ROSE

When Dimitri and I returned home, the house was pure chaos in the best way possible. Between the flurry of pots and pans in the kitchen where Olena and Karolina were working on a veritable feast and the claymation cartoons entertaining the littles, I wasn't sure if anyone other than Yeva noticed that we had come home. Rather than immediately joining the fray, Dimitri and I ran upstairs to change. While dinner wasn't going to be some high-end affair, Viktoria said that because it was a "special occasion," we would all be dressing up for a little.

I stripped off the jeans and t-shirt that I had worn while visiting with our friends, tossing them into the dirty laundry bin. Checking quickly to make sure Dimitri's back was turned, I pulled out the dress I'd hidden away a couple of days ago in the back of the wardrobe. I never considered myself a dress-wearing sort of girl before, but it only took a couple of instances for me to realize that Dimitri had a little weakness (okay, a big weakness) for me in a skirt. Since then, it had become one of my favorite ways to taunt him, and I knew that the little maroon number I had picked up was going to drive him insane. While the dress was long-sleeved and had a pretty modest neckline, it was also short. Like, just-shy-of-obscene short.

I slipped the dress on while Dimitri was busy adjusting the gray cable-knit sweater, holding off on the tights I was planning on wearing for propriety's sake. When he turned to face me, I reveled in the reaction I had been hoping for. Dimitri's eyes went wide as his breath caught for a moment, and he began to trace my every curve with his gaze. It was almost funny; The man had seen me in a bathing suit less than an hour ago, yet he stared at me now almost as if he was seeing my body for the first time ever.

On my toes, I gave a little twirl for him. The skirt of the dress was pretty flouncy, and I knew the quick movement would leave me all but flashing him my barely-there underwear. His hand darted out quickly, catching me mid-spin. He had moved to the bed and was sitting on the edge when he pulled me between his open legs. Dimitri held me close to his body, and then it was my turn to be stunned for a moment when I felt how hard he already was. I knew I had been playing with fire a little, but then hunger in his eyes told me that we wouldn't be leaving this room until he was satisfied.

"Naughty girl, Roza."

He whispered my name like a beautiful curse before he kissed me, claiming me slow and deep until there could be no doubt as to who owned me; heart, body, and soul. I melted into his embrace until his arms were the only thing holding me upright. As his kiss slipped from lips to skin, I felt him whisper against my ear.

"I believed I promised you a proper celebration."

It took me a second for my mind to catch up to whatever he was suggesting.

"There are people downstairs," I warned, trying and failing to pull away from him.

His devious smirk let me know that he was well aware of that fact…and didn't care one bit. "Well, I guess we better be quiet, then."

Before I could protest anymore, he took me by the hips, flipped me onto the bed, and pinned me beneath him with his body. I nearly squealed with how quickly he moved, but he swallowed the sound and let his hands wander until I was quietly whimpering into his kiss instead.

I squirmed as his fingers ran up and down my bare leg, each tickling pass creeping a little further under my dress until he abandoned all pretense and pushed the fabric of my underwear aside. There was no hesitance when he felt how wet I was for him, and with echoing moans, he slipped two fingers inside me. I arched up into his touch, demanding more of what he was already freely offering me. Thankfully, he seemed amused by my greediness, and when I wrapped my leg around him, he gave a little chuckle before using the heel of his palm to put delicious pressure on my clit. It wasn't enough to send me into an orgasm, but it was more than sufficient to drive me wild.

I wanted to touch him, too. I wanted it so badly, but every single time I tried to find a purchase, he'd pull back. Oh, he made it subtle at first. A tilt of his head when I tried to weave my fingers through his hair or the clever shift in his hips when I tried to sneak my hands under his shirt. One part distraction and one part evasion, he managed to drive me crazy until I was begging beneath him.

"Shhh. This is for you," he assured me when I whined his name in frustration.

"If this is for me, don't you think you should give me what I want?" It seemed like sound logic to me, but apparently, he didn't agree.

With one last teasing kiss and a hand pressed to my shoulder to keep me laid back against the bedspread, he moved down my body until he was settled between my wide-spread legs. I wondered for a moment if he would strip me of my panties (I'd have to change them anyway since it was almost embarrassing how soaked they now were), but he didn't bother. Instead, he nuzzled his cheek against the smooth skin of my inner thigh before teasing me through the fabric. He kissed, nipped, and licked at me, each touch slightly dulled by the cloth between us. Perhaps that should have made things less intense, but the opposite was true. It was as if the blunted sensations just left me craving more. I knew what that clever tongue was capable of, but his purposeful denial left me clawing at the sheets in need.

