I'll keep it short this time: thanks to all readers, reviewers and of course my pre-readers.
Please enjoy ^^
Hot as Fire
Chapter 10
Over the next couple of days Zoro visited Sanji more often. Ace was too busy with Marco, and if he wasn't, he was talking about the arson inspector. Zoro didn't mind that much, after all, he was glad that Ace was happy and Marco was nice as well, but still it could get annoying. But well, nobody likes to be the third wheel, do they?
All of his close friends were in relationships, except Sanji. The chef used 'being too busy with the restaurant' as an excuse, but Zoro got the feeling the blonde just didn't want to be in a relationship for a while. After all, how often can someone's heart get broken before he grows tired of it?
That was probably the reason he let Zoro in every time the swordsman came by. They had become close friends over time. At night they would watch the news together or a movie, or sometimes just chat. And of course they fought, that's what they did best.
Sanji became visibly more relaxed around Zoro. He wouldn't let the green haired man massage his back anymore, because he was embarrassed of the sounds he had made the first time. But when he popped his feet on the couch one night and Zoro started to rub them thoughtlessly, he didn't stop him.
The blonde had noticed as well they had become quite close and he even found himself looking forward to Zoro's visits. He didn't tell anyone about it, they would probably just tease him for getting excited over a man visiting. But still he made sure his fridge was always stocked with beer.
"Ah, that's good," he sighed when Zoro pressed his thumb on a sore spot on his foot. The last couple of days he was on his feet all the time. The renovations to the new restaurant were prosperous. Franky hadn't lied when he said he was "SUPER" as contractor. But it did mean Sanji was on his feet running errands all the time. Today was no exception. And it was mostly just him and Zeff, aside from the contractor's men. The other chefs and waiters had found other jobs for in the meantime.
"You've been busy?" Zoro asked.
"Yeah. We've heard today we might actually get the insurance money, so I had to go to those insurance guys. They let me fill in all kinds of forms, most of them which I think I've filled in six times already. Ah! Right there!"
A small smile appeared on Zoro's face. He loved to make the chef moan like that. He had been a little disappointed – but hadn't shown that of course – when the blonde forbade him from ever massaging him again, but apparently that didn't apply to his feet.
"So what about you?" Sanji asked, suppressing a moan. "How's your work going?"
"Hm, business is slow. So I might have to find another bodyguard or bouncer job soon." Lost in thought he pressed his thumb in the sensitive flesh of Sanji's foot, only looking up when the blonde arched his back and bit his lip not to scream in pleasure. He smirked. "Not getting a lot of action lately, eh?"
"Shut up. Things are busy, so I don't have time to meet cute girls."
"Doesn't Franky have any girls working for him?" The swordsman mentally slapped himself. He hadn't meant to give dating advise.
"Sure he does. Very few, though. But I don't date employees."
"Who said anything about dating?" Zoro teased.
"I don't do one night stands. And I bet you don't fuck your clients either."
"I don't. But that's because most of them are middle aged woman who hire me to find out if their husbands are cheating on them. Which, in most cases they are, so I've been offered plenty of sex as revenge."
Sanji snickered before shaking his head. "Men are sleazebags."
"You're a guy too."
"I know that, shitty swordsman! But I would never cheat on a lady."
They sat in silence for a while, before Sanji asked: "Since you ain't doing anything lately, how's your love life going?"
"Pretty much like business," the swordsman snorted. He looked from the corner of his eye to the blonde next to him.
"So were do you usually meet guys?" the cook continued.
'At the bus stop,' the green haired thought, but he said: "You know, everywhere. In gay bars and such."
"Then why don't you go there?"
"Do you go alone to bars? Ace is dating Marco, so he's not an option anymore. Nami went along sometimes with her girlfriends when they wanted to party, but didn't want to be groped – you're right, straight men are sleazebags."
Sanji kicked him with his now relaxed foot. "Not all of them. But why don't you take her with you then?"
Zoro stayed silent for a while. He really didn't have a good reason not to go. "I just don't feel like going clubbin'."
"So you rather sit here on the couch with me?" the blonde asked teasing.
"With you the beer is free," he answered smirking.
The cook laughed and shook his head. "It's always about shitty booze with you, isn't it?"
Zoro cast aside a glance, but didn't respond.
"You okay?" Sanji cocked his curly eyebrow.
