"Anything's possible in our world." Sasuke wasn't wrong.
"The tiny Uchiha versus children's toys."
"The idiotic Uzumaki who is afraid of spooky ghosts."
They both locked eyes, faces playfully sour from the teasing, and laughed once more.
"... I will find out why you avoided my question about Oni no Kuni. It's only a matter of time."
Naruto's laughter died down in a heartbeat.
Underwhelming.
That was the best way to describe the sight before Sasuke.
After getting off the extremely cramped boat, she received directions to the mainland and didn't hesitate to grab Naruto in her Susanoo. Ignoring his shouts of protests, and the civilians screaming their heads off at the dangerous construct of chakra, Sasuke landed just outside the home of the priestess.
She excepted the scenery to be akin to the 'fairytale' image she crafted in her head, with castles and shrines all over the land as the residents payed respect to their priestess.
The swamps, small towns, and wide open spaces containing a whole lot of nothing ruined that imagery. The temple she landed in front of was more of what she expected.
'Well... there's also about two hundred guards pointing bows and spears at us.' Sasuke resisted the urge to smirk. They really thought such pitiful weapons could pierce her Susanoo. Foolish, these people-
Naruto pinched her lower back, dangerously close to her backside. Somehow he always cut off her less than positive thinking.
"Halt!" The leader of the guards stepped up, gulping at the titanic form of chakra in front of him. They weren't exactly well versed in the way of shinobi combat, but surely the gigantic purple warrior before them wasn't normal. "You are trespassing on sacred grounds!" His voice continued to tremble with his shout.
Sasuke let out a tiny sigh and allowed her Susanoo to drop, slowly releasing the duo from the chakra construct. The small army of guards readied their weapons, genuinely expecting a fight from the trespasser.
Then they all spotted the blond haired shinobi sheepishly rubbing his neck. His appearance set off alarm bells in their heads.
Naruto's celebrity status even extended to lands like this. Sasuke wasn't surprised anymore when each guard stood up straighter.
"It's him..."
"The war hero..."
"Shion-sama must be informed of his presence."
The murmuring from the crowed passed over Sasuke initially. She knew how great her idiot was, there was no need to listen to these random guards prattle on about him. Then the name 'Shion' was brought up several times and Naruto tensed at her side.
The head guard faced the two and gave a gracious bow, making Naruto chuckle awkwardly. He'll never be used to that behavior. Going from a boy ignored by everyone to having all the attention on him, it was a bit much.
"Naruto-sama, we humbly request that you follow us to Shion-sama. I'm sure she will be very happy to see you." The man knew how fondly the priestess spoke of Naruto and his exploits. He left a real impression on her in the past.
"We are here for the mission request your leader sent out months ago." Sasuke cut in sharply.
Looking over at the dark haired Uchiha, the guard could do little more than nod. Her narrowed gaze and appearance were unnerving. Not to mention, the power behind that monster she created was frightening.
"O-Of course, you may join us as well." The guard signaled for his men to stand down and they immediately lowered their weapons. No one wanted to challenge Naruto and his companion, they've all heard stories about his abilities. "I must ask that you refrain from using that... creation of yours when within these sacred grounds."
Sasuke opened her mouth to speak. Naruto rose his hand behind her back, barely touching her cloak and threatening to pinch her again. Her mouth shut in a snap and she offered the man a small nod instead.
Gesturing for the two to follow him, they slowly moved towards the center temple with the weak willed guard.
"Shion, huh?" Sasuke's mumble was accompanied with a small glare aimed at Naruto.
"I helped her before. It was a mission a long time ago." Naruto fought back the scowl from appearing on his face when Kurama began laughing in his head.
"Mhm."
The walk into the temple became insufferably awkward.
'What the hell is this?'
Sasuke could only question mentally when she laid eyes on the priestess.
Shion gave off a certain type of vibe to Sasuke. A vibe she didn't want anything to do with.
'She's looks like the Hyūga.' Sasuke noted with disgust. Shion had the same hairstyle as Hinata, the same soft facial feature and they both had unique eyes. 'She's even busty…' It was hard for Sasuke not to notice when the priestess outfit hugged the girls curves like a second skin.
"Naruto!" The ruler of Oni no Kuni shot off her seated position on a cushioned pillow. Naruto braced himself when the priestess collided with him in a tight hug. The feeling of her large soft chest against his was not lost on him.
"Shion..." Naruto patted her on the back weakly, glancing at the Rinnegan glaring a hole into his head.
"Do you have any idea how worried I was for months?!" Shion pounded on his chest with as much strength as possible. "I saw you die again!"