Finally, he gave me some relief. I had been wearing a thin, lacy thong underneath my dress. It was pretty but fragile, which Dimitri was all too willing to prove as he grasped a bit and literally tore it from my body. I thought all that 'panty ripping' stuff was romance-novel nonsense, but apparently not.

I didn't have time to be shocked or scold Dimitri for ripping apart something I had just spent ten bucks on because a moment later, my mind went totally blank as his tongue dipped into me. Every dulled sensation suddenly became razor-sharp and sliced through my body with the expertise that only Dimitri could manage. I swear, I couldn't even make myself feel the things Dimitri somehow made me feel.

He ate me as if he was starving, and I was his favorite meal. He completely devoured me, and all I could do was hold on and try not to scream. Out of desperation, I covered my mouth to muffle myself, but it didn't do much to quiet my whimpers. Thankfully, Dimitri showed me a hint of mercy.

His hand worked its way up slowly, snaking up past my stomach and between my breasts until I felt his hand pause and wrap around my throat for a moment. I looked down at him, my chest heaving as I panted around his gentle grip, only to realize he was already watching me. Heat and amusement played in his eyes as he continued to feast between my thighs, and he gave me a quick wink before squeezing his grip a little. Not tight enough to choke or hurt me, of course. Dimitri would never hurt me. All he was offering was the reminder that it didn't matter where he was—be it on his knees or halfway around the world—I was his. I was his, and he was mine.

Then his hand replaced mine, muffling my cries in his large palm. I clutched his wrist, knowing that I'd expose us if he dared to move it at all. My grip was shaky, though. I was trembling, a tight string vibrating under the pull of pleasure. It mounted quickly as he started focusing more on my clit, and I felt myself begin to fray at the edges. The fingers that had been leaving bruises on my thigh were now buried deep inside me, giving my body something to clench around as I finally fell over the edge.

Unable to hold back anymore, I bit down on his palm as I shattered. Dimitri growled through the pain but didn't dare move his hand until I quieted and relaxed in a post-orgasmic high.

I heard an almost pained grunt behind me.

"Tрахни!"

I wasn't entirely present enough to process Dimitri's sudden outburst, but I didn't question him when he quickly flipped me to my stomach. I vaguely heard his belt and zipper before I felt his cock enter me with a single thrust. He immediately tensed and grasped blindly for my hand as he spilled his inside me with a deep, soul-shattering groan.

Slowly, the room came back into focus again. Light poured through the cracks in the curtains. The sounds of laughter and smells of cooking filtered from the party below. Cum dripped from me between my thighs.

I felt Dimitri gather my hair to one side, exposing the back of my neck before he gave it a kiss and laughed in an almost self-deprecating way. "Sorry," he whispered lovingly against my skin. "You're just so beautiful when you fall apart like that. I couldn't help myself."

I hummed as he eventually pulled away and glanced at him over my shoulder. He really must have been on the edge right there at the end because, except for his undone belt and zipper, the man was still completely dressed. He didn't even have to hike his pants back over his hips. He just had to adjust his clothing slightly, and he looked just as put together as before. Or almost as put together as before. There was a very distinct flush to his cheeks that wasn't there a half-hour ago.

Not that I was one to talk. I'm sure I looked ten times worse.

"Hold on," Dimitri said as I started to sit up. A minute later, I felt a soft cloth between my legs as he cleaned me up a bit. "Better?"

I nodded. I still felt somewhat of a mess, but unless I took a shower, there was no way I'd be able to completely clean up. I considered the idea before glancing at the clock and saw how late it was. The rest of the guests were going to arrive within the next twenty minutes or so, which wasn't nearly enough time to clean up and put myself back together again.

Resigned to my fate this evening, I gave Dimitri a quick kiss, found a new pair of underwear, and slipped on my tights.

No sooner had we made it downstairs than I heard a knock at the door.