"No. I'm outta beer." The green haired man shook his now empty bottle.
"Hm, go get some more yourself. I'm too relaxed to get up."
When the swordsman got back, Sanji had changed the channel which showed a make-over programme. The blonde shook his head. "Who would participate in that?"
"I don't know. Didn't you get a make-over recently?" Zoro smirked.
"T-that's different! I'm not in some shitty program. And I changed my style for a good reason."
"Which is?"
"M-my eye was red on the day of the wedding, so…"
An all-knowing smirk appeared on Zoro's face. "Oh? But if that's still the case, you might want to go to a doctor."
"It's not. But changing all the time is such a hassle…"
The swordsman leaned in, their faces close together. "You sure that's the reason? Not because someone said he liked it?"
The blonde sat frozen. There was that tension again, the same he had felt when they were lying in bed together – he still couldn't believe that had really happened – the night after Vivi's wedding. He couldn't look away from Zoro's dark, penetrating eyes.
At that moment a 'ping' sound came from the kitchen. "My spinach quiche!" Sanji jumped from the couch and ran to the kitchen, leaving behind a stunned Zoro. Quickly he removed the quiche from the oven, preventing it from burning. Then he leaned on the counter, trying to collect his thoughts. What the fuck just happened? No, what the fuck just happened again? Zoro had made quite clear he wasn't interested in him, so what was that tension all about?
He grabbed a beer from the fridge and took a draught. He was probably just imagining things. It had just been too long since he had been on a proper date and now his mind confused every moment of eye contact as something deeper. He was a romantic after all.
He cut off two pieces of the quiche and took them to the sitting area, where Zoro was waiting.
"You sure were quick." In the swordsman's voice lay a mocking tone.
"I didn't want my quiche to burn. Just be glad I feed you." A mischievous smile appeared on Sanji's face. "I'm sorry, but I might have used some relatives of yours to make this."
"What was that?!"
The food was forgotten. Within a second they were at daggers drawn. Zoro lashed out and the blond chef could only avoid him at the last second. A smirk appeared on the cook's face. This was great. He hadn't had a good workout in a while. But above all, no awkward eye contact or weird tension. Just a full fletched fight, as he liked it.
It took the neighbour – a large man called Jinbe – to ring at the door for them to stop. Sanji assured the man with flushed cheeks they would keep it down and it wouldn't happen again.
"Are you happy now? You're disturbing my neighbours," he spat at Zoro.
"Me? You're the one that kept screaming," the swordsman snorted.
"I did not! Just eat your quiche. It's still tasty when it's lukewarm."
They ate in silence, watching some old western. It was in the middle of some thrilling chasing scene, when Zoro felt something caressing against his groin. He suppressed a moan, as the foot in his lap moved again. His head snapped to the side. Sanji had fallen asleep.
A little disappointed he moved the blonde's legs from his lap. Quietly he rose and lifted the cook bridal style. He managed to get upstairs without waking Sanji and after trying a few doors, he found the one leading to the bedroom.
But when he had only a few paces to go, he tripped over a chair leg. The blonde landed on the bed and the green haired man ended up half on top of him. Sanji's eyes flung open. "What the hell?!"
"You fell asleep, so I thought I would put you to bed."
"And then you decided to join me?!"
He smirked, though Sanji couldn't see that in the dark. "Why not? You have a comfortable bed."
"You're on top of me!" The blonde pushed him off and rolled on his side. "Ugh, I'm too tired for this. Stay, don't stay. Do whatever you want."
That was the kind of invitation Zoro was waiting for. True, not exactly how he wanted it, but still. He kicked off his boots and crawled on the other side of the mattress. He lay down and smirked. Finally he was in Sanji's bed.
In the middle of the night he woke up from the blonde's tossing about. Beads of sweat covered his forehead and he mumbled inconsistent things.
"Oi." Zoro shook his shoulder to wake him up. "Oi, Cook!"
Sanji's eyes flung open. When he looked up, he stared into the swordsman's worried face. The blonde yelped and rolled off the bed. "What the hell are you doing in my bed?" he shrieked when he had collected himself.
"You said to do whatever I wanted," the green haired man shrugged.
"I meant that you could crash on the couch if you liked! Not to sleep in my bed."
Zoro shrugged again. "Then you should have been more specific. So, you were having a nightmare?"
