[Fiction] Aquarius

[Dareholic]

Poor Nata, ouch!

[HondaJunkie93]

Once again, Well done!

[OwnMe8]

VI

"You okay?"
>>>Nata grunted as he slightly limped into class and dropped into his seat next to Ray. He raised an eyebrow. "First your legs...now you're limping..." Ray looked up at the fluorescent lights flickering behind frosted glass in the ceiling. He tapped his chin, a broad grin spreading across his face. "Is there something you're not telling me about?" Ray smiled, turning to face Nata who was in a mixture of stiff soreness and exhaustion. "Are you having some wild fun that I don't know about?" Ray winked childishly.
>>>Nata sunk back in his chair. His eyes felt heavy, like the universe itself wanted nothing more than for him to lie his head down and take a nice long and peacefu---
>>>"Nata!." Ray shook his friend's shoulder vigorously. "You okay man?"
>>>Nata's eye lids shot open, just to be slowly pulled closed again by the universe's temptings. He rolled his head on his outstretched arm. "Tired."
"Well no duh. How much did you sleep?"
>>>Nata squinted his eyes, thinking heavily down a long slow path. Well, he finally uncurled in the pool hall - that was around two. Then he limped home - maybe two-forty. He crashed on his bed, but a dull throbbing in his groin kept his eyes from staying shut for long. His lungs burned from the inhaled water. No, he probably fell asleep around five. And he woke up with that damn annoying alarm at...6:30.
>>>His mouth stretching wide a large yawn, he concluded. "Probably around and hour and a half." Ray frowned as his best friend drifted back off.
>>>Mr. Stevens, their 12th grade AP Gov teacher stopped behind Nata's desk. "What's with him?"
"Didn't get any sleep last night I guess."
>>>Mr. Stevens shook his head, sighing. Nata was his best student - what was he supposed to do? He couldn't throw his usual spectacle, pretty much humiliating him in front of the other students. "Uhh, do me a favor and make sure he doesn't snore or anything." Then he walked on. Ray chucked.

Ray watched after Nata all day. Luckily, they had the exact same classes, so Ray was effectively able to keep Nata out of trouble for the rest of the day. He grabbed all of Nata's work too and they walked out to their cars together. Nata was a little better off by now, awake but extremely groggy.
>>>Practice went off similarly. Though Nata ended up with five more laps for his "lazy old granny pace" as coach John called it.

Just to be careful, Ray followed Nata home. Good thing he did too, since Nata drove like an eighty-year-old, pretty much pissing everyone off. He parked down the corner and watched as Nata went inside. From his spot, Ray was able to see that Nata threw his stuff on the ground, patted Storm on the head, and collapsed face down on the couch.
>>>Stroking his curiosity, Ray stayed parked behind the tree and watched Nata's house expectantly. He figured he'd see a girl going in anytime soon. He waited. Growing so bored when nothing was happening, he almost missed Nata slinking out of his front door and walking down the sparsely lit sidewalk. Wherever he was going, Ray knew he had to follow. Though, he left his car behind - if Nata was going on foot there was a reason.

Ray frowned as he saw Nata round a corner a couple hundred feet ahead of him. 'Is he going back to school?' Sure enough, he was soon tailing Nata up the hill and then through an unlocked gate that sat in a pitch black corner of the school. The gate, military in appearance, stood slightly ajar. The school had a prison quality to it, especially at night. It was no surprise then, when Ray found out a year later that the school had actually been designed by a man who did prison architecture for the state. He shook off the heebie jeeves and crouched down behind a wall. Ray peeked around the corner, knowing full well that the large room he was looking into housed their practice pool.
>>>"What the hell?" Ray clapped his hand over his mouth after that less than silent outburst. His eyebrows furled.