"I got it!" Paul cried out, running past Dimitri and me as he hurried to see whoever was on the other side. Zoya, dressed in a sparkly holiday dress that made her look like an adorable puffball of tulle and bows, toddled after her brother. Katya had been wearing a matching one earlier, but Sonya had apparently changed her out of the dress after a few pictures because the itchy fabric had only made her fuss. Now, she was happily being passed around in a much softer-looking outfit that made her look somewhat like a gingerbread cookie.

"Mr Mazur!" Paul's excitement at seeing my father earned me a slightly concerned look from Dimitri. While Dimitri no longer feared my father (at least, I was pretty sure he wasn't afraid of him anymore), he still made Dimitri a bit wary. Realizing how comfortable his nephew had grown to my father's presence was probably a bit of a surprise. Dimitri knew that my father and I had grown closer since he'd come into my life, but I wasn't sure I had told him just how often Abe dropped by the house. My father had somehow weaseled his way into the family over the last few months. Now, Paul treated him like some sort of surrogate uncle or grandfather.

"Hey there, Buddy," My father said as he ruffled Paul's hair affectionately. He then scooped Zoya up, making her giggle as he tossed her into the air for a second. "And look at you, Little Princess! What a pretty dress you're wearing."

Zoya beamed, patting the glittery skirt and babbling something so quickly that it was hard to understand. Still, my father nodded along as if whatever she said was the most interesting thing in the world.

Finally, set Zoya down and reached for me, pulling me into a tight hug. "Happy Holidays, Kizim."

"Happy Holidays, Dad."

His eyebrows shot up. "Dad?"

"Don't get too excited, Old Man. Consider it my Christmas gift." We both tried to play it off like it was no big deal, but I think it was. Not just for him, but for me too. I had never addressed him as 'Dad' before, even though I had grown more and more used to thinking of him that way in my head. A part of me had honestly wondered if he'd even notice the change. Clearly, he had.

He brought me in for another hug, kissing my cheek as he did so. "Thank you, Kizim. I couldn't ask for a better gift." His whisper was so quiet I knew it wouldn't be overheard by anyone else. This moment was just for us.

And as soon as he pulled back, it was over. He turned his attention to Dimitri, who immediately stuck his hand out for a somewhat awkward handshake.

"Good to see you again, Sir."

My father laughed. I think he secretly (or maybe not so secretly) enjoyed that he still had the power to make Dimitri nervous. Perhaps it was just my father's personality, or maybe it was the strange sense of accomplishment that all fathers took pleasure in whenever they could intimidate their daughter's boyfriends. Either way, he smirked and waited an extra beat so he could throw Dimitri even more off balance before finally returning the gesture. "Good to see you too, Dimitri. Thanks for flying all the way out here to join us."

"Nowhere else I'd rather be."

His reply was clearly what my father had been hoping to hear because he gave a quick nod before casually adding, "Call me Abe. No need to be so formal with family."

Dimitri looked like he was struggling for some sort of reply, but whatever he would have said was brushed aside as my father looked back towards the doorway. "Ah, there he is."

My father opened the front door, revealing Pavel with an almost bewildering amount of boxes and bags in his arms. Pavel balanced the precarious stack as he slipped inside and tried to stomp the snow off his boots. Dimitri and I reached to take the pile so he could properly remove his winter gear. However, as he shifted away, I saw Henry carrying an equally shocking mountain of gifts.

"Dad," I chastised gently. I knew I shouldn't have been surprised by his generosity, but he was probably putting Father Winter to shame right now. On second thought, perhaps that was what he had been going for. Even his outfit, as extravagant as always, was filled with the same splashes of blue and white that the mythical man was known for.

My father gave a good-natured shrug as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

After all the gifts were placed under the tree, easily doubling the amount that had been there this morning, Dimitri and I helped set the table for dinner. It was a tight squeeze to fit everyone at a table that wasn't designed for more than eight people, but we managed somehow.

As soon as prayers were given, food was served, and drinks were poured, Dimitri leaned and whispered in my ear. "So, when did you want to tell them?"

I didn't have to ask what he was referring to because the answer was practically bursting inside of me. It was taking everything in me to keep from shouting the news from the rooftop, but now that there was everyone was here, perhaps it was the right time. Especially since I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold it back.

"Right now?" I answered, looking for confirmation that it wouldn't be totally inappropriate to interrupt the holiday dinner.