Sanji went with his hand through his hair. "I-it's nothing."
"Had 'em before?"
The blonde sighed and crawled into bed again. "Sometimes. It's always the same. It starts out wonderful. I'm at sea, the most beautiful ocean you can imagine. It's called All Blue. There are all kinds of fish, in every colour imaginable. I'm on a small rowing boat and everywhere I look is water. But then a storm breaks out. The boat keels over and I land in the water. I get pulled down, but I don't drown. I wash ashore on an island, but nothing grows there. There is no food, just enough fresh water to keep me alive. Barely. Ships go and went, but they never see me. So I slowly starve to death, all alone." He suppressed a sob.
Zoro listened in silence. When the cook was finished, he asked: "Do you have it often?"
Sanji sighed. "Not that often. Usually when I'm stressed or something."
The swordsman nodded and got up.
"Where are you going?" A trace of panic sounded through the cook's voice.
"Making you some warm milk. Sounds like you could use that."
A smile appeared on his face. "Oi Marimo," he said when the other man had just left the room. "Don't use the same recipe as your cocoa. I don't think I can handle that much rum at this hour."
Sanji woke from the sunlight that was shining through the curtains. Without opening his eyes, he smiled when he felt a warm body next to him. "Morning, sweetie," he mumbled, while leaning in for a kiss.
"Morning, baby," a deep voice answered.
Sanji's eye flung open and gasped, almost falling out of bed again. "Marimo! Stop being in my bed!"
The swordsman smirked. "That's not what you said last night."
Embarrassed the blonde turned away. It was kind of true. When Zoro had come back with two mugs of warm milk, they had talked for a while and it had really calmed him down. That caused him to make the mistake of saying: "Thanks for staying over."
Sanji got up without looking at the other man. "I only said that because you probably had put rum in my milk anyway."
"Not in yours."
The cook shook his head and gathered his clothes.
"So, why don't you come over to my place tonight?" Zoro casually suggested, while keeping an eye on the figure of the blonde. "It's closer to the restaurant anyway."
"Are you assuming I'm staying over? Can't you get enough of slumber parties?" the chef teased. "But," he continued seriously, "I can't tonight. I promised Luffy I'd cook for him."
"Oh. Well, have fun then."
"Are you jealous?" the chef mocked. "I can't spend all my time with you."
"Why would I be jealous? If you're not coming, I finally don't have to eat your shitty food," Zoro snorted, putting on his boots.
That evening Sanji rang the doorbell of Luffy's house. After Zoro's comment on his food they had fought again, but the chef ended up feeding the shitty swordsman breakfast anyway. The latter had suggested they could spar together sometimes in a place where they had space and wouldn't disturb the neighbours. He had agreed. After all, besides Zoro, he didn't know anyone who stood a chance with him.
The door opened and the voluptuous figure of Nami appeared on the doorstep. "Ah, Nami-swan! I didn't know I had the honour to cook for someone as lovely such as yourself!"
The orange haired girl waved away his flirtations. "Yeah, yeah. Just hurry up, Luffy's hungry."
"Is there a time he isn't?" Sanji asked, following her inside and trying not to stare at her behind.
"Food! And Sanji!" he was greeted by the hyperactive boy. "I'm hungry."
"So I've heard. But you'll have to be patient until dinner's ready." The chef looked around the living room. "Is Ace not going to join?"
"Nah, he's on a date with Marco. But he was pretty bummed when he found out you were coming." Luffy grinned.
Sanji shook his head and strolled to the kitchen. He had to kick out Luffy a couple of times – as expected – but in general the black haired boy behaved relatively well. While eating dinner, Sanji told how things were going at the restaurant and Nami explained what she did for a living. Apparently she was a notary and a damn good one at that. Luffy was between jobs right now and just today his grandfather Garp had stopped by to yell at him about it.
Watching the black haired boy inhale the food, Sanji asked Nami: "How do you usually do things with dinner? Do you cook?"
The girl snorted. "He doesn't want to pay me, so no. Ace sometimes tries to cook, but every time he manages to set something on fire. It's a good thing he's a fireman himself, otherwise the house would have burned down a long time ago. Oddly enough he never burns himself. It's like the flames can't touch him," she mused. "But usually we eat out."
"I can give cooking lessons," the blonde offered.