On his knees, Nata knelt by the side of the pool. His eyes were locked on the cement in front of him, hair just falling around his face. Ray watched in disbelief as a strong looking woman walked up to him and placed the sole of her foot on his head.
>>>Soon, Nata was in the water doing a variety of drills, but much to the woman's apparent annoyance, he maintained a throbbing hard on. She smacked Nata's speedo clad balls, but that did little to subdue the rigid pole. If anything, it froze harder. Ray gasped. 'What the hell am I watching? Is that really Nata?' He sat back on his heels. 'God, this was like some...what do you call it...bdsm scene. Does Nata get into this sort of thing?'
>>>The woman threw her hands into the air when she couldn't get his hardened manhood to subside. Ray's mouth dropped open when he heard Nata's voice, "I'm sorry mistress."
>>>The woman looked down on Nata, who was dripping wet and back on his knees. Though, Ray could see even from there that his speedo was firmly tented outward. The woman shook her head, "maybe it's your tight speedo. Here, wear this."
>>>Ray blushed heavily, his breath speeding up as his heart raced. He watched as his best friend stripped down to nothing, his dick resolutely at attention, and managing to fit tightly into the woman's extra swimsuit. Despite himself, Ray got wildly turned on seeing Nata in a woman's skin tight suit. Every muscle in his core and back stood out. The high cut v of the legs framed his package and just barely came to the bottom of his ass.
>>>Then, somewhere in the back of his mind, something clicked. 'I know that voice.' He watched in complete amazement for the duration of Nata's training. Once he saw Nata toweling off, Ray slid out of the pool house and resided to leaning against the outside wall
>>>He heard sandled footsteps in a strutting gait. The woman passed by Ray, not even noticing him. Then, she froze.
"Hey Jess."

[Dareholic]

Not bad, please continue.

[OwnMe8]

VII

"You haven't changed...best apple pie in town an you order cheese cake."
>>>A small smile danced on Ray's lips while he worked the metal tongs through the creamy cake in front of him. "But you have. You're a dominatrix and abusing Nata."
>>>The woman sighed. She slid down the booth seat further, her eyes darting around the empty diner. "You know I wanted to talk here so I wouldn't have to hear you say things like that." She shook her head. "Same Ray."
>>>Ray stared at the woman he knew since he was a first grader. He tried to wrap his mind around everything that he saw tonight. This couldn't be Jessica Guren. No, she was the little scared girl that no one played with on the playground. His mind drifted back to his elementary school days.
--"Hey, watcha doin' out here?" A small boy, Ray swung his arms freely back and forth. He rocked on his heels, staring at a small black haired girl sitting behind a large fur at the far end of the playground. She had her slender arms wrapped around her knees.
"I sit here during recess".
>>>The little Ray sat down, leaning his back against the tree. "Why's that?" His childish voice was high and sweet.
>>>Blowing some hair off her face, the little girl huphed. 'Why won't this jerk just leave me alone?' "I beat everyone, so noone wants to play with me. They're losers. Go back and play with your loser friends."
>>>Ray's light eyebrows crossed over a shining boyish face. "But I want to play with you."
>>>A visible shock ran through the small girl's frame. She looked at the boy incredulously. "What?"
>>>Smiling a bright beaming smile, Ray grabbed the girl's hand. "Come on. Let's go play. My best friend is over by the wall ball wall!" He tugged her behind him eagerly. "What's your name? I'm Ray and he's," Ray pointed a finger to the wall where a young boy was standing with a big red rubber ball in his arms, that's Nata."
>>>Her cheeks flushed. "My name's Jessica."
>>>Ray turned his flashing toothy smile at the girl he was tugging across the field. "Nice to meet you Jess!"--
>>>Coming back to reality, Ray looked at the full grown Jessica, who he couldn't help but see the small girl's face in. "Well it's true. I can't believe what you were doing to him."
>>>Jessica sighed again, leaning over her pie, and looking straight into Ray's eyes. "It's not what you think."
>>>"No!?" Ray's voice was steadily getting louder. "So is it normal that you're beating the shit out of him!? What I think it is!" He stared at his childhood friend flatly. "I think it's you blackmailing Nata, or just taking your sick kinks out on him."
>>>Jess kept quiet through Ray's ranting, confirming something she suspected for a long time. She stared at Ray until he finished. "Okay, listen. I'm not doing this to hurt Nata." Ray huphed. "It's true. I'm trying to help him gain back his confidence and win a damn race!"
"Bullshit."
"Look, this wasn't even my idea. An old friend asked me a favor and hey, well I thought it would be fun to hang out with Nata and you again. I thought it would be nice to help out a friend...even if he doesn't remember me."
>>>Ray sucked in a deep breath. He reached the tipping point of the argument in his mind. Quite frankly he didn't know what to think. How to respond. Everything was flying around his skull and crashing together with confusing collisions. Finally he managed to say, "Nata didn't remember you?"
>>>Jess shook her head. "Can you believe that? Only four years and he doesn't even recognise me!"
>>>Ray chuckled, forgetting his bad mood, if only for a few seconds. "That's Nata. The only thing that he cares about is the water. Heck, I doubt he'd even remember his name if it didn't mean 'swim'. It's a mystery how he's the top in my classes."
"Yeah, well he remembers you just fine."
>>>Ray flapped his hands through the air. "Maybe he thinks of me like a sting ray." Then, the memory of how she rubbed her foot on Nata's head filled his mind. He went silent, staring at his hands which were now clasped on the table.
>>>Jess sighed heavily, leaning her weight on the table as she stood. >>>"You've got to trust me, I won't hurt him. I admit, it's gotten a little out of hand. I was pissed at first that he didn't even know me, but now it's just kind of fun." She leaned in a little, dropping her voice to a whisper. "When did you fall in love with him?"
>>>Ray froze. Wide eyes slowly tracked up to Jess, who patted him on the shoulder as she left. "See you, Ray. Hope we can get together again soon." Then she was gone, leaving Ray alone in the booth where he slowly started to recover from his shock.