He didn't say anything, but his wide pride-filled smile was answer enough. He leaned back, giving me a little room to stand.

The buzz of conversation at the table instantly quieted as everyone's attention turned towards me. Dimitri squeezed my hand, offering a tiny bit of reassurance as I quickly shoved down my nervous energy.

"So, I know we're all here to celebrate Chri–sorry, New Years." I cleared my throat, quickly amending myself and the way the holidays were still somewhat mixed interchangeably in my mind. "But since we're all gathered, I wanted to share some good news with everyone. As some of you know, I applied to a couple of universities a while back…" Several faces lit up, already anticipating what I was about to say. "...and I just heard back that I was accepted into–"

I didn't have a chance to share anything else before the table started celebrating. It obviously didn't matter to them where I had been accepted, only that I had reached a new milestone. Olena was immediately at my side, wrapping me in an awkward hug around my chair. I laughed at her enthusiasm, pulling back to step away from the table so I could properly hug her. "Congratulations, Rose. We're so proud of you."

I beamed under her praise. Sure, I knew she would be happy for me, but I didn't realize how much her approval would really affect me. I gave a little sniff and rubbed at the tears trying to gather in my eyes, then laughed when I realized she was doing the same.

"Thank you," I said, emotion making the words feel a little strained. "Thank you for everything."

When she stepped back, my father was right there to fill the space. "I knew you'd get in. They would have been fools not to accept you," he said with an assurance that only a blindly supportive parent could manage. Part of me wanted to show him my transcript from St. Vladimirs and insisted that they actually were fools for accepting me, but I decided not to break the image he currently had of me.

After a few more congratulatory hugs and even more well wishes from the others still seated at the table, we settled back to our feast. People asked all sorts of questions between bites of olivier salad and roasted pork, but since I had only received the news this morning, I didn't have all the answers. Still, I answered everything I could.

"It's mostly an online university," I said when Vika asked if I would have to leave Baia. "However, I will have to leave each semester for a week or so to take my final exams in one of the larger cities."

"Novisbirk?" Pavel asked.

I quickly swallowed a mouthful of the roasted potatoes I had loaded onto my plate before answering. "I could go there since there is a satellite campus there. However, there's also a campus in Moscow."

My father perked up across from me. "Really?"

"Yep, and I was kinda thinking it might be fun to visit you there." My father had several residences because he traveled so much, and while I think he considered his place at Court his homebase, I was pretty sure that his condo in Moscow was a close second. Realizing that I might have been too eager with my assumption, I quickly tacked on, "If that's okay with you, of course."

"Nothing would make me happier, Kizim." His smile reassured me of his words. "Just let me know when your finals are, and I'll be sure to clear my schedule. We already have an extra room ready for you whenever you'd like it."

DIMITRI

Dinner was a lazy affair that gradually slipped into dessert and then just idle conversation as we counted down the minutes to New Years. At some point, someone had put on a movie in the background called "The Irony of Fate." It was a somewhat odd tradition throughout the country, though I had no idea why or how it had started. It was just one of those things everyone did now without rhyme or reason. Nobody was really paying attention to it anyway. Paul was wrapped up in the handheld video game Rose's father had gifted him, and Zoya had passed out on the couch an hour or so ago wearing a princess crown and snuggling the unicorn stuffed animal—also gifts from Abe. It seemed like the man had somehow adopted my family the same way my family had adopted Rose into their lives. It was a little odd at first, but the more I watched Abe interact with everyone, the more comfortable I became with the idea.

I absentmindedly picked at the serving of brightly colored selyodka pod shuboy left on my plate. The English translation, "herring under a fur coat," was admittedly odd, but it was beloved by many in my home country. In fact, a New Year's feast without it would probably be considered sacrilegious. As much as I enjoyed it, Rose had turned her nose up at the dish, unwilling to even try something with shredded beets and pickled herring. Considering her reaction to the high-end caviar her father had brought as a gift for my mother, it was probably for the best. Rose had even gone so far as to warn me that any kissing was completely off the table after my first bite, at least not until I had thoroughly brushed my teeth twice and ate half a dozen mints.

Personally, I felt the tradeoff was worth it…at least temporarily.

"So, Dimitri," Danila started, unwrapping one of the dozen mandarin oranges that had been piled into a bowl on the table. "When do you plan on moving back to Baia?"