"Thanks, but Luffy's not patient enough to learn and I'm usually late off work. Ace is the only one who has a shot."
"Remember Tuesday? Then Marco cooked for us," Luffy said with his mouth full.
"Oh yes. He's a fairly decent cook."
Sanji laughed. "Then I should hope things work out between him and Ace."
"Or with you and Zoro," Luffy grinned.
The blonde frowned. "Excuse me?"
"Oh, never mind him. He's still thinking you and Zoro actually dated," Nami said quickly and shoved a fork full of food in her boyfriend's mouth.
"Well, we didn't," Sanji said curtly. "And even so, why would it help you if I dated Zoro? I would cook for him, not you."
Luffy pouted. "But Zoro comes over a lot and you don't. Wait, now that I think of it, he doesn't come over that often anymore. He's always hanging out with you!" Accusingly he pointed with his fork to the chef. But then his frown turned into a smile. "So you must come over, too."
"I'm sorry, but this is the first night in a long time I'm off early. Usually I'm too tired to do anything."
"Then what do you do with Zoro?" Nami inquired.
"Just guy stuff. Talking, watching TV and stuff."
"That's not guy stuff," she snorted.
"We also drink beer."
She nodded, like she now accepted Sanji's statement.
"You could do that here," Luffy pouted.
The blonde sighed. "I'll try to make more time for you. But I can't drag Zoro along, if he doesn't want to."
"Then you should date him!" Luffy exclaimed. "Nami drags me to places I don't want to go all the time!"
Sanji flushed. Fortunately the black haired boy just finished licking his plate clean and enthusiastically yelled for dessert.
"You just ate enough to feed an entire orphanage," the chef said, while collecting the dishes. He was glad the subject had changed.
After dessert – perfect crème brulée – Sanji did the dishes and made coffee for him and Nami, as Luffy was too hyperactive to have any caffeine. The blonde sat down on the couch next to the bouncing boy, careful not to spill any of the hot beverage. Nami had excused herself for a moment.
"So why aren't you dating Zoro?" Luffy asked out of the blue.
The blonde almost spit coffee over himself. He had hoped that they were done with this subject, but apparently the boy didn't think so. He thought for a moment how he could explain this to someone who was as naive and innocent as Luffy. "Zoro is a guy. I don't like guys that way," he tried.
"But you like Zoro." The black haired boy tilted his head.
"Sure, as a friend. But I don't like-like him."
"But Zoro likes you."
"Yes, but he doesn't like-like me." Sanji was beginning to feel desperate.
"Yes, he does." A grin appeared on his face. "He like-likes you a lot-lot."
"Luffy!" Nami had just entered the room again. Her voice sounded shrill.
Slowly Luffy's words got through to the blonde. Zoro liked him? As more than a friend? His face turned pale.
The black haired boy on the other hand didn't grasp the impact of his words at all. "Nami!" he yelled cheerfully back to his girlfriend.
She ignored him though, and asked carefully: "Sanji?"
"He can't like me," the blonde mumbled. "He said so himself."
"Well, than that's probably true," the girl said, but she didn't sound very convincing.
"He can't like me," Sanji continued. "We're friends, that's all… He can't…" Suddenly he got on his feet, placing his coffee mug a little too hard on the coffee table. "I-I got to go. Thank you for a lovely evening." As fast as he could, he made his way to the door, ignoring – against his custom – Nami's calls after him.
He just had to leave, to get some fresh air. His whole relationship with Zoro was turned upside down. He had thought they were just good friends – close friends even. The swordsman had joked about relationship things, like having sex, but the blonde had always assumed he just did that to embarrass him. After all, the green haired man had said himself he wasn't interested in Sanji. And now he liked him?
That night he couldn't get to sleep, only thinking what the hell he should do about Zoro. All he could think of was not seeing the man anymore. But if he did that, could he stay friends with Ace and Luffy?
Fortunately the next day he could busy himself with work, but when he got home he was getting anxious. It was around the time Zoro usually showed up. He let out the lights and immediately went for his bedroom, which wasn't visible from the street. He didn't have to wait long. After about fifteen minutes the doorbell rang. He stayed quietly on his bed. The doorbell rung a few more times, before Zoro seemed to give up.