The next day...

>>>Ray slowly walked into his government class. Seeing Nata sitting there, Ray stopped in his tracks, a disturbing uneasiness settling in his stomach. He didn't say much. He didn't do much. He just slid into his seat and waited for the teacher to start. To Ray's displeasure, every time he looked at Nata, last night's disturbing scenes dried his tounge. The only thing that Ray did register, for who knows if Nata ever said anything to him - he was in his own confused world - was that Nata was almost constantly fidgeting in his seat. Ray managed through the day, existing in an odd world where everything seemed to be an opposite fighting with the true self, as if everything sheltered within it both itself and it's polar opposite.

Later that day...

>>>Ray was sitting by the practice pool, legs in the cool water. Walking into the room gave him a stomach ache. He just wanted this day to be over...but first was practice. It took some time for the others to get there. They all greeted Ray as a friend, their team a close family.
>>>One of Ray's better friends on the team, Kyle, sat next to him on the pool's edge. "You okay man? You don't look good."
>>>It took more than a normal silence before Ray finally managed, "I'm okay." Not very convincing to say the least.
"What's up? You sick? You get a bad te---- holy shit."
>>>Ray looked up slowly, "what?" His mouth dropped open. Nata had just taken off his clothes like normal, though instead of standing there in his normal swim suit, he had on the skin tight women's racing suit from Jessica last night.
>>>Nata turned a bright red as the entire group of boys turned with Kyle's outburst. He stood utterly still as the boys' eyes ran up and down his body. He felt painfully aware of his legs which were visible all the way up to where a sharp v aligned with the v of his abs. "I lost a bet. Shut up." Nata jumped into the water, away from the peering eyes as laughter erupted around the pool hall.
>>>Despite himself, Ray couldn't help but smile and laugh at Nata's unbelievable appearance. He approached the side of the pool where Nata was floating with a hand on the edge. "Hey, I need to talk to you."
>>>Nata frowned, 'what put Ray in such a solemn mood? The rest of the team are laughing their heads off.' "Okay. Shoot."
>>>Ray dry swallowed past a hard lump in his throat. He started to work his jaw, though no sound came out. "I..." He stammered, not able to form any words in his head. This went on as minutes ticked by.
>>>Nata waited patiently, though it was soon extremely apparent that Ray wasn't going to be able to say what he wanted to say. Instead, Nata interrupted the painful stammering, "hey, check this out. I've been improving my time!"
>>>With that, Nata kicked off the wall, arching his back, and slid through the water. Ray watched, bewildered, as Nata swam down the lane and was returning back toward him sooner than usual. He watched, slightly mesmorized, with one thought in his mind: 'he's swimming like he used to swim.'
>>>Nata smiled as he broke the water by Ray's feet, shaking water from his hair. Ray smiled back, "you're back."
>>>Running his hands through his wet hair to pin it back, Nata shrugged. "I guess it's the extra training I've been doing...now what did you want to tell me?"

[Dareholic]

Slow part, but I know it will pick up.

[HondaJunkie93]

glad to see your back! I'm liking the little bit of background! Can't wait for more!