I swear, the entire table fell into a hush as the question lingered. Nobody had asked me that question because, to everyone else at the table, the answer was obvious.

I wasn't planning on moving back home. At least, not for a long, long time.

How long? I wasn't sure, but long enough that Rose and I hadn't even discussed it before. Everyone else has been too kind to ask. However, now that the question was out there, I couldn't help but notice just how interested my mother and the others were in my answer.

Danila quickly picked up on the awkwardness, especially after Karo gave him a subtle shake of her head in admonition. "I'm sorry…" Danila said, stumbling over his words as he tried to backtrack. "I didn't mean–"

"It's okay," I assured him, cutting off the apology. I glanced at Rose, who was pointedly not looking at me. Her back was stiff, and I laid my hand on top of hers. She weaved her fingers through mine but still refused to look at me. Without any guidance from her, I tried to tread the uncertain waters on my own. "There are no firm plans for me to move back right now, but I'm open to it in the future."

It wasn't the most satisfying answer, even to me, but it was the best I had at the moment. Perhaps that was a conversation that Rose and I should have soon. We had initially hoped that she could eventually return to Court, but that seemed less likely now that Tatiana was refusing to overturn her exile order. So, what other option was there except for me to move back?

I tried to imagine my life back in Baia. There was a particular lightness to the idea of being back home, but there was also a whole lot of uncertainty. Like Rose when she first arrived, I wasn't suited to a job outside of being a guardian. I would be starting over just like she had. Perhaps it was hypocritical of me after doing everything I could to reassure and support her, but the thought of trying to find a life that didn't center around the tattoos on my neck and the oath I had sworn was terrifying. Still…if that was the only way for us to be together…

Thankfully, a totally oblivious Vika drew the attention away from the unanswerable as she called out from the stairs. "Sonya! I'm borrowing your red heels!"

"Tonight?" My sister's brow furrowed. The rest of us looked just as confused. "For what?"

Vika barreled down the stairs, stopping halfway down as she answered. "The party," she said as if everyone should have known what she was referring to. One look around assured me I wasn't the only one totally unaware of what she was talking about.

"Do you plan on wearing that?" my mother asked.

"Yeah?" Vika looked down at her outfit for a moment. "Why?"

"Absolutely not," my mother answered, shaking her head vehemently.

"Why! Rose is basically wearing the same thing right now!"

If Viktoria had been looking for some winning argument, she couldn't have chosen a worse one. I had literally pounced on Roza seconds after seeing her in her dress, not that I was going to share that particular bit of information. Plus, the outfit Vika had changed into was far more revealing than what Rose was currently wearing. Once she had put her tights on, Rose was basically covered from wrist to ankles. Not only had Vika neglected any sort of leggings or tights under her dress, but it also seemed to be held up by nothing more than two flimsy strings tied around her neck.

Even if her outfit did fire up my brotherly protective instincts to lock her in her bedroom and throw away the key, I wasn't going to say anything. I'd let my mother take care of it. I glanced down at Rose to see if I was maybe overreacting, but she quietly nodded along with my mother as she laid out all the reasons Vika wouldn't be going anywhere in that getup.

"You know that outfit is inappropriate, Vika. Not only because it is much too risque for a girl your age but also because it is beyond freezing out. You'll catch pneumonia before you make it past the driveway." I thought that might be the end of it, but she continued. "On top of everything, you neglected to tell me of your plans. I don't want you going out alone tonight."

"But Mama!"

"What if I go with her?" Rose cut in, bringing the impending argument to a standstill. "If she changes into something a little warmer and I go with her, would that be okay?"

Seeing the small lifeline that Rose was offering, Vika glanced between her and my mother hopefully.

My mother wavered a little more until Rose added, "And Dimitri will come, too."

"I will?" I wasn't sure I wanted to be dragged into this debate, much less a party. All it took was one look at Roza to break me of my resolve. The quiet plea in her eyes and her little half-smile were more than enough to sway me. "I mean, of course I'll go with them."

I heard Vika squeal of victory as Rose mouthed a silent 'thank you.'

"Fine," my mother said, finally relenting to the abrupt change of plans this evening. "But, I want you home by two. Understand?"

Rose and I nodded, agreeing instantly since I didn't think either of us really wanted to stay out late anyway. Vika took an extra moment, but perhaps seeing that this was the best offer she was going to get, finally accepted and ran back upstairs to change into what was hopefully a much more appropriate outfit.