Sanji heaved a sigh of relief. He felt guilty, but he didn't know what to say to the swordsman right now. At that moment his phone started to vibrate. He cursed under his breath when he read 'Marimo' on the screen. Hesitant he picked up. "Yeah?"
"Curly, you're not home?"
"Er, no. I – I'm on a date actually."
"Date?" Zoro asked like he never heard that word before.
"Yes, a date. That's so hard to believe?" Sanji got a little annoyed.
"A little. Where did you meet this girl? It is a girl, right?"
He might imagined it, but did that last bit sounded a little hopeful? But, he decided, it was time for once and for all to make clear that the swordsman didn't have a chance with him. Maybe then he just had to avoid the green haired man for a while and they could become friends for real after that. So he snapped: "Of course it's a girl. I'm fucking straight!"
It stayed quiet for a while on the other end of the line. Then Zoro said: "Well, have fun. How about tomorrow?"
"I have to work late then."
Silence again. "Just let me know when you're free," the swordsman said in a quiet voice.
"Sure. Later." Sanji sighed and threw his phone on the bed. Guilt gnawed on his conscience, but what could he do? Zoro knew from the moment they met that the blonde wasn't into men. So he just had to get over it. And if Sanji had to avoid him for a while, then so be it.
Over the next couple of days he made sure he worked late and he fell asleep right away when he came home. When one day Zeff sent him home early, he called Ace to see if the black haired man still was interested in him cooking. As it turned out, he was.
"Of course I still want to taste your cooking! I was afraid I missed my chance, since you came over when I was on a date. Which I am tonight as well, so could you cook for Marco and me both? Please?"
Sanji chuckled. "Sure, no problem."
"Great," the voice on the other end continued relieved. "Can you come to Marco's house then? Otherwise Luffy will eat everything."
When he rang the doorbell of Marco's house, the arson inspector answered the door. Ace apparently wasn't there yet. Marco pointed him to the kitchen, where he started to unpack the ingredients he had brought. After that, he inspected the tools he had to work with. Despite being a man living alone, Marco had a fairly decent amount of kitchen utensils. Well, Nami had said the arson inspector was a relatively good cook.
While he got the utensils he needed, he noticed the other blonde observing him. When he turned around, Marco said: "You look troubled."
"Do I? Well, you could say I'm a bit stressed. You know, work stuff." From the corner of his eye the chef watched the other man. Marco considered his words, but then nodded.
Sanji turned back to his chopping board and started to cut a courgette in perfect equal slices. He didn't lie to the arson inspector, he just omitted the part about Zoro.
The doorbell rang again. The cook heard the voice of Ace in the hallway and a few seconds later two strong arms wrapped around his waist. "Sanji!"
He froze.
Ace let go of him and looked at him curiously and a bit worried. "You okay, sexy?"
"Yeah. You just scared me."
"You seem tired."
"I haven't slept well the last couple of nights."
"Really? Sometimes I wish I couldn't sleep. But then I would be a narcoleptic with insomnia." Ace chuckled and Sanji decided to join in. "But shouldn't you go to bed then instead of cooking for us?" the black haired man continued with a serious face.
"No!" The blonde bit his lip, and quickly said: "I can't sleep anyway, so I might as well make myself useful. Besides, I promised I'd cook for you, and now I have the time. Now, go enjoy your date." He pushed both men out of the kitchen. Neither of them argued.
It was a few days later, a Sunday, and the first day Sanji had off in a while. In the last days Zoro had texted him a couple of times, but he had always responded he had to work, and every time his answers became shorter. It seemed the swordsman had taken the hint, as he had stopped contacting him. But today the blonde didn't have an excuse not to hang out, so he dreaded the phone call.
When his phone rang however, it wasn't the swordsman calling.
"Hey, Ace." He tried to sound optimistic.
"Sanji! I wanted to thank you for the other night. The evening turned out to be great."
After he had served dinner and cleaned up the kitchen, Sanji had left Marco and Ace alone. It was a date after all. He was glad the evening had been a success.
"I mean really great," Ace continued in a suggestive tone. "If you know what I mean."
"I don't think I want to know."
"We had sex."
Sanji sighed. "Yeah, I got that. I'm glad my food was such an aphrodisiac," he added sarcastically.
"Me too," the freckled man said enthusiastic like he hadn't noticed Sanji's tone. "Anyway, as a thank-you I'm taking you to a spa. They have an amazing steam bath."