[OwnMe8]

So, I'm gathering that not everyone cared for the most recent chapter. I've heard some liked it, while others either didn't like the background, pace, or possibly the content or how it was written down the story's path.

Let me know what you thought of the last chapter and how you are getting along with the story. If you are not completely satisfied with a chapter or anything, let me know!

AJ

[HondaJunkie93]

I wouldn't say that I didn't care for it, It was just a lot different from all the previous chapters. Adding more information and a backstory to these stories isn't such a bad thing, but a lot of people are probably just looking for the 'juicy' stuff. Don't get discouraged, Its an amazing story!

[OwnMe8]

I apologize for how long it's been. University has started back up and I have an obscene amount of writing every week.

VIII

'Why am I here again?'
>>>Ray slid down behind a far wall in the corner of the large pool house. He peared over the stucco, watching a lone figure crouched at the lip of the pool.
>>>Nata looked at his face in the glassy surface with sullen eyes. The water Nata gazed back, assessing him with every thought that crossed his mind. "Where is she?"
>>>Ray sank back behind the cover of the wall. He stared at the ceiling, dim light dancing a balad dreamed by the shimmering pool. His thoughts meandered carelessly.
---"Now, what did you want to tell me?" Nata smiled, water falling from his brown silky hair. His blue eyes sparkled, briliant white teeth flashing.---
>>>Ray sighed, dropping his head back where it met the wall with a dull thud. 'How was I supposed to tell him? He was so happy. And...she's making him happy...'
>>>Nata's ears perked as he heard something slam across the hall. The sound, barely audible, echoed through the silent chilled night air. He stood, walking slowly toward the far end of the room. "Is someone there?"
>>>Ray froze. His lungs clenched. Nata was coming his way. Coming. His. Wa---'shit.' Ray dove from his cover and bolted for the open door a few feet away. Outside, he deigned to wait cautiously, listening for any sign of Nata. Apparently, the shadows had hidden Ray's haphazard escape, as Nata turned around the wall, looked from corner to corner, sighed, and walked slowly back to the water's edge.
>>>Chest heaving, Ray leaned his weight against the outside wall. 'Is she not coming because of me?' His heart tightened with a cold strong fist squeezing it mercilessly. "Why me?" He closed his eyes as the soft words escaped his lips. "Damnit."

The next day found Ray sitting in AP Gov as Nata came across the room and sidled into his chair. Ray, working on a couple hours sleep - the battling tides of his pained emotions kept him awake for most of the night, averted his eyes as his best friend sat next to him.
>>>"You okay?" Nata raised an eyebrow, looking into Ray's eyes.
>>>A cold sweat crawled down the back of Ray's neck. He shifted uncomfortably, eyes darting from Nata to his desk. "I....I'mm....fine."
>>>Nata frowned, eyebrows falling. "What's wrong bro?" His arm fell over Ray's shoulders.
>>>Tensing, Ray returned his wayward eyes to the desk. "It...it's...nothing....really....I'm fine."
>>>Nata hughed, leaning back into his chair. His arm fell.

The class dragged by, as the two closest buds remained in an uncomfortable silence.

Ray sneaked away to the roof of the pool hall during lunch.

"You know, you're not supposed to be up here." Nata smiled as he walked across from the ladder to where Ray sat in the corner.
>>>Ray's mouth grew a desert, his chest constricted by a large boa.
>>>"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Nata slid down beside Ray, propping his elbows on tented knees.
"It's---"
"Don't you dare say it's nothing. We haven't been up here since your mom was in the hospital..."
>>>Ray's eyes closed. "It's okay...I'm fine. It's just going to take a while for me to settle things in my head."
"What is it? Tell me."
>>>Ray looked up into Nata's comforting eyes, a pained smile crossing his lips. He managed to whisper "I wish I could."
"Why can't you?"
>>>Ray just shook his head, drawing his knees to his chest. He froze.
>>>Nata's arms wrapped around Ray, enveloping him in a warm embrace. "Ray, it's okay. Whatever it is and even if you can't tell me, I'll be here for you."
>>>His heart yearned. Then, Ray's throat tightened and tears spilled.