Sasuke's glare dropped and her face became bewildered at Shion's words.
"You know your powers don't work when it comes to me." Naruto joked with a cocky grin. Technically he was on the brink of death during the war, but he didn't want to bring the mood down. Shion pulled back from him and allowed a cute smile to grace her features.
"Indeed. Although, I was worried until we received word of the war ending. Luckily my temple was not destroyed by the sudden appearances of tree branches." Shion tilted her head while recalling the strange occurrence.
'I always forget these people were caught up in that dream world for a little while.'
'I do too. Most people don't even bring it up anymore.' Naruto responded to his tailed partner while ignoring the way Shion looked his body over.
Sasuke didn't ignore the admiring of Naruto's body.
"What power allows you to see when a person dies?" The Uchiha couldn't help herself from asking. Shion blinked and finally turned to the girl she rudely ignored when barreling towards Naruto.
"It's an ability passed down from my mother." Shion remembered Naruto's team from the past. She was certainly a new addition. "Who are you?"
"... Sasuke." The Uchiha answered through gritted teeth. She didn't like the girls tone in the slightest.
"Sasuke... Sasuke..." Shion tapped on her lip a few times in thought. "Oh. You are the Uchiha survivor who attacked the-"
"Shion, we came here because of a mission request." Naruto brought her attention back to him. He didn't want her bringing up Sasuke's past. Whether the girl was right or wrong didn't matter, Naruto wouldn't let anyone talk down about Sasuke.
"Mission request?" Shion repeated before her special eyes widened. "Oh my, you are talking about the one related to the apparitions preying on my land."
"Yeah..." Naruto confirmed unenthusiastically. Why did it have to be ghosts?
"Yes, that is an issue I've put up with for quite some time. We can discuss the finer details later." Shion reached out and placed a small hand on his bandaged arm. Rubbing the appendage lightly, she smiled gently at him. "I do hope you'll stay awhile, Naruto."
'Unbelievable. Naruto manages to attract all kinds of trash.' Sasuke's hand clenched dangerously under her cloak. Girls like this were too forward, touching Naruto like they've known him forever. Touching him like they shared a bond with him that went beyond simple companionship.
The only other girl she can truly say Naruto shared a bond with was Sakura. No matter how annoying the pink haired medic was, Sasuke knew she cared for Naruto.
"I'm looking forward to it?" Naruto phrased it as a question. Instead of getting insulted, Shion giggled happily.
'Another one that giggles.' Sasuke momentarily wondered if the priestess would be able to anticipate her own death.
"Good! I will leave you both to explore the temple grounds for now, as I have some priestess duties I must attend to. Simply ask for directions if you require them." Shion glanced at Sasuke. "Please do not cause any trouble."
"We won't." Naruto moved to his best friends side, seeing something dangerous brewing on her face.
Nodding pleasantly, Shion gave him another award winning smile and wink before moving deeper into her temple.
"Who knew that even a priestess could be a whore…" Sasuke watched the leader sway her hips purposely as she walked, doing her best to catch Naruto's attention.
Naruto choked on his saliva when hearing Sasuke's whisper.
"She's not… uh…" Naruto focused on the priestess leaving his field of vision. Her curvy body not hiding her intentions at all.
"Idiot, let's go." Sasuke grabbed his hand, making the first move. Shion easily earned a spot on her list of females that she despised. At least Mei had some redeemable qualities, Sasuke could admit that. So far, Shion latched onto Naruto like she was set to be his lover.
"She's nice… right?"
Naruto felt the grip on his hand tighten painfully and wisely shut his mouth.
Shion sipped her tea delicately, looking the part of a perfect shrine maiden. Seated atop of the finest pillow in her land, she appreciated the way Naruto drank the beverage she made herself.
"This is really good!" Naruto shot her a thumbs up, resembling the loud and bright shinobi she met in the past. His mature appearance and slightly less animated personality didn't distract from the fact that it was the boy she was extremely fond of.
If Shion were to be crass, she wanted his babies.
"It's nothing special." Sasuke shot her a look that dared her to challenge the Uchiha.
Shion was not stupid. She heard about how Sasuke attacked the Kage unflinchingly. Sasuke could easily crush her beneath her feet. Fortunately, Naruto would never allow that to happen, Shion knew it.
"Sasuke, be nice." Naruto nudged his teammate with his shoulder.
"Hmph."
"That's my Sasuke."
Two separate reactions were caused by Naruto's proclamation. Shion's eyebrows shot up, not exactly enjoying the potential deeper meaning behind his words. Sasuke rose the tea cup and took a long sip, trying to make sure the cup covered her smile completely.