"That's nice of you, and I like you and Marco both, but I don't think I want to sit in a steam bath with a couple," the blonde said carefully.
"Marco isn't coming. Just you and me. What d'you say?"
About an hour later the chef found himself outside the spa, waiting for Ace. He hadn't needed much convincing in the end. A steam bath sounded really good, he needed to relax. And best of all, no Marimo, just him and Ace.
When the black haired man arrived, they went to change together. Wearing nothing but a towel, steam came their way when they opened the door of the steam bath. Still, not even the haze could hide the green head of hair that was sitting in the corner. Despite the heat, Sanji froze. "Marimo?"
The swordsman looked up. "Curly? Why are you here?"
"Hey Zoro, what a coincidence we meet you here," Ace interrupted quickly.
"What do you mean? You invited me here." The green haired man frowned.
"Oh? Silly me. Well, I have to go–"
But before the black haired man could leave the steam bath, Sanji grabbed him at the wrist. "Don't you dare to leave," the latter hissed.
The fireman looked a little surprised, but said reassuring: "Okay, I'll stay."
Sanji sat down as far as possible from the swordsman, the latter raising his eyebrows. Ace sat down between them and told Zoro about his last date with Marco.
"You really like this guy, don't you?" Zoro asked.
Ace sighed, reminding Sanji of a teenage girl in love. "I do. He's so mature."
"And how're things going with your girl?" The swordsman turned to Sanji.
"Huh? Oh, fine," he said distracted. He was still figuring out how he could get out of there without looking suspicious.
"What's her name?"
"Er…" Sanji was at a loss for words. Shit, why couldn't he think of a girl's name?
The green haired man gave a scornful laugh. "So Mr Gentleman can't even remember what his girl is called?"
"I can too–"
"But you don't know it, 'cause she doesn't exist. Right?"
Sanji lowered his eyes. He couldn't meet Zoro's penetrating look. He hated to lie, but he hated it even more to get caught when he did.
"Why would you lie?" the swordsman asked accusingly.
The blonde clenched his fists. It was now or never. "Maybe because I don't want to spend every night with you!" He tried to look everywhere but at the other man, because he couldn't stand the hurt look on his face.
"Then why didn't you say something?" the swordsman asked in a softer voice.
"'Cause I'm polite!"
"Since when is lying polite?"
"Since it apparently is the only thing to get through your thick skull."
Zoro opened his mouth to respond, but Ace interfered: "Guys, guys! We're here to relax, remember?"
"Then ask Curly-brow what got his panties in a twist," Zoro mumbled.
Ace looked from him to Sanji and back. Then he said: "I don't think he's wearing anything underneath his towel."
The blonde clenched his teeth, but didn't say anything. Why did Ace have to say that? He didn't want Zoro to think about him, much less his naked body. His breath became more rapid, but the hot and moist air made him dizzy. Suddenly the room seemed too small. "I gotta go," he mumbled and ran out of the steam bath.
It wasn't long before Ace followed him. "Sanji, what's wrong? Are you sick?"
The blonde took a few breaths to calm down. "I'm fine. I just… I can't hang out with Zoro anymore."
The fireman frowned. "Why not?"
So Sanji told him how Luffy had told him the swordsman liked him. During his story Ace kept silent. The chef had never seen the black haired man this serious before. "Anyway, I think it's best not to see him for a while," the blonde concluded. "So I'm leaving."
The fireman didn't stop him.
Zoro looked up when Ace entered the steam bath again. "So? What's up with Curly-Brow?"
"He knows," his friend said in a sepulchral voice.
"He knows what?" the swordsman asked, brows furrowed.
The fireman sighed and sat down next to him. "He knows you like him."
"What? Who the hell told him?!"
"Apparently Luffy did."
"I'm going to kill that kid," Zoro said with clenched jaws.
"Calm down. You know he thought he was helping." Ace looked at him sternly.
"I know," the green haired man sighed. "But he ruined everything, purposely or not. I was just making progress with Sanji!"
The black haired man thought for a moment. Then he slapped on his knees, like he had a brilliant idea. "Don't worry, okay? I'll fix this. I promise."
~ To be continued
Poor Zoro. Will Ace fix things? You'll find out next time...
(Sorry to leave you with a cliff hanger. Please don't kill me ^^; )