They sat there for a while, only small bits of conversation sparking every so often. Nata didn't have a fifth block, and Ray just couldn't bring himself to go down and be the student tutor he was supposed to.
>>>Nata sighed. Ray, for the first time looked to see a pained expression on Nata's face. "Are you okay?"
>>>Nata sifted again. "Do I look okay to you?" He shook his head unceremoniously. "I get stood up yesterday and now my best friend in the world is hurting and he won't even tell me why. How could I be okay?"
>>>Ray's eyes grew. "You got stood up?" Nata nodded slowly, an odd smile pulling at the comers of his mouth. "You're dating? You have a girlfriend?"
>>>A coughed laugh escaped from Nata. He raised his hands. "Kind of.. I don't know....I guess...she's the one who's been helping me with some extra swimming training."
>>>A shot of hurt flashed across Ray's face. Then, it was gone. Everything was gone. Somewhere, deep within himself, Ray had resigned. Nata likes Jessica. He couldn't ever think of Ray that way, and even if he could, would it make Nata as happy as he was yesterday at practice?
"I don't even know what I did. She just didn't show up. No call. Nothing."
>>>Ray's jaw clenched, a knot twisting his stomach. 'Not you...I.' Taking in a deep breath, "you know how I wanted to say something to you yesterday."
>>>Nata nodded, 'what made him bring that up?'
>>>"I wanted to ask if this weekend you wanted to go to the ocean with my me and my dad. We got the boat finished."
>>>Nata looked at Ray in surprise, they had been working on that boat for two years. "It's done?" Ray nodded. "Awesome. Sounds like fun."
>>>Ray smiled, though he was far from happy. 'I'll invite her.'

[Dareholic]

I did not know a University wanted you to write that type of words.

Anyway, thanks for the update, still looking good.

[OwnMe8]