"Naruto? Why did you never come visit me after our first meeting?" Shion placed her hands in her lap, she stared at the boy she adored curiously.
"Oh…" Naruto hated that her question could be asked by many people. He's met shinobi, leaders, and civilians that he never got around to meeting again. It was unfortunate, but he had too much on his plate to reconnect with everyone. "A lot happened afterwards. Training, missions, and I lost some people important to me. Then the war broke out and it was a mess. I'm really sorry for not contacting you." He did feel bad that she thought he was dead during the war.
"I'm also sorry that you had to go through that. I know how tough the life of a shinobi could be, but you persevered. Just like when you saved me." Shion reached across to lay a hand on his knee.
Sasuke focused on sipping her tea. If she didn't, Oni no Kuni would lose its leader today.
"That's what makes us shinobi after all, we endure." Naruto's warm smile lit up the room and Shion could believe it was solely meant for her. However, Sasuke knew better. When those blue eyes glanced in her direction, she felt her body heat up, and it wasn't from the tea.
"I'd expect nothing less from my future lover."
"Ahaha… what?"
Sasuke's warm feeling disappeared, replaced with a bitter cold in her chest.
"Naruto?" Shion leaned back, confusion etched on her face. "Surely you didn't forget your promise to me. We aren't getting any younger, you know."
Sasuke's mind was going haywire, doing everything to put all the facts together. Naruto's fear of Oni no Kuni, his past mission with saving Shion, and now a promise on this scale?
"Shion… I don't…" Naruto noticed how blank Sasuke's face was. It reminded him of those dead eyes from when they met after she killed Danzō.
"Hold that thought please!" Shion jumped up, looking in the direction of her personal room in the temple. "I forgot to grab the information regarding the mission, please excuse me for one moment. I will also fetch my head guard and advisor to help wherever they can."
The temple was silent except for the sound of Shion's hurried footsteps.
Naruto placed his tea down gently before facing Sasuke. Her obsidian colored eye was staring at him, waiting for an explanation.
"Sasuke, it's not what you think. I'm not with Shion." Naruto couldn't deny that Shion was an attractive female. She reminded him of a more outgoing Hinata and he considered her a good friend. That was all.
"Is "future lover" code for something else, Naruto? Was this what you were hiding from me? What's next, marriage?" Sasuke roughly placed her own cup down, standing with a grimace.
"No, dammit! I'm not doing anything with her, okay?!" Naruto wanted to tell her what he foolishly agreed to, it was on the tip of his tongue.
"I assume you'll be staying here from now on to continue courting her." That hurt Sasuke the most. Truthfully, without Naruto in her life, she had nothing. It wasn't her being dramatic. Her former team, Taka, was one she used and held little attachment towards. Team Seven was only a shadow of her real family who were buried six feet under. Naruto was almost a lifeline for her.
"Sasuke, I'm not "courting" her or whatever the hell you're talking about!" He stood as well, raising his voice. Naruto didn't want this misunderstanding to ruin the bond they shared. "I am…"
"Spit it out already." Sasuke hasn't felt this much anger in some time.
"I…" Naruto's eyes seemed to shut against his will for a moment before snapping open. Instead of the blue pupils, vicious red slits took their place. Sasuke recognized those eyes easily.
"Kyuubi." She activated her Sharingan, making Naruto's body glare heatedly at her.
"Uchiha vermin." Kurama addressed her before crossing Naruto's arms, fully taking control over the boy's body.
"We were speaking, return back to the seal." The relationship between Sasuke and Kurama was strained to put it lightly.
"I don't want to hear this crap anymore, so I took over to end this." Kurama had a good laugh previously, but now it bored the beast. "He's not planning on marrying the girl…"
Sasuke felt her heart flutter in elation.
"He promised to impregnate her."
"… Huh?"
Kurama enjoyed the dumb expression on her face while ignoring Naruto's loud shouts to give him his body back.
"Do you not know what sexual intercourse is either? You brats nowadays are clueless."
"I'm back!" Shion announced happily, joined by her trusted guard and advisor.
Sasuke really wasn't sure who she wanted to kill first.
A/N - There will be like two more chapters with Shion in them and spoiler, Sasuke will not become "friendly" with her like Mei lol.
Naruto being afraid of ghosts… I'm pretty sure that was included within the fillers of Part 1. Since I'm adding a bunch of things that were filler, I might as well use that. When I was younger and first watched Naruto, I didn't care what was considered filler and what was canon, it was just more Naruto for me to watch lmao.
Besides that, thanks for reading and sticking around!