"I guess we better get ready, too." Rose patted my hand and stood from the table. "Thank you, Olena. We'll watch out for her tonight."

I followed Rose up the stairs, momentarily pausing at Vika's door to let her know we'd be leaving right after the midnight toasts. That was only about twenty minutes from now, so it wouldn't delay us too much. As soon as Rose and I were alone in our room, though, I leveled her a skeptical look.

"Do you really want to spend the next couple of hours at a high school house party?"

"Not really," she answered with a chuckle. "But Vika's going to graduate soon, and she won't have many more chances like this. I know you're old as dirt, but surely you remember those last few months of freedom and the need to experience as much as you possibly could before it was too late."

I groaned, knowing that Rose had a valid point. If my sister was going to be a guardian after graduation, she wouldn't have many more opportunities to do things like party with friends. "Fine. But you owe me."

"Is that right? Well, I'm sure I'll think of something."

I watched her gaze drop toward my belt as she bit her lip, and suddenly, the thought of leaving this room at all seemed like a horrible idea. I shook off the notion, remembering that there was something else I needed to talk to her about.

"So, um…" I tried to think about how to broach the topic without destroying the mood, but when nothing seemed viable, I decided to just go for it and face the consequences. "About what Danila said…"

Rose stilled instantly, and I mourned the playfulness that we had been enjoying just moments ago. "What about it?"

"Are you alright?"

She waved me off. "I'm fine. Really. It just took me by surprise."

I could see that she wanted to just move on, but there was still some of the earlier stiffness to her. I placed my hand on her shoulder, feeling the muscles slowly release as she accepted my comfort. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She sighed and placed her hand on top of mine for a moment. When she let go, I worried for a moment that she would retreat back into herself. Instead, Rose kissed the inside of my wrist and then wrapped my arms around her as she stepped into my waiting embrace. "There's not much to talk about, is there?" Her words were slightly muffled against my chest. "I mean, you're there, and I'm here, and that's how it needs to be right now."

"Right now," I echoed. "But not forever, Roza. You know that, right?"

"I know." She gave me a tight smile that made me somewhat concerned that while she knew what I was promising, she may not quite believe it. I wasn't sure what else I could do or say to reassure her, especially when I didn't have all the answers myself. All I knew was that I didn't want this—the distance and longing—to be our forever. I wasn't sure I could survive it.

Glancing at the alarm clock and noticing the time, I gave her a quick kiss on the top of her head and said, "Let's head back down. It's almost midnight. They're probably already pouring the champagne."

Russia was nothing if not a haven for superstition and tradition. Never shake hands over a threshold or gift an even number of flowers. Always sit with your family for a moment before embarking on a trip. Some made sense, many did not, but none were ever questioned. Those superstitions tied to the New Year seemed to have a special sacredness around them, so not even Rose blinked an eye when slips of paper were handed out with flutes of champagne. She simply wrote down her wish for the New Year, burned the paper with a match, and let the ashes fall into the glass.

As the final countdown to midnight began, I watched as my paper burned, the words fading as the flame carried them off towards fate.

...8…7…6…

I glanced over at Roza, only to see that she was looking at me, too. For a moment, I wondered if our wishes were the same. I'd never ask, though. Not if we wanted them to come true.

...3…2…1…

Then I tipped my glass back, swallowing my hopes along with the sweet champagne and celebration.

Author's Note

Thanks for being patient with me while waiting for this 5.5k beast of a chapter. The good news is that the next chapter only needs minor editing but is otherwise finished. That being said...

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR NEXT CHAPTER!

Like many fanfics, this story is created and posted as it is written. While major story arcs and plot points are formed in one way or another, many elements are developed as we go along. This next chapter is a perfect example of that, especially as it requires me to add new content/trigger warnings that I had not initially planned. Those warnings are
1) Sexual Assault (of secondary character)
2) Non-consensual drugging (of secondary character)
3) Mention of rape

At this time, these triggers will be confined only to chapter 40. If you want to skip the next chapter and rejoin us in chapter 41, then I understand and support that decision. Chapter 40 will add minor story progression and character development, but it will contain no essential information required to enjoy the rest of the story. If you have any questions, feel free to DM me.