IX

***Nata grabbed onto the lip of the boat, hauling himself into it while Ray backed the truck and trailer down the sloping boat launch. Hopping out of the cab as Nata rocked side to side, Ray lowered the safety winch and freed The Stingray into the gentle eddies of the cove. He flashed Nata a smile, "start her up!"
>>>Backing away to the cab, Ray grinned as the duel engines kicked and roared to a happy life. Nata brought it back to the dock while Ray parked the truck. He came running down the hill and dock, jumping onto boat in stride, and sending the new boat rocking.
>>>Nata laughed. He stood up, sidling to the side of the driver's seat. "The wheel's all yours captain. Ray nodded to his best friend, his eyes roaming over Nata's board short and t-shirt covered body behind dark glasses.
>>>Grabbing the throttle, Ray took the two friends away from every day life and out to the freedom of the glistening open ocean. "You and your dad did an amazing job." Ray smiled as the boat shot up and down on the larger boats' wakes. "And," Nata laughed standing next to Ray with a hand on the seat's back, "you guys picked an awesome name."
>>>Liall laughed brightly. He breathed in Nata's scent, his mind drifting. "I'm sorry my dad and the girls said they couldn't come."
>>>Nata sobered for just a second. "I'm not." He leaned over Ray, pressing himself on top of his friend. "Let's open it up." He grabbed the dual throttle and pulled them all the way down. The Stringray lurched, it's engines roared a ferocious growl. It jumped, the front end lifting. Nata let out a surprised yelp as he was almost flung off the back into the breaking water. He threw his arms around Ray, saving himself through a tight bear hug.
>>>Ray felt his cheeks burn as the crisp air bit at his face. They continued for a couple minutes, Nata clinging onto Ray for dear life. Finally, Ray brought the boat to a slow drift. His heart was pounding. Nata took in rough breaths, his lungs fought bitterly for air.
>>>They looked at each other for a stunned moment or two, then burst out laughing. The coast was now a tiny jagged line. Ray looked around, trying to get his bearings. He turned the boat toward the right and sent the boat crashing through the water. Slightly yelling over the surrounding cacophony. "There's a small island about five minutes away from here, want to go?"
>>>Nata nodded, looking at Ray as he stared forward. His mouth grew dry. Closing his eyes, he steeled himself. About ten minutes later, they came to a small crop of dry land, sprouted with rocks and sparse trees. It looked truly like that picturesque tropical quiet island.
>>>Liall killed the engines. The sudden quiet was an odd environment. He looked up at Nata, "I don't really want to take the boat closer in case there are rocks. You good to swim? It's a really mild current out here."
>>>Nata chuckled. Stripping, he threw his shirt, hitting Ray. He jumped up on the edge of the boat, balancing on one foot as it rocked. He twisted, flashing Ray a bright smile, and flicked a salute with two fingers before diving into the cold calm ocean.
>>>Ray laughed as he shook his head. 'There's a back to dive off of...you don't have to go over the side.' Lowering the anchor until it hit the sandbar, Ray ran to the back of the boat where he dove off of a textured platform.
>>>They raced, gliding through the glassy surface. Nata smiled as he stood on the sandy island, sea water dripping off of him. He watched Ray climb out of the water, his tanned skin shining with glistening water.
>>>'This is the time.' Nata walked toward Ray, his heart pounding. He worked his jaw, though nothing came out.
>>>Ray smiled, cocking an eyebrow. "What's up?"
>>>Staring deeply into into Ray's eyes, Nata begged his tongue to work. "I..." He dry swallowed. Closing his eyes, he shook his head quickly. 'Forget this!' Lunging forward, he wrapped his hand around Ray's waist. Their lips met in a locking embrace.
>>>Eyes wide, Ray pulled back. "Nata?"
>>>Nata smiled, his eyes shadowed. "I need you, Ray. I can't deny it any longer. I love you."
"Nata?"
>>>With the strong arm around Ray's hip, he pulled Ray to his chest. Closing his eyes, he titled his head, interlocking the two friends in a tongue-filled embrace.
>>>'Was it really this simple?' Ray allowed his hands to wander, working over Nata's toned body. They worked from his sides down to his board shorts' waistband. Ray's heart split open as his one wish in the world was coming true right in front of his lips.
>>>"Come on." Nata wrapped his hand around Ray's, pulling him toward the center of the small island. The few trees managed to block out most of the world. Spinning as he stopped, Nata leaned in, kissing Ray's neck. His fingers skimmed over Ray's abs, and found complete ecstasy in playing with Ray's nipples.
>>>Jolts wracked Ray's body as he surrendered himself. His own hands found their way to rubbing Nata's bubble butt through the shorts.
>>>They grunted, silently agreeing to move on. As Ray's hands worked around Nata's waistband, Nata untied Ray's swimsuit. They fondled each other as their shorts hit the ground. Nata's tongue worked around Ray's smooth skin.
>>>Closed eyes, Ray bent his head back in a silent groan. His best friend - no, the love of his life - stood before him in soaking wet boxer briefs running his tounge over every inch of Ray.
*Beep* *Buzz*
>>>"What's that? Your phone?" Nata managed as his tounge continued his exploration.
"No...I...ahhh...left my phone on the boat"
*bzzzzzz*
>>>Stopping his exploration, Nata looked up. "Come on, turn off your phone. It's annoying."
"It's not my---***

>>>Ray woke with a start, his chest heaving. At his side, his phone buzzed incessantly. On the screen Nata's picture smiled. A single tear rolled down Ray's cheek. "Damnit."

[Dareholic]

Nice dream he was having. Please continue.

[OwnMe8]

Hi everyone. I apologize for how long it has been since my last updates to these stories. I miss them and am looking forward to getting back to them, hopefully within the week. However, I have decided to move these stories. To avoid breaking getdare rules I will not advertise here where the stories will be moved. If you would like to continue reading my writing and/or want to know why I'm moving and/or anything really, just pm me or email, [email protected]

Thanks to everyone who have offered me support and enjoyed my stories on getdare. It's been a blast, but I am going to be ending my time on getdare once I establish where the stories will be sent. Thanks getdare for entertaining me through the years.

Love ya

AJ

[OwnMe8]

Soooo I'm back... Whether that's a good thing or not is up for debate. It feels strange to be here again, especially since I vowed the last time would indeed be the last. There are some things I want to do here and despite my better judgement (let's face it my better judgement goes out the window for every time I log on) I've decided that I may start posting here again. As many seemed interested in Aquarius I'm thinking about posting some more chapters here.

I may start some other stories, but the plan is to keep things brief and not get myself too attached to the story. Along those lines, I am not and will not post any more chapters of College Roommates on gd or the internet for that matter...sorry.

I have issues with my inability to control the story once I post it here, but if I strictly keep it to kinky and short stories I'm fine with that as long as people are interested.


So now comes the question. Does anyone want me to continue Aquarius?

....I'm not promising regular updates though...really